Kim Jong-Un

The Japanese government briefly issued a J-Alert missile warning for Okinawa, urging residents to take shelter inside buildings or underground

Their partnership has triggered concerns about an arrangement in which Pyongyang would receive advanced Russian technologies for Kim’s nuclear-armed military

IT workers dispatched and contracted by Pyongyang to work remotely with companies in St. Louis and elsewhere in the U.S. have been using false identities to get the jobs, the Justice Department said

The recent flurry of diplomacy between the Kremlin and PyongYang underscores how their interests are aligning in the face of their confrontations with the United States

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the U.S. believes Kim is seeking sophisticated Russian weapons technologies in return for the munitions to boost North Korea’s military and nuclear program

Foreign officials suspect Kim is seeking sophisticated Russian weapons technologies in return for the munition to boost his nuclear program

The rhetorical escalation on display in recent weeks is notable for its parallels to the hardline approaches that are hallmarks of authoritarian regimes that he has occasionally praised, such as the rule of Russian President Vladimir Putin or North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un

Experts have speculated the two nations discussed banned arms transfer deals and other cooperation measures during Kim’s visit

Kim visited several military sites in Russia and said in live comments last week that his country offered full and unconditional support to Putin

Since entering Russia last Tuesday in his first overseas trip in more than four years, Kim had met President Vladimir Putin and visited key military and technology sites.

While in Russia, he met President Vladimir Putin and visited weapons and technology sites, underscoring deepening ties between the nations

The summit underscored Russia’s estrangement on the world stage and the shrinking circle of friends that Moscow can rely on thanks to the 18-month-old invasion

The attack early Wednesday was in the port city of Sevastopol, which serves as the main base for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. It took place as Moscow launched drones against southern Ukraine’s Odesa region

The meeting underscores how the two countries’ interests are aligning. The Russian president is believed to be seeking one of the few things Pyongyang has in abundance: stockpiles of aging ammunition and rockets for Soviet-era weapons

Kim is expected to seek economic aid and military technology for his impoverished country and has munitions Russia desperately needs

The Kremlin’s website said Kim’s visit is at the Russian president’s invitation and would take place ‘in the coming days.’ The West is concerned that the meeting will lead to a potential arms deal for Moscow’s war in Ukraine

The reclusive Asian country is estimated to have tens of millions of artillery shells and rockets to replenish the Russian army

Seiler spent four decades as a presidential adviser, negotiator and policy-maker on North Korea

Kim said the country is also pursuing a nuclear-propelled submarine and plans to remodel its existing submarines and surface vessels so that they could handle nuclear weapons

The anticipated meeting between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin has set alarm bells ringing over Pyongyang supplying weapons to Moscow in return for nuclear know-how

U.S. officials also said Russia is trying to buy ammunition from North Korea for its war in Ukraine

National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson noted that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to Pyongyang and tried to persuade North Korea to sell artillery ammunition to Russia

Observers say North Korea likely aimed to demonstrate again it has missiles capable of striking key targets in South Korea in protest at its rivals’ military exercises

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby points out that the letters were ‘more at the surface level’ but that talks on a weapons sale were advancing

The apparent resumption of travel came as the U.N. rights chief, Volker Türk, told the first open meeting of the U.N. Security Council on North Korean human rights since 2017 that the country was increasing its repression and people were becoming more desperate

The 23-year-old private is believed to be the first American soldier to enter the secretive dictatorship since 1982 after crossing the DMZ while on a civilian tour

Kim Jong-un’s push to produce more weapons also comes as U.S. officials believe Russia’s defense minister recently talked with North Korea about selling more weapons to Russia for its war with Ukraine