“Why can’t we do it because it’s a provocation?”·“Let’s vote”… National Assembly's 'resolution condemning North Korea' battle

National Defense Committee plenary meeting... In response to Kim Byeong-ju's remark, "I think the national power should be disbanded," Noh Goseong-do

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Choi Joo-seong = The ruling and opposition parties clashed at the general meeting of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly on the 13th over the issue of adopting a 'resolution condemning North Korea' related to landmine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

The main opposition party, the People Power Party, requested additional discussions to supplement the text of the resolution, but the ruling Democratic Party of Korea countered that adoption of the resolution should be expedited.

Rep. Lim Jong-deuk of the People's Power Party, the opposition secretary on the National Defense Committee, pointed out, "Our government's position on North Korea's provocation is too vague. They say it was an accident or an unfortunate incident," and added, "Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young says they cannot pinpoint it as North Korea's intentional landmine attack."

Representative Lim continued, “There are many problems within the text of the North Korea resolution,” and “It is not that we will not discuss it, but it is not desirable to decide on a general meeting first and then pressure the subcommittee to discuss it.”

Rep. Yoo Young-ha of the same party said, “The title of the resolution is ‘Resolution to condemn the explosion.’ Even the representative (Democratic Party Kim Min-seok) acknowledged it as a provocation, so why can’t the phrase ‘provocation’ be used?” He emphasized, “To condemn, there must be a clear reason and purpose.”

In response, Rep. Kim Byeong-ju of the Democratic Party, the ruling party's secretary, responded, "It is a matter of will not to hold a subcommittee meeting even though the chairman requested to do so," and added, "If it is not decided today, we have to vote (adopt the resolution)."

When Rep. Kim continued, "I am very angry about the behavior of the People Power Party. When the December 3 civil war broke out, I thought the People Power Party should be disbanded," the People Power Party lawmakers protested and shouted.

Representative Kim Seong-hoe of the Democratic Party pointed out, "Why do you mix the work of the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Unification?" and "The Ministry of Unification is making efforts for unification, so we are saying that we should look at it carefully. Since we are the National Defense Commission, shouldn't we encourage our soldiers?"

As the battle between the ruling and opposition parties continued, Jin Seong-jun, chairman of the Democratic Party's National Defense Committee, said, "I hope you will open a bill subcommittee today, prepare an alternative to the committee, and refer it to the general meeting. We will deal with it no matter what happens tomorrow."