Pompeo hopes to meet North Koreans soon to discuss next summit US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the press before boarding his plane at Mexico City International Airport October 19, 2018 in Mexico City, Mexico. AFP-YonhapU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday that he hopes to meet with his North Korean counterpart "in the next week and a half or so" to continue planning for a second nuclear summit between their leaders. Pompeo revealed the plan during an interview held with the Voice of America on the sidelines of a trip to Mexico City. He said the date for a second meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has yet to be set. Asked if he expects it to happen "in the very near future," he replied, "I do." "We're working on finding dates and times and places that will work for each of the two leaders," Pompeo told the VOA. "I'm very hopeful we'll have senior leader meetings here in the next week and a half or so between myself and my counterpart to continue this discussion so that when the two of them get together there is real opportunity to make another big step forward on denuclearizationOct 20, 2018
North Korea's birth rate remains below replacement level A North Korean woman walks on a street in Pyongyang carrying a baby in this July file photo. Joint Press CorpsBy Jung Da-minGlobal trends towards smaller families and low birth rates are also being seen in North Korea, according to the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) “State of World Population 2018” report, released Wednesday.The report said the "total fertility rate (TFR)" in North Korea stood at 1.9 this year and remained below the replacement rate of 2.1, required to maintain a stable population in the country. The TFR is a statistical indicator of the average number of children born during the lifetime of a woman between the ages 15 and 49.The report also said 75 percent of North Korean women practice contraception by any method, with 71 percent using “modern methods” such as pills, condoms and intrauterine devices. The figures are similar to those in South Korea ― 78 percent and 70 percent, respectively.“North Korean women often use an intrauterine device (IUD), often called a loop, as a method of contraception that inserts a small ring of Oct 19, 2018
Pope's possible visit to North Korea fuels peace momentum President Moon Jae-in smiles after receiving a rosary case from Pope Francis as a gift during their meeting at the Vatican Thursday. At right is first lady Kim Jung-sook. Moon and Kim are both Catholics. / Yonhap.By Yi Whan-wooPresident Moon Jae-in's vision for peace on the Korean Peninsula is expected to gain further momentum after Pope Francis accepted a handwritten letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inviting him to visit Pyongyang, according to analysts, Friday. The letter was presented to the pope by President Moon, ThursdayIf realized, this will be the first visit by a leader of the Catholic Church to the North Korea, and could speed up Pyongyang's efforts to be recognized as a “normal state” connected to the outside world. This is in line with Moon's vision, the analysts noted.“The pope has been a symbol of peace and reconciliation. Because of this, Pope Francis' possible North Korea trip is not only historical but can also reshape the global image of the internationally-isolated regime,” said Park Won-gon, a professor of international relationsOct 19, 2018By Yi Whan-woo
Russia supplied more oil to N. Korea than China: UN By Park Ji-wonRussia supplied 2,000 more tons of refined oil to North Korea than China this year, U.N. data showed Wednesday. It has provided 12,324 tons of refined oil to the North so far, while China has supplied 10,109 tons, according to the website of the U.N. Security Council's sanctions committeeRussia's refined oil supply to North Korea for August was 1,369 tons.According to the U.N. resolution 2397, the total supply, sale or transfer of all refined petroleum products by U.N. member states to the North should not exceed 500,000 barrels or about 60,000 tons, during a period of 12 months beginning this year, and for 12-month periods thereafter.Several countries including the U.S. and South Korea have pointed out that Pyongyang possibly received (refined) oil from ships registered in a third country. Such shipments aren't reported.U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley accused Russia last month of violating sanction against North Korea by delivering the fuel through ship-to-ship transfers at sea.Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia refuted the allegation.Haley saidOct 18, 2018By Park Ji-won
PHOTOS Korean traditional clothes on show in Pyongyang Korean traditional clothes on display during the 16th National Exhibition of Korean Dress at the Central Youth Hall in Pyongyang, from Wednesday to Friday. KCNA-YonhapBy Jung Da-minColorful Korean traditional clothes are being exhibited at the 16th National Exhibition of Korean Dress in Pyongyang, North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Thursday. Opened with due ceremony at the Central Youth Hall Wednesday, the exhibition presents more than 700 Korean traditional dresses of various styles and more than 60 pairs of leather shoes for men, women and children. Tailors, workers, students and housewives across the country made the apparel.Traditional Korean long dresses are called “choson-ot” in North Korea. They are known as hanbok in South Korea. North Koreans often wear choson-ot as a formal attire in everyday life while South Koreans wear hanbok on special occasions such as traditional holidays or weddings.“The beautiful chima and jogori and Korean trousers and jackets, vests, waistcoats, turumagi and leather shoes are attracting the inOct 18, 2018
