Press Briefing

Deputy Spokesperson Ahn Eun-ju

August 30, 2022  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

First, Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin will meet with Ms. Elizabeth Salmon, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), on the afternoon of tomorrow, Wednesday, August 31.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Park will convey the Korean government’s will to strongly support the Special Rapporteur’s activities, and discuss with the Special Rapporteur ways to improve the human rights situation in the DPRK.

On the same day, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Dohoon will also meet with the Special Rapporteur to build a cooperative relationship with her.

Special Rapporteur Salmon’s visit to Korea marks her first since her assumption of the mandate on August 1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects that the visit will help her raise her understanding of the human rights situation in the DPRK and forge close cooperative ties with the Korean government.

Moving on, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Dohoon will deliver welcoming remarks at the 15^th Seoul ODA International Conference to take place at the Shilla Seoul on Thursday, September 1.

The Conference will be co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and attended in person by some 300 people from home and abroad, including officials of governments and international organizations, development experts of donor and recipient countries, and members of academic circles and civil societies.

At the forthcoming event, the participants will explore Korea’s role as a global pivotal state and the way forward for international development cooperation amid the complex challenges facing the international community, and discuss building renewed partnerships for the resolution of global issues.

(A question-and-answer session followed.)