[Newsmaker] N. Korean exports to China down to $2,400 last month

 North Korea’s exports to China slumped to just $2,382 last month, as the reclusive regime’s all-out push to stave off COVID-19 outbreak on its soil has brought trade with its largest economic partner to a halt. 　 In November, North Korean shipments to China totaled $2,382, the Voice of America reported Saturday, based on data from China’s General Administration of Customs. 　 This figure excludes $1.123 million of electricity exports. The VOA does not count this as expo

Dec. 27, 2020

N. Korea's newspaper calls for powerful defense capabilities

North Korea's main newspaper on Thursday stressed the importance of strengthening national defense on the 29th anniversary of a late former leader's inauguration as the supreme commander of the army. Kim Jong-il, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un, was appointed as the supreme commander of the North's Korean People's Army in 1991, three years before he took power of the country. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, touted the late leader's military-first

Dec. 24, 2020

NK steps up COVID-19 fight, but year away from vaccine

North Korea is stepping up efforts to hold back the coronavirus, but the isolated regime will see its people vaccinated in early 2022 at the earliest, market data firm Fitch Solutions said in its latest report on global vaccine distribution. The report categorized countries in the Asia-Pacific region into three groups. Groups one and two will get vaccinated by June and September next year. Group three, with North Korea and eight other countries including Mongolia and Brunei, will secure vaccine

Dec. 23, 2020

Seoul’s new nuclear envoy holds phone calls with US, Japan counterparts

Noh Kyu-duk, South Korea’s new top nuclear negotiator, spoke on the phone with counterparts in Washington and Tokyo, in his first such talks since his appointment this week, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.   　 On Tuesday evening, Noh held phone talks with US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, who doubles as Washington’s point person on North Korea. During the conversation, Biegun congratulated Noh on his appointment and reaffirmed the US’ commitment to resum

Dec. 23, 2020

73% of S. Koreans positive about Biden-Kim summit: poll

About 73 percent of South Koreans are positive about incoming US President Joe Biden holding a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un either unconditionally or in case of real progress in nuclear negotiations, a survey showed Wednesday. According to the poll conducted by the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), 20.1 percent said that Biden should hold talks with Kim "unconditionally," while 52.9 percent responded that they should meet if real progress is mad

Dec. 23, 2020

Unification ministry distributes fact sheet about leafleting ban to diplomatic corps: official

The unification ministry has put together an English-language fact sheet about a recently legislated ban on sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea and distributed it to foreign diplomatic missions here, an official said Tuesday. The fact sheet was sent to the missions of over 50 countries, including member countries of the "Peace Club," a consultative channel between Seoul's foreign ministry and envoys from countries that have diplomatic missions in the North. Other countri

Dec. 22, 2020

S. Korea, US unlikely to spar over anti-N. Korea leaflets: report

Former US officials familiar with inter-Korean affairs said Monday that the incoming US administration is not likely to fight hard with South Korea on its ban that criminalizes sending propaganda leaflets into North Korea. A week ago, the parliament passed a bill making cross-border leafleting a felony punishable by up to three years in jail or by a fine as high as $27,000 from early next year. President Moon’s ruling Democratic Party of Korea, which pushed through the bill, has been

Dec. 22, 2020

WHO: Over 10,000 people tested in N. Korea, no confirmed cases

North Korea reported zero confirmed cases of COVID-19 despite having 10,960 people tested by early December, the World Health Organization said on Monday. According to the WHO’s regional situation report on the pandemic, North Korea had 791 people tested between Nov. 27 and Dec. 3, and 766 from Dec. 3 through Dec. 10, and all of them tested negative. A total of 21,586 samples from 10,960 people in the country were tested with reverse polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at an interval of 1

Dec. 22, 2020

N. Korea claims no confirmed cases of coronavirus: WHO

North Korea has conducted coronavirus tests on more than 10,000 people but no outbreak has been reported in the country yet, a World Health Organization report showed Tuesday. The North has conducted tests on a total of 10,960 people as of Dec. 10 and claims that no cases have been reported, according to the agency's latest weekly situation report on COVID-19. From Nov. 27 to Dec. 3 alone, 791 people were tested while another 766 tested negative from Dec. 3 to 10, the agency said. A total of

Dec. 22, 2020

‘NK leveraging inter-Korean resort to pull concession’

North Korea is exploiting the inter-Korean resort town on the east coast near Kumgangsan to pull more concessions from South Korea, and will step up pressure to gain more compromises in the weeks to come, experts told The Korea Herald. The North said Sunday it will expand the South Korean-built tourism facilities in its own way. A year ago in December, Pyongyang insisted Seoul tear down the resort, only to suspend the decision in January over coronavirus concerns. The tourism zone, which attra

