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Also see: North Korea; trade; military;  business; nuclear issues; war; properties; sanctions; Kim Jong Yang;

 
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-- 2014 --

April 3: US-Korea Free Trade Agreement Pros and Cons
https://tradepolicy.wordpress.com/2014/04/03/has-the-kor-usa-free-trade-agreement-lived-upto-its-expectations/

-- 2016 --

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January 10: Donald Trump mostly wrong that 'we get practically nothing' from South Korea for U.S. troop presence

"We have 28,000 soldiers on the line in South Korea between the madman and them," Trump said, referring to Kim. "We get practically nothing compared to the cost of this."

False ... South Korea had picked up the tab for nearly $700 million in the most recent year for personnel, logistics and construction costs.

"It's hard to argue that more than $800 million annually is ‘peanuts’ or ‘next to nothing,’ " said Lance Janda, a military historian at Cameron University.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jan/10/donald-trump/donald-trump-mostly-wrong-we-get-practically-nothi/

-- 2017 --        

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January 11: President-Elect Donald Trump Joins South Korea’s Left in Pushing New Korea Policy
https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/president-elect-donald-trump-joins-south-koreas-left-pushing-new-korea

April 4: Senators Urge Trump to Complete THAAD Deployment to South Korea, Press China to End Retaliation
https://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/ranking/release/senators-urge-trump-to-complete-thaad-deployment-to-south-korea-press-china-to-end-retaliation

April 28: Trump Says South Korea Should Pay for $1 Billion Anti-Missile System

Trump’s comments stunned South Korean financial markets, sending Seoul stocks and the won currency into reverse even as the country’s economic outlook has started to brighten.
http://fortune.com/2017/04/28/trump-thaad-south-korea-trade/

April 28: South Korea baffled by Trump comments on missile defence, trade ... Trump's remarks were in line with seemingly off-the-cuff comments this week about NAFTA, Canada
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/south-korea-trump-comments-1.4089674

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April 28: South Korea disputes Trump comments on missile system, trade

Contradicting U.S. President Donald Trump, South Korea said Friday it has no plan to renegotiate a bilateral trade deal with the U.S., or to pay for the U.S. missile defense system being deployed on its territory.
http://www.news-herald.com/article/HR/20170428/NEWS/170429365

May 3:
It’s not just North Korea. Trump has a South Korea problem, too.

On the other side of the Demilitarized Zone, the last frozen border of the Cold War, South Koreans are getting more than a bit concerned
https://www.denverpost.com/2017/05/03/trump-north-korea-south-korea-problem/

May 8:
South Korea Is More Worried About Donald Trump Than Kim Jong Un ... Seoul is used to dealing with an unruly Pyongyang and an imperious Beijing. But it’s the irascible American president who is imposing himself on the country's election.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/05/08/south-korea-is-more-worried-about-donald-trump-than-kim-jong-un/

May 8: South Korean election: Donald Trump effect to push voters to the left after decades of conservative rule

South Koreans are poised to sweep away almost a decade of conservative rule in an historic election today, with some unintended interference by US President Donald Trump late in the campaign helping to galvanise left-leaning voters.

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Moon Jae-in, 64, from the centre-left Democratic Party of Korea, holds double-digit opinion poll leads over the next two candidates and has been the consistent favourite throughout the two-month campaign.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-09/trump-effect-poised-to-push-south-koreas-election-to-the-left/8501866

June 14: Trump’s Conflicts of Interest in South Korea

Opened in 2007, Trump World in South Korea is made up of six condominium properties, three of which—Trump World I, II, and III—are located in Seoul, with the other three located in the cities of Busan and Daegu.
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/security/news/2017/06/14/433958/trumps-conflicts-interest-south-korea/

August 5:
How a nuclear war in Korea could start, and how it might end

South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, had at first been strongly against any pre-emptive strike, as his country would bear the brunt of any subsequent miscalculation by either side.
https://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21725763-everyone-would-lose-how-nuclear-war-korea-could-start-and-how-it-might-end

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August 29: The Trump administration has launched an aggressive drive to renegotiate U.S. trade deals, but one country may manage to stymie major changes: South Korea.

