SEOUL, October 13 (AJP) - North Korea unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-20, during a military parade in Pyongyang last Friday, underscoring its continued drive to advance long-range missile capabilities—possibly with Russian assistance—and to strengthen its leverage ahead of any potential resumption of dialogue with the United States. The Oct. 10 parade, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea, s

SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening strategic communication and cooperation with North Korea in a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported on Sunday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim received the letter on Oct. 9, which was a reply to his earlier message to Xi on Oct. 1 in celebration of the 76th anniversary of China's National Day. In the letter, Xi stress

SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - North Korea unveiled its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at a massive military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of its sole ruling Workers' Party, state media reported on Saturday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the new Hwasong-20 ICBM, hailed as "the most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system," made its first public appearance at the parade the previous day, signali

SEOUL, October 10 (AJP) - North Korea is expected to hold a military parade on Friday night to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the renegade country's Workers' Party. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea is currently conducting rehearsals indicating the parade is likely to be a nighttime event. North Korea is expected to showcase its latest weapons and military arsenal including intercontinental ballistic missiles, although it remains to be seen as they a

SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) -Buoyed by high-profile summits with Chinese and Russian leaders, North Korea is set to mark the 80th anniversary of its ruling Communist party on Friday with a grand display of its latest weaponry and the presence of dignitaries from fellow socialist nations. Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday, making the highest-level visit from Beijing since 2019 to attend the anniversary celebrations of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Li

SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has vowed to root out acts that damage the authority of the Workers' Party of Korea, warning that such behavior must be "identified and eliminated." His remarks came on Wednesday, a day before the 80th anniversary of the party’s founding, during a visit to the Party Founding Museum in Pyongyang. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim said the party's longevity — the l

SEOUL, October 07 (AJP) - Although Chinese President Xi Jinping will not visit North Korea this week, Beijing's decision to send Premier Li Qiang — the country's No. 2 official — to Pyongyang for the 80th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea is being seen as a clear sign of strengthening ties between the two neighbors. The move marks a noticeable upgrade from the 2015 celebrations, when China sent Liu Yunshan, then fifth in the Communist Party hierarchy.

SEOUL, October 05 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said his country will continue to strengthen its military capabilities to counter what he called growing threats from the United States and South Korea, as he opened a major military hardware exhibition in Pyongyang showcasing new missile systems, including what appears to be a hypersonic variant of the KN-23. The exhibition, titled "Defence Development-2025," opened in the North Korean capital on October 4 to mar

SEOUL, October 01 (AJP) - The White House said on September 30 that U.S. President Donald Trump remains open to talking with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "without any preconditions," a move that has fueled speculation about renewed summitry when Trump travels to South Korea later this month for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Responding to a question about whether Trump might seek a meeting with Kim during his visit to the southeastern city of Gye