N. Korea urges Japan to face up to history of wartime aggressionNorth Korea called on Japan on Monday to face up to history over its 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea as Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is considering issuing a message marking the 80th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II. Japan's Sankei Shimbun reported last week that Ishiba's message would not be different from the 70th anniversary statement issued by then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In 2015, Abe reaffirmed Tokyo's past apologies over its wartime aggression but did not give a fresh apology, saying that future generations should not have to keep apologizing for the sufferings caused by Japan's military past. The director of the Institute for Japan Studies of North Korea's foreign ministry condemned Japan for trying to pass the 80th anniversary of its surrender without seriously reflecting on its wartime history, according to the Korean Central News Agency. "This is an unpardonable mockery and insult upon the peoples of the DPRK and other Asian countries that are suffering from the hideous crimes of the Japanese imperialists," the director said, using the acronymJun 16, 2025By Yonhap
Seoul pivots from confrontation to engagement with PyongyangSouth Korea is moving away from its previous confrontational stance toward North Korea, as the Lee Jae-myung administration tries to mend relations that deteriorated under his predecessor. In the latest development on Saturday, Lee directed all relevant government departments to devise measures to prevent and penalize the sending of leaflets critical of the North Korean regime across the inter-Korean border. This directive followed an attempt by human rights activists to launch balloons carrying anti-regime messages from Ganghwa Island, near North Korean shores, earlier that day. Lee reaffirmed his commitment the next day to restoring communication and trust between Seoul and Pyongyang. “The Lee Jae-myung government will cease all hostilities, resume dialogue and cooperation and restore the inter-Korean communication channel and the crisis management system to ease military tensions and create a peaceful atmosphere,” Lee said in a social media post on the 25th anniversary of the June 15 North–South Joint Declaration, which was adopted in Pyongyang following a landmark inter-KoreanJun 16, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Lee vows efforts to swiftly restore dialogue channel with N. KoreaPresident Lee Jae-myung vowed efforts Sunday to quickly restore suspended dialogue channels with North Korea, aiming to ease military tensions and build peace between the two Koreas. Lee delivered the message on his Facebook account to mark the 25th anniversary of the June 15 Declaration, signed by the late former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and the late former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during their 2000 summit. "In order to alleviate military tensions and foster a peaceful atmosphere, I will restore the crisis management system, starting with the recovery of the suspended dialogue channels between the South and the North," Lee wrote. "The Lee Jae-myung government will end hostile, wasteful acts and resume dialogue and cooperation," the president added. He described the 2000 inter-Korean declaration as a starting point for a new era of inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation between the two Koreas, calling the 2000 summit a moment that demonstrated the potential for shared prosperity. Lee added that history has shown a lapse in peace can threaten not only the economy andJun 15, 2025By Yonhap
Ruling party calls for 'stern' response to illegal leaflet campaign against N. KoreaThe ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Sunday called for a "stern" response to a civic group's recent campaign to send anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets to North Korea. DPK spokesperson Rep. Hwang Jung-a issued the call a day after a civic group launched leaflets from Ganghwa Island in Incheon, near the inter-Korean border, toward the North, despite repeated calls by the new Lee Jae-myung government to halt such campaigns, which have drawn strong protests from Pyongyang. "The distribution of anti-North leaflets is a purely harmful and illegal act that threatens the daily lives and safety of border residents and escalates military tensions on the Korean Peninsula," Hwang said in a written briefing. She warned that inter-Korean tensions, escalated by such campaigns, could destabilize not only the financial markets, but also economic fundamentals. The spokesperson added that applying various safety-related laws, including the Aviation Safety Act, should be considered to impose stern punishments for such campaigns. On Saturday, Lee ordered officials to come up with measures to preventJun 15, 2025By Yonhap
Lee orders measures to prevent anti-Pyongyang leaflet launches, punish violatorsPresident Lee Jae-myung ordered officials, Saturday, to come up with measures to prevent the launch of anti-Pyongyang leaflets in areas bordering North Korea. The president's order followed a report that a civic group had launched anti-Pyongyang leaflets from Ganghwa Island off Incheon, west of Seoul, earlier in the day, presidential spokeswoman Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing. "The government has previously said the illegal distribution of anti-Pyongyang leaflets should be halted, as it could jeopardize the safety of border area residents and escalate military tensions on the Korean Peninsula," she said, adding that the government "takes violators' actions very seriously." She warned of "stern measures" against those responsible. The government is scheduled to discuss comprehensive measures against anti-Pyongyang leaflets launches on Monday. Earlier this week, Lee had ordered relevant government agencies to devise measures to counter such launches.Jun 14, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea edits images to remove ex-naval commander after