China 'hopes Trump-Kim summit can happen as planned' China's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday it hoped a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, originally set for Singapore next month, could happen as planned and be successful.Direct dialogue between the leaders of the United States and North Korea is crucial to resolving the nuclear issue, the ministry said in a statement sent to Reuters. (REUTERS)May 27, 2018
Denuclearization talks back on track President Moon Jae-in holds a question-and-answer session during a press conference at Cheong Wa Dae, Sunday, about his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, held on the North’s side of the border village of Panmunjeom the previous day. / YonhapBy Yi Whan-wooThe second summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shows Moon's determination to take the initiative on the path toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, according to officials and analysts, Sunday.It also shows how serious Moon was in regaining momentum for cross-border dialogue over the U.S. and China factors that recently jeopardized a hard-earned chance for reconciliation and peace.The second summit, proposed by Kim, Saturday, came after leaders of the two Koreas agreed on complete denuclearization of the peninsula in their previous meeting on April 27.On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly cancelled his planned summit with Kim slated for June 12 in Singapore, accusing Pyongyang of taking a bellicose tone with Washington after remaining at odds over possiMay 27, 2018
Kim-Trump summit likely to be held as scheduled Singapore's financial skyline is seen lining the edge of the Singapore River in Singapore in this May 10, file photo. / AP-YonhapBy Park Ji-wonU.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are apparently likely to hold their first summit as scheduled on June 12 in Singapore.South Korean President Moon Jae-in, while holding a media briefing Sunday, on his surprise meeting with the North Korean leader the previous day, said Kim seemed determined to meet Trump as scheduled for a denuclearization deal.“Our two leaders confirmed that the success of the North Korea-U.S. summit should be achieved and the journey toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the permanent peace regime should be carry on,” said President Moon.“Also, we reaffirmed fast implementation of the April 27 Panmunjeom Declaration. In order to do so, we agreed to hold a high-ranking official meeting on June 1 as well as meetings of military officials and Red Cross officials for the separated Korean families. ”North Korea also expressed its willingness to holdMay 27, 2018
'NK leader committed to denuclearization, summit with Trump' President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hug each other during their surprise second summit at Tongilgak on the North's side of the border village of Panmunjeom, Saturday. Moon said the meeting, held for two hours, was arranged at Kim's request. / Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae By Kim RahnNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un's willingness for denuclearization is firm and he hopes his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump will be held as planned and successfully, President Moon Jae-in said Sunday after his surprise second meeting with Kim the previous day.The leaders of the two Korea agreed that Kim needs to talk directly with Trump to resolve misunderstandings and to successfully make their summit happen, he added.The two-hour inter-Korean summit on the northern side of Panmunjeom was a surprise as Moon and Kim met secretly and only about a month after the first one, April 27. Their second meeting came amid a series of rapidly reversing situations where theMay 27, 2018
Spring in Mount Baekdu Spring in Mount Baekdu: North Korean officials wave their national flag and the flag of the ruling Workers’ Party at the top of Mount Baekdu in this photo released by the party’s official newspaper Rodong Sinmun, May 21. The daily released other photos of scenery in its border province of Yanggang, where the mountain is located. / Rodong SinmunMay 27, 2018
N. Korea backs Panmunjeom Declaration By Yi Whan-wooNorth Korea’s Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation has called for prompt implementation of the declaration jointly announced by President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at their first summit on April 27.The council made the call last week in its congratulatory message for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Moon Ik-hwan, a South Korean pastor and reunification activist. The anniversary commemoration will take place in Seoul on May 29.The declaration, announced at the Panmunjeom truce village, aims for denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.“Hoisting the Panmunjom Declaration ... as a new platform for the new era of independent unification, we should push to open a new era of peace, prosperity and unification,” the council said in the message delivered to its South Korean counterparts preparing for the anniversary of the pastor’s birth.The South Korean side of the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation said that since the summit on April 27 it had been in contact with its Pyongyang partners abMay 27, 2018
Pyongyang warns of foreign dependence By Yi Whan-wooRodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, has warned against relying on other countries for economic growth.The warning came amid speculation that North Korea wants to scrap its nuclear program so the U.S. and its allies will ease sanctions and help rebuild the country.The paper said North Koreans were strongly determined to build a prosperous socialist country envied by the world no matter how the political situation changed.“All countries and nations should cultivate and bolster their own strength and resolve everything with recourse to it in order to achieve independent development and prosperity,” the daily said in its English-language editorial last week.“Dependence on others is a very dangerous virus that makes a nation mean and weak and lets a country go to ruin.“Now that the imperialists are getting more desperate in their moves to dominate other countries and nations and the world, if one tries to get benefit from outsiders while depending on them, instead of depending on his strength, it iMay 27, 2018
Another Kim-Xi summit 'possible' By Yi Whan-wooKim Chang-son, de facto chief of staff to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was seen in Beijing on May 26, fueling speculation that the latter may be discussing another summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping following the ones in March and early May.Diplomatic sources said Kim Chang-son was seen at Beijing Capital International Airport, where he boarded an Air Koryo flight bound for Pyongyang at 2 p.m.He was accompanied by Kim Song-nam, deputy chief of the international bureau of the North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party.“There’s no concrete evidence at the moment that the person seen is Kim Chang-son,” a source said. “But if is found that Kim Chang-son stayed in Beijing, it could be a visit for party-to-party exchanges between North Korea and China.”Another source said the trip to Beijing could mean another China visit by Kim Jong-un.The third source said Kim Chang-son was in Beijing on May 24 en route to Singapore for the North Korea-U.S. summit preparations, but that he had revised his schedule after U.S. President Donald TrumMay 27, 2018
N. Korea's border region designated as 'military-first' zone Kim Jong-un regime suspected of hiding nuclear weaponsBy Yi Whan-wooNorth Korea has designated its border region Chagang Province as a Special Songun (military-first) Revolutionary Zone, according to sources familiar with Pyongyang.The region is mountainous, fueling speculation that North Korea, despite its promise to scrap its nuclear program, may seek to hide its atomic weapons there.“The designation of the zone was discussed during a meeting involving the Ministry of State Security officials in April,” a source said last week.“Covering more than 6,400 square miles on North Korea’s border with China, fully 98 percent of Chagang Province is mountainous.“This means it is relatively sparsely populated and has plenty of opportunities for underground excavations to conceal stockpiles of weapons and facilities to conduct further research.”Another source said Pyongyang authorities were re-examining residents’ ideological backgrounds and expelling anyone with a hint of belonging to the “hostile class.”A third source said additional fortMay 27, 2018
North Korea walks tightrope between US and China U.S. President Donald Trump, left, cancelled his planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, on May 24 over Pyongyang’s “tremendous anger and open hostility.” Kim remained low key over the decision, leaving the door open for the historic summit in a message entrusted to Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan on May 25. / AFP-YonhapBy Yi Whan-wooNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears to be pursuing balanced diplomacy between the United States and China in a bid to hold the summit with U.S. President Donald Trump while maintaining Pyongyang’s decades-old alliance with Beijing.During his surprise talks with President Moon Jae-in, May 26, Kim said he is committed to meeting with U.S. Preesident Donald Trump.On May 25, Kim entrusted Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan with a message after Trump abruptly called off the summit scheduled for June 12 in Singapore.Trump accused North Korea of “tremendous anger and open hostility” despite their agreement to hold the summit. He blamed China for North Korea’s more bellicose approach towaMay 27, 2018
