Page 32 - North Korea

Russia to buy rockets, artillery shells from North Korea, says US

The Russian Ministry of Defense is in the process of purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for its ongoing fight in Ukraine, according to a newly downgraded U.S. intelligence finding. Brig Gen Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said Tuesday that the information that we have is that Russia has specifically asked for ammunition. He said the US has seen indications Russia approached North Korea, but said he had no other details, including whether money has changed hands or any shipments are in progress. It does demonstrate and is indicative of the situation that Russia finds itself in, in terms of its logistics and sustainment capabilities as it relates to Ukraine, said Ryder, in the administration's first public comments on the intelligence assessment. We assess that things are not going well on that front for Russia. A U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence determination, said Monday that the fact Russia

Russia to buy rockets, artillery shells from North Korea, claims US finding

The Russian Ministry of Defense is in the process of purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for its ongoing fight in Ukraine, according to a newly downgraded U.S. intelligence finding. A U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence determination, said Monday that the fact Russia is turning to the isolated state of North Korea demonstrates that the Russian military continues to suffer from severe supply shortages in Ukraine, due in part to export controls and sanctions. U.S. intelligence officials believe that the Russians could look to purchase additional North Korean military equipment in the future. The intelligence finding was first reported by The New York Times. The finding comes after the Biden administration recently confirmed that the Russian military in August took delivery of Iranian-manufactured drones for use on the battlefield in Ukraine. The White House said last week that Russia has faced technical .

North Korea calls UN monitor on its rights issue 'puppet' of the US

North Korea called the UN's top expert on the country's human rights a puppet of the United States, warning on Friday that it won't tolerate an American-led plot to use the rights issue to overthrow its political system. North Korea's government is extremely sensitive to any outside criticism of its rights record, viewing it as an attempt to slander and rattle its authoritarian rule of its 26 million people, most of whom have little access to foreign news. Its comments come as Elizabeth Salmn, the UN special rapporteur on the North's human rights, is making her first visit to South Korea this week to meet officials, activists and North Korean defectors since her appointment last month. North Korea's Foreign Ministry accused Salmn of displaying ignorance and biased vision" on the North. It also accused Washington of being behind Salmn's mandate as part of an anti-North Korea scheme. The human rights' racket of the US and other hostile forces is nothing but the most politicised hosti

China, Russia hold key to North Korea's denuclearisation: South Korea

China and Russia's reluctance to toughen UN sanctions on North Korea is the biggest challenge facing efforts to eliminate the North's nuclear arsenal, a top South Korean official said on Thursday, as the North remains ready to conduct its first nuclear test in five years. China and Russia, which both have close ties with North Korea and are locked in confrontations with the United States, already vetoed a US-led attempt to slap fresh sanctions on North Korea over its missile tests this year. That raises worries North Korea would escape punishment even if it performs a bigger provocation like a nuclear test explosion, which are banned by UN resolutions. Even if North Korea conducts an additional nuclear test, there is a possibility no additional sanctions will be adopted at the UN Security Council because of the a US-China strategic rivalry and US-Russia tension over the Ukraine war, South Korea's vice defence minister, Shin Beomchul, told The Associated Press during an interview. I

North Korea says new fever cases near China border were flu, not COVID-19

North Korea on Friday said the latest fever cases detected in its border region with China were tested to be influenza, not coronavirus infections as initially feared. The report by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency came a day after the North said it locked down unspecified areas in Ryanggang province after four people had fevers that were suspected to be COVID-19. North Korea maintains it has had no confirmed coronavirus cases since August 10, when leader Kim Jong Un declared a widely disputed victory over the virus, just three months after the country acknowledged an omicron outbreak. KCNA said diagnostic tests of samples, the nature of the symptoms, and information gained from contract tracing led health workers to conclude that the fevers were caused by influenza. The patients have since returned to normal temperatures, it said. North Korean officials lifted the lockdown but urged residents to maintain vigilance by continuing to wear masks and reporting to healt

North Korea sees suspected COVID-19 cases after victory claim by leader

North Korea on Thursday said it found four new fever cases in its border region with China that may have been caused by coronavirus infections, two weeks after leader Kim Jong Un declared a widely disputed victory over COVID-19. North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency said health workers were conducting genetic tests on the samples taken from four people in the Ryanggang Province who exhibited fevers to confirm whether they were caused by the "malignant epidemic." The North often uses that term, along with "malignant virus," to describe COVID-19 and the coronavirus. Authorities immediately locked down the areas where the fever cases emerged and plan to maintain tight restrictions and quarantines until health workers determine the cause of the illness. "(Health authorities) pay attention to the fact that those with fever had not been infected by the malignant epidemic," KCNA said. The country's emergency anti-virus headquarters dispatched "talented epidemiological, virolo

North Korea urges heightened precautions against new virus found in China

North Korea on Wednesday called for heightened alert against a new virus detected in China, just weeks after Pyongyang claimed victory over the Covid-19 crisis

US begins biggest military drills with South Korea since Trump-Kim summit

The US and South Korea will begin their biggest joint military exercise in about five years after a hiatus on large-scale exercises that failed to entice North Korea's Kim Jong Un

North Korea dismisses Seoul's 'foolish' aid-for-disarmament offer

The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says her country will never accept South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's foolish offer of economic benefits in exchange for denuclearisation steps, accusing Seoul of recycling past proposals Pyongyang already rejected. In a commentary published on Friday's edition of North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper, Kim Yo Jong stressed that her country has no intentions to give away its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles program for economic cooperation, saying no one barters its destiny for corn cake. She questioned the sincerity of South Korea's calls for improved bilateral relations while it continues its combined military exercises with the United States and fails to stop civilian activists from flying anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets and other dirty wastes across their border. She also ridiculed South Korea's military capabilities, saying that the South misread the launch site of its latest missile tests on Wednesday, which ca

Seoul won't seek own nuclear deterrent amid N Korean threat: President

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said his government has no plans to pursue its own nuclear deterrent in the face of growing North Korean nuclear threats.

Kim Jong-un receives congratulatory letter from head of Ukraine's Donetsk

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un received a message stressing bilateral relations from the head of the Russian-backed Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, Pyongyang's state media said on Wednesday.

Donetsk leader calls for 'beneficial' ties with N Korea in occupied Ukraine

North Korea last month became one of the few nations in the world to recognise the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, another Russian-backed separatist region in eastern Ukraine

N Korea moves toward pre-Covid normalcy; lifts mask mandate, eases curbs

North Korea has lifted a face mask mandate and eased anti-virus curbs as the country moves toward normalcy after declaring victory in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic

N Korea claims disputed victory over coronavirus, blames spread on Seoul

North Korea blamed the country's Covid-19 outbreak on leaflets flown from across the border from South Korea, while warning of deadly retaliation

Shameless provocation: N Korea in letter to China on Pelosi's Taiwan trip

North Korea's ruling Workers' Party (WPK) sent a formal message to the Communist Party of China denouncing US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan last week as a "shameless provocation"

N Korea to hold key parliamentary meet on Sep 7, organisational issues key

North Korea will convene a key parliamentary meeting in Pyongyang next month to discuss organisational and other pending issues

N Korea calls Pelosi 'destroyer of international peace' over Taiwan visit

North Korea called US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the worst destroyer of international peace and stability, accusing her of inciting anti-North Korea sentiment and enraging China

North Korea testing nuclear triggers, preparing another test: UN experts

UN experts report that North Korea is testing nuclear triggering devices and that its preparations for another nuclear test were at a final stage in June, quoting information from unnamed countries

North Korea slams Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan visit, backs China's position

North Korea strongly denounced Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on Wednesday, calling it an "impudent interference" by Washington into another nation's internal affairs

Kim Jong Un says he is ready to fight with US, 'eliminate' South Korea

Kim has been stepping up his provocations this year while US attention has been diverted toward Russia's invasion of Ukraine by firing off a record number of ballistic missiles