N. Korea slams Japan's defense paper as justification for military buildupNorth Korea on Tuesday denounced Japan's latest defense white paper, calling it an attempt to justify the country's military buildup and describing it as legal basis for "the operation of war machine." Kang Won-chol, an international security analyst, made the claims in an article published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and the Rodong Sinmun, the most widely read newspaper in the North. Kang said the white paper came out at a time when "Japan has been rushing headlong into militarization, seized with an ambition for reinvasion." He argued Japan had "groundlessly" described North Korea as a "serious and imminent threat" in the white paper to justify its "reckless" military buildup. "It is nothing but an act of turning black into white that Japan stipulated the 'threat' from neighboring countries in the white paper although it has been putting spurs to the tightening of the alliance with the U.S. and its followers after setting it as a 'state policy' to negate its past crimes and realize its ambition to become a military power," he wrote. He also cited Japanese Defense Minister SAug 11, 2026By Yonhap
Seoul cautious on Ukraine defense request amid N. Korean troop reportsThe government maintained a cautious stance on Ukraine's request for air defense support and other military provisions, a senior government official said Monday, amid Ukrainian claims that North Korea is preparing to send more troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. "South Korea's supply of defense materials to any country has always been carried out in accordance with domestic law," a senior foreign ministry official said. "The government has offered support to Ukraine in a variety of sectors, including energy, infrastructure, healthcare and education, and will continue reviewing measures to help Ukraine recover peace and rebuild," the official said, appearing to reaffirm Seoul's position that supplying weapons to Ukraine remains off the table. South Korea has maintained a policy of providing Ukraine humanitarian assistance while withholding lethal weapons. The official's remarks came in response to a social media post by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the previous day, in which he said North Korea was set for an additional troop deployment to Russia. Zelenskyy sharAug 10, 2026By Yonhap
Unification advisers say using N. Korea's official name is not newA unification advisory council said Friday North Korea's official name, the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK), has appeared in inter-Korean agreements for the past three decades and is nothing new, stepping in to help calm controversy over its use. The council, made up of former unification ministers and experts on inter-Korean relations, made the point at a meeting with Unification Minister Chung Dong-young at the government complex. They said the name, the DPRK, has appeared in more than 100 inter-Korean documents. Lim Dong-won, who served as unification minister under President Kim Dae-jung, noted that the June 15 inter-Korean summit declaration in 2000 referred to the two Koreas by their official names — the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the DPRK, respectively. The historic agreement, signed by Kim and then North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, sought to improve ties, ease military tensions and build peace on the Korean Peninsula. "People may think using 'Joson' is something entirely new, but that is not true," he said, referring to North Korea's Korean-language name for itself. "We needAug 7, 2026By Yonhap
6 S. Korean activists booked over unauthorized Ukraine visit on N. Korean POWsSix South Korean activists who visited Ukraine in May to discuss the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) have been booked by police on charges of violating passport laws. Jang Se-yul, who leads the Seoul-based North Korean defector group Gyeoreol Unification Solidarity, told Yonhap News Agency on Friday that Seoul's foreign ministry reported the group to police on suspicion of violating the Passport Act. The activists traveled to Ukraine from May 7-11 in an effort to prevent the forced repatriation of two North Korean POWs captured while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region in early 2025. The two have reportedly expressed their desire to go to South Korea. During their visit, the activists met with officials at the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War under Ukraine's defense ministry, calling for support for the POWs' wishes and warning of the risks the soldiers would face if repatriated to North Korea. Jang claimed that the foreign ministry had required recommendation letters from the unification minister and that they were unable to do soAug 7, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's state media silent on Thursday's missile launchNorth Korea on Friday did not report on its launch of a short-range ballistic missile from the previous day, a departure from its usual practice of announcing such launches the following morning. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and the Rodong Sinmun, the most widely read newspaper in the country, had made no mention of the launch as of 8 a.m. But this was not without precedent, as Pyongyang has previously withheld reports on launches it considers minor or lacking propaganda value. South Korea's military detected the missile launch from North Korea's eastern coastal city of Wonsan at around 5 p.m. It did not disclose the missile's flight distance and other details. The launch came ahead of the Ulchi Freedom Shield, an annual South Korea-U.S. military exercise that Pyongyang has decried as a rehearsal for invasion. The North last tested a tactical ballistic missile, along with new multiple rocket launchers and other weapons, on June 25. Thursday's launch was the North's 10th this year.Aug 7, 2026By Yonhap
