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North Korea
Kenneth Bae, the American citizen held for more than a year in North Korea, has spoken to foreign media, and called for US “co-operation” to secure his release.
The Korean-American gave his first “press conference” since his detention under heavy prison guard.
Kenneth Bae was arrested in November 2012 and sentenced to 15 years’ hard labor in May.
North Korea said he had used his tourism business to form groups to overthrow the government.
Correspondents say Kenneth Bae – described as both a tour operator and Christian missionary – may have been speaking under strict editorial control.
“As far as I know, I have now been here for the longest amongst American citizens who came here and got detained,” he said.
“I believe that my problem can be solved by close co-operation and agreement between the American government and the government of this country.”
Kenneth Bae has spoken to foreign media, and called for US “co-operation” to secure his release
Kenneth Bae, who was wearing a grey cap and inmate’s uniform, denied reports that he had been badly treated.
He said there had been no infringement of his human rights, nor any severe or unfair treatment by Pyongyang.
The US state department says it has seen the reports and “remain(s) very concerned about Kenneth Bae’s health. We continue to urge the DPRK authorities to grant Bae amnesty and immediate release”.
A spokeswoman added the department continued to work actively to secure his release, “including through regular, close consultation with the Swedish embassy”.
Kenneth Bae’s appearance on Monday came weeks after North Korea freed Merrill Newman, 86-year-old American veteran of the Korean War who had been held since October.
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Dennis Rodman apologized on Monday for not being able to help American citizen Kenneth Bae, a missionary detained in North Korea, during his trip there to play in a game to celebrate Kim Jong-un’s birthday.
”I’m sorry, I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything,” Dennis Rodman told media on his arrival at Beijing airport from a weeklong trip.
”It’s not my fault. I’m sorry. I just want to do some good stuff, that’s all I want to do.”
The former NBA star said he would return to North Korea next month, but gave no details.
Dennis Rodman and the squad of retired NBA players he took to North Korea for an exhibition game marking Kim Jong-un’s birthday have met with criticism in the US because of North Korea’s human rights record and its development of nuclear weapons.
He was also slammed for not using his influence with Kim Jong-un to help free Kenneth Bae, who has been detained for more than a year for ”anti-state crimes.” Dennis Rodman apologized last week for comments he made in a CNN interview implying Kenneth Bae was at fault, saying he had been drinking and was upset because some of his teammates were leaving under pressure.
Dennis Rodman apologized for not being able to help Kenneth Bae during his trip to North Korea
On Monday, Dennis Rodman reiterated that his trip to North Korea – in which he sang Happy Birthday to Kim Jong-un before playing the exhibition game at a Pyongyang stadium – was one of goodwill.
”This is not a bad deal,” he said.
”I want to show people that no matter what’s going on in the world, for one day, just one day, no politics, not all that stuff.
”I’m sorry for all the people and what’s going on, I’m sorry,” he continued.
”I’m not the president, I’m not an ambassador, I’m just an individual that wants to show the world the fact that we can actually get along and be happy for one day.”
Dennis Rodman and Kim Jong-un struck up a friendship when the basketball-player-turned-celebrity first traveled to North Korea last year.
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Dennis Rodman has unveiled the team of former NBA players to play an exhibition basketball game in Pyongyang, North Korea, this month.
Dennis Rodman will lead the team that includes former NBA All-Stars Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson and Vin Baker. Craig Hodges, Doug Christie and Charles D. Smith are on the team, as well. They will play against a top North Korean senior national team on Wednesday, January 8th, marking Kim Jong-un’s birthday.
The former NBA star is the highest profile American to meet Kim Jong-un since the leader inherited power from his father in late 2011.
Dennis Rodman calls the game his version of ”basketball diplomacy.”
”My previous travels have allowed me to feel the enthusiasm and warmth of fans,” he said.
”The positive memories and smiles on the faces of the children and families are a testament to the great efforts we have put into fulfilling our mission wherever we go voiding any politics. We are all looking forward to arriving in Pyongyang, meeting the citizens, visiting various charities and using the opportunity to develop new relationships that result in our annual return.”
Dennis Rodman made his latest visit to North Korea shortly before Christmas to train the North Korean basketball team, though he did not meet with Kim Jong-un.
Dennis Rodman has unveiled the team of former NBA players to play an exhibition basketball game in Pyongyang
He said his trips would not be affected by the recent execution of Kim Jong-un’s uncle.
Charles D. Smith, who played for the New York Knicks, said he was looking forward to the game with Dennis Rodman.
”Dennis and I are total opposites, but we work very well together,” he said.
”Dennis is one of the few people I know that doesn’t just talk but actually lives a culturally diverse life. We have traveled everywhere together, so I was not surprised with his first visit to North Korea.
”Cultural exchange is about sharing. Sharing ideas and thoughts on education, culture and life.”
Irish betting company Paddy Power PLC, a driving force behind the exhibition, removed its name last month as the title sponsor. The company is still financing the trip and is honoring all contractual commitments.
Dennis Rodman has been criticized for not talking about North Korea’s human rights record, described as one of the world’s worst by activists, the US State Department and North Korean defectors.
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Kim Jong-un made his first public reference to the execution of his once-powerful uncle – Jang Sung-taek.
