N. Korea fires 2 short-range ballistic missiles into East Sea: JCS North Korea fires a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), July 12, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. YonhapNorth Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Wednesday, Seoul's military said, after the arrival of a U.S. nuclear ballistic missile submarine here and the inaugural session of a new South Korea-U.S. security dialogue.The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launches from the Sunan area in Pyongyang between 3:30 a.m. and 3:46 a.m., and they flew some 550 kilometers before splashing into the sea.The JCS condemned the launches as "acts of significant provocation" that harms peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the international community, and as a "clear" violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions."Our military will maintain a firm readiness posture based on capabilities to respond overwhelmingly to any North Korean provocations," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.The presidential office held a security monitoring meeting led by Deputy NatioJul 19, 2023
US service member crosses border to N. Korea without authorization: Austin Two soldiers stand guard duty near the military demarcation line in Paju City, Gyeonggi Province in this 2019 file photo. Korea Times fileAn active U.S. service member has willfully crossed the inter-Korean border into North Korea without authorization, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed Tuesday.The soldier is believed to be in North Korean custody and his safety and wellbeing is still under investigation, according to Austin."We are very early in this event, and so there's a lot that we are still trying to learn but what we do know is that one of our service members who was on a tour willfully and without authorization crossed the military demarcation line," the defense secretary told a press briefing."We believe that he is in DPRK custody, and so we are closely monitoring and investigating the situation and working to notify the soldier's next of kin and engaging to address this incident," he added, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.United Nations Command (UNC) in Korea earlier said that a U.S. citizen crossed the militarJul 18, 2023
ANALYSIS Is North Korea ready to talk? Kim Yo-Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, gives a speech during a party meeting held in Pyongyang in this Aug. 10, 2022, file photo. After years of escalating tensions with weapons development, Pyongyang now appears to be entering “a new phase” in its approach to handling Seoul and Washington, according to analysts on Tuesday. YonhapPyongyang specifies demands in sign of entering 'phase for negotiation': expertsBy Jung Min-hoAfter years of escalating tensions with weapons development, Pyongyang now appears to have entered “a new phase” in its approach to handling Seoul and Washington, according to analysts on Tuesday. Kim Yo-jong, the politically powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said the previous day that U.S. efforts to strengthen “extended deterrence” would only push North Korea further from the negotiating table and, even if the two sides agreed to talk, its denuclearization would not be on the agenda. She then added North Korea would not buy into “U.S. lies” such as promises to pull its military forcJul 18, 2023By Jung Min-ho
US open to dialogue with N. Korea on 'any topic' including de-escalation steps: state dept. A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday. YonhapThe United States is open to meet with North Korea without preconditions on any topic including discussion on steps that both sides could take with the aim of improving the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, a state department spokesperson said Monday, after North Korea dismissed U.S. overtures for dialogue as a "trick."The spokesperson also insisted that diplomacy is the "only viable path forward." "When we say "without preconditions," it means that we would welcome dialogue on any of a wide range of topics of mutual concern," the spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency in an email."This could include discussion of practical steps both sides could take to address the security situation in the region," the state department official added, asking not to be identified.The remark comes in response to a statement issued Monday by Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in which she argued that the U.S.Jul 18, 2023
Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, US, Japan to meet this week for talks on N. Korea's ICBM test A photo released by the official North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows the test firing of a new solid-fuel Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at an undisclosed location in North Korea, April 13. YonhapThe top nuclear negotiators of South Korea, the United States and Japan will meet in Japan this week to discuss North Korea's latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, the U.S. State Department said Monday.The trilateral meeting will be held Thursday in Karuizawa, involving U.S. Special Representative for the DPRK Sung Kim, Japan's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director General Takehiro Funakoshi and South Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Gunn, according to the department."The three officials will discuss maintaining close trilateral cooperation, especially following the DPRK's unlawful ICBM launch on July 12, which was Pyongyang's 12th ICBM launch since the beginning of 2022," it said of the upcoming meeting in a released statement.DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, NortJul 18, 2023
