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North Korea

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a country in East Asia, located in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering South Korea and China. Its capital, Pyongyang, is the country's largest city by both land area and population. It is a single-party state led by the Korean Workers' Party (KWP), and governed by Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un since 2012. It has a population of 24,052,231 (UN-assisted DPRK census 2008) made up of Koreans and a smaller Chinese minority. Japan 'opened' Korea in 1876 and annexed it in 1910. The Republic of Korea (ROK) was founded with US support in the south in August 1948 and the Soviet-backed Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the north in September that year.

Capital

Pyongyang

Head of State

Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un

Head of Government

Premier Kim Tok-hun

This picture taken on February 25, 2026 and released by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on February 26, 2026 shows soldiers marching during the military parade commemorating the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea at Kim Il-Sung Square in Pyongyang. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP) / South Korea OUT / SOUTH KOREA OUT / ---EDITORS NOTE--- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS” - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
THIS PICTURE WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY A THIRD PARTY. AFP CAN NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, LOCATION, DATE AND CONTENT OF THIS IMAGE. /

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Video | North Korea holds military parade to mark ruling Workers’ Party Congress

Analysts say the event reflects a continued emphasis on military strength as a driving force for national development under Kim Jong Un’s leadership.

27 Feb 2026 - 7:52PM

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North Korea’s Kim warns of ‘eternal confrontation’ without US dialogue

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Kim Jong-un’s sister takes major step up in North Korean leadership

Kim Yo-jong, one of her brother’s closest lieutenants, has been promoted to full department director at the Workers’ Party congress.

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Kim Yo-jong delivers a speech during a national meeting in Pyongyang on August 10, 2022. Photo: KCNA/AP

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Why South Korea is risking a rare rift with US to slash joint military drills

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24 Feb 2026 - 9:25AMvideocam

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China-North Korea relations

Xi Jinping hoping China can open ‘new chapter’ in relations with North Korea

Chinese leader sends message of ‘high trust and wholehearted support’ to Kim Jong-un after major party event.

23 Feb 2026 - 7:08PM

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pictured at the party congress which concluded on Monday. Photo: AFP

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South Korea protests Russian embassy ‘Victory’ banner as key war date looms

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A banner reading ‘Victory will be ours’ on the exterior wall of the Russian embassy in Seoul. Photo: AFP

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North Korea’s explosive thriller reveals assassination plot against Kim’s dad

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22 Feb 2026 - 11:39AMvideocam

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Reflections | As Kim Jong-un grooms daughter to rule, a Chinese princess’s fatal ambition

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Where is Kim Ju-ae? Succession question hangs over North Korea’s ruling congress

With Kim Jong-un set to outline his end-of-decade vision, the notable absence of his teenage daughter raises fresh succession questions.

21 Feb 2026 - 2:01PM

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Ju-ae inspect a newly completed music shop in the Hwasong area of Pyongyang on Wednesday. Photo: KCNA/KNS/AFP

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China scrambles fighters to confront US warplanes based in South Korea

The American warplanes made a rare approach towards China’s air defence identification zone over the Yellow Sea, local media reported.

20 Feb 2026 - 8:01PMvideocam

US F-16 fighters based in South Korea approached China’s air defence identification zone, according to media reports. Photo: Getty Images

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North Korea’s Kim opens rare party congress with pledge to fix economy

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20 Feb 2026 - 6:28PMvideocam

China-North Korea relations

China congratulates North Korea on party conclave, vows to work together: Xinhua

Message from Communist Party of China’s Central Committee lauds Workers’ Party for helping to develop North Korean economy, improving lives.

20 Feb 2026 - 7:27PMvideocam

Japan

Takaichi vows to make Japan ‘strong’, says no to ‘reckless’ fiscal policy

The prime minister said Tokyo was facing ‘the most severe and complex security environment’ since World War II, citing China and Russia.

