Popular potential presidential candidate also rules out running for parliamentary seat


Entrepreneur-turned-professor Ahn Cheol-soo on Thursday denied speculation that he would create a political party and run in the general election next year.

Ahn has yet to confirm whether he will enter politics. But he has received media attention as a formidable potential presidential runner who enjoys popularity among the public disenchanted with established politicians.

“There have been rumors about me creating a new party or running for a parliamentary seat representing a district in the southern district of Gangnam. But what I can unequivocally say is that I have no thoughts about that and there is no possibility of that,” Ahn told reporters. The affluent Gangnam district has traditionally been a stronghold for the conservative ruling party.

“I can’t turn my attention to anything else when I have my hands full with my school work and the task of establishing a foundation for my donation.”

The 49-year-old dean of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology made the remarks during a press conference AhnLab organized to announce its plan on social contributions.

AhnLab is the country’s biggest antivirus software firm, founded by Ahn in 1995. He owns a 37.1 percent stake in the company.

Public attention toward him has spiked since he announced his plan on Nov. 14 to donate half his stocks in the firm, worth 150 billion won ($133 million), to help educate children from low-income families.

Although he insisted that it has long been his plan to fulfill his social responsibility as part of the privileged upper echelon, the decision was construed by political observers and local media here as another dramatic move to raise his political profile ahead of next year’s presidential election.

In some popularity surveys, Ahn is ahead of former Grand National Party chairwoman Park Geun-hye, who is regarded as the presidential frontrunner, unnerving the ruling party, which is struggling to make sweeping reforms to shore up public support.

During the press conference, he looked cautious about answering sensitive questions regarding his entry into politics.

“I think my answers to the political questions were sufficiently clear,” he said before leaving the press conference.

Regarding how he would donate his wealth to society as promised, he said that he was still thinking about good methods.

“I am thinking of a variety of models to donate my wealth. A micro-credit scheme is just one of them I have been mulling. I am thinking hard about how to donate it in a way that is bigger than that (micro-credit) in terms of scope,” he said.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)