Na Kyung-won: "I Didn't Even Get Nominated, So How Am I Pro-Park? ... Lee Jun-seok Is the Representative of the Yoo Seung-min Faction"

Former floor leader and People Power Party presidential candidate Na Kyung-won is holding a local press briefing at the Daegu City Party Office on the afternoon of the 28th. / Photo by Yonhap News

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[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Former lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who is running as a candidate in the People Power Party's leadership race, dismissed claims from some quarters about the 'old pro-Park faction' as a "conspiracy theory," asserting that "Candidate Lee Jun-seok said, 'I am the representative figure of the Yoo Seung-min faction.'"

On the morning of the 30th, Na appeared on MBN's 'Jung Woong-gap's In-depth Analysis' and said, "I have always had no faction, so I have struggled to get nominated each time, and when the pro-Park faction made nominations, I sometimes did not receive one."

She added, "The important thing is that the candidate should talk about how they will manage the presidential election fairly," and criticized, "It is truly regrettable to talk about support from the old pro-Park faction."

Targeting former Supreme Council member Lee Jun-seok, who is competing for the next leadership of the People Power Party, she also pointed out, "Until just two weeks ago, he said, 'I am the representative figure of the Yoo Seung-min faction.'"

She continued, "A year ago, there was even an interview where he said that if he entered the 21st National Assembly, he would make Yoo Seung-min president," and questioned, "In that sense, if a party leader has such a strong preference for a particular presidential candidate, wouldn't that be a major obstacle in creating a unified candidate?"

Lee Jun-seok, former Supreme Council Member of the People Power Party / Photo by Yonhap News

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However, she also said she "highly evaluates" the fact that Lee passed the preliminary leadership election (cutoff) as the number one in support.

She emphasized, "The public sentiment is that our party should change," adding, "If I become party leader, I will give more opportunities to those people (including former Supreme Council member Lee), and play an important role in reflecting and realizing the voices of the younger generation."

Earlier, candidates running in the leadership race were caught up in so-called 'factional disputes.'

On the 26th, Na wrote on her Facebook, "If a party leader from a specific faction is elected, would former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl and People’s Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo really come?" emphasizing, "The next party leader requires neutrality and fairness more than ever." This is interpreted as a remark targeting former People Power Party lawmaker and presidential hopeful Yoo Seung-min, former Supreme Council member Lee, and lawmaker Kim Woong.

Regarding this, Na said, "There are also remarks that make one suspect that they are trying to check candidates outside the party in advance. This is a sure path to losing regime change," and reiterated, "All candidates must be put into a melting pot to unify and select the optimal candidate. This is the role of the party leader."

She also claimed, "I have practiced factionless politics and am not entangled with any factional logic or forces even now."

In response to Na’s claims, former Supreme Council member Lee immediately pushed back. In a Facebook post, he sarcastically criticized, "I also sympathize with Candidate Na’s words. No matter how much I think about it, if Candidate Na, who receives full support from the old pro-Park faction, becomes leader, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl would hesitate considerably."

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