North Korea does not seek improved relations with South Korea: US official In this image captured from Youtube, Sydney Seiler, national intelligence officer for North Korea at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, speaks in a webinar hosted by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank, Sept. 29.The top U.S. intelligence officer on North Korea on Wednesday argued the North does not seek a permanently improved relationship with South Korea, arguing the North's long-term objective remains decoupling the U.S.-South Korea alliance and possibly invade South Korea."I'm always interested to see an introduction of a new piece of intelligence or information that would overturn my assessment but you just have to conclude strategically North Korea does not seek sustained improved relations with South Korea," said Sydney Seiler, national intelligence officer for North Korea at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence."In fact, you can make more arguments because of influence, cultural influence, political influence and the price that would have to be paid. There's no real sustained North-South daytimeSep 30, 2021
US denies hostile intent, reiterates willingness to talk with North Korea In this 2019 February file photo, a man paints a pole next to pictures of Vietnam, U.S. and North Korean national flags in Hanoi ahead of the second U.S.-North Korean summit. AFP-YonhapThe United States has no hostile policy and is ready to meet with North Korea without preconditions, a State Department spokesman said Wednesday, after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the U.S. offer to engage with the North is a disguise for its hostility."The United States harbors no hostile intent toward the DPRK. Our policy calls for a calibrated, practical approach that is open to and will explore diplomacy with the DPRK to make tangible progress that increases the security of the United States, our allies, and our deployed forces," a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency in an email.DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name."We are prepared to meet with the DPRK without preconditions. We hope the DPRK will respond positively to our outreach," the spokesperson added.The U.S. has consistently called on North Korea to engage in dialogue Sep 30, 2021
North Korean leader says inter-Korean communication lines will be restored in early October In this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at the second-day session of the SPA meeting held in Pyongyang, Sept. 29. YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un said cross-border communication lines with South Korea will be restored in early October as part of efforts to improve chilled relations but warned that it is entirely up to Seoul to determine the future trajectory of their ties, state media reported Thursday.In a speech at the second-day session of the Supreme People's Assembly on Wednesday, Kim also said the U.S.' hostile policy toward Pyongyang has not changed at all since the Joe Biden administration took office early this year and its offer to hold talks without preconditions is nothing but "a petty trick for ... hiding its hostile acts."The United States immediately refuted Kim's claims and urged Pyongyang to return to dialogue."The United States harbors no hostile intent toward the DPRK," a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency in an email, referring to the North by the acronym of its ofSep 30, 2021
Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, China discuss N.K. missile launch in video talks South Korea's chief nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk speaks to the press at Incheon International Airport before leaving for Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday. YonhapSouth Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, Noh Kyu-duk, held video talks with his Chinese counterpart Wednesday and discussed North Korea's latest missile launch and recent statements, the foreign ministry said.Noh's talks with Liu Xiaoming, Beijing's special representative on Korean Peninsula affairs, came a day after the North test-fired a hypersonic missile into the East Sea.The firing came only days after Pyongyang expressed a willingness to improve inter-Korean relations and even discuss a summit with Seoul, on the condition the South drops its double-standard and hostile attitudes against the regime.During the talks, Noh "asked for China's constructive role in efforts to bring Pyongyang back to dialogue, as he underscored the need for the stable management of the peninsula situation and a swift resumption of the talks," the ministry said in a release.Liu reaffirmed Beijing's willingness to cooperate to advance the peace process Sep 29, 2021
U.S. to continue to pursue diplomacy with N. Korea despite missile launches: nuke envoy Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, speaks at a press event with foreign journalists in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday. YonhapNorth Korea's latest missile launches will not affect the U.S.' determination to seek diplomacy with the North for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. nuclear envoy for Pyongyang said Wednesday.Sung Kim, U.S. special representative for North Korea, made the remark at a press event in Jakarta, a day after the North test-fired a hypersonic missile into the East Sea. The firing came after the regime's test-firings of two short-range missiles on Sept. 15 and a new type of cruise missile days earlier.While describing the missile launches as a "threat" and "a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," under which the North is banned from testing or using nuclear and ballistic technologies, Kim said that does not "deter" the U.S. from continuing to pursue a "diplomatic path.""We're strongly committed to finding a diplomatic path to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," he said at the event with foreignSep 29, 2021
