ID :
167056
Thu, 03/10/2011 - 08:48
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/167056
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AP turns to N Korea with request to open office in Pyongyang
PYONGYANG, March 10 (Itar-Tass) - A delegation of the American news
agency Associated Press, headed by its President and CEO Thomas Curley
that is on a visit here, has turned to the North Korean authorities with a request to open its office in Pyongyang, an informed Korean source told Itar-Tass on Thursday.
According to the American side, the source said that "it would make it possible to create in the United States an objective and truthful picture of events occurring in the DPRK." "However, there is no clarity so far on the issue of opening of the AP office," he said. According to him, a delegation of Reuters earlier visited Pyongyang with a similar aim.
Among foreign news agencies, only Russia's Itar-Tass and China's
Xinhua are currently represented in Pyongyang. A journalist from the
Renmin Ribao (The People's Daily) newspaper - the organ of the Communist Party of China, is also working here. Since 2006, the international video branch "AP Television News" has been functioning in the North Korean capital, but its Pyongyang office transmits only videos.
According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, Thomas Curley arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday and paid respects to the late founder of North Korea, Kim Il-sung, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a brief report. "Thomas Curley, president of the Associated Press of the United States, and his party visited the statue of President Kim Il-sung," the KCNA said. "The guests laid bouquets before the statue and paid homage to the president." The KCNA didn't provide details such as why the AP president was visiting North Korea or how long he would stay there.
A source in Seoul said, however, Curley is scheduled to stay in
Pyongyang until Friday and his visit may be aimed at trying to set up a news bureau in the reclusive state. AP Television News, the international video division of AP, opened a full-time office in Pyongyang in 2006, making it the first Western news organisation to establish a permanent presence in North Korea. The Pyongyang office of APTN currently provides only video images. Only three foreign news organisations have bureaus with their journalists in Pyongyang: Xinhua news agency and the People's Daily from China, and Itar-Tass from Russia, according to the source.
agency Associated Press, headed by its President and CEO Thomas Curley
that is on a visit here, has turned to the North Korean authorities with a request to open its office in Pyongyang, an informed Korean source told Itar-Tass on Thursday.
According to the American side, the source said that "it would make it possible to create in the United States an objective and truthful picture of events occurring in the DPRK." "However, there is no clarity so far on the issue of opening of the AP office," he said. According to him, a delegation of Reuters earlier visited Pyongyang with a similar aim.
Among foreign news agencies, only Russia's Itar-Tass and China's
Xinhua are currently represented in Pyongyang. A journalist from the
Renmin Ribao (The People's Daily) newspaper - the organ of the Communist Party of China, is also working here. Since 2006, the international video branch "AP Television News" has been functioning in the North Korean capital, but its Pyongyang office transmits only videos.
According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, Thomas Curley arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday and paid respects to the late founder of North Korea, Kim Il-sung, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a brief report. "Thomas Curley, president of the Associated Press of the United States, and his party visited the statue of President Kim Il-sung," the KCNA said. "The guests laid bouquets before the statue and paid homage to the president." The KCNA didn't provide details such as why the AP president was visiting North Korea or how long he would stay there.
A source in Seoul said, however, Curley is scheduled to stay in
Pyongyang until Friday and his visit may be aimed at trying to set up a news bureau in the reclusive state. AP Television News, the international video division of AP, opened a full-time office in Pyongyang in 2006, making it the first Western news organisation to establish a permanent presence in North Korea. The Pyongyang office of APTN currently provides only video images. Only three foreign news organisations have bureaus with their journalists in Pyongyang: Xinhua news agency and the People's Daily from China, and Itar-Tass from Russia, according to the source.
