Lee, Australian PM agree to bolster cooperation on addressing N. Korea's nuclear issue
President Lee Jae-myung met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canada on Monday and agreed to bolster security cooperation to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and address North Korea's nuclear issue, the presidential office said.
In their first in-person meeting in Calgary on the margins of the Group of Seven summit, the two leaders also pledged to work together for a successful hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in South Korea's Gyeongju later this year.
"The two leaders agreed to continue strengthening communication and cooperation to make tangible progress on peace on the Korean Peninsula and the North Korean nuclear issue," the presidential office said in a release.
During the talks, Lee called Australia "a trusted ally" that participated in the 1950-53 Korean War and a key partner working with South Korea to promote stability and prosperity in the region and the international community, the office said.
Albanese expressed hope that the two countries would further deepen cooperation across a range of areas, including defense, the arms industry, clean energy and supply chains for critical minerals, it noted. (Yonhap)
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Korea Herald
an hour ago
- Korea Herald
[Exclusive] North Korea distancing from South Korea since martial law: NIS chief nominee
South Korea's spy chief nominee Lee Jong-seok said Tuesday that North Korea appears to be keeping a strategic distance from the South since the martial law debacle last December. Lee said in a written response submitted to the National Assembly that the pause in North Korea's trash balloon offensives and political commentaries aimed at Seoul seems to be part of its distancing policy. "North Korea has been thoroughly keeping its distance from and ignoring South Korea since the martial law declaration at the end of last year," Lee said. "North Korea has not shown a reaction to the recent anti-Pyongyang leafleting by South Korean civilian organizations, for instance, which is rare." Lee noted that North Korea has also refrained from commenting on South Korea's political situation. "On the South Korean political situation, North Korea is opting for fact-based, brief statements rather than commentaries. North Korean reports have refrained from reacting to announcements of the new South Korean administration's nominations of foreign and security officials," Lee said. North Korea's shift in stance after the short-lived declaration of martial law contrasts with its series of offensives throughout the previous year. After declaring the inter-Korean relationship one of "two hostile countries" in late 2023, North Korea blew up roads and railways connecting to the South and sent trash-filled balloons toward the South. Lee said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's daughter Ju-ae is his likely successor, but noted that she doesn't appear to have been formally nominated yet. "There are many variables at play including Ju-ae's young age, Kim Jong-un's other children and the North's patriarchal culture," Lee said. Lee has to go through the National Assembly's confirmation hearing on Thursday before he is appointed.
Korea Herald
an hour ago
- Korea Herald
[단독] 이종석 국정원장 후보자 "북한, 비상계엄 이후 대남 '거리두기' 중...김주애, 공식 내정은 아직"
[코리아헤럴드=김아린 기자] 이종석 국가정보원장 후보자는 17일 북한이 12·3 비상계엄 이후 한국과 철저히 거리를 두고 있다며, 오물풍선 살포 등 대남 공세가 중단된 것도 '거리두기 정책'의 일환으로 보인다고 평가했다. 이 후보자는 국회에 낸 인사청문회 서면 답변에서 "북한이 작년 말 비상계엄 정국을 기점으로 철저한 대남 거리두기·무시 행태를 보이고 있다"며, 특히 민감하게 반응해왔던 민간 단체의 대북 전단 살포에 대해서도 "반발 없이 내부 단속에만 집중하고 있다"고 말했다. 이 후보자는 북한이 계엄 이후 한국 국내 정치 상황과 관련해 "논평을 자제하고 팩트 위주로 간략히 보도하고 있으며, 새 정부의 외교안보 인선 등의 발표에도 별다른 반응이 없다"고 했다. 이는 북한이 지난 해 내내 전개했던 강경한 대남 공세와 대조적이다. 북한은 2023년 12월 남북을 '적대적인 두 국가 관계'로 규정하면서 한국의 통일부에 상응하는 조국평화통일위원회를 해체하고, 대남 교류와 관련한 법과 합의서도 폐지했다. 남북을 잇는 철도와 육상 도로를 폭파해 단절 조치를 취하고, 대북 전단과 확성기에는 오물풍선 살포와 소음 공격으로 강력하게 반발했다. 북한 헌법에 '두 국가론'을 반영한 개정이 지연되는 것을 두고 이 후보자는 "선대 유훈 부정에 따른 주민 반감과 영토 획정의 까다로움이 작용한 것으로 보인다"고 분석하면서, "다음 15기 1차 최고인민회의에서 다뤄질 것으로 예상된다"고 했다. 김정은 북한 국무위원장은 2024년 1월 '적대적 관계' 현실을 반영한 헌법 개정을 지시했으나, 이후 두 차례 개최된 최고인민회의에서 관련한 개정은 발표되지 않았다. 북한의 후계 구도와 관련해 이 후보자는 "종합적으로 분석해 봤을 때 표면적으로는 김 국무위원장의 딸 김주애가 후계 수업을 받고 있는 것으로 볼 수 있다"면서도, "아직 공식 내정 단계는 아닌 것으로 판단된다"고 했다. 그러면서 "(김주애의) 어린 나이와 개인 자질을 비롯해 여타 김정은의 자녀, 가부장적 사회 문화 등 변수가 많아 지속 추적해야 할 사안으로 보인다"고 덧붙였다. 이재명 정부의 첫 국정원장 후보자로 지명된 이 후보자는 참여정부에서 국가안전보장회의(NSC) 사무차장과 통일부 장관을 역임한 '베테랑 대북통'으로 평가받는다. 이 후보자는 19일 국회 인사청문회를 거쳐 최종 임명될 예정이다. (arin@ [Exclusive] North Korea distancing from South Korea since martial law: NIS chief nominee South Korea's spy chief nominee Lee Jong-seok said Tuesday that North Korea appears to be keeping a strategic distance from the South since the martial law debacle in December last year. Lee said in a written response submitted to the National Assembly that the pause in North Korea's trash balloon offensives and political commentaries aimed at Seoul seem to be a part of its distancing policy. "North Korea has been thoroughly distancing, and ignoring South Korea since martial law at the end of last year," Lee said. "North Korea has not shown reaction to the recent anti-Pyongyang leafleting by South Korean civilian organizations, for instance, which is rare." Lee noted that North Korea has also noticeably refrained from commenting on South Korea's political situation. "On the South Korean political situation, North Korea is opting for fact-based, brief statements rather than commentaries. North Korean reports have not reacted