North Korea's state media on Thursday slammed Japan over its recent approval of school textbooks renewing its claims to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo, calling the move a "shameless" distortion of history that can never be tolerated. Last month, a textbook screening committee under Japan's education ministry approved textbooks for high school students, some of which contain Tokyo's territorial claims to Dokdo. "Japan's scheme to rob us of Dokdo and distort history has

A pro-unification organization in South Korea on Thursday denounced a planned US congressional hearing on the country's ban on the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea as an "interference in inter-Korean affairs." The North Korean Committee for the June 15 Joint Declaration said the leafleting ban was legislated on the back of "public consensus" in the South, as a bipartisan caucus of the US House of Representatives is set to hold the hearing on Thursday (US E

North Korea marked the birthday of late founder Kim Il-sung with performances and other celebratory events, according to state media Thursday, but no signs of provocations have been detected. Thursday marks the 109th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, the late grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un. The anniversary, referred to in the North as the Day of the Sun, is the country's biggest national holiday and has often been marked with massive military parades and other provocative acts. This

North Korea's new ambassador to China has presented his credentials to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the North's main newspaper reported Thursday. While presenting his credentials Wednesday, Ambassador Ri Ryong-nam conveyed leader Kim Jong-un's warm greetings to Xi and the Chinese leader also asked the envoy to send his greetings to Kim, according to the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling Workers' Party. Presenting credentials is a customary procedure before foreign ambassado

WASHINGTON -- The top US intelligence official on Wednesday maintained that North Korea may resume its nuclear and long-range missile testing as part of efforts to drive wedges between the United States and its allies. Avril Haines, director of national intelligence (DNI), testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee. "For its part, North Korea may take aggressive and potentially destabilizing actions to reshape its security environment and will seek to drive wedges between the Unit

A pro-North Korea newspaper on Wednesday denounced Japan's decision to dump contaminated water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, calling it a "crime against humanity." Tokyo earlier announced a plan to release more than 1.2 million tons radioactive water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean amid criticism from its local fishery industry and neighboring countries. "It is a crime against humanity to justify themselves

A North Korean propaganda outlet on Wednesday criticized South Korea's recent mayoral elections as an example of "backward" politics, saying the races were marred by mudslinging and negative campaigning. Last week's mayoral by-elections in Seoul and the southeastern city of Busan ended with the ruling Democratic Party's crushing defeat after the campaigns were dominated by alleged real estate speculation and criticism of the Moon Jae-in administration's real estate policy. Tongil Voi

A North Korean propaganda outlet on Wednesday denounced South Korea's recent decision to deploy new attack helicopters and destroyers as part of preparations for a long-sought invasion of the North. Last month, South Korea announced that it will import around 36 large combat choppers by 2028 and build next-generation Aegis-equipped destroyers as part of efforts to beef up its national defense capability. "The South Korean military is focused recklessly on strengthening its armed forces no

WASHINGTON -- North Korea may be considering whether it should resume its nuclear and long-range missile testing this year as it seeks to deal with the new US administration on its own terms, a US intelligence report said Tuesday. The report from the Office of Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) also noted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may take a "number of aggressive" actions. "Kim may be considering whether to resume long-range missile or nuclear testing this year to tr

Speculation is rising that Pyongyang could up the ante with further military provocations this week as it marks a major national holiday, following up on its recent missile launches, experts say. 　 Thursday marks the birthday of Kim Il-sung, the country’s founder and the late grandfather of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Known in the North as the Day of the Sun, it is one of the country’s most important national holidays. Military parades and cultural events are typically held fo

UN sanctions on North Korea are believed to be pressuring the country, even though Pyongyang has tried to evade them, a researcher at a state-run think tank said Tuesday. Kim Seok-jin, a researcher at the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), noted that the North's illicit activities and other efforts to evade sanctions are "insufficient" to blunt the effects of UN sanctions. "The sanctions are not being implemented perfectly but they seem to be serving the

North Korea appears to be showing "confidence" in handling the global coronavirus pandemic as it is holding various celebrations to mark this week's birth anniversary of its late state founder, a unification ministry official said Tuesday. North Korea's state media outlets have reported various cultural and sports events to mark the 109th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un, on Thursday. This comes in contrast with last year when major celeb

North Korea's official newspaper called Tuesday for establishing a company specialized in building coastline protection facilities to cope better with typhoons and thereby help ensure economic development. "It is a task that should be carried out as part of the five-year (economic development) scheme to actively organize a company that specializes in the construction of protective facilities on the East and West Sea," the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the ruling party, said. "Our

North Korea is expected to hold smaller-scale celebrations for the birth anniversary of late founder Kim Il-sung this week just as it did in previous years, Seoul's unification ministry said Monday. Thursday marks the 109th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung, the late grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un. The anniversary, referred to in the North as the Day of the Sun, is the country's biggest national holiday and has often been marked with massive military parades and other cultural and spo

South Korea is closely monitoring North Korea's military moves in coordination with the United States, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday, amid signs of activity at the North's main shipyard used to develop submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). According to 38 North, commercial satellite imagery of the North's Sinpo Shipyard indicates that a missile canister for the submarine missile test barge has likely been removed, possibly for maintenance or for the replacement of a new c