Jung Dong-young, the Minister of Unification, stated that a review will be necessary when extending the UN sanctions exemption for the medical equipment support project in North Korea's Gangdong County.
During a comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Unification at the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on the 27th, Jung responded to a question from Park Chung-kwon, a member of the ruling People Power Party, regarding whether the plan to support medical equipment would continue despite North Korea's landmine provocations.
When Park asked if there were plans to completely withdraw the support, Jung replied, "Since we have received UN approval for the sanctions exemption, it is necessary to maintain it."
Jung emphasized the importance of a firm response to actions that infringe on national sovereignty and public safety, while drawing a line against withdrawing humanitarian aid projects.
The discussion also reignited controversy over Jung's previous remarks describing North Korean landmines as 'defensive.' When Park inquired if he intended to retract that statement, Jung responded, "I have no intention of doing so," explaining that he meant to convey that landmines are fundamentally defensive weapons.
In response to Park's assertion that South Korea should resume loudspeaker broadcasts toward North Korea, Jung remarked, "We are advocating for strength against strength," and urged consideration for the sentiments of residents in border areas, stating, "Conflict and confrontation are abnormal."
Additionally, the audit addressed the movements of North Korean troops near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and the potential for accidental clashes. Lee Gi-heon, a member of the Democratic Party, expressed concerns that the forward deployment of North Korean artillery, visible from the Aegibong Peace Ecological Park observation deck in Gimpo, could increase the risk of military conflict during North Korea's border fortification efforts.
Jung warned that if tensions escalate and lead to actual clashes or military miscalculations, the consequences would fall on residents in border areas, young soldiers, and the public. He stressed that dialogue and tension reduction are not signs of submission but rather a strategic approach to prevent unnecessary conflicts and the depletion of national power.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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