In a New Year message broadcast on state TV, Kim Jong-un said “resolute action” had strengthened the country’s unity.
North Korea announced on December 12 it had executed Jang Sung-taek after convicting him of “acts of treachery”.
The move raised concerns of instability in the secretive nuclear-armed country.
North Korea’s New Year messages are closely scrutinized by South Korea and other regional powers for clues to Pyongyang’s policy goals.
Kim Jong-un made his first public reference to the execution of Jang Sung-taek in his New Year message
Kim Jong-un said action to “eliminate factionalist fi**h” within the ruling Workers’ Party had bolstered the country’s unity “by 100 times”.
“Our party’s timely, accurate decision to purge the anti-party, anti-revolutionary elements helped greatly cement solidarity within our party,” he said.
Kim Jong-un also accused South Korea and US of being “warmongers”, working “frantically” to bring nuclear weapons to the peninsula.
An accidental conflict, Kim Jong-un said, could trigger “an enormous nuclear catastrophe”.
He called for the strengthening of North Korea’s defense capabilities, adding that the country’s dignity and the people’s happiness depend on “the gun barrel”.
Jang Sung-taek was married to the sister of late leader Kim Jong-il, and is believed to have mentored Kim Jong-un when he succeeded his father in 2011.
Although seen as the second-most important figure in the country, Jang Sung-taek was dramatically removed from a special party session by armed guards and stripped of all his titles.
The state news agency KCNA later said he had admitted at a military trial to trying to overthrow the state, and had been executed immediately.
Analysts said one theory for Jang Sung-taek ‘s downfall was that he was too keen an admirer of China’s economic reform.
Dennis Rodman revealed he didn’t meet Kim Jong-un on his latest visit to North Korea, but he said that won’t stop him from coming back on the communist leader’s birthday next month to hold an exhibition game with other former NBA stars.
On the night before he was due to leave Pyongyang, Dennis Rodman told The Associated Press that he had not yet had a meeting with Kim Jong-un. The former NBA star said that he didn’t expect to meet the leader every time he comes to North Korea, and that his current trip was for training North Korean basketball players who will take part in the match he is organizing for Kim Jong-un’s birthday on January 8th.
“I’m not just coming over here to meet the leader,” Dennis Rodman said.
Dennis Rodman revealed he didn’t meet Kim Jong-un on his latest visit to North Korea
“I came over here to meet the basketball team, to prepare a great game for the leader for his birthday. And people need to understand that it’s not important for me to meet him every time I come over because he has another greater job to do for his country, and I respect that, but this trip was basically to come over to train the team, so we can have a great, great, game.”
Dennis Rodman’s visit comes just after the dramatic purge and execution of Kim Jong-un’s once-powerful uncle, which has sparked speculation among some foreign analysts over how stable Kim’s regime is. But officials here say that there is no instability and that Kim Jong-un remains firmly in control.
The former basketball player wants to bring 12 former NBA stars to Pyongyang for the exhibition, but has acknowledged that some of the Americans have been reluctant to come. He has held tryouts for the North Korean team during his visit, which began Thursday. He has said he expects to announce the US roster soon, and that he is planning another game in June.
Dennis Rodman and Kim Jong-un have struck up an unlikely friendship since the former NBA star traveled to North Korea for the first time in February with the Harlem Globetrotters for an HBO series produced by New York-based VICE television.
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Dennis Rodman held tryouts Friday for a North Korean team to face a dozen NBA veterans in an exhibition game on leader Kim Jong-un’s birthday on January 8th, 2014.
However, the former NBA star hasn’t convinced all the players on the American team that it’s safe to come to Pyongyang.
Dennis Rodman said plans for the January 8th game are moving ahead but some of the 12 Americans he wants are afraid to come.
Some foreign analysts say the dramatic purge and execution of Kim Jong-un’s uncle less than a week ago has cast doubt on Kim’s future. But officials here say there is no instability and Kim Jong-un remains firmly in control.
“You know, they’re still afraid to come here, but I’m just telling them, you know, don’t be afraid man, it’s all love, it’s all love here,” Dennis Rodman told The Associated Press after the tryouts at the Pyongyang Indoor Gymnasium.
“I understand what’s going on with the political stuff, and I say, I don’t go into that venture, I’m just doing one thing for these kids here, and for this country, and for my country, and for the world pretty much.”
Dennis Rodman, who arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday, said he expects to announce the roster soon. He also said he is planning another game in June.
Dennis Rodman held tryouts for North Korean team to face NBA veterans in an exhibition game on Kim Jong-un’s birthday
He watched as a couple dozen local players took to the basketball court for the tryouts. After the session, he told the players that each of the 12 he chooses will get two new pairs of tennis shoes.
When asked why he liked basketball, North Korean player Kim Un-chol told Dennis Rodman he started playing the game because he was impressed by it on TV, and said he also wants to be good at the sport because it is a favorite of leader Kim Jong-un and his late father, Kim Jong-il.
Dennis Rodman asked all the players if they felt the same way. They nodded in unison.
“I want you guys to do one thing for your leader,” Dennis Rodman then told them.
“It’s his birthday. It’s a very special, special day for the country.”
