North Korea, one of the most isolated and repressive countries in the world, has imposed harsh punishments on its citizens who watch or distribute South Korean shows, which are banned by the regime.  A rare video footage, obtained by a South Korean research group, shows two teenage boys being sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for watching K-dramas, or …

North Korea harshly criticised the United States’ choice to give Taiwan a weapons aid package costing up to $345 million on August 4. Congress approved up to $1 billion in weapons for the island as part of the aid package included in the 2023 budget. In response, North Korea charged that the US had turned Taiwan into an “unsinkable advanced …

SOUTH KOREA: Satellite images show what appear to be multiple missile launches from North Korea, South Korea’s military said based on Sunday’s (Jul 10) satellite images (MLRs). Shots were heard after 6 p.m., and South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the military had increased monitoring and alert levels without indicating any further response. North Korea regularly conducts MLR …

NORTH KOREA: On Thursday, official media stated that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted an extraordinary meeting aimed at strengthening the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea’s “monolithic” leadership across society (Jul 7). The first-of-its-kind meeting aimed to “realize the organizational and ideological convergence of the Party ranks in every way” and “enhance the party’s leadership position,” according to state …

Korea – According to reports in the media, North Korea has eased movement restrictions that had been enforced in its capital city of Pyongyang after the government made its first admission of a Covid-19 breakout some weeks ago. The isolated country claims that the virus issue is now under control. Since the declaration of a state of emergency and the …

South Korea – As worry about a North Korean nuclear test rises, US President Joe Biden landed in South Korea on May 20 for his first Asia tour as US leader, with the goal of strengthening relations with regional security partners. Biden wants the visit to draw on recent actions that have accelerated the US‘s years-long pivot to Asia, where …

ASEAN – Officials said a group of foreign policy advisers to South Korea’s president-elect met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday in an effort to restore long-strained relations between the two US allies. At a time when both countries confront dangers from North Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, who took over as South Korea’s president on May 10, has announced …

North Korea – North Korea may have launched a ballistic missile, according to Japan’s coast guard, in the first test since the nuclear-armed nation set a new record for launches in January. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea also said that North Korea had shot at least one “unidentified missile” eastward, without providing any other details. The launch …

North Korea – The North Korean government has deported thousands of gardeners to labor camps after thousands of special flowers planted to commemorate the late dictator’s birthday failed to blossom. The Kimjongilia, which was named after Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-father un’s and previous North Korean leader, were supposed to be in bloom on February 16 to commemorate the late dictator’s …

Myanmar – An American journalist who has been held by Myanmar’s junta for months has been refused bail and is facing a third criminal accusation, his lawyer said to AFP on Thursday. Danny Fenster, the managing editor of Frontier Myanmar, was detained in May while attempting to flee the country. He is presently on trial on charges of promoting dissent against …