Pyongyang opposes UNSC meeting on North Korea's human rights A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency shows North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, right, speaking with the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu, left, during a meeting at the office building of the Party Central Committee in Pyongyang, July 26. EPA-YonhapPyongyang on Tuesday opposed the United States' request for a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting to address human rights abuses in North Korea, calling the move "a violent infringement upon its dignity and sovereignty."The U.S., which holds the 15-nation UNSC's rotating presidency this month, requested a formal meeting on human rights abuses in North Korea along with Japan and Albania. If held on Thursday, it will be the first such meeting since December 2017. "The U.S.' despicable fuss over human rights issue is a violent infringement upon our dignity and sovereignty and a serious challenge. We firmly condemn and reject the move," Kim Son-gyong, Pyongyang's vice foreign minister for international organizations, said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News AgAug 15, 2023
N. Korea's Kim, Russia's Putin exchange letters, vow stronger ties Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their meeting at the Far East Federal University on Russky Island in Vladivostok, Russia, April 25, 2019. EPA-YonhapNorth Korea leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged letters on Tuesday pledging to develop their ties into what Kim called a "long-standing strategic relationship," Pyongyang's state media KCNA said.The letters mark the 78th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, which is also celebrated as a national holiday in South Korea.In his letter to Putin, Kim said the two countries' friendship was forged in World War II with victory over Japan and is now "fully demonstrating their invincibility and might in the struggle to smash the imperialists' arbitrary practices and hegemony," KCNA said."I am firmly convinced that the friendship and solidarity ... will be further developed into a long-standing strategic relationship in conformity with the demand of the new era," Kim was quoted as saying in the letter."The two countries wiAug 15, 2023
NK's Kim calls for 'drastic boost' of missile production capacity This photo, carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, Aug. 14, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un driving an armored vehicle while visiting an arms factory last week. Yonhap North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for a "drastic boost" of the country's missile production capacity, the North's state media said Monday, ahead of a key joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States next week.Kim made the remarks during a two-day visit to major factories that produce tactical missiles and rocket launchers Friday and Saturday, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).The visit came less than a week after the North Korean leader conducted a three-day "field guidance" of major munitions factories as South Korea and the United States plan to hold their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which Pyongyang has denounced as a rehearsal for an invasion of the North.This year's combined military exercise, scheduled forAug 14, 2023
2 minor natural earthquakes strike near NK's nuclear test site: weather agency The position of Punggye-ri in red mark, a North Korean nuclear test site in Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, is seen in this photo provided by Korea Meteorological Administration. NewsisTwo minor natural earthquakes struck near North Korea's nuclear test site Sunday, the latest in a series of natural earthquakes to hit the region in recent months, South Korea's state weather agency said.The first earthquake of 2.7 magnitude occurred about 40 kilometers north-northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, at 3:13 a.m., while the second of 2.3 magnitude struck 42 km north-northwest of Kilju at 7:55 a.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.The epicenter of the first earthquake was at a latitude of 41.3 degrees north and a longitude of 129.19 degrees east at a depth of 15 km, while the epicenter of the second quake was at a latitude of 41.31 degrees north and a longitude of 129.16 degrees east at a depth of 5 km, it said.Kilju is home to the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, where North Korea conducted all six of its nuclear tests.In 2022 alone, eight natural earthquakes were Aug 13, 2023
UN grants sanctions exemptions for WHO's humanitarian activities in NK Members of the U.N. Security Council hold a meeting on North Korea at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, April 16. AFP-Yonhap A U.N. Security Council panel has approved sanctions exemptions for the World Health Organization (WHO) allowing the delivery of tents into North Korea, its website showed Saturday.On July 20, the U.N. committee overseeing sanctions approved the waiver on the importation of five "multipurpose" tents into the North for humanitarian relief to civilians to help cope with floods, drought and other emergencies, according to the U.N. website.The exemption will be valid for nine months, the committee said.It remains unclear when the items will be delivered to the North, as the reclusive country maintains border controls due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)Aug 12, 2023
