North Korea has issued a warning of potential military retaliation in response to what it claims was a drone attack from South Korea. Pyongyang alleges that South Korean drones entered its airspace, escalating tensions on the already volatile Korean Peninsula. While South Korea has not confirmed any such incursion, North Korea's leadership has condemned the alleged breach, threatening to take decisive military measures. This incident adds to the ongoing friction between the two nations, raising concerns about further escalation in the region.

North Korea Threatens Military Action Over Alleged South Korean Drone Incursion

North Korean military engineers have been deployed to help Russia in its invasion of Ukraine with ballistic missiles, and North Koreans operating in occupied regions of Ukraine have already been killed, alleged senior officials in Kyiv and Seoul.&nbsp;

A Ukrainian source told The Guardian that there are dozens of North Koreans behind Russian lines, in teams that “support launcher systems for KN-23 missiles”.&nbsp;

<h2>Kremlin dismisses Seoul's claim&nbsp;</h2>

The Kremlin on Thursday (Oct 10), dismissed the claim by South Korea that Pyongyang soldiers were fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, and called it another "fake news story".&nbsp;

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, "This seems like yet another fake news story."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-calls-putin-his-closest-comrade-says-relation-between-both-countries-became-eternal-765691">Also read:&nbsp;North Korea's Kim calls Putin 'closest comrade', terms relations between two countries 'eternal'</a>

Last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Yun travelled to Russia for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin where the two men bolstered their deepening ties with a secret arms deal.

North Korea's ammunition shipments were important in allowing Russian forces to advance in a grinding war of attrition in eastern Ukraine this summer.&nbsp;

Ukraine's Kyiv Post reported on Friday that six North Korean military officers had been killed in a Ukrainian missile attack on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk a day earlier, citing intelligence sources.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine War: North Korea Slams US For Providing Military Aid To Ukraine | World DNA

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South Korean Defence Minister, Kim Yong-hyun, told lawmakers that the report was probably correct.

"We assess that the occurrence of casualties among North Korean officers and soldiers in Ukraine is highly likely, considering various circumstances," he said, adding, "The issue of deploying regular troops is highly likely due to the mutual agreements that resemble a military alliance between Russia and North Korea."

Head of Ukraine's centre for countering disinformation, Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko, took to Telegram and said that there were "small numbers of combat engineers" from North Korea in the Donetsk region combat zone.

According to experts, North Korean missiles have been deployed in Ukraine by Russian forces, a report denied by both Moscow and Pyongyang.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

North Korean military engineers have been deployed to help Russia in its invasion of Ukraine with ballistic missiles, and North Koreans operating in occupied regions of Ukraine have already been killed, alleged senior officials in Kyiv and Seoul.

North Korean military engineers have been deployed to help Russia in its invasion of Ukraine with ballistic missiles, and North Koreans operating in occupied regions of Ukraine have already been killed, alleged senior officials in Kyiv and Seoul. A Ukrainian source told The Guardian that there are dozens of North Koreans behind Russian lines, in teams that “support launcher systems for KN-23 missiles”. Kremlin dismisses Seoul's claim The Kremlin on Thursday (Oct 10), dismissed the claim by South Korea that Pyongyang soldiers were fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, and called it another "fake news story". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, "This seems like yet another fake news story." Also read: North Korea's Kim calls Putin 'closest comrade', terms relations between two countries 'eternal' Last year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Yun travelled to Russia for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin where the two men bolstered their deepening ties with a secret arms deal. North Korea's ammunition shipments were important in allowing Russian forces to advance in a grinding war of attrition in eastern Ukraine this summer. Ukraine's Kyiv Post reported on Friday that six North Korean military officers had been killed in a Ukrainian missile attack on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk a day earlier, citing intelligence sources. Watch | Russia-Ukraine War: North Korea Slams US For Providing Military Aid To Ukraine | World DNA × South Korean Defence Minister, Kim Yong-hyun, told lawmakers that the report was probably correct. "We assess that the occurrence of casualties among North Korean officers and soldiers in Ukraine is highly likely, considering various circumstances," he said, adding, "The issue of deploying regular troops is highly likely due to the mutual agreements that resemble a military alliance between Russia and North Korea." Head of Ukraine's centre for countering disinformation, Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko, took to Telegram and said that there were "small numbers of combat engineers" from North Korea in the Donetsk region combat zone. According to experts, North Korean missiles have been deployed in Ukraine by Russian forces, a report denied by both Moscow and Pyongyang. Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

North Koreans deployed alongside Russian troops to fight against Ukraine; Kremlin rejects claims as ‘fake’

The North Korean military announced plans to destroy all Road and Railway links to South Korea starting on Wednesday. The move follows months of increased military activity along the border and this comes in response to joint military exercise conducted by South Korea and the United States. Watch in for more details!

North Korea Announces Complete Severance Of Roads, Railways To South Korea

North Korea is openly embracing its nuclear Ambitions. Kim Jong-Un is pledging to accelerate the country's path to becoming a nuclear superpower. Watch in for more details!

Kim Jong-Un Pledges Nuclear Superpower Status For North Korea

North Korea's Kim Jong Un reiterated threats to use nuclear weapons against South Korea and the US, blaming them for escalating tensions. Watch for more details!

North Korea Eyes Nuclear Superpower Status

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a birthday congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who turned 72 on Tuesday (Oct 8), calling him "closest comrade".&nbsp;

Kim said that the relations between both countries would be raised to a new level.

Since Russia began the Ukraine invasion in 2022, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have strengthened,&nbsp;a move that has worried the West.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-north-korean-soldiers-likely-fighting-alongside-russian-troops-says-seoul-765509">Also read:&nbsp;Ukraine war: North Korean soldiers likely fighting alongside Russian troops, says Seoul</a>

The North Korean leader on Tuesday said Pyongyang would speed up steps to make his country a military superpower with nuclear weapons.