Kim's sister calls US 'delusional' for believing in North Korea's disarmament A TV screen shows a file image of Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, during a news program at Seoul Station, June 1. AP-YonhapThe powerful sister of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Monday that it would be "delusional" for the United States to believe that Pyongyang's disarmament was possible.Kim Yo-jong criticized Washington's policies of strengthening its extended deterrence and military alliance with South Korea, stating that such actions would only make it difficult for Pyongyang to engage in dialogue, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency."The U.S. is being delusional if it believes that it could halt our advancement and further achieve irreversible disarmament by temporarily halting joint military drills, suspending the deployment of strategic assets or reversibly easing sanctions etc," Kim said. Kim also rejected U.S. calls for unconditional talks, dismissing them as a ploy to hinder North Korea's progress."We stand ready to firmly respond to any actions that could infringe upon our sovereignty and harm the stability ofJul 17, 2023
N. Korea ramps up efforts to minimize damage from heavy rains North Korean Premier Kim Tok-hun, center, inspects a farm in South Hwanghae Province amid the monsoon season in this July 17 photo carried by North Korea's Central News Agency. YonhapNorth Korea has ramped up efforts to minimize damage to crops from the monsoon season, with its premier inspecting farms in several counties to call attention to grain protection, state media said Monday.Kim Tok-hun called for "scientifically" managing crops and mobilizing all means for weeding during his latest visits to farms in some regions, including South Hwanghae Province and South Pyongan Province, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).He instructed officials to better manage drainage facilities and seawalls with "responsibility" to brace for abnormal weather, such as heavy rains and typhoons, it added.North Korea has put its top priority on crop protection in the face of a food crisis that has been aggravated by its COVID-19-related border closure and global sanctions on its nuclear and missile programs.Downpours could be devastating to the North, as it is vulnerable to flash floodinJul 17, 2023
Kim's sister slams UNSC meeting over ICBM launch, defends it as exercise of self-defense North Korea fires a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on July 12, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. YonhapThe powerful sister of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday condemned the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for holding a meeting over the North's latest firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), calling it a "rightful" exercise of self-defense.Kim Yo-jong expressed "great displeasure" at the UNSC, as its members met Thursday (New York time) to discuss the North's launch of a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM the previous day.Calling the UNSC meeting an "unfair and biased" move, she said the ICBM launch serves as a "rightful" exercise of self-defense in response to the United States' "hostile" policy against her country, according to state media."No one has any justification to take issue with the launch of our new-type ICBM," Kim said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.Under UNSC resolutions, the North is banned from any launches using ballistic missile technology.InJul 14, 2023
N. Korea remains unresponsive to Seoul's request for prior notice on dam water discharge This Aug. 3, 2020 file photo shows water being discharged from a dam in the border county of Yeoncheon, 60 kilometers north of Seoul. YonhapNorth Korea has not responded to South Korea's request for prior notice should it release water from its border dams to minimize damage from heavy rains, Seoul's unification ministry said Friday.Referring to an inter-Korean agreement on dam water discharge, the ministry publicly made the request in late June as the annual monsoon season arrived on the Korean Peninsula.The ministry made the request through the press, as Pyongyang has remained unresponsive to daily routine calls via an inter-Korean liaison communication channel since April."The government requested North Korea on June 30 to give prior notice in case it releases dam water but there has not been any response so far," Lee Hyo-jung, the ministry's deputy spokesperson, told reporters. The ministry will use other channels, such as the press or a hotline between the United Nations Command and North Korea's military, to cope with unexpected circumstances should they occur, Lee said. Under Jul 14, 2023
S. Korea slaps more unilateral sanctions on N. Korea after ICBM launch This photo shows people watching the television broadcast of North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile in Seoul Station, Wednesday. YonhapSouth Korea on Friday imposed unilateral sanctions on four North Korean individuals and three entities in response to Pyongyang's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) earlier this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The move came two days after North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM under the guidance of leader Kim Jong-un despite international condemnation over its recent missile launches."In response to North Korea's long-range ballistic missile launch that threatens the peace and safety of the Korean Peninsula and the international society, the government has decided to impose unilateral sanctions against four individuals and three organizations that intervened in nuclear and missile developments and funding," the foreign ministry said.The four individuals include former and incumbent high-ranking officials, including Jong Kyong-thaek, director of the General Political Bureau of the North's KorJul 14, 2023
