Joo Ho-young: "If Punishment for North Korean Officials Is Not Enforced, Corresponding Disadvantages Must Follow"

"How North Korea Views All Citizens of the Republic of Korea with This Mindset"

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 24th and delivering opening remarks. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, stated on the 25th regarding the incident in which North Korea shot a public official who went missing in the West Sea and burned the body, "(We) strongly demand the punishment of those responsible (in North Korea), and if that is not enforced, there must be corresponding disadvantages or retaliation."

On the same day, on KBS Radio's 'Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs,' Floor Leader Joo said, "It is not simply about the fact that one public official was killed and burned, but it can only be seen as North Korea having such an attitude toward the entire people of the Republic of Korea."

He said, "If you are deceived once, the deceiver is at fault, but if you are deceived twice or thrice, the deceived is also at fault," and added, "Despite the September 19 military agreement, North Korea blew up the inter-Korean liaison office and treated our civilians like this, yet the government has not responded firmly and only chants 'peace' and says peace has come, so this kind of thing happens," sharply criticizing the government.

Floor Leader Joo said, "In this situation, I do not understand the call for a declaration of the end of the war," and added, "North Korea must be shown through actual actions that if it hostilely treats the Republic of Korea and causes damage, it will face much greater disadvantages."

He continued, "Retaliation cannot be done by force. The attitude toward North Korea must change," emphasizing, "The government should firmly say this instead of trying to ease economic sanctions or reopen the Kaesong Industrial Complex or Mount Kumgang tourism, as Minister of Unification Lee In-young has been trying to do more for North Korea."

Floor Leader Joo also criticized the absence of the president at the security ministers' meeting held at the Blue House in the early morning of the 23rd. He said, "I cannot understand that the president did not attend the National Security Council (NSC) meeting held at the Blue House, even though he was reportedly briefed in advance," and added sharply, "They keep calling it a ministers' meeting when questioned, but the members of that meeting are members of the NSC standing committee."

He further said, "Although the president reportedly received a written report on all situations the next day, he did not mention this issue at all during the appointments of the Minister of National Defense or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and only chanted peace. It is very disappointing that the public was not informed immediately," and added, "The president must clearly disclose to the public how he was briefed by time and what measures he took, and those responsible must be held accountable."

Regarding the government authorities' announcement that the victim attempted to defect to the North, Floor Leader Joo said, "No conclusions should be drawn," and added, "The family and colleagues say there was no motive or environment for defection at all." He added, "We must not make definitive statements that would damage the honor of the citizen who was brutally killed twice."