North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for the country to stand ready to conduct nuclear attacks at any time to deter war, accusing the U.S. and South Korea of expanding joint military drills involving American nuclear assets.

Kim Jong Un calls for nuclear attack readiness against U.S, South Korea

North Korea has fired another missile into the ocean off the Korean Peninsula's east coast (JCS) on Sunday, according to the Yonhap news agency and the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea.&nbsp;

The North Korean projectile may have been a ballistic missile, the Japan Coast Guard said, reported&nbsp;Al Jazeera.

The launch comes after North Korea allegedly fired&nbsp;an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan on Thursday, hours before the president of South Korea travelled to Tokyo for a summit to discuss strategies to deal with their nuclear-armed neighbour.&nbsp;

North Korean state media described the launch of the Hwasong 17 as a response to the ongoing, “frantic” joint drills by South Korea and the United States.

All of these drills are seen in Pyongyang as ‘invasion’ rehearsal, reported Al Jazeera.

The governments of Japan and South Korea both strongly denounced Sunday's missile launch, calling it "clear violation" of UN Security Council resolutions.

Pyongyang’s repeated launches “threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region and the international community,” Japan’s defence ministry said in a statement.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;North Korean missile could hit US&nbsp;in 33 mins, says study; find gaps in US&nbsp;missile defence

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Sunday’s ballistic missile launch occurs a day&nbsp;after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-says-800000-people-enlist-to-fight-us-imperialists-573351">North Korea claimed about 800,000 of its citizens had volunteered</a> to join or re-enlist in the nation’s military to fight the United States, reported CNN.

North Korea declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear power last year, and Kim Jong Un recently urged a "exponential" rise in the development of weapons, including tactical nuclear weapons. 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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North Korea has fired another missile into the ocean off the Korean Peninsula's east coast (JCS) on Sunday, according to the Yonhap news agency and the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea.

North Korea has fired another missile into the ocean off the Korean Peninsula's east coast (JCS) on Sunday, according to the Yonhap news agency and the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea. The North Korean projectile may have been a ballistic missile, the Japan Coast Guard said, reported Al Jazeera. The launch comes after North Korea allegedly fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan on Thursday, hours before the president of South Korea travelled to Tokyo for a summit to discuss strategies to deal with their nuclear-armed neighbour. North Korean state media described the launch of the Hwasong 17 as a response to the ongoing, “frantic” joint drills by South Korea and the United States. All of these drills are seen in Pyongyang as ‘invasion’ rehearsal, reported Al Jazeera. The governments of Japan and South Korea both strongly denounced Sunday's missile launch, calling it "clear violation" of UN Security Council resolutions. Pyongyang’s repeated launches “threaten the peace and security of Japan, the region and the international community,” Japan’s defence ministry said in a statement. ALSO WATCH | North Korean missile could hit US in 33 mins, says study; find gaps in US missile defence Sunday’s ballistic missile launch occurs a day after North Korea claimed about 800,000 of its citizens had volunteered to join or re-enlist in the nation’s military to fight the United States, reported CNN. North Korea declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear power last year, and Kim Jong Un recently urged a "exponential" rise in the development of weapons, including tactical nuclear weapons. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

N Korea launches missile: S Korea, Japan call it ‘clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions’

North Korea has filed another ballistic missile, this is the fourth missile test in a week amid major military drills between United States and South Korea continues. The latest missile was launched towards the sea of the East Coast of the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea test-fires short-ranged ballistic missile amid U.S.-South Korea military drills

A team of Chinese defence scientists have examined potential weaknesses in the U.S. missile defence system. The simulation-based study found that North Korean missile could hit Central United States in 33 minutes. The used a simulation on an ICBM attack U.S. mainland by North Korea.

North Korean missile could hit U.S. in 33 mins, says study; find gaps in U.S. missile defence

A team of defence scientists in China claim that an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fired from North Korea could hit the United States in just 33 minutes if they fail to intercept it. The team which simulated the attack said that a North Korean missile can hit the central US in 1,997 seconds, or about 33 minutes. The hypothetical missile launch in question used North Korea’s Hwasong-15 which was test fired in 2017, reported the South China Morning Post.&nbsp;

The study published in the Chinese-language journal Modern Defense Technology said that if a Hwasong-15 missile were to be fired from Sunchon, a city in central North Korea’s South Pyongan province, a likely target would be the central US state of Missouri’s city of Columbia. The US missile defence headquarters would receive an alert about 20 seconds later, said the study as per SCMP.&nbsp;

Subsequently, the first batch of intercepting missiles from the US would take off within 11 minutes from Fort Greely in Alaska and another would be launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, that is if the first wave of interceptors were&nbsp;to fail. The study also suggested that there were gaps in Washington’s nuclear defence network like the “kill chain” system which would have difficulty in identifying and defending against an attack which&nbsp;could be used against them.&nbsp;

The two-stage, nuclear-capable missile with an effective range of 13,000 km is “sufficient to hit the entire US homeland” said Tang Yuyan of the Beijing Institute of Electronic System Engineering who also led the research in question. “If North Korea were to fire a nuclear-armed ICBM at the United States, we cannot be sure that our missile defence system would prevent it,” said Frederick K. Lamb, a Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois to CNN.&nbsp; 
 
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A team of defence scientists in China claim that an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fired from North Korea could hit the United States in just 33 minutes if they fail to intercept it.

A team of defence scientists in China claim that an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fired from North Korea could hit the United States in just 33 minutes if they fail to intercept it. The team which simulated the attack said that a North Korean missile can hit the central US in 1,997 seconds, or about 33 minutes. The hypothetical missile launch in question used North Korea’s Hwasong-15 which was test fired in 2017, reported the South China Morning Post. The study published in the Chinese-language journal Modern Defense Technology said that if a Hwasong-15 missile were to be fired from Sunchon, a city in central North Korea’s South Pyongan province, a likely target would be the central US state of Missouri’s city of Columbia. The US missile defence headquarters would receive an alert about 20 seconds later, said the study as per SCMP. Subsequently, the first batch of intercepting missiles from the US would take off within 11 minutes from Fort Greely in Alaska and another would be launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, that is if the first wave of interceptors were to fail. The study also suggested that there were gaps in Washington’s nuclear defence network like the “kill chain” system which would have difficulty in identifying and defending against an attack which could be used against them. The two-stage, nuclear-capable missile with an effective range of 13,000 km is “sufficient to hit the entire US homeland” said Tang Yuyan of the Beijing Institute of Electronic System Engineering who also led the research in question. “If North Korea were to fire a nuclear-armed ICBM at the United States, we cannot be sure that our missile defence system would prevent it,” said Frederick K. Lamb, a Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois to CNN. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

North Korean nuclear missile could hit US in just 33 minutes, says Chinese study

North Korea claimed that it test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile known called Hwasong-17 on Thursday, reported the state news agency KCNA.

The missile, whose test-firing was reported earlier by the South Korean government, was fired amid "provocative and aggressive" military drills jointly being conducted by the United States and South Korea, stated the agency on Friday.

