Rival parties give mixed responses to NK's cancellation of talks

South Korean ruling and opposition parties on Wednesday gave mixed responses to North Korea's unilateral cancellation of high-level talks with Seoul and threat to pull out of a planned summit with the United States.The ruling Democratic Party cautioned against reading into the North's move too much while the main opposition Liberty Korea Party called on the government to realize North Korea's real intention for its "disguised peace offensive."North Korea abruptly canceled high-level talks with S

May 16, 2018

S. Korea, US reaffirm unity against N. Korea's pre-summit threats

The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States held emergency phone talks Wednesday in a show of solidarity against North Korea's renewed brinkmanship ahead of key summit meetings.Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo exchanged views on related issues, including the North's abrupt cancellation of ministerial talks with the South that were supposed to take place the same day, Kang's ministry said.Kang briefed Pompeo on the South Korean government's position on

May 16, 2018

N. Korea threatens to rethink Trump-Kim summit

A senior North Korean official warned Wednesday that Pyongyang will reconsider the agreed-upon summit talks with the United States if it comes under continued pressure to "unilaterally" abandon its nuclear program.Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan made clear that the communist regime is not interested in any nuclear talks in which it is coerced into giving up its nuclear arsenal, according to Pyongyang's state news agency KCNA."If the US is trying to drive us into a corner to force our unilater

May 16, 2018

S. Korea voices regret over N. Korea's unilateral suspension of talks

South Korea expressed regret over North Korea's unilateral decision to cancel inter-Korean talks planned for Wednesday, calling on Pyongyang to return to dialogue as soon as possible.Earlier in the day, the North's Korean Central News Agency said it has canceled the high-level talks with the South, citing the ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States. It also threatened to cancel summit talks with the US scheduled for June 12."It is regrettable that the North's unil

May 16, 2018

Prime minister says Trump-Kim summit will be 'great success'

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said Wednesday next month's summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will turn out to be a "great success" that will help put a final end to the Cold War through lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula."The North Korea-US summit on June 12 will achieve a great success," Lee said during a speech at a security forum hosted by a local newspaper. "If history says in the future that the Cold War ended completely through permanent peace on t

May 16, 2018

[Newsmaker] Max Thunder exercise proceeds as planned: Defense Ministry

Despite North Korea’s decision to postpone high-level talks with South Korea in protest against a combined air drill with the US, the ongoing Max Thunder exercise will proceed as scheduled, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.　About 100 aircraft from the allies’ air forces, including eight F-22 stealth fighter jets, are participating in the exercise that kicked off Friday, according to military officials. The annual drill is scheduled to continue until May 26.　“The exercise will proceed as plann

May 16, 2018

S. Korea working to find 'true' reason for delay in inter-Korean dialogue: official

South Korea is moving to identify North Korea's true intention in delaying inter-Korean dialogue scheduled to be held Wednesday, an official from the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said."The development took place before dawn, and so officials from the National Security Office had to consult with officials from the unification, foreign and defense ministries via phone," the Cheong Wa Dae official said."They are working to find out the exact meaning of the message the North sent," the official

May 16, 2018

S. Korea to contact N. Korea on abrupt cancellation of talks: minister

South Korea will deliver its position to North Korea on its unilateral and abrupt decision to cancel the planned high-level inter-Korean talks, Seoul's unification minister said Wednesday.Earlier in the day, the North's Korean Central News Agency said that it has canceled the high-level talks with the South planned to take place Wednesday, citing the ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States. It also threatened to cancel summit talks with the US scheduled for June 1

May 16, 2018

N. Korea offers to join global ban on nuclear testing

GENEVA -- North Korea will join global efforts to ban nuclear weapons testing, an official from the regime has said, following an earlier pledge to halt all nuclear and ballistic missile tests.Han Tae-song, North Korea's ambassador to Switzerland, made the remarks at a United Nations disarmament conference in Geneva on Tuesday ahead of a historic nuclear summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un next month.He said the North will join the world in its wish and e

May 16, 2018

N. Korea cancels high-level talks with S. Korea, threatens to nix US summit

North Korea said Wednesday it is canceling high-level talks with South Korea and threatened to pull out of a summit with the United States over the allies' ongoing military exercises.The North's Korean Central News Agency said the Max Thunder drills between the South Korean and US air forces are a rehearsal for invasion of the North and a provocation amid warming inter-Korean ties.It also called into question whether the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trum

