NK 'party cell' leaders visit historical sites in Pyongyang ahead of conference

Leaders of grassroots units of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party visited several museums and historical sites in Pyongyang, state media reported Tuesday, in an apparent effort to tighten internal unity ahead of a conference. State media earlier said that the conference of secretaries of "party cells" was set to take place early this month to discuss "affairs in prioritizing the position and the role" of the cells, without specifying the date. Party cells refer to the party

April 6, 2021

N. Korea decides not to participate in Tokyo Olympics over coronavirus concerns

North Korea said Tuesday it will not participate in the upcoming Tokyo Summer Olympics to protect its athletes against the coronavirus pandemic, dashing South Korea's hopes to use the games to kickstart the stalled peace process with Pyongyang. The decision was made during a general assembly meeting of the North's Olympic Committee held in Pyongyang on March 25, according to Sports in the DPRK Korea, a website on sports affairs in North Korea. "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea ha

April 6, 2021

S. Korea to conduct survey on Korean War-separated families

The unification ministry said Monday that it will conduct a survey of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War to figure out the exact number of survivors and demand for reunions with their relatives in North Korea. The survey will be carried out from Tuesday until the end of October mostly on around 48,000 people who have applied for reunions with their long-lost family members in the North, according to the ministry. South Korea has conducted the survey every five years since 2011 to see

April 5, 2021

N. Korea urges efforts to localize production to develop self-reliant chemical industry

North Korea's official newspaper called Monday for the localized production of industrial catalysts, as the country steps up efforts to resuscitate its chemical industry that has remained listless after a boom in the 1980s. "Until the 1980s when the chemical industry was growing vibrant ... dozens of catalyst types were produced on our own," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the ruling Workers' Party, said. It pointed out that the industry currently faces many challenges due to a lack

April 5, 2021

NK 'party cell' leaders visit mausoleum of late leaders ahead of conference

Leaders of grassroots units of North Korea's ruing Workers' Party paid tribute to the mausoleum of late leaders in Pyongyang, state media reported Monday, apparently before partaking in their first congress in over three years. State media earlier said that the conference of secretaries of "party cells" was set to take place early this month to discuss "the affairs in prioritizing the position and the role" of the cells without specifying the date. Party cells refer to the p

April 5, 2021

N. Korea slams Japanese textbooks for distorting history, justifying invasion

North Korea on Sunday blasted Japan for approving history textbooks that distort history and glorify Tokyo's imperial past. The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) noted that those school textbooks have left out details of Japanese atrocities during its colonial period while also renewing territorial claims to Dokdo, South Korea's easternmost islets. "The textbooks define Japanese invasions as a step toward civilization and prosperity," the KCNA said. "Japan has establishe

April 4, 2021

N. Korea demands Japan's apology, compensation for wartime atrocities

A North Korean organization on Friday demanded Japan apologize and provide compensation for its colonial-era atrocities, and called on the withdrawal of hostile policies against Pyongyang. The Association of Korean Victims of Forcible Drafting and Their Bereaved Families, a North Korean organization, urged Japan to "apologize and compensate our past victims and bereaved families at an early date" in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency. "We will never forget Jap

April 2, 2021

Denuclearization will be at center of new N. Korea policy: State Dept.

Denuclearization of North Korea will be at the center of any new US policy toward the reclusive nation, a State Department spokesman said Thursday, adding the country's policy review will soon be concluded. Ned Price also said any US policy toward North Korea will be executed in "lockstep" with key US allies, including South Korea and Japan. "I wouldn't want to prejudge the conclusion of any ongoing review, but we have said that denuclearization will remain at the center of Amer

April 2, 2021

About half of foreign embassies closed in N. Korea amid COVID-19 restrictions: Russian Embassy

North Korea's highly restrictive coronavirus measures and lack of essential goods have caused many foreign embassies to close and international humanitarian workers to leave the country, the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said Thursday. In a post on its official Facebook page, the embassy said a total of 12 nations, including the United Kingdom, Germany and France, closed their missions due to pandemic-caused challenges and that there now remain only nine ambassadors and four diplomats who work a

April 1, 2021

N. Korean airline publishes flight schedule to China, but no flight detected yet

North Korea's national carrier was set to operate two flights between Pyongyang and Beijing this week, its website showed Thursday, drawing attention to whether the route will resume after more than a year of suspension amid coronavirus concerns. According to the flight schedule released on Air Koryo's website, the airline's JS251 flight will depart from Pyongyang at 4:00 p.m. and arrive in Beijing at 5:50 p.m. on Thursday. Another flight is scheduled to depart from Beijing for Pyongyang on Fri

