North Korea Watch 2013-2019

Update of the news english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

S. Korea hints at possible meeting with N. Korea at ASEAN forum
SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday raised the possibility of holding a bilateral meeting with North Korea on the sidelines of a regional security conference in Brunei early next week, a senior Seoul official said Monday. Full story

Inter-Korean trade comes to almost naught in May
SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- Trade between South and North Korea came to virtually zero in May after inter-Korean tensions led to the shutdown of the Kaesong Industrial Complex seen as the last symbol of bilateral economic cooperation, the government said Monday. Full story

China gives nod to more staff on U.N. committee on N. Korea sanctions: source
UNITED NATIONS, June 23 (Yonhap) -- China appears to have recently approved a plan by the U.N. sanctions committee on North Korea to increase the number of the committee's panel of experts to eight people from seven, a source said Sunday. Full story

70 pct of S. Korean students see N. Korea as biggest security threat: poll
SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- Seven out of 10 South Korean students see North Korea as the biggest threat to national security, with half of them feeling reunification of the Korean Peninsula is a necessity, a poll showed Monday. Full story

odd to see China giving UN nod for one more to say yes on sanctions against Un, er DPRK.

something of interest for our friends down Under english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

2013/06/24 17:04 KST
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S. Korea, Australia to hold 1st high-level security talks next week
SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- The foreign and defense ministers from South Korea and Australia will hold their first joint security dialogue in Seoul next week with North Korea expected to be high on the agenda, a Seoul official said Monday.

South Korea and Australia will hold the so-called "two-plus-two" meeting on July 4. The talks on security issues will bring together Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and their respective Australian counterparts Bob Carr and Stephen Smith.

They are scheduled to hold a joint press conference after their meeting on July 4, the official said.

"The Korea-Australia two-plus-two aims to build a closer partnership on bilateral and regional security," the official at Seoul's foreign ministry said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Australia and Japan have held their "two-plus-two" meetings since 2007, while South Korea and the U.S. held such talks for the first time in 2010.

Shortly after North Korea's third nuclear test in February, which the Australian foreign minister condemned, South Korea and Australia agreed to maintain close consultation on the North's provocations.

After months of high tension triggered by its February nuclear test and bellicose rhetoric, North Korea appears to be shifting its stance by offering dialogue to the South and U.S. in recent weeks.

Seoul and Washington have responded by saying that Pyongyang must first demonstrate its sincerity for denuclearization for any talks to resume.

[email protected]
(END)

Cranky , does Un nukes threaten the Rue's or does the Rue's just want KimChi?

here are some updates first one as if we care, and old news, been down for a week now N. Korean websites offline english.yonhapnews.co.kr... form the link

2013/06/25 12:04 KST
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N. Korean websites targeted by int'l hacking offline
SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- A number of North Korean websites and networks targeted by an international hacking group are offline, sources said Tuesday.

Internet monitors said the websites of the Korean Central News Agency, the Rodong Sinmun and portal Naenara were all out of service as of 11 a.m.

the top 4 of the day english.yonhapnews.co.kr... form the link

N. Korea calls for permanent peace arrangement
SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea called for a permanent peace arrangement to replace the cease fire armistice on Tuesday, which marks the 63rd anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War. Full story

N. Korea's rice production forecast to drop 5.6 pct this year
SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's rice production is likely to decrease 5.6 percent this year from a year earlier, a
United Nations food organization said Tuesday. Full story

Seoul urges Pyongyang to take path of 'peace, co-existence'
SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Prime Minister Chung Hong-won urged North Korea Tuesday to come out of isolation and enter the path to "co-prosperity and permanent peace" on the Korean Peninsula. Full story

Seoul mayor urges thorough probe into spy agency's campaign against him
SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon called Tuesday for a swift and thorough prosecution investigation into the intelligence agency's alleged illegal campaign against him and urged public institutions to stop intervening in politics. Full story

off to see if there is more news

Un is up to the old "look at this hand, pay no notice to the other hand"
www3.nhk.or.jp... as if this something new or unknown, from the link

UN: N.Korea continues to violate sanctions

The UN Security Council has released a report accusing North Korea of persistently violating UN sanctions to further its nuclear and missile programs.

The report by an experts' panel points out North Korea's pattern of abuse of official passports to obtain missile parts and technologies.

It says that in 2011, Ukrainian authorities arrested 2 men carrying official North Korean passports for attempting to steal classified information on missile technology.

The report also lists a number of cases in which the North breached an arms embargo.

South Korean authorities seized 10 tons of graphite cylinders in 2012 that were believed to have been made in North Korea.

The cylinders could be converted for use in ballistic missiles. They were found on a Chinese cargo ship at a port in Busan.

In another case the Thai government searched a North Korean passenger plane in 2009 and found 35 tons of rocket launchers and other arms, in cargo bound for Iran.

The UN report also refers to a large ballistic missile launch vehicle that the North showcased at its military parade in April last year.

