Bathing water: What we're doing, and why it matters

North Korean state media remained silent early Monday morning on the country's latest missile launches. The Korean Central News Agency made no mention of Sunday's launch of two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, fired hours apart. North Korea has typically reported its missile tests the following day, though that pattern has grown inconsistent in recent months. Three missile launches last month were not reported at all, while a Sept. 12 launch, which came a day after South Korea, the United States and Japan wrapped up a trilateral military exercise, was reported two days later. North Korea on Sunday launched two missiles from the Wonsan area, roughly three hours apart — the first around 3:00 p.m. and the second at roughly 5:50 p.m. — South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. The first flew about 450 km, while the second traveled more than 600 km, according to the JCS. The launches came ahead of the U.N. General Assembly's high-level general debate, slated to open Tuesday (U.S. time), and the upcoming summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese Presiden

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held separate talks with his Panamanian and Bahraini counterparts in New York and discussed ways to enhance practical cooperation and regional issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday. Cho is in New York to attend the high-level segment of the U.N. General Assembly, scheduled for Tuesday through Saturday, and will hold a series of bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts on the sidelines. During talks with Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Eduardo Martinez-Acha on Sunday, Cho expressed hope that Korean companies would expand their involvement in Panama's major infrastructure projects, according to the ministry. The two sides agreed to continue close cooperation at multilateral forums, including the United Nations, following their joint work as nonpermanent members of the U.N. Security Council last year, it added. During the meeting with Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, the two sides discussed the situation in the Middle East and agreed to continue cooperating at the U.N. and other international forums to promote regional peace

Senior diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan held telephone consultations Monday to share information and discuss responses following North Korea's latest ballistic missile launches, Seoul's foreign ministry said. On Sunday, Pyongyang fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, marking the country's 14th ballistic missile launch of the year and the first in eight days, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Baek Yong-jin, director general for Korean Peninsula policy at the ministry, spoke with David Wilezol, deputy assistant secretary for Northeast Asia at the U.S. State Department, and Takashi Ariyoshi, a senior official at Japan's foreign ministry, according to the ministry. "The three officials shared relevant information and discussed future responses," the ministry said in a release. "The foreign affairs authorities of the three countries operate a channel for promptly sharing information and assessments whenever North Korea launches ballistic missiles," it added. Sunday's launches appeared to have been in response to multinationa

North Korea on Monday urged its people to complete the rice harvest at the right time as part of a broader push to meet targets under its five-year national economic plan. The Rodong Sinmun, the country's most widely read state newspaper, devoted its front page to articles and a commentary on the harvest. Describing the agriculture industry as "the first sector that shows the results of the year's business," the paper said a successful harvest would "inspire the people with confidence and optimism and reinvigorate the nation's economy." "There is no task more important or urgent than the fall harvest," it said, urging people to throw themselves into the effort. The paper also struck an upbeat note on this year's harvest, crediting growing mechanization in the field. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced the country's new five-year economic plan during a key party congress in February, stressing agricultural mechanization to increase crop output.

The 13th Latin American Festival was held with the participation of 15 Central and South American countries' embassies on Saturday at the Baram Madang plaza area of Seongbuk District Office in northeastern Seoul. Launched in 2011 and marking its 13th edition this year, the festival was organized by Seongbuk District Office. About 22 booths offered sales and hands-on experiences, inviting visitors to enjoy Latin American foods such as arepas, empanadas, tacos and pupusas — as well as traditional hats, musical instruments, accessories and local specialties. A variety of cultural performances, including traditional Mexican Jalisco dance, Argentine tango, Ecuadorian traditional and popular music, Salvadoran traditional dance, Peruvian Latin music and Colombian traditional dance also provided entertainment during the festival. Angie Shakira Martinez Tejera, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Korea, said the event offered an opportunity to introduce different sides of her country. The embassy brought her country's music, dance, food, crafts and baseball culture to Seoul as part of the

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