People Power Party: "A ‘Paralyzed Military’ Despite North Korean Mine Provocation... Strong Reciprocal Action Needed"

"Is Mine Removal the Only Response When Soldiers Are Injured?"
Han: "Government Delayed Announcement... Time for Strong Action"

On October 5, the People Power Party criticized the government's response as inadequate after military authorities concluded that the cause of the landmine explosion south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was a mine planted by North Korea, urging the administration to take strong reciprocal measures.

Yang Jin-hyuk, Chief of Operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is explaining the final investigation results of the joint onsite investigation task force related to the landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Park Sunghoon, chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a commentary on the same day, "Even though the perpetrator of a serious military provocation that left three of our soldiers injured has been identified, the military's response goes beyond disappointment and amounts to a declaration of surrendering our security sovereignty."

The party also raised concerns regarding the military's demand that North Korea remove mines south of the MDL and the stated intention for South Korean troops to proceed with removal operations themselves if North Korea does not comply. Park strongly asserted, "The military has become a ‘paralyzed force’ incapable of executing even a proper military response when our service members bleed," and called for "prompt and substantive reciprocal measures."

Spokesperson Ham Inkyung also argued, "If we respond to this clear military provocation and armistice violation in such a manner, this will only send the wrong message to North Korea that provocations can happen without any consequences."

Kwon Youngse, a People Power Party assemblyman, also referenced President Lee Jaemyung's commemorative remarks regarding the October 4 Declaration the previous day and stated, "Abandoning reciprocity toward a party that doesn't even respect the Armistice Agreement is not peace; it is appeasement or submission."

Independent lawmaker Han Donghoon further criticized the government for the time it took to officially announce that the mine was planted by North Korea after the incident. Han commented, "It is distressing to think that the Lee Jaemyung government would not even acknowledge something of this magnitude and would try to obscure it," adding, "It is now time to take robust reciprocal action."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.