North Korea strengthens regional ties on Workers' Party foundation anniversary The Tumen River, where the borders of North Korea, China and Russia meet. Korea Times 2015 fileBy Jung Da-minNorth Korea is committed to strengthening its regional ties in Asia, especially with traditional allies such as China, Russia and Mongolia, on the 73rd anniversary of the foundation of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).The country's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) recently published a series of articles on diplomatic and cultural events involving these countries. This is in contrast with last year when North Korea was isolated from the international community after conducting missile and nuclear tests. In particular, North Korea-China relations had been weakened to the point where the regime's state media did not even report China's congratulatory message for the event. On the Oct. 10 foundation anniversary this year, however, the KCNA reported that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese Embassy in North Korea sent floral baskets to the WPK Central Committee.On Tuesday, the embassy hosted a friendly gathering attended by Oct 18, 2018
Italy backs CVID of North Korea President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with Italian President Sergio Mattarella with first lady Kim Jung-sook and Mattarella's daughter Laura standing next to them during a welcoming ceremony for Moon at the presidential palace in Rome, Wednesday. Moon later had a summit with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, at which they agreed to develop Korea-Italy relations into a strategic partnership. YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulROME ― Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte expressed full support for President Moon Jae-in's drive for complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) of North Korea.“Prime Minister Conte expressed full support for the diplomatic initiatives undertaken by President Moon through the three inter-Korean summits to advance inter-Korean relations, and achieve complete denuclearization and permanent peace in the Korean Peninsula. The two leaders shared the view that denuclearization must be achieved in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner,” Conte said in a joint press statement after the two leaders' summit in Rome, late Wednesday (KST).Moon,Oct 17, 2018By Kim Yoo-chul
Moon to ask Europe to ease sanctions on NK President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook are welcomed by Stefano Zaniniafter, vice chief of diplomatic protocol at Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after arriving at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Tuesday. Moon will have a summit with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and visit the Vatican for a meeting with Pope Francis. / Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chulROME ― President Moon Jae-in is using his ongoing tour of European nations to call for their support for the Korea peace process and to ease sanctions on North Korea.Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday (KST) that President Moon will ask British Prime Minister Theresa May at their summit this week to consider lifting some sanctions in response to North Korea's planned denuclearization steps. Moon also plans to hold a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.“Moon is focusing on winning solid support from permanent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members and European countries to push the denuclearization process forward. Now is the time for the international community to provide some assurances thOct 17, 2018By Kim Yoo-chul
'Father's War' gets nod to resume filming By Kang Hyun-kyungDirector Lim Sung-chan got the green light from Seoul High Court for his ongoing film project, tentatively titled “Father's War” which revolves around the suspicious death of first lieutenant Kim Hoon two decades ago. Kim, with a gunshot wound in his temple, was found dead on Feb. 23, 1998, in an underground bunker of the Joint Security Area near the inter-Korean border. His death has since remained a mystery as investigators failed to find the murderer, paving the way for ceaseless rumors over the past two decades about the cause of his death. On Wednesday, the filmmaker got the nod from the higher court to resume filming as he intended. The higher court reversed a district court's ruling, siding with the filmmaker who claimed the lower court's decision to ban the shooting of 47 cuts violated his freedom of expression. The lower court also ordered the filmmaker or the producer to pay a 5 million won fine per day if they violate the ruling. The late first lieutenant Kim Hoon, right, with his father / Korea TimesThe filmmaker began shooting the film starrOct 17, 2018By Kang Hyun-kyung
UN moves to adopt NK human rights resolution for 14th straight year: envoy The United Nations is expected to seek to adopt a resolution on the human rights situation in North Korea next month for the 14th straight year, diplomatic sources in New York said Tuesday.The Third Committee of the U.N. General Assembly is now drawing up a new North Korean human rights resolution, with Japan and the European Union taking the lead, the sources said, adding the document will be submitted to the committee in October.If the resolution passes the Third Committee, it will be sent to the U.N. General Assembly, which has adopted a resolution on human rights in North Korea for 13 consecutive years. With the recent progress in North Korea's relationship with the United States and South Korea, however, it remains to be seen whether there will be changes in the expression of the resolution and how strongly the North would react to it, they said.In this regard, South Korean Ambassador to the U.N. Cho Tae-yul said that the U.N. is expected to again adopt the North Korean human rights resolution this year."The U.N. has already adopted the North Korean human rights resolution Oct 17, 2018