It says Pyongyang imported the vehicle from a Chinese state-run firm on the pretext of transporting lumber, but then converted it to a mobile launch pad.

The experts' panel is urging the Security Council to blacklist North Korean officials and organizations involved in such cases.

Jun. 25, 2013 - Updated 02:48 UTC

and in other news www.koreaherald.com... from the link

S. Korea deploys anti-aircraft missiles against N. Korea



Published : 2013-06-25 11:52
Updated : 2013-06-25 11:57

South Korea has completed deployment of self-propelled air defense missiles in front-line barracks to deter North Korean threats, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said Tuesday.

The 30-mm anti-aircraft missile was indigenously developed by the Agency for Defense Development in 1999 and the Army's armored nits have been equipped with them since 2003.

The missiles are capable of conducting missions day and night and can counter airborne attacks by helicopters and fighter jets, the DAPA said.

The DAPA said it plans to modernize the missile to mount a long-range ballistic missile warhead to be able to hit distant targets. (Yonhap News)

well that's all for now till next time.

US letting SK take the lead www.koreaherald.com... from the link

U.S. letting S. Korea to lead diplomacy on N. Korea: Campbell



Published : 2013-06-25 09:42
Updated : 2013-06-25 09:42
The Barack Obama administration is expected to maintain its strategy of letting South Korea play a leading role in engaging North Korea through diplomacy, a former senior U.S. official said Monday.

Kurt Campbell, who served as assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific affairs until February, said this stance reflects a "clear and subtle change" in Washington's approach towards Korea.

"I think in the past the leading edge of diplomacy with North Korea was often the relationship between the U.S. and North Korea," he pointed out, meeting reporters separately at the Asan Washington Forum 2013 held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in the U.S. capital.

The two-day event opened earlier in the day to mark the 60th anniversary of the Seoul-Washington alliance.

Campbell said, "But I think now there's a recognition that it is critically important for South Korea to play a critical role and a leading role in the diplomacy even if North Korea bucks at that suggestion that we recognize that there must be a better relationship between the North and the South."

Pyongyang has often sought to talk directly with Washington, bypassing Seoul, in what is believed to be an effort to drive a wedge between the allies.

Earlier this month, the North proposed high-level talks with the U.S., an abrupt move coming on the heels of the last-minute cancellation of inter-Korean ministerial dialogue. The Obama government rejected the North's overtures, saying it should first take steps toward denuclearization to show it's serious about pursuing dialogue.

North Korea can't expect to have a good relationship with the U.S., or other nations, "over the heads of the South Korean people, the South Korean government," said Campbell.

On Pyongyang's ongoing peace offensive, he said, it is clearly attributable to "substantial pressure from China."

"I believe there are subtle changes in Chinese approach. It's not clear that they're fundamental but there are clear signals that North Korea is exhausting Chinese patience and that Pyongyang's provocations are viewed in Beijing as contrary to the strategic interest of China," Campbell said. (Yonhap News)

thought it was worth a read

well worth reading tonight , for there is hot new news, DPRK getting ready for an other nuke test , US folds cards on DPRK nukes, Ex US point man to lead think tank english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Tunneling work detected at N. Korea nuke test site: think tank
SEOUL, June 26 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has started new tunneling work at its nuclear test site, a U.S. think tank said Wednesday, citing recent satellite imagery. Full story

U.S. tacitly accepting N. Korea as nuclear state: Joel Wit
WASHINGTON, June 25 (Yonhap) -- The United States is apparently losing its game with North Korea as the Barack Obama administration, stuck in "Strategic Patience 2.0," is "skating dangerously close to accepting North Korea as a nuclear state," an expert said here Tuesday. Full story

Ex-U.S. point man on N. Korea to head think tank in D.C.
WASHINGTON, June 25 (Yonhap) -- Stephen Bosworth, former top U.S. negotiator on North Korea's nuclear program, will become the head of a Washington-based think tank on the Korean Peninsula, the institute announced Tuesday. Full story

N. Korean websites targeted by int'l hacking offline
SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- A number of North Korean websites and networks were offline Tuesday after an international hacking group warned of cyberattacks on the communist country, sources said. Full story

time to see what other new news

and for us that have been watching for the missiles to fly, there is an other attack going on Un mac working over time www3.nhk.or.jp... from the link

S.Korean government sites may have been hacked

The websites of various South Korean government bodies, including the presidential Blue House, have been hacked.

The attacks came on Tuesday, the anniversary of the start of the Korean War.

Following the attacks, the South Korean government issued a cyberattack alert warning officials and the public to take security measures. It is investigating the possibility of North Korea's involvement.

The presidential office in Seoul says its website was penetrated by hackers on Tuesday morning, with messages praising North Korean leader Kim Jong Un taking the place of normal content. The site was restored about 6 hours later.

Some other public and private sector websites, including those of the ruling Saenuri Party and the Chosun Ilbo newspaper, were also affected.

In March, a number of websites and servers at South Korean TV stations and financial institutions were hacked. The government later determined that North Korea was responsible.

