Noh Kyu-duk: "Inter-Korean Relations at a Crucial Point Whether to Return to a Cold Winter... Situation Highly Fluid"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Noh Kyu-duk, Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Office for Peace and Negotiations on the Korean Peninsula, stated on the 9th (local time) regarding North Korea's missile provocations, "It is an important moment to determine whether (inter-Korean relations) will return to a cold winter or to a mild season," adding, "The situation is highly fluid and very sensitive."

Head Noh arrived in Hawaii on the same day to attend the South Korea-U.S.-Japan senior representatives' talks on North Korea's nuclear issue and the South Korea-U.S.-Japan foreign ministers' meeting, and made these remarks to reporters.

He said, "We have had various consultations between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, and I came hoping this would be an opportunity to create the most effective measures and make renewed efforts for engagement," adding, "Stable management of the situation is of utmost importance, and since domestic and international circumstances are increasingly fluid, at this point we intend to hold in-depth and concrete consultations on how to most effectively engage North Korea."

Meanwhile, following the South Korea-U.S.-Japan foreign ministers' meeting, the defense ministers of the three countries are also expected to hold talks soon. This means that the foreign and defense ministers of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan will hold a series of meetings in response to North Korea's consecutive missile launches. John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, said regarding the possibility of the South Korea-U.S.-Japan defense ministers' meeting, "There will be an announcement soon."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.