Page 8 - Us-north Korea

North Korea's Kim calls for key party meeting to review state affairs

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for a major political conference before year's end where he's expected to address his increasingly tense relations with Washington and Seoul over the expansion of his nuclear and missile programs. North Korea's state media said Thursday that Kim presided over a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's Politburo in which members reviewed the implementation of state policies in 2022 and decided to hold a larger plenary meeting of the party's Central Committee at an unspecified time in late December. Kim in recent years has used political conferences in late December or early January to review state affairs and reveal his most important goals in economic and foreign policy and arms development. It's possible that those meetings are replacing the function of Kim's New Year's Day speeches, which he has skipped since 2020 after using them for years to issue major announcements. During Wednesday's meeting in capital Pyongyang, Kim insisted that the ...

US working to improve early warning system against NKorean missile launches

The US is working to further improve its missile warning system, the commander of US Space Command has said, following a barrage of North Korean missile tests that included multiple ICBM launches

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North Korea slams US for raising alleged weapons transfer to Russia

North Korea on Tuesday accused the United States of cooking up a plot-breeding story on its alleged arms transfer to Russia, arguing it has never sent artillery shells to Moscow. Last week, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby accused North Korea of covertly supplying a significant number of the ammunition to Russia. He said the United States believes North Korea was trying to obscure the transfer route by making it appear the weapons were being sent to countries in the Middle East or North Africa. We regard such moves of the US as part of its hostile attempt to tarnish the image of (North Korea) in the international arena," an unidentified vice director at the ministry's military foreign affairs office said in a statement carried by state media. We once again make clear that we have never had arms dealings' with Russia and that we have no plan to do so in the future, the vice director said. In September, US officials confirmed a newly downgraded US intelligence findi

Missile tests were practice to attack South Korea, US, says North Korea

North Korea's military said Monday its recent barrage of missile tests were practices to attack its rivals' air bases and warplanes and paralyse their operation command systems, showing Pyongyang's resolve to counter provocative U.S.-South Korean military drills more thoroughly and mercilessly. North Korea fired dozens of missiles and flew warplanes last week, triggering evacuation alerts in some South Korean and Japanese areas, in response to massive U.S.-South Korean air force drills that the North views as an invasion rehearsal. U.S. and South Korean officials strongly condemned the North's missile launches, saying their drills were defensive in nature. The recent corresponding military operations by the Korean People's Army are a clear answer of (North Korea) that the more persistently the enemies' provocative military moves continue, the more thoroughly and mercilessly the KPA will counter them, the General Staff of the Korean People's Army said in a statement carried by state

Biden govt offers up to $5 million for information on North Korean shipper

The Biden administration is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information about a Singapore-based businessman already accused by the Justice Department of facilitating fuel shipments to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions. Kwek Kee Seng, who directs a shipping agency and terminal operations company, was charged last year with arranging the deliveries, with prosecutors alleging that he used front companies and false documentation to hide the scheme. Officials say that business helps enable North Korea's nuclear proliferation programmes. Kwek remains at large despite a warrant that has been issued for his arrest. The State Department on Thursday said it was offering up to $5 million through its Rewards for Justice program. The announcement of a reward came amid heightened tensions with North Korea, which on Thursday fired at least six missiles into the sea, including an intercontinental ballistic missile that triggered evacuation warnings and halted trains in northern ...

North Korea warns US of 'powerful' response to allied drills with S. Korea

North Korea's Foreign Ministry criticised the United States for expanding joint military exercises with South Korea that it claims are practice for a potential invasion and it warned Tuesday of more powerful follow-up measures in response. The statement from the ministry came as the US and South Korea conduct aerial drills involving more than 200 warplanes, including their advanced F35 fighter jets, as they step up their defence posture in the face of North Korea's increased weapons testing and growing nuclear threat. North Korea has ramped up its weapons demonstrations to a record place this year, launching more than 40 ballistic missiles, including developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles and an intermediate range missile fired over Japan. The North has punctuated those tests with an escalatory nuclear doctrine that authorises preemptive nuclear attacks in loosely defined crisis situations. The US and South Korea have resumed large-scale military drills this year after .

