INTERVIEW 'NK economic growth, democracy should go hand in hand' Cho Jung-hun, director of the Institute of Unification at Ajou University / Courtesy of ChoBy Choi Ha-youngTalks are rampant about investments into North Korea, Asia's least-developed nation, along with international efforts to denuclearize the North, which are expected to involve lifting of economic sanctions against it. Amid speculation whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would follow the path of China or Vietnam, Cho Jung-hun, head of the Institute of Unification at Ajou University, calls for “political liberation” as a factor that needs to be considered in any development plan. “Economic growth and democracy should go hand in hand,” Cho said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. “If our government says it's ready to adopt the Vietnamese or Chinese model, this means we are okay with maintaining a very authoritarian regime unless Pyongyang opens up its market.”He views such arguments aren't healthy in consideration of the unification of the peninsula. “Some differences in economic development level are a lot more conducive for uniMay 23, 2018
Nobel laureate to lead peace march near DMZ Mairead Maguire / APMairead Maguire, the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and dozens of other female activists from around the world will march toward the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) this week in a campaign to call for lasting peace with North Korea."We demand the summit (between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un) to be held, not pass," the Nobel laureate from Northern Ireland said in a press conference for the DMZ event slated for Saturday."Why we demand the summit to be held is that the world needs peace, Korea needs peace and only the people working on building peace together with their political leaders can bring peace to Korea and our world," Maguire said.The Saturday campaign will bring together Maguire, 30 female activists from 16 foreign countries and about 1,000 South Korean volunteers for a 5.5-kilometer march. It will start from Tongil Bridge, or the Bridge of Unification, the gateway to the DMZ, and head to Dorasan Peace Park, located closer to the DMZ.Referring to the historic summit between President Moon Jae-in and Kim on April 27, Maguire saMay 23, 2018
'Successful summit with Kim would make Trump Nobel-worthy' Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter / AFPFormer U.S. president Jimmy Carter said Donald Trump should be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize if he manages to forge peace with North Korea."If President Trump is successful in getting a peace treaty that's acceptable to both sides with North Korea, I think he certainly ought to be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize," Carter said in an interview with Politico published on Tuesday."I think it would be a worthy and a momentous accomplishment that no previous president has been able to realize," the 93-year-old former president said.At the same time, Carter said he believes Trump delivered a "damaging blow" to Middle East peace by moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.The former president (1977-1981), who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, has issues with Trump on a number of other fronts."I'm not here to criticize, but I think that, you know, telling the truth is one of the basic moral values that's important (in a president)," Carter said. "And obeying the law is an oath that all of us take before we assume public offiMay 23, 2018
North Korean media stir up optimism ahead of nuclear site shutdown A comparison and analysis by the 38 North website shows the Punggye-ri nuclear site being prepared for shutdown, with satellite imagery taken from April 20, left, and May 7, right. The test site is expected to be dismantled by Friday. / Yonhap By Lee Suh-yoonNorth Korean media have been using the impending shutdown of the Punggye-ri nuclear testing site for propaganda. The Rodong Sinmun, a mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party, said in its Tuesday editorial that “the international community and numerous sectors of South Korean society are showering praise” on North Korea for its decision to close down Punggye-ri.The official (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) broadcast a detailed report on the foreign media coverage of the dismantlement decision. It directly quoted China's Xinhua News Agency's report of the North Korea “taking technical measures to dismantle the northern nuclear test ground of the DPRK in order to ensure transparency of discontinuance of thMay 23, 2018
5 things you need to know about Punggye-ri nuke site North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's promise to dismantle his country's only known nuclear test site has shone the spotlight on the secretive facility near the Chinese border. The Punggye-ri test site, located beneath a mountain in the country's northeast, hosted all six nuclear tests Pyongyang has conducted -- most recently last September.Earlier this month the North announced it would blow up the site's access tunnels between May 23-25 in front of invited foreign media.The announcement came as the diplomatic push for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons gathered pace with an unprecedented summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump announced for June 12 in Singapore. But both sides have since cast doubt on whether that meeting will take place.1. Ideal environmentThe site is located deep inside mountains in the northeastern North Hamgyong province, which borders China.Surrounded by high, craggy peaks and carved deep into a granite mountain more than 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) high, the test site is said to be an ideal venue to withstand the huge forces unleashed by nucleaMay 23, 2018
