Page 26 - North Korea

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

South Korea's leader calls for stealth drones to monitor North Korea

South Korea's president on Tuesday called for a stronger air defence and high-tech stealth drones to better monitor North Korea, a day after Seoul accused North Korea of flying five drones across the rivals' tense border for the first time in five years. South Korea's military fired warning shots and scrambled warplanes and attack helicopters in response Monday, but there has been no confirmation that any of the North Korean drones were shot down. That has raised a serious question about South Korea's air defence network at a time when tensions remain high over North Korea's torrid run of missile tests this year. We have a plan to create a military drone unit tasked with monitoring key military facilities in North Korea. But we'll advance the establishment of the drone unit as soon as possible because of yesterday's incident, President Yoon Suk Yeol said during a regular Cabinet Council meeting. We'll also introduce state-of-the art stealth drones and bolster our surveillance ...

Kim Jong Un claims North Korean successes, says it faces challenges

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for stronger effort to overcome hardships and challenges facing his country as he opened a key political meeting after carrying out a record number of missile tests this year. A plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party was convened in Pyongyang on Monday to review past projects and discuss next year's work plans, the official Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday. Kim will likely use the meeting to reaffirm his resolve to expand his nuclear arsenal and introduce high-tech weapons targeting the US and South Korea while laying out projects to revive pandemic-battered public livelihoods, some experts say. In his opening comments, Kim compared hardships and challenges since a bigger party meeting in early 2021 to the ten-year struggle of the revolution. But he claimed North Korea has reported some successes in the arduous course and that his country's power has remarkably increased in political, military, economic and cultural areas. He ...

South Korea fires warning shots after drones from North cross border

South Korea says it fired warning shots after North Korean drones violated the South's airspace. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said several unmanned North Korean drones crossed the inter-Korean border and were detected in the South's territory on Monday. It's the first time for North Korean drones to enter South Korean airspace since 2017. Monday's incident came three days after South Korea said North Korea test-launched two short-range ballistic missiles in its latest weapons tests.

N Korean hackers steal NFTs using nearly 500 phishing domains: Report

The use of "malicious Mints" which tricked the victims into thinking they are minting a real NFT by connecting their wallet to the website, was one of the strategies implemented

North Korean economy down 0.1% in 2021 amid prolonged Covid, sanctions

The country's real gross domestic product (GDP) fell for the second consecutive year, following a 4.5-per cent on-year drop tallied in 2020, according to the data from Statistics Korea

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles, says Seoul military

It added the two missiles were launched into the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan

North Korea fires ballistic missiles after drills by US-South Korea

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Friday, its latest weapons demonstration that came days after US and South Korean warplanes conducted joint drills that North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. North Korea has conducted an unprecedented number of missile tests this year in what some experts call an attempt to bolster its weapons capability and pressure its rivals to make concessions such as sanctions relief in future negotiations. Recently, the North also claimed to have performed major tests needed to acquire its first spy satellite and a more mobile intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the US mainland. South Korea's military detected the two missile launches from North Korea's capital region at around 4:32 pm on Friday. Japan said it also confirmed at least one missile launch by North Korea. It wasn't immediately clear exactly what kinds of missiles North Korea fired. South Korea's military said the missiles ...