Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kwang-il
Mar. 24, 2015 14:30 KST


Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Today, I have three announcements to make.

First, let me discuss the outcome and the significance of the seventh Republic of Korea-Japan-China Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in Seoul on March 21.

For starters, the greatest significance of the meeting is that the meeting, which came in three years since the sixth of its kind led by the ROK, the chair country of the trilateral cooperation mechanism, paved the way for restoring the trilateral cooperation mechanism on track.

In particular, as a result of the meeting, a joint press release was issued in five years since the last of its kind. According to the press release, the three countries agreed to hold a trilateral summit at the earliest mutually convenient time. It also includes the wording, -- “In the spirit of facing history squarely and advancing towards the future, the three Ministers agreed that three countries should address related issues properly and to work together to improve bilateral relations and to strengthen trilateral cooperation” -- which demonstrates that the three countries affirmed the importance of addressing historical issues.

In addition, the three countries reaffirmed their firm opposition to North Korea’s nuclear weapons development. Japan and China reaffirmed their support for the ROK government’s Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative (NAPCI), thereby raising the likelihood of cooperation with Japan and China in implementing NAPCI.

Going forward, the ROK government, by building on the outcome of the trilateral meeting, will continue efforts to fully restore the trilateral cooperation mechanism on track and to see it become an institutional mechanism.

Moving on to the second announcement, the unveiling ceremony of a bronze statue of Chungsukgong Yi Ye will take place at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA) on March 25.

At the unveiling ceremony, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yong will deliver welcoming remarks, followed by congratulatory remarks by Vice Speaker of the National Assembly Chung Gap-yoon and Japanese Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Koro Bessho.

Yi Ye, a career diplomat in the Joseon Dynasty who contributed to the signing of the Treaty of Gyehae and the repatriation of Joseon abductees, was selected by the Foreign Ministry as the “Prominent Diplomatic Figure in Korean History” for 2010.

Lastly, the inaugural meeting of the ROK-Mongolia Joint Committee will take place in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, on March 26.

The ROK and Mongolian delegations to the meeting will be led by Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul and Minister for Roads and Transportation Namkhai Tumurkhuu, respectively.

The Joint Committee meeting, the first of its kind to come on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2015, will cover a wide range of issues, including those concerning economy, environment and cooperation in development as well as on regional and global stages.

This is all for my opening statement.


[Q&A]

Q: I have two questions. First, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan will reportedly address the US Congress on April 29. Is it the official position of the ROK government that the address should cover such historical issues as that of sexual slavery victims drafted by Japan’s Imperial Army during World War II?

Secondly, the Japanese Embassy in the US uploaded on its website a video clip, including an image of the opening of the Seoul Subway Line I, to claim that Japan had laid the groundwork for economic growth in Asia.

A: I will start with your first question. I believe that both the Japanese government and the US Congress are already well aware of the fact that the ROK and the international community pay attention to and are concerned over the Japanese understanding of history.

The ROK government, for its part, hopes that if and when Prime Minister Abe addresses the US Congress, with the year 2015 marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 50th anniversary of the normalization of the ROK-Japan relations, he will state that the Japanese government, as it has repeatedly vowed, will keep the historical perspective of its former Cabinets intact and demonstrate sincere remorse for Japan’s past wrongdoings.

In addition, as demonstrated by remarks by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her recent visit to Japan, this is the consistent position of the international community. I believe that there is a similar consensus in the US.

In this vein, if and when Prime Minister Abe indeed addresses the US Congress, the address will be an important test for him and Japan’s diplomacy.

Moving on to your second question, I think the article was carried by a newspaper issued earlier today. The ROK government will conduct a thorough analysis of the video clip. Generally speaking, with regard to foreign assistance, I deem that the recipient country is supposed to show appreciation for that.

Q: According to some press reports and the ROK government authorities, a visit to the ROK by US Secretary of State John Kerry and its schedule are being arranged. Is there anything specific in that regard? Also, please tell us if there is anything specific about the visit to the ROK by US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.

A: To my knowledge, nothing has been finalized.

Q: According to a press report, the ROK and the US have wrapped up negotiations on the planned return of the land of two bases of US Forces Korea (USFK), with the ROK government due to shoulder the cost for the cleanup of environmental pollution at the sites. Some civic groups demand that the details of the negotiations be disclosed in a transparent manner. Is the ROK government planning to announce the outcome of the negotiations? If so, when will that be?

