Asia Pacific Voices » south korea

North Korea contracts after trade cut-off

Aditi Rao — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 04:01:18 +0000

North Korea’s economy has been slowly shrinking after South Korea cut-off its trade in protest to the sinking of a warship. “The North is very likely to see its economy shrink this year,” said the report from South Korea’s state-run Korea Development Institute (KDI), without estimating a figure.

A further shrinkage this year could spark an economic crisis, Tuesday’s report said. “North Korea’s economy could be hurled into a very precarious situation,” it said.

South Korea in May announced a prohibition on most trade after a multinational investigation concluded that a North Korean torpedo sank the warship in March.

The United Nations in June last year tightened sanctions following the North’s missile launches and nuclear test earlier in the year.

N.Korea economy to shrink on trade cutoff [Channel NewsAsia, 6 July 2010]
N.Korea economy to shrink on trade cutoff: report [AFP, 6 July 2010]

South Korea fails second rocket launch attempt

Pim-orn — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:53:29 +0000

On June 10, South Korea’s space rocket, the KLSV-1, exploded 137.19 seconds after blastoff from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, said the Minister of Education, Science and Technology Ahn Byong-man. The space rocket, carrying an observation satellite designed to study global warming and climate change, exploded at an altitude of about 70 km, 470 km south of Jeju island. It is South Korea’s second failed launch attempt, after the first in August 2009.

The ministry reported that the rocket debris fell into waters around 30 degrees northern latitude and 128 degrees eastern longitude, but had caused no damage to the Japanese territory or people. The Korean and Russian engineers who co-designed the rocket now set out to investigate the cause of the explosion.

South Korea has spent Won2,250bn, the equivalent of 1.79bn USD, on its space program, hoping that the investment would prompt higher value-added exports to the global space services market. However, the recent two failures are predicted to spur strong public criticisms on the huge government spending on the project.

Korea’s 2nd Rocket Launch Attempt Fail s [The Choson Ilbo, 11 June 2010]
S Korea rocket explodes after blast-off [Financial Times, 11 June 2010]

North Korea Warns UN against South’s Accusation

Nikki Soo — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:29:13 +0000

North Korea has sent a letter addressed to the UN Security Council, rejecting claims it sank a South Korean warship and warning the council not to debate the issue. Urging the council to facilitate Pyongyang’s own investigation into the incident, the letter comes as Seoul said it had finished installing loud speakers on its borders to broadcast propaganda to the North.

A team of international investigators led by South Korea’s military said in May that a North Korean submarine torpedoed the corvette Cheonan on March 26, snapping the vessel in half in a blast and killing 46 sailors.

Heightening tensions between the two Koreas in recent weeks have been largely driven by sanctions imposed by Seoul. The mounting antagonism has also unnerved investors, worried about armed conflict breaking out in the region.

Sources:
North Korea Warns UN Against Cheonan Warship Debate [BBC News, 9 June 2010]
North Korea Denies Sinking South Ship in Letter to U.N. [Reuters, 9 June 2010]

China Neglects to Censure North Korea at Summit

Nikki Soo — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 02:09:45 +0000

The tragic sinking of the Cheonan dominated the recent tri-nation summit held in South Korea, a conference originally meant to discuss trade relations. Resisting pressure from South Korean and Japanese leaders during two days of talks, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China gave no indication that his government was ready to join in reproaching North Korea over the sinking of a South Korean warship.

Mr Wen emphasises that the more important matter at hand is to dispel the impact of the Cheonan incident and place a large effort into boosting peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

South Korea has accused North Korea of torpedoing the Cheonan, which sank on 26 March with the loss of 46 lives. The North denies involvement and has responded to the reprisals with threats of war, insistent that Seoul faked evidence to incite tensions and boost its support before local elections this week.

Sources:
China Fails to Censure North Korea at Warship Summit [BBC News, 30 May 2010]
China Balks at Criticism of North Korea [The New York Times, 30 May 2010]
S.Korea, Japan fail to persuade China to censure N.Korea [AFP, 30 May 2010]

ASEAN and European Union express concern over Korea

Aditi Rao — Thu, 27 May 2010 04:21:34 +0000

The South East Asian nations and countries of the European Union, expressed ‘deep concern’ over the rising tensions in the Korean peninsula.

Tensions in the Korean peninsula have been rising, due to the sinking of the South Korean corvette on March 26 and the investigation that ensued. Investigators have said that they have overwhelming evidence that a North Korean submarine was involved- and hence, the South announced a package of reprisals, including a halt to most trade.

The foreign ministers of both regional groups made a joint statement at the end of the one-day annual conference – “The ministers reiterated their deep concern over the rising tension following the sinking of the Cheonan and the recent publication of the findings of an investigation conducted by the Republic of Korea”- said EU and ASEAN in the joint statement.

“The ministers reiterated their support for the six-party talks as the best means to achieve denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner.”

The ministers were due to discuss a large number of issues, among them climate change, terrorism, piracy, nuclear non-proliferation, natural disasters, and EU and ASEAN relations with China.

ASEAN, EU urge restraint in Korean crisis [Channel News Asia, 27 May 2010]
Thirty years on, EU and ASEAN seek stronger partnership [Economic Times, 26 May 2010]

North Korea to Sever All Ties with South

Nikki Soo — Wed, 26 May 2010 02:28:34 +0000

In a protest against allegations that they torpedoed one of the South’s warships, North Korea will be severing all ties with South Korea. This drastic move includes expelling all of South Korean personnel from a jointly-run industrial factory north of the border, and prohibiting South Korean ships and planes from its territorial waters and airspace.

