US decries N. Korea's missile launches, calls on it to refrain from 'unlawful,' 'destabilizing' actsThe United States condemns North Korea's ballistic missile launches and calls on the recalcitrant regime to refrain from further "unlawful" and "destabilizing" acts, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Wednesday. The command issued a statement shortly after Pyongyang fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea in its first such launch since March. "We are aware of the DPRK's multiple ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners," the command said. DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts," it added. The command said that it continues to monitor the situation, reiterating that America's commitments to the defense of South Korea and Japan remain "ironclad."May 8, 2025By Yonhap
S. Korean envoy berates N. Korea for 'brazenly' accelerating illicit activitiesSouth Korea's top envoy to the U.N. accused North Korea on Wednesday of having "brazenly" accelerated its illegal activities after a U.N. expert panel monitoring sanctions enforcement on the recalcitrant regime was disbanded a year ago. Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook made the remarks during a U.N. Security Council (UNSC) meeting that was convened to take stock of what has happened since the U.N. panel of experts was disbanded in April last year following Russia's veto of a resolution for an annual extension of the panel's mandate. "In the absence of the panel, North Korea has brazenly accelerated its illegal activities to support its nuclear and missile programs," Hwang said. "These include illicit exports of coal and iron, arms transfers, recent cryptocurrency theft totaling $1.5 billion, the overseas dispatch of workers and even the deployment of troops abroad," he added. In a swipe at Russia, Hwang said that Moscow is promoting the "false" narrative that sanctions on the North have been ineffective and should thus be revised. "Yet, sanctions are only effective when fully and faithfully impMay 8, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea calls for full resource mobilization for rice planting amid unfavorable weatherNorth Korea on Thursday urged the mobilization of the nationwide workforce and all available resources for rice planting, citing precarious weather conditions during the ongoing spring farming season. "With a vow to repay comrade general secretary (Kim Jong-un's) immense favors with rice, sweat and passion should be made with industrious dedication," the Rodong Sinmun, the country's main newspaper, said in an editorial as the peak spring rice farming season approaches. "Whether professionally involved in farming or not ... every citizen should make substantive contributions toward achieving this year's grain production goal and advancing agricultural output not through words, but through action," it said. The article noted this year marks both the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea and the final year of the party's five-year national economic development plan, adding the country should strive toward a higher goal by securing a good harvest this year. North Korea typically begins rice planting in early May, mobilizing students, general workers and soldiers eacMay 8, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles in possible test for arms exports to RussiaNorth Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said, in what could be a performance test aimed at exporting arms to Russia. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch, involving various types of multiple short-range ballistic missiles, from the North's eastern coastal city of Wonsan between 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. The North's missile flew up to 800 kilometers before splashing into the East Sea, it said. The latest test is also believed to have involved the North's KN-25 super-large 600-millimeter multiple rocket launcher and the KN-23, which is similar to Russia's Iskander short-range ballistic missiles. South Korea's military raised the possibility of the North conducting the latest launch for a performance test in conjunction with potential arms exports to Russia. "It could be a test to inspect performance or flight stability for possible exports," JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun told a regular press briefing when asked about the North's intention. The South's military condemned the launch as a "blataMay 8, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea holds economic talks with Belarus, hopes for 'vibrant' cooperation: KCNANorth Korea and Belarus have held economic talks in Pyongyang as the North has expected "vibrant" bilateral cooperation and exchanges, state media reported Thursday. A government delegation from Belarus, led by Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko, arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday to attend the third meeting of the intergovernmental joint committee for trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. North Korea and Belarus held sectoral economic talks Wednesday to discuss ways to promote cooperation in various fields to prepare for a bilateral protocol, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). At a banquet Wednesday, North Korea's Vice Premier Jong Myong-su said the delegation's visit will contribute to further developing friendly ties between the two nations. "He expressed the belief that bilateral cooperation and exchanges will vibrantly take place," Jong was quoted as saying by the KCNA. Shuleiko also vowed further cooperation and contacts between the two nations to promote the welfare of their peoples, the report said. It marked the first time in 19 years that the NoMay 8, 2025By Yonhap
