Ahn Cheol-soo Proposes Joint Meeting of Ruling and Opposition Party Leaders on North Korea Provocations

"Foreign Affairs and Security Team Must Be Replaced with Sane People"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the People’s Party, announced on the 18th that he proposes a joint meeting of ruling and opposition party floor leaders regarding North Korea’s provocations.

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Ahn said, “The ruling and opposition parties should come together to analyze North Korea’s intentions and schemes, and through bipartisan responses that transcend party lines, we must lead a strong and principled strategy toward North Korea,” adding, “Only then will North Korea be unable to act recklessly.”

Ahn stated, “A complete overhaul of the diplomatic and security line must be carried out,” and added, “Not only the Minister of Unification but also the National Security Office Chief at the Blue House, the Director of the National Intelligence Service, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of National Defense?all those responsible for the diplomatic and security line?must be replaced with sane and capable people.”

He emphasized, “The most important thing is the president’s accurate understanding of the situation,” and said, “If it were the late President Kim Dae-jung, he would never have responded submissively without principles to North Korea’s current provocations and attitude. The president must be resolute.”

He continued, “What we need now is a firm principle that we will not yield an inch on North Korea’s denuclearization and a response based on that,” adding, “We must reflect on whether our submissive attitude so far has instilled in North Korea the delusion that sanctions relief is possible even without nuclear dismantlement.”

Ahn questioned, “What is our government’s countermeasure against North Korea’s strategic tactics?” and pointed out, “If a situation arises where North Korea, after test-firing an SLBM considered a game changer, declares the completion of ‘nuclear-missile operational deployment,’ what response do we have?”

Ahn said, “We need the wisdom of the people and presidential leadership that can bring about bipartisan cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties,” and stated, “Although the People’s Party opposes many policies of the current administration, we are ready to cooperate on security issues on a bipartisan basis.”

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