North Korea’s successful launch of a long-range rocket is sparking fresh speculation over the communist state’s covert partnership with Iran, another rogue nuclear aspirant. A string of news reports and leaked diplomatic cables have constantly suggested that the two pariah states cooperate on developing atomic weapons and ballistic missiles through personnel exchanges and technology sharing. Despite Tehran’s denial, U.S. Congress is pushing to highlight the decades-long ties in its upcoming reso

By successfully firing a rocket that put a satellite in space, North Korea let the far-flung buyers of its missiles know that it is still open for business. But Pyongyang will find that customers are hard to come by as old friends drift away and international sanctions lock down its sales.North Korea’s satellite and nuclear programs were masterminded by the late leader Kim Jong Il, who ruled for 17 years under a “military first” policy and died a year ago Monday. An offshoot of the policy was a

TOKYO (AP) ― A North Korean satellite launched into space last week appears to be malfunctioning but could remain in orbit for several years, a leading expert in the United States said Tuesday.North Korea says the satellite is working. Even if it isn’t, its successful launch into space marks a milestone in the impoverished country’s technological advances, especially given accusations that the rocket launch was actually a test of systems that could be used to launch long-range missiles targeting

PYONGYANG (AP) ― North Korea unveiled the embalmed body of Kim Jong-il, still in his trademark khaki jumpsuit, on the anniversary of his death Monday as mourning mixed with pride over a recent satellite launch that was a long-held goal of the late authoritarian leader.Kim lies in state a few floors below his father, national founder Kim Il-sung, in the Kumsusan mausoleum, the cavernous former presidential palace. Kim Jong-il is presented lying beneath a red blanket, a spotlight shining on his fa

Relations between South Korea and Japan appear to be hanging in the balance as Tokyo’s revitalized conservatives are poised to roll out more nationalist foreign and territorial policies after a landslide win in Sunday’s election. With a supermajority in the Diet, the Liberal Democratic Party is expected to focus on resuscitating the long-moribund economy and building a “normal” state. Concerns are growing that Tokyo’s swing to the right could further aggravate historical and territorial friction

South Korea is pushing for a sea transport embargo against North Korea as one of options to respond Pyongyang‘s long-range rocket launch, a senior presidential official said Thursday. The official said Seoul will consult with other countries over the punitive action which he said would be have a significant impact on the North’s trade.“We are considering sanctions in marine transport. Now that we have already set the legal grounds (over the restriction of the North’s sea transport), we will star

North Korea’s successful launch of a long-range rocket is expected to strengthen the power base of Kim Jong-un one year after the young leader inherited the world’s only communist dynasty. The unanticipated launch came early Wednesday, flouting international warnings against what is suspected to be cover for an intercontinental ballistic missile test. The North’s official news agency said its “satellite has entered the planned orbit.”It marks the second launch attempt under the Swiss-educated, 2

North Korea has installed the first stage of its long-range rocket on the launch pad, defying growing international warnings against what is suspected as a missile test, reports said Monday. The communist country is now expected to complete preparations at its launch station in the western town of Dongchang as early as the beginning of next week. It declared Saturday that it will fire an earth observation satellite into orbit between Dec. 10 and 22. “This means North Korea has entered the proces

A fresh batch of evidence emerged Friday bolstering speculation that North Korea may be counting down to another rocket launch. After analyzing Nov. 23 and 26 aerial photos, the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said the communist country may be able to complete preparations at its Dongchang station by the end of next week. “If Pyongyang follows past practice in preparing for a launch, it could be ready to fire a rocket as early as the end of the first week in December,” Nick Hans

With its population becoming more multicultural and aging rapidly, Korea should debate more vigorously ways to embrace immigrants and foster inclusive growth, Kim Woo-sang, president of the Korea Foundation, said Friday. As the number of foreign residents steadily grows, the mainstay of policy discourses has shifted from whether to accept migrants to how best to accommodate them, he told a forum on multiculturalism in Seoul.“Accommodation and integration of intercultural differences into nationa

