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Korea Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
‘서해피격' 유족 면담 의향 묻자 이종석 '검토하겠다'
이종석 국가정보원장 후보자는 19일 '서해 공무원 피격 사건' 유가족이 요청할 경우 면담을 검토해보겠다는 입장을 밝혔다. 이 후보자는 이날 오후 진행된 비공개 인사청문회 이후 '서해 피격' 피해자 유가족과 면담 의향을 묻는 기자들의 질의에 "필요하면 뵈어야겠다. 검토를 해보겠다"고 답했다. 2020년 9월 서해에서 북한군의 총격에 숨진 해양수산부 공무원 이대준 씨의 친형인 이래진 씨는 이 후보자의 인사청문회를 앞두고 "이종석 국정원장이 취임하면, 비공개도 좋으니 한번 뵙고 싶다"고 코리아헤럴드에 전한 바 있다. 이 후보자는 취임 후 서해 피살 공무원과 동해 귀순 어민 강제 북송 사건과 관련해 2022년 진행된 국정원 내부 감찰이 적절한지 점검하겠다는 의사도 밝혔다. 이 후보자는 당시 국정원 내부 감찰은 "전직 국정원장들에 대해 형사 문제나 권력 남용 문제가 아닌, 정책적 판단에 의해 이뤄진 것이기 때문에 굉장히 불행한 사건"이라면서, "복귀하고 천천히 정리를 해야되지 않을까 생각한다"고 했다. 이 후보자는 12.3 비상계엄 사태에 국정원이 얽힌 부분에 대해서도 들여다보겠다고 했다. 이 후보자는 "특검 과정에서 국정원에도 일부 조사가 들어올텐데, 국정원이 걸려있는 것들에 대해 당연히 살펴볼 생각이다"고 말했다. 그러면서 "다만 그것이 감찰이 될지, 어떤 성격이 될지는 예단하기 어렵다"고 덧붙였다. 앞서 같은 날 오전에 열린 공개 인사청문회에서 이기헌 더불어민주당 의원은 문재인 정부 당시 박지원·서훈 국정원장에 대한 형사 고발로 이어진 국정원 내부 감찰이 "있을 수 없는 일"이라고 목소리를 높이며, 경위를 밝힐 필요성에 대한 이 후보자의 입장을 물었다. 이에 이 후보자는 "국정원 내부 조직과 관련 돼 있고 전직 원장과 관련 돼 있는 사건이라 상당히 깊이 살펴보겠단 의사 표시를 했고, 앞으로 그렇게 하겠다"고 답했다. 이성권 국민의힘 정보위원회 간사는 이 후보자가 서해 공무원 피격 사건에 대한 입장 표명을 회피했다고 지적했다. 이 간사는 "이 후보자에게 서해 공무원 피격 관련해 물으니 '모른다'고 답했다"면서 "대북전문가인데 그 일을 하지 않아서 답변을 못 한다는 것은 말이 안 된다"고 꼬집었다. 18일 국회에 낸 인사청문 자료에서 이 후보자는 서해 피격·강제 북송 사건에 대한 입장을 묻는 질의에 "세종연구소 연구원으로 재직하던 시기에 발생한 사건으로 정확한 사실관계를 알지 못한다"면서, "국정원장으로 취임하게 된다면 관련 내용을 살펴보겠다"고 답했다. 이 후보자의 인사청문회 보고서 채택을 위한 국회 정보위 전체회의는 20일 열린다. (arin@ Spy chief nominee grilled over his perceptions of North Korea Lee Jong-seok, the nominee to be the director of the National Intelligence Service, faced scrutiny over his past acquaintance with a former deputy governor convicted over illegal cash transfers to North Korea at his confirmation hearing Thursday. At the hearing, Lee was asked about his past ties to former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Gov. Lee Hwa-young, who served when President Lee Jae Myung was governor of the province. The former deputy gov. was sentenced to 7 years and 8 months in prison for a 2019-20 scheme to transfer funds to the North. Prosecutors allege that the president, when he was governor, used the undergarment maker Ssangbangwool to send $8 million to North Korea. Lee has consistently denied any wrongdoing or involvement in the case. The NIS director nominee and the former deputy governor had worked together at the inter-Korean peace committee at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office since 2018. The nominee said he knew the former deputy governor strictly in a professional capacity and that he had no knowledge of the scheme at all. When asked about his past public remarks opposing the introduction of THAAD, the US antiballistic missile defense system and GSOMIA, the intelligence-sharing framework with Japan, the nominee said he believes that those were "things that are already agreed upon and should be complied with." Lee said that the foundation of South Korea's security is its alliance with the US. "That is the stance of the Lee Jae Myung administration, and I believe the same," he said. In response to The Korea Herald's question after the confirmation hearing, Lee said that he would be open to meeting with the bereaved family of a South Korean fisheries official who was shot dead by North Korean troops at sea in September 2020. "I have not yet looked into the matter, but I would consider it," the nominee said. In Wednesday's prehearing brief, seen exclusively by The Korea Herald, Lee said if he is appointed as the director, he would "look into" the shooting murder of the South Korean official. He was responding to a lawmaker's question about his stance on the case. In 2022, the NIS filed a criminal complaint against its former director Park Jie-won, who is now a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, for allegedly destroying the spy agency's confidential materials related to the South Korean official's death. Park denies all allegations. The criminal trial for Park and other high-level officials at the time is ongoing. In the prehearing brief, Lee also denied the accusations that he was lenient toward North Korea. "I absolutely cannot agree with the claims that I am pro-North Korea only because I have studied North Korea and the Korean Peninsula in depth," he said. Lee served as minister of inter-Korean affairs under the late former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun in 2006.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Spy chief nominee grilled over his perceptions of North Korea
Lee Jong-seok, the nominee to be the director of the National Intelligence Service, faced scrutiny over his past acquaintance with a former deputy governor convicted over illegal cash transfers to North Korea at his confirmation hearing Thursday. At the hearing, Lee was asked about his past ties to former Gyeonggi Province Deputy Gov. Lee Hwa-young, who served when President Lee Jae Myung was governor of the province, and was sentenced to 9 1/2 years in prison for a 2019-20 scheme to transfer funds to the North. The scheme took place during the president's tenure as governor, a role in which he has denied any wrongdoing. Prosecutors allege that the president, when he was governor, used undergarment maker Ssangbangwool to send $8 million to North Korea. The NIS director nominee and the former deputy governor had worked together at the inter-Korean peace committee at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office from 2018. The nominee said he knew the former deputy governor strictly in a professional capacity and that he had no knowledge of the scheme at all. When asked about his past public remarks opposing the introduction of THAAD, the US anti-ballistic missile defense system, and GSOMIA, the intelligence-sharing framework with Japan, the nominee said he believes that those were "things that are already agreed upon and should be complied with." Lee said that the foundation of South Korea's security is its alliance with the US. "That is the stance of the Lee Jae Myung administration, and I believe the same," he said. In a written response submitted to the National Assembly on Thursday, a day ahead of his hearing, Lee denied the accusations that he was lenient toward North Korea. "I absolutely cannot agree with the claims that I am pro-North Korea only because I have studied North Korea and the Korean Peninsula in depth," he said. Lee served as minister of inter-Korean affairs under the late former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun in 2006.
