NK delegation returns home from visit to Russia's Far East

A North Korean delegation from the country's border city of Rason has returned home after a weeklong visit to Russia's Far East, state media reported Sunday. The Korean Central News Agency said the delegation led by the chief of the Rason Municipal People's Committee arrived back home on Saturday. The delegation had left for the trip on May 12. The one-sentence dispatch did not provide further details, but the delegation is believed to have discussed resuming passenger train servi

May 19, 2024

N. Korea slams US over redesignation as uncooperative country in counterterrorism efforts

North Korea denounced the United States on Saturday over its recent redesignation as a country not cooperating fully with US counterterrorism efforts, insisting that no area in which the two countries can cooperate exists. Kwon Jong-gun, director-general of the department of US affairs at the North's foreign ministry, issued the criticism after the United States kept the North on its list of countries not fully cooperating with its counterterrorism efforts earlier this week. "The DPRK

May 18, 2024

North Korea confirms missile launch, vows bolstered nuclear force

North Korea has test-fired a tactical ballistic missile equipped with a "new autonomous navigation system," state media said Saturday, with leader Kim Jong-un vowing to boost the country's nuclear force. Kim oversaw the Friday test-launch into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, on a mission to evaluate the "accuracy and reliability of the autonomous navigation system," Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said. The launch was the latest in a st

May 18, 2024

HRNK report sheds light on human rights abuse of N. Korean nuclear scientists

WASHINGTON -- South Korean and US officials have stressed the need to address an "inextricable" link between North Korea's human rights and security issues, claiming Pyongyang's repressive political climate has led it to divert its scarce resources to its weapons programs without public pushback. The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, a US-based nongovernmental institute, issued a report Friday to further substantiate the claim as it sheds light on how the reclusive r

May 18, 2024

N. Korea says it test-fired tactical ballistic missile with new guidance technology

  North Korea said Saturday it has test-fired a tactical ballistic missile equipped with a new "autonomous" navigation system in a bid to advance its weapons capabilities. The North's leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the weapons test on Friday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The report did not reveal further details such as how many missiles were fired. "The accuracy and reliability of the autonomous navigation system were verified through the test fire," the rep

May 18, 2024

Ex-president Moon recalls in memoir NK leader voiced will not to use nukes

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had voiced frustration over global skepticism on his will for denuclearization, stressing he had no intention to use nuclear weapons, a memoir written by former President Moon Jae-in showed Friday. The details of exchanges between Moon and Kim during their first summit held in April 2018 were shared in the book, of which the title translates into "From the Periphery to the Center." It recounts significant diplomatic events, such as Moon's summit mee

May 17, 2024

N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS

North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Friday, the South Korean military said, a day after South Korea and the United States staged combined aerial drills involving advanced stealth jets. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected what are presumed to be short-range missiles fired off the eastern coastal city of Wonsan at 3:10 p.m. toward the East Sea. "The North Korean missiles flew about 300 kilometers and landed in the East Sea," the JCS said

May 17, 2024

N. Korea slams planned S. Korea-US military drills, warns of 'catastrophic aftermath'

North Korea on Friday denounced a plan by South Korea and the United States to stage their joint annual military drills in August, warning that they could face a "catastrophic aftermath" if they carry out the exercise. The Ulchi Freedom Shield by Seoul and Washington is a "nuclear attack exercise" against Pyongyang that will involve state-of-the-art military equipment, including nuclear strategic assets, according to the Korean Central News Agency. In December 2023, South Kor

May 17, 2024

Trump may like to 'solve' N. Korean nuclear problem if reelected: ex-official

Former President Donald Trump may like to "solve" North Korea's nuclear quandary if reelected, a former US official during Trump's presidency said Thursday, noting how to address the issue is "unpredictable." Allison Hooker, former senior director for Asia at the National Security Council, made the remarks, underscoring that leader-level diplomacy with North Korea is the "right " approach given that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is the "top decision

May 17, 2024

Artwork symbolizing S. Korean abductees in N. Korea on display at garden show

The unification ministry on Thursday unveiled an artwork inspired by three forget-me-nots at a garden show in an effort to raise public awareness of South Koreans detained in North Korea. Earlier this year, the government created an image of three blue forget-me-nots as a symbol of South Korean abductees, detainees and prisoners of the 1950-53 Korean War in hope of their safe repatriation from the repressive regime. The artwork by artist Nanan Kang, comprising a glass greenhouse filled with the