April 1, 2021

N. Korea likely to conduct more KN-23 variant missile tests to replace Scud missiles: think tank

North Korea is expected to conduct more test launches of its Iskander-variant ballistic missiles in an effort to replace old Scud missiles with advanced solid-fuel ones, an expert of the state-run defense think tank said Thursday. Last week, the communist country fired two short-range ballistic missiles, believed to be an upgraded version of its KN-23 missile modeled after Russia's Iskander. The North's state media said they were new tactical guided missiles. "Russia developed the solid

April 1, 2021

S. Korea considering allowing civilian aid to N. Korea amid increasing signs of border easing: official

The government is considering allowing local aid groups to resume assistance to North Korea as the country is showing increasing signs of easing its border restrictions with China, a unification ministry official said Thursday. "The possibility of the North Korea-China border restrictions easing has been constantly observed, and it is rather increasing," the official said. "We plan to make a conclusion in the direction of allowing nongovernmental organizations to resume humanit

April 1, 2021

NK leader visits construction site for riverside flats again in week

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a construction site for riverside apartments in Pyongyang again in a week, state media reported Thursday, an apparent move to underscore his commitment to improving the livelihoods of people. Kim's "field guidance" trip to the construction site for "800 terraced apartment buildings" along the Pothong River marked the second time after he visited on March 25 without attending a test-firing of short-range ballistic missiles. "Stric

April 1, 2021

N. Korea steals over $300m to support weapons development in 2020: UN panel

North Korea continued to blatantly violated UN Security Council resolutions last year, stealing more than $300 million in virtual assets to support its illegal development of weapons of mass destruction, a UN report said Wednesday. The impoverished country also continued to illicitly import oil, several times the amount allowed under UN Security Council resolutions, according to the report from a panel of experts under the UN Security Council committee on North Korea sanctions. "The Panel

April 1, 2021

N. Korea denounces Japan over military buildup

North Korea on Wednesday denounced Japan's recent moves to beef up its military as a threat to regional peace and stability. In a commentary, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Japan's ambition to turn itself into a military powerhouse has accelerated since Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga took office in September. The news outlet noted Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi recently ordered the military to keep full preparations amid "severity and uncertainty of the securit

April 1, 2021

UN takes no action on latest North Korea missile tests

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The UN Security Council took no action after a brief meeting Tuesday on North Korea’s latest ballistic missile tests, the first since US President Joe Biden took office on Jan. 20 and a violation of UN sanctions. Council diplomats said all 15 members encouraged dialogue and negotiations on North Korea‘s nuclear program but disagreed on the need for a statement. Last Friday, the council unanimously adopted a resolution to renew the mandate of UN experts monit

March 31, 2021

N. Korea's trade volume drops to practically zero amid coronavirus pandemic: official

North Korea's trade with the outside world has dropped to practically zero due to the country's tightened border controls amid the global coronavirus pandemic, the unification ministry said Wednesday. In January and February, the trade volume between the North and China stood at around $3.27 million, a ministry official said, citing Chinese customs data. "This figure includes the trade volume of electricity exported last year so there were no actual physical exchanges," a ministry of

March 31, 2021

NK people's access to information should be expanded without hurting rights of other people: ministry

North Korean people's access to outside information should be expanded but not at the expense of the safety of people living in border regions in South Korea, the unification ministry said Wednesday. A ministry official made the remarks after the US State Department stressed the importance of free flows of information to the reclusive North, referring to South Korea's recently enforced law banning the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets in its annual human rights report. "Our government al

March 31, 2021

Latest NK missile nuclear-tipped, hard to intercept: report

The two ballistic missiles North Korea tested a week ago could carry nuclear warheads and would be hard to intercept with South Korea’s missile defense systems, a local security think tank said Tuesday in its latest report. “They could put a nuclear warhead on each KN-23,” the Sejong Institute said, referring to the missiles. The report cited experts including Jefferey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies. He said the North could mount nu

March 31, 2021

Steam indicates activity at Yongbyon nuke center: think tank

A US think tank suggested possible activity at North Korea’s key nuclear facility in Yongbyon, pointing to a satellite image showing steam coming out of its radiochemistry lab and thermal plant. The Center for Strategic and International Studies published its analysis based on a satellite image dated Tuesday as the US government is wrapping up a comprehensive review of its North Korea policy. In an article published on “Beyond Parellel,” a website run by the CSIS Korea Chair,

March 31, 2021