North Korea lashes out as South Korea-US joint drill gets underway

SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - North Korea on Monday denounced South Korea's annual joint defense exercise with the U.S. as a "dangerous provocative act," calling it "an aggressive confrontational war rehearsal," in yet another protest, just days after a similar protest last week. The annual exercise dubbed "Freedom Shield," which kicks off on Monday, is "a dangerous provocative act of leading the acute situation on the Korean Peninsula, which may spa

March 10, 2025

North Korea 'abruptly halts packaged tours for foreign tourists'

SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - Packaged tours to North Korea have been abruptly suspended, according to several travel agencies based in China. Koryo Tours, a British travel agency based in Beijing, said on Thursday that it was notified of a temporary halt to tours to the northeastern special economic zone of Rason, adding that it is looking into the situation. Other travel agencies such as Young Pioneer Tours, founded by a New Zealander in Beijing, and Spain-based KTG Tours, al

March 6, 2025

North Korea 'seeks to attract foreign tourists with annual marathon race in Pyongyang'

SEOUL, March 4 (AJP) - North Korea appears to be gradually reopening its borders to foreign tourists after closing off from the outside world in early 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Koryo Tours, a British travel agency based in Beijing, is currently offering a packaged program that includes participation in the annual Pyongyang International Marathon, along with a guided tour of the isolated country's capital. Those who want to compete in the annual spring race for ama

March 4, 2025

Signs indicate North Korea's nuclear reactor in operation, IAEA says

SEOUL, March 4 (AJP) - There are signs that North Korea is resuming operations at its nuclear facilities, according to Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "There are indications that the uranium enrichment plants at Kangson and Yongbyon continue to operate," said the IAEA chief during a meeting of the agency's Board of Governors in Vienna, Austria on Tuesday. He also said the agency has spotted activities at Yongbyon'

March 4, 2025

North Korea condemns US aircraft carrier's arrival in Busan

SEOUL, March 4 (AJP) - North Korea has condemned the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier in South Korea, denouncing it as "political and military provocations," state media reported on Tuesday. "As soon as its new administration appeared this year, the U.S. has stepped up the political and military provocations against ," North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Yo-jong said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "H

March 4, 2025

US sends aircraft carrier to South Korea amid heightened N. Korea threats

SEOUL, March 03 (AJP) - The USS Carl Vinson, a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier, arrived at a South Korean naval base on Sunday, marking the first visit by a U.S. carrier to the country since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. The vessel, part of Carrier Strike Group 1, docked at the port in Busan, accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton and the Aegis-equipped destroyer USS Sterett. The South Korean military described the visit a

March 3, 2025

North Korea conducts artillery drill with 'strategic cruise missiles'

SEOUL, February 28 (AJP) - North Korea conducted an artillery drill earlier this week in waters off its west coast, North Korean state media reported on Friday. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), several strategic cruise missiles were launched and "precisely hit their targets" during the drill, which was observed by its leader Kim Jong-un last Wednesday. The drill was aimed at demonstrating the North's "counterattack capability in any space and

February 28, 2025

North Korea deploys more troops to Russia, spy agency says

SEOUL, February 27 (AJP) - North Korea is believed to have deployed additional troops to assist Russia's war in Ukraine, South Korea's spy agency said on Thursday. "North Korea has apparently sent its troops to Russia's frontline region of Kursk, a territory currently occupied by Ukraine, starting from the first week of February," the National Intelligence Service (NIS) here said in a press release. "We're assessing the exact number of the latest de

February 27, 2025

North Korea warns of 'resolute' response to South Korea-led sanctions monitoring body

SEOUL, February 24 (AJP) - North Korea on Monday vowed to take “resolute” measures against the newly formed South Korean-led body established to oversee U.N. sanctions targeting its nuclear and missile activities. The North’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement through its state-run news media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), following the group’s commencement of official activities. The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) w

February 24, 2025

North Korea directly names Trump administration, warns of response

SEOUL, February 22 (AJP) - North Korea warned on Saturday that it will respond to the “enemies’ military strategic threat” with its own "strategic means," directly naming the Trump administration for the first time. A statement from the chief of the Information Office at North Korea’s Ministry of National Defense on Saturday said, “Since the emergence of the Trump administration, the U.S. and its vassal forces are getting evermore pronoun

February 22, 2025