N. Korea accuses expelled Australian student of spying: KCNA An Australian student in Pyongyang was detained for spying last month and admitted his "anti-state" activities, the North Korean state media said Saturday, two days after his expulsion from the communist nation. Alek Sigley, a 29-year-old university student in Pyongyang, was reported missing in late June, but he was released on Thursday and left the North Korean capital the same day.The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the Australian had passed on data and photos on domestic situation to "the NK News and other anti-DPRK media" and was caught by the North Korean authorities on June 25. "Alek Sigley was caught red-handed committing anti-DPRK incitement through internet," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in an English report, using the abbreviation for the country's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Siely admitted "his spying acts of systematically collecting and offering data about the domestic situation of the DPRK" and repeatedly asked for pardon, KCNA said. Sigley had been pursuing a master's degree in North Korean literature at Kim ll-sung UnivJul 6, 2019
What surprises would be in the next episode of the Trump Show? U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stand before a group of journalists at the Pamunjom truce village last Sunday. YonhapBy Oh Young-jin What surprises might be in the next episode of the Trump Show, the reality show starring U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un?Do not blame me for calling the two “buddies”' affairs a reality show. After last Sunday's meeting at the Panmunjom truce village in Korea's demilitarized zone, Yael Kushner, better known as Ivanka and Trump's daughter, called her DMZ visit with her father “surreal.” Media outlets' reports boiled down to it being less reality than show.The whole process leading up to the Kim-Trump meeting appears implausible. While in Osaka for the G20 meeting before hopping over to Korea, Trump sent a twitter message that he wanted to go to the DMZ, the four kilometer-wide no man's land separating the two Koreas since the 1950-53 Korean War, and say hello to Kim.Then the former reality show host masterfully built up the level of expectation for his encounter with Jul 5, 2019By Oh Young-jin
Australian gov't warns released student not to return to North Korea Australian Alek Sigley smiles as he arrives at Haneda International airport in Tokyo, Japan, July 4. The 29-year-old student has been released after being detained for a week in North Korea. EPAAustralia's government warned a student not to return to North Korea on Friday, a day after he was released from detention by Pyongyang under mysterious circumstances.Alek Sigley, who flew to Tokyo on Thursday to join his Japanese wife, had been studying in the North Korean capital and had been missing since June 25."My advice would be pretty clear, I would stay in Japan. I would go back to South Korea ... I would come back to Australia," Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told the Nine network."All of those would have to be better options before he returns to North Korea," Dutton said. "I don't think he will put himself back in that situation ... it could have ended up very differently."Sigley left North Korea on Thursday and flew to Beijing, where he was met by Australian officials for the flight to Tokyo. He declined to comment to a throng of reporters at Haneda Airport, only making a peaceJul 5, 2019
PHOTOS Australian student detained in North Korea 'released' Australian student Alex Sigley gestures as he arrives at the airport in Beijing on Thursday, July 4, 2019. The Australian student who vanished in North Korea more than a week ago arrived in Beijing on Thursday morning. (AP Photo/Emily Wang)A 29-year-old Australian student detained in North Korea surfaced in Beijing airport on Thursday, saying he was in "very good" spirits after being released.Alek Sigley ― one of a handful of Westerners living and studying in North Korea ― disappeared without a trace around June 23, prompting a week of deep concern and frantic speculation about his fate.For days Sigley's family received no word about his whereabouts or wellbeing, stoking fears he may be the latest in a long line of foreigners to become entangled in North Korea's police state.Then, with little warning, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday told lawmakers that Sigley had "been released from detention in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" and that "he is safe and well".Sigley's father Gary told media in Australia that the family was "extremely pleased he is safe aJul 4, 2019
North Korea's new negotiation team in spotlight Kim Jong-un's key aides wait during their leader's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at Panmunjeom on June 30. From left are Kim Chang-son, in charge of protocol affairs; Kim Yo-jong, the North Korean leader's sister and first vice director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK); Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui. YonhapBy Do Je-hae A new round of U.S.-North Korea nuclear negotiations are set to begin in a few weeks following the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.Washington is widely expected to let Secretary of State Mike Pompeo manage the entire strategy for better deliverables. U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun is expected to back him up. Biegun is said to have been closely involved in fixing all the specifics of last week's Trump-Kim meeting.There is a noticeable difference, however, in the line-up of North Korean negotiators. In Hanoi, Pompeo's counterpart was Kim Yong-chol, who at the tiJul 3, 2019By Do Je-hae
