TOPIC

/ location

North Korea

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a country in East Asia, located in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering South Korea and China. Its capital, Pyongyang, is the country's largest city by both land area and population. It is a single-party state led by the Korean Workers' Party (KWP), and governed by Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un since 2012. It has a population of 24,052,231 (UN-assisted DPRK census 2008) made up of Koreans and a smaller Chinese minority. Japan 'opened' Korea in 1876 and annexed it in 1910. The Republic of Korea (ROK) was founded with US support in the south in August 1948 and the Soviet-backed Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the north in September that year.

Capital

Pyongyang

Head of State

Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un

Head of Government

Premier Kim Tok-hun

Kim Jong-un

North Korea’s explosive thriller reveals assassination plot against Kim’s dad

‘Days and Nights of Confrontation’, which depicts a plot to kill Kim Jong-il, was released for the first time on state television last month.

22 Feb 2026 - 11:39AMvideocam

Lessons from China's history

Reflections | As Kim Jong-un grooms daughter to rule, a Chinese princess’s fatal ambition

21 Feb 2026 - 8:15AM

South Korea

Where is Kim Ju-ae? Succession question hangs over North Korea’s ruling congress

21 Feb 2026 - 2:01PM

China-South Korea relations

China scrambles fighters to confront US warplanes based in South Korea

The American warplanes made a rare approach towards China’s air defence identification zone over the Yellow Sea, local media reported.

20 Feb 2026 - 8:01PMvideocam

US F-16 fighters based in South Korea approached China’s air defence identification zone, according to media reports. Photo: Getty Images

Kim Jong-un

North Korea’s Kim opens rare party congress with pledge to fix economy

North Korea’s economy has been languishing under heavy Western sanctions that aim to choke off funding for its nuclear weapons programme.

20 Feb 2026 - 6:28PMvideocam

China-North Korea relations

China congratulates North Korea on party conclave, vows to work together: Xinhua

Message from Communist Party of China’s Central Committee lauds Workers’ Party for helping to develop North Korean economy, improving lives.

20 Feb 2026 - 7:27PMvideocam

Japan

Takaichi vows to make Japan ‘strong’, says no to ‘reckless’ fiscal policy

The prime minister said Tokyo was facing ‘the most severe and complex security environment’ since World War II, citing China and Russia.

20 Feb 2026 - 3:05PMvideocam

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gives her policy speech during the special Diet session in Tokyo on Friday. Photo: AP

Kim Jong-un

‘Heroic era’: why North Korea’s Kim is lauding Ukraine war sacrifices

The new homes for families of fallen soldiers are part of a push to showcase tangible achievements before the party congress, analysts say.

17 Feb 2026 - 8:00AM

Munich Security Conference

In Munich, US urges ‘collective strength’ among allies to deter China

Washington and its Indo-Pacific and European allies emphasise need for cooperation to counter Beijing’s military build-up.

16 Feb 2026 - 6:00AM

South Korea

‘We don’t care’: North Korea threatens Seoul with dire consequences over drones

The warning from Kim Yo-jong could derail President Lee Jae Myung’s efforts to mend ties with Pyongyang.

13 Feb 2026 - 12:40PMvideocam

Images taken on January 4 by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency show wreckage of a drone that allegedly originated from South Korea. Photo: KCNA/KNS/AFP

Japan

Why Takaichi’s landslide victory in Japan has North Korea on edge

North Korea has accused Japan of resurrecting its wartime ambitions by expanding its defence and pursuing security alliances.

13 Feb 2026 - 5:53PMvideocam

Military personnel hold national flags of Japan and the US during a Japan Ground Self-Defence Force training at Camp Narashino, near Tokyo, on January 11. Photo: EPA

Kim Jong-un

Kim’s daughter shaping North Korean policy as succession signals deepen

Citing a spy agency briefing, a South Korean lawmaker said Kim Ju-ae ‘was in the stage of being internally appointed successor’.

12 Feb 2026 - 1:33PMvideocam

Japan

Editorial | Takaichi’s election mandate won’t give her leverage with China

The Japanese prime minister’s hawkish stance will only further inflame tensions over Taiwan – and popularity at home won’t temper Beijing’s response.

12 Feb 2026 - 6:45AM

South Korea

What Takaichi’s landslide victory could mean for Japan-South Korea ties

Japan’s conservative tilt has revived South Korean concerns of more nationalist policies that could reopen historical and security wounds.

11 Feb 2026 - 5:59PMvideocam

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (left) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after their talk in Nara on January 13. Photo: AFP

Kim Jong-un

Kim Jong-un vows ‘outstanding’ military role in new 5-year North Korea arms plan

The five-year defence plan will be aimed at bolstering North Korea’s strategic and tactical nuclear capabilities, analysts say.

