Ex-N. Korean point man on inter-Korean affairs serves as chief of rubber-stamp partyRi Son-gwon, North Korea's former point man on relations with South Korea, has assumed chairmanship at a rubber-stamp political party. Ri, former director of North Korea's now-abolished United Front Department (UFD), was identified as the chairman of the Korean Social Democratic Party's central committee in a report Sunday by the Korean Central Broadcasting Station on key officials voting in parliamentary elections. The Korean Social Democratic Party is one of two nominal political parties recognized in North Korea, apparently to project the appearance of a multiparty system. Ri's party is in effect closely allied with the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. Prior to his current post, Ri headed the ruling party's Bureau 10, a downgraded body tasked with affairs involving overseas North Koreans following the abolition of the UFD, which handled inter-Korean relations. The Korean Social Democratic Party has often handled inter-Korean relations by participating in exchanges with South Korean political parties or religious groupsMar 16, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim casts ballot at coal mine constituency in parliamentary electionsNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has cast his ballot at a coal mine constituency in elections to pick deputies for a new term of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), with voter turnout recorded at 99.99 percent, state media reported Monday. Kim visited a polling station in Chonsong Youth Coal Mine under the Sunchon Area Youth Coal-mining Complex on Sunday to vote in the elections of deputies to the 15th SPA, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea typically holds rubber-stamp parliament elections every five years, but Sunday's elections marked the first in seven years as a follow-up to last month's key party congress. The North's leader voted for Jo Chol-ho, manager of the youth coal mine who is an SPA deputy candidate, according to the KCNA. At a speech, Kim stressed that coal is a "driving force" for the country's self-reliant economy, praising workers in the coal industry as the core element of the national development. "The faster our development accelerates and the more our ideals turn into a reality, the more urgent demand for coal will be," Kim said, highlighMar 16, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea says conducted firepower strike drill with 600 mm ultra-precision multiple rocket launchersNorth Korea conducted a firepower strike drill involving 600-millimeter ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers, attended by leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported Sunday. "A long-range artillery sub-unit of the Korean People's Army in the western area conducted a firepower strike drill" the previous day, involving 12 "600 mm-calibre ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers and two artillery companies," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The previous day, South Korea's military detected about 10 ballistic missiles launched toward the East Sea from Sunan, near Pyongyang, which flew some 350 kilometers and were seen as the North's response to the ongoing annual South Korea-U.S. military exercise. The weapon will be "immediately be used for their second mission as a means of massive, destructive strike" in case deterrents fail to prevent foreign forces from launching an armed provocation or invading North Korea," Kim was quoted as saying. Kim's daughter, Ju-ae, was seen accompanying him during the supervision of the exercise. Kim said the drill is a regular exercise to check thMar 15, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea fires projectile as S. Korea, US conduct joint drillsNorth Korea fired about 10 ballistic missiles toward the East Sea Saturday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, in an apparent muscle-flexing as South Korea and the United States were conducting their key springtime military exercise. The JCS said it detected the missiles launched from the Sunan area in the North at around 1:20 p.m. It marked the North's third ballistic missile launch this year. The missiles flew about 350 kilometers, the JCS said, adding that further analysis is under way. "Under a robust South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture, our military is closely monitoring North Korea's various movements, and maintains capabilities and a posture that can overwhelmingly respond to any provocation," it added. The latest launch came as South Korea and the United States kicked off their annual Freedom Shield exercise Monday for an 11-day run. The North has long denounced the allies' combined military drills as a rehearsal for an invasion, though Seoul and Washington have said the exercises are purely defensive. Earlier this week, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leaMar 14, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea promotes new street for families of soldiers killed in Russia-Ukraine warFamilies of North Korean soldiers killed during the Russia-Ukraine war have begun to move into homes on a newly built street in Pyongyang, state media said Saturday, saying it is the country's duty to help take care of such bereaved families. The families began to move into the homes located on Saeppyol Street, welcomed by Premier Pak Thae-song, as well as other party and government officials, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The officials were quoted as saying it was their duty to do their best to take care of the bereaved parents, wives and children of the killed soldiers, according to the KCNA. In February, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended the opening ceremony of the new street in Pyongyang and visited the homes of some families to offer comfort. Kim revealed plans to build the town in August last year, stressing commemorative services for its deployed soldiers, in an apparent effort to legitimize Pyongyang's participation in Moscow's war against Ukraine and bolster domestic support.Mar 14, 2026By Yonhap