Japan Forward
08-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Forward
Ishiba's Philippines, Vietnam Meetings a Boost to Regional Peace
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has just completed visits to Vietnam and the Philippines and held summit talks with their leaders. His trip aimed to check China's growing involvement in Southeast Asian countries. As China seeks to expand its influence by exploiting the backlash to United States tariffs, Japan must strengthen cooperation in the Southeast Asian region. Furthermore, Japan must ensure security cooperation with other countries to maintain regional peace. Japan and the Philippines, located north and south of Taiwan, form parts of the "First Island Chain." Neither country would be able to escape involvement in a Taiwan emergency. Vietnam shares a land border with China and has long been directly threatened by its giant neighbor, as symbolized by the 1979 China-Vietnam War. Moreover, both Vietnam and the Philippines are under military pressure from China and enmeshed in territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea. While in Manila, Ishiba met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The two agreed to begin bilateral discussions toward an information security agreement that would allow for the exchange of classified information. What the two sides have in mind is an arrangement resembling the bilateral General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) for the exchange of military information between Japan and South Korea. Currently, Japan is exporting airborne surveillance and control radar to the Philippines. We would like to see an agreement concluded expeditiously and a system established for the smooth implementation of such cooperation. Ishiba and Marcos also agreed to begin negotiations on an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA). This would allow the Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military to share supplies such as food and fuel. Tokyo and Manila signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) in July 2024 to facilitate mutual travel for the Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military. Now we hope to see the ACSA concluded as soon as possible. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Vietnam's Communist Party Secretary-General To Lam pose for a commemorative photo. Also on the left is the prime minister's wife, Yoshiko. (©Kyodo) During Ishiba's meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, the two sides confirmed the establishment of a bilateral security consultative committee (2+2) for interchanges between their respective foreign and defense vice ministers. The Japanese government also promised to consider allowing Vietnam to participate in the Official Security Assistance (OSA) cooperation framework. Under that framework, Japan provides defense equipment and supplies gratis to the military forces of like-minded countries. Prime Minister Ishiba also discussed US tariff measures with the leaders of Vietnam and the Philippines. The Trump administration is wary of Chinese products being indirectly exported to the United States. Therefore, it set the reciprocal tariff rate for Vietnam, which has strong economic ties with China, at a lofty 46%. Japan should continue to make efforts to prevent Southeast Asian countries from being overwhelmed by China. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam shortly before Prime Minister Ishiba's arrival. China is a country that has a history of flouting economic rules. It must not be treated as the standard bearer for free trade. (Read the editorial in Japanese .) Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan's Ishiba Holds Talks with Philippine's Marcos; Leaders Expected to Work on Security Cooperation Agreements
The Yomiuri Shimbun Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, left, shakes hands with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila on Tuesday. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is visiting the Philippines, held talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday in Manila. Japan considers the Philippines as a 'quasi ally,' which is the same status as Australia. The two leaders were expected to agree to begin negotiations on an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) to further strengthen security cooperation, and to agree on the need for the early conclusion of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). Ishiba and Marcos were also expected to confirm the deepening of cooperation between Japan, the United States and the Philippines. With China's maritime expansion in mind, they were expected to announce a policy of not approving unilateral changes to the status quo by force. The leaders were also expected to exchange views on tariff measures imposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and confirm the importance of free trade.
South China Morning Post
28-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Will closer US-Japan-Philippines security ties create hostile bloc at China's doorstep?
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will visit the Philippines this week to boost security cooperation, including an intelligence-sharing agreement expected to sharpen regional surveillance of Beijing's activities in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Advertisement Analysts said China would be wary of the strategic implications of such a deal and the risks of a stronger US-Japan-Philippines security alignment creating a confrontational bloc near its borders. The General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) will be a key item on Ishiba's agenda when he arrives in Manila for a two-day visit on Tuesday. The agreement is designed to allow protected and expanded exchanges of classified military information and defence technologies between the two US treaty allies. The Philippines and the United States signed their own GSOMIA in November. Ding Duo, an associate research fellow at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said the military information-sharing frameworks would allow the three countries to track China's activities and deployments in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait 'more promptly and comprehensively'. Advertisement 'The strength of such a sharing network lies in the combination of Japan's advanced maritime and aerial reconnaissance capabilities with the Philippines' geographical advantage,' Ding said.
