Lee criticizes hard-line policy over North Korea hostility

President Lee Jae-myung said during a policy briefing on Tuesday that North Korea fears a possible invasion from the South, citing Pyongyang’s construction of triple layers of barbed-wire fencing and reinforced barriers designed to stop even tanks. He argued that the North’s hostile “two states” doctrine is rooted in the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s hard-line approach toward Pyongyang.

Lee made the remarks at a joint policy briefing for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Unification at the Government Complex Seoul. “In the past, the two Koreas pretended to be enemies, but these days it feels as though we are becoming real enemies,” he said. Lee added that South Koreans have long been taught to believe North Korea is preparing for a southward invasion, a claim that can appear plausible on the surface. “But when you look closely at reality,” he said, “North Korea is actually worried that the South might invade the North.”

Lee added that even without appealing to concepts such as a national community, there is no compelling practical reason for the two sides to engage in severe confrontation. He said that by unnecessarily adopting a hard-line, confrontation-oriented approach, “We appear to have truly come to hate each other.”

Lee also ordered the lifting of restrictions on access to North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun, questioning the rationale behind the policy. “Why is this being blocked?” he asked. He went on to ask whether the restriction stems from concern that citizens might be influenced by propaganda and become “reds,” criticizing the approach as one that treats the public not as independent actors but as people easily swayed by propaganda and agitation. On the issue of repatriating long-term unconverted prisoners to North Korea, Lee said some have discussed a plan to issue passports, route the individuals through China, and place them on flights bound for Pyongyang.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said during the briefing that he would prepare a “peace package” capable of prompting a response from North Korea, formally signaling a push to ease sanctions against the North. Lee voiced support for the initiative, saying that easing inter-Korean hostility “is a role the Ministry of Unification must play.” Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Lee also raised questions during a closed-door session about lifting the May 24 sanctions that halted inter-Korean trade. Cho added that the government plans to pursue the president’s state visit to China early next year.

People Power Party senior spokesperson Park Sung-hoon criticized Lee’s remarks, saying that President Lee’s perception, in which he worries about the possibility of a “northward invasion” by South Korea, raises doubts about whether he is truly serving as president of the Republic of Korea. He added that the Lee Jae-myung administration, which he said presents itself as a “spokesman for North Korea,” is taking a dangerous course that could hand the entire country over to the North.


Hoon-Sang Park tigermask@donga.com