NK weekly-external news
Summary of external news of North Korea this week
SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news in North Korea this week.
------------
Quad leaders to discuss N. Korean threats, N.K.-Russia cooperation in upcoming summit: U.S. official
WASHINGTON -- The leaders of the United States, India, Japan and Australia are expected to discuss North Korea's security challenge and its cooperation with Russia among other topics during their Quad summit set to take place in Delaware this week, a White House official said Thursday.
Mira Rapp-Hooper, the senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the National Security Council, made the remarks ahead of the summit in Wilmington on Saturday, as Pyongyang has been ratcheting up tensions with its rare disclosure of a uranium enrichment facility and continued weapons tests.
------------
(LEAD) U.S. imposes sanctions targeting covert financial cooperation between N. Korea, Russia
WASHINGTON -- The United States on Thursday announced sanctions against five entities and one individual -- based in Russia and a Russian-occupied Georgian region -- for their alleged involvement in illicit financial schemes between Pyongyang and Moscow.
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control added them to its sanctions list, accusing them of having enabled and supported ongoing efforts to establish illicit payment mechanisms between North Korea and Russia, as Washington has been striving to disrupt any efforts to fund Pyongyang's weapons programs and support for Russia's war in Ukraine.
------------
(LEAD) U.S. will not accept N. Korea as nuclear state: Campbell
WASHINGTON -- The United States will not accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed country, a senior U.S. diplomat said Wednesday, after Pyongyang made a rare disclosure of a uranium enrichment facility last week.
During a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell reiterated the U.S. position, reaffirming America's "durable" and "evolving" deterrence commitment to South Korea, and stressing that Washington "will not accept any kind of threat" to the Asian ally.
------------
N. Korea apparently modifying Russian plane to possibly build airborne warning aircraft: report
SEOUL -- North Korea appears to be making progress in converting a Russian heavy transport plane into what could be the country's first airborne early warning (AEW) platform, a report showed Wednesday, citing commercial satellite imagery.
Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, made the analysis based on recent satellite imagery taken of the Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport.
------------
USFK commander nominee says 28,500 American troops in S. Korea are 'essential'
WASHINGTON -- Maintaining 28,500 American troops in South Korea is "essential," the nominee for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander has said, amid concerns that former President Donald Trump could weigh a USFK troop reduction should he return to the White House.
Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson staked out his position in written answers to lawmakers' questions ahead of his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. If confirmed, he would lead the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, United Nations Command (UNC) and USFK.
------------
(LEAD) USFK commander nominee calls N.K. threat 'single greatest' challenge, pledges 'constant' readiness
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander nominee on Tuesday described North Korea's "rapid" advancement of its nuclear and missile capabilities as the "single greatest" challenge facing the Korea-based command, vowing to maintain a "constant" state of readiness if confirmed.
During a confirmation hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Lieut. Gen. Xavier Brunson, currently the commander of First Corps, also voiced concerns over growing military exchanges between Pyongyang and Moscow, noting his commitment to mitigating risks associated with their military alignment.
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
