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Presidential Candidates Unveil Views on US Preemptive Strike in TV Debate

News2017-04-13
Presidential Candidates Unveil Views on US Preemptive Strike in TV Debate

In their first TV debate on Thursday, the nation's five presidential candidates revealed how they would respond to a U.S. preemptive strike against North Korea.
 
Moon Jae-in of the main opposition Democratic Party said he would call the U.S. president and urge him to put the preemptive strike on hold while stressing that the U.S. should not seek unilateral attack without Seoul’s consent. Moon then stressed that he would cooperate with China on the matter.
 
Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor People’s Party said he would first talk to the leaders of the U.S. and China. Ahn said he would tell Trump, who is a fellow alumni of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, that a war should never occur and would call on Chinese President Xi Jinping to exert pressure on Pyongyang.
 
Hong Joon-pyo of the conservative Liberty Korea Party said the most important thing would be to consult with the U.S. so that a preemptive strike does not take place. If such a strike were to occur, Hong said he would alert the entire military and immediately launch operations to regain the northern territory.
 
Yoo Seong-min of the Bareun Party said a preemptive strike is a preventive self-defense action that would be taken when the North’s attack against South Korea is imminent. He then said because the matter requires close coordination between Seoul and Washington, a candidate who places importance on security must become president.
 
Sim Sang-jung of the Justice Party said that no military action should take place on the Korean Peninsula under any circumstances. She said that she would speak over the phone with the leaders of the U.S. and China and dispatch a special envoy to voice the need for a peaceful resolution of the situation on the peninsula. 

The presidential TV debate, organized by the Journalists Association of Korea, was held at an SBS TV studio in western Seoul. 

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