North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ousted a former foreign minister who played a key role in his summits with former US President Donald Trump in 2018 and 2019, according to intelligence authorities cited by South Korean MPs on Thursday (5 January). Ri Yong-ho has remained out of the public view since denuclearization talks with Washington halted following a …

Saturday, December 31, North Korea launched three ballistic missiles into the sea east of the Korean Peninsula, according to the South Korean military. The launches were the latest in an unprecedented series of missile tests undertaken by North Korea this year, as Pyongyang continues to build its arsenal amid rumors that it may conduct a seventh nuclear test. South Korea’s …

State media stated on Wednesday, December 28, that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presented new military plans for 2023 during a meeting of the governing Workers’ Party, suggesting another year of intense weapons testing and conflict. The report said that on the second day of the Sixth Enlarged Plenary Meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the party, Kim …

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. vowed to support South Korea’s efforts for the total denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, describing North Korea’s succession of missile tests as “of great concern.” Mr. Marcos made these remarks during his bilateral meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday in Phnom Penh, concurrent with the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian …

A senior US administration official stated on Thursday that the United States believes China and Russia have influence they may use to persuade North Korea not to conduct nuclear bomb tests. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to Reuters, said that while the United States had been claiming since May that North Korea was ready to resume …

On Thursday, November 3, North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles, including a probable failed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that prompted an alarm for inhabitants in regions of central and northern Japan to seek shelter. In spite of an earlier government warning that a missile had flown over Japan, Tokyo later stated that this was false. The missile may have been …

Wednesday, October 26th, the United States, Japan, and South Korea warned that a “unprecedented” response would be necessary if North Korea conducted a seventh nuclear bomb test. Washington and its allies believe North Korea may soon begin nuclear bomb tests for the first time since 2017; this would be the first time North Korea has conducted such tests since 2017. …

The North Korean military reportedly fired artillery shells off its east and west coasts on Tuesday (October 18), according to the military of South Korea. According to a statement released by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday, the North Korean government blasted approximately 150 rounds off of its east coast and fired approximately 100 shells into the water off …

Friday, October 7th, the Vatican reminded North Korea, whose latest missile launches have heightened tensions in Asia, that Pope Francis is eager to visit the nation if Pyongyang extends an official invitation. Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister, made the remarks at an event commemorating South Korea’s national day. “Pope Francis has a special affinity for and interest in …

According to reports from state media on Friday, September 9, the leader of the reclusive nation of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, has indicated that the government may commence COVID-19 vaccinations in the month of November. Kim referenced warnings from the World Health Organization during his address to the North Korean national parliament on Thursday, September 8. The warnings indicated that …