Trump says Kim one of 'sharp' leaders even after NK unveils massive new missile

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump on Monday picked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as one of the world's "sharp" leaders, even after the North unveiled a massive new missile believed to be capable of striking any part of the United States. "Look. We can't play games. The one thing I know for sure, President Xi of China ... President Putin of Russia. You look at around Kim Jong-un ... They are 100 percent sharp. We have somebody running who is not 100 percent," Trump sa

Oct. 13, 2020

UN Seoul human rights office meets brother of S. Korean official killed by NK soldiers

The Seoul office of the UN human rights body held a meeting Monday with a brother of a South Korean fisheries official killed by North Korea after he called for a UN probe into the killing. During the two-hour meeting, the human rights office said it will report the case to the UN General Assembly as early as next week, according to Lee Rae-jin, the elder brother of the late official. Lee earlier said he received an interview request from the UN office, calling it the first official reaction

Oct. 12, 2020

NK’s Kim watches mass games for 75th anniversary of ruling party

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watched tens of thousands of dancers and gymnasts perform at a mass spectacle held to mark the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party’s founding, state media said Monday. 　 Kim attended the event, called the “Great Guidance,” at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang on Sunday, according to the Korea Central News Agency. 　 The famed mass games are the North’s major propaganda event, in which tens of thousands of North Koreans take

Oct. 12, 2020

Experts divided over NK’s missile technology

North Korea has revealed newer ballistic missiles, but experts are divided over whether the regime has secured the latest technology to mount multiple warheads atop the missiles. “It depends a little bit on how big it really is, but I would say this represents certainly the ability to put multiple nuclear warheads on a missile like this,” Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in the US told Voice of America on Monday. Pyongyang unveiled Saturday an inte

Oct. 12, 2020

Unification ministry voices hopes for improved inter-Korean relations following NK leader's speech

South Korea welcomes North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's expression of hopes for improved inter-Korean relations, but the conditions are not right yet to propose specific cooperation projects with the North, the unification ministry said Monday. On Saturday, Kim said he is sending a "warm wish of mine to our dear fellow countrymen in the South, and hope that this health crisis would come to an end as early as possible and the day would come when the North and South take each other's hand ag

Oct. 12, 2020

NK leader attends mass gymnastics show despite antivirus campaign

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un watched a mass gymnastics performance held to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party, state media said Monday, despite the country's nationwide antivirus campaign. Kim attended the grand mass games and artistic performance entitled "Great Guidance" at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang on Sunday, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The performances, in which tens of thousands of people join massive, synchron

Oct. 12, 2020

[News Focus] NK’s Kim makes rare emotional speech at military parade

In a noteworthy moment from North Korea’s massive military parade on Saturday, where the country showcased a new intercontinental ballistic missile, national leader Kim Jong-un got emotional and teared up while recalling the adversity the country’s people had experienced. 　 Kim stood on the podium to address the nation in kicking off the military parade, which marked the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party, in a speech that emphasized “thanking” the peop

Oct. 11, 2020

N. Korea's new missile looks 'monstrous' but will it work?

North Korea unveiled a gigantic new missile along with other weapons during a rare predawn military parade Saturday, with national leader Kim Jong-un promising to build up the country’s “war deterrence.” 　 The new weapon, which if it became operational, would be the world’s largest road-mobile, liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile, was the highlight of the carefully choreographed military parade held at Kim Il-sung Square in the center of Pyongyang to mark t

Oct. 11, 2020

[Photo News] North Korea shows off ICBM and other weapons at massive nighttime parade

A rare nighttime military parade was held at Kim Il-sung Square in the center of Pyongyang on Saturday to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party, according to the Korean Central News Agency.  During the massive parade, North Korea showed off a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and other weapons. At a speech made at midnight on Friday before the parade started, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to continue to strengthen the country&

Oct. 11, 2020

NK leader vows to strengthen war deterrent,' showcases new ICBM

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to continue to strengthen self-defense "war deterrent" and showed off a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and other weapons during a massive military parade, state media showed Saturday. Kim also wished South Korea a fast recovery from the coronavirus pandemic in a reconciliatory message to Seoul, expressing hope that the day will soon come for the two Koreas to "join hands" after the current health crisis is over. He made t

