North Korea Watch 2013-2019

reply to post by Senduko
thanks, I was beginning to think no one was reading this thread, BTW this post makes 1400!!! I was going to post the same story just a different source www3.nhk.or.jp... but to confirm it here it is anyway from the link

N.Korea proposes high-level talks with US

North Korea has proposed unconditional high-level talks with the United States to ease tension on the Korean Peninsula.

The Korean Central News Agency quoted on Sunday the country's National Defense Commission as saying that the United States can decide a date and place for the talks.

It said the 2 sides will discuss a range of issues, but no preconditions should be attached in the proposed talks.

North Korea scrapped planned official talks with South Korea last week.

Pyongyang watchers say North Korea's leaders appear to prefer direct dialogue with the United States to talks with South Korea.

Jun. 16, 2013 - Updated 02:48 UTC

I agree, if SK will not talk peace maybe Obama will. US has all the fire power anyway. Why talk to the waiter when the chef is the one to talk to about the heat in the kitchen, and there been a lot of heat as of late.

No man, i'm still here, but noone is interested in handshaking and politics :p. lately its been very boring.

Its a bold move, because by going for the source they keep on top of the propaganda. If the big US refuses and you know they want to refuse. Then Kim has probable cause.

reply to post by Senduko
true true and what if the US does agree to peace but says no to nukes , Un would be left in a dilemma Un would be the one turning down peace in the face of peace over nukes , that China doe snot want on its front door step.

Now for the new news english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

S. Korea hints at trilateral FM talks with U.S., China at ASEAN forum
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is studying the possibility of holding trilateral talks with top diplomats from the United States and China on the sidelines of a regional security conference in Brunei later this month, a diplomatic source said Monday. Full story

Rival parties voice caution over N.K. dialogue offer
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's rival political parties expressed caution Monday over North Korea's recent proposal for high-level talks with the United States, saying the South should not be left out of the picture. Full story

S. Korea urges North's sincerity in denuclearization
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Monday that North Korea should show sincerity in its attitude and action on the denuclearization issue if it seeks high-level talks with the United States. Full story

N. Korean leader calls for drive to produce modern machines
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for "a dynamic drive" to produce modern machines during his visit to a machinery manufacturing plant, the North's state-run news agency said Monday. Full story

well that is all for now, till the next head line...

well so much for the US DPRK er Un talks www3.nhk.or.jp... from link

US: N.Korea must fulfill obligations before talks

The Chief of Staff to US President Barack Obama has said that North Korea must take actions that show its sincerity on denuclearization before any direct talks can be held between the two nations.

North Korea's state-run media quoted the country's National Defense Commission which on Sunday proposed high-level talks with the United States.

In response, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said in a US CBS television program on Sunday that before any such talks the North should live up to its obligations, including giving up its nuclear weapons program and abiding by non-proliferation principles.

He said the US will consider North Korea's future actions before reaching a decision on the talks.

McDonough said the North Korean government will no longer be able to talk its way out of the very significant sanctions, which are supported by Russia and more importantly, China.

The United States apparently underlined its position that North Korea should concede that its denuclearization should precede any future dialogue.

Jun. 16, 2013 - Updated 23:57 UTC

like that will happen any time soon.

reply to post by bekod


Can I say typical reply. If someone says let's talk about things, then you talk! You create dialog and assume you are in it for the longer term. If you're talking, you're not shooting.

Every one of these silly US moves just keeps me questioning why the US wants to push a fight with NK. Must be the money!

P

reply to post by pheonix358
you got it MIC plays a very big part of the world today, with out it GE Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and others would be belly up by now. Now for the new news of the day english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

N. Korea's chief nuclear envoy to visit China this week
BEIJING, June 17 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's chief nuclear envoy will visit Beijing this week for talks with senior Chinese officials, China's foreign ministry said Monday, a day after Pyongyang proposed high-level talks with Washington aimed at easing tensions and denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Full story
N. Korea slams U.S. for stirring nuclear arms race

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- Just one day after North Korea proposed high-level talks with the United States, the communist country on Monday criticized U.S. efforts to develop its own nuclear arsenal, saying it is triggering an international arms race. Full story
N. Korea-U.S. talks unlikely to take place: minister

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's unification minister said Monday that high-level talks between North Korea and the United States will probably not take place for the time being, citing the need by the North to show it is serious about its denuclearization obligations. Full story

S. Korea hints at trilateral FM talks with U.S., China at ASEAN forum
SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is studying the possibility of holding trilateral talks with top diplomats from the United States and China on the sidelines of a regional security conference in Brunei later this month, a diplomatic source said Monday. Full story

back soon with more.

