North Korea Criticizes Security Council in 'Press Q&A' Format Instead of Statement... Adjusting Tone?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the United States and the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) response to their submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) test launch, but released the statement in a Q&A format with reporters rather than an official communiqu?. This appears to be a form of 'tone adjustment,' but some analysts suggest that the lack of a formal statement indicates no intention to engage in dialogue with the U.S.

Professor Yang Moo-jin of the Graduate School of North Korean Studies analyzed the position of the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson reported by the Korean Central News Agency on the 21st, saying, "The Q&A by the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson shows a form of tone adjustment," and added, "The subject is the spokesperson, the nature is neither a communiqu? nor a statement, and the content emphasizes expression of concern, which is more of a point to note rather than a declaration of 'tit-for-tat' actions."

On the same day, in a Q&A with a Korean Central News Agency reporter, the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "This test launch was not intended to target or be conscious of the United States but is a project planned purely for national defense from before, so the U.S. has no need to worry or be concerned about it," and added, "We have already expressed strong concern about the U.S. and the Security Council fiddling with a dangerous 'time bomb'."

Although the statement criticized the U.S. and the Security Council's response, which included condemnation of North Korea's SLBM launch and an emergency meeting, the fact that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs released the statement in a Q&A format rather than an official communiqu? indicates a form of tone adjustment.

Professor Kim Yong-hyun of Dongguk University's Department of North Korean Studies also analyzed, "Although complaints were made to the UN Security Council and the U.S., provocative language was not used, and the complaints were within the expected range," adding, "This can be seen as leaving open the possibility for dialogue rather than escalating the issue negatively in North Korea-U.S. relations."

On the other hand, some analysts interpret the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Q&A format announcement as indicating no intention to engage in dialogue with the U.S. Jeong Seong-jang, head of the North Korea Research Center at the Sejong Institute, said, "North Korea's test launch of the SLBM on the day when South Korea, U.S., and Japan's intelligence chiefs and North Korea nuclear chief representatives met was to demonstrate domestically and internationally that North Korea currently has no interest in dialogue with the U.S. or South Korea, especially regarding discussions on a declaration to end the war," and interpreted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' announcement as "there is no reason to issue a formal statement when there is no intention to engage in dialogue with the U.S."

Meanwhile, the UNSC's closed emergency meeting on North Korea's missile launch held at the U.N. headquarters in New York on the 20th (local time) reportedly ended without reaching any significant agreement. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., stated in a brief press conference before the meeting, "The U.S. urges North Korea to refrain from further provocations and to participate in dialogue."