The launch of the missile on Thursday was the third show of force by North Korea since Sunday and took place hours before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was headed to Tokyo to attend the summit aimed at boosting ties in the face of growing aggression of Pyongyang.

The drill "serves as an occasion to give a stronger warning to the enemies intentionally escalating the tension in the Korean peninsula," stated KCNA.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-is-ready-for-its-seventh-nuclear-test-us-warns-571833">North Korea preparing for its seventh nuclear test, would be dangerous provocation, US warns</a>

Pyongyang confirmed that the missile was able to travel at a maximum altitude of some 6,000 km (3,700 miles) and flew almost 1,000 km (620 miles) "before accurately landing on the preset area in the open waters off the East Sea of Korea”, which is also called the Sea of Japan, as per the KCNA report.

"The launching drill of the strategic weapon serves as an occasion to give a stronger warning to the enemies intentionally escalating the tension in the Korean peninsula while persistently resorting to irresponsible and reckless military threats," stated the state news agency KCNA.

The government of South Korea claimed that the missile was launched on a lofted trajectory, upwards instead of outwards, which is generally done to prevent the missile from overflying neighbouring countries.

The defence co-operation between Seoul and Washington has been ramped up in the face of increasing nuclear and military threats from North Korea, which has conducted numerous provocative banned weapons tests recently.

North Korea on Tuesday fired two short-range ballistic missiles after launching two strategic cruise missiles on Sunday from a submarine, hours before the US-South Korea exercises started.

WATCH | N Korea fires another ballistic missile; Chile confirms first case of bird flu

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The drills, known as Freedom Shield, started Monday and will continue for 10 days. The Freedom Shield exercises emphasise the "changing security environment" due to redoubled aggression of North Korea, the allies had stated.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un has accused South Korea and the United States of escalating tensions with the military drills.

He "stressed the need to strike fear into the enemies, really deter war and reliably guarantee the peaceful life of our people and their struggle for socialist construction by irreversibly bolstering up the nuclear war deterrent," reported KCNA.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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North Korea claimed that it test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile known called Hwasong-17 on Thursday, reported the state news agency KCNA. The missile, whose test-firing was reported earlier by the South Korean government, was fired amid "provocative and aggressive" military drills jointly being conducted by the United States and South Korea, stated the agency on Friday.

North Korea claimed that it test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile known called Hwasong-17 on Thursday, reported the state news agency KCNA. The missile, whose test-firing was reported earlier by the South Korean government, was fired amid "provocative and aggressive" military drills jointly being conducted by the United States and South Korea, stated the agency on Friday. The launch of the missile on Thursday was the third show of force by North Korea since Sunday and took place hours before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was headed to Tokyo to attend the summit aimed at boosting ties in the face of growing aggression of Pyongyang. The drill "serves as an occasion to give a stronger warning to the enemies intentionally escalating the tension in the Korean peninsula," stated KCNA. ALSO READ | North Korea preparing for its seventh nuclear test, would be dangerous provocation, US warns Pyongyang confirmed that the missile was able to travel at a maximum altitude of some 6,000 km (3,700 miles) and flew almost 1,000 km (620 miles) "before accurately landing on the preset area in the open waters off the East Sea of Korea”, which is also called the Sea of Japan, as per the KCNA report. "The launching drill of the strategic weapon serves as an occasion to give a stronger warning to the enemies intentionally escalating the tension in the Korean peninsula while persistently resorting to irresponsible and reckless military threats," stated the state news agency KCNA. The government of South Korea claimed that the missile was launched on a lofted trajectory, upwards instead of outwards, which is generally done to prevent the missile from overflying neighbouring countries. The defence co-operation between Seoul and Washington has been ramped up in the face of increasing nuclear and military threats from North Korea, which has conducted numerous provocative banned weapons tests recently. North Korea on Tuesday fired two short-range ballistic missiles after launching two strategic cruise missiles on Sunday from a submarine, hours before the US-South Korea exercises started. WATCH | N Korea fires another ballistic missile; Chile confirms first case of bird flu The drills, known as Freedom Shield, started Monday and will continue for 10 days. The Freedom Shield exercises emphasise the "changing security environment" due to redoubled aggression of North Korea, the allies had stated. North Korea's Kim Jong Un has accused South Korea and the United States of escalating tensions with the military drills. He "stressed the need to strike fear into the enemies, really deter war and reliably guarantee the peaceful life of our people and their struggle for socialist construction by irreversibly bolstering up the nuclear war deterrent," reported KCNA. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

North Korea claims ICBM test-fired on Thursday: KCNA

Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, personally oversaw the most potent intercontinental ballistic missile's recent test-firing along with his daughter, state media photographs from Friday (March 17)&nbsp;showed.

The launch that took place on Thursday, Pyongyang's second ICBM test this year, used a Hwasong-17 missile, according to the official Korean Central News Agency, which added that it was fired in reaction to "frantic" joint military exercises between the US and South Korea.

Images released in the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed Kim watching the black-and-white Hwasong-17, known to experts as a "monster missile," take off into the sky.&nbsp;

Several other pictures showed him watching the launch with his daughter—whom state media never named but who South Korean intelligence recognised as his second child Ju Ae.

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Kim Jong Un has ordered North Korea's military to intensify drills for a "real war", state media reports. 
 
Kim and his daughter watched an artillery unit fire a volley of missiles on Thursday<a href="https://t.co/0FE6iq0UDA">https://t.co/0FE6iq0UDA</a> <a href="https://t.co/am182Q1FD6">pic.twitter.com/am182Q1FD6</a>
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1634054200522059778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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KCNA said the launch "confirmed the war readiness of the ICBM unit", adding that it "had no negative impact on the security" of neighbouring countries.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-claims-icbm-test-fired-on-thursday-kcna-572796">North Korea claims ICBM test-fired on Thursday: KCNA</a>

Previously, South Korea claimed that the missile was launched on a lofted trajectory, or upward rather than outward, as is generally done to avoid overflying other nations.

North Korea declared itself to be an "irreversible" nuclear state last year, and Kim recently called for an "exponential" rise in the development of weapons, including tactical nukes.

Kim, who supervised the launch on Thursday, is quoted as saying that North Korea would&nbsp;"react to nuclear weapons with nukes" and called for "irreversibly bolstering up the nuclear war deterrent", according to KCNA.

According to KCNA, he also emphasised the nation's "rapid response posture... to cope with any armed conflict and war".

<h2>The ICBM danger</h2>

The Hwasong-17 ICBM may theoretically reach the United States' continental territory, and with this most recent launch, North Korea is attempting to highlight the sophistication of its arsenal, experts said.

Cheong Seong-chang, a senior scholar at the Sejong Institute, told AFP that Pyongyang appeared to be attempting to prove that it could reach whatever target the government desired with its ICBM through the use of photographs of the Earth.

He predicted that the next phase by North Korea will attempt to launch the missile "at a normal angle," demonstrating that it can survive reentry into the atmosphere.

