Posted October. 18, 2007 03:17,
South Korean Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo disputed Rohs recent remarks and promised, We will never compromise our position on the Northern Limit Line at the upcoming inter-Korean defense ministers meeting in Pyongyang next month. Rohs recent remarks that the NLL is not a border have raised numerous eyebrows.
Testifying at a congressional hearing held yesterday at the Defense Ministrys headquarters in Seoul, Minister Kim also said in response to a question asked by United Democrat Park Chan-seok, We have legitimate sovereignty and jurisdiction over the southern part of the line.
Kim further stressed, The proposed joint fishing zone in the Yellow Sea cannot compromise our sovereignty. Should it ever be set up, we have to be able to control and police the area.
In the meanwhile, a crowd of about 700 people consisting of patriotic groups, former defense ministers and military generals gathered at the Korea Veterans Association office in Seoul yesterday and issued a statement condemning Rohs recent comments and demanding a public apology.
The participants defined Rohs comments as abandonment of Koreas territorial sovereignty and an insult to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to defend the line against North Korean armed provocations.
They also demanded that Roh disclose his secret deals with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. They suspect that the Roh-proposed peace zone in the Yellow Sea may have been conceived as some sort of the Trojan Horse for further concessions to the secluded regime.
According to the data submitted by the Defense Ministry to Grand National Party Congressman Maeng Hyeong-gyu yesterday, the North violated the NLL twice, on October 5 and 14, after Rohs recent meeting with Kim.