Cheong Wa Dae: "Land-Mine Provocation: Investigation First, Appropriate Measures to Follow... This Is Not a Lukewarm Response"

[Financial News] Cheong Wa Dae said it would not respond lukewarmly to the land-mine explosion in the western front's Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which is presumed to have been caused by North Korea. It added that appropriate measures would be taken once the facts were confirmed.

Appearing on the YouTube channel 'Lee Dong-hyung TV' on the evening of the 30th, Cheong Wa Dae Senior Public Relations and Communications Secretary Sung Ki-hong stressed that "Cheong Wa Dae's position is by no means lukewarm" regarding the recent controversy over the land-mine provocation. He added, "After first conducting a thorough fact-finding investigation and clearly establishing the facts, we will take all necessary and appropriate measures accordingly."
Sung noted, "At yesterday's Cabinet meeting, the president also instructed officials to conduct a thorough investigation and take the necessary measures based on its results." He added, "The military authorities are currently investigating the site and have said they will take appropriate corresponding measures, so I understand they are reviewing various response options for the future. Once the facts become clear, Cheong Wa Dae will state its position responsibly."

Sung also strongly pushed back against the various controversies surrounding Kim Ji-yong, the nominee to head the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, who is undergoing additional vetting. "Assessments of the nominee are often reported in a highly distorted manner," he said. "Some describe Kim as a 'pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Suk Yeol) prosecutor' or a 'pro-Han (pro-Han Dong-hoon) prosecutor,' but a review during the additional vetting process shows that reality is very different."
In particular, he said, "When Yoon Suk Yeol was being mentioned as a leading presidential contender for a conservative party, Kim strongly advocated a reinvestigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol's mother-in-law." He dismissed the factional controversy surrounding the nominee. However, he declined to elaborate on when the request for a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Kim would be sent to the National Assembly, saying, "As this is a personnel matter for the president, we will have to wait and see."

Sung also addressed the dispute with Ukraine over the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war. "The consistent principle is to handle the repatriation of prisoners of war or North Korean defectors through 'quiet diplomacy,'" he said. "Since the Ukrainian side made the matter public and damaged trust between the two sides, our principled position is that an appropriate explanation and apology are necessary to restore trust."
Regarding the future of Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, who recently offered to resign, and the appointment of a successor to the vacant policy chief post, he said, "These appear to be matters that the president is currently deliberating as part of his judgment and decision-making. Once a decision is made, the administration's position on the appointments will be announced before long."
Regarding the controversy surrounding the government's comprehensive investigation of farmland, he explained, "The original purpose was to identify people who bought farmland for speculative purposes but did not farm it; it was not to target elderly people who had entrusted farming to a neighbor." He added, "We will explain and implement the policy accurately in line with its original purpose so that misunderstandings do not arise in the field." 

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