N. Korea could pose war risk: Park

President Park Geun-hye poses with the leaders of the three major parties ahead of talks at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. From left are People's Party floor leader Park Jie-won, Minjoo Party of Korea Chairwoman Choo Mi-ae, Park and Saenuri Party Chairman Lee Jung-hyun. Park called on the political circle to have a united front against growing North Korean threats. / Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwon

President, opposition wide apart over THAAD

By Kim Hyo-jin

President Park Geun-hye warned Monday that North Korea could continue its provocations and ignite the risk of a war on the Korean Peninsula, calling for bipartisan cooperation to deter threats from Pyongyang.

She said the nation needs to enhance all military capabilities, including getting guarantees concerning the U.S. nuclear umbrella, to cope with the hostile country.

Her remarks came during a meeting with the leaders of the three major parties at Cheong Wa Dae to discuss countermeasures to the Kim Jong-un regime's fifth nuclear test, Friday _ less than a day after the East Asia Summit (EAS) adopted a statement urging the country to give up its nuclear and missile programs.

"North Korea's nuclear and missile programs are not a simple warning for negotiations but a realistic and imminent threat targeting us. It has warned of additional provocations, raising the risk of a war on the Korean Peninsula, terrorist attacks or localized confrontation," Park said.

"We should stand united and show this unity to ensure the security of the nation and the people. I ask for bipartisan cooperation against North Korean threats."

Underlining the country now faces a "grave" security situation, Park urged the party leaders to agree on the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here.

"I reiterate that a THAAD deployment by the U.S. army stationed in Korea is being pushed as part of efforts to counter North Korea's threats and increase our self-defense," she said.

The meeting was arranged at the request of the presidential office amid rising tension between the two Koreas following the North's nuclear test. This was the first meeting between the President and party leaders since the launch of the 20th National Assembly, May 30.

Party leaders responded in unison that they condemned the test.

However, the leaders of two opposition parties remained poles apart with Park over the THAAD deployment.

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"We refused a proposal to make an agreement on THAAD deployment on the spot as a forced agreement cannot be made," Rep. Choo Mi-ae, the chairwoman of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK), told reporters after the meeting, noting that the Saenuri Party leader made the same proposal.

"I told Park it is not a military but a diplomatic issue between the U.S. and China. We don't have to say yes or no first," she said. "I made it clear that keeping close economic ties with China is helpful in improving the livelihood of the people."

The political circle has been squarely divided over whether to deploy the U.S. anti-missile system here _ while the ruling party backs the government's decision for increased defense capability, the opposition parties have raised questions over of its efficacy as a defense measure amid opposition from China.

"We, the opposition party leaders, made it clear that we oppose the THAAD deployment," Park Jie-won, the interim leader of the opposition People's Party, said during a separate press briefing.

He stressed the need to seek public opinion and have discussions on the matter through a National Assembly special committee. The People's Party has argued that the government needs to win approval from the Assembly to deploy the THAAD battery.

The opposition leaders said they failed to agree with the President on how to approach the North Korea issue.

While they argued that dialogue with Pyongyang should be pursued, Park said the government will stick to sanctions in cooperation with the international community.

Choo proposed sending a special envoy to the isolated country, only to receive a cold shoulder from the President.

"Dialogue will only buy the time for North Korea. The North will keep working on enhancing its nuclear capability while engaging in talks," Park said. "It will affect the ongoing international cooperation in sanctions against the country. So, I won't consider sending an envoy."

Park Jie-won proposed setting up a consultation body between the government and ruling and opposition parties to better communicate on security issues.

But the Park refused, saying, "Security matters cannot be discussed between rival parties; The President should take the lead and ask for cooperation from the parties."

MPK spokesman Youn Kwan-suk, who accompanied Choo, said the meeting was unfruitful as the President engaged in a one-way speech.

"It was more like a lecture on security issues," he told reporters. "We were only reminded of the communication problem we have with the President."

The opposition leaders also called on Park to sack Woo Byung-woo, a scandal-ridden presidential secretary for civil affairs who is being investigated by the prosecution. But she refused, saying whether to sack him or not can only be decided after the result of the investigation is announced.