May 16, 2018

WFP chief sees ‘sense of optimism’ in North Korea

The head of the UN‘s World Food Program said Tuesday there is a “sense of optimism” among North Koreans and their leadership ahead of a historic summit between North Korea and the US, following his four-day visit to the country. David Beasley, the executive director of the World Food Program, noted the isolated country’s “genuine desire to be more open” as its leader Kim Jong-un appears to be seeking to break out of diplomatic isolation.“In my opinion, there was a tremendous sense of optimism by

May 15, 2018

Doubts persist over NK’s denuclearization pledge despite signs of dismantlement

While North Korea appears to be dismantling its nuclear test site ahead of its first-ever summit with the US next month, doubts persist over whether Pyongyang will uphold its pledge for complete denuclearization, due to the lack of a thorough verification process.　　Citing satellite imagery captured May 7, US-based North Korea website 38 North said Monday that key operational support buildings have been removed at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, which North Korea said would be shut down between

May 15, 2018

NK invites 8 S. Korean journalists to witness nuclear test site dismantling

North Korea has invited eight South Korean journalists to an event to showcase the dismantling of its nuclear test site scheduled for next week, Seoul's unification ministry said Tuesday.The North invited four reporters each from wire news and broadcasting companies for the event to be held from May 23-25 to dismantle the Punggye-ri site, where the North has carried out all six of its nuclear denotation tests, according to the ministry."The invited reporters will receive visas from the North Kor

May 15, 2018

UN agency said to wait for NK invitation to nuke site dismantlement ceremony

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization said it has yet to be invited to observe North Korea's dismantlement of its Punggye-ri nuclear test site, according to a US radio report Tuesday.A spokesperson of the United Nations-affiliated organization tasked with building up a nuclear test ban verification regime told Radio Free Asia that the CTBTO welcomes North Korea's decision to destroy its nuclear test site but has not received any request to attend its dismantlement event slated f

May 15, 2018

Two Koreas agree to hold high-level talks Wednesday

South and North Korea will hold high-level talks this week to discuss follow-up measures on agreements their leaders reached in a historic summit held last month, Seoul's unification ministry said Tuesday.The two Koreas agreed to hold the talks on the southern side of the truce village of Panmunjom on Wednesday, according to the ministry.The North said it will send a 29-member delegation for the talks led by Ri Son-kwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, a

May 15, 2018

N. Korea blasts US for taking issue with human rights situation ahead of summit

North Korea blasted the United States on Tuesday for taking issue with the North's human rights situation, calling it "unacceptable" and "extremely rude" for a dialogue partner.Earlier this month, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert issued a statement voicing concerns over human rights abuses in the communist state and vowing efforts to hold any violators responsible.In a commentary, the Rodong Sinmun, the North's official newspaper, said it is unacceptable and extremely rude to use t

May 15, 2018

Koreas in close consultations ahead of N. Korea-US summit: official

South and North Koreas are in close and continuous dialogue, an official from Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae confirmed Tuesday, apparently to fine-tune their methods of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula ahead of a historic US-North Korea summit.The confirmation came amid growing suspicions over an apparent delay in a telephone conversation between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The two Koreas established a communication hotline between their

May 15, 2018

Trump's rhetoric matches Kim's actions: White House

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump's changing rhetoric on North Korea is a reflection of Kim Jong-un's recent gestures of goodwill, the White House said Monday.Trump praised the North Korean leader last week after the regime released three American detainees. He said Kim had been "excellent" to the men, even though they had been held under questionable circumstances."I think the president's rhetoric has reflected Kim Jong-un's actions," White House deputy spokesman Raj Shah said at a regula

May 15, 2018

N. Korea will always be recessed nuclear weapons state: Gallucci

WASHINGTON -- A former American negotiator on Monday cast doubts over the prospect of irreversibly dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapons program.Robert Gallucci, who negotiated a 1994 nuclear freeze deal with Pyongyang, aired his reservations ahead of a high-stakes meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un next month.The Trump administration has said its goal in the negotiations is the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the regime."I

May 15, 2018

Trump, UN chief to discuss N. Korea, other threats

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump will meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres later this week to discuss North Korea and other common threats, the White House said Monday.The UN chief will visit the White House Friday for talks with the US president ahead of the latter's historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 12. (Yonhap)"The two leaders will discuss issues of mutual interest, including North Korea, Syria, and reform of the United Nations, as well as other co

May 15, 2018