N. Korea to issue commemorative coins marking late former leader's birthday

North Korea will issue commemorative coins to mark the upcoming birth anniversary of its late leader, state media reported Tuesday, in a move to kick up a festive mood for the national holiday. The standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly decided to issue the gold and silver coins in celebration of the 80th birthday of Kim Jong-il, late father of current leader Kim Jong-un, which falls on Wednesday this year, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. The coins are

Feb. 15, 2022

Another natural quake hits near N. Korea's nuclear test site: weather agency

A natural earthquake struck near North Korea's nuclear test site again Tuesday, South Korea's weather agency said, marking the fourth quake to hit the region in just five days. The 2.5 magnitude quake struck about 38 kilometers north-northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, at 6:52 a.m., the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said. "It has been analyzed as a natural earthquake," an agency official said. The epicenter was at a latitude of 41.29 degrees north and a longitude o

Feb. 15, 2022

Seoul closely monitoring N. Korea's nuclear, missile activities: ministry

South Korea is keeping close tabs on North Korea's nuclear and missile activities, the unification ministry said Monday, following a news report that the secretive nation seems to be operating related facilities at its Yongbyon complex. "With regard to North Korea's nuclear and missile activities, including Yongbyon, (we) have been closely tracking and monitoring (them) on the basis of close South Korea-US coordination," ministry spokesperson Lee Jong-joo said at a press briefing. Olli

Feb. 14, 2022

N. Korea to convene conference of party's primary committees this month

North Korea plans to convene a conference of the ruling party's primary committee officials this month to push ahead with decisions made at a major party congress last year, according to Pyongyang's state media Monday. The 2nd Conference of Secretaries of Primary Committees of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) will be held in Pyongyang "during the last ten days of February," the North's official Korean Central News Agency said. "The WPK Central Committee decided to convene the con

Feb. 14, 2022

N. Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends 2nd groundbreaking ceremony for housing project

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended the second groundbreaking ceremony for 10,000 homes in the capital, calling the project a "long-cherished desire" of the country, Pyongyang's state media reported Sunday. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said North Korea broke ground in the Hwasong area Saturday on the second part of the housing project and Kim delivered a speech at the ceremony. "The construction of 10,000 flats in the Hwasong area, one of the top priorit

Feb. 13, 2022

N. Korea slams EU criticism of missile launches

North Korea has condemned the European Union's criticism of its series of missile launches last month, calling it an "intolerable" act of interfering in its internal affairs. In a message posted Thursday on the foreign ministry's website, Ri Sang-rim, chairman of the North's Korea-Europe Association, took issue with the EU's recent statement denouncing its missile tests as a threat to international and regional peace and security, "We flatly denounce and reject this as this is a f

Feb. 11, 2022

UNICEF provides nutrition supplies for 160,000 N. Korean pregnant women

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has provided North Korea with micronutrient treatments for 160,000 pregnant and lactating women, according to its recent report. The items are the first supplies from UNICEF delivered to the reclusive North after it reopened western sea routes in October following monthslong border controls against the COVID-19 pandemic. "After several months in quarantine at Nampo port, the first batch of nutrition supplies was released from disinfection, includi

Feb. 11, 2022

NK issue at pivotal moment: nuclear envoy

South Korea’s top nuclear envoy stressed that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is at a pivotal moment following North Korea’s recent series of missile tests, calling for the need of engagement with the reclusive regime.  “I believe we are at a very pivotal moment that will decide if we will return to the period of cold winter or a season of warm atmosphere as it is here,” South Korea’s chief nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk told reporters upon arriving at Honol

Feb. 10, 2022

COVAX slashes COVID-19 vaccines allocated for N. Korea: UN agency

The COVAX Facility, a global vaccine distribution platform, has reduced the total number of COVID-19 vaccines set for North Korea, a UN website showed Thursday, as deliveries have yet to be made. A total of 1.54 million vaccines have been allocated to the North, according to the UN Children's Fund's COVID-19 Vaccine Market Dashboard, compared with the previously known 8.11 million doses as of last year. COVAX is shifting to "needs-based" vaccine distribution this year and previously al

Feb. 10, 2022

N. Korea in festive mood ahead of late leader's birthday

North Korea is revving up a festive mood ahead of late leader Kim Jong-il's 80th birthday next week, opening a series of commemorative events, according to Pyongyang's state media Thursday. Kim, father of current leader Kim Jong-un, led the reclusive regime from 1994 until his death in 2011. His birthday, which falls on Feb. 16, is marked as a major national holiday in the North. On Wednesday, the North held a national awards ceremony in Pyongyang in commemoration of him, the official Korean Cen

