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☆ North Korea just gave the world a rare glimpse into where it makes weapons-grade uranium for its nukes in a blunt signal to foes
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Kim's tour of this facility offers a rare glimpse inside this part of North Korea's nuclear program. North Korea routinely cites the US as the motivation for its illicit missile and nuclear weapons programs. North Korea's nuclear program is a major concern for South Korea. It's unclear exactly what Russia is offering in return, but North Korea could receive food, fuel, and possibly even advanced military technologies. Earlier this year, a top Korea watcher said that North Korea has likely found itself "sitting pretty" amid its new partnership with Russia and connections with China.

Persons: —, Kim Jong, Kim, Rodong Sinmun, Jong Sung Mu, Rodong, KCNA, Kim ., Kim Jae, Kim's, Putin, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, Business, North, Central Committee of, Workers ' Party of Korea, Democratic, Getty Images, Trump, North Korean State Media Locations: North, North Korean, North Korea, Korea, Democratic Republic of Korea, South Korea, Hanoi, Pyongyang, Russian, China, Ukraine, Russia

☆ North Korea releases images of Kim Jong Un visiting a uranium enrichment site
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | Lucas Lilieholm | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits a uranium enrichment facility, which produces weapon-grade nuclear materials, in a photo published by North Korean state media on Friday, September 13, 2024. “By showing highly enriched uranium and production facilities, they are sending a message that the world must recognize North Korea as a nuclear state. By disclosing these facilities, Kim Jong Un is saying that denuclearization of North Korea is unrealistic,” he told CNN. The disclosure comes at a time of heightened tensions between North Korea and the West, with the US and its allies accusing North Korea of providing substantial military aid to Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. North Korea is believed to have several sites for enriching uranium.

Persons: Kim Jong, Kim, “ Kim, ”, Ankit Panda, Stanton, Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, I’m, Martyn Williams, it’s Organizations: South Korea CNN, Korean Central News Agency, Carnegie Endowment, International, Korean, North, North Korean, Ewha Womans University, CNN, Stimson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, Russia, West, North Korean, Korea, Ukraine, Moscow, Pyongyang, Korean, Russian

☆ North Korea to reopen for international visitors, tour operators say
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-15 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

North Korea will resume international tourism this winter, ending a COVID-era ban on travelers, according to operators that organize tours to the country. This undated picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on November 28, 2016 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) standing among skiers in Samjiyun. The efforts could help North Korea with its economic recovery from the devastating impacts of the global pandemic. The only nationalities restricted from travel to North Korea as tourists are citizens of the Republic of Korea. It is likely that an opening of Samjiyon is aimed at attracting Chinese travelers, who constituted the majority of international tourists visiting North Korea before the pandemic.

Persons: Kim Jong, Kim Jong Un Organizations: North, Korean Central News Agency, Department of State, NK News Locations: Koryo, Korean, Beijing, Samjiyon, North Korea, Samjiyun . North Korea, Russian, Koryo Tours, Republic of Korea, The U.S, Pyongyang, U.S

South Korea’s military says North Korea is again flying balloons likely carrying trash toward the South, adding to a bizarre psychological warfare campaign amid growing tensions between the war-divided rivals. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Saturday that the winds could carry the balloons to regions north of the South Korean capital, Seoul. North Korea last flew balloons toward the South on July 24, when trash carried by at least one of them fell on the South Korean presidential compound, raising worries about the vulnerability of key South Korean facilities. The balloon contained no dangerous material and no one was hurt, South Korea’s presidential security service said. Experts say North Korea hates such broadcasts because it fears it could demoralize front-line troops and residents.

