North Korea held what will likely be the final parade of its ongoing five-year military modernization campaign on Friday, unveiling multiple new missiles in another showcase of the central role of strategic and tactical nuclear systems in Kim Jong Un’s defense strategy. The Oct. 10 parade commemorated the 80th anniversary of the founding of the […] The post What to make of the Hwasong-20, North Korea’s puzzling new nuclear missile appeared first on NK PRO.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held talks with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Pyongyang on Friday, expressing hopes for strengthening the allies’ “strategic partnership” as they cooperate over the war in Ukraine. The meeting with Medvedev, the leader of the ruling United Russia party, took place on the sidelines of celebrations for the […]

This is a developing news story. Please check for further updates. (Last updated on Oct. 11 at 9:18 a.m. KST with photos from DPRK state media) North Korea showed off a massive new solid-fuel missile at a large-scale military parade in Pyongyang on Friday night, hailing the capability as the country’s “most powerful nuclear strategic […]

The U.S. and South Korea held their first deputy foreign minister-level strategic dialogue in four years on Friday, agreeing to strengthen coordination on North Korea’s complete denuclearization and underscoring the importance of trilateral cooperation with Japan. ROK First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo met with U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker […]

ROK government funding for a center that helps North Korean defectors resettle in the South has held steady despite a significant decrease in new arrivals, according to a ruling party lawmaker, raising concerns about inefficient operations. At the same time, lawmaker Kim Sang-wook of the Democratic Party criticized a lack of sufficient support for children […]

The pro-Putin pop star Shaman and Russian art troupes performed for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a concert in Pyongyang on Thursday, a showcase of friendly ties that paid tribute to DPRK soldiers who died in the Ukraine war.  The singers and other performers from the Russian State Academic People’s Chorus, the “Todec” […]

Editor’s note: NK Pro will go live the moment the Oct. 10 parade broadcast begins, providing real-time commentary and analysis. Register here for access. North Korea is expected to stage a large-scale nighttime military parade late Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of the ruling party’s foundation, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) has assessed. […]

Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in North Korea on Thursday to join 80th anniversary celebrations of the DPRK’s ruling party, which are expected to include a large-scale military parade through the capital. In a two-sentence report, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency stated that Li is visiting North Korea at the invitation of the Workers’ Party […]

North Korea held its first mass games propaganda performance in five years on Thursday, where leader Kim Jong Un delivered a speech to promote the benefits of totalitarianism for hundreds of foreign visitors, including China’s premier and the leaders of Vietnam and Russia’s ruling parties. According to state media on Friday, Kim told foreign guests […]

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met China’s premier and the heads of Russia’s and Vietnam’s ruling parties on Thursday, amid large-scale celebrations for the Workers Party of Korea’s 80th anniversary in Pyongyang. At a mass games performance kicking off festivities, Kim enthusiastically greeted Chinese Premier Li Qiang, United Russia Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev and Communist […]

North Korea kicked off celebrations for the 80th founding anniversary of the ruling party with a mass games performance in Pyongyang on Thursday evening, ahead of an imminent military parade showcasing the country’s military might in front of officials from across the world. In a Telegram post, Alexander Khinshtein, the acting governor of Russia’s Kursk […]

North Korea rolled out a new long-range missile dubbed its “most powerful” ever for the country’s first military parade in over two years, a high-profile showcase of military might featuring several potent weapon systems.  But this time, it wasn’t necessarily the weapons that stole the show. The DPRK’s celebrations for the 80th founding anniversary of […] The post At a subdued parade, Kim Jong Un turns to foreign friends to project strength appeared first on NK PRO.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held talks with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Pyongyang on Friday, expressing hopes for strengthening the allies’ “strategic partnership” as they cooperate over the war in Ukraine. The meeting with Medvedev, the leader of the ruling United Russia party, took place on the sidelines of celebrations for the […]

North Korea’s party daily published an op-ed by China’s ambassador for the first time in four years this week, a rare contribution that praised “unshakeable” relations in another sign of improving bilateral ties. The publication of the article came as Chinese Premier Li Qiang prepared to visit the DPRK to attend celebrations for the 80th […] The post North Korea’s party daily publishes rare op-ed by Chinese ambassador appeared first on NK PRO.

