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
North Korea urges US to permanently stop joint military exercise People watch a TV showing a file image of North Korea's missiles launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, Sept. 28. AP-YonhapThe United States must permanently stop its joint military exercises with South Korea and the deployment of its strategic weapons to the South if it wishes to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea's U.N. ambassador said Monday.Kim Song, the chief of North Korea's mission to the United Nations, also said a good relationship may be formed between the North and the U.S. if and when Washington gives up its hostility toward his country."If the U.S. wants to see the Korean War, the most prolonged and long-lasting war in the world, come to an end, and if it is really desirous of peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula, it should take the first step toward giving up its hostile policy against the DPRK by stopping permanently the joint military exercises and the deployment of all kinds of strategic weapons," Kim said in his address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York."I am convinced that a good prospect will be openeSep 28, 2021
North Korea fires one short-range missile into East Sea A missile is launched from a train in an undisclosed location in North Korea, in this photo released by North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency, Sept. 16. North Korea fired one unidentified projectile into the East Sea on Tuesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. YonhapNorth Korea fired one short-range missile into the East Sea on Tuesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, just days after Pyongyang held out the prospect of an inter-Korean summit if the South drops "double standards."The missile was fired from the North's Mupyong-ri in Jagang Province eastward at around 6:40 a.m., the JCS said, adding the South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities are analyzing the launch for additional information.It did not specify if the projectile is a ballistic missile. But the Japanese government said it appears to be a ballistic missile and splashed into waters outside its exclusive economic zone, according to Japan's Kyodo News.The launch came three days after Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said that Pyongyang could declare a formaSep 28, 2021
North Korea remains unresponsive to Seoul's hotline calls after Kim Yo-jong's statements Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / YonhapNorth Korea remained unresponsive to South Korea's calls via liaison and military hotlines Monday despite cautious optimism created after the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the two Koreas could discuss improvements in long-strained relations."North Korea did not answer our opening call through the South-North joint liaison office at 9 a.m.," a unification ministry official said. A military official also said a call via the military hotline went unanswered.The North also did not respond to the South's daily call at 5 p.m. via the liaison office.Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of the North Korean leader, issued two statements last week in which she said the two Koreas could discuss improvement in inter-Korean relations, reestablishment of the Kaesong liaison office and even a summit on conditions that Seoul drops its double-standard and hostile attitudes against it.The statements followed President Moon Jae-in's offer for a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War in his U.N. speech. The unification ministrSep 27, 2021
North Korean media outlet denounces US as 'human rights abuser' gettyimagesbankA North Korean state media outlet on Monday denounced the United States as the "most heinous human rights abuser" for using human rights as a means to pressure other countries and realize its global dominance.The Korean Central News Agency made the claim in an article written by a researcher on international affairs, adding that such U.S.' "hypocritical moves under the cloak of human rights" should be destroyed in order to build a free and prosperous new world."'Human rights' touted by the U.S. are nothing but a trick to easily realize its wild ambition for dominating the world," the KCNA said. "The U.S. is the most heinous human rights abuser in the world that severely disturbs the normal and peaceful development of sovereign states under the pretext of 'human rights.'""Unless the U.S. hypocritical moves under the cloak of human rights protection are smashed, it is impossible for each country to achieve its independent development and to build a free, prosperous and new world," it added. The KCNA cited as examples for the U.S.' violations of human rights its decadesloSep 27, 2021
Kim Yo-jong pressures Seoul to negotiate with US: experts Kim Yo-jong, second from left, talks with a North Korean official during her visit to Cheong Wa Dae in February 2018. Korea Times fileNorth Korean leader's sister expresses openness to another inter-Korean summitBy Kang Seung-wooNorth Korea's second straight day of positive statements concerning inter-Korean engagement are a means to get South Korea to advocate on its behalf with the United States for sanctions relief rather than a serious attempt at improving ties with Seoul, according to diplomatic observers. Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement Saturday night that said the totalitarian state was ready to mend ties with South Korea, and may even discuss another summit between their leaders if Seoul scrapped its “double standards” and hostility toward Pyongyang.The remarks came a day after she also described President Moon Jae-in's proposal to formally end the Korean War as “admirable,” while adding her country was willing to discuss this if certain conditions were met. Moon made the peace overture at last weSep 26, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea slams Japanese PM Suga over UN Assembly speech In this image taken from video provided by UN Web TV, Suga Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan, remotely addresses the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in a pre-recorded message at UN headquarters, Sept. 24. UN Web TV via AP-YonhapA North Korean researcher berated Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Sunday for his recent remarks at the U.N. General Assembly, stressing Pyongyang would not associate with whoever his successor will be if Tokyo's "hostile policy" toward it continues.Ri Byong-dok, a researcher at the Institute of Japan, made the remarks in a piece posted on the website of the North's foreign ministry, after Suga made the video message Friday (New York time), stressing the North's recent ballistic missile launches threatened peace in Japan, the region and the world."(Suga's speech) revealed again the true character of a hostile policy against the republic by misrepresenting the character and nature of the issue," Ri wrote. The researcher also stressed, "Going forward, we will never associate with any politician that would follow the hostile policy aSep 26, 2021
North Korean leader's sister says inter-Korean summit possible if Seoul shows 'respect' North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong / YonhapThe sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Saturday the North is willing to discuss an inter-Korean summit with South Korea if Seoul shows an attitude of "fairness and mutual respect."Kim Yo-jong made the remark in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, urging the South not to show "double standards" in calling the North's weapons tests a provocation while “beautifying” its own arms buildup. (Yonhap)Sep 25, 2021
Will Moon's peace initiative pick up momentum? President Moon Jae-in listens to Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, during a performance of North Korea's Samjiyon Band at a theater in Seoul, Feb. 11, 2018. Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwonPyongyang positive on Moon's proposal to end Korean WarBy Nam Hyun-woo Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said Friday that the regime believes President Moon Jae-in's proposal to put a formal end to the Korean War could be “an admirable idea” and Pyongyang has a “willingness” to talk if South Korea withdraws its “double-dealing standards” and “hostile policies.” The rare “conciliatory” response came three days after the President renewed the proposal in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly. However, it remains to be seen whether Moon's repeated proposal will improve stalled inter-Korean ties in the last stages of his presidency.In a statement carried by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, Kim said, “The declaration of the termination of the war is an interesting and Sep 24, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Pyongyang says it is willing to discuss improvement in relations if Seoul drops hostility Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / YonhapThe sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Friday that President Moon Jae-in's proposal to declare a formal end to the Korean War is an "admirable idea" and Pyongyang is willing to discuss improving inter-Korean relations if Seoul ceases to be hostile toward it.Kim Yo-jong stressed, however, that the right conditions should be created first before an end-of-war declaration is adopted, such as the removal of what she called "inveterate hostile policy and unequal double standards" toward the North.Her statement came just hours after a vice foreign minister of the North dismissed Moon's end-of-war declaration proposal as "something premature," saying such a declaration would end up as nothing more than a scrap of paper as long as the U.S. hostile policy remains unchanged.While the earlier statement from Vice Foreign Minister Ri Thae-song appeared to be geared toward the United States, the statement from the North Korean leader's sister was seen as targeted more toward South Korea."The declaration of the terminatiSep 24, 2021
