South Korea

SEOUL, June 27 (Reuters) - Everyone in North Korea is heartbroken over leader Kim Jong Un's apparent weight loss, said an unidentified resident of Pyongyang quoted on the country's tightly controlled state media, after watching recent video footage of Kim.

The rare public comment on Kim's health come after foreign analysts noted in early June that the autocratic leader, who is believed to be 37, appeared to have lost a noticeable amount of weight.

SEOUL, June 23 (Reuters) - North Korea is not considering any contact with the United States, Foreign Minister Ri Son Gwon said on Wednesday.

"We are not considering even the possibility of any contact with the U.S., let alone having it, which would get us nowhere, only taking up precious time," Ri said in a statement carried on state media KCNA.

His comments were made after the new U.S. envoy for North Korea said in Seoul on Monday that he looked forward to a "positive response soon" on dialogue from Pyongyang. 

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed prospects for early resumption of diplomacy with the United States, saying Tuesday the U.S. expectations for talks would “plunge them into a greater disappointment.”

Kim Yo Jong issued the statement after U.S. National Security adviser Jake Sullivan described as an “interesting signal” her brother’s recent statement that North Korea must be ready for both dialogue and confrontation, but more for confrontation.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Joe Biden’s special envoy for North Korea said Monday he hopes to see a positive reaction from the North soon on U.S. offers for talks after the North Korean leader ordered officials to prepare for both dialogue and confrontation.

Sung Kim, Biden’s special representative for North Korea, is in Seoul to speak with South Korean and Japanese officials about the U.S.’s stalled diplomacy with the North over its nuclear program and U.S.-led sanctions.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “solemnly swore” to navigate his country out of deepening economic troubles as he concluded a major ruling party meeting, acknowledging food shortages and urging officials to prepare for both dialogue and confrontation with the U.S.

North Korea’s state media released Kim’s comments shortly before President Joe Biden’s special representative for North Korea, Sung Kim, arrived in South Korea on Saturday for talks over stalled nuclear diplomacy with the North.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his government to be prepared for both dialogue and confrontation with the Biden administration — but more for confrontation, state media reported Friday, days after the United States and others urged the North to abandon its nuclear program and return to talks.

Kim’s statement indicates he’ll likely push to strength his nuclear arsenal and increase pressure on Washington to give up what North Korea considers a hostile U.S. policy, though he’ll also prepare for talks to resume, some experts say.

SEOUL, June 17 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's top nuclear envoy will hold talks in Seoul next week with U.S. and Japanese counterparts over the Korean Peninsula issues, the South Korean foreign ministry said Thursday.

Noh Kyu-duk, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will talk bilaterally on Monday with Sung Kim, the newly appointed U.S. special representative for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) policy.

SEOUL, June 14 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's military will conduct a defense drill near the islets disputed with Japan, Yonhap news agency reported Monday citing unnamed government and military sources.

The maritime exercise, called the East Sea Territory Protection Exercise, will be staged Tuesday near the Dokdo islets, called Takeshima in Japan.

The exercise, which has been held usually twice a year since 1986, would reportedly mobilize naval and coast guard vessels, fighter jets and maritime patrol aircraft.

SEOUL, June 14 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's unification ministry on Monday called for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to respond to Seoul's dialogue offer ahead of the 21st anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration.

Lee Jong-joo, unification ministry spokesperson, told a press briefing that the government urges the DPRK to return to the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration and positively respond to the call for dialogue and cooperation between the two Koreas.

(Reuters) --- A 36-year-old South Korean startup founder was elected leader of the conservative opposition party on Friday and pledged to win over voters increasingly disillusioned with traditional rough-and-tumble politics and retake the presidency next year.

Lee Jun-seok became the youngest leader of any major political party in democratic South Korean history, elected by party delegates and through public polls to head the People Power Party.