ID :
49001
Thu, 03/05/2009 - 04:25
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/49001
The shortlink copeid
Yonhap News Summary
The following is the first summary of major stories moved by Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday.
-----------------
N. Korea vows to retaliate if S. Korea, U.S. intrude 'even 0.001 mm' into its land
SEOUL -- North Korea on Wednesday accused the United States and South Korea of
trying to attack the communist state and warned of further retaliations in case
of any territorial intrusion.
"Our military and people cherish peace and do not want war," Rodong Sinmun, the
newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary. "But should
the enemies invade even 0.001 mm into our territory, we will mobilize all our
potential and deal retaliatory strikes that will be hundred times and thousand
times more powerful."
-----------------
(LEAD) N. Korea hits back at S. Korea over human rights
GENEVA -- North Korea lambasted South Korea Tuesday over its latest demand at a
regular session of the U.N. Human Rights Council that the communist neighbor
address its abysmal human rights record.
In his keynote speech earlier in the day, South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister
Shin Kak-soo urged North Korea to "take necessary measures to improve its human
rights situation in full compliance with its obligations under international
human rights law and relevant treaties to which it is a party."
-----------------
N. Korean missile launch not imminent: unification minister
SEOUL -- North Korea's preparations for what it claims will be a satellite launch
continue apace, though an actual launch does not seem imminent, Seoul's
unification minister said Wednesday.
Hyun In-taek, a foreign policy expert who took office last month as Seoul's point
man on Pyongyang, also said South Korea takes "seriously" the North's continuing
criticism of President Lee Myung-bak and demanded Pyongyang stop its verbal
attacks.
-----------------
U.N. consulting with N. Korea on resumption of dialogue channel: spokeswoman
WASHINGTON -- The United Nations said Tuesday that it is consulting with North
Korea on sending a U.N. delegation to the isolated communist state to revive a
dialogue channel suspended four years ago after the resignation of a special
envoy for North Korea.
"The United Nations has been working with the Permanent Mission of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea to revive the dialogue channel between the DPRK, which
was suspended four years ago following Mr. Maurice Strong's resignation," Marie
Okabe, deputy spokeswoman for U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, said at a daily
news conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York, according to a transcript
released by the U.N.
-----------------
(3rd LD) Lee wishes N. Korean leader "well," says he is needed for peace
SYDNEY -- In a rare direct comment on the North Korean leader, South Korean
President Lee Myung-bak Wednesday wished the North Korean leader well, saying his
control of the communist nation is vital to maintaining peace on the Korean
Peninsula for the time being.
Kim Jong-il is said to be recovering from a stroke he suffered in August, but
recent reports have suggested the North Korean leader, who turned 67 last month
and reportedly has kidney ailments, may have named one of his three sons as his
successor.
-----------------
House approves bill for energy aid to N. Korea pending obligations fulfillment
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. House of Representatives has set aside US$2.5 million for
energy aid to North Korea this year despite stalled six-party talks over how to
verify its nuclear facilities.
The enabling legislation, formally known as the 2009 Energy and Water
Appropriations Bill, which passed through the House last week, pegs the release
of the funds on North Korea's fulfillment of its obligation under a six-party
deal to disable its nuclear infrastructure.
-----------------
Obama to work carefully with Congress for Korea FTA's ratification: Geithner
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama will work carefully with Congress a,
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Tuesday.
"What you can expect is the president and the administration will work carefully
with the Congress to find a way to move forward on those important agreements,"
Geithner told the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. "It's so
important to our country that we sustain a commitment not just to keep our
markets open, but that we can find new trade agreements that can benefit American
businesses and the American worker."
-----------------
Korean economy to shrink sharply in Q1: think tanks
SEOUL -- The South Korean economy will likely contract severely in the first
quarter on tumbling exports and weak domestic demand, and may recover only after
next year, local think tanks predicted Wednesday.
Asia's fourth-largest economy is projected to shrink between 5 and 8 percent in
the current quarter from a year earlier, according to estimates by seven local
economic institutions, including the state-run Korea Development Institute (KDI).
