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WORLD NEWS Monday 15 June 2020
S. Korea urges North to uphold deals amid rising animosities

By HYUNG-JIN KIM tory park and a tourism site,
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) both in North Korea — but
— South Korea on Sunday South Korea was unable to
convened an emergen- do so due to the sanctions.
cy security meeting and Kim's struggle to address
urged North Korea to up- economic woes has likely
hold reconciliation agree- faced setbacks as the coro-
ments, hours after the North navirus pandemic forced
threatened to demolish a North Korea to close its bor-
liaison office and take mili- der with China, its biggest
tary action against its rival. trading partner. North Ko-
There's concern that North rea says it hasn't reported a
Korea could turn to provo- single outbreak but foreign
cation to bolster its inter- experts question that claim
nal unity and wrest outside and warn a pandemic in
concessions as nuclear the North could be dire
talks with the United States due to its fragile heath care
remain deadlocked. Ob- system.
servers say North Korea des- Some observers say the
perately needs sanctions end of the 2018 deals could
relief in the face of harsh allow North Korea to send
U.S.-led sanctions and the ships across the disputed
coronavirus pandemic. In this April 27, 2018 file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, and South Korean President sea boundary, float down
South Korea's national se- Moon Jae-in stroll together at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South mines on a border river or
curity director, Chung Eui- Korea. take other provocative
yong, held an emergency Associated Press steps at the border area.
video conference with The South Korean Defense
ministers in charge of se- South Korean government agreements that led the made little progress since Ministry statement said the
curity and military generals "views the current situation Koreas to halt firing exer- a second summit between 2018 deals must be main-
on Sunday morning to dis- as grave." cises, remove some land Kim Jong Un and Presi- tained to prevent acci-
cuss the latest situation on On Saturday night, Kim Yo mines and tear down guard dent Donald Trump in early dental armed clashes and
the Korean Peninsula and Jong, the influential sister posts in front-line areas. 2019 fell apart because of establish peace on the Ko-
the government's possible of North Korean leader Kim The North has linked its re- disputes over how much rean Peninsula.
steps, the presidential Blue Jong Un, warned that Seoul cent series of threats to sanctions should be lifted in But it's still unclear if the
House said in a statement. will soon witness "a tragic Seoul's failure to prevent return for Kim's dismantling North would go ahead with
The Unification Ministry, scene of the useless North- activists from launch- his main nuclear complex. its threat to destroy the liai-
which handles relations South liaison office (in North ing propaganda leaflets Kim later vowed to ex- son office, which was built
with North Korea, later said Korea) being completely across their border. But pand his nuclear arsenal, at a North Korean border
that both Koreas must strive collapsed." She also said some experts say North Ko- introduce a new strategic town following a 2018 sum-
to abide by all agreements she would leave to North rea is deeply frustrated that weapon and overcome mit between Kim Jong Un
they have reached. The Korea's military the right to South Korea hasn't done the U.S.-led sanctions that and South Korean President
Defense Ministry said sep- take the next step of retali- enough to revive lucrative he said "stifles" his country's Moon Jae-in. Such a move
arately it closely monitors ation against South Korea. joint economic projects as economy. could deepen anti-Pyong-
North Korea's military and North Korea earlier sus- well as over a lack of prog- He also pushed South Ko- yang sentiments and make
maintains a firm military pended communication ress in its nuclear talks with rea to resume the opera- it difficult for the North to re-
readiness. lines with South Korea and Washington. tions of the two big inter- store ties with South Korea
Both ministries said the threatened to nullify 2018 The negotiations have Korean projects — a fac- when needed.q

Israel OKs plan for new Golan settlement named after Trump

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Is- territory, illegal under in- announced by Netanyahu
raeli cabinet minister on ternational law. But Trump last year with great pomp
Sunday said the govern- signed an executive order and fanfare. Sunday's an-
ment approved plans to recognizing the strategic nouncement coincided
build a new settlement in mountainous plateau as Is- with Trump's birthday, al-
the Israeli-occupied Golan raeli territory in March 2019. though it was unclear if it
Heights named after Presi- The move came during a was connected.
dent Donald Trump. visit to Washington by Is- Last June, Netanyahu con-
Settlements Minister Tzipi raeli Prime Minister Benja- vened his Cabinet in the
Hotovely wrote on Face- min Netanyahu just weeks small hamlet of Qela for
book that her ministry will before Israeli elections. The a vote on rebranding the
start preparations for Ra- decision, just one of several community as a gesture of
mat Trump — Hebrew for diplomatic moves benefit- appreciation for the presi-
"Trump Heights" — to house ing Israel, was widely ap- dent's recognition of Israeli
300 families. plauded there. sovereignty over the Golan
Israel captured the Golan The Israeli government's Heights. The small town of
Heights from Syria in the In this June 16, 2019, file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin approval of the plan, Qela is home to under 300
1967 Mideast war and an- Netanyahu, right, his wife Sara, United States Ambassador to Is- which according to Israeli people. Its original neigh-
nexed it in 1981. Most of the rael David Friedman, left, and his wife Tammy pose during the media will involve earmark- borhood of Bruchim, which
inauguration of a new settlement named after President Donald
international community Trump in the Golan Heights. ing 8 million shekels ($2.3 will be rebranded as Trump
considers the move, and Associated Press million) for developing the Heights, is home to less than
Israeli settlements in the town, advances a project a dozen. q