N. Korea increases flights to Pyongyang ahead of founding anniversary

BEIJING -- North Korea's flag carrier, Air Koryo, has temporarily increased its Pyongyang-bound flights from Beijing, ahead of the North's 70th founding anniversary on Sept. 9, sources in the Chinese capital said Tuesday.They said Air Koryo will offer six additional flights from Beijing to Pyongyang, the North's capital, from Thursday to Saturday to accommodate foreign visitors planning to celebrate the landmark anniversary. (AP)On Thursday, Air Koryo will operate three extra flights to Pyongyan

Sept. 4, 2018

Moon holds security meeting on eve of trip by special envoy to N. Korea

President Moon Jae-in held a special meeting with security-related officials Tuesday, one day before his top security adviser was set to embark on a trip to North Korea.The meeting, held at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, began at 4 p.m. and also involved Moon's national security adviser, Chung Eui-yong, who will visit Pyongyang on Wednesday as a special envoy of the president. (Yonhap)The trip is widely aimed at arranging a proposed summit between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

Sept. 4, 2018

Key N. Korean nuclear, missile development official dies

A North Korean official known to have been involved in missile and nuclear weapons development has died, the North's state-run media reported Tuesday.Ju Kyu-chang, 89, died Monday night of pancytopenia, according to the Korean Central News Agency. It called him a "revolutionary soldier" who had made a "distinguished" contribution to national defense."Letting go of comrade Ju Kyu-chang who had faithfully carried out our party's great tasks at the forefront of national defense is a huge loss not j

Sept. 4, 2018

Top S. Korean prosecutor to visit Russia and South Africa

South Korea's top prosecutor plans to make a nine-day trip to Russia and South Africa, his office said Monday. Prosecutor-General Moon Moo-il (Yonhap)Prosecutor-General Moon Moo-il is set to meet with his Russian counterpart on Tuesday to discuss cooperation on cyber terrorism before attending the 23rd annual conference of the International Association of Prosecutors in Johannesburg-Sandton, South Africa, which begins on Sunday, it said. (Yonhap)

Sept. 3, 2018

Seoul should seek manageable goals in dealing with NK

President Moon Jae-in should seek to keep denuclearization talks alive, rather than seek a major breakthrough in his planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, says Oxford University’s Lawrence Freedman. Speaking at a discussion with Moon Chung-in, a Yonsei University professor and special adviser to the South Korean president, Freedman said that Seoul and Washington have failed in managing expectations in their dealings with North Korea.  North Korean leader Kim Jung-un (Yonhap)“What

Sept. 3, 2018

NK paper appears to back Russia in election meddling conflict with US

North Korea's main newspaper on Monday carried a commentary on Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential election, which can be interpreted as its siding with Moscow in the two countries' conflict.The commentary by the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's Workers' Party, dealt with a recent meeting between the US.national security adviser, John Bolton, and his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev, in Geneva, under the title "Cloudy outlook for inconsistent relationship betwe

Sept. 3, 2018

Moon's chief of staff stresses need to resume US-N. Korea talks

South Korean President Moon Jae-in's chief of staff called for efforts to restart denuclearization talks between the United States and North Korea on Monday, two days before Moon's special envoy is set to visit the communist state."I expect (the special envoy) to return after fixing the date for President Moon Jae-in's Pyongyang trip this fall," Im Jong-seok wrote on his Facebook page. (Yonhap)Moon has agreed to visit Pyongyang this month for what would be his third bilateral summit with North K

Sept. 3, 2018

Koreas in consultation to determine date for launch of liaison office

South and North Korea are in talks to determine the exact schedule for their agreed-upon opening of a joint liaison office, a government official said Monday amid speculation that a delay in its launch might be associated with the United States being wary of its possible violation of sanctions. "Consultations are under way between the South and the North now," Baik Tae-hyun, unification ministry spokesman, told reporters during a regular press briefing. "I want you to understand this not as a de

Sept. 3, 2018

N. Korea preparing toned-down military parade: analysts

Satellite imagery shows North Korea is poised to stage another military parade amid new worries that diplomatic efforts on denuclearization are stalling, though analysts say it is unclear whether it will showcase any of the country’s largest ballistic missiles.Pyongyang is preparing to host a number of major events on Sunday for the 70th anniversary of the country’s founding, including a military parade, possible visits by foreign delegations, and -- for the first time in five years -- a massive

Sept. 3, 2018

Hope and caution in North Korea as Kim Jong-un shifts gears

Tanned and wearing a swimsuit, So Myong-il walks to the barbecue pit and throws on some clams. He obviously loves the beach he's on as well as the rugged, emerald Chilbo mountains that rise abruptly behind it. He loves them enough to forget, for a moment at least, that he is a senior official sent to deliver an ideology-soaked pitch singing their praises and instead lets the natural beauty surrounding him speak for itself.Comrade So sees great things for North Korean attractions like this.Hotels

