Around 20 North Korean soldiers briefly cross MDL, retreat after warning shotsAround 20 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the heavily fortified inter-Korean border and retreated after South Korean soldiers fired warning shots earlier this week, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Thursday. The soldiers crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the border city of Paju, northwest of Seoul, on Oct. 19, according to the JCS. South Korean troops monitoring their movement issued several warning broadcasts and fired warning shots when the soldiers continued to move southward, it said. The North Korean soldiers then retreated without showing any particular response. The JCS said the soldiers, believed to be doing work near the border such as clearing land or laying mines in the buffer zone, likely crossed the border temporarily while working. Some of them were armed. The incident took place on the same day a North Korean soldier defected across the border in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, the first such case since the Lee Jae Myung government took office. Military officials, however, said the two incidents appear to be unrelated given the difference in their time anOct 23, 2025By Yonhap
USFK condemns N. Korea's missile launch as 'destabilizing'The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on Thursday denounced North Korea's recent ballistic missile launch as "unlawful" and "destabilizing," urging it to refrain from further provocations that violate U.N. security resolutions. On Wednesday, North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles northeastward at around 8:10 a.m., which flew about 350 kilometers. The following day, the North confirmed the missile launch, saying it was intended to enhance its strategic deterrence. "We are fully aware of the DPRK's multiple ballistic missile launches and their relentless pursuit of long-range missile capabilities," the USFK said in a statement, calling North Korea by the acronym of its formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "The United States condemns these unlawful and destabilizing actions, and we call on the DPRK to refrain from further acts in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution," it said. The USFK said it is closely consulting with South Korea and that its commitment to the South Korea-U.S. alliance remains "ironclad." "Our focus is on maintaining theOct 23, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea holds 1st int'l film festival in 6 yearsNorth Korea has kicked off an international film festival in Pyongyang for the first time in six years, state media reported Thursday. The 18th Pyongyang International Film Festival held its opening ceremony at the Pyongyang International Cinema House in the capital city the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The ceremony was followed by the screening of an art film jointly produced between Russia and China, titled "Red Silk." The head of North Korea's national cinema agency said during the ceremony that the latest event will serve as an opportunity to deepen friendship among progressive countries and filmmakers across the world. Founded in 1987 as the only international film festival in the reclusive country, the festival had been held every two to three years before it switched to an annual event in 2018. Following the 2019 edition, it had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. North Korea has been making efforts to revitalize its tourism industry by resuming international events this year that were halted during the pandemic. In April, the North hosted theOct 23, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea renovates tombs of Chinese soldiers ahead of anniv. of China's entry into Korean WarNorth Korea has begun renovating tombs of Chinese troops who died fighting for the North during the Korean War as the countries are set to mark the 75th anniversary of China's entry into the war, state media reported Thursday. A ceremony was held the previous day to kick off renovation work at a cemetery for Chinese volunteer soldiers in Sinpyong, North Hwanghae Province, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The news came as North Korea and China are set to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Chinese troops' entry into the 1950-53 Korean War to aid the North. The countries observe the anniversary on Oct. 25, the day Chinese troops scored their first military victory in 1950. A vice minister from North Korea's urban construction ministry attended the ceremony, along with Chinese Ambassador Wang Yajun and a delegation of Chinese veterans and their families, the KCNA said. The Chinese Embassy in North Korea has separately said that a Chinese delegation currently visiting the North planned to visit tombs of Chinese war heroes in Kaesong, Anju and other regions. The delegationOct 23, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea says it tested 2 hypersonic projectiles, successfully hit targetNorth Korea said Thursday it has successfully tested two hypersonic projectiles, calling them a new "important" weapon system, adding that the "cutting-edge" missiles strengthen the North's war deterrence. "Two hypersonic projectiles launched from the Ryokpho District, Pyongyang Municipality, toward the northeast direction hit the target point on the tableland of Kwesang Peak in Orang County, North Hamgyong Province," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The test, conducted the previous day by the Missile Administration, was part of a defense capability development program aimed at enhancing the sustainability and effectiveness of its strategic deterrence against potential enemies, the KCNA reported. The previous day, South Korea's military said North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles northeastward at around 8:10 a.m., which flew about 350 kilometers. Military sources said the weapons may have been the tactical ballistic missile, known as the Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5, tested by the North in September last year, adding that the missiles landed inland, not in the EastOct 23, 2025By Yonhap
