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Moon: Sanctions Needed To Push The North Into Talks; Hurricane Irma Is Battering Parts Of The Caribbean; Drone Footage Shows Raqqa Destruction. Aired 8-9a ET

Aired September 06, 2017 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM SHOW HOST: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Seoul and welcome to "News Stream."

Diplomatic efforts to pull tensions on the Korean peninsula. South Korea wants tougher sanctions, but Vladimir Putin warns against pushing Pyongyang

into a corner.

One of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record is pummeling the Caribbean. We are live from Puerto Rico and Havana as residents brace for

hurricane Irma.

And CNN has exclusive drone footage showing the scale of the destruction in the Syrian city of Raqqa.

And we begin in the Russia city of Vladivostok, not far from North Korea, has now become the center of a diplomatic discussion on how to handle

Pyongyang. Russian leader Vladimir Putin now for the frank analysis as he played host to his South Korean counterpart.

He says without diplomacy, the stand up with the north might be impossible to solve and warns against pushing Pyongyang into a corner. But, South

Korea President Moon Jae-in says stronger sanctions are needed to force the north into negotiation and if it doesn't stop its provocative action, it

could create an uncontrollable situation. Mr. Putin is to hold talks with Japan's prime minister on Thursday.

Let's bring in Fred Pleitgen from Vladivostok. Fred, we have some three very high profile and key players in the North Korean nuclear standoff

there. You have Putin, Abe, Moon. How are all of them addressing and will address the crisis?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Of course, you have both Mr. Abe and Mr. Moon who of course at the same time always have

to take into account how anything that they discuss here could also influence their relations with the United States. Of course, in this very

important time with the North Korean nuclear crisis going on, that's of course something they definitely have to take into consideration.

Nevertheless, both of these leaders especially President Moon today, of course, looking for support from the Russian federation, because he knows

that Russia is a very important player in all this, having a border also with North Korea, but also of course having some influence with North Korea

as well.

It was very interesting to see that the two leaders have a juicy (ph) eye- to-eye on most of the issues. However, there are key things that you mentioned where they have differing opinions, where Vladimir Putin says,

look, he believes that only dialogue will lead to a solution.

But then President Moon says he believes that stronger measures against North Korea, stronger sanctions especially are necessary to get North Korea

back to the negotiating table. Of course, Russians have said, so far, sanctions simply haven't worked. Here's what Vladimir Putin said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (through translator): We understand that to resolve the Korean peninsula just by introducing sanctions and

pressure is not enough. We should not be emotional and push Korea into the corner.

We should be cold-blooded and we should avoid steps to escalate tension. Without political and diplomatic levels, this situation will be very

difficult to resolve, and I think even impossible to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PLEITGEN: When the the Russian president talks about not showing emotion, he is obviously taking a swipe at the United States, with us. Russians have

long accused the U.S. specific crisis of being quite emotional in it and also coming forward with some pretty strong threats that the Russians say

have been counterproductive.

But, again, South Koreans, of course, very much need the United States on their side especially now that the U.S. is talking about potentially giving

or selling South Korea and also Japan more sophisticated weapons.

So certainly this is a really delicate situation for the South Koreans, for the Japanese to a lesser extent as well. Well, of course, they want Russia

support, but at the same time, they understand that the U.S. is of course a key ally in all of this as well, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Absolutely. I also want to ask you about Russian-Chinese proposal for freeze or double freeze. Nikki Haley, she rolled it out at the U.N.

Security Council. Is this something that the Russians still believe in, that they still say, it's on the table?

PLEITGEN: Well, Nikki Haley more than ruled the doubt. She called it an insult when she was speaking in front of the United Nations. The Russians

say, look, they do that very differently. Dmitri Peskov, the spokesman for Vladimir Putin, came out shortly after Nikki Haley said that and said, you

know, she can say that sitting there in the United States or at the U.N. However, it is very different when you have a border with North Korea, when

this conflict is obviously very, very real and very threatening.

