N. Korea invites Chinese delegation as 1st known foreign guests since pandemic

North Korea said Monday it has invited a Chinese party and government delegation as part of commemorations for the 70th anniversary of the armistice of the Korean War, marking the first known invitation of official foreign guests since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. The North's Korean Central News Agency said the Chinese delegation led by Li Hongzhong, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, will visit the country to take part in celebration

July 24, 2023

UN Command in talks with NK over detained US soldier

The UN Command has initiated a dialogue with its North Korean counterpart concerning the American soldier Travis King, who crossed the inter-Korean border on July 18 and is in the custody of North Korean authorities, the deputy commander of the UN Command said Monday. "A conversation has commenced with the Korean People's Army through the mechanism of the armistice agreement," Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison, the deputy commander of the UN Command, told foreign media outlets in Seoul. Ha

July 24, 2023

N. Korea says 'no end' to bolstering military power ahead of key anniversary

North Korea said Monday that there is "no end" to strengthening its military power in an apparent attempt to justify the development of its nuclear and missile programs ahead of a key anniversary this week. The recalcitrant regime has been ramping up sharp-tongued rhetoric and launching missiles ahead of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War on July 27, celebrated as Victory Day in North Korea. "There can be no end to strengthening

July 24, 2023

N. Korea fires several cruise missiles into Yellow Sea: JCS

North Korea fired several cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea on Saturday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. South Korean and US intelligence authorities were analyzing the launches, which took place at about 4:00 a.m., to learn more about the type of missiles fired and other details, according to the JCS. "Our military has bolstered surveillance and vigilance while closely cooperating with the United States and maintaining a firm readiness posture," the JCS said, adding it is closely mo

July 22, 2023

S. Korea warns NK: Nuclear threats risk regime's end

  The South Korean Defense Ministry issued a stern warning against North Korea on Friday in response to the regime's threat to use nuclear weapons prompted by the US deploying a strategic nuclear submarine in Busan. In a statement, the ministry criticized North Korea for misrepresenting and criticizing the purpose of the Nuclear Consultative Group between South Korea and the United States, along with the US submarine's presence in South Korea. The statement said that the deployment of the s

July 21, 2023

N. Korea warns U.S. nuclear submarine visit to S. Korea may fall under conditions for its nuke use

North Korea's defense chief warned Thursday a US nuclear-capable strategic submarine's port visit to South Korea this week may fall under the legal conditions for his country's use of nuclear weapons. Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam made the remarks, issuing an anticipated criticism of the visit here by the USS Kentucky, an 18,750-ton Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), and the recent inaugural meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) between South Korea and the Un

July 20, 2023

[News Focus] G.I. detained in NK new headache in relations

A very rare case of a US soldier crossing the inter-Korean border has put Washington and Pyongyang in an awkward situation, as their relations have been at rock bottom for years. Eyes are now on how North Korea will handle the tricky issue, according to experts in South Korea. It's still unclear how North Korea will respond to the crossing into its territory of US soldier Travis King -- a private second class since 2021 – that occurred Tuesday in the highly sensitive Joint Security Ar

July 20, 2023

N. Korea remains silent to US calls to verify status of soldier in its custody

North Korea has yet to respond to US outreach regarding the safety and whereabouts of a US service member who crossed the inter-Korean border into the reclusive country this week, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday. The American soldier, identified as Pvt. 2nd Class Travis King, crossed the military demarcation line at the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone on Tuesday. "Yesterday, the Pentagon reached out to counterparts in the Korean People's Army," state

July 20, 2023

N. Korea stole $700 mln of crypto in 2022: NIS

North Korea stole a total of US$700 million worth of cryptocurrency last year, equivalent to the money that would enable the country to fire 30 intercontinental ballistic missiles, South Korea's state intelligence agency said Wednesday. "We've confirmed that North Korea took $700 million in virtual assets in two separate incidents last year," said a senior official from the National Intelligence Service (NIS), adding that Pyongyang has failed to monetize them yet. North Kor

July 19, 2023

US soldier’s NK defection raises alarm over JSA tour security

The defection of a US soldier to North Korea has brought forth significant questions about the means and motives behind his crossing of the inter-Korean border within the Joint Security Area in the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides the two Koreas. The soldier, identified by the US Army as Travis King, holds the rank of Private Second Class and has been serving in the army since 2021. But it appears that King warrants additional attention from the US Forces Korea, as he face

