South Korea's ruling and opposition parties expressed agreement on the need to condemn North Korea following a landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on September 21, which may have injured South Korean soldiers. The National Assembly's Defense Committee plans to adopt a resolution condemning North Korea after receiving reports on the investigation from military authorities.
Kang Shin-cheol, the ruling Democratic Party's representative on the Defense Committee, stated during a committee meeting on September 29, "Given the circumstantial evidence presented by the military, I believe this was caused by a North Korean landmine. This is a violation of the armistice agreement and a clear provocation."
Kang also assessed that the military's preliminary investigation largely addressed public concerns. He emphasized that regardless of North Korea's intentions, South Korean soldiers were harmed by a North Korean landmine south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and proposed adopting a resolution condemning North Korea at the committee level.
"As we proceed with the inquiry, I suggest we draft a resolution and adopt it at the Defense Committee level to strongly condemn North Korea," Kang said.
Opposition party representative Lim Jong-deuk also highlighted the possibility that South Korean soldiers were injured by a North Korean landmine, referencing the Joint Chiefs of Staff's investigation results. He stressed the need to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident during the inquiry.
Lim stated, "If our soldiers were injured due to North Korean provocations, the government must respond decisively, differing from its previous stance. I believe there should be no division between the ruling and opposition parties on this matter."
Defense Committee Chairman Jin Sung-jun responded to Kang's proposal, stating, "After receiving reports on the investigation results from the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and confirming the committee members' consensus, we will actively pursue the adoption of a resolution and a statement condemning North Korea at the committee level."
Meanwhile, Kang Shin-cheol attended the Defense Committee meeting for the first time since taking office. He extended his condolences to the soldiers injured in the landmine explosion, stating, "We will ensure that the heroes who were injured while carrying out their duties for the nation can focus solely on their treatment and recovery, with the state taking responsibility for their care." He also emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident and a transparent explanation to the public, while closely reviewing overall safety measures related to operations in the DMZ.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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