N. Korean's Kim accelerates multilateral diplomacy on key party anniversaryFollowing his high-profile debut in multilateral diplomacy in Beijing last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is using the 80th anniversary of the country's ruling party to accelerate efforts to broaden his diplomatic outreach, experts said Friday. Observers assessed that Kim appears to be making all-out efforts to break out of his diplomatic isolation, building on the confidence gained when he debuted on the multilateral diplomatic stage by standing next to the Chinese and Russian presidents during a Beijing military parade on Sept. 3. This week, Kim held a flurry of talks with foreign leaders, including China's premier and Vietnam's top leader, and senior officials invited to Pyongyang for celebrations marking the Oct. 10 anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea. On Thursday, Kim held talks with Vietnamese head of state To Lam and exchanged views on expanding the long-standing cooperative relations between their countries. Lam's visit to North Korea marks the first trip by a top Vietnamese leader to North Korea since then Communist Party General Secretary Nong DucOct 10, 2025By Yonhap
Rehearsal underway for imminent N. Korean military parade: JCSNorth Korea is conducting a rehearsal for a military parade marking a key party anniversary, which is likely expected to take place Friday night, South Korea's military said. The North marks the founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Oct. 10 each year, with mass celebrations usually taking place in years ending in zero or five. This year marks the party's 80th founding anniversary. "(North Korea) is conducting a rehearsal involving equipment and missile," an official at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) told reporters, saying the event is likely to take place at nighttime. Since 2020, North Korea has staged all seven of its most recent military parades at night. The JCS official said the North is likely to hold the military parade regardless of showers forecast for Pyongyang later in the day, but said the weather conditions may affect the mobilization of air assets. The South's military earlier said North Korea is preparing for a large-scale military parade involving tens of thousands of people. Analysts have raised the view that Pyongyang may showcase the next-generatOct 10, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim, Vietnamese leader discuss expanding bilateral cooperation: KCNANorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has held talks with Vietnamese head of state To Lam and exchanged views on expanding the long-standing cooperative relations between their countries, state media reported Friday. The meeting took place in Pyongyang the previous day, as To Lam, chief of Vietnam's Communist Party, visited North Korea to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Kim noted that the Vietnamese leader's visit "boosts the friendly ties between the two parties and the two peoples and adds significance to the 80th founding anniversary." Lam expressed his country's willingness to "further consolidate the traditional relations of friendship" with North Korea and develop them to a new level, according to the KCNA. "There was an open-minded exchange of views on the issues arising in positively promoting the cause of building socialism in the DPRK and Vietnam and expanding the long-standing cooperative relations ... as required by the times and other issues of mutual concernOct 10, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim pledges to build 'affluent paradise' on 80th anniversary of party foundingNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has pledged to turn the country into an "affluent" socialist "paradise" during an event celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea, state media reported Friday. Kim issued the pledge in a speech at the event at Pyongyang's May Day Stadium the previous day, which was attended by foreign guests and members of various groups, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The North Korean leader recalled the party's past course, saying it had to pursue a policy of simultaneously pursuing economic construction and nuclear buildup to cope with the growing nuclear war threats by the U.S. imperialists amid worldwide political upheaval in the 1990s. "Historically, there has been no such country in the world as ours, which had to carry out so many tasks ... for national defense and construction, even as it was facing constant and tenacious pressure, interference and threats of aggression by outside forces," Kim claimed. The country is still facing "adversaries' ferocious political and military" pressure, but its "international presOct 10, 2025By Yonhap
Expert calls for greater efforts to better deter N. Korea in 'gray zone' shy of full-scale warWASHINGTON — An expert noted the need Thursday to better deter North Korea's potential "gray-zone" activities short of a full-blown war, saying that its leader Kim Jong-un could still resort to military force against Seoul even if Pyongyang does not have the ability to "overrun" South Korea militarily. Markus Garlauskas, director of the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative at the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council, made the remarks during an online forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "We have to think in a much more aggressive and risk-acceptant way of how do we better deter North Korea in that gray zone short of a full-scale war," he said. The gray zone refers to an unclear realm between full-scale conflict and peace. Activities in the zone — shy of a major attack — create security concerns and confusion, but make it difficult for a country to respond effectively due to the often vague nature of the activity. Garlauskas noted that the Hamas militant group pressed ahead with its attack on Israel in 2023, although it did noOct 10, 2025By Yonhap
