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≡ N. Korean Envoy En Route To Washington For Talks On Second Trump-Kim Summit
Top North Korean official Kim Yong-chol is on his way to Washington.
The envoy will reportedly hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday morning local time and then pay President Donald Trump a courtesy call where he will likely deliver a letter from leader Kim Jong-un.
The trip comes ahead of a possible second summit between Trump and Kim, which could be held in March or April, with Danang, Vietnam seeming to be the most likely venue, according to the Washington Post.
The report said Trump could announce the details for his next meeting with Kim as early as Friday.■
[2019.01.17]
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≡ Defense Ministry Calls In Japan Military Attache To Lodge Protest Over Radar Spat
The defense ministry says it called in a Japanese military attache today in protest over Tokyo's summoning of its official a day earlier in a military radar dispute between the two countries.
The spat erupted following Tokyo's claim that a South Korean destroyer locked its fire-control tracking radar on a Japanese maritime patrol aircraft last month.
Seoul denied Japan's claim and said it was on a rescue mission for a North Korean ship drifting in international waters.
The ministry said it brought in Tatsuya Watanabe from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul after Japan's defense ministry summoned Kim Sung-hak, a Korean military attache in Tokyo, yesterday to protest a press briefing by Seoul earlier this week on recent bilateral talks on the issue in Singapore.
The ministry added that it strongly protested the fact that Japanese media reported on the Singapore meeting before the talks even ended despite a prior agreement to refrain from such reporting.■
[2019.01.17]
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≡ Democratic Party Accepts Resignation Of Scandal-Ridden Vice Floor Leader
The Democratic Party says it has accepted the resignation of its vice floor leader who stands accused of peddling influence at a court.
Representative Seo Young-kyo is suspected of calling a judge into her office in 2015 and asked to have the level of punishment reduced for a son of her acquaintance who was then on trial on charges of attempted sexual abuse.
Ruling party spokesman Lee Hae-sik said Seo expressed her intention to resign from the vice-floor leader position earlier in the day amid concerns that her scandal could burden the party.
Seo, however, has denied the allegations.■
[2019.01.17]
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≡ Top Chinese Negotiator To Visit US At End-January To Resume Trade Talks
China's commerce ministry says its top trade negotiator will travel to the United States at the end of the month to resume talks on ending a trade war between the two countries.
The ministry said Vice Premier Liu He will be in Washington for two days from January 30th at the invitation of U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
Earlier this month, a U.S. delegation visited Beijing for three days of talks, the first face-to-face meeting since President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed in December to a three-month trade war truce.■
[2019.01.17]
