Cho Kuk "Fawning over Yoon to represent me"... Na Kyung-won "Sucking up to Lee Jae-myung to escape prison"

Na Kyung-won, a "university peer" of Cho Kuk, immediately refuted and responded to criticism of Cho Kuk's "first-term lawmaker remarks."

Cho Kuk, when asked about 'President Cho Kuk,' said, "Now is Lee Jae-myung's time."

Cho Kuk, Director of the Institute for Innovative Policies, speaking [Yonhap News Photo]

Cho Kuk, Director of the Institute for Innovative Policies of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, responded on the 3rd at a meeting held in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do, to a question about his thoughts on becoming president, "Now should be Lee Jae-myung's time."

Director Cho, who has been visiting the Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do (TK) region for two days since yesterday, said at a new book signing event and party member meeting held at a bookstore in Gumi, "I am grateful for your kind words (about President Cho Kuk)," when asked for his opinion.

He stated, "The establishment of the Lee Jae-myung administration is the collective will of the people who overcame the internal strife," and "For a considerable period, the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration and President Lee Jae-myung should be the focus."

Regarding criticism within the Democratic Party that his extensive activities immediately after his release on presidential pardon were inappropriate, he said, "Those are words to check me," and "If I remained silent after hearing them, would it be beneficial to the Innovation Party or even the Democratic Party? I don't think so."

He added, "When I formed the Innovation Party, I did not hate the Democratic Party. We will cooperate continuously," but reiterated his stance against the rumors of a merger with the Democratic Party that emerged immediately after his release, saying, "Whether in politics or business, I believe in self-reliance and strengthening oneself."

He also commented on President Lee's recent call for bipartisan cooperation, saying, "The President should say, 'The ruling and opposition parties should meet.' He should tell Representative Chung Chin-seng, 'Meet Representative Jang Dong-hyuk and shake his hand,'" but "I should not do that. I must fight fiercely with the People Power Party."

Meanwhile, Director Cho criticized Rep. Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party at a party member meeting in Daegu that day, stating that her remark to a Democratic Party lawmaker, "First-term lawmakers, stay quiet," during her protest against the Democratic Party's Legal Affairs Committee Chairperson Choo Mi-ae's refusal to put the appointment of the opposition party's floor leader on the agenda, was "highly inappropriate and authoritarian."

At the Gumi event, he also brought up the "first-term lawmaker remarks" by Rep. Na, his Seoul National University Law School classmate from the class of '82, saying, "She is from Seoul Law School, a former judge who became a lawmaker." He continued, "She has a good career, but what has she done? She followed Yoon Suk-yeol and opposed impeachment."

He also speculated, "She probably wanted to become the leader of the People Power Party," and added, "She fawningly flattered Yoon Suk-yeol and Kim Keon-hee, knowing full well. She couldn't have been happy."

In response, Rep. Na posted on Facebook, "Only pigs see pigs," and retorted, "Has she herself bowed down and flattered Lee Jae-myung to escape prison?"

She continued, "A criminal who was released from prison through a reward pardon without serving their full sentence is criticizing with baseless 'naeronambul' accusations instead of reflecting on their actions."