21 July, 2017
North Korea regularly carries out brutal public executions at schools, sports stadiums, and markets for minor offenses such as petty theft and the distribution of South Korean media, a Transitional Justice Working Group report based on the testimony of several hundred North Korean defectors.
The comments came after Seoul offered on Monday to hold rare military talks with Pyongyang on Friday, with the aim to ease tensions after North Korea tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
His comments come amid claims North Korea is getting ready to test fire an ICBM or medium range rocket, according to United States intel chiefs.
The people of North Korea have experienced unspeakable horrors in their society, as extreme human rights violations are reportedly common aspects of life in the hermit kingdom.
The administration of US President Donald Trump says it'll only engage in talks under the right conditions, which likely means that any negotiations will be contingent on North Korea agreeing to put denuclearization on the table.
In August 2015, North Korea's No. 2 leader, Hwang Pyong So, and South Korea's national security director, Kim Kwan-jin, met at Panmunjom and reached a deal on averting possible bloodshed over a land-mine blast that maimed two South Korean soldiers. She starred in reality show programs including "South Korean Men and North Korean Women" and "Moranbong Club".
Journalists gathered near Camp Bonifas just south of the DMZ, a base named after Capt. Arthur Bonifas, one of two American officers killed by axe-wielding North Korean soldiers in a 1976 clash. But the Korean communist leader, Kim Jong-un said he would never negotiate with others on their weapons until the U.S. poses with its own nuclear fleet.
Two defense officials also told CNN that a North Korean Romeo-class submarine was spotted in the East Sea engaging in "unusual deployment activity" for around 48 hours, which could indicate Pyongyang is continuing to test submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM).
While the South is open to talks, the USA administration is not willing to negotiate with North Korea at this time, asserting that the conditions are not right.
China has halted coal imports from North Korea, but the United States is believed to want China to cut its oil pipeline to also cut its oil pipeline to North Korea. "We need to explain to the U.S. and others about the need for inter-Korean dialogue that is unrelated to the North Korean nuclear issue in order to relax tensions between the two sides", said Kim Yong-hyeon, a professor at Dongguk University. The next test launch would be the first since North Korea successfully launched an ICBM on July 4.
The North has conducted two nuclear tests since the beginning of past year and missile-related activities continue at an unprecedented pace. "Kim Jong Un and his forces are very good at camouflage concealment and deception" General Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate armed services committee on Tuesday.
Kim's regime has long denied human rights abuses.
