North Korea to return to Six-Party talks in April; US State Department: North Korea's human rights record remains "deplorable" under an "absolute" dictatorship; South Korea and ASEAN to work towards further trade liberalization;
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    • South Korean media reported that North Korea has decided to return to long-stalled six-nation talks in early April, citing an unnamed source from the North.1

    Reports also noted that US WMD experts were taking part in a military exercise simulating an attack by North Korea on the South. The exercises were criticized by Pyongyang as US-South Korean preparations ahead of a nuclear attack. It also vowed to respond to any aggression with atomic arsenal.2

    The US State Department has maintained that North Korea's human rights record remained "deplorable" under an "absolute" dictatorship by the reclusive leader Kim Jong-il.3

    South Korea and Germany are set to launch their first round of talks aimed at signing a new maritime cooperation deal. The negotiations will take place at the headquarters of Korea's maritime affairs ministry in Gwacheon, Seoul.4

    South Korea and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed on work towards further trade liberalization starting from 2011. A free trade agreement between Korea and ASEAN on merchandise took effect in January 2010. Similar deals on services and investments also came into effect.5

    South Korea and Denmark pledged to advance global cooperation to fight climate change and enhance bilateral partnership in renewable energies and bio-science. This was agreed during the visit of President Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen to Seoul and his meetings with President Lee Myung-bak.6

    Reports note that South Korea and Turkey have signed a joint declaration to expand cooperation on nuclear power development, raising the prospects that Seoul could bid to build commercial nuclear reactors in Turkey.7

    In other developments, North Korea gave Russia the right to use its Rajin seaport for 50 years and is considering extending China's 10-year contract at the seaport, signed in 2008, by another 10 years. Reports noted that China was investing tens of millions of yuan in modernizing the Rajin pier.8

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