CHOI JAE-HYUNG TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT

[Anchor Lead]

Former Board of Audit and Inspection chief Choi Jae-hyung officially announced his bid for presidency. His candidacy invited questions about how he would handle the criticism of undermining the neutrality of the audit agency. He answered that he tried to fulfill his duty by the law but ran into the wall of power.

[Pkg]

Choi Jae-hyung became the preliminary presidential candidate of the People Power Party one month after stepping down from the top Board of Audit and Inspection post. The former chief inspector said he couldn’t just stand by and watch the country fall apart. As if answering the criticism of entering politics immediately after resigning from his BAI post, he took considerable time to explain the reason behind the decision.

[Soundbite] Choi Jae-hyung(PPP Presidential Primary Candidate) : "I tried to carry out my duty as the Constitution and laws dictated. But I ran into a wall. That wall was the current administration drunk on the sweetness of power."

Choi underlined his identity as an opposition party candidate by saying... that he would reexamine the policy to phase out nuclear energy and do exactly the opposite of the current administration to stabilize the real estate market. He emphasized his strength compared to another main opposition presidential hopeful Yoon Seok-youl.

[Soundbite] Choi Jae-hyung(PPP Presidential Primary Candidate) : "I’m free from the past that caused this division. I don’t have any political liability."

When it was noted that he gave just basic answers to questions about specific policies, he apologized for not being fully prepared. Meanwhile, the People Power Party leadership called its presidential hopefuls together for volunteer work at shanty town residents. It was the first outside event to show teamwork and drum up support for the primary, but four candidates: Yoon Seok-youl, Choi Jae-hyung, Hong Joon-pyo and Yoo Seong-min, failed to participate. PPP leader Lee Jun-seok was evidently offended by their absence from an official party event.