North Korean women should fulfill their roles as wives, daughters-in-law and mothers to support their husbands and children in pushing forward the country's prosperity and development, its state-controlled media said in an editorial marking International Women’s Day on Wednesday. Stressing women’s traditional roles according to Confucianism, the editorial piece published by Rodong Sinmun also said that the women should have many children and raise them to contribute to the cou

The first child of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is a son, while the gender of his third child has not been confirmed, South Korea's National Intelligence Service was quoted as saying Tuesday. The NIS also briefed the parliamentary intelligence committee that the North is expected to conduct large-scale military exercises in March and April that could possibly include the firing of a newly developed solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to Rep. Yun Kun-young of t

Spate of statements without action shows NK's struggle to respond to military exercises amid economic woes, say experts

Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned Tuesday the North is ready to take "overwhelming" actions against military activities by the United States and South Korea, as its rivals are staging joint military drills involving American strategic assets. Kim also warned the North will regard any US attempt to intercept a missile that it will fire as a "clear declaration of war" against the reclusive nation, according to the North's Korean Central New

North Korea's development of a high-thrust engine capable of carrying a rocket has provided a "sure guarantee" for the country to launch various satellites into orbit, according to state media Monday. Pak Kyong-su, vice director of the National Aerospace Development Administration, made the remarks amid speculation the North is likely to put a military spy satellite into orbit by April. In an interview by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday on the occasion of the 14th anniv

The Bulgarian Embassy celebrated its National Day on March 3, marking the nation's liberation from the Ottoman Dominion. Bulgarian Embassy commemorated Bulgarian volunteers who fought and liberated Bulgaria during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, leading to the re-establishment of Bulgarian statehood. Delivering welcome remarks at the ceremony, Bulgarian Ambassador Petko Draganov recalled his country’s diplomatic relationship with Korea forged 33 years ago in acknowledgment o

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called on all farms across the country to focus on stepping up their grain production and meeting their goals for this year "without fail," wrapping up a four-day session of a key party meeting, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday. Kim urged its people to overcome the agricultural challenge for this year to achieve the future goals of development during the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea hel

A South Korean Unification Ministry amendment bill on the protection of North Korean defectors does not adequately guarantee their protection from forcible repatriation, a group of human rights organizations has said. They said the proposed revision gives too much discretion to the unification minister, who is appointed by the president and therefore cannot be seen as politically independent. Eight nongovernmental organizations from South Korea, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom

Celebrating 30 years of diplomatic ties between South Korea and Slovakia, the European country's top envoy in Seoul said the country expects more cooperation in the field of battery and electric vehicle production in the near future. Noting the rapidly developing automotive industry in the country, Slovakia's Ambassador to Korea Jan Kuderjavy said Korean companies could take advantage of a regional financial incentive scheme and a preferential tax regime for research and development. &

Kuwait’s top envoy to Seoul recalled the firm stance of Korea to support Kuwait during the 1990-1991 Gulf War while celebrating his country’s 62nd National Day in Seoul last week. Korea supported Kuwait's rights during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 by sending troops to Kuwait to help liberate the Gulf state. Kuwait’s national day, which falls on Feb. 25, marks the commemoration of the day Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah became the ruler of Kuwait in 1950. Al-Sabah

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for a "radical change" in agricultural production within a few years, attending the second-day session of a key party meeting, Pyongyang's state media said Tuesday. The North's leader stressed the need to find ways for "stable and sustained development of agriculture" during the plenary meeting of the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea held the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Age

Unification minister puts Kim's daughter in 'gray zone' of succession line, citing NK's patriarchal culture

North Korea has convened a key party meeting to discuss agricultural issues, with its leader Kim Jong-un in attendance, Pyongyang's state media said Monday, as the country is grappling with severe food shortages. The North's leader Kim presided over the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Sunday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. The rare party meeting came as the North's food situation appears to have deterior

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a new street in Pyongyang, the country's state media reported Sunday. Kim attended the ceremony in Pyongyang's Sopho area Saturday, which is part of an ambitious project to build 4,100 homes in the capital city's northern area, the official Korean Central News Agency said. The project is different from another one for the construction of 10,000 new homes in Pyongyang's Hwasong district. Kim's daug

North Korea launched cruise missiles it said clearly demonstrated the country’s readiness for nuclear conflict, a day after South Korea and the US held their nuclear drills and three-way maritime exercises with Japan in response to the North’s separate ballistic missile test this week. According to the North Korean state-run Korean Central News Agency on Friday, the North fired off Thursday four Hwasal-2 strategic cruise missiles from North Hamgyong Province, Pyongyang’s northe