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N. Korea remains 'same menace' it has been across many administrations: Sullivan
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Monday North Korea remains the "same menace" it has been across many previous administrations, while stressing America has the capacity and the wherewithal and allies to meet the challenge. Sullivan made the remarks, pointing to a litany of "serious and ongoing" challenges around the world, including those from North Korea and China, which the administration of incoming President Donald Trump will face upon assuming office on Jan. 20. "North Korea
Jan. 14, 2025 -
Captured NK soldier says he wishes to remain in Ukraine
Ukraine has released a rare video of two captured North Korean soldiers under interrogation, in which one of them said he wants to remain in Ukraine when asked if he wishes to return home. The soldier with bandages on his hands made the remarks in the nearly three-minute footage released by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on X on Sunday, a day after he announced the two North Koreans' capture in Russia's western Kursk region. During the interrogation, the soldier asked in Korean if Ukrai
Jan. 13, 2025 -
Zelenskyy: Ukraine ready to hand over captured NK soldiers in exchange for Ukrainian captives
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is prepared to hand over captured North Korean soldiers in exchange for Ukrainian captives in Russia, a day after revealing the country's seizure of two wounded North Korean soldiers. Zelenskyy made the proposal in his account on the social media platform X on Sunday in English, Ukrainian and Korean, following his announcement the previous day that two wounded North Korean soldiers had been captured in Russia's western Kursk region. "
Jan. 13, 2025 -
North Korean soldiers believed they were sent to Russia for training, not war: NIS
Two North Korean soldiers deployed in the Ukraine-Russia war claimed they believed they were participating in a military exercise, not a war, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service reported on Sunday. According to the NIS, the North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukrainian military forces in the Kursk region of western Russia on Thursday and are currently in the custody of the Ukrainian government. The NIS stated that one of the detainees testified they arrived in Russia in November last
Jan. 12, 2025 -
Head of abolished NK party organ on inter-Korean affairs appears to retain political status
Ri Son-gwon, director of North Korea's abolished United Front Department in charge of affairs with South Korea, appears to have retained his political status even after the department's purported dissolution, according to state media on Friday. The Korean Central News Agency reported that Ri attended a banquet held the previous day for a visiting art troupe of Korean schoolchildren from Japan and gave a speech, referring to his official title as department director of the ruling Workers' Party o
Jan. 10, 2025 -
N. Korea includes Russian language in official postal stamp description for 1st time
North Korea has included Russian in the description of its new postal stamps set to be issued in the new year, the website of its stamp agency showed Friday, reflecting the country's growing alignment with Russia. A stamp release notice uploaded on the Korea Stamp Corp.'s website included images and descriptions of four postal stamps scheduled for issuance on Jan. 20 in four languages -- Korean, English, Chinese and Russian -- along with an order form. It is believed to be the first time that No
Jan. 10, 2025 -
N. Korean media make no mention of leader Kim's birthday
North Korea's state media have made no mention of leader Kim Jong-un's birthday, which reportedly falls on Wednesday, despite speculation the North may formalize its celebrations this year amid its glorification campaigns for him. North Korea has not officially designated Kim's birthday, believed to be Jan. 8, for special celebrations, though the birthdays of late state founder Kim Il-sung and his successor, Kim Jong-il, have been marked as national holidays. The Rodong Sinmun, a North Korean ne
Jan. 8, 2025 -
NK leader attends factory launch ceremony, urges upsurge in regional construction
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended a ceremony to inaugurate factories in the southwestern county of Jaeryong, reaffirming his plan to push for an "upsurge" in regional construction, state media reported Wednesday. An inauguration ceremony of regional-industry factories in Jaeryong County for the "Regional Development 20x10 Policy" took place on Tuesday, with Kim in attendance, the Korean Central News Agency said. The KCNA said the new factories, built on a granary, marked a significant
Jan. 8, 2025 -
N. Korea says it tested new hypersonic missile
North Korea on Tuesday hailed its test-firing of a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile the previous day, claiming it was successful and contained a system that could "deal a serious military strike to a rival.” Confirming Monday's test-firing, Pyongyang’s state media the Korean Central News Agency said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the test himself, with his daughter believed to be named Ju-ae, accompanying him. The new missile was launched from the outskirts of Py
Jan. 7, 2025 -
N. Korea's claim of hypersonic missile launch likely 'deception': S. Korean military
North Korea's claim of what it called a successful launch of a new intermediate-range ballistic missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead is presumed to be "deception," South Korea's military said Tuesday. The assessment came hours after North Korea said it successfully test-fired the missile the previous day, saying it flew some 1,500 kilometers at 12 times the speed of sound. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff earlier said the IRBM launched from the Pyongyang area flew about 1,100 km before fa
Jan. 7, 2025 -
N. Korea confirms launch of new hypersonic missile
North Korea on Tuesday confirmed its test-firing of a new intermediate-range ballistic missile fitted with a hypersonic warhead, a day after the Kim Jong-un regime fired the weapon in a first act of provocation this year, before the launch later this month of the second Donald Trump administration in the US. The missile firing was supervised by the North Korean leader himself, with the new missile purportedly flying 1,500 kilometers on an estimated trajectory at 12 times the speed of sound, acco
Jan. 7, 2025 -
North Korea fires ballistic missile for first time this year
Launch comes ahead of Trump's inauguration, during Blinken's visit to Seoul North Korea fired a suspected hypersonic ballistic missile into the East Sea around noon, marking its first missile provocation this year, South Korea's military said Monday. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile flew about 1,100 kilometers after being launched from the Pyongyang area Monday at noon, before plunging into the sea off the east coast. The missile flew for
Jan. 6, 2025 -
Abductee families to deliver newsletter to pro-N. Korea group in Japan
A group representing the families of those abducted by North Korea said Monday it will try to send a newsletter about the abductees to the pro-North Korean group located in Japan. Choi Seong-ryong, who heads the group, told Yonhap News that it will distribute the newsletters on Jan. 29 to the Tokyo-based General Association of Korean Residents in Japan -- or Chongryon -- which consists of Japan-based Koreans who consider themselves citizens of North Korea. The newsletter, Choi said, will consist
Jan. 6, 2025 -
Trump picks aide involved in planning summits with Kim as senior White House official
US President-elect Donald Trump has picked an aide, who was involved in planning summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his first term, as a senior White House official, his transition team said Saturday. The team issued a statement on the incoming president's decision to appoint William Beau Harrison as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for operations, noting that Harrison played a "critical" role in the planning of in-person meetings with the North Korean lea
Jan. 5, 2025 -
2.2 magnitude natural earthquake hits N. Korea's Ongjin in southwest: S. Korea's weather agency
A 2.2 magnitude earthquake struck North Korea's southwestern county of Ongjin, the latest in a series of natural earthquakes to hit North Korea in recent years, South Korea's weather agency said Sunday. The earthquake occurred at 2:43 a.m., about 8 kilometers northeast of Ongjin near the western sea border with South Korea, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. The epicenter was detected at a latitude of 38.00 degrees north and a longitude of 125.39 degrees east at a depth of 5 km. The K
Jan. 5, 2025