Connect to share and comment

US intelligence chief-NK threats

March 12, 2013 15:00
By Lee Chi-dong WASHINGTON, March 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea seems to have taken "initial steps" to deploy mobile long-range missiles, the head of the U.S. intelligence community said Tuesday, as the unpredictable communist nation churns out military threats. "Last April it displayed what appears to be a rogue mobile intercontinental ballistic missile," James Clapper, director of National Intelligence, said at a Senate hearing on national security challenges. "We believe North Korea has already taken initial steps towards fielding this system, although it remains untested."

US slaps sanctions on key N. Korea bank, officials

March 11, 2013 18:45
The United States on Monday slapped sanctions on North Korea's primary foreign exchange bank and four senior officials, upping the pressure on Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program. The new US measures came as South Korea and the United States launched joint drills involving thousands of troops, defying the North's apocalyptic threat to repudiate the 60-year-old Korean War armistice in retaliation.

US slaps sanctions on key N. Korea bank

March 11, 2013 14:47
The United States on Monday slapped sanctions on North Korea's primary foreign exchange bank, as it bids to force the isolated nation to abandon its nuclear program. The Treasury Department will impose sanctions on the Foreign Trade Bank (FTB) of North Korea after Pyongyang flouted international resolutions and conducted its third nuclear test last month, US national security advisor Tom Donilon said.

U.S. denounces North Korea's "provocations"

March 11, 2013 13:15
WASHINGTON, March 11 (Reuters) - The White House on Monday expressed concern at what it called North Korea's latest provocations aimed at raising tensions and instability in Northeast Asia. White House spokesman Jay Carney spoke after North Korea cut off a Red Cross hot line to South Korea in response to a military drill in the South and U.N. sanctions imposed for its recent nuclear test. Pyongyang also threatened the United States with a nuclear attack.

RPT-ANALYSIS-Bellicose N.Korea forces China to shift stance on old friend

March 10, 2013 17:15
(Repeats story filed on Sunday, no change to text) By Ben Blanchard and Sui-Lee Wee BEIJING, March 10 (Reuters) - Six months ago China's state media was lauding North Korea as a great place to invest as both countries tried to promote a cross-border economic zone. One nuclear test, a long-range rocket launch and much sabre-rattling later and China is a central player in new U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang, something Chinese experts say marks a major shift in Beijing's policy toward its impoverished neighbour.

RPT-U.S., allies use U.N. rights panel to pressure defiant North Korea

March 10, 2013 02:45
(Repeats with new change in text) * Push for new U.N. inquiry on North Korea gathers steam * Wall separating rights, nuclear diplomacy starts to erode * Highlighting abuses could be new tool against Pyongyang By Paul Eckert

ANALYSIS-Bellicose N.Korea forces China to shift stance on old friend

March 10, 2013 01:45
By Ben Blanchard and Sui-Lee Wee BEIJING, March 10 (Reuters) - Six months ago China's state media was lauding North Korea as a great place to invest as both countries tried to promote a cross-border economic zone. One nuclear test, a long-range rocket launch and much sabre-rattling later and China is a central player in new U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang, something Chinese experts say marks a major shift in Beijing's policy toward its impoverished neighbour.

ANALYSIS-New sanctions on N.Korea may be tougher, but impact in doubt

March 8, 2013 17:00
* UN sanctions take aim at North's financing, illicit cargo * Analyst: Iran watching response to North Korea closely * Refusal to negotiate with Pyongyang unwise, analyst says By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS, March 8 (Reuters) - New U.N. steps against North Korea over its nuclear arms program were designed to bring its sanctions regime more in line with the tough restrictions Iran is facing, but fears remain that the measures will have little impact on Pyongyang's defiant leaders.

N.Korea can't hit America, but South Korea and Japan in range

March 8, 2013 05:31
By Jack Kim SEOUL, March 8 (Reuters) - North Korea has plenty of military firepower even if its threat this week of a pre-emptive nuclear strike on the United States is a hollow one, with South Korea most at risk from the isolated regime's artillery and rockets. Japan, separated by less than 1,000 km (625 miles) of water and a frequent target of North Korea's ire, is also in easy range of Pyongyang's short- and mid-range missiles.

WRAPUP 1-UN slaps sanctions on North Korea, Kim visits frontline

March 7, 2013 22:30
By Louis Charbonneau and Jack Kim UNITED NATIONS/SEOUL, March 8 (Reuters) - The United Nations imposed new sanctions on North Korea aimed at curtailing its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and China, the isolated regime's only major ally, said it wanted the measures fully implemented. The sanctions were approved just hours after North Korea threatened the United States with a pre-emptive nuclear strike, a largely empty warning since experts believe Pyongyang does not have the capability to hit the U.S. mainland.
Syndicate content