The White House issued a rare threat on Saturday in an effort to enhance deterrence, promising an overwhelming military response to any attack by North Korea.
The announcement came in a joint statement at the conclusion of the second U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) meeting in Washington D.C. on December 15, 2023.
&#8220;The United States reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to provide extended deterrence to the ROK, backed by the full range of U.S. capabilities including nuclear,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;Any nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies is unacceptable and will result in the end of the Kim regime, and the U.S. side reiterated that any nuclear attack by the DPRK against the ROK will be met with a swift, overwhelming, and decisive response.&#8221;
The U.S. and South Korea said that the NCG has &#8220;deepened&#8221; the ties between the two countries as they seek to deter an increasingly belligerent North Korea.
&#8220;NCG Principals reviewed the enhanced visibility of strategic assets to bolster extended deterrence, including the ballistic missile submarine the USS KENTUCKY port visit to Busan in July, B-52 strategic bomber flyover and landing on the Korean Peninsula in October, and joint observation of an ICBM test launch in November, as well as discussing future plans to demonstrate a strengthening of deterrence,&#8221; the statement added.
The statement comes after North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has had his country in recent months <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/08/31/north-korea-says-it-simulated-nuclear-attacks-on-south-korea-and-rehearsed-occupation-of-its-rival/">conduct</a> simulated &#8220;scorched earth&#8221; nuclear missile strikes against South Korea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin receives North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un in Vladivostok

Biden Admin Issues Rare Threat To Enhance Deterrence Against Hostile Foreign Power

Foreign Policy

Kim Jong Un

North Korea

U.S.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Korea</a> launched what it claimed was a spy satellite into orbit on Tuesday, an operation that drew a rebuke from the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a> and alarm from U.S. allies in the region.
State-run media reported a Chollima-1 rocket launched from North Korea&#8217;s west coast and it &#8220;accurately&#8221; placed the Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite into orbit, per South Korea&#8217;s <a href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231122000600315" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yonhap News Agency</a>.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un himself reportedly observed the launch, which followed two failed attempts earlier this year. Pyongyang cast the latest operation as being part of its &#8220;legitimate&#8221; right to strengthen &#8220;self defense&#8221; and vowed more satellites would follow in &#8220;a short period of time.&#8221;
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a> issued a statement saying the United States &#8220;strongly condemns&#8221; North Korea&#8217;s use of ballistic missile technology in &#8220;brazen violation&#8221; of multiple United Nations (UN) Security Council resolutions.
National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson added that the launch &#8220;raises tensions&#8221; and &#8220;risks destabilizing the security situation in the region and beyond.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/black-friday-gift-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dailywire.com/news/black-friday-gift-guide&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700676161494000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3cUZVOHw4CtHRQ8bYVwZUW">CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE</a>
South Korea&#8217;s military said it detected the launch from the Tongchang-ri area in the evening local time and that the rocket flew over waters west of the border island of Baengyeong, <a href="https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20231121010052315?section=nk/nk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which according to Yonhap</a>, came hours before a 10-day launch window North Korea gave to Japan as a safety warning.
South Korean officials believe North Korea was able to make progress with the help of Russia after the technical issues mired the prior two launches this year, as reported by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/21/world/asia/north-korea-russia-rocket-launch-spy-satellite.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
North Korea has fired what it claims is a military spy satellite, the South&#39;s armed forces said on Tuesday, hours after Japan confirmed that Pyongyang had warned it of an imminent launch ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/D5pSChSekv">https://t.co/D5pSChSekv</a> <a href="https://t.co/5ztZVX3NYA">pic.twitter.com/5ztZVX3NYA</a>
&mdash; AFP News Agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1726998518467101054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Japan as well as South Korea had <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-20/japan-warns-north-korea-after-getting-notice-of-satellite-launch?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=business&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressed</a> North Korea to halt the launch. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned North Korea against the use of ballistic missile technology in violation of U.N. resolutions and said it would pose a &#8220;serious threat that affects the safety of our people.&#8221;
Indeed, following the launch on Tuesday, the Japanese government issued a J-Alert missile warning urging residents in Okinawa to take shelter for a short time, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-spy-satellite-japan-5e16266707e0e4034eca022fde44ffa7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted the Associated Press</a>.
Bloomberg News <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-11-20/japan-warns-north-korea-after-getting-notice-of-satellite-launch?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=business&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that officials in South Korea&#8217;s capital of Seoul believe North Korea&#8217;s satellite would be relatively primitive, but the report said it could help foster &#8220;target lists&#8221; as North Korean continues development of missiles meant to carry nuclear warheads.  Meanwhile, South Korea is <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-11-06/south-korea-plans-to-launch-its-1st-military-spy-satellite-on-nov-30" target="_blank" rel="noopener">planning to launch</a> its first home-built satellite to assist with surveillance efforts at the end of November using one of SpaceX&#8217;s Falcon 9 rockets, with more to follow.
President Joe Biden and his national security team are &#8220;assessing the situation in close coordination with our allies and partners,&#8221; Watson said in her statement on Tuesday.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?_gl=1*1xtnwi0*_ga*NzM5MDUwMzIuMTY5OTAxNTg3Mg..*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTcwMDU2OTYyOS42NS4xLjE3MDA1NzA1NjcuNTIuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus?_gl%3D1*1xtnwi0*_ga*NzM5MDUwMzIuMTY5OTAxNTg3Mg..*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTcwMDU2OTYyOS42NS4xLjE3MDA1NzA1NjcuNTIuMC4w&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700676161494000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1H791qUeoOYzPCZmiRs3pb">GET 50% OFF DAILYWIRE+ ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS</a>
The U.S. urges &#8220;all countries to condemn this launch and call on [North Korea] to come to the table for serious negotiations,&#8221; she continued. The door has not closed on diplomacy but Pyongyang must immediately cease its provocative actions and instead choose engagement. The United States will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and the defense of our Republic of Korea and Japanese allies.&#8221;

