NK weekly-inter-Korean news
Summary of inter-Korean news this week
SEOUL, May 27 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of inter-Korean news this week.
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Unification minister urges N. Korea to stop provocations, return to dialogue
SEOUL -- Unification Minister Kwon Young-se condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launch Wednesday and warned that it would face "strengthened deterrence" from Seoul and Washington.
Kwon said the North's firing of three missiles, including an apparent intercontinental ballistic missile, earlier in the day poses a grave threat to regional peace and security and called on the recalcitrant regime to change tack.
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Spy chief nominee says N. Korea apparently has no will to denuclearize on its own
SEOUL -- North Korea appears to have no intent on giving up its nuclear weapons on its own, South Korea's state intelligence chief nominee said Wednesday.
Kim Kyou-hyun, named to lead the National Intelligence Service, presented the view during his parliamentary confirmation hearing, just hours after Pyongyang fired three ballistic missiles into the East Sea amid concerns it may even carry out another nuclear test soon.
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(3rd LD) S. Korea strongly condemns N.K. missile launches as Yoon affirms U.S. extended deterrence
SEOUL -- The office of President Yoon Suk-yeol strongly condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launches as a grave provocation Wednesday as Yoon ordered measures to ensure the U.S. "extended deterrence" commitment to South Korea.
The presidential office released the statement shortly after Yoon presided over a National Security Council meeting to discuss North Korea's launch of three ballistic missiles, including a presumed intercontinental ballistic missile, earlier in the day.
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S. Korea open to reviewing May 24 sanctions on N. Korea: official
SEOUL -- The South Korean government will review the issue of whether to maintain its economic sanctions imposed on North Korea in 2010 for a deadly naval attack, mindful of President Yoon Suk-yeol's stated practical approach, a unification ministry official said Tuesday.
The remark came as Seoul marked the 12th year since the sanctions were applied on the North after the North sank the South Korean warship Cheonan in a torpedo attack, which killed 46 sailors.
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N. Korea apparently all set for nuke, ballistic missile tests: S. Korean military
SEOUL -- North Korea appears to have completed its preparations for a new nuclear and ballistic missile test, South Korea's military said Tuesday, stressing its "firm" readiness posture against the reclusive regime's possible provocations.
"We believe that North Korea's preparations for a nuclear test and a missile launch have been completed," Col. Kim Jun-rak, spokesperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a regular press briefing. "With regard to this, our military is maintaining a firm readiness posture."
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Yoon says ball is in N.K's court for resumption of talks: CNN
SEOUL -- President Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday that any resumption of dialogue between South Korea and North Korea will be up to Pyongyang, CNN reported.
Yoon made the remark during an interview with the U.S. cable news channel at the presidential office amid a prolonged stalemate in talks between both the South and the North, and between the North and the United States.
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S. Korea to wait for N. Korea's response to aid offer with no deadline set: ministry
SEOUL -- The South Korean government will wait for North Korea's response to its offer of cooperation against the COVID-19 outbreak, leaving the door open for sending aid through international organizations, the unification ministry said Monday.
Last Monday, the ministry attempted to send a fax message to the North through their joint liaison office to offer working-level consultations on the pandemic and medical assistance, including vaccines, masks and test kits.
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