Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Cho Tai-young
Feb. 12, 2013  14:30 KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

This morning, artificial seismic waves assumed attributable to a nuclear test were detected in Pung-gye-ri in the North Korean province of North Hamgyeong.

On the heels of this event, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan, who is on a visit to New York, had an emergency telephone consultation with US Secretary of State John Kerry.

The Minister and the Secretary agreed to work closely together to tackle the situation and on the need for a prompt and unified action by the UN Security Council.

Minister Kim also called UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for close consultation.

At our request, the UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting at 9:00 a.m., February 12 (New York time).

At the Foreign Ministry headquarters, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lim Sung-nam had emergency phone calls with the US and Japanese head delegates to the Six-party Talks to assess the relevant developments and to discuss ways to respond to them.

In addition, the Foreign Ministry held an internal emergency meeting starting at 1:15 p.m. to assess the situation and discuss ways to respond.

Also, the Foreign Ministry immediately notified the situation to all of its overseas diplomatic missions and instructed them to heighten their alertness.

In a bid to brace for any unexpected occurrences, the Ministry has decided to instruct them to make every effort to ensure the safety of ROK nationals staying and living abroad.

These are the measures the Foreign Ministry has taken so far in response to North Korea’s nuclear test.

[Q&A]

Q: There are press reports that North Korea gave an advance notice to China and the US yesterday on its plan to press ahead with its third nuclear test. Could you tell us when the ROK government learned about this?

A: I cannot tell you that. What I can tell you, though, is that close consultation is going on among the ROK, the US and China.

Q: At the National Assembly the other day, the Foreign Minister raised the possibility of North Korea conducting a nuclear test on February 12 or 16. And today happens to be the day the US President is set to deliver the 2013 State of the Union Address.

Please tell us why the ROK government deems North Korea conducted the nuclear test today.

A: I don’t think I am in a position to tell you why North Korea did what it did today.

Q: A number of meetings took place today on the heels of the nuclear test. I understand that the UN Security Council will also convene. Please tell us what will be discussed at the UN tomorrow. I heard that the ROK government has also discussed possible responses. Could you share with us what those responses are?

A: At its emergency meeting at 9:00 a.m., February 12, New York time, the UN Security Council will assess the situation and discuss ways for it and the rest of the international community to respond.

As you must be well aware, in its Resolution 2087, UN Security Council expressed its determination to take significant action in the event of a further provocation by North Korea. The meeting is expected to discuss what action could be taken under the resolution.

Q: Is the detected tremor assumed, but not yet confirmed, attributable to a nuclear test?

A: That’s what I understand.

Q: What level of sanctions will the ROK government insist that the UN Security Council should impose on North Korea this time?

A: As I have just told you, in its Resolution 2087, the UN Security Council clearly expressed its determination to take significant action in the event of a further provocation by North Korea.

I cannot foretell at this point specifically what such action will be. Nonetheless, the ROK government expects that the Council will take stern measures in line with the content of Resolution 2087.

Q: You said that Special Representative Lim Sung-nam had telephone conversations with the heads of the US and Japanese delegations to the Six-party Talks. But there was no mention of the Chinese and Russian counterparts. Is there any plan to talk to them as well?

A: Yes.

Q: Could you elaborate?

A: What I said was that Special Representative Lim had telephone conversations with the heads of the US and Japanese delegations to the Six-party Talks. The ROK government will consult closely with key members of the Six-party Talks.

Q: The ROK government appears to have issued no official commentary on the nuclear test yet. Could you provide us with one conveying regrets or a plan to impose sanctions on North Korea?

Q: A meeting is under way at Cheong Wa Dae, after which our stance is expected to be announced.

I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.

* unofficial translation