When North Korea’s late leader Kim Jong-il met with his South Korean counterparts during the previous two summits in 2000 and 2007, the events were shrouded in secrecy as they took place at the reclusive state’s capital, Pyongyang. The upcoming third inter-Korean summit, however, could be quite different. Not only is the summit to be held on South Korean territory at the truce village of Panmunjeom, the event will be broadcast live and relayed to the public online. Following a series of prepara

North Korea April 22, 2018

Diplomats and scholars gather Tuesday to discuss the prospects of the inter-Korean summit at the Kuwait Embassy in Seoul. Phoot: Corea Image Communication InstituteHosted by Corea Image Communication Institute, the talk was attended by Kuwaiti Ambassador Bader Mohammad al-Awadi, Singaporean Ambassador Yip Wei Kiat and Latvian Ambassador Peteris Vaivars, among others. Cha Du Hyeogn, a visiting research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, delivered the lecture. Phoot: Corea Image Comm

North Korea April 20, 2018

With the upcoming inter-Korean summit raising expectations for a diplomatic breakthrough on the Korean Peninsula, security scholars and diplomats here gathered Thursday to discuss the summit’s implications and prospects for the security climate at the Herald Security Forum 2018 organized by The Korea Herald.Under the title of “Korean Peninsula at crossroads,” the panelists shared their views on how the summit would change the inter-Korean relations and whether it would lead to denuclearization o

North Korea April 19, 2018

In July 1953, near the end of the Korean War, the United States, North Korea and China sat down to hammer out an agreement that would bring a halt to the three years of violent conflict on the Korean Peninsula. Through the armistice agreement, the participants agreed to ensure cessation of hostilities and all acts of armed force until a peaceful settlement was achieved. South Korea was not a direct signatory to the agreement as President Rhee Syngman refused to sign it. Boosted by the prospects

North Korea April 19, 2018

With the United States and its allies conducting airstrikes on Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons on civilians, speculation has emerged over how the surprise attack may impact the outcome of the historic summit between North Korea and the US. 　Some suggest that the attack on Syria could give more leverage to US President Donald Trump by sending a strong message to Pyongyang, while others predict that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may use it as an excuse to justify the country’s pos

North Korea April 16, 2018

　South Korea’s national security adviser Chung Eui-yong returned home Friday after wrapping up his first meeting with US counterpart John Bolton, describing it as “conducive” amid preparations for separate US and South Korean summits with North Korea. 　During a meeting with reporters at Incheon Airport, Chung said he and Bolton reaffirmed that there is “no difference” between Seoul and Washington in achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and making the upcoming summits a success. 　“I

North Korea April 13, 2018

　South Korea’s Defense Minister is scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates next week in a bid to boost bilateral ties in the military procurement following the summit last month, Seoul’s Defense Ministry said Thursday. 　The Ministry of National Defense confirmed that Defense Minister Song Young-moo will visit the UAE April 15- April 18. The trip is aimed at following up on the agreement made during President Moon Jae-in’s recent visit to the UAE, where the two sides agreed to move the bilate

Defense April 12, 2018

 　Research institute 38 North announced that it would continue delivering analysis on North Korea despite the imminent closure of its parent institution following the South Korean government’s decision to terminate its funding.　In a statement posted Wednesday on its website, 38 North founder Joel Wit said the research institute would continue its operations even after the planned closure of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.  　“Without commenting on

North Korea April 11, 2018

With US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un officially announcing their first meeting, the focus is now on where would be the ideal place to convene the historic summit to resolve the decades-old nuclear crisis. 　In a cabinet meeting on Monday in Washington, Trump said he plans to meet Kim next month or in early June to discuss the denuclearization of North Korea. The North’s state-run media reported Tuesday that Kim made the first official mention of the summit during his

North Korea April 10, 2018

　South Korea’s presidential office said on Sunday it is not considering dismissing the head of the country’s financial watchdog amid the criticism that Financial Supervisory Service chief Kim Ki-sik spent taxpayer money on his business trip abroad while serving as a lawmaker three years ago. 　Cheong Wa Dae also denied the allegation it exercised influence over the Korea Institute for International Economics‘ termination of funding for the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Kim was o

Politics April 8, 2018

 　The United States and North Korea have kicked off their working-level discussions for their first summit amid speculation that the two countries’ spy chiefs are leading diplomatic efforts to resolve the decadesold nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. 　Citing several officials from the Trump administration, CNN reported Saturday that the United States and North Korea have been holding secret, direct talks using intelligence backchannels between the two countries’ top intelligence agencies. 　L

North Korea April 8, 2018

In March 2010, the South Korean Navy ship Cheonan sank in the West Sea just south of the de facto maritime border with North Korea near Baengnyeong Island. Of the 104 South Korean sailors on board, 46 were killed or remain missing. 　A multinational investigation team led by the South Korean military later concluded that the warship was sunk by a North Korean torpedo fired from a midget submarine. North Korea denied its involvement while controversy over the cause of the sinking roiled South Kore

North Korea April 5, 2018

　Ever since North Korea rattled the international community with nuclear and missile programs in the late 1990s, there have been two competing approaches to addressing Pyongyang’s relentless pursuit of nuclear ambition: incremental implementation and comprehensive denuclearization. 　While the previous negotiations took an “incremental approach” in which North Korea made limited nuclear concessions in return for limited benefits from the US, the Trump administration denounces it as a delaying tac

North Korea April 3, 2018

　South Korea and China on Friday agreed to bolster bilateral economic and environmental ties amid lingering concerns the latest China-North Korea summit could complicate the upcoming inter-Korean and US-North Korea summits. 　During his meeting with President Moon Jae-in, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi pledged to work with South Korea in addressing health threats posed by fine dust after a rare acknowledgement that the issue is attributed to air pollution from China. 　The Chinese official al

North Korea March 30, 2018

　North Korea had floated the idea to the United States of building a neutral state on the Korean Peninsula when the communist state witnessed the late 1980s detente that led to the collapse of the Cold War, according to South Korea‘s diplomatic document revealed Friday. 　Released to the public by the Foreign Ministry, the document said North Korea asked former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev to deliver such proposals to then-US President Ronald Reagan during their summit in 1987.  　Titl

North Korea March 30, 2018