US says NKorea must give up nukes in talks

Updated on : Wednesday, October 7, 2009

WASHINGTON: The United States said Monday it was ready to talk to North Korea if it returns to six-nation disarmament talks but said that the goal must be a complete end of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons.

US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly was reacting to an announcement by North Korean state media that it was ready to return to six-way disarmament talks if separate negotiations with the United States make progress.

"We and our six-party partners want North Korea to engage in a dialogue that leads to complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula through irreversible steps," Kelly said.

"The US remains willing to engage North Korea bilaterally within the framework of the six-party process to convince North Korea to take the path of complete denuclearization," he said.

North Korea in April declared the six-nation forum and its agreements to be null and void after the United Nations condemned its long-range rocket launch. The communist state later also tested an atom bomb.

The six-way talks -- grouping China, Japan, the two Koreas, Russia and the United States -- had signed a statement in 2005 under which Pyongyang would end its nuclear program in return for badly needed aid and security guarantees.

Kelly said that the United States was in "close coordination" with other nations in the six-party talks.

"The United States remains committed to the goal of the September 2005 joint statement: the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner," he said.

"There is consensus among the five parties that the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula remains the core objective and essential goal of our engagement with North Korea," Kelly said.

He said that the nations also agreed that "the six-party process is the best mechanism for achieving denuclearization and that we remain committed to the full implementation" of UN Security Council resolutions pressuring Pyongyang.

Updated on : Wednesday, October 7, 2009
WASHINGTON: The United States said Monday it was ready to talk to North Korea if it returns to six-nation disarmament talks but said that the goal must be a complete end of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons.

US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly was reacting to an announcement by North Korean state media that it was ready to return to six-way disarmament talks if separate negotiations with the United States make progress.

"We and our six-party partners want North Korea to engage in a dialogue that leads to complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula through irreversible steps," Kelly said.

"The US remains willing to engage North Korea bilaterally within the framework of the six-party process to convince North Korea to take the path of complete denuclearization," he said.

North Korea in April declared the six-nation forum and its agreements to be null and void after the United Nations condemned its long-range rocket launch. The communist state later also tested an atom bomb.

The six-way talks -- grouping China, Japan, the two Koreas, Russia and the United States -- had signed a statement in 2005 under which Pyongyang would end its nuclear program in return for badly needed aid and security guarantees.

Kelly said that the United States was in "close coordination" with other nations in the six-party talks.

"The United States remains committed to the goal of the September 2005 joint statement: the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner," he said.

"There is consensus among the five parties that the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula remains the core objective and essential goal of our engagement with North Korea," Kelly said.

He said that the nations also agreed that "the six-party process is the best mechanism for achieving denuclearization and that we remain committed to the full implementation" of UN Security Council resolutions pressuring Pyongyang.

North Korea test-fires FIVE ballistic missiles: South Korea

Updated on : Saturday, July 04, 2009

SEOUL: North Korea test-fired five ballistic missiles Saturday, South Korean officials said, in an apparent message of defiance to the United States on the eve of its Independence Day holiday.

They came as Washington seeks support for tough enforcement of United Nations sanctions aimed at shutting down the North's nuclear and missile programmes.

Seoul's foreign ministry said the first four weapons launched into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) were ballistic missiles, which the North is banned from firing under various Security Council resolutions.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the latest missile, fired at 2:50 pm (0550 GMT), was of the same type as the first four.

It was the first time in three years that the North fired multiple ballistic missiles. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said they had a range of between 400 and 500 km (250-312 miles) but declined to say what type they were.

A local news agency said they were either Scuds, or Rodong-1 missiles whose maximum range of 1,300 km had been shortened.

The North on Thursday test-fired four short-range missiles with a range of 120 km into the Sea of Japan.

The latest launches, which started at 8 am, were seen as more provocative since the missiles could potentially reach most of South Korea, and possibly parts of Japan.

"The military, on the basis of a strong joint defence alliance with the United States, is fully prepared to fend off any threats or provocations by the North," the Joint Chiefs said in a statement.

The foreign ministry said the missiles were fired from a site at Kitdaeryong near the eastern port of Wonsan.

It said the "provocative act... clearly violates" three UN Security Council resolutions, including the latest one on June 12 which toughened weapons-related sanctions on the North in response to its May 25 nuclear test.

In a statement the ministry expressed "deep regret over North Korea's continued acts to escalate tensions in Northeast Asia."

Professor Kim Yong-Hyun of Seoul's Dongguk University said the launches were clearly timed to coincide with US Independence Day.

"This is a thinly veiled warning to the United States and the international community that it may launch long-range missiles next time," he said while talking to a French news agency.

"The North is exercising salami tactics, firing short-range missiles on Thursday and launching missiles with longer range today."

Professor Yang Moo-Jin at Seoul's University of North Korean Studies said the North was trying to show it could defend its long-range missile launch site at Musudan-ri further to the north, and "testing the waters" following the UN resolution.

Japan condemned the launches.

"It is a serious act of provocation against the security of neighbouring countries, including our country," Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said.

Kawamura warned Tokyo would "promptly take appropriate measures" to implement the resolution.

