| February 30 | ROK-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ meeting
(Washington, D.C.) |
| February
2 | A North Korean Foreign Ministry
spokesperson condemned the ROK-U.S. joint military exercise
(Website)
･ “First, the DPRK will respond in the
strongest way to any military attempt of the U.S. on the
principle of ‘nuke for nuke and an all-out confrontation for an
all-out confrontation! Second, the DPRK is not interested in any
contact or dialogue with the U.S. as long as it pursues its
hostile policy and confrontational line.”
< Opinions of the Ministry of Unification (February 2)
>
o “North Korea should choose dialogue and
cooperation over provocations, and we urge the North to join the
path of dialogue to create a nuclear-free, peaceful, and
prosperous Korean Peninsula in response to our administration’s
‘audacious initiative.’” |
|
February 7 | The Ministry of
Unification announced the 4th master plan for the promotion of
exchanges between separated families |
| February 8 | President Yoon Suk Yeol gave remarks while
presiding over the 56th central integrated defense council
meeting
･ “Under the previous administration, the annual
central defense council meeting was downsized, and the
integrated training between civilians, government, the military,
and police was not properly implemented, relying on a fake
peace.”
･ “It is necessary to check whether there is any
vacuum in our integrated defense in line with various types of
North Korean provocations, and overhaul the government’s
emergency preparedness system.” |
|
February 8 | North Korea held
a military parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the Army
Foundation Day (February 9, Rodong/Korean Central News Agency)
･ “The parade featured a total of 60 columns of combat
forces, including 46 columns of soldiers and 14 columns of
mechanized units.” |
| February
10 | South Korea imposed
independent sanctions on North Korea’s cyber activities (7
individuals, 4 organizations)
･ (4 individuals) Park
Jin-hyok, Jo Myong-rae, Song Rim, and Oh Chung-seong
･ (7
organizations) The Chosun Expo Joint Venture company, the
Lazarus Group, Bluenoroff, Andariel, the State Technical
Reconnaissance Bureau, the 110th Research Center, and Pyongyang
University of Automation (Mirim College) |
| February 13 to 14 (Local) | The Republic of Korea-U.S.-Japan Trilateral
Vice Foreign Ministerial Meeting (Washington, D.C.)
< Joint Statement (February 13) >
･ “The
Deputy Secretary and Vice Ministers called on the DPRK to return
to the negotiating table and reiterated that the only path to
peace and stability is through sustained dialogue.” “Deputy
Secretary Sherman and Vice Minister Mori expressed support for
the goal of the ROK’s ‘Audacious Initiative.’”
･ “The
Deputy Secretary and Vice Ministers expressed grave concern over
the human rights situation in the DPRK and underscored the
importance of strengthening cooperation to improve the human
rights situation in the DPRK. In this context, the Vice
Ministers welcomed the nomination of the U.S. Special Envoy on
DPRK Human Rights Issues.” “They committed to work together to
achieve an immediate resolution to the abductions issue as well
as the immediate release of ROK citizens detained in the
DPRK.” |
| February 17 |
The Unification Ministry announced its
opinions related to North Korea’s continued use of South Korean
facilities at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex without permission
･ “It is deplorable that North Korea is continuously
using our facilities at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex without
permission despite repeated warnings from Seoul, and the
Ministry of Unification strongly condemns it.” “Such actions are
unacceptable as they are a flagrant violation of inter-Korean
agreements as well as North Korea’s own law governing the
Gaeseong Industrial Zone that concerns investor rights and
protection of profits, and illegal infringement of South Korean
property rights.”
･ “Seoul strongly calls on Pyeongyang
to stop the act and not to repeat such actions in the future.”
“The South Korean government makes it clear that all
responsibility lies with North Korea and will hold the North
accountable for all related liability.” |
| February 17 | The
Unification Ministry rejected the Inter-Korean Separated Family
Association’s request to visit North Korea
･ “We have
decided that the invitation is not a document that we can ask
the DPRK government to verify.”
･ “The Unification
Ministry offers sincere words of condolences to anyone who had a
glimpse of hope thinking North Korea has changed its attitude on
the separated families issue.”
