Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
May 2020 - North Korea Special Weapons News
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- North Korea Accuses Washington of 'Smear' Attempt With Cyberattack Claims Sputnik 29 May 2020 -- In a Friday statement, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) rejected accusations it had masterminded cyberattacks against the United States and other entities, calling it an attempt to "smear our country's image."
- North Korea rejects accusations of posing cyber threat to US Press TV 29 May 2020 -- North Korea has dismissed accusations by the United States that it poses a cyber threat to America, saying the allegations aim to tarnish Pyongyang's image.
- Arcane Art of Kremlinology Remains Relevant for North Korea VOA 29 May 2020 -- A veteran practitioner of the arcane art of "Kremlinology" says the skills honed to decipher what was really happening in the ruling circles of a secretive Soviet Union remain useful today in trying to determine what is up with North Korea's leadership.
- US indicts N Koreans, accuses state-owned bank of evading sanctions Press TV 28 May 2020 -- The United States has accused a North Korean bank of breaking US sanctions laws and indicted two dozen North Korean and Chinese individuals over charges of money laundering, bank fraud and other crimes.
- UK temporarily closes North Korea embassy due to difficulties caused by coronavirus restrictions Press TV 28 May 2020 -- The United Kingdom has temporarily closed its embassy in North Korea and pulled out its diplomatic personnel from the country, the UK ambassador to Pyongyang has announced.
- Britain Closes Embassy in North Korea Citing Strict Coronavirus Restrictions VOA 28 May 2020 -- Britain's ambassador to North Korea says the embassy has temporarily closed in the autocratic regime due to strict coronavirus restrictions.
- North Korea to Reopen Classes in June, Raising Coronavirus Fears For Students in Unprepared Schools Radio Free Asia 27 May 2020 -- Residents in North Korea are growing anxious about the approaching June 1 reopening of schools that were shut down to combat the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, worried that the deadly virus could spread among students as they return to classes without necessary sanitization supples.
- UN blames both Koreas for violating armistice in latest border firefight Press TV 26 May 2020 -- The US-led United Nations Command (UNC) has blamed North and South Korea for violating the armistice agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War when the two countries exchanged gunfire earlier this month.
- North and South Korea Violated Armistice During Gunfire Exchange at DMZ, UN Says VOA 26 May 2020 -- Both North and South Korea were at fault when they exchanged gunfire earlier this month across their heavily fortified shared border, according to a probe by the United Nations Command.
- Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Guides Enlarged Meeting of WPK Central Military Commission KCNA 24 May 2020 -- The Fourth Enlarged Meeting of the Seventh Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) took place at a stirring time when the entire Party and the whole society are pushing ahead with the great revolutionary advance for glorifying this year marking the 75th founding anniversary of the WPK as a year of opening up an epoch-making phase in the path of the development of the Korean-style socialism, true to the line and policy for achieving prosperity by self-reliance set forth by the great Party.
- Order of Chairman of WPK Central Military Commission Issued KCNA 24 May 2020 -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), signed an order on promoting the military ranks of commanding officers.
- North Korean leader pledges to increase 'nuclear deterrence' capabilities Press TV 24 May 2020 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has outlined his policies for further boosting his country's nuclear "deterrence" capabilities amid stalled denuclearization talks with the United States.
- Kim Jong-un Chairs Meeting of WPK Military Commission, Discusses Increasing 'Nuclear War Deterrence' Sputnik 24 May 2020 -- The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) meeting is considered to be the North Korean leader's first public appearance after returning in late April from a lengthy and unexplained absence that sparked rumors that the leader was ill or even dead.
- Kim Jong Un Reappears After Another 3-Week Absence VOA 23 May 2020 -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reappeared in public following his second consecutive three-week absence amid rumors about his health.
- North Korea Executes Couple For Trying to Escape to South During COVID-19 Emergency Radio Free Asia 22 May 2020 -- North Korean authorities earlier this month executed a husband and wife for attempting to flee the country during the COVID-19 national emergency quarantine, sources in the country told RFA.
- North Korean Founder Kim Il Sung Did Not Have the Ability to Teleport, State Media Admits Radio Free Asia 22 May 2020 -- North Korean state media have issued a report denying that the country's leaders have mythical powers, a possible signal that current leader Kim Jong Un is attempting to undo the deification of his predecessors.
