[Comprehensive] "Is this the reply to my son's letter?" Moon on 'Declaration of the End of War' with Opposition saying "Endless Obsession"

President Moon Calls for "End-of-War Declaration" Again After 15 Days
Opposition Says They Feel Fear Over Moon's Endless Obsession with End-of-War Declaration

President Moon Jae-in is delivering the keynote speech at the Korea Society's virtual annual dinner on the 8th, a nonprofit organization promoting political, economic, cultural, and artistic exchanges between Korea and the United States. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] On the 5th, the son of a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who was shot and killed by North Korean soldiers urged President Moon Jae-in to investigate the truth about his father's death in the form of a letter. In response, President Moon said, "My heart aches." However, on the 8th, President Moon once again advocated for a 'Declaration of the End of the War,' sparking criticism from some quarters.

Critics argue that while the son is appealing about his father's death, calling for peace with North Korea, the perpetrator, is not timely. This recent call for a declaration of the end of the war by President Moon comes just 15 days after his video speech at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on the 23rd of last month.

On the 8th, in his keynote speech at the Korea Society's virtual annual dinner, a nonprofit organization promoting Korea-US exchanges, President Moon emphasized, "A declaration of the end of the war is the true beginning of peace on the Korean Peninsula," and added, "I hope that both countries will cooperate for the declaration of the end of the war on the Korean Peninsula and lead the active participation of the international community."

A handwritten letter from the son of Lee Mo, a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who was shot dead by North Korean soldiers, addressed to President Moon Jae-in, revealed by Lee Rae-jin, the brother of the deceased official. / Yonhap News

As attention is focused on North Korea's response and the international community's movements regarding President Moon's declaration of the end of the war, some have separately pointed out that the timing of this declaration was inappropriate.

Kim, a man in his 40s working at a company, said, "I do not oppose the declaration of the end of the war," but added, "The son of a father who was shot and killed by North Korean soldiers wrote a tearful letter, and talking about peace toward the perpetrator right now seems inappropriate."

Another office worker in his 30s, Park, said, "The government will handle it strategically, but externally, when the declaration of the end of the war is made, one cannot help but think of the deceased official's son," and emphasized, "Not only I but also those around me are expressing critical opinions."

On this day, criticism from opposition parties continued regarding President Moon's declaration of the end of the war. Yoon Hee-seok, spokesperson for the People Power Party, said in a statement, "Two weeks have passed since our official was brutally killed by North Korea, but suspicions still abound. The bereaved family even requested a fact-finding investigation at the UN, and amidst this, President Moon mentioned the declaration of the end of the war," adding, "I feel not only sadness but also fear at the president's endless obsession with North Korea, peace, and the end of the war."

Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seung-min wrote on Facebook today (the 8th), "Today again, President Moon Jae-in spoke about the declaration of the end of the war in his speech at the Korea Society," and stated, "We must change the regime and hold them accountable for their crimes in the court of history."

On the afternoon of the 24th of last month, the fishing guidance vessel Mugunghwa 10, which was carrying a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official who went missing at sea near Soyeonpyeongdo, Ongjin-gun, Incheon, was docked. The military and intelligence authorities concluded that the official, who went missing at Soyeonpyeongdo, the northernmost point of the West Sea, drifted in northern waters while attempting to defect to the North, and was subsequently shot and killed by the North.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Professor Kim Geun-sik of Gyeongnam National University (Chairman of the Seoul Songpa-byeong Party Committee) wrote on his Facebook on the same day, "Is the president valuing a fanciful declaration of the end of the war more than the unjust death of the people?" and called the declaration "an outdated card."

He continued, "The declaration of the end of the war was somewhat useful before North Korea possessed nuclear weapons, but now that North Korea already has nuclear weapons, it is rather a dangerous card that legitimizes nuclear possession," and criticized, "The reality has fundamentally changed, so why does the president insist on playing the broken record from the DJ Roh Moo-hyun era? The president's stubbornness is truly remarkable."

He added, "If he sincerely empathized with and mourned the letter from the young son of the official, does it make sense to repeat the overture to North Korea with a declaration of the end of the war just two days later?" and questioned, "If the president, in his official speech watched by the whole world, talks about the declaration of the end of the war as if nothing happened without a single word condemning North Korea's atrocities or demanding accountability, which citizen of the Republic of Korea would believe that the state will protect them?"