The People Power Party fired crossfire, saying that the Lee Jae-myung government is allowing evidence that North Korea was responsible for the recent mine explosion that occurred in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to disappear.
Representative Jang Dong-hyuk held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 27th and pointed out, "It is very likely that this landmine explosion is due to the wooden box landmines that the North Korean military recently laid across the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). If so, it is a clear act of aggression." He added, "Nevertheless, it is said that the military began preparatory work, not a full-scale investigation, until five days after the accident occurred."
Representative Jang raised his voice, saying, "If President Lee Jae-myung intentionally delayed the on-site investigation, this is a clear act of betrayal. It is a 'foreign exchange crime' that falls outside the president's right to impeach," and raised his voice, "It is a crime that deserves immediate arrest and trial, as well as impeachment."
Chief Spokesperson Choi Bo-yoon said that Representative Jang plans to meet with Minister of National Defense Kang Shin-cheol at the National Assembly on the 28th and ask questions about the circumstances of the landmine accident.
In addition, Song Seok-jun, Chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, and Rep. Kim Dae-sik, a member of the opposition party, held a press conference at the National Assembly on this day and criticized, saying, "We cannot help but be devastated by the Lee Jae-myung administration's continuous abandonment of security."
They asked, "Our soldier lost his ankle during an operation, and they are not even going to immediately check where the explosive came from. Are they afraid that it will be revealed that it was North Korea's work?" and demanded, "Please state the reasons in detail and apologize for the suspicion that you delayed the on-site investigation."
When asked whether he plans to inquire about pending issues at the Foreign Affairs and Communications Committee, Chairman Song said, “We are reviewing it internally.”
The People Power Party also reacted unanimously to the fact that Rep. Kim Byeong-ju of the Democratic Party of Korea, a former four-star general and secretary of the ruling party on the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, held a press conference the previous day and refuted the opposition party's concerns that evidence may be lost when it rains, saying, "The claim that 'evidence is washed away' is not science, but superstition."
Rep. Seong Il-jong, who served as chairman of the National Defense Committee in the first half of the 22nd National Assembly, said on social media, "Are you sure this is a general who fought in the field? I have never seen a general who disregards on-site evidence," and condemned, "An incomprehensible thing happened in the DMZ, but no matter how much the ruling party is, it is 'shut its mouth' like a honeyed mute and is only focused on defending the regime."
5-term lawmaker Na Kyung-won also said in a social media post, "The landmine explosion disaster continues to be discussed and discussed, but now that public opinion has become negative, they are turning around and showing off. And that was only after heavy rain fell and 6 days after the landmine explosion damage," and argued, "A joint hearing on foreign affairs and security at the National Assembly and a joint hearing on foreign affairs and unification, defense, and intelligence committees should be held immediately. Depending on the results, we should move forward with a government investigation."
Rep. Yoo Yong-won, a former military journalist, pointed out on social media that the Joint Chiefs of Staff formed a 'Joint Field Investigation Task Force (TF)' headed by Deputy Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kwon Dae-won on the 24th, the fourth day after the accident, saying, "Compared to the military's response to major accidents in the past, it is questionable why the response to this accident was so delayed." He added, "The Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff should clearly reveal the circumstances and responsibility for the delayed response."
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon wrote on Facebook, "If the UN refuses to immediately investigate, deliberately taking time, having the evidence washed away by the predicted heavy rain, and then saying, 'It is unclear whether it is a North Korean landmine,' Lee Jae-myung's regime will be ruined. It must be ruined."