North Korea launch

North Korea Claims It Launched Spy Satellite Into Orbit

North Korea Claims To Launch Spy Satellite Into Orbit

Air and Space

Global Politics

Japan

National Security

South Korea

Space

World

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Korea</a> accused the U.S. of an “an undisguised military provocation” on Friday as an American aircraft carrier battle group arrived in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Korea</a>.
The USS Ronald Reagan sailed to the southeastern port of Busan on Thursday after participating in naval exercises with Japan and South Korea in international waters, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-nuclear-weapons-us-aircraft-carrier-be56e91daba9eeeaf2edefdccf3c9133" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press.
South Korean officials said the Reagan was there as a means of deterrence while North Koreans claimed it was going to be part of a U.S. attack on North Korea.
“The [North Korean] doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons already opened to public allows the execution of necessary action procedures in case a nuclear attack is launched against it or it is judged that the use of nuclear weapons against it is imminent,” the government&#8217;s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Friday.
The KCNA added that North Korea’s “most powerful and rapid first strike will be given to the ‘extended deterrence’ means, used by the U.S. to hallucinate its followers, and the bases of evil in the Korean peninsula and its vicinity.”
North Korea also <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-denies-its-weapons-used-by-hamas-against-israel-2023-10-13/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> reports that its weapons had been used by Hamas terrorists during their brutal attack against Israel that began last Saturday. The communist country claimed that the reports were an attempt at U.S. propaganda.
&#8220;It is nothing but a bid to shift the blame for the Middle East crisis caused by wrong hegemonic policy onto a third country and thus evade the international criticism focused on the empire of evil,&#8221; KCNA said.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby has said that he has not been able to confirm the reports of North Korean weapons being used in the terror attacks.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
Relations between the the U.S. and North Korea have been sour in recent months, especially after North Korea’s Kim Jong Un <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kim-jong-un-putin-discuss-military-cooperation-space-tech-and-ukraine-war-at-russian-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">met with</a> Russian President Vladimir Putin last month to discuss the war in Ukraine, space technology, and the potential for military cooperation between the two countries.
According to the White House, North Korea <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/north-korea-sent-over-1000-containers-of-ammo-to-russia-white-house-5509709?ea_src=frontpage&amp;ea_med=top-news-world-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has been</a> supplying Russia with arms and ammunition, sending 1,000 weapons shipments to a Russian munitions depot.
“We now have information that North Korea has delivered arms to Russia for use in Ukraine,” Kirby said this week. “Our information indicates that in recent weeks North Korea has provided Russia with more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions.”

North And South Korean Leaders Meet For Third Summit In Pyongyang

North Korea Accuses U.S. Of ‘Undisguised Military Provocation’ After Aircraft Carrier Arrives In South Korea

North Korea Accuses U.S. Of 'Undisguised Military Provocation' After Aircraft Carrier Arrives In South Korea

