The South Korean National Assembly today passed a condemnatory resolution on North Korea\u2019s attack on Yeonpyeong Island. <\/p>\n
In a National Assembly plenary session this afternoon, the \u201cResolution to Denounce North Korea\u2019s Armed Provocative Action\u201d was adopted by a vote of 261 in favor, one against and nine abstentions. <\/p>\n
In the wording of the resolution, the National Assembly \u201cdenounced strongly North Korea\u2019s shelling as an obvious armed provocative action violating the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement, the Armistice Agreement and Clause 3, the Article 2 of the UN Charter and threatening seriously people\u2019s lives and security.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cNorth Korea\u2019s armed provocative action, unparalleled since the armistice\u201d is further labeled an \u201cact of invasion\u201d and an \u201cunforgivable criminal act.\u201d Additionally, \u201cThe ROK National Assembly confirms that the responsibility for all results caused by this lie completely in North Korea\u2019s hands.\u201d <\/p>\n
The National Assembly also \u201curges North Korea to give up immediately its provocative actions raising inter-Korean conflict and tension on the Korean Peninsula, and apologize.\u201d <\/p>\n
The resolution also calls on the South Korean administration to make a diplomatic effort to encourage international society, including the UN, to realize the significance of the problem, calling North Korea\u2019s provocative armed actions an \u201cinternationally grave problem harming peace in Northeast Asia.\u201d <\/p>\n
There was an attempt by some opposition parties to including articles in the resolution about the \u201cestablishment of a peace treaty and inter-Korean talks,\u201d but the ruling Grand National Party refused to accept the suggestions and the original resolution, which passed the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly yesterday, passed in its original form.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the only lawmaker who voted against the resolution, Cho Seung Soo of the New Progressive Party, revealed why he was against the resolution during a debate before the vote, saying, \u201cIf the National Assembly uses this North Korean armed provocation as an opportunity to pass the resolution for a military reaction\u2026 how can an immediate punishment or retaliation several times over help peace on the Korean Peninsula?\u201d <\/p>\n
He added, \u201cCalm judgments are needed. If we only react militarily to military actions, both the significance of North Korea\u2019s actions and criticisms of them can only shrink.\u201d <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Song Young Sun, a member of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, gave the opposite view, saying she abstained from the vote because the contents of the resolution were highly inadequate. <\/p>\n
She pointed out during the resolution debate, \u201cI want to ask you if these extremely bland contents can be enough to comfort the people and international society\u2019s indignation,\u201d and added, \u201cThis resolution, which is just like an agreement to cover up an assault, will provide Kim Jong Il and the North Korean military authorities with a chance to look down on our government and military.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The South Korean National Assembly today passed a condemnatory resolution on North Korea\u2019s attack on Yeonpyeong Island. In a National Assembly plenary session this afternoon, the \u201cResolution to Denounce North Korea\u2019s Armed Provocative Action\u201d was adopted by a vote of 261 in favor, one against and nine abstentions. In the wording of the resolution, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":154,"featured_media":13866,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13864","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n