Rodong Sinmun highlights 'anti-capitalism' campaigns in South Korea Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) condemn the prosecution for delaying investigations on labor disputes in KB AutoTech and Yoosung Enterprise, at a press conference held in front of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Seocho District, Seoul, in this July file photo. Yonhap By Jung Da-minNorth Korea's party mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun ran a series of articles on South Korea's political situation in its Monday edition, suggesting social rights of the disadvantaged, including workers and disabled, are being neglected in the South. The articles cited South Korean media's recent reports.Out of the six articles about South Korea in the newspaper's page for foreign affairs, one article highlighted a South Korean civic group's recent press conference that denounced Yoosung Enterprise for destroying trade unions.The conflicts between the workers and the management started in 2011 when the company established a separate trade union to overcome workers' requOct 22, 2018
Why North Korean newspaper highlights US-China trade feud? North Korea's official newspaper again ran an article on the escalating conflict between the United States and China on Monday, citing expert opinions critical of Washington.The Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, said in a commentary that confrontations between Washington and Beijing, which were caused by the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on each other, have been spreading to various other areas.The newspaper then said that U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's open criticism of China in his recent address and ensuing refutation from Beijing has further worsened the American-Chinese relationship.In his address to the Hudson Institute on Oct. 4, Pence accused Beijing of "employing a whole-of-government approach, using political, economic and military tools, as well as propaganda, to advance its influence and benefit its interests in the U.S."He also raised suspicion that China was trying to exert influence and interfere in the U.S. domestic policy and politics, and leveled criticism at Beijing's policy for the South China Sea and suppression of ethnic minorOct 22, 2018
Two Koreas, UNC to hold talks over JSA disarmament today The two Koreas and the U.S.-led U.N. Command will hold the second round of their working-level talks Monday over disarming the Joint Security Area (JSA) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Seoul's defense ministry said.The trilateral talks are set to take place at the Freedom House, a South Korea-controlled building at the truce village of Panmunjom inside the DMZ at 10 a.m.The two Koreas agreed to disarm the JSA under the military agreement their countries' defense chiefs signed during the third summit between President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang last month. The UNC overseas activities inside the DMZ."This meeting is aimed at checking and evaluating the status of demining operations at the JSA and consulting over schedules for withdrawing firearms and guard posts and adjusting guard personnel, as well as future plans for mutual verifications," the ministry said in a press release.The South and North will be represented by Army Col. Cho Yong-geun and Army Col. Om Chang-nam, respectively. The UNC's delegation will be headed by U.S. Army Col. Burke HamiltoOct 22, 2018
Diplomatic hurdles face possible papal visit By Yi Whan-wooAndrew Yeom Soo-jungNorth Korea is one of the few countries that does not have diplomatic relations with the Vatican. And this is likely to pose a challenge for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in inviting Pope Francis to his country.The pope said he is willing to go to Pyongyang if he is officially invited. President Moon Jae-in met him at the Vatican, Thursday, and delivered Kim's invitation.It is an unwritten rule for both the head of state and the primate of the Catholic Church to send a formal invitation for a papal visit, according to sources familiar with the Catholic Church, Sunday.Kim extended the invitation. But he may find it uneasy for Archbishop Andrew Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul, who also has been serving as the Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang, to send another invitation.With the Vatican's approval, Yeom has been serving as the de facto primate of the two Korea.“Despite the reconciliatory mood blooming on the peninsula, Kim may find it unacceptable for Yeom to represent Pyongyang and greet the Pope,” a source said.The second source said the VatiOct 21, 2018By Yi Whan-woo
'North Korea seeks to escape isolation by inviting Pope' By Lee Min-hyungThae Yong-ho, former North Korean diplomatWith North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inviting Pope Francis to visit his regime, Pyongyang's failed attempts to invite a former pontiff are resurfacing here. Last month, Kim shared his strong desire to ask the pope to visit the North in an inter-Korean summit with President Moon Jae-in. Kim said he would “ardently welcome the pope” if he accepted the offer, according to Cheong Wa Dae.Moon also delivered Kim's willingness to invite to the pope to Pyongyang during their meeting in the Vatican, Thursday (local time). The pope said he would be willing to visit North Korea if an official invitation were made.This is not the first time the North has sought to invite a pope, according to former North Korean diplomat-turned-defector Thae Yong-ho, the writer of the book, “Cryptography from the Third-Floor Secretariat,” published in May.“In 1991, North Korea's foreign ministry formed a special taskforce to invite the pope to Pyongyang,” the former North Korean Deputy Ambassador to the United Kingdom saOct 21, 2018
