US defense chief calls North Korea, Iran 'rogue states' U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper again described North Korea and Iran as "rogue states" that conduct aggressive activities.In a video message released Tuesday to thank members of the force for their contribution to implementing the National Defense Strategy, Esper listed achievements such as removing terrorists and preserving the freedom of navigation in contested waters.The Department of Defense has also "deterred aggressive activities perpetrated by rogue states such as North Korea and Iran, as well as near-peers such as Russia and China," he said.Esper used the word "rogue" to describe North Korea and Iran in February, as well as in December.After U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's mention of the word in August, North Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui warned the U.S. not to test the country's patience if it didn't want to have "bitter regrets afterwards."U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, who doubles as the U.S. special representative for North Korea, has been in Seoul this week amid stalled nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.North KoreanJul 9, 2020
Satellite imagery showing activity at suspected N. Korean nuclear facility: CNN Captured from CNN websiteNew satellite imagery reveals a previously undeclared North Korean facility that experts suspect could be used to build nuclear warheads, CNN reported Wednesday.The images, captured by Planet Labs and analyzed by experts at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, show an active facility in the village of Wollo-ri near Pyongyang, the report said."It has all the signatures of a North Korean nuclear facility ― security perimeter, on-site housing, monuments to unpublicized leadership visits, and an underground facility.And it sits right next to a bottled water factory that has none of those characteristics," Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the institute, was quoted as saying."The big thing that sticks out is all the vehicle traffic ― cars, trucks, shipping containers. This factory is very active. That activity has not slowed down ― not during negotiations and not now. It's still making nuclear weapons," he told CNN.Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled, with the two sides wide apart on the scope of North Korea's denuclearizatJul 9, 2020
US 'strongly' supports inter-Korean cooperation: Biegun Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, right, talks with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, Wednesday. / Joint press corpsUS envoy has no intention to contact NK side during Seoul visitBy Kang Seung-wooU.S. special representative to North Korea Stephen Biegun said Wednesday that the Trump administration “strongly” stands behind the government's efforts to promote inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation.His remarks came amid lingering speculation that Washington is uncomfortable with Seoul's independent push for inter-Korean ties, as the U.S. government has repeatedly insisted that such cooperation proceed in lockstep with progress in denuclearizing North Korea.Biegun, who doubles as the deputy secretary of state, also said contacting North Korean officials was not the purpose of his Seoul visit this time, brushing away speculations of any possible contact.“The United States strongly supports inter-Korean cooperation and we believe this plays an important component in creating a more stable environment on the Korean peJul 8, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Biegun says US 'strongly' supports inter-Korean cooperation U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, left, talks with South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha during their meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul, Wednesday, July 8, 2020. APU.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun said Wednesday that Washington "strongly" supports inter-Korean cooperation, calling it an "important component" in creating a more stable environment on the Korean Peninsula.Biegun, who doubles as Washington's top nuclear envoy, made the remarks as South Korea has been seeking U.S. cooperation in its push for cross-border cooperation projects stalled by international sanctions. "The United States strongly supports inter-Korean cooperation, and we believe this plays an important component in creating a more stable environment on the Korean Peninsula," he told reporters soon after talks with Seoul's chief nuclear envoy, Lee Do-hoon."We look forward to fully supporting the government of Korea as it advances its goals with North Korea in inter-Korean cooperation," he added.Biegun's remarks came amid speculation that Washington may be uneasy about Seoul'Jul 8, 2020
'Biegun's visit meant to show strong ROK-US alliance' U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun / Korea Times fileNK rules out talks ahead of US diplomat arrivalBy Kang Seung-wooU.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun's three-day visit to Seoul from Tuesday to Thursday will be focused on showing the strength of the South Korea-United States alliance, according to diplomatic experts. They say the secretary and his counterpart will have to demonstrate that South Korea and the United States are on the same page about pending issues, including North Korea, rather than extending new offers to Pyongyang amid stalled nuclear negotiations.Hours ahead of Bigun's arrival here, the North repeated its inflammatory rhetoric against the South's attempt to facilitate another U.S.-North Korea summit, reiterating that it has no immediate intent to resume dialogue with Washington. “President Moon Jae-in is in the process of updating his foreign policy team. So Biegun's visit isn't about a breakthrough with North Korea, but rather alliance coordination with South Korea,” Leif-Eric Easley, an associate professor of international studiJul 7, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
