NK stages rally in Pyongyang to back key party meeting decision A rally held Jan. 5 at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang in support of decisions from the 4th Plenary Meeting of the Workers' Party's 8th Central Committee, conducted the previous day, is seen in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap North Korea held a major outdoor rally in Pyongyang earlier this week, with a number of citizens and some top officials in attendance, in support of decisions from a recent key party meeting, according to its state media Thursday.Wrapping up a year-end Workers' Party plenary session last week, the North outlined its policy priorities for the new year on developing the national economy and bolstering anti-virus efforts."In order to thoroughly accomplish the decisions of the 4th Plenary Meeting of the Workers' Party's 8th Central Committee, a Pyongyang city rally was held at the Kim Il-sung Square on Wednesday," the Korean Central News Agency said. Officials and workers of factories, companies and Jan 6, 2022
US condemns NK missile launch, reaffirms commitment to dialogue People watch a TV report at Seoul Station, Jan. 5, on North Korea's firing of a projectile toward the East Sea earlier in the day in the North's first show of force this year. YonhapThe United States condemned North Korea's recent missile launch as a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions and a threat to the international community, Wednesday (local time)."The United States condemns the DPRK's ballistic missile launch. This launch is in violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions and poses a threat to the DPRK's neighbors and the international community," a state department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency in an email.DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile into the East Sea, Wednesday, (KST), according to the U.S. Defense Department and the South Korean Ministry of National Defense.The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command earlier said the launch did not pose an immediate threat to the U.S. or its allies."We are aware of the ballistic missile launch and are consuJan 6, 2022
North Korea says it test-fired 'hypersonic' missile to bolster strategic capabilities This photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, Jan. 6, shows what the North claims to be a new hypersonic missile launched the previous day. YonhapNorth Korea said Thursday that it successfully conducted a test-firing of what it called a "hypersonic" missile a day earlier, three months after it first showcased the new weapon.On Wednesday, South Korea's military said the North fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile toward the East Sea from the northern province of Jagang.The missile made a "120 km lateral movement" from the initial launch azimuth and "precisely hit a set target 700 km away," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. It did not disclose the speed of the projectile.North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not attend the missile test."The test launch clearly demonstrated the control and stability of the hypersonic gliding warhead which combined the multi-stage gliding jump flight and the strong lateral movement," the KCNA said.Hypersonic missiles usually fly at a speed of at least Mach 5, five times the speed of sound or 6,125 km per hour, Jan 6, 2022
South's peace overtures answered by North's ballistic missile launch President Moon Jae-in speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for railway construction to connect Gangneung and Jejin of Gangwon Province, a part of the inter-Korean railroad connection project based upon the 2018 Panmunjeom Declaration adopted by Moon and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, held at Jejin Station in Goseong, Gangwon Province, Wednesday. YonhapPyongyang fires ballistic missile into sea off east coastBy Jung Da-min The Moon Jae-in government is making last-ditch efforts for progress on its inter-Korean peace drive before President Moon's term ends in about five months, but Pyongyang is remaining unresponsive to Seoul's continued calls for dialogue. Rather, North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Wednesday morning, marking this year's first missile launch. This launch coincided with Moon's attendance at a groundbreaking ceremony for the railroad construction to connect Gangneung and Jejin of Gangwon Province, a part of the inter-Korean railroad connection project based upon the 2018 Panmunjeom Declaration adopted by Moon and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un.According Jan 5, 2022
Moon urges North Korea to make efforts for dialogue President Moon Jae-in / YonhapPresident Moon Jae-in called for North Korea to make efforts for dialogue in a more earnest manner Wednesday, after Pyongyang launched a suspected ballistic missile into the sea in its first show of force this year."This morning, North Korea test-fired an unidentified short-range projectile," Moon told a groundbreaking ceremony for a railway at an inter-Korean border town. "Because of this, there are concerns that tensions could rise and the stalemate in inter-Korean relations could further deepen."But in order to fundamentally overcome this situation, Moon said the South should not give up on dialogue."North Korea also should make efforts in a more earnest manner," Moon said. South Korea's military said North Korea fired what is presumed to be a ballistic missile toward the East Sea earlier in the day. It marks the North's first launch since the regime fired off a new submarine-launched ballistic missile in October last year. (Yonhap)Jan 5, 2022
