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	<title>NK News &#8211; North Korea News</title>
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	<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>
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		<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 appear to 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 appears to have resumed passenger train services to North Korea after a six year suspension, according to photos of a railway notice and tickets circulating on Chinese social media, hinting at a possible loosening of border restrictions between the two countries. Photos of a memo attributed to the International Cooperation Department of China Railway [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
		
		
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
		
		
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
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		<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>
		
		
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		<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>
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
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		<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" />

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		<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>
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<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>
		
		
		
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		<title>New Iranian ambassador to North Korea assumes post after 5 year vacancy</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/new-iranian-ambassador-to-north-korea-assumes-post-after-5-year-vacancy/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 07:26:28 +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=967103</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Iran’s new ambassador to North Korea formally assumed his post on Wednesday after presenting his credentials in Pyongyang, according to state media reports, filling a position that has been vacant for over five years as the two countries look to advance their decades-old friendship. Choe Ryong Hae, the head of North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament, received [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>Pending legislation on DMZ access &#8216;completely at odds&#8217; with armistice, UNC says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/pending-legislation-on-dmz-access-completely-at-odds-with-armistice-unc-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 05:37:17 +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=967095</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A legislative bill seeking to allow South Korea’s unification minister limited authority over access to the Demilitarized Zone would conflict with the Armistice Agreement that paused hostilities since the Korean War, according to the U.N. Command (UNC) on Wednesday. “From a technical reading of the armistice agreement and reading of the bills that are pending, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Trump-100-days-1870-x-1000-px-19-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Roland de Courson: Photographing the demilitarized zone’s unseen stories</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/roland-de-courson-photographing-the-demilitarized-zones-unseen-stories/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 05:32:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967093</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[In this episode, Agence France-Presse (AFP) global news editor Roland de Courson joins the podcast to discuss his photo-and-essay project — K-Scar — documenting life, memory and tourism along the inter-Korean border.  De Courson explains why he describes the border as a “scar” and reflects on how indifference, curiosity and commercialized “dark tourism” shape the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-roland-de-courson-photographing-the-demilitarized-zones-unseen-stories.mp3" length="45112069" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/07/ROK-soldiers-DMZ-935x500-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ruling party launches new committee to support North Korean defectors</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/ruling-party-launches-new-committee-to-support-north-korean-defectors/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:48:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967075</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party has launched a special committee to support the roughly 34,000 North Korean defectors living in the country amid a declining number of defections since the COVID-19 pandemic. The party’s Special Committee on North Korean Defectors held its inaugural meeting in Seoul on Tuesday with a goal of working with experts [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-28-at-5.13.58-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ROK military kicks off preparatory meetings for wartime control transfer</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/rok-military-kicks-off-preparatory-meetings-for-wartime-control-transfer/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 07:45:37 +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=967080</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s defense ministry convened its first high-level meeting of the year on Wednesday to assess progress toward the transfer of wartime operational control from the United States, as Seoul prepares for the critical verification phase of a future combined command against North Korean threats. The Wartime Operational Control (OPCON) Transition Promotion Assessment Conference was [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<item>
		<title>Busting the many myths of North Korea, from Juche to Kim Jong Il’s Russian name</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/busting-the-many-myths-of-north-korea-from-juche-to-kim-jong-ils-russian-name/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Fyodor Tertitskiy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 04:05:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Evergreen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967032</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea is drowning in myths. Some are crafted by its own propaganda machine, others happily recycled by scholars, journalists and internet know-it-alls who really should know better. Perhaps the biggest myth is that Juche is some mystical word meaning “self-reliance,” a pervasive misconception that stems from both Kim Il Sung’s ignorance of German philosophy [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/statue-pyongynag-juche-nknews-oct-2016-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un claims upgraded nuclear rockets pose ‘grave threat’ to enemies</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/kim-jong-un-says-he-hopes-enemies-feel-threatened-by-latest-rocket-test/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 22:02:03 +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=967044</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a test of an &#8220;upgraded&#8221; version of the country&#8217;s 600mm multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) on Tuesday in order to present a &#8220;grave threat&#8221; to enemies, according to state media. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted Kim on Wednesday saying that unspecified enemies, likely referring to the U.S. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/rodong-jan28-2026-kju-missile-test-2-600mm-mlrs-tel-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul says its discussing possible transfer of North Korean POWs from Ukraine</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/seoul-says-its-discussing-possible-transfer-of-north-korean-pows-from-ukraine/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:51:35 +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=966984</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Seoul said it is discussing with Kyiv the possibility of transferring North Korean prisoners of war captured in Ukraine to South Korea, after two prisoners said in a televised documentary that they wanted to defect. A South Korean foreign ministry spokesperson told NK News on Tuesday that North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces are [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-27-at-12.04.17-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Russia upgrading customs security at North Korea crossing to fight smuggling</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/russia-upgrading-customs-security-at-north-korea-crossing-to-fight-smuggling/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:50:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Data]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967016</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia is upgrading its only rail link to North Korea with new X-ray scanners for large cargo, a move the manufacturer described as part of efforts to improve detection of explosives and drugs amid growing commercial exchanges between the two sides. The Moscow-based firm Diagnostika-M supplied two TS-SCAN 100100 introscope machines to the federal agency [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<item>
		<title>Takaichi calls North Korea a ‘nuclear-armed state,’ emphasizing threats to Japan</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/takaichi-calls-north-korea-a-nuclear-armed-state-emphasizing-threats-to-japan/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 07:15:27 +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=967002</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called North Korea a “nuclear-armed state” on Monday, stressing the growing threat that Tokyo faces from its neighbors. But her government responded the next day by reaffirming Tokyo’s longstanding policy of not recognizing the DPRK’s nuclear status, despite estimates that it already possesses 50 nuclear warheads. Takaichi’s remarks came in [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<item>
		<title>North Korea launches ‘multiple’ ballistic missiles toward East Sea: ROK military</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-launches-missile-toward-east-sea-rok-military/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 07:13:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=967005</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea launched multiple missiles toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan) on Tuesday afternoon, according to the South Korean and Japanese militaries. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the DPRK launched “multiple short-range ballistic missiles” toward the sea from the northern part of Pyongyang around 3:50 p.m. KST. The ROK military said the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/rodong-jan5-2026-kju-hypersonic-missile-test-3-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Japanese court orders North Korea to pay damages for deceiving migrants</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/japanese-court-orders-north-korea-to-pay-damages-for-deceiving-migrants/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ifang Bremer]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:31:34 +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=966988</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Japanese court ruled Monday that North Korea is liable for serious human rights abuses as part of its decades-long campaign to lure Koreans and Japanese citizens to the country, ordering Pyongyang to pay 22 million yen ($142,000) in damages to each of four plaintiffs. The ruling marks an important milestone in efforts to obtain [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>US spy plane flies apparent mission to surveil North Korea amid Colby’s visit</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/us-spy-plane-flies-apparent-mission-to-surveil-north-korea-amid-colbys-visit/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:25:14 +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=966980</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A U.S. spy aircraft flew over the Korean Peninsula for an apparent mission to surveil North Korea on Monday, according to aviation data, amid Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby’s visit to Seoul. The Air Force’s RC-135U Combat Sent (64-14847) departed Kadena Air Base in Okinawa at around 8 p.m. KST on Monday and began patrols [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/2-6-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea’s parade and Party Congress prep, plus personnel purges</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-koreas-parade-and-party-congress-prep-plus-personnel-purges/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Chad O'Carroll | Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:18:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></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=966978</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[NK News CEO Chad O’Carroll joins the podcast this week to discuss why the Workers’ Party of Korea still hasn’t held its Ninth Congress, the lack of typical pre-event mobilization campaigns and what satellite imagery of parade preparations suggests about a possible timeline. The episode then turns to leadership dynamics in Pyongyang, including Kim Jong [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-north-koreas-parade-and-party-congress-prep-plus-personnel-purges.mp3" length="17431888" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/rodong-jan20-2026-kju-ryongsong-machine-complex-first-stage-modernization-project-ceremony-7-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Siberian region sends 540 tons of wheat flour to North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/siberian-region-sends-540-tons-of-wheat-flour-to-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:33:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Data]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966962</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Russian region in Siberia sent 540 tons of wheat flour to North Korea this month, marking the first shipment this year as Pyongyang embraces wheat as a key staple. The flour was produced in the Kuzbass’s Novokusnetsk municipal district and loaded onto trains for subsequent shipment following quality inspections on Jan. 13, 19 and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Untitled-design-2023-12-18T165708.737-e1702893805356-935x500-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>New US defense strategy warns of North Korean threats, omits denuclearization</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/new-us-defense-strategy-warns-of-north-korean-threats-omits-denuclearization/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:02:29 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></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=966942</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The first U.S. National Defense Strategy (NDS) since Donald Trump’s return to office has omitted mention of North Korean denuclearization, while placing the onus on South Korea to deter threats from Pyongyang. The strategy document, released by the Pentagon on Friday, acknowledges that North Korea poses a direct military threat not only to South Korea [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2023/12/kcna-mar28-2023-1870px-kju-nuclear-nuke-warhead-inspection-hwasan-31-nuclear-science-research-institute-visit-showroom-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Kim Jong Un inspects statues honoring North Korean soldiers who fought Ukraine</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/kim-jong-un-inspects-statues-honoring-north-korean-soldiers-who-fought-ukraine/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 07:57:51 +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=966944</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected new statues for a memorial honoring DPRK soldiers who fought against Ukraine, though state media avoided any mention of military cooperation with Russia.  Kim, defense minister No Kwang Chol and high-ranking officials visited the Mansudae Art Studio on Sunday, according to the party daily Rodong Sinmun the following [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/1-4-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Lee Hae-chan, politician who pushed to improve ties with North Korea, dies at 74</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/lee-hae-chan-politician-who-pushed-to-improve-ties-with-north-korea-dies-at-74/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 07:32:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966926</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Lee Hae-chan, a veteran South Korean politician who played a quiet but consequential role in efforts to improve relations with North Korea, died Sunday at the age of 74. Lee, who was serving as senior deputy chair of the Democratic Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, collapsed from a heart attack while visiting Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/leehaechan-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>US should send special envoy to North Korea, Seoul’s prime minister says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/us-should-send-special-envoy-to-north-korea-seouls-prime-minister-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 06:38:53 +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=966929</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s prime minister has suggested that the U.S. dispatch a special envoy to North Korea to improve relations with Pyongyang, meeting with Vice President JD Vance in Washington.  