Page 4 - North Korea

North Korea gaining military edge as Russia seeks war-time supplies

North Korea is rapidly modernising its military with Russian support, gaining advanced weapons, battlefield experience, and strategic leverage. This has raised concerns about regional security

North Korea's growing military support to Russia flagged in report

Last year North Korea transferred to Russia at least 100 ballistic missiles, which were subsequently launched into Ukraine to destroy civilian infrastructure

US, allies accuse N Korea, Russia of violating UN sanctions in arms deals

The United States and 10 allies on Thursday said the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea flagrantly violates UN sanctions and has helped Moscow increase its missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. They made the accusations in their first report since joining forces to monitor sanctions against North Korea after Russia vetoed a resolution in March 2024 to continue the monitoring by a UN Security Council panel of experts. It had been issuing reports of Pyongyang's sanctions violations since 2010. The 29-page report produced by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team -- comprising the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom -- said the evidence it gathered demonstrates that North Korea and Russia have engaged in myriad unlawful activities explicitly prohibited by UN sanctions resolutions. It said North Korea has transferred arms and related materiel by sea, air and rail, including artillery,

Donald Trump's Golden Dome risks 'space nuclear war,' says North Korea

Last month, Trump said he plans to reach out to North Korea "at some point" and reiterated that he has a "very good relationship" with leader Kim Jong Un

North Korea detains 3 officials over failed launch of naval destroyer

North Korean authorities have detained three shipyard officials over the recent failed launch of a naval destroyer, an incident that leader Kim Jong Un said was caused by criminal negligence, state media said Sunday. The 5,000-tonne-class destroyer was damaged Wednesday when a transport cradle on the ship's stern detached early during a launch ceremony attended by Kim at the northeastern port of Chongjin. Satellite imagery on the site showed the vessel lying on its side and draped in blue covers, with parts of the ship submerged. The vessel is North Korea's second known destroyer. The failed launch was subsequently an embarrassment to Kim, who is eager to build greater naval forces to deal with what he calls US-led military threats. North Korea launched its first destroyer, also a 5,000-tonne-class ship, with massive fanfare last month. The ship is North Korea's largest and most advanced warship and state media reported it is designed to carry various weapons including nuclear ...

New North Korean warship damaged during launch attended by Kim Jong Un

A new 5,000-ton destroyer key to North Korea's naval advancement was damaged during its launching ceremony attended by leader Kim Jong Un, state media reported Thursday. The ship slid off the ramp and became stuck after the flatcar failed to move alongside it, throwing off its balance and crushing parts of the ship's bottom, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The accident at Wednesday's ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin was an embarrassing setback for Kim, who has emphasized naval advancement as key to his nuclear-armed military. Kim blamed military officials, scientists and shipyard operators for what he described as a serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism, and called for a ruling Workers' Party meeting to address their irresponsible errors, KCNA said. The agency reported separately that a plenary meeting of the party's powerful Central Committee was scheduled for late June. South Korea

Kim Jong Un supervises North Korea missile tests simulating nuclear strikes

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised tests of short-range ballistic missile systems that simulated nuclear counterstrikes against US and South Korean forces, state media said Friday, as the North continued to blame its rivals for escalating tensions through their joint military exercises. The report came a day after South Korea's military detected multiple launches from North Korea's eastern coast and assessed that the tests could also be related to the country's weapons exports to Russia during its war in Ukraine. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday's tests involved a mobile ballistic missile system apparently modelled after Russia's Iskander, as well as 600-millimetre multiple rocket launchers that South Korean officials classify as ballistic due to their self-propulsion and guided flight. Both are part of a growing lineup of weapons systems that the North says could be armed with "tactical" nuclear weapons for battlefield use. KCNA said the tests

North Korea fires multiple missiles towards eastern waters: South Korea

North Korea on Thursday fired several ballistic missiles towards its eastern waters, South Korea's military said, adding to a run of weapons tests that have raised animosity in the region. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the weapons fired from an area around the eastern port city of Wonsan were presumed to be short-range ballistic missiles. The South's military didn't immediately say how far they flew. The Joint Chiefs said the military has strengthened surveillance while sharing the launch information with the United States and Japan. It was the North's first known ballistic activity since March 10, when it fired several ballistic missiles hours after US and South Korean troops began an annual combined military exercise, and the country's sixth launch event of the year. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated in recent months as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continues to accelerate the development of his nuclear and missile programme and supply weapons and troops

