Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Cho Tai-young
Apr. 17, 2014 15:00 KST


Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

For starters, everyone at the Foreign Ministry is saddened by the sinking of the passenger ship “Sewol” near Jindo (island) yesterday.

We offer our condolences from the bottom of our hearts to those killed in this tragic accident.

We also hope that those currently missing will be rescued as soon as possible.

The Foreign Ministry hopes for speedy recovery of those injured and extends its deepest consolations to the families and friends of those killed and injured in the accident.

The Foreign Ministry, as part of the government of the Republic of Korea, will make its utmost efforts to handle the aftermath of the accident in a prompt manner.

For your information, I have something to say with regard to foreigners aboard the passenger ship, the Sewol, that sunk yesterday. The Foreign Ministry gathered relevant information and notified to embassies of countries of those foreigners in the ROK.

To be more specific, a student of Russian nationality is currently missing. As I understand it, this Russian is a student at Danwon High School in Ansan, south of Seoul. In addition, there were two Philippine nationals aboard the ship, and they were rescued.

The Foreign Ministry notified such information to embassies of countries concerned in the ROK.


[Q&A]

Q: I understand that Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Junichi Ihara of the Japanese Foreign Ministry met with the ROK’s Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong earlier today. Please share with us what was discussed in the meeting.

A: When Foreign Ministry officials, including those of the ROK and Japan, visit a foreign country, they discuss key issues with their counterparts and often pay courtesy calls on those at a-notch-higher posts.

It is my understanding that Director-General Ihara paid a courtesy call on Vice Minister Cho as part of such diplomatic practice.

Also, as you may be well aware, Vice Minister Cho and Director-General Ihara had met with each other a number of times in their capacity as head delegates to the Six-Party Talks of the ROK and Japan, respectively. That is one of the reasons why the Japanese Director-General paid a courtesy call on Vice Minister Cho today. I cannot give you every detail discussed during the courtesy call. What I can tell you, though, is that both sides reiterated what was stressed in the ROK-Japan meeting yesterday: They should resolve the issue of sexual slavery victims drafted for Japan’s Imperial Armed Forces as soon as possible.

Q: Has any foreign country offered a consolation letter over the Sewol accident? If so, please share with us relevant details.

A: Some of them have been reported by the press. So far, the US, China, Japan, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Canada, the Netherlands and Switzerland have extended condolences and consolations to those killed and all others aboard the ship.

Q: The US has reportedly offered to support search and rescue operations. Has any other country offered to do so?

A: I understand that there are countries other than the US that have offered to do so. The ROK government, including the Foreign Ministry, is grateful for these offers.

Should we need help, the Foreign Ministry, after consultations with the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and other relevant government agencies, will consult with countries that have offered to help.

Q: There was an ROK-Japan director-general-level meeting yesterday. What is your assessment of the meeting?

A: As you must be aware, an ROK-Japan director-general-level meeting took place yesterday, carrying significance as the first-ever ROK-Japan meeting on the issue of sexual slavery victims drafted for Japan’s Imperial Armed Forces.

To my knowledge, the meeting being the first of its kind, the two sides mainly exchanged views on their basic positions on the issue and the direction of their future consultations.

I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.


* unofficial translation