The launch on Thursday came as Tokyo and Seoul pushed to repair their long-frozen relations to offset an increasingly aggressive North Korea.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, personally oversaw the most potent intercontinental ballistic missile's recent test-firing along with his daughter, state media photographs from Friday (March 17) showed.

Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, personally oversaw the most potent intercontinental ballistic missile's recent test-firing along with his daughter, state media photographs from Friday (March 17) showed. The launch that took place on Thursday, Pyongyang's second ICBM test this year, used a Hwasong-17 missile, according to the official Korean Central News Agency, which added that it was fired in reaction to "frantic" joint military exercises between the US and South Korea. Images released in the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed Kim watching the black-and-white Hwasong-17, known to experts as a "monster missile," take off into the sky. Several other pictures showed him watching the launch with his daughter—whom state media never named but who South Korean intelligence recognised as his second child Ju Ae. Kim Jong Un has ordered North Korea's military to intensify drills for a "real war", state media reports. Kim and his daughter watched an artillery unit fire a volley of missiles on Thursdayhttps://t.co/0FE6iq0UDA pic.twitter.com/am182Q1FD6 — AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 10, 2023 × KCNA said the launch "confirmed the war readiness of the ICBM unit", adding that it "had no negative impact on the security" of neighbouring countries. ALSO READ | North Korea claims ICBM test-fired on Thursday: KCNA Previously, South Korea claimed that the missile was launched on a lofted trajectory, or upward rather than outward, as is generally done to avoid overflying other nations. North Korea declared itself to be an "irreversible" nuclear state last year, and Kim recently called for an "exponential" rise in the development of weapons, including tactical nukes. Kim, who supervised the launch on Thursday, is quoted as saying that North Korea would "react to nuclear weapons with nukes" and called for "irreversibly bolstering up the nuclear war deterrent", according to KCNA. According to KCNA, he also emphasised the nation's "rapid response posture... to cope with any armed conflict and war". The ICBM danger The Hwasong-17 ICBM may theoretically reach the United States' continental territory, and with this most recent launch, North Korea is attempting to highlight the sophistication of its arsenal, experts said. Cheong Seong-chang, a senior scholar at the Sejong Institute, told AFP that Pyongyang appeared to be attempting to prove that it could reach whatever target the government desired with its ICBM through the use of photographs of the Earth. He predicted that the next phase by North Korea will attempt to launch the missile "at a normal angle," demonstrating that it can survive reentry into the atmosphere. The launch on Thursday came as Tokyo and Seoul pushed to repair their long-frozen relations to offset an increasingly aggressive North Korea. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

North Korea: Kim Jong Un and daughter supervise ICBM launch

North Korea has fired a ballistic missile into its eastern waters, just hours before South Korea’s president was due to fly to Japan for the first summit between the two countries in years.

North Korea launches intercontinental ballistic missile ahead of South Korea-Japan summit

North Korea launches missile ahead of South Korea-Japan summit

A ballistic missile was fired by North Korea into the sea between Japan and the Korean peninsula, said South Korea's military on Thursday, hours before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to fly to Tokyo to attend a rare summit.

This week, North Korea has been launching missiles on a daily basis amid ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States that have been condemned by Pyongyang as hostile actions.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a statement on Thursday, said that at least one ballistic missile of an unknown type has been fired by North Korea off its east coast.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-is-ready-for-its-seventh-nuclear-test-us-warns-571833">North Korea preparing for its seventh nuclear test, would be dangerous provocation, US warns</a>

Yoon will be visiting Japan to attend a summit with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the first-of-its-kind summit being held in more than a decade as part of the two governments' efforts to overcome economic, political and historical disputes in the name of better co-operation to counter different challenges.

The two US allies also agreed to provide each other with real-time tracking of missile launches by North Korea and have promised to deepen military co-operation.

Two short-range ballistic missiles were fired by North Korea on Tuesday in its first launch since the manoeuvres, the biggest in five years, started as per the South Korean military.

Two strategic cruise missiles were launched by Pyongyang on Sunday from a submarine apparently to protest against the US-South Korea exercises.

WATCH | North Korea adopts war deterrent measures; US, South Korea to kick off freedom shield

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The drills, called Freedom Shield, started on Monday and will continue for 10 days. Seoul's military, in a rare move, revealed this month that military exercises called "Teak Knife" are being staged by the two allies, which includes simulating precision strikes on important facilities in North Korea, before the Freedom Shield.

The focus of Freedom Shield exercises is on the "changing security environment" because of redoubled aggression of North Korea, the allies said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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A ballistic missile was fired by North Korea into the sea between Japan and the Korean peninsula, said South Korea's military on Thursday, hours before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to fly to Tokyo to attend a rare summit.

A ballistic missile was fired by North Korea into the sea between Japan and the Korean peninsula, said South Korea's military on Thursday, hours before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to fly to Tokyo to attend a rare summit. This week, North Korea has been launching missiles on a daily basis amid ongoing joint military drills between South Korea and the United States that have been condemned by Pyongyang as hostile actions. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a statement on Thursday, said that at least one ballistic missile of an unknown type has been fired by North Korea off its east coast. ALSO READ | North Korea preparing for its seventh nuclear test, would be dangerous provocation, US warns Yoon will be visiting Japan to attend a summit with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the first-of-its-kind summit being held in more than a decade as part of the two governments' efforts to overcome economic, political and historical disputes in the name of better co-operation to counter different challenges. The two US allies also agreed to provide each other with real-time tracking of missile launches by North Korea and have promised to deepen military co-operation. Two short-range ballistic missiles were fired by North Korea on Tuesday in its first launch since the manoeuvres, the biggest in five years, started as per the South Korean military. Two strategic cruise missiles were launched by Pyongyang on Sunday from a submarine apparently to protest against the US-South Korea exercises. WATCH | North Korea adopts war deterrent measures; US, South Korea to kick off freedom shield The drills, called Freedom Shield, started on Monday and will continue for 10 days. Seoul's military, in a rare move, revealed this month that military exercises called "Teak Knife" are being staged by the two allies, which includes simulating precision strikes on important facilities in North Korea, before the Freedom Shield. The focus of Freedom Shield exercises is on the "changing security environment" because of redoubled aggression of North Korea, the allies said. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

North Korea fires ballistic missile hours before South Korea-Japan summit

A ballistic missile was fired by North Korea on Tuesday, said Seoul. This is the second launch by Pyongyang in three days and the first since the United States and South Korea began their largest joint military drills in a span of five years.

The defence co-operation has been ramped up by Washington and Seoul in the face of growing nuclear and military threats from the North, which has conducted multiple provocative banned weapons tests in a few months.

"North Korea fires unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea," said the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a statement, as he referred to the body of water also called the Sea of Japan.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-us-begin-major-drills-as-north-test-fires-missiles-from-submarine-571421">South Korea-US begin major drills as North test-fires missiles from submarine</a>

The missile was fired just days after two "strategic cruise missiles" were launched by Pyongyang from a submarine in what looked like a protest over the US-South Korea drills.

The drills, which are known as Freedom Shield, started on Monday and will continue for 10 days as part of the drive of the allies to counter the growing threats of North Korea.