Persons: Kim Jong, Kim Organizations: Korea’s, Chiefs, Staff, Seoul City Hall, South Korean Locations: North Korea, Seoul, Gyeonggi, Pyongyang, South Korea, Korea, Washington, United States, Japan, China, North Korean, Russia

☆ North Korea’s trash balloons fall near South’s presidential office
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The discovery at the presidential office Wednesday came after South Korean authorities warned the public to beware of falling objects as suspected North Korean trash balloons moved south toward the northern area of Gyeonggi province. “While monitoring trash balloons sent by North Korea in cooperation with the Joint Chiefs of Staff today, we identified trash that fell in the presidential office area in Yongsan,” the presidential security service said later in a statement. “North Korea’s actions clearly violate international law and seriously threaten the safety of our citizens,” JCS said in a statement after an earlier balloon incident. Despite repeated North Korean warnings, the South Korean activists were “not stopping this crude and dirty play” she said. The South Korean Defense Ministry said the US planes will join with South Korean F-15, F-16 and FA-50 fighters in exercises that will end August 8.

Persons: –, Kim Jong, Kim Yo Jong, ” Kim Yo Jong, “, Washington Organizations: South Korea CNN, South, North, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Korea’s, Chiefs of Staff, South Korean, North Korean, Korean Central News Agency, US Marine Corps, Suwon Air Base, South Korean Defense Ministry, US Defense Department, Marine Corps, ” Locations: Seoul, South Korea, South, Gyeonggi province, North Korea, Yongsan, Pyongyang, South Korean, North Korean, North Korea’s, United States, ” North Korea, North

☆ North Korean Diplomat Defects to the South, Shares News of Political Purge
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Choe Sang-Hun | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The defector, Ri Il-kyu, 52, made the comments in an interview with a newspaper in Seoul, which was also the first time his defection became public. Mr. Ri was a political counselor at the North Korean Embassy in Cuba when he fled to South Korea last November. He is the most senior North Korean official known to defect to the South in nearly a decade. They were among the best-known North Korean diplomats dealing with Washington. But they soon disappeared from North Korean state media.

Persons: Kim Jong, Donald J, Trump, Kim, Ri Organizations: North, North Korean Embassy, North Korean, Chosun Ilbo, Washington Locations: United States, North Korean, Seoul, Cuba, South Korea, Korean

☆ North Koreans have a new fashion accessory — Kim Jong Un lapel pins. Here's what they mean for the supreme leader's legacy.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-06 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewNorth Korean officials have been spotted wearing lapel pins featuring the image of the country's supreme leader, Kim Jong Un. A pin on a North Korean state cameraman showing Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. While Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il have been immortalized by national holidays marking their birthdays, statues, and portraits across North Korea, relatively few images featuring Kim Jong Un have been found in public since he came to power in 2011. North Korea, Kim, and PutinNorth Korea was founded in 1948 under Kim Il Sung as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In recent years, the country's current leader, Kim Jong Un, has sought to develop increasingly strong ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Persons: —, Kim Jong Un, Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un's, Jorge Silva, Kim Jong, he's, Edward Howell, Howell, Kim, Peter Moody, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, Workers, Party, North, Associated Press, Business, REUTERS, Workers ' Party, Sungkyunkwan University, Telegraph, Putin, Democratic People's Locations: Korean, North Korea, Korea, Putin North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, South Korea, Moscow, Ukraine, Pyongyang

☆ Putin and Kim Jong Un are getting alarmingly close, and it's put US ally South Korea in a predicament
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewRussia and North Korea's newfound friendship has left key US ally South Korea in a predicament with few good options. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang, where he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un further strengthened their partnership. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: A TV at Yongsan Railway Station shows North Korea's fired Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un drive a Russian Aurus limousine during their meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea. With Putin supporting North Korea, tensions are higher between Pyongyang and Seoul, and the two could find themselves on the brink.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong, Korea's, KIM Jae, Sue Mi Terry, Putin, he's, Victor Cha, they've, Cha, Terry, what's, Caesar, LIONEL BONAVENTURE, Kim Organizations: Service, North, Business, SOUTH, Getty, Council, Foreign Relations, South Korean, Ukraine, KCNA, Reuters, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Putin Locations: Russia, North, South Korea, Seoul, Ukraine, North Korea, Russian, Pyongyang, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, Yongsan, Korea, North Korean, Moscow, Asia, Poland, Ukrainian, Tarbes, France, Kyiv, China, United States

