North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged “full support and solidarity” to Russia in its war against Ukraine, as conveyed during his meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang. Putin, on his first visit to North Korea in 24 years, expressed gratitude for Kim’s support, framing the conflict as part of Russia’s struggle against the “hegemonic and imperialist policy” …

As South Korea prepared for its parliamentary elections, North Korea’s state-controlled media unleashed a scathing attack on President Yoon Suk Yeol, labeling him a “fascist dictator” and “warmonger.” This editorial seeks to understand the motivations behind Pyongyang’s harsh rhetoric at such a critical juncture. Timing and Tensions The timing of North Korea’s attack, on the eve of South Korea’s elections, …

Sending money to North Korea is a risky and illegal activity that many defectors and their families in South Korea engage in, despite the harsh penalties and consequences that they may face.  Sending money to North Korea involves a complex and covert network of brokers, couriers, and smugglers, who operate across the borders of China, North Korea, and South Korea. …

North Korea, one of the most isolated and repressive countries in the world, has imposed harsh punishments on its citizens who watch or distribute South Korean shows, which are banned by the regime.  A rare video footage, obtained by a South Korean research group, shows two teenage boys being sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for watching K-dramas, or …

North Korea harshly criticised the United States’ choice to give Taiwan a weapons aid package costing up to $345 million on August 4. Congress approved up to $1 billion in weapons for the island as part of the aid package included in the 2023 budget. In response, North Korea charged that the US had turned Taiwan into an “unsinkable advanced …

SOUTH KOREA: Satellite images show what appear to be multiple missile launches from North Korea, South Korea’s military said based on Sunday’s (Jul 10) satellite images (MLRs). Shots were heard after 6 p.m., and South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the military had increased monitoring and alert levels without indicating any further response. North Korea regularly conducts MLR …

NORTH KOREA: On Thursday, official media stated that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted an extraordinary meeting aimed at strengthening the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea’s “monolithic” leadership across society (Jul 7). The first-of-its-kind meeting aimed to “realize the organizational and ideological convergence of the Party ranks in every way” and “enhance the party’s leadership position,” according to state …

Korea – According to reports in the media, North Korea has eased movement restrictions that had been enforced in its capital city of Pyongyang after the government made its first admission of a Covid-19 breakout some weeks ago. The isolated country claims that the virus issue is now under control. Since the declaration of a state of emergency and the …

South Korea – As worry about a North Korean nuclear test rises, US President Joe Biden landed in South Korea on May 20 for his first Asia tour as US leader, with the goal of strengthening relations with regional security partners. Biden wants the visit to draw on recent actions that have accelerated the US‘s years-long pivot to Asia, where …

ASEAN – Officials said a group of foreign policy advisers to South Korea’s president-elect met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday in an effort to restore long-strained relations between the two US allies. At a time when both countries confront dangers from North Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, who took over as South Korea’s president on May 10, has announced …