N. Korea opens party plenary meeting with leader Kim in attendance

North Korea has convened a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, attended by its leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported Saturday, amid expectations that it would discuss follow-up measures to implement a new partnership treaty with Russia. North Korea held the 10th enlarged plenary meeting of the WPK's 8th Central Committee on Friday to review state policy performances in the first half, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The meeting is also to "discus

June 29, 2024

S. Korea urges N. Korea to give prior notice over border dam water discharge

The unification ministry urged North Korea on Friday to give prior notice if it releases water from a dam near the inter-Korean border, citing the need to prevent damage in border areas from possible heavy rains. The request came as North Korea opened the floodgates of the Hwanggang Dam to release water during the summer monsoon season without notifying the South in advance. "The government urges North Korea to give prior notice if it releases water from the dam to prevent flooding in borde

June 28, 2024

N. Koreans executed for sharing K-pop, films: Seoul

Testimonies from North Korean defectors have revealed that the Kim Jong-un regime has conducted public executions of individuals caught distributing South Korean TV series, movies or K-pop music under a 2020 law, South Korea's Unification Ministry said Thursday. According to the 2024 North Korean Human Rights Report released by the ministry in Seoul, testimonies suggested an "increase in public executions based on violations of the Law on Rejecting Reactionary Ideology and Culture.&quo

June 27, 2024

N. Korea launches nearly 200 trash-carrying balloons overnight: JCS

North Korea sent more than 180 trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea overnight, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday, in what marked its third consecutive balloon launch this week. Some 70 balloons, largely carrying small pieces of paper, mostly landed in Seoul and the northern part of Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital, the JCS said in a notice to reporters. As of 9 a.m., there were no balloons floating in the air, while an analysis of retrieved trash has so far indicated they

June 27, 2024

N. Korea says it successfully conducted multiple warhead missile capability test

North Korea claimed to have successfully conducted a missile test aimed at securing multiple warhead capability, state media said Thursday, contradicting South Korea's assessment that the test is believed to have ended in failure. During the test conducted Wednesday, the North's Missile Administration "successfully conducted the separation and guidance control test of individual mobile warheads," the Korean Central News Agency said. The North said the test was "aimed at

June 27, 2024

N. Korea sends trash-carrying balloons to S. Korea for 3rd day

North Korea on Wednesday sent balloons presumed to be carrying trash toward South Korea again, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, in what marked its third consecutive balloon launch campaign this week alone. The JCS said the balloons appeared to be travelling in a southeastern direction from the northern part of Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul. It advised the public to not touch fallen balloons and report them to the military or police. With the latest launch, North Korea is estimated

June 26, 2024

N. Korea launches some 250 trash-carrying balloons overnight: JCS

North Korea has launched more than 250 trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea overnight, Seoul's military said Wednesday, marking the sixth launch of such balloons since late last month. Some 100 balloons, mostly carrying scrap paper, landed in Seoul and the northern part of Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a notice to reporters. As of 9 a.m., there were no balloons floating in the air, while an analysis of retrieved balloons showed they di

June 26, 2024

Presidential office convenes security assessment meeting following NK missile launch

The presidential office convened a security situation assessment meeting on Wednesday to discuss North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch. Yin Sung-hwan, the second deputy national security adviser, presided over the meeting shortly after North Korea fired a ballistic missile from the Pyongyang region toward the East Sea at around 5:30 a.m., according to sources familiar with the matter. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launch apparently failed and an in-depth analysis is under way.

June 26, 2024

Seven former US representatives visit DMZ to commemorate Korean War anniversary

Seven former US representatives visited the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone bisecting the two Koreas on Tuesday to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the 1950-53 Korean War. The delegation, part of the United States Association of Former Members of Congress, included Dennis A. Ross, Betsy Markey and Greg Walden, who were accompanied by their spouses. Walden, whose father-in-law served as a UN soldier in the Korean War, noted that the visit held special significance for him. The

June 25, 2024

N. Korea launches some 350 trash-carrying balloons overnight: Seoul military

North Korea has launched around 350 trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea overnight, Seoul's military said Tuesday, in what marked the fifth launch of its kind since late last month. Some 100 balloons, mostly carrying scrap paper and waste, landed in Seoul and in the northern part of Gyeonggi Province, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a notice to reporters. As of 9 a.m., there were no balloons floating in the air, while an analysis of retrieved balloons showed they did not contain t

