US 'a long way' from negotiations with N.Korea: Tillerson

ADDIS ABABA -- Washington's top diplomat Rex Tillerson said Thursday the United States was "a long way from negotiations" with North Korea, which this week made a shock offer to discuss denuclearisation. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson holds a news conference with African Union (AU) Commission Chairman Moussa Faki, of Chad, after their meeting at African Union headquarters, Thursday, March 8, 2018 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool via AP)"We're a long way from negotiations, we j

March 8, 2018

N. Korea claims to support women’s rights

A North Korean media outlet said on International Women’s Day that social participation of North Korean women is active in the country. The North’s state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun said Thursday that “what is mercilessly crushed when you don’t have enough money in a capitalist society are women’s rights.” The article went on to say that North Korea’s “socialist regime” is where women are truly respected and their rights guaranteed.An online propaganda medium also said Thursday that women in Nor

March 8, 2018

[Newsmaker] Who will be NK’s key player in US-NK negotiations?

Among a crop of skillful North Korean negotiators Choe Son-hui, the country’s former Director General of Foreign Ministry’s North America Affairs is forecast to stand at the frontline of a new diplomatic tug-of-war with the United States. The then-head of the North Korean Foreign Ministry’s North American bureau, Choe Son-hui, speaks at the 2017 Moscow Nonproliferation Conference on Oct. 20, 2017. (Yonhap)Earlier this week, North Korea offered to talk with the US on denuclearization, according t

March 8, 2018

Seoul envoys to deliver NK's message to US

Seoul’s top national security officials on Thursday headed to the US, their first stop in President Moon Jae-in’s campaign to rally international support in engaging North Korea. Early Thursday, National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon headed to Washington on a four-day trip to win US support for the recent inter-Korean agreement. National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong (left) and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon speak

March 8, 2018

NK Paralympic delegation officially welcomed at athletes' village

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea -- The North Korean Paralympic team was officially admitted Thursday into the athletes' village for the PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games.A welcome ceremony for the North Korean team took place at the athletes' village in PyeongChang, some 180 kilometers east of Seoul, in snowy weather and some 20 members, including Jong Hyon, the vice chairman of the Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled attended the ceremony. The North Koreans had the welcome ceremony

March 8, 2018

House resolution urges N. Korea to close labor camps

WASHINGTON -- Two US lawmakers have introduced a resolution calling for the dismantlement of North Korea's labor camp system.The document was introduced by Reps. Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA) on Monday, and details the human rights abuses committed inside the regime's labor camps.The resolution particularly highlights deaths resulting from rape and forced abortions, citing a 2017 report on an inquiry into the crimes. Rep. Mike Conaway (right), R-Texas (AP-Yonhap)It calls on the N

March 8, 2018

Moon notes many obstacles ahead to denuclearization and peace

South Korea still faces many obstacles in its efforts to denuclearize North Korea and establish lasting peace, President Moon Jae-in said Thursday, despite what he and many others have called "exceptional" concessions from the communist state that include a suspension of military provocations.Moon's remarks came in an annual meeting of a national prayer group, the Korea National Prayer Breakfast."A delegation of special envoys returned after a trip to Pyongyang two days ago. It marked a big step

March 8, 2018

Victor Cha says no breakthrough yet with N. Korea

WASHINGTON -- Victor Cha, a former White House official who was recently dropped from consideration for US ambassador to Seoul, expressed skepticism Wednesday about North Korea's offer to discuss its denuclearization with the US.In a piece published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Cha said it is too early to say there has been a breakthrough in the North Korean nuclear impasse."North Korea's willingness to talk to the United States is a step forward in averting a crisis, b

March 8, 2018

Moon stresses cooperation with US, no concessions for talks

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday stressed close cooperation with the US and the need to achieve denuclearization in dialogue with North Korea. Speaking at a meeting with the leaders of five political parties held at Cheong Wa Dae, Moon emphasized that denuclearization is the goal, and that no concessions have been given to Pyongyang. President Moon Jae-in (center) meets political leaders at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday. (Yonhap)“We are at a very important juncture in (establishing) peace on the Ko

March 7, 2018

Why did NK leader u-turn on denuclearization, S. Korea-US military drill?

