[Summary] "Unprecedented" vs "Betrayal" Kim Jong-un's Speech to 'Beloved Southern Compatriots,' Divergent Reactions from Ruling and Opposition Parties

Kim Jong-un "Beloved Southern Compatriots... Praying to Join Hands"
Ruling Party "Expecting the Era of Inter-Korean Cooperation to Come"
Opposition "Moon Administration's Declaration of End of War Met with 'Nuclear Strategic Weapons'"

North Korea held a military parade on the 10th to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party, according to the Workers' Party's official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun. Standing at the podium, Chairman Kim Jong-un solemnly raised his right hand in a salute-like gesture while looking at the square where the parade was taking place.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Opinions are divided within the political sphere regarding North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un’s message to South Korea delivered during the military parade commemorating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The ruling party focused on the possibility of improving inter-Korean relations and gave a positive evaluation, while the opposition criticized Kim for delivering a message to the South without apologizing for the killing of South Korean public official Mr. Lee (47) by the North Korean military.

On the 10th, at the military parade held at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang to mark the 75th anniversary of the Workers' Party, Kim said, "I warmly send this heartfelt message to our beloved compatriots in the South," and "I hope the day will come soon when this health crisis is overcome and the North and South will again join hands."

Alongside this, North Korea also unveiled new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) that incorporate the latest missile technology.

Heo Young, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, highly praised Kim’s remarks in a written briefing that afternoon, calling them "unprecedented statements."

Spokesperson Heo said, "We interpret this as a response to our will to restart the stalled peace process on the Korean Peninsula," adding, "The beginning of the peace process on the Korean Peninsula should be a joint investigation into the West Sea shooting incident." He further emphasized, "We repeatedly urge the North to actively engage in the joint investigation we requested and to restore and reactivate military communication lines."

However, Heo also pointed out, "The new ICBM unveiled by North Korea demonstrates that North Korean missiles can target not only the U.S. mainland but anywhere in the world," expressing "strong concerns that this could become an obstacle to peace on the Korean Peninsula and globally."

Song Young-gil, chairman of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and a member of the Democratic Party, also positively evaluated Kim’s remarks on his Facebook that day, saying, "Kim Jong-un’s speech at the 75th anniversary military parade of the Workers' Party is positively evaluated," and added, "He first expressed affection for the southern compatriots by saying, 'I hope the day will come when we again join hands.' I see this as a statement that raises expectations for a new era of inter-Korean cooperation after COVID-19."

North Korea held a military parade on the 10th to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party. Chairman Kim Jong-un, dressed in a gray suit, is delivering a speech. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the other hand, the People Power Party criticized the unveiling of numerous new strategic weapons such as ICBMs as evidence of the failure of the Moon Jae-in administration’s North Korea policy.

Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson for the People Power Party, criticized Kim Jong-un’s speech in a statement on the same day, saying, "Watching Kim Jong-un smile during the surprise military parade featuring new ICBMs and SLBMs and the military power march, there was no trace of guilt or apology for the inhumane crime."

Spokesperson Kim said, "Even after executing our citizen by gunfire, Kim Jong-un did not offer a single direct apology but promoted the person responsible for the execution to marshal and suddenly held a parade of new strategic weapons," adding, "To our people’s unjust death, Kim Jong-un responded with a bright smile, calling them 'beloved southern compatriots' and wishing for 'firm handshakes,' while simultaneously extending a handshake and a dagger."

She continued, "Kim Jong-un responded to the Moon administration’s declaration of the end of the war with 'nuclear strategic weapons,'" and urged, "Our government has been stabbed in the back once again. The president must make a clear stance."

Former North Korean diplomat and People Power Party lawmaker Tae Yong-ho also analyzed on Facebook on the 11th that "North Korea’s 'frontline breakthrough' strategy remains unchanged, showing this both domestically and internationally, strengthening internal unity, and aiming to secure a more advantageous position in negotiations expected to begin after the U.S. presidential election."

He said, "North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un extended a hand of reconciliation toward the South while presenting new strategic nuclear weapons to the U.S.," and evaluated, "This parade makes our government ponder more deeply about which side to choose between North Korea’s 'By Our Nation Itself' policy and the 'South Korea-U.S. alliance.'"

In particular, he expressed concern about the new strategic weapons shown by North Korea. Tae said, "As Kim Jong-un mentioned at the end of last year, he unveiled new strategic weapons," adding, "The climax of the parade was the new ICBM that appeared at the end, which surprisingly was mounted on an 11-axle, 22-wheel transporter erector launcher (TEL). By revealing the vehicle capable of launching the ICBM as is, along with the extended missile body and warhead section, North Korea demonstrated its capability to shorten launch time toward the U.S. and to simultaneously strike Washington and New York with nuclear weapons."

Kim Ki-hyun, also from the same party, criticized domestic broadcasters for airing the North Korean military parade live, posting on his Facebook, "Is it sane to broadcast extensively a military parade meant to showcase the enemy’s war capabilities as if we were waiting for it?"

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