Dennis Rodman and Kim Jong-un have struck up an unlikely friendship since he traveled to North Korea for the first time in February with the Harlem Globetrotters for an HBO series produced by New York-based VICE television.
The former NBA player remains the highest-profile American to meet Kim Jong-un since the leader inherited power from his father in 2011.
Dennis Rodman has mostly avoided politics in his dealings with North Korea and has avoided commenting on the North’s human rights record or its continued detainment of American Kenneth Bae for allegedly committing anti-state crimes.
On Friday, he stressed that he hopes the game will be friendly, without political or nationalistic overtones.
Dennis Rodman said the former NBA players will take on the North Koreans in the first half, but the teams will be mixed for the second half.
“It’s not about win or loss. It’s about one thing – unite two countries,” he said.
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Dennis Rodman is heading to North Korea for a five-day visit, where he will train the national basketball team.
The former basketball player has previously described his visits as “basketball diplomacy”, and called North Korean leader Kim Jong-un his “friend for life”.
The US State Department has stressed that Dennis Rodman is not representing the US government on this trip.
The visit comes weeks after Kim Jong-un’s uncle Jang Sung-taek was executed.
Dennis Rodman is heading to North Korea for a five-day visit
Speaking to reporters in Beijing before heading to North Korea, Dennis Rodman said politics had “nothing to do with [him]”.
“I’m just going over there to do a basketball game and have some fun,” he told Reuters news agency.
Organizers of the trip say that Dennis Rodman will also arrange a friendship basketball match between North Korea and a group of former NBA players on January 8, to mark Kim Jong-un’s birthday.
Dennis Rodman remains the most high-profile American to meet Kim Jong-un since the leader took over after his father died in 2011.
He said that he spent time with Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju during his last visit in September, and said Kim had a baby daughter called Ju-ae.
US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Tuesday: “Dennis Rodman is not a representative of the US government in his trip to North Korea.”
“We need to focus on what’s really important here when it comes to North Korea… the brutality of the North Korean regime he’s going to meet.”
American citizen Kenneth Bae (known in North Korea as Pae Jun-ho) is detained in North Korea after being arrested in November 2012. He was sentenced to 15 years’ hard labor in May.
Dennis Rodman previously rejected calls to lobby for Kenneth Bae’s release.
“That’s not my job to ask about Kenneth Bae,” Dennis Rodman told reporters after his September visit.
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South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye has convened a meeting of security officials after the shock execution of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s uncle, Jang Sung-taek.
Ahead of the meeting Park Geun-hye warned of possible “reckless provocations” by the North and called for increased border vigilance.
Last week’s execution of Jang Sung-taek left the region in a “grave and unpredictable” situation, she said.
Jang Sung-taek, a key figure in North Korea, was executed for allegedly planning a coup.
President Park Geun-hye has convened a meeting of security officials after the shock execution of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s uncle
The move – together with the recall of a North Korean business team from China – prompted concerns that Jang Sung-taek’s associates were being purged as part of a campaign by Kim Jong-un to consolidate his power.
China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, said he believed an “important change” was taking place inside North Korea.
China – which in state media has called for Kim Jong-un to visit Beijing – was “closely watching” the situation, Wang Yi said.
“Given the latest development in the North, it is uncertain in what direction its political situation would evolve,” Park Geun-hye said early on Monday.
“We also can’t rule out the possibility of contingencies such as reckless provocations,” she added.
President Park Geun-hye later met her foreign affairs and security officials in a specially convened session to discuss events in the North.
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Jang Sung-taek’s execution will not alter North Korea’s economic goals, an official said.
Jang Sung-taek, uncle of leader Kim Jong-un, had been building trade with China before his removal led to speculation a drive to attract foreign cash will end.
Foreign investment is seen as crucial to North Korea’s fragile economy.
Kim Kyong-hui, Jang Sung-taek’s wife and Kim Jong-un’s aunt, was meanwhile named on a state committee – signaling she remains safe within the ruling dynasty.
Jang Sung-taek had been one of North Korea’s most powerful officials and a key architect of the country’s economic policies.
Kim Jong-un touring the Masik-Ryong ski resort
His execution last week and the recall of a North Korea business team from China, prompted concerns that his associates were being purged as part of a campaign by Kim Jong-un to consolidate his power.
It also led to fears for the stability of the nuclear-armed state.
But Yun Yong Sok, a senior member of the state economic development committee, told the Associated Press news agency that North Korea’s trade goals were unaffected.
“Even though Jang Sung-taek’s group caused great harm to our economy, there will be no change at all in the economic policy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” he said.
“It’s just the same as before.”
North Korea last month announced plans to create provincial economic zones offering incentives for foreign tourism and investment.
Just days after Jang Sung-taek’s execution, the North Korean business people have been recalled from China, says a South Korean report.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be purging associates of Jang Sung-taek, who was in charge of economic ties with China.
Kim Jong-un has been pictured by state media for the first time since the execution of his uncle Jang Sung-taek.
The South Korean government believes Kim Jong-un is trying to consolidate his power through a reign of terror.
The execution of Jang Sung-taek raised international concern about the stability of the nuclear-armed state.
North Korea has summoned back business people working out of the north-eastern Chinese cities of Shenyang and Dandong, sources told the South Korean news agency Yonhap.
