1. On October 31, Amb. Kim Gunn, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, met with a delegation from the United States National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP), including former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Kathleen Stephens, former acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs Susan Thornton, and former Director of the White House National Security Council (NSC) Allison Hooker, on the occasion of the delegation's visit to the ROK. During the meeting, the two sides discussed North Korean nuclear and other issues, and the situation in the region.

2. Special Representative Kim explained that even after the NCAFP delegation’s last visit to the ROK in December of last year, North Korea continued to engage in an unprecedented level of ballistic missile provocations, including the launches of solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and so-called military surveillance satellites, as well as tactical nuclear weapons development and threats. On that note, he stressed that the stronger and more frequent North Korean provocations become, the more important it is to demonstrate that the international community’s resolve to denuclearize North Korea is stronger than North Korea’s will to continue developing its nuclear program. Special Representative Kim noted that the ROK government is making efforts to foster a strategic environment with a holistic 3D -- deterrence, dissuasion and dialogue & diplomacy -- approach, an environment where North Korea would have no other choice but to return to the path of denuclearization. He went on to ask the NCAFP to make active efforts to win the interest of the U.S. government and academia in and support for the work of the ROK and U.S. government toward the denuclearization of North Korea.

3. Special Representative Kim conveyed the ROK government’s deep concern over Russia-North Korea military cooperation that constitutes a clear violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions and undermines peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community as a whole. He went on to explain ROK-U.S. and ROK-U.S.-Japan coordination efforts in response to such moves, including the issuance of the ROK-U.S.-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Joint Statement Condemning DPRK-Russia Arms Transfers on October 26.

4. Special Representative Kim stressed that North Korea's nuclear and missile development is directly linked to North Korean human rights issues, as it has been pursued at the expense of the livelihood and human rights of North Korean people. He added that the ROK government is making diplomatic efforts to not only promote human rights of North Korean people but also prevent the North Korean defectors from being forcibly repatriated against their will.

5. The NCAFP delegation, appreciating the development and achievements of the ROK-U.S. alliance which marks the 70^th anniversary this year, said that the NCAFP will continue work to promote mutual understanding between the people of the two countries.