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A6 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 23 July 2022
S.Korea to lift ban on N.Korea T.V., newspapers despite tensions

By HYUNG-JIN KIM Kim family toward North Ko-
Associated Press rean territory.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Relations between the two
South Korea plans to lift its Koreas remain strained over
decadeslong ban on pub- North Korea's torrid run of
lic access to North Korean missile tests this year. Yoon,
television, newspapers and a conservative, has said
other media as part of its he would take a tougher
efforts to promote mutual stance on North Korean
understanding between provocations, though he
the rivals, officials said Fri- said he has "an audacious
day, despite animosities plan" to improve the North's
over the North's recent mis- economy if it abandons its
sile tests. nuclear weapons.
Divided along the world's Despite the North's likely
most heavily fortified bor- reluctance to reciprocate,
der since 1948, the two Ko- Jeon said South Korea
reas prohibit their citizens needs to ease its ban on
from visiting each other's North Korean media be-
territory and exchanging A man walks past TV monitors displaying a news program at an electronic shop in Seoul, South cause the restrictions have
phone calls, emails and let- Korea, on Oct. 14, 2014, showing a North Korean newspaper with a photo of North Korean leader led to dependence on
Kim Jong Un smiling, reportedly during his first public appearance in five weeks in Pyongyang,
ters, and they block access North Korea. foreigners and other gov-
to each other's websites Associated Press ernments to gather North
and TV stations.In a policy Korea-related informa-
report to new President Korea will start by allow- University, said North Korea side information, though tion. Jeon said that has in-
Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday, ing access to North Korean is unlikely to reciprocate many defectors have said creased the danger of ac-
South Korea's Unification broadcasts to try to encour- because the flow of South they watched smuggled quiring distorted informa-
Ministry said it will gradu- age North Korea to take Korean cultural and media South Korean TV programs tion on North Korea.
ally open the door for North similar steps. The ministry content would pose "a re- while living in the North. In It wasn't clear how anti-
Korean broadcasts, media refused to provide further ally huge threat to" its au- 2014, North Korean troops North Korea activists in
and publications to try to details, saying the plans are thoritarian leadership. opened fire when South the South would react to
boost mutual understand- still being discussed with rel- Ruled by three genera- Korean activists launched the government's move.
ing, restore the Korean na- evant authorities in South tions of the Kim family balloons carrying USB sticks Jeon said there was little
tional identity and prepare Korea. since its 1948 foundation, containing information chance the move would
for a future unification. Jeon Young-sun, a research North Korea strictly restricts about the outside world promote pro-North Korean
Ministry officials said South professor at Seoul's Konkuk its citizens' access to out- and leaflets critical of the sentiments.q

Libya official: Renewed militia clashes in Tripoli kill 13

killed since the fighting also called on all parties in- by Prime Minister Abdul
started late Thursday were volved to exercise restraint. Hamid Dbeibah, failed to
three civilians from the area Libya has for years been hold elections last year.
and a 12-year-old child. He split between rival admin- Dbeibah was meant to
also said 30 people had istrations in the east and share executive power with
been wounded. the west, each supported The Presidential Council in
Earlier in the day, one of by various well-armed mi- Tripoli until an elected gov-
Libya's rival governments litias and foreign govern- ernment could take over.
had called on militias to ments. The Mediterranean The postponement drove
stop the fighting, which nation has been in a state aground yearslong U.N.-led
forced hundreds of people of upheaval since the 2011 attempts to usher in a more
to flee the area. NATO-backed uprising top- democratic future and
The Libyan Presidential pled and later killed long- bring the country's war to
Council, based in Tripoli, time dictator Moammar an end.
said all forces involved in Gadhafi. Dbeibah has refused to
Libyan army forces and vehicles are stationed in a street in the the clashes should go back The cause of the fighting step down since then, rais-
country’s capital of Tripoli on Friday, July 22 2022. to their bases immediate- was unclear. However, ing questions over his man-
Associated Press ly. Malek Merset, another there were indications it was date.
emergency spokesman, part of the ongoing power In response, the country's
By RAMI MUSA tive peace after nearly a said 200 people had al- struggle between militias east-based lawmakers
BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — decade of civil war in Lib- ready fled the area, some backing the country's ri- have elected a rival prime
Clashes between compet- ya, where two rival sets of of them who were attend- val administrations. Videos minister, Fathy Bashagha,
ing militias in Libya's capi- authorities are locked in a ing a wedding. He called shared on social media a powerful former interior
tal on Friday killed at least political stalemate. The di- for the firing to stop so more showed local militia forces minister who is now oper-
13 people, despite calls visions have sparked sev- could leave. deploying and heavy fire ating a separate admin-
for calm after violence eral incidents of violence in The clashes spread to other being exchanged across istration out of the city of
first broke out the previ- Tripoli in recent months, but areas of the city. The Mitiga the night sky. Sirte. An attempt in May
ous night, a spokesman for most have been over in a airport, Tripoli's only working The country's plan to tran- by Basghagha to install
Tripoli's emergency services matter of hours. airport, announced that it sition to an elected gov- his government in Tripoli
said. According to Osama Ali, was closing out of concern ernment fell through after also ended in clashes that
It was the latest escala- the emergency services for passenger safety. The an interim administration killed one, after which he
tion to threaten the rela- spokesman, among those U.N. mission to the country based in Tripoli, headed withdrew.q