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Biden Visits South Korea, Japan on First Asia Trip; Ukraine: At Least 12 Civilians Killed in Russian Shelling; Turkey Says It Plans to Reject NATO Bids by Finland and Sweden; Select Committee Investigation Capitol Tour Given by Congressman; U.S. Government Secures First Batch of Formula from Overseas; North Korea Scrambling to Contain Massive COVID Outbreak. Aired 4-4:30a ET
Aired May 20, 2022 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:00]
KIM BRUNHUBER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to all of you watching us here in the United States, Canada and all around the world. I'm Kim Brunhuber live at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Just ahead here in CNN NEWSROOM --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Quite often North Korea has carried out some kind of test just before or just after any kind of presidential trip, but for it to happen whilst U.S. President Biden is here would be quite surprising.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ukrainians have achieved remarkable success pushing Russian forces closer to the border now away from Ukraine.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There is no question NATO is relevant. It is effective. Finland and Sweden make NATO stronger.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The January 6 select committee once again has in its sights a Republican member of Congress. And Republicans are now asking for the Capitol Police to release the video in question here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Live from Atlanta, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Kim Brunhuber.
BRUNHUBER: Minutes from now, U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to land in South Korea to begin his very first Asian trip as president. He will spend most of the weekend in the country holding talks with the new South Korea president before heading to Japan. Where he'll meet with Japan's Prime Minister as well as Indian and Australian leaders. Officials say the trip to Asia comes later in his presidency than he might have liked, but Biden plans to in his words, quote, affirm the importance of our Indo-Pacific alliances.
CNN's Kevin Liptak and Paula Hancocks are both live from Seoul. So, Paula, let's start with you. North Korea an unwelcome/welcome gift of sorts for President Biden with some kind of weapons tests that's expected to be conducted during or just after his visit? What more do we know?
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is what we're hearing both from the U.S. and South Korean side that potentially there is an ICBM, an intercontinental ballistic missile, or some kind of long range missile that is being prepared. Now this is according to both sides saying that they are looking at satellite images and what they've seen before just before and just prior to what a long range missiles launches. It's what they are seeing now. But we don't know for sure if this will happen. If it does happen, it would be remarkable.
There hasn't been a weapons test, missile launch while a U.S. president has been in the country before. Just before and just after is when Pyongyang usually does it. But obviously the White House has had to think about this. We heard from National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan saying that they are preparing for all contingencies should there be a launch or even a nuclear test, an underground nuclear test either before, during or after the visit by the U.S. president.
Clearly North Korea was going to be high up on the agenda anyway when it came to the meeting between the U.S. president and the new South Korean President, Yoon Suk-yeol. And North Korea always has a way of making sure that it is top of the agenda. They've had a remarkable year, 15 missile launches so far -- Kim.
BRUNHUBER: All right, thanks so much, Paula. Apologize for the audio was a bit off there. So, Kevin, let's go to you now. It's taken President Biden a while as we said to make his first Asian trip of his presidency. So, take us through what you are expecting to see and hear.
KEVIN LIPTAK, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Yes, I think President Biden would have liked to travel to Asia a little sooner in his presidency just like his most predecessors did. But he was hampered by the restrictions around the coronavirus pandemic. And he was hampered by the crisis in Ukraine which is consuming so much of his time and attention.
But now the president really wants to come here to reaffirm the importance of these key personal alliances in Japan and South Korea and sort of demonstrate that he is still focused on this region. What U.S. officials say is that of course they can focus on two things at the same time and in fact the president's ability to rally allies behind a sanctions regime against Russia is actually very reassuring to American allies in Asia who are looking at the situation here and wondering what might happen in the next several years or decades.
And so certainly North Korea is high on the agenda as Paula laid out. U.S. officials sort of bracing for a potential provocation should that happen while the president is here on the peninsula.
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But of course, the other major issue that is looming over this trip sort of unspoken but certainly a major factor is China. And the president has really sort of made it a central facet of his foreign policy to counter China and sort of compete in the same military and economic space as China does in Asia.
And so, when you see the president arrive, the first thing he'll do is go to this Samsung factory that is manufacturing semiconductors, those critical microchips that are essential for vehicles. There's been a global shortage of those because of shutdowns at Chinese factories. And what the president wants to do is sort of reiterate that the U.S. can sort of wean itself off of its reliance on Chinese supply chains. Get those microchips from other allies like South Korea and potentially make them back at home. And so, this is sort of the economic message that the president hopes to drive while he is in Asia.
