N. Korea Launches 4 Missiles July 2, 2009 12:45 PM
With tenstions high between North Korea has reported test fired 4 short range missiles today. Yahoo News reports, "[t]he launches came as North Korea's relations with the United States, South Korea and other countries were already severely strained after its May 25 underground nuclear test and a series of missile firings. The U.N. Security Council adopted a tough sanctions resolution last month to punish the communist regime." The Christian Science Monitor reports that "Last month, Japanese media reported that Pyongyang might shoot a long-range ICBM in the direction of Hawaii around the July 4 holiday. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates ordered the deployment in the region of US antimissile interceptors and a sea-based tracking radar. President Obama thought the situation serious enough to address in an interview broadcast on June 22. 'Our military is fully prepared for any contingencies' regarding North Korea, Mr. Obama said. But despite Thursday's ripple of short-range test shots, there is little physical evidence North Korea is readying another long-range test, at least in the foreseeable future."
How do you think the Unites States should handle relations with North Korea? Share your views in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
N. Korea Shuts Down Reactor July 16, 2007 8:42 AM
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that North Korea has shut down its nuclear reactor. "North Korea pledged in an international accord in February to shut the reactor at Yongbyon and dismantle its nuclear programs in return for 1 million tons of oil and political concessions. However, it stalled for several months because of a separate, but now-resolved dispute with the U.S. over frozen bank funds," reports Yahoo News. "Along with the oil deliveries, [U.S. Nuclear Envoy Christopher] Hill said the U.S. would look at other incentives for the North such as humanitarian aid." How do you view exchanging oil, and other resources, in exchange for steps towards closing down nuclear activity? Do you think that it represents smart and efficient use of resources or rewarding otherwise hostile actions? Share your thoughts in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
US meeting in N. Korea June 21, 2007 2:10 PM
Following some progress in nuclear disarmament discussions with North Korea, a U.S. delegation traveled to the communist country. "Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, who serves as Washington's chief nuclear envoy to the country, arrived in Pyongyang after several days of regional diplomacy in China, South Korea and Japan," reported the USA Today. "North Korea committed itself in February to shutting down its main nuclear fuel processing facility, the Yongbyon reactor, by the middle of April after the U.S. promised to free $25 million in alleged illicit North Korean funds. Transferring the money, frozen in a bank in the Chinese territory of Macau, however, proved difficult and was not accomplished until this week following the intervention of the U.S. and Russian central banks. Enough progress had been made by Saturday for North Korean state media to announce that the country had invited U.N. nuclear inspectors for a visit next week to discuss details of the reactor shutdown." What do you think are the prospects for nuclear disarmament by North Korea? What steps do you think the US and other nations can take to make that prospect more likely? Share your thoughts in our Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
North Korea Deal to Disarm February 13, 2007 7:47 AM
At the close of the latest round of the 'six-party talks' North Korea agreed to a plan of nuclear disarmament. "North Korea agreed Tuesday after arduous talks to shut down its main nuclear reactor and eventually dismantle its atomic weapons program, just four months after the communist state shocked the world by testing a nuclear bomb," reported the Washington Post. "Under the deal, the North will receive initial aid equal to 50,000 tons heavy fuel oil within 60 days for shutting down and sealing its main nuclear reactor and related facilities at Yongbyon, north of the capital, to be confirmed by international inspectors. For irreversibly disabling the reactor and declaring all nuclear programs, the North will eventually receive another 950,000 tons in aid." Learn more details about the deal in the link to the Post article above and share your thoughts in our Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
North Korea Talks Close - No Deal December 22, 2006 11:42 AM
The six party talks about North Korea's nuclear weapons program ended today without an agreement. "During five days of meetings in Beijing, negotiators said Pyongyang refused to talk about its nuclear weapons program, and instead stuck to its demand that the U.S. remove financial restrictions it has imposed on the regime. [Assistant Secretary of State Christopher] Hill said it appeared North Korea had not given its negotiators any authority to discuss anything but the financial issue," reported the Associated Press on Yahoo News. Share your thoughts on the situation with North Korea in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
North Korea Talks to Resume December 14, 2006 1:58 PM
This weekend the "6 party talks" related to North Korea's nuclear program are set to continue. The are some indications that N. Korea may be serious about negotiations. Agence France, on Yahoo News, reports that "North Korea has indicated it is ready to 'deal in specifics' about giving up its newly proven nuclear arsenal when it returns to six-party disarmament negotiations next week in Beijing, the top US negotiator said." Individuals involved in the talks expressed uncertainty about the impetus for N. Korea's agreement to resume the talks. "The US diplomat said it was not clear if North Korea's notoriously unpredictable leadership agreed to resume talks due of the bite of UN sanctions or 'because they have exploded a nuclear device and they feel very strong as a result of that.'" Share your thoughts on North Korea in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
North Korea Question November 18, 2006 7:29 AM
How should the U.S. and the other countries in volved in the 'six-nation talks' with North Koea proceed in light of the North's recent nuclear test? "Former U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix said Friday that North Korea would one day master nuclear weapons technology despite its apparently less-than-successful atomic test, and he warned that the world must avoid striking a quick disarmament deal that lacks effective verification measures," reported FoxNews. Mr Blix also noted that "Cosmetic inspection is worse than none because that can lull states into a confidence that is false, and you can have very unpleasant surprises." Share your thoughts, in the Open Forum, as to what the U.S. can do once the six party talks resume.
-- Association of Young Americans
U.N. Sanctions North Korea October 15, 2006 9:22 AM
Yesterday, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to sanction North Korea for its nuclear weapons test. The resolution "bars the sale or transfer of material that could be used to make nuclear, biological and chemical weapons or ballistic missiles, and it bans international travel and freezes the overseas assets of people associated with the North's weapons programs. In its most debated clause, the resolution authorizes all countries to inspect cargo going in and out of North Korea to detect illicit weapons," reported the New York Times. Russia and China had raised significant concerns over this 'inspection' provision, but in the end voted for the resolution. See the text of the Resolution. Share your thoughts in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans
UN, nations, condemn North Korean Nuclear Test October 10, 2006 9:36 AM
As the reports of a nuclear weapons test by North Korea were confirmed, countries, individually and collectively through the U.N. condemned the test. "The UN Security Council Monday unanimously condemned the North's test and was to begin discussions on a US-drafted resolution. John Bolton, the US Ambassador to the UN, said Washington wants to go beyond the resolution the Security Council adopted in July, making it tougher for North Korea to produce or export weapons of mass destruction. Members urged the North to refrain from further testing and to return to talks," reports the Christian Science Monitor. Share your thoughts and ideas, in the Open forum, about how the US should proceed in dealing with North Korea.
-- Association of Young Americans
North Korea Tests Nuclear Weapon October 9, 2006 6:51 AM
"North Korea completed a successful test of a nuclear weapon late Sunday night, a senior Bush administration official confirmed," reported Fox News. North Korean released a statement describing the test as "successfully conducted." As news of this continues to spread many nations are denouncing the North Korean action. What do you think is the best way for the US and the international community to respond? What actions can we take to prevent other nations from developing nuclear technology? Share your thoughts in the Open Forum.
-- Association of Young Americans