'Na Kyung-won VS Lee Jun-seok' Increasingly Heated Debate... This Time 'Hate Politics'

On the 1st, candidates are taking a commemorative photo at the People Power Party leader candidate debate held at the MBN studio in Jung-gu, Seoul. From the left, candidates Lee Jun-seok, Joo Ho-young, Cho Kyung-tae, Hong Moon-pyo, and Na Kyung-won. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Bo-ryeong] The clash between former Supreme Council member Lee Jun-seok and former lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who are competing for the next leadership of the People Power Party, is intensifying day by day. The so-called 'factional conflict' and their disputes over experience and seniority have escalated into what is being called 'hate politics.'

On the 2nd, former lawmaker Na appeared on TBS Radio's "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory" and stated, "I empathize with the fact that young men in their 20s (Idaenam) are being discriminated against, but (former Supreme Council member Lee) tends to incite conflict rather than provide fundamental solutions."

What former lawmaker Na refers to as hate politics is dividing and splitting the people. This refers to former Supreme Council member Lee's representation of Idaenam in feminism debates on social networking services (SNS), which is seen as unnecessarily stirring up gender conflicts. Former Supreme Council member Lee has criticized measures such as the 'female quota system.'

Regarding this, former lawmaker Na compared former Supreme Council member Lee to former U.S. President Donald Trump. Na explained, "The reason former President Trump faced fierce criticism was because he politically exploited the anger of a specific group by turning it into hate. Former Supreme Council member Lee politically exploited the same target, which was Idaenam."

Former Supreme Council member Lee strongly counterattacked. On YTN Radio's "Hwang Bo-seon's Start of a New Morning," he said, "I asked former lawmaker Na to introduce just one hateful remark I made, but she replied that she did not know. If I were a hateful person, I would have made many hateful remarks, but since she could not introduce any, I believe this is close to speculation or framing."

In particular, former Supreme Council member Lee expressed strong displeasure at former lawmaker Na's attack referencing Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon's column on 'Trumpism.' He pointed out, "If you are a political leader, it is very irresponsible to define someone’s identity by saying 'because so-and-so did it, that’s why it is like this.'" Regarding former lawmaker Na's statement that "Trumpism was about channeling the anger of lower-class white workers into hatred against immigrants to gain power," former Supreme Council member Lee said, "If such careless remarks continue, the 2030 support base will leave," and added, "I hope she corrects this."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.