Politics

Paintings are displayed at a gallery handling North Korean art in Dandong, China. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
2 September 2019
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stands in front of a rocket launcher used in his country's latest weapons test, which U.S. President Donald Trump seemed to downplay in remarks at the Group of Seven  summit in France. (KCNA via Kyodo)
N Korea at crossroads

North Korean rocket triggers different tones from Trump and Abe

US leader shrugs off launch decried by Tokyo as sanctions violation

26 August 2019
Despite North Korea's repeated tests of new weapons, South Korea no longer feels its threat strongly as strongly as before
Opinion

South Korea and Japan must cooperate more, not less, on North Korea

Diminishing fear tears up East Asian alliances and alters US role

23 August 2019
In South Korean President Moon Jae-in's Liberation Day speech, he called for a closer East Asian union
Opinion

South Korean leader's Liberation Day speech offered hopeful vision

Moon Jae-in worked to diminish tensions with Japan and North Korea

20 August 2019
North Korea test-fired a new short-range ballistic missile in the morning on Aug. 11.
N Korea at crossroads

North Korea defends missile tests by citing Trump

Pyongyang holds US recognizes its right to self-defense

12 August 2019
North Korea has expanded its scope and sophistication of its cyber operations, according to the UN.
N Korea at crossroads

North Korea's hacker army stole up to $2bn, UN finds

Agents set up shop across the globe to grab cryptocurrencies

7 August 2019
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono and South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha, pose after a trilateral meeting in Bangkok on Friday.
Japan-South Korea rift

Japan and South Korea still far apart after Pompeo-led meeting

US Secretary of State fails in push for diplomatic cease-fire between allies

2 August 2019
China and the U.S. will continue to lead the world in GDP, but mounting protectionist sentiment is threatening to split the world into rival economic blocs.
Economy

US and China to fight for top GDP in 2060 while Japan dips to 5th

Report claims digital tech and free flow of data keys to future global economy

1 August 2019
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches the test-fire of two short-range ballistic missiles last week, in this undated picture released by North Korea's Central News Agency on July 26.
31 July 2019
A North Korean missile launch on May 9: Pyongyang tested two more on July 25.
N Korea at crossroads

North Korea takes bullish turn with latest missile test

Pyongyang also calls off foreign minister's meeting with Pompeo

26 July 2019
The projectiles fired from Wonsan traveled 430 km. 
N Korea at crossroads

North Korea fires two projectiles from eastern coast

South Korean military preparing for additional launches: Yonhap

25 July 2019
North Korea has been the subject of international sanctions for more than a decade.
N Korea at crossroads

North Korea's trade value falls to half previous low in 2018

Almost all of isolated country's trade is with neighboring China

19 July 2019
Trump's impromptu tweet inviting Kim to a DMZ rendezvous was a theatrical gesture which both surely knew was coming.
Opinion

DMZ 'surprise' summit should not have been a surprise

US, China, and North Korea seem to be tacitly coordinating moves

5 July 2019
Kim Myong Gil, then a member of North Korea's mission to the United Nations, center, back in August 2007.
5 July 2019
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Panmunjom, South Korea. North Korea on Wednesday accused the U.S. of being "hell-bent on hostile acts" against Pyongyang.
Trump-Kim Summit

Trump-Kim bromance takes quick sour turn

North Korea says US is 'hell-bent on hostile acts' against Pyongyang

4 July 2019
U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held an unexpectedly long meeting Sunday in the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas.
Trump-Kim Summit

Pyongyang jumped on Trump's Twitter invite within an hour: Japan

Foreign Minister Kono says Tokyo still seeks Abe-Kim summit on abductions

2 July 2019
Trump met his buddy Kim for a photo op. Nothing else changed.
Opinion

More questions than answers in Trump's Asian summitry

Despite president's diplomatic drama, US interests will likely, in the end, decide policy

1 July 2019
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas on June 30.
Trump-Kim Summit

Trump and Kim make history but leave hard work for negotiators

Both sides seized opportunity to grab attention with DMZ encounter

1 July 2019
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, on June 30.
Trump-Kim Summit

Trump and Kim agree to revive nuclear talks at DMZ meeting

First sitting US president to enter North Korea invites leader to White House

30 June 2019
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before their bilateral meeting during the G20 leaders summit in Osaka on Saturday.
G-20 summit Osaka

Trump says US will not impose new tariffs on China exports

In apparent policy reversal, president says US companies can sell to Huawei

29 June 2019
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 27 met for the first time since November's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. (Photos via Reuters/Kyodo)
G-20 summit Osaka

Xi pushes for third Trump-Kim summit

North Korea says US needs to present 'proper counterproposal' for talks to resume

28 June 2019
Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un played up their close relationship at their recent summit in Pyongyang.
The Nikkei View

Xi-Kim talks must make progress on a nuclear-free North Korea

China and Russia should use their sway in Pyongyang to promote regional stability

25 June 2019
Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un showcased the historically strong relationship between their nations as Xi visited Pyongyang this week.
N Korea at crossroads

North Korea counts on Chinese support amid nuclear deadlock

Sanctions pressure leaves Pyongyang increasingly dependent on main ally

22 June 2019
Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, shake hands before their meeting in Pyongyang. (CCTV via AP)
N Korea at crossroads

Xi urges Kim to move talks forward with US

North Korean leader frustrated at lack of positive responses from Washington

21 June 2019
Thae Yong Ho, former North Korean deputy ambassador to the U.K. who defected to South Korea in 2016, speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Thursday.
N Korea at crossroads

Kim wants Xi to convey peace offer to Trump, says ex-N Korea envoy

Thae, who defected in 2016, says Kim will meet Abe if Japan offers aid first

20 June 2019