Korean political parties disagree on how to view Venezuelan president's arrest

The two main political parties set differing priorities on the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. While the Democratic Party stressed protecting Koreans in Venezuela, the People Power Party framed the episode as a cautionary tale.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro appears in a photo that U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Jan. 3 after U.S. forces arrested Maduro in a military operation. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Korea's two largest political parties set completely differing priorities on the recent arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. While the liberal Democratic Party (DP) emphasized the need to protect Koreans in the South American country, the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) framed the episode as a cautionary example for Korea.

“We, alongside the government, will do everything we can to ensure the safety of Koreans in Venezuela and provide [them with] support,” Baek Seung-ah, spokesperson for the DP's floor leadership, said at a briefing on Sunday.

Additional voices in the DP called for a more pragmatic approach to diplomacy, and some criticized Washington's actions outright.

“Now is the time to strategically pursue pragmatic diplomacy beyond a simplistic pro-United States or pro-China frame,” Kim Young-bae, the DP's secretary on the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, said during a phone call with the JoongAng Ilbo.

Meanwhile, Rep. Yoon Joon-byeong wrote on Facebook, “Unilateral use of force must not become a universal means of resolving international disputes. I condemn it.”

Other progressive parties also condemned the move. Cho Kuk, the leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, cited a New York Times editorial on social media that described the attack on Venezuela under the Donald Trump administration as “illegal and unwise.” The Jinbo Party held a press conference in front of the U.S. Embassy in central Seoul and argued that Trump's “'America first' policy is moving toward international criminal conduct.”

President Lee Jae Myung, left, and first lady Kim Hea Kyung arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing on Jan. 4. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

On the other hand, the conservative PPP used the Venezuelan episode to target the Lee Jae Myung administration.

“Venezuela’s collapse is not someone else’s story,” party spokesperson Cho Yong-sool said. “Korea could face a similar outcome if aggressive stimulus spending, concentration of power, pressure on the opposition and restrictions on the press become routine. We must stop Korea from becoming Venezuela.”

Former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon called for a review of how Washington's move could affect Korea's security.

“We need to analyze how this could affect our security,” Han wrote on Facebook. “Politicians who have encouraged anti-American sentiment should refrain from [expressing those opinions].”

Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok said the logic behind Maduro’s arrest could also apply to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 29, 2025. [YONHAP]

“The United States has defined President Maduro not as a head of state but as the leader of a transnational criminal organization,” Lee wrote on Facebook. “The same logic could apply to Kim Jong-un, who faces allegations of drug production and stealing funds through hacking financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges worldwide via the Lazarus Group.

“If we do not clearly state [...] that unilateral use of force must not become a universal means of resolving international disputes, we will have nothing to say when China pushes similar logic in the Taiwan Strait or Russia does so in Eastern Europe.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY OH SO-YEONG [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]