North Korea discounts South Korea's new SLBM as 'rudimentary, toddling-stage' weapon A North Korean flag flies on a mast at the Permanent Mission of North Korea in Geneva, Oct. 2, 2014. Reuters-YonhapNorth Korea questioned whether South Korea's newly unveiled submarine-launched ballistic missile was a real SLBM, Monday, claiming even if it was, it would be nothing more than a "rudimentary, toddling-stage" weapon that cannot serve as an effective means of attack.The chief of the North's Defense Science Agency made the claim in an article carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), days after South Korea unveiled its first indigenous SLBM by announcing the successful test-launch from the 3,000-ton ROK Navy submarine Dosan Ahn Chang-ho."According to the released photos, it had the typical structure and form of a surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile ... and it looks like a somewhat clumsy weapon, which is far from a sea-based one," agency chief Jang Chang-ha said, claiming the pictures could have been photoshopped.Alleging South Korea seemed to have failed to complete key underwater ejection technologies, Jang noted the missile "cannot be an effective meanSep 20, 2021
Photos show North Korea expanding uranium enrichment plant This Sept. 18 satellite photo from Planet Labs shows a uranium enrichment plant at North Korea's main Yongbyon nuclear complex. AP-Yonhap Recent satellite images show North Korea is expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex, a sign that it's intent on boosting the production of nuclear weapons material, according to experts.The assessment comes after the North recently raised tensions with its first missile tests in six months amid long-dormant nuclear disarmament negotiations with the United States.``The expansion of the enrichment plant probably indicates that North Korea plans to increase its production of weapons-grade uranium at the Yongbyon site by as much as 25 percent,'' Jeffrey Lewis and two other experts at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey said in a report. The report said the photos taken by satellite imagery company Maxar showed construction in an area adjoining the uranium enrichment plant at Sep 19, 2021
US remains open to dialogue with North Korea: State Dept. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, and U.S. President Joe Biden / Korea Times fileThe United States remains committed to engaging with North Korea in a diplomatic approach to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department said Friday.Pyongyang earlier said the continued deadlock in dialogue between the two was because of what it claims was U.S. hostility toward the North."The United States remains committed to a diplomatic approach to the DPRK, and we also call on the DPRK to engage in dialogue," Jalina Porter, principal deputy spokeswoman for the State Department, said when asked to comment on the North's renewed accusation.The DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.In a commentary carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, Friday (KST), North Korea also accused the U.S. of a "double standard," noting that Washington called the North's recent ballistic missile launches a provocation while keeping silent on one by South Korea that followed hours later.North Korea test fired two short-raSep 18, 2021
Unification minister promises support for humanitarian aid to North Korea despite missile launches Unification Minister Lee In-young / YonhapUnification Minister Lee In-young said Friday his office will continue to cooperate with the United States to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea despite tensions over Pyongyang's recent missile launch.Lee made the remark at an event to mark the 2018 Pyongyang Declaration on Sept. 19, in which President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shared the view that the peninsula must be turned into a region free from nuclear weapons."Although many have once again raised concerns over North Korea's recent missiles launch, I believe our determination towards bringing peace has become stronger amid a robust readiness posture," he said.Lee said his ministry will continue to seek ways to cooperate with the United States to provide humanitarian aid to the North, stressing that such assistance must be "carried out regardless of the political, military and security situation.""We hope that the two Koreas and the United States will restart dialogue and cooperation based on mutual respect at an early date and to resume practical discussion onSep 17, 2021
North Korea's major women's union calls for eradication of anti-socialist practices In this video footage released by North Korea's official Korean Central Television, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un touches face of a female soldier at meeting with participants in a military parade in Pyongyang, Sept. 9. YonhapA major North Korean women's union called on its members to wage a battle against anti-socialist practices as it convened a workshop for local leaders, state media reported Friday.The Socialist Women's Union of Korea (SWUK) held a workshop for its local committee heads from Tuesday to Thursday and discussed the issue of "wiping out anti-socialist and non-socialistic practices," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling party, said.Kim Jong-sun, the new chairwoman of the Central Committee of the union, and other officials "critically analyzed anti-socialist and non-socialist practices in the past," the paper said.The committee leaders also called on union members to wage an "uncompromising struggle for socialism, putting the fate of socialism, as well as their lives and their children at stake."The North's largest youth organization, the Socialist PatrSep 17, 2021