President Donald Trump during an April interview with the Washington Post called the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, known as Korus, a "horrible deal" that has "destroyed" his country, and he threatened to terminate it.
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/us-south-korea-trade-deal-trumps-drive-against-horrible-korus-may-break-down.html

September 2: President Trump has instructed advisers to prepare to withdraw the United States from a free-trade agreement with South Korea, several people close to the process said, a move that would stoke economic tensions with the U.S. ally as both countries confront a crisis over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program [a move opposed by top aides]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/09/02/trump-plans-withdrawal-from-south-korea-trade-deal/?utm_term=.5f66233b01a5

September 5: As crisis brews, some in South Korea fear Trump is ‘kind of nuts’
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/crisis-brews-some-south-korea-fear-trump-kind-nuts

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September 5: ... congressional leaders overseeing trade are calling on the White House to pursue further discussions instead of pulling out of a pact with an important economic and geopolitical partner [South Korea], particularly at a time of heightened tensions in the Korean peninsula.

In a rare bipartisan statement Tuesday, the Republican and Democratic heads of the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees acknowledged that the 5-year-old free trade accord with South Korea “has presented frustrations for some important U.S. industries and stakeholders” and that the U.S. should press for compliance.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-south-korea-trade-agreement-20170905-story.html

October 5: U.S., South Korea revisiting trade deal slammed by Trump
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3299451-u-s-south-korea-revisiting-trade-deal-slammed-trump

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November 6: For South Koreans, Trump is a headache

Since taking office, Trump has made clear that he cares only about US interests. To continue kowtowing to Washington would be dangerous, even if Seoul cannot quite quit the pretence of honouring its longtime ally, at least not yet.
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/south-koreans-trump-headache-171104100330202.html

November 7: Can South Korea Trust Trump? ... In Seoul, the U.S. president urged North Koreans to negotiate. The South should hope he’s serious.
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/11/south-korea-trump/545123/

November 7: Trump’s Unscripted Diplomacy Was Not Well Received by Japan or South Korea

When doing business in East Asia, it’s typically understood there are business-specific formalities one must execute to show respect and get respect.

Diplomacy follows the same principle. Going out of your way to extend courtesy opens the dialogue to commerce.

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President Donald Trump may have had the best intentions in trying to level the playing field with Japanese auto makers—where the trade gap is wide—but publicly stating it, in the host’s country in front of a large contingent of traveling American press, is not seen as appropriate. Trump veering off script is no doubt considered rude in buttoned up cultures.
http://observer.com/2017/11/donald-trump-diplomacy-not-well-received-by-japan-south-korea/

November 7: South Korea's Far-Right Gives Trump The Warmest Welcome

On the streets of Seoul, demonstrations were divided between those who didn't want President Trump to visit at all and a few thousand American-flag-waving South Koreans who gave him an enthusiastic welcome.
https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/11/07/562619802/in-south-korea-the-far-right-party-loves-america

November 8: Lost in Asia ... Trump’s trip shows what happens when a world leader is set adrift in the world with no strategy or goals.

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Almost halfway through his 12-day voyage in Asia, President Trump is showing what happens when a world leader takes major diplomatic initiatives without a full diplomatic team or a thought-through notion of goals, means, and strategy. His three days in China, followed by a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a summit in Vietnam, are seen as the trip’s likely high points, but the prospects for progress, in either diplomacy or trade, are viewed as dim.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2017/11/trump_s_stop_in_south_korea_suggests_he_has_no_idea_what_his_strategy_is.html

December 16: Trump Finally Taps Ambassador to South Korea ... Despite sky-rocketing tensions on the peninsula, the United States doesn’t have an ambassador in Seoul.

Earlier this week, the Korea Herald reported that the Trump administration recently asked for Seoul’s approval of its nomination of Dr. Victor Cha to be the next U.S. ambassador to South Korea.
https://thediplomat.com/2017/12/trump-finally-taps-ambassador-to-south-korea/

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December 18: We are sleepwalking toward war with North Korea ... The risk of nuclear war is real. And it’s growing.
https://www.vox.com/world/2017/12/18/16733560/north-korea-war

December 28: Russia has accused the United States of violating an arms control treaty by agreeing to supply anti-missile systems to Japan.

Japan's cabinet approved a plan last week to buy two US-built Aegis Ashore missile defense systems, state broadcaster NHK reported, as the country faces increasing hostility from neighboring North Korea.

Russia has raised concerns over several US-built defense systems, claiming they also have the ability to launch missiles.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/28/asia/russia-us-japan-anti-missile-defense-intl/index.html

-- 2018 --

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January 3: North Korea calls hotline to South Korea after Trump taunts ... North Korea and South Korea established contact on a hotline that’s been dormant for almost two years Wednesday, a major diplomatic breakthrough following a year of escalating hostility and a move that could pave the way for future talks.

