Lee Dae-jun’s family to ask prosecutors to arrest ex-spy chief

The family of Lee Dae-jun, a fisheries official killed by North Korean soldiers at sea in 2020, on Thursday called for arresting former President Moon Jae-in’s spy chief, Park Jie-won, who is already facing a criminal investigation after he was reported by the National Intelligence Service to the prosecutors. 　 The NIS on Wednesday filed a criminal report against Park, who served as its director for almost two years until the end of Moon’s presidency in May, alleging that he d

July 7, 2022

Over 40% of N. Koreans undernourished: UN report

More than 40 percent of North Koreans are undernourished, a UN report showed Thursday amid concerns of food security in the impoverished country. According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022 report co-published by UN agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization, the UN Children's Fund and the World Food Programme, the prevalence of undernourishment among North Korea's 25-million population reached 41.6 percent from 2019 to 2021, compared with 33.

July 7, 2022

N. Korean leader urges 'absolute obedience' to ruling party

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held the first-ever workshop to strengthen the "monolithic" leadership of the ruling Workers' Party, state media reported Thursday, in his latest move aimed at tightening internal discipline. The workshop, the first of its kind, was held from July 2-6 at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang for officials in the party life guidance sections of organizational departments, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The special workshop w

July 7, 2022

N. Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases fall below 2,000: state media

North Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases dropped below 2,000, according to its state media Thursday. More than 1,950 people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the state-run Korean Central Broadcasting Station said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. It did not provide information on whether additional deaths have been reported. As of Tuesday, the death toll had stood at 74, with the fatality rate at 0.002 perce

July 7, 2022

Spy agency accuses two former heads of breaking law in high-profile NK scandals

The National Intelligence Service on Wednesday filed a criminal report against its former chiefs Park Jie-won and Suh Hoon, alleging abuses of power in two high-profile cases involving North Korea. 　 In a message to reporters, the NIS said it reported Park, who served as its director from July 2020 until Moon Jae-in’s term as president ended in May, to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office after an internal review raised suspicion that he destroyed records related to the case of Lee Dae-

July 6, 2022

Body found in Han River’s estuary may be that of a North Korean boy, police suspect

A body found Tuesday in an estuary of the Han River just south of the border with North Korea may have floated from North Korea, police here said Wednesday. The body, presumed to be a boy around 10 years old, was recovered at the estuary in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, just 9 kilometers from the Military Demarcation Line. It is where Han River meets the West Sea. When the body was recovered, the deceased had only shorts on, which according to police investigators, looked worn out, had elastic w

July 6, 2022

N. Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases below 3,000 for 2nd day: state media

North Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases remained below 3,000 for the second consecutive day, according to its state media Wednesday. More than 2,140 people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. In its first release of the death toll in three weeks, the North reported one additional death, raising the total to 74. The total number of

July 6, 2022

N. Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases fall below 3,000: state media

North Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases dropped below 3,000, according to its state media Tuesday. More than 2,500 people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. It did not provide information on whether additional deaths have been reported. As of June 15, the death toll had stood at 73, with the fatality rate at 0.002 percent. The tot

July 5, 2022

Democratic Party lawmakers face inquiry over damning claims made by Lee Dae-jun’s family

Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea are facing an inquiry over claims that they tried to cajole the bereaved family of Lee Dae-jun -- a fisheries official who was fatally shot by North Korean troops at sea in 2020 -- into admitting that he had attempted to defect to North Korea. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea confirmed to The Korea Herald that it began an inquiry into the claims after a receiving a petition from a civic group last week. The inquiry from

July 4, 2022

N. Korea tightens border controls, vigilance on ‘alien things’ near inter-Korean border

North Korea has tightened vigilance on “alien things” falling near the inter-Korean border and stepped up border controls and restrictions to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to state media reports. North Korea has taken follow-up measures in response to the recent investigation findings on the origins and inflow of COVID-19, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said Monday in a Korean-language report. The emergency anti-epidemic units at all levels have f

July 4, 2022

[Hwang’s China and the World] The end of appeasing North Korea, time to deal with its fundamental interest

