Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kyu-duk

February 6, 2018  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Today, I have four announcements to make.

First, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian of France will visit the Republic of Korea from February 9 till 11 to attend the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and an ROK-France foreign ministerial meeting.

Minister Le Drian will attend the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics on February 9 on behalf of the French government and a bilateral working dinner with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha in Seoul on February 10.

In their second meeting following the one in October 2017, the two top diplomats will discuss ways to step up substantive cooperation and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Moving along, Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will meet with Executive Secretary Shamshad Akhtar of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) on February 8.

In the meeting, the two sides will exchange views on ways to support bids of Korean nationals to work at ESCAP as high-level officials and other issues between the ROK and ESCAP. They will also discuss ways to work more closely together on their priority policies.

Third, a meeting on “the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Peer Review 2018” report will take place at the Foreign Ministry tomorrow, February 7, bringing together Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, OECD DAC Chair Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, and delegates from civil society, enterprises and the academic circle.

In the meeting, the OECD delegation, based on the Peer Review by other member states, will review the achievements the ROK government made in the field of development cooperation over the past five years and will put forward recommendations regarding its way forward.

In his welcoming remarks, Vice Minister Cho will highlight the ROK government’s plan to use development cooperation as a way to increase its contribution to the efforts to build “a people-centered peaceful and prosperous international community”; and to use its partnerships with such non-governmental sectors as civil society and enterprises to draw more robust public participation therein.

The government intends to take the opportunity to deliberate, together with all the stakeholders of development cooperation at home, on the way forward for the ROK’s development cooperation efforts.

Lastly, President Miroslav Lajcak of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly will visit the ROK from tomorrow, February 7, till 11 to attend the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

During his visit to the ROK, President Lajcak, who is also incumbent Foreign Minister of Slovakia, will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon and attend the luncheon to be hosted by National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun, during which the two sides will discuss the ROK-UN relations, issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and major issues covered by the UN General Assembly.

Prior to his visit to the ROK, President Lajcak contributed greatly to the efforts to make the PyeongChang Winter Olympics a successful and peaceful event: In November 2017, he presided over the plenary session of the UN General Assembly and led the adoption of an “Olympic Truce” resolution therein and, on January 26, 2018, made a solemn appeal to observe the Olympic Truce.

The first visit to the ROK in seven years by a representative of the 193 member states of the UN, along with UN Secretary-General Guterres’ visit to the ROK, is expected to serve as an opportunity to further step up the ROK-UN cooperation.

This is all for my opening statement. I will now take your questions.

[Q&A]

Q: At the invitation of Vice President Pence of the US, the parents of the late Otto Warmbier will accompany the Vice President on his visit to the ROK to attend the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Were there prior discussions between the ROK and the US governments on this? Had the ROK government been aware of it before it was announced?

A: The list of the official US delegates has already been announced. As for the unofficial members of the US delegation, you should check it with the US government. The ROK government is consulting closely with the US government on ways to make a success of the Pyeongchang event.

Q: What, if any, is the ROK government’s position regarding the Warmbiers’ plan to attend the PyeongChang Olympics and to meet with North Korean defectors in Seoul?

A: Vice President Pence’s official schedule in the ROK will include paying a courtesy call on the ROK President and attending a dinner event and the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Olympics, which has already been announced. As for his own personal schedule, the ROK and the US governments are consulting closely, and the former is rendering assistance as necessary. Nevertheless, I deem that it is up to the US government to discuss his personal schedule and events.

Q: According to a press report, President Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka, will visit the ROK, about which consultations are under way. Specifically how far have the consultations moved forward? President Kim Yong-nam of the North Korean Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly will likely be included in the North Korean delegation to the PyeongChang Olympics. Some other government agency may be handling this, but anyway, there will probably be a number of events that leaders of many countries will attend together. I wonder if there are different levels of protocol determined by the Foreign Ministry.

A: In answer to your first question, let me say that the ROK and the US are in close communication with each other on matters regarding US delegates to the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang Olympics. I think that the US government will make a formal announcement at an appropriate time on its delegation to the closing ceremony.

Moving on to your second question, the protocol order for the foreign leaders to visit the ROK during the PyeongChang Olympics will be determined in accordance with international practices. For your information, the seating arrangement for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics is determined by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and in keeping with the order of countries parading into the Olympic stadium, which will be the Korean alphabetical order.

Q: Yesterday, February 5, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga of Japan lodged a strong protest over the marking of Dokdo on the Korean unification flag used during the parade of ROK and North Korean athletes into the stadium. What is the Foreign Ministry’s position on this protest?

