New North Korea nuclear, ICBM testing would trigger instant crisis, South Korea’s president says

A resumption of North Korea's nuclear weapon or long-range missile tests would "instantly" send the peninsula back into crisis, outgoing South Korean President Moon Jae-in said this week, calling for measures to prevent that from happening. A record month of North Korean missile testing in January highlighted failures of Moon's efforts to engineer a breakthrough as...

North Korea calls for economic growth, improved lives despite ‘complicated problems’

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a meeting of the politburo of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea on Jan 19, 2022 in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Jan 20, 2022.KCNA via Reuters North Korea's parliament pledged to develop the economy and improve people's livelihoods in the...

WHO is sending Covid-19 aid for North Korea

A logo is pictured at the World Health Organisation (WHO) building in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb 2, 2020.Reuters file SEOUL - The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it is sending Covid-19 aid for North Korea through China's border port of Dalian, despite few signs North Korea has eased strict border lockdowns to keep the virus out. In...

South, North Korea have restored hotlines as leaders seek to rebuild ties

South Korean soldiers stand guard at the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea, May 1, 2019.Reuters South and North Korea have restored hotlines that Pyongyang severed a year ago when ties deteriorated sharply, with renewed efforts by the two countries' leaders to rebuild relations, the South's presidential...

North Korea rejected AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine over side effects, says think-tank

North Korea has rejected planned shipments of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine that were being organised under the global Covax distribution scheme due to concerns over side effects, a South Korean think-tank said on Friday (July 9). Covax has said it would provide nearly two million doses of AstraZeneca's shots to North Korea. The first batch had been...

North Korea says it won’t join Tokyo Olympics due to Covid-19 concerns

Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto looks on as actor Satomi Ishihara and Paralympian Aki Taguchi light the celebration cauldron on the first day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch relay in Naraha, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, March 25, 2021Reuters North Korea's sports ministry said on Tuesday (April 6) that it will not participate in the Tokyo Olympics...

Is North Korea’s move to cut ties with Malaysia a ‘test’ for Joe Biden?

Twitter/imnormgoh A move by Pyongyang to sever ties with Malaysia, following the extradition of a North Korean national to the United States on money-laundering charges, could be aimed at testing the administration of US President Joe Biden, according to analysts. Pyongyang announced on Friday that it was cutting diplomatic ties after a Malaysian Federal Court panel earlier...

North Korea to sever ties with Malaysia over extradition of citizen to US: KCNA

North Korea said it would sever diplomatic relations with Malaysia after a court there ruled that a North Korean man could be extradited to the United States to face money laundering charges, state media KCNA reported on Friday (March 19). North Korea's foreign affairs ministry also warned Washington would "pay a price", in a statement carried...

NKorea ignores US offer for talks, citing its hostile policy

  FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2021, file photo State Secretary Antony Blinken speaks during a news conference at the State Department in Washington. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are heading to Japan and South Korea for four days of talks starting Monday, March 15, as the administration seeks to shore up partnerships with...

North Korea Records First Covid-19 Case? Suspect To Be Punished

North Korea has gone into lockdown after leader Kim Jong-un declared an emergency following the country’s first suspected Covid-19 infection. According to Reuters, the person in question had just returned from South Korea after illegally crossing the border 3 years ago. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed Covid-19 symptoms after returning to the town of Kaesong. KCNA’s statement...