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N. Korea launched first ballistic missile of 2025 during Blinken’s visit: Seoul

January 6, 2025
Seoul said that North Korea test fired its first ballistic missile of the new year on Monday, Jan. 6, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited South Korea. Blinken and his South Korean counterpart condemned the launch during a joint press conference on the same day.

He called the test fire “another violation of multiple U.N. security resolutions” and the South said that it threatens peace in the Indo-Pacific.

South Korea said that the missile traveled 685 miles before falling into the ocean between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Intelligence officials said the missile was fired from Pyongyang, and the U.S. and South Korean military detected preparations before the test fire.

In response to the launch, Seoul said that it is strengthening its surveillance and security in the region for any potential additional launches. There was no reported damage from the test fire on Monday.

The missile launch came as Blinken visited Seoul for talks with South Korea over the threat of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, and its increasingly close relationship with Moscow. Both Blinken and South Korean officials reportedly believe North Korea’s cooperation with Russia is expanding.

Blinken accused Moscow on Monday of planning to “share space and satellite technology” with North Korea. Moscow is already getting help in part of the deal, as Pyongyang has sent thousands of soldiers to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine.

As of the publishing of this report, North Korean media has yet to report on the test fire. They usually report on test fires within 24 hours of a launch.
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Kyiv using psychological warfare to get N. Korean troops to surrender

December 12, 2024
Ukraine is adapting an old tactic to counter a new enemy as revealed on Tuesday, Dec. 10, Kyiv is using psychological warfare in an effort to get North Korean troops fighting for Russia to surrender. The effort comes from its “I want to live” project, in which Ukrainian forces are producing leaflets and videos to push Pyongyang’s troops to surrender.

Ukrainian intelligence reportedly launched the project at the beginning of Russia’s invasion in 2022, and much of the work includes dropping flyers on the battlefield, which encourage Russian forces to give up the fight.

Kyiv claims 350 Russian soldiers have surrendered as part of the effort.

Now there are new leaflets written in Korean being dropped on the battlefields. The leaflets reportedly instruct Kim Jong Un’s forces on how to surrender by lying face down on the ground, holding up a white sheet or leaflet, and dropping their weapons.

Ukrainian intelligence says they’re optimistic North Koreans may see surrendering as a way to escape Kim Jong Un’s regime and live in another country.

Ukraine is also producing videos as part of the campaign, in exchange for their surrender, the North Koreans are being offered three warm meals a day, and a warm place to sleep, while still remaining prisoners of war.

As many as 12,000 North Korean soldiers were reportedly deployed to the Kursk region as part of Moscow’s effort to retake the territory from Ukraine. In exchange for the North Korean soldiers, the United States says Russia is sending fighter jets to North Korea.
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Political crisis in S. Korea worsens as N. Korea breaks silence on situation

December 11, 2024
North Korea, well known for its long history of suppression of free speech and abuse of human rights, broke it silence on Wednesday, Dec. 11, over President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law last week. North Korean state media KCNA called the move an “insane act, reminiscent of the coup during the military dictatorship decades ago.”

The North Korean outlet also focused on a series of protests by tens of thousands of people demanding Yoon’s impeachment, which lawmakers reportedly tried and failed to do over on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Foreign policy experts told NBC News North Korea’s criticism is in line with its history of exploiting civil unrest in South Korea, but they said it’s unlikely the nuclear-armed Pyongyang can take advantage of the political chaos, considering some of its most elite forces are currently fighting for Russia in Ukraine.

Seoul’s political crisis continued to spiral this week. CNN reported South Korean police raided the presidential office on Wednesday, as the probe of Yoon’s martial law declaration widens.

Additionally, the former South Korean defense minister reportedly tried to commit suicide while in police custody. South Korean officials said he has now been moved to an isolation room and has no health issues.

During the martial law declaration, South Korean security forces reportedly broke windows and doors at the National Assembly in an attempt to stop lawmakers from gathering.

Before resigning, the former defense minister took responsibility for the military’s actions.

“All troops who performed duties related to martial law were acting on my instructions,” he said.
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How the US Space Force will work to protect Japan’s national security

December 4, 2024
U.S. Space Force Guardians are deploying to Japan on Dec. 4 in a move meant to bolster the Japanese self-defense forces against threats from Russia, China and North Korea. The United States activated its first Space Force Unit in Japan at Yokota Air Base, just west of Tokyo, on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

The unit will reportedly give Japan its first-ever space surveillance and missile warning systems.

The Pentagon said the ultimate goal is to strengthen both country’s national security and provide stepped-up regional security at a time when relations with Moscow, Pyongyang and Beijing are tense.

The White House confirmed in February that Russia is working on an anti-satellite weapon, and the U.S. Space Force said in October that China is rapidly making gains on space-based military systems as well.

