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☆ US says UN Security Council silence on North Korea is dangerous
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The United States proposed on Monday that the U.N. Security Council condemn North Korea's ballistic missile launches and encourage Pyongyang to engage in diplomacy, warning that the 15-member body's failure to respond had become dangerous. China and Russia oppose any further action by the Security Council, arguing that putting further pressure on North Korea would not be constructive. The pair vetoed a U.S.-led push to impose more U.N. sanctions on North Korea in May last year. It is dangerous," she told the Security Council, proposing that it adopt a formal presidential statement - one step below a resolution - to condemn North Korea's action and urge diplomacy. After the Security Council meeting, two-thirds of the body's members and South Korea issued a joint statement - read by Thomas-Greenfield - condemning North Korea's missile launches.

☆ Indian shares set for muted start on U.S. rate hike worries, geopolitical concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Indian shares were set for a muted start on Monday, on worries that the U.S. Fed would go higher for longer with interest rates, while rising concerns after North Korea fired more ballistic missiles further dampened investor mood. India's NSE stock futures listed on the Singapore exchange were up 0.14% at 17,961.50 as of 7:58 a.m. IST. Investors await the minutes of the Fed's meeting, due on Wednesday, to gauge the U.S. central bank's future rate hiking path. Talks of Russia ramping-up attacks in Ukraine ahead of the one-year anniversary of its invasion also added to geopolitical concerns. read more($1 = 82.7310 Indian rupees)Reporting by Bharath Rajeswaran in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita BhattacharjeeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ North Korea fires ballistic missiles, warns of turning Pacific into 'firing range'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, Feb 20 (Reuters) - North Korea fired two ballistic missiles off its east coast, South Korea's military said on Monday, as the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un warned the isolated and nuclear-armed state could turn the Pacific into a "firing range". The launches come just two days after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the sea off Japan's west coast, prompting joint air exercises by the United States and South Korea on Sunday. "North Korea's series of actions, including its repeated ballistic missile launches, threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community," the ministry said. "Japan lodged a strong protest and forcefully condemned North Korea." "The frequency of using the Pacific as our firing range depends upon the U.S. forces' action character."

☆ North Korea Launches ICBM, Raising Tensions in Region
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Jiyoung Sohn | Dasl Yoon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SEOUL—North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, escalating tensions in the region as the U.S. and South Korea prepare for joint military exercises. The missile was fired eastward Saturday shortly before 5:30 p.m. local time from the Sunan area in the outskirts of North Korea’s capital city of Pyongyang. It was in the air for a little more than an hour, reaching an altitude of more than 3,500 miles. It traveled a distance of about 560 miles before landing in the sea about 155 miles west of Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone, according to South Korean and Japanese defense officials.

☆ North Korea confirms it tested ICBM, touts 'fatal nuclear counterattack' capabilities
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, Feb 19 (Reuters) - North Korea said on Sunday it had tested a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) the previous day in a "sudden launching drill" that confirmed its readiness for "mobile and mighty counterattack" against hostile forces. North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile into the sea off Japan's west coast on Saturday afternoon after warning of a strong response to upcoming military drills by South Korea and the United States. A North Korea flag flutters next to concertina wire at the North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia March 9, 2017. Analysts say North Korea is likely to conduct more weapons tests, including a possible new solid-fuel missile, which could help the North deploy its missiles faster in the event of a war. North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programmes are banned under U.N. Security Council resolutions, but Pyongyang says its weapons development is necessary to counter "hostile policies" by Washington and its allies.

☆ North Korea fires long-range missile after warning over military drills
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and daughter Kim Ju Ae attend a military parade to mark the 75th founding anniversary of North Korea's army, at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea February 8, 2023, in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile into the sea off Japan's west coast on Saturday after warning of a strong response to upcoming military drills by South Korea and the United States. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kisihda said the missile appeared to have been ICBM-class, referring to an intercontinental ballistic missile. Following Saturday's launch, South Korea's National Security Council convened a meeting and agreed to increase cooperation on security with Washington and Japan. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that U.S. commitments to the defence of Japan and South Korea "remain ironclad".

