Date: Monday, July 26, 2021
Time: 10:30-10:42 A.M.
1. Itinerary
Level 4 social distancing measures are being maintained in the
capital region this week. Accordingly, the Ministry will be adjusting
all external schedules and continue complying with quarantine measures
while pursuing its tasks.
2. Q&A
Q. Tomorrow marks one year since Minister Lee In-young’s
inauguration. Is the Ministry arranging any celebratory events?
Furthermore, I would like to ask the Ministry to self-evaluate the
achievements and tasks pursued since Minister Lee took office.
A. July 27 marks the first anniversary of Minister Lee In-young’s
inauguration as Unification Minister. When taking office, Minister Lee
started work immediately without holding an inauguration ceremony.
Instead, he delivered a short text message about his aspirations to
Ministry employees. Similarly, Minister Lee will not hold a separate
event celebrating his first year in office, and possibly relay his
thoughts to our employees by text message.
The following is the Ministry’s evaluation of the achievements and
tasks pursued since Minister Lee took office. Minister Lee, with the
determination to diligently lay down a stepping stone on the path
toward peace on the Korean Peninsula, has been making utmost efforts
to firmly maintain the direction of the peace process. Though it is
regrettable that we have yet to produce results in resuming dialogue
and cooperation between the two Koreas, we were able to steadily
increase the consensus on settling peace on the Korean Peninsula, and
have created conditions for improving inter-Korean relations.
Unification Minister Lee In-young will do his best to restore
dialogue and advance cooperation between the two Koreas, while
adhering to his original intention of laying a stepping stone for peace.
Q. North Korea has remained silent since U.S. Deputy Secretary of
State Wendy Sherman visited South Korea. With Deputy Secretary Sherman
scheduled to hold high-level talks with her Chinese counterpart, are
there any developments in the North?
On another note, North
Korean President Kim Jong Un sent a verbal message of sympathy to
President Xi Jinping with regards to the recent flood in China. The
message was sent on July 25, just ahead of Deputy Secretary Sherman’s
China visit. How does the Ministry analyze or evaluate this move by
the North?
A. North Korea has not made any specific remarks on Deputy Secretary
Sherman’s recent visit to South Korea or China.
Meanwhile, the leaders of China and North Korea have a record of
exchanging personal letters in the event of high-level personnel
exchanges, major anniversaries, or when natural disasters occur. On
July 24, there was a report about President Kim delivering a letter to
President Xi to console China’s recent flood damage. This is a part of
regular letter exchanges between North Korea and China.
Upon taking rule, President Kim has exchanged a total of nine
personal letters with President Xi, including a congratulatory letter
on China’s successful response to Covid-19 last year. In addition,
Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a consolation letter to the North in
2007, when North Korea was hit by large flood damages.
Q. Are there any developments in the North on the anniversary of the
Korean War armistice? What can be anticipated, and have there been any
noticeable personnel changes?
A. July 27 marks the signing of the Korean War armistice, and North
Korea holds a wide range of celebratory events on this day. With North
Korean media reports confirming preparations for the ‘National
Conference of War Veterans,’ it is expected that this conference will
be held like last year. We will be able to make a comprehensive
evaluation of this year’s anniversary tomorrow, after we analyze the
events and related developments.
There was also a question about meaningful personnel changes. Today,
as the North reported on leading party officials of the central
committee visiting lodging quarters of participants in the National
Conference of War Veterans, it released the calling order of committee
secretaries. Though specific personnel matters are not being confirmed
by the North, the Ministry is presuming changes by observing the order
of which key figures’ names are called. The Ministry will continue to
track changes in the positions of North Korean officials.
Q. Unlike last year’s summer when flood damages were high, this year
we are seeing continuous heat waves. Judging from recent North Korean
media reports, how is the crop situation and food condition in the
North this year?
A. North Korea’s grain production depends greatly on the various
weather conditions such as typhoons, floods and droughts in July and
August. It is difficult to estimate the outcome at this point.
However, as North Korea has repeatedly expressed difficulties in its
food situation this year, the Government is closely watching related
developments in the North.
In particular, the North is reportedly encouraging its people to
prepare for unusual weather conditions including heat waves and
droughts. The Ministry will continue to analyze North Korea’s food
conditions by comprehensively reviewing all new developments.