The calls came just hours after an astonishing tweet from US President Donald Trump, who again taunted the North Korean leader, this time with a boast about the size of his nuclear button.
http://fox2now.com/2018/01/03/north-korea-calls-hotline-to-south-korea-after-trump-taunts/

January 4:
Trump agreed to delay U.S.-South Korean exercises

In a possible opening for diplomacy, the Trump administration on Thursday agreed to delay joint military exercises with South Korea until after the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

The decision could help reduce tensions as the Koreas consider holding their first direct talks in two years, even though Defense Secretary Jim Mattis insisted the delay was a practical necessity to accommodate the Olympics, not a political gesture.
https://www.denverpost.com/2018/01/04/trump-north-korea-exercises-military/

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January 5:
Trump Seeks a Quick Fix to South Korea Trade Deal

President Donald Trump is seeking a quick fix to the U.S. free-trade agreement with South Korea even as he exchanges insults with the Asian nation’s nuclear-armed neighbor.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-05/trump-seeks-fix-to-south-korea-trade-deal-amid-nuclear-tensions

January 7:
South Korea Wants to Meet the North Without Upsetting Trump

South Korean officials will face a challenge as tough as any Olympic feat this week: Drawing the North Koreans back to talks without undermining the U.S.’s hard line against Kim Jong Un.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-07/south-korea-s-olympic-goal-engage-kim-without-undermining-trump

January 10: South Korea’s Leader Credits Trump for North Korea Talks

President Moon Jae-in of South Korea warned on Wednesday that North Korea would face stiffer sanctions if it resumed weapons tests, while crediting President Trump with helping force the North to resume dialogue and strike a broader agreement to improve Korean ties.

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“I am giving a lot of credit to President Trump,” Mr. Moon said at a nationally televised news conference a day after the two Koreas forged their agreement during border talks. “I am expressing my gratitude.”

Mr. Moon’s comments and his conversation with Mr. Trump suggested a tactful maneuver by the South Korean leader to stroke the ego of Mr. Trump, who has claimed credit for the inter-Korean dialogue, while easing fears in Washington and among his conservative critics at home that in his eagerness for dialogue, he may be too accommodating to North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/world/asia/moon-jae-in-trump-north-korea.html

January 22: South Korea says it will lodge a complaint about Trump's new import taxes

South Korea said on Tuesday the government will complain to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about a U.S. decision to slap tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels, saying the decision is "excessive" and "regrettable".

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"It is clear that the latest safeguard measures would violate the WTO rules," South Korea's trade minister Kim Hyun-chong said in a meeting with industry officials. "We will actively respond to protectionist measures."

President Donald Trump slapped steep tariffs on imported washing machines and solar panels on Monday, marking his first moves to erect trade restrictions under seldom-used trade laws that allow unilateral actions.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/22/donald-trumps-tariffs-on-imported-washing-machines-and-solar-panels-angers-south-korea.html

January 30: Trump pick for South Korea ambassador will no longer be nominated

A distinguished expert on North Korea is no longer being considered for nomination by President Trump as ambassador to South Korea after he expressed disagreement over the administration's policies toward Pyongyang, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

Victor Cha, a former official in the George W. Bush administration, was expected to be Trump’s nominee for ambassador, until Cha privately told National Security Council officials that he objected to certain aspects of the president's strategy, people familiar with the situation told the Post.
http://thehill.com/policy/international/371459-trump-will-not-nominate-pick-for-south-korea-ambassador-because-he

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January 30: So
uth Korea in a Post-Trump World

Looking back at the 65 years of the South Korea-US alliance, strong pro-Americanists have dominated political power in South Korea, with the core foundation of power being the pro-America and anti-North Korea line.

However, with the launch of the Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump administrations, the South Korea-US alliance seems to have entered a new phase. To achieve US interests, President Trump does not consider the dignity or legitimacy of America’s allies, and is one-sidedly increasing the level of pressure on them. Here, paradoxical hope comes from the fact that the US is breaking the myth of the alliance and is objectifying and secularizing it.
https://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/south-korea-post-donald-trump-world/

January 31: Trump White House Didn't Want To Hear Why War With North Korea Is A Bad Idea

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One view in particular—which reportedly upset White House officials—opposes the so-called Bloody Nose approach that calls for a limited pre-emptive strike against North Korea as a deterrent. Critics like Cha are concerned that any "bloody nose" strike on a few targets in North Korea would lead to retaliation by North Korean tyrant Kim Jong Un, and that could quickly spiral into all-out war on the Korean Peninsula.