[1/2] A North Korean flag flutters at the propaganda village of Gijungdong in North Korea, in this picture taken near the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea, July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/PoolSEOUL, Feb 18 (Reuters) - North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast on Saturday, after Pyongyang warned of a strong response to upcoming U.S.-South Korea military drills. Saturday's long-range missile was launched from the Sunan area near Pyongyang, South Korea's military said. Sunan is the site of the Pyongyang International Airport, where North Korea has conducted most of its recent ICBM tests. Some 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War, which ended in an armistice rather than a full peace treaty, leaving the parties technically at war.

☆ North Korea threatens military action as South, U.S. plan drills
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, Feb 17 (Reuters) - North Korea threatened on Friday an "unprecedentedly persistent, strong" response as South Korea and the United States gear up for annual military exercises as part of efforts to fend off the North's growing nuclear and missile threats. North Korea had "refrained from any special military action" this year except for regular activities, but the allies' scheduled drills would create a "grave vortex of escalating tension," the ministry said. "In case the U.S. and South Korea carry into practice their already-announced plan for military drills which the DPRK ... regards as preparations for an aggression war, they will face unprecedentedly persistent and strong counteractions," the statement said. The statement came less than two hours after South Korea announced joint tabletop exercises next week aimed at improving operations of American nuclear assets, and regular springtime drills next month. The springtime Freedom Shield field training will separately begin in mid-March in South Korea for a 11-day run.

☆ South Korea defence paper calls North 'enemy', estimates plutonium stockpile at 70 kg
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Feb 16 (Reuters) - South Korea released its latest defence white paper on Thursday, describing North Korea as its "enemy" for the first time in six years and reporting an increase in Pyongyang's stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium. The biennial white paper offers a glimpse into the reclusive North's growing arsenal of nuclear weapons and missiles, as well as its conventional military capabilities. "As North Korea continues to pose military threats without giving up nuclear weapons, its regime and military, which are the main agents of the execution, are our enemies," the document said. To beef up its nuclear stockpile, North Korea has continued reprocessing spent fuel from its reactor and possesses about 70kg (154lb) of weapons-grade plutonium, up from 50kg estimated in the previous report, it said. Its 2020 edition said the North was "generally" complying with the agreement, which was sealed on the margins of a 2018 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

☆ North Korea seen launching new ICBM military unit amid troop refurbishment
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A missile is displayed during a military parade to mark the 75th founding anniversary of North Korea's army, at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea February 8, 2023, in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERSSEOUL, Feb 15 (Reuters) - North Korea may have launched a military unit tasked with operating new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in line with its recent restructuring of the military, state media video footage suggested. During a nighttime parade last week, North Korea showcased multiple ICBMs that are large enough to strike nearly anywhere in the world. Many of North Korea's specialised units have their own flags. Another flag was seen at the parade, apparently featuring the massive Hwasong-17 ICBM, which can most likely reach the U.S. mainland.

☆ North Korean Parade Puts Missile Production Prowess on Display
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Dasl Yoon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

North Korea has never showcased that many nuclear missiles at one time. The Wednesday parade suggested North Korea was expanding its stockpile of nuclear missiles that threaten the U.S. and its allies’ missile defense systems. North Korea has been developing solid-fueled ICBMs that require less preparation time to launch. North Korean state media didn’t report on any remarks by Mr. Kim, who has skipped speeches at previous military parades. “The main objective of Wednesday’s military parade is to show North Korea’s growing missile capability to strike the U.S. mainland,” said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University.

