Divided Ruling and Opposition Parties Over 'Deployment of North Korean Troops'... "Possible to Support Weapons" VS "No Need to Intervene"

Kim Gun "Concerns Over North Korea-Russia Close Ties, Need to Reaffirm Condemnation"
Park Seonwon "NATO Is Cautious, Why Should We Step In?"
National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee Discussing Unified Condemnation Statement Between Ruling and Opposition Parties

While both ruling and opposition parties condemn North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia, their views on whether South Korea should intervene are polar opposites. The People Power Party believes that if necessary, consideration should be given to providing weapons support. On the other hand, the Democratic Party of Korea argued that caution is needed in the response, warning that the Russia-Ukraine war could potentially take on the characteristics of a proxy war between the North and South.

Kim Geon, the ruling party's floor whip on the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee (FAUC), said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 28th, regarding "President Yoon Suk-yeol's consideration of lethal weapon support to Ukraine," that "We have already made it clear that we cannot accept Russia providing military technology to North Korea." He added, "Wouldn't the pressure on Russia to transfer military technology to North Korea increase as compensation for North Korea's troop deployment? So, we are reminding Russia once again."

Yoo Yong-won, a People Power Party lawmaker and former military journalist, also said on SBS Radio that "At this stage, actively considering providing defensive weapons is worth looking into," and "President Yoon should keep the option of lethal weapon support as a last card." This is interpreted as meaning that if Russia provides military technology to North Korea as compensation for troop deployment, providing lethal weapons could also be fully considered.

While the Democratic Party condemns North Korea, it criticizes the government's response as misguided. Park Seon-won, the opposition floor whip on the National Assembly Intelligence Committee, said in a phone interview, "Why should we go thousands of kilometers away to fight? It is important to maintain our country's military readiness." He continued, "When we deployed troops to Iraq, did North Korea intervene? NATO is also very cautious about weapons support, so I don't understand why we are acting like this."

Park viewed the government as raising inter-Korean tensions for political purposes. He argued, "In authoritarian states, there is something called 'hostile dependence,' where authoritarian forces rely on each other because it benefits them."

Within the Democratic Party, voices emphasizing a "cautious approach" also emerged. Shin Jun-young, a National Assembly peace diplomacy advisory committee member and head of the North Korea policy innovation committee of the Democratic Party's National Innovation Council, said, "We need to look at how the North Korea-Russia alliance is materializing on a larger scale," expressing concern that "the North Korea-Russia alliance is comparable to the South Korea-U.S. alliance." He added, "The response strategy toward North Korea needs to change."

The ruling and opposition floor whips of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee are consulting to issue a joint condemnation statement regarding North Korea's troop deployment. Kim said, "The People Power Party has already urgently submitted a resolution of condemnation, and if the Democratic Party also submits a resolution, we will create a unified FAUC resolution at the bill review subcommittee next week."