North Korea is probably having difficulty importing grain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while continuing to experience a shortage in food production, South Korea’s Ministry of Unification said Tuesday. “COVID-19 is likely to have significantly hampered North Korea in importing resources from outside,” a Unification Ministry official said. Early on in the pandemic, North Korea closed its borders and is reported to have imposed strict quarantine measures on anyone who has tra

The US-led United Nations Command (UNC) is expected to come up with a report this week on its probe into a recent exchange of fire between South and North Korea inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), officials said Tuesday. On May 3, four bullets from North Korea hit a South Korean guard post in the central part of the DMZ, prompting South Korean troops to fire back. No casualties were reported on either side, and South Korean officials said the North's shooting appeared accidental. The UNC, wh

North Korea is presumed to be facing a shortage of around 860,000 tons of grain this year amid worries that the coronavirus pandemic could aggravate the situation, a unification ministry official said Tuesday. The projection is based on an earlier estimate by a local state-run institute that the North produced around 4.64 million tons of grain last year, which was below the 5.5 million tons widely believed to a minimum amount needed to feed its 25 million people. "This year, the North wi

North Korea's official newspaper on Monday highlighted intensifying efforts in a provincial area to increase rice production as the country is striving to achieve "food self-reliance" amid worries about chronic food shortages cause by extreme weather and global sanctions. The Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the North’s ruling party, carried comments made by local party officials in South Hwanghae Province, known as one of the country's breadbaskets, featuring their strong will and

The Unification Ministry on Monday welcomed the United Nations Command’s plan to drastically reduce the screening period required for South Koreans to tour the demilitarized border village of Panmunjom. 　 “It’s a very positive move that can resolve inconvenience of the citizens,” said ministry spokesperson Yoh Sang-key in a regular briefing. “The Unification Ministry has been negotiating with the United Nations Command since the latter half of last year to cut the

South Korea has decided to postpone a major maritime firing exercise, initially scheduled for this week, due to adverse weather conditions, the defense ministry said Monday, rejecting allegations the decision was aimed at avoiding angering North Korea. The Army, the Air Force and the Navy had planned to carry out their biannual live-fire drill off the southeastern coast of Uljin on Tuesday, involving major assets, such as ballistic missiles, combat ships and fighter jets. But the military dec

North Korea‘s official newspaper called Sunday for strong conviction in building socialism in the face of challenges, saying that there is no challenge that cannot be overcome if one has a strong belief in one’s own power. 　 North Korea has intensified calls for self-reliance in many areas as the country appears to be facing a double whammy of crippling global sanctions and the fallout from the global coronavirus pandemic. 　 “Our people‘s conviction and will are firm and

A North Korean newspaper called Friday for increased food production, saying that achieving "food self-reliance" is an "important business" needed to prop up socialism and overcome challenges facing the country.  North Korean media outlets have recently ramped up calls for an increase in grain production as the full-blown rice planting season has started.  "Completely resolving the issue of feeding our people and tackling food problems is an important politi

North Korea is estimated to have spent $620 million on its nuclear weapons program in 2019, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons said Wednesday in its latest annual report on nuclear spending. That is about 6 percent of the regime’s defense budget, which accounts for roughly one-third of its gross national income. The figures came from two previous estimates of the regime’s military spending based on South Korean and international data.  In 2009

North Korea has not yet responded to calls from South Korean nongovernmental organizations to hold a joint event to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first-ever inter-Korean summit. "In the beginning of this year, nongovernmental organizations proposed holding a joint event with North Korea, but the North has not responded yet," an official at the unification ministry told reporters Thursday. The official added there are many challenges in organizing the event because of the c

The US-led United Nations Command has said it is inspecting warning markers set up near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to alert pilots they are approaching North Korea's airspace so as to prevent accidental border crossings. Currently, dozens of red-colored panels, named Aircraft Warning Panel Markers (AWPM), are set up near the southern limit line of the buffer zone to give such warnings to pilots. Those are about a minute's flight from the Military Demarcation Line. "This week, UNC perso

WASHINGTON -- The US State Department said Wednesday it has certified North Korea and four other countries as "not cooperating fully" with US counter-terrorism efforts, banning the sale of defense items and services to these nations. North Korea was first placed on the list in 1997 under the Arms Export Control Act, and has remained on it every year since then. The other four countries for 2019 are Iran, Syria, Venezuela and Cuba. "In 2019, four Japanese individuals who partici

North Korea's official newspaper urged its military to spearhead major construction projects and economic development Thursday, calling it a "pillar" for the country and a "faithful servant" for the public that should fully carry out its obligations. North Korea has demanded nationwide efforts to tackle many challenges facing the country head-on and secure self-reliance in all areas as it is bracing for a long fight against sanctions amid a deadlock in denuclearization talk

North Korea is believed to have replaced the head of the country’s main intelligence agency and the Supreme Guard commander, who is in charge of protecting its leader Kim Jong-un and his family. 　 Lt. General Rim Kwang-il was promoted as the director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, replacing Jang Kil-song last December, according to Seoul’s Unification Ministry on Wednesday, in its annual publication of the country’s key figures. 　 North’s RGB is known to be behi

South Korea has secured "decisive" evidence that North Korea's recent shooting at one of its guard posts across the border was not intentional, sources said Wednesday. The assessment is in line with the United States' determination that the incident was "accidental." On May 3, at least four bullets from the North hit the South's guard post at the central part of the Demilitarized Zone in Cheorwon prompting the South Korean troops to fire back, according to the Joint Chiefs