"First time seeing a first-term lawmaker named 'Isangdeuk'"
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Former lawmaker Na Kyung-won is reportedly still "burning with fighting spirit" despite internal party attacks and recent drops in approval ratings. She has a strong intention to run.
Park Jong-hee, a former lawmaker who supports Na, said on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 20th, "Former Representative Na said she would take time during the Lunar New Year holiday to reflect on her political journey," adding, "She is still burning with fighting spirit."
In response to the host's question, "Although she is reflecting on her political journey, does she still have a strong intention to run for the representative position?" he replied, "Yes," and added, "She is quite bewildered because the presidential office's reactions and the attacks from close aides have continued."
He continued, "Within the party, for first-term lawmakers to issue a collective statement like this, I think it's the first time since the era of former President Lee Myung-bak when they asked former Vice Speaker Lee Sang-deuk not to run," and said, "She is in a quiet mode because the president is busy with economic, national interest, and diplomatic matters, and someone is trying to prevent her from succeeding."
Regarding reports that Na would soon apologize for her SNS remark that "dismissal was not intentional," Na's side denied it as a 'false report.' Although there was discussion, no decision was made. Park said, "There was discussion about whether she should apologize or not, but since nothing was decided, the position that it was a 'false report' came out," adding, "Na herself is still thinking about it today and will make the final decision."
About Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who raised suspicions of Na's husband's personnel and building speculation through SNS, Park said, "Politicians should be cautious about accumulating verbal debts as political karma, but Mayor Hong mentioning his silver spoon background and family issues is somewhat unsightly," and questioned, "Has Mayor Hong really walked a faultless political path?"
He added, "He says he is focusing only on local administration after stepping down, but he keeps involving himself in central politics," and criticized, "Personally, when Hong Joon-pyo and Moon Jae-in competed for the presidential campaign planning team leader during the election, I have never heard him invite me for a warm meal after the election," implying that Mayor Hong is a 'politician who only cares about himself.'
Regarding rumors of an alliance with lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, he said, "Personal alliances in the preliminary rounds are impossible," but added, "Alliances based on values or directions such as the metropolitan area winning theory are possible," showing a positive view.
He said, "After the preliminaries, in the final round, there will likely be very active conditional alliances or mergers to support whoever wins, and that's why former Representative Na is currently being persecuted," adding, "As far as I know, there is no direct communication between lawmaker Ahn and former Representative Na at present." This statement implies that there is strong pressure from the pro-Yoon faction for Na not to run due to the possibility of unification with Ahn in the final vote.
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