1st tribute by Kim's daughter at family mausoleum seen as highlighting image of potential successorNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un's teenage daughter, Ju-ae, has paid tribute at the family mausoleum for the first time, reinforcing her image as North Korea's potential successor of the ruling family's "Paektu bloodline," experts said. But some observers said her presence at the mausoleum, together with her father and mother, is apparently intended to emphasize the image of a "loving family," assessing that it was not a sign of North Korea "formalizing" her status as Kim's successor. Kim Ju-ae, believed to be born in 2013, was seen paying tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, together with her father and mother, Ri Sol-ju, on New Year's Day, according to photos published by the North's state media. The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the incumbent leader's late grandfather and father lie in state, symbolizes the legacy of the power succession of the ruling Kim's family. It marked Ju-ae's first known visit to the family mausoleum since she appeared in North Korean state media for the first time in November 2022, when she visited the launch site of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballJan 2, 2026By Yonhap
Daughter of N. Korea's Kim pays tribute at family mausoleum for 1st timeNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un's teenage daughter Ju-ae has paid tribute at the family mausoleum for the first time, accompanied by her father, the North's state media images showed Friday. Her first known attendance at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the North Korean leader's late father and grandfather lie in state, came amid growing speculation about her presence in the North Korean communist dynasty's potential succession. Kim, his wife and Ju-ae, as well as key party and government officials, visited the family mausoleum on New Year's Day. While the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not mention that Ju-ae visited the family mausoleum, state media photos showed the Kim family standing in the front row. Ju-ae was spotted in the center, with her parents standing on each side. It marked the first known visit to the family mausoleum by Ju-ae, who first appeared in North Korean state media in 2022. "All the visitors made a firm pledge to fulfill their responsibility and duty in the vanguard of accomplishing the sacred cause for the eternal prosperity and development of tJan 2, 2026By Yonhap
North Korea's Kim attends New Year celebrations with daughterNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended New Year's celebrations in Pyongyang that included fireworks, patriotic songs and dances and a taekwondo demonstration, state media KCNA said on Thursday. Kim's daughter Ju-ae, who some analysts view as the frontrunner to become his successor, accompanied Kim during the celebrations, hugging children along with her father, sitting next to him and holding hands with him, KCNA photos showed. In a speech, Kim lauded the North Korean people's efforts which led to "successes and phenomenal changes" in 2025, and called for their unity as a key party congress expected to be held in early 2026 will lay out the future direction for the country. North Korea is expected to hold the 9th Congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea soon, which will lay out the country's plans for the next five years in various fields such as nuclear and weapons development, as well as the economy. Kim also sent a New Year's message to North Korean troops fighting on Russia's side in the war in Ukraine, calling them the "greatest strength and pride andJan 1, 2026By Reuters
From Buldak noodles to photo booths: North Korea copies South Korean trendsEven as North Korea spent 2025 pushing a political strategy centered on ignoring South Korea, the country simultaneously copied South Korean products, designs and cultural content — from food packaging to football fan zones — revealing what analysts describe as a contradictory yet calculated pattern of imitation. While Pyongyang continues to warn against the inflow of South Korean culture, it has selectively adopted popular elements and repurposed them as its own through what observers call “subjective adaptation.” According to Kang Dong-wan, a professor at Dong-A University and head of the Busan Hana Center, North Korea’s tendency to “follow the South” became more blatant over the past year. One example is a noodle product whose packaging closely resembles Samyang Foods’ Buldak Ramen, complete with a similar black background and fiery chicken mascot. North Korea reportedly produced the imitation product, labeled “Spicy Kimchi Bibim Noodles,” and exported it to China in an apparent attempt to benefit from the global K-food boom. Photos provided by Kang also show a raJan 1, 2026By Hankookilbo
Pyongyang briefly reports on New Year's greeting by China's Xi to N. Korea's KimPyongyang's state media on Thursday briefly reported on a New Year's message by Chinese President Xi Jinping to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The report by the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), however, did not provide details of Xi's message. The KCNA listed Xi and his wife among a number of foreign leaders who have sent New Year's messages to Kim, including leaders from Vietnam, Myanmar and Belarus. Last month, the KCNA reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a New Year's message to Kim, which it disclosed in detail. Putin sent the New Year's message on Dec. 18 and the KCNA released it last Thursday, quoting him as hailing the North's "heroic" dispatch of troops in Russia's war against Ukraine.Jan 1, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim hails troops in Russia for cementing 'invincible alliance' with MoscowNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has told the country's troops dispatched to support Russia in its war