North Korea's Kim Jong-un sends congratulations to Queen Elizabeth on Jubilee North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, front, claps during a test-fire of what it says a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile, at an undisclosed location in North Korea, March 24, in this photo distributed by the North Korean government. AP-YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a message of congratulations to Queen Elizabeth, the reclusive state's foreign ministry said, as Britain celebrates her Platinum Jubilee.Friday marked the second of four days of pomp, parties and parades to celebrate the 96-year-old monarch's record-breaking 70 years on the throne."I extend my congratulations to you and your people on the occasion of the National Day of your country, the official birthday of Your Majesty," Kim said in a message dated June 2.Britain and North Korea established diplomatic relations in 2000.North Korea is one of the few countries that the queen, who is also head of state of 14 other nations including Australia, Canada and New Zealand, has never visited during her long reign. She has however paid a state visit to South Korea. (Reuters)Jun 3, 2022
North Korea set for nuclear test, says US official Kim Gunn, center, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim, right, and Japanese counterpart Takehiro Funakoshi pose before their meeting at the Foreign Ministry's office in Seoul, Friday. AP-YonhapBy Jung Min-hoThe top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan met for the first time in Seoul Friday since President Yoon Suk-yeol took office last month amid growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.Speaking to reporters before their meeting, the senior diplomats ― Kim Gunn, Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi ― all underscored the importance of a “firm and united” response to the North's military threats. They also urged Pyongyang to return to the table for talks, offering help for its fight against COVID-19 and food crisis.“Our trilateral cooperation is essential for responding to challenges posed by North Korea,” Kim Gunn, the South's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, said. “North Korea's relentless pursuit of nuclear wJun 3, 2022By Jung Min-ho
North Korea has done more than any other nation to undermine nonproliferation regime: State Dept. State Department spokesperson Ned Price speaks during a media briefing at the State Department in Washington, Aug. 16, 2021. North Korea has done more than any other country to undermine the global nonproliferation regime. AP-YonhapNorth Korea has done more than any other country to undermine the global nonproliferation regime, a state department spokesperson said Thursday, amid fears that Pyongyang may soon conduct a nuclear weapon test.State Department Press Secretary Ned Price made the remarks after North Korea assumed the rotating presidency of the Conference on Disarmament."North Korea has been far from a responsible actor when it comes to matters of nonproliferation," Price said when asked to comment on North Korea's leadership at the Geneva-based conference in a daily press briefing."In fact, North Korea has been profoundly destabilizing vis-a-vis the global nonproliferation norm," he added.North Korea is set to serve as president of the conference over the next three weeks under the decades-old tradition of the 65-member conference, according to reports.Its leadership, howeveJun 3, 2022
N. Korea continued to seriously restrict religious freedom in 2021: State Dept. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks on the release of the 2021 International Religious Freedom Report, at the State Department, June 2, in Washington. AP-YonhapNorth Korea continued to seriously limit the religious freedom and other basic human rights of its people in 2021, the U.S. Department of State said Thursday.In its 2021 country report on international religious freedom, the State Department said up to 70,000 North Koreans may be held prisoners for their religious beliefs."Since 2001, the DPRK has been designated as a “Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom," the report said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.The State Department designated the North a state violator of religious freedom last November for the 20th consecutive year. The country was one of only 10 nations to be designated a "country of particular concern" in 2020.North Korea, almost without fail, has reacted anJun 3, 2022
South Korea to scrutinize North Korea's message from upcoming party meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un holds a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, May 29. South Korea will keep close tabs on a key ruling party meeting in North Korea expected to kick off within the coming days for any possible messages directed at Seoul or Washington. YonhapSouth Korea will keep close tabs on a key ruling party meeting in North Korea expected to kick off within the coming days for any possible messages directed at Seoul or Washington, a unification ministry official said Thursday.The North's official Korean Central News Agency has reported that the country plans to convene the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 8th Party Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in "the first third of June" to make an interim review of state policies for 2022 and to decide on a "series of important issues." The exact date remains unannounced."It is likely that North Korea will discuss issues on inter-Korean and external relations as well as the COVID-19 situation," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. He pointed out that the North had organizeJun 2, 2022