National Security Council expresses concerns over North Korea's suspected missile launch People watch a TV screen showing an image of North Korea's launch of a missile during a news program at Seoul Station, Jan. 5. YonhapThe presidential National Security Council (NSC) expressed concerns Wednesday over North Korea's launch of a suspected ballistic missile and called for resuming talks to ease tensions. National security adviser Suh Hoon presided over the NSC meeting shortly after the North fired the suspected ballistic missile into the East Sea and was briefed by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Won In-choul, according to Cheong Wa Dae. "The council members expressed concerns over North Korea's launch at a time when stability is very necessary at home and abroad," Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement. The council members also emphasized the need to resume talks with North Korea to ease tensions, it said. (Yonhap)Jan 5, 2022
North Korea launches apparent ballistic missile toward East Sea: JCS North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, in this photo taken Dec. 27, 2021, by the North Korean government. The North launched an unidentified projectile toward the East Sea, Wednesday, South Korea's military said, in the reclusive regime's first show of force this year. AP-YonhapNorth Korea launched an unidentified projectile toward the East Sea, Wednesday, South Korea's military said, in the reclusive regime's first show of force this year.The North launched the missile eastward at around 8:10 a.m. from a land-based platform, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said without further elaboration."For additional information, the intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States are conducting a detailed analysis," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.South Korea's military in cooperation with the U.S. is closely watching related North Korean movements and maintaining a readiness posture against the possibility of additional launches, the JCS said.It marks the North's first launch since theJan 5, 2022
Seoul says North Korean defector presumed as border crosser received due settlement support People watch the North Korean side as they visit to celebrate New Year at Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, near the border with North Korea, South Korea, Jan. 1. AP-YonhapThe North Korean defector who is presumed to have crossed the tense inter-Korean border to return home last week had received due resettlement support from the South Korean government, Seoul's unification ministry said Tuesday, amid reports he suffered economic difficulties after his defection.The man crossed the heavily fortified eastern border into the North over the weekend, about a year after he reached the South, also using an eastern front-line route in November 2020, according to the military.Following media reports he could have opted to return home due to economic difficulties, a unification ministry official said the government provided due support granted for North Korean defectors settling in the South. The presumed border crosser, in his 30s, is known to have worked as a cleaner here."The defector had received overall support for safety, housing, medical care, employment and living in accordance with the NortJan 4, 2022
Weekend border crosser thought to be North Korean defector: military South Korean soldiers patrol along a barbed-wire fence in Paju, near the border with North Korea, Jan. 2. AP-YonhapSouth Korea's defense ministry said Monday that the person who crossed the eastern inter-Korean border into North Korea over the weekend is presumed to be a North Korean who previously defected to the South.The ministry's statement came amid reports that the man appeared to be the same person who crossed a barbed wire fence on the heavily fortified border to enter the South in November 2020."Regarding the border crossing, the authorities presume the person is a North Korean defector and are in the process of verifying any related facts," the ministry said in the statement.On Saturday night, the man raced across the border area that is under the supervision of the South Korean Army's 22nd Division, in what is being decried as another security failure.The North Korean defector in question also used a similar eastern border route to reach the South.The latest incident came in spite of the military's pledge to overhaul its border defense system with stronger surveillance equJan 3, 2022
North Korea remains unresponsive to Seoul's message about border-crossing Military guard posts of North Korea, background, and South Korea, foreground, are seen in Paju, near the inter-Korean border, Jan. 2. AP-YonhapNorth Korea has so far yet to deliver a response to South Korea's message about an unidentified person who crossed the eastern inter-Korean border over the weekend, the defense ministry said Monday.South Korea sent the message through a western military communication line Sunday "in light of protecting our citizens," though it has yet to verify the details about the person who crossed the heavily fortified border Saturday night.The fate of the person was not immediately confirmed amid reports the North has a "shoot-to-kill" policy in place as part of tougher border control measures against COVID-19."We sent the message in light of protecting our citizens, and we have not received a reply from North Korea yet," ministry spokesperson Boo Seung-chan told a regular press briefing.South Korea's military is trying to verify whether the person in question was a South Korean citizen or a former North Korean defector. Also unknown is whether the personJan 3, 2022
