LKP ratchets up ideological offensive
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Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hong Joon-pyo, right, talks with floor leader Rep. Kim Sung-tae, center, and Rep. Kim Moo-sung during a rally in cetral Seoul, Monday, to denounce a visit by North korea's Kim Yong-chol, who they claim masterminded a torpedo attack on the South Korean Navy frigate Cheonan in 2010. / Yonhap
By Lee Min-hyung
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) staged a mass rally in central Seoul, Monday, denouncing the government’s decision to accept a visit by a high-level North Korean delegation led by the suspected mastermind behind a torpedo attack on the South Korean Navy frigate Cheonan in 2010.
The protest came amid growing public skepticism about why the government allowed the visit of Kim Yong-chol, head of the Workers’ Party of Korea’s United Front Department, to participate in the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
The arrival of the Kim-led delegation has drawn a strong backlash particularly from the party, which also staged a sit-in protest Sunday at the southern part of the Unification Bridge in the border city of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, in a bid to block the travel route of the delegation.
On Monday afternoon, LKP lawmakers and hundreds of party members and their supporters gathered at Cheonggye Plaza to step up their criticism of President Moon Jae-in’s pro-North Korea policy.
Under the slogan of “rally against the visit by Kim Yong-chol, the culprit behind the deadly sinking of the Cheonan,” LKP Chairman Hong Joon-pyo and floor leader Rep. Kim Sung-tae joined the protest, adopting a resolution to criticize Moon’s decision to accept the visit of the delegation.
“We are going to come up with all possible measures to punish Kim Yong-chol in the name of the people,” Kim said.
The government has said nothing specific about who the main culprit was for the torpedo attack, and the visit by the delegation will help extend the ongoing thaw in inter-Korean relations.
South Korea’s defense and unification ministries did not comment on the government’s decision, only noting that no clear evidence has been found to prove that Kim Yong-chol was responsible for the attack.
Before staging the protest, the LKP floor leader condemned President Moon for escalating internal conflicts in South Korea during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics which ended its 16-day run on Sunday.
“The Moon administration has deepened internal wrangling in South Korea due to such a North Korean policy during the Olympics, failing to enhance the nation’s brand image,” he said in a National Assembly meeting.
The remark reflects that President Moon has offered unwavering hospitality to North Korea’s sports and high-level delegations - including Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Before the Olympics started, the government came under fire for its decision to form a joint ice hockey team with North Korean athletes, as this prevented some of South Korean players from taking part in the competition.