Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Noh Kyu-duk
January 9, 2018 15:30 KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Following the meetings of the ROK and Chinese/ROK and Japanese top negotiators at the Six-Party Talks recently held, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Lee Do-hoon will visit Washington, D.C., the US, from January 10 to 12. He will hold a meeting of the ROK and US top negotiators at the Six-Party Talks, and meet with key US administration officials dealing with North Korea and its nuclear issue, including those at the National Security Council (NSC) and the Department of State.

His upcoming visit to the US is part of efforts to continue close communications and consultations between the two countries, including telephone conversations between the Presidents of the two countries, and between the ROK Foreign Minister and her US counterpart.

The two sides will share recent developments and their assessments of them, and especially engage in in-depth discussions on ways to give momentum to efforts to improve inter-Korean relations and resolve the North Korean nuclear issue peacefully.

This is all for my opening statement.

[Q&A]

Q: I would like to ask a question regarding the Foreign Minister’s announcement today on how the ROK government will deal with the ROK-Japan agreement on the “comfort women” issue. If there are any victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery who want to continue to receive money, is the government going to continue to give money to them?

A: Regarding the future of the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation and related fund, government agencies in charge of the matter will gather a range of views from the victims, related organizations and citizens, and devise follow-up measures.

Q: It has been reported that the ROK government is reviewing whether to suspend its unilateral sanctions on North Korea during the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games. What is the government’s position on that?

A: The government will continue to faithfully implement measures to put pressure on North Korea through strong cooperation with the US and other countries around the world, while fully considering the seriousness of North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons and missiles. As North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games is necessary to make the Olympics a peaceful one, the government will review the matter in close consultation with the UN Sanctions Committee and countries concerned, including the US, if any measures regarding sanctions on North Korea need to be taken in advance of a North Korean delegation’s visit to the ROK.

Q: The Japanese Foreign Minister has just said that Japan can never accept non-fulfillment of the agreement on the “comfort women” issue. How will the ROK government demand the “victim-centered responsibility” of Japan?

A: The ROK government expects the Japanese government to respect the fact that when the agreement on the “comfort women” issue was reached, it apologized and expressed remorse to all the women who underwent a lot of painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women, as well as the purpose and spirit of the agreement, and to voluntarily show sincerity to restore the honor and dignity of the victims and heal their wounded hearts.

Q: In her announcement today, Foreign Minister Kang stressed “victim-centered measures.” The victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery are demanding a renegotiation of the issue. How will the ROK government persuade them, and what attitude will the government take?

Also, in her announcement, the Foreign Minister said that the ROK government will consult with the Japanese government on the one billion yen, but will not renegotiate the agreement. How is the consultation different from renegotiation?

A: Taking a victim-centered approach, the ROK government has been gathering opinions on the agreement on the “comfort women” issue to listen to the voices of the victims, their families and related organizations directly, and will continue to communicate with them.

On your second question, the ROK government is not considering renegotiating or scrapping the agreement. It is the government’s position that as it is clear the agreement reached in 2015 cannot resolve the “comfort women” issue, the government will review and deal with all issues related to the agreement under the principle that the resolution of historical issues and the development of bilateral relations need to go together in harmony.

Q: When the agreement on the “comfort women” issue was reached, the Japanese government offered consolation money of one billion yen. If the ROK government replaces it with money from its own budget, will its fundamental nature itself change, and is there a possibility that it will be returned to Japan?

Second, Minister Kang Kyung-wha said that the “comfort women” issue has not been resolved, and that there will be no renegotiation or scrapping of the agreement. Did she mean that issues regarding measures under the agreement have not been resolved, or the “comfort women” issue itself has not been resolved with the agreement?

