[2023 Click Political Figures] 'Party Base No.1' Na Kyung-won Shaking Up the Presidential Election Scene

Na Kyung-won, Vice Chair of the Low Birthrate Committee
Ranks 1st in Preference and Suitability in Party Supporter Poll
Pressure to Resign from 'Minister-level' Position After About 3 Months

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] Na Kyung-won, Vice Chairperson of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee, has emerged as a key variable in the People Power Party's leadership election scheduled for March 8 this year. Whether Vice Chairperson Na decides to run in this party leadership election could greatly influence the election dynamics. Recently, she has drawn attention for a direct clash with the Presidential Office over her low birthrate policy proposal of 'loan forgiveness upon childbirth,' raising interest in her future moves.

Top Candidate in Party Member Poll... Also Faces Internal Party Checks

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to political circles on the 9th, Vice Chairperson Na expressed regret over the Presidential Office's outright denial of her proposal for 'partial loan principal forgiveness upon childbirth' via Facebook the day before.

At the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee's New Year meeting on the 5th, Vice Chairperson Na proposed a low birthrate measure that would provide newlyweds with large sums of money through long-term, ultra-low-interest loans, forgive interest upon the birth of the first child, forgive one-third of the principal upon the birth of the second child, and forgive the entire principal upon the birth of the third child. The following day, the Presidential Office publicly refuted this as a "personal opinion," stating that it "differs significantly from the policy direction of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration."

Nevertheless, she criticized, “It is highly inappropriate for some political figures to exploit this issue politically, being absorbed in calculations of advantages and disadvantages depending on my decision to run in the party leadership election.” This was a pointed remark against internal party checks targeting Vice Chairperson Na, who is weighing her candidacy.

However, the Presidential Office strongly criticized this as well. A senior official from the Presidential Office said, "(Former lawmaker) Na continues to make highly inappropriate remarks and actions as the Vice Chairperson overseeing the nation's critical population policy," adding, "These series of actions are unacceptable for a public official holding a key government position regarding a national policy that may involve tens of trillions of won." This suggests the possibility of dismissal, interpreted as pressure on Vice Chairperson Na to refrain from running in the leadership election. Na is still considering whether to run.

Ministerial-Level 'Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee' Vice Chair Faces Burden of Party Leadership Challenge After Only Three Months

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Vice Chairperson Na is mentioned as a leading candidate for party leadership. According to a poll released on the 1st by SBS, commissioned to Next Research, Na's preference rate among People Power Party supporters was 24.9%, ranking first. On the same day, a poll released by Newsis, commissioned to the Korea Research Group and Ace Research, also placed Na first in suitability for party leader among People Power Party supporters (30.8%). Lawmakers Ahn Cheol-soo (20.3%) and Kim Ki-hyun (15.2%) followed.

The People Power Party will elect its party leader entirely through party member voting in this leadership election. If Vice Chairperson Na, who enjoys high party member preference, runs, her chances of winning are high.

However, since she has only served as Vice Chairperson of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee for three months, her candidacy for party leader could be a political burden. Nevertheless, on the 5th, Vice Chairperson Na said, “This is a task entrusted to me by the President and an important responsibility, so I have been thinking about how to do it well. On the other hand, there are demands from the party and the public, so I am considering how to coordinate these aspects.” She added, “If I do decide to challenge for party leadership, I think it would be right to step down from this position.”

Vice Chairperson Na is a senior lawmaker with four terms in the National Assembly. She entered politics in 2002 while serving as a judge by joining the Grand National Party. She was elected as a proportional representative in the 17th National Assembly, then from Jung-gu, Seoul in the 18th, and from Dongjak-eul in the 19th and 20th terms. In the 19th National Assembly, she became the first female standing committee chairperson of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and was also elected as the first female floor leader of a conservative party in 2018.

However, Vice Chairperson Na suffered a setback in the 21st general election held in 2020. She lost in Dongjak-eul, where she had served two terms, with a vote share of 45.0%, 7.2 percentage points behind Lee Soo-jin of the Democratic Party of Korea. In the 2021 party leadership election, she challenged for party leader but was defeated by former leader Lee Jun-seok in a general public opinion poll. Last year, she served as the Seoul General Election Campaign Headquarters Chief, contributing to President Yoon Seok-yeol's election victory.