And so the Russians say, yes, that proposal still is very much on the table, where the Russians and the Chinese are saying, look, they propose

that the North Koreans freeze their nuclear and their missile programs while the United Scales scales back maneuvers and also moves some of its

military assets here out of the region. Of course, it will all be more complicated than that. But, of course, that is the broad outline of all of

this.

[08:05:00] The U.S. does not at all seem to be up for that at the moment, certainly not willing to accept the China or Russia as a mediator,

certainly not in that form.

But the Russians still say they believe that that is in their view, the only way forward, Kristie.

LU STOUT: All right. Fred Pleitgen with the view from Vladivostok. Thank you, Fred.

Sanctions and condemnation have, let's face it, done little to slow down Pyongyang's nuclear ambition. So, what can be done to reign in North Korea

supreme leader? Well, joining me now is non-proliferation expert, Duyeon Kim. Duyeon, thank you so much for joining us here on the program.

DUYEON KIM, NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION EXPERT: Thank you for having me.

LU STOUT: The issue of sanctions. The U.N. Security Council, pretty soon, they're going to vote on that. Is there going to be this nuclear embargo

slap against North Korea? Will China be on board? And then you have Russia saying that sanctions are useless. What are your thoughts on the efficacy

of sanctions?

KIM; Sure. The sanctions, we need them. They're inevitable. You have to do them. You have to do whatever you can to ramp up the pressure, to ramp up

the sanctions, to change North Korea's behavior, not topple them.

LU STOUT: Yes.

KIM: But, as you said, these are very good questions. Will China sign on? Well, of course, I think they might sign on. Of course, they will sign on

to some sort of nations revolution, of course, because it is pressured by the international community to get with the program. But the question

really is, will Beijing implement the sanctions that they have right on to what they knew security council revolution. That remains the key.

Beijing really has no incentive or, and it's in their strategic interest to solve North Korea -- the North Korea problem for us. They can help. China

knows they can help. They have in the past squeezed the north enough to change North Korea's behavior. But this time, it is interesting, we have

not yet seen Beijing do that. We have not yet seen Beijing exercise the kind of leverage they actually have.

LU STOUT: And that is something that we hear Donald Trump saying all the time. In Tweeter, China needs to do more. But then Trump, he is an

interesting player in all this, because he seems to be confusing as well as criticizing key allies. There is a lot of discussion here in South Korea

about how he, you know, condemn the South Koreans, the government, talk of appeasement with the north and all of that. How does that complicated

matters further?

KIM: That definitely complicates matters. President Moon Jae-in, he -- he came in being the most proactively engaged, the most lenient towards North

Korea. And yet, President Moon being in the proactive engagement that he is, he had shown a harder line stance (ph). He is doing his best to show

Washington and the world that the alliance is solid, he is on board with the alliance, that there are no risks in the alliance.

LU STOUT: Yes.

KIM: The problem is Trump is pouring cold water and picking fight with South Korea, really isolating South Korea. The time when it should commence

relationship, to consult closely with its key number ally, South Korea. And this is exactly what North Korea wants. North Korea really wants a rift

between Washington and Seoul.

LU STOUT: Yes.

KIM: And Trump is really just serving it on a silver platter for Pyongyang.

LU STOUT: It doesn't help -- it appears that, yes, he has really close personal relationship with the prime minister of Japan, talking to him

twice on the phone since the North Korean nuclear tests last weekend. And Moon Jae-in finally got late phone call on Monday night local time. You

know, that must be concerning to people here in South Korea.

KIM; Most certainly is. Of course, South Koreans understand that the U.S.- Japan alliance is also extremely important. No question asked about that. But in a situation like this when tensions are still high, when the

security risks are still high, South Koreans will want to see leadership in the American president in solidarity with the South Korean people, the

South Korean president.

