N. Korea's 8,400-strong hacking group escalates attacks on S. Korea

North Korea's state-sponsored cyberunit, comprising some 8,400 hackers, has mounted over 10,000 attacks against South Korea this year, South Korea's cyber operation command said Wednesday. The Cyber Operations Command revealed these findings during a parliamentary audit session, according to Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the ruling People Power Party and Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party. The North Korean hacking group has intensified its cyberattacks on South Korea's

Oct. 30, 2024

N. Korea, Russia hold joint IT exhibition in Pyongyang for 1st time in 18 yrs

A joint exhibition aimed at promoting information technology exchanges between North Korea and Russia has opened in Pyongyang, the North's state media said Wednesday, marking their first such event in 18 years. The exhibition, held at the People's Palace of Culture, opened Tuesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency, as international attention has focused on North Korea's troop deployment in Russia in apparent support for Moscow in its war with Ukraine. With no mention of

Oct. 30, 2024

Selected NK troops, generals may be deployed to front lines: NIS

A contingent of North Korean troops, including high-ranking generals, deployed to Russia may now be positioned on the front lines of the Ukraine war, South Korea’s spy agency reported Tuesday, adding that the Kim Jong-un regime appears to be clamping down on information about the troop dispatch internationally. "Troop movements between Russia and North Korea have been assessed as underway, with the agency examining the potential relocation of certain personnel, including high-ranking

Oct. 29, 2024

N. Korean foreign minister departs for Russia amid troop dispatch

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has departed for Russia for an official visit, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in a visit that comes as the United States said the North sent about 10,000 soldiers to train in eastern Russia. The visit by Choe to Russia is expected to include discussions about a potential visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Moscow amid deepening military ties between the two countries. Choe left Pyongyang International Airport on Monday, the Korea

Oct. 29, 2024

US says N. Korea has sent about 10,000 troops to eastern Russia

North Korea has sent around 10,000 troops to eastern Russia, which will likely augment Russian forces near Ukraine "over the next several weeks," a US National Security Council official said Monday, as President Joe Biden called the deployment "very dangerous." A NSC spokesperson made the remarks after North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia's western front-line Kursk region --

Oct. 29, 2024

N. Korean troops may deploy to Ukraine-Russia front sooner than expected: Yoon

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned Monday that North Korean troops could be deployed by Russia to the front lines against Ukraine "sooner than expected," according to the presidential office. Yoon shared intelligence on North Korea's troop deployments to Russia and discussed potential response measures during a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, held at her request, the presidential office said in a statement. "The (South Korean) pres

Oct. 28, 2024

NATO chief says he can confirm North Korean troops are in Russia's Kursk

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed on Monday that North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and that North Korean military units have been deployed to the Kursk region. "The deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a threat to both Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security," Rutte told reporters after NATO officials and diplomats received a briefing from a South Korean delegation. Ukrainian forces staged a major incursion into Kur

Oct. 28, 2024

[Contribution] Advancing justice for the DPRK's human rights abuses

Ten years after the release of the groundbreaking United Nations Commission of Inquiry report on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which concluded that the regime is committing crimes against humanity, we traveled to the Republic of Korea (South Korea's official name) to meet with victims and survivors, ROK government officials and activists. Our goal was to promote justice and accountability for those responsible for the widespread and systematic abuses

Oct. 28, 2024

Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone

Growing indications suggest that North Korean troops are on the brink of deployment to support Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, as North Korean soldiers have reportedly arrived in Russia's Kursk region, where Russian and Ukrainian forces have been battling for control of key strategic border location. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that Russia is expected to deploy the first contingent of North Korean soldiers to combat zones as early as Sunday and Monday, based on an

Oct. 27, 2024

N. Korea slams Seoul-Washington joint air exercise

North Korea lambasted South Korea and the United States on Saturday for staging a joint air exercise, accusing Washington of driving the Korean Peninsula into an "uncontrollable" situation. The Freedom Flag exercise kicked off this week to run through next Friday, with the air forces of South Korea and the US, as well as Australia, participating. The two-week joint drill, which is taking place for the first time, replaces regular large-scale air exercises between South Korea and the

