Na Kyungwon: "South Korea Now Mirrors Venezuela... A Milestone Showing the Path to Avoid"

US Airstrike on Venezuela and Arrest of Maduro Sends Shockwaves
Na Kyungwon: "Dictatorships That Destroy Democracy Inevitably Collapse"
"South Korea Is Strikingly Similar to the Venezuelan Dictatorship"

As the United States shocked the world with its airstrike on Venezuela and the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro, Na Kyungwon, a member of the People Power Party, asserted, "The news of the US airstrike on Venezuela and the arrest of Maduro is a milestone showing the path South Korea should take and the path it should avoid." On January 4, through her social media account, Na stated, "A corrupt dictatorship that destroys the democratic system will inevitably collapse. Why did Venezuela, once a wealthy nation in South America, fall? The beginning was 'institutional dictatorship,' which seized control of the parliament, subjugated the judiciary, and gagged the media."

Na Kyungwon, a member of the People Power Party, claimed that "The news of the US airstrike on Venezuela and the arrest of Maduro is a milestone showing the path South Korea should take and the path it should avoid." Yonhap News

Na continued, "What is the current state of South Korea? It closely resembles the path Venezuela took. The ongoing acts include the dismantling of the prosecution, increasing the number of Supreme Court justices to control the judiciary, political retaliation, the so-called 'gag law' that even the international community is concerned about, blocking rulings and statements unfavorable to those in power, and blatant attempts to eliminate the opposition. These actions are strikingly similar to those of the Venezuelan dictatorship," she pointed out.

She added, "We must closely monitor changes in the international order and face the risks that premature, anti-liberal, pro-China diplomatic bias can bring. The Venezuelan dictatorship turned its back on the United States and embraced China. China poured over 60 billion dollars, or more than 80 trillion Korean won, into Venezuela through 'oil-backed loans,' but with the collapse of the regime, the prospects for recovering these funds have become uncertain. Even the supply chain of Venezuelan heavy crude oil, essential for China's refinery operations, is now unstable, simultaneously impacting both energy security and fiscal stability," she analyzed.

She went on, "The international financial markets are reacting immediately. After witnessing the enforcement of US sanctions, the risk premium for countries under sanctions, anti-US, and pro-dictatorship policies is rising, and capital is flowing into safe assets and the dollar, the world's key currency. This means that aligning prematurely with China is no longer just an emotional issue but directly translates into a national profit-and-loss calculation."

She further warned, "If a regime collides with the United States or excessively relies on China, it faces a domino risk of collapsing together when that regime is shaken. If South Korea maintains an ambiguous stance within the South Korea-US alliance and the liberal democratic bloc, resorting to diplomacy that is overly conscious of China, we risk being deprioritized in investment, supply chains, and technological cooperation. We could be classified as an unreliable partner in finance, diplomacy, and security, which could directly lead to a blow to the national economy."

Regarding the local elections in June, she described them as "the last breakwater for South Korea's survival," adding, "At a time of international order realignment and economic security crisis, we are at a crossroads: will we choose the path of a liberal democratic South Korea, or board the express train to Venezuela's dictatorship, corruption, and isolation?" She emphasized, "Venezuela's tragedy did not begin with gunfire. It arrived quietly, by changing laws and distorting institutions and elections. If we do not stop now, there will be no next time."

The White House's X emergency response account in the United States shared a video titled "Perp Walked," showing President Maduro being escorted down a hallway inside the DEA New York office building. Photo by Yonhap News

On January 3 (local time), the United States conducted a sudden military operation to arrest Venezuela's dictator, President Maduro, and extradited him to the United States. President Maduro and his wife, who were indicted in 2020 on charges including 'narcoterrorism,' have been detained at a federal detention center in New York. They are scheduled to appear at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York at noon on January 5 (2 a.m. on January 6, Korean time) for arraignment proceedings.