Speaking to news reporters last week, ROK premier Kim Min-seok said the vice president expressed willingness to improve ties with North Korea and asked him for [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/618647925_1293783139452551_3565855100867733924_n-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Only 223 North Korean defectors arrived in the South last year, down from 2024</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/only-224-north-korean-defectors-arrived-in-the-south-last-year-down-from-2024/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 04:41:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></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=966919</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A total of 223 North Korean defectors entered South Korea last year, falling from the previous year in the latest evidence that the DPRK’s strengthened border controls are making it difficult for citizens to escape. Seoul’s unification ministry reported this week that 198 women and 25 men from North Korea resettled in the South in [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/KakaoTalk_Photo_2026-01-21-01-07-25-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Book review: The untold story of Kim Jong Un’s Japan-born mother</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/book-review-the-untold-story-of-kim-jong-uns-japan-born-mother/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stephen Mercado]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 03:22:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Evergreen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966546</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Those who have followed North Korea’s 77-year history are likely to know of its founder Kim Il Sung, his successor Kim Jong Il and his heir Kim Jong Un. But relatively few are familiar with the mother of the current leader, including the vast majority of DPRK citizens. “Ko Yong Hui: The Korean Resident of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/kju-mother-biography-book-review-featured-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>How spies from both North and South Korea targeted a human rights advocate</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/how-spies-from-both-north-and-south-korea-targeted-a-human-rights-advocate/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 03:08:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Evergreen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966889</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[On one side, South Korean spies offer payment for articles critical of the North Korean regime. On the other, North Korean cybercriminals try to steal information and disrupt computers. These are some of the challenges Roberta Cohen, former chairperson of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, says she repeatedly faced in her brushes [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/07/North-Koreans-using-computers_KCTV-20200109-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Ria Roy: The importance of subtle language differences between North and South</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/ria-roy-the-importance-of-subtle-language-differences-between-north-and-south/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 03:52:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966895</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Dr. Ria Roy, a scholar of modern Korea and East Asian history, joins the podcast to discuss the differences in language between the two Koreas, including contrasts in linguistic and ideological correctness. She examines the Soviet Union’s influence on the Korean language in the DPRK and the importance of conveying information with the right tone. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/Ria-Roy-The-importance-of-subtle-language-differences-between-North-and-South.mp3" length="43227569" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/01/cabinet-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Ask a North Korean: What are school vacations like in the DPRK?</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/ask-a-north-korean-what-are-school-vacations-like-in-the-dprk/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 02:31:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ask A North Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Evergreen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966700</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 what North Korean [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/edited_2009-12-30_uriminzokkiri_a-day-of-winter-vacation-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>In a turbulent world, Kim Jong Un’s regime looks more secure than ever</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/in-a-turbulent-world-kim-jong-uns-regime-looks-more-secure-than-ever/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrei Lankov]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 02:28:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Columns]]></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=966603</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[For most of my life as a North Korea watcher, I assumed that at some point in the foreseeable future the country would either disappear (through absorption into the successful South) or change dramatically (through transformation into a China-style “developmental dictatorship”).  This was more or less a majority view until the late 2010s or so, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/kcna-dec29-2025-kju-unsan-paper-mill-factory-20x10-opening-ceremony-1-edited-featured-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>How Takaichi’s military push is reshaping Japan’s posture toward North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/how-takaichis-military-push-is-reshaping-japans-posture-toward-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:51:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></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=966784</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Japan is forging ahead with efforts to accelerate its military development under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, signaling an intent to boost self-reliance against regional threats like North Korea. Since taking charge in October, the longtime security hawk has lived up to her reputation by raising Japan’s defense spending to record levels and pushing for the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>North Korea denuclearization ideal but unrealistic, South’s president says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-denuclearization-ideal-but-unrealistic-souths-president-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim | Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 05:18:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966884</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s denuclearization is the most ideal but an unlikely choice Pyongyang will make, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said in a press conference Wednesday, adding that the notion is akin to the world “turning a blind eye” to reality.  “Denuclearization is something that should happen — it is the most ideal outcome — [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>Why stopping drones from entering North Korea will be easier said than done</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/why-stopping-drones-from-entering-north-korea-will-be-easier-said-than-done/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jan 2026 03:36:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966756</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s claim that small South Korean drones have crossed into its airspace multiple times in recent months triggered speculation about who was behind the intrusion, with Seoul denying responsibility and ordering an investigation. But now that a civilian has claimed he sent the drone, attention has begun to shift to another question: why the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>Lee Jae Myung orders probe into whether civilians sent drones to North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/lee-jae-myung-orders-probe-into-whether-civilians-sent-drones-to-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 02:38:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966870</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ordered a full investigation on Wednesday into reports that civilians launched drones into North Korea, calling it “practically the same as an act of starting a war.”  Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the Blue House on Tuesday, Lee said the case had heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/ljm-senior-secretary-meeting-jan-20-2025-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korea-China trade surges 25% in 2025 to nearly reach pre-pandemic levels</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-china-trade-surges-25-in-2025-to-nearly-reach-pre-pandemic-levels/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:53:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Data]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966845</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s trade with China nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2025, increasing 25% on-year after ending on the strongest month for bilateral exchange since 2017. The cumulative trade volume between the two countries reached $2.74 billion last year, data released by China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC) shows, far exceeding the $2.2 billion and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>On cautious footing: Where North Korea-China ties stand after a year of detente</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/on-cautious-footing-where-north-korea-china-ties-stand-after-a-year-of-detente/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:14:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966687</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea and China spent the last year carefully repairing ties after visible signs of strain, but that doesn’t mean a resurgence of bilateral cooperation is in the cards for 2026. Leader-level diplomacy resumed, bilateral trade rebounded to multiyear highs and limited cross-border movement restarted. Yet engagement remained highly reversible and appeared to reflect a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>North Korea’s youth outreach, Party Congress signals and prison demolition</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-koreas-youth-outreach-party-congress-signals-and-prison-demolition/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko | Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:11:44 +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>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966849</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This week, NK News Senior Analytic Correspondent Colin Zwirko delves into the large-scale conference marking the 80th anniversary of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, attended by Kim Jong Un.  He then turns to signals surrounding the timing of the upcoming Ninth Party Congress, as well as expectations for announcements on long-term economic planning, weapons development [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-north-koreas-youth-outreach-party-congress-signals-and-prison-demolition.mp3" length="12545952" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/kctv-jan17-2026-kju-youth-league-80th-anniv-celebration-event-conference-meeting-kis-stadium-spyl-22-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>‘Leave while you still can’: Kim Jong Un fires vice premier at factory ceremony</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/leave-while-you-still-can-kim-jong-un-fires-vice-premier-at-factory-ceremony/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 23:45:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966851</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un publicly fired a top economic official and warned party cadres over what he sees as chronic incompetence at a ceremony for upgrading an industrial machine factory Monday, according to state media. Pyongyang described the upgrade project as key to improving the economy, while NK News analysis suggests Kim’s attention [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un urges youth to abandon ‘dreams’ to go to war, hard labor sites</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/kim-jong-un-urges-youth-to-abandon-dreams-to-go-to-war-hard-labor-sites/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:44:38 +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=966775</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called on the country’s youth to abandon personal “dreams” and obey state orders at a large-scale gathering in Pyongyang, according to state media, painting a stark vision of citizenship defined by sacrifice and enforced conformity. Speaking at a national conference marking the 80th anniversary of the Socialist Patriotic Youth [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/kctv-jan17-2026-kju-youth-league-80th-anniv-celebration-event-conference-meeting-kis-stadium-spyl-11-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>South Korean man claims he sent drones to North, prompting calls for probe</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/south-korean-man-claims-he-sent-drones-to-north-prompting-calls-for-probe/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim | Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:28:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966705</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s ruling party has urged authorities to investigate a Korean man who claims to have sent the drones captured by North Korea, after he said he did so to measure radiation levels at a uranium refinery. “A man in his 30s who previously worked as a contract employee at the presidential office under former [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/186518952_4534450149917821_3809429614308068418_n-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>RFA to resume operations in South Korea, paving way for broadcasts to North</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/rfa-to-resume-operations-in-south-korea-paving-way-for-broadcasts-to-north/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:22:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></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=966763</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Embattled U.S. broadcaster Radio Free Asia (RFA) is set to resume its online Korean-language service this week, paving the way for a return to radio broadcasts delivering news of the outside world to North Koreans in the near future. “RFA will restart news content production this week for North Korean audiences, which we will follow [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/North-Korean-using-radio_NK-News-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>What to make of reports that Russia tried to ship a nuke reactor to North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/what-to-make-of-reports-that-russia-tried-to-ship-a-nuke-reactor-to-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 09:43:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Missiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shipping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966710</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The sinking of a cargo ship linked to the Russian military off Spain’s southeastern coast made a literal splash in Dec. 2024, but Spanish media triggered even bigger waves when it recently claimed that the vessel was carrying nuclear reactor parts bound for North Korea. The Spanish daily La Verdad, citing unnamed investigators, reported last [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>Seoul seeks to streamline import rules for North Korea food products</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/seoul-seeks-to-streamline-import-rules-for-north-korea-food-products/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 07:25:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966693</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea is moving to streamline import procedures for food products from North Korea, a step that lays regulatory groundwork for renewed inter-Korean trade despite ongoing tensions and sanctions. Seoul’s unification ministry said in a press release on Friday that it issued a legislative notice to revise enforcement of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>What a hit ROK film gets right — and wrong — about Christianity in North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/what-a-hit-rok-film-gets-right-and-wrong-about-christianity-in-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:46:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></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=966523</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A new South Korean film about a secret Christian community in North Korea has drawn praise for shedding light on religious persecution, but also criticism for misrepresenting life in the DPRK. “Choir of God” was released in South Korea on New Year’s Eve and ranked third at the box office this week, attracting audiences with [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/choir-of-god-promotional-image-feature-cropped-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Over 100K South Koreans separated from family in North Korea have died: Data</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/over-100k-south-koreans-separated-from-family-in-north-korea-have-died-data/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 07:20:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></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=966671</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Over 100,000 South Koreans separated from their family members in North Korea by the Korean War have died of old age, according to Seoul’s unification ministry, the first time the number has crossed the six-figure mark. Data released by the ministry last week showed 100,148 separated family members had died as of the end of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<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>
