Park Ji-won "It Felt Like the Japanese Prime Minister Was Delivering a March 1st Anniversary Speech"

MBC Radio Interview, Harsh Criticism of Presidential Commemorative Speech
"If President Kim Dae-jung Had Heard It, He Would Have Been Shocked"

Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won said in an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 2nd that regarding President Yoon Suk-yeol's March 1st Independence Movement Day commemorative speech, "It sounded like the Japanese Prime Minister was giving the March 1st commemorative speech," adding, "The Japanese Prime Minister should say that. But how can the President of the Republic of Korea use such expressions?"

Former Director Park pointed out, "Let's move forward as partners without asking about the past at all. Of course, it is good to move forward with a future-oriented approach. However, President Yoon Suk-yeol also mentioned the Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Declaration, and we are heading in that direction. Even then, it requires Japan's sincere reflection, apology, and compensation for the victims to proceed."

Former Director Park focused on the connection with the G7 meeting to be held in Hiroshima, Japan, this May. He said, "There are talks in diplomatic circles that in order to receive an invitation to the Hiroshima G7, they are hastily trying to humiliatingly improve Korea-Japan relations."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a commemorative speech at the 104th March 1st Movement Anniversary Ceremony held at the Yu Gwan-sun Memorial Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 1st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Former Director Park also raised questions about the process and length of the March 1st commemorative speech. He questioned, "President Yoon Suk-yeol made it strikingly short, only 1,340 characters. I can't quite understand this, but he said shorter is better, and yet, isn't the Sankei Shimbun and others giving it prominent coverage and welcoming it?"

Former Director Park shifted responsibility more toward the National Security Office than the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said, "Foreign Minister Park Jin is doing quite well," but added, "According to what is known, First Deputy Director Kim Tae-hyo is the one doing such bad things," raising suspicion.

When asked what former President Kim Dae-jung might have said if he had heard the March 1st commemorative speech, Former Director Park replied, "I think about how President Kim Dae-jung would have thought about this once every evening. He would have probably hit the ground in frustration, asking whether this is the Republic of Korea's March 1st commemorative speech, the President's commemorative speech, or the Japanese Prime Minister's commemorative speech."