Date: Monday, June 23, 2025
Time: 10:30-10:35 A.M.
1. Minister’s Schedule
Minister Kim Yung Ho will attend the cabinet meeting on June 24 at
10 A.M.
2. Vice Minister’s Schedule
Vice Minister Kim Nam Jung will attend the vice ministers’
conference on June 26 at 10 A.M.
On June 28, at 10 A.M., Vice Minister Kim will deliver remarks
commemorating the first Korean War Abductee Remembrance Day.
3. Q&A
Q. While the Rodong Sinmun reported on the Iran-Israel conflict by
quoting foreign media reports, it refrained from directly mentioning
the U.S. The report also did not offer any comment on the recent U.S.
airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. How does the Unification
Ministry assess this situation?
A. The North’s Rodong Sinmun briefly reported on airstrikes across
Iran by citing foreign media sources, including Russian outlets. The
North has a record of indirectly addressing international developments
by citing foreign media without adding its own commentary. The most
recent case was in January 2020, following the U.S. airstrike on
Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. As it generally takes the North
about two days to report on international developments, it remains
premature to draw conclusions at this stage.
Q. Which aspects of the North’s upcoming party plenary meeting is
the Unification Ministry focusing on? Also, are there any ongoing
efforts to repatriate the North Korean residents found adrift in the
East and West Seas?
A. The North has announced that it will hold the plenary meeting of
its party central committee at the end of June. Accordingly, the
meeting is expected to take place soon. The Ministry is closely
monitoring related developments, but it is not appropriate to detail
specific areas of focus at this point.
Regarding the second question, the Ministry is working in
coordination with relevant agencies to ensure a prompt and safe return
of the North Korean residents on humanitarian grounds.
Q. Considering the current complex international situation, is it
likely that the party plenary meeting will include a message on
foreign policy?
A. If there is any point of interest, it would be whether the North
issues a foreign policy statement or a message directed toward the
South. From the inter-Korean perspective, the recent inauguration of
the new Lee Jae Myung government would be a significant factor. On the
foreign affairs front, there are multiple variables including the
current international situation, developments concerning Iran and the
ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It can be assumed that the North is
carefully considering these issues, but the Ministry will not make any
predictions on whether or not the North will release such a message.
