Opposition's Full-Scale Attack on the 'Yeonpyeongdo Shelling Incident'... "Officially Scrap the September 19 Military Agreement"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun, Kim Hye-min, and Lim Chun-han] The opposition parties launched a full-scale offensive over the incident in which North Korean soldiers shot and burned a South Korean fisheries guidance officer on Yeonpyeong Island. They demanded a detailed disclosure of President Moon Jae-in's whereabouts before and after the incident, criticized the government's lukewarm response to North Korea, and called for a tough response such as the annulment of the September 19 Military Agreement. The National Assembly convened an emergency Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee meeting on the same day to discuss adopting a condemnation statement.

Kim Jong-in, the emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, said in a press conference after an emergency meeting with members of the National Assembly's Defense Committee on the 25th, "President Moon Jae-in should directly demand an apology from North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un," adding, "It is appropriate to officially annul the September 19 Military Agreement."

He stated, "Despite the military and the Blue House being aware of the incident on the 21st, the public disclosure was only made around the 24th. The timing of the UN speech on the declaration of the end of the war and when it was acknowledged, why the Blue House reported to the president 10 hours after being informed, why no rescue orders were given despite the report, and why the military watched during the victim's death?all these facts must be thoroughly revealed," and criticized, "Who is the president who leisurely enjoyed an a cappella performance?"

Kim also said, "The submissive policy toward North Korea must be reconsidered from scratch, and I strongly urge that this issue be referred to the United Nations Security Council," and "Those responsible for this incident must be immediately punished." Earlier, at a breakfast meeting with party-affiliated provincial governors held at the National Assembly, he said, "President Moon must explain what happened during the three days before and after the incident down to the second."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, also wrote on Facebook, "This is an unprecedented tragedy where a South Korean citizen was shot and burned," and pointed out, "If the emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting was convened at 1 a.m. on the 23rd in recognition of the seriousness of the matter, the first thing that should have been done beforehand was the complete suspension of the UN speech containing the message of the declaration of the end of the war." He added, "A tremendous incident occurred where a South Korean citizen was killed while our military watched, yet the president did not attend the 1 a.m. meeting and only received a report at 8:30 a.m. on the 23rd, seven hours later. How is this different from the seven hours during the Sewol ferry disaster that the president criticized so much?"

Presidential hopefuls from the opposition camp also united in condemnation. Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, who had refrained from speaking out until now, posted on Facebook after two months, saying, "President Moon does not have the qualifications of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces," and sharply criticized, "If he cannot protect his own people because he is watching North Korea and flattering them, then why does the state exist?" Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong also demanded a strong government response through his Facebook, stating, "The reason for the existence of the state is to prioritize protecting the lives and property of its citizens."

Former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon wrote on Facebook, "Is he really the president of South Korea? Is his judgment normal?" and said, "It was truly, truly, truly a tragic day because the president showed no consolation whatsoever to the families whose world had collapsed even after two days." Independent lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo criticized Defense Minister Seo Wook during the National Defense Committee plenary session on the 24th, saying, "During the Sewol ferry incident, you attacked former President Park for what was done during the seven hours, but what have you done during the more than two days now?" He also targeted the president on Facebook, asking, "Is he really the president of South Korea?"

Voices from North Korean defectors also rose. Tae Yong-ho, a People Power Party lawmaker and former North Korean diplomat, said, "Those responsible should be reported to the International Criminal Court, and a resolution condemning North Korea at the National Assembly level should be promoted first." Ji Sung-ho, also from the same party, pointed out, "The repeated occurrence of such incidents is because the Minister of Unification emphasizes only inter-Korean cooperation while neglecting human rights issues." Meanwhile, following the unanimous adoption of a resolution condemning North Korea by the National Defense Committee the previous day, the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee also decided to hold an emergency plenary meeting in the afternoon to discuss adopting a statement condemning North Korea.