- North Korea Conscripts Citizens for 'Farming Battles' During COVID-19 Crisis Radio Free Asia 20 May 2020 -- North Korea is moving forward with its annual "farming battle" labor-mobilization campaign despite the coronavirus crisis, raising health concerns as it is not providing facemasks to citizens conscripted to plant crops, sources in the country told RFA.
- Coal Transport Capacity Goes up in DPRK KCNA 19 May 2020 -- Big efforts are directed to increasing the capacity of coal transport at collieries in the western area of the DPRK.
- North Korea Cracks Down on 'Grasshopper Markets' After Shuttering Official Marketplaces Over COVID-19 Fears Radio Free Asia 19 May 2020 -- As the North Korean authorities have shut down major marketplaces across Ryanggang province, in the county's north near the Chinese border, as part of intensified efforts to stop COVID-19, making life harder for citizens who make the bulk of their income from side businesses selling daily necessities.
- Might of Military-Civilian Coordination Displayed in Socialist Construction KCNA 18 May 2020 -- The Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) set forth an idea of launching an offensive for making a breakthrough head-on at the Fifth Plenary Meeting of its Seventh Central Committee in December last year.
- Kim Jong-un Reportedly Replaces His Spy Chief, Head of Personal Security After Month-Long Absence Sputnik 16 May 2020 -- The North Korean leader recently disappeared from the public for nearly a month, sparking rumors regarding his health status. He returned at the beginning of May for a ribbon-cutting event without any explanation about his absence, further fuelling the speculation.
- North Korea Orders Crackdown on Teenagers Storing Illegal Files on Smartphones Radio Free Asia 15 May 2020 -- Authorities in North Korea have begun a crackdown on teenage culture, targeting teens who store underground pop music and illegal videos on their mobile phones, in an attempt to prevent South Korean trends from gaining more traction, local sources say.
- North Korea Reopens Maritime Trade at Military-Controlled Seaport Radio Free Asia 14 May 2020 -- North Korea has allowed a military-controlled seaport on the country's west coast to reopen, indicating that the military is resuming its foreign currency earning trade activities while the rest of the country remains on lockdown to combat the coronavirus epidemic, sources told RFA.
- US Global Maritime Advisory Warns Of Iran's 'Deceptions' Radio Farda 15 May 2020 -- In its newly released Global Maritime Advisory (GMA), the U.S. government has advised the world's shipping lines to be vigilant about "Iran's, North Korea's and Syria's deceptions".
- Assisting Army, Proud Tradition of DPRK Citizens KCNA 14 May 2020 -- Citizens of the DPRK are assisting with all sincerity the Korean People's Army (KPA) which makes breakthrough of advance taking charge of both national defence and socialist construction.
- North Korea Bars Access to The Border City of Rason, Harming Business for Traders Radio Free Asia 12 May 2020 -- North Korea has mysteriously shut down access to the border city of Rason, endangering the livelihood of residents who travel there to do business with nearby China and Russia, sources in the isolated country told RFA.
- Anger, Fear as North Korea Bans Use of Foreign Currency in Local Transactions Radio Free Asia 11 May 2020 -- North Korea has banned the use of foreign currency in local markets to force people to use the untrusted domestic won in an attempt to acquire much needed U.S. dollars and Chinese yuan from the people, sources in the country told RFA.
- Construction of Hydraulic Power Stations Brisk in DPRK KCNA 09 May 2020 -- The construction of minor hydraulic power stations is progressing apace in the DPRK.
- DPRK lashes out at military drill by S. Korea, calling it "grave provocation" People's Daily 08 May 2020 -- A military spokesperson of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) lashed out at the recent military exercise carried out by Seoul, calling it a "reckless move" and "grave provocation," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Friday.
- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Sends 'Strategic' Praises to Xi Jinping Radio Free Asia 08 May 2020 -- North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un sent a "verbal message" to Chinese President Xi Jinping, praising China's effectiveness in stopping the spread of the coronavirus, according to state media, in what analysts said was a strategic move to shore up Pyongyang's relations with Beijing.
- Anti-Epidemic Work Intensified in DPRK KCNA 08 May 2020 -- Preventive measures are being steadily taken in all the regions and units of the DPRK against the widespread malignant virus infection that comes to be a world disaster.
