Kim Jong Un's 'Impregnable Fortress' Rhetoric Signals War-Ready North Korea

Kim Jong Un ordered commanders to strengthen fortifications along the border with South Korea North Korea appears to be emphasizing practical combat drills and decentralized tactical readiness Analysts say Pyongyang may be drawing lessons from drone …

North Korea is relieved its nuclear weapons have prevented a fate like Iran's

The U.S. long pushed for both Iran and North Korea to quit their nuclear plans. After seeing Iran's leader get killed, North Korea's Kim Jong Un believes he made the right choice to stay the course. Sponsor Message

North Korea’s private arts tutoring boom grows even as farm mobilization season begins

Some North Korean students in North Pyongan province are skipping compulsory farm labor duty this rice-planting season by securing enrollment in school arts performance groups, and their parents are using the free time to double down on private music and …

'Small Successes' in Engaging With North Korea

Unification Ministry defends white paper's 'peaceful,' 'two states' approach to North Korea

Published: 18 May. 2026, 17:43 Unification Minister Chung Dong-young [YONHAP]   The South Korean government is reframing its approach to North Korea to prioritize peaceful coexistence between “two states” more than reunification, according to the Ministry …

Satellite data shows mixed reservoir levels ahead of North Korea’s planting season

An analysis of recent imagery captured by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2B and Sentinel-2C satellites shows that water levels at North Korea’s major reservoirs are generally higher this spring than they were a year ago, offering a positive signal …

North Korea's Kim chairs army commanders' meeting, orders southern border defense buildup

Published: 18 May. 2026, 08:51 Updated: 18 May. 2026, 17:27 North Korean leader Kim Jong-un chairs a meeting of division and brigade commanders of the entire military in Pyongyang on May 17, in this photo released by the North's official Rodong Sinmun …

North Korea to bolster front-line defenses against ‘archenemy’

SEOUL North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called on top military officials to bolster front-line units and turn the southern border into an “impregnable fortress,” state media reported Monday. Kim gave the instruction at a meeting on Sunday where a photo …

North Korea's new constitution deepens split with Seoul

North Korea's amended constitution effectively removes references to reunification with South Korea and to a shared Korean national identity, formally framing Seoul as a "hostile state." The changes, which leader Kim Jong Un had signaled at …

North Korea’s crackdown on school bribery fuels teacher backlash in North Hamgyong

North Korea’s Ministry of Education has singled out North Hamgyong province for a sweeping anti-corruption drive after the province posted some of the country’s worst results in a national student talent competition held in April 2026. Officials blame the …