"What Does an Artilleryman Know?" Heated Exchanges Escalate into a "Deadwood Generals" Row... National Defense Committee Fails to Adopt Resolution on North Korean Landmines

[Financial News] At an emergency questioning session of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly concerning a landmine explosion in the DMZ along the Western Front, the ruling and opposition parties attempted to introduce a resolution condemning North Korea but ultimately failed to reach an agreement. Although both sides agreed that the incident was a provocation by North Korea and a serious violation of the Korean Armistice Agreement, the meeting was marred by shouting and disruption after heated exchanges over allegations of a delayed government investigation and the wording of the resolution.


On the 29th, the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly held a plenary meeting to discuss adopting a committee-level resolution condemning North Korea over the DMZ landmine explosion that occurred on the 21st.
Kim Byung-joo of the Democratic Party of Korea, the ruling party's committee secretary, proposed adopting a resolution condemning North Korea, saying, "The circumstantial evidence clearly shows that the incident was caused by a North Korean landmine, making it both a violation of the Korean Armistice Agreement and a provocation." Lim Jong-deuk of the People Power Party, the opposition party's committee secretary, also agreed, saying, "If soldiers were injured in a North Korean provocation, the ruling and opposition parties must respond firmly, without exception."
However, the parties clashed while coordinating the resolution's detailed wording. The People Power Party demanded that the resolution explicitly call for a comprehensive review and suspension of humanitarian aid to North Korea, as well as the resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts toward North Korea. Lim Jong-deuk countered, "I cannot agree unless it includes military measures to restore the area south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), along with the government's firm position aimed at bringing about a change in North Korea's behavior."
The Democratic Party of Korea strongly objected. Kim Byung-joo criticized the demand, saying, "There are no aid programs to North Korea currently being pursued, so refusing to adopt the resolution simply because it does not include a review of aid that does not even exist is an unreasonable demand and mere nitpicking." As the differences remained unresolved, National Defense Committee Chairman Jin Sung-joon postponed consideration of the resolution, saying, "We will continue consultations and seek to adopt it at the next meeting if an agreement is reached."


The parties also engaged in sharp exchanges over whether the military and government's response after the incident had been appropriate. Opposition lawmakers focused on allegations that military authorities, despite recognizing the possibility of a North Korean landmine early in the incident, deliberately delayed the investigation because they were mindful of political events such as President Lee Jae Myung's address to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
Han Ki-ho of the People Power Party pointed out, "Even the battalion commander was injured, yet there was no instruction from the president until the 27th," adding, "Doesn't that ultimately mean the military failed to take proper action until the 27th?" Chun Ha-ram of the Reform Party also harshly criticized the government, saying, "It was only after Chuseok and the president's UN General Assembly address had both passed that the military announced its assessment that the landmines were likely North Korean." He added, "I am concerned that the Lee Jae Myung administration's North Korea policy could become 'Moon Again.' It put the president's political schedule ahead of national security." Yoo Young-ha of the People Power Party rebuked the military, saying, "Even if an operation fails, border security must not. Before making excuses, the military leadership should first apologize for the sacrifice of the soldiers under their command."
The military leadership and the ruling party rejected the allegations outright as an unfounded conspiracy theory. ROK JCS Chairman Jin Young-seung stated, "The president did not issue a direct order," while Minister of National Defense Kang Shin-chul insisted, "There was absolutely no intention to delay the investigation or conceal anything."
Park Sun-won of the Democratic Party of Korea defended the government, saying, "If the UN General Assembly address had been a consideration, there would have been no reason to postpone the schedule." Lawmaker Hwang Myung-sun also defended the military's cautious approach, saying, "If troops had been deployed hastily and immediately in an unstable situation, it could have led to another disaster." Kim Sung-hoe likewise raised his voice, saying, "Spreading conspiracy theories that the military concealed the incident to take North Korea's side is precisely an act that destroys trust in the military and undermines national security."


The meeting was further inflamed by criticism directed at politicians outside the chamber and by a heated emotional clash between lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties who had served as military generals.
Kim Byung-joo directly targeted independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, claiming, "One day before the on-site investigation, Han disclosed to the public a schedule that was classified information, saying, 'I know about it.' This constitutes a serious leak of military secrets." He continued, "Han disparaged military generals as 'deadwood generals' because he claimed they had delayed handling the incident," and called for the minister of national defense to issue an official apology and consider legal action. Minister Kang Shin-chul responded, "That was an inappropriate expression that demeaned soldiers," adding, "I will demand an apology and also consider legal action."
During the evening questioning, four-star general-turned-lawmaker Kim Byung-joo and three-star general-turned-lawmaker Han Ki-ho clashed head-on immediately after watching confidential footage of the incident. When Kim Byung-joo snapped at opposition lawmakers, "If you don't even understand operations, why don't you just keep your mouths shut about matters involving soldiers' lives?" Han Ki-ho retorted, "Kim is a former artilleryman, but we served in the infantry and personally conducted operations in the DMZ. How can you attack the opposition so meanly as if you are the only one who knows everything?"
Kim Byung-joo became furious, calling it "a condescending remark disparaging artillerymen," and the chamber quickly descended into chaos, with shouting and finger-pointing. Chairman Jin Sung-joon eventually declared a suspension of the meeting. The meeting resumed about five minutes later and adjourned at around 10:50 p.m. in a somber atmosphere.

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