Ahn Cheol-soo Defends Rally Visit: 'Is It Wrong to Seek Out Youth?'

Ahn Cheol-soo, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, defended his presence at a rally in Seoul's Olympic Park on Constitution Day, arguing that visiting young people advocating for constitutional rights was not a mistake.

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Is it wrong to visit the place where young people and citizens who are shouting for the value of constitutional protection and suffrage are on Constitution Day?

Responding to criticism for skipping the official Constitution Day ceremony at the National Assembly, Ahn stated on Facebook that he was meeting with young individuals who were "making their own souvenirs with their own money and handing them out." He questioned whether seeking out such citizens was wrong, particularly in contrast to what he described as "full-bellied Democratic Party politicians" boasting about fundraising.

Ahn's remarks appeared to target Jeong Cheong-rae, a former leader of the Democratic Party and a candidate for its upcoming convention, who had announced raising 380 million won in a single day. Ahn suggested that his engagement with young people might seem insignificant compared to such figures.

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The person I briefly spoke with was a young person who made souvenirs with his own money and handed them out. Is this person a conspiracy theorist?

He further criticized the Democratic Party, stating that when politicians claiming to champion "youth politics" make "outrageous remarks" like accusing the People Power Party of enjoying the "Jamsil incident" (referring to the Olympic Park rally), young people naturally reject them. Ahn implied that this was why young people might be wary of engaging with the party, even if he himself visited the Olympic Park.

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When politicians from the Democratic Party who claim to be doing 'youth politics' spew outrageous remarks like 'the People Power Party is enjoying the Jamsil incident,' it's no wonder young people reject them even if they visit 'Olgong' (Olympic Park).

The Democratic Party had previously issued a statement criticizing Ahn and other People Power Party members for their attendance at the rally. Party spokesperson Park Ji-hye questioned whether abandoning the official ceremony for a "conspiracy theory rally" was appropriate behavior for lawmakers and party leaders, labeling the attendees as "extreme conspiracy theorists."

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We must ask whether it is the attitude that the leader of a public party and a member of the National Assembly should take to abandon the official ceremony at the National Assembly, the last bastion of democracy, and dance to the tune of extreme conspiracy theorists.