They are in China to enhance bilateral trade and investment.
Kim Jong-un has been pictured by state media for the first time since the execution of his uncle Jang Sung-taek
Another source told the agency Pyongyang planned to bring all officials and staff home from China in stages.
It appeared to be a crackdown on those perceived as loyal to Jang Sung-taek, Yonhap said.
It could also be another sign that Jang Sung-taek’s downfall reflected discomfort at his enthusiasm for Chinese-style economic reform.
There have been other reports over recent days about officials being recalled to North Korea from abroad.
South Korean intelligence officials say two of Jang Sung-taek’s closest aides were executed last month, and analysts suggest the purging of such a high-profile figure is unlikely to take place without a “ripple effect” – a purge of others linked to them.
Kim Jong-un was pictured in photographs released by state media for the first time since the dramatic execution of Jang Sung-taek on Thursday following a military trial.
He was shown touring a military design institute, trailed by military officers, many taking notes. Among them was Kim Jong-un’s personal envoy, Vice-Marshal Choe Ryong-hae.
The pictures appeared designed to demonstrate Kim Jong-un’s continuing hold on power and “business as usual” for the North Korean leadership, said commentators.
The images will also be scrutinized for clues to Kim Jong-un’s inner circle, analysts say.
Among those pictured in the latest photographs are believed Hwang Pyong-so, vice departmental director of Party Central Committee (not in military uniform), Choe Ryong-hae, vice-marshal of the armed forces, and Jang Jong-nam, the nation’s new defense minister.
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Jang Sung-taek’s execution in North Korea has rekindled fears of instability in the secretive nuclear-armed state.
South Korean defense chief Kim Kawn-jin promised “heightened readiness” after the purge of Jang Sung-thaek.
Kim Kawn-jin said the execution could be seen as part of a “reign of terror” by the North Korean leader.
Jang Sung-taek, Kim Jong-un’s uncle, was executed for “acts of treachery” after appearing before a military trial.
Jang Sung-taek’s execution in North Korea has rekindled fears of instability in the secretive nuclear-armed state
He was dramatically removed from a special party session by armed guards earlier this week.
South Korean Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae warned that the purge could be followed by military moves from Pyongyang, including another nuclear test.
He told lawmakers that “the North usually curbs internal (agitation) through waging provocations externally”.
North Korea carried out its third nuclear test in February, to widespread international condemnation.
As tensions rose, Pyongyang threatened attacks on Japanese, South Korean and US military targets in the region.
China, North Korea’s ally and neighbor, described Jang Sung-taek’s execution as an “internal matter”.
“As a neighboring country, we hope for North Korea to maintain stability…” South Korean foreign ministry spokesman said.
Victor Cha, a former senior White House adviser on Asia, warned that Kim Jong-un’s purge could spread further than Jang Sung-taek.
“If he has to go as high as purging and then executing Chang, it tells you that everything’s not normal,” Victor Cha said.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s uncle, Jang Sung-taek, has been executed after being purged for “acts of treachery”, state media say.
Jang Sung-taek was dramatically removed from a Communist Party session by armed guards earlier this week.
It was the biggest upheaval since Kim Jong-un succeeded his father two years ago.
State news agency KCNA said Jang Sung-taek had admitted at a military trial on Thursday to attempting to overthrow the state, and was executed immediately.
Jang Sung-taek, who is thought to have mentored his nephew during the leadership transition from Kim Jong-il to his son Kim Jong-un in 2011, was “worse than a dog”, said the agency.
He had admitted abusing his positions of responsibility to form a faction against the state and to harboring his own political ambitions, it said in a lengthy and detailed report.
The White House said it could not independently verify the reports but had “no reason to doubt” them.
“If confirmed, this is another example of the extreme brutality of the North Korean regime. We are following developments in North Korea closely and consulting with our allies and partners in the region,” it said in a statement.
Jang Sung-taek – married to the elder Kim Jong-il’s sister – had held senior posts in the ruling party and the National Defense Commission, the North’s top military body.
He was frequently pictured alongside his nephew and seen by some observers as the power behind the throne.
But in early December, it emerged that he had been removed from his senior military position and that two of his aides had been executed.
Then on Monday, KCNA broadcast footage of him being removed from a party session by uniformed guards.
Jang Sung-taek has been executed after being purged for acts of treachery
In a long report on Friday, KCNA described Jang Sung-taek as a “traitor” and “human scum”.
It said: “Chang dreamed such a foolish dream that once he seizes power by a base method, his despicable true colors as <<reformist>> known to the outside world would help his <<new government>> get <<recognized>> by foreign countries in a short span of time.”
KCNA also said Jang Sung-taek:
- Attempted to “overthrow the state”
- Transformed his department into “a ‘little kingdom'” and attempted to “trigger off discontent” within the army to mobilize a coup
- Took control of the “major economic fields of the country” and “schemed to drive the economy of the country and people’s living into an uncontrollable catastrophe”
- Committed corruption by transferring construction units to his contacts
- Committed irregularities related to a joint economic zone with China, Rason
- Was responsible for unpopular currency reforms in 2009. In December 2009 Pyongyang’s reported redenomination of the won knocked two zeros off the nominal value of each banknote.