Here is new news on DPRK SK and China. english.yonhapnews.co.kr... form the link

State arms procurer requests 11 tln won budget for next year
SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state arms procurement agency said Tuesday it has assigned 11.9 trillion won (US$10.5 billion) for its weapons acquisition plan next year to enhance missile and combat capability, an increase of 17 percent from this year's budget. Full story

Park, Xi expected to agree on denuclearization of N. Korea: FM
SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to adopt a joint declaration that includes the denuclearization of North Korea after their summit talks set for late this month, Seoul's top diplomat said Tuesday. Full story

Seoul envoy against resuming 'talks for talks' sake' with Pyongyang
SEOUL/BEIJING, June 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's chief nuclear envoy on Tuesday responded coolly to North Korea's proposal of high-level talks with the United States, saying there should not be "talks for talks' sake" with Pyongyang. Full story

S. Korea to boost manpower at diplomatic missions for N. Korean defectors
SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea plans to increase its manpower at its overseas diplomatic missions and strengthen cooperation with relevant countries to better protect North Korean defectors believed to be hiding in those nations, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. Full story

tonight's main topic China's view on Un's nukes english.yonhapnews.co.kr...

2013/06/18 13:45 KST
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Park, Xi expected to agree on denuclearization of N. Korea: FM
SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to adopt a joint declaration that includes the denuclearization of North Korea after their summit talks set for late this month, Seoul's top diplomat said Tuesday.

Asked whether the term "denuclearization" would be included into a joint statement following the planned Park-Xi summit in Beijing, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se told lawmakers during a parliamentary session, "We anticipate that."

If the word is included, it would demonstrate the new Chinese government's willingness to step up efforts to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program, Seoul officials have said.

"One of the top priorities among South Korea, the U.S. and China is the denuclearization of North Korea," Yun told lawmakers.

Park is scheduled to make a state visit to China late this month for her first summit with Xi since taking office in February.
After months of provocations, including a third nuclear test and bellicose threats against South Korea and the U.S., North Korea has appeared to shift to dialogue in recent weeks. Pyongyang had proposed talks with Seoul, but the proposed inter-Korean dialogue collapsed last week due to disputes over the seniority level of chief representatives.

On Sunday, North Korea issued a surprise overture of talks to the U.S., but insisted that there should be no preconditions if such a dialogue takes place -- terms Washington would never accept.

Officials in Seoul and Washington have skeptically reacted with the North's latest overture, saying Pyongyang must demonstrate its sincerity for talks through actions, not words.

Yun said that the U.S. is unlikely to accept the North's dialogue offer "given the contents of the North's proposal."

[email protected]
(END)

Now if this does become fact and not just speculation Un would need to rethink his stance and the DPRK's stance on nukes, China might go as far to say Un er DPRK can have Nuke power but not weapon's nor refine spent fuel rods, but then again... China might say no to all nukes, weapons and power plants.

China/ DPRK to have high-level talks www3.nhk.or.jp... form the link

N.Korea's vice foreign minister arrives in Beijing

A senior North Korean diplomat has arrived in Beijing for high-level talks with Chinese officials.

First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan flew into Beijing on Tuesday morning.

Kim is due to meet Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui on Wednesday. The North Korean diplomat is likely to be briefed on the outcome of the recent US-China summit.

Kim and Zhang may also exchange opinions about the future of the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program. It has been 4-and-a-half years since the talks were last held.

Kim has represented North Korea in previous six-party talks and also led negotiations with the United States.

Just last month, North Korea sent an envoy of its leader Kim Jong Un to Beijing. The current visit by the vice foreign minister is apparently aimed at showing the North's willingness to engage in dialogue with China, its main backer.

Pyongyang may also want to put pressure on the US to accept the North's proposal for high-level bilateral talks announced on Sunday.

Jun. 18, 2013 - Updated 03:45 UTC

wounder if we will be told of the out come of this meeting?

SK DC give DPRK er Un cold chill www.koreaherald.com... from the link

Seoul, Washington turn cold shoulder to N.K. overture



Published : 2013-06-17 20:25
Updated : 2013-06-17 20:30
North Korea’s surprise offer of dialogue with the U.S. on Sunday was met with a frosty reaction by Seoul and Washington, which both call on Pyongyang to prove sincerity with its actions before resuming talks.

Pyongyang proposed a high-level meeting with Washington to defuse military tensions and discuss a peace treaty and the U.S. campaign for a nuclear-free world.

The overture by the National Defense Commission, the potent governing body headed by leader Kim Jong-un, came less than a week after much-hyped inter-Korean talks fell apart due to disagreement over who would lead the delegations.
President Park Geun-hye (Chung Hee-cho/The Korea Herald) and U.S. President Barack Obama (Yonhap News)

President Park Geun-hye on Monday expressed her misgivings about the North’s intention during her telephone conversation with U.S. President Barack Obama.

“Having talks for the sake of talks only earns North Korea time to make its nuclear weapons more sophisticated,” Park was quoted by her spokesperson Kim Haing as telling Obama during the 20-minute call.

Obama briefed Park on the outcome of his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Obama told Park that Xi expressed China’s commitment to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and promised not to recognize Pyongyang as a nuclear weapons state, according to the spokesperson.

Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae said he sees “little possibility” for talks between the North and the U.S.

While reaffirming no change in the delegates, he reiterated calls for dialogue with the communist neighbor to normalize the Gaeseong industrial complex.

“You don’t have to worry about (any talks excluding South Korea),” Ryoo said at a parliamentary session, adding that the allies continue to consult closely.

“We’re still urging a working-level meeting to ship out raw and subsidiary materials from Gaeseong.”

Washington also responded by expressing its openness to dialogue but said that Pyongyang must fulfill its international obligations such as U.N. Security Council resolutions banning its atomic activity.

“As we have made clear, our desire is to have credible negotiations with the North Koreans, but those talks must involve North Korea living up to its obligations to the world, including compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions, and ultimately result in denuclearization,” National Security Council spokesperson Caitlin Hayden said in a statement.

“We will judge North Korea by its actions and not its words and look forward to seeing steps that show North Korea is ready to abide by its commitments and obligations.”

Denis McDonough, U.S. President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, echoed the view, urging action before sugarcoated promises.

“The bottom line is they’re not going to be able to talk their way out of the very significant sanctions they’re under now ― sanctions that Russia supported and, very importantly, that China supported,” he told CBS on Sunday.

North Korea’s faster-than-expected peace offensive followed a flare-up in military tension involving threats of nuclear strikes and shows of force against South Korea and the U.S.

The regime codified its atomic-armed status last year and declared nuclear and economic development as the top two national priorities early this year, saying its nuclear programs are no longer up for negotiation.

In Sunday’s NDC statement, however, it called a denuclearization of the peninsula a “precept” of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, the two late autocrats and the incumbent ruler’s grandfather and father.

The intention behind the apparent shift of tack remains unclear but should reflect Beijing’s increasing pressure, Pyongyang’s own need for economic assistance and its strategic calculations given the forthcoming South Korea-China summit, officials and analysts say.

Kim Kye-gwan, North Korea’s vice foreign minister and chief nuclear envoy, will hold a “strategic dialogue” with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui on Wednesday in Beijing, according to China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying Monday.

Late last month, Kim Jong-un sent Choe Ryong-hae, director of the General Political Bureau of the (North) Korean People’s Army, to China where he expressed the regime’s willingness to engage in dialogue.

In their first meeting early this month, Obama and Xi reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of the North, which may well top the agenda for the summit between Park and Xi.

“Since May, the North has been highlighting its efforts to overcome economic difficulties through the leadership’s public events and by drumming up the people’s participation and adopting economic legislation at home,” the Unification Ministry said in its analysis released Monday.

“Outside, with Choe’s trip to Beijing being as a momentum, it has been seeking a turnaround in the situation from a tactical aspect.”

By Shin Hyon-hee ([email protected])

well their learning fast as to the game Un and the DPRK play from the article above

“We will judge North Korea by its actions and not its words and look forward to seeing steps that show North Korea is ready to abide by its commitments and obligations.”

its about time

reply to post by bekod


Man this is never going to go anywhere - ever. They see it as "if you can have it so can I" and as taking away power. I know its not a good solution since NK is unstable but to give just a little maybe agree to let them inspect weapons to see what they have. I'm assuming they haven't done this. And with South Korea having nuks NK will never surrender these. While I don't like NK having these, this isn't negotiating in my opinion.

reply to post by Dianec
I have to ask where do you get the Idea SK has nukes? US does not nor does SK have nukes there, we er US pulled them all out, there was the idea to bring them back as early as 2011 38north.org... the last idea was a month or so ago[in this thread some place] If you have proof of SK having them please post it Edit time line update seems the first time the thought of bring back the nukes in South Korea was in Feb this year www.rjkoehler.com... proof of no nukes there :from the link

Kim Jong-dae, the editor-in-chief of progressive military affairs journal Defense 21, also told Media Today that not only does the United States not have nuclear weapons to place in South Korea, but it disassembled all its tactical nukes everywhere in the 1990s because it was already widely accepted that battlefield nukes were useless. Moreover, it would be risky and politically burdensome for the United States to redeploy tactical nukes to the South, so why would they?

Kim said the North Korean nuclear test is a question of nuclear proliferation, and the United States is looking to prevent nuclear proliferation, so placing nukes in South Korea would create a contradiction. It’s a mistake to believe the United States will do anything South Korea asks just because it’s an ally.

Why in the world would SK or the US give Un the reason he needs to have a war?? this just odes not make any sense. Let alone China havering a reason to say yes when they are against Un have them.

good day to all here is the news updates, there was nothing new till to day, english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

N. Korea threatens to punish defectors who slander leader, regime
SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's security agency on Wednesday threatened to punish defectors for slander after a defector-run news site claimed the North has been spreading Nazi ideology to its people. Full story

Politicians, religious leaders call for Seoul's cooperation with North
SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- A group of top South Korean politicians and religious leaders from both liberal and conservative sides called on the government Wednesday to closely cooperate with North Korea to bring forth unification and peace on the Korean Peninsula. Full story

N. Korea, China hold strategic talks in Beijing
BEIJING, June 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's top nuclear envoy held strategic talks with senior Chinese officials on Wednesday, in a meeting that was expected to focus on the North's nuclear weapons program and bilateral ties. Full story

S. Korea mulls bilateral talks with Japan at ASEAN forum in Brunei
SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se has been considering holding a one-on-one meeting with his Japanese counterpart on the sidelines of a regional security conference in Brunei early next month, a diplomatic source said Wednesday. Full story

Today's focus is on the N. Korea, China strategic talks in Beijing english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

2013/06/19 16:33 KST
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N. Korea, China hold strategic talks in Beijing
BEIJING, June 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's top nuclear envoy held strategic talks with senior Chinese officials on Wednesday, in a meeting that was expected to focus on the North's nuclear weapons program and bilateral ties.

Kim Kye-gwan, the North's veteran nuclear negotiator and first vice foreign minister, began a "strategic dialogue" with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui.

China has expressed frustration against its wayward ally North Korea, supporting tightened U.N. sanctions to punish the North for conducting its third nuclear test in February.

The Beijing meeting between Kim and Zhang came after the North's proposal of talks with the U.S. was met with a cool response from Washington and Seoul, which called for Pyongyang to demonstrate its sincerity for talks through actions, not words.

After months of provocations, including the February nuclear test and bellicose threats against South Korea and the U.S., North Korea has appeared to shift to dialogue in recent weeks. Pyongyang had proposed talks with Seoul, but the proposed inter-Korean dialogue collapsed last week due to a difference over the seniority level of chief representatives.

On Sunday, North Korea issued a surprise overture of talks to the U.S. but insisted that there should be no preconditions if such a dialogue takes place -- a condition Washington has said it would never accept.

In Washington on Wednesday (Washington time), chief nuclear negotiators from South Korea, the U.S. and Japan will hold a trilateral meeting to coordinate their joint approach toward North Korea, the U.S. State Department said.

The six-party talks aimed at persuading the North to give up its nuclear ambitions have been stalled since late 2008. The multilateral forum involved the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan.

South Korea and the U.S. have stressed that North Korea must comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions and abide by international obligations for the resumption of the six-party talks.

