CIA establishes Korea Mission Center to focus on ‘existential threat’ to U.S.

CIA establishes Korea Mission Center to focus on ‘existential threat’ to U.S.

by WorldTribune Staff, May 12, 2017 The CIA said it has established the Korea Mission Center in order to “harness the full resources, capabilities, and authorities of the agency in addressing the nuclear and ballistic missile threat posed by North Korea.” “Creating the Korea Mission Center allows us to more purposefully integrate and direct CIA […]

New S. Korean intelligence chief secretly negotiated controversial summit with Kim Jong-Il

New S. Korean intelligence chief secretly negotiated controversial summit with Kim Jong-Il

by WorldTribune Staff, May 11, 2017 Suh Hoon, named as South Korean President-elect Moon Jae-In’s intelligence chief, played a key role in arranging summit talks with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il in 2000 and 2007. Suh “is widely seen as aimed at backing up the new leader’s bid to improve long-strained inter-Korean ties,” Yonhap news […]

South Korea’s new leadership has a record of promoting summitry with North Korea

South Korea’s new leadership has a record of promoting summitry with North Korea

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk The drama of South Korean history opens a tumultuous new act with the election of a liberal labor lawyer who has promised both to bring about detente with North Korea and satisfy the demands of restive masses fed up with alleged rightist abuses. Whether Moon Jae-In will be able […]

Report: 5,000 Chinese Uighurs fighting in Syria, most ‘under their own banner’

Report: 5,000 Chinese Uighurs fighting in Syria, most ‘under their own banner’

by WorldTribune Staff, May 9, 2017 Some 5,000 ethnic Uighurs from China’s western Xinjiang province are fighting in Syria, the Syrian ambassador to China said. Ambassador Imad Moustapha told Reuters on the sidelines of a business forum on May 8 that while some of the Uighurs were fighting with Islamic State (ISIS), most were fighting […]

North Korea calls for regime change in the South as leftist candidate there claims victory

North Korea calls for regime change in the South as leftist candidate there claims victory

by WorldTribune Staff, May 9, 2017 North Korea’s state-run media called on South Koreans voting on May 9 to ban conservatives from ever taking power again as leftist candidate Moon Jae-In claimed victory at the end of the day. “South Koreans should judge the puppet group of conservatives as accomplices” with impeached President Park Geun-Hye, […]

Conservative surging in critical South Korean election; Column appeals for Trump tweet support

Conservative surging in critical South Korean election; Column appeals for Trump tweet support

by WorldTribune Staff, May 8, 2017 The conservative candidate is making a last-minute comeback in a bitter presidential election showdown in South Korea. The latest polls show conservative candidate Hong Joon-Pyo surging, according to media reports in Seoul and the Wall Street Journal. “About 20 percent of the electorate is still undecided, and an upset […]

With focus on North Korea, China avoids neighbors’ criticism

With focus on North Korea, China avoids neighbors’ criticism

Special to WorldTribune.com By John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — Two significant geopolitical issues dominate East Asia; the North Korean nuclear showdown and China’s maritime claims and expansion in the disputed South China Sea. Given the dangerous brinksmanship on the Korean peninsula, the UN Security Council held a landmark meeting to refocus global attention on […]

North Korea threatens ‘CIA terrorists’, claims U.S., South Korea behind assassination plot

North Korea threatens ‘CIA terrorists’, claims U.S., South Korea behind assassination plot

by WorldTribune Staff, May 5, 2017 Claiming an alleged plot by U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies to assassinate Kim Jong-Un, North Korea vowed to “ferret out” and destroy “CIA terrorists”. North Korea’s Ministry of State Security said “terrorists” supported by the CIA and South Korea’s intelligence agency infiltrated North Korea to stage an attack […]

Cornered: Communist North Korea plays the Moscow card … and the Seoul card

Cornered: Communist North Korea plays the Moscow card … and the Seoul card

by WorldTribune Staff, May 4, 2017 Driven into a corner by its over dependence on a frustrated China and a tough, hard-charging leader in Washington, the nuclear power and “Hermit Kingdom” North Korea is reviewing its options which do exist. Neither China nor the U.S.-Japan-South Korea alliance wants to risk triggering a disastrous war on […]

U.S. special forces training for covert ops to neutralize North Korean WMD

U.S. special forces training for covert ops to neutralize North Korean WMD

by WorldTribune Staff, May 3, 2017 U.S. special operations forces are training for covert operations to locate and destroy North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems, the spec-ops commander told Congress on May 2. “We are actively pursuing a training path to ensure readiness for the entire range of contingency operations in which [special […]