224 N. Korean defectors enter S. Korea in 2025A total of 224 North Korean defectors entered South Korea for resettlement last year, slightly down from the previous year, a unification ministry official said Tuesday. The 2025 total includes 198 female defectors and 26 male counterparts, bringing the cumulative number of North Korean defectors who have resettled in the South to 34,538, the official said. Inflows of North Korean defectors significantly dwindled during the COVID-19 pandemic amid Pyongyang's tight border controls, before rebounding to 196 in 2023 and 236 in 2024, according to the official. The official said inflows of North Korean defectors may remain at similar levels down going forward, as those who have stayed in third countries, such as China, as stopover points are expected to enter South Korea.Jan 20, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim sacks vice premier over irresponsibility ahead of key party congressNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sacked a vice premier of the North's cabinet over the official's irresponsibility in modernizing a machinery plant, state media reported Tuesday, in a rare public dismissal ahead of a key party congress. Kim dismissed Vice Premier Yang Sung-ho "on the spot" at an inauguration ceremony of the first-stage modernization project at the Ryongsong Machine Complex on Monday, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Kim said the project "encountered difficulties and incurred not a little amount of economic loss, experiencing unnecessary man-made confusions," according to the report. The Ryongsong Machine Complex project was promoted under Kim's plan to advance the country's machine-building industry at the ruling Workers' Party of Korea's (WPK) eighth party congress in 2021. Kim also accused Yang of attempting to mock the party center with "unjust remarks and acts," saying he was unqualified for the post. Yang, a former machinery industry minister promoted to vice premier in charge of the machinery sector, is also an alternate member of the pJan 20, 2026By Yonhap
Military looks into new allegations of intelligence unit's role in drone incursionThe defense ministry is looking into fresh allegations that the Defense Intelligence Command (DIC) supported a graduate student who claimed to have flown a drone into North Korea, a government official said Monday. Online news outlet Newstapa earlier reported that the man, surnamed Oh, is suspected of operating two companies disguised as online outlets that actually carry out intelligence activities in support of the DIC and of receiving 10 million won ($6,783), citing security sources. A defense ministry official said the ministry is participating in a joint military-police team investigating the case and supports a swift and thorough probe, declining to provide further details due to the ongoing investigation. The team is expected to verify the report and determine whether the DIC was involved in the drone incursion. Earlier this month, North Korea claimed South Korea had violated its sovereignty through drone incursions in September last year and on Jan. 4, with Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong-un, demanding that Seoul admit to and apologize for the incidents. SouthJan 19, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea calls S. Korea 'No. 1 hostile country' at indoctrination centerA major indoctrination facility in North Korea displayed banners calling South Korea the "No. 1 hostile country" and inciting public animosity against Seoul, photos released by the North's media showed Monday. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) published the photos while reporting on North Koreans touring the Central Class Education House in Pyongyang as part of celebrations marking the 80th founding anniversary of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, the country's largest youth organization. The class education house is a propaganda facility that fosters antagonism toward Seoul and Washington among the public. The KCNA photos showed rows of uniformed soldiers listening to a guide in a hall displaying banners, photos and painted messages against South Korea. The banners read, "South Korea is the No. 1 hostile country and the unchanging archenemy," and accused Seoul of creating a "confrontational frenzy" aimed at upending North Korea and "ending the regime." The messages included an article of South Korea's Constitution defining the country's territory as the entire Korean PeJan 19, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea-linked hacking group exploits Naver, Google ads to spread malware: reportA North Korea-linked hacking group has recently conducted a sophisticated malware distribution campaign by abusing online advertising systems operated by Naver and Google, a report showed Monday. According to the online threat assessment report released by Genians Security Center, Konni, the hacking group tied to Kimsuky and other Pyongyang-sponsored hacking groups, has launched an advanced persistent threat (APT) campaign by exploiting the online portals' ad systems. The group exploited a process referred to as click tracking used in online advertising, which routes users through intermediary web links before directing them to advertisers' websites. Through fake intermediary web links, the group was found to have redirected users to external servers hosting malicious files. According to the report, Konni initially focused on abusing Naver's advertising infrastructure but recently expanded its attacks through Google's ad system. Analysts at the center said they identified the phrase "Poseidon-Attack" within the malware code, suggesting the hacking group has systematically managed the campJan 19, 2026By Yonhap
