Presidential Office on ROK-US-Japan Drills: "Pro-Japanese Frame Is Puzzling When Protecting Citizens' Lives and Safety"

Presidential Office Spokesperson Lee Jae-myung: "Commitments of the ROK-US-Japan Defense Ministers during the Moon Jae-in Administration"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 11th, Lee Jae-myung, Deputy Spokesperson of the Presidential Office, refuted the claim made by Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, regarding the recent South Korea-U.S.-Japan joint maritime exercise, which stated that "the Rising Sun Flag could be displayed on the Korean Peninsula," saying, "It is puzzling whether political terms or frames such as pro-Japanese can interfere with joint exercises aimed at protecting the lives and safety of the people."

In an interview on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that morning, when the host asked, "What do you think about Leader Lee's claim?" he responded, "Do you believe that the Japanese military could be stationed on the Korean Peninsula and that the Rising Sun Flag could be raised there?"

He continued, "The public has already made their judgment. I think this: the South Korea-U.S.-Japan joint military exercises were agreed upon by the defense ministers of the three countries during the Moon Jae-in administration," he emphasized.

He further explained the justification for the joint maritime exercises, saying, "North Korea's submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is often called a game changer because it is very difficult to detect in advance when and where a submarine will appear to launch a ballistic missile. However, there is no guarantee that North Korean submarines are only in South Korea's territorial waters. If they go to Japanese territorial waters and launch missiles, then naturally, Japan's assistance is required."

In particular, he expressed, "When there is a fire, it is only natural for neighbors to join forces to put it out. The threat of North Korean nuclear missiles is the greatest threat facing Northeast Asia. Joining forces with neighboring countries to counter that threat is not strange at all."

Regarding Leader Lee's claim that the South Korea-U.S.-Japan joint military exercises represent "extreme pro-Japanese defense" and "an act of recognizing the Japan Self-Defense Forces as a military," he said, "That is a matter for Japan to decide. Japan's constitution prohibits having a military. Therefore, the current Self-Defense Forces are probably not a military."

He also commented on the recent slight rebound in President Yoon's approval ratings in public opinion polls, saying, "The fact that the approval rating is changing somewhat favorably means that the diplomatic fiasco claimed by the opposition never actually existed."

Regarding the controversy over text messages between Lee Kwan-seop, Senior Secretary for National Planning at the Presidential Office, and Yoo Byung-ho, Secretary General of the Board of Audit and Inspection, he reiterated the Presidential Office's existing position that it was a matter of verifying facts.

On the possibility of a meeting between President Yoon and the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, he said, "President Yoon's statement that he would like to hold a meeting as soon as possible is still valid. However, more discussion and time are needed regarding when and how the meeting will take place."