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A10 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 4 december 2019

This undated file photo provided on Friday, Nov. 29, 2019, by the
North Korean government, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong
Un, center, surrounded by a military unit, reacts to what it claims
as a test firing of its "super-large" multiple rocket launcher in
North Korea.
Associated Press
North Korea says it's In this Nov. 29, 2019, photo, the Upe members vote at a men-only voting booth in the Bougainville

up to U.S. to choose referendum in Teau, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. Associated Press

'Christmas gift' Regular voting ends as Bougainville

considers independence

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press By NICK PERRY from both Bougainville and time, they wear the tall,
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Tuesday re- Associated Press Papua New Guinea. The woven Upe hats that hide
peated its assertions that the Trump administration is run- WELLINGTON, New Zealand final say would then go to their hair and are forbidden
ning out of time to salvage nuclear negotiations, saying (AP) — They voted in high- lawmakers in the Papua to be seen by women.
it's entirely up to the United States to choose what "Christ- land villages and on re- New Guinea Parliament. Election officers also trav-
mas gift" it gets from the North. mote atolls. Even 15 youth Chief Referendum Officer eled by overnight boat
The statement, attributed to a senior diplomat, came as who live in the jungle and Mauricio Claudio said there to get to some of the five
North Korea continues to dial up pressure on Washington wear bright Upe hats as had been long queues and offshore atolls and visited
and Seoul ahead of leader Kim Jong Un's end-of-year they undergo traditional high enthusiasm at many of a police lockup to collect
deadline for the U.S. to offer mutually acceptable terms training to become men the 828 polling places. votes from prisoners.
for a deal. Negotiations have faltered since a February had the chance to vote. "During polling we've wit- Claudio said there was only
summit between Kim and President Donald Trump broke All across the Pacific region nessed a festive and joyous one disruption, in the Kon-
down after the U.S. rejected North Korean demands for of Bougainville, people mood," he said. "There have nou area, where a long-
broad sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender have voted in a historic been dancing troupes and simmering dispute led po-
of its nuclear capabilities. referendum to decide if whole communities getting lice to advise referendum
Working-level talks held in Sweden in October broke down they want to become the together." officers to close one polling
over what the North Koreans described as the Americans' world's newest nation by Claudio said that giving station. The affected voters
"old stance and attitude." gaining independence Upes a chance to vote at got a chance to cast their
Ri Thae Song, a vice foreign minister handling U.S. affairs, from Papua New Guinea. male-only polling stations ballots elsewhere.
accused Washington of repeating talk offers aimed at Regular voting ended on was one of many referen- Complicating the voting
buying time without offering real solutions. In comments Tuesday while any remain- dum firsts. He said election process were the limited
reported by state media, Ri reiterated earlier North Ko- ing postal votes will be officers hiked for two hours communications through-
rean statements that the country has no intention to accepted through Satur- into the jungle to collect out the region and the tra-
continue the nuclear diplomacy unless it gets something day. The results will be an- the votes. ditional way many people
substantial in return. "The dialogue touted by the U.S. is, in nounced in mid-Decem- The young Upe men can live, including not own-
essence, nothing but a foolish trick hatched to keep the ber. remain isolated from their ing any photo identifica-
DPRK bound to dialogue and use it in favor of the politi- The referendum is nonbind- communities for several tion. Added to that, the
cal situation and election in the U.S.," Ri said, referring to ing, and a vote for indepen- years as they learn about Bougainville Referendum
North Korea by its formal name, the Democratic People's dence would then need to culture, medicine, hunting Commission only secured
Republic of Korea.q be negotiated by leaders and other skills. During this its funding in March.q