North Korea Watch 2013-2019

more of the same from SK on DPRK english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

N. Korea will achieve nothing with nukes, missiles: defense chief

2013/09/09 10:26

Tweet
Facebook Share
Google +1

Reduce
Enlarge
Print

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Sept. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin on Monday warned against North Korea's pursuit of missiles and nuclear weapons, saying the communist country will not achieve anything with provocations.

"North Korea's nuclear and missile weapons have threatened not only the Korean Peninsula but also the Asia-Pacific region and world peace," Kim said during a speech at an international defense forum held in Seoul. "We will maintain strong deterrence to break the vicious cycle of 'provocations and reward' to bring changes in North Korea."



Kim said he will work to restore relations with Pyongyang based on the principle of trust-building and cooperate with the international community for peace and stability in the region.

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

U.S. envoy on N. Korean nuke to visit S. Korea

2013/09/09 10:53

Tweet
Facebook Share
Google +1

Reduce
Enlarge
Print

SEOUL, Sept. 9 (Yonhap) -- A senior U.S. envoy on the North Korean nuclear program was to arrive in South Korea later Monday for talks on the situation of the Korean Peninsula and to align the allies' policy on Pyongyang, officials here said.

During a two-day visit to Seoul, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies was scheduled to meet his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yong and other senior officials here to assess the current situation on the Korean Peninsula and discuss ways to coordinate the allies' policy toward Pyongyang, they said.

North Korea has been reaching out to both South Korea and the U.S. after mounting tensions earlier this year by conducting its third nuclear test.

However, South Korea, the U.S. and Japan have shown little appetite to the overtures, while calling on it to demonstrate its seriousness about denuclearization through concrete actions for the six-party talks to resume.

The six-nation talks aimed at ending the North's nuclear program have been stalled since late 2008. The multilateral forum involves the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan.

"Also on the table will be how Seoul and Washington coordinate their stance on China's recent proposal to hold an informal meeting with officials from the six countries," a diplomatic source here said, requesting anonymity.

As part of its recent efforts to resume the multilateral talks, China last month made such a proposal for the so-called Track 1.5 meeting in Beijing on Sept. 18.

The meeting, to be organized by the China Institute of International Studies, affiliated with its foreign ministry, coincides with the eighth anniversary of a 2005 agreement when the six nations achieved their first breakthrough in resolving the North's nuclear standoff during the multilateral dialogue.

Davies plans to visit China and Japan to meet with counterparts before returning home on Friday, according to officials.

[email protected]

(END)

well the "lets push Un" is still going on.

well now seems as good as time as any to post , after new look, so with out delay second round of Kaesong talks beginenglish.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Koreas begin second round of joint panel talks on Kaesong

2013/09/10 10:50

Tweet
Facebook Share
Google +1

Reduce
Enlarge
Print

SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea resumed talks on Tuesday hoping to set a timetable for normalizing their joint factory park in the communist country and to establish guidelines to prevent interruptions to its operations.

In their second round of committee meeting that began at 10 a.m., the two sides will discuss details on negotiations carried out last week during their sub-committee meetings.

Last week's negotiations are part of a landmark agreement reached on Aug. 14 to normalize operations at the Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North Korean border city of the same name. It outlined the creation of a joint committee and four sub-committees, allowing Seoul and Pyongyang an equal say in the running of the complex that was previously run by a North Korean governing body.

The Kaesong factory park has been shuttered for five months following its shutdown amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The two sides agreed in principle to reopen the complex after all preparatory measures are completed including administrative and regulatory changes that will prevent the park's closure due to non-economic reasons.

"Every effort will be made to ensure the creation of an environment that is conducive to business activities," Kim Ki-woong, South Korea's co-chairperson at the joint committee and the chief negotiator to the Kaesong talks, said before crossing the border into North Korea. He added that the restoration of the military hotline on the west coast last Friday is a sign of steady progress toward full normalization.

South Korea's chief representative to the Kaesong talks Kim Ki-woong speaks to reporters before heading for second round of joint committee talks on Sept. 10, 2013 (Yonhap)

South Korea had said the hotline severed by the North in late March must be reconnected to allow South Korean repair crew to stay in Kaesong for longer periods of time while they ready infrastructure at the factory zone for normalization of operations.