Air China to resume Beijing-Pyongyang routeChina's national carrier, Air China, will resume flights between Pyongyang and Beijing for the first time in six years, industry sources said Friday. Air China will restart flights from Beijing to Pyongyang starting March 25, the sources told Yonhap News Agency. The route has been suspended since 2020, when operations were halted due to the spread of COVID-19. China also resumed passenger train services between the two capitals Thursday for the first time in six years.Mar 13, 2026By Yonhap
Passenger train linking N. Korea, China arrives in Beijing for 1st time in 6 yearsA passenger train linking the capitals of North Korea and China arrived in Beijing on Friday after the two nations resumed such train service for the first time in six years. The train, which departed Pyongyang at 10:26 a.m. the previous day, arrived at a train station in Beijing at 8:40 a.m. An electronic board at the Beijing train station earlier showed that the train departing from Pyongyang would arrive at the No. 10 platform at 8:40 a.m. as scheduled. The resumption of rail service marked the first cross-border passenger train service between the two countries since operations were suspended in 2020 following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Another passenger train from Beijing to Pyongyang departed at 5:26 p.m. Thursday and is scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang at 6:07 p.m. Friday.Mar 13, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea picks candidates for deputies to rubber-stamp parliament ahead of electionsNorth Korea has completed the selection of candidates for deputies to a new term of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) ahead of its rubber-stamp parliamentary elections, state media reported Friday. North Korea announced a list of candidates for the 15th SPA deputies as the country is set to hold the parliamentary elections Sunday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea typically holds parliamentary elections every five years, but the upcoming vote will mark the first in seven years. The elections come as a follow-up to last month's key party congress. "The registration of candidates for the deputies was decided at meetings of voters to examine qualifications for such candidates," the KCNA said. North Korea held what resembles a primary to select a single candidate for the deputies in each constituency after reviewing qualifications of multiple candidates. The KCNA said the country's provincial election committees disclosed details of the final candidates for the SPA deputies at polling stations, and campaigns to profile them are under way. North Koreans aged 17 aMar 13, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea slams Japan's plan to deploy long-range missilesNorth Korea on Friday denounced Japan for its plan to deploy long-range anti-ship missiles in its southwestern region this month, calling the move Tokyo's plot to revive its militaristic past. The North's accusation came as Japan announced earlier this week that the upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles will be deployed at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto Prefecture on March 31. North Korea also denounced Japan's plan to deploy long-range ballistic missiles in other areas, including Shizuoka Prefecture, as Tokyo is seeking to strengthen its counterstrike capabilities. "If this plan becomes a reality, Japan will deploy missiles capable of putting its neighboring countries under their striking range across the entire archipelago," the KCNA said. "This is undoubtedly a dangerous military act." North Korea said the regional security is being threatened by Japan's reckless move to revive its militaristic past. "If Japan continues to behave recklessly, it will be embroiled in a bad situation of crossing the 'red line' that will inevitably result in the sinking of the archipelago," the North said.Mar 13, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea, China resume cross-border passenger train service for 1st time in 6 yrsNorth Korea and China resumed an international passenger train service linking their cities Thursday for the first time in six years, a Chinese news report said. A five-car passenger train departed from the Chinese border city of Dandong at 10 a.m., scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang at 6:07 p.m., China's Xinhua News Agency said. The Dandong-Pyongyang passenger line will operate daily in both directions, Xinhua said, quoting a Chinese official as saying the service will serve as a "dynamic link strengthening the friendship between these two nations." Also on Thursday, North Korea and China were set to resume a rail route connecting their capitals, Pyongyang and Beijing. The resumption marks the first cross-border passenger train service between the two countries since operations were suspended in 2020 following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, North Korea resumed direct flight and train services between Pyongyang and Moscow, Russia's capital. The reopening of the North Korea-China rail services comes as the two countries appear to be aligning more closely as they seek to repMar 12, 2026By Yonhap
