National Defense Commission members Jin Seong-jun and Kim Byeong-ju say, “North Korea’s status as a nuclear state cannot be tolerated.”
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Joo-seong = On the 21st, the Democratic Party of Korea criticized the People Power Party's criticism of President Lee Jae-myung's response that he "expresses respect" to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to reduce ROK-U.S. joint exercises, calling it "incitement to security instability."
At the Supreme Council meeting held at Gangneung City Hall on this day, Democratic Party floor leader Han Byeong-do said, "President Lee expressed his respect for President Trump's decision to establish a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula and responded that he fully agrees with the Republic of Korea's will to take responsibility for the security of the Korean Peninsula. This is a responsible peace strategy that will lower the risk of war and open the door to dialogue based on the solid ROK-US alliance and strong independent national defense."
He then addressed the People Power Party, which criticized President Lee, and said, "We cannot help but ask who the politician is for when he attacks only the President of the Republic of Korea who is trying to strengthen cooperation between Korea and the United States while being unable to say anything about the U.S. President's decision."
At the same time, he raised his voice, saying, "Construing diplomacy for peace as an abandonment of security and transforming the transfer of wartime operational control into a withdrawal of U.S. forces in Korea is dangerous false propaganda that stimulates public anxiety," and added, "The People Power Party must immediately stop peddling security instability that holds the ROK-U.S. alliance and the safety of the people hostage."
Supreme Council member Park Seon-won also criticized, "The People Power Party claims that if wartime operational control is taken, the alliance will be shaken, and that security will collapse if ROK-US joint exercises are adjusted. However, every time President Trump says, 'I will meet Kim Jong-un, I will drastically reduce joint training, and I maintain a good relationship with President Lee Jae-myung,' he stirs up trouble," adding, "He wants to deny the reality that the ROK-US alliance is strengthening."
He said, “I hope that the People Power Party will no longer use security as its own false frame or as a means to incite fear,” and added, “The government of the Republic of Korea will make active efforts in anticipation of positive changes in the situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula in the next two or three months.”
Meanwhile, Jin Seong-jun, chairman of the National Defense Committee of the Democratic Party, and Rep. Kim Byeong-ju, secretary of the National Defense Committee, each expressed their position that North Korea's nuclear weapons should never be tolerated.
Chairman Jin Seong-jun said on Facebook the previous day, "It is essential to preemptively prepare for threats, but we must not make the mistake of tolerating North Korea's status as a nuclear state."
Rep. Kim Byeong-ju also said on Facebook, "Under no circumstances can we recognize North Korea's status as a nuclear state," and emphasized, "It is a matter of principle, not negotiation."
Regarding the reduction in ROK-US military training, the former deputy commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command said, “The reduction in training should not cause a setback in the evaluation training for the transfer of wartime operational control.” He added, “I have ordered (from the standing committee) thorough supplementary measures as it could also affect the national task of returning wartime operational control within my term.”
