Post US-NK summit diplomacy accelerates North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald TrumpBy Kim Bo-eunKey states surrounding the Korean Peninsula are eager to form one-on-one channels with North Korea as a means to stay relevant in the denuclearization process, which seems to be going smoothly after agreements were made at the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last week.As the North seeks economic development and new diplomatic relations along with its denuclearization, the U.S., Japan, Russia and China are also making efforts to be part of the new geopolitical arena.The U.S. is apparently the most active player, with its leader having a historic summit with the North Korean head. Trump said he would hold a telephone call with Kim soon, saying the two exchanged direct numbers at their summit in Singapore on June 12. Through the phone conversation, they are likely to discuss follow-up measures to keep the momentum alive in denuclearization negotiations.“I gave him a very direct number. He can call me if he has any difficulties, and I can call him. We have commJun 17, 2018
North Korean media underscore 'mutual respect' in international relations U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / APNorth Korea's state media on Sunday stressed principles of mutual respect and sovereignty in international relations, following its agreement with the United States last week to build "new" ties.The Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, carried an editorial in which it said that "unilateral demands" based on military and economic superiority undermine the sound development of international relations, without specifically mentioning the U.S."All countries and ethnic groups should develop their friendly, cooperative ties based on the principle of mutual respect, and they must not infringe on others' sovereignty. ... The relations among the countries pursuing unilateral interests cannot last long," the editorial, monitored in Seoul, said."Our republic has consistently maintained that even if a country has had hostile or confrontational relations with us, we will improve and develop the relationship with it, should it respect our sovereignty and treat our country in a friendly manner," it addJun 17, 2018
South Korea proposes movement of North Korean artillery away from border South Korea proposed that North Korea move its long-range artillery away from the heavily fortified border in an effort to reduce tensions during last week's cross-border military talks. YonhapSouth Korea proposed that North Korea move its long-range artillery away from the heavily fortified border in an effort to reduce tensions during last week's rare cross-border military talks, government sources here said Sunday.During Thursday's general-grade meeting, the first in more than a decade, Seoul made a series of suggestions, including relocating the artillery pieces to areas 30 to 40 kilometers away from the Military Demarcation Line separating the two Koreas, the insiders said.The two sides held the talks to follow up on the Panmunjom Declaration from the April 27 inter-Korean summit at the truce village, which calls for joint efforts to alleviate military tensions and "practically eliminate the danger of war.""We conveyed our position to the North that in light of consultations between the North and the United States over the denuclearization issue, we have to craft measures to draJun 17, 2018
Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize - again By Park Si-sooTwo Norwegian lawmakers have nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after the Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.Christian Tybring-Gjedde and Per-Willy Amundsen, lawmakers with the populist Progress Party, made the nomination.They told the Norwegian news agency NTB on Wednesday (local time) Trump “has taken a huge and important step in the direction of disarmament, peace and reconciliation between North and South Korea.”A group of U.S. Republican politicians nominated Trump for the prize in May.South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in April that Trump deserved the prize.The process of considering candidates and awarding the Nobel Peace Prize is done in Norway.Nominations must be sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee before February 1.The committee doesn’t publicly comment on who is nominated, this information is required to be kept secret for 50 years.The prize is one of the world’s most esteemed and is awarded each year by the foundation to the person who “shall have done the most or the best wJun 16, 2018
Trump gave Kim Jong-un his direct number; 1st call due Sunday U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he had given Kim Jong-un a direct phone number and suggested he might call the North Korean leader on Sunday, following their summit in Singapore this week.“I’m going to be actually calling North Korea,” Trump told Fox News in an interview when asked what he planned to do on Father’s Day, without saying who he would be speaking to.Trump, who has hailed his meeting with Kim on Tuesday as a success that removed the North Korean nuclear threat, told reporters later that he had given Kim a phone number to allow him to reach him directly.“I can now call him. I can now say, ‘Well, we have a problem.’ I gave him a very direct number. He can now call me if he has any difficulties, I can call him,” Trump said during an impromptu news conference on the White House lawn.Asked about who he would speak to on Sunday, Trump said: “Well, I’m going to speak to people in North Korea, and I’m going to speak to my people who are over in North Korea.” He did not elaborate.Trump and Kim issueJun 16, 2018
