CNN: North Korean leader 'in grave danger' after surgery North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / YonhapBy Jung Min-hoNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un “is in grave danger” after undergoing surgery, according to CNN Tuesday (KST).CNN reported that Kim's condition is being monitored by U.S. intelligence officials after the recent cardiovascular operation.The report came after a Seoul-based internet news outlet said that Kim has been receiving medical treatment at a villa in the resort county of Hyangsan, outside of Pyongyang, after the surgery.Speculation abound after Kim skipped the annual celebration of his grandfather's birthday on April 15. Some observers said he did so due to coronavirus concerns.Kim last appeared in North Korean state media on April 11.Apr 21, 2020By Jung Min-ho
North Korea denies sending letter to Trump recently North Korea has denied its leader Kim Jong-un sending any correspondence to U.S. President Donald Trump, Sunday, less than a day after the latter claimed having received one. YonhapNorth Korea on Sunday denied any recent correspondence with U.S. President Donald Trump, less than a day after Trump mentioned having received a "nice note" from leader Kim Jong-un."The U.S. media reported Saturday that the U.S. President mentioned receiving a 'nice note' from our top leadership in a press conference," the North said in a statement carried by its outlet Korean Central News Agency."We cannot know for sure whether the U.S. president reminisced about past correspondence, but our leadership did not send any letter to the U.S. president recently."Trump said during a daily White House press briefing on COVID-19 Saturday that he recently received a "nice note" from Kim, and insisted their relationship remains good.The two countries have failed to make progress in denuclearization negotiations since a February 2019 summit between Trump and Kim ended without a deal.But the leaders have maintained pApr 19, 2020
N. Korea continued nuclear activities in 2019: US State Department North Korea continued nuclear activities last year in violation of its commitments to abandon all nuclear programs, the U.S. State Department has said.In a summarized report to Congress Wednesday, the department also said North Korea has likely had a biological warfare program since at least the 1960s.The report discusses U.S. and other nations' compliance last year with various arms control and nonproliferation agreements."North Korea's continuing nuclear activities make clear that it ... has not adhered to its commitments in the 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, and to return at an early date to the NPT and IAEA safeguards," the department said, referring to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the International Atomic Energy Agency.The U.S. also assesses that North Korea has an offensive biological warfare program in violation of its obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention."Although the United States has fragmented insight into North Korea's offensive BW program, continued reporting illustrates that NoApr 18, 2020
N. Korea's refined petroleum imports exceeded U.N. limit up to 8 times: UN panel North Korea's imports of refined petroleum products exceeded the annual limit imposed by the United Nations by up to eight times in the first 10 months of last year, a U.N. panel of experts said in a new report cited by foreign media Friday.The 267-page report for the U.N. Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee also said the communist country continued to enhance its illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs in violation of Security Council resolutions.The annual report by the eight-member panel covered the period from Aug. 3, 2019, to Feb. 7, 2020, and summarized the findings of U.N. member states as well as the experts themselves.It comes as nuclear negotiations between the United States and North Korea have stalled for more than a year due to their failure to match the North's denuclearization steps with U.S. sanctions relief.The panel said a U.S. report it received on Nov. 8 showed deliveries of refined petroleum products to North Korea that far exceeded the annual quota of 500,000 barrels imposed by the U.N. Security Council.If fully laden, the shipments betweenApr 18, 2020
Low-key celebrations for North Korea's founder in face of virus People wearing face masks lay flowers before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong-il on the occasion of the 108th birthday of late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung, known as the “Day of the Sun,” in Pyongyang on April 15. / AFP-YonhapSEOUL (AFP) -- North Korea marked the anniversary of the birth of its founder Kim Il Sung in subdued fashion Wednesday, with mask-wearing citizens placing flowers before his statue in Pyongyang as the country imposes strict anti-coronavirus measures.The grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong Un was born 108 years ago and April 15 is the most important date in the North's annual political calendar, where it is known as the Day of the Sun.But Pyongyang has imposed tight restrictions against the pandemic that has swept the world since emerging in neighbouring China, closing its borders and for a time quarantining thousands of its own citizens as well as hundreds of foreigners, and insists that it has not seen a single case.People bow before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on thApr 15, 2020