Editor’s note: NK Pro will go live the moment the Oct. 10 parade broadcast begins, providing real-time commentary and analysis. Register here for access. North Korea appears set to hold a large-scale parade to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the ruling party on Friday, serving up a spectacle of military might in front of […] The post What to expect from North Korea’s imminent Oct. 10 military parade appeared first on NK PRO.

For the fourth time in five years, North Korea has opened a major defense expo showcasing the country’s latest weapons innovations, offering a cornucopia of details about the accelerating rate of military developments. The “Military Hardware Exhibition Defence Development-2025” follows similar events in 2021, 2023 and 2024, and their frequency is largely in lockstep with […] The post Why North Korea’s stunning arms exhibition may not be all its cracked up to be appeared first on NK PRO.

North Korea has revealed a range of new weapons developments at an arms expo ongoing this week in Pyongyang, according to NK Pro analysis of state media imagery, including nuclear missiles and aerial and naval drones.  NK Pro has created a map of the expo floor, labeling over 40 systems on display inside the Heavy […] The post All the weapons on display at North Korea’s 2025 arms expo appeared first on NK PRO.

Available evidence indicates that North Korea has experienced a dramatic spike in inflation over the past year, a development underscoring major changes in the country’s economy since the pandemic. Data from inside the country shows that the value of forex against the DPRK won (KPW) has ballooned since Sept. 2024, while food prices have doubled […] The post Surging North Korean inflation exposes the costs of major economic changes appeared first on NK PRO.

A North Korean naval corvette on the east coast sailed to a repair yard this week, a possible sign of efforts to finally officially deploy the ship after a troubled development spanning 14 years. According to NK Pro analysis of Planet Labs satellite imagery, the 77-meter vessel unofficially dubbed a Tuman-class corvette disappeared between Sept. […] The post North Korean corvette sails to dry dock in sign of progress for troubled project appeared first on NK PRO.

North Korea’s cabinet daily urged young people this week to reject “reactionary” cultural schemes and dress and groom “in our own way,” policing fashion in line with an ongoing crackdown on foreign influence that aims to boost loyalty to the country’s socialist system. But state media attempted to show that youth who violate the official […] The post North Korea fashion police exhort young people to dress like socialists appeared first on NK PRO.

About the Month in Review Every month, NK Pro conducts an in-depth analytic review of news on the Korean Peninsula. This Month in Review covers the period of Sept. 1, 2025 to Sept. 30, 2025. In addition to an executive summary providing top-line findings, the following review includes detailed analysis on a wide range of other […] The post North Korea in September 2025: A month in review and what’s ahead appeared first on NK PRO.

A Russian cargo ship that has been sanctioned for facilitating illicit weapons trade with North Korea appeared at a northeastern DPRK port this week for the first time in two months, likely as part of ongoing arms shipments. According to NK Pro analysis of Planet Labs satellite imagery, the Lady R cargo ship dropped off […] The post Russian cargo ship visits North Korea weapons port for first time in 2 months appeared first on NK PRO.

A Chinese plane appeared to pick up or deliver unidentified cargo in North Korea on Tuesday, an unusual trip possibly related to DPRK foreign minister Choe Son Hui’s high-level talks in Beijing in recent days. According to NK Pro analysis of Planet Labs satellite imagery and Flightradar24 data, an Air China Cargo Boeing 747 (tail […] The post Chinese cargo plane makes rare North Korea trip after foreign minister visit appeared first on NK PRO.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held talks with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Pyongyang on Friday, expressing hopes for strengthening the allies’ “strategic partnership” as they cooperate over the war in Ukraine. The meeting with Medvedev, the leader of the ruling United Russia party, took place on the sidelines of celebrations for the […]

This is a developing news story. Please check for further updates. (Last updated on Oct. 11 at 9:18 a.m. KST with photos from DPRK state media) North Korea showed off a massive new solid-fuel missile at a large-scale military parade in Pyongyang on Friday night, hailing the capability as the country’s “most powerful nuclear strategic […]