Ha Tae-kyung: "Lee In-young denies Kim Yo-jong as second-in-command... Ministry of Unification ignores National Intelligence Service"

"Ministry of Unification, Do They Consider the National Intelligence Service as an Obstruction to Inter-Korean Relations?"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] On the 26th, Rep. Ha Tae-kyung of the United Future Party criticized Minister of Unification Lee In-young’s statement that “interpreting Kim Yo-jong, the First Deputy Director, as establishing her status as the second-in-command or successor and exercising full authority is an overinterpretation,” saying, “The National Intelligence Service (NIS) regards Kim Yo-jong as virtually the second-in-command, so I don’t understand why the minister insists on denying this,” and added, “I am curious why the Ministry of Unification is taking reckless North Korea policies that go against the NIS’s intelligence on North Korea. The Ministry of Unification’s reckless North Korea policy that ignores the NIS is unlikely to succeed.”

On the same day, Rep. Ha wrote on Facebook, “Even if she does not have full authority over policy, it is said that Kim Yo-jong oversees the reporting authority to Chairman Kim Jong-un. In addition, she controls the Organization and Guidance Department of the Workers’ Party, which is the core of North Korean power,” and said, “This alone is enough to say that Kim Yo-jong is virtually the second-in-command in North Korea.”

Rep. Ha said, “The fact that Kim Yo-jong is the second-in-command means that access to her is very important and essential in pursuing North Korea policy,” and added, “This must also be considered in the Ministry of Unification’s messaging toward North Korea. However, it is hard to accept that the minister is denying even this. I wonder if the Ministry of Unification thinks of the NIS as an obstacle department to improving inter-Korean relations.”

Rep. Ha pointed out, “According to the NIS, the Ministry of Unification was already informed in early August that the Kaesong Goryeo Ginseng Trading Company was subject to sanctions. However, even after receiving that notification, the minister continued to pursue barter trade with the Kaesong Goryeo Ginseng Trading Company,” and said, “Only after the official statement from the Intelligence Committee confirming the NIS’s sanction target did the Ministry of Unification stop this. It is suspicious whether the Ministry of Unification ignored the NIS’s report or tried to overturn the NIS’s judgment.”

Rep. Ha said, “The minister is trying to reduce the role of the Korea-US Working Group, probably because the Working Group deals with North Korea sanctions and is seen as an obstacle to his barter trade policy,” and added, “The Ministry of Unification, which ignores both the US and the NIS, can it really maintain its foundation? I am more concerned that the Ministry of Unification will remain an isolated island between South Korea and the US, far from improving relations with North Korea.”

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