Dec. 21, 2020

NK completes building musical instrument factory ordered by late former leader

North Korea has completed the construction of a factory manufacturing indigenous musical instruments as instructed by its late former leader Kim Jong-il nine years ago, state media reported Monday. The factory specializing in producing traditional instruments, including zither-like string instruments "ongnyugeum" and "gayageum," recently began operations in Pyongyang, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "The construction of a comprehensive prod

Dec. 21, 2020

NK to expand inter-Korean resort ‘its way’

North Korea said Sunday that it will expand the inter-Korean resort town on the east coast near Kumgangsan in its own way, in a move seen as trying to rally its people ahead of the January party congress. The regime is expected to unveil a new economic initiative there. In January this year, Pyongyang put off plans to tear down the South Korean-built resort facilities amid the coronavirus pandemic. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had insisted on their demolition, calling the facilities &ldqu

Dec. 20, 2020

[Newsmaker] N. Korea making all-out efforts against coronavirus before key party convention

North Korea has been striving to stave off a COVID-19 outbreak on its soil ahead of a major national event, according to its state-controlled media Sunday. It plans to convene the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea next month, in which the Kim Jong-un regime is expected to unveil the direction of its major policies at home and abroad. No exact date has been announced yet. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the powerful ruling party, called for more thorough coronavirus virus

Dec. 20, 2020

NK premier calls for building Mt. Kumgang tourist area 'our own way,' Seoul hopes for consultations

North Korea's Premier Kim Tok-hun visited the Mount Kumgang region on the country's eastern coast and called for building a modern and all-inclusive international tourist area "our own way," state media reported Sunday. In response, the South Korean government expressed hope that the two sides will have consultations on the Mount Kumgang issue at an "appropriate time" in consideration of the COVID-19 situation. Kim's visit, which came despite a nationwide fight against the

Dec. 20, 2020

'Mysterious structure' set up at Pyongyang square for upcoming party congress: 38 North

One "mysterious structure" has been built at the main square in North Korea's capital city of Pyongyang, which appears to be related to its party congress slated for next month, a US website monitoring the communist country has said. According to 38 North on Friday, a small building surrounded by a high wall has been built in Kim Il-sung Square "right across the street from the viewing platform used by (leader) Kim Jong-un and party officials during parades." It also said t

Dec. 19, 2020

N. Korea's Kangson facility may not be uranium enrichment plant: Heinonen

North Korea's long suspected uranium enrichment facility in Kangson may instead be dedicated to producing related components, a former official of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday. Olli Heinonen, former IAEA deputy director-general for safeguards, noted the facility appears to be linked to the North's uranium program, but not in a way that had been suspected. "The available evidence suggests that Kangson is not a uranium enrichment plant, although it is likely still tied

Dec. 19, 2020

Ex-Unification Minister urges Biden administration to be flexible on NK sanctions

Former Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul on Friday called on the incoming Joe Biden administration to be flexible on using sanctions against Pyongyang in achieving denuclearization.  “Ultimately, sanctions are not a purpose, but a means. It is Biden administration’s task to use it flexibly,” Kim said during a videoconference organized by the Unification Ministry on Friday, adding the Donald Trump administration had taken a “rigid” approach in working with sa

Dec. 18, 2020

US lawmakers to hold hearing on Seoul’s leaflet ban in Jan.

The US Congress is reportedly set to hold a hearing on January to discuss South Korea’s recent passage of a bill that penalizes activists sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets and other materials across the border, amid an escalating backlash from Washington and international human rights groups that Seoul is undermining free speech.  The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, a bipartisan body in the House of Representatives that promotes, defends and advocates human rights, is set to conv

Dec. 18, 2020

S. Korea keeping close eye on N. Korean FM amid report he lost key party position

The unification ministry said Friday it is keeping a close eye on the North Korean foreign minister's status following a media report that he has recently been removed from a key party position. A local newspaper reported earlier in the day, citing an unidentified government source, that Foreign Minister Ri Son-gwon appears to have lost his position as an alternate member of the political bureau of the Workers' Party Central Committee. "There has been no official announcement yet, but we

Dec. 18, 2020

US expresses concerns over S. Korean ban on anti-Pyongyang leaflets

WASHINGTON -- The US government had expressed concerns about a South Korean bill prohibiting the launch of anti-North Korea leaflets across the border before the South Korean parliament passed the bill this week, a news report said Thursday. Citing unidentified sources, the Washington Post said Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun had "privately conveyed" the US government's concerns during his trip to Seoul that ended last Friday. The bill passed Monday by a 187-0 vote in South

Dec. 18, 2020