The Korea-Japan summit was heavily criticized by the opposition, who called it the “worst diplomatic disaster,” and enlisted the support of academics and civil society groups. President Yoon was singled out for repeatedly making concessions to Japan in the name of security cooperation between Korea, the US, and Japan, which would ultimately threaten the entire Korean Peninsula with war. The Democratic Party also criticized the summit at a party leadership meeting, vowing to use all available means to hold those responsible for the “ruinous collusion” accountable. In a joint press conference with the Justice Party and academic groups, concerns were raised about military ties with Japan, from the normalization of GSOMIA to allowing Japan to possess counterattack capabilities. Some feared that this could lead to a ROK-US-Japan military alliance and push the Korean Peninsula towards war in the new Cold War system between the US and China. Criticisms were also directed at President Yoon for failing to address Japan’s additional bills related to the comfort women agreement and the Dokdo issue. The Democratic Party announced its plans to take legal action against the forced labor compensation bill and hold the president’s office and foreign affairs and security lines accountable for the “ruinous collusion.” Today, the opposition party’s scrutiny of diplomacy with Japan is expected to continue at the plenary meeting of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee.
◀ Anchor ▶
The opposition, which defined the Korea-Japan summit as the “worst diplomatic disaster,” went on the offensive with academics and civil society organizations.
In particular, President Yoon criticized that the reason why he repeatedly made concessions to Japan was to promote security cooperation between Korea, the US and Japan, and that the entire Korean Peninsula would be driven to the threat of war.
This is Reporter Park Yoon-soo.
◀ Report ▶
The Democratic Party has focused on criticizing the Korea-Japan summit from the party leadership meeting.
[이재명/더불어민주당 대표]
″The National Assembly must take strong measures to uncover the truth about the humiliating diplomacy with Japan. We, the Democratic Party, will mobilize all available means to hold them accountable for the ruinous collusion.”
Following this, at a joint press conference held with the Justice Party and professors and researchers groups, voices of concern about military closeness with Japan followed, from the normalization of GSOMIA to allowing Japan to possess counterattack capabilities.
[원동욱/사회대개혁지식네트워크 운영위원장]
″Satisfied with this great victory, Japan will definitely aim for the next target. So, sooner or later, he may ask the ROK-US Combined Forces Command to make his own place.”
As this eventually became a stepping stone to the ROK-US-Japan military alliance, some argued that it would push the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war in the new Cold War system between the US and China.
[박홍근/더불어민주당 원내대표]
″The ROK-US-Japan military alliance will eventually make Korea an outpost in the hegemony competition between China and the US, and eventually South Korea’s security and economy will fall even worse… ″
In addition, criticism continued that President Yoon Seok-yeol did not give any explanation, even though Japan’s additional bills followed from the implementation of the comfort women agreement to the Dokdo issue.
The Democratic Party announced that it would not only take legal action against the forced labor compensation bill, but also hold the president’s office and foreign affairs and security lines accountable for the ruinous collusion.
Right now, at the plenary meeting of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee attended by Minister Park Jin, the opposition party’s awl is expected to verify diplomacy with Japan.
This is Park Yun-soo from MBC News.
In conclusion, the aftermath of the Korea-Japan summit has sparked intense backlash and criticism from the opposition party, academics, and civil society organizations. President Yoon’s repeated concessions to Japan have been called into question, with concerns over the promotion of security cooperation between Korea, the US, and Japan and the potential threat of war for the entire Korean Peninsula. The Democratic Party has vowed to uncover the truth about the humiliating diplomacy, hold those accountable for the ruinous collusion, and take legal action against the forced labor compensation bill. As the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee prepares to verify diplomacy with Japan, the controversy surrounding the summit continues to unfold. This is Park Yoon-soo from MBC News, reporting on the ongoing developments. Thank you for tuning in.