Joo Ho-young Breaks Silence After Four Days... United Party Criticizes Ruling Party's North-South Situation Awareness

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun, Kim Hye-min, Lim Chun-han] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, who had expressed his intention to resign and gone into seclusion after taking responsibility for the ruling party's unilateral organization of the National Assembly, broke his silence after four days.

On the 18th, in a phone interview with Yonhap News, Floor Leader Joo said, "Nothing has changed. I have no intention of returning (to the National Assembly)," maintaining his previous stance.

Regarding the proposal to first organize security-related standing committees considering the serious situation caused by North Korea's provocations, he said, "It is not important whether the Intelligence Committee or the Defense Committee is formed, but how seriously they discuss it," and questioned, "Even if the Intelligence Committee is opened, can they publicly report on military readiness?" When pointed out that bipartisan cooperation is necessary, he acknowledged, "That is true," but firmly responded, "Didn't they say they can do it without us? They said we always hold things back, so they can do it without us." This is interpreted as his indication that he cannot return to the National Assembly without a change in the Democratic Party's attitude.

Floor Leader Joo strongly criticized the ruling party's perception of the situation, saying, "Look at what the Democratic Party is doing. Even though things have come to this with North Korea, just before that, they suggested declaring an end to the war. Aren't they the ones who wanted to ratify the Panmunjom Declaration?"

Meanwhile, Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman of the United Future Party, criticized the Moon Jae-in administration's North Korea policy as complacent, saying, "The idea that we can achieve North Korea's denuclearization by our own power in a divided state is a delusion." At the United Future Party emergency committee meeting held at the National Assembly main building on the morning of the 18th, Chairman Kim said, "Because the North Korea policy pursued by the Moon administration so far started from a very complacent mindset, it inevitably led to the current situation."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He said, "It is time to reflect on past events and newly establish inter-Korean issues," adding, "This is not something we can decide on our own. Some people think that since we have become the 10th largest economy, can be diplomatically independent, and can handle inter-Korean issues as we please, but that is different from reality." He mentioned that the relationship between West Germany and the United States was diplomatically coordinated until German reunification, saying, "Can we achieve what is not accomplished in North Korea-US talks by South Korea's power alone?" and "The Moon administration must abandon its current stance on inter-Korean relations and attempt to establish a new inter-Korean relationship."

First-term lawmakers of the United Future Party also held a meeting that morning to discuss current issues including Floor Leader Joo's return but failed to reach a conclusion. It is reported that there were disagreements regarding the nature of the meeting. Floor spokesperson Bae Hyun-jin said immediately after the meeting, "Since first-term lawmakers rarely have opportunities to talk, this was arranged to meet and discuss current issues," and added, "We will continue to hold first-term lawmaker meetings in the future."

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