N. Korea's Kim thanks Putin for congratulating him on reelection as president of state affairsNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed his gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for congratulating him on his reelection as president of state affairs, voicing hope for continued strong ties between the two nations, state media reported Wednesday. Kim made the remarks in a reply to Putin the previous day after he was reelected as president of state affairs Sunday at the first meeting of the 15th Supreme People's Assembly, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). It marked his third consecutive term since the nation's top policy guidance body was created in 2016. "I express my sincere thanks to you for sending warm and sincere congratulations first on my re-assumption of the heavy duty" as president of state affairs, Kim was quoted as saying in his message to Putin by the KCNA. The North's leader said he's convinced that firm relations and trust between them will "undoubtedly guarantee the durability and future purposefulness" between North Korea and Russia and "powerfully promote the development and wellbeing" of the peoples of the two nations. "Pyongyang willMar 25, 2026By Yonhap
Belarus leader Lukashenko to visit N. Korea: KCNABelarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will visit North Korea at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the North's state media reported Tuesday. The North's Korean Central News Agency did not say when the Belarusian leader would visit Pyongyang, but Russia's state news agency TASS reported, citing a Telegram channel close to Lukashenko's press service, that the visit would take place on March 25-26. Kim and the Belarusian leader "will hold talks to discuss the full range of bilateral ties," TASS quoted the Telegram channel as saying. "The upcoming visit is expected to strengthen the legal framework of relations and boost bilateral cooperation," TASS reported.Mar 24, 2026By Yonhap
North Korea pushes two-state paradigm, declares South ‘most hostile state’North Korea’s designation of South Korea as “the most hostile state” signals the effective end of the “provisional special relationships” framework that has governed inter-Korean ties since 1991, experts said, urging Seoul to adapt to Pyongyang’s fundamentally redefined stance and recalibrate its approach to reflect a two-state reality. “Up until now, the North has defined the relationship with the South based on the understanding that we are the same people, seeking unification. But upon the North’s designation of the South as an independent and ‘hostile’ nation, the two countries can no longer make an agreement under the provincial special relationships written on the 1991 Basic Agreement,” Koh Yu-hwan, professor emeritus of North Korean studies at Dongguk University, told The Korea Times Tuesday. Koh said it remains unclear whether the term “hostile state” will appear in the North’s revised constitution, but he expects the document to delete language defining the two Koreas as one. “That is one of the reasons the unification ministry of South Korea had nMar 24, 2026By Park Ji-won
Ukraine pledges to consider non-refoulement for detained N. Korean soldiers: civic groupThe Ukrainian government has affirmed that it will consider the humanitarian principle of not transferring prisoners of war against their will in the handling of two North Korean soldiers captured during its war with Russia, a civic group said Tuesday. The legal support bureau of Ukraine's defense ministry pledged to consider the non-refoulement principle for captured North Korean soldiers, a civic group supporting the prisoners of war said, citing a reply it received from Ukraine. The two young North Korean soldiers have been held in Ukraine for more than a year following Ukrainian forces' capture of them in January last year in what was once the front-line region of Russia's Kursk. Through South Korean media, the North Korean soldiers expressed a wish to come to South Korea, with Seoul voicing its willingness to receive them through consultations with Ukraine. It marks the first time that the Ukrainian government has expressed to a South Korean civic organization its willingness to consider the non-refoulement principle for the soldiers. The group still voiced lingering concerns that thMar 24, 2026By Yonhap
Is North Korea preparing for first female leader?Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has been appearing with increasing frequency in state media. As of March, she had already appeared in 13 North Korean state media photos, surpassing her total number of public appearances in 2024. Wearing a leather jacket strikingly similar to her father’s, Ju-ae was recently seen firing a sniper rifle and sitting atop a tank. According to Hankook Ilbo’s analysis of Korean Central News Agency reports, the number of public appearances so far this year already approaches 80 percent of her average annual exposure over the past four years. She appeared twice in 2022, the year of her public debut. That number rose to 18 in 2023, before falling to 13 in 2024 and rising again to 17 in 2025. Given those relatively even numbers, this year already stands out. Although the National Intelligence Service noted in its recent report to the National Assembly that Ju-ae is undergoing preparation to become a successor, the exact succession scenario remains unclear. Experts still remain divided over how to read state media images of her, withMar 24, 2026By Hankookilbo
