Na Kyung-won Contemplating Candidacy... Will She Follow 'Yoo Seung-min's Path' or 'The Capital Region's Path'?

Kim Yong-tae "Political growth is a personal decision"
Yoo Seung-min "Group lynching and ostracism"
Kim Jae-won "Cannot follow Yoo Seung-min's path"
Ahn Cheol-soo "High possibility of metropolitan area alliance"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Former People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who resigned from her position as vice chairman of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee, is repeatedly deliberating on whether to run for office. The non-Yoon faction is urging Na to run, while within the party, pro-Yoon members are evaluating that she could follow the path of 'the second Yoo Seung-min.' However, whether she can actually follow 'Yoo Seung-min's path' remains uncertain.

On the 11th, Na, attending the New Year's meeting at Dongjak District Office in her constituency in Seoul, told reporters, "I am contemplating (whether to run) considering the freedom and democracy of the Republic of Korea, the democratic nature of the People Power Party, and the success of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration," adding, "I am still deliberating on whether to run or not."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Although she stated she is still 'deliberating,' analysts interpret her resignation as an expression of intent to run. The non-Yoon faction within the party has begun urging her to run. Kim Yong-tae, a former youth supreme council member of the People Power Party classified as part of the 'Lee Jun-seok faction,' said on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' program, "In a democratic republic, if there is a candidate desired by the people and party members, it is naturally the politician's duty to respond to that," adding, "Whether she grows into a greater politician or stays where she is will depend on her own choice."

Yoo Seung-min, a former lawmaker representing the non-Yoon faction, also defended Na in an interview on KBS Daegu-Gyeongbuk 7 PM News the previous day, saying, "Looking at the presidential office's various responses to Vice Chairman Na, they are too violent and excessive," and, "Because the presidential office singled her out, Yoon core associates (Yoon Seok-yeol's key figures) have rushed in to collectively lynch and ostracize her."

On the other hand, the pro-Yoon faction is demanding that she not run. Kim Jung-jae, a lawmaker considered a top candidate among the pro-Yoon supreme council members, said on YTN's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' the previous day, "In October last year, there were already talks about holding the party convention within this year, in January or February next year, with much debate," adding, "If she had the intention to run at that time, she should not have accepted the position in the first place," urging her not to run.

Yoo Sang-beom, a People Power Party lawmaker, also expressed a negative outlook on Na's potential candidacy on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' the previous day, saying, "The group of aides who advised and worked with Vice Chairman Na two years ago, as far as I know, are now almost all distancing themselves."

The presidential office is also not favorable toward her. After dismissing her 'debt forgiveness' low birthrate policy as "different from the government's stance," they responded to her resignation by saying, "We have heard nothing," showing discord.

While some in the pro-Yoon faction voice that former lawmaker Na could follow the 'Yoo Seung-min path' or the 'Lee Jun-seok path,' considering that Na has so far followed a line close to the pro-Yoon camp, there is also analysis that it will not be easy. Kim Jae-won, former supreme council member of the People Power Party, said on CBS's 'Park Jae-hong's Hanpan Show' that "Na will not be able to go the way of Yoo Seung-min, who led opposition movements like that," and "She also cannot act as a political commentator like former leader Lee Jun-seok."

Kim, the former supreme council member, said, "Vice Chairman Na has so far shared the will of President Yoon Seok-yeol and has been engaged in various political activities from the standpoint of dedicating herself to the success of the Yoon administration," adding, "She needs to clearly define her line, but there will be some difficulties."

Ahn Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party, is removing his mask on the 9th at the National Assembly to declare his candidacy for party leader. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

There is also a possibility that she may join the 'metropolitan area coalition,' which is not clearly divided into pro- and anti-Yoon factions. Ahn Cheol-soo, a People Power Party lawmaker who is forming the 'An-Yoon coalition' with Yoon Sang-hyun, said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that "Personally, I hope she runs," and added, "I think the possibility of a metropolitan area coalition is very high."