against Ukraine that their combat participation helps cement the "invincible alliance" between Pyongyang and Moscow, state media reported Thursday. Kim delivered the message in a New Year's letter addressed to North Korean soldiers stationed overseas, dated Wednesday and released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea has sent more than 10,000 troops and conventional weapons to support Russia's war efforts, with thousands believed to have been killed in action. Extending New Year's greetings, Kim said 2025 was shining brightly thanks to the "imperishable" honor the troops safeguarded with their blood and lives, "All of you have safeguarded heroically the dignity and honour of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)," Kim said, lauding them as "the greatest strength, pride and a strong pillar" of the country. Kim said he hopes to reunite with the soldiers as early as possible, adding that he has no greater hope than seeing all of them return home safely and urging tJan 1, 2026By Yonhap
S. Korea to prioritize confirming fate of separated families' kin in N. KoreaThe unification ministry said Wednesday it will prioritize confirming the fate of separated families' relatives in North Korea if strained inter-Korean relations begin to improve. Under the 2026-2028 plan for supporting families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, the ministry said it will make efforts to resume exchanges between such divided families at the government level and facilitate civilian-level exchanges between them. "When there is progress over inter-Korean relations, the government will prioritize confirming the fate of the families' relatives in North Korea," the ministry said. Since the first inter-Korean summit in 2000, the two Koreas have held 21 rounds of separated family reunions. Since the last event in August 2018, state-arranged family events have been suspended amid frosty inter-Korean ties. North Korea dismantled a reunion facility for separated families inside its Mount Kumgang tourist area after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered officials in 2019 to tear down all "unpleasant-looking" facilities built by South Korea at the mountain resort. The ministry saidDec 31, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea set to mark New Year with outdoor celebrations, firework displayNorth Korea is set to hold a nighttime outdoor celebration and launch fireworks Wednesday to usher in the new year, according to the North's state media. At 11 p.m., youths and students will gather at Kim Il Sung Square to hold a nighttime outdoor celebration, with a ceremony to hoist the national flag and firework displays also planned, according to the Korean Central Broadcasting Station. In recent years, North Korea has held such events at the square on the eve of Jan. 1. North Korea may hold a separate art performance celebrating the new year, attended by its leader Kim Jong-un. On the last day of 2024, Kim attended a large-scale art performance held at the May Day Stadium with his daughter Ju-ae. North Korea appears to have held large-scale New Year celebrations in a bid to arouse the people's pride in the nation and strengthen internal solidarity. The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, carried a report on Kim's inspections for this year on the front page of Wednesday's edition, highlighting his attendance at the opening ceremonies for regional factories and the overseeing ofDec 31, 2025By Yonhap
S. Koreans allowed to access N. Korean propaganda newspaper starting TuesdaySouth Koreans can now read Rodong Sinmun, the main newspaper of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, without prior approval from the authorities, following the government's relaxation of a decades-long restriction on Pyongyang's publications, the Ministry of Unification said Tuesday. Under the new policy, Rodong Sinmun — long classified as a "special publication" — has been reclassified as a "general publication," allowing the public to access issues at libraries without special approval procedures. "Starting today, visitors to institutions authorized to handle the newspaper will be able to access Rodong Sinmun in the same manner as general publications, without the need for separate identity verification or application procedures," Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung said at a briefing. Kim said the change is intended to guarantee the public free access to information about North Korea, moving away from the current system in which the government controls and selectively provides that information. According to the ministry, 181 institutions nationwide hold copies of Rodong Sinmun,Dec 30, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
N. Korean officials' license plates indicate power hierarchy in regimeCar license plates used by ranking North Korean officials may point to their power hierarchy in the regime, according to an analysis of state media Tuesday, with Premier Pak Thae-song appearing to be second in the order of precedence. Since North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was seen riding the Aurus luxurious limousine having the license plate "7•27 0001," questions have arisen over which North Korean official holds a license plate bearing the following number. Premier Pak was detected riding a vehicle with the plate number "7•27 0002" and that of Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the North's parliamentary standing committee, was identified as "0003," according to state TV network footage analyzed by Yonhap News Agency. Experts said Pak's license plate may indicate the political status of the Cabinet has grown in North Korea as the North Korean leader has empowered the Cabinet to take more responsibility for implementing the economic policy as the "economic control tower." The status of a premier has been enhanced under Kim's rule as he has focused on improving the people's livelihoods, highDec 30, 2025By Yonhap