Seoul's Ministry of Unification, which is in charge of the negotiations, said more detailed talks related to such areas as safety, communication, customs, travel and dispute arbitration will be discussed with the goal of reaching an understanding.

There have been speculation that if talks make headway, partial reopening of the Kaesong complex could take place before the three-day Chuseok holiday that falls next week. On the other hand, some official sources have hinted that the South will not rush to open the complex before it can make certain the North's intent to follow through on its pledges made last month not to unilaterally disrupt operations down the road.

Seoul has always insisted that before any resumption of operations take place, safeguards need to be in place to guarantee that the complex will not be shuttered for political or military reasons, while Pyongyang has advocated for an immediate reopening.

Before the suspension of operations in early April, the Kaesong park was home to 123 South Korean factories and around 53,000 North Korean laborers. Pyongyang pulled out its workers that month, citing heightened tensions from the U.S.-involved South Korean military drills.

[email protected]

(END)

and China is in the news english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

(LEAD) China urges nations to create 'conditions' for talks with N. Korea

2013/09/09 18:50

Tweet
Facebook Share
Google +1

Reduce
Enlarge
Print

BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Yonhap) -- China on Monday called on nations involved in the long-stalled six-party talks on ending North Korean nuclear program to create "conditions" suitable to resume the disarmament dialogue.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the remarks amid indications that Beijing is accelerating its efforts to reopen the six-party dialogue, including hosting an informal meeting set for next week with senior diplomats from the six nations -- the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.

well that is all for now

US say not time for six party talks ?? WTF are they thinking ? waiting for Syria ? english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

It is not right time to resume six-party talks: U.S. envoy on N. Korean nuke
2013/09/10 14:17

TweetFacebook ShareGoogle +1
ReduceEnlargePrint
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korea should take sincere steps toward denuclearization in order to resume the long-stalled six-party talks aimed at ending the communist country's nuclear program, the U.S. special envoy on North Korean nuclear issues said Tuesday.

"I don't think it's yet time really for the heads of the delegation of the six-party process to get together because I do not believe that we yet have the conditions," Glyn Davies, the Special Representative for North Korea Policy, told reporters after holding a meeting in Seoul with his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yong.

Davies flew to Seoul on Monday for a two-day visit aimed at coordinating the allies' policies amid burgeoning expectations over the resumption of the six-party denuclearization forum, involving the two Koreas, the U.S., Japan, China and Russia. The disarmament talks have been stalled since late 2008 as the North continued its nuclear activities in defiance of multilateral agreements.

"The obstacle to resuming six-party talks remains very much that North Korea continues to assert its nuclear status," said the U.S. official.

"We will recall not so many months ago, they declared the six-party process dead and they said that they would never negotiate on the subject of their nuclear weapons capabilities," Davies said in the brief press meeting, also joined by the South Korean envoy to the six-way forum.



Cho Tae-yong (L), Seoul's top negotiator on North Korean nuclear issues, and U.S. counterpart Glyn Davies respond to reporters' questions after holding an bilateral meeting on the North Korean issue on Sept. 10, 2013. (Yonhap)
"Right now, we simply do not see positive attitude of North Korea toward fulfilling its obligations and commitments to living up to United Nations Security Council resolutions. We need to see some signs that they are sincere about what is the central issue of the six-party process which is the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Davies noted.

The two envoys from the U.S. and South Korea "shared their stances that they are open to dialogue to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, and the negotiations (if held) should be a meaningful one that will lead to the actual denuclearization of the North," Cho also said.

North Korea's sincerity can be verified only when it lives up to the aid-for-denuclearization deal it agreed to in 2005 as well as UNSC resolutions, the South Korean official said, adding that "North Korea itself knows what it must do."

Davies' remarks reflect the U.S.'s persistent reservations about the North's intention to denuclearize itself even amid China's quickening moves to revive the multilateral negotiations.

The communist North conducted its third nuclear bomb test on Feb. 12, in defiance of the previous denuclearization agreements. Recent satellite imagery also showed that the country doubled the size of its uranium enrichment facility in Yongbyon, a reverse indication that they will continue their nuclear activities.