10 Feb 2026 - 4:38PMvideocam

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reviews a guard of honour as he visits the Ministry of National Defence in Pyongyang on Sunday. Photo: KCNA/AFP

South Korea

Hope for thaw? Seoul hints at ‘new progress’ in US-North Korea ties

The official’s remarks come amid speculation that US President Donald Trump could seek a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

7 Feb 2026 - 9:30AM

South Korea

‘I won’t survive’: North Korean soldier caught by Ukraine dreads going home

Seoul faces a diplomatic tightrope as the captured soldiers plead for asylum in South Korea.

7 Feb 2026 - 7:21AMvideocam

South Korea

A new start for Pyongyang? Fears mount as US-Russia nuclear pact expires

The end of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty will be a blow to efforts to curb North Korea’s nuclear build-up, analysts say.

6 Feb 2026 - 5:30PMvideocam

A test-fire of a large-calibre multiple-rocket launcher system at an unknown location in North Korea on January 27. Photo: EPA/KCNA

Japan

Could a ‘shock’ Pyongyang visit cement Japan PM Takaichi’s snap election bid?

Despite scepticism, a leading campaigner claims Pyongyang is ready to return surviving abductees for ‘immediate, large-scale’ aid.

5 Feb 2026 - 10:24AMvideocam

ICBMs

China grows nuclear arsenal as last US-Russia limits expire

President Xi Jinping plans to further expand China’s nuclear weapons stockpile, while caps on US and Russian deployments end this week.

5 Feb 2026 - 2:58PM

Japan

Japan set to revive WWII military titles in controversial shift

While some argue the change aligns Japan with global norms, others say better pay – not historical titles – is what soldiers really need.

3 Feb 2026 - 5:27PM

A Japanese soldier watches the suburbs of Shanghai ablaze in this undated colourised photograph. Photo: Getty Images

US-China relations

Pentagon eyes expanded role for South Korea-based US forces to help deter China

US defence policy chief signals ‘model ally’ Seoul should take the lead on North Korea as Washington refocuses on first island chain.

1 Feb 2026 - 10:00PM

South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back (left) speaks with US undersecretary of defence for policy Elbridge Colby (right) during their meeting in Seoul on January 26. Photo: AFP/ South Korean Defence Ministry

Kim Jong-un

Kim Jong-un set to signal stronger nuclear deterrence posture at congress

After viewing a test of a multiple rocket launcher system, Kim is likely to unveil ICBM plans capable of hitting the US, analysts say.

31 Jan 2026 - 2:07PMvideocam

Japan

Why more Japanese than ever support strengthening the military

A record-high survey result reflects how the war in Ukraine and regional tensions have reshaped Japan’s once cautious security outlook.

29 Jan 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

Japan

Will North Korea compensate Japanese citizens lured into ‘paradise on Earth’?

A Tokyo court has ordered Pyongyang to pay damages, but the plaintiffs are now bracing for a long fight to enforce the ruling.

29 Jan 2026 - 8:18AM

Plaintiffs, their lawyers and supporters gather outside the Tokyo District Court after winning its decision ordering North Korea to pay damages over its decades-long human rights violations after luring them to move to the North by Pyongyang’s false promises of living in “paradise on Earth”, on Monday in Japan. Photo: AP

South Korea

Why US defence strategy may hurt leaders in South Korea, Japan

The National Defence Strategy states that the US will provide ‘more limited’ support to its allies in line with the ‘America-first’ policy.

28 Jan 2026 - 9:11PMvideocam

A US B-1B bomber, South Korean F-15K, Japanese F-2, and US F-16 jets fly in a joint drill over Jeju Island, South Korea, in 2024. Photo: AFP/US Air Force/South Korea’s defence ministry

The Philippines

Filipino’s death fuels concern over coercive recruitment in Ukraine war

Observers say the case of John Patrick reflects human exploitation and the structural pressure on Russia’s manpower resources.

30 Jan 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

Kim Jong-un

North Korean ex-envoy on Kim Jong-un’s ‘decapitation’ fears after Maduro’s fall

Kim will ‘overhaul the entire system regarding his security and countermeasures in case of an attack against him’, Lee Il-kyu says.

28 Jan 2026 - 1:26PMvideocam

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.

SUPPORT NOW

North Korea

North Korea’s explosive thriller reveals assassination plot against Kim’s dad

‘Days and Nights of Confrontation’, which depicts a plot to kill Kim Jong-il, was released for the first time on state television last month.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Reflections | As Kim Jong-un grooms daughter to rule, a Chinese princess’s fatal ambition

Where is Kim Ju-ae? Succession question hangs over North Korea’s ruling congress

China scrambles fighters to confront US warplanes based in South Korea

The American warplanes made a rare approach towards China’s air defence identification zone over the Yellow Sea, local media reported.