In a rare step, the military of Seoul this month announced the special forces units of the allies were staging military exercises called "Teak Knife" - which include simulating precision strikes on North Korea's key facilities - ahead of Freedom Shield.

WATCH | North Korea adopts war deterrent measures; U.S., South Korea to kick off freedom shield

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The Freedom Shield exercises emphasise the "changing security environment" due to redoubled aggression of North Korea, the allies stated.

They will "involve wartime procedures to repel potential North Korean attacks and conduct a stabilisation campaign in the North", said the South Korean military.

It further stressed that the exercise was a "defensive one based on a combined operational plan".

(With inputs from agencies)

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A ballistic missile was fired by North Korea on Tuesday, said Seoul. This is the second launch by Pyongyang in three days and the first since the United States and South Korea began their largest joint military drills in a span of five years.

A ballistic missile was fired by North Korea on Tuesday, said Seoul. This is the second launch by Pyongyang in three days and the first since the United States and South Korea began their largest joint military drills in a span of five years. The defence co-operation has been ramped up by Washington and Seoul in the face of growing nuclear and military threats from the North, which has conducted multiple provocative banned weapons tests in a few months. "North Korea fires unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea," said the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a statement, as he referred to the body of water also called the Sea of Japan. ALSO READ | South Korea-US begin major drills as North test-fires missiles from submarine The missile was fired just days after two "strategic cruise missiles" were launched by Pyongyang from a submarine in what looked like a protest over the US-South Korea drills. The drills, which are known as Freedom Shield, started on Monday and will continue for 10 days as part of the drive of the allies to counter the growing threats of North Korea. In a rare step, the military of Seoul this month announced the special forces units of the allies were staging military exercises called "Teak Knife" - which include simulating precision strikes on North Korea's key facilities - ahead of Freedom Shield. WATCH | North Korea adopts war deterrent measures; U.S., South Korea to kick off freedom shield The Freedom Shield exercises emphasise the "changing security environment" due to redoubled aggression of North Korea, the allies stated. They will "involve wartime procedures to repel potential North Korean attacks and conduct a stabilisation campaign in the North", said the South Korean military. It further stressed that the exercise was a "defensive one based on a combined operational plan". (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

N Korea launched 'unidentified ballistic missile', claims Seoul

According to North Korea's state media, Kim Jong-un has decided to take important practical war deterrence measures and this comes just a day before Seoul and Washington are said to begin their largest joint military drills in five years.

North Korea adopts war deterrent measures; U.S., South Korea to kick off freedom shield

North Korea has fired a short-range ballistic missile into the sea, said the South Korean military on Thursday (March 9).&nbsp;The missile landed in the western waters of the Korean peninsula. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the ballistic missile was fired from an area around the western coastal city of Nampo.

South Korea detected the missile launch at 0920 GMT.

The latest missile test has come just when tensions in the Korean peninsula have soared to a high not seen in decades. Nuclear-armed North Korea has carried out unprecedented number of missile tests over the last year. The launch has also taken place just when the US and South Korea are preparing to hold joint drills which will be largest in five years.

Last year, Kim Jong Un's regime declared North Korea an "irreversible" nuclear power and vowed to exponentially increase weapons production, including tactical nuclear weapons, as the US looks to move more assets to the region to defend ally Seoul.

North Korea has long claimed its nuclear weapons and missile programmes are for self-defence, and has bristled over US-South Korea military exercises, describing them as rehearsals for an invasion.

Earlier this week, North Korea accused the US of "intentionally" ramping up tensions, and Kim's powerful sister warned that if the US were to intercept one of Pyongyang's missile tests, it would be seen as a "clear declaration of war".&nbsp;

The US and South Korea will hold the military drills this month

Ahead of the exercises, named "Freedom Shield" and scheduled for at least 10 days starting March 13, the allies held air drills this week featuring a nuclear-capable US B-52 heavy bomber.

(With inputs from agencies)

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North Korea has fired a short-range ballistic missile into the sea, said the South Korean military on Thursday (March 9). The missile landed in the western waters of the Korean peninsula.

North Korea has fired a short-range ballistic missile into the sea, said the South Korean military on Thursday (March 9). The missile landed in the western waters of the Korean peninsula. According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the ballistic missile was fired from an area around the western coastal city of Nampo. South Korea detected the missile launch at 0920 GMT. The latest missile test has come just when tensions in the Korean peninsula have soared to a high not seen in decades. Nuclear-armed North Korea has carried out unprecedented number of missile tests over the last year. The launch has also taken place just when the US and South Korea are preparing to hold joint drills which will be largest in five years. Last year, Kim Jong Un's regime declared North Korea an "irreversible" nuclear power and vowed to exponentially increase weapons production, including tactical nuclear weapons, as the US looks to move more assets to the region to defend ally Seoul. North Korea has long claimed its nuclear weapons and missile programmes are for self-defence, and has bristled over US-South Korea military exercises, describing them as rehearsals for an invasion. Earlier this week, North Korea accused the US of "intentionally" ramping up tensions, and Kim's powerful sister warned that if the US were to intercept one of Pyongyang's missile tests, it would be seen as a "clear declaration of war". The US and South Korea will hold the military drills this month Ahead of the exercises, named "Freedom Shield" and scheduled for at least 10 days starting March 13, the allies held air drills this week featuring a nuclear-capable US B-52 heavy bomber. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

North Korea has fired short-range ballistic missile, says South Korean military

North Korea test fired at least six short-range missiles off its west coast on Thursday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered it's military to intensify drills in preparation for a real war.

North Korea test-fires at least six short-range missiles

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is planning to make his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, his potential successor, Sky News has reported, adding that he is looking to portray his family as a dynasty like the British Royal Family.

A veteran foreign correspondent and expert on North Korea, Jean H Lee, told the British news channel that the Korean dictator has been making his daughter, believed to be 10 years old, appear in public at&nbsp;events which have themes related to “weapons” and “missiles”.

So far, Kim Ju Ae has made six public appearances. Talking about one of the memorable events she attended, Lee recalled her appearance at a military banquet to mark the 75th anniversary of the country's army in February.

"When you look at these pictures, she's front and centre. She is there. It's like this tableau of father, mother, and daughter. And I think what people noticed, of course, first and foremost was, 'Oh my gosh, he's presenting his daughter'. What does that mean?", Lee, who reported from inside North Korea from 2008 to 2017, said on&nbsp;the latest episode of the Sky News Daily podcast.

The veteran journalist pointed out that it was similar to when the dictator's grandfather presented his wife and young son, Kim Jong Un's father Kim Jong Il, at the military parade on the same day 75 years earlier.

When asked if North Korea, a conservative and patriarchal country, will allow a female leader to helm the post, Lee said that there have been a number of women working in high offices in the secretive country.

"We've had female rulers in societies at times where many women had no rights. Queen Victoria, for example," Lee said.

"But I do think one thing about North Korea that's very interesting is that women do take on leadership roles. It's a communist or it's a socialist country," she added.

