Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kyu-duk

March 13, 2018  14:30 KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

First, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will visit Washington, D.C., the United States, from March 15 to 17, and meet with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on March 16.

In the meeting, which will come on the heels of the visits to North Korea and the US by a special delegation of the Republic of Korea, Minister Kang and her US counterpart Tillerson will share their assessments of the recent, fast-paced developments in the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and discuss ways the ROK and the US can work together closely and strengthen their alliance.

They will also discuss issues of mutual concern, including the latest trade protectionist moves by the US, and other economic and trade issues.

During her visit to the US, Minister Kang will meet with key figures of the US Senate and House of Representatives, and asked for continued support and cooperation from the US Congress to further strengthen the ROK-US alliance and to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue peacefully.

Moving on to the next topic, Foreign Minister Kang and Minister of Environment Kim Eun-kyung had a minister-level policy consultation today, and agreed to work to enhance the two Ministries’ understanding of issues that require cooperation and joint responses, as well as to step up their cooperation on the issues.

The two sides discussed key environmental issues, including climate change, responses to sustainable development goals, ways to increase the ROK’s presence in the global environmental arena, and bilateral cooperation, and agreed to continue to work together to ensure that cooperation projects will move forward smoothly.

The two sides will stress the importance of smooth communication and cooperation not only through high-level dialogues, but also through director-general-level and working-level ones, on issues that require cooperation between the Ministries, and continue to cooperate to strengthen their leadership at home and abroad in the environmental sector.

This is all for my opening statement.

[Q&A]

Q: Are there any plans for a foreign ministerial meeting among the ROK, the US and Japan or a meeting of top negotiators at the Six-Party Talks among the three countries during Minister Kang’s visit to the US?

A: I have no information on that. I will check it further, and if there is anything I can share with you, I will do so.

Q: To my understanding, North Korea expressed its commitment to denuclearization during the ROK special envoys’ visit to the North. It appears that people are wondering what kind of denuclearization North Korea meant. Is the denuclearization of North Korea that the ROK government is working to achieve the complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization, known as CVID?

A: With regard to the denuclearization of North Korea, the ROK government has said on many occasions that it will work to achieve the complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization.

Q: Then, will the ROK government continue to work to carry through the CVID at inter-Korean talks or multilateral talks on the North Korean nuclear issue?

A: Yes, I think so. I have something to add regarding Minister Kang’s visit to the US. I think as a result of the ROK special envoys’ visits to North Korea and the US, they have decided to work to hold inter-Korean and US-North Korea summits, and this has created an important opportunity to open up a path towards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the establishment of a lasting peace regime, and co-prosperity for the two Koreas.

The government will not miss the opportunity and continue to make diplomatic efforts in close cooperation with the international community to ensure that inter-Korean and US-North Korea summit talks are held successfully, becoming a landmark in peace on the Korean Peninsula.

In particular, as face-paced developments are expected to be seen on the Korean Peninsula for about two months, including inter-Korean and US-North Korea summits, it is more important than ever for the ROK and the US to frequently hold transparent consultations at each level.

Recognizing this, Minister Kang will meet with her US counterpart Rex Tillerson in Washington on Friday. In the meeting, the two sides will share their assessments of the recent, face-paced developments on the Korean Peninsula, and discuss in depth how the diplomatic authorities of the two countries can work together to hold US-North and inter-Korean talks.

Minister Kang’s upcoming visit to the US is expected to contribute to strengthening close collaboration on the North Korean nuclear issue between the two countries, and establishing the foundation for working-level coordination regarding efforts to hold US-North Korea talks.

Q: This could be a somewhat minor question. Is there a possibility of a Foreign Ministry official being appointed to the inter-Korean summit preparatory committee? I am asking this, because the controversy continues that the Foreign Ministry is being sidelined on North Korea, though denuclearization could be discussed ahead of inter-Korean talks. What do you make of this?

A: Basically, the composition of the preparatory committee is still being discussed within the government, and the Foreign Ministry has been closely communicating with relevant government agencies before and after the special envoys’ visits to North Korea, the US and other countries.

Government agencies have their respective roles to play to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue peacefully and to establish a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, and the Foreign Ministry is discussing the direction of its diplomacy in close cooperation with each government agency.

Q: It has been disclosed that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in the meeting yesterday that North Korea seemed to reach its limit due to UN sanctions on the North. It is somewhat unusual for China to say such thing about the effect of sanctions. What does the ROK Foreign Ministry make of the position expressed by China?

A: I will not comment on the high-level Chinese official’s remark which some media outlets have reported about.

Q: Progress has been made on US-North Korea talks at a rapid pace. As far as I know, US-North Korea talks will take place after an inter-Korean summit meeting in April. If the two Koreas are reunified without a war to our surprise like Germany was reunified, does the ROK government have any scenarios?

A: Each government agency has made necessary preparations for a range of possible situations on the Korean Peninsula. This is my answer to your question.

Q: There are some reports that Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi will visit the ROK next week. Please verify the reports. Also, if he visits the ROK, has any schedule been set for a meeting with a Foreign Ministry official?

A: I was asked the same question the other day. The ROK and China have been frequently consulting on ways of various high-level engagements.

Q: Swedish media outlets continue to report that North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho will visit Sweden. Please tell us if the ROK government has any information on that.

A: I will check it, and if there is anything that I can share with you, I will do so.

Q: The reports said that Secretary of State Tillerson wanted to hear North Korea’s position on a summit directly from the North. After Special Representative Joseph Yun retires, how is the New York channel being operated? Please tell us if there is anything the Foreign Ministry knows.

A: I have nothing particular to say about the issue.

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

* unofficial translation