It took 66 hours, from Saturday afternoon to Tuesday morning, for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to travel via train all the way across China to Vietnam. He made the journey in order to sit with US President Donald Trump once again to discuss the North’s denuclearization measures and corresponding steps that the US will take in return. Every move that Kim makes is being closely watched by the international media, not only because the upcoming summit is a high-profile event, but because Kim rare

North Korea Feb. 26, 2019

A North Korean propaganda outlet urged South Korea on Tuesday to separate inter-Korean relations from denuclearization issues, a day ahead of the second meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump.Voicing dissatisfaction over slow progress in building ties between South and North Korea, Meari blamed Seoul for dealing with inter-Korean relations within the framework of sanctions by linking ties to Pyongyang’s denuclearization. In this April 27, 2018 file photo, N

North Korea Feb. 26, 2019

The US and North Korea could reach an agreement to declare an end to seven decades of war on the Korean Peninsula during the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, South Korea’s presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Monday. “I believe the possibility is open. There is no way of knowing what kind of a declaration it might be, but I believe the US and North Korea may reach an agreement on the declaration of the war’s end at any degree,” Cheong Wa Da

North Korea Feb. 25, 2019

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