Baek Seung-Joo of the Korea Institute for Defence Analyses said the North test-fires missiles three to four times each year to improve technology and maintain missile exports.

"Today's launches were part of a usual military drill but by firing 500 km-range Scuds, the North was clearly displaying its ability to strike back against any international sanctions involving military means," Baek said.

He said, however, that there is no sign of the North preparing to fire another long-range missile in the near future.

The North has made a series of bellicose moves this year. A long-range rocket launch on April 5 was followed by a nuclear test -- the second since 2006 -- on May 25.

In the days after its atomic test, Pyongyang fired a total of six short-range missiles, renounced the truce in force on the Korean peninsula for half a century and threatened possible attacks on Seoul.

When the United Nations in June tightened sanctions on its missile and atomic activities, the North vowed to build more nuclear bombs.

US and South Korean officials believe ailing leader Kim Jong-Il, 67, is staging a show of strength to bolster his authority as he tries to put in place a succession plan involving his youngest son, Kim Jong-Un.

North Korea test-fired a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, along with several short- and mid-range missiles, on US Independence Day in 2006. Its latest nuclear test coincided with the US Memorial Day holiday.

UN Council set to expand N Korea sanctions

Updated at: 0728 PST, Thursday, June 11, 2009

The UN Security Council is set to vote on a draft resolution expanding sanctions on North Korea after it carried out a second nuclear test.

According to a draft leaked on Wednesday, the UN resolution would extend an arms embargo on Pyongyang, further limit its financial dealings and authorise searches of ships suspected of carrying weapons and nuclear materials.

The US-drafted resolution also bans the supply of fuel to North Korean vessels carrying cargo that might be a violation of UN trade and arms embargoes against Pyongyang, media reports said.

The UN Security Council was discussing the draft at a closed meeting after the five permanent members - the US, UK, China, Russia and France - and Japan and South Korea agreed the text of draft.

The resolution would also allow member states who suspect ships carrying suspect material to North Korea to direct the vessels to "an appropriate and convenient port for the required inspection by the local authorities".

A vote on the resolution could come as early as Friday.

Susan Rice, the US ambassador to the UN, described the draft as a "strong response" to North Korea's nuclear test.

"This sanctions regime, if passed by the Security Council, will bite, and bite in a meaningful way," Rice said.

She added that a total ban on North Korean arms exports, as called for in the draft, would cut off a significant source of revenue for Pyongyang.

Tensions have risen in recent weeks after North Korea carried out a nuclear test, launched missiles and threatened to attack South Korea.

The US and Japan have pushed for strong sanctions to punish North Korea, but China and Russia had been cautious, apparently nervous about provoking Pyongyang.

Al Jazeera's John Terrett in New York said frantic negotiations had taken place over the last two weeks aimed at convincing Russia and China to back the expanded sanctions against North Korea.

The two nations had refused to back a draft that required searches of North Korean ships suspected of carrying weapons material, and instead agreed to a call for searches.

North Korea warned on Wednesday it would use its weapons if provoked – an apparent effort to deter international punishment for its test of a nuclear device last month

"Our nuclear deterrent will be a strong defensive means ... as well as a merciless offensive means to deal a just retaliatory strike to those who touch the country's dignity and sovereignty even a bit," said a commentary in the state-run Mink Jason newspaper.

North Korea launched a long-range missile in April, triggering condemnation from the UN Security Council.

Pyongyang then announced on May 25 that it had staged a second nuclear weapons test, following one in 2006.

It also has declared the armistice ending the 1950-53 Korean War was void.

North Korea bans ships off eastern port from Wednesday: Japan

Updated at: 1132 PST, Monday, June 08, 2009

TOKYO: North Korea is warning ships to stay out of waters off its eastern port of Wonsan for three weeks from Wednesday, the Japan Coast Guard said, raising concerns Pyongyang is planning more missile tests.

North Korea is alerting vessels by radio not to enter an area that measures 100 by 263 kilometres (60 by 165 miles) at its widest points from June 10 to 30 between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm, a coast guard spokesman said Monday.

"We have acknowledged the information and soon afterward issued the same warning to those who may travel in this region," the spokesman said.

The news came amid increasing speculation that North Korea is preparing to test-fire several medium-range missiles from its southeast coast.

North Korea denounces Obama's policy as "HOSTILE".

Updated at: 1551 PST, Sunday, May 17, 2009

SEOUL: North Korea on Sunday accused US President Barack Obama of following the same "hostile" path as his predecessor toward the communist state, amid continuing tensions between the two sides.

US-North Korean relations have remained strained over Pyongyang's decision to boycott nuclear disarmament talks, its launch of a long-range rocket in April and its detention of two American journalists.

"The US remains unchanged in its wild ambition to stifle the DPRK (North Korea) by force of arms behind the scene of 'dialogue,'" Minju Joson, a North Korean government-published newspaper, said in a commentary.

"The present US administration is following the same hostile policy toward the DPRK as enforced by the former administration, while touting 'a change' and 'diplomacy for multilateral cooperation.'"

It reiterated Pyongyang would not return to dialogue unless the "hostile" US policy changes.