FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, has invited President Trump to meet for negotiations over its nuclear program, an audacious diplomatic overture that would bring together two strong-willed, idiosyncratic leaders who have traded threats of war. The White House said that Mr. Trump had accepted the invitation, and Chung Eui-yong, […]
Category: North Korea
3/8/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached. Meeting being planned!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Mar. 8, 2018 […]
3/8/2018
CYBERWAR/INTELLIGENCE/NORTH KOREA/TURKEY: “Suspected North Korean hackers blitzed Turkish financial institutions and a government organization last week, seeking intelligence for a future heist, a new report says. The attacks on March 2 and 3, identified by cyber researcher McAfee LLC in a Thursday [3-8-18] report, attempted to lure targets with faux links to a popular cryptocurrency […]
3/6/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump called an offer by North Korea to discuss giving up its nuclear weapons sincere, but top administration officials Tuesday [3-6-18] stopped short of a commitment to open talks with Pyongyang. The White House’s wariness stems from three decades of frustrated diplomacy and fears that North Korea […]
3/6/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump hailed ‘possible progress’ Tuesday [3-6-18] in talks between North Korea and South Korea, hours after the US ally said that North Korea is willing to talk to the United States about giving up its nuclear program… North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has also agreed […]
3/6/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SOUTH KOREA: “North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told a visiting South Korean delegation that he was willing to hold talks with the U.S. about giving up nuclear weapons and normalizing relations with Washington, officials in Seoul said Tuesday [3-6-18]. During meetings in Pyongyang, Mr. Kim, who has conducted a series of […]
3/6/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, […]
3/4/2018
CHINA/ FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The comment was made behind closed doors, and appeared to be in jest: President Trump told donors on Saturday [3-3-18] that China’s president, Xi Jinping, was now ‘president for life,’ and added: ‘I think it’s great. Maybe we’ll want to give that a shot someday.’ … On Saturday evening, at the annual Gridiron dinner in […]
3/3/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “In the midst of a joke-filled monologue at a dinner with journalists, President Donald Trump suggested on Saturday [3-3-18] that the United States will be meeting with North Korea but has told Pyongyang it must first ‘denuke.’ ‘Now we are talking and they, by the way, called up a couple of […]
2/27/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SPORTS/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “North Korea’s declaration at the end of the Winter Olympics of its willingness to start a dialogue with the United States offered a sliver of optimism that the political pageantry of the Games would lead to more substantial results. A day after the closing ceremony, President Trump responded that the […]
2/27/2018
AMBASSADOR/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/STATE: “Joseph Yun, the top U.S. diplomat on North Korea issues, said Tuesday [2-27-18] that he plans to retire this week, dealing a blow to Washington’s efforts at outreach to Pyongyang as the regime signals its interest in dialogue with the U.S. Mr. Yun confirmed the news, reported earlier by CNN, in an […]
2/26/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/SPORTS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “South Korea’s leader urged the U.S. to ease preconditions for talks with North Korea, as the left-leaning administration in Seoul sought to extend an Olympics-driven rapprochement with Pyongyang and head off the possibility of a new flare-up. President Moon Jae-in said in a meeting on Monday [2-26-18] with a […]
2/23/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRADE DEALS/TREASURY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration on Friday [2-23-18] levied what it called its largest ever North Korea sanctions package, hitting dozens of shipping and trading companies as it seeks to further cut off foreign-currency revenues keeping the nuclear-armed regime afloat. The administration sanctioned nearly 60 companies and ships and one individual […]
2/22/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP FAMILY/IVANKA: “North Korea said an army general tied to two attacks on South Korean forces would lead its delegation to the Winter Olympics’ closing ceremonies this weekend, presenting a diplomatic quandary for U.S. presidential adviser Ivanka Trump, who is also set to attend. The potential for an encounter, planned or unplanned, […]
2/22/2018
BANKING/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TREASURY: “A Latvian bank threatened with U.S. sanctions for allegedly conducting a global money laundering scheme, including for companies connected to North Korea’s missile program, is seeking more than a half billion dollars in government bailout money in an effort to stay afloat. The accusations against ABLV Bank by the U.S. Treasury Department […]
2/12/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/SOUTH KOREA/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said ‘it’s too early to judge’ whether new overtures involving North and South Korea could lead to a serious diplomatic process regarding Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program… Mr. Tillerson’s comments followed a weekend in which the start of the Winter Olympics in South Korea gave rise […]
2/7/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MIKE PENCE/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: “Vice President Mike Pence, dispatched to Asia to blunt a North Korean charm offensive at South Korea’s Olympic Games, said Wednesday [2-7-18] that the United States planned to levy the toughest sanctions yet on the North over its nuclear and missile programs. Mr. Pence’s threat, delivered in Tokyo, came two […]
