By Yi Whan-woo
Both the ruling and opposition parties have asked President Park Geun-hye to visit China next month to join its events commemorating the end World War II.
Rep. Moon Jae-in, chairman of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), said Monday that Park should accept China's invitation to join the event, scheduled for Sept. 3 in Beijing to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the surrender of Japan to the Allies.
"This is a great opportunity for her to play a balancing role in finding a breakthrough in issues related to North Korea," Moon said during the party's Supreme Council meeting.
He highlighted the importance of cooperation with North Korea and China, saying that is crucial to revitalizing the economy.
The ruling Saenuri Party also supports Park's trip to China.
Rep. Na Kyung-won, chairwoman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, said flying to Beijing now is "not a bad idea."
"It should be carefully determined whether or not to attend the war anniversary event," Na said. "But it appears that it is not a bad idea to accept China's invitation."
The event will include a military parade, which the United States and Japan sees as an occasion to show off China's military strength.
For its parade in Tiananmen Square, China, which fought with the Allies against Japan during the war, plans to display its troops and its most modern weaponry, such as air-launched cruise missiles.
Park has been thrown into a diplomatic quandary over whether to join the Sept. 3 event because U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have reportedly decided to shun the event along with leaders of the European Union.
China is South Korea's biggest trading partner and the country that can exercise leverage on North Korea amid deteriorated inter-Korean ties.
At the same time, Seoul needs to maintain its security alliance with Washington and Tokyo to deter Pyongyang's military attacks.
Park also seeks to convince Xi and Abe to hold a three-way summit this year in Seoul as part of her efforts to boost regional cooperation.
Russia and Mongolia are the only two countries that have confirmed they will join China's celebrations, according to diplomatic sources Monday.
Both the ruling and opposition parties have asked President Park Geun-hye to visit China next month to join its events commemorating the end World War II.
Rep. Moon Jae-in, chairman of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), said Monday that Park should accept China's invitation to join the event, scheduled for Sept. 3 in Beijing to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the surrender of Japan to the Allies.
"This is a great opportunity for her to play a balancing role in finding a breakthrough in issues related to North Korea," Moon said during the party's Supreme Council meeting.
He highlighted the importance of cooperation with North Korea and China, saying that is crucial to revitalizing the economy.
The ruling Saenuri Party also supports Park's trip to China.
Rep. Na Kyung-won, chairwoman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, said flying to Beijing now is "not a bad idea."
"It should be carefully determined whether or not to attend the war anniversary event," Na said. "But it appears that it is not a bad idea to accept China's invitation."
The event will include a military parade, which the United States and Japan sees as an occasion to show off China's military strength.
For its parade in Tiananmen Square, China, which fought with the Allies against Japan during the war, plans to display its troops and its most modern weaponry, such as air-launched cruise missiles.
Park has been thrown into a diplomatic quandary over whether to join the Sept. 3 event because U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have reportedly decided to shun the event along with leaders of the European Union.
China is South Korea's biggest trading partner and the country that can exercise leverage on North Korea amid deteriorated inter-Korean ties.
At the same time, Seoul needs to maintain its security alliance with Washington and Tokyo to deter Pyongyang's military attacks.
Park also seeks to convince Xi and Abe to hold a three-way summit this year in Seoul as part of her efforts to boost regional cooperation.
Russia and Mongolia are the only two countries that have confirmed they will join China's celebrations, according to diplomatic sources Monday.