Kim praised relations between both countries and said they had become "invincible and eternal", since Putin's visit to Pyongyang in June, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing North Korean state media KCNA.&nbsp;

"Meetings and comradely ties between us... will make a positive contribution to further consolidating the eternal foundation of the DPRK-Russia friendship," he added, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Watch |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine War: North Korea Slams US For Providing Military Aid To Ukraine | World DNA

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This year, Russian President Putin and North Korean leader Kim signed an agreement, vowing that they would help each other in the event of "aggression" against either country - though it was unclear what would constitute aggression.

Meanwhile, Kim has also been accused of helping Russia in its war with Ukraine by supplying it with weapons in exchange for economic and technological assistance.

(With inputs from agencies)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a birthday congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who turned 72 on Tuesday (Oct 8), calling him "closest comrade".

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a birthday congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who turned 72 on Tuesday (Oct 8), calling him "closest comrade". Kim said that the relations between both countries would be raised to a new level. Since Russia began the Ukraine invasion in 2022, relations between Moscow and Pyongyang have strengthened, a move that has worried the West. Also read: Ukraine war: North Korean soldiers likely fighting alongside Russian troops, says Seoul The North Korean leader on Tuesday said Pyongyang would speed up steps to make his country a military superpower with nuclear weapons. Kim praised relations between both countries and said they had become "invincible and eternal", since Putin's visit to Pyongyang in June, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing North Korean state media KCNA. "Meetings and comradely ties between us... will make a positive contribution to further consolidating the eternal foundation of the DPRK-Russia friendship," he added, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Watch | Russia-Ukraine War: North Korea Slams US For Providing Military Aid To Ukraine | World DNA × This year, Russian President Putin and North Korean leader Kim signed an agreement, vowing that they would help each other in the event of "aggression" against either country - though it was unclear what would constitute aggression. Meanwhile, Kim has also been accused of helping Russia in its war with Ukraine by supplying it with weapons in exchange for economic and technological assistance. (With inputs from agencies)

North Korea's Kim calls Putin 'closest comrade', terms relations between two countries 'eternal'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has announced plans to fast-track his country's efforts to become a dominant nuclear power. This move signals his intention to expand North Korea's nuclear arsenal and enhance its military capabilities amid rising global tensions. Kim's ambitions underscore the regime's defiance of international sanctions and growing pressure from the global community to curb its nuclear program.

Kim Jong-Un Aims To Accelerate North Korea's Path To Becoming A Nuclear Superpower

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a live fire artillery exercise by graduates of an artillery Force training academy. This comes days after he warned that North Korea would not hesitate to use all offensive force including nuclear weapons if anyone encroached on its sovereignty. Watch to know more.

Kim Jong Un Oversees Artillery Exercise

North Korean leader&nbsp;Kim&nbsp;Jong&nbsp;Un&nbsp;oversaw a live-fire artillery exercise by graduates of O Jin U Artillery Academy the day before they became active commanding officers in the core division of the Korean People's Army, state media reported on Sunday (October 6).

North Korea's state-run&nbsp;television KRT released on Sunday still photographs of&nbsp;Kim&nbsp;watching the drills at a firing range and taking group pictures with graduates of the military school.

The military facility trains the backbone of the country's artillery force, according to state media.

On Friday (October 4),&nbsp;Kim&nbsp;said the country would not hesitate to use all available offensive forces including nuclear weapons if the enemy attempted to use force to encroach on its sovereignty.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience. 
&nbsp;

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a live-fire artillery exercise by graduates of O Jin U Artillery Academy the day before they became active commanding officers in the core division of the Korean People's Army, state media reported on Sunday (October 6).

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a live-fire artillery exercise by graduates of O Jin U Artillery Academy the day before they became active commanding officers in the core division of the Korean People's Army, state media reported on Sunday (October 6). North Korea's state-run television KRT released on Sunday still photographs of Kim watching the drills at a firing range and taking group pictures with graduates of the military school. The military facility trains the backbone of the country's artillery force, according to state media. On Friday (October 4), Kim said the country would not hesitate to use all available offensive forces including nuclear weapons if the enemy attempted to use force to encroach on its sovereignty. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un observes live-fire artillery drill

North Korea is furious its leader Kim Jong-Un is issuing a chilling threat to annihilate South Korea with nuclear weapons if attacked...Watch in for more details!

North Kim Un Tours Military Base, Vows Nuclear Retaliation

North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong, sister of leader Kim Jong Un, criticised a military parade held in Seoul for its Armed Forces Day this week and called it a “clown show”.

North Korea's Kim Yo Jong Calls South Korea's Military Parade a 'Clown Show'

The US CIA has continued its apparently successful recruitment of Russian spies by launching a fresh push to find informants in China, Iran, and North Korea. The top US spying agency released instructions in Mandarin, Farsi and Korean on its accounts on X, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, LinkedIn and the Dark Web on how to contact it securely, a CIA spokeswoman said in a statement.

CIA Stops Being Secret Service, Puts 'Spies Wanted' Ad On Social Media

CIA Seeks Informants In China, North Korea and Iran, Starts Recruiting Online

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that any use of nuclear weapons against Seoul would lead to the end of his&nbsp;regime.&nbsp;

Yeol was speaking during an event marking the 76th Armed Forces Day, as North Korea has intensified its nuclear threats with the first public disclosure of its uranium enrichment facility last month.

He further underscored the strength of South Korea's alliance with the US, which currently has thousands of troops in the country.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-fires-short-range-ballistic-missiles-for-second-time-in-a-week-759685">Also read:&nbsp;North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles for second time in a week</a>

"Our military will immediately retaliate against North Korea's provocations based on its robust combat capabilities and solid readiness posture," Yoon said during a commemorative ceremony at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of the capital.

"If North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, it will face the resolute and overwhelming response of our military and the South Korea-US alliance. That day will be the end of the North Korean regime," he added.

