Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Cho Tai-young
Jan. 2, 2014 14:30 KST


Let me start my first press briefing of the year. I wish you all a healthy and happy new year.

Today, I will make one announcement and take questions you may have.

On January 4, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se will visit a free-meal facility in Cheongnyangni, Seoul, run by a civic food-sharing group, to take part in food-sharing volunteer work.

As I understand it, this volunteer service is designed for the Ministers of the Republic of Korea to take the initiative in volunteering for the underprivileged and thereby communicate with them.

It was initiated in September 2013 to set a social tone for more people to join the “culture of sharing and caring.”

The event will be joined by some 40 diplomat candidates who are currently undergoing education and training at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy.

For your information, the Foreign Ministry has taken part in this food-sharing service ten times a year since February 2011. The event will be open to you journalists who wish to cover it.

This is all for my opening statement.


[Q&A]

Q: I have a question about the ROK-US Special Measures Agreement. The SMA expired at the end of last year, leaving the two countries without any relevant agreement for the time being. Has the situation given rise to any substantive problems? Are relevant negotiations scheduled to take place this month?

For now, the ROK’s share of defense costs for the year 2014 is expected to amount to 799.7 billion won (approximately 761.6 million US dollars at today’s FX rate). Should the revised SMA require the ROK to shoulder a larger amount, what efforts will be made to adjust it?

A: Your question concerns basically how the appropriated defense costs are used. I deem it more appropriate for you to inquire about it of the Ministry of National Defense, which is in charge of relevant matters.

As I understand it, though, although no agreement was concluded last year, it would not in effect give rise to big problems right now. To my knowledge, although the exact shares of the two countries remain undecided, the Defense Ministry has earmarked the budget to be used from January 1, 2014. For accurate details about this, please inquire it of the Defense Ministry.

Q: I also want to know whether negotiations on defense cost-sharing are scheduled to take place this month.

A: To my understanding, as the two countries need to reach an agreement on defense burden-sharing as soon as possible, they will hold negotiations in the near future.

Q: Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se reportedly held an hour-long telephone conversation with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on December 31. What was the background of the telephone call? What were main agenda items that were discussed between the two Ministers? Please share with us the content of the conversation to the extent possible.

A: The telephone conversation took place at the request of the Chinese side. It lasted for about one hour and its content was already made available in a press release.

Q: I have a further question. Did the agenda include the envisioned visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the ROK and a ROK-China summit?

A: As I have just said, the press release contains main details of the telephone conversation.

Q: I understand that Minister Yun will depart to the US on January 5 on his first overseas trip of the year 2014. He is expected to discuss with US officials the issues concerning Japan and North Korea’s nuclear development, in particular. Please share with us the specific agenda to be discussed during his visit to the US.

A: I discussed it at my last press briefing of the year 2013.

I will answer your question by reminding you that the Foreign Minister will visit the US in early January as well as that the specific date of the visit and the US officials he will meet with will be informed to you at an appropriate time.

Q: Japan's Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Yoshitaka Shindo paid his respects at the Yasukuni Shrine yesterday. What is the ROK government’s position on this?

A: The ROK government’s position on the Yasukuni Shrine and visits of Japan’s political leaders to the shrine is crystal clear, which I believe you must be already well aware of. To reiterate, visits to the shrine reflect their erroneous historical view.

When political leaders of Japan visit the Yasukuni Shrine, which glorifies the country’s wars of aggression of the past and enshrines war criminals who committed innumerable and indescribable transgressions, we cannot but doubt their view of history.

Therefore, Japanese political leaders should demonstrate a correct view of history through sincere actions, one of which is refraining from visits to the Yasukuni Shrine.

Let me stress this once again.

Q: Please share with us the significance or implications of the upcoming visit of Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se to the US. If it is hard for you to give us specific details, could you at least tell us its purpose and/or its significance?

A: I in effect see no need to explain the purpose of the ROK Foreign Minister’s visit to the US. As you are well aware, the US is the ROK’s ally and very important diplomatic partner.

The visit of President Park Geun-hye to the US last year upgraded the ROK-US alliance to a higher level. The ROK government, based on this alliance, works to contribute to peace in Northeast Asia and the rest of the international community.

I think it is very significant for a ROK Foreign Minister to visit the US, one of the ROK’s key diplomatic partners, especially at the beginning of a new year.

During Minister Yun’s visit, the two countries are expected to hold extensive discussions on bilateral and regional issues as well as ways to contribute to the international community.

Q: In his new year’s address, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe once again highlighted his government’s so-called Proactive Contribution to Peace policy. Furthermore, he expressed his will to have the Constitution revised. What does the ROK Foreign Ministry make of this?

A: The ROK Foreign Ministry has expressed its position on such issues on numerous occasions. I see no need to reiterate it.

As reiterated all along, it is the position of the ROK Foreign Ministry that defense and security-related moves by the Japanese government should be made in a way that is wise and respects the basic ideas behind its pacifist constitution and does not undermine the regional stability.

Q: Due to such things as Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, the ROK-Japan relations are not in such good shape. The US appears to want ROK-US-Japan and particularly the ROK-Japan relations to be improved.

How will the ROK government explain to the US government during the Minister’s visit to the US the ROK-Japan perception gap regarding their relations? How does it plan to narrow the gap?

A: Instead of foretelling how the Foreign Minister will explain that in the US, let me share with you the ROK government’s view on the issue.

I discussed the other day the reason behind the current state of the ROK-Japan relations. I also spoke clearly about who was dampening the bilateral relations.

The recent visit of Prime Minister Abe to the Yasukuni Shrine made even clearer who is responsible for the current situation.

It is not that the ROK government does not want its relations with Japan to be improved. As you must clearly recall, the incumbent ROK government, at the time of its launch in February 2013, put a policy priority on stabilizing its relations with Japan. It clearly expressed its willingness to work to make its relations with the country stable.

As for what happened afterwards and what consequences ensued from the rhetoric and actions by Japanese officials, I do not believe I need to explain them again to you, as you must be well aware of them.

I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.


* unofficial translation