news highlight

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  North Korean leader again oversees test-firing of missiles from naval destroyer SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected again the test-firing of missiles from a naval destroyer, state media reported Tuesday. "Two strategic cruise missiles and three anti-warship missiles were test-fired" last Sunday from the 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer Choe Hyun to assess its "operational efficiency," with Kim observing it, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency. Kim's latest inspection of the April 14, 2026
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  North Korean, Chinese FMs agree to strengthen ties during talks in Pyongyang SEOUL, April 10 (AJP) - The foreign ministers of North Korea and China agreed to strengthen bilateral ties during their meeting in Pyongyang, state media reported on Friday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in Pyongyang the previous day, held talks with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son-hui. North Korea rolled out a red carpet for Wang upon his arrival, as he was "warmly met by Choe" a April 10, 2026
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  North Korea tests cluster warhead on short-range ballistic missile, KCNA reports SEOUL, April 09 (AJP) -North Korea has tested a cluster warhead mounted on a short-range ballistic missile, a weapon that has drawn renewed attention after Iran reportedly used similar munitions that challenged Israel’s air defense systems during the Middle East conflict. The move suggests Pyongyang may be seeking to enhance its strike capabilities by incorporating cluster payloads into its existing missile systems. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCN April 9, 2026
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  North Korea tests tactical ballistic missile with cluster bomb warhead, state media says SEOUL, April 9 (AJP) - North Korea has conducted tests of a "tactical ballistic missile" equipped with a "cluster bomb warhead," state media reported on Thursday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, the tests were conducted over three days earlier this week to "verify the combat reliability of the mobile short-range anti-aircraft missile system." It added that the surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile "tipped w April 9, 2026
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  Pyongyang launches ballistic missile as military posture persists despite diplomatic opening SEOUL, April 08 (AJP) - North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on Wednesday, marking the second consecutive day of weapons testing and signaling that military provocations remain a cornerstone of its regional strategy. The launch follows a reported failure on Tuesday and comes at a volatile moment in inter-Korean relations, effectively dampening hopes for a de-escalation after a rare moment of rhetorical civility between the two capitals. The back-to-back launches April 8, 2026
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  North's Kim makes a rare approving remark on South's Lee SEOUL, April 07 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday made a rare approving remark about his South Korean counterpart, according to his sister Kim Yo-jong, who serves as vice department director of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Earlier in the day, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed regret during a Cabinet meeting over a cross-border drone incident. Hours later, Kim Yo-jong said “our leader” viewed Lee’s response as stemming from an &ldq April 7, 2026
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  UN Human Rights Council adopts resolution condemning North Korea SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has adopted a resolution condemning human rights violations in North Korea, calling for the country to be held accountable. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here on Tuesday, the resolution was passed unanimously by consensus at the council's 61st session in Geneva last Sunday, with South Korea among the 50 co-sponsoring countries. Such resolutions have been adopted annually since 2003, March 31, 2026
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  North Korea unveils upgraded solid-fuel ICBM engine, signaling push toward multiple-warhead capability SEOUL, March 29 (AJP) - North Korea disclosed a ground test of a new carbon-fiber solid-fuel engine designed for an intercontinental ballistic missile, showcasing a 26 percent leap in thrust as Pyongyang seeks to sharpen its nuclear deterrent amid widening U.S. military operations in the Middle East. The engine revealed Sunday generated a maximum thrust of 2,500 kilonewtons (kN), up from 1,971 kN recorded in a September 2024 test, the Korean Central News Agency reported. The upgrade March 29, 2026
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  Kim Jong-un reaffirms closer ties with Beijing in message to Xi SEOUL, March 28 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirming Pyongyang’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, state media reported Saturday. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim sent a reply on Friday to Xi, who had congratulated him on his reappointment as chairman of North Korea’s State Affairs Commission. Kim expressed “deep thanks,” saying he felt the “invariable supp March 28, 2026