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| Ahn Cheol-soo, former presidential candidate of the second-largest opposition People's Party, bows to apologize for a scandal regarding a smear campaign against President Moon Jae-in during a press conference at the party's office on Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
By Kim Hyo-jin
Ahn Cheol-soo, the former presidential candidate of the second-largest opposition People's Party, apologized to the public Wednesday about the scandal regarding the party's smear campaign against President Moon Jae-in.
He broke a long silence and stated his position on the scandal that has rocked the party during a press conference held at the party's headquarters on Yeouido.
Ahn said he would take time off for self-reflection and introspection but did not announce his retirement from politics.
It has been over two weeks since it was revealed the People's Party waged a massive negative campaign against Moon during the presidential race using material fabricated by party member Lee Yu-mi.
"It's with a heavy heart that I have to say this. This fabrication case cannot be acceptable for any reason. As the presidential candidate I feel deeply responsible for this scandal," Ahn said.
"I apologize to the people who supported me, party members and fellow politicians who sacrificed themselves during the campaign, and the person directly involved in the case who must have suffered emotional distress."
Ahn said he should be held accountable for failing to adopt an appropriate verification system, pleading for a chance to get the party back on track.
"All the blame and anger should rest with me. I beg you to give the party one more chance so the multi-party system you created in the general election is kept valid," he said.
"I will have a period of deep self-reflection and look back on my five-year political career. I'll do everything I can for the party."
Ahn had faced strong calls from both within and outside the party to take responsibility as former party leader and the "beneficiary" of the negative campaign. But he remained silent and stayed away from the public scene, fanning further criticism.
His broke his silence after Lee Jun-suh, a former Supreme Council member, was arrested over his suspected role in the evidence fabrication, Tuesday.
The prosecution has expanded its investigation to other senior party members, indicating it has ignored the party's claim it was a "one-man crime."
Ahn explained he had to wait to express his position until the investigation was conducted.
"I have kept an eye on the investigation with a painful heart," he said. "I respect the decision of the court. The party will actively cooperate with the prosecution for a transparent and fair investigation. And I will also cooperate if I have to."
Lee Jun-suh was accused of spreading false information during the campaign, thereby violating the Election Law.
He provided the party with an unverified recording and fabricated messenger logs created by Lee Yu-mi accusing Moon Joon-yong, the President's son, of landing a full-time job at a public agency in 2006 based on his father's influence as a presidential secretary.
The evidence ― an audio file and screenshots of Kakao Talk messages containing a tip-off from an alleged school contact of Joon-yong ― later turned out to be fabricated by Lee and her brother.
The People's Party made an official apology after Lee Jun-suh was arrested, saying it respected the judiciary's decision to issue an arrest warrant.
"The court made the decision to seek the legal responsibility of Lee who skipped the proper verification process with the evidence while it still acknowledges the fabrication was solely done by Lee Yu-mi," said Rep. Son Kum-ju, the party's spokesman.
The party, however, continued raising an offensive against the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, claiming its leader Choo Mi-ae influenced the prosecution's investigation.
"There is still a lingering suspicion Choo may have offered guidelines to the prosecution," Son said, referring to Choo's earlier remarks that the fabrication must be connected to the party's leadership and was willful negligence.
Even though the party is seeking to contain the fallout from the scandal, it is expected to face an exodus of party members. Earlier in the day, Kang Yeon-jae, the party's former deputy spokeswoman, quit the party, saying she was disappointed with Ahn and his response failed to prove he could achieve what he dubbed "new politics."
