Ruling and Opposition United in Calling to "Honor the Spirit of the 3.1 Movement"... BTS National Assembly vs. Humiliating Diplomacy Tensions Emerge

The ruling and opposition parties united in honoring the noble sacrifices of the patriotic martyrs on the 104th anniversary of the March 1st Movement. However, the People Power Party claimed that the March extraordinary session of the National Assembly, convened from that day, was to protect Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, while the Democratic Party criticized the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's policy toward Japan, leading to a war of words.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Park Jeong-ha, chief spokesperson of the People Power Party, said in a statement, "We express our respect and gratitude for the sacred sacrifices of the patriotic martyrs and national heroes who devoted their lives." He added, "The March 1st Movement became the foundation of our constitutional spirit and is a value that must be nobly inherited for future generations." He continued, "On the March 1st Movement Day, which symbolizes freedom and dedication, the Democratic Party demanded the convening of an extraordinary session of the National Assembly solely to protect their party leader," criticizing, "The Democratic Party’s admission that this is a protective session of the National Assembly leaves the public’s hearts deeply disheartened."

Park also stated, "We will strive with strong national power to ensure that the freedom of the Republic of Korea, protected by our ancestors with their blood, is not threatened in the future." He added, "As the ruling party, the People Power Party will actively promote legislation that can empower business activities and ultimately do our best to revive the people’s economy." Furthermore, he said, "We will also endeavor to achieve results in urgent tasks such as labor, pensions, and education through bipartisan cooperation that transcends factions and political camps."

Kim Eui-gyeom, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said in a written briefing, "We wholeheartedly honor the noble sacrifices and lofty spirit of the patriotic martyrs who resisted Japanese colonial rule with their whole bodies to regain the independence of our homeland." He added, "The candlelight protests held by the entire nation against unjust power were a continuation of the March 1st Movement."

However, Kim emphasized, "It is still an unfinished history," and stated, "Japan continues to deny forced mobilization and refuses to officially apologize and compensate the victims of comfort women." He added, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration has consistently taken a humiliating stance under the pretext of 'improving Korea-Japan relations' and is begging for a third-party compensation method in which Korean companies compensate for the victims of forced mobilization."

Kim also said, "The Republic of Korea, a democratic republic inheriting the legal legitimacy of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea established by the March 1st Movement, has become a prosecutorial republic."

Kim Hee-seo, chief spokesperson of the Justice Party, said in a written briefing, "The spirit of the March 1st Movement is to resolve the issue of compensation for forced mobilization by receiving apologies from Japan and war criminal companies and reflecting the opinions of the victims in a proper manner." Kim emphasized, "The Justice Party will firmly oppose the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s wrong policies that tarnish the spirit of the March 1st Movement and protect that spirit."