Trump smiles with North Korea, threatens Iran U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press before signing a bill for border funding legislationin as Vice President Mike Pence looks on in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, July 1. AFPWith North Korea, President Donald Trump puts on the charm. But with Iran, he cranks up the pressure with economic sanctions and a stronger military presence in the Persian Gulf. He warned its leaders Monday they are ``playing with fire.'' Nuclear weapons are at the heart of the difficult U.S. relations with both Pyongyang and Tehran. But it's in North Korea where Trump has more leeway _ and perhaps a greater chance of striking a deal. Kim Jong Un has seemed as willing to meet with Trump as the U.S. president has been to talk and shake hands for the cameras with him. The North Korean leader jumped at the chance to meet Trump at the Demilitarized Zone between the Koreas last weekend. Trump has made repeated overtures to Iranian leaders, too, but without the same results. ``I think Trump would be equally on a charm offensive with the Iranians if he had a dance partner,'' said MarkJul 2, 2019
US Democrats skeptical on Trump-Kim meeting in Korea Democratic White House contenders gave a guarded welcome to Donald Trump's meeting Sunday with Kim Jong Un, with several warning the US president was granting him "legitimacy" despite the lack of progress on curbing North Korea's nuclear arsenal.Senator Bernie Sanders, a leading candidate in the race to face off against Trump in 2020, said he had "no problem" with Trump's decision to meet with Kim, in a moment of high diplomatic drama in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas."Sitting down with our adversaries is not a bad idea," Sanders said on ABC's "This Week." "I wish (Trump) would do that in the Middle East as well, and in the Persian Gulf.""In the case of North Korea, if we can get rid of nuclear weapons there, that would be a very good thing."But the Vermont senator warned Trump had "weakened the State Department" since taking office, and stressed that the US and North Korea need to "move forward diplomatically, not just do photo opportunities."Another Democratic presidential hopeful, Senator Amy Klobuchar, told CNN's "State of the Union" that "of course, as a country, Jul 1, 2019
N. Korea media calls DMZ meeting 'amazing' This image shows newspapers' front pages with the images of the meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, July 1, 2019. North Korea's state media is describing leader Kim's meeting with President Trump at the Demilitarized Zone as "an amazing event" in the border village it notes is a symbol of the Korean Peninsula's division. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)North Korea's state media described leader Kim Jong Un's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as ``an amazing event'' in the border village it notes is a symbol of the Korean Peninsula's division. The Korean Central News Agency reports that the two leaders expressed great satisfaction over the results of their talks. Also included in the state media report is a description of Kim exchanging ``warm greetings'' with South Korea's president, Moon Jae-in.Trump and Kim agreed to restart negotiations designed to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, a point included in the state media recap of the event.The DMZ meeting on Sunday was an uneJul 1, 2019
Trump invites Kim to White House U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, Sunday. APBy Lee Gyu-leeU.S. President Donald Trump invited North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un to Washington, D.C., when the two leaders met at the Panmunjom truce village on Sunday. “I did,” Trump said when asked if he extended the invitation for Kim to come to the White House. “Actually, at some point it will all happen. When it all works out, at some point it will all happen.” Earlier he said, “I would invite him right now to the White House,” as the two leaders headed to Freedom House, on the southern side of the village, before holding private talks.It was not clear if Kim accepted the offer. Trump is the first U.S. president to set foot in North Korea after he briefly crossed the inter-Korean border.“Stepping across that line is a great honor,” Trump said after enjoying a short walk on the North Korean side. “A lot of friendships have been made. And this is in particular a great friendship.Jun 30, 2019By Lee Gyu-lee
Trump's visit prompts support, protests in Seoul Members of the Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea hold signs that reads "No Sanctions" and “Peace Treaty Now” during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Korea, at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Sunday. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Kim Hyun-binProtesters took to the streets in central Seoul, Sunday, both to welcome and oppose U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to South Korea, putting police on high alert over possible violence for the second straight day.Trump arrived in Seoul, Saturday for a two-day official visit after attending the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan. An alliance of local liberal university students held a rally in front of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, condemning Trump, when the U.S. president was holding meeting with Korean business leaders at the property. The young activist group also held a press conference in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, claiming the United States and Trump are trying to escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Another progressive group, the Solidarity for Peace and ReunifiJun 30, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin
