S. Korea slaps sanctions on NK foreign intelligence chief

The South Korean government on Wednesday imposed sanctions on the head of North Korea's primary intelligence agency responsible for overseas operations, along with seven other North Koreans. The announcement on unilateral economic sanctions was in response to North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Dec. 18, contravening multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, according to South Korea's Foreign Ministry. A total of eight designated North Korea

Dec. 27, 2023

N. Korea convenes year-end party meeting with leader Kim in attendance

North Korea has convened a key year-end meeting of the ruling Workers' Party with leader Kim Jong-un in attendance to discuss next year's policy direction, Pyongyang's state media said Wednesday. Kim presided over the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea the previous day to review state policies for this year and discuss those for 2024, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. Kim defined 2023 as a "year of gre

Dec. 27, 2023

US expresses serious concern over signs of NK commissioning light-water reactor

The United States has expressed serious concern over North Korea showing signs of starting the operation of a new light-water nuclear reactor in a possible attempt to produce nuclear weapons fuel. International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said Thursday that the agency has detected more signs of the North commissioning the light-water reactor at the North's main Yongbyon nuclear complex, such as warm water being discharged from it. The North's "commissioning

Dec. 24, 2023

N. Korea to hold key parliamentary meeting on Jan. 15 to discuss budget

North Korea plans to convene a key parliamentary meeting next month to discuss the state budget for 2024, state media said Friday. The standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly made a decision to hold the 10th session of the 14th SPA on Jan. 15, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. "The session will discuss the settlement of the implementation of the state budget" for 2023 and the issue of next year's state budget, the KCNA said. The announcement came

Dec. 22, 2023

NK leader vows to launch nuclear attack without hesitation in event of enemy's nuclear provocations

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said his country will launch a nuclear attack without hesitation in event of nuclear provocations from the enemy, state media said Thursday. Kim made the remarks in an event held Wednesday to praise a missile unit for the successful launch of a solid-fuel Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile earlier this week. Kim said the launch "clearly" showed enemies the North's "offensive countermeasure" to "launch a nuclear attack withou

Dec. 21, 2023

UNSC meeting on NK ICBM launch ends without outcome

The UN Security Council ended its meeting on North Korea's latest test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile without a united response Tuesday, with North Korea lashing out at the United States and South Korea for infringing upon its right to self-defense. Kim Song, North Korea's envoy to the United Nations, warned the allies will face consequences if they continue the stepped-up military cooperation and vowed to keep up its arms buildup to counter threats from "hostile

Dec. 20, 2023

US reaffirms commitment to S. Korea after N. Korea warns US against making 'wrong' choice

The United States reaffirmed Tuesday its "ironclad" commitment to South Korea's defense and willingness for dialogue with North Korea, as Pyongyang warned Washington against making a "wrong" choice after its test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the State Department, made the comments after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the latest launch of a Hwasong-18 ICBM shows what option he would take when "Washington

Dec. 20, 2023

N. Korea touts ICBM launch as 'major success'

North Korea on Wednesday lauded its latest launch of a solid-fuel Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile as a "major success" that will help the country "counter any crises." The North's missile flew about 1,000 kilometers at a lofted trajectory before coming down in the East Sea on Monday, according to South Korea's military. It marked North Korea's fifth ICBM test this year alone -- the highest number ever recorded in a single year -- that also followe

Dec. 20, 2023

Ex-US Amb. Sung Kim to join Bae, Kim & Lee

Sung Kim, who served as US Special Representative for North Korea and US ambassador to South Korea, will join Bae, Kim & Lee to lead a new team at one of the top law firms here, according to the firm. On Tuesday, Bae, Kim & Lee said that Kim will oversee its Global Future Strategy Center, which aims to help the firm and local businesses navigate cross-border issues. The center will also give “strategic advice” to multinational firms operating in Korea. The new partnership is

Dec. 19, 2023

NK leader says ICBM launch shows what option he has against US

North Korea confirmed Tuesday it test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day, with leader Kim Jong-un saying the launch showed what option he would take "when Washington makes a wrong decision." The missile launch was conducted to "take a powerful warning measure under the grave situation, in which the hostile forces' anti-DPRK military threat ... is getting evermore undisguised and dangerous," the Korean Central News Agency said, re

