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
N. Korea conducts 1st test-firing of new warship's weapons systemsNorth Korea has conducted its first test-firing of key weapons systems on the country's new destroyer, with leader Kim Jong-un calling for accelerating the navy's capabilities to stage nuclear attacks, state media reported Wednesday. Under Kim's inspection, North Korea carried out the "combat application test" of weapons systems mounted on its new 5,000-ton destroyer named the Choe Hyon on Monday and Tuesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The North held a launching ceremony of the new multipurpose warship Friday, armed with weapons that it said will significantly enhance its naval operations. The destroyer is equipped with supersonic strategic cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles and other strike means. North Korea conducted a test-firing of supersonic cruise missiles, strategic cruise missiles, anti-aircraft missiles and 127-millimeter ship-based automatic guns Monday, the KCNA said. A test of firing ship-to-ship tactical guided weapons, the ship's automatic guns, smoke and electronic jamming guns took place the following day. The North's leader stressed thApr 30, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korean delegation visits Russia to bolster military ties, signaling deeper cooperationA North Korean military delegation has departed for Moscow, Pyongyang's state media said Tuesday, a day after the North officially confirmed for the first time that it has deployed troops to Russia to support its war in Ukraine. The delegation, led by Pak Young-il, deputy director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army (KPA), left Pyongyang on Monday to attend an international anti-fascism event in Russia, Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported. The dispatch offered no further details, but the trip coincides with preparations for Russia’s 80th Victory Day celebrations, set for May 9. Pak is a prominent figure within North Korea's military establishment, holding a significant position within the KPA General Political Bureau. This powerful body is tasked with maintaining political control and ideological purity within the armed forces, as well as ensuring loyalty to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. As deputy director, Pak likely plays a key role in shaping the military's political landscape, enforcing the directives of the ruling Workers' Party,Apr 29, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
N. Korea's top newspaper carries Putin's message thanking troop deployment to RussiaNorth Korea on Tuesday published Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent statement thanking the country for sending its troops to Russia in its most-read local newspaper, a day after officially confirming the deployment. The Rodong Sinmun, a daily run by the governing party and read widely by domestic readers, published Putin's full statement, issued the previous day, recognizing North Korean troops' contributions to what he described as Russia's liberation of the Kursk border region from Ukraine. In a message issued Monday, Putin thanked North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-un for the active role played by North Korea troops in its war against Ukraine, saying that their bilateral friendship, forged on battlefields, will continue to grow in all areas. The statement claimed that the deployment was in accordance with international laws and the treaty on comprehensive strategic partnership, which Putin and Kim signed in June last year in Pyongyang. The same day, North Korea also officially confirmed for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia, since thousands of its troops werApr 29, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's military delegation heads to Russia after confirmation of troop dispatch to fight UkraineNorth Korea's military delegation has left for Russia to attend an international event, the North's state media reported Tuesday, a day after Pyongyang confirmed for the first time that it has deployed troops to Russia to fight Ukraine in Kursk. Led by Pak Young-il, deputy director of the General Political Bureau of the North's Korean People's Army, the delegation departed Pyongyang the previous day to attend an international anti-fascism event in Russia, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The KCNA's two-sentence dispatch did not elaborate further, but the trip comes as Russia is set to hold the 80th Victory Day celebrations on May 9. Speculation has risen over whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would travel to Russia around the time of the celebrations, following an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Pyongyang in June last year. On Monday, North Korea officially confirmed that it had deployed troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, while Putin issued a statement thanking Kim for the troop deployment. Also on Monday, PutApr 29, 2025By Yonhap
Why did NK, Russia take months to confirm troop deployment?North Korea and Russia have officially confirmed Pyongyang's deployment of troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine for the first time, a move analysts interpret as a calculated signal that the two countries aim to cement their military alliance beyond the ongoing war. The announcement, made just days before Russia’s May 9 Victory Day celebrations, carries both symbolic and practical implications, analysts said, including North Korea seeking to gain leverage over the fate of its captives in Ukraine. On Monday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s state-run media, praised its troops fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region, calling them "heroes" in operations to repel what it described as "Ukraine’s invasion of Russian territory." "The operations for liberating the Kursk area to repel the adventurous invasion of the Russian Federation by the Ukrainian authorities were victoriously concluded," the KCNA reported, quoting the Central Military Commission, noting that the operations were conducted under the direct order of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. AApr 28, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
S. Korea strongly condemns N. Korea's admission of troop dispatch to RussiaSouth Korea on Monday strongly condemned North Korea's first public admission of sending troops to Russia in support of its war against Ukraine, accusing Pyongyang of "mocking" the international community by justifying the deployment. The foreign ministry issued the statement after the North confirmed through its state media for the first time that it has deployed troops to Russia to aid Moscow's war in Kyiv under their mutual defense treaty. Pyongyang said the decision was made at the behest of its leader Kim Jong-un and claimed that it was fully legitimate in line with the treaty committing the two sides to providing military assistance in case either of them is attacked. "With their public admission of the deployment, while claiming they are fully in accordance with international law, they are once again mocking the international community. We strongly condemn this action," the ministry said. "The dispatch of the North Korean troops, along with broader military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, constitutes a grave violation of international norms, including the U.N. Charter,Apr 28, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea 'admitted to criminal acts' by confirming troop dispatch to Russia: SeoulSouth Korea's defense ministry criticized North Korea for its first-ever confirmation of troop deployment in support of Russia's war against Ukraine, saying the North admitted to its own criminal acts with such an announcement. Earlier in the day, North Korea confirmed that it has dispatched troops to Russia under "the order" of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in accordance with Pyongyang's mutual defense treaty with Moscow, claiming the North's soldiers helped Russia regain control of Kursk. "North Korean troops engaging in the Ukraine war is an illegitimate act that clearly violates the U.N. Charter and Security Council resolutions," ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyou told a regular press briefing. "By officially acknowledging it, (the North) has admitted to its own criminal acts." Jeon also called the North's description of the troop deployment as being aligned with the spirit of international treaties a "deception." In a statement released earlier in the day, the North's Central Military Commission said the military activities of North Korean troops to Russia "fully conform to the spApr 28, 2025By Yonhap
