Pompeo: US-N. Korea summit to happen 'shortly after first of year'

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Saturday that he expects a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to take place "shortly after the first of the year."Pompeo also said in an interview with CNN that the US is seeking a "substantive next step" in the denuclearization talks with the North and that the Trump administration will not prematurely lift sanctions on Pyongyang. (Yonhap)The interview took place after Trump held a one-on-one meet

Dec. 2, 2018

In first reported activity in 13 days, NK leader inspects fishery stations

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected fishery stations in the country's eastern coastal region in his first reported public activity in 13 days, according to the North's state media Saturday. Kim visited three fishery stations run by the Korean People's Army and carried out "field guidance" to facilities there, the Korean Central News Agency reported.The KCNA said Kim first visited the May 27 Fishery Station and was pleased that it caught more than 60,000 tons of fish in a short period o

Dec. 1, 2018

Moon-Trump summit sets stage for Kim's unprecedented trip to Seoul

Even when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un promised to visit Seoul about two months ago in his most recent summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, many still doubted such a high-profile trip would be possible, especially before the end of the year.But after Moon met U.S. President Donald Trump here on Friday, the only remaining question seems to be will the North Korean leader be up to it.In their bilateral summit held on the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting in Buenos Aires, Moon and

Dec. 1, 2018

N. Korea soldier defects to S. Korea: JCS

A North Korean soldier defected to South Korea across the eastern land border on Saturday, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.With its surveillance equipment, the South Korean military detected the soldier crossing the military demarcation line at 7:56 a.m., the JCS said."Related agencies plan to investigate him regarding the details of how he came to the South," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters, adding that there were no "special activities" from the North Korean army on the fro

Dec. 1, 2018

Moon calls for world support for nuclear-free Korea at G-20 summit

South Korean President Moon Jae-in called for international support for a peaceful, nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, which he emphasized as a key building block for global security and prosperity."Peace on the Korean Peninsula will be the foundation of peace in Northeast Asia and greatly contribute to global peace and stability," the South Korean leader said in a meeting of global leaders at the Group of 20 summit."With such a belief, I proposed forming an East Asian railway community in August, p

Dec. 1, 2018

Trump, Abe talk N. Korea at G-20

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed the issue of North Korea's nuclear weapons program as they met on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Argentina Friday, the White House said.Japan has sought to increase its voice in the diplomatic efforts to rid the North of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which pose a direct threat to the archipelago nation.And Abe has built a close relationship with Trump while tensions with South Korea have boiled ove

Dec. 1, 2018

Trump reaffirms second summit with Kim, welcomes Seoul visit of Kim

US President Donald Trump on Friday reaffirmed his commitment to a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, while apparently offering his blessing to Kim's scheduled trip to Seoul.In a bilateral summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the US president noted Kim's Seoul visit may create new momentum for efforts to denuclearize North Korea and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula."While affirming his commitment to holding a second North Korea-US summit early next year, Presid

Dec. 1, 2018

Koreas complete work on removing some guard posts, land mines in DMZ

South and North Korea completed the demolition of 10 front-line guard posts each and the demining of a ridge in the Demilitarized Zone Friday, Seoul's defense ministry said.They began the work in October as part of a military accord to reduce tensions and build trust, which their defense chiefs signed in September after the third summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang. (AP)"The work to completely destroy the guard posts, subject to the withdrawal ag

Nov. 30, 2018

Two Koreas launch joint study on inter-Korean railways

A South Korean train crossed into North Korea for the first time in a decade on Friday, as the two countries began an 18-day joint study on cross-border railways, the first step toward modernizing and connecting the Koreas’ railroads. A six-car South Korean train departed Seoul Station at around 9:05 a.m. for North Korea’s Panmun Station near the inter-Korean border to carry out the survey, which had been delayed due to US concerns over possible sanctions violations. (Yonhap)The train, which car

Nov. 30, 2018

S. Korea to push again for NK leader’s December visit

South Korea may once again push for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to Seoul in December.According to reports citing unnamed goverment sources, President Moon Jae-in may raise the issue with US President Donald Trump during their meeting in Buenos Aires, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.If Seoul gets Washington’s understanding on Kim’s visit, Moon will attempt to persuade Kim to visit Seoul this year, the report said. (Yonhap)According to related reports, Seoul and Pyongyang had agreed