- Spokesperson for Ministry of People's Armed Forces of DPRK Blames S. Korean Military for Its Reckless Military Provocation KCNA 08 May 2020 -- A spokesperson for the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea made public the following statement on Thursday:
- North Korea slams South's 'provocative' drills, congratulates China for victory over pandemic Press TV 08 May 2020 -- North Korea has lashed out at the South over recent "provocative" military drills, while leader Kim Jong-un sends a message of congratulation to China's president for his success in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
- DPRK Condemns South Korean Drills As 'Grave Provocation', Mulls Response Sputnik 07 May 2020 -- According to state-run North Korean news agency KCNA, the South Korean military staged a joint drill in contested waters in the West Sea of Korea to "cope with the north firepower", apparently referring to the DPRK as "enemies".
- Support to Construction of Pyongyang General Hospital Brisk in DPRK KCNA 07 May 2020 -- A hot wind of support to the Pyongyang General Hospital under construction is sweeping the DPRK.
- Rural North Koreans Forced to Provide Food Aid to Privileged Pyongyang Radio Free Asia 07 May 2020 -- North Korean residents are being forced to chip in with food aid for construction workers building a new hospital in Pyongyang, creating resentment among provincial residents who are not permitted to freely travel to the capital, sources in the country told RFA.
- North Korea Building Grand Storage Base for Nukes, Think Tank Claims Amid Stalled Trump-Kim Talks Sputnik 07 May 2020 -- The configuration and whereabouts of the base and its underground facility from the 1980s are deemed as an indication that it can be used for the assembly of ballistic missiles from components delivered by rail from local plants.
- Experts: Near-Complete North Korean Missile Facility Proves Pyongyang Continues ICBM Development Radio Free Asia 06 May 2020 -- A Washington think tank report that North Korea is "nearing completion" of a ballistic missile facility capable of accommodating Pyongyang's entire ballistic missile arsenal highlights the modernization and expansion of the country's ICBM program despite global efforts to stop it, experts said Wednesday.
- Facility near Pyongyang Airport linked to N Korea's missile program: Report Press TV 06 May 2020 -- A Washington-based think tank says a new facility near Pyongyang International Airport is probably linked to North Korea's ballistic missile program.
- Newspapers on Historic Significance of Seventh Congress of WPK KCNA 06 May 2020 -- Leading newspapers of the DPRK on Wednesday stress the historic significance of the Seventh Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) held in May, Juche 105 (2016).
- S Korean National Intelligence Service Says 'No Signs' Kim Jong-un Received Heart Surgery Sputnik 06 May 2020 -- After weeks of Kim Jong Un's absence that caused speculations on his health, the North Korean leader reappeared in public on 1 May alive and well.
- North Korea Targets Leaks After Media Frenzy Sparked by Kim Jong Un's Absence Radio Free Asia 05 May 2020 -- In the wake of a global media frenzy over Kim Jong Un's health during his recent three-week absence from public view, North Korea has identified "neglect in the day-to-day management" of his public appearances, and ordered tighter secrecy and stern punishments for information leaks, sources within the country told RFA.
- North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un's Reappearance May Have Been Calculated Event to Dispel Rumors of His Demise Radio Free Asia 04 May 2020 -- An exchange of gunfire at the border between North and South Korea over the weekend, just after North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un reappeared in public after a three-week absence, appeared to be a deliberate message from the North that the status quo remains unchanged, North Korea watchers told RFA Monday.
- WFP Resumes Supplies to N. Korea After Disruptions Over Coronavirus-Related Restrictions Sputnik 04 May 2020 -- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has resumed its supplies to North Korea that have been hampered by coronavirus-related movement restrictions and expects the imports to reach the levels that were in place before the pandemic, Elisabeth Byrs, a senior spokeswoman in WFP Geneva Office, said on Monday.
- Two North Korea defectors apologize for rumor about Kim's death Press TV 04 May 2020 -- Two defector-turned-lawmakers in South Korea have apologized for publicly raising suspicions over the health of Kim Jong-un, after a recent appearance by the North Korean leader ended a global speculation about his well-being.
- Defectors Who Claimed Kim Jong-un Was Gravely Ill or Dead Apologize for False Speculation Sputnik 04 May 2020 -- Weeks of speculation regarding the whereabouts and health status of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un fueled by South Korea-based English-language media and CNN were brought to an abrupt end late last week after Kim reemerged in public, seemingly alive and well.
- Taiwan's intelligence head grilled over Kim Jong-un health remark CNA 04 May 2020 -- Taiwan's intelligence chief has defended his widely cited assessment last Thursday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was sick a day before the dictator made an appearance at a May Day celebration.
