Date: Monday, January 9, 2023
Time: 10:30-10:34 A.M.

1. Minister’s Schedule

At 3:00 P.M. today, Unification Minister Kwon Youngse will meet with newly appointed President Jeong Nak-keun of the South-North Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Support Association. President Jeong Nak-keun previously held various positions related to unification works.

2. Q&A

Q. There has not been any public activity of Kim Jong Un since his visit to Kumsusan Palace on January 1. Are there any updates on his status?
Also, there was a report from North Korean media that a tourism souvenir exhibition was held. Does this mean that North Korea will resume tourism?

A. The Unification Ministry is closely monitoring any developments regarding Kim Jong Un’s public activities.

Q. There were some concerns that sending drones to the North Korean airspace is violating the Armistice Agreement. Could you elaborate further on this issue?

A. I would like to refer you to the ministry in charge.

Q. Could you confirm the possibility of resuming tourism in North Korea and was the daily call between liaison officers of the South and the North made as usual this morning?

A. Regarding the report on tourism, the Ministry does not have more information to provide. All we can say is that the Ministry is paying close attention to recent trends in North Korea.

The liaison offices of the South and the North have been making daily routine calls twice a day at 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Today’s call was made as usual.

Q. After North Korean drones invaded our airspace last month, did the South ever send a document or complain through inter-Korean communication channels?

A. No.