Former Minister Jeong Se-hyun: "Too Many Allies Around the President... Need for Reform of Inner Circle"

Criticizes the ruling party's seminar, saying, "This would be Season 2 of the Moon administration"... "Why include denuclearization in the UN speech?"

Appears to target the Minister of National Defense, saying, "Being dragged around by the military... the President becomes a fool."

Jeong Cheong-rae: "Foreign policy centered on national interest is the path to opening up Korea's future... There is no inter-Korean relationship that precedes peace."

Rep. Jeong Cheong-rae speaking (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Park Dong-joo = Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae speaks at a seminar of the Advisory Council on Diplomacy, Security, and Unification held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 26th, titled 'Practical Diplomacy and Multilateral Diplomacy Strategies of the Lee Jae-myung Administration on the Occasion of the UN General Assembly.' 2025.9.26 pdj6635@yna.co.kr

Former Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun criticized the "alliance faction," which advocates for a diplomatic line based on the ROK-US alliance, as a "force that restrains the president from moving forward" and called for personnel reform in the government's diplomatic and security lines.

Jeong, attending the seminar of the Advisory Council on Diplomacy, Security, and Unification held at the National Assembly as an advisory member, said, "There are too many so-called alliance faction members," and made the remarks.

Jeong stated, "There are people around the president who believe that nothing can be done if the United States dislikes it. If this happens, it will become 'Moon Jae-in administration Season 2'," and told the Democratic Party leadership and others attending the seminar, "Reform of the president's inner circle is necessary."

Jeong, who led the Ministry of Unification during the Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations, shared his thoughts, saying, "During the Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations, if there were so-called pro-autonomy and alliance faction members around the president, progress was made, but if the alliance faction was too close, nothing could be done. It is heading in that direction now."

His remarks on this day were interpreted as targeting Vice Minister of National Security, Wi Sung-lak, a former diplomat who has consistently emphasized the ROK-US alliance.

Jeong is considered a representative figure of the "pro-autonomy faction," which seeks to establish a diplomatic and security line centered on inter-Korean relations. This faction includes National Intelligence Service Director Lee Jong-seok, former Unification Minister Lim Dong-won, former National Security Advisor Seo Hoon, and Democratic Party lawmaker Park Jie-won.

He mentioned President Lee Jae-myung's recent Facebook post, "I am reminded of President Roh Moo-hyun, who criticized the perception that defense cannot be maintained without foreign troops in a country spending so much on defense, even using excessive terms like 'shit generals'," and interpreted it as "evidence of resistance from the military regarding President Lee's actions, such as the return of wartime operational control."

He then appeared to target Minister of National Defense Ahn Kyu-baek, who is from a civilian background, saying, "I sent a civilian minister to control the military, but what good is it if they are dragged around? If this happens, President Lee will become a fool," and urged, "Whether you encourage or discipline the Minister of National Defense, please allow them to control the military."

Former Minister of Unification Jeong Se-hyun speaking [Yonhap News File Photo]

Jeong also argued that freezing North Korea's nuclear program is a prerequisite for achieving denuclearization and criticized President Lee's "END Initiative," which was presented in his keynote address at the UN General Assembly on the 23rd (local time).

He said, "The staff should be given the wisdom to discuss the conditions or methodology for (North Korean nuclear) freeze, but instead, they created a fancy word like 'END'," and raised his voice, "Why include denuclearization? Does the President have something to end?"

The seminar was attended by Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae and other party leaders, as well as lawmakers from the Democratic Party, including Chairman of the Advisory Council on Diplomacy, Security, and Unification, Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, and former First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-ju and Lim Sung-nam.

Rep. Jeong said, "It is a time when meticulous strategies are needed in diplomacy, security, and unification," and added, "I believe that the national interest-centered diplomacy based on practical and realistic principles, which President Lee is currently pursuing, can be a path to opening up Korea's future."

Rep. Jeong Cheong-rae speaking (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Park Dong-joo = Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae speaks at a seminar of the Advisory Council on Diplomacy, Security, and Unification held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 26th, titled 'Practical Diplomacy and Multilateral Diplomacy Strategies of the Lee Jae-myung Administration on the Occasion of the UN General Assembly.' 2025.9.26 pdj6635@yna.co.kr

Rep. Jeong listed recent events such as the situation in Georgia, discussions on the transfer of wartime operational control, and the issue of North Korean denuclearization, stating, "We face a mountain of issues to resolve in various fields, from economy to security. Although the situation is not easy, it is important to proceed steadily without wavering."

Furthermore, he emphasized, "We plan to seriously discuss legislative measures through the National Assembly to ensure that inter-Korean relations do not experience ups and downs. There is no inter-Korean relationship that precedes peace." Yonhap News