By Heejin Kim SEOUL, April 28 (Reuters) - North Korea sharply raised the number of executions it conducted after shutting its borders during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the largest share linked to violations of bans on foreign culture and religion,

New Zealand’s Defence Force says a North Korean ship was observed engaging in a possible transfer of illicit goods at sea.

New Zealand’s military has reported a suspected North Korean sanctions breach after observing a ship-to-ship transfer at sea

North Korea on Thursday said its testing spree this week involved various new weapons systems, including ballistic missiles armed with cluster-bomb warheads, as it pushes to expand nuclear-capable forces aimed at rival South Korea.

North Korea recently launched five short range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) armed with cluster munitions against an island target in the Sea of Japan for the second time this month, further trialing the warhead’s capabilities,

The destructiveness of cluster munitions has been highlighted in the ongoing Iran war, with Israel accusing Iran of using such weapons to challenge the country’s stretched air defenses.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reaffirmed his country’s full support for Russia’s policies and agreed to deepen military cooperation, with both sides preparing to sign a 2027–2031 cooperation plan. The agreement builds on the 2024 Comprehensive ...