South Korea launches first military spy satellite, intensifying space race with Pyongyang

Seoul’s satellite was launched into orbit on one of Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocketsA SpaceX rocket has launched South Korea’s first military spy satellite, intensifying a space race on the peninsula after Pyongyang launched its own first surveillance satell…

Seoul’s satellite was launched into orbit on one of Elon Musk’s SpaceX rockets

A SpaceX rocket has launched South Korea’s first military spy satellite, intensifying a space race on the peninsula after Pyongyang launched its own first surveillance satellite last week.

Seoul’s reconnaissance satellite, carried by one of Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets, lifted off from the Vandenberg US Space Force Base in California at 10.19am local time on Friday.

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Kim Jong-un closes slate of North Korea’s embassies as sanctions bite

Regime can no longer afford all its diplomatic missions, including some to longtime allies such as Angola where it has maintained ties since 1975While Kim Jong-un basks in the afterglow of his recent visit to Russia, North Korea is scaling back its pre…

Regime can no longer afford all its diplomatic missions, including some to longtime allies such as Angola where it has maintained ties since 1975

While Kim Jong-un basks in the afterglow of his recent visit to Russia, North Korea is scaling back its presence overseas, with reported plans to close almost a quarter of its diplomatic missions blamed on its sanctions-hit economy.

While the regime moves closer to China and Russia amid new tensions on the Korean peninsula, years of UN-led sanctions have forced it to close embassies and consulates in as many as a dozen locations, including those in countries Pyongyang views as longtime allies.

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Kim Jong-un closes slate of North Korea’s embassies as sanctions bite

Regime can no longer afford all its diplomatic missions, including some to longtime allies such as Angola where it has maintained ties since 1975While Kim Jong-un basks in the afterglow of his recent visit to Russia, North Korea is scaling back its pre…

Regime can no longer afford all its diplomatic missions, including some to longtime allies such as Angola where it has maintained ties since 1975

While Kim Jong-un basks in the afterglow of his recent visit to Russia, North Korea is scaling back its presence overseas, with reported plans to close almost a quarter of its diplomatic missions blamed on its sanctions-hit economy.

While the regime moves closer to China and Russia amid new tensions on the Korean peninsula, years of UN-led sanctions have forced it to close embassies and consulates in as many as a dozen locations, including those in countries Pyongyang views as longtime allies.

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‘More to this place than barbed wire’: South Korea reimagines its DMZ as a path towards peace

At times an easy Sunday walk, at others a tense hike amid military practice targets, this peace trail gives firsthand experience of a place still divided by warA three-hour drive east from the bustling streets of Seoul, a checkpoint marks the beginning…

At times an easy Sunday walk, at others a tense hike amid military practice targets, this peace trail gives firsthand experience of a place still divided by war

A three-hour drive east from the bustling streets of Seoul, a checkpoint marks the beginning of a journey to one of the most heavily militarised borders in the world. The military police scrutinise personal identification against a pre-approved list before granting passage.

It is here, in Goseong county, in a restricted section alongside the demilitarised zone (DMZ) on the border with North Korea, that South Korea hopes to promote a literal path to peace.

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‘More to this place than barbed wire’: South Korea reimagines its DMZ as a path towards peace

At times an easy Sunday walk, at others a tense hike amid military practice targets, this peace trail gives firsthand experience of a place still divided by warA three-hour drive east from the bustling streets of Seoul, a checkpoint marks the beginning…

At times an easy Sunday walk, at others a tense hike amid military practice targets, this peace trail gives firsthand experience of a place still divided by war

A three-hour drive east from the bustling streets of Seoul, a checkpoint marks the beginning of a journey to one of the most heavily militarised borders in the world. The military police scrutinise personal identification against a pre-approved list before granting passage.

It is here, in Goseong county, in a restricted section alongside the demilitarised zone (DMZ) on the border with North Korea, that South Korea hopes to promote a literal path to peace.

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‘More to this place than barbed wire’: South Korea reimagines its DMZ as a path towards peace

At times an easy Sunday walk, at others a tense hike amid military practice targets, this peace trail gives firsthand experience of a place still divided by warA three-hour drive east from the bustling streets of Seoul, a checkpoint marks the beginning…

At times an easy Sunday walk, at others a tense hike amid military practice targets, this peace trail gives firsthand experience of a place still divided by war

A three-hour drive east from the bustling streets of Seoul, a checkpoint marks the beginning of a journey to one of the most heavily militarised borders in the world. The military police scrutinise personal identification against a pre-approved list before granting passage.

It is here, in Goseong county, in a restricted section alongside the demilitarised zone (DMZ) on the border with North Korea, that South Korea hopes to promote a literal path to peace.

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North Korea’s halt of nuclear reactor suggests bid to obtain weapons-grade plutonium – report

Suspension of operations at Yongbyon complex points to reprocessing work for nuclear arms, South Korean government source quoted as sayingNorth Korea has halted the nuclear reactor at its main atomic complex, probably to extract plutonium that could be…

Suspension of operations at Yongbyon complex points to reprocessing work for nuclear arms, South Korean government source quoted as saying

North Korea has halted the nuclear reactor at its main atomic complex, probably to extract plutonium that could be used for weapons by reprocessing spent fuel rods, a South Korean news report has said, citing a government source.

The operation of the five-megawatt nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon nuclear complex has been suspended since late September, according to intelligence assessments by US and South Korean authorities, the report said.

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North Korean envoy may meet Trump to discuss second summit

Kim Yong-chol visit could clear way for further denuclearisation talksNorth Korea’s lead negotiator in nuclear diplomacy with the US is expected to hold talks with the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and could also meet President Donald Trump on Frida…

Kim Yong-chol visit could clear way for further denuclearisation talks

North Korea’s lead negotiator in nuclear diplomacy with the US is expected to hold talks with the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, and could also meet President Donald Trump on Friday during a visit aimed at clearing the way for a second US-North Korea summit.

Kim Yong-chol arrived in Washington on Thursday evening. It is his first visit since last June when he arrived before a landmark meeting between Trump and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, in Singapore. Efforts made since then to get Pyongyang to denuclearise appear to have stalled.

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