Oct. 10, 2020

N. Korea renews its opposition to terrorism in UN session

North Korea has renewed its opposition to terrorism, just months after the United States accused Pyongyang of failing to take action for its past support of international terrorism. "It is the consistent stance of the government of the DPRK to oppose terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and any support to it," an unidentified North Korean diplomat said in a UN session earlier this week. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. He

Oct. 10, 2020

N. Korea appears to have staged massive military parade at dawn: S. Korean military

North Korea appeared to have staged a large-scale military parade in Pyongyang early Saturday to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. "Signs have been detected that North Korea conducted a military parade at the Kim Il-sung square at dawn by mobilizing a large number of equipment and personnel," the JCS said in a brief statement. "South Korean and the US intelligence authorities have been

Oct. 10, 2020

N. Korea to stage massive gymnastic shows this month to celebrate national holiday

North Korea will stage its signature massive gymnastic shows this month to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party despite its nationwide antivirus campaign, a propaganda website reported Saturday.  The gymnastic propaganda shows will be put on stage from Monday through the end of this month at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang on the occasion of the party founding anniversary that falls on Saturday, according to Meari.  The performances are known as a m

Oct. 10, 2020

China's Xi promises support for China-N.Korea relations in letter to Kim: KCNA

Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed efforts to further develop his country's relationship with North Korea and support the North's struggle to advance its socialist agenda, the North's state media reported Saturday. Xi's remarks came in a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, marking the 75th founding anniversary of the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). "I extend warm congratulations and the best wishes to Comrade Chairman (Kim) and through you to the Central Committee of

Oct. 10, 2020

N. Korea's military parade expected to showcase new strategic weapons

North Korea is expected to stage a military parade Saturday to mark the 75th founding anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party as speculation mounts Pyongyang could roll out "new strategic weapons," including a newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is also likely to give an address during the event, which will be closely monitored from outside watchers for the United States at a time when their denuclearization talks remain deadlocked. Th

Oct. 10, 2020

[Newsmaker] Criticism mounts over revelation of NK diplomat’s defection

Criticism is mounting over the recent revelation of a high-ranking North Korean diplomat’s defection here by S. Korean media and lawmakers. A UN official called on both Koreas to make efforts to help the safety of the defector’s remaining family in the North, while Seoul’s unification minister directed an investigation into how such sensitive information could have been published. On Wednesday, Rep. Ha Tae-keung, a member of the National Assembly’s intelligence commit

Oct. 9, 2020

N. Korea likely to stage military parade as expected; preparations at final stage: officials

North Korea is likely to hold a military parade this weekend as expected to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party, military officials in Seoul said Friday. The parade for the Oct. 10 anniversary has drawn keen attention, as the communist country could unveil new strategic weapons, such as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), that leader Kim Jong-un pledged to show off in his New Year's message. "Prepara

Oct. 9, 2020

N. Korea could unveil new ICBM or SLBM in this week's military parade: unification ministry

North Korea could unveil newly developed strategic weapons, such as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), during this week's widely expected military parade in a bid to strengthen internal unity amid economic difficulties, the unification ministry said Thursday. Other new weapons the North could show off include a transporter erector launcher vehicle and a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), the ministry said in a report to the parliamentary audit. The parade is expected to tak

Oct. 8, 2020

NK premier visits typhoon-hit areas, calls for speedy recovery

North Korea's Premier Kim Tok-hun visited flood-hit eastern areas and called for speedy reconstruction to provide people with better houses and living conditions, state media reported Thursday. Kim "made a survey of the progress made in the projects for recovering from flood damage in South and North Hamgyong provinces," according to the Korean Central News Agency. "He underscored the need to ensure the best quality while speeding up construction and fully meeting the requiremen

Oct. 8, 2020

Missing North Korean diplomat settled in South in July 2019

A former North Korean diplomat, who disappeared in late 2018, came to South Korea in July last year and has lived here ever since, lawmakers revealed Wednesday.  Ruling Democratic Party Rep. Jeon Hae-cheol, who chairs the National Assembly’s intelligence committee, said Jo Song-gil, the North’s former acting Ambassador to Italy, came to South Korea voluntarily in July 2019. 　 “Jo had repeatedly expressed his wish to come to the South,” he told reporters. 　 News o

Oct. 7, 2020