“If we believe that Kim is undeterrable without such a strike, how can we also believe that a strike will deter him from responding in kind?” Cha wrote. “And if Kim is unpredictable, impulsive and bordering on irrational, how can we control the escalation ladder, which is premised on an adversary’s rational understanding of signals and deterrence?”
http://www.newsweek.com/trump-white-house-didnt-want-hear-why-war-north-korea-bad-idea-796483

January 31: Withdrawal of U.S. envoy candidate and tough talk from Trump worry South Korea

South Korea’s progressive government was already nervous about President Trump’s intentions when it came to North Korea, fearing he might press ahead with military action without Seoul’s consent.

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The sudden withdrawal of the candidate for U.S. ambassador to Seoul — reportedly because he argued against striking North Korea — coupled with the president’s tough language in his State of the Union speech has now only exacerbated those fears.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/withdrawal-of-us-envoy-candidate-and-tough-talk-from-trump-worries-south-korea/2018/01/31/cf8864da-0600-11e8-aa61-f3391373867e_story.html?utm_term=.8ef7fd2d62e6

January 31: Is Trump Seriously Considering a Military Strike Against North Korea?

Over the last several weeks ... there have been a number of troubling signs that Donald Trump’s rhetoric is more than just an effort to ramp up pressure on Beijing to tighten the screws on its client state, or to force Kim Jong Un to the negotiating table.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/01/donald-trump-victor-cha-north-korea-bloody-nose

January 31: As South Korean skiers head to North Korea, Trump reminds us war is still on the cards
https://qz.com/1193858/trumps-state-of-the-union-reminds-world-of-possibility-of-war-with-north-korea/

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January 31: Hirono to Trump: Nominate a U.S. Ambassador to South Korea ASAP

Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, released the following statement after Victor Cha confirmed that he is no longer being considered to serve as the ambassador to South Korea:

“One year into his presidency, Donald Trump has yet to nominate an ambassador to South Korea — one of our closest allies in a volatile region of the world.

That the White House is no longer considering Victor Cha’s nomination over his legitimate concerns about preemptive military strikes against North Korea is deeply troubling and undermines ongoing diplomatic efforts to deescalate tensions.

“Donald Trump’s aversion to differences of opinion is pathological and does not serve our national interest or the interests of our allies in the region.”
https://bigislandnow.com/2018/01/31/hirono-to-trump-nominate-a-u-s-ambassador-to-south-korea-asap/


January 31: US President Donald Trump reiterated his administration's "campaign of maximum pressure" on North Korea, hinting at a possible conflict with South Korea's hopes for further dialogue.

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"The message is that (the North Korean) regime is not one that can co-exist with the values the US has defended since the country's foundation," said Cha Du-hyeogn, a visiting research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

He added that Trump's descriptions of North Korea's human rights violations before stressing the value the US places on freedom is a clear message.

"This is very serious (message). This implies that US-North Korea dialogue, denuclearization talks will be difficult and should not be hoped for."
http://www.asiaone.com/world/trumps-address-serious-message-north-korea-experts

February 1: Sudden exit of ambassador pick has Trump facing Korean crisis without key diplomat

At roughly the same time President Donald Trump was laying out his administration’s North Korea policy in Tuesday’s State of the Union address, South Korean and U.S. officials in Seoul were waking up to the news that the administration’s long-awaited choice for ambassador, Victor Cha, had withdrawn himself from consideration.

One top U.S. official said embassy staff learned through news reports that their embassy would remain without a top envoy, raising concern that the critical strategic post will remain empty for the foreseeable future.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/confusing-exit-top-trump-diplomatic-pick-comes-critical-moment-n843676

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February 1: Analysts say Trump’s fiery comments bad news for N. Korea

SEOUL--U.S. President Donald Trump's fiery comments on North Korea reflected confidence that his campaign of pressure and sanctions on the country is working, South Korean analysts said Wednesday.

The experts said it also means Washington will continue to deny Pyongyang meaningful dialogue unless it's willing to discuss serious changes to its nuclear weapons program and human rights conditions.
http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201802010019.html

February 9: The South Korean President has been invited to travel to North Korea, following a formal invitation from the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, potentially setting up the first meeting of Korean leaders since 2007.

