NORTHKOREA

North Korean Defectors Demand Government Action: 4 Key Requests for POW Recognition

On Thursday, former prisoners of war (POWs) who had escaped North Korea sent an open letter to Elizabeth Salmon, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on North Korean Human Rights. The letter urged her to press the South Korean government to add

Why is Kim Jong Un's Birthday on January 8th Still a Mystery?

On Thursday, the reported birthday of Kim Jong Un, North Korea's Workers' Party General Secretary, state media outlets remained silent on the matter.The Rodong Sinmun, the party's official newspaper, featured a front-page editorial titled, Let's welc

North Korea Prepares for Record-Breaking Military Parade Ahead of 9th Party Congress

North Korea is reportedly preparing for its largest-ever military parade to coincide with the 9th Party Congress of the Workers' Party, likely to be held in January or February.Military sources revealed on Thursday that Pyongyang is mobilizing an est

North Korea's Cyber Heist: How $2.2 Trillion Was Stolen Through Hacking in 2025

North Korea reportedly stole a record 2.2 trillion KRW (about 1.51 billion USD) last year through hacking overseas cryptocurrency exchanges. The regime is also aggressively targeting industrial technologies in defense, information technology (IT), an

Why Did South Korea's President Say 'So What?' During Key China Visit? A Look at the Controversy

On Thursday, Jang Dong-hyuk, the representative of the People Power Party, criticized President Lee Jae Myung's response to a reporter's question about the Coupang hacking incident during his state visit to China. Lee had dismissively replied, "What

Kim Jong Un's Unwavering Support for Putin: What It Means for North Korea-Russia Relations in 2026

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, pledging unconditional support for all of Putin's policies and decisions.The Workers' Party's official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, released the full text of Kim's re

Kim Jong Un Strengthens Ties with Laos: What This Means for North Korea's Diplomatic Strategy

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, has expressed his desire to strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation through a recent exchange of letters with Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith.On Thursday,

North Korea Emphasizes "Paektu Bloodline" To Justify Ju-ae’s Leadership Amid Low Status Of Women

Experts suggest that North Korea is emphasizing Ju Ae's Paektu bloodline to offset the political disadvantage of her being a woman, as she is widely considered a potential successor.On Thursday, Lee Sang-geun, a senior researcher at the National Secu

North Korea Conducts Hypersonic Missile Drill... Kim Jong-un Vows To Maintain And Expand Nuclear Deterrence

North Korea declared that the ballistic missile launched on January 4 was a hypersonic missile. The Workers' Party of Korea's official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported on Monday that Kim Jong Un, the party's General Secretary, personally observed t

South Korea And China Focus On Strengthening Ties Rather Than Resolving Issues... Agree On Coordination For North Korean Affairs

Two months after their last encounter, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping focused their discussions on strengthening ties between their nations rather than addressing pressing issues. Analysts on Tuesday suggested t