North Korea provocations would cancel agreements, Seoul says

Oct. 1 (UPI) -- South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon said Monday any North Korea provocation would lead to the nullification of previous inter-Korea agreements.

Lee, who was speaking before Seoul's parliament during an interpellation session addressing the Moon Jae-in administration's engagement with the Kim Jong Un regime, also said it is unlikely the North will return to its old ways, Yonhap reported.

"If there is a provocation by North Korea, agreements will be nullified," Lee said. "I think it has already become difficult for North Korea to return to its past of poverty and isolation while bearing nuclear arms."

Lee also said a "specific timeline" has emerged from the Pyongyang Joint Declaration, which the prime minister described as the "early stage of denuclearization."

"Through [the declaration] stalled, U.S.-North Korea talks have resumed," Lee said, citing the North's decision to shut down the Tongchang-ri engine test site, missile launch facility and the "permanent closure" of the North's nuclear facilities at Yongbyon as a "big step forward."

Lee also said no concessions were made with regard to the Northern Limit Line, a disputed maritime border in the Yellow Sea.

"The NLL must definitely be maintained," Lee said. "If the NLL was neutralized, would the residents of the five [West Sea] islands remain still?"

North Korea has claimed some of the islands are located on its side of the border.

The Moon administration has engaged in an accelerated form of diplomacy following the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

The April Panmunjom Declaration, the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration and military agreement were questioned by members of the opposition on Monday.

Newsis reported lawmakers of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party launched a "highly intense offensive" during the interpellation session for the prime minister and Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa.

Yoo Ki-june, a Liberty Korea party representative in parliament, said North Korea is not a country, according to South Korea's constitution.

Asking the National Assembly to ratify the Panmunjom Declaration is an "excessive demand," Yoo said.

Ahn Sang-soo, also a lawmaker with the Liberty Korea Party, said Moon is "blinding and dazzling" the people with "events."

Ahn said any declaration that does not explicitly state denuclearization as a requirement will make it "impossible" for the United Nations or the United States to intervene in the event of a North Korea attack.

Moon has said Kim had pledged denuclearization that comes with reciprocal measures from the United States.