A day after North Korea called for unconditional high-level dialogue with the United States, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihike Suga said Pyongyang should first show a willingness to discuss denuclearization. “We do not speculate what North Korea’s intentions are but any dialogue should lead to denuclearization, and North Korea should first show its sincere attitude toward denuclearization,” [...]

UNITED NATIONS — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon believes any dialogue between the United States and North Korea should focus on the goal of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula, a U.N. spokesman said Monday. U.N. deputy spokesman Eduardo del Buey said that Ban also believes inter-Korean dialogue is key to defusing tensions and ensuring peace on the peninsula.   [...]

North Korea rushed to the defense of American civil liberties on Tuesday, saying revelations of mass surveillance operations showed the United States was the “kingpin” of rights abuse. Rights groups and defectors have long accused the North, one of the world’s most closed societies, of totalitarian practices. These include brutal suppression of dissent, the operation of a [...]

Kosong, June 17 (KCNA) — The 2nd batch of Rason-Mt. Kumgang international tourism by the ship Royale Star did sightseeing in Mt. Kumgang from June 16-17. The tourists enjoyed views of Kuryong Pool, Lagoon Samil, Sea Kumgang and other scenic spots in the mountain. [...]

Pyongyang, June 17 (KCNA) — Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly, on June 12 sent a message of greeting to James Alix Michel, president of Seychelles, on the occasion of its national day. Kim in the message expressed belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries [...]

Pyongyang, June 17 (KCNA) — The State Stamp Bureau of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has recently issued a sheetlet picturing Mt. Paektu. The sheetlet, with Korean letters “Paektusan”, consists of stamps portraying Lake Chon, glow over Hyangdo Peak, Lake Chon in spring season and a view of Mt. Paektu seen from Saja Peak. There [...]

North Korea abruptly proposed a dialogue with the United States through a spokesman statement yesterday by the National Defense Commission. It asked for talks with senior U.S. officials so they could discuss matters from easing military tension to changing the armistice agreement into a peace treaty to building “a world without nuclear arms.” North Korea [...]

`69 pct of high school students believe South invaded North in Korean War` . JUNE 18, 2013 03:00. . President Park Geun-hye said Monday, ‘A recent media survey on teenagers` history awareness showed 69 percent of respondents saying South Korea invaded North Korea in Korean War,’ adding ‘Distortion of truth and history at schools is [...]

The United States sees no difference between North Korea’s latest offer of bilateral talks and its previous ones because a serious intent is apparently lacking about denuclearization, the State Department said Monday.   It emphasized that the international community has been very consistent and clear that Pyongyang should verifiably end its nuclear program and engage in [...]

Attending a meeting of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee today, Minister of Unification Ryoo Kihl Jae explained the administration’s view of North Korea’s recent policies and actions, stating that the North is trying to achieve a strategic shift on the international playing field.Looking at the recent visit of Choi Ryong Hae, the [...]