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
Laotian leader to visit N. Korea to mark key party anniversary: KCNALaos' President Thongloun Sisoulith will visit North Korea to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, state media reported Thursday. The Laotian leader will visit the North at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the occasion of the party anniversary set for Oct. 10, the Korean Central News Agency reported in a short dispatch. He has become the first foreign guest confirmed by the North who will attend the upcoming party anniversary. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's deputy chairman of the security council, is widely expected to travel to North Korea to attend the celebrations. Reuters earlier reported that Vietnam's Community Party chief To Lam is also expected to visit the North in October in what would be the first trip to North Korea by a Vietnamese leader in nearly 20 years. But Vietnam and North Korea have yet to confirm his potential visit. North Korea is expected to hold a large-scale military parade to celebrate the party anniversary. The South Korean military said Thursday the North may stage a nighttime parade involving tens ofOct 2, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea seen as preparing for military parade marking party anniversary: JCSNorth Korea appears to be preparing for a large-scale military parade, possibly at nighttime, to mark next week's key party anniversary, South Korea's military confirmed Thursday. The North is set to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Oct. 10. North Korea has staged a military parade on party anniversaries that end in zero or five. "There are signs of North Korea preparing for a military parade involving tens of thousands of people, which our military is closely monitoring," Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), said in a regular press briefing. Lee said the military detected movements of vehicles and some military equipment, but did not further elaborate. The JCS official said the North may stage a nighttime military parade, but it remains to be seen whether the event will take place near midnight or before then. Analysts have raised views that Pyongyang may showcase the next-generation Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile under development during the military parade or test-launch it around the anniversary.Oct 2, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korean defense chief voices 'full support' for Russia in meeting with Moscow counterpartNorth Korea's Defense Minister No Kwang-chol has expressed "full support" for Russia in its efforts to defend its sovereignty and interests, during a meeting with his Russian counterpart in Moscow, Russian news reports said. No delivered the message the previous day at a ceremony in Moscow, where he and Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov unveiled a sculpture commemorating North Korean "partisans" who fought alongside Russian soldiers during World War II, according to Russian news agency Ria Novosti. "We will fully support the struggle of the Russian government, army and people, who, under the leadership of the country's President, Comrade Putin, are firmly defending the right to sovereignty, territorial integrity and the interests of the country," No was quoted as saying during the ceremony. Under the "strategic leadership" of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Putin, relations between the two countries are developing in "comprehensive and future-oriented cooperation," No said. Belousov said the monument symbolizes the "unbreakable brotherhood" of the peoples of the two countries,Oct 2, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's FM vows to bolster diplomatic exchanges, cooperation with ChinaNorth Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has vowed efforts to strengthen diplomatic exchanges and cooperation with China in her congratulatory message to China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, on China's key anniversary, state media reported Thursday. Choe's message was delivered to celebrate the 76th anniversary of China's founding the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). In the letter, Choe said the two nations have an "important" mission to develop their bilateral ties through diplomatic cooperation, highlighting that the North and China have reached "complete" consensus on key issues during her recent trip to Beijing. North Korea "will make joint efforts to further develop its cooperative relations with China and strengthen bilateral exchange and cooperation in the diplomatic field," read the message, carried by the KCNA. Choe returned home Tuesday after making a four-day trip to China. She made her first one-on-one meeting with Wang since taking office in June 2022 and also met with China's Premier Li Qiang. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un traveled to Beijing lOct 2, 2025By Yonhap
Trump's 'no preconditions' offer to Kim heightens speculation of meeting during APECU.S. President Donald Trump's offer to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "without preconditions" has fueled speculation of a possible surprise encounter on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in South Korea later this month, according to local analysts Wednesday. Seoul officials are watching cautiously for a potential Trump-Kim meeting as the U.S. leader is widely expected to attend the APEC summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. A White House official said Tuesday (local time) that Trump remains open to engagement with Kim. "President Trump in his first term held three historic summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that stabilized the Korean Peninsula," the official said in response to a media question about whether Trump was willing to engage with Kim without raising the denuclearization issue. "U.S. policy on North Korea has not changed. President Trump remains open to talking with Kim Jong-un without any preconditions," the official added. Since taking office in January, Trump has repeatedlyOct 1, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
N. Korea's Kim, in message to Xi, vows strong ties with China regardless of changes in int'l situationNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to develop bilateral ties with China regardless of changes in the international situation in his message to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, according to Pyongyang's state media. Kim sent a congratulatory message to Xi to mark the 76th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "It is the steadfast stand of our Party and the government of the Republic to steadily develop the traditional DPRK-China friendship no matter how the international situation may change," Kim wrote in the message. DPRK refers to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim said North Korea is willing to cooperate with China to further strengthen their relations and defend peace and stability in the region and beyond "through the close strategic communication and cooperation," according to the KCNA. The North's leader traveled to Beijing last month to attend China's lavish military parade. At that time, Kim and Xi held their first talks in more than six years signalling thatOct 1, 2025By Yonhap
Seoul reaffirms goal of denuclearizing Korean Peninsula following NK official's UN addressSouth Korea on Tuesday reaffirmed its "consistent" goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula after a senior North Korean diplomat vowed to never give up nuclear weapons during an address at the United Nations. "Denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula is the consistent goal of the international community, including South Korea and the United States," the foreign ministry said. The ministry stressed that the U.N. has also been calling for North Korea to denuclearize through a series of Security Council resolutions. Addressing a general debate of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Monday (local time), North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong reiterated North Korea's position that it will never give up its nuclear program "under any circumstances." He said imposing denuclearization is "tantamount to demanding (North Korea) surrender sovereignty and right to existence." The foreign ministry reaffirmed that the South Korean government has declared its three-point principle of respecting the North Korean regime, not pursuing unification by absorption and not engaging in hostile actsSep 30, 2025By Yonhap
Unification minister says N. Korea capable of hitting US mainlandUnification Minister Chung Dong-young has said North Korea is capable of hitting the U.S. mainland, apparently referring to the North's recent development of its intercontinental ballistic missiles, in rare public remarks about Pyongyang's weapons capability. Chung made the remarks at a press conference in Berlin on Monday (local time) during his ongoing visit to Germany as South Korea's representative to attend a ceremony marking German unification. "North Korea has become one of the three countries capable of attacking the U.S. mainland," Chung told reporters. "What needs to be acknowledged should be acknowledged rationally." North Korea claims it has achieved an "irreversible hegemonic position" of missile development, having successfully test-launched the Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland in October last year. The unification minister said North Korea's current "strategic position" is different from when its leader Kim Jong-un held his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018, adding that acknowledgingSep 30, 2025By Yonhap