Well, this is actually part of the reason why we are seeing voices within South Korea, calling for its own nuclear weapons, calling for tactical

nuclear weapons being re-displaced to Korean peninsula because South Koreans really are concerned that at s decisive moment, Washington will not

come to South Korea's defense.

LU STOUT: And that's prompting fierce of new arms race in the region. So, here, we have it, that we have multiple options being talked about, right?

Dialogue, you know, continued military pressure, sanctions. What is it going to be? What will it take to break this cycle of North Korea doing

something provocative, testing a weapon, condemnation, and then North Korea testing another weapon after that? How can we stop this?

KIM: At the end of the day, it's got to be a deal between Washington and Pyongyang.

LU STOUT: Yes.

KIM: No questions asked. Through diplomacy, through dialogue. The only way you can find out the full range of possibility for a deal is through

(INAUDIBLE). The problem is both sides, there does not seem to be political will on either side to engage in any type of negotiation or dialogue.

At times when tensions are still high, what's actually more important and urgent, are (INAUDIBLE) prevention talk between Washington and Pyongyang.

But, again, there is now will to talk.

LU STOUT: Yes.

[08:10:00] KIM: So that's the biggest dilemma going forward. We are going to have to see some sort of gesture, some sort of signal coming from either

side to show that they are both ready to deescalate and hopefully get on the path of some sort of negotiation going forward.

LU STOUT: Interesting. In the last few days, everybody has been talking to each other except the two main players in this, the U.S. and North Korea.

KIM: Exactly.

LU STOUT: We will leave it at that. Thank you so much for joining us here on "News Stream."

KIM: Thank you.

LU STOUT: Turning now to the Caribbean. One of the most powerful Atlantic storms ever recorded is pummeling the region. This is hurricane Irma. Its

wins are an astounding 300 kilometers an hour. Meteorologists say it is a category five, but it would be a category six if the scale went that high.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration captured these images as well, showing what scientists called the "stadium effect." That is

inside the eye of the storm. This hurricane has prompted evacuations and states of emergency throughout the Caribbean and the U.S. state of Florida.

As to Puerto Rico, it really could not come at a worst time.

The U.S. territory has been watching its economy decline for years. Leyla Santiago is there in the capital of San Juan. She joins us now. Leyla,

before the storm potentially hits, what kind of last-minute preparations are being made there?

LEYLA SANTIAGO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, as you might imagine, the store shelves are empty for those basic supplies. Hard to find water, hard to

find generators. But, also, those shelters, 460 of them, many of them are now open. The governor just saying in the last half hour that more than 700

people have taken to those shelters to seek help.

Now, 700, really not that high given this is an island of about three and a half million people. And when the governor was asked just a little while

ago, give us the deadline here, what's the last minute, the last moment, rather, that people can still be out and about. He said, yes (ph), in other

words, now. He is asking people to either find safe shelter with other family members or to go to one of those shelters and be with emergency

management officials who have been working overnight.

The national guard is activated here. They are working to get people out of the eastern parts of the island, because there really flood-prone parts of

the island. They expect the impact to really hit hard in the northeast area which is where we are right now.

As we see Irma starting to approach, again, as you mentioned, Kristie, a thing that is also lingering over this island is the economic crisis. This

has been called something that could be a catastrophic by government officials, something that could really cause destruction and devastation.

If that happens be it because of hurricane winds or be it because of flooding, they really can't afford to rebuild.

There are $70 billion in debt on this island, an island with millions of U.S. citizens hoping for the best. But as the governor said, preparing for

the worst, Kristie.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RICARDO ROSSELLO (NEW PROGRESSIVE), PUERTO RICO (via telephone): We looked at the areas of flooding so that we could mobilize people. We also

are focused on, you know, the last 24 hours, mobilization efforts. So we are hoping for the best, but, of course, preparing for the worst.

