N. Korea fires several cruise missiles into Yellow Sea: JCS

North Korea fired several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea on Saturday, Seoul's military said, days after South Korea and the US wrapped up their major joint military drills. The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced the North's launch took place at around 4 a.m. but did not elaborate further, pending an analysis. "While strengthening our monitoring and vigilance, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture in close cooperation with the US," the JCS said in a text mes

Sept. 2, 2023

S. Korea sanctions N. Korean drone maker

South Korea has rolled out sanctions on North Korea’s company and workers there for developing weapons including drones and using IT staff to bankroll the country’s weapons programs -- the latest ban aimed at curbing Pyongyang’s aggression. The Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Friday that any exchanges with Ryugyong, the firm, and its five employees -- the chief and four other senior officials -- will result in punishment unless they are approved in advance by authorities. The ba

Sept. 1, 2023

US imposes sanctions on two individuals, one entity for funding N. Korea's illegal weapons program

The US Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions Thursday on two individuals including a North Korean national and one entity in Russia for helping to finance North Korea's illegal weapons development program. The move comes in response to North Korea's failed attempt to launch a reconnaissance satellite last week, according to the office. "In coordination with the Republic of Korea and Japan, the United States sanctioned two individuals and one entity -- J

Sept. 1, 2023

S. Korea, U.S. stage joint live-fire air exercise

South Korea and the United States staged combined live-fire air drills Thursday to bolster their precision strike capabilities, as part of the allies' key annual military exercise. Seoul's Air Force said the drills mobilized some 30 aircraft, including South Korean F-35A radar-evading jets, armed with various missiles, in connection with the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise set to end Thursday. During the live-fire exercise over the Yellow Sea, the South's F-35A, F-15K and KF-16 figh

Aug. 31, 2023

NK holds military drills simulating occupation of S. Korea

North Korea has publicly launched military exercises that involve simulating the occupation of the entirety of South Korean territory through armed attacks in case of contingencies in the presence of the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, its state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday. The General Staff of the Korean People’s Army on Tuesday commenced a command post exercise, or CPX, involving its entire army. The CPX aims to evaluate and examine the operational planning, orga

Aug. 31, 2023

N. Korea to hold key parliamentary meeting on Sept. 26

North Korea plans to convene a key parliamentary meeting next month to mainly discuss organizational matters, state media said Thursday, amid speculation that the country might replace its premier over flood damage. The standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly decided the previous day to hold the ninth session of the 14th SPA on Sept. 26, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. The upcoming session will discuss organizational matters and the issue of ex

Aug. 31, 2023

N. Korea in active negotiations with Russia for arms deal: White House

WASHINGTON -- A group of Russian officials recently trip to North Korea, indicating a potential arms deal between the two countries, a US National Security Council official said Wednesday. John Kirby, NSC coordinator for strategic communications, said the trip may be followed by high-level discussions that could lead to the provision of North Korean weapons to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine. "We have new information, which we are able to share today, that arms negotiations betwee

Aug. 31, 2023

N.Korea fires ballistic missiles after US sends bombers

North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the waters off its east coast late Wednesday night in an apparent protest against the ongoing regular military exercises conducted by South Korea and the US. The two short-range ballistic missiles were launched from the area of Sunan district in the capital city of Pyongyang between 11:40 p.m. and 11:50 p.m., according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The missiles flew around 360 kilometers before splashing down in the East Sea, the JCS said

Aug. 31, 2023

S. Korea holds drills as North vows nuclear buildup

South Korea, the US and Japan held joint missile defense drills off the Korean Peninsula on Tuesday to counter North Korea’s aggression, as the North vowed to expand its capability to use nuclear weapons at sea. The exercises in international waters off Jeju Island focused on tracking projectiles and sharing information about such potential launches by North Korea. Destroyers equipped with the Aegis system to shoot down missiles were used, South Korea’s Navy said. The aim is to &ldq

Aug. 29, 2023

N. Korea's Kim visits navy command, calls for bolstering naval forces

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for bolstering naval forces as he visited the country's navy command, while denouncing South Korea, the United States and Japan for stepping up their trilateral military cooperation, according to the North's state media Tuesday. Kim's visit, which took place on Navy Day in North Korea, came days after he visited a navy unit where he inspected a cruise missile test aboard a warship. "To achieve the successes in rapidly developing the nava

