Page 7 - Us-north Korea

S Korea-US consulting group meets in response to North Korea's threats

A bilateral consulting group of South Korean and US officials met Tuesday in Seoul to discuss strengthening their nations' deterrence capabilities against North Korea's evolving nuclear threats. The Nuclear Consultative Group was established as part of agreements Presidents Joe Biden and Yoon Suk Yeol made when they met in April. Seoul officials say the body is tasked with sharing information on nuclear and strategic weapons operation plans and discussing joint operations. The US would retain operational control of US nuclear weapons, and Washington officials say the group's establishment and other steps announced in April were meant to ease South Korean worries about North Korean provocations while keeping Seoul from pursuing its own nuclear program. The group's inaugural meeting will serve as an important starting point to establish powerful, effective Korea-US extended deterrence, Yoon said during a televised Cabinet Council meeting, referring to a US security commitment to use .

Kim Jong Un vows to boost nuke capability after observing new ICBM launch

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to further bolster his country's nuclear fighting capabilities as he supervised the country's second test-flight of a new intercontinental ballistic missile designed to strike the mainland U.S., state media reported Thursday. Kim's statement suggests North Korea would ramp up weapons testing activities to expand its arsenals in response to recent U.S. steps to enhance its security commitment to ally South Korea. "The present unstable situation in which the security environment on the Korean peninsula is being seriously threatened by the hostile forces every moment," Kim said, according to state media. "(That) requires more intense efforts to implement the line of bolstering nuclear war deterrent." The Korean Central News Agency disclosed Kim's comments, after confirming the North conducted a successful launch of the Hwasong-18 ICBM on Wednesday. The launch was first reported by its neighbours soon after its liftoff. The Hwasong-18 is a ...

North Korea holds rallies against US "imperialism," warns of nuclear war

North Korea organises mass rallies in Pyongyang condemning US imperialism. People shouted slogans like the "war of revenge" to destroy the United States

N Korea calls failed spy satellite launch 'serious' shortcoming, vows a 2nd

Top North Korean officials vowed to push for a second attempt to launch a spy satellite as they called their country's first, and failed, launch last month the most serious shortcoming this year and harshly criticized those responsible, state media reported Monday. In late May, a North Korean rocket carrying a military reconnaissance satellite crashed soon after liftoff, posing a setback to leader Kim Jong Un's push to acquire a space-based surveillance system to better monitor the United States and South Korea. The failed launch and North Korean efforts to modernize its weapons arsenals were discussed heavily at a three-day ruling party meeting that ended Sunday, with the presence of Kim and other top officials. A lengthy Korean Central News Agency dispatch on the meeting didn't clearly say who spoke, but said a report to the meeting bitterly criticized the officials who irresponsibly conducted the preparations for (the) satellite launch. The report set forth tasks for officials a

North Korea 'bitterly condemns' UNSC meeting over spy satellite launch

This response came after the US requested a UNSC meeting last week to address North Korea's failed effort to launch its first spy satellite into orbit, which resulted in the launcher and payload crash

South Korea, US, Japan call for support of ban on North Korea workers

South Korea, the US and Japan called for stronger international support of efforts to ban North Korea from sending workers abroad and curb the North's cybercrimes as a way to block the country's means to fund its nuclear program. The top South Korean, US and Japanese nuclear envoys met in Seoul on Friday in their first gathering in four months to discuss how to cope with North Korea's growing nuclear arsenal. The North's recent weapons tests show it is intent on acquiring more advanced missiles designed to attack the US and its allies, rather than returning to talks. Despite 11 rounds of UN sanctions and pandemic-related hardships that have worsened its economic and food problems, North Korea still devotes much of its scarce resources to its nuclear and missile programs. Contributing to financing its weapons program is also likely the North's crypto hacking and other illicit cyber activities and the wages sent by North Korean workers remaining in China, Russia and elsewhere despite

North Korea test-fires 2 more missiles as tensions rise with South

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missile toward waters off its eastern coast Monday, adding to a recent flurry in weapons tests as the United States prepared to deploy an aircraft carrier strike group to neighboring waters to step up military exercises with the South. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles flew cross-country after being fired from a western inland area south of the North Korean capital of Pyongyang but didn't immediately release specific flight details. Japan's coast guard said it believed both weapons landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. The launches were the North's seventh missile event this month and underscore heightening military tensions in the region as the pace of both North Korean weapons tests and the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises has accelerated in recent months in a cycle of tit-for-tat responses. The allies last week completed an 11-day exercise that included their biggest field training in years. But ..

N Korea launches latest missile simulated nuclear counterattack on S Korea

North Korea said Monday it simulated a nuclear attack on South Korea with a ballistic missile launch over the weekend that was its fifth missile demonstration this month to protest the largest joint military exercises in years between the US and South Korea. The North's leader Kim Jong Un instructed his military to hold more drills to sharpen the war readiness of his nuclear forces in the face of aggression by his enemies, state media reported. The South Korean and Japanese militaries detected the short-range missile being launched Sunday into waters off the North's eastern coast less than an hour before the US flew long-range B-1B bombers for training with South Korean warplanes. The North characterizes the US-South Korea exercises as a rehearsal to invade, though the allies insist they are defensive in nature. Some experts say the North uses the exercises as a pretext to advance its weapons programmes. Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency said the missile, which flew ..

