N. Korean threats topic of US-China talks in Alaska: White House

WASHINGTON -- The United States will discuss ways to mitigate possible military threats from North Korea when its top foreign and national security officials meet their Chinese counterparts this week, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Wednesday. She stressed the importance of all countries working together when it came to reducing threats from the North. "I will say that part of our strategy, as it relates to the denuclearization of North Korea, is of course to lead with diplomacy an

March 18, 2021

NK propaganda outlet carries poster depicting S. Korea-US alliance crushed

A North Korean media outlet on Wednesday unveiled a propaganda poster depicting a club hammer smashing the alliance between South Korea and the United States, as the top US diplomat and the defense chief visited here for discussions on the North and other alliance issues. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin were set to hold one-on-one meetings later in the day with their South Korean counterparts. North Korea is expected to top the agenda during their meet

March 17, 2021

Pro-NK paper stresses Cabinet's role as control tower for economic policy

A pro-North Korea newspaper on Wednesday stressed the importance of the Cabinet's role as a control tower for economic policy as Pyongyang is pushing to implement various development goals put forth during January's party congress. At the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party in January, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un admitted to a failure in its previous five-year economic plans and disclosed a new development scheme focusing on "self-reliance." "The power of socialist

March 17, 2021

N. Korea has achieved 'alarming success' in nuclear, missile development: US commander

North Korea has achieved alarming success in its pursuit of nuclear and long-range missile capabilities and continues to expand its arsenal, which includes three ballistic missiles that can reach the US homeland, a US commander said Tuesday. Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, also noted the North may resume its long-range missile testing to check the capability of a newly unveiled intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). "T

March 17, 2021

Discussion of nuclearizing S. Korea may help denuclearize N. Korea: US lawmaker

Serious discussions on the nuclearization of South Korea and Japan may put pressure on China to finally step in and help denuclearize North Korea, a Republican member of the US House of Representatives said Tuesday. Rep. Steve Chabot from Ohio argued the only way to denuclearize the North is to have China put more pressure on Pyongyang. "The thing that scares the PRC, that keeps them awake at night, is a nuclear Japan or a nuclear South Korea," said the ranking member of the House Su

March 17, 2021

Kim Jong-un's sister denounces S. Korea-US joint military exercises

Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s powerful younger sister, slammed South Korea and the US for conducting joint military exercises and threatened to scrap an inter-Korean military pact Tuesday, a day before high-level US officials are to arrive in Seoul. 　 Kim, who has taken center stage in attacking Seoul and Washington in the past, also sent a direct message to the US for the first time since President Joe Biden took office in January. She warned the US against “causi

March 16, 2021

Defense ministry calls for N. Korea's 'flexible' stance, full implementation of military pact

The defense ministry urged North Korea on Tuesday to have a "flexible" stance and implement an inter-Korean military agreement after Pyongyang threatened to scrap the pact in anger over Seoul's combined exercise with the United States. Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, made the threat, accusing the South of hostility for pushing ahead with springtime military exercises with the United States that kicked off on March 8 and continue through Thursday. "As

March 16, 2021

NK leader's sister slams S. Korea for military drills with US, threatens to scrap military pact

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un threatened Tuesday to scrap a military peace agreement with South Korea and break up a Workers' Party organ tasked with inter-Korean dialogue as she lambasted the South for conducting military exercises with the United States. Kim Yo-jong also warned the new US administration of President Joe Biden not to engage in such hostile acts, saying it better not do things that would "keep it from getting a good night's sleep" if it wants

March 16, 2021

US consulted with S. Korea in advance on behind-the-scenes outreach to NK

The United States consulted with South Korea in advance before attempting to reach out to North Korea recently, the unification ministry said Monday. Citing a senior official in the Biden administration, Reuters earlier reported that the new US administration has made several behind-the-scenes attempts to reach out to the North, although unsuccessfully so far. "South Korea and the United States have maintained close consultations and cooperation throughout the overall process of the US po

March 15, 2021

S. Korea hopes for N. Korea to take part in World Cup qualifiers despite global pandemic

South Korea on Monday expressed hope for North Korea to take part in an inter-Korean World Cup qualifier scheduled for June as it is preparing to host the soccer match amid the global coronavirus pandemic. The second round of the 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifying tournament began in September 2019 and was supposed to resume in March 2020, but the schedule has been postponed multiple times due to the coronavirus pandemic. The two Koreas belong to the same Group H, and they played to a scoreless d

