Date: Monday, March 28, 2022
Time: 10:30-10:35 A.M.
1. Weekly schedule
Unification Minister Lee In-young will attend a session of the
National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs & Unification Committee on the
North’s recent long-range missile test today at 2 P.M.
In the afternoon, the Settlement Support Center for North Korean
Refugees (Hanawon) will sign a memorandum of understanding with the
National Cancer Center and Goyang City to provide medical support for
North Korean defectors and promote inter-Korean health and medical
cooperation. The Ministry hopes to see this agreement between a
government agency, local administrative body and a national medical
institution become a successful cooperative model in strengthening
medical support for North Korean defectors.
2. Q&A
Q. Activities implying that North Korea may be preparing for a
nuclear test soon have been detected. What is the Government’s
position regarding such developments?
A. The Government has detected signs suggesting restoration work at
parts of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site which were destroyed in May
of 2018. Accordingly, South Korea and the United States are carefully
monitoring the situation. Though we cannot predict the North’s next
move, the Government is thoroughly preparing for all possibilities
based on close ROK-U.S. cooperation.
North Korea’s nuclear test is a clear violation of U.N. Security
Council resolutions, destroys the moratorium it itself has promised to
the international community, and poses a serious threat on the Korean
Peninsula and around the world.
The Government sternly urges North Korea to immediately stop all
such activities and take the path toward dialogue and cooperation as
proposed by the South and the international community.
Q. The North’s KCTV broadcast of the Hwasong-17 missile launch has
received great attention. What do you believe was North Korea’s
intention and background in producing such a report?
A. North Korea claims through media reports, including the Rodong
Sinmun and KCTV, that it has launched the Hwasong-17 ICBM on March 24,
and continues to publicize that the test was conducted successfully.
The KCTV broadcast of the launch, which ran on March 25, appears to
be highlighting the achievements and significance of the launch by
portraying the occasion in a more dramatic manner than in the past.
Whatever North Korea’s intentions may be, we urge the North to
immediately stop acts that create tension on the Korean Peninsula and
return to dialogue and negotiations.
Q. North Korea’s propaganda outlet recently criticized the
Ministry’s 2022 Unification White Paper. What is the Ministry’s take
on such publications?
A. The Ministry has taken note of the recent increased frequency and
level of criticism presented by North Korean propaganda media on a
number of issues, including the South’s Unification White Paper and
the Government’s position about the North’s missile tests.
As the Government has maintained that it does not comment on claims
by North Korean propaganda outlets, it will not provide a direct
response to the series of recent criticisms against the South.
The North must recognize that mutual respect is the basis for the
improvement of inter-Korean relations, as well as a matter that the
two Koreas have agreed upon on a number of occasions. It needs to stop
releasing unilateral criticism using harsh language.