Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kwang-il
Apr. 28, 2015 14:30 KST


Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Today, I have two announcements to make.

Let me start with the MOFA Spokesperson’s commentary on the revision of the Guidelines for US-Japan Defense Cooperation.

Concerning the revised Guidelines for U.S.-Japan Defense Cooperation announced on April 27, 2015, the ROK government takes note that the U.S. and Japanese governments made clear the following points in reflection of what the ROK government had requested with regard to the security of the Korean Peninsula and national interests of the ROK: the Guidelines will be implemented within the fundamental framework of the U.S.-Japan Alliance; Japan will adhere to its Constitution and the basic positions such as its exclusively national defense-oriented policy; the U.S. and Japanese governments will fully respect the sovereignty of a third country in Japan’s exercising the right to collective self-defense. The ROK government also appreciates the U.S. and Japanese governments’ efforts to promote transparency including their prior explanation of the contents of the Guidelines.

In the process of the materialization and implementation of the Guidelines, the ROK government hopes that the U.S. and the Japanese governments will maintain transparency and seek to contribute to the peace and security of Northeast Asia including the Korean Peninsula, while continuing to hold close consultations with the ROK government on matters regarding the security of the Korean Peninsula and national interests of the ROK.

Moving on to the second and last announcement, the second ROK-EU Cyber Policy Consultations will take place at the Foreign Ministry on April 29.

The ROK and EU delegations to the meeting will be led by Ambassador for International Security Affairs Choi Sung-joo of the ROK Foreign Ministry and Director for Security Policy and Conflict Prevention Joëlle Jenny of the European External Action Service, respectively.

At the upcoming Consultations, the two sides will engage in in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and Sony Pictures Entertainment hacking incidents and the recent cyber security environment; cyber policies and strategies of the ROK and the EU; the outcome of the Global Conference on Cyberspace 2015 held in The Hague; and ways for the two sides to work together on cyber-related issues.

The ROK-EU Cyber Policy Consultations are an exemplary case of the “future-oriented partnership” pursued by the two sides. Their first round was held in Brussels, Belgium, in May 2014 pursuant to the agreement reached between the leaders of the two sides in November 2013.

This is all for my opening statement.


[Q&A]

Q: With regard to the remarks made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan at Harvard University yesterday, please share with us the ROK Foreign Ministry’s position. The Prime Minister said that "my heart aches when I think about those people who were victimized by human trafficking and who were subject to immeasurable pain and suffering beyond description," adding that he shares the same heartache suffered by his predecessors. He went on to say that “Several times in the past, I have had the occasion to mention that I will uphold the Kono Statement.”

A: The ROK government takes note of his remarks that he will uphold the Kono Statement. I guess there will be opportunities down the road for the ROK government to discuss its position on those particular remarks as well as others to come during Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the US.

Q: What does the ROK government make of his reference to sexual slavery as human trafficking?

A: I guess that particular question was raised after The Washington Post had carried an article, where, to my knowledge, he had used the identical expressions. I was going to just say today that the ROK government takes note of the remarks that he will uphold the Kono Statement. Nevertheless, since you have asked that question, let me reiterate what I mentioned before in that regard.

As the Japanese government itself acknowledges in its Kono Statement, “The then Japanese military was, directly or indirectly, involved in the establishment and management of the comfort stations and the transfer of comfort women… in many cases they (comfort women) were recruited against their own will, through coaxing, coercion, etc… They lived in misery at comfort stations under a coercive atmosphere.” This is an excerpt from the Kono Statement.

If the purpose of referring to the sexual slavery victims as victims of human trafficking is to shift the blame for the sexual slavery issue on private operators and to deny the Japanese government’s involvement and/or responsibility, it is an attempt to misrepresent the nature of the issue of sexual slavery victims, which is under no circumstances acceptable to the ROK government and the international community.

Q: It is my understanding that an emergency relief team left for Nepal yesterday. Are any details available regarding its operations after its arrival in the country, such as the specific region of operations and the schedule?

A: Well. An advance team and part of the emergency relief team departed to Nepal aboard an airplane yesterday evening. We do not have many other details in that regard, except that after close consultations with the local ROK Embassy, they will be put to work as soon as possible where they are needed. When more details are available, we will let you know.

Q: They would reportedly consult with the UN first.

A: As you may be aware, before a total of 15 people on the advance team and rescue team left for Nepal yesterday, an official of the Foreign Ministry’s Development Cooperation Bureau had already been dispatched to the country earlier in the day for such consultations. I believe that consultations and rescue operations will move forward at the same time.

Q: Thank you for reading the commentary on the revised Guidelines for US-Japan Defense Cooperation. In many press reports issued this morning and on appear such expressions as the ROK’s diplomatic failure and isolation. Please clearly state the ROK Foreign Ministry’s position on such views.

A: That is a considerably far-fetched and wrong interpretation. As you may be aware, there are things that the ROK government has reiterated all along with regard to the Guidelines for US-Japan Defense Cooperation. The ROK government repeatedly conveyed to the US and Japanese governments its position that in terms of matters that can affect the security of the ROK and the Korean Peninsula as well as the ROK’s national interests, no moves should be made without the ROK’s consent or request. As a result of such efforts by the ROK government, as you must already know, the guidelines call for fully respecting sovereignty of the ROK and other countries.

Concerning the expression, some are interpreting it as being not accurate or somewhat broad. As mentioned at a related briefing just held, it is a basic principle under international law that basically, names of third countries cannot be specified in a document the US and Japan agreed on.

As you know, a senior US official explained to the ROK that the expression “giving full respect to the sovereignty of third countries” is a phrase written to fully reflect the ROK’s position. As you can judge from such expression, this is not a matter where the failure or success of the ROK’s diplomacy can be said.

Q: A related question. In your commentary today, you used the expression “take note.” Your commentary appears to show that the ROK assesses the guidelines a little positively.

A: No, a positive assessment is not what I meant. I meant to say that it is not true that the guidelines show the failure of the ROK’s diplomacy. The expression “take note” in my commentary is a more accurate wording.

Q: I have one more question. Some are saying that the revised US-Japan defense cooperation guidelines are raising military tensions in Northeast Asia. What do you make of this?

A: Regarding the defense cooperation guidelines, I can tell you about the explanations provided to the ROK by the US or Japan. I think you could find the answer there.

The US and Japanese sides have explained to the ROK that the revised guidelines are a document that stipulates the general framework of principles of behavior between the US and Japan for the purpose of defense within the US-Japan alliance.

Q: I have another question. On Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the US, you, Spokesperson, said that there will be an opportunity to talk about that later. Do you mean that you will make an assessment after the Prime Minister’s speech to the US Congress?

A: Understand it as I said. There will be an opportunity to address it later again. It is a little early to say which occasion it will be.

Q: Regarding the revised guidelines, some are expressing concern over extreme cases. For instance, there are some reports that a situation could occur where military tensions over Dokdo rise, leading to a confrontation and the US comes to the aid of Japan. What do you think of such case?

A: Such situation mentioned in some news reports is an extreme assumption. Such situation is irrelevant to the revised guidelines.

If you look at the cases related to the defense and recovery of islands, described in the revised guidelines, they are about responses of the US and Japan in the event of an armed attack on Japan.

The ROK government’s position is that as Dokdo is clearly an integral part of the ROK’s territory, it is included in the territory over which the ROK has administrative control under the ROK-US Mutual Defense Agreement. The ROK understands that the US side is also fully aware of the ROK government’s firm position on Dokdo. Let me repeat that Dokdo is an integral part of the ROK’s territory in terms of history, geography and international law.

I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.


*unofficial translation