Pompeo says he expects talks with NK to resume in couple of weeks

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that he expects working-level talks with North Korea to resume in a couple of weeks despite the regime's missile launches earlier the same day.In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Pompeo downplayed the two short-range ballistic missile launches as a negotiating tactic."Everybody tries to get ready for negotiations and create leverage and create risk for the other side," Pompeo said."It will be in a couple of weeks, I anticipate

July 26, 2019

N. Korea says it fired new tactical guided weapon in 'warning' against Seoul

North Korea has fired its "new tactical guided weapon" under leader Kim Jong-un's guidance in a demonstration of power, state media reported Friday, a day after the communist state launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea.The firings were aimed at sending a "solemn warning" to "South Korean military warmongers" who are introducing "ultramodern offensive weapons into South Korea" and pushing to "hold (a) military exercise in defian

July 26, 2019

Seoul says N. Korea fired apparently new type of short-range ballistic missile

South Korea's top security officials expressed "strong regret" Thursday over the North Korea's firing of two projectiles that they believed to be a new type of short-range ballistic missile.  The North launched two missiles from its east coast early in the day, both of which flew hundreds of kilometers.South Korea's presidential National Security Council tentatively concluded that those were "a new kind of short-range ballistic missile," Cheong Wa Dae said in a press rel

July 25, 2019

North Korea boasts military strength ahead of South Korea-US military exercises

North Korea’s display of military might with short-range missile launches and a newly built submarine this week appears to be in protest of joint South Korea-US military exercises scheduled for next month. The North fired two short-range missiles Thursday from Hodo Peninsula on the east coast, which flew about 430 kilometers and 650 kilometers, respectively, before falling into the East Sea. On Tuesday, the North’s Korean Central News Agency said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

July 25, 2019

One of the missiles North Korea fired was new design - S. Korea official

At least one of the two missiles North Korea test fired on Thursday was a newly developed design and flew some 690 km (428 miles), an official at South Korea's defence ministry told Reuters.The other missile travelled about 430 km (267 miles) before coming down in the sea off North Korea's east coast, the official said, adding that a detailed analysis was being done to verify if the two missiles were the same model. (Reuters)

July 25, 2019

US, N. Korea in continued contact over working-level talks: envoy

The United States and North Korea have been in continued contact to resume working-level talks on dismantling the regime's nuclear weapons program, with Washington still waiting for Pyongyang's response on the time and venue, South Korea's ambassador to the US said Wednesday.The US and North Korea had been expected to hold working-level negotiations by mid-July in line with an agreement between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their impromptu meeting at the in

July 25, 2019

US aware of reports of NK short-range projectile launch: senior official

The United States is aware of reports that North Korea has launched a short-range projectile, a senior US government official said Wednesday, declining to comment further.Earlier, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North had fired two projectiles from near its east coast city of Wonsan on Thursday (Seoul time). The projectiles flew about 430 kilometers and landed in the East Sea, it said."We are aware of reports of a short-range projectile launched from North Korea," the offi

July 25, 2019

N. Korea fires 2 new short-range ballistic missiles: Seoul

North Korea on Thursday fired two new short-range ballistic missiles, Seoul officials said, in an apparent move to put pressure on the United States ahead of possible nuclear talks between the two sides.South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that Pyongyang fired one missile toward the East Sea at around 5:34 a.m. and the other at 5:57 a.m. from Hodo Peninsula near its eastern coastal town of Wonsan. They flew around 430 kilometers and 690 km, respectively, both at an altitude of around 50 km.&

July 25, 2019

Suspected North Korean spy currently under probe: report

Security officials and police are currently detaining and questioning a North Korean spy, CBS Nocut News reported Wednesday.The National Intelligence Service and National Police Agency last month arrested a North Korean man in his 40s on alleged spying here, according to the local new outlet.This marked the first case in thirteen years that a spy directly dispatched from Pyongyang was apprehended in South Korea. The arrested man is suspected of taking direct orders from North Kore

July 24, 2019

N. Korean airline to resume Pyongyang-Macau flights in August: report

North Korea's state-run airline, Air Koryo, will resume twice-weekly Pyongyang-Macau flights in August, a media report said Wednesday. Citing an official from Macau's Civil Aviation Authority, NK News, which tracks North Korean issues, reported that Macau approved the route between Pyongyang and Macau. Air Koryo operated a flight service between the two airports in the 1990s, according to the report. (Yonhap)

July 24, 2019

N. Korea rejects food aid over S. Korea-US military drills

South Korea hopes to deliver food aid to North Korea as initially planned, despite Pyongyang’s refusal to accept it in a show of the regime’s discontent with an upcoming joint military exercise with the US.The Unification Ministry said Wednesday that North Korea’s working-level officials have expressed “a negative view” toward South Korea’s assistance of 50,000 tons of rice, citing the joint military drills scheduled for next month.The World Food Program&rsquo

July 24, 2019

South Korean nationals aboard Russian ship detained by North Korea

North Korea has been holding a Russian fishing ship carrying two South Korean nationals since July 17, after the vessel drifted into waters off eastern North Korea due to a mechanical problem, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said Wednesday. The 300-ton red crab fishing vessel, Xiang Hai Lin 8, which sails under the flag of Russia, was apprehended at sea by North Korea authorities and moved to the port city of Wonsan after entering North by crossing the maritime border. The ship was headed to

July 24, 2019

Chinese nationals, company indicted in US over NK sanctions evasion

Four Chinese nationals and a Chinese company have been indicted on charges of helping North Korean entities involved in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the US Department of Justice said Tuesday.A federal grand jury in Newark, New Jersey, charged Chinese businesswoman Ma Xiaohong, her company, Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co. Ltd., and three of the company's top executives with violating sanctions and conspiring to defraud the US and launder money, the department sai

July 24, 2019

2 Koreas to discuss Japan’s wartime forced labor, sexual slavery in Manila

South and North Korea as well as other countries will discuss issues related to forced labor and sexual slavery by Japan at an international forum in Manila, the Philippines, this week, the organizers said Tuesday.The Gyeonggi Provincial Government and Asia Pacific Interchange Association will host the International Convention for Asia Pacific Peace and Prosperity in the Southeast Asian country from Thursday to Saturday.A six-member North Korean delegation, including Ri Jong-hyok, vice chairman

July 23, 2019

Huawei helped build NK’s wireless network: report

Huawei Technologies, which the US has blacklisted as a national security threat, has secretly helped North Korea build and maintain its commercial wireless network, the Washington Post reported Monday.As the report suggests the Chinese tech giant, which uses American technology in its components, may have violated US sanctions by providing equipment to North Korea, it could lead to Washington increasing pressure on Huawei and possibly affect US-China trade negotiations as well as US-North Korea

July 23, 2019

[News Focus] N. Korea taking time to strategize plans for nuclear talks with US: experts

North Korea seems to be agonizing over cherry-picking key negotiators and agenda items for its fresh nuclear talks with the US in order to avoid another setback following a no-deal summit in February, according to experts. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to form negotiation teams “in two to three weeks” and create a framework for denuclearization negotiations after a surprise meeting at Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas on

July 23, 2019

NK leader inspects new submarine to be deployed in East Sea: state media

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected a newly constructed submarine, calling for the development of naval armed forces to boost the country's military capabilities, Pyongyang's state media reported Tuesday.The inspection came less than a month after Kim and US President Donald Trump held a surprise meeting at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom and agreed to resume working-level talks on denuclearization. Accompanied by senior officials from the ruling party and the field of nat

July 23, 2019

Pompeo says he thinks NK was 'perplexed' by high priority of remains return

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday he thinks North Korea was "perplexed" by the high priority the United States placed on retrieving the remains of American troops from the North.Pompeo made the remark at a national convention of veterans in Orlando, Florida, as he spoke of the Trump administration's commitment to taking care of the American people."I remember sitting in the room negotiating with my counterpart. He's a former senior North Korean general, and I remember

July 23, 2019

Trump says there was 'very positive' correspondence recently with N. Korea

US President Donald Trump said Monday there was "very positive" correspondence recently with North Korea and that the two sides will meet for nuclear talks when the communist regime is ready.Trump's remark comes after he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held an impromptu meeting at the inter-Korean border on June 30 and agreed to resume working-level talks on the denuclearization of the regime.Asked by reporters if the talks have been scheduled, Trump said, "No, we just have a

July 23, 2019

NK leader takes part in nationwide local elections

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has cast his ballot in nationwide elections held over the weekend to choose new deputies to the country's local assemblies, Pyongyang's state media said Monday.Kim visited a polling station in South Hamgyong Province on Sunday and voted for candidates who are running for deputies in the area, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The North's local assemblies for provinces, cities and counties meet once or twice a year to decide on their budgets and other re

July 22, 2019