LEE & AHN TO RUN FOR BY-ELECTIONS

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A former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and Presidential Transition Committee Chair Ahn Cheol-soo, have announced their parliamentary by-election bids. Running for the posts away from their political bases, the two have pledged responsible politics. Lee is determined to help his party win a majority of votes in the by-elections, while Ahn has vowed to lay a stepping stone for the success of the incoming administration.

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Former Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung made a public appearance for the first time around 2 months after running for the top office. While announcing his bid, he reiterated the word "responsibility" multiple times and said he wanted to take responsibility for his party's failure in the presidential race by opening up new possibilities for it. Lee said one of the reasons behind his decision to run in the by-elections was the harsh criticism and attacks from the PPP. Lee says he's determined to take all that head-on rather than avoiding political risks and backstabbing.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(Former DP Pres. Candidate) : “I will make sure to lead my party to an overwhelming victory by winning Incheon first.”

Ahn Chul-soo, the head of the presidential transition committee, announced his bid and unleashed criticism toward Lee Jae-myung, who served as Gyeonggi-do Province governor and Seongnam mayor. He said Seongnam City was turned into "Gotham" under the 12-year rule of a DP mayor. He added Lee is running in a region where he has no connections whatsoever in order to avoid responsibility. Ahn emphasized responsible politics and promised to put his party's needs first.

[Soundbite] Ahn Cheol-soo(Chair, Presidential Transition Committee) : “I will give my all to pave the way for the new administration's success by winning the metropolitan area.”

Former DP lawmaker Kim Byoung-gwan, who will be running against Ahn for a Bundang district, called Ahn's comparison of the region to Gotham inappropriate. Former PPP lawmaker Yun Hee-suk, a likely candidate to run for a seat in the Gyeyang district of Incheon against Lee Jae-myung, blasted Lee by saying he should undergo investigations and clear the charges against him, before running for a public post With the announcement of Lee and Ahn's bids, the local by-elections have entered a new phase.