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Korea Herald
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
North Korea fires SRBMs into East Sea amid speculation over missile exports
North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Thursday morning, marking its first missile launch in about two months. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a text message to the press that it detected the launches between approximately 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. from the area near Wonsan, a coastal city about 180 kilometers east of Pyongyang. The missiles flew up to 800 kilometers before falling into the East Sea, the military said. The launch raised speculations that the missiles' performance may have been tested ahead of possible exports. '(The missile firing) may have been a performance test or flight stability assessment ahead of potential exports,' said JCS spokesperson Lt. Col. Lee Sung-jun during a briefing at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, without mentioning the target of such an arms deal. While the exact number and specifications of the missiles were not immediately disclosed, Lee said that North Korea fired several missiles — fewer than 10 — using a variety of short-range ballistic missiles, including the super-large multiple rocket launcher and Iskander-type systems. However, Lee dismissed speculation that the launch was related to preparations for a military reconnaissance satellite. Lee added that the South Korean military has strengthened its surveillance and vigilance in preparation for additional launches and is maintaining full readiness in close coordination with the United States and Japan. This is North Korea's first ballistic missile provocation since a short-range launch into the West Sea on March 10. It also marks the second such provocation since the second administration of US President Donald Trump took office in January. Earlier this year, North Korea conducted a series of ballistic missile tests, including firing a medium-range hypersonic missile on Jan. 6, a short-range missile on Jan. 14, and a close-range missile on March 10. In response to Thursday's launch, South Korea's National Security Office convened a security assessment meeting led by Second Deputy Director In Sung-hwan, bringing together officials from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other related agencies. The government said it is closely monitoring North Korea's movements and will maintain full readiness to respond to any provocations. The Foreign Ministry said South Korea, the United States and Japan held a trilateral phone consultation Thursday morning to share assessments of the launch and discuss coordination measures. 'The three countries agreed that North Korea's ballistic missile launches violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions and pose a serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community,' the ministry said in a statement. It added that the countries will continue close coordination based on the strong South Korea-US alliance and trilateral security cooperation.
Korea Herald
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
North Korea fires SRBMs into East Sea amid speculation over potential missile exports
North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Thursday morning, marking its first missile launch in about two months. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a text message to the press that it detected the launches between approximately 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. from the area near Wonsan, a coastal city about 180 kilometers east of Pyongyang. The missiles flew up to 800 kilometers before falling into the East Sea, the military said. The launch raised speculations that the missiles' performance may have been tested ahead of possible exports. '(The missile firing) may have been a performance test or flight stability assessment ahead of potential exports,' said JCS spokesperson Lt. Col. Lee Sung-jun during a briefing at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, without mentioning the target of such an arms deal. While the exact number and specifications of the missiles were not immediately disclosed, Lee said that North Korea fired several missiles — fewer than 10 — using a variety of short-range ballistic missiles, including the super-large multiple rocket launcher and Iskander-type systems. However, Lee dismissed speculation that the launch was related to preparations for a military reconnaissance satellite. Lee added that the South Korean military has strengthened its surveillance and vigilance in preparation for additional launches and is maintaining full readiness in close coordination with the United States and Japan. This is North Korea's first ballistic missile provocation since a short-range launch into the West Sea on March 10. It also marks the second such provocation since the second administration of US President Donald Trump took office in January. Earlier this year, North Korea conducted a series of ballistic missile tests, including firing a medium-range hypersonic missile on Jan. 6, a short-range missile on Jan. 14, and a close-range missile on March 10. In response to Thursday's launch, South Korea's National Security Office convened a security assessment meeting led by Second Deputy Director In Sung-hwan, bringing together officials from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other related agencies. The government said it is closely monitoring North Korea's movements and will maintain full readiness to respond to any provocations. The Foreign Ministry said South Korea, the United States and Japan held a trilateral phone consultation Thursday morning to share assessments of the launch and discuss coordination measures. 'The three countries agreed that North Korea's ballistic missile launches violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions and pose a serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community,' the ministry said in a statement. It added that the countries will continue close coordination based on the strong South Korea-US alliance and trilateral security cooperation.
