North Korea tried to sell 3,500KM range missiles – arms trader. LONDON – North Korea offered 3,500km intermediate range ballistic missiles to UK arms dealer Michael Ranger, information detailed in a new UN report has revealed for the first time. Representatives from the North Korean front company Hesong Trading Corporation allegedly offered Mr. Ranger modern and vintage small arms and light weapons, GPS jammers, multiple launch rocket systems, and “extraordinarily,” ballistic missiles with a range of up to 3,500 km.
“The price per unit was in excess of US$ 100 million for those intermediate-range ballistic missiles and would be sold not less than three at a time, mixed as one long-range and two medium-range missiles or one medium-range and two long-range missiles”, testimony provided by Mr. Ranger to the UN explained. While no explicit link is made in the report, the range of the missiles offered to Mr. . “3,500km is the range sometimes mentioned for the Musudan. DPRK missile capabilities on show, 2012 Although Mr. When Mr. China Taking Action Against North Korea? | China Power. State-owned Bank of China makes a move against Pyongyang.
Is this the start of a trend? By Harry Kazianis for The Diplomat May 08, 2013 Facebook0 Twitter0 Google+1 LinkedIn0 Over the last several weeks, various pundits and scholars — including The Diplomat's own contributors — have considered China's complex relationship with North Korea. Today we may just be getting some answers…or maybe not. Courtesy of the Wall St. "State-owned Bank of China Ltd. said it cut off a major North Korean bank accused by the U.S. of providing financial support to Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic-missile program, in what appears to be the first publicly announced step by a Chinese government-controlled firm to sever ties with a North Korean entity. The Foreign Trade Bank of North Korea, the country's main foreign-exchange bank, was notified that its account was closed, Beijing-based Bank of China said in a brief statement, without offering any details. "After the U.S.
How to avoid war in Korea. Author: Alexander Vorontsov, Russian Academy of Sciences Since the beginning of 2013 reports from the Korean Peninsula have been disturbing and contradictory. On the one hand, tensions continue to escalate as Pyongyang threatens to raze Seoul to the ground. This is the most severe situation since the 1968 Korean crisis, when the DPRK captured the US Navy spy ship Pueblo. Pyongyang’s suggestion that foreign diplomats be evacuated from North Korea in consideration of their safety, made on 5 April, is unprecedented.
On the other hand, on 31 March the Workers’ Party of Korea adopted a policy of economic development, to run in parallel with further build-up of the country’s nuclear forces, and the Supreme People’s Assembly re-appointed former prime minister Pak Pong-ju to head the cabinet. Pak is known as a supporter of economic reforms. These developments suggest that, rather than unleashing an all-out war, Pyongyang is in fact keen to develop its economy. Reading the North Korean Tea Leaves: The Perpetual Struggle to Fathom Pyongyang's Motives and Goals - Pale Moon. Washington, D.C., April 11, 2013 – For decades, the erratic behavior of North Korea's enigmatic leaders has often masked a mix of symbolic and pragmatic motives, according to declassified documents posted today by the National Security Archive. During earlier crises, Kim Jong Un's father and grandfather postured and threatened the region in ways markedly similar to the behavior of the new leader, the records show.
While the current Kim is acting even more stridently in some cases, the documents reveal a past pattern characterized by bellicose conduct. In 1994, for instance, North Korean military officers threatened the U.S. with a possible preemptive strike if circumstances called for it: "This will not be a situation like the Iraq war," U.S. officials were told. "We will not give you time to collect troops around Korea to attack us. " Three additional documents from 2009-2010, originally made public by WikiLeaks, provide reports from the U.S. embassy in Seoul about: Source: FOIA. Ashleytownshend : #NorthKorea's failed bid for ... - Pale Moon... U.S. amassing B-1 strategic bombers near North Korea - Pale Moon. Read here the update published on Apr. 06 at 23.05 GMT It seems like Washington has taken Kim Jong Un threat seriously. After moving two Langley’s F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to Osan airbase, in South Korea, launching a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber on a round-trip training mission over a South Korean’s gunnery range from the Continental U.S., and deploying THAAD anti-ballistic missile defense system to Guam, positioning two guided-missile destroyers in the waters near the Korean peninsula, the Pentagon has decided to strengthen its presence in the region by deploying several B-1 Lancer long range bombers to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.