US Navy

The leaders of Russia and North Korea held a rare summit on Wednesday after North Korea’s Kim Jong Un traveled to a city in Russia’s Far East in his <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/inside-north-korean-leader-kim-jong-uns-armoured-train-2023-09-12/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">armored</a> train.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Kim in person for the first time <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/kim-jong-un-vladimir-putin-meeting-russia-rcna104775" target="_blank" rel="noopener">since</a> 2019, and the two discussed topics including Russia’s war in Ukraine, space technology, and the potential for military cooperation between the two countries. The meeting took place at Vostochny Cosmodrome, which is the most important launch center in Russia, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-russia-kim-putin-missile-0d70f5190df1088ebe53e8ca19f8e9c9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press.
“Russia is currently engaged in a just fight against hegemonic forces to defend its sovereign rights, security and interests,” Kim <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-russia-kim-putin-missile-0d70f5190df1088ebe53e8ca19f8e9c9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an apparent reference to the Ukraine war. “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has always expressed its full and unconditional support for all measures taken by the Russian government, and I take this opportunity to reaffirm that we will always stand with Russia on the anti-imperialist front and the front of independence.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: Putin greets Kim Jong Un at cosmodrome in Russia’s far east
 <a href="https://t.co/xFsIyL4MVy">pic.twitter.com/xFsIyL4MVy</a>
&mdash; Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1701816100550217770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
At one point, Kim <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/kim-jong-un-vladimir-putin-meeting-russia-rcna104775" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> Russia’s war a “sacred fight” that has his “full and unconditional support.” Putin also signaled his support for North Korea, describing how the Soviet Union was the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/nkoreas-kim-meets-putin-missiles-launched-pyongyang-2023-09-13/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first</a> to recognize the North when it was established in 1948 and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-russia-kim-jong-un-putin-timeline-336b51634fab28a34ec210a78866f4d9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backed</a> the country during the Korean War.
The two discussed the potential for military cooperation, with Putin <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/12/asia/kim-jong-un-putin-meeting-russia-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a> that “there are certain restrictions, and Russia complies with all these restrictions,” while adding that there are possibilities for cooperation between the two in that realm. “There are things that we can of course talk about, discuss, think about it. And here too there are prospects,” Putin said.
Prior to the summit, numerous reports suggested Putin was seeking to get ammunition and weapons for the war in Ukraine. For his part, Kim was likely to request food and missile technology, according to the AP. Relatively few details were disclosed regarding military cooperation and aid agreements, and according to the Kremlin, sensitive discussions between the two will <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/nkoreas-kim-meets-putin-missiles-launched-pyongyang-2023-09-13/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remain</a> private. The White House has previously warned that such arms deals would violate United Nations Security Council resolutions; Russia is one of five permanent members of the Council.
Putin also appeared to say he was open to helping Kim and North Korea advance its space program. He <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/12/asia/kim-jong-un-putin-meeting-russia-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the North Korean dictator has a “great interest in space, in rocketry” and that Russia would “show our new objects. We’ll talk about all the issues without haste, there is time.” The Hermit Kingdom has failed twice this year alone in launching a space satellite – once in May, and again in August – despite prioritizing space technology, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/23/asia/north-korea-second-satellite-launch-fails-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CNN.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
The location of the summit – a prominent Russian spaceport – is significant, according to Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. He <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/12/asia/kim-jong-un-putin-meeting-russia-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> the site location is “provocative because it suggests that Putin may offer sanctions-violating satellite launch technology in exchange for North Korean munitions that Moscow would employ in its illegal war in Ukraine.”
U.S. State Department head of the Office of Sanctions Coordination James O’Brien blasted the summit, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-russia-kim-putin-missile-0d70f5190df1088ebe53e8ca19f8e9c9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a>, “Russia is now overtly engaging with a country that the U.N. has sanctioned. And that’s very problematic for Russia’s global position.”
According to former National Security Adviser John Bolton, North Korea had <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/12/asia/kim-jong-un-putin-meeting-russia-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">much to gain</a> from the meeting: “From North Korea’s point of view, this gets them back into really significant contact with Russia for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union.&#8221; Bolton also said the meeting &#8220;goes well beyond a potential arms deal.&#8221;
Shortly before the summit, North Korea <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-missile-kim-jong-un-5a247c5612306bfd1901f851ffba47d3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> two short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern seas – a rarity while Kim is out of the country.

