| December 3. | - Ri Thae
Song, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK in charge
of the U.S. Affairs, in a statement, says, “It is entirely
up to the US what Christmas gift it will choose to
get.”
|
| December 4. |
- Pak Jong Chon, chief of the General
Staff of the Korean People’s Army, in a statement, clearly
states, “If Washington uses military force against us, we
will take prompt corresponding actions at any level.”
|
| December 4. | - The United Nations Security Council
(UNSC) convenes a closed-door meeting to discuss North
Korea’s recent projectile launches.
* Ambassadors to
the UN from six European countries including Britain,
France, Germany, Belgium, Poland, and Estonia released a
joint statement condemning North Korea. |
| December 5. | - Choe
Son Hui, First Vice Foreign Minister of the DPRK, in a
statement, states, “If such phrases emerge once again and
they are confirmed to be a calculated provocation by the US
against us, we will also start using harsh language against
the US to counter it.”
|
| December 6. | - At the 309th
session of the Inter-Korea Exchange and Cooperation
Promotion Council (held by written correspondence from
November 29 to December 5), the Republic of Korea resolves
the following proposals: to provide funds for the World
Health Organization (WHO)’s maternal and child health
project in North Korea; to provide funds for the Korea
Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH)’s project
for children and the disabled in North Korea; and to change
funding for enterprises involved in inter-Korean economic
cooperation, inter-Korean trade, and investment in Mount
Geumgang.
|
| December 7. |
- ROK President Moon speaks with US
President Trump on the phone.
* “The two leaders
agreed that conditions on the Korean Peninsula are serious
and that the momentum for dialogue should be maintained to
achieve swift results in nuclear negotiations between North
Korea and the US.” (in a briefing by a spokesperson for the
Blue House on December 7) |
| December 8. | - A
spokesperson for the Academy of the National Defense Science
of North Korea issues a statement regarding “a very
important test” (December 7).
- “A very important test
took place at the Sohae Satellite Launch Ground…The recent
important test will has ramifications for changing the
strategic position of the DPRK once again in the near
future.” |
| December 8. |
- The Permanent Representative of the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations,
in a press statement regarding the UN Security Council’s
closed consultation meeting and the resulting joint
statement, states, “It is yet another serious provocation
against the DPRK that some EU member states criticized again
our righteous measures for strengthening the national
defense capabilities….We do not need to have lengthy talks
with the US now, and the denuclearization is already gone
from the negotiating table.”
|
| December 9. | - Kim Yong
Chol, chairman of the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, in
a statement, says, “This year is coming to an end…If the US
has no will or wisdom, it cannot but watch with anxiety the
reality in which the threat to its security increases with
the passage of time.”
|
| December 9. | - Ri Su Yong,
vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party
of Korea (WPK) of the DPRK, in a statement, says, “Our final
judgment and decision, which will soon be made at the end of
this year, are to be rendered by the Chairman of the State
Affairs Commission (Kim Jong Un), and he has not clarified
any stand yet….US President Trump should stop using rough
words that might ruffle the feathers of Chairman Kim.”
|
| December 11. | - The UN Security Council holds an open
meeting on the denuclearization of North Korea.
* It
was initially scheduled for December 10 for discussion on
the human rights situation in North Korea, but its date and
topic were changed at the request of the US.
|
| December 12. |
- A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK, in
a statement, states, “The US held an open meeting of the UN
Security Council, where it committed a hostile provocation
again by citing the DPRK for modernizing its weaponry for
self-defense….As we already declared, we have nothing to
lose any more, and we are ready to take a countermeasure
corresponding to anything that the US opts for.”
|
| December 14. |
- A spokesperson for the Academy of Defense Science of the
DPRK states, “An all-important test was conducted again at
the Sohae Satellite Launch Ground from 22:41 to 22:48 p.m.
on December 13, 2019.”
|
| December 16. | - Russia and
China circulate a draft resolution that would ease sanctions
on North Korea in the following ways: adjusting sanctions in
light of North Korea’s compliance with relevant resolutions;
accelerating the practical denuclearization process;
exempting inter-Korean rail and road projects from
sanctions; and terminating the provision concerning the
repatriation of North Koreans working overseas.
|
| December 17. |
- The UN Security Council holds an unofficial
working-level consultation.
|
| December 18. | - The UN
General Assembly passes a resolution condemning human rights
violations by North Korea.
|
| December 21. | - A
spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK, in a
Q&A session with KCNA reporters, says, “(Criticizing
Pyeongyang’s human rights record) would only exacerbate the
already tense situation on the Korean Peninsula.”
|
| December 22. |
- The third plenary meeting of the 7th Central Military
Commission of the Workers’ Party of Korea (KPA) is
held.
|
| December 23. |
- ROK President Moon Jae-in, in a
summit meeting with his Chinese counterpart, states,
“Recently, dialogue between North Korea and the United
States has stalled, and tension has risen on the Korean
Peninsula. This situation in no way benefits either of our
countries – or North Korea. I hope that we can work together
even more closely so that the long-anticipated opportunity
presented to us will finally come to fruition.”
|
| December 23. |
- At the 310th session of the Inter-Korea Exchange and
Cooperation Promotion Council (held by written
correspondence from December 16 to 20), the Republic of
Korea resolves the proposal for providing funds for the
Korean Red Cross’s Cooperation Agreement Strategy
(CAS).
|
| December 24. |
- The 8th trilateral summit between
the ROK, Japan, and China is held Chengdu, China.
-
“We share the perception that peace on the Korean Peninsula
is in the interests of the three nations and agree to work
together for substantive progress in denuclearization and
peace through timely dialogue between North Korea and the
United States.” (in a joint press release) |
| December 26. | - ROK
President Moon Jae-in, in his contribution to Project
Syndicate, Peace Through Myriad Acts, emphasizes, “If the
Korean Peninsula were to achieve peace, Korea would be in a
position to connect the continent and the ocean and would
lead efforts to establish a peaceful, prosperous order in
Northeast Asia. The Korean Peninsula serving as such a
bridge would benefit not only ourselves, Northeast Asia, and
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), but also
the global peace order.”
|
| December 26. | - Sixty-four
South Korean lawmakers from the ruling and opposition
parties issue a joint statement calling for the resumption
of negotiations between North Korea and the US by easing
some sanctions on the North.
- “In order to break out
of the current deadlock, the international community should
seriously review the draft resolution that would ease
sanctions on North Korea, which was submitted by China and
Russia to the UN Security Council.” |
| December 28-31. | - North
Korea holds the fifth plenary session of the 7th Central
Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea.
|
| December 31. | - The
ROK Ministry of Unification establishes the third master
plan for exchange between separated families
(2020-2022).
|
