68 Democratic Party Lawmakers Warn: "U.S. Military Operation in Venezuela Threatens International Peace"

On January 6, 68 lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea expressed concerns regarding the United States' military operation to arrest and extradite Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, stating, "The use of force without adherence to international legal procedures could pose a serious threat to international peace and stability."

On the 5th (local time), armed police stood on alert at the entrance of the United States Southern District Court building in Manhattan, New York, where Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela, was present. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

In a statement released that day, lawmakers including Kang Junhyun, Lee Yongseon, and Lee Jaekang said, "This incident is severely flawed in light of Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force, and Article 2, Paragraph 7, which upholds the principle of non-interference in domestic affairs."

They continued, "These principles are universal norms of the international community and form the foundation of the international order, and must be observed without exception. The 'drug trafficking charges' presented by the United States do not meet the requirements for exercising the right of self-defense under international law, and the forced extradition without judicial procedures of the country concerned, conducted within the territory of another nation, violates the principle of respect for sovereignty."

They added, "The restoration of democracy in Venezuela should be left to the choice of the Venezuelan people," and emphasized, "It must be achieved through peaceful and diplomatic means."

They further stated, "The concern about this incident is that it could set a precedent for justifying similar armed interventions in the future," adding, "If the perception spreads that a particular major power can violate another country's sovereignty based on unilateral judgment, it will lead to instability throughout the international order. The Republic of Korea, which bases its security on the South Korea-U.S. alliance, cannot help but closely monitor how such changes may affect the situation in Northeast Asia and on the Korean Peninsula," they stressed.