TOPSHOT-RUSSIA-NKOREA-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY

Kim Jong Un, Putin Discuss Military Cooperation, Space Tech, And Ukraine War At Russian Summit

Russia

Vladimir Putin

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Korean</a> dictator Kim Jong Un arrived in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> on Tuesday aboard a bulletproof train ahead of expected talks with Russian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a>.
The rare trip by Kim to Russia is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kim-jong-un-expected-to-meet-with-putin-for-weapons-talks-reports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expected to center</a> on Putin obtaining more weapons for the war with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine</a>, such as artillery shells and anti-tank missiles, and Kim looking to gain access to Russian nuclear technology and food supplies. 
Kim was met by officials and a military band in Khasan, Russia, after traveling on a train known for its security, slow speed, and luxury amenities, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-russia-amid-us-warnings-not-sell-arms-2023-09-12/?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=Newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=Daily-Briefing&amp;utm_term=091223" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Reuters. A <a href="https://ria.ru/20230912/vstrecha-1895861006.html">video</a> posted by Russian state media shows Kim getting off a green train in the eastern Russian train station early Tuesday morning before the military band started playing. 
Putin and Kim <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/09/12/world/russia-ukraine-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will</a> have an “intensive exchange of opinions on the situation in the region,” according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov.
“Naturally, being neighbors, our countries cooperate in certain sensitive spheres which should not be publicly revealed or announced,” he said. 
The White House has opposed any arms sales between the two nations, threatening sanctions if they do agree to weapons sales or trades. 
“Arms discussions between Russia and [North Korea] are expected to continue during Kim Jong Un’s trip to Russia,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-russia-kim-putin-674e9f1155de1c83ca1a819e7dbf96ed">said</a>. “We urge the (Democratic People&#8217;s Republic of Korea) to abide by the public commitments that Pyongyang has made to not provide or sell arms to Russia.”
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that “any transfer of arms from North Korea to Russia would be a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions,” adding that the U.S. would implement new sanctions if weapons were transferred. 
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1694271417371000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0PLikBYdCi-jK-0C-P9dx2">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Russia and North Korea have aligned themselves in recent years, with Russia opposing U.S.-backed U.N. sanctions on North Korea, and North Korea recognizing the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, contested areas in eastern Ukraine that are a focal point of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Previous intelligence about possible arms transactions that made the media rounds last year led both nations to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/22/north-korea-weapons-russia-us-assessment/">issue denials</a>. Meanwhile, the U.S. has approved <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/biden-asks-congress-for-more-than-13b-to-support-ukraine-and-12b-for-disaster-fund">more than $110 billion</a> in aid to Ukraine as its defenders keep up the fight to try and fend off Russian forces who invaded the country over a year and a half ago.
Kim has left North Korea only seven times since taking power back in 2011.

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un in Russia

Kim Jong Un Enters Russia On Bulletproof Train For Expected Weapon Talks With Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may soon meet with Russian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin">Vladimir Putin</a> for negotiations on weapons, according to multiple reports on Monday.
Senior administration officials <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/09/04/putin-kim-meeting-weapons-deal-russia-north-korea/">told The Washington Post</a> that Kim plans to make a rare trip out of North Korea to meet with Putin later this month.
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/04/us/politics/putin-kim-meeting-russia-north-korea-weapons.html">The New York Times</a>, citing American and allied officials, reported that Kim would travel from North Korea&#8217;s capital of Pyongyang to the Russian port city of Vladivostok — probably by armored train. The duo <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/04/24/716873097/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-and-russian-president-vladimir-putin-meet-for-su">previously met</a> in the same city, which is not far from North Korea&#8217;s border with Russia, in 2019.
With this new round of talks, Putin aims to secure more weapons for its war in Ukraine, such as artillery shells and anti-tank missiles, while Kim wants access to Russia&#8217;s advanced technology on nuclear submarines and satellites as well as food assistance for his <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-koreans-face-increasing-repression-threat-starvation-un-says-rcna100564">starving country</a> of roughly <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-korea-suffers-one-of-its-worst-food-crises-in-decades-ee25aa86">26 million people</a>, officials told the New York Times. Kim could also make other stops, including at the Vostochny Cosmodrome space launch center and even Moscow.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang in July and Kim <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/kim-jong-un-russia-north-korea-ukraine-banned-missiles-rcna96590">showed off</a> his nation&#8217;s banned ballistic missiles. That high-profile trip was reportedly followed by delegations from North Korea and Russia visiting the other country, possibly setting the stage for a new meeting between their leaders.
The White House revealed last week that the United States had intelligence showing that Kim and Putin have <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-north-korea-weapons-munitions-letter-8c48787c798a50beda774a8ac5cc91ba">exchanged letters</a>. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby also told reporters that information showed negotiations were &#8220;actively advancing&#8221; as Russia seeks munitions from North Korea in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
“We have information that Kim Jong-Un expects these discussions to continue, to include leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia,” said National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson, according to a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/04/politics/north-korea-kim-putin-arms-negotiations/index.html">CNN</a> report on Monday.
&#8220;We urge [North Korea] to cease its arms negotiations with Russia and abide by the public commitments that Pyongyang has made to not provide or sell arms to Russia,&#8221; Watson <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/04/us/politics/putin-kim-meeting-russia-north-korea-weapons.html">also said</a>.
The Biden administration has sought to deter weapons negotiations between Russia and North Korea with <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-sanctions-russian-company-over-alleged-support-for-north-korean-weapons-programs-79642dd0">volleys</a> of <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/4155289-us-issues-sanctions-targeting-north-korea-russia-arms-trade/">sanctions</a>. Previous intelligence about possible arms transactions that made the media rounds last year led both nations to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/22/north-korea-weapons-russia-us-assessment/">issue denials</a>.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has approved <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/biden-asks-congress-for-more-than-13b-to-support-ukraine-and-12b-for-disaster-fund">more than $110 billion</a> in aid to Ukraine as its defenders keep up the fight to try and fend off Russian forces who invaded their country over a year and a half ago.

