North Korea slams UN rapporteur over human rights comment U.N. Special Rapporteur of human rights Tomas Ojea Quintana during a press conference at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul in July 2018. Korea Times file By Jung Da-minNorth Korea's party organ Rodong Sinmun on Monday criticized the U.N.'s Special Rapporteur of human rights Tomas Ojea Quintana's recent visit to South Korea, saying it triggered unnecessary conflict between the two Koreas."The U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) has interrupted inter-Korean relations and has attempted to create an artificial disability in its progress," its editorial said."The fact that he said inter-Korean cooperation and North Korean human rights issues need to be settled at the same time is actually an anti-DPRK evil scheme that also ruins the cooperative atmosphere between the two Koreas,” the paper added. Tomas Ojea Quintana visited Seoul from Jan. 7-11 to meet South Korean government officials and dipJan 21, 2019
North Korean media push for resumption of Mt. Geumgang, Kaesong projects This October 2018 photo shows the Kaesong Industrial Complex seen from the Dorasan Observatory in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Korea Times file By Jung Da-minNorth Korean media are calling for the resumption of two key inter-Korean projects ― the Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC) and Mount Geumgang tourism. Uriminzokkiri, a state-run propaganda outlet, on Monday also blamed the Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak administrations for suspending the projects."Inter-Korean economic cooperation projects for the common prosperity of the people, such as the Kaesong Industrial Complex and Mount Geumgang tourism, have been suspended due to the evil scheme of the conservative administrations that pursued submission to foreign power and fratricidal war," it said. "As a result, South Korean companies and people suffered an astronomical amount of damage."The editorial strongly criticized the South Korean conservative political parties, including the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (Jan 21, 2019
Seven killed in N. Korea mining disaster A North Korean mine/ Korea Times fileBy Yi Whan-wooSeven miners were killed in an accident at a coal mine in South Hamgyong Province, according to sources familiar with the matter last week.The accident occurred in a late December night, after a cable used to pull workers up from the bottom of the mineshaft snapped.“The bodies of the dead workers were crushed into pieces. It was so tragic to see,” a source said.The administrators of the mine attributed “carelessness” by one of the dead miners as the cause of the accident.The mine is rich with zinc. It underwent redevelopment until last year, following the filling in of the bottom of the mineshaft three years ago making mining impossible.The North Korean authorities rushed the workers to restore the area under the title, “1,000-day campaign.”“Those who were killed were under pressure to fulfill their duty, no matter whether the working environment was safe or not,” the source said.He said the miners had to work from early morning to midnight without rest.A different source said the remaiJan 21, 2019By Yi Whan-woo
Kim Jong-un sends better candy gifts to children North Korean candies/ Korea Times fileBy Yi Whan-wooBags of candies and cookies given to North Korean children on Kim Jong-un’s birthday have been notorious for their poor quality and taste.Not anymore, according to sources familiar with Pyongyang, referring to the presents distributed Jan. 7 to mark Kim’s 35th birthday.“Biscuits, gum and various kinds of candies that Kim gave to the children have improved a lot in terms of quality and taste,” a source said.Each bag included 400 grams of sugarplum, 200 grams of rice cookies, 240 grams of biscuits, two pieces of bubble gum and two packs of peppermint gum.The quantity is unchanged from previous years.“But they are now more colorful. The texture of the rice cookies is especially noteworthy,” another source said.A third source added, “Cookies this year are soft and crispy, while the ones in the past were hard.”Regarding candies, it was said they do not melt as quickly as before.“For years, Kim’s gifts were unpopular and excess supply of the confections was sold in the gray markeJan 21, 2019By Yi Whan-woo
South Korea urged to implement joint declaration A front page of Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party/ Korea Times fileBy Yi Whan-wooNorth Korea’s state-controlled media outlets are calling for implementing of the joint declarations announced by leaders of the two Koreas last year.Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, said in a column, Jan. 14, that the inter-Korean declarations should be carried out “in a through manner.”On Jan. 16, Meari, a propaganda website, reaffirmed Pyongyang’s commitment for denuclearization, saying “It should not be seen with colored glasses.”The measures came ahead of North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un’s possible second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump amid little progress in denuclearization.The North has been asking for inter-Korean cooperation, including economic projects, to be bolstered, while the U.S. has insisted the South keep cross-border cooperation in lockstep with sanctions and the denuclearization process.“There’s no doubt peace, prosperity and heydJan 21, 2019By Yi Whan-woo
