North Korea and Russia plan to begin installing large sections of a new $100 million bridge across the Tumen River next month, a top Russian official in charge of bilateral operations announced Thursday, as satellite imagery showed progress on the construction that kicked off last year. Russian natural resources and ecology minister Alexander Kozlov on […] The post North Korea, Russia to install new decking structures on $100 million bridge appeared first on NK PRO.

U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Friday that its joint military exercises with South Korean troops are designed to prevent conflict, rather than provoke North Korea, in response to state media’s criticism characterizing the drills as “reckless military maneuvers.”  “Our training events are transparent and focused on deterrence, defense, and the maintenance of peace and stability […]

North Korean and Russian athletes squared off in friendly soccer and ice hockey matches this week, highlighting the countries’ deepening sports diplomacy amid their shared isolation in the international sports community. The North Korean women’s soccer team on Thursday defeated the visiting Russian national team by 5-2 in a match at Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung […]

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended a power plant inauguration ceremony in Kangwon Province last week as state media called on its people to embody the “spirit of Kangwon,” a term that refers to the workers who endured difficult working conditions to construct the key power plant without the party’s ample support. The interim […] The post North Korea lauds ‘spirit’ of workers who built power plants under duress appeared first on NK PRO.

North Korea is planning to build a dam to create a reservoir inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near the Mount Kumgang tourist zone, according to NK Pro analysis. The revelation came in a Korean Central Television (KCTV) segment that aired on Nov. 21 showing leader Kim Jong Un inspecting the newly built Pongpho Dam in […] The post North Korea plans to flood DMZ for new power station near Kumgang appeared first on NK PRO.

Russian has become a mandatory subject in North Korean schools, according to a top Russian official, in the latest example of the two countries expanding their alliance beyond the frontlines of the ongoing war in Ukraine. North Korean students are now required to study Russian starting in fourth grade, Russian ecology minister Alexander Kozlov reportedly […]

In this episode of The Korea Pro Podcast, John and Joon Ha assess South Korea’s strategic leap in space technology after the successful early-morning launch of the Nuri rocket, exploring the implications for sovereign satellite capability, dual-use defense competitiveness and regional positioning against Japan’s H3 program. The hosts analyze Poland’s decision to choose Sweden’s Saab […] The post Rocket success, defense setback and tightening monetary reality — Ep. 108 appeared first on Korea Pro.

ABOUT MONTH IN REVIEW Every month, Korea Pro delivers an authoritative analytical review of developments in South Korea, offering comprehensive coverage of political, economic and strategic shifts that shape the peninsula. Korea Pro‘s Month in Review serves as an essential resource for policymakers, business leaders and analysts seeking to navigate South Korea’s quickly-changing dynamics and […] The post South Korea in November 2025: A month in review and what’s ahead appeared first on Korea Pro.

The South Korean government announced the submission of the Special Act for the Management of U.S.-ROK Strategic Investment on Wednesday, which exposes a new risk structure in the alliance because its execution depends on the stability of the Korean won. If the won depreciates, as it has been doing so for the past few weeks, […]

The surprise deployment of thousands of North Korean troops to fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine was one of Kim Jong Un’s boldest moves to date, scrambling expectations about his willingness to get involved in foreign conflicts. Now, as the Trump administration renews its push for a peace deal and Pyongyang honors soldiers who died […]

Upbit, South Korea’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, reported a security breach early Thursday in which about $30.4 million (44.5 billion won) in digital assets were transferred without authorization from one of its hot wallets, an online storage system used for real-time digital-asset transactions. Deposit and withdrawal services have been suspended while the company conducts a security […] The post Cyber theft tests South Korea’s fintech credibility as Naver unveils big merger appeared first on Korea Pro.

Russian vessels linked to North Korean weapons shipments have ramped up visits to the DPRK port city of Rason in recent weeks, according to NK Pro analysis of satellite imagery, suggesting that their arms cooperation is continuing unabated as the Ukraine war drags on. The Lady R and Angara made a total of three visits […] The post Russian ships linked to North Korean arms trade ramp up visits to DPRK port appeared first on NK PRO.

