Korea

North Korea’s Kim Yo-jong rejected South Korea’s recent conciliatory gestures, calling them a “shabby, deceptive farce,” and reaffirmed Pyongyang’s refusal to engage with Seoul or Washington under current conditions.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a rare, publicly acknowledged phone call ahead of the U.S.-Russia summit, signaling close coordination on Ukraine and broader strategic issues.

A Seoul court arrested Kim Keon Hee on multiple charges, marking the first time in South Korea’s history that a former presidential couple is jailed simultaneously.

North Korea has warned of a “resolute counteraction posture” against ongoing U.S.-South Korea military drills, despite Seoul’s partial schedule changes.

A U.S. official said President Trump remains open to negotiations with North Korea to fulfill goals set in the 2018 Singapore Summit with Kim Jong-un.

A North Korean man swam across the West Sea to defect to South Korea, becoming the second confirmed defector under the Lee Jae-myung administration.

Former First Lady Kim Keon Hee made history on August 6 by becoming the first Korean first lady to appear publicly as a suspect in a criminal investigation. Her questioning centered on allegations of stock manipulation tied to Deutsch Motors.

North Korea ignored South Korea’s offer to repatriate a deceased citizen, blocking Seoul’s attempt to restart dialogue through humanitarian outreach.

South Korea began dismantling its border loudspeakers as part of efforts to ease tensions with North Korea and rebuild inter-Korean trust.

South Korean and U.S. officials discussed potential changes to U.S. troop roles in Korea, alliance modernization, and coordinated approaches to Taiwan and North Korea.