A: The ROK government has repeatedly said that the 2015 agreement cannot resolve the “comfort women” issue. On your first question on the consolation money of one billion yen, related government agencies will gather various opinions from the victims, related organizations and citizens, and devise follow-up measures. As we have already said in today’s announcement, the ROK government will set up a fund of an equal amount with its own budget to bankroll the one billion yen Japan contributed to the foundation, and consult with the Japanese side on what to do with the Japanese contribution.

Q: The agreement on the “comfort women” issue says that the consolation money will be given to each individual victim. But you said that the ROK government will set up a fund with its own budget to bankroll the Japanese contribution, and use the fund to do what it will do. There actually can be many ways the fund can be used, and it means that instead of being used for consolation money for the victims, the fund can be used for other programs. Then, won’t it change the nature of the fund described in the agreement a little bit? Also, I would like to know if there is a possibility that the Japanese contribution will be returned to Japan.

A: Not only the victims but also the Korean people have not been able to acknowledge the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation’s programs and activities in some respects. Considering this, the ROK government will use its own budget to bankroll the entire contribution of one billion yen that the Japanese government made to the Foundation, and continue to work to resolve issues related to that.

Q: Where will the ROK government deposit the one billion yen, after replacing it with money from its own budget? Also, you said that the government will consult further with the Japanese government. However, Foreign Minister Kono said moments ago that Japan can by no means accept the ROK’s demands for additional measures. It is highly likely that Japan will not agree to hold consultations on what to do with the one billion yen in the first place. How will the ROK government respond to that?

From the early stages of the launch of the task force on the “comfort women” issue, the ROK government has used the term “victim-centered approach” many times. How does the government define “victim-centered approach”?

Two-thirds of the victims, or most of them, have accepted the 2015 agreement and received consolation money. Given this, today’s decision seems to run counter to most victims’ choice. What is your position on this?

A: I will answer your fourth question first. Some Korean people are opposed to the foundation’s assistance, but some victims have already received assistance from the foundation. Therefore, taking it into account in a balanced manner, the ROK government will work to restore the honor and dignity of the victims and heal their wounded hearts.

Next, regarding victim-centered approach, I think that the most important factor in the approach in resolving universal human rights issues related to wartime sexual violence against women, such as the “comfort women” issue, is paying more attention to victims’ concerns and opinions than to anything else, and guaranteeing victims’ meaningful participation and consultations with them throughout the whole problem-solving process.

Concerning the Japanese response, the ROK expects consultations on the issue to be held on a range of diplomatic occasions.

On your first question, such specifics will be reviewed by related government agencies.

Q: It could be a minor question, but there is a lot of talk on the Foreign Minister’s remarks on the one billion yen. Regarding the one billion yen the Japanese side paid into the fund for the victims, please tell us specifically how the compensation to the victims is going. For example, how many surviving victims or bereaved families received how much money? Can you disclose such details now?

A: We will give you such exact numbers or amounts later on another occasion.

Q: I have two questions on the agreement on the “comfort women” issue. You said that the ROK expects the Japanese side to voluntarily show sincerity to heal the wounds, as they said in the 2015 agreement. If Japan does not voluntarily show sincerity or take any concrete action, what can the ROK demand?

Foreign Minister Kang made the announcement today after giving a lot of thought to the issue, but under the immediate-past government, former Minister Yun Byung-se and the then Japanese Foreign Minister themselves reached the agreement. It appears that many people are criticizing that the Foreign Ministry, which gave the impression of a considerable retreat from the agreement, is being swayed by the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae or domestic political situations. What is the Foreign Ministry’s position on that?

A: I will answer your second question first. We have already made it clear many times that the 2015 agreement cannot resolve the “comfort women” issue. The agreement not only runs counter to the truth and the principle of justice, but also excluded the victims and was reached unilaterally, so it is true that the agreement has serious flaws, both in process and content. However, it is also an undeniable fact that it was an official agreement between the governments of the two countries.

The ROK government will exert its best efforts wholeheartedly to restore the honor and dignity of the victims and heal their wounded hearts, which is the essence of the “comfort women” issue, while listening carefully to the opinions of the victims.

