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North Korea

The leader of the world's most isolated country Kim Jong Un has flouted international sanctions to develop North Korea's weapons program -- viewed as a direct threat to neighboring South Korea and Japan. Kim, a dictator who inherited power from his father in 2011, has also pledged to strengthen the country's nuclear arsenal, despite signals earlier in his reign he would support denuclearization. View the latest North Korea news and videos.

Latest news

  • 20260120-north-korean-film-final-IN-STORY.jpg
    Photo Illustration by Jason Lancaster/CNN/Getty Images/Film stills via Korean Central TV
    Sex, death and betrayal: This North Korean movie shows things audiences have never seen before
  • North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a meeting of the Supreme People's Assembly at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released September 22, 2025, by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency.
    KCNA/Reuters
    North Korea’s Kim fires vice premier, calls him ‘a goat yoked to pull an ox cart’
  • This picture taken on March 6, 2025 shows K-pop group 1Verse members Seok (L) and Hyuk (R) performing during an interview with AFP at a studio in Seoul. 1Verse is a new five-member K-pop band: Chinese-American Kenny, Aito from Japan, Lao-Thai American Nathan, and Seok and Hyuk from North Korea who defected to the South. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP) / TO GO WITH AFP STORY SKorea-NKorea-defector-kpop, FOCUS  BY Hieun SHIN (Photo by JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
    Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images
    Can two North Korean defectors take a new K-pop boy band to global superstardom?
  • The first Nuclear Test codenamed 'Trinity', conducted by Los Alamos National Laboratory at Alamogordo, New Mexico circa 1945.
    Fotosearch/Archive Photos/Getty Images
    Good news: World records longest ever lull in nuclear tests. Bad news: It’s on shaky ground
  • This image from Sunday, December 28, 2025 shows a projectile flying mid-air on the day North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a long-range strategic cruise missile launching drill, according to local media, at an unknown location. Pictured released December 29, 2025 by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. KCNA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
    KCNA/Reuters/File
    Pyongyang fires ballistic missiles as South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung makes state visit to China
  • Photo of 100-day-old Sohn Yang-young or Kimchi 1 taken after the family settled on Geoje Island after evacuating from Hungnam.
    Charlie Miller/CNN
    Naval nativity: As their mothers fled North Korean forces 75 years ago, five Christmas babies were born at sea
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  • Japan’s new leader Takaichi says she wants to meet North Korea’s Kim Jong Un
  • Why is there so much talk about nuclear weapons this week?
  • Trump instructs Pentagon to start testing nuclear weapons ‘on an equal basis’ with Russia and China
  • Trump has departed Asia without meeting Kim Jong Un. North Koreans don’t seem to care
  • With a new leader – and Trump in town – Japanese families whose loved ones were abducted by North Korea have fresh hope
  • Trump’s Asia trip to test his dealmaking abilities with old rivals and new friends
  • South Korea’s president downplays US trade rift and welcomes Trump as ‘peacemaker’
  • North Korea test-fires ballistic missiles ahead of Trump’s Asia trip
  • Trump officials quietly discussing Kim Jong Un meeting during upcoming Asia trip
  • North Korean submunition found in drone used to attack Ukraine, report finds

Latest Videos

  • nk 1.jpg
    • Video 3:00
    CNN
    Video This North Korean movie shows things audiences have never seen before 3:00
  • PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - JANUARY 3: (EDITOR'S NOTE: This Handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images' editorial policy.) U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (L), and CIA Director John Ratcliffe monitor U.S. military operations in Venezuela, from Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club on January 3, 2026 in Palm Beach, Florida. President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores were brought to New York on Saturday after being captured by the U.S. military in Caracas. They are expected to face federal charges related to drug trafficking and working with gangs designated as terrorist organizations. (Photo by Molly Riley/The White House via Getty Images)
    • Video 1:29
    Handout/Getty Images North America/White House via Getty Images
    Video Inside Trump’s makeshift situation room at Mar-a-Lago during Maduro’s capture 1:29
  • v1.jpg
    • Video 4:15
    Defense Media Agency
    Video ‘Christmas miracle’ baby born aboard US ship carrying Korean war refugees 4:15
  • 115586_KJUAirForceAnniversary 16x9 Clean Thumb.jpg
    • Video 0:33
    Korean Central TV
    Video North Korean leader and his daughter attend 80th Air Force anniversary 0:33
  • 115529_NKPyonghattan digvid v1.jpg
    • Video 1:34
    Instagram / youngpioneer
    Video North Korea’s capital described as modern ‘Pyonghattan’ 1:34
  • trump crown 16x9.jpg
    • Video 0:46
    POOL
    Video Trump gets gold crown from South Korea 0:46
  • US President Donald Trump speaks to journalists aboard Air Force One en route to South Korea on October 29, 2025.
    • Video 3:46
    Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
    Video Trump set to meet South Korean President Lee on Asia tour 3:46
  • VIDEO NK memorial museum digvid v1.jpg
    • Video 0:33
    KCNA
    Video North Korea honors troops fighting with Russia against Ukraine 0:33

Politics

Show all

  • A North Korean flag flies over its embassy in Moscow on October 31, 2024.
    Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images/File
    North Korean operatives running fake job portal targeting US AI firms
  • Why 2026 could be one of the most pivotal years in a generation
  • Trump quietly preparing to travel next month to South Korea, where he could sit down with China’s leader
  • Video Video: Trump claims the push to release the Epstein files is a ‘Democrat hoax’ 2:22
  • New York Times: Unsuccessful 2019 Navy SEAL mission left unarmed North Koreans dead

Style

Show all

  • This picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows Hwasong, the new high-rise neighborhood being constructed in Pyongyang, North Korea.
    KCNA
    North Korea unveils new 10,000-home showpiece residential district
  • North Korea breaks ground on 10,000-home residential project in major housing drive
  • This woman left North Korea 70 years ago. Now virtual reality has helped her return
  • Video This woman left North Korea 70 years ago. Now virtual reality has helped her return 2:40
  • Remember when Dennis Rodman put on a wedding dress and claimed to marry himself?

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