Date: Monday, April 1, 2024
Time: 10:30-10:34 A.M.
1. Minister’s Schedule
On April 1, Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho delivered
congratulatory remarks at an academic conference commemorating the
33rd anniversary of the Korea Institute for National Unification at 10 A.M.
On April 2, at 10 A.M., Minister Kim will attend the cabinet meeting.
On April 3, at 7:30 A.M., Minister Kim will attend the 4th Wednesday Forum.
At 4 P.M., Minister Kim will attend a talk concert on stories about
North Korea at Sungshin Women’s University.
On April 5, at 2 P.M., Minister Kim will host a policy briefing
session for Ambassadors to the ROK from United Nations Command member
states involved in the Korean War.
2. Q&A
Q) What is the Ministry’s take on the possibility of North Korea
carrying out military provocation or acts of terror against the South
before the April general elections? Is the Ministry internally
observing related developments?
A) The Ministry, together with related agencies, is closely
monitoring the situation in the North, including various developments
concerning provocations. However, it is not appropriate to comment,
now and here, on the possibility of the North launching provocations
ahead of the general elections.
Q) North Korea’s National Aerospace Technology Administration
announced plans to launch multiple reconnaissance satellites this
year. Please explain the extent to which the government understands
the preparatory movements for additional satellite launches by the
North. Meanwhile, North Korea seems to emphasize that its satellites
serve communications and observation purposes. How does the Ministry
evaluate this situation?
A) The ROK Government, in cooperation with the U.S., is closely
monitoring and tracking developments in key facilities and regions of
the North. The Ministry will not make any assumptions on the
likelihood of a future military satellite launch, while preparing for
all possibilities based on close cooperation with related agencies.
Any satellite of the North that uses ballistic missile technology,
regardless of its purpose, is a clear violation of the U.N. Security
Council resolution. I would like to reiterate that this is an act of
provocation that threatens peace and security of the region.
Q) The Ministry stated in its Key Policy Agenda that it will publish
the North Korean Human Rights Report this year, together with the
English version. When is the expected publication date?
A) The Ministry is working on this year’s North Korean Human Rights
Report, in both Korean and English, with the aim of publishing before
the end of June.
