Anchor: President Moon Jae-in has ratified his inter-Korean agreements with the North Korean leader. The Moon administration believes the move does not require the National Assembly's consent, but opposition lawmakers are accusing the president of ignoring the parliament.
Kim Bum-soo has more.    

Report: President Moon Jae-in has pushed ahead and ratified the agreements he made with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last month. 

The Pyongyang Joint Declaration and inter-Korean military agreements signed in the North Korean capital will be promulgated into law soon.

Moon on Tuesday held a Cabinet meeting to pass the deal for his ratification, stressing the importance of securing legal ground to carry out his inter-Korean accord.   

[Sound bite: President Moon Jae-in (Korean)] 
"Improved inter-Korean relations and easing tension will promote the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula by making it easier. This will not only safeguard the lives of our citizens and promote their safety, it will also remove risk factors on the Korean Peninsula to help our economy. Most of all, the benefits will first reach our citizens living near the border... "  

The Pyongyang declaration in April specified improving inter-Korean ties, resolving the issue of Korean War-separated families and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula among other common interests the two Koreas will pursue. 

The separate inter-Korean military agreement calls for putting an end to hostile activities, including the suspension of military exercises near the border.  

Once promulgated, the government will have the legal ground to secure budgetary funds or revise related regulations to carry out the accords.  

Government lawyers believe the Pyongyang Joint Statement does not require the National Assembly's consent as the more comprehensive Panmunjeom Declaration signed during the first Moon-Kim summit in April is still pending there anyway. 

Despite the legal analysis, the ratification is facing a major backlash from the opposition parties as the primary accord is preempted by the detailed implementation plans signed at a later meeting.   

Speaking shortly after the Cabinet meeting, Rep. Kim Sung-tae, the floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, criticized the president, saying he's ignoring the National Assembly.

Previous inter-Korean agreements from 2000 and 2007 lost legal effect as they did not go through parliamentary ratification. 

The Cabinet approved the 2018 Panmunjeom Declaration last month for parliamentary consent but the ruling and opposition parties disagree on the deal's ratification, which will make it irreversible even after President Moon's term ends.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.