warship accidentNorth Korea appears to have edited recent state media images to remove a top naval commander after last month's failed launch of a new warship, NK News has reported. In state media footage aired Friday on the relaunch ceremony of the 5,000-ton Kang Kon destroyer, Kim Myong-sik, the North's former chief navy commander, was notably absent from images showing leader Kim Jong-un's earlier inspection of the warship's construction. Hong Kil-ho, manager of the Chongjin Shipyard — where an incident involving the destroyer reportedly occurred — also appeared to have been deleted from the images. NK News said state media has not commonly deleted officials from photos since the 2013 execution of Jang Song-thaek, an uncle of the North's leader who was purged from senior leadership. The North's leader attended the relaunch ceremony Thursday after the warship failed to properly launch into the sea May 21. Satellite imagery taken after the failed launch showed the vessel capsized and partially submerged. After last month's accident, North Korea's state media said Hong had been summoned by law enforcJun 14, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korean leader calls for bolstering production of new shells for modern warfareNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for expanding the production of a new type of artillery shell for modern warfare, Pyongyang's state media reported Saturday, amid deepening military cooperation between the North and Russia. Kim made the remarks during his inspection of a major munitions industry enterprise the previous day, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, without disclosing other details. During the visit to a munitions factory, Kim reviewed the production of shells, capacity and modernization work in the first half of the year. Kim called for further expanding and reinforcing production capacity in order to "satisfy all the requirements of the national defense strategy and increase the output of new-type powerful shells to meet the requirements of modern warfare," the KCNA said in an English-language statement. He also stressed the need to enhance the level of an unmanned manufacturing process to increase the production of new shells. His remarks came as North Korea has provided troops, containers of artillery shells and other military equipment to Russia to supportJun 14, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea pauses blaring noise southward for 2nd straight dayNorth Korea has halted its loudspeaker broadcasts of noises toward South Korea for a second straight day Friday, the South's military said, after Seoul suspended its yearlong anti-Pyongyang broadcasts along the border earlier this week. Pyongyang has not blasted loud noises toward the South since late Wednesday, after President Lee Jae-myung ordered the suspension of anti-Pyongyang loudspeaker broadcasts in a move aimed at easing tensions and rebuilding trust. The South's military halted its loudspeaker broadcasts in the border areas at 2 p.m. Wednesday. "There are no changes to the situation," a military official said, when asked about a possible resumption of Pyongyang's loudspeaker campaign. "Our military is closely monitoring the movements of the North Korean military." On Thursday, the South's military said there were no areas where such broadcasts were heard since they were last conducted in the western border area Wednesday night. North Korea has bristled at South Korea's loudspeaker campaign, which had resumed for the first time in June last year following a yearslong hiatus, inJun 13, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea steps up anti-American indoctrination of students ahead of Korean War anniversaryNorth Korea is stepping up anti-American indoctrination of students on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, state media showed Friday. "Education on anti-imperialism and anti-Americanism is being solidly carried out at all basic education units in Pyongyang, tailored to the emotional characteristics of each student age group," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. As part of the education, students in the capital, including those from a high school and an elementary school in Pyongyang's Sosong and Daesong districts, respectively, toured an education hall or watched video clips highlighting the "aggressive nature of imperialists," the KCNA said. Through the education, "students are embracing the unwavering perspective that the enemy's aggressive nature will never change," it said. Each year, North Korea steps up anti-American campaigns around the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War on June 25. The month following the anniversary is typically designated as the month of joint struggle against the United States to highlightJun 13, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim attends launch ceremony of repaired destroyer, plans to build 2 more such warshipsNorth Korea said Friday it has launched a 5,000-ton destroyer that was damaged during its first launch attempt in May after repair work, with leader Kim Jong-un attending the launching ceremony and unveiling a plan to build two more such destroyers next year. The launch ceremony was held at the Rajin shipyard the previous day, overseen by Kim, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, announcing the destroyer is named the Kang Kon. Kang Kon was North Korea's first chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army and was killed in action during the Korean War. "In about two weeks, the vessel was brought upright safely and set afloat, accomplishing its complete restoration today as planned," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying at the ceremony. He again denounced the accident during the first launch attempt as an "intolerable" criminal act that "plunged the country's honor and pride at once." In late May, the 5,000-ton destroyer tipped over and became partially submerged during the launch ceremony in the northeastern port city of Chongjin. Kim blamed the accident on "absolute carelessness"Jun 13, 2025By Yonhap
