Regular Briefing by Spokesperson Koo Byoungsam
Date: Monday,
June 12, 2023
Time: 10:30-10:32 A.M.
1. Minister’s Schedule
Unification Minister Kwon Youngse will attend the National
Assembly’s interpellation session on foreign affairs, unification, and
security sectors today at 2:00 P.M.
On June 14, Minister Kwon will deliver a lecture at Kyonggi
University, and will attend a forum and lecture at Keimyung University
in Daegu on June 16.
2. Q&A
Q) There are reports that the powder carried by the dead body
presumed to be a North Korean resident was alum powder, and what is
the Ministry’s take on this?
Also, could you share us your follow-up measures if there is no
response from North Korea regarding the hand-over of the body after
June 16?
A) As a result of the National Forensic Service’s test, the
powder in the North Korean resident’s possession was confirmed to be
negative for drugs, and we were informed that it was alum powder used
for skin treatment.
If we do not receive confirmation of North Korea’s intention to
acquire the body by June 16 as we requested, we will cooperate with
local governments to dispose of it as an unclaimed dead body. This is
how we have handled them in the past.
