Chinese and Russian officials to join North Korean commemorations of Korean War armistice

Russia and China are sending government delegations to North Korea this week for events marking the 70th anniversary of the armistice that halted fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War. The visits suggest North Korea is further opening up after years of pandemic isolation and is eager to showcase its partnerships with authoritarian neighbors in the face of deepening nuclear tensions with Washington, Seoul and Tokyo. North Korea’s state media said Wednesday that a Russian delegation led by Defe

July 26, 2023

NK leader pays respects to fallen soldiers ahead of Korean War armistice anniv.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited cemeteries to pay respects to the country's soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War and to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the armistice, state media said Wednesday. The Korean War ended with an armistice agreement on July 27, 1953. The North calls the war the Great Fatherland Liberation War and designated the armistice signing date as Victory Day. Kim visited the Fatherland Liberation War Martyrs Cemetery in Pyongyang on Tuesd

July 26, 2023

N. Korea revs up festive mood ahead of Victory Day

North Korea will hold a grand ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the armistice of the Korean War, state media reported Tuesday, including celebrations that will bring its first known official foreign guests in years. North Korea is set to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, signed July 27, 1953, this week. The North refers to the conflict as the Great Fatherland Liberation War and the day of the armistice signing as Victory Day. "Celebrations marking the 70th a

July 25, 2023

N. Korea remains unresponsive to inquiries about US service member in custody: state dept.

The United States has not had any substantive response from North Korea about the safety of a US service member who crossed the inter-Korean border into the reclusive state last week, a state department spokesperson said Monday. Matthew Miller also said the North has not responded to any requests, including those from United Nations Command, to confirm the whereabouts or well-being of the US soldier. "It is my understanding that there has been no new communication since last week. communica

July 25, 2023

N. Korea invites Chinese delegation as 1st known foreign guests since pandemic

North Korea said Monday it has invited a Chinese party and government delegation as part of commemorations for the 70th anniversary of the armistice of the Korean War, marking the first known invitation of official foreign guests since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. The North's Korean Central News Agency said the Chinese delegation led by Li Hongzhong, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, will visit the country to take part in celebration

July 24, 2023

UN Command in talks with NK over detained US soldier

The UN Command has initiated a dialogue with its North Korean counterpart concerning the American soldier Travis King, who crossed the inter-Korean border on July 18 and is in the custody of North Korean authorities, the deputy commander of the UN Command said Monday. "A conversation has commenced with the Korean People's Army through the mechanism of the armistice agreement," Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison, the deputy commander of the UN Command, told foreign media outlets in Seoul. Ha

July 24, 2023

N. Korea says 'no end' to bolstering military power ahead of key anniversary

North Korea said Monday that there is "no end" to strengthening its military power in an apparent attempt to justify the development of its nuclear and missile programs ahead of a key anniversary this week. The recalcitrant regime has been ramping up sharp-tongued rhetoric and launching missiles ahead of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War on July 27, celebrated as Victory Day in North Korea. "There can be no end to strengthening

July 24, 2023

N. Korea fires several cruise missiles into Yellow Sea: JCS

North Korea fired several cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea on Saturday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. South Korean and US intelligence authorities were analyzing the launches, which took place at about 4:00 a.m., to learn more about the type of missiles fired and other details, according to the JCS. "Our military has bolstered surveillance and vigilance while closely cooperating with the United States and maintaining a firm readiness posture," the JCS said, adding it is closely mo

July 22, 2023

S. Korea warns NK: Nuclear threats risk regime's end

  The South Korean Defense Ministry issued a stern warning against North Korea on Friday in response to the regime's threat to use nuclear weapons prompted by the US deploying a strategic nuclear submarine in Busan. In a statement, the ministry criticized North Korea for misrepresenting and criticizing the purpose of the Nuclear Consultative Group between South Korea and the United States, along with the US submarine's presence in South Korea. The statement said that the deployment of the s

July 21, 2023

N. Korea warns U.S. nuclear submarine visit to S. Korea may fall under conditions for its nuke use

North Korea's defense chief warned Thursday a US nuclear-capable strategic submarine's port visit to South Korea this week may fall under the legal conditions for his country's use of nuclear weapons. Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam made the remarks, issuing an anticipated criticism of the visit here by the USS Kentucky, an 18,750-ton Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), and the recent inaugural meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) between South Korea and the Un