Kim Jong Un Expected To Meet With Putin For Weapons Talks: Reports

Ukraine-Russia War

Former President Donald Trump is planning to publish a new book revealing the personal correspondence he&#8217;s received over the years from celebrities and world leaders.
Trump&#8217;s book, titled simply &#8220;Letters to Trump,&#8221; will include 150 notes from a wide range of well-known personalities ranging from popular television host Oprah Winfrey to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un — and alongside each letter, the former president will include his own commentary about the letter and the sender.
According to a <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/09/trump-book-oprah-private-letters-celebrities">report</a> from Axios, the 150 letters slated to appear in the book include missives from &#8220;Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Princess Diana, Hillary Clinton, Ted Kennedy, North Korea&#8217;s Kim Jong-un, Mario Cuomo, Arnold Palmer, Jay Leno, Liza Minnelli, Regis Philbin&#8221; and a number of others. Philbin, the outlet noted, opened his letter with, &#8220;My Dear Trumpster.&#8221;
The book will feature photos of each letter — along with transcripts to go along with the ones where handwriting is difficult to read.
One letter that is certain to make the cut — written by Winfrey in 2000 — includes the television host&#8217;s lament that she and Trump are not running for office as a team.
Trump had sent the television magnate an excerpt from his 2000 book, &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/America-We-Deserve-Donald-Trump/dp/1580631312?tag=nypost-20&amp;asc_refurl=https://nypost.com/2023/03/09/donald-trump-releasing-new-book-with-private-celeb-letters/&amp;asc_source=web" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" data-ga-event="{&quot;category&quot;:&quot;affiliate ecommerce click&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:&quot;amazon&quot;,&quot;label&quot;:&quot;https://www.amazon.com/America-We-Deserve-Donald-Trump/dp/1580631312?tag=nypost-20&amp;asc_refurl=https://nypost.com/2023/03/09/donald-trump-releasing-new-book-with-private-celeb-letters/&amp;asc_source=web&quot;}" data-ml-dynamic="true" data-ml-dynamic-type="sl" data-orig-url="https://www.amazon.com/America-We-Deserve-Donald-Trump/dp/1580631312?tag=nypost-20&amp;asc_refurl=https://nypost.com/2023/03/09/donald-trump-releasing-new-book-with-private-celeb-letters/&amp;asc_source=web" data-ml-id="1" data-ml="true" data-xid="fr1678381839402ace">The America We Deserve,</a>&#8221; in which he had claimed that she would certainly be his &#8220;first choice for vice president&#8221; if he were ever to run.
&#8220;Americans respect and admire Oprah for her intelligence and caring,&#8221; Trump wrote in the book, adding that he&#8217;d look for someone with those same qualities if she refused or were unavailable.
&#8220;Too bad we&#8217;re not running for office. What a team!&#8221; Oprah replied at the time, saying that she had been brought to tears by the way he had spoken of her — but Trump noted in his new book that she had changed her tune upon learning that he intended to seek the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
<a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-34144">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
&#8220;Sadly, once I announced for President, she never spoke to me again,&#8221; he wrote, adding that he still believed Winfrey to be an &#8220;amazing&#8221; person.
The book, <a href="https://winningpublishing.com/products/letters-to-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scheduled for release</a> on April 25, 2023, has a price tag of $99. Winning Team Publishing is handling the release.