Kim, China's Li discuss elevating cooperation, strategic communication: KCNANorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has held a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and discussed ways to broaden bilateral cooperation, including high-level exchanges and strategic communications, the North's state media reported Friday. The meeting took place Thursday in Pyongyang as Li visited North Korea to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the North's Workers' Party of Korea, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. It was the first visit by China's No. 2 leader to Pyongyang in 16 years. Kim and Li discussed "issues arising in mutually expanding high-level visits, strategic communication, multi-faceted exchange and cooperation to develop the friendly and cooperative relations ... in a wider and comprehensive way," the KCNA said. Li noted that the two countries are opening a new chapter in bilateral relations under the strategic guidance of their state leaders, the KCNA said, quoting him as saying that it is China's "consistent and steadfast strategic policy to successfully defend, consolidate and develop the China-DPRK relations." DPRK stands foOct 10, 2025By Yonhap
Russia's ruling party affirms support for NK's measures to bolster defense capabilitiesRussia's ruling United Russia party on Thursday expressed "firm support" for measures taken by North Korea to bolster its defense capabilities in a joint statement with the regime's ruling party, the North's state media reported. Ri Hi-yong, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, and Vladimir Yakushev, United Russia's secretary-general, signed the joint statement on behalf of their parties, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Both sides shared the views that "the mounting political and military tension on the Eurasian continent and the rest of the world is ... directly linked to the aggressive politics of the West ... to realize overall hegemonism," the joint statement said. "In this regard, the United Russia Party expressed firm support for the measures taken by the leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to bolster up the country's defense capabilities," it said. The statement did not specify which measures it was referring to, but it appears to acknowledge North Korea's nuclear weapons development. "Both sides reached a consensus ...Oct 9, 2025By Yonhap
China's No. 2 leader arrives in Pyongyang for first visit in 16 yearsChinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday to attend celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the creation of North Korea's ruling party, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported, marking the first visit by China's No. 2 leader to the North in 16 years. Li's arrival in Pyongyang marked the first goodwill visit to North Korea by a Chinese premier since former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's trip to the North in October 2009. The three-day visit by Li to Pyongyang came as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited Beijing last month and attended China's military parade, joining Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin, in a display of solidarity against the West. Upon arrival, Li emphasized the "profound traditional friendship" enjoyed by the two countries, pledging to strengthen strategic communications and close exchanges with Pyongyang, Xinhua said in an English-language dispatch from Pyongyang. "In recent years, under the strategic guidance and personal efforts of (President Xi Jinping and leader Kim Jong-un), China-DPRK relations have been brimming with nOct 9, 2025By Yonhap
Key Russian, Vietnamese officials arrive in N. Korea ahead of major anniversaryHigh-ranking officials from Russia, China and Vietnam have arrived in North Korea, foreign media reports said Thursday, ahead of the 80th founding anniversary of the North's ruling Workers' Party. A Russian delegation led by Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, has arrived in Pyongyang to attend celebrations marking the key party anniversary, Russia's Tass news agency said. In a separate report, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported that a delegation led by Vietnam's Communist Party chief To Lam arrived in Pyongyang earlier in the day. Lam's state visit, which marks the first visit to North Korea by Vietnam's top leader since 2007, also comes as the two countries celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year, the VNA said. Also arriving in Pyongyang on Thursday was Chinese Premier Li Qiang, according to China's Xinhua News Agency. Li made the trip to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary and pay an official goodwill visit to North Korea, Xinhua reported, adding the Chinese official noted how the two countries have enjoyed a "proOct 9, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim calls for strict discipline ahead of key party anniv.North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to "eliminate" movements that undermine the authority of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and called for strict discipline, the North's state media reported Thursday. Kim made the remark during a visit to the Party Founding Museum in Pyongyang the previous day, ahead of the 80th founding anniversary of the ruling party Friday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "We should continue to firmly consolidate strict order and sound discipline climate within the Party, while giving precedence to the process of finding out and eliminating in time all sorts of elements and acts that undermine the Party's leadership prestige," Kim was quoted as saying in an English-language speech transcript carried by the KCNA. Kim called for a change in the attitude of party officials and warned them to refrain from "evil practices such as ignorance, incompetence, irresponsibility, self-protection, formalism and expediency, as well as arbitrariness, high-handedness and abuse of power." Kim was accompanied by members of the Presidium of the PoliticOct 9, 2025By Yonhap
