Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Cho Tai-young
Oct. 24, 2013 14:30 KST


Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Today, I have four announcements to make.

First, ambassadors to ASEAN will visit the Republic of Korea.

As you know, permanent ambassadors are dispatched to the UN. Likewise, ASEAN has permanent ambassadors from its member states stationed there. The ten permanent ambassadors to ASEAN and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community will visit the ROK from October 26 through 30.

These ambassadors comprise the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) to ASEAN. The CPR was launched in 2009 as the permanent consultative mechanism among the resident ambassadors to ASEAN.

This body plays a pivotal role in ASEAN’s decision-making process and serves as a channel for cooperation with non-ASEAN countries.

The ROK government, from last year, invites CPR members to the ROK for them to make a tour of different regions in the country, take part in cultural events, and engage in exchanges with Korean entrepreneurs.

This invitation program is expected to ultimately help raise the CPR members’ awareness of the ROK and enhance their understanding on the country’s foreign policy.

On October 30, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se will meet with the CPR delegation to exchange views on the development direction of the ROK-ASEAN ties. On the same day, the Deputy Minister for Political Affairs will host a luncheon for them.

For your information, the ROK government established its Mission to ASEAN last year.

Moving on to the second announcement, the 6th ROK-Chile High-level Policy Consultation will take place at the Foreign Ministry, Seoul, on Monday, October 28. This Policy Consultation is held every other year.

The ROK and the Chilean delegations to the upcoming meeting will be led by the Foreign Ministry’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Lee Kyung-soo and Sub-Secretary of Foreign Relations Daniel Carvallo, respectively.

At the Consultation, the two sides are expected to review the progress in the implementation of their bilateral FTA and discuss ways to work together in a wide range of fields.

Thirdly, a private-public delegation consisting of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Police Agency, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and relevant companies will visit El Salvador and Honduras from October 28 through 31 to seek public security cooperation with the countries.

The dispatch of the delegation, which marks the second of its kind, is part of efforts to play a role in resolving public security issues, one of the most significant pending issues in Latin America.

Another purpose of the dispatch is to ensure better protection of the Korean residents and businesses in the countries and pave the way for Korean companies’ entry into their public security field.

As you may know, Latin America is a region vulnerable to public security. The ROK has not only sent delegations but also held seminars on ROK-Latin America public security cooperation in efforts to share its public security knowhow with Latin America.

During its visits to the countries, the ROK delegation will also hold business meetings with local security companies to explore ways for relevant Korean companies to enter the markets in the two countries.

Lastly, a ROK delegation will visit Kuwait and Qatar from October 27 through November 1 to explore markets for water and environment in the Middle East.

The delegation will be led by the Foreign Ministry’s Director-General for Global Economic Affairs Yun Kang-hyeon and comprised of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Environment, the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) and private companies.

Such private-public joint delegations are dispatched to countries, which have great potentials as water and environmental markets, but private Korean companies may face difficulty exploring on their own. In this vein, the purpose of the dispatch is to help Korean companies build a network and gather market information in such countries.

For your information, the regions to be visited by such delegations have been chosen based on the findings from the research on market and corporate demands conducted by KEITI early this year.

These delegations were dispatched to Africa in June and Latin America in early October.

This is all for my opening statement.


[Q&A]

Q: The Japanese Foreign Ministry has reportedly unveiled and distributed a video clip on Dokdo, which the ROK government demanded the Japanese government to remove from the Internet. Please tell us about the Japanese government’s reaction to the ROK demand and what next steps the ROK government plans to take.

A: Very regrettably, the Japanese government has not removed the video clip, yet. Let me stress again right now that the Japanese government should stop such ahistorical behavior right this moment. The ROK government will continue to strongly make this point to the Japanese government and urge it to meet our demand.

Q: You have just mentioned that you would continue to make a strong call. With the Japanese government not removing the video clip despite the demand, what other alternative measures, if any, does the ROK government plan to take in response?

A: As I have just told you, the ROK government will continue to strongly urge the Japanese government to meet the ROK government’s demand and put into action accordingly.

With regard to Dokdo, which is an integral part of our territory, the ROK government will make its best efforts to raise the international awareness of this indisputable fact that Dokdo belongs to us.