But certainly, North Korea, security issues and China will all be the focus of these bilateral talks that the president will hold with the new South Korean president tomorrow and later when he goes to Japan with the new Prime Minister there as well. It's his first time in both of these countries. These are new leaders, the U.S. has taken them as sort of a positive sign, both have been very vocally pro-United States. And so, the president's aides certainly feel confident that they can get a lot out of this trip. But when we see them touchdown in a few minutes from now, we'll really see that demonstration that the president is focusing on Asia, is committed to making this a key facet of his foreign policy -- Kim.
BRUNHUBER: Yes, and we'll come back to you live when the president touches down in, well, maybe 10 minutes or so. Kevin Liptak, thank you so much, appreciate it.
President Joe Biden says Finland and Sweden have the full and complete backing of the United States for their formal applications to join NATO. He welcomed the leaders of the two nations to the White House on Thursday as a show of support and solidarity. Finland and Sweden say their bids to join NATO are a direct result of Russia's war on Ukraine which sparked security concerns across the region. Biden says the Nordic countries will bring new strength to the alliance. Here he is.
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JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today there is no question NATO is relevant. It is effective. And it is more needed now than ever. The bottom line is simple, quite straightforward, Finland and Sweden make NATO stronger.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: But all 30 NATO members have to agree on admitting any new nation to the alliance and on Thursday Turkey's president again reiterated his objection to the bids by Finland and Sweden.
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RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, TURKISH PRESIDENT (through translator): If we are Turkey with a population of 85 million, this country has made such a mistake in the past. It will not happen again. Because of that, we will continue our policy in a determined way. We have told allies that we will say no to Finland and Sweden's NATO membership. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: Meanwhile an enormous aid bill for Ukraine is on its way to South Korea to be signed into law by President Joe Biden. On Thursday the Senate overwhelmingly voted to pass the nearly $40 billion package, it would provide money for both military and humanitarian assistance to the war-torn nation. That same day the White House announced another security package worth $100 million for Ukraine. And that includes additional artillery, radar and other equipment.
Well, Ukraine's military is upbeat about the success of its recent counter offenses. The top commander says Russian sieges of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv have been broken and Ukrainian forces are pressing on toward Kherson. But fighting is fierce across the front lines in eastern Ukraine. Russian airstrikes and shelling killed at least a dozen civilians in the strategic city of Severodonetsk. Ukraine's president says there is no military justification for Russia's brutality. Here he is.
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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The armed forces of Ukraine continue the liberation of Kharkiv region. But in Donbas, the occupiers are trying to increase pressure. There is hell and that is not an exaggeration.
Constant strikes at the Odessa region, at the cities of central Ukraine, Donbas is completely destroyed. All this doesn't and cannot have any military explanation for Russia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNHUBER: And in Mariupol, an unknown number of Ukrainian soldiers are vowing to keep fighting from inside the Azovstal steel plant, hundreds of them have surrendered in recent days.
Suzanne Malveaux is standing by in Lviv. So, Suzanne, let's start with the strikes which killed so many civilians. What more are we learning?
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SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kim, it really is devastating the civilians taking the brunt of so many of these missile and artillery attacks as we had heard from President Zelenskyy noting just the devastation and the toll that it is taking on Ukrainians now just north of Kyiv in an area of Desna. It's a village that is just 40 miles from the border with Belarus. He mentioned that there were many, many dead. We don't know the numbers. But they are still trying to sort out the damage and carnage there.
And as you mentioned, as the president did as well, in the Donbas, that is the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, that has been particularly hard hit over the last couple days. We are talking about civilian targets. There have been photos that have been sent of high rise apartment buildings and as well as the aftermath of this, but punishing, punishing missile attacks, 12 civilians killed, 60 properties that have been destroyed. And within the city of Severodonetsk, we are told by an official there, 70 percent of the housing has been destroyed in that city.
Now nevertheless, the Ukrainian military are saying that the Russians have not been able to penetrate the defense lines that the Ukrainians have been holding up. They have not been able to get to a key town which the Ukrainians are using to resupply their defense efforts. But President Zelenskyy quite upset and really trying to just make sure that the civilian population knows that he is there for them in the fight.
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Zelenskyy (through translator): The bombing and shelling of other cities, the aerial missile strikes of the Russian army, all this is not just hostilities during the war. This is a deliberate and criminal attempt to kill as many Ukrainians as possible, destroy as many houses, social facilities, enterprises as possible.