(END)

thus leaves the question will China give in and say Un er DPRK can keep the nukes? or be forced to give them up? ok maybe not forced but persuaded to give them up?

here is tonight's new news updates english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Park calls for 'common sense' in relations with North Korea
SEOUL, June 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Thursday she will stick to principles in dealing with North Korea in order to transform relations with the communist nation in a way that is in line with "common sense and international standards." "South-North relations are at a very important juncture right now. How we do at this point would affect not only the fate of the Korean Peninsula, but also those of Northeast Asia and the world," Park said during a meeting with members of the National Unification Advisory Council. Full story

U.N. to discuss further sanctions against N. Korea in July
UNITED NATIONS, June 19 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. committee on sanctioning North Korea plans to discuss as early as next month whether to impose further penalties against North Korea for carrying out its third nuclear test in February, sources with direct knowledge of the committee said Wednesday. Full story

S. Korean nuclear envoy sets tougher conditions for talks with N. Korea
WASHINGTON, June 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top nuclear envoy laid out tougher conditions on Wednesday for any talks with North Korea, saying Pyongyang must meet "stronger requirements" than those it had agreed upon with the U.S. in February last year. Full story

N. Korea threatens to punish defectors who slander leader, regime
SEOUL, June 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's security agency on Wednesday threatened to punish defectors for slander after a defector-run news site claimed the North has been spreading Nazi ideology to its people. Full story

well of to see what China has to say.

and this is what Chian said www.koreaherald.com... from the link

N. Korea holds talks with China ahead of Park-Xi summit



Published : 2013-06-19 20:30
Updated : 2013-06-19 20:30
Ranking officials of North Korea and China on Wednesday held strategic talks on peninsula tension and Pyongyang’s nuclear programs.

The meeting came shortly after Pyongyang proposed high-level talks with Washington and ahead of the first summit between South Korea and China in Beijing next week.

The meeting was held by North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan and his Chinese counterpart Zhang Yesui. Kim’s trip to the Chinese capital is the first since February last year when he met with Glyn Davies, the U.S. chief nuclear negotiator, in the run-up to a now-defunct aid-for-nuclear freeze deal.
North Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan (right) waves as he arrives at the Capital airport in Beijing, China. (AP-Yonhap News)

With stability being its top concern in the region, China has been upping pressure on its defiant ally to cease saber-rattling and return to the long-dormant six-nation forum aimed at denuclearizing North Korea.

For Pyongyang, Beijing’s political and economic sponsorship remains critical ― more so given China’s recent support for tighter U.N. sanctions against North Korea and their lackluster joint industrial projects in border regions.

But the talks could hit a snag due to their stark differences over the denuclearization issue.

At their first meeting earlier this month, Presidents Xi Jinping and Barack Obama reaffirmed the commitment to the denuclearization of the peninsula, which may well top the agenda for Xi’s summit with President Park Geun-hye at the end of this month.

Beijing has also cut off dealings with Pyongyang’s Foreign Trade Bank accused by Washington of being “directly tied to” nuclear activities.

North Korea, in contrast, codified its atomic-armed status last year and said early this year that nuclear development was one of the top national priorities and thus no longer up for negotiation.

In an apparent attempt at reconciliation, Pyongyang last Sunday called denuclearization a “precept” of its two late autocrats and offered Washington talks to discuss Obama’s drive for a nuclear-free world.

But the overture was met with demands that Pyongyang prove sincerity toward dialogue with action.

“Though North Korea has recently talked about denuclearization, what’s important is substantive denuclearization, not the resumption of dialogue,” said Cho Tae-yong, Seoul’s special representative for Korean Peninsular peace and security affairs, as he arrived in Washington.

His three-day stay is for talks with the chief nuclear negotiators from Washington and Tokyo to step up policy coordination and cooperation. They are Davies, U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, and Shinsuke Sugiyama, director-general of Japan’s Asian and Oceanian affairs.

On the way back, Cho is scheduled to stop at Beijing to meet with officials including Wu Dawei, China’s special representative for Korean peninsular affairs.

“The trilateral consultations have taken place all the while, during which they fine-tuned their views. Given various activities surrounding North Korea, I think they are in the right circumstances to meet,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Tai-young told reporters on Tuesday.

By Shin Hyon-hee ([email protected])

now to get the rest of the story and here it is www.xinhuanet.com... from the link of news.xinhuanet.com...

China, DPRK hold strategic dialogue
[RSS] [Feedback] [Print] [Copy URL] [Large image] [More] English.news.cn | 2013-06-19 23:47:20 | Editor: Mu Xuequan

BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) - Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui said on Wednesday that denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula conforms to the interests of all concerned parties.

Zhang made the comments at a strategic dialogue between foreign ministries of China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which he co-chaired with his DPRK counterpart Kim Kye Gwan in Beijing.