Jun. 25, 2013 - Updated 08:05 UTC

and in other news

DPRK FM to attend www3.nhk.or.jp... from the link

N.Korea FM to attend ASEAN Regional Forum

North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun is expected to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum in Brunei on Wednesday next week.

Japan's Kyodo reported this in a dispatch from Singapore on Tuesday, quoting Brunei government sources.

A spokesman for South Korea's Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry Cho Tai-young, told reporters on Tuesday that Minister Yun Byung-se has no plans to separately meet Pak.

The ASEAN Forum is one of very few international conferences North Korea attends.

North Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister, Kim Kye Gwan, met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui in Beijing on Wednesday last week.

Kim told Zhang that Pyongyang is willing to talk to all sides and attend any kind of meeting, including the six-party talks on the country's nuclear development. The six-party talks have not been held since late 2008.

There is growing interest in what Pak says at next week's meeting and whether he will talk to other participants. Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and US Secretary of State John Kerry will both be there.

The 27 members the ASEAN Regional Forum include the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Japan, the United States, China, Russia, India, Australia and North and South Korea.

Jun. 25, 2013 - Updated 10:34 UTC

well that's is all for now

Un er DPRK made missile launchers from lumber trucks english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

2013/06/26 15:05 KST
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(LEAD) N. Korea 'deliberately breached' Chinese contract over missile vehicles: U.N. report
SEOUL, June 26 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. Security Council's sanctions committee on North Korea has concluded that Pyongyang appears to have "deliberately breached" a contract with a Chinese company by converting Chinese lumber transporters into missile launch transporters, according to a U.N. report on Wednesday.

The 16-wheel missile launch transporter was seen at North Korea's military parade in April last year, raising concerns that the vehicle's design and technology might have come from China. If so, it would be a violation of U.N. resolutions that ban member states from selling "all arms and related materials" to the North.

In its annual report, the Security Council's North Korea Sanctions Committee Panel of Experts said, citing a Chinese briefing to the committee in October last year, the Chinese company named Hubei Sanjiang Space Wanshan Special Vehicle Co. exported six lumber transporters to North Korea in 2011.

China told the committee that, "These vehicles had a substantive distinction from transporter-erector-launchers or missile transporters and could not be used for transporting or launching missiles," according to the annual report.

The North's Forestry Ministry Rim Mok General Trading Co. signed a contract to buy the six vehicles worth 30 million yuan (about US$4.9 million) from the Chinese company.

According to the contract, North Korea said the vehicles would be used for "transporting the timbers in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)."

Citing an image analysis conducted by the U.N. Institute for Training and Research Operational Satellite Applications Program, the North Korean missile vehicles and the Chinese vehicles named "WS51200" match in terms of their "fronts and sides, the fenders, the exhaust systems, fuel tanks and tires," the U.N. report showed.

"On the basis of the information currently available, the panel considers it most likely that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea deliberately breached the end user guarantee that it officially provided to Wuhan and converted the WS51200 trucks into transporter-erector-launchers," it said.

North Korea, which has conducted three nuclear tests since 2006, has been hit by a series of U.N. sanctions.

The U.N. panel said the U.N. sanctions have delayed the North's development of missile and nuclear arsenal.

"Overall, the panel believes that while the imposition of sanctions has not halted the development of nuclear and ballistic missile programs, it has in all likelihood considerably delayed the timetable of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, through the imposition of financial sanctions and the bans on the trade in weapons has choked off significant funding which would have been channeled into its prohibited activities," it said.

"In both its imports and exports, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea continues to use a variety of techniques to circumvent national controls, indicating that the imposition of sanctions has hampered its arms sales and illicit weapon programs."

The U.N. report, the third of its kind since 2010, also recommended putting additional North Korean individuals and entities related to the North's nuclear and ballistic missile program on the list of sanctions against North Korea.

In a brief statement, South Korea's foreign ministry said the latest report "is expected to contribute to the international community's effective implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions on North Korea."

"(South Korea) will further strengthen coordination with the international community for the effective implementation of sanctions against North Korea," it said.

[email protected]
(END)

wounder if a "how to make er convert" was include in the owners manual?

on SK news DP wants SPY Chief removed www.koreaherald.com... from the link

The Korea Herald > National > Politics
DP demands spy chief resign over transcript disclosure

Published : 2013-06-25 20:32
Updated : 2013-06-25 20:32
Political strife escalated on Tuesday after the National Intelligence Service revealed the transcripts of the 2007 inter-Korean summit with the main opposition Democratic Party demanding the spy chief resign.

On Monday, the NIS disclosed the transcript of the 2007 summit to members of the parliamentary Intelligence Committee in an unexpected move against accusations that it tampered with the records.

The transcript, in which former President Roh Moo-hyun is accused of having denied the validity of the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea, was received by Saenuri Party lawmakers, but the DP rejected the documents citing legal issues. Although the transcripts showed that Roh used ambiguous expressions regarding the NLL, passages that South Korea would not make claims regarding the NLL were not found in the records as claimed by Saenuri Party lawmakers.

