SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - Nearly eight out of 10 South Koreans prefer sharing the border with North Korea peacefully over a unified Korea, a latest survey showed. According to a survey released Thursday by the Ministry of Unification, 79.4 percent of respondents said that peaceful coexistence without war outweighs the goal of unification. Among them, 37.1 percent strongly agreed and 42.2 percent somewhat agreed. Support was also high for acknowledging the two Koreas as separat

SEOUL, December 11 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made an "important conclusion" at this week's plenary meeting, state media reported on Thursday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim "made an important conclusion on the agenda items” that were "discussed at the first-day sitting of the plenary meeting," which began earlier this week in preparation for the Workers' Party's key congress scheduled for

SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - North Korea has convened a plenary meeting to prepare for the Workers' Party's upcoming key congress scheduled for early next year, state media reported on Wednesday. The state-run Korean Central News Agency said the plenary meeting, presided over by the country's leader Kim Jong-un, was held the previous day to discuss key policies and other issues. The year-end gathering, which usually takes place over several days in mid-December,

SEOUL, December 10 (AJP) - The Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday that North Korea fired about a dozen projectiles into the West Sea the previous day. "We detected around 10 artillery shells launched toward the West Sea at around 3 p.m. the previous day. The launch is presumed to be part of Pyongyang's regular artillery exercises," the JCS said, adding that it is conducting a thorough analysis of the launch. The launch comes as North Korea continues its winter

SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a condolence message to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the death of Moscow's ambassador to Pyongyang, state media reported on Tuesday. According to North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim said, "The sudden demise of the ambassador at the present time when the development of relations between the and Russia have entered a crucial historic phase is indeed a heartrending eve

SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - The United States and China have both subtly or explicitly backed away from the long-held principle of "complete denuclearization" of North Korea, yet Seoul appears largely unconcerned — a stance that is raising alarms among security watchers. Analysts say the shift is not abrupt but rather an unmistakable acknowledgment of a transformed strategic landscape. North Korea is now a constitutionally protected nuclear-armed state; the Unite

SEOUL, December 2 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory letter to Laos on the 50th anniversary of its national founding, emphasizing the longstanding ties between the two countries. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim expressed confidence in the continued development of friendly cooperation between the two countries in his letter to Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith. A floral tribute was also delivered through the North Korean

SEOUL, November 26 (AJP) - North Korea is estimated to currently possess up to 150 nuclear warheads, with the potential to expand to over 400 by 2040 if its production capabilities increase, an expert said at a forum in Seoul on Wednesday. Lee Sang-kyu, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), pointed out that the ongoing expansion of nuclear plants and other facilities under the oversight of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will significantly acceler

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a ceremony marking the completion of a hydropower plant in Kangwon Province, state media reported on Friday. According to the state-run Rodong Sinmun, Kim visited the plant the previous day, the sixth to be built in the region amid the country's chronic electricity shortage. In his speech, Kim described the plant's completion as a significant achievement, praising the collaboration between the militar