Monday's meeting between President Park Geun-hye and the heads of the ruling and opposition parties ended without any meaningful results. The participants concurred only on condemning Pyongyang's escalating nuclear brinkmanship but disagreed on how to react to the North's nuclear tests, including the issue of deploying a U.S.-made missile defense system here.
The party leaders left Cheong Wa Dae empty-handed after failing to reach any agreement to diffuse public concerns.
President Park called for nonpartisan cooperation to put stronger pressure on the North to give up its nuclear weapons program, saying Pyongyang wants to be a nuclear state by any means. She asked the opposition parties to support her decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to deter the North's nuclear and missile threats.
But Rep. Park Jie-won, acting head of the minor opposition People's Party, expressed his party's clear opposition to the THAAD deployment. Rep. Choo Mi-ae, the newly elected chairwoman of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, said her party has yet to decide on its stance on that matter.
The two opposition leaders reportedly said sanctions and dialogue must be implemented simultaneously. Choo, in particular, proposed sending a special envoy to Pyongyang, and Park offered to create a national security consultative body among the parties and the government, both of which were rejected by President Park.
It's quite regrettable that our political leaders are poles apart on urgent and sensitive security issues at a time when nonpartisan cooperation is needed to ride out the looming security crisis. Of course, opinions can differ according to party affiliation, but the magnitude of their perception gaps is alarming.
Nonetheless, it is not without significance that the head of state met with party leaders so swiftly and they united in condemning the North's nuclear provocations in this emergency situation. Their differing views are real and wide, but it's not necessarily impossible for them to narrow their differences through frequent meetings and brisk dialogue. Hopefully the rival parties will be able to speak with one voice when it comes to security issues.
At this juncture, one can't overemphasize the crucial role of President Park. She must renounce her long-held belief that only the government can hold sway over security issues and deal with them as if she is running a nonpartisan cabinet. The time may come soon when she will have to send an envoy to Pyongyang, depending on the circumstances.
The party leaders left Cheong Wa Dae empty-handed after failing to reach any agreement to diffuse public concerns.
President Park called for nonpartisan cooperation to put stronger pressure on the North to give up its nuclear weapons program, saying Pyongyang wants to be a nuclear state by any means. She asked the opposition parties to support her decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to deter the North's nuclear and missile threats.
But Rep. Park Jie-won, acting head of the minor opposition People's Party, expressed his party's clear opposition to the THAAD deployment. Rep. Choo Mi-ae, the newly elected chairwoman of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, said her party has yet to decide on its stance on that matter.
The two opposition leaders reportedly said sanctions and dialogue must be implemented simultaneously. Choo, in particular, proposed sending a special envoy to Pyongyang, and Park offered to create a national security consultative body among the parties and the government, both of which were rejected by President Park.
It's quite regrettable that our political leaders are poles apart on urgent and sensitive security issues at a time when nonpartisan cooperation is needed to ride out the looming security crisis. Of course, opinions can differ according to party affiliation, but the magnitude of their perception gaps is alarming.
Nonetheless, it is not without significance that the head of state met with party leaders so swiftly and they united in condemning the North's nuclear provocations in this emergency situation. Their differing views are real and wide, but it's not necessarily impossible for them to narrow their differences through frequent meetings and brisk dialogue. Hopefully the rival parties will be able to speak with one voice when it comes to security issues.
At this juncture, one can't overemphasize the crucial role of President Park. She must renounce her long-held belief that only the government can hold sway over security issues and deal with them as if she is running a nonpartisan cabinet. The time may come soon when she will have to send an envoy to Pyongyang, depending on the circumstances.
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