Press Briefing
Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations Cho Tai-young
Jan. 16, 2014 14:30 KST


Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

Today, I have one announcement to make.

The government of the Republic of Korea, at the Second International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria held in Kuwait on January 15, announced its plan to pledge five million US dollars in humanitarian assistance to Syria in 2014. The Foreign Ministry’s Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Shin Dong-ik led the ROK delegation at the meeting.

The ROK government made the pledge to join international efforts to meet the humanitarian needs in Syria caused by its grave crisis.

The meeting successfully drew pledges from the participating donor countries to contribute the initial sum of 2.4 billion US dollars. The ROK government will continue efforts to offer humanitarian aid in a way that befits its international standing.

This is all for my opening statement.


[Q&A]

Q: Kyodo News agency reported that Deputy Secretary of State William Burns would visit the ROK, China and Japan next week. Could you tell us whether this is true?

A: I am not aware at this point of the specific date of the visit. I understand, though, that he is planning to visit the ROK.

Q: Which officials is he expected to meet with to discuss what agenda items during his visit here?

A: To my understanding, there are not many relevant details yet to share with you reporters today. As always, I will share them with you at an appropriate time.

Q: The ROK government will reportedly launch a task force on trilateral cooperation with North Korea and Russia. Please elaborate on this.

A: The Foreign Ministry is in charge of the government’s policy task to expand cooperation with Eurasia, including through trilateral cooperation projects with North Korea and Russia. In a bid to move such project forward in a smooth manner, the Ministry has decided to launch a task force on trilateral cooperation with North Korea and Russia.

The task force will comprise a small number of officials from the Foreign Ministry and other relevant government agencies.

I understand that the task force will be launched in the near future, this year, to build a cooperative interagency network and implement trilateral projects discussed at the recent ROK-Russia summit, including the Rajin-Khasan project.

Q: At your press briefing on Tuesday, you mentioned that you would check whether the Foreign Ministry had aimed to have the total amount of the ROK’s burden curtailed at the ROK-US negotiations on defense-burden sharing. Please tell us what you have found out. In his briefing on July 31 last year, Representative Cho Won-jin of the ruling Saenuri Party mentioned that the Foreign Ministry aimed to have the ROK’s burden reduced, which I understand that the Foreign Ministry left the remark uncorrected. Please explain what was said at the briefing.

A: As I understand it, the aim to reduce the total amount of the ROK’s burden was referred to not as the sole aim but one of many others. I am not exactly sure as to whether he cited the share reduction as the ROK’s sole aim in its negotiations with the US.

Q: Are you saying then that Rep. Cho gave erroneous information at the briefing?

A: No, I am not.

Q: The US House of Representatives adopted a resolution calling on the US administration to raise to Japan the issue of the country’s sexual slavery during World War II and prompt Japan to apologize over the issue. What does the ROK Foreign Ministry make of this move?

A: The inclusion of the issue of Japan’s military sexual slavery in the US House’s Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2014 once again demonstrates how the international community views Japan’s violation of the dignity and the human rights of women in the past through its forcible mobilization of sexual slavery victims.

The Japanese government should humbly admit to its violation of the universal human rights of women in wartime committed during its imperial aggressions and work to resolve this issue of military sexual slavery as soon as possible. The ROK government strongly demands once again today the Japanese government do so.

Q: In answer to the question on the ROK-US negotiations on defense-burden sharing just moments ago, you mentioned that the reduction of the ROK’s burden was just one of the ROK’s aims pursued in the negotiations. The two countries will continue holding relevant negotiations on an annual basis down the road. Could the ROK’s amount be curtailed in future negotiations?

A: As I already explained to you, under the recently concluded agreement on defense-burden sharing, the amount to be shouldered by each side is tallied through the application of the consumer price index (CPI) of two years before to its share in the year before. In that vein, the ROK’s future burden will likely depend on the CPI.

Q: I pointed out at the briefing on Tuesday that despite the inflation in 2005, the ROK’s contribution was cut by 8.7 percent then. How would you explain this?

A: I understand that there were other things that came into play back then, one of which was the proposed plan to cut the number of the US troops stationed in the ROK.

Q: I have a further question. The relocation of U.S. bases in the ROK will be completed in 2016. Would that have any impact on splitting defense costs?

A: Some of the US bases will remain where they are even after 2016 when the integration of the US – Army – bases in the ROK will be completed. I deem that there would be demand for military construction at the bases, which will stay where they are.

Q: In her interview with an Indian media outlet yesterday, President Park voiced her opposition to the proposed increase in the number of permanent members of the UN Security Council. Some speculate that her opposition in effect is directed toward Japan’s move to become a permanent member of the Security Council. What is the ROK government’s position on this?

A: I understand that the ROK government has already and clearly stated its position on this matter. To reiterate, with regard to the Security Council reform, President Park underscored in the interview the basic direction the ROK government expects the UN Security Council’s reform to move forward in, the stance that the ROK shares with other countries in the Uniting for Consensus(UfC) group. To my understanding, the President expressed neither consent nor opposition toward any specific country.

For your information, the ROK government in principle only supports an increase in the number of non-permanent members of the UN Security Council through regular elections in a bid to enhance the body’s representativeness, accountability, democracy and efficiency.

Q: According to some Korean press reports yesterday, former Prime Minister Murayama of Japan is planning to visit the ROK in mid February. Former Prime Minister Murayama issued the “Murayama statement,” which is currently drawing attention in terms of historical perceptions. Should he visit the ROK, will he meet with high-ranking officials of the ROK government, including the Foreign Ministry? Do you plan to arrange such meetings?

A: I read those press reports myself. As I understand it, the visit is being arranged by the ROK’s political circle. No contacts have been made between his side and the ROK Foreign Ministry in this regard. If meetings between the two sides are proposed or arranged, we will let you then.

Q: To my knowledge, the ROK Ministry of Gender Equality and Family is planning to hold an exhibition on victims of Japans’ military sexual slavery at the International Cartoon Festival to take place in France late this month. Has the Japanese government requested that the plan be withdrawn or made reconciliatory moves in response?

A: I do not know what has been discussed in that regard between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries. Instead of answering that, let me reiterate what I mentioned earlier with regard to the US Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2014 that passed the US House of Representatives.

The Japanese government should humbly admit to its horrendous violation of on women’s human rights committed during its imperial aggressions and work to resolve this issue of its sexual slavery as soon as possible. The time is ticking away. Let me emphasize this once again.

I will conclude today’s briefing. Thank you.


* unofficial translation