People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk plans to meet new Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul on Sept. 28 to press him on the circumstances and handling of the recent suspected landmine explosion in the DMZ.
Jang will receive Kang at the National Assembly, where the minister is making courtesy calls on ruling and opposition party leaders. The meeting was arranged at Kang's request.
Jang is expected to question Kang from multiple angles on the specific circumstances of the suspected landmine explosion, the government's response to the United Nations Command's request for an on-site investigation, and whether the incident was reported to the president.
At a press conference at the National Assembly the previous day, Jang said: "If President Lee Jae-myung deliberately delayed the on-site investigation, this is a clear act of aiding the enemy. It would constitute a crime of foreign aggression, which is not covered by immunity from prosecution." He added, "A crime of foreign aggression is not only grounds for impeachment but a grave offense that warrants immediate arrest and trial."
Meanwhile, the presidential office issued a sharp criticism of Ukraine. With the two countries offering conflicting accounts of whether a "confidential agreement" existed over Ukraine's disclosure of the North Korean prisoners' repatriation to South Korea, the presidential office demanded an explanation and an apology from Kyiv.
Analysts described the presidential office's characterization of Ukraine's action as "conduct that seriously undermines friendly relations between the two countries" as an unusually hard-line response.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Sept. 23 local time, at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, that two North Korean prisoners of war had been repatriated to South Korea.
President Lee then said in a social media post: "They broke a confidential agreement and disclosed it. It is deeply regrettable." A source in the Ukrainian presidential office countered in remarks to the media that Kyiv "never promised confidentiality."
Seong Ki-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communication, explained the consultation process. "During a long and meticulous consultation through various channels, the Ukrainian government requested that the repatriation to South Korea be kept confidential, saying it was a highly sensitive matter that could trigger domestic criticism at home that Ukraine had given up an opportunity to exchange the prisoners for many of its own," Seong said. "Our side also agreed to keep it confidential, taking into account the safety of the prisoners and their families as well as diplomatic and security considerations, and proceeded with the repatriation."