Sanctions watchdog links N. Korean hackers to $1.65 bil. in crypto theft this year aloneNorth Korea has stolen an estimated $2.84 billion (3.9 trillion won) worth of cryptocurrency since early 2024, including $1.65 billion this year alone, according to a new report released Wednesday by a South Korea-led multinational sanctions monitoring team. The report, which focuses on Pyongyang's illicit cyber activities, marks the second publication by the Multinational Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) since its launch in October 2024. The team tracks North Korea's sanctions evasion activities and cyber threats. According to the findings, North Korean hackers stole about $1.19 billion in digital assets throughout 2024, accounting for roughly one-third of the regime's total foreign currency income that year. They stole an additional $1.65 billion between January and September this year. The reclusive regime uses the illicit income to fund its sanctioned weapons programs. The hackers breached major exchanges including Bybit in the United Arab Emirates, DMM Bitcoin in Japan, WazirX in India and BingX and Phemex in Singapore. The stolen cryptocurrency was laundered and cashed out via brokeOct 22, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
Ex-ICC president says now is right time to refer Kim Jong-un to justice for aiding Putin's aggressionNow is the right time to refer North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for aiding Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression against Ukraine, a former ICC president said Wednesday. Song Sang-hyun, former president of the Hague-based ICC, made the remarks in a copy of his speech to the 2025 Seoul World Convention on North Korean Human Rights, which was released in advance. "If the main culprit in the war with Ukraine is Russia, the North Korean regime, responsible for supplying weapons and ammunition, would be no less than an accessory or contributor," Song said. "Now is the right time to refer Kim Jong-un to the ICC." He said Kim's deployment of troops to support Russia in the war constitutes an act serious enough to make him a joint principal offender alongside Putin. In March 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over suspected war crimes connected to Russia's war against Ukraine. Since October last year, North Korea has deployed 15,000 troops to Russia in support of its war with Ukraine, as well as ammunition anOct 22, 2025By Yonhap
Presidential office holds emergency meeting on N. Korea's missile launchThe presidential Office of National Security (ONS) said Wednesday it held an emergency meeting following North Korea's launch of short-range ballistic missiles. The meeting came shortly after the North fired the missiles toward the East Sea, its first such launch since President Lee Jae Myung took office in June. The meeting was attended by ONS officials, and those from the defense ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "The office reviewed the military's response measures and assessed the potential impact on the situation on the Korean Peninsula," it said in a press release. "The government will closely monitor related developments, including the possibility of additional missile launches by North Korea and consider necessary measures," it said. The office added that it monitored the launch in real time and reported relevant details to the president. The latest launch came about a week before South Korea is set to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on Oct. 31-Nov. 1.Oct 22, 2025By Yonhap
S. Korea, Singapore agree on close coordination against NK cyber threatsSouth Korea and Singapore have agreed to closely work together for an "effective joint response" to North Korea's evolving illicit cyber activities, including its crypto thefts, and on other cyber-related policies, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. The inaugural cyber policy dialogue took place in Singapore, led by Lee Tae-woo, ambassador for international cyber affairs at the foreign ministry, and Chua Kuan Seah, deputy chief executive for development at Singapore's Cyber Security Agency, on Tuesday. The two sides shared assessments on recent cyber threat cases, including North Korea's attempts to steal virtual assets, and examined threat patterns by different actors involved, the ministry said in a release. "They agreed on the need for close coordination to ensure an effective joint response to evolving (North Korean) cyber risks," it said. The dialogue included discussions on the development of the cybersecurity ecosystem and the two countries' bilateral arrangement on the Internet of Things (IoT) security certification, under which consumer IoT security products are mutually rOct 22, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea fires 1st ballistic missiles in 5 months ahead of Trump's trip to APEC summitNorth Korea fired its first ballistic missiles in five months Wednesday, about a week before South Korea is scheduled to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and U.S. President Donald Trump's visit on the occasion. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles launched northeastward at about 8:10 a.m. from Junghwa in North Korea's southern North Hwanghae Province. The missiles flew about 350 kilometers, the JCS said, adding that further analysis is under way with the U.S. side to determine its specifications. Officials were weighing the possibility that the missiles were the same tactical ballistic one North Korea test-fired in September 2024. Sources suggested the missiles may have landed somewhere in North Hamgyong Province rather than in the East Sea. The North last fired short-range ballistic and cruise missiles toward the East Sea on May 8 and May 22, respectively. "The South Korean and U.S. intelligence officials had detected signs of North Korea's missile launch preparations in advance and had been monitoring the situatOct 22, 2025By Yonhap