Conservatives Attend The Annual CPAC Event

‘Letters To Trump’: Former President To Publish Private Notes He Got From Oprah, Other Celebs

Former President Donald Trump To Publish Private Notes He Got From Oprah, Other Celebs

Celebrities

Donald Trump

Oprah Winfrey

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Korea</a> dictator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kim-jong-un" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kim Jong Un</a> ordered an “exponential” expansion of his country’s nuclear arsenal, state media reported on Sunday.
Kim has made repeated promises to ramp up North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and build out its stockpile to counter what he says is U.S. aggression, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-north-korea-south-895fb34033780fdafd5bf925b376a2c6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>. Experts have <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/energy/these-are-the-nuclear-weapons-north-korea-has-as-fears-mount-of-atomic-test/2022/11/03/d69177aa-5b35-11ed-bc40-b5a130f95ee7_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a> North Korea has dozens of nuclear warheads, with one 2021 study putting the number as high as 116.
“They are now keen on isolating and stifling [North Korea], unprecedented in human history,” Kim said at a recent ruling party meeting, according to state media. “The prevailing situation calls for making redoubled efforts to overwhelmingly beef up the military muscle.”
Kim called for “an exponential increase of the country’s nuclear arsenal” to target South Korea with tactical nuclear weapons and announced a government mission to create a weapon capable of hitting the United States.
Tensions between North Korea and its Democratic neighbor to the south have grown increasingly strained recently as North Korea continues to ramp up missile testing. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol recently told his top military leaders, “our security situation is still very grave,” according to the AP.
South Korea’s military warned that any attempt by Kim’s government to use a nuclear weapon “will lead to the end of the Kim Jong Un government.”
Yoon told a South Korean newspaper that he is seeking closer cooperation with the United States to monitor and restrict North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.
“While the nuclear weapons belong to the US, intel sharing, planning, and training should be done jointly,” Yoon said, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-02/south-korea-asks-us-for-greater-role-in-managing-nuclear-weapons?leadSource=uverify%20wall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a>. “The US’s stance is quite positive.”
North Korea ended 2022 with what was suspected to be the testing of three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. The launches came a day after South Korea tested a rocket as part of its program to build out a space-based surveillance system to monitor North Korea.
South Korea’s top military leadership <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-south-korea-north-government-3e6e8aff8d6d3e932f715d431cf7d2ae" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> the ballistic missile tests “a grave provocation.”
Earlier last week, North Korea flew drones across its southern border over South Korea for the first time in five years, according to South Korean authorities. South Korea responded by flying drones into North Korean airspace.
North Korea ramped up its weapons testing in 2022, testing more than 70 missiles.
Experts say that North Korea’s behavior, along with Kim’s recent comments on his country’s nuclear ambitions, shows an emboldened North Korea that may be able to support its bluster.
“Kim’s comments from the party meeting reads like an ambitious — but perhaps achievable — New Year’s resolution list,” RAND Corporation security analyst Soo Kim told the AP. “It’s ambitious in that Kim consciously chose to spell out what he hopes to accomplish as we head into 2023, but it also suggests a dose of confidence on Kim’s part.”

North Korea Announces ‘Exponential’ Expansion Of Nuclear Weapons Program To Target South Korea, U.S.

Nuclear Weapons

United States

A new law passed by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Korean</a> dictator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kim-jong-un" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kim Jong Un</a>’s puppet parliament will allow for the leader to fire a preemptive <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nuclear-weapons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nuclear</a> attack if the country believes such an action would protect it from a threat.
North Korea’s new law also ensures that the country will “automatically and immediately” retaliate with nuclear weapons if Kim is killed in an attack, Politico <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/national-security-daily/2022/09/09/north-korea-will-automatically-launch-nukes-if-kim-killed-00055863" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Kim mentioned strained relations with the U.S. as one of the reasons for the importance of the law that he claims is “irreversible.”
&#8220;As long as nuclear weapons exist on Earth, and imperialism and the anti-North Korean maneuvers of the U.S. and its followers remain, our road to strengthening our nuclear force will never end,&#8221; Kim said, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/09/asia/north-korea-kim-nuclear-weapons-state-law-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CNN.
Kim also reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining his country’s nuclear capabilities, saying North Korea will “never give up nuclear weapons and there is absolutely no denuclearization, and no negotiation and no bargaining chip to trade in the process.”
Previously, Kim and his father Kim Jong-Il indicated they would only ever use nuclear weapons in response to a nuclear attack on North Korea. The new law gives Kim reasons to launch an attack for anything from retaliation for a non-nuclear strike on the country or a preemptive attack to stop an event “judged to be on the horizon.”
Pyongyang’s new standard for a nuclear strike concerns some experts who question the regime’s ability to gather sufficient intelligence. “This raises serious questions about the North’s ability to get accurate intelligence and what the threshold of evidence will be to make those judgment calls,” Jenny Town, a senior fellow and director of the 38 North program at the Stimson Center, told Politico.
Earlier this year, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol <a href="https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220203000945" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> his country’s position to launch a preemptive strike against his neighbor to the north was vital to maintaining peace. Some view North Korea’s latest action as a response to Yoon’s comment.