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un seems to have about-faced on two key issues of the South Korea-US military drill and denuclearization, but experts warn that his abrupt shift in stance may merely be the young ruler’s “subtle” diplomacy style.  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reads a letter from South Korean President Moon Jae-in. (Yonhap)National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, who led a South Korean delegation of special envoys on a two-day trip to North Korea, said Tuesday that Kim had sa

March 7, 2018

Seoul seeks to rally support ahead of inter-Korean summit

Top South Korean national security officials are set to head to the US on Thursday, as Seoul seeks to rally support from its allies in its efforts to engage North Korea ahead of the inter-Korean summit slated for end of April. The trip will be undertaken by National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon, who returned from Pyongyang on Tuesday with an agreement for the inter-Korean summit. Chung and Suh will also travel to China, Japan and Russia

March 7, 2018

Location of planned inter-Korean summit hints at changes in NK strategy

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreeing to hold the inter-Korean summit in the South Korean side of the border hints at Kim’s personality, and Pyongyang’s desire to be seen as a “normal country,” experts say. According to Seoul’s National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, North Korea agreed to hold an inter-Korean summit at the Peace House, a facility located on the South’s side of the Panmunjeom truce village at the end of April. Natoinal Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong announces the

March 7, 2018

[Newsmaker] Will NK deliver promise for denuclearization?

With North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un expressing willingness to denuclearize during his meeting with the South Korea‘s special envoys, focus is now on whether this time around the North will deliver its promise that has never been fulfilled in the past negotiations.　Following its two-day visit to the North, the South Korean delegation announced Tuesday that North Korea had expressed a willingness to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and vowed to suspend all nuclear and missile tests while such t

March 7, 2018

NK paper justifies nuclear arsenal despite recent inter-Korean agreement

North Korea's state newspaper on Wednesday justified the country's nuclear weapons development and said it cannot be subject to dispute, one day after South Korea unveiled a landmark agreement with the regime to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula."There was no other choice at the sharp phase of confrontation where (North Korea) had to defend its own institution and fate on its own in the face of the United States, the world's biggest nuclear power," the North's Rodong Sinmun said in a column.

March 7, 2018

NK's offer marks progress in nuclear standoff with US

WASHINGTON -- North Korea's offer to discuss its nuclear weapons program with the United States marks a possible end to the two countries' impasse, but it remains to be seen what the regime's intentions are, according to US analysts Tuesday.In a surprise move, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un told a South Korean presidential delegation Monday that he would be willing to give up his nuclear pursuit in return for a security guarantee. He also offered to halt nuclear and ballistic missile tests if W

March 7, 2018

Analysis: Is North Korea’s nuke offer too good to be true?

President Donald Trump appears to have gotten what he wanted from North Korea: a willingness to suspend nuclear testing and a promise to put its entire arsenal of atomic weapons on the negotiating table. But is it too good to be true? After a year of threatening “fire and fury” and ridiculing North Korea’s young leader Kim Jong-un, Trump is now touting diplomatic progress between the rival Koreas. He even says he thinks North Korea, under intense sanctions pressure, is “sincere” in wanting an en

March 7, 2018

Trump believes NK is sincere about talks after sanctions

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he believes North Korea is sincere about talking with the United States because of sanctions that were imposed on the regime.Trump appeared to be taking credit for his administration's "maximum pressure" campaign, which has led to increased economic sanctions on Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.He was speaking after the North Koreans offered to discuss their nuclear weapons program with the US.North Korean lead

March 7, 2018

US greets talk of NK nuke concessions with hope, skepticism

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump greeted North Korea's reported willingness to negotiate away its atomic weapons with both hope and skepticism Tuesday, insisting a potential diplomatic breakthrough be tested against the North's long history of deception and threats to target US cities with nuclear missiles.``I really believe they are sincere,'' Trump said at a White House news conference, sounding more optimistic than his intelligence chief, Dan Coats, who told a Senate hearing he has ``

March 7, 2018

Text of special envoys’ statement after NK trip

Following is an unofficial translation of the statement issued by South Korea’s special envoys to the North on their return from a two-day visit to Pyongyang, during which they met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Chung Eui-yong, chief of the National Security Office (Yonhap)1. The two Koreas agreed to convene the third inter-Korean summit at the Peace House of Panmunjeom in late April. To achieve this, the two parties agreed to hold working-level consultations. 2. In order to ease military conf

March 6, 2018

[Breaking] Koreas to hold summit in late April

The two Koreas will hold a summit at the border village of Panmunjeom at the end of April, and North Korea is willing to engage the US, National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong revealed Tuesday. The summit will be held at the Peace House, which is located on South Korean side of Panmunjeom. Chung, who led the five-member special envoy delegation to the North, said the two Koreas came to the conclusion during his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday.   North Korean leader K

March 6, 2018