[Exclusive] Urgent NSC Standing Committee Briefing by Cheong on the 'Inter-Korean Liaison Office' Explosion... "Strong Response"

by Son Seonhee

Published 16 Jun.2020 18:48(KST)

Kim Yu-geun, the First Deputy Director of the National Security Office at the Blue House, is briefing on the results of the NSC Standing Committee meeting at the Chunuchu-gwan Grand Briefing Room of the Blue House on the afternoon of the 16th. 2020.6.16 Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] On the 16th, the Blue House urgently convened the Standing Committee of the National Security Council (NSC) chaired by National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong regarding the demolition of the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office and issued a stern warning, stating it would "respond strongly."

Kim, NSC Secretary-General (First Deputy Director of the National Security Office), held a briefing at 6:30 PM at the Press Center and expressed "strong regret over the North's unilateral demolition of the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office building." However, Kim did not take any further questions related to the incident.

Earlier, the Blue House held an NSC meeting starting at 5:05 PM on the same day.

Below is the full text of Secretary-General Kim's briefing.

[Briefing on the Emergency NSC Standing Committee Meeting Regarding the Demolition of the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office]

The government strongly expresses regret over the North's unilateral demolition of the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office building, which was established in 2018 under the Panmunjom Declaration.

The North's destruction of the Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office is an act that betrays the hopes of all who wish for the development of inter-Korean relations and the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The government makes it clear that the North is fully responsible for all consequences arising from this incident.

The government sternly warns that if the North continues to take measures that worsen the situation, we will respond strongly.