| March
1. | - President Moon Jae-in gives
a speech on the 101st March First Independence Movement Day
･ “We can respond to unconventional security threats
only when we strengthen cooperation, not only with North
Korea but also with adjacent countries like China and Japan
and nearby Southeast Asian nations.”
･ “I look
forward to cooperation with North Korea on healthcare as
well. The Korean people will be safer when the two Koreas
can respond together to the spread of infectious diseases
among humans and animals and jointly counter disasters and
catastrophes in border areas and climate change on the
Korean Peninsula.” |
| March
2. | - North Korea launches two
short-range projectiles from the eastern coastal city of
Wonsan towards the northeast.
･ “Ministers involved
with security expressed great concern that North Korea
resumed launching of short-range projectiles in three months
since November 2019 and continued to conduct joint strike
drills around Wonsan, causing military tensions. They called
on the North to desist from further acts that do not help
ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.” (Results of an
emergency meeting of security related ministers, March
2) |
| March 3. | - Kim Yo Jong, the first vice department
director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of
Korea (WPK), issues a statement.
･ “The South is
demanding a stop to the North’s customary training while
pushing for its own military drills with the United States.
We are the one who should express strong regret about the
Blue House’s senseless and foolish way of thinking.”
･ “The South side’s response is so regrettable and
disappointing, but it is somewhat fortunate that it was not
a direct statement by the president.” |
| March 5. | - The Senior
Secretary to the ROK President for Public Communication
gives a briefing regarding a personal letter from Chairman
Kim Jong Un.
･ “Yesterday, President Moon received a
personal letter from Chairman Kim Jong Un. In the letter,
Chairman Kim conveyed his message of comfort to the South
Korean people, who are battling the outbreak of COVID-19.”
･ “Chairman Kim underlined his unwavering friendship
and trust towards President Moon and said that he will
continue to quietly send his best wishes for President Moon
to overcome COVID-19. Chairman Kim also expressed his candid
thoughts and positions on the situation surrounding the
Korean Peninsula. In reply, President Moon conveyed his
gratitude through a personal letter to Chairman Kim
today.” |
| March 7. | - A spokesperson for the DPRK Ministry of
Foreign Affairs issues a statement in response to a joint
statement by five European countries (March 5).
･ “If
even our routine artillery exercises are to be denounced and
constitute a violation of resolutions, how could we hold in
check the military power of the US and South Korea before
our eyes and defend our country?” |
| March 9. | - North Korea
launches three unidentified projectiles from Seondeok, South
Hamgyeong Province toward the northeast into the East Sea.
･ “Ministers involved with security pointed out again
that North Korea’s continued joint strike drills following
those of February 28 and March 2 would not help the efforts
to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.” (Results of an
emergency meeting of security related ministers, March
9). |
| March 21. | - North Korea launches two projectiles
from North Pyeongan Province into the East Sea.
|
| March 22. |
- Kim Yo Jong, first vice department director of the
Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK),
issues a statement regarding a personal letter from US
President Trump.
･ “President Trump expressed his
intent to render cooperation in the anti-epidemic work.”
･ “Fortunately, the personal relationship between the
two leaders is very good, unlike the adversarial relations
between the two countries.”
･ “The bilateral
relations and dialogue for them would be thinkable only when
the equilibrium is kept dynamically and morally and justice
ensured between the two countries, not merely by the
personal letter between the two leaders.” |
| March 22. | - US
President Donald Trump confirms that he sent a letter to
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (in a coronavirus task force
briefing).
･ (When asked if he sent North Korean
leader Kim Jong Un a letter regarding cooperation in
responding to the coronavirus) “Yes, I did. If (many
countries) need help, we will help them.” |
| March 25. | - Eight
countries under unilateral sanctions including North Korea
send the UN Secretary General a letter urging the lifting of
the unilateral sanctions.
|
| March 25. | - US Secretary
of State Pompeo holds a press conference (after the video
conference with the G7 foreign ministers).
･ “The G7
and all nations must remain united in calling on North Korea
to return to the negotiations and stay committed to applying
diplomatic and economic pressure over its illegal nuclear
and ballistic missile programs.” |
| March 26. | - President Moon
Jae-in makes the following remarks at G20 2020 Extraordinary
Virtual Leaders Summit.
･ Share all of our clinical
data and quarantine experience from combatting the crisis;
make efforts to ramp up the capacity of developing countries
to combat epidemics; execute expansionary macroeconomic
policy by every possible means; strengthen the global
financial safety net; work together for the economic
stability of the least-developed and impoverished nations;
and propose maintaining the flow of essential economic
exchange. |
| March 26. |
- South Korea marks the 10th
anniversary of the sinking of the Cheonan.
|
| March 27. |
- President Moon Jae-in participates in the ceremony
marking the 5th West Sea Defense Day.
|
| March 29. | - North Korea
launches two projectiles form Wonsan toward the northeast
into the East Sea.
|
| March
30. | - A director general of the
DPRK Foreign Ministry for negotiations with the U.S. issues
a statement regarding US Secretary of State Pompeo (March
25).
･ “Pompeo’s absurd remarks made us give up our
will to engage in dialogue and become more zealous for our
important planned projects aimed to repay the US with actual
horror and unrest for the sufferings it has inflicted upon
our people.” |
| March 30. |
- US Secretary of State Pompeo
expresses hope for dialogue with North Korea (in a telephone
briefing with Asian news outlets).
･ (In response to
the statement by the director general of the DPRK Foreign
Ministry for negotiations with the U.S.) “We hope that we
will get this opportunity to sit down with the North Korean
leadership again and begin to chart a path forward to a
brighter future for the North Korean people. It’s been
President Trump’s position since we began our efforts.”
|
| March 31. | - South Korea approves NGOs’ plan to
provide KRW one billion worth of hand sanitizers to North
Korea regarding COVID-19.
|
