| January 1 | North
Korean media reported the 6th plenary meeting of the 8th Central
Committee of the WPK (December 26 to 31, Rodong/Korean Central
News Agency)
･ “If North Korean nuclear force fails to
deter war, we will carry out a second mission.”
･ “The
South Korean puppets are our undoubted enemy,” “the current
situation highlights the importance and necessity of
mass-producing tactical nuclear weapons and calls for an
exponential increase of the country’s nuclear arsenal.”
･
“The country’s first military reconnaissance satellite will be
launched.”
< Opinions of the Ministry of Unification (January 1)
>
o “We deplore the North’s attitude, whose regime is
obsessed with developing weapons of mass destruction while
turning a blind eye to the plight of its people and threatening
its own people with nuclear weapons.”
o “We urge North
Korea to stop insisting on the wrong path and pursue the path of
peace and shared prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.” |
| January 1 | North Korea fired a short-range ballistic
missile (SRBM) toward the East from Ryongsong, Pyeongyang, at
around 02:50
･ Range of about 400 km
･ “At dawn on
January 1, North Korea’s long-range artillery units on its
western coast fired a multiple rocket launcher toward the
East” |
| January 1 | President Yoon commanded to retaliate in no
uncertain terms in response to any provocation by the enemies
(during his phone call with the military commanders of the Army,
Navy, Air Force, and the Marines)
･ “The North will
continue to engage in provocations using various means,
including symmetric and asymmetric tools, while advancing its
nuclear and missile threats.”
･ “Our forces must surely
retaliate against any enemy provocation with the determination
to participate in war if need be.” “Bear in mind that only a
firm readiness posture and realistic training can guarantee
strong security.” |
| January
2 | The President gave an interview
to the Chosun Ilbo (regarding inter-Korean relations)
･
“South Korea is in talks with the United States to carry out
joint planning and joint exercises.” “The nuclear weapons belong
to the U.S., but information sharing, planning, and exercises
should be carried out jointly between South Korea and the
U.S. |
| January 2 | Joint Chiefs of Staff to announce its decision
to establish new nuke and WMD response center |
| Jaunary 4 | President Yoon Suk Yeol orders the
administration to consider suspending the September 19 military
agreement if North Korea engages in territorial invasion (after
being briefed of the Office of National Security, the Ministry
of National Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Agency
for Defense Development’s response strategies)
･
“President Yoon ordered the Office of National Security to
consider suspending the Septemper 19 Inter-Korean Military
Agreement if the North conducts another territorial
invasion.” |
| January 6
(Local) | The International Olympic
Committee (IOC) has reportedly ended North Korea’s suspension of
qualification |
| January 11
| President Yoon received a joint policy
briefing from defense and foreign ministers
･ “The most
important way to prevent an attack is to firmly establish the
Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) capability that
allows us to strike back 100 or 1,000 times harder if we are
attacked.” “We must let our people and the world know the actual
circumstances of North Korea’s violations of human rights and
why South Korea must be protected when the North intensifies
their provocations, and gain support from the international
community in times of emergency. |
|
January 11 | President Yoon
gave an interview to the Associated Press (AP)
･ “North
Korea’s violations of the United Nations Security Council
resolutions and the September 19 military agreement are posing a
serious threat.” “These unlawful North Korean provocations can
only result in the strengthening of South Korea’s security
response capabilities and a further strengthening of the
security cooperation between South Korea, the United States, and
Japan.”
