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
PHOTOS 2nd Moon-Kim summit By Lee Suh-yoonPresident Moon Jae-in met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for their surprise second summit at Panmunjeom, Saturday, at Kim's request to discuss the upcoming Trump-Kim summit. U.S. President Trump abruptly cancelled the June 12 summit on Thursday but suggested in a tweet two days later that it could still take place as scheduled. All photos are provided by Cheong Wa Dae with watermarked photos taken by North Korea's state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA). A convoy carrying President Moon Jae-in and his entourage arrives for Moon's second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the northern side of the truce village Panmunjeom, Saturday.Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's younger sister and close adviser, greets Moon in front of the Tongilgak building on the northern side of Panmunjeom.Moon enters Tongilgak surrounded by North Korean military honor guards.Kim Jong-un greets President Moon inside Tongilgak.The leaders of the two Koreas shake hands during their second meeting, one month after their first meeting at Panmunjeom on April 27.Moon leaMay 27, 2018
Fear in Kim Jong-un's eyes North Korean leader Kim Jong-un looks tired and nervous during his second meeting with President Moon Jae-in at the Panmunjeom truce village on Saturday. /Korea TimesBy Oh Young-jin Did you see what I saw?The video and photos released by the presidential office after the surprise Panmunjeom summit on May 26 show North Korean leader Kim Jong-un minus the confident aura shown during his first meeting with President Moon Jae-in April 27. Instead, his eyes show a strong hint of tiredness, perhaps from lack of sleep due to worry or fear, and his smiles were not as open as they were when he was seen in public with Moon a month ago.Why? This is a loaded question and an answer may sound realistic and fantastic at the same time. First, the North under the young dictator tried its typical magic trick ahead of the June 12 summit with U.S. President Donald Trump to jockey for a better position. It follows the first leaf from the North's favorite playbook. But it did not work.Citing U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton's threat to extract a Libyan style of unconditional surrender from the NMay 27, 2018
Pope Francis prays for inter-Korean reconciliation: Vatican's envoy Archbishop Alfred Xuereb speaks to reporters in Seoul, Sunday. / YonhapPope Francis has voiced hopes for continued efforts for inter-Korean reconciliation and peace on the divided Korean Peninsula, the Holy See's top envoy to South Korea said Sunday.Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, 59, made the remarks upon his arrival in Korea for the Vatican's diplomatic mission here. In February, the pontiff named Xuereb the new apostolic nuncio for both South Korea and Mongolia."He told me, 'Please assure the Korean people and also the bishops that he will continue praying that future generations will have a future of stability and prosperity,'" Xuereb said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency."The pope is very much informed about the situation, and he has great hope that the talks, which started on April 27, about the reconciliation would continue and will be successful so that the future generations will live in a peaceful environment, prosperous future," the Maltese prelate added, referring to last month's inter-Korean summit.Xuereb assumed the post, which has been left vacant since his May 27, 2018
Trump: 'still looking at June 12 summit with Kim Jong-un' U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday (local time) he was still looking at a June 12 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore, adding that talks were progressing very well."We're doing very well in terms of the summit with North Korea," Trump said at the White House. "It's moving along very nicely. So we're looking at June 12th in Singapore. That hasn't changed. So, we'll see what happens." (REUTERS)May 27, 2018
Kim Jong-un voices 'fixed will' for Trump summit: North Korean media North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has voiced his "fixed will" on talks with U.S. President Donald Trump during his latest summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Pyongyang's state media said Sunday.During their surprise summit on Saturday, the leaders of the two Koreas also agreed to meet frequently in the future and hold high-level talks between the two countries on June 1, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCN) reported.The second inter-Korean summit in a month was held in secret at the truce village of Panmunjom as Moon has been scrambling to salvage the U.S.-North Korea summit which was initially set to take place on June 12 in Singapore.Trump canceled it on Thursday citing "tremendous anger and open hostility" from the communist regime, only to suggest later that it may go ahead after the North issued a conciliatory statement.Moon plans to announce the outcome of his summit with Kim at 10 a.m. on Sunday."Kim Jong-un thanked Moon Jae-in for much effort made by him for the DPRK-U.S. summit scheduled for June 12, and expressed his fixed will on the historic DPRMay 27, 2018
Moon, Kim vow to 'meet frequently in the future' North and South Korea's leaders have agreed to meet "frequently" following their surprise face-to-face over the weekend, Pyongyang's state media reported Sunday, adding Kim Jong-un's hopes were “fixed" for a potential summit next month with the U.S."They shared the opinion that they would meet frequently in the future to make dialogue brisk and pool wisdom and efforts, expressing their stand to make joint efforts for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," KCNA said in the North's first confirmation of Saturday's talks between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in."Kim Jong-un thanked Moon Jae-in for much effort made by him for the DPRK-US summit scheduled for June 12, and expressed his fixed will on the historic DPRK-US summit talks," the report added, using the official abbreviation for North Korea. (AFP)May 27, 2018
Two Koreas to hold high-level talks on June 1 The leaders of the two Koreas agreed to hold high-level talks next month during their latest summit, the North's state media reported Sunday.During Saturday's summit, the second in a month, at the truce village of Panmunjom, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un decided to hold the talks on June 1. Pyongyang suspended the planned meeting taking issue with the two-week combined air drills between Seoul and Washington that ended Friday.At the summit, Kim also expressed his "fixed will" for U.S.-N.K. summit, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said. (Yonhap)May 27, 2018
Moon calls for Trump-Kim hotline President Moon Jae-in announces the outcome of his second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Saturday. / YonhapBy Park Si-soo,President Moon Jae-in hosted a press briefing at 10 a.m. Sunday to announce the outcome of his second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Saturday. The two leaders met from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Tongilgak, the North's building in Panmunjeom, which straddles the North-South border. Cheong Wa Dae said they “candidly exchanged views about making the North Korea-U.S. summit a successful one and about implementing the Panmunjom Declaration.In the televised briefing, Moon said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reaffirmed his willingness to denuclearize and hold a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump."Chairman Kim Jong-un has once again clearly expressed his commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula following his pledge in the Panmunjom Declaration and expressed his willingness to end the history of war and confrontation through the success of the North Korea-U.S. summit," Moon said of his latest summitMay 27, 2018
