<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/">

<channel>
	<title>NK News &#8211; North Korea News</title>
	<atom:link href="https://www.nknews.org/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://www.nknews.org/</link>
	<description>Breaking North Korea News, Opinion, Culture &#38; Curiosities + Professional, Academic &#38; Student resources on North Korea / DPRK</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:09:17 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4</generator>
	<item>
		<title>North Korea, Russia break ground on ‘Friendship Hospital’ at Wonsan resort</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-russia-break-ground-on-friendship-hospital-at-wonsan-resort/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:09:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970715</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean and Russian officials kicked off construction of a new joint hospital in the DPRK’s coastal city of Wonsan in the east Wednesday, marking another step in expanding bilateral cooperation in the field of health care. A groundbreaking ceremony for the DPRK-Russia Friendship Hospital took place at Myongsasimni in the Wonsan Kalma tourist zone, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Groundbreaking-of-DPRK-Russia-hospital-in-Wonsan_KCNA-20260423-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US hasn’t protested over minister’s remarks on North Korean nuke facility: Seoul</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/us-hasnt-protested-over-ministers-remarks-on-north-korean-nuke-facility-seoul/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:54:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970693</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back has dismissed claims that U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) lodged a protest over the unification minister’s public disclosure of a purported North Korean nuclear site. “There was no such protest from the USFK commander to the defense minister,” Ahn said during a parliamentary session on Wednesday. Ahn’s remarks refer to [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-23-at-2.16.04-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>USFK aims to transfer wartime operational control to ROK by 2029, commander says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/usfk-aims-to-transfer-wartime-operational-control-to-rok-by-2029-commander-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Apr 2026 05:36:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970684</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Washington and Seoul aim to meet the conditions for transferring wartime operational control (OPCON) by 2029, as South Korea looks to take the lead in defending against North Korea. Army Gen. Xavier Brunson testified at a House Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday that USFK submitted a road [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/brunson_usfk_ROK1st-Marine-Division-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US has not given up on engaging North Korea, ROK opposition leader says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/us-has-not-given-up-on-engaging-north-korea-rok-opposition-leader-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Kristen Talman]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:07:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970664</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The Trump administration has not given up on efforts to engage North Korea in pursuit of denuclearization, the leader of South Korea’s main opposition party said after a series of meetings with Washington officials. Speaking to NK News on Thursday, People Power Party (PPP) chairman Jang Dong-hyeok said his trip to the U.S. was focused [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/665793685_1463252201922739_4862798039922905096_n-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ask a North Korean: What do North Koreans do on the weekend?</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/ask-a-north-korean-what-do-north-koreans-do-on-the-weekend/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rose]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:57:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ask A North Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970601</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[“Ask a North Korean” is an NK News series featuring interviews with and columns by North Korean defectors, most of whom left the DPRK within the last few years. Readers may submit their questions for defectors by emailing ask@nknews.org and including their first name and city of residence. Today’s question is about rest and leisure [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/aank-ask-a-north-korean-weekends-inline-images-nknews-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US Forces Korea chief says THAAD missile defenses remain in South Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/us-forces-korea-chief-says-thaad-missile-defenses-remain-in-south-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:43:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970655</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[U.S. Forces Korea Commander Xavier Brunson has denied that a key missile defense system for defending against North Korean threats has been removed from the Korean Peninsula, while acknowledging the munitions for the system are still being sent to the Middle East. Brunson made the comments during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in Washington [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-22-at-3.44.50-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea, Russia hold talks on sharing intel about drug smuggling</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-russia-hold-talks-on-sharing-intel-about-drug-smuggling/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:15:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970619</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The top public security officials of North Korea and Russia held talks on Tuesday about sharing intelligence on suspected drug trafficking operations, according to Moscow. The discussions took place during a meeting between Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev and North Korean Social Security Minister Pang Tu Sop in Pyongyang, Kolokoltsev’s ministry said on social media [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Vladimir-Kolokoltsev-in-PY-2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea and Russia hold ceremony to link cross-border road bridge</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-and-russia-hold-ceremony-to-link-cross-border-road-bridge/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:09:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970611</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea and Russia held a ceremony Tuesday to mark the linking of a new cross-border road bridge over the Tumen River, according to Russian authorities, in another key step in expanding their bilateral ties. The ceremony commemorating the connection of the bridge’s superstructure took place at the border between the two countries, two months [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Linking-of-DPRK-Russia-bridge_Government-of-Russia-Telegram-20260421-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sayaka Chatani: How pro-North Korea communities took root in Japan</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/sayaka-chatani-how-pro-north-korea-communities-took-root-in-japan/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | Jooheon Kim | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:13:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970582</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[NK News Correspondent Jooheon Kim kicks off the podcast this week by discussing North Korea-Japan relations, focusing on lingering tensions over the abductions issue, recent trilateral naval cooperation with Seoul and Washington, and Pyongyang’s criticism of Japan’s latest diplomatic Blue Book. In the second half, the scholar Sayaka Chatani joins the podcast to explore the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-sayaka-chatani-how-pro-north-korea-communities-took-root-in-japan.mp3" length="49266207" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/edited_2026-03-20_choson-sinbo_graduation-ceremony_chongryon-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea warns of prolonged dry spell that could threaten spring crops</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-warns-of-prolonged-dry-spell-that-could-threaten-spring-crops/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:45:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970564</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea issued drought alerts and warnings across multiple provinces this week, as a prolonged dry spell threatened wheat and barley crops.  According to the state-run Korean Central Television (KCTV) on Monday, authorities issued drought alerts for parts of Pyongyang, South Phyongan, Nampho, South Hamgyong, South Hawanghae and North Hwanghae through April 30. Lower-level drought [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/edited_2026-04-20_kctv_tokgo-hyok-chol_drought-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>China says New Zealand plane disrupted flights on North Korea sanctions mission</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/china-says-new-zealand-plane-disrupted-flights-on-north-korea-sanctions-mission/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 07:35:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970570</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[China has accused a New Zealand patrol aircraft of disrupting civil aviation while monitoring for North Korean sanctions evasion, prompting a swift denial from Wellington. At a press briefing on Friday, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry said a P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft operated by the New Zealand air force had “recently conducted repeated close-in reconnaissance and harassment [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-21-at-3.37.56-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul to repatriate Chinese remains from Korean War at first ceremony in 3 years</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/seoul-to-repatriate-chinese-remains-from-korean-war-at-first-ceremony-in-3-years/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 06:29:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970556</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea will hold a ceremony for the first time in three years to repatriate the recovered remains of Chinese soldiers killed in the Korean War, when China fought on the North Korean side. Seoul’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday that 12 sets of Chinese remains are scheduled to be repatriated in a transfer ceremony — the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/chineseremainsfromkoreanwar-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chinese locomotives run on rail lines to North Korea in apparent test</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/chinese-locomotives-run-on-rail-lines-to-north-korea-in-apparent-test/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 04:15:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shipping]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970550</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[China appeared to conduct test-runs on two cross-border rail lines with North Korea earlier this month, another potential step toward restoring transportation links that were suspended during the pandemic. Videos posted on the Chinese social media platform Douyin on April 9 showed locomotives crossing the border between Jian, Jilin Province and Manpo, North Korea, as [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/2-5-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian minister arrives in North Korea for talks on law enforcement: Moscow</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/russian-minister-arrives-in-north-korea-for-talks-on-law-enforcement-moscow/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 04:14:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970544</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russian Minister of Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev arrived in Pyongyang on Monday evening for talks with his North Korean counterpart on law enforcement cooperation. Moscow’s Interior Ministry announced via Telegram on Tuesday that Kolokoltsev is visiting the North Korean capital and would hold “a series of working meetings,” including talks with North Korea’s Minister of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Vladimir-Kolokoltsev-in-PY-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Opposition demands minister&#8217;s resignation after North Korea nuclear disclosure</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/opposition-demands-ministers-resignation-after-north-korea-nuclear-disclosure/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:57:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970533</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s main opposition party on Monday slammed the country’s Unification Minister and called for his resignation after multiple news reports alleged the U.S. suspended its intelligence sharing in response to his public disclosure of a purported North Korean uranium enrichment facility. “We are currently in a situation where intelligence sharing with the U.S. — [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-20-at-3.07.13-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea’s soccer team loses to nemesis Japan in U-20 Women’s Asian Cup final</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-koreas-soccer-team-loses-to-nemesis-japan-in-u-20-womens-asian-cup-final/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:10:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970528</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea lost to rival Japan in the U-20 Women’s Asian Cup soccer tournament finals on Saturday, bringing an end to a string of triumphs at the youth level from the past two years.  In a close encounter at Thailand’s Thammasat Stadium, Japan edged out the DPRK thanks to a second-half goal by midfielder Momoka [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/DPRK-vs-Japan-U-20-Womens-Asian-Cup-2026-final_AFC-Asian-Cup-YouTube-20260418-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea tests missiles armed with cluster bombs and fragmentation mines</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-tests-missiles-armed-with-cluster-bombs-and-fragmentation-mines/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:06:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970504</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea test-fired what it claimed were “improved” surface-to-surface ballistic missiles armed with cluster bombs and fragmentation mine warheads on Sunday, continuing its pursuit of the controversial weapons that it previously condemned. Overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the Missile Administration of the DPRK carried out test launches to “verify the characteristics and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/001_KJU-and-daughter-at-Hwasong-11D-test-001_Rodong-Sinmun-20260420-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea fires ‘multiple’ suspected ballistic missiles: Seoul, Tokyo</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-fires-ballistic-missile-eastward-seoul-tokyo/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 22:29:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970491</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea fired “multiple” suspected ballistic missiles on Sunday morning, according to South Korean and Japanese authorities, the fourth such launch this month. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced around 6:19 a.m. KST that North Korea had fired a ballistic missile in an eastward direction. The ROK military subsequently said North Korea launched [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/01/kctv-jul26-2019-kju-kn23-srbm-hs11a-missile-test-25-sky-air-hodo-peninsula-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>South Korea mum on report alleging US withholding intel over minister remarks</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/south-korea-mum-on-report-alleging-us-withholding-intel-over-minister-remarks/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:53:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970473</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea on Friday was unable to confirm whether the United States was limiting its intelligence sharing following reports that Washington was upset by Seoul’s public disclosure of an undeclared North Korean nuclear enrichment facility. “We are not aware of any restrictions on intelligence sharing between South Korea and the U.S.,” a Unification Ministry spokesperson [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Copy-of-Featured-Image-Empty-18-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean missiles used in Ukraine strikes aren’t just Russian copies: Kyiv</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korean-missiles-used-in-ukraine-strikes-arent-just-russian-copies-kyiv/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:42:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970451</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea developed its KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles used by Moscow in attacks on Ukrainian cities combining foreign tech with designs of Russia’s earlier Iskander models, Kyiv’s researchers found. Ukrainian military engineers studied debris from a missile used in a Russian attack on Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine in Jan. 2024, Kyiv’s defense ministry said [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-12-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean hackers use AI-powered social engineering to steal $100K in crypto</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korean-hackers-use-ai-powered-social-engineering-to-steal-100k-in-crypto/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 02:39:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970439</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean cybercriminals have been linked to the theft of around $100,000 from a cryptocurrency wallet platform after carrying out an artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced social engineering attack, the hacked firm revealed Wednesday. The U.S.-based web3 service Zerion said on social media that the unspecified North Korean actor compromised an employee’s device last week and exploited [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Zerion-homepage-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea’s abductions, nukes must be addressed together: Ex-Japanese diplomat</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-koreas-abductions-nukes-must-be-addressed-together-ex-japanese-diplomat/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:29:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970349</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Tokyo should resolve North Korea’s previous abduction of Japanese nationals in parallel with the problem of Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons, according to the country’s former vice foreign minister. Mitoji Yabunaka, speaking on the sidelines of the recent Asan Forum in Seoul, stressed that building mutual trust is key to making progress in ties with the DPRK. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/ASAN_A4_0006-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>South Korean sentenced to prison for fraudulent North Korea defection scheme</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/south-korean-sentenced-to-prison-for-fraudulent-north-korea-defection-scheme/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:13:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970418</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A South Korean court has sentenced a man to eight months in prison for fraud after he promised to bring a North Korean family to the South for thousands of dollars, despite lacking the ability to do so. The unnamed defendant admitted during his trial that he did not have the means to safely relocate [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Copy-of-Featured-Image-Empty-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Major Russian airline says it has received OK to fly over North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/major-russian-airline-says-it-has-received-ok-to-fly-over-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:03:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970425</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia’s largest private airline says it has received permission to fly over North Korea, currently operating two routes that cross through the country’s usually restricted airspace. A spokesperson for S7 Airlines said on Wednesday that the firm has relied on North Korean airspace for its Vladivostok-Shanghai route since last November, confirming previous NK News reporting. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-11-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Two Americans sentenced for helping North Korean IT workers steal from US firms</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/two-americans-sentenced-for-helping-north-korean-it-workers-steal-from-us-firms/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:21:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970413</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Two U.S. nationals were sentenced to prison on Wednesday for helping North Korean information technology workers pose as American employees at more than 100 U.S. companies, a yearslong scheme that generated over $5 million for Pyongyang’s weapons programs. Kejia Wang, 42, received a nine-year sentence, while Zhenxing Wang, 39, was sentenced to 92 months in [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/North-Koreans-using-computers_KCTV-20250921-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian-occupied Ukrainian region discusses deepening ties with North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/russian-occupied-ukrainian-region-discusses-deepening-ties-with-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:22:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970406</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea is looking to expand its cooperation with Russia-controlled regions of Donbas in Ukraine, a regional governor said after meeting the DPRK’s top envoy on Wednesday. Governor Vladimir Saldo of the Russian-occupied Kherson region raised the possibility of exporting agricultural goods to North Korea in talks with Ambassador Sin Hong Chol, citing Pyongyang’s need [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-10-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>UN nuclear watchdog chief seeks ROK support in tackling North Korean nuke threat</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/un-nuclear-watchdog-chief-seeks-rok-support-in-tackling-north-korean-nuke-threat/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:03:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970401</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog expressed “deep concerns” about North Korea’s expanding nuclear weapons arsenal in a meeting with South Korea’s foreign minister on Wednesday, reiterating the need for diplomatic engagement with Pyongyang to address the challenge. In a social media post following his meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Rafael-Grossi-and-Cho-Hyun-in-Seoul_ROK-MOFA-20260415-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un oversees artillery contest on North Korean founder’s birthday</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/kim-jong-un-oversees-artillery-contest-on-north-korean-founders-birthday/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:10:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970392</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw an artillery firing contest on the birth anniversary of the country’s founder on Wednesday, deviating from his practice in recent years of unveiling ambitious construction projects on the country’s most important holiday. On the Day of the Sun — founding leader Kim Il Sung’s birth anniversary — Kim [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/KJU-attends-KPA-artillery-contest-on-Day-of-the-Sun-001_Rodong-Sinmun-20260416-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US, ROK and Japan discuss naval cooperation to counter North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/us-rok-and-japan-discuss-naval-cooperation-to-counter-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:53:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970378</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Senior naval commanders from the U.S., ROK and Japan met on Wednesday to discuss strengthening maritime security cooperation against North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile threats. ROK Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Kim Kyung-ryul first held separate talks with U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Stephen Koehler and Adm. Saito Akira, chief of staff of Japan’s [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/06/7-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean economy is ‘recovering’ thanks to Russia, China ties: Seoul</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korean-economy-is-recovering-thanks-to-russia-china-ties-seoul/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:48:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970375</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s economy has entered a phase of gradual recovery after a period of contraction, according to Seoul’s Unification Ministry, citing the DPRK’s cooperation with Russia and rebounding trade with China.  Pyongyang has formed and maintained “alliance-level” cooperation and transferred weapons and technology with Russia, while leveraging U.S.-China competition “to enhance its strategic autonomy and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/07/Pyongyang-Autumn-International-Trade-Fair-2024_KCNA-20241120_Rakwon-TV-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea registers its largest warship with UN maritime watchdog</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-registers-its-largest-warship-with-un-maritime-watchdog/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:45:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970380</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has registered its largest modern warship with the U.N. maritime watchdog, records show, a move that could be aimed at showcasing the vessel’s readiness for operational deployment. The DPRK’s No. 51 Choe Hyon destroyer appeared on the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) global shipping database earlier this month, NK News confirmed. The addition came [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-9-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian, North Korean trade unions ink cooperation deal in Pyongyang</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/russian-north-korean-trade-unions-ink-cooperation-deal-in-pyongyang/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:59:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Misc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970367</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The largest labor organizations in Russia and North Korea have inked a cooperation deal, according to state media, a move that comes as the DPRK deploys large numbers of workers to Russia. The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia signed the memorandum of understanding on friendship and cooperation with the General Federation of Trade [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/2-7-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>China greenlights new seafood inspection facility on North Korea border</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/china-greenlights-new-seafood-inspection-facility-on-north-korea-border/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:35:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970340</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[China has greenlit the operation of a seafood inspection facility that can process imports in a city on the North Korea border, despite U.N. Security Council sanctions and customs rules on the DPRK’s seafood trade. The General Administration of Customs of China approved the operation of the inspection and regulatory site at Dandong Port for [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-4-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trump’s war with Iran has left prospects for North Korea talks on life support</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/trumps-war-with-iran-has-left-prospects-for-north-korea-talks-on-life-support/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrei Lankov]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:05:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970101</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Over a month into the U.S. war with Iran, the repercussions for North Korea are coming into focus, and they aren’t good. The U.S. decision to attack an adversary in the middle of nuclear talks — going so far as to take out its leadership — will be raising alarm bells in Pyongyang. Regardless of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/impact-of-iran-war-on-potential-us-north-korea-talks-andrei-lankov-column-featured-image-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Human rights commission says Seoul should protect North Korean POWs in Ukraine</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/human-rights-commission-says-seoul-should-protect-north-korean-pows-in-ukraine/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:23:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970332</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The South Korean government’s human rights watchdog says the country’s foreign and prime ministers should use all available resources to protect and repatriate two North Korean prisoners of war held in Ukraine.  The state-funded National Human Rights Commission of Korea unanimously approved an opinion calling for Seoul to protect the North Korean POWs and support [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/08/14-3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un donates $2M to educate pro-North Korea youth in Japan</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/kim-jong-un-donates-2m-to-educate-pro-north-korea-youth-in-japan/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:02:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970322</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent nearly $2 million to a pro-DPRK organization in Japan, an annual donation made to support youth education ahead of the country’s most important holiday. State media reported on Tuesday that Kim sent 316 million yen (about $1,993,000) to the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, also [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/edited_2026-03-20_choson-sinbo_graduation-ceremony2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea lets Russians run in Pyongyang despite cancelling marathon</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-lets-russians-run-in-pyongyang-despite-cancelling-marathon/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:39:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Misc.]