(With inputs from agencies) 
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North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is planning to make his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, his potential successor, Sky News has reported, adding that he is looking to portray his family as a dynasty like the British Royal Family.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is planning to make his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, his potential successor, Sky News has reported, adding that he is looking to portray his family as a dynasty like the British Royal Family. A veteran foreign correspondent and expert on North Korea, Jean H Lee, told the British news channel that the Korean dictator has been making his daughter, believed to be 10 years old, appear in public at events which have themes related to “weapons” and “missiles”. So far, Kim Ju Ae has made six public appearances. Talking about one of the memorable events she attended, Lee recalled her appearance at a military banquet to mark the 75th anniversary of the country's army in February. "When you look at these pictures, she's front and centre. She is there. It's like this tableau of father, mother, and daughter. And I think what people noticed, of course, first and foremost was, 'Oh my gosh, he's presenting his daughter'. What does that mean?", Lee, who reported from inside North Korea from 2008 to 2017, said on the latest episode of the Sky News Daily podcast. The veteran journalist pointed out that it was similar to when the dictator's grandfather presented his wife and young son, Kim Jong Un's father Kim Jong Il, at the military parade on the same day 75 years earlier. When asked if North Korea, a conservative and patriarchal country, will allow a female leader to helm the post, Lee said that there have been a number of women working in high offices in the secretive country. "We've had female rulers in societies at times where many women had no rights. Queen Victoria, for example," Lee said. "But I do think one thing about North Korea that's very interesting is that women do take on leadership roles. It's a communist or it's a socialist country," she added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un intends to hand over power to daughter in long term

The South Korean military has unveiled a “Kill Web” concept to tackle North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats amid rising tensions with Pyongyang. Watch this report to know more.

South Korea unveils ‘Kill Web’ concept to eliminate enemy missiles before launch

There are reports of worsening food shortages in North Korea. The isolated nuclear-armed nation, under sanctions over its weapons programmes, has long struggled to feed itself. Now, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has urged government officials to make sure the country meets its grain production goals without fail.

Kim Jong-un demands more farmland, Nuclear-armed North Korea has struggled to feed itself

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday (February 27) opened a key political conference addressing agriculture where he urged officials to devise a “fundamental transformation” for production in the sector, state media reported. The conference suggests that the country’s food shortage is worsening.&nbsp;

Kim also highlighted the importance of stable agricultural production while addressing the seventh enlarged plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The North Korean leader also said that reaching grain production targets should be the top priority.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-food-crisis-leader-kim-jong-un-asks-people-to-eat-less-until-2025-424602">North Korea food crisis: Leader Kim Jong Un asks people to 'eat less' until 2025</a>

The high-level meeting with senior party officials of the ruling WPK which began on Sunday reviewed the last year’s work on state goals. The state media also said that the plenary meeting will identify immediate and important tasks on issues related to agriculture and economic development.&nbsp;

The KCNA report did not elaborate on the kind of measures which will be implemented, but the North Korean leader has said that they need to take place in the next few years. According to experts on the subject, North Korea is currently reliant on collective farming, which typically includes a number of small farmers producing crops with joint labour, reported Reuters.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/even-as-the-nation-reels-from-hunger-north-korean-state-paper-calls-outside-aid-poisoned-candy-564875">Even as the nation reels from hunger, North Korean state paper calls outside aid 'poisoned candy'</a>

Multiple reports from the South Korean media have claimed that people in North Korea are dying of hunger. However, not only are they unconfirmed but experts also believe that there is no indication of mass deaths or famine in Pyongyang. While the extent of food shortages in North Korea remains unclear, a US-based website 38 North Project claimed that food insecurity has been the worst in the country since the widespread famine in the 1990s.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/reports-of-famine-in-north-korea-as-bad-as-1990s-amid-mounting-food-insecurity-426894">Reports of famine in North Korea as bad as 1990s amid mounting food insecurity</a>

Pyongyang’s pursuit of self-sufficiency has meant that almost all the grain is produced domestically which has left the country vulnerable, said the 38 North Project, reported Reuters. Last week, North Korea’s official newspaper said that relying on external aid to cope with food shortages equals taking “poisoned candy”. This comes as the country finds itself amid mounting international sanctions and supply shortages due to COVID-19-related restrictions.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday (February 27) opened a key political conference addressing agriculture where he urged officials to devise a “fundamental transformation” for production in the sector, state media reported.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Monday (February 27) opened a key political conference addressing agriculture where he urged officials to devise a “fundamental transformation” for production in the sector, state media reported. The conference suggests that the country’s food shortage is worsening. Kim also highlighted the importance of stable agricultural production while addressing the seventh enlarged plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The North Korean leader also said that reaching grain production targets should be the top priority. ALSO READ | North Korea food crisis: Leader Kim Jong Un asks people to 'eat less' until 2025 The high-level meeting with senior party officials of the ruling WPK which began on Sunday reviewed the last year’s work on state goals. The state media also said that the plenary meeting will identify immediate and important tasks on issues related to agriculture and economic development. The KCNA report did not elaborate on the kind of measures which will be implemented, but the North Korean leader has said that they need to take place in the next few years. According to experts on the subject, North Korea is currently reliant on collective farming, which typically includes a number of small farmers producing crops with joint labour, reported Reuters. ALSO READ | Even as the nation reels from hunger, North Korean state paper calls outside aid 'poisoned candy' Multiple reports from the South Korean media have claimed that people in North Korea are dying of hunger. However, not only are they unconfirmed but experts also believe that there is no indication of mass deaths or famine in Pyongyang. While the extent of food shortages in North Korea remains unclear, a US-based website 38 North Project claimed that food insecurity has been the worst in the country since the widespread famine in the 1990s. ALSO READ | Reports of famine in North Korea as bad as 1990s amid mounting food insecurity Pyongyang’s pursuit of self-sufficiency has meant that almost all the grain is produced domestically which has left the country vulnerable, said the 38 North Project, reported Reuters. Last week, North Korea’s official newspaper said that relying on external aid to cope with food shortages equals taking “poisoned candy”. This comes as the country finds itself amid mounting international sanctions and supply shortages due to COVID-19-related restrictions. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

North Korean leader Kim holds rare meeting on agriculture amid reports of food shortage in country