Pyongyang claims it fired hypersonic missile This photo carried on North Korea's Korean Central News Agency shows what North Korea claims to be a new hypersonic missile launched from Toyang-ri, Ryongrim County, Jagang Province, North Korea, Tuesday. AP-YonhapCheong Wa Dae remains neutral on Tuesday's missile launchBy Nam Hyun-wooNorth Korea claimed Wednesday that the missile it launched a day earlier was a new, self-developed hypersonic one, in what is believed to be a move to test Seoul's reaction and gain leverage prior to a possible inter-Korean summit and denuclearization talks with U.S.Its state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Pyongyang's Academy of Defense Science had test-fired the hypersonic missile, dubbed Hwasong-8, from Jagang Province.“In the first test-launch, national defense scientists confirmed the navigational control and stability of the missile in the active section and also its technical specifications including the guiding maneuverability and the gliding flight characteristics of the detached hypersonic gliding warhead,” the KCNA said. The report added that the academy &ldquoSep 29, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
North Korea says it tested newly developed hypersonic missile A missile is fired from Toyang-ri, Ryongrim County of Jagang Province, Sept. 28. North Korea said Wednesday that it conducted its first test-launch of a newly developed hypersonic missile. YonhapNorth Korea said Wednesday it conducted the first test-launch of a newly developed hypersonic missile a day earlier that has "strategic significance" in bolstering its self-defense capabilities.The North's Academy of Defence Science test-fired the Hwasong-8 missile from Toyang-ri, Ryongrim County of Jagang Province, and "ascertained the stability of the engine as well as of missile fuel ampoule that has been introduced for the first time," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.The fuel "ampoule" appears to be referring to a container of liquid fuel, which would reduce the preparation time for a missile launch and make the weapon ready for use almost as fast as a solid-fuel missile, compared with conventional missiles that need fuel injection before firing.The KCNA did not mention whether the weapon is a ballistic missile, but experts said it appears be a ballistic missile using Sep 29, 2021
North Korea's ambivalent stance puzzles Seoul People at Seoul Station watch a TV program showing a file image of a North Korean missile launch, Tuesday. North Korea launched what is suspected to be a short range missile, just four days after it released statements dropping hints at improvements in inter-Korean relations. YonhapPyongyang fires short-range missile into East Sea By Nam Hyun-wooNorth Korea launched what was assumed to be a short range missile Tuesday, the same day that its envoy to the United Nations called for the U.S. and South Korea to stop their joint military exercise and withdraw their “hostile policies.” The actions seemed to present a puzzle for the Moon Jae-in administration, which has had its hopes pinned on tangible progress in the President's inter-Korean peace initiative after North Korea leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong, reacted positively to Moon's call for an official end to the Korean War and hinted at a potential inter-Korean summit. According to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), “an unidentified projectile assumed to be a short range missile” was fired from NorthSep 28, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Will inter-Korean summit affect presidential election? President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hold hands as they cross the military demarcation line during their first meeting at Panmunjeom, April 27, 2018. Korea Times fileConservative bloc criticizes gov't for using inter-Korean detente for political endsBy Kang Seung-wooNorth Korea's “unexpected” overture for talks, including a possible inter-Korean summit, is prompting speculation that another period of detente on the Korean Peninsula could be emerging that may have an influence on next year's presidential election here.Given that rapprochement between South and North Korea has historically favored the liberal bloc in elections, conservatives have already stepped up their criticism of the government and the North Korean regime for trying to work the political event to their advantage. President Moon Jae-in proposed declaring a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War in his speech at the United Nations last week, and Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, responded positively, Saturday, further hinting at the two countries hoSep 28, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Seoul expresses regret over North Korea's missile launch President Moon Jae-in / YonhapSouth Korea convened an emergency meeting of its National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday in response to North Korea's latest "short-range missile" launch, Cheong Wa Dae said.Its members expressed "regret" over the launch that came at a time when the stabilization of the Korean Peninsula security situation is very important, it added.Earlier in the day, North Korea test-fired what appears to be a ballistic missile toward the East Sea.The NSC members were debriefed by Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Won In-choul in connection with the "situations of North Korea's short-range missile launch" and had relevant discussions.President Moon Jae-in soon received a separate briefing from Suh Hoon, director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae, on the results of the NSC session.Moon ordered a "comprehensive analysis" of the North's latest missile launch and back-to-back statements issued by Kim Yo-jong, sister of its leader Kim Jong-un, on inter-Korean relations, Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said. (Yonhap)Sep 28, 2021