“The NIS has lost its reason for existence. (NIS) has completely lost sight of itself as the country’s intelligence agency, and let go of national interests and prestige and even the smallest amount of common sense in order to hide their illegal actions,” DP chairman Rep. Kim Han-gil said at the emergency conference on Tuesday.

“The NIS committed another act to damage the country’s integrity and has embarked on the path to destruction.”

The main opposition did however reach an agreement with the ruling Saenuri Party to open an parliamentary investigation into the NIS over the alleged election interference carried out in the run up to the Dec. 19 presidential election.

DP floor leader Rep, Jun Byung-hun said that the two parties agreed to conduct the parliamentary probe, and that the request for the investigation would be submitted on Wednesday. The request will be processed at the plenary session on July 2.

As the situation unfolds, the DP has called for Reps. Chung Moon-hun and Suh Sang-kee of the Saenuri Party to resign, citing their promises to put their jobs on the line over the authenticity of their claims.

Chung and Suh have been at the center of the issue, with Chung first claiming that Roh made the so-called NLL-statement.

The opposition’s attack on the government has also spilled over to the Internet.

Former DP chairman Rep. Chung Sye-kyun accused those responsible of “ruining democracy” through his Twitter account, while Rep. Park Young-sun blamed Cheong Wa Dae for the development, saying that it was only possible “either due to Cheong Wa Dae’s incompetence or with its connivance.”

Rep. Park Jie-won, former DP floor leader and close aide of Roh, accused the presidential offices of having prior knowledge of the NIS’ decision.

“I spent five years in Cheong Wa Dae, but such important actions of the NIS are not carried out without reporting to Cheong Wa Dae,” Park said.

He added that the NIS’ decision to open the records was “very wrong” and that the spy agency should not act in such a political fashion.

“If it concerns the conversation between the president and North Korea’s chairman of the defense committee then it is presidential record regardless of where it was produced. So, it is level one secret,” he said.

President Park Geun-hye, for her part, has not mentioned the developments directly, but reiterated the importance of the NLL.

“It must not be forgotten that the NLL is something numerous young people have protected with their blood and lives,” Park said at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.

Park’s words were also echoed by the Ministry of National Defense.

“The NLL is the de facto maritime demarcation line we must uphold with force,” Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said Tuesday.

“Our fundamental position is that unless peace is fully established between the South and the North maintaining the NLL cannot be avoided.”

Regarding the NIS’ decision to disclose the records of the summit, Kim Min-seok said that secrets classified below level one can be reclassified and that the Defense Ministry has implemented similar measures in the past.

By Choi He-suk ([email protected])

well it is news

two top news story's www.koreaherald.com... from the link

Park heads to China for first summit with Xi

South Korean President Park Geun-hye left for Beijing on Thursday for her first summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping that will be watched closely as to how far China would go in committing itself to helping end North Korea's n...

can be read in full here www.koreaherald.com...

and this one

N. Korea tried to export 3,500 km-range ballistic missile: U.S. media

North Korea attempted to sell ballistic missiles with a range of 3,500 kilometers to a British arms dealer, an Internet media outlet based in the United States said Thursday.NK News, which specializes in providing North Korea-rela...

in full here

N. Korea tried to export 3,500 km-range ballistic missile: U.S. media



Published : 2013-06-27 09:44
Updated : 2013-06-27 09:44

North Korea attempted to sell ballistic missiles with a range of 3,500 kilometers to a British arms dealer, an Internet media outlet based in the United States said Thursday.

NK News, which specializes in providing North Korea-related information to the general public, said a recent United Nations report revealed the communist country's Haesong Trading Corp. allegedly made an offer to sell a wide range of weapons systems, including intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBM), to an arms dealer. It did not elaborate on when the offer was made.

The media source said the company asked for more than US$100 million per unit for the IRBMs. It added that while the North reportedly sold shorter range missiles modified from older SCUD rockets to some Middle East countries, this is the first time it tried offering a longer range delivery system.

On the missile offered for sale, the Internet outlet speculated it was probably the Musudan missile that first made a public appearance in October 2010.

Musudan has never been test fired although the North may have considered such a move earlier in the year, when tensions were running high on the Korean Peninsula. The missile is based on Soviet-era sub-launched ballistic missiles and can reach the U.S. territory of Guam if launched from the east coast of North Korea,

Related to the offer made by the North, NK News said some experts believed Pyongyang probably proposed the sale to check the reaction of the arms dealer.