2/7/2018
NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/SPORTS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Congratulations to the Republic of Korea on what will be a MAGNIFICENT Winter Olympics! What the South Korean people have built is truly an inspiration! https://t.co/giN2B1h6Ph” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Feb. 7, 2018 05:13pm […]
2/7/2018
NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/SPORTS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Best wishes to the Republic of Korea on hosting the @Olympics! What a wonderful opportunity to show everyone that you are a truly GREAT NATION! https://t.co/aboM2Up48y” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Feb. 7, 2018 01:01pm […]
2/6/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/MIKE PENCE/NORTH KOREA: “Vice President Mike Pence on Monday [2-5-18] did not rule out contact with North Korean officials when he attends the Winter Olympics in South Korea this week, saying, ‘I have not requested a meeting, but we’ll see what happens.’ The comments came as North Korean athletes, artists and officials were descending […]
1/31/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “US President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union touched on a number of international issues, including North Korea and the battle to defeat ISIS, but he didn’t offer any specifics and barely mentioned Russia or China… Here’s what he did include: North Korea The threat posed by North Korea’s […]
1/30/2018
NONTRUTHS/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The president drew on the stories of two victims of North Korean cruelty: an American college student, Otto F. Warmbier, who fell into an irreversible coma while in detention in Pyongyang, the capital, and later died; and a North Korean man who lost his leg while searching for food for his […]
1/25/2018
INTELLIGENCE/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA: “A Chinese middleman who is allegedly one of the largest facilitators of North Korean trade invested around $500,000 with his wife in a fund that put them on a path toward becoming U.S. permanent residents, according to a court document filed on Thursday [1-25-18]. Law-enforcement officials seized the funds in October, and […]
1/24/2018
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration’s top sanctions envoy pressed China in high-level meetings this week to deliver on commitments to expel North Korean agents helping finance Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons and missile programs. Sigal Mandelker, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, urged Chinese officials in Beijing to comply with obligations under […]
1/17/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: “Athletes from North and South Korea will march together under a single flag at the Winter Olympics next month, the South said Wednesday [1-17-18]—part of a sweeping agreement on the Games that marks Seoul’s most ardent and public embrace of its nuclear-armed rival in a decade. The accord comes after a […]
1/16/2018
JAPAN/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “Japan’s public broadcaster on Tuesday [1-16-18] accidentally sent news alerts that North Korea had launched a missile and that citizens should take shelter — just days after the government of Hawaii had sent a similar warning to its citizens. The broadcaster, NHK, corrected itself five minutes later and apologized for the error […]
1/14/2018
FAKE NEWS/MEDIA/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Wall Street Journal stated falsely that I said to them ‘I have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un’ (of N. Korea). Obviously I didn’t say that. I said ‘I’d have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un,’ a big difference. Fortunately we now record conversations with reporters… and […]
1/10/2018
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SOUTH KOREA: “President Moon Jae-in of South Korea warned on Wednesday [1-9-18] that North Korea would face stiffer sanctions if it resumed weapons tests, while crediting President Trump with helping force the North to resume dialogue and strike a broader agreement to improve Korean ties… His comment reflected a tactful maneuver for Mr. […]
1/9/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SOUTH KOREA: “South Korea sought unsuccessfully to raise the North’s nuclear program during bilateral talks, but the two sides reached a deal for Pyongyang to participate in next month’s Winter Olympics and agreed to hold military talks, providing a small opening to the stalemate on the peninsula. The face-to-face discussions on Tuesday [1-9-18] […]
1/8/2018
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/POPE FRANCIS/SOUTH KOREA: “Pope Francis Monday [1-8-18] called for stronger efforts for nuclear disarmament, particularly on the Korean Peninsula, the day before representatives of South and North Korea are due to meet in Seoul for their first official bilateral talks in two years. ‘It is of paramount importance to support every effort at […]
1/8/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: “South and North Korea are scheduled to begin their first official face-to-face talks in two years on Tuesday [1-9-18], with hopes the discussions could ease tensions on the peninsula stemming from the North’s nuclear-weapons program. The talks come as the Trump administration leads a global push to isolate the North Korean […]
1/4/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “With all of the failed ‘experts’ weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasn’t firm, strong and willing to commit our total ‘might’ against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing!” […]
1/3/2018
FOREIGN POLICY/JOE BIDEN/NORTH KOREA/POLITICAL FIGURES/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday [1-3-18] criticized President Donald Trump’s tweets on North Korea, telling CNN that this is ‘really poor judgment’ and warned the President that his ‘words matter.’… Biden said he is disappointed that Trump has not become more presidential over the year, and that […]
