The Six-Party Talks are slugging along, and participants are now working on a joint statement of ‘agreed principles.’ One with any knowledge of past agreements can be forgiven for being somewhat skeptical of North Korea’s ability to keep such agreements. Yet some agreement must be made, and of course Mr. Hill must put on […]

It seems that Nicholas Kristof has drawn more fire from the community of Korea-watchers, the latest being this lengthy response at NK Zone.
A similar article by Kristof touching on the same issues a week earlier drew this reaction from Korea Sojourner, and this from DPRK Studies.
Kristof has millions of readers, yet is dangerously selective […]

Today the U.S. asked North Korea not to set preconditions before the talks that would in effect make them useless:
The United States urged North Korea not to set preconditions to upcoming nuclear talks after the Stalinist state said Washington must normalize relations with it for any progress at the meetings. White House spokesman Scott […]

The Yonhap headline is a bit misleading - “S. Korea eyes slashing troop level by one fourth: defense chief” - since this is long-term plan:
South Korea is considering downsizing its 680,000-member military by one fourth by 2020 and streamlining its combat organizations in an effort to carry out comprehensive reform of its armed forces, […]

North Korea is doing its part to ensure smooth and productive talks by getting one of its nuclear reactors ready for operation, while the U.S. will soothe North Korea by possibly, and ‘cautiously, naming a “special envoy for North Korean human rights issues.” Update: Japan will participate in this exercise by brining up the […]

Although already well covered by both the Marmot and Korea Sojourner, I will once again add my two cents one or two days late.
Reference the Chosun Ilbo article, “Korea’s U.S. Envoy Fights American Misconceptions,” from 14 July:
Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Hong Seok-hyun said Wednesday he will strive to correct five misconceptions he says […]

Already well covered by The Lost Nomad (and here), GI Korea, and The Marmot. My two cents…
The U.S. and ROK governments have had plans to relocate most of USFK out of Yongsan Post in the middle of Seoul to the Pyeongtaek area near Osan Air Base and Camp Humphreys. Last year the process finally […]

From Yonhap News, “Two Koreas to resume suspended economic talks this weekend“:
South and North Korea are to resume economic talks this weekend to discuss ways of further boosting inter-Korean economic cooperation, officials said Friday… The main agenda of the July 9-12 meeting… is to review progress on joint cross-border projects such as transportation links […]

Saw this over at the Lost Nomad’s site.
Roh spoke to journalists at the Blue House (South Korea’s version of the U.S. White House), today. Apparently foreign journalists were not invited for these gems:
The United States will never be able to resort to military means to end the North Korean nuclear crisis, South Korean President […]

North Korean defectors reportedly had an adverse reaction when they learned that going on a hunger strike is a form of protest in South Korea:
A North Korean propaganda film about the repatriation of a spy — Lee In-Mo — who had languished for years in a South Korean prison may have a short shelf […]