N. Korea voices 'strong' support for Russia over Wagner's armed rebellion

North Korea's vice foreign minister voiced his "strong" support for any decision by the Russian leadership over the recent armed rebellion by the Wagner mercenary group, according to the North's state media Sunday. Vice Foreign Minister Im Chon-il made the remarks during his meeting with Russian Ambassador to the North Alexander Matsegora earlier in the day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Im "expressed firm belief that the recent armed rebellion in R

June 25, 2023

N. Korea claims expansion of BRICS could speed up end to US dollar's supremacy

North Korea's state media claimed Sunday that an expansion of the so-called emerging BRICS nations could challenge and eventually speed up an end of the domination of the US dollar. In an article carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, Jong Il-hyon, an international affairs analyst of North Korea, criticized the US for using the dollar and its military might as means for "hegemonism." BRICS -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- held a meeting of its f

June 25, 2023

S. Korean rights watchdog head urges China to stop repatriation of NK defectors

South Korea's human rights watchdog chief on Friday urged China not to send North Korean defectors back to their homeland, citing reports that about 2,000 North Koreans held in China face imminent repatriation. Song Doo-hwan, chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, issued a statement saying the human rights of North Koreans can be seriously infringed upon if they are repatriated and that the Chinese government should comply with the United Nations' recommendation.

June 23, 2023

N. Korea most likely to use nuclear weapons as means of coercion: US intelligence report

North Korea will likely use its nuclear weapons to coerce political concessions from South Korea and its allies, a US intelligence report said Thursday. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence noted that Pyongyang may also employ non-nuclear, non-lethal attacks to advance its goals in the future, believing that its nuclear weapons will deter counteroffensives. "We assess that through 2030, Kim Jong-un most likely will continue to pursue a strategy of coercion, potentially includ

June 23, 2023

N. Korea calls Blinken's visit to China 'disgraceful begging trip'

North Korea on Wednesday called US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's latest visit to China a "disgraceful begging trip," claiming it demonstrated the US failure in its policy of putting pressure on Beijing. Jong Yong-hak, an analyst on international affairs, said Blinken flew to China to "beg for the relaxation" of worsened bilateral ties, as its pressure policy on China dealt a fatal blow to the US economy and a China-US confrontation could trigger an unprecedented mi

June 21, 2023

NK rebukes officials for failed satellite

North Korea called the botched attempt last month to launch a military reconnaissance satellite the “most serious failure,” vowing to try a second launch without offering exact dates at the ruling party’s key meeting held from Friday to Sunday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Monday, officials responsible for the May 31 launch were rebuked at the plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, which leader Kim Jong-un

June 19, 2023

Ex-N. Korean secretary of inter-Korean affairs returns to party political bureau

Kim Yong-chol, a former top North Korean party official in charge of affairs with South Korea, has returned to the ruling party's politburo following a year of his absence from key party posts. Kim has been elected as an alternate member of the political bureau of the Workers' Party of Korea in the latest reshuffle of party officials following a three-day party plenary meeting that ended Sunday, according to state media. A photo carried by the Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newsp

June 19, 2023

N. Korea cites failed satellite launch as 'most serious' failure

North Korea called its failed attempt to launch a purported military reconnaissance satellite the "most serious" shortcoming in the first half of this year and reaffirmed its pledge to put it into orbit soon, Pyongyang's state media said Monday. The North made the assessment following a plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, attended by leader Kim Jong-un, that wrapped up the previous day, referring to its botched attempt to launch

June 19, 2023

S. Korea to carry out first in-depth inquiry into forced labor in N. Korea

South Korea plans to carry out its first in-depth inquiry into forced labor practices in North Korea through interviews with defectors who have arrived in South Korea over the past five years, sources said Sunday. North Korean Human Rights Records Center will conduct the interviews through the end of the year to learn details of the forced labor practices taking place at North Korea's detention facilities, schools and various social organizations, according to the sources. The inquiry by th

June 18, 2023

N. Korea opens key party meeting to discuss diplomatic, defense strategies

North Korea has convened a key party meeting to discuss the country's diplomatic and defense strategies in response to the "changed international situation," with its leader Kim Jong-un in attendance, state media reported Saturday. Kim took part in the eighth "enlarged plenary meeting" of the 8th Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) that opened Friday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The meeting will discuss &q

