Foreign Policy

[Anchor Lead]

Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn and the opposition parties are at odds on a number of issues relating to foreign policy, including over whether or not to maintain the plan to deploy the U.S. anti-missile system THAAD and the deal with the Japanese government addressing wartime sexual slavery.

[Pkg]

The decision to deploy the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system announced last July and the agreement with Japan on the former sex slaves of the Japanese army concluded late last year are the two major foreign policies of the Park Geun-hye administration that the opposition political parties have opposed. Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn says that despite the impeachment motion against President Park, her administration's foreign policies cannot be easily changed without undermining the trust of the international community, as many are based on agreements with foreign governments. The relevant ministries have previously voiced a similar stance.

[Soundbite] Cho Jun-hyuk(Spokesperson/Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Dec. 15) : "We have already expressed our intention to continue the incumbent administration's diplomatic and foreign policies in a consistent and unwavering way led by the acting president."

But the opposition camp is urging the acting president to either scrap or postpone sensitive policies.

[Soundbite] Ki Dong-min(Spokesperson/The Minjoo Party of Korea) : "The implementation of the policies must be suspended immediately and started from scratch. If that is impossible, they must be handed over to the next administration."

Regarding his response to demands that he attend government questioning, which is to begin on Tuesday and last for two days, Hwang said he has yet to decide, as it is unprecedented for an acting president to attend such an event.