N. Korea's Kim praises troops deployed to Russia-Ukraine war as 'great heroes'North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has awarded commendations to the North's troops deployed to Russia's war with Ukraine, calling them "great heroes and patriots," and consoled bereaved families of fallen soldiers, state media reported Friday. The North held a ceremony to decorate commanders and combatants of the overseas operation unit of the Korean People's Army (KPA) who returned home from the battlefield, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). It marked the first time that North Korea has awarded commendation to its soldiers who fought overseas. The North's leader lauded troops deployed to the front-line Kursk region as "great heroes and patriots" in his speech at the ceremony held at the headquarters of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. "The victory won by the brave soldiers who participated in the war is a great feat that firmly defended the great honour of the KPA, which should never be undermined, and provided a sure guarantee for the existence and development of our state," Kim said. He said the bravery shown by North Korean troops affirmed that an army from any countAug 22, 2025By Yonhap
Chinese Embassy in N. Korea holds 80th anniv. reception for end of World War IIThe Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang has held a reception marking the 80th anniversary of what China observes as its victory over Japan in World War II, with senior North Korean officials in attendance, the North's state media reported Thursday. The banquet held on Wednesday was attended by Choe Ryong-hae, chairman of the North's parliamentary standing committee; Culture Minister Sung Jong-gyu; vice ministers from the foreign and external economy ministries; and other officials, the Korean Central News Agency said. China observes Sept. 3 as the anniversary of what it describes as victory in the struggle against Japan in 1945, when Japan was defeated in World War II. In a speech during the reception, Chinese Ambassador Wang Yajun described North Korea-China relations as "blood-forged" in revolution, affirming China's determination "to always safeguard the traditional friendship and further strengthen it." North Korea's culture minister also echoed the message in his speech, pledging to work with Chinese "comrades" to strengthen bilateral ties. An official at South Korea's unification ministryAug 21, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea condemns Britain over warships' visit to S. Korean portNorth Korea on Thursday criticized Britain for sending warships to South Korea's port in Busan, calling it a "war expedition." The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) issued the criticism in a commentary after two Royal Navy warships — the replenishment tanker RFA Tidespring and the frigate HMS Richmond — docked at the Busan port last week. The port visit is part of the Royal Navy's Indo-Pacific-focused deployment, called Operation Highmast. In September, the HMS Prince of Wales, a British aircraft carrier, is scheduled to conduct an aerial capability demonstration in South Korean waters. The KCNA condemned the deployment "as a war expedition that will drive the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and the region to its worst state." The KCNA accused London of finally putting its plans for military intervention in the Asia-Pacific into action, warning that it will not end in "a delightful journey."Aug 21, 2025By Yonhap
Lee vows to pursue 3-stage denuclearization plan for N. KoreaPresident Lee Jae Myung has said he will pursue a three-stage denuclearization plan for North Korea, with Seoul approaching such a strategy via active efforts for dialogue with Pyongyang based on the solid alliance with the United States. In an interview with Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun ahead of his visit to Tokyo for summit talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Lee said he will seek to freeze North Korea's nuclear and missile programs in the first stage. In the second and final stage, Lee said he will seek to reduce and dismantle North Korea's nuclear program, according to a script of the interview provided by the presidential office. South Korea, while maintaining close coordination with the U.S., will actively pursue inter-Korean dialogue to establish conditions for the goal, Lee told the Japanese newspaper. It was the first time that Lee, who took office in early June, announced the three-stage plan to persuade North Korea to eliminate its nuclear weapons program. In recent days, North Korea has rebuffed Lee's peace overtures, saying that Seoul could not be a diplomatic partAug 21, 2025By Yonhap
US monitor unveils undeclared NK missile base likely housing nuclear-capable ICBMsWASHINGTON — North Korea has an undeclared ballistic missile operating base near its border with China, which likely possesses intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the continental United States, a U.S. monitor confirmed Wednesday. Beyond Parallel, a project of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, unveiled the Sinpung-dong Missile Operating Base in North Pyongan Province, about 25 kilometers from the border with China, as it released its analysis of satellite imagery taken July 11. It marks the first open-source study confirming the base, according to the monitor. "Preliminary analysis suggests that the base likely houses a brigade-sized unit equipped with a total of six to nine nuclear capable Hwasong-15 or -18 ICBMs, or an as yet unknown ICBM, and their transporter-erector-launchers (TEL) or mobile-erector-launchers (MEL)," it said in a report posted on its website. "These missiles pose a potential nuclear threat to East Asia and the continental United States," it added. Hwasong-15 and 18 ICBMs are known to be liquid-fuel and sAug 21, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim hails ground commanders of troops