Government: "Regret North Korea's Blame Shifting... Strong Response to Any Provocation"

North Korean UN Ambassador Mentions 'Itaewon Disaster'
"Violation of Humanitarian Principles... Expresses Strong Regret"

Ministry of Unification [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Jang Hee-jun and Yoo In-ho] The government refuted North Korea's critical statement on the trilateral summit agreement between South Korea, the United States, and Japan to 'strengthen extended deterrence' and urged North Korea to come to the dialogue table.

Im Soo-seok, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing on the 17th in response to a question about North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's statement criticizing the trilateral extended deterrence, "We deeply regret that North Korea once again issued a statement shifting responsibility externally and carried out its 62nd ballistic missile provocation this year."

He added, "North Korea's illegal nuclear and missile provocations, which clearly violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions, will lead to the strengthening of the ROK-US alliance's deterrence and trilateral security cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan," emphasizing, "This will ultimately undermine North Korea's security and deepen its international isolation."

He further stated, "The government will maintain a robust ROK-US combined defense posture and respond strongly in cooperation with the international community to any provocations by North Korea."

An official from the Ministry of Unification also told reporters on the same day, "The party escalating military tensions is not the ROK-US but North Korea, and all responsibility lies entirely with North Korea," adding, "The current heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula are not due to the ROK-US extended deterrence but because North Korea has continuously developed nuclear weapons and carried out provocations."

He continued, "Both South Korea and the United States are not only talking about 'deterrence,'" and said, "The inter-Korean talks already proposed remain valid, and all inter-Korean dialogues on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula are open." The Ministry of Unification's position is that if North Korea responds positively to the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's denuclearization roadmap, the 'Bold Initiative,' it is prepared to provide specific explanations to North Korea.

Earlier, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui issued a statement threatening that "our military response will become even fiercer." This appears to be in response to the United States' decision to strengthen extended deterrence for its allies and enhance military activities in the region.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Unification expressed strong regret over North Korea's Permanent Representative to the UN, Kim Song, mentioning the 'Itaewon tragedy' during his opposition to the North Korean Human Rights Resolution.

An official from the Ministry of Unification condemned, "It is deplorable that North Korea carried out military provocations during our national mourning period instead of mourning, but using this as a political tool to criticize on the international stage discussing human rights and humanitarian issues is a direct violation of humanitarian principles."

Im Soo-seok, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also pointed out, "North Korea's absurd claims clearly show its disregard for human rights," adding, "While the world expresses condolences and mourning for the victims of the Itaewon tragedy, North Korea conducted missile provocations."

On the 16th (local time), Kim Song, North Korea's Permanent Representative to the UN, attacked South Korea, a co-sponsor of the North Korean Human Rights Resolution, at the Third Committee meeting of the UN General Assembly held at the UN Headquarters in New York, saying it "triggered an unprecedented crush accident caused by human error due to a lack of internal governance capability."