North Korea fires 2 ballistic missiles into East Sea: Joint Chiefs of Staff In this Sept. 9 file photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves from a balcony toward the assembled troops and spectators during a celebration of the nation's 73rd anniversary at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. South Korea says Sept. 15 North Korea has fired an unidentified projectile off its east coast. Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP-YonhapNorth Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Wednesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.The unidentified type of missiles were fired from central inland areas of the North on Wednesday afternoon, and the South Korean and the U.S. intelligence authorities are analyzing details for additional information, the JCS said in a release. "Our military maintains a full readiness posture in close cooperation with the U.S.," the JCS said.Further details were not immediately available, such as exactly where the missiles were fired and their flight range.The latest test is the second ballistic missile launch by the North so far this year, and the fifthSep 15, 2021
North Korean media slams US for meddling in Taiwan issues, voices support for 'One China policy' A North Korean flag flies on a mast at the Permanent Mission of North Korea in Geneva, Oct. 2, 2014. Reuters-YonhapA North Korean state media outlet on Wednesday denounced the United States for meddling in Taiwan issues and voiced its support for Beijing's "One China policy" amid the deepening Sino-U.S. rivalry.The Korean Central News Agency issued the criticism in an opinion piece attributed to an individual writer as South Korea's Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, were set to hold talks in Seoul on Wednesday."Recently the U.S. has openly intervened in the Taiwan issue as part of its anti-China pressure offensive, thereby threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China," the KCNA said. "The aim sought by the U.S. through its attachment to the sensitive Taiwan issue is to use it as a means for putting pressure on China so as to deter China from making growth, disintegrate the country and stamp out its socialist system in the end," it added.As recent examples of the U.S. meddling in Taiwanese issues, the KCNA cited U.S. planes' landinSep 15, 2021
North Korea keeps ignoring engagement efforts Chief nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk, right, poses with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Sung Kim, left, and Takehiro Funakoshi, before their talks in Tokyo, Tuesday. YonhapUS still committed to inter-Korean humanitarian projects By Kang Seung-wooHumanitarian assistance-based efforts by South Korea and the United States to engage North Korea appear to be falling on deaf ears as Pyongyang is opting for confrontation over dialogue to seize some kind of initiative before returning to denuclearization negotiations. Under these circumstances, President Moon Jae-in's peace efforts, represented by his highly-hyped Korean Peninsula “peace process,” are increasingly losing their footing.On Monday, the reclusive state announced that it had successfully tested a new long-range cruise missile over the weekend, putting a damper on repeated calls from Seoul and Washington for the country to return to dialogue. The missile launches were carried out before the top nuclear negotiators of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan held a trilateral meeting in Tokyo, Tuesday, to discuss ways to resolve Sep 14, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Top nuke envoys of Seoul, Tokyo hold talks amid renewed tensions over North Korea's missile launches This file photo, taken June 21, shows South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, Noh Kyu-duk, right, and his Japanese counterpart, Takehiro Funakoshi, posing before their talks in Seoul. YonhapThe top nuclear envoys of South Korea and Japan held talks in Tokyo on Monday to discuss cooperation in resuming dialogue with North Korea, amid renewed tensions caused by Pyongyang's recent cruise missile launches.The talks between Seoul's chief nuclear negotiator, Noh Kyu-duk, and his Japanese counterpart, Takehiro Funakoshi, came on the eve of their trilateral meeting with the U.S. special representative for the North, Sung Kim.Earlier in the day, the North's official Korean Central News Agency reported that the country test-fired a new type of long-range cruise missile Saturday and Sunday in a low-intensity provocation amid stalled nuclear talks with the United States."I believe through such dialogue and consultations, the understanding of each other's position has deepened," Noh told Yonhap News Agency, noting the two sides discussed humanitarian assistance to the North.Seoul and Washington hSep 13, 2021
North Korea's missile launches threat to international community U.S. military tanks conduct an exercise in Yeoncheon, near the border with North Korea, South Korea, Sept. 10. AP-YonhapNorth Korea's test-firing of long-range cruise missiles shows the threats the country poses to the region and beyond, the U.S. military said.The North's official Korean Central News Agency said earlier Monday the country successfully test-fired a new type of long-range cruise missiles over the weekend with the missiles hitting targets 1,500 kilometers away."We are aware of reports of DPRK cruise missile launches. We will continue to monitor the situation and are consulting closely with our allies and partners," the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement released just hours after the North's announcement. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "This activity highlights DPRK's continuing focus on developing its military program and the threats that poses to its neighbors and the international community," the statement said. "The U.S. commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remains ironclad."SouSep 13, 2021
