North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter is being positioned as his successor, South Korea’s intelligence chief told lawmakers today; North Korea has only had male leaders since its establishment in 1948 (AP)
Recent photos of Kim’s daughter driving a tank and firing a pistol appear designed to reduce wariness about a female leader, Seoul’s intelligence service said (Chosun Daily)
Kim Jong-un Vows Irreversible Nuclear Status, Slams “Hostile” South Korea
In a policy speech to Pyongyang’s parliament, Kim Jong-un pledged to permanently cement North Korea’s status as a nuclear power while formally designating South Korea as the regime’s “most hostile” state; he also accused the United States of global “state terrorism” but notably refrained from naming President Trump directly, leaving the choice between “confrontation or peaceful coexistence” to his adversaries (NPR)
Kim Jong-un Reappointed as President of State Affairs
State media KCNA reported that Kim Jong-un was reappointed as president of state affairs, after the country convened the first session of its Supreme People’s Assembly the day before; the meeting will discuss various amendments and additions to the regime’s constitution, as well as the election of various state leadership positions (Reuters)
North Korean Missile Test
North Korea test-fired around ten ballistic missiles into the East Sea, South Korea’s military said (Chosun Daily)
The incident coincided with U.S.-South Korean joint military drills (AP)
It also followed South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok’s Friday discussion with Trump about potentially resuming nuclear negotiations with Pyongyang, which Kim said Trump supports (Yonhap)
North Korea Condemns U.S., Israel Strikes on Iran
North Korea’s foreign ministry spokesperson stated that strikes by Israel and the United States were a violation of Iran’s national sovereignty and an act of “illegal aggression” (Reuters)
South Korea-Google Agreement on Maps
Seoul today said it would permit Google to export detailed geographic data from the country to its international servers, subject to certain safeguards (Reuters)
For years, it has refused to do so over concerns that North Korea could use the data for a military attack; Google agreed to blur images of sensitive sites (AP)
Kim Jong-un Highlights AI-Linked Missile Progress Ahead of Party Congress
Kim Jong-un said a key party congress this month will set new military and construction goals while touting advances in AI-enabled missile systems; he made the remarks at a ceremony presenting 600 millimeter multiple rocket launchers that he said can carry out strategic missions (Reuters)
South Korea Says Civilians Sent Drones to North Korea
South Korea’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-Young stated that three civilians had sent drones to North Korea four times since President Lee Jae Myung took office last year; he stated his “official regret” to North Korea and noted that drone incursion incidents were taken seriously (Reuters)
Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un, said it was “sensible” for South Korea to express regret, but warned of counterattacks if the drone incursions continue (AP)
North Korea to Convene Ninth Congress in Late February
State media reported that North Korea will convene its Ninth Congress in late February; the congress meets every one to five years to set major policy goals (Reuters)
North Korean Soldiers Provide Support to Russia in War in Ukraine
A Ukrainian military intelligence report found that North Korean troops are providing skilled assistance to Russia’s war efforts; per the report, North Korea has increased its involvement by launching artillery, including multiple-launch rocket systems, from southern Russia (WSJ)
North Korea Fires Short-Range Ballistic Missiles
North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Tuesday, with South Korea saying the projectiles flew about 350 kilometers after being fired from near Pyongyang; the tests coincided with U.S.-South Korea discussions on reshaping their defense posture against Pyongyang (Reuters)
North Korea Denounces New Sanctions Monitoring Team as Illegal
North Korea condemned a new multinational sanction monitoring group as illegitimate and outside the United Nations system, accusing the United States of pushing an “illegal” mechanism to track Pyongyang’s sanctions violations (Reuters)
North Korea Accuses South Korea of Drone Incursion
North Korea said South Korea violated its sovereignty by flying a surveillance-equipped drone into its airspace on January 4, claiming it shot the drone down after it flew several kilometers inside the country; Seoul denied operating the drone and said it would investigate whether a civilian was responsible, while analysts said the timing of Pyongyang’s accusation appears aimed at reinforcing Kim Jong-un’s portrayal of South Korea as a hostile foreign state ahead of a major ruling party congress (Reuters)