Rights groups call for UN action to protect North Korean escapees in China This March file photo, taken in the Chinese city of Dandong, shows two bridges connecting North Korea and China. Human rights groups on Friday called for the OHCHR to take action to protect North Korean refugees in China as North Korea is expected to lift COVID-19 border restrictions to resume Beijing's forcible repatriation of escapees. Korea Times photo by Cho Young-binOHCHR accused of keeping silent on repatriation issue for sake of BeijingBy Jung Min-hoHuman rights activists called for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to take immediate action to protect North Korean refugees in China amid signs of the resumption of Beijing's forcible repatriation of escapees.In a joint statement, Friday, Transitional Justice Working Group and 11 other groups said the lives of as many as 2,000 North Koreans are now at stake as Pyongyang is expected to lift its COVID-19 border restrictions soon ahead of the Hangzhou Asian Games, which are scheduled to take place from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8.In a serious accusation, the groups also claimed that the OHCHR remainsAug 11, 2023By Jung Min-ho
N. Korea put on alert against Typhoon Khanun; minor damage reported This photo, captured from footage of North Korea's Central TV, Aug. 11, shows a special weather forecast on Typhoon Khanun. Yonhap North Korea appeared to be on alert early Friday, airing rare overnight weather forecasts for Typhoon Khanun as it headed north after arriving on the Korean Peninsula the previous day.Khanun plowed through South Korea for 16 hours Thursday and dissipated after reaching the vicinity of Pyongyang around 6 a.m. Friday, according to Seoul's weather agency.The North's official Korean Central TV aired news alerts late into the night in a rare overnight broadcast. It also ran a nighttime weather program when Typhoon Bavi hit the country in 2020.North Korea has apparently suffered minor damage from Khanun, which only resulted in broken tree branches, according to the state media.The North had called for all-out efforts to minimize the potential damage from Khanun, saying the country's economy could be dealt a blow should it lack preparation.NortAug 11, 2023
NK resumes sports diplomacy to brand itself as 'normal state' South Korea's Son Heung-min, right, competes for the ball with a North Korean player during a qualifier for the 2022 Qatar World Cup at Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang, Oct. 15, 2019. Courtesy of Korea Football AssociationPyongyang's opening won't result in mood for dialogueBy Nam Hyun-woo North Korea is resuming its sports diplomacy with the intention to participate in global sporting events, including the World Cup, after sealing off its borders for almost three years during the COVID-19 pandemic.Experts said, Thursday, this appears to be the Kim Jong-un regime's attempt to style itself as “a normal state” and seek diplomatic exchanges with other countries.“Since the start of COVID-19, the North's foreign relations have been in a downturn, as it kept its border closed while other countries were resuming international exchanges, and it appears that the North saw participating in international sporting events as the most effective way to enhance its global image and style itself as a normal state,” said Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North KoreaAug 10, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
N. Korea's Kim calls for bolstering war preparations in 'offensive' way: KCNA An undated photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Aug. 6, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un holding a weapon during an inspection of major munitions factories at an undisclosed location in North Korea. EPA-YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for preparing for a possible war in an "offensive" manner, the North's state media said Thursday, as South Korea and the United States plan to stage joint military drills later this month. Kim made the remarks while presiding over an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Such meetings were previously held consecutively in February, March and April."He deeply summarized and analyzed the present situation of the Korean peninsula and its vicinity and made an important conclusion on further stepping up the war preparations of the KPA in an offensive way," the KCNA said. The KPA is an acronym for the North's Korean People's Army.The meeting came as South Korea and the United States Aug 10, 2023
CTBTO chief urges N. Korea to take 'small step' in nuclear test moratorium Robert Floyd, executive secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at a hotel in Seoul, Aug. 9. YonhapThe head of the international body tasked with overseeing a global ban on nuclear tests said Wednesday that he hopes to see North Korea take a "small step" in committing not to proceed with what would be its seventh nuclear test.In an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul, Robert Floyd, executive secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), said he hopes to see "North Korea take a small step towards building some bridges of trust and confidence with other countries."Based in Vienna, Austria, the CTBTO is a global organization tasked with building up the verification regime of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)."It would be a helpful first step, and on that, hopefully, we could see discussions and negotiations and some level of peace and security that could actually be built upon that," Floyd said.Pyongyang is widely believed to have been preparing Aug 9, 2023
