North Korea fires suspected ballistic missile toward East Sea amid Russian attack on Ukraine Kim Jong-un makes a closing address at a meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea, Feb. 28, in this file photo provided by the North Korean government. AP-Yonhap North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile toward the East Sea, Saturday, South Korea's military said, just four days ahead of the presidential election here.The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from around the Sunan area in Pyongyang at 8:48 a.m. It did not elaborate.The latest launch, the North's ninth show of such force this year, came less than a week after it claimed to have conducted a "reconnaissance satellite" development test that the South called a ballistic missile launch."Currently, our military is tracking and monitoring (North Korean) movements regarding the possibility of an additional launch and maintaining a readiness posture," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.The North's continued saber-rattling signals that it seeks to bolster its military prMar 5, 2022
North Korea cancels Pyongyang marathon for 3rd straight year A participant in the Pyongyang Marathon reaches the finish line at Kim Il-sung Stadium, Pyongyang, April 7, 2019. North Korea has canceled the annual Pyongyang marathon due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the third consecutive year, a tour agency said Thursday. Courtesy of Koryo ToursNorth Korea has canceled the annual Pyongyang marathon due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the third consecutive year, a tour agency said Thursday.The event, also known as the Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, was originally scheduled for April 10 in Pyongyang, but Koryo Tours, a Beijing-based tour agency specializing in North Korea tours, said on its website, "2022's Pyongyang Marathon has officially been cancelled."The agency said the marathon for next year will be held on April 9, 2023, adding that it will depend on the North's border situations. The marathon was also called off in 2020 and 2021 as North Korea shut its borders to stave off the coronavirus. (Yonhap)Mar 3, 2022
Seoul turns hawkish toward Pyongyang amid pressure for Russia sanctions U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. for Special Political Affairs Jeff DeLaurentis, center, reads a joint statement of 11 U.N. member countries on North Korea's ballistic missile launch at the U.N. headquarters in New York, Monday (EST). On the right is South Korea's permanent representative to the U.N., Ambassador Cho Hyun. Screenshot from the U.N.'s YouTube channelBy Nam Hyun-wooSouth Korea is taking a hawkish stance on North Korea, joining 10 other countries to condemn the Kim Jong-un regime's recent ballistic missile launch, while President Moon Jae-in is stressing the need for the South to gain more power to decide its future.Some interpret the two related moves as the Moon government's decision to mitigate growing international concerns that South Korea remains passive about joining the coalition of the U.S. and other democracies to counter the aggressive tones of China, Russia and North Korea.On Monday, 11 United Nations members, including South Korea and the U.S., released a joint statement condemning North Korea's medium-range ballistic missile launch on Sunday, after the U.N. SecurMar 2, 2022By Nam Hyun-woo
Biden remains silent on North Korea amid Russian invasion of Ukraine President Joe Biden delivers his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., watch on March 1. AP-Yonhap U.S. President Joe Biden left North Korea out of his first State of the Union address Tuesday that laid out various challenges facing his country, including the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.The U.S. leader, however, thanked South Korea, along with dozens of other countries, for condemning what he called Russia's "unjustified" and "totally unprovoked" aggression on Ukraine."Along with twenty-seven members of the European Union including France, Germany, Italy, as well as countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and many others, even Switzerland, are inflicting pain on Russia and supporting the people of Ukraine," Biden said in his address, delivered in a joint session of U.S. Congress.South Korea has agreed to Mar 2, 2022
North Korea still claims zero cases of COVID-19 North Korean citizens visit the statues of their late leaders Kim Il-sung, left, and Kim Jong-il on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang, North Korea on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-il, Feb. 16. AP-Yonhap North Korea has reported to the World Health Organization that the country has seen no cases of COVID-19 after more than 56,000 of its people have been tested so far, WHO data showed Tuesday.The North has claimed it has remained coronavirus-free since the pandemic began two years ago. According to the latest WHO statistics, 56,227 North Koreans have been tested for COVID-19 so far, but none of them were found to be infected. Of the about 1,300 people tested between Jan. 11 and 17, 110 showed symptoms similar to those of flu or acute respiratory infections, the North reported.Since the pandemic began, the North has kept its borders closed to fend off the coronavirus. It has also refused to accept vaccines allocated to the country through the COVAMar 1, 2022