Body of former North Korean premier buried at national cemetery 15 years after death In this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, North Koreans place wreaths at a national cemetery in Pyongyang, Sept. 9. YonhapThe body of a former North Korean premier was buried belatedly at a national cemetery in Pyongyang about 15 years after he died, state media reported Friday.The body of Kang Song-san, who served as prime minister twice from 1984-1986 and from 1992-1997, was enshrined in the Sinmiri national cemetery, according to the Korean Central News Agency."A ceremony was held for the burial of bodies of patriots on Thursday at the Sinmiri cemetery," the KCNA said. "Among them were Comrade Kang Song-san, who devoted himself in the fight for the fatherland and people."Kang died in 2007, but his body had not been buried at the cemetery amid speculation that it might have to do with Kang Myong-do, his son-in-law, who defected to South Korea in May 1994.Despite his son-in-law's defection, Kang maintained the premier post and also served as a member of the funeral preparation committee for Kim Il-sung, the North's state founder, when he died in JuSep 17, 2021
Ballistic missile from train North Korea launches a short-range ballistic missile from a train during a live-fire exercise in a central mountainous area of the country, in this photo released by the North's Korean Central News Agency, Thursday. The country launched two ballistic missiles into waters off its east coast, Wednesday, a violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. YonhapSep 16, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea confirms missile launches from train This photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 16, shows a railway-borne missile regiment holding a firing drill a day earlier. YonhapNorth Korea said Thursday that a railway-borne missile regiment held a firing drill a day earlier, confirming the launches, apparently from a train, of two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea."The railway-borne missile regiment took part in the drill with a mission to strike the target area 800 kilometers away from its location after moving to the central mountainous area at dawn on September 15," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.The KCNA said the North accurately struck the target in the East Sea. The missiles appeared to have been launched from a train rather than a transporter erector launcher (TEL), according to photos released by state media.The launches came just days after the North tested a newly developed long-range cruise missile.The KCNA said that the drills were organized to "increase the capability of dealing an intensive multi-concurrent blow at the forces posing threats Sep 16, 2021
US condemns North Korean missile launch People watch a TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missiles with file image, in Seoul, Sept. 15. AP-YonhapThe United States condemns North Korea's ballistic missiles but continues to stand ready to engage with the North in dialogue, a State Department spokesman said Wednesday.North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Wednesday (Seoul time).Ned Price noted the missile launches violated a "multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.""We do condemn the DPRK's missile launches. These missile launches are in violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions. We know that they pose a threat to DPRK's neighbors and other members of the international community," the spokesman told a press briefing.DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.A Pentagon spokesman highlighted the "destabilizing impact" of North Korea's missile launches."The launches are in violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, and these activities highlight the destabilizing impact of the DPRK's illiciSep 16, 2021
North Korea fires 2 ballistic missiles A new type of tactical guided missile is launched from the North Korean town of Hamju, South Hamgyong Province, March 25. Korea Times fileSouth Korea successfully test-launches SLBMBy Kang Seung-wooNorth Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, Wednesday, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Pyongyang watchers said given that the test-firings ― seen as a protest against a recent combined military drill between South Korea and the United States among others ― were carried out during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Seoul, they were a highly calculated move designed to get Beijing to urge the United States and South Korea to stop what the North calls “hostile” annual military exercises.The totalitarian state is banned from testing any ballistic missile technology under a set of U.N. resolutions. The missile launches, the first of their kind since March 25 when Pyongyang tested a new type of tactical guided missile, also came two days after the reclusive state announced that it had successfully tested a new long-rangSep 15, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
