China’s top nuclear envoy meets ambassadors from UNSC’s permanent members in New York

North Korea reiterated calls for the ruling party's propaganda officials to help weed out anti-socialist and non-socialist practices, as it wrapped up a three-day workshop, according to state media Thursday. The workshop for officials in the information field of the ruling Workers' Party concluded the previous day with a study session on prioritizing ideological work as the "very core of the Party work," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. "The workshop called

N. Korea could ‘rapidly restore access’ to yet unused tunnel for seventh nuclear test

A London-based nonprofit organization has launched a comprehensive database of human rights violations and atrocities involving the North Korean penal system, its website showed Tuesday. "A vast system of penal facilities extends across North Korea," Korea Future said. "The construction of these facilities -- capable of detaining hundreds of thousands of people suspected or accused of crimes -- has enabled extensive and egregious violations of international law with catastrophic h

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on the ruling party's propaganda officials to wage a battle in rooting out "evil spirits" of anti-socialism and bring fundamental change in their ideological work, state media reported Tuesday. In a letter sent to officials serving in the information field of the ruling Workers' Party (WPK) who were present at a workshop in Pyongyang the previous day, Kim stressed the need to "concentrate the ideological campaign on anti-socialist and non-so

S.Korea, US detect signs of N.Korea restoring Punggye-ri nuclear testing site

North Korea has kicked off a photo exhibition commemorating a decade of its leader Kim Jong-un's rule, state media reported Monday, working up a festive mood ahead of major political anniversaries next month. An opening ceremony for the exhibition marking 10 years since Kim took the helm of the nation opened in Pyongyang the previous day, according to the North's main newspaper Rodong Sinmun. Kim was named "first secretary" of the ruling Workers' Party on April 11, 2012, and the first

US seeks to tighten UN sanctions regime, while China, Russia push for proposal to ease sanctions

North Korea seems to be working on making a "shortcut" to a tunnel at its nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, apparently aimed at making speedy preparations for a seventh underground nuclear experiment, according to government sources in South Korea on Sunday. If carried out, it would be the secretive nation's first known nuclear test in 4 1/2 years. South Korea's military and intelligence authorities have detected signs of the country focusing on restoring Tunnel 3 in the mountainous nor

A North Korean propaganda outlet on Sunday criticized South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's policy stance on the Kim Jong-un regime as a move to revive "confrontational" approaches by former conservative administrations in Seoul. The Tongil Voice claimed that Yoon is poised to follow the policy lines of two former presidents, Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, who took tougher approaches than current liberal President Moon Jae-in. "Yoon is struggling to resurrect the anti-rep

South Korea's Air Force conducted a rare training involving its F-35A radar-evading fighters in a show of airpower Friday, a day after North Korea test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Defense Minister Suh Wook oversaw the "Elephant Walk" training and ordered troops to maintain "full" readiness based on the "invisible power" of the F-35As, the defense ministry said. It did not disclose the training site for security reasons. The training marke

US imposes fresh sanctions on five entities in Russia and North Korea

The top diplomats of South Korea and Japan on Friday condemned North Korea's firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and urged it to cease provocative acts, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong talked over the phone with his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi, after the North confirmed it successfully test-fired a new ICBM on Thursday under the direct order of its leader Kim Jong-un. The officials pointed out the North's latest missile test is a clea

The United States on Thursday condemned North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), vowing to take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the country and its allies.    White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also said the path to diplomacy was still open but that the North must immediately stop its destabilizing actions.    "The United States strongly condemns the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for its test of a long-ran

S. Korean military launches own missiles to show ability to punish North