Documentary shows atrocities faced by N. Korean troops deployed to RussiaA North Korean documentary revealed Monday that North Korean troops deployed to support Russia in the war against Ukraine had been subjected to battlefield atrocities, including death by suicide bombing. North Korea's state-run Korean Central Television aired the documentary Sunday night, featuring images of battles involving its soldiers deployed in the Russia-Ukraine war. The documentary introduced two young soldiers — Yun Jong-hyuk, 20, and Woo Wi-Hyuk, 19 — who embraced each other and detonated a grenade to kill themselves after being besieged by the enemy, describing such suicides as "heroic sacrifices." It also depicted the suicide bombing of another 22-year-old soldier, saying that after being wounded and seeing his comrades rush to save him, he detonated a grenade to kill himself. When the blast failed, he set off another grenade to his head, "heroically" killing himself, the documentary said. The video also showed some soldiers were used as human shields, introducing cases in which they sacrificed their lives to cover landmines or enemy drones during missions to clear a pathSep 1, 2025By Yonhap
S. Korea halts radio broadcast into N. Korea in peace overtureSouth Korea has halted the broadcast of a propaganda radio program into North Korea, the defense ministry said Monday, as the South seeks to mend frayed ties with the North. The move is the latest in Seoul's reconciliatory gestures, with President Lee Jae Myung vowing to restore inter-Korean ties and resume dialogue with Pyongyang. "The defense ministry has halted the 'Voice of Freedom' broadcast as part of efforts to ease inter-Korean military tensions," the ministry said in a notice to reporters. South Korea had aired K-pop and news into North Korea through the halted radio program. Last year, it broadcast news on North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia in support of its war against Ukraine. The ministry reportedly halted the broadcast starting earlier in the day, marking the first suspension of the radio program in 15 years. South Korea resumed the radio program in May 2010, following North Korea's deadly attack on the South Korean naval corvette Cheonan. Since taking office in June, Lee has ordered the military to stop propaganda broadcasts along the border with the North and urgSep 1, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea slams Seoul-Washington-Tokyo statement targeting its cyber threatsNorth Korea on Monday denounced a recent joint statement by South Korea, the United States and Japan criticizing the regime's malicious cyber activities, calling it a "political farce." The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) issued the criticism in a statement by the foreign ministry's press chief after the three countries voiced "serious concerns" in their joint statement last week over evolving malicious cyber activities by North Korean information technology (IT) workers. They accused North Korean IT workers of using artificial intelligence (AI) tools and other methods for cyber activities aimed at funding Pyongyang's illicit weapons programs and vowed to work together in response. The KCNA "strongly denounced" the statement, calling it a "political farce" aimed at internationally propagating "groundless" rumors about cyber threats and smearing North Korea's image to increase pressure. "The more the U.S. and its followers become obsessed with outdated and hostile acts ... the greater the insurmountable distrust and hostility" between North Korea and the U.S. will become, the KCNA said.Sep 1, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim poised to leave for China, set stage for meetings with Putin, XiNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un was expected to depart for China on Monday aboard his special armored train to attend a military parade in Beijing, with attention focusing on his first presence on the multilateral diplomatic stage and a possible three-way meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Kim may have to leave Pyongyang as early as Monday to arrive in Beijing by Tuesday, given the train's travel time of about 20 to 24 hours, according to observers and government sources. China is scheduled to hold a 70-minute military parade on Wednesday, showcasing its latest weaponry and troops marching in formation to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, which it commemorates as victory over Japan. Kim is more widely expected to use his forest-green train rather than Chammae-1, the private plane Kim reportedly used for long-distance domestic trips in his early years in office, due to the aircraft's old age. Kim is expected to cross the North Korea-China border Monday night and stay at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where he lodged dSep 1, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim inspects new missile-producing factory ahead of planned trip to ChinaNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected a new munitions factory that produces missiles, state media reported Monday, ahead of his upcoming visit to Beijing to attend China's military parade. Kim reviewed the newly built automatic production line of missiles at a major munitions enterprise the previous day, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The inspection came as Kim is set to debut on the multilateral diplomatic stage by attending China's military parade set for Wednesday, alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The KCNA did not disclose the location of the factory, but it appears to be placed in Jagang Province bordering China, where the North's munitions factories are clustered. At the munitions factory, Kim said the modernized production process will "by leaps and bounds" bolster the country's capability to produce missiles and key missile units' combat readiness, the KCNA reported. He assessed the country has completed preparations to expand the missile production capability by this year, as set forth by a key party congress inSep 1, 2025By Yonhap