Korea Herald
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Lee Jae-myung says overcoming partisanship key to surviving Trump's tariffs
Conservative critical of Yoon Suk Yeol to join Democratic Party of Korea presidential campaign Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential nominee, called for a transcending of partisan divide to navigate trade challenges posed by the second Donald Trump administration's tariff policy. Lee said in this "survival of the fittest" environment, induced in part by Trump's tariffs, a "one Korea, one team" approach is required. The Democratic Party's task force responding to Trump's tariff policy held a meeting on Monday where it said acting President Han Duck-soo should leave room for the next administration to finalize trade negotiations with the US. Kim Hyun-chong, the former deputy director of the National Security Office heading the task force, said the interim administration under Han should limit its role to "laying the foundation for the incoming administration, which will assume office in 37 days, to do the rest of the work." Kim said that Han should "work closely with the National Assembly in his trade talks with Washington, and not get ahead." Lee, in his nomination acceptance speech on Sunday, had also stressed national unity in the face of "the new global order brought on by the second Trump term." Also on Monday, the Democratic Party said Yoon Yeo-joon, a former environment minister who has been vocal in his criticism of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, was joining Lee's election committee, slated to formally launch later this week. Recruiting a conservative figure to one of the top posts in the campaign is seen as a move intended to secure the support of voters outside the Democratic Party's base. As party chair, Lee had previously sought to reframe the Democratic Party's image, describing it as "centrist conservative" — part of a broader effort to shed his reputation as a hard-line liberal and appeal to a wider swath of the electorate. Lee stepped down from the post to run for the presidency. Bringing in the former environment minister is in line with Lee's emphasis on "overcoming political camps" and "prioritizing merit over political affiliation" in the speech he delivered after winning the party's nomination for president on Sunday. "The former minister is someone I have counted on for advice in the past. I have asked him if he would be willing to lead the committee, and thankfully, he has accepted the offer," Lee told reporters Monday morning. Democratic Party bigwigs considered part of the non-Lee Jae-myung faction, such as Kim Boo-kyum, who was prime minister under the party's former President Moon Jae-in, are also rumored to join Lee's campaign. Reaching out to voters outside the Democratic Party's support base has been cited as one of Lee's prime concerns. According to a Democratic Party insider, Lee is distancing himself from his signature policy of universal basic income that has been widely criticized by those leaning conservative, as he looks to attract broader support from voters. Lee said at a meeting with party leaders on Monday that the pressing task for the next leader of South Korea is to bring the country together. "The challenges facing our country are too dire to get bogged down in divisive politics," he said, saying he aspires to be a candidate who "represents all of South Korea, not just the party." In his first public appearance as the party's nominee on Monday, Lee paid his respects to late conservative Presidents Syngman Rhee, Park Chung-hee and Kim Young-sam at the Seoul National Cemetery, in a display of his efforts to transcend partisanship.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Korea court finds former officials guilty of forcible return of N.Koreans
SEOUL (Reuters) - A South Korean court found four former government officials guilty on Wednesday of forcibly repatriating two North Korean fishermen in 2019, despite their intention to defect, in a case that provoked criticism from global human rights activists. At the time they were deported, the government of former President Moon Jae-in called the fishermen "dangerous criminals" who had killed 16 colleagues in a fight over an abusive captain on their ship before crossing the sea border. The Seoul Central District Court suspended sentencing for the four, who had held office under Moon, and had all denied wrongdoing. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. They were former National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, former presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min, former National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon and former Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul. South Korea hands down suspended sentences for crimes seen as relatively minor that are not viewed as convictions in the traditional sense, but figure in the criminal record. In 2022, South Korea reopened the case, with the office of now-impeached President Yook Suk Yeol denouncing the repatriation to North Korea that called the defectors "human scum" as a potential "crime against humanity". The deportation was also criticised by rights watchdogs, including U.S.-based Human Rights Watch, which called it illegal under international law because of the likelihood the men would be tortured. Their fate has not been and videos released by the Yoon administration in 2022 showed South Korean security officials dragging the men over the border into the hands of North Korean troops. Outside the court, former National Security Office chief Chung defended the repatriations and said he would discuss whether to appeal the ruling. "Those repatriated ... in November 2019 were not just North Korean defectors who committed criminal acts in the course of defection, as prosecutors claim," Chung told reporters. "They brutally killed 16 of their fellow sailors (and) fled from North Korean society." Prosecutors could not immediately be reached for comment.
Reuters
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
South Korea court finds former officials guilty of forcible return of N.Koreans
SEOUL, Feb 19 (Reuters) - A South Korean court found four former government officials guilty on Wednesday of forcibly repatriating two North Korean fishermen in 2019, despite their intention to defect, in a case that provoked criticism from global human rights activists. At the time they were deported, the government of former President Moon Jae-in called the fishermen "dangerous criminals" who had killed 16 colleagues in a fight over an abusive captain on their ship before crossing the sea border. The Seoul Central District Court suspended sentencing for the four, who had held office under Moon, and had all denied wrongdoing. They were former National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, former presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min, former National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon and former Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul. South Korea hands down suspended sentences for crimes seen as relatively minor that are not viewed as convictions in the traditional sense, but figure in the criminal record. In 2022, South Korea reopened the case, with the office of now-impeached President Yook Suk Yeol denouncing the repatriation to North Korea that called the defectors "human scum" as a potential "crime against humanity". The deportation was also criticised by rights watchdogs, including U.S.-based Human Rights Watch, which called it illegal under international law because of the likelihood the men would be tortured. Their fate has not been confirmed. Photographs and videos released by the Yoon administration in 2022 showed South Korean security officials dragging the men over the border into the hands of North Korean troops. Outside the court, former National Security Office chief Chung defended the repatriations and said he would discuss whether to appeal the ruling. "Those repatriated ... in November 2019 were not just North Korean defectors who committed criminal acts in the course of defection, as prosecutors claim," Chung told reporters. "They brutally killed 16 of their fellow sailors (and) fled from North Korean society." Prosecutors could not immediately be reached for comment. Reporting by Joyce Lee and Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Ed Davies and Clarence Fernandez