On your first question, what the victims have consistently wanted is a voluntary and sincere apology. It is the ROK government’s position that if the Japanese government voluntarily shows sincerity to restore the honor and dignity of the victims and heal the wounds in their hearts, the ROK government will welcome it.

Q: It could be a question similar to those previously asked, but I would like you to clarify your position. Minister Kang said that the ROK will consult with Japan on what to do with the one billion yen fund going forward. Please tell us if she was talking about returning the fund to Japan, or a possibility of doing so.

I have one more question. Is it the Foreign Ministry’s current position that it will not fulfill the agreement on the “comfort women” issue? Japanese Foreign Minister Kono used the word “non-fulfillment.” Is the Foreign Ministry not going to fulfill the agreement?

A: The ROK government will replace the one billion yen from the Japanese government with money from its own budget, and consult with the Japanese side on what to do with the one billion yen. On specific ways to handle the fund, it is too early to tell you anything on the issue. I think further reviews and consultations will be needed on that.

On your second question, the ROK government will continue to collect a range of opinions from the victims, related organizations and citizens, and devise follow-up measures.

Q: As far as I know, Japanese Director-General Kanasugi was quite displeased with the fact that when he came to the Foreign Ministry yesterday, there was no word about the ROK’s announcement on its position on the agreement on the “comfort women” issue today. Has the ROK government informed the Japanese side of anything regarding the announcement today in advance, and how did Japan respond to that?

A: The ROK informed the Japanese side of the announcement in advance through diplomatic channels, and the Japanese side explained once again its position on the issue. I will not comment on the Japanese Director-General’s such response.

Q: I have two questions. When Minister Kang met with the victims and related organizations over the weekend to gather their opinions, what recommendations did they make on how to operate the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation?

Second, in her announcement today, Minister Kang said that the 2015 agreement cannot be a genuine solution to the “comfort women” issue. Then, I would really like to know specifically what conditions you think can be a genuine solution to the issue.

A: On conditions for a genuine solution, the ROK government will devise such measures, gathering opinions from the victims, related organizations, experts and the people.

Regarding what opinions the victims gave…

Q: On the operation of the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation.

A: Regarding the operation of the Foundation, as you know, some victims who have accepted programs offered by the Foundation appreciated the government’s efforts so far, and some other victims talked about the need for an apology from the Japanese government. On the other hand, there are also some victims who took a stronger stance.

Q: Concerning unilateral sanctions on North Korea, you said that if it is needed to ease sanctions on North Korea in some areas during the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, the ROK would hold close consultations. It seems that there is a possibility of a big North Korean delegation of more than 100 people attending the Olympics. I think what you have just said is no different from what the Ministry of Unification has said. Given the international community’s efforts to impose sanctions on North Korea, what is the Foreign Ministry’s position on the possibility of reviewing measures to ease sanctions on North Korea to some degree?

A: What I have said earlier on sanctions on North Korea is the Foreign Ministry’s position.

Q: I would like to clarify one more thing. You have repeatedly said that the ROK government will not scrap the agreement on the “comfort women” issue. Then it appears that the agreement still holds. As far as I know, there is a provision in the agreement on the “comfort women” issue that the two countries will work to refrain from criticizing each other regarding the issue in the international community.

What attitude will the ROK government take on the “comfort women” issue on the global stage? Is it the government’s position that it will continue to refrain from bringing up the issue, as agreed?

A: It is the government’s position that it will review and deal with all issues regarding the agreement under the principle that the resolution of historical issues and the development of ROK-Japan relations need to go together in harmony.

Q: Do you have any information to share regarding the possibility of Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the ROK during the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, and the plan for an ROK-China-Japan trilateral summit?

A: On the ROK-China-Japan trilateral summit, Japan, which will host the summit, is working to come up with a date that the three countries can agree on. On the other question, we think that the issue is being reviewed by the Japanese government.

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

* unofficial translation