Unification ministry vows to find 'phased, viable' path to denuclearizationThe unification ministry said Friday its stance on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula remains unchanged, vowing to seek "phased, viable" solutions. The ministry made the remarks a day after North Korea reiterated the stance of not giving up its nuclear weapons. "The government has no change in its position to seek phased, viable solutions for denuclearization, which are mutually acceptable based on the reality," Chang Yoon-jeong, deputy spokesperson at the ministry, told a press briefing. The previous night, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, lashed out at a Group of Seven statement released Wednesday at the summit in France, which reaffirmed their commitment to the "complete denuclearization" of North Korea under U.N. Security Council resolutions. Kim called Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal its "core interests" and denuclearization a "line of no retreat that can never be crossed." Jang said Kim's statement appeared to be a reiteration of a position she had already staked out earlier this month, when she similarly declared the nuclear program centralJun 19, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea vows deeper ties with Russia on 2nd anniv. of signing key treatyNorth Korea on Friday marked the second anniversary of the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Russia, calling it "an essential legal weapon" that promises "a new global order." The Rodong Sinmun, the ruling Workers' Party of Korea's newspaper, said the pact — signed in Pyongyang on June 19, 2024, during Russian President Vladimir Putin's state visit — had given the two countries a firm foundation to weather "a confusing and volatile international situation." The treaty included a mutual defense clause committing each side to assist the other in the event of aggression — an agreement that has since seen North Korea send troops to fight alongside Russian forces against Ukraine. Friday's piece cited a new hospital under construction, restored air links between Pyongyang and Moscow, and the deployment of soldiers to Russia as part of the pact's fruits. North Korea pledged to "actively support" the Russian government's policies based on the treaty, calling deeper ties across all sectors its "steadfast position." Separately, it also reported that Vladimir TopekhaJun 19, 2026By Yonhap
NK leader's sister slams G7 call for denuclearization, defends nuclear arms as 'means of self-defense'The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Thursday denounced international calls for denuclearization, describing the country's nuclear weapons as its "core interests" and denuclearization as a "line of no retreat that can never be crossed," Pyongyang's state media reported. In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim Yo-jong criticized the United States and its allies for making what she called "anachronistic" demands for North Korea's denuclearization. Kim's remarks came in response to a joint statement issued by leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations at their summit in Paris on Wednesday, which reaffirmed their commitment to the "complete denuclearization" of North Korea in line with U.N. Security Council resolutions. Dismissing the G7's demand outright, she said denuclearization was "an irreversibly finalized agenda" that "can never be realized." "Nuclear weapons are powerful means of defending sovereignty and cornerstone for ensuring peace, defined by the law of the DPRK," she said, claiming its nuclear arsenal is "a means for self-defensJun 18, 2026By Yonhap
Vice N. Korean FM vows deeper cultural cooperation with China at Chinese Embassy eventA senior North Korean diplomat has pledged to deepen cultural exchanges and cooperation with China during an event hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang, according to the embassy Thursday. The reception held on Wednesday to mark the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations was attended by North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong, officials from the ruling Workers' Party of Korea and foreign diplomats stationed in Pyongyang, among others. In his remarks shared at the event, Kim said North Korea is willing to work with China to elevate bilateral friendly and cooperative relations to expand cultural exchanges, taking the recent summit in Pyongyang between the leaders of the two countries as an opportunity, according to the embassy. Proposed by China and co-sponsored by over 80 countries, the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations, which falls on June 10, was established through its adoption at the United Nations General Assembly in 2024. Kim also said the establishment of the U.N.-recognized observance day has contributed to promoting exchanges among countriJun 18, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea holds commemorative event marking observance for people with disabilitiesNorth Korea has held a commemorative event to mark an annual observance dedicated to people with disabilities, state media reported Thursday. North Korea held its annual Day of Persons with Disabilities observance event at the Sci-Tech Complex in Pyongyang on Wednesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Attended by public welfare officials and families of disabled people, various support programs were introduced at the event, with awards handed down to those who have participated in various sponsorship programs. The country has annually held such events since adopting a law on the protection of persons with disabilities in 2003, with June 18 designated as the day of observance. In a separate article, the KCNA said public awareness of issues involving disabled people has increased while highlighting policies aimed at supporting their education, medical care and employment. The report also noted the activities of organizations for disabled artists and athletes in the North, including the Korean Art Association of the Disabled and the Korean Sports Association for the DisabJun 18, 2026By Yonhap