South Korea, the U.S. and China are ramping up diplomatic efforts amid growing signs of North Korea preparing for a long-range missile test. Lim Sung-nam, the Foreign Ministry’s special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, arrived in Beijing on Thursday to meet with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei and other officials for two days. Lim is chief negotiator to a six-party forum on denuclearizing the North and expected to swap views over the situation on the peninsula. De

Tension is escalating over North Korea’s suspected preparation for a rocket launch, apparently aimed at raising the stakes in its relations with Seoul’s next government and the Obama administration in its second term. U.S. satellite imagery has captured increased movement at the North’s Sohae launch station in the western town of Dongchang. Analysts say that the possibility is not so high for the North to proceed with the launch but the activity may upend burgeoning hopes for a thaw in cross-bor

Pyeonghwa Motors Corp. has been a symbol of reconciliation between the two Koreas since the Unification Church unveiled its ambitious joint venture with the communist North in 2000. Twelve years later, Tongil Group, the church’s colossal business empire, appears to be retreating from the partnership in favor of more lucrative, less risky sectors like retail and food. Park Sang-kwon, president of the Seoul-based auto company, is seeking to cancel its license for economic cooperation with North Ko

South Korea and China on Monday discussed ways to strengthen their bilateral ties and cooperation on North Korea issues during their annual strategic talks in Beijing, the Foreign Ministry said. The fifth Strategic Dialogue marked the first high-level meeting since Xi Jinping took the helm of the Chinese Communist Party last week, becoming the country’s de facto leader. The two-day event also comes amid concerns that Pyongyang may be readying to fire a long-range ballistic missile. Washington ha

South Korea is set to submit a formal claim to an extended portion of its continental shelf to the United Nations, a government official said Sunday, amid spiraling territorial tension across the region. The Foreign Ministry has been preparing official documents to present to the U.N. Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf for a scientific and technical review and recommendation. “Having decided to turn them in within this year, we’ve already reported the plan to Cheong Wa Dae and wil

Could Korea learn from diplomatic experience in today’s Europe? After all, whilst the economic risers of this world, in Asia and elsewhere, are beaming with confidence and brainstorming about what they can contribute to the new international order, many foreign ministries in the European Union are now depressing places. Once-high-minded diplomats convinced of seemingly eternal Western superiority are licking their wounds, wondering what is left of Europe’s soft power. European diplomatic service

The ruling Saenuri Party late on Friday denounced Ahn Cheol-soo’s renouncement of his presidential bid as “irresponsible,” immediately eyeing moderate votes that had been supporting the former professor.“We regret the resignation of Ahn, who envisions new politics,” Ahn Hyung-hwan, a Saenuri spokesman, said in a statement. “Ahn Cheol-soo’s experimental efforts for political reform appear to have run into the wall of the DUP’s crafty old politics and fallen apart.” The popular software mogul-turn

The three major presidential candidates appear to be committed to similar foreign policy lines centering on peninsular peace, regional harmony and Korea’s greater role in line with its middle power status. Whoever wins the Dec. 19 election will face tough challenges: defrosting inter-Korean relations; adjusting policies to the rivalry between the U.S. and China; managing historical and territorial feuds with Japan; and engaging in multilateral efforts to tackle climate change, development and ot

While U.S. President Barack Obama builds his legacy in Myanmar, his trip sheds new light on the Southeast Asia country's military relationship with its traditional partner, North Korea.His three-country tour is chiefly designed to boost Washington's strategic "pivot" to the region, reward sweeping political and economic reforms in the once pariah nation and check the growing influence of China, one of its biggest patrons. Obama also used his historic visit to pressure Pyongyang to follow its old

Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik and his Kenyan counterpart Raila Odinga agreed Monday to step up bilateral cooperation in development, business and culture during their talks in Seoul, officials here said. The two leaders also swapped views on the situation in the region and ways to boost collaboration in the international arena, the prime minister’s office said. Odinga arrived here on Sunday for a three-day official visit, following Kim’s trip to Kenyan capital Nairobi in July. He is running for p