Seoul: Conservative politicians on Tuesday voiced concerns over the Lee Jae Myung administration's diplomacy amid the rapidly changing security environment on the Korean Peninsula, calling for stronger defense capabilities.
According to Yonhap News Agency, during a seminar at the National Assembly, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon raised concerns that South Korea could be sidelined in potential negotiations between the United States and North Korea. He highlighted the possibility of a direct deal between the U.S. and North Korea involving a freeze of North Korea's nuclear issue and sanctions relief, with South Korea excluded. This scenario was underscored by U.S. President Donald Trump's recent indication of interest in meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Oh emphasized that "peace with nuclear weapons hanging over our heads is false peace."
Oh, a longtime member of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), criticized the Lee administration for the reduction of the allies' recent military exercise. He expressed concern that the U.S. decision to scale back the drills without prior notice to Seoul indicates growing strains in their relations. Oh also stressed the need for South Korea to enhance its own defense capabilities.
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon, a former PPP leader, echoed these sentiments and urged South Korea to adopt a more active diplomatic approach. Han stated that the era in which Seoul could fully rely on Washington has ended. He also criticized the government for its inaction following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's recent reference to the two Koreas as "two countries." During a meeting with National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac in Seoul last week, Wang expressed hope that the "two countries" would move toward peace and coexistence, sparking questions about a potential shift in China's stance on inter-Korean relations.
In late 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared inter-Korean relations as those between "two states hostile to each other."