N. Korea will face 'repercussions' if it provides weapons to Russia: Kirby

North Korea will face repercussions from the United States and other countries should it provide weapons to Russia that can kill innocent people in Ukraine, a White House official said Wednesday. John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, also called on North Korea to stop its negotiations with Russia for a potential arms deal. "We are not seeing them provide any wholesale assistance to the Russian military, and we continue to urge North Korea not to do

Sept. 7, 2023

N. Korea will pay a price if it provides weapons to Russia: NSA Sullivan

The top US national security adviser urged North Korea not to provide any lethal weapons to Russia on Tuesday, saying it will pay a price if it decides to do so. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said there were no indications that the North has provided large amounts of weapons to Russia but that negotiations toward that end between the two countries are "actively advancing." "Providing weapons to Russia for use on the battlefield to attack grain silos and the heating infra

Sept. 6, 2023

Potential Kim-Putin summit raises possibility of arms deals

South Korea is looking closely into momentum for tighter ties between North Korea and Russia ahead of their potential “leader-level talks” over the North getting technology to advance its nuclear arsenal in return for supplying Moscow with weapons to support its war in Ukraine. A senior official at the Unification Ministry in Seoul said Tuesday that cooperation involving North Korea and its neighbors along its northern border should take place in a way that does not violate “in

Sept. 5, 2023

Premature to say Kim Jong-un's daughter an heir: Seoul

North Korean state media's ongoing efforts to spotlight Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, primarily serve to underscore Pyongyang's commitment to upholding fourth-generation hereditary succession, rather than indicating her formal designation as the heir apparent, South Korea's Unification Ministry said Tuesday. The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea that mainly targets North Korean audiences, reported a total of 15 public

Sept. 5, 2023

N. Korean leader Kim may visit Russia for talks with Putin on arms deal: report

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may soon travel to Russia to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and discuss a possible arms deal, a news report said Monday. The New York Times reported that Kim may travel to Vladivostok next week to meet with Putin. "In a rare foray from his country, Mr. Kim would travel from Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, probably by armored train, to Vladivostok, on the Pacific Coast of Russia, where he would meet with Mr. Putin," said the report, quo

Sept. 5, 2023

N.Korea continues simulating tactical nuclear attacks

North Korea conducted a purported live-fire drill simulating a "tactical nuclear attack" early Saturday by launching long-range strategic cruise missiles toward the West Sea, its state media claimed Sunday. However, the South Korean military dismissed the report as an "exaggeration," saying that North Korea may have failed to detonate a mock nuclear warhead in midair. The latest drill is the second nuclear attack simulation in three days, which North Korean state media has la

Sept. 3, 2023

NSC convenes emergency meeting after N. Korea's missile launch

The presidential National Security Council held an emergency meeting Saturday after North Korea fired several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea, according to a presidential official. The NSC meeting was led by Deputy National Security Adviser Lim Jong-deuk to discuss the readiness posture, the official said. The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced the North's launch took place at around 4 a.m., days after South Korea and the United States wrapped up their major joint military drills. South

Sept. 2, 2023

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

North Korea fired several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea on Saturday, Seoul's military said, days after South Korea and the US wrapped up their major joint military drills. The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced the North's launch took place at around 4 a.m. but did not elaborate further, pending an analysis. "While strengthening our monitoring and vigilance, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture in close cooperation with the US," the JCS said in a text mes

Sept. 2, 2023

S. Korea sanctions N. Korean drone maker

South Korea has rolled out sanctions on North Korea’s company and workers there for developing weapons including drones and using IT staff to bankroll the country’s weapons programs -- the latest ban aimed at curbing Pyongyang’s aggression. The Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Friday that any exchanges with Ryugyong, the firm, and its five employees -- the chief and four other senior officials -- will result in punishment unless they are approved in advance by authorities. The ba

Sept. 1, 2023

US imposes sanctions on two individuals, one entity for funding N. Korea's illegal weapons program

The US Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions Thursday on two individuals including a North Korean national and one entity in Russia for helping to finance North Korea's illegal weapons development program. The move comes in response to North Korea's failed attempt to launch a reconnaissance satellite last week, according to the office. "In coordination with the Republic of Korea and Japan, the United States sanctioned two individuals and one entity -- J