Koreas to hold 1st meeting in liaison office on Oct. 22 The two Koreas will hold their first meeting at the inter-Korean liaison office in Gaeseong, North Korea, Monday, after it opened on Sept. 14. / Korea Times fileBy Park Ji-wonThe first inter-Korean high-level meeting will be held at the newly opened liaison office in the North on Monday to discuss ways to tackle pest control for pine trees and the modernization of seedling farms in North Korea. It is the first time for the two Koreas to hold such a meeting there since its official opening on Sept. 14. High-ranking officials of the two Koreas agreed last week to hold further meetings to discuss cooperation in many areas.On Oct. 15, the two Koreas reached an agreement to hold talks about forests, welfare and medical care, sports and the Red Cross sometime between October and November on the sidelines of inter-Korean high-level talks. They agreed on starting a joint inspection for reconnecting railways and roads at the end of October.During the talks about forests they agreed to hold on Monday, the two Koreas are expected to discuss forming a new tree nursery in the North and long-Oct 21, 2018By Park Ji-won
Koreas to start joint inspection of western railway as early as this week South and North Korea are likely to start their joint on-site inspection as early as this week for a project to modernize and re-link railways across their border, government officials said Sunday.At high-level talks last week, the two Koreas agreed to begin field surveys of the western Gyeongui railway in late October and the Donghae railway along their east coast in November."The Koreas are known to be discussing ways to conduct the inspection (on the North section) of the Gyeongui line starting late this week," a government official said."The schedule is flexible, depending on consultations between the government and the United Nations Command (UNC) over the passage of the Military Demarcation Line," he added. In August, the Koreas failed to carry out a joint railway field survey as the U.S.-led UNC did not approve the plan, citing "procedural" problems, a move widely seen as U.S. objection to the inter-Korean railway project on the basis that it might hamper sanctions."As far as I'm concerned, Seoul's consultations with Pyongyang as well as the UNC are smoothly under way," tOct 21, 2018
South Korea's nuke envoy heads to US over NK nuclear issue South Korea's top nuclear envoy left for the United States on Sunday to coordinate North Korea policy with Washington, Seoul's foreign ministry said.Lee Do-hoon, the country's representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will visit Washington D.C. from Sunday to Tuesday to meet with his U.S. counterpart, Stephen Biegun.They are expected to discuss the progress of negotiations between the United States and North Korea, including preparations for a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday said he hopes to meet with his North Korean counterpart "in the next week and a half or so" to continue planning for the summit between their leaders. "There are various dialogues and contacts under way between the U.S. and North Korea. I'll meet with Biegun to listen to Washington's plan and consult on how to push for the denuclearization (of the Korean Peninsula)," Lee told reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul.He said that denuclearization should be pursued on thOct 21, 2018
Moon heads home with European concessions for North Korea South Korean President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook wave at Copenhagen Kastrup Airport in Denmark, Saturday (local time), after finishing a five-nation European tour. YonhapSouth Korean President Moon Jae-in headed home Saturday, wrapping up a five-nation European tour that was apparently more successful than anticipated, heralding the possibility of a trip by Pope Francis to North Korea.In a meeting with the pope held in the Vatican on Thursday, President Moon delivered an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for the pope to visit Pyongyang.The pope gave conditional but implicit agreement, saying he will be "available" for the trip."(I) will unconditionally give an answer if an (official) invitation arrives," the pope was quoted as telling Moon through his interpreter.Moon's trip began last Saturday when he arrived in Paris on a four-day state visit.There, he also sought to win concessions for the impoverished North, stressing the need for the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) to consider easing its sanctions against the North when and if the communist state'sOct 21, 2018
Koreas consider forming joint wrestling team at Tokyo Olympics North Korea's Kang Yong Gyun throws Andriy Kalashnikov of Ukraine to win the bronze medal in the 54 kg Greco-Roman wrestling event at the Sydney Olympic Games, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2000. Korea Times fileSouth and North Korea are considering forming a joint wrestling team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Seoul's wrestling governing body said Saturday. Korea Wrestling Federation (KWF) said its competition director, Lee Joong-sub, and the North Korean wrestling body secretary general, Kim Il, met Thursday in Budapest, where the 2018 World Wrestling Championships is being held, and exchanged opinions on forming a joint wrestling team at the 2020 Olympics. "Although it's not confirmed that we're going to have a joint team, both sides have exchanged their ideas in a good atmosphere," a KWF offical said. "The two Koreas also touched on holding joint training in Seoul and Pyongyang." According to the KWF, United World Wrestling President Nenad Lalovic also promised his support for the joint Korean team at the Olympics. The two Koreas previously trained together during the 18th Asian Games in IOct 20, 2018