deployed in Russia's war on UkraineNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has met with ground commanders of the North's troops deployed to the front-line Kursk region and "highly appreciated" their role in aiding Russia's war on Ukraine, the North's state media reported Thursday. The meeting with commanding officers of the Korean People's Army's overseas operation unit took place Wednesday, as they returned home to attend a commendation ceremony, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Kim received a briefing on the military activities of North Korean forces abroad and "highly appreciated their feats of leading the combat units of our armed forces, which participated in the operations to liberate the Kursk Region of the Russian Federation, to victory," according to the KCNA report. Kim said North Korea has assigned them to carry out the "most important duty" and conveyed "warm militant encouragement" to all commanders and combatants on the mission, the KCNA said. The news agency also quoted Kim as saying: "Our army has fully demonstrated its unique qualities. Such a result has cemented its appellation and reputation as the mAug 21, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea says Seoul's plan to adjust S. Korea-US military drills 'deceptive'North Korea on Wednesday slammed the ongoing joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, calling Seoul's plan to postpone half of its field drills to next month "deceptive." North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) issued the criticism after Seoul and Washington kicked off the large-scale joint summertime exercise, the Ulchi Freedom Shield, on Monday for an 11-day run as planned. Half of this year's roughly 40 field drills have been postponed to next month, apparently in Seoul's bid to improve frayed ties with Pyongyang. "The enemies have babbled about postponing part of the outdoor field drills to next month, but all the basic drills outlined in the actual U.S.-Republic of Korea exercise plan are proceeding as planned, with only messy drills of the South Korean military being postponed," the KCNA said. The news agency said this once again demonstrates South Korea and the U.S.' talk of adjusting the exercise as an unprecedented measure was only a "deceptive tactic." No matter what measures the enemies take, the unchanging true nature of the joint exAug 20, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea, Russia's FMs exchange congratulatory messages marking 80th anniv. of Korea's liberationThe top diplomats of North Korea and Russia have exchanged congratulatory messages on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, the North's state media reported Wednesday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a message Friday that Russia will "never forget" the heroic accomplishments by North Korean soldiers in the Kursk front-line region during Moscow's war against Ukraine, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). He also said Russia will take "all necessary measures" to implement a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June last year. In a message dated Saturday, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui thanked Moscow for sending delegations to celebrate the 80th anniversary of national independence on Aug. 15, including the speaker of Russia's lower house Duma. She reaffirmed the two nations will further develop their relations and strengthen strategic communications, the KCNA noted. Choe and Lavrov met for the first round ofAug 20, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea to hold plenary session of parliamentary next monthNorth Korea will hold a plenary session of its parliament next month, state media reported Wednesday, with international attention focused on whether the meeting will include a constitutional revision reflecting the country's new hostile policy toward South Korea. The standing committee of the Supreme People's Assembly decided the previous day to convene a parliamentary session Sept. 20, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The KCNA reported the upcoming session will address a grain management act, the review and adoption of an intellectual property rights act, and the implementation of a city management act, without providing further details on the agenda. A key point of attention for the meeting is whether the session will also address a constitutional revision. During a parliamentary session in January last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered a constitutional revision to describe South Korea as "the primary hostile state" and "unchanging primary foe," though no official report of the revision has been released so far. Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of KiAug 20, 2025By Yonhap
Kim's sister criticizes Lee for peace overture, says Seoul not diplomatic counterpartThe influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday criticized President Lee Jae Myung for offering reconciliatory overtures, saying that Seoul is not a diplomatic counterpart to Pyongyang. The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday criticized President Lee Jae Myung for offering reconciliatory overtures, saying that Seoul is not a diplomatic counterpart to Pyongyang. Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the North Korean ruling party's Central Committee, said Lee is unfit to change the course of history, while continuing to denounce ongoing military drills between South Korea and the United States. Kim made the remarks during a meeting with the foreign ministry's director generals the previous day, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. "Not even a petty role would be given" to South Korea "in the regional diplomatic stage unfolding with our country at the center," Kim Yo-jong said. "The Republic of Korea cannot be our diplomatic counterpart." The remarks by Kim follow a series of Seoul's overtures to improve long-frayedAug 20, 2025By Yonhap