Additionally, North Korea claimed to have successfully launched its first spy satellite last year, and Pyongyang is promising more will go into orbit by the end of this year in a bid to make the country a so-called “space power.”

Despite U.S. adversaries vying for space superiority, the U.S. Department of Defense maintains it is confident the new unit will deter attacks from enemies in the Indo-Pacific region.

The U.S. and Japan are also coordinating space defense with Australia, including reportedly developing low-orbit satellites to help counter hypersonic missiles, which Russia, China and North Korea all claim to have obtained.
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US charges Chinese national with sending guns and ammo to North Korea

December 3, 2024
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that authorities have arrested and charged an undocumented Chinese national with allegedly buying and sending guns and ammunition to North Korea. That’s according to unsealed court documents unveiled on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

According to the criminal complaint, Shenghua Wen told investigators that North Korean agents funneled $2 million to his partner for weapons purchases through a Chinese bank account.

Prosecutors also say that Wen tried to get U.S. military uniforms. They say it was so North Korean soldiers could disguise themselves and launch a “surprise attack” against South Korea.

The DOJ says Wen met with North Korean officials in China, who ordered him to obtain firearms, ammunition, and other technology for Pyongyang.

FBI agents say Wen admitted to shipping two containers of guns from California to Hong Kong. They were smuggled into North Korea in 2023.

Wen faces charges of conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions on North Korea. Those sanctions bar sending American goods or money to the country without special permission from the United States.

The FBI says that it recovered 50,000 rounds of ammunition from Wen’s car in September. Authorities also found devices used to detect chemicals and hidden surveillance technology.

Investigators note they found photos of guns and equipment Wen sent. He allegedly told investigators he coordinated smuggling operations through encrypted messaging apps.

Wen reportedly came to the United States in 2012 on a student visa that expired in December 2013. He spent more than a decade living in California illegally.

Prosecutors accuse him of relying on other people to buy guns and ammunition through so-called “straw purchases.”

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada called the accusations against Wen in the criminal complaint “chilling.”
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Kyiv says Russia suffered more than 2,000 casualties in 24 hours

November 29, 2024
Ukraine’s military announced on Friday, Nov. 29, that Russia suffered 2,030 casualties in a 24-hour period, which would be the first time since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine that the casualty count among Russian troops reached a number that high. Ukraine did not reveal whether those numbers included Russian soldiers killed, captured or missing.

The casualty total reportedly breaks the previous 24-hour record of 1,950, which Kyiv said happened on Nov. 12. Ukraine said that it calculated the Russian losses through leaked data and published Russian intelligence reports.

Despite the losses for Moscow, Russian troops, along with the help of thousands of North Korean troops, have reportedly continued to advance, sparking fears that Ukrainian forces do not have sufficient manpower to hold them off. U.S. researchers reportedly found that Moscow has captured territory at a rate of nearly nine square miles per day over the past month.

Ukrainian officials warn that its 600-mile frontline is now at its highest risk of collapse since February 2022.

Earlier this week, the Biden administration reportedly pushed Ukraine to lower the age of draft eligibility to counter Russian gains. Ukraine estimates that it will need around 160,000 more troops. However, according to the report, the United States believes that number is higher than Ukrainian estimates.

The Biden administration is also rushing aid to Ukraine amid concerns the incoming Trump administration could limit U.S. aid. President Joe Biden recently announced that he is forgiving $4.7 billion in Ukrainian debt.
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N Korea ballistic missile facility growing as revealed by new satellite images

November 25, 2024
U.S. defense experts revealed on Monday, Nov. 25, that they believe that Pyongyang may be ramping up its production of weapons for Moscow to use in its war in Ukraine. Researchers said new satellite images reveal North Korea is expanding a crucial weapons manufacturing complex that produces short-range missiles.

The California think-tank behind the findings noted that the plant is the only one known to produce a certain class of ballistic missiles used by Russia to strike Ukrainian forces.

Known as the KN23, the rockets are reportedly capable of evading missile defense systems by flying at low altitudes, which makes them useful for Russian forces trying to penetrate Ukrainian air defenses.

The satellite images show what reportedly appears to be an additional assembly building under construction and a housing structure for workers near North Korea’s east coast.

North Korean missiles allegedly account for only a fraction of Moscow’s strikes in Ukraine. However, the developments stoked fears among South Korea and the United States because both countries have long sought to prevent North Korea from expanding its production of ballistic missiles.

Both Moscow and Pyongyang denied that North Korea is supplying weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine, despite the countries signing a mutual defense treaty in June 2024 and vowing to boost military ties.

