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North Korea

UN bids to ease ‘terrible’ malnutrition in N.Korea

The UN humanitarian chief urged the world Monday to reduce “terrible levels” of malnutrition in North Korea, but also told Pyongyang to release more information to allay scepticism about its food needs.
Valerie Amos said her five-day visit to the North last week was prompted by concern that “six million people urgently need food [...]

China’s vice premier to visit two Koreas

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang — who is tipped to take over the premiership next year — will visit both North and South Korea next week, it was announced Wednesday.
Li, whose country is Pyongyang’s closest ally and major economic partner, will visit the North from October 23-25, the North Korean official news agency reported.
The South’s [...]

N.Korea, US to hold nuclear talks next week: report

North Korea and the United States will hold a second meeting next week in Geneva to discuss ways to restart stalled six-nation talks onthe North’s nuclear disarmament, a report said Monday.
“I have learned that a high-level dialogue between North Korea and the US will be held in Geneva,” Yonhap news agency quoted a diplomatic source as saying, [...]

NKorea notches up cult around ‘Illustrious’ son

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — The Illustrious General has had a busy year.
Since making his international debut a year ago Monday, Kim Jong Un has been serving as military strategist, political statesman and trusted deputy to his father, leader Kim Jong Il.
The newly minted four-star general, believed in his late 20s, is widely [...]

UN humanitarian chief to hold food talks in N.Korea

UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos was headed for China ahead of a visit to North Korea, stricken by a new food crisis, as the UN presses Pyongyang to give aid agencies more freedom.
Amos will have talks with government officials in China this week, before going on next Monday to meet ministers in the [...]

N. Korea’s Kim spends up to $200,000 on pets

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il spends $100,000-200,000 each year to care for and feed dozens of pet dogs, even as his people suffer serious food shortages, a South Korean lawmaker said Thursday.
Yoon Sang-Hyun, a member of parliament’s foreign affairs and unification committee, cited intelligence sources for his information. The South’s intelligence agency declined comment.
Yoon, a member [...]

Read More » No commentSeptember 29, 2011

N. Korean heir apparent cements status: S. Korea

The son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has cemented his status as leader-in-waiting through frequent field trips with his ailing father, the South’s unification ministry said Monday.
Kim Jong-Un has accompanied his father 100 times, or on two-thirds, of his trademark “field guidance” trips, since he was confirmed as leader-in-waiting a year ago, the ministry [...]

Read More » No commentSeptember 26, 2011

S.Korean jailed after seeking asylum in N.Korea

A South Korean has been jailed for a foiled attempt to defect to North Korea, a court official said, in an unusual reversal of the prevailing trend.
The man in his 50s, surnamed Oh, visited the North’s consulate in the northeastern China city of Shenyang last October to seek asylum, saying he wanted to campaign for [...]

Read More » No commentSeptember 26, 2011

N.Korea premier leaves for China

North Korea’s prime minister has left for China, according to Pyongyang’s official news agency, just weeks after leader Kim Jong-Il made his latest trip to the North’s closest ally.
Prime Minister Choe Yong-Rim left on Monday to pay “an official goodwill visit” at the invitation of his counterpart Wen Jiabao, the agency said without giving further [...]

Read More » No commentSeptember 26, 2011

More N.Korea student refugees arrive in S.Korea

SEOUL — The number of young North Korean student refugees in South Korea has more than tripled in the past five years, according to official data.
A total of 1,681 student refugees now live in the South compared to 475 in 2006, the education ministry said in a report to parliament.
Elementary school students accounted for 60.7 [...]

Read More » No commentSeptember 24, 2011