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Rivalries Within North Korean Elite Led to Purge, South’s Spy Chief Says By CHOE SANG-HUN SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s intelligence chief said Monday that Jang Song-thaek, the uncle of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, who was executed this month, apparently had not plotted a coup as Pyongyang had said, but had fallen victim to intrigue within the country’s elite over lucrative business deals, according to lawmakers in Seoul. Mr. Jang, 67, who was once believed to be the second most powerful man in North Korea, was executed on Dec. 12 on charges of plotting to overthrow his...

As far as the United States government is concerned, eSports and traditional sports are equal. Five months after American immigration officials first cleared professional video game players to apply for the same visas as traditional athletes, the first StarCraft 2 pro has finally obtained a P-1A visa. Kim “Violet” Dong Hwan, a 23-year-old South Korean professional StarCraft player, followed trailblazing League of Legends star Danny Le to become an internationally recognized athlete on Dec. 9. Kim said he teared up over the phone when he was finally assured that he’d be allowed to live, compete, and earn a salary in...

SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has begun to sell large amounts of gold to China in a bid to tide over its economic crisis, multiple sources familiar with North Korea affairs said Wednesday.

My gifts are "ALIVE" in you though some have forgotten, They have not died with the Apostles For My Fruit can not rotten, "My Spirit is Eternal " and Desires to renew ( ( ) ) ~ ( ( ) ), The Day of Pentecost to "ARISE IN YOU" \!/ So raise up your hands \o/ and begin to receive ! You Shall do greater things if you just believe , I AM "HAS" sent you so will you stand up and go ?! For I AM your Talent so let my freedom within you Flow ~ ~ ~ I...

/begin my translation Jang Sung-taek Being Dragged Out Jang Sung-taek Being Dragged Out (Seoul=Yonhap News) On Dec. 9, N. Korea's Chosun Central TV aired the picture of arrest of Jang Sung-taek, Vice Chairman of National Defense Commission, at an expanded session of ruling Party's Politbureau. 2013.12.9 /end my translation

Can you blame him? 13 hours on a plane with Joe Biden is not exactly a dream getaway. 85 year-old Merrill Newman, a war veteran, declined a ride home on Air Force Two with Joe Biden. Newman was deported after being detained over his role in special forces operations in the Korean War six decades ago. (Daily Mail) The Daily Mail reported: An 85-year-old U.S. tourist detained in North Korea for six weeks for alleged ‘war crimes’ has landed back in San Francisco after catching a flight from Beijing. North Korean state media said Saturday that Merrill Newman, a war...

An 85-year-old U.S. tourist detained in North Korea for more than a month for alleged hostile acts is on his way home after being "deported" to China. North Korean state media said Saturday that Merrill Newman, a war veteran, was released because he had apologized for his alleged crimes during the Korean War and because of his age and medical condition. "I'm very glad to be on my way home," Newman told Japanese media at Beijing airport. "I feel good, I feel good. I want to go home to see my wife." Newman was met by U.S. embassy staff in...

North Korea is pushing ahead with plans to expand its infamous labor camps for political prisoners, according to a report released Wednesday by Amnesty International. The human rights group released satellite images reportedly showing continued expansion at two of the country's largest political prison camps, including new housing blocks, production facilities, and reinforced perimeter security. (SNIP) The satellite images, taken in May 2013, indicate a slight increase in population at Camp 16, the largest political prison camp in North Korea, with new housing blocks visible. In 2011, an estimated 20,000 people were believed be imprisoned at the camp, Amnesty said....

Why did he go there? Why did Merrill Newman, a Veteran of the Korean War, decide to go to North Korea? I thought we were legally restricted from traveling there, as with Cuba. I guess I was incorrect. Did Mr. Newman really think all would go well there? Does he know that Kim Jong Un had his ex-girlfriend killed by firing squad a few weeks ago? What about passports, is it likely Mr. Newman would have had to explain what his travel plans were, or not really? This was unwise on so many levels. The elderly gentleman has walked right...

The U.S. Defense Department has approved a deal under which Britain's BAE Systems would upgrade 134 older KF-16s for South Korea, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on Monday. In phase 1, the U.S. government and principal contractor BAE Systems will develop plans for upgrading the F-16 C- and D-models, build an avionics systems integration facility and testing stations, begin acquiring long-lead items needed to conduct the upgrades, and perform similar preparatory work. The DSCA values this package of products and services at $200 million. BAE beat out F-16 maker Lockheed Martin Corp to win the South Korean...