Jang Sung-taek admitted his “crimes” in court and a death sentence was “immediately executed”, KCNA said.
Analysts say his fall from grace could be seen as the latest in a series of carefully calibrated moves to demonstrate Kim Jong-un’s authority and an assertion of his independence.
In August 2012, Jang Sung-taek made a high profile trip to China, where he met then-President Hu Jintao. The two sides later signed a raft of economic deals, including the development of two special economic zones: Rason, on North Korea’s east coast, and Hwanggumphyong, on the border with China.
As news of the purge emerged earlier this week, South Korean President Park Geun-hye warned the North was “carrying out a reign of terror” to reinforce Kim Jong-il’s position.
She said the volatile relationship between the two countries was likely to become “more unstable” as a result.
On Friday, South Korea’s military said it had tightened surveillance on Pyongyang, news agency Yonhap reported.
Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Eyi-do said the government had “deep concerns” about the latest developments and was “watching the situation closely”.
Meanwhile, Japan’s top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said: “We will calmly monitor the situation while communicating with other countries and collect relevant information.”
Chinese state media reported on Jang Sung-taek’s execution, but there has been no official government response so far.
Who is Jang Sung-taek:
- Born 1946, he married Kim Jong-il’s sister in 1972
- Joined Korean Workers’ Party administrative ranks in 1970s
- Elected to Central Committee in 1992
- Sidelined in 2004, but rehabilitated in 2006
- 2011: Got top military post under Kim Jong-un
- November 2013: Dismissed from his position
- December 2013: Executed as a “traitor”[youtube rsiqP8eIA9o 650]
North Korea has confirmed for the first time that Jang Sung-taek has been dismissed from his post.
Jang Sung-taek had committed “criminal acts”, according to the state-run KCNA news agency.
Kim Jong-un’s uncle was seen as an economic reformer and regularly handled talks with China, Pyongyang’s only major ally.
North Korea has confirmed for the first time that Jang Sung-taek has been dismissed from his post
Jang Sung-taek’s removal is the biggest upheaval in North Korea’s leadership since Kim Jong-un succeeded his father, analysts say.
Two of his close aides have been executed for corruption, according to earlier South Korean reports.
KCNA said the decision had come after a meeting of the politburo of the ruling Workers’ Party.
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Merrill Newman has arrived in San Francisco after being released by North Korea.
North Korea’s state news agency said Merrill Newman was expelled on “humanitarian grounds” after confessing to “crimes” in the 1950-53 war and “apologizing”.
The US veteran of the Korean War had been held since October 26 on charges of “hostile acts” against the North, while visiting as a tourist.
Although Merrill Newman, 85, did serve during the Korean War, his family says he is the victim of mistaken identity.
Merrill Newman has arrived in San Francisco after being released by North Korea
The US welcomed Pyongyang’s decision.
“We are pleased that Mr. Merrill Newman has been allowed to depart the DPRK [North Korea] and re-join his family. We welcome the DPRK’s decision to release him,” said state department spokeswoman Marie Harf.
“I’m delighted to be home,” Merrill Newman said in San Francisco.
“It’s been a great homecoming. I’m tired, but ready to be with my family.”
He thanked the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang and US embassy in Beijing for helping to secure his release.
Merrill Newman – a pensioner from Palo Alto, California – had been held in North Korea since being taken off a plane as he prepared to leave the country on October 26, following a 10-day tourist visit.
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North Korean state TV is reported to have removed footage of Jang Sung-taek – Kim Jong-un’s uncle and key aide – from a documentary, following reports that he has been dismissed.
South Korean news agency Yonhap said the original film about Kim Jong-un had already been broadcast nine times.
But when it aired again on Saturday, images of his uncle Jang Sung-taek, had been edited out, Yonhap reports.
On Tuesday South Korean intelligence said Jang Sung-taek, 67, had been removed.
Jang Sung-taek had held senior posts in the ruling communist Korean Workers’ Party and the National Defense Commission, North Korea’s top military body.
Intelligence officials also said two of his close aides appeared to have been executed for corruption.
Jang Sung-taek had held senior posts in the ruling communist Korean Workers’ Party and the National Defense Commission
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said it has made the assessment based on information provided by multiple sources.
If confirmed, Jang Sung-taek’s removal would be the biggest upheaval in North Korea’s leadership since Kim Jong-un succeeded his father, analysts say.
Kim Jong-un took over after Kim Jong-il died in 2011.
Jang Sung-taek is married to the elder sister of Kim Jong-il.
He has often been pictured beside Kim Jong-un and was seen by some observers as the power behind the throne.
Despite his family ties to the leadership and senior status, Jang Sung-taek has been targeted by purges in the past.
In 2004, despite his place in the Kim family, Jang Sung-taek disappeared from public view.
One report at the time, citing South Korean intelligence, said Jang Sung-taek had been placed under house arrest.
Other reports suggested Jang Sung-taek had been sent for “re-education”. However, two years later Jang Sung-taek appeared to have been reinstated.
North Korea has decided to deport US citizen Merrill Newman, who had been detained in the country since October.
State news agency KCNA says Merrill Newman was expelled on “humanitarian grounds” after confessing to “crimes” in the 1950-53 war and “apologizing”.
