N. Korea's Kim vows strong ties with China on founding anniversary of Chinese Communist PartyNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has marked the 105th founding anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in a congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping, reaffirming his commitment to strengthen ties with Beijing, state media reported Wednesday. "There is no new China without Communist Party. This is the truth the Chinese people have realized while advancing under its guidance for many years," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted Kim as saying. Kim recalled his summit with Xi in Pyongyang last month, calling it a "historic occasion of deepening the comradely friendship and trust between us and reconfirming the unshakable will to more dynamically promote socialist construction in the two countries and their traditional friendly relations," according to the KCNA. Xi made a two-day state visit to Pyongyang on June 8-9, his first trip to North Korea in nearly seven years. During the visit, the two leaders agreed to deepen cooperation across politics, economy and culture, pledging to strengthen high-level communication and open a new chapter in bilateral relations. "Jul 1, 2026By Yonhap
S. Korean, Ukraine FMs agree to resolve North Korean POW issue under international lawSouth Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, agreed Tuesday that the repatriation of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) captured during the Russia-Ukraine war should be handled in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles. The two ministers discussed the POW issue as well as a wide range of mutual interests and bilateral cooperation during Sybiha's visit to Seoul, according to the ministry. It marked the first visit in 11 years by a Ukrainian foreign minister to Korea for bilateral talks. Cho and Sybiha agreed to continue seeking a resolution to the North Korean POWs issue that respects the detainees' free will, the foreign ministry said in a press release. "The two foreign ministers had a shared understanding that this matter should be resolved in a manner consistent with international law and humanitarian principles," ministry spokesperson Park Il said at a briefing, adding that the government will continue its diplomatic efforts to advance and resolve the issue. He declined to elaborate further, citing the sensitivity oJun 30, 2026By Park Ji-won
N. Korea's port activity jumps fivefold since 2019, suggesting illicit coal trade: reportCommercial vessel activity at North Korea's ports has surged fivefold since 2019, a report said Tuesday, raising fresh suspicions of illegal coal trading. The report, co-published by the Seoul-based Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights and British research group Data Desk, tracked vessels longer than 80 meters at North Korea's five major ports — Nampho, Chongjin, Wonsan, Rason and Kimchaek. Recorded activity climbed to 3,756 cases last year, up from 783 in 2019. Nampho, North Korea's largest coal export hub, saw the sharpest rise with more than 3,000 cases last year, up from 554 in 2019. The findings were based on satellite imagery of the ports combined with AIS data — the digital location signals sent by ships. One key detail in the report is that only between 14 and 33 percent of vessels visible in satellite photos appeared in AIS records — a gap the report says points to ships deliberately going dark to evade detection. North Korea's coal exports have been banned outright since the United Nations passed Resolution 2371 in 2017. The ban, however, has not stopped the trJun 30, 2026By Yonhap
Dossier reveals chaos behind Koreas' nuclear negotiations in early 1990sInter-Korean talks on the North Korean nuclear issue dissolved into shouting matches behind closed doors, with officials cutting each other off and hurling insults, according to newly declassified government records on the 1991-1993 nuclear negotiations Tuesday. The unification ministry released the 3,836 pages of transcripts from 32 rounds of inter-Korean nuclear talks held between December 1991 and January 1993. The disclosure marked the ministry's eighth release of archival records on inter-Korean talks since May 2022. At the center of these talks was the Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula signed by the two Koreas on Jan. 20, 1992. Following the landmark agreement, North Korea said it would agree to accept inspections from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), while South Korea agreed to suspend the Team Spirit, its annual military exercise with the United States. Negotiations, however, proved challenging. A joint nuclear control commission, which was set to manage mutual inspections, quickly stalled as the sides disagreed with inspection methodJun 30, 2026By Yonhap
S. Korea closely coordinates with US after belated disclosure of NK missile launchKorea said Monday it is maintaining close coordination with the United States on North Korea's missile launches, after criticism arose over its delayed announcement of the North's latest launch. The North's state media said Friday that North Korea conducted tests of a new multiple rocket launcher and other key weapons the previous day, a launch that was overseen by its leader Kim Jong-un. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), however, did not disclose details of the latest launch on the day of the test-firing, raising the question of whether it withheld the information or failed to detect the weapons launch in time. A local media outlet raised the possibility that the U.S.' decision to limit information-sharing with South Korea on the North's military movements may have hampered Seoul's ability to track them in real time. "South Korea and the U.S. detected and tracked in real time multiple projectiles launched by North Korea between 7:27 a.m. and 8.20 a.m. on June 25, maintaining close coordination for all contingencies," Col. Lee Kyung-ho, deputy defense ministry spokesperson, saidJun 29, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea slams Japan-US military drills as 'war rehearsal'North Korea on Monday condemned the ongoing joint military exercise between Japan's Ground Self-Defense Forces and the United States Marine Corps, labeling it "a war rehearsal." In an editorial carried Monday by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea criticized Japan for participating in the Resolute Dragon exercise, accusing it of sharpening its "invasion capability." "Japan has aggravated the (security) situation in the region by deepening its military ties with the U.S.," the editorial claimed, also referencing Iron Fist, a separate U.S.