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world news Diahuebs 16 september 2021

Kim Jong Un’s sister warns of ‘destruction’ of S.Korean ties

(AP) — The powerful sis- and that South Korea is also The U.N. Security Council
ter of North Korean leader increasing its military capa- scheduled emergency con-
Kim Jong Un on Wednes- bilities. North Korea has of- sultations on the North Ko-
day criticized South Ko- ten accused the South of hy- rean missile launches late
rea’s president and threat- pocrisy for introducing mod- Wednesday afternoon at the
ened a “complete destruc- ern weapons while calling for request of France and Esto-
tion” of bilateral relations talks on easing tensions be- nia, diplomats said.
after both countries tested tween the divided countries. U.N. spokesman Stephane
ballistic missiles hours Dujarric expressed concern
apart. “If the president joins in at the missile launches, reit-
the slander and detraction erating that “diplomatic en-
The launches of missiles (against us), this will be fol- gagement remains the only
underscored a return of ten- lowed by counter actions, pathway to sustainable peace
sions between the rivals at and the North-South rela- and complete, verifiable de-
a time when talks aimed at tions will be pushed toward nuclearization of the Korean
stripping North Korea of its a complete destruction,” she peninsula.” tougher in response to criti- sanctions when the North
nuclear program are stalled. said. “We do not want that.” cism that it’s too soft on the launches short-range mis-
Experts say North Korea is North. siles, like Wednesday’s.
Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, The South Korean and Japa- building up its weapons sys-
criticized South Korean nese militaries said the two tems to apply pressure on the The rival nations are still Wednesday’s tests came as
President Moon Jae-in for short-range ballistic missiles United States in the hopes of technically in a state of war Chinese Foreign Minister
comments he made while fired by North Korea flew winning relief from econom- since the 1950-53 Korean Wang Yi was in Seoul for
observing his country’s mis- 800 kilometers (500 miles) ic sanctions aimed at forcing War, which pitted the North meetings with Moon and
sile tests, including its first of before landing in the sea in- the North to abandon its nu- and ally China against the other senior officials to dis-
a submarine-launched ballis- side Japan’s exclusive eco- clear arsenal. U.S.-led talks South and U.S.-led U.N. cuss North Korea and other
tic missile. Moon said South nomic zone — a worrying on the issue have been stalled forces, ended in an armistice, issues.
Korea’s growing missile ca- development even though for more than two years. not a peace treaty.
pabilities will serve as a “sure they did not reach Japanese It’s unusual for North Korea
deterrence” against North territorial waters. The last “North Korea is trying to Japanese Prime Minister Yo- to make provocative launches
Korean provocations. time a North Korean missile communicate a message that shihide Suga said the launch- when China, its last major
landed inside that zone was things will not go as Wash- es “threaten the peace and ally and biggest aid provider,
The tests came hours after in October 2019. ington wishes, if it doesn’t safety of Japan and the region is engaged in a major diplo-
the South Korean and Japa- accept the North’s demands,” and are absolutely outra- matic event. But some ex-
nese militaries said North The launches came two days said Moon Seong Mook, an geous.” perts say North Korea may
Korea had fired two ballistic after North Korea said it fired analyst with the Seoul-based have used the timing to draw
missiles into the sea. a newly developed cruise Korea Research Institute for The U.S. Indo-Pacific Com- extra attention.
missile, its first known mis- National Strategy. He said mand said the North Korean
In a statement carried by state sile test in six months. North Korea may think it has test “highlights the desta- Kim Dong-yub, a professor
media, Kim berated Moon an opportunity now to win bilizing impact of (North at the University of North
for describing North Korean Hours after the latest North concessions from U.S. Presi- Korea’s) illicit weapons pro- Korean Studies in Seoul, said
weapons demonstrations as a Korean launches, South Ko- dent Joe Biden’s administra- gram” though it said it didn’t Wednesday’s tests appeared
provocation, and warned of a rea reported its first test of a tion while it is embroiled in pose an immediate threat to to be of an improved ver-
“complete destruction” of bi- submarine-launched ballistic a domestic debate following the U.S. sion of a short-range missile
lateral relations if he contin- missile. As Moon and other the chaotic pullout from Af- it tested in March. He said
ues with what she described top officials looked on, the ghanistan. The North Korean launches the weapon is likely modeled
as slander of North Korea. missile flew from a subma- represent a violation of U.N. on Russia’s Iskander mis-
rine and hit a designated tar- Observers say Moon’s gov- Security Council resolutions siles, which are designed to
She said North Korea is de- get, Moon’s office said. It did ernment, which has been that bar North Korea from fly at relatively low altitudes,
veloping its military capabili- not say how far the weapon actively pursuing reconcilia- engaging in any ballistic mis- making them harder to be in-
ties for self-defense without flew. tion with North Korea, may sile activity. But the council tercepted by missile defense
targeting a specific country, have taken action to appear typically doesn’t impose new systems.

Pope rejects German archbishop’s resignation over abuse

(AP) — Pope Francis has The papal nuncio’s office bishop since 2015, previously humility the mistakes he
rejected the resignation of in Berlin said in a statement served in several senior roles The nuncio’s office said made in the past” and had of-
the archbishop of Ham- Wednesday that the pontiff in the Cologne archdiocese. that the Vatican found “per- fered to quit.
burg, who offered to step made his decision after two sonal procedural errors” on
down in March after a re- envoys traveled to Cologne Hesse’s resignation offer fol- Hesse’s part but an investi- The influential German lay
port faulted him for his in June to look into possible lowed the release of a report gation didn’t show that they group ZdK, or Central Com-
handling of sexual abuse mistakes by senior church commissioned by his coun- were committed with the in- mittee of German Catholics,
allegations in his previous officials there in handling terpart in Cologne which tention of covering up cases sharply criticized the Vati-
diocese. past sexual abuse cases. Ste- found 75 cases in which of sexual abuse. can’s reasoning. “It is a slap
fan Hesse, Hamburg’s arch- high-ranking officials ne- in the face for people affected
glected their duties in such “The fundamental problem by sexual violence when no
cases. They were criticized, consisted, in the wider con- personal consequences result
for example, for failing to fol- text of the administration of from these wrong decisions,”
low up on or report cases of the archdiocese, in the lack said the group’s vice presi-
abuse, not sanctioning perpe- of attentiveness and sensitiv- dent, Karin Kortmann.
trators or not caring for vic- ity toward those affected by
tims. abuse,” it added. Hesse conceded in March
that he had made “mistakes”
Hesse was faulted for 11 The statement said Francis in the past, and said he very
cases of neglecting his duty. rejected Hesse’s resignation much regretted if he caused
At the end of March, Francis and asked him to stay on new suffering to victims or
granted him a “time out” of in view of “the fact that the their relatives “through my
unspecified length. archbishop recognizes with action or omission.”