June 17, 2023

Unification minister confident of winning damages suit against N. Korea

South Korea's unification minister voiced confidence Friday in winning a damages suit the government has filed against Pyongyang over its 2020 demolition of an inter-Korean liaison office in North Korea's border city of Kaesong. The remarks by Kwon Young-se, who is in charge of Seoul's inter-Korean affairs, came two days after the government lodged a 44.7 billion-won ($35 million) damages suit against North Korea for blowing up the liaison office on June 16, 2020. It marked the fi

June 16, 2023

US imposes sanctions on two N. Korean nationals for assisting illegal weapons program

The United States imposed sanctions on two North Korean nationals based in China on Thursday for assisting North Korea's illegal weapons development programs, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. The move came hours after Pyongyang fired two short-range ballistic missiles, resuming its missile provocation after a brief pause. "Today, the United States is designating two Beijing-based Democratic People's Republic of Korea nationals connected to the DPRK's weapons of mass de

June 16, 2023

NK fires 2 ballistic missiles toward East Sea

North Korea has fired two short-range ballistic missiles towards the East Sea, the military authorities said Thursday. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that it detected two short-range ballistic missiles fired from the Sunan area of North Korea from around 7:25 p.m. to 7:37 p.m. towards the East Sea. The authorities confirmed that the missiles landed in the East Sea after flying about 780 km each, adding that the details and any additional provocations are being monitored by th

June 15, 2023

N. Korea's Kim touts leadership of China's Xi in birthday greetings

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping on his 70th birthday, saying that Beijing's national power has "remarkably" strengthened under his leadership, Pyongyang's state media reported Thursday. In the message, Kim said that Beijing has "built a comprehensively well-off society" and that its "national power and international position remarkably strengthened" under Xi's "energetic" leadership, accordin

June 15, 2023

Foreign ministry condemns N.Korea's missile provocations ahead of ARF

The foreign ministry denounced Wednesday North Korea's recent series of missile provocations at a virtual senior officials' meeting ahead of an annual multilateral forum involving Pyongyang slated for next month. The ministry said it stated its position during the online preparatory meeting of senior government officials for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, due to take place in Indonesia in July. Deputy Foreign Minister Choi Young-sam and Lee Jang-keun, the am

June 14, 2023

Host China confirms N. Korean registration for Asian Games

China has confirmed North Korea's registration for this year's Asian Games to be held in its eastern city of Hangzhou. At a press conference Wednesday in Hangzhou, Zhou Jinqiang, vice chairman of the Asiad organizing committee, said all 45 national Olympic committees in Asia have signed up for the Sept. 23 to Oct. 8 event. Zhou didn't name individual countries, but his figure of 45 members of the Olympic Council of Asia includes North Korea. Reports out of Japan last month had cla

June 14, 2023

S. Korea sues NK for blowing up liaison office

The South Korean government on Wednesday filed a lawsuit seeking damages from North Korea for blowing up the inter-Korean liaison office in June 2020, marking the first case of Seoul taking legal action against the North Korean authorities through a local judicial court. The South Korean government submitted a lawsuit to the Seoul Central District Court at approximately 2 p.m., seeking compensation from North Korea for damages amounting to 44.7 billion won ($35 million) caused by the destruction

June 14, 2023

N. Korea’s Lazarus Group suspected of stealing over $100 million in crypto

North Korea's state-sponsored Lazarus Group is believed to have stolen more than $100 million in cryptocurrency from an Estonian company, marking the latest in a series of high-profile cyberthefts by Pyongyang operatives. London-based blockchain analytics firm Elliptic on Tuesday disclosed the findings of its analysis, which tracked over 5,500 crypto wallets suspected to have been compromised in the cryptocurrency breach of Atomic Wallet. The estimated total amount of reported losses suffer

June 14, 2023

Congressional commission holds emergency hearing, urges China to protect N. Korean defectors

The Congressional Executive Commission on China held an emergency hearing in Washington on Tuesday to urge China to fulfill its obligations as a United Nations member and protect North Korean asylum-seekers. Members of the commission and key witnesses argued that nearly 2,000 North Korean defectors in China may face forced repatriation once North Korea reopens its border with China, which has been shut during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Close to 2,000 North Korean refugees are reportedly held i

June 14, 2023

Growing bilateral cooperation highlighted on Sweden Day

The Swedish Embassy highlighted the growing bilateral cooperation between the European country with Korea as it celebrated Sweden Day 2023 on Friday. Sweden Day, a national holiday, is observed on June 6. This year marks a double jubilee celebration for Sweden. It commemorates 500 years of independence since the election of King Gustav Vasa in 1523 and the 50th year on the throne for Carl XVI Gustaf, Sweden’s current and longest-reigning monarch. Delivering remarks at the event, Swedish Am

June 13, 2023