The South Korean president also noted North Korea's move to send trash balloons and GPS jamming attacks on its territory.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;UN Nuclear Chief On North Korea's Nuclear Program

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"After committing despicable types of provocations like sending trash balloons and GPS jamming attacks, they have now gone so far as to claim a 'two hostile states' theory, even denying the possibility of reunification," he said.

South Korea's intelligence agency reported that North Korea could produce a significant number of nuclear weapons and may conduct another nuclear test after the US elections.&nbsp;

Yeol urged the Kim's regime to abandon "delusions" that nuclear weapons guarantee its security, vowing to build a strong military and strengthen the security posture based on the strong alliance with the US, as well as trilateral cooperation involving Japan.

“False peace, based on the enemy's goodwill, is nothing but a mirage," he said. "History has proven that the only way to safeguard peace is by strengthening our power so the enemy cannot dare challenge us."

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that any use of nuclear weapons against Seoul would lead to the end of his regime. Yeol was speaking during an event marking the 76th Armed Forces Day, as North Korea has intensified its nuclear threats with the first public disclosure of its uranium enrichment facility last month.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that any use of nuclear weapons against Seoul would lead to the end of his regime. Yeol was speaking during an event marking the 76th Armed Forces Day, as North Korea has intensified its nuclear threats with the first public disclosure of its uranium enrichment facility last month. He further underscored the strength of South Korea's alliance with the US, which currently has thousands of troops in the country. Also read: North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles for second time in a week "Our military will immediately retaliate against North Korea's provocations based on its robust combat capabilities and solid readiness posture," Yoon said during a commemorative ceremony at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of the capital. "If North Korea attempts to use nuclear weapons, it will face the resolute and overwhelming response of our military and the South Korea-US alliance. That day will be the end of the North Korean regime," he added. The South Korean president also noted North Korea's move to send trash balloons and GPS jamming attacks on its territory. Watch | UN Nuclear Chief On North Korea's Nuclear Program × "After committing despicable types of provocations like sending trash balloons and GPS jamming attacks, they have now gone so far as to claim a 'two hostile states' theory, even denying the possibility of reunification," he said. South Korea's intelligence agency reported that North Korea could produce a significant number of nuclear weapons and may conduct another nuclear test after the US elections. Yeol urged the Kim's regime to abandon "delusions" that nuclear weapons guarantee its security, vowing to build a strong military and strengthen the security posture based on the strong alliance with the US, as well as trilateral cooperation involving Japan. “False peace, based on the enemy's goodwill, is nothing but a mirage," he said. "History has proven that the only way to safeguard peace is by strengthening our power so the enemy cannot dare challenge us." (With inputs from agencies)

South Korea  warns North of ‘end of Kim’s regime’ if it uses nuclear weapons

United Nations nuclear agency chief Rafael Grossi has reacted to North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons. In an interview he said that the world must pursue dialogue with the DPRK despite its violations of UN sanctions and international law.

UN Nuclear Chief On North Korea's Nuclear Program

UN Nuclear Chief On North Korea's Nuclear Program: IAEA Chief Warns Of Wider Nuclear Threat

Border&nbsp;police&nbsp;in China's northeast have been given&nbsp;quotas&nbsp;to identify and expel undocumented migrants, one key aspect of broader surveillance that is making it harder for North Korean defectors to evade capture, according to previously undisclosed official documents and a dozen people familiar with the matter.

China has implemented new deportation centres, hundreds of smart facial-recognition cameras and extra boat patrols along its 1,400-kilometre frontier with North Korea, according to a Reuters review of more than 100 publicly available government documents that outline spending on border surveillance and infrastructure.&nbsp;

In addition, Chinese&nbsp;police&nbsp;have begun to closely monitor the social media accounts of North Koreans in China, and collect their fingerprints, voice and facial data, four defectors and two missionaries told Reuters.&nbsp;Stephen Kim, a missionary who helps North Koreans defect, told Reuters that based on his contacts with some 2,000 defectors, more than 90% of those currently in China had registered personal and biometric data with the&nbsp;police.&nbsp;

The measures took effect since the COVID-19 pandemic and have ramped up from 2023.

Cracking down on unauthorised migration helps Beijing manage a thorny issue in ties with Pyongyang while ensuring stability on China's periphery, according to eight people, including security scholars, rights activists and a former North Korean official. It also gives China potential leverage over its neighbour because Beijing can control the fate of these undocumented North Koreans, several of them said.

"But primarily, China has feared that if too many North Koreans find refuge in China, more and more North Koreans would follow suit, and in time the outflow would destabilize North Korea and lead to reunification under South Korea and to the expansion of U.S. political and military influence on the peninsula," said Roberta Cohen, a human rights specialist and a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state.

China's National Immigration Administration, which is responsible for border&nbsp;police, and the Ministry of Public Security, which oversees the immigration agency, did not respond to queries about efforts to identify and deport North Koreans.&nbsp;

Beijing's Foreign Ministry said China protected "the rights and interests of foreigners in China, while lawfully maintaining the order of border entries and exits". It said the "relevant report is completely not factual", in an apparent reference to Reuters reporting. The ministry didn't respond to additional questions about Reuters findings and which elements it considered incorrect.

North Korea's embassy in Beijing and its U.N. missions in Geneva and New York didn't respond to questions about China's handling of defectors.

While the documents don't explicitly identify North Koreans as targets of the surveillance and deportations, the measures are focused on areas adjoining North Korea.&nbsp;

Reuters found little evidence of similar actions at China's other borders, except its porous frontier with Myanmar, where China has been tackling organised crime and recently opened a deportation centre.

In a statement, Myanmar's government said 48,000 of its nationals were repatriated from China between 2022 and August 2024. Both countries collaborate on border management to ensure stability, it added.

<h2>Border patrol</h2>

Among the documents examined by Reuters was the 2024 budget for China's border&nbsp;police&nbsp;in Jilin province, which adjoins North Korea.

