N. Korea unresponsive to S. Korea's bid to return body of presumed N. Korean This pool phto shows the truce village of Panmunjeom, Oct. 4. Korea Times fileNorth Korea remains unresponsive to South Korea's move to send back the body of a presumed North Korean woman who was found near a border river in July, according to Seoul's unification ministry Monday.At the 9 a.m. daily opening call via the inter-Korean liaison hotline, the North did not make any comment on the South's move to return the body Thursday through the truce village of Panmunjom, the ministry said."As we deemed our intent as being delivered to North Korea, we will wait for the North's response until Nov. 17," the ministry's spokesperson Cho Choong-hoon said at a press briefing.The ministry attempted Friday to send a formal message to the North of its plan to send back the body, which was discovered near the Imjin River on July 23. But Pyongyang has not responded since then.The woman was wearing a badge showing the portraits of North Korea's late founder Kim Il-sung and former leader Kim Jong-il when her body was found, the ministry said. (Yonhap)Nov 14, 2022
From opium to cryptocurrency, North Korea maneuvers to earn hard cash for nuclear program gettyimagesbankReclusive state's illicit activities adapt to changing conditions By Kang Seung-wooNorth Korea has launched various missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, 35 times this year alone, which analysts say could have cost the nation as much as $10 million each. The North's escalation of tensions has raised a burning question among observers: How can the cash-strapped nation finance and sustain its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program? Such a question arises as a number of United Nations sanctions have cut North Korea off from conventional revenue sources and forbidden it from exporting coal, iron, lead and seafood ― and consequently, the “rogue state” has set its sights on stealing cryptocurrencies, which are used to fund the development of its WMD.In the wake of increasing cyber heists, South Korea, the United States and some other countries remain on alert, exploring ways to prevent digital crimes.To raise funds for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the North Korean regime had long relied on a variety of illicit activities, rangNov 12, 2022By Kang Seung-woo
Seoul seeks to return body of presumed N. Korean found near border river in July: ministry This undated file photo shows Lee Hyo-jung, deputy spokesperson of South Korea's unification ministry, speaking at a regular press briefing. YonhapSouth Korea has tried to notify North Korea of its plan to return the body of a presumed North Korean woman found near the inter-Korean border in July, Seoul's unification ministry said Friday.The body was discovered around the Imjin River on July 23 and related investigations showed that she is believed to be a North Korean, according to the ministry.The ministry said it has sought to notify North Korea of its plan to hand over the body next week at the truce village of Panmunjom, but the North has not responded as of now."If North Korea expresses its intent to accept the body, the ministry plans to return it and her belongings at Panmunjom," Lee Hyo-jung, the ministry's deputy spokesperson, said at a regular press briefing.The woman was wearing a badge showing the portraits of North Korea's late founder Kim Il-sung and former leader Kim Jong-il when her body was found, the ministry said.Since 2010, the ministry has sent back a total of 2Nov 11, 2022
US concern over possible N. Korean nuclear test remains real: Sullivan National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is seen answering questions during a press briefing at the White House in Washington on Nov. 10 in this image captured from the website of the White House. YonhapThe United States continues to remain concerned about a potential North Korean nuclear test, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Thursday, noting that Pyongyang may still decide to conduct a test.Sullivan also expressed concerns over additional North Korean missile tests."We have been very transparent about out concern with North Korea that the DPRK would conduct its seventh nuclear test at some point in this broader timeframe, and by broader I mean we have been talking about this now for a couple of months," he told a press briefing when asked if the North may be expected to conduct a nuclear test during President Joe Biden's upcoming trip to North Africa and Asia."That window still remains open. Our concern still remains real," added Sullivan.DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.Officials here and in Seoul have said the North mNov 11, 2022
New head of U.N. human rights office in Seoul urges North Korea to improve rights situation James Heenan, representative of the U.N. Human Rights Office in Seoul / YonhapThe new head of the U.N. human rights agency's office in South Korea on Thursday called on North Korea to use resources for improving its dire human rights situations instead of focusing on provocative acts, like missile launches.James Heenan, representative of the U.N. Human Rights Office in Seoul, made the remarks during his introductory meeting with reporters here amid heightened tensions on the peninsula caused by a string of North Korea's missile provocations.The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and its Seoul office have been "consistent for many years in underlining the use of resources for military purposes, which should be used to fulfill human rights, is a great violation," he said.North Korea has fired a barrage of missiles in recent months despite the continued plights of its people, especially amid chronic food shortages."Countries that have ratified human rights treaties, which includes North Korea, have an obligation to take concrete steps to alleviate the human riNov 10, 2022
