Mystery shrouds children spotted with North Korean leader's sister

SEOUL, January 3 (AJP) - The National Intelligence Service (NIS) is currently investigating whether two children recently spotted with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Yo-jong could be her kids, the spy agency here said on Friday. Speculation arose shortly after North Korea's state television aired footage of Yo-jong walking alongside a boy and a girl after attending an event for the New Year's celebrations in Pyongyang earlier this week. The NIS said it is lo

January 3, 2025

North Korean state media details South's martial law crisis

SEOUL, January 03 (AJP) - North Korean state media has extensively covered South Korea's "political turmoil" in the wake of last month's short-lived martial law debacle here. The official state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Friday that the "unprecedented" impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is now facing arrest, has paralyzed state affairs, leading to "social and political chaos" in the South. The cove

January 3, 2025

North Korean leader foregoes annual visit to family mausoleum for another year

SEOUL, January 2 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un apparently skipped his annual visit to the mausoleum of his grandfather Kim Il-sung and father Kim Jong-il on New Year's Day, according to state media. Senior party and military officials visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang to pay their respects to the regime founder and the former leader the previous day, the country's state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday, without mentioning

January 2, 2025

North Korean leader sends New Year's letter to Putin

SEOUL, December 31 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a New Year's greeting to Russian President Vladimir Putin, state media reported on Tuesday. According to the official state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim extended his "warm greetings of best wishes to the fraternal Russian people and all the service personnel of the brave Russian army," calling Putin his "dearest friend and comrade" in a letter sent the previous day. Pledging to s

December 31, 2024

Ukraine warns of 'North Korean troops reaching NATO borders'

SEOUL, December 30 (AJP) - Ukraine has warned that North Korean troops could appear on the borders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) if Russia is not stopped. In a post shared on his Telegram on Sunday, Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine's presidential office, wrote that European countries and NATO should brace for potential hybrid threats at their doorsteps. "The appearance of North Korean troops dressed in Russian uniforms or Iranian proxies on the borders o

December 30, 2024

'North Korea proposed troop deployment to Russia,' U.S. officials believe

SEOUL, December 24 (AJP) - North Korea initially proposed deploying its troops to Russia to assist Moscow's war in Ukraine, The New York Times reported on Monday, citing U.S. intelligence agencies. The deployment was "North Korea's idea and not Russia's," although Russian President Vladimir Putin "quickly embraced it," the daily wrote. Over 10,000 North Korean soldiers are believed to have been sent to Russia since last fall, with most of them depl

December 24, 2024

Over 3,000 North Korean troops killed or injured in Russia, Zelensky claims

SEOUL, December 24 (AJP) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Monday that more than 3,000 North Korean troops deployed to Russia have been killed or injured in combat with Ukrainian forces. "The number of North Korean soldiers killed and wounded in the Kursk region has already exceeded 3,000," he said citing preliminary data. Zelensky took to social media to make the claim, while expressing concerns that Pyongyang is also threatening to send additional tr

December 24, 2024

'North Korea preparing to send additional troops, equipment for Russia'

SEOUL, December 23 (AJP) - South Korea's military has detected that North Korea is taking steps to send additional troops and equipment to support Russia, including the potential deployment of suicide drones. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Monday, North Korea is supplying Russia with 240mm multiple rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled artillery. The JCS also revealed that North Korea is making efforts to produce and supply suicide drones, including those sh

December 23, 2024

North Korean hackers account for over half of global crypto theft

SEOUL, December 20 (AJP) - North Korea-linked hackers reportedly have stolen approximately $1.34 billion in cryptocurrency across 47 separate scams this year. The amount is the largest ever recorded, according to a report released on Thursday by American blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. The stolen amount surpasses the previous record of $1.1 billion in 2022 and more than doubles last year's total of $660.5 million. The firm said that North Korean hackers accounted for 60

December 20, 2024

Kim Jong-un visits mausoleum on father's death anniversary

SEOUL, December 18 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a mausoleum for his late father to mark the 13th anniversary of his death, according to state media. "A floral basket..... was laid before the statues" of Kim Jong-il and his father and regime founder Kim Il-sung at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, the country's state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Wednesday. Kim was accompanied by top party officials including his siste

December 18, 2024