#Democratic People&039;s Republic of Korea (North Korea)

[minnesotafollower]

U.S. Excludes Cuba from List of Non-Cooperators Against Terrorism     

On May 15 U.S. Secretary of Antony Blinken released the State Department’s annual list of the following four states that did not fully cooperate with the U.S. anti-terrorism efforts: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Syria and Venezuela. [1] The Secretary also stated that the U.S. had determined that the circumstances for the [prior] certification of Cuba for this list had changed and…

[dcoglobalnews]

DPRK REJECTS ROK's ' AUDACIOUS INITIATIVE'

DPRK REJECTS ROK’s ‘ AUDACIOUS INITIATIVE’

Kim Yo Jong, a senior Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) official, rejected what Yoon Suk-yeol, president of Republic of Korea (ROK), described as an “audacious initiative” on Thursday, according to Korean Central News Agency.Kim, the vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, said the plan was “absurd” and the DPRK would never use nuclear weapons…

[unclesamsmisguidedclub]

North Korea Parades Military Hardware, Nuke Test "on Hold"

North Korea Parades Military Hardware, Nuke Test “on Hold”

North Korea staged a parade on their National Day of the Sun Holiday, where it showcased its new submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and a new ICBM widely believed to be able to reach the US.  No launch. Nuke test on hold. Maybe the pressure got through to them, at least for now? Of course there was the usual blistering rhetoric and threats against the US and Western powers, but Kim Jong-Un…

[ordonewsworld]

US imposed sanctions against the command of the DPRK army

US imposed sanctions against the command of the DPRK army

The United States imposed sanctions against the command of military security of the People’s Army of the DPRK, according to the website of the US Treasury. The list includes the head of the army command and his deputy, the Minister of Labor of the DPRK, as well as the director of the Bureau of External Construction, the DPRK consul general in China’s Shenyang and the first deputy minister of…

[twosecondstreet]

On Saturday, North Korea marked the anniversary of its founding. There’s been a lot of threats and posturing the past few weeks and tensions were high. The day I arrived in Korea, North Korea had performed its sixth nuclear test. While visiting the South, I was fortunate enough to book a last-minute trip to the Joint Security Area in the DMZ. I’ve visited the DMZ before when I was living in Ulsan, but with this trip, I was able to visit the most famous part of the DMZ.

Entering the DMZ

Entering the DMZ is an intense process and you feel the tension well before you even arrive: Barbed wire lines the Han river and guard outposts dot the land along the highway. When you arrive, everyone’s passports get checked and verified before your bus is brought to the briefing area. You are given a brief history of the area, the current conditions, and the rules for visiting. Essentially, you can’t do anything (facial expressions, gestures, etc.) towards the North, and you are only allowed to photograph facing the North, never the South. They are very strict on photography and are authorized to factory reset your device if you break the rules. You also sign a waiver of sorts that protects the UN from any sort of injury or aggression on the part of the North. After you leave, you get to keep the document as a souvenir!

Panmunjom and the JSA

You then board a military bus with a soldier guide. He explains the existence of Panmunjom, a village that exists within the DMZ. That could fill an entire post by itself, but know there are people who live there, farm, and are protected by the ROK (Southern) soldiers from repatriation by the North. I was told the ginseng around this area is some of the best in the world, famed for its quality since ancient times.

Once your bus unloads, you go into the peace building, constructed for friendly meetings between the North and South, but never used for such. You are reminded again of the instructions and proceed outward in single-file lines. Where you exit the building is where all the famous pictures come from: All the blue buildings are UN/Southern controlled, while the crazy metallic-looking buildings are controlled by the North. You can see the North Korean Welcome Center across the way, in all of its surreal glory. The day I arrived, on the third floor balcony in the North, I saw a large group of North Korean tourists, which was surreal; we were both there to gawk at one another, measure each other up, each fascinated and unable to comprehend the life of the other. This is a rare meeting: There are maybe 2-3 North Korean tours per month, if that.

North Korea, just across the way

Face to face with the opposing side. Note the lone North Korean guard at the left-most doors

You either start on the steps outside and get a briefing about the North, or enter the Joint Security building where negotiations happen. We started in the negotiation building. Once you pass the long table in the middle, you are technically in North Korea. The good news is that if one country has tours in the building, the other side is locked out and not allowed to come in. So, we were flanked by elite South Korean soldiers while we took pictures and glanced at the North. These soldiers are no joke; describing them as statuesque would only be to scratch the surface.

