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NK News - North Korea News •

How North Korea exploited the tragic Sewol ferry sinking for anti-ROK propaganda | NK News

Tuesday marks the 10th anniversary of the worst tragedy in recent South Korean history: the sinking of the Sewol passenger ferry off the country’s southwest coast. The disaster claimed the lives of more than 300 people — the vast majority high school students on a field trip — and deeply damaged public trust in the government, setting off a series of events that brought down the president three years later.

It has also been one of the single most common topics in North Korean state media over t
NK News - North Korea News •

Despite opposition win, ROK election just reinforced North Korea status quo | NK News

The outcome of South Korea’s general election on Wednesday dealt a major blow to President Yoon Suk-yeol, with the opposition Democratic Party (DP) winning 176 seats and the People Power Party (PPP) 109 seats in the 300-member National Assembly.

But while the DP majority appears set to frustrate many of Yoon’s policy priorities, its election victory is unlikely to derail the conservative president’s more hardline approach to North Korea, or his efforts to bolster cooperation with the U.S. and J
South China Morning Post •

Opinion | UN’s sanctions-fuelled approach to North Korea must end

Regarding the latter, the panel’s most recent report, published in March, states that “there can be little doubt that United Nations sanctions and their implementation have unintentionally affected the humanitarian situation and some aspects of aid operations”. The report also notes that North Korea has “continued to flout Security Council sanctions” and further developed its nuclear weapons programme

The panel, established in the wake of North Korea’s second nuclear test in 2009, has acknowled
NK News - North Korea News •

‘Impossible’ to gauge North Korean humanitarian need without access: Aid groups | NK News

Humanitarian organizations say North Korea’s ongoing border closure has made it “impossible” to accurately assess the level of need inside the country, according to the latest U.N. Panel of Experts report, with no information from Pyongyang on when foreign aid workers will be able to return.

Several organizations told the panel overseeing the DPRK sanctions regime that North Korea’s pandemic border controls are the primary barrier to humanitarian activities in the country, rather than internati
NK News - North Korea News •

What can still be done about widespread human rights abuses in North Korea | NK News

What can still be done about widespread human rights abuses in North Korea

Little has changed since UN detailed crimes against humanity, but experts see ways to build on success raising awareness

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the U.N.’s groundbreaking investigation on North Korean human rights, which found that the scale of abuses in the DPRK “reveal a State that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world." Yet a decade after the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report was publi
NK News - North Korea News •

The US softened its tone on North Korea. But it’s still singing the same tune. | NK News

The US softened its tone on North Korea. But it’s still singing the same tune.

Recent rhetoric about ‘interim’ denuclearization steps may aim to ease tensions but doesn’t signal a US policy change

A series of statements by U.S. officials in recent days has appeared to soften Washington’s tone on North Korea, expressing a willingness to consider “interim steps” toward the goal of denuclearization. But while this shift in language may be aimed at reining in growing tensions on the Korean Peninsu
NK News - North Korea News •

New film champions ROK’s first president, and his hardline stance on North Korea | NK News

A newly released South Korean documentary has put the spotlight back on the country’s first President Syngman Rhee — and on his hardline approach to North Korea still popular in conservative circles.

“The Birth of Korea” (건국전쟁) recounts Rhee’s life story and his leadership during the Korean War, winning praise from politicians on the right for honoring what they say are his forgotten achievements.
Lowy Institute •

Can South Korea become a global pivotal state? | Lowy Institute

“South Korea should no longer be confined to the Korean Peninsula but rise to the challenge of being what I have described as a ‘global pivotal state’, one that advances freedom, peace, and prosperity through liberal democratic values and substantial cooperation.”

This was the foreign policy vision put forth by then-presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol in February 2022. With South Korea now joining the UN Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member for the 2024–25 term, President Yoon has
Lowy Institute •

Open and shut: North Korea sends a message with its embassy network | Lowy Institute

North Korea started the new year with a bang, declaring it will no longer pursue unification with an “enemy” in South Korea. More cruise missile tests have set the region on edge, while North Korean weapons are appearing on Ukraine’s battlefield.

But Pyongyang has also sent signals in a different fashion, in deciding the diplomatic relationships the reclusive state will prioritise.

North Korea has closed various embassies in recent months, shrinking its already small diplomatic network. At the
South China Morning Post •

Opinion | 4 reasons North Korea abandoning reunification raises chance of war

Although the two Koreas regularly trade insults and military provocations along the border, these statements by Kim in recent weeks have changed the dynamics on the peninsula. North Korea set the tone for the new year on December 31, when Kim announced the major change in the country’s unification policy, which he said had failed to achieve its goals. Instead, relations with South Korea have “repeated the vicious cycle of contact and suspension, dialogue and confrontation”.

North Korea says it
The National Interest •

Why North Korea Will Keep Causing Major Trouble in 2024

More missile tests, rapidly advancing relations with Russia and China and zero progress on diplomacy with the United States and South Korea — this was the direction North Korea took in 2023. While the rest of the world was distracted by conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, Pyongyang continued biding its time, expanding its military arsenal and solidifying its Cold War-era alliances.

The year started with Kim Jong-un calling for a massive increase in the production of tactical nuclear weapons and labe
East Asia Forum •

Pyongyang’s pivot back to military tensions and Cold War alliances

More missile tests, rapidly advancing relations with Russia and China and zero progress on diplomacy with the United States and South Korea — this was the direction North Korea took in 2023. While the rest of the world was distracted by conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, Pyongyang continued biding its time, expanding its military arsenal and solidifying its Cold War-era alliances.

