North Korea’s commitment to denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged, a propaganda outlet for the North said Monday, days ahead of a second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump.“As the June 12 joint declaration declared, it is our republic’s unchanged stance to build new relations between the two countries, establish lasting and solid peace on the Korean Peninsula and move toward complete denuclearization,” Pyongyang’s

North Korea Feb. 25, 2019

North Korean defectors living in South Korea hope that the second summit between Washington and Pyongyang this week will bring about a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula, but doubts remain regarding Kim Jong-un’s commitment to departing from the Kim family playbook. “Denuclearization is not just about giving up nuclear weapons, he (Kim Jong-un) has to put down all the power he has. We know as soon as the nuclear arsenal is gone, the dictatorial regime will face an imminent collapse,” Kim Hyeong-soo,

North Korea Feb. 24, 2019

Dismantling the Yongbyon Nuclear Complex could be a meaningful step in North Korea’s denuclearization, as it is key to the country’s nuclear weapons program, a South Korean think tank said Thursday. “While the Yongbyong nuclear facility has emerged as a primary target for the first phase of the denuclearization process, there are opinions that denigrate or belittle the value of the possible dismantlement,” said Hong Min, director of the North Korean research division of the Korea Institute for N

North Korea Feb. 21, 2019

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he had no strict timeline for North Korea’s ultimate denuclearization as negotiators from the two countries head to Vietnam for last-minute talks ahead of a second summit next week. “I’m in no rush. There’s no testing. As long as there is no testing, I’m in no rush,” Trump told reporters at the White House after a phone conversation with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. In this June 12, 2018, file photo, US President Donald Trump, right, meets wi

North Korea Feb. 20, 2019

The US Commerce chief has submitted a report to US President Donald Trump on the topic of imported cars, news reports said Monday, as South Korea renews efforts to win exemption for its cars from possible tariffs.The Commerce Department did not make public any details on its recommendations to Trump.Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross presented his recommendations to Trump, Bloomberg news reported, citing the department's statement. Reuters news agency carried a similar story, while the French news a

Economy Feb. 18, 2019

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Korea from Thursday to Friday to meet with President Moon Jae-in in an effort to strengthen relations between the two countries. Modi’s state visit takes place less than a year after President Moon Jae-in held a bilateral summit with the prime minister in India in July last year. Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook had participated in the Deepotsav event in India’s city of Ayodhya in November last year.  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking dur

Diplomatic Circuit Feb. 18, 2019

Analysts here have downplayed the possibility that the US might only seek to avoid a nuclear attack from North Korea directed at the country during their upcoming summit, following US President Donald Trump’s remarks that he is not in a rush to denuclearize North Korea.While taking credit for averting a war with Pyongyang, Trump said he expects the second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, slated for Feb. 27-28 in Vietnam, to as successful as the first, where the two leaders had pledge

North Korea Feb. 17, 2019

Diplomacy experts are expressing skepticism about the upcoming summit between the leaders of the US and North Korea, casting doubt on whether it will bring concrete progress toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. At a recent meeting, some questioned whether the North would offer “measurable specifics” and warned that the US might take “an imprudent step” due to inadequate preparation. “Fundamentally, we’re not prepared,” said Kurt Campbell, chairman of the Asia Group, at the inaugural

North Korea Feb. 15, 2019

A group of al-Qaida -linked Uzbeks operating in Syria had been attempting to move to South Korea, according to a United Nations report. Members of Katibat Imam al Bukhari and Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad, each of which consists of 200 to 300 militants, have made requests to enter the country via Turkey, according to the report on the Islamic State group and al-Qaida released by the UN Security Council early this month.  (AFP/Yonhap)The report said that the militants chose Korea due to the relativ

Foreign Affairs Feb. 14, 2019

South Korea’s presidential office said Wednesday that Seoul and Washington had not agreed to a possible sharp increase in Seoul’s share of the costs of stationing US Forces Korea here, in response to recent remarks by US President Donald Trump that the cost burden would keep growing.Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said Trump’s statement -- made just days after the two countries signed a preliminary defense cost-sharing deal, raising South Korea’s share by 8.2 percent -- should not be treat

Foreign Affairs Feb. 13, 2019

The Korea Herald Young Diplomats Academy and the Young Opinion Leaders’ Knowledge Forum -- youth camps tailored for interaction with foreign diplomats, business leaders and renowned scholars -- have inspired future generations of leaders. The event at Yonsei International Campus in Songdo, Incheon, from Jan. 25-27 attracted over 100 students from the country’s elementary, middle and high schools, providing a platform for differentiated learning, discussion and communication in English.  For the

Diplomatic Circuit Feb. 13, 2019

Jim Rogers, a renowned investor and chairman of Rogers Holdings, plans to visit North Korea next month at the invitation of Chairman Kim Jong-un, according to sources Tuesday.The Singapore-based investor, who once said he would “put all of my money” in North Korea if he could, received the US government’s approval for the trip with his wife. Jim Rogers (Bloomberg)The billionaire has touted the impoverished country with a gross domestic product per capita of $1,800 as an attractive investment des

North Korea Feb. 12, 2019