Tag: North Korea

North Korea tension a threat to Asian growth: World Bank

SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — The World Bank warned Wednesday that surging tensions over North Korea’s nuclear program could be a threat to robust growth in Asia. The bank predicted that developing East Asia and the Pacific would expand 6.4 percent this year, 6.2 percent next year and 6.1 percent in 2019, slightly better than their last forecasts in April. “Developing East Asia and the Pacific is doing better than most other developing regions of the […]

North Korea accuses US of blocking development

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — North Korea’s UN envoy accused the United States on Tuesday of working to block economic development and denounced sanctions imposed on poor countries as a bid to “destroy modern civilization.” Ambassador Ja Song Nam said North Korea will withstand the blow of sanctions and continue “along the road of building the socialist power by dint of the spirit of self-reliance and self-development.” Ja spoke at a debate at the […]

Kim Jong-Nam suffered extensive organ damage, trial hears

  by M Jegathesan Agence France Presse SHAH ALAM, Malaysia (AFP) — The half-brother of North Korea’s leader suffered extensive organ damage after being attacked with a nerve agent, a pathologist said Tuesday, as more chilling details emerged at the trial of his alleged killers. Vital organs, including his lungs and brain, swelled due to a build-up of fluid, testified Mohamad Shah Mahmood, who carried out the post-mortem on Kim Jong-Nam. Two women are on […]

Trial begins over assassination of N. Korea leader’s half-brother

by M Jegathesan Agence France-Presse SHAH ALAM, Malaysia (AFP) – Two women go on trial Monday accused of murdering the half-brother of North Korea’s leader, in an audacious assassination in Malaysia that stunned the world and sparked a diplomatic crisis. Indonesian Siti Aisyah and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong arrived at the heavily guarded court outside the capital Kuala Lumpur for the proceedings, handcuffed and wearing bulletproof vests. The defendants were arrested just days after the killing of […]

Italy orders N. Korea ambassador home over missiles

ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy has ordered North Korea’s incoming new ambassador to leave the country in a protest over Kim Jong-Un’s missile launches and nuclear tests. Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano announced the move in an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica, published on Sunday. “We have taken the firm decision to interrupt the accreditation procedure. The ambassador will have to leave the country,” Alfano said. “We want to make Pyongyang understand that isolation is […]

Tillerson in China to pile pressure on North Korea

BEIJING, China (AFP) — United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Beijing on Saturday to discuss efforts to curb North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and prepare President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to China. Tillerson was scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping after talks with top diplomat Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, ahead of Trump’s trip in November. The visit comes as relations between the two superpowers appear to be improving after […]

S. Korea welcomes ‘special’ Olympic skaters from North

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korean organizers of next year’s Winter Olympics welcomed Saturday the “special” qualifying of figure skaters from the North, as Seoul seeks to promote its isolated neighbor’s participation as a key part of the “Peace Games.” Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik became the first North Koreans to qualify for the 2018 Pyeongchang Games on Friday after winning one of the five Olympic pairs spots available at a qualifying tournament in […]

Seesaw US-China ties on an upswing as Trump plans trip

by Francesco Fontemaggi Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The often difficult relations between the world’s greatest powers, China and the United States, appear to be improving again as the pair work to resolve the North Korea nuclear stand-off. Washington, and in particular US President Donald Trump, have until very recently been critical of Beijing’s cautious approach to its belligerent and nuclear-armed neighbor. But, with a new round of UN-backed sanctions in place, […]

Japan’s Abe calls snap election; faces Koike challenge

by Hiroshi Hiyama and Richard Carter Agence France-Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe officially dissolved parliament Thursday, effectively kicking off a national election campaign where he faces an unexpected and formidable challenge from the popular governor of Tokyo. Members of the lower house raised their arms and shouted “Banzai” three times — the Japanese equivalent of “three cheers” — after the speaker read out a letter from Abe officially dissolving the chamber. Voters in […]

No obvious signs of torture on American held by N. Korea: coroner

CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — Otto Warmbier, the American student who died days after being released from North Korea in a coma, displayed no obvious signs of torture despite assertions by his parents and President Donald Trump, an Ohio medical examiner said Wednesday. The coroner said the 22-year-old, who had been sentenced to 15 years hard labor while visiting the reclusive country, had suffered brain damage caused by the lack of oxygen to the brain. […]

PHL closes 61st Int’l Atomic Energy Agency meeting with resolution condemning N. Korea’s nuclear tests

  (Eagle News) — The Philippines closed the 61st General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria with a resolution condemning the six nuclear tests conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), including the latest on September 3. The Philippines joined 74 other Member States in co-sponsoring the resolution with Canada. Adopted by consensus, the Resolution calls on North Korea to comply with the relevant resolutions of the United […]

Trump Twitter tirades deepen Asia alarm over conflict risk

  by Kelly Macnamara Agence France Presse SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — Donald Trump may have stumbled into dangerous new territory with tweets that North Korea interpreted as a declaration of war, alarming a region used to living on the edge but now seriously considering the possibility of conflict. Observers say the US president’s fondness for Twitter diplomacy is creating a situation ripe for dangerous misunderstandings as he pursues an increasingly personal row with Kim […]