NK propaganda outlet slams S. Korea over budget proposal for military spending hike

A North Korean propaganda outlet on Wednesday blasted South Korea over a plan to increase its national defense budget for next year, saying "those enjoying fire would end up being killed by the fire." South Korea's defense ministry recently asked for 52.9 trillion won ($62.2 billion) in its budget plan for 2021, a 5.5 percent hike from its spending for this year. "(The South Korean government) is pouring more taxpayers' money in building up its armed forces and playing fire of

Sept. 16, 2020

Unification Minister calls for NK to fulfill inter-Korean agreements

Unification Minister Lee In-young urged North Korea to fulfill inter-Korean agreements from 2018 during his visit to the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom on Wednesday. 　 Lee’s visit -- his first since taking office in July -- occurred a few days ahead of the second anniversary of the Pyongyang Joint Declaration reached by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the North’s capital on Sept. 19, 2018, which aimed to reduce military tensions an

Sept. 16, 2020

N. Korea could fire SLBM around next month's party anniversary: JCS chief nominee

North Korea could test-fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) around the founding anniversary of the Worker' Party next month, Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman nominee Won In-choul said Wednesday. The remark indicates changes in the military's assessment of what is going on in the North because Defense Minister nominee Gen. Suh Wook said Monday that chances for an SLBM launch anytime soon are slim given the short time left until the anniversary that falls on Oct. 10. There has

Sept. 16, 2020

US optimistic on nuclear talks with NK: Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that the US was optimistic that it would make progress in its stalled nuclear talks with North Korea. “As for North Korea, which you mentioned, we did have hopes that we could make further progress, that Chairman Kim would go in a different direction, but I’m still optimistic,” Pompeo told the president of the Atlantic Council, a US-based think tank, in an online conversation. “There’s still lots of work going on, wor

Sept. 16, 2020

[Newsmaker] N. Korea continues missile development: defense minister nominee

North Korea is continuing to develop its missile capabilities, defense minister nominee Gen. Suh Wook said Wednesday, vowing to sternly respond to any provocations. Suh made the remark in an opening speech during a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly amid speculation that the North could showcase a new strategic weapon at the 75th founding anniversary of its ruling party on Oct. 10. "North Korea is focusing on preparations for the 75th party founding anniversary event after sus

Sept. 16, 2020

N. Korean leader vows continued cooperation with China in letter to Xi

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un promised to further develop his country's relationship with China and support their joint efforts to defend socialism, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday. Kim's latest pledge came in a letter sent to Chinese President Xi Jinping, who earlier sent a congratulatory message on the 72nd anniversary of the foundation of North Korea. "Kim Jong-un in his message expressed heartfelt thanks on behalf of the Workers' Party of K

Sept. 16, 2020

Trump's 'original' diplomacy with N. Korea deserves credit for preventing war: Woodward

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump's engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un prevented a war with the communist state, Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward said Tuesday. He said it was unprecedented diplomacy. The remark came hours after his new book on Trump and his administration, "Rage," hit the bookstands. "It's an interesting original experiment, diplomacy because you know the normal playbook is that you send people to meet from both sides and you work out

Sept. 16, 2020

N. Korea touches on Hong Kong, South China Sea issues at last week's ARF session

North Korea touched on regional issues, such as Hong Kong and the South China Sea, during last week's annual multilateral security forum, a source said Tuesday, in contrast to their past remarks focusing on their own security issues. Pyongyang did not send its top diplomat to the foreign ministerial session of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which was held via video links on Saturday. An Kwang-il, its top envoy in Indonesia, attended it instead. Touching on the controversy over Beijing's ove

Sept. 15, 2020

N. Korea seen enriching uranium at nuclear facility: IAEA chief

North Korea’s nuclear activity is still a serious concern and its pursuit of nuclear weapons is a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions, Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the IAEA board members Monday. Noting monitoring is limited because UN nuclear inspectors are not allowed in North Korea, the IAEA chief said Pyongyang appeared to have continued to operate nuclear facilities. UN inspectors were expelled from the Nort

Sept. 15, 2020

Unification minister to visit Panmunjom this week

Unification Minister Lee In-young will visit the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom this week to take a look at the area for the first time since he took office in July, officials said Tuesday. During the visit set for Wednesday, Lee will tour major facilities at Panmunjom, including the South Korea-controlled Freedom House and Peace House, and encourage staff there, a ministry official said Tuesday. Lee plans to hold a brief press conference at the truce village where South Korean Presi

