[Summary] "Peace-themed Naengmyeon Is Not Free" United Party Urges Shift in North Korea Policy

Joo Ho-young "Would Kim Jong-un siblings thank us for banning leaflet distribution?"
Taeyongho "Servile behavior is a catalyst encouraging reckless actions of North Korean regime"

President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong-un are eating Okryugwan Pyongyang cold noodles at the welcoming dinner held at the Peace House in Panmunjom on the afternoon of April 27, 2018.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] As North Korea continues to escalate its criticism of South Korea over the distribution of anti-North leaflets, lawmakers from the United Future Party have called for a shift in the Moon Jae-in administration's North Korea policy. Other United Future Party lawmakers criticized the ongoing ridicule seemingly directed straight at President Moon Jae-in. There were also remarks that "even the cold noodles touted as peace were not free." President Moon enjoyed a dinner including Pyongyang cold noodles with North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un during his visit to Pyongyang in 2018.

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, said on the 14th, "Do you think Kim Jong-un siblings would thank us if leaflet distribution is banned?" and pointed out, "The government's hectic response is not the 'paying the price' that Kim Jong-un wants."

In a post on his Facebook that day, Joo stated, "During the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations, North Korea consistently demanded one thing in various secret contacts: 500,000 tons of rice and 300,000 tons of fertilizer."

He added, "The Kim Young-sam administration provided 150,000 tons of rice, and during the Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations, the support increased to 500,000 tons of rice and 300,000 tons of fertilizer annually."

Joo said, "At that time, North Korean officials complained, 'We should at least have 500,000 tons of rice and 300,000 tons of fertilizer as a baseline; why are we so stingy among our own people?' After the closure of the Mount Kumgang tours and Kaesong Industrial Complex, they pleaded, 'Please lift at least one of these restrictions.'"

He continued, "Professor Moon Jeong-in, a special advisor to President Moon Jae-in, declared over the past three years that 'Mount Kumgang and Kaesong Industrial Complex can be reopened unilaterally by us without U.S. permission.' Kim Jong-un busily traveled to Singapore and Hanoi with that expectation."

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, is speaking after the party's parliamentary meeting held at the National Assembly on the 12th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He added, "Kim Jong-un painfully realized that the Moon administration lacks the power to independently lift U.S. and international sanctions against North Korea," and said, "Kim Jong-un General Secretary and Kim Yo-jong Deputy Department Director are shouting at President Moon, 'Keep at least one of the promises you made.'"

Joo said, "With two years left in the Moon administration, inter-Korean relations seem only to be noisy without producing results. The Kim Jong-un siblings have chosen the wrong partner. Unfortunately."

Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson for the United Future Party, said in a statement on the 13th, "'Optimism' cannot counter 'hostility,'" adding, "Before the memory of those cold noodles that lulled us into hopes for peace becomes a more miserable recollection, the government's envisioned peace plan for the Korean Peninsula must return to reality through a sober approach and international cooperation."

In the statement, Kim pointed out, "The relay of attacks on South Korea that started with Kim Yo-jong Deputy Department Director has passed the baton to Jang Geum-chul, vice chairman of the party central committee, and then to Oh Su-bong, head chef of Okryugwan," and criticized, "Ridicule seemingly aimed directly at the president has continued."

She added, "The promises made in Singapore in 2018 are also fading away," and said, "North Korea demands a price for its 'peace gestures.' Even the cold noodles touted as peace were not free."

On April 27, 2018, President Moon visited Pyongyang and enjoyed lunch at Okryugwan with North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un and his wife. Pyongyang cold noodles were served at this occasion, adding significance.

However, Oh Su-bong, the Okryugwan head chef who prepared the cold noodles at that time, criticized through North Korea's external propaganda media 'Chosun Today' on the 13th, saying, "When they came to Pyongyang and ate the famous Okryugwan noodles, they acted as if they were going to do something big, but after leaving, they have done absolutely nothing."

Kim said, "North Korea's denuclearization, which was a condition for implementing the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration, is now becoming a distant story," and added, "The government should no longer respond with servility trying to forcibly patch up the trust shattered by the other side or with intimidation against our people."

Tae Young-ho, a member of the United Future Party, is speaking at an emergency security briefing held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 10th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

United Future Party lawmaker Tae Yong-ho, a former North Korean embassy official, criticized the government on the 14th, saying, "It is now time to establish principles and focus in North Korea policy." In a statement titled 'Position on Kim Yo-jong's Threats' posted on Facebook that day, Tae said, "Showing a weak and servile attitude any longer could act as a catalyst encouraging reckless behavior by the North Korean regime."

Tae evaluated the South Korean government's response to North Korea, saying, "The government has done more than it could to save inter-Korean relations from collapse and maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula," and added, "The Kim Jong-un regime seems to misjudge our government's low posture toward North Korea, which is desperately trying to maintain a peace mood, as the entire nation's weakness."

He emphasized, "Simply appeasing the Kim Jong-un regime cannot solve the problem," and said, "It is time to not only watch the Kim Jong-un regime's mood but also to present the right path to North Korea in a manner befitting South Korea's dignity as a participant in the G7 summit and to play the role of a just mediator."

United Future Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung also wrote on Facebook that day, "No matter how strongly the Moon administration responds to leaflets, North Korea does not stop its verbal attacks against South Korea," and warned, "If the South Korean government continues to show a weak attitude like now, it could lead to North Korea's misjudgment."

Ha said, "We must give up any lingering hopes for improving inter-Korean relations. The wishful thinking that fulfilling North Korea's demands will improve relations could lead the country into a major crisis."

He argued, "If we continue to kowtow to Kim Yo-jong's orders as we do now, South Korea will fall into a slave state under North Korea. It is time to unite public opinion and respond firmly so that North Korea cannot even dare to provoke. Only then can inter-Korean relations improve."

The Rodong Sinmun published the full text of a statement by Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Department Director of the North Korean Workers' Party, on the 14th. The statement appeared at the top left of page 2 of the newspaper.

In the statement titled 'The People's Punishment Cannot Be Stopped,' Kim Yo-jong said, "It seems the time has come to decisively break ties with the South Koreans," and added, "We will soon take the next step. I have exercised the authority granted to me by the Chairman Comrade and the Party and State to order the relevant departments to carry out the next step."

She continued, "Continuous and thorough retaliation is being executed," and said, "Now you will clearly see through miserable scenes how terrifying the people's punishment is."

She added, "Who would believe that we can immediately do what we have failed to do after wasting hundreds of days with wordplay?" and said, "According to the demands and will of the enraged people, our merciless retaliation is already underway, and we will thoroughly carry it out to the end as publicly declared to the world."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.