Zhang said China attaches great importance to bilateral relations and is ready to work with the DPRK to promote the long-term, sound and stable development of these relations.

He said it is in the interests of all parties concerned to realize denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, safeguard its peace and stability and resolve relevant issues through dialogue and consultation.

China supports dialogues among parties concerned and hopes to resume the six-party talks at an early date, he said.

Kim said the DPRK values the bilateral friendship and is willing to work with China to advance friendly cooperation.

It is the wish of the deceased DPRK leader Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il to realize denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, he said.

The DPRK is willing to hold dialogues with all related parties, he said, adding that the country is also ready to join in any form of talks, including the six-party talks, in order to resolve the nuclear issue through peaceful negotiations.
Key Words : DPRK

but before we get our hopes up

there is this english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

2013/06/20 10:28 KST
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U.N. to discuss further sanctions against N. Korea in July
UNITED NATIONS, June 19 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. committee on sanctioning North Korea plans to discuss as early as next month whether to impose further penalties against North Korea for carrying out its third nuclear test in February, sources with direct knowledge of the committee said Wednesday.

During a meeting, the North Korean sanctions committee chaired by Luxembourg's Ambassador Sylvie Lucas put forth reports on its activities with regard to its latest sanctions and recommended blacklisting four more North Korean institutions and eight individuals, according to the sources.

The four candidate entities for the blacklist are the North's newly created Ministry of Atomic Energy Industry, the Munitions Industry Department of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party, the State Space Development Bureau, and Hesong Trading Corp.

The individuals include the atomic energy industry minister, four senior officials at the Munitions Industry Department, two officials of the space development bureau and an official of the trading company, the sources said.

The committee also aims to blacklist three non-Koreans -- Aleksandr Viktorovich Zykov from Kazakhstan, and two citizens of Ukraine, Iurii Lunov and Igor Karev-Popov -- for being involved in North Korea-related arms deals, they added.

Part of the recommendations echo those from the report drawn by its monitoring group last month, which called for sanctioning a total of 15 North Korean entities and individuals, along with the three from Eastern Europe.

"Member states are scheduled to begin discussions around July on whether to put more North Korean institutions and individuals on the sanctioning list," a source familiar with the issue said, adding it will be "up to the council whether it follows the recommendations."

"The committee encouraged not only 15 security council members but all U.N. member states to actively and voluntarily implement those measures against North Korea to make them more effective," another source said.

In March, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2094 to punish Pyongyang for its underground nuclear test on Feb 12, calling for the international community to toughen sanctions on the communist country and blacklisted 19 North-based firms and 12 figures.

Under the resolution, U.N. member states are required to put tighter restrictions on North Korea's financial activities and conduct thorough inspections of air and sea cargo headed to the country.
In protest of the fresh international sanctions and the annual South Korea-U.S. military exercises, Pyongyang ratcheted up tensions with near-daily war threats and by withdrawing all of its workers from the inter-Korean industrial park in its border city of Kaesong.

(END)

wounder what the reaction will be tomorrow

and just when you think the talks will resume thanks to Chian and Un, whose finally come to his senses this makes the head lines Seoul, Washington, Tokyo up the anti for talks with N.K. www.koreaherald.com... from the link

Seoul, Washington, Tokyo raise standard for talks with N.K.



Published : 2013-06-20 20:33
Updated : 2013-06-20 20:33
South Korea, the U.S. and Japan on Thursday called on North Korea to demonstrate its sincerity toward dialogue with denuclearization measures before returning to the negotiating table.

Kim Kye-gwan, North Korea’s vice foreign minister in charge of nuclear bargaining, reiterated a willingness to break the standoff through “various forums including the six-party talks” at a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Zhang Yesui on Wednesday in Beijing.

But Cho Tae-yong, Seoul’s top nuclear negotiator, stressed the need for “stronger obligations” on Pyongyang for any resumption of talks than what was agreed in its deal with Washington last year.

On Feb. 29, 2012, the North agreed to put a moratorium on its nuclear enrichment program, cease atomic and missile tests and allow IAEA inspectors in exchange for 240,000 tons of food aid.
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies (center) hosts Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Shinsuke Sugiyama (left) and South Korea’s Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Cho Tae-yong, for a trilateral meeting at the State Department in Washington, Wednesday to exchange views on a wide range of issues related to North Korea. (Yonhap News)

But the so-called Leap Day Deal, sealed between Kim and Glyn Davies, U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, fell apart about a month later with the communist state’s test of a long-range missile.

