Ahn Cheol-soo, a four-term lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party, announced his bid to become the leader of the conservative party Tuesday.
Ahn, considered a non-mainstream lawmaker of his party, made the announcement during a press conference at the National Assembly, three weeks after abruptly resigning as head of the PPP's innovation committee amid clashes with the party leadership over his push for a personnel reshuffle.
"I will become the leader of a party driven by reform which brings innovation from within and fights the political recklessness of President Lee Jae Myung's Democratic Party from the outside," Ahn said.
Ahn, a software mogul who voted in favor of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment over his failed martial law bid, had been tapped to lead the committee as the PPP has been in political limbo since Yoon's ouster and the party's defeat in the June 3 presidential election. He resigned just five days later.
During the press conference, Ahn also said he received a text message from a special counsel team investigating Yoon's martial law bid Tuesday, requesting him to appear for questioning.
"The fact that even I, someone who opposed martial law and supported the impeachment of Yoon, received such a text message shows that this is an attempt to brand the entire PPP as a party of insurrection," he said.
The PPP is scheduled to pick its next leader during a national convention on Aug. 22. (Yonhap)
