Date: Monday, March 14, 2022
Time: 10:30-10:34 A.M.

 

1. Minister's schedules

 

On March 16, the Unification Ministry will be holding a conference to gather opinions of private organizations on inter-Korean humanitarian cooperation. The Ministry has pursued communications with these organizations while adhering to the position that humanitarian cooperation at the private level should continue consistently. As part of such efforts, the scheduled conference will evaluate the achievements and limitations of inter-Korean humanitarian cooperation projects while also seeking ideas for future improvements. Unification Minister Lee In-young will deliver opening remarks, and key figures including the newly appointed head of Korea NGO Council for Cooperation with North Korea will deliver congratulatory remarks.

 

On March 17 and 18, an online conference will be held under the theme of finding a reasonable solution for the denuclearization of North Korea. Minister Lee will deliver congratulatory remarks on the opening day.

 

2. Q&A

 

Q. Has the Ministry received any notice from the North regarding the dismantling of the Haegumgang Hotel at Mount Geumgang?

 

A. The North has not notified the South of any position regarding tour facilities in the Mount Geumgang area. The last time North Korea contacted the South regarding Mt. Geumgang was on January 30 of 2020, when the Kumgangsan International Tourist Bureau communicated its plans to postpone the removal of facilities in the tourism zone to prevent the risk of spreading Covid-19.

 

The Government's position regarding Mt. Geumggang tourism is that the North should not make unilateral decisions and measures that infringe on the property rights of our companies, and that all issues need to be solved through inter-Korean consultations. The Government has consistently dealt with such issues based on this basic position.

 

Q. What is the Unification Ministry's evaluation of recently detected developments in the North including restoration work at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, preparations for missile launches in the Sunan area, and the dismantling of the Haegumggang Hotel?

 

A. The Government is carefully monitoring situations in the North and preparing for all possibilities based on close cooperation with the United States. We urge the North to immediately stop unilaterally creating tension that runs contrary to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and gets inter-Korean relations nowhere. Instead, it should respond to the path of dialogue and cooperation as proposed by the South and the international community.