Hwang Kyo-ahn, former Prime Minister and leader of the New Republican Party's Freedom and Innovation party, departed for the United States on the morning of the 24th to attend the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in the U.S. 

A party official from Freedom and Innovation officially confirmed in a phone call with that Leader Hwang departed at 10:20 AM on Korean Air flight KE51. 

Leader Hwang boarded the plane to the U.S. as an official invited speaker for the CPAC annual conference, which will be held from the 25th to the 28th, local time, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. This city is about a 30-minute drive northwest of Dallas. 

During his attendance at CPAC, Leader Hwang is expected to engage in a discussion with attorney Gordon Chang, an expert on Northeast Asia, during the main session and conduct formal interviews with multiple U.S. media outlets. It is anticipated that in-depth discussions will take place regarding the unique situation in South Korea where freedom of expression, media, and religion are being suppressed and stifled. 

Notably, there are observations from political circles and beyond that this year's CPAC main session, amidst strong suspicions of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) global election interference, will serve as a 'weather vane' to gauge the future policy response direction of the Trump administration. 

It is known that the Freedom and Innovation party cautiously predicts that this CPAC will mark the beginning of a full-fledged process for the U.S. to select the 'Yoon Again' faction in South Korea. This expectation seems to stem from the party's focus on maintaining and strengthening the ROK-U.S. alliance and its anticipation of creating a turning point for an international stage debut to solidify its foundation for political growth through exchange and cooperation with high-level U.S. officials. 

From the party's perspective, it is seen as a crucial litmus test to assess their self-developed exit strategy against an unfavorable landscape where the entire domestic sphere, including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, is dominated by anti-national forces. Furthermore, amidst analyses that the People Power Party, trapped in the 'Enchufados' loyalty debate, is completely failing to demonstrate any capability in its U.S. connections, there is a palpable sentiment that this event will allow them to seize the initiative in normalizing the ROK-U.S. alliance, which is facing a crisis of regression. 

Most importantly, with U.S. President Donald Trump's official speech also scheduled during CPAC, there is significant attention on whether a bilateral meeting between President Trump and Leader Hwang Kyo-ahn will materialize. 

This is because if a one-on-one meeting with the U.S. President is achieved, it will be interpreted as an effective public acknowledgment of him as a potential counterpart on the world stage. Consequently, anticipation is high for whether he will achieve more than expected in his challenge on the U.S. stage and whether his long-hidden efforts will bear fruit. 

CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), founded in 1974, is an annual conservative political event in the U.S., widely recognized as a 'barometer' of the U.S. conservative movement, attracting a large number of activists from conservative organizations nationwide, influential Republican politicians, and voters. 

Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the Freedom and Innovation party, will take the main stage at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). [Screenshot from CPAC website]