This is a category five hurricane unlike has ever been seen before. So although we hope the trajectory continues up northward, we are preparing

for the worst, and, of course, keeping people safe is our main objective.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANTIAGO: I talked to one woman yesterday who -- when I was asking here about preparation for hurricane, she was quick to correct me, and she said,

this is not a hurricane, this is a beast. And so I think that sets the tone for how fearful people are on this island of what is to come. This is an

island in the Caribbean.

They are used to tropical storms this time of year, used to hurricane, but the governor has said that the magnitude of this weather system is one they

have never experienced in the recorded history of Puerto Rico. Kristie?

LU STOUT: Well, deep fear, deep concern about this beast of a storm due to arrive there in Puerto Rico. Leyla Santiago reporting live for us. Thank

you.

Let's go straight to our meteorologist, Chad Myers, standing by at the CNN Weather Center. Chad, immediate concerns for the people and places like

Puerto Rico, people in northeastern Caribbean. We also know that people in the U.S. state of Florida, they are also on alert as well. What's the

latest forecast for the entire region?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST AND SCIENCE REPORTER: Florida is still four days away, so let's focus on these international islands here from Anguilla

that just got pounded by somewhere in the neighborhood of 260 to 280 kilometer per hour wind

[08:15:00] from all directions as the eye moves right over the top, St. Martin as well. Next stop will be the BVI, from Virgin Gorda to Anegada to

Necker island where Sir Richard Branson has big estate right there. This is going to be a major event there for the British Virgin Islands. And then

going right through the U.S. Virgin Islands. And very strong winds for Vieques and Culebra. And then just to the north there of San Juan is where

the eye will go.

So, let's focus on the next few hours. Where has it been? Where is it going? Right over the island, we have no communication right now from

Barbuda. It got hit about four hours ago. There hasn't even been any radio traffic from that island right now. There are 1,400 residents on that

island. We will see what happens there.

As we get to Anguilla, finally now out of the eye, well for Anguilla, but the winds still could be 200 kilometers per hour for the next 15 minutes or

so. This is such a wide storm. I know we talked about the eye itself and how it's only about 20 kilometers per hour, shy of what high end was, when

the high end get the western pacific. But this storm has a wide wind field.

It will affect Puerto Rico even if the eye doesn't get there and I don't believe it will. But the eye will be north of there. We will have wind

fill, we will have one to two meters storm surges. We do know from pictures from St. Maarten and St. Barts of about a three meter storm surge. I assume

some of the northern parts of the island, the northern shores could have picked up a larger storm surge than that.

The yellow and the white right here, that's 120 kilometers plus, but doesn't say anything where we are here. We are somewhere over probably 280

kilometers per hour with wind gust going over the Turks and Caicos right here. A beautiful island chain here. Many of those islands not over about

three meters tall. The surge could be about five meters right over those islands.

So, that's really something else. Those "I" winds, those "I" waves could actually wash completely over the island, taking everything with it. And

now we go up four to five days from Cuba back up to Bahamas. And here is where the models and the inconsistency of the models isn't really so good.

We could be 100 kilometers one way or the other here, maybe 200 kilometers one way or the other here.

So, it could be west side of Florida, it could be east side of Florida, it could be the Bahamas. So, we can't even tell anyone yet right now where to

evacuate. If you are on the left side, the right side, east or west of Florida, we don't know which way to go. We just kind of standing still

waiting.

If you are on the northern part of Cuba, especially the Cuban keys, and I know we talked about the Florida keys a lot, but there are some beautiful

keys on the northern side of Cuba that are going to be significantly affected by at least 260 kilometer per hour winds and that is enough to

strip all of the vegetation.

Where does it go from there, it turns to the right and maybe up to east coast of Florida. For now, we are focused on the next 24 to 48 hours, just

trying to save lives here in the northern Caribbean islands.

LU STOUT: Yes. Chad, the forecast maybe fluid, but the picture of devastation that you're painting for us, very, very, dire. We thank you for

the forecast and for the warning. Chad Myers reporting there for us.