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970310</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea allowed dozens of Russian athletes who signed up for the country’s international marathon to go for runs in central Pyongyang this month, despite abruptly cancelling the annual event. The exclusive tour once again highlighted the special treatment the DPRK currently gives to Russian tourists as it snubs travelers from other countries. Korea Konsult, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-7-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trump nominates former congresswoman Michelle Steel as ambassador to Seoul</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/trump-nominates-former-congresswoman-michelle-steel-as-ambassador-to-seoul/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 03:39:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970290</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[President Donald Trump has nominated Michelle Steel, a former California congresswoman and an outspoken advocate for North Korean human rights, to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to South Korea.  The White House announced the nomination on Monday, which will require Senate confirmation through a simple majority vote. Born in Seoul in 1955, Steel represented [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Copy-of-Featured-Image-Empty-2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cathy Kang: Rethinking Korean unification from a global perspective</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/cathy-kang-rethinking-korean-unification-from-a-global-perspective/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | Jeongmin Kim | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:01:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970231</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim kicks off the podcast this week by discussing North Korea’s positive response after Seoul expressed regret for past civilian drone incursions, only to quickly undercut hopes for inter-Korean detente with more hardline messaging and a series of missile launches. In the second half, Dr. Cathy Kang of the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-cathy-kang-rethinking-unification-from-a-global-perspective.mp3" length="42585944" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2024/01/Copy-of-Featured-Image-Empty-2024-01-18T161258.950-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un watches cruise missile tests from new warship on west coast</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/kim-jong-un-watches-cruise-missile-tests-from-new-warship-on-west-coast/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 22:26:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970234</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a test of cruise missiles from the deck of a new warship on the west coast on Sunday, according to state media, the third test in the last six weeks. Kim also claimed for the first time that a fourth new destroyer is under construction, without revealing its [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/rodong-apr14-2026-kju-choe-hyon-destroyer-warship-nampho-test-cruise-missilesa-anti-ship-6-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea kicks off tourism expo amid hopes for reopening to Chinese visitors</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-kicks-off-tourism-expo-amid-hopes-for-reopening-to-chinese-visitors/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:05:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970220</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A North Korean tourism expo spotlighting souvenirs opened in the capital on Friday, amid growing expectations that the country could reopen to Chinese visitors soon. According to state media on Saturday, the opening ceremony for the Pyongyang International Tourists Souvenirs and Health Goods Exhibition took place at the capital’s Sci-Tech Complex the previous day.  National [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/edited_2026-04-11_kctv_chinese-tourist-agent_souvenirs-expo-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US court blocks extradition of former Marine who stormed North Korean Embassy</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/us-court-blocks-extradition-of-former-marine-who-stormed-north-korean-embassy/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 08:57:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970223</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A U.S. federal court has blocked the extradition of a former Marine who took part in a 2019 break-in at the North Korean Embassy in Madrid, concluding that sending him to Spain would put his life at risk from DPRK agents. According to a ruling made public last week, Judge Fernando Aenlle-Rocha of the Central [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2019/04/Ahn-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian military jet makes second visit to North Korea in a week</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/russian-military-jet-makes-second-visit-to-north-korea-in-a-week/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:48:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970206</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Russian military aircraft has made its second visit to North Korea in less than a week, according to flight-tracking data, while another unidentified jet appeared at the Pyongyang airport. The Russian Air Force Il-62M (RA-86559) landed in Pyongyang at around 8 p.m. KST on Saturday and left at around 12 p.m. the following day, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/3-8-1870x1000-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>South Korean man acquitted of praising North Korea, 34 years after his death</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/south-korean-man-acquitted-of-praising-north-korea-34-years-after-his-death/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:15:42 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970191</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A South Korean court has posthumously acquitted a man who was sentenced to prison in 1981 for allegedly praising North Korea, finding that authorities forced his confession and that his comments did not pose a threat. In an April 7 retrial, the Busan District Court acquitted the man, identified by his surname Park, of charges [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Busan_Ferry_Terminal_23-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Putin, Lukashenko discuss trilateral cooperation with North Korea in phone call</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/putin-lukashenko-discuss-trilateral-cooperation-with-north-korea-in-phone-call/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:37:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970189</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The leaders of Russia and Belarus discussed the possibility of trilateral cooperation with North Korea in talks on Sunday, potentially pointing to deeper military ties over the Ukraine war. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko &#8220;discussed the prospects of realizing a number of projects in a trilateral format” during a phone [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Kim_Luk_Pu-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un vows support for China ‘realizing’ territorial policy on Taiwan</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/kim-jong-un-vows-support-for-china-realizing-territorial-policy-on-taiwan/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 23:45:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970181</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Pyongyang on Friday, vowing “support” for China’s territorial policies on Taiwan, according to state media. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Saturday that Kim told Wang the DPRK “would fully support all the internal and external policies of the Chinese party [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/kcna-apr11-2026-kju-wang-ji-chinese-fm-visit-meeting-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Switzerland to reopen cooperation office in North Korea after 6 years</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/switzerland-to-reopen-cooperation-office-in-north-korea-after-6-years/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:10:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970162</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Switzerland plans to reopen its international cooperation office in North Korea this year, after a six-year absence due to the pandemic. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) confirmed to NK News on Thursday that it plans to resume operations at the Pyongyang office of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). “The FDFA [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Pyongyang-skyline_KCTV-20250217-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>A unified Korea is less threatening to China than US military presence: Expert</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/a-unified-korea-is-less-threatening-to-china-than-us-military-presence-expert/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:09:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970124</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A unified Korean Peninsula under control of either government is less threatening to China than a divided one with a U.S. military presence in the South, according to one Chinese expert, characterizing South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s diplomatic engagement with North Korea as “the first step for a better future.” “China is not worried [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/ASAN_A1_0003-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea and China’s top diplomats hold talks in Pyongyang</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-and-chinas-top-diplomats-hold-talks-in-pyongyang/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin | Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:24:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970143</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea and China’s foreign ministers held talks in Pyongyang late Thursday, vowing to support each other on the global stage as they prepare to mark the 65th anniversary of their defense pact. China’s top diplomat Wang Yi arrived at Sunan International Airport on Thursday on a two-day visit, the DPRK party daily Rodong Sinmun [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/2-3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>How a South Korean helped pave the way for North Korea’s soccer success</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/how-a-south-korean-helped-pave-the-way-for-north-koreas-soccer-success/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Yong Ja Hong]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:42:42 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970029</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s women’s soccer teams have been on a tear in recent years. Youth squads have won the under-17 World Cup twice and the under-20 World Cup once. The national team had a mixed run at the recent Asian Football Confederation tournament but still qualified for the Women’s World Cup in Brazil next year. All [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/DPRK-Russia-women-football-001_KCNA-20251128-edited-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Singaporean man gets jail time over North Korean oil smuggling plot: Report</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/singaporean-man-gets-jail-time-over-north-korean-oil-smuggling-plot-report/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:31:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shipping]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970134</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Singaporean national has reportedly been sentenced to over two years in jail for his role in a scheme to supply North Korea with almost $7 million worth of oil in breach of U.N. sanctions. Kwek Kee Seng, 66, was handed 30 months’ imprisonment and fined 80,000 Singapore dollars (approximately US$63,000) on Tuesday after pleading [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Kwek-Kee-Seng_US-State-Department-20221103-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lawmaker claims Seoul failed to detect North Korean missile launch this week</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/lawmaker-claims-seoul-failed-to-detect-north-korean-missile-launch-this-week/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:27:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970126</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A South Korean lawmaker has claimed that the country’s military failed to detect a North Korean missile launch earlier this week, faulting Seoul’s real-time tracking capabilities. Sung Il-jong of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), chair of the National Assembly’s Defense Committee, wrote on social media on Wednesday that it was “deeply regrettable” that “our [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/us_rok_jcschiefs_DPRKmissilesalvo-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea says it tested missiles with cluster munitions, blackout bombs</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-says-it-tested-missiles-with-cluster-munitions-blackout-bombs/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:32:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970104</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea said it conducted a series of weapons tests over three days this week, including a graphite bomb targeting enemy electric grids and a Hwasong-11A short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) equipped with a cluster munition warhead.  The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Thursday that research agencies under the Missile Administration also tested a new [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/kcna-may9-2025-highres-kju-missile-test-wonsan-south-beach-8-kn23-hs11a-srbm-aerial-launch-featured-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US, ROK to hold joint air force exercise for two weeks from Friday</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/us-rok-to-hold-joint-air-force-exercise-for-two-weeks-from-friday/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:47:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970105</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. and South Korean air forces will hold a biannual joint aerial exercise beginning Friday, as the allies’ large-scale drills continue to draw North Korea’s ire. South Korea’s air force will lead the two-week Freedom Flag exercise with a focus on validating combined operational capabilities in preparation for the transfer of wartime operational control [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/rokus_airdrills-april2025-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Belarus says it will open embassy in North Korea by August</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/belarus-says-it-will-open-embassy-in-north-korea-by-august/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:59:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970088</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Belarus will open an embassy in North Korea by August, according to Minsk, following President Alexander Lukashenko’s order to set up the diplomatic mission. “The Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the DPRK will open by Aug. 1, 2026,” the Belarus government said in a release on Wednesday.  Prime Minister Alexander Turchin signed the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Untitled-design-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trump could meet Kim Jong Un for summit this fall: Former US official</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/trump-could-meet-kim-jong-un-for-summit-this-fall-former-us-official/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:52:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970051</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could reunite face-to-face in the second half of this year, but Trump is unlikely to abandon the longstanding goal of denuclearizing the regime, former National Security Council (NSC) chief of staff Fred Fleitz said Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/ASAN_P2_0002-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chinese foreign minister to visit North Korea from Thursday</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/chinese-foreign-minister-to-visit-north-korea-from-thursday/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:38:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970077</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay a two-day visit to North Korea starting Thursday, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday. In a one-line statement distributed through the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the ministry said it invited Wang but did not provide details about the agenda for his visit. A spokesperson for Beijing&#8217;s [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Wang-Yi_FMPRC-20250224-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul plans to replace troops on North Korea border with AI-based systems</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/seoul-plans-to-replace-troops-on-north-korea-border-with-ai-based-systems/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:14:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970067</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[​​South Korea will cut the number of troops stationed at general outposts (GOPs) along the heavily militarized border with North Korea by almost three-quarters, replacing the soldiers with artificial intelligence-based systems, Seoul’s defense minister said Tuesday. The move aligns with the ROK military’s push to reduce the number of front-line personnel by 2040 due to [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/ROKdefmin_ahngyuback_ROKAFbattalioncommanders-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean vice economic minister to serve as new ambassador to Belarus</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korean-vice-economic-minister-to-serve-as-new-ambassador-to-belarus/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:26:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970055</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A senior North Korean diplomat who has helped manage ties with Moscow will serve as Pyongyang’s new ambassador to Belarus, replacing the DPRK&#8217;s first envoy to Minsk amid a push to strengthen ties. Ji Kyong Su presented his credentials to Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov on Tuesday, according to a short news release from the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea bats down Seoul’s ‘dream’ of inter-Korean thaw after rare praise</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-bats-down-seouls-dream-of-inter-korean-thaw-after-rare-praise/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim | Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:29:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970046</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A senior North Korean official struck down Seoul’s hopes for an inter-Korean detente late Tuesday, insisting that South Korea remains the “most hostile” enemy state despite Kim Yo Jong’s rare compliment to President Lee Jae Myung the previous day. In a statement released via state media, DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Jang Kum Chol mocked Seoul’s [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/edited_south-korean-joint-press-corps_2018-04-27_kim-jong-un_kim-yo-jong-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea conducts third missile launch in two days: ROK military</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-conducts-missile-tests-two-days-in-a-row-rok-military/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:48:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970023</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Updated on April 8 at 5:02 p.m. KST with details about a second missile launch on Wednesday.  North Korea carried out its third missile test in two days on Wednesday afternoon, following launches in the morning and on Tuesday, according to South Korea’s military. The tests come as a top North Korean diplomat repeated in [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/kcna-may9-2025-highres-kju-missile-test-wonsan-south-beach-2-600mm-mlrs-salvo-multiple-tels-launch-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why Kim Yo Jong praising Seoul for saying ‘sorry’ isn’t a prelude to engagement</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/why-kim-yo-jong-praising-seoul-for-saying-sorry-isnt-a-prelude-to-engagement/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:16:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970000</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kim Yo Jong’s unusually complimentary remarks to President Lee Jae Myung late Monday suggests North Korea recognizes the domestic political risk Lee took in saying he “felt sorry” for a series of drone incursions, but they do not signal any change in Pyongyang’s stance of treating Seoul as a hostile state. At a cabinet meeting [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Untitled-design-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Likely sanctioned North Korean firm looks to sell medicine, beer in Russia</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/likely-sanctioned-north-korean-firm-looks-to-sell-medicine-beer-in-russia/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:56:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970012</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A sanctioned North Korean firm appears to have filed for trademark protection in Russia, records show, after previously seeking to sell aphrodisiacs and traditional medicines in the neighboring market last year. The Sobaekso Joint Venture Company from Pyongyang applied to register its trademark in Russia late March, according to its filing with Moscow’s intellectual property [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/2-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian military jet lands in North Korea for first time since February</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/russian-military-jet-lands-in-north-korea-for-first-time-since-february/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:33:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=970006</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Russian military jet landed in Pyongyang on Tuesday, aviation data shows, in the first such flight since February.  The Russian Air Force Il-62M (RA-86559) touched down in Pyongyang at around 3:39 p.m. KST, arriving from Moscow after a brief stop in Vladivostok, according to data from Flightradar24. The Il-62M returned to Vladivostok at around [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Jonathan Cheng: The Christian roots of North Korea’s personality cult</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/jonathan-cheng-the-christian-roots-of-north-koreas-personality-cult/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Chad O'Carroll | Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2026 03:52:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969995</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[NK News founder Chad O’Carroll begins this week’s episode by discussing the death of North Korea’s longtime representative to the International Olympic Committee, a South Korean helicopter’s accidental flight into the demilitarized zone during a firefighting mission and Seoul’s expression of regret over civilian drone incursions. In the second half, Jonathan Cheng, the China bureau [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-jonathan-cheng-the-christian-roots-of-north-koreas-personality-cult.mp3" length="50041095" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/kctv-may21-2020-class-education-program-jesus-cross-religion-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un compliments South Korea’s president for expressing regret</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/kim-jong-un-compliments-south-koreas-president-after-expressing-regret/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Choi]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:48:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969971</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed the South Korean president’s decision Monday to express remorse over a series of civilian drone incursions and described the act as those of an “honest and bold person,” according to a statement from his influential sister. In a late-night statement Monday, sister Kim Yo Jong referred to President [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2024/07/kctv-aug11-kju-national-meeting-covid-victory-kim-yo-jong-kyj-speech-podium-5-1870x1000-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>It’s ‘appropriate to regard’ Kim Jong Un’s daughter as successor: ROK spy agency</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/its-appropriate-to-regard-kim-jong-uns-daughter-as-successor-rok-spy-agency/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:54:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969943</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s spy agency has assessed that it is “appropriate to regard” North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter as his successor, lawmakers said Monday. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) provided its outlook during a closed-door session for the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee, which addressed the DPRK’s trajectory since the recent Ninth Party Congress and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/kcna-mar20-2026-kju-tank-mbt-drills-military-exercises-suicide-drones-apc-training-base-no60-kangdong-1-daughter-kja-russia-ukraine-war-generals-ri-chang-ho-kim-yong-bok-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US, South Korea begin search for aircraft that went missing during Korean War</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/us-south-korea-begin-search-for-aircraft-that-went-missing-during-korean-war/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 09:03:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969922</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. and South Korea have launched a search for the wreckage of U.S. military aircraft that crashed off the east coast during the 1950-53 Korean War, according to Seoul’s defense ministry, part of a broader push to recover remains from the conflict with North Korea. The U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-06-at-5.57.53-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia says new road bridge to North Korea set to open this summer</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/russia-says-new-road-bridge-to-north-korea-set-to-open-this-summer/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:06:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969915</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea and Russia aim to open their new road bridge across the Tumen River this summer, Moscow has announced, following a meeting between the two countries’ transport ministers. The bridge’s completion ceremony and opening of traffic are scheduled for summer 2026, the Russian government said in a social media post on Friday. The Russian [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Social-media-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea building giant wholesale complex with Chinese help, businessman says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-building-giant-wholesale-complex-with-chinese-help-businessman-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:09:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969899</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean and Chinese companies are building a sprawling wholesale complex in Pyongyang that’s set to open later this year, according to a Chinese businessman, in the latest sign of expanding economic ties between the two countries. In a video posted on Chinese social media platform Douyin on April 1, the entrepreneur shares footage purportedly [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee expresses ‘regret’ to North Korea after drone probe implicates officials</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/lee-expresses-regret-to-north-korea-after-drone-probe-implicates-officials/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:20:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969895</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday expressed regret to North Korea over tensions caused by a civilian drone incursion, after an investigation determined that a National Intelligence Service employee and active-duty soldiers were involved in the incident. “Although this was not the intention of our government, I express regret to the North over [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/LJM_NKdrone-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>South Korean military helicopter mistakenly enters DMZ during wildfire operation</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/south-korean-military-helicopter-mistakenly-enters-dmz-during-wildfire-operation/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Apr 2026 15:40:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969880</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A South Korean military helicopter deployed to extinguish a wildfire near the border mistakenly entered the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), although North Korea has not publicly acknowledged the incident.   A spokesperson from Seoul’s Defense Ministry confirmed to NK News on Sunday that its Surion helicopter, initially dispatched to tackle the blaze in the frontline area of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Trump-100-days-3-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ROK police investigating if dead body that washed ashore came from North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/rok-police-investigating-if-dead-body-that-washed-ashore-came-from-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:06:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969863</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean authorities are investigating whether a dead body that washed up along the inter-Korean border this week came from North Korea. The body was found in the Imjin River in the northwestern city of Paju at around 9:20 a.m. Thursday, a police officer from the Paju Police Station told NK News. “It seems the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/07/Screenshot-2025-07-10-at-3.28.04%E2%80%AFPM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul must defend against North Korea ‘by our strength,’ Lee tells US senators</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/seoul-must-defend-against-north-korea-by-our-strength-lee-tells-us-senators/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:05:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969860</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung told a delegation of U.S. lawmakers on Thursday that Seoul seeks to take primary responsibility for defense against North Korea, outlining his administration’s commitment to “greater military self-reliance.” “In line with the U.S. government’s direction, it is appropriate for the defense of the Korean Peninsula to be handled by [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/LJM_withUSsenators-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chinese electrosurgical device spotted at new North Korean hospital</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/chinese-electrosurgical-device-spotted-at-new-north-korean-hospital/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 04:15:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969846</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A newly opened North Korean hospital is using a Chinese-made medical device inside one of its operating rooms, according to NK News analysis, highlighting Pyongyang’s continued reliance on imported medical equipment. The Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang released photos of Ambassador Wang Yajun’s visit to the Kusong City Hospital on Tuesday, where a high-frequency electrosurgical unit [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea to bury soldiers from Ukraine war at new cemetery in mid-April</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korea-to-bury-soldiers-from-ukraine-war-at-new-cemetery-mid-april/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 22:01:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969824</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a new cemetery and museum commemorating the country&#8217;s joint war with Russia against Ukraine, saying burials for soldiers who died and committed suicide during the war will take place in “mid-April,” state media reported on Friday. A separate report highlighted Kim’s attention to “ever-growing material” demands of North [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/rodong-apr3-2026-kju-ukraine-russia-war-museum-cemetery-5-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ROK nonprofit says it seeks to hold an electric vehicle expo in North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/rok-nonprofit-says-it-seeks-to-hold-an-electric-vehicle-expo-in-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:15:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969807</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A South Korea-based electric vehicle (EV) association has announced an ambitious plan to hold an international expo in North Korea next year, though experts dismissed the proposal as unrealistic given the deadlock in inter-Korean ties. A spokesperson for the International e-Mobility Expo Organizing Committee told NK News on Wednesday that the organization plans to propose [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/AA%E5%87%BA%E5%8F%A3%E7%9A%AE%E5%8D%A1%EF%BC%8Cmpv.