☆ North Korea says Kim and Putin’s defense pact permits all available means to assist each other if either nation attacked
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Helen Regan | Gawon Bae | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —North Korea and Russia have pledged to use all available means to provide immediate military assistance in the event the other is attacked, according to the text of a new landmark defense pact agreed by the two autocratic nations. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a new strategic partnership agreement Wednesday in Pyongyang during a rare state visit by the Russian leader who said the two allies have ramped up ties to a “new level.”North Korean state media reported on Thursday the full text of that pact, which also includes political, trade, investment, and security cooperation. According to the text, Article 4 states that should either country “get into a state of war due to an armed aggression” the other “shall immediately provide military and other assistance with all the means at its disposal.”The pact, which comes against the backdrop of Putin’s grinding war against Ukraine, is the most significant agreement signed by Russia and North Korea in decades and is seen as something of a revival of their Cold War-era mutual defense pledge. It also consolidates Kim’s powerful link with a world power that wields a veto on the UN Security CouncilThe newly released text will now raise several questions for Western observers, including whether Russia’s powerful nuclear deterrent now extends to North Korea, and vice versa, or whether the two nations will now hold joint military drills. Putin referenced the defense clause after the meeting with Kim Wednesday, saying it provides “for the provision of mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties to this agreement.”Kim, meanwhile, called the new “alliance” a “watershed moment in the development of the bilateral relations.”This is a developing story and will be updated.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Putin, Kim Wednesday, ” Kim Organizations: CNN, North, UN Security Locations: North Korea, Russia, Russian, Pyongyang, Ukraine

☆ Putin and Kim laugh as they enjoy a jaunt in Russian-made limousine
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were seen laughing as they took turns to drive each other around in a Russian-built limousine during Putin’s first visit to Pyongyang in 24 years. On Wednesday, Putin presented Kim with an Aurus car as the pair exchanged gifts, according to Russian state media – the second time the Kremlin leader has given his counterpart this car model. According to Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov, the Russian leader also presented Kim with a tea set. The two autocrats appeared to enjoy each other’s company as they took a jaunt in the Aurus luxury car. Putin gave Kim an Aurus when the two leaders exchanged gifts, according to Russian state media – the second time Putin has given his counterpart this car model.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong, KCNA, Putin, Kim, Yuri Ushakov, Moon Jae, ” Putin, Pyongyang’s Organizations: CNN, North, Kremlin, South Korean Locations: Russian, Pyongyang, North Korean, Russia, North Korea, Ukraine, Seoul, Washington, Moscow, Hanoi

☆ 'A threat like no other': The West watches on concerned as Putin visits North Korea for the first time in years
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Ties between Russia and North Korea have deepened in recent years with the countries — which are both heavily sanctioned by the West — hailing their strategic cooperation in the spheres of defense and trade. North Korea has not been shy in its outpourings of reverence for Putin, describing him as a "comrade-in-arms" in the battle against what both countries see as Western hegemony. Analysts say the deepening relationship between Russia and "rogue" state North Korea is increasingly hazardous for the West. This aspect of the relationship not only destabilizes security on the peninsula and in Asia; it also heightens the direct threat posed by North Korea to the [U.S.] homeland." It is unclear what further strategic cooperation between North Korea and Russia could entail.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, North, Kim Jong Un, Teneo, Kim, Putin, Kim Jong, Matthew Miller, Miller, Victor Cha, Cha Organizations: Vostochny, UN, West, Kremlin, Democratic People's, U.S . State Department, U.S ., Reuters, Analysts, Center for Strategic, International Studies, National Security Council, Ukraine, North Locations: Amur, Russia, North Korea, Russian, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK, Korea, Ukraine, Pyongyang, U.S, Iran, Europe, Asia, Gaza, Moscow, North Korean, Eurasia

