President Park Geun-hye on Monday warned that North Korea’s escalating provocations and “real, imminent threats” could pose the threat of war on the Korean Peninsula, pushing political parties to embrace stronger defense measures.

She underlined the importance of the US nuclear umbrella, as well as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, a controversial anti-missile battery to be installed in the southern part of the nation.

“North Korea is vowing additional provocations, which may possibly cause the danger of war or other terrorist attacks on the peninsula,” the president said in a meeting with the chiefs of the top three political parties.
The urgent meeting, summoned in the wake of North Korea‘s fifth and largest nuclear test last Friday, was Park’s first gathering with the representatives of all three leading parties since her meeting with the floor leaders in May.

“North Korea has declared that it has miniaturized its nuclear warhead, so its nuclear-tipped missile is no longer a mere threat or negotiating tool but an actual urgent threat facing us,” she said in her opening speech.

In defense of the THAAD deployment, she claimed that the anti-missile battery is not subject to parliamentary approval and that it has no reason to violate the strategic interests of neighboring China, dismissing persistent criticism from the opposition.

Participants in the day’s occasion were Reps. Lee Jung-hyun of the ruling Saenuri Party, Choo Mi-ae of The Minjoo Party of Korea and Park Jie-won of the People’s Party, each along with their chief spokesperson.

From Cheong Wa Dae were the Presidential Chief of Staff Lee Won-jong, National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin, senior secretary for political affairs Kim Jae-won, and spokesperson Jung Youn-kuk.

Speaking for the Cabinet were Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo.

As for the unconventional appearance of the NSO chief Kim, the presidential office explained that his presence was needed for the discussion of national security-related issues.

Finance Minister Yoo, on the other hand, was originally not included in the attendance list but was added later upon the request of the Minjoo chief who pointed out the lack of an economic top official.

Parties had earlier been at odds over the selection of key agendas of the meeting. While the Saenuri focused on national security issues, highlighting the threats of North Korea’s nuclear test, the Minjoo pressured the presidential office to address the nation’s economic challenges.

The main opposition party also suggested that the government dispatch a special envoy to the North to ease aggravated inter-Korean ties, but the president sternly rejected the idea.

“(North Korea) has continued its nuclear development even during (times of) communication,” Park said.

“(Attempts for) talks will only cause setbacks to international cooperation (for sanctions).”

The runner-up opposition People’s Party, while taking a step back from the agenda battle, pushed the Blue House to dismiss a feud-ridden presidential aide as a gesture to communicate and reconcile with the public.

“Dismissing Woo Byung-woo will be the starting point to a pan-partisan cooperation frame,” the party said through a statement after the Cheong Wa Dae meeting.

The senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Woo has for months been under fire for a number of irregularity allegations, some of which were related to high-profile corruption cases.

“As there is an ongoing special investigation into Woo’s case, we should wait for more detailed results,” a Cheong Wa Dae official quoted the president as saying during the meeting.

The party’s floor leader and interim chief Rep. Park commented that the meeting with the president at this point in time was significant despite their differences.

Rep. Park was scheduled to leave for the United States earlier in the morning, accompanying Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun along with other party whips, but delayed his flight so as to attend the Blue House event.

The appraisal of the day’s meeting varied.

The Saenuri chief Lee said that the participants reached a “meaningful consensus” on sanctioning the North’s nuclear provocations.

The Minjoo’s Choo, however, blamed the president for “lacking proper awareness of social reality” and the People’s Party’s Park said that the opposition expressed strong opposition to the THAAD installment plan.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)