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North Korean leader shifts policy focus to economy

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears to be shifting his policy focus to lifting the North's threadbare economy, amid brisk diplomacy that could lead to sanctions relief and security assurances, experts here said Saturday.During Friday's plenary central committee meeting of the North's ruling Worker's Party, Kim vowed to focus on boosting the economy, while suspending nuclear and missile tests and closing a key atomic experiment facility, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency.The measures could mark Kim's strategic course correction after incremental global sanctions have crippled his country's economy, eroded public support and loyalty from the elites, and fueled diplomatic friction with China, its key economic patron.The announcement came ahead of Kim's summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27 and United States President Donald Trump in May or early June."Should the issue of a security guarantee be discussed in the planned summit with the United States, the issue left for Kim is economic construction, based on which he may want to deliver on his a

Apr 21, 2018

Abe welcomes North Korea's decision to halt nuclear, missile tests

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters after he attends a cherry blossom viewing party at Shinjuku Gyoen park in Tokyo, Japan, April 21. / REUTERS-Yonhap Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday welcomed North Korea's decision to halt its nuclear and missile tests and shut down its nuclear test ahead of its planned summits with South Korea and the United States, local media reported.Earlier in the day, North Korea announced that the country will suspend nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests and shut down the Punggye-ri nuclear test site located in the northern area of the reclusive country.The move comes as North Korea is planning to hold summits with South Korea and the United States, with denuclearization likely to top the agendas to be discussed during the historic talks.Japanese media quoted Abe as calling the latest development "positive," but cautioned that it remains to be seen whether the action would lead to a complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of the North's nuclear program."We will surely pay close attention," he sa

Apr 21, 2018
Abe welcomes North Korea's decision to halt nuclear, missile tests

Trump says North Korea's announcement on nuclear tests 'very good news'

 U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday welcomed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's pledge to suspend nuclear and missile tests and shut down its nuclear test site."North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World - big progress! Look forward to our Summit," Trump said on Twitter.North Korea made the announcement ahead of its upcoming summits with South Korea and the U.S."From April 21, North Korea will stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said earlier in the day, citing the outcome of a key meeting of the ruling party held Friday."The North will dismantle a nuclear test site in the country's northern area to guarantee transparency in suspending nuclear tests," it added.Later Trump tweeted again, "A message from Kim Jong Un:'North Korea will stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles.'""Also will 'Shut down a nuclear test site in the country's Northern Side to prove the vow to suspend nuclear

Apr 21, 2018

North Korea to suspend nuclear, missile tests, shut down atomic test site

A photo released by the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the state news agency of North Korea, shows a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea held on under the guidance of Kim Jong-un, chairman of the WPK and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, in Pyongyang, North Korea, April 9. / EPA-YonhapNorth Korea said Saturday that it has decided to suspend nuclear and missile tests and shut down its atomic test site, in a surprise announcement that could give momentum to its upcoming summits with South Korea and the United States.The announcement came amid a diplomatic push to denuclearize North Korea, the main agenda for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's planned meeting with his counterparts from the South and the U.S."We will discontinue nuclear test and inter-continental ballistic rocket test-fire from April 21," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing the outcome of a key meeting of the ruling party held Friday."The northern nuclear test ground of the DPRK will be dismantled to transparently guarantee th

Apr 21, 2018
North Korea to suspend nuclear, missile tests, shut down atomic test site

Moon's advisers to speak on summit

By Lee Min-hyungA group of President Moon Jae-in's advisers on inter-Korean affairs will participate in a forum on the eve of Moon's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on April 27.They include University of North Korean Studies professor Yang Moo-jin, Dongguk University professor Kim Yong-hyun and President Moon's special adviser Moon Chung-in.They belong to the preparatory committee for the inter-Korea summit. The forum will be held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.The panelists will discuss major issues, such as the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the inter-Korean summit's possible impact on the Washington-Pyongyang summit.The committee will break down the discussion into three sub-sections, with the first beginning at 2 p.m. on April 26. The session will be in Korean and English.South Korea is in its final preparations for the inter-Korean summit, with both sides installing a hotline between the two leaders on Friday.The historic meeting between Moon and Kim will be broadcast live at the exhibition hall next Friday, with more than 2,000 reporters from h

