Foreign and Unification Ministers Clash Over Sanctions Against North Korea... Opposition Calls for Chung Dong-young to Resign

[Financial News] The resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts toward North Korea and unilateral sanctions, both corresponding measures to the North Korean military's land mine explosion, have made no progress due to opposition from Unification Minister Chung Dong-young. The opposition bloc has called for Minister Chung's resignation, accusing him of harming national security through self-destructive actions.
The People Power Party said on the 6th, "At the NSC Standing Committee, the foreign and unification ministers shouted at each other over measures to sanction North Korea, exposing even an unsightly discord," and condemned the government, saying, "Amid a grave national security crisis, the government cabinet has lost its direction and reduced the Republic of Korea to a state of 'vegetative security' by engaging in nothing but a mudslinging fight."
It also lambasted the situation, saying that the national security system had been completely paralyzed as a crucial forum for discussing the country's safety was marred by the ministers' power struggle.
In particular, Chung Dong-young reportedly strongly opposed even unilateral sanctions over North Korea's illegal cyber activities, arguing that they were not directly related to the land mine incident.
The People Power Party emphasized, "Minister Chung, who is stubbornly trying to dilute responsibility for the provocation as if speaking for North Korea, has lost the qualifications to serve as a member of the Republic of Korea's State Council," adding, "He must resign immediately and take responsibility for excessively fomenting discord and confusion over national security."
At recent meetings, including the NSC Standing Committee, Minister Chung expressed opposition to resuming broadcasts toward North Korea and to a unilateral sanctions proposal against North Korea as corresponding measures for the North Korean land mine incident.
Meanwhile, based on the final investigation into the land mine explosion the previous day, the Ministry of National Defense is preparing a corresponding operation and seeking an apology from North Korea. MOFA is also considering sending a letter regarding the North Korean military's land mine incident to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) once interagency views are coordinated.
At the NSC meeting held on the 1st, Cho Hyun proposed South Korea's unilateral sanctions targeting North Korea's illegal cyber activities as part of security measures against North Korea, including a response to the land mine explosion in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
The plan would additionally designate as sanctions targets individuals and organizations involved in North Korea's illegal cyber activities, including hacking, cryptocurrency theft and the activities of overseas information technology (IT) workers. Once designated, their domestic assets would be frozen and financial transactions with South Korean nationals, among other things, would be restricted. MOFA conveyed the need for additional sanctions amid the exponential increase in North Korea's illegal cyber activities, using the North Korean land mine explosion as an opportunity. However, Minister Chung was reportedly vocal in opposing the proposal on the grounds that it was far removed from the essence of the matter. Amid this, the ministers reportedly exchanged angry words.
[email protected] Kim Kyung-soo Reporter