%E8%BD%BF%E8%BD%A6-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Longtime North Korean representative to Olympics dies at 87</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/longtime-north-korean-representative-to-olympics-dies-at-87/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:44:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969776</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Chang Ung, a longtime North Korean member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who helped drive inter-Korean sports cooperation, died last month at age 87, the IOC said Wednesday. In a press release, the committee said Chang left a “lasting legacy through his contributions to sports development, international cooperation and promotion of the Olympic values.”  [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/changung_ioc_april12026-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trump slams Seoul over lack of support on Hormuz, citing US troops in Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/trump-slams-seoul-over-lack-of-support-on-hormuz-citing-us-troops-in-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:23:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969773</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[U.S. President Donald Trump complained that South Korea is not contributing to efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, even though thousands of American troops are stationed on the Korean Peninsula to defend against a “nuclear” North Korea. During the Easter luncheon at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said opening the global transit route [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-02-at-11.45.27-AM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean hackers compromise major software used by thousands of companies</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/north-korean-hackers-compromise-major-software-used-by-thousands-of-companies/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:20:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969788</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea-linked cybercriminals have compromised a popular software tool used by thousands of companies around the world, according to Google researchers, seeking to steal information that can be used for future attacks and cryptocurrency theft. The breach took place on Tuesday and targeted Axios, a tool that facilitates information exchanges between servers and web applications, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/26290401848_35107be79a_6k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian businessman appears to play key role in North Korean labor schemes</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/russian-businessman-appears-to-play-key-role-in-north-korean-labor-schemes/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:19:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Investigations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969745</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Russian businessman behind the construction of a joint factory with North Korea has actively promoted the procurement of DPRK workers to fill labor shortages, an NK News investigation has found, shining a light on illicit labor imports and positioning himself as a key figure in related schemes. Vladimir Sokolov is the head of the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/Featured_Airport_Aug.-2025-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia issued over 36K visas to North Koreans in 2025, almost all for education</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/russia-issued-over-36k-visas-to-north-koreans-in-2025-almost-all-for-education/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:39:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969734</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia granted more than 36,000 entry visas to North Koreans in 2025, according to new consular data, amid the allies’ flourishing cooperation over the war in Ukraine. The data released on Wednesday shows that Russia’s diplomatic missions issued DPRK nationals a total of 36,413 visas, a fourfold increase from 9,239 visas in 2024. Over 98%, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/34049653112_e91b888cfd_5k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ask a North Korean: Why North Koreans don’t trust state weather forecasts</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/ask-a-north-korean-why-north-koreans-dont-trust-state-weather-forecasts/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rose]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:27:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ask A North Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969666</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[“Ask a North Korean” is an NK News series featuring interviews with and columns by North Korean defectors, most of whom left the DPRK within the last few years. Readers may submit their questions for defectors by emailing ask@nknews.org and including their first name and city of residence. Today’s question is about yellow dust and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/north-korea-weather-forecast-yellow-dust-aank-photos-5-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Military, intel officers referred to prosecutors over North Korea drone flights</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/military-intel-officers-referred-to-prosecutors-over-north-korea-drone-flights/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 08:42:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969713</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A South Korean military-police task force referred two military officers and an employee of the state intelligence agency to prosecutors on Tuesday over their alleged support for drone incursions into North Korea, concluding a nearly three-month investigation into the case. Yoon Jung-geun, senior superintendent of the joint task force, confirmed to NK News that investigators [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/%EA%B5%B0%EA%B2%BD%ED%95%A9%EB%8F%99TF-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>South Korea resumes remains recovery at major Korean War battle site in DMZ</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/south-korea-resumes-remains-recovery-at-major-korean-war-battle-site-in-dmz/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:30:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969722</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea resumed excavations for Korean War remains at a major battle site inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on Wednesday, with North Korea once again refraining from participating. Seoul’s Defense Ministry said soldiers have started recovery operations at White Horse Hill (백마고지) along the central part of the inter-Korean border, part of a yearlong campaign [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Trump-100-days-1870-x-1000-px-20-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Head of Chinese economic group visiting North Korea to promote trade</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/04/head-of-chinese-economic-group-visiting-north-korea-to-promote-trade/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 03:14:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969708</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The leader of a Chinese economic association is visiting North Korea to promote trade between the two countries, underscoring a potential expansion of civilian and business engagement following the restoration of transportation links. According to the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang, Chinese Ambassador Wang Yajun met with China Asia Economic Development Association President Quan Shunji on [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/04/1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Fewer South Korea students view ties with North Korea as hostile, poll shows</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/fewer-south-korea-students-view-ties-with-north-korea-as-hostile-poll-shows/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:04:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969701</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean students have slightly warmed to inter-Korean unification and believe relations with North Korea have become more peaceful compared to last year, though a majority still characterized cross-border ties as “not peaceful,” according to a new government poll. The School Unification Education Survey commissioned by the ministries of unification and education polled over 70,000 [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2023/03/northkorean-female-students-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ankit Panda: How North Korea could take its military modernization to space</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/ankit-panda-how-north-korea-could-take-its-military-modernization-to-space/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin | Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:57:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969699</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin kicks off this week’s episode with a look at Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s visit to Pyongyang for a summit last week, and his potential to serve as an intermediary between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump. The conversation explores Belarus’s evolving ties with the DPRK, including plans to establish [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-ankit-panda-how-north-korea-could-take-its-military-modernization-to-space.mp3" length="49558776" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2024/12/15_NKofficialsinspectingrocket-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>UN council adopts resolution decrying North Korea’s ‘gross’ human rights abuses</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/un-council-adopts-resolution-decrying-north-koreas-gross-human-rights-abuses/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Choi]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:18:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969694</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) condemned North Korea’s “systematic, widespread and gross” violations of its people’s human rights, adopting a resolution on Monday that seeks to hold the regime accountable with the support of South Korea and 49 other countries. The resolution was adopted by consensus without a vote during the 61st UNHRC session [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2021/11/33358246234_26927e97ce_k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Belarusian leader seeks to mediate between US and North Korea: Minsk</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/belarusian-leader-seeks-to-mediate-between-us-and-north-korea-minsk/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 08:33:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969681</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko aims to mediate relations between the U.S. and North Korea and dissuade Washington from escalating tensions with Pyongyang, Minsk’s top diplomat said following Lukashenko’s talks with Kim Jong Un. While primarily focused on bilateral ties, last week’s summit in Pyongyang also covered the two countries’ relationship with the U.S. and Russia, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/27-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia’s top news agency reaches deal with North Korea to combat ‘fake news’</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/russias-top-news-agency-reaches-deal-with-north-korea-to-combat-fake-news/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 08:31:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Misc.]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969675</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The main news agencies of Russia and North Korea have inked a deal to jointly tackle “fake news” and exchange information, the latest example of media cooperation between the two allies. A delegation led by TASS news agency’s CEO Andrei Kondrashov arrived in the DPRK capital on Saturday, meeting the following day with his counterpart [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/1-20-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul backs UN resolution condemning North Korea&#8217;s human rights abuses</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/seoul-backs-un-resolution-condemning-north-koreas-human-rights-abuses/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:28:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969663</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea has decided to co-sponsor a forthcoming U.N. resolution on North Korea’s human rights abuses, after reports that Seoul might not sponsor the measure drew criticism from activists and politicians. “In line with our stance of working with the international community for the substantial improvement of North Korean citizens’ human rights, we have decided [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-30-at-3.24.05-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean troops start reinforcing border again after monthslong pause: Seoul</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-troops-start-reinforcing-border-again-after-monthslong-pause-seoul/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:24:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969653</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has resumed work to reinforce its border along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) within the demilitarized zone (DMZ), after a monthslong pause for training, South Korea’s military said Friday. According to the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Pyongyang restarted the work in early March after halting the activities in December due to [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/kctv-feb9-2025-kju-defense-ministry-on-feb8-kpa-founding-holiday-anniv-visit-speech-12-featured-soldiers-border-electric-fence-1870x1000-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Air China resumes regular flights to North Korea for first time in six years</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/air-china-resumes-regular-flights-to-north-korea-for-first-time-in-six-years/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Mar 2026 02:57:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969647</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Air China resumed passenger service to Pyongyang for the first time in six years on Monday, following the suspension of regular flights during the pandemic. A Boeing 737-79L (B-5297) operated by the national carrier departed from Beijing Capital International Airport at around 9 a.m. KST and arrived at Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport at 10:40 a.m, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/W020260330518391255955_ORIGIN-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea conducts missile engine test, claims higher thrust</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/kim-jong-un-oversees-engine-test-state-media-claims-higher-thrust-capabilities/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Mar 2026 01:04:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969614</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed a ground test of a newly upgraded “high-thrust solid-fuel engine” used in long-range missiles, state media reported Sunday, alongside reports that Kim inspected tests of the Korean People’s Army’s (KPA) main battle tank and special operations unit drills.  The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the test involved [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/kjuenginetest_mar29kcna-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lukashenko orders opening of Belarusian Embassy in North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/lukashenko-orders-opening-of-belarusian-embassy-in-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 10:33:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969600</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has ordered the opening of an embassy in North Korea, a day after he signed a new friendship agreement with leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang.  Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov announced the plan on Friday following the president’s return to Belarus, according to the state-run Belta news agency. “The president has [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Thumbs-up-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee doesn’t mention North Korea in memorial for troops killed in sea skirmishes</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/lee-doesnt-mention-north-korea-in-memorial-for-troops-killed-in-sea-skirmishes/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:58:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969552</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for a “peaceful Korean Peninsula free from the threat of war and hostility” at a ceremony on Friday honoring troops killed in clashes with Pyongyang, but stopped short of mentioning North Korea.  During the ceremony at the Daejeon National Cemetery, Lee said maintaining strong defense capabilities while striving [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/LJM_westseadefenseday-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Opposition pounces on Seoul’s hesitation to condemn North Korean right abuses</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/opposition-pounces-on-seouls-hesitation-to-condemn-north-korean-right-abuses/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 09:44:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969568</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s main opposition party has slammed the Lee Jae Myung administration for considering not backing a North Korean human rights resolution, while Seoul’s unification minister defended the move in support of diplomacy with the regime. “Are the human rights of the North Korean people more important, or is it Kim Jong Un’s feelings that [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-27-at-4.41.24-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Weapons and friendship: How Lukashenko’s trip to North Korea echoed Putin’s</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/weapons-and-friendship-how-lukashenkos-trip-to-north-korea-echoed-putins/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:42:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969529</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s first-ever visit to North Korea for a summit with Kim Jong Un provided an opportunity to strengthen a relationship that both countries have long neglected, underscoring how Pyongyang is reshaping its foreign policy to align with states that challenge the West. But while Russia provides a key link between the two [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Kim-and-rifle-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Crossing the line: The making of the man who flew drones into North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/crossing-the-line-the-making-of-the-man-who-flew-drones-into-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ifang Bremer]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:20:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969486</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[On a weekend morning in September, a 30-year-old South Korean man surnamed Oh traveled to a border island and launched a fixed-wing drone over the water, toward North Korea. By his own account, he did this three more times in the months after. Then everything came crashing down. DPRK state media reported in early January [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/drone-suspect-oh-nknews-investigation-featured-image-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean workers deployed to Russia face labor exploitation: Report</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-workers-deployed-to-russia-face-labor-exploitation-report/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:30:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969506</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean workers dispatched to Russia face exploitation on the job, forced to work long hours and surrender most of their wages to the state under conditions that constitute “modern-day slavery,” according to a Seoul-based human rights group. In a report published Wednesday, Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR) stated that the DPRK [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/33813422130_af203489ca_o-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ROK navy conducts large-scale drills on anniversary of North Korean attack</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/rok-navy-conducts-large-scale-drills-on-anniversary-of-north-korean-attack/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:25:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969485</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The South Korean navy is conducting large-scale maritime drills along the country’s eastern and western coasts this week to reinforce combat readiness and honor service members killed in past North Korean attacks, the military said Thursday. All three of the ROK navy’s fleets are taking part in the five-day drills that mark the 11th West [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/roknavydrills-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Zealand deploys surveillance plane to track North Korean maritime smuggling</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/new-zealand-deploys-surveillance-plane-to-track-north-korean-maritime-smuggling/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:15:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969482</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[New Zealand has deployed a long-range patrol aircraft to monitor North Korea’s illicit ship-to-ship transfers aimed at circumventing U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions, Japan’s foreign ministry announced Wednesday. A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-8A Poseidon aircraft will operate out of Japan’s Kadena Air Base from late March to mid-April, the ministry said in [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/RNZAF-P-8A-Poseidon_NZDF-20230701-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Belarusian leader Lukashenko and Kim Jong Un sign friendship deal in Pyongyang</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/belarusian-leader-lukashenko-kicks-off-talks-with-kim-jong-un-in-pyongyang/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2026 05:08:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969489</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a friendship and cooperation deal between their countries in Pyongyang on Thursday, according to Lukashenko’s press team. The agreement covers multiple areas like agriculture, education and health care, as well as business, science and exchanges between their information ministries, Minsk’s foreign minister announced [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/1-17-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea expected to strengthen role of rubber-stamp parliament, Seoul says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-expected-to-strengthen-role-of-rubber-stamp-parliament-seoul-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:23:53 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969455</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The appointment of one of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s closest aides to two key legislative positions is expected to strengthen the role of the country’s rubber-stamp parliament, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said Wednesday. At a press briefing, the ministry also said that the decision to rename the DPRK’s constitution and establish a new police [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/15th-SPA-Session-Day-1-KJU-and-senior-officials-001_KCNA-20260323-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why even the Iran war may not change Kim Jong Un’s view of Trump</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/why-even-the-iran-war-may-not-change-kim-jong-uns-view-of-trump/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:49:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969445</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[As the U.S. war with Iran reshapes the Middle East, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un finds himself face-to-face with a new conundrum: how to deal with a Trump administration that is increasingly embracing military action in his second term. In a speech delivered to North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament this week, Kim denounced American “terrorism [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/KimTrump-after-Iran-conflict-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Three ROK civilians indicted over alleged role in North Korea drone incursion</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/three-rok-civilians-indicted-over-alleged-role-in-north-korea-drone-incursion/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:38:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969434</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean prosecutors have indicted three civilians for their alleged roles in sending drones into North Korea in violation of ROK law.  “Three individuals affiliated with a drone manufacturing and sales company” have been charged with “general benefiting of the enemy” (일반이적죄) and violating the Aviation Safety Act (항공안전법), the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/prosecution_NKdroneincursion_indictment-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Activists urge Seoul to condemn North Korea’s human rights abuses at UN</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/activists-urge-seoul-to-condemn-north-koreas-human-rights-abuses-at-un/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:16:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969425</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Human rights activists have urged the South Korean government to co-sponsor a U.N. resolution on North Korean human rights, after reports suggested Seoul may refrain from doing so to support improved inter-Korean ties. A joint statement by the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) and Seoul-based Transnational Justice Working Group (TJWG) warned President Lee Jae [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/04/Untitled-design-2024-08-08T124341.360-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Belarus’ Lukashenko lands in Pyongyang for summit with Kim Jong Un</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/lukashenko-appears-to-land-in-pyongyang-for-summit-with-kim-jong-un/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 03:51:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969415</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Belarusian government aircraft carrying President Alexander Lukashenko landed in Pyongyang on Wednesday afternoon, marking the start of his first state visit to North Korea. The Boeing 767-32KER (EW-001PB) that Lukashenko often uses for his overseas trips touched down at Sunan International Airport around 12:45 p.m. KST following an eight-hour flight from Minsk, according to [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Lukashenko-meeting-KJU-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ukraine says it’s weighing protections for captured North Korean soldiers</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/ukraine-says-its-weighing-protections-for-captured-north-korean-soldiers/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:11:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969387</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Ukraine said it is considering legal protections for asylum seekers as it weighs whether to forcibly repatriate two North Korean prisoners of war captured fighting for Russia, according to a letter sent to a South Korean human rights organization Tuesday. The principle of non-refoulement “is being taken into account” in the treatment of the captured [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/08/12-4-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Belarus’ Lukashenko to visit North Korea from Wednesday, Minsk says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/belarus-lukashenko-to-visit-north-korea-from-wednesday-minsk-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:43:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969394</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will visit North Korea for the first time at the invitation of leader Kim Jong Un from Wednesday, Minsk has announced. Lukashenko is expected to visit for two days and hold talks with Kim on a wide range of topics, focusing on determining key areas of mutual interest, according to Lukashenko’s [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/09/2-3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>How Kim Jong Un’s leadership playbook is borrowing from Xi Jinping</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/how-kim-jong-uns-leadership-playbook-is-borrowing-from-xi-jinping/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:28:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968930</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[At North Korea’s biggest political event, Kim Jong Un showed that he has absorbed lessons from one of the world’s most entrenched leaders: Chinese President Xi Jinping. One of the more obvious signs at the Ninth Party Congress was the use of Chinese-style name badges, which suggested that DPRK officials are copying the format of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/XiKim-001-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Pit Heltmann: Diplomacy in North Korea before the world shut down</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/pit-heltmann-diplomacy-in-north-korea-before-the-world-shut-down/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | Joon Ha Park | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 06:19:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969380</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[NK News Correspondent Joon Ha Park opens this week’s episode by discussing the first session of the new Supreme People’s Assembly, which reappointed Kim Jong Un as North Korea’s head of state and carried out a generational reshuffle of officials. He also discusses Pyongyang’s increasingly hardline rhetoric toward South Korea and the U.S., Kim Yo [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-pit-heltmann-diplomacy-in-north-korea-before-the-world-shut-down.mp3" length="52264645" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2022/05/kctv-may22-8pm-news-covid-lockdown-empty-streets-pyongyang-propaganda-poster-people-wearing-masks-hummer-suv-blue-license-plate-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un denounces US as ‘terrorist’ state in apparent reference to Iran war</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/kim-jong-un-calls-us-a-terrorist-state-repeats-anti-south-korea-stance/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 01:02:45 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969356</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accused the U.S. of carrying out state terrorism on Monday in apparent reference to its attacks on Iran, while repeating that South Korea is the “most hostile state” at a session of the country’s rubber-stamp parliament. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim is still “prepared to [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/rodong-mar24-2026-kju-spa-session-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Canada to deploy patrol aircraft to monitor North Korea sanctions evasion at sea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/canada-to-deploy-patrol-aircraft-to-monitor-north-korea-sanctions-evasion-at-sea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:42:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969329</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Canada will deploy a patrol aircraft to Japan this month to monitor North Korea’s illicit maritime activities in violation of U.N. sanctions, Tokyo’s Defense Ministry announced Monday.  Canada’s CP-140 Aurora patrol aircraft will carry out surveillance against ship-to-ship transfers involving DPRK vessels and other illegal activity from an unspecified date later this month to early [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/09/CP-140-Aurora-canda-sanctions-monitoring-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Koreans who lived near nuke test site show signs of radiation exposure</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-koreans-who-lived-near-nuke-test-site-show-signs-of-radiation-exposure/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:22:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969338</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Nearly three dozen North Korean defectors who lived near the country’s nuclear test site have shown signs of chromosomal abnormalities, although researchers have not established a direct link to the tests, according to Seoul. Radiation exposure tests conducted in 2024 on 35 North Korean defectors from areas near the Punggye-ri nuclear test site found that [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-23-at-5.31.52-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Yo Jong says North Korea has ‘no reason’ to hold summit with Japan</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/kim-yo-jong-says-north-korea-has-no-reason-to-hold-summit-with-japan/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:20:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969345</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo Jong slammed Japan for seeking a summit with Pyongyang on Monday, reiterating her previous rejection of diplomacy with Tokyo. In a statement issued through the state-owned Korean Central News Agency, Kim criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for broaching the subject of a DPRK-Japan summit during her visit [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/KYJTakaichi-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US soldier, two accomplices sentenced for aiding North Korean IT schemes</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/us-soldier-two-accomplices-sentenced-for-aiding-north-korean-it-schemes/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:24:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969331</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A federal court sentenced three Americans to prison or fines, including an Army soldier, for their roles in a scheme that helped North Korean information technology (IT) workers obtain remote jobs at U.S. companies using false identities. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia sentenced Alexander Paul Travis, Jason Salazar and Audricus [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/07/North-Koreans-using-computers_Oct-2016_zoomed-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean delegations for disability rights, disaster response visit China</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-delegations-for-disability-rights-disaster-response-visit-china/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:31:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969319</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A pair of North Korean delegations traveled to China earlier this month to deepen cooperation on education for people with disabilities and disaster management. The first delegation visited two education institutions for students with disabilities in Shenyang, Liaoning Province on March 9 — the Shenyang School for the Blind and a school for children with [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/1-3-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chinese firms flaunt export of electronics and EVs to North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/chinese-firms-flaunt-export-of-electronics-and-evs-to-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2026 03:41:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Data]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969293</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Chinese firms have boasted on social media of supplying North Korea with products ranging from TVs and smartphones to electric vehicles, NK News has found, in apparent violation of international sanctions. Recent posts on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, suggest that the Guangzhou-based Huaju Electric Appliance Company is exporting ultra-thin TVs to North Korea. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/43690016680_2e50614283_k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean parliament reelects Kim as leader and elevates his top aides</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-parliament-elevates-kim-aides-set-to-tackle-constitution-revision/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:20:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969278</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament reappointed Kim Jong Un as the country’s head of state on Sunday in its first session after a recent general election, while promoting one of his closest aides to the legislature’s top post. With Kim in attendance, the opening day of the 15th Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) focused largely on organizational [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/15th-SPA-Session-Day-1-featured_KCNA-20260323-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea asks Russia to provide thousands of tons of oil and gas</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-asks-russia-to-provide-thousands-of-tons-of-oil-and-gas/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:10:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shipping]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969266</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has requested that Russia provide thousands of tons of crude oil and petroleum products per month, according to a Far East export center, a sign that Pyongyang is feeling the pinch of oil price shocks due to the U.S. war with Iran. The Vladivostok-based Export Support Center announced a call for fuel suppliers [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Tanker-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ukraine can help Seoul as North Korea’s military grows stronger, experts say</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/ukraine-can-help-seoul-as-north-koreas-military-grows-stronger-experts-say/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:09:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969256</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Ukraine can provide South Korea with invaluable battle-tested expertise for deterring North Korea in exchange for military aid like anti-air defense systems that are in short supply due to Russia’s invasion, members of Ukrainian security think tanks said Friday. Experts from the Kyiv-based New Europe Center and New Geopolitics Research Network made the remarks at [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2023/08/01-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea seals return to women’s World Cup after 16-year absence</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-seals-return-to-womens-world-cup-after-16-year-absence/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:09:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969258</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s women’s soccer team qualified for next year’s FIFA World Cup with a resounding 4-0 win over Chinese Taipei on Thursday, setting up a return to the sport’s biggest stage after a gap of 16 years. Lifted by a hat-trick from midfielder Hong Song Ok, the DPRK secured one of six direct qualifying spots [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/DPRK-women-soccer-team-vs-Chinese-Taipei_AFC-YouTube-20260319-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trump pledged ‘full support’ on resolving North Korea abductee issue, Japan says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/trump-pledged-full-support-on-resolving-north-korea-abductee-issue-japan-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:16:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969248</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[U.S. President Donald Trump voiced “his full support” for resolving Japan’s longstanding abductee issue with North Korea, according to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Takaichi’s remarks came during a press conference following their summit at the White House on Thursday, where she called for urgent progress on the matter and expressed interest in meeting DPRK [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/trump-takaichisummit_mar192026-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un inspects new battle tanks, oversees ‘war preparation’ drills</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/kim-jong-un-unveils-new-battle-tanks-oversees-war-preparation-drills/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 22:54:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969218</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a combined infantry and tank drill on Thursday, inspecting what state media described as an “incomparably superior” new main battle tank and observing enemy drone attack simulations as part of “war preparations.” Accompanied by senior DPRK defense officials, Kim visited the Capital Defense Corps’ Pyongyang Training Base No. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/KJUdaughter-riding-in-new-main-battle-tank_KCNA-20260320-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>British crypto expert wanted by US gives speech on AI at pro-North Korea event</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/british-crypto-expert-wanted-by-us-gives-speech-on-ai-at-pro-north-korea-event/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:08:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969205</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A British cryptocurrency entrepreneur wanted by the FBI for allegedly conspiring to breach North Korea sanctions gave a speech at a pro-DPRK event in Moscow, raising questions about his support for Pyongyang. Christopher Emms spoke about the use of modern technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) for “preserving sovereignty” at a conference organized by the DPRK [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/1-15-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>New tribunal could prosecute North Korean officials over Ukraine war: Experts</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/new-tribunal-could-prosecute-north-korean-officials-over-ukraine-war-experts/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:53:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969194</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo Jong and other top officials could face prosecution under a special tribunal set to be established on aggression against Ukraine, human rights experts said Thursday, calling attention to Pyongyang’s support for Russia’s invasion. The experts made the assessment at a conference in Seoul on Thursday promoting South Korea’s [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/IMG_7753-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>What to make of Seoul’s claims about an undeclared North Korean nuclear site</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/what-to-make-of-seouls-claims-about-an-undeclared-north-korean-nuclear-site/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:39:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969183</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The South Korean unification minister’s comments about North Korean nuclear enrichment in the northwest city of Kusong have faced growing scrutiny in recent days, after he appeared to offer the first official confirmation of ongoing enrichment at a third location. But NK News analysis suggests that there is not yet enough public evidence to definitively [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/rodong-2015-apr1-kju-inspection-visit-panghyon-light-aircraft-missile-factory-Machine-Plant-Managed-by-Jon-Tong-Ryol-%EC%A0%84%EB%8F%99%EB%A0%AC%EB%8F%99%EB%AC%B4%EA%B0%80-%EC%82%AC%EC%97%85%ED%95%98%EB%8A%94-%EA%B8%B0%EA%B3%84%EA%B3%B5%EC%9E%A5-space-power-slogan-%EC%9A%B0%EC%A3%BC%EA%B0%95%EA%B5%AD-2-interior-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US, ROK wrap up spring military exercise that drew North Korea’s scorn</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/us-rok-wrap-up-spring-military-exercise-that-drew-north-koreas-scorn/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:56:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969161</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. and South Korea concluded their annual springtime Freedom Shield drills on Thursday, capping 11 days of large-scale joint exercises that drew North Korea’s scorn and multiple weapons tests. In a joint release, the allies said the exercise “incorporated lessons learned from recent conflicts into training scenarios to enhance realism,” adding it focused largely [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/mar152026_rokusmarines-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>‘Confident’ North Korea bolstering military threats with allies’ support: US</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/confident-north-korea-bolstering-military-threats-with-allies-support-us/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:40:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969159</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has leveraged its deepening military partnership with Russia and renewed diplomacy with China to bolster its economy and military, while continuing to expand its nuclear and missile arsenal with weapons capable of reaching the U.S. homeland, according to a new U.S. intelligence report. The 2026 Annual Threat Assessment released by the Office of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/KimXiPutinKremlin-20250903-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>‘Go and lay a flower’: Chinese netizens react to travel resuming in North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/go-and-lay-a-flower-chinese-netizens-react-to-travel-resumption-to-north-kore/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 03:57:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969139</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Chinese social media has been abuzz with discussion about the prospects for travel to North Korea following the resumption of cross-border passenger train service, with users variously expressing interest in visiting and skepticism about the actual prospects for reopening. On Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, users appeared indifferent and cautious after China Railway resumed service [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Featured-Image-Empty-16-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean trade with China dips in first two months of 2026</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-trade-with-china-dips-in-first-two-months-of-2026/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:36:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Data]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969133</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea-China trade got off to a sluggish start in the new year, with total turnover in the first two months dropping significantly from the multiyear high in December. China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC) released new trade data on Wednesday, reporting that the DPRK’s commercial exchanges dipped to $240.5 million in January and $178.2 [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/30575451057_19c3a64518_k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US troops hold air defense drills on countering North Korean threats</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/us-troops-hold-air-defense-drills-on-countering-north-korean-threats/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:17:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969115</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[U.S. troops held air defense drills at a key air base outside Seoul as part of the large-scale Freedom Shield exercise, amid questions about how the possible redeployment of American missile defense assets could impact the military’s ability to counter North Korea. The March 11 air defense drill involved the Patriot missile system and Avenger [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Avengersystem_FS2026-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian businessman urges staff to learn discipline from North Korean workers</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/russian-businessman-urges-staff-to-learn-discipline-from-north-korean-workers/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:03:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969026</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A video has emerged of a Russian businessman berating low-performing employees and urging them to learn discipline from North Korean colleagues, highlighting the risk of labor tensions over the growing number of DPRK workers in the country. In the video first reported by the Russian outlet Ostorozhno, Novosti, Alexander Rudakov, the founder of the Lipetsk-based [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/26924866157_9c6292b5c3_k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean hackers linked to theft from crypto gift card service</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-hackers-linked-to-theft-from-crypto-gift-card-service/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:14:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969116</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean cybercriminals stole virtual funds from a cryptocurrency gift card service and accessed over 18,000 customer purchase records, the Sweden-based company announced on Tuesday. In a statement posted on social media, Bitrefill said attackers breached its systems on March 1 and “exploited” its gift card stock and supply chain to steal cryptocurrency. It did [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/07/North-Korean-coding_KCTV-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea has earned up to $14.4B from military deals with Russia: Report</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-likely-earned-14-4b-from-military-deals-with-russia-report/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:09:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969099</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has earned as much as $14.4 billion from military support to Russia over a two-year span, according to a new estimate by an ROK think tank. In a report published Monday, the Seoul-based Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS) estimated North Korea’s total revenue from military ties with Russia at between $7.7 billion [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/6-3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lawmakers urge Seoul to stop China from repatriating North Korean detainee</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/lawmakers-urge-seoul-to-stop-china-from-repatriating-north-korean-detainee/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:32:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969092</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean lawmakers called for the government to take action on Tuesday to prevent the forced repatriation of a North Korean defector’s mother, who has been detained in China for over a year. The appeal came after the defector Kim Geum-sung, 21, reportedly sent a letter to Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Monday requesting information [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Trump-100-days-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un sets April opening for Ukraine war cemetery and museum</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/kim-jong-un-sets-april-opening-for-ukraine-war-cemetery-and-museum/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:27:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969072</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday inspected construction of a cemetery and museum that honors soldiers he sent to join Russia’s war against Ukraine, according to state media. Kim set “the first anniversary of the liberation of Kursk” as the inauguration date for the “Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/kcna-mar17-2026-kju-war-museum-memorial-cemetery-kursk-ukraine-russia-overseas-visit-construction-6-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Peter Ward: Inside North Korea’s expanding crackdown on ‘unsocialist’ behavior</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/peter-ward-inside-north-koreas-expanding-crackdown-on-unsocialist-behavior/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin | Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:48:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969069</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This week, NK News Data Correspondent Anton Sokolin opens the episode with a roundup of recent developments on the Korean Peninsula, including the resumption of China-North Korea passenger rail service and plans to restart flights. He also touches on the DPRK’s weekend test of multiple launch rocket systems, as well as how Russian media is [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-peter-ward-inside-north-koreas-expanding-crackdown-on-unsocialist-behavior.mp3" length="59963858" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/3-7-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chinese travel agencies promoting North Korea group tours from May</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/chinese-travel-agencies-promoting-north-korea-group-tours-from-may/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:07:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969049</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Chinese travel agencies are advertising group tours to North Korea starting in late May, though DPRK authorities have yet to officially confirm a reopening for tourists after a six-year suspension. Travel itineraries circulating online show multiple agencies promoting eight-day tours departing from Beijing, with travelers expected to enter North Korea by train. The proposed trips [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/feb-2017-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea’s parliament to convene on short notice to revise constitution</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-koreas-parliament-to-convene-on-short-notice-to-revise-constitution/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 03:24:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969057</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea will hold an urgent Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) session on Sunday to discuss constitutional revisions, according to an announcement in state media on Tuesday, marking an unusually short notice for the event. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported the First Session of the 15th SPA — North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament — will [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/kcna-sep28-2023-3k-highres-kju-spa-9th-session-mansudae-assembly-hall-kim-statues-stage-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ask a North Korean: What do you make of the rise of Kim Jong Un’s daughter?</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/ask-a-north-korean-what-do-you-make-of-the-rise-of-kim-jong-uns-daughter/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seonghyeon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:53:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ask A North Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969033</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[“Ask a North Korean” is an NK News series featuring interviews with and columns by North Korean defectors, most of whom left the DPRK within the last few years. Readers may submit their questions for defectors by emailing ask@nknews.org and including their first name and city of residence. Today’s question asks about the increasing prominence [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/kcna-mar9-2026-kju-international-womens-day-performance-mini-mass-games-pyongyang-indoor-stadium-wife-ri-sol-ju-daughter-kja-9-holding-hands-cropped-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trump says he could meet Kim Jong Un as early as this month: ROK prime minister</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/trump-says-he-could-meet-kim-jong-un-as-early-as-this-month-rok-prime-minister/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:44:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968995</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during or after his planned trip to China later this month, according to South Korea’s prime minister. Speaking to South Korean reporters at the Korean Cultural Center in Washington on March 13, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Trump made the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/rokpm_trumpmeeting-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea’s former inter-Korean negotiator resurfaces as minor party chief</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-koreas-former-inter-korean-negotiator-resurfaces-as-minor-party-chief/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:43:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969012</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s former point man on inter-Korean affairs now appears to be serving as the head of a ceremonial minor party, hinting at a shift in these unification-focused parties following Pyongyang’s renunciation of inter-Korean ties. In a report about Sunday’s parliamentary election, the ruling party-run newspaper on Monday identified Ri Son Gwon as the current [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/ri-son-gwon-2018-talks-unification-ministry-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un votes at a coal mine in election for rubber-stamp parliament</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/kim-jong-un-votes-at-a-coal-mine-in-election-for-rubber-stamp-parliament/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:26:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=969006</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kim Jong Un voted in the election for North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament on Sunday, according to state media, casting his ballot at a coal mine in a move that underscored the importance of the sector for his economic development goals. The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that the DPRK leader voted at the Chonsong [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/edited_2026-03-16_kcna_kim-jong-un-voted-at-a-coal-mine-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>DPRK says it fired 12 nuclear-capable rockets, figure at odds with ROK analysis</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/dprk-says-it-fired-12-nuclear-capable-rockets-figure-at-odds-with-rok-analysis/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Mar 2026 22:54:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968976</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter oversaw a live-fire drill by a nuclear-capable 600mm multiple rocket launcher (MLRS) on Saturday, launching a salvo of 12 rockets and reaching 100% accuracy, according to state media. The DPRK party daily Rodong Sinmun reported the following day that 12 MLRS units forming two batteries struck [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Untitled-design-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea fires salvo of around 10 ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-fires-salvo-of-around-10-ballistic-missiles-toward-east-sea-jcs/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:53:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968957</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea launched a salvo of around 10 ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Saturday, the ROK military reported, marking the first ballistic missile test since January. The unspecified ballistic missiles were launched from the Sunan area near Pyongyang and flew toward the East Sea, or Sea of Japan, at 1:20 p.m. KST, according [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/14_18missilesalvo-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Air China set to revive Beijing-Pyongyang route for first time since 2020</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/air-china-set-to-revive-beijing-pyongyang-route-for-first-time-since-2020/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Mar 2026 02:42:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968948</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[China’s national carrier Air China is set to resume flights from Beijing to Pyongyang in March for the first time after a six-year hiatus following the resumption of a regular passenger rail service between the countries this week. Currently, Air China’s website offers tickets to Pyongyang starting March 30, and on subsequent Mondays, with the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/5-5-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia shares technical standards with North Korea, a boon for cooperation</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/russia-shares-technical-standards-with-north-korea-a-boon-for-cooperation/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2026 08:55:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968938</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has acquired access to a Russian database of international technical standards that covers everything from programming languages, railway systems and cement to Vietnamese noodles, a potential boon for economic and military cooperation between the two sides. The development came after a technical delegation from the DPRK’s Standardization Committee visited Russia in early February. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/1-7-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>How small changes in North Korea’s upcoming election could signal bigger moves</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/how-small-changes-in-north-koreas-upcoming-election-could-signal-bigger-moves/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Fyodor Tertitskiy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:27:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968917</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s constitution requires the country to hold a Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) election every five years, and the next one is just around the corner. The election scheduled for March 15 was initially expected to be held in 2024, five years after the 2019 election. But the ballot was pushed back to 2026, apparently [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2023/11/rodong-nov27-2023-kju-hamhung-ryongsong-machine-complex-casting-vote-election-ballot-box-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US blacklists 2 companies, 6 individuals over North Korean IT worker schemes</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/us-blacklists-2-companies-6-individuals-over-north-korean-it-worker-schemes/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2026 06:07:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968913</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. has sanctioned a North Korean technology company, a Vietnam-based firm and six individuals over their roles in IT worker schemes to raise money for Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program. Thursday’s action by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) marks the latest step in its drive to disrupt networks that place North [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/08/North-Korean-workers-using-computers_KCTV-20250827-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean crops held strong through winter before lean period: report</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-crops-held-strong-through-winter-before-lean-period-report/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:52:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968894</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s winter crops have benefitted from favorable weather, a U.N. report found, leaving the country well positioned for the annual lean period amid persistent food insecurity concerns. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) concluded in a report published Tuesday that North Korea saw “generally favorable” weather conditions between October to February, which allowed [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/2-7-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chinese passenger train crosses into North Korea for first time in 6 years</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/chinese-passenger-train-crosses-into-north-korea-for-first-time-in-6-years/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 06:47:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968888</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Chinese passenger train on Thursday traveled from China’s Dandong into Sinuiju in North Korea for the first time in six years, videos circulating on Chinese social media show, marking the resumption of the service between the two countries since the strict border closures of the COVID-19 pandemic. The train’s departure came a day after [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Featured-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un inspects new pistols in first post-congress weapons factory visit</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/kim-jong-un-inspects-new-pistols-in-first-post-congress-weapons-factory-visit/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 23:06:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968870</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his young daughter, inspected new pistols and rifles on Wednesday, highlighting efforts to expand small arms production in his first visit to a weapons factory since the adoption of a new five-year military development plan at the recent Ninth Party Congress. Citing a defense ministry report, Kim [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/KJU-tests-pistol-at-weapons-factory_Rodong-Sinmun-20260312_001-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean firms set to offer wigs, sanctioned textiles to Russian market</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-firms-set-to-offer-wigs-sanctioned-textiles-to-russian-market/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:12:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968861</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean firms seeking to supply fake hair, medical devices, chemicals and sanctioned textiles to Russia have filed trademarks with Moscow in another sign of the allies’ booming economic ties. Three North Korean firms — Chonwon, Mubyong and Kanghyong trading companies — filed trademarks with Russian intellectual property watchdog Rospatent since the start of the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/44795542244_48b580ee30_k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea signals support for Iran’s new leader, while slamming US and Israel</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-signals-support-for-irans-new-leader-while-slamming-us-and-israel/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 03:44:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968848</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has publicly acknowledged the election of Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei for the first time, while maintaining its silence on his predecessor’s death during the wave of U.S. and Israeli attacks last week. The mention of the new leader — without naming him — came during a DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Mojtaba-Khamenei-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ask a North Korean: What happens when you get injured and can’t work?</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/ask-a-north-korean-what-happens-when-you-get-injured-and-cant-work/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jin Ju-dong]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 03:40:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ask A North Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968660</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[“Ask a North Korean” is an NK News series featuring interviews with and columns by North Korean defectors, most of whom left the DPRK within the last few years. Readers may submit their questions for defectors by emailing ask@nknews.org and including their first name and city of residence. Today’s question is: What happens when you [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/kctv-feb-4-2026-construction-worker-south-phyongan-red-helmets-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>A canceled Pyongyang marathon, a renamed community and a harsh reality in China</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/a-canceled-pyongyang-marathon-a-renamed-community-and-a-harsh-reality-in-china/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:41:29 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968832</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy and Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) Executive Director Hanna Song join this week’s episode of the NK News Podcast.  The news roundup begins with the sudden cancellation of the Pyongyang International Marathon, before turning to Seoul’s move to adopt a new term for North Korean-born residents [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-a-canceled-pyongyang-marathon-a-renamed-community-and-a-harsh-reality-in-china.mp3" length="34938555" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/04/Pyongyang-Marathon-2025-04_KCNA-20250407-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea conducts second cruise missile test from new warship in last week</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-conducts-second-cruise-missile-test-from-new-warship-in-last-week/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 21:50:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968817</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a cruise missile test from the country’s newest destroyer on the west coast on Tuesday, according to state media, the second such test in the last week. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday that Kim executed the launch remotely in order to test command and control [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/kcna-mar11-2026-kju-cruise-missile-test-warship-daughter-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>How the world can get ahead of North Korean hackers’ crypto playbook</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/how-the-world-can-get-ahead-of-north-korean-hackers-crypto-playbook/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:42:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968714</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[International efforts to counter North Korean cryptocurrency theft are too reactive and must shift toward prevention to close off funding sources for the regime, according to a former U.S. sanctions official, stressing that the DPRK’s ability to innovate continues to outpace authorities’ capacity to respond. In an interview with NK News, Dawson Law, a former [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2023/05/north-korean-computer-tech-cyber-sanctions-IT-workers-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chinese video spotlights sanctioned goods inside North Korean factories</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/chinese-video-spotlights-sanctioned-goods-inside-north-korean-factories/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:28:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968799</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Rare footage from inside North Korean factories recently surfaced on social media, showing workers assembling computers and televisions using American and Chinese components in an apparent violation of international sanctions. Videos shared by a Chinese blogger purportedly showed him visiting Pyongyang for a business trip between Feb. 21-28, where he toured several factories. Workers could [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/1-4-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>South Korea prepared to deter North, even if US moves defense systems: Lee</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/south-korea-prepared-to-deter-north-even-if-us-moves-defense-systems-lee-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:57:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968786</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung dismissed concerns that the reported relocation of some U.S. air defense assets from the country would undermine deterrence against North Korea, saying such a move would not seriously affect Seoul’s security. “If asked whether that would seriously hinder our deterrence strategy against North Korea, I can say with certainty [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/LJM_Patriotbatteries-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>China, North Korea resume train service after six-year suspension</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/china-north-korea-appear-to-resume-train-service-after-six-year-suspension/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 03:49:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968773</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[China will resume passenger train services to North Korea after a six year suspension starting Thursday, according to Beijing’s railway service, in a move that incrementally loosens some of the safety restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. China Railway confirmed the resumption of passenger train service to North Korea in a notice posted [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/October-6-2016-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US-ROK drills pose ‘terrible’ risks, warrant preemptive action: Kim Yo Jong</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/us-rok-drills-pose-terrible-risks-warrant-preemptive-action-kim-yo-jong/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2026 01:39:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968779</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The North Korean leader’s influential sister lambasted the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises that kicked off this week, warning of the “most terrible” consequences and an overwhelming response from Pyongyang. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released a statement by Kim Yo Jong on Tuesday, marking her first public remarks in her new role as [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Kim-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>China ‘intercepted’ helicopter tracking North Korean smuggling, Australia says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/china-intercepted-helicopter-tracking-north-korean-smuggling-australia-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:37:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968736</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Chinese military helicopter performed an “unsafe and unprofessional” maneuver that forced an Australian naval aircraft to take evasive action during a North Korea sanctions monitoring mission in the Yellow Sea last week, according to Canberra’s defense ministry. In a press release issued Friday, the Department of Defence said a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/MH-60R-helicopter-aboard-the-HMAS-Toowoomba_Australian-Department-of-Defence-20231117-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea abruptly cancels sold-out international marathon</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-abruptly-cancels-sold-out-international-marathon/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:41:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968753</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea abruptly cancelled its premier international marathon with less than a month until the race, highlighting the country’s apparent lack of readiness in welcoming back international visitors after several years of tourism stoppages. DPRK-focused travel agency Koryo Tours, the marathon’s international partner, informed registered foreign participants via email on Monday that North Korean authorities [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/04/Pyongyang-Marathon-2025-07_KCNA-20250407-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un delivers his first speech commemorating International Women’s Day</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/kim-jong-un-delivers-first-public-speech-commemorating-international-womens-day/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:02:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968739</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sunday celebrated International Women’s Day with his family by attending a concert in Pyongyang, where he delivered a speech urging women to “fulfill the sacred mission and duty” of contributing to the country. Kim marked the holiday with an unspecified “grand performance” at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium with [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/edited_2026-03-09_kctv_kim-jong-un-ju-ae_international-womens-day-concert_smoking-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>100,000 South Korean troops mobilized for yearlong Korean War remains excavation</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/100000-south-korean-troops-mobilized-for-yearlong-korean-war-remains-excavation/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:43:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968730</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s military began its annual campaign of searching for Korean War-era remains at frontline battlefields nationwide Monday, despite North Korea’s continued absence from the effort. Roughly 100,000 troops from 30 Army formations and the 1st Marine Division will be mobilized for the eight-month excavation effort this year, according to a Defense Ministry news release [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/koreanwarremains_excavations-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>UN envoy proposes new system for monitoring North Korean human rights</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/un-envoy-proposes-new-system-for-monitoring-north-korean-human-rights/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:30:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968692</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.N. special envoy for North Korean human rights has proposed almost 50 indicators to track Pyongyang’s compliance with its human rights commitments, calling for greater efforts to hold the country accountable for violations. In an advance, unedited copy of her report to the U.N. Human Rights Council’s ongoing 61st session, special rapporteur Elizabeth Salmón [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Elizabeth-Salmon_UN-photo-by-Loey-Felipe_20240612-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian, North Korean firms building plastics factory in Vladivostok</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/russian-north-korean-firms-building-plastics-factory-in-vladivostok/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:19:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968691</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Russian company has joined forces with a North Korean partner to build a plastics manufacturing plant in Vladivostok, despite U.N. sanctions that prohibit joint ventures with DPRK entities. The Moscow-based Golden Autumn Agroholding is in charge of the factory’s construction in the Far East city, according to the social media account of Vladimir Sokolov, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/4-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul seeks to build blockchain-based ‘peace trade system’ with North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/seoul-seeks-to-build-blockchain-based-peace-trade-system-with-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:18:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968665</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Seoul has announced a new plan to establish a blockchain-based “peace trade system” that would allow North Korea to export minerals under international oversight, despite Pyongyang’s rejection of all inter-Korean dialogue at its recent Ninth Party Congress. The proposal is part of a “Korean Peninsula Peace Package” that the Unification Ministry released on Friday, laying [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/MOU_CDY_policyinitiatives-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean doctors illegally working at clinics in Russia and Kyrgyzstan</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-doctors-illegally-working-at-clinics-in-russia-and-kyrgyzstan/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:02:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Investigations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968664</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean practitioners of traditional medicine are working at clinics in Russia and Central Asia, an NK News investigation has found, in what appear to be rare examples of the DPRK exporting skilled labor in violation of U.N. sanctions. In one case, a hospital in Moscow openly advertised the services of a DPRK physician, releasing [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/1-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean and Russian cyber actors may be teaming up. So must allies.</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-and-russian-cyber-actors-are-teaming-up-so-must-allies/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joseph Jarnecki | Pia Hüsch]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 05:50:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968568</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Editor’s note: The following article is an opinion piece by Pia Hüsch and Joseph Jarnecki of the Royal United Services Institute, based on their research paper entitled “Strengthening UK–South Korea Cyber Security Cooperation.” Views expressed in opinion articles are exclusively the author’s own and do not represent those of NK News. Emerging evidence of cooperation [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/NK-Russia-cyber-cooperation-UK-ROK-response-op-ed-feature-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>China’s repatriation of North Koreans may be crimes against humanity: Report</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/chinas-repatriation-of-north-koreans-may-be-crimes-against-humanity-report/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:53:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968642</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[China’s forced repatriations of North Korean defectors could amount to crimes against humanity under international law, according to a new report that documented cases of abuse, including forced abortions and physical beatings. In its report released Thursday, the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) states that Chinese security officials’ actions targeting a group [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/KakaoTalk_Photo_2026-03-05-17-30-27-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US and Russia clash over North Korean nukes at UN forum</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/us-and-russia-clash-over-north-korean-nukes-at-un-forum/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 07:54:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968635</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The United States and Russia clashed over North Korea’s nuclear program at a major international forum this week, with Moscow defending its ally’s nuclear arsenal and demanding the U.N. watchdog stop releasing “speculative” reports on its enrichment activities. The head of the U.S. mission in Vienna condemned the DPRK’s nuclear program as unlawful and called [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Untitled-design-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee Jae Myung dismisses talk of strikes on North Korea like those on Iran</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/lee-jae-myung-dismisses-talk-of-strikes-on-north-korea-like-those-on-iran/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:34:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968619</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has dismissed speculation that U.S.-style military strikes similar to Iran could be directed at North Korea, warning that such rhetoric risks destabilizing the Korean Peninsula and urging officials to focus on maintaining peace. Lee made the remarks during a special Cabinet meeting on Thursday focused on the administration’s response [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/operationepicfury_LJM-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean education officials visit Chinese school furniture factory</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-education-officials-visit-chinese-school-furniture-factory/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 04:43:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968600</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A North Korean delegation visited a Chinese factory producing classroom desks and chairs, highlighting Pyongyang’s interest in modernizing schools through potential imports of Chinese supplies. A short video posted on Chinese social media platform Douyin on March 3 showed North Korean Ministry of Education officials touring a factory owned by the Hebei Comnenir Furniture Sales [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/2-2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un oversees cruise missile test from new destroyer ahead of deployment</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/kim-jong-un-oversees-cruise-missile-test-from-new-warship-ahead-of-deployment/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:45:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968577</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw cruise missile launches from the Choe Hyon destroyer on the west coast on Wednesday, according to state media, as part of testing before the warship&#8217;s commissioning. He also boarded the “nuclear armed” vessel for maneuverability and navigation system tests on Tuesday, and attended sniper shooting competition that day [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/rodong-mar5-2026-kju-warship-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea, Russian nukes are ‘primary existential threat’ to US: Pentagon</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-russian-nukes-are-primary-existential-threat-to-us-pentagon/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:37:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968532</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean and Russian nuclear weapons constitute the “primary existential threat” facing the U.S., Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby told lawmakers on Tuesday, defending the Trump administration’s push for Seoul to take the lead in conventional defense planning against Pyongyang. Colby made the remarks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the 2026 National [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/colby_mar4senatehearing-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea to hold elections for rubber-stamp parliament after two-year delay</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-to-hold-elections-for-rubber-stamp-parliament-after-two-year-delay/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:16:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968554</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea will hold elections for its rubber-stamp parliament this month after a nearly two-year delay, in what appears to be rapid preparations for endorsing new plans laid out at the Ninth Party Congress. State media on Wednesday released two decrees from the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA), which set the date [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/edited_2019-03-11_kcna_north-korean_ballot_spa-election-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>How Kim Yo Jong’s secretive new job helps her brother solidify control</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/how-kim-yo-jongs-secretive-new-job-helps-her-brother-solidify-control/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:55:57 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968535</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The promotion of the North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo Jong has put her in charge of a highly secretive party organ that plays a central role in overseeing the implementation of state policies, as well as in governing the flow of information to and from the leader. In other words, to get to Kim [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/10-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>UN announces 8 new sanctions exemptions for humanitarian aid to North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/un-announces-8-new-sanctions-exemptions-for-humanitarian-aid-to-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 05:33:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968523</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.N. announced eight new sanctions exemptions to support humanitarian assistance bound for North Korea, in the first wave of approvals since the U.S. reversed course on blocking aid last month. On Tuesday, the website of the U.N. Security Council’s 1718 Committee overseeing DPRK sanctions was updated to reflect the new exemptions awarded to multiple [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Pediatric-check-up_UNICEF_Simon-Nazer-2018-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia asked for North Korean POWs in prisoner exchange, lawmaker says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/russia-asked-for-north-korean-pows-in-prisoner-exchange-lawmaker-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:34:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968496</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia has repeatedly sought the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war during prisoner exchanges with Ukraine, according to an ROK lawmaker, warning that they are in danger of forced repatriation. Kyiv has confirmed that Russia included the two POWs detained in Ukraine in lists of prisoners to be exchanged, Yu Yong-weon of the conservative [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/01/4-3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea reveals first-known Kim Jong Un sculpture, boosting personality cult</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-reveals-first-known-kim-jong-un-sculpture-boosting-personality-cult/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:30:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968507</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean state TV has revealed a new sculpture depicting Kim Jong Un at a groundbreaking ceremony, in what appears to be the first such artwork of the country’s current leader. “A statue of Chairman Kim Jong Un appeared this time on Korean Central Television (KCTV), and to our knowledge it was the first time [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/2026-02-28_kctv_%EA%B9%80%EC%A0%95%EC%9D%80-%EB%8F%99%EC%83%81._-%EC%A1%B0%EA%B0%81___%EC%A1%B0%EC%84%A0%EB%A1%9C%EB%8F%99%EB%8B%B9-%EC%A0%9C9%EC%B0%A8%EB%8C%80%ED%9A%8C%EA%B8%B0%EB%85%90-%EA%B5%AD%EA%B0%80%EB%8F%84%EC%84%9C-%EB%B0%8F-%EB%AF%B8%EC%88%A0%EC%A0%84%EB%9E%8C%ED%9A%8C-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian TV touts North Korean troops&#8217; ‘selfless’ sacrifice after US strikes Iran</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/russian-tv-touts-north-korean-troops-selfless-sacrifice-after-us-strikes-iran/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:46:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968469</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russian state TV aired footage of half-dressed North Korean soldiers practicing martial arts and glorifying suicide over capture in a segment on Sunday, praising the DPRK as the “only country” that has come to Russia’s aid. The segment ran during a two-hour show that largely focused on U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, with an expert telling [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/%D0%90%D1%83%D1%84%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%B2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>China seizes 100 tons of frogs and scallops, possibly from North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/china-seizes-100-tons-of-frogs-and-scallops-possibly-from-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 04:06:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968242</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A 100-ton shipment of scallops and frogs recently seized by China’s coast guard may have originated from North Korea, according to NK News analysis. The Chinese coast guard said it seized a ship carrying the Yezzo scallops and Dybowski’s frogs on Feb. 21. Twenty-seven suspects were detained and two trucks were seized in connection to [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/3-7-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea has finished new facility at nuclear complex, watchdog says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-has-finished-new-facility-at-nuclear-complex-watchdog-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 03:50:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968447</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has completed external construction of a new facility at its main nuclear research center in Yongbyon, according to the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, while continuing to operate its nuclear reactors in support of uranium enrichment. In a statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors on Monday, Director-General [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/IAEA-Director-General-Rafael-Grossi-statement_IAEA-20260302-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ankit Panda: North Korea’s