Democratic Party Obsessed with Undermining Diplomatic Achievements... Does It Help National Interest?

by Oh Jooyean

Published 30 Apr.2023 17:29(KST)

The People Power Party on the 30th focused on highlighting the achievements of President Yoon Seok-yeol's state visit to the United States. In response to the Democratic Party's criticism calling it a "fruitless diplomacy," they condemned it as being "obsessed with belittling diplomatic achievements."

On the same day, Chief Spokesperson Kang Min-guk said in a statement, "This state visit to the United States was a time to share the bilateral relationship, forged over the past 70 years through blood ties, under the banner of 'an active alliance moving toward the future,' and to exchange ideas on how to implement a shared vision for the future."

He added, "In particular, the 'Washington Declaration' is the first document in which the United States has concretely agreed to share and discuss information, planning, and execution regarding their nuclear assets with a specific country," and said, "The 'Washington Declaration' can be regarded as a de facto 'Second ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty' that guarantees South Korea's sustainable peace and prosperity."

He continued, "Furthermore, the ROK-US alliance has expanded its joint front to space and cyberspace, strengthened cohesion in advanced technology sectors, and achieved economic successes by attracting investments of $2.5 billion from Netflix, $1.9 billion at the investment declaration ceremony, and $1.5 billion from Corning."

Regarding the Democratic Party, he criticized, "From the very first day of the state visit, the Democratic Party incited the public with absurd fake news and remains obsessed with belittling diplomatic achievements," and questioned, "What exactly benefits the national interest of the Republic of Korea?"

Shin Won-sik, the ruling party's ranking member of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, also wrote on Facebook that "future historians will record President Yoon's recent visit to the U.S. as a historic turning point in the ROK-US alliance," and evaluated it as "the most successful summit diplomacy that elevated the ROK-US relationship into a global partnership encompassing security, economy, technology, culture, and cyber alliances."

Jeong Woo-taek, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, also wrote on Facebook about the visit, saying, "It was an opportunity to reaffirm South Korea's elevated status," and added, "Since the previous administration's 'solo dining diplomacy,' malicious anti-American and anti-Japanese agitation, and submissiveness toward North Korea had considerably diminished South Korea's diplomatic standing, this state visit to the U.S. stands out distinctly."