Handonghun: "Securing Nuclear Potential Including Nuclear-Powered Submarines to Ensure Public Safety"

"It's Not Bluffing," Responds to Lee Jae-myung Naming Nuclear Armament as Cause for Sensitive Country Designation
Han: "Securing Nuclear Potential Up to the Brink Like Japan... Cautious About Actual Armament"

Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon on the 17th countered Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who claimed that the ruling party's prominent figures' advocacy for nuclear armament and securing nuclear potential led to the U.S. designating South Korea as a sensitive country, saying, "Although it is not nuclear weapons, it is necessary to possess nuclear-powered submarines."

After visiting Jinwoo Sunim, the head of the Jogye Order's General Assembly, at Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Han told reporters, "What I advocated was to secure enrichment and reprocessing technology like Japan to acquire nuclear potential just short of nuclear armament."

He added, "That is not bluffing but protecting the Republic of Korea and ensuring the safety of its people," criticizing, "I think (Leader Lee) is mistaken."

At the Supreme Council meeting that day, Lee stated, "The boastful and unrealistic nuclear armament theories, such as being able to arm with nuclear weapons within a year or the necessity of nuclear armament, and the declaration of martial law have increased distrust in the national system of the Republic of Korea, which seems to have resulted in the designation as a sensitive country."

Handonghun, former leader of the People Power Party, is shaking hands with Jinwoo Sunim, the head of the Jogye Order, at Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

However, Han said, "We need to be cautious about actual nuclear armament itself. That would involve withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and would bring international sanctions."

He continued, "It is not appropriate for politicians of an independent sovereign state to be swayed by that. Especially, it is not a proper attitude to say domestically who did well or poorly. It is absolutely not the time to blame anyone like Leader Lee is doing now," he elaborated.

During the approximately 45-minute meeting, Jinwoo Sunim pointed out to former leader Han, "Since you came at such a sensitive time and were the party leader, you may be the closest party involved in all these matters and cannot be free from them," adding, "Those in positions of responsibility should sincerely repent to the people."

Jinwoo Sunim also advised, "If we proceed looking only at the people without any partisan or factional interests so that the people are not uncomfortable, as the saying goes, 'extremes meet,' when anything reaches an extreme, it inevitably returns."

In response, former leader Han said, "I apologize to the people and the elders in the religious community," adding, "This situation should not have happened to the people, and I bear great responsibility."

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