May 16, 2024

N. Korea's Kim, daughter attend ceremony for new street in Pyongyang

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his "beloved daughter" Ju-ae attended a ceremony marking a newly built street at the north gateway of Pyongyang, the North's state media reported Wednesday. It was the first time in about two months that Ju-ae made a public appearance since she visited a military unit on March 15. Kim and his daughter attended the ceremony on Tuesday, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency. The KCNA described the street as "clear proof of

May 15, 2024

N. Korean leader inspects new tactical missile system

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected a new tactical missile weapons system and called for an "epochal change" in war preparations by attaining arms production plans, state media said Wednesday. Kim oversaw the "tactical missile weapons system to be newly equipped by the combined missile units of the Korean People's Army in charge of an important firing assignment" on Tuesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. It did not provide further details on the

May 15, 2024

N. Korean science, technology delegation leaves for Russia

A North Korean science and technology delegation has departed for Russia, state media said Tuesday, as the two countries are deepening their bilateral ties following the summit of their leaders in September. The delegation led by Ri Chung-gil, chairman of the State Commission of Science and Technology, left for Moscow on Monday to attend the eighth meeting of a government committee on trade and economy as well as science and technology cooperation between the two nations, according to the Korean

May 14, 2024

N. Korea expresses full support for Palestinian UN membership

North Korea supports a United Nations resolution for Palestine's full membership, Pyongyang's foreign ministry said Sunday, criticizing the United States for vetoing the move. The remark came after the UN General Assembly urged the security council to give "favorable consideration" to full Palestinian membership on Friday (US time). "The DPRK fully supports it," a spokesperson for the North's foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the Korean Central Ne

May 12, 2024

NK appoints new ambassador to UN office in Geneva

North Korea has appointed a new ambassador to its mission at the United Nations office in Geneva, the UN website showed Saturday. Jo Chol-su, who previously served as director-general of international organizations at North Korea's foreign ministry, presented his credentials to the UN Office at Geneva on Friday, according to the website. Jo's appointment comes five months after his predecessor, Han Tae-song, returned to the North amid allegations of his involvement in ivory smuggling.

May 11, 2024

N. Korea says to deploy new multiple rocket launcher starting this year

North Korea said Saturday it will deploy a new 240mm multiple rocket launcher to its military starting this year, voicing expectations that the weapon system will strengthen the country's artillery combat capabilities. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a test-firing of controllable shells for "the technically updated version" of the 240mm multiple rocket launcher system the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The weapon system is believed to tar

May 11, 2024

N. Korean leader voices 'firm support' in his message to Putin over Victory Day

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin over Victory Day, expressing his "firm support and solidarity" with Moscow, state media reported Thursday. Kim extended his "warm congratulations and comradely greetings" to Putin in the message celebrating the 79th anniversary of the Soviet Union's World War II victory over Nazi Germany, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Kim touted Putin as leading efforts to

May 9, 2024

N. Korea's master propagandist under three Kims dies

Kim Ki-nam, a high-profile North Korean figure who dedicated his life to propaganda and agitation under the leadership of all three North Korean leaders since the 1960s, passed away Tuesday at the age of 94, North Korean state media announced Wednesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un paid a visit to the funeral of Kim Ki-am at 2 a.m. on Wednesday to convey his deep condolences over his passing, according to state media. State media reported the passing of Kim Ki-nam, who had been receiving medi

May 8, 2024

N. Korea slams US, other countries for seeking alternative to UN sanctions monitoring panel

North Korea on Sunday denounced the United States and other countries for seeking an alternative to the United Nations monitoring panel that enforced sanctions against Pyongyang, saying that such a move will be doomed to face "self-destruction." North Korean Ambassador to the UN Kim Song issued a statement condemning Seoul, Washington, Tokyo and 47 other countries for jointly calling for "objective" and "independent" analysis regarding the enforcement of anti-North

May 5, 2024

East German commissioner calls on S. Korea to seize unexpected opportunities for unification

Eastern Germany Commissioner Carsten Schneider on Friday emphasized the paramount importance of South Korean leadership steadfastly pursuing the goal of unification and remaining vigilant in monitoring the North Korean situation, in order to capitalize on any unforeseen opportunity for achieving unity on the Korean Peninsula. Schneider said that certain events unfold not by random chance, but rather at unforeseeable moments, reflecting on world history, after being asked about the feasibility of

May 3, 2024