Merrill Newman, 85, had been held on charges of “hostile acts” against the North, while visiting as a tourist.
The US state department welcomed the decision to free Merrill Newman, who has now arrived in Beijing.
“We are pleased that Mr. Merrill Newman has been allowed to depart the DPRK (North Korea) and re-join his family. We welcome the DPRK’s decision to release him,” said state department spokeswoman Marie Harf.
“I’m very glad to be on my way home,” Merrill Newman told Japanese reporters after arriving in the Chinese capital.
North Korea has decided to deport US citizen Merrill Newman, who had been detained in the country since October
“And I appreciate the tolerance the DPRK government has given to me to be on my way. I feel good. I want to go home to see my wife.”
Last week, KCNA said Merrill Newman had ordered the deaths of North Korean soldiers and civilians in the Korean War.
Although Merrill Newman did serve during the Korean War, his family says he is the victim of mistaken identity.
Merril Newman – a pensioner from Palo Alto, California – had been held in North Korea since being taken off a plane as he prepared to leave the country on October 26, following a 10-day tourist visit.
In a video released by North Korean authorities last week, Merrill Newman was shown reading his alleged apology, dated November 9.
It claims he was an “adviser of the Kuwol Unit of the UN Korea 6th Partisan Regiment part of the Intelligence Bureau of the Far East Command” – an apparent reference to one of the special operations units acting against the North.
Merrill Newman apparently confessed to trying to contact surviving soldiers during his trip as a tourist.
The statement added: “Please forgive me.”
However, Merrill Newman’s family said there must have been “some dreadful misunderstanding” as another veteran, also named Merrill Newman, was awarded a Silver Star medal for his efforts during the Korean War.
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North Korea has been urged by Amnesty International to close two political prisoner camps, where it says torture is rampant and execution commonplace.
Amnesty International has released new satellite images of the Kwanliso 15 and 16 camps.
It quotes one former official as saying that inmates are forced to dig their own graves and women disappear after “servicing” officials.
Amnesty alleges that hundreds of thousands of people are held in detention facilities in North Korea.
The organization says it has passed its latest evidence to the UN Commission of Inquiry investigating human rights abuses in North Korea.
The rights group says it interviewed one former security official from Kwanliso 16 last month.
North Korea has been urged by Amnesty International to close two political prisoner camps
The official, referred to as Mr. Lee, said prisoners were forced to dig their own graves and were then killed with blows to the neck.
Mr. Lee said he witnessed prison officers strangling detainees and beating them to death with wooden sticks.
He added: “After a night of <<servicing>> officials, women had to die because the secret could not get out. This happens at most of the political prison camps.”
The new satellite images show both camps.
Kwanliso 15 covers 142 sq miles and is in central North Korea, about 45 miles from the capital Pyongyang.
Kwanliso 16, near Hwaseong in North Hamgyong province, covers approximately 556 sq km.
Amnesty said it was not able to verify prisoner populations, but said there might have been a slight increase at Kwanliso 16 and a slight decrease at Kwanliso 15.
The report’s author, Amnesty North Korea researcher Rajiv Narayan, said: “Under its new leader Kim Jong-un, North Korea is violating every conceivable human right.
“People are sent to the political prison camps without charge, let alone a trial, many of them simply for knowing someone who has fallen out of favor.”
Rajiv Narayan added: “We are calling on the North Korean authorities to acknowledge the existence of the camps, close them, and grant unhindered access to independent human rights monitors like Amnesty International.”
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The US has urged North Korea to release American citizen Merrill Newman, who is detained in Pyongyang for more than a month.
On Saturday, state media in North Korea said Merrill Newman, 85, had confessed to “indelible crimes” against the state during the 1950-53 Korean War.
It published what it described as a “statement of apology” by Merrill Newman.
The US also called on North Korea to release another American, Kenneth Bae, who is held since November 2012 and sentenced in May to 15 years’ hard labor.
The US has urged North Korea to release American citizen Merrill Newman
“We remain deeply concerned about the welfare of the US citizens held in custody in the DPRK [North Korea]” said National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.
“Given Mr. Newman’s advanced age and health conditions, we urge the DPRK to release Mr. Newman so he may return home and reunite with his family,” she went on.
Regarding Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American, Caitlin Hayden said: “We continue to urge the DPRK authorities to grant him amnesty and immediate release.”
Pyongyang accused Kenneth Bae – described as both a tour operator and Christian missionary – of using his tourism business to plot sedition.
The official Korean Central News Agency said on Saturday that Merrill Newman had ordered the deaths of North Korean soldiers and civilians in the Korean War.
Although Merrill Newman did serve during the Korean War, his family says he is the victim of mistaken identity.
Pyongyang’s state media have routinely publicized alleged apologies from previous US detainees, which cannot be independently verified.
Authorities have previously been accused of coercing confessions from detainees.
Some observers say Merrill Newman’s alleged confession could allow North Korea to release him without formal legal proceedings.
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US citizen Merrill Newman, who is detained for more than a month in North Korea, has confessed to committing “indelible crimes” against the state, say North Korean state media.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Merrill Newman had ordered the deaths of North Korean soldiers and civilians in the 1950-53 Korean War.
The agency published what it described as a “statement of apology” by Merrill Newman.
