Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Cho Tai-young
Jan. 9, 2014 14:30 KST


Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Today, I have one announcement to make.

First, the fourth Policy Planning Consultation between the Republic of Korea and Hungary will take place in Seoul on January 13. The ROK and the Hungarian delegations to the meeting will be led by Director-General for Policy Planning Shin Beom-chul and Director of the Department of Strategy and Planning Adam Szesztay of the Foreign Ministries of the two countries.

For your information, the ROK-Hungary Policy Planning Consultation is the consultative channel between the policy planning divisions of the Foreign Ministries of the two countries. In these meetings, the two countries share their analyses of the international situation as well as their respective policy planning processes and thereby strengthen their policy planning capabilities.

The main agenda of the upcoming meeting will include the global strategic environment and trends in regional integrations; the security environments of Europe, the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia; and experiences of the two countries in planning foreign policies and strategies.

The ROK Foreign Ministry hopes that the forthcoming meeting will help enhance Hungary’s understanding and seek its cooperation on the ROK’s key foreign policies, including the Trust-Building Process on the Korean Peninsula, the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative and middle power diplomacy.

This is all for my opening statement.


[Q&A]

Q: I understand that at the recent ROK-US Foreign Ministers’ meeting, the two countries agreed to hold more in-depth bilateral consultations on the situation in North Korea. Will the two build a consultative channel solely for this purpose? Will they then expand it even further into a multilateral channel? Some people seem to see this mechanism in linkage to the Six-Party Talks. What do make of this view?

A: This issue was discussed in the Foreign Minister’s joint press conference with the US Secretary of State after their meeting. The Foreign Minister also gave a relevant explanation at the meeting with Korean correspondents stationed in Washington. The matter was made clear at the meeting.

As you must know, the internal situation in North Korea is fluid. So, the Foreign Minister expressed his view that under such circumstances, the ROK and the US should consult more closely with each other on the situation in North Korea.

In that vein, he mentioned that the two countries will step up consultation on this North Korean situation issue, including through the existing diplomatic channels.

How that channel will develop further is a thing to be seen in the future. As such, I believe I will be able to give you relevant details when necessary and appropriate. I understand that such mechanism will be separate from the Six-Party Talks.

Q: I have a related question. Are discussions on the possible establishment of a separate consultative channel under way?

A: As I have just said in answer to one of the questions, there already exist a number of diplomatic channels. As for what will become of them and future ones, I deem at this point that I will have opportunities to give you relevant explanations as tangible progress is made in that regard.

Q: What is the ROK Foreign Ministry’s assessment of this framework of Six-Party Talks aimed to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue? Recently, China’s moves to resume the Six-Party Talks have considerably decreased. In what ways and to what extent do you judge the Six-Party Talks are still effective for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue and promoting the peace on the Korean Peninsula?

A: In a nutshell, the ROK government considers the Six-Party Talks a useful tool for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. We just find it regrettable that the Talks remain unresumed. The ROK government has reiterated time and again that in order for the Talks to resume, North Korea should demonstrate its sincerity toward denuclearization through concrete actions.

Q: According to some press reports issued after the ROK-US Foreign Ministers’ press conference yesterday and earlier today, the two countries discussed possible contingencies in North Korea and the possible establishment of a consultative channel to prepare for them. I would like your elaboration on this.

A: The Foreign Ministry clearly spoke to you reporters yesterday with regard to contingencies. The proposed intensification of consultation on the North Korean situation currently being reported by media outlets is not being mulled with possible contingencies in North Korea in mind.

Q: Was this discussed between Minister Yun and Secretary Kerry in their meeting yesterday?

A: As I have just said, consultations on the North Korean situation will not be stepped up with possible contingencies in North Korea in mind. As far as I know, this issue was not discussed in the ROK-US Foreign Ministers’ meeting.

The expression used at the joint press conference in Washington was “consultations to assess the North Korean situation.” Rather I would like to know how that expression turned into “contingencies.”

Q: About eight hours had passed since the publication of such press reports until the ROK Foreign Ministry expressed its position on them. Despite the explanation from the Ministry, many media outlets are issuing articles regarding contingencies. What do you think went wrong?