North Korea fires multiple anti-ship cruise missiles into East Sea: JCS North Korea fired a salvo of short-range projectiles believed to be anti-ship cruise missiles into the East Sea on Tuesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. YonhapNorth Korea fired a salvo of short-range projectiles believed to be anti-ship cruise missiles into the East Sea on Tuesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.The firings came on the eve of the birthday of late founder Kim Il-sung and South Korea's general elections.The projectiles, assumed to be surface-to-ship cruise missiles, were fired northeastward from areas near its eastern coastal town of Munchon at around 7 a.m., which lasted more than 40 minutes, the JCS said, adding they flew around 150 kilometers before splashing into waters off the east coast. "The military is closely monitoring the situation for possible additional launches, while maintaining a readiness posture," the JCS said in a release. It is the latest in a series of military actions by the North as the regime has sought to beef up defense capabilities amid stalled denuclearization talks with the United States and heightened vigApr 14, 2020
North Korea calls for stricter anti-epidemic measures Kim Jong-un speaks during the political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's central committee, Saturday. YonhapNorth Korea called for stricter and more thorough countermeasures to ensure the safety of its citizens from the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak at a political bureau meeting of the ruling party's central committee, which was presided over by its leader Kim Jong Un, state media reported on Sunday.The Korean Central News Agency said the widespread virus has created obstacles to the country's effort in its economic construction, though it added the country "has been maintaining (a) very stable anti-epidemic situation" thanks to its "strict top-class emergency anti-epidemic measures ... consistency and compulsoriness in the nationwide protective measures."A World Health Organization Representative to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea told Reuters on Tuesday that the country continues testing of the coronavirus and has more than 500 people in quarantine but still had no confirmed cases yet.This photo shows none of the committee members who attended the meetiApr 12, 2020
Kim Jong-un's sister promoted to key politburo member From left, Park Jung-chun, Ri Sun-kwon and Kim Yo-jong. They were appointed as key politburo members of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party. YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has presided over a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, discussing anti-coronavirus measures and electing his sister as an alternate member of the bureau, state media said Sunday.The politburo meeting held on Saturday suggests that a key session of the country's rubber-stamp legislature Supreme People's Assembly, which was supposed to take place on Friday, has been postponed for unclear reasons because a politburo meeting usually takes place on the eve of an SPA session.The meeting discussed antivirus efforts, budget issues and other organization matters, and a resolution was adopted "on more thoroughly taking national measures for protecting the life and safety of our people to cope with the worldwide epidemic disease," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. "It has become impossible to remove the danger of the virus infection in a short time and such environment can become a conditiApr 12, 2020
North Korean leader supervises mortar firing drill North Korean soldiers participate in a mortar firing drill, according to the official Korean Central News Agency Friday. It did not specify where and when the drill was held. YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversees mortar firing drill, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. YonhapNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen a mortar firing drill, state media reported Friday, ahead of a key meeting of the country's rubber-stamp legislature to be watched closely for any message to the United States.Kim's attendance in the exercise suggests that a politburo or a plenary meeting of the country's ruling Workers' Party, which used to be held on the eve of a Supreme People's Assembly session, did not take place, and therefore, Friday's SPA meeting may not lead to significant decisions.The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim "guided the drill of mortar sub-units" of the Korean People's Army "aimed at learning about the power of light guns and heavy weapons" and "judging and estimating the firepower combat abilities of mortar-men." He expressed "great satisApr 10, 2020
UNICEF raises North Korea aid budget by $3 million to $22.5 million People wearing face masks walk before the portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong-il, right, on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on April 9. / AFP-YonhapSEOUL ― The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said it has set this year's budget for North Korea aid projects at US$22.5 million, up about $3 million from last year."Prolonged dry spells, flooding and limited agricultural inputs, which led to increased food insecurity in 2019, will likely persist in 2020," UNICEF said in its "Humanitarian Action for Children 2020" report, calling for further external aid to assist North Koreans.The report said 10.4 million people in North Korea, including 2.67 million under age 18, are exposed to chronic food insecurity and lack access to basic services, such as health care and sanitation facilities.Among the total amount of funds requested for this year, $9.9 million is needed for nutritional support, followed by $5.8 million for water, sanitation and hygiene and $6.8 million for health related assistance, it said.The agency plans to provide vitamins and micronutrient suApr 9, 2020
