North Korea and Russia will launch a new passenger train service between Vladivostok and Rason in May, aiming to boost tourism and strengthen bilateral ties. Additionally, the two countries are advancing plans to construct a road bridge over the Tumen River, further enhancing cross-border connectivity.
North Korea condemned the U.S. deployment of B-1B bombers to the Korean Peninsula, calling it a routine threat and vowing strong deterrence. Analysts say Pyongyang is preparing for a prolonged standoff as nuclear talks stall and President Trump remains focused on trade conflicts.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un skipped the state founder's birthday ceremony for the third consecutive year, instead attending a housing project completion event in Pyongyang. The move appears aimed at emphasizing his domestic development agenda and consolidating his own leadership legacy.
Satellite imagery shows North Korea's Wonsan-Kalma coastal resort nearing completion ahead of its planned June opening, nearly a decade after construction began. Despite past delays due to sanctions and the pandemic, the regime is now promoting the site as a key tourism project targeting foreign visitors, especially Russians.
English-speaking North Korean guides drew attention during the Pyongyang International Marathon, engaging foreign participants with fluent, occasionally candid conversations. While guides appeared more relaxed off-camera, their on-camera responses often followed scripted state narratives.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent $2 million in educational aid to Chongryon, a pro-Pyongyang group in Japan, to support Korean schools and students in honor of Kim Il Sung’s birthday. The donation continues a decades-long tradition of scholarships and appears aimed at reinforcing loyalty among young Koreans in Japan.
The U.S. Embassy in Seoul has warned that overstaying a U.S. visa—even once—can lead to permanent travel bans or future visa denials. The announcement reflects heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, with continuous monitoring of visa holders.
Apple and Samsung Electronics have temporarily avoided U.S. tariffs on key tech products after the Trump administration exempted smartphones, laptops, and semiconductors from a sweeping trade policy. However, future restrictions remain likely, with a pending investigation into semiconductor imports potentially leading to new tariffs.
North Korea has fully restored operations at Uiju Airfield in Sinuiju, redeploying 34 Il-28/H-5 bombers nearly four years after converting the site into a pandemic-era freight terminal. The reversal follows the normalization of cross-border trade and flood damage to the rail infrastructure in 2023.
A tunnel under construction for the Sinansan subway line in Gwangmyeong collapsed on April 11, prompting the evacuation of 2,300 residents and raising safety concerns near a local elementary school. Rescue operations are ongoing for two trapped workers as authorities brace for potential rainfall over the weekend.