PHOTOS South Korean reporters on way to North Korea's nuke test site South Korean journalists board a plane at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. The plane will carry them directly to North Korea's eastern city of Wonsan through the South-North direct flight route. / Press Pool South Korean journalists on the plane / Press PoolEight South Korean journalists arrived in North Korea on Wednesday by government plane to cover the dismantlement of its nuclear test facilities expected later this week.The reporters and television crews joined the other journalists from the United States, China, Russia and Britain in Wonsan, as they wait for a special train to the Punggye-ri test site in the northeastern mountainous area. The media visitors from the four countries flew in to the North's eastern coastal city Tuesday from Beijing.It remains uncertain when the train will depart for the nuclear-testing site in Kilju, North Hamgyong Province.The distance between Wonsan and the Jaedok Station, adjacent to the venue, is known to be about 416 kilometers. Given the North's railway conditions, it will likely run at a sMay 23, 2018
VIDEO Trump presses North Korea by hinting at delay of summit President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump talk during their summit at the White House, Washington, D.C., Wednesday. / YonhapUS president suspects Xi is exerting influenceBy Kim RahnWASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned the possibility of delaying his planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in a meeting with President Moon Jae-in at the White House, Wednesday.Trump said “all-in-one” denuclearization would be better than an incremental process with incentives, and it should be done over a very short period of time.“There are certain conditions that we want. And I think we’ll get those conditions. And if we don’t, we won’t have the meeting,” Trump said. “Frankly, there’s a chance to be a great, great meeting for North Korea and a great meeting for the world. If it doesn’t happen, maybe it will happen later.”He added, “It may not work out for June 12.”But the U.S. president assured Kim of the safety of his regime, adding South Korea, China and Japan would invest in theMay 23, 2018
Commemorative coin for Trump-Kim summit unveiled A commemorative coin featuring US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un has been struck by the White House Communications Agency ahead of their summit meeting. The coin depicts Trump and Kim, described as North Korea's "Supreme Leader," in profile facing each other in front of a background of US and North Korean flags. The words "Peace Talks" are emblazoned at the top of the front of the coin with the date "2018" beneath. The summit is expected to take place in Singapore on June, 12, 2018. / AFPA commemorative coin featuring US President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un has been struck by the White House Communications Agency ahead of their planned summit next month.In a statement, deputy spokesman Raj Shah insisted that "the White House did not have any input into the design and manufacture of the coin."The coin depicts Trump and Kim, described as North Korea's "Supreme Leader," in profile facing each other in front of a background of US and North Korean flags.At the top of the front, the words "Peace Talks" are emblazoned, with the date "2018" beneath.The bMay 22, 2018
Trump urges China to maintain tight North Korea border / REUTERSU.S. President Donald Trump on Monday urged China on Monday to maintain a secure border with North Korea, pressing Beijing ahead of his anticipated meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next month aimed at denuclearization."China must continue to be strong & tight on the Border of North Korea until a deal is made. The word is that recently the Border has become much more porous and more has been filtering in. I want this to happen, and North Korea to be VERY successful, but only after signing!" Trump tweeted.He did not elaborate on the significance of the North Korea-China border issue in any deal that might be reached on denuclearization. Trump has said his meeting with Kim will take place on June 12 in Singapore. China is North Korea's most important trading partner and it has consistently said it is fully enforcing U.N. sanctions against the North.Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China had always fulfilled its international obligations, but that as friendly neighbors they, of course, had what he termed normal trading ties. "TMay 22, 2018
N. Korea again proves its unpredictability Foreign reporters depart for Wonsan, North Korea, from the Beijing Capital International Airport, Tuesday, while South Korean reporters have not been approved for visas to the North. / Joint Press CorpsBy Choi Ha-youngNorth Korea's refusal to issue entry visas for South Korean reporters to observe the shutdown of its nuclear test site casts doubt on whether it is serious about improving relations with South Korea, experts said Tuesday.South Koreans now have fundamental questions about the Kim Jong-un regime: Can they trust any agreements with North Korea? Can North Korea become a normal country? On May 15, the North invited eight South Korean reporters ― four from a news agency and as many from a broadcaster. They were in Beijing awaiting entry permits to the North until Tuesday afternoon but had to return home in vain. Only foreign reporters were allowed to enter the North. “This has been a typical tactic of North Korea, to lay a burden on the South Korean government and tame journalists,” said Cha Du-hyeogn, a visiting research fellow at Asan Institute for Policy SMay 22, 2018
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