Trump's outreach to Kim signals pragmatic shift in nuclear policy: experts

US President Donald Trump's renewed outreach to North Korea may reflect a broader shift already underway in Washington toward a more pragmatic approach to Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal, potentially leaving Seoul with little to gain, experts say. Kim Young-ho, a professor of security policy at Korea National Defense University, said US President Donald Trump's renewed interest in meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un should not be seen as a sudden shift. "North Korea was probably on his agenda fr

2026-08-24 15:24:45:00

US should take lead in N. Korea talks, switching 2018 roles with Seoul: expert

The United States should take the lead in engaging North Korea, while South Korea should take a supporting role rather than trying to work as the intermediary as it did eight years ago, a Seoul-based expert has said. Lee Sang-sin, director of the Unification Policy Research Division at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said the approach taken in 2018 would be difficult to repeat now, after Pyongyang has cut off all communication with Seoul. The institute is a state-funded think tank

2026-08-23 14:34:46:00

N. Korea to send more troops to Russia, but deployment not imminent: Seoul

North Korea is preparing for a possible additional troop deployment to Russia, but no signs of an imminent deployment have been detected, South Korea's military intelligence agency said Sunday. In a report submitted to Rep. Yu Yong-weon of the People Power Party, the Defense Intelligence Agency under the Defense Ministry said preparations within the North Korean military for a potential additional deployment have continued. "North Korea continues preparations for a troop deployment, but no signs

2026-08-23 10:46:26:00

[Key Points] Trump’s ‘57 nukes’ claim raises questions over changes to North Korea strategy

Number draws scrutiny: Trump said North Korea has “57 very powerful nuclear weapons,” an unusually precise figure that he did not source or define. In April, he had put the arsenal at 45. Estimates run higher: South Korean officials estimate Pyongyang may possess roughly 80-120 nuclear weapons, while a KIDA researcher previously projected 127-150 based on fissile-material production. Language signals shift: Trump’s matter-of-fact description of North Korea’s arsenal, coupled with repeated refere

2026-08-20 20:14:02:00

North Korea fires over 10 SRBMs from Pyongyang toward East Sea: JCS

North Korea launched more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The JCS said it detected the launches from the Pyongyang area at around 5 p.m. Thursday. The specific type of missile and flight distance were not immediately disclosed. The latest launch came eight days after North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea from the Wonsan area on Aug. 12. The missile flew about 700 kilometers, according to the Sou

2026-08-20 17:26:48:00

What is behind Trump's claim of '57 North Korean nuclear weapons'?

US President Donald Trump's claim that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un possesses "57 very powerful nuclear weapons" is drawing attention not only for its unusually specific figure, but also for what it could signal ahead of a possible meeting between the two leaders later this year. Trump's remarks treated North Korea's nuclear arsenal as a reality, while stressing his personal relationship with Kim. "The fact that I get along with him — that's a good thing, not a bad thing. He has 57 very power

2026-08-20 15:17:22:00

Trump casts a long shadow over South Korea-US drills

South Korea and the United States have agreed to halve the duration of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise at Washington's request, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced Wednesday. The allies decided to end this year's UFS exercise on Friday, shortening the drill to Aug. 17-21 from the originally planned Aug. 17-27 schedule, according to the JCS. The exercise kicked off Monday as initially planned. This is the first time a major combined exercise has been abruptly adjusted after getting u

2026-08-19 11:44:25:00

50 years after JSA killings, victims’ families underscore S. Korea-US military cooperation

PAJU, Gyeonggi Province — “I just hope for continued cooperation between our two countries.” Stacy Adams, a niece of 1st Lt. Mark Barrett, said Tuesday while visiting the Joint Security Area, where her uncle and Maj. Arthur Bonifas were killed by North Korean soldiers exactly 50 years ago. Both were US Army officers serving under the United Nations Command at the JSA. “The walk towards peace is sometimes a long one,” Adams told reporters. The deaths of the two officers, she said, “really brought

2026-08-18 17:28:00:00

Here's what Gwangju air base relocation means for South Korea's Air Force

South Korea is moving to vacate Gwangju Air Base by mid-2028 as part of the Lee Jae Myung administration's plan to make way for a semiconductor industrial cluster. As part of the effort, the Defense Ministry is preparing to temporarily relocate units of the Air Force's 1st Fighter Wing stationed at Gwangju to other air bases, a move that could also require the reassignment of some forces already stationed at the receiving bases. But the relocation faces a series of military challenges, including

2026-08-14 16:29:37:00

S. Korea, UN Command issue contradicting statements on new armistice unit

South Korea's Defense Ministry and the United Nations Command diverged Friday over the creation of a new unit tasked with security and enforcement of the 1953 armistice near the border dividing the two Koreas. Earlier in the day, the UNC said it was working on an internal reorganization to bring together units responsible for security at the Joint Security Area and enforcement of the Korean War Armistice Agreement. The proposed brigade-level organization, tentatively called the Security and Armi

2026-08-14 15:05:38:00