Kim Jong Un urges more artillery output as North Korea deepens Russia ties

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for his munitions industry to boost the production of artillery shells, state media said Wednesday, as the country continues to supply arms and troops to support Russia's war on Ukraine. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim, during recent visits to unspecified munitions and machinery factories, praised modernisation efforts that the agency claimed enabled the facilities to double their annual shell production capacity. Kim urged workers to further accelerate artillery shell production, calling it crucial to strengthening the fighting efficiency of his armed forces, and also called for the development of more advanced machinery to boost munitions output. KCNA did not mention any comments from Kim regarding his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Recent South Korean intelligence assessments suggest that North Korea has sent about 15,000 soldiers to Russia, and that nearly 5,000 of th

North Korea, Russia begin building first road link to boost growing ties

North Korea and Russia have begun building their first road link, the two countries announced, hailing the construction of a bridge over a border river as a major development that will further expand their booming ties. Russia's Tass news agency reported Wednesday that the bridge would be 1 kilometre long and its construction is expected to take 1 years, and North Korea's Korean Central News Agency said the bridge would expand cross-border travel of people, tourism and circulation of commodities. Relations and exchange programmes between the two countries have been flourishing in recent years, with North Korea supplying ammunitions and troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine. One railway bridge and air service already connect North Korea and Russia, and in June 2024, the two countries agreed to construct a bridge for automobiles over the Tumen River, which runs along North Korea's borders with Russia and China. On Thursday, North Korea and Russia simultaneously held a ...

4,700 North Korean soldiers killed or wounded fighting for Russia: S Korea

An estimated 4,700 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded while fighting alongside Russia against Ukrainian forces, South Korea's spy agency told lawmakers Wednesday. The assessment came two days after North Korea confirmed for the first time that it had sent combat troops to help Russia recapture parts of the Kursk region, which it lost control of to a surprise Ukrainian incursion last year. In a closed-door parliamentary committee briefing, South Korea's National Intelligence Service said North Korea had suffered 4,700 casualties, including 600 deaths, on the Russia-Ukraine battlefronts, according to Lee Seong Kweun, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. Lee told reporters the NIS said that 2,000 injured North Korean soldiers were repatriated to North Korea by air or train between January and March. He cited the NIS as saying the dead North Korean soldiers were cremated in Russia before their remains were sent back home. In January, the NIS said about 300 Nort

North Korea test-fires missiles from its new destroyer, eyes naval boost

North Korea said Wednesday leader Kim Jong Un observed the first test-firings of missiles from a newly launched destroyer and called for accelerating efforts to boost his navy's nuclear attack capabilities. North Korea last week unveiled the 5,000-ton warship equipped with what it called the most powerful weapons built in its warship industry. Kim said it was a significant advancement toward his goal of expanding the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of his nuclear-armed military. The official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday that Kim watched the tests of the destroyer's supersonic and strategic cruise missiles, anti-aircraft missile, automatic guns and electronic jamming guns earlier this week. He appreciated the ship's combination of powerful strike weapons and conventional defences and set tasks to speed the nuclear-arming of his navy, the report said. During the ship's launching ceremony, Kim said the destroyer will be deployed early next year. He sa

Russian Prez Putin thanks North Korea for sending troops to fight Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked North Korean troops for fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region, after North Korea on Monday confirmed the deployment for the first time. In a statement Monday from the Kremlin, Putin hailed the heroism and dedication of the North Korean fighters, who he said shoulder to shoulder with Russian fighters, defended our Motherland as their own. Russia on Saturday said its troops have fully reclaimed the Kursk region that Ukrainian forces seized in a surprise incursion last year. Ukrainian officials denied the claim. US, South Korean and Ukraine intelligence officials have said North Korea dispatched 10,000-12,000 troops to Russia last fall in its first participation in a major armed conflict since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. But North Korea hadn't confirmed or denied its reported troop deployments to Russia until Monday. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un decided to send the combat troops to Russia under a mutual defence treaty he

N Korea confirms troop deployment to Russia for first time amid Ukraine war

North Korea's Central Military Commission said the decision to join the war was in line with the two countries' mutual defence treaty sealed last year

North Korean leader Kim unveils new naval destroyer, cites US as threat

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has unveiled a new naval destroyer, claiming it as a significant advancement toward his goal of expanding the operational range and preemptive strike capabilities of his nuclear-armed military, state media said Saturday. North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency said Kim attended the launching ceremony for the 5,000-ton warship on Friday at the western port of Nampo. Kim framed the arms buildup as a response to perceived threats from the United States and its allies in Asia, who have been expanding joint military exercises amid rising tensions over the North's nuclear programme. He added that the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening his navy. The new multipurpose destroyer, touted by state media as the first in a new class of heavily armed warships, is designed to handle various weapons systems, including anti-air and anti-naval weapons, as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missile

N Korea threatens response to US flying long-range bombers over S Korea

North Korea on Thursday threatened unspecified retaliation after the US flew long-range bombers over South Korea during training with its forces, which North Korea views as practice for an attack against it. The U.S. flew the B-1B bombers Tuesday during an aerial drill with other US and South Korean fighter jets. South Korea's Defense Ministry had said the training was meant to show the two countries' combined deterrence capability against North Korea's advancing nuclear program. The U.S. and South Korea routinely hold joint military exercises they describe as defensive in nature. But North Korea views them as an invasion rehearsal and is particularly sensitive to the U.S. mobilization of strategic assets such as long-range bombers, aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines. The recent military move of the U.S. and the ROK is an open threat to the security of our state and a grave provocation that raises the military tension in the region to an extreme dangerous level, an ...

Status 'permanent': North Korean leader's sister rejects denuclearisation

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday mocked Washington and its Asian allies for what she called their daydream of denuclearising the North, insisting that the country will never give up its nuclear weapons programme. The statement by Kim Yo Jong, one of the country's top foreign policy officials, was in response to a meeting last week between the top diplomats of the United States, South Korea and Japan where they reaffirmed their commitment to push for the North's denuclearisation. Noting that North Korea's goals for nuclear weapons expansion are enshrined in its constitution, she insisted that any external discussions of denuclearisation constitute the most hostile act and amount to a denial of her country's sovereignty. If the US and its vassal forces continue to insist on anachronistic denuclearisation' it will only give unlimited justness and justification to the advance of the DPRK aspiring after the building of the strongest nuclear force for .

North Korea sent around 3,000 additional troops to Russia, says Seoul

North Korea sent around 3,000 additional troops to Russia in January and February in continued support for Russian President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine, South Korea's military said Thursday in its latest assessment. The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea has also been sending more missiles, artillery equipment and ammunition to help Russia and that North Korea could increase its weapons supplies further depending on the war situation. Russia and Ukraine recently agreed on a limited ceasefire, though both sides have accused each other of violations. The military equipment North Korea has sent to Russia includes a considerable amount of short-range ballistic missiles, 170 millimetre self-propelled howitzers and around 220 units of 240 millimetre multiple rocket launchers. North Korea has sent approximately 11,000 military personnel to fight in the war against Ukraine in its first involvement in a large-scale conflict since the 1950-53 Korean War, and the Joint Chiefs

N Korea sent 3,000 more troops to Russia, according to South's assessment

North Korea sent around 3,000 additional troops to Russia in January and February in continued support for Russian President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine, South Korea's military said Thursday in its latest assessment. The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea has also been sending more missiles, artillery equipment and ammunition to help Russia and that North Korea could increase its weapons supplies further depending on the war situation. Russia and Ukraine recently agreed on a limited ceasefire, though both sides have accused each other of violations. The military equipment North Korea has sent to Russia includes a considerable amount of short-range ballistic missiles, 170 millimeter self-propelled howitzers and around 220 units of 240 millimeter multiple rocket launchers. North Korea has sent approximately 11,000 military personnel to fight in the war against Ukraine in its first involvement in a large-scale conflict since the 1950-53 Korean War, and the Joint Chiefs

North Korea's Kim Jong Un reaffirms support for Russia's war in Ukraine

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed his unwavering support for Russia's war in Ukraine during a meeting with a top Russian security official in Pyongyang, North Korean state media said Saturday. Friday's meeting between Kim and Sergei Shoigu, Russia's Security Council secretary, followed a South Korean intelligence assessment in late February that North Korea had likely sent additional troops to Russia after its forces suffered heavy casualties fighting in the Russian-Ukraine war. Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle Wednesday to a limited ceasefire after US President Donald Trump spoke with the two countries' leaders, though it remains to be seen when it might take effect and what targets would be off-limits. North Korean and Russian state media said Kim and Shoigu discussed various issues, including Russia's war in Ukraine, Moscow's dialogues with the Trump administration and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. They reaffirmed the willingness of the two ...