Jung Jin-seok: "If North Korea proceeds with the 7th nuclear test, the joint declaration on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula must be annulled"

Jeong Jin-seok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is attending the seminar "A Great Shift in Semiconductor Workforce Training! Gangwon-do Starts It" held at the National Assembly on the 11th and delivering a congratulatory speech. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Jeong Jin-seok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, argued on the 12th that if North Korea proceeds with its 7th nuclear test, the 1991 Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula should also be nullified. With President Yoon Suk-yeol leaving open the possibility of 'redeploying tactical nuclear weapons,' Jeong, who leads the ruling party, also raised the necessity of nuclear armament.

On the same day, Jeong stated through his social network service (SNS), "North Korea, one of the parties to the Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, has declared itself a nuclear-armed state and is conducting live-fire exercises with tactical nuclear operational units aimed at South Korea," asserting this position.

He said, "We are the only ones who have bound ourselves with the denuclearization joint declaration between the South and the North from over 30 years ago," adding, "The moment of decision has come. If North Korea proceeds with the 7th nuclear test, not only the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement signed during the Moon Jae-in administration but also the 1991 Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula must be nullified."

Jeong seemed conscious of the recent controversy over 'anti-Japan defense,' stating, "A nation that forgets its history has no future. That is true. A nation that does not know the truth of history has no future," emphasizing, "We must not forget the history of the June 25 North Korean invasion that took millions of innocent lives." This can be interpreted as indicating that responding to the North Korean nuclear threat is more urgent than 'anti-Japan' sentiment.

He added, "Kim Jong-un revealed the 'tactical nuclear operational unit' on October 10, the founding day of the Workers' Party. A nuclear bomb could fall over our heads at any time," and said, "There is no future for South Korea if we forget the tyranny of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un, who completed nuclear armament while starving millions of North Korean residents despite firmly promising denuclearization."

Jeong's remarks are noteworthy as they come amid the intensifying nuclear threat from North Korea and the rising calls for the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons and independent nuclear armament. Recently, reports emerged that the presidential office and the ruling party have been discussing the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons. Although the presidential office officially denied this, President Yoon, during a meeting with reporters on his way to work the previous day, said regarding the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons, "We are carefully listening to and considering various opinions from both South Korea and the United States," leaving the possibility open.

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