Amid hopeful signs that North Korea is backing away from its threat to launch missiles at Guam, one piece of data from the impenetrable communist state remains troubling: dictator Kim Jong-un has not been seen in public for about two weeks.
Contents: North Korea tests a ballistic missile capable of reaching US mainland; South Korea’s president Moon approves new THAAD development; What could trigger another world war?; War between Russia and China
South Korea’s government announced a formal diplomatic overture to North Korea on Monday, the first of President Moon Jae-in’s term and potentially the first serious discussions between the two Korean governments since 2015. If North Korea accepts, the talks will be held on July 21st in the village of Pammunjom.
Since President Donald Trump took the oath of office in January, he has taken a series of actions and used diplomatic channels to put in place many of the China policies he spoke about on the campaign trail, including confronting the nation on trade, North Korea, the South China Sea, and human rights.
Speaking from the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin conceded that the North Korean nuclear situation is “very serious,” but added: “One must not lose his cool, but rather act in a pragmatic and delicate manner.”
President Donald Trump met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea ahead of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany on Friday. The three leaders issued a joint statement on “the serious and escalating threat posed by the nuclear and ballistic missile programs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.”
Contents: Saudi Arabia extends sanctions deadline for two days; Saudi Arabia and UAE threaten Qatar with additional sanctions; North Korea launches another ballistic missile
The Chinese government appears to be reserving its ire towards the United States for its response to a recent arms sale to Taiwan, keeping its commentary limited on new U.S. Treasury sanctions against the Bank of Dandong for its ties to North Korea.
President Donald Trump blasted North Korea on Friday saying the “era of strategic patience” with the regime is over during a joint statement with his South Korean counterpart.
The Trump administration is turning up the pressure on China to do more to convince its ally North Korea to denuclearize, a key part of the president’s diplomatic strategy.
North Korea has issued a demand to South Korea’s government to extradite former president Park Geun-hye in response to a dubiously sourced Japanese news article claiming Park planned to assassinate dictator Kim Jong-un.
Former U.N. ambassador John Bolton appeared on Thursday’s Breitbart News Daily to talk about the Supreme Court’s opinion on President Trump’s immigration order, the White House warning to Syria on chemical weapons, North Korea’s claim that President Trump’s “American First” platform is “a version of Nazism,” and the collapse of Venezuela.
North Korea’s latest editorial broadside against the United States, delivered by state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun, accuses President Donald Trump of seeking to start a war with the communist regime to distract from political problems at home.
South Korea’s newly-installed left-wing government has halted the installation of multiple parts of the American Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD) due to environmental concerns, an announcement stated closely followed by a new North Korean missile launch.
South Korea, which has been considering resuming humanitarian and religious human exchanges with North Korea, approved eight such requests on Friday.
The newly elected president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, sent a special emissary to the Vatican to ask Pope Francis to mediate in efforts toward reconciliation in the Korean peninsula.
Contents: North Korea launches ninth ballistic missile test this year; The US deploys three aircraft carriers to Korean waters amid talk of war
Contents: North Korea test-fires another ballistic missile; Socialist Venezuela again delays eliminating 100-bolivar notes despite hyperinflation
On Wednesday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said “there is a high possibility of a military conflict” with North Korea, even as he pledged to restore dialogue with the North.
Contents: North Korea launches medium-range ballistic missile; North Korean missile launch sends a message to everyone
The newly elected president of South Korea Moon Jae-in told his national assembly on Tuesday that he was willing to meet with North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-un under the right conditions.
The Chinese government has reached out to new South Korean President Moon Jae-in seeking a closer bond with Seoul, likely at Washington’s expense, urging Moon to “join hands with China” economically and scale back military expansion under his predecessor, Park Geun-hye.
According to exit polls, liberal candidate Moon Jae-in won South Korea’s emergency presidential election by a wide margin, succeeding impeached conservative president Park Geun-hye.
On Thursday, during an Oval Office interview with Reuters, President Trump said: “There is a chance that we could end up having a major, major conflict with North Korea. Absolutely.”
The government of South Korea announced Wednesday that an election to choose the successor for impeached President Park Geun-hye will be held on May 9.