- Berlin Hostel Allegedly Owned by North Korea to Close 'Permanently' After Order From German Court Sputnik 03 May 2020 -- The North Korean government is rumoured to have a network of fronts across Europe which syphon funds to the government from unknowing customers. Any business secretly serving as a cash cow for Pyongyang is said by US and German authorities to be a violation of international sanctions.
- Gunshots fired from DPRK hit S.Korean guard post: South Korea military Global Times 03 May 2020 -- Multiple gunshots fired from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) hit a South Korean guard post in the inter-Korean border, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Sunday.
- Inter-Korean tensions: Cross-border fire exchanged a day after Kim's reemergence Press TV 03 May 2020 -- North and South Korea have exchanged gunfire on the border in a new wave of tensions that broke out shortly after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un showed up, ending a much-discussed weeks-long absence from the public eye.
- South Korea Says Gunshots Fired From North at Guard Post in Demilitarised Zone - Reports Sputnik 03 May 2020 -- Multiple gunshots have been fired from North Korea, hitting a South Korean guard post inside the Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), the South Korean Yonhap News Agency reports, citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
- North, South Korea Exchange Fire in DMZ; No Casualties Reported VOA 03 May 2020 -- North Korea fired multiple gunshots that struck a South Korean guard post in the heavily fortified border region separating the two countries, Seoul's military said Sunday.
- Seoul Disagrees With Speculation that Kim Jong-un Had Surgery - Reports Sputnik 03 May 2020 -- The North Korean leader was conspicuously absent from public functions for most of the month of April, prompting rumours about his well-being. However, the DPRK chairman recently made his first recent public appearance after the long absence, seemingly in good health and spirits, negating direr earlier speculations.
- Mark on Kim Jong-un's Arm a Possible Sign of Heart Surgery, Medical Experts Claim Sputnik 03 May 2020 -- According to North Korean state media, the country's leader has appeared in public for the first time in weeks after a smattering of unconfirmed reports that he was on the brink of death after a failed heart surgery.
- Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Cuts Tape for Completion of Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory KCNA 02 May 2020 -- The Sunchon Phosphatic Fertilizer Factory has been built as a creation of our struggle to achieve prosperity by dint of self-reliance, another step forward in the grand march of all the people for opening up the new avenue of socialist construction true to the Party's grand plan while braving severe hardships facing the revolution.
- DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un cuts tape for factory completion People's Daily 02 May 2020 -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a phosphatic fertilizer factory on Friday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Saturday.
- Kim Jong-un Inspects a Fertiliser Plant After Weeks-Long Absence in a Video Released by State Media Sputnik 02 May 2020 -- Kim Jong-un's well-being has been a matter of speculation over the past several weeks as the North Korean leader has been conspicuously absent from public events which led to rumours that he was either ill or even dead.
- He's Back: Kim Jong Un Reappears – at Fertilizer Plant VOA 02 May 2020 -- After a wave of news reports suggesting he was gravely ill or even dead, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has appeared in public for the first time in 21 days.
- N Korea's Kim makes first public appearance in weeks: KCNA Press TV 01 May 2020 -- North Korea's official news agency says the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, has made his first public appearance in more than 20 days, something that had prompted Western media outlets to wildly speculate about his health condition.
- North Korean State Media Report Kim Jong Un Appearance on Friday Radio Free Asia 01 May 2020 -- North Korean state media reported that leader Kim Jong Un visited a factory north of Pyongyang Friday, in his first reported public appearance in three weeks, as rumors about his ill health that have swirled around social media have started seeping into his reclusive country.
- North Korea's Kim Jong Un Makes First Public Appearance Amid Reports of Ill Condition Sputnik 01 May 2020 -- Dispelling rumors of his death or overthrow, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has appeared in public for the first time in 20 days, according to Yonhap News Agency.
- North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un Reappears - at Fertilizer Plant VOA 01 May 2020 -- After a wave of news reports that he was gravely sick or even dead, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reappeared in public Saturday — for the first time in 21 days — at a fertilizer factory.
- Sister & 'Confidante' Yo-jong Most Likely to Succeed Kim Jong-un, US Congressional Report Says Sputnik 01 May 2020 -- Kim Jong-un's younger sister, who is currently first vice-department director of the DPRK Workers' Party is believed to be the number two in the country's leadership and the most trusted person in Kim Jong-un's inner circle, as she was seen by her brother's side at key state meetings.
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