But, for the first time in the last few weeks, the deployment of the “Bones” to the Pacific atoll was not made public (at least, not yet), a fact that could be the sign that the U.S. is not only making symbolic moves (as the above mentioned ones), but it is preparing for the worst scenario: an attack on North Korea. Image credit: U.S. Maybe. Coping with North Korea: Korean roulette | The Economist - Pale Moon. Blog Archive » Collective farm diplomacy. For the same reasons that President Obama has a tendency to take visiting dignitaries to my favorite hamburger restaurant in Arlington, VA, the North Koreans have designated “friendship farms” for countries the North Koreans enjoy or expect to enjoy cozy relations. Below I have identified a few for you to check out on Google Earth. DPRK-Iran Friendship Ripsok Cooperative Farm Coordinates: 39°28’34.69″N, 125°29’48.92″E This farm has been mentioned in this capacity in KCNA four times: here, here, here, and here.
Date first mentioned: May 17, 2007 DPRK-Russia Friendship Kochang Cooperative Farm Coordinates: 38°58’3.82″N, 125°36’4.67″E It has been mentioned in KCNA at least 26 times. See here. DPRK-China Friendship Thaekam Cooperative Farm Coordinates: 39°15’4.41″N, 125°41’53.06″E This farm has been mentioned at least 29 times in KCNA. The United States does not yet have a friendship farm in the DPRK, but maybe someday it will be Osan-ri in Sunan-kuyok, Pyongyang. The Map of Death - By Jeffrey Lewis | Foreign Policy - Pale Moon. It is hard to say when the disparagement of North Korea's nuclear weapons program started, but I like June 2000 as my cultural ground zero.
That month, the venerable news magazine the Economist put a picture of a Kim Jong Il on its cover with the headline "Greetings, Earthlings. " After that, Kim Jong Il became funny. There were internet memes ("Kim Jong Il looking at things"), T-shirts courtesy of The Onion, and, oh yes, that song-and-dance number in Team America: World Police: "I'm So Ronery. " Even academics got into the act. Bruce Cummings famously opened a chapter in North Korea: Another Country by asking: What can he possibly be thinking, standing there in his pear-shaped polyester pantsuit, pointy-toed elevator shoes, oversize sunglasses of malevolent tint, an arrogant curl to his feminine lip, an immodest pot-belly, a perpetual bad-hair day?
He is thinking: get me out of here. The North Koreans deserve some of this. The initial response has been mirth. So, WTF? KCNA/John Hudson. Fiji's the first. FIJI is the only country in the Pacific region to have its high commission in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) — or North Korea. And North Korea has congratulated Fiji for its commitment and vision in developing this bilateral relationship. Presenting his credentials to the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Kim Yong Nam, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang City, Ambassador Commodore Esala Teleni said Fiji was grateful to the DPRK for accepting Fiji as a sovereign state. Commodore Teleni said this development was an indication of goodwill to strengthen bilateral relations with DPRK. DPRK is promoting relations of economic, social and political co-operation with different countries under the ideals of independence, peace and friendship — the cornerstone of DPRK's foreign policy.
Mr Kim said they were closely following developments in Fiji, most notably its recent admittance as a member of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) in 2011. China's Wen urges North Korea to let the market help revamp economy. Assessing UN Trade Sanctions on North Korea. The United Nations recently published a report prepared by a panel of experts that evaluates the implementation of the UN Security Council sanctions that were leveled against North Korea following Pyongyang’s nuclear explosives tests in 2006 and 2009.
The June 29 report makes clear that in cases where the international community acts with resolution and unity, some efforts to contain North Korea’s weapons-related trade may succeed. However, the report also reveals that without firm commitments by North Korea’s trading partners, the effectiveness of sanctions will be limited. Good News and Bad News The UNSC report provides evidence that sanctions have made it more difficult on margin for North Korea to export weapons and to import the items it needs to continue development of weapons of mass destruction. That’s in part because UN member states have increased their surveillance of North Korea’s shipping fleet.
That’s the good news. China Is Still Key…But All UN Members Must Help. Nukes of Hazard Blog - Blog. There’s been talk for a while about North Korea requesting a bilateral meeting with the U.S. It’s now official the two sides will sit down next week in Beijing. State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters today (February 13, 2012) that U.S. envoy on North Korea Glyn Davies and North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan will meet in Beijing on February 23rd. It would be the third bilateral meeting of its kind since last summer with the objective on how to resume the stalled, six-party nuclear talks.