Oct. 26, 2024

N. Korea says troop dispatch to Russia, if true, falls in line with int'l law

North Korea's foreign ministry said Friday any alleged deployment of North Korean troops to Russia would align with international law, making the first official comment over the issue. A senior official from North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement issued through the Korean Central News Agency if international media's reports about North Korea's troop dispatch were accurate, such action would "comply with international law and norms." The official respon

Oct. 25, 2024

N. Korea's parliament adopts new law on national anthem

North Korea's parliament has convened a meeting to adopt a new law on its national anthem, state media reported Friday, in what observers believe was aimed at upholding leader Kim Jong-un's "two hostile states" stance. The Standing Committee of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly held its 33rd session in Pyongyang on Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The report did not provide details about the new law on the national anthem, but observers speculated

Oct. 25, 2024

First unit of N. Korean troops deployed to front lines in western Russia: reports

The first batch of North Korean troops sent to Russia to support its war in Ukraine has reportedly arrived in Russia's western border region near Ukraine, according to Ukrainian media on Friday. The North Korean military unit was spotted Wednesday in the "war zones" of Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have been conducting operations since launching an incursion in August, Ukrainian media outlets, including Ukrainska Pravda, reported, citing Ukrainian intelligence

Oct. 25, 2024

What would N. Korean troops mean for the war with Ukraine?

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — US and South Korean officials said Wednesday that there’s evidence North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia in a potential escalation of the nearly 3-year-old war with Ukraine. If the soldiers’ goal is fighting with Russia in Ukraine, it would be the first time a third country puts boots on the ground in the war. Other countries on both sides of the divide have sent military aid, including weapons and training: Iran has supplied Russia with drones, and W

Oct. 24, 2024

N. Korea installing unidentified structures on disconnected inter-Korean road: source

North Korea is building unidentified structures on an eastern inter-Korean road that it blew up last week, a source said Thursday, amid heightened cross-border tensions over the North's border activities. Last Tuesday, North Korea blew up sections of the eastern Donghae Line and the western Gyeongui Line, just north of the border, days after vowing to cut off all roads and railways linked to the South and build front-line defense structures. Since the explosions, South Korea's border s

Oct. 24, 2024

NATO says has 'confirmed evidence' N.Korea troops in Russia

NATO countries have confirmed evidence that North Korea has sent troops to Russia, an alliance spokeswoman said Wednesday, warning it would be a major escalation if they head to Ukraine. "Allies have confirmed evidence of a DPRK troop deployment to Russia. If these troops are destined to fight in Ukraine, it would mark a significant escalation in North Korea's support for Russia's illegal war and yet another sign of Russia's significant losses on the front lines," Farah

Oct. 23, 2024

N. Korea's support puts Putin in its debt: experts

North Korea's dispatch of personnel to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- even if their military involvement is limited or indirect -- could put Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang's debt, experts said. The development may also set the stage for reciprocal support from Moscow for Kim Jong-un's aggressive ambitions, especially if North Korean casualties occur in the Ukraine war. Whether North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia remains a hotly debated issue, w

Oct. 23, 2024

N. Korean leader urges bolstering war deterrence, citing US nuclear threats

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has once again called for enhancing the country's war deterrence, including the readiness of its nuclear capabilities, in response to what he described as growing nuclear threats from the United States, state media said Wednesday. Kim made the remarks during his inspection of "strategic missile bases," the Korean Central News Agency said in an English-language dispatch. The report did not specify the location or the date of the inspection. "As

Oct. 23, 2024

NK leader's sister accuses S. Korea, Ukraine of provocation, likens them to 'bad dogs bred by the US'

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un slammed South Korea and Ukraine on Tuesday for what she claimed was a military provocation against Pyongyang, likening the two countries to "bad dogs bred by the US." The statement by Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party, came days after South Korea's spy agency said the North was sending troops to fight alongside Russia in the war in Ukraine. "A military provoca

Oct. 22, 2024

S. Korea, UK to initiate 2+2 talks, boost defense ties

Top diplomats of South Korea and the United Kingdom have agreed to launch foreign and defense ministerial "2+2" talks early next year in a bid to strengthen their joint response to regional and global security threats, while pledging further cooperation on co-developing defense capabilities, according to a joint statement released Tuesday. South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met for the 9th Korea-UK Foreign Ministers' Strategi

Oct. 22, 2024