Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Soosuk Lim

March 23, 2023  14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

A resolution on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will be adopted at the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council on April 3 or 4.

New elements to be added to the resolution include a call for a review of the North Korean law on Rejecting the Reactionary Thought and Culture as well as concerns about the nationals of other Member States detained in the DPRK.

The ROK government co-sponsored a UNHRC resolution on the situation of human rights in the DPRK for the first time in five years and participated actively in the discussions on the text of the resolution.

The ROK government will continue to take an active part in the efforts of the international community, including the UN, to improve the dire human rights situation in the DPRK.

Next, the first meeting of the heads of overseas diplomatic missions since the inauguration of the current government will be held from March 27 to 31. The meeting will be attended by around 160 heads of overseas diplomatic missions, including ambassadors and consuls-general.

In the upcoming meeting, in order to realize the government's national vision of becoming a “Global Pivotal State,” the participants will mainly discuss ways for overseas diplomatic missions to strengthen "sales diplomacy” as a front base for export.

To do so, the event will feature a range of meetings, including a one-on-one meeting between mission heads and entrepreneurs, a meeting of mission heads on supporting the export of nuclear power plants, and a strategy meeting on the export of defense articles, where the participants will discuss concrete ways to expand exports around the world.

In addition, they will hold three thematic discussions and divisional discussions of each region under the themes of proactive economic security, sustainable peace, and the protection of overseas Koreans, and focus their discussions on concrete ways to realize the vision of “Global Pivotal State” and implement the Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Besides, the participants will have an opportunity to communicate directly with the public, including through a dialogue with the young generation and volunteering.

Lastly, the mission heads will visit the venue for the World Expo in Busan and reaffirm their resolve for a successful bid for the World Expo in Busan.

(A question-and-answer session followed.)