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Pyongyang wants Washington's 'concession' before denuclearization talks

North Korea's  First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui speaks to reporters in Moscow after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in this Nov. 20, 2019, file photo. YonhapBy Jung Da-minNorth Korea has issued a series of statements pledging to ignore any contact from Washington, and Pyongyang watchers say the North is attempting to put itself in an advantageous position to draw a “concession” in future denuclearization talks. The denuclearization negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have been stalemated since the failure of the Hanoi summit in February 2019 between former U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.North Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui said in a statement, Wednesday, which was carried by the country's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) the following day, that Washington had tried to reach out to Pyongyang through multiple diplomatic channels as reported earlier by U.S. media, but Pyongyang had dismissed the calls.“We don't think there is need to respond to the U.S. d

Mar 18, 2021
Pyongyang wants Washington's 'concession' before denuclearization talks

North Korea, China reviving economic cooperation

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on June 21, 2018. Pyongyang recently appointed a trade specialist to head its embassy in Beijing. YonhapBy Do Je-hae Prospects of revived economic cooperation between North Korea and China have increased following North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's announcement of a five-year plan for economic development during the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea in January.Stoking such expectations, Pyongyang replaced its ambassador to China for the first time in 10 years with a seasoned trade specialist. On Feb. 19, it was reported that Pyongyang named as ambassador to China, Ri Ryong-nam, a former vice premier in charge of trade policy in North Korea's Cabinet from June 2016 to January 2021. Ri replaced outgoing ambassador Ji Jae-ryong. Previously, Ri served as trade minister from 2008 until 2016. The career trade official also served as economic affairs secretary at North Korea's Embassy in Singapore, according to media reports.North Korea's focus on economy It is extremely rare for North Korea to nam

Mar 18, 2021By Do Je-hae
North Korea, China reviving economic cooperation

North Korea says will ignore contact from US unless Washington withdraws hostile policies

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui / Korea Times fileNorth Korea said Thursday that it will continue to ignore any contact from the United States unless Washington withdraws its hostile policies toward Pyongyang. North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui also confirmed in a statement that the U.S. reached out to Pyongyang even the day before its combined exercises with South Korea from a "third country."The statement came as the top U.S. diplomat and the defense chief are in Seoul for talks with their South Korean counterparts to coordinate a joint approach toward North Korea and discuss other alliance issues."We have already made our point clear that no North Korea-U.S. contact or talks will be held unless the U.S. withdraws hostile policies to us and that we will continue to ignore its attempts to reach out to us," Choe said in the statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency."In order to hold any talks, we must set a mood where the two sides can sit down face-to-face under equitable conditions," she added.Choe said that the U.S. has made se

Mar 18, 2021
North Korea says will ignore contact from US unless Washington withdraws hostile policies

'BTS, BLACKPINK treated like slaves,' North Korean website says

BTS, on top, performs during the KIIS-FM Jingle Ball concert on Dec. 6, 2019, in Inglewood, Calif. BLACKPINK, on bottom, performs a livestream concert in collaboration with YouTube on Feb. 7. AP / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentBy Ko Dong-hwanA North Korean news website reported earlier this month that K-pop idols in South Korea were being treated like “slaves” by large companies and living a “miserable life,” raising questions about why the isolated state made such claims.North Korea's propaganda website “Arirang-Meari” on March 13 updated its “Arirang News” section with a report headlined “South Korean youth singers owned by big companies forced to live miserably,” according to NK Economy, a South Korean online news outlet that first reported the news. The report, claiming to have cited South Korean news outlets, referred to K-pop artists in general as “youth singers” and, mentioning BTS and BLACKPINK as examples, said most of them sign exclusive contracts with large companies such as SM Entertainment at early age

Mar 17, 2021By Ko Dong-hwan
'BTS, BLACKPINK treated like slaves,' North Korean website says

North Korea strongly criticizes combined exercise

By Kang Seung-wooPyongyang watchers gave mixed responses to North Korea's denunciation of an ongoing combined military exercise between South Korea and the United States, Tuesday, with some saying it had toned down its usual rhetoric against the annual drill to keep possible dialogue with the U.S. alive, while others claimed it indicated a return to confrontational inter-Korean relations.Kim Yo-jong / Korea Times fileAccording to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement critical of the joint military exercises that were launched March 8 for an 11-day run through Thursday. She warned of no replay of inter-Korean detente and an end to a military tension-reducing agreement.“We have stressed it several times and offered ample opportunity to them, exercising patience,” said Kim, who is in charge of dealing with Seoul and Washington.“Nevertheless, they opted for War in March and Crisis in March again under the eyes of all Koreans, instead of Warmth in March … the South Korea authorities

Mar 16, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea strongly criticizes combined exercise

