Kim Byung-joo "Fake peace? Military power ranked 11th to 6th worldwide during Moon administration"

Jo Tae-yong's 'Fake Peace' Remark Called "Military Disparagement"
"There Might Have Been a Secret US-ROK Shell Support Agreement"

Kim Byung-joo, a former four-star general and member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized Cho Tae-yong, the National Security Office chief, on the 25th for calling the Moon Jae-in administration's approach to North Korea "fake peace relying on goodwill," saying, "It is an insult to the soldiers who are working tirelessly day and night, and it is belittling the past and the military just to stand out."

Earlier, on the 24th, Cho said during a National Assembly Steering Committee briefing, "A comprehensive reform has been made to South Korea's security, which had relied solely on North Korea's goodwill," adding, "We will now build a strong security system based on overwhelming power, not fake peace relying on the opponent's hand, so that future generations can feel safe and nurture their dreams."

In response, Rep. Kim said, "History is like a relay race, a concept of placing one brick after another," and added, "We must proceed as a continuation of the past, but to say the past is all fake and fake security is unacceptable for a National Security Office chief to tell such lies."

Assemblyman Kim Byung-joo of the Democratic Party of Korea. [Photo by Yonhap News]

On the same day, Rep. Kim appeared on YTN Radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' and said, "During my 39 years in the military, I maintained a daily readiness posture against North Korean provocations," criticizing, "I was genuinely worried about it all the time, whether going to the bathroom or eating, but such lies are being told."

Rep. Kim stated, "Regardless of progressive or conservative views, the government has never relied on peace or security based on North Korea's goodwill," and added, "Even under the Moon Jae-in administration, efforts were made to strengthen defense capabilities while trying to establish a peace regime. Defense spending was also significantly increased, and South Korea's military power rose from 11th in the world in the first year of the Moon administration to 6th."

Regarding the recent report by the U.S. Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that South Korea and the U.S. agreed to supply artillery shells to Ukraine, he claimed, "I have no confirmed information, but circumstantially, it is highly likely that a secret agreement or pact was made."

Rep. Kim said, "A month before the South Korea-U.S. summit, the Polish Prime Minister requested ammunition from U.S. President Joe Biden," adding, "What Ukraine needs most is ammunition, but South Korea opposes supporting Ukraine and only allows supplies to Poland and the U.S., so there was a request for the U.S. to continue pressure."

He continued, "I also understand that the U.S. has continuously requested ammunition support for Ukraine through various channels," and said, "At the South Korea-U.S. summit, President Biden probably said, 'We will supply the ammunition you (South Korea) gave us to Ukraine, so please turn a blind eye.'"

Rep. Kim pointed out, "If our ammunition is supplied to Ukraine, whether directly or indirectly, it will have a significant impact on our country," and criticized, "Such matters are being conducted behind closed doors, and the information is being revealed not by our government but through foreign media. Does that make sense?"

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