N. Korea hosts dinner reception for China's top diplomat

North Korea has hosted a dinner reception for Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visiting Pyongyang, state media reported Tuesday, amid speculation that his trip might be intended to discuss North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Beijing.Wang arrived in Pyongyang on Monday on a three-day visit for talks with his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho. Wang could also meet with the North's leader. "The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea gave a reception in honor of Wang Y

Sept. 3, 2019

China's top diplomat departs for N. Korea

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi departed for Pyongyang on Monday for talks with his North Korean counterpart, amid speculation that the two sides could discuss a possible visit to China by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.Wang left the Beijing international airport in the afternoon, accompanied by ministry officials, including spokesperson Hua Chunying. On Friday, Beijing's foreign ministry said Wang will leave China on Monday for a three-day visit to North Korea, without giving further details

Sept. 2, 2019

S. Korea confirms Hambak Island as N. Korean territory

The border island of Hambak in the Yellow Sea belongs to North Korea, the defense ministry said Monday, following revelations that some government maps and data erroneously mark it as South Korean territory.A controversy has erupted recently over the ownership of the small, uninhabited island near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto maritime border, after some news reports said that government data and maps show it belongs to the South.But the defense ministry said such data and maps are

Sept. 2, 2019

N. Korea denies it amassed $2b through cyberattacks on banks

North Korea denied on Sundayallegations that it had obtained $2 billion through cyber attacks on banks and cryptocurrency exchanges, and accused the United States for spreading rumours.A United Nations report seen by Reuters last month said North Korea had used "widespread and increasingly sophisticated" cyber attacks to steal from banks and cryptocurrency exchanges, amassing $2 billion which it used to fund weapons of mass destruction programmes. "The United States and other host

Sept. 2, 2019

N. Korea criticizes UN report on its cyberattacks as 'fabrication'

North Korea on Sunday castigated a UN report on its cyberattacks aimed at creating funds for its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, calling the report a "fabrication," its state media reported.A spokesperson of the North's panel on prevention of money laundering and terror financing made the remarks, calling the UN report a "downright lie" and a "pretext" for sanctions pressure against the regime, according to the North's official Korean Central News A

Sept. 1, 2019

[News focus] Blame game between US, N. Korea adds to nuke talks uncertainty

The US and North Korea still hope to take steps toward resuming their stalled denuclearization talks but their critical rhetoric reveals distrust and difficulties in arranging a working-level meeting. On Saturday, North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, one of Pyongyang’s top officials leading the denuclearization negotiations with the US, said that Pyongyang’s hopes for nuclear talks with Washington are fading. She pointed to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s

Sept. 1, 2019

N. Korea says Pompeo's remarks make talks with US more difficult

A recent remark by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about “North Korea’s rogue behavior” will make talks with the United States more difficult, the North’s KCNA news agency on Saturday quoted its vice foreign minister, Choe Son Hui, as saying.“We recognized that North Korea’s rogue behavior could not be ignored,” Pompeo said on Tuesday, while speaking at the American Legion National Convention in the state of Indiana.Pompeo’s comment was unreasona

Sept. 1, 2019

N. Korea's FM unlikely to attend UN General Assembly

North Korea's top diplomat is unlikely to attend this year's meeting of the UN General Assembly in a move that, if confirmed, would dash expectations for a meeting between him and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the sidelines.The North had earlier informed the UN that Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho would attend the UN General Assembly session opening on Sept. 17. But last week, Pyongyang changed the level of its keynote speaker to an ambassadorial, or "Corps Diplomatique," official f

Sept. 1, 2019

NK says ‘hopes for talks with US is fading’

North Korea’s hopes for talks with the US is fading, a senior North Korean official said Saturday, accusing the US of pushing Pyongyang to reconsider its measures. “Our hopes for talks with the US is gradually fading, and (the US is) pushing us into a situation where we cannot but reconsider all measures taken until now,” North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui said in a statement on Saturday.  Referring to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statement

Aug. 31, 2019

US sanctions 3 shipping firms over illicit NK activity

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- The United States on Friday sanctioned three shipping firms for allegedly engaging in illicit ship-to-ship transfers of refined petroleum goods to North Korea.The US Treasury Department announced the measures on its website, adding that the companies are based in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The department also sanctioned two Taiwanese individuals and designated a Panama-flagged vessel as blocked property for engaging in related activity."Shipping companies trading with Nort

