Former National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Park Jie-won said Monday that North Korea will likely conduct a nuclear test ahead of November's US midterm elections to show off its nuclear capability. "They are going to do it in order to demonstrate a threat that its missile can fly to the US carrying a miniaturized and lighter warhead, and to deal a blow to the Joe Biden administration ahead of the midterm elections," Park said on KBS Radio. Park also said the North could un

Salmón to make first official visit to South Korea on Aug. 29

N. Korean media react to Abe’s assassination for first time, in show of enmity toward him

North Korea's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper carried a series of articles last week advising how to act in times of flooding, with one of the directions saying, "Do not eat dirty food washed away in flood waters." The articles were carried from Wednesday to Friday to advise people about what to and not to do in times of typhoon, lightning and flooding, as a series of heavy downpours have battered the Korean Peninsula in recent weeks. Noticeable among them was the advice to stay away

Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, slammed South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his “audacious initiative,” saying the road map he has offered is the “height of foolishness.” The “audacious initiative” refers to plans for engaging North Korea and providing aid in return for steps toward denuclearization, as revealed by Yoon in his Liberation Day speech on Monday. Through a statement released via the North’s official Korean

The Yoon Suk-yeol administration will strive to create a condition for North Korea to embrace the "audacious initiative" intended to support its economic development for its denuclearization steps, Seoul's point man on Pyongyang told lawmakers Thursday. Unification Minister Kwon Young-se said the government plans to send more specific messages to the North, going forward, and have related consultations with such other major countries concerned as the United States and China. In hi

Cryptocurrency theft by N. Korea accounts for more than half of losses

North Korea fired two suspected cruise missiles from South Pyongan Province toward the western sea on Wednesday early morning as South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol marked his 100th day in office. “North Korea is presumed to have launched two cruise missiles near Onchon County, South Pyongan Province early this morning,” a South Korean military official told reporters on condition of anonymity, without sharing further details including flight distance and time. “Our militar

A United Nations Security Council committee on North Korea sanctions has approved a sanctions exemption for a US-based aid group to send spine-related rehabilitation equipment to the impoverished country, its website showed Wednesday. Under the decision, Ignis Community will be exempt from UN sanctions to send medical and rehabilitation equipment for the Pyongyang Spine and Rehabilitation Centre. The equipment, which includes decompression tables, treadmills and electric hospital beds, is worth

Any nuclear cooperation between North Korea and Iran is concerning, a state department spokesperson said Tuesday, calling the two countries the "most acute proliferation threats." State Department Press Secretary Ned Price also noted the countries have a history of violating international norms. "We have released information on this. Some of this information has been reportedly publicly as well," the spokesperson said when asked about possible nuclear cooperation between Pyon

North Korea on Tuesday urged its people not to let their guard down against COVID-19, having claimed victory last week in its fight against the pandemic. On Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un convened a national meeting, reviewed the virus situation and ordered the lifting of the country's "maximum emergency anti-epidemic" measures, three months after the nation reported the first confirmed case. The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the ruling Workers' Party, called on the N

Yoon pledges to expeditiously restore, develop S. Korea-Japan relations

North Korea used Liberation Day, the day that marks liberation from Japan’s occupation, to highlight the importance of loyalty to the ruling Kim family. The Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s state-run newspaper, wrote in an editorial published Monday, “All of the people and the soldiers of the People‘s Army should be true revolutionaries who accept the ideas and leadership of Kim Jong-un as their actions in any adversity.” Describing the independence fighters who resi

North Korea has lifted a face mask mandate and eased antivirus curbs as the communist state moves toward normalcy after declaring victory in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, state media reported Saturday. 　Earlier this week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared victory in his country‘s emergency campaign against COVID-19, three months after the nation first reported the COVID-19 outbreak. 　According to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a face mask mandate and

　Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Wednesday blamed South Korea for the COVID-19 outbreak in the North, and threatened the “extermination” of South Korean authorities. 　According to the North’s Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo-jong blamed “unusual objects” of South Korean origin -- anti-North Korea leaflets sent from the South -- for COVID-19 outbreaks in North Korea at a disease control meeting presided over by her brother. 　&ldqu