Declassified documents show N. Korea's strong backlash against growing S. Korea–China ties in mid-1990sNorth Korea sharply reacted to growing relations between South Korea and China in the mid-1990s, even threatening to establish formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in retaliation, declassified dossiers showed Tuesday. Pyongyang's objection came as China was arranging its then leader Jiang Zemin's visit to Seoul for November 1995, three years after Beijing and Seoul established diplomatic ties in the post–Cold War era, a move that had angered the North, its traditional ally. Diplomatic documents from 1995, released by the foreign ministry, revealed that the North had lashed out at China for drawing closer to the South in a June 1995 meeting of state think tank experts. When the Chinese side voiced concerns over Pyongyang's approach to Taiwan at the time, North Korean experts reacted sharply by asking, "Why shouldn't North Korea develop relations with Taiwan when China and South Korea were engaging in high-level exchanges?" according to the dossiers. The North Korean experts went on to warn that if Jiang visits South Korea in November as has been speculated, the North "would have no cMar 31, 2026By Yonhap
Declassified files show S. Korea sought to end NK-Russia treaty in 1990sSouth Korea sought to persuade Russia to scrap its treaty with North Korea in the mid-1990s, declassified documents showed Tuesday, drawing a contrast to the countries' current relations as Moscow closely aligns with Pyongyang. Seoul engaged in efforts to drive a wedge between the North and Russia to bring about the termination of their friendship and cooperation treaty, which was set to expire in 1996, according to diplomatic dossiers from 1995, released by the foreign ministry. North Korea and the then Soviet Union signed the treaty in 1961 during a visit by the North's then leader Kim Il-sung to Moscow. The pact was effectively seen as a military alliance as it required the parties to provide military assistance if the other came under attack. The 1990s marked a period when South Korea stepped up efforts to build ties with formerly Soviet-aligned socialist states, including those in Eastern Europe, in the post-Cold War landscape. Seoul and Moscow established diplomatic relations in 1990, a move that dealt a heavy blow to Pyongyang. The dossiers revealed that Gong Ro-myung, South KoreaMar 31, 2026By Yonhap
NIS employee, 2 military officers referred to prosecution over drone flights to N. KoreaAn employee of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and two active-duty military officers were referred to the prosecution Tuesday for their alleged roles in sending drones to North Korea, investigators said. The three are suspected of helping a 30-something graduate student fly drones into North Korea from September to January, an incident that prompted an angry response from Pyongyang. According to a military-police investigation task force, the NIS employee was referred to the prosecution on charges of aiding and abetting an act benefiting the enemy and a violation of the aviation safety law. The suspect was found to have maintained a close relationship with the graduate student for over 10 years and given him 2.9 million won ($1,900) to help cover the cost of manufacturing the drones and food expenses on days he flew the vehicles. The task force also referred a captain of the Army Special Warfare Command to the military prosecution on charges of aiding and abetting an act benefiting the enemy and violating the aviation safety law. The captain, who previously attended the same schooMar 31, 2026By Yonhap
Chinese civic group on Asian economic development visits N. KoreaA Chinese civic group promoting economic exchanges with Asian countries visited North Korea and met with the top Chinese envoy in Pyongyang, who called for expanding cooperation with the North, the Chinese Embassy in the North said Tuesday. Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun held a meeting Monday with a delegation from the China-Asia Economic Development Association (CAEDA) during the group's visit to North Korea, according to the embassy. The CAEDA is a civic group established under the guidance of China's foreign ministry to support the country's Belt and Road Initiative and expand economic and cultural exchanges with countries in the region. During Monday's meeting, Wang said China-North Korea relations have entered a "new stage of development," leading to a deepening of bilateral exchanges and cooperation across all sectors. The envoy said he hopes the group will "seize the opportunity" to expand cooperation with North Korea in the economy, trade and other sectors. He also described the recent reopening of rail and flight services linking the two countries as new momentum iMar 31, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim says ties with Belarus will advance briskly in reply to LukashenkoNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a letter to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, expressing confidence that their countries' friendship will advance briskly, the North's state media said Tuesday. Kim sent the message the previous day in response to Lukashenko's letter congratulating his reelection as president of the state affairs commission at the first session of the newly formed 15th Supreme People's Assembly, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. "I express my confidence that the traditional friendly relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Belarus will advance briskly at a new level in accordance ... with our agreement," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying. Kim and Lukashenko held summit talks in Pyongyang on Thursday and signed a treaty on friendship and cooperation as the two countries are deepening ties based on their shared support for Russia's war against Ukraine. The leaders touted bilateral ties as having entered a "new stage." Kim also wished for Lukashenko's success in his policies aimed at national prosperity and the people's well-beingMar 31, 2026By Yonhap
