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North Korean ship with Chinese flag retreats after crossing sea border
The South Korean military fired warning shots early Friday after a North Korean merchant vessel flying a Chinese national flag briefly crossed the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime boundary in the Yellow Sea, officials said. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul, the ship sailed as far as 5 kilometers south of the NLL northwest of Baengnyeongdo at around 5 a.m. before retreating roughly an hour later. The JCS currently assesses the incursion as unintentional. South Korean forc
Sept. 26, 2025 -
N. Korea's vice FM to attend UN General Assembly: KCNA
North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong departed for New York to attend the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, the North's state media reported Friday. A delegation led by Kim departed Pyongyang the previous day for the 80th UN General Assembly, the Korean Central News Agency said. Kim reportedly arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport on Thursday morning aboard North Korea's flag carrier, Air Koryo, apparently en route to New York. It marks the first time that North Kor
Sept. 26, 2025 -
Koreas are 2 states in reality, unification minister says
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young once again acknowledged that South and North Korea function as “two separate states in reality,” while stressing that this did not mean permanent division, as South Korea’s ultimate goal remains unification. “Recognizing the two Koreas as separate states does not mean accepting permanent division. This is a pragmatic and realistic perspective, a flexible approach to managing inter-Korean relations,” Chung told reporters on Thursday during a briefing. "In rea
Sept. 25, 2025 -
N. Korea urges discipline among officials ahead of party anniversary
North Korea on Thursday urged discipline among ruling party officials, calling on them to earn the people's trust as the country prepares to mark a key party anniversary next month. The Rodong Sinmun, the country's most widely read newspaper, made the call in an article as the Workers' Party of Korea is set to mark the 80th founding anniversary on Oct. 10. "Coercion or allurement cannot win the people's hearts and minds," the article said, warning that a long-term rule or deviation from the part
Sept. 25, 2025 -
State Dept. confirms US policy of 'complete' denuclearization of N. Korea
A State Department spokesperson on Tuesday reaffirmed the United States' policy of pursuing the "complete denuclearization" of North Korea, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un voiced openness to engaging with Washington if it drops its demand for the North's denuclearization. "(We can) confirm the US policy of the complete denuclearization of North Korea," the spokesperson said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency. The official's remark indicated that US President Donald Trum
Sept. 24, 2025 -
N. Korea's Kim chides officials responsible for delay in building general hospital in Pyongyang
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reprimanded officials responsible for delaying the completion of a general hospital in Pyongyang, blaming their "desire for fame" for undermining the ruling party's key project, according to state media Wednesday. Kim made the remarks during his visit to the Pyongyang General Hospital the previous day ahead of its official opening, according to the Korean Central News Agency. In February, the North said it had completed the construction of the hospital, a proj
Sept. 24, 2025 -
Kim tells China's Xi that Pyongyang will further bolster ties with Beijing
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has told Chinese President Xi Jinping that Pyongyang will further strengthen relations with Beijing, adding that he would "more vigorously promote" ties with China, the North's state media reported Tuesday. Kim made the remarks in a reply message to Xi on Sunday, following the Chinese president's congratulatory note for North Korea's 77th founding anniversary earlier this month, the Korean Central News Agency reported. "It is the steadfast stand of the Workers' Pa
Sept. 23, 2025 -
Unification minister hopes to resume inter-Korean tour program, adding North's Kalma beach
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young expressed hope Monday to resume an inter-Korean tour program to North Korea's Mount Kumgang and expand it to the newly developed Kalma beach resort. Chung made the remarks during a meeting with Hyun Jeong-eun, chairperson of Hyundai Group, the parent firm of Hyundai Asan, which operated the now-suspended tours to the North's Mount Kumgang resort. The once-brisk tour program came to an abrupt halt in July 2008 after a South Korean tourist was shot to death by
Sept. 22, 2025 -
Kim Jong-un sets terms for meeting Trump, shuts door on Seoul
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signaled openness to meeting with US President Donald Trump if Washington drops its pursuit of denuclearization — a pointed message delivered around a month before Trump is set to attend the APEC summit in South Korea. Kim’s outline of conditions for resuming dialogue with Trump marked his first direct reference to their personal rapport since the beginning of Trump’s second term. It was a rare break from Pyongyang’s practice of avoiding direct mention of Trump’s
Sept. 22, 2025 -
Kim says has 'good memory' of Trump, open to talks with US if denuclearization demand dropped
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said he has a "good memory" of US President Donald Trump and Pyongyang is open to talks with the United States if Washington drops its demand for the North's denuclearization. Kim made the remarks during his speech at a key parliamentary meeting held Saturday and Sunday, the North's Korean Central News Agency reported Monday, after Trump expressed hope to meet with the North's leader this year during his summit with President Lee Jae Myung last month. The Nort
Sept. 22, 2025 -
North Korea’s Apple envy shows again in iMac copy
North Korea’s admiration of Apple products was once again on display this month when its state media published photos of a locally made computer that appeared to mimic the US tech giant’s iMac desktop. In its September issue, the country’s monthly propaganda magazine Kumsugangsan carried an article lauding North Korean IT company Blue Sky. It said, "Electronic and IT products manufactured by Blue Sky are gaining domestic popularity,” and published several accompanying photos. An accompanying ima
Sept. 21, 2025 -
N. Korea keeps mum on outcome of key parliamentary session
North Korea has not, as of Sunday, disclosed the results of a plenary session of its parliament that was set to take place last week, raising views the event could extend over a longer period than planned. The standing committee of the North's Supreme People's Assembly decided to convene the session on Sept. 20, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported last month. But neither the KCNA nor the Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper for its domestic readers, had published reports on th
Sept. 21, 2025 -
Kim Jong-un inspects tactical attack drones
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen a performance test of tactical attack drones, stressing the need to advance applicable artificial intelligence technology and bolster their operational capabilities, state media reported Friday. Kim inspected the test of unmanned weapons being developed and produced by an institute and enterprise under the Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Complex on Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The leader reviewed the performance and combat a
Sept. 19, 2025 -
N. Korea intends to participate in 2026 Asian Games in Japan: report
TOKYO -- North Korea has expressed its intent to take part in next year's Asian Games set to be staged in Japan, a report claimed Wednesday. Citing the organizing committee of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, Kyodo News said North Korea is hoping to send a delegation of about 260 to 270, including some 150 athletes in 17 sports, to the multisport competition. The 20th Asian Games are scheduled to run from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 next year in Aichi Prefecture, with the prefecture's capital, Nagoya,
Sept. 17, 2025 -
Smuggled North Korean books, CDs seized, first since 2020
South Korean authorities seized 16 books and four CDs that were published in North Korea and smuggled here illegally, data from the Korea Customs Service showed Wednesday. The items were seized on June 18, along with two stamp albums and other miscellaneous items, including North Korean money and medals, according to a report compiled by Park Seong-hoon of the main opposition People Power Party. This marked the first time illegally smuggled North Korean items have been confiscated by local autho
Sept. 17, 2025