North Korea - The African Mirror

Nov

2022

South Korea scrambles jets after detecting North Korean military flights near border amid tensions

SOUTH Korea's military said it scrambled fighter jets after detecting about 180 North Korean military flights north of the two countries' border over four hours. The North Korean aircraft flew north of the so-called tactical action line, north of the Military Demarcation Line between the two Koreas, South Korea's military said in a statement. The virtual line is used as a basis for South Korean air defence operations, a South Korean official said. South Korea scrambled 80 aircraft, including, F-35A stealth fighters, in response. About 240 aircraft participating in the Vigilant Storm exercises with the United States continued the drills,…

Nov

2022

By The African Mirror

North Korea fires 23 missiles, one landing off South Korean coast for first time

WORLD

JOSH SMITH and SOO-HYANG CHOI NORTH Korea fired at least 23 missiles into the sea, including one that landed less than 60 km (40 miles) off South Korea's coast, which South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol described as "territorial encroachment" and Washington denounced as "reckless". It was the first time a ballistic missile had landed near the South's waters since the peninsula was divided in 1945, and the most missiles were fired by the North in a single day. South Korea issued rare air raid warnings and launched its own missiles in response. The launches came just hours after Pyongyang demanded that the…

Apr

2022

By The African Mirror

N.Korea may be preparing new nuclear tests to improve arsenal, U.S. and allies say

WORLD

JOSH SMITH THERE are increasing signs that North Korea could soon test a nuclear weapon for the first time since 2017 in a bid to improve its arsenal and increase political pressure, U.S. and South Korean officials and analysts said. Two U.S. officials told Reuters that there were indications, including activity near the Punggye-ri nuclear site, that Pyongyang may be preparing for some sort of test, though the exact timing was unclear. A South Korean military official confirmed that they were tracking activity to restore one of the tunnels used for nuclear tests. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby declined this week…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

North Korea says open to talks if South drops double standards

WORLD

SANGMI CHA and HYONHEE SHIN SOUTH Korea's call for a formal end to the Korean War is premature but the door for dialogue is open if it scraps its double standards and hostile policy, a senior North Korean official said in comments published by state media on Friday. The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice not a peace treaty, leaving U.S.-led U.N. forces technically still at war with North Korea. The question of formally ending the war has become caught up in a U.S.-led effort to get North Korea to give up it nuclear weapons. South Korea President Moon…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

North and South Korea conduct duelling missile tests as arms race heats up

WORLD

HYONHEE SHIN and JOSH SMITH NORTH Korea and South Korea test-fired ballistic missiles on Wednesday, the latest volley in an arms race that has seen both countries develop increasingly sophisticated weapons while efforts to get talks going on defusing tension prove fruitless. South Korea tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile, becoming the first country without nuclear weapons to develop such a system. South Korean President Moon was attending that test firing when word came of the North Korean launches, its first ballistic missile tests since March. North Korea fired a pair of ballistic missiles that landed in the sea off its…

Jan

2021

By The African Mirror

North Korea’s Kim tells party congress economic plan failed ‘tremendously’

WORLD

HYONHEE SHIN NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his five-year economic plan had failed to meet its goals "on almost every sector" as he kicked off a congress of the ruling Workers' Party, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday. The rare political gathering, which Kim last hosted in 2016, has drawn international attention as he is expected to unveil a new five-year economic plan and address inter-Korean ties and foreign policy. The congress, attended by 250 party executives, 4,750 delegates and 2,000 spectators, comes just two weeks before U.S. President-elect Joe Biden takes office. In his opening speech, Kim…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

S.Korea diplomat says hard to believe N.Korea has no COVID-19 cases

WORLD

GHAIDA GHANTOUS SOUTH Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-Wha cast doubt on Saturday over North Korea's claim that it has no coronavirus cases while offering the South's help in combating the pandemic. In an unusually clear official statement, Kang told the annual IISS Manama Dialogue security conference that Pyongyang has not been very responsive to Seoul's offer to help. "They still say they don't have any cases, which is hard to believe," Kang said. "All signs are that the regime is very intensely focused on controlling the disease that they say they don't have, so it's a bit of an odd…

Oct

2020

By The African Mirror

N.Korea unveils ‘monster’ new intercontinental ballistic missile at parade

WORLD

HYONHEE SHIN and JOSH SMITH NORTH Korea unveiled previously unseen intercontinental ballistic missiles at an unprecedented predawn military parade that showcased the country's long-range weapons for the first time in two years. Analysts said the missile, which was shown on a transporter vehicle with 11 axles, would be one of the largest road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in the world if it becomes operational. "This missile is a monster," said Melissa Hanham, deputy director of the Open Nuclear Network. Also displayed were the Hwasong-15, which is the longest-range missile ever tested by North Korea, and what appeared to be a…

Oct

2020

By The African Mirror

North Korea holds rare predawn military parade

WORLD

HYONHEE SHIN and JOSH SMITH NORTH Korea has held a military parade early to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of its ruling Workers' Party in a rare predawn event, South Korea's military said. The anniversary, celebrated with a raft of concerts and festivals, was closely watched around the region as it was seen as an event where leader Kim Jong Un could deliver messages to domestic and foreign audiences. Analysts had said the North might unveil new strategic weapons, but state media has not released any images or reports on a parade. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff…

Jul

2020

By The African Mirror

N.Korea declares COVID-19 emergency in border town

WORLD

SANGMI CHA and JOSH SMITH NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared an emergency and a lockdown in a border town after a person suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus returned from South Korea after illegally crossing the border, state media said on Sunday. If confirmed, it would be the first case officially acknowledged by North Korean authorities. Kim convened an emergency politburo meeting in response to what he called a "critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country", the North's KCNA state news reported. A person who defected to South…