Nov. 30, 2018

N. Korea stresses economic development amid impasse in nuclear talks

North Korea's main newspaper said Friday that the country will stick to its strategy of focusing on economic growth, despite the stalled progress of dismantling the regime's nuclear weapons program.In an editorial, the Rodong Sinmun said its policy to focus on economic construction is the most clear revolutionary path that reflects its people's orientation and demand for a new step in its development.  (Yonhap)"We should accelerate our push for revolution under the flag of self-reliance," it sai

Nov. 30, 2018

N. Korea's titular leader meets Venezuelan president

North Korea's titular leader has met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the South American country for discussions on bilateral relations, the North's state media reported Friday.Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, met the Venezuelan leader at the presidential palace of Venezuela on Tuesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Kim arrived in Caracas on Monday for an official visit. (Yonhap)"Opinions on the issues of developing the bilatera

Nov. 30, 2018

S. Korean train to travel to N. Korea to jointly inspect railways

A South Korean train departed for North Korea on Friday for an 18-day joint railway inspection that the Koreas are conducting as part of efforts to modernize, and eventually reconnect, rail lines across their border.The train, made up of six cars and carrying dozens of South Korean officials and experts, left Dorasan Station, just south of the inter-Korean border, around 9:05 a.m. for Panmun Station, near the North's border city of Kaesong.The train will be used to inspect 1,200 kilometers of ra

Nov. 30, 2018

Korea pushes to hold groundbreaking ceremony for railway, road

South Korea is sticking to the plan to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for inter-Korean railway and road connection projects this year as the two Koreas are to begin a joint inspection of the rail system in North Korea this week, a unification ministry official said Thursday. (Yonhap)After a monthslong delay, South and North Korea are set to launch an 18-day joint inspection of the western and eastern railways of the North on Friday. A South Korean train will leave for the North early in the day

Nov. 29, 2018

Koreas to complete destruction of 10 border guard posts each, demining work at DMZ ridge

The two Koreas will finish demolishing 10 guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone and demining a battle site in the buffer zone this week as part of their military accord to reduce tensions and build trust, Seoul's defense ministry said Thursday.The two tasks that began in October will end Friday, in an indication that the Koreas are committed to fulfilling the accord that their defense chiefs signed in September after the third summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong

Nov. 29, 2018

N. Korea downplays nuclear armament anniversary, refrains from criticizing US

North Korea on Thursday downplayed the first anniversary of what it claimed was the country's completion of its nuclear armament and refrained from criticism of the United States in an indication that Pyongyang doesn't want to break up the dialogue phase.Exactly one year ago, the North successfully test-fired the "Hwasong-15" intercontinental ballistic missile believed to be capable of striking anywhere in the United States and claimed the country completed the development of "the state nuclear

Nov. 29, 2018

UN chief reaffirms support for Korean peace process

The head of the United Nations told South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha that his organization will continue to support the denuclearization of the peninsula and the establishment of a peace regime, Kang's ministry said Thursday.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with Kang in New York on Wednesday (local time), as the minister made a stopover there on her way to Panama. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Yonhap)Kang briefed him on the security situation in Korea and requested

Nov. 29, 2018

S. Korea sends 50 tons of pesticides to NK to save pine trees

South Korea sent about 50 tons of pesticides to North Korea on Thursday to aid its fight against pine tree diseases, the Ministry of Unification said, amid signs of slow progress on stalled inter-Korean cooperation projects. Vehicles loaded with the chemicals crossed the military demarcation line, the de facto border bisecting the Korean Peninsula, via a western land route at around 8:30 a.m., a ministry official said. The materials were loaded at a parking lot in the North’s border town of Kaes

Nov. 29, 2018

Pompeo holds out hope for meeting with N. Korea

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that he is "very hopeful" for a new meeting with North Korean officials to discuss the denuclearization of the regime.Pompeo was slated to meet with Kim Yong-chol, a close aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in New York Nov. 8, but the plan was abruptly postponed over what the US called a scheduling conflict. (Yonhap)"I don't have anything to add on the sequence of events in North Korea. But I'm very hopeful we will have senior-

Nov. 29, 2018

Kim Jong-un's Seoul trip ultimately up to N. Korea: Seoul official

PRAGUE -- When and if North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will visit South Korea mostly depends on the North Korean leader himself, a ranking South Korean official said Wednesday, saying Seoul continues to hope for Kim's trip before the end of the year."We have consistently announced that we look forward to Chairman Kim Jong-un's visit to Seoul before the year's end," the official from Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said."North Korea, on the other hand, may have to consider many issues,"

Nov. 28, 2018