Can S. Korea’s military intercept NK missiles?

As North Korea has fired several short-range projectiles and ballistic missiles on multiple occasions recently, concerns are growing on whether South Koreal’s military would be able to intercept them. Pyongyang fired two unidentified short-range projectiles on Friday, the third launch to come in eight days. According to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the projectiles, which Cheong Wa Dae says are probably ballistic missiles, flew 220 kilometers into the East Sea at the speed of Mach 6

Aug. 2, 2019

Seoul says N. Korea fires two short-range projectiles, third launch in 8 days

North Korea fired two unidentified short-range projectiles from the east coast Friday in the early morning hours, Seoul’s military said. It is the third time in eight days that the regime has launched projectiles into the East Sea.The projectiles, which the South’s presidential office said were probably “new short-range ballistic missiles,” were fired from the Yonghung area in South Hamgyong Province, north of Wonsan, Kangwon Province, according to Seoul’s Joint Chi

Aug. 2, 2019

Unification ministry expresses strong regret over NK's launches of projectiles

The unification ministry expressed "strong regret" over North Korea's launches of projectiles on Friday, saying that such a move could negatively affect efforts to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula.North Korea fired unidentified short-range projectiles off its east coast earlier in the day, according to Seoul's military. What the North fired appears to be a new type of short-range ballistic missiles, though more analysis will be needed, according to the presidential office. "We

Aug. 2, 2019

N. Korea's projectiles appear to be new SRBMs: Cheong Wa Dae

North Korea fired what appear to be new-type short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) early Friday morning, Cheong Wa Dae said after an emergency meeting at an underground bunker in Seoul.Chung Eui-yong, head of the national security office, presided over the session, attended by Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon, at the crisis management center inside the presidential compound.It came hours after the North shot a couple of projectiles from a nor

Aug. 2, 2019

Cheong Wa Dae holds meeting of ministers on N. Korea's rocket launch

The office of President Moon Jae-in convened an emergency meeting of security-related ministers Friday to discuss the issue of North Korea's latest launch of unidentified projectiles.Chung Eui-yong, head of the national security office, presided over the session, which opened at 7:30 a.m., Cheong Wa Dae said. It's not a National Security Council session, however, Moon's office added.Early Friday morning, the North shot two projectiles, apparently short-range ones, from a northeastern region into

Aug. 2, 2019

Trump says he has 'no problem' with NK missile tests

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he had "no problem" with North Korea's missile tests, shortly after the regime conducted its third launch in a week."I think it's very much under control," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I have no problem. We'll see what happens, but these are short-range missiles. They are very standard."South Korea's military said North Korea on Friday (Seoul time) launched unidentified short-range projectiles off its east coast.

Aug. 2, 2019

Bolton says US ready to resume talks with N. Korea

US National Security Adviser John Bolton said Thursday that the United States is ready to resume denuclearization talks with North Korea, including another summit at the right time.Bolton made the remarks on Fox Business following a series of missile tests by North Korea in the past week. South Korea described the projectiles as short-range ballistic missiles, but the North said the second test on Wednesday involved a new rocket launch system.The launches came despite Washington's efforts to res

Aug. 2, 2019

N. Korea fires unidentified short-range projectiles: JCS

North Korea on Friday fired unidentified short-range projectiles off its east coast, South Korea‘s military said, its third launch in a week.The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the projectiles were fired at 2:59 a.m. and 3:23 a.m. from Yonghung, South Hamgyong Province, into the East Sea.“We are monitoring the situation in case of additional launches and maintaining a readiness posture,” the JCS said.Last week, North Korea test-fired two short-range ballistic missiles off its east c

Aug. 2, 2019

Pompeo voices hope Kim will deploy team for nuclear talks

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday voiced hope that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will deploy his negotiation team, reiterating that the US is "ready to go."Pompeo made the remarks amid limited progress in the efforts to resume working-level nuclear talks as agreed by US President Donald Trump and Kim during their impromptu meeting at the Demilitarized Zone separating the Koreas on June 30."We stand ready to continue our diplomatic conversation with the North Koreans,

Aug. 1, 2019

Washington showing open hand, not closed fist: US ambassador

US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris remained upbeat about relations between Washington and Pyongyang despite the recent missile tests by North Korea, saying in an interview with tbs eFM on Thursday that practical level talks should kick off soon. “We are aware of those reports of missile launch from North Korea yesterday. We’re continuing to monitor the situation,” said Harris on “This Morning,” hosted by Alex Jensen.  “I’ll just say that Secr