The State Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said South Korea’s claims that it had sunk the warship were tantamount to a declaration of war. Accusations of Seoul’s puppet army gangs trespassing Northern waters have been made, stating that the North would “put into force practical military measures to defend its waters” if this provocation continued.

Amid the heightening tension, Seoul announced on Sunday it was ending trade relations with the North in response to the sinking of the Cheonan. They will also drop propaganda leaflets into the North to tell people about the sinking, in addition to setting up large electronic billboards to flash messages.

The two Koreas are technically still at war after the Korean conflict ended without an armistice in 1953.

Sources:
North Korea ‘Severs All Ties’ with Seoul [BBC News, 25 May 2010]
North Korea to Sever All Ties with South Korea [ChannelNewsAsia, 25 May 2010]

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Relocation of Futenma airbase, Okinawa, Japan

Aditi Rao — Tue, 25 May 2010 04:22:35 +0000

Mr. Hatoyama has announced that the Futenma airbase would be moved elsewhere on the island of Okinawa. Although this decision has been commended by the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, it may not go down well with the Okinawans. But, the tensions on the Korean Peninsula could ease the pressure on the Prime Minister.

Japan has vowed to work with South Korea, US and China to deal with the rising tensions. Ever since North Korea conducted nuclear and missile tests, Tokyo has imposed several restrictions against North Korea, such as travel bans, trade bans etc.

The Korean tensions have given the Prime Minister Elbow room to resolve a controversial task of relocating the Futenma airbase in Okinawa. Masashi Nishihara, president, Research Institute for Peace and Security, said: “Mr Hatoyama in the past said he has to pay more attention to the wishes of the people. Now he’s shifted his position to argue that Okinawa’s deterrence capability or functions can be more important. This issue of Korean peninsula has helped Mr Hatoyama very much.”

Clinton commends Hatoyama over US base decision [Channel News Asia, 24 May 2010]
Japanese PM: U.S Military base to stay in Okinawa [CNN, 24 May 2010]

South Korea Ends Warship Investigation, Formally Accuses the North

Nikki Soo — Wed, 19 May 2010 02:04:08 +0000

With strong US backing, South Korea officially wrapped up a painstaking investigation into a naval disaster widely suspected to be the work of North Korea. It is reported that South has found “decisive evidence” with a similar chemical make-up to elements found in a stray North Korean torpedo the South Koreans found seven years ago.

Gathered pieces of the sunken warship were put together and analysed by investigators from Australia, Britain, Sweden and the United States at the port of Pyongtaek, 65km west of Seoul. This systematic multinational investigation ensured a fair examination, garnering the South enough international support to place effective diplomatic and economic sanctions on the North.

South Korea will formally blame North Korea and appeal to the UN Security Council to take up the issue this week, pressing for a tightening of sanctions on Pyongyang.

Sources:
South Korean to Blame North Korea for Torpedoing Warship [ChannelNewsAsia, 19 May 2010]
S. Korea Wraps Up Warship Probe Amidst U.S. Backing [AFP, 18 May 2010]
South Korea to Accuse North of Torpedo Attack [The New York Times, 18 May 2010]

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South Korea Fires Warning Shots at Border

Nikki Soo — Mon, 17 May 2010 02:54:04 +0000

Two North Korean vessels have violated a disputed border known as the Northern Limit Line on separate occasions within an hour, causing two warning shots to be fired from South Korean patrol ships. Both boats retreated after the warnings were broadcast with no injuries sustained. The North has never recognised the border, since it was drawn up by the United Nations after the Korean War.

It is the first time that shots have been fired at the tense sea border since the mystery sinking of a South Korean warship on March 26. While investigations are still underway, suspicions have since been growing that a North Korean torpedo downed the warship.

Sources:
Warning Shots Fired in Korean Border Navy Skirmish [BBC News, 16 May 2010]
S. Korea Fires Warning Shots at N. Korean Ships [AFP, 16 May 2010]
South Korea Fires Warning at North Korean Boats [The Telegraph, 16 May 2010]

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North Korea Reaffirms Commitment to Nuclear Disarmament

Nikki Soo — Mon, 10 May 2010 03:29:44 +0000

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il announced his commitment to nuclear disarmament a year after quitting talks on its atomic arsenal, during a secretive 5 day visit to China. North Korea conducted tests on 2 nuclear missiles last year, angering the US and its allies. It remains unclear whether North Korea plans to ameliorate conditions for returning to the Six Party talks, which include lifting United Nations sanctions and a commitment from the United States to undertake negotiations on a peace treaty to replace the truce that ended the Korean War.

South Korea and the United States have expressed that the reinstatement of talks should be deferred till the outcome of on-going investigations on the sunken South Korean warship has been revealed.

During the dinner held in his honour Kim also emphasised that ties with China will be unchanged by the “replacement of one generation by a new one,” amid speculations he is paving the way for his son Jong-Un to take control of the isolated communist state.

The impoverished North’s economic dependence on China deepened after South Korea, once a major provider of food and trade, adopted a hard line under Mr. Lee.

Sources:
North Korea’s Kim committed to disarmament talks: KCNA [AFP, 9 May 2010]
North Korean Leader Reaffirms Commitment to Weapons Talks [The New York Times, 7 May 2010
Kim Tells Hu North Korea Ready for Nuclear Talks, Yonhap Says [Bloomberg, 6 May 2010]

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