Myanmar is facing growing international condemnation over an escalating humanitarian crisis. Some countries are coming to the aid of thousands of

Rohingya refugees.

[08:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back to "News Stream," and we are live from Seoul, tracking developments in the region as diplomatic efforts are underway to

tackle North Korea' nuclear program. China is North Korea's biggest business partner, but that hasn't stopped Kim Jong-un from defying Beijing.

Matt Rivers reports Pyongyang's latest nuclear test came as President Xi was trying to focus on his own agenda.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was supposed to be an easy week for Xi Jinping, a chance for the Chinese leader to play

strong global statement (INAUDIBLE) BRICS Summit in Xiamen. Instead, as has become the norm recently, the event was overshadowed by North Korea.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNTRANSLATED)

RIVERS (voice-over): North Korea pushed the button on its sixth nuclear test just as the summit was beginning, a provocative move that is exactly

what China didn't want to happen, and yet Kim Jong-un went ahead and did it anyway, a clear sign that he is willing to flout China's wishes.

Although Beijing is Pyongyang's only major ally and economic lifeline, Kim Jong-un has shown that at least so far, nothing will deter him from pushing

his nuclear program forward. China has publicly condemned North Korea's behavior including at the U.N.

LIU JIEYI, AMBASSADOR OF CHINA TO THE UNITED NATIONS (through translator): Stop taking actions that are wrong, deteriorating the situation and not in

line with its own interests either.

RIVERS (voice-over): China also filed a protest with the North Korean embassy in Beijing that appears to be falling on deaf ears. The nuclear

test is the third time a North Korean provocation has outshined Xi Jinping at a major international event. Missile tests disrupted the One Belt, One

Road forum, Xi's major economic initiative, as well as the G20 held last September in Hangzhou.

Closing out the BRICS summit, Xi chose not to address North Korea despite it being the top issue of the day. Part of the reason Xi doesn't want to

talk about it, he is in the midst of preparing for the 19th party congress, the most important political event in five years, where the president is

trying to consolidate his power through 2022.

As a result, the nuclear test has all but been erased from state media. The entirety of the first three pages of the People's Daily was nothing but the

BRICS Summit. CCTV barely breathed a word about Kim Jong-un. And on social media platform wave wall, the term hydrogen bomb has been blocked by

sensors.

Still, sweeping the issue under the rug domestically doesn't mean it doesn't exists. China will now have to ponder its next move, caught between

his Asian neighbors and the U.S. and Russia.

The U.S. is pushing for more sanctions at the U.N. Security Council, further steps China seems to be unwilling to take and fears a unified

Korean peninsula allied with the west and a potential refugee crisis if the regime collapses.

RIVERS: But as Kim Jong-un continues to overshadow Xi Jinping when he least wants it, experts are now asking a new question, at what point if ever will

Beijing decide that propping up North Korea just isn't worth it? Matt Rivers, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: We are anticipating a phone call between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in the coming hour. And earlier, I spoke with John Delury, an

associate professor at Yonsei University. I asked him what President Xi might offer.

(START VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN DELURY, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, YONSEI UNIVERSITY: What I'm hearing is that the Chinese are open, even to starting some kind of action on fuel.

Probably wouldn't want to formalize it. We're not talking about shutting down the pipeline.

But there have been some indications that that is now within the pail from the Chinese's perspective. But I think Xi might tell Trump, look, I'll go

along to this extent, but it's not going to solve this problem for us. You know, sanctions are not the way that you stop the North Koreans.

LU STOUT: Yes. Open to sanctions, but not the only way. The Chinese, they also want dialogue.

DELURY: That's right. I mean, the Chinese position is crystal clear and it has been consistent for a long time. It's that the missing piece is

dialogue. They can't do the dialogue. It's the Americans that have to talk to the North Koreans.

You know, they used to want the six party talks to reconvene. If you notice, they don't talk about that as much.

LU STOUT: No.

DELURY: I think they've given up to some extent.