North Korea unresponsive to US calls for dialogue: White House

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki speaks at a news briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, March 12, 2021. EPANorth Korea continues to remain unresponsive to U.S. calls for dialogue, a White House spokesperson said Monday.Jen Psaki also said the U.S. will continue its diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea while working closely with U.S. allies in the region."I can confirm that we have reached out. We obviously have a number of channels as we always have had that we can reach out through," Psaki told a press briefing.A senior U.S. administration official earlier told Yonhap News Agency that the Biden administration has attempted to reach out to North Korea through several channels, "starting in mid-February, including in New York."Pyongyang has a diplomatic mission to the United Nations in New York. The other common channel is through Sweden, which has diplomatic ties with the North."But to date we have not received any response," the White House spokeswoman told the press briefing.The White House spokeswoman pointed out that North Korea has been unresponsive to U.

Mar 16, 2021
North Korea unresponsive to US calls for dialogue: White House

North Korean leader's sister threatens to scrap military pact over South Korea-US joint drills

Kim Yo-jong / YonhapThe powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un threatened Tuesday to scrap a military peace agreement with South Korea and break up a Workers' Party organ tasked with inter-Korean dialogue as she lambasted the South for conducting military exercises with the United States.Kim Yo-jong also warned the new U.S. administration of President Joe Biden not to engage in such hostile acts, saying it better not do things that would "keep it from getting a good night's sleep" if it wants to sleep well for the next four years.It marked North Korea's first message toward the Biden government since its January inauguration. The statement also came ahead of planned trips to South Korea by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin this week."South Korea has again chosen 'March of war' and 'March of crisis' instead of 'warm March' in front of all Korean people," Kim said in a statement carried by the Rodong Sinmun newspaper. "Whatever the South will do by following its master, it will be not easy that the warm spring days of three years that

Mar 16, 2021
North Korean leader's sister threatens to scrap military pact over South Korea-US joint drills

ANALYSIS Why is Pyongyang unresponsive to Biden administration?

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un delivers his closing remarks during the first short course for chief secretaries of city and county party committees of the country's ruling Workers Party of Korea, held March 6, in this photo released by the country's state-run Korean Central News Agency the following day. KCNA-YonhapBy Jung Da-minNorth Korea watchers said it is not yet the right time for North Korea to accept Washington's calls for talks, while U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has yet to draw up its North Korea policy. According to a Reuters report, Saturday (local time), which cited a senior White House official, Washington has been reaching out to Pyongyang for behind-the-scenes diplomatic talks since mid-February but the reclusive regime has remained unresponsive.The report came days before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will travel to Tokyo and Seoul for talks with their Japanese and South Korean counterparts, through which Washington is expected to draw up its North Korea policy.Hong Min, a senior researcher at the sta

Mar 14, 2021
[ANALYSIS] Why is Pyongyang unresponsive to Biden administration?

North Korea unresponsive to behind-the-scenes Biden administration outreach: US official

Pyongyang citizens visit the Mansu Hill to pay tribute to the bronze statues of their late leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il on the occasion of the 79th birth anniversary of Kim Jong Il, in Pyongyang, North Korea Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. AP North Korea has not responded to behind-the-scenes diplomatic outreach since mid-February by President Joe Biden's administration, including to Pyongyang's mission to the United Nations, a senior Biden administration official told Reuters on Saturday.The disclosure of the so-far unsuccessful U.S. outreach, which has not been previously reported, raises questions about how Biden will address mounting tensions with Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.It also adds a new dimension to a visit America's top diplomat and defense secretary will make next week to South Korea and Japan, where concerns over North Korea's nuclear arsenal are expected to be high on the agenda.The senior Biden administration offi

Mar 14, 2021
North Korea unresponsive to behind-the-scenes Biden administration outreach: US official

Debating North Korea policy

gettyimagesbankBy Bruce KlingnerKorea watchers are anxiously awaiting both the Biden administration finishing its North Korea policy review and Pyongyang conducting its next provocation. Impatience with the former and fear of the latter have led experts to advocate for measures buying Pyongyang's continued inertia against committing further violations of U.N. resolutions. Bruce KlingnerLow-end recommendations call for announcing U.S. eagerness to resume dialogue while counseling Kim Jong-un to refrain from nuclear or long-range missile tests. More grandiose proposals include economic, security and diplomatic benefits as a catalyst to opening negotiations, as well as abandoning denuclearization as a goal. For decades, “what does North Korea want?” has been a common lament. Pyongyang's reticence to define what would induce it to reduce its arsenals led Washington, Seoul and others to proffer perks during negotiations and even as an enticement to “improve the atmosphere” to induce Pyongyang back to the table. Over the years, the United States and the internationa

Mar 12, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Debating North Korea policy
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