Simon Denyer

SEOUL — The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned Tuesday that Pyongyang could move to bolster its nuclear and conventional weapons program in response to a major joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea…

TOKYO — North Korea supreme leader Kim Jong Un has chastised ruling party officials for failures in their anti-virus work that created what he called a "grave incident" that caused a "huge crisis" in the country's battle against covid-19, state media…

TOKYO — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called the country's food situation "tense," state media reported Wednesday, amid mounting reports of shortages. Opening a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party’s central committee, Kim claimed that…

TOKYO — As the Biden administration prepares to unveil a new strategy to deal with North Korea, the regime in Pyongyang is already pushing back, complaining on Sunday about continued U.S. hostility and threatening to respond. In his Wednesday address…

President Biden was making a point as he welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to the White House on Friday, using the first in-person visit by a foreign leader to emphasize that his administration sees Asia as its highest priority. The…

TOKYO — North Korea said Tuesday it will not send a team to the Tokyo Olympics, citing the need to protect its athletes from the coronavirus, as concerns about the viability and safety of the massive sporting event continue to grow. The Sports…

TOKYO — North Korea complained about ongoing U.S.-South Korea military exercises on Tuesday and warned the Biden administration that if it wanted peace for the next four years, it should refrain from "causing a stink." The complaint, issued by Kim Yo…

North Korea’s last economic plan failed “tremendously,” he complained. And his inner circle lacked an “innovative viewpoint and clear tactics” in drawing up a new one, Kim told the ruling Workers’ Party last month, yelling and finger-pointing at…

TOKYO — The wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un resurfaced in public view this week after an unexplained absence of more than a year, joining her husband at a concert on an important national holiday. Ri Sol Ju’s absence had provoked speculation…

TOKYO — North Korea tried to hack into the servers of U.S. drugmaker Pfizer to steal coronavirus vaccine information, South Korean intelligence officials reported Tuesday, despite leader Kim Jong Un's professed view that his isolated dictatorship is…

TOKYO — North Korea appears to be taking steps toward a new test of a powerful submarine-launched missile, U.S. weapons experts said, as it steadily dials up the pressure on President-elect Joe Biden. Last week, a beaming Kim Jong Un presided over…

TOKYO — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called the United States "our biggest enemy," and said Washington's hostile policy toward his country won't change despite whoever is in the White House, state media reported on Saturday. Kim, speaking at a…

TOKYO — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un opened a rare ruling party Congress this week with a frank admission that his country's economy had "immensely underachieved" in the past five years and said he had learned "painful lessons" from the…

SEOUL — South Korea's ruling party is pushing a law through parliament that would criminalize sending leaflets, flash drives and money to North Korea, in what the opposition calls a "disgraceful submission" to Pyongyang and human rights groups say…

TOKYO — Under pressure from the coronavirus pandemic and an ailing economy, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is responding with fury, allowing at least two executions in the past three months, South Korea's intelligence agency told a parliamentary…

TOKYO — As China flexes its muscles, President-elect Joe Biden is offering assurances to America's top allies in the Asia-Pacific region that he is not going to be a soft touch. Biden spoke with the leaders of Australia, Japan and South Korea on…

On Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a congratulatory message to Cambodia’s king on the 67th anniversary of his country’s independence. But Kim’s state media has made no mention of the U.S. elections this past week, focusing instead Monday…

South Koreans are turning against the tradition of eating dog meat, and it's giving hundreds of dogs the chance for a new life in the United States and Canada. In late October, 196 dogs arrived at Dulles International Airport after being rescued from…

TOKYO — Four months after Barack Obama took office as U.S. president, North Korea catapulted itself to the top of the diplomatic agenda with its second nuclear test. Now, less than a month before the latest U.S. election, North Korea has given…

TOKYO — North Korea showed off what appeared to be a huge, new intercontinental ballistic missile at a military parade Saturday, although leader Kim Jong Un stressed the deterrent nature of the weaponry on display — and even held out an olive branch…