According to South Korean 'Chungang Daily' and KBS television reports, on September 7 local time, Kim Min-sik, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party and former Minister of State, gave a speech in the parliament. He emphasized that South Korea should develop into a 'powerful nation' and pointed out that 'the era of relying solely on the United States has come to an end'.
"Central Daily News" reports that Jin's unexpected remarks have startled opposition parties.
"One-sidedly staring at the American era has ended." Under pressure from the US side's actions such as deploying troops in the Korean Strait and investment, Jinminxi emphasized that South Korea needs to adjust its national strategy based on changes in its relationship with America.
When discussing the current international situation, Kim Min-sik said, "The United States itself is also worried about being overtaken by China. It no longer considers itself to be a generous 'big brother', but instead acts as a calculating trading partner. The US has proposed reducing joint military exercises between South Korea and the US, urged South Korea to strengthen its own defense, and has treated the number of North Korean nuclear weapons as an established fact."
He said: "The U.S. dominance is declining in a decisive way, while South Korea's autonomy has been rising, this is the fundamental nature of the change in US-South Korean relations."
Kim Min-sik also mentioned the artificial intelligence revolution and changes in the international situation, saying that 'it is necessary to calibrate the zero point as a whole, and the core is to have a sense of being a 'powerful nation''. During his 32-minute speech that day, he called for 'powerful nation' ten times.
"Requiring President Trump of the United States to meet with Kim Jong-un, is this realistic? He particularly pointed out that North Korea might suddenly improve relations and take a "freezing first, then solving" approach on the nuclear issue. Considering this, South Korea must strengthen its independence in security capability beforehand."
In terms of relations with Japan, Kim Min-sil is practical. He said, "The sense of inferiority and resistance that existed in the past are no longer as strong as they used to be. There is a growing belief that in dealing with Japan, it is important to cooperate as much as possible."
Kim Min-sik gave a speech at the parliament on the 7th. Korean media.
According to reports, this speech was personally written by Kim Min-sik.
According to Korean media, regarding Kim Min-sil’s speech, some within the ruling party interpreted it as: “Under increased pressure from sending troops, he expressed a will not be blindly pushed along, while also maintaining courtesy towards his ally, the United States.” Others said that this conveyed the idea of “the need for self-strengthening.”
The Seoul Economic View points out that, as the ruling party's leader, Jin Minxi openly stated the decline of American influence in a frank manner. This statement directly touched on South Korea's long-standing dependence on the United States in terms of foreign affairs and security. This situation is particularly relevant to how South Korea has been relying entirely on the US for its own safety. As Washington prioritizes cost-benefit analysis when considering alliance relationships, Seoul will find it challenging to cope with international shifts.
KBS analysts point out that the stance on the US in this speech has attracted attention. "There have been concerns about whether the Korean government will be led by the US, but I believe this speech exceeded expectations because it clearly stated its determination to walk a path of independent and self-reliant defense and development."
Jin Minxi's stance expressed in his speech also aligned with the recent statements made by the South Korean government.
U.S. President Donald Trump suddenly demanded a reduction in joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, leading to an unexpected reaction from South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
On August 19th, Lee Jae-myung posted a lengthy statement on social media, praising this decision as reflecting Trump's thoughtful efforts to 'overcome hostility and confrontation on the Korean Peninsula and create peace'. He also stated that South Korea 'fully agrees' with Trump's view that the security of the Korean Peninsula should be borne by South Korea itself.
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August 21st, in Pyeongze City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, the joint Korean-American conventional exercise “JB FREEDOM Shield” was terminated ahead of schedule to respond to emergencies and defend the Korean Peninsula. Visual China
Ocean military expert Zhang Junshe told Observer Network that Lee Jae-myung adopted a pragmatic strategy that combines "compromise and leveraging opportunities": on one hand, he tried to avoid direct conflicts with Trump; on the other hand, he also seized the opportunity presented by US demands for South Korea to assume more security responsibilities, to promote independent national defense and the transfer of combat command authority, thereby securing greater strategic autonomy for South Korea.
Chen Hong, the director of the Asia-Pacific Research Center at East China Normal University, believes that Lee Jae-myung is actually 'rewriting the topic in a way that favors his own interests'. While Trump is considering reducing the burden on the United States, Lee Jae-myung attempts to turn the reduction in American investment into an opportunity for South Korea to increase its autonomy.
‘Both parties have different motives, but for now, there is a common policy direction among them.’