Sept. 15, 2020

US fired missiles in 2017 to demonstrate it could target NK leader Kim: Woodward

The US came close to nuclear war with North Korea in 2017, launching a precision missile to demonstrate to Pyongyang that it could strike any target, including North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, according to a new book by Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward.   　 In response to Pyongyang test-firing its first intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the US on July 4, 2017, retired Gen. Vincent Brooks, who headed US Forces Korea from 2016 to 2018, ordered troops to fire a ta

Sept. 14, 2020

N. Korea struggles with antivirus effort amid flood recovery

North Korea said Monday that it was exhausting all options to curb the coronavirus outbreak while at the same time taking steps to recover from recent floods that caused extensive crop damage. “We’re are fighting on two fronts: One against the coronavirus, the other against floods,” the state newspaper said, adding that everyone helping with the recovery effort -- including the military and key party members -- was adhering to strict COVID-19 precautions. The World Health Org

Sept. 14, 2020

Unification ministry hopes inter-Korean liaison office resumes operations as it marks 2nd anniversary

The unification ministry called Monday for an early resumption of operations of the inter-Korean liaison office as it marked the second anniversary of the office three months after the North's destruction of the office's building. The joint liaison office opened in the North's border city of Kaesong in September 2018 to support inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation after a summit agreement between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in April that year. This

Sept. 14, 2020

N. Korea's paper urges antivirus efforts in typhoon-hit areas

North Korea's official newspaper called Monday for stepped-up antivirus efforts in typhoon-hit areas as a large number of people have been mobilized for recovery efforts. North Korea has been scrambling to restore areas hit hard by three consecutive typhoons in recent weeks that flooded houses, streets and rice-producing regions. State media earlier said tens of thousands of people, including elite party members in Pyongyang, have been mobilized for recovery efforts, spawning risks that they

Sept. 14, 2020

Kim put 'conditions' on denuclearization three months after first summit: Woodward

WASHINGTON -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un began putting conditions on denuclearization three months after his first-ever summit with US President Donald Trump in 2018, a soon-to-be-published book showed. In his upcoming book, "Rage," Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward also noted that correspondence between Kim and Trump "increased in both frequency and affection" following their first summit held in June 2018. "I just have arrived back in America, and the med

Sept. 14, 2020

Russia provides 25,000 tons of wheat to typhoon-hit N. Korea

Russia has delivered 25,000 tons of wheat in humanitarian assistance to North Korea, the Russian mission in Pyongyang has said, as the impoverished North struggles to recover from damage caused by recent back-to-back typhoons. The grains were delivered with strict quarantine measures in place to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, the Russian Embassy said in a Facebook post on Saturday. "The Korean side expressed heartfelt gratitude to the government and the people of Russia"

Sept. 13, 2020

Biegun expresses US support for lasting peace on Korean Peninsula at ARF meeting

WASHINGTON -- US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun has expressed Washington's support for efforts to build peace on the Korean Peninsula at a regional security forum, his office said. During the video-linked ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting on Saturday, Biegun, who also serves as the US special representative for North Korea, "was joined by several foreign ministers in underscoring ... the US support for a path to lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula," according

Sept. 13, 2020

Trump told Kim only they can end hostility, promised permanent friendship: book

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said in letters to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last year that only they can resolve hostility between their countries and promised to be his friend forever, Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward writes in his upcoming book. "Only you and I, working together, can resolve the issues between our two countries and end nearly 70 years of hostility, bringing an era of prosperity to the Korean peninsula that will exceed all our greatest expectations

Sept. 13, 2020

Kim Jong-un in ‘good health,’ President Trump says

US President Donald Trump said Thursday on Twitter that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is in “good health” and people should not “underestimate” Kim, without elaborating. It was unclear what had prompted the remarks. Speculation over Kim’s health was reignited here on Aug. 20 when South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told the parliamentary intelligence committee Kim had delegated some of his powers to his younger sister Kim Yo-jong. The 36-year-old

Sept. 11, 2020

Intelligence looking into NK’s missile launch: report

South Korean and US intelligence are closely looking into the possibility of North Korea test-firing a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) at a military parade in October and showcasing a new intercontinental ballistic missile around November, a local news outlet reported Friday. The North celebrates the anniversary of its ruling party on Oct. 10 and the US president is voted into office on Nov. 3. The North and the US have yet to agree on denuclearization terms and sanctions relief. &

Sept. 11, 2020