Date: Monday, September 13, 2021
Time: 10:30-10:36 A.M.
1. Weekly Schedule
Minister Lee In-young will attend the National Assembly’s
interpellation session for the political sector as well as for the
foreign affairs, unification and security sectors in the next two days.
From September 15, the Ministry will be holding an online exhibit of
the 2021 DMZ Art & Peace Platform. In efforts to implement
inter-Korean agreements which seeks to transform the demilitarized
zone into a peace zone, the Ministry has been promoting a project
envisioning the DMZ as a cultural and artistic space based on peace.
As part of this project, the Ministry will be holding an opening
exhibit presenting works of domestic and foreign artists and
displaying pieces that are installed in border area facilities
including the South-North transit office and Jejin station.
On September 16, Minister Lee will attend a video reunion
demonstration event for separated families at the Seoul office of the
Korean Red Cross. The Ministry, implementing the inter-Korean
agreement to prioritize video reunions of separated families and
making sure reunions can be held safely even under a global pandemic
such as Covid-19, expanded the number of video reunion centers from 13
to 20 this August. Through the demonstration, Minister Lee will have
the opportunity to check the new facilities and talk directly to
separated families living in Uijeongbu, Hongseong, and Jeonju while
sending words of condolences on the occasion of Chuseok (Korean
Thanksgiving Day).
The Ministry together with Gangwon Province and Cheorwon County will
be holding preliminary rounds of the Ministry’s annual music festival
on September 16. Contenders of this music festival will compete for
the winning trophy by performing original music of various genres
under the theme of peace and unification. This year, a total of 115
teams applied for participation, and 12 teams will be selected to
advance to the finals on the 16th.. Both preliminaries and finals will
be aired through the Unification Ministry’s YouTube channel.
On September 17, Minister Lee will commemorate the ‘Pyeongyang Joint
Declaration of September 2018’ with members of the special delegation
that visited the North three years ago. Minister Lee and participating
delegates will reflect on the meaning of the joint declaration and
share views on restoring inter-Korean relations.
2. Q&A
Q. What is the Unification Ministry’s analysis of and position on
North Korea test firing a new long-range cruise missile?
A. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that a detailed
analysis is under way in close cooperation between ROK-U.S.
intelligence authorities. The Ministry of Unification will work with
related agencies including the MND to analyze and keep a watch out for
developments in the North.
Q. Will Unification Minister Lee In-young meet with Chinese Foreign
Minister Wang Yi during his trip to Seoul? If so, what issues will be discussed?
A. The Minister does not have plans to meet with Chinese Foreign
Minister Wang Yi during his visit this time.
