Page 3 - North Korea

Kim Jong-un calls for stronger military power during photo session

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for bolstering the country's military strength at an unprecedented pace, during a photo session with the participants of a military parade held earlier this week

Kim Jong Un Shows off daughter, nuclear missiles at North Korean parade

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his young daughter took centre stage at a huge military parade, fuelling speculation that she is being primed as a future leader of the isolated country as her father showed off his latest, largest nuclear missiles. Wednesday night's parade in the capital, Pyongyang, featured the newest hardware in Kim's growing nuclear arsenal, including what experts said was possibly a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile he could test in the coming months. That missile was part of around a dozen ICBMs Kim's troops rolled out at the event an unprecedented number that underscored how he continues to expand his military capabilities despite limited resources in the face of deepening tensions with his neighbours and the United States. The parade was the fifth known public appearance by Kim's daughter, Kim Ju Ae, his second-born child who is believed to be around 10 years old. On Tuesday, Kim Jong Un brought his daughter to visit troops as he lauded th

Kim Jong Un presides over big military parade, featuring nuclear weapons

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un brought his young daughter to a huge military parade showing off the latest hardware of his fast-growing nuclear arsenal, including intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to reach the United States, state media said Thursday. North Korean photos of Wednesday night's parade in the capital, Pyongyang, showed Kim, wearing a black coat and fedora, attending the event with his wife and daughter, in the young girl's latest recent public appearance. Kim was smiling and raising his hand from a balcony as thousands of troops lined up in a brightly illuminated Kim Il Sung Square, named after his grandfather and the nation's founder. The parade marked the 75th founding anniversary of North Korea's army and came after weeks of preparations involving huge numbers of troops and civilians mobilized to glorify Kim's rule and his relentless push to cement the North's status as a nuclear power. State media reports didn't immediately mention whether Kim delivered

G-7 weighs sanctioning Chinese, N. Korean firms for aiding Russia military

The aim is to coordinate a package of measures by Feb. 24, the one-year mark of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing sensitive matters

North Korean leader Kim brings daughter to visit troops

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un brought his daughter to visit troops to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the country's army as he lauded the irresistible might of his nuclear-armed military, state media said Wednesday. The visit came amid indications North Korea is preparing to stage a massive military parade in the capital, Pyongyang, where it could showcase the latest hardware of a growing nuclear weapons program that stokes the concern of its neighbors and the United States. In her fourth known public appearance, Kim's daughter Kim Ju Ae, believed to be 9 or 10 years old, stood closely with her father as he shook the hands of senior officials and sat next to him at a table. Analysts say Kim's decision to bring his daughter to public events tied to his military is to remind the world he has no intentions to voluntarily surrender his nuclear weapons, which he apparently sees as the strongest guarantee of his survival and the extension of his family's dynastic rule. State media

Kim Jong's disappearance raises speculations about his health again: Report

Speculations about North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong Un's health have again come to the fore, after his alleged disappearance before the mass parade slated to be held this week, Fox News reported

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un orders military to improve war readiness

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered his military to expand its combat exercises and strengthen war preparedness as he looks to escalate an already provocative run in weapons demonstrations in the face of deepening tensions with its neighbours and Washington. Kim presided over a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Military Commission on Monday and encouraged the armed forces to perform ever-victorious feats and display matchless military strength to open a new phase in development, the country's official Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday. The commission's members discussed a series of tasks aimed at inducing great change in the military, including constantly expanding and intensifying the operation and combat drills and more strictly perfecting the preparedness for war," the agency said. The meeting came amid signs that North Korea is preparing a massive military parade in the capital Pyongyang, to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the Korean

N Korea warns of 'toughest reaction' to allies' drills with Seoul

North Korea on Thursday threatened the toughest reaction to the United States' expanding joint military exercises with South Korea to counter the North's growing nuclear weapons ambitions, claiming that the allies were pushing tensions to an extreme red line. The statement by Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry came in response to comments by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who during a visit to Seoul on Tuesday said the United States would increase its deployment of advanced military assets to the Korean Peninsula, including fighter jets and aircraft carriers, as it strengthens joint training with South Korea. South Korea's Defense Ministry said the United States flew B-1B bombers and F-22 and F-35 fighter jets in a joint aerial exercise with South Korean fighters on Wednesday, which it said was aimed at demonstrating the United States' commitment to defend its ally with the full range of its military capabilities. The United States and South Korea are also planning to hold a simulate

N Korea slams Nato chief's Seoul visit as 'prelude' to war in Asia-Pacific

North Korea on Monday denounced a visit to Seoul by Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary General, as a "prelude" to war, saying the move could bring a "new Cold War" to the Asia-Pacific region

Japan launches intel satellite to watch North Korea, improve response

Japan successfully launched a rocket on Thursday carrying a government intelligence-gathering satellite on a mission to watch movements at military sites in North Korea and improve natural disaster response. The H2A rocket, launched by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., successfully lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, carrying the IGS-Radar 7 reconnaissance satellite as part of Tokyo's effort to build up its military capability, citing growing threats in the East Asia. The satellite later successfully entered its planned orbit, Mitsubishi Heavy said. The Intelligence Gathering Satellite can capture images on the ground 24 hours a day and even in severe weather conditions. Japan launched the IGS program after a North Korean missile flyover of Japan in 1988 and aims to set up a network of 10 satellites to spot and provide early warning for possible missile launches. The satellites can be also used for disaster monitoring and response. The government wil

