North Korea downplays South Korea-US alliance ahead of Hanoi summit Chang Won-sam, right, South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs' chief delegate to defense cost-sharing talks, and his U.S. counterpart Timothy Betts, sign a deal to raise South Korea's contribution to the upkeep of United States Forces Korea (USFK) troops, at the government complex in Seoul on Feb 10. Korea Times fileBy Jung Da-minNorth Korea downplayed the South Korea-U.S. alliance on Wednesday, a week before the second North Korea-U.S. summit in Hanoi. Pyongyang's propaganda outlet Uriminzokkiri blasted the U.S. for excessively burdening South Korea for the presence of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on its soil. It said the U.S.-South Korea alliance is a deception by the U.S. to exploit South Korea.On Feb. 10, South Korea signed a provisional agreement to pay 1.0389 trillion won (around $925 million) for the 28,500 USFK personnel in the country, a rise of 8.2 percent year-on-year. The deal, following a tug-of-war over the past 11 months, came when Seoul accepted Washington's demand for a one-year contract, instead of the previous five years, while Washington agreed to adjust the SoutFeb 20, 2019
North Korea envoy separated from his daughter, says defector Former North Korean diplomat Thae Yong-ho speaks to reporters in Seoul, Jan. 9, 2019. He called on the governments of South Korea, Italy and the United States to make all-out efforts to protect his ex-colleague Jo Song-gil, the acting North Korean ambassador to Rome who has been in hiding in Italy since November. YonhapA North Korean diplomat who reportedly defected from his embassy in Rome last year has been separated from his daughter after she was forcefully repatriated to Pyongyang, an ex-colleague who has now settled in the South said Tuesday. Jo Song Gil, who went into hiding with his wife and is reportedly seeking asylum, "could not manage to get his daughter to join them," said Thae Yong Ho, who also fled his post as the North's deputy ambassador to Britain in August 2016.Thae last month urged the Korean government to protect Jo and wrote an open letter asking him to come to the South so "they can work together to help the two Koreas reunify".But Thae told reporters in Seoul he could no longer urge Jo to join him in the South after he learnt through a friend that the girl, thFeb 20, 2019
'Seoul ready to resume inter-Korean cooperation to help denuclearization' In this Sept. 19, 2018 photo, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hold the documents after signing at the Paekhwawon State Guesthouse in Pyongyang, North Korea. AP-YonhapSouth Korea is ready and willing to resume its economic cooperation with North Korea if the move will help accelerate denuclearization of the communist state, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday in his telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump.The offer came as Trump is set to hold his second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un next week."President Moon Jae-in also told (President Trump) to have South Korea play a role in providing corresponding measures to encourage North Korea's denuclearization steps," Moon's spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said in a press release.Trump and Kim first met in Singapore in June, and the North Korean leader agreed to fully denuclearize his country in exchange for security guarantees from the U.S.Pyongyang's denuclearization steps, however, have largely stalled amid its demand for "corresponding measures" for measuresFeb 20, 2019
US envoy en route to Hanoi ahead of Pyongyang summit U.S. special representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun talks with South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon during their meeting at the Unification Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, December 21, 2018. Reutes-YonhapThe U.S. special envoy for North Korea is traveling to Hanoi on Tuesday to prepare for next week's summit between the two countries' leaders, the State Department said.Special Representative Stephen Biegun is en route to the Vietnamese capital, the host of the second meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un planned for Feb. 27 and 28, the department's deputy spokesperson, Robert Palladino, said."He'll be continuing the United States' preparations for the second summit that will take place next week," Palladino said at a press briefing. "A lot of things are being discussed and we are very much looking forward to next week."Biegun's counterpart, Kim Hyok-chol, was seen in Beijing earlier Tuesday apparently en route to Hanoi.The two men are tasked with coordinating the agenda for the high-stakes summit, which is expected to focuFeb 20, 2019
Trump says he expects 'great progress' at 2nd summit with Kim South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump / YonhapU.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he expects great progress from his upcoming second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, stressing that the United States and South Korea are moving in the right direction in ridding the North of its nuclear weapons.In a telephone conversation with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the U.S. leader said he will personally explain the outcome of his second meeting with the North Korean leader to Moon.Trump and Kim are set to meet in Hanoi from Feb. 27-28."President Trump explained preparations for the Hanoi summit and negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea, and the two leaders held frank discussions on specific ways to cooperate for the success of the second North Korea-U.S. summit," Moon's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said of the telephone conversation."President Trump expressed high expectations for the Hanoi summit and said he will continue to closely discuss with President Moon about the outcome of the summit and follow-up measures," Cheong WFeb 20, 2019
