North and South Korea
Right-wing candidate wins South Korean presidential poll
By Peter Symonds, December 24, 2007
For the first time in more than a decade, the candidate of the right-wing Grand National Party (GNP), Lee Myung-bak, won last week’s South Korean presidential election. Far from being a vote of ...
South Korean presidential election: right-wing candidate poised to win
By John Chan, December 18, 2007
After a more than a decade of so-called “democrats”, the candidate of the right-wing Grand National Party (GNP), Lee Myung-bak, appears poised to win tomorrow’s presidential election...
Uncertainty hangs over deal to disable North Korea’s nuclear facilities
By John Chan, October 10, 2007
Last week, there was considerable euphoria in the media about peace on the Korean Peninsula. An agreement between the US and North Korea to disable the latter’s nuclear facilities by the end of ...
South Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan ends
By John Chan, September 12, 2007
The long-drawn out saga involving 23 South Korean missionaries held hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan since July 19 finally ended late last month. But the political reverberations will continue. T...
Talks over North Korea’s nuclear programs fail to make any progress
By John Chan, July 31, 2007
A second round of six-party talks over North Korea’s nuclear programs ended in Beijing on July 20 without any agreement on the next steps to be taken in implementing the broad deal reached in Fe...
North Korea announces shut down of nuclear reactor
By Peter Symonds, June 29, 2007
More than four months after the US reached an agreement with North Korea over its nuclear programs, Pyongyang announced on Monday it had finally received $25 million in funds previously frozen in the ...
Trains cross the Korean border for the first time in six decades
By John Chan, May 23, 2007
Two trains made short, symbolic trips across the heavily militarised border between South and North Korea last week, in what was acclaimed as a step toward reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.
Who missed the deadline on the North Korean nuclear deal?
By John Chan, April 25, 2007
The April 14 deadline for North Korea to shut down its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors back into the country came and went. Washington has hi...
North Korea nuclear talks break down over funds transfer
By John Chan, April 6, 2007
North Korean delegates walked out of the last round of six-party talks, held in Beijing on March 22, after the Bush administration failed to return $25 million of frozen North Korean funds held in the...
US-North Korean nuclear agreement: clearing the decks for Iran
By John Chan and Peter Symonds, February 16, 2007
The deal reached between the US and North Korea at six-party talks in Beijing on Tuesday has been variously described in the international media as a “landmark” and an “historic agre...
Six-party talks on North Korean nuclear program reach dead end
By John Chan, December 28, 2006
Six-party talks in Beijing on North Korea’s nuclear programs broke up on December 22 without any progress or any firm proposal to reconvene. The latest round of negotiations, which involved the ...
North Korean nuclear test opens up political divisions in South Korea
By Adam Haig, October 23, 2006
North Korea’s nuclear test on October 9 has fuelled a sharp political debate in South Korea. Despite considerable US pressure, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has indicated that his governme...
