North Korean man crosses sea boundary to escape to South

A North Korean escaped to the South last month despite Pyongyang closing inter-Korean paths and fortifying areas around the line dividing the Korean Peninsula. According to the South Korean military on Friday, a North Korean man crossed the maritime boundary in the sea west of the country on a small wooden boat in the early hours of Sept. 17. The South Korean military said it captured the man sailing by himself after guiding him over to the south of the boundary. This marks the third known North

Oct. 11, 2024

DP leader urges NK to withdraw move to cut off roads, railways connected to S. Korea

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Friday urged North Korea to retract its recent move to cut off all roads and railways connected to South Korea, voicing concerns over the North's "explicit intent" to completely sever inter-Korean ties. On Wednesday, North Korea's military said it will "permanently shut off and block the southern border" with South Korea by cutting off all roads and rail links with the South and building frontline defense structures. "We deman

Oct. 11, 2024

Teenage N. Korean defector shares horrific story of life in reclusive regime

A North Korean teenage defector on Thursday shared her horrific story of life in the reclusive regime during a forum hosted by South Korea's unification ministry. "I wear makeup and go out here in South Korea, but my friends in North Korea can't even wash properly, let alone wear makeup. Some friends smell because they can't bathe, but we live understanding each other," Noh Jin-hae recalled. The 16-year-old girl, who defected from North Korea in 2019, recalled her harsh

Oct. 10, 2024

North Korea notifies UN Command of plans to fortify border with South

The North Korean Army has informed the United Nations Command of plans to fortify the shared border with the South, Seoul defense authorities said Wednesday, confirming a Pyongyang state agency report earlier the same day. The General Staff of the Korean People’s Army said it would completely cut off roads and railways connecting to South Korea and build fortifications along the border in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday. The KPA said it had communicated t

Oct. 9, 2024

N. Korea amends constitution at parliamentary meeting without disclosing details

North Korea has convened a key parliamentary meeting to revise the constitution, state media reported Wednesday, without disclosing details about whether it removed unification-related clauses or stipulated territorial boundaries in line with an order by leader Kim Jong-un. At the 11th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly Monday and Tuesday in Pyongyang, North Korea unanimously decided to amend and supplement parts of the country's socialist constitution, according to the Kore

Oct. 9, 2024

Kim Jong-un vows to thwart S. Korea-US 'nuclear alliance'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Monday that Pyongyang would "not tolerate" any disruption to the Korean Peninsula's balance of power, which he claimed is upheld by North Korea's nuclear arsenal and threatened by the growing "nuclear alliance" between South Korea and the United States. However, Kim simultaneously asserted that North Korea had no intention of attacking the South, North Korea's state media reported Tuesday. The remarks came during his 60th-

Oct. 8, 2024

N. Korea sends trash balloons toward S. Korea for 2nd straight day: JCS

North Korea floated trash balloons toward South Korea early Tuesday, the South's military said, marking the second consecutive day of such provocation. The Joint Chiefs of Staff raised the possibility of the balloons drifting toward northern Gyeonggi Province and other parts of the Seoul metropolitan area, advising citizens not to touch the balloons and to be cautious of any potential drops. Since late May, North Korea has sent over 5,000 balloons across the border into South Korea. In Mond

Oct. 8, 2024

S. Korea to maintain readiness against potential N. Korean provocations: FM

South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said Monday that the government will maintain readiness against potential North Korean provocations through close cooperation with the United States. Cho made the remarks during a parliamentary hearing, citing a series of provocations from North Korea, such as the launch of balloons toward the South and missile tests. "The government will maintain a thorough readiness posture against various potential provocations from North Korea, while ensur

Oct. 7, 2024

China, N. Korea mark 75th anniversary of ties with little fanfare

China and North Korea marked their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations Sunday with no publicly reported major events, in contrast to earlier pledges from both leaders to celebrate the milestone with displays of camaraderie in the designated "Year of Friendship." In their New Year messages, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to organize activities throughout the "Year of Friendship" and deepen cooperation across various sectors, inclu

Oct. 7, 2024

NK resumes trash balloon campaign, 25th launch this year

North Korea sent yet another fleet of garbage-filled balloons southward early Monday, marking the 25th such provocation this year and potentially adding to the property damage and injuries the balloons have caused already. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the balloons, presumed to be filled with trash, are projected to move toward the greater Seoul area, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. The JCS advised citizens not to approach the balloons and warned of potential danger when they fall to the gr