Of 163 million yuan in spending, almost 30 million yuan went to border security upgrades. That included 22.3 million yuan for an unspecified number of new patrol boats, and funding for "deportation and repatriation" of foreigners that illegally enter, live and work in Jilin.

The budget set goals for 18 border&nbsp;police&nbsp;stations and teams: Investigate and "deal with" at least 10 undocumented foreigners; spend no more than 30 days to process each deportation; and remind residents of the "harm and price paid" for aiding undocumented migrants. It lists performance metrics, including 10 points for achieving a repatriation rate of 95%.

There were no such&nbsp;quotas&nbsp;in the 2023 and 2022 budgets.

Construction also began last year on a deportation station in the border city of Dandong, in Liaoning province, while another is planned for Changchun city, in Jilin, government tenders show.

In March, Jilin border&nbsp;police&nbsp;awarded a 26.5 million-yuan contract to a Beijing sensor maker, HT Nova, to build a surveillance system that "emits high-energy rays to penetrate vehicles and goods" and can use deep learning to continuously improve its facial-recognition capabilities, according to one tender document.&nbsp;

The system, funded in the 2023 border&nbsp;police&nbsp;budget, would be installed at two crossings in the Changbai area, a route defectors use. The company didn't respond to a request for comment.

Separately, a 7,713 square-metre deportation station in the town of Tumen, which was in the works before the pandemic, was completed in 2023, according to the National Immigration Administration.

Since June 2022, the agency has published several job ads seeking graduates with Korean-language ability to work at the Tumen and Changchun facilities, who would be "mainly engaged in the detention of illegal immigrants pending deportation, identity verification, and implementation of repatriation".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/north-koreas-evolving-military-threats-chinas-increasing-assertiveness-world-news-wion-648003">Watch |&nbsp;North Korea's evolving military threats; China's increasing assertiveness | World News | WION</a>

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&nbsp;

<h2>Political dynamics</h2>

Beijing denies that there are any North Korean defectors, instead treating them as illegal economic migrants. There is no publicly available data on deportations of North Koreans, but rights groups say the tighter surveillance has increased the risk of capture.

About 70 per cent&nbsp;of defectors who tried to reach South Korea over the past two years have been arrested by Chinese&nbsp;police, up from about 20 per cent&nbsp;previously, according to the Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group, which monitors deportations. China returned at least 60 North Koreans in April, said the group's executive director, Lee Younghwan.

The number of defectors reaching South Korea has declined overall since 2017, which Seoul's Unification Ministry said was due to tighter surveillance on the China-North Korea border, though there has been an increase since the pandemic ended.

In a statement, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said Seoul is making "all-out efforts" to prevent China from forcibly repatriating North Korean defectors.

Five security scholars told Reuters that while both sides wanted to stanch the flow of defectors, China's ability to determine defectors' destiny gave it a card to play in diplomacy with North Korea, which is reliant on trade with China but has been forging increasingly close ties with Russia.&nbsp;

China "can demand something from North Korea that is beneficial to China", said Lee Dong Gyu, a China expert at Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul. He said the crackdown helped&nbsp;Beijing from a stability standpoint, because North Korea was in economic turmoil and China did not want the effects of that spilling into its territory.

Lee Jung-hoon, an international relations professor at Yonsei University and a former South Korean ambassador-at-large for North Korean human rights, said there was a "high chance" that Pyongyang had asked China for help in blocking routes for defectors. He didn't provide specifics and Reuters could not establish whether North Korea had made such a request.

<h2>'Trapped'</h2>

This isn't the first time that China has cracked down on defectors. Reuters reported in 2019 that Chinese authorities had conducted raids that disrupted defector networks and resulted in the arrests of at least 30 North Koreans.&nbsp;

But some defectors say the heightened surveillance has intensified fear.&nbsp;

Choi Min-kyong, who reached South Korea in 2012 and runs a support group for defectors, said widespread facial-recognition technology in China made it difficult for defectors to move around. Using public transportation, for example, had become too risky.

Shin Ju-ye, who fled North Korea in the 1990s and settled in China's Heilongjiang province, said that during the pandemic, village officials began ordering North Koreans to register their biometric information with the&nbsp;police.&nbsp;Many of her North Korean friends complied, then regretted it, she said.

"My friends told me, 'Sister, don't do it. We are trapped in a fishing net now. If North Korea tells China to catch and send us, we're dead,'" Shin, 50, said in an interview in Seoul.

Reuters could not independently verify Shin's account, and she declined to share her acquaintances' contact information.&nbsp;

Wei Songxian, head of the Heilongjiang government's media office and vice-head of the provincial Communist Party publicity department, did not respond to questions about Shin's account.

Ultimately, Shin did not register her details. Instead, she hatched a plan to leave China.&nbsp;

Travelling in private vehicles, she escaped across the southern border to Vietnam, she said. She then ventured onward by bus, boat and on foot to reach Laos and Thailand, where she was handed to South Korean authorities. She arrived in South Korea in 2023.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Border police in China's northeast have been given quotas to identify and expel undocumented migrants, one key aspect of broader surveillance that is making it harder for North Korean defectors to evade capture, according to previously undisclosed official documents and a dozen people familiar with the matter.