A: The Japanese government has expressed its concern (to the ROK government) through a diplomatic channel, in response to which the ROK government articulated its position. It is the basic position of the ROK government that it respects the IOC’s decision regarding the Korean unification flag and, in particular, abides by it at official events hosted or sponsored by the IOC. Anyway, the ROK government explained to the Japanese government that the event the Japanese took issue with was not an official part of the PyeongChang Olympics but was one hosted by the Korea Ice Hockey Association.

Q: You have mentioned that the seating arrangement for the reception to come before the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Olympics will be in the Korean alphabetical order.

A: No, I was referring to the parade into the stadium and the opening ceremony.

Q: Oh, the parade into the stadium and the opening ceremony?

A: Yes.

Q: Could you then tell us about the seating arrangement for the reception?

A: Basically, the protocol order will be set in accordance with international practices. The protocol order is not applied technically but is determined in consideration of the full range of such factors as international practices and the need for smooth progress of the event. As for the specific protocol order you asked about, basically, it is the international practice that the host country of an international event does not disclose the protocol order it has set.

Q: The ROK government mentioned earlier today its plan to provide oil and electricity to the (North Korean) “Man Gyong Bong 92” vessel. Some point out that this could be in violation of the UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea. What does the ROK government make of this view?

A: I have heard that the Ministry of Unification sent out an additional, explanatory text message about the issue. I have also heard that no decision was made in terms of what specifically would be provided (to the North Korean vessel).

Q: I have a related question. It is said that materials or products from the US should not be put on the “Man Gyong Bong 92” vessel. What, if any, has been discussed with the US on this?

A: Close consultations are under way with the US regarding the port entry of the “Man Gyong Bong 92” vessel. It is my understanding that so far, no issue has been raised with regard to the entry of the “Man Gyong Bong 92” into a port in the ROK.

Q: I have a further question. You have just said, “No decision was made.” Would it be correct to say that oil provision (to the North Korean vessel) would constitute a violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions?

A: Please inquire about that of relevant government agencies.

Q: The recent joint (inter-Korean) training at Masikryong Ski Resort (in North Korea) and the situation involving the “Man Gyong Bong 92” vessel have become exceptional cases in terms of the unilateral sanctions the ROK and the US have been enforcing against North Korea. Some point out that such cases could have the effect of somewhat undermining international coordination in pressuring the North.

A: It is the basic principle of the ROK government with respect to North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympics that it seeks to prevent any controversy over international sanctions against North Korea, and thereunder is consulting closely and as necessary with the international community, including the US.

Q: Vice President Pence of the US and President Kim Yong-nam of the North Korean Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly will visit the ROK. There seems to be some speculation regarding the possibility of a meeting between the US and North Korea, or between those two officials. What does the ROK government make of this view? Is the ROK government positively considering arranging a US-North Korea meeting?

A: The ROK government, in close coordination with the US and other relevant countries, is making the full range of diplomatic efforts to induce North Korea to resume meaningful dialogue on ways to achieve a peaceful resolution of its nuclear issue as soon as possible, and will continue such efforts.

Q: According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, US officials are very much displeased over with the ROK and the US failure to communicate smoothly with each other. In response to this article, an anonymous official of the White House said in a background briefing on February 4, local time, that the information in the article was exaggerated, without denying its veracity. What is the ROK government’s position regarding this?

A: The ROK and the US remain in close coordination with each other on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula as well as nuclear and other issues of North Korea. I will not comment on the content of the article you have specifically referred to.

Q: I have a different question. A very dangerous situation is currently unfolding amid a political unrest in the Maldives. The Maldives being a very popular destination for Korean travelers, what measures, if any, is the ROK government planning to take in response?

A: Immediately after the government of the Maldives declared a state of emergency, the ROK government had its consular assistant in the country as well as its Embassy in Sri Lanka, whose areas of jurisdiction include the Maldives, advise the local Korean nationals to pay heed to their safety.

In addition, the ROK government has had the Korean Air office in the Maldives ask the Korean travelers to refrain from visiting Male Island, while posting notices on the website of the ROK mission in Sri Lanka and social media advising the local Koreans to pay serious heed to their safety.

Going forward, the ROK government will continuously monitor the relevant developments in the Maldives and offer consular assistance as needed.

Q: A telephone conversation took place between the US and the Japanese leaders last Friday, February 2. One of the key points made in the conversation between the Japanese Prime Minister and the White House side was that they should not be blinded by North Korea’s “charm offensive,” a point which the two sides reportedly agreed on. What does the ROK government make of such concerns?

A: Basically, I will not make any particular comments on the content of the telephone conversation between the US and the Japanese leaders. Please inquire about that of the US and the Japanese governments.

This will be all for today’s briefing. Thank you.

* unofficial translation