Sankei: North Korea fired 3 ballistic missiles into East Sea...

A leading Japanese daily says North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Wednesday.

The Sankei Shimbun quoted several Japanese government sources as saying on Friday that the North fired the missiles toward the East Sea on Wednesday morning. The report said the North apparently fired the missiles to test improved models.

The North is currently developing ground-to-air KN-06 missiles and short-range ballistic KN-02 missiles, which are an upgraded version of missiles produced by the former Soviet Union.

The North also fired two short-range missiles into the sea off the North’s east coast just hours after the death of the North Korean leader was announced on December 19th.
(KBS World Radio, le 13-01-2012)

Sortie prochaine d’un livre d’entretiens avec le fils aîné de Kim Jong-il...

Un livre rassemblant les emails échangés entre un journaliste japonais et Kim Jong-nam, le fils aîné qui fut un temps considéré comme un possible héritier du dirigeant défunt Kim Jong-il, sortira le 20 janvier au Japon. Cet ouvrage comprendra aussi le contenu de longues interviews de cet héritier déchu avec le journaliste.

Si l’on en croit l’agence de presse japonaise Kyodo, le livre s’intitule « Mon père Kim Jong-il et moi » et le journaliste japonais qui a échangé des emails avec Kim Jong-nam s’appelle Yoji Komi, un rédacteur du quotidien Tokyo Shimbun.

Dans un email que Kim a écrit au journaliste après les obsèques de son père, il a pointé du doigt la succession dynastique sur trois générations au Nord. Il y a aussi affirmé que Kim Jong-il était strict mais chaleureux et que son père avait dit autrefois qu’il ne chercherait pas à ce qu’un de ses enfants lui succède.

Yoji Komi avait rencontré par hasard Kim Jong-nam en 2004 à l’aéroport de Pékin. Depuis, ils se sont écrit et l’année dernière, le journaliste l’a interviewé pendant environ 7 heures à Pékin et à Macao.
(Radio Corée international, le 07-01-2012)

North Korean man indicted on spying charges...

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office has indicted a North Korean man on charges of disguising as a North Korean escapee to conduct espionage activities for the North.

The man, identified only by his surname Kim, entered South Korea last June after passing through Thailand under orders from the intelligence command of the North’s Korean People’s Army to carry out spying missions.

Prosecutors found that Kim used to work as a spy for the North’s military intelligence agency and then was sentenced to eight years and three months of hard labor for drug smuggling and human trafficking. While serving his sentence, Kim was released on bail and received an offer in April of last year to operate as a spy in the South.
(KBS World Radio, 2012-01-05)

United Nations probing suspected North Korea violation...

The United Nations is reportedly investigating a suspected violation by North Korea of UN resolutions prohibiting the country from exporting weapons.

UN officials say the case involves the seizure by Greek authorities in November 2009 of ampoules of reagents believed to be related to chemical weapons. The shipment was found in a cargo ship bound for Syria that stopped at a Greek port.

The Greek government reported the case to the United Nations. The officials say a UN team of international experts have begun an investigation into the case.

Trade in weapons with North Korea is banned by UN resolutions adopted after North Korea's nuclear weapon tests in 2006 and 2009.

The resolutions require all UN member countries to report any moves suspected of being a violation.

North Korea and Syria have been accused of cooperating in nuclear and missile development. UN officials say the United Nations has evidence in a different case of weapon exports by North Korea.
(Japan Broadcasting Corporation, 2012-01-05)

L'armée nord-coréenne n'a jamais été aussi puissante...

Les forces militaires du pays communiste sont les plus puissantes de son histoire. C’est en tout cas ce qu’estime le KERI, l’Institut de recherche économique de Corée du Sud.

Dans un rapport publié aujourd’hui, l’institut estime que l’an dernier le Nord comptait 1 020 000 soldats de l’armée de terre et qu’il possédait le plus grand nombre de chars ou de bâtiments de guerre de son histoire. Et il disposerait de moins d’avions de combat par rapport à 1986, mais ses forces aériennes sont elles aussi plus puissantes, car le régime communiste a acheté à partir des années 1990 des Mig-29 très modernes. Le rapport souligne plus particulièrement l’augmentation du nombre de sous-marins.
(Radio Corée international, le 04-01-2012)

Le fils ainé de Kim Jong-il se serait rendu secrètement à P'yongyang...

Le fils aîné du dirigeant nord-coréen Kim Jong Il se serait rendu à P'yongyang secrètement afin de rendre un dernier hommage à son père. L'absence de Kim Jong-nam aux funérailles et lors des autres manifestations officielles liées à la mort de son père alimente les rumeurs d'une possible lutte de pouvoir avec son demi-frère Jong-Un, qui a été nommé à la tête de l'Etat. Jong-Nam, 40 ans, aurait effectué un voyage en Corée du Nord le 17 décembre, à l'aide d'un faux passeport. Il serait ensuite retourné sur l'île de Macao, où il réside désormais.
(La voix de la République islamique d'Iran, le 02-01-2012)

North Korean leader inspects tank division...

North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) says the North’s new leader and supreme commander of the nation's military, Kim Jong-un, visited a military tank division on New Year's Day.

The inspection marks the young leader's first visit to the military since the death of his father Kim Jong-il.

The KCNA said the tank division was the first to enter the South Korean capital Seoul during the Korean War.

Kim Jong-il visited the division with his father, the late Kim Il-sung, on August 25th, 1960, which is celebrated as the day marking the beginning of the North's military-first, or seongun, politics.

Kim Jong-un's visit on Sunday is believed to be aimed at conveying his will to carry on this policy of military-centered politics.

Kim was accompanied by his uncle and vice chairman of the National Defense Commission Jang Song-thaek and Army Chief of Staff Ri Yong-ho and other military leaders.
(KBS World Radio, 2012-01-02)




North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un inspected a tank force on Sunday.

Korean state media said that his inspection was conducted along with Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Il's borther-in-law and Ri Yong Ho, the chief of the Korean People's Army General Staff.

Kim Jong Un said that the tank force should prepare for action and maintain its readiness to react to any situation as quickly as possible.

Earlier on Sunday Kim Jong Un revisited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace where his father Kim Jong Il and grandfather, the founder of the country, Kim Il Sung lie in state.

Our correspondent says that Kim Jong Un wants to strengthen his position as successor to his father by visiting a military unit at first.

On Saturday North Korea's state-run media reported that Kim Jong Un was officially appointed supreme commander of the military -- a position held by his father.
(Japan Broadcasting Corporation, 2012-01-02)