Koreas to boost ties private sector S. Koreans may visit Pyongyang next weekBy Yi Whan-wooA group of South Korean advocates on cross-border reconciliation plan to visit Pyongyang, June 20, to discuss ways to bolster private sector exchanges in line with the joint declaration signed at the first inter-Korean summit on June 15, 2000.The South Korean Committee on the June 15 Joint Declaration said Friday its counterpart in the North invited its representatives to join a conference in Pyongyang.The conference will be held from June 20 to 23. It will focus on resuming cross-border cooperation on the civil level as pledged by two former leaders _ President Kim Dae-jung and the North's Kim Jong-il _ in their June 15 Joint Declaration. The two sides last celebrated the June 15 Joint Declaration in 2008.“We received the letter of invitation from the North, Monday, and filed a request for the Pyongyang trip with the Ministry of Unification, Wednesday,” committee chairman Lee Chang-bok said. “We're waiting for the government's approval.”The committee representatives include politicians, religious leaders, Jun 15, 2018
S. Korea, US adopt flexible defense posture Ulchi Freedom Guardian likely to be suspendedBy Yi Whan-wooSouth Korea and the United States are assuming a more flexible stance in their joint pressure against North Korea's military threats following the June 12 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore.Seoul and Washington are discussing possible suspension of their joint military exercises, after holding onto a decades-long view that such exercises are a key element for their alliance and a deterrent against Pyongyang.Analysts said Friday such a surprising change in the allies' security stance is to boost momentum for detente on the Korean Peninsula as witnessed at the Singapore summit.In their reciprocal concession in Singapore, Trump said he would halt the Seoul-Washington military exercises, which Pyongyang has denounced as a “rehearsal for invasion,” while Kim promised to destroy a testing site for intercontinental ballistic missiles targeting the U.S.“The U.S concession is a small yet right step toward North Korea's security guarantee as promised by Trump,&rJun 15, 2018
FULL VERSION North Korean documentary gives rare peek into Kim-Trump summit Kim Jong-un at his hotel room in Singapore. / Captured from the documentaryBy Park Si-soo North Korea's state broadcaster has released a 42-minute documentary on the June 12 summit between its leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore. The Korean Central Broadcasting Station released the documentary on Thursday, two days after the historic denuclearization meeting. The clip summarizes Kim's three-day visit to Singapore, with much footage of Kim and Trump that couldn't be seen in other media, including Kim's hotel room, surprise night out to the city-state's tourist attractions and the two leaders' closed-door working lunch. Kim Jong-un speaks to his entourage in his Singapore hotel room. / Captured from the documentaryThe clip shows Trump exchanging a “salute” with a North Korean three-star general ahead of the summit, which raised eyebrows because the U.S. and North Korea technically are still at war. The White House on Friday reacted to the controversy, saying Trump's salute was a “common courtesy.” Narration (distinctive North KorJun 15, 2018
Pompeo: No sanctions relief before North Korea denuclearizes U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a joint press conference with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono (both not pictured) at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, 14 June 2018. / EPAThe United States will not ease sanctions against North Korea until it denuclearizes, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday, as he reassured key Asian allies that President Donald Trump had not backed down on Pyongyang's weapons program.Pompeo, meeting in Seoul with top South Korean and Japanese diplomats, put a more sober spin on Trump's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after the president's comments fueled unease in Washington, Tokyo and Seoul. He said Trump's curious claim that the North's nuclear threat was over was issued with ``eyes wide open,'' and brushed off a North Korean state media report suggesting Trump would grant concessions even before the North fully rids itself of nuclear weapons.``We're going to get denuclearization,'' Pompeo said in the South Korean capital. ``Only then will there be relief from the Jun 15, 2018
Two Koreas agree to completely restore military communication lines The two Koreas agreed Thursday to completely restore their military communication lines during their first general-grade military talks in more than a decade, their joint statement showed.During the talks, they also exchanged opinions on demilitarizing the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom on a trial basis, it said.They held the talks at Tongilgak, a North Korea-controlled building at the village, in line with the April 27 inter-Korean summit declaration that calls for joint efforts to alleviate military tensions and "practically eliminate the danger of war."Major General Kim Do-gyun led South Korea's five-member delegation, while the North's side was represented by Lieutenant General An Ik-san.The meeting was originally set to take place in May, but they failed to set a date that month due to Pyongyang's protest against the annual Max Thunder air force exercise between Seoul and Washington. But during the May 26 inter-Korean summit, they fixed the date for Thursday. (Yonhap)Jun 14, 2018
