North Korea has condemned the European Union's criticism of its series of missile launches last month, calling it an "intolerable" act of interfering in its internal affairs. In a message posted Thursday on the foreign ministry's website, Ri Sang-rim, chairman of the North's Korea-Europe Association, took issue with the EU's recent statement denouncing its missile tests as a threat to international and regional peace and security, "We flatly denounce and reject this as this is a f

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has provided North Korea with micronutrient treatments for 160,000 pregnant and lactating women, according to its recent report. The items are the first supplies from UNICEF delivered to the reclusive North after it reopened western sea routes in October following monthslong border controls against the COVID-19 pandemic. "After several months in quarantine at Nampo port, the first batch of nutrition supplies was released from disinfection, includi

South Korea’s top nuclear envoy stressed that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is at a pivotal moment following North Korea’s recent series of missile tests, calling for the need of engagement with the reclusive regime.  “I believe we are at a very pivotal moment that will decide if we will return to the period of cold winter or a season of warm atmosphere as it is here,” South Korea’s chief nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk told reporters upon arriving at Honol

The COVAX Facility, a global vaccine distribution platform, has reduced the total number of COVID-19 vaccines set for North Korea, a UN website showed Thursday, as deliveries have yet to be made. A total of 1.54 million vaccines have been allocated to the North, according to the UN Children's Fund's COVID-19 Vaccine Market Dashboard, compared with the previously known 8.11 million doses as of last year. COVAX is shifting to "needs-based" vaccine distribution this year and previously al

North Korea is revving up a festive mood ahead of late leader Kim Jong-il's 80th birthday next week, opening a series of commemorative events, according to Pyongyang's state media Thursday. Kim, father of current leader Kim Jong-un, led the reclusive regime from 1994 until his death in 2011. His birthday, which falls on Feb. 16, is marked as a major national holiday in the North. On Wednesday, the North held a national awards ceremony in Pyongyang in commemoration of him, the official Korean Cen

The defense chiefs of South Korea, the United States and Japan agreed to closely cooperate in countering North Korea's evolving missile threats in their phone talks Thursday, Seoul's defense ministry said. The talks among Defense Minister Suh Wook and his US and Japanese counterparts -- Lloyd Austin and Nobuo Kishi -- followed a series of the North's missile tests, including the launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) on Jan. 30. "The three ministers agreed that the three c

South Korea's top nuclear envoy on Wednesday stressed the importance of coordinating with the United States to manage the increased geopolitical fluidity on the Korean Peninsula from developments at home and abroad. Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, made the remark as he headed to Hawaii for a meeting with his US and Japanese counterparts, Sung Kim and Hayashi Yoshimasa, respectively, Thursday to discuss regional issues. They are expected to

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered officials to address urgent defects in the field of construction, stressing its importance in building a strong country and improving people's lives, according to Pyongyang's state media Wednesday. In a letter sent to participants of a construction workshop held in Pyongyang the previous day, Kim pointed out mistakes made in the field, and said it was the right time for them to "rearm" with the ruling party's ideologies and policies, the Nort

A senior North Korean diplomat met with the Russian ambassador to Pyongyang earlier this week to discuss bilateral ties and regional and global issues, according to the North's foreign ministry, amid speculation that the two countries may be seeking to restart cross-border exchange. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Im Chon-il held talks with Ambassador Alexander Matsegora on Monday, the North's foreign ministry said in a post Tuesday on its website. "Both sides exchanged views on the issue

WASHINGTON -- Recent satellite photos have shown "somewhat unusual" activity at a North Korean submarine shipyard, including the repositioning of a missile test barge, though its purpose remains unclear, a US think tank said Tuesday. Citing the recent satellite imagery, Beyond Parallel, a project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, published an analysis on its recent observation of the shipyard in the eastern coastal city of Sinpo where an experimental ballistic miss

No message toward Seoul or Washington was delivered amid escalated tensions on the peninsula after NK’s barrage of missile launches

A North Korean official, known for his role in inter-Korean engagement years ago, has emerged as an apparent policymaker on overseas ethnic Korean affairs, Pyongyang's state media showed Tuesday, raising questions over a potential shift in his job. Maeng Kyong-il led a debate on legislating an act aimed at enhancing rights of ethnic Koreans abroad during a session of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), the North's rubber-stamp parliament, earlier this week, according to the North's main newspa

North Korea has denied allegations it has carried out a series of cryptocurrency thefts and cyberattacks on other countries, calling them a "creation" by the United States. It also denounced the US as a "hacking empire and country of intelligence theft." The North made the claim in a piece posted on the country's foreign ministry website Monday, following a recent report by US blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis that said North Korean hackers stole around $400 million wort

North Korea had a two-day session of its rubber-stamp legislature earlier this week to discuss budgetary and other pending issues, with the country's leader Kim Jong-un not present, according to its state media Tuesday. The 6th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) was held in Pyongyang on Sunday and Monday, attended by senior ruling party and Cabinet officials, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The major event has drawn keen attention from the outs

Party organ urges strengthening youth indoctrination in a special article