Davies' visit followed last week's trip here by Daniel Russel, the assistant U.S. secretary of state for East Asian Pacific affairs, and came amid growing expectations over the resumption of the long-stalled six-party process.

In a bid to muster support for bringing North Korea back to the negotiating table, China, the communist North's closest ally and sponsor, proposed holding an informal meeting on Sept. 18 in Beijing among high-ranking officials from the six involved nations.

"We commend Chinese for holding this kind of discussion and look forward to hearing from the academics who will gather there to see whether there are signs already that North Korea is willing to reverse direction and come back toward us on the subject and question of denuclearization," Davies said, adding that the time is not right for top nuclear negotiators from the six countries to sit together.

[email protected]

(END)

well time will tell.

reply to post by bekod


It's very simple the United States does not want peace with North Korea. Peace with North Korea leaves a regime in power that is not controlled by the United States. The goal of the United States is to control the entire world with puppet governments. The United States will continue to do what it always does: wage war with countries that they cannot control if they are able to or prepare to wage war with countries that they do not control.

That's a cute comment...but I guess if you look at what the leader of the supposed free world is doing....

IT looks like we will be looking to Russia to control how the world turns now


So...Go Ill Jr the world is now your oyster

Considering how the US is on the war footing at the moment, it sounds like a good thing they are out of the six party talks for now.

well some good news from SK and DPRK for a change english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Koreas agree to reopen joint factory park next week
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea agreed Wednesday to resume operations at a joint industrial complex in the communist country next week after a five-month hiatus, Seoul's unification ministry said.
2013/09/11 17:39
Related Stories

U.S., China discuss prospects of nuclear talks with N. Korea
BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. special envoy on North Korea met with his Chinese counterpart on Wednesday to discuss ways of resuming long-stalled nuclear talks with the North.
2013/09/11 17:10
Related Stories

China hails agreement to restart inter-Korean industrial complex
BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- China welcomed Wednesday an agreement by South and North Korea to restart operations at the inter-Korean industrial complex that was shut down in April amid heightened military tensions.
2013/09/11 16:51

S. Korea returns body of N. Korean solider
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea returned the body of a North Korean soldier to his homeland through the truce village on Wednesday, the defense ministry said, over one month after the body was swept across the border by floodwaters.
2013/09/11 10:35

well it is a start of good news

It appears satalites have just discovered NK is restarting (or never shut down) its nuclear reactor. These guys are never going to do what they agree to. So are they next for a strike or are we going to just keep negotiating. I guess since they kill their people off camera they are safe for now. Plus - we aren't doing business with them so not a priority.

bigstory.ap.org...

reply to post by Dianec


you do have a point...no oil from N Korea...however...S Korea's tech industry and GNP is so prosperous...so usa can't let anything happen to them.
Sooooo

well it seems that things are heating up in DPRK now that Syria is on hold english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Koreas to iron out deal on S. Korean workers' rights at Kaesong talks
SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea will try to work out a deal aimed at enhancing the rights and safety of South Korean workers at their joint factory complex in the communist country in upcoming talks, a government source said Thursday.
2013/09/12 13:36

S. Korea eying PAC-III, THAAD for missile defense: industry official
WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean military is apparently seeking to upgrade its missile defense capability to Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-III, with the purchase of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems in mind as a possible next step, a U.S. defense industry official said Wednesday.
2013/09/12 09:54

N. Korean IOC member backs S. Korea's bid for seat in Olympic body
SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Chang Ung expressed support for South Korea's effort to secure another seat in the sports governing body, a media report said Thursday.
2013/09/12 09:20
Related Stories

N. Korea restarts nuclear reactor in Yongbyon, US institute says
WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to have restarted a plutonium-producing reactor in Yongbyon, a U.S. institute said Wednesday, citing a recent satellite image.
2013/09/12 08:20

now to see other news

Is there sonething in this.. is something brewing..?
What you think ATS..?

'I hope with you all' that it is not..

m.bbc.co.uk...

reply to post by GuardianX

well i did say around post 1550 SHTF well it is here english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Pentagon very concerned about N. Korea's nuclear activity
2013/09/13 01:06

TweetFacebook ShareGoogle +1
ReduceEnlargePrint
By Lee Chi-dong

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) -- The Pentagon on Thursday emphasized the need to closely monitor North Korea's nuclear activity following reports that the secretive communist nation seems to have restarted its nuclear reactor in Yongbyon.