-Japan combined exercise held in February. The KCNA piece further claimed that long-range missiles were test-fired in a "preemptive" capacity intended to strike neighboring nations during Japan's first participation in a U.S.-led multinational exercise in the Asia-Pacific region in April and May. It accused Japan of using the current "confusing" global situation to "justify its transformation into a war nation" and warned Tokyo of a "tragic end" should it persist in what it called "reckless" military behavior. Notably, the piece stopped shorJun 29, 2026By Yonhap
Civic groups oppose unification minister's 'two-state' approachCivic organizations advocating the reunification of the Korean Peninsula urged the Lee Jae Myung administration to abandon what they called its "two-state relationship" policy, arguing that it contradicts Korea's Constitution and risks legitimizing the permanent division of the Korean Peninsula. The criticism stems from the Lee Jae Myung administration's first white paper on unification, released last month, which describes inter-Korean relations as "a peaceful two-state relationship." The coalition argued that the wording effectively formalizes the view that the two Koreas are de facto separate states, a position it said runs counter to the Constitution's goal of national reunification. At a press conference at the National Assembly on Thursday, 54 civic organizations under the One Korea National Coalition called on Lee to issue a public apology and demanded the resignation of Unification Minister Chung Dong-young. Lee Hee-bum, co-chair of the coalition and standing president of the Korea NGO Association, linked the controversy to the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 KorJun 26, 2026By Anna J. Park
Unification minister calls for moving away from 'denuclearization first' policy for N. KoreaUnification Minister Chung Dong-young called Friday for shifting away from an approach that sticks to denuclearization as the sole solution to the North Korean nuclear issue, saying such a precondition has been one of the reasons for stalled diplomacy with Pyongyang. Chung made the remarks in a keynote speech at a forum, co-hosted by Yonhap News Agency, pointing out that the lack of progress in nuclear diplomacy has only helped the North bolster its nuclear and weapons capabilities for the past three decades. "As the past 30 years have shown, whenever peace talks were halted by the denuclearization hurdle, North Korea used that time to further advance its nuclear capabilities," Chung said at the Korean Peninsula Symposium. "We must move away from the old notion that a peace regime can only be discussed after the North Korean nuclear issue is resolved ... We need to pursue a phased and pragmatic solution. It is time for a paradigm shift," he said. Recalling major breakthroughs in nuclear diplomacy with Pyongyang in the past, Chung stressed the path toward peace opened up when relevant couJun 26, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim inspects new facilities at Wonsan-Kalma resort on east coastNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected newly built facilities at the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone, state media reported Friday, as Pyongyang appears to be seeking to attract foreign visitors to earn hard currency. Kim visited the newly constructed Kalma Tourist Railway Station and reviewed its construction quality and operational readiness during an on-site inspection Wednesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Calling the station's completion within a year "remarkable," Kim praised construction workers while also pointing out shortcomings in finishing work and stressing the need to strengthen legal standards on construction quality and maintenance. Kim also unveiled plans to modernize railway stations in provincial cities across the country based on the experience from the project, ordering officials to prepare scientific designs, budgets and management measures tailored to local needs. Photos released by state media showed the station equipped with convenience facilities, including snack bars, souvenir shops and retail stores. Kim also inspected a newly buJun 26, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim oversees tests of key weapons seen as aimed at S. KoreaNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen tests of a new multiple rocket launcher and other weapons, stressing the need to bolster the "deadly and destructive" offensive posture against the enemy, state media reported Friday. North Korea conducted the weapons tests Thursday, the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, in an apparent bid to demonstrate its ability to target major facilities in South Korea, which the North has labeled its "primary foe." The North's leader supervised the test of "important weapons" as part of the country's project to modernize the artillery and missile forces under a five-year defense development plan, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The tests involved an upgraded version of the 240mm-caliber 24-tubular multiple rocket launcher system, "special mission" warheads for tactical ballistic missiles and the extended-range shells for a 155mm self-propelled howitzer, according to the KCNA. With the latest tests, North Korea appeared to be focused on upgrading the performance of striking means that could put South Korea witJun 26, 2026By Yonhap