Border police in China's northeast have been given quotas to identify and expel undocumented migrants, one key aspect of broader surveillance that is making it harder for North Korean defectors to evade capture, according to previously undisclosed official documents and a dozen people familiar with the matter. China has implemented new deportation centres, hundreds of smart facial-recognition cameras and extra boat patrols along its 1,400-kilometre frontier with North Korea, according to a Reuters review of more than 100 publicly available government documents that outline spending on border surveillance and infrastructure. In addition, Chinese police have begun to closely monitor the social media accounts of North Koreans in China, and collect their fingerprints, voice and facial data, four defectors and two missionaries told Reuters. Stephen Kim, a missionary who helps North Koreans defect, told Reuters that based on his contacts with some 2,000 defectors, more than 90% of those currently in China had registered personal and biometric data with the police. The measures took effect since the COVID-19 pandemic and have ramped up from 2023. Cracking down on unauthorised migration helps Beijing manage a thorny issue in ties with Pyongyang while ensuring stability on China's periphery, according to eight people, including security scholars, rights activists and a former North Korean official. It also gives China potential leverage over its neighbour because Beijing can control the fate of these undocumented North Koreans, several of them said. "But primarily, China has feared that if too many North Koreans find refuge in China, more and more North Koreans would follow suit, and in time the outflow would destabilize North Korea and lead to reunification under South Korea and to the expansion of U.S. political and military influence on the peninsula," said Roberta Cohen, a human rights specialist and a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state. China's National Immigration Administration, which is responsible for border police, and the Ministry of Public Security, which oversees the immigration agency, did not respond to queries about efforts to identify and deport North Koreans. Beijing's Foreign Ministry said China protected "the rights and interests of foreigners in China, while lawfully maintaining the order of border entries and exits". It said the "relevant report is completely not factual", in an apparent reference to Reuters reporting. The ministry didn't respond to additional questions about Reuters findings and which elements it considered incorrect. North Korea's embassy in Beijing and its U.N. missions in Geneva and New York didn't respond to questions about China's handling of defectors. While the documents don't explicitly identify North Koreans as targets of the surveillance and deportations, the measures are focused on areas adjoining North Korea. Reuters found little evidence of similar actions at China's other borders, except its porous frontier with Myanmar, where China has been tackling organised crime and recently opened a deportation centre. In a statement, Myanmar's government said 48,000 of its nationals were repatriated from China between 2022 and August 2024. Both countries collaborate on border management to ensure stability, it added. Border patrol Among the documents examined by Reuters was the 2024 budget for China's border police in Jilin province, which adjoins North Korea. Of 163 million yuan in spending, almost 30 million yuan went to border security upgrades. That included 22.3 million yuan for an unspecified number of new patrol boats, and funding for "deportation and repatriation" of foreigners that illegally enter, live and work in Jilin. The budget set goals for 18 border police stations and teams: Investigate and "deal with" at least 10 undocumented foreigners; spend no more than 30 days to process each deportation; and remind residents of the "harm and price paid" for aiding undocumented migrants. It lists performance metrics, including 10 points for achieving a repatriation rate of 95%. There were no such quotas in the 2023 and 2022 budgets. Construction also began last year on a deportation station in the border city of Dandong, in Liaoning province, while another is planned for Changchun city, in Jilin, government tenders show. In March, Jilin border police awarded a 26.5 million-yuan contract to a Beijing sensor maker, HT Nova, to build a surveillance system that "emits high-energy rays to penetrate vehicles and goods" and can use deep learning to continuously improve its facial-recognition capabilities, according to one tender document. The system, funded in the 2023 border police budget, would be installed at two crossings in the Changbai area, a route defectors use. The company didn't respond to a request for comment. Separately, a 7,713 square-metre deportation station in the town of Tumen, which was in the works before the pandemic, was completed in 2023, according to the National Immigration Administration. Since June 2022, the agency has published several job ads seeking graduates with Korean-language ability to work at the Tumen and Changchun facilities, who would be "mainly engaged in the detention of illegal immigrants pending deportation, identity verification, and implementation of repatriation". Watch | North Korea's evolving military threats; China's increasing assertiveness | World News | WION iv class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"> × Political dynamics Beijing denies that there are any North Korean defectors, instead treating them as illegal economic migrants. There is no publicly available data on deportations of North Koreans, but rights groups say the tighter surveillance has increased the risk of capture. About 70 per cent of defectors who tried to reach South Korea over the past two years have been arrested by Chinese police, up from about 20 per cent previously, according to the Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group, which monitors deportations. China returned at least 60 North Koreans in April, said the group's executive director, Lee Younghwan. The number of defectors reaching South Korea has declined overall since 2017, which Seoul's Unification Ministry said was due to tighter surveillance on the China-North Korea border, though there has been an increase since the pandemic ended. In a statement, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said Seoul is making "all-out efforts" to prevent China from forcibly repatriating North Korean defectors. Five security scholars told Reuters that while both sides wanted to stanch the flow of defectors, China's ability to determine defectors' destiny gave it a card to play in diplomacy with North Korea, which is reliant on trade with China but has been forging increasingly close ties with Russia. China "can demand something from North Korea that is beneficial to China", said Lee Dong Gyu, a China expert at Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul. He said the crackdown helped Beijing from a stability standpoint, because North Korea was in economic turmoil and China did not want the effects of that spilling into its territory. Lee Jung-hoon, an international relations professor at Yonsei University and a former South Korean ambassador-at-large for North Korean human rights, said there was a "high chance" that Pyongyang had asked China for help in blocking routes for defectors. He didn't provide specifics and Reuters could not establish whether North Korea had made such a request. 'Trapped' This isn't the first time that China has cracked down on defectors. Reuters reported in 2019 that Chinese authorities had conducted raids that disrupted defector networks and resulted in the arrests of at least 30 North Koreans. But some defectors say the heightened surveillance has intensified fear. Choi Min-kyong, who reached South Korea in 2012 and runs a support group for defectors, said widespread facial-recognition technology in China made it difficult for defectors to move around. Using public transportation, for example, had become too risky. Shin Ju-ye, who fled North Korea in the 1990s and settled in China's Heilongjiang province, said that during the pandemic, village officials began ordering North Koreans to register their biometric information with the police. Many of her North Korean friends complied, then regretted it, she said. "My friends told me, 'Sister, don't do it. We are trapped in a fishing net now. If North Korea tells China to catch and send us, we're dead,'" Shin, 50, said in an interview in Seoul. Reuters could not independently verify Shin's account, and she declined to share her acquaintances' contact information. Wei Songxian, head of the Heilongjiang government's media office and vice-head of the provincial Communist Party publicity department, did not respond to questions about Shin's account. Ultimately, Shin did not register her details. Instead, she hatched a plan to leave China. Travelling in private vehicles, she escaped across the southern border to Vietnam, she said. She then ventured onward by bus, boat and on foot to reach Laos and Thailand, where she was handed to South Korean authorities. She arrived in South Korea in 2023. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Police quotas and surveillance trap: Here's how China is deporting North Korean defectors

Kim Jong Un personally oversaw the testing of a new ballistic missile and upgraded strategic cruise missiles on 18 Sept. He positioned Pyongyang's ongoing missile expansion as a countermeasure to what he described as “the grave threat of outside forces.” This latest demonstration underscores North Korea’s defiance amid rising regional tensions.

