Park Ji-won "Personnel actions over Kim Yo-jong's single remark, pushing leaflet law? Bad education for North Korea"

Former Minshengdang Party Member Park Ji-won / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kang Juhee] Former Minsaengdang lawmaker Park Jiwon pointed out on the 19th that immediate measures such as replacing the minister due to North Korea's demolition of the inter-Korean joint liaison office and urgently pushing the law banning the distribution of leaflets to North Korea could be "a bad lesson (for North Korea)."

In an interview with CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyunjung's News Show' on the morning of the same day, former lawmaker Park said, "With one word from Kim Yo-jong, the First Deputy Director, they are making the 'leaflet law' (law banning the distribution of leaflets to North Korea), and all personnel are being replaced (this signal is not good)."

Regarding the law banning the distribution of leaflets to North Korea, former lawmaker Park said, "It is not the 'Kim Yo-jong command law,' but we need to act quickly. In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled that protecting the lives and property of the people is more important than freedom of expression," adding, "Because of this, the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration and the September 19 Agreement are being kept by North Korea, but we are not keeping them, which is causing the current trouble."

Regarding the appointment of the next Minister of Unification, he said, "The position should be elevated to Deputy Prime Minister as in the past, and a heavyweight figure well known to the United States should be appointed," emphasizing, "Although the counterpart is Kim Yo-jong, the First Deputy Director, she is the second-in-command of North Korea. Until now, the Minister of Unification has only focused on North Korean issues, but the most important thing is to persuade the United States. When the U.S. imposes excessive sanctions or there are problems, we must also go and persuade the U.S."

Regarding the mention of former Democratic Party floor leader Lee In-young and former Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok as candidates for Minister Kim's successor, he evaluated them as "all people interested in North Korean issues and active in the National Assembly."

Regarding former Chief of Staff Im denying the ministerial appointment rumors, he said, "Perhaps former Chief Im is conscious of old matters, including some issues in the U.S., and since he recently took office as chairman of the Inter-Korean Economic and Cultural Cooperation Foundation, that might be why," suggesting it might be related to his time as chairman of the National Council of Student Representatives (Jeondaehyeop).

He added, "If the President asks him to take the position, he would do very well, and having served as Chief of Staff, he has a dignified presence."

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