North Korea
🇰🇵 North Korea-Russia “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty” officially comes into force following the exchange of ratification instruments in Moscow.
🇰🇷 South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law to eradicate “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces” and restore order.
🇰🇵 North Korea’s ruling Workers' Party will hold a key Central Committee meeting in late December to unveil major policy directions for the new year, according to KCNA.
🇰🇵 North Korea’s Kim Jong Un tells Russia’s defense minister that Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons stems from U.S. military intervention. He asserts that Russia has the right to defend itself.
🇷🇺 Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov has arrived in North Korea for an official visit, according to news agencies citing the defence ministry.
🇰🇷 South Korea has completed the development of a new ballistic missile interceptor. This enhances defense systems against missile threats from North Korea.
🇰🇷 South Koreans largely oppose supplying arms to Ukraine, according to recent polls, despite international appeals from Kyiv and allies amid reports of North Korean troops aiding Russia.
🇰🇵 Trump’s team considers direct talks with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un to lower risks of armed conflict. Diplomacy is being pursued in hopes of easing tensions.
🇰🇵 Satellite images indicate North Korea is expanding a key missile manufacturing complex that produces short-range missiles used by Russia in Ukraine, according to researchers from a U.S. think tank.
🇰🇵 North Korea and Russia have agreed to strengthen sports exchanges and cooperation, following a meeting between their sports ministers in Pyongyang.
🇰🇵 North Korea condemns recent US, South Korea, and Japan military drills, warning of immediate actions to defend the state if necessary.
🇰🇷 South Korea’s national security adviser reports that Russia supplied North Korea with anti-air missiles and air defense equipment in exchange for North Korean troops to fight in Ukraine.
🇺🇸 President Biden has reversed his stance, allowing Ukraine to use U.S. missiles against targets deep inside Russia. This policy shift follows North Korea’s involvement in the war and comes amid the urgency brought on by Donald Trump’s election victory.
🇰🇷 South Korean police confirm that North Korean military hackers were behind the 2019 Ethereum heist, which totaled $41.5 million. The investigation links the cyberattack directly to North Korea’s intelligence agency.
🇷🇺🇰🇵 North Korea and Russia have signed a protocol on cooperation following trade, economy, science, and technology meetings in Pyongyang.
🇰🇵 South Korea reports around 10,900 North Korean troops have been deployed to Kursk as part of Russian units, with some already engaged in battles in the Ukraine war, according to the country’s spy agency.
🇺🇸 The US accuses Russia of escalating the Ukraine conflict by deploying North Korean troops. This follows Kremlin warnings that US support would lead to deeper involvement by allowing Ukraine to strike into Russia with American weapons.
🇰🇷 South Korea’s Yoon urges Xi to tackle North Korea’s provocations and growing Russia-Pyongyang ties, emphasizing regional stability. Meeting at APEC, Yoon also highlights economic collaboration as key to bilateral ties, while Xi nods to shared interests amid shifting global dynamics.
🇰🇵 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un orders mass production of suicide drones, citing the need to update military strategy amid global drone warfare trends. This push follows increasing military cooperation with Russia, sparking concerns over advanced weaponry use in regional conflicts.
🇰🇵 North Korea has ratified a mutual defense treaty with Russia, pledging military support if either nation faces attack. The alliance, signed by Kim Jong Un and Putin in June, has stirred global criticism as reports indicate over 10,000 North Korean troops are in Russia, some allegedly in combat.