Rep. Park Jie-won, a senior lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party, criticized the government on the 26th over a mine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone and demanded an explanation. His stance differed in tone from the Democratic Party, which the same day called the People Power Party's continued attacks over the suspected mine blast in the DMZ "a conspiracy theory that stokes security fears." Independent Rep. Han Dong-hoon took aim at President Lee Jae-myung, saying, "Get a grip, order an on-site investigation of the mine attack, and if you have gone abroad for diplomacy, do diplomacy instead of talking about Rhyu Si-min."
Writing on social media on the 26th, Park said: "When you think of the president, how can the government just stand by and watch? Why can't it just explain? Why is it hiding behind others instead of acting?" He added, "If our soldier was hurt by a mine, the facts should be disclosed, and our people will understand. Even if our troops were hurt inside North Korean territory, the facts should still be disclosed."
"If no explanation is given after the fact, not even to the ruling party's liaison on the National Assembly intelligence committee or to me, is this the government telling ruling party lawmakers to just sit back and take what they are given?" Park said. "Even to fight that nasty opposition and independent Rep. Han Dong-hoon, we need to know something first." He went on: "Do not just look to the president. The prime minister and everyone below in the government should come to their senses. The public and the ruling party are fearsome, too. If that is how it is going to be, step down, all of you. We will take over."
The Democratic Party responded to the People Power Party's attacks. In a written briefing that day, Democratic Party chief spokesperson Park Sung-joon said the People Power Party's "practice of using security as a tool for political strife is going too far." He said, "Our military is maintaining a thorough state of readiness and working to minimize the risk of any second accident," adding that the People Power Party "is busy only with disparaging these efforts by the military. Running political calculations with no regard for national security — that is where the People Power Party stands, and it is traitorous." He continued, "The People Power Party's conspiracy theory is a grave threat that shakes the national security of the Republic of Korea," and urged the party to "immediately stop raising conspiracy theories that stoke security fears."
Han, who had staged a one-person protest in front of the Ministry of National Defense, wrote on Facebook that day: "Worryingly, President Lee seems to have lost his composure." He added, "President Lee may put off the on-site investigation into the mine attack that severed the ankle of one of our precious soldiers until after the red-letter days of the Chuseok holiday, but it seems he simply cannot put off his mudslinging with Rhyu Si-min — not even while abroad on diplomacy paid for with taxpayers' hard-earned money, not even during the Chuseok holiday."
