SlashAsia » North Korea

North Korean ship suspected of carrying missiles defies UN ban

Alexandra Stevenson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:50:18 +0000

The US Navy is monitoring a North Korean shipping vessel suspected of carrying missile parts towards Myanmar, heightening tension days after the UN imposed financial sanctions on the Stalinist state. A UN resolution adopted last week bans the shipment of North Korean arms, nuclear material or missiles. The Kang Nam vessel left North Korea on Wednesday and is said to be heading to Myanmar via Singapore. The US is preparing for a potential confrontation and analysts say how events proceed will be very important. Pyongyang has threatened a military strike if any country tries to impose a naval blockade. US authorities cannot forcibly search the Kang Nam, a move North Korea has said it will interpret as an act of war. North Korean state media, KCNA said last week, “the DPRK will deal merciless and just retaliatory blows at the provocateurs and wipe them out to the last man to achieve the historic cause of national reunification”. The only power the US Navy has under UN sanctions is to ask the North Korean vessel to anchor at a nearby port for local inspection.

Q+A What might happen with momtored North Korean ship?, Reuters

Ship carrying arms?, The Straits Times

US Navy prepares to intercept North Korean ship, The Guardian

Lee Myung Bak group accused of its moves to implement UN “Resolutio on Sanctions” against DPRK

NKorea increasingly belligerant, UN members increasingly intolerant

Alexandra Stevenson — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:03:56 +0000

As North Korea continues to spew provocative threats, members of the UN security council and regional allies are responding with increasingly less tolerance. China’s policy towards North Korea, once favorable, is turning tough as some analysts like Peking University’s Zhu Feng point out that China always believed that the Stalinist state would give up nuclear weapons in exchange for economic and security interests. The US has also taken a stronger stance, with President Obama announcing on the weekend that the administration would take a “very hard look” at how to proceed with North Korea, calling its actions “extraordinarily provocative.” South Korean president Lee Myung-bak has also declared South Korea will not back down. Meanwhile, North Korea is holding two American journalists hostage, for allegedly illegally entering the country, and will use them as bargaining chips. The only glimmer of hope currently is a two Korea discussion next week, to take place in an industrial park they jointly own.

A changing Chinese tune on North Korea?, Pomfret’s China blog

Obama is taking a “hard look” at how to handle North Korea, The Wall Street Journal

S. Korea says no compromise against North’s threats, Reuters

Obama says North Korea has been ‘extraordinarily provocative’, Bloomberg

US and regional powers discuss how to deal with North Korea

Alexandra Stevenson — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:50:10 +0000

Days after North Korea detonated an underground nuclear device and launched a series of short-range missiles, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates met with his counterparts from Japan, South Korea and China to discuss how to collectively deal with the increasingly belligerent Stalinist state. Washington has declared it will hold North Korea “fully accountable” if it pursues nuclear proliferation, and has urged a continuation of six-party talks, but has indicated it will respond quickly to any security threat to allies. Both Japan and South Korea have criticized North Korea; each country has a Cold War-era defense treaty with the US. Even China, North Korea’s old ally has condemned the recent nuclear tests. But China has taken a more nuanced stance because its ultimate goal is ensuring the regime doesn’t collapse. Beijing fears millions of refugees fleeing the border, amongst other concerns. China supplies 90 percent of the country’s energy and 40 percent of its food. That Russia and China are beginning to engage in current discussions reveals that they are “getting serious with peace in Korea Peninsula, and their patience is running thin”, according to an article in Chinese state-run People’s Daily. Unfortunate for all involved in negotiations, the “Cold War still persists” in the region in the eyes of the North Koreans, and the regime maintains “self-confidence and grit that it is a politically and militarily strong country”, according to North Korean state news agency KCNA.

DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesman clarifies its stand on UNSC’s increasing threat , KCNA

China committal to Northeast Asia peace, People’s Daily Online

Gates signals tougher approach to NKorea, Financial Times

North Korea’s nuclear test puts China in a tough sport, The Guardian

Why China won’t do more with North Korea, Pomfret’s China - Post Global

US confident about North Korea dialogue

enrico — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:31:39 +0000

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that the United States remains committed to diplomatic resolution of the nuclear weapons issue on the Korean peninsula. Last week Pyongyang abandoned six-party talks on denuclearization, and announced that it has begun reprocessing of fuel rods at its Yongbyon nuclear facility. Mrs Clinton believes that the UN’s response to blacklist three North Korean firms suspected of involvement in the trading of missiles will cause Pyongyang to seek a return to the talks and resume nuclear disarmament. Despite such optimism, North Korea appears to be serious about turning its back on the talks, potentially moving towards the production of weapons-grade plutonium. This development is certainly cause for concern, particularly given Pyongyang’s well-documented unpredictability, and with intelligence and defense experts suggesting that the North’s nuclear capability may be significantly greater than previously thought. Mrs Clinton – and much of the world – will be hoping that she is right.

