WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A weapons test announced by North Korea was not of a ballistic missile, the US defense chief said Thursday, adding that US forces have not changed their posture in response. “There was a test,” Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, told reporters as he met his Albanian counterpart at the Pentagon. He declined to elaborate on the findings of US intelligence but said, “It’s not a ballistic missile.” “Also […]
Tag: Nuclear
North Korea demands Pompeo’s removal from US nuclear talks
by Kang Jin-kyu Agence France Presse SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea on Thursday demanded the removal of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from talks over its banned nuclear program, hours after the isolated state claimed to have tested a new kind of weapon. Describing Pompeo as “reckless” and immature, the foreign ministry said it wanted him replaced by another interlocutor, a demand that significantly ups the ante in a sensitive diplomatic […]
Activity detected at North Korea nuclear site: US monitor
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — Activity has been detected at North Korea’s main nuclear site, suggesting Pyongyang may be reprocessing radioactive material into bomb fuel since the collapse of a summit with Washington, a US monitor said Wednesday. The possible signs of fresh reprocessing activity last week come after a February summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ended abruptly without agreement on Pyongyang’s nuclear programme. Since then […]
US opposes incremental denuclearization of N. Korea: envoy
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A top US envoy said Monday Washington’s goal is the complete denuclearization of North Korea by the end of Donald Trump’s first term, insisting it will not settle for incremental disarmament. “We are not going to do denuclearization incrementally,” said Stephen Biegun, the special US envoy for North Korea. While stressing he was not bound by an artificial calendar, Biegun said the administration wanted to accomplish the complete and verified […]
North Korea may be preparing a missile or space launch: NPR
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korea may be preparing for a missile or space launch, US news outlet NPR has reported, based on satellite image analysis of a key facility near Pyongyang. NPR said the images of Sanumdong, one of the facilities Pyongyang has used to produce inter-continental ballistic missiles and space rockets, were taken days before US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in Hanoi for their […]
N. Korea rocket site appears ‘operational’ again: US experts
by Francesco FONTEMAGGI WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A North Korean long-range rocket launch site appears to have resumed “normal operation status,” US experts said Thursday, calling it an “affront” to President Donald Trump’s strategy of diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang. The specialized website 38 North and the Center for Strategic and International Studies used commercial satellite imagery to track construction at the site — which they said began before last week’s aborted summit in Hanoi […]
South Korea’s Moon urges new US-North denuclearization talks
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea President Moon Jae-in on Monday urged the US and North Korea to quickly resume denuclearization talks after their Hanoi summit last week ended without a deal. Moon, who has adopted a dovish approach to Pyongyang and brokered the US-North Korea talks process, urged his officials to find out what exactly had gone awry at the high-stakes meeting, and predicted a deal would ultimately be reached. “We hope […]
US, S. Korea to ‘discontinue’ major military exercise: US official
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US military and South Korea are planning to “discontinue” annual large-scale military exercises as President Donald Trump pursues efforts to improve ties with North Korea, a US official told AFP Friday. The comment from the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, came shortly after the conclusion of Trump’s second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, which ended without a formal agreement but with […]
North Korea offers more talks after nuclear no-deal in Hanoi
by Sebastien BERGER Agence France Presse HANOI, Vietnam (AFP) — North Korea on Friday promised further negotiations with the US, as both sides sought to hold open the door while staking out their positions after their Hanoi summit spectacularly failed to produce a nuclear deal. The meeting between the North’s leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump broke up in disarray Thursday, with a signing ceremony canceled and no joint communique issued. Each […]
Kim and Trump to continue ‘productive talks to discuss denuclearization’: KCNA
SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump have agreed to continue “productive” discussions on denuclearization, Pyongyang’s state media said Friday, hours after a summit between the two leaders in Hanoi ended abruptly with no agreement. The highly anticipated meeting in Vietnam was supposed to build on the leaders’ historic first summit in Singapore last year, but the latest talks ended in deadlock with Washington and Pyongyang […]
Trump, Kim optimistic over nuclear talks
by Sebastian Smith US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smiled, shook hands and dined Wednesday in Hanoi, expressing optimism that their highly personal brand of diplomacy will lead to a deal on the totalitarian state’s nuclear weapons. At the start of around two hours of talks and dinner at a luxury hotel in the Vietnamese capital, Trump predicted a “very successful” summit, now due to resume Thursday. The two-day get-together […]
Kim, Trump arrive in Hanoi ahead of nuclear summit
by Richard CARTER / Sebastian Smith North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump arrived in Hanoi Tuesday, ahead of a second summit closely watched for concrete steps to dismantle Pyongyang’s nuclear programme. After an initial historic meeting in Singapore in June that produced only a vague statement about denuclearisation, analysts say the second date must deliver more in the way of tangible progress. The summit itself is shrouded in secrecy and […]





