Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kyu-duk

March 8, 2018  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Today, I have three announcements to make.

First, Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam, together with State Secretary Pascale Baeriswyl of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, held the fourth Republic of Korea-Switzerland policy consultation in Seoul earlier today, March 8.

In the consultation, the two senior diplomats took note of the bilateral summit talks during Swiss President Alain Berset’s visit to the ROK in February and other currently ongoing robust high-level exchanges between the two countries; and discussed ways to work more closely together across the board, including political affairs, economy, finance, education, science, technology, healthcare and medical services.

In addition, the two sides exchanged views on current situations on the Korean Peninsula and in other parts of the world as well as ways to work together on the international stage.

Moving along, just ahead of the kickoff of the PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games, “a Pyeongchang international forum on human rights of the challenged” will take place at St. John’s Hotel in Gangneung at 1:00-4:00 pm, March 9, to express wish for the success of the PyeongChang Winter Paralympics and to enhance the significance of the sporting event. The forum will be hosted by the Foreign Ministry and bring together some 100 people, including members of disability-related groups and relevant experts from home and abroad.

At the forum, themed “human rights-based sustainable development for genuine social participation of the challenged,” Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the UN, the first visually impaired Ambassador to the UN, and the first-ever female Singaporean lawmaker with disabilities will deliver keynote speeches and exchange a wide range of views with Korean panelists on ways to implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and sustainable development agenda.

Lastly, with regard to the visit to North Korea by a group of (the ROK’s) special envoys, the Foreign Ministry plans to hold meetings with Ambassadors from major countries and other members of the Diplomatic Corps in the ROK at various levels to share with them the outcome of the visit and ask for their home countries’ support for and cooperation on the (ROK government’s) efforts to enhance the inter-Korean relations in a stable manner and to achieve peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.

This is all for my opening statement.

[Q&A]

Q: Please tell us whether Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha plans to visit the US later this week or this month at the latest.

A: The ROK government, having sent a special delegation to the US, is currently fine-tuning with the latter government the timing of the Foreign Minister’s visit to the country for bilateral consultations on possible next steps. I deem that there will be an opportunity to provide relevant information to you as soon as this fine-tuning work is completed.

Q: I have a question about the Foreign Ministry’s press release issued yesterday, March 7, regarding trade protectionist moves by the US. Its No. 2 paragraph reads “In response to the US move to restrict steel imports… the Foreign Ministry… has underscored possible negative impact… on the ROK-US relations.” What form would you say that negative impact could come in? The ROK and the US are currently in close coordination with each other on North Korean issues. Please share with us what impact the US move could have on this situation.

A: It is the judgment of the ROK government that the trade-related steps currently being taken by the US government are made not from a politico-diplomatic perspective but from an econo-industrial perspective, and thus will not affect the ROK-US coordination on various security matters you have just referred to.

Q: I have a further question. By saying that there will be no impact, do you mean that particular ROK-US dialogue will move forward through a different channel from that on North Korean issues, and that, accordingly, there will be two tracks of dialogue?

A: Right. The ROK and the US are communicating closely with each at all levels on security issues, and remain very strongly cooperative on their policies toward North Korea.

Q: Negotiations on sharing military costs are under way (between the ROK and the US). Please share with us what was discussed there, especially whether the US demanded that the ROK shoulder an increased amount. I have another question. Will State Councilor Yang Jiechi of China visit the ROK in March? If so, what will he come here for?

A: Starting with your second question, I will check further and then let you know.

Moving along, negotiations on sharing military costs are currently under way, although I have nothing yet to share with you about them. Mindful of various scenarios that could be put forward by the US government, though, the ROK government has drawn up a plan as to how to proceed with the negotiations.

The ROK government will do its utmost to reap reasonable and mutually beneficial results that will help to foster an environment facilitating a stable presence of US Forces Korea and to beef up combined defense capability, and will be convincing to the National Assembly and the people of the ROK.

Q: No official of the Foreign Ministry either was included in the special delegation to North Korea or accompanied Chung Eui-yong, chief of the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae’s National Security Office, and Suh Hoon, chief of the National Intelligence Service, on their visit to the US, right? With none of the Foreign Ministry officials having been included in the special delegation to North Korea and the role of the Ministry having been not so noticeable in the course of arranging inter-Korean summit talks and a US-North Korea dialogue, some point out that the Foreign Ministry seems to be somewhat left out. What do you make of this view?

A: With regard to the special delegation’s visits to North Korea and other major neighboring countries, the Foreign Ministry is consulting and cooperating closely with relevant government agencies and countries.

Q: With the Office of the Minister for Trade set to increase the number of its personnel by 50, how many officials is the Foreign Ministry planning to dispatch? Are such matters being worked out?

A: Please come again.

Q: My question is about the plan of the Office of the Minister for Trade to expand its personnel pool. What is under discussion with the Foreign Ministry in that regard?

A: I have nothing that I can share with you about that at this time.

Let me check and then share with you whatever I can.

Q: Some raise the possibility of a US delegation paying a visit to North Korea and vice versa. Do you know anything about that? According to some analyses, the ROK Foreign Ministry and the US Department of State, working together on key North Korean issues through consultative channels as much as possible, are trying to give Secretary of State Tillerson leverage. Is this true?

A: First, there is nothing for me to say regarding the reciprocal dispatches of US and North Korean delegations. Let me answer your second question by saying that the US Department of State and the ROK Foreign Ministry remain highly cooperative with each other at all levels in carrying out their work.

Q: It seems as if a mood for dialogue on the North Korean nuclear issue is currently in the making. Concerning the Six-Party Talks that have remained stalled since 2008, what is the ROK government’s position on resuming them? Is it the ROK government’s position that North Korea should recommit itself to the September 19 Joint Statement, an agreement reached within the framework of the Six-Party Talks? Please share with us the ROK government’s position.

A: Basically, the Six-Party Talks were, in the past, a framework for discussions on the North Korean nuclear issue. Although the Talks have remained stalled for a long time, they are, of course, still useful. By the way, I believe that dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue can come in the format of not only the Six-Party Talks but also various others.

Speaking of the September 19 Joint Statement, the ROK government still holds the position that the Statement contains a broad range of measures which should have been implemented. But with the situation having undergone changes, I will arrange, if possible, an opportunity for a more related official to give you an explanation on that.

Q: Chairman Kim Jong-un of the Workers' Party of (North) Korea has expressed willingness toward denuclearization, which I understand that the ROK government has taken note of.  Nevertheless, many are of the opinion that it is not enough for the UN sanctions against North Korea to be lifted. What requirements does the Foreign Ministry think should be met for those sanctions to be lifted?

A: Dialogue has just begun. I think what you have referred to are matters that should be discussed as dialogue proceeds. So, I have nothing specific to tell you right here.

Q: With regard the six-item agreement announced by the special delegation to North Korea on Tuesday night, what is the ROK Foreign Ministry’s official position?

A: The presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae has already made an announcement on that. I find it inappropriate for the Foreign Ministry to articulate a position of its own or anything like that.

Q: A government-wide preparatory team is expected to be formed ahead of the proposed inter-Korean summit talks. When will that be formed? What role, if any, will the Foreign Ministry play on the team?

A: I believe that interagency consultations will take place to discuss it. When anything is decided in that regard, I will let you know.

Do you have anything further? If not, this will be all for today’s briefing. Thank you.

* unofficial translation