North Korea

Earlier this week, The New York Times had reported that Kim plans to travel to Vladivostok, possibly by an armoured train, later this month for talks with Putin about the possibility of supplying Russia with more weaponry for its ongoing war in Ukraine and other military cooperation.

Kim's daughter has made public appearances on 15 occasions since she made her first one in November 2022, and 12 cases of the total, or 80 per cent, were at military-related events, the Ministry said citing reports by the Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper.

In its report published on Monday, The New York Times, citing unidentified "American and allied officials", said that Kim may travel to Vladivostok next week, Yonhap News Agency reported.

As per North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), "A firing drill for simulated tactical nuclear attack was conducted at dawn of September 2 to warn the enemies of the actual nuclear war danger."  "Two long-range strategic cruise missiles tipped with mock nuclear warheads were fired," Yonhap news agency reported quoting the KCNA.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced the North Korean launch took place at around 4 a.m. but did not elaborate further, pending an analysis, Yonhap news agency reported.

John Kirby, NSC coordinator for strategic communications, said on Wednesday that the trip may be followed by high-level discussions that could lead to the provision of North Korean weapons to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, Yonhap news agency reported.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the drills during his visit to the training command post of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) on Tuesday, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

North Korea said Sunday it has allowed its citizens abroad to return home amid eased concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic and will put them under quarantine for a week, reports Yonhap News Agency.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed Friday to significantly expand trilateral security cooperation, pledging to immediately consult one another in the event of common threats, hold annual joint military exercises and closely cooperate to deal with North Korea's threats, Yonhap news agency reported.

"Travis King confessed that he had decided to come over to the DPRK as he harbored ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the US Army," the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.