Internal discord among politicians threatens S. Korea’s national security

On Sunday, Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn had a 30-minute phone call conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss steps to strengthen the U.S.-ROK alliance and counter nuclear threats from North Korea. It was reported that President Trump stressed that the U.S. will stand together with the Republic of Korea in dealing with issues including North Korea, saying that the ties between the two allies will be stronger than ever. The White House also announced that the U.S. president reiterated “ironclad” commitment to defend South Korea, including through the provision of extended deterrence. With the powers of President Park suspended at the moment, that a communication channel was operated between the two heads of state alone certainly deserves credit.

Earlier on Saturday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also had a conversation with Trump by phone and agreed to hold a summit meeting on Feb. 10 in Washington; there was no discussion of summit meetings for the acting president, however. Perhaps, it would have been practically impossible to make such a proposal in the capacity of an acting president. During the phone call, Acting President Hwang extended an invitation to Trump to visit South Korea, and the U.S. president answered that he “hoped to visit anytime soon”, which was closer to a formality than an actual pledge. The presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae stressed the fact that the phone call conversation was made possible “at the request from the U.S.”, which not only reflects lack of confidence but also constitutes a diplomatic faux pas.

Korean diplomacy finds itself between a rock and a hard place. South Korea is under immense pressures from China over the deployment of THAAD and from Japan over removal of the bronze statues representing Korean women forced into sex slavery by Imperial Japan, and even the long-standing rampart of U.S.-ROK alliance is growing increasingly brittle. On last Tuesday, some 70 high-ranking officials from North Korea visited the New Year’s event at the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang, reaffirming their blood alliance with China while scoffing at the sanctions imposed on the regime. As far as security is concerned, it is imperative for the three countries – South Korea, the U.S. and Japan – to voice an opinion in sync to keep Beijing and Pyongyang on alert.

To most South Koreas, the early weeks of 2017 proved to be the most difficult period ever. The anger of our people taking to the streets for candlelight vigils is turning into angst and concern about a prolonged chaos in state affairs. The economy is important, but if security begins to unravel, it shakes the very foundation of a country’s existence. The matters of national security should not be swayed by political science or polarizing political points of view. Some members of the opposition parties denounced the acting president’s executing public duties as “a move to run for presidency.”; without a doubt, they do not deserve to discuss national security. Rep. Kim Chun-jin of the Minjoo Party of Korea made an absurd comment that “(the acting president) should have discussed the matter with the National Assembly before having the phone call with President Trump.” The storm is raging outside, and the walls of the house are cracking; it bodes ill for the future of South Korea.