Aug. 31, 2019

Pompeo calls out NK over forced disappearances

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called out North Korea and other nations on Friday for forcing disappearances of citizens viewed as a threat to their regimes.The statement marked International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, established by the United Nations."Authoritarian regimes often disappear advocates for freedom and human rights, journalists, political opposition and others to silence the voices of those who challenge their authority or express

Aug. 31, 2019

N. Korean leader visits resort construction site

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited a resort construction site, Pyongyang's state media reported Saturday, making his first open field guidance trip in four months.  Kim visited Yangdok County Hot Spring Resort, located north of the capital city, Pyongyang, with senior party officials, including Kim's key aide, Choe Ryong-hae, and the leader's younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.It was the first time in four months that state media reported a fiel

Aug. 31, 2019

Moon distributes puppies of Pungsan dogs gifted by N.K. leader

Six puppies of two dogs given to President Moon Jae-in by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a gift last year were distributed to local governments Friday, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said. The North's leader gifted the pair of Pungsan-breed dogs, one male named Songkang and a female named Gomi, after their third summit in Pyongyang in September. Gomi gave birth to the six white puppies -- three male and three female -- in November. "The six puppies Gomi gave birth to are having t

Aug. 30, 2019

China's top diplomat to visit N. Korea next week

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to North Korea next week for talks with his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong-ho, Beijing's foreign ministry said Friday. Wang will leave China on Monday for a three-day visit, ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told a regular press briefing, without giving further details on his trip. The visit comes as North Korea has been ramping up pressure on Seoul and Washington amid a deadlock in its denuclearization talks with the United States. On Saturday, Py

Aug. 30, 2019

NK amends constitution to bolster Kim’s authority

North Korea revised its constitution Thursday to further solidify its leader Kim Jong-un’s authority during its rubber-stamp parliamentary session.The second session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly convened Thursday and “made some amendments and supplements to the Socialist Constitution,” the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said. This included a stipulation about the status of the chairman of the State Affairs Commission, a position held by Kim.Kim

Aug. 30, 2019

‘N. Korea won’t give up nukes, efforts should be made in normalizing ties’

North Korea will not give up its nuclear weapons, and it would be more effective to seek normalization of relations with the regime, an expert at US-based think tank said Tuesday.John Mueller, a senior fellow at Cato Institute and a political scientist at Ohio State University, also criticized the United States as the cause of friction on the Korea Peninsula due to its “atomic obsession.”  “It doesn’t matter whether North has nuclear weapons or not. There is a good c

Aug. 30, 2019

North Korea holds parliamentary session for second time this year

As North Korea was to hold the second meeting of its rubber-stamp parliament Thursday, eyes are on what message or policy changes the regime may announce at the event.North Korea’s state-run media outlets reported that Pyongyang was to hold a plenary meeting of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly, the second such meeting this year, following the first held in April. According to the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency, SPA members paid their respects at statues of

Aug. 29, 2019

N. Korea says recent weapons tests aim to defend dignity from growing outside threats

North Korea's recent weapons tests are aimed at bolstering its self-defense capacity at a time when "imperialistic behavior" infringing upon the sovereignty of other nations is spreading around the world.North Korea has fired seven rounds of short-range missiles and projectiles since late July, including the latest test of what it called a new "super-large" multiple rocket launcher on Saturday. The weapons tests are seen as intended to modernize its weapons system and also vo

Aug. 29, 2019

NK expected to send message at Supreme People's Assembly

North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament will hold its second meeting of this year Thursday amid stalled denuclearization talks.The Supreme People’s Assembly revises the North’s constitution and laws. It also sets basic policy principles, makes major personnel appointments and approves budget plans. As it is rare for the assembly to be held twice a year, attention is on what decisions will be made Thursday. The meeting comes after South Korea-US military drills, which Pyongyang ha

Aug. 28, 2019

3 European nations condemn North Korea's missile launches

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Three important US allies on Tuesday condemned the "repeated provocative launches" of ballistic missiles by North Korea, saying they violate UN Security Council resolutions banning any such activity. The United Kingdom, France and Germany issued a joint statement after a closed council briefing by UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo that they requested because of serious concerns at the series of missile launches in recent weeks by North Korea.The three European

Aug. 28, 2019