Lee Jae-myung: "Yoon Government's Incompetence Undermines Diplomacy's Primary Principle 'National Interest First'"

"Passed Over on Historical Distortion and Japan's Contaminated Water Discharge Issues at the Korea-US-Japan Summit"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, harshly criticized the Korea-US-Japan summit held in the United States on the 21st, saying, "Due to President Yoon Seok-yeol's incompetence, the primary principle of diplomacy, 'national interest first,' has collapsed."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 21st. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Lee said, "This meeting was the last chance to stop Japan's discharge of contaminated water. However, President Yoon ultimately ignored the continuous demands of the people."

He added, "(President Yoon) rather trusted the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) inspection results and sided with Japan," and questioned, "The majority of our people do not agree with the IAEA report, so which country's people does President Yoon represent?"

He also pointed out the controversy over the East Sea notation.

Lee said, "Protecting territory is the president's duty entrusted by the people," and criticized, "At this summit, the president should have strongly raised the issue to the United States, saying 'The East Sea is the East Sea, not the Sea of Japan.'" He continued, "I repeatedly urge correcting it to the East Sea without delay," and added, "I hope Dokdo does not become isolated within the Sea of Japan."

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