'Will address inter-Korean peace issues more seriously'
'Wartime operational control transfer proceeding with shared US-Korea understanding'
Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Min-seok said Monday that the investigation into a suspected landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone must be conducted "transparently and thoroughly, without political interference or partisan maneuvering." On inter-Korean relations, he said the party would "address the issues of inter-Korean and peace frameworks more seriously," building on the president's remarks at the UN General Assembly.
Kim made the comments at a supreme council meeting held at the National Assembly, where he also extended his condolences to the commander and soldiers injured in the DMZ blast, as well as their families. "The shock to their families was so great that I postponed a hospital visit before Chuseok," he said. "I hope their condition stabilizes as soon as possible."
Kim said security-related concerns were mounting — citing the DMZ explosion, signs of North Korea-US dialogue, and the question of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines — and that public support for an inter-Korean peace framework was also growing. "The Democratic Party will pursue both strong security and sustainable peace," he said.
Before the council meeting, Kim appeared on the party's YouTube channel "Minty 07," where he signaled his intention to actively push for improved inter-Korean relations. "The president also raised the issue of a peace framework in his UN address," he said. "Many of the major challenges we face ultimately connect back to establishing peace."
Citing security issues including North Korea's advancing nuclear capabilities, the DMZ incident and the transfer of wartime operational control from the United States, Kim said South Korea must strengthen its security posture. He added that the transfer of wartime operational control was "proceeding with a degree of shared understanding on both the Korean and American sides, unlike in the past."
He went on to say that questions such as whether to deploy forces to the Strait of Hormuz and the push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines both reflected a broader shift. "In the big picture, one thing is clear: the nature of inter-Korean relations is changing somewhat compared to the past," he said.
Kim also said South Korea must further strengthen its independent security capabilities and ultimately establish peace to resolve its challenges. "We tend to focus mainly on people's livelihoods and domestic democratic issues, but we must not forget that the fundamental questions of peace, national identity and inter-Korean relations require an ultimate resolution," he said. "The time has come to refocus our attention on them."
addressh@heraldcorp.com
