Many assemblymen have expressed strong discontent at the lack of government reporting to the Assembly regarding rumors surrounding Kim Jong Il’s ill-health.
Minister Yu Myung Hwan of Foreign Affairs and Trade attended the National Assembly Unification, Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee meeting yesterday and answered questions regarding rumors surrounding Kim Jong Il’s condition. When assemblymen continuously asked questions, the minister evaded specific answers, stating that “Issues regarding Chairman Kim Jong Il’s health have been repeatedly mentioned in the past and the government is assiduously paying close attention to them.”
“Rumors surrounding Chairman Kim’s weakened health surfaced when he was not able to attend the September 9th event” Minister Yu added. “While strengthening diplomatic contacts with countries related to the issues involved, the government will carefully respond to questions of how Chairman Kim’s health issue might affect the situation on the peninsula and the North Korean nuclear issue.”
When Liberty Forward Party president Lee Hoi Chang asked if the Korean government is ready with scenarios in case of a North Korean emergency, Minister Yu answered, “We are closely discussing the matter since it is not just a simple bilateral issue between South and North Korea but an essential issue that affects national security. We have prepared proper measures to respond to such situations. However it is inappropriate to mention them publicly.”
LFP president Lee further pointed out that people have the right to know since the issue is related to national security. “The U.S. House of Representatives on Foreign Affairs received a special report from the Department of State regarding Kim Jong Il. How come our government, after a week, continuously pretends to know nothing?” asked Lee.
Grand National Party assemblyman Koo Sang Chan criticized the government by saying, “The minister is pretending to know nothing even about the information that assemblymen of the Foreign Affairs Committee should be aware of. Even the Secretary of Unification attended the meeting and repeatedly denied knowing anything, but all information was reported in newspapers that afternoon.”
Grand National Party assemblyman Hong Jung-wook said, “It is preposterous that the U.S. Department of State reports everything to the Congress while ROK assemblymen are not receiving any information from their own government.” He suggested that the government should “at least organize a closed door meeting in order to explain intelligence gathering systems and planned governmental responses”.
Pro Park Geun Hye Alliance assemblywoman Song Young Sun questioned the government’s late response and pointed out the flaws in the Operation Plan 5029 of the Ministry of National Defense. She said the plan is as if telling someone to suddenly run 100m after staying in bed for 10 years.
Minister Yu for the second time responded to the criticism by saying, “The issue is very sensitive. There are times when some information is exposed but it is our principle to protect the source even then. It is our hope that you understand that we cannot publicly expose this information due to the seriousness and size of the possible direct effects on North-South relations.”
On another issue, Democratic Party assemblywoman Song Min-soon, who also previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, pointed out during the meeting that the budget related to protecting defectors abroad is insufficient. She requested that the government “be more attentive so that officials will not disregard defectors due to lack of funds”.
