China’s Xi Calls for ‘Peaceful’ North Korea Resolution
Chinese President Xi Jinping phoned his U.S. counterpart, Donald J. Trump, to call for a peaceful resolution to tensions on the Korean peninsula after the United States dispatched an aircraft carrier strike group toward the region. Xi told Trump that China is “committed to the target of denuclearization on the peninsula” (BBC)
North Korea Threatens Defense Through “Powerful Force of Arms”
North Korea’s foreign ministry said the country would defend itself “by powerful force of arms” in response to the U.S. deployment of an aircraft carrier to the Korean peninsula (BBC)
United States Sends Navy Strike Group to Korea
The United States dispatched a naval strike group, including a carrier air wing and two guided-missile destroyers, to the Korean Peninsula to “maintain readiness” in the Western Pacific (WaPo)
North Korea Fires Missile Ahead of U.S.-China Summit
North Korea fired a ballistic missile, which flew thirty-seven miles off its east coast before falling into the sea, according to South Korea. The launch came a day before U.S. President Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate (New York Times)
United States Opposes UN Nuclear Weapons Ban Over North Korea Concerns
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley led a boycott of UN talks on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons, questioning whether North Korea would comply with a ban (NYT)
North Korean Missile Test Fails
North Korea attempted to launch a ballistic missile, but it exploded within seconds after the launch (Korea Times)
U.S. Says ‘All Options’ on Table Regarding North Korea
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said during a visit to Seoul that “all options are on the table” to deter a weapons threat from North Korea. Also in South Korea, presidential candidate Moon Jae-in said he would review the deployment of a U.S. missile shield and consult China ahead of a May election (Washington Post)
UN: North Korea Attempted to Sell Nuclear Material
UN investigators said that North Korea attempted to sell a form of lithium used to make miniature nuclear weapons to unidentified buyers last year. According to the UN report, the attempted sale was made online through a front company run by the state-owned Green Pine Associated Corp., which is subject to international sanctions (Wall Street Journal)
China Calls on North Korea to Halt Missile Tests
China’s foreign minister called on North Korea to halt its missile tests and development of nuclear technology and on the United States and South Korea to halt their joint military drills (BBC)
North Korean Missiles Land in Japanese Waters
Four North Korean missiles landed in waters about 620 miles off its coast, with three of them falling within Japan’s exclusive economic zone (Guardian)
U.S., South Korea Begin Annual Military Drill
The annual Foal Eagle joint military exercise between U.S. and South Korean troops began amid rising tensions with North Korea (Reuters)
North Korean Missile Prompts Emergency UN Meeting
The UN Security Council is expected to convene an emergency meeting at the request of the United States, Japan, and South Korea to address a missile test by North Korea on February 12, 2017 (VOA)
North Korea Breaches South Korea’s Cyber Military Command
North Korea hacked the South’s military cyber command and leaked military information, a South Korean military spokesman said (CNN)
UN Security Council Imposes New Sanctions on North Korea
The UN Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea that aim to cut the Asian country’s annual export revenue by more than a quarter. The fifteen-member council unanimously adopted a resolution to slash North Korea’s biggest export, coal, by about 60 percent (Reuters)
North Korea Test-Fires Eighth Missile in Seven Months
North Korea test-fired a missile that failed almost immediately after launch, U.S. and South Korean military officials said. The test occurred hours after the United States and South Korea agreed to increase military and diplomatic efforts to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats (Reuters)
Satellite Images Show Activity at North Korea Nuclear Test Site
An increase in activity at North Korea’s nuclear test site indicated by satellite images could signal preparations for a new test or a collection of data from its last one. The 38 North group said there was activity at all three tunnel complexes at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site involving a large vehicle and personnel (Reuters)
New Zealand Aircraft in North Korea Prompts Probe
New Zealand’s foreign affairs ministry said it is investigating how an aircraft from the country ended up in a government airshow in North Korea despite sanctions on exports (New Zealand Herald)
The aircraft, which has U.S. parts, was sold to a Chinese company and continues to be registered there (Washington Post)
No U.S. Plans to Send Aid to North Korea Following Severe Flooding
The United States has no plans to send humanitarian aid after severe flooding in North Korea, although the United Nations has requested $28.2 million after 138 people were killed by floods in September (VOA)
U.S. Charges Chinese Company for North Korea Links
U.S. prosecutors charged the Chinese company Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development and four individuals with evading U.S. sanctions on North Korea and using shell companies to funnel millions of dollars through the U.S. financial system (FT)
U.S. Bombers Fly Close to North Korea
One of the U.S. military’s supersonic bombers flew over South Korea in a show of force, approaching the North Korean border, according to the U.S. Pacific Command (Associated Press)
North Korea Announces New Rocket Engine Test
North Korea announced that it had tested a long-range rocket engine that could put a satellite into space or potentially launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (New York Times)
China Targets Firm Linked to North Korea
Chinese authorities have frozen assets held by Hongxiang Industrial Development Co., a Chinese conglomerate led by a Communist party member that the United States accuses of aiding North Korea’s nuclear program (Wall Street Journal)
U.S. officials said they welcomed the Chinese investigation into the company
South Korea: North Korea Prepared for Another Nuclear Test
South Korea’s defense ministry said on Monday that North Korea is ready to conductanother nuclear test at “any time,” following its fifth nuclear test last week (Korea Times)
The United States is set to fly two supersonic bombers over South Korea on Tuesday morning in protest of North Korea’s latest nuclear test, according to the U.S. Air Forces Korea (Yonhap)
North Korea Conducts Fifth Nuclear Test
Pyongyang confirmed a successful nuclear warhead test on Friday—its fifth and largest test to date (WSJ)
The test marks North Korea’s second of the year and drew widespread international condemnation, including from its neighbor and ally China
East Asia Summit Members Urge North Korea to Abandon Nuclear Program
The members of the East Asia Summit adopted a statement on nonproliferation on September 8, calling on North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile programs (Yonhap)