ED Mocking the President
Opposition floor leader slams Moon's efforts for peace
Liberty Korea Party (LKP) floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won has come under fire for scathing remarks about President Moon Jae-in's North Korea policy.
During a speech at the National Assembly Tuesday, Na claimed the Moon administration was deceiving the people by continuously explaining that North Korea is actively pursuing denuclearization.
After the collapse of the U.S.-North Korea summit in Vietnam last month, Pyongyang is reportedly rebuilding a missile site it had begun to dismantle last year. Amid such reports, some South Koreans are beginning to have more doubts about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sincerity toward denuclearization, particularly as he continues to be relentless about the relief of sanctions against his country while refusing to commit to more concrete steps to denuclearize. She also criticized Moon's recent appointment of Kim Yeon-chul, head of the Korea Institute for National Unification, as unification minister. Kim has been a proponent of lifting sanctions and has shown eagerness toward economic projects with North Korea despite the rising concerns that it is not the time to pursue them.
Against such a backdrop, some South Koreans cannot help but side with Na's negative views about the Moon administration's policy. But as floor leader of the main opposition, Na's speech contained serious flaws. The most controversial moment of the speech came when she called Moon “chief spokesman for Kim." The remark triggered an uproar among the lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Na had to pause her speech due to a racket among the rival parties.
The description of Moon as Kim's spokesperson triggered an angry response from Cheong Wa Dae. In a statement, the presidential office strongly condemned Na's remarks, calling them an insult not just to the President, but also to the people`s desire for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
She explained later she was quoting foreign media reports when she used the term “Kim's spokesperson.” It is true that some foreign media outlets have described Moon as someone who speaks up for Kim in an effort to persuade the international community of Kim's sincerity for doing his part for peace on the peninsula. But domestically, such a term should not be used to describe the head of state.
The ruling party has brought the case to the National Assembly's special committee on ethics. Na should apologize for mocking the President and his endeavors to open a new path of peace for the two Koreas.
Na's speech was full of malicious criticisms on not just North Korea, but all the main policies of the Moon administration. The main opposition will not be able to regain public support if it fixates on old politics instead of providing effective policy alternatives.