Washington 'leaning toward phased approach on NK' Caricatures depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un outside a shop in Seoul on May 16. AFP-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulDespite the continued deadlock in denuclearization talks, there is room for South Korea to help the United States and the North understand each other's positions in an effort to narrow the gap between the two, South Korean lawmakers and experts said Friday.A key rationale is that Washington is “gradually leaning toward” a phased and step-by-step approach in settling the ongoing nuclear impasse as a “realistic option” after the second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended without results, they said.“Early thoughts after the breakdown in Hanoi were that Washington won't pursue a phased approach to the North's denuclearization,” ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Rep. Lee Soo-hyuck said after ending his visit to the U.S., according to pool reports.“But we observed thoughts and heard a range of advisories from Washington think tanks and U.S. lawmakers tMay 24, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul
INTERVIEW Moon, Trump asked to agree on peace process In this file photo taken on Sept. 24, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump and President Moon Jae-in gesture after signing a trade agreement at a bilateral meeting in New York, a day before the start of the General Debate of the 73rd session of the General Assembly. Trump will visit South Korea next month to meet Moon over their efforts to persuade North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons arsenal. AFP-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulIf the United States and South Korea can reach an agreement on the “definition of complete denuclearization,” President Moon Jae-in's efforts toward dismantling North Korea's nuclear program could get momentum, according to a North Korea expert.“With an agreement on the definition of complete denuclearization, it will be possible to do much more with greater confidence that we [South Korea, North Korea and the United States] are working toward the same goals,” Scott A. Snyder, a senior fellow for Korea studies and director of a program on Korea-U.S. policy at the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations, said in a written interview, last weMay 24, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul
N. Korea envoy calls seized cargo ship biggest hurdle in resuming talks with US This undated image released by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, shows the cargo vessel "Wise Honest." - North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, Kim Song, on May 21, 2019, warned the US that its seizure of a cargo ship "Wise Honest" could have consequences on the future of US-North Korean relations. Ambassador Kim told a rare news conference that Pyongyang was closely watching "every move" by the US following the US seizure of the cargo vessel. (Photo by HO / US Attorney's Office / AFP)The United States' seizure of a North Korean cargo ship is the biggest hurdle getting in the way of resuming nuclear talks between the two countries, and the vessel must be returned, Pyongyang's ambassador to Geneva was quoted as saying. "It is the biggest issue ... and a wanton violation of international law," Ambassador Han Tae-song said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday (Geneva time). On May 9, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had seized the 17,061-ton Wise Honest bulk carrier over suspected illegal coal shipments in violation of U.N. and U.S.May 23, 2019
Young North Korean defectors aim high by studying English The English Access Microscholarship Program by the U.S. State Department helps North Korean defectors learn English. gettyimagesbankOn a recent Friday morning, a small number of mostly teenaged students trained their eyes on their American teacher, repeating short English sentences after her and raising their hands from time to time to ask questions.At a glance, they look no different from ordinary students in South Korea, where parents are known for their zeal and investment in English education, with the hope that proficiency in the language will help children gain admission to better schools and land better jobs after graduation.But the class is for defectors from North Korea and their children as part of a program sponsored by the United States, a country that they were told back in the communist nation was their greatest enemy. Many of them had little or no English education before coming to South Korea."I like this class," said Kim Hong-woo, a 17-year-old student attending the class at Great Vision School, an alternative school for North Korean defectors, located in Uijeongbu, May 22, 2019
North Korea: US should consider consequences of ship seizure North Korea's U.N. Ambassador Kim Song addresses attendees during a news conference at U.N. headquarters on May 21. APNorth Korea's U.N. ambassador said Tuesday the Trump administration should consider the possible consequences that the recent U.S. seizure of a North Korean cargo ship could have on relations between the two countries and immediately return the vessel. Kim Song said at a news conference the ``outrageous act'' of seizing the ship was aimed at bringing maximum pressure on North Korea to make it ``kneel down.'' The vessel Wise Honest, North Korea's second largest cargo ship, was first detained in April 2018 by Indonesia while transporting a large amount of coal. The U.S. announced May 9 that it had seized the ship because it was carrying coal in violation of U.N. sanctions, a first-of-its kind enforcement action that came amid a tense moment in relations with North Korea. The ambassador said the seizure was an ``outright denial of the underlying spirit'' of the June 12, 2018, joint statement by President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after their first May 22, 2019
