DTN News - NORTH KOREA NEWS: Dennis Rodman Says He Loves Kim Jong-un As He Arrives For Birthday Exhibition Game

DTN News - NORTH KOREA NEWS: Dennis Rodman Says He Loves Kim Jong-un As He Arrives For Birthday Exhibition Game

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources metro.co.uk
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 6, 2014: (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 6, 2014: Dennis Rodman has spoken of his love for Kim Jong-un as he prepares to take part in an exhibition game for the North Korean leader’s birthday.

The basketball star made the announcement after being pushed on whether he would challenge Mr Kim on his controversial human rights record.

‘That’s not the right thing to do. He’s my friend first,’ he told Sky News.

‘He’s my friend. I don’t give a s***. I tell the world: he’s my f****** friend, I love him.’

Kim Jong Un and Dennis Rodman share a hug in Pyongyang (Picture: Reuters)
Kim Jong-un and Dennis Rodman share a hug (Picture: Reuters)
The 52-year-old didn’t close the door on the possibility of bringing up issues such as labour camps, where around 200,000 political prisoners are thought to be held.

He added: ‘And I hope that if this opens doors and we can actually talk about certain things, then we can do certain things but I am not going to sit there and go in and say “hey guy, you’re doing the wrong thing”.’

Rodman arrived in North Korea on Monday with a group of former NBA players, including Vin Baker and Cliff Robinson.

The US players will play a team from North Korea in Pyongyang on Wednesday to mark Mr Kim’s birthday in what is being referred to as ‘basketball diplomacy’

*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources metro.co.uk
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DTN News - NORTH KOREA NEWS: Kim Jong Un's Uncle Executed

DTN News - NORTH KOREA NEWS: Kim Jong Un's Uncle Executed

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Defense News
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - December 13, 2013: Jang Song-Thaek is believed to have been killed by machine gunfire after being found guilty of attempting to overthrow the state.

The once-powerful uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has been executed for a string of alleged crimes.

State news agency KCNA announced his death early on Friday, branding the once-powerful General Jang Song-Thaek a "traitor".

Gen Jang was executed on Thursday shortly after a special military trial, the agency reported, after committing such a "hideous crime as attempting to overthrow the state by all sorts of intrigues and despicable methods with a wild ambition to grab the supreme power of our party and state".

South Korean media say they believe he was killed by machine gunfire - a relatively common form of execution in the North.

The announcement comes days after Pyongyang announced that Gen Jang had been removed from all his posts because of allegations of corruption, drug use, gambling, womanising, generally leading a "dissolute and depraved life" and "dreaming different dreams".

He was once considered the second most powerful official in the North.

He was seen as helping Mr Kim consolidate power after the death of his father, Kim Jong-Il, two years ago.

Gen Jang is the latest and most significant in a series of personnel reshuffles that Mr Kim has conducted in an apparent effort to bolster his power.

In a viciously-worded attack, the regime accused Gen Jang of betraying the trust of both Mr Kim and his father, saying he had received "deeper trust" from the younger leader in particular.

Branding Gen Jang "despicable human scum ... worse than a dog", the regime accused him of attempting to stand in the way of Mr Kim's succession, according to KCNA.

Gen Jang, who was married to the sister of the late Kim Jong-Il, played a key role in cementing the leadership of the inexperienced new leader.

But analysts say the 67-year-old's power and influence had become increasingly resented by his nephew, who is aged around 30.

Gen Jang - seen as Mr Kim's political regent and the country's unofficial number two - had earlier been stripped of all posts and titles, with the regime accusing him of corruption and building a rival power base.

State TV this week showed photos of Gen Jang being dragged out of his seat at a meeting by two officers, in an extremely rare public humiliation of a figure who was then demonised as a drug-taking womaniser.

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye on Tuesday accused Mr Kim of resorting to extreme violence to cement his leadership.

"North Korea is now engaged in a reign of terror while carrying out a massive purge to consolidate the power of Kim Jong-Un," she told a cabinet meeting, according to her office.

The Kim family has ruled the North for six decades with an iron fist, regularly purging those showing the slightest sign of dissent. Most are executed or sent to prison camps.

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DTN News - KOREAN PENINSULA NEWS: Clinton Cautiously Hails North Korea Food Aid Deal

DTN News - KOREAN PENINSULA NEWS: Clinton Cautiously Hails North Korea Food Aid Deal
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources CNN
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 10, 2012: North Korea's agreement to halt portions of its nuclear and missile programs and accept the return of nuclear inspectors is a "modest step in the right direction," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday.

Clinton said, however, that the United States will be watching North Korea closely and judging the country's leaders by their actions in the coming weeks and months.

North Korea last week announced it would freeze its nuclear and missile tests, along with uranium enrichment programs, and allow the return of U.N. nuclear inspectors in exchange for 240,000 metric tons of food aid from the United States.

North Korea has suffered famines and widespread malnutrition during the past two decades -- thanks to its dysfunctional economy and international sanctions. Other countries and international groups have repeatedly stepped in with food aid to alleviate the situation.

The United States suspended shipments of food aid to North Korea in 2009 amid tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear program and concerns that the supplies were not reaching those most in need.

Clinton spoke after meeting in Washington with South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, who called the North Korean agreement "a meaningful first step" toward resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

Kim said "faithful implementation" of the measures to which North Korea agreed -- the moratorium on nuclear activities and the return of the inspectors -- was important going forward.

The timing of the food aid is unclear.

Robert King, the U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, said the administrative details have been resolved, but officials are still working on details.

King, who on Thursday wrapped up two days of talks with officials from Pyongyang, said he is optimistic that the food aid will find its way to those in need in North Korea.

The initial deal last week to resume the deliveries came after the the two countries revived negotiations that had stalled after the death in December of the longtime North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

The talks this week were intended to finalize points like what ports will be used to dock incoming ships, how the distribution of the food will be monitored and which nongovernmental organizations will be involved.

U.S. officials cautiously welcomed the agreement last week in hopes of a new era in relations with North Korea and a resumption of multilateral talks aimed at the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

But Pyongyang has stepped up its rhetoric against the South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak, and his government since Kim Jong Un took over from his father, Kim Jong Il, as North Korean leader.

Earlier this week, North Korean television aired footage of a military unit carrying out live-fire drills in sight of a South Korean island.

It showed tanks repositioning and an artillery machine being prepared, overlooking waters that have seen a number of violent incidents over the years.

Li Gum-chol, a North Korean deputy commander, threatened to engulf Seoul in a "sea of flames" in retaliation for U.S.-South Korean joint military drills taking place on the peninsula. North Korea has condemned the annual drills as provocation.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Clinton calls it a "step in the right direction"
• North Korea agreed last week to halt missile tests and nuclear activities
• The deal is in exchange for food aid from the United States
• South Korea's foreign minister says it's a "meaningful first step"

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources CNN
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