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Critical confusion

Published: 28 Sep. 2017, 21:49

We are disappointed at remarks by Moon Chung-in, President Moon Jae-in’s special adviser on unification, diplomacy and security. In a debate at the National Assembly Wednesday, he said that even if the Korea-U.S. alliance was broken, we must avoid a war on the Korean Peninsula. We wonder how a top security official can make such a preposterous comment. Moon said there are many people with such a conviction in our society. Who really was he was referring to?

Moon said that no one would approve of an alliance serving as a means for waging war even though forming an alliance is aimed at averting war. But his perspectives are totally misleading. In fact, an alliance aims to protect member nations from a common external threat and, therefore, the members must join forces to defend against external threats if a war is unavoidable. When such an alliance breaks up, we will have no choice but to surrender to a North Korea armed with nuclear weapons and beg for peace if we still want to avoid a war.

That’s what North Korea wants South Korea to do. That also contradicts what President Moon said in his address on Armed Forces Day Thursday. He stressed that we cannot maintain peace without strong security.

Security adviser Moon displayed a very dangerous perception by siding with former leader of the Democratic Party Sohn Hak-kyu, who argued that South Korea must accept North Korea as a nuclear power. Moon insists on having dialogue with Pyongyang as he believes economic sanctions have proven ineffective. If Moon’s views are correct, how can South Korea negotiate with a North Korea with nuclear weapons if its alliance with the United States has collapsed? A former leader of the ruling party could make such comments, but how can a presidential adviser make such irresponsible and naïve remarks?

Moon’s weird remarks are just the tip of the iceberg. Despite a strong need for consistency in explaining the government’s security position, the Ministry of National Defense denies what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said and the foreign ministry rebuts adviser Moon’s comments. The head of the National Security Office is nowhere to be seen.

Diverse opinions are different from muddling an issue. When it comes to security, there must not be any confusion. The Moon administration must immediately replace its diplomatic and security lineup.

JoongAng Ilbo, Sept. 29, Page 30