Jeju Forum seeks to invite North Korean UNESCO official to participate remotelyThe organizers of the Jeju Forum, an annual event held in Jeju Island on themes of peace, are seeking to invite a North Korean UNESCO official to participate remotely in this year's edition, which is set to take place next week. If realized, the official will become the first North Korean to take part in the South Korean-hosted forum since its launch in 2001. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Unification, the forum organizers are working to invite Chang Gwang-chol, chief of the Education Policy Section at UNESCO’s Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems, as a speaker for a session titled “UNESCO and the Future of Education: Challenges and Prospects” on June 26. The unification ministry said forum organizers had filed a notification in advance to communicate with Chang. Under South Korean law, contact with North Korean nationals requires prior approval from the unification ministry, even if the communication is related to participation in an academic or international event. “The organizers submitted the contact report in advance, and we aJun 16, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji
N. Korea touts economic achievements ahead of key party meetingNorth Korea's state media outlets on Tuesday highlighted economic achievements ahead of a key party plenary meeting later this month, in an apparent bid to rally workers behind the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Tuesday that industrial output has climbed 105 percent since the WPK's ninth congress in February, attributing the achievement to the drive and determination of workers and factory managers across the country. The KCNA cited the Sangwon Cement Complex in North Hwanghae Province as a model for what the party expects from workers nationwide. The complex, a facility with an annual production capacity of 2 million tons, reportedly hit 107 percent of its daily production target throughout March and met its quotas in the two months that followed. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the plant March 1, marking his first inspection of an economic site since the congress. A local coal mine also drew praise, with the KCNA report claiming it exceeded its production target by more than 1,000 tons. Similar gains were cited in chemicals aJun 16, 2026By Yonhap
Jeju’s ‘Vitamin C diplomacy’ revives dormant model of North Korea engagementFor years, North Korea has rejected all dialogue with Seoul, denouncing reunification and spurning offers of aid. But Jeju Island’s announcement this week that it sent medical equipment, citrus saplings and other supplies to North Korea suggests that another channel for engagement may still be open: South Korea’s local governments. While North Korea has not confirmed the transfer, local governments have long served as alternate pathways to exchanges with Pyongyang, from Jeju’s “Vitamin C diplomacy” to tourism projects pursued by border provinces. Jeju’s latest success could provide a template for renewed cooperation. However, experts caution that it is still too early to gauge Pyongyang’s openness to engage with South Korean local governments based solely on this initiative, despite the glimmer of hope it offers after years of stalled inter-Korean ties. The Jeju deal The Jeju government said Monday it had provided North Korea with roughly $100,000 worth of medical equipment, hallabong citrus saplings and other goods, after engaging in discussions with a North Korean organizaJun 16, 2026By NK News
N. Korea's Kim congratulates Xi's 73rd birthday with message, flowersNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a congratulatory message and flower basket to Chinese President Xi Jinping on his 73rd birthday, Pyongyang's state media said Tuesday. Kim wished Xi "good health and greater success in leading the cause of socialist construction in China" in the message delivered the previous day through North Korea's ambassador to China, the Korean Central News Agency reported. A ribbon on the flower basket read, "I warmly congratulate Comrade General Secretary Xi Jinping on your birthday," according to the report. The gesture follows Xi's two-day state visit to Pyongyang last week, his first trip to North Korea in nearly seven years. During the visit, the two agreed to deepen cooperation across politics, economy and culture, pledging to strengthen high-level communication and open a new chapter in bilateral relations.Jun 16, 2026By Yonhap
Trump's captionless Kim Jong-un photo sparks talk of renewed North Korea diplomacyHours after declaring an end to the war with Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump posted a captionless photo of himself with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un — a move experts say signals openness to renewed summit talks with Pyongyang, even if North Korea is unlikely to become an immediate priority for the administration. Trump uploaded the image to Truth Social on Sunday (local time), showing him walking with Kim through a garden in Singapore on June 12, 2018, during the summit at which the two leaders agreed to pursue denuclearization and improved bilateral ties. The post came roughly an hour after Trump announced the U.S. would sign a deal with Iran Monday, an agreement he said would bar Iran from possessing nuclear weapons and lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. “Barack Hussein Obama’s Deal with Iran, the JCPOA, was an easy, beautiful, smooth road to a Nuclear Weapon, which Iran would have had six years ago, and would have used long before now. My Agreement with Iran is the exact opposite, A WALL TO NO NUCLEAR WEAPON! In fact, they no longer want a Nuclear Weapon, norJun 15, 2026By Park Ji-won