US will push for tougher sanctions on North Korea in case of nuclear test: US envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations / AP-Yonhap The United States will push for additional U.N. sanctions on North Korea should the recalcitrant state go ahead with its feared nuclear test, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Tuesday.The remarks come after the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) failed to pass a U.S.-proposed sanctions resolution on North Korea last week due to opposition from China and Russia."First of all, we need to enforce the sanctions that we have already authority to enforce," the U.S. diplomat told reporters in New York, according to AFP."And we certainly, as we attempted in this last resolution, will push for additional sanctions," she added when asked if the U.S. would push for a new sanctions resolution if Pyongyang goes ahead with a nuclear weapon test.U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan had repeatedly warned that a North Korean nuclear test may be in the offing, possibly during PresidentJun 1, 2022
North Korea asserts need for nuclear deterrence, citing war-torn countries 'tricked' by US U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korea leader Kim Jong-un at the Capella Resort on Sentosa Island in Singapore, June 12, 2018. North Korea said Tuesday it has learned its lesson from countries that were lured into surrendering their war deterrence by the U.S., as Pyongyang has long sought to justify its own nuclear development for self-defense. AP-YonhapNorth Korea said Tuesday it has learned its lesson from countries that were lured into surrendering their war deterrence by the United States, as Pyongyang has long sought to justify its own nuclear development as being intended for self-defense.The North made the claim in a book covering the military and diplomatic achievements of its leader Kim Jong-un in the past decade, published by the Pyongyang Publishing House. The book was released on Uriminzokkiri, a North Korean propaganda website."The invasion tactic of the U.S. is to force (a country) to surrender its self-defensive capabilities," it said. "The U.S. has relentlessly laid out sugarcoated words, saying that it will help the country to prosper if it gives uMay 31, 2022
North Korea's food shortages estimated at 860,000 tons: CIA data North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / Yonhap North Korea is in urgent need of food imports or assistance as many of its people continue to suffer from shortages and malnutrition, with the gap estimated at 860,000 tons, data from the U.S. intelligence community showed Tuesday.The country's food gap is equivalent to around two to three months of consumption, with the woes deepening in the midst of economic constraints attributable to its ongoing antivirus fight, according to the data posted on the online World Factbook of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)."Due to low food consumption levels, poor dietary diversity, and economic downturn ― a large portion of the population suffers from low levels of food consumption and very poor dietary diversity," it read. "The economic constraints, particularly resulting from the global impact of the COVID?19 pandemic, have increased the population's vulnerability to food insecurity."If this gap is not adequately covered througMay 31, 2022
Top North Korean diplomat affirms 'full support' for China's global security proposal Chinese President Xi Jinping / AP-YonhapNorth Korea threw its weight behind a new global security initiative, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Monday, making clear its geopolitical stance amid a growing rivalry between Washington and Beijing.In a piece posted on the foreign ministry's website, Vice Minister Pak Myong-ho stressed that Pyongyang's commitment to further boosting relations and cooperation with its most important ally and economic benefactor remains firm "despite the complicated international situation.""The world is now faced with grave crisis and challenge due to the high-handedness and arbitrariness of the U.S. and its vassal states that are shaking international peace and stability at the basis," he wrote.Pak then extended "full support" for the global security initiative set forth by Xi at the 2022 Boao Forum for Asia last month, calling the proposal a "manifestation of the will of the Chinese Party and government" to make an active contribution to establishing a fair international security system and building a "new peaceful world."During a keynote speech, May 30, 2022
South Korea's military closely monitoring North Korea's nuclear facilities amid testing possibility A satellite image shows new buildings at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, Kilju County, North Hamgyong Province, North Korea, March 28. Reuters-YonhapSouth Korea's military said Monday it is keeping close tabs on North Korea's nuclear facilities amid reports Pyongyang may soon carry out a nuclear weapon test.Last week, Victor Cha, a senior vice president and Korea chair at the U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, raised the possibility the North could conduct a nuclear test around the U.S. Memorial Day holiday that falls Monday (local time)."Under close coordination between South Korea and the United States, (we) are closely tracking and monitoring related facilities and areas while maintaining a firm readiness posture," Col. Kim Jun-rak, spokesperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a press briefing when asked about the matter.South Korea's military has said the North appears to have completed preparations for a new nuclear weapon test, which would be its seventh such test after its previous one in September 2017.The North has recently ratcheted up tensions May 30, 2022