Q: Whereas Japan announced earlier this year that it would systematically bolster its claims to Dokdo, in particular, the ROK government merely continues to lodge protests against relevant moves by Japan, which some say is “passive.” What does the ROK Foreign Ministry of this view?

A: In response to every such move by Japan, the ROK Foreign Ministry not only lodges protests but also strongly demands that Japan withdraw such wrongful actions, for example, removing the video clip in the latest case. As I have just said, the ROK government, on its part, is also making many efforts to inform the international community of the truth regarding Dokdo.

Q: Is the ROK government still maintaining its “silent diplomacy” stance with regard to the Dokdo issue?

A: No such stance has ever been set as the official stance of the ROK government. I consider it a way that the press and other observers view and describe the ROK government’s stance. Let me reiterate this: The ROK government has held a consistent, firm and stern stance on that issue and taken actions accordingly.

Q: According to a press report, the ROK government lodged a protest right after the Japanese Foreign Ministry posted the Dokdo video clip on its website on October 16. Is it true? Please tell us when you found out about the video clip.

The ROK Foreign Ministry issued a commentary and summoned the Japanese Diplomatic Minister to the ROK to protest yesterday, which was a week from the date of the posting. I would like to know the reason behind it.

A: The ROK government, immediately after learning about the Japanese government’s plan for this ungrounded move, lodged a strong protest with the Japanese government. Furthermore, yesterday, we issued the Foreign Ministry Spokesperson’s commentary, summoned the Diplomatic Minister of the Japanese Embassy in the ROK and sent a note verbale to strongly protest the wrongful move by Japan and demand that it be immediately withdrawn.

There is no other particular reason behind such response measures by the ROK government that needs to be explained. What I have just told you is the reason for them. The ROK government’s position has been consistent: As stated in my commentary issued yesterday, the Japanese government should immediately stop taking ahistorical actions.

Such ungrounded and ahistorical moves by the Japanese government hinder advances in the ROK-Japan relations, which it seeks to improve. This was also pointed out in my commentary issued yesterday.

The ROK government strongly wants government and political leaders of Japan to open their eyes to this truth.

Q: Kim Jang-soo, Secretary to the President for National Defense, is said to be on a visit to the US from yesterday. I would like to know what diplomacy-related topics are included in the agenda.

A: I understand that Cheong Wa Dae already made a relevant announcement before he left for the country. I deem that it is up to Cheong Wa Dae to discuss matters related to his US visit. Generally speaking, key ROK-US issues will likely be discussed.

Most of the questions today are about the Dokdo issue. I made clear once again the not-so-new but firm stance of the ROK government on that.

Let me take this opportunity to discuss one more thing -- the request to have the names of Koreans removed from the list of those enshrined at the Yasukuni Shrine.

An incomprehensible decision and ruling have been issued in Japan. Enshrining Koreans, who were forcibly conscripted to the Japanese military during World War II, against their will at the Yasukuni Shrine, where Japan’s imperialist wars of aggression are glorified, is an enormous infringement on the honor and personal reputation of the victims and their bereaved families.

This is an indiscreet act that is taken in disregard of the historical background where those Koreans were forcibly conscripted and sacrificed. Despite all this, Japan continues to make such inhumane and ahistorical decisions, which the ROK government deems deeply regrettable.

Put simply, we just don’t understand why the Yasukuni Shrine enshrines those who do not want to be enshrined there. The Korean victims would in no way have wanted that, and their bereaved families have made crystal clear that they don’t, either. I just do not see why Japan forcibly keeps them enshrined at the Yasukuni Shrine against their will and thereby inflict damage and pain on them all over again.

Q: The ruling was in effect followed by demonstrations by local civic groups and various other similar actions. In the face of this whole situation, what measures, if any, has the ROK Foreign Ministry taken in the process in the lead-up to the ruling, after the issuance of the ruling, and/or to support the families?

A: The Foreign Ministry pays keen attention to this issue and has been extending its support to those involved in this lawsuit.

Let me say one more thing before I conclude today’s briefing.

There seem to be correspondents from Japan here. I ask you to clearly relay to Japan the contents of conversations held in this briefing room as well as sentiments, thoughts, and wishes of Koreans you have encountered in the press in Seoul.

It is my hope that by doing so, you will help lead those in Japan, who are making wrong decisions, onto a right path.

I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.


* unofficial translation