Topic: Kim Tae-woo

Visiting Russia, Kim Jong-il casts nervous eye on Tripoli

North Korea's Kim Jong-il is visiting Russia to bolster diplomatic support. A key issue is the ability of Kim's son and heir to rule with an iron hand – an issue getting renewed attention as Libyan rebels advance into Tripoli.

South Korea shooting mishap highlights heightened tensions with North

South Korean marines mistakenly fired on a passenger jet owned by Asiana Airlines on Friday. They thought it was a North Korean fighter jet.

On North Korea, the US and South Korea are united

Following President Obama's State of the Union message, in which he insisted 'North Korea keeps its commitment to abandon nuclear weapons,' South Korea and the US are showing a united front on North Korea.

Why South Korea has agreed to six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program

Analysts in South Korea believe President Lee’s surprise call for six-party talks will bring the parties to the table since China and North Korea have both been calling in recent weeks for resumption of talks.

US, South Korea skeptical of North Korea's nuclear offer

US envoy Bill Richardson said its offer to allow nuclear inspections was a 'step in the right direction.' But the US and the South note a 'string of broken promises.'

US, South Korea eye shift in rules of engagement on North Korea

Seoul's top general and US Adm. Mike Mullen did not formally announce a shift in rules of engagement. But South Korean analysts believe they are shaping the first possible strategy shift since the Korean War.

Disillusioned South Korea weighs response to North Korean flare-up

South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak made a tough-sounding speech today, but his critics say it comes too late. US and South Korean warships engaged in 'high-intensity' war games while NKorea makes new threats.

North Korean attack: South mingles toughness with calls for calm

North Korean attack on South Korea was the first such event on land since the Korean War. South Korean analysts appear puzzled over how best to respond to the North Korean attack.

Kim Jong-un confirmed North Korean heir ahead of massive military parade

Kim Jong-un is expected to appear alongside his father, Kim Jong-il, at the military parade, marking another major step in his emergence.

5 key people to watch in North Korea

The struggle to name a successor to North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il appears likely to climax in a historic conference next week.

The conference, the first in 44 years, is slated for Sept. 28. Debate among North Korea’s leaders over anointment of Mr. Kim’s third son, Kim Jong-un, is widely believed to have delayed the meeting.

Just because delegates will be gathering for the conference is no guarantee that it will end in announcement of a leadership lineup. Whatever the outcome, it is certain to provide fodder for speculation about the future of North Korea after Kim leaves the scene.

As North Korea heads into this meeting, here is a good idea of who might be in positions of power after Kim Jong-il steps down:

North Korean plane crash in China is shrouded in mystery

North Korean plane crash in China has experts wondering what happened: Soldiers have defected amid food shortages, but pilot defections have been extremely rare.

USS George Washington, S. Korea military drills send mixed signals to North Korea

The United States is getting tough on North Korea by conducting military drills using the USS George Washington with South Korea next week.

North Korea meets with US as food shortages hammer North

Amnesty International's report on the poor state of health care in North Korea may be a contributing factor in why North Korea accepted a UN proposal for leaders to meet face-to-face.

North Korea: New clues about who will replace Kim Jong-il

In a rare meeting of parliament Monday, North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il increased the political influence of his brother-in law. The move is seen as supporting the leader's heir apparent – his youngest son – and curbing any power plays within the military.

How will North Korea respond to South Korea's threats?

A third nuclear test and naval confrontations in the Yellow Sea are likely, say analysts, in response to South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's announcement Monday of retaliatory measures against North Korea for torpedoing the navy ship Cheonan.

Seoul says North Korea sank Cheonan warship. Are sanctions next?

It's 'obvious' North Korea was involved in the sinking of the Cheonan warship in March, South Korea's foreign minister said Wednesday.

South Korea Cheonan warship sinking: Diver dies during rescue efforts

Strong currents frustrated rescue efforts for 46 sailors thought to be trapped on the sunken South Korea Cheonan warship, dimming their hopes for survival.  

South Korea's Cheonan ship sinking mystery: A North Korea mine?

North Korea may have planted an underwater mine to make South Korea's Cheonan ship sink last Friday, the defense minister said. Or an old mine may have been left from the Korean war.

South Korea pushes to recycle nuclear power plant fuel

As a growing nuclear power plant builder and exporter, South Korea wants to reprocess nuclear fuel. That's counter to a US deal.

What's behind North Korea's new 'peace offensive'?

While North Korea's New Year’s reconciliation message may be a sign of its willingness to return to six-party talks, it bears no clue as to whether the North would give up its nuclear program before attaining a number of other goals.

Did President Clinton meet N. Korea's Kim Jong-il or his look-alike?

The North Korean leader may be using look-alikes to hide his poor health. One analyst says that when President Clinton visited in August, he met with an actor, not Kim Jong-il.

North Korea ready for six-party talks – with caveat

North Korea told China's visiting Prime Minister Wen Jiabao it will return to six-party talks it abandoned in April. But first, it wants bilateral talks with the US.

US brushes off North Korea's overtures

Many see Pyongyang's recent friendly gestures as a tactical move. The US moved Tuesday to freeze the assets of two North Korean entities, while South Korea accused the North of unleashing a deadly flash flood.

North Korea seeks international attention with uranium claim

The North, which wants one-on-one talks with the US, said it's open to dialogue and had entered the "completion phase" of developing highly enriched uranium.

S. Korea's failed satellite launch sets back space effort

After its launch on a Russian-made rocket, the satellite missed its required trajectory. S. Korea has taken an aggressive stand in staying technologically in step with its neighbors.