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		<title>Investors in inter-Korean projects call for Seoul to lift North Korea sanctions</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/investors-in-inter-korean-projects-call-for-seoul-to-lift-north-korea-sanctions/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 07:19:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966661</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A group of South Korean companies that invested in inter-Korean cooperation projects have urged Seoul to lift unilateral sanctions against North Korea, which have halted cross-border trade since 2010. Businesspeople from 10 inter-Korean cooperation organizations called for lifting the May 24 Measures at the unification ministry’s headquarters on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Corporate Association [&#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>
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		<title>What’s next for North Korea-Venezuela ties after Maduro’s capture</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/whats-next-for-north-korea-venezuela-ties-after-maduros-capture/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 06:19:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966663</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea is closely watching the situation in Venezuela after the U.S. captured President Nicolás Maduro, shaking up one of Pyongyang’s few political friendships in the Western Hemisphere. In this episode, Gabriela Bernal and Camilo Aguirre Torrini delve into what happened in Venezuela, how North Korea has reacted in state media and what lessons Kim [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/nk-news-podcast-whats-next-for-north-korea-venezuela-ties-after-maduros-capture.mp3" length="47561485" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2021/10/oct2-Felix-Plasencia-venezuelan-FM-meeting-with-DPRK-ambassador-Ri-Sung-Gil-twitter-3-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>ROK military finds general guilty of treason over North Korea drone incursions</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/rok-military-finds-general-guilty-of-treason-over-north-korea-drone-incursions/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:08:18 +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=966654</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The South Korean military has found a former army general guilty of “general treason” for his role in a covert drone operation into North Korea in Oct. 2024, which authorities allege aimed to justify then-South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law declaration. A military committee determined that Counterintelligence Command Chief Lt. Gen. Yeo [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>Lee orders review of scrapped military pact with North Korea after drone claims</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/lee-orders-review-of-scrapped-military-pact-with-north-korea-after-drone-claims/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim | Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jan 2026 07:20:08 +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=966620</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ordered officials to “review” the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement scrapped by his predecessor, just days after North Korea warned of tit-for-tat retaliation for alleged ROK drone intrusions. National Security Adviser (NSA) Wi Sung-lac confirmed that the government was exploring the pact’s possible restoration, speaking at a press conference [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Trump-100-days-1870-x-1000-px-13-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Prosecutors seek death penalty for Yoon for martial law, inciting North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-for-yoon-for-martial-law-inciting-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jan 2026 06:52:34 +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=966615</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived declaration of martial law, accusing him of trying to incite a conflict with North Korea to justify his actions. During the final hearing of Yoon’s trial at the Seoul Central District on Tuesday, special counsel Cho Eun-suk&#8217;s team [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>Russia raises quota for North Korean students eligible for free college</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/russia-raises-quota-for-north-korean-students-eligible-for-free-college/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jan 2026 06:32:32 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966612</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia has increased its quota for North Korean students eligible for free higher education to 170 for 2026, according to a top official, even as data shows thousands of DPRK nationals entering the country “for study” while working at construction sites and factories. Pavel Shevtsov, deputy head of Rossotrudnichestvo, told the state-run RIA Novosti last [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/33357514514_7f73d7f4dc_k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Kim Yo Jong says Seoul will pay ‘unbearable price’ if drone flights don’t stop</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/kim-yo-jong-says-seoul-will-pay-unbearable-price-if-drone-flights-dont-stop/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:29:52 +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=966588</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The North Korean leader’s sister Kim Yo Jong dismissed South Korea’s “pitiful” hopes of renewed dialogue late Tuesday, warning that Seoul will pay an “unbearable price” if it does not stem alleged drone incursions into the DPRK. In a statement released via the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim reiterated North Korea’s firm stance rejecting [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2021/06/kcna-jun30-kim-yo-jong-speech-politburo-meeting-kyj-highres-copy-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Leaders of South Korea, Japan pledge to work for North Korea’s denuclearization</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/leaders-of-south-korean-japan-pledge-to-work-for-north-koreas-denuclearization/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 09:17:04 +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[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966580</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The leaders of South Korea and Japan reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to the “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” on Tuesday, following a summit that otherwise emphasized economic concerns over the security threat from North Korea. During a press conference after their summit in the Japanese city of Nara, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>How anyone can now read North Korea’s party newspaper at a library in Seoul</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/how-anyone-can-now-read-north-koreas-party-newspaper-at-a-library-in-seoul/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:50:42 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966561</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[In a quiet section of southern Seoul, anyone in South Korea can now enter a small room through a pair of glass doors and peruse a publication that for decades has been classified as an existential threat to the state: North Korea’s party-run daily, the Rodong Sinmun. The Information Center on North Korea at the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/IMG_8092-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korea’s drone allegations, Seoul’s denial and the Lee-Xi summit in China</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-koreas-drone-allegations-seouls-denial-and-the-lee-xi-summit-in-china/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | Joon Ha Park | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 07:34:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966556</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This week, NK News correspondent Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to discuss North Korea’s new allegations that Seoul sent unmanned aerial vehicles to surveil military and other sensitive sites in Sept. 2025 and Jan. 2026. He explains the specifics of Pyongyang’s claims and the photos it released of the alleged drones, as well as [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/North-Koreas-drone-allegations-Seouls-denial-and-Kim-Yo-Jongs-threats.mp3" length="15670983" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/jan102026_rodong_ROKdroneincursionSep27droneimage-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>US, partners brief UN on growing threat of North Korean cybercrime</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/us-partners-brief-un-on-growing-threat-of-north-korean-cybercrime/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 03:26:37 +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=966541</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. and other members of a multilateral sanctions monitoring initiative briefed the U.N. on North Korea’s illicit cyber operations on Monday, three months after publishing a report on the growing threat posed by Pyongyang’s cryptocurrency theft. The 11-nation Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) reported that DPRK cybercriminals stole at least $2.8 billion from at [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Jonathan-Fritz-presenting-MSMT-report-at-UN_UN-Web-TV-20260112-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>China breaks ground on new cross-border trade park on North Korea’s doorstep</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/china-breaks-ground-on-new-cross-border-trade-park-on-north-koreas-doorstep/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 03:08:18 +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=966534</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Construction has begun on a new Chinese trade processing zone on North Korea’s doorstep, with official plans calling for the facility to process goods that have long been central to bilateral trade. The Dandong Cross-Border Trade Import Processing Industrial Park broke ground in the Chinese border city of Dandong on Jan. 5, according to a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>War of words: How to evaluate North Korean claims of another ROK drone incursion</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/war-of-words-how-to-evaluate-north-korean-claims-of-another-rok-drone-incursion/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:09:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966503</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s accusation that the South sent surveillance drones across the border, followed by Seoul’s swift denial of responsibility, has once again raised the question: Who is telling the truth? The latest case comes just over a year after the DPRK accused the ROK military of flying drones over Pyongyang in Oct. 2024.  But South [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>North Korea slams US plan to present report on DPRK sanctions violations at UN</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-slams-us-plan-to-present-report-on-dprk-sanctions-violations-at-un/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:33:29 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966513</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has denounced U.S. plans to present a multilateral report on Pyongyang’s sanctions evasion activities at the U.N., dismissing the findings as “fabricated.” In a statement Monday, the DPRK Permanent Mission to the U.N. accused the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) of being an “illegal” organization that has no connection with the intergovernmental body. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/edited_2025-05-18_UN-Web-TV_kim-song-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korea builds 2nd private car dealership, gaming center in elite district</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-builds-2nd-private-car-dealership-gaming-center-in-elite-district/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 06:47:02 +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=966483</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has built the country’s second private car dealership and computer gaming center in the newest Hwasong housing district under construction in Pyongyang, according to a state media report on leader Kim Jong Un’s inspections over the weekend. The construction follows the opening of such facilities for the first time nearby last spring, as [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/kctv-jan11-2026-kju-visit-hwasong-street-10k-homes-stage4-50k-stage5-saebyol-saeppyol-housing-apartments-skyscrapers-37-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>7 Chinese, US nationals charged with smuggling weapons to North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/7-chinese-us-nationals-charged-with-smuggling-weapons-to-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jan 2026 06:04:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966484</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged seven Chinese and U.S. nationals for their alleged roles in smuggling weapons to North Korea, including a man previously convicted for shipping firearms from Los Angeles. Shenghua Wen, who had been living in the U.S. illegally since 2013, faces new charges as the leader of the arms [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>North Korea threatens response to drone incursions, rejects Seoul’s denial</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-demands-explanation-from-seoul-on-drone-incursions-rejects-rebuke/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 10 Jan 2026 23:00:01 +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=966469</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea on Sunday acknowledged South Korea’s denial that its military was responsible for alleged drone intrusions as a “wise choice,” but warned that Seoul cannot evade responsibility for what Pyongyang called a grave violation of its sovereignty and demanded a detailed explanation of the aircraft that crossed the border. In a statement carried by [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>North Korea accuses South of sending drones to surveil sensitive military sites</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-accuses-seoul-of-drone-incursions-under-lee-administration/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 23:25:35 +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=966435</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has accused South Korea of sending unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into its airspace on at least two occasions since Sept. 2025, claiming the drones surveilled military and other sensitive sites and warning Seoul would “never be able to evade responsibility” for escalating tensions. Seoul’s defense ministry dismissed the North’s claims, stating that a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/NKclaimsofROKJan4droneincursion_rodongJan10-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>US says seizure of tankers linked to Venezuela sends a warning to North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/us-says-seizure-of-tankers-linked-to-venezuela-sends-a-warning-to-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:58:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shipping]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966416</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. military’s seizure of tankers linked to Venezuela could serve as a warning to North Korea and other enemy states looking to skirt sanctions, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Thursday. In an interview, Wright suggested that North Korea, Russia and Iran would be thinking carefully about the seizures, knowing that the U.S. supposedly has [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>North Korean hackers using QR codes to attack governments and think tanks: FBI</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korean-hackers-using-qr-codes-to-attack-governments-and-think-tanks-fbi/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 08:11:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966409</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The FBI has warned that a North Korean cybercrime group known for its prolific espionage operations is using QR codes to launch spear-phishing attacks against U.S. and foreign government entities and other institutions. The Pyongyang-backed actor Kimsuky targeted nongovernmental organizations, think tanks, academia and foreign policy experts by embedding malicious QR codes in phishing emails [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/QR-codes-in-Daesong-Department-Store_KCTV-20231022-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Putin sends ‘congratulatory’ letter to Kim Jong Un, presumably for his birthday</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/putin-sends-congratulatory-letter-to-kim-jong-un-presumably-for-his-birthday/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 07:34:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966412</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un replied to a “congratulatory” letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, according to state media, with the timing suggesting Putin wished Kim a happy birthday. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday published the text of Kim’s reply dated Jan. 8, the day the North Korean leader [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Untitled-design-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korea invites China firms to spring trade fair after foreign ban last year</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-invites-china-firms-to-spring-trade-fair-after-foreign-ban-last-year/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 06:20:14 +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=966404</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has invited Chinese companies to attend an upcoming spring trade fair in Pyongyang, according to a Chinese trade association, a signal that foreign participants from select countries will be able to join the event after their exclusion last year. The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade branch out of Shandong received [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/fb-%EB%B6%84%EB%8B%A8%EC%9D%84-%EB%84%98%EC%96%B4-%EC%83%88%EB%A1%9C%EC%9A%B4-%EA%B8%B8%EB%A1%9C-may27-2025-pyongyang-spring-trade-fair-official-vid-korea-mangyong-jindallae-smartphone-brand-employee-3-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea hasn’t resumed regular flights to Shanghai, counter to schedule</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-hasnt-resumed-regular-flights-to-shanghai-counter-to-schedule/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:48:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966391</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s flag carrier Air Koryo has not resumed regular flights from Pyongyang to Shanghai, despite listing a biweekly schedule for the route running until March, aviation data shows. Air Koryo used three different aircraft to conduct a total of four flights to Shanghai in April, May, June and November, following the airline’s first flight [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/1-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>UN experts request info from North Korea on reported pardon of state criminals</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/un-experts-request-info-from-north-korea-on-reported-pardon-of-state-criminals/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:00:09 +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=966375</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[U.N. human rights experts have sent a letter to North Korea seeking more information about its decision to pardon an unspecified number of criminals against the state last year, voicing hope that it “could be a positive step.” The five experts sent the inquiry to Pyongyang in November requesting detailed information about the scope of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/kctv-sep22-ordinary-people-spotlight-labor-hero-medal-recipients-kcut-phd-choe-chang-hyon-worked-on-koam-tapchon-railway-munchon-2-1870x1000-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seeing the future: What to expect from North Korea in the new year</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/seeing-the-future-what-to-expect-from-north-korea-in-the-new-year/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin | Chad O'Carroll | Colin Zwirko | Jacco Zwetsloot | Jeongmin Kim | NK News | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 07:47:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></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=966372</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This week’s podcast features a panel discussion with NK News journalists on what to expect from North Korea in the year ahead, taking stock of what they got right about 2025 and making new predictions for 2026. The panelists discuss why DPRK leader Kim Jong Un doubled down on military development last year but didn’t [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/Seeing-the-future-What-to-expect-from-North-Korea-in-the-new-year.mp3" length="46219166" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/rodong-jan5-2026-kju-hypersonic-missile-test-2-e1767674913788-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Violent new North Korean film depicting attempt to kill leader airs on state TV</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/violent-new-north-korean-film-depicting-attempt-to-kill-leader-airs-on-state-tv/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 02:34:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966356</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A violent new North Korean film about a plot to kill the country’s leader aired on state TV for the first time this week, featuring Hollywood-style storytelling and racy content in a propaganda push aimed at appealing to young people. &#8220;Days and Nights of Confrontation” premiered in DPRK theaters last year and reportedly won three [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/edited_2026-01-03_kctv_days-and-nights-of-confrontation_explosion-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Authentic Labubu toys are not made in North Korea, manufacturer says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/authentic-labubu-toys-are-not-made-in-north-korea-manufacturer-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:04:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966223</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Authentic Labubu plush toys are not being manufactured in North Korea, according to the company behind the viral figures, following the emergence of footage purporting to show a DPRK factory assembling the sharp-toothed dolls. A short video posted on China’s Douyin platform in late December, captioned “Labubu toy produced in North Korea,” showed dozens of [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Featured-Image-Empty-10-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee says he asked China’s Xi to act as a mediator with North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/lee-says-he-asked-chinas-xi-to-act-as-a-mediator-with-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 09:17:01 +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=966329</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to act as a mediator with North Korea during their summit this week, while confirming that the two leaders held serious discussions about Pyongyang’s nuclear program. Speaking at a meeting with reporters on Wednesday in Shanghai, Lee said he and Xi held [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/1-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Acting US envoy to Seoul leaves post after less than three months on the job</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/acting-us-envoy-to-seoul-leaves-post-after-less-than-three-months-on-the-job/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 08:18:33 +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=966325</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Acting U.S. ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim has left his post in Seoul less than three months after his appointment, amid questions about Washington’s approach to the alliance and addressing North Korea issues. The U.S. Embassy in Seoul confirmed to NK News on Wednesday that Deputy Chief of Mission James Heller is serving as [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/kevin-kim-acting-ambassador-photo-us-embassy-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Playing dictator: Why a Kim Jong Un lookalike says his act isn’t just a joke</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/playing-dictator-why-a-kim-jong-un-lookalike-says-his-act-isnt-just-a-joke/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 04:44:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></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=965821</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[In the spring of 2022, as the Russian military bombarded Kyiv and its troops swept into Ukrainian border regions, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un teamed up with Vladimir Putin to help Volodymyr Zelensky escape to safety in Western Europe. Or at least, all the people involved in the operation looked like those global leaders. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/1-14-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Police accuse North Korean defector of killing brother for insurance money</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/police-accuse-north-korean-defector-of-killing-brother-for-insurance-money/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 03:58:37 +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=966287</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean police will refer a North Korean defector to prosecutors for allegedly killing her younger brother, pointing to financial hardship as a suspected motive. A Busan Metropolitan Police spokesperson told NK News on Tuesday that the unnamed defector in her 50s is scheduled to be referred to prosecutors this week after further investigation. She [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-06-at-5.28.29-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>What North Korea’s 2026 calendar reveals about its plans for the year ahead</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/what-north-koreas-2026-calendar-reveals-about-its-plans-for-the-year-ahead/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 09:13:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966282</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean calendars released for 2026 have offered a glimpse into the regime’s official schedule for the year, suggesting that major celebrations will be front-loaded around the Ninth Party Congress. The calendars that have surfaced on social media do not specify when the congress will take place, but the precedent from the Eighth Congress in [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-01_kctv_soliders-with-2026-calendar-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>What Kim Jong Un sees in the US capture of Nicolás Maduro</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/what-kim-jong-un-sees-in-the-us-capture-of-nicolas-maduro/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 09:02:18 +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=966257</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This week’s podcast starts by discussing the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend and its implications for North Korea and its leader. NK News correspondent Shreyas Reddy then speaks about Pyongyang’s condemnation of the U.S. attack on its longtime ally, accusing Washington of attempting to exercise dominion over the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/What-Kim-Jong-Un-sees-in-the-US-capture-of-Nicolas-Maduro.mp3" length="15435702" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/11/Kim-Yong-NamMaduro_Rodong-Sinmun-20181130-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee, Xi agree on restarting North Korea talks but don’t mention denuclearization</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/lee-xi-agree-on-restarting-north-korea-talks-but-dont-mention-denuclearization/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:55:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966240</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to prioritize restarting dialogue with North Korea during a summit on Monday, but made no public mention about Pyongyang’s denuclearization.  During their talks in Beijing, Lee urged closer coordination with China toward “realistic and workable alternatives” for peace on the peninsula, framing stability [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/rok-china_summit-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea reveals over 400 graves for soldiers killed in ‘sacred’ Ukraine war</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-reveals-over-400-graves-for-soldiers-killed-in-sacred-ukraine-war/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 03:55:41 +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=966229</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un took his young daughter to a new cemetery and war memorial being built to celebrate the country’s joint war with Russia against Ukraine, according to state media on Tuesday, possibly revealing a higher official death toll. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim visited the Memorial Museum [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/rodong-jan6-2026-kju-ukraine-russia-war-memorial-cemetery-construction-visit-tree-planting-3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US ‘decapitation strike’ on North Korea unlikely despite Maduro success: Expert</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/us-decapitation-strike-on-north-korea-unlikely-despite-maduro-success-expert/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:45:07 +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=966202</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. military operation that led to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will “inevitably create a significant sense of tension for North Korea,” but Washington is unlikely to pursue a similar “decapitation strike” against Pyongyang, a South Korean expert assessed on Monday. Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean Studies and International Politics [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/EAI_conference_jan52026-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>South Korea’s ruling party to launch committee dedicated to North Korea ties</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/south-koreas-ruling-party-to-launch-committee-dedicated-to-north-korea-ties/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:57:39 +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=966209</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party (DP) will launch an official committee to support the restoration of inter-Korean relations and the return of dialogue between North Korea and the U.S., featuring an array of progressive advisers who advocate for Seoul to play a bigger role in engaging Pyongyang. “We decided today to set up the Committee [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/img_1766725564_38AJ5-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un inspects mega greenhouse farm for 7th time ahead of Party Congress</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/kim-jong-un-inspects-mega-greenhouse-farm-for-7th-time-ahead-of-party-congress/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 07:45:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966191</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kim Jong Un visited a mega greenhouse complex near the Chinese border for the seventh time on Friday, emphasizing efforts to build what state media has called “the largest-ever greenhouse farm” ahead of the ruling party’s upcoming congress. During the visit to the Sinuiju Greenhouse Complex, the North Korean leader said construction is nearing completion [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/KJU-visits-Sinuiju-Greenhouse-Farm-001_KCNA-20260103-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea says it tested hypersonic missiles to deter enemies</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-says-it-tested-hypersonic-missile-to-deter-enemies/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 21:34:14 +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=966164</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un defended a &#8220;hypersonic missile&#8221; test conducted on Sunday as a necessary part of &#8220;continuously&#8221; developing nuclear weapons to deter enemies from attack, according to state media. Kim said he has &#8220;nothing to hide&#8221; and that this development is &#8220;necessary&#8221; because of &#8220;recent geopolitical crises and various international events,&#8221; possibly [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/rodong-jan5-2026-kju-hypersonic-missile-test-2-e1767674913788-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea condemns US military intervention in Venezuela</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-condemns-the-u-s-military-intervention-in-venezuela/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 11:27:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966157</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea condemned the U.S. military action in Venezuela, which saw the capture and transport of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to New York following strikes on the South American country’s capital Caracas and other regions on Saturday. A spokesperson for the DPRK foreign ministry called the U.S. intervention in Venezuela a “high-handedness act” that could [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>Kim Jong Un inspects missile factory, orders increased production</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/kim-jong-un-inspects-missile-factory-orders-increased-production/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Jan 2026 23:45:53 +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=966134</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the increased production of precision-guided missiles that could eventually replace currently used rocket artillery systems during a Saturday factory visit, flagging the deployment of the system to key military units beginning in the first half of this year. Kim toured an undisclosed munitions factory producing “multipurpose precision-guided weapons,” [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea fires several ballistic missiles into East Sea: JCS</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/north-korea-fires-ballistic-missile-into-east-sea-jcs/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Jan 2026 23:27:57 +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=966130</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan) on Sunday, according to Seoul and Tokyo, marking the first missile launch this year. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported on Sunday that the DPRK fired several unidentified ballistic missiles from an area near Pyongyang at 7:50 a.m. KST. The [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2023/10/kcna-oct10-2022-kju-missile-tests-inspections-17-srbm-sky-air-cropped-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee Jae Myung to seek China’s support on North Korea during upcoming visit: Wi</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/lee-jae-myung-to-seek-chinas-support-on-north-korea-during-upcoming-visit-wi/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:43:40 +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=966113</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Seoul will seek China’s cooperation in advancing dialogue with North Korea during President Lee Jae Myung’s upcoming state visit to Beijing, South Korea’s national security adviser said Friday, underscoring hopes that improved bilateral ties will help ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Speaking to reporters at the Blue House, Wi Sung-lac said the Lee administration [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/wisunglac-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Top Seoul officials warn of North Korean threats but back engagement in new year</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/top-seoul-officials-warn-of-north-korean-threats-but-back-engagement-in-new-year/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:31:49 +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=966118</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Top South Korean officials stressed the need to prepare for North Korean military threats in the new year, while also signaling support for engagement. In a New Year’s message posted on social media on Friday, defense minister Ahn Gyu-back stressed that Seoul will get ready for Full Operational Capability (FOC) verification as part of efforts [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/Trump-100-days-1870-x-1000-px-4-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US-North Korea talks could be coming in 2026. But not the deal Trump wants.</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/us-north-korea-talks-could-be-coming-in-2026-but-not-the-deal-trump-wants/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrei Lankov]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jan 2026 06:47:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965684</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Nearly one year ago, Donald Trump stormed back to the White House with a determination to remake America’s role in the world, and stirred hopes among some North Korea watchers that a new round of negotiations with Kim Jong Un were on the horizon. But 11 months into Trump’s second term, the DPRK has been [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/us-north-korea-talks-prospects-2026-hanoi-talks-analysis-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un takes daughter to past leaders’ mausoleum for the first time</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/kim-jong-un-takes-daughter-to-past-leaders-mausoleum-for-the-first-time/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jan 2026 04:23:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966106</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kim Jong Un took his daughter on a public visit to the mausoleum of former North Korean leaders for the first time on New Year’s Day, highlighting her growing prominence as a member of the country’s ruling family. Accompanied by senior ruling party, parliament and government officials, the leader paid tribute to his grandfather Kim [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/KJUdaughter-and-wife-at-Kumsusan-for-New-Year_KCNA-20260102-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Yong Ja Hong: How sports and athletics play into North Korean statecraft</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/yong-ja-hong-how-sports-and-athletics-play-into-north-korean-statecraft/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 09:18:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966100</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Yong Ja Hong, a PhD candidate studying North Korean society, culture and media at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, joins the podcast to discuss the history of sports in North Korea, even before the peninsula was separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. She recalls North Korean athletes who competed on the international [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/Yong-Ja-Hong-How-sports-and-athletics-play-into-North-Korean-statecraft.mp3" length="49124474" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2024/01/DPRK-womens-soccer-team-Asian-games_KCNA-20231004-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee Jae Myung frames peace with North Korea as key to long-term economic growth</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/lee-jae-myung-frames-peace-with-north-korea-as-key-to-long-term-economic-growth/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 01:07:22 +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=966054</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung vowed to pursue lasting peace with North Korea in the new year as a foundation for long-term growth and stability, delivering a national address to kick off 2026. In his speech on Thursday, Lee framed engagement with Pyongyang as a core element of a broader strategy to overcome low [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/3-9-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Easing controls on North Korean media is long overdue. But it’s still risky.</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/easing-controls-on-north-korean-media-is-long-overdue-but-its-still-risky/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob York]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:30:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966048</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Editor’s note: The following article is an opinion piece by Rob York, director for regional affairs at the Pacific Forum. Views expressed in opinion articles are exclusively the author’s own and do not represent those of NK News. South Korea announced this week that it will allow all citizens to read North Korea’s main newspaper [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Op-ed-on-NK-media-relaxation-featured-photo-rob-york-edited-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kim Jong Un ushers in new year with greetings to North Korean troops in Russia</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2026/01/kim-jong-un-ushers-in-new-year-with-greetings-to-north-korean-troops-in-russia/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:07:00 +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=966064</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kim Jong Un sent New Year’s greetings to North Korean soldiers dispatched overseas in a midnight address Thursday, highlighting the importance the country attaches to troops dispatched in support of Russia’s war against Ukraine. At a New Year’s Eve event in Pyongyang’s May Day Stadium, the leader extended “militant salutations” to overseas units who are [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2026/01/KJU-at-New-Year-2026-celebrations-001_Rodong-Sinmun-20260101-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Activists fear North Korean human rights policy is eroding under Lee Jae Myung</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/activists-fear-north-korean-human-rights-policy-is-eroding-under-lee-jae-myung/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 07:23:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Analysis]]></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=965970</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[During his election campaign earlier this year, Lee Jae Myung vowed to seek improvements in North Korean human rights as president, tacking toward the political center on DPRK issues as he looked to appeal to moderate voters. But seven months into his presidency, North Korean defectors and human rights activists are expressing concern that the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-30-at-7.11.07-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Kim Yo Jong receives a portrait of herself as a New Year’s gift from Russia</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/kim-yo-jong-receives-a-portrait-of-herself-as-a-new-years-gift-from-russia/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 06:19:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=966040</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The North Korean leader’s sister and unofficial spokesperson Kim Yo Jong has exchanged New Year’s gifts with a Russian counterpart, receiving a rush-ordered portrait of herself by an artist linked to the Kremlin. On Tuesday, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram that she received a large vase as a New Year’s gift [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/2-15-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Chinese merchant boasts he provided carpets for new North Korean luxury hotels</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/chinese-merchant-boasts-he-provided-carpets-for-new-north-korean-luxury-hotels/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 05:24:15 +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=966012</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Chinese merchant has claimed that he provided the carpets installed in new North Korean luxury hotels inspected by leader Kim Jong Un, shining a light on the DPRK’s procurement of goods from its neighbor for prestige projects. A series of posts published by the merchant on Douyin shows carpets being produced at a Chinese [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/1-10-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Seoul says it will seek to confirm status of separated families in North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/seoul-says-it-will-seek-to-confirm-status-of-separated-families-in-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2025 05:19:21 +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=966022</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea has finalized a three-year policy blueprint to guide its approach to families separated by the Korean War, prioritizing efforts to confirm whether family members in North Korea are still alive as survivors age. In a press release on Wednesday, the unification ministry stressed the urgency of resuming humanitarian exchanges with the DPRK under [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>South Korea to allow citizens to read North Korean newspaper at select locations</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/south-korea-to-allow-citizens-to-read-north-korean-newspaper-at-select-locations/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Dec 2025 09:44:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965978</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[All South Korean citizens are now allowed to access North Korea’s party daily Rodong Sinmun without going through special procedures, though only at designated locations, Seoul announced on Tuesday. The unification ministry said ROK citizens can read copies of the DPRK newspaper by visiting the Information Center on North Korea or the National Institute for [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Trump-100-days-1870-x-1000-px-1-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Crypto businessman gets 4 years in prison for leaking secrets to North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/crypto-businessman-gets-4-years-in-prison-for-leaking-secrets-to-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:21:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965919</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The operator of a South Korean cryptocurrency exchange has been sentenced to four years in prison for helping a North Korean spy obtain ROK military secrets in return for around $600,000 in digital assets. A Supreme Court spokesperson told NK News on Monday that the court in November upheld a lower court’s ruling sentencing a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/465552587_28472335975698566_6735598311142308626_n-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Year’s in North Korea and a ‘nuclear’ submarine on Christmas Day</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/new-years-in-north-korea-and-a-nuclear-submarine-on-christmas-day/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | Jeongmin Kim | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Dec 2025 07:53:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965959</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This week, Korea Risk Group Executive Director Jeongmin Kim kicks off the podcast by discussing North Korea’s upcoming plans for New Year’s Day, including the possibility of a special message from leader Kim Jong Un. NK News’ Kim discusses how the DPRK leader has retreated from the tradition of delivering a dedicated New Year’s Day [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/New-Years-in-North-Korea-and-a-nuclear-submarine-on-Christmas-Day.mp3" length="11838228" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/01/kcna-jan1-2025-2k-kju-may-day-stadium-nye-concert-19-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>North Korea says it has completed ‘rural revolution’ construction goals for 2025</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korea-says-it-has-completed-rural-revolution-construction-goals-for-2025/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Dec 2025 07:10:03 +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=965924</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claimed his country has completed this year’s construction goals under the “Regional Development 20×10 Policy,” according to state media, as he inaugurated a new rural hospital and light industry factories Monday on the west coast. Under the ruling party’s “grand policy on regional development, light-industry bases were wonderfully built [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/kcna-dec30-2025-kju-20x10-rural-development-project-factories-hospital-ryonggang-gun-final-location-of-year-18-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Survey finds widespread global skepticism about likelihood of Korean unification</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/survey-finds-widespread-global-skepticism-about-likelihood-of-korean-unification/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Dec 2025 07:02:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965923</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A public opinion survey in eight countries around the world has found widespread skepticism about the possibility of inter-Korean unification, even when there is strong support for political reconciliation with North Korea in principle. According to the survey by the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), respondents in nearly all countries polled — including the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/34037254602_82d670c577_k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korea debuts new launcher for nuclear missiles aimed at South Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korea-debuts-new-launcher-for-nuclear-missiles-aimed-at-south-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 23:26:33 +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=965901</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a factory making launch vehicles for 600mm multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) on Sunday, according to state media, saying he wants it to become the country’s “main” weapon with both conventional and nuclear strike capabilities. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report on Tuesday did not name the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/rodong-dec30-2025-kju-weapons-factory-tel-plant-mar16-phyongsong-600mm-mlrs-five-tube-2-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korean escapee group objects to Seoul’s proposal to ditch term ‘defector’</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korean-escapee-group-objects-to-seouls-proposal-to-ditch-term-defector/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:58:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></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=965889</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A North Korean defector organization has objected to an ROK government proposal to stop using the label “defector” to refer to those from the DPRK, highlighting a divide over the alleged negative connotations of the term. The National Association of North Korean Defectors (NANKD) in a statement Monday criticized Unification Minister Chung Dong-young for considering [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-29-at-4.54.34-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>US, ROK forces finish field training for summer drills, 4 months behind schedule</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/us-rok-forces-finish-field-training-for-summer-drills-4-months-behind-schedule/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 07:29:06 +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=965871</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. and South Korea have completed all their combined field training for Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) joint drills aimed at strengthening readiness against North Korean threats, over four months after they were originally scheduled to take place. The ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced on Monday that the 22 outdoor exercises were part [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/1-6-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korea celebrates Constitution Day, removes ‘Socialist’ from holiday name</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korea-celebrates-constitution-day-removes-socialist-from-holiday-name/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 06:55:45 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965869</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended a DPRK Constitution Day celebration on Saturday, according to state media, which revealed that authorities have removed the word “Socialist” from the holiday’s name. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Sunday that Kim led a patriotic oath-taking ceremony for top officials at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/kcna-dec28-2025-kju-constitution-day-ceremony-mansudae-assembly-hall-meeting-labor-innovators-meritorious-persons-athletes-3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>China has warned ships against operating in North Korean waters, statements show</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/china-has-warned-ships-against-operating-in-north-korean-waters-statements-show/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 04:32:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965848</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Beijing has repeatedly warned fishing vessels against operating in waters near the Korean Peninsula throughout this year, NK News analysis shows, raising questions about why Chinese boats continue to engage in illegal fishing from North Korean waters. China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued a directive on March 27 under its China Fishery Law [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Featured-Image-Empty-8-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Kim Jong Un leads ‘nuclear’ cruise missile test to deter outside ‘threats’</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/kim-jong-un-conducts-cruise-missile-test-to-deter-outside-threats/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 28 Dec 2025 21:39:33 +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=965810</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a &#8220;long-range strategic cruise missile&#8221; test on Sunday, according to state media, calling it an &#8220;exercise of war deterrence in the current situation where we are facing various security threats.&#8221; The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Monday that the DPRK military launched two cruise missiles on the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/kcna-dec29-2025-kju-cruise-missile-test-launch-tel-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Former officials accused of covering up North Korea shooting acquitted in trial</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/former-officials-accused-of-covering-up-north-korea-shooting-acquitted-in-trial/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Dec 2025 10:02:03 +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=965795</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Seoul-based court on Friday acquitted five South Korean officials involved in the alleged cover-up of the fatal shooting of a government official by North Korean soldiers during the Moon Jae-in administration in late 2020. The Seoul Central District Court told NK News on Friday that former National Security Adviser Suh Hoon and four other [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/5444912948_b621f7c8ec_o-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia to finance movies about North Korean troops fighting in Kursk</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/russia-to-finance-movies-about-north-korean-troops-fighting-in-kursk/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Dec 2025 07:38:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965785</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia plans to bankroll films glorifying North Korean soldiers for liberating the Kursk region, official documents show, in a move described by an expert as Moscow&#8217;s effort to placate Pyongyang after tensions between the allies surfaced on the battlefield earlier this year. The plan, annotated in the Russian culture minister&#8217;s October decree that approved state [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/1-13-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korean leader’s ‘butler’ Kim Chang Son dies at 81</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korean-leaders-butler-kim-chang-son-dies-at-81/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Dec 2025 06:55:28 +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=965790</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kim Chang Son, a senior North Korean official referred to as leader Kim Jong Un’s “butler,” has died at the age of 81, according to state media Friday. Kim Jong Un expressed “deep condolences” over the death of the former department director of the State Affairs Commission, North Korea’s main administrative organ, and sent a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Kim-Chang-Son_KCNA-20230913-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korean weapons firms set to export beer and drugs to Russia: records</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korean-weapons-firms-set-to-export-beer-and-drugs-to-russia-records/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Dec 2025 04:33:19 +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=965778</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean missile suppliers and military-tied drug manufacturers are eyeing business expansion in Russia with new beer and pharma goods on the heels of growing business links, an NK News analysis of official documents shows. Pyongyang-based Ryongsong Trading Company is set to export beer to a Russian firm from Vladivostok, according to Russia&#8217;s Federal Service [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/1-12-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>YouTubers, K-pop defectors and Trump: The top North Korea stories of 2025</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/youtubers-k-pop-defectors-and-trump-the-top-north-korea-stories-of-2025/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Choi]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Dec 2025 01:47:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aviation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></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[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shipping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965678</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[2025 began with political turmoil wrought by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, as North Korea strengthened its bonds with Russia by fighting side-by-side against Ukraine. In the 12 months since, the DPRK carried out the biggest crypto heist in history, foreign influencers briefly visited Pyongyang, South Korea elected a new progressive leader, U.S. President Donald [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/top-stories-2025-featured-image-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Kim Jong Un calls for increasing missile production, building more arms plants</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/kim-jong-un-calls-for-increasing-missile-production-building-more-arms-plants/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Dec 2025 21:41:30 +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=965763</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited two major missile factories in the east coast city of Hamhung in recent days where he called for increasing missile production and building more arms plants, according to state media on Friday. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim was satisfied with short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/rodong-dec26-2025-kju-missile-factory-feb11-hamhung-srbm-2-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Year-end special: A look back at the most compelling North Korea stories of 2025</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/year-end-special-a-look-back-at-the-most-compelling-north-korea-stories-of-2025/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin | Chad O'Carroll | Colin Zwirko | Jacco Zwetsloot | Jeongmin Kim | Jooheon Kim | Joon Ha Park | NK News | Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Dec 2025 07:49:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cyber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></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=965758</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[2025 was packed with news from the Korean Peninsula: new presidents assumed office in South Korea and the United States, North Korea expanded its cooperation with Russia and Pyongyang finally opened its long-awaited beach resort. In this special year-end episode, the NK News team joins the podcast to revisit their most compelling stories of the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/Year-end-special-A-look-back-at-the-most-compelling-North-Korea-stories-of-2025.mp3" length="47484095" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/11/kcna-nov20-2025-kju-kangdong-county-hospital-opening-ceremony-5-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>High-level North Korean defector reports top official was executed by burning</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/high-level-north-korean-defector-reports-top-official-was-executed-by-burning/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Dec 2025 03:01:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965730</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[One of the highest-ranking North Korean diplomats to defect in decades has penned a tell-all memoir about his experiences inside the regime’s inner circles, claiming that top official Jang Song Thaek was burned alive and revealing the existence of a secret organization managing leader Kim Jong Un’s slush fund. Ryu Hyun-woo, the DPRK’s former acting [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/kim-jong-uns-secret-vault_book-cover_edited-by-nknews-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korea’s 2025 in photos, from fallen soldiers in Russia to new mega-resort</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/gallery/north-koreas-2025-in-photos-from-fallen-soldiers-in-russia-to-new-mega-resort/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Dec 2025 02:28:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?post_type=gallery&#038;p=965644</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean soldiers stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Russian forces to fight back Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk. The long-delayed Wonsan Kalma mega-resort finally opened. And a large-scale military parade showed off the DPRK’s biggest-ever nuclear missile. 2025 was another busy year for North Korea. Tensions with the South were strained as Seoul weathered a constitutional crisis that [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/1-5-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Kim Jong Un unveils &#8216;nuclear-powered&#8217; submarine, criticizes US-ROK cooperation</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/kim-jong-un-unveils-nuclear-powered-submarine-criticizes-us-rok-cooperation/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Dec 2025 21:22:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></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=965707</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected an &#8220;8,700-ton nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine,&#8221; according to state media on Thursday, which unveiled the first full photos of the vessel. Kim boasted of the project’s advanced development while framing it as a necessary asset to counter South Korea’s recent announcement of plans to build its own [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/rodong-dec25-2025-kju-nuke-sub-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>US carries out artillery drills with new rocket system near North Korean border</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/us-carries-out-artillery-drills-with-new-rocket-system-near-north-korean-border/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Dec 2025 07:22:06 +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=965697</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[American troops in South Korea have conducted live-fire drills of a new multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) near the border with North Korea, the U.S. Army announced this week.  The 210 Field Artillery Brigade’s 1-38 Field Artillery Regiment became the first U.S. unit to fire the new M270A2 MLRS on the Korean Peninsula on Dec. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/M270A2-Multi-Launch-Rocket-System_US-Army-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Lee orders crackdown on Chinese fishing boats in ROK waters, including near NLL</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/lee-orders-crackdown-on-chinese-fishing-boats-in-rok-waters-including-near-nll/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Dec 2025 04:19:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shipping]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965673</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ordered tougher enforcement against Chinese fishing vessels operating illegally in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on Tuesday, following reports that boats have repeatedly fled into North Korean waters to evade ROK patrols during crab season. Speaking during a policy briefing by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>North Korean defectors report record-high life satisfaction, but concerns linger</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korean-defectors-report-record-high-life-satisfaction-but-concerns-linger/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 09:37:57 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965586</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean defectors living in the South saw modest improvements in employment and life satisfaction over the last year, according to a new government-funded survey. But the positive findings come after Seoul reported that the suicide rate among escapees remains more than double the general population, pointing to continuing challenges for defectors who resettle in [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/people-south-korean-street-pixabay-featured-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Kim Jong Un advertises new luxury hotels near China for North Korean elites</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/kim-jong-un-advertises-new-luxury-hotels-near-china-for-north-korean-elites/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Colin Zwirko]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:23:34 +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=965585</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea has officially opened five luxury hotels in Samjiyon near Mount Paektu and the Chinese border, according to state media on Tuesday, up to seven years after construction on the facilities began. Leader Kim Jong Un visited the 300-room Ikal Hotel in the city center and Milyong Hotel and spa resort in the remote [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/kcna-dec23-2025-kju-visit-samjiyon-new-hotels-opening-ceremony-44-milyong-hot-springs-spa-outdoor-tubs-daughter-kja-holding-hands-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>UN condemns North Korean abuses, POWs in the DPRK and inter-Korean tourism</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/un-condemns-north-korean-abuses-pows-in-the-dprk-and-inter-korean-tourism/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | Jooheon Kim | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:01:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965604</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This week’s podcast starts by discussing the U.N. General Assembly’s adoption of a resolution condemning North Korea’s human rights abuses for the 21st consecutive year. NK News correspondent Jooheon Kim explains the implications of the resolution and Seoul’s support, before talking about messages to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung from the families of prisoners [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/UN-condemns-North-Korean-abuses-POWs-in-the-DPRK-and-inter-Korean-tourism.mp3" length="15217992" type="audio/mpeg" />