FBI accuses North Korean govt-backed hackers for $100 mn crypto heist

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has accused a North Korean government-backed hacker group for a $100 million crypto heist last year

North Korea received $2.3 mn in humanitarian aid last year, shows OCHA data

North Korea saw a significant decline in humanitarian assistance from the international community last year amid prolonged border closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, new data revealed

N Korea sustains high defense spending in budget despite economic troubles

State media reports indicated Kim didn't attend the Supreme People's Assembly's two-day session that ended Wednesday

S Korean leader cites threat from North's missile tests, nuclear ambition

North Korea's spike in missile tests, growing nuclear ambitions and other provocative acts pose a serious threat that could lead to a dangerous miscalculation and spark a wider conflict, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday. Speaking with The Associated Press at the presidential office in Seoul, the conservative leader reiterated his call for closer security cooperation with the United States and Japan to counter the dangerous situation being created by North Korea as he played down the prospect for direct negotiations like those pursued by his liberal predecessor. We've seen a miscalculation leading to serious wars many times in history, Yoon said, adding that the North's advancing nuclear arsenal poses a direct threat to the U.S. mainland as well as South Korea and nearby Japan. Much of the nearly hourlong interview focused on North Korea, which carried out a record number of missile tests last year and just weeks ago violated South Korean airspace by flying drones ..

South Korea asks US to take up more active role in managing nuclear weapons

South Korean President Yoon said the strategy of "nuclear umbrella" or "extended deterrence" is no longer reassuring for the public now that North Korea has developed nuclear weapons

North Korea opens New Year with short-range ballistic missile launch

North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile toward its eastern waters Sunday, entering 2023 with another weapons test after a record number of missile firings last year. South Korea's military detected the launch from the North's capital region around 2:50 a.m. Sunday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. It said the missile travelled about 400 kilometers (250 miles) before falling into the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The Joint Chiefs of Staff called the launch a grave provocation that hurts peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and around the world. It said South Korea closely monitors North Korean moves in coordination with the United States and maintains a readiness to deal with any provocations. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that the launch highlights the destabilising impact of North Korea's unlawful weapons programs. It said U.S. commitments to the defense of South Korea and Japan remain ironclad. North Korea test-fi

North Korea to boost nuclear warhead production 'exponentially': Kim Jong

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to increase the production of nuclear warheads exponentially and build a more powerful intercontinental ballistic missile, state media reported Sunday, signaling deepening animosities with the United States, South Korea and others. Kim's statement at a key ruling party meeting was released hours after North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, entering 2023 with another weapons test following a record number of missile firings last year. The currently established situation calls for our country doubling down our efforts to strengthen our military power overwhelmingly to safeguard our sovereignty, safety and basic national intertest to cope with the dangerous military moves by the U.S. and other hostile forces that target us, Kim said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA cited Kim as saying North Korea is compelled to boost the production exponentially to mass-produce tactical nuclear weapons. It also

North Korea fires unspecified ballistic missile into East Sea: South Korea

North Korea fired an "unspecified ballistic missile," just hours after South Korea conducted a test flight of a solid-fuel space launch vehicle, according to Yonhap News Agency

South Korea's unannounced missile launch causes UFO scare in Seoul

South Korea's military confirmed it test-fired a solid-fuelled rocket on Friday after its unannounced launch triggered brief public scare of a suspected UFO appearance or a North Korean missile launch. The Defence Ministry said in a statement that the rocket launch was part of its efforts to build a space-based surveillance capability and bolster its defence posture. It said it didn't notify the general public of the launch in advance because it involved sensitive military security issues. A twisty tendril of vapour in white-to-red ombre could be seen snaking behind a bright white light in parts of South Korea's sky on Friday evening. South Korean social media and internet sites were abuzz with messages by citizens who said they saw a soaring object, rainbow-coloured vapour trail or other mysterious lights. Some also posted photos and videos. What is this? Is this a UFO? I'm scared, said one Twitter user. Another said they suspected it was a North Korean missile launch and worrie

North Korea's Kim Jong Un lays out key goals to boost military power

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presented unspecified goals to further bolster his military power next year at a meeting of top political officials, state media reported Wednesday, in an indication he'll continue his provocative run of weapons displays. Kim's statement came as animosities with rival South Korea rose sharply this week as the South accused the North of flying drones across the rivals' border for the first time in five years. This year, North Korea already performed a record number of missile tests in what experts call an attempt to modernize its arsenal and increase its leverage in future dealings with the United States. During the Tuesday session at the ongoing plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, Kim analyzed new security challenges in international politics and on the Korean Peninsula and clarified principles and directions to take in external relations and fights against enemies to protect national interests and sovereignty, according to the official Korea