☆ North Korea shows off design for new, more dangerous missile while rolling out enough ICBMs to possibly overwhelm US defenses
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

North Korea boasted its progress on a new and dangerous solid-fueled missile at a military parade. In recent years, North Korea has indicated that its missile program is pivoting toward the use of solid fuel, Ian Williams, deputy director of the Missile Defense Project at the CSIS, told Insider. North Korea has displayed large canisters before, but the ones displayed on Wednesday appear to be more legitimate than those in the past, Williams said. This is because the defense system's interceptors would not have the capacity to engage all credible threats. Furthermore, missile defense should be thought of as one part of a larger "missile defeat complex," he added.

☆ North Korea shows off possible solid-fuel ICBM at nighttime parade - analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Josh Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A general view of missile launchers during parade to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Korean People's Army at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea February 8, 2023. Maxar Technology/Handout via REUTERSSEOUL, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Nuclear-armed North Korea unveiled what could be a new, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) during a nighttime parade, analysts said on Thursday, citing commercial satellite imagery. North Korea held the widely anticipated nighttime military parade on Wednesday, an event expected to showcase the country's latest weapons to mark the founding anniversary of its army. Among the systems on display were the country's largest-yet ICBM, the Hwasong-17, followed by what some analysts said could be a new solid-fuel ICBM. North Korea has sometimes displayed mockups at the parades.

☆ Kim Jong Un showed off his rarely-seen daughter — a possible sign he's grooming her to be North Korea's next dictator
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's daughter is being prepared as his successor, analysts say. Kim Jong Un is believed to have three children, including a son who is older than Kim Ju Ae. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and daughter Kim Ju Ae at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea February 8, 2023. North Korea is a hereditary dictatorship, and Kim Jong Un was appointed successor to his father, Kim Jong Il, when he was 8, an expert told CBS News. In recent months, tensions between North Korea and US-ally South Korea have intensified amid a series of missile tests by North Korea.

☆ North Korea's Kim lauds army ahead of expected military parade
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Josh Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his wife Ri Sol Ju and their daughter Kim Ju Ae attend a banquet to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Korean People's Army the following day, in Pyongyang, North Korea February 7, 2023 in this photo released February 8, 2023 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERSSEOUL, Feb 8 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for strengthening the country's military, state media reported on Wednesday, as he paid tribute to soldiers and met with troops amid expectations for a major military parade showcasing the latest weapons. According to international analysts, commercial satellite imagery has for months shown North Korean troops practicing for a major military parade that is expected this week. Despite United Nations Security Council resolutions and sanctions, North Korea has forged ahead with banned nuclear weapons and ballistic missile development. South Korea and the United States have stepped up their own military drills to counter the North, drawing condemnation from Pyongyang.

☆ China Has More ICBM Launchers Than U.S., American Military Reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Michael R. Gordon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An earlier satellite image shows what analysts believe is construction on an intercontinental ballistic missile silo near Hami, China. The U.S. military has notified Congress that China now has more land-based intercontinental-range missile launchers than the U.S., fueling the debate about how Washington should respond to Beijing’s nuclear buildup. “The number of land-based fixed and mobile ICBM launchers in China exceeds the number of ICBM launchers in the United States,” the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees nuclear forces, wrote the Senate’s and House’s Armed Services Committees on Jan. 26.

☆ The US military says China now has more ICBM launchers than it does, but the US still has the nuclear edge
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US military says that China now has more ICBM launchers than Washington does. However, the US still has an edge in the number of ICBMs and nuclear warheads it has. "The number of land-based fixed and mobile ICBM launchers in China exceeds the number of ICBM launchers in the United States," Cotton wrote in letters sent to the respective committees on January 26, letters obtained by Insider. He also said that the "number of nuclear warheads equipped on such missiles of China has not exceeded the number of nuclear warheads equipped on such missiles of the United States." That said, China's edge in land-based fixed and mobile launchers does bring Beijing closer to fielding a more robust ICBM capacity.

