Why is Kim Jong-un's daughter making frequent public appearances? SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - Frequent public appearances of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's daughter Ju-ae are believed to be intended to project a "prominent family" image rather than groom her as the next leader for a hereditary transfer of power, the Unification Ministry here speculated on Tuesday. As many pundits closely watch Kim's activities for clues in the reclusive country, where even small details can matter, a ministry official said, "We cannot single out her succession plans, but Ju-ae often appears with her mother Ri Sol-ju, suggesting efforts to project a strong family image." Earlier in the day, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim, accompanied by his wife and daughter, visited a construction site the previous day with senior party and military officials and encouraged soldiers and workers there. In related photos released by KCNA, Kim is shown planting trees with Ju-ae, who holds a shovel alongside her father, in what appears to be a display of family unity. The latest family outing came just several days after KCNA reported Kim's visit to the mausoleum where the embalmed bodies of his grandfather and regime founder Kim Il-sung, and his father Kim Jong-il lie in state to usher in the new year last week. His customary visit drew particular attention after photos released later showed Ju-ae in attendance along with her mother. Some speculate that if North Korea intended to more clearly show Ju-ae as the successor, she would have been placed directly behind her father. Instead, the move appears aimed at strengthening internal unity ahead of the country's key party congress scheduled for early this year. 2026-01-06 15:36:11

Kim Jong Un stresses internal unity, honors troops sent to Russia in New Year address SEOUL, January 01 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un used his New Year speech to emphasize domestic cohesion and praise soldiers deployed to Russia, avoiding any direct message toward South Korea or the United States. According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim delivered the remarks late Wednesday at a large celebration held at Pyongyang’s May Day Stadium. He said North Korea’s drive for “comprehensive socialist development” had successfully passed its first stage, crediting both central and provincial regions for propelling nationwide progress. Kim devoted a significant portion of the speech to the Korean People’s Army, commending troops who endured “heavy hardships” and achieved “remarkable results” on what he described as front lines of construction and change. He said their “noble sacrifices” would be remembered “for generations,” in an apparent reference to forces dispatched to support Russia. He also highlighted workers, agricultural laborers and the women’s national football team, which won last year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, describing them as key contributors to the country’s direction over the past year. Calling on the public to remain faithful to socialism and “people-first” principles, Kim urged citizens to strengthen unity ahead of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Ninth Congress, which is expected to outline major policy directions for the next five years. KCNA said Kim’s speech contained no references to the United States or South Korea, signaling a focus on tightening internal discipline rather than foreign policy messaging. Kim attended the event with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and their daughter, Ju Ae, who sat beside him during the performance. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-01 15:01:51

North Korean leader inspects factory producing multiple rocket launchers SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has urged officials to "bring about a revolution" in upgrading an artillery weapons system while inspecting a munitions factory that produces multiple rocket launchers, state media reported on Tuesday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim, accompanied by a slew of military brass and key officials, visited the factory last Sunday and inspected the "production of weapons and combat equipment" to be supplied to key military units. Kim hailed the rocket launchers as a "super-powerful weapon system" that can "annihilate the enemy through a sudden, precise strike with high accuracy and devastating power, and can also be used as a strategic attack means." He also called for "further expanding the successes achieved this year and achieving greater successes through strenuous efforts" in strengthening the country’s defense capabilities in the coming year. Kim has recently made a series of public appearances including a visit to a construction site for nuclear-powered submarines and on-site inspections of missile launches and drills, in an apparent effort to promote year-end achievements ahead of the country's key party congress scheduled for early next year. 2025-12-30 10:49:50

North Korea conducts test of long-range cruise missiles SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - North Korea test-fired long-range cruise missiles toward the West Sea, state media said on Monday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), they flew along a preset route "for 10,199 seconds and 10,203 seconds" before striking their targets. The launch, which was conducted the previous day with the country's leader Kim Jong-un in attendance, was part of drills aimed at checking the strategic weapons system's accuracy while strengthening the combat readiness and capabilities of long-range missile units. Expressing "great satisfaction," Kim reportedly said the drills were for self-defense, as the country is "facing various security threats." 2025-12-29 09:09:17

North Korea holds grand openings of new hotels near Mt. Paektu SEOUL, December 23 (AJP) - North Korea has completed five hotels in the country's tourist zone of Samjiyon near Mt. Paektu, state media reported on Tuesday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, its leader Kim Jong-un attended an opening ceremony along with his daughter Ju-ae last Saturday, expressing "his unshakable will to turn ..... into an innovative and highly civilized city representing the tourism culture of the country." Ju-ae accompanied her father, following her public appearance the day before at a factory opening in Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province. North Korean media released several photos of her in a black coat touring the hotel. Kim's wife Ri Sol-ju also appeared to attend, though she was less frequently featured in these photos. They suggest that the hotels feature upscale rooms and amenities, including banquet halls, saunas, and an outdoor pool, in an apparent effort to highlight year-end achievements ahead of the country's key Workers' Party congress scheduled for early next year. Separate grand opening events for the remaining four hotels were also held last weekend. North Korea has been promoting tourism to earn hard currency amid international sanctions, focusing on developing Mt. Paektu areas along with its coastal tourist zones in Wonsan and Kalma in Kangwon Province. Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said, "North Korea seems to be promoting Kim's modernization drive, which now extends beyond the capital of Pyongyang to include more remote areas like Samjiyon." 2025-12-23 17:43:30

