N. Korea continues wintertime drills, no unusual moves ahead of late leader's birthday: JCS

North Korea has been conducting regular wintertime military drills without showing any unusual moves ahead of the birthday of late leader Kim Jong-il, the South Korean military said Tuesday. North Korea celebrated the 73rd anniversary Monday of the foundation of its army and has another key national holiday coming up, which is the Feb. 16 birthday of its late leader, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un. "North Korea's military is continuing wintertime exercises and has not shown any

Feb. 9, 2021

Seoul's calls for concessions to N. Korea may create tension with US: CRS

WASHINGTON -- South Korea's push for concessions to North Korea may continue to create tension in US-South Korea relations, a US congressional report said. The updated Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on South Korea noted policy coordination between Seoul and Washington had been "inconsistent" under former US President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden, on the other hand, is "reinvigorating the alliance, suggesting he would abandon President Trump's repeated use of pu

Feb. 9, 2021

NK leader raps economic agencies for 'passive, self-protecting tendencies'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un rapped economic agencies for "passive and self-protecting tendencies" as he held a Workers' Party meeting to finalize this year's plans to carry out policy goals set forth at last month's rare party congress, state media said Tuesday. The North unveiled a new five-year economic development plan at the eighth congress of the party last month, with a focus on self-reliance in the face of the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and global sanctions on its

Feb. 9, 2021

Two minor natural quakes hit N. Korea's eastern region: KMA

Two minor natural earthquakes struck North Korea's eastern region early Monday, South Korea's state weather agency said. The first quake with a magnitude of 3.2 was detected at around 3:37 a.m., 37 kilometers north-northeast of Changjin, South Hamkyong Province, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The epicenter was at a latitude of 40.67 degrees north and a longitude of 127.45 degrees east, the agency said. The second quake of magnitude 2.3 struck about four hours late

Feb. 8, 2021

NK paper calls for military role in advancing economy on army founding anniversary

North Korea's official paper said Monday the country's military should play a leading role in major construction and other economic development projects as the country marked the 73rd anniversary of the army's founding. At the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party in January, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un unveiled its new five-year economic development plan focusing on self-reliance amid multiple challenges, including efforts to ward off the coronavirus and crippling sanctions. Kim cal

Feb. 8, 2021

Seoul appoints first female unification ministry spokesperson

  The Unification Ministry on Sunday tapped Lee Jong-joo, director-general of humanitarian cooperation bureau, as the ministry’s first female spokesperson.  With the appointment, she became the first woman to hold the position since the ministry, in charge of inter-Korean affairs, was established in 1969.  The ministry said Lee has been recognized for her competence, having worked in the ministry’s key divisions and various posts across the government. It expects Le

Feb. 7, 2021

[Newsmaker] NK to convene party meeting this week

North Korea is set to convene a meeting of top ruling party officials to finalize policy plans for this year set forth at last month’s Workers’ Party congress, state media said Sunday.   　 The second plenary meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea will take place within the first 10 days of this month, according to the official Korea Central News Agency. The state media did not specify an exact date in the report, but considering the disclo

Feb. 7, 2021

N. Korea to hold party plenary meeting this week for New Year plans

North Korea is scheduled to hold a plenary meeting of its party this week to finalize plans for "strategic tasks" for this year, state media said Sunday. The second plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea will be held "within the first 10 days of February to examine and decide the 2021 working plans of all fields to thoroughly carry out the strategic tasks" set forth during the eighth party congress, the official Korean Central News Agency

Feb. 7, 2021

UN grants sanctions waiver to S. Korean group for improving drinking water in NK

The United Nations has granted a sanctions waiver for a South Korean organization working on a project to provide safe drinking water to North Korea, a UN website showed Friday. This marks this year's first UN sanctions exemption to North Korea. The organization was given an exemption for nine months until Oct. 22, 2021, according to the website. The website did not identify the name of the organization, nor did it specify the size of the assistance and other details. In November, a UN Securi

Feb. 5, 2021

NK paper stresses central leadership to achieve new economic objectives

North Korea's official newspaper on Friday called on officials to strictly follow central leadership to realize a self-reliant economy and carry out key policy goals unveiled in a rare party meeting last month. At the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party in January, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un admitted the failure to achieve his previous five-year development goals and unveiled a new scheme focusing on self-reliance in the face of the global pandemic and sanctions on his regime. &q

