Lee Jae-jung, the opposition party's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee spokesperson and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the normalization of GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement), which is considered an achievement of the Korea-Japan summit, saying, "It was not what we wanted, but what Japan needed," and stated that it is not an achievement. Regarding the lifting of export restrictions on materials, parts, and equipment, he also emphasized that "materials, parts, and equipment have achieved independence," and that Japan was in a hurry.
On the 17th, on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' Lee said, "(GSOMIA) was urgent from Japan's perspective. But I cannot agree with packaging that as our achievement."
He referred to North Korea's submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) launch in 2021, saying, "One SLBM was launched, but Japan said two. However, we said one. Later, Japan corrected it back to one," and emphasized, "there are points where Japan especially needs South Korea's figures and information regarding various angles of (missile) launches."
Regarding the lifting of export restrictions, he said, "When you look at the actual content of materials, parts, and equipment, which are said to be economic achievements, and the three major export-restricted items, materials, parts, and equipment have achieved independence," adding, "In other words, it seems like there has been no progress, but we have gained leverage in negotiations." Japan lifted semiconductor materials, parts, and equipment export restrictions after three years the day before.
He emphasized, "In the case of the three major export-restricted items, many were things Japan needed. From the perspective of Japanese companies, these were parts that needed to be exported. The same goes for materials, parts, and equipment," and added, "In fact, they even built factories in South Korea, and since companies were in a hurry, Japan started to gain leverage by building local factories in Korea, which is the point where they surrendered."
Regarding President Yoon's announcement at a press conference that he would not exercise the right of recourse concerning the forced labor issue, he said, "It is a painful time for the people due to the president's statement, which, through the mouth of the head of state, said he would not exercise the right of recourse, effectively neglecting the constitutional duty to protect the people."
Yoon Sang-hyun, a member of the People Power Party and former chair of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, criticized the Democratic Party's response on SBS radio, saying "nothing was done during the Moon Jae-in administration," but Lee raised his voice, saying, "In fact, this kind of solution is a white flag. That means it is not a solution but an action that should not have been taken," and added, "It was not us who created the conflict but Japan that caused it, and it is not that nothing was done, but the Yoon Seok-yeol administration did something that should not have been done."
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