'Jeonui Hwalhwal' Na Kyung-won, Will She Run After Apology? (Comprehensive)

Na side Park Jonghee "Apology needed to the president personally"
Lee Junseok "He came out even though he shouldn't have"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] It has been reported that former lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who has been lying low, is still "burning with fighting spirit," increasing the likelihood of her running for office after the Lunar New Year holiday. Regarding whether she will apologize, it is "not yet decided," but since it is under internal consideration, attention is focused on whether former lawmaker Na will apologize for her remarks. Although Na's approval ratings are not what they used to be, there is a high possibility of a "metropolitan area alliance" with lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo in the runoff election.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Na Kyung-won Burning with Fighting Spirit... Lee Jun-seok: "A Person Who Comes Out Even When She Shouldn't"

On the 20th, former lawmaker Park Jong-hee, who is assisting former lawmaker Na, said on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' that "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."

Former lawmaker Na has been lying low after claiming on her social media (SNS) that "the president's dismissal was not intentional," facing criticism from the presidential office and within her party. However, she is still said to be eager to run. Regarding the timing and location of her candidacy, she said, "I will quietly spend the Lunar New Year holiday, and after the president returns, I will run at a symbolic conservative location after the holiday."

However, voices have emerged saying that an apology for her past actions is necessary for her to run. The presidential office expressed a de facto "displeasure" over her SNS remarks, and 48 first-term lawmakers also demanded an apology. It is known that former lawmaker Na's side has discussed whether to apologize. Former lawmaker Park said, "There was a discussion about whether to apologize or not, but no decision has been made," adding, "That is something former lawmaker Na will think about more today and ultimately decide herself."

Ultimately, it is a matter that former lawmaker Na must decide. He conveyed the atmosphere, saying, "I think a polite apology to the president personally is necessary, but since there are various factors such as her political position and whether she will run in the party convention, I cannot say easily."

The decision on whether to run is practically settled, and it is interpreted as a stage where efforts are being made regarding the justification, timing, and location of her candidacy. Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "Former lawmaker Na is someone who has always run whenever given the opportunity to run," adding, "Even when the Bareun Party was formed, and in the December 2016 Liberty Korea Party floor leader election, she ran at the last moment but lost. Looking at the situation then, she shouldn't have run, but she did."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Ahn Cheol-soo's 'Metropolitan Area Alliance Theory'... "Will Definitely Win in the Runoff"

Former lawmaker Na's side expects that "support ratings will rise if she declares her candidacy." However, since she lost the image of the 'pro-Yoon' leading candidate to lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun and is being attacked with non-Yoon and anti-Yoon frames by the pro-Yoon faction, it is uncertain how much her support ratings can rise. This is why the possibility of an alliance with lawmaker Ahn is strongly raised. Even if former lawmaker Na does not make it to the runoff, if lawmaker Ahn absorbs Na's supporters' votes, the possibility of winning the runoff increases.

On the same day, lawmaker Ahn said on KBS's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strong Current Affairs,' regarding former lawmaker Na's lying low, "It is truly unfortunate. While former lawmaker Na made mistakes, I fundamentally think it is very desirable to embrace everyone," adding, "If possible, it is right for us to unify and run the election as one alliance." This statement implies an alliance with former lawmaker Na.

Former leader Lee also predicted on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that if candidates Kim Ki-hyun and Ahn Cheol-soo go to the runoff, an upset could occur. He said, "In a one-on-one runoff, no one really knows. For example, if former lawmaker Na is completely knocked out and lawmaker Ahn advances to the runoff, that is also uncertain," adding, "The margin of error between party support surveys and party member votes is very large."

Lawmaker Kim, who is competing with lawmaker Ahn for party leadership, seems to be aware of the alliance between the two and intends to decide the outcome in the first round rather than the runoff. Regarding this, lawmaker Ahn said, "That is a hope," adding, "In the runoff, whoever my opponent is, I am confident I will win."

Lawmaker Kim's side is wary of the Ahn Cheol-soo-Na Kyung-won alliance but hopes for strategic voting by party members. Yoon Hee-seok, former spokesperson for the People Power Party and head of public relations for Kim's campaign, said on BBS's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal,' "Where can people who support former lawmaker Na and those who support lawmaker Ahn politically ally? They are just people who have been active in the metropolitan area, aren't they?" adding, "When supporters of other candidates make their second choice in the runoff, I don't think they vote simply with the view of 'Anyone but candidate Kim is fine.'"

Conversely, there is also a possibility that lawmaker Kim will embrace former lawmaker Na. Lawmaker Kim mentioned 'Yeonpotang (Alliance, Embrace, and Reconciliation)' and is extending a hand to former lawmaker Na. Former spokesperson Yoon also said regarding the possibility of a meeting between lawmaker Kim and former lawmaker Na during the Lunar New Year holiday, "It is a scenario that is quite possible."