North Korea government
FILE - North Korea's Hwang Chung Gum and South Korea's Won Yun-jong carry the unification flag during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea on Feb. 9, 2018. North Korea basked in the global limelight during the last Winter Games in South Korea, with hundreds of athletes, cheerleaders and officials pushing hard to woo their South Korean and U.S. rivals in a now-stalled bid for diplomacy. Four years later, as the 2022 Winter Olympics come to its main ally and neighbor China, North Korea isn't sending any athletes and officials because of coronavirus fears. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
'Someone else's festival': No North Korea at ally's Olympics

By Hyung-Jin Kim And Kim Tong-Hyung Feb. 04, 2022 11:29 PM EST

FILE - North Korea's Hwang Chung Gum and South Korea's Won Yun-jong carry the unification flag during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea on Feb. 9, 2018. North Korea said Friday, Jan. 7, 2022 it would skip next month’s Beijing Olympics because of the COVID-19 pandemic and "hostile forces' moves," a largely redundant statement since the country has already been banned from the Games by the IOC. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Banned from the Olympics by IOC, NKorea puts blame elsewhere

By Hyung-Jin Kim Jan. 06, 2022 11:48 PM EST

FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2018, file photo, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, and North Korea's nominal head of state Kim Yong Nam, wait 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. Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of Kim Jong Un, made the first-ever visit to the South by a member of the ruling Kim dynasty since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
Even in absence, North Korea's presence felt at Tokyo Games

By Foster Klug Jul. 28, 2021 04:27 AM EDT

FILE - In this Dec. 17, 2011, file photo, South Korean champion Choi Hyunmi, a former North Korean defector, celebrates her victory over challenger Sainamdoy Pitaklongen of Thailand after their WBA women's featherweight title boxing bout in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea’s only boxing world champion is Choi, a North Korean defector who fled her authoritarian homeland as a 13-year-old girl with her family in 2003. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man, File)
Defector no more: Choi a proud South Korean world champion

By Hyung-Jin Kim Jul. 19, 2021 02:33 AM EDT

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

This combination of file photos provided by the North Korean government, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at Workers' Party meetings in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Feb. 8, 2021, left, and June 15, 2021. Last time when Kim faced rumors about his health, the North Korean leader had walked with a cane, missed an important state anniversary or panted for breath. Now, the 37-year-old faces fresh speculation about his health because he looks thinner noticeably in recent state media images. 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)
N Korea's Kim looks much thinner, causing health speculation

By Hyung-Jin Kim And Kim Tong-Hyung Jun. 16, 2021 02:29 AM EDT

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, speaks during a Workers' Party meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Kim warned about possible food shortages and called for his people to brace for extended COVID-19 restrictions as he opened a major political conference to discuss national efforts to salvage a broken economy. the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday, June 16, 2021. 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)
Kim warns of 'tense' food situation, longer COVID lockdown

By Kim Tong-Hyung Jun. 15, 2021 09:23 PM EDT

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, attends a meeting with senior ruling party officials in Pyongyang, Monday, June 7, 2021. 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)
State media: Kim has plans to stabilize N. Korean economy

By Kim Tong-Hyung Jun. 07, 2021 10:58 PM EDT

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, Kim Jong Un attends a meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea, Friday, June 4, 2021. Kim has presided over a meeting of his ruling party in his first public appearance in about a month, and called for a larger political conference to discuss efforts to salvage a decaying economy. 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)
NKorean leader calls for meeting to review battered economy

By Kim Tong-Hyung Jun. 04, 2021 08:38 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

People visit the statues of their late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, the birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, in Pyongyang, North Korea Thursday, April 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Cha Song Ho)
N Koreans mark founder's birthday amid economic difficulties

Apr. 15, 2021 06:11 AM EDT

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a closing speech at the Sixth Conference of Cell Secretaries of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, April 8, 2021. 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 compares North Korea's economic woes to 1990s famine

By Hyung-Jin Kim Apr. 08, 2021 11:40 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2018, file photo, Kim Yo Jong, right, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister, and Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, center, observe with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, second from left, and first lady Kim Jung-sook during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. North Korea has decided not to participate in this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo as it continues a self-imposed lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. A website run by the North's Sports Ministry said the decision was made during a national Olympic Committee meeting on March 25, 2021 where members prioritized protecting athletes from the “world public health crisis caused by COVID-19.” (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
EXPLAINER: Why is North Korea skipping the Tokyo Olympics?

By Hyung-Jin Kim Apr. 06, 2021 06:36 AM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2018, file photo, Kim Yo Jong, right, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister, and Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, center, observe with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, second from left, and first lady Kim Jung-sook during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Friday, Feb. 9, 2018. North Korea has decided not to participate in this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo as it continues a self-imposed lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. A website run by the North's Sports Ministry said the decision was made during a national Olympic Committee meeting on March 25, 2021 where members prioritized protecting athletes from the “world public health crisis caused by COVID-19.” (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
North Korea says it won't participate in Tokyo Olympics

By Kim Tong-Hyung Apr. 05, 2021 09:29 PM 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

Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga speaks during the virtual summit of the leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the U.S., a group known as “the Quad", at his official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, March 12, 2021. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool via AP)
Japanese PM Suga expects to invite Biden to Tokyo Olympics

Stephen Wade And Mari Yamaguchi Mar. 26, 2021 05:32 AM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2018, file photo, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, waits with North Korea's nominal head of state, Kim Yong Nam, for the start of a women's hockey game at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Gangneung, South Korea. After giving the Biden administration the silent treatment for two months, North Korea this week marshalled two of the most powerful women in its leadership to warn Washington over combined military exercises with South Korea and the diplomatic consequences of its “hostile” policies toward Pyongyang. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)
White House: North Korea conducted short-range missile test

By Aamer Madhani And Matthew Lee Mar. 23, 2021 07:15 PM EDT