They pointed out that with the international community maintaining tight control over all shipments entering and leaving the country, it would have been impossible for the North to export the missiles even if an agreement was reached. (Yonhap News)

just goes to show this is not over yet folks, stay tuned for more... speaking of... english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

S. Korea to commemorate 2nd Battle of Yeonpyeong
SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will mark the 11th anniversary of a deadly naval skirmish with North Korea in the tensely guarded western sea in a ceremony this weekend, the Navy said Thursday. Full story

S. Korea expresses regrets over North's condemnation of summit transcript release
SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea expressed regret Thursday over the North's criticism of its disclosure of the 2007 summit transcript, calling on the communist country to desist from making harsh comments. Full story

N. Korea slams S. Korea for releasing summit transcript
SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea launched into a tirade Thursday against South Korea's recent declassification of a transcript of an inter-Korean summit in 2007. Full story

N. Korean envoy Han, key liaison with Washington, leaves U.N.
SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's deputy U.N. Ambassador Han Song-ryol, who had served as a key liaison official between Pyongyang and Washington, has left the post and returned home, a diplomatic source said Thursday. Full story

and the full story is... english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

2013/06/27 11:06 KST
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N. Korean envoy Han, key liaison with Washington, leaves U.N.
SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's deputy U.N. Ambassador Han Song-ryol, who had served as a key liaison official between Pyongyang and Washington, has left the post and returned home, a diplomatic source said Thursday.

The departure of Han appears to mean that the so-called "New York Channel" between North Korea and the United States is temporarily severed, according to the source.

"Deputy U.N. Ambassador Han returned home and his successor will soon come to New York," the source said on the condition of anonymity, adding a "working-level" diplomat is likely to succeed Han.
North Korea and the U.S. have no diplomatic ties and the diplomatic conduit between Han and American diplomats in New York has sometimes sought prospects for resuming talks between the two nations.

Han took up the post in 2002, when nuclear tensions on the Korean Peninsula mounted after North Korea was blamed for secretly running a uranium-enriching program that could provide the communist regime with new material to make atomic weapons, in addition to its plutonium-based weapons program.

He returned home in 2006 but came back to the post in 2009.

In March this year, Han reportedly held a secret meeting with Clifford Hart, the U.S. envoy for the six-party talks aimed at persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions.

[email protected]
(END)

and is most likely heading home now to do the same,persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions.

I got a star!!! yes some one is reading this thread not much in the news but here is one www.koreaherald.com... from the link

Park, Xi vow closer cooperation on N. Korea denuclearization
Leaders agree on stronger strategic partnership on security, region, economy
Published : 2013-06-27 22:41
Updated : 2013-06-27 22:59
President Park Geun-hye and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday affirmed intolerance toward North Korea’s nuclear programs and vowed to closely cooperate for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The two leaders also agreed to bolster bilateral ties with diverse security dialogue including a high-level communication channel, and speed up free-trade negotiations and mutually beneficial economic exchanges, in a joint communiqu released after their first summit talks.

Park arrived in Beijing in the afternoon for her four-day state visit.

“Both sides shared the view that North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons is unacceptable under any circumstance and agreed that we will continue to strategically cooperate to realize North Korea’s denuclearization and maintain peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, which affirms our shared national interests,” Park said in a joint press conference.

For this, the two presidents agreed that international obligations and agreements including the U.N. resolutions and Sept. 19 Joint Statement must be faithfully implemented, she said.

“It is hoped that we can work together to build the foundation for a peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula.”

Winning support from Beijing for denuclearizing the North is one of the key purposes of Park’s trip.

Xi welcomed Park’s trust-building process for the two Koreas, while Park urged China to provide a constructive contribution for new change on the Korean Peninsula.

Xi said signs of change in the prolonged tension on the Korean Peninsula were being detected and that it is hoped the six-party talks can resume in the near future.

China, which has long prioritized stability in the North as its largest economic backer, has taken sterner actions against Pyongyang since it defiantly carried out a nuclear test in February raised concerns of a potential regional arms race.
President Park Geun-hye shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their news conference in Beijing on Thursday. (Yonhap News)

China has backed U.N. sanctions and joined separate U.S. sanctions by suspending all transactions with the North’s Foreign Trade Bank.

Park and Xi agreed that it was important for the two Koreas as direct parties to actively engage in efforts to solve problems of the Korean Peninsula such as through dialogue.

They also shared a common understanding of Park’s Seoul initiative vision aimed at building trust in Northeast Asia to eliminate confrontations and distrust embedded between countries in the region.

In their statement, Park and Xi highlighted four principles in Sino-South Korean relations: better mutual understanding and trust; stronger future-oriented mutual cooperation; egalitarian principles and respect for international regulations; and contribution to the regional and international communities’ peace, stability and prosperity.

President Park Geun-hye holds summit talks with Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday. (Yonhap News)


Based on such principles, Park and Xi agreed on three major tasks to accomplish within the next five years: to fortify strategic communication in politics and security, to expand cooperation in economic and social fields, and to promote diverse exchanges in liberal arts.

For this, the two sides will engage in continuous summit-level communication through visits, letters, special envoys and telephone calls. Korea’s chief of national security Kim Jang-soo and China’s state councilor for foreign affairs Yang Jiechi will establish high-level dialogue channel. A hotline will be set up, while strategic dialogues between vice foreign ministers will be held twice a year. Such political and security communication will also take place between political parties and state-run research institutes.