☆ Putin vows trade and security tie-ups with North Korea beyond the West's reach
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Anton Vaganov | ReutersVladimir Putin promised to build trade and security systems with North Korea that are not controlled by the West and pledged his unwavering support in a letter published by North Korean state media on Tuesday ahead of his planned visit to the country. The article was published a day after the two countries announced that Putin would visit North Korea for the first time in 24 years for two days starting on Tuesday. Putin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said Russia and North Korea may sign a partnership agreement during the visit that would include security issues. Ahead of the visit North Korea appears to have been making preparations for a possible military parade in downtown Pyongyang, commercial satellite imagery showed. He said the United States had seen Putin "get incredibly desperate over the past few months" and look to Iran and North Korea to make up for equipment lost on the battlefield.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Anton Vaganov, Reuters Vladimir Putin, Sinmun, Putin, Yuri Ushakov, Andrei Belousov, Sergei Lavrov, Alexander Novak, Matthew Miller, Victor Cha Organizations: St ., Economic, Reuters, West, North, Workers, Party, Russia, Russian, Interfax, U.S . State Department, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: St, St . Petersburg, Saint Petersburg, Russia, North Korea, North Korean, North Korea's, Eurasia, Ukraine, Pyongyang, Korea, United States, Iran, Moscow, U.S

Balloons possibly sent from North Korea seen off the coast of Incheon, South Korea on June 9, 2024. Yonhap News Agency/ReutersThe broadcasts inform North Korean soldiers and residents of the “reality of North Korea,” and the development of South Korea, and Korean culture, according to the JCS. As of Monday morning, the South Korean military has found “around 50 balloons” that fell into its territory overnight Sunday. Many of the other balloons are believed to have flown back into North Korea due to the wind, the JCS spokesman added. But the situation in North Korea deteriorated in the following years and diplomatic talks fell apart – prompting strict rules to snap back into place in the North.

Persons: Kim Jong, Kim Yo Jong, Kim, “, ” Kim, Kim Jong Un Organizations: CNN, North, Korea’s, Chiefs of Staff, Yonhap News Agency, Reuters, South, South Korean Locations: Korea, Seoul, South Korea, North Korean, Korean, North Korea, “, Incheon, South Korean, China

☆ North Korean trash balloons are dumping ‘filth’ on South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —North Korea has adopted a new strategy to contend with its southern neighbor: sending floating bags of trash containing “filth” across the border, carried by massive balloons. South Korean authorities said the balloons, which landed in several locations, were filled with "filth and garbage." “All responsibility arising from the North Korean balloons lies entirely with North Korea, and we sternly warn North Korea to immediately stop its inhumane and low-level actions.”Local governments also sent messages to residents in the northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces to warn of the “unidentified objects,” and advised against outdoor activities. Earlier this year a South Korean research group has released rare footage that it claimed showed North Korean teenagers sentenced to hard labor for watching and distributing K-dramas. But the situation in North Korea deteriorated in the following years and diplomatic talks fell apart – prompting strict rules to snap back into place in the North.

Persons: ”, Kim Kang Il, KCNA, Staff “, ” Kim, Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Organizations: South Korea CNN, South Korean, country’s, Chiefs of Staff, United Nations Command, Korea’s, Chiefs, Staff, North Korea’s, National Defense, South, South Korea’s, Reuters, North, Fighters Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Korea, North Korea, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Korean, South, China

☆ Russian experts were guiding North Korea's space program ahead of Pyongyang blowing up its latest satellite: South Korean report
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

And that was despite Russian space experts recently arriving to guide North Korea's space program, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported a day before the failed launch, citing a senior defense official who was not named. It's unclear exactly how many technicians were sent to North Korea, when they might have arrived, or how they might have advised Pyongyang. Yonhap reported that North Korea's space rockets also likely face issues with their second and third-stage engines. South Korea has for months said that North Korea's sole successful satellite launch of 2023 came off the back of Russian assistance. The US Indo-Pacific Command noted that Pyongyang's Monday launch appeared to use technology related to North Korea's ballistic missile program.