North Korea speeds construction spree in Samjiyon North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un inspects construction sites in Samjiyon, Ryanggang Province in this photo released by the country's state-run Korean Central Television (KCTV) on Oct. 30, 2018. KCTV-YonhapBy Jung Da-minNorth Korea is speeding up construction in the Samjiyon region, one of the main focuses of a massive nationwide construction campaign addressed in the country's leader Kim Jong-un's New Year speech, the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) organ Rodong Sinmun reported Tuesday.The party newspaper said all the commanders and soldier-builders as well as members of the shock-brigade ― people mobilized for the country's construction projects ― are maximizing construction work for houses and other facilities in the township of the Samjiyon County, Ryanggang Province despite the cold weather.“The brigade commanders are taking the lead in the aggressive warfare (of construction) while giving life to the project that aims to adopt work methods that enable construction to proceed without stopping even in cold weather conditions in the northern area,” it said.Feb 19, 2019
'US may offer sanctions relief to North Korea' U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pose during their first summit in Singapore, June 12 last year. The two leaders will hold their second meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, Feb. 27 and 28. / YonhapScope of sanctions relief depends on NK's denuke stepsBy Lee Min-hyungThe United States will likely offer low level exemptions from sanctions on North Korea during their planned summit next week, as part of an effective bargaining chip to prompt the North's denuclearization and keep their dialogue momentum moving forward, experts said Tuesday. Until recently, Washington had remained firm in its determination not to offer any partial sanctions relief to Pyongyang before it carried out specific and verifiable steps toward nuclear disarmament.But with both sides failing to narrow their differences on denuclearization steps and sanctions relief since the first landmark summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, last June 12, calls have grown for Washington to tone down its hardline stance and provide a partial lifting of sanctions in resFeb 19, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
PHOTOS North Koreans love long padded jackets North Korean women in long padded jackets pose for a photo while ice skating at the People's Open-air Ice Rink on the bank of the Taedong River in Pyongyang in this Jan. 11 photo by Choson Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang media outlet with headquarters in Tokyo. Choson Sinbo-YonhapBy Jung Da-minLong padded jackets, which have been at the center of winter fashion trends in South Korea in recent years, appear to be widely worn by North Koreans as well, according to recent photos from Choson Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang media with headquarters in Tokyo.The photos, taken on Jan. 11 at the People's Open-air Ice Rink on the bank of the Taedong River in Pyongyang on Jan. 11, show many North Korean people wearing long-length padded jackets in various colors and designs.According to YouTuber Ttohyang, a North Korean defector who runs a YouTube channel where she talks about life in the North, long padded jackets there are called dongbok, which means winter clothes, and became popular among young North Koreans about 10 years ago. “It was in 2009 when the long padded jacket became popular in the NortFeb 19, 2019
US, North Korea seriously mull exchange of liaison officers U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un meet at the start of their summit at the Capella Hotel on the resort island of Sentosa, Singapore, June 12, 2018. The United States and North Korea are considering an exchange of liaison officers. ReutersThe United States and North Korea are seriously considering an exchange of liaison officers, CNN reported Monday, as the leaders of the two nations prepare for a second summit next week in Vietnam.The first step forward in establishing new U.S.-North Korea ties could be the exchange of officers, the U.S. broadcaster said, citing two high-level diplomatic sources.Establishing new bilateral relations was one of the commitments made by U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at their first summit in Singapore in June.The two are scheduled to hold their second summit on Feb. 27 and 28 in Hanoi.They are expected to focus on fleshing out Kim's commitment to complete denuclearization through corresponding measures from the U.S.If things go well, the U.S. could send several liaison officers to set up an Feb 19, 2019
'Undeclared' missile bases in North Korea remain threat to US and South Korea: CSIS U.S. think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released the report “Undeclared North Korea: The Sangam-ni Missile Operating Base” on Feb. 15 (local time). Screenshot from CSIS Benyond Parallel websiteBy Jung Da-minNorth Korea has about 20 missile operating bases that would not appear to be on the agenda for denuclearization negotiations with the U.S. at the second summit next week, a prominent U.S. think tank said in its latest report on North Korea's missile bases.The report, titled “Undeclared North Korea: The Sangnam-ni Missile Operating Base,” released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Feb. 15 (local time), reveals its new findings on the Sangnam-ni missile base located within North Korea's strategic missile belt in Hochon County, South Hamgyong Province.“As of 2018, the base is active and being well-maintained by North Korean standards,” the report says. It presents the March 1999 establishment and subsequent development process of the missile base 250 kilometers north of the demilitarized zFeb 18, 2019
