Joseph Yun Li-sun

Hundreds of thousands brave the frigid temperatures in Kim Il-sung Square and celebrate the successful launch of the Unha-3 rocket. Kim Jong-un, North Korea's young dictator, is hailed as the author of the success. However, South Korea is first to find the rocket's first stage fuel container and is convinced that the North is preparing a new nuclear test.

Mgr Lazarus You Heung-sik, bishop of Daejeon and president of the Episcopal Commission for the case of migrants, talks to AsiaNews about North Korea's latest provocation. "It was a terrible waste of money, which could have been used to feed North Koreas. The Church will continue its support projects but things will be increasingly more difficult."

According to military sources in South Korea, the Stalinist regime is dismantling the central module of the missile: "They could launch anyway, maybe it’s just technical problems". In any case, international pressure seems to have convinced the North to proceed more calmly, now the launch "could happen" by December 29.

Three Japanese Aegis destroyers armed with SM-3 missile interceptors are heading to the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan to halt Pyongyang's threat. Between 10 and 22 December, North Korea is set to launch a rocket. A South Korean government source told AsiaNews that "we do not know" what it is, but "we are ready" for anything.

Former independent candidate makes first public appearance since pulling out, says he will build his "new politics" after the 19 December vote. Current President Lee Myung-bak hopes to see the election of conservative Park Geun-hye.

Xinhua says China "hopes relevant parties can act in a way that is more conducive to the stability of the Korean peninsula." Moscow joins the appeal. Japan reports the presence of Iranian technicians helping Kim Jong-un's Stalinist regime.

With the withdrawal of Independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, who has promised to support the Democrat Moon Jae-in, the contest for the vote on December 19 becomes a head-to-head challenge against the Conservative Party candidate, Park Geun-hye. The Executive Secretary of the Bishop's Conference: "On the one hand, there is the opportunity to move forward towards a better society; on the other, there's the specter of a wicked society."

The archdiocese of the Korean capital sent all its parishes a booklet and a letter from the Bishops asking for a greater participation in all the Church's activities: "We need to relaunch concrete programs for the Year of Faith, to foster a rebirth of our joint commitment."

Pyongyang sends a long, enthusiastic message to the new leader of China. Seoul sends greetings, but waits for the new president to decide which way to go. A source tells AsiaNews: "Kim Jong-un wants to reopen negotiations with China and obtain better conditions than those imposed by Hu Jintao."

At the last World Cup the press conferences of the coach of the national team of North Korea made headlines, according to whom it was Kim Jong-il who managed the team (but only in victories). Now his son takes up the challenge, but on the volleyball court.

The two Democratic candidates will form a joint front against the Conservatives and demand a ceiling on election expenses. Mystery still shrouds the candidate to challenge Park: The name will only be announced after November 25.

North Korean couple that fled Stalinist regime has gone home. Kim Jong-un's government is exultant, saying "They chose the revolution." However, a Catholic source told AsiaNews that North Koreans are "indoctrinated from birth to be loyal to the regime" so "they were probably blackmailed about their families at home".