By Kim Jong-chan
Deputy managing editor
A month ago, I asked popular software entrepreneur Ahn Cheol-soo to make it clear whether or not he was interested in running for president, as it takes time for the public to scrutinize a presidential hopeful.
Apparently mindful of rumors spreading, Ahn called a press meeting a week ago but remained vague about his political ambitions ― whether he will engage in politics or not.
Ahn, who is popular among young people, remains an “out boxer” who has at least one foot in politics ― though he once said he will distance himself from politics. He easily could nab a surprise victory in the presidential election in December next year.
The latest polls show the doctor-turned-IT guru ahead of Rep. Park Geun-hye, former chairwoman of the governing Grand National Party (GNP), in a two-way contest by a double-digit margin. Park had been far ahead of other presidential hopefuls from both the ruling and opposition parties before Ahn's surprise emergence in early September.
During the 13-minute press meeting at the headquarters of the anti-virus software firm AhnLab in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province, which he founded, Ahn made it clear that he was not interested in establishing a new political party. He also denied that he was seeking to run in the National Assembly elections in April next year for an affluent Gangnam district in southern Seoul.
But when asked whether he would accept an invitation by opposition leaders to join an initiative to establish an alliance of opposition parties, he gave no clear-cut answer. Opposition leaders hope that he will become the parties’ single standard-bearer to run against the ruling party candidate in the presidential race.
Ahn’s rise as a potential presidential contender comes at a time when public disillusionment of the political establishment is deepening.
This year, the GNP suffered election defeats. To make matters worse, an aide to one of its lawmakers and three others were found involved in hacking the website of the watchdog National Election Commission. The cyber attack paralyzed the website for more than two hours during the Oct. 26 Seoul mayoral by-elections.
It is unthinkable and deplorable as well for anyone to rig an election, thus undermining the foundation for democracy. The hacking scandal dealt a fatal blow to the GNP, creating leadership turmoil and igniting calls for dissolution of the beleaguered party among party members.
Also unimaginable was that a lawmaker of the minor opposition Democratic Labor Party detonated a tear gas grenade in the National Assembly on Nov. 22 to block a floor vote to ratify the free trade agreement between Seoul and Washington.
Ahn, now dean of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, is known for his uprightness. He is the founder of anti-virus software firm AhnLab, which for years distributed some of its products for free instead of amassing more fortune.
With his announcement to donate half of his 37 percent stake in AhnLab, about 222.5 billion won as of Monday, Ahn left a lasting impression. Amid widening social disparity, his donation will not be overlooked.
Chung Ju-yung, the late founder of the Hyundai Group and one of the few visionaries who led Korea’s economic miracle, created a political party in January 1992 but unsuccessfully ran in the presidential race on the party’s ticket in December that same year. He placed a distant third with 15.6 percent of votes. Kim Young-sam won the election with 40.2 percent, while Kim Dae-jung garnered 32.4 percent. Moon Kook-hyun, also a businessman-turned-politician, was no exception. He won only 5.8 percent of votes in the 2007 presidential poll.
Ahn’s chance of winning, given his support rate, might be higher as no one has succeeded in garnering nearly 50 percent as he has done. Some call it a bubble that will burst once he enters politics.
Credited for developing AhnLab, a small venture firm, into one of the largest computer security companies in the country, Ahn gave up a guaranteed comfortable life as a medical doctor here. Let’s watch the IT guru as he continues to do his current job and anticipate how much more he will contribute to society.