Presidential Office Likely to Continue No Response Despite Na Kyung-won's Resignation Letter Submission

Yoon and Presidential Office Finalize Preparations for UAE and Davos Trips
Return Just Before Lunar New Year Holiday... Resolution May Take Time

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The Presidential Office continued its non-response stance on the resignation letter submitted by former lawmaker Na Kyung-won from the position of Vice Chairperson of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee on the 13th.

A Presidential Office official said in a phone call with Asia Economy on the same day regarding former lawmaker Na’s submission of the resignation letter to the Low Birthrate Committee, "We do not know (the detailed contents) yet." Another official conveyed the atmosphere, saying, "We are busy with departmental work reports and preparations for the overseas trip."

Therefore, the decision to accept former lawmaker Na’s resignation letter is interpreted to be postponed until after President Yoon’s 6-night, 8-day trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Davos Forum, scheduled from the 14th to the 21st of this month.

Earlier, former lawmaker Na mentioned the 'Hungarian-style' childbirth promotion policy, which focuses on loan forgiveness upon childbirth, at a Ministry of Health and Welfare press briefing on the 5th. The next day, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs Ahn Sang-hoon held a briefing to rebut, saying it "contradicts the policy direction," causing friction with the Presidential Office.

When former lawmaker Na maintained her position, a Presidential Office official hinted at possible dismissal on the afternoon of the 8th, telling reporters, "It is very disappointing, and we can no longer leave it unattended."

Subsequently, former lawmaker Na’s side said they had expressed their intention to resign to the Presidential Office, but the office completely denied it, saying, "We have not heard anything." Former lawmaker Na also refuted this at a press conference held in front of her home in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the night of the 10th, stating that she had sent a text message expressing her intention to resign to Chief Presidential Secretary Kim Dae-gi.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Since former lawmaker Na’s expression of intention to resign was submitted in the form of a document following administrative procedures, it has become a situation where President Yoon, as the appointing authority, needs to make a decision.

However, President Yoon and the Presidential Office define the UAE and Davos Forum trip as economic diplomacy directly linked to sales, creating an atmosphere where it is prioritized over the issue of former lawmaker Na’s resignation. Although her resignation and potential candidacy for the party leadership election are hot topics in the political world, they cannot take precedence over state governance.

There is also a forecast that it will take a considerable amount of time for this situation to be resolved, as the Lunar New Year holiday begins immediately after President Yoon’s trip.

In political circles, there is an interpretation that the Presidential Office is withholding its position to avoid criticism that it might intervene in the party leadership election once a conclusion on accepting the resignation is reached, and some view the silence as an attempt to tie former lawmaker Na’s hands.