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North Korea FM rebukes US counterpart amid nuclear deadlock

By Lee Min-hyungNorth Korea Foreign Minister Ri Yong-hoU.S. Secretary of State Mike PompeoNorth Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho rebuked U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for complicating their nuclear negotiations, after the top U.S. diplomat made remarks that Washington would “keep on the sanctions that are the toughest in all of history” against the North.“It is misjudgment for Washington to stand up to the North by not scrapping its hostile stance with the sanctions,” the North's state-controlled Korean Central News Agency quoted Ri as saying, Thursday.The statement came in response to Pompeo's recent comments that the U.S. will stick to the so-called maximum pressure strategy against the North by keeping the tough sanctions in place unless Pyongyang does the “right thing” for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.“(The U.S. will) continue to work toward convincing Chairman Kim and the North Korean leaders that the right thing to do is for them to denuclearize,” Pompeo said in a local media interview earlier this week.Despite

Aug 23, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
North Korea FM rebukes US counterpart amid nuclear deadlock

Cho Kuk to donate assets to society

Justice minister nominee Cho Kuk leaves his office, Friday, in central Seoul after announcing he would donate some of his family's assets to society and relinquish ownership of a private education foundation run by his family in response to mounting callsMoon's embattled aide fights calls for him to withdraw from nominee consideration By Do Je-hae President Moon Jae-in's nominee for justice minister Cho Kuk is determined to fight off mounting calls for him to withdraw from consideration. The politician is facing allegations of corruption involving himself and his family members ahead of a National Assembly confirmation hearing.The former senior presidential aide for civil affairs announced measures, Friday, to regain public trust amid the wide-ranging suspicions over his family's wealth, in addition to allegations related to his daughter's education and receipt of scholarship money despite her family's wealth and her poor academic performance.Cho said he will donate all the assets in the names of his wife and children to the underprivileged. “I will donate funds in the names of

Aug 23, 2019By Do Je-hae
Cho Kuk to donate assets to society

S. Korea says 'had sufficient talks with US on GSOMIA termination'

Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong speaks to reporters at Cheong Wa Dae, Friday. Korea Times photo by Ryu Hyo-jinSouth Korea consulted with the United States often and adequately before deciding to end a military intelligence pact with Japan amid a trade conflict, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday.It was responding to Washington's expression of "strong concern" and "disappointment" over Seoul's decision Thursday to terminate the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA)."It's true that the U.S. hoped for the extension of the agreement," South Korea's Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong said in a press briefing.Thus, he added, it was "natural" for Washington to be disappointed with Seoul's move.Asked if the U.S. really showed "understanding" on it, Kim avoided a direct answer.He just reiterated that the allies had "sufficient communication and consultation" with each other on the matter, especially through their presidential national security councils (NSCs).In July and August, the NSCs of the two sides discussed the issue nine times by telephone, he

Aug 23, 2019
S. Korea says 'had sufficient talks with US on GSOMIA termination'

Seoul ends military agreement with Japan

Kim You-geun, deputy director of Cheong Wa Dae's National Security Office, announces a decision to scrap an agreement with Japan on sharing military intelligence, Thursday afternoon. YonhapBy Do Je-hae, Kim Yoo-chulIn a stunning move that could further worsen already deteriorating ties between South Korea and Japan, the government announced Thursday that it was scrapping a military-intelligence sharing pact with Tokyo.“South Korea tried to resolve trade friction via open dialogue; but Japan didn't respond. Japan removed South Korea from its list of trusted trading partners without providing a clear reason as to why. These actions have resulted in a grave change in security cooperation between the two countries. Maintaining the military agreement is against South Korea's national interests,” Kim You-geun, deputy director of the presidential National Security Office (NSO), said in a press briefing Thursday.Kim added that Seoul would notify Tokyo of the decision via diplomatic channels before the deadline for the automatic extension of the General Security of Military Inform

Aug 22, 2019By Do Je-hae
Seoul ends military agreement with Japan

S. Korea to scrap military info-sharing pact with Japan

Kim You-geun, deputy director of South Korea's presidential national security office, announces the decision to terminate a bilateral agreement with Japan on exchanging classified military information or GSOMIA at the presidential office, ThursdaySouth Korea announced its decision Thursday to ditch a bilateral agreement with Japan on exchanging classified military information, citing a "grave change" in security cooperation conditions attributable to Japan's export restrictions.Seoul plans to inform Tokyo of the measure before the Aug. 24 deadline via a diplomatic channel, according to Kim You-geun, deputy director of South Korea's presidential national security office.The government concluded that it does not meet the national interest to maintain the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), he said in a statement. (Yonhap)