Both leaders agreed to speed up the free trade agreement negotiation that will be of mutual benefit to both sides and to realize $300 billion in trade by 2015.

Seoul and Beijing launched official FTA negotiations in May last year and so far have held five rounds of talks. The next round is scheduled for early July.

After the summit talks, Park and Xi oversaw the signing of seven agreements including on diplomatic visa exemption, trade, marine science technology, energy conservation and R&D on application technology.

The two wrapped up the first day’s schedule with a dinner hosted by Xi at the Great Hall of the People, joined by 140 Korean and Chinese participants.

On Friday, Park will meet with China’s Premier Li Keqiang and Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations.

She will also address a forum of business leaders from the two countries and deliver a speech, reportedly in Chinese, at a university in Beijing. Park is also set to visit South Korean firms operating in China before flying to the western city of Xian on Saturday.

Xian, an ancient capital with more than 3,000 years of history, is a base for China’s push to develop the western part of the country and is well known as the political origin of Xi. Cheong Wa Dae said Park’s visit, which will be the first by a South Korean president, reflects the great potential as a foothold for South Korean firms trying to expand to Central Asia and Europe.

Park plans to meet with leaders of the Shaanxi province for wider economic cooperation. She will also visit South Korean companies and cultural sites there, Cheong Wa Dae said.

A record 71 business leaders are accompanying Park on her China trip.

By Lee Joo-hee ([email protected])

still looking for word from Un, the Talks that where held wed of last week, and KCNA link that works, just to see for fun of it

edit on 27-6-2013 by bekod because: line edit

reply to post by bekod


There is still a few of us reading your updates.

reply to post by Im2keul
i do thank you and i think the op does as well, i will keep posting till DPRK signs a peace treaty, witch i do not think will happen any time soon, or the north is joined with the south, it is a possibility but i do not see it happening in my life time.

“It is hoped that we can work together to build the foundation for a peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula.”

Whoa! Anybody else catch that? What the heck?

Anybody tell Un? Somehow, not sure he's down with that (unless it is under him!)

reply to post by Gazrok
Un wants it so does Park but whom will win the big seat Un or Park now that Chian seems to be behind them both Un is to unstable Park not willing to push Un back but with China now behind Park she might have a chance of pulling it off.
now for the new news english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

S. Korea, U.S., Japan to hold trilateral FM talks at ASEAN forum
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- The top diplomats from South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold three-way talks early next week to bolster their coordinated approach toward North Korea's nuclear standoff, a senior Seoul official said Friday. Full story

U.N. body on NK human rights to hold 1st meeting in July
SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- The United Nations' independent body commissioned to investigate North Korea's human rights violations will hold its first meeting early next month as it kicks off its operations, a news report said Friday. Full story

N. Korea 23rd most failed nation: U.S. magazine
WASHINGTON, June 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is the 23rd most failed state in the world in a U.S. index gauging states' management of social, economic and political affairs, a foreign affairs magazine said Thursday. Full story

U.S. expands sanctions on N. Korea despite its peace offensive
WASHINGTON, June 27 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. government on Thursday blacklisted two North Korean entities and two individuals accused of playing a role in the communist nation's development of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), apparently a show of Washington's resolve to keep pressure on Pyongyang in spite of its recent peace overtures. Full story

changing of the Guard www.koreaherald.com... from the link

CHANGE OF COMMAND

Published : 2013-06-28 11:03
Updated : 2013-06-28 11:03

New 8th U.S. Army Commander Lt. Gen. Bernard S. Champoux (left) and his predecessor Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson (right) inspect honor guards during a change-of-command ceremony at Knight Field in Yongsan Garrison in Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap News)

and Un is fainting, Chian bails on him www3.nhk.or.jp... from the link

Park, Xi vow to achieve nuke-free Korean peninsula

The leaders of South Korea and China have agreed to seek a resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue.

President Park Geun-hye and President Xi Jinping signed a joint communique after holding a meeting in Beijing on Thursday, the first day of Park's 4-day visit to China.

The statement says both countries regard North Korea's nuclear ambitions as a serious threat to peace and stability in the region. The leaders also agreed to try to resume the six-party talks on the issue.

The talks, between North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the US, have been suspended for four and a half years.

Park and Xi also agreed to strengthen ties in other fields. They plan to arrange talks between Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiech and the head of South Korea's national security office, Kim Jang-soo.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to conclude a free trade agreement.

At a joint news conference, Park said that the leaders share a vision for a new relationship between the nations at a time of great change for East Asia.

Xi said he believes they will become partners for development and peace in the region.

The statement also expresses concern about historical issues that have recently deepened confrontation and distrust among Asian countries. The comment is thought to be a veiled reference to Japan.

Jun. 27, 2013 - Updated 16:54 UTC

well that's all for now

Curiouser and curiouser...