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MALVEAUX: Kim, this is part of what the NATO military intelligence officer really called it a stall in this, or a standstill, where just both sides with the attacks, just you know, pummeling trying to make some head way and not doing so -- Kim.
BRUNHUBER: Yes, and you know, with the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, just bring us up to speed on the situation there.
MALVEAUX: Well, last numbers that we heard -- this is from Russians -- that there were 1,700 that have been evacuated. We do know now that there are some top military commanders from Ukrainian's military inside the steel plant and they are among the hundreds that still remain. And we have heard from them. One of those officials yesterday on social media, Instagram, sending out a message that the war is not over, that the big war has just begun. We also heard from a deputy inside of the steel plant who issued an video message, an ominous video message about what they are potentially planning what's next.
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SVIATOSLAV PALAMAR, AZOV REGIMENT DEPUTY COMMANDER (through translator): My command and I are on the territory of the Azovstal plant, an operation is under way. I will not give any details. I'm grateful to the whole world and Ukraine for support. See you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: And so, Kim, all eyes are on that steel plant. What comes of that and what happens, whether or not there is some sort of breakout or some sort of move afoot, and potentially more carnage to come -- Kim.
BRUNHUBER: Yes, we'll keep our eyes on that situation. Suzanne Malveaux live in Lviv, Ukraine for us. Thank you so much. Pennsylvania officials have been counting ballots all day but the
state's Republican primary race remains too close to call. Trump endorsed TV personality Mehmet Oz is hanging on to a slim lead over former hedge fund executive David McCormick. McCormick told a local radio show Thursday that he expects counting to be done in another day or two and he thinks the margin will be so small that an automatic recount will be triggered.
The Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot is looking into a tour given by a Republican lawmaker the day before the deadly insurrection. CNN's Ryan nobles has the details from Washington.
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RYAN NOBLES, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The January 6 Select Committee once again has in its sights a Republican member of Congress. Looking for more information that they believe is a key part of their investigation. This time it's Congressman Barry Loudermilk of Georgia. They want to know about a tour that Loudermilk gave on January 5, the day before the insurrection at the Capitol. And this tracks back to an accusation that was made by Congresswoman Mikey Cheryl in the days after January 6. Where she alleged had she saw members of Congress, Republican members of Congress, giving tours at the Capitol and she described those tours as recognizance tours.
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Now, Cheryl has never provided any evidence to back up that claim. And Republicans have been very critical of her calling them out. And Loudermilk for the first time is being identified as someone who potentially may have been giving one of those tours. Now Loudermilk pushed back on the accusation today. In a statement he said --
As a constituent family with young children, meeting with their member of Congress in House Office Buildings is not a suspicious group or a, quote, recognizance tour. The family never entered the Capitol building. The Select Committee is once again pushing a verifiably false narrative that Republicans conducted reconnaissance towards on January 5th.
And Republicans are now asking for the Capitol Police to release the video in question here. It's something that Republicans asked several weeks ago go as well. Capitol Police say they don't have the authorization do so. But it's clear this video is in the possession of the January 6 Select Committee. The question is, do they make it a part of their public hearings and then will they also provide more evidence to suggest that there may have been something questionable about this tour and it is not as innocent as Loudermilk claims it to be. There are still many unanswered questions as it relates to this development, but it has become another important part of the committee's investigation.
Ryan Nobles, CNN, on Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE) BRUNHUBER: And former Attorney General Bill Barr has tentatively
agreed to testify under oath to the House Select Committee -- according to two sources familiar with the negotiations. Barr talked informally to the committee late last year. A two hour meeting or thereabouts focusing on his interactions with former President Donald Trump before and after the election.
The Biden administration is preparing to fly in the first batch of baby formula from overseas. The White House came to an agreement with Nestle to transfer the equivalent of 1.5 million 8 ounce bottles of formula. Officials say the first plane is anticipated to leave Switzerland in the coming days and this is part of the newly launched Operation Fly Formula program in response to the alarming shortage in the U.S. Meanwhile, the Senate approved a bill that will help improve access to baby formula for low income families. In the meantime, parents are worried for their babies.
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CANDACE ALEXANDER, GRANDMOTHER: It's been really difficult. I mean, we've been going to all kinds of different stores, you know, Kroger, Walmart, Target, Walgreens. There's nothing there.
WHITNEY TANNER, MOM: It's a huge blessing to say the least. Because again, you just want to cry. You just want to stand in the aisle and you want to cry because there is no formula.
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BRUNHUBER: Senior administration officials couldn't provide CNN specifics on how they would carry out the latest plan saying that they were in ongoing discussions with manufacturers about how to proceed.