In recent weeks, the Korean Peninsula had two situations going on in the South and North. South Korea was holding its first summit on May 21 with US President Joe Biden in Seoul, just 10 days after President Yoon Suk-yeol’s inauguration. The two leaders agreed on escalating the alliance into a “Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance.” South Korea has decided to cooperate with the US in high-tech fields and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). They also agreed to resta

July 4, 2022

N. Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases below 4,000 for 2nd day: state media

North Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases stayed below 4,000 for the second consecutive day, its state media said Monday. More than 3,030 people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. It did not provide information on whether additional deaths have been reported. The total number of fever cases since late April came to over 4.75 million

July 4, 2022

N. Korea lashes out at closer security ties among S. Korea, US, Japan

North Korea lambasted South Korea, the United States and Japan on Sunday for their move to strengthen trilateral security cooperation highlighted in a rare group summit of their leaders last week. Pyongyang's foreign ministry strongly condemned discussions on three-way military drills that President Yoon Suk-yeol held with his American and Japanese counterparts -- Joe Biden and Fumio Kishida -- on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Spain. "The recent NATO summit more clearly proves th

July 3, 2022

[News Analysis] N. Korea claims COVID-19 outbreak began in inter-Korean border area

North Korea has claimed that a COVID-19 outbreak began from people touching “alien things” in an area near the eastern Inter-Korean border, which experts view as a potential move to shift the blame to South Korea and set the tone for launching an offensive campaign. The North’s State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters on Thursday announced the outcomes of its investigation on the origin and inflow of COVID-19, which began to rapidly spread across the country in late Ap

July 1, 2022

N. Korea discharges water from border dam without prior notice

North Korea has been discharging water from Hwanggang Dam near the inter-Korean border without any prior notice, after heavy rains lashed the country, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Thursday, expressing regret at the decision. “North Korea is presumed to have opened the floodgates of Hwanggang Dam as heavy rain continues to pound North Korea since the weekend,” said an official at the Unification Ministry who wished to remain anonymous. The official said chances that

June 30, 2022

N. Korean hackers suspected of stealing $100 million crypto from US firm

North Korea’s state-sponsored Lazarus Group is believed to be behind the recent $100 million cryptocurrency theft from a US blockchain company, the latest in a spate of high-profile cyber heists from the Kim Jong-un regime, London-based blockchain analytics firm Elliptic said Wednesday. The analysis came out a week after California-based crypto firm Harmony on June 24 publicly confirmed that unidentified hackers had stolen cryptocurrencies amounting to around $100 million from the key se

June 30, 2022

N. Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases fall below 5,000: state media

North Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases dropped below 5,000, its state media said Thursday. More than 4,730 people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. It did not provide information on whether additional deaths have been reported. The total number of fever cases since late April came to over 4.73 million as of 6 p.m. Wednesd

June 30, 2022

‘I’m sorry our nation hurt you,’ Yoon tells Lee Dae-jun’s son

President Yoon Suk-yeol wrote back to the son of Lee Dae-jun, the South Korean fisheries official killed by North Korean troops at sea in 2020, and apologized. “I am deeply ashamed our nation left you and your family with irreversible scars, and I am sorry,” he said in the letter dated June 22.  “I hope your courage in stepping up to restore the honor of your father, and quest for the truth continues to guide you in your life.” He then went on to say that his &ld

June 29, 2022

N. Korea denounces US, key allies for seeking to build ‘Asian NATO’

North Korea on Wednesday accused South Korea, the United States and Japan of gearing up to establish an “Asian version of NATO,” claiming that the recent move to step up trilateral military exercises is a “dangerous prelude” to that end. North Korea denounced the US for “heating up military cooperation with its puppets while neglecting the fundamental security demand and concerns in the Asia-Pacific region,” in a Korean-language article carried by the extern

June 29, 2022

UN rapporteur says N. Korea responsible for 2020 death of S. Korean fisheries official

The outgoing UN special rapporteur on North Korea's human rights situation made clear Wednesday that North Korea is responsible for the killing of a South Korean fisheries official in 2020 and stressed that the bereaved family has the right to know details of how the death occurred. "I have said that the government of North Korea is responsible for violating the right and killing this fisheries official," Tomas Ojea Quintana said in a press conference in central Seoul. "It is

June 29, 2022