Seoul to fund W1.18b to build additional video centers for inter-Korean family reunions

The Unification Ministry on Thursday said it will spend 1.18 billion won ($1.06 million) to construct seven more video centers across the country where families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War may be able to reunite with relatives in the North virtually.  The decision to build additional video facilities was approved during a civilian-government committee on inter-Korean exchanges presided over by Unification Minister Lee In-young. 　 “I have never forgotten that solving the sep

June 3, 2021

N. Korea faces food shortage of 1.35m tons: think tank

North Korea is expected to face a food shortage of about 1.35 million tons this year affected by last summer's typhoons, flooding and a lack of farming materials amid the global pandemic, a state-run think tank said Thursday. According to a report by the Korea Development Institute, North Korea is presumed to have produced about 4.4 million tons of grains last year, down around 240,000 tons from a year earlier. Given that the North is thought to be in need of at least 5.75 million tons of food

June 3, 2021

N. Korea urges youth to play leading role in achieving economic goals

North Korea's largest youth group on Thursday urged its members to play a leading role in the economic field to help achieve the country's economic goals. The Socialist Patriotic Youth League (SPYL) made the appeal at an enlarged meeting of the 10th congress Wednesday via a teleconference system, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. Mun Chol, chairman of the Central Committee, delivered a report saying that the SPYL is faced with the "honorable task" of developing th

June 3, 2021

NK leader's powerful sister likely to fill new 'first secretary' post in case of emergency: expert

The newly created No. 2 position at North Korea's ruling Workers' Party likely remains vacant and could be filled by leader Kim Jong-un's powerful sister Yo-jong in case of health issues or other emergencies, an expert said Wednesday. The North's ruling party revised its rules at a rare congress in January to include a new "first secretary" post right after leader Kim, drawing keen attention on who will assume the position. The revised rule stipulates that the first secretary is the

June 2, 2021

Unification minister reiterates 'unwavering commitment' to Mount Kumgang tourism project

Unification Minister Lee In-young reiterated his commitment Tuesday to resume a long-suspended tourism project to North Korea's Mount Kumgang when he met with the head of Hyundai Group, which used to run tours to the scenic mountain. "We remain unwavering in our commitment to push ahead with projects like allowing individual tours to Mount Kumgang as soon as the coronavirus situation improves," Lee said during the meeting with Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun of Hyundai Group. Lee voiced ho

June 1, 2021

N. Korea slams countries for piling up excessive supply of vaccines amid shortage

North Korea criticized some countries for storing an excessive stock of coronavirus vaccines while others suffer from a lack of supplies in a recent United Nations session. In a statement presented at the 74th World Health Assembly last week, North Korea also urged the World Health Organization to help achieve a fair distribution of the vaccines across the globe. "The development of COVID-19 vaccines and medicines might be the achievement for the common mankind whereas an unfair reality i

June 1, 2021

S. Korea's intelligence chief to return home after weeklong trip to US: sources

South Korea's intelligence chief is expected to return home Tuesday after a weeklong trip to the United States that apparently focused on discussions with his counterparts on North Korea, sources said. National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Park Jie-won had been in the US since his departure on May 26. His trip drew keen attention as it came just days after President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden held a summit and agreed to use diplomacy to resolve the North's nuclear standoff.

June 1, 2021

NK brands end to missile range limits as hostile policy

North Korea on Monday slammed the US for terminating guidelines that have restricted Seoul’s development of ballistic missiles as a “stark reminder” of Washington’s hostile approach to Pyongyang.  This marked Pyongyang’s first reaction to the May 21 summit between President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden, during which the US decided to abolish the decadeslong guidelines that had put limits on Korea’s missile development program, allowing Seoul t

May 31, 2021

N. Korean leader out of public eye for longest time this year

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has not made any public appearances for the past 24 days, marking his longest absence this year, the unification ministry said Monday. Kim was last seen in public on May 6 when he held a photo session with families of the North's army after watching their performance the previous day. "This marks the longest period there have been no reports of (Kim's) public activities this year," Lee Jong-joo, spokesperson of the unification ministry, told a regular

May 31, 2021

Unification minister to meet biz leaders to discuss inter-Korean exchanges

Unification Minister Lee In-young will hold meetings this week with the leaders of businesses that participated in the long-suspended tourism project at North Korea's Mount Kumgang to discuss cross-border cooperation and exchanges, his office said Monday. Lee will meet Tuesday with Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun of Hyundai Group that used to run tours to the scenic mountain on the North's east coast while a meeting with Lee Joong-myung, chairman of Ananti, which used to run a golf course at the moun

