http://ransquawk.com/headlines/bank-of-china-3988-hk-closes-account-of-north-korea-s-foreign-trade-bank-ceases-fund-transfer-for-north-korea-trade-bank-account-and-no-date-was-given-for-the-closure-07-05-2013
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2013/05/20135623262524342.html
Bank of China (3988 HK) closes account of North Korea's foreign trade bank, ceases fund transfer for North Korea trade bank account and no date was given for the closure
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2013/05/07/68/0301000000AEN20130507003651315F.HTML
(LEAD) N. Korea lifts highest combat alert: Seoul gov't source
SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to have lifted its highest combat alert issued in March and completely withdrawn two mid-range missiles from its east coast, a senior government source here said Tuesday.
Escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula with near-daily bellicose rhetoric and actions, Pyongyang on March 26 put its missile and artillery units on the highest alert level, citing the need to protect its sovereignty against threats from South Korea and the United States.
The artillery units target the U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Guam and other U.S. military bases in the Pacific as well as South Korea, according to the statement by the (North) Korean People's Army's Supreme Command carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
"North Korea appears to have lifted the highest combat alert around April 30," said the source, requesting anonymity.
The complete withdrawal of two mid-range Musudan missiles the communist country placed on its east coast also came in accordance with the lifting of the combat posture, he added.
"It appears that the two Musudan missiles have been moved to some other place, though we have yet to confirm where they are located," the source said. "Intelligence authorities of South Korea and the U.S. are closely tracking them."
In early April, the communist country moved the Musudan missiles to Wonsan along with mobile launchers, fueling speculations that it would fire them before the April 15 celebrations of the 101st anniversary of the birth of late founder Kim Il-sung.
While stopping short of confirming a media report that the pair of Musudan missiles have been moved to a storage facility, defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok simply said during a regular briefing that the South Korean military "has been tracking the North's ballistic missiles."
Despite such signs of Pyongyang's backing down, the authorities here vowed to maintain a heightened readiness posture against the North's possible provocations.
"We will maintain the staunchest military readiness posture at least during President Park Geun-hye's visit to the U.S.," said an officer. "Despite some changes in North Korea, we need to be on high alert against any types of provocations."
Park is in the U.S. for a five-day visit that began on Sunday, which will culminate in a summit with her U.S. counterpart Barack Obama set for Tuesday, Washington time.
During an interview with CBS television broadcast on Monday, Park warned that North Korea will pay the price if it launches attacks against Seoul.
North Korea, which had toned down its war rhetoric recently, renewed its threats on Tuesday, saying it would "mercilessly avenge" any breach of its territorial sovereignty with rocket forces in opposition to the ongoing Seoul-Washington anti-submarine drills near the Yellow Sea border.
Pyongyang has also recently spurned Seoul's calls for talks on saving the suspended joint industrial complex in its border city of Kaesong from permanent closure.
Escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula with near-daily bellicose rhetoric and actions, Pyongyang on March 26 put its missile and artillery units on the highest alert level, citing the need to protect its sovereignty against threats from South Korea and the United States.
The artillery units target the U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Guam and other U.S. military bases in the Pacific as well as South Korea, according to the statement by the (North) Korean People's Army's Supreme Command carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
"North Korea appears to have lifted the highest combat alert around April 30," said the source, requesting anonymity.
The complete withdrawal of two mid-range Musudan missiles the communist country placed on its east coast also came in accordance with the lifting of the combat posture, he added.
"It appears that the two Musudan missiles have been moved to some other place, though we have yet to confirm where they are located," the source said. "Intelligence authorities of South Korea and the U.S. are closely tracking them."
In early April, the communist country moved the Musudan missiles to Wonsan along with mobile launchers, fueling speculations that it would fire them before the April 15 celebrations of the 101st anniversary of the birth of late founder Kim Il-sung.
While stopping short of confirming a media report that the pair of Musudan missiles have been moved to a storage facility, defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok simply said during a regular briefing that the South Korean military "has been tracking the North's ballistic missiles."
Despite such signs of Pyongyang's backing down, the authorities here vowed to maintain a heightened readiness posture against the North's possible provocations.
"We will maintain the staunchest military readiness posture at least during President Park Geun-hye's visit to the U.S.," said an officer. "Despite some changes in North Korea, we need to be on high alert against any types of provocations."
Park is in the U.S. for a five-day visit that began on Sunday, which will culminate in a summit with her U.S. counterpart Barack Obama set for Tuesday, Washington time.
During an interview with CBS television broadcast on Monday, Park warned that North Korea will pay the price if it launches attacks against Seoul.
North Korea, which had toned down its war rhetoric recently, renewed its threats on Tuesday, saying it would "mercilessly avenge" any breach of its territorial sovereignty with rocket forces in opposition to the ongoing Seoul-Washington anti-submarine drills near the Yellow Sea border.
Pyongyang has also recently spurned Seoul's calls for talks on saving the suspended joint industrial complex in its border city of Kaesong from permanent closure.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2013/05/20135623262524342.html
North Korea removes missiles from launch site |
Pyongyang takes two Musudan missiles off launch-ready status and moves them from their position on the east coast.
Last Modified: 06 May 2013 23:54
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A 'Musudan' missile appearing during a military parade marking the 65th anniversary of the foundation of the Workers' Party of Korea, in Pyongyang [EPA]
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| North Korea has moved two missiles from launch sites on the country's eastern coast, after weeks of concern that Pyongyang had been poised for a test-launch. A US defence official said on Monday that Washington did not believe the Musudan missiles had gone to an alternate launch site and that they were now believed to be in a non-operational location. The move coincided with preparations by US President Barack Obama to meet South Korean President Park Guen-hye at the White House on Tuesday, where they will hold talks and have a working lunch followed by a joint news conference. Pentagon spokesman George Little noted the change in North Korea's words, telling reporters on Monday the "provocation pause" was a positive development. "I wouldn't again comment on intelligence. But what we have seen recently is a 'provocation pause.' And we think that's obviously beneficial to efforts to ensure we have peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," Little told reporters. North Korea's move meant there was no longer an imminent threat of a launch, and Pyongyang would have to make preparations before returning to a launch-ready status, two other US officials said. Tension Amid dire threats and bellicose language from North Korea, two Musudan missiles had been deployed to the east coast, and the United States and its allies Japan and South Korea had braced for a possible test-launch in the run-up to national celebrations on April 15. US Secretary of State John Kerry warned North Korea last month that it would be a "huge mistake" to launch the medium-range missiles, but the prospects of a test had put Seoul, Washington and Toyko on edge. Japan and South Korea stepped up its missile defences, while the US military deployed two destroyers equipped with anti-missile weapons and a powerful radar to the area to thwart any possible launch. Commanders told MPs US forces would be ready to shoot down any missile that threatened allies or US facilities in Guam. But North Korea never launched a missile and eventually toned down its inflammatory rhetoric, with the crisis appearing to ease in recent days. A Musudan missile has an estimated range of roughly 3,000 to 3,500km, according to military officers. North Korea has several hundred short and medium-range missiles available that could reach targets in Japan or South Korea, according to the Pentagon. |
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