A: I do not deem that I am in a position to discuss that.

Q: Do you think reporters have understood it incorrectly?

A: I guess you should answer that question to me, as those articles have been written by colleagues of you reporters. I have heard that when incorrect articles were issued, action was taken in Washington. Similar actions were taken in Seoul as well when such incorrect articles were found.

Q: Will Japan be included in the proposed multilateral consultative channel on the North Korean situation?

A: As I told you moments ago, the ROK and the US discussed this during the Foreign Minister’s visit to the US. To what extent this channel will be expanded will be informed to you when tangible progress is made in this regard.

Put differently, I deem it appropriate to let you know when the scope of the channel is actually expanded.

Q: According to a press report yesterday, Japan’s Shimane Prefecture will invite Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other high-level government officials of Japan to the so-called “Takeshima Day” event scheduled for February 22, which seems to be true. What is the ROK’s position on this so-called “Takeshima Day” event? Should the Prime Minister and other high-ranking government officials attend the event, how would it affect the situation between the ROK and Japan?

A: There is a video the Foreign Ministry disclosed at 0:00 a.m., January 1, to widely spread the truth about Dokdo. I don’t know if you have all watched it. The video begins with this phrase: Dokdo was first sacrificed in the course of Japan’s invasion of the Korean Peninsula. This is the historical truth and the ROK people’s view on Dokdo. The Japanese government, politicians and people should never forget this.

To speak repeatedly, Dokdo is an integral part of the ROK’s territory in terms of history, geography and international law. Why does Japan hold an event on Dokdo, giving a name to it? It is unacceptable and completely absurd. And why do the Japanese top politicians and government officials, including the Prime Minister, attend the event? That is also absolutely inapprehensible.

Japan should distinctly remember that Dokdo was first sacrificed in the course of Japan’s invasion of the Korean Peninsula and reflect on it. As repeatedly stated, we believe that to immediately stop making preposterous and unjustifiable claims over Dokdo is the foundation and starting point for the ROK-Japan friendship. This is my answer to your question.

Taking this opportunity, I advise the Japanese to watch our video on Dokdo. English and Japanese versions of it will also be posted soon. If you can understand Korean language, visit our website and watch the video. You will come to know the truth.

Q: I have a further question. You just said that English and Japanese versions of the video on Dokdo will be released soon. Please tell us roughly when a Japanese version will be posted.

A: I acknowledge that the Japanese are very meticulous, but please wait a little bit.

Though you asked about Dokdo, let me add this. There were Japanese and Korean media reports yesterday on Prime Minister Abe’s remarks about the visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. I understand that he made the remarks on a certain TV program.

Some Korean news media used the expression “all our words fall on deaf ears” in reference to Prime Minister Abe’s remarks. The expression caught my eye for a while.

Q: Negotiations on defense-burden sharing between the ROK and the US are underway. It appears that they are almost in their final stages. Please tell us what the ROK government is focusing on in the negotiations.

A: We will give you all the details after the negotiations end. However, there are two things we can tell you at this time. As I have always said, the ROK government is holding the negotiations, placing an emphasis on these two issues - the ROK’s ability to shoulder the defense burden and the need to provide a stable stationing environment for the United States Forces Korea (USFK). The negotiations began today, and if the two sides don’t reach an agreement today, they will continue tomorrow.

If the negotiations had finished at the end of last year, it would have been most desirable. I am sure you know the reason very well. However, as the negotiations are continuing into the new year, the two sides are participating in the negotiations with determination to reach an agreement this time.

However, I cannot tell you here that I am 100 percent sure the ROK and the US will reach an agreement this time. I will just tell you that they are holding negotiations with such determination.

Q: I have one more question, though I expect more detailed explanations to be provided after the negotiations end. I understand that the ROK government is giving much consideration to improving the burden-sharing system. Please tell us what part of the system the ROK government aims to improve.

A: It is true that some in the ROK have said that the current system needs to be improved. The ROK government is well aware of such public opinion. The government is holding the negotiations, fully taking that into consideration. I would leave it at that for now.

If you don’t have any further questions, I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.

* unofficial translation