Yoon, Ahn merge candidacies on eve of early voting

All News 08:57 March 03, 2022

By Joo Kyung-don

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- The presidential race took a big turn Thursday after Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party and Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor People's Party agreed to merge campaigns and field Yoon as the unified opposition candidate for the March 9 election.

The deal was announced at their joint press conference at the National Assembly where Ahn declared his support for Yoon and decided to drop out of the race, citing the greater good of a change of government.

The two agreed on a merger deal during late night talks held after a TV presidential debate Wednesday.

The merger is likely to boost Yoon's chances against Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party. The two have been neck and neck with around 40 percent support each in recent polls, while Ahn has had around 10 percent.

The merger also came one day before early voting begins.

Yoon Suk-yeol (L), the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, and Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition People's Party, pose for photos at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 3, 2022, after holding a joint press conference to announce that Ahn will drop out of the March 9 election and back Yoon as a unified candidate. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

After the press conference, Yoon is scheduled to travel across the country's central Chungcheong region with stops in Cheonan, Gongju and Sejong, and visit Sacheon and Masan in South Gyeongsang Province in the evening.

Ahn had planned to hold rallies in Seoul, with stops at universities to target young voters, but is expected to change his schedule and may join Yoon's campaigning.

While the opposition side gathered their forces, Lee will try to consolidate liberal voters.

Lee will begin the day with a meeting with Peter Chung Soon-taick, the archbishop of Seoul, and move to Bosingak belfry in Jongno, central Seoul, to hold a rally under the theme of "society with gender equality."

He will then visit Seoul's Yeongdeungpo and Gangseo districts. In the evening, Lee is scheduled to speak in Geumcheon district, southwestern Seoul, to promote his policies on youth and small businesses.

Kim Dong-yeon, a former finance minister who withdrew his candidacy to support Lee, will also join Lee's campaigning in the nation's capital.

Meanwhile, Sim Sang-jeung, the candidate of the minor progressive Justice Party, will begin her schedule in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, and go to Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

kdon@yna.co.kr
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