Recent news and analysis on North Korea

Latest news, breaking stories, and expert analysis on North Korea. Stay informed with comprehensive coverage from trusted sources.

• North Korean foreign minister to visit Moscow

  North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui has flown to Moscow for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, departing Pyongyang on July 18, 2026. The visit follows strengthened ties since 2024, including a defence agreement and North Korea's deployment of troops to support Russia in Ukraine.

• "Kim Jong Un was meant to be their only idol - then North Koreans found K-pop"

  This commentary argues that K-pop's popularity among North Korean defectors reveals the regime's failure to control information and the human desire for freedom. Through personal stories, it contends that exposure to South Korean culture helps defectors adjust to new lives and challenges the regime's monopoly on idolization.

• North Korea threatens South Korea over RIMPAC role

  North Korea warned that the US-led RIMPAC exercise will trigger a 'chain of countermeasures' from regional countries. State media KCNA described the drills as a 'blatant war rehearsal' targeting regional states, noting the participation of the USS Theodore Roosevelt and combined US-South Korean marine drills. South Korea is leading the combined maritime component command for the first time as an Asian country.

• North Korea builds 21 rocket launcher buildings near DMZ

  Satellite imagery reveals 21 elongated buildings near the DMZ, likely for storing multiple rocket launchers. Located 50 km from Seoul, the expansion signals ongoing military buildup.