July 20, 2023

[News Focus] G.I. detained in NK new headache in relations

A very rare case of a US soldier crossing the inter-Korean border has put Washington and Pyongyang in an awkward situation, as their relations have been at rock bottom for years. Eyes are now on how North Korea will handle the tricky issue, according to experts in South Korea. It's still unclear how North Korea will respond to the crossing into its territory of US soldier Travis King -- a private second class since 2021 – that occurred Tuesday in the highly sensitive Joint Security Ar

July 20, 2023

N. Korea remains silent to US calls to verify status of soldier in its custody

North Korea has yet to respond to US outreach regarding the safety and whereabouts of a US service member who crossed the inter-Korean border into the reclusive country this week, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday. The American soldier, identified as Pvt. 2nd Class Travis King, crossed the military demarcation line at the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone on Tuesday. "Yesterday, the Pentagon reached out to counterparts in the Korean People's Army," state

July 20, 2023

N. Korea stole $700 mln of crypto in 2022: NIS

North Korea stole a total of US$700 million worth of cryptocurrency last year, equivalent to the money that would enable the country to fire 30 intercontinental ballistic missiles, South Korea's state intelligence agency said Wednesday. "We've confirmed that North Korea took $700 million in virtual assets in two separate incidents last year," said a senior official from the National Intelligence Service (NIS), adding that Pyongyang has failed to monetize them yet. North Kor

July 19, 2023

US soldier’s NK defection raises alarm over JSA tour security

The defection of a US soldier to North Korea has brought forth significant questions about the means and motives behind his crossing of the inter-Korean border within the Joint Security Area in the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides the two Koreas. The soldier, identified by the US Army as Travis King, holds the rank of Private Second Class and has been serving in the army since 2021. But it appears that King warrants additional attention from the US Forces Korea, as he face

July 19, 2023

US focused on threats posed by N. Korea rather than peace treaty: Kritenbrink

The United States is currently focused on dealing with the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs instead of formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War with a peace treaty, a senior state department official said Tuesday. Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, also insisted that the U.S. should focus on demonstrating its strong commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan rather than signing a peace treaty with

July 19, 2023

[Herald Interview] Young professionals from NK seek to bring change to Pyongyang

Lee Seo-hyun grew up as a proud North Korean elite, always thinking about what she could do to help make her country a better place. That was until she saw North Korean agents abruptly take her best friend and roommate Su-jeong away from their school dormitory in Beijing in December 2013. A text message from Su-jeong that she would not be able to come back and that she was throwing away her phone at a highway rest stop was the last she heard from her. Lee later learned that Su-jeong’s fath

July 19, 2023

Kim's sister calls US 'delusional' for believing in N. Korea's disarmament

The powerful sister of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Monday that it would be "delusional" for the United States to believe that Pyongyang's disarmament was possible. Kim Yo-jong criticized Washington's policies of strengthening its extended deterrence and military alliance with South Korea, stating that such actions would only make it difficult for Pyongyang to engage in dialogue, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. "The US is being delusiona

July 17, 2023

S. Korean, US, Japanese FMs hold talks after N. Korea's ICBM launch

JAKARTA -- The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan held three-way talks Friday in Indonesia to discuss ways to deal with North Korea's evolving threats highlighted by this week's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his US and Japanese counterparts, Antony Blinken and Yoshimasa Hayashi, respectively, were visiting Jakarta to attend the annual regional meetings led by the Association of Southeast Asian N

July 14, 2023

NK leader's sister slams UNSC meeting over ICBM launch, defends it as exercise of self-defense

The powerful sister of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday condemned the United Nations Security Council for holding a meeting over the North's latest firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile, calling it a "rightful" exercise of self-defense. Kim Yo-jong expressed "great displeasure" at the UNSC, as its members met Thursday (New York time) to discuss the North's launch of a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM the previous day. She said the ICBM launch serv

July 14, 2023

Top diplomats of S. Korea, US, Japan to hold talks after N. Korea's ICBM launch

The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan are scheduled to hold three-way talks Friday to discuss ways to deal with North Korea's evolving threats highlighted by this week's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his US and Japanese counterparts, Antony Blinken and Yoshimasa Hayashi, respectively, were visiting Jakarta to attend annual regional meetings led by the A

July 14, 2023