1/2/2018
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump again raised the prospect of nuclear war with North Korea, boasting in strikingly playground terms on Tuesday [1-2-18] night that he commands a ‘much bigger’ and ‘more powerful’ arsenal of devastating weapons than the outlier government in Asia… The president’s tone also generated a mix of scorn and […]
1/2/2018
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the ‘Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.’ Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my […]
1/2/2018
AMBASSADOR/NIKKI HALEY/NORTH KOREA/UN: “US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley issued a stern warning to North Korea on Tuesday, saying the US ‘will never accept a nuclear North Korea.’… North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held out a rare olive branch to South Korea on Monday, offering talks about sending a delegation to the […]
1/2/2018
NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: “Sanctions and ‘other’ pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not – we will see!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Jan. 2, 2018 09:08am […]
12/29/2017
CHINA/NORTH KOREA/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “Beijing and Washington clashed over a U.S. push to blacklist cargo ships for violating international sanctions against North Korea, including one vessel South Korea said it seized after an illegal transfer of oil. The confrontation, playing out in jockeying at the United Nations, comes amid an escalating war of words […]
12/28/2017
NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “I’ve been saying it for a long, long time. #NoKo https://t.co/LQl7tGhMdO” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 28, 2017 02:20pm […]
12/28/2017
CHINA/NORTH KOREA: “Caught RED HANDED – very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Dec. 28, 2017 11:24am […]
12/20/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/INTELLIGENCE/NORTH KOREA/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “Presenting newly declassified intelligence reports, the U.S. has urged the United Nations Security Council to blacklist 10 ships it says have violated international sanctions against North Korea, American officials said. The American intelligence was provided in recent weeks to try to persuade a sanctions committee that reports to the […]
12/18/2017
CYBERWAR/DHS/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration formally accused North Korea on Monday [12-18-17] night of creating the WannaCry cyberattack that briefly paralyzed the British health system and placed ransomware on computers in dozens of countries around the world. President Trump’s homeland security adviser, Thomas P. Bossert, wrote in an op-ed published in The Wall […]
12/17/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson let slip last week a few tantalizing details about one of the nation’s most secret military contingency plans: how the United States would try to race inside North Korea to seize its nuclear weapons if it ever saw evidence that Kim Jong-un’s government was collapsing. […]
12/14/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “The White House and State Department both stated Wednesday [12-13-17] that the US is not ready to begin talks with North Korea, a day after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had suggested the two sides could start negotiating without preconditions. Tillerson’s offer Tuesday to “sit down and see each other face […]
12/12/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRADE DEALS: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ruled out pursuing a traditional Cold War-style containment and deterrence strategy against a nuclear-armed North Korea, citing concerns that Pyongyang will transform its arsenal into a commercial business and sell nuclear weapons to other actors… President Donald Trump has long said he won’t tolerate a […]
12/12/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRADE DEALS: “Researchers in Washington and South Korea have identified a number of business transactions that they say show North Korea’s international financing web is more sophisticated than what was widely known previously. A report by the researchers also concluded that Pyongyang’s illicit global financial network remains highly vulnerable to international sanctions, […]
12/11/2017
MILITARY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: “Amid fears that North Korea is rapidly developing its submarine-launched ballistic missile technology, the United States, Japan and South Korea are teaming up for a drill to track such hard-to-detect missiles, military officials said Monday [12-11-17]. The drill is taking place over two days in waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, […]
12/7/2017
NIKKI HALEY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/UN: “The American envoy to the United Nations, Nikki R. Haley, said on Wednesday [12-6-17] that it was an ‘open question’ whether American athletes would be able to attend the Olympics in South Korea in February given the tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The Winter Games are to be held Feb. 9-25 […]
12/4/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/UN: “The United Nations’ chief diplomat will travel to North Korea on Tuesday [12-5-17] for political talks, according to the U.N., in a rare, high-level visit by the world body. Jeffrey Feltman, undersecretary general for political affairs, will be in Pyongyang for three days meeting senior regime officials on what the U.N. described […]
12/4/2017
MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The U.S. and South Korean militaries began five days of simulated war drills on the peninsula Monday [12-4-17], involving bombers, fighters and thousands of troops, less than a week after North Korea tested its most advanced missile. The annual drills, known as Vigilant Ace, are aimed at developing interoperability […]