North Korea’s Kim opens rare party congress with pledge to fix economy

North Korea’s economy has been languishing under heavy Western sanctions that aim to choke off funding for its nuclear weapons programme.

China congratulates North Korea on party conclave, vows to work together: Xinhua

Message from Communist Party of China’s Central Committee lauds Workers’ Party for helping to develop North Korean economy, improving lives.

Takaichi vows to make Japan ‘strong’, says no to ‘reckless’ fiscal policy

The prime minister said Tokyo was facing ‘the most severe and complex security environment’ since World War II, citing China and Russia.

‘Heroic era’: why North Korea’s Kim is lauding Ukraine war sacrifices

The new homes for families of fallen soldiers are part of a push to showcase tangible achievements before the party congress, analysts say.

In Munich, US urges ‘collective strength’ among allies to deter China

Washington and its Indo-Pacific and European allies emphasise need for cooperation to counter Beijing’s military build-up.

‘We don’t care’: North Korea threatens Seoul with dire consequences over drones

The warning from Kim Yo-jong could derail President Lee Jae Myung’s efforts to mend ties with Pyongyang.

Why Takaichi’s landslide victory in Japan has North Korea on edge

North Korea has accused Japan of resurrecting its wartime ambitions by expanding its defence and pursuing security alliances.

Kim’s daughter shaping North Korean policy as succession signals deepen

Citing a spy agency briefing, a South Korean lawmaker said Kim Ju-ae ‘was in the stage of being internally appointed successor’.

Editorial | Takaichi’s election mandate won’t give her leverage with China

The Japanese prime minister’s hawkish stance will only further inflame tensions over Taiwan – and popularity at home won’t temper Beijing’s response.

What Takaichi’s landslide victory could mean for Japan-South Korea ties

Japan’s conservative tilt has revived South Korean concerns of more nationalist policies that could reopen historical and security wounds.

Kim Jong-un vows ‘outstanding’ military role in new 5-year North Korea arms plan

The five-year defence plan will be aimed at bolstering North Korea’s strategic and tactical nuclear capabilities, analysts say.

Hope for thaw? Seoul hints at ‘new progress’ in US-North Korea ties

The official’s remarks come amid speculation that US President Donald Trump could seek a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

‘I won’t survive’: North Korean soldier caught by Ukraine dreads going home

Seoul faces a diplomatic tightrope as the captured soldiers plead for asylum in South Korea.

A new start for Pyongyang? Fears mount as US-Russia nuclear pact expires

The end of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty will be a blow to efforts to curb North Korea’s nuclear build-up, analysts say.

Could a ‘shock’ Pyongyang visit cement Japan PM Takaichi’s snap election bid?

Despite scepticism, a leading campaigner claims Pyongyang is ready to return surviving abductees for ‘immediate, large-scale’ aid.

China grows nuclear arsenal as last US-Russia limits expire

President Xi Jinping plans to further expand China’s nuclear weapons stockpile, while caps on US and Russian deployments end this week.

Japan set to revive WWII military titles in controversial shift

While some argue the change aligns Japan with global norms, others say better pay – not historical titles – is what soldiers really need.

Pentagon eyes expanded role for South Korea-based US forces to help deter China

US defence policy chief signals ‘model ally’ Seoul should take the lead on North Korea as Washington refocuses on first island chain.

Kim Jong-un set to signal stronger nuclear deterrence posture at congress

After viewing a test of a multiple rocket launcher system, Kim is likely to unveil ICBM plans capable of hitting the US, analysts say.

Why more Japanese than ever support strengthening the military

A record-high survey result reflects how the war in Ukraine and regional tensions have reshaped Japan’s once cautious security outlook.

Will North Korea compensate Japanese citizens lured into ‘paradise on Earth’?

A Tokyo court has ordered Pyongyang to pay damages, but the plaintiffs are now bracing for a long fight to enforce the ruling.

Why US defence strategy may hurt leaders in South Korea, Japan

The National Defence Strategy states that the US will provide ‘more limited’ support to its allies in line with the ‘America-first’ policy.

Filipino’s death fuels concern over coercive recruitment in Ukraine war

Observers say the case of John Patrick reflects human exploitation and the structural pressure on Russia’s manpower resources.

North Korean ex-envoy on Kim Jong-un’s ‘decapitation’ fears after Maduro’s fall

Kim will ‘overhaul the entire system regarding his security and countermeasures in case of an attack against him’, Lee Il-kyu says.

Reflections | As Kim Jong-un grooms daughter to rule, a Chinese princess’s fatal ambition