The Korea Herald

Pyongyang denounces Clinton for 'reckless' remark on North's human rights

Jun 18, 2012

North Korea on Sunday slammed U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for what it calls "reckless remarks" on the North's human rights and public livelihood issues.In a spokesman's remark given to the official Korean Central News Agency, the North's foreign ministry urged Clinton to pay more attention to the issues of U.S. economic crisis and huge hordes of jobless people, instead of "imprudently"
N. Korea revs up diplomacy to solidify power of young leader: analyst

Jun 17, 2012

After an apparent completion of the hurried power transition to young leader Kim Jong-un recently, North Korea is revving up its diplomacy with China and Southeast Asian nations to solidify the standing of the new leader, an analyst said Sunday. Kim, who is believed to be in his late 20s, took the helm of North Korea about six months ago, following the death of his father and longtime ruler Kim Jo
North Korea names new strategic rocket commander

Jun 14, 2012

North Korea reportedly appointed Kim Rok-gyom, a two-star army general, as the commander of its strategic rocket unit ahead of its ruling Worker’s Party’s representatives’ meeting in April.During the party conference, Kim, along with other military leaders loyal to the North’s fledgling leader Kim Jong-un, was picked as a member of the party’s Central Military Commission. Since the death of longtime strongman Kim Jong-il last December, the commission has emerged as the country’s core military po
U.S. raises concerns with China over alleged missile ties with N. Korea

Jun 14, 2012

The United States government said Wednesday it has conveyed worries to China over its alleged missile cooperation with North Korea."I will say that we have raised our own concerns with China about allegations that Chinese entities have assisted the DPRK (North Korea) missile program," Victoria Nuland, spokeswoman for the State Department, said at a press briefing.She said the U.S. took issue with
China conducts river-crossing drill on N.K. border

Jun 13, 2012

DANDONG, China (Yonhap News) -- More than 100 Chinese soldiers took part in a river-crossing exercise on its Yalu River border with North Korea Tuesday, renewing speculation the Chinese military is preparing to defend against any influx of North Korean refugees following possible regime collapse in Pyongyang.Uniformed soldiers wearing orange life vests could be seen building and rebuilding about a dozen pontoon bridges at various points along the Yalu River, which separates China and North Korea
Western coastal area plagued by drought

Jun 13, 2012

North Korea’s western coastal area has been seriously affected by lingering drought that started in late April, its official media reported, citing the lowest precipitation in a century.In a dispatch from Pyongyang on Tuesday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that 1 to 5 mm of rainfall has been reported in some parts of Pyongyang City, South Phyongan Province and North and South Hwanghae provinces since April, the lowest for Pyongyang City in 105 years.“There was little rainfall in the
‘U.S. overlooked China shipment of missile vehicles to N. Korea’

Jun 13, 2012

China shipped missile launch vehicles to North Korea last year in breach of U.N. resolutions, but was never rebuked because the U.S. did not want to embarrass Beijing, a Japanese newspaper said Wednesday.The report, based on Japanese government sources, is the most strident of recent claims that China has been involved in helping to arm its wayward ally after earlier allegations Beijing supplied technology.Four giant trucks capable of transporting and launching ballistic missiles were exported b
N. Korea says western coastal area plagued by severe drought

Jun 13, 2012

North Korea's western coastal area has been seriously affected by lingering drought that started in late April, its official media reported, citing the lowest precipitation in a century.In a dispatch from Pyongyang on Tuesday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that 1 to 5 mm of rainfall has been reported in some parts of Pyongyang City, South Phyongan Province and North and South Hwanghae
Millions of N. Koreans face food shortages: U.N.

Jun 12, 2012

Millions of North Koreans suffer chronic food shortages and dire health care, leaving one in three young children stunted, the United Nations says.Some 16 million people ― two-thirds of the population ― depend on the state rationing system and suffer varying degrees of chronic food insecurity, six UN agencies operating inside the North say in a report released Tuesday.About one in three children aged under five are stunted ― too short for their age ― because of malnutrition, it says. The health
Detainees meet with S. Korean consuls in China

Jun 11, 2012

Korean consuls met with four South Korean activists detained in Dandong, China, on Monday, the Foreign Ministry said. Kim Young-hwan and three other activists for North Korean human rights have been held on charges of “damaging national security” since late March. The ministry identified the three as Yoo Jae-gil, 43, Kang Shin-sam, 41, and Lee Sang-yong, 31. Kim, 48, had his first meeting with Shenyang-based South Korean consuls on April 26. According to Seoul officials, the other three refused
Korea, U.S. discuss detained activists

Jun 11, 2012

South Korean and U.S. officials discussed Monday how to deal with China’s detention of four South Korean activists for North Korean human rights, the Foreign Ministry said.Robert King, U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, met with Seoul’s top nuclear envoy Lim Sung-nam and Kim Soo-kwon, the ministry’s director-general of Korea peace regime.The government and civic activists are campaigning for the freedom of Kim Young-hwan and three other activists who have been in Chinese cu
S. Korea warns of retaliation against N. Korea command

Jun 11, 2012

South Korea's military warned Monday it would immediately retaliate against North Korea's "core command forces" for any attack, after a series of threats from the communist state.Seoul's armed forces held an unscheduled readiness drill Monday due to a "series of peculiar activities", a defence ministry spokesman said.Cross-border tension has been high since the North's military on June 4 threatene
U.N. body warns N. Korea against GPS disruptions

Jun 10, 2012

A U.N. body on telecommunications has reportedly sent a warning to North Korea against its jamming of satellite traffic navigation signals in the South.Kyodo News reported on Sunday that the International Telecommunication Union delivered a warning message to the communist state telling it to stop using electromagnetic waves to disrupt Global Positioning System signals.In a meeting with the Japanese press, ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Toure talked about the warning.Pyongyang has stopped jammin
N. Korea’s Foreign Ministry again rules out nuclear test

Jun 10, 2012

North Korea said Saturday that it has no immediate plans to conduct a third nuclear test.The North’s latest announcement made through a statement issued by its foreign ministry spokesman came amid growing international concern about a possible nuclear test following April’s failed rocket launch.“(South Korea) seeks to rattle the nerves of the DPRK (North Korea) in a bid to cause it to conduct a nuclear test, though such a thing is not under plan at present, and to take such strong retaliatory me
Kim Jong-un’s late mother made public in video clip

Jun 10, 2012

The late mother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was unveiled in a video on Sunday in the latest twist to the communist state’s campaign to idolize the young commander and cement his fledgling leadership. The 90-minute film, titled “The Mother of Great Military First Chosun,” contains a sketch of the living years of Ko Young-hui. It showed her watching a little Kim draw a picture, receiving shooting training and cleaning a field jumper owned by his deceased father, Kim Jong-il, in the 1980s or