Seoul, South Korea – Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung has strongly condemned North Korea's decision to abandon a 2018 military tension reduction agreement with South Korea, warning of potentially escalating tensions between the two nations.
According to Yonhap News Agency, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), the recent move by North Korea effectively nullifies the September 19 military agreement. This action followed South Korea's suspension of part of the agreement in response to North Korea's successful launch of a military spy satellite. Lee expressed concerns about the dangerous escalation of tit-for-tat actions from both sides.
During a party leadership meeting, Lee urged the South Korean government to avoid exacerbating the situation, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace and stability. He cautioned against overreacting to North Korea's provocations, likening it to "killing a cow while trying to fix its horn."
Lee also suggested that Russia's decision to assist North Korea with the satellite launch could be a consequence of Seoul's adversarial stance towards Moscow. This claim follows the National Intelligence Service's report that North Korea's satellite placement into orbit was likely aided by Russian technology, following a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
In response to these developments, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) criticized the Democratic Party's stance, questioning its focus on criticizing the South Korean government rather than North Korea amidst the serious security situation. Rep. Park Jeong-ha, the PPP's chief spokesperson, expressed concerns over the DP's approach, questioning whether the party's criticisms were in the best interests of South Korea or seemingly aligned with North Korean perspectives.