The year started with Kim Jong-un calling for a massive increase in the production of tactical nuclear weapons and labe
South China Morning Post •

Opinion | Spy satellite launches on Korean peninsula bode ill for peace

North Korea also announced plans to conduct more launches soon while saying that its new satellite has sent back detailed images of major South Korean cities, American military bases in Guam and Hawaii, and the White House.

North Korea launched its satellite on November 21 after two failed attempts earlier this year. Although South Korean intelligence claims that Russian help was responsible for the successful launch, evidence to support this has not been made available.

A new, dangerous layer
Lowy Institute •

The extra bad news behind the latest Korean break-down | Lowy Institute

North Korea sent a satellite rocket up, and a key deal with South Korea came tumbling down.

The effective scrapping last week of the inter-Korean military agreement was not entirely unexpected but is still significant. South Korea annulled part of the accord after North Korea’s 23 November satellite launch, calling the move “a minimal defensive measure”. But the danger in the wake could be a series of offensive actions by both sides. Pyongyang has since declared it will no longer be bound by th
Lowy Institute •

Worth a thousand words: what Kim Jong‑un’s daughter photo tells | Lowy Institute

North Korea’s leader has publicly revealed the existence of one of his children for the first time. But the big announcement didn’t come in the form of a statement or a traditional family portrait. Instead, photos of Kim Jong-un and his daughter in front of a giant inter-continental ballistic missile made the headlines.

In North Korea, the leadership succession is as important as the survival of the country itself. It ultimately falls on the country’s leader to protect the nation against foreig
The National Interest •

Has North Korea Joined Russia and China’s Anti-American Alliance?

Isolated from the international community and in urgent need of weapons and ammunition to continue its fight in Ukraine, Russia has chosen to double down on its alliance with North Korea.

Isolated from the international community and in urgent need of weapons and ammunition to continue its fight in Ukraine, Russia has chosen to double down on its alliance with North Korea. Although Moscow and Pyongyang have been allies for decades, recent developments point to deepening military cooperation, wh
Lowy Institute •

The Fix: An evolving Saudi Arabia | Lowy Institute

We’re asking contributors to put together their own collected observations like this one – and as always, if you’ve got an idea to pitch for The Interpreter, drop a line via the contact details on the About page.

Once known for its seemingly infinite supply of oil, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is increasingly expanding its role in international affairs beyond energy. From trying to broker peace in Ukraine and restoring diplomatic ties with Iran to deepening cooperation with China, Saudi foreign
East Asia Forum •

North Korea–Russia alliance revives Cold War divisions

Russia reaffirmed its intentions on 26 October 2023, when the Kremlin pledged to ‘continue to develop close relations in all areas’ with Pyongyang. Similarly, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui warned on 28 October that North Korea’s relations with Russia will act as a ‘powerful strategic’ element if security in the region is endangered as a result of US-led trilateral military alliance with South Korea and Japan.

The deepening of the North Korea–Russia alliance took off in July 2023 wh
Lowy Institute •

The Korean Peninsula still poses major risks | Lowy Institute

Tensions have been rising rapidly on the Korean Peninsula over the past few weeks. Military drills involving South Korea, the United States and Japan were met with strong retaliation by North Korea, which has continued through various armed provocations. The situation reached a dangerous new level on Monday morning, when North and South Korean ships exchanged fire.

After a North Korean ship crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de-facto maritime border between the two Koreas, South Korea’s
The Diplomat •

What Comes Next for North Korea-Russia Relations?

The visit by Kim Jong Un to Russia shows the world North Korea has its own “bloc” alliance comprising its two closest diplomatic partners.

North Korea and Russia have taken their relations to a new level after the leaders of the two countries held an in-person summit meeting on Wednesday. While Pyongyang and Moscow have enjoyed close ties since the foundation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in 1948, the relationship is seeing a significant upgrade.

The visit by Kim Jong Un
Lowy Institute •

North Korea undeterred – to Putin’s pleasure | Lowy Institute

North Korea’s Kim Jong-un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin pledged to stand together against “imperialism” after meeting on Wednesday, their first face-to-face summit in four years. North Korean media also announced on Thursday that Kim had invited Putin to visit Russia “at a convenient time” and that the Russian president accepted the invitation “with pleasure”.

The Wednesday meeting between Kim and Putin has implications not just for Moscow and Pyongyang, but also the Washington-led trilateral det
Nikkei Asia •

North Korea seeks stronger hand with Russia meetings

SEOUL -- In a surprise meeting with President Vladimir Putin this week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un described relations with Russia as his country's "very first priority," as he made a strong gesture of drawing closer to his isolated neighbor at a time when South Korea is boosting ties with the U.S. and Japan.

Kim vowed to take relations with Moscow "to a new level." He invited Putin to visit North Korea, an invitation that was accepted by the Russian leader, North Korean state media report
Asia Pacific Leadership Network (APLN) •

70 Years and Counting: The Path to Peace on the Korean Peninsula | Asia-Pacific Leadership Network

70 years after the signing of the Armistice Agreement, the Korean Peninsula remains in a state of war. With military provocations on the peninsula becoming increasingly frequent and dangerous, concerned parties – North Korea, the United States, China, and South Korea — urgently need to negotiate an end-of-war declaration. These negotiations are complicated by the conflicting needs and concerns of the four parties. Chief among them is Washington’s insistence on the complete and verifiable denucle
Lowy Institute •

The curious tales of defectors to North Korea | Lowy Institute

North Korea has once again been making headlines, but not for the usual reasons. This time, it was not about a missile test or aggressive rhetoric from state-run media. In fact, the incident was entirely unexpected and rather shocking to many – a US soldier crossed over into North Korea’s side of the demilitarised zone. What’s more, North Korean media now claim the American citizen wants to stay in North Korea “or a third country” due to the “inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within
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