North Korea Test-Fires New Ballistic Missile With 'Super-Large Warhead'

North Korea Tests New Ballistic Missile’s ‘Explosive Power’ In Latest Provocative Move

North Korea executed two women who were forcibly repatriated from China for helping other North Koreans in China escape to South Korea, a report by Radio Free Asia said on Tuesday (Sep 17) citing a human rights organisation.

North Korea executed two women who were forcibly repatriated from China for helping other North Koreans in China escape to South Korea, a report by Radio Free Asia said on Tuesday (Sep 17) citing a human rights organisation. The report said that the women were identified by their surnames: 39-year-old Ri and 43-year-old Kang. Ri and Kang were executed on August 31 following a public trial in North Korea's Chongjin, the publication said citing Jang Se-yul, head of Gyeore’eol Unification Solidarity, a human rights organisation based in Seoul. Also read | North Korea reveals first images of banned uranium enrichment site They were charged with human trafficking. Nine other women were sentenced to life in prison on the same charge. Two women were sold to adult entertainment business Jang Se-yul told Radio Free Asia that when Ri and Kang first escaped, they were sold to a Chinese adult entertainment business. "When other North Korean women working there said they wanted to go to South Korea, they made arrangements to send them there," Jang said. This was the first case of executions since the resumption of forced repatriation of North Korean escapees in China in October 2023. Women are major North Korean escapees in China The report by Radio Free Asia pointed out that women make up the majority of North Korean escapees in China. While in China, such women are often at the mercy of handlers who sell them into servitude, either to work as prostitutes or become the wives of Chinese men. Also watch | North Korea punishes teenagers for watching K-drama × Residents in North Korea confirmed that the trial and execution of Ri and Kang occurred. A resident of the Chinese border city of Hoeryong said that the trial lasted for about an hour, and hundreds of residents and merchants at the marketplace were in attendance. (With inputs from agencies)

North Korea executes two women who helped people escape to South Korea: Report

North Korea claims it has successfully test fired a new type of missile tipped with super large war head. Watch to know more.

North Korea tests Hwasongpho-11-DA-4.5 short-range ballistic missile

The tensions are escalating in the Korean Peninsula after Pyongyang test fired multiple short- range ballistic missiles towards its East Coast. Watch in for more details!

Tensions Rise In Korean Peninsula: South Korean President Urges North Korea To Halt The Provocations

Iran's president committed his country to deeper ties with Russia to counter Western sanctions on Tuesday, state media reported, amid U.S. worries that Tehran is supplying Moscow missiles to hit Ukraine. Russia's top security official Sergei Shoigu arrived in the Iranian capital days after meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang. More than two and a half years into its conflict with Ukraine, Moscow has been seeking to develop ties with the two nations, both hostile to the United States.

Shoigu visits Iran: Iran commits to deeper ties with Russia to counter US sanctions

Amid the escalating tensions, a trash balloon sent by North Korea to South Korea on Sunday (Sep 15) landed on a building rooftop in Seoul and sparked a fire that took nearly 20 minutes to douse.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:68,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1755}">Casualties and damage</h2>

In a statement, Seoul's Gangseo Fire Station said that "a fire broke out on the rooftop of a four-storey commercial building in the Western district of Seoul" at around 9:04 pm local time (1204 GMT).

The fire was doused in around 18 minutes, and 15 fire trucks had to be deployed to stop the fire from spreading. As per the fire department, there were no casualties.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:83,&quot;y&quot;:212,&quot;w&quot;:555,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:116,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1899}" data-ved="2ahUKEwjS4tL7-8aIAxWYRmwGHQnEMTwQxfQBKAB6BAgJEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-low-class-move-balloons-filled-with-trash-poop-sent-to-south-korea-726617" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-low-class-move-balloons-filled-with-trash-poop-sent-to-south-korea-726617&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjS4tL7-8aIAxWYRmwGHQnEMTwQxfQBKAB6BAgJEAE">North Korea's 'low-class' move: Balloons filled with trash, poop sent to South Korea</a>

This comes as North Korea late on Sunday launched 120 trash-filled balloons towards the border towards South Korea. Previously, on Saturday, the nation had sent another 50 balloons, said South Korea's military on Monday (Sep 16).

Of these, 40 balloons, as per the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) had already landed in the South — mainly in northern Gyeonggi Province and the capital Seoul.

The trash balloons mostly contained "paper and plastic waste" said the JCS, adding that they posed no risk to the public.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:414,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2101}">Why is North Korea sending trash balloons to South Korea?</h2>

This escalation follows instances of South Korean activists launching balloons carrying anti-regime propaganda leaflets and money across the border into North Korea. These campaigns have long infuriated Pyongyang, which possibly fears that outside information could destabilise the tightly controlled society and threaten the Kim Jong Un regime.

