Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is holding a press conference on the afternoon of the 27th at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul, regarding unification talks with Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the People Party. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The Democratic Party of Korea continued its offensive, claiming that Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, made remarks suggesting that Japanese troops could intervene on the Korean Peninsula in the event of an emergency in relation to the South Korea-U.S.-Japan alliance.
On the 27th, Democratic Party lawmakers belonging to the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee issued a joint statement criticizing, "The South Korea-U.S.-Japan military alliance has opened the possibility of Japanese troops entering the Korean Peninsula."
Earlier, during the second presidential candidate TV debate hosted by the National Election Commission on the 25th, when Sim Sang-jung, the Justice Party candidate, asked about the South Korea-U.S.-Japan military alliance, Yoon responded, "Just because there is a South Korea-U.S.-Japan alliance, it does not necessarily mean that (Japanese troops) would enter in an emergency, but it is possible."
Regarding this, Democratic Party lawmakers stated, "Japan claims sovereignty over Dokdo, arguing that South Korea is illegally occupying Dokdo," and urged, "Candidate Yoon must immediately answer the Korean people whether he intends to form a military alliance with Japan, which is provoking to restore such an aggressive nation's status."
They also said, "If a military alliance is formed without resolving historical distortions regarding past acts of aggression, it would mean acknowledging Japan's wrongful and distorted actions and justifying Japan's military remilitarization," adding, "We are deeply concerned about whom this military alliance is truly for."
They further demanded, "Candidate Yoon must immediately apologize for his anti-national remarks implying 'Japanese military intervention on the Korean Peninsula.'"
Baek Hyeryun, the chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party's presidential campaign committee, also sharply criticized the People Power Party for making unreasonable excuses to cover up Yoon's remarks.
In a briefing that day, Chief Spokesperson Baek said, "It seems the People Power Party was startled by Yoon's reckless remarks about the Self-Defense Forces," adding, "Whether to prevent the spread of controversy or not, they are instead threatening with 'legal measures."
He criticized, "It is a case of the pot calling the kettle black," saying, "Even if Yoon apologizes and retracts his reckless remarks before the public, it is a matter that is barely acceptable, yet the shamelessness of the People Power Party is astonishing."
He also said, "It is like the one who farted getting angry," and "Trying to cover the sky with the palm of your hand is futile when the reckless remarks have already been made." He pointed out, "They cannot escape responsibility by uttering such shocking remarks and then trying to evade accountability with such shallow tactics."
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