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FOREIGN MINISTER's INTERVIEW WITH BLOOMBERG (NOV. 11TH)

[Foreign Minister Kang] We shouldn't read too much meaning into this. But one way of reading it is that the message of the international community, and the global condemnation, and the absolute unacceptability of their nuclear program, is finally getting through. The sanctions are working and that may be causing them to recalculate. It could also mean they are fine tuning some technical aspects of some further provocations. But it’s good that we have this period of no provocations. North Korea in the first instance it needs to stop its provocations period. We hope that this period continues. Otherwise, we will never enter into any kind of serious discussion about denuclearization. Our goal through these sanctions and pressure is to draw them out, to force the point on them that they need to change course.

[Haslinda Amin TV Anchor] Do you think the US and China are taking the right approach or is there any need to bring Russia into the play?

[Foreign Minister Kang] Well, I think they all are very important part. Certainly China, Russia and the US are all members of the security council. permanent members. They write the sanctions and they have a primary responsibility to not only implement the sanctions but to ensure that these challenges to global peace and security are dealt with. So, on that fundamental level, we expect China and Russia to play that very important role. On the North Korean nuclear issue, also I think China is implementing very faithfully the sanctions, it says so and we see the actions on the ground. Russia also says it is faithfully implementing the sanctions.

[Haslinda Amin TV Anchor] Minister Kang, can North and South Korea ever unite?

[Foreign Minister Kang] Well, there is always the future. And I think after a period of peacefully living together, there will come a time when people on both sides feel it’s time. But what we need in the first instance is a permanent peace on the Korean peninsula. As you know that, we are frozen at the armistice agreement at the end of the war and that has not been replaced by a peace agreement. But for us to walk towards a permanent lasting peace, we need to come to terms with the nuclear issue.