Meanwhile, thousands of North Korean troops are reportedly being deployed to help Russia in its war efforts.
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Putin sends lions and bears to North Korea as ties strengthen

November 21, 2024

Russia has sent more than 70 animals to North Korea as a gift to its Pyongyang Central Zoo, highlighting growing ties between the two nations. The shipment included an African lion, two brown bears, two domestic yaks, 40 mandarin ducks, 25 pheasants and five white cockatoos.

Russian Environment Minister Alexander Kozlov accompanied the animals on a government plane and described the gesture as a symbol of “support, kindness and care” between the two countries.

The animals are currently in quarantine and will move to enclosures at the zoo, a landmark in Pyongyang since 1959. Russian state media called the shipment “Vladimir Putin’s gift to the Korean people.”

This gesture comes amid deepening relations between Russia and North Korea. In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a strategic partnership treaty. It marked the closest alliance between the two nations since the Cold War.

U.S. and South Korean intelligence reports indicate North Korea has sent thousands of troops to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Western nations have expressed concerns this burgeoning partnership could lead to North Korea gaining advanced military technologies from Russia, potentially enhancing its missile programs. Pyongyang, facing severe economic challenges and international sanctions, has increasingly relied on Moscow for support.

The growing alliance has included multiple symbolic gestures. Earlier this year, Putin gifted Kim 24 purebred horses in apparent gratitude for artillery support provided by North Korea. Kim also received a Russian-made luxury limousine and other gifts during a visit to Russia.
US, Japan, South Korea flex defense capabilities near Korean Peninsula

November 14, 2024
The United States, Japan, and South Korea are conducting joint military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region amid rising tensions. The Freedom Edge drills, led by the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington, feature advanced fighter jets such as the F-35 and cutting-edge military assets from all three nations.

The trilateral exercises showcase capabilities in missile defense, air defense, anti-submarine warfare and cyber operations.

Freedom Edge is part of a growing security partnership formalized last year, aimed at enhancing stability in east Asia. This marks the second iteration of the drills following their launch in June.

🇯🇵 – 🇰🇷 – 🇺🇸 Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States conduct the second iteration of exercise #FreedomEdge, showcasing commitment to trilateral multi-domain interoperability and defense in the #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific. pic.twitter.com/9ztoFvPYwf
— U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (@INDOPACOM) November 14, 2024

The timing of these exercises is significant, as North Korea continues to advance its missile program and deepen ties with Russia. Pyongyang recently tested the Hwasong-19 intercontinental ballistic missile, which it claims can reach the U.S. mainland.

Additionally, North Korea has reportedly sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine, further solidifying its alliance with Moscow.

North Korea has denounced the Freedom Edge drills, labeling them provocative and accusing the U.S. of escalating tensions. However, officials from Japan, South Korea and the United States argue the exercises are critical for maintaining stability in the region.

South Korean officials describe the drills as a direct response to North Korea’s actions. Japanese leaders emphasize the importance of seamless military coordination, while U.S. representatives highlight the exercises as a clear demonstration of deterrence.

The drills also coincide with the final months of the Biden administration, which has prioritized strengthening the trilateral alliance. However, the future of U.S. policy in east Asia remains uncertain under incoming leadership.
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South Korea warns Pyongyang over dangerous GPS disruptions

November 12, 2024
North Korea has disrupted GPS signals near the South Korean border for five consecutive days, affecting flights and vessel operations, South Korea’s military reported Tuesday, Nov. 12. Officials believe the interference is tied to Pyongyang’s ongoing military exercises aimed at countering drones.

The disruptions were detected in areas near the border cities of Kaesong and Haeju. While weaker than similar incidents earlier this year, the jamming has caused operational issues for civilian aviation and shipping.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff condemned the activity, calling it a threat to safety and urging North Korea to cease immediately.

The incidents are the latest in a series of unconventional provocations by North Korea. Earlier this year, Pyongyang launched campaigns using balloons to carry trash and anti-South Korean propaganda across the border.

These actions disrupted operations at Incheon International Airport multiple times. Experts said this highlights vulnerabilities in South Korea’s critical infrastructure.

In October, North Korea destroyed sections of unused road and rail routes connecting the two Koreas in a symbolic rejection of reconciliation. North Korea also conducted an intercontinental ballistic missile test aimed at increasing pressure on the U.S. and its allies.

South Korean officials have raised concerns over North Korea’s growing military alignment with Russia. Pyongyang has reportedly provided Moscow with military equipment and personnel to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Analysts warn the partnership could allow North Korea to acquire advanced technology for its nuclear and missile programs, escalating regional security threats.

South Korea called for accountability, stating North Korea’s actions endanger lives and violate international safety laws. The ongoing provocations have heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, as officials continue to monitor the situation.
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