Official Statement from Moon... Ruling Party Leadership Candidates Say "Attention-Seeking Instinct" "Don't Cross the Line"

Former President Moon Jae-in Expresses First Position on Prosecutors' Investigation into West Sea Shooting Incident

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The ruling party's next leadership contenders have collectively criticized former President Moon Jae-in's official statement released the previous day regarding the investigation into the West Sea shooting incident, calling it a "pitiful self-excuse."

On the 2nd, Kim Ki-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, posted on his social media (SNS), "'I want to live a forgotten life,' he said, but it seems former President Moon's attention-seeking instinct has flared up again," adding, "Instead of making pitiful self-excuses, he should apologize to the public."

The previous day, former President Moon, through Yoon Gun-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, conveyed an official statement saying, "After the regime changed, the ministry's judgment, which had been reported to the president and announced to the media, was reversed," and expressed "deep concern over the reckless actions that undermine the security system."

In response, Representative Kim said, "There is a limit to audacity; our citizens were shot by North Korean soldiers and their bodies were burned, yet the government instead conducted a ‘defection to the North’ smear campaign. How can revealing the truth of this incident be considered ‘undermining security’? It is absurd," adding, "Rather, uncovering the truth and identifying those who exploited security for political gain is the true way to strengthen the security system."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Representative Yoon Sang-hyun also stated on SNS, "If you are confident before the people and history, appear before the prosecution and undergo investigation," and pointedly said, "You warned others to 'not cross the line,' but former President Moon himself should not cross the 'line.'"

Yoon criticized, "Former President Moon responded to a letter sent by the son of the public official shot by North Korean soldiers, promising 'to definitely uncover the truth,' and engaged in media play," adding, "However, behind the scenes, the core five of the Moon administration (Seo Hoon, Noh Young-min, Park Ji-won, Seo Wook, Lee In-young) gathered and devised the ‘defection smear scenario,’ which former President Moon ‘directly approved.’"

He further pointed out, "At the beginning of his administration, former President Moon attacked the past customary National Intelligence Service (NIS) special activity funds as a violation of national order and deep-rooted evils, punishing related officials including the NIS chief," and stated, "Shielding North Korea, which killed South Korean citizens, is the real violation of national order and deep-rooted evil."

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