The invite, presented to South Korean President Moon Jae-in by Kim's younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, was delivered during a historic meeting between North and South Korean officials at Seoul's presidential palace Saturday, presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said.

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Saturday's meeting, the most significant diplomatic encounter between the two sides in more than a decade, could now be surpassed should Moon accept Kim's invitation to visit Pyongyang later this year.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/09/asia/korea-north-south-meeting-olympics-intl/index.html

March 5: South Korean delegation arrives in North for historic nuclear talks ... Delegation travels to Pyongyang with aim to denuclearise peninsula and foster US talks
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/05/south-korea-nuclear-talks-north-historic-moon-jae-in

March 26: South Korea Deal Shows Emptiness Of Trump Trade Agenda ... details of a new deal with South Korea have started to emerge in reports – and they are distinctly underwhelming.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/phillevy/2018/03/26/korea-deal-shows-emptiness-of-trump-trade-agenda/#370bad9647cb

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April 30: South Korean President Moon Jae-in said U.S. President Donald Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the standoff with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program, a South Korean official said on Monday.

As well as Obama, three U.S. presidents have won the Nobel Peace Prize: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Jimmy Carter
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-southkorea-trump/south-korea-president-says-trump-deserves-nobel-peace-prize-idUSKBN1I10OD

May 5: The White House announced that Trump will host Moon at the White House on May 22, in talks aimed at demonstrating allied unity before the Trump-Kim summit. The Moon visit was announced after Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, met with his South Korean counterpart, Chung Eui-yong, at the White House on Friday.
http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/date-place-set-for-north-korea-summit-says-trump/news-story/b2e5be26d4c7793343b1a270cd60dc3a

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May 22: Trump and South Korean President meet at White House before North Korea summit
http://cw33.com/2018/05/22/trump-and-south-korean-president-meet-at-white-house-before-north-korea-summit/

May 22: South Korea’s tactic for manipulating Trump: Flatter the hell out of him
https://qz.com/1285452/south-koreas-moon-jae-ins-tactic-for-manipulating-trump-flatter-the-hell-out-of-him/

May 24: After 16 Months, Trump Names An Ambassador To South Korea
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/24/614109037/after-16-months-trump-names-an-ambassador-to-south-korea

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May 24: South Korean president calls cancellation of Trump-Kim summit 'very regrettable'
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/05/24/trump-cancels-summit-kim/640452002/

May 24: The Trump Administration’s Treatment of South Korea Has Been Shameful
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/05/trumps-treatment-of-south-korea-is-shameful-and-reckless.html

May 24: South Korea is scrambling to figure out WTF just happened with the Trump-Kim summit

South Korean President Moon Jae-in personally invested in a US-North Korea summit. What now?
https://www.vox.com/2018/5/24/17390538/trump-north-korea-summit-cancel-south-korea-moon

May 24: Did Trump leave South Korea in the dark on his summit plans?

South Korea has played a key role in facilitating diplomacy between the United States and North Korea, but after Donald Trump announced the cancellation of his upcoming summit with Kim Jong-un, it appeared his allies were left in the dark.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/did-trump-leave-south-korea-the-dark-his-summit-plans

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Undated: Trump World Seoul is comprised of six condominium properties developed throughout Seoul, and two neighboring cities in South Korea.
https://www.trump.com/real-estate-portfolio/seoul/trump-world/

August 19: 100s of S. Koreans to enter North to reunite with loved ones

Past reunions have produced powerful images of elderly Koreans crying, embracing and caressing each other. Nearly 20,000 people have participated in 20 rounds of face-to-face reunions held between the countries since 2000. Another 3,700 exchanged video messages with their North Korean relatives under a short-lived program from 2005 to 2007. No one has had a second chance to see their relatives.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/08/19/100s-s-koreans-to-enter-north-to-reunite-with-loved-ones.html

August 20: How did the latest reunions come about?

The event, which is facilitated by the Red Cross, is the outcome of a historic meeting between North Korea's Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border in April.

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The two leaders met a second time in May, where they agreed to resume family reunions, and are expected to meet again in the coming weeks.

South Korea has also taken an active role in trying to broker talks between Pyongyang and Washington.

In June, Kim Jong-un met US President Donald Trump in Singapore where they pledged to work towards denuclearisation, although there are doubts over how genuine the North is in its commitment.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45243108

August 21: About 200 South Koreans and their family members crossed the border on Monday for three days of meetings with their North Korean relatives. The relatives have been given a total of 12 hours together, including three hours in private. Another 337 South Koreans and accompanying family members will participate in a second round of reunions from Friday to Sunday.

