Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump called North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un a “madman with nuclear weapons” during a telephone call with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, according to a transcript of the conversation released by US media Tuesday. A White House readout of the April 29 call …
Read More »North Korea declares medium-range missile ready for deployment
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea on Monday declared its medium-range Pukguksong-2 missile ready for deployment after a weekend test, the latest step in its quest to defy UN sanctions and develop an intercontinental rocket capable of striking US targets. The state-run Korean Central News Agency said the …
Read More »Experts say North Korea’s ‘new missile’ has unprecedented range
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea said Monday it had successfully tested a new type of rocket in its latest missile launch, as analysts said it showed an unprecedented range that brought US bases in the Pacific within reach. Sunday’s launch was of a “new ground-to-ground medium long-range …
Read More »South Korea’s Moon sworn in, says willing to go to North
Moon Jae-In: I will take the helm empty-handed and will retire empty-handed. Seoul, South Korea | AFP | South Korea’s new president was sworn in on Wednesday, just a day after a landslide election victory, and immediately declared his willingness to visit Pyongyang amid high tensions with the nuclear-armed North. …
Read More »North Korea congratulates France’s Macron for election victory
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea on Tuesday congratulated Emmanuel Macron on his victory in the French presidential election, expressing hopes that the new leader will achieve “development and prosperity”. France has no formal diplomatic relations with the nuclear-armed North. The message was sent by North Korea’s ceremonial …
Read More »U.S. attacking North Korea?
Surely Donald Trump couldn’t be that foolish By Benjamin Habib As the USS Carl Vinson and its carrier battle group steamed through the Pacific toward the Korean Peninsula in late April, many were wondering if the Trump administration could be so rash as to attack North Korea. Regardless of how …
Read More »China demands immediate halt to US missile shield in South Korea
Beijing, China | AFP | China called Tuesday for the immediate suspension of a controversial missile defence system hours after Washington confirmed the shield was now operational in South Korea. “China’s position is clear-cut and firm. We oppose the deployment of the THAAD system in (South Korea) and urge relevant …
Read More »North Korea ignores Trump, conducts ‘massive fire drill’
N. Korea marks military anniversary with firing drill Seoul, South Korea | AFP | Nuclear-armed North Korea on Tuesday marked a military anniversary with a massive conventional firing drill, Seoul said, as a US guided-missile submarine docked in South Korea amid tensions over Pyongyang’s weapons ambitions. Speculation had mounted that …
Read More »South Korean expert warns about new Pyongyang ICBM
N.Korea puts ‘new ICBM’ on show, say analysts Pyongyang, North Korea | AFP | North Korea unveiled what could be a new intercontinental ballistic missile at a giant military parade in Pyongyang on Saturday, analysts said. Nearly 60 missiles rolled through Kim Il-Sung Square at an event to mark …
Read More »China seeks Russia’s help to ‘cool’ North Korea situation
Beijing, China | AFP | China is seeking Russia’s help to cool surging tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions, the country’s foreign minister has told his Moscow counterpart, after Beijing warned of possible conflict over North Korea. Fears over the North’s rogue weapons programme have soared in recent days, with a …
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