A new North Korean restaurant serving traditional fare like cold buckwheat noodles has opened its doors in central Moscow, just a short walk from the Kremlin, with top Russian diplomats and officials attending the launch on Wednesday. Ambassador Alexander Matsegora was among the dignitaries who joined the grand opening of the new restaurant named “Sungri,” […]

The Bank of Korea (BOK) kept its base rate unchanged at 2.5% on Thursday for the fourth consecutive meeting, a decision that underscores how intensifying foreign exchange (FX) volatility is narrowing Seoul’s policy choices. The central bank’s announcement landed amid persistent depreciation pressures on the won and rising concern that the BOK may have reached […] The post BOK faces narrow policy options as currency volatility tests growth, stability appeared first on Korea Pro.

This week, Lonnie Edge of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies joins the podcast to discuss North Korea’s strategies for portraying itself as a legitimate government both inside and outside its borders. According to Edge, the Kim regime has become adept at changing its narrative or policies to address crises or changes in circumstances, such as […]

South Korea will nearly double the radius of the no-fly zone around the former executive office and residence in central Seoul once President Lee Jae-myung returns, in what appears to be an effort to counter potential North Korean drone incursions. According to data released by the office of lawmaker Boo Seung-chan of the Democratic Party […]

A Chinese vessel allegedly followed a French naval frigate dispatched to monitor North Korea’s illicit ship-to-ship transfers last month, highlighting Beijing’s longstanding opposition to international efforts to counter DPRK maritime smuggling in China’s backyard. “A French frigate had an interaction with a Chinese naval vessel during a patrol,” the French Ministry of the Armed Forces […]

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected the construction of a mega greenhouse farm on the border with China for the sixth time on Wednesday, where he said a chief purpose of the project has been cultivating loyalty to his leadership among the young citizens he sent to build it. According to the Korean Central […]

North Korea has enjoyed favorable weather to start the planting season for winter crops, a U.N. report has found, though abundant rainfall in October and September may have caused losses during the autumn harvest. The DPRK finished harvesting staple crops like rice and maize alongside small amounts of soybeans, potatoes, millet and sorghum at the […]

South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) said Wednesday that HD Hyundai Oilbank, HD Hyundai Chemical and Lotte Chemical have submitted a joint application for approval of a restructuring plan involving the consolidation of operations at the Daesan industrial complex. Under the proposal, Lotte Chemical will spin off its Daesan petrochemical business and […] The post South Korea’s petrochemical restructuring begins with high-stakes Daesan plan appeared first on Korea Pro.

North Korea has developed its artificial intelligence capabilities to the point where they can be used in military and cyber operations, boasting technology for facial recognition, voice synthesis and more, according to a new South Korean report. The Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS) based its analysis on publicly available North Korean research papers from […]

The South Korean government announced the submission of the Special Act for the Management of U.S.-ROK Strategic Investment on Wednesday, which exposes a new risk structure in the alliance because its execution depends on the stability of the Korean won. If the won depreciates, as it has been doing so for the past few weeks, […] The post Currency stability becomes test of credibility for US-South Korea alliance appeared first on Korea Pro.

North Korea has accelerated an anti-South Korea project to build new defenses inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) over the last five months, according to NK Pro analysis of satellite imagery, reinforcing about 74% of the total length since adopting an explicitly anti-South Korea policy in early 2024. The extensive network of paths mapped by NK […] The post North Korea has refortified 74% of border in DMZ, satellite imagery shows appeared first on NK PRO.

South Korea will support U.S. efforts to restart negotiations with North Korea, Seoul’s unification ministry said Tuesday, following minister Chung Dong-young’s meeting with acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim in Seoul. Chung conveyed his intent to closely cooperate with the U.S. in its goal to hold talks with North Korea, building on the […]