Song Young-gil: 'Hormuz deployment has less justification than Iraq War'... Kim Byung-joo: 'Party will coordinate views once gov't decides'

Amid the government's dispatch of a field survey team on the Hormuz troop deployment demanded by the United States, opposition and cautious voices are emerging one after another within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea.

Rep. Song Young-gil, appearing on YTN Radio's "Jang Sung-chul's News Myeongdang," a current-affairs radio program, on Wednesday, said the deployment issue "is not easy." He added that it "carries even less justification than the deployment decision during the Iraq War." Song said, "Not only does our Constitution's Article 5 commit us to opposing wars of aggression, but there is no UN resolution either, and even NATO member countries and Japan are waving it off."

Asked whether he was opposed even to sending non-combat troops, Song said, "Including that issue, I think we have no choice but to keep listening to the US position, talk with them, and look for some third alternative."

Asked about the mood within the Democratic Party if the government's troop deployment consent motion comes before the National Assembly, he again said it "will not be easy." He added, "Please do not get too far ahead of this. President Lee Jae Myung's position has not been decided yet, either."

Rep. Kim Byung-joo is the ruling party's lead negotiator on the National Assembly's National Defense Committee. A former deputy commander of the Republic of Korea-US Combined Forces Command (CFC), a four-star general post, he spoke in an interview with KBS Radio's "Jeonggeok Sisa" that day. He said, "Within the party, since the government has not yet made a decision, the view is that debating this issue now is not desirable for the national interest." However, he added, "Actually, there are many in the party who oppose the deployment, so coordinating opinions within the party first will be quite important. And since public consensus matters, we will need to watch how public opinion develops."

However, Kim said, "We must not be dragged along unilaterally by US demands," adding, "We need to keep our balance, centered on the safety of our troops, overseas Koreans and merchant vessels, and the national interest."

Rep. Kim Young-bae, the ruling party's lead negotiator on the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, emphasized the need for cooperation with the United Kingdom and France. In an interview with YTN Radio, Kim said, "Personally, I oppose the deployment." But he added, "Since protective measures are necessary in the process of transporting crude oil, we cannot help but consider cooperation with the UK, France and other allies present in the Strait of Hormuz. We will need to think about this at a coalition level."