“Dialogue for the sake of dialogue means nothing. If dialogue doesn’t lead to substantive progress, future talks will become more difficult,” Cho told reporters in Washington.

Cho, special representative for Korean Peninsular peace and security affairs at the Foreign Ministry, dismissed the North’s surprise offer last Sunday of a high-level meeting with the U.S. to discuss its campaign for a nuclear-free world.

“It seems to refer to the denuclearization of not just the Korean Peninsula but also the entire outside world, which would make our denuclearization talks difficult,” he added.

His remarks came after a trilateral consultation with Davies and Shinsuke Sugiyama, director-general of Japan’s Asian and Oceanian affairs.

The three envoys reaffirmed their commitment to the six-nation forum’s Sept. 19, 2005 joint statement including its “core goal of the verifiable denuclearization” of the peninsula.

After Pyongyang withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003, the talks were initiated also with China and Russia with the aim of disarming the unruly state. The talks have been inactive since late 2008.

“We agreed a path is open for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea toward improved relations with the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea if the DPRK takes meaningful steps on denuclearization; we will judge the DPRK by its actions, not its words,” they said in a statement released by the U.S. State Department.

Kim’s remarks are the latest in a series of North Korean overtures that apparently reflect its political and economic concerns and mounting pressure from China, its biggest ally and patron. Cho is also scheduled to visit Beijing on Thursday.

Choe Ryong-hae, director of the General Political Bureau of the (North) Korean People’s Army, also traveled to Beijing late last month as leader Kim Jong-un’s special envoy and signaled his intention for dialogue.

Seoul and Washington, however, remained steadfast in their demand for Pyongyang to prove the regime was ready to engage in “credible negotiations.”

“Many countries including us have been requesting North Korea to demonstrate its sincerity not by words but by action, which is necessary for meaningful talks given North Korea’s provocations all the while,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Tai-young told a news briefing on Thursday.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said Wednesday: “There are steps that North Korea needs to take, including credible denuclearization, abiding by their international obligations and by the 2005 joint statement. And certainly we’re not for talks for talks.”

By Shin Hyon-hee ([email protected])

top headline new news english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

274 more Koreans confirmed abducted by N. Korea
SEOUL, June 21 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government decided to add 274 more people, including the vice chief of the Korean Provisional Government during the Japanese colonial era, to its official list of abductees by North Korea during the 1950-35 Korean War, the commission appointed to the issue said Friday. Full story

Only 9 U.N. members submitted implementation report for latest sanction against N. Korea
SEOUL, June 21 (Yonhap) -- Only nine countries have submitted the required reports on their implementation of the latest United Nations (U.N.) sanction against North Korea's nuclear activities, according to the international organization's website. Full story

U.S. point man on East Asia vows nuke-free Korean Peninsula drive
WASHINGTON, June 20 (Yonhap) -- Daniel Russel, the nominee to become the United States' point man on East Asia, said Thursday he will actively pursue "the verifiable denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula. Full story

N. Korea to hold press conference at U.N. over 'situation on Korean Peninsula'
NEW YORK, June 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea will hold a press conference in the United Nations headquarters in New York over current political situations on the Korean Peninsula, its country's representatives to the U.N. said Thursday. Full story

as you can see to many to post in full or to comment on so the one to have as the topic is

N. Korea to hold press conference at U.N. over 'situation on Korean Peninsula'
NEW YORK, June 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea will hold a press conference in the United Nations headquarters in New York over current political situations on the Korean Peninsula, its country's representatives to the U.N. said Thursday. Full story

and here it is, linky english.yonhapnews.co.kr...

2013/06/21 10:36 KST
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N. Korea to hold press conference at U.N. over 'situation on Korean Peninsula'
NEW YORK, June 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea will hold a press conference in the United Nations headquarters in New York over current political situations on the Korean Peninsula, its country's representatives to the U.N. said Thursday.

It said Pyongyang's envoy to the U.N., Sin Son-ho, will hold the news conference at 11:00 a.m. on Friday (local time) to elaborate on the "situation on the Korea Peninsula," they said.

"North Korea unexpectedly applied to hold a press conference," U.N. sources said, adding it's unclear what the country is planning to say in the press meeting.

Other sources said the country may express its stance over the country's current moves to open denuclearization talks with neighboring countries.

