DISPUTE OVER DEATH OF FISHERIES OFFICIAL

[Anchor Lead]

Turning to politics, rival parties are continuing to blame each other over suspicions surrounding the death of a South Korean fisheries official. The People Power Party urged the then ruling Democratic Party to apologize for failing to get to the bottom of the official’s death. In response, the Democratic Party pledged to strongly protest the current ruling party’s attempts to set up a new ideological frame that it had given into North Korea.

[Pkg]

The People Power Party mounted an offensive against the Democratic Party, revealing to President Yoon Suk-yeol, a letter sent by the son of the South Korean fisheries official who was shot and killed by North Korean soldiers.

[Soundbite] Kwon Young-mi(Wife of the late Lee (Reading on behalf of her son, June 17)) : "My father’s name is Lee Dae-jun. My father is not a defector."

The ruling party called on the DP and the Moon Jae-in administration to first apologize to the official’s family. Raising the issues of justice and human rights, the PPP criticized the main opposition party for exempting itself and North Korea from obligations. It used a newly coined word denouncing the DP’s double standard and leniency toward the North. The ruling bloc demanded the DP agree to disclose all materials related to the death of the fisheries official. It added that the main opposition camp has no reason to reject the request if there is nothing to hide. The PPP appointed Ha Tae-keung to head a fact-finding task force set to be established. The DP defined the ruling party’s demand as a new ideological frame accusing it of giving into North Korea. It then pledged to strongly resist the PPP’s attempts to initiate a head-on confrontation and pressure the opposition bloc. The DP again opposed the disclosure of presidential records compiled during the Moon Jae-in administration. It said no party would reveal intelligence regarding national security in order to win political disputes.

[Soundbite] Woo Sang-ho(DP Emergency Committee Chair) : "Do you propose to neutralize all functions to monitor North Korea and collect intelligence? We will cooperate if you agree to it."

The DP stood by its stance on the conclusion reached during the incident. It even added that PPP lawmakers who received the intel back then also agreed on the presumption that the official died while trying to defect.