In retaliation, North Korea in May threatened to take similar action. Kim Kang Il, a vice-minister of defence, on May 26 said that "Tit-for-tat action will be taken against frequent scattering of leaflets and other rubbish by the ROK near border areas." Here, ROK refers to the Republic of Korea, the South's official name.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjS4tL7-8aIAxWYRmwGHQnEMTwQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-ups-the-ante-trash-carrying-balloons-hit-south-korean-presidential-compound-743623" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-ups-the-ante-trash-carrying-balloons-hit-south-korean-presidential-compound-743623&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjS4tL7-8aIAxWYRmwGHQnEMTwQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE">North Korea ups the ante, trash-carrying balloons hit South Korean presidential compound</a>

Since then, the North has sent over 5,000 trash balloons southward.

Now, the balloons are equipped with timer devices that can cause fires. Earlier this month, these balloons caused two fires: one near an airport and another at a storage unit.

JCS spokesperson Lee Chang-hyun, as quoted by the news agency AFP told reporters "Some North Korean trash balloons have thermal timers that could potentially cause fires if they don't separate properly when the heating wire is activated, which acts to detach the balloon from its load."

"We have seen it being described as a 'timer explosion', but we would like to explain again that the method is where a thermal timer heats the balloon's material, causing it to tear apart in mid-air," he added.

He said that shooting down the balloons in the air "increases the risk of falling debris or hazardous materials," and that for now, "the safest approach is considered to be quickly collecting them after they fall naturally."

(With inputs from agencies)

Amid the escalating tensions, a trash balloon sent by North Korea to South Korea on Sunday (Sep 15) landed on a building rooftop in Seoul and sparked a fire that took nearly 20 minutes to douse.

Amid the escalating tensions, a trash balloon sent by North Korea to South Korea on Sunday (Sep 15) landed on a building rooftop in Seoul and sparked a fire that took nearly 20 minutes to douse. Casualties and damage In a statement, Seoul's Gangseo Fire Station said that "a fire broke out on the rooftop of a four-storey commercial building in the Western district of Seoul" at around 9:04 pm local time (1204 GMT). The fire was doused in around 18 minutes, and 15 fire trucks had to be deployed to stop the fire from spreading. As per the fire department, there were no casualties. Also read | North Korea's 'low-class' move: Balloons filled with trash, poop sent to South Korea This comes as North Korea late on Sunday launched 120 trash-filled balloons towards the border towards South Korea. Previously, on Saturday, the nation had sent another 50 balloons, said South Korea's military on Monday (Sep 16). Of these, 40 balloons, as per the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) had already landed in the South — mainly in northern Gyeonggi Province and the capital Seoul. The trash balloons mostly contained "paper and plastic waste" said the JCS, adding that they posed no risk to the public. Why is North Korea sending trash balloons to South Korea? This escalation follows instances of South Korean activists launching balloons carrying anti-regime propaganda leaflets and money across the border into North Korea. These campaigns have long infuriated Pyongyang, which possibly fears that outside information could destabilise the tightly controlled society and threaten the Kim Jong Un regime. In retaliation, North Korea in May threatened to take similar action. Kim Kang Il, a vice-minister of defence, on May 26 said that "Tit-for-tat action will be taken against frequent scattering of leaflets and other rubbish by the ROK near border areas." Here, ROK refers to the Republic of Korea, the South's official name. Also read | North Korea ups the ante, trash-carrying balloons hit South Korean presidential compound Since then, the North has sent over 5,000 trash balloons southward. Now, the balloons are equipped with timer devices that can cause fires. Earlier this month, these balloons caused two fires: one near an airport and another at a storage unit. JCS spokesperson Lee Chang-hyun, as quoted by the news agency AFP told reporters "Some North Korean trash balloons have thermal timers that could potentially cause fires if they don't separate properly when the heating wire is activated, which acts to detach the balloon from its load." "We have seen it being described as a 'timer explosion', but we would like to explain again that the method is where a thermal timer heats the balloon's material, causing it to tear apart in mid-air," he added. He said that shooting down the balloons in the air "increases the risk of falling debris or hazardous materials," and that for now, "the safest approach is considered to be quickly collecting them after they fall naturally." (With inputs from agencies)

South Korea: Trash balloon from North Korea sparks fire on Seoul rooftop amid escalating tensions

Russian ally North Korea is showing off its nuclear might. North Korea has disclosed the first photos of a uranium enrichment site designed to produce weapons-grade fuel for its nuclear bombs. What does this mean for tensions on the Korean peninsula?

North Korea gives rare peek at banned uranium enrichment site

North Korea on Friday (Sept 13) released the first images of the centrifuges that produce fuel for its nuclear bombs. Citing state media, a report by the news agency Reuters said that Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un visited the Nuclear Weapons Institute and called for more weapons-grade material to boost the arsenal.

North Korea on Friday (Sept 13) released the first images of the centrifuges that produce fuel for its nuclear bombs. Citing state media, a report by the news agency Reuters said that Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un visited the Nuclear Weapons Institute and called for more weapons-grade material to boost the arsenal. The report said that the first images of the centrifuges, Kim's visit to the Nuclear Weapons Institute and a production base for weapon-grade nuclear materials provided a rare look inside Pyongyang's nuclear programme, which is banned under multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. It is not yet known when Kim visited the site or where the facility was located. North Korea's nuclear arsenal is vital Kim urged workers to produce more materials for tactical nuclear weapons, saying the country's nuclear arsenal was vital for confronting threats from the United States (US) and its allies. Also read | North Korea’s Kim Jong Un executes 30 officials over ‘unacceptable’ floods, landslides: Report The weapons were needed for "self-defence and the capability for a preemptive attack," he added. He also stressed the need to increase the number of centrifuges to "exponentially increase" nuclear weapons and expand the use of a new type of centrifuge to further strengthen the production of weapon-grade nuclear materials. North Korea has several sites for enriching uranium The Reuters report said that North Korea is believed to have several sites for enriching uranium. Commercial satellite imagery has shown construction in recent years at the main Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center. A few days back, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday that the UN nuclear watchdog had observed activity consistent with the operation of a reactor and the reported centrifuge enrichment facility at Yongbyon. North Korea has previously shown photos of what it says were nuclear warheads. It has conducted six underground nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017. (With inputs from agencies)

North Korea reveals first images of banned uranium enrichment site

New images of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un touring what state media identified as a uranium enrichment facility have provided a rare glimpse into the country’s secretive nuclear weapons program. A report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday stated that Kim visited the facility, described as a bright and sterile warehouse with long rows of cylindrical machinery, which is used to produce weapons-grade nuclear material for North Korea’s expanding arsenal. Watch in for more details!

