The Democratic Party of Korea said that Minister Chung Dong-young of the Ministry of Unification mentioning Kusong, North Pyongan Province, as the location of a third North Korean nuclear facility was "a matter reported multiple times already." The United States has partially restricted the sharing of intelligence on North Korea, taking issue with Chung's remarks. It criticized the People Power Party, which is demanding Chung's dismissal, for engaging in self-inflicted harm to security.
Kim Young-bae, a Democratic Party lawmaker and the ruling party secretary of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, said at a policy coordination meeting at the National Assembly on Apr. 23 in the morning, "The People Power Party has been engaging in irresponsible, self-inflicted harm to security against the Minister day after day," adding, "Today (the 23rd) as well, it unilaterally convened the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and the National Defense Committee."
He went on, "Must we shake the Minister of Unification of a country to cover up People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok's embarrassing visit to the United States?" adding, "I worry they are holding a ritual praying for a crisis in the South Korea-U.S. alliance. The so-called South Korea-U.S. alliance crisis theory is utterly absurd."
Last month at the National Assembly, Minister Chung cited Kusong, which had not been officially mentioned before, as the site of a nuclear facility such as a uranium enrichment facility. After controversy arose over U.S. restrictions on sharing intelligence on North Korea, the Ministry of Unification argued it was already public information, citing reports by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
However, Victor Cha, CSIS Korea Chair, said, "I have never produced a document on a Kusong nuclear facility," fueling a dispute over the facts. The ISIS report was also said to be at the level of presuming a small centrifuge facility to be a uranium enrichment facility. The People Power Party is urging the dismissal of the Minister.
Rep. Kim said, "In the content of the 'Report on North Korea's suspicious old small-scale enrichment facility' released by U.S. research organization ISIS on July 21, 2016, it was described that a centrifuge development facility existed near North Korea's Banghyon Air Base and that there was a possibility that 200 to 300 centrifuges had been installed," adding, "Domestic and foreign media outlets have already reported multiple times on nuclear facilities in North Korea's Kusong."
He added, "I warn that the public will never forgive a political party that irresponsibly fires off claims that are not true," emphasizing, "We urge the People Power Party not to engage in self-inflicted acts that shake the South Korea-U.S. alliance."