| November 1. | - The top
nuclear envoys of South Korea and China hold a video
conference.
･ Regarding the situation on the Korean
Peninsula, the top nuclear envoys of South Korea and China
discussed possibilities for cooperation to restart the peace
process on the Korean Peninsula including the issue of
making an end-of-war declaration as soon as possible.
･ Noh Kyu-duk, the special representative for Korean
Peninsula peace and security affairs, explained Seoul’s
efforts to revive the stalled dialogue with North Korea and
requested Beijing’s constructive cooperation to effectively
manage the situation.
･ Chinese top nuclear envoy Liu
positively evaluated Seoul’s efforts to achieve complete
denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula
and expressed China’s determination to play a constructive
role and continue to work with Seoul to realize that
goal. |
| November 1. |
- ROK President Moon Jae-in gives a
speech at the World Leaders Summit for the 26th U.N. Climate
Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow.
･ “Through inter-Korean forestry cooperation, we will reduce
greenhouse gas emissions on the entire Korean
Peninsula.” |
| November 1. |
- The ROK and the U.S. hold the
Director General-level meeting in Washington.
･ The
two sides had working-level consultations on implementation
of various, creative plans to induce North Korea to
participate in peace-building efforts, including measures to
build trust with the North discussed at the meeting of chief
delegates of the ROK and the U.S. |
| November 10-12. |
- Daniel Kritenbrink, the U.S. assistant secretary of
state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, visits South
Korea.
< Meeting with Yeo Seung-bae, deputy minister for
political affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(November 11) >
･ The two sides shared the
importance of effective management of the situation on the
Korean Peninsula and discussed possibilities for resuming
dialogue with North Korea as soon as possible.
< Meeting with Choi Jong-kun, 1st Vice Minister of
Foreign Minister (November 11) >
･ Daniel
Kritenbrink, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for East
Asian and Pacific affairs, said that the Biden
administration considers the ROK-U.S. alliance very
important and that he himself will do his best for the
development of the alliance and peace on the Korean
Peninsula. |
| November 10. |
- South Korea launches the Health
and Medical Cooperation Platform on the Korean Peninsula and
adopts a joint statement.
･ The Health and Medical
Cooperation Platform is yet another platform for coexistence
and mutual growth that will be the basis for peace and
prosperity, and new possibilities on the Korean Peninsula.
It is an integrative platform that allows for
round-the-clock discussions on all agendas concerning health
and medical issues on the Korean Peninsula.
･ We
expect that the platform will create meaningful momentum for
systematic and sustainable cooperation in inter-Korean
health and medical cooperation.
･ We hope that the
platform will further expand and allow us to substantially
prepare for inter-Korean health and medical cooperation that
includes cooperation with neighboring countries surrounding
the Korean Peninsula, and we expect that the North will also
join the platform. |
| November
11. | - ROK President Moon Jae-in
calls on North Korea to join forestry cooperation in
Northeast Asia (at a keynote speech at the APEC CEO Summit).
･ “Today, I hope our commitments and partnerships for
the energy transition and carbon neutrality grow stronger,
and I look forward to North Korea’s coming on board as well.
Finding a way to move forward without emitting more carbon
is a task for all humanity – one that needs everyone to work
together to succeed.”
･ “North Korea is focused in
particular on mountain reforestation. Having North Korea
join forestry cooperation in Northeast Asia will not only
help reduce greenhouse gas emissions on the Korean Peninsula
but also bolster the whole region’s peace and prosperity.
Numerous countries have established peace through forestry
cooperation. I hope that permanent peace will be achieved as
we grow and share forests together on the Korean
Peninsula.” |
| November
14-20. | - The ROK-U.S and the
ROK-U.S.-Japan vice foreign ministerial meetings are held in
Washington.
< ROK-U.S. vice foreign ministerial meeting
(November 16) >
･ The vice ministers assessed close
communication and coordination underway at all levels on
ways to make progress in the peace process on the Korean
Peninsula, including the end-of-war declaration, and agreed
to continue consultations on practical measures to bring
North Korea to the dialogue table.
< ROK-U.S.-Japan vice foreign ministerial meetings
(November 17)> (Deputy Secretary Sherman’s press
conference)
･ “We also discussed our shared
commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean
Peninsula. As we have said publicly, the United States does
not harbor hostile intent toward the DPRK. We believe that
diplomacy and dialogue are essential to achieving the
complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and
establishing a permanent peace.”
･ “(On the issue
around end-of-war statement) The United States is very
satisfied with the consultations we are having both with the
Republic of Korea and with Japan, and with other allies. And
I look forward to those continued consultations.” “(Did the
U.S. and South Korea reconcile their somewhat different
perspectives on the end-of-war declaration?) We are having
ongoing consultations and coordination with the Republic of
Korea and Japan and other interested allies and partners.
And I think that whenever we all consult and coordinate with
each other, we always come out with a good result that
ensures the interests of each of our countries and the
overall interest of the world in peace and security.”
|
| November 15. | - U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese
leader Xi Jinping have a video conference.
|
| November 17. | - The
Third Committee of the U.N. General Assembly adopts the
resolution on the human rights situation in the DPRK.
･ The government of the Republic of Korea joined the
consensus as it did last year in line with its basic
position that it works with the international community
toward substantive improvements in the human rights
situation of the people of the DPRK.
･ The language
of this year’s resolution is largely similar to that of last
year’s resolution on the situation of human rights in the
DPRK, while some elements including the following have been
newly added or revised.
- Regarding response to
COVID-19 and transportation of vaccines, it emphasized the
importance of cooperation with humanitarian organizations
and the assurance of vaccine accessibility.- It mentioned
human rights violations of unrepatriated prisoners of war
and their descendants.- It reflected the Report of the UN
Human Rights Office (OHCHR) on North Korean Human Rights
released in February, 2021. |
| November 20. | - The South
opens seven of the themed routes of the DMZ Peace
Trail.
|
| November 21. |
- A spokesperson for the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of North Korea, in a press statement,
condemns the Third Committee of the U.N. General Assembly
for adopting the resolution on the human rights situation in
the DPRK.
･ “The US and other ‘hostile forces’
forcibly adopted the draft resolution blasting North Korea’s
human rights situation at the meeting of the Third Committee
of the 76th U.N. General Assembly.”
･ “The Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK strongly denounces and
categorically rejects the anti-DPRK human rights resolution
of the hostile forces, calling it a product of anti-DPRK
hostile policy and double-dealing standards as well as a
grave infringement upon the sovereignty aimed at tarnishing
the prestigious image of our state.”
･ “The
international community should be aware that the human
rights issue is abused by some countries to realize their
impure attempt and that the sacred United Nations is used by
stealth as a space to interfere in internal affairs and to
overthrow the regimes of sovereign states.”
･ “To us,
human rights are, after all, state rights.”
･ “We
will never tolerate any attempts that violate the
sovereignty of our state, and we will continue to resolutely
counter to the end the ever-worsening moves of the hostile
forces against us.” |
| November
30. | - The South resumes tours to
Panmunjeom.
|
