North Korea takes another step toward perfecting second-strike capability: experts This photo released Friday shows a newly built "tactical nuclear attack submarine" at Sinpo Shipyard in South Hamgyong Province, North Korea, Wednesday. YonhapPyongyang unveils new 'tactical nuclear attack submarine'By Jung Min-hoNorth Korea revealed its first submarine designed to launch “tactical nuclear weapons” from underwater, Friday, as the regime is redoubling efforts to perfect its second-strike capability ― an ability to respond to a nuclear attack with nuclear retaliation.The submarine, named after a military hero, Kim Kun-ok, will carry nuclear-strike means for “a preemptive or a retaliatory attack,” its leader Kim Jong-un said during a ceremony, held Wednesday, ahead of North Korea's Sept. 9 founding anniversary, the state media said.This comes amid fears that Pyongyang is seeking Moscow's support in developing a nuclear-powered submarine through an ammunition-for-tech deal at Kim's expected meeting with Vladimir Putin next week. The New York Times reported that the summit would be held in Vladivostok between Sept. 10 and 13, citing U.S. sources.InSep 8, 2023By Jung Min-ho
S. Korea deplores N. Korea's launch of nuclear attack submarine This photo, provided by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, Sept. 8, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, second from left, attending a ceremony, Sept. 6, to launch a newly built "tactical nuclear attack submarine." YonhapSouth Korea's unification ministry on Friday condemned North Korea's launch of a "tactical nuclear attack submarine," saying the North's "futile" attempt to build weapons would only undermine the country's livelihood affairs. The ministry's response came shortly after North Korea's state media reported that the North's leader, Kim Jong-un, attended a launching ceremony for the new submarine capable of carrying out an underwater nuclear attack. "It is deplorable that North Korea is adhering to a futile development of weapons and squandering its lacking resources while not paying attention to difficult livelihood affairs," Kim In-ae, the ministry's deputy spokesperson, told a press briefing.Kim emphasized that the North's weapons development and threats are "meaningless," and will only weaken its security, amid a robust combined defense posture betweeSep 8, 2023
3 minor natural earthquakes strike near N. Korea's nuclear test site This photo, provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration, depicts the area where a 2.3 magnitude earthquake struck 43 km north-northwest of Kilju, North Mangyong Province, at 5:12 a.m., Sept. 8. YonhapThree minor earthquakes struck North Korea's northeastern county of Kilju, home to the country's nuclear testing site, but all of them were natural tremors, South Korea's state weather agency said Friday.The first quake occurred about 38 kilometers north of Kilju at 3:29 a.m., while the second and third ones struck nearby areas at 4:01 a.m. and 5:12 a.m., respectively, with their magnitudes ranging between 2.1 and 2.3, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).The KMA said all of them were natural quakes.Kilju, home to the Punggye-ri nuclear test site where the North conducted all six of its nuclear tests, is prone to earthquakes.Including Friday's, a total of 19 earthquakes with a magnitude of at least 2.0 happened in the region this year, accounting for more than a quarter of 71 quakes with a 2.0 magnitude or stronger that happened on and around the Korean PeniSep 8, 2023
N. Korea-Russia partnership may benefit both but will have limits: former intelligence officer This April 25, 2019 file photo shows Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un shaking hands during their meeting in Vladivostok, Russia. AP-YonhapNorth Korea and Russia may be seeking to improve their relations since it may offer benefits to both but the level of their cooperation, especially in advanced military technology such as nuclear weapons, will likely be limited, a former U.S. intelligence officer on North Korea said Thursday.Sydney Seiler, former national intelligence officer on North Korea at the National Intelligence Council, also argued that Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite being desperate for North Korea's support for his war on Ukraine, does not want to see a nuclear-armed North Korea."From Russia's point of view, I mean, Vladimir Putin is desperate. He is turning where he needs to turn," he said of a potential arms deal between Russia and North Korea.Russia, however, "has adhered to the idea that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is still a goal. They are not accepting a nuclear North Korea, per se," he told a wSep 8, 2023
N. Korea unveils new 'tactical nuclear attack submarine' This photo, provided by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, Sept. 8, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspecting the launch of a newly built "tactical nuclear attack submarine." YonhapNorth Korea has launched a newly built "tactical nuclear attack submarine" capable of carrying out an underwater nuclear attack, with leader Kim Jong-un vowing to "further strengthen the state nuclear deterrence," the North's state media said Friday.The launching ceremony for the submarine, held Wednesday, was attended by the North Korean leader ahead of the country's 75th founding anniversary, which falls on Saturday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)."The submarine-launching ceremony heralded the beginning of a new chapter for bolstering up the naval force of the DPRK and made clearer the steadfast will of the WPK and the government of the DPRK to further strengthen the state nuclear deterrence both in quality and quantity and by leaps and bounds for regional and global peace and security," the KCNA said, referring to the ruling Workers' Party (WPK).DPRK sSep 8, 2023