'NK food aid will be in line with global consensus' Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul speaks in a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday. He shared his views on South Korea's plan to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea. YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungSouth Korean government will continue pushing ahead with its plan to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea according to a general consensus of the international community, Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul said Tuesday.In a press conference, Kim said the issue should never be linked with political affairs on the Korean Peninsula, and the government will garner diverse efforts to seek internal and external consensus over the plan.“The broad consensus from the international community is that no positive or negative political factors should be considered when offering humanitarian aid,” Kim told reporters in Seoul.Toward this end, Seoul and Washington will continue negotiating the details to provide the aid package to the North, which Seoul hopes will also help revive momentum for dialogues with Pyongyang, Kim said.The remarks came at a time when the North shows little sign of resuminMay 21, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
North Korea to protest cargo ship seizure at UN By Lee Min-hyungKim Song, North Korean ambassador to the United NationsNorth Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song plans to raise his voice against Washington's recent seizure of a North Korean cargo ship by holding a press conference at the U.N. headquarters, Tuesday (local time in New York).This is in line with Kim's recent letter sent to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The letter was written to express the North's regret over the U.S.' decision to seize the 17,000-ton North Korean freight vessel.Earlier this month, Washington detained the North's second-largest vessel, called Wise Honest, for allegedly violating U.N. Security Council resolutions by illicitly shipping coal from the North.“We are, obviously, studying the letter ― it relates to the issue of sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (the North's official name) and actions taken on the implementation of those sanctions,” U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Monday.Expectations are that Kim will ramp up criticism of the U.S. for engaging in what Pyongyang called “ilMay 21, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
'Inter-Korean ties vital for US-NK talks' President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with USFK chief Gen. Robert Abrams, right, at the start of his luncheon with commanders of the USFK and the South Korean military at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Behind Moon is Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Park Han-ki. YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulAdvancing inter-Korean ties is a “huge plus” in terms of maintaining the momentum for nuclear dialogue between North Korea and the United States, President Moon Jae-in said, Tuesday.“Peace and eased military tension between the two Koreas are vital in keeping the nuclear dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington alive,” Moon said during a meeting with top commanders of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) military at Cheong Wa Dae.The presidential office is seeking economic and cultural initiatives with North Korea to enhance inter-Korean tires. The two sides agreed last year to reinstate a joint military commission, develop mechanisms for family reunions and possibly pursue a joint bid to co-host the 2032 Olympics.“Despite the failure of thMay 21, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul
North Korea urges UN chief to act against US ship seizure North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / YonhapNorth Korea denounced the United States as ``a gangster country'' for seizing one of its cargo ships and urged U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to take ``urgent measures'' to contribute to stabilizing the Korean peninsula. North Korea's U.N. ambassador, Kim Song, said in a letter to Guterres obtained Monday by The Associated Press that the Trump administration committed ``an unlawful and outrageous act'' by taking over the ship Wise Honest and moving it to American Samoa. He called the seizure a violation of international law and the U.N. Charter. Kim called a news conference at U.N. headquarters on Tuesday to further criticize the ship's seizure. The U.S. said on May 9 that it seized the ship because it was carrying coal in violation of U.N. sanctions, a first-of-its kind enforcement action that came amid a tense moment in relations with North Korea. The Wise Honest, North Korea's second largest cargo ship, was first detained in April 2018 by Indonesia while transporting a large amount of coal. U.S. Justice Department lawyers laid out May 21, 2019
North Korea keeping quiet over humanitarian offer Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, right, speaks with Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, left, chairman of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, in Seoul, Monday. Both sides exchanged their views on the government's plan to provide humanitarian food aid to North Korea. YonhapBy Lee Min-hyungNorth Korea is showing no signs of welcoming South Korea's provision of $8 million (9.54 billion won) worth of humanitarian food aid to millions of its starving citizens. The lack of a response further complicates the nuclear situation on the Korean Peninsula. The thinking in Seoul is that the aid package will possibly induce the North to return to negotiations. President Moon Jae-in also recently said the aid will help resolve the ongoing deadlock in denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang to some extent.But there were no signs that the North was changing its stance toward the South when the plan was announced Friday.On Monday, the North's propaganda media outlets continued to step up criticism of Seoul for “depending on outside forces” in handling inter-Korean afMay 20, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