Prior to Kim Jong-il’s death, the two sides had agreed in October 2011 that Pyongyang would suspend its uranium enrichment in return for food assistance ahead of the six-party talks, and hold follow-up talks on December 22, 2011. However, details including timing and logistics of the exchange apparently were not agreed upon last year, and the sudden death of Kim Jong-il (December 17) canceled the third round of talks. ‘Combat Ready’ North Korea Threatens To Attack U.S. Bases. WASHINGTON DC – North Korea has put its missile and artillery units into combat ready posture to protect its “sovereignty” and defend the “supreme leadership”, state media outlet KCNA reported Tuesday. The latest warning said that ”strategic” rocket units and long-range artillery units have been ordered to prepare for possible strikes against the U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Guam. “ There is a limit to patience”, the article added.
Adding that the North Korean military would show their will through physical action towards the “puppet authorities of south Korea”, the warning also said that the South Korean military “should be mindful that everything will be reduced to ashes and flames the moment the first attack is unleashed.” While previous North Korean threats said Washington DC could now be a target for preemptive nuclear strikes, Pyongyang’s still experimental long-range missile capabilities mean they would be almost impossible to realize. Responding to the latest threat, Dr. Illegal Fishing: North Korean Ambassador Caught and Released - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International. In recent years, there have been numerous reports of foreign diplomats in Berlin abusing their diplomatic immunity by committing crimes. Traffic violations appear to be the most common offense, but diplomats have also been accused of exploiting domestic employees and even theft.
Most of the time, all they have to do is show their diplomatic passport to get off scot-free. This week, it would seem, a new transgression must be added to the list. Berlin newspapers are reporting that the North Korean ambassador to Germany did a bit of fishing on Sunday -- albeit without a license. According to reports in dailies Berliner Morgenpost and BZ, Berlin police discovered a man fishing on the Havel River in the city's Spandau neighborhood on Sunday afternoon. When the officials asked to see the man's fishing license, he apparently responded by saying he was the North Korean ambassador.
According to the reports, the angler did not have any proof of identity on him, nor did he have a fishing license. Through Chinese eyes: Zhu Feng. Interview with Zhu Feng, an internationally renowned expert on North Korea and nuclear disarmament, by Peter Martin and David Cohen. Peter and David are conducting a series of interviews with Chinese academics and journalists, using reader-submitted questions. Part II will come later this week. From Peter and David: What is your assessment of China's current policies towards North Korea? China's North Korea policy has usually been focused on two concerns. But, in reality, this policy is getting harder and harder to maintain because North Korea won't stop its provocations.
From Anna: Bearing in mind that a number of Chinese nationalisms exist, what place does North Korea take in the arguments of Chinese nationalists? First of all, China shed a lot of blood in the Korean War securing China's national security and countering America's military expansion in East Asia. From Jon: Would China support a united Korean peninsula under democratic rule?
Of course. Why not? North Korea: Future prospects for the Six-Party talks. Author: Ron Huisken, ANU Political manoeuvering aimed at resuming the Six-Party Talks process on reversing North Korea’s nuclear weapon program is intensifying following a Russia-DPRK summit in August 2011. Washington’s and Seoul’s experience with the DPRK since its nuclear objectives were first suspected has left scar tissue, and new ideas and initiatives have been conspicuously absent recently.
Exploratory moves on re-engagement are laden with caution and scepticism. And the prospects for new negotiations to achieve agreement are further complicated by China, whose interests are increasingly seen as divergent from the non-proliferation objectives of the US. North Korea abandoned the Six-Party process in April 2009, conducted a second nuclear test explosion and, in 2010, brought the peninsula closer to war than it has been for decades by torpedoing a major surface warship in March and shelling a South Korean island in November. Two thoughts deserve further consideration.
N.Korea Replaces Ambassador to China. North and South Korea agree to more family reunions. 1 October 2010Last updated at 13:48 Millions of people were separated from their families by the 1950-53 Korean War North and South Korea have agreed to hold another round of reunions of families split by the countries' war in the 1950s, officials say. One hundred families from each side of the border will be allowed to meet their relatives from 30 October at a mountain resort in the North.
There are no communications across the border for ordinary citizens. The meetings would be the first since the South accused the North of sinking one of its warships in March. Officials from the two sides also agreed to hold another round of talks later in October to discuss how to hold the reunions on a more regular basis, South Korea's Unification Ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo said.
The last reunions were held in October 2009. The agreement comes after military officials from the two sides failed to make any progress in their first meeting in two years. China-DPRK: As close as ever. North Korea | South Korea relations poorest for 25 years. StateDept: #SecClinton: U.S. has invi... Dennis Rodman tests out 'basketball diplomacy' in North Korea.