North Korea admitted an attempt to launch a military reconnaissance satellite into orbit ended in failure Thursday, but pledged to conduct another launch in October. North Korea’s National Aerospace Development Administration launched a Malligyong-1 spy satellite using a Chollima-1 space launch vehicle at Sohae Satellite Launching Station in the Tongchang-ri area of North Pyongan Province, according to North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency. The first- and second-stage fl

North Korea Aug. 24, 2023

North Korea has been placing a high priority on stabilizing food security amid unfavorable weather conditions, while its trade with China has not fully recovered to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, South Korea's Unification Ministry said Wednesday. "North Korea has fully mobilized resources and manpower for grain production which has been designated as the No. 1 task among 12 major economic priorities for this year," reads a report submitted by the ministry to the National Assembly.

North Korea Aug. 23, 2023

North Korea has notified Japan of its plans to launch a satellite between Thursday and Aug. 31, sparking immediate condemnation from Seoul and Tokyo who called it a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions. The launch window also aligns with the ongoing 11-day joint, interagency Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise between South Korea and the US, which is scheduled to continue until the end of August and is accompanied by more than 30 field training exercises. North Korea has identif

North Korea Aug. 22, 2023

The South Korean military on Monday refuted a belated report from North Korean state media that "strategic cruise missiles" were fired from a newly revealed naval corvette as part of its live-fire drills. Earlier in the morning, North Korean state media reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had inspected the Guards 2nd Surface Ship Flotilla of the East Sea Fleet of the Navy of the Korean People's Army. Without elaborating on the date, the report also mentioned his observat

Defense Aug. 21, 2023

The UN Security Council on Thursday convened a public discussion on the human rights situation in North Korea, the first such discussion since 2017. The open briefing occurred following a request made earlier in the month by the United States, Albania, South Korea, and Japan. The primary purpose of this briefing was to illuminate the relationship between North Korea's human rights violations and abuses, and their impact on international peace and security. The outcome of the discussion was the r

North Korea Aug. 18, 2023

Despite an official ban on private education, North Korea's tutoring market is expanding, with a particular focus on learning English, according to a survey conducted by South Korea's Unification Ministry. Among individuals who escaped North Korea before the year 2000, only 3.2 percent had taken private classes, while the percentage of defectors who received private education surged among those who came to South Korea after 2011. Of those who defected from North Korea between 2011 and

North Korea Aug. 17, 2023

Shattering its silence on the issue, North Korea on Wednesday asserted that US soldier Travis King intentionally crossed the inter-Korean border into its territory and expressed his intention to seek asylum. But the US Defense Department dismissed the report, referring to the claims as "alleged comments." North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency, primarily catering to international audiences, unveiled the "interim findings of the investigation into US soldier Travis

North Korea Aug. 16, 2023

South Korea and the United States are set to conduct "tough" yet defense-oriented military exercises simulating real-life scenarios, with the goal to strengthen the alliance's defense posture and ability to respond to the escalating missile and nuclear threats posed by North Korea. The 11-day computer-simulated "Ulchi Freedom Shield" exercise is planned for Aug. 21-31, including a weekend pause on Aug. 26 and 27, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and US Forces Kor

Defense Aug. 14, 2023

North Korea is expected to officially reopen its border "very soon" after years of lockdown, a travel agency specializing in tourism to North Korea announced on Friday. But the opening of the North Korean border would initially be for North Korean citizens only, Koryo Tours, headquartered in Beijing, said on its website, citing multiple unnamed North Korean sources. "No official date has been given," the agency added. If North Korea were to reopen its border, it would be the

North Korea Aug. 11, 2023

The Yoon Suk Yeol government is set to strengthen legal consequences aimed at preventing unauthorized interactions between South and North Korean individuals. A new center will be launched this month to strengthen monitoring of such illicit exchanges, the Unification Ministry said Tuesday. The Unification Ministry plans to issue a legislative pre-announcement of the proposed amendments to the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act in September. The amended legislation delineates restrictions

North Korea Aug. 8, 2023

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has conducted a series of rare visits to his country's arms factories, underscoring their role in war preparations, notably in the run-up to major defense-oriented military exercises between South Korea and the United States. But experts in Seoul also noted that these visits may serve a dual purpose, not only emphasizing North Korea's determination to continue its military buildup but also promoting its weapons for potential export to Russia. Kim made th

North Korea Aug. 6, 2023

The South Korean government must continue its investigation into around 39,000 incidents where the cause of death during military service remains unclear and conclusively determine whether these individuals died in the line of duty, the chairman of a presidential committee looking into the issue said Wednesday. "Even now, there are individuals who passed away while serving in the military and have not received proper recognition and benefits. The reality is that there are still around 39,00

Defense Aug. 2, 2023

The remains of revered Korean independence fighter Choi Jae-hyung and his wife will be symbolically reunited in South Korea, having been separated across Russia and Kyrgyzstan for over a century. The reunion comes more than 100 years after Choi was tragically shot dead by the imperial Japanese army. Choi's body was hidden by the Japanese military and has not been found, so soil from where he died will be used instead. On Aug. 11, South Korea will bring soil from the place where Choi is thou

Defense Aug. 1, 2023

The South Korean defense minister has embarked on his inaugural trip to Uzbekistan with a significant goal of leveling up defense and arms industrial cooperation and pioneering the new arms sales market in Central Asia. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup is scheduled to visit Uzbekistan, a "special strategic partner and key friendly country in Central Asia," from Monday to Thursday, South Korea's Defense Ministry announced Monday. Lee's trip to Uzbekistan holds the significance of

Defense July 31, 2023

North Korea issued an explicit and firm warning that any use of nuclear weapons by the United States would result in the country's destruction. The warning was made during a military parade held on the anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice and was attended by high-level delegations from China and Russia. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended the highly choreographed military parade in Pyongyang to celebrate July 27, which is labeled by the country as the "Day of Vic

Defense July 28, 2023