Persons: —, Yonhap, Vladimir Putin, it's Organizations: Service, Korea, Business, South Korean, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Business Insider, North, Pacific Command, United Nations Locations: Korean, North Korea, Pyongyang, Russia, North, Ukraine, Moscow, South Korea, Seoul

☆ Iran President Raisi: Days of funeral ceremonies begin as investigators probe helicopter crash
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Funeral ceremonies are set to begin on Tuesday for the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi following his death in a helicopter crash, as authorities probe what caused the aircraft to smash into the side of a remote mountainside during foggy weather on Sunday morning. A helicopter carrying Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi takes off on May 19, 2024, before the crash took place. There is no indication what might have caused the crash – and why so many senior Iranian government officials were traveling in a single, decades-old helicopter. A high-ranking delegation will go to the crash site in Eastern Azerbaijan, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. Inside Iran, where many of the country’s restive youth population have grown tired of rule by conservative clerics, Raisi had a much more polarizing legacy.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Ayatollah Khamenei, Mohsen Mansouri, Ali Hamed Haghdoust, Mansouri, Reza, Khamenei, “, ”, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Uraloglu, Iran’s, ’, Ayatollah Khamenei —, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong, Kim, Xi, Raisi’s, Azin, ” Xi, Putin, Russia, ” Raisi, Raisi Organizations: CNN, Wana News Agency, Reuters, Mehr, Iranian, Turkish Transportation, Infrastructure, TRT, Moj News Agency, AP, Kremlin, US Locations: Tabriz, Iran, Qom, Tehran, Mashhad, Turkey, Turkish, Eastern Azerbaijan, Israel, Korean, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, China, North Korea, Russia, Iranian

☆ Kim Ki-Nam, Chief Propagandist in North Korea for Decades, Dies at 94
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Choe Sang-Hun | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Kim Ki-nam, who was often called “North Korea’s Goebbels,” a reference to the Nazi propagandist, because of his role in manufacturing and enforcing totalitarian propaganda for all three generations of the country’s ruling Kim family, has died at 94, North Korean state media reported on Wednesday. Mr. Kim, who was not related to the North Korean dictators, died on Tuesday of multiple organ failures after having been sick for a year, according to the reports. Mr. Kim’s tenure as the leader of North Korea’s propaganda apparatus extended from the days of Kim Il-sung, who founded the country at the end of World War II, to 2017. Propaganda is central to the Kim family’s Stalinist grip on power. The daily coverage of North Korea’s news media, all state-controlled, brims with propaganda designed to keep its 26 million people in the thrall of a personality cult surrounding the ruling family.

Persons: Kim Ki, Korea’s Goebbels, ”, Kim, Kim’s, Kim Il, thrall Locations: North Korean

☆ Putin gifts car to Kim Jong Un in sign of ‘special personal relations,’ North Korean state media reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The Russian-made car for Kim’s personal use was delivered Sunday by a Russian delegation, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state news agency TASS the car was an Aurus, the luxury automaker founded in 2018 to produce Russia’s official state cars. In January, high-ranking North Korean and Russian diplomats met in Moscow in advance of what North Korean state media says is a forthcoming visit to Pyongyang by Putin — his first in more than 20 years. The North Korean leader is often seen being chauffeured in what’s believed to be a Mercedes-Maybach Pullman Guard armored limousine, worth upwards of $1 million. During Kim’s visit to Russia last September, Putin showed his Aurus limousine to the North Korean leader.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Dmitry Peskov, –, Kim Yo Jong, Putin, Putin —, Kim, “, ”, what’s, Royce, Donald Trump Organizations: South Korea CNN —, Korean, Korean Central News Agency, TASS, Pyongyang, CNN, Putin, North, Maybach Pullman Guard, Maybach S600 Guard, Washington -, Advanced Defense Locations: Seoul, South Korea, United States, Russian, North Korea, Russia, Moscow, Pyongyang, Ukraine, Netherlands, Washington, Singapore

☆ US raises concerns about cozying relations between Russia and North Korea
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

In January, high-ranking North Korean and Russian diplomats met in Moscow in advance of what North Korean state media says is a forthcoming visit to Pyongyang by Russian President Vladimir Putin himself — his first in more than 20 years. Trade with Russia could also further weaken the sanctions regime the US has placed on North Korea, also accelerating its economy and potentially bolstering its arms development program. As always with North Korea, deciphering how the hermit kingdom may respond is like reading chicken bones. For weeks, a blog post on an influential North Korea watchers website written by two former analysts circulated within the US government. If anything, some analysts believe, North Korea’s public statements signal that North Korea is abandoning its reunification policy in pursuit of peace on the peninsula.

