Special to WorldTribune.com By Lee Jong-Heon, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — Pyongyang’s “Department 54” was integral to North Korea’s struggle to acquire foreign currency and was at the center of the recent bloody purges, officials and analysts here said. They added that another power struggle is likely shortly over who will control the agency which runs projects like coal […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com Why is it every time we get optimistic about North Korea “opening up” or making concessions or engaging in serious reconciliation, we get so disillusioned? Remember Kim Dae-Jung’s “Sunshine Policy?” The North Koreans repaid him for his generosity by cranking up their nuclear program and exploding their first […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com The shadows of war hang more menacingly over Northeast Asia at the opening of a brave new year than they have at any time since, well, since the last time the region was edging into armed conflict. That might be since the Korean mini-crisis of nearly a year […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Originally published Feb. 18, 2013 Global Information System / Defense & Foreign Affairs All intelligence indicators received and processed by GIS/Defense & Foreign Affairs show that the nuclear weapon tested by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) on Feb. 12, was paid for, and intended for, the Islamic Republic of […]
Special to WorldTribune.com East-Asia-Intel.com South Korea on Dec. 8 announced the extension of its air defense identification zone [KADIZ] to cover the Ieodo rock that was under the Chinese ADIZ coverage and disputed by the two countries. China’s Nov. 23 announcement of the establishment of an ADIZ was deemed “unacceptable” to South Korea. President Park […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Lee Jong-Heon, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — A group North Korean officials accompanied Kim Jong-Un on his visit to the remote “Revolutionary Battle Site” of Samjiyon where he made a final decision to purge his uncle. These officials are being viewed as the new core members of the ruling elite, sources and analysts here say. […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Lee Jong-Heon, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — The fate of Ri Su-Yong, former North Korean ambassador to Switzerland, is crucial to the future of tens of thousands of associates of Jang Song-Thaek who was purged and executed recently, sources and analysts here said. Ri, a deputy head of a Worker’s Party department, served as ambassador […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com On the day before Jang Song-Thaek’s execution, his wife, Kim Kyong-Hui, divorced him. The man whom she had met when they were both students at Kim Il-Sung University, he a charmer who played the accordion at parties, she the daughter of the Great Leader Kim Il-Sung, had deserted […]
Special to WorldTribune.com East-Asia-Intel.com North Korea has been increasingly squeezed by international calls for improved human rights records as more and more nations have joined annual United Nations resolutions condemning the country’s human rights abuses, South Korean officials said. The United Nations unanimously adopted a resolution last month that denounces North Korea’s worsening human rights […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Lee Jong-Heon, East-Asia-Intel.com SEOUL — North Korea’s youthful leader Kim Jong-Un has eliminated potential rivals, most recently his uncle, in a bid to consolidate his power, sources and analysts here said. Jang Song-Thaek’s dismissal came as a surprise to many North Korea watchers here because has acted as a regent to the young […]