Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Cho Tai-young
Apr. 1, 2014 14:30 KST


Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Today, I have two announcements to make.

First, let me comment on the three principles on the transfer of defense equipment the Japanese government announced today.

The government of the Republic of Korea hopes that the Japanese government will apply the three aforementioned principles, as it declared under its three previous principles on arms exports, in a way that upholds its basic idea as a peace-promoting country and contributes to international peace and stability.

In addition, in view of possible concern of its neighboring countries in this regard, the Japanese government should apply this principle as transparently as possible.

Moving on to the second announcement, on the sidelines of the ongoing 2014 meeting of heads of the ROK’s overseas diplomatic missions, the heads of the diplomatic missions stationed in 18 African countries south of the Sahara Desert will hold a working breakfast with the National Assembly’s forum for a new era with Africa at the Lexington Hotel in Seoul at 7:30 a.m., tomorrow, April 2.

The National Assembly’s forum for a new era with Africa was launched in September 2013 and currently includes 73 incumbent lawmakers of ruling and opposition parties. The upcoming meeting will mark its first between mission heads and the forum.

At the breakfast event, the diplomats will share their vivid, first-hand experiences at the diplomatic front in Africa and explore with the participating lawmakers specific ways to further boost the ROK-Africa partnership for shared prosperity.

In addition, from 6:00 p.m., the Ambassadors to Nigeria, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cote d’Ivoire will hold a meeting with journalists at the hotel. I ask for your keen interest.

Thirdly, on the sidelines of their ongoing 2014 meeting, the mission heads will have an opportunity to meet the public tomorrow, April 2.

The diplomats will be divided into six groups to visit a multi-cultural family support center; hold a meeting with heads of offices of international organizations stationed in the ROK; visit a base of US Forces Korea (USFK); visit companies participating in the consortium related to the Rajin-Hasan project; undertake volunteer work at a social welfare facility; and give lectures at elementary, middle and high schools as well as a college.

The Foreign Ministry expects these events to serve as valuable opportunities to move a step closer to the public.

Lastly, as part of the aforementioned 2014 meeting, four business groups will co-host one-on-one meetings between Ambassadors and businessmen at Lotte Hotel, downtown Seoul, on April 3. The four business groups are the Federation of Korean Industries, the Korea International Trade Association, the Korea Chamber Of Commerce and Industry, and the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business.

At the event, the Ambassadors will hold one-on-one meetings with the representatives from some 260 companies. These meetings have taken place since 2008, and this year’s round will mark the sixth of its kind. The Foreign Ministry has received applications for these meetings from entrepreneurs. As it turns out, the majority of applications are from those operating in emerging countries, which shows their high demand for such events.

In case of some regions of the world, there are too many applications for the Ambassadors to handle under their schedule. A larger number of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) submitted applications for consultations than larger companies did, which shows that SMEs need more help in expanding their presence overseas.

The consultations will cover brokering business opportunities, helping companies win overseas orders, providing information on overseas markets and reducing relevant challenges.

The one-on-one meetings between the Ambassadors and the business representatives are expected to serve as good opportunities for the latter to explain their problems and obtain up-to-date information on foreign markets. The meetings are also expected to help the Ambassadors, for their part, learn more about matters of interest of Korean companies as well as their problems.

Through this process, overseas diplomatic missions are expected to see more clearly what role they should play in helping Korean companies enter foreign markets.

In conjunction with the one-on-one meetings, the Foreign Ministry, together with the Federation of Korean Industries, will host a luncheon for the mission heads and the heads of the four aforementioned business groups at Lotte Hotel, downtown Seoul, on April 3.

This is all for my opening statement.


[Q&A]

Q: According to a press report issued earlier today, an unmanned drone of unidentified nationality crashed on Baengnyeong-do (island) yesterday. I would like your explanation on this drone.

A: I do not have accurate information about that, yet. I believe that a government agency more directly related to such matters than the Foreign Ministry would probably provide you with an explanation. Anyway, I have nothing to say in that regard at this point.

Q: I would like to ask for your confirmation on the veracity of a press report issued earlier today. According to the report, with regard to US President Obama’s Asian tour in late April, the Japanese government has requested that his stay in Japan be extended, while the ROK government has not properly coordinated his schedule in the ROK. It also says that the ROK and the US governments have only agreed that the US President would spend one night in the ROK, with the rest of his itinerary in the country remaining uncoordinated. Is this true?

A: I have read that press report as well. I will tell you this: The ROK and the US governments are in close consultations on President Obama’s schedule in the ROK.

Let me add one more thing.

I was going to mention this in my opening statement, but I forgot.

The Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA) will hold an open IFANS Debate themed “Human Rights Situation in North Korea: UN COI (Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) Activities & Implications” on April 3.

For your information, the IFANS Debate is an event where experts have candid discussions on key global issues.

The upcoming debate will be moderated by Director of KNDA Center for International Law Shin Kak-soo.

Its discussants will include Jeh Sung-ho, a professor of Chungang University School of Law; Kim Keun-sik, a professor of the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Kyungnam University; Hong Seong-phil, a professor of Yonsei University School of Law; Lee Keum-soon, Director of the Center for North Korean Human Rights Studies at the Korea Institute for National Unification; and Cho Jung-hyun, an assistant professor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy.

At the debate, the experts are expected to hold in-depth discussions on the content of the recently issued COI report on the human rights situation in North Korea as well as the full range of relevant issues in the country.

I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.


* unofficial translation