SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news on North Korea this week.
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EU adds 3 individuals, 4 entities to N. Korea sanctions list
SEOUL -- The European Union (EU) on Monday added three individuals and four entities to its sanctions list targeting North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs and ties with Russia.
"The Council today adopted additional restrictive measures against three individuals and four entities under its autonomous sanctions list on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)," the European Council said in a statement. The DPRK is the acronym of North Korea's official name.
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U.S., Japan reaffirm commitment to complete denuclearization of N. Korea in high-level talks
WASHINGTON -- The United States and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea during high-level talks in Tokyo on Monday, the U.S. State Department said.
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and Japanese Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Hiroyuki Namazu made the commitment during the countries' second U.S.-Japan Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) Dialogue held in Tokyo, according to a department press release.
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U.S. Pacific Command says N. Korea fired 2 ballistic missiles, reaffirms defense commitment
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) said Monday that North Korea launched two ballistic missiles recently while stressing that the move poses no immediate threat to the United States or its allies.
"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea launched two ballistic missiles on October 12, 2026 (KST)," the command said in a statement, referring to North Korea by its official name.
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Trump says he 'may' meet N. Korean leader Kim during upcoming Asia trip
WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that he may meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his upcoming trip to Asia, raising the possibility of renewed summit diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang.
Asked by a reporter at the White House on whether he plans to meet Kim during the trip, Trump replied, "I may," adding, "That'll be exciting, won't it? But I get along with him."
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N. Korea gaining experience in troop deployment, sustaining military operations through Ukraine war: USFK chief
WASHINGTON -- North Korea is gaining experience in deploying troops and sustaining military operations over long distances through its involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Tuesday.
U.S. Gen. Xavier Brunson made the remarks during a dialogue hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, highlighting the military benefits Pyongyang has gained from deploying troops and supplying weapons to support Moscow in the war.
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U.S. clamps down on N. Korean IT worker schemes affecting over 70 American firms
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday it has clamped down on North Korean remote IT worker schemes that affected more than 70 American companies and generated millions of dollars in revenue allegedly linked to the North Korean regime.
The department announced a series of recent coordinated law enforcement actions in Ohio and Texas, including an indictment, two arrests and the seizure of 187 computers used by North Korean IT workers to obtain fraudulent employment at U.S. companies.
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New cross-border bridge between N. Korea, China to open Thurs.: report
SEOUL -- A bridge between North Korea and China will officially open to traffic this week after sitting idle for more than a decade following its construction, according to a Chinese news report on Wednesday.
The New Yalu River Bridge, which connects the North Korean city of Sinuiju and Dandong in China, will open Thursday, according to China's Xinhua News Agency.
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N. Korea could bolster drone capabilities through workers at Russian factory: report
WASHINGTON -- North Korea could strengthen its military drone capabilities by gaining technical expertise through workers deployed to a major Russian drone production facility, potentially posing a new security threat to South Korea and U.S. forces in the region, a U.S. think tank report showed Wednesday.
The report, jointly published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the George W. Bush Institute, examined the security implications of North Korea's involvement in Russia's drone manufacturing industry, as well as the roles of China and Iran in supporting Moscow's war against Ukraine.
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N. Korea, China open long-idle, cross-border bridge: report
SEOUL -- North Korea and China officially opened a new cross-border bridge on Thursday after more than a decade of idleness following construction, China's news report showed Thursday.
An opening ceremony was held for the bridge across the Amnok River, also known as the Yalu River, according to China's Xinhua News Agency. It connects the North Korean city of Sinuiju and Dandong in China.
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