North Korea remains silent about its much anticipated eighth party congress which it said would be held in early January. For the sixth Workers’ Party congress held in October 1980 and the seventh in May 2016, North Korea announced the opening dates 20 days and 10 days prior to the dayslong event. This time, North’s state media is merely continuing to emphasize the importance of party leadership. The Rodong Sinmun, a mouthpiece of the North Korean Workers’ Party, said in its

WASHINGTON -- North Korea is not showing any signs of preparation to stage a major provocation at least for now, the chief of US Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday. "I say that we are not seeing any indicators that suggest that there would be a major provocation. But that's today. That could change next week," Gen. Robert Abrams said when asked if North Korea may stage a military provocation before or after the Jan. 20 inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden. Many experts beli

Unification Minister Lee In-young said Monday he hopes to receive a positive message from North Korea on inter-Korean relations as Pyongyang is expected to hold a rare party congress this week. Lee made the remarks during his online address for the new year to his ministry staff, as the North is set to convene the congress of the Workers' Party this week for the first time in over four years amid expectations that the North is to unveil its economic scheme and policy directions for the United S

North Korea's official newspaper on Monday urged a stepped-up nationwide antivirus campaign ahead of a highly anticipated party congress expected to take place this week. North Korea has said it will convene the eighth congress of the Workers' Party in early January without specifying a date for the gathering. State media earlier said delegates to the congress gathered in Pyongyang, suggesting its opening is imminent. "As we march forward this year, what we have to prioritize is to streng

Speculation is mounting over North Korea’s key party congress opening early this week, following leader Kim Jong-un writing the public a rare New Year’s letter carried by state media on Friday. In the letter, Kim thanked North Koreans for their enduring trust and support in difficult times and vowed to bring closer a period when they see their ideals and desires realized. The Korean Central News Agency said the letter was penned by Kim, who has given a televised New Year’s sp

  The United Nations Command said Friday it has delivered a total of 86 messages to North Korea through a direct telephone line at the truce village of Panmunjom last year. "UNC maintained its line-of-communication with #KPA counterparts throughout the year," the UNC said in a Facebook post, referring to the Korean People's Army of the North.  "We passed 86 messages and conducted twice-daily line checks for timely and effective information exchange," it added. No

  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un extended New Year's greetings in a short letter to the people Friday, apparently skipping his trademark address on the first day of the year ahead of a rare party congress expected to take place soon. "I sincerely wish all the families across the country greater happiness and beloved people, good health. In the new year, too, I will work hard to bring earlier the new era in which the ideals and desires of our people will come true," Kim said in t

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Thursday for the government to "rectify" a recently legislated ban on sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets into North Korea, saying the law made South Korea a target of international human rights criticism. Ban made the call in his pre-released New Year's speech posted on his foundation's website, as US politicians and other critics voiced concerns that the ban could hurt freedom of expression and efforts to deliver outside information into th

The unification ministry said Thursday it will allow North Korea aid groups to receive state financial support multiple times a year in an effort to facilitate humanitarian assistance to the impoverished nation. Currently, local nongovernmental organizations providing aid to the North can each receive financial support from the ministry once a year. The aid groups are also required to self-finance at least 50 percent of the costs for projects subject to state support. The ministry said it has

North Korean delegates participating in an upcoming congress of the ruling Workers' Party have gathered in Pyongyang and were awarded certificates, state media said Thursday, raising the possibility that the meeting could take place as early as this week. The upcoming session, which will be the first party congress in four years, has drawn keen attention as the North is expected to unveil a new economic development plan and could announce its new policy line on the United States and South Korea

North Korea said Wednesday it will open a party congress in early January where leader Kim Jong-un is expected to set fresh economic and foreign policies. “At a politburo meeting Kim chaired Tuesday, matters that will top the agenda at the congress were discussed,” the Korean Central News Agency said, without revealing exactly what the agenda will be or when the congress will convene. North Korea watchers speculate Kim will launch new economic plans in the face of worsening food

Five North Korean defectors, including a teenager and a pregnant woman, are facing forcible repatriation after they were arrested in China in September, Five North Korean defectors, including a teenager and a pregnant woman, are facing forcible repatriation after they were arrested in China in September, according to a letter released by the UN human rights agency. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) disclosed a letter that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

Russia, Switzerland and four other countries have provided about $10 million in food assistance to North Korea this year to help its choric food shortages, UN data showed Wednesday. According to the data provided by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the countries, also including Sweden, Norway, Canada and Bulgaria, have provided food assistance worth $10.5 million this year through the World Food Programme (WFP). Switzerland offered $5.22 million in food aid to

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a politburo meeting of the Workers' Party and decided to hold a party congress early next month, state media reported Wednesday. The politburo meeting, held Tuesday, "examined and made confirmation as to the qualifications of the delegates" and "proposals for forming the presidium, members of the platform and secretariat of the 8th Congress of the Party," according to the Korean Central News Agency. It also adopted a decision on

A US reconnaissance plane flew over central South Korea on Tuesday, an aviation tracker showed, as North Korea appeared to be gearing up for a ruling party congress. The US Air Force's RC-135W Rivet Joint was spotted flying over the southern coast and then the central regions Tuesday morning, according to the tracker, No callsign. The aircraft, which specializes in detecting telemetry signals before missile launches, took off from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. The RC-135W Rivet Joint als