12/3/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/MCMASTER/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA: “The Trump administration will roll out its first national-security strategy in the next few weeks, marking the beginning of what it calls a tough new approach to confront a raft of global security challenges. White House officials said the strategy encompasses the threat of North Korea’s nuclear arms, global terrorism and […]
11/30/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Chinese Envoy, who just returned from North Korea, seems to have had no impact on Little Rocket Man. Hard to believe his people, and the military, put up with living in such horrible conditions. Russia and China condemned the launch.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 30, 2017 07:25am […]
11/30/2017
NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a plan to oust Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who has had a strained relationship with his boss over North Korea and other issues, senior administration officials said on Thursday [11-30-17]. Tillerson would be replaced by CIA director Mike Pompeo, known as a Trump loyalist, within […]
11/29/2017
CHINA/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 29, 2017 09:40am […]
11/28/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “As tensions between the United States and North Korea continue to simmer, Hawaii will start a statewide test on Friday [11-24-17] of a Cold War-era early warning system designed to inform its residents of an impending nuclear attack. The Attack Warning Tone, described as a ‘wailing tone,’ will be heard for about […]
11/28/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SOUTH KOREA: “North Korea has been conducting missile engine and fuel tests in recent weeks, with the goal of achieving nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities as early as next year, a senior South Korean official said on Tuesday [11-28-17]. Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, South Korea’s lead official on North Korea, also said his […]
11/28/2017
MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “After North Korea missile launch, it’s more important than ever to fund our gov’t & military! Dems shouldn’t hold troop funding hostage for amnesty & illegal immigration. I ran on stopping illegal immigration and won big. They can’t now threaten a shutdown to get their demands.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 28, 2017 […]
11/28/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/SOUTH KOREA: “North Korea test-fired a missile towards the east in the early hours of Wednesday [11-29-17] morning, South Korean authorities said, ending a more than two-month hiatus from Pyongyang and threatening to increase tensions with the U.S. and in the region. The missile, which South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said was […]
11/20/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Trump on Monday [11-20-17] officially designated North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, returning the rogue nation to a list from which it had been removed during the George W. Bush administration. North Korea had been removed from the list under the George W. Bush administration in an […]
11/16/2017
CHINA/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “China is sending an Envoy and Delegation to North Korea – A big move, we’ll see what happens!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 16, 2017 07:43am […]
11/15/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “A trip to Pyongyang by a special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping offers a chance for Beijing to manage relations with its troublesome neighbor after months of frayed ties and stepped-up U.S. pressure to rein in North Korea’s nuclear program. The two sides will ‘exchange opinions on matters of mutual […]
11/11/2017
NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me ‘old,’ when I would NEVER call him ‘short and fat?’ Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend – and maybe someday that will happen!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 11, 2017 07:48pm […]
11/11/2017
CHINA/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Xi of China has stated that he is upping the sanctions against #NoKo. Said he wants them to denuclearize. Progress is being made.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 11, 2017 06:32pm […]
11/9/2017
CHINA/NORTH KOREA/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “My meetings with President Xi Jinping were very productive on both trade and the subject of North Korea. He is a highly respected and powerful representative of his people. It was great being with him and Madame Peng Liyuan!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 9, 2017 06:44pm […]
11/8/2017
NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “NoKo has interpreted America’s past restraint as weakness. This would be a fatal miscalculation. Do not underestimate us. AND DO NOT TRY US. https://t.co/4llqLrNpK3” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 8, 2017 10:15am […]
11/7/2017
NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Together, we dream of a Korea that is free, a peninsula that is safe, and families that are reunited once again! https://t.co/9tsZRCC83j” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 7, 2017 10:43pm […]
11/7/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The North Korean regime has pursued its nuclear & ballistic missile programs in defiance of every assurance, agreement, & commmitment it has made to the U.S. and its allies. It’s broken all of those commitments… https://t.co/xJ4jUpA8d8” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, Nov. 7, 2017 10:12pm […]
11/7/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP POSITION CHANGES: “President Donald Trump left open the door for North Korea to return to negotiations and said there were signs of progress in the nuclear standoff, his conciliatory tone marking a departure from recent hostile rhetoric toward Pyongyang… On Tuesday, standing 35 miles from the North Korean border, […]