Well, just as the world is starting to put the worst of COVID behind it, another threat is beginning to cross borders. Just ahead, the latest on the spread of the monkeypox virus and what health experts are saying about that.
Plus, North Korea is dealing with its own outbreak, why the reclusive country has seen an explosion in COVID cases over a very short time, that's coming up. Stay with us.
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BRUNHUBER: Children in the U.S. aged 5 to 11 are now eligible for a COVID booster shot. On Thursday the director of the Centers for Disease Control approved the extra inoculation for that age group. Right now, Pfizer is the only vaccine approved in the U.S. as a booster for those children. The CDC says the additional dose should be given at least five months after the first two doses.
North Korean state media are reporting that the country's so-called fever cases have surpassed 2 million since late April. That has come as several North Korean cargo planes have been spotted flying to and from China. Now we don't know what they were carrying, but Beijing has pledged to help the country battle its massive COVID outbreak. CNN's Will Ripley has more from Taipei, Taiwan.
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WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The mood was triumphant, the crowd massive, most people not wearing mask. At last month's military parade in Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, promised to protect his people from hostile forces like the U.S. Protection from the virus that would soon ravage his unvaccinated population, not existent.
Weeks later, a devastating fever believed to be undiagnosed COVID 19, infecting and killing some of Pyongyang's most privileged citizens.
CHAD O'CARROLL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, NK NEWS: The military parade was a super-spreader event. And we know that they flew in citizens from across North Korea.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Some of those citizens from the Chinese border region, a place that I visited five years ago. North Koreans are living a literal stone's throw away from the raging omicron outbreak in China.
Beijing pledged to help Pyongyang battle the outbreak. The hermit kingdom's hermetically sealed border apparently breached by the highly contagious variant. Two years of pandemic isolation, two years of sacrifice gone in one parade.
O'CARROLL: That's the perfect Petri dish for this fires to spread. So, I think that parade will go down in history as a very bad idea for North Korea.
RIPLEY (voice-over): A colossal miscalculation. And experts say the likely cause of North Korea's explosive outbreak, an unprecedented nationwide lockdown skyrocketing infections and deaths. A dilapidated health care system on the verge of collapse, lacking even the most basic of medicines and medical equipment. Millions of malnourished North Korean's at higher risk of severe infection.
O'CARROLL: I think it is going to test his leadership, certainly, and it's going to create some urgency for very creative storytelling in the North Korean propaganda apparatus.
RIPLEY (voice-over): North Korean propaganda crucial to keeping the Kim family in power, even during times of crisis, like the deadly famine of the late 1990s, when citizens literally ate tree bark to survive.
[04:25:00]
The Kim's role over a police state that relies on heavy surveillance, restrictive movement and brutal political prison camps.
LINA YOON, SENIOR KOREA RESEARCHER, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: They strengthen social controls because they had the fear that, you know, if there is an outbreak, if there is a crisis, that is what happened in the 1990s. That, you know, the police, the secret police, the military, they all went hungry.
RIPLEY (voice-over): Now, they're getting sick. State media says that around 2 million fever cases in one week. A crisis of Kim's own creation, potentially devastating hardship for the North Korean people.
Will Ripley, CNN, Taipei.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRUNHUBER: Dozens of cases of monkeypox are being detected across the globe. They've been identified in several European countries as well as the U.S., the U.K., Australia and Canada. Now this comes as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control is monitoring six people for possible infections. It's believed that they sat near an infected traveler who had symptoms while on a flight from Nigeria to the United Kingdom in early May. And while health experts in the United States are urging calm, they're also stressing the need to be vigilant for any symptoms.
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ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Initially the symptoms look like a whole bunch of other things. It's swollen lymph nodes, fever, but then after those -- shortly after those, you get that telltale rash with lesions all over the body. This is why the contacts of the person in Massachusetts are being told to watch out for lymph nodes and fever. Transmission is prolonged -- and I want to emphasize prolonged -- prolonged face-to-face contact and direct or indirect contact with bodily fluids or those skin lesions. And just to give you an example, this has happened before. In 2003, there were 47 cases in the U.S.
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BRUNHUBER: And the CDC says the six people being monitored for monkeypox are healthy with no symptoms and they are considered to be at low risk. In previous outbreaks, about 1 percent of those afflicted have died.
All right, still ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM, cries for justice in Kyiv courtroom as a Ukrainian widow confronts the Russian soldier who killed her husband in cold blood. We'll have a live report from Kyiv coming up. Stay with us.
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