| May
1. | - The ROK government resumes
a tour to the southern side of Panmunjeom.
|
| May 3. | - The UN’s
World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) announce the findings of the assessment
on food security in North Korea (March 29 -April 12).
|
| May 4. | - North Korea test-fires several
short-range projectiles.
- *US President Trump, on his
Twitter account, said, “Kim Jong Un knows that I am with him
& does not want to break his promise to me. Deal will
happen!” o May 4. The ROK government gives a written
briefing on the outcome of the meeting between appropriate
ministers on the firing of short-range projectiles by North
Korea.
- “The government is very concerned about the
North’s latest test-firing that violated the Agreement on
the Implementation of the Historic Panmunjeom Declaration in
the Military Domain and urged the North to stop such acts
that escalate the military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
It will step up its monitoring in close cooperation with the
US, and if necessary, it will communicate closely with
neighboring countries. Noting the fact that North Korea
carried out such act during a lull in the dialogue on
denuclearization, the government expects the North to join
the efforts to resume the dialogue as soon as
possible.” |
| May 6. |
- The International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) announces that it
stands ready to extend support from its Disaster Relief
Emergency Fund to respond to drought and food insecurity in
North Korea.
|
| May 7. |
- President Moon, in “The Greatness
of the Ordinary” contributed to FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine
Zeitung), states, - “Our goal is to fundamentally dissolve
the Cold War structure of conflict, division, and strife
that has gripped the Korean Peninsula for so long and to
replace it with a new order based on peace and coexistence,
as well as on cooperation and prosperity. In Korea, this
ambitious process has been dubbed a new Korean Peninsula
system.”
|
| May 7. | - The Blue House gives a written briefing
on the phone call between the leaders of the ROK and the
US.
- “Both leaders, despite the May 4 firing of
projectiles by North Korea, discussed ways to maintain
dialogue with North Korea and resume denuclearization talks
as soon as possible.”
- “Both sides exchanged views on
the joint report of the World Food Program and Food and
Agriculture Organization on the North’s food
shortages.
- “President Trump assessed South Korea’s
food provision to North Korea as a humanitarian effort that
will be a very timely and positive measure, and he supported
this.” |
| May 9. | - The UN Command approves the passage of
civilians in the DMZ Peace Trails in Cheorwon and Paju,
Gangwon Province.
|
| May
9. | - North Korea test-fires two
short-range missiles (presumed) to the east.
|
| May 9. |
- President Moon makes remarks in the live interview
program “Special Talk with President Moon Jae-in Marking Two
Years in Office.”
- “Both the North and the U.S.
should hold talks as soon as possible since this is the only
thing that will produce the ultimate resolution to all the
issues.”
- (During the talk on the phone with
President Trump) “He wanted to talk with Chairman Kim and
expected that everything would be addressed through
dialogue; he said that we have his absolute blessing for
providing humanitarian aid to North Korea.”
- “It is
desirable for the President and the ruling and opposition
parties to come together to discuss food aid to North
Korea. |
| May 10. | - The ROK-US working group on North Korea
holds a meeting in Seoul.
|
| May 13. | - The Blue House
gives a written briefing on the outcome of the meeting
between President Moon and WFP Executive Director David
Beasley.
- “Executive Director Beasley pointed out an
urgent need to provide humanitarian assistance for the most
vulnerable in the North. President Moon expressed his
agreement with that opinion. They agreed to work closely
together going forward in regard to humanitarian food aid to
North Korea.” |
| May 17. |
- The Ministry of Unification
approves the visit to the North by members of the emergency
planning committee for the Corporate Association of the
Gaeseong Industrial Complex (GIC) to check their assets in
the GIC.
|
| May 17. |
- The ROK government announces that it
would offer funds for aid projects for North Korea by
international organizations.
|
| May 30. | - North Korea
notifies the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) of
the outbreak of African swine fever.
|
| May 31. | - The ROK
communicates to North Korea its intent to cooperate in
dealing with African swine fever.
|