Drone incursion probe focuses on 2 civilians who worked in Yoon administrationAccusations of South Korean drones entering North Korea have erupted into a political controversy after it emerged that two key suspects previously worked at the presidential office under former President Yoon Suk Yeol. One of the suspects, a man in his 30s who publicly claimed responsibility for flying the drones, worked as a contract staffer in the presidential spokesperson's office in 2022. The other suspect, who is under investigation for assembling the drones, is also known to have served in the same office during a similar period. A joint military-police investigative team said Sunday it plans to soon summon the man who claimed in a media interview that he sent drones across the inter-Korean border. In an interview with local broadcaster Channel A on Friday, the man said he personally flew drones toward North Korea three times since September 2025, claiming two crashed in the North while one returned safely. He presented what he described as aerial footage and other materials that showed the drone belonged to him. He said the flights were intended to measure radiation levels near aJan 18, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
Pyongyang briefly reports Kim's New Year's greeting to China's XiNorth Korea's leader Kim Jong-un sent a New Year's message to Chinese President Xi Jinping, state media reported Sunday, without releasing details, in a restrained move as Pyongyang deepens ties with Moscow. The Korean Central News Agency said Kim sent New Year's messages to several foreign leaders, including those of Vietnam, Singapore, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan, but referred to the Chinese leader by his title and to his wife without naming her. Earlier this month, the KCNA also reported that Xi and his wife sent a New Year's message to Kim, without providing details. The restrained coverage stands in sharp contrast to North Korea's recent portrayal of its relationship with Russia. In December, the KCNA published detailed accounts of letters exchanged between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kim described relations with Russia as a "precious common asset," while Putin was quoted as praising North Korea's "heroic" deployment of troops in Russia's war in Ukraine.Jan 18, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea would want nuclear arms acknowledgment, sanctions removal if it accedes to dialogue with US, says ex-US envoyWASHINGTON — A former U.S. nuclear envoy said Friday that North Korea would aim to have its nuclear weapons "acknowledged and accepted," like Pakistan's, and secure the lifting of sanctions should it accede to U.S. overtures for dialogue. Former U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Joseph Yun, who served as acting ambassador to Seoul from January last year to October, made the remarks during a seminar, noting that despite U.S. President Donald Trump's wishes to resume dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Kim does not appear to be ready. His remarks came amid growing speculation that Trump could seek reengagement with Kim in the coming months as Trump plans to visit China in April for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "North Korean goals are twofold. One is to lift sanctions and second is to have their nuclear weapons acknowledged and accepted," Yun said during the seminar on the South Korea-U.S. alliance hosted by the Korea Inter-parliamentary Exchange Center. "I mean it's just a little bit different from a recognized nuclear weapons power, but I think at minimuJan 17, 2026By Yonhap
'Civilian' faces probes over drone incursion alleged by NorthA joint military-police team said Friday that it is investigating a "civilian" over a recent drone incursion alleged by North Korea. North Korea claimed early this month that South Korea infringed on its sovereignty with drone incursions in September last year and on Jan. 4, with the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong-un demanding Seoul admit and apologize for the incident. South Korea's military has denied such claims, saying the drones in question were not models operated by the military. The police did not reveal the suspect's identity and other details of the investigation. "We have summoned one civilian suspect in connection with the case and are undergoing an investigation," the National Police Agency said in a notice to reporters. President Lee Jae Myung has ordered a "thorough" investigation into the matter, warning that such acts would constitute a "grave crime" threatening peace on the Korean Peninsula, if confirmed. Following the police notice, local broadcaster Channel A aired an interview with a 30-something-year-old man, who purported to have sent the drone to the North. The mJan 16, 2026By Yonhap
Unification, foreign ministries launch regular consultative channel on N. Korea policyThe unification and foreign ministries launched their vice ministerial-level consultative channel to coordinate policies on North Korea on Friday, officials said. Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung and Jeong Yeon-doo, vice minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence at the foreign ministry, held a luncheon meeting earlier in the day in the inaugural session of regular consultations, according to the unification ministry. The consultative channel was launched after a subtle mismatch emerged between the ministries over which should lead consultations with the United States on North Korea policy. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said his ministry would handle consultations with the U.S. on policies related to the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean relations when the foreign ministry launched a regular consultative body with the U.S. Embassy in Seoul on North Korea policy last month. "(The officials) agreed to meet frequently in the future to share information on North Korea's latest moves, as well as views on North Korea policy," the unification ministry said in a press releasJan 16, 2026By Yonhap