Persons: Kim Jong, Vladimir Putin, —, Biden, Jake Sullivan, Kim, ”, “, ” Jeffrey Lewis, Lewis, ” Lewis, Sydney Seiler, Seiler, ” Kim doesn’t, “ That’s, “ Kim, it’s, We’re, ” Seiler, we’ll Organizations: CNN, North, Russia, Intelligence, White House, DPRK, Democratic People’s, Middlebury Institute of International Studies, North Korean, National Intelligence Council, US Locations: North Korea, Washington, South Korea, Russia, Moscow, Pyongyang, Russian, Korea, Democratic People’s Republic, Soviet Union, United States, North, China, Beijing, Japan, Korean

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said it tested cruise missiles outfitted with new “super-large” warheads as well as a new type of anti-aircraft missile, extending a streak in weapons demonstrations that has rival South Korea worried. The report Saturday by North Korean state media came a day after South Korea’s military said it detected the North launching multiple cruise missiles into waters off its western coast. North Korean photos of the test showed a low-flying cruise missile striking a target built on a coastal shore, and another projectile soaring into the air after being launched from ground. In announcing the development of larger warheads for cruise missiles, North Korea could be trying to emphasize that these missiles are intended to be armed with nuclear weapons. Photos You Should See View All 45 ImagesCruise missiles are among a growing collection of North Korean weapons designed to overwhelm regional missile defenses.

Persons: Kim Jong, Kim Organizations: North, Korean Central News Agency, Analysts, Friday's Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, North Korea, North Korean, Korean, United States, Russia, Japan, Guam, Nampho, U.S

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Wednesday it conducted a test-firing of long-range cruise missiles with an aim to sharpen its counterattack and strategic strike capabilities, in its latest display of weapons threatening South Korea and Japan. The event extended a provocative streak in weapons testing as North Korea continues to raise pressure on the United States and its Asian allies amid a prolonged freeze in diplomacy. North Korea in recent years has been expanding its lineup of cruise missiles, which are designed to be fired from both land and naval assets. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesSince 2021, North Korea has conducted at least 11 rounds of tests of what it described as long-range cruise missiles fired from both land and sea. The North’s two previous tests of cruise missiles on Jan. 24 and Jan. 28 were of a new weapon called Pulhwasal-3-31, which is designed to be fired from submarines.

Persons: Kim Jong Un, Kim Organizations: North, Korean Central News Agency Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, North Korea, Korea, Japan, North Korean, United States, Guam, Russia

☆ Russia’s Putin to visit North Korea soon, state media says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to visit Kim Jong Un soon, North Korean state media reported Sunday, the latest sign of increasing cooperation between the two authoritarian leaders as war rages in Ukraine and military tensions increase in East Asia. Putin thanked Kim for an invitation to visit Pyongyang and pledged to go there “at an early date,” the report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the dates for Putin’s visit to North Korea were still being discussed through diplomatic channels and would be announced later, Russian state-run news agency TASS reported. During that visit, Kim praised Russia for standing up to “hegemonic forces” with its war in Ukraine, while Putin signaled a willingness to assist North Korea in developing its space and satellite programs. According to the US Defense Department, Russia has twice in the past month fired North Korean-made missiles at targets in Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Putin, Kim, Dmitry Peskov, Choe Son Hui, Sergey Lavrov, ” KCNA, Kim Jong, ” Organizations: South Korea CNN —, Korean Central News Agency, North Korean Foreign, Russian, TASS, CNN, North Korean, US Defense Department, South, US, People’s Assembly Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korean, Ukraine, East Asia, Pyongyang, North Korea, Russian, Moscow, Northeast Asia, Russia, Korea, United States