We all know these peace concessions aren't real...so wonder how long this is going to just simmer?

reply to post by Gazrok
til some one say uncle or lights the fuse to a shooting war, and Un likes playing with matches english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Park's visit to China begins 'new chapter' in S. Korea-China ties: Wang
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei, June 30 (Yonhap) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday hailed the ongoing state visit by South Korean President Park Geun-hye to China as "historic," saying her visit heralded a "new chapter" in bilateral relations. Full story

N. Korea deploying improved artilleries on border with South
SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is deploying improved artilleries with a longer range at its front-line military units, a government source said Sunday, indicating that they will pose a greater threat to South Korea's capital areas. Full story

ARF draft calls for 'verifiable denuclearization' of N. Korea
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei, June 30 (Yonhap) -- Asia's top security forum, involving the two Koreas, the United States and China, has introduced the latest draft statement that calls for a "verifiable denuclearization" of North Korea, expressing "concerns" over the North's policy of confrontation. Full story

N. Korean leader inspects machinery factory for 2nd day
SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a machinery factory on the country's east coast, Pyongyang's state news agency reported Sunday, marking his second trip to an industrial plant in as many days. Full story

and tonight's full story...

ARF draft calls for 'verifiable denuclearization' of N. Korea
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei, June 30 (Yonhap) -- Asia's top security forum, involving the two Koreas, the United States and China, has introduced the latest draft statement that calls for a "verifiable denuclearization" of North Korea, expressing "concerns" over the North's policy of confrontation. Full story

direct link english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

2013/06/30 14:04 KST
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(LEAD) ARF draft calls for 'verifiable denuclearization' of N. Korea
By Kim Deok-hyun
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei, June 30 (Yonhap) -- Asia's top security forum, involving the two Koreas, the United States and China, has introduced the latest draft statement that calls for a "verifiable denuclearization" of North Korea, expressing "concerns" over the North's policy of confrontation.

The draft statement of the 27-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF), obtained by Yonhap News Agency on Sunday, also showed that North Korea urged the U.S. and other nations to end their "hostile" policy toward Pyongyang.

The ARF forum, hosted by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has served as an important venue for discussions on North Korea because it has brought together foreign ministers of the six nations involved in the long-stalled talks aimed at ending the North's nuclear ambitions.

Among the top diplomats attending the annual forum are South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun.

"The ministers expressed concerns over the developments on the Korean Peninsula," the draft of the forum's chairman statement showed. "The ministers reaffirmed the importance of the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner for the enduring peace and stability in the region."

The statement "urged the DPRK (North Korea) to abide by its obligations under the relevant U.N. Security council resolutions and its commitments" made during the six-party talks in 2005, according to the statement.

In return, North Korea "reaffirmed their invariable will to continue all efforts for enduring peace and security on the Korean Peninsula."

North Korea "also expressed the view that hostile policy" by the U.S. and other nations "is the root cause of the nuclear issue and aggravating tension on the Korean Peninsula."

The North Korean foreign minister Pak arrived in Brunei earlier in the day and didn't respond to a barrage of questions by reporters.




After months of high tensions triggered by the North's third nuclear test in February and bellicose threats against South Korea and the U.S., North Korea has appeared to shift to dialogue in recent weeks.

South Korea and the U.S. have stressed that North Korea must comply with the U.N. Security Council resolutions and abide by international obligations before any resumption of meaningful talks can take place.

In Brunei, South Korea is revving up diplomatic efforts to put pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear programs when the two-day ARF begins on Monday.

"We are making diplomatic efforts for the ARF to adopt a chairman's statement supporting our stance that North Korea must show its sincerity on denuclearization through actions, not words," said a senior Seoul delegate on the condition of anonymity.

The 27 ARF members are Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, East Timor, the U.S., Vietnam and the European Union.

[email protected]
(END)

was thinking about the new DPRK Artillery being put in place, english.yonhapnews.co.kr... could be a show of force or a staging of what is to come. from the link

he 240-mm-caliber launcher has a range of 60 kilometers, but the improved version, now replacing the 107-mm-caliber ones, increases the range by up to 10km, according to the source.

"We are detecting signs that the North is deploying the improved 240-mm-caliber multiple rocket launchers, and the signs are showing up at some western and eastern front-line military units," the source said.
The North Korean military has been developing the new version in order to increase its target range and has recently succeeded in producing it for actual use, according to the source.

how many thought the peace talks where for real; and not just a show,?

got two full story's first one is english.yonhapnews.co.kr... form the link

2013/07/01 15:51 KST
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(2nd LD) China's foreign minister calls for N. Korea to denuclearize
By Kim Deok-hyun
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei, July 1 (Yonhap) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday that he urged North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program, while calling for an early resumption of the six-party talks aimed at ending the North's nuclear ambitions.

Wang made the remarks shortly after holding bilateral talks with North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun at a hotel on the sidelines of a regional security conference hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"Our unchangeable goal is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and we continue to make efforts to achieve the goal," Wang told reporters.

To convince North Korea to give up its nuclear ambition, Wang said, "We certainly need the six-party talks. To have the six-party talks, the Chinese side will continue to talk to all the parties concerned to work toward the common goal of creating conditions" to resume the talks.