Sept. 1, 2023

S. Korea, U.S. stage joint live-fire air exercise

South Korea and the United States staged combined live-fire air drills Thursday to bolster their precision strike capabilities, as part of the allies' key annual military exercise. Seoul's Air Force said the drills mobilized some 30 aircraft, including South Korean F-35A radar-evading jets, armed with various missiles, in connection with the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise set to end Thursday. During the live-fire exercise over the Yellow Sea, the South's F-35A, F-15K and KF-16 figh

Aug. 31, 2023

NK holds military drills simulating occupation of S. Korea

North Korea has publicly launched military exercises that involve simulating the occupation of the entirety of South Korean territory through armed attacks in case of contingencies in the presence of the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, its state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday. The General Staff of the Korean People’s Army on Tuesday commenced a command post exercise, or CPX, involving its entire army. The CPX aims to evaluate and examine the operational planning, orga

Aug. 31, 2023

N. Korea to hold key parliamentary meeting on Sept. 26

North Korea plans to convene a key parliamentary meeting next month to mainly discuss organizational matters, state media said Thursday, amid speculation that the country might replace its premier over flood damage. The standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly decided the previous day to hold the ninth session of the 14th SPA on Sept. 26, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. The upcoming session will discuss organizational matters and the issue of ex

Aug. 31, 2023

N. Korea in active negotiations with Russia for arms deal: White House

WASHINGTON -- A group of Russian officials recently trip to North Korea, indicating a potential arms deal between the two countries, a US National Security Council official said Wednesday. John Kirby, NSC coordinator for strategic communications, said the trip may be followed by high-level discussions that could lead to the provision of North Korean weapons to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine. "We have new information, which we are able to share today, that arms negotiations betwee

Aug. 31, 2023

N.Korea fires ballistic missiles after US sends bombers

North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the waters off its east coast late Wednesday night in an apparent protest against the ongoing regular military exercises conducted by South Korea and the US. The two short-range ballistic missiles were launched from the area of Sunan district in the capital city of Pyongyang between 11:40 p.m. and 11:50 p.m., according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. The missiles flew around 360 kilometers before splashing down in the East Sea, the JCS said

Aug. 31, 2023

S. Korea holds drills as North vows nuclear buildup

South Korea, the US and Japan held joint missile defense drills off the Korean Peninsula on Tuesday to counter North Korea’s aggression, as the North vowed to expand its capability to use nuclear weapons at sea. The exercises in international waters off Jeju Island focused on tracking projectiles and sharing information about such potential launches by North Korea. Destroyers equipped with the Aegis system to shoot down missiles were used, South Korea’s Navy said. The aim is to &ldq

Aug. 29, 2023

N. Korea's Kim visits navy command, calls for bolstering naval forces

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for bolstering naval forces as he visited the country's navy command, while denouncing South Korea, the United States and Japan for stepping up their trilateral military cooperation, according to the North's state media Tuesday. Kim's visit, which took place on Navy Day in North Korea, came days after he visited a navy unit where he inspected a cruise missile test aboard a warship. "To achieve the successes in rapidly developing the nava

Aug. 29, 2023

N. Korean workers return home from China by road for 1st time since pandemic

SHENYANG, China -- More than 300 North Korean workers returned home Monday from a Chinese border city, multiple sources said, a day after Pyongyang reopened its borders for its citizens abroad for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 300 to 400 North Koreans left Dandong in northeastern China earlier in the day for the North's border city of Sinuiju by bus, according to the sources. It marked the first time for North Koreans to return home by road transportation since the two

Aug. 28, 2023

N. Korea apparently reopens its border due to economic difficulties: Seoul

North Korea apparently has decided to reopen its border after more than three years of its tight virus curbs due largely to economic challenges from its border closure, South Korea's unification ministry said Monday. North Korea said Sunday it has allowed its citizens abroad to return home amid eased concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and will put them under quarantine for a week. The decision marked the secretive regime making official the reopening of its border. "Due to its border

Aug. 28, 2023

N. Korea criticizes European countries for sending F-16 jets to Ukraine

North Korea criticized a recent decision by the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway for providing F-16 fighters to Ukraine in its fight against Russia as an "anti-peace act," the North's state media said Monday. The commentary by the North's Institute of International Studies came as Pyongyang has expressed support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and amid speculation of an arms deal between Pyongyang and Moscow. "Their decision to supply even fighters is an anti-peace

Aug. 28, 2023