The North Korean leader pledged to further reinforce and develop nuclear-armed forces “at the fastest possible speed,” suggesting that North Korea can launch a preemptive nuclear strike if adversaries violate the country’s “fundamental interests.” General Secretary Kim Jong-un on Monday delivered a speech during a nighttime massive military parade held at the Kim Il-sung Square in the capital Pyongyang, North Korea state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Tues

North Korea April 26, 2022

South Korea and the United States agreed to conduct joint research on space policy for the first time, in a bid to reinforce the alliance’s capabilities against mounting security threats in space. South Korea’s Defense Ministry and the US Defense Department held the 18th session of the Space Cooperation Working Group on Monday in Washington, the South Korean military announced Tuesday. Cho Yong-geun, the South Korean director general of the North Korea Policy Bureau at the Defense

Defense April 26, 2022

North Korea and Russia have developed their ties and sent the strongest ever support to each other on the international stage, as their reinforced relations have contributed to ensuring peace and security in Northeast Asia, the North Korean state newspaper said Monday in a special article. The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, published the special article to mark the three-year anniversary of the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian Pres

North Korea April 25, 2022

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has exchanged letters with South Korea’s outgoing President Moon Jae-in and expressed gratitude toward Moon for his effort to improve inter-Korean relations, the North Korean state media reported Friday. The state-run Korean Central News Agency, which mainly targets the external audience, swiftly reported that Kim on Thursday replied to Moon’s personal letter delivered Wednesday. “Dear respected comrade Kim Jong-un highly appreciated Moon&rsq

North Korea April 22, 2022

North Korean state-sponsored cryptocurrency theft has become a “fundamental part” of the country’s illicit financing activities to fund its nuclear and missile programs, a United Nations independent expert said on Wednesday, urging the international community to reinforce its sanctions framework and regulations to block cyber financial crime. Eric Penton-Voak, a coordinator at the UN Security Council’s Panel of Experts (PoE) which monitors enforcement of sanctions on No

North Korea April 21, 2022

The Sunfull Foundation has declared May 23 “No Hate Comments Day” to raise awareness about cyberbullying and promote positive online messages. A ceremony was held Tuesday at DGB Financial Center in central Seoul with the Sunfull Foundation’s founder Min Byung-chul, local lawmakers and members of Sunfull youth supporter clubs in attendance. May 23 is the day that the anti-cyberbullying campaign will begin in earnest, the foundation explained. During the week between May 17

Social Affairs April 19, 2022

The US said it is willing to discuss the “full range” of North Korea’s concerns only through dialogue, whereas a pro-North Korea newspaper said it will continue weapons development to “subdue” and overpower the US. The US State Department on Monday reiterated the Biden administration’s two-pronged approach to keep the door open for dialogue and hold North Korea accountable for illicitly developing weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. S

North Korea April 19, 2022

South Korea and the US on Monday kicked off their annual combined military exercise, while North Korea has begun its preparation for a massive military parade likely to be held during the training period “in earnest,” South Korean military officials said. Seoul and Washington decided to conduct the nine-day, springtime Combined Command Post Training in light of the overall circumstances, including the COVID-19 pandemic and maintaining a combined defense posture. “The trainin

North Korea April 18, 2022

North Korea on Sunday said the country test-fired a “new-type tactical guided weapon system” to enhance its capabilities to effectively operate “tactical nuclear weapons,” as part of a five-year defense plan to bolster up its “war deterrent.” North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observed the test launch of the new weapons system which has been “developed under special attention of the Party Central Committee,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency

North Korea April 17, 2022

The unification minister nominee said Thursday that progress toward denuclearization was essential to normalizing inter-Korean relations, but he would strive to create new momentum for dialogue to that end. Rep. Kwon Young-se, the four-term lawmaker of the People Power Party, said the denuclearization process by itself is the “same path to normalize inter-Korean relations,” reiterating that the steps should be taken simultaneously and in parallel. The unification minister nominee e

North Korea April 14, 2022

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday nominated Rep. Kwon Young-se, a prosecutor-turned-lawmaker with four National Assembly terms and former ambassador to China, as Unification Minister. Kwon is a close and trusted confidant of Yoon and was named vice-chairman of the presidential transition committee after he took the helm of Yoon’s campaign team as the leader. They also studied law together at Seoul National University. The appointment has been largely viewed as Yoon’s reso

North Korea April 13, 2022

North Korea will continue focusing on enhancing and operating nonkinetic counterspace and electronic warfare capabilities to attack and disrupt the US and other adversaries’ space systems, the US military said, defining the country as an emerging challenge to the US’ space posture. The US Defense Intelligence Agency on Tuesday released a special report called “2022 Challenges to Security in Space” to address the threats to the US’ space capabilities. The report

Defense April 13, 2022

A US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is operating in waters off the Korean Peninsula as South Korea and the US kicked off preliminary military exercises Tuesday, military sources confirmed to The Korea Herald. The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) “has entered the international waters of the East Sea” as of Tuesday, an informed military official, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue, said. The operation of the USS Abraham Lincoln off the Korean Peninsula

Defense April 12, 2022

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization seeks to enhance security cooperation with South Korea through “sustained” military exchanges, the chairman of its top military body said Monday, underscoring the significance of “substantive” defense cooperation. NATO Military Committee Chair Adm. Rob Bauer made a rare trip to South Korea and held respective talks with South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Won In-choul and Defense Minister Suh Wook. The visit by

Defense April 11, 2022

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol tapped retired three-star general Lee Jong-sup with expertise in the South Korea-US alliance and combined defense posture as the new defense minister. Lee served as a vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff before he retired from the army. The defense minister nominee also led a Combined Defense Transformation Group under the JCS, whose task is to prepare for the envisioned transfer of wartime operational control or OPCON and set out a road map on the South Kor

Defense April 10, 2022