By Kim Hyo-jin
Opposition parties are losing their basis for protesting the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, following North Korea's fifth nuclear test.
Since Seoul agreed in July to the deployment of the anti-missile shield against Pyongyang's evolving nuclear and missile threats, the opposition has protested the plan citing a possible rift in ties with China and questions over its efficacy.
However, following the nuclear test, estimated to be the most powerful of five tests to date, the ruling Saenuri Party adopted approval of the THAAD deployment as a party platform, stressing the need for it in the face of repeated provocations by the North that threaten national security.
While confirming its nuclear explosion test, the Kim Jong-un regime claimed it had mastered the ability to mount a warhead on a ballistic missile, ratcheting up tension on the Korean Peninsula.
"The test proved to our party that the country needs a THAAD battery as a means to protect the public," said Saenuri Party chief spokesman Yeom Dong-yeol.
While seeking to prop up the government's push for THAAD deployment, the ruling party urged the opposition bloc to refrain from expressing disagreement with the plan, accusing it of causing national division.
"The North's nuclear threat is evolving from being abstract to real," said Kim Hyun-a, a party spokeswoman. "We hope the political sector will stop dividing public opinion over the security matter. Now, THAAD deployment is not a matter of choice anymore."
The Saenuri Party earlier adopted the deployment of the THAAD system as the party's official position and traded barbs with the opposition parties which were concerned about it harming diplomatic relations with China and Russia.
President Park Geun-hye criticized the ongoing THAAD debate during an emergency meeting held after the North's nuclear test, Friday.
"Politicians should stop raising a political offensive against THAAD without presenting an alternative. We should do the basic things we need to do in a situation where we cannot rule out the possibility of North Korean attacks," she said.
The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) said they "could not accept" Park's criticism of their stance against THAAD and accused her of politicizing the issue.
"It's hard to understand why Park made such remarks when we need to make bipartisan efforts in coming up with measures against the North's nuclear program," Youn Kwan-suk, the party's chief spokesman, told reporters.
"We doubt if the government's hawkish policies toward the North have ever worked, seeing Pyongyang conduct a series of nuclear tests. The government should worry about its own failing policies."
But the MPK remained ambiguous on the deployment, delaying a decision of whether to continue to oppose the battery as its official stance.
Meanwhile, the second-largest opposition People's Party reiterated its opposition to the anti-missile system, claiming that "the THAAD debate does not have to be closed in the aftermath of the North's nuclear test."
"It's not THAAD deployment that accelerated the North's nuclear test," said Lee Yong-ho, the floor spokesman of the party."We will stick to our opposition regardless of Pyongyang's nuclear test."
Opposition parties are losing their basis for protesting the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, following North Korea's fifth nuclear test.
Since Seoul agreed in July to the deployment of the anti-missile shield against Pyongyang's evolving nuclear and missile threats, the opposition has protested the plan citing a possible rift in ties with China and questions over its efficacy.
However, following the nuclear test, estimated to be the most powerful of five tests to date, the ruling Saenuri Party adopted approval of the THAAD deployment as a party platform, stressing the need for it in the face of repeated provocations by the North that threaten national security.
While confirming its nuclear explosion test, the Kim Jong-un regime claimed it had mastered the ability to mount a warhead on a ballistic missile, ratcheting up tension on the Korean Peninsula.
"The test proved to our party that the country needs a THAAD battery as a means to protect the public," said Saenuri Party chief spokesman Yeom Dong-yeol.
While seeking to prop up the government's push for THAAD deployment, the ruling party urged the opposition bloc to refrain from expressing disagreement with the plan, accusing it of causing national division.
"The North's nuclear threat is evolving from being abstract to real," said Kim Hyun-a, a party spokeswoman. "We hope the political sector will stop dividing public opinion over the security matter. Now, THAAD deployment is not a matter of choice anymore."
The Saenuri Party earlier adopted the deployment of the THAAD system as the party's official position and traded barbs with the opposition parties which were concerned about it harming diplomatic relations with China and Russia.
President Park Geun-hye criticized the ongoing THAAD debate during an emergency meeting held after the North's nuclear test, Friday.
"Politicians should stop raising a political offensive against THAAD without presenting an alternative. We should do the basic things we need to do in a situation where we cannot rule out the possibility of North Korean attacks," she said.
The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) said they "could not accept" Park's criticism of their stance against THAAD and accused her of politicizing the issue.
"It's hard to understand why Park made such remarks when we need to make bipartisan efforts in coming up with measures against the North's nuclear program," Youn Kwan-suk, the party's chief spokesman, told reporters.
"We doubt if the government's hawkish policies toward the North have ever worked, seeing Pyongyang conduct a series of nuclear tests. The government should worry about its own failing policies."
But the MPK remained ambiguous on the deployment, delaying a decision of whether to continue to oppose the battery as its official stance.
Meanwhile, the second-largest opposition People's Party reiterated its opposition to the anti-missile system, claiming that "the THAAD debate does not have to be closed in the aftermath of the North's nuclear test."
"It's not THAAD deployment that accelerated the North's nuclear test," said Lee Yong-ho, the floor spokesman of the party."We will stick to our opposition regardless of Pyongyang's nuclear test."
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