dailies-editorials (2)

(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Feb. 15)

Single candidacy proposal

: Future negotiations face barriers to overcome

Fielding a single opposition candidate has emerged as a new factor in deciding the result of the March 9 presidential election. On Sunday, Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition People's Party, proposed creating a unified candidacy to Yoon Suk-yeol, his rival of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP).

Announcing the proposal in a press conference at the party's headquarters, Ahn cited the need for the two to join forces to realize a common goal of ending the old regime and achieve a change of government. Yoon reacted cautiously to Ahn's proposal, saying he would think about it. Yet he did not refute it. The issue has become all the more significant amid a neck-and-neck competition between Yoon and his opponent Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).

The issue will likely dominate the presidential race for the time being with all eyes on whether Yoon and Ahn can agree on a unified candidacy formula and who will become a single candidate. What is worrisome is how the candidates and their parties will narrow differences over the selection of a unified candidate. Ahn has called for a primary race based on public opinion polls. However, Yoon and the PPP are against such a primary. Instead, they have called on Ahn to make a "courageous decision," a move asking him to drop his candidacy and back Yoon's single candidacy.

Yoon has been leading in various opinion polls on presidential runners. Yet, some polls showed Ahn will beat DPK's Lee in a wider margin in case he becomes the single candidate. This shows they face tough negotiations and should overcome many hurdles.

The candidacy registration ended Monday and the official 22-day campaigning will begin Tuesday. Both Yoon and Ahn are pressured to hasten the creation of a single candidacy. Yet negotiations for a single candidacy should be based on the people's aspirations for a change of government. Yoon and Ahn should also focus on presenting combined agendas and policies and pledging to carry them out regardless of who wins the election. They can attract voter support only when they agree to share values and visions and jointly implement policies if a single candidate wins the poll.

Most of all, negotiations over the unified candidacy should be carried out in a transparent way so that voters can have confidence in the process of fielding a single opposition runner. If both sides decide only to share key posts in return for the single candidacy, after the election ― for example, offering to appoint Ahn as prime minister ― the people will only be disappointed by such a political gambit.

Both candidates should prove their true intention of terminating the irrational emperor-like super presidency and promoting decentralization of power. They should not betray the people's desperate hope for change ― a change for the better, not for the worse.

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