Summary of external news of North Korea this week

NK weekly-external news

Summary of external news of North Korea this week

SEOUL, June 10 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news of North Korea this week.

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S. Korean, U.S. nuclear envoys discuss N. Korea's missile firing

SEOUL -- Top South Korean and U.S. nuclear envoys held an emergency meeting in Seoul on Sunday, hours after North Korea test-fired another salvo of ballistic missiles into the East Sea, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.

Kim Gunn, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, had discussions with his American counterpart, Sung Kim, on the issue in their second face-to-face meeting in two days.

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U.S. will not link COVID-19 assistance to denuclearization talks with N. Korea: Kritenbrink

WASHINGTON -- The United States does not and will not link its humanitarian assistance for North Korea to progress in denuclearization talks with the impoverished country, a senior U.S. diplomat said Monday, urging Pyongyang to engage in dialogue and also accept U.S. or international assistance for dealing with COVID-19.

Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, also reiterated that the U.S. remains open to dialogue.

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U.S. remains concerned about N.K. nuclear test, but also ready for contingency: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States continues to remain concerned that North Korea may conduct a nuclear test in the near future, a state department spokesperson said Monday.

Ned Price, however, said the U.S. also remains prepared for such a contingency.

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S. Korea, U.S. hold high-level diplomatic talks on N. Korea, alliance

SEOUL -- Senior government officials of South Korea and the United States had talks here Tuesday on North Korea and pending alliance issues, two weeks after their presidents agreed during a Seoul summit to upgrade Seoul-Washington ties to a "Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance."

The meeting between Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman came a couple of days after the North fired eight short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea. It marked their first face-to-face consultations since the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

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(4th LD) N. Korea to face 'swift, forceful' response in case of nuke test: Sherman

SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- A senior U.S. diplomat warned Tuesday that North Korea would face a "swift and forceful" response should the recalcitrant regime press ahead with a widely anticipated nuclear test.

Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Wendy Sherman issued the message after meeting with her South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun-dong, in Seoul, to discuss the North's weekend missile launches and the possibility of it conducting what would be its seventh nuclear test.

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(LEAD) North Korea could conduct a nuclear test at any time: Sung Kim

WASHINGTON -- North Korea appears to have completed preparations for what will be its seventh nuclear test that could take place at any time, Special U.S. Representative for North Korea Sung Kim said Tuesday.

Kim said a North Korean nuclear test will be met by a "swift" response from the U.S. and its allies, but that Washington will continue to remain open to dialogue with no "end date."

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(LEAD) Unification minister, Sherman discuss need for N. Korea to resume dialogue

SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- A senior U.S. State Department official had meetings here with South Korea's top government officials in charge of inter-Korean affairs Wednesday, during which they discussed the need for North Korea to return to denuclearization talks.

In a Twitter message, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said she had "productive" meetings with Unification Minister Kwon Young-se and Vice Unification Minister Kim Ki-woong.

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(LEAD) S. Korean foreign minister discusses N. Korea issue with foreign envoys

SEOUL -- South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin met with a group of foreign ambassadors Friday for discussions on the Korean Peninsula issue, according to his ministry Friday.

They included members of the Korean Peninsula Club, a consultative channel of the ministry and 20 foreign ambassadors based in Seoul, who double as top envoys to North Korea.

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