GNP Considering National Assembly Investigation into Cut Wired Fences

Regarding the matter of the cut wired fences, the Grand National Party (GNP) is considering a National Assembly investigation by the National Assembly if the investigation results by the military authority turn out to be insufficient.

GNP lawmaker Park Jin, a member of the National Defense Committee under the National Assembly, inspected the scene at an army division in Cheolwon, Gangwon Province with fellow lawmakers Hwang Jin-ha, Song Young-sun, and Park Sei-hwan on Thursday, October 28. After the inspection, he said through a phone call with a reporter, “I cannot understand the explanation by the military authority that a civilian crossed the border to North Korea. It became even more doubtful after seeing the actual spot. If needed, a National Assembly investigation should be conducted.”

Lawmaker Park added, “It is hard to understand from a common point of view that a civilian could cut through the triple-barbed wire fences and pass the mine fields to go over to the North in the middle of the night. The government should be able to give an adequate explanation to the people outlining who, when, why, and how the wire fences were cut.”

Prior to this, GNP floor leader Kim Deog-ryong said at a party leadership meeting that morning, “The military authority announced the investigation result, considering that the result might be a serious blow to the current political power which is pushing for the abolition of the National Security Law, and there are suspicions that the military is conscious of the current political power. An investigation team will be formed by the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly.”

Seung-Heon Lee ddr@donga.com