Speaking to reporters, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said he is aware of the reports but refused to confirm the intelligence-related matter.

McCain is at this very moment thinking of what to say in the Senate to get US more involved in DPRK matters.

Hackers steals military, diplomatic secrets from
english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Suspected N. Korean hacking group steals military, diplomatic secrets
2013/09/12 16:27

TweetFacebook ShareGoogle +1
ReduceEnlargePrint
SEOUL, Sept. 12 (Yonhap) -- A hacking group with suspected links to North Korea has conducted cyber espionage on a number of South Korean government agencies over the past three years, a local computer security firm said Thursday.

According to Hauri Inc., an anti-virus software maker, the methods employed by the hacking group in its attacks were similar to those used in recent attacks by North Korean hackers.

They have implanted malicious codes in the networks of the attacked agencies and stolen confidential military and diplomatic information, the company claimed.

Earlier in June, North Korea was presumed to have attacked the websites of South Korean presidential office, dozens of other government offices and local news outlets.

The latest series of attacks took place starting June 25, the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, until July 1, in which the websites of 69 government and private organizations, including the Prime Minister's Secretariat, were attacked.

North Korea is known to operate a cyber-warfare unit of 3,000 elite hackers who are trained to break into computer networks to steal information and distribute malware.

[email protected]

(END)

well Un now has the upper hand, will he use this for a first strike or try to cripple the SK US defenses ? And in other news english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

Koreas exchange lists of candidates for upcoming family reunions
SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- The two Koreas on Friday exchanged lists of candidates available to meet with their long-lost loved ones separated across the border, the local Red Cross said, in the latest step toward holding the first temporary family reunions in three years. The Korea National Red Cross (KNRC) confirmed the identity and whereabouts of 149 people on the 200-person list sent by the North on Aug. 29. The names of 1,756 people who are relatives of those on the North Korean list have also been sent to Pyongyang, while it could not locate 51 people on the list, it added.
2013/09/13 13:50
Related Stories

Koreas discuss Seoul workers' rights, communications in Kaesong
SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea kicked off negotiations Friday on ironing out deals to better protect South Korean workers and updating communications at their joint factory park in the communist country.
2013/09/13 11:39

Abducted S. Korean crewman returns home after 40 years in North
SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- A crew member of a South Korean fishing boat abducted by North Korea 40 years ago has recently returned home after fleeing the communist country, a government official said Friday.
2013/09/13 10:42

U.N. to send US$920,000 in emergency aid to N. Korea
SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- The United Nations has decided to provide North Korea with US$920,000 in emergency aid to help the impoverished country cope with extensive flood damage it suffered from torrential rains in July, a media report said Friday.
2013/09/13 09:48

well that is enough for now till next time , will the fat lady please sing

China to US , sit up and take note of DPRK's change China's military urges U.S. to 'take note of change by N. Korea from the link english.yonhapnews.co.kr...

TweetFacebook ShareGoogle +1
ReduceEnlargePrint
BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- China's military has urged the United States to "take note of active change" by North Korea, the Chinese defense ministry said Friday, with Beijing and Washington still at odds over how to revive the long-stalled six-way talks aimed at ending the North's nuclear program.

Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of general staff at China's People's Liberation Army, made the remarks when he held talks in Beijing earlier this week with James Miller, U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy.

now we are bing told to take note ??? next we will be told to take a flying leap

reply to post by bekod


It is weird China would divert to us unless it is simply to say, "hey are you noticing"? Russia said something a couple days ago about it but nothing from US yet that I'm aware of. Is Putin's letter that distracting?

reply to post by bekod


Maybe they rather the US watch N Korea, than Syria?

reply to post by Im2keul

I do believe that Syria and the DPRK are a distraction from each other one plays on the other notice how Egypt has faded in the news same with Iran.

reply to post by bekod


Yes I have noticed that they have faded a bit.
Again your dedication to this thread is appreciated

reply to post by Im2keul

I thank you for the kind words, now for a eye opener Un makes Civilian workers Military Generals english.yonhapnews.co.kr... from the link

N.K. leader doles out ranks of military generals to civilians
2013/09/15 11:30

TweetFacebook ShareGoogle +1
ReduceEnlargePrint
SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is doling out the ranks of military generals to scientists, ruling party members and other civilians in a move seen as aimed at strengthening his grip on power and reining in the influence of the armed forces, experts said Sunday.