to announcements of the new South Korean administration's nominations of foreign and security officials," Lee said. North Korea's shift in stance after matial law comes in contrast with the series of offensives seen over last year. After declaring inter-Korean relationship one of "two hostile countries" in late 2023, North Korea blew up roads and railways connecting to the South and launched trash balloons toward the South. Lee said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's daughter Ju-ae is his likely successor, but that she doesn't appear to have secured a formal nomination yet. "There are many variables at play including Ju-ae's young age, Kim Jong-un's other children and the North's patriarchal culture," Lee said. Lee has to go through the National Assembly's confirmation hearing on Thursday before he is appointed.
Korea Herald
2 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Now we are six: G7 leaders try to salvage their summit after Trump's early exit
Alberta (AP) — Six of the Group of Seven leaders are trying on the final day of their Tuesday to show the wealthy nations' club still has the clout to shape world events despite the early departure of President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Mark Carney and his counterparts from the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan will be joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO chief Mark Rutte to discuss Russia's relentless war on its neighbor . World leaders had gathered in Canada with the specific goal of helping to defuse a series of pressure points, only to be disrupted by a showdown over Iran's nuclear program that could escalate in dangerous and uncontrollable ways. Israel launched an aerial bombardment campaign against Iran on Friday, and Iran has hit back with missiles and drones. Trump left the summit in the Canadian Rocky Mountain resort of Kananaskis a day early late Monday, saying: 'I have to be back, very important.' It came as conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies and the US leader declared that Tehran should be evacuated 'immediately' — while also expressing optimism about a deal to stop the violence. Before leaving, Trump joined the other leader in issuing a statement saying Iran 'can never have a nuclear weapon' and calling for a 'de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.' Getting unanimity — even on a short and broadly worded statement — was a modest measure of success for the group. At the summit, Trump warned that Tehran needs to curb its nuclear program before it's 'too late.' He said Iranian leaders would 'like to talk' but they had already had 60 days to reach an agreement on their nuclear ambitions and failed to do so before the Israeli aerial assault began. 'They have to make a deal,' he said. Asked what it would take for the US to get involved in the conflict militarily, Trump said Monday morning, 'I don't want to talk about that.' But by Monday afternoon, Trump warned ominously on social media, 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!' Shortly after that, Trump decided to leave the summit and skip a series of Tuesday meetings that would address the war in Ukraine and trade issues. The sudden departure only heightened the drama of a world that seems on verge of several firestorms. Trump already has imposed severe tariffs on multiple nations that risk a global economic slowdown. There has been little progress on settling the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Trump's stance on Ukraine puts him fundamentally at odds with the other G7 leaders, who back Ukraine and are clear that Russia is the aggressor in the war. The US president on Monday suggested there would have been no war if G7 members hadn't expelled Putin from the organization in 2014 for annexing Crimea. Trump on Monday demurred when asked if he supported Russia, saying 'I only care about saving lives.' With talks on ending the war at an impasse, Starmer said Britain and other G7 members were slapping new tariffs on Russia in a bid to get it to the ceasefire negotiating table. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to attend the summit Tuesday at Carney's invitation, along with other leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NATO chief Mark Rutte. Trump declined to join in the sanctions on Russia, saying he would wait until Europe did so first. 'When I sanction a country that costs the US a lot of money, a tremendous amount of money,' he said. Trump had been scheduled before his departure to meet with Zelenskyy and with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. On the Middle East, Merz told reporters that Germany was planning to draw up a final communique proposal on the Israel-Iran conflict that will stress that 'Iran must under no circumstances be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons-capable material.' Trump also seemed to put a greater priority on addressing his grievances with other nations' trade policies than on collaboration with G7 allies. The U.S. president has imposed 50 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as 25 percent tariffs on autos. Trump is also charging a 10% tax on imports from most countries, though he could raise rates on July 9, after the 90-day negotiating period set by him would expire. He announced with Starmer that they had signed a trade framework Monday that was previously announced in May, with Trump saying that British trade was 'very well protected' because 'I like them, that's why. That's their ultimate protection.'