Aug 22, 2019
S. Korea to scrap military info-sharing pact with Japan

Justice Party asks for Cho's explanation on alleged irregularities

Rep. Sim Sang-jeung, second from right, chairwoman of the Justice Party, speaks at the National Assembly, Thursday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonThe progressive Justice Party has officially asked Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk Thursday to explain the corruption and fraud allegations involving him and his family amid growing calls for his nomination to be withdrawn.Rep. Sim Sang-jeung, chairwoman of the Justice Party, said her party has sent a letter to Cho calling for an explanation on the suspicions against him and his daughter in particular while urging the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) to agree to hold a confirmation hearing for Cho in the National Assembly.“There are rising public concerns over the nominee. It is wrong for the LKP to weaponize the situation for their interests. But there are a lot of suspicions that should be cleared during a National Assembly confirmation hearing for Cho. In particular, the allegations against his daughter should be examined swiftly,” Sim said at the National Assembly, Thursday.Claiming that the LKP is simply making allegations

Aug 22, 2019By Park Ji-won
Justice Party asks for Cho's explanation on alleged irregularities

Cheong Wa Dae expected to extend GSOMIA

Kim Hyun-chong, center, deputy chief of the presidential National Security Office, answers questions after a meeting with U.S. special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun at the Central Government Complex, in Seoul, Thursday. The senior presidential aideBy Do Je-haeSeoul is expected to extend its military intelligence sharing pact with Tokyo amid rising concerns about the two countries' trade row impacting Korea-Japan security cooperation.Kim Hyun-chong, second deputy chief of the presidential National Security Office (NSO), said that he discussed the pact during a meeting with U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun at the government complex in Seoul, Thursday. He said that he met with Biegun to deliver Cheong Wa Dae's position on pending issues, including extending the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA). It is largely expected that Korea will decide to extend the pact given its symbolism as a core instrument of Korea-U.S.-Japan security cooperation amid North Korea's continued provocations. “I told him that we will give it a carefu

Aug 22, 2019By Do Je-hae
Cheong Wa Dae expected to extend GSOMIA

INTERVIEW 'Abolishing 1965 treaty is no good'

Park Cheol-hee, professor at the Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) at Seoul National University, speaks in an interview with The Korea Times at GSIS headquarters in Seoul, Aug. 12. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukThis is the fourth in a series of interviews with political experts and experienced analysts assessing the impact of the ongoing South Korea-Japan trade row after Tokyo removed Seoul from its list of trusted trading partners receiving preferential treatment in exports. ― ED.By Lee Min-hyungSeeking a possible nullification of the 1965 treaty signed by South Korea and Japan is a “risky idea” in terms of advancing bilateral ties, an experienced international relations expert said.“Any attempt to challenge or abolish the 1965 treaty is a very risky idea, as the move also goes against the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty between the American-led World War II allies and Japan,” Park Cheol-hee, professor at the Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) at Seoul National University, said in an interview with The Korea Times.The professor a

Aug 22, 2019By Lee Min-hyung
[INTERVIEW] 'Abolishing 1965 treaty is no good'

Seoul says US-N. Korea denuke talks will begin 'soon'

Kim Hyun-chong, center, answers questions after his meeting with U.S. special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun at the Central Government Complex, downtown Seoul, Thursday afternoon. YonhapBy Lee Min-hyung, Kim Yoo-chulThe United States and North Korea will restart the denuclearization dialogue “soon,” a senior presidential aide said Thursday, remaining positive about the pace toward visible progress in the process after the breakdown in Hanoi, February.“As a Cheong Wa Dae representative in the denuclearization process, I met with U.S. special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun for more than an hour to deliver South Korea's message about the denuclearization process. I can't divulge the details of my talks with Biegun, but my impression was that North Korea and the United States will restart their nuclear dialogue soon and it will go quite well,” Kim Hyun-chong, deputy adviser at the presidential National Security Office, told reporters after his encounter with Biegun at the Government Complex in downtown Seoul.The presidential aide added South Korea is &

Aug 22, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul
Seoul says US-N. Korea denuke talks will begin 'soon'

'If Koreans take ownership, unification will happen very quickly'

Moon Hyun-jin, chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul on Aug. 14. Korea Times photo by Park Ji-wonBy Park Ji-wonThe Korean people should rely less on their governments and take the initiative themselves in resolving disputes on the Korean Peninsula and seeking unification, Moon Hyun-jin, chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), an international nonprofit organization, said Aug. 14. His comment came amid growing concerns over conflict surrounding the peninsula.“If the Korean people take ownership of unification and become part of it, things will happen very quickly,” Moon said during a recent interview with The Korea Times.“When I talk about being Korean-led, it is not necessarily the two governments. It is actually the Korean people. If the Korean people move, the governments will follow. And then the international community will support this.”He stressed the importance of the grassroots power of ordinary people here, especially those who have had to overcome serious diff

Aug 21, 2019By Park Ji-won
'If Koreans take ownership, unification will happen very quickly'
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