July 19, 2023

US focused on threats posed by N. Korea rather than peace treaty: Kritenbrink

The United States is currently focused on dealing with the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs instead of formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War with a peace treaty, a senior state department official said Tuesday. Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, also insisted that the U.S. should focus on demonstrating its strong commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan rather than signing a peace treaty with

July 19, 2023

[Herald Interview] Young professionals from NK seek to bring change to Pyongyang

Lee Seo-hyun grew up as a proud North Korean elite, always thinking about what she could do to help make her country a better place. That was until she saw North Korean agents abruptly take her best friend and roommate Su-jeong away from their school dormitory in Beijing in December 2013. A text message from Su-jeong that she would not be able to come back and that she was throwing away her phone at a highway rest stop was the last she heard from her. Lee later learned that Su-jeong’s fath

July 19, 2023

Kim's sister calls US 'delusional' for believing in N. Korea's disarmament

The powerful sister of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Monday that it would be "delusional" for the United States to believe that Pyongyang's disarmament was possible. Kim Yo-jong criticized Washington's policies of strengthening its extended deterrence and military alliance with South Korea, stating that such actions would only make it difficult for Pyongyang to engage in dialogue, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. "The US is being delusiona

July 17, 2023

S. Korean, US, Japanese FMs hold talks after N. Korea's ICBM launch

JAKARTA -- The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan held three-way talks Friday in Indonesia to discuss ways to deal with North Korea's evolving threats highlighted by this week's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his US and Japanese counterparts, Antony Blinken and Yoshimasa Hayashi, respectively, were visiting Jakarta to attend the annual regional meetings led by the Association of Southeast Asian N

July 14, 2023

NK leader's sister slams UNSC meeting over ICBM launch, defends it as exercise of self-defense

The powerful sister of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday condemned the United Nations Security Council for holding a meeting over the North's latest firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile, calling it a "rightful" exercise of self-defense. Kim Yo-jong expressed "great displeasure" at the UNSC, as its members met Thursday (New York time) to discuss the North's launch of a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM the previous day. She said the ICBM launch serv

July 14, 2023

Top diplomats of S. Korea, US, Japan to hold talks after N. Korea's ICBM launch

The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan are scheduled to hold three-way talks Friday to discuss ways to deal with North Korea's evolving threats highlighted by this week's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his US and Japanese counterparts, Antony Blinken and Yoshimasa Hayashi, respectively, were visiting Jakarta to attend annual regional meetings led by the A

July 14, 2023

S. Korea slaps more unilateral sanctions on N. Korea after ICBM launch

South Korea on Friday imposed unilateral sanctions on four North Korean individuals and three entities in response to Pyongyang's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The move came two days after North Korea test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM under the guidance of leader Kim Jong-un despite international condemnation over its recent missile launches. "In response to North Korea's long-range ballistic missile la

July 14, 2023

S. Korea, US stage air drills, involving B-52H strategic bomber after NK ICBM launch

South Korea and the United States conducted combined air drills, involving at least one US B-52H strategic bomber, over the Korean Peninsula on Thursday, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said, a day after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile. The North's state media has confirmed the country fired a solid-fuel Hwasong-18 ICBM on Wednesday, raising tensions already heightened by the North's accusations earlier this week claiming US military spy aircraft "intrud

July 13, 2023

North Korea's newest smartphone 'Samtaesong 8' mirrors Samsung Galaxy phones

A new North Korean smartphone bearing a resemblance to Samsung smartphones called the Samtaesong 8 was recently featured on the North's state-run Korean Central Television. The phone made its first appearance in a program that promoted the proper and safe usage of smartphones. According to the North's Korean dictionary, "samtaesong" refers to the "three bright stars" - North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, his wife Kim Jong-suk and his son Kim Jong-il - of their alleged

July 13, 2023

NK says ICBM firing a strong warning to S. Korea, US

While admitting to launching the newly developed Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile, North Korea on Thursday said the latest missile test the day before was carried out to convey a "strong practical warning" to its adversaries. The Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea made the "strategic judgment and crucial decision" to conduct on Wednesday the second test-firing of the Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM, according to North Korean state-r

July 13, 2023