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is scurrying to solve the food crisis in the country. The authoritarian leader on Monday held a rare political conference, which continued on Tuesday to engineer solutions to increase agricultural production, according to state media reports.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is scurrying to solve the food crisis in the country. The authoritarian leader on Monday held a rare political conference, which continued on Tuesday to engineer solutions to increase agricultural production, according to state media reports. The food shortage crisis in North Korea is worsening and Kim has dubbed hitting 'grain production' targets as the major priority. Though the reports did not detail what measures Kim's government would take, they suggested that changes were in the offing. The meeting by Kim comes a few weeks after South Korea’s Unification Ministry stated that the food situation in their neighbourhood 'seemed to have deteriorated'. Some unsubstantiated reports have claimed that an unknown number of North Koreans have died due to starvation but there is no concrete indication that famine has set in the country. Gravitas Plus: How does North Korea finance its missile tests? However, a report published by US-based monitoring project 38 North in January stated that the situation was grim in the country. “Food availability has likely fallen below the bare minimum with regard to human needs,” read the report. “Achieving adequate agricultural output in North Korea’s unfavourable soils has, ironically, generated a heavy reliance on imported goods and left the country exposed to global shocks, diplomatic conflicts, and adverse weather,” it added. Ostracised by most countries across the globe, North Korea is a pariah state where the authoritarian regime of Kim Jong Un uses almost all the revenue for its missile programmes instead of food production or public welfare. Read more: North Korea stole record crypto assets and currencies in 2022: UN report The international sanctions coupled with pandemic isolation and in-house mismanagement may have contributed heavily to the food shortage situation, according to experts. The gravity of the matter can be understood by the fact that it was the first time that a plenary session was convened, only to discuss agricultural matters. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

North Korea's Kim Jong Un sweats over food shortage, holds rare meeting on agricultural practices

North Korea is threatening to punish parents for letting their children watch foreign films. Parents will be sent to labour camps for six months, while children will be imprisoned for five years for watching western media. Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: Kim Jong-Un's crackdown on western media

North Korea test-fired four strategic cruise missiles during nuclear counter-attack drills on Thursday, the state media reported. The drills took place a day after South Korea and the U.S held joint drills at the Pentagon. Molly Gambhir explains.

Gravitas: North Korea fires four cruise missiles

The South Korean government said on Friday (February 24) that it would carry out radiation tests for more than 800 defectors from North Korea's nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, for possible radiation exposure.&nbsp;Punggye-ri is the main nuclear testing site of North Korea.

Lee Hyo-jung, the deputy spokesperson for South Korea's unification ministry said that radiation testing would be offered to North Koreans who lived in Kilju or nearby regions following Pyongyang's first nuclear tests in 2006, if they are willing.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“The ministry had tested some defectors from around the area before, but it was done with such a small sample size. For more meaningful results, the ministry plans on conducting the tests on a larger scale starting this year, with the consent of the defectors,” Hyo-jung said, according to a report by The Korea Herald. She added the tests would determine if the defectors were exposed to radiation generated by the nuclear tests, and how their health might have been affected.&nbsp;

The ministry's announcement comes after a report by Seoul-based NGO Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) said that residents around Punggye-ri could be exposed to radioactive leaks or contamination. The TJWG estimated that up to half a million residents are at risk and called on the South Korean government to probe the risk and the possible extent of radiation exposure.&nbsp;

A report by the BBC on Friday said that North Korea had last tested a nuclear bomb in 2017- the most powerful test conducted at Punggye-ri. It said the tests were carried out safely. However, scientists for long raised fears that radioactive material might have escaped into surrounding soil and groundwater.

In 2019, South Korea's unification ministry stopped testing defectors for radiation exposure. And in 2017 and 2018, it tested 40 defectors from and around Kilju and found worrying levels of chromosomal abnormalities in nine of them. But it did not fully disclose the results and faced public criticism.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The South Korean government said on Friday (February 24) that it would carry out radiation tests for more than 800 defectors from North Korea's nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, for possible radiation exposure.

The South Korean government said on Friday (February 24) that it would carry out radiation tests for more than 800 defectors from North Korea's nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, for possible radiation exposure. Punggye-ri is the main nuclear testing site of North Korea. Lee Hyo-jung, the deputy spokesperson for South Korea's unification ministry said that radiation testing would be offered to North Koreans who lived in Kilju or nearby regions following Pyongyang's first nuclear tests in 2006, if they are willing. “The ministry had tested some defectors from around the area before, but it was done with such a small sample size. For more meaningful results, the ministry plans on conducting the tests on a larger scale starting this year, with the consent of the defectors,” Hyo-jung said, according to a report by The Korea Herald. She added the tests would determine if the defectors were exposed to radiation generated by the nuclear tests, and how their health might have been affected. The ministry's announcement comes after a report by Seoul-based NGO Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) said that residents around Punggye-ri could be exposed to radioactive leaks or contamination. The TJWG estimated that up to half a million residents are at risk and called on the South Korean government to probe the risk and the possible extent of radiation exposure. A report by the BBC on Friday said that North Korea had last tested a nuclear bomb in 2017- the most powerful test conducted at Punggye-ri. It said the tests were carried out safely. However, scientists for long raised fears that radioactive material might have escaped into surrounding soil and groundwater. In 2019, South Korea's unification ministry stopped testing defectors for radiation exposure. And in 2017 and 2018, it tested 40 defectors from and around Kilju and found worrying levels of chromosomal abnormalities in nine of them. But it did not fully disclose the results and faced public criticism. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

South Korea to test North Korean defectors for radiation exposure: Reports

North Korea on Friday test-fired four strategic cruise missiles towards the east coast of the Korean Peninsula during a drill, to show its ability to conduct a nuclear counterattack, its state media KCNA reported.&nbsp;

The drill exercise involved the Korean People's Army firing four "Hwasal-2" missiles.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-north-korea-is-doing-is-completely-wrong-says-south-koreas-foreign-minister-park-jin-564945">Also read |&nbsp;'Clear &amp; present danger': S. Korean foreign minister says about N. Korea, US deterrence is&nbsp;the&nbsp;only&nbsp;hope</a>

According to reports, this missile hit a preset target after travelling for "2000km-long" elliptical and eight-shaped flight orbits for 10,208 seconds to 10,224 seconds."

KCNA said that the drill demonstrated the war posture of the "DPRK nuclear combat force bolstering up in every way its deadly nuclear counterattack capability against the hostile forces."

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: North Korean state newspaper calls foreign aid 'poisoned candy'

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It added that other units also conducted firepower training at the site but without live firing.&nbsp;

This comes as the United States and South Korean officials held talks that focussed on the possibility of North Korea&nbsp;using a nuclear weapon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/even-as-the-nation-reels-from-hunger-north-korean-state-paper-calls-outside-aid-poisoned-candy-564875">Also read |&nbsp;Even as the nation reels from hunger, North Korean state paper calls outside aid 'poisoned candy'</a>

The South Korean lawmakers citing intelligence officials claimed that Pyongyang&nbsp;could test-fire ICBMs on a lower, longer trajectory and might conduct its seventh nuclear test later this&nbsp;year to perfect its weapons capabilities. However, previous launches were not reported by Seoul and Tokyo, which often keeps track of launches made by North Korea.

Pyongyang has been repeatedly conducting launches, including the Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which a US based-Center for International and Strategic Studies in a report said these demonstrations might be considered as military exercises than development testing. These test launches come despite sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council resolutions that banned nuclear-armed military activities.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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North Korea on Friday test-fired four strategic cruise missiles towards the east coast of the Korean Peninsula during a drill, to show its ability to conduct a nuclear counterattack, its state media KCNA reported.