N. Korean leader may choose unexpected route for upcoming meeting with Putin: NIS This April 24, 2019 file photo shows a train carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arriving for a planned meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Russia. AP-YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un may opt for an unexpected route when he travels to Russia for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, according to South Korea's spy agency Thursday.The New York Times reported earlier this week that Kim plans to travel to Russia's Vladivostok, possibly by armored train, later this month for talks with Putin about the possibility of supplying Russia with more weaponry for its war in Ukraine and other military cooperation."As it was revealed to the New York Times, there is a possibility of Kim Jong-un making a surprise move by choosing a different route than what is expected," a National Intelligence Service (NIS) official reported during a parliamentary intelligence committee meeting, according to Rep. Yoo Sang-bum of the ruling People Power Party.During the meeting, NIS Director Kim Kyou-hyun said the agency is closely monitoring the planned visit and sharing intelligence wSep 7, 2023
N. Korea will face 'repercussions' if it provides weapons to Russia: Kirby John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, speaks during a press briefing at the Washington Foreign Press Center, Sept. 6. YonhapNorth Korea will face repercussions from the United States and other countries should it provide weapons to Russia that can kill innocent people in Ukraine, a White House official said Wednesday.John Kirby, National Security Council (NSC) coordinator for strategic communications, also called on North Korea to stop its negotiations with Russia for a potential arms deal."We are not seeing them provide any wholesale assistance to the Russian military, and we continue to urge North Korea not to do that," the NSC official said when asked if the North has already provided a significant amount of weapons to Russia."We have not seen the DPRK provide major munitions to the Russian military. We have seen them provide some rockets and artillery ammunition to the Wagner Group. This was months ago," he added in a press briefing at the Washington Foreign Press Center.DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the NorthSep 7, 2023
Chinese delegation to visit N. Korea for celebrations of founding anniv. This April 24, 2019 file image from video released by Primorsky Regional Administration Press Service shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waving from his train as he leaves Khasan train station in Primorye region, Russia. AP-YonhapA Chinese delegation, led by Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, will visit North Korea this week to participate in celebrations of the 75th founding anniversary of the North Korean regime, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday.The Chinese delegation of party and government officials will visit North Korea to attend events to mark the anniversary at the invitation of the North's ruling Workers' Party and the government, according to the Korean Central News Agency.North Korea is set to mark the 75th anniversary of its founding on Saturday, with a militia parade scheduled for celebrations.The announcement came amid a report that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may travel to Vladivostok for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week amid suspected arms transactions between Pyongyang and Moscow.South Korea's unification ministry said Liu's planned visit indSep 7, 2023
Yoon warns against possible Russia-North Korea cooperation President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during the South Korea-ASEAN Summit at Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia, Wednesday (local time). Joint Press CorpsBy Nam Hyun-wooPresident Yoon Suk Yeol issued, Tuesday, an apparent warning against Russia, which is purportedly pursuing an arms trade deal with North Korea. He made the comments at the South Korea- Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia.“Any attempt at military cooperation with North Korea, which undermines international peace, must be stopped immediately,” Yoon said, according to presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon. He also called on ASEAN members to make efforts to deter the North's nuclear and missile provocations. Yoon's remarks also came after the U.S. partly confirmed news reports stating that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be considering a trip to Russia to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and discuss a possible arms deal.“We also have information as we have indicated publicly that North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has some expectations that those discussioSep 6, 2023By Nam Hyun-woo
N. Korea will pay a price if it provides weapons to Russia: NSA Sullivan National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is seen speaking during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, in this Sept. 5 captured image. YonhapThe top U.S. national security adviser urged North Korea not to provide any lethal weapons to Russia on Tuesday, saying it will pay a price if it decides to do so.National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said there were no indications that the North has provided large amounts of weapons to Russia but that negotiations toward that end between the two countries are "actively advancing.""Providing weapons to Russia for use on the battlefield to attack grain silos and the heating infrastructure of major cities as we head into winter, to try to conquer territory that belongs to another sovereign nation is not going to reflect well on North Korea and they will pay a price for this in the international community," Sullivan told a press briefing at the White House.Earlier news reports stated that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be considering taking a trip to Russia to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and discuss a possible armsSep 6, 2023
