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
N. Korea's Kim holds talks with Lao president in Pyongyang: KCNANorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has held talks with Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith and agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation, the North's state media reported Wednesday. The meeting took place in Pyongyang, Tuesday, during the Lao president's visit for celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). During the talks, the two leaders discussed ways to enhance mutual cooperation, with the KCNA quoting the meeting as expressing "expectation and conviction that the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the two sides will grow stronger." Kim said Thongloun's visit represented his government's "full support and encouragement" for North Korea, while the Lao leader pledged continued efforts to further develop the two nations' friendship and cooperation, according to the report. Following the meeting, Kim hosted a reception to welcome Thongloun's visit, during which both leaders delivered speeches, the KCNA said, without providing further details. Thongloun lasOct 8, 2025By Yonhap
China's Li to visit N. Korea to attend key ruling party anniversaryChinese Premier Li Qiang will make a three-day "goodwill" visit to North Korea this week to attend the North's commemorative events to mark the 80th founding anniversary of its ruling party, the North's state media said Tuesday. Li will lead a Chinese delegation to take part in the celebrations of the founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) at the invitation of North Korea, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Li's delegation will pay "an official goodwill visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the invitation of the Central Committee of the WPK and the DPRK government," the KCNA said in a report. North Korea celebrates its ruling party's foundation anniversary on Oct. 10 every year, which falls on Friday this year. China's foreign ministry also said Li will pay an official visit to North Korea from Thursday to Saturday, leading a party and government delegation. In 2015, China sent a delegation led by Liu Yunshan, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and considered the country's fifth-highest ranking ofOct 7, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim tells Putin that alliance will 'invariably' carry forward in futureNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that their alliance "will be invariably carried forward in the future," as Pyongyang and Moscow have deepened military cooperation over Russia's war against Ukraine. Kim made the remarks in a letter sent to Putin that congratulated the Russian leader on his birthday, according to a report by the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "I do not doubt that the relations of alliance between the two countries, which have greeted the great heyday, will be invariably carried forward in the future, too, thanks to the warm friendly relations and close comradely ties between us, and will make a great contribution to powerfully propelling the comprehensive development of bilateral relations and establishing a just and multi-polarized world order," Kim told Putin, according to the KCNA report. Since October last year, North Korea had sent about 15,000 troops and weapons to aid Russia's war efforts, according to South Korea's spy agency. In the letter, Kim also said he will fully support the "just struggle" of Russia in deOct 7, 2025By Yonhap
Vietnam's top leader to visit N. Korea to mark key party anniversary: KCNAVietnam's top leader, To Lam, will visit North Korea to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, state media reported Monday. The Vietnamese leader will pay a state visit to the North at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the occasion of the party anniversary set for Friday, the Korean Central News Agency reported in a short dispatch. Vietnam's foreign ministry also announced that Lam will visit North Korea for three days starting Thursday. It would mark the first trip to North Korea by a Vietnamese leader in 18 years. Vietnam and North Korea have maintained close diplomatic relations since establishing ties in 1950. North Korea is expected to hold a large-scale military parade to celebrate the party anniversary. The South Korean military earlier said the North may stage a nighttime parade involving tens of thousands of personnel.Oct 6, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim calls for bolstering naval power to 'thoroughly' punish enemyNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited the nation's first 5,000-ton destroyer, calling for bolstering the naval combat force to "thoroughly deter and counter the enemy's provocations," state media reported Monday. Kim visited the destroyer Choe Hyon, Sunday, accompanied by key party and government officials, as part of his scheduled trip to a military hardware exhibition, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). In April, North Korea unveiled its new 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer, the Choe Hyon, as part of its efforts to enhance its naval power. During the visit, Kim said "the tremendous ability of our navy should be exercised in the vast ocean to thoroughly deter or counter and punish the enemy's provocations" to defend the nation's sovereignty and its security interests, according to the KCNA. "He noted that our (Workers') Party would continue its struggle without even a moment's stagnation for the overall and accelerated expansion and growth of the naval combat force defending the core of the national rights," it added. North Korea earlier said the Choe Hyon was equiOct 6, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea holds annual defense exhibition for 3rd consecutive yearNorth Korea has launched its annual defense exhibition for the third consecutive year, with leader Kim Jong-un describing it as "the results" of the country's projects to modernize and advance its military capabilities, state media reported Sunday. The Defence Development-2025 kicked off in Pyongyang the previous day, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. In a speech at the event, Kim touted it as the "recent results of the important projects ... to put the structure of the DPRK's military capabilities, with its nuclear deterrent as the backbone, on an increasingly modern, advanced footing." DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim accused South Korea and the United States of staging various drills based on a nuclear operation scenario and of expanding defense assets in South Korea and the broader region. "We are closely watching the U.S.' deployment of its means of strategic strike and reconnaissance ... and the mobilization for hostile acts in connection with a new possible threat to our state's security," the North Korean leaderOct 5, 2025By Yonhap
