South Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Saturday its leader Kim Jong Un supervised another test-firing of a new multiple rocket launcher system that could potentially enhance the country’s ability to strike targets in South Korea and U.S. military bases there.

The report by Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency came a day after South Korea’s military said it detected North Korea firing projectiles twice into the sea off its eastern coast in its third round of weapons tests in just over a week.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea fired what appeared to be short-range ballistic missiles twice Friday into the sea off its eastern coast in its third round of weapons tests in just over a week, South Korea’s military and presidential office said.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Thursday leader Kim Jong Un supervised the first test firing of a new multiple rocket launcher system that could potentially enhance its ability to strike targets in South Korea and U.S. military bases there.

The report by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency differed from the assessment by South Korea’s military, which had concluded Wednesday’s launches were of two short-range ballistic missiles.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s military said North Korea conducted its second weapons test in less than a week Wednesday, firing two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast in a move observers say could be aimed at boosting pressure on the United States as the rivals struggle to set up fresh nuclear talks.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missiles were launched from Wonsan, a city the North pushes as a vacation destination but that it also uses as a regular launch site.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea said Monday it’s returning three North Koreans who crossed the Koreas’ sea border aboard a wooden fishing boat over the weekend.

Seoul’s Unification Ministry said in a statement it decided to let the North Koreans return home in line with their wishes.

It said the North Koreans were to sail across the sea border back to North Korea aboard the same boat later Monday.

27 July 2019; DW: Two South Koreans have died and several others, including foreign athletes competing at the FINA World Aquatics Championships, have been injured after a balcony collapsed in a nightclub next to the athletes' village.

Local news agency Yonhap has reported that two South Koreans were killed when a balcony holding about 100 people collapsed under the weight of partygoers at around 2:30 a.m. local time on Saturday (1730 UTC on Friday).

At least 17 other people were injured.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea suffered its worst economic contraction last year in more than two decades due to international sanctions and bad weather, South Korea’s central bank said Friday.

The Seoul-based Bank of Korea said in a statement that North Korea’s economy shrank 4.1% last year from a year earlier.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A day after two North Korean missile launches rattled Asia, Pyongyang announced Friday that leader Kim Jong Un had supervised the test of a new tactical guided weapon that was meant as a “solemn warning” about rival South Korea’s weapons development and plans to hold military exercises with the United States.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea fired two short-range missiles into the sea Thursday, South Korea’s military said, the first weapons launches in more than two months and an apparent pressuring tactic aimed at Washington as North Korean and U.S. officials struggle to restart nuclear negotiations.

The South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles that were fired from near the eastern coastal town of Wonsan flew about 430 kilometers (270 miles) before landing in the waters off the country’s east coast.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea leader Kim Jong Un has inspected a newly built submarine and ordered officials to further bolster the country’s military capability, state media reported Tuesday, as the North is increasing its pressure on the United States ahead of the possible resumption of nuclear diplomacy.

Last week, North Korea said it may lift its 20-month suspension of nuclear and missile tests to protest expected military drills between the United States and South Korea that North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal.