Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kyu-duk

February 8, 2018  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will attend the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, to be held at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium at 8 p.m. tomorrow.

The Foreign Ministry will make its utmost diplomatic efforts to ensure that the PyeongChang Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be held successfully, becoming a peace Olympics.

This is all for my opening statement.

[Q&A]

Q: The Ministry of Unification has just announced that Kim Yo-jong, vice director of the Central Committee of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, and her delegation will visit the Republic of Korea on a private jet. To my understanding, Security Council resolutions have provisions regarding inspection of cargo on all planes from North Korea. How will the provisions apply to her visit? Or will the ROK hold consultations on ways to make a request for a suspension?

A: The ROK government has been closely consulting with the international community, including the US and the UN, in line with its basic position that regarding North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, it will comply with the international sanctions regime against North Korea. The government will continue to maintain the basic position.

Q: Regarding the visit to the ROK by Choe Hwi, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, he has been granted an exemption from UN sanctions after all. Doesn’t the ROK government feel any pressure coming from the fact that a precedent of an exemption from international pressure on North Korea has been set? What is the government’s position?

A: Necessary procedures are still underway at the UN Sanctions Committee on North Korea. As far as I know, a final decision has not been made yet. You asked about the sanctions regime. To answer the question, I will tell you once again the ROK government’s basic position.

Regarding North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, the government is maintaining its basic position of complying with the international sanctions regime against North Korea, and will continue to maintain the position.

Q: When the US Department of State announced its list of North Koreans subject to human rights sanctions, including Kim Yo-jong, a year ago, the Foreign Ministry released a commentary in which the Ministry took note of it, as I remember. One year after that, Kim Yo-jong visits the ROK. What does the Foreign Ministry make of this? Does the Ministry think that the US State Department’s human rights sanctions on Kim Yo-jong should be kept?

A: The ROK government is holding consultations with the US government and the UN Security Council on the high-level North Korean delegation’s visit to the ROK. In particular, the ROK government is closely consulting with the US based on the position that it will work to make sure that any problems regarding US unilateral sanctions will not arise.

Q: I heard that the North Korean delegation will visit the ROK on a private jet. Does the plane belong to Air Koryo? I think another problem with regard to the application of sanctions could arise, depending on whether it belongs to the airline. Do you have any information on the airplane?

A: I will check on what you have just said with related divisions, and if there is anything that I can share with you, I will do so.

Q: When you answered a previous question, you said that the ROK government is consulting with the UN. In case of the cargo inspection provision, you just need to inspect cargo to abide by the provision. But you said that consultations are needed, then does that mean that the consultations are underway under the premise that the provision will not apply? It would be appreciated if you could give us more explanation on that.

A: I think there are many issues that need to be taken into consideration and reviewed. What I said was that the government will examine related issues, and if necessary, the government will consult with the international community, including the US and the UN Security Council.

Q: You said that regarding North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, the ROK government will maintain the basic position that it will comply with the international sanctions regime against North Korea. If any requests from the North Korean side during the Olympics run counter to the international sanctions, will the ROK government take steps again to grant them an exemption even after the delegation leaves?

A: What kind of situation are you talking about?

Q: I am asking whether an exemption could be granted later.

A: After the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games?

Q: During the PyeongChang Olympics.

A: What I said anyway was that it is the ROK government’s basic position that in successfully holding the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, it will make sure that any controversy over the possible violation of sanctions on North Korea will not arise. I think you are asking a somewhat hypothetical question, a question about a situation that can happen in the future, so I will not answer the question.

Q: You said that the government’s basic principle is that it will ensure that any controversy over the violation of sanctions on North Korea will not arise anyhow. There are three cases that have been granted an exemption from sanctions so far. What is the government’s position on that? Could you explain why the exemptions were necessary?

A: The ROK government concluded that they were necessary to successfully hold the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, and took the steps that it thought were needed at least.

Q: You said that the government is consulting with the UN on vice chairman Choe Hwi. Is it the government’s goal to remove Choe Hwi from the sanctions list, or is the government consulting with the UN to grant him an exemption just this once?

A: It is a step regarding his participation in the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, so you can consider it a temporary exception.

Q: Vice President Pence, who is on a visit to Japan, said that the US will announce additional sanctions on North Korea. Please tell us if you have any information on that.

A: I will check the report, and consult on what you have just said with related government agencies. If there is anything that I can share with you, I will do so.

Q: There are a lot of expectations on possible contacts between the North Korean and US delegations. Could you tell us anything about the possibility?

A: The ROK government, in close cooperation with the US, has been working to create a favorable environment for US-North Korea dialogues, while urging North Korea to come to the table for meaningful dialogues to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. It is difficult to predict the possibility of contacts between high-level US and North Korean officials during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, but the ROK hopes that the visit to the ROK by officials from the two sides will become an opportunity to pave the way for dialogues to solve the North Korean nuclear problem.

Q: What protocol will apply to vice director Kim Yo-jong? Vice director is a vice minister-level position. Then will protocol that fits the level apply to Kim Yo-jong, or will summit-level protocol apply to her?

A: The protocol ranking of high-level officials who will visit the ROK for the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games will be determined, taking into account international practices.

Q: Can you tell us what protocol applied to a high-level North Korean delegation at past Olympics?

A: I need to check further on that. I understand that it is an international practice that protocol that fits the position of an official applies.

Do you have any further questions? If there are no questions, I will conclude today’s briefing.

Thank you.

* unofficial translation