The planned news conference marks North Korea's first press meeting at the U.N. in three years since it held one in 2010 following the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship. The sinking is internationally believed to have been caused by a North Korean torpedo.

The plan comes as the North is increasing efforts to resume dialogue with South Korea, the U.S. and other neighbors to allay years of tensions over its nuclear activities.

Earlier this month, the North proposed holding a high-level dialogue with the South. As the efforts fell through, the country suggested a similar offer to the U.S. But the U.S. has shown little interest in the offer.

North Korea's top envoy is visiting China in what appears to be the country's efforts to secure Chinese support for its moves to mend ties with neighbors.

The U.N. committee on sanctioning North Korea plans to discuss as early as next month whether to impose further penalties against North Korea for carrying out its third nuclear test in February.

[email protected]
(END)

lets see if there is one before commenting on it.

new news of the day... so far, english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Rate of child malnutrition still at serious level in N. Korea:
SEOUL, June 21 (Yonhap) -- The rate of malnutrition among North Korean children still remains at a serious level, although it has improved from the level seen in the late 1990's, a local health expert said Friday. Full story

Nuclear envoys from S. Korea, China to hold talks in Beijing
BEIJING, June 21 (Yonhap) -- The chief nuclear envoys from South Korea and China are set to meet on Friday, as North Korea expressed its willingness to rejoin talks to resolve its nuclear standoff. Full story

Gov't stresses working-level talks to resolve Kaesong complex standoff still valid
SEOUL, June 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's government said Friday that despite the cancellation of high-level talks to tackle larger outstanding issues, it still considers the proposal for discussions with North Korea to resolve the Kaesong complex as being valid. Full story

N. Korea blames U.S. for outbreak of Korean War
SEOUL, June 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea stepped up efforts Friday to blame the United States for the outbreak of the Korean conflict with the 63rd anniversary of the start of hostilities just around the corner. Full story

but wait, there is more

bulet LATEST NEWS more
(URGENT) N. Korea's U.N. envoy claims his nation has no human rights problems 06-22 01:05
N. Korea welcomes any nuke talks: top envoy 06-22 01:04
(URGENT) War possible in Korea at any time if U.S. nuclear threats continue: NK envoy 06-22 01:02
(URGENT) Both South and North Korea need denuclearization: N. Korean envoy 06-22 00:59
N. Korean envoy calls for peace mechanism in Korea 06-22 00:59
(URGENT) N. Korea's envoy to the U.N. calls for new mechanism to replace Korean armistice 06-22 00:48

tonight's news english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Large number of S. Koreans do not know when the Korean War broke out: poll
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) - A large number of South Koreans do not know when the Korean War (1950-53) broke out, reflecting the overall lack of interest about a conflict that defines inter-Korean relations to this day, a nationwide survey carried out by the government showed Sunday. Full story

N. Korea blames U.S. for worsening conditions on Korean Peninsula
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Sunday stepped up its efforts to blame the United States for what it perceives as worsening conditions on the Korean Peninsula. Full story

N. Korea denuclearization talks gain speed among six-party member countries: sources
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- International efforts to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons are gaining speed as countries committed to the denuclearization process in the past get ready for fresh rounds of negotiations following Pyongyang's latest talks overtures, diplomatic sources said Sunday. Full story

N. Korea's vice foreign minister returns home after visit to China
SEOUL, June 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's vice foreign minister returned home Saturday, the North's state media reported, following a trip to China that raised hopes for a possible resumption of six-party talks aimed at ending the North's nuclear programs. Full story

nothing else worth posting

Ha da conversation with a friend that is a looker here, not a member and asked me why ,[ he does know my posting name] I keep post on this subject [to him it is a dead issue] and I said time will tell for there could be war there any time any day, for we the US SK are dealing with nut jobs and psychopaths [ he said BS and I was over reacting]

well I am not the only one that thinks that way?
Case in point how can one ask for peace, but at the same time threaten war english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

2013/06/22 01:36 KST
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N. Korea issues war threats plus dialogue offer
NEW YORK, June 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Friday issued war threats again, coupled with a repeated call for dialogue with the U.S., this time through its mission to the United Nations.

North Korea's U.N. Ambassador Sin Son-ho said another military conflict is possible at any time as long as U.S. hostilities continue. The communist nation often takes issue with what it calls U.S. hostile policy, apparently referring to economic sanctions and American troops stationed in South Korea.

i'll let you make the call