North Korea blames US 'hegemonic policy' for Ukraine crisis North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a meeting of ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, Feb. 26, in this photo provided by the North Korean government. AP-Yonhap North Korea blamed the United States' "hegemonic policy" for the Ukrainian crisis Monday in its first official statement on Russia's ongoing invasion of the European country."The root cause of the Ukraine crisis totally lies in the hegemonic policy of the U.S. and the West, which indulge themselves in high-handedness and arbitrariness towards other countries," the North's Korean Central News Agency quoted an unnamed foreign ministry spokesperson as saying.The comments came as Washington is rallying allies and partners to impose "devastating costs" on Russia, including its isolation from global financial systems to hold Moscow accountable for the invasion. The North Korean spokesperson said the U.S. and the West have "systematically undermined the security environment of Europe by becoming more blaMar 1, 2022
North Korea's claimed test of 'reconnaissance satellite' seen as ballistic missile launch North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during a ruling party meeting in Pyongyang, Feb. 26, in this photo provided by the North Korean government. AP-Yonhap North Korea claimed Monday to have carried out an "important test" for developing a "reconnaissance satellite" despite South Korea's characterization of it as a ballistic missile launch.Sunday's test came amid concerns the North could fire a long-range rocket under the disguise of a satellite launch or conduct other provocative acts following its veiled threat last month to suspend its voluntary moratorium on nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests. "The DPRK National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) and the Academy of Defence Science conducted an important test Sunday under the plan of developing a reconnaissance satellite," the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.The Feb 28, 2022
NK leader urges party officials to redouble push for 'socialist construction' This photo provided by the North Korean government shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks in a meeting of ruling Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea on Feb. 26. AP-YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended a major ruling party event held in Pyongyang, the country's state media reported Sunday.In an opening address at the 2nd Conference of Secretaries of Primary Committees of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on Saturday, he talked about the "serious deviations of not meeting the requirement of the developing reality" despite the growth of a lot of primary organizations of the party, as well as progress in their "position and role," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)."He stressed the need to share experience gained in improving work and learn a lesson from mistakes," it said in an English-language report.The gathering was the second of its kind, with the inaugural session held in December 2016.It was meant to review the past five years of work of the primary party organizations and find a major way of improving their work, the KCNA said.KimFeb 27, 2022
NSC expresses grave regret over N. Korea's ballistic missile launch Cheong Wa Dae /NewsisThe presidential National Security Council (NSC) on Sunday expressed grave regret over North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile, calling for Pyongyang to immediately stop acts that threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula. National security adviser Suh Hoon presided over the NSC meeting, shortly after North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile that marked the North's eighth show of force this year. South Korea's military said the North's ballistic missile flew around 300 km at an altitude of 620 km.NSC members "expressed deep concern and grave regret over North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile today, despite the fact that South Korea and the United States have made joint efforts for a diplomatic solution," Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement. "Firing a ballistic missile at a time when the world is striving to resolve the war in Ukraine is not desirable for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, region and the world," the NSC said.The NSC also called for North Korea to swiftly respond to offers for dialogue by South Korea, the United States and the Feb 27, 2022
North Korea blames US 'high-handedness and arbitrariness' for Ukraine crisis North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, Jan. 19, in this photo provided by the North Korean government. AP-YonhapNorth Korea ascribed the armed conflict in Ukraine to the United States' "high-handedness and arbitrariness," Saturday, accusing Washington of having pursued "military supremacy" in disregard of Russia's security concerns. In a post on the North's foreign ministry website, Ri Ji-song, a researcher at the Society for International Politics Study, made the remarks ― the North's first public mention of the conflict following Russia's invasion of Ukraine earlier this week."The root cause of the Ukrainian crisis also lies in the high-handedness and arbitrariness of the U.S. which has held on solely to the unilateral sanction and pressure while pursuing only global hegemony and military supremacy in disregard of the legitimate demand of Russia for its security," Ri wrote.Ri also cited what he claims to be comments by global media and experts that the contributing factor to the Ukrainian crisis is the "Feb 27, 2022
