North Korean leader's sister calls Seoul's regret over drone incursion 'sensible'The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called the South Korean unification minister's expression of regret over the drone incursion into the North "sensible behavior" and demanded steps to prevent such a recurrence. In a statement, Kim Yo-jong said she thinks it "fortunate" that Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Tuesday officially expressed regret over the drone incursions into North Korea, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "I appreciate it as quite sensible behavior," Kim said. On Tuesday, the minister expressed regret over drones allegedly sent by civilians to the North during a congratulatory speech at a Catholic Mass, saying South Korea seeks "mutual recognition and peaceful coexistence between the two Koreas." It marked the first such expression of regret from Seoul since the North claimed last month that South Korea had sent drones equipped with surveillance equipment in September and on Jan. 4. The South immediately launched an investigation into the claim and identified three civilian suspects, including a graduate student in his 30s, aFeb 13, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea in process of designating leader's daughter Ju-ae as successor: NISNorth Korea appears to have entered the stage of designating leader Kim Jong-un's daughter Ju-ae as the successor, the spy agency was quoted as saying by lawmakers Thursday, marking a stepped-up assessment from its earlier evaluation of her as the "most likely successor." The National Intelligence Service (NIS) cited signs of Ju-ae expressing her views on certain state policies as one of the grounds for its latest assessment during a closed-door briefing to the parliamentary intelligence committee, Reps. Park Sun-won and Lee Seong-kweun told reporters. "As Kim Ju-ae has shown her presence at various events, including the founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army and her visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, and signs have been detected of her voicing her opinion on certain state policies, the NIS believes she has now entered the stage of being designated as successor," Lee said. Lee said the latest assessment marked a step forward from the agency's previous views when it described Ju-ae as being "trained" to become a successor, to now assessing her as being at the stage of "suFeb 12, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea holds events to gather momentum ahead of key party congressNorth Korea has held various events to gather public momentum ahead of its key party congress set for late this month, featuring an art exhibition and ceremonies for local farmers, state media reported Thursday. A book and art exhibition took place at the Korean Art Museum in Pyongyang the previous day, showcasing some 10,000 literature and science books on the political ideology and performances of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Also on display at the exhibition were paintings, sculptures and other artifacts featuring the daily lives of the North Korean people, the KCNA said. The state media also reported that social organizations sent farming equipment, such as tractors, to local farmers in South Hwanghae Province. The moves are seen as part of efforts to build momentum ahead of the upcoming key party congress, where North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to announce his major policies on the military, diplomacy, the economy and other areas for the next five years.Feb 12, 2026By Yonhap
American missionary-turned-human rights activist vows to raise voice for NKAmerican missionary-turned-human rights activist Kenneth Bae, who was once detained in North Korea for more than two years, said he will engage in a broadcasting propaganda initiative using shortwave radio to reach North Korean people. The head of the New Korea Foundation International said in an interview with The Korea Times that he will spearhead a public fundraising campaign to establish a North Korea-focused radio service called Korea Link. “The effort is centered on North Korean citizens rather than the Kim Jong-un regime in the North,” Bae said during the interview at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Feb. 4. “The target of reunification is not the North Korean regime but the North Korean people. Unlike in the past, defection has become nearly impossible. For them, reunification is the only answer.” Bae joined 45 civic and religious organizations on the day before the interview to launch Citizens’ Solidarity for ONE KOREA, a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that opposes the Lee Jae Myung administration’s so-called “two-state framework” and seeks to lead the two KoFeb 12, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Unification ministry rejects claims of 'submissive' stance toward N. KoreaThe unification ministry on Wednesday rejected media criticism that it maintains a "submissive" stance toward North Korea after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young made back-to-back remarks expressing regrets over actions that strained ties with the regime. "Some are portraying the government's peace efforts as a submissive stance toward the North ... but the government is seeking to create conditions for inter-Korean trust in pursuit of peaceful coexistence," the ministry said in a press release. The media criticism came after Chung expressed regret the previous day over the alleged privately led drone dispatch to North Korea in recent months and Seoul's 2016 shutdown of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, a symbol of inter-Korean cooperation. "We need the courage to acknowledge the wrongs we have committed, and in that perspective, the drone dispatch was a clear wrongdoing," the ministry said, adding that such past missteps must be overcome. The Lee Jae Myung administration has repeatedly extended overtures for dialogue to Pyongyang since taking office last June, although Pyongyang has rFeb 11, 2026By Yonhap