Aug. 1, 2019

N. Korea says it fired multiple launch guided rocket, not ballistic missiles

North Korean media reported Thursday that the projectiles fired the previous day were a newly developed type of guided rocket, casting doubt on Seoul’s analysis that the North had fired two short-range ballistic missiles.According to the Korean Central News Agency, North Korea successfully fired what it called a new type of large-caliber guided ordnance rocket, which will “play a main role in ground military operations.” “The test-fire scientifically confirmed that the ta

Aug. 1, 2019

Bolton says NK missile launches didn't break promise

US National Security Adviser John Bolton said Wednesday that North Korea's missile launches this week do not represent a violation of leader Kim Jong-un's promise not to conduct long-range missile tests.Bolton, however, questioned the regime's seriousness about resuming denuclearization talks, as he spoke to Fox Business a day after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea for the second time in less than a week.The North claimed the tests involved a new large-calib

Aug. 1, 2019

Body presumed to be N. Korean soldier found in S. Korean border river

A body presumed to be a North Korean solder has been found in a South Korean river near an inter-Korean border city, authorities said Thursday.The military discovered the body Wednesday in the Imjin River in the border city of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, which was presumed to have been dead for at least two weeks based upon its condition, according to local police and fire authorities. It was wearing military uniform-like pants and a belt bearing a big star on its buckle, and the fingerprints were

Aug. 1, 2019

NK test-fired new rocket system under leader's supervision: state media

North Korea said Thursday it tested a new rocket system in launches conducted the previous day, raising questions about South Korea's assessment that the communist nation is believed to have fired short-range ballistic missiles.Leader Kim Jong-un "guided a test-fire of a newly developed large-caliber multiple launch guided rocket system on July 31," the Korean Central News Agency said."The test-fire scientifically confirmed that the tactical data and technical characteristics of t

Aug. 1, 2019

NK calls for abrogation of military info-sharing pact between S. Korea, Japan

North Korea said Wednesday a military information-sharing pact between South Korea and Japan must be abolished since it contains Tokyo's ambition to reinvade the Korean Peninsula.The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Pyongyang's official mouthpiece, said that the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) should be scrapped immediately since it is a "war-inciting, peace-destroying agreement." The deal, signed by Seoul and Tokyo in 2016, is designed to facilitate

July 31, 2019

Cheong Wa Dae voices deep concern over NK’s missile launch

South Korea’s presidential office on Wednesday expressed deep concerns over North Korea’s latest missile launch, saying North Korea’s actions could damage efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles near the east coast city of Wonsan, six days after the last missile launch, early Wednesday morning, Seoul’s military said. In response to the missiles, the presidential office also called a National Security Co

July 31, 2019

US, N. Korean officials meet at DMZ, talks to resume ‘very soon’: reports

North Korea has indicated its willingness to resume talks with the US “very soon” at an undisclosed meeting between high-ranking officials at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last week, foreign news outlets reported Wednesday.  Citing unnamed senior officials from the Donald Trump administration, the Associated Press and Reuters reported that the two sides met at the inter-Korean border sometime last week without specifying the date. According to the reports, a high-ranking official

July 31, 2019

New N. Korean submarine seen as capable of carrying 3 SLBMs: S. Korea

A newly constructed North Korean submarine seems to be capable of carrying three submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), South Korea's defense ministry was quoted as saying on Wednesday.The defense ministry determined that the North's submarine is ready to be deployed soon, Rep. Lee Hye-hoon, the chief of the parliamentary intelligence committee, told reporters after the ministry's closed-door briefing.North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a new submarine, which the deployment of whic

July 31, 2019

FM says NK missile firings not helpful to easing regional tensions

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Wednesday North Korea's latest missile firings are not helpful to efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. "North Korea's actions do not help (easing) military tensions, nor do they help keep the momentum for denuclearization talks when (the talks) are in the process of being resumed," she told reporters at the Incheon airport on her way to Thailand for a regional forum. "We make it clear that it must be stopped."  North Kore

July 31, 2019

US, NK officials met in DMZ last week: reports

US and North Korean officials met at the inter-Korean border last week, and the North Koreans expressed a willingness to resume working-level nuclear talks very soon, a senior US official told foreign media on Tuesday.A US National Security Council official traveled to the Demilitarized Zone while in the region for "unrelated talks" and met with a North Korean counterpart to deliver photographs from last month's DMZ meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim

July 31, 2019