Merrill Newman, now 85, did serve during the Korean War but his family says he is the victim of mistaken identity.
Pyongyang’s state media has routinely publicized alleged apologies from previous American detainees, which cannot be independently verified.
Authorities have previously been accused of coercing confessions from detainees.
Merrill Newman, who is detained for more than a month in North Korea, has confessed to committing “indelible crimes” against the state
Some observers say Merrill Newman’s alleged confession could allow North Korea to release him without formal legal proceedings.
Merrill Newman – a retiree from Palo Alto, California – has been held in North Korea since being taken off a plane as he prepared to leave the country on October 26, following a 10-day tourist visit.
In video released by North Korean authorities, Merril Newman is shown reading his alleged apology, dated November 9.
“During the Korean War, I have been guilty of a long list of indelible crimes against DPRK government and Korean people,” the 4-page statement reads, referring to North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The statement also claims Merrill Newman was an “adviser of the Kuwol Unit of the UN Korea 6th Partisan Regiment part of the Intelligence Bureau of the Far East Command” – an apparent reference to one of the special operations units acting against the North.
Merrill Newman apparently confesses to trying to contact surviving soldiers during his trip as a tourist.
The statement adds: “Please forgive me.”
However, Merrill Newman’s family has said there must have been “some dreadful misunderstanding” and have appealed for his release, saying he may need medication.
Another veteran, also named Merrill Newman, was awarded a Silver Star medal for his efforts during the Korean War.
He has previously told Reuters news agency he thought it was possible there had been “a case of mistaken identity”.
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Dennis Rodman plans to visit North Korea for an exhibition basketball tour late next month.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Dennis Rodman said he’ll be accompanied on the trip by a dozen or so former NBA players. But he refused to name names.
“I have seven people right now,” he said.
“I talked to a couple of guys last week. Lot of guys are saying, <<OK, great. I’ll go. We’ll go>>. But I’m not saying this to get people to go over there to prove a point — <<OK, great, let’s go over there and make a difference.>>”
Back in the news as a self-appointed ambassador and friend of Kim Jong-un, Dennis Rodman returned Thursday to where he won the last three of his five NBA championships playing alongside Michael Jordan. On a promotional tour to pitch a vodka brand, Dennis Rodman held court downtown amid camera flashes.
Dennis Rodman, 52, said he wouldn’t talk about his relationship with Kim Jong-un or North Korean politics, including its widely condemned human-rights record and secretive nuclear weapons program. Though he eventually touched on those subjects, Dennis Rodman glossed over several related questions and largely ignored a challenge to his answer about whether North Korea was holding US citizens as hostages, including 85-year-old Korean War veteran Merrill Newman.
Dennis Rodman plans to visit North Korea for an exhibition basketball tour late next month
The Swedish Embassy is negotiating on behalf of Newman because the US has no diplomatic ties to North Korea. Dennis Rodman’s friendship with Kim Jong-un has afforded him the kind of access denied statesmen from the West and even President Barack Obama.
Dennis Rodman came under criticism for being “naive” during a previous visit to North Korea, where he was photographed often with Kim Jong-un, and some members of the diplomatic community fear his antics could further aggravate already-sensitive negotiations.
He said his reasons for returning to North Korea were much more personal and beyond that, Kim Jong-un’s motives were not his concern.
“Like I told you, this is not all about trying to create this major buzz,” Dennis Rodman said.
“Because I don’t want my friend to sit there and say I been doing this all along to slip in some information on him. I don’t want that. That’s why I’m not doing that. We’re friends and that’s it.
“This ain’t about me trying to be a politician and try to get some scoop on him and stuff like that. … He’s my friend first. Other than that, I don’t give a damn what … he does.”
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North Korea has acknowledged that it is holding an US citizen, the state department announces.
The captive’s identity has not been confirmed as consular access has not been granted, AP news agency reports.
The disclosure comes amid concern for Merrill Newman, 85, who was reportedly detained weeks ago in North Korea.
The news came via Swedish officials, who oversee consular issues for the US as it lacks diplomatic ties with North Korea.
Merrill Newman, a Korean War veteran, was taken off a plane by uniformed officers on October 26 at the end of a trip to North Korea
The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang had been requesting access to the American on a daily basis, a state department spokesman said.
Jeffrey Newman said his father Merrill, a Korean War veteran, was taken off a plane by uniformed officers on October 26 at the end of a trip to North Korea.
Merrill Newman was visiting the country with a friend, on a guided tour arranged with a travel agent “approved by the North Korean government for travel of foreigners”, Jeffrey Newman said.
US officials have not specifically confirmed the case, but have called on North Korea to “resolve the issue”.
Merrill Newman appeared to have discussed his experience in the Korean War with North Korean officials the day before his detention, his son added.
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North Korea has been urged by US to “let our citizens go free”, as reports say that US citizen Merrill Newman has been detained in the country.
Merrill Newman, an 85-year-old Korean War veteran, was taken off a plane by uniformed officers at the end of a guided tour in North Korea last month, his son said.
US officials have not specifically confirmed the case, but have called on North Korea to “resolve the issue”.
Another US citizen, Kenneth Bae, has been detained since last November.