S. Korea wary of Kim Jong-un's multilateral diplomatic debut in BeijingNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to appear among world leaders for the first time at China’s major military parade on Wednesday, a move analysts say could pose challenges to Seoul’s efforts to engage Pyongyang. While Seoul sees little chance that its delegation, led by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, will meet Kim at the parade, some analysts say the North Korean leader’s debut on the multilateral stage could signal a possible opening for dialogue with the United States. Kim has been invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the Sept. 3 military parade, which commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a date China observes as its victory over Japan. The North Korean leader will be among 26 foreign leaders attending, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The invitation and attendance were announced by China and North Korea last Thursday. The upcoming event marks the first time Kim joins a large group of world leaders on a multilateral stage since taking power in 2011. Multilateral diplomacy is unusual for Kim, as it was for his predAug 31, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
N. Korea's Kim decided troop deployment for Russia in August 2024North Korean leader Kim Jong-un finalized his decision to deploy troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine on Aug. 28 last year, shortly after Kyiv launched a surprise offensive into Kursk, a video released by the North's state media showed Sunday. The Korean Central Television recently released the music video of a song titled "Remember", featuring North Korean soldiers who fought in the Russia's frontline region of Kursk. The video's background images include a document on a plan to "liberate" Kursk, ratified by Kim, as well as a scene of the leader in a white summer Mao suit, presiding over a meeting with key military officials, including Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of the ruling party's Central Military Commission, and Ri Chang-ho, vice chief of the General Staff. The captions said that Kim "decided on Aug. 28, 2024, to deploy the Korean People's Army special operations troops to the Kursk liberation mission." It was shortly after Ukraine launched a surprise offensive into Russia's Kursk region about two weeks earlier. "(North Korea) will deem Russian territory as our terriAug 31, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim expected to depart for China by train on MondayNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un is expected to depart Pyongyang for Beijing on Monday aboard his special armored train to attend China's large-scale military parade later this week, sources said Sunday. The government sources suggested Kim may have to leave as early as Monday to reach Beijing by Tuesday, given the train's travel time of up to 24 hours. China is scheduled to hold a 70-minute military parade on Wednesday, showcasing its latest weaponry and troops marching to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, which it commemorates as victory over Japan. Observers predict Kim is more likely to use his forest-green train than "Chammae-1," the private plane Kim reportedly used for long-distance domestic trips in his early years in office, due to the plane's old age. Kim has visited China four times before. He traveled by train during his first and fourth visits in March 2018 and January 2019, while using his private jet during his visits in May and June 2018. For his forthcoming visit, he may cross the North Korea-China border Monday night aboard the train and stay at BeijinAug 31, 2025By Yonhap
Seoul approves Paju city gov't plan to contact N. Korea for cross-border marathon eventThe unification ministry has approved the Paju city government's plan to contact North Korean officials to discuss the municipality's plan to host an international marathon event at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, according to officials Saturday. The government of the border city of Paju, just north of Seoul, has been pushing to host the "Paju-Kaesong DMZ International Peace Marathon." The envisioned course starts at Imjingak Peace Park in the South and passes through the DMZ and the North's border city of Kaesong before returning to Imjingak. Paju Mayor Kim Kyoung-il submitted a request for approval for discussions with relevant North Korean authorities to the ministry Aug. 7 and received approval Wednesday, according to local officials. Under South Korean law, all nationals are restricted from contacting North Korea unless approval is received from the ministry. Paju officials are seeking to meet with North Korean officials early next year to discuss the marathon plan. It remains unclear whether the North Korean side will respond to a proposal for discussions. "WAug 30, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim again consoles bereaved families of troops deployed for Russia-Ukraine warNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has consoled bereaved family members of the North's troops deployed to Russia who were killed during the war with Ukraine in another ceremony to decorate service members for overseas operations, state media reported Saturday. The event came days before Kim will travel to China to attend a large-scale military parade set for Wednesday alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The North's leader attended the second ceremony Friday to award state commendations to soldiers who participated in the war, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). By holding such a ceremony, North Korea seems to have intended to highlight North Korean troops' sacrifice for the war ahead of Kim's likely summit with Putin in China, experts said. The commendation event took place about a week after the KCNA reported Aug. 22 that the first such ceremony had been held in Pyongyang. Photos carried by state media showed Kim putting the country's hero medals beside the portraits of 101 soldiers who were killed during combat. During this week's ceAug 30, 2025By Yonhap