LU STOUT: Yes.

DELURY: Now, they just want the Americans and the North Koreans in the same room.

LU STOUT: And just how frustrated is Beijing right now? The North Koreans, detonated the nuclear device. It overshadowed the major economic summit

that Xi Pinjing was seeing in Xiamen. North Korea continues to be defiant, intense, weapon after weapon. What is the view in Beijing now about its

once close ally?

DELURY: Yes, I think China is deeply frustrated with North Korea.

[08:25:00] Kim Jong-un and Xi Jinping, you know, have never gotten along. We don't have a photograph of them together. So that relationship never

really -- never really came together and there is deep frustration there. On the other hand, if you look at this from the Chinese's perspective, you

know got United States and South Korea having this internal fight.

LU STOUT: Yes.

DELURY: You got questions across Asia about where is this going to go and are the Americans serious about war? Which really placed into China's

hands, in terms of the bigger picture of they're trying to step up and be the responsible stakeholder and be the voice of stability. And so this

couple levels to this game, China is not losing on every level.

LU STOUT: Last question for you. Does China hold the key? Because in the eyes of the Americans, they believe China does.

DELURY: The big hole in American thinking about North Korea is that China is the key --

LU STOUT: Yes.

DELURY: -- and to solve the problem, to open the door, you need a Chinese key. The key is in Donald Trump's hand. He just doesn't know where the door

is. He doesn't know how to use it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: Great analysis there. That was Professor John Delury speaking to me earlier right here in Seoul.

Now, Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, de facto leader of the country, is finally commenting on the plight of the Rohingya minority. Demonstrations have

taken place across the Muslim world, criticizing Suu Kyi for her silence. Violence has been mounting in Rakhine state. The international organization

for migration says more than 140,000 Rohingya have fled across the border to Bangladesh in recent days.

The de facto leader of Myanmar says all the people in her country are entitled to protection. She says misinformation about the Rohingya crisis

is being distributed to benefit what she called terrorists. Turkey has announced it will deliver 1,000 tonnes of aid to Rakhine state. Indonesia

and Pakistan have also issued strong statements, calling out the ongoing prosecution of the minority group.

You're watching "News Stream" live from Seoul. When we come back, the latest on the global effort to contain North Korea. The south is readying

more anti-missile launchers. And more on the category five hurricane that is barreling to the Caribbean. The island nation of Cuba is bracing for

impact. We'll take you there next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Seoul. You're watching "News Stream." These are your world headlines. Now, Russian President Vladimir Putin says

without diplomacy, the standoff with North Korea may be impossible to solve, and he warns against pushing Pyongyang into a corner.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in says stronger sanctions are needed to force the north into talks.

[08:30:00] Hurricane Irma is making its way to Puerto Rico after battering the tiny Caribbean island of Barbuda with winds near 300 kilometers an

hour.

The prime minister of Bahamas has ordered the evacuation of this island. Florida has declared a state of emergency. Pope Francis is headed for

Columbia. He is making good on a promise to visit the country after they reach a peace deal. The Pope hopes to promote reconciliation after 50

years of Civil War.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is blaming extremist for the violence against the Rohingya minority. Mr. Modi is meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi

in Myanmar with the humanitarian crisis of tens of thousand toping their agenda.

Now in a joint statement, the two leaders promised to work together to solve what they called, a terrorist problem. Let's go back to our news

story this hour.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LU STOUT: The diplomatic discussion on how to handle North Korea. And joining me now here in Seoul is Paula Hancocks. And Paula, I know you've

been watching very closely.

That economic summit taking place and there a lot of discussions between Putin and the South Korean President Moon Jae-in. To what degree are these

two leaders actually on the same page when it comes to dealing with North Korea?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kirstie naturally, President Moon agrees completely with what President Putin of Russia was saying. He came

to power in number of months ago. On the campaign promise, we must talk to North Korea.

