Politics · South Korea · 3 days ago
South Korea opposition calls for unification minister’s dismissal over mine remarks
South Korea’s main opposition People Power Party called for Unification Minister Chung Dong-young to be dismissed.
The party objected to Chung’s statement that a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone could not yet be identified as an attack.
He made the remark during a parliamentary audit on October 7.
North Korean official Kim Yo-jong cited Chung’s words to argue that an intentional attack could not be confirmed.
People Power Party leader Jeong Jeom-sik said the minister’s statement could help North Korea avoid responsibility and urged President Lee Jae Myung to act.
Other party officials said the remarks could complicate South Korea’s military response and called for a stronger approach to North Korea.
The party asked Chung to clarify his position, but the sources do not say whether the government will take action.
South Korea’s People Power Party called for Unification Minister Chung Dong-young to be dismissed over his remarks about a mine explosion in the western DMZ.
Chung said the incident could not yet be identified as a “mine attack.”
Party floor leader Chung Jeom-sik said the minister’s remarks gave North Korea an alibi to avoid responsibility.
The party urged President Lee Jae-myung to take action against the minister.
- Who
- The People Power Party, led on the issue by floor leader Chung Jeom-sik, called for Unification Minister Chung Dong-young’s dismissal.
- What
- The party criticized Chung’s statement that the DMZ mine explosion could not yet be identified as a mine attack and urged the president to dismiss him.
- When
- Chung made the remark on October 7. The party called for his dismissal on October 9.
- Where
- The explosion was in the western section of the Demilitarized Zone. Chung made his remark at a National Assembly audit.
- Why
- The party said Chung’s remark could give North Korea an alibi to avoid responsibility for what it called a provocation.
People Power Party
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young
Assessment of the explosion
People Power Party
The party said Chung’s remark denied the military’s final investigation and excused North Korea’s responsibility.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young
Chung said the incident could not yet be identified as a mine attack.
The remarks by Minister Chung, who even denied the final investigation results of our military, ultimately became an alibi that exempts North Korea from responsibility for its aggression.
It cannot yet be identified as a mine attack.
Minister Chung’s remarks will make it difficult for our military’s future response.
Chung said at a National Assembly audit that the DMZ mine explosion could not yet be identified as a mine attack.
People Power Party floor leader Chung Jeom-sik called for the minister’s dismissal in a Facebook post.
- Minister
- Chung Dong-young
- Office
- Unification minister
- Incident location
- Western section of the DMZ
- Minister’s remark
- The explosion could not yet be identified as a mine attack
- Call for dismissal
- People Power Party urged President Lee Jae-myung to dismiss Chung
Sources
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