Sept. 2, 2018

[Breaking] Moon names spy chief, NSO chief as envoys to NK

　President Moon Jae-in on Sunday named National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon and National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong to lead his special envoys to North Korea, Cheong Wa Dae revealed. 　The delegation will also include NIS deputy chief Kim Sang-gyun, Vice Minister of Unification Chun Hae-sung and Yun Kun-young, a Cheong Wa Dae official.  Chung Eui-yong (Yonhap)　The presidential office said the envoys will take the air route flying over the West Sea on Wednesday, and return on

Sept. 2, 2018

US tells its citizens not to visit N. Korea

The US Department of State has issued a new North Korea travel advisory for its nationals, according to its website."Do not travel to North Korea due to the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of US nationals," it said Friday (Washington D.C. time) in a message posted by the bureau of consular affairs.It stated that individuals can't use a US passport to travel to or through the communist nation without a "special validation" from the department. (Yonhap)Special validations are grante

Sept. 1, 2018

[Breaking] Moon to send special envoy to NK next week for summit preparation

President Moon Jae-in will dispatch a special envoy to North Korea on Sept. 5 to discuss the itinerary for a planned inter-Korean summit and other imminent issues concerning the peninsula. According to Cheong Wa Dae, North Korea on Friday sent a telegram to the South, accepting the Seoul government’s offer earlier in the day to send a special envoy. Moon has yet to name his special envoy. (AFP)The two Koreas agreed to hold a summit in Pyongyang in September, during a high-level meeting earlier t

Aug. 31, 2018

‘Dialogue and war schemes cannot coexist,’ NK tells US

North Korea’s media accused the US of plotting “hostile military acts” against the country Friday, while criticizing Washington’s insistence that Pyongyang take “denuclearization steps first” without making minimal efforts to build good faith between the two nations.“The US is taking grave and hostile actions behind the curtain of the dialogue taking place,” said Uriminzokkiri, the North’s external propaganda website. US President Donald Trump (Yonhap)It cited a recent dispatch of US special uni

Aug. 31, 2018

Seoul failed to convince USFK chief on joint railway

South Korea’s Ministry of Unification confirmed Friday that its vice minister met with US Forces commander and head of the UN Command Vincent Brooks a day before the UNC rejected Seoul’s plans to test-run a cross-border railway. “On Aug. 22, Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung met with Gen. Vincent Brooks to explain and ask for cooperation on various matters concerning inter-Korean ties such as the reunions of families separated by the Korean War while exchanging opinions on joint survey of

Aug. 31, 2018

N. Korea continues to produce, stockpile cluster bombs: report

North Korea continues to produce and stockpile cluster munitions, a weapon outlawed by most of the world, a U.S government-funded radio station reported Friday, citing an international watchdog's annual report.The nongovernmental Cluster Munition Coalition released the report at the United Nations in Geneva on Thursday, according to Radio Free Asia. (AP)Cluster munitions are fired by artillery and rockets or dropped by aircraft and open in the air to release multiple smaller bomblets or submunit

Aug. 31, 2018

NK media cover China-US disputes after Trump blames Beijing for hampering nuke talks

North Korea's media covered growing trade disputes between the United States and China on Friday, days after US President Donald Trump accused China for hampering his nuclear talks with the North."Serious frictions are taking place between China and the US over tariff issues," said the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers Party of Korea. "In particular, China exporting many items to the US is taking the hit."The newspaper said that concerns are mounting that the ongoing trade dis

Aug. 31, 2018

N. Korea wants to continue talks with US: Amb. Cho

WASHINGTON -- North Korea remains determined to maintain the momentum of dialogue with the United States despite a recent hiccup, South Korea's top envoy in Washington said Thursday.Ambassador Cho Yoon-je dismissed a view that Pyongyang and Washington are shifting back to a confrontation after months of diplomatic engagement."North Korea's intention of maintaining dialogue momentum is certain," he told South Korea's Washington, D.C. correspondents.He was referring to "various speculations" drive

Aug. 31, 2018

NK accuses US of hostile steps, calls for faithful implementation of summit deals

North Korea's media accused the United States of taking "hostile" measures against Pyongyang on Friday, calling on Washington to faithfully implement the agreement that the two countries reached in their historic June 12 summit."The US is taking grave and hostile actions behind the curtain of the dialogue taking place," said Uriminjokkiri, the North's external propaganda website, claiming as evidence a recent dispatch of US special units to Japan, the Philippines and South Korea for a covert exe

Aug. 31, 2018

China slams Trump's 'irresponsible and absurd logic' on N. Korea

BEIJING (AFP) -- China on Thursday derided the “irresponsible and absurd logic” of the United States after President Donald Trump accused Beijing of making Washington’s relationship with North Korea more difficult.　Trump doubled down on his suggestion that China was not helping to rein in its Cold War-era ally -- a charge he first levelled when he cancelled a trip to North Korea by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that was due to take place this week.　“A lot of people, like me, feel that the US is

Aug. 30, 2018