North Korea criticizes UN, US for raising Pyongyang's human rights issue

The mission stressed that it defines the "pressure campaign" as a violation of the dignity and sovereignty of the North and "resolutely denounces and rejects it,"

As US-S Korea conduct military drills, N Korea launches missile into sea

Japan says North Korea has launched a suspected missile toward the sea. Japan's coast guard said it confirmed that what appeared to be a North Korean missile was fired Sunday morning. Further launch details were not immediately available, it said. South Korea's Yonhap news agency cited the South's military as saying that North Korea had fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters. Calls to the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff were not immediately answered on Sunday. The launch, if confirmed, would be the North's fourth round of weapons tests since the U.S. and South Korean militaries began joint military drills last week. The North views the drills as an invasion rehearsal.

About 800,000 civilians willing to join military to fight US: North Korea

North Korea claimed that about 800,000 civilians have volunteered to join the nation's military to fight against the US, CNN reported.North Korea's state newspaper Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported that around 800,000 students and workers alone have expressed their desire to join the military to counter the US.The claim came after North Korea on Thursday launched its Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in response to ongoing US-South Korea military drills, reported CNN.North Korea launched the intercontinental ballistic missile, (ICBM) Hwasongpho-17, amid the ongoing South Korea-US Freedom Shield (FS) exercise, which the country has decried as "preparations for a war of aggression" against it, according to Yonhap News agency.After the launch of the missile, North Korea confirmed they had fired it, adding that it was a "stronger warning" to the US and South Korea for their provocative and aggressive large-scale war drills.In the state news agency, KCNA, North Korea ...

Launched ICBM to give stronger warning to US, S Korea over drills: N Korea

North Korea said that launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasongpho-17 was a stronger warning to the US and South Korea for their provocative and aggressive large-scale war drills

US urges UN to condemn N Korea; China, Russia blame Washington for tension

The United States and its allies urged the UN Security Council to condemn North Korea's unlawful ballistic missile launches, but China and Russia blamed the US for escalating tensions with stepped-up military exercises targeting Pyongyang. At the emergency meeting on Monday, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council that the United States will propose a presidential statement, saying at a minimum all 15 members should be agreeable to condemning the North's unprecedented missile launches, to urging Pyongyang to comply with UN Security Council sanctions resolutions, and to engage in meaningful dialogue. A presidential statement from the Security Council requires the support of all its members, including North Korea's closest allies, China and Russia. Thomas-Greenfield said the United States condemns North Korea's firing of two short-range ballistic missiles Monday following the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile Saturday in the strongest terms as flagrant ...

North Korea confirms ICBM test, warns of more powerful steps against rivals

North Korea said Sunday its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test was meant to further bolster its fatal nuclear attack capacity against its rivals, as it threatened additional powerful steps in response to the planned military training between the United States and South Korea. Saturday's ICBM test, the North's first missile test since Jan. 1, signals its leader Kim Jong Un is using his rivals' drills as a chance to expand his country's nuclear capability to enhance its leverage in future dealings with the United States. An expert says North Korea may seek to hold regular operational exercises involving its ICBMs. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency said its launch of the existing Hwasong-15 ICBM was organised suddenly without prior notice at the direct order of leader Kim Jong Un. KCNA said the launch was designed to verify the weapon's reliability and the combat readiness of the country's nuclear force. It said the missile was fired at a high angle and ...

N Korea warns of strong counteractions against South Korea-US drills

North Korea warned Friday it would take "unprecedentedly persistent and strong counteractions" should South Korea and the US press ahead with their planned combined military drills.

US, S Korea, Japan to jointly deter N Korea's nuclear, missile threats

North Korea fired 69 ballistic missiles last year, marking a new record number of ballistic missile launched in a year. Its previous annual record was at 25

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

US slaps sanctions against Indian national, others on behalf of N Korea

The US has slapped sanctions on two individuals, including an Indian national, and seven entities for providing material support to, acting on behalf of, or being owned by North Korea's government-run animation studio, which utilised its workers to provide low-cost labour. The US took this action on Friday on the occasion of the International Anti-Corruption Day and on the eve of International Human Rights Day as part of its actions to promote accountability for corruption and human rights abuse around the world. According to the State Department, the US imposed sanctions on two individuals and seven entities for providing material support to, acting on behalf of, or being owned by the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) government-run animation studio, SEK Studio. The targets are: Kim Myong Chol, based in France; Everlasting Empire Limited, based in Hong Kong; Tian Fang (Hong Kong) Holding Limited, based in Hong Kong; Fujian Nan'an Import and Export Company, based in China

US designates N Korea as state violator of religious freedom for 21st year

According to the State Department, North Korea has been designated as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) since 2001 under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998

US, Japan impose fresh sanctions on N Korea after ballistic missile test

The Biden administration targeted three individuals who have led organizations linked to the development of Weapons of Mass Destruction