North is fully fledged nuclear power, experts agree, Times UK
North Korea urged back to talks, BBC
U.S. not to be ‘blackmailed’ by North Korea, Korea Herald

North Korea pursues nuclear ambitions

enrico — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 20:34:32 +0000

In response to a UN Security Council condemnation of its missile launch, Pyongyang withdrew from six-nation talks on nuclear disarmament and expelled UN nuclear experts. The situation intensified after US and allies accused Pyongyang of launching a missile, despite Pyongyang’s assertion it was a satellite. On Sunday, the Stalinist state upped the ante, vowing to “bolster its nuclear deterrent.” Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has campaigned heavily against North Korea, emphasized that he supports bilateral US-North Korea talks while on a visit to Washington. But, he warned, “the North Koreans like to play games.”

N.Korea renews threat to “bolster nuclear deterrent”, AFP

Japan’s Abe open to US-NKorea talks, AFP

N Korea defiant of missile launch, world scrambles to muster a unified response

enrico — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:00:21 +0000

As tens of thousands of North Koreans stood proud last week after Pyongyang’s missile launch, UN Security Council members remain deadlocked about a unified response. Pyongyang claims the satellite successfully reached orbit “fully demonstrating the might of science and technology as a leading launcher”. Reports from within the Stalinist state fail to mention the reality that the alleged dummy payload and second stage of rocket crashed into the Pacific. The US says no part of the satellite reached orbit. Meanwhile, over the weekend UN Security Council leaders came to an agreement that North Korea’s actions violated an earlier ban. The resolution, to be voted on next week, is a weaker version of an original binding resolution to ban North Korea from nuclear or missile tests, which China and Russia refused accept. Japan withdrew from the binding resolution, signing the weaker draft circulated by the US because it says a unified response is more important.

Successful satellite launched, KNCA
Dear Leader is back with a bang, Asia Times
Japan, China near deal on North Korea message, Reuters/Yahoo
Key nations ‘agree N Korea draft’, BBC

Region tense as belligerent North Korea launches possible missile

Alexandra Stevenson — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:30:14 +0000

North Korea launched it’s Taepodong-2 satellite on Sunday morning at 11:30 Pyongyang time from the Musandan-ri base. Japan did not intercept the launch with its own missiles, after vowing to do so if the rocket were to threaten Japanese territory. Two booster stages fell into the Pacific and it remains unclear if the satellite was launched into space successfully. America and South Korea, who kept destroyers on close watch near North Korea, said they would not stop the launch but strongly condemned it. China, the Year of DPRK-China Friendship host and a key broker in negotiations with the rogue state, has chosen not to take a strong stance, urging ‘close communication and coordination’ instead. Analysts now wait to see how regional powers and UN Security Council will deal with potential ensuing instability. An emergency meeting convened on Sunday for 3 hours, reaching deadlock as countries like China, Russia, Libya and Vietnam voice concern of alienating the rogue state.

DPRK premier leaves for Beijing for official visit, Xinhua News

Defiant N Korea launches rocket , BBC News
Launch, What Launch?, Analysis from Asia Times
Pyongyang’s account of events according to state propaganda KNCA

North Korea: In withdrawal from carrots

Alexandra Stevenson — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:57:56 +0000

Pyongyang announced to two UN agencies plans to conduct a space launch planned for sometime between April 4-8 that will pass over Japan. The US and other countries responded with condemnation, and Japan said it will shoot down any vehicle flying overheard in accordance to Japanese national self defense law. Earlier in the week, Pyongyang also expressed anger at routine yearly US-South Korean military exercises by shutting off the inter-Korean border and withholding hundreds of South Koreans in the jointly-owned Kaesong complex. South Korean analysts, well versed in Kim Jong Il’s strange ways look at the past to offer analysis. In an article in South Korean Chosunilbo argues that Pyongyang is going through Sunshine ‘withdrawal symptoms’, now completely cut off from free aid under the Lee administration, an abrupt change of pace from the 8.38 trillion won the Stalinist state was given under both Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. According to the article, North Korea’s GDP was 24 trillion won in 2007. Shifting from a policy of carrots to one of sticks, Lee’s principle to give aid only after the nuclear issue is resolved has left North Korea stumbling with only one tactic ‘extreme brinksmanship.’