Feb. 5, 2021

N. Korea replaces heads of key farmer and labor groups amid economic drive

North Korea has replaced heads of key groups of farmers and laborers, state media said Friday, in an apparent move to rev up its recently unveiled economic development drive. During the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party last month, the North put forth a new five-year economic development plan centering on self-reliance in the face of the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and global sanctions. The Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea (UAWK) on Thursday held a plenary meeting to d

Feb. 5, 2021

US will closely consult with S. Korea on N. Korea: Sullivan

The United States will closely consult with its Asian allies such as South Korea in dealing with North Korea, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Thursday. He also said close consultation with allies will be part of US efforts to strengthen its alliances. "To revitalizing America's alliance, the president has spoken with key allies in both Europe and Asia. Just last night, he had the opportunity to speak with both the president of the Republic of Korea and the prime minister o

Feb. 5, 2021

N. Korea to start vaccinations with COVAX aid

North Korea will be provided with 1.99 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by June this year to inoculate nearly 1 million people, COVAX said Wednesday. COVAX is an international group that helps less wealthy countries with vaccination efforts. The North will start receiving vaccines in late February at the earliest. But the program could face delays as the AstraZeneca vaccine has yet to be approved by the World Health Organization, which expects to discuss the matter later

Feb. 4, 2021

Brother of official killed by Pyongyang asks unification ministry to deliver letter to NK leader

The brother of a South Korean fisheries official killed by North Korea's military near the western sea border last year met with Unification Minister Lee In-young on Thursday and asked the government to deliver his letter to the North's leader. Lee Rae-jin, the brother of the deceased official, said he handed Lee the letter, in which he asked for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's cooperation so that he could visit the North to find the truth behind his brother's death. "I asked the unific

Feb. 4, 2021

Inter-Korean cooperation fund cannot be used to help virus-hit people: unification ministry

The unification ministry said Thursday it is not appropriate to use the inter-Korean cooperation fund to help people suffering from the coronavirus given the nature of the money set aside for cross-border exchanges. Media reports earlier showed that the main opposition People Power Party is pushing to tap into the inter-Korean fund worth around 1.2 trillion won ($1.08 billion) in providing support for the virus-affected people during an interpellation session Friday. "The inter-Korean coo

Feb. 4, 2021

Unification minister says it’s time to look at outcome of sanctions on NK

Unification Minister Lee In-young said he is against additional sanctions on North Korea, which US Secretary of State has mentioned as one of the options the US may consider as it reviews its North Korea policy. “To talk about further sanctions, it is about time to evaluate what kind of outcome the sanctions so far has brought,” Lee said during a meeting with the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Wednesday as he answered a question on what he thinks about Antony Blinken&rs

Feb. 4, 2021

N. Korea to convene congress of largest youth association to support party decisions

North Korea will convene a congress of the country's largest youth association for the first time in four years, state media reported Thursday, in an apparent move to enlist support for new policies and decisions adopted at last month's Workers' Party congress. During the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party, the North unveiled a new five-year economic development plan focusing on self-reliance in the face of the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and global sanctions on its regime. T

Feb. 4, 2021

Unification minister says S. Korea 'sufficiently' communicating with US on anti-leaflet law

Unification Minister Lee In-young said Wednesday that South Korea has been sufficiently communicating with the United States about a recently legislated ban on the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea.  The amendment to the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act, set to take effect next month, has raised concerns among critics that it could hurt freedom of expression and undercut efforts to send outside information into the reclusive North.  "South Korea and th

Feb. 3, 2021

UN puts faith in Seoul’s leaflet ban

The UN secretary-general’s office said Monday that it believes South Korea will respect human rights when it implements the ban on the cross-border launching of anti-North Korea propaganda leaflets. The leafleting is set to become a felony in March under legislation introduced by Seoul to protect residents near the border, in fear of retaliation by Pyongyang, which fired at balloons carrying leaflets, food and medicine in 2014. The two countries exchanged gunfire at the border. “W

Feb. 3, 2021

N. Korea accelerates efforts to improve irrigation system ahead of farming season

North Korea is accelerating efforts to improve its irrigation system and recover from last year's flood damage ahead of the spring farming season, state media said Wednesday. Last summer, North Korea was hit hard by heavy rains and back-to-back typhoons in several regions, including the rice-producing areas in its southern parts. As part of recovery efforts, the North is repairing its reservoirs and building waterways in typhoon-hit regions, including in Gangwon and South Hamgyong provinces, a

Feb. 3, 2021