The South Korean military announced that North Korea launched sea-to-surface cruise missiles as part of its broader nuclear force development, days before U.S. President Trump was set to meet regional leaders (AP)
The test launch follows a recent ballistic missile test that was North Korea’s first in five months (CNN)
During his Asia tour, Trump reportedly lamented the failure to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to revive dialogue on the long-running conflict on the Korean peninsula (NYT)
Trump Comments on Potential Kim Meeting
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would “love” to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to South Korea, though Pyongyang has not responded; Kim has indicated openness to talks only if Washington halts its denuclearization demands, while U.S. officials confirm no meeting is currently planned (NYT)
A South Korean official had likewise predicted that such a meeting was unlikely in the near future (Reuters)
Meanwhile, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui attended the Minsk International Conference, which gathered over forty countries to discuss security in Eurasia, and reiterated North Korea’s commitment to intervening in the region (Korea Herald)
A day earlier, Choe visited Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who asked the envoy to tell North Korean Leader Kim Jung-un that bilateral ties were “going to plan” (Independent)
North Korea-Russia Ties
Speaking at a ceremony in Russia’s Kursk region honoring North Korean soldiers killed in the war against Ukraine, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the “militant fraternity” between Pyongyang and Moscow would “advance non-stop” (Reuters)
Meanwhile, South Korea’s unification minister said there is a “considerable” chance U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un will meet during Trump’s South Korea visit next week, reiterating previous speculation from U.S. media; the leaders last met in 2019 at Panmunjom (AFP)
North Korean Missile Launch
North Korea conducted its first ballistic missile tests in five months today, South Korea’s military said; these were the first such missile tests since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took office in June, pledging to restore peace on the peninsula (AP)
Pyongyang said the missiles were part of a new hypersonic weapons system boosting its nuclear posture (AP)
The launch comes as Trump and other world leaders are slated to visit South Korea next week (CNN)
Monitoring of North Korea Accelerates
France and Australia deployed aircraft and naval assets to Japan to help enforce UN sanctions on North Korea, joining other U.S. allies monitoring illicit maritime transfers; the Japanese Foreign Ministry said that the deployments underscore allied coordination in pressuring North Korea toward denuclearization (Newsweek)
North Korean Soldier Defects to South Korea
The soldier crossed the Demilitarized Zone and surrendered to South Korean forces, expressing intent to resettle; it marks the first defection of its kind since August 2024 (AP)
Trump Administration Contemplates Kim Jong-un Meeting
U.S. officials are exploring a potential meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during Trump’s upcoming Asia visit, though no formal planning or communications with Pyongyang have yet occurred; both leaders have expressed openness to renewed talks following Kim’s recent remarks to the North Korean parliament (CNN)
North Korean Military Parade
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attended a major military parade in Pyongyang to mark the ruling party’s eightieth anniversary, showcasing the new Hwasong-20 intercontinental missile, which is the country’s most advanced; Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev, and Vietnam’s To Lam attended, as Kim pledged to strengthen the military and signed agreements to deepen ties with Russia and Vietnam (Reuters)
Following the military celebrations, South Korea said that Russian technology may have helped build the novel missile (Korea Times)
Kim Vows New Military Measures Against U.S. Buildup
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Pyongyang has deployed “special assets” to counter the growing U.S. military presence in South Korea and will develop additional military measures, state media reported (Newsweek)
Russian and North Korean Defense Ministers Meet
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov met his North Korean counterpart No Kwang Chol in Moscow, where they unveiled a memorial honoring Koreans who fought with Soviet forces in World War II (Reuters)
Marking China’s seventy-sixth National Day, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un also sent a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping vowing to further strengthen bilateral ties (Anadolu Agency)
North Korea at UNGA
North Korea’s vice foreign minister told the UN General Assembly that the country would not give up its nuclear weapons; he made no direct reference to Trump, and did not respond to a recent declaration by South Korea’s president that Seoul seeks a “shift to a stance of mutual respect” (AP)
His speech marked the first time a senior North Korean diplomat had attended the gathering since 2018 (NYT)
Meanwhile, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui met with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, pledging to strengthen bilateral cooperation and resist “hegemonism,” a veiled reference to U.S. influence (AP)
Kim Orders Full Support for Nuclear Program
North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un directed officials and scientists to devote all resources to advancing the country’s nuclear arsenal, vowing to “sharpen and renew the nuclear shield and sword” to guarantee sovereignty and security (Reuters)
North Korea Nears Ability to Launch Missiles at the United States