Nearly 90% of North Korean defectors satisfied with life in South Korea, survey finds SEOUL, December 23 (AJP) - About eight in 10 North Korean defectors say they are satisfied with their new life in South Korea, a survey reveals. The Korea Hana Foundation on Tuesday released its survey of around 2,500 North Korean defectors who arrived in Seoul between January 1997 and December last year. This year's survey, conducted through face-to-face interviews by about 76 specialized counselors, with a response rate of 86.4 percent or around 2,160 respondents, found that 81.2 percent were content with life in South Korea, up 1.6 percentage points from a year earlier and the highest level since the survey began in 2011. "Freedom" was the most common reason for satisfaction, cited by 41.5 percent, while 24.3 percent pointed to "separation from family" as the main reason for dissatisfaction. Some 14 percent said they experienced discrimination or were looked down on in the past year for being defectors, down 2.3 percentage points from the previous year and the lowest on record. Some 61.6 percent expressed satisfaction with their social and economic achievements, and 72.2 percent believed they could improve the social and economic status of themselves and their children. Wage gaps, however, still remain, with their average monthly income at 2.61 million won, compared to 3.20 million won for ordinary South Koreans. About 61.3 percent were employed, slightly lower than their compatriots in the South. 2025-12-23 10:38:43

Seoul says it held nuclear talks with Russia despite Moscow's denial SEOUL, December 22 (AJP) - South Korea reportedly held talks with Russia to discuss multiple issues including North Korea's nuclear weapons program. According to diplomatic sources, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official handling North Korea-related issues traveled to Moscow and met with Oleg Burmistrov, the Russian Foreign Ministry's special envoy for North Korea's nuclear issues. Apart from a foreign ministers' meeting in September this year, this was the first gathering of nuclear officials since bilateral relations worsened after North Korea's troop deployment to Russia in October last year, drawing attention for possible changes. Observers believe South Korea urged Russia to play a "constructive role" in promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula. During the meeting, Seoul likely raised concerns about military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, which violates UN Security Council resolutions, and also discussed efforts to bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia, however, denied the meeting, calling it an attempt to sow distrust between Moscow and Pyongyang, apparently mindful of North Korea. According to the Kremlin's state-run news agency TASS, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in the statement, "The opponents of our cooperation with North Korea do not abandon their futile attempts to drive a wedge into the Russian-Korean comprehensive strategic partnership and sow distrust between the allied countries and the peoples of Russia and North Korea." She added, "Russia does not hold any consultations with the South Korean side, does not discuss with it any topics affecting bilateral relations between Pyongyang and Seoul, much less the 'North Korean nuclear problem' because there is no 'North Korean nuclear problem' for Russia.'" 2025-12-22 13:41:31

Pro-Pyongyang paper slams Washington for omitting North Korea from US security policy SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) - What is most "notable" in the U.S.' National Security Strategy (NSS) released early this month is that it does not mention North Korea at all, said a pro-North Korea newspaper in Japan. In a column published on Thursday, Choson Sinbo, a mouthpiece for Pyongyang run by the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan or Chongryon said failing to mention North Korea would amount to the U.S. admitting the "complete failure" of its denuclearization policy for the Korean Peninsula. The paper also criticized the NSS as lacking strategic depth, describing the "self-contradictory and distorted" document as containing little international analysis and being driven primarily by U.S. President Donald Trump's "America First" principles. The rebuke followed similar remarks last Friday when the paper slammed Washington for trying to shift from "world police" to "fortress America." Released on Dec. 4, this year's NSS, which outlines U.S. security visions and strategies, made no mention of North Korea or its denuclearization. The omission marks an unusual departure from previous administrations, raising concerns here about shifting U.S. security priorities. 2025-12-18 15:25:16

North Korean leader visits father's mausoleum SEOUL, December 17 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited his father's mausoleum in Pyongyang on Wednesday, state media reported. According to the state-run by opening up a new glorious history of comprehensive national rejuvenation," it added. Kim has visited the mausoleum every year, except in 2022. 2025-12-17 10:54:51

24/7 hotline for transnational crimes available, spy agency says SEOUL, December 16 (AJP) - Victims of transnational crimes such as online scams and phishing schemes, as well as those who encounter or are aware of misinformation threatening national security and public safety, can dial 111 to report them, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) said on Tuesday. They also can text to #0111 or leave messages on the NIS' website around the clock. These crimes involve multiple countries or foreign nationals, including voice phishing, overseas employment fraud, online scams, and international drug-related offenses targeting South Koreans. The spy agency urged citizens to immediately report any such incidents, warning that the recent surge in these crimes "poses a threat to national security." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-16 17:41:13