I was technically in North Korea when I took this photo. Trippy!

To the right, South Korea. The the left, North Korea

Outside, you receive more briefing and are allowed to take more pictures, all while the North Koreans monitor your activity. They try to find unsavory or unflattering things to use in their propaganda campaign, hence why no facial expressions or gestures of any kind. The experience can only be described as surreal and jarring. This is, technically, a site with active aggression between two nations still technically at war. The quiet is eery and unsettling; you know something is simmering beneath the surface, but it is hidden to expertly that an uneasy air of unease chokes you with every breath. This might be because I’m American and our relationship with the North is a bit… different than other nations’, but it was like stepping into a sort of mythical space. Seeing it and experiencing helped to demystify it and make it more real. We tend to build things up in our minds and what we build might be drastically different from the reality of it all, so I’m glad I can ground my thoughts to a very real and tangible experience.

Tours

There is a lot more I could write about, but I want to provide a bit of info on tours themselves. Only a handful of companies offer tours, and depending on the political climate, there might be fewer tours per week. I was incredibly lucky that a pair of travelers canceled their reservation. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to go on such short notice. You will need at least 3 days advanced notice for security reasons. You will also need to pay online via credit card so you can be charged cancellation fees by the tour company if you don’t show. Our tour included lunch, which was nice. More expensive bundles also include tours of tunnels North Koreans have built to invade the South, so if you want to pay a little more, you can see that as well. A shorter tour like mine lasts about 5 hours, while the longer tours run about 8.

I’m glad I did this. It helped me to see a glimpse of the reality in the JSA, this space on our planet that kind of defies logic. I’d also like to give a shout-out to our American soldier who guided us around. He was incredibly knowledgable, personable, and had a good sense of humor about the situation (as good as you can have, given the circumstances). None of us can know how much longer the DMZ will be needed or around, but if the conditions are stable, I’d whole-heartedly recommend visiting. If you go in with the right mindset and attitude, you will get a great deal out of your time there.

The JSA and DMZ On Saturday, North Korea marked the anniversary of its founding. There's been a lot of threats and posturing the past few weeks and tensions were high.

[haroldmichaelharvey]

A Load of Nonsense By Any Other name...

A Load of Nonsense By Any Other name…

A Nuke Parade in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Photo Credits: Associated Press

Nonsense!

“A Load of Nonsense,” that is what the North Korean government’s official position is to the bombastic nonsense spurred out of the mouth of the American President earlier this week.

The Americans under the leadership of their fearless ruler and 45th president threatened to unleash, “Fire and…

[mauitime]

Did a US Navy admiral really say North Korea can nuke Hawaii right now?

Did a US Navy admiral really say North Korea can nuke Hawaii right now?

There’s nothing so depressing as watching a bunch of smart people–citizens, reporters and even a certain congressional representative from Hawaii–lose their collective minds over a single sentence. This has been going on for weeks now concerning North Korea, but everyone really seemed to lose it yesterday, when U.S. Pacific Commander Admiral Harry Harris testified before the House Armed Services…

[human-relationships-stuff]

The History of the two Koreas

The History of the two Koreas

1945: The Division of the Korean People

Following Japan’s defeat in 1945 the Soviet Union and United States agreed to split the post-war control of the Korean peninsula between themselves. On August 10, 1945 two young U.S. military officers drew up a line demarcating the U.S. and Soviet occupation zones at the 38th parallel. The divide should have been temporary, a mere footnote in Korea’s long…

[matterconcern-blog]

New Post has been published on Matter Concern

New Post has been published on https://matterconcern.com/2017/02/18/jong-nam-murder-n-korean-man-remanded-for-seven-days/

Jong-nam murder: N. Korean man remanded for seven days

The North Korean man who was arrested to assist in investigations into the killing of Kim Jong-nam has been remanded for seven days beginning Saturday. The suspect, was identified as Ri Jong Chol, a citizen of the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea.

[travel-experience-learn-blog]

On route to North Korea....

On route to North Korea….

