Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential contender for the People’s Power, appeared embarrassed or unprepared for security-related questions.
Yesterday (27th), former President Yoon received a question from Rep. Hong Jun-pyo during the third broadcast debate in the People’s Power presidential primary, saying, “Kim Yeo-jung warned President Moon Jae-in not to break the military balance.” “What do you think?”
Earlier, Kim Yo-jong, first vice-minister of the North Korean Workers’ Party, said in a statement through the Korean Central News Agency the day before that “South Korea should not try to destroy the balance of military power in the Korean peninsula by making illogical and childish deterrent claims that are modeled after the United States.”
Former President Yoon asked, “When did you do it. This time?” to Hong’s question. Rep. Hong replied, “If you don’t know that, I’ll move on.” Former President Yoon smiled and said, “I’m sorry.”
Regarding this appearance of former President Yoon, some criticized that he did not understand the contents of Vice President Kim’s discourse in detail.
Another security-related question showed a bewildered look.
On this day, former President Yoon answered “Yes” to Assemblyman Hong’s question, “Do you know the plan 5015?” Then, Assemblyman Hong asked, “If 5015 is triggered, what should I do first and what should I do as president?”
Former President Yoon tilted his head at the question and laughed, saying, “Well, let me explain.” When Rep. Hong asked, “Didn’t you say you knew Plan 5015?”, former President Yoon replied, “Isn’t that a plan that is triggered in an emergency of an invasion of South Korea?”
Assemblyman Hong said, “It’s not like that, and Operation 5015 is the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command’s plan for North Korea during wartime.
To this, former President Yoon replied, “If I were president, I would first speak to the US president because I would have to conduct a joint South Korea-US operation.”
Rep. Hong explained, “So far, when the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command makes an operational plan, it has set the premise of an invasion of the South. Plan 5015 is to strike first before invading the South.” So, what I have to do as president is to decide whether to go to war or not right before the start of the war.”
“The president’s position is a momentary decision and judgment that determines the future of the country,” he said.