South Korea (AP) -- North Korea state media claimed Saturday that an elderly U.S. tourist detained for more than a month has apologized for alleged crimes during the Korean War and for "hostile acts" against the state during a recent trip. North Korean authorities released video showing 85-year-old Merrill Newman, wearing glasses, a blue button-down shirt and tan trousers, reading his alleged apology, which was dated Nov. 9 and couldn't be independently confirmed. Pyongyang has been accused of previously coercing statements from detainees. There was no way to reach Newman and determine the circumstances of the alleged confession. "I have...

After an internal debate, the Obama administration has decided to tell American commercial airlines to comply with China's demands to be notified of any flights through a broad swath of international airspace that it has claimed as an air defense zone, officials said Friday. Even as the United States continued to send military planes into the zone in defiance of China's declaration, officials said they expected civilian planes to go along with Beijing's new demands out of an abundance of caution. Officials said they were worried about an accident or unintended confrontation that could endanger civilian passengers. The administration’s decision...

The Chinese Defense Ministry last week expanded its Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea, unilaterally increasing its claim on the Japanese administered Senkakus Islands. China is demanding that any aircraft in the Zone must identify themselves and obey air traffic control from Beijing. Any “threats” over the disputed area will be identified, monitored, or engaged according to Chinese policy. Past history has included verbal threats and close formation ramming by outdated fighters. U.S. Response China and Japan both claim ownership of the islets known as the Senkakus while China identify them as Diaoyu. Located in the middle...

(Reuters) - China scrambled jets on Friday in response to two U.S. spy planes and 10 Japanese aircraft, including F-15 fighters, entering its new air defense zone over the East China Sea, state news agency Xinhua said, raising the stakes in a standoff with the United States, Japan and South Korea. The jets were scrambled for effective monitoring, Xinhua cited air force spokesman Shen Jinke as saying. The report gave no further details. Japan and South Korea flew military aircraft through the zone, which includes the skies over islands at the heart of a territorial dispute between Japan and China,...

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TOKYO — China sent its fighter jets into its newly declared air defense zone Thursday on what state media called the country’s first air patrol since it declared control of the airspace. The announcement came hours after Japan and South Korea sent their own military planes into the airspace over the East China Sea, testing China’s resolve to enforce its declaration. The announcement of the flights came just days after unarmed American B-52 bombers flew through the same zone in defiance of China. Beijing later said that it had monitored the American bombers but had chosen not to take action...

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Wednesday that Israel should focus on making new allies as opposed to relying solely on its relationship with the United States. During a speech given at the Sderot Conference, Liberman stressed the importance of not putting too much focus on America as Israel's main ally. "For many years Israel's foreign policy was one directional towards Washington, but my policy has many more directions." Liberman, who returned to his post last week after being acquitted of fraud charges, said "the Americans today are dealing with too many challenges and I wouldn't want to be in their...

You have entered in, now sit quietly at my feet and listen and record the report of My heart for now your desires have become mine for I AM The Perpetual fire that abides in you eternal. Listen then GO, SPEAK and DO for I AM The Voice of your many waters ~ ~ ~ So let My waters move in you , "RISE UP" Oh Well for The Voice of many waters is "CALLING" to you for My Glory . John 7:38(AMP) 38 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as...

Construction of a natural gas pipeline from Russia to South Korea is still possible despite obvious difficulties in its implementation and the development of new Russian LNG projects aimed at Asian exports, President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday. Russia is actively developing LNG projects, including in the northern Yamal Peninsula and in its Far Eastern regions, in the proximity to South Korea, but supplies of pipeline gas to this Asian country are also possible, Putin said in an interview with South Korea's KBS, broadcast by state-run Russian 24 TV network. One of the option to organize pipeline gas supplies is to...

Seoul (AFP) - North Korea publicly executed around 80 people earlier this month, many for watching smuggled South Korean TV shows, a South Korean newspaper reported Monday. The conservative JoongAng Ilbo cited a single, unidentified source, but at least one North Korean defector group said it had heard rumours that lent credibility to the front-page report. The source, said to be "familiar" with the North's internal affairs and recently returned from the country, said the executions were carried out in seven cities on November 3. In the eastern port of Wonsan, the authorities gathered 10,000 people in a sports stadium...