North Korea Test-Fires Multiple Ballistic Missiles
Japan’s defense minister said that one missile flew nearly six hundred miles—within striking distance of southern Japan (Japan Times)
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said that it was consulting with allies but that the tests did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory, or allies (INDOPACOM)
South Korea Scrambles Jets
South Korea scrambled fighter jets in response to nine Chinese and Russian aircraft temporarily entering its air defense identification zone, its military said today; the Chinese and Russian planes did not breach South Korean airspace (Yonhap)
Aircraft from the two countries have entered the area once or twice yearly since 2019 without prior notice (DW/AFP/Reuters)
New National Security Strategy Drops North Korea Denuclearization Goal
The omission from the strategy is the first in over two decades, prompting analysts to suggest Washington may be positioning for renewed diplomacy with Kim Jong-un in 2026 (White House; Reuters)
Still, acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim later insisted that denuclearization remains U.S. policy (Anadolu Agency)
South Korea’s Lee Pushes for Renewed Talks With North
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he hopes U.S. President Donald Trump can persuade North Korea to resume dialogue, suggesting that Pyongyang takes Washington more seriously than Seoul (Reuters)
As part of outreach efforts, Lee said he was considering apologizing to North Korea over alleged provocations under his predecessor, including suspected drone flights and propaganda campaigns, though the call drew criticism from opposition parties (AP)
U.S.-South Korea Fuel Partnership
Washington will launch a joint venture to help Seoul enrich uranium fuel for its nuclear power plants, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said at a news conference today; South Korea had previously been prohibited from enriching its own uranium as part of a bilateral agreement with the United States and as a result imported its uranium from sources like Russia (Yonhap)
Lee today also reaffirmed Seoul’s commitment not to obtain nuclear weapons (NYT)
Kim Commemorates North Korean Air Force
At ceremonies marking the force’s eightieth anniversary, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signaled forthcoming upgrades to its capabilities, including new drones and surveillance aircraft; the declarations underscore a push to modernize the country’s air operations (Reuters)
U.S.-South Korea Military Exercises
North Korean state media claimed the drills, including naval and air exercises near key bases in South Korea, were designed to intimidate Pyongyang; Seoul has reiterated its openness to dialogue to reduce the risk of clashes along the border, though North Korea has ignored this outreach (Reuters)
Expansion of North Korean Nuclear Complex
Satellite imagery indicates continued upgrades across North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear facility, underscoring Kim Jong-un’s push to grow the country’s nuclear stockpile as Pyongyang continues rejecting diplomacy (The Times)
Heightened Risk of Accidental Clash on Korean Peninsula
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said inter-Korean relations have deteriorated to the point where unintended conflict is possible, citing Pyongyang’s refusal to respond to Seoul’s outreach and its installation of new barbed-wire barriers along the border (Reuters)
South Korea Proposes Talks With North
South Korea asked North Korea to hold military discussions on reestablishing a mutually recognized boundary along the military demarcation line amid increased North Korean fortification work and repeated troop incursions into the South; Pyongyang has not answered outreach efforts since the end of 2023 (Reuters)
Separately, North Korea condemned Washington’s approval for Seoul to develop nuclear-powered submarines, claiming expanded U.S.-South Korea ties would fuel an arms race and deepen regional tensions (Newsweek)
U.S.-South Korea Ties
The South Korean government announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States worth over $350 billion covering several industries, including artificial intelligence capabilities, nuclear cooperation, and shipbuilding; talks to implement an agreement on a South Korean nuclear submarine will likewise continue, officials said (CNBC; Reuters)
South Korea To Support UN Measure on North
Seoul said it will again co-sponsor the annual UN resolution criticizing North Korea’s human rights abuses, despite speculation that the new government might soften its stance to revive talks with Pyongyang (Reuters)