Merrill Newman visited North Korea with a friend in October, his son, Jeffrey Newman said on Thursday.
The guided tour was arranged with a travel agent “approved by the North Korean government for travel of foreigners”, he added.
Merrill Newman was taken off a plane on October 26, the last day of his tour, as he was set to leave North Korea, Jeffrey Newman said.
Merrill Newman, an 85-year-old Korean War veteran, was taken off a plane by uniformed officers at the end of a guided tour in North Korea last month
The veteran appeared to have discussed his experience in the Korean War with North Korean officials the day before his detention, his son added.
Another veteran, also named Merrill Newman, was awarded a Silver Star medal for his efforts during the Korean War. In an interview with Reuters news agency, he said that he thought it was possible there had been “a case of mistaken identity”.
When asked about Merrill Newman’s detention, Secretary of State John Kerry would not comment directly on the case, but said: “They have other people, too… These are all very, very disturbing choices by the North Koreans.”
US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies, said: “We are calling on North Korea, as in the Kenneth Bae case, to resolve this issue and let our citizens go free.”
Glyn Davies added that he could not comment specifically about Merrill Newman’s case “because we do not have a privacy act waiver”.
The US State Department revised its travel guidance for North Korea this week, saying: “US citizens crossing into North Korea, even accidentally, have been subject to arbitrary arrest and long-term detention.”
However, a small number of tourists do enter North Korea every year.
Travel to North Korea is tightly controlled, with tourists only able to visit through tour companies that are accompanied by local guides.
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A South Korean newspaper reported on Monday that North Korea publicly executed around 80 people earlier this month, many for watching smuggled South Korean TV shows.
The conservative JoongAng Ilbo cited a single, unidentified source, but at least one North Korean defector group said it had heard rumors that lent credibility to the front-page report.
The source, said to be “familiar” with North Korea’s internal affairs and recently returned from the country, said the executions were carried out in seven cities on November 3.
In the eastern port of Wonsan, the authorities gathered 10,000 people in a sports stadium to watch the execution of eight people by firing squad, the source quoted one eyewitness as saying.
Most were charged with watching illicit South Korean TV dramas.
North Korea publicly executed around 80 people earlier this month, many for watching smuggled South Korean TV shows
Several of the cities, including Wonsan and Pyongsong in the west, have been designated as special economic zones aimed at attracting foreign investment to boost the North’s moribund economy.
The Seoul-based news website, Daily NK, which is run by North Korean defectors and has a wide network of sources, said it had no information on the executions.
But another defector-run website, North Korea Intellectual Solidarity, said its sources had reported several months ago on plans for a wave of public executions.
“The regime is obviously afraid of potential changes in people’s mindsets and is pre-emptively trying to scare people off,” said one website official.
Watching unsanctioned foreign films or TV — especially those from the capitalist South — is a serious offence in North Korea.
However, efforts to control their distribution have been circumvented by technology, with an increasing number being smuggled in on DVDs, flash drives and mp3 players.
As well as South Korean soap operas, US shows like Desperate Housewives are believed to have a small but avid following.
In a rare admission of military failure, North Korea has revealed that one of its warships sank last month, killing a number of sailors.
North Korean state media reported a visit by leader Kim Jong-un to a naval cemetery for the crew of “submarine chaser No 233”.
Photographs showed Kim Jong-un surrounded by more than a dozen gravestones inscribed with the date October 13.
The report said the vessel had been performing combat duties but gave no more information about what happened.
Kim Jong-un visit to a naval cemetery for the crew of submarine chaser No 233
“Submarine chaser No 233 fell while performing combat duties in mid-October,” state news agency KCNA said.
Images showed Kim Jong-un, accompanied by several officials, visiting a memorial which included multiple gravestones with images inscribed on them.
North Korea has a large military but much of its equipment is believed to be old and out of date.
Reports in South Korean media, citing unidentified sources, suggested age of submarine chaser could have been a factor in the sinking.
These reports said the incident was believed to have taken place off Wonsan, on the east coast of the Korean peninsula, during an exercise.
Six South Korean men have been returned by North Korea to their homeland, South Korean officials say, in a rare move.
The men, between the ages of 27 and 67, were handed over on Friday at the truce village of Panmunjom, on the border between the two countries.
The names of South Korean men were not released and details surrounding their detention in the North remain unclear.
The two Koreas remain technically at war, as the 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice and not a peace treaty.
Pyongyang’s Red Cross informed Seoul that the men would be handed back via Panmunjom on Thursday, a statement from South Korea’s Unification Ministry said.
Six South Korean men have been returned by North Korea to their homeland
Officials said the group would be taken to South Korea’s spy agency to face questions over their presence in North Korea.
The South Korean government said that at first glance, the men were not on the list of those abducted by the North.
One possibility is that they may have crossed into North Korea illegally from China. Unofficial travel to North Korea by private citizens from South Korea is illegal.
Pyongyang’s state news agency announced the detention of several unnamed South Korean nationals in 2010 and there is speculation that they may be among those returned.
The move by North Korea is seen as a gesture of reconciliation following the cancellation of reunions for families split by the division of the Korean peninsula at the end of the Korean War which were planned for last month.
Tensions between the two Koreas rose earlier this year, after North Korea’s third nuclear test in February.
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