North Korea reveals secret uranium-enrichment facility

New images of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un touring what state media identified as a uranium enrichment facility have provided a rare glimpse into the country’s secretive nuclear weapons program. A report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Friday stated that Kim visited the facility, described as a bright and sterile warehouse with long rows of cylindrical machinery, which is used to produce weapons-grade nuclear material for North Korea’s expanding arsenal.

North Korea's Kim Jong-un aims to increase nuclear weapons

North Korea has reportedly punished teenagers for watching South Korean dramas, highlighting the regime's strict crackdown on foreign media and cultural influences.

North Korea punishes teenagers for watching K-drama

North Korea has fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast, according to South Korea and Japan. The launches took place at about 7:10am on Thursday (22:10 GMT, Wednesday), days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promised to put his nuclear force fully ready for battle with its rivals.

North Korea launches fires short-range ballistic missiles off east coast

North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday (Sep 10) said that his country was steadily increasing its nuclear arsenal.

Speaking at an event marking the 76th anniversary of the country's founding, Kim claimed that Pyongyang was a "responsible" nuclear state, reported the state media.

As per state media images, the event in central Pyongyang was attended by thousands of people.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:146,&quot;w&quot;:666,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1983}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/desperate-families-dig-through-deep-craters-as-israeli-strike-on-humanitarian-zone-in-gaza-kills-40-757262">Desperate families dig through deep craters as Israeli strike on humanitarian zone in&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;kills&nbsp;40</a>

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:200,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2037}">Why is North Korea increasing its nuclear arsenal?</h2>

Kim Jong-un, as per AFP, credited the nuclear arsenal expansion to what he characterised as "more various threats" from the United States and its allies.

He said that North Korea's "nuclear force" and its ability to deploy it "should be more thoroughly perfected".

The country will "steadily strengthen its nuclear force capable of fully coping with any threatening acts imposed by its nuclear-armed rival states," said the North Korea supreme leader.&nbsp;

He added that Pyongyang will also "redouble its measures and efforts to make all the armed forces of the state, including the nuclear force, fully ready for combat".

However, he stressed that North Korea was a "responsible nuclear weapons state", and that "our nuclear weapons for defending ourselves do not pose a threat to anyone".

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:479,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2316}">Tensions with South Korea</h2>

Kim's announcement about North Korea increasing its nuclear arsenal comes as the nation's relations with neighbour South Korea reach their lowest point. Recent months have seen the two countries escalate their enmity by blaring propaganda through speakers and sending balloons filled with trash and poop across borders.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:608,&quot;w&quot;:706,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2445}" data-ved="2ahUKEwjw8emUzreIAxVZi68BHQqWF3EQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-escalates-continues-trash-balloon-warfare-kim-yo-jong-warns-south-korea-of-new-counteraction-730362" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-escalates-continues-trash-balloon-warfare-kim-yo-jong-warns-south-korea-of-new-counteraction-730362&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjw8emUzreIAxVZi68BHQqWF3EQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE">North Korea sends more trash balloons to South amidst warning of `new counteraction` by Kim Yo Jong</a>

North Korea, as per AFP, had previously vowed an "exponential increase" of its nuclear weaponry. The nation also routinely flaunts its arsenal at major events and state anniversaries.

"We believe that by 2027 North Korea can secure enough nuclear material for about 200 warheads and by 2030, this can reach 300," Yang Uk, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, told AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)

 
&nbsp;

North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday (Sep 10) said that his country was steadily increasing its nuclear arsenal. Speaking at an event marking the 76th anniversary of the country's founding, Kim claimed that Pyongyang was a "responsible" nuclear state, reported the state media.

North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday (Sep 10) said that his country was steadily increasing its nuclear arsenal. Speaking at an event marking the 76th anniversary of the country's founding, Kim claimed that Pyongyang was a "responsible" nuclear state, reported the state media. As per state media images, the event in central Pyongyang was attended by thousands of people. Also read | Desperate families dig through deep craters as Israeli strike on humanitarian zone in Gaza kills 40 Why is North Korea increasing its nuclear arsenal? Kim Jong-un, as per AFP, credited the nuclear arsenal expansion to what he characterised as "more various threats" from the United States and its allies. He said that North Korea's "nuclear force" and its ability to deploy it "should be more thoroughly perfected". The country will "steadily strengthen its nuclear force capable of fully coping with any threatening acts imposed by its nuclear-armed rival states," said the North Korea supreme leader. He added that Pyongyang will also "redouble its measures and efforts to make all the armed forces of the state, including the nuclear force, fully ready for combat". However, he stressed that North Korea was a "responsible nuclear weapons state", and that "our nuclear weapons for defending ourselves do not pose a threat to anyone". Tensions with South Korea Kim's announcement about North Korea increasing its nuclear arsenal comes as the nation's relations with neighbour South Korea reach their lowest point. Recent months have seen the two countries escalate their enmity by blaring propaganda through speakers and sending balloons filled with trash and poop across borders. Also read | North Korea sends more trash balloons to South amidst warning of `new counteraction` by Kim Yo Jong North Korea, as per AFP, had previously vowed an "exponential increase" of its nuclear weaponry. The nation also routinely flaunts its arsenal at major events and state anniversaries. "We believe that by 2027 North Korea can secure enough nuclear material for about 200 warheads and by 2030, this can reach 300," Yang Uk, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, told AFP. (With inputs from agencies)

North Korea boosts nuclear arsenal: Kim Jong-un blames 'various threats' from US and allies for increase

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