Opposition lawmakers call for parliamentary probe into North Korean boat incident
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) floor leader Rep. Lee In-young, center, greet other party members after delivering a speech at the National Assembly's plenary session, Wednesday. Yonhap
By Jung Da-min
The government's joint investigation group announced the results of a probe into the border security failure that led to the arrival of a North Korean boat at an eastern sea port in mid-June, Wednesday, but voices calling for a parliamentary probe into the case are rising at the National Assembly.
Members of the National Defense Committee from the main Liberty Korea Party (LKP) strongly condemned the investigation results saying there was no probe into the National Intelligence Service or Cheong Wa Dae, who they claim to blame for the alleged concealment of the facts of the case.
Regarding Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo's apology right before the joint press conference held at the Central Government Complex in Seoul, Rep. Lee Ju-young of the LKP said President Moon Jae-in or Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon should have made it instead of Jeong.
Rep. Baek Seung-joo of the LKP also criticized the timing of the government's announcement which started an hour before the defense committee at the National Assembly, saying it was to divert people's interest in the committee.
This was after they came back to the committee after once leaving the meeting about 40 minutes after it started, in protest of lawmaker Ahn Gyu-back of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) who chairs the committee, starting the meeting with the reports from the ministry, not with a question and answer session about the North Korean boat incident.
The minor opposition Bareunmirae Party also criticized the government's investigation.
“The media coverage of the investigation conducted by a defense ministry panel showed that it was apparent that the ministry already made the conclusion according to Cheong Wa Dae's guidelines to evade responsibility for the security failure while denying suspicion that it was concealing facts about the case,” said the minor opposition Baruenmirae Party floor leader Oh Shin-hwan, speaking to the party's supreme council members hours before the government's joint press conference.
“It would be a dereliction of duty for the National Assembly, if it does not conduct a parliamentary probe into the case.”
Opposition parties' criticism on the government's probe into the North Korean boat incident and calls for a parliamentary probe is adding to the conflict between the ruling DPK and opposition parties at the Assembly over other political issues including the approval of government's extra budget, forming special committees for bills regarding electoral reform and establishing a new investigative body to root out corruption.
DPK floor leader Rep. Lee In-young's speech at the National Assembly's plenary session on Wednesday morning which called for coexistence among parties has also received criticism from opposition parties, as they were demanding that the ruling party is also trying to help the government to evade responsibility and conceal the facts about the North Korean boat incident.