N. Korea to introduce police system in apparent bid to project itself as normal stateNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has unveiled a plan to introduce a police system in what might be a bid to shed its image as a reclusive country, where public security forces have traditionally carried out policing roles. The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) will review the introduction of the "police system" at a future session, Kim said Monday on the second and final day of the first session of the newly elected 15th SPA, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The move is aimed at "further solidifying and developing our legal and social systems by revamping legal regulations and establishing more effective and practical organizational systems to guarantee national security and social stability," Kim noted. He called a police system "essential" to state operations, emphasizing the need to advance the maintenance of public order to a higher level. The leader called for thorough preparations to transform social security forces into police forces once a police system is formally established, signaling that the Ministry of Social Security, which oversees public order, might be cMar 24, 2026By Yonhap
S. Korea weighs co-sponsoring UN resolution on NK rightsSouth Korea is considering whether to join a co-sponsor of this year's U.N. resolution on North Korean human rights, diplomatic sources said Tuesday. Seoul is weighing whether to drop out as a co-sponsor of the resolution on the human rights situation in North Korea, a draft of which has been submitted for adoption at the 61st U.N. Human Rights Council later this month, sources familiar with the matter said. If finalized, the move would mark a departure from its co-sponsorship last year, which was seen as unexpected for the new liberal government of President Lee Jae Myung, as it seeks to restore badly frayed ties with Pyongyang. South Korea was among the 61 co-sponsors for the resolution adopted at the U.N. General Assembly Third Committee last December. The potential shift over this year's resolution comes as Seoul has made little headway in improving its relations with the recalcitrant regime and could be seen as yet another gesture of rapprochement toward the North. It remains doubtful, however, if such a conciliatory move would help appease Pyongyang since the North has maintained itMar 24, 2026By Yonhap
Ex-US official sees 'low' possibility for Trump-Kim summit during Trump's anticipated China tripA former senior U.S. official said Monday the possibility of U.S. President Donald Trump having a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his anticipated trip to China is "somewhat low" due to the ongoing war with Iran and the need to focus on the summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He made the remarks on condition of anonymity during a virtual forum, voicing skepticism that Pyongyang is as motivated as it was in the first Trump administration to seek diplomacy with Washington, given its rising reliance on Russia and China for support. Speculation has persisted that Trump might seek to rekindle his personal diplomacy with Kim when he visits China as the White House has said he remains open to dialogue with Kim "without any preconditions." Trump had reportedly planned to visit China from March 31 to April 2, but his trip has been postponed because of the war with Iran. "My sense is that there is still definitely interest in certain parts of the Trump administration for reopening lines of communication with Pyongyang and potentially pursuing some kind of diplomacy with NoMar 24, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim formally calls S. Korea 'most hostile' nationNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has formally recognized South Korea as the "most hostile state" and warned of merciless consequences if provoked by Seoul, while reaffirming the North's status as a nuclear state, Pyongyang's state media reported Tuesday. Kim also said the North's constitution was revised to reflect the necessary demands of national development, delivering a speech Monday, the second and final day of the first session of the newly elected 15th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea "officially recognized" South Korea "as the most hostile nation and will thoroughly ignore and disregard it through the clearest remarks and actions," Kim was quoted as saying by the KCNA. He also warned of "merciless" consequences against South Korea if Seoul carries out any acts that provoke North Korea. The KCNA reported that North Korea had discussed a revision of its constitution, but it was not known whether such a revision officially recognized South Korea as a "hostile state." North Korea's constitution calls for the peaceful reuniMar 24, 2026By Yonhap
NK leader's sister rejects Japan's summit proposalThe powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday rejected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's hopes for summit talks, saying Japan must first abandon "anachronistic practices." According to a pool report, Takaichi expressed "a very strong desire" to meet directly with the North Korean leader during her talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington last week. "This is not the one that comes true, as wanted or decided by Japan," Kim Yo-jong, a department director in the North's ruling party, said in a statement released by the North's Korean Central News Agency. "If the prime minister of Japan seeks to resolve its unilateral matter not recognized by us, our state leadership will have no intention to meet or sit face to face with her. For top leaders of the two countries to meet, Japan should first break with its anachronistic practices and habits," she added. Kim also said Pyongyang has "nothing to discuss face to face with such a party still keen on obsolete thinking and impossible ideas." "I don't want to see the prime minister of Japan coming to Pyongyang," KiMar 23, 2026By Yonhap
