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| The presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul / Courtesy of presidential office |
Opposition parties urge gov't to demand apology from US
By Nam Hyun-woo
Revelations of alleged wiretapping of the South Korean government by U.S. intelligence is feared to overshadow President Yoon Suk Yeol's scheduled summit with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden later this month.
Yoon is facing growing domestic pressure to demand the truth and seek an apology from Washington. But this also presents a tough choice for the president to make, since such demands could spoil the mood as the two countries are set to celebrate the 70th anniversary of their alliance during the summit.
According to The New York Times and other Western media reports, classified military and intelligence documents that have been trending online in recent weeks contain internal discussions of the South Korean government on whether to provide the U.S. with artillery shells to be used in Ukraine, violating Seoul's policy of not providing lethal weapons.
In the documents, which were identified as being from the CIA, former presidential secretary for foreign affairs Lee Moon-hee ― referred to as Yi Mun-hui in the documents ― reported to former Director of National Security Kim Sung-han that Yoon and Biden should not speak on the phone before Seoul forms a clear stance on supplying ammunition to Ukraine.
Lee noted that Seoul cannot go against its own stance of not providing lethal weapons. Thus, the only option is to change its stance. However, Kim raised concerns that such a move could be interpreted as a compromise between Yoon's state visit to the U.S. and the ammunition deal, while he "suggested the possibility" of selling munitions to Poland, according to the report.
After the alleged wiretapping was revealed, the presidential office said it will "have necessary consultations with the U.S." and "explore measures by reviewing past precedents in other countries."
A senior official at the presidential office said, "This does not mean that we are confirming whether there was an attempt at wiretapping and measures will be taken after knowing what happened exactly." The official added that "there will be knowledge sharing with the U.S. during the process of finding the facts."
When asked about what efforts South Korea is making to find out the truth, another official at the presidential office said, "Both sides are making efforts," but did not elaborate.
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| President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden look at each other during their joint press conference at South Korea's presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, May 21, 2022. Yonhap |
The presidential office appears to be taking a cautious stance, due to worries that the controversy and Seoul's possible demand for an apology may spoil the mood for the upcoming Yoon-Biden summit on April 26.
A third official at the presidential office said that there is a low chance that the controversy will dampen the enthusiasm for South Korea and the U.S. to deepen their alliance further, given that Yoon's visit is welcomed by not only the Biden administration, but also the U.S. Congress.
However, Yoon faces mounting domestic pressure to demand an apology from the U.S. regarding the wiretapping allegations.
"The (South Korean) government and the president should demand precise information regarding the leaked documents and the reports and reveal that to the public," main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) floor leader Park Hong-keun said Monday.
"If confirmed, it is an unacceptable practice that cannot be tolerated in the 70-year alliance and a clear infringement of South Korea's sovereignty that shatters bilateral trust … The U.S. government should be faithful to its ally and apologize to the South Korean public and the government, if those reports are true," Park added.
Minor opposition Justice Party Chairperson Lee Jeong-mi also said that the wiretapping allegations are "beyond imagination" and the South Korean government "should demand from the U.S. crystal-clear facts, an apology and a promise to prevent a recurrence."
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| Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) floor leader Park Hong-keun, right, speaks during the party's supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Monday. On the left is DPK Chairman Lee Jae-myung. Yonhap |
Opposition lawmakers at the National Assembly's defense, foreign affairs and intelligence committees held a joint press conference and demanded the ruling People Power Party (PPP) agree to start standing committee meetings to investigate the allegations.
"The wiretapping on supplying ammunition to Ukraine may be the tip of the iceberg and there seems to be a fair chance of internal conversations of the presidential office and the National Security Council being heard by the U.S.," the lawmakers said.
"The presidential office did not disavow the wiretapping, which ended up making it appear to have a lukewarm stance regarding the incident … This is a clear infringement of South Korea's sovereignty by the U.S., even though the country is the closest ally of ours," they added.
The ruling PPP's leadership is also taking a cautious stance and did not mention the case during its meetings on Monday. PPP Chairman Kim Gi-hyeon only told reporters that "finding the facts is the top priority."
But, PPP Rep. Ha Tae-keung criticized the presidential office of being "pathetic and pitiful" for not lodging a protest to the U.S., citing a 2021 case of French President Emmanuel Macron and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanding that the U.S. explain the alleged wiretapping of European politicians.
Against this backdrop, the presidential office said First Deputy Director of National Security Kim Tae-hyo will visit the U.S. "to exchange opinions with his U.S. counterparts on Yoon's state visit, North Korea, economic security and other pending issues."
Although the presidential office did not mention it, the wiretapping issue is anticipated to be one of the subjects of talks between the first deputy director of national security and U.S. officials.
