[2022 National Audit] Kwon Young-se "Considering Cancellation of 9·19 Agreement if North Korea Worsens"

"International Assessment Views North Korea's 7th Nuclear Test as 'Ready'"
Repatriation of Defectors and West Sea Official Shooting... "Clearly the Moon Administration's Fault"

Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se. / National Assembly Press Photographers Group [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] On the 7th, Kwon Young-se, Minister of Unification, addressed the possibility of the 'September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement being nullified' amid North Korea's successive provocations and the potential for a 7th nuclear test, stating, "In the worst-case scenario, it is necessary to consider all options."

Minister Kwon made this remark in response to a question from Park Byeong-seok, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, during the Unification Ministry's audit by the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on the same day.

Park said, "As tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalate due to North Korea's provocations, discussions about nullifying the September 19 agreement are emerging within the government or ruling party," and pointed out, "If South Korea were to be the first to break the agreement, which serves as the last firewall to prevent accidental clashes, the likelihood that we would bear responsibility for any future conflicts is high."

Minister Kwon replied, "Basically, inter-Korean agreements are made through difficult processes, so both parties must strive to uphold them," adding, "It would not be right to break the agreement first unless there are exceptional circumstances, but considering the inter-Korean relationship, we cannot help but think about various unfavorable scenarios." However, he emphasized that the government is not preparing to nullify the agreement and cautioned against overinterpretation.

He also responded to lawmakers' questions about whether recent military provocations might escalate to intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) or a 7th nuclear test, saying, "There was already an ICBM provocation in March this year, and the international assessment is that all preparations for North Korea's 7th nuclear test are complete," stressing the need for readiness.

The 'September 19 Inter-Korean Military Agreement' was reached during the inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang in September 2018, agreeing to completely halt all military hostile acts between the two Koreas. It is regarded as the Moon Jae-in administration's greatest achievement in inter-Korean relations. Specifically, it includes measures such as transforming the Demilitarized Zone into a peace zone, establishing a maritime peace zone in the West Sea, and military guarantees and confidence-building measures to promote exchanges and cooperation.

In addition, although opposition party lawmakers launched a series of questions regarding incidents related to previous administrations, Minister Kwon maintained a principled stance, responding that "the conduct of the previous government was clearly wrong." He also emphasized the Unification Ministry's policy of 'baton passing,' which means not overturning but inheriting the previous governments' North Korea policies.

Democratic Party lawmaker Hwang Hee pointed out that North Korean defectors killed 16 people at sea and fled, but Minister Kwon said, "It is inappropriate to distinguish between 'pure defection' and 'impure defection,'" adding, "It is unprecedented that despite clearly expressing their intention to defect after entering South Korea, they were handed back to the North."

Furthermore, when independent lawmaker Kim Hong-gul claimed, "Regarding the West Sea public official incident, even the Board of Audit and Inspection joined forces, possibly coordinating statements among related agencies, which is a low-level political retaliation," Minister Kwon dismissed this, saying, "Important policies will be sufficiently continued, but it is necessary to correct problems from the previous government."