Feb. 10, 2022

Defense chiefs of S. Korea, US, Japan agree on close cooperation against NK missile threats

The defense chiefs of South Korea, the United States and Japan agreed to closely cooperate in countering North Korea's evolving missile threats in their phone talks Thursday, Seoul's defense ministry said. The talks among Defense Minister Suh Wook and his US and Japanese counterparts -- Lloyd Austin and Nobuo Kishi -- followed a series of the North's missile tests, including the launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) on Jan. 30. "The three ministers agreed that the three c

Feb. 10, 2022

Nuke envoy stresses need for coordination with US amid increased fluidity on Korean Peninsula

South Korea's top nuclear envoy on Wednesday stressed the importance of coordinating with the United States to manage the increased geopolitical fluidity on the Korean Peninsula from developments at home and abroad. Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, made the remark as he headed to Hawaii for a meeting with his US and Japanese counterparts, Sung Kim and Hayashi Yoshimasa, respectively, Thursday to discuss regional issues. They are expected to

Feb. 9, 2022

N. Korean leader calls for development of construction sector

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered officials to address urgent defects in the field of construction, stressing its importance in building a strong country and improving people's lives, according to Pyongyang's state media Wednesday. In a letter sent to participants of a construction workshop held in Pyongyang the previous day, Kim pointed out mistakes made in the field, and said it was the right time for them to "rearm" with the ruling party's ideologies and policies, the Nort

Feb. 9, 2022

Senior N. Korean diplomat holds talks with Russian ambassador

A senior North Korean diplomat met with the Russian ambassador to Pyongyang earlier this week to discuss bilateral ties and regional and global issues, according to the North's foreign ministry, amid speculation that the two countries may be seeking to restart cross-border exchange. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Im Chon-il held talks with Ambassador Alexander Matsegora on Monday, the North's foreign ministry said in a post Tuesday on its website. "Both sides exchanged views on the issue

Feb. 9, 2022

Satellite imagery shows 'somewhat unusual' activity at NK submarine shipyard: US think tank

WASHINGTON -- Recent satellite photos have shown "somewhat unusual" activity at a North Korean submarine shipyard, including the repositioning of a missile test barge, though its purpose remains unclear, a US think tank said Tuesday. Citing the recent satellite imagery, Beyond Parallel, a project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, published an analysis on its recent observation of the shipyard in the eastern coastal city of Sinpo where an experimental ballistic miss

Feb. 9, 2022

NK holds key parliamentary meeting in leader Kim’s absence

North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament gathered for two days earlier this week to discuss cabinet work and government budgets, with leader Kim Jong-un absent at the key gathering. 　 The sixth session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly was held in Pyongyang on Sunday and Monday, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday. 　 There was no separate message toward Washington or Seoul amid heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula, unlike last September when

Feb. 8, 2022

NK official, known for 2018 cross-border thaw, appears to be leading overseas Korean issues

A North Korean official, known for his role in inter-Korean engagement years ago, has emerged as an apparent policymaker on overseas ethnic Korean affairs, Pyongyang's state media showed Tuesday, raising questions over a potential shift in his job. Maeng Kyong-il led a debate on legislating an act aimed at enhancing rights of ethnic Koreans abroad during a session of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), the North's rubber-stamp parliament, earlier this week, according to the North's main newspa

Feb. 8, 2022

N. Korea denies cyberattack allegations, slams US as 'hacking empire'

North Korea has denied allegations it has carried out a series of cryptocurrency thefts and cyberattacks on other countries, calling them a "creation" by the United States. It also denounced the US as a "hacking empire and country of intelligence theft." The North made the claim in a piece posted on the country's foreign ministry website Monday, following a recent report by US blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis that said North Korean hackers stole around $400 million wort

Feb. 8, 2022

N. Korea convenes key parliamentary meeting without leader Kim's attendance

North Korea had a two-day session of its rubber-stamp legislature earlier this week to discuss budgetary and other pending issues, with the country's leader Kim Jong-un not present, according to its state media Tuesday. The 6th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) was held in Pyongyang on Sunday and Monday, attended by senior ruling party and Cabinet officials, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The major event has drawn keen attention from the outs

Feb. 8, 2022

N.Korea warns of imperialists’ scheme to ‘overthrow regime’ with ideological infiltration

The North Korean party’s official newspaper on Monday called for more intense ideological education for younger generations, warning about “imperialists’ calculation” to overthrow the North Korean regime with cultural and ideological infiltration. The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, said “anti-socialist maneuvers of the imperialists have been implemented very subtly and viciously in all aspects, including politics, military, ec

Feb. 7, 2022