Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kyu-duk

February 27, 2018  14:30 KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

First, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will attend the World Journalists Conference 2018, to be held at the Press Center in Seoul on March 5, and host a luncheon.

In her remarks at the luncheon, Minister Kang will explain the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, the ROK’s foreign policy to denuclearize the Peninsula, and ways to work together with the international community.

The upcoming event, which marks the sixth one hosted by the Journalists Association of Korea since 2013, is expected to become an opportunity for journalists from around the world to discuss their role to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and promote world peace.

Moving on to the next topic, Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun attended the 10th ASEAN-Korea Centre Regular Council Meeting Reception, held in Busan on February 26.

In his welcome remarks, Vice Minister Cho highlighted the importance of ASEAN, which has emerged as the ROK’s key partner in a range of areas, including trade, investment and construction orders. He also stressed the Centre’s importance as a bridge for exchanges and cooperation between the ROK and ASEAN in pursuing the New Southern Policy, and asked the Center to carry out more activities.

Lastly, the commencement ceremony of the 15th batch of “undergraduate supporters for safe overseas travel,” run by the Foreign Ministry, will take place on February 28.

The 15th batch of supporters who have completed activities is composed of 113 people -- 27 who conducted promotional campaigns and 86 who made proposals on policies to protect Koreans overseas.

Supporters who have proposed creative and excellent polices to protect Koreans overseas will be given the Minister’s Award.

This is all for my opening statement.

[Q&A]

Q: Minister Kang Kyung-wha mentioned the “comfort women” issue at the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva today. In the agreement on the “comfort women” issue reached between the ROK and Japan in December 2015, the two countries agreed not to blame or criticize each other in the international community. I would like to know if Minister Kang’s remarks could be seen as scrapping of the agreement on the “comfort women” issue.

A: I do not think it is appropriate to connect the remarks by Minister Kang to the agreement. Minister Kang made the remarks to express the ROK government’s principled position that it will work to restore the honor and dignity of the victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery and to make sure that the “comfort women” issue becomes a lesson of history.

Considering that the “comfort women” issue is a universal women’s rights issue, the ROK government has continued to maintain the basic position at related international meetings, including Human Rights Council meetings.

Q: Regarding the possibility of US-North Korea talks, President Trump said that the US wants to talk with North Korea under the right circumstances. What does the Foreign Ministry make of the President’s remark that the US wants to talk with North Korea under the right circumstances?

A: We have also seen the report. It appears that President Trump made the remark to express the US side’s strong commitment to denuclearizing North Korea, as well as its position on the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogues.

The Trump administration has continued to maintain the position that the US leaves the door open for dialogue, keeping sanctions and pressure based on close collaboration between the ROK and the US, and that it is willing to offer North Korea a bright future, if the North makes the right choice.

The ROK government will continue to closely consult with the US at each level on the direction of foreign policy to deal with the North Korean nuclear issue, while at the same time continuing efforts to persuade North Korea to come to the table for dialogue with the US.

Q: I heard that the US top negotiator in the Six-Party Talks will resign. Then, who will be our US counterpart for consultations? Also, President Moon Jae-in asked the US side to lower the threshold for talks. If Joseph Yun, who has actively supported talks, resigns, how should we interpret this?

A: I will tell you that basically, Special Representative Joseph Yun retires for personal reasons and it was not an abrupt announcement. I do not think it would be appropriate for us to talk about who will be his successor for the time being, but as far as we know, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton will take care of related work for a while.

So, we think that we can continue to closely consult and collaborate with the US on North Korea and its nuclear issue, as we have done so, through the interim system.

Q: You said earlier that the ROK will continue close communications and consultations with the US on denuclearization talks. Some media reported that Special Representative Lee Do-hoon will visit the US this week. Has the Foreign Ministry decided specifically who it will send, and what kind of dialogue it will have?

