1. On October 10, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se held a meeting and a working dinner with US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, who was on a visit to the Republic of Korea, to exchange in-depth views on the nuclear and other North Korean issues.

2. Minister Yun noted with appreciation that Ambassador Power’s visit to the ROK came at a very appropriate time, when the UN Security Council is discussing a new sanctions resolution over North Korea’s fifth nuclear test and there are concerns over the possibility of further provocations by the North. He added that the visit will serve as a significant momentum in addressing the North Korean nuclear issue.

° In particular, the Minister brought attention to the situation where North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests and launched 22 ballistic missiles in 2016 alone and is carrying out reprocessing activities in repeated, flagrant violations of UN Security Council resolutions. He stressed that based on their shared sense of gravity of the North Korean nuclear issue and their shared sense of urgency to address it with, it is important for the Republic of Korea and the United States to work toward the adoption of a new Security Council sanctions resolution; enforce unilateral sanctions; and induce the global community to pressure North Korea.

° Minister Yun voiced hope that the ROK and the US will continue close coordination through their channels in New York and their capital cities in order to seek a thorough implementation of Security Council Resolution 2270 and for the Security Council to adopt as soon as possible a new resolution that closes the loopholes of Resolution 2270 and imposes new additional sanctions. He also took note of the fact that the ROK and the US, building on the outcome of the ROK-US-Japan foreign ministerial meeting held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in September, are in consultations on unilateral sanctions.

° Ambassador Power brought attention to the fact that the ROK and the US share the same view regarding next steps; noted that her visit to the inter-Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) and meetings with the ROK’s leading government officials helped her clearly recognize the North Korean threat; and reaffirmed the firm US position that it will seek all possible means to make the North change its calculus, including the adoption of a new Security Council sanctions resolution and diplomatic pressure on the North.

3. Ambassador Power mentioned that her meetings with North Korean defectors on her visits to Hanawon and an alternative school for North Korean defectors helped her see for herself the gravity of North Korea’s human rights issue as well as the urgent need to address it. On that note, she underscored the need for the UN to make more efforts to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.

° The two sides agreed to work more closely together to make North Korea’s human rights issue a topic of international discussions, including by seeking a UN General Assembly resolution and a Security Council meeting on the issue.


* unofficial translation