Smuggling flourishes on NK-China border after Kim-Xi summit North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands during Kim’s fourth visit to China from Jan. 7 to 10. / Yonhap By Yi Whan-wooSmuggling on the North Korea-China has increased following leader Kim Jong-un’s fourth visit to China from Jan. 7 to 10, according to sources familiar with Pyongyang.This raises concern that a thaw in the relationship may disrupt international sanctions on Pyongyang ahead of the second planned summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in late February.“Copper and zinc concentrate are being smuggled en masse into China,” a source told Daily NK, an online news website about North Korea.It said Kangsong Trading Company, Yonun Company and Mirim Company were among the North Korean trading firms sending concentrated minerals to China.“Following Kim’s visit, a lot of minerals have been going into China. And even people living near mines are believed to be selling the concentrated minerals they excavated on their own,” it added.Another source said military units, such as the ReaJan 21, 2019By Yi Whan-woo
N. Korea seeks switch to electric trains People ride on a subway train in Pyongyang. Sources familiar with North Korea say the Kim Jong-un regime has been using electric trains on up to 26 routes. / Korea Times fileBy Yi Whan-wooNorth Korea is using trains that run on electric power instead of coal and wood on up to 26 routes across the country, according to sources familiar with Pyongyang.This comes as the two Koreas seek to connect their railways and roads as part of efforts to speed up reconciliation.However, the electric trains, can travel at only up to 60 kilometers per hour because of a power shortage, old tracks and other shortcomings.“The trains can run at up to 60 kilometers per hour from Pyongyang to Sinuiju, and this is far too slow considering trains in South Korea can travel at up to 300 kilometers per hour,” a source told Daily NK, an online news website about North Korea.The electric trains are used on 26 routes across the country, including those connecting Pyongyang and Rajin, Gowon in South Hamgyong Province and Pyonggang in Gangwon Province.Steam engines are used on 15 routesJan 21, 2019By Yi Whan-woo
Trump: 2nd summit with Kim Jong-un 'in late February,' 'location picked' U.S. President Donald Trump thumbs up as walks on the South Lawn of the White House upon his return to Washington from Dover, Delaware, U.S., January 19, 2019. ReutersU.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that the location of his next summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been chosen but will be announced in the future.The second summit is being planned for near the end of February, after Trump met with a senior North Korean official at the White House Friday."We had a very good meeting yesterday with North Korea. That was an incredible meeting," the U.S. president told reporters at the White House."It lasted almost two hours and we've agreed to meet sometime probably the end of February. We've picked the country but we'll be announcing it in the future," he said.Kim Yong-chol, known as a close aide to the North Korean leader, arrived in the U.S. capital Thursday to try to finalize the details of the second summit.The first summit in Singapore in June produced an agreement to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for security guaranteJan 20, 2019
S. Korea's nuclear envoy may visit Sweden for talks with N. Korea North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui is in Sweden for talks with Stephen Biegun, Washington's special representative for Pyongyang. YonhapSouth Korea's chief nuclear envoy appears to be on his way to Sweden for a possible meeting with a senior North Korean official, a diplomatic source said Friday.Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, seems to have left for Stockholm, where a government-civilian security forum, often called Track 1.5 session, is to take place, the source added.North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui earlier headed to the Swedish capital from Beijing.There's a possibility that Stephen Biegun, Washington's special representative for Pyongyang, will visit as well."Either bilateral or multilateral meetings can be held if all the three officials are present there," the source said.It would depend on the results of high-level negotiations to be held in Washington D.C. this week.Kim Yong-chol, known as a right-hand man to leader Kim Jong-un, flew into the city earlier Friday. He's expected to meet SecretJan 19, 2019
UN chief calls for US-N. Korea roadmap to scrap nuclear weapons UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres / ReutersUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged the United States and North Korea to agree on a roadmap for serious negotiations on scrapping Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic weapons."We believe it's high time to make sure that the negotiations between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea start again seriously and that a roadmap is clearly defined for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," Guterres told a news conference.His remarks came as top North Korean envoy Kim Yong Chol was in Washington for talks with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to prepare a second summit, probably in Vietnam.Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a historic summit in June in Singapore -- the first ever between the two countries -- where they signed a vaguely worded denuclearization deal.But there has been no progress made since then, with both sides disagreeing over what was signed in Singapore.Asked about a possible easing of sanctions, Guterres said he would not "advocate for any aJan 19, 2019