☆ North Korea claims to test underwater nuclear-capable drone after US, South Korea and Japan show off naval might
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Brad Lendon | Gawon Bae | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —North Korea on Friday claimed it had successfully tested an underwater nuclear weapons system earlier this week in response to naval drills by the United States, South Korea and Japan. North Korean state media on Friday did not show evidence for the success of the latest test, but warned the US, South Korea and Japan of the “catastrophic consequences” of their actions. Warships from South Korea, the US and Japan perform a trilateral exercise in the waters south of Jeju between January 15 and 17, 2024. South Korea's Defence MinistryAnalysts say it all points to an even more intractable North Korea. “If North Korea’s artillery fire near the inter-Korean maritime border was just part of routine training, it would be less concerning.

Persons: ”, Carl Vinson, KCNA, Kim Jong Un, Kim, Kim Jong, Kim ramped, Staff Kim Myung, Leif, Eric Easley, Easley Organizations: South Korea CNN, Korea Central News Agency, JS Hyūga, Korea’s, Chiefs, Staff, Warships, Korea's Defence, US Navy, Fleet, People’s Assembly, CNN Relations, South Korean Joint Chiefs, Korea's Defence Ministry Analysts, Ehwa University Locations: Seoul, South Korea, North Korea, United States, Japan, Korean, Pyongyang, Jeju, U.S, Republic of Korea, Korea, KCNA, North, “ Pyongyang

☆ Explainer-Why Is North Korea Testing Hypersonic Missiles and How Do They Work?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

The United States, China, Russia and other countries have also been developing hypersonic weapons in recent years. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), by contrast, carry nuclear warheads on ballistic trajectories that travel into space but never reach orbit. During a rare trip to Russia last September, Kim inspected Moscow's hypersonic missiles, among other weapons. "North Korea appears to be trying to develop hypersonic missiles and intermediate range ballistic missiles based on solid propellant rocket boosters," said Chang Young-keun, a professor at Korea Aerospace University. "In particular, mid- to long-range hypersonic missiles would be useful for striking Guam while evading the U.S. missile defence system."

Persons: Shin, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Sunday's, Kim, Chang Young, Hyonhee Shin, Ed Davies, Jamie Freed Organizations: Korean, Intercontinental, WHO, THE, United, Workers, Party, Korea Aerospace University, U.S Locations: Shin SEOUL, North Korea, United States, China, Russia, Korean, Moscow, Seoul, Korea

☆ North Korea Says Its New Spy Satellite Photographed White House, Pentagon
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

On Tuesday North Korean state media said leader Kim Jong Un had reviewed spy satellite photos of the White House, Pentagon and U.S. aircraft carriers at the naval base of Norfolk. North Korea last week successfully launched its first reconnaissance satellite, which it has said was designed to monitor U.S. and South Korean military movements. Since then state media has reported the satellite photographed cities and military bases in South Korea, Guam, and Italy, in addition to the U.S. capital. Commercial imagery of those cities on Nov. 27, the day North Korea says it captured its photographs, was not immediately available. The United States and South Korea have condemned the satellite launch as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning any use of ballistic technology.

Persons: Josh Smith, Hyonhee Shin, Kim Jong Un, Chad O'Carroll, Dave Schmerler, James Martin, Schmerler, Jeffrey Lewis, Kim, KCNA, Hyonhee ShinEditing, Chris Reese, Sandra Maler, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Tuesday North, White House, Pentagon, U.S, NK News, Falcon, James, James Martin Center, Nonproliferation Studies, Andersen Air Force Base, U.S . Locations: Hyonhee Shin SEOUL, North Korea, Norfolk . North Korea, Korean, South Korea, Guam, Italy, Pyongyang, Seoul, U.S, U.S . Western, Norfolk, Newport, British, Korea, United States

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