"Vigorous and Genuine Protest Must be Required"

Former lawmaker Kim Sung-tae, who has previously served as the floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party (now the People Power Party), directed stern criticism at lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who is staging an all-night sit-in at the National Assembly, saying, "This childish play must be stopped immediately."

On the SBS radio program "Kim Taehyun’s Political Show" aired on the 2nd, Kim said, "If you are going to protest, you must do it properly. There must be a desperate struggle and genuine sincerity."

"Shipyard and Delivery Workers Also Work Desperately… There Must be Decency"

He stated, "Even at this very moment, shipyard welders are desperately working on hot steel plates in the sweltering July heat to make a living," and added, "Delivery workers are sweating bullets in the scorching heat inside their trucks to feed their families."

He continued, "Farmers laboring under the blazing sun and construction workers carrying rebar and pouring concrete are not working in air-conditioned environments," asserting that "people must have a sense of decency. Protests must carry a desperate struggle and genuine sincerity."

This indicates that he finds a lack of desperation and urgency in Na's actions.

"Lack of Resolve… Must Be Prepared to Gamble Everything"

When the host asked, "Are you saying that the protest against candidate Kim is wrong, or that there is a lack of resolve?" Kim responded, "It’s a lack of resolve," adding, "If there were genuine determination, this is not how you would protest."

He continued, "A protest means you must stake everything. You need to consider actions like shaving your head or going on a hunger strike," and remarked, "The public opinion must be formed that they are engaging in desperate struggles under the sweltering July sun against the overwhelming legislative power of President Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party of Korea so that the opposition can perform its role as an opposition."

This seems to suggest that he believes one should even consider a "head-shaving protest."

"9 Days of Hunger Strike to Secure Independent Counsel"

Kim recalled his experience during his tenure as the floor leader of the Liberty Korea Party in 2018, where he staged a 9-day hunger strike camp in front of the National Assembly to demand an independent counsel for the "Druking comment manipulation incident."

He recounted, "At that time, when I was assaulted by an assailant and taken to the hospital, Woo Won-shik, the then-floor leader of the Democratic Party (now the Speaker of the National Assembly), came by, and negotiations progressed."

Image source: instagram 'kyungwon.na', Former lawmaker Kim Sung-tae, who actually went on a hunger strike / News1, Former lawmaker Kim who was actually assaulted during the hunger strike / KBS