The UN Security Council on Thursday convened a public discussion on the human rights situation in North Korea, the first such discussion since 2017. The open briefing occurred following a request made earlier in the month by the United States, Albania, South Korea, and Japan. The primary purpose of this briefing was to illuminate the relationship between North Korea's human rights violations and abuses, and their impact on international peace and security. The outcome of the discussion was the r

Despite an official ban on private education, North Korea's tutoring market is expanding, with a particular focus on learning English, according to a survey conducted by South Korea's Unification Ministry. Among individuals who escaped North Korea before the year 2000, only 3.2 percent had taken private classes, while the percentage of defectors who received private education surged among those who came to South Korea after 2011. Of those who defected from North Korea between 2011 and

Shattering its silence on the issue, North Korea on Wednesday asserted that US soldier Travis King intentionally crossed the inter-Korean border into its territory and expressed his intention to seek asylum. But the US Defense Department dismissed the report, referring to the claims as "alleged comments." North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency, primarily catering to international audiences, unveiled the "interim findings of the investigation into US soldier Travis

South Korea and the United States are set to conduct "tough" yet defense-oriented military exercises simulating real-life scenarios, with the goal to strengthen the alliance's defense posture and ability to respond to the escalating missile and nuclear threats posed by North Korea. The 11-day computer-simulated "Ulchi Freedom Shield" exercise is planned for Aug. 21-31, including a weekend pause on Aug. 26 and 27, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and US Forces Kor

North Korea is expected to officially reopen its border "very soon" after years of lockdown, a travel agency specializing in tourism to North Korea announced on Friday. But the opening of the North Korean border would initially be for North Korean citizens only, Koryo Tours, headquartered in Beijing, said on its website, citing multiple unnamed North Korean sources. "No official date has been given," the agency added. If North Korea were to reopen its border, it would be the

The Yoon Suk Yeol government is set to strengthen legal consequences aimed at preventing unauthorized interactions between South and North Korean individuals. A new center will be launched this month to strengthen monitoring of such illicit exchanges, the Unification Ministry said Tuesday. The Unification Ministry plans to issue a legislative pre-announcement of the proposed amendments to the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act in September. The amended legislation delineates restrictions

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has conducted a series of rare visits to his country's arms factories, underscoring their role in war preparations, notably in the run-up to major defense-oriented military exercises between South Korea and the United States. But experts in Seoul also noted that these visits may serve a dual purpose, not only emphasizing North Korea's determination to continue its military buildup but also promoting its weapons for potential export to Russia. Kim made th

The South Korean government must continue its investigation into around 39,000 incidents where the cause of death during military service remains unclear and conclusively determine whether these individuals died in the line of duty, the chairman of a presidential committee looking into the issue said Wednesday. "Even now, there are individuals who passed away while serving in the military and have not received proper recognition and benefits. The reality is that there are still around 39,00

The remains of revered Korean independence fighter Choi Jae-hyung and his wife will be symbolically reunited in South Korea, having been separated across Russia and Kyrgyzstan for over a century. The reunion comes more than 100 years after Choi was tragically shot dead by the imperial Japanese army. Choi's body was hidden by the Japanese military and has not been found, so soil from where he died will be used instead. On Aug. 11, South Korea will bring soil from the place where Choi is thou

The South Korean defense minister has embarked on his inaugural trip to Uzbekistan with a significant goal of leveling up defense and arms industrial cooperation and pioneering the new arms sales market in Central Asia. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup is scheduled to visit Uzbekistan, a "special strategic partner and key friendly country in Central Asia," from Monday to Thursday, South Korea's Defense Ministry announced Monday. Lee's trip to Uzbekistan holds the significance of

North Korea issued an explicit and firm warning that any use of nuclear weapons by the United States would result in the country's destruction. The warning was made during a military parade held on the anniversary of the signing of the Korean War armistice and was attended by high-level delegations from China and Russia. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended the highly choreographed military parade in Pyongyang to celebrate July 27, which is labeled by the country as the "Day of Vic

South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday unveiled its plan to shut down four organizations responsible for inter-Korean dialogue amid the ongoing deadlock in relations between the two Koreas. The ministry will proceed with merging these entities into a single unit, resulting in large-scale layoffs. The four organizations include the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Bureau, the Inter-Korean Cooperation District Policy Planning Directorate within the Unification Ministry, the Office

ICHEON, Gyeonggi Province --- Yoo Young-bok, 93, recalls when he, then a 23-year-old South Korean rifle soldier, was captured by the Chinese People's Liberation Army during the Geumhwa area battle, in Gangwon Province in June 1953, a month before the Armistice Agreement was signed to cease the Korean War. Upon his capture, he was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Sungho-ri, Kangdong County, South Pyongan Province, the following month. Little did he know at that moment that he would become a

North Korea fired two ballistic missiles toward the waters off its east coast late Monday night in apparent protest against the arrival of a US Navy nuclear-powered submarine in South Korea. The two short-range ballistic missiles were launched from near the capital city of Pyongyang on Monday between 11:55 p.m. and midnight, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The military has been analyzing the intentions behind North Korea's late-night missile firings, which mark the third set

The UN Command has initiated a dialogue with its North Korean counterpart concerning the American soldier Travis King, who crossed the inter-Korean border on July 18 and is in the custody of North Korean authorities, the deputy commander of the UN Command said Monday. "A conversation has commenced with the Korean People's Army through the mechanism of the armistice agreement," Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison, the deputy commander of the UN Command, told foreign media outlets in Seoul. Ha

A US Navy nuclear-powered submarine entered the South Korean naval base on Jeju Island on Monday morning to replenish military supplies during an operational mission, South Korea’s Navy said in a statement. South Korean and US navies have also been discussing staging combined military exercises such as an anti-submarine warfare exercise during the visit by the US submarine, a military official who wished to remain anonymous told The Korea Herald. The main mission of Los Angeles-class fast

South Korea's Unification Ministry will undergo significant restructuring and downsizing, after President Yoon Suk Yeol urged for a structural shake-up amid the prolonged deadlock in inter-Korean relations. Under the guidance of the presidential office, Vice Unification Minister Moon Seoung-hyun, who assumed office early this month, has been at the forefront of reorganizing internal divisions as well as affiliated agencies responsible for inter-Korean dialogue and exchanges, The Korea Heral

A very rare case of a US soldier crossing the inter-Korean border has put Washington and Pyongyang in an awkward situation, as their relations have been at rock bottom for years. Eyes are now on how North Korea will handle the tricky issue, according to experts in South Korea. It's still unclear how North Korea will respond to the crossing into its territory of US soldier Travis King -- a private second class since 2021 – that occurred Tuesday in the highly sensitive Joint Security Ar

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday boarded the USS Kentucky, an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, in a show of solidarity and force with its biggest ally in deterring North Korea's evolving nuclear missile threats. The visit by President Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee came hours after North Korea fired two short-range missiles in an apparent protest against the arrival of the US nuclear-capable submarine in South Korea and the inaugural meeting of the new Nuclear Cons

The defection of a US soldier to North Korea has brought forth significant questions about the means and motives behind his crossing of the inter-Korean border within the Joint Security Area in the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides the two Koreas. The soldier, identified by the US Army as Travis King, holds the rank of Private Second Class and has been serving in the army since 2021. But it appears that King warrants additional attention from the US Forces Korea, as he face