Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Cho Tai-young
Feb. 20, 2014 14:30 KST


Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Today, I have two announcements to make.

First, Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, will visit the Republic of Korea on February 24 and 25.

Madame Ashton visited the ROK in January and May 2009 in her capacity as EU Trade Commissioner. Her upcoming visit to the country will mark her first as the EU’s leader in foreign and security affairs.

On February 25, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se will meet with High Representative Ashton, on the heels of which the two sides will sign an ROK-EU framework agreement for the participation of the ROK in EU crisis management operations.

Moving on to the second and last announcement, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin of China will visit the ROK from February 20 through 22.

During his visit to the country, Vice Minister Liu will hold a meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Lee Kyung-soo and pay courtesy calls on the Foreign Minister, the Unification Minister and the Senior Secretary to the President for Foreign Affairs and National Security.

During the upcoming visit of the Chinese Vice Minister, the ROK and China are expected to discuss the outcome of the Vice Minister’s visit to North Korea from February 17 through 20, and the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. In addition, they are expected to cover the progress in the implementation of the measures agreed upon by President Park Geun-hye and President Xi Jinping during the former’s visit to China last year as well as ways to pursue them down the road.

This is all for my opening statement. I will now take any question you may have.


[Q&A]

Q: Could you read once again the part on the upcoming visit to the ROK by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin?

A: Again?

Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin of China will visit the ROK from February 20 through 22.

During his visit to the country, Vice Minister Liu will hold a meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Lee Kyung-soo and pay courtesy calls on the Foreign Minister, the Unification Minister and the Senior Secretary to the President for Foreign Affairs and National Security.

During the upcoming visit of the Chinese Vice Minister, the ROK and China are expected to discuss the outcome of the Vice Minister’s visit to North Korea from February 17 through 20, and the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. In addition, they are expected to cover the progress in the implementation of the measures agreed upon by President Park Geun-hye and President Xi Jinping during the former’s visit to China last year as well as ways to pursue them down the road.

Q: During his visit to the ROK last week, US Secretary of State mentioned that the ROK and Japan should “put history behind them and move the relationship forward,” which I understand raised a lot of controversy.

Some people point out that the remarks in effect reveal a disparity between the ROK and the US in their stances on historical issues between the ROK and Japan. What does the Foreign Ministry make of this view?

A: Giving you a straight-out answer, I don’t believe they reveal a disparity between the ROK and the US in their views. Historical issues pose a huge stumbling block in the ROK-Japan relations. And it is clear what brought about the current situation and which party caused it. These issues should be solved. The one that tied the knot should untie it. In this vein, the party that caused the current situation should solve it through sincere actions.

Q: You said that “The one that tied the knot should untie it.” Do you mean that the Japanese side should unilaterally yield and shift its attitude while the ROK just waits?

A: As I have just said, words and actions by some Japanese leaders have caused the current situation, putting a stumbling block in the ROK-Japan relations. The historical issues between the ROK and Japan were caused by the wrongdoings by the latter country to start with. As the one that tied the knot should untie it, the party that brought on the current situation should remove the stumbling block through sincere actions and words.

Q: I have a further question. To my understanding, the US government calls for efforts to improve the ROK-Japan relations. What efforts do you deem that the ROK government can make for its part?

A: It is not that the ROK government does not want improvement in the ROK-Japan relations. It has strongly been emphasizing what should be done and what is necessary to make that happen.

Q: With regard to the suspected fabrication of evidence on the alleged espionage by a Seoul Metropolitan Government official, the prosecution has embarked on a fact-finding mission. Please share with us specifically what the ROK government asked the Chinese government to do to cooperate on the case.

A: As you have just said, the prosecution announced its plan to conduct a fact-finding mission in a thorough manner. As the work is under way, please wait for its outcome.

Q: The Consulate General in Shenyang has reportedly mentioned that it sent the border-crossing records of the Seoul City official Yoo Woo-sung to the public security authorities of Jilin Province, a higher-level unit than the Helong City, and requested that the authorities verify the authenticity of the records. A formal request for verification was made. Please tell us what you have to say about this and whether the Chinese authorities provided a response to that request.

A: As I have just said, it has been announced that a thorough fact-finding mission will be undertaken. I deem that it is most efficient to give you a comprehensive explanation after the investigation is completed.

Since you have asked, though, let me tell you that the ROK Foreign Ministry has not made a formal request for verification to the Chinese government.

Q: Are you saying that the request that the Consulate General in Shenyang is said to have made to the public security agency of Jilin Province is not from the ROK government?

A: Please refer to my answer to the previous question.

I believe that an explanation will be provided after the comprehensive fact-finding mission is completed. I consider it the most effective way of communication.

Q: Are you denying the reported remarks of the Consulate General in Shenyang that a formal request for verification was made to the public security agency of Jilin Province? Or…

A: I have just answered that question.

Q: How would you evaluate the diplomatic achievements over the past year? What grade would you give them?

A: I hear that the media community, including you reporters here, has evaluated in diverse ways the diplomatic achievements attained over the past year.

Instead of sharing with you my own evaluation of the Ministry’s achievements, let me, as Spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, just tell you that we at the Ministry will pay attention to what external people of authority have to say about our achievements and will work hard to see more accomplishments.

Q: Following the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry to the ROK last week, President Barack Obama of the US will visit the country in April. Some people point out that before the visit, the ROK and Japan should do something about their bilateral relations. What does the ROK Foreign Ministry make of this view?

