[Summary] "Moon Government's North Korea Policy Failure" North Korea Blasts Inter-Korean Liaison Office, Opposition Parties Criticize Unitedly

"Show that Moon Jae-in government's flawed North Korea appeasement policy has failed"
"North Korea has issued a total bankruptcy declaration on Moon Jae-in government's North Korea policy"
"The Republic of Korea government still cannot let go of lingering attachment to North Korea"

North Korea reportedly blew up the Inter-Korean Liaison Office at around 2:50 p.m. on the 16th, according to a report by the Korean Central News Agency on the 17th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] On the 16th, as North Korea blew up the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office, opposition parties such as the United Future Party and the People's Party sharply criticized the Moon Jae-in administration's North Korea policy in unison.

Park Jin, chairman of the United Future Party's Foreign Affairs and Security Special Committee, attended an emergency meeting held at the National Assembly main building on the same day and said, "This shows that the Moon Jae-in administration's misguided conciliatory policy toward North Korea has failed," urging, "Even now, the Moon administration must fundamentally change its North Korea policy." He added, "North Korea must refrain from further provocations. There is nothing North Korea can gain from military provocations."

Jo Tae-yong, a member of the same party and former First Deputy Director of the National Security Office under the Park Geun-hye administration, stated, "North Korea has issued a total bankruptcy declaration on the Moon administration's North Korea policy. Those responsible in the diplomatic and security lines must be held accountable accordingly."

Bae Jun-young, spokesperson for the United Future Party, said in a statement, "Without any strategy, trapped in the illusion of peace, we have brought about our own security anxiety." He continued, "The current administration's conciliatory policy toward North Korea has ended in failure," pointing out, "Now, we have reached a stage where we must worry about greater military provocations and the possible direct harm to our citizens beyond mere threats and intimidation."

On the afternoon of the 16th, citizens are watching news related to the explosion of the North-South Joint Liaison Office building in the Seoul Station waiting room. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Ahn Hye-jin, spokesperson for the People's Party, said, "How long must the people of the Republic of Korea live in fear of the violent and barbaric outrages of an abnormal state north of the 38th parallel?" She added, "Even in situations like today, can the South Korean government still cling to naive dialogue and weak compromise without abandoning its lingering attachment to North Korea?"

Criticism was also directed at remarks by Kim Yeon-chul, Minister of Unification, and Song Young-gil, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee. Hwang Gyu-hwan, deputy spokesperson for the United Future Party, said, "Today, when the threat from Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director, became a reality, there were statements as frightening and absurd as the North's demolition of the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office," adding, "These remarks, which disregard the anxiety of our people and national security, are unbelievable and especially inappropriate coming from the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee chairman."

Kim Yeon-chul, Minister of Unification, attended the afternoon plenary session of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee regarding the demolition of the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office and said, "We need to verify the exact situation. There was some prior notice."

In response to a question from Lee Jae-jung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, asking if there had been any reports related to the explosion sound, he replied, "It happened while we were here."

Earlier, the Ministry of Unification announced, "North Korea blew up the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office building at 2:49 p.m. today."

Also, Song Young-gil, chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and a member of the Democratic Party, sparked controversy by saying about North Korea's demolition of the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office, "Isn't it something that they didn't use artillery to blow it up?"

After the plenary session of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Song told reporters, "North Korea did as it had warned," adding, "It seems they wanted to show that it was not an empty threat." He said, "Isn't it something that they didn't use artillery to blow it up?"

In response, Hwang Gyu-hwan, deputy spokesperson for the United Future Party, said in a written statement, "These remarks, which disregard the anxiety of the people and national security, are unbelievable and especially inappropriate coming from the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee chairman," criticizing, "Which country's lawmaker is this? Even though Chairman Song has defended North Korea, this is going too far."

The Justice Party issued a critical statement against North Korea. Kim Jong-chul, senior spokesperson, said in a statement, "Who would understand someone who, out of anger, overturns the entire table?" and added, "This will only increase the possibility of international isolation." He further urged, "We strongly call on the North Korean authorities to make rational judgments and actions and to stop acts that escalate tensions."

Meanwhile, the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office, which North Korea demolished on the 16th, is a symbol of the inter-Korean reconciliation phase created as a result of the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration.

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