US vows full military defence of allies against North Korea: Wendy Sherman

The United States will make full use of its military capabilities, including nuclear, conventional and missile defence," to defend its allies Japan and South Korea, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Tuesday as she warned North Korea against escalating its provocations. Sherman said North Korea's repeated firings of ballistic missiles and artillery in recent weeks were provocative military actions. North Korea has described them as practice runs for the use of tactical nuclear weapons. This is deeply irresponsible, dangerous, and destabilizing, Sherman said in talks in Tokyo with South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyungdong. The two officials met ahead of a three-way meeting with their Japanese counterpart on Wednesday. It will be second in-person meeting of the three officials since conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol took office in May, signalling an improvement in difficult ties between Japan and South Korea. A year ago, Japanese and South ...

North Korea launches missile toward sea after US-South Korea drills

The South Korean military said North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters on Sunday, the latest in the country's barrage of weapons tests in recent days. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement the launch occurred early Sunday but gave no further details, including how far the weapon may have flown. The Japanese government also said North Korea fired what was a possible ballistic missile. The Japanese coast guard said it has warned ships around the country's coasts about falling objects and urged them to stay away. The launch, the North's sixth round of weapons tests in two weeks, came hours after the United States and South Korea wrapped a new round of naval drills off the Korean Peninsula's east coast. The drills involved a US aircraft carrier. North Korea's military warned Saturday that the US redeployment of the aircraft carrier near the Korean Peninsula is causing a considerably huge negative splash in regional security, as it defended its

Joe Biden consults Japan PM Kishida after North Korea missile test

President Joe Biden on Tuesday spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to discuss their next steps after North Korea conducted its longest ever test launch by firing a nuclear-capable ballistic missile over Japan. The White House in a statement said the leaders condemned North Korea's missile test in the strongest terms, recognising the launch as a danger to the Japanese people, destabilising to the region, and a clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The White House said the leaders agreed to coordinate an immediate and longer-term response together, as well as with South Korea, and with the international community. They also vowed to work to limit North Korea's ability to support its unlawful ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs." North Korea has test-fired about 40 missiles over about 20 different launch events this year as its leader, Kim Jong Un, refuses to return to nuclear diplomacy with the United States, but Tuesday's

North Korea fires missiles after Kamala Harris leaves South Korea

In a show of defiance, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea during which she emphasised the ironclad U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies. It was the third round of missile launches by North Korea this week, extending a record pace in weapons testing as it accelerates a push to expand its arsenal and pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North Korean missiles were fired nine minutes apart from an area near the city of Sunchon, just north of the capital, Pyongyang, and flew toward waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. It didn't immediately release more details. Japan's military said it also detected a launch. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan, and fired one before she left Washington on Sunday. Harris earlier capped h

N Korea test launches missile on eve of Kamala Harris trip to Seoul

South Korea says North Korea has fired a ballistic missile toward its eastern waters a day before a visit by US Vice President Kamala Harris. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched Wednesday but gave no further details. It was the second missile launched by North Korea this week. Harris is to visit the demilitarized zone separating the rival Koreas during her visit to South Korea. The launch also comes as US and South Korean navy ships are conducting drills off the Korean Peninsula's east coast.

North Korea calls US' human rights abuse accusations 'grave provocation'

In July, a US State Department spokesperson expressed concerns over the North's rights situation following Seoul's appointment of a new envoy for Pyongyang's human rights

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

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

Kim threatens to use nuclear weapons amid tensions with US, S Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned he's ready to use his nuclear weapons in potential military conflicts with the United States and South Korea

S Korea, US to hold talks on alliance, deterrence against evolving N Korea

The defence chiefs of South Korea and the US will hold talks in Washington DC on Friday (July 29) to discuss security on the Korean Peninsula and deterrence against evolving North Korean threats

S Korea, US stage first combined drills amid North Korean threats

The four-day drills kicked off Monday amid lingering concerns that Pyongyang could ratchet up tensions by conducting what would be its seventh nuclear test or other provocative acts

North Korea slams US-South Korea-Japan trilateral military cooperation

North Korea has long cited what it calls hostility by the United States and its allies as a reason to pursue a nuclear programme