A: Well. As I said moments ago, it is not that the ROK government does not want improvement in the ROK-Japan relations. It does want improvement. It is just pinpointing what is necessary to see that happen.

Q: I have a related question. Do you believe that there are things that each side should do to improve their relations? Or do you deem that Japan is responsible in every way.

A: I think you keep asking the question I have already answered.

Q: I have a question regarding the upcoming visit to the ROK by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin. To my knowledge, he met with Ri Yong-ho, North Korea’s head delegate to the Six-Party Talks, in North Korea. Does Vice Minister Liu have a plan to meet with Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Cho Tae-yong? Will the resumption of the Six-Party Talks be on the agenda?

A: I understand that there is no such plan at this point.

Q: Many people in the ROK are paying keen attention to the case of the Seoul City official Yoo Woo-sung. It has nearly been a week since it was first reported by the press. I guess the ROK Foreign Ministry must have completed checking whether the certificate for the issuance of the border-crossing records, which it received from Helong City, is the very document that the prosecution submitted to the court. Are these two documents same or different in content?

A: I answered that question at the previous regular press briefing session.

To reiterate, the Foreign Ministry received from the prosecution a request for cooperation to verify the travel records and relayed the records to the Consulate General in Shenyang. When the Ministry received the verification result from the Consulate, it relayed it to the prosecution.

In terms of whether “the document the Foreign Ministry relayed to the prosecution is the very one that the prosecution submitted to the court,” I believe it should be checked with the directly related authorities and not the Foreign Ministry.

Q: China already said through the Chinese Embassy that three documents the prosecutors submitted to the court had all been forged. This is a case where the Chinese government announced that the official documents the prosecutors submitted had been forged.

The related developments seem to indicate that the ROK government or investigation authorities forged the Chinese official documents. Don’t you think this could develop into a diplomatic dispute?

A: You are repeating the same questions. As you said, there has been a lot of speculation. On that, the agency, a party in the trial, said it will work to establish the facts. So, please wait for the result.

Q: The prosecutors formed a team to investigate the case, but in order to verify the authenticity of the documents, isn’t it that after all, the prosecutors should request the Chinese government to do so through the Foreign Ministry?

It appears that the Foreign Ministry has no choice but to be involved in the verification process and play its role. But you keep saying that the prosecutors should investigate the case or investigation authorities should investigate the case. I cannot understand your answer.

A: I am not talking about who should investigate the case. I meant to say that an investigation is being carried out and after it is completed, there will be a comprehensive explanation.

Q: Consul-General in Shenyang Cho Baek-sang was requested to attend a meeting of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Will he attend the meeting as scheduled and why should he attend it?

A: His attendance at the meeting was requested by the National Assembly. As far as I know, he will attend the meeting tomorrow.

Q: Regarding Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine late last year, Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso said at the House of Representatives Budget Committee of the Japanese Diet yesterday that he had not heard that China or the ROK officially protested to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

As far as I know, the ROK government issued its statement on the day of the visit, but the leadership of the Japanese Cabinet doesn’t seem to consider it a protest. What does the ROK government make of this?

A: There have already been news reports about the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s explanation on whether the Deputy Prime Minister’s remark was right or wrong. I believe all of you already know what the truth is.

Q: I’d like to know which side, China or the ROK, requested Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin’s visit to the ROK. Also, when was it decided?

A: Rather than saying that the visit was arranged at the request of who, let me tell you that it is very natural and a duty for diplomats to visit each other’s countries and consult through diplomatic channels. The visit was arranged under mutual consent. Please understand it that way.

Q: When was it decided?

A: I cannot tell you such details as when it was decided. The Chinese Vice Foreign Minister will visit the ROK after a trip to North Korea. As I said moments ago, he will mainly discuss the outcome of his visit to North Korea, other Korean Peninsula issues, measures to implement the agreements reached during President Park Geun-hye’s visit to China, and bilateral issues between the two countries.

Q: I have one last question. Concerning Yoo Woo-sung’s case, you said that the Foreign Ministry had not officially requested the Chinese government to verify related documents. Then, the document verification request made by the Consulate General in Shenyang directly to the Jilinsheng Public Security Bureau was an unofficial request?

A: I fully understand your interest in every issue and the media’s attention to report on them.

However, as you know, this issue is drawing a lot of attention. As such, providing explanations after reviewing the issue comprehensively and establishing the facts would be more efficient and can prevent confusion. I said so in that vein.

Q: Prime Minister Abe commented at the Japanese Diet that the right to collective self-defense will continue to be discussed through a Cabinet decision, once again expressing his firm willingness to exercise the right to collective self-defense.

Two days ago here, a Director-General-level meeting between the ROK and Japanese Foreign Ministries took place. Did the Japanese government provide any explanation on the right to collective self-defense to the ROK government? If it did, did the ROK government request anything?

A: I cannot give you each and every detail about dialogue or consultation being held through diplomatic channels.

I believe this applies not only to those between the ROK and Japan but to those around the world. I think this is also the case between individuals. People do not necessarily tell a third person about what they talked about with another person. Likewise, I cannot give you all the details. Please understand this.

However, the ROK government’s position on Japan’s defense and security-related issues, including the right to collective self-defense, is crystal clear. Let me stress once again that the ROK government already made it very clear publicly and relayed it to the Japanese side through diplomatic channels.

If you have no further questions, I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.

* unofficial translation