May 31, 2021

N. Korea says lifting of 'missile guidelines' on S. Korea reminder of US hostility

North Korea on Monday slammed the US lifting of all restrictions on South Korean missiles as a "stark reminder" of Washington's hostile approach to Pyongyang, saying the recently unveiled US policy on the North is "just trickery." This marked the North's first reaction after South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden agreed at their May 21 summit to use diplomacy to resolve the North's nuclear standoff and to terminate all "missile guideline" res

May 31, 2021

NK trade union holds oath-taking ceremony against non-socialist practices

Members of North Korea's umbrella trade union held an oath-taking ceremony and vowed to stamp out anti-socialist practices, state media said Sunday. The meeting took place in Pyongyang on Saturday by participants in the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea's 8th plenary session held earlier in the North Korean capital, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). It was the union's first plenary session in about five years. The participants "vowed to become resolu

May 30, 2021

NK continuing activities at Yongbyon but no clear sign of spent fuel rods transfer: 38 North

North Korea appears to be continuing activities at its Yongbyon nuclear complex but no clear evidence has been detected to determine if spent fuel rods have been transferred from the storage facility to produce plutonium, a US think tank has said. The monitoring website 38 North made the assessment Friday, based on recent satellite imagery, also noting that minor activities have been spotted at the site's uranium enrichment plant while construction of a new wing of a lab building continued. &

May 30, 2021

S. Korea to seek resumption of dialogue with N. Korea based on achievement of Moon-Biden agreement

The unification ministry said Friday it will seek to restore communication lines and dialogue with North Korea based on "sufficient conditions" for engagement created by last week's summit between President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump. In a report to the National Assembly, the ministry also said that Pyongyang must be now thinking hard about its next steps after Moon and Biden agreed to take diplomatic and pragmatic approach in denuclearization efforts. "The leader

May 28, 2021

N. Korean ICBMs pose 'real danger' to US homeland: Gen. Milley

WASHINGTON -- North Korea continues to build up its ballistic missile capability, which poses "real danger" to the US mainland, the top US military commander said Thursday. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also said the North is showing no signs of giving up its efforts to bolster its military capability. North Korea "continues to enhance its ballistic missile capability and possesses the technical capacity to present a real danger to the US homeland

May 28, 2021

NK leader urges struggle against non-socialist practices in letter to trade union body

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called on his country's largest trade union to wage a "do-or-die battle" against non-socialist practices in a letter he sent to mark its latest congress session, state media said Thursday. The eighth congress of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea (GFTUK) was held in Pyongyang on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. The congress was held for the first time in about five years. "They should br

May 27, 2021

S. Korea's intelligence chief leaves for US to coordinate policy on N. Korea: sources

South Korea's intelligence chief departed for the United States on Wednesday to discuss cooperation on North Korea after their leaders held a summit and agreed to diplomatically engage with Pyongyang, sources said. National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Park Jie-won was seen leaving Inchon International Airport, west of Seoul, earlier in the day for the US, according to the sources. Park is expected to meet CIA Director William Burns and other officials. He could also meet with Sung Ki

May 26, 2021

NK paper calls for competition among regional governments for balanced growth

North Korea's official newspaper called Wednesday for competition among cities and counties to promote a balanced economic growth across the country. "In order to achieve a balanced and simultaneous growth in accordance with the party's initiatives and intentions, we need socialism competition in a fiercer way among cities and counties," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the ruling Workers' Party, said. "For the development of cities and counties, competition among them is a ver

May 26, 2021

NK paper urges all-out efforts to finish planting rice within optimal period

North Korea's official newspaper on Tuesday called for all-out efforts to promptly finish planting rice within the optimal period at all costs amid concerns unexpected rainfall could hamper rice planting. Ri Jae-hyon, department director at the North's agriculture ministry, made the appeal in a contributory piece carried by the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North's ruling Workers' Party. "Rice planting may not go as planned due to unfavorable farming conditions," Ri said, urging of

May 25, 2021

N. Korea may approach South Korea to hear about US policy: scholar

North Korea may approach South Korea to figure out what the new US policy on Pyongyang looks like, as last week's summit between President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden did not offer any concrete specifics, a former security adviser to Moon said Tuesday. Moon Chung-in, currently the chairman of the think tank Sejong Institute, made the remarks, expressing hope that Seoul and Pyongyang can reactivate bilateral hotlines to resume cross-border communication. "It is very likely that

May 25, 2021