･ “There is no change in
our administration’s position that we will continue to make
consistent efforts to resolve the separated families issue. We
would like to remind you that our government’s proposal of
holding ‘high-level talks to address the issue of separated
families’ on September 8 last year still stands. The South
Korean government once again urges the North to respond to our
request for dialogue and aspirations of the separated families
of the two Koreas to embark on a path to resolve the
issue.” |
| February 18 |
North Korea fired a Hwasong-15 ICBM toward
the East from Sunan, Pyeongyang (February 19, Rodong/Korean
Central News Agency)
･ February 19, Rodong/Korean Central
News Agency, △(Range) 989 km △(Peak altitude) 5,769 km △(Time)
4,015 seconds
･ “The drill was suddenly organized without
previous notice under an emergency firepower combat standby
order given by the Party Central Military Commission at the dawn
of February 18.” “The North’s sudden launching drill aimed at
reconfirming and verifying the country’s weapons system,” and
“enhancing the combat readiness of its nuclear force.”
< Press Release of NSC Standing Committee (February
18) >
o “The NSC Standing Committee has strongly
condemned the North’s long-range ballistic missile launch and
emphasized that it is a grave violation of the United Nations
Security Council resolutions as well as a serious provocation
for the escalation of tension in the region and the Korean
Peninsula.”
o “The Committee has also expressed regret
that the North is preoccupied with large-scale military parades
and nuclear weapon and missile development while ignoring the
human rights and livelihoods of its people when a serious food
crisis in North Korea is leading to continuing cases of death
from starvation. The Committee warned North Korea that the only
thing the country will gain through provocations is harsh
sanctions by the international community.”
o “The NSC
Standing committee has decided to thoroughly fulfill the UNSC
resolutions in cooperation with the U.S. and the international
community and take firm measures against any attempt by the
North that poses a threat towards our people.”
o “The
participants have affirmed that peace on the Korean Peninsula is
maintained by strong forces, and concurred on continuously
strengthening the overwhelming response capabilities and
ROK-U.S.-Japan security cooperation based on the firm readiness
of the ROK-U.S. Alliance.” |
|
February 19 | Remarks by Kim
Yo Jong, the vice department director of the Central Committee
of the WPK (Korean Central News Agency)
･ “ICBMs are not
meant for Seoul.” “We still have no intention to stand face to
face with South Koreans.” “Upon authorization, this is the final
warning. We will watch every movement of the enemy and take
corresponding, very powerful and overwhelming counteractions
against its every hostile move.”
< Opinions of the Ministry of Unification (February
19) >
o “The North’s regime is oblivious to the fact
that its reckless development of its nuclear and missile
programs is responsible for the deterioration of the current
security situation. It is deplorable that the North is using
sophistry to pass the responsibility to the South and the U.S.”
o “If the regime continues provocative and threatening
acts while ignoring the human rights and livelihoods of its
people when a serious food crisis in North Korea is leading to
continuing cases of death from starvation, it will only deepen
its isolation from the international community.”
o “The
North must recognize the situation and stop its provocations and
threats, and come out on the right path for sustainable peace on
the Korean Peninsula.” |
|
February 20 | Remarks by Kim
Yo Jong, the vice department director of the Central Committee
of the WPK (Korean Central News Agency)
･ “The written
order included instructions to make a launch after deciding on a
favorable time to hit the mark sometime in the afternoon. A
surprise launch does not refer to the time it takes for a launch
to take place after the order is given.”
･ “The remaining
task is to increase the number of capabilities. How often we use
the Pacific Ocean as our shooting range depends on the nature of
actions by the U.S. Forces.” |
|
February 20 | North Korea
fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East from
Sukchon, Pyeongannam-do
･ Korean Central News Agency said
on February 20 that “the North’s long-range artillery units on
its western front conducted multiple rocket launcher firing
drills” and claimed that “the power of four multiple rocket
launcher shells can reduce the enemy’s operational airfield to
ashes to paralyze its function.” |
|
February 20 | South Korea
imposed independent sanctions on North Korea (4 individuals and
5 organizations)
･ “Response to the North’s February 18
long-range ballistic missile launch and February 20 short-range
ballistic missile launch.”
