[Editorial] Why Do Ruling Party Lawmakers Smear the Military?

President Roh Moo-hyun has ordered more probes into the military’s allegedly false report on last week’s incident between the North and South navies in the Yellow Sea over the NLL (Northern Limit Line). Roh said the additional inquiry is necessary because “investigations into whether the incident had been reported correctly to the public and the president were not enough.” The president’s instructions were pertinent, as a joint investigative task force has tentatively concluded the navy had followed the rules of engagement and there was a problem in communications. The recurrence of this kind of incident can be prevented when we know why the report failed to be delivered and when those who responsible for it are held accountable.

It has now been confirmed that the announcement issued by the Ministry of Defense following the incident is false. However, it was also intemperate of the ministry to disclose thereafter the fact that it had communicated with the North, belying its initial statement. Of course, there have been North Korean protests over the incident. However, the ministry could have avoided unnecessary dispute if it had correctly investigated the incident in-house. All in all, the Navy’s honor has been damaged, and the South has fallen victim to the North’s stratagem.

The North should be also criticized for its unilateral cancellation of a working-level meeting of North-South military delegations. The North, which deceived the South by describing its own vessel last week as a Chinese fishing boat, violated the NLL again two days ago. Its moves made the hotline which the two militaries agreed to install last month useless and hid its intent to ignore the NLL itself. Now, it is blaming the failure of communication on the South. A thief cries, “Thief.”

Nonetheless, it is unbecoming of the ruling Uri Party to demean the military when the joint investigative team has yet to finish its probes. Uri Rep. Kim Hee summed it up when she said, “The incumbent one- or two-star generals were those who were trained to be leaders as majors under military rule. How can a lawmaker issue a blanket smear of the entire bulwark of national defense, instead of concretely pointing out the rights and the wrongs of the matter?”

What’s more important is to learn lessons in order to undo the wrongs, not hurt the self-respect and morale of the military.