"Is It Not a Protest Without a Hunger Strike?"... Na Kyungwon Refutes "Vacation, Camping" Criticism

Criticism Pours In from Within and Outside the Party over Tent and Coffee Scenes on Social Media
"Protest Methods Are Diverse... When They Can't Refute the Message, They Attack the Messenger"

Na Kyungwon, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, has directly refuted mockery calling her seven-day sit-in at the National Assembly Rotunda a "well-being protest" or a "vacation protest." She emphasized the diversity of protest methods, questioning, "Is it necessary to go on a hunger strike or shave one's head for every protest?"

Rep. Na Kyungwon of the People Power Party protesting in the National Assembly Rotunda. Na's Instagram

Appearing recently on CBS Radio's "Park Jaehong's One-Pan Show," Na responded to criticism surrounding her sit-in by saying, "There's a saying that if you can't refute the message, attack the messenger. That's the kind of attack I'm facing."

Na staged her sit-in at the National Assembly from June 27 to July 3. She stayed in the central hall, demanding the withdrawal of Kim Minseok's nomination for Prime Minister and the return of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chairmanship by the Democratic Party of Korea.

She explained, "I stayed at the protest site for seven days and six nights. From 7 a.m. until midnight, I sat continuously in the Rotunda. At night, I tried to get some sleep, but it was too noisy around me to rest properly." She added that she got by on simple meals such as gimbap or hamburgers.

Regarding her choice of the Rotunda as the protest venue, she said, "A long-standing tradition that the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee should be from different parties has been broken, and Kim Minseok, the Prime Minister nominee, falls far short of public expectations. I simply could not accept his appointment."

Since the 27th of last month, Na Kyungwon, a member of the People Power Party, has been staging a sit-in at the National Assembly, urging the withdrawal of Kim Minseok's nomination for Prime Minister and the return of the chairmanship of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Na's Instagram

Na's activity on social media also became a focal point of controversy. After images surfaced of her relaxing in a tent with a fan, dressed comfortably, and with Starbucks coffee in view, the Democratic Party of Korea mocked her, saying, "Is she on a camping trip?" and calling it a "vacation protest." Criticism also came from within her own party. Kim Jonghyuk, former Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, questioned, "Will the public see this as a protest?" while Kim Sungtae, former floor leader, commented, "It looks like a book launch, lacking any sense of desperation."

With the perception that authenticity is still judged by the presence or absence of desperation, Na countered, "Various forms of political expression are legitimate. Must every protest involve a hunger strike or shaving one's head? There are many different methods, levels, and stages of protest," directly addressing Kim Sungtae's remarks.

In an interview with KBS Radio's "Jeongyeok Sisa" on the same day, she stated, "The protest sit-in at the Rotunda has lost its practical meaning. From now on, I will consider legal actions, including judicial procedures." Regarding Kim Minseok, she said, "Beyond issues of morality, various criminal allegations have emerged," signaling a tough response going forward.

She also expressed strong dissatisfaction with criticism from within her own party. "The Democratic Party criticizes to attack the messenger, but our party members speak out of personal political interests. That's why our party is an even bigger problem," she said. "This protest was intended to demonstrate my fighting spirit, and I believe it can help our party regain the public's trust."