North Korea admits newly developed destroyer damaged in launch mishap

SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) -North Korea admitted that its newly developed warship was accidentally damaged during a launch ceremony earlier this week. According to the official state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the accident occurred Wednesday when a 5,000-ton destroyer was being launched at a shipyard in Chongjin, a key industrial city in the northeast. The vessel tilted and eventually overturned after a support mechanism at the stern prematurely released as it entered the water

May 23, 2025

US extends ban on travel to North Korea for another year

SEOUL, May 16 (AJP) - The U.S. has extended its travel ban on North Korea for another year. In a notice on the Federal Register on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of State said, "All U.S. passports shall remain invalid for travel to, in, or through unless specially validated for such travel under the authority of the Secretary of State." The department said it "has determined there continues to be serious risk to U.S. citizens and nationals of arrest a

May 16, 2025

North Korea remains on list of countries 'not fully cooperating' with US counterterrorism efforts

SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - North Korea was included in the list of countries that "did not fully cooperate with U.S. counterterrorism efforts," along with Cuba, Iran, Syria, and Venezuela, the U.S. Department of State said in a press release on Tuesday. The designation on the list, updated annually in May, prohibits the "sale or license for export of defense articles and services." North Korea has been on the list of "Not Fully Cooperating Countries (NFCCs)&qu

May 14, 2025

North Korean IT workers in China linked to remote work scams overseas

SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - North Korea has set up dozens of front companies in China, helping its IT workers "trick Western companies into hiring them," the American news website Axios reported on Tuesday. Citing a fresh report released by strategic intelligence platform Strider Technologies, the website revealed details of a vast network of China-based companies allegedly involved in facilitating North Korea's clandestine IT operations overseas, evading international sanct

May 14, 2025

N. Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects special military drill

SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a special military drill on Tuesday that included a joint firepower demonstration featuring armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, and drones, according to state media. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday that Kim visited a training camp under the capital city defense force, where he observed a demonstration involving various military systems and training officers. During the visit, Kim reportedl

May 14, 2025

North Korea and Belarus step up economic cooperation with Pyongyang meetings

SEOUL, May 08 (AJP)—North Korea welcomed a senior Belarusian delegation to Pyongyang this week, signaling growing ties between the two countries through a series of working-level talks and a formal banquet held on Tuesday. The Belarusian delegation will remain in North Korea until May 9. The visit, led by Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shuleiko, comes ahead of the third North Korea–Belarus Joint Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation session, marking the fi

May 8, 2025

North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles into East Sea

SEOUL, May 8 (AJP) - North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Thursday, according to military authorities here. The missiles were launched from the North's eastern coastal city of Wonsan at around 8:10 a.m. "We detected signs of the launch and closely monitored the situation," the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said. "We have also heightened surveillance in preparation for possible additional launches, maintaining close coordi

May 8, 2025

N. Korean leader Kim Jong-un praises progress in tank modernization during inspection

SEOUL, May 04 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a key tank production facility to praise the development of North Korean-style armored weapons and outline plans to modernize the country’s armored forces. Pyongyang’s state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the visit on Sunday but did not disclose the exact date of the inspection. According to KCNA, Kim was briefed on ongoing research, modernization, and production efforts during a tou

May 4, 2025

North Korea test-fires weapons from new destroyer

SEOUL, April 30 (AJP) - North Korea has conducted a test of its new 5,000-ton destroyer, state media reported on Wednesday. According to the official state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected the tests of weapons from the destroyer, accompanied by senior military officials and his daughter Ju-ae on Monday and Tuesday. The multipurpose destroyer, named after Choe Hyon, a comrade of nation founder Kim Il-sung during his day as

April 30, 2025

North Korea confirms deployment of troops to Russia's Kursk Region, hails soldiers as heroes

SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - North Korea has publicly confirmed for the first time that its troops are operating in Russia’s Kursk Region, a front-line area in the ongoing war against Ukraine. In a statement issued Monday, Pyongyang hailed its deployed forces as “heroes,” ending more than a year of silence amid international speculation over its involvement. Intelligence agencies in the United States and South Korea reported last year that thousands of North Korean

April 28, 2025