Russia has delivered 25,000 tons of wheat in humanitarian assistance to North Korea, the Russian mission in Pyongyang has said, as the impoverished North struggles to recover from damage caused by recent back-to-back typhoons. The grains were delivered with strict quarantine measures in place to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, the Russian Embassy said in a Facebook post on Saturday. "The Korean side expressed heartfelt gratitude to the government and the people of Russia"

WASHINGTON -- US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun has expressed Washington's support for efforts to build peace on the Korean Peninsula at a regional security forum, his office said. During the video-linked ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting on Saturday, Biegun, who also serves as the US special representative for North Korea, "was joined by several foreign ministers in underscoring ... the US support for a path to lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula," according

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said in letters to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last year that only they can resolve hostility between their countries and promised to be his friend forever, Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward writes in his upcoming book. "Only you and I, working together, can resolve the issues between our two countries and end nearly 70 years of hostility, bringing an era of prosperity to the Korean peninsula that will exceed all our greatest expectations

US President Donald Trump said Thursday on Twitter that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is in “good health” and people should not “underestimate” Kim, without elaborating. It was unclear what had prompted the remarks. Speculation over Kim’s health was reignited here on Aug. 20 when South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told the parliamentary intelligence committee Kim had delegated some of his powers to his younger sister Kim Yo-jong. The 36-year-old

South Korean and US intelligence are closely looking into the possibility of North Korea test-firing a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) at a military parade in October and showcasing a new intercontinental ballistic missile around November, a local news outlet reported Friday. The North celebrates the anniversary of its ruling party on Oct. 10 and the US president is voted into office on Nov. 3. The North and the US have yet to agree on denuclearization terms and sanctions relief. &

North Korea's official newspaper on Friday urged people to unite behind the ruling Workers' Party, saying that unity is the "most powerful weapon" needed to guarantee survival from multiple challenges currently confronting the country. North Korea has been reeling from damage done by three recent powerful typhoons that flooded streets, houses and farming areas. The back-to-back natural disasters have weighed on its already fragile economy suffering from the fallout from Pyongyang's

South Korea's top national security officials had discussions Thursday on how to move forward the Korea peace process ahead of an anniversary of the two Koreas' signing of a Pyongyang summit agreement, Cheong Wa Dae said. During the weekly standing committee meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), they talked about the issue, on the occasion of the second anniversary of the Sept. 19 accord signed between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, it said without elabora

Satellite images suggest North Korea may be preparing to launch a submarine-launched ballistic missile at its Sinpo South Shipyard along its east coast, a US think tank said Wednesday. “Activity remains suggestive, but not conclusive, of preparations for an upcoming test of a Pukguksong-3 submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from the submersible test stand barge,” said Joseph Bermudez, senior fellow for imagery analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un spoke of a “magical force” and a “special friendship” in the letters they exchanged, CNN reported Wednesday, citing transcripts of two letters that it obtained. In one of the letters sent a month after Kim’s meeting with Trump at the DMZ in June 2019, the North Korean leader wrote that he was upset that the South Korea-US military exercises had not fully stopped. “I am clearly offended and I do n

North Korea is making all-out efforts to recover from typhoon damage in the country's eastern regions, state media said Thursday, in a move seen in part as aimed at solidifying internal unity ahead of the founding anniversary of its ruling party next month. The North has been hit by three consecutive typhoons in recent weeks, with the latest one, Haishen, lashing the country's eastern regions Monday. Earlier, state media said that about 12,000 elite party members in Pyongyang headed to the typ

WASHINGTON -- North Korea appears to be ready to resume its nuclear and weapons testing in the near future, a former US intelligence official said Wednesday, stressing the need for "stronger" incentives or punishment for the communist state. "Another big element we need to think about is that additional weapons testing is probably just a matter of time," said Markus Garlauskas, a former intelligence officer for North Korea at the Office of the Director of National Intelligen

Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted growing ties with North Korea since the coronavirus outbreak in a congratulatory message sent to leader Kim Jong-un on the occasion the North's founding anniversary, according to state media Wednesday. North Korea marks the 72nd anniversary of its state founding Wednesday as it has been intensifying efforts to strengthen ties with China during the global coronavirus pandemic amid stalemated nuclear talks with Washington. Pyongyang has frequently praised

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party to discuss damage in an eastern mine region hit hard by last week's typhoon, state media reported Wednesday. The meeting was held Tuesday to discuss "the severe damage done to the Komdok area of South Hamgyong Province" by Typhoon Maysak, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The east coast region is home to zinc, magnesite and other mines. The KCNA

A recent US advisory cautioning against helping North Korea with its ballistic missile program is believed to be intended as guidance for private sector enterprises dealing related goods, rather than a warning to Pyongyang, a source said Tuesday. Last week, the US departments of state, treasury and commerce released the joint alert, saying that the North has continued to acquire technologies and equipment for its ballistic missile program, ranging from forestry trucks to make missile laun

North Korea’s program to develop new strategic weapons is nearing the production stage, a Seoul-based North Korea watcher warned Friday, calling for swift action from the international community to curb the import of parts that could be used to make weapons. Kim Jina, a research fellow at the Korea Institute of Defense Analyses, a Defense Ministry think tank, made the claim after analyzing the communist regime’s import items. Despite the sweeping sanctions imposed by the United Nat