North Korea on Friday test-fired four strategic cruise missiles towards the east coast of the Korean Peninsula during a drill, to show its ability to conduct a nuclear counterattack, its state media KCNA reported. The drill exercise involved the Korean People's Army firing four "Hwasal-2" missiles. Also read | 'Clear & present danger': S. Korean foreign minister says about N. Korea, US deterrence is the only hope According to reports, this missile hit a preset target after travelling for "2000km-long" elliptical and eight-shaped flight orbits for 10,208 seconds to 10,224 seconds." KCNA said that the drill demonstrated the war posture of the "DPRK nuclear combat force bolstering up in every way its deadly nuclear counterattack capability against the hostile forces." Watch | Gravitas: North Korean state newspaper calls foreign aid 'poisoned candy' It added that other units also conducted firepower training at the site but without live firing. This comes as the United States and South Korean officials held talks that focussed on the possibility of North Korea using a nuclear weapon. Also read | Even as the nation reels from hunger, North Korean state paper calls outside aid 'poisoned candy' The South Korean lawmakers citing intelligence officials claimed that Pyongyang could test-fire ICBMs on a lower, longer trajectory and might conduct its seventh nuclear test later this year to perfect its weapons capabilities. However, previous launches were not reported by Seoul and Tokyo, which often keeps track of launches made by North Korea. Pyongyang has been repeatedly conducting launches, including the Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which a US based-Center for International and Strategic Studies in a report said these demonstrations might be considered as military exercises than development testing. These test launches come despite sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council resolutions that banned nuclear-armed military activities. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

North Korea test-fires four strategic cruise missiles to demonstrate nuclear counterattack, reports KCNA

The Pentagon on Thursday (February 23)&nbsp;said that officials from the US and South Korea took part in a simulated 'table-top' exercise aimed at actions after possible use of nuclear weapons by North Korea. Last year, nuclear-armed North Korea carried out unprecedented number of missile tests that included intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

This was the 8th US and South Korean deterrence strategy committee table-top exercise, known as DSC TTX, and the first edition since they agreed last year to hold the drills annually.

"Given the DPRK's recent aggressive nuclear policy and advancements in nuclear capabilities, the (table top) scenario focused on the possibility of the DPRK's use of nuclear weapons," a Pentagon statement said, using the acronym of the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"The U.S. and South Korea delegations focused their discussion on Alliance deterrence to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and potential options for responding to DPRK nuclear weapons use," it&nbsp;added, but did not say specifically what scenarios were played out.

Seoul's defence ministry said the allies reaffirmed their readiness for any North Korean nuclear threats, and agreed to continue reinforcing intelligence sharing, crisis consultation, joint planning and execution of extended deterrence.

"The U.S. side stressed that any use of nuclear weapons by North Korea against the United States or its allies and friends would be unacceptable and result in an end of its regime," the ministry said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Pentagon on Thursday (February 23) said that officials from the US and South Korea took part in a simulated 'table-top' exercise aimed at actions after possible use of nuclear weapons by North Korea.

The Pentagon on Thursday (February 23) said that officials from the US and South Korea took part in a simulated 'table-top' exercise aimed at actions after possible use of nuclear weapons by North Korea. Last year, nuclear-armed North Korea carried out unprecedented number of missile tests that included intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). This was the 8th US and South Korean deterrence strategy committee table-top exercise, known as DSC TTX, and the first edition since they agreed last year to hold the drills annually. "Given the DPRK's recent aggressive nuclear policy and advancements in nuclear capabilities, the (table top) scenario focused on the possibility of the DPRK's use of nuclear weapons," a Pentagon statement said, using the acronym of the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "The U.S. and South Korea delegations focused their discussion on Alliance deterrence to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and potential options for responding to DPRK nuclear weapons use," it added, but did not say specifically what scenarios were played out. Seoul's defence ministry said the allies reaffirmed their readiness for any North Korean nuclear threats, and agreed to continue reinforcing intelligence sharing, crisis consultation, joint planning and execution of extended deterrence. "The U.S. side stressed that any use of nuclear weapons by North Korea against the United States or its allies and friends would be unacceptable and result in an end of its regime," the ministry said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

With eye on North Korea nuclear threat, US and South Korea hold 'table-top' drill

As part of a military exercise, North Korea has fired four strategic cruise missiles, according to state media, to show off its capability to launch a nuclear response. The launches took place as South Korea and the United States practised for a simulated military operation in Washington, DC, in preparation for potential nuclear threats from North Korea.

North Korea Media: Four strategic cruise missiles test-fired

On Wednesday, North Korea's official newspaper said that relying on external aid to cope with food shortages equals taking "poisoned candy". Amid deepening hardships stemming from international sanctions and supply shortages thanks to coronavirus restrictions, ruling Workers' Party paper Rodong Sinmun urged for a model of self-reliance. In recent years, Pyongyang has suffered from a food shortage. Natural disasters like typhoons and floods, along with international sanctions imposed on the nation due to its nuclear and missile programmes, and a sharp decrease in North Korea's trade with China amid the coronavirus lockdown and the following pandemic restrictions have all added to the nation's troubles.

Watch |&nbsp;North Korean food shortage seems to be worsening, South Korea says

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The state paper, as per Reuters, warned against availing economic aid from "imperialists" and said that they use the help as a "trap to plunder and subjugate" recipient countries and interfere with their internal politics.

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-north-korea-grapples-with-food-crisis-flour-now-a-luxury-item-report-492992">As North Korea grapples with food crisis, flour now a luxury item: Report</a>

"It is a mistake to try to boost the economy by accepting and eating this poisoned candy," it added.

The article comes at a time when, as per reports, over the past two years, around 700 inmates at three countryside prisons in North Korea's Kaechon have died from diseases and famine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/millions-at-nuclear-radiation-risk-in-north-korea-and-neighbouring-countries-suggests-latest-us-backed-study-564189">Millions at nuclear radiation risk in North Korea and neighbouring countries, suggests latest US-backed study</a>

Neighbour South Korea's unification ministry, as per Reuters, declined to comment on the report but said that in recent days there has been an increase in deaths due to starvation in some North Korean provinces.&nbsp;As per South Korean estimates, last year North Korea's crop production at approximately 4.5 million tonnes dropped around 3.8 per cent in comparison to 2021.

(With inputs from agencies)

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On Wednesday, North Korea's official newspaper said that relying on external aid to cope with food shortages equals taking "poisoned candy". Amid deepening hardships stemming from international sanctions and supply shortages thanks to coronavirus restrictions, ruling Workers' Party paper Rodong Sinmun urged for a model of self-reliance.