A: To my understanding, specific decisions have not been made yet. I will check once again, and if there is anything that I can share with you, I will do so.

Q: North Korea is strongly criticizing new US sanctions on North Korea, saying that they consider them an act of war. If the US holds talks with North Korea, there is a possibility that North Korea will demand the US ease sanctions. What is the Foreign Ministry’s position on sanctions?

A: Basically, we consider sanctions and pressure on North Korea a means to bring the North to the negotiation table to discuss denuclearization. Therefore, we think that various issues could be discussed in the process of holding such talks.

Q: Minister Kang Kyung-wha said at the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee meeting on the 21st that the US will announce its unilateral sanctions after the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games end. What does the Foreign Ministry think is the reason why the US announced its unilateral sanctions two days before the closing ceremony?

A: I will not comment on the timing. I think the US side just followed their plans. Basically, we think that the US government’s move adding new entities and vessels to its list of unilateral sanctions reaffirms its commitment to resolving the North Korean nuclear issue through peaceful and diplomatic means. We consider it part of efforts to induce North Korea to take the path towards denuclearization through strong sanctions and pressure on the North.

Q: I have another question. Did the ROK government communicate with the US on its planned announcement on unilateral sanctions during the period between the 21st and the date two days before the closing ceremony?

A: The ROK and the US have closely collaborated and consulted at each level and will continue to do so in order to achieve their shared goal of solving the North Korean nuclear problem peacefully.

Q: At the latest UN Human Rights Council meeting, Minister Kang Kyung-wha touched upon the issue of reunion of families separated by the Korean War in connection with the human rights situation in North Korea.

A: What issue?

Q: She mentioned the issue of reunion of families separated by the Korean War. In the past, she delivered keynote speeches focusing on criticizing the North Korean authorities’ human rights abuses. In fact, she talked about the issue, as the Trump administration recently mentioned the issue of North Korean defectors. The reunion of families separated by the Korean War is also an issue about inter-Korean exchanges. Regarding the ROK government’s position that the government sees the North Korean human rights issue not only as an issue of human rights abuses, but also as an issue of inter-Korean exchanges, is the ROK government consulting with the US side?

A: You asked if the reunion of families separated by the Korean War is an issue of exchanges or an issue of human rights abuses. Basically, the reunion of families separated by the Korean War is an issue of major interest for the ROK government. So, in her keynote speech, Minister Kang expressed the ROK government’s clear position on the issue of major interest for the government. Furthermore, in the speech, she also urged the North Korean side to protect and promote the human rights of its people, and to implement recommendations made by human rights organizations.

We talked about such North Korean issues and the issue of major interest for the ROK government, because basically, the keynote address is an opportunity to assess the human rights situations around the world, lay out the direction of human rights diplomacy, and express the ROK’s commitment to working with the international community. Considering this, Minister Kang made such remarks with regard to the North Korean human rights issue.

Q: Some foreign media reported that in order to strengthen efforts to deal with North Korean vessels’ ship-to-ship transfers of fuel and other goods at sea, a Japanese government official asked the ROK and the US to work with Japan to carry out monitoring activities. Please verify the report.

A: We have also seen the report. The ROK government has been keeping a close watch on North Korea’s activities to evade sanctions, while continuing to work with the international community and make efforts to implement related resolutions.

Q: Minister Kang Kyung-wha will attend the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva this evening. I would like to know what she will talk about regarding denuclearization and the North Korean nuclear issue.

A: The Conference on Disarmament is a multilateral disarmament negotiating forum to discuss disarmament and non-proliferation issues. Regarding the North Korean nuclear issue, the ROK government has stressed the need to faithfully implement sanctions on North Korea to induce the North to make the right choice, as well as the need to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through peaceful and diplomatic means. I think that basically, Minister Kang is expected to make related remarks at the upcoming Conference on Disarmament as well in line with the position that the ROK government has expressed so far.

If there are no further questions, I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.

* unofficial translation