Korean Embassy in U.S.: "Kang Kyungwha's 'DMZ' Remarks Emphasized Armistice Violation"

President Lee: "We must pursue diplomacy that protects the national interest"
Embassy in the U.S. clarifies remarks in press statement

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United States said that remarks by South Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Kang Kyung-wha during a parliamentary audit about the North Korean landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) were not intended to question whether the government’s previous wording had been appropriate.

In a press briefing issued on October 13 local time, the embassy said, “The specific wording previously used by our government was intended to encourage and console the injured service members, who were seriously wounded, and their families.” It added, “Ambassador Kang also said that, as a member of the public and as ambassador, she was deeply saddened by the harm suffered by our military.”

The Joint Chiefs of Staff released photos related to the final findings of the joint field investigation task force on the landmine explosion. Yonhap News

The “specific wording” is understood to refer to President Lee Jae-myung’s description of the landmine explosion as an “unfortunate accident” in his Armed Forces Day address on October 1, when he offered condolences to the injured service members and their families.

During a parliamentary audit by the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on October 13, Ambassador Kang was asked about her position on the landmine explosion. She said, “As a member of the public and as ambassador, I am deeply saddened by the harm suffered by our military.”

She continued, “According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s announcement, the landmine was planted by North Korea, and in such a case, it was planted deliberately.” She added, “In that sense, I do not think it was an unfortunate accident.”

The embassy explained that Ambassador Kang made the remarks while emphasizing the findings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s final investigation, released on October 5, which concluded that the explosion was caused by a landmine deliberately planted by North Korean troops south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and that this violated the Armistice Agreement.

Regarding controversy over restrictions on intelligence cooperation between South Korea and the United States, the embassy said, “It is difficult to confirm the details of diplomatic communications and intelligence cooperation between the two countries.” It added, “We seek to continually strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance, but differences of opinion are inevitable between countries, and there is also a need to narrow and manage those differences.”

During the parliamentary audit on October 13, Ambassador Kang said that, at a meeting on September 18 between Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, “there was mention of problems with intelligence cooperation.” She added, “I do not think the problems have been sufficiently resolved to the extent the U.S. side expects.”

The embassy also said that her comments about communications with the White House were intended to convey that “communication had not taken place as much as she would have liked, and that she hoped to communicate more closely and frequently.”

Meanwhile, in opening remarks at a Cabinet meeting she chaired at the Blue House on October 14, President Lee said, “We must pursue diplomacy that protects the national interests of the Republic of Korea,” adding, “We should avoid subservient attitudes or deference to foreign powers in relations between countries.”

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