Unification Ministry Says It Will Take Note of Kim Yo-jong’s Positive Remarks; People Power Party Slams Lee Administration for ‘Begging’ and ‘Submissiveness’

[Financial News] The Ministry of Unification (MOU) on the 19th stated that it would take note of North Korean Workers' Party of Korea Vice Department Director Kim Yo-jong’s remarks assessing the South. Kim said that she highly valued Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young’s expression of regret and his pledge to prevent a recurrence over the recent North Korean drone infiltration incident. However, she also stressed that North Korea would strengthen security measures along its borders overall. The MOU said it would pay attention to this assessment from Kim.
An MOU official told reporters that day, "We take note of the fact that North Korea responded swiftly to our government’s expression of regret and announcement of measures to prevent a recurrence regarding the drone incident."
He went on to explain, "The measures to prevent a recurrence announced by the unification minister are intended to protect the safety and peace of both South and North Korea, and the government will implement them responsibly."
The official, however, did not answer when asked whether Kim’s remarks should be seen as a gesture of reconciliation.
The previous day, Minister Jeong pledged to proactively review and pursue partial restoration of the Sept. 19 inter-Korean military agreement, including designating no-fly zones, as a measure to prevent a repeat of the drone incident. He also said that not only National Intelligence Service and Defense Intelligence Command personnel, but also civilians involved in the North Korea-bound drone case, would all be charged under the general anti-state crime provisions.
These steps came just five days after Kim Yo-jong demanded measures to prevent a recurrence of drone incidents on the 13th. Her evaluation followed only a day after Minister Jeong’s announcement.
The People Power Party, however, condemned Minister Jeong’s announcement the previous day as a lowly act of begging. Park Sung-hoon, the party’s chief spokesperson, said, "The Sept. 19 military agreement was scrapped because of North Korea’s provocations. For us to step forward and say we will restore a promise that the other side has already broken is not a will for peace, but merely lowly begging." He also argued that, with the investigation into the North Korea-bound drone infiltration incident still under way, a hasty apology by figures in the Lee Jae-myung administration amounts to our government echoing North Korea’s unilateral claims and demands.
Park added, "At a time when the facts have not been clearly established, the government’s posture of appearing to acknowledge responsibility on its own and bowing its head first is nothing more than an act of submission that is far removed from the prudence of a state and the dignity of a sovereign nation." The People Power Party also warned that the more the Lee Jae-myung administration continues its low-profile stance, the more unreasonable demands North Korea will make.
rainman@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Kyung-soo Reporter