N. Korean leader uses car gifted by Putin in public event: KCNA

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un used a Russian-made private car, gifted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a public event for the first time this week in "clear proof" of the two nations' friendly ties, his sister said Saturday. Last month, North Korea said Putin sent a Russian-made car for personal use to the North's leader as a gift demonstrating special bonds between the two leaders. Russia said the car is the Aurus Senat limousine. Kim Yo-jong, the powerful siste

March 16, 2024

US general voices concerns over 'increasingly advanced' long-range NK missiles

A US general took note of military threats from "increasingly advanced" long-range North Korean missiles on Thursday, while highlighting evolving security challenges from China, Russia and Iran. Gen. Gregory Guillot, the commander of US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, attended a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee to testify about the posture of his commands and discuss security risks facing the United States. "North Korea continues its be

March 15, 2024

S. Korea says it does not recognize N. Korea as nuclear state

South Korea on Thursday renewed its stance that it does not recognize North Korea as a nuclear state. The foreign ministry made the comments in response to Putin's remarks that the North has its "own nuclear umbrella" and has not asked for Russia's help during a recent interview with Russia's RIA state news agency and Rossiya-1 state television. "There is no change in the government's position that it does not recognize North Korea as a nuclear state," a f

March 14, 2024

N. Korea unveils new battle tank with leader Kim boasting their striking power

North Korea has unveiled a new battle tank during training exercises, state media reported Thursday, amid ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un drove a new tank himself during the "training match" between tank units Wednesday in a bid to inspect tank troops' actual combat capabilities, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Calling them "the most powerful tanks in the world," Kim expressed satisfact

March 14, 2024

US intel downplays NK full-scale war risks, noting Putin as influencer

The US intelligence community currently assesses that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is unlikely to escalate tensions into a full-scale war on the Korean Peninsula, even as concerns persist over the potential for his closer alignment with the Russian president to embolden his aggressive actions. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines provided the assessment during Tuesday's House Intelligence Committee hearing while noting that Kim's recent rhetoric and actions have been incre

March 13, 2024

US intel believes NK leader has no intentions of negotiating away nuclear program

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "almost certainly" has no intentions of negotiating away his nuclear program and aims to use his defense ties with Russia to achieve acceptance as a nuclear state, a US intelligence report said Monday. The 2024 Annual Threat Assessment also noted that Kim will continue to pursue nuclear and conventional military capabilities that threaten the United States and its allies. "Kim almost certainly has no intentions of negotiating away his nuclear progra

March 12, 2024

N. Korea attempted to disrupt GPS signals on S. Korean border islands

North Korea attempted to disrupt the reception of Global Positioning System signals on the front-line islands of South Korea in the West Sea for three consecutive days from Tuesday, coinciding with annual combined military drills between Seoul and Washington, the South Korean military confirmed on Friday. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff detected signals sent from North Korea, which were assessed as attempts to interfere with the reception of GPS signals on the Five West Sea Islands mult

March 8, 2024

NK border sealing with China worsens human rights situation: report

The tightening of border controls by the Kim Jong-un regime, marked by the construction of multiple layers of fences along the China-North Korea border following the COVID-19 pandemic, has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian and human rights crisis in North Korea, according to a report by Human Rights Watch. The HRW, an international human rights organization headquartered in New York, on Thursday published a comprehensive 148-page report titled "A Sense of Terror Stronger than a Bull

March 8, 2024

Seoul's new unification vision: 'Ensure freedom for every N. Korean'

South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday revealed its plans to craft a fresh unification vision, with the ultimate aim of guaranteeing the freedom rights of every North Korean citizen on a unified Korean Peninsula. The initiative is set as the ministry's primary goal for the year and marks the first revision of South Korea's official unification formula in 30 years since 1994. Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said that he presented plans to formulate a unification vision groun

March 8, 2024

NK leader guides artillery firing drills involving border units capable of striking 'enemy's capital'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has guided artillery firing drills involving front-line units capable of striking the "enemy's capital," state media reported Friday, in an apparent response to an ongoing joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States. The drills were conducted Thursday with the aim of enhancing the combat readiness posture and actual war capability of artillery troops, according to the Korean Central News Agency. "The drill started with the

