Weapons proliferation
FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2018, file photo, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, waits for the start of the preliminary round of the women's hockey game between Switzerland and the combined Koreas at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea. The powerful sister dismissed prospects for early resumption of diplomacy with the United States, saying the U.S. expectations for talks would “plunge them into a greater disappointment.” Kim made the comments Tuesday, June 22, 2021 after U.S. National Security adviser Jake Sullivan described as “interesting signals” Kim Jong Un’s recent statement that North Korea will be ready for both dialogue and confrontation, but more for confrontation. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Kim sister derides US official, dismisses chances for talks

By Hyung-Jin Kim And Kim Tong-Hyung Jun. 22, 2021 04:59 AM EDT

South Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Noh Kyu-duk, right, meets with Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Takehiro Funakoshi during their bilateral meeting at a hotel in Seoul, Monday, June 21, 2021. (Jung Yeon-Je/Pool Photo via AP)
US envoy hopes N. Korea responds positively on offered talks

By Kim Tong-Hyung Jun. 20, 2021 11:43 PM EDT

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a Workers' Party meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, June 18, 2021. Kim ordered his government to be prepared for both dialogue and confrontation with the Biden administration — but more for confrontation — state media reported Friday, days after the United States and others urged the North to abandon its nuclear program and return to talks. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
North Korean leader swears to overcome economic hardships

By Kim Tong-Hyung Jun. 18, 2021 09:25 PM EDT

FILE - In this March 4, 2021, file photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech during a workshop of chief secretaries of city and county committees of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea. State media say Kim vowed to launch an “uncompromising struggle” against anti-socialist elements and build a perfect self-supporting economy. Kim's comments released Thursday, May 27, 2021 come as he seeks greater internal strength to overcome pandemic-related difficulties and U.S.-led sanctions. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)
Kim vows to build N. Korea socialism amid US nuclear impasse

By Hyung-Jin Kim May. 27, 2021 05:00 AM EDT

President Joe Biden attends a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, in the State Dinning Room of the White House, Friday, May 21, 2021, in Washington. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is at left. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Biden, South Korea's Moon 'deeply concerned' about NKorea

By Aamer Madhani, Darlene Superville, And Zeke Miller May. 21, 2021 01:34 AM EDT

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at right, holds talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong in Xiamen in southeastern China's Fujian Province on Saturday, April 3, 2021. The South Korea's foreign minister met his Chinese counterpart in the southern Chinese city of Xiamen on Saturday, as Seoul seeks to improve ties with its top trading partner even as U.S.-China relations remain strained. (Jiang Kehong/Xinhua via AP)
South Korean foreign minister meets Chinese counterpart

By Zen Soo And Kim Tong-Hyung Apr. 03, 2021 05:25 AM EDT

In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, left, meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Guilin in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Monday, March 22, 2021. (Lu Boan/Xinhua via AP)
China, Russia officials meet in show of unity against EU, US

Mar. 23, 2021 01:15 AM EDT

South Korean army K-9 self-propelled howitzers take positions during the annual exercise in Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Tuesday, June 23, 2020. A South Korean activist said Tuesday hundreds of thousands of leaflets had been launched by balloon across the border with North Korea overnight, after the North repeatedly warned it would retaliate against such actions. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
S Korea, US scale back drills over virus, N Korea diplomacy

By Hyung-Jin Kim Mar. 06, 2021 10:17 PM EST

A man wearing a face mask walks past near a TV screen showing a footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Kim was given a new title, “general secretary” of the ruling Workers’ Party, formerly held by his late father and grandfather, state media reported Monday, in what appears to a symbolic move aimed at bolstering his authority amid growing economic challenges. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
N. Korea's Kim adds title: General secretary of ruling party

By Hyung-Jin Kim Jan. 10, 2021 07:42 PM EST

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, a ruling party congress is held in Pyongyang, North Korea Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un opened its first Workers’ Party Congress in five years with an admission of policy failures and a vow to lay out new developmental goals, state media reported Wednesday. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
Kim opens North Korean congress by admitting policy failures

By Hyung-Jin Kim Jan. 05, 2021 06:19 PM EST

FILE - In this Nov. 15, 2020, file photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party Politburo in Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim is facing the toughest challenges of his nine-year rule. His country’s fragile economy was battered this year by pandemic-related border closings and natural disasters. He’s also likely concerned about President-elect Joe Biden’s expected new approach on North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)
Mired in crises, North Korea's Kim to open big party meeting

By Hyung-Jin Kim And Kim Tong-Hyung Dec. 28, 2020 12:27 AM EST

In this photo provided by the United Nations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres briefs reporters during the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at U.N. headquarters in New York. (Rick Bajornas/UN Photo via AP)
UN chief: World is living in `shadow of nuclear catastrophe'

By Edith M. Lederer Oct. 02, 2020 04:55 PM EDT

Yang Jiechi, left, a top Chinese official in charge of diplomatic affairs, and South Korean National Security Council Chairman Suh Hoon pose for photos during a meeting at a hotel in Busan, South Korea, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020. (Lee Jin-wook/Yonhap via AP)
South Korea, China reaffirm plans for leaders' summit

Aug. 22, 2020 05:17 AM EDT

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, attends a plenary meeting of the Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020. North Korea has decided to hold a rare ruling party congress in January where leader Kim will announce a new five-year plan to develop the country’s dismal economy ravaged by U.S.-led sanctions and a global pandemic, state media said Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)
North Korea sets rare party meeting after economic shortfall

By Kim Tong-Hyung Aug. 19, 2020 10:43 PM EDT

In this photo released Tuesday, July 28, 2020, by Sepahnews, a Revolutionary Guard's speed boat fires a missile during a military exercise. Iranian commandos also fast-roped down from a helicopter onto a replica of an aircraft carrier in the exercise called "Great Prophet 14." The drill appears aimed at threatening the U.S. amid tensions between Tehran and Washington. (Sepahnews via AP)
US says UN rejects indefinite extension of Iran arms embargo

By Edith M. Lederer Aug. 14, 2020 05:25 PM EDT

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows in front of Hiroshima Memorial Cenotaph during a ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the bombing at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Hiroshima, western Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Survivors mark 75th anniversary of world’s 1st atomic attack

By Mari Yamaguchi Aug. 05, 2020 11:07 PM EDT

A fire has burned a building above Iran's underground Natanz nuclear enrichment facility, though officials say it did not affect its centrifuge operation or cause any release of radiation.;
Analysis: Risks grow after blast hits Iran's nuclear program

By Jon Gambrell Jul. 16, 2020 02:28 AM EDT

Smoke rises in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, seen from Paju, South Korea, Tuesday, June 16, 2020. South Korea says that North Korea has exploded an inter-Korean liaison office building just north of the tense Korean border. (Yonhap via AP)
North Korea destroys empty liaison office with South

By Kim Tong-Hyung And Hyung-Jin Kim Jun. 16, 2020 04:54 AM EDT

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, right, and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, greet each other after a meeting, in Istanbul, Monday, June 15, 2020. The two discussed bilateral issues and Syria. (Turkish Foreign Ministry via AP, Pool)
Turkey renews opposition to US sanctions on Iran

Jun. 15, 2020 08:12 AM EDT