20 Feb 2026 - 3:05PMvideocam

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gives her policy speech during the special Diet session in Tokyo on Friday. Photo: AP

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‘Heroic era’: why North Korea’s Kim is lauding Ukraine war sacrifices

The new homes for families of fallen soldiers are part of a push to showcase tangible achievements before the party congress, analysts say.

17 Feb 2026 - 8:00AM

Munich Security Conference

In Munich, US urges ‘collective strength’ among allies to deter China

Washington and its Indo-Pacific and European allies emphasise need for cooperation to counter Beijing’s military build-up.

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‘We don’t care’: North Korea threatens Seoul with dire consequences over drones

The warning from Kim Yo-jong could derail President Lee Jae Myung’s efforts to mend ties with Pyongyang.

13 Feb 2026 - 12:40PMvideocam

Images taken on January 4 by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency show wreckage of a drone that allegedly originated from South Korea. Photo: KCNA/KNS/AFP

Japan

Why Takaichi’s landslide victory in Japan has North Korea on edge

North Korea has accused Japan of resurrecting its wartime ambitions by expanding its defence and pursuing security alliances.

13 Feb 2026 - 5:53PMvideocam

Military personnel hold national flags of Japan and the US during a Japan Ground Self-Defence Force training at Camp Narashino, near Tokyo, on January 11. Photo: EPA

Kim Jong-un

Kim’s daughter shaping North Korean policy as succession signals deepen

Citing a spy agency briefing, a South Korean lawmaker said Kim Ju-ae ‘was in the stage of being internally appointed successor’.

12 Feb 2026 - 1:33PMvideocam

Japan

Editorial | Takaichi’s election mandate won’t give her leverage with China

The Japanese prime minister’s hawkish stance will only further inflame tensions over Taiwan – and popularity at home won’t temper Beijing’s response.

12 Feb 2026 - 6:45AM

South Korea

What Takaichi’s landslide victory could mean for Japan-South Korea ties

Japan’s conservative tilt has revived South Korean concerns of more nationalist policies that could reopen historical and security wounds.

11 Feb 2026 - 5:59PMvideocam

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (left) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after their talk in Nara on January 13. Photo: AFP

Kim Jong-un

Kim Jong-un vows ‘outstanding’ military role in new 5-year North Korea arms plan

The five-year defence plan will be aimed at bolstering North Korea’s strategic and tactical nuclear capabilities, analysts say.

10 Feb 2026 - 4:38PMvideocam

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reviews a guard of honour as he visits the Ministry of National Defence in Pyongyang on Sunday. Photo: KCNA/AFP

South Korea

Hope for thaw? Seoul hints at ‘new progress’ in US-North Korea ties

The official’s remarks come amid speculation that US President Donald Trump could seek a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

7 Feb 2026 - 9:30AM

South Korea

‘I won’t survive’: North Korean soldier caught by Ukraine dreads going home

Seoul faces a diplomatic tightrope as the captured soldiers plead for asylum in South Korea.

7 Feb 2026 - 7:21AMvideocam

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North Korea

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | North Korea holds military parade to mark ruling Workers’ Party Congress

Analysts say the event reflects a continued emphasis on military strength as a driving force for national development under Kim Jong Un’s leadership.

North Korea’s Kim warns of ‘eternal confrontation’ without US dialogue

Dominant North Korea among favourites to win Women’s Asian Cup despite Covid break

Where Ukraine and Russia stand as war enters fifth year

Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II shows no signs of stopping any time soon.

South Korean ex-president Yoon appeals against ‘excessive’ life sentence

Yoon Suk-yeol’s legal team said it needed to place the problems with the ruling on record for the sake of history.

Seoul’s protest seen as reluctance to let US Forces Korea confront China

South Korean complaint highlights growing difficulty in balancing ties with both security ally US and top trading partner China: analyst.

Kim Jong-un’s sister takes major step up in North Korean leadership

Kim Yo-jong, one of her brother’s closest lieutenants, has been promoted to full department director at the Workers’ Party congress.

