Pyongyang Archives

N. Korea declares Seoul its ‘primary adversary,’ reveals clones of US drones

January 16, 2024

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has officially terminated efforts for reunification with South Korea, citing the nation’s bolstered defense capabilities and strengthened ties with Russia. The announcement, made through the state-run Korean Central News Agency, emphasized Pyongyang’s view of Seoul as its primary adversary, attributing the decision to Seoul’s strengthened joint military exercises with the United States and Japan.

In a recent documentary, Kim Jong Un inspected the latest military hardware, including clones of two U.S. unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from 2023 — the Saetbyul-4 and Saetbyul-9. Despite their visual resemblance to the U.S. Air Force’s RQ-Q Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper, analysts have suggested the North Korean UAVs may not match the capabilities of their American counterparts.

On Monday, Jan. 15, North Korean state-run media reported a successful test-firing of a ballistic missile carrying a hypersonic warhead. The ongoing development of defense capabilities aligns with North Korea’s decision to discontinue reunification efforts with South Korea.

Additionally, North Korea’s parliament is set to abolish several agencies dedicated to fostering inter-Korean reconciliation. Kim clarified that while North Korea has no intentions of initiating a war, it also harbors no intentions of avoiding one.

Kim Jong Un to visit Russia to negotiate weapons sales, US officials say

September 5, 2023

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un plans to visit Russia later in September, according to U.S. officials. The officials said Russia is looking to buy weapons and ammunition from North Korea to refill reserves drained by Russia’s war with Ukraine.

When asked about a New Y ork Times report on the potential visit, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, “We have nothing to say to you on this matter.” A meeting between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin may take place as part of the Eastern Economic Forum.

A meeting with President Putin would be Kim’s first summit with a foreign leader since North Korea closed its borders in January 2020. According to U.S. officials, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu asked Kim to send more ammunition to Russia during a visit to Pyongyang in July 2023.

“We know that Russia is engaged in trade with North Korea, and definitely North Korea is a thorny issue for regional security in northeast Asia and for the U.S. and its allies. And that’s where Russia really wants to prop up North Korea to create more troubles to the United States,” Alexander Gabuev, a political analyst at the Carnegie Moscow Center, said Tuesday, Sept. 5. “North Koreans are looking for economic support, fuel, food, sources of cash, anything that can help to keep the regime afloat. And Russia seems to be ready to provide that even through violation of the UN sanctions.”

It’s unclear how far Kim Jong Un’s military cooperation with Russia could go, but any sign of warming relations will worry rivals like the U.S. and South Korea. Russia seeks to quash a Ukrainian counteroffensive and prolong the war, while North Korea extends a record pace of missile tests to protest U.S. moves to reinforce its military alliances with South Korea and Japan.