March 15, 2021

US to end North Korea review in weeks: official

The US will wrap up its policy review on North Korea in the coming weeks, a senior US diplomat for East Asian affairs said Friday, ahead of senior-level talks to take place in Seoul this week between the US state and defense secretaries and their South Korean counterparts. The top US envoy and defense chief is visiting Korea on March 17 and 18 following a trip to Japan to discuss North Korea’s denuclearization, among others, in the first high-level meeting held in person. “I don&r

March 14, 2021

US expects to complete N. Korea policy review in "weeks": Sung Kim

  The United States is expected to complete its ongoing review of its North Korea policy in a few "weeks," a senior US State Department official said Friday, ahead of Secretary Antony Blinken's upcoming trip to South Korea and Japan to discuss the issue. Sung Kim, acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said the secretary's visit to the countries will provide great opportunities for the Asian allies to offer their own input into a new US policy to

March 13, 2021

Blinken's trip to Asia will provide 'key ingredient' for US policy toward N. Korea: Price

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Japan and South Korea will give him a chance to coordinate US policy and its approach toward North Korea, a State Department official said Friday. Ned Price said Blinken's talks with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts will provide an important ingredient for a new US policy toward the North, but said the policy itself will likely be announced at a later date. "It's an especially important one because it's an especially important ingre

March 13, 2021

Diplomacy and pressure should go ‘hand in hand’ in US policy toward NK

As the Biden administration is conducting its policy review on Pyongyang with a chance of doubling down pressure on the reclusive regime, a former Trump official on North Korea stressed that the pressure in itself is not “sustainable,” but has to be paired with diplomacy to achieve any kind of progress.  “Pressure without openness to diplomacy is not sustainable. But diplomacy also on the other hand without pressure, or the openness to diplomacy in negotiation without pre

March 12, 2021

Former US nuke negotiator urges Seoul, Washington to refrain from large-scale military exercises

A former US nuclear negotiator on Friday called on South Korea and the United States to refrain from large-scale combined exercises and urged North Korea to avoid nuclear tests to achieve progress in denuclearization talks. Robert Gallucci, known for his role in negotiating a landmark 1994 nuclear agreement with Pyongyang, made the remarks in an online forum hosted by the unification ministry. "The North will have to avoid extended range ballistic missile tests or engine tests or any nucl

March 12, 2021

NK's official paper calls for tighter antivirus efforts in time for spring season

North Korea's official paper urged the people not to let their guard down against the new coronavirus, saying laxity is the "greatest enemy" in their ongoing efforts to ward off the highly contagious disease. North Korea has claimed to be coronavirus-free but has taken relatively swift and tough measures against the global pandemic, such as imposing strict border controls since early last year. "Arrogance, carelessness, laxity and negligence are the greatest enemies in our emerg

March 12, 2021

UN official urges Seoul to address NK rights violations

The United Nations investigator of human rights violations in North Korea on Wednesday called on South Korea to address the North’s rights violations in nuclear talks and to seek economic and humanitarian exchanges in a human rights-based framework. Tomas Ojea Quintana, the special rapporteur on North Korea human rights, urged the South Korean government to take action in a report to the UN Human Rights Council. “We are not hesitant to follow up on those recommendations,” a

March 11, 2021

NK paper stresses close relations with Cuba amid impasse in nuclear talks

North Korea's main newspaper on Thursday stressed close relations with Cuba in time for the 35th anniversary of a former Cuban leader's visit to Pyongyang. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party, said in an editorial that the two countries are "firmly united by a sense of comradery in the common battle for socialism." "We will continue to put our best efforts to strengthen our unwavering friendship and solidarity with the people of Cuba," the

March 11, 2021

Ministry vows to keep close communication with int'l community on anti-Pyongyang leaflet ban

The unification ministry on Thursday said it will continue to maintain close communication with the international community on a recently legislated ban on sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea after a UN special rapporteur voiced concerns over South Korea's decision, an official said. Earlier, Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), expressing concern that the ban "limits many activities of escapees and civil society org

March 11, 2021

NK newspaper calls for nationwide efforts to boost crop output

North Korea's official newspaper on Thursday urged nationwide efforts to increase grain output, calling it "a crucial matter" in the country's push to achieve key goals unveiled in a rare party meeting early this year. "We need to realize that food insecurity is a crucial matter related to improving our peoples' lives and economic development, and thoroughly implement this year's plans for crop production," the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers' Par

March 11, 2021