･ “This is the fastest-ever
designation of independent sanctions after a North Korean
provocation.” “Designation of the same individuals or entities
for independent sanctions along with friendly nations such as
the U.S. and Japan.” “Repeated provocations by the North will
result in being caught in its trap as the U.S. and South Korea
strengthen their deterrence and the international community
tightens its sanctions net.”
･ (4 individuals) Ri
Song-un, Kim Su-il, Ri Sok, Vladlen Amtchentsev (South African)
･ (5 organizations) Songwon Shipping & Management Co.
Ltd, Tonghung Shipping & Trading Co. Ltd, Daizin Trading Co.
Ltd, Transatlantic Partners Pte. Ltd (Singapore), Velmur
Management Pte. Ltd (Singapore) |
|
February 22 | Kim Sun-kyung,
vice minister of Foreign Affairs, condemned the UN
Secretary-General during his remarks (Korean Central News
Agency)
･ “We strongly protest the unfair and
disproportionate attitude of the UN Secretary-General, who
remained silent on the military actions of the United States and
South Korea, insulting our legitimate exercise of the defense
right as ‘provocative’ and ‘threatening.’” |
| February 22 (Local) | The ROK-U.S. Deterrence Strategy Committee
Table-Top Exercise (DSC TTX)(Washington, D.C.) |
| February 23 (Local) | North Korea conducted a strategic cruise
missile launching drill (February 24, Rodong/Korean Central News
Agency)
･ “A relevant sub-unit of a strategic cruise
missile unit of the Korean People’s Army in the eastern region
fired four ‘Hwasal-2’ strategic cruise missiles toward the East
from Kimchaek, Hamgyeongbuk-do during the drill.”
･
“Precisely hit the preset target on the East Sea of Korea after
traveling the 2,000-km-long elliptical and eight-shaped flight
orbits for 10,208s to 10,224s.”
< Opinions of the Ministry of Unification (February
24) >
o “According to domestic and foreign
researchers, the cost of missiles launched by the North last
year is measured as equivalent to the cost to buy more than one
million tons of food, which is enough to cover the entire annual
food shortage in the country.”
o “The cost of one
long-range ballistic missile and two short-range ballistic
missiles the North has recently fired alone is equivalent to the
cost to buy 100,000 tons of food, enough to feed two to three
million vulnerable people for about five months.”
o
“North Korea must stop its reckless nuclear and missile
provocations and strive for improving the livelihoods of its
people.”
< Opinions of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (February 24)
>
o “There is a discrepancy with what the U.S. and
South Korean reconnaissance assets have identified. Currently
analyzing various possibilities, including checking the truth of
the North’s claims.” |
| February
24 | The Unification Ministry
announced its plan to conduct radiation exposure tests on North
Korean defectors |
| February
24 | Remarks by Kwon Jong Gun, the
director general of the Department of US Affairs of North
Korea’s Foreign Ministry (Korean Central News Agency)
･
“The U.S. must remember that its persistent hostilities and
provocative practices against the regime may be construed as a
declaration of war.” |
| February
26 to 31 | The 7th plenary
meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the WPK (February 27 to
March 2, Rodong/Korean Central News Agency)
･ The meeting
was convened at the office building of the WPK Central Committee
and Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the WPK, presided over the
meeting.
･ (Agenda ①) “Following the Party Central
Committee’s intention to set grain production as the first goal
among the twelve, increasing the per-hectare yield should be an
important guidance on farming.”
･ (Agenda ②) “All Party
organizations should intensify the struggle against acts that
weaken the organizational and executive power of the Cabinet,
the economic command of the regime.”
･ (Agenda ③)
“Strengthen the regime’s financial foundation and discipline,
improve the banking business, and establish a scientific
national financial system.”
･ (Agenda ④) △(Party Central
Committee) 5 members, 3 candidates, and 1 chairman △(Government
organization) An Kum-chol, metal industry minister, and Choe
Kun-yong, president of the Central Court |