New North Korea Law Allows For Preemptive Nuclear Strikes, Country Will ‘Automatically And Immediately’ Fire Nuke If Kim Dies In Attack

New North Korea Law Allows For Preemptive Nuclear Strikes

nuclear missiles

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-korea">North Korea</a>&#8216;s state-run newspaper has revealed that Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Un contracted COVID-19.
The confirmation by Rodong Shinum in North Korea follows much speculation that Kim had experienced health concerns related to the coronavirus in recent weeks.
The report noted that “the much respected leader has greatly suffered in high fever in the middle of the anti-pandemic battle,&#8221; according to a <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3190689/coronavirus-north-korea-state-media-confirm-leader-kim-jong-un" target="_blank" rel="noopener">translation</a> of the article by the South China Morning Post.
<div data-v-c9dd6a6e="">
While infected with the virus, Kim visited some workers, and “The workers there were teary and held their emotions as they saw the leader who was there and encouraged them at the risk of contagion,” it added.
The leader previously disclosed that the nation had experienced an outbreak of COVID-19 in May.
“There has been the biggest emergency incident in the country, with a hole in our emergency quarantine front, that has been kept safely over the past two years and three months since February 2020,” North Korea&#8217;s official news agency said, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/12/north-korea-admits-to-covid-outbreak-for-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> The Guardian.
The report noted that the BA.2 Omicron variant had been discovered in the nation. North Korea had previously claimed it had not had a single positive case of the coronavirus, though the assertion has been highly disputed by international health care professionals.
North Korea also turned down coronavirus vaccines offered by the United Nations through its distribution program. Instead, Kim ordered a strict closure of North Korea&#8217;s borders during the pandemic, adding to the isolation of the nation.
On August 12, Kim&#8217;s sister, Kim Yo-jong, noted that North Korea had defeated the virus. Health officials continue to remain suspicious of claims that the nation has eliminated all cases of the virus.
Kim Yo-jong previously hinted about her brother&#8217;s positive case. However, the state-run publication&#8217;s report is the first confirmation of his illness.
The exact date that he tested positive was not noted.
Kim ranks among several national leaders who have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have tested positive.
First Lady Jill Biden also recently experienced a positive case of COVID-19 despite being vaccinated and receiving two booster shoots. Vice President Kamala Harris, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are among other top American leaders to test positive for the coronavirus.
Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive for the coronavirus in 2021, and Queen Elizabeth tested positive for COVID-19 in February.
 At least 10 heads of nations have tested positive for the coronavirus in addition to Kim, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/world-leaders-who-contracted-covid-19-2022-07-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Reuters.
</div>

North Korea Leader Kim Jong-Un Contracted COVID-19

COVID-19

North Korea reported an Omicron variant case in the capital city of Pyongyang on Thursday and ordered a countrywide lockdown amid the “gravest national emergency.”
Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nkorea-says-it-detected-outbreak-stealth-omicron-virus-state-media-2022-05-12/">reported</a> that the infection is the first case of COVID-19 reported by the reclusive communist nation, which has no official record of its citizens being vaccinated.
&#8220;The state&#8217;s most serious emergency has occurred: A break emerged in our emergency epidemic prevention front that had been firmly defended until now,&#8221; state-sponsored North Korean news agency KCNA said, according to Reuters.
In a meeting with the Workers’ Party politburo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced a “strict lockdown” for the entire nation, as well as the use of emergency medical supply reserves. Likely wearing a mask in public for the first time, Kim emphasized that the nation will endure the outbreak because the government and people are “united as one,” the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-pandemics-south-korea-north-0e0cb1be7a3878a771124dcdcbdba06c">Associated Press</a> reported.
“North Korea, which has maintained strict anti-virus controls at its borders for more than two years, didn’t provide further details about its new lockdown,” the AP continued. “But an Associated Press photographer on the South Korean side of the border saw dozens of people working in fields or walking on footpaths at a North Korean border town — an indication the lockdown doesn’t require people to stay home, or it exempts farm work.”
&#8220;The state epidemic prevention work shall be switched over to the maximum emergency epidemic prevention system,&#8221; KCNA continued, according to Reuters.
North Korea — which Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/north-korean-dictator-kim-jong-un-engaging-in-frantic-efforts-to-stop-coronavirus-spread-reports">ranked</a> 193 out of 195 nations in pandemic preparedness ahead of COVID-19 — executed citizens in 2020 during a frantic attempt to stop virus spread.
Kim “executed two people, closed the country’s capital, and banned fishing at sea in a frantic attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers,” The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/11/27/kim-jong-un-reportedly-executed-2-closed-capital-amid-covid/">reported</a> in 2020. “The tyrant has been lashing out with ‘excessive anger’ and taking ‘irrational measures’ in recent weeks as a result of the pandemic, said one of the officials, Ha Tae-keung, who was briefed by National Intelligence Service.”
Likewise, Tim Peters — who runs a Christian nonprofit called Helping Hands Korea based in Seoul, South Korea — told the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3108113/north-korea-hiding-coronavirus-quarantine-camps-china">South China Morning Post</a> that North Korea started “quarantine camps” near its Chinese border.
“One of the more alarming pieces of information that has come our way is that the DPRK government is providing absolutely minimal or no food or medicine to those who are interred there,” Peters said. “So, it’s up to the families of the quarantined citizens to come to the edge of the camps and bring food to keep quarantined relatives alive along with whatever health-related aids that they can muster, whether it be purchased medicines sold in the jangmadang markets, or even herbal home remedies gathered from mountainsides.”
“My sources indicate many in these camps have already died, not only from the pandemic but also from starvation and related causes,” he continued.
The Kim regime apologized in September 2020 for the killing of a South Korean government official who, after he was killed, had oil thrown on his body and was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/25/world/asia/korea-kim-jong-un-apology-killing-defector.html">burned</a> over fears that he might have COVID-19.