On Wednesday, the North's state TV showed footage of Choe Chun-sik, the chief of a science institute, wearing a military uniform with a two-star insignia as it reported on the completion of a housing complex for scientists and technicians in the defense industry.

Choe is a bona fide civilian scientist with no previous military experience. The general rank is believed to have been given to him as a commendation for his contribution to the defense industry as his institute is tasked with developing long-range rockets, missiles and artillery.

Other civilians given the ranks of generals include Pak Do-chun, a ruling Workers' Party secretary responsible for the military industry, and Ju Kyu-chang, director of the Machine-Building Industry Department of the Workers' Party, and Paek Se-pong, chairman of the country's Second Economic Commission.

Pak was given a four-star rank, while Ju and Paek were given three-star ranks in February last year.

Leader Kim himself was given a four-star rank in 2011 by his father and former leader Kim Jong-il before he officially took over the communist nation after the elder Kim died in December of that year.

"This is part of a process to gain control of the military by giving stars to close aides of the Workers' Party," said professor Kim Yong-hyun of Seoul's Dongguk University. "It appears he is trying to keep the military under stable control through Workers' Party figures."

(END)

Un is still wanting his nukes english.yonhapnews.co.kr... form the link

(LEAD) N. Korea seeks talks for becoming 'nuclear state,' U.S. envoy says
2013/09/14 07:07

TweetFacebook ShareGoogle +1
ReduceEnlargePrint
By Lee Chi-dong

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is seeking direct or multilateral negotiations involving the United States in a bid to get recognized as a nuclear state, Washington's top envoy on Pyongyang said.

Amb. Glyn Davies, special representative for North Korea policy, stressed Washington is interested only in talks on denuclearizing the communist nation.

"It seems clear that North Korea is attempting to make these talks, when and if they occur in the future, about something very different, which is about their right to be a nuclear weapons state. That is not something we can countenance. That is not something we can accept," Davies told reporters on his visit to Tokyo, according to a transcript released by the State Department.

Earlier this week, he also traveled to Seoul and Beijing for consultations on ways to deal with the North.

His remarks suggested that there is still a long way to go for the resumption of the six-party talks, although Pyongyang is calling for dialogue after spring's provocations and threats of war.

The six-way negotiations, launched in 2003, were last held in December 2008. The participating countries are the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.

In 2005, the North agreed to abandon all of its nuclear program in exchange for political and economic incentives from the five dialogue partners. But it went ahead with three known underground nuclear tests.

"Obviously, ultimately, we hope that we can get back to meaningful, authentic, and credible six-party talks," the ambassador said. "But they should be about -- because this is what the Joint Statement of 2005 specifies -- they should be about the denuclearization in a peaceful fashion of the Korean Peninsula."

Davies expressed strong concern over reports that North Korea appears to have restarted its once-disabled nuclear reactor in Yongbyon.

"If it turns out that these reports are true, that North Korea has restarted the 5-megawatt plutonium reactor, this would be a very serious matter -- we think a misstep on the part of North Korea because, of course, it would violate a series of U.N. Security Council resolutions," he said.

Despite the reports, based on commercial satellite imagery, by some U.S. research institutes, Pyongyang has not made any announcement on whether it has actually put the reactor back into operation.

"We're watching this very closely," Davies said. "We'll see what developments occur in the coming days, but this is potentially quite a serious matter."

In Washington, the State Department also urged Pyongyang to comply with its commitments and international obligations.

"We've put a great deal of pressure on the North Koreans over this issue, including with some very, very strong sanctions," Marie Harf, the department's deputy spokeswoman, said at a press briefing.

The Obama administration will not give up denuclearization efforts, she emphasized.

"So we'll continue working with the international community to try to get North Korea to a place that it will in fact take irreversible steps to abandon its nuclear weapons and all existing programs in a complete and verifiable manner," Harf said.

[email protected]

[email protected]

(END)

If we can let Syria use and keep Chemical weapons for a year more why not let Un have his nukes.