The’West Sea Protection Day’ event faded in successive North Korean missile provocations

As North Korea launched two ballistic missiles onto the East Sea on the 25th, one day ahead of the’West Sea Protection Day’, voices from inside and outside the government say, “The government has poured cold water on the ceremony it was ambitiously preparing.” In addition, some are criticizing, “If we knew the provocation trend of North Korea in advance, we should have responded closely, but at that time, the government did hard work only to prepare for the commemorative event.”

The West Sea Protection Day (4th Friday in March) was held by the government in 2016 ▶The 2nd Battle of Yeonpyeong (June 29, 2002) ▶The Cheonan Ship Trough (March 26, 2010) ▶The Yeonpyeong Island Artillery Battle (November 23, 2010) Day) It is a government anniversary established to commemorate the soldiers who were sacrificed at the time (55 soldiers of the West Sea).

The background of the evaluation that the government devoted itself to the ceremony is due to the location and scale of the event. The government decided to hold a ceremony held at Daejeon Prefectural Center under the supervision of the Ministry of National Veterans Affairs for the first time this year at the 2nd Fleet Command of the Navy in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do. The 2nd Fleet is a symbolic place with 357 Chamsuris that were sunk during the 2nd Yeonpyeong Naval Battle, and the hull of the Cheonan ship hit by a North Korean torpedo.

According to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, Private Park Bo-gum, a popular star who enlisted in the Navy in August last year, will be the moderator. In the final stage, which is the climax, there is a spectacular view of multiple naval ships and helicopters simultaneously sorting out with a miracle. In addition, 18 members of the Naval Special Warfare Corps (UDT), Marine Corps Special Search Corps, Army and Air Force Special Forces, etc., when the national anthem was advocated, each wearing a flag (international signal flag) meaning “Remember 55 Soliders” and dropping at high altitude. I am going to do it.

A government source said, “We have paid special attention to this ceremony to dispel public opinion that North Korea has noticed North Korea in a situation where various adverse events are overlapping. However, we are concerned that such efforts will be bleak by North Korea’s successive missile provocations.”

With North Korea firing four missiles on the last 5 days, the government’s position on the day of the ceremony is also paying attention. Some observers say that it will be difficult to issue a strong warning message against North Korea from the standpoint of the government trying to resolve the stiff inter-Korean relations. In this regard, Shin Beom-cheol, director of the Center for Foreign Affairs and Security at the Economic and Social Research Institute, said, “It will be difficult to let go of the last hope for the government to create a new moment in the Beijing Olympics in February next year, even if it is not the Tokyo Olympics in July.” “It seems that we will adjust the water level enough to have a negative impact on the elections,” he said.

The ceremony was held during the April 7 re-election period (March 25-April 7). However, due to the regulation that politicians are restricted from entering the troops during the election (the Ministry of Defense Unit Management Order), the opposition officials who were notified of being unable to attend were also scammed against strong opposition.

Reporters Cheoljae Lee and Sangjin Kim [email protected]