Lee In-young "US-ROK Military Exercises, Need to Find Flexible and Wise Approach for Inter-Korean Relations"

"Parliamentary Ratification of Inter-Korean Summit Agreement Plays Positive Role in Improving Relations"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Lee In-young, Minister of Unification, said on the 4th that "a flexible and wise approach must be found" regarding the ROK-US military exercises. Minister Lee also emphasized the necessity of National Assembly ratification of the inter-Korean summit agreement.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, during the National Assembly's government questioning session, in response to a question from Lee Yong-seon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, about North Korea's response to the ROK-US military exercises, Minister Lee stated, "If the ROK-US combined military exercises scheduled for March proceed, it is a common-sense judgment to expect some degree of backlash and the possibility of tension arising from that."

Minister Lee said, "Our side is comprehensively considering factors such as the COVID-19 situation, the Tokyo Olympics situation, and the process of establishing the US policy toward the Korean Peninsula in relation to the ROK-US combined military exercises. At the same time, we are also open to understanding procedural issues such as the transfer of wartime operational control. Rather than allowing military exercises to escalate tensions and ignite conflicts between the two Koreas, or becoming a trigger for new conflicts between North Korea and the US, we must find a flexible and wise way to respond."

Minister Lee also mentioned the necessity of National Assembly ratification of the inter-Korean summit agreement.

He said, "There is no doubt that it positively influences increasing trust and improving inter-Korean relations. To overcome the changes in promises or agreements that occur inconsistently every time the administration changes, it is necessary, to some extent, to enter a legislative process such as legislative principles in pursuing unification policy."

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