North Korea's recent claim that the South had sent uncrewed aerial vehicles over Pyongyang three times since last week has stirred a contentious debate on the veracity of the claim and the implications. As of Sunday, the South Korean government has maintained a noncommittal stance, neither confirming nor denying the allegations, while North Korea has yet to present definitive evidence. In a message delivered Friday through the Korean Central News Agency, the North's Foreign Ministry cl

Some of the balloons floated by North Korea to dump trash across South Korea have been equipped with GPS transmitters, South Korea's military said Sunday. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, GPS transmitters were found in some of the North Korean balloons, and Pyongyang may be using them to look into the balloons' flight data. A South Korean military official said the military is "tracking North Korea's possible development of balloon flotation technology a

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Sunday that South Korea will face a "horrible disaster" if South Korean drones are flown again over the North's capital. Kim Yo-jong made the remark in a statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, just a day after the reclusive regime floated trash balloons toward South Korea, claiming the South had sent unmanned drones over Pyongyang three times this month. "We have no concern about who i

North Korea's news media for the domestic audience on Saturday reported the reclusive regime's claim that the South sent unmanned drones carrying anti-North propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang three times this month. The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, as well as the country's state radio and TV, reported the news by carrying a statement from the North's foreign ministry issued the previous day. It is unusual for North Korea to publicize the South's sendin

North Korea has floated more trash balloons toward South Korea, the military said Saturday, after the reclusive regime claimed the South had sent unmanned drones over Pyongyang three times since last week. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea sent around 20 balloons starting late Friday until early Saturday morning, with some 10 of them landing in the inter-Korean border county of Cheorwon in Gangwon Province. The JCS said the bundles consisted of household garbage, such as scrap paper and

The Russian ambassador to North Korea has hosted a reception to reaffirm bilateral ties ahead of the 76th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Pyongyang's state media reported Saturday. The event, hosted by Russian Ambassador Alexandr Matsegora, was held in Pyongyang on Friday, with the attendance of Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, ahead of the anniversary, which falls on Saturday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. North Korea and Russia have been bolstering military ties, as well

A North Korean escaped to the South last month despite Pyongyang closing inter-Korean paths and fortifying areas around the line dividing the Korean Peninsula. According to the South Korean military on Friday, a North Korean man crossed the maritime boundary in the sea west of the country on a small wooden boat in the early hours of Sept. 17. The South Korean military said it captured the man sailing by himself after guiding him over to the south of the boundary. This marks the third known North

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Friday urged North Korea to retract its recent move to cut off all roads and railways connected to South Korea, voicing concerns over the North's "explicit intent" to completely sever inter-Korean ties. On Wednesday, North Korea's military said it will "permanently shut off and block the southern border" with South Korea by cutting off all roads and rail links with the South and building frontline defense structures. "We deman

A North Korean teenage defector on Thursday shared her horrific story of life in the reclusive regime during a forum hosted by South Korea's unification ministry. "I wear makeup and go out here in South Korea, but my friends in North Korea can't even wash properly, let alone wear makeup. Some friends smell because they can't bathe, but we live understanding each other," Noh Jin-hae recalled. The 16-year-old girl, who defected from North Korea in 2019, recalled her harsh

The North Korean Army has informed the United Nations Command of plans to fortify the shared border with the South, Seoul defense authorities said Wednesday, confirming a Pyongyang state agency report earlier the same day. The General Staff of the Korean People’s Army said it would completely cut off roads and railways connecting to South Korea and build fortifications along the border in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday. The KPA said it had communicated t

North Korea has convened a key parliamentary meeting to revise the constitution, state media reported Wednesday, without disclosing details about whether it removed unification-related clauses or stipulated territorial boundaries in line with an order by leader Kim Jong-un. At the 11th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly Monday and Tuesday in Pyongyang, North Korea unanimously decided to amend and supplement parts of the country's socialist constitution, according to the Kore

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Monday that Pyongyang would "not tolerate" any disruption to the Korean Peninsula's balance of power, which he claimed is upheld by North Korea's nuclear arsenal and threatened by the growing "nuclear alliance" between South Korea and the United States. However, Kim simultaneously asserted that North Korea had no intention of attacking the South, North Korea's state media reported Tuesday. The remarks came during his 60th-

North Korea floated trash balloons toward South Korea early Tuesday, the South's military said, marking the second consecutive day of such provocation. The Joint Chiefs of Staff raised the possibility of the balloons drifting toward northern Gyeonggi Province and other parts of the Seoul metropolitan area, advising citizens not to touch the balloons and to be cautious of any potential drops. Since late May, North Korea has sent over 5,000 balloons across the border into South Korea. In Mond

South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said Monday that the government will maintain readiness against potential North Korean provocations through close cooperation with the United States. Cho made the remarks during a parliamentary hearing, citing a series of provocations from North Korea, such as the launch of balloons toward the South and missile tests. "The government will maintain a thorough readiness posture against various potential provocations from North Korea, while ensur

China and North Korea marked their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations Sunday with no publicly reported major events, in contrast to earlier pledges from both leaders to celebrate the milestone with displays of camaraderie in the designated "Year of Friendship." In their New Year messages, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to organize activities throughout the "Year of Friendship" and deepen cooperation across various sectors, inclu

North Korea sent yet another fleet of garbage-filled balloons southward early Monday, marking the 25th such provocation this year and potentially adding to the property damage and injuries the balloons have caused already. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the balloons, presumed to be filled with trash, are projected to move toward the greater Seoul area, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. The JCS advised citizens not to approach the balloons and warned of potential danger when they fall to the gr

North Korea is set to convene a key parliamentary meeting on Monday, where it is expected to revise its constitution by removing unification-related clauses and clarifying the nation's territorial boundaries, including the maritime border. The 11th session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) is anticipated to address these revisions, nine months after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un redefined inter-Korean relations as being between "two hostile states" and vowed to no

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to further develop relations between the two countries as they exchanged messages marking the 75th anniversary of relations, state media reported Sunday. Kim said in the message to Xi that it aligns "with the fundamental interests of the two countries to invariably carry forward and develop the DPRK-China friendship with a long history and good traditions," according to the Korean Central News Agency. DPRK stands

South Korea's Defense Ministry on Friday condemned North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his sister Kim Yo-jong's criticism of President Yoon Suk Yeol and the Armed Forces Day celebration in South Korea, calling it "behavior that can never be tolerated." North Korean state media earlier in the day reported Kim Jong-un denounced and dismissed Yoon's Armed Forces Day speech, which warned of the regime's end if it attempts to use nuclear weapons, launching a direct and v

Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Thursday mocked South Korea's Hyunmoo-5 missile, first showcased in a recent military parade in Seoul, as a "uselessly huge weapon." Kim Yo-jong made the remark in a statement carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency, just two days after South Korea unveiled the missile, known to be able to carry an eight-ton warhead, in a military parade marking Armed Forces Day. In a ceremony marking the ann