Dec. 19, 2023

N. Korea slams S. Korean military chiefs' warning of retaliation

North Korea on Monday denounced South Korean military leaders' vow to overwhelmingly retaliate against Pyongyang in the event of the North's provocations, brushing it off as a show of "bravado." In a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency, North Korea scoffed at their call for enhancing combat readiness against Pyongyang, repeating its claim that South Korea should be blamed for the rupture of a 2018 inter-Korean military accord. "A frightened dog barks lou

Dec. 18, 2023

N. Korean leader Kim marks 12th anniversary of father's death

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has marked the 12th anniversary of the death of his father and predecessor Kim Jong-il by visiting a mausoleum where the father's body lies in state, the North's state media said Sunday. Kim paid tribute the previous day at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of Kim Jong-il and the current leader's late grandfather and national founder Kim Il-sung lie in state, the official Korean Central News Agency reported. Senior officials accompani

Dec. 17, 2023

S. Korean official notes possibility of N. Korea launching ICBM this month

A South Korean presidential security official on Thursday raised the possibility of North Korea launching an intercontinental ballistic missile this month as he arrived in Washington for a high-profile security meeting. Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo made the remarks upon arrival here on the eve of the second meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group, a South Korea-US security meeting designed to discuss nuclear and strategic planning issues. "I think there is a poss

Dec. 15, 2023

Russian governor in Pyongyang for talks on economic ties

North Korea hosted a Russian governor of a far-east border region on Tuesday for talks on boosting economic ties, according to Pyongyang’s official state news agency. The official Korea Central News Agency said in a report Wednesday that North Korea’s foreign economic affairs official Yun Jong-ho met with Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of Russia’s Primorsky, to discuss “elevating economic cooperation between regions of the two countries to a higher level.” The state-

Dec. 13, 2023

NK may use provocations to impact S. Korea, US elections: report

North Korea may resort to military provocations and psychological warfare, and escalate tensions to influence crucial elections in South Korea and the United States next year, the government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification said Wednesday in an annual report. The elections will be crucial factors in shaping North Korea's foreign policy approach and strategic decisions in the coming year, experts at the KINU said during a briefing on the forecast of the security landscape on t

Dec. 13, 2023

S. Korea opens probe into filmmakers over unauthorized meetings with pro-N. Korea group

The unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs said Tuesday it has launched a probe to verify details of unauthorized meetings between South Korean filmmakers and members of a pro-North Korea group in Japan. The move came as the ministry has been seeking to tighten the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act amid heightened inter-Korean tensions. Under the law, South Korean nationals are required to file prior notification with the government before contacting members of the General As

Dec. 12, 2023

S. Korea to hold Pyongyang accountable over unauthorized use of Kaesong complex: minister

South Korea's point man on North Korea said Tuesday the government will hold Pyongyang accountable for using South Korea-owned facilities at a now-shuttered inter-Korean joint industrial park in the North without permission. Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho made the remark in a meeting with foreign correspondents in Seoul, as North Korea appears to be illegally running some 30 facilities at the Kaesong Industrial Complex, sharply up from 10 earlier this year, in the namesake border city. &q

Dec. 12, 2023

Russian regional delegation visits N. Korea

A Russian delegation has arrived in North Korea, state media said Tuesday, in the latest sign of growing ties between the two countries. The delegation led by Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of the Russian far eastern region of Primorsky Krai that borders North Korea, arrived in Pyongyang on Monday and was welcomed by Ji Kyong-su, vice minister of external economic relations, at Pyongyang International Airport, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The KCNA did not provide details on the purpos

Dec. 12, 2023

N. Korea accuses West of abusing human rights in white paper

North Korea on Monday accused the West of violating human rights while dismissing international criticism of its dire human rights conditions as it published a white paper on the issue. Pyongyang made the accusation as it announced the publication of a white paper on human rights to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations. "The dignity and rights of human being mentioned by the declaration are now ruthlessly being violated

Dec. 11, 2023

S. Korea to make efforts to ease foreign investors' concerns about tensions on peninsula: minister

South Korea's unification minister said Monday the government will make efforts to assuage foreign investors' concerns about heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, saying his country has been beefing up a readiness posture against North Korea's potential provocations. Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho made the remark during his meeting with U.S. investor Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, in Seoul amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula following North Korea�

Dec. 11, 2023