Oct. 7, 2024

N. Korea to hold parliamentary meeting to amend constitution, remove unification provisions

North Korea is set to convene a key parliamentary meeting on Monday, where it is expected to revise its constitution by removing unification-related clauses and clarifying the nation's territorial boundaries, including the maritime border. The 11th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) is anticipated to address these revisions, nine months after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un redefined inter-Korean relations as being between "two hostile states" and vowed to no

Oct. 6, 2024

N. Korea's Kim, China's Xi exchange messages marking 75 years of relations

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to further develop relations between the two countries as they exchanged messages marking the 75th anniversary of relations, state media reported Sunday. Kim said in the message to Xi that it aligns "with the fundamental interests of the two countries to invariably carry forward and develop the DPRK-China friendship with a long history and good traditions," according to the Korean Central News Agency. DPRK stands

Oct. 6, 2024

S. Korea dismisses Kim's vulgar attack on Yoon as 'intolerable'

South Korea's Defense Ministry on Friday condemned North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his sister Kim Yo-jong's criticism of President Yoon Suk Yeol and the Armed Forces Day celebration in South Korea, calling it "behavior that can never be tolerated." North Korean state media earlier in the day reported Kim Jong-un denounced and dismissed Yoon's Armed Forces Day speech, which warned of the regime's end if it attempts to use nuclear weapons, launching a direct and v

Oct. 4, 2024

N. Korean leader's sister derides Seoul's Hyunmoo-5 missile as 'useless'

Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Thursday mocked South Korea's Hyunmoo-5 missile, first showcased in a recent military parade in Seoul, as a "uselessly huge weapon." Kim Yo-jong made the remark in a statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, just two days after South Korea unveiled the missile, known to be able to carry an eight-ton warhead, in a military parade marking Armed Forces Day. In a ceremony marking the ann

Oct. 3, 2024

N. Korea may revoke 1991 Inter-Korean Basic Agreement in parliament: Seoul

North Korea may revoke the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement, which has served as a pivotal foundation for the development of inter-Korean relations and efforts toward peaceful reunification for more than three decades, during its parliamentary session scheduled for next week, the Unification Ministry in Seoul said Wednesday. The potential action aligns with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's public declaration that the two Koreas are engaged in relations between "two hostile states" lo

Oct. 2, 2024

N. Korea sends more trash balloons toward S. Korea: JCS

North Korea sent what appeared to be trash-filled balloons toward South Korea on Wednesday, the South's military said, in the first such launch in 10 days. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North launched the balloons, warning they may float toward Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Since late May, the North has launched more than 5,000 balloons carrying trash on over 22 occasions in retaliation against anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent to the North by North Korean defectors and activ

Oct. 2, 2024

N. Korea will never bargain over 'national prestige': Pyongyang envoy

North Korea will never bargain over its "national prestige," Pyongyang's envoy to the UN said Monday, reaffirming the regime's adherence to its nuclear weapons program despite criticism over its growing security threats. Ambassador Kim Song made the remarks during a general debate at the UN General Assembly, repeating accusations of America's "hostility" toward Pyongyang and claiming that its nuclear weapons were "just made and exist to defend ourselves.&q

Oct. 1, 2024

N. Korea removed as observer from Asia-Pacific anti-money laundering group

North Korea has been removed as an observer of a regional anti-money laundering group due to its lack of engagement and failure to fulfill obligations, South Korea's foreign ministry said Monday. The unanimous decision was made at the 26th general assembly of the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), held in the United Arab Emirates last Tuesday, the ministry said in a press release. The APG, formed in 1997, is an intergovernmental body committed to effectively implementing the inte

Sept. 30, 2024

Blinken redoubles calls for pressing N. Korea, China, Iran to stop aid for Russia's war in Ukraine

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated calls Friday for joint efforts to press North Korea, China and Iran to stop providing support for Russia's war in Ukraine, stressing the need to bring a "just and lasting" peace in the war-torn country. Blinken made the remarks during a press conference, touching on various issues, including heightened tensions between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza.

Sept. 28, 2024

S. Korea reiterates N. Korea's denuclearization amid IAEA chief's remarks

The South Korean government reiterated Friday that the denuclearization of North Korea remains a shared goal of the international community amid controversy surrounding the United Nations nuclear chief's remarks suggesting the world should recognize that Pyongyang possesses nuclear weapons. In an interview with the Associated Press, Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), emphasized the importance of continuing to press North Korea to cease its

Sept. 27, 2024