North Korea vows stronger nuclear deterrent versus allied drills SEOUL, November 02 (AJP) - North Korea on Monday condemned a recent ROK-U.S. military exercise integrating nuclear and conventional capabilities, vowing to accelerate the expansion of its nuclear deterrent. Kim Jong-sik, first vice director of the Workers' Party's Munitions Industry Department, described the Iron Mace exercise as "the most hideous nuclear war rehearsal aimed at using nuclear weapons against the DPRK," according to the state-run Korean Central News November 2, 2026

FBI blames North Korea for $6 billion Binance hack SEOUL, November 01 (AJP) - U.S. federal investigators have identified North Korean hackers as the perpetrators of a massive cryptocurrency heist targeting Binance, with more than $6 billion in digital assets stolen in what has been described as the industry's largest single hacking incident. In a cybersecurity advisory issued Saturday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation attributed the Oct. 29 attack to TraderTraitor, a North Korean hacking operation linked to previous cryptoc November 1, 2026

North Korea's crypto theft industry under spotlight after Binance hack SEOUL, October 31 (AJP) - North Korea's cryptocurrency hacking operations have emerged as a major source of foreign currency for the isolated regime, with a record $6.3 billion cyberattack on the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange drawing renewed attention to Pyongyang's growing reliance on digital theft to finance its weapons programs. U.S. blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs said North Korea's TraderTraitor hacking group was responsible for stealing approx October 31, 2026

Seoul, Washington, Tokyo reaffirm North Korea denuclearization goal SEOUL, October 31 (AJP) - South Korea, the United States and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and agreed to expand maritime and economic cooperation in the Pacific Arctic during trilateral talks in Atlanta on Friday (local time), amid heightened tensions following Pyongyang's latest ballistic missile launches. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshim October 31, 2026

North Korea slams joint air drills, threatens forceful response SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - North Korea condemned a joint military exercise between South Korea and the U.S., vowing to respond with force, state media reported on Friday. In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a spokesperson for North Korea's Defense Ministry described the exercise, known as "Freedom Flag," which began earlier this week and runs through next week, as a "provocative" military drill targeting the Nor October 30, 2026

North Korean leader inspects drone exhibition, missile demonstration SEOUL, October 30 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited an exhibition showcasing weapons with unmanned aerial technology and observed a military demonstration, state media reported on Friday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the exhibition was held the previous day "with splendor," and Kim, accompanied by his wife and daughter as well as senior military officers and other officials, stressed the growing importance of unmanned October 30, 2026

Pyongyang snubs Seoul's proposal for talks with missile launches SEOUL, October 29 (AJP) - North Korea fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, marking its 17th ballistic missile launch of this year and its first in 17 days, according to military authorities here. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the missiles being launched from Wonsan, Kangwon Province at around 12:30 p.m. South Korean and U.S. military authorities are conducting a detailed analysis of the missiles' flight distance October 29, 2026

North Korean troops gaining modern combat experience: US commander SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - North Korean troops deployed to support Russia's war in Ukraine are gaining valuable battlefield experience that could strengthen Pyongyang's military capabilities and pose a future security challenge to South Korea and the U.S., Axios reported on Tuesday, citing a senior U.S. military chief. "As we all are observing and watching how war is changing in Ukraine and in the Middle East, the North Koreans are, absolutely, doing that too," Lt. October 28, 2026

Two Koreas return to UN after déjà vu DMZ mine crisis SEOUL, October 27 (AJP) - South and North Korea have sent competing complaints to the United Nations Security Council over last month’s land mine explosion, reviving questions about what international diplomacy can achieve in a conflict still governed by a seven-decade-old armistice. The exchange also highlights a distinction between the Security Council’s diplomatic role and the military responsibilities of the United Nations Command (UNC). The 1953 Korean War Armist October 27, 2026

As Trump-Putin-Xi meeting is floated, Kim casts a fourth shadow SEOUL, October 27 (AJP) - An unprecedented trilateral meeting among the leaders of the U.S., Russia and China on the sidelines of November’s APEC summit in Shenzhen could put denuclearization and Ukraine on the table. Whether North Korea might receive a fourth invitation briefly returned to focus after Kim Jong-un’s surprise one-day visit to China amid murmurs about his health. Kim traveled to China on Saturday across a new bridge that finally opened after more tha October 27, 2026