Apr 20, 2018

Two Koreas set up direct hotline between leaders

South Korea and North Korea on Friday set up a telephone line between their leaders, enabling direct dialogue between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who are also set to meet in person next week.The direct hotline was established between Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae and the office of North Korea's state affairs commission, which is headed by Kim.South Korea made the first call to check the line, a Cheong Wa Dae official said, adding that there were no problems detected."It was as if we were talking to a neighbor right next door," the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.North Korea later returned the call to check the channel worked both ways. The entire trial conversation lasted 4 minutes and 17 seconds, according to the official.Cheong Wa Dae officials have said direct communication between the countries' leaders may help further ease tension on the Korean Peninsula, noting that many cross-border conflicts between the two Koreas in the past may have partly been caused by misunderstanding or a lack of commun

Apr 20, 2018
Two Koreas set up direct hotline between leaders

Moon, Kim connected with direct hotline

Hotline installed week ahead of April 27 summitBy Yi Whan-wooA hotline connecting President Moon Jae-in to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been installed, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday, one week ahead of their historic April 27 summit.It said the direct communication line was set up between Moon's office and Kim's office at the State Affairs Commission. Kim serves as the commission chairman.Staffers from the two sides made a test call, and there were no problems, the office said.This is the first time a hotline was installed between the leaders of the two countries.Moon and Kim are highly expected to have their first phone conversation soon, possibly early next week before they meet.“We successfully set up a historic telephone line for the two leaders and also had a test call at 3:41 p.m. for four minutes and 19 seconds,” said Yun Kun-young, a senior Cheong Wa Dae official and also a member of the preparation committee for the inter-Korea summit.The two sides exchanged two calls, with the Seoul side making the first call.Song In-bae, Moon's personal secretary, called the

Apr 20, 2018
Moon, Kim connected with direct hotline

American detainees expected to be freed during Trump-Kim meeting

A former U.S. envoy said Thursday that he expects the three American detainees in North Korea to be released during an upcoming summit between the two countries' leaders.Bill Richardson, former governor of New Mexico and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said their release is one of the realistic expectations one can have of U.S. President Donald Trump's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in May or June."I think that would be a deliverable that would happen at the summit," he told a forum here, before listing other humanitarian issues, such as the return of the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War.Trump said Wednesday that his administration is negotiating for the detainees' release and thinks "there's a good chance of doing it." The Americans -- Kim Hak-song, Tony Kim and Kim Dong-chul -- have been accused of espionage or "hostile acts."Richardson, who played important roles in past dealings with Pyongyang, also said he thinks the Trump-Kim meeting could take place in Geneva or Russia."One, I'm betting on Geneva. Second bet is one of the Ru

Apr 20, 2018
American detainees expected to be freed during Trump-Kim meeting

Moon optimistic about denuclearization deal

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with media CEOs at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. / YonhapPresident backs peace treaty with North KoreaBy Kim RahnPresident Moon Jae-in said Thursday he was optimistic about signing a denuclearization deal with North Korea and establishing peace by formally ending the Korean War. He said it may not be so difficult for the two Koreas and the United States to reach an agreement on these, implying the three nations were already nearing an agreement on the issues.A hotline between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will be set up today and working-level staffers will make a test call, according to Cheong Wa Dae. When the two leaders will have their first phone conversation has not been decided on yet.The hotline connects the presidential office in the South and the State Affairs Commission in the North, with Kim being chairman of the commission.“The ultimate goal of the denuclearization and peace deals is the co-prosperity of the two Koreas,” Moon said during a meeting with CEOs of media outlets at Cheong Wa Dae.This came a day af

Apr 19, 2018
Moon optimistic about denuclearization deal

Military drills on inter-Korean summit day still up in air

South Korea and the United States have yet to decide whether to continue their combined military exercises through the inter-Korean summit day next week, a defense official said Thursday.The allies kicked off the Foal Eagle field training in Korea on April 1 with an announcement that it will last four weeks. They are also scheduled to start the Key Resolve simulation-based, command-post drill next Monday.It's an open secret that the two sides plan to wrap up Foal Eagle, ostensibly before next Friday, when the South's President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong-un will meet at the border village of Panmunjom.Defense sources said Foal Eagle will likely go on "unofficially" through May.Another public concern is whether they will hold Key Resolve on the historic summit day while the leaders of the two Koreas discuss ways to bring a peace regime to the peninsula."South and North Korea plan to decide (the issue) through consultations in consideration of intended goals and achievements," Army Col. Roh Jae-cheon, spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff (JCS), said at a pre

Apr 19, 2018
Military drills on inter-Korean summit day still up in air
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