North Korea slams UK for 'miserable' maltreatment of children People wave the flags in a celebration of the nation's 73rd founding anniversary in Pyongyang, North Korea, Sept. 9. AP-YonhapNorth Korea's foreign ministry on Monday accused the United Kingdom of severe maltreatment of children and warned against meddling in the human rights of other countries.The ministry said on its website a recent report by the Netherlands-based "Kid's Rights Foundation" has ranked the U.K. in 169th among 182 countries, calling it a "fair and objective judgment" by the international society about the miserable situation of children's rights in the UK."One Western media deplored that the U.K. has killed numerous children in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries under the pretext of 'counter-terrorism' but those responsible are enjoying impunity and unfettered life under the protection of the British government," it said. The ministry said the report shows the "true facade" of the U.K., which "habitually admonishes and meddles" in the human rights of other countries and urged the UK to first redress its own human rights issue.North Korea ranked 113th in the reportSep 13, 2021
North Korea test-fires new long-range cruise missiles: state media The photos, provided by the Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 13, show a missile being fired and traveling in the sky. YonhapNorth Korea has successfully test-fired a new type of long-range cruise missile over the weekend, state media reported Monday, a low-level provocation amid stalled talks with the United States.The test-firings, which took place Saturday and Sunday without leader Kim Jong-un in attendance, came right after the North held a scaled-down military parade, and appeared to be intent on demonstrating its military power in a low-level provocation without violating U.N. sanctions.The North is banned from using ballistic technology under multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions. Cruise missiles, however, are not subject to the sanctions as they are considered less of a threat than ballistic missiles.The missiles "traveled for 7,580 seconds along an oval and pattern-8 flight orbits in the air above the territorial land and waters" in North Korea and "hit targets 1,500 km away," the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said."The development of the long-ranSep 13, 2021
'Discussions on inter-Korean humanitarian projects make progress' South Korea's chief nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk leaves Incheon International Airport for Tokyo, Sunday. YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooSouth Korea's chief nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk said, Sunday, that discussions with the United States on inter-Korean humanitarian projects had made significant progress.He made the remarks at Incheon International Airport before traveling to Tokyo to hold a trilateral meeting with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts ― Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi ― during a three-day visit there. Noh also plans to sit down with each of them one-on-one. Noh's trip is noteworthy given that he will meet the U.S. envoy for the fourth time in four months ― after once in June and twice in August ― as the Biden administration is firmly committed to providing its support for inter-Korean humanitarian cooperation projects. In addition, the trilateral meeting comes after a recent International Atomic Energy Agency report suggesting that North Korea has restarted its nuclear reactor in Yongbyon. “I expect that the upcoming talks will be a productive step to accelerate the Korean PeSep 12, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea-linked hackers attempt to break into emails of Seoul's defense panel members gettyimagesbankA hacker group believed to be linked to North Korea has attempted to steal data from South Korean experts working as members of an advisory panel for the defense ministry, a cybersecurity firm said Sunday.Emails were sent to some members of the advisory panel earlier this month from hackers who disguised themselves as a North Korea-related department of the defense ministry, notifying them of an upcoming seminar on the occasion of the anniversary of a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement, according to ESTsecurity.A few days later, another email was sent, asking the panel members to open attached papers written for the event. It had some disguised images on the attachments that appeared to be official government documents, according to ESTsecurity.ESTsecurity said it suspects North Korea-linked hacking organization Thallium to be behind the attempted attacks.The hackers attached malicious files disguised as government documents to emails that can install malware on users' computers, allowing them to steal information.But no visible damage from the scam has been reportedSep 12, 2021
North Korean outlet accuses South Korea of 'sharpening knife behind curtain of peace' A North Korean military guard post is seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Sept. 8. YonhapA North Korean propaganda outlet on Sunday blasted South Korea's recently announced defense plan, accusing Seoul of "sharpening a knife aimed at the brethren behind a curtain of peace."The South's defense ministry unveiled the mid-term defense plan early this month, including developing a massive ballistic missile as powerful as a tactical nuclear weapon that can destroy underground missile facilities and bases by penetrating underground tunnels.Meari, a North Korean propaganda website, denounced the plan on Sunday, claiming it is aimed at improving capabilities of striking key facilities in North Korea."The South Korean authorities, who like to emphasize dialogue and peace every time they open their mouths, are actually sharpening a knife aimed at the brethren behind a curtain of peace," the website said."There is no longer a need to discuss who is threatening peace on the Korean Peninsula and worsening inter-Korean relations," it said. (Yonhap)Sep 12, 2021