Links and sources:

N.Korea suffers withdrawal of Sunshine Policy , Digital Chosunilbo

North Korea: Space launch set to go April 4-8

Alexandra Stevenson — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:16:06 +0000

As Pyongyang’s intentions to conduct a space launch between April 4-8 are questioned, US intelligence head says the difference in technology between a space launch and an intercontinental ballistic missile is minimal. Speaking at a Senate Arms Services Committee, US Director of Intelligence Dennis Blair also added that if the three-stage space launch worked it could have the potential to reach the US mainland. Analysts say the Stalinist state is ramping up the rhetoric in an attempt to leverage aid, but in it’s own news sources like KCNA, it calls US an ‘imperialist’ and South Korean ‘puppet warmongers.’

Links and sources:

US intel chief says N. Korea launching a ’space vehicle’ , Digital Chosunilbo

Japan protests N Korea’s rocket launch plan , AP

Madcap exercises targeted against DPRK go on in S. Korea , Korean Central News Agency

Asia: ASEAN countries to demonstrate self-sufficiency and open trade

Alexandra Stevenson — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:35:08 +0000

Finance ministers in the Asia region are holding bilateral talks in the lead up the 14th Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) summit, in a show of greater strategic cooperation to prevent trade protectionism. Malaysia held bilateral talks with Indonesian and Chinese finance ministers this weekend, to promote trade. Officials from Japan, China and Korea met Saturday afternoon to discuss counter-measures to economic slowdown. Finance chiefs from Asean countries and Japan, China and South Korea will gather at the summit on February 27 in Thailand to discuss concrete and collective response to financial woes.

Asean will speak out against using trade protectionism as a way to cope with the current financial crisis, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has said. Mr. Abhisit has encouraged Asean countries to seek aid from other regions, acknowledging that the IMF ” simply does not have the resources, money and time to look into the various problems in different regions.” The Asia Development Bank will participate in the summit as Asean members determine the details of a foreign reserve fund pool agreed upon last May. Contributing countries will discuss management and size of fund.

Links and sources:

Asean to resist protectionism, Straits Times

China, Indonesia and China trade talks, Malaysia Star

Asea foreign reserve pool, Xinhua

North Korea: Threats of missile attack could become reality

Alexandra Stevenson — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:51:13 +0000

Pyongyang is assembling it’s most sophisticated long-range missile in preparation for a possible test-fire, according to South Korean Chosun Ilbo newspaper. Satellite images from Tokyo and Seoul show the North Korean military moving missile parts to a new base, to assemble an improved Taepodong-2 missile capable of traveling up to 10,000 km. Pyongyang has also threatened to launch a short-range missile near a disputed western maritime border with South Korea. North Korean news agency KCNA has reported a Pan-national Alliance for Korean Reunification statement that accuses South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his government being “hell-bent on scattering leaflets and staging exercises for a war of aggression against the north.” According to the state mouthpiece KNCA, the organization will join “the 70 million Koreans … to resolutely foil the racket of the U.S. imperialists and the Lee group for war and confrontation.” Since coming into power last year South Korean leader Lee cut off previously unconditional aid flowing to Pyongyang, angering the Stalinist state.

Sources and links:

Chosun Ilbo

Korean Central News Agency

JoongAng Daily

North Korea: State news agency calls North Korean elections “superior”

Alexandra Stevenson — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:46:49 +0000

Pyongyang’s mouthpiece Korean Central News Agency has resolutely declared it’s election system “fair and free” based on a secret voting system that reflects a perfect model of “socialist democracy”. According to KCNA, the secret vote allows voters to freely express their will without being subjected to “surveillance or threats by anyone.” All North Koreans are supposedly included in these ‘elections’ where “the working people” can participate “in the formation of the state power” and “powerfully demonstrate once again the single-minded unity” of a nation. North Korea has been a communist one-man dictatorship since leader Kim Il Sung founded the state in 1948 after gaining independence from Japan.

Sources and link:

Superior election system of DPRK, February 13, 2008 - KNCA

North Korea: The DPRK warns of military action against South Korea

Alexandra Stevenson — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:57:23 +0000

Pyongyang has stepped up rhetoric, declaring relations between the South and North at “the brink of war”. Pyongyang has threatened to discredit all previous military accords between the two countries and nullify a Western sea border, after s new South Korean unification minister, Hyun In-taek, was appointed last week. Hyun is known for his hawkish stance on North Korea and some analysts believe this is a diplomatic tactic from Pyongyang and not a serious threat. The North has called his designation a “naked provocation.”

Relations between the North and the South have been shaky since President Lee Myung-bak came into presidency eleven months ago. The two Koreas have not yet signed a peace agreement, only a cease-fire agreement decades after the 1950-1953 Korean war split the peninsula.

Sources:

North Korean news agency Korean Central News Agency http://www.knca.co.j

JoongAng Daily http://joongangdaily.joins.com

Yonghap News Agency http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr