Page 8 - North Korea

US confirms 3,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia, raising war tensions

The training of North Korean troops in Russia raises concerns about the deepening ties between the two nuclear-armed adversaries of the US

North Korea sent troops to Russia, what it means for war with Ukraine?

American and South Korean officials said Wednesday that there's evidence North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia in a potential escalation of the nearly 3-year-old war with Ukraine. If the soldiers' goal is fighting with Russia in Ukraine, it would be the first time a third country puts boots on the ground in the war. Other countries on both sides of the divide have sent military aid, including weapons and training: Iran has supplied Russia with drones, and Western nations have provided Ukraine with modern weapons and financial and humanitarian assistance. South Korea's spy chief told lawmakers that 3,000 North Korean troops were being trained to use equipment including drones before being sent to fight in Ukraine. United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters during a visit to Rome that we are seeing evidence that there are North Korean troops who have gone to Russia. What exactly they're doing - left to be seen," Austin said. Neither Austin nor South Korean ...

North Korea sent at least 3K soldiers into eastern Russia in October: US

Kirby said that Russia is suffering extraordinary casualties every single day in its ongoing war against Ukraine

South Korea calls for withdrawal of alleged North Korean troops in Russia

South Korea on Monday demanded the immediate pullout of North Korean troops allegedly deployed in Russia as it summoned the Russian ambassador to protest deepening military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. South Korea's spy agency said Friday it had confirmed that North Korea sent 1,500 special operation forces to Russia this month to support Moscow's war against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier said his government had intelligence that 10,000 North Korea soldiers were being prepared to join invading Russian forces. During a meeting with Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev, Vice South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun condemned in the strongest terms North Korea's troop dispatch that he said poses a grave security threat" to South Korea and the international community, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Kim said that South Korea in collaboration with the international community will mobilize all available means to deal with an

S Korea calls for immediate withdrawal of N Korean troops in Russia

South Korea on Monday demanded the immediate pullout of North Korean troops allegedly deployed in Russia as it summoned the Russian ambassador to protest deepening military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. South Korea's spy agency said Friday it had confirmed that North Korea sent 1,500 special operation forces to Russia earlier this month to support Moscow's war against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier said his government had intelligence that 10,000 North Korea soldiers were being prepared to join invading Russian forces. During a meeting with Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev, Vice South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun condemned in the strongest terms North Korea's troop dispatch that he said poses a grave security threat" to South Korea and the international community, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Kim said that South Korea in collaboration with the international community will mobilise all available means to deal

North Korea claims finding remains of South Korean drone in its capital

North Korea said Saturday it found the remains of a South Korean drone during a search in its capital, Pyongyang, claiming the drone proved the South's military was behind the alleged drone infiltrations over the city's skies earlier in the month. The North's official Korean Central News Agency released photos showing a seemingly damaged aircraft with wide, V-shaped wings and winglets. It said a joint investigation by North Korea's military and state security agencies concluded that the aircraft, which it said was found on Oct. 13, was the same type of drone that appeared in a South Korean military parade earlier in October. North Korea accused South Korea of flying drones over the night skies of Pyongyang three different times this month to drop anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets. It threatened to respond with force if such flights occur again. The aircraft allegedly found in Pyongyang was likely one of the drones that were used to drop leaflets, North Korea's Defense Ministry .

Zelenskyy says 10K North Koreans could join Russian forces in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday his government has intelligence information that 10,000 troops from North Korea are being prepared to join Russian forces fighting against his country, warning that a third nation wading into the hostilities would turn the conflict into a world war. Zelenskyy did not go into detail about the claim that came a day after U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said that Washington and its allies are alarmed by North Korea's military support for Russia's war in Ukraine but couldn't confirm Ukrainian claims that soldiers were sent to fight for Moscow. From our intelligence we've got information that North Korea sent tactical personnel and officers to Ukraine, Zelenskyy told reporters at NATO headquarters. They are preparing on their land 10,000 soldiers, but they didn't move them already to Ukraine or to Russia. Earlier, he warned that any North Korean involvement would be "the first step to a world war. NATO Secretary-General

Kim Jong stresses troops to treat South Korea as hostile foreign enemy

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reminded his troops to treat South Korea as a hostile foreign enemy and insisted that the North wouldn't hesitate to attack its rival if the South infringes upon its sovereignty, state media said Friday. Kim's comments at an army headquarters came after North Korea this week confirmed that it revised its constitution to define South Korea as a hostile state and blew up front-line road and rail links that were once connected to the South. The steps punctuated Kim's calls for North Korea to abandon its longstanding goals of reconciling with the South and reflect his intent to escalate tensions and increase leverage amid a deepening stalemate in diplomacy. Analysts see increasing risks of possible clashes along the rivals' tense border areas, although it would be highly unlikely for the North to contemplate full-scale attacks in the face of superior U.S. and South Korean forces. During a visit to the headquarters of the North Korean People's Army's 2nd .

N Korea declares S Korea 'hostile state' after demolishing road connections

Earlier this year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared South Korea its 'principal enemy' and cut off all communication, escalating tensions

N Korea blows up parts of inter roads as tensions with S Korea rise

South Korea said North Korea blew up the northern parts of inter-Korean roads no longer in use on Tuesday, as the rivals are locked in rising animosities over North Korea's claim that South Korea flew drones over its capital, Pyongyang. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a brief statement that North Korea blew up parts of the roads on Tuesday. It said South Korea's military is bolstering its readiness and surveillance posture but gave no further details. The explosions came a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called a meeting with his top military and security officials. During the meeting, Kim described the alleged South Korean drone flights as the enemy's serious provocation and laid out unspecified tasks related to immediate military action and the operation of his war deterrent for defending the country's sovereignty, the North's state media reported earlier Tuesday. North Korea earlier put frontline artillery and other army units on standby to launch strikes o

N Korea prepares to destroy northern sides of roads no longer in use: Seoul

South Korea said Monday it has detected signs that North Korea is preparing to destroy the northern parts of inter-Korean roads no longer in use, as the rivals are embroiled in soaring tensions over North Korea's claim that South Korea flew drones over its territory. Destroying the roads would be in line with leader Kim Jong Un's push to cut off ties with South Korea and formally cement it as his country's principal enemy. South Korea's military said Monday that it was observing various activities in North Korea that appeared to be preparations for demolishing the roads, such as installing screens. They have installed screens on the road and are working behind those screens, preparing to blow up the roads, Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a briefing. He said the demolitions could be carried out as early as Monday. Lee said that the South Korean military believes that the North could also attempt to launch a space rocket, which is viewed by th

Front-line units ready to strike Seoul if more drones appear: North Korea

North Korea said on Sunday it put its front-line army units ready to launch strikes on South Korea, ramping up pressure on its rival that it said flew drones over the capital Pyongyang. South Korea has refused to confirm whether it sent drones but warned it would sternly punish North Korea if the safety of its citizens is threatened. North Korea on Friday accused South Korea of flying drones to drop propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang and threatened to respond with force if a similar incident happened again. In a statement carried by state media on Sunday, the North's Defence Ministry said that the military had issued a preliminary operation order to artillery and other army units near the border with South Korea to get fully ready to open fire. An unidentified ministry spokesperson said the North Korea's military ordered relevant units to fully prepare for situations like launching immediate strikes on unspecified enemy targets when South Korea infiltrates drones across the border

Sister of North Korea's leader threatens South Korea over drone flights

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday accused South Korea of deliberately avoiding responsibility for the alleged flights of South Korean drones over the North's capital, and warned of a terrible calamity if they continue. The statement by Kim Yo Jong came a day after North Korea's Foreign Ministry claimed that South Korean drones carrying anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets were detected in the night skies over Pyongyang on October 3, and Wednesday and Thursday this week. The ministry said North Korean forces will prepare all means of attack capable of destroying the southern side of the border and the South Korean military, and respond without warning if South Korean drones are detected in its territory again. South Korea's defence minister initially denied the accusation, but the South's military later adjusted its response, saying it couldn't confirm whether or not the North's claims were true. In comments published through state media, Kim, one o

North Korea fortifies border, cuts final ties with South amid tensions

According to South Korean military officials, North Korea has laid land mines, constructed anti-tank traps, and dismantled railway infrastructure along the Demilitarized Zone

N Korea vows to block border with S Korea and boost front-line defence

North Korea said Wednesday it will permanently block its border with South Korea and boost its front-line defense posture to cope with confrontational hysteria" by South Korean and US forces, while not announcing an expected constitutional revision to formally designate South Korea its principal enemy and codify new national borders. While the moves were likely a pressure tactic, it's unclear how they will affect ties with South Korea since cross-border travel and exchanges have been halted for years. North Korea's military said Wednesday it will completely cut off roads and railways linked to South Korea and fortify the relevant areas of our side with strong defense structures, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. The North's military called its steps a self-defensive measure for inhibiting war and defending the security of North Korea. It said that the hostile forces are getting ever more reckless in their confrontational hysteria. It cited what it called

North Korea, China mark 75th anniversary of ties amidst raised questions

The leaders of North Korea and China marked the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations on Sunday by exchanging messages that expressed hopes for stronger ties, as outsiders raised questions about their relationship. The message exchange came as North Korea and Russia have been sharply expanding their cooperation while China apparently keeps its distance. Experts say that the level of exchanges and commemorative programs between North Korea and China in the coming months will provide a clue to the exact status of their ties. In a message sent to Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his government will steadily strive to consolidate and develop the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, according to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. Xi, in his message to Kim, said that China is ready to jointly promote the stable and further advance of the socialist cause in the two countries," KCNA said. Since North Korea

S Korea unveils most powerful missile, which could reach N Korea's bunkers

South Korea unveiled its most powerful ballistic missile and other weapons targeting North Korea during a massive Armed Forces Day ceremony Tuesday, as the president warned the North's regime would collapse if it attempts to use nuclear weapons. South Korea's weapons displays and warning against North Korea came after its northern rival recently rose regional animosities by disclosing its uranium-enrichment facility and tested missiles ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November. If North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, it will face the resolute and overwhelming response of our military and the (South Korea)-U.S. alliance, President Yoon Suk Yeol told thousands of troops gathered at a military airport near Seoul. That day will be the end of the North Korean regime. The North Korean regime must abandon the delusion that nuclear weapons will protect them, Yoon said. During the ceremony, the South Korean military displayed about 340 military equipment and weapons system

Kim calls for bolstering nuclear weapons after testing 2 types of missiles

North Korea said Thursday that leader Kim Jong Un supervised successful tests of two types of missiles one designed to carry a super-large conventional warhead" and the other likely for a nuclear warhead, as he ordered officials to bolster up his country's military capabilities to repel US-led threats. The tests were apparent references to the multiple missile launches that neighbouring countries said North Korea performed off its east coast on Wednesday, extending its run of weapons display as confrontations with the US and South Korea escalate. The official Korean Central News Agency said that Kim oversaw the launch of the country's newly built Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5 ballistic missile tipped with a dummy 4.5-ton super-large conventional warhead. It said the test-firing was meant to verify an ability to accurately hit a 320 kilometer (200 mile)-range target, suggesting it's a weapon aimed at striking sites in South Korea. KCNA said Kim also guided the launch of an improved strategic

N Korea discloses uranium enrichment facility as Kim calls for more nukes

North Korea offered a rare glimpse into a secretive facility to produce weapons-grade uranium as state media reported Friday that leader Kim Jong Un visited the area and called for stronger efforts to exponentially increase the number of his nuclear weapons. It's unclear if the site is at the North's main Yongbyon nuclear complex, but it's the North's first public disclosure of a uranium-enrichment facility since it showed one at Yongbyon to visiting American scholars in 2010. While the latest unveiling is likely an attempt to apply more pressure on the U.S. and its allies, the images North Korea's media released of the area could provide outsiders with a valuable source of information for estimating the amount of nuclear ingredients that North Korea has produced. During a visit to the Nuclear Weapons Institute and the production base of weapon-grade nuclear materials, Kim expressed great satisfaction repeatedly over the wonderful technical force of the nuclear power field held by ..

North Korea has fired ballistic missile toward sea, says S Korea military

North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said, days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to put his nuclear force fully ready for battle with its rivals. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a brief statement that the launch took place off North Korea's eastern coast on Thursday morning but gave no further details like how far the weapon traveled. Japan's Prime Minister's Office also alerted on its X account that North Korea had launched a suspected ballistic missile, but did not provide further details. The launch is North Korea's first public weapons firing in more than two months. On July 1, North Korea claimed to have tested a new tactical weapon capable of delivering a super-large 4.5 ton-class warhead. In a speech Monday, Kim said he would redouble efforts to make his nuclear force fully ready for combat with the United States and its allies. Kim made such a pledge saying North Korea faces a grave threat because of