[Choice Times=Jin-Young Oh, Columnist & Translator]

During a luncheon meeting held in Shanghai, China, Lee Jae-myung remarked, “Haven’t we carried out military attacks against North Korea for a long time? From their perspective, they must have felt extremely anxious. If we want to engage in dialogue, we need to understand the other side’s position.” (Editor’s note)

I am genuinely curious.

President Lee’s statement — “we have carried out military attacks against North Korea for a long time” — raises a fundamental question. When exactly did we militarily attack North Korea? And for a “long time,” no less? What is he referring to?

Is the president categorizing the U.S.–ROK joint military exercises as “military attacks”?
And if so, does that mean he intends to suspend or dismantle those joint drills altogether?

The ambiguity of the remark leaves more questions than answers — and invites concern over how this administration defines deterrence, alliance commitments, and the boundary between defense and “provocation.”

#USROKAlliance #JointMilitaryDrills #NorthKoreaPolicy