Ahn meets citizens on subway on first stop of campaign trail SEOUL , April 5 ( Yonhap ) -- Ahn Cheol - soo , the presidential nominee of the centrist People ' s Party , marked the start of his campaign Wednesday by meeting with citizens on an early morning subway . Ahn , who has recently emerged as a formidable challenge to liberal front - runner Moon Jae - in in the May 9 poll , won the nomination of his party a day earlier . Riding the subway from near his home in Nowon district , the former software mogul talked about various issues , including how he would handle the growing problem of fine dust blowing in from China . " The fine dust that comes from China has to be resolved by diplomatic means , " he said . " Now our foreign policy must cover environmental issues . " Ahn Cheol - soo ( L ) , the presidential nominee of the centrist People ' s Party , takes a selfie with a passenger on the subway in Seoul on April 5 , 2017 . ( Yonhap ) During the 10 - minute ride , Ahn also took selfies with passengers and broadcast himself live on Facebook at the request of one citizen . Another citizen gave him a book as a gift . When one passenger complained of his long commute to work , Ahn sympathized with him , saying it takes him 1 1 / 2 hours to travel from home to the National Assembly . The two - term lawmaker pointed out there should be more and better jobs in the northern area of Seoul , including Nowon . Ahn has cast himself as a self - made politician who has built a career on nothing but his own efforts . Moon of the Democratic Party , on the other hand , has the backing of followers of the late liberal icon and former President Roh Moo - hyun . The subway ride was apparently a move designed to consolidate that image claimed by Ahn . " I just took the subway from Sanggye - dong , " he said later during a press conference at the National Assembly . " The neighborhood of Sanggye - dong , where I live now , is where self - made people first settle down . " Ahn also visited the National Cemetery in Seoul to pay his respects to the country ' s past leaders . In South Korea , it is customary for politicians to honor former presidents to mark the start of a new journey . Ahn Cheol - soo ( 2 nd from L ) , the presidential nominee of the centrist People ' s Party , talks to a passenger on the subway in Seoul on April 5 , 2017 . ( Yonhap ) hague @ yna . co . kr ( END )