☆ B-52 crews are getting special brain training to help them fly the US Air Force's oldest bomber
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Hope Seck | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

US Air Force B-52 crews are going through a special brain- and body-conditioning program. The program is part of an effort to find the best way to enhance the performance of Air Force crews. Other airmen could get access to similar programs in the future, an Air Force official said. Officers on the lower deck of a B-52 at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota in August 2006. A B-52 bomber drops cluster bombs over Afghanistan on October 7, 2001.

☆ Exclusive: Record-breaking 2022 for North Korea crypto theft, UN report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

North Korea has previously denied allegations of hacking or other cyberattacks. The United States has long been warning that North Korea is ready to carry out a seventh nuclear test. They also said they have started an investigation into reports of ammunition exports by North Korea. North Korea has rejected the accusation as groundless and Wagner's owner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, denied getting arms from North Korea. Last May, China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-led push to impose more U.N. sanctions on North Korea.

☆ China flew spy balloons over the US while Trump was president, but nobody realized until after he left office, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Chinese spy balloons had crossed into the US at least three times under Trump, officials said. Trump and former defense officials said over the weekend they were not aware of this. The sightings were only discovered "after the prior administration left," senior defense officials told both The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. "It never happened with us under the Trump administration and if it did, we would have shot it down immediately," Trump told Fox News Digital on Sunday. It's also unclear if balloons spotted during the Trump administration were shot down.

The United States operates a military base and nuclear missile silos in Montana, a state bordering Idaho. Military officials developed a plan to shoot down the balloon on Wednesday as it flew over Montana. BALLOON MANEUVERSThe U.S. government has declined to say which sites the Chinese balloon surveyed. On Friday, the Pentagon said it expected the balloon to keep flying over the United States for several more days. "That will make it fairly easy, actually," a military official said of the recovery operation in the Atlantic.

☆ Republicans are blaming Biden for letting a suspected Chinese spy balloon cross into the US. It happened 3 times during the Trump administration, officials say.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Republicans are criticizing the Biden administration's response to the Chinese spy balloon. "Would Trump have let China fly a spy balloon over our country?" Chinese spy balloons were sighted three times during the Trump administration, US officials said. The CCP [Chinese Communist Party] can send spy balloons over our nuclear silos and we will do nothing." It's unclear what information the suspected Chinese spy balloon could have gleaned from its various positions.

☆ 3 spy aircraft that were also 'weather balloons'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Blake Stilwell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China has said that it is a weather balloon that has gone off-course. It wouldn't be the first time that a spy balloon has been described as a weather balloon. China is probably just taking a page out of the US government 1960s-era cover-up playbook that we'll call: The ol' "Weather Balloon Dodge." Thomson ReutersThere's a reason the Department of Defense believes China's weather balloon is actually a reconnaissance balloon: The DoD is developing reconnaissance balloons of its own. If any of the massive balloons get forced down, they'd just be another weather balloon, which the National Weather Service still uses.

☆ A second 'Chinese surveillance balloon' has been spotted over Latin America, according to Pentagon officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Pentagon officials on Thursday identified the balloon as a "Chinese surveillance" device. On Friday, a second surveillance balloon was identified flying above Latin America. "We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon," AP reported Brigadier General Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said. Ryder declined to give additional details, such as where the second balloon was spotted. US Pentagon officials have declared the balloons surveillance devices.

WASHINGTON/BEIJING, Feb 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a visit to China that had been expected to start on Friday after a Chinese spy balloon was tracked flying across the United States, a U.S. official said. China earlier expressed regret that what it called a "civilian" airship had strayed into U.S. territory after being blown off course, an incident that sparked a political furor in the United States. Republican Senator Tom Cotton had called for Blinken to cancel his trip, while Republican former President Donald Trump, a declared presidential candidate for 2024, posted "SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON!" It said it would continue to communicate with the United States to "properly handle" the unexpected situation. Senator Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate intelligence committee, said the spy balloon was alarming but not surprising.

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