North Korean leader misses annual visit marking grandfather's birthday

SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears to have skipped his annual visit to a mausoleum to pay respects to his late grandfather and regime founder Kim Il-sung on the anniversary of his birth, according to state media. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday that key party officials such as Choe Ryong-hae and Pak Thae-song visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang the previous day when the country marked the 113th anniversa

April 16, 2025

North Korea urges loyalty to leader on regime founder's birthday

SEOUL, April 15 (AJP) - North Korea on Tuesday called for greater loyalty to its leader Kim Jong-un as it marked the birthday of his grandfather and regime founder, Kim Il-sung. In its editorial in celebration of the 113th anniversary of Kim senior's birth, the state-run Rodong Sinmun praised his legacy of "juche (self-reliance) ideology," claiming it continues to evolve under Kim junior's leadership into "scientific implementation doctrines." The news

April 15, 2025

Pyongyang hosts international marathon event for first time in 6 yrs

SEOUL, April 07 (AJP) - North Korea hosted the 31st Pyongyang International Marathon on Sunday, Pyongyang’s state media reported Monday. It was the first international marathon held in six years, following the country’s lockdown in 2020 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The Pyongyang International Marathon is held annually to celebrate the birthday of Kim Il-sung, the founding father of North Korea, who was born in 1912. The event, which draws professi

April 7, 2025

S. Korean military on standby ahead of Yoon's impeachment ruling

SEOUL, April 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s military elevated its surveillance readiness against North Korea Friday, ahead of the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the military expanded and reinforced the operation of surveillance equipment such as reconnaissance aircraft, radar, and thermal observation devices (TOD) in the hours leading up to the 11 a.m. ruling. Key military commanders

April 4, 2025

North Korea to hold large-scale festival for regime founder's birthday next month

SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - North Korea plans to hold a large-scale festival next month to celebrate the birthday of its regime founder Kim Il-sung, state media reported on Tuesday. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the festival will take place at several venues in Pyongyang from April 10 to 17, featuring troupe performances and other events. KCNA explained that the festival aims to honor "Kim's legacy and his achievements" as well as express loyalty t

March 25, 2025

Russia's top security official arrives in Pyongyang for talks

SEOUL, March 21 (AJP) - Russia's high-ranking security official arrived in Pyongyang for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Moscow state-run news agency TASS reported on Friday. Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of the security council of the Russian Federation, is also expected to meet with other senior officials during his trip. The visit comes amid increasingly close ties between the two countries, with Pyongyang's deployment of thousands of troops to Moscow to sup

March 21, 2025

N. Korean leader examines test-launch of surface-to-air missile system

SEOUL, March 21 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected the test-fire of the country's newly developed surface-to-air missile system on Thursday, Pyongyang's state-controlled media reported Friday. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim expressed gratitude toward researchers at North Korea's Missile Administration and praised the new anti-aircraft missile system. KCNA reported that the new system was evaluated to be "highly reliable,&quo

March 21, 2025

North Korea given exemption for medical supplies from WHO

SEOUL, March 20 (AJP) - North Korea is expected to receive some medical supplies from the World Health Organization (WHO) after the United Nations Security Council approved an exemption from international sanctions, Radio Free Asia reported on Thursday. According to the U.S. government-funded news outlet, the exemption, granted on Feb. 13, allows the WHO to send vital equipment to the isolated country. The shipment, valued at approximately $63,000, will include 20 types of medica

March 20, 2025

North Korea holds world's third-largest stash of bitcoins

SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - North Korea is estimated to hold the third-largest amount of bitcoin in the world, following a series of covert cyberattacks targeting cryptocurrencies, a recent analysis reveals. A hacker group called Lazarus, which is thought to be linked with the North Korean regime, currently holds approximately 13,562 bitcoins valued at US$1.14 billion, according to cryptocurrency exchange Binance and blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence. That puts North Kore

March 19, 2025

North Korea vows to expand nuclear arsenal 'both in quality and quantity'

SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - North Korea on Monday vowed to further expand its nuclear arsenal "both in quality and quantity," dismissing a global call to abandon its nuclear weapons program. "The will steadily update and strengthen its nuclear armed forces both in quality and quantity," the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, quoting a spokesman from the isolated country's Foreign Ministry. The North's response came shortly after

March 17, 2025