Hong Yong-gee, who went with his mother for a 2015 reunion at Diamond Mountain and met his three North Korean aunts, said Tuesday that it seemed his North Korean relatives were working off a script.

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"They praised the leadership of Kim Jong Un and life in North Korea so frequently that any genuine conversation became impossible," Hong said. "It was difficult for my mother and aunts to talk freely when several North Korean officials stationed themselves so close to our table, listening in to whatever we were saying."
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/separated-korean-families-2nd-day-emotional-reunions-57303118

August 27: North Korea accuses US of 'hatching a criminal plot to unleash a war'

North Korea's state newspaper accused the US of "hatching a criminal plot to unleash a war against the DPRK" while "having a dialogue with a smile on its face" Sunday following a report on South Korean radio that American forces in Japan were running drills aimed at invading Pyongyang.

US Forces Japan (USFJ) told CNN on Monday it was "not aware of the drills" mentioned in North and South Korean media reports.

"In general, US aircrafts and ships operate from Japan every day in support of our commitments to our allies and partners in the region and in the interests of regional peace and security," Col. John Hutcheson, the Director of public affairs of USFJ, said in a statement.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/27/politics/north-korea-us-special-forces-drill/index.html

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October 10: South Korea never considered lifting sanctions against North Korea imposed over the 2010 sinking of a South Korean warship, the country’s Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said on Thursday.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-northkorea-southkorea-sanctions/south-korea-says-no-change-on-north-korean-sanctions-idUSKCN1ML06L


December 1: North Korean soldier flees to South as Trump talks up Kim summit

South Korean soldiers escort defector to safety after finding him on their side of the border
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/01/north-korean-soldier-flees-to-south-as-trump-talks-up-second-kim-summit


December 3:
Trump asks South Korean president to deliver 'friendly' message to Kim Jong Un

Though diplomatic talks between the U.S. and North Korea have stalled in recent months, President Donald Trump this weekend gave South Korean President Moon Jae-in a hopeful message to pass along to his northern counterpart, Kim Jong Un.

“The message was that President Trump has a very friendly view of Chairman Kim and that he likes him, and so he wishes Chairman Kim would implement the rest of their agreement and that he would make what Chairman Kim wants come true," Moon told reporters at the G-20 summit this weekend, according to USA Today.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/03/trump-friendly-message-kim-jong-un-1037424

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December 7:  Trump Wants South Korea to Pay More for U.S. Troop Presence

U.S. demand for more troop funding is pressuring ties to Seoul
https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-wants-south-korea-to-pay-more-for-u-s-troop-presence-1544221727


December 19: South Korea’s Right Wing Is Rising, and Could Scuttle Trump’s ‘Peace’ With Kim Jong Un

South Korea’s political pendulum may be swinging back toward rightists who would like to see Kim Jong Un dead. Not good news for Donald Trump’s happy-talk approach to Pyongyang.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/south-koreas-right-wing-is-rising-and-could-scuttle-trumps-peace-with-kim-jong-un


December 20: Never mind Afghanistan, could South Korea be the next place Trump orders a withdrawal?
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/never-mind-afghanistan-could-south-korea-be-the-next-place-trump-orders-a-withdrawal


December 26: North and South Korea Hope to Leave Hostility Behind With a New Railroad Linking the Peninsula

North and South Korean officials took part in a ceremonial groundbreaking Wednesday, signing a wooden railroad tie and linking the tracks of what the nations hope will one day be a train system to bring prosperity to Northeast Asia.

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However, the railway will not become a reality if U.S.-led sanctions against North Korea persist. Officials had to obtain United Nations approval just to hold Wednesday’s ceremony since it required transporting vehicles across the border to the North Korean border town of Kaesong.
http://fortune.com/2018/12/26/north-korea-south-korea-railroad-sanctions/


December 28: South Korea President Moon Jae-in is Asia News Network's Person of the Year

In a few decades, when people look back on 2018, perhaps they will only remember one or two major headlines.

In the field of diplomacy, they may remember the meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader, Chairman Kim Jong Un.

If this were to happen, it would be one of the biggest injustices of selective history and memory.

Because without South Korean President Moon Jae-in's insistence, persistence and patience, the Trump-Kim summit would never have happened. No Moon-Kim summit, no Trump-Kim summit.
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-korea-president-moon-jae-in-is-asia-news-networks-person-of-the-year


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-- 2020 --

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