SEOUL - South Korea's political parties have united in condemning North Korea's recent launch of what it claims is a spy satellite. The move is seen as a significant violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, sparking a strong response from both ruling and opposition parties.
According to Yonhap News Agency, The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) criticized the government's decision to suspend parts of a 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction agreement. This decision came in response to North Korea's assertion that it successfully launched a military satellite and planned to launch more shortly. The South Korean government, led by President Yoon Suk Yeol, held an emergency Cabinet meeting and decided to partially suspend the September 19 military agreement, which aims to halt hostile military activities between the Koreas.
Representative Park Jeong-ha, spokesperson for the ruling People Power Party (PPP), emphasized that North Korea's actions would lead to further economic hardship and international isolation, ultimately threatening the regime's stability. The PPP vowed to take necessary measures to protect South Korea's democracy, freedom, and the safety of its people.
However, the DP, led by Lee Jae-myung, expressed concerns that suspending the military accord could escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The party called for effective measures against North Korea's provocations but warned against actions that could heighten security risks or politicize people's safety. Representative Hong Ihk-pyo, the DP's floor leader, criticized the government's decision as a "wrong diagnosis," suggesting it might provoke further escalation without resolving the underlying issue.