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≡ N. Korean Leader To Make "Official Friendly Visit" To Vietnam: Hanoi
[Anchor]
Vietnam says North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will pay an "official friendly visit" to the Southeast Asian country in coming days.
Hanoi is reported to be beefing up security in preparation for a second summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Jeong-eun Lee reports.
[Reporter]
Vietnam's foreign ministry made the announcement on Kim's official visit in a post on its Facebook page on Saturday.
However, it stopped short of providing exact dates for his trip.
Citing several sources, AFP reported that Kim is expected to travel to the Dong Dang station in northern Vietnam by train and then to Hanoi by car.
Vietnam's state media is reported to have announced plans to close the road connecting the station and Hanoi on February 26 between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Meanwhile, special envoys of the United States and North Korea are continuing working-level talks in the Vietnamese capital ahead of the pending summit.
While main issues to be discussed at the summit remain unclear, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that reducing the size of American troops in South Korea is not one of them.
Jeong-eun Lee, eFM News.■
[2019.02.23]
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≡ Kim Jong-Un Wants To Denuclearize For His Children: Former CIA Official
A former U.S. intelligence official says North Korean leader Kim Jong-un intends to denuclearize for the sake of his children.
Andrew Kim, who retired as head of the CIA's Korea Mission Center last year, made the remark during a lecture at Stanford University on Friday.
He recalled the North Korean leader saying he doesn't want his children to "carry the nuclear weapon on their back their whole life" during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Pyongyang last April.
The former CIA official said Kim made the comment in response to Pompeo's question on whether he really intends to abandon his nuclear weapons program.
He added that leader Kim not only confirmed his will to dismantle his nuclear program but also stressed the need to restore U.S.-North Korea ties.■
[2019.02.23]
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≡ Domestic Oil Prices Edge Up For 1st Time In 4 Months
Retail oil prices have edged up for the first time in nearly four months amid rising global oil prices and weakening effects of the government's fuel tax cut.
The oil information service Opinet says the average price of domestic gasoline was 1,342.9 won per liter in the third week of February, up 0.2 won from the week before.
The average diesel price also rose 0.5 won to 1,242.2 won.■[2019.02.23]