A: With regard to the return of the land of the two USFK bases, it is my understanding that the final process has been completed with the agreement signed by the two countries’ representatives of the Joint Committee. To my knowledge, the ROK representative is the Director-General for North American Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, and so he signed the agreement.

Prior to that, with respect to issues, particularly environmental ones, concerning the return of the land, the relevant subcommittee of the Joint Committee had looked into them. Then, the Ministry of National Defense, the government agency in charge of the matter, and the team in the Prime Minister’s Office handling relevant matters, made the final decision. That is my understanding in this regard.

Therefore, to my knowledge, there is nothing the Foreign Ministry is doing to prepare for an announcement, and I am not so sure whether the Prime Minister’s Office and/or the Ministry of National Defense is making preparations for that.

To my understanding, there was this Joint Environmental Assessment Procedure (JEAP) in progress for the two countries to jointly review and assess environmental impacts. With regard to the two USFK bases, however, the local government, which was to receive and use the land, saw a need to develop it as soon as possible. At the special request of this local government, the land was returned to it, -- an exceptional case -- although JEAP had not been completed.

Q: Is it possible for the outcome of JEAP, after completed, to have impact on relevant negotiations?

A: I do not quite understand your question. As you must know, the environmental issues have long been important issues concerning the return of land of US military bases -- issues that I think can be traced back to 2009, although I will have to double-check the exact year. Anyway, this new system called JEAP has been set up for the ROK and the US to make a joint assessment of the research on environmental issues.

As I understand it, JEAP requires a considerable amount of time. As I said a little ago, with respect to the land of the two US military bases that have been returned to the ROK, the ROK side needed its early development and had already set a plan as to how to use the land after it is returned to the ROK, I think. To my understanding, the ROK judged that an early return of the land would be in its interest.

Q: There still remain USFK bases, the return of whose land is currently under negotiation. Should these negotiations continue at the request of the ROK, could they decide that the ROK should shoulder the cost for the cleanup of environmental pollution at the sites?

A: I do not want to make that prediction, although it is my understanding that the aforementioned case was a special one and that two sides have agreed not to make it a precedent. For further details, it would be better to inquire of the Ministry of National Defense and/or other government agencies in charge of the matter.

Q: Lately, Japan’s ruling coalition has been moving to amend Japan’s security law to allow the Japan Self-Defense Forces to engage in more operations. Has the ROK government announced its position in this regard? If not, please share with us what the ROK government makes of these moves.

Also, was this matter covered in the ROK-Japan Foreign Ministers’ meeting on March 21? Will it be raised at ROK-Japan security policy consultations?

A: I did not quite understand your first question.

Q: Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito Party have lately been moving to submit five bills to revise Japan’s security law, including that for allowing the Japan Self-Defense Forces to engage in more operations. What is the ROK government’s position in this regard?

A: It is not a recent issue, as it first arose early last year. As the ROK government has already reiterated it time and again, it is its position that Japan’s discussions on the right to collective self-defense should take place in line with the basic spirit of its pacifist constitution and in a way that is transparent, alleviates neighboring countries’ concerns stemming from historical issues and contributes to regional peace and stability -- a position expressed to the Japanese government on numerous occasions.

Q: Was that expressed at the ROK-Japan Foreign Ministers’ meeting on March 21?

A: I will not share with you any more details discussed at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting other than those included in the press release, although I deem that the meeting was not a place for discussions on such specific issues.

Q: You mean that the issue was not discussed in the meeting, right?

A: It was not a place for such discussions. Let me add one thing. I failed to mention the other part of the ROK government’s position concerning Japan’s security moves. It is the consistent position of the ROK government that Japan’s right to collective self-defense should not be exercised without the ROK’s request or consent on matters that can affect the security of the Korean Peninsula or the ROK’s national interest.

These are the ROK government’s basic position on Japan’s moves to revise its security law that started last year and to revise its defense guidelines with the US.

Q: I have a question on a different topic. In their recent meeting, the ROK and Chinese Foreign Ministers are said to have agreed to “step up communication and cooperation to establish order in fishing industry in the Yellow Sea.” What specific ways were discussed to make that happen?

Many speculate that the Japanese delegation must have brought up the ROK’s ban on fishery imports from Japan. Do you have anything specific to share with us in that regard?

A: My answers are in effect in your questions. Those issues were indeed raised in the meetings. From a broad perspective, the ROK government has always held the position that order has to be established in fishing industry in the Yellow Sea. As we have told you before, with regard to fishery imports from Japan, whenever the ROK and Japan hold consultations, the Japanese government raises the issue.

I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.


* unofficial translation