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N. Korea says 'serious accident' occurred on new destroyer during launch ceremony
North Korea said Thursday a "serious accident" occurred the previous day during a ceremony to launch a new warship, with its leader Kim Jong-un calling it a "criminal act" that could not be tolerated. The accident took place Wednesday at a shipyard in the eastern port city of Chongjin during a ceremony to launch a newly built 5,000-ton destroyer, attended by the North's leader, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Citing "inexperience command and operational carelessness" in the course o
May 22, 2025 -
N. Korea's Kim pays tribute to prominent military figure
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has paid respects at the tomb of Hyon Chol-hae, who is known to have played a key role in grooming him for leadership, to mark the third anniversary of his death, the North's state media reported Monday. Kim visited the Patriotic Martyrs Cemetery in Sinmi-ri the previous day and laid a flower to mark the third anniversary of Hyon's death, the Korean Central News Agency said. Hyon, marshal of the Korean People's Army, died at 87 on May 19, 2022. He is known to have
May 19, 2025 -
Kim Jong-un oversees anti-air combat, air raid drills, calls for stronger war preparations
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw anti-air combat and air raid drills by an air force flight group this week, stressing the need for constant and stronger war preparations across all military units, Pyongyang's state media reported Saturday. Kim gave the guidance during his visit Thursday to the flight group under the Guards 1st Air Division of the Korean People's Army, calling on "all the units of the entire army to bring about a radical turn in the preparations for war in constant war po
May 17, 2025 -
Panmunjom tourism to partially resume in form of special tour
Designated civilian tours of the Panmunjom truce village — suspended amid heightened military tensions between the two Koreas — are set to partially resume this week. According to the Ministry of Unification, 17 trained employees of the National Institute for Unification Education will participate in a special tour of the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone on Friday. Located approximately 50 kilometers north of Seoul, the area has long been used as a venue for inter-Korean talks. "We'
May 15, 2025 -
How Lee Jae-myung wants to reshape foreign policy
Recasting himself as a foreign policy pragmatist grounded in national interest, South Korea’s presidential front-runner Lee Jae-myung is signaling a reset of the strategic compass for the country’s foreign and North Korea policy. On the Korean Peninsula, Lee prioritizes reducing military tensions and reviving long-stalled dialogue with North Korea — a step he sees as essential to ensuring that Seoul is not sidelined in what he views as an inevitable US bid to thaw relations with the Kim Jong-un
May 14, 2025 -
N. Korea's Kim supervises special operations' drills, urges full preparations for war
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has supervised combined tactical drills of special operations, stressing that the most "crucial" task for the North's armed forces is to make full preparations for war, state media reported Wednesday. The combined tactical drills of special operations and tank subunits' joint fire strike demonstration took place the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency. "Saying that our revolutionary armed forces are now in charge of not a few fronts, but the
May 14, 2025 -
UN to host 1st high-level meeting on N. Korea's human rights violations
The United Nations General Assembly will hold its first high-level meeting next week over human rights abuses and violations by North Korea, diplomatic and civic group sources said Monday. In a circulated letter, UNGA President Philemon Yang announced a plan to convene a high-level plenary meeting on May 20 to address North Korea's human rights violations, in accordance with a relevant UNGA resolution adopted in December last year, the sources said. It marks the first time that a high-level meet
May 12, 2025 -
N. Korea's Kim says participation in Russia's war against Ukraine justified
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said the North's deployment of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine was justified, defending his country's participation in the war as an exercise of its sovereign rights, Pyongyang's state media reported Saturday. Kim made the remarks during his visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang the previous day to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II, known as Victory Day, according to the Korean Ce
May 10, 2025 -
S. Korea voices regret over China, Russia defending N. Korea in joint statement
South Korea expressed regret Friday over China and Russia's defense of North Korea in a joint leaders' statement despite its nuclear ambitions, urging them to "persistently" press Pyongyang to return to denuclearization talks. In the joint statement issued after the summit in Moscow between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, the two countries called on "relevant countries to abandon policies of unilateral coercive measures and pressure" against the Nor
May 9, 2025 -
Russian envoy touts NK troop deployment as demonstration of bilateral partnership: KCNA
Russia's top envoy to North Korea has touted Pyongyang's troop deployment as a demonstration of the two countries' partnership during a reception marking the 80th anniversary of Moscow's World War II victory over Nazi Germany, the North's state media said Friday. Russian Ambassador Alexandr Matsegora made the remarks during a reception marking the 80th anniversary of Russia's Victory Day, held the previous day at a hotel in Pyongyang, the Korean Central News Agency said. "The operations for libe
May 9, 2025 -
N. Korea's Kim oversees missile test, emphasizes combat readiness of nuclear forces
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen a joint strike drill involving long-range artillery and a short-range tactical ballistic missile while emphasizing the combat readiness of its nuclear forces, state media reported Friday, a day after the country launched multiple ballistic missiles. The drill was aimed at familiarizing military units with the weapons' operations, and the test-fire verified the reliability of the command and mobilization system to quickly react during a nuclear crisis,
May 9, 2025 -
North Korea fires SRBMs into East Sea amid speculation over missile exports
North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Thursday morning, marking its first missile launch in about two months. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a text message to the press that it detected the launches between approximately 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. from the area near Wonsan, a coastal city about 180 kilometers east of Pyongyang. The missiles flew up to 800 kilometers before falling into the East Sea, the military said. The launch raised speculatio
May 8, 2025 -
N. Korea holds economic talks with Belarus, hopes for 'vibrant' cooperation: KCNA
North Korea and Belarus have held economic talks in Pyongyang as the North has expected "vibrant" bilateral cooperation and exchanges, state media reported Thursday. A government delegation from Belarus, led by Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko, arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday to attend the third meeting of the intergovernmental joint committee for trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. North Korea and Belarus held sectoral economic talks Wednesday to discuss ways to promote
May 8, 2025 -
N. Korea fires ballistic missile into East Sea
North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea at around 8:10 a.m. Thursday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a text message to the press in Seoul. The JCS said it detected the missiles being launched from the area around Wonsan, a coastal city about 180 kilometers east of Pyongyang. The military added that it has strengthened surveillance and vigilance in preparation for additional launches and is maintaining a full readiness posture while closely sharing
May 8, 2025 -
North Korean leader, troops to skip Russia’s Victory Day despite deepening military ties
The Kremlin has confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his troops will not attend Russia’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations, despite growing attention over whether Kim would appear in Red Square alongside other leaders, amid Pyongyang’s deepening military alignment with Moscow. Kim, however, has notably continued to publicly give "field guidance" at weapons factories at home — a move observers in Seoul interpret as signaling North Korea’s intent to sustain military support for Russia’s
May 7, 2025