North Korean newspaper confirms African swine fever outbreak A pig at Yanggu County in Gangwon Province is being inspected for possible African swine fever on May 31. The South Korean government on the same day designated 10 cities and countries next to the inter-Korean border to watch out for possible infection of the disease spreading from North Korea. YonhapNorth Korea's official newspaper confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever in the country on Wednesday, its first acknowledgment of the disease since Pyongyang reported a case to an international organization last month, saying nationwide efforts are under way to prevent its spreading."Emergency preventive efforts are actively underway across the country to stem the spread of African swine fever, a highly contagious virus," the Rodong Sinmun said in an article, adding that relevant government agencies and municipalities are working together to guarantee the safety of livestock.North Korea reported a confirmed case of the animal disease at a pig farm in a region bordering China to the World Organization for Animal Health late last month. Its media, however, had been mum on the outbreakJun 12, 2019
Moon advisor anticipates 'new possibilities' with Kim's letter to Trump Moon Chung-in, a special presidential advisor to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, talks to participants of a forum at Chosun Hotel in Seoul's Jung-gu District, Wednesday. YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un's letter sent to U.S. President Donald Trump this week could open up "new possibilities" in relations between the two countries, a special advisor to President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday.Moon Chung-in, a special presidential advisor and Yonsei University professor, made the remarks after Trump said Tuesday that Kim sent him a "beautiful" and "very warm" letter, the first known correspondence since their no-deal summit in Hanoi in February."I don't know the content of the letter, but I think that new possibilities between the North and the United States could open up considering that there had not been any dialogue or contact (between them since the Hanoi summit)," Moon said during a forum on the South Korea-U.S. alliance."That (letter) is considerably heartening. ... There have been difficulties after the Hanoi setback, but I forecast that there may be (talks) between the SouJun 12, 2019
Kim Jong-un believes summit with Putin will bear 'rich fruit' Russian President Vladimir Putin, second left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, left, greet North Korea's delegation prior to their talks in Vladivostok, Russia, April 25, 2019. AP-YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed strong confidence Wednesday that the agreements he reached with Russian President Vladimir Putin in April will bear "rich fruit," and further advance their strategic and traditional relations, Pyongyang's state media reported. In a message of greeting sent to Putin on the occasion of Russia's national day, Kim also said that it is the two countries' "common responsibility" to "put the precious centuries-old tradition of friendship on a higher stage," according to the Korean Central News Agency."It is our common responsibility before the times and history to put the precious centuries-old tradition of friendship on a higher stage," Kim was quoted as saying. "I express firm belief that the common understanding and agreements made at our first significant meeting will bear rich fruits and, as a result, the strategic and traditional DPRK-Russia relations of Jun 12, 2019
Arbitrary executions, extra-judicial killings continue in North Korea: report In this Feb. 26 file photo, South Korean protesters and North Korean defectors hold portraits of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a rally urging the United States to discuss North Korean human rights issues in the upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim near the U.S. embassy in Seoul. The Seoul-based human rights group Transitional Justice Working Group said on June 11 that it has carried out research to identify hundreds of sites where witnesses claim North Korea has carried out public executions as it continues to aggressively use the death penalty to intimidate its citizens. APNorth Korea has continued arbitrary executions and extra-judicial killings under the Kim Jong-un regime for infractions, such as watching South Korean TV dramas and movies, a Seoul-based rights group said in a report Tuesday.The Transitional Justice Working Group said in the report, titled "Mapping the Fate of the Dead: Killings and Burials in North Korea," that almost all "state-sanctioned killings reported were public executions by firing squad," "Brief 'trials' almost always occuJun 11, 2019
Third NK-US summit possible despite lack of progress on denuclearization: analysts U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump could meet for a third summit later this year even without much progress toward dismantling the regime's nuclear weapons program, analysts here said.At their earlier summits, the first of which took place a year ago on June 12 in Singapore, Kim and Trump sought to strike a deal that would lead to the dismantlement of North Korea's weapons of mass destruction programs in exchange for the lifting of crippling sanctions on the regime.Experts asked by Yonhap News Agency were divided on how far the two sides have come since the Singapore summit, with some saying the tensions of 2017 have eased and others arguing the prospects for North Korea's denuclearization have only worsened.But most agreed that the two charismatic leaders will seek a third summit within the year."A third Trump-Kim summit is a near certainty for 2019 ― you can take that prediction to the bank," said Harry Kazianis, senior director of Korean studies at the Center for the National InterJun 9, 2019
