North Korea publishes picture album featuring weapons under leader Kim Jong-un This image shows the front cover of a photo album titled "For Strengthening the National Defense Capability" released by the North's Foreign Languages Publishing House, Tuesday. / YonhapNorth Korea on Tuesday published a picture album showing off an intercontinental ballistic missile and other weapons, amid its unusually long silence on the U.S. election results.The 120-page album, titled "For Strengthening the National Defence Capability" published by Foreign Languages Publishing House, features the history of missile and weapons development since leader Kim Jong-un took power in 2011.The album includes photos from his tactical training of marines in 2012 to the North's latest military parade marking the 75th founding anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party last month.The album also shows photos of the first test-launch of its newest submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), the Pukguksong-3, in October 2019 and the test-firing of the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November 2017.It also featured photos of its new SLBM labeled "Pukguksong-4ㅅ" and its new Nov 24, 2020
New US security team unlikely to adopt hardline stance against North Korea U.S. Secretary of State nominee Antony Blinken / AFP-YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooGiven his past hardline stance against North Korea, many predict that nominee for U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, may favor putting more pressure and sanctions on Pyongyang to drive the country toward denuclearization under the upcoming Joe Biden administration.But diplomatic experts believe that Blinken is unlikely to just pursue an approach of isolating the reclusive state ― a policy adopted by the Barack Obama administration, in which he served as deputy secretary of state ― considering his recent indications that he is prepared to sit down with the “rogue state.”Biden appointed Blinken to be secretary of state, Monday, while Jake Sullivan, a former senior policy adviser to Hillary Clinton, was named as his new national security adviser.“Blinken has signaled he is willing to deal with U.S. adversaries in the past,” said Harry Kazianis, a senior director of Korean studies at the Center for the National Interest.“Blinken was a champion of the Iran nuclear deal, showing Nov 24, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Blinken likely to seek stronger alliance, multilateral approach toward North Korea: experts In this file photo, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony J Blinken gives a joint press conference following a meeting with Foreign Affairs member of the anti-Islamic State coalition on June 2, 2015, in Paris. AFPU.S. President-elect Joe Biden's pick for secretary of state will likely seek to improve South Korea's relations with Japan as he pushes for multilateral efforts to denuclearize North Korea, U.S. experts said Monday.The U.S. president-elect selected Antony Blinken, former deputy secretary of state, to be the first Cabinet member of the Biden administration, set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20.While experts here noted the 58-year-old nominee will be open to dialogue with North Korea, he will likely prefer a more silenced and disciplined approach than President Donald Trump in dealing with U.S. allies and adversaries."Blinken will place his emphasis on revitalizing U.S. alliances and he won't kowtow to Kim Jong-un as Trump did ― or put the U.S. and North Korea on the brink of war as Trump also did in 2017," said Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA analyst who currently works for thNov 24, 2020
South Korea seeks to reignite inter-Korean projects Unification Minister Lee In-young speaks during a meeting with business leaders in Seoul, Monday. / YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooThe government is seeking to revive deadlocked inter-Korean economic projects, including the reopening of a joint factory park, expecting that cross-border cooperation could resume earlier than some forecast.Unification Minister Lee In-young held a meeting with business leaders in Seoul, Monday, to gauge their opinions on the plan as part of the government's re-launching of the Korean Peninsula peace process initiative. Representatives from local companies, including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, SK and LG that accompanied President Moon Jae-in on his visit to Pyongyang in September 2018, participated. The meeting took place as the situation on the peninsula is seen as facing a crucial turning point ahead of a U.S. leadership change next year, which could have a huge impact on inter-Korean ties. Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th U.S. president on Jan. 20, 2021. The Ministry of Unification said the meeting was arranged so the government and companies coNov 23, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
US blacklists North Korea-Russia 'forced labor' groups Employees assemble leather shoes at the Wonsan Leather Shoes Factory in Wonsan, Kangwon Province, North Korea, Oct. 28, 2020. APThe US Treasury placed two entities that either send or help send North Korean workers to Russia on its sanctions blacklist Thursday for involvement in what it called "forced labor."The Treasury placed sanctions on Korea Cholsan General Trading Corporation, a North Korean company operating in Russia, and Russian construction company Mokran LLC.The two had "engaged in, facilitated, or been responsible for the exportation of forced labor from North Korea, including exportation to generate revenue for the Government of North Korea or Workers Party of Korea," the Treasury said in a statement.The two were added to a long list of companies and organizations already blacklisted by the United States for what Washington alleges is an abusive policy of sending North Korean citizens abroad to work and earn foreign exchange, most of which the state allegedly takes.The sanctions block any assets the named entities might hold under US jurisdiction and ban US companies andNov 20, 2020
