THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: Soulik completed its path across South Korea

Typhoon Soulik has finally completed its path across the nation as it moved into the East Sea from Gangwon-do Province.

The typhoon actually left the Korean Peninsula earlier than forecast, but the nation's weather agency recommends people living on the east coasts to remain watchful as the area remains under the typhoon's indirect effect.

Meanwhile, Seoul is observing mild weather conditions at this hour. As so, the Government downgraded its typhoon warnings to advisories in most parts of the nation.

Moving on, the second round of inter-Korean family reunions begins today following the first three-day session which took place earlier this week.

326 South Korean relatives of the 81 North Korean participants left Sokcho at 0900 hours today and they entered North Korea through the customs, immigration, and quarantine office at Goseong, and arrived at the mountain at around 1300 hours Korea time.

After having an individual lunch, they will be able to meet their relatives for the first time in decades for two hours from 1500 to 1700 hours.

After the first gathering, they are scheduled to meet once more for the welcoming banquet hosted by South Korea to end their first night in the North.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to make his fourth visit of the year to North Korea next week to press ahead with talks on getting the regime to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

At a press briefing at the State Department on Thursday, Pompeo also announced the appointment of a key North Korea-related official, Stephen Biegum.

Pompeo said Biegun, who worked on the White House National Security Council from 2001 to 2003, will "direct US policy towards North Korea" while leading efforts "to achieve President Trump's goal of the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea", adding the two will travel to Pyongyang together.

Standing next to Pompeo during the briefing, Biegun, who is going to fill the position left vacant by the retirement of Joseph Yun in March, stressed the importance of his job, adding that the issues will be hard to resolve.

Source: Arirang News