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Chinese travel agency opens bookings for tours to N. Korea's Rason set for this month
A Chinese tour agency specializing in North Korean tours has opened bookings for travel programs to North Korea's northeastern city of Rason, scheduled for February through April, its website showed Monday. The "Rason Kim Jong-il Birthday Tour" is scheduled to depart on Feb. 12, as well as in March and April, according to the website of Koryo Tours. This month's tour, priced at 706 euros ($722.03), includes four nights in Rason and two nights in China's Yanji, as well as visits to factories, mar
Feb. 3, 2025 -
N. Korea criticizes US missile defense plan, vows to bolster nuke deterrence
North Korea on Monday criticized the Trump administration's plan to enhance missile defense for allied territories, vowing to advance its nuclear deterrence and other military capabilities in self-defense. The North Korean foreign ministry's Institute for Disarmament and Peace issued the criticism in a press statement following President Donald Trump' executive order last week to pursue a "next-generation" missile defense shield for the US and allied territories. The plan signaled a potential ac
Feb. 3, 2025 -
N. Korea says US arms aid cannot 'save' S. Korea from strategic deficiency
North Korea on Sunday accused the United States of stepping up weapons aid to allies in what it called an attempt to cement its hegemonic status, saying such weapons provisions are still not sufficient to "save" South Korea from a strategic deficiency. The North's state media made the accusation after the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency recently announced proposed sales of weapons to South Korea, which will include BQM-177A subsonic sea-skimming aerial targets for Aegis-equipped destroyer
Feb. 2, 2025 -
US, North Korea start tug-of-war over potential nuclear talks: experts
The United States and North Korea are engaged in a tug of war as they edge closer to potential negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear program, with Washington reiterating its commitment to North Korea’s complete denuclearization following a recent visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to a nuclear material production base, experts said Friday. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said Tuesday that US President Donald Trump remains committed to the "complete denuclearization of N
Jan. 31, 2025 -
Samsung mobile phone found among belongings of N. Korean soldier killed by Ukrainian forces
A Samsung cellphone was found among the belongings of a North Korean soldier who was killed by Ukrainian forces while fighting alongside Russian troops, according to the Ukrainian military. Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SSO) said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (local time) that they conducted a raid in Russia's western front-line region of Kursk, killing two North Korean soldiers. Photos released by the SSO show that the captured items included a mobile phone that appears to be a Samsung 2
Jan. 30, 2025 -
Trump will pursue complete denuclearization of N. Korea: White House
US President Donald Trump will pursue the "complete denuclearization of North Korea," a White House official said Tuesday, amid questions over whether Trump's recent reference to the North as a "nuclear power" signaled any policy shift. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes made the remarks shortly after the North's Korean Central News Agency reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a nuclear-material production base and a nuclear weapons institute in an apparent move
Jan. 29, 2025 -
N. Korea's Kim inspects nuclear-material production base, urges strengthening of nuclear shield: KCNA
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected a nuclear-material production base and a nuclear weapons institute, emphasizing that strengthening the nuclear shield is "indispensable" amid a long-term confrontation with "the most vicious hostile countries." Kim made the remarks during his inspection of the production base and the Nuclear Weapons Institute, where he reviewed the core processes for producing weapons-grade nuclear materials and learned about the present production status, the Korean
Jan. 29, 2025 -
North Korea fires 1st missile since Trump's inauguration
Pyongyang likely to take hard-line stance against Washington while analyzing Trump's remark, expert says North Korea on Sunday said it tested sea-to-surface strategic cruise-guided missiles the previous day, in its first provocation since US President Donald Trump officially began his second term. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Missile Administration test-fired the missiles on Saturday, which flew 1,500 kilometers along their flight trajectories for 7,507 to 7,511 seconds before preci
Jan. 26, 2025 -
N. Korea test-fires strategic cruise missiles, vows 'toughest counteraction' against US
North Korea said Sunday it tested sea-to-surface strategic guided cruise missiles the day before, vowing to take the "toughest countermeasure" against the US in the first week of Washington's new administration. The latest show of force came just days after US President Donald Trump expressed his intent to reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The missiles reportedly flew about 1,500 kilometers in elliptical and figure-eight-shaped patterns for 7,507 to 7,511 seconds and precisely hit th
Jan. 26, 2025 -
3 in 4 S. Koreans unaware of fate of loved ones in N. Korea: survey
Overall demand for exchanges declines as S. Koreans separated from family in N. Korea age Three in four South Koreans separated from family and relatives by the Korean War remain unaware of their fate, with most calling for urgent action to confirm whether their loved ones are alive, according to the Unification Ministry. Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, the Unification Ministry on Friday unveiled the results of a face-to-face survey conducted between July and December last year with 5,103 s
Jan. 24, 2025 -
NK holds off provocations but strengthens reinforcements for Russia: JCS
North Korea shows no signs of immediate provocations following its recent missile launches ahead of US President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Instead, the pro-Russian regime is expected to deploy more troops to Ukraine, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday. In a report released Friday morning, the JCS stated that North Korea has shown no activities indicating imminent provocations, apart from conducting seasonal military drills since December. “North Korea appears focused o
Jan. 24, 2025 -
Economy and defense top N. Korea’s New Year Assembly, no word on Trump
Pyongyang sees little gain in sending a Trump-targeted message, experts say North Korea’s New Year Assembly meeting in 2025, marking the final year of Kim Jong-un’s five-year development plan introduced in 2021, focused on advancing the economy and strengthening defense capabilities. However, defying some expectations, the session—which was preannounced in early December to convene on Wednesday, just two days after Trump’s inauguration — notably lacked any remarks or messages from Kim directed t
Jan. 24, 2025 -
Trump says he will reach out to N. Korean leader Kim again
US President Donald Trump has said he will reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un again, a remark that raised the prospects for the resumption of his summit diplomacy with the reclusive leader. Trump made the remarks during a Fox News interview broadcast Thursday, portraying Kim as a "smart guy" and "not a religious zealot" -- a description that appears to indicate his view that the North Korean leader could be somebody he can communicate with for a negotiation. "I will, yeah," Trump said
Jan. 24, 2025 -
Russian firm begins attracting tourists to N. Korea's new Kalma tourist zone
A Russian travel agency has begun attracting tourists to North Korea's new Kalma tourist zone along the east coast, potentially bringing Russians as the first foreign tourists to the location, the firm's social media showed Friday. Vostok Intur, a Vladivostok-based tour agency organizing trips to North Korea, announced three tour dates to the Wonsan-Kalma tourist resort starting in early July, inviting tourists to join the program, according to a Telegram post updated on Tuesday. "Be the first g
Jan. 24, 2025 -
N. Korea reports on impeachment trial against Yoon
North Korea's state media on Friday reported on President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention for an investigation into his short-lived imposition of martial law and the accelerating impeachment trial against him. "Puppet Yoon Suk Yeol who had been under interrogation after being arrested on charges of masterminding an insurrection was detained at the Seoul Detention Center on Jan. 19 and his impeachment trial is accelerating," the Korean Central News Agency reported. The same article was published in the
Jan. 24, 2025