On Wednesday, North Korea's official newspaper said that relying on external aid to cope with food shortages equals taking "poisoned candy". Amid deepening hardships stemming from international sanctions and supply shortages thanks to coronavirus restrictions, ruling Workers' Party paper Rodong Sinmun urged for a model of self-reliance. In recent years, Pyongyang has suffered from a food shortage. Natural disasters like typhoons and floods, along with international sanctions imposed on the nation due to its nuclear and missile programmes, and a sharp decrease in North Korea's trade with China amid the coronavirus lockdown and the following pandemic restrictions have all added to the nation's troubles. Watch | North Korean food shortage seems to be worsening, South Korea says The state paper, as per Reuters, warned against availing economic aid from "imperialists" and said that they use the help as a "trap to plunder and subjugate" recipient countries and interfere with their internal politics. Watch | As North Korea grapples with food crisis, flour now a luxury item: Report "It is a mistake to try to boost the economy by accepting and eating this poisoned candy," it added. The article comes at a time when, as per reports, over the past two years, around 700 inmates at three countryside prisons in North Korea's Kaechon have died from diseases and famine. Also read | Millions at nuclear radiation risk in North Korea and neighbouring countries, suggests latest US-backed study Neighbour South Korea's unification ministry, as per Reuters, declined to comment on the report but said that in recent days there has been an increase in deaths due to starvation in some North Korean provinces. As per South Korean estimates, last year North Korea's crop production at approximately 4.5 million tonnes dropped around 3.8 per cent in comparison to 2021. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Even as the nation reels from hunger, North Korean state paper calls outside aid 'poisoned candy'

North Korean state newspaper says relying on foreign aid to deal with food shortages would be the same as taking 'poisoned candy'. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: North Korean state newspaper calls foreign aid 'poisoned candy'

The United States has urged UN Security Council to condemn North Korea's missile launches while warning that the body's failure to respond had become dangerous. The US accused but didn't name China and Russia of having forced the body into silence.

US urges UN to condemn North Korea on firing ballistic missiles

Millions of citizens in North Korea, South Korea, Japan and China live at the risk of being exposed to radioactive material spread through groundwater from a Pyongyang-operated underground nuclear test site, a Seoul-based human rights group said in a report on Tuesday.&nbsp;The study by Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group said radioactive materials could have spread across eight cities and counties near the site, housing over one&nbsp;million North Koreans.&nbsp;It also said that neighbouring South Korea, China and Japan might be at risk due partly to agricultural and fisheries products smuggled from the North.

Between 2006 and 2017, North Korea secretly conducted six tests of nuclear weapons at the Punggye-ri site, about 50 km north of the capital Pyongyang,&nbsp;in the mountainous North Hamgyong Province, according to the US and South Korean governments.

<h2>North Korean nuclear spillage: How bad is it?</h2>

The Transitional Justice Working Group reportedly&nbsp;worked with nuclear and medical experts and defectors and used open-source intelligence and publicly available government and UN&nbsp;reports for the study. The study&nbsp;was backed by the National Endowment for Democracy, a non-profit corporation funded by the US Congress.

"This report is significant in showing that North Korea's nuclear tests could threaten the right to life and health of not only the North Korean people but also of those in South Korea and other neighbouring countries," Hubert Young-hwan Lee, the group's chief and a co-author was quoted as saying by Reuters.

<h2>North Korean nuclear spillage: Previous evidence of radioactive spread in spotlight</h2>

In 2015, South Korea's food safety agency detected nine times the standard level of radioactive caesium isotopes in imported hedgehog mushrooms. These mushrooms were being sold as Chinese produce though their actual origin was North Korea. Tokyo and Beijing have sped up radiation monitoring after Pyongyang's nuclear tests. Between&nbsp;2017 and 2018, South Korea tested 40 defectors from the regions near the North Korean nuclear test site, of which at least nine showed abnormalities linked with exposure to nuclear radiation.

Reports say that in 2018 when North Korea invited foreign press to witness the destruction of some tunnels at&nbsp;Punggye-ri nuclear test site, it confiscated the radiation detectors. North Korea has rejected the concerns about radioactive spillage.

The rights group has urged a resumption of testing and an international enquiry into the radiation risks for communities around Punggye-ri. Seoul and Washington have said Pyongyang could be preparing for a seventh nuclear test.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/why-has-north-korea-warned-of-turning-the-pacific-into-a-firing-range-563952">Why has North Korea warned of turning the Pacific into a 'firing range'?</a>

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Meanwhile, the tensions in the Korean peninsula escalated after&nbsp;North&nbsp;Korea&nbsp;first fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast on Saturday (February 18), according to South&nbsp;Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, before conducting two more similar launches on Monday. Japan has sought an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council over the matter.&nbsp;

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Millions of citizens in North Korea, South Korea, Japan and China live at the risk of being exposed to radioactive material spread through groundwater from a Pyongyang-operated underground nuclear test site, a Seoul-based human rights group said in a report on Tuesday.

Millions of citizens in North Korea, South Korea, Japan and China live at the risk of being exposed to radioactive material spread through groundwater from a Pyongyang-operated underground nuclear test site, a Seoul-based human rights group said in a report on Tuesday. The study by Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group said radioactive materials could have spread across eight cities and counties near the site, housing over one million North Koreans. It also said that neighbouring South Korea, China and Japan might be at risk due partly to agricultural and fisheries products smuggled from the North. Between 2006 and 2017, North Korea secretly conducted six tests of nuclear weapons at the Punggye-ri site, about 50 km north of the capital Pyongyang, in the mountainous North Hamgyong Province, according to the US and South Korean governments. North Korean nuclear spillage: How bad is it? The Transitional Justice Working Group reportedly worked with nuclear and medical experts and defectors and used open-source intelligence and publicly available government and UN reports for the study. The study was backed by the National Endowment for Democracy, a non-profit corporation funded by the US Congress. "This report is significant in showing that North Korea's nuclear tests could threaten the right to life and health of not only the North Korean people but also of those in South Korea and other neighbouring countries," Hubert Young-hwan Lee, the group's chief and a co-author was quoted as saying by Reuters. North Korean nuclear spillage: Previous evidence of radioactive spread in spotlight In 2015, South Korea's food safety agency detected nine times the standard level of radioactive caesium isotopes in imported hedgehog mushrooms. These mushrooms were being sold as Chinese produce though their actual origin was North Korea. Tokyo and Beijing have sped up radiation monitoring after Pyongyang's nuclear tests. Between 2017 and 2018, South Korea tested 40 defectors from the regions near the North Korean nuclear test site, of which at least nine showed abnormalities linked with exposure to nuclear radiation. Reports say that in 2018 when North Korea invited foreign press to witness the destruction of some tunnels at Punggye-ri nuclear test site, it confiscated the radiation detectors. North Korea has rejected the concerns about radioactive spillage. The rights group has urged a resumption of testing and an international enquiry into the radiation risks for communities around Punggye-ri. Seoul and Washington have said Pyongyang could be preparing for a seventh nuclear test. ALSO WATCH | Why has North Korea warned of turning the Pacific into a 'firing range'? × Meanwhile, the tensions in the Korean peninsula escalated after North Korea first fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast on Saturday (February 18), according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, before conducting two more similar launches on Monday. Japan has sought an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council over the matter. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Millions at nuclear radiation risk in North Korea and neighbouring countries, suggests latest US-backed study

North Korea fired a ballistic missile yet again, after which South Korea said that Pyongyang fired an unspecific ballistic missile towards the Sea of its Eastern coast. Pyongyang earlier warned of a strong response to the upcoming U.S., South Korea military drills.

North Korea tests another set of long range missile

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