About Below low in journey entering this country. I was literally stepping into the unknown. Locally known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK, this has got to be one of the most mysterious countries on this planet, thus so very intriguing for me. You can only visit using an organised tour, something I’m not really used to, but I was so interested in visiting this country it had…

[newssplashy]

Politics: Trump and Kim Jong Un's full joint statement from the historic summit in Singapore

President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a historic summit in Singapore on Tuesday. An joint statement was issued that leaves the door open for future talks while only briefly touching on the US's stated goal of denuclearization.

President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a historic summit in Singapore on Tuesday.

The two reversed nearly seven decades of mutual hostility to embrace each other and commit to more peaceful relations.

An joint statement was issued that leaves the door open for future talks while only briefly touching on the US's stated goal of denuclearization.

The language used around the denuclearization clause is thought to favor North Korea's view that the entire Korean Peninsula needs to denuclearize, likely including US forces in South Korea.

Joint Statement of President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the Singapore Summit.

President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) held a first, historic summit in Singapore on June 12, 2018.

President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un conducted a comprehensive, in-depth, and sincere exchange of opinions on the issues related to the establishment of new U.S.-DPRK relations and the building of a lasting and robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Convinced that the establishment of new U.S.-DPRK relations will contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and of the world, and recognizing that mutual confidence building can promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un state the following:

1. The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new U.S.-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.

2. The United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.

3. Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work towards complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

4. The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.

Having acknowledged that the U.S.-DPRK summit -- the first in history -- was an epochal event of great significance and overcoming decades of tensions and hostilities between the two countries and for the opening of a new future, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un commit to implement the stipulations in this joint statement fully and expeditiously. The United States and the DPRK commit to hold follow-on negotiations led by the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and a relevant high-level DPRK official, at the earliest possible date, to implement the outcomes of the U.S.-DPRK summit.

President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have committed to cooperate for the development of new U.S.-DPRK relations and for the promotion of peace, prosperity, and security of the Korean Peninsula and of the world.

June 12, 2018

Sentosa Island

Singapore

source https://www.newssplashy.com/2018/06/politics-trump-and-kim-jong-uns-full.html

[ordonewsworld]

US prepared to take ‘military option’ to end tensions with North Korea ​President Trump says on Tuesday the U.S. prepared to take "military option" to end tensions with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which will be "devastating" for Pyongyang.

[ordonewsworld]

North Korea says no intention to use nuclear weapons against any other country except US

North Korea says no intention to use nuclear weapons against any other country except US

The foreign minister of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Ri Hong-Yo, said on Monday that his country has no intention to use nuclear weapons against any other country except the United States. Ri, in Manila to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), said DPRK “is a responsible nuclear power and ICBM state,” referring to the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. “We have no intention…

[newssplashy]

President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a historic summit in Singapore on Tuesday. An joint statement was issued that leaves the door open for future talks while only briefly touching on the US's stated goal of denuclearization.

President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a historic summit in Singapore on Tuesday.

The two reversed nearly seven decades of mutual hostility to embrace each other and commit to more peaceful relations.

An joint statement was issued that leaves the door open for future talks while only briefly touching on the US's stated goal of denuclearization.

The language used around the denuclearization clause is thought to favor North Korea's view that the entire Korean Peninsula needs to denuclearize, likely including US forces in South Korea.

Joint Statement of President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the Singapore Summit.

President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) held a first, historic summit in Singapore on June 12, 2018.

President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un conducted a comprehensive, in-depth, and sincere exchange of opinions on the issues related to the establishment of new U.S.-DPRK relations and the building of a lasting and robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Convinced that the establishment of new U.S.-DPRK relations will contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and of the world, and recognizing that mutual confidence building can promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un state the following:

1. The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new U.S.-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.

2. The United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.

3. Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work towards complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

4. The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.

Having acknowledged that the U.S.-DPRK summit -- the first in history -- was an epochal event of great significance and overcoming decades of tensions and hostilities between the two countries and for the opening of a new future, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un commit to implement the stipulations in this joint statement fully and expeditiously. The United States and the DPRK commit to hold follow-on negotiations led by the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and a relevant high-level DPRK official, at the earliest possible date, to implement the outcomes of the U.S.-DPRK summit.

President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have committed to cooperate for the development of new U.S.-DPRK relations and for the promotion of peace, prosperity, and security of the Korean Peninsula and of the world.

June 12, 2018

Sentosa Island

Singapore

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