South Korea, US nuclear envoys meet 3 times in NYC US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) announces former senior executive of Ford Motor Company Stephen Biegun (L) to be special envoy for North Korea, at the State Department in Washington, DC, USA, 23 August 2018. Korea Times fileThe top nuclear envoys from South Korea and the United States have convened three meetings during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York to discuss issues on North Korea, South Korean representatives to the United Nations said Friday. Lee Do-hoon, South Korea's top nuclear envoy, met with U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun from Wednesday to Thursday, according to the South Korean Permanent Mission to the U.N. Lee and Biegun reportedly talked about achievements from the 3rd inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang and a recent summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump, as well as ways to lead North Korea's denuclearization and establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. They also reportedly touched on U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's plan to visit Pyongyang next month and a possibSep 29, 2018
Two Koreas to embark on inter-Korean railway inspection next month By Lee Min-hyungThe two Koreas will embark on joint inspections next month to connect the two countries by rail, in a move to fulfill the Pyongyang Declaration signed by leaders from both sides, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday.“To hold a groundbreaking ceremony for inter-Korean railways and highways this year, we need to kick off the field inspections at least within next month,” Kim Eui-kyeom, spokesman for the presidential house, said in a media briefing.This is part of measures to fulfill the recent agreement reached during the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, where President Moon Jae-in agreed on the plan with his northern counterpart Kim Jong-un.“We are going to negotiate with the United Nations Command (UNC) over the plan by the two Koreas,” the presidential spokesman said. But he did not unveil a specific timeline over when to begin the work, as Seoul and Pyongyang are still in talks with the UNC over the move.Late last month, the UNC disapproved of Seoul's plan to conduct inspections of railway conditions in the North.But the spokesman raised hopes that it Sep 28, 2018By Lee Min-hyung
Koreas discuss commemorative event in Pyongyang next week By Kim Bo-eunSouth and North Korea discussed holding an event to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the Oct. 4 Declaration reached at the second inter-Korean summit in 2007.The event will be held in Pyongyang from Oct. 4 to 6, the two sides agreed in a meeting that took place Friday at the inter-Korean liaison office that opened earlier this month in the North's city of Gaeseong.The meeting took place between liaison office co-heads Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung and his North Korean counterpart Jon Jong-su.They agreed for the South to send a 150-member delegation to the event. South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon is set to head the delegation.The South and North agreed to address logistics, as well as discuss carrying out agreements reached at the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang last week, through the joint contact office. The office opened to facilitate inter-Korean communication and is the first organization in which South and North Koreans work together in the same building. It was established according to the Panmunjeom Declaration reached between PresideSep 28, 2018By Kim Bo-eun
Pompeo's meat obsession U.S. State Department Pompeo tweeted after the dinner with North Korea's envoy Kim Yong-chol ahead of the June 12 summit between President Trump and the North' Kim Jong-un: "Good working dinner with Kim Yong Chol in New York tonight. Steak, corn, and cheese on the menu."By Oh Young-jinIs U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a steak man or a pork man? It is unclear whether he is for either, but there is no doubt he is a "meat man." Also unclear is the effectiveness of his meaty metaphor regarding North Korea.In a way, it is an open question how Kim Jong-un, the North's leader, has been able not to feel insulted by Pompeo's references. On Wednesday, Pompeo told CBS This Morning, "We are not going to buy a pig in a poke." His "pig" reference comes in the context: "We're working our way toward making sure this verification that we have talked about since the beginning." Pompeo most likely meant to use the pig idiom to ensure the North denuclearizes and it is verified, but left just enough of hint that it could refer to the North itself. There have been no suggestions that the North took iSep 28, 2018
Playing patsy to North Korea again? A South Korean watches a television screen displaying a press conference between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, 19 September 2018. EPA-YonhapBy Oh Young-jin Often, we inadvertently mix our wishful thinking with reality.If a forecast is made on that mixture, it would likely be mistaken and proven wrong. Now, seeing the ongoing rapid-paced series of developments over North Korea's denuclearization, one can't but feel tempted to let the heart lead the head.President Moon Jae-in's recent visit to Pyongyang for his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un offers a sense of de ja vu over the first-ever summit between Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il, the current leader's father, in 2000, and the second between Roh Moo-hyun and the late Kim in 2007, both held in Pyongyang. The two previous summits also had South Koreans like me hoping for spring to come to the two Koreas' mostly wintry relationship since they fought the 1950-1953 war. The exchange of fire was stopped by a truce so the two Koreas are stilSep 28, 2018
