Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kyu-duk

December 18, 2018  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

First, the opening ceremony of the relocated “passport and consular services office” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will take place tomorrow, December 19, in the presence of Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho.

The “passport and consular services office” and the Passport Division were relocated from Korean RE Building in Susong-dong, Jongno-gu, to the Diplomatic Center, Seocho-dong, last week, formally embarking on work there yesterday, December 17.

At the opening ceremony, Vice Minister Lee will ask the Passport Division personnel to carry out their work at the relocated office with the determination to provide better services to those in need of their help; and will offer encouragement to the volunteer workers and the other members of the personnel.

Moving on to the next and last topic, after his meeting today with the top negotiator of the Russian Federation on the North Korean nuclear issue, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon will hold a meeting with US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun in their capacity as top negotiators of the Republic of Korea and the United States on the North Korean nuclear issue, and attend a meeting of the ROK-US working group. Special Representative Biegun will be on a visit to the ROK from December 19 till 22.

In their meeting, the two Special Representatives will discuss in detail the inter-Korean relations and the full range of nuclear and other issues concerning the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including the results of the recent contacts between the United States and the DPRK as well as diplomatic response strategies on the North Korean nuclear issue to be implemented in early 2019 and other ways to seek tangible progress toward denuclearization and peace.

The series of meetings with major countries related to the North Korean nuclear issue is expected to serve as an opportunity to review the outcome of diplomatic work in 2018 regarding the North Korean nuclear issue and to fine-tune the direction of relevant diplomatic efforts to be taken in early 2019, which will mark a watershed for the denuclearization and the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Thank you.

(A question-and-answer session followed.)

* unofficial translation