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
N. Korea voices support for 'multi-polarized' world order amid deepening alignment with RussiaA senior North Korean military official has expressed the North's support for a "multi-polarized" world order at an international anti-fascism event in Russia, state media reported Friday, amid Pyongyang's deepening alignment with Moscow. Pak Yong-il, vice director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, made the remarks during the 3rd International Anti-Fascist Congress held in Moscow on Wednesday, according to the Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper. North Korea's military delegation, led by Pak, left for Russia on Monday to attend the international event after Pyongyang acknowledged for the first time that it has deployed troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine. At the anti-fascist event, Pak said North Korea has a steadfast stance that it will contribute to "the establishment of independent and multi-polarized world order without domination, subjugation and hegemony," according to the newspaper. He said North Korea will exercise its sovereign rights for self-defense against enemies' schemes to revive fascism in the Asia-Pacific region. Pak's tripMay 2, 2025By Yonhap
S. Korea's military says new N. Korean warship likely requires more time for deploymentNorth Korea's newly launched destroyer likely requires a "considerable" amount of time for deployment, South Korea's military said Thursday. Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun made the assessment after the North's new 5,000-ton Choe Hyon destroyer -- launched Friday -- conducted live-fire tests of its weapons systems for the first time Monday and Tuesday. "While the Choe Hyon was unveiled, it likely needs a considerable amount of time for deployment," Lee said in a briefing. "When looking at its weapons and equipment, there is a possibility that (the North) received technological or financial help from Russia." Lee said warship development typically take years to complete and that further time is required for deployment even after a vessel is built. "(We) are closely monitoring and tracking North Korea's weapons development activities." 38 North, a U.S. think tank monitoring North Korea, earlier said more work appeared to be necessary for the destroyer, citing commercial satellite imagery taken Friday that showed tugboats being used to move the ship.May 1, 2025By Yonhap
Acting president urges watertight readiness posture against N. Korea-Russia military tiesActing President Han Duck-soo on Thursday called on security-related ministers to maintain a watertight readiness posture against strengthening military ties between North Korea and Russia, saying there must be "no compromise" when it comes to national security. Han also instructed ministers to keep a vigilant defense posture and "leave no gaps" in protecting the lives and property of the people, amid growing speculation that he may soon resign before announcing his bid for the June 3 presidential election. "North Korea is accelerating its close ties with Russia, upgrading its weapons systems aimed at us and plotting new provocations, while our government, businesses and citizens remain under constant threat of cyberattacks," Han said. Han also addressed growing public concerns over the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on South Korea's security. "The government must respond to the changing global order, including negotiations with the U.S., with the national interest as its top priority and work calmly and seriously under the principle that there can be no compromisMay 1, 2025By Yonhap
Road bridge linking N. Korea, Russia to bolster economic cooperation: KCNANorth Korea said Thursday the construction of a road bridge linking the North and Russia across the Tumen River will provide a "substantial guarantee" for bolstering economic cooperation between the two nations. North Korea and Russia held a ceremony simultaneously in their respective border cities of Rason and Khasan on Wednesday to launch the construction of the motor bridge linking the two nations, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). In June last year, North Korea and Russia agreed to construct a road bridge across the Tumen River with its completion eyed by the end of 2026, as the North's leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty to prop up cooperation. The construction "provides a substantial guarantee for laying down and reinforcing the important infrastructure for economic cooperation and for vitalizing the bilateral cooperation including travel of persons, tourism and circulation of commodities in a many-sided way," the KCNA said. Premier Pak Thae-song and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin atMay 1, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea, Russia launch construction of road bridge across Tumen River: SeoulNorth Korea and Russia on Wednesday launched the construction of a road bridge linking them across the Tumen River, a Russian report said, as the two nations have been deepening cooperation. Russia's Tass news agency reported that the ceremony was held virtually, attended by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin via video link, quoting him as saying that the construction "is a big milestone for Russian-Korean relations." From the North Korean side, Premier Pak Thae-song attended the ceremony. In June last year, North Korea and Russia agreed to build the motorway bridge across the border river, with its construction expected to be completed by the end of 2026, as the leaders of the two nations signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty to prop up cooperation. Tass also quoted Mishustin as saying "it symbolizes our common intention to strengthen friendly neighborly relations, to boost transregional cooperation." Earlier in the day, South Korea's unification ministry suggested that North Korea and Russia may hold the launching ceremony, citing satellite imagery showing related RuApr 30, 2025By Yonhap
About 600 N. Korean soldiers killed fighting for Russia against UkraineSome 600 North Korean soldiers are believed to have been killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine, South Korea's spy agency told lawmakers Wednesday, adding that more than 4,000 North Korean soldiers have been also wounded. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) gave the assessment during a closed-door briefing for the National Assembly's intelligence committee, two days after North Korea confirmed for the first time that Pyongyang has deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow's war against Ukraine. North Korea has sent about 15,000 troops to Russia and there have been some 4,700 casualties, including about 600 deaths, the NIS told lawmakers, according to Reps. Lee Seong-kweun of the People Power Party and Kim Byung-kee of the Democratic Party of Korea. North Korea has deployed its troops to Russia over two phases, and fighting has decreased since April after Moscow took back most areas of its front-line region of Kursk, the lawmakers quoted the NIS as saying. The spy agency has yet to detect signs of another troop deployment by North Korea but did not rule out its possibility, theyApr 30, 2025By Yonhap
