Ex-Marine arrested in North Korea embassy attack in Madrid This Feb. 28 fie photo shows a view of North Korea's embassy in Madrid, Spain. A man suspected of involvement in a mysterious dissident group's February raid on the embassy has been arrested in Los Angeles by U.S. authorities. APA man suspected of involvement in a mysterious dissident group's February raid on North Korea's Embassy in Madrid was arrested in Los Angeles by U.S. authorities. Christopher Ahn, a former U.S. Marine, was arrested and charged Friday, according to a person familiar with the matter. The specific charges against Ahn were not immediately clear. The person could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Separately, on Thursday, federal agents raided the apartment of Adrian Hong, a leader of the Free Joseon group, the person said. Hong was not arrested. Free Joseon, also known as the Cheollima Civil Defense group, styles itself as a government-in-exile dedicated to toppling the ruling Kim family dynasty in North Korea. The group said it consists of North Korean defectors living in countries around the world, but Apr 21, 2019
Pompeo says he won't resign from nuke talks, despite North Korean demand U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will not step down from his role in the negotiations with North Korea, despite calls from Pyonyang for him to step aside and let someone "more mature" take over."Nothing's changed. We're continuing to work to negotiate. I'm still in charge of the team," Pompeo said in Washington, at a press conference with visiting Japanese ministers.Pompeo also insisted he was not misrepresenting the North Korean side and that Kim Jong Un, the leader of the reclusive Asian state, had promised to denuclearize.Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said his country was "ready to normalize the relationship with North Korea when this missile, nuclear, and abduction issues are taken care of," in remarks said through a translator.In addition to the increasing hostility towards Pompeo personally, North Korea this week tested a "new type of tactical guided weapon," its state news agency reported, the country's first known weapons test since February's failed US-North Korea summit in Hanoi.US President Donald Trump will be stepping up his engagement with Japan, a traditional Apr 20, 2019
US authorities arrest man linked to N.Korea embassy raid U.S. authorities have arrested a former marine in connection with a mysterious February raid on North Korea's embassy in Spain during which masked assailants roughed-up staff and stole computers, the Washington Post reported Saturday.Citing two sources familiar with the case, the Post said federal authorities arrested Christopher Ahn, a former US Marine and member of a group dedicated to the overthrow of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.A dissident organisation known as the Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD) said it had orchestrated the February 22 embassy raid to highlight illicit activities rampant in North Korea's foreign missions.It came just days before a high-stakes nuclear summit in Vietnam between Kim and US President Donald Trump that ultimately failed to reach an accord. The Post said federal agents had also searched the apartment of Adrian Hong Chang, a Mexican national who Spanish authorities said last month had led the embassy raid.An FBI spokesman referred questions on the case to the Justice Department, who declined to comment.The CCD, a dissident group believed to include hApr 20, 2019
N. Korean diplomat Choe Son-hui condemns Bolton North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, one of the country's top nuclear negotiators with Washington, on Saturday condemned U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton for his comments in a recent interview, Pyongyang's state media reported.In an interview with Bloomberg News on Wednesday (local time), Bolton said that the United States needs to see a "real indication" that North Korea is ready to give up its nuclear weapons before any third summit between their leaders.He was asked what the U.S. would need to see ahead of a third meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un."We never once expected Bolton to make reasonable comments, but he should at least grasp the context of the talks discussed between top officials in regards to the third summit since he is the White House's top security adviser," Choe said an interview with the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in a Korean-language report monitored in Seoul.Choe further warned that nothing good will come if Bolton continues to make such improper comments, the KCNA said. Trump anApr 20, 2019
NK leader stresses better ties with Russia ahead of summit with Putin North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, vowing efforts to strengthen bilateral ties, state media said Friday, ahead of their planned summit later this month.Kim will visit Russia in late April for his first-ever talks with Putin following the breakdown of his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in February in Hanoi.Kim's letter is a reply to Putin's message sent on April 12 to congratulate him on his reelection to lead the top state organ at a recent parliamentary meeting.The North's leader said it is in the interest of both countries to develop their traditional relationship, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported."I have a willingness to closely cooperate with you in a bid to develop friendly relations between the North and Russia consistently and constructively in accordance with demand in a new era and to safeguard world peace and security," Kim said in the letter sent on Thursday.Speculation is growing that the two leaders will hold their first summit in Russia's Far East city of Vladivostok next week when Putin travels Apr 20, 2019