		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/06/rodong-jun26-2026-kju-wonsan-kalma-beach-resort-opening-ceremony-24-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>US nuclear submarine visits ROK, showing off asset for countering North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/us-nuclear-submarine-visits-rok-showing-off-asset-for-countering-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 05:30:57 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965576</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine arrived at a South Korean naval base in the southern port city of Busan on Tuesday, the first such visit under the Lee Jae Myung administration and the latest display of Washington’s strategic presence to counter North Korean threats. The USS Greeneville (SSN-772), a 6,900-ton Los Angeles-class submarine assigned to the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/USS_Greeneville-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Architect of inter-Korean pact says North Korea will reciprocate if ROK restores</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/architect-of-inter-korean-pact-says-north-korea-will-reciprocate-if-rok-restores/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 23:30:53 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965520</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Restoring the Comprehensive Military Agreement (CMA) with North Korea remains a meaningful step toward preventing accidental clashes, despite the fact that Pyongyang has declared the South a hostile enemy state, according to the architect of the 2018 inter-Korean pact. Choi Jong-kun, a former ROK vice foreign minister and secretary to President Moon Jae-in, told NK [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/image-1-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Kim Jong Un cuts ribbon on newly built factories, joined by wife and daughter</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/kim-jong-un-cuts-ribbon-on-newly-built-factories-joined-by-wife-and-daughter/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:05:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965536</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his family attended another inauguration ceremony for new factories built under a push to build local development, state media reported on Sunday, this time in an east coast town that he has repeatedly singled out for praise. Kim’s daughter, wife and sister, along with high-ranking officials, accompanied him [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/2025-12-21_kctv_edited_kim-jong-un_food-factory-in-sinpho-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Seoul’s defense ministry to restore North Korea division supporting engagement</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/seouls-defense-ministry-to-restore-north-korea-division-supporting-engagement/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:03:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965556</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Seoul’s defense ministry plans to reinstate its “North Korea Policy Division” focused on easing tensions with Pyongyang, seeking to reinforce the Lee Jae Myung administration’s engagement-focused inter-Korean policy. A defense ministry official told NK News on Monday that the ministry has issued a legislative notice to rename its North Korea Strategy Division as the North [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Photo_20251222185516-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee Jae Myung orders tighter government coordination on North Korea policy</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/lee-jae-myung-orders-tighter-government-coordination-on-north-korea-policy/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:44:29 +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=965547</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ordered the creation of an interagency “security ministers’ meeting” to facilitate tighter coordination on North Korea, following signs of discord within his administration over who should take the lead on DPRK policy. Lee instructed officials to establish the body, bringing together the foreign, defense and unification ministries, following [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/1-4-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>ROK has adjusted criteria for identifying North Korean border incursions: JCS</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/rok-has-adjusted-criteria-for-identifying-north-korean-border-incursions-jcs/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:32:42 +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=965518</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The South Korean military has adjusted its criteria for identifying North Korean incursions across the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) since last year amid efforts to avoid clashes due to repeated crossings by troops north of the border. South Korean troops have prioritized the physical markers inside the Demilitarized Zone to determine the boundaries of the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2024/06/7-%EA%B5%90%EB%9F%89-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Russia denies holding ‘secret’ talks with Seoul on North Korean nuclear issue</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/russia-denies-holding-secret-talks-with-seoul-on-north-korean-nuclear-issue/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 07:36:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WMD]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965534</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia’s foreign ministry has denied reports that it held “secret” talks about the North Korean nuclear issue with South Korea, stating that it refuses to be an intermediary between the two Koreas. Moscow &#8220;doesn&#8217;t hold any consultations with the South Korean side and is not discussing with it issues concerning Pyongyang and Seoul&#8217;s bilateral relations [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Untitled-design-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Ask a North Korean: What is it like to work on a construction site in the DPRK?</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/ask-a-north-korean-what-is-it-like-to-work-on-a-construction-site-in-the-dprk/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jin Ju-dong]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 03:30:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ask A North Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Evergreen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Defector Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=964646</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 is it like [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/north-korean-construction-workers-construction-site-workers-aank-feature-3-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Belarusian exchange says it established partnership with North Korean firm</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/belarusian-exchange-says-it-established-partnership-with-north-korean-firm/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:19:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965503</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A North Korean company has become a trading partner with Belarus, seeking to import dairy products from the Russian ally amid a bilateral push to expand commercial ties. The Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE) revealed on Facebook that an unnamed DPRK firm had become an accredited partner of the commercial platform, which seeks to bridge [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Lukashenko-and-milk-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Lee says South Koreans won’t become ‘commies’ from reading North Korean media</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/lee-says-south-koreans-wont-become-commies-from-reading-north-korean-media/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:29:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></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=965491</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean President Lee Jae Myung criticized restrictions on public access to North Korea’s party-run newspaper on Friday, stating that controls on DPRK media reflect an outdated distrust of citizens’ ability to identify propaganda. The remarks come as a group of ruling Democratic Party lawmakers have proposed legislation that would allow ROK citizens to visit [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/LJM_rodongh-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>UN General Assembly adopts resolution slamming North Korean human rights abuses</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/un-general-assembly-adopts-resolution-slamming-north-korean-human-rights-abuses/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:17:00 +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=965488</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning North Korea’s human rights abuses for the 21st consecutive year, with the U.S., South Korea and Japan among the 61 countries that sponsored the measure. The resolution, passed by consensus on Thursday, calls on DPRK authorities to immediately repatriate abductees, detainees and prisoners of war, as well [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-19-at-1.58.55-PM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seoul presses China to help revive diplomacy with its ally North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/seoul-presses-china-to-help-revive-diplomacy-with-its-ally-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jifan Li]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 03:18:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965481</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea used high-level diplomatic talks with China this week to urge Beijing to help restart dialogue with North Korea, though the Chinese side did not mention related discussions in its readout. According to Seoul’s foreign ministry, First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo raised the issue during a meeting with Chinese counterpart Ma Zhaoxu at [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/Featured-Image-Empty-7-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Kim Jong Un opens more new regional factories, promising a ‘socialist paradise’</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/kim-jong-un-opens-more-new-regional-factories-promising-a-socialist-paradise/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 02:52:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965457</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kim Jong Un promised to build a “socialist paradise” while inaugurating new factories in a coastal county on Thursday, the second time this week he toured new industrial facilities for his signature regional development initiative. At a ceremony in South Hwanghae Province’s Jangyon County, the North Korean leader highlighted the significance of ongoing efforts toward [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/KJU-in-Jangyon-001_Inauguration-001_KCNA-20251219-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Trump’s National Security Strategy risks aggravating tensions with North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/trumps-national-security-strategy-risks-aggravating-tensions-with-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob York]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:47:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965357</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Editor’s note: The following article is an opinion piece by Rob York, director for regional affairs at the Pacific Forum. Views expressed in opinion articles are exclusively the author’s own and do not represent those of NK News. The U.S. released the first National Security Strategy (NSS) of Trump’s second presidency this month, and for [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/trump-white-house-dec-15-2025-white-house-photo-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Panmunjom tours will no longer enter blue buildings on North Korea border: UNC</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/panmunjom-tours-will-no-longer-enter-blue-buildings-on-north-korea-border-unc/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 01:38:51 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965434</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.N. Command has fundamentally redesigned its Joint Security Area (JSA) orientation tour to remove access to the blue conference buildings that straddle the border, ending the decades-old practice of allowing visitors to take a few steps onto the North Korean side. UNC’s deputy commander confirmed the overhaul in an interview with NK News, marking [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2018/04/Kim_Moon_02-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korea-China trade rockets to six-year high, months after Kim-Xi summit</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korea-china-trade-rockets-to-six-year-high-months-after-kim-xi-summit/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:20:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Data]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965439</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Trade between North Korea and China reached a new six-year high in November after rebounding from an October slump, thanks to a sharp increase in both imports and exports, official data shows. Bilateral turnover shot up to $281 million last month, marking the highest level since the $287 million recorded in Oct. 2019, China&#8217;s General [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/33470468478_5c9122fec2_6k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>DMZ demarcation line is not the border despite North Korean claims: UNC official</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/dmz-demarcation-line-is-not-the-border-despite-north-korean-claims-unc-official/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeongmin Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:04:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured Content]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965436</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korea’s claim that it now regards the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the demilitarized zone as a sovereign national border has not changed the way United Nations Command (UNC) sees it, its deputy commander told NK News. However, the broader environment — including fortification of the region, degraded MDL markers and unresponsive hotlines all [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/250528-N-YQ363-9930-500x256.jpeg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Gabe Segoine: How ‘surfing diplomacy’ made waves in North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/gabe-segoine-how-surfing-diplomacy-made-waves-in-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:19:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[North Korea News Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965399</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Gabe Segoine, the founder of the first surfing program in North Korea and the Christian nongovernmental organization Love North Korea Ministries, joins the podcast to discuss his experience searching for waves off the isolated country’s coast and providing humanitarian aid for its people. He recalls his experience at the Chinese airport en route to North [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
