South Korea's Unification Minister Hyun In-taek speaks during an interview with Reuters at his office in Seoul June 22, 2009. North Korea leader Kim Jong-il is likely in good health and his grip on power strong but his recent displays of military might may be driven by fears of growing social instability, Hyun said in an interview on Monday. To match interview KOREA-NORTH. Reuters Pictures 5 months ago

South Korea's Unification Minister Hyun In-taek speaks during an interview with Reuters at his office in Seoul June 22, 2009. North Korea leader Kim Jong-il is likely in good health and his grip on power strong but his recent displays of military might may be driven by fears of growing social instability, Hyun said in an interview on Monday. To match interview KOREA-NORTH.

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  1. South Korean conservative activists burn a North Korean flag and a portrait of its leader Kim Jong-Il during a rally in Seoul on November 11, 2009 denouncing a sea clash between South and North Korean navy boats in the Yellow Sea the day before. South Korea's military was on alert for any retaliatory moves after the clash, and Washington warned Pyongyang against escalating tensions.
  2. South Korean conservative activists burn a portrait of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il (L) during a rally in Seoul on November 11, 2009 denouncing a sea clash between South and North Korean navy boats in the Yellow Sea the day befor. South Korea's military was on alert for any retaliatory moves after the clash, and Washington warned Pyongyang against escalating tensions.
  3. This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 25, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Il inspecting the newly-built Mt. Myohyang Recreation Ground in North Pyongan province. Senior US and North Korean envoys held rare face-to-face talks in New York on October 24, 2009, boosting hopes of progress in stalled six-party nuclear talks and paving the way toward increased bilateral engagement.
  4. This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 25, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Il inspecting the Huichon Silk Mill in Noth Korea's Jagang province. Senior US and North Korean envoys held rare face-to-face talks in New York on October 24, 2009, boosting hopes of progress in stalled six-party nuclear talks and paving the way toward increased bilateral engagement.
  5. This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 25, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Il inspecting the Youth Electric Complex at Huichon city in Noth Korea's Jagang province. Senior US and North Korean envoys held rare face-to-face talks in New York on October 24, 2009, boosting hopes of progress in stalled six-party nuclear talks and paving the way toward increased bilateral engagement.
  6. This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 25, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Il posing with staff of the Youth Electric Complex at Huichon city in Noth Korea's Jagang province. Senior US and North Korean envoys held rare face-to-face talks in New York on October 24, 2009, boosting hopes of progress in stalled six-party nuclear talks and paving the way toward increased bilateral engagement.
  7. This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 25, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Il inspecting the Huichon University of Technology in Noth Korea's Jagang province. Senior US and North Korean envoys held rare face-to-face talks in New York on October 24, 2009, boosting hopes of progress in stalled six-party nuclear talks and paving the way toward increased bilateral engagement.
  8. this undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 24, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (C) inspecting a newly-built pig farm at an undisclosed location in North Korea. The US froze October 23, 2009 the assets of a North Korean bank after the Treasury designated it a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction, officials said.
  9. this undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 24, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (C) inspecting a newly-built pig farm at an undisclosed location in North Korea. The US froze October 23, 2009 the assets of a North Korean bank after the Treasury designated it a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction, officials said.
  10. this undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 24, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (centre L) inspecting a newly-built pig farm at an undisclosed location in North Korea. The US froze October 23, 2009 the assets of a North Korean bank after the Treasury designated it a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction, officials said.
  11. this undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 24, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (C) inspecting a newly-built pig farm at an undisclosed location in North Korea. The US froze October 23, 2009 the assets of a North Korean bank after the Treasury designated it a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction, officials said.
  12. This undated picture, released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 21, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il inspecting the newly-built apartment houses in Mansudae Street in Pyongyang. The United States will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea, Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned on October 21, saying its atomic and missile programmes pose a 'lethal and destabilising' threat.
  13. This undated picture, released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on October 21, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il inspecting the newly-built apartment houses in Mansudae Street in Pyongyang. The United States will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea, Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned on October 21, saying its atomic and missile programmes pose a 'lethal and destabilising' threat.
  14. South Korean conservative activists shout slogans next to portraits of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il during a rally in Seoul denouncing the North's launch of missiles on October 13, 2009. South Korea accused North Korea of flouting a United Nations ban with its latest short-range missile tests on October 12, amid reports the communist state is planning more launches.
  15. South Korean conservative activists shout slogans with placards showing pictures of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il during a rally in Seoul denouncing the North's launch of missiles on October 13, 2009. South Korea accused North Korea of flouting a United Nations ban with its latest short-range missile tests on October 12, amid reports the communist state is planning more launches.
  16. South Korean conservative activists shout slogans with placards showing pictures of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il during a rally in Seoul denouncing the North's launch of missiles on October 13, 2009. South Korea accused North Korea of flouting a United Nations ban with its latest short-range missile tests on October 12, amid reports the communist state is planning more launches.

