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[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] Former lawmaker Na Kyung-won stands on the edge of a political blade. His desire to lead the People Power Party is leading him into a 'quagmire of trials.' Both a direct breakthrough and a retreat to plan for the future seem to be choices that will define his political life. He probably did not anticipate that his plan to become the new party leader of the ruling party and lead the 22nd National Assembly election in April next year would create the current situation.

The winds of politics blow differently according to the seasons of power. His political career, having succeeded in entering the National Assembly through the 17th general election in 2004, is now approaching 20 years. Politician Na Kyung-won has not walked only smooth paths. He has crossed thorny roads and has had experiences of agonizing over choices in the face of public sentiment.

In Yeouido, politician Na Kyung-won is addressed as 'Representative.' It is customary to call politicians by the highest position they have held. Politician Na Kyung-won was the floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party, the main opposition during the Moon Jae-in administration. Now, he dreams of becoming the party leader, not just the floor leader.

Former floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party (now People Power Party), Na Kyung-won, is delivering a congratulatory speech at the People Power Party Seoul Metropolitan Party 6.1 Local Election Winners' Meeting and Workshop held at the National Assembly on June 9, 2022. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

It is difficult to say definitively whether politician Na Kyung-won will challenge for the People Power Party leadership or turn away by not running.

What is clear is that those holding the hegemony of the 2023 political landscape are effectively urging him not to run. On the 6th, Ahn Sang-hoon, the senior secretary for social affairs at the presidential office, directly targeted Na Kyung-won, vice-chair of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee, saying, "There is a considerable difference from the policy direction of the Yoon Seok-yeol government." This was a rebuttal to the policy of forgiving loan principal upon childbirth, and both the timing and manner of the criticism were subtle.

It is unusual for a presidential secretary to directly target a ruling party leadership candidate with sharp criticism. The timing coincided with the imminent challenge of politician Na Kyung-won for the party leadership. Since that day, so-called pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) politicians and outside figures have focused their attacks on Na Kyung-won day after day.

Politician Na Kyung-won has often experienced steep confrontations with the current Democratic Party of Korea, but it has been a long time since he tasted veto flows within his own party. In fact, politician Na Kyung-won has experienced a similar quagmire of trials before.

This was when politician Na Kyung-won was effectively forced to give up running. Ahead of the 19th general election in April 2012, he was politically cornered amid controversy surrounding a prosecution request. Politician Na Kyung-won protested her innocence at the time, but there was a sensed trend within the party not to grant her nomination.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In the end, politician Na Kyung-won took the gamble of 'not running in the general election.'

On March 8, 2012, politician Na Kyung-won held a press conference at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, stating, "I will step back for the party. I will serve quietly."

She said, "Before the election, all kinds of false slanders and provocations are rampant," and "The current nomination process is absurd and lacks principles." She particularly pointed out suspicions that the nomination was not that of a public party but of a private faction. Although she criticized the party's handling, she opened a retreat path for the party by not running.

The person nominated for politician Na Kyung-won's constituency, Jung-gu, Seoul, was politician Chung Jin-seok. He is currently serving as the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party. Politician Chung Jin-seok ran as the Saenuri Party candidate in Jung-gu but was defeated by the Democratic United Party's political newcomer Jung Ho-jun. Jung Ho-jun received 50.27%, and Chung Jin-seok received 46.32% of the votes.

As a result, the Saenuri Party, which did not nominate politician Na Kyung-won, lost one seat.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

For politician Na Kyung-won, the non-candidacy declaration on March 8, 2012, was a stepping stone for a comeback. Her choice to step back for the party became a foundation for a leap forward. Politician Na Kyung-won ran as the Saenuri Party candidate for the Seoul Dongjak-gu by-election on July 30, 2014, and tasted the joy of victory. She eventually became a member of the 19th National Assembly.

What choice will she make in this People Power Party leadership election? If she chooses to run, she might win dramatically, but the path to victory is long and arduous. In the process, she is likely to face concentrated attacks from the pro-Yoon faction. This could negatively affect not only the 22nd general election next year but also the 2027 presidential election plans.

However, the harsher the attacks on Na Kyung-won, the stronger the sympathy for her becomes. This is a solid asset for a politician. The problem is that she must pave a new political path in the wilderness. Can politician Na Kyung-won leave the warm space she is in now and head to that cold place?

If she chooses not to run, she can promise a future comeback as she did in 2012. However, there is a condition. It must give the impression that the decision is a 'political resolution,' not a forced withdrawal. In politics, the form and posture at the crossroads of choice are important.

That is the way to maintain and strengthen the stature of a political leader.

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