UN committee adopts resolution on North Korea human rights violation People bow before the statues of the late North Korean leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il on the occasion of 67th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice agreement in Pyongyang on July 27, 2020. AFPA U.N. committee on Wednesday adopted a resolution calling for improved human rights conditions in North Korea that will soon be submitted to the U.N. General Assembly for consideration.The resolution, if adopted, will mark the 16th of its kind since 2005 that has prompted strong objections from the communist North.The latest resolution was passed by consensus at the Third Committee of the U.N. General Assembly, which handles social, humanitarian and cultural issues, according to the world body.South Korea did not cosponsor the resolution for a second consecutive year, but took part in its passage by unanimous consent."Our government again joined the consensus passage of the resolution as it did last year under its belief that it must work with the international community for practical improvement of the human rights conditions of North Korean people," South Korea's missionNov 19, 2020
China's policy on denuclearization of North Korea consistent regardless of US election: Amb. Xing Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming / YonhapChina's commitment to peace and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will remain consistent regardless of the leadership change in the United States, Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming said Wednesday.Xing also said during a forum hosted by his embassy that Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit South Korea first ahead of any other country once the coronavirus pandemic situation stabilizes. "That remains unchanged," he said. Asked about the prospects of Beijing's cooperation with Washington under the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden, Xing stressed that China is "consistent in its position about pursuing peace, dialogue, development and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.""Regardless of whom, or what other countries say, we will keep pushing toward that direction. This is in the mutual interests of both China and Korea, this region and beyond, as well as for world peace," the ambassador said.China has called for resolving the denuclearization issue with Pyongyang through dialogue, supporting the North's demandNov 18, 2020
Biden-Kim summit possible, but only when both see 'substantive' outcome: expert U.S. President-elect Joe Biden holds up a face mask as he speaks about the U.S. economy following a briefing with economic advisers in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., Nov. 16, 2020. ReutersU.S. President-elect Joe Biden and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could hold a summit but only if both see such a meeting would produce a "substantive" outcome, former U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Kathleen Stephens said Tuesday.Stephens, currently president of the Korea Economic Institute, made the remark in a written interview with Yonhap News Agency, noting that the North's leader could also be "wary" of a meeting absent clarity about its outcome since his second summit with President Donald Trump in Hanoi ended without any deal last year.She also said the biggest difference between Biden and Trump will be that Biden will shape his policy "through the lens of U.S. alliances and commitments." "Biden will affirm the goal of denuclearization and demonstrate commitment to alliance defense and deterrence. That could be combined with messaging North Korea of U.S. readiness to restart a diplomatic process baseNov 18, 2020
North Korean leader presides over politburo meeting in 1st public appearance in 25 days North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during a politburo meeting of the Workers' Party in Pyongyang on Sunday, state media reported Monday. YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a politburo meeting of the Workers' Party in his first public appearance in 25 days and discussed nationwide anti-coronavirus measures, state media said Monday.During the enlarged politburo meeting held Sunday, Kim discussed "COVID-19 and the state anti-epidemic situation and clarified the tasks for the Party, military and economic fields to further tighten the emergency anti-epidemic front," according to the Korean Central News Agency.He also stressed "the need to keep a high alert, build a tight blocking wall and further intensify the anti-epidemic work, being aware of the important responsibility for the security of the state and the well-being of the people," the KCNA added.This marked his first reported public appearance since he was reported on Oct. 22 to have visited a cemetery in the North's South Pyongyang Province for fallen Chinese soldiers that participated in the 1950-53 Korean WarNov 16, 2020
Moon seeks to rekindle nuclear talks at Tokyo Olympics President Moon Jae-in attends the East Asia Summit, held virtually, at Cheong Wa Dae, Saturday. / Joint press corpsBy Kang Seung-woo President Moon Jae-in hinted Saturday that South Korea will seek to revive stalled denuclearization talks between the United States and North Korea at next year's Tokyo Olympics. The negotiations on North Korea's nuclear disarmament have been deadlocked since the February 2019 Hanoi summit between Washington and Pyongyang failed to reach a deal. Seoul has recently been floating the Olympics-linked idea based on its successful track record of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018, in which the reclusive state participated, thereby leading to both improved inter-Korean and U.S.-North relations.“As the PyeongChang Winter Games were the peace Olympics, if the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics pass without safety and coronavirus concerns, it will give the world greater hope for overcoming the coronavirus and bringing peace to the region,” Moon said during a virtual East Asia Summit (EAS). The EAS was also participaNov 15, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