NK fires short-range ballistic missile toward East Sea: militaryNorth Korea fired one short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the missile was launched from the eastern coastal Wonsan area in the North at around 5 p.m., without providing further details about the missile. "While strengthening monitoring and surveillance against potential additional launches, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture and closely sharing relevant information with the United States and Japan," the JCS said. The JCS said it is currently analyzing the specifications of the launched missile together with the U.S. side, adding the two sides have jointly detected and shared the North's related movements from the initial stage of the launch. The latest launch comes over a month after North Korea last conducted the test of a tactical ballistic missile as well as new multiple rocket launchers and other weapons on June 25, overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The North's weapons tests coincided with the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, in an appareAug 6, 2026By Yonhap
63 N. Korean defectors arrive in S. Korea in 1st half, down 35% year-on-yearA total of 63 North Korean defectors entered South Korea for resettlement in the first half of the year, down nearly 35 percent from a year earlier, the unification ministry said Thursday. The tally — 59 women and four men — brought the cumulative number of North Korean defectors in the South to 34,600, compared with 96 during the same period last year, according to the ministry. An official at the ministry attributed the sharp drop to tightened controls along the North Korea-China border and restricted movement through third countries. Defections had significantly slowed during the COVID-19 pandemic amid Pyongyang's strict border controls, before rebounding to 196, 236 and 224 in 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively.Aug 6, 2026By Yonhap
US renews warning against travel to N. Korea, citing 'serious' risk of arrest, detentionThe U.S. State Department on Wednesday reiterated its warning for Americans not to travel to North Korea "for any reason," citing the "serious risk" of arrest and long-term detention in the reclusive state. A State Department spokesperson made the remarks in response to Yonhap News Agency's request for comment on a recent call by Robert King, former U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, to ease the travel ban that has been in place since 2017. Despite the warning, the spokesperson underscored that U.S. President Donald Trump has made clear the United States remains open to dialogue with Pyongyang "without preconditions." "The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans. Due to that strong commitment, the Department's Travel Advisory for Americans regarding the Democratic People's Republic of Korea remains at Level 4: Do Not Travel," the spokesperson said, referring to North Korea by its official name. "The Department of State strongly warns Americans not to travel to North Korea for any reason. Secretary (Marco) Rubio extendedAug 6, 2026By Yonhap
Unification ministry defends N. Korea policy after Lee's call for cautionThe unification ministry said Thursday it will continue its push for peaceful coexistence with North Korea, aiming to produce results despite the challenging situation. "The ministry will continue efforts for peaceful coexistence with North Korea to bear fruit, keeping in mind the president's call for patience," it said in a statement. "Nothing will happen if we stay put," it said, stressing the need to make "ceaseless" efforts to "create even the smallest opportunity to bring peace in challenging conditions." The statement came a day after President Lee Jae Myung struck a cautious tone on the ministry's initiative during a policy briefing, including its proposal to drop the "main enemy" label against North Korea and refer to it by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as part of a trust-building strategy. South Korea currently uses "North Korea" rather than its official name, as Seoul does not recognize the two Koreas as separate states under the 1991 Inter-Korean Basic Agreement. On his way to work earlier in the day, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young defendeAug 6, 2026By Yonhap
Foreign minister vows efforts to create conditions for nuclear sub projectForeign Minister Cho Hyun said Wednesday his ministry will seek to advance talks with the United States on securing the conditions needed to build nuclear-powered submarines and help set the stage for its bid to secure the right to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel. In a policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung, Cho said the foreign ministry will pursue a foreign policy built on a "virtuous cycle" of self-reliance, alliance and solidarity in the second half. "The ministry will facilitate consultations to secure necessary conditions to build nuclear-powered submarines and create an environment for pursuing enrichment and reprocessing," he said. The ministry will work to strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance in strategic areas, such as shipbuilding, he said, while closely coordinating with Washington on the economy and trade. On North Korea, Cho said the ministry will seek ways to lay the groundwork for peaceful coexistence with the North in collaboration with multilateral organizations, like the United Nations. In addition, the ministry will continue working with WashingAug 5, 2026By Yonhap