deterrence calculus after US strikes on Iran</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/ankit-panda-north-koreas-deterrence-calculus-after-us-strikes-on-iran/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 02:53:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968446</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[International security expert Ankit Panda joins the podcast this week to unpack the latest U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran and what they could mean for North Korea’s deterrence thinking. The conversation covers what does and doesn’t translate to the Korean Peninsula: the impact of geography and escalation dynamics, why saturation tactics and interceptor “magazine depth” matter [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-ankit-panda-north-koreas-deterrence-calculus-after-us-strikes-on-iran.mp3" length="22910522" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kcna-feb26-2026-kju-9th-congress-day7-final-day-military-parade-9-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why Khamenei’s death could spell the end of North Korea’s friendship with Iran</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/why-khameneis-death-could-spell-the-end-of-north-koreas-friendship-with-iran/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:43:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968423</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after a series of U.S. and Israeli attacks over the weekend has left a void at the top of Tehran’s power structure — and taken one of North Korea’s longest-lasting international partners off the board. Khamenei’s relationship with the DPRK goes back decades, anchored by a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/KhameneiDPRK-featured-image-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Indonesian ambassador to North Korea takes up post in Pyongyang</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/new-indonesian-ambassador-to-north-korea-takes-up-post-in-pyongyang/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:53:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968397</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The new Indonesian ambassador to North Korea has arrived in Pyongyang to lead the embassy, heralding the full resumption of diplomatic activities that were suspended since the pandemic. Indonesian Ambassador to North Korea Gina Yoginda cut a ribbon at the entrance of the reopened mission and toured the facility in Pyongyang on Feb. 21, according [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Trump-100-days-2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee urges North Korea to return to talks, rejects ‘unification by absorption’</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/lee-urges-north-korea-to-return-to-talks-rejects-unification-by-absorption/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 07:27:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968400</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung urged North Korea on Sunday to return to dialogue so the two countries can “leave behind the dark past and move forward together toward a new future,” repudiating the goal of unification by force. Lee’s speech to mark March 1 Independence Movement Day came days after Pyongyang reaffirmed that [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/LJM_march1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un lauds cement factory near capital for supporting construction goals</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/kim-jong-un-lauds-cement-factory-near-capital-for-supporting-construction-goals/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 07:14:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968393</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a key cement production plant near the capital on Sunday, stressing the facility’s role in achieving the “gigantic” construction tasks laid out at last week’s Ninth Party Congress. Kim delivered a “significant speech of encouragement” to workers at the Sangwon Cement Complex, describing them as “ardent revolutionaries” who [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/edited_2026-03-02_samgwon-cement-complex_kim-jong-un_speech-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea has sent 5K containers of munitions to Russia since August: Seoul</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korea-has-sent-5k-containers-of-munitions-to-russia-since-august-seoul/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:56:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968381</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has supplied Russia with around 5,000 containers of munitions over the last six months, the ROK military has assessed, underscoring Pyongyang’s continued support for the war against Ukraine. The new shipments bring the number of containers that the DPRK has provided to roughly 33,000 as of February, up from 28,000 containers in August, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>UNICEF says it completed two drinking water projects in North Korea last year</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/unicef-says-it-completed-two-drinking-water-projects-in-north-korea-last-year/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 05:41:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968263</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[UNICEF completed two water supply projects to provide access to safe drinking water for over 23,000 North Koreans last year, according to an agency spokesperson. The pair of gravity-fed water systems provide water to five schools and four health care facilities in two counties across two North Korean provinces, Eliane Luthi of UNICEF East Asia [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-27-at-5.01.00-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea condemns US attacks on Iran but doesn’t mention Khamenei’s death</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/03/north-korean-condemns-us-attacks-on-iran-but-doesnt-mention-khameneis-death/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 04:04:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968369</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea slammed the U.S. and Israel on Sunday for launching a “war of aggression” against Iran a day earlier without mentioning Tehran’s retaliatory strikes and the death of Iran’s supreme leader. In a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesperson strongly condemned Washington and Tel Aviv’s “shameless [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/03/Destroyed-girls-school-in-southern-Iran_Iran-FM-20260228-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un takes daughter to firing range with new rifles after Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-alongside-daughter-fires-sniper-rifles-following-party-congress/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Feb 2026 01:52:42 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968342</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, alongside his daughter, presented key party officials and military commanders with newly developed sniper rifles following the Ninth Party Congress.  The ruling party daily Rodong Sinmun reported Saturday that members of the Political Bureau Presidium and other senior military and ruling party officials, including the leader’s sister Kim Yo [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/rodong-feb28-2026-kju-daughter-kja-sniper-rifle-gift-ceremony-drills-6-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>29 photos show North Korea wrapping up Party Congress with extravagant parade</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/gallery/29-photos-show-north-korea-wrapping-up-party-congress-with-extravagant-parade/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:10:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?post_type=gallery&#038;p=968289</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea wrapped up its weeklong Ninth Party Congress on Wednesday by reinforcing leader Kim Jong Un’s military modernization drive, formally rejecting ties with South Korea and signaling openness to talks with the U.S. only if Washington recognizes Pyongyang’s “irreversible” nuclear status. Addressing about 5,000 delegates on the last day of the event, Kim said [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/dprksoldiercrying_parade_feb26kctv-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>What we didn’t see at the Party Congress, from Kim Jong Un’s child to nuke power</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/what-we-didnt-see-at-the-party-congress-from-kim-jong-uns-child-to-nuke-power/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 09:44:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968267</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress came to a close on Wednesday, culminating in a series of foreign policy, economic and military announcements that largely met expectations.  Yet for all the predictable outcomes centered on themes of continuity and consolidation, the congress was also notable for several widely anticipated developments that failed to materialize. These range [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/What-we-did-not-see-at-the-Ninth-Congress_featured_clean-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US says it’s open to talks with North Korea, responding to Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/us-says-its-open-to-talks-with-north-korea-responding-to-party-congress/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 09:10:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968259</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. has confirmed that it is open to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions, according to Seoul’s foreign ministry, after Kim Jong Un left the door open to talks if the U.S. doesn’t insist on denuclearization. Washington “reaffirmed its openness to dialogue with North Korea without preconditions” and will “maintain close cooperation and continuous [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Trump-100-days-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia spent $166K to fly late envoy’s remains from North Korea, records suggest</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/russia-spent-166k-to-fly-late-envoys-remains-from-north-korea-records-suggest/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:55:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Investigations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968266</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia spent over $160,000 on an emergency flight to North Korea days after Ambassador Alexander Matsegora’s death, official records show, suggesting the Kremlin dispatched the aircraft to repatriate the envoy’s remains. NK News was the first to report on the Dec. 13 flight by an Ilyushin Il-76TD (tail number RA-76363) belonging to Russia&#8217;s Ministry of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/2-4-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why an American once detained in North Korea wants to broadcast into the country</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/why-an-american-once-detained-in-north-korea-wants-to-broadcast-into-the-country/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 04:10:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967858</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A former American missionary who was detained in North Korea for over two years is preparing to launch a new radio station targeting the DPRK people, framing it as a response to U.S. funding cuts for cross-border broadcasting. In an interview with NK News, Kenneth Bae discussed the project’s goal of reaching North Koreans both [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Gaming-cafe-in-Pyongyang-3-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Roundtable: What we learned from North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/roundtable-what-we-learned-from-north-koreas-ninth-party-congress/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko | Jacco Zwetsloot | Jeongmin Kim | NK News | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 01:14:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968239</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[In this special roundtable edition of the NK News podcast, the team sits down to discuss the results of North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress, the messaging behind the latest parade in Pyongyang and what leadership reshuffles may signal for the country’s domestic and foreign policy direction.  The panel explores why this congress focused less on [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-roundtable-what-we-learned-from-north-koreas-ninth-party-congress.mp3" length="42497763" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kcna-feb24-2026-kju-1st-enlarged-plenum-of-9th-congress-day5-meeting-5-podium-vote-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Expert roundup: What the Ninth Party Congress revealed about North Korea’s plans</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/expert-roundup-what-the-ninth-party-congress-revealed-about-north-koreas-plans/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:13:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968182</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea concluded its weeklong Ninth Party Congress on Wednesday by cementing leader Kim Jong Un’s ambitious military modernization agenda, permanently rejecting ties with South Korea and leaving the door open to talks with the U.S. — but only if Washington accepts Pyongyang’s “nuclear status.” Kim told some 5,000 delegates that the country’s “irreversible” nuclear [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kju_ninthpartycongresskcna_feb262026-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why North Korea all but ignored Russia ties at the Ninth Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/why-north-korea-all-but-ignored-russia-ties-at-the-ninth-party-congress/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:31:53 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968213</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress all but ignored key alliances with Russia and China, avoiding policy specifics and any mention of its foreign friends by name. But experts say the DPRK’s silence at the important political event should not be interpreted as a snub, arguing that Pyongyang will only deepen its alignment with the two [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/8-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul to seek peace despite North Korea’s ‘hostility’ at Party Congress: Lee</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/seoul-to-seek-peace-despite-north-koreas-hostility-at-party-congress-lee/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:44:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968187</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Seoul will continue to pursue peaceful coexistence with North Korea, President Lee Jae Myung said on Thursday, despite Pyongyang’s rejection of all ties with the “hostile” South at the Ninth Party Congress. “Longstanding hostility and confrontational attitudes cannot be erased by a single groundbreaking measure,” he said during a meeting with senior officials at the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Featured-Image-Empty-2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Anti-satellite weapons, AI tech headline North Korea’s new military wish list</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/anti-satellite-weapons-ai-tech-headline-north-koreas-new-military-wishlist/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 04:29:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968172</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea announced a new list of weapons systems to be developed over the next five years on the final day of the Ninth Party Congress on Wednesday, including anti-satellite systems and unmanned systems utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), according to state media. The five-point list also includes land and sea-launched long-range nuclear missiles, military satellites [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kctv-kju-icbm-launch-nov1-2024-satellite-orbit-oct7-2021-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un leaves door open to talks if US accepts North Korea’s nuclear status</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-leaves-door-open-to-talks-if-us-accepts-north-koreas-nuclear-status/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 23:04:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968144</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un left the door open for future negotiations with the U.S. if it accepts Pyongyang’s “irreversible” nuclear status, while rejecting all engagement with South Korea, state media reported after the conclusion of the Ninth Party Congress. Kim warned that Pyongyang is fully prepared for either “peaceful coexistence or eternal confrontation” [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/north-korea-ninth-party-congress-ends-day-7-kju-kim-jong-un-pyongyang-rodong-sinmun-feb-26-2026-photos-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea holds post-congress military parade with no weapons procession</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-koreas-ninth-party-congress-ends-military-parade-held/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 22:28:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968136</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea held a military parade on Wednesday night featuring over 14,000 troops but no procession of nuclear missiles or other weapons, according to state media, following the conclusion of the Ninth Party Congress earlier in the day. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Thursday that leader Kim Jong Un delivered a speech [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kju-north-korea-ninth-party-congress-military-parade-kim-il-sung-square-pyongyang-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trump makes no mention of North Korea in State of the Union speech</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/trump-makes-no-mention-of-north-korea-in-state-of-the-union-speech/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:18:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968110</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[President Donald Trump did not mention North Korea in his first State of the Union address since returning to office on Tuesday, despite previously signaling his interest in meeting Kim Jong Un to restart dialogue. Trump’s speech to Congress focused on his administration’s economic achievements, domestic border issues and international conflicts, namely how the U.S. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-25-at-4.01.13-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US, South Korea to hold spring drills on countering North Korea from March 9</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/us-south-korea-to-hold-spring-drills-on-countering-north-korea-from-march-9/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:19:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968115</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. and South Korea will hold large-scale springtime military drills on countering North Korean threats from March 9 to 19, the allies announced on Wednesday. The announcement followed reports that Seoul was pushing to delay or scale back the annual Freedom Shield exercise to support diplomacy with Pyongyang, with the allies stating that training [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/ROK-US2026FSannouncement-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Zealand sanctions North Korean military firms, targeting support for Russia</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/new-zealand-sanctions-north-korean-military-firms-targeting-support-for-russia/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:07:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968114</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[New Zealand has slapped new sanctions on two North Korean military firms, part of a broader effort alongside allies to stem support for Russia’s military on the fourth anniversary of the Ukraine war. These new sanctions target Moscow’s allies like North Korea, Belarus and Iran, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a release on Tuesday.  [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/2-2-1870x1000-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea’s Party Congress continues meetings on next five-year plan</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-koreas-party-congress-continues-meetings-on-next-five-year-plan/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 06:37:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968101</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress continued sector-level meetings on the sixth day of proceedings on Tuesday, according to state media, while suggesting these may carry into Wednesday amid questions over when the event will conclude. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that party cadres “intensified the discussion on the orientation and plans of the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kctv-feb24-2026-9th-party-congress-sectoral-meetings-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un’s reelection, Kim Yo Jong’s promotion and changes at the top</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-uns-reelection-kim-yo-jongs-promotion-and-changes-at-the-top/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | Joon Ha Park | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:09:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968099</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[NK News Correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to discuss the ongoing Ninth Party Congress, which kicked off last week in Pyongyang The conversation breaks down key developments from the congress so far, including Kim Jong Un’s reappointment as general secretary of the Workers’ Party, the promotion of younger loyal cadres and the sidelining [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-kim-jong-uns-reelection-kim-yo-jongs-promotion-and-changes-at-the-top.mp3" length="16583883" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Ninth-Central-Committee_KJU-at-1st-Plenary-Meeting-001_KCNA-20260224-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea scholar Andrei Lankov detained in Latvia before lecture</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korea-scholar-andrei-lankov-detained-in-latvia-before-lecture/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 01:59:27 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968085</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea scholar Andrei Lankov was detained in Latvia and expelled from the country on Tuesday, just before the start of a public lecture in Riga. Lankov, a Russian and Australian national, confirmed his detention to NK News. “About thirty minutes before the event, police and immigration came and told me that the foreign ministry [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Untitled-design-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ROK envoy urges North Korea to comply with nuclear treaty, return to talks</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/rok-envoy-urges-north-korea-to-comply-with-nuclear-treaty-return-to-talks/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:38:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968071</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Seoul’s nuclear envoy urged North Korea to comply with the landmark international treaty constraining nuclear development and return to dialogue on Monday, reiterating the South’s commitment to peace and denuclearization. Vice Minister for Diplomatic Strategy and Intelligence Jeong Yeon-doo made the call for Pyongyang to abide by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and U.N. Security [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/14_18missilesalvo-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian Embassy in Seoul cancels rally on 4th anniversary of Ukraine war</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/russian-embassy-in-seoul-cancels-rally-on-4th-anniversary-of-ukraine-war/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:24:27 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968064</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The Russian Embassy in Seoul appeared to cancel an expected outdoor war rally on the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, moving it behind closed doors amid pressure over its growing military ties with North Korea.  Bystanders, police officers and protesters told NK News that the embassy scaled back the event in support of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/1-4-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>A voice from beyond: How radio inspired a North Korean soldier to escape</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/a-voice-from-beyond-how-radio-inspired-a-north-korean-soldier-to-escape/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 02:21:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966740</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kang Min-kook was a truck driver in the North Korean army when he tuned the radio and discovered, to his surprise, that it could pick up messages from the outside world. Years later, he now credits those South Korean broadcasts with opening his mind to the lies of the Kim regime and inspiring him to [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/north-korean-soldiers-railroad-tracks-walking-firearms-snow-nknews-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea debuts China-style name badges at Ninth Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korea-debuts-china-style-name-badges-at-ninth-party-congress/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 01:48:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Misc.]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968039</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Delegates to North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress began wearing red conference badges for the first time this week, adopting a practice that closely resembles those of Chinese Communist Party gatherings. Photos and videos released by DPRK state media have shown delegates seated in the assembly hall wearing rectangular red badges clipped below the customary pins [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/1-5-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean leader promotes sister Kim Yo Jong to department director</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korean-leader-promotes-sister-kim-yo-jong-to-department-director/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 23:41:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968029</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has promoted his younger sister Kim Yo Jong to lead a party department after years serving as a deputy, according to state media on Tuesday. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) revealed Kim Yo Jong was appointed director of an unspecified department at the first plenary meeting of the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kcna-jul27-kju-paektusan-pistols-guns-war-anniv-rodong-kim-yo-jong-kyj-crop-featured2-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un vows to accelerate development, slams ‘extreme negligence’</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-vows-to-accelerate-state-development-slamming-extreme-negligence/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 23:09:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=968017</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to accelerate development and ensure that “more substantial benefits” reach the public in a speech on the fifth day of the Ninth Party Congress, criticizing “extreme negligence” in the management of newly built facilities. Kim’s remarks appeared to point to problems with his signature regional development initiative, which [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/KJU-concluding-speech-at-Ninth-Congress_Rodong-20260224-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>South Korea denies skipping US-Japan air drills aimed at deterring North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/south-korea-denies-skipping-us-japan-air-drills-aimed-at-deterring-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:04:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967977</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s military denied it declined to participate in air drills with the U.S. and Japan last week, following a news report suggesting a territorial dispute with Tokyo led Seoul to skip a planned trilateral exercise on deterring North Korean threats. The U.S.-Japan air exercise conducted Feb. 16 and 18 was unrelated to South Korea’s [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/484175046_958667943112946_4148527564573148751_n-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Top aide to Kim Jong Un cut from key post amid reshuffle of veteran officials</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/top-aide-to-kim-jong-un-cut-from-key-post-amid-reshuffle-of-veteran-officials/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:51:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967998</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A top North Korean official described as Kim Jong Un’s right-hand man has been excluded from a key party leadership committee, according to NK News analysis of state media, part of a series of reshuffles that appears aimed at replacing veteran officials with younger cadres. State media reported on Monday that the Ninth Party Congress [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2022/04/kctv-apr10-kju-10th-anniversary-party-first-secretary-national-meeting-officials-choe-ryong-hae-podium-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Xi congratulates Kim Jong Un on reelection as North Korea’s party leader</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/xi-congratulates-kim-jong-un-on-reelection-as-north-koreas-party-leader/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:35:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967980</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday over his reelection as general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) at the Ninth Party Congress, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry.  