N. Korea-sponsored hackers steal credit card information from US retailers: security firm A North Korea-sponsored hacking group has been found to have stolen credit card information of American and European shoppers from online stores of U.S. retailers for more than a year, a Dutch cyber security firm said.Hackers associated with the "APT Lazarus/HIDDEN COBRA group" were implicated in breaking into the online stores through digital payment "skimming" from as early as May 2019, according to a report posted on the website of Sansec.Digital skimming refers to a way to intercept information of credit cards during online store purchases by implanting a malware code. Its use has been growing among hackers in recent years and mostly dominated by Russian and Indonesian-speaking hacker groups, the security firm said."Previously, North Korean hacking activity was mostly restricted to banks and South Korean crypto markets, covert cyber operations," it said. "They have now extended their portfolio with the profitable crime of digital skimming."Sansec attributed the activity to the North Korea-sponsored hacking group, saying that distinctive patterns in the malware code were identifieJul 7, 2020
S. Korea poised to push through inter-Korean cooperation - regardless of US position Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young speaks to reporters after arriving at the Office of Inter-Korean Dialogue in Seoul, Monday, to prepare for his parliamentary confirmation hearing. / YonhapGov't vows to seek inter-Korean projects separately from working groupBy Kang Seung-woo The government has hinted that it will seek to revamp the beleaguered South Korea-U.S. working group, a forum to coordinate North Korea-related issues, as part of its plan to push for more inter-Korean cooperation.The organization, set up in November 2018, has taken flak for allegedly hindering progress in inter-Korean ties due to its excessively harsh standards adopted on Pyongyang, and there have been growing calls here for restructuring its operation or even dismantling it. Lee In-young, the unification minister nominee, said Monday that he plans to distinguish what the government can do on its own with the North from what it can do under the format of the working group. “If I take office, I will review what the working group has done so far and take additional measures (to promote inter-Korean Jul 6, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Pyongyang ups pressure on Washington ahead of Biegun's Seoul visit this week North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, right, said Saturday Pyongyang does not have imminent plans to talks with the U.S. Her statement is believed to a part of Pyongyang's measure to ramp up pressure on Washington ahead of a visit of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, left, to South Korea slated from Tuesday to Thursday. YonhapBy Yi Whan-wooNorth Korea reiterated that it will not talk with the United States as long as the latter sticks to hostile policies and attempts use dialogue as a “tool for grappling with its political crisis.”The statement by the North's First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, Saturday, appears to be a move to ramp up pressure on the U.S. ahead of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun's visit to South Korea slated for Tuesday to Thursday. Also the U.S. special representative for North Korea, Biegun will come here after U.S. President Donald Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton last week hinted at another summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un before the U.S. presidential electiJul 5, 2020By Yi Whan-woo
Can virus-hit North Korea economy survive sanctions? Experts expect China to help Pyongyang avoid economic collapseBy Kang Seung-wooNorth Korea's economy has been a years-long issue. Many believe it has been pushed to the edge due to a series of United Nations sanctions imposed on the reclusive state for its nuclear and missile programs, coupled with the recent worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 that has had impacts on its trade after its border closure.The pandemic has shut down the totalitarian regime already beset by its decades-long self-imposed isolation, further highlighting its economic vulnerability and lack of fiscal resources.North Korea's recent fiery rhetoric against South Korea is also mostly believed to be an apparent sign from its leader Kim Jong-un, who is in the hot seat over the sluggish economy and ensuing public outcry, in order to urge Seoul and Washington to discuss Pyongyang's economic challenges.Diplomatic analysts believe the North's economic situation is probably worse than average due to the coronavirus pandemic as well as the sanctions. But, for various reasons, they did not agree that the country's economy willJul 5, 2020By Kang Seung-woo
Kim Jong-un orders 'maximum alert' against coronavirus North Korea's main newspaper called Sunday for carrying out leader Kim Jong-un's order that the country exercise "maximum alert" against the coronavirus pandemic.Kim issued the order during a politburo meeting Thursday, warning that premature easing of anti-virus measures will lead to an "unimaginable and irretrievable crisis."The appeal was seen as a sign that the North's COVID-19 situation could be serious, though Pyongyang claims there has not been a single case. It was the second time in three months that the North has convened a politburo meeting to discuss the coronavirus pandemic.On Sunday, the Rodong Sinmun said all people should rise up to carry out the leader's order."In a situation where the prospect of resolving the risk is uncertain, we should be on maximum alert without becoming complacent or slackening," the paper said in an editorial, calling for "absolute" obedience to anti-virus regulations and orders.North Korea claims to have had no coronavirus infections so far, but many outside observers suspect that Pyongyang might be hushing up an outbreak. The country has takJul 5, 2020