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  1. Kirant girls wearing traditional ornaments take part in the Sakela Udhauli festival in Kathmandu December 2, 2009. The festival is celebrated by the ethnic group of Kirat Rai in Nepal where they pray to Mother Nature for good crops and protection from natural calamities.
  2. A technician works on the 'Wave Star Energy' wave energy machine's new 500 kilowatt test section, located at a depth of seven metres and 300 meters off shore in the North Sea outside Hanstholm, western Denmark December 2, 2009. The floats of the machine produce energy from the movements of the waves, after they are lowered below the surface of the sea. The Climate Summit in Copenhagen will take place December 7-18, 2009.
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  4. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 02: Actress Lee Chae-Young arrives for the 30th Blue Dragon Film Awards at the Korean Broadcasting System on December 2, 2009 in Seoul, South Korea.
  5. CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - DECEMBER 02: Sean Kim the senior Vice President of the Hyundai Motor Company holds the Hyundai Best Young Player Award at the announcement at at the Cape Town International Convention Centreon December 2, 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa.
  6. CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - DECEMBER 02: Sean Kim the senior Vice President of the Hyundai Motor Company holds the Hyundai Best Young Player Award at the announcement at at the Cape Town International Convention Centreon December 2, 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa.
  7. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - DECEMBER 02: Actor Kim Yun-Seok arrives for the 30th Blue Dragon Film Awards at the Korean Broadcasting System on December 2, 2009 in Seoul, South Korea.
  8. SUN CITY, SOUTH AFRICA - DECEMBER 02: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland (R) is watched by South African Golf Legend Gary Player on the 16th tee during the pro-am as a preview for the 2009 Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club Course on December 2, 2009 in Sun City, South Africa.
  9. SUN CITY, SOUTH AFRICA - DECEMBER 02: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland (L) meets up with South African Golf Legend Gary Player on the 17th tee during the pro-am as a preview for the 2009 Nedbank Golf Challenge at the Gary Player Country Club Course on December 2, 2009 in Sun City, South Africa.
  10. A Kirant girl wearing traditional ornaments takes part in the Sakela Udhauli festival in Kathmandu December 2, 2009. The festival is celebrated by the ethnic group of Kirat Rai in Nepal where they pray to Mother Nature for good crops and protection from natural calamities.
  11. An Afghan soldier searches a car before it heads inside an Afghan military base in Jalalabad, Nangarhar province east of Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009. The Afghan government welcomed President Barack Obama's announcement that he was sending 30,000 more U.S. troops, but cautioned against setting a deadline for Americans to hand over to Afghan security forces and start withdrawing. Obama said if conditions are right, U.S. troops could begin leaving Afghanistan in 18 months.
  12. An Afghan soldier mans an RPG rocket at the entrance gate of an Afghan military base in Jalalabad, Nangarhar province east of Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009. The Afghan government welcomed President Barack Obama's announcement that he was sending 30,000 more U.S. troops, but cautioned against setting a deadline for Americans to hand over to Afghan security forces and start withdrawing. Obama said if conditions are right, U.S. troops could begin leaving Afghanistan in 18 months.
  13. Chile's President Michelle Bachelet is received by Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates Wednesday, Dec. 2 2009, at Lisbon's Sao Bento Palace, the premier's official residence, on the second day of her state visit to Portugal.
  14. Chile's President Michelle Bachelet is recieved by Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates Wednesday, Dec. 2 2009, at Lisbon's Sao Bento Palace, the premier's official residence, on the second day of her state visit to Portugal.
  15. People take part in a rally protesting against terror in Moscow, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009. Chechen rebels claimed responsibility Wednesday for last week's Russian train bombing, which killed at least 26 people and injured scores of others, a Web site sympathetic to the militants said. The bombing would mark the first deadly terrorist attack outside the North Caucasus since the bombings of two airliners and a Moscow subway station attack in 2004.
  16. US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke talks with EU's special representative for Afghanistan Ettore Sequi, at the European Counsill building in Brussels, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009.