Xi sent the congratulatory message praising the WPK for uniting the Korean people and having achieved “new accomplishments” for [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/xi_kju_sep4kcna-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul demands Russian Embassy remove pro-war banner, citing North Korea ties</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/seoul-demands-russian-embassy-remove-pro-war-banner-citing-north-korea-ties/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:30:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967972</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The Russian Embassy in South Korea has hung a pro-war banner outside its building in Seoul, leading the ROK government to demand its removal in line with its opposition to the Ukraine war and Moscow’s military cooperation with North Korea. The 15-meter-long banner on display for nearly two weeks has drawn attention with its slogan [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Banner-featured-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un reelected as North Korean party leader, praised for nuke stance</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-reelected-as-north-korean-party-leader-praised-for-nuke-stance/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:11:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967944</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s Ninth Party Congress reelected Kim Jong Un as general secretary of the Workers’ Party on the fourth day of the ongoing event on Sunday, according to state media, in addition to finalizing the next Central Committee roster and agreeing on revised party rules. In a lengthy speech praising the dictator ahead of his [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/rodong-sinmun-feb-23-2026-ninth-party-congress-day-four-kju-reelection-general-secretary-photos-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un gives mic to top diplomat, local official on day 3 of Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-gives-mic-to-top-diplomat-local-official-on-day-3-of-party-congress/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2026 00:23:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967930</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promoted a “new fighting strategy” to guide the country on the third day of the Ninth Party Congress, while top officials handling rural development and Russia ties took the stage to continue the ruling party’s optimistic review of past performance. In a brief report on Sunday, the Korean Central [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kju1_congressday3_kcna-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea hails ‘remarkable successes’ at day two of Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-acclaims-offensive-struggle-at-ninth-party-congress-second-day/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 23:43:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967909</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a review of the country’s policies and achievements on the second day of the Ninth Party Congress on Friday, heralding the last five years as a period of “great transformations” that saw “remarkable successes” across “all fields.” In a short report on Saturday, the Korean Central News Agency [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kjureport_seconddayofcongress_feb21kcna-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea kicks off Party Congress with pomp and circumstance — in photos</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/gallery/north-korea-kicks-off-party-congress-with-pomp-and-circumstance-in-photos/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:09:42 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?post_type=gallery&#038;p=967882</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s much-anticipated Ninth Party Congress kicked off in Pyongyang on Thursday, marking just the third time the country has held a congress during Kim Jong Un’s 15-year rule. Kim opened the proceedings with an optimistic speech on the country’s economy and vowed to fix “deep-rooted” incompetence within party ranks, according to state media on [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kju_applauding-ninthpartycongressday1_feb202026-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ukrainian national sentenced to prison for aiding North Korean IT workers</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/ukrainian-national-sentenced-to-prison-for-aiding-north-korean-it-workers/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 06:03:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967871</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Ukrainian national has been sentenced to five years in prison for helping North Korean IT workers infiltrate dozens of American companies in a scheme that stole the identities of hundreds of people, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia sentenced Oleksandr Didenko, 29, after [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/03/North-Koreans-using-computers_Yaksu-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea trumpets congratulations from Russia, China for Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korea-trumpets-congratulations-from-russia-china-for-party-congress/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 03:02:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967874</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has trumpeted congratulatory messages from Russia and China’s ruling parties for the start of the Ninth Party Congress, signaling Pyongyang’s continued prioritization of ties with Moscow and Beijing. The letters from Dmitry Medvedev, chairman of the United Russia party, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China appeared together on page [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/1-3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea opens Ninth Party Congress with optimistic message on economy</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korea-opens-ninth-party-congress-with-optimistic-message-on-economy/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2026 22:01:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967863</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea&#8217;s ruling party opened the Ninth Party Congress on Thursday, according to state media, where leader Kim Jong Un made an optimistic speech on the country&#8217;s future and vowed to fix &#8220;deep-rooted&#8221; incompetence. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday that 5,000 party members and other delegates at the congress will first &#8220;review&#8221; [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/rodong-feb20-2026-9th-congress-day1-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Yoon Suk Yeol sentenced to life in prison over martial law decree</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/yoon-suk-yeol-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-over-martial-law-decree/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:33:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967844</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Seoul court found former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of being the “ringleader of an insurrection” and sentenced him to life imprisonment on Thursday, more than a year after his failed attempt to impose martial law to counter alleged “pro-North Korea” forces.  Presiding Judge Jee Kui-youn of the Seoul Central District Court [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/yoonsukyeol_sentenced-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un vows to ‘open new service sectors’ at launch of construction project</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-vows-to-open-new-service-sectors-at-launch-of-construction-project/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2026 07:19:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967835</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the fifth stage of construction in the Hwasong area of Pyongyang on Wednesday, according to state media, where he promised to open more “service sectors” to meet growing public demand. The possible reference to economic reforms comes after Kim relaxed government restrictions on private [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/rodong-feb19-2026-kju-hwasong-area-stage5-construction-groundbreaking-ceremony-mystery-campus-4-copy-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean leader’s sister praises Seoul’s apology for drones, renews threats</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korean-leaders-sister-praises-seouls-apology-for-drones-renews-threats/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2026 05:40:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967830</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The North Korean leader’s influential sister Kim Yo Jong expressed appreciation on Thursday for South Korea’s acknowledgement of repeated civilian drone incursions across the border, but warned of “terrible consequences” if there are further incidents.  In a statement released through the state-owned Korean Central News Agency, Kim commended South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young for [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2022/08/KCTV-kim-yo-jong-speech-220811-zoom-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Asian youth table tennis tournament relocated from North Korea to Oman</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/asian-youth-table-tennis-tournament-relocated-from-north-korea-to-oman/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Feb 2026 03:59:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967820</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A youth table tennis tournament scheduled to be held in North Korea later this year has been relocated to Oman, following reports that the organizer was unable to secure entry visas for mandatory inspections. The 30th Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships will take place from June 22-28 Muscat, Oman, rather than in Pyongyang as originally [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/1-4-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un formally deploys 50 new tactical nuke launchers at ceremony</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-formally-deploys-50-new-tactical-nuke-launchers-at-ceremony/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 21:45:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967801</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un officially deployed 50 new launch vehicles for the country&#8217;s 600mm rocket system at a ceremony on Wednesday, according to state media, a type of missile primarily targeting South Korea that allegedly “incorporates artificial intelligence (AI)” and can be equipped with nuclear warheads. The 50 wheeled transporter erector launch vehicles [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/rodong-feb19-2026-kju-600mm-mlrs-ceremony-4-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul pushes to restore no-fly zone after alleged drone flights into North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/seoul-pushes-to-restore-no-fly-zone-after-alleged-drone-flights-into-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:21:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967793</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea will toughen penalties for illegal drone flights and move to restore a no-fly zone near the border to prevent inter-Korean incidents, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young announced Wednesday, formally expressing regret to North Korea over alleged drone incursions. Following a meeting with security-related ministers, the Lee Jae Myung administration decided to issue an official [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/CDY_drone-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean officials receive credentials ahead of Ninth Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korean-officials-receive-credentials-ahead-of-ninth-party-congress/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 06:38:27 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967779</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Delegates to North Korea’s upcoming Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party received their official credentials in Pyongyang on Tuesday, signaling the country’s most important political gathering in five years is just days away. The state-owned Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday that a ceremony to confer certificates to the participants took place the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Ninth-Party-Congress-delegates-certificate-ceremony-001_KCNA-20260218-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Monster vs. hero: New North Korean thriller makes evil more compelling than good</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/monster-vs-hero-new-north-korean-thriller-makes-evil-more-compelling-than-good/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tatiana Gabroussenko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 03:03:42 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967474</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A new North Korean political thriller released last month offers a fresh take on the spy genre told from the perspective of a traitor, reasserting but also subtly subverting the logic of the DPRK’s notorious caste system. Released by North Korea&#8217;s 4.25 Art Film Studio, “Days and Nights of Confrontation” first aired on state TV [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/days-and-nights-of-confrontation-north-korean-film-review-jan-2026-screenshots-8-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul clings to hope for an empty train station, a symbol of inter-Korean ties</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/seoul-clings-to-hope-for-an-empty-train-station-a-symbol-of-inter-korean-ties/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ifang Bremer]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 02:34:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967762</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The floor of the departure hall at South Korea’s Jejin Station is spotless, almost gleaming. Outside, the rails are free of weeds. Everything about it suggests a place waiting for travellers.  Except this station, perched on the North Korea border, has not seen a single train or passenger in nearly a decade. Now, the Lee [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/jejin-station-interkorean-railway-cooperation-feature-jan-2026-nknews-3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Takaichi renews pledge to seek summit with Kim Jong Un after election win</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/takaichi-renews-pledge-to-seek-summit-with-kim-jong-un-after-election-win/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:01:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967755</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday reaffirmed her desire to meet Kim Jong Un face-to-face to resolve the decades-old issue of North Korea’s abduction of Japanese nationals, a week after a runaway election win strengthened her mandate. During a meeting with families of abduction victims at her official residence, Takaichi pledged to “exhaust every [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Sanae-TakaichiAbductees-families_Takaichi-X-20260216-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Puppies and PC games: Kim Jong Un promotes ‘modern’ living at housing ceremony</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/puppies-and-pc-games-kim-jong-un-promotes-modern-living-at-housing-ceremony/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 05:12:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967710</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promoted puppies and computer games for residents of a new residential skyscraper district in the capital on Monday, according to state media, celebrating the claimed completion of his five-year, 50,000-home project. State propaganda’s focus on the Hwasong Area’s latest consumer options appears to be part of Kim’s recent push [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kcna-feb17-2026-kju-hwasong-area-street-10k-homes-50k-final-stage4-opening-ceremony-23-copy-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>How the Party Congress became North Korea’s biggest political event</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/how-the-party-congress-became-north-koreas-biggest-political-event/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Fyodor Tertitskiy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 04:21:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967689</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea is slated to convene its Ninth Party Congress any day now, and on paper, it might sound like just another stiff political gathering of fawning officials in Pyongyang.  In reality, Party Congresses have always been the regime’s favored stage for big announcements, subtle purges and the occasional rewriting of titles, underscoring the importance [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/north-korea-party-congress-history-kis-kji-kju-ninth-party-congress-preview-featured-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Martyn Williams: How digital tech strengthens North Korean state control</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/martyn-williams-how-digital-tech-strengthens-north-korean-state-control/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Feb 2026 02:28:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967701</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea media and tech specialist Martyn Williams joins this week’s episode to discuss his trips to the inter-Korean border with NK News CEO Chad O’Carroll, which have explored how technology is reshaping control and communication in the DPRK. The conversation covers smartphones and digital infrastructure inside North Korea, including how mobile technology has expanded [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-martyn-williams-how-digital-tech-strengthens-north-korean-state-control.mp3" length="43820195" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2024/08/Untitled-design-17-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>11 Russian construction firms send flowers for ex-North Korean leader’s birthday</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/11-russian-construction-firms-send-flowers-for-ex-north-korean-leaders-birthday/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 09:53:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967680</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Nearly a dozen Russian construction firms sent floral arrangements for late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s 84th birth anniversary last week, according to state media, a sign of Pyongyang’s expanding labor exports with its key ally. Of the 11 firms that sent tribute, seven are based in Moscow and western Russia, while the remainder [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/elenanest-moscow-city-4748792_1920-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ROK defense chief inspects units near North Korea border ahead of Lunar New Year</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/rok-defense-chief-inspects-units-near-north-korea-border-ahead-of-lunar-new-year/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 07:35:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967674</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back visited front-line military units near the inter-Korean border on Sunday, seeking to reinforce military readiness against potential North Korean threats during the Lunar New Year holiday. Ahn traveled to guard post (GP) and general outpost (GOP) units of the ROK Army’s 25th Infantry Division along the central front, South [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Ahn-Gyu-back-visits-border-units-for-SeollalROK-MND-20260216-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un moves families of Ukraine war dead into new housing complex</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-moves-families-of-ukraine-war-dead-into-new-housing-complex/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 06:14:29 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967649</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his young daughter hosted a ceremony on Sunday to move the families of soldiers killed fighting Ukraine into new apartments in the capital, according to state media, days after Kim inspected a war cemetery and museum under construction nearby. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Monday on [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kcna-feb16-2026-kju-saebyol-street-saeppyol-homes-apartments-opening-ceremony-25-kja-daughter-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chinese envoy visits North Korea’s Wonsan Kalma resort, raises hopes for tourism</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/chinese-envoy-visits-north-koreas-wonsan-kalma-resort-raises-hopes-for-tourism/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 04:23:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967639</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[China’s ambassador to North Korea led a delegation to the massive Wonsan Kalma beach resort over the weekend, expressing hope that Chinese tourists will be able to visit the zone that remains closed to most foreign travelers. Wang Yajun led Chinese Embassy diplomats and their family members on the visit to the east coast mega-resort [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/1-3-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hype over Kim Jong Un naming his daughter as heir runs ahead of the facts</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/hype-over-kim-jong-un-naming-his-daughter-as-heir-runs-ahead-of-the-facts/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:27:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967620</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The latest claims from South Korea’s spy agency have sparked a flurry of headlines declaring Kim Jong Un’s daughter as North Korea’s next leader, but many of these reports have jumped the gun by misrepresenting the agency’s claims. On Thursday, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) reportedly assessed at a briefing for lawmakers that the North [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/KJUdaughter-at-NYE-concert_KCNA-20260101-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Photos suggest Indonesian envoy not yet in North Korea, months after appointment</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/photos-suggest-indonesian-envoy-not-yet-in-north-korea-months-after-appointment/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 07:11:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967608</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Photos suggest the new Indonesian ambassador to North Korea still has not taken up his post in Pyongyang, two months after his appointment. Indonesia’s president appointed Gina Yoginda, a former army major general, as the ambassador to the DPRK in December, some five months after local media reported on his expected nomination. Jakarta’s foreign ministry [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Gaming-cafe-in-Pyongyang-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea draws new red line, vows attack over future airspace ‘violations’</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korea-draws-new-red-line-vows-attack-over-future-airspace-violations/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 23:51:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967597</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea threatened it will “definitely” attack South Korea next time its airspace is violated by either the military or civilians, according to a statement Friday by leader Kim Jong Un’s sister. “We give advance notice that should provocative incidents violating the sacred and inviolable sovereignty of the DPRK recur, a harsh response will definitely [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/08/kcna-jun30-kim-yo-jong-speech-politburo-meeting-kyj-scaled-1-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean diplomats actively spying on close allies China, Russia: Estonia</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korean-diplomats-actively-spying-on-close-allies-china-russia-estonia/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:04:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967592</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea is using its global diplomatic network to spy on not only Europe but also close allies like Russia and China, seeking sensitive military technology, Estonia has warned. DPRK intelligence agents are most active in Chinese cities like Beijing, Dalian and Shenyang, as well as Moscow and the Russian city of Blagoveshchensk near the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/33394931033_d56855b598_k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea could negotiate with US if conditions are met: Seoul’s spy agency</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korea-could-negotiate-with-us-if-conditions-are-met-seouls-spy-agency/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:03:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967578</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea could engage in talks with the U.S. if “conditions are met,” Seoul’s intelligence agency assessed Thursday, noting that Pyongyang has refrained from criticizing President Donald Trump.   The National Intelligence Service (NIS) told South Korean lawmakers on Thursday that the DPRK has not ruled out dialogue with Washington, despite voicing complaints over the deployment [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2024/11/TrumpKim-in-Vietnam_Trump-White-House-Archived-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia says it exported beer, tobacco to North Korea for first time in 2025</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/russia-says-it-exported-beer-tobacco-to-north-korea-for-first-time-in-2025/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:08:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967579</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia exported beer and tobacco to North Korea for the first time in 2025, new data shows, the latest sign of growing commercial exchanges between the allies. Shipments of beer amounted to $20,000 while tobacco products reached $700,000, according to the Agroexport Center, an export-promoting arm of the Russian Agriculture Ministry. The new deliveries follow [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/russian-train-north-korea-baltika-beer-red-note-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia’s Lavrov calls North Korea&#8217;s nukes the key to its prosperity</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/russias-lavrov-calls-north-koreas-nukes-the-key-to-its-prosperity/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 06:38:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967572</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons the key to the country’s prosperity on Wednesday, vowing not to let the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) adopt new resolutions targeting the DPRK. “The main guarantee of prosperity in the modern world … is, however sad it may be to acknowledge, Pyongyang’s possession [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Lavr-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean brewery appears to rebrand signature beer for export to China</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korean-brewery-appears-to-rebrand-signature-beer-for-export-to-china/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 05:59:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967559</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Marketing for a new North Korean beer has spread on Chinese social media in recent months, though an expert said the product appears to be a rebrand of an existing brew rather than a newly developed export. The beer named “Pado” (파도), meaning wave, first appeared publicly in December, when a newly registered Douyin account [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/1-2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Alec Zebrick: What 2025 taught us about North Korea’s crypto strategy</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/alec-zebrick-what-2025-taught-us-about-north-koreas-crypto-strategy/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 02:33:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967556</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Alec Zebrick of blockchain analytics company Chainalysis joins this week’s episode to break down how North Korea-linked actors are upgrading their tactics to steal cryptocurrency, why 2025 was a record year for large-scale hacks and what can be done to reduce risk. The expert explores the shift in North Korean operations toward fewer but much [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-alec-zubrick-what-2025-taught-us-about-north-koreas-crypto-strategy.mp3" length="41589929" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/11/DPRK-computer-user-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul’s restraint toward North Korea is not a sign of weakness</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/seouls-restraint-toward-north-korea-is-not-a-sign-of-weakness/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ki-ho Han]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 02:05:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967550</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Editor’s note: The following article is an opinion piece by Ki-ho Han, a research professor at the Ajou Institute of Unification Studies. Views expressed in opinion articles are exclusively the author’s own and do not represent those of NK News. Inter-Korean relations were in a sorry state when South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took office [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/ljm-south-korean-presidential-office-cheongwadae-feb-2026-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Another North Korean restaurant opens in Moscow, third in last year</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/another-north-korean-restaurant-opens-in-moscow-third-in-last-year/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:27:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Misc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967532</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Another restaurant employing North Korean nationals has opened its doors in Moscow, despite U.N. sanctions that ban the overseas employment of DPRK citizens. NK News analysis of photos and reviews posted on Yandex Maps show that the Pyongyang Rungrado restaurant in southern Moscow serves Korean dishes like cold Pyongyang noodles, bulgogi and fried rice and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/1-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ROK task force raids military command, spy agency over North Korea drone case</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/rok-task-force-raids-military-command-spy-agency-over-north-korea-drone-case/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:25:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967528</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A South Korean military-police task force investigating alleged civilian drone incursions into North Korea raided a military command and intelligence agency this week, amid allegations that officials were involved in the incident.  