June 25, 2024

N. Korea sends trash-carrying balloons again to S. Korea: Seoul military

North Korea on Monday sent balloons presumed to be carrying trash toward South Korea again, Seoul's military said. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the balloons appeared to be travelling in a southeastern direction from the northern part of Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul. It advised the public to not touch fallen balloons and report them to military or police authorities. On Friday, Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of the North's leader, hinted about launching more balloons af

June 24, 2024

N. Korea vows 'overwhelming, fresh' deterrence measures against arrival of U.S. aircraft carrier

North Korea on Monday condemned the U.S. sending of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the Korean Peninsula, saying that the North is open to taking "overwhelming and fresh" deterrence measures against such a provocative act. North Korean Vice Defense Minister Kim Kang-il issued a statement slamming the arrival of the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the southeastern port city of Busan on Saturday. Kim slammed Washington and Seoul for playing "very dangerous" games in a show of f

June 24, 2024

Ministry finds parasites in North Korea's trash-laden balloons

Parasites were found in the balloons full of manure and trash North Korea sent to South Korea in May and June in retaliation against anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets, the Unification Ministry said Monday. According to the analysis conducted by officials specializing in filth, different types of parasites, including roundworms, whipworms and pinworms -- all of which are parasitic worms that can infect humans -- were detected in the trash-filled balloons. Officials explained that human genes wer

June 24, 2024

N. Korean leader exchanges greetings with Laotian president to mark 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has exchanged greetings with Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, North Korea's state media reported Monday. "Over the past 50 years, our two countries have established and developed solid ties based on comradely friendship and revolutionary obligation in the struggle to accomplish the socialist cause," according to Kim's message released by th

June 24, 2024

N. Korea supports Russia's war with Ukraine as 'legitimate act of self-defense'

North Korea on Monday criticized the United States for its military support of Ukraine and supported Russia's actions as a "legitimate act of self-defense," underscoring the growing military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. "If the rulers of the US persist in recklessly pushing their war machine into Ukraine for a proxy war against Russia, it will inevitably provoke a stronger response from Russia," Pak Jong Chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the

June 24, 2024

N. Korea to hold key party meeting this week after signing new partnership treaty with Russia

North Korea is expected to hold a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea this week to review policy performances in the first half, amid attention over whether it would discuss follow-up measures to implement a new partnership treaty signed with Russia. In May, the WPK's politburo decided to hold a plenary meeting of the party's Central Committee in late June to review progress in its economic and other projects in the first half, without disclosing other details, s

June 23, 2024

S. Korea to call in top Russian envoy to protest new treaty with N. Korea

South Korea is expected to call in the top Russian envoy in Seoul on Friday to lodge a protest over a new treaty signed with North Korea calling for immediate military assistance if either is attacked. First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun will call in Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev later in the day to deliver Seoul's position on the "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty inked between Moscow and Pyongyang at their leaders' summit Wednesday, diplomatic sources s

June 21, 2024

N. Korea, Russia agree to offer military assistance 'without delay' if either is attacked: KCNA

North Korea and Russia have agreed to offer military assistance "without delay" if either is attacked under a new partnership treaty signed after this week's summit, Pyongyang's state media reported Thursday. The Korean Central News Agency disclosed the Korean-language full text of the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed Wednesday after their talks in Pyongyang. Article 4 of the 23-point t

June 20, 2024

US restates NK-Russia cooperation is trend of 'great concern' after Kim-Putin summit

The United States reiterated Wednesday that growing cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a trend of "great concern," after Pyongyang and Moscow signed a pact calling for mutual aid if either side comes under attack. A State Department spokesperson made the point after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inked a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty at a summit in Pyongyang on Wednesday amid concerns about security implications

June 20, 2024

Summit of two loners: Kim breaks seclusion with Putin by his side

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appeared solemn in the early hours Wednesday as he stood solo on the red carpet laid out at the airport in Pyongyang for the arrival of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was making his first visit to the country in 24 years. Putin, who is in the habit of arriving fashionably late to meetings with world leaders, touched down in Pyongyang some three hours later than planned, at well past 2 a.m. After landing at the Pyongyang airport, the Russian president joined

June 19, 2024