North Korea says 50,000-unit housing construction project in Pyongyang nearing completionNorth Korea said Wednesday that a landmark housing project launched at a previous party congress to build 50,000 living units in Pyongyang will soon be complete, marking a major preparatory step ahead of another party congress later this month. "The goal of building 50,000 living units in the capital, set at the eighth party congress, is nearing ... final completion according to the party-set schedule," the Rodong Sinmun, the party-run newspaper, said. The housing construction is a pet project of leader Kim Jong-un, unveiled at the 2021 congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, aimed at addressing housing shortages and enhancing living standards. Under the project, a total of 40,000 living units were constructed in Pyongyang's Songsin and Songhwa districts in 2022 and in the Hwasong district from 2023 to 2025, with the remaining 10,000 units now nearing completion. The newspaper said the project created "a model modern city" equipped with advanced infrastructure, road networks and green zones over a five-year period. "This grand and elaborate constructions represent the remarkable changesFeb 11, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea warns Japan against forging military alliances as war criminalNorth Korea warned Wednesday that Japan, a war criminal country, should not forge military alliances with foreign nations, slamming its recent expansion of defense equipment trade with Canada. The Rodong Sinmun, the North's most widely read newspaper published by the ruling party, issued the warning, citing a recent equipment and technology transfer agreement between Japan and Canada aimed at laying the groundwork for exchanges of defense equipment and technology. The newspaper accused Japan of "creating an environment favorable to realizing its ambitions of overseas invasion by strengthening military collusion with global powers." The paper claimed signing military agreements, exchanging defense equipment and information, and staging joint military exercises between countries are possible only under military alliances, accusing Japan of effectively having such military alliances. "It is not too much to say that Japan has practically established military alliances with members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and many other countries," the Rodong Sinmun said. As a war criminal coFeb 11, 2026By Yonhap
AnalysisWhat to expect from North Korea's upcoming party congressNorth Korea is set to convene a ruling Workers' Party congress later this month, a closely watched political gathering that will outline the country's military and foreign policy priorities throughout 2031, as well as the future of Kim Jong-un's leadership structure. Held every five years, the congress is North Korea’s largest political event. Thousands of delegates from across the country gather in Pyongyang, where the leader reviews the past term and unveils a new five-year plan outlining domestic and foreign policy priorities. The political bureau of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea decided last week to open the ninth congress in late February, according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency. While the exact date has not been disclosed, recent developments suggest that preparations are in the final stages. Kim has attended a series of ceremonies marking the completion of economic projects, moves seen as an effort to frame the upcoming congress as a celebratory milestone. According to South Korea's Ministry of Unification, the gathering, whicFeb 11, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Trump responds to civic group seeking rights for N. Korean POWS in UkraineU.S. President Donald Trump has sent a reply to a letter from a civic group seeking his support for North Korean soldiers captured and detained in Ukraine during its war with Russia, the group said Tuesday. The Emergency Committee for the Free Repatriation of North Korean Soldiers said a U.S. unit of the group received a reply from Trump the previous day in response to a letter sent last month seeking his help to protect the detainees' rights and prevent them from being repatriated against their will, according to the group. The letter was sent as two young North Koreans soldiers have been held in Ukraine for more than a year following Ukrainian forces' reported capture of them in January last year in what was once the front-line region of Russia's Kursk. A copy of Trump's letter showed he thanked the group for sharing the story, saying "Your words are a powerful reminder of the strength, resilience, and spirit of the American people." "It is because of proud, hardworking citizens like you that I will never stop fighting to protect our values, defend our freedoms, and put America first,"Feb 10, 2026By Yonhap
Ukraine holds key as North Korean POW issue enters diplomatic gray zoneTwo North Korean soldiers captured on a battlefield far from the Korean Peninsula are now being held thousands of kilometers from home. Despite clear rules under international law, what will happen to the prisoners remains uncertain. South Korea has said it would accept the soldiers if they requested it, but the decision rests with the Ukrainian government, which currently holds them in custody. The two soldiers were excluded from a recent Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange and remain in Ukrainian custody. They have reportedly requested repatriation to South Korea instead of North Korea. This case highlights the gap between legal principles and diplomatic realities in war. With the conflict in Ukraine showing little sign of resolution, experts warn that Seoul risks further straining inter-Korean relations. Seoul’s position is straightforward in principle: The government has repeatedly affirmed that North Korean prisoners of war are considered South Korean nationals under the Constitution and would be accepted if they express a desire to come to the South. In practice, however, officials aFeb 10, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
