South, North Korean naval ships clash
SEOUL, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- South and North Korean naval ships clashed Tuesday morning off their west coast, a South Korean defense official said. "We're still trying to find out if there were any casualties," the official said, Yonhap news agency reported. No other details were immediately available. Relations between the two countries had been improving lately despite North Korea's provocative actions, including its second nuclear test in May.

Iran, North Korea nuclear disputes top Hillary Rodham Clinton's agenda on trip to Europe, Asia
WASHINGTON — Nuclear impasses with Iran and North Korea are the dominant issues for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on her trip to Europe and Asia, which begins with a stopover in Germany to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's fall. Developments in both stalemates are expected in the coming days with international patience running out over Iran's refusal to come clean about its suspected nuclear program and North Korea's refusal to return to stalled disarmament...

U.S. to Send Envoy to North Korea For Nuclear Talks
A White House official said today that the Obama Administration will accept North Korea's invitation for a senior U.S. official to visit Pyongyang for talks to bring the Nuclear-armed regime back to disarmament negotiations. The decision by the Administration to send Stephen Bosworth to engage in direct talks is an effort to revive the six-party discussions to persuade North Korea to dismantle its Nuclear Weapons program in exchange for economic aid and improved ties. North Korea, said in a...

Iran, North Korea nuclear disputes top agenda as Clinton leaves Sunday on trip to Europe, Asia
WASHINGTON — Nuclear impasses with Iran and North Korea are the dominant issues for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on her trip to Europe and Asia, which begins with a stopover in Germany to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's fall. Developments in both stalemates are expected in the coming days with international patience running out over Iran's refusal to come clean about its suspected nuclear program and North Korea's refusal to return to stalled disarmament...

Two Koreas in brief naval clash
SEOUL (Reuters) - North and South Korea 's navies clashed briefly in the Yellow Sea on Tuesday, just ahead of a visit to Asia this week by U.S. President Barack Obama, in an incident that left a northern vessel damaged. North Korea has a habit of increasing tension prior to major regional events and has been seeking direct talks with the Obama Administration while riling global powers by last week saying it had produced more arms- grade Plutonium .

Korean Navies exchange fire
Korean Navies exchange fire

NYT > World: Navies of 2 Koreas Exchange Fire
This is a syndicated post. Original article from NYT > World , available at NYT > World . Fighting erupted when a North Korean Navy boat ventured across the so-called Northern Limit Line, according to a report.

North Korea And South Korea Navy Boats Exchange Fire
SEOUL, South Korea — The two Koreas briefly exchanged naval fire Tuesday along their disputed western sea border, with a North Korean ship suffering heavy damage before retreating, South Korean Military officials said. There were no South Korean casualties, the country's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, and it was not immediately clear if there were any casualties on the North Korean side. Each side blamed the other for violating the sea border. "It's a regrettable incident,"...

Two Koreas in brief naval clash
By Jon Herskovitz and Kim Yeon-hee SEOUL (Reuters) - North and South Korea's navies clashed briefly in the Yellow Sea on Tuesday, just ahead of a visit to Asia this week by U.S. President Barack Obama, in an incident that left a northern vessel damaged. North Korea has a habit of increasing tension prior to major regional events and has been seeking direct talks with the Obama Administration while riling global powers by last week saying it had produced more arms-grade Plutonium. The United...

North, South Korean Navies Exchange Fire
A North Korean naval ship was badly damaged in an exchange of fire with a South Korean vessel off the country's west coast, Yonhap News reported, citing a government official in Seoul it didn't identify. The clash occurred at 11:28 a.m. local time today after the North Korean ship crossed the sea border and ignored a warning shot, the news agency reported. The South Korean Navy fired first and the North's ship shot back, it said.

South, North Korean naval ships clash
SEOUL: North and South Korea have had a naval skirmish in Yellow Sea waters off their west coast, the South's Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday. The

Japan Wants U.S. To Move Out; Can They Still Be Friends?
November 8, 2009 This week, President Obama is scheduled to begin a 10-day tour of Asia. He is expected to visit Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea. A variety of topics will be on the agenda, including trade relations, North Korea's nuclear ambitions and Climate Change. When the president visits Japan, he'll have several issues in mind, including a dispute over U.S. Military bases in that country. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Japanese Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki about U.S.-Japan relations.