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		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/surfing-north-korea-podcast-image-gabe-segoine-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Pyongyang streets emptied of cars on Kim Jong Il death anniversary, photos show</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/pyongyang-streets-emptied-of-cars-on-kim-jong-il-death-anniversary-photos-show/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Seung-Yeon Chung]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 06:51:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965416</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Much of North Korea’s capital looked like a ghost town on Wednesday as authorities appeared to clear the streets of vehicles for the 14th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death.  According to multiple photos taken in the city and seen by NK News, Pyongyang’s usually bustling streets fell silent for the anniversary, with only a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/edited_kctv-may-16-covid-lockdown-empty-streets-on-okryu-bridge-pyongyang-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Seoul to seek joint inscription of taekwondo as UNESCO heritage with North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/seoul-to-seek-joint-inscription-of-taekwondo-as-unesco-heritage-with-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:45:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965411</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea will propose the joint inscription of taekwondo alongside North Korea as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, signaling a change in Seoul’s approach to pursuing global recognition for the Korean martial art. The Korea Heritage Service said in its work plan released Wednesday that it will submit an application to UNESCO in March for [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/06/481702675_2094286371011416_4191331349886588245_n-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Putin praises ‘brave’ North Korean troops for Kursk combat, demining operations</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/putin-praises-brave-north-korean-troops-for-kursk-combat-demining-operations/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 04:23:23 +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=965402</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russian President Vladimir Putin lauded North Korean &#8220;comrades in arms&#8221; on Wednesday for helping liberate and demine the Kursk region, delivering a speech summing up the country&#8217;s war efforts against Ukraine this year. Speaking in front of Russia&#8217;s top military brass in Moscow, Putin said DPRK soldiers &#8220;bravely and valiantly fought the enemy shoulder to [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/NI0jROqZ82gYuc3usf5ESRetPZ9YWCub-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Seoul is ‘sitting out’ while North Korea learns war, Ukrainian journalist says</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/seoul-is-sitting-out-while-north-korea-learns-war-ukrainian-journalist-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Chad O'Carroll]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 02:17:29 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965390</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea is falling behind its northern rival by refusing to supply weapons to Ukraine, according to a senior Ukrainian journalist, arguing that Seoul is squandering a rare chance to test its military hardware while North Korean forces gain real-world combat experience fighting alongside Russia. &#8220;I&#8217;m still puzzled why South Korea is sitting this one [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/image2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>UN maritime agency makes rare visit to North Korea for shipping operations audit</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/un-maritime-agency-makes-rare-visit-to-north-korea-for-shipping-operations-audit/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:41:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sanctions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shipping]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965371</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[U.N. maritime agency staffers made a rare visit to North Korea in mid-November for an audit of the country’s shipping operations, a move one expert said highlights Pyongyang’s selective engagement with international organizations that offer practical benefits. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) said in a press release that staff traveled to North Korea during the [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/UN-International-Maritime-Organization-HQ-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>UNC reaffirms exclusive control over DMZ amid Seoul’s push to approve access</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/unc-reaffirms-exclusive-control-over-dmz-amid-seouls-push-to-approve-access/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:32:47 +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=965348</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.N. Command (UNC) released a statement on Wednesday insisting it holds exclusive authority to control access to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from South Korea, amid Seoul’s efforts to pass a bill allowing it to approve non-military entry. Earlier this month, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young expressed support for a ruling Democratic Party bill [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/586262812_1321086983396883_6483008722760037282_n-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>North Korean government building burns down in city on China border</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korean-government-building-burns-down-in-city-on-china-border/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 07:36:28 +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=965360</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A government building in the North Korean border city of Sinuiju burned to the ground earlier this month, satellite imagery shows, even as the fire visible from China went unreported in both Chinese and DPRK media.  The blaze occurred at the North Pyongan Provincial Workers’ Party Committee building in central Sinuiju on Dec. 7, with [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/smoke-sinuiju-fire-from-dandong-dec-2025-chinese-social-media-2-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>ROK stages live-fire artillery drill from border island near North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/rok-stages-live-fire-artillery-drill-from-border-island-near-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 06:40:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military affairs]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965323</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korean marines have conducted their final live-fire artillery drills for the year near the disputed maritime border with North Korea, the military announced Tuesday. The Northwestern Islands Defense Command said the 6th Marine Brigade and the Yeonpyeong Unit completed their “fourth-quarter live-fire training” near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the Yellow Sea, describing [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/04/3-6-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Ask a North Korean: How did North Koreans react to Kim Jong Il’s death?</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/ask-a-north-korean-how-did-north-koreans-react-to-kim-jong-ils-death/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rose]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 05:45:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Ask A North Korean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Evergreen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Human Security / Human Rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965340</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 how North Koreans [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/uriminzokkiri_%ED%94%BC%EB%88%88%EB%AC%BC%EC%9D%98-12%EC%9B%94-215-2011-12-28-okh-2-78-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Kim Jong Un visits father’s mausoleum to pay tribute on 14th death anniversary</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/kim-jong-un-visits-fathers-mausoleum-to-pay-tribute-on-14th-death-anniversary/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 03:39:43 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965317</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un marked the 14th anniversary of his father’s death on Wednesday with a customary visit to Kim Jong Il’s final resting place at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. Accompanied by senior officials from the ruling Workers’ Party, government and military, Kim visited the mausoleum in Pyongyang housing the remains [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>Seoul’s unification, foreign ministries clash over who takes lead on North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/seouls-unification-foreign-ministries-clash-over-who-takes-lead-on-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:36:43 +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=965308</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea will strive to speak with “one voice” despite a dispute between the unification and foreign ministries over who takes the lead in coordinating North Korea policy with the U.S., Seoul’s top security official said Tuesday. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac made the comments ahead of a meeting between ROK foreign ministry officials and [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>11 North Koreans have sought asylum in Russia since 2024, official data shows</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/11-north-koreans-have-sought-asylum-in-russia-since-2024-official-data-shows/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:12:58 +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=965304</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The number of North Korean nationals seeking asylum in Russia picked up in 2024 but plummeted in the first half of this year, official data shows, with experts expressing skepticism that DPRK soldiers can receive protection amid the two countries’ flourishing cooperation over the war in Ukraine. A total of 11 DPRK nationals sought asylum [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/45439913512_27e0560598_k-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
		<item>
		<title>A North Korean’s murder in St. Petersburg, and a homecoming for DPRK troops</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/a-north-koreans-murder-in-st-petersburg-and-a-homecoming-for-dprk-troops/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin | Jacco Zwetsloot | NK News]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:03:48 +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=965302</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This week’s podcast kicks off with the 2003 murder case of a North Korean man in St. Petersburg, previously known as the “criminal capital” of Russia, and the unanswered questions surrounding his brutal death at the hands of a neo-Nazi group. NK News data correspondent Anton Sokolin then discusses North Korea’s reaction to Russian Ambassador [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		<enclosure url="https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/podcast01.nknews.org/podcast/north-korea-news-podcast/A-North-Koreans-murder-in-St-Petersburg-and-Russias-long-time-envoy-dies.mp3" length="19530114" type="audio/mpeg" />

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		<title>Russia agrees to train North Korean first responders in drone, rescue operations</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/russia-agrees-to-train-north-korean-first-responders-in-drone-rescue-operations/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:23:32 +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=965274</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Russia’s emergency response ministry has agreed to train North Korean partners in drone technology and rescue operations free of charge. The two sides signed a “memorandum on specialist training and scientific and technical cooperation” following a meeting between Emergencies Ministry (EMERCOM) Deputy Minister Roman Kurynin and a DPRK Disaster Prevention Ministry delegation led by Vice [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>Kim Jong Un and family tour new factories, leisure complex in Pyongyang suburb</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/kim-jong-un-and-family-tour-new-factories-leisure-complex-in-pyongyang-suburb/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shreyas Reddy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 04:46:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965269</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Kim Jong Un inaugurated new factories and a leisure complex in a suburb of Pyongyang on Monday, according to state media, continuing an ongoing drive to develop the area as part of his signature regional development initiative. The North Korean leader emphasized the need to “achieve a leap forward in the local areas and provide [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/KJU-in-Kangdong-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>South Korea passes law allowing police to stop leafleting toward North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/south-korea-passes-law-allowing-police-to-stop-leafleting-toward-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 04:28:40 +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=965202</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[South Korea’s unification ministry has welcomed a new law granting police the authority to actively block activists from floating propaganda leaflets toward North Korea, calling the decision “a stepping stone toward restoring inter-Korean relations.” “The era of anti-North Korea leaflets has effectively come to an end,” a unification ministry spokesman said during a press briefing [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot-2025-06-09-at-2.02.17%E2%80%AFPM-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Russian Wagner Group-linked cargo jet makes rare flight to North Korea</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/russian-wagner-group-linked-cargo-jet-makes-rare-flight-to-north-korea/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:34:10 +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=965245</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A Wagner Group-linked cargo jet operated by the Russian emergencies ministry made a rare trip to the North Korean capital over the weekend, suggesting the flight may be related to the Russian ambassador&#8217;s recent death or transporting military personnel, according to an expert. The Ilyushin Il-76TD (tail number RA-76363) landed in Pyongyang at 11:36 a.m. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/7-5-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>South Korea’s Yoon goaded North to justify martial law, prosecutors say</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/south-koreas-yoon-goaded-north-to-justify-martial-law-prosecutors-say/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joon Ha Park]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:32:16 +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=965240</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol sought to provoke a North Korean military response to justify his martial law attempt, an independent team of special prosecutors concluded Monday after a six-month investigation into the country’s unprecedented emergency declaration last year. The head of the special counsel team on Insurrection and Foreign Aggression Cho Eun-suk [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/yoonmilitaryparade2024-500x256.png" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>How rival political parties once challenged North Korea&#8217;s communist power</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/how-rival-political-parties-once-challenged-north-korean-communists-power/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Martin Weiser]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 06:27:45 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Evergreen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[History]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=964966</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The 80th founding anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) dominated the North Korean political calendar this year, providing months of state propaganda before grand celebrations in early October were capped by a large-scale military parade. But while the WPK has long been the ruling power in what is effectively a single-party state, a [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<media:content medium="image" url="https://assets.korearisk.com/uploads/2025/12/communist-party-north-korea-workers-party-foundation-history-analysis-1-500x256.jpg" width="500" height="256" />	</item>
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		<title>Russia expects North Korean troops to return to Kursk in spring: Governor</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/russia-expects-north-korean-troops-to-return-to-kursk-in-spring-governor/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 05:47:10 +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=965215</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean deminers who provided “invaluable assistance” in clearing the border of explosives are expected to redeploy to Russia’s Kursk region in the coming months, according to the region’s governor. The “revival of our border area would be impossible” without the help of North Korean military engineers, who will be welcomed back “to continue work [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>Hyundai division eyes sending tourist ship to North Korea: source</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/hyundai-division-eyes-sending-tourist-ship-to-north-korea-source/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jooheon Kim]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 04:39:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inter-Korean]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.nknews.org/?p=965122</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Hyundai Group’s division tasked with inter-Korean construction projects is exploring a proposal to dispatch a South Korean tourist vessel to a North Korean resort, if the two nations restart diplomatic relations and agree to resume cross-border projects, according to a source familiar with the plans. “[Hyundai Asan] is likely to maintain the projects it had [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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		<title>North Korean deminers return from Russia, praised by Kim Jong Un</title>
		<link>https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korean-deminers-return-from-russia-praised-by-kim-jong-un/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anton Sokolin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Dec 2025 23:03:59 +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=965185</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed the return of a military engineering unit from Russia’s Kursk after a monthslong demining effort in the area that left nine DPRK soldiers dead, state media announced, following Moscow and Pyongyang jointly repelling Ukrainian forces from the region earlier this year. Kim attended a large welcome ceremony for [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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