Aug. 29, 2023

N. Korean workers return home from China by road for 1st time since pandemic

SHENYANG, China -- More than 300 North Korean workers returned home Monday from a Chinese border city, multiple sources said, a day after Pyongyang reopened its borders for its citizens abroad for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 300 to 400 North Koreans left Dandong in northeastern China earlier in the day for the North's border city of Sinuiju by bus, according to the sources. It marked the first time for North Koreans to return home by road transportation since the two

Aug. 28, 2023

N. Korea apparently reopens its border due to economic difficulties: Seoul

North Korea apparently has decided to reopen its border after more than three years of its tight virus curbs due largely to economic challenges from its border closure, South Korea's unification ministry said Monday. North Korea said Sunday it has allowed its citizens abroad to return home amid eased concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and will put them under quarantine for a week. The decision marked the secretive regime making official the reopening of its border. "Due to its border

Aug. 28, 2023

N. Korea criticizes European countries for sending F-16 jets to Ukraine

North Korea criticized a recent decision by the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway for providing F-16 fighters to Ukraine in its fight against Russia as an "anti-peace act," the North's state media said Monday. The commentary by the North's Institute of International Studies came as Pyongyang has expressed support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and amid speculation of an arms deal between Pyongyang and Moscow. "Their decision to supply even fighters is an anti-peace

Aug. 28, 2023

NK edges towards full border reopening amid economic concerns

North Korea is gradually opening its tightly closed borders to neighbors like China and Russia amid concerns of an economic crisis in one of the world's most isolated nations. On Sunday, North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency said the North’s State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters on Saturday authorized North Korean citizens stranded abroad to return. The move comes more than three years after strict border restrictions were implemented to prevent the spread

Aug. 27, 2023

Another N. Korean airliner arrives in Beijing following resumption of Pyongyang-Beijing air route

BEIJING -- Another flight operated by Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, arrived in Beijing on Saturday, marking the resumption of regular passenger flights connecting the two countries after they were halted for more than three years due to the pandemic. China recently announced its approval of Koryo Air's schedule between the two countries' capitals, offering three flights per week, in a sign the border has reopened after international flights from and to the North were

Aug. 26, 2023

US calls for UNSC action against N. Korean satellite launch, says China, Russia's opposition is 'troubling'

WASHINGTON -- The United States' envoy to the United Nations called on the UN Security Council to condemn North Korea's recent failed satellite launch on Friday, while insisting that China and Russia's refusal to hold North Korea accountable for its actions is encouraging the recalcitrant country to continue making provocations. The US envoy. Thomas Linda-Greenfield, said China and Russia's refusal to condemn North Korean provocations is "troubling." "I urge ev

Aug. 26, 2023

N. Korean plane arrives in Vladivostok for 1st time in over 3 years: report

VLADIVOSTOK -- A flight operated by Air Koryo, North Korea's national carrier, arrived in Russia's far eastern city of Vladivostok on Friday, a Russian news agency reported, marking the resumption of a commercial flight connecting the two countries after more than three years of COVID-19 restrictions. The flight, which departed from Pyongyang, arrived at Vladivostok International Airport at 11:14 a.m., Russian news agency RIA Novosti said. According to sources, the plane did not carr

Aug. 25, 2023

N. Korea internally tight-lipped on 2nd satellite launch failure

North Korea's state media, which is primarily meant for internal audiences, has not yet reported on its second failed attempt Thursday to launch a purported spy satellite into orbit. The action shows a stark contrast with North Korea’s prompt external acknowledgment of the launch failure, detailed explanations of the primary cause, and the announcement of its intention to conduct a third satellite launch in October via the Korean Central News Agency. The KCNA, which predominantly targ

Aug. 25, 2023

N. Korea's failed satellite launch is provocative, destabilizing: Pentagon

North Korea's failed attempt to launch a military satellite is a provocative action that destabilizes the region, a Pentagon spokesperson reiterated Thursday, after the White House condemned the launch as a direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The Pentagon spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, said the United States will continue working closely with its South Korean and Japanese allies to ensure stability in the region. "What we see here is another failed spa

Aug. 25, 2023

Korea-US-Japan summit builds strong foundation for trilateral cooperation: Amb. Cho

The recently held three-way summit between the leaders of South Korea, Japan and the United States has built an unprecedentedly strong foundation for trilateral cooperation that will help develop their ties under any circumstances, South Korea's ambassador to the US Cho Hyun-dong said Thursday. Cho also insisted that the trilateral summit has created a small multilateral forum that he said is stronger or more powerful than other regional gatherings, including the Quad, a grouping of the US,

Aug. 25, 2023