N. Korea hosts 1st int'l blockchain conference North Korea is holding its first international conference on blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies in Pyongyang, a U.S-based radio broadcast said Saturday.The Korean International Blockchain Conference was launched Thursday for an eight-day run in the North Korean capital city, according to the report by Radio Free Asia (RFA).The event, postponed from last September, has brought some 100 experts in the cutting-edge field from around the world, the report said.The main summit will take place Monday and Tuesday, and attendees will also enjoy an organized tour that includes a trip to the truce village of Panmunjom inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, the RFA said.As a ledger system, blockchain makes quicker and more secure digital transactions. Made famous as the technology used by Bitcoin, the system is especially applicable to the banking and insurance industries. (Yonhap)Apr 20, 2019
North Korea using Russia as leverage for nuclear talks By Yi Whan-wooRussian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. / AFP-YonhapBy Yi Whan-wooNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un will come to Russia later this month to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin. This will be Kim’s first visit to Russia after seizing power in December 2011.It fuels speculation that the North is trying to use Russia as leverage in future nuclear talks after his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in Hanoi, Vietnam in late February.Kim has not had any summits since then.“Following an invitation from Vladimir Putin ... Kim Jong-un will visit Russia in the second half of April,” the Kremlin said on its website Thursday.The announcement comes after North Korea said it had tested a new tactical weapon with a “powerful warhead,” as denuclearization talks with Washington appear to have stalled.The Kremlin did not provide details of the exact date or location of the meeting but some diplomatic sources speculate it will take place in the Russian Far East.The sources also speculate thApr 19, 2019By Yi Whan-woo
US ready to continue nuclear talks with N. Korea: State Dept. The United States said Thursday that it stands ready to continue nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea, a response to Pyongyang's calls on Washington to change tack and replace its top negotiator.The two countries have made little headway since a second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February ended without any deal.In a report carried by state media earlier Thursday, the North urged the U.S. to remove the "obstacles" on the path to its denuclearization and called for the replacement of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with someone "who is more careful and mature in communicating with us.""We are aware of the report," a State Department spokesperson said by email. "The United States remains ready to engage North Korea in a constructive negotiation."The North Korean report came on the heels of Kim's speech to the country's parliament last week, in which he expressed openness to a third summit with Trump if the U.S. came with the "right attitude" and "right methodology."The previous summit in Vietnam broke down due to differenceApr 19, 2019
Trump sent congratulations on N. Korea founder's birthday: Bolton U.S. President Donald Trump sent his congratulations on the birthday of the late North Korean founding leader Kim Il-sung earlier this week, according to U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton.The message was sent as part of Trump's efforts to maintain good relations with Kim's grandson and current North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, as they try to negotiate the dismantlement of the regime's nuclear weapons program, Bolton said Wednesday in an interview with U.S. broadcaster PBS.Monday marked the founder's 107th birthday, a major national holiday in the North."I don't know how President Trump can be more forthcoming in his efforts to have a good relationship with Kim Jong-un," Bolton said. "He sends him pictures. He sends him letters. Happy birthday to Kim Jong-un's grandfather on his birthday on April the 15th.""Really, this has been a full-court press by the president," Bolton added. "And we will wait to see what Kim Jong-un does."The hawkish adviser is widely believed to have been behind Trump's decision to walk away from his second summit with Kim in Vietnam in February withoutApr 19, 2019
North Korea test-fires 'new guided weapon' North Korean leader Kim Jong-un smiles while overseeing an air force exercise byUnit 1017 of the Air and Anti-Aircraft Force of the Korean People's Army, Tuesday. YonhapNK demands US remove Pompeo for 'mature dialogue'By Lee Min-hyungNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un watched the test-firing of his regime's “new tactical guided weapon,” the country's state-run media reported Thursday. The launch was an apparent move to raise the pressure on Washington amid deadlocked nuclear negotiations between the two sides. On Wednesday, Kim visited the Academy of Defense Science to oversee the testing of the new type of weapon, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). However, it did not specify what kind of a weapon it was“(We) have perfectly verified the design indices of the weapon during the test-fire carried out in various firing modes at different targets,” the KCNA said, referring to the different modes of guided flight and the variable load of the warhead of the weapon.The military exercise is widely seen as a means to ramp up diplomatic pressureon Apr 18, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