The warning came from South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who said Pyongyang likely needs only to master atmospheric re-entry to field up to twenty nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles able to hit the United States; Lee urged a plan to freeze and later dismantle Pyongyang’s nuclear arsenal while suggesting Trump could restart talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (NBC)
South Korea Fires Warning Shots at North Korean Ship
The incident occurred after a North Korean merchant vessel briefly crossed the disputed Northern Limit Line near Baengnyeong Island; the vessel retreated without returning fire (AP)
United States Sanctions North Korean Arms Network
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control blacklisted five people and a Burmese company, Royal Shune Lei, for funneling weapons and revenue to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and for brokering sales to Myanmar’s junta; designated figures include representatives of the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation and the Reconnaissance General Bureau (Treasury)
Meanwhile, South Korea’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said that North Korea is operating four uranium enrichment facilities to expand its nuclear weapons, estimating that Pyongyang now holds about 2,000 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, up sharply from past assessments; such stockpiles could fuel dozens of nuclear bombs (AP)
Kim Says North Korea Open to U.S. Talks if Denuclearization Demand Dropped
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Pyongyang is willing to resume dialogue with Washington if the United States abandons its “obsession” with denuclearization, stressing that nuclear arms are vital; Kim recalled fond memories of Trump, while rejecting recent overtures from Seoul and Washington as insincere (Reuters)
Kim Suggests AI Drone Development a Military Priority
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw drone performance tests in Pyongyang and said artificial intelligence in unmanned systems is a “top priority,” calling for expanded drone production as the country continues to advance missile and nuclear capabilities (Al Jazeera)
Report Says Russia Gains Far More Than North Korea From War Partnership
A study by a German think tank found North Korea has supplied Russia with up to $9.8 billion in weapons since 2023, while Pyongyang has received less than $1.2 billion in aid; analysts say the imbalance gives Kim Jong Un battlefield testing and political recognition but little economic benefit (Al Jazeera)
Meanwhile, a new UN Human Rights Office report says repression in North Korea has worsened significantly over the past decade (DW)
North Korea Declares Nuclear Status “Irreversible”
Pyongyang claimed its status as a nuclear weapons state is irreversible under its constitution, rejecting International Atomic Energy Agency oversight, as U.S., South Korean, and Japanese forces began Freedom Edge 25 joint drills near Jeju Island; North Korea warned the exercises threaten regional stability (ABC News)
Seoul Says Kim Jong Un Positioning Daughter as Likely Successor
South Korea’s intelligence agency told lawmakers that Kim Ju Ae’s accompaniment of her father during his recent trip to Beijing was enough to solidify her status as Kim Jong Un’s successor; the visit also involved high-level meetings with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin (Reuters)
Putin and Kim Jong Un Attend Military Parade in China
Putin met with Kim and thanked him for North Korean soldiers’ efforts fighting with Russia against Ukraine (BBC)
U.S. President Donald Trump accused Putin and Kim of conspiring against the United States in a social media post; the Kremlin rejected that characterization (ABC)
South Korean President Meets With Trump in Washington
Lee’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump today is a temperature-check of a key alliance as both sides adjust their foreign policies; their talks are expected to cover military deployments, trade, and strategy toward North Korea (FT)
Trump has called for Seoul to cover a greater share of the costs related to the approximately 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and for the country to allocate more funds to defense in general (Reuters)
Lee and Trump have both expressed openness to engaging North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on nuclear issues, but Kim has so far signaled little interest in those efforts (NPR)
On Saturday, South Korea and Japan pledged to cooperate on efforts to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, issuing their first joint statement in seventeen years during Lee’s trip to Tokyo to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba (CNN)
Kim Jong Un Says North Korea Advancing “Rapid Expansion of Nuclearization”
Kim also condemned annual joint U.S.-South Korea military drills that are currently taking place; South Korea’s new leader has pledged to improve ties with its northern neighbor but said it still aims for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which Kim rejects (Korea Herald)
U.S.-South Korea Drills
The countries began annual defensive military drills today to practice responding to threats including a nuclear-armed North Korea. Pyongyang said the drills would increase regional tensions and pledged to respond to “any provocation” (AP)
South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung is preparing for a summit with Trump in Washington next week (Reuters)
South Korean President Pledges to Revive 2018 Agreement
South Korea will take “proactive” but “gradual” steps to restore a 2018 agreement to stabilize military relations with North Korea, President Lee Jae Myung said (NBC)
The previous South Korean government suspended the pact in 2024, which had created buffer zones on land, sea, and air around the border (Reuters)