Retired professor critical of President Moon joins Ahn Cheol-soo camp

Choi Jin-seok, right, a professor emeritus of Sogang University, and Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate and leader of the minor opposition conservative People's Party, are seen at Choi's house in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla Province, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Jung Da-min

A retired professor of Sogang University, Choi Jin-seok who has criticized the Moon Jae-in government, joined the minor opposition People's Party to spearhead the Ahn Cheol-soo camp as an election campaign chairman.

The two met on Tuesday at Choi's home in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla Province after Ahn went all the way down to the rustic southern countryside to bring the academic onboard to join his presidential campaign.

After having an hour-long conversation with the presidential candidate, Choi, 62, accepted the offer.

After the meeting, Ahn said he was inspired by the professor of philosophy and has adored him after reading his book, without mentioning which book he was talking about.

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"I hope that he can be an ideological center of our camp… and I expect that he would keep informing the public of what the country should do (to turn the tide)," said the presidential candidate.

Choi responded favorably, describing Ahn as a rare presidential candidate who is ethically flawless.

He said he decided to join the Ahn camp because he was convinced that an ethically perfect candidate will be able to stabilize anxiety which has gripped Korean society. "I got lots of phone calls today from people that I know and many of them were worried about my joining the camp. Some told me that politics would hurt my career. Despite this, I chose to risk my career because I felt the country is in peril," he said.

In a media interview, Choi said he reached a conclusion that Ahn is the only presidential candidate who can fix the Republic of Korea which is torn by divisive self-serving politicians. "Mr. Ahn told me that he was desperate to save the country from peril, which touched me. Our country has long been stuck in the past (because of politicians) and I thought it's time to move on," he said.

Choi joined the Ahn camp amid the center-right presidential candidate's rise in popularity. In several polls taken last week, Ahn came in third following two leading presidential candidates ― Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Yoon Suk-yeol, of the main opposition People Power Party.

Regarding the four-way presidential race, a survey of 1,010 adults conducted by local pollster Kantar Korea at the request of Chosun Ilbo and TV Chosun from Jan. 15 to 16, showed Yoon as the poll leader with a 32.8 percent margin of error, followed by DPK candidate Lee at 31.7 percent. Ahn's rating stood at 12. 2 percent, followed by Rep. Sim Sang-jung of the minor opposition progressive Justice Party at 2.7 percent.

Professor Choi is a towering figure in the Chinese philosophy of Daoism (or Taoism). He has been critical of the Moon government for various policy approaches.

Born in 1959 in Shinan County, South Jeolla Province, he himself participated in the 1980 May Gwangju Democratization Movement.

Further details of the poll are available on the websites of the survey agency or the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.

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