Press Briefing

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Affairs Choi Youngsam

July 13, 2021 14:30  KST

Good afternoon. Let me start today’s briefing.

I will first share with you the Korean government’s position on the “Defense of Japan 2021.”

The government of the Republic of Korea strongly protests against the Japanese government’s reiteration of futile territorial claims over Dokdo, which is clearly an integral part of the ROK’s territory in terms of history, geography and international law, in the “Defense of Japan 2021” released on July 13, and calls for an immediate withdrawal of such claims.

The ROK government particularly expresses strong regrets regarding the Japanese government’s recent intensification of its unjust claims over Dokdo including, but not only, those made in the “Defense of Japan 2021.”

The ROK government makes clear once again that the Japanese government’s unjust claims do not and will not have any impact on the ROK’s sovereignty over Dokdo, an integral part of the ROK’s territory, and that the ROK government will respond strictly and firmly to any provocation over Dokdo.

Next, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will virtually hold a “dialogue between the Minister and the heads of Korea’s overseas diplomatic missions” on Wednesday evening, July 14, Korea Standard Time.

In the dialogue to be held for the second time this year, Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong, together with all the heads of overseas diplomatic missions, will discuss the role of diplomatic missions for practicing advanced diplomacy commensurate with Korea’s international standing.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expects that despite the continuing COVID-19 situation, the headquarters of the Ministry will continue its seamless coordination with overseas diplomatic missions in the second half of this year, and based on that, the Ministry will exert more effort to protect Korean nationals abroad and support the activities of Korean companies around the world, who are going through hard times under COVID-19 pandemic.

(A question-and-answer session followed.)