THREATS FROM NORTH KOREA: South Korean officials visit N Korea for second forestry visit

South Korean officials made their second on-site forestry visit to North Korea on Thursday.
According to Seoul's unification ministry, forestry experts and officials from South Korea's Forest Service visited North Korea's border town of Gaeseong on Thursday and delivered 50 tons of chemicals to control pine wilt.

The delivery is to prevent damage from spreading throughout the pine forests.

After unloading the chemicals in the morning, the South Korean team inspected a nearby pine forest with North Korean officials and conducted pest control operations in the afternoon.
The operation doesn't go against UN sanctions as the chemicals are not restricted items and the necessary equipment is provided by the North.


South Korea says it will go ahead and prepare for a ground-breaking ceremony to connect and modernize its railways and roads with North Korea.

Seoul's unification ministry said on Thursday the two Koreas do not have much time left, but expressed confidence the ceremony can take place within this year.

The ministry stressed this is a crucial opportunity to achieve the government's goal to create an economic belt with the North and become a key logistics hub in East Asia.

The two Koreas are starting their long overdue joint railway inspections in the North starting tomorrow, thanks to waivers in UN and U.S. sanctions.

Over the next two-and-a-half weeks, an inter-Korean research team and train cars will conduct tests on the western Gyeongui Line and the eastern Donghae Line.


South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, while in New York, met Wednesday with the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, to talk about North Korea and other global issues.

According to Seoul's foreign ministry, the two met during Kang's brief stop in New York on her way to Panama.

She thanked the Secretary General for his support for the South Korean government's policies on the Korean Peninsula, and asked for the UN's continued backing.
Guterres said he would continue to work for lasting peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, and he asked for Korea's efforts on other issues related to climate change, terrorism and refugees.

Source: Arirang News