"I just want to let you know that as the chair of the six-party talks we will continue to encourage peaceful sentiment for dialogue," Wang said.

The six-party talks, involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan, have been dormant since late 2008.

China is a key provider of economic aid and diplomatic protection to North Korea, but bilateral ties appear to have been strained since the North's third nuclear test in February.
South Korea and the United States have urged China to put more pressure on Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons program, but Beijing has been reluctant to use that leverage over concern that pushing the North too hard could hurt its national interests.

But some analysts say that China could be shifting its policy focus on Pyongyang after North Korea pressed ahead with a long-range rocket launch in December and its third nuclear test in February in defiance of Beijing's appeals.




After months of high tensions triggered by the North's third nuclear test in February and bellicose threats against South Korea and the U.S., North Korea has appeared to shift to dialogue in recent weeks.

On Sunday, South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se downplayed North Korea's recent dialogue offers as a "charm offensive," insisting that any talks with the North are meaningless unless the communist country is serious about abandoning its nuclear program.

Yun made the remarks at a meeting of foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus South Korea, China and Japan. It was the first time that the top diplomats of South Korea, China and Japan have met since the three nations each launched new governments.

"Recently, North Korea suddenly started a charm offensive. The Republic of Korea (South Korea) has always been open to a dialogue, but it will not have dialogue for the sake of dialogue itself," Yun told the so-called ASEAN-plus-three foreign ministers' meeting, according to a copy of his remarks.

"North Korea must first demonstrate its sincerity through concrete actions by abiding by its international obligations under the U.N. Security Council Resolutions and its own commitments on denuclearization," Yun said.

The remarks by Yun cooled expectations of a possible meeting with the North Korean foreign minister Pak during the 27-member ASEAN Regional Forum.

[email protected]
(END)

and the second one is ....

this one english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

2013/07/01 12:05 KST
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(LEAD) N. Korea slams President Park's calls for denuclearization
SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea lambasted South Korean President Park Geun-hye Monday for her remarks made in China that Pyongyang should give up its nuclear weapons.

In a statement issued in the name of an unidentified spokesman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK), the North warned such remarks "constitute unacceptable provocations against the country's dignity."

Park on Saturday called for the North's denuclearization at a lecture given at Beijing's Tsinghua University during her four-day state visit to China, saying that Pyongyang's aim to simultaneously push forward economic construction and build up its nuclear force is an unattainable goal.

Calling on the North to become a responsible member of the international community, Park, who returned home Sunday, said that if the North takes such measures, the South will offer wholehearted support.

The CPRK official said that Park's remarks are ludicrous and an insult to the policy stance of the DPRK, which stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

"Park talks about new inter-Korean relations and a new Korean Peninsula, and urges 'change' yet it is the South Korean government that really needs to change," the representative said in a report carried by the Korean Central News Agency.

"The president is moving to entice the aid of foreign powers to disarm the North and compel it to change but made clear such a ploy is futile," the report monitored in Seoul said.

"Our nuclear capability can never become a bargaining tool and is not negotiable," the CPRK official said, claiming the latest comments are no different from the "nukes, opening and 3,000 dollars" strategy advocated by the former Lee Myung-bak administration.

The strategy calls for Seoul to help the North attain a per capita income of US$3,000, if the communist country gives up its nuclear weapons.

The spokesman said that if the South really wants improved cross-border relations, it must give up its pro-U.S. policies, end its confrontational rhetoric and approach current state of South-North affairs in a way that best reflects the interests of the Korean people.

The CPRK also said that it is carefully watching Park's actions with its "last ounce of patience," an indication it may be considering tougher action down the line.

Responding to the North's latest verbal attack, South Korea's Ministry of Unification expressed grave regret and called on Pyongyang to exercise restraint.

"The CPRK's comments mark the second time since May that the North has directly criticized the president," ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-suk said. He cautioned that for the sake of improved inter-Korean relations the North needs to modify what it says against the head of a country and exercise basic manners.

The official made clear that while Pyongyang raised issue with the chief executive's remarks on not permitting the North to have nuclear weapons, it must realize that calls for denuclearization reflect the wishes of the international community as a whole.

He said the world wants to resolve the nuclear issue that threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Despite the harsh words, North Korea watchers in Seoul said Pyongyang seems to have left the door open for talks.

"Calling on Seoul to reflect the interest of the Korean people foremost, and its reference to exercising patience toward Park can be a sign that the North is in a tight fix and cannot ignore calls for talks outright," said Chang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University.

Others said that despite Pyongyang's disgruntlement toward Seoul's present North Korean policy, the country may have little leeway with all related countries calling for South-North talks.

Beijing has steadfastly advocated dialogue, while Washington made clear last week that it fully supports an improvement in cross-border relations and said that unless there is a gain in South-North ties, no fundamental improvements in U.S.-North Korean relations can occur.

[email protected]
(END)

funny how Un puts down Park and not China for the same thing, Un must want his nukes really bad.