As the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East grind on, another conflict brews miles away in East Asia. Wrapping up 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his military to “thoroughly annihilate” South Korea and the United States if provoked. The saber-rattling continued as Pyongyang fired some 350 artillery shells into a disputed … Read more
It’s been a busy start to 2024 for North Korea. In less than a month, North Korea has tested a new solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile, topped with a “hypersonic warhead”; a new strategic cruise missile; and a previously-seen “nuclear-capable underwater attack drone.” All that comes on top of leader Kim Jong Un publicly abandoning the … Read more
The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation with Dr. Soo Kim – principal technical advisor at LMI and a former analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency – is the 399th in “The Trans-Pacific View Insight … Read more
During recent visits to munitions factories, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un referred to South Korea as the “principal enemy” and stated that he had “no intention of avoiding a war,” threatening to annihilate the South if provoked. Right at the outset of the new year, Pyongyang launched around 200 artillery shells into the waters … Read more
Earlier this year, North Korea fired artillery shells near the western sea boundary with South Korea, raising military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. On January 14, North Korea fired a new solid-fuel intermediate-range missile tipped with a hypersonic weapon. Considering Pyongyang’s firm vow to strengthen its nuclear capabilities in the wake of the failed Hanoi … Read more
Advertisement On July 27, the Korean Armistice Agreement that ended the bloodshed on the Korean Peninsula turned 70 years old. While the agreement did not bring a comprehensive peace – technically the two sides are still at war – it stopped the dying and laid the foundation for the separate development of two Koreas, locked … Read more