Date: Monday, September 11, 2023
Time: 10:30-10:33 A.M.

1. Minister’s Schedule

From 10 A.M. today, Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho is meeting with Elizabeth Salmon, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights situation in North Korea, and at 3:00 P.M., he will meet with the returned POWs and families of POWs and detainees in North Korea.

On September 13, at 4 P.M., Minister Kim will attend the opening ceremony of a screening event of movies on North Korean human rights and deliver congratulatory remarks.

On September 14, Minister Kim will hold his first press conference at 10 A.M., and at 3 P.M., he will attend an international symposium hosted by the Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea and deliver congratulatory remarks.

On September 15, at 3:30 P.M., Minister Kim will meet with David Alton, a member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom.

2. Q&A

Q) Kim Jong Un was reported to visit Russia on September 10, however, the Rodong Sinmun reported that he attended the military parade and even took a group photo. What is the Unification Ministry’s take on Kim Jong Un’s visit to Russia?

A) We are closely monitoring Kim Jong Un’s move with relevant agencies. However, it is difficult to confirm specific details as they are intelligence related matters. The Government is concerned about possible military cooperation which was recently raised between North Korea and Russia, and clearly reiterates that any cooperation between North Korea and Russia must not undermine international norms and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Q) Could you confirm if there have been any cases where the North Korean media has made an announcement prior to Kim Jong Un’s visit to Russia or other countries?

A) North Korea has given very little advance notice on Kim Jong Un’s visit to other countries, especially in the case of China and Russia. For example, during the North Korea-Russia summit in Vladivostok in April 2019, the schedule was first released by Russia six days before the meeting.