Iran, North Korea top Clinton's overseas agenda: PHOTO
WASHINGTON — Nuclear impasses with Iran and North Korea are the dominant issues for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on her trip to Europe and Asia, which begins with a stopover in Germany to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's fall.

North Korea: Kim Jongil and his 19 private train stations: PHOTO
Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader known for shunning air travel has six luxurious private trains and 19 stations for his exclusive use, despite eight million of the country's people facing starvation.

US to send envoy to NKorea for nuclear talks: PHOTO
Washington: The Obama Administration has decided, after months of deliberation, to accept an offer by North Korea to send a special envoy to Pyongyang for direct talks on nuclear issues, two Administration officials said Monday.   President Barack Obama will send envoy Stephen Bosworth, although no date for his trip has been set, the officials said. The officials discussed the matter on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been publicly announced.   It would be the...

U.S. Sending Envoy to N. Korea for Nuke Talks
After months of deliberation, Obama Administration accepts offer by North Korea to send a special envoy to Pyongyang for direct talks on nuclear issues, officials say. Washington -- The Obama Administration has decided, after months of deliberation, to accept an offer by North Korea to send a special envoy to Pyongyang for direct talks on nuclear issues, two Administration officials said Monday. President Barack Obama will send envoy Stephen Bosworth, although no date for his trip has been set,...

U.S. envoy vows to help resolve North's abductions
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) The nominee for U.S. special envoy for North Korea Human Rights issues pledged Thursday to "actively" assist Japan's efforts to resolve the issue of Pyongyang's kidnappings of Japanese decades ago.

French president's special envoy meets in Pyongyang with North Korea's foreign minister
PYONGYANG, North Korea — The French president's special envoy on North Korea held talks Tuesday with the country's foreign minister during a visit to Pyongyang to explore the possibility of establishing diplomatic ties with the communist regime. Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun greeted French envoy Jack Lang and his delegation with handshakes before they sat down for talks, according to footage aired by television broadcaster APTN in Pyongyang. Lang, a former culture minister appointed by...

Iran, North Korea Top Clinton's Overseas Agenda
As secretary of state departs for Berlin, U.S. officials said they anticipated the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog soon would give up hope that Iran would accept a confidence-building deal under which it would ship uranium abroad for further enrichment.  WASHINGTON - Nuclear impasses with Iran and North Korea are the dominant issues for Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on her trip to Europe and Asia, which begins with a stopover in Germany to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Berlin...

Dictator shuns communism for luxury
There are also 19 stations across North Korea exclusively for Kim's trains, which have a total of some 90 carriages, the mass-circulation Chosun Ilbo newspaper said, citing an analysis by South Korean and US intelligence authorities. It said the intelligence was obtained by US spy satellites and U-2 reconnaissance planes and the testimonies of North Korean defectors. The National Intelligence Service - South Korea's main spy agency - and the US Military command in Seoul said they could not...

Japan raps N. Korea's latest nuclear move
Tokyo is not pleased North Korea has finished reprocessing about 8,000 spent Nuclear Fuel rods at its Yongbyon Nuclear complex, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano said Wednesday.

Two Koreas in naval clash off west coast: PHOTO
SEOUL: The navies of North and South Korea clashed Tuesday off the west coast of the peninsula, Military officials said, reportedly leaving a North Korean patrol boat badly damaged. A spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the clash to AFP but said details were not immediately available. A government source quoted by Yonhap news agency said a North Korean patrol boat crossed the disputed border in the Yellow Sea, prompting South Korea's Navy to fire warning shots. When the boat...

Navies of 2 Koreas exchange fire near disputed maritime border off west coast
SEOUL, South Korea — Navy ships of the two Koreas exchanged fire Tuesday along their disputed western sea border, a South Korean Military officer said. A South Korean warship shot at a North Korean Navy ship that crossed the disputed western sea border on Tuesday morning and the North's ship shot back, said an officer at the Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The officer, speaking on condition of anonymity citing department policy, said it was not immediately known whether there were any...