NKorea urges South to stop mediating between North, US

North Korea said Thursday that South Korea must stop trying to mediate between Pyongyang and Washington, as it stepped up its pressure on the United States to work out new proposals to salvage deadlocked nuclear diplomacy.

The North Korean statement was an apparent continuation of its displeasure with Seoul and Washington over the stalled diplomacy. But there are no signs that North Korea would formally abandon talks anytime soon as an inter-Korean liaison office in North Korean remains operating and the North still talks about good relations between its leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump.

The statement came two days before Trump visits South Korea for a two-day trip.

FILE - In this June 12, 2018, file photo, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, center, watches the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore on TV screen before the start of a weekly Cabinet meeting at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea. North Korea said Thursday, June 27, 2019, South Korea must stop trying to mediate between Pyongyang and Washington. The North's Foreign Ministry also repeated its demand that the United States must work out mutually acceptable proposals to salvage a deadlocked nuclear negotiations by the end of December. (Bee Jae-manYonhap via AP, File)

There have been no public meetings between the United States and North Korea since the breakdown of the second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi in February. Kim returned home empty-handed after Trump refused to provide with badly needed sanctions relief in return for a limited denuclearization step.

The summit's collapse was a blow to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a liberal who shuttled between Washington and Pyongyang to facilitate talks between the countries.

Talks of revival of diplomacy, however, has flared after Trump and Kim recently exchanged personal letters. Moon said earlier this week that U.S. and North Korean officials were holding "behind-the-scene talks" to try to set up a third summit between Trump and Kim. Moon also said talks between the two Koreas have been under way through unspecified "various channels."

A South Korean police officer stands guard near the U.S. embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, June 27, 2019. North Korea said Thursday South Korea must stop trying to mediate between Pyongyang and Washington. The North's Foreign Ministry also repeated its demand that the United States must work out mutually acceptable proposals to salvage a deadlocked nuclear negotiations by the end of December. (AP PhotoLee Jin-man)

On Thursday, Kwon Jong Gun, chief of the North Korean Foreign Ministry's U.S. affairs department, said it will "never go through" South Korea again when it deals with the United States. He also dismissed as false the comments by Moon and other South Korean officials that there are various exchanges and unofficial talks between the two Koreas.

"It's better for the South Korean authorities to mind their own business at home," Kwon said.

Kwon's statement came after Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Kim during the first Chinese leader's visit to Pyongyang since 2005. Some experts said Xi's trip signaled Beijing, Pyongyang's main ally and aid benefactor, intended to play a greater role as a mediator in the nuclear issue to increase its leverage with Washington over trade disputes.

A protester shouts slogans during a rally demanding the peace on the Korean peninsula and to stop sanctions on North Korea, ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's scheduled visit, near the U.S. embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, June 27, 2019. North Korea said Thursday South Korea must stop trying to mediate between Pyongyang and Washington. The North's Foreign Ministry also repeated its demand that the United States must work out mutually acceptable proposals to salvage a deadlocked nuclear negotiations by the end of December. The sign held by the protester reads: "Lift sanctions on North Korea." (AP PhotoLee Jin-man)

Kwon also reiterated Kim's previous demand that the United States to come up with acceptable nuclear deals by the end of December.

"(North Korea)-U.S. talks won't be held by themselves if the U.S. is repeating the resumption of dialogue like a parrot without thinking about coming up with realistic proposals that are in the interests of both sides," he said.

He still said North Korea-U.S. relations are proceeding based on the "friendly relations" between Kim and Trump.

Protesters perform during a rally demanding the peace on the Korean peninsula and to stop sanctions on North Korea, ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's scheduled visit near the U.S. embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, June 27, 2019. North Korea said Thursday South Korea must stop trying to mediate between Pyongyang and Washington. The North's Foreign Ministry also repeated its demand that the United States must work out mutually acceptable proposals to salvage a deadlocked nuclear negotiations by the end of December. Balloons read: "Lift sanctions on North Korea and Unification." (AP PhotoLee Jin-man)

The North's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it won't surrender to U.S.-led sanctions and accused Washington of trying to "bring us to our knees." U.S. officials have said the sanctions would stay in place unless North Korea takes significant steps toward nuclear disarmament.

DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland Athletics no longer have to wonder where they'll play the next few seasons. That won't make the long goodbye any easier.

The A's reacted to the announcement that this will be their last year in Oakland with a mixture of sadness and relief.

“At least as a player, you know where you’re headed,” outfielder Seth Brown said Friday before a game against the Tigers in Detroit. “There’s obviously a lot of moving parts, a lot of stuff we’re not privy to, so it’s just been kind of a waiting game on our end. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to be? So I think just having that knowledge -- at least we know where we’re going to be playing next year.”

Vivek Ranadivé, who owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher announced Thursday that the A’s will temporarily relocate to West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park for at least three seasons. The A's are moving to Las Vegas after a new ballpark is constructed.

The River Cats, who are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play at the same facility.

Fisher was unable to reach an agreement with Oakland city officials on extending the lease at Oakland Coliseum, which expires at the end of this season. The A's have played in the city since 1968.

“There's direction now, which we've talked a lot about,” Oakland A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “We've got time to kind of reflect on what this really means from an organizational standpoint, the history that we've had in Oakland, with this being now the final season. There's a lot of emotion that goes behind this.”

It will not only cause some upheaval for the players and staff but also members of the organization that work behind the scenes.

“At the end of the day, we know where we're going to be for the next three seasons after the finish this year and that in itself gives a little bit of stability,” Kotsay said. “At the same time, in the present, it's challenging in certain ways to think about the finality of this organization in Oakland.”

Sacramento will be a much smaller environment to house a major league team. Ranadivé said the River Cats venue currently seats 16,000 when counting the stands, the lawn behind center field and standing room only.

First baseman Ryan Noda is concerned with the facilities. He's hopeful that significant upgrades will be made, much like the Toronto Blue Jays did at Buffalo's Triple-A facility. The Blue Jays played at Buffalo's Sahlen Field in 2020 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“New walls, new dugouts, new locker rooms — everything they needed to become a big league stadium,” said Noda, who played some games in Sacramento as a minor leaguer. “As long as we can do something like that, then it'll be all right. But it's definitely going to be different than playing in stadiums that hold 40,000 people.”

Kotsay is confident the upgrades will occur.

“I know it will be of major league baseball quality,” he said. “It's has to be of major league baseball quality. I know the Players Association will make sure that takes place, as they did in Buffalo.”

For the rest of this season, the A's will have to deal with small home crowds and disappointed fans.

“We’re sad for the fans, the diehard fans, who always come to our games, always support us, always support the boys wearing the jersey,” Noda said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, center, shakes hands John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics, before the start of a news conference where Fisher announced his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4 2024.The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, announces that his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple A team Sacramento River Cats, is shown in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Oakland Athletics announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay walks to the dugout after making a pitching change during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)