1. Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Gunn gave a briefing on North Korea's nuclear, missile and cyber threats to the Political and Security Committee (PSC), an ambassador-level consultative body of 27 EU member states, on Tuesday, January 23, at the European Union (EU) headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, at the invitation of the EU.

2. Special Representative Kim pointed out that the arms transfers and military technology cooperation between Russia and North Korea are a flagrant violation of the UN Security Council resolutions and a clear example that shows the security of the Indo-Pacific region and Europe is closely intertwined. He also explained that North Korea is threatening the security of Europe by supplying munitions to Russia, while escalating the level of threats against the ROK by declaring the ROK as its "principal enemy" and even threatening a nuclear preemptive attack and territorial occupation.

3. Special Representative Kim appreciated the EU's continued efforts to improve the human rights situation in North Korea and said that the ROK and the EU should work closely together to respond firmly to North Korea's illegal activities, which seriously threaten peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Europe. In particular, he emphasized the need to actively cut off the revenue that funds North Korea’s nuclear and missile program, in order to dissuade North Korea from further nuclear development. To this end, he proposed that the two sides cooperate closely to respond to North Korea's illicit cyber activities around the world, such as hacking and dispatch of IT workers.

4. On the same day, Special Representative Kim met with Enrique Mora Benavente, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), and Niclas Kvarnström, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the EEAS, respectively, to discuss ways for ROK-EU cooperation on the North Korean nuclear issue.

5. In the meetings with Deputy Secretary General Mora and Managing Director Kvarnström, both sides condemned North Korea for taking advantage of the current international situation to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities and escalate regional tensions. They also expressed serious concern on the proliferation of munitions produced in North Korea and decided to further strengthen cooperation to respond to North Korea's illegal activities that undermine the international nonproliferation regime, through various measures including autonomous sanctions. The two sides also shared concerns on the human rights situation in North Korea and discussed ways to raise international awareness of human rights in North Korea.