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South Korea divided on future of US forces presence

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South Korea divided on future of US forces presence

The conflicting opinions on the future of US forces in South Korea after the probable peace agreement between North and South Korea have emerged in Seoul. President Moon Jae-in, who recently set with Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader in a historic summit, has clarified that presence of US forces have nothing to do with the peace treaty.

According to Seoul based Korea Times, President Moon Jae-in, has warned his special advisor on security and unification Moon Chung-in over his claims that US would have to withdraw its troops from South Korea if a peace treaty was signed.

Read More: North and South come closer on Korean Peninsula

Moon Chung-in, security and reunification advisor to the President Moon Jae-in, has recently written an op-ed article published in US based Foreign Affairs, on Monday. He said,  “What will happen to U.S. forces in South Korea if a peace treaty is signed? It will be difficult to justify their continuing presence in South Korea after its adoption. But there will be a strong conservative opposition to the reduction and withdrawal of U.S. forces, posing a major political dilemma for Moon (Jae-in).”

South Korea divided on future of US forces presence

The article triggered a huge backlash from conservative politicians in Seoul who, in return, urged President Moon Jae-in to sack his advisor immediately.

An official associated with President House known as Blue House or Cheong Wa Dae, said, “We don’t want unnecessary confusion to be created.”  He indicated the need for Seoul to take a cautious stance at a critical moment when the outcome of the inter-Korean summit should lead to the successful outcome of the Trump-Kim summit for complete denuclearization of the peninsula.

Read More: US, China welcome N Korea halt on Nuclear, Missile tests

Korea Times reports that after Kim Jong-un expressed his intention to discard his nuclear weapons, conservative politicians in Seoul and some Korean affairs experts abroad voiced the opinion that the North Korean leader may want the withdrawal of the US forces in return.

The South Korean official said that Washington has not made any comment about the US Forces Korea (USFK). He added the leaders of the two Koreas also did not talk about this issue during their summit.

He further said, “We believe the USFK are needed (even after a peace treaty is signed) as a mediator in the military configuration of regional powers including China and Japan.”  The official said that President’s office is not considering stripping Moon Chung-in of his special advisor status.

Korea Times reports that his is not the first time the presidential office has given warning to Moon Chung-in, Presidential advisor on security and reunification, for expressing his opinion different from the Moon Jae-in government.

Prior to the summit between US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Moon Chung-in, while speaking in a seminar in Washington said  that the joint military drills may be scaled down and the frequency of the dispatch of US strategic assets to the peninsula may be reduced if North Korea stops its nuclear and missile programs.

Moon Chang-in was told to refrain from making such comments, which it viewed would not help improve Seoul-Washington relations.

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US reiterates its call for fair, transparent, legal process for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, speaks on Congress frozen accounts

The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections.

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A day after India summoned an US diplomat over their remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, the US reiterated its call for fair, transparent, timely legal processes on Wednesday.

Responding to questions on India summoning Gloria Berbena, the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that they will continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Notably, the meeting at the foreign ministry’s South Block office lasted nearly 40 minutes yesterday with India objecting strongly to the US remarks on the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal.

Matthew Miller also responded to a question on the Congress party’s frozen bank accounts. The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections. He added that the US encourages fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of the issues.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested last week by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection to the Delhi liquor policy scam. Earlier, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh were arrested in the same case.

The External Affairs Ministry had earlier stated that states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others, and this responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies, adding that it could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents.

The Ministry further emphasized that India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. It mentioned that casting aspersions on India’s legal procedure is unwarranted.

The United State’s remarks followed days after Germany’s Foreign Office stressed that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial. The Indian government labelled their remark as blatant interference in internal matters.

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5 Chinese nationals killed in suicide bomb attack in Pakistan

This is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

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Nearly five Chinese nationals were killed in an explosion during an attack on their convoy by a suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday. Reportedly, the suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers travelling from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, situated in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Regional police chief Mohammad Ali Gandapur said that five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed in the attack. As yet, none has claimed responsibility for the attack. Bisham Station House Officer (SHO) Bakht Zahir asserted that the incident was a suicide blast and the authorities concerned were collecting the evidence.

The Station House Officer further added that security arrangements were tightened at the spot and the bodies were being shifted to a hospital. He added that they will investigate from where and how the vehicle of a suicide bomber came and how it happened. Notably, this is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

Previously, two attacks hit an airbase and a strategic port in the southwest province of Balochistan where China is investing billions in infrastructure projects. Several Chinese engineers and Pakistani construction workers have for multiple years been working on hydroelectric projects as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative in the western province of Khyber-Paktunkhwa.

Notably, Dasu is home to a significant dam project, has been a target of previous attacks. Earlier in 2021, the attack in Dasu resulted in the deaths of nine Chinese nationals, along with two Pakistani children. The incident occured when a bus carrying Chinese engineers and workers to the Dasu Hydropower Project site was targeted.

There was confusion surrounding the nature of the attack initially, with some reports suggesting it was a bus accident. Nonetheless, subsequent investigations revealed that it was indeed a terrorist attack. The bus was hit by a blast, leading it to plunge into a ravine.

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US bridge collapses after being hit by ship

The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

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Major portions of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, US collapsed on early Tuesday morning after it was hit by a large container ship. The incident occurred at nearly 1.30 am (US local time). The Baltimore City Fire department said the collapse is a mass casualty incident.

According to reports many vehicles fell into the river below. The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

It seems the vessel had hit one of the supports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the roadway to break apart in many places and plunge into the water. The ship caught fire and appeared to sink. Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, the registered owner of the ship, and the manager, Synergy Marine Group, said it is a Singapore flagged ship Dali which collided with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

He said the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined; the Dali has now mobilized its qualified individual Incident response service. It added that all crew members, including the 2 pilots who were aboard, have been accounted for and there are no reports of injuries.

The local traffic police said all lanes on both directions of the bridge have been closed and the traffic is being de-toured. Maryland Governor Wes Moore also declared a state of emergency after the collapse of the bridge. The bridge was opened in 1977, spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. It is named after the writer of the Star Spangled Banner.  

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