11/6/2017
BUDGET/MILITARY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump asked Congress on Monday for $4 billion to support missile defense to counter the threat from North Korea, just ahead of his first visit to South Korea since taking office in January… He made his request during his maiden trip to Asia as president, featuring repeated […]
11/3/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump starts the longest and most anticipated trip of his first year in office on Saturday, a 10-day excursion that boasts stops in five Asian countries. But the biggest focus will be on where he isn’t going: North Korea. Pyongyang’s desire to be considered a global nuclear power—and […]
11/2/2017
MILITARY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Two U.S. B-1B bombers flew near North Korea on Thursday [11-2-17], alongside Japanese and South Korean jet fighters, provoking anger from Pyongyang ahead of President Donald Trump’s closely watched trip to Asia. The flyover, which U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement was planned in advance and not in response to […]
11/2/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration officially cut off a small Chinese bank from the U.S. financial system on Thursday [11-2-17], accusing it of helping North Korea develop its illegal ballistic missile program. The White House in June said it planned to sever the Chinese Bank of Dandong from the world’s most important […]
10/28/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “As North Korea races to build a weapon that for the first time could threaten American cities, its neighbors are debating whether they need their own nuclear arsenals. The North’s rapidly advancing capabilities have scrambled military calculations across the region, and doubts are growing the United States will be able to keep […]
10/27/2017
DEFENSE/JAMES MATTIS/NORTH KOREA: “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis denounced North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s regime as a threat to regional security during a visit to the demilitarized zone that divides the two Koreas, even as he reaffirmed the U.S.’s commitment to diplomacy. ‘North Korean provocations continue to threaten regional and global security despite unanimous condemnation […]
10/25/2017
NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The head of South Korea’s conservative opposition party is urging the Trump administration to redeploy tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea to help counter threats from North Korea and change the dynamics on the peninsula. Hong Joon-pyo, head of the Liberty Korea party, is making his pitch for weapons in […]
10/23/2017
NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump has no current plans to visit the demilitarized zone between North Korea and South Korea during his trip to Asia next month, a White House official said Monday [10-23-17]. Instead, Trump is slated to speak with U.S. troops at Camp Humphreys, which is south of Seoul, the […]
10/22/2017
DEFENSE/JAMES MATTIS/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA: “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis arrived here to meet with regional counterparts as the U.S. attempts to coordinate efforts to counter North Korean belligerence. The Pentagon chief is scheduled to meet Monday with Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, Philippine Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana and South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo during a […]
10/19/2017
CIA/MILITARY/NORTH KOREA: “Former CIA Director John Brennan estimated that the U.S. has at least a 20% likelihood of becoming engaged in military conflict with North Korea amid President Donald Trump’s discord with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. ‘Having this back-and-forth on the public stage is not the way to de-escalate here,’ Mr. Brennan said […]
10/16/2017
MILITARY/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: “The United States military said on Monday [10-16-17] that it would practice evacuating noncombatant Americans out of South Korea in the event of war and other emergencies, as the two allies began a joint naval exercise amid heightened tensions with North Korea. The evacuation drill, known as Courageous Channel, is scheduled from […]
10/10/2017
CYBERWAR/NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA: “Suspected North Korean hackers stole sensitive military secrets, including joint U.S.-South Korean plans detailing how to eliminate the Pyongyang leadership, during an attack on Seoul’s defense data system last year, a South Korean lawmaker said. Rhee Cheol-hee, a member of the ruling Democratic Party, said in an interview with local media published […]
10/10/2017
ARMY/FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA: “US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley made clear Monday [10-9-17] what a bind the US is in when it comes to solving the challenge of North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, stating there are ‘no risk-free options’ but said there is also not an ‘indefinite amount of time’ to […]
10/9/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA: “Our country has been unsuccessfully dealing with North Korea for 25 years, giving billions of dollars & getting nothing. Policy didn’t work!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 9, 2017 05:50am […]
10/9/2017
CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Russia and China called for restraint on North Korea on Monday [10-9-17] after U.S. President Donald Trump warned over the weekend that ‘only one thing will work’ in dealing with Pyongyang, hinting that military action was on his mind. When asked what Russia made of Trump’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry […]
10/8/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/STATE/TRADE DEALS: “Over 20 nations have curbed the diplomatic or business operations of the North Korean government following a more-than-yearlong effort by the State Department, an indication of the kind of behind-the-scenes pressure the U.S. is using to tackle an emerging nuclear standoff. U.S. officials have asked countries to shut down businesses owned […]