･ (Regarding the direct hotline communications
channel with the North Korean leader) “The North is obstructing
the line and isn’t responding to attempts at dialogue.” |
| January 13 (Local) | The U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee
(“2+2”) Joint Statement ･ “Foreign and defense ministers from
both sides reaffirmed their commitment in accordance with United
Nations Security Council resolutions and the necessity of the
immediate resolution to the abductions issue in North
Korea.” |
| January 12 (Local)
| Open debate of the United Nations
Security Council
･ The secretary-general of the United
Nations said, “the unlawful nuclear weapons programme being
pursued by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is a clear
and present danger, driving risks and geopolitical tensions to
new heights. The onus is on the DPRK to comply with its
international obligations and return to the negotiating
table.” |
| January 13 (Local)
| U.S.-Japan Summit Meeting
･ “The
U.S. and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the complete
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in accordance with
United Nations Security Council resolutions and committed to
strengthen vital trilateral cooperation among the Republic of
Korea, the United States, and Japan, in security and other
domains. |
| January 15 |
Unification Minister Kwon Youngse appears
on a Korea TV talk show
･ “We will open a dialogue with
North Korea this year by any means as it is the most urgent
matter in inter-Korean relations right now.” “We must first
start a dialogue on issues, including agricultural and climate
cooperation, for actual denuclearization process to take
place.” |
| January 14 to 21
| President Yoon visited the UAE (January
14 to 17) and Switzerland (January 18 to 20), attended Davos
2023
･ Unification Minister Kwon met with WFP and UNICEP
chiefs |
| January 19 | The 38th Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation
Promotion Council (a written decision)
･ A total of KRW
17.1 billion support of operating expenses to △the South-North
Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Support Association, △Gaeseong
Industrial District Management Committee, and others, including
△KRW 2.71 billion for the ｢Gyeoremal-keunsajeon Joint
Inter-Korean Compilation Project｣, △KRW 1.98 billion for the
｢Inter-Korean Joint Excavation of Manwoldae in Gaeseong｣, △KRW
778 million for the ｢Integrated Management System of DMZ｣, and
△4.08 billion for the ｢Improvement of Transportation System in
Jointly Managed Districts｣. |
|
January 20 | President Yoon
gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal
･ “I believe
it is realistic and reasonable to respect the NPT system. South
Korea has great confidence in the United States’ extended
deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear threat.” |
| January 20 (Local) | The White House disclosed evidence of arms
dealing between North Korea and Russia (Wagner Group) |
| January 22 | President Xi Jinping sent a message to Supreme
Leader Kim Jong Un, thanking him for his condolence message
regarding the death of former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin
(Rodong/Korean Central News Agency) |
| January 23 (Local) | President Biden nominated Julie Turner as
special envoy for N. Korean human rights |
| January 26 | United
Nations Command Military Armistice Commission offered findings
of the special investigation regarding North Korea’s drone
provocation (December 26, 2022)
･ “The Special
Investigation Team (SIT) was able to determine that the Korean
People’s Army side committed a violation of the Armistice when
multiple North-side unmanned aerial systems (UAS) entered
ROK-controlled airspace.”
･ “The SIT was able to
determine that the employment of ROK military UAS across the
Demilitarized Zone and into DPRK-controlled airspace constitutes
a violation of the Armistice.” |
|
January 26 (Local) | The U.S.
Treasury Department imposed additional sanctions against the
Wagner Group |
| January 27
| Unification Ministry’s briefing to
President Yoon
･ President Yoon’s closing remarks: “I
would like to see more attention paid to making realistic
judgements and preparations, rather than an emotional approach.”
“The Ministry of Unification should do more research on North
Korea’s politics, economy, society, and culture, and let the
world and our people know more about its reality.” “I believe it
is more important that our people and people around the world
know and share the reality of human rights in North Korea as
well as the North’s political and social circumstances.” |
| January 27 | Kim Yo Jong, the vice department director of
the Central Committee of the WPK, condemns the United States’
decision to provide tanks to Ukraine (Korean Central News
Agency)
･ “I express serious concern over the U.S.
escalating the war situation and strongly denounce it.”
“Pyeongyang will always stand in the same trench with the
service personnel and people of Russia.” |
| January 29 | Remarks
by Kwon Jong Gun, the director general of the Department of US
Affairs of North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, regarding arms
trading with Russia (Korean Central News Agency)
･ “the
U.S. talked about the groundless rumor of arms dealing between
North Korea and Russia in an attempt to justify its offer of
weapons to Ukraine.” “Trying to tarnish the image of the DPRK by
fabricating something non-existent can never be allowed.” |
| January 29 to 30 | NATO chief Stoltenberg visited South Korea
･ President Yoon called for “the active role of the
secretary general and NATO in discouraging the North from
carrying out imprudent provocations.” |
| January 30 to 31 | The U.S. defense secretary visited South Korea
and attended the ROK-U.S. Defense Ministrial joint press
conference on January 31
･ “the ministers agreed to
together pursue options to strengthen the effectiveness of
extended deterrence in order to firmly guarantee the U.S.
commitment to the defense of ROK.” “The ministers pledged to
expand the scale and elevate the level of combined exercises and
trainings this year.” |
| January
30 to February 3 | Elizabeth
Salmón, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human
rights in DPRK, visited South Korea |
