Summary of external news of North Korea this week

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news of North Korea this week.

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(2nd LD) N. Korean nuclear, missile programs pose 'ongoing' threat: Blinken

WASHINGTON -- North Korea's nuclear and missile programs pose an ongoing threat to the region and the international community, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.

The top U.S. diplomat also highlighted the need to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance to meet such threats.

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N. Korean missile test destabilizes region and world: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The recent missile test by North Korea highlights the destabilizing impact of Pyongyang's illicit weapons program, state department spokesperson Ned Price said Thursday.

Price also urged North Korea to refrain from further provocations and instead engage in dialogue.

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U.S. experts see little or no chance of U.S.-N. Korea dialogue in 2022

WASHINGTON -- There is little or no chance of talks between the United States and North Korea this year with both sides refusing to make any significant concessions for dialogue, U.S. experts said Thursday.

They also argued the U.S. will likely be happy to keep the status quo with North Korea despite the North's recent self-claimed hypersonic missile test, as long as Pyongyang does not pose or demonstrate an immediate threat to the U.S.

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Blinken condemns N. Korean missile test in phone talks with Japanese FM

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned North Korea's latest missile test in his telephone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Wednesday.

The two also discussed ways to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, according to the state department.

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S. Korean, U.S. nuclear envoys hold phone call over N. Korea's projectile

SEOUL -- Top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States had phone talks Wednesday over North Korea's latest launch of what is presumed to be a ballistic missile and the allies' response, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and his American counterpart, Sung Kim, discussed the issue hours after the North fired a projectile into the East Sea.

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U.S. must not reward N. Korea with end of war declaration before talks: Harry Harris

WASHINGTON -- The United States must not give anything to North Korea, including an end of war declaration, before Pyongyang returns to the dialogue table, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said Tuesday.

Harris noted prospects for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula are getting darker by the day, but insisted giving benefits in advance to the North would only lead to failure.
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