Three active-duty service members and a National Intelligence Service (NIS) employee suspected of involvement were booked as part of the investigation, a Korean [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/2-4-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why the US blocked humanitarian aid to North Korea, then reversed course</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/why-the-us-blocked-humanitarian-aid-to-north-korea-then-reversed-course/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:16:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967497</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[After months of silence, the U.N. Security Council’s North Korea sanctions committee suddenly reopened a long-blocked humanitarian pipeline last week — giving the green light to 17 aid projects in a single sweep. The sudden approvals by the 1718 Committee are reportedly the result of South Korean efforts to convince the U.S. to stop blocking [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/North-Korean-man-and-child_NK-News-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>How Chinese TikTok turns North Korean propaganda into memes</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/how-chinese-tiktok-turns-north-korean-propaganda-into-memes/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Feb 2026 02:48:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966002</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[In a video posted on China’s version of TikTok, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rides a white horse through a snow-covered forest near Mount Paektu. Suddenly, upbeat Chinese pop music bursts in, clashing with the revolutionary myth-making. The scene jumps again to a military parade, where ordinary Koreans fling their arms into the air [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kju-chinese-meme-featured-image-nknews-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul is reviewing its sanctions on trade with North Korea: Unification minister</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/seoul-is-reviewing-its-sanctions-on-trade-with-north-korea-unification-minister/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:24:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967491</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea is reviewing unilateral sanctions that have halted cross-border trade with North Korea since 2010, Seoul’s unification minister told lawmakers on Monday, voicing support for the U.N.’s recent decision to grant sanctions exemptions for humanitarian aid to Pyongyang. At a parliamentary hearing, Chung Dong-young said lifting the May 24 Measures would carry “significant symbolic [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-10-at-4.36.00-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul laments ‘self-inflicted’ closure of joint industrial park with North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/seoul-laments-self-inflicted-closure-of-joint-industrial-park-with-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:59:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967495</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Seoul’s Unification Ministry expressed “deep regret” over the “self-inflicted” suspension of a joint industrial complex with North Korea on Tuesday, marking the 10th anniversary of its closure. The ministry in a statement blamed conservative and progressive administrations for failing to restart the Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC) since South Korea withdrew in 2016. It called for [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2021/02/Kaesong-Industrial-Complex_Joint-Photo-Press-Corps_SK-Apparel3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russian military jet makes brief trip to North Korea for first time this year</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/russian-military-jet-makes-brief-trip-to-north-korea-for-first-time-this-year/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 06:46:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967475</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Russian military jet made a brief overnight visit to North Korea this week, just days after flying a military delegation to Abu Dhabi for peace talks with Ukraine, aviation data shows. The Ilyushin Il-62M (RA-86572) operated by the 223rd Flight Unit State Airline under Russia’s Defense Ministry touched down in Pyongyang at around 7:30 [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/1-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Epstein files, North Korean POWs and the looming Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/epstein-files-north-korean-pows-and-the-looming-party-congress/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko | David Choi | Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 06:44:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967483</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[In this episode, NK News Deputy Managing Editor David Choi and Senior Analytical Correspondent Colin Zwirko discuss newly released U.S. Justice Department files that show the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein explored possible business opportunities in North Korea. The conversation then shifts to the two North Korean prisoners of war currently held in Ukraine, including [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-epstein-files-north-korean-pows-and-the-looming-party-congress.mp3" length="14871082" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/north-korean-soldiers-pyongyang-kji-kis-statues-nknews-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US, South Korea kick off joint air training but scale back number of drills</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/us-south-korea-kick-off-joint-air-training-but-scale-back-number-of-drills/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 09:30:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967460</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. and South Korean air forces kicked off an annual series of joint air exercises on Monday, which will be held less frequently this year in a move that some are interpreting as an attempt to avoid provoking North Korea. The five-day Ssangmae Training, or Buddy Squadron exercise, is taking place at Osan Air [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/465641666_9115567365122556_7725225721385841561_n-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Record number of Russians visited North Korea in 2025, official data shows</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/record-number-of-russians-visited-north-korea-in-2025-official-data-shows/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:57:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Misc.]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967454</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[An all-time high of nearly 10,000 Russians traveled to North Korea in 2025 due to a surge in tourism and delegation visits, official data shows, while keeping the number of DPRK entries under wraps. The Russian border agency under the Federal Security Service (FSB) reported over the weekend that 9,985 Russian nationals entered North Korea [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kctv-jul13-2025-8pm-news-russian-fm-lavrov-visit-wonsan-kalma-meeting-mfa-choe-son-hui-plane-landing-ra-96018-il-96-featured-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean military will ‘widen fighting front’ this year, Kim Jong Un says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korean-military-will-widen-fighting-front-this-year-kim-jong-un-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 05:08:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967436</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared that the country’s military will “widen” its “fighting front” this year, speaking during a visit to the defense ministry on the army’s founding anniversary Sunday. “This year is a grand year of transformation, in which our military&#8217;s fighting front must widen further and we must struggle more boldly,” [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kcna-feb9-2026-highres-kju-visit-mnd-defense-ministry-kpa-78th-founding-anniv-6-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean ambassador gives rare interview to Chinese media</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korean-ambassador-gives-rare-interview-to-chinese-media/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 04:48:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967433</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s ambassador to China gave a rare interview to Chinese media at an event in Beijing last week, offering brief remarks on the &#8220;positive&#8221; outlook for bilateral ties. According to Phoenix Television, Ri Ryong Nam spoke to the outlet at a New Year reception hosted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Feb. 5.  While [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Featured-Image-Empty-14-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea to hold Party Congress in late February: State media</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korea-to-hold-party-congress-in-late-february-state-media/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Feb 2026 23:13:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967409</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea says it will convene the Ninth Party Congress in late February, a major political meeting expected to define the country’s domestic and foreign policy direction for the next five years. At a Politburo meeting attended by Kim Jong Un on Saturday, participants unanimously adopted a resolution to convene the Party Congress in Pyongyang [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Trump-100-days-1870-x-1000-px-25-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ukraine has legal obligation not to repatriate North Korean POWs: UN envoy</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/ukraine-has-legal-obligation-not-to-repatriate-north-korean-pows-un-envoy/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:10:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967390</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Ukraine has a legal obligation not to repatriate the two North Korean prisoners of war captured in battle, though the ultimate decision lies with Kyiv, according to the U.N. special envoy for North Korean human rights. “Ukraine accepted that they have the status of prisoners of war according to the Third Geneva Convention on Prisoners [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/IMG_8247-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Belarus shipped tons of meat to North Korea with help of Polish firm: Report</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/belarus-shipped-tons-of-meat-to-north-korea-with-help-of-polish-firm-report/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:02:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967395</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Belarus shipped several tons of meat products to North Korea with the help of a Polish firm late last year, according to a new report, while Pyongyang supplied automotive parts to a Belarusian truck manufacturer that also produces missile launchers. The independent Belarusian media project Zerkalo reported that the shipment worth “hundreds of thousands of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/4-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>‘New developments’ on North Korea likely in next few days, Seoul official says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/new-developments-on-north-korea-likely-in-next-few-days-seoul-official-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 05:45:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967385</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[There will likely be “some new developments” regarding North Korea within the next few days, a senior South Korean government official said Thursday, while dismissing the possibility of renewed U.S.-DPRK diplomacy in the near future. The unnamed official made the comments to South Korean reporters during ROK Foreign Minister Cho Hyun’s ongoing visit to Washington, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Cho-HyunMarco-Rubio_ROK-MOFA-20260204-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>What South Korea can do to combat North Korean disinformation before it starts</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/what-south-korea-can-do-to-combat-north-korean-disinformation-before-it-starts/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob York]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 04:23:29 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967375</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ROK President Lee Jae Myung has kicked off a process of making it easier for South Korean citizens to access North Korean media, a win for civil liberties in a country that has long restricted speech praising communism and the adversary next door. But as I previously described, Seoul’s liberalizing move also opens the door [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kctv-nov5-2025-8pm-news-samilpho-electronics-factory-computer-lab-products-display-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>In rare blunder, North Korean newspaper publishes same photo twice in one issue</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/in-rare-blunder-north-korean-newspaper-publishes-same-photo-twice-in-one-issue/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 07:06:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967362</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s leading newspaper published two identical photographs in its Tuesday edition, in what appeared to be a rare editorial oversight. In a report about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s inauguration of the new Samgwang Stockbreeding Farm in North Phyongan Province on Monday, an aerial photo of the site and Kim was published on [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Featured-Image_rodong-sinmun_edited_2026-02-03-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Poor North Koreans face harsher penalties for watching K-dramas: Report</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/poor-north-koreans-face-harsher-penalties-for-watching-k-dramas-report/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 06:44:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967323</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Impoverished North Koreans who are unable to afford bribes face the harshest punishments if caught watching South Korean TV shows, according to testimonies collected by the nongovernmental organization Amnesty International. The human rights group reported on Wednesday that the punishment for consuming South Korean dramas varies depending on the amount paid in bribes, citing new [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/40163121911_0848339566_c-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean livestock delegation tours Chinese cattle operation</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korean-livestock-delegation-tours-chinese-cattle-operation/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 06:07:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967331</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A North Korean delegation of livestock experts visited a cattle operation in China in mid-January, the latest example of Pyongyang seeking to boost its agricultural sector using Chinese technology.  Led by Kang Yong Guk, the chairman of the Korean Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry Technology Association, the delegation visited the Yunnan Huayu Biotechnology in southern [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/1-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea appears to give veiled response to human rights lawsuit in Japan</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korea-appears-to-give-veiled-response-to-human-rights-lawsuit-in-japan/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ifang Bremer]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 05:43:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967346</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has offered no official response since a Japanese court found that Pyongyang lured people to move to the country with false promises, ordering it to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. But an article published in state media days after the ruling, featuring the testimony of a resident who migrated from [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/land-of-love-hwang-jong-sun-paradise-on-earth-campaign-human-rights-cropped-2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ukraine says North Korean troops are still carrying out strikes from Russia</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/ukraine-says-north-korean-troops-are-still-carrying-out-strikes-from-russia/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:46:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967341</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean troops continue to participate in combat operations against Ukraine despite the return of several thousand soldiers to the DPRK, carrying out artillery strikes from Russia’s Kursk region, according to Kyiv’s military intelligence. The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) reported on Wednesday that a “group” of DPRK soldiers was located in Kursk and attacking [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/08/10-4-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee Sang-sin: Why most South Koreans no longer see unification as necessary</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/lee-sang-sin-why-most-south-koreans-no-longer-see-unification-as-necessary/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:33:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967293</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Lee Sang-sin of the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) returns to the podcast to discuss the results of the think tank’s annual survey, which found for the first time ever that less than half of South Korean adults think that unification with North Korea is necessary. The expert discusses how Seoul’s broad unification framework [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-lee-sang-sin-why-most-south-koreans-no-longer-see-unification-as-necessary.mp3" length="44035392" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2021/12/Screen-Shot-2021-12-09-at-4.20.05-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea backs Russian, Belarusian vision for Eurasian ‘multipolarity’</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korea-backs-russian-belarusian-vision-for-eurasian-multipolarity/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 07:27:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967316</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea joined Russia, Belarus, Iran and Myanmar in signing a joint statement on Tuesday pledging to develop a new security framework for the Eurasian region, formalizing Pyongyang’s role in a bloc of nations seeking to counter Western influence. The statement, released by Belarus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, committed the five countries to begin an [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Eurasian-Charter-logo-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US, ROK diplomats discuss North Korean denuclearization, peace efforts</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/us-rok-diplomats-discuss-north-korean-denuclearization-peace-efforts/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 07:01:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967296</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The top diplomats of the U.S. and South Korea reaffirmed their commitment to the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea on Tuesday, while discussing efforts to reengage Pyongyang. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met in Washington to discuss implementing the agreements made during President Donald Trump’s summit with [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Trump-100-days-1870-x-1000-px-23-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korean delegation visits Chinese tech firm to explore AI systems</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korean-delegation-visits-chinese-tech-firm-to-explore-ai-systems/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 04:15:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967300</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A North Korean government delegation made a two-day visit to Shenzhen in late January to meet with a Chinese technology firm, underscoring Pyongyang’s interest in upgrading education content and digital infrastructure with Chinese artificial intelligence technologies. According to press material released by the Chinese side, a delegation from the DPRK’s Ministry of Education met with [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/3-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ask a North Korean: How did you learn about major events like Party Congresses?</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/ask-a-north-korean-how-did-you-learn-about-major-events-like-party-congresses/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:47:57 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ask A North Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967287</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[“Ask a North Korean” is an NK News series featuring interviews with and columns by North Korean defectors, most of whom left the DPRK within the last few years. Readers may submit their questions for defectors by emailing ask@nknews.org and including their first name and city of residence. Today’s question asks about how North Koreans [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/aank-party-congresses-political-events-defector-experience-3-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Epstein was ‘very’ interested in North Korea business prospects, emails show</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/epstein-was-very-interested-in-north-korea-business-prospects-emails-show/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Choi]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:38:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Investigations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967264</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein said he was “very” interested in North Korean affairs and corresponded with political operatives interested in launching business ventures in Pyongyang, according to new files released by the Department of Justice. The more than 3 million partially redacted files published on Friday, part of the department’s investigation into the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/epstein-florida-doj-2009-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un admits to ‘empty’ promises on rural development, vows change</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-admits-to-empty-promises-on-rural-development-vows-change/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:19:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967236</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un opened a new dairy farm in the rural northwest on Monday, according to state media, delivering a lengthy speech on his past failures and promising he has started working to deliver “tangible” results on the regime’s “rural revolution” project. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Tuesday that Kim [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kcna-feb3-2026-kju-Samgwang-Stockbreeding-Farm-livestock-unjong-gun-opening-ceremony-rural-development-4-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Medvedev says Russia can learn from North Korea’s success under sanctions</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/medvedev-says-russia-can-learn-from-north-koreas-success-under-sanctions/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:06:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967231</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said his country could learn from North Korea’s ability to survive under international sanctions despite limited economic resources, while praising Pyongyang’s support for the invasion of Ukraine. “You said what we can learn? Perhaps, first and foremost, how to organize the rapid and effective mobilization of a country’s economic potential,” [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/qLE0lcRJI7BiAr1cxrPBADrllQL4kxuDQbfL7mUO-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Humanitarian groups say US regulations are holding back return to North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/humanitarian-groups-say-us-regulations-are-holding-back-return-to-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ifang Bremer]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 04:19:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967226</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Humanitarian aid organizations remain willing and broadly capable of returning to North Korea but are being held back primarily by U.S. and international regulatory barriers, according to a new report by the National Committee on North Korea (NCNK). Based on a closed-door conference late last year with aid groups that operated in North Korea before [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/north-korea-bus-stop-pyongyang-oct-2016-nknews-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>More Party Congress preparations, and Iran’s new envoy in North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/more-party-congress-preparations-and-irans-new-envoy-in-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 02:02:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967223</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[NK News Lead Correspondent Shreyas Reddy joins this week’s episode to discuss the formal preparations for the upcoming Ninth Party Congress, including meetings where the Central Committee has elected delegates and observers, and what signs to watch for as Pyongyang moves closer to announcing an official schedule.  He also talks about recent diplomatic activity in [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
				<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-more-party-congress-preparations-and-irans-new-envoy-in-north-korea.mp3" length="16765678" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Abbas-Talebifar-presents-credentials-to-Choe-Ryong-Hae_KCNA-20260129-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kids of North Korean origin drop out of high school at double ROK average</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kids-of-north-korean-origin-drop-out-of-high-school-at-double-rok-average/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:15:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967207</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Young North Korean defectors and the children of escapees who have resettled in the South are dropping out of high school at more than twice the rate of their peers, according to new government data, underscoring the unique challenges that these students face due to language and cultural barriers. Around 2.2% of the 2,412 students [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-5.33.56-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lawsuit alleges British American Tobacco funded North Korea-backed terrorism</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/lawsuit-alleges-british-american-tobacco-funded-north-korea-backed-terrorism/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:54:29 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967202</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Almost 200 U.S. military personnel, civilians and their families have filed a lawsuit against British American Tobacco (BAT), alleging that the tobacco giant “knowingly” financed North Korea’s weapons programs through a joint venture and indirectly supported terrorist attacks against Americans. In a complaint filed before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/North-Koreans-smoking-cigarettes-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un opens North Korea’s largest greenhouse farm to date on China border</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/kim-jong-un-opens-north-koreas-largest-greenhouse-farm-to-date-on-china-border/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:19:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967184</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un officially opened the country’s largest greenhouse farm at a ceremony on Sunday, according to state media, vowing to build the biggest and most advanced greenhouse facilities in the world. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Monday that Kim inaugurated the Sinuiju Combined Greenhouse Farm and Sinuiju Vegetable Science [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/kcna-feb2-2026-kju-opening-ceremony-sinuiju-greenhouse-farm-project-27-copy-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea men’s soccer team visits China for winter training tour</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/north-korea-mens-soccer-team-visits-china-for-winter-training-tour/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 05:04:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967174</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The North Korean men’s national soccer team is visiting China for a winter training tour that has included friendly matches with local clubs and trips to training facilities, according to social media posts and local sports organizers. The DPRK team began its trip on Jan. 10, starting in the central Chinese city of Chongqing before [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/02/1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why Seoul’s push for greater control over the DMZ is unlikely to succeed</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/why-seouls-push-for-greater-control-over-the-dmz-is-unlikely-to-succeed/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:13:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967128</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The dispute between South Korea’s unification ministry and the U.N. Command (UNC) over access to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) ratcheted up this week, after the multinational command reaffirmed its unilateral authority over the border in a rare rebuke. But experts told NK News that Seoul’s push for greater control is unlikely to succeed, while raising [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/486609287_1119720963533487_4563960243892150606_n-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ROK, Japan defense chiefs back ‘denuclearization of Korean Peninsula’</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/rok-japan-defense-chiefs-back-denuclearization-of-korean-peninsula/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:42:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967150</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The defense ministers of South Korea and Japan reaffirmed their shared commitment to the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” and trilateral cooperation with the U.S. on Friday, meeting against the backdrop of North Korea’s nuclear advancements. South Korean defense minister Ahn Gyu-back and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi held talks in the Japanese city [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/rok-japan-defmin-meeting-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un kicks off 3rd year of rural project with focus on military towns</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/kim-jong-un-kicks-off-3rd-year-of-rural-project-with-focus-on-military-towns/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2026 07:59:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967131</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has started construction in at least seven towns across the country to kick off the third year of leader Kim Jong Un’s “20&#215;10” rural development project, according to NK News analysis, with the focus still on populations working at key weapons factories and military bases. Kim attended a groundbreaking ceremony for new factories [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/kcna-jan30-2026-kju-20x10-project-groundbreaking-ceremony-unnyul-county-8-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Top Siberian pork producer eyes North Korea’s meat market</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/top-siberian-pork-producer-eyes-north-koreas-meat-market/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:42:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Data]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967123</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[One of Russia’s largest meat producers is planning to enter the North Korean market this year, amid the accelerating agricultural trade between the two countries, the Siberia-based company announced Wednesday. The Tomsk-based Sibagro agro-industrial holding, Russia’s second-largest pork producer in 2024, seeks to expand sales to North Korea, the Philippines and several African states following [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Untitled-design-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Tatarstan rises as key horse supplier for Kim Jong Un and military brass</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/tatarstan-rises-as-key-horse-supplier-for-kim-jong-un-and-military-brass/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 07:47:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967107</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia’s Tatarstan has emerged as the leading purebred horse supplier for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his generals, authorities announced, after a local breeding farm shipped multiple elite Orlov Trotters to the DPRK in recent years. The Tatarstan Republic’s agriculture ministry said in June that Tatar Stud Farm No. 57 supplied more than [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/8-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
