The rival candidates for Seoul mayor ratcheted up their last-minute campaigns Monday, two days ahead of the vote, closely eyeing how star IT expert Ahn Cheol-soo's call for support for the opposition candidate would affect the close race.
Ahn Cheol-soo (Yonhap News)
Ahn, who had previously been considered a leading mayoral candidate, decided not to run in September, throwing his support behind Park Won-soon. The software mogul on Sunday announced his plans to campaign on behalf of opposition-backed Park.
On Monday, Ahn visited Park's campaign headquarters and handed him a letter that calls for Seoul citizens to vote for Park, saying he believes the liberal candidate can "bring change" to the capital city.
"This election should be about who can create harmony, not conflict, and who is more truthful, and who is talking about the future, not the past," Ahn said in the letter. "I will exercise my right to vote, and I ask voters to join me."
Ahn's move could deal a blow to Na Kyung-won of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) in the tight race as Ahn is hugely popular among younger generations due to his clean and upright image exempt from the voter distrust that plagues politics as it stands now.
Ahn has even been mentioned as a possible contender for next year's presidential poll.
Ahn, who currently serves as a professor at Seoul National University, had been reluctant to stand at the forefront of the mayoral race amid fierce competition between the rival camps, despite his endorsement of Park during his own withdrawal from the race.
Political watchers say Ahn's backing has turned the Seoul election into a prelude to the 2012 presidential race as the GNP's leading presidential contender Park Geun-hye has been hitting the campaign trail on behalf of Na in the past weeks.
The pundits are, however, divided over the degree of the "Ahn effect" on Park's approval ratings.
"As the approval ratings between the two candidates have remained close, making Ahn's support for Park public could have a great impact (on voters)," said Hong Hyung-sik, director of the polling agency Hangil Research.
Won Hee-woon, a senior researcher at the Korea Society Opinion Institute, argued that Ahn's decision would have little impact as he had already expressed his support for Park in early September when he gave up his mayoral bid.
"(His support) will not sharply raise Park's approval ratings. It will rather play a role in collecting swing voters who distanced themselves from the voting amid negative campaigning," Won said, referring to the aggressive campaigns between the rival parties over the candidates' ethical qualifications.
Political parties also showed keen interest over whether Ahn could prove to be a game-changer or just a one-time phenomenon.
The GNP played down Ahn's move, criticizing the opposition camp of relying on outside help to run its campaign.
"If (Ahn) wants to enter politics, I hope he throws away his career as a professor and joins politics," GNP leader Hong Joon-pyo said.
Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu, who heads the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), expressed hope that Ahn's backing would unite Park's supporters as well as swing voters disillusioned by the ruling party.
Na stressed that the race should not be a proxy battle but one between the candidates.
"I think the 'Ahn effect' has been already reflected in polls, and there is no special meaning," Na said in a radio interview. "This election should be a race between Park Won-soon and Na Kyung-won. I don't think people will give more votes to a candidate who is backed by somebody else."
The post of Seoul mayor has been vacant since Oh Se-hoon of the GNP stepped down in August after losing a referendum he called to oppose a free school lunch program supported by the opposition-led city council.
<관련 한글 기사>
안철수 "박원순 응원"..투표참여 호소
나경원 "남자가 쩨쩨한 선거캠페인 하지 말라"
박원순 후보 캠프 방문..응원 편지 전달
안철수 서울대 융합과학기술대학원장은 24일 "멀리서나마 (박원순 야권단일 후보를) 계속 응원하고 있었다"며 "열심히 하셔서 꼭 원하는 바를 이루길 바란다"고 밝혔다.
그는 이날 안국동 박 후보의 선거캠프를 전격 방문, 박 후보와 만난 자리에서 이같이 말한 뒤 "계속 성원하고 있었고 오늘은 응원드리러 왔다"고 말했다.
이어 "앞으로 시장이 되면 상식에 기반하고 시민이 누구나 미래를 꿈꾸면서 자부심을 느낄 수 있는 시정을 펼쳐줄 것으로 믿는다"며 "시민들이 그런 판단 기준으로 선택할 것으로 믿는다"고 강조했다.
안 원장은 이날 박 후보에게 응원 메시지를 담은 편지를 전달했다.
그는 편지에서 1955년 미국 흑인 민권운동 촉발의 계기가 된 로자 파크스가 '선 거는 참여의 상징'이라고 한 발언을 전한 뒤 "로자 파크스처럼 우리가 '그날의 의미를 바꿔놓는' 행동에 나서야 한다"며 투표 참여를 촉구했다.
또 "이번 선거는 누가 대립이 아닌 화합을 이끌어낼 수 있는지, 누구의 말이 진 실한지, 또 누가 '과거가 아닌 미래를 말하고 있는지'를 묻는 선거여야 한다"며 "나 도 한편의 권리를 행사할 것인 만큼 여러분도 저와 함께 해주길 간곡히 청한다"고 덧붙였다.
한나라당 나경원 서울시장 후보는 24일 안철수 서울대 융합과학기술대학원장이 범야권 박원순 후보 지원을 선언한 데 대해 "남자가 쩨쩨하게 치졸한 선거캠페인을 하지 말라"고 밝혔다.
나 후보는 이날 오후 시내 프레스센터 캠프 사무실에서 가진 기자회견에서 "안 원장이 등장한 것은 박 후보가 어려워졌음을 자인한 셈"이라며 "우리는 정책ㆍ소통 ㆍ검증 선거에서 모두 승리했다"고 주장했다.
그는 "이번 선거는 나경원과 무소속 박원순 후보의 선거로, 당당한 일대일 대결 을 원한다"며 "더이상 온갖 방어막과 모호함, 다른 세력의 그림자 속에 숨지말고 정 정당당하게 나와달라"고 촉구했다.
또 "여성 후보를 상대로 야권 대선주자들이 총출동, 박 후보를 협찬하고 있다고 해야 하는 것이냐"고 반문하면서 "이번 선거는 처음부터 다윗과 골리앗의 싸움으로, 저는 다윗이지만 당당하고 원칙을 지키며 깨끗한 캠페인을 할 것"이라고 밝혔다.
그는 "선거기간 반MB(이명박 대통령), 반오세훈만 말할 뿐 서울의 미래를 말하 지 않은 사람이 누구인지 유권자는 잘 알 것이며, 시민운동만 하던 분이 준비 안된 상태에서 나서다 보니 온갖 부작용이 발생하고 있다"며 "홀로 설 수 없는 사람에게 서울시정을 맡길 수 없다"고 자신에 대한 지지를 호소했다.
