China's No. 2 official to visit Pyongyang for party anniversary as Xi skips trip

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.

October 7, 2025

Pyongyang unveils new weapons, warns Seoul and Washington at military exhibition

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

October 5, 2025

Trump open to Kim talks "without preconditions" as North Korea intensifies outreach

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

October 1, 2025

North Korean leader sends congratulatory message to Xi on China's founding anniversary

SEOUL, October 1 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 76th anniversary of China's founding, reaffirming his commitment to enhancing strategic communication and cooperation between the two countries. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim said Pyongyang remains "steadfast" in its relations with Beijing, seeking to "steadily develop the traditional..... friendship n

October 1, 2025

N. Korea returns to UN podium, building up diplomatic portfolio

SEOUL, September 30 (AJP) - North Korea has returned to the United Nations for the first time in seven years, suggesting renewed confidence after the powerful display of its leader standing alongside the heads of China and Russia earlier this month. Taking the podium at the UN General Assembly on Monday, North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong openly defied UN resolutions, reiterating that Pyongyang would "never give up nuclear weapons under any circumstances.&q

September 30, 2025

Xi's appearance at N. Korea's military parade quietly speculated after foreign ministers' meeting

SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - Speculation is cautiously building up over the possibility of Chinese President Xi Jinping making a ceremonial appearance at a military parade in Pyongyang next month, timed with the 80th anniversary of North Korea's Workers' Party. Such a trip would be seen as a reciprocal gesture after Kim Jong-un's train journey to Beijing earlier this month to attend China's "Victory Day" military extravaganza, as foreign ministers from the tw

September 29, 2025

North Korea sends high-ranking delegation to UN for first time in seven years

SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - North Korea's high-ranking official has left Pyongyang to attend the ongoing session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Friday. Along with his entourage, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong arrived in Beijing on an Air Koryo flight the previous day, en route to New York, becoming North Korea’s first high-level official to attend the annual UN gathering in sev

September 26, 2025

North Korea now 'has 2,000 kg of highly enriched uranium'

SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - North Korea is believed to possess up to 2,000 kg of highly enriched uranium (HEU), which could be used to produce nuclear weapons, Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young said on Thursday. "Estimates suggest that North Korea's HEU stockpiles are around 2,000 kg," he said during a press conference in Seoul, citing assessments from experts. If accurate, this would be enough for roughly 100 nuclear weapons, as 20 to 25 kg of uranium is suf

September 25, 2025

How Lee's new North Korea initiative differs from previous approaches

SEOUL, September 24 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae-myung outlined a new phased approach to North Korea's denuclearization during a keynote speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. Dubbed the "END" initiative, it reflects his vision for easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula through exchange, normalization, and denuclearization. "We must end the era of hostility and confrontation on the Korean Peninsula," said Lee, stressin

September 24, 2025

Can upcoming APEC summit offer breakthrough in inter-Korean relations with Xi and Trump in attendance?

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrive at a state reception in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of China's "Victory Day." TASS-Yonhap SEOUL, September 23 (AJP) - With Chinese President Xi Jinping set to visit South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit late next month, experts are speculating on a possible breakthrough in inter-Korean relations. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung'

September 23, 2025