The Korea Herald

N.K. succession appears smoother than expected

Sept 28, 2011

Experts cite Kim Jong-il’s health, economy as factors to affect power transfer to his son North Korea’s second hereditary power succession plan has proceeded smoothly and systematically since the communist state essentially made it official a year ago that its leader’s third son Kim Jong-un was to succeed his ailing father, according to experts. But they pointed out that several variables such ...
N. Korea blames Libyan regime collapse on absence of nukes: outgoing British envoy

Sept 28, 2011

North Korean officials believe the Libyan regime would not have collapsed had it held on to its nuclear weapons, the outgoing British ambassador to Pyongyang said Wednesday, casting doubt on the likelihood that the North will relinquish its nuclear capabilities. The remarks by Ambassador Peter Hughes came as South Korea and the United States have been holding a rare series of talks with the Nort...
GNP leader’s Gaeseong visit may reduce tension

Sept 28, 2011

A planned visit to North Korea by a top right-wing South Korean politician is drawing attention as the two Koreas have been trying for months to thaw their icy ties. Hong Joon-pyo, chief of Seoul’s ruling Grand National Party, will travel to a joint factory park in North Korea’s Gaeseong on Friday to seek ways of promoting the industrial complex, the party and the Unification Ministry said. It w...
N. Korea tells U.N. South seeking ‘road to war’

Sept 28, 2011

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) -- North Korea on Tuesday accused South Korea of seeking “the road to war” but called again for international talks on its nuclear arsenal. South Korea’s conservative government has taken relations with the North “to their worst state with widespread atmosphere of war and confrontation,” the North’s Vice Foreign Minister Pak Kil-yon told the U.N. General Assembly. Pak blame...
Further N. Korean provocations could be on the horizon: Adm. Willard

Sept 28, 2011

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) -- The military commander in charge of U.S. forces in the Asia-Pacific region expressed concern Tuesday that North Korea will resume belligerence related to its ongoing power succession. “The dynamics surrounding succession and, you know, most importantly, the prospect of continued provocations is another dynamic that we must pay very close attention to,” Adm. Robert Wil...
N.K., China leaders agree on economic cooperation

Sept 27, 2011

BEIJING (Yonhap News) ― North Korea and China agreed to strengthen economic cooperation during talks between their prime ministers in Beijing, China’s state news agency reported Tuesday. The North’s Premier Choe Yong-rim and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao “pledged to promote trade, investment and economic cooperation” between the nations during a meeting held on Monday night during Choe’s of...
Vague rules for N.K. aid irk charity groups

Sept 26, 2011

A growing number of nongovernmental charity groups here are reluctantly regrouping to gain permission for aid to North Korea largely due to the government’s inconsistent application of the rules, civic group members said Monday. Scores of religious and aid groups belonging to the Korea NGO Council for Cooperation with North Korea sent flour to the North in July under a different council name as ...
S. Korea holds working-level talks with U.S. N. Korea policy coordination

Sept 24, 2011

South Korea held working-level talks with the U.S. as the two countries took steps to coordinate the direction of a looming U.S.-North meeting, sources said Saturday. The talks, held on Friday between Cho Hyun-dong, deputy head of Seoul's six-way talks team, and Edgard Kagan, director of the Office of Korean Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, were designed to fine tune the two allies' stan...
N. Korean leader meets Laos president: KCNA

Sept 23, 2011

SEOUL -- Laotian President Choummaly Sayasone wrapped up a three-day official visit to North Korea Friday after a meeting with leader Kim Jong-il, the North's media reported. The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the two leaders met in the North's capital Pyongyang but gave no other details. The Laotian president arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday on what the North earlier called an "o...
N. Korea, U.S. to resume talks on recovery of war dead next month

Sept 23, 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korea and the United States will resume talks next month on recovering the remains of American troops killed during the 1950-53 Korean War, a South Korean official said Friday. The move will follow a series of recent diplomatic efforts by South Korea and the U.S. to reopen the long-stalled six-nation talks on ending the North's nuclear weapons programs. Last mo...
Obama warns N.K. of more pressure

Sept 22, 2011

Lee says Seoul is ready to help Pyongyang if it makes ‘strategic decision’ Leaders of South Korea and the United States urged North Korea to make concrete steps toward denuclearization, reiterating their unchanging stance six months ahead of a meeting of about 50 world leaders on nuclear security in Seoul. U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday warned that North Korea will face “greater press...
N. Korea orchestra may hold U.S. performance

Sept 22, 2011

North Korea’s national symphony orchestra is expected to hold a performance in the U.S. next month, a U.S.-funded radio station reported Thursday. Quoting multiple sources close to North Korea, Radio Free Asia reported Pyongyang and Washington are currently “discussing details” such as the exact day of the performance. The two sides begun discussing the “exchange orchestra performances” during ...
U.S., N. Korea seek further nuclear talks next month: official

Sept 22, 2011

BEIJING (Yonhap News) ― The United States and North Korea are seeking to hold a second round of talks early next month to discuss terms for resuming the long-stalled six-nation negotiations on ending the North’s nuclear weapons programs, a South Korean official said Thursday. The bilateral talks are expected to follow a series of meetings held between the Koreas’ chief nuclear envoys in Beijing ...
Obama warns N. Korea of more 'pressure, isolation'

Sept 22, 2011

NEW YORK (Yonhap News) -- U.S. President Barack Obama warned Wednesday that North Korea will face "greater pressure and isolation" should it continue nuclear weapons development and hostile actions against South Korea. "North Korea has yet to take concrete steps toward abandoning its weapons, and continues belligerent actions against the South," Obama said in a speech at the opening of the Uni...
Koreas fail to agree on terms of resuming six-party talks

Sept 21, 2011

BEIJING (Yonhap News) -- The nuclear envoys of South and North Korea met for three hours in Beijing on Wednesday but failed to agree on terms of re-starting stalled six-party talks on the North's nuclear programs, both sides said. Wi Sung-lac of South Korea and Ri Yong-ho of North Korea parted ways without agreement on whether they would meet again, but they said their discussions were "useful."...