UN adopts resolution on N. Korea's human rightsThe U.N. Human Rights Council has adopted this year's U.N. resolution on North Korea's human rights situation, co-sponsored by South Korea and 49 other nations. The Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council adopted the resolution on Pyongyang's human rights by consensus at its 61st regular session Monday (local time), according to its website. While the South Korean government reportedly considered opting out of the co-sponsorship this year amid its efforts to mend strained ties with Pyongyang, it has joined as a co-sponsor in an apparent bid to act in principle on recognizing the universal value of human rights. The U.N. resolution condemns "in the strongest terms" the long-standing and systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations and abuses in North Korea and urges the North to take "immediately all steps" necessary to end such crimes. It also called on Pyongyang to immediately release those who are arbitrarily detained in the North and resume the reunions of Korean families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. South Korea was among the 61 co-sponsors of the resolution adoptedMar 31, 2026By Yonhap
Unification minister says joining UN resolution on NK human rights made through interagency coordinationUnification Minister Chung Dong-young said Monday that South Korea's decision to co-sponsor this year's U.N. resolution on North Korean human rights was reached through interagency coordination, signaling a measured shift from earlier expectations. Chung, who had previously voiced opposition to the co-sponsorship, citing Pyongyang's objections, made the remarks after the foreign ministry announced Saturday that Seoul would join other nations in co-sponsoring the resolution. "The decision can be seen as a compromise between respecting the U.N.'s role in representing universal values and taking into account the other party's position on matters it views as related to its sovereignty," Chung told reporters, apparently referring to North Korea. There had been speculation that South Korea might refrain from joining the resolution in line with President Lee Jae Myung's conciliatory approach toward Pyongyang, which has consistently condemned such moves as politically motivated and interference in its internal affairs. However, Pyongyang's continued hard-line stance toward Seoul is also believeMar 30, 2026By Yonhap
Air China resumes flights to North Korea after 6-year pauseBEIJING — Air China will restart direct flights between Beijing and Pyongyang on Monday after a six-year hiatus, another sign isolated North Korea is gradually opening up following the resumption of train services between the capitals. China has acted as a lifeline for North Korea's moribund economy as its largest trading partner and an important source of diplomatic and political support. However, travel between the East Asian neighbours has been heavily restricted since 2020, when strict border closures were imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Flight CA121 is scheduled to depart Beijing Capital Airport at 8:05 am (0005 GMT) on Monday and arrive at Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport at 11 am (0200 GMT), according to Air China's website. Economy class tickets were available for around $200, according to AFP checks, and a return flight from Pyongyang is scheduled for midday. Pyongyang's continued reluctance to issue tourist visas means only travellers with official or other special purposes can make the cross-border journey. Daily passenger train services resumed this month with ChMar 30, 2026By AFP
Belarus leader orders opening of embassy in North KoreaBelarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has instructed officials to open an embassy in North Korea following his summit with the North's leader Kim Jong-un, according to a news report Sunday. Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov shared the details with reporters after Lukashenko's two-day official visit to Pyongyang earlier this week, its state media Belta reported Friday. "The president set very concrete tasks — to open our embassy here (in Pyongyang) ... to accelerate work on the visa waiver agreement and more broadly, to review the full range of matters that we can advance in the very near future," the media outlet quoted the top diplomat as saying. North Korea already runs its embassy in Minsk. Ryzhenkov also told reporters that the two sides discussed cooperation in areas including health care, education and agriculture, the news outlet said. The two sides exchanged views on international issues, including the situations in the Middle East and Russia's war against Ukraine, saying the leaders found they share "a lot in common," the news outlet said. The foreign minister addeMar 29, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's KCNA, Russia's TASS sign agreement on media cooperation amid expanding tiesNorth Korea and Russia have signed a media cooperation agreement, the North's state media reported Sunday, in the latest sign of deepening ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said it signed the news exchange and cooperation agreement with Russia's Tass news agency the previous day, marked by a ceremony attended by Kim Pyong-ho, the KCNA president, and Andrey Kondrashov, director general of Tass. A Russian delegation led by Kondrashov arrived in Pyongyang on Saturday for the signing event, the KCNA said. The agreement marks the latest sign of a close alignment between the North and Russia, expanding across the military, political and other sectors since they signed a mutual defense treaty in 2024.Mar 29, 2026By Yonhap
