Remarks by H.E. Kang Kyung-wha
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of Korea

Meeting with Foreign Correspondents
11 September 2017

1. Greetings

Mr. Lee Chang-ho, President of the SFCC(Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club),
Members of the board of the SFCC,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to come to the SFCC for the first time in my capacity as Foreign Minister. Apologies for taking so long to come, but the past three months since taking office has truly been non-stop for me -- accompanying the President on his many overseas visits, taking part in Ministerial gathering and meetings and counterparts at both here (Seoul and Busan) as well as overseas, reporting to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, and of course leading the Ministry while launching an ambitious reform drive at a particularly challenging time. At the end of every day, I find myself wishing for a few more hours to the day to do work.

Today, too, we have limited time, so let me start by briefly discussing three things - North Korea’s sixth nuclear test and its aftermath, the outcome of the President’s visit to Russia last week, and his upcoming visit to NY for the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly – and then take your questions.

2. North Korea’s Sixth Nuclear Test and Diplomatic Responses

It has been four months since the Moon Jae-in government was inaugurated, and the North Korean nuclear issue remains the biggest challenge on our foreign affairs and security front and will continue to be so for many years to come.

With the start of the Trump administration in the US and the inauguration of the new government in Korea, there was high expectation that a breakthrough could be made with regard to the North Korean nuclear issue. The US administration’s stance of “maximum pressure and engagement” towards the North has gone hand in hand with the ROK government’s policy of responding firmly to North Korean provocations through tough sanctions while leaving the door open for dialogue should North Korea change course, with the consistent message to the North that should it change course towards denuclearization, we stand ready to offer it security and economic cooperation. Over the past four months, the frequency and intensity of RoK-US coordination at various levels on North Korea has been greater than ever before.

Unfortunately, North Korea has not changed course and continued to move in the opposite direction from the calls of the ROK government and the international community. Its provocations over the past two months have been met with condemnation and alarm around the world.

After twice launching ICBM-class ballistic missiles in July, North Korea threatened that it could strike anywhere in the world, and that it was planning to envelop the island of Guam with missile strikes. In late August, it sent an IRBM flying over Japan. Then, in complete defiance of the united warnings from the international community, the North went on to conduct its sixth nuclear test on September 3rd.

By all measures, the impact of the sixth test has been many times stronger and wider than the fifth conducted in September last year, with the North claiming to have tested a thermo-nuclear bomb.

North Korea’s sixth nuclear test has thrown cold water on the hopes of the ROK, the US and the rest of the international community, which aimed to change the situation and open a path towards a diplomatic resolution of the issue.

Currently, the RoK government has joined hands with the US and other Security Council members to adopt a resolution including new sanctions measures that would result in significantly heightening the economic pressure on North Korea. Many countries have individually adopted or strengthened diplomatic and economic measures to punish and further isolate the North.

North Korea is on a reckless path. The price of its continued provocations in blatant disregard of the peace-loving members of the international community will be instability and economic hardship.

The ROK government will continue to work toward a peaceful achievement of the international community’s common goal of a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea. It will not be easy, but we are steadfast in moving in that direction with patience, perseverance, and complete confidence in the RoK-US combined defense posture and deterrence capabilities.

3. Outcome of the Presidential Visit to Russia

Now the Presidential Visit to Russia. I accompanied President Moon on his visit to Vladivostock for the third Eastern Economic Forum last week.

President Moon held summit talks with President Putin, during which the two leaders discussed the various initiatives underway to enhance the RoK-Russia ties, and exchanged views on ways to resolve North Korea’s nuclear issue, especially in light of the latest provocations.

Sharing the aim of expanding substantive bilateral cooperation in Russia’s Far East region, the two Presidents agreed to set up a cooperative channel between the Russian Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the RoK’s newly established Presidential Committee on Northern Economic cooperation; to boost exchanges between provincial governments; to relaunch a financing platform to encourage business investments in the Far East; and to form a joint working group to study the feasibility of the ROK-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) FTA.

The two sides also agreed to continue working together in such fields as shipbuilding, agriculture, fisheries and port development, as well as those fields that will serve as growth engines for the future, such as health and medical care, Arctic cooperation, science and technology.

At the third Eastern Economic Forum, the President, through his keynote speech, shared with the other participants the ROK government’s new northern economic policy and vision, based on “nine bridges” -- gas, railroads, ports, electricity, Arctic routes, shipbuilding, job creation, agriculture and fisheries.

On North Korea, the two Presidents strongly condemned North Korea’s sixth nuclear test, and agreed on the urgency of the need to resolve the North Korean nuclear and missile issues as soon as possible. The leaders also agreed to work to ensure that the development of the Far East will induce North Korea’s change and participation, thereby leading to trilateral cooperation among ROK, North Korea and Russia.

During his visit to Russia, President Moon also met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Mongolian President Battulga, and discussed bilateral issues and North Korea. I myself also met separately with my Japanese counterpart, and engaged in in-depth discussions on the bilateral agenda, including the North Korean nuclear issue.

Next week, President Moon will visit New York to attend the UN General Assembly. And I will accompany him for all of his engagements at the UN, and then stay on for two more days for several bilaterals and events.

The President’s participation in the 72nd GA will provide an opportunity to reaffirm the international community’s support on issues regarding the Korean Peninsula, including the North Korean nuclear issue. At the same time, it will serve to demonstrate the President’s commitment to broadening and deepening Korea’s diplomatic horizons. It will also be a chance to generate the support of the international community for the PyeongChang Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games in February next year.

5. Concluding Remarks

In conclusion, with the situation on the Korean Peninsula changing by the day these days, I can imagine how busy you all must be delivering news on Korea quickly and accurately back to your headquarters.

Thanks to your hard work, many people around the world are aware of the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and my government’s foreign policy. This is my first engagement with you, but I certainly hope to come back as often as possible. Thank you very much and now I’ll take your questions.