(END)
-----------------
N. Korea vows to retaliate if S. Korea, U.S. intrude 'even 0.001 mm' into its land
SEOUL -- North Korea on Wednesday accused the United States and South Korea of
trying to attack the communist state and warned of further retaliations in case
of any territorial intrusion.
"Our military and people cherish peace and do not want war," Rodong Sinmun, the
newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said in a commentary. "But should
the enemies invade even 0.001 mm into our territory, we will mobilize all our
potential and deal retaliatory strikes that will be hundred times and thousand
times more powerful."
-----------------
(LEAD) N. Korea hits back at S. Korea over human rights
GENEVA -- North Korea lambasted South Korea Tuesday over its latest demand at a
regular session of the U.N. Human Rights Council that the communist neighbor
address its abysmal human rights record.
In his keynote speech earlier in the day, South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister
Shin Kak-soo urged North Korea to "take necessary measures to improve its human
rights situation in full compliance with its obligations under international
human rights law and relevant treaties to which it is a party."
-----------------
N. Korean missile launch not imminent: unification minister
SEOUL -- North Korea's preparations for what it claims will be a satellite launch
continue apace, though an actual launch does not seem imminent, Seoul's
unification minister said Wednesday.
Hyun In-taek, a foreign policy expert who took office last month as Seoul's point
man on Pyongyang, also said South Korea takes "seriously" the North's continuing
criticism of President Lee Myung-bak and demanded Pyongyang stop its verbal
attacks.
-----------------
U.N. consulting with N. Korea on resumption of dialogue channel: spokeswoman
WASHINGTON -- The United Nations said Tuesday that it is consulting with North
Korea on sending a U.N. delegation to the isolated communist state to revive a
dialogue channel suspended four years ago after the resignation of a special
envoy for North Korea.
"The United Nations has been working with the Permanent Mission of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea to revive the dialogue channel between the DPRK, which
was suspended four years ago following Mr. Maurice Strong's resignation," Marie
Okabe, deputy spokeswoman for U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, said at a daily
news conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York, according to a transcript
released by the U.N.
-----------------
(3rd LD) Lee wishes N. Korean leader "well," says he is needed for peace
SYDNEY -- In a rare direct comment on the North Korean leader, South Korean
President Lee Myung-bak Wednesday wished the North Korean leader well, saying his
control of the communist nation is vital to maintaining peace on the Korean
Peninsula for the time being.
Kim Jong-il is said to be recovering from a stroke he suffered in August, but
recent reports have suggested the North Korean leader, who turned 67 last month
and reportedly has kidney ailments, may have named one of his three sons as his
successor.
-----------------
House approves bill for energy aid to N. Korea pending obligations fulfillment
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. House of Representatives has set aside US$2.5 million for
energy aid to North Korea this year despite stalled six-party talks over how to
verify its nuclear facilities.
The enabling legislation, formally known as the 2009 Energy and Water
Appropriations Bill, which passed through the House last week, pegs the release
of the funds on North Korea's fulfillment of its obligation under a six-party
deal to disable its nuclear infrastructure.
-----------------
Obama to work carefully with Congress for Korea FTA's ratification: Geithner
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Barack Obama will work carefully with Congress a,
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Tuesday.
"What you can expect is the president and the administration will work carefully
with the Congress to find a way to move forward on those important agreements,"
Geithner told the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee. "It's so
important to our country that we sustain a commitment not just to keep our
markets open, but that we can find new trade agreements that can benefit American
businesses and the American worker."
-----------------
Korean economy to shrink sharply in Q1: think tanks
SEOUL -- The South Korean economy will likely contract severely in the first
quarter on tumbling exports and weak domestic demand, and may recover only after
next year, local think tanks predicted Wednesday.
Asia's fourth-largest economy is projected to shrink between 5 and 8 percent in
the current quarter from a year earlier, according to estimates by seven local
economic institutions, including the state-run Korea Development Institute (KDI).
(END)