3BC89137-FE3F-4586-8E93-3F4DC570B009_1_201_a

‘Gravest National Emergency’: North Korea Locks Down Entire Nation Amid First Reported Omicron Case

‘Gravest National Emergency’: North Korea Reports First Case Of Omicron, Begins National Lockdown

COVID

Lockdowns

The Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday that North Korea&#8217;s military launched a ballistic missile, the most recent in several tests since the beginning of the year.
The military&#8217;s statement followed news releases earlier on Wednesday by both Japanese and South Korean leaders regarding the missile launch.
“We are aware of the [North Korea’s] ballistic missile launch today and are consulting closely with [South Korea] and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners,” U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a <a href="https://www.pacom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/3019009/usindopacom-statement-on-dprk-missile-launch/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
“The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further destabilizing acts. While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory, or that of our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation.  The U.S. commitment to the defense of the ROK and Japan, remains ironclad,” the statement added.
Japan&#8217;s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also condemned the latest military action.
“North Korea’s series of actions that threatens the peace, safety and stability of the international community are impermissible,” Kishida told reporters during his visit to Rome, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-south-korea-north-joint-chiefs-of-staff-2eac31a0a9f75727ff6459f7f2841b25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> the Associated Press.
“Naturally, we will exchange views on the regional situation in the Indo-Pacific and East Asia, and I will thoroughly explain the reality of the region including the North Korean missile launch today, to gain understanding about the pressing situation in the East Asia,” he added.
According to the AP report, South Korea’s military said the missile flew about 290 miles, while Oniki of Japan claimed the missile traveled about 500 kilometers (310 miles) at the maximum altitude of 800 kilometers (500 miles).
North Korea has conducted more than a dozen missile tests in 2022, a growing pace that has alarmed security experts. U.S. military leaders also believe that recent so-called satellite test launches conducted by North Korea were veiled tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile system.
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pentagon-north-korea-testing-intercontinental-missile-system-in-serious-escalation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> in March that Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said that U.S. intelligence officials working with officials in Japan and South Korea have determined that recent North Korea missile launches were part of a “serious escalation” of weapons testing by Pyongyang. The DPKR, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, claimed that the missile launches were tests of a new satellite.
“Based on analysis of these launches, the United States government has concluded that these launches involved a new ICBM system that the DPRK is developing,” Kirby said, according to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/10/us-north-korea-icbm-missile-serious-escalation">The Guardian</a>. “This is a serious escalation by the DPRK.”
The most recent launch&#8217;s timing is also just ahead of the inauguration of South Korean leader Yoon Suk-yeol on May 10. The new leader ran on a conservative platform that vowed to take a stronger approach to dealing with its northern neighbor.
The missile tests violate the United Nations Security Council resolutions, though North Korea has often ignored such efforts to slow its missile development capabilities.
The Wall Street Journal also <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-korea-launches-unknown-projectile-11651638228" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un &#8220;has also begun repairs and restoration work at its main nuclear-test site. In recent weeks, U.S. and South Korean officials have expressed growing concern that the Kim regime could conduct its first nuclear test since 2017.&#8221;

‘Destabilizing Acts’: Pentagon Confirms Latest North Korean Missile Launch

Pentagon Confirms Latest North Korean Missile Launch

Missiles

Menu