US at odds with China, Russia over North Korea sanctions U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses a meeting of the United Nations Security Council during the 73rd session of the U.N. General Assembly at U.N. headquarters, Thursday (local time). AP Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) listens at the United Nations Security Council meeting on North Korea at the United Nations in New York. Thursday (local time). US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Thursday that sanctions against North Korea must be "vigorously" enforced, during a Security Council meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Russia and China. AFPU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned members of the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that they must "set the example" by enforcing sanctions on North Korea as China and Russia suggested the council consider easing the tough measures.China and Russia said the council should reward Pyongyang for the "positive developments" this year with U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un having met in June and Kim pledging to work toward denuclearisation.Pompeo chaired a meeting of the 15-membSep 28, 2018
Unification minister, DPK leader to visit Pyongyang By Park Ji-wonUnification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon and ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Rep. Lee Hae-chan will head to North Korea next month with a 150-member delegation to participate in an inter-Korean event to commemorate the Oct. 4 Declaration in Pyongyang, sources said Thursday.A unification ministry official said, “The visit is based on an agreement between the two Koreas to hold a ceremony to commemorate the 11th anniversary of an inter-Korean declaration adopted under former President Roh Moo-hyun on Oct. 4 in 2007 in Pyongyang.”“The two Koreas are having discussions to decide on the details, including the time and size of the event.”The list of the participants has not been immediately announced, but sources say the unification minister and DPK Lee will be included.DPK spokeswoman Rep. Lee Jae-jung said the DPK leader will head to Pyongyang and the size of the delegation is expected to be about 150, which will include lawmakers and related personnel.Last week, Lee, also serving as chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, proposed holdingSep 27, 2018By Park Ji-won
North Korean foreign minister in high demand at UN North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during their meeting on Wednesday (local time), on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly. YonhapBy Jung Da-minWhile the second summit between North Korea and the U.S. is expected to be held within a few months, the status of Kim Jong-un's top envoy Ri Yong-ho has been elevated to its highest level.Ri arrived in New York on Tuesday (local time) to attend the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly and was quickly sought after by his counterparts. Following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday (local time), Ri met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono on the same day.While Ri has met the main parties involved in talks for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, he has not met South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa. Pompeo said on Twitter that the talks had been “very positive” and there was discussion on the next steps in North Korea's denuSep 27, 2018
Expectations high for North Korea-US big deal Pompeo's NK visit next month seen crucialBy Kim Bo-eunWashington and Pyongyang are moving quickly to find common ground in their denuclearization negotiations after South Korean President Moon Jae-in's landmark visit to Pyongyang last week.Top officials of the two countries met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Wednesday (local time), to discuss a roadmap for the North's nuclear disarmament.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo posted on Twitter about his meeting with his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho in New York.He stated he had a “very positive meeting with Ri to discuss the upcoming summit and next steps toward denuclearization of North Korea.”“Much work remains, but we will continue to move forward,” he said.In a statement, the U.S. State Department said Pompeo accepted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's invitation to visit Pyongyang next month.It said his visit would take place to make further progress on the implementation of the commitments from the Singapore summit between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea, and prepare for a seconSep 27, 2018By Kim Bo-eun
North Korea goes all out to boost tourism The Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist district is seen in this May file photo. KCNA-YonhapBy Jung Da-minNorth Korea is stepping up its tourism push. The Workers' Party mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun on Thursday highlighted the country's tourism to mark World Tourism Day on Sept. 27.Saying that North Korea has entered a new stage of development in tourism, the paper in its editorial touted such sites as the Masikryong Ski Resort and coastal tourist districts ― the Songdowon sea bathing resort in Wonsan, Kangwon Province, the Majon sea bathing resort in Hamhung, South Hamgyong Province, and the Ryongsupo sea bathing resort in South Hwanghae Province.In particular, the paper highlighted ongoing construction at the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourism zone in Kangwon Province. North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has been stressing its completion by Oct. 10, 2019, the foundation anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).Kim visited the site in late August, about three months after his previous visit. He spoke about the project in his New Year speech.The country's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCSep 27, 2018
