Bill Clinton makes surprise visit to Pyongyang, secures the release of two journalists; US expresses concern over nature of military cooperation between North Korea and Myanmar; North Korea seizes a South Korean fishing boat
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    • Former US President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to Pyongyang and met with the North Korean leadership, including Kim Yong Il. The visit resulted in the release of two American journalists who were sentenced to over 10 years of rigorous imprisonment on charges of spying. In the aftermath of Mr. Clinton’s visit, the US has renewed its call for North Korea to return to multi-national talks on its de-nuclearization issue. US State Department spokesman Robert Wood stated that the US position on the North Korean nuclear issue "remains the same" and that the "ball is in the North's court. It needs to come back to the six-party framework 1…”

    The US also reiterated concerns over military cooperation between North Korea and Myanmar. US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Philip Crowley called on Pyongyang “to clarify precisely the nature of its military cooperation" with Myanmar2.

    Meanwhile, in an escalatory action, a 30-tonne South Korean fishing boat – ‘800 Yeonanho’ carrying four crew members was seized and hauled to the North Korean port of Jangjeon, despite warnings from the South3.

    Reports noted that the US will deploy a dozen F-15E fighter jets to Korea to bolster the country's defenses. The move is designed to ease concerns caused by the withdrawal of a battalion of AH-64 Apache attack helicopters4.

    The US blacklisted a North Korean firm, the Korea Hyoksin Trading Corporation, for its involvement in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The action was in tune with the UNSC resolutions passed in the aftermath of North Korea's nuclear and missile tests5.

    South Korea also detained a Chinese fishing boat on charges of poaching in South Korean waters off the West Sea. The crew of the 25-ton vessel was accused of illegally fishing in waters about 96km southwest of Socheong Island, which is within South Korea's exclusive economic zone6.

    In other developments, South Korea and India signed a comprehensive bilateral trade pact, ending three-years of negotiations. The two countries started their negotiations in March 2006, and initialed the so-called comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) in February 20097.

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