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At this point all these global politicians must understand that North Korea is never going to denuclearize, but they just have to keep up the facade to deter others like Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons:

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Thursday denounced international calls for denuclearization, describing the country’s nuclear weapons as its “core interests” and denuclearization as a “line of no retreat that can never be crossed,” Pyongyang’s state media reported.

In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim Yo-jong criticized the United States and its allies for making what she called “anachronistic” demands for North Korea’s denuclearization.

Kim’s remarks came in response to a joint statement issued by leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations at their summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on Wednesday, which reaffirmed their commitment to the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea in line with U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Its official, Seoul has a new U.S. Ambassador:

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Michelle Steel, a former two-term Korean American congresswoman, as the United States’ ambassador to South Korea.

The upper chamber approved Steel in a 55-39 vote, clearing the way for her to take the ambassadorial post as Seoul and Washington face a series of joint tasks, including “modernizing” their alliance and implementing bilateral security and trade agreements.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Until the fantasy of pushing North Korea to denuclearize is put away, the North Koreans are not going to see any value in negotiations especially when the Russians are meeting all their current needs:

Cheong Wa Dae stated on the 17th (local time) that during the G7 (Group of Seven) summit in Évian, France, President Donald Trump expressed a strong commitment to playing a necessary role in advancing issues related to the Korean Peninsula. This followed President Lee Jae Myung’s request to President Trump to “lead the peaceful resolution of the North Korean issue.”

Cheong Wa Dae added that President Trump praised President Lee as a “strong leader” and expressed optimism that the two leaders could jointly contribute to peace and security in the Korean Peninsula region.

No bilateral South Korea-U.S. summit took place during this G7 summit. However, President Lee engaged in a roughly 30-second conversation with President Trump during the group photo session and sat next to him at the official dinner, exchanging discussions on various topics for over two hours.

During the group photo session, President Lee approached President Trump with an interpreter and said, “As you resolved the Middle East war, please lead the peaceful resolution of the North Korean issue.” President Trump reportedly responded, “I will strive to resolve the North Korean issue.”

Chosun Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

This is an absurd situation going on that hopefully does not impact the team’s preparations to play Mexico:

Korea’s national football team has effectively turned its back on parts of the domestic press just days before a World Cup showdown with Mexico, a rare and public rupture that exposes a deeper trust crisis between players and legacy media in a country where fans now fact‑check reporters in real time.

The rupture did not begin with tactics or results. It began with contempt, caught on a hot mic.

On June 7, during a light pretraining jog at the national team’s camp, two male Korean journalists mocked some of the players, including captain Son Heung‑min. The footage, laced with sneers about military service exemptions and leadership, later surfaced on the YouTube channel of the TV network JTBC — the local holder of broadcasting rights for this year’s World Cup — turning their backstage banter into public record.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) reportedly summoned the reporters two days later and issued a reprimand behind closed doors. No clear, immediate apology came from the journalists, and the rift widened even as the team beat the Czech Republic last Friday.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

This is some really bad luck that may ultimately cost Hanhwa Ocean hundreds of millions of dollars in losses:

Hanwha Ocean’s liquefied natural gas carrier / Courtesy of Hanwha Ocean

Hanwha Ocean is saddled with hundreds of millions of dollars in financial burden, as a fleet of six icebreaking liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers remain undelivered at a domestic shipyard due to sanctions on Russia’s Arctic project, according to industry sources and a report.

The specialized vessels, built for Moscow’s high-stakes Arctic energy expansion venture, have turned into a costly asset for Hanwha Ocean, leaving the Korean shipbuilder with few viable options beyond waiting indefinitely for new buyers or selling the ships at steep discounts.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.