10/7/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Presidents and their administrations have been talking to North Korea for 25 years, agreements made and massive amounts of money paid… hasn’t worked, agreements violated before the ink was dry, makings fools of U.S. negotiators. Sorry, but only one thing will work!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 7, 2017 02:40pm and […]
10/2/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/REX TILLERSON/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The White House said Monday [10-2-17] that President Donald Trump has confidence in Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, after saying a day earlier that the chief diplomat was ‘wasting his time’ by trying to negotiate with North Korea. Mr. Tillerson disclosed over the weekend that the U.S. has had […]
10/1/2017
CYBERWAR/FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/RUSSIA: “North Korea has opened a second internet connection with the outside world, this time via Russia, a move which cyber security experts said could give Pyongyang greater capability to conduct cyber attacks. North Korea has been blamed by Western governments for several major cyber attacks in recent years, including against banks and […]
10/1/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump said he didn’t think it was worth pursuing negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, a day after his secretary of state revealed the U.S. was in direct contact with Pyongyang… The president and his top diplomat have sent differing signals about North Korea before, as […]
10/1/2017
NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Being nice to Rocket Man hasn’t worked in 25 years, why would it work now? Clinton failed, Bush failed, and Obama failed. I won’t fail.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, October 1, 2017 02:01pm […]
9/30/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The Trump administration acknowledged on Saturday [9-30-17] for the first time that it was in direct communication with the government of North Korea over its missile and nuclear tests, seeking a possible way forward beyond the escalating threats of a military confrontation from both sides… The two countries have been […]
9/29/2017
NORTH KOREA/TRADE DEALS/TREASURY/TRUMP EXEC ORDERS: ” ‘Imposing Additional Sanctions with Respect to North Korea’ The order imposes wide-ranging sanctions that penalize North Korea and anyone doing business with the country. It seeks to cut off sources of revenue to North Korea and punish anyone trading in goods, services, or technology with the country, including by […]
9/26/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TREASURY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “The United States added eight North Korean banks and 26 individuals operating in four countries to its sanctions blacklist on Tuesday [9-26-17], part of an intensified effort to starve North Korea financially in response to the country’s nuclear weapons and missile testing. The action by the Treasury Department came less […]
9/26/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. officials emphasized the urgency of attempts at diplomacy to ease tensions with North Korea on Tuesday [9-26-17], while the U.S. stepped up sanctions amid an escalating war of words between Washington and Pyongyang. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to Beijing on Thursday as the U.S. continues to […]
9/26/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “North Korea’s foreign minister warned his country would shoot down American warplanes even if they are outside of the country’s airspace, in an escalation Monday of the threat of a military confrontation. Ri Yong Ho, speaking to reporters in New York, said the U.S. had declared war on North Korea […]
9/26/2017
NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Great interview on @foxandfriends with the parents of Otto Warmbier: 1994 – 2017. Otto was tortured beyond belief by North Korea.” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, September 26, 2017 06:14am […]
9/25/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “North Korea’s foreign minister escalated tensions with the United States on Monday [9-25-17], saying that President Trump’s threatening comments about the country and its leadership were ‘a declaration of war’ and that North Korea had the right to shoot down American warplanes, even if they are not in North Korean air […]
9/23/2017
NORTH KOREA/NUCLEAR: “A small earthquake was detected on Saturday [9-24-17] afternoon near North Korea’s underground nuclear test site, reviving fears that the country had set off another bomb. Chinese seismologists said the activity was most likely caused by an explosion, but the United States Geological Survey said it was too early to say whether the […]
9/22/2017
NATIONAL SECURITY/NORTH KOREA: “North Korea’s latest threat—to detonate a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean—if carried through would mark a new level of defiance in the face of warnings from the U.S. and the international community. Pyongyang has notched milestone after milestone this year in its quest to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of striking […]
9/22/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Kim Jong Un of North Korea, who is obviously a madman who doesn’t mind starving or killing his people, will be tested like never before!” -Donald Trump, Twitter.com, September 22, 2017 05:28am […]
9/21/2017
FOREIGN POLICY/NORTH KOREA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “President Donald Trump launched a new phase of a crackdown on North Korea on Thursday [9-22-17], expanding sanctions to hit any individuals, companies and financial institutions doing business with Pyongyang, not only those involved in aiding its weapons program or laundering funds… President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order […]