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QUESTION: On the North Korean leader’s execution of his uncle, is the U.S. worried about increased
instability there on the peninsula? I mean, we’re probably going to see more purging
of officials coming up. And also, is this – what does this say about the prospects
for any kind of diplomacy work on the nuclear issue?
MS. HARF: Well, as you know, our core policy on North Korea remains unchanged, that we
remain focused on the need for North Korea to denuclearize. We’re going to increase
our discussions with our allies and partners in the region about the internal situation
in North Korea.
I would say a few points. I’m obviously not going to speculate on internal North Korean
decision making or the motivations of the leadership. I know there’s been some questions
about that this week.
But I think what this is indicative of is really the values of the regime, their low
regard for human life, what’s probably one of the worst human rights records in the world.
I think you saw our statement last night that – and I would challenge anyone to characterize
it in a way different than what we did. So we’re going to keep talking to our allies
and partners in the region. Our emphasis going forward will be to continue our collaboration,
to deepen our collaboration with our regional allies and our five-party partners as well
because we think this is an incredibly important issue.
QUESTION: You said “increase discussions.”
MS. HARF: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: Like --
MS. HARF: Deepen, increase.
QUESTION: Who are you talking to? Who’s doing the talking?
QUESTION: Coming up, like --
MS. HARF: Who on which – who are we talking to, what countries or who on our side --
QUESTION: Who – both.
MS. HARF: -- or all of the above?
QUESTION: Both, both.
MS. HARF: I don’t have any specific – I can see who on our side. Obviously, we have
a range of officials who engage on this issue. We talk to, of course, our regional allies,
South Korea and Japan, our five-party partners, obviously including Russia and China as well.
So we’re going to continue those conversations going forward.
QUESTION: But is it like a stepped-up effort or something that --
MS. HARF: Just deepen the collaboration and cooperation on this issue. Obviously, we’re
going to keep evaluating the situation and how best to move forward. But this, I just
again think, underscores the horrific human rights record of the North Korean regime.
QUESTION: Do you – just picking up on Deb’s question, when you’re talking to Russia
but perhaps particularly China, are you asking them to convey messages to the North Korean
leadership that now is not really a time for instability which purges would suggest that
would lead to?
MS. HARF: Well, we don’t think any time is really a good time for instability. Certainly,
stability on the Korean Peninsula is very important to us. If you remember, we’re
talking about Secretary Kerry’s trip to Asia. If you remember back months and months
ago when he first got here, the trip he made at another time when there had been heightened
tensions in the region as well. So I think he has a history of working on this issue.
But it really is that we’re at a point – and we do talk to the Chinese about this quite
a bit – we’re on the same page in terms of urging the North Koreans to come back in
line with their international obligations. But what we really see is that North Korea
has a choice, right, between continuing down a path of isolation and impoverishment for
their own people, or meeting its obligations and coming back into the international system.
That’s certainly what we talk to the Chinese and others about, and the point the Chinese
are making with the North Koreans directly as well.
QUESTION: And Marie, one of the key concerns about that is the provocative act by the military
in DPRK to South Koreans, and South Koreans are saying that they are consulting closely
with the United States. Do you share this concern with them?
MS. HARF: Well, which concern specifically?
QUESTION: The fear of the provocative act from DPRK to South Korea.
MS. HARF: Certainly, it’s something we’re always concerned about. We constantly talk
to the South Koreans, the Japanese, others, the Chinese in the region about it as well.
Certainly, it’s something we’re concerned about, and we would urge the North Koreans
not to take provocative acts, not to do so going forward, because it’s not in the interests
of regional stability.
QUESTION: Do you have any insights you can share with us about what the United States’
assessment is of what’s actually happening internally in North Korea?
MS. HARF: Well, as I said, I’m not sort of going to speculate or do an internal analysis
of what’s going on inside the North Korean regime. Obviously, this was an incredibly
brutal act, as I said last night in the statement, and we’ll keep following developments to
see where the regime goes from here.
QUESTION: But do you have any indication perhaps that he carried out this act because there
is some kind of move against him, a move to try and oust him?
MS. HARF: Again, I don’t want to do that kind of analysis from here. I know it’s
something that folks on the outside and internally are looking at. I just don’t have any new
analysis on that for you, but we’re going to keep watching it and seeing what happens,
certainly.
QUESTION: Change topic?
MS. HARF: Yes. Well, I think more on North Korea and then we’ll --
QUESTION: When you talk about the brutality and the human rights, how does this affect
your sanctions in the future?
MS. HARF: Well, I don’t have anything new in terms of outlay. Obviously, we have an
incredibly strong sanctions regime in place on the North Koreans right now. We are very,
very concerned about the human rights record there. That’s why there are a host of sanctions
in place. I don’t have anything new to announce, but certainly, it’s something we’re very
concerned about.
QUESTION: Jang Song Thaek was in charge of the economic reform in North Korea, but now
he’s – he was executed. So – and at the same time, he also was in charge of the
negotiation with China. He played an important role before. But how do you analyze North
Korean coming – North Korean economic reform and openness to the world? Do you concern
about that?
MS. HARF: Well, I think we’ve been very clear. I just mentioned the impoverishment
of the North Korean people, in part because of decisions the North Korean regime has taken.
There are sanctions in place that right now have led to this dire economic situation that
we see in North Korea today, and it’s up to the North Korean regime to take steps to
come back in line with their international obligations and provide the economic space
for their people to come out of this horrible situation. Obviously, we haven’t seen them
do that yet.
You asked about China as well. Obviously, China and the regime in Pyongyang have an
important relationship. It’s an important part of the discussions that we and our partners
have with North Korea about the possible paths forward. And that I think, of course, will
continue.
QUESTION: Do you have some movement at the border of China and North Korea after the
execution?
MS. HARF: Not to my knowledge. I’m happy to check into it.