NK leader's sister confirmed to serve as director of ruling party's general affairs department

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was confirmed to have taken the post of director of the general affairs department of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, according to state media Saturday. Kim was promoted to a party department chief at the WPK's plenary meeting Monday held in the midst of the ninth party congress that concluded a weeklong run Wednesday, but details of her official title were not disclosed at that time. But the North's state media called her

Feb. 28, 2026

N. Korea's Kim visits family mausoleum with newly elected party officials after congress

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited a mausoleum for his late grandfather and father with newly elected party officials after the country wrapped up a key party congress, state media reported Friday. Kim visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun the previous day with newly elected members of the central leadership of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, according to the Korean Central News Agency. North Korea concluded the weeklong ninth party congress Wednesday, the first since 2021, where i

Feb. 27, 2026

Lee presses peace push despite Kim's objections

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday underscored that peace and stability must guide Seoul’s inter-Korean policy — and that decades of hostility cannot be erased with a single breakthrough. Lee’s remarks came after North Korea’s state media reported Thursday that leader Kim Jong-un defined South Korea as a “thoroughly hostile state” and a “permanent enemy” at the Ninth Party Congress. “What we must pursue are the values of peace and stability. We must put an end to the past that raced toward conf

Feb. 26, 2026

NK leader leaves room for US engagement, rebuffs Seoul

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Pyongyang could build relations with the United States if Washington abandons what it calls a hostile policy, while dismissing Seoul’s dialogue efforts as insincere, the North's state media said Thursday. "We have no reason not to get along with the United States if it respects our country's current status, as defined in the North Korean constitution, and drops its hostile policy toward North Korea," Kim was quoted as saying during the Party Congress by the K

Feb. 26, 2026

Kim says willing to get along with US if Washington drops 'hostile' policy

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said Pyongyang has no reason not to get along with the United States if Washington withdraws its hostile policy against the North, but rejected Seoul's overtures for talks as "deceptive," according to the North's state media Thursday. Kim made the remarks during a policy review session held Friday-Saturday at the Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, which concluded its weeklong run the previous day, the Korean Central News Agency said. "We hav

Feb. 26, 2026

Seoul to develop suicide risk indicators for North Korean defectors

South Korea plans to develop new in-depth indicators to better detect suicide risk among North Korean defectors, with a particular focus on women, who account for the majority of the defector population, a Unification Ministry official said Wednesday. The ministry recently completed internal procedures to commission a research project on suicide among defectors and plans to post a public notice in early March, according to the official, who declined to be named. A research firm will be selected

Feb. 25, 2026

N. Korean media glorify leader Kim as 'greatest man in world' after reelection as party chief

North Korean state media on Wednesday launched a glorification campaign for leader Kim Jong-un following his recent reelection to the highest party post, calling him the "greatest man in the world" and describing his leadership as tantamount to a "miracle." "The entire people across the country were moved by endless excitement and exaltation" over Kim's reelection, said an article carried by the Rodong Sinmun, the most widely read newspaper published by the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. At the

Feb. 25, 2026

US yet to express agreement on inter-Korean no-fly zone reinstatement, Seoul official says

The United States has not yet agreed to South Korea’s proposal to reinstate a no-fly zone near the inter-Korean border under the suspended Sept. 19 military agreement, a high-ranking official at Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Monday, adding that consultations are ongoing. A ministry official, requesting anonymity, told reporters at the Government Complex Seoul that restoring the 2018 inter-Korean military pact has been a firm policy objective of the Lee Jae Myung administration from the outset, a

Feb. 24, 2026

김여정, 노동당 장관급으로 승진…통일부 “대남·대외 역할 주목”

김정은 북한 국무위원장의 여동생 김여정이 진행 중인 노동당 대회에서 당 부장으로 승진하고 정치국 후보위원에 복귀하면서 당내 위상을 한층 공고히 했다는 분석이 24일 제기됐다. 북한 조선중앙통신(KCNA)은 전날 열린 노동당 제9기 중앙위원회 1차 전원회의에서 김여정이 신임 중앙위원회 부장 17명 가운데 한 명으로 임명됐다고 24일 보도했다. 김여정은 그동안 당 부부장으로 활동해왔다. 김여정은 또 당 정치국 후보위원으로 재선임됐다. 그는 2017년 정치국 후보위원에 처음 진입했으나, 2021년 제8차 당 대회에서 해당 직위에서 물러난 바 있다. 이번 복귀로 5년 만에 다시 당 핵심 의사결정 구조에 이름을 올리게 됐다. 조선중앙통신은 김여정이 어떤 부서를 맡게 됐는지는 구체적으로 밝히지 않았다. 다만 그간 대남·대미 관련 담화를 주도해온 전력을 감안할 때, 대외 전략 전반을 총괄하는 보다 확대된 역할을 맡을 가능성이 제기된다. 임을출 경남대 극동문제연구소 교수는 “김여정이 북한의 대미·

Feb. 24, 2026

Kim Yo-jong likely to take bigger role in external affairs following party promotion, politburo return

Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has consolidated her standing within the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea after being promoted to department director and reinstated as an alternate member of the Politburo during the ongoing party congress, observers said Tuesday. The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday that Kim Yo-jong had been among 17 department directors of the party’s new Central Committee at the first plenary meeting of the Nin

Feb. 24, 2026

N. Korean leader's sister Kim Yo-jong promoted to party department head at congress

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo-jong, has been promoted to department head at the ruling Workers' Party of Korea during the ongoing party congress, state media reported Tuesday. The Korean Central News Agency published a press release from the first plenary meeting of the ninth central committee of the ruling party, naming Kim Yo-jong as one of the 17 department directors of the party's new central committee. She was previously vice department director at the commi

Feb. 24, 2026

Kim reelected as party chief, but NK avoids direct message to Seoul, US

North Korea has reelected Kim Jong-un as general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party at its ongoing party congress, its state media said Monday, as the regime highlighted progress in nuclear deterrence while refraining from direct messages toward South Korea and the United States. “The Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea decides to elect Kim Jong-un as general secretary of the WPK ... for the development of the WPK and the prosperity of the state,” the Korean Central News Agency sai

Feb. 23, 2026

N. Korea's Kim reelected as general secretary of ruling party for reinforcing nuclear power

North Korea's ruling party reelected Kim Jong-un as its general secretary at the ongoing party congress, touting the rapid improvement of the country's nuclear-based war deterrence under his leadership, state media said Monday. "The Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea decides to elect Kim Jong-un as general secretary of the WPK ... for the development of the WPK and the prosperity of the state," the Korean Central News Agency said, citing the "unshakable" will of party members, the peo

Feb. 23, 2026

N. Korea touts 'remarkable' success in policy implementation over past 5 years at key party congress

North Korea said Saturday it has achieved "remarkable" success in implementing major policies over the past five years, as Pyongyang is holding a key party congress amid expectations that it will unveil its future policy direction. With North Korean leader Kim Jong-un present, the country held a policy review session on Friday, the second day of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea's ninth party congress, the country's biggest political event since 2021, according to the Korean Central News Agency

Feb. 21, 2026

N. Korea opens once-in-5-years party conclave

North Korea has kicked off a rare gathering of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, state media said Friday, marking the start of the country's biggest political event in five years that would set major policy directions on defense and the economy. "The Ninth Congress of the WPK opened with splendor in Pyongyang, the capital city of the revolution," the previous day, the Korean Central News Agency said. Typically running several days, the congress sets state policy goals for the next five years o

Feb. 20, 2026