Why South Korea is risking a rare rift with US to slash joint military drills

Washington is reportedly pushing back on Seoul’s request for smaller drills, forcing the postponement of a major joint military briefing.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | Germany’s outreach to China signals a reckoning, rather than a shift

The German chancellor realises that while China poses a long-term economic challenge, the United States is currently the more disruptive partner.

Xi Jinping hoping China can open ‘new chapter’ in relations with North Korea

Chinese leader sends message of ‘high trust and wholehearted support’ to Kim Jong-un after major party event.

South Korea protests Russian embassy ‘Victory’ banner as key war date looms

South Korea formally protests display in the heart of its capital as the Ukraine-Russia war enters its fifth year.

North Korea’s explosive thriller reveals assassination plot against Kim’s dad

‘Days and Nights of Confrontation’, which depicts a plot to kill Kim Jong-il, was released for the first time on state television last month.

Reflections | As Kim Jong-un grooms daughter to rule, a Chinese princess’s fatal ambition

Princess Anle’s radical petition to inherit the throne set in motion a chain of events that would see her decapitated in her own boudoir.

Where is Kim Ju-ae? Succession question hangs over North Korea’s ruling congress

With Kim Jong-un set to outline his end-of-decade vision, the notable absence of his teenage daughter raises fresh succession questions.

China scrambles fighters to confront US warplanes based in South Korea

The American warplanes made a rare approach towards China’s air defence identification zone over the Yellow Sea, local media reported.

North Korea’s Kim opens rare party congress with pledge to fix economy

North Korea’s economy has been languishing under heavy Western sanctions that aim to choke off funding for its nuclear weapons programme.

China congratulates North Korea on party conclave, vows to work together: Xinhua

Message from Communist Party of China’s Central Committee lauds Workers’ Party for helping to develop North Korean economy, improving lives.

Takaichi vows to make Japan ‘strong’, says no to ‘reckless’ fiscal policy

The prime minister said Tokyo was facing ‘the most severe and complex security environment’ since World War II, citing China and Russia.

‘Heroic era’: why North Korea’s Kim is lauding Ukraine war sacrifices

The new homes for families of fallen soldiers are part of a push to showcase tangible achievements before the party congress, analysts say.

In Munich, US urges ‘collective strength’ among allies to deter China

Washington and its Indo-Pacific and European allies emphasise need for cooperation to counter Beijing’s military build-up.

‘We don’t care’: North Korea threatens Seoul with dire consequences over drones

The warning from Kim Yo-jong could derail President Lee Jae Myung’s efforts to mend ties with Pyongyang.

Why Takaichi’s landslide victory in Japan has North Korea on edge

North Korea has accused Japan of resurrecting its wartime ambitions by expanding its defence and pursuing security alliances.

Kim’s daughter shaping North Korean policy as succession signals deepen

Citing a spy agency briefing, a South Korean lawmaker said Kim Ju-ae ‘was in the stage of being internally appointed successor’.

Editorial | Takaichi’s election mandate won’t give her leverage with China

The Japanese prime minister’s hawkish stance will only further inflame tensions over Taiwan – and popularity at home won’t temper Beijing’s response.

What Takaichi’s landslide victory could mean for Japan-South Korea ties

Japan’s conservative tilt has revived South Korean concerns of more nationalist policies that could reopen historical and security wounds.

Kim Jong-un vows ‘outstanding’ military role in new 5-year North Korea arms plan

The five-year defence plan will be aimed at bolstering North Korea’s strategic and tactical nuclear capabilities, analysts say.

Hope for thaw? Seoul hints at ‘new progress’ in US-North Korea ties

The official’s remarks come amid speculation that US President Donald Trump could seek a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

‘I won’t survive’: North Korean soldier caught by Ukraine dreads going home

Seoul faces a diplomatic tightrope as the captured soldiers plead for asylum in South Korea.

Video | North Korea holds military parade to mark ruling Workers’ Party Congress

Opinion | Germany’s outreach to China signals a reckoning, rather than a shift