I want dialogue. I want engagement. He wanted economic developments between the two Koreas. And of course, we're seeing in the past couple of

weeks, he done havering.

LU STOUT: Yes.

HANCOCKS: It's likely that it's a lot to do with Washington. It's like the -- that he's coming under pressure from U.S. President Trump.

And so you see his -- his ideas havering somewhat, that ideally, he is on the same page as President Putin. For example, the fact that he said, I

think it's necessary that we should actually stop the oil supply to North Korea and Putin said no. That's not something that Moon a couple of months

ago would have suggested.

LU STOUT: Yes, which is -- something that Moon also has not been a fan of is THAAD launchers in South Korea and today has happened again. North had

launchers deploy, China has weighed and condemning the action. Should South Korea be praising itself for more retaliatory motions -- actions from

China?

HANCOCKS: Potentially. I mean China never admitted to this economic boycott but everybody knew that wasn't economic boycott on South Korea.

And South Korea has been suffering, tourist numbers are devastated because of this THAAD missile defense system which 50 percent of South Koreans

don't even want according to some polls.

President Moon himself was not a fan of it when he came into power. But we're seeing that 206 launchers are already functional. We know that those

other four are now here.

They will be transported potentially at night, potentially tomorrow. There were a number of protest that's outside this site. Residents are now

there, they're going to try and stop it. So yes, there could be a much stronger economic boycott.

LU STOUT: And now all eyes on North Korea and it's next move and it's anticipated next move, the possible missile launch taking place this

Saturday, Foundation Day. Is that a certainty?

HANCOCKS: It's not a certainty. Not being to certainty with North Korea, I come to learn but the facts is, the NIS, the intelligence agency saw the

preparations.

They saw what they thought was an ICBM being moved to the coast in preparation of a launch. North Korea knows it's being watched. They know

when to spice up life over there.

So potentially, their throwing the international community (Inaudible), but frankly, I'm not sure where they would. They want to test an ICBM.

They have said they're going to perfect that capability. And not until now, they pretty much done everything they said they were going to.

LU STOUT: Yes. Paula Hancocks joining us live. As always, thank you for your reporting. Take care. Now, back to another one of our top stories

this hour.

Cuba is one of the Caribbean nations bracing for the wrath of Hurricane Irma, a category five storm packing potentially catastrophic winds of

almost 300 kilometers an hour.

CNN's Patrick Oppmann is in Havana to tell us about the preparations being made there. And Patrick, what are residents there in Cuba doing to get

ready, to prepare to ride out the storm?

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well behind me, Kirstie, you seen a cruise ship that a few hours is expected to leave a full day ahead of

schedule to get the some 2000 passengers aboard back to Florida where they can get flights out of path of this very powerful hurricane.

Of course for Cubans will be affected much as I will be affected by the storm. They're going to have to ride it out. Frankly, no way to run from

the storm when you're on the island, we're already seeing they can cover much of this island.

So the government is putting out warnings to some people to be alert, to follow updates as they come in, so we expected in the next few days, the

government to begin the next steps to evacuate people who live along the coastal areas that get flood.

To get -- to begin the pre-deploy supplies as they have done so often and very effectively in stores fast to get help into affected area very

quickly.

Of course when you look at the storm that is this powerful, this strong and so large, it's going to cost massive destruction wherever it goes. If it

comes to Cuba, you almost wonder this is a poor country how they will be able to respond.

[08:35:00] Even the government has had success in years past effectively when you look at a storm that cut along -- carry across the entire north

coast of the island.

So you know when I came in the office this morning, it did strike me that I didn't see one single window that was boarded up across entire see front in

Havana.

You know so many of those supplies were already in short -- supplies scares. Even before this hurricane began to threatened Cuba, so before

doing the best they can to be ready, and we'll have to see if it's going to be enough.

LU STOUT: It's usual they hear, Patrick, that supplies already scares before this hurricane became a real threat to Cuba, when that does not

being boarded up.

