Without support of any political party, Ahn Chul-su, a political newcomer, in less than a year, is becoming one of the most competitive candidates for the 2012 South Korean presidential election. More importantly, the emergence of Ahn Chul-su, breaking the long-standing political pattern that the conservative and progressive parties are the two dominant parties in South Korean politics, began to form a "third force" beyond the traditional conservative and progressive political ideology in Korean society. Beyond any doubt, whether Ahn Chul-su wins in the 2012 South Korean presidential election or not, the significance of "Ahn Chul-su phenomenon" to the future of Korean politics and society cannot be underestimated and is worthy of our attention and analysis. <<