March 8, 2024

NK leader calls for intensifying war drills

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for intensifying "practical actual war drills" during a visit to a military training base, state media said Thursday, as a joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States was under way. During the visit to the base in the country's western region Wednesday, Kim inspected training facilities and guided the actual maneuvers of military units, the official Korean Central News Agency said. The visit came two days after South Kor

March 7, 2024

US nuclear envoy underlines need for 'interim steps' toward ultimate N. Korea denuclearization

The top US nuclear envoy pointed out the need Tuesday for "interim steps" to be taken on a path towards North Korea's ultimate denuclearization, which she stressed would not happen "overnight." US Senior Official for North Korea Jung Pak made the remarks while reiterating Washington's "clear" goal to pursue the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. On Monday, Mira Rapp-Hooper, the US National Security Council senior director for East Asia and Oceania,

March 6, 2024

N. Korea warns US-S. Korea to pay 'dear price' for joint military drills

North Korea on Tuesday denounced an annual joint military exercise that South Korea and the United States launched this week, warning they will pay a "dear price" for what it called their large-scale war drills. An unnamed spokesperson at the North's defense ministry issued a statement condemning the annual Freedom Shield exercise that began Monday for an 11-day run to strengthen deterrence against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. "The large-scale war drills st

March 5, 2024

N. Korea deletes state media articles using unification references

North Korea has removed articles with unification references from the website of its state-run media outlet, after leader Kim Jong-un called South Korea the North's "primary foe" and vowed not to seek unification with the South. As of Monday, a majority of the articles containing references to unification, such as "peaceful reunification," "great national unity" and "northern half," appear to have been deleted from the website of the North's Kore

March 4, 2024

Poland preparing technical inspection at diplomatic mission in N. Korea: VOA

Poland is in talks with North Korea to conduct a technical inspection at its diplomatic mission in Pyongyang, a US news outlet reported Saturday, after a few other European countries have taken similar steps amid prospects of reopening the missions in the North after years of the pandemic-driven shutdown. Poland is "discussing with the DPRK authorities a suitable time for both sides to conduct a technical mission in Pyongyang," the Voice of America reported, citing a written comment fr

March 2, 2024

N.K. again close to bottom in global freedom index: report

North Korea was again assessed as one of the most repressive countries in the world in an annual report by the US-based freedom watchdog, receiving only three out of 100 points on the freedom index. In the report, titled "Freedom in the World 2024," published by Freedom House, North Korea was given zero points out of 40 in terms of political rights and 3 points out of 60 in terms of civil liberties. The only countries behind the North in the index were Syria with 1 point, South Sudan w

March 1, 2024

N. Korea wants Trump's reelection, will raise tensions until presidential vote: ex-German envoy

North Korea hopes for former President Donald Trump's win in the Nov. 5 US presidential election and will continue to raise tensions with Seoul and Washington until the election, a former German ambassador to Pyongyang said in a media contribution published Wednesday. Thomas Schafer made the case in a piece written to NPR, saying that Pyongyang would want to give negotiations with Trump "another try" in the event of his reelection, although a nuclear parley between him and North K

Feb. 29, 2024

South Korean and US troops will begin major exercises next week in response to North Korean threats

South Korean and US troops will begin their expanded annual military drills next week in response to North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats, the two countries said Wednesday, a move that will likely enrage North Korea because it views its rivals’ joint training as an invasion rehearsal. In recent months, North Korea has inflamed animosities on the Korean Peninsula with fiery rhetoric and continued missile tests . While it’s unlikely for North Korea to launch full-blown at

Feb. 28, 2024

Seoul doesn't oppose NK engaging with US, Japan: unification minister

The Yoon Suk Yeol government "does not oppose North Korea engaging with the United States and Japan," the South Korean unification minister said, concurrently acknowledging that obstacles remain for North Korea to overcome to improve relations with the two countries. "The resolution of issues pertaining to Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea appears to be a prerequisite for the advancement of relations between Japan and North Korea," Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho sa

Feb. 28, 2024

[Herald Interview] Rival heir to Kim Ju-ae unlikely to appear: unification minister

Another heir emerging for North Korea besides Kim Jong-un's publicly promoted preteen daughter Ju-ae is unlikely because it would spark confusion within the isolated totalitarian society, according to South Korea's unification minister. During an exclusive 90-minute interview with The Korea Herald on Feb. 23, Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho underscored the "considerable internal instability" brewing within North Korea, a situation catalyzing the early debut of Ju-ae as candi

Feb. 28, 2024