I mean usually, Havana is a bit more prepare for a storm like this. So how would you explain why the situation is the way it is right now?

OPPMANN: Well, you know, you have a government that controls all imports the island. You have U.S. economic embargo. So items like ply wood,

bottled water, they can run out on a normal day.

What -- the Cuba government does very, very effectively though is evacuate large shawls of the island some about is up to tens of thousands of people

and because people are from the island and have long histories with hurricane, they know what to do if the government tells them to evacuate.

They typically go ahead and do that. The government sets up evacuation shelters across the island but when you look at a storm that at this state

just hard to see where people will be able to evacuate to. This is going to have a big impact if the storm continues on the trajectory that it

appears it will take.

LU STOUT: All right and at moment, how would you describe conditions on island?

OPPMANN: It's a beautiful day and so often I've covered too many of these stories frankly over the years and usually the days leading up to storm, is

just a beautiful weather that is going to change.

And I think that is something the Cuban government is trying to let people know because I have talked with Cubans who have said they're not concerned

that they have been through this in the past.

When you took -- look at storm of this magnitude, this size coming in and possibly it is a category four, that can devastate infrastructure but

frankly in Cuba, is already very deteriorated.

So certainly the government's challenge is going to be telling people this is not typical hurricane that even though Cubans -- all their lives have

experienced hurricanes, survived hurricanes, I don't think anyone will see one like this, Kristie.

LU STOUT: Yes, this is going to be one of historic proportions. Thank you very much for your reporting. Patrick Oppmann, joining us live from Havana

and do take care.

Now just ahead right here in the program, some stark images of the other destruction in Syrian in Raqqa, we'll shoe you some exclusive footage, a

neighborhood still recovering from the arms of ISIS.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LU STOUT: Welcome back, you're watching this special edition of News Stream live from Seoul. And we're been following developments from the

South Korean capital where there is now concern that the North is getting ready for another missile test.

Now with another story that we are following closely here, the Syrian government said it has broke in the three years siege for ISIS of Deir al-

Zour.

The city was considered the terror groups last major position in Syria. The country's official news agency says army units carried out operations

under intensive air cover.

[08:40:00] The government forces and tens of thousands of civilians in the city have been trapped for over two years facing food and medical

shortages.

Now also in Syria, U.S. based forces said that they have taken control the city of Raqqa from ISIS. That's the declared capital of the militant

group, so called Caliphate.

And CNN has obtained this exclusive drone footage showing the destruction and neighborhoods that have yet to be cleared of snipers and mines. Hala

Gorani has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For the past three years, Raqqa has been hidden from the eyes of the world but now exclusive drone footage gives us

a first bird's eye view of ISIS' de facto capital.

Three month since the battle for Raqqa began, this is what is left of newly liberated western neighborhoods. Around 200,000 civilians have fled the

city and estimated 20,000 still trapped in the center.

Not a person in cite in this square which is named after a relative of President Bashar al-Assad. In Raqqa's center, ISIS is surrounded on all

fronts. The SDF has taken back control of over half of the city including in the past few days, the Great Mosque and the Old City.

The remarkable drone footage shows how much has been destroyed in the small city. Up to 20 air strikes a day from U.S.-led coalition planes according

to the SDF.

While the air strikes target ISIS fighters, increasingly civilians are being killed, in part because ISIS often uses them as human shields.

As the smoke of the strikes and mortars lingers in the air here, ISIS retreats leaving danger this wake. Local fighters say this entire open area

has been laced with IEDs. And if estimated, there are around 1500 ISIS fighters left in Raqqa.

This city has been the center of the terrorist groups self declared Caliphate since 2014. These drone pictures give us a new inside view of a

city starting to feel liberation but at a very heavy price. Hala Gorani, CNN. London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LU STOUT: And that is News Stream live from Seoul. I'm Kristie Lu Stout. But don't go anywhere. World Sport Alex Thomas is next.

END