Belarusian delegation arrives in N. Korea for economic talks: KCNAA government delegation from Belarus, led by Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko, has arrived in Pyongyang to discuss economic cooperation, North Korea's state media reported Wednesday. The delegation arrived in the capital the previous day at North Korea's invitation to attend the third meeting of the intergovernmental joint committee for trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The visit will last from Tuesday to Friday, according to the KCNA's earlier report. North Korea has been widely expected to strengthen ties with Belarus as its alignment with Russia deepens. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In February, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message to Lukashenko after he was reelected to his seventh presidential term. Top diplomats of North Korea and Belarus held a meeting in Pyongyang in July 2024, as the two nations have been deepening military ties with Russia amid Moscow's war against Ukraine.May 7, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim inspects munitions factories, touts increased shell outputNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected shell manufacturing at munitions factories, lauding that a rapid increase of shell production has helped the North Korean military's combat power, the North's state media reported Wednesday. During his field guidance at major munitions enterprises under the Second Economy Commission, Kim inspected shell production and the state of the machine-building industry, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. Kim expressed "great satisfaction," saying the facilities' modernization had reached a high level and that the shell production capacity had grown rapidly, the KCNA noted, adding that their shell output had increased four times the average annual level and nearly twice the peak-year level. The KCNA quoted Kim as expressing hope that "they would produce more shells to contribute to the expansion of the combat power of our armed forces," adding that bolstering the artillery force enhances the army's combat efficiency and perfects its combat preparations. "This remarkable growth of productivity ... takes on a very important meaning in realizMay 7, 2025By Yonhap
Belarusian delegation to visit North Korea for economic talksA government delegation from Belarus will visit North Korea this week for talks on economic cooperation between the two nations, Pyongyang's state-run media reported Tuesday. The delegation was scheduled to visit Pyongyang from Tuesday to Friday to hold a meeting of the intergovernmental joint committee for trade and economic cooperation, the Korean Central News Agency said. The visit, led by Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko, comes at the request of Pyongyang, it noted. Top diplomats of North Korea and Belarus held a meeting in Pyongyang in July 2024, as the two nations have been deepening military ties with Russia amid Moscow's war against Ukraine.May 6, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea pushes ahead with final phase of Pyongyang housing projectNorth Korea is pressing ahead with efforts to complete the last stage of a five-year housing project to build 50,000 homes in Pyongyang by the end of this year, state media said Monday. The structural construction for 10,000 apartments in the Hwasong area in Pyongyang is fully under way as part of the housing project launched in 2021, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The KCNA said special military units have made improvements in construction procedures to reduce the time it takes for framework construction, while officials from the social security ministry have improved equipment operation rates. Pyongyang's northeastern district of Hwasong, along with Songhwa, has been newly developed under a five-year plan unveiled by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2021 to build 10,000 housing units in the capital every year. The first batch was completed in Songhwa in 2022, followed by 30,000 more units in Hwasong in three phases through last month. The country began the fourth stage project in Hwasong in February.May 5, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korean leader inspects tank factory, emphasizes tank modernizationNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a tank factory and emphasized the need to modernize the military with advanced tanks and armoured vehicles, state media reported Sunday. Kim inspected the factory's production status, modernization and progress in implementing research tasks related to core tank technology, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. It did not disclose the name or location of the factory or the date of his visit, describing it only as an "important" tank factory. "To replace the armored weapons of the last century in our army with latest tanks and armored vehicles is the most important issue in the building of armed forces and modernization of the army," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying during the inspection. "It is impossible to build the armored force properly" unless the military's role and developmental direction of tanks in modern warfare are correctly defined and the viewpoint in tank design is reconsidered, Kim said as he presented the direction of tank modernization and related tasks. He also emphasized the need to build large-scale capacity for producing cuMay 4, 2025By Yonhap
