"'Cheonanham Self-Destruction' Statement by Lee Raegyeong Called 'Fake News'
'Will Activate Legal Advisory Group to Prevent Defamation'
On Speculation of Running in General Election: 'Fully Committed to National Veterans Affairs'"
Park Min-sik, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, criticized opposition figures who mentioned 'self-destruction' regarding the Cheonan ship sinking incident, saying, "Instead of consoling the bereaved families and surviving soldiers on Memorial Day, are they rubbing salt into the wounds?"
On the 7th, Minister Park directly addressed remarks made by Lee Rae-gyeong, honorary director of Dareunbaeknyeon, who was appointed and then resigned as the Innovation Committee Chairperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, calling them "completely nonsensical rumors" and "fabricated fake news." This was in response to Lee Rae-gyeong’s post on social media after a Chinese reconnaissance balloon was shot down over U.S. airspace in February this year, where he wrote that "the Cheonan incident, which was a self-destruction, was fabricated by U.S. hegemonic forces that ruined inter-Korean relations, and this time they exaggerated a weather observation balloon that went off course as a national threat."
Minister Park also reacted strongly to Democratic Party senior spokesperson Kwon Chil-seung’s remarks targeting former Cheonan ship captain Choi Won-il, who said, "With what face do you show up after killing all your subordinates? It’s outrageous," calling it "an unacceptable abusive remark." He added, "For the past two or three months, we have been preparing a legal advisory group to ensure that war veterans and bereaved families do not suffer defamation or wounds again," and said, "We plan to actively take legal action."
Regarding President Yoon Suk-yeol’s visit to pay respects at the graves of Vietnam War veterans and anti-espionage operation martyrs, who had received relatively less attention, during the 68th Memorial Day ceremony, Minister Park said, "It was not planned at all." He explained, "The President expressed a strong desire to visit, and the bereaved families were seen cheering and deeply moved by the President’s surprise visit in many places."
When asked about his intention to run in next year’s general election, he drew a clear line, saying, "My sole responsibility is to properly establish the newly launched Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs," and "I have no time to think about anything else right now and intend to devote myself entirely to national veterans affairs."
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