Washington Sanctions Chinese Nationals for North Korean Hack
U.S. prosecutors indicted and blacklisted two Chinese men accused of helping North Korean hackers launder around $100 million worth of cryptocurrency used to fund Pyongyang’s nuclear program (Wall Street Journal)
North Korea Fires Two Missiles
North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles today into the East Sea (Yonhap)
North Korean Refugees Launch Political Party in South Korea
North Korean refugees launched a political party ahead of South Korea’s April elections that aims to represent the 33,500 defectors living in the country and take a stronger stance against Pyongyang (Reuters)
New U.N. Report Details North Korean Sanctions Violations
A new U.N. report stated that North Korea actively increased work on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in 2019 and participated in illegal ship-to-ship transfers that brought in refined petroleum and exported North Korean coal in defiance of international sanctions (Reuters)
North Korea Abandons Commitments to Halt Testing
An official at the country’s UN mission in Geneva said North Korea would no longer be bound by commitments to halt nuclear and missile tests, blaming crushing U.S. sanctions and the United States’ failure to attend year-end denuclearization talks (Reuters)
Chengdu Summit Calls for Nuclear Diplomacy With North Korea
China, Japan, and South Korea agreed to support nuclear talks between the United States and North Korea, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a summit in Chengdu, China, with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts (Kyodo)
The appeal for dialogue comes as talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled and after North Korea promised a “Christmas gift” to the United States that analysts predict could be a missile test (Yonhap)
China, South Korea Meet to Discuss North Korea
The presidents of China and South Korea met in Beijing today and called for progress in nuclear diplomacy between North Korea and the United States (Yonhap)
China, Russia Propose Easing North Korea Sanctions
In a UN Security Council resolution, China and Russia proposed the relaxation of some export sanctions on North Korea in exchange for steps toward denuclearization and proposed six-party nuclear talks that would also include Japan, South Korea, and the United States (Al Jazeera)
U.S., South Korea Review North Korean Satellite Launch
U.S. and South Korea analysts are investigating Pyongyang’s claim that it conducted a “very important test” at a satellite launch site. Pyongyang did not elaborate on the nature of the activity, which nuclear experts said appeared to be a rocket engine test (Yonhap)
North Korea Responds to Trump’s Comments
A North Korean foreign affairs minister warned that comments about military force made this week by U.S. President Donald J. Trump reflect “a very dangerous challenge.” The official warned that any U.S. military operations would prompt retaliatory actions by North Korea (Reuters)
North Korea Rejects ASEAN Summit Invitation
North Korea rebuffed an invitation extended to leader Kim Jong Un to join Southeast Asian countries at a summit in Busan next week. South Korean President Moon Jae-in extended the invitation to North Korea last month, but the North Korean news agency KCNA described North Korean participation as “pointless” (Reuters)
North Korea Again Shuns Nuclear Talks
Pyongyang said it remains uninterested in denuclearization talks with Washington, according to state media, even as the United States and South Korea called off joint military drills (Associated Press)
In a Sunday tweet, U.S. President Donald J. Trump appeared to urge North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to reach a deal quickly (Twitter)
North Korea Rejects U.S. Negotiation Proposition for December
North Korean nuclear negotiator Kim Myong Gil rejected the United States’ offer to resume talks in December, dismissing the U.S. offer as an attempt at “appeasing” North Korean negotiators (Reuters)
Separately, General Mark A. Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with his South Korean counterpart today in Seoul, where he pledged continued U.S. support and discussed an intelligence-sharing pact between South Korea and Japan that is set to expire this month (Yonhap)
North Korea Warns United States Over Military Exercises
North Korea’s centralized decision-making commission denounced upcoming U.S.-South Korean military exercises in a statement aired by state media. The spokesperson for the commission also threatened the United States if it ignores North Korea’s deadline for further nuclear negotiations, which is set for the end of 2019 (ABC News)
North Korea Fires Two Projectiles
The short-range projectiles were fired from the country’s west toward the East Sea, according to South Korea’s military. It was the first known weapons test since the latest round of nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington, earlier this month, concluded without progress (Yonhap)
North Korea Sanctions Linked to Civilian Deaths
A new report commissioned by a coalition of women’s organizations seeking an end to the Korean War found that international sanctions blocking humanitarian assistance to North Korea contributed to the deaths of close to four thousand people in 2018 (Wall Street Journal)
North Korea Orders Removal of South Korean Buildings
Leader Kim Jong-un ordered the removal of South Korean facilities at the North’s Mount Kumgang resort, a historic inter-Korean cooperation project (Yonhap)
North Korea’s Kim Hardens Stance Toward U.S.
Leader Kim Jong-un, in comments made atop North Korea’s tallest mountain, blamed U.S.-led hostility toward Pyongyang for his country’s economic hardships, according to state media. Kim said North Koreans’ pain has “turned into their anger” (Wall Street Journal)
North Korea Denounces U.S. Stance in Nuclear Talks
North Korea’s top nuclear envoy said U.S. denuclearization talks over the weekend broke down due to the United States’ “failure to abandon its outdated viewpoint and attitude,” and Pyongyang said Washington must change its approach by the end of the year if it wants to resume negotiations (Washington Post)
The U.S. State Department called the talks “good discussions” (U.S. State Department)
North Korea Touts New Type of Ballistic
Pyongyang said the ballistic missile it fired yesterday is designed to be launched from a submarine. A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the test was “very concerning” and urged progress in upcoming U.S.-North Korea denuclearization talks (Washington Post)
North Korea Launches Missile After Agreeing to Talks
Pyongyang fired at least one ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan early today, hours after the United States and North Korea confirmed that a new round of working-level nuclear negotiations is set to take place this weekend (New York Times)
Trump, Moon Signal Momentum for North Korea Talks
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said chances are high that talks between the United States and North Korea could resume in two to three weeks. The announcement comes after U.S. President Donald J. Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (Yonhap)
North Korea Open to Talks With U.S., Fires Missiles
North Korea is willing to continue nuclear talks with the United States in September if Washington provides new proposals, First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui said. Shortly after, North Korea fired two projectiles into the waters off its east coast (Associated Press)
North Korea Calls for Some UN Staff to Leave
Pyongyang requested that the United Nations cut its international personnel in the country by the end of this year, citing “the politicization of UN assistance by hostile forces” (Reuters)
North Korea Reportedly Building Submarine Capable of Missile Launch
According to satellite imagery, North Korea may be building a submarine capable of launching nuclear missiles (NBC)