North Korea fires short-range missile into East Sea as US midterm election vote count is underway People at Seoul Station watch a TV monitor showing the latest launch of a short-range ballistic missile by North Korea, Wednesday. Yonhap By Ko Dong-hwanNorth Korea fired one short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) into the East Sea Wednesday afternoon, just days after it launched over 30 missiles between Nov. 2 and 5. The North's provocation came as the United States awaited the outcome of the U.S. midterm elections, Tuesday.The SRBM was launched from North Korea's western county of Sukcheon in South Pyeongan Province at about 3:31 p.m., according to the Joint Chief of Staffs (JCS). The authority added that the missile flew about 290 kilometers east, at an altitude of 30 kilometers and speed of Mach 6. It fell near an uninhabited island in waters near the eastern province of South Hamgyeong.South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies began analyzing the missile's characteristics and said it could have been one of the latest versions developed by North Korea, such as the KN-23 Iskander or KN-24 ATACMS.When the missile was fired, the JCS also spotted movements of multiple North Korean aiNov 9, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan
N. Korea fires ballistic missile toward East Sea North Korea launches what it claimed was a hypersonic missile, Jan. 5, in this photo provided by the North Korean government. AP-Yonhap North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile toward its eastern sea on Wednesday, extending a recent barrage of weapons demonstrations including what it described as simulated attacks on South Korean and U.S. targets last week.Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from the western town of Sukchon, north of the capital, Pyongyang, and flew across the country toward waters off the North's eastern coast. The launch was also detected by Japan's military, which said the missile flew about 250 kilometers (155 miles) at a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (30 miles). The relatively low trajectory seemed to align with the flight characteristics of some of North Korea's newer short-range weapons designed to evade missile defenses.Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the missile landed in waters outside ofNov 9, 2022
INTERVIEW North Korea emboldened by Russia's defense at UN Security Council: expert North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin smile during their meeting in Vladivostok, Russia, in this April 25, 2019, file photo. North Korea's next nuclear weapons test will likely be the first one to avoid a condemnation and additional sanctions from the United Nations Security Council because of Russia's right to veto them, according to an expert. Reuters-YonhapPyongyang's next nuclear test will likely be first to avoid united condemnation, sanctionsBy Jung Min-hoHyun Seung-soo, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for National UnificationNorth Korea's next nuclear weapons test will likely be the first one to avoid a condemnation and additional sanctions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) because of a likely veto by Russia, one of its five permanent members, according to an expert. Intelligence reports of the United States and South Korea show that the North is on the brink of conducting its seventh nuclear test. The regime's decision to proceed would certainly draw international criticism. Yet, such voices will likely be less unitedNov 9, 2022By Jung Min-ho
N. Korea's 'SA-5 missile' fired across NLL similar to Russia's missile used in Ukraine war: S. Korean military A TV screen shows a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, Nov. 5. APThe North Korean missile that flew across its de facto maritime border with South Korea last week has been found to be an "SA-5" type similar to that used by Russia in the Ukraine war, South Korea's military said Wednesday.The defense ministry announced the results of an interagency analysis of the debris of a ballistic missile that North Korea fired southward on Nov. 2 past the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the East Sea.The debris is around 3 meters long and 2 meters wide, assessed to be that of an "SA-5" surface-to-air missile, given its appearance and feature, it said.It can be used for a ground-to-ground strike purpose and Russia recently used a similar missile in its war in Ukraine, the ministry added. (Yonhap)Nov 9, 2022
US monitoring N. Korea's covert operation to supply artillery shells to Russia: Pentagon Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder speaks during a briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Nov. 8. AP-YonhapThe United States is closely watching the suspected delivery of North Korean artillery shells to Russia, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday after Pyongyang dismissed U.S. reports that it may be covertly supplying arms to Russia for use in Ukraine.Defense department spokesman, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, however, declined to comment when asked if the shipments have been received by Russia."I am not going to have anything new to provide beyond what the NSC (has said), and as you highlight, the information we have is that the DPRK is covertly supplying Russia with a significant number of artillery shells," Ryder said in a daily press briefing, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said last week that North Korea is covertly supplying a "significant number of artillery shells" to Russia while trying to obfuscate the real destination of its shipments by funneling them througNov 9, 2022
