Kim Jong-un has awarded national commendations to North Korean commanders returning from Russia, highlighting their role in the Kursk operation and reinforcing the deployment’s legitimacy.
Kim Yo-jong called South Korean President Lee Jae Myung a “powerless dreamer” and rejected Seoul as a diplomatic counterpart, underscoring North Korea’s hardening stance.
Kim Jong-un condemned the South Korea-U.S. military drills as a clear signal of a “will to ignite war,” vowing stronger military action and expanded naval power.
On Liberation Day, Kim Jong-un avoided mention of U.S. ties and instead underscored the growing DPRK-Russia friendship, hosting a senior Russian delegation in Pyongyang.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a rare, publicly acknowledged phone call ahead of the U.S.-Russia summit, signaling close coordination on Ukraine and broader strategic issues.
Kim Yo-jong rejected the idea of renewed denuclearization talks with the U.S., calling it an affront to North Korea’s nuclear status, but left room for alternative dialogue.
South Korea’s spy agency has suspended its loudspeaker broadcasts to the North following Pyongyang’s earlier halt, signaling a shift in strategic posture rather than a diplomatic thaw.