North Korea postpones international youth football tournament North Korean footballers arrive at the Gimpo International Airport, Nov. 3, 2018, to depart for China after they finished the Ari Sports Cup U-15 youth football tournament in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. YonhapNorth Korea has postponed an international youth football competition, citing internal reasons, South Korean officials said Friday.According to South-North Korea Inter-Korean Sports Association, North Korea has asked to push the Ari Sports Cup back by about three weeks. The under-15 tournament was initially scheduled for June 29 to July 9 in Pyongyang.The competition will feature three clubs from North Korea, three teams from South Korea, and teams from China, Uzbekistan, Russia, Switzerland and Spain, among others.An official with the association said he didn't consider North Korea's request for postponement as a negative sign, and added the organizers are trying to ensure a successful competition.The Ari Sports Cup has been held sporadically since its inauguration in 2006. There were two tournaments last year, with Pyongyang hosting the fourth competition in August and ChunchJun 7, 2019
South Korea approves $8 million aid to North Korea Lim Hyoung-joon, the head of the World Food Programme’s Korea Office, gives a presentation about the food situation in North Korea at a forum hosted by the Korea Institute for National Unification at the Koreana Hotel in Seoul, May 30. YonhapBy Jung Da-minThe Ministry of Unification has approved a plan to send $8 million (about 9.4 billion won) worth of humanitarian assistance to North Korea through international agencies.About $4.5 million will be allocated to the World Food Program (WFP) to support its food shipment projects, while $3.5 million will go to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) maternal and child healthcare and nutrition programs, the ministry announced Wednesday.The unification ministry and the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Promotion Council (IKECPC) made the final decision after discussions among 18 council members that includes government officials and North Korea experts from May 29 to June 5.The transfer of money is expected to take place next week at the earliest.The plan to indirectly provide humanitarian aid to North Korea came in the wakeJun 5, 2019
Worsening economic plight unlikely to lead North Korea back to talks: experts This photograph taken on May 27 shows veterinarians and health officials weighing a dead pig at a farm in Hanoi before burying it in an isolated quarantined pit to stop the spread of African Swine Fever. Millions of pigs have been culled as African swine fever cuts through China and beyond, devastating global food chains with pork prices expected to soar from the wet markets of Hong Kong to American dinner tables. AFPThe recent outbreak of African swine fever in North Korea added yet another woe to the impoverished nation's struggling economy and food shortages, but Pyongyang is unlikely to come back to talks just to seek assistance, experts said.Last week, Pyongyang reported to the World Organization for Animal Health the outbreak of swine fever at a farm in a region bordering China. The fatal disease to pigs, which has no known treatment, occurred at a time when the North is struggling to feed its people after its crop output fell to the lowest level since 2008.That spurred speculation that a need to revive the economy and overcome food shortages might compel Pyongyang to think aboJun 5, 2019
Letter to Kim Jong-un: 'Please send North Korea athletes to Fina World Championships' Rep. Park Ji-won Korea Times fileBy Park Si-soo Opposition heavyweight Rep. Park Ji-won has invited North Korean athletes and a cheering squad to the Fina World Championships in the South Korean city of Gwangju next month, in an open letter he wrote to North Korean Kim Jong-un In the letter posted on his Facebook account on Tuesday, the four-term lawmaker of the People's Party “cordially asked Chairman Kim Jong-un to accept” his invitation to show the world the “two Koreas' efforts for reconciliation and harmony.”“If North Korean athletes and cheering squad take part in (the aquatic championships), I guarantee it will become a big success,” Park wrote. “It's Gwangju, the hometown of President Kim Dae-jung.” Captured from Park's Facebook accountIn this June 2000 archive image, then North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, left, and then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung shake hands in Pyongyang.?Korea Times fileThe lawmaker's emphasis on Gwangju and President Kim Dae-jung has a reason. Former President Kim was the first South Korean leader to Jun 4, 2019
North Korean leader's sister reemerges after days of absence Kim Yo-jong, second from left, is seen at North Korea's propaganda group gymnastics and artist performance, "The Land of the People," at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, Tuesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is also seen fourth from left. YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un's powerful younger sister has appeared in public for the first time in 53 days, contradicting rumors that she was disciplined in the wake of the leader's embarrassing no-deal summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.Kim Yo-jong attended North Korea's propaganda group gymnastics and artist performance called "The Land of the People" held in Pyongyang's May Day Stadium on Monday, along with leader Kim, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).It marked the first time that Kim Yo-jong has appeared in public since she was last seen in North Korean media during the Supreme People's Assembly in April. Until then, she played the role of a personal secretary for the leader, and was seen holding an ashtray when he was having a cigarette break at a Chinese train station on his way to Vietnam for the summit with TJun 4, 2019
