Latest news with #KNS
Sinar Daily
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
North Korea warns US against pushing it to give up nukes
Kim said the "personal relationship" between her brother and Trump was "not bad", but warned that should not be used to "serve the purpose of denuclearisation" in any future talks. 29 Jul 2025 02:01pm This picture taken on July 27, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on July 28, 2025 shows veterans taking part in celebrations to mark the 72nd anniversary of the end of the Korean War at the Pyongyang Gymnasium Square in Pyongyang. North and South Korea technically remain at war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP) SEOUL - The powerful sister of North Korea's leader warned the United States on Tuesday against pursuing denuclearisation, after a White House official was quoted as saying President Donald Trump was open to dialogue with Kim Jong Un. "Any attempt to deny the position of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state... will be thoroughly rejected," Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by state media, referring to the North by the acronym for its official name. This picture taken on July 27, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on July 28, 2025 shows a marchpast as people take part in celebrations to mark the 72nd anniversary of the end of the Korean War at the Pyongyang Gymnasium Square in Pyongyang. North and South Korea technically remain at war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP) Kim said the "personal relationship" between her brother and Trump was "not bad", but warned that should not be used to "serve the purpose of denuclearisation" in any future talks. Trump and the North Korean leader met three times during the US president's first term in a bid to reach an agreement on the denuclearisation of the North. But since their second summit in Hanoi in 2019 fell apart over failure to agree on what the North would get in return, Pyongyang has accelerated its nuclear programme. "Shortly ago, a person in authority of the White House said... that he (Trump) is still open to dialogue with the DPRK leader for achieving the complete denuclearization of the DPRK," Kim Yo Jong said Tuesday, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. She appeared to be referring to an unnamed White House official who was quoted by Yonhap news agency at the weekend as saying Trump "remains open to engaging with Leader Kim to achieve a fully de-nuclearized North Korea". "I do not want to deny the fact that the personal relationship between the head of our state and the present US president is not bad", she said, but warned Washington against trying to use that to achieve denuclearisation. If it is used for that purpose, "it can be interpreted as nothing but a mockery of the other party," she said, urging the United States to recognise the North as a "nuclear weapons state". Trump has talked up his "great relationship" with the North Korean leader, and hinted that he might seek to rekindle talks with the third-generation ruler in Pyongyang. - AFP More Like This
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Census reform pitch: Call for ‘no caste, no religion' option gains ground in Telangana; census director responds to Kula Nirmulana Sangham (KNS) plea
HYDERABAD: Director of Census for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Bharathi Hollikeri, on Tuesday assured representatives of Kula Nirmulana Sangham that she would forward their request to create a separate space in the upcoming census formats for individuals who wish to identify as casteless and irreligious. The KNS team submitted a representation citing a legal directive from Telangana HC, which had instructed authorities to make provisions for the 'no caste, no religion' (NCNR) category in official data collection. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
New York Post
14-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
North Korea relaunches 5K ton warship after embarrassing false start in May
North Korea has successfully repaired and relaunched its new 5,000-ton naval destroyer less than a month after the boat embarrassingly capsized, according to state media reports. The Korean Central News Agency said the destroyer — the second one Pyongyang has built this year — was back in the water on Thursday. 3 Kim Jong Un brought his daughter along for the relaunch. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images The reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was reportedly at the launch, held along the country's east coast. Kim said the new battleship stood as 'convincing proof of the rapid transformation of our Navy. … No one will doubt, I think, the rapid transformation of our Navy as they have witnessed the launching of another new-type destroyer less than two months after a similar event at the Nampho Shipyard.' Kim repeated prior claims he would bolster North Korea's navy in response to perceived threats posed by the US and its Asian allies. 3 Kim and his daughter toured the warship on Thursday. KCNA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 'The super-radical growth of our Navy's operations capability is now being proved by powerful entities, not by a prediction or possibility, and this has already become an unstoppable, powerful current of history,' said Kim. The ruler of the hermit kingdom previously attributed last month's botched launch to criminal negligence. Four officials were later detained, including the vice director of the Workers' Party's munitions industry department. 3 This is the second destroyer the reclusive nation's built this year. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images Meanwhile, Kim has been visiting military industrial factories across the country, calling on the country to ramp up production of shells in order to meet the demands of war in the 21st century. KCNP reported Kim 'gave field guidance at a major munitions industry enterprise' on Friday, and 'learned in detail about shell production, capacity expansion and modernization projects in the first half of 2025.' Kim 'expressed great satisfaction over the high enthusiasm for patriotic deeds and struggle displayed by the workers at the enterprise,' KCNP reported. He further noted stepping up production would 'satisfy all the requirements of the national defence strategy and increase the output of new-type powerful shells to meet the requirements of modern warfare.'
New York Post
23-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un furious over failed destroyer launch, vows to arrest those responsible
North Korea is seeking to arrest those responsible for the failed launch of its second naval destroyer, as it denied the warship suffered major damage — a claim quickly met with outside skepticism. A statement from North Korea on its handling of the botched launch came after leader Kim Jong Un expressed fury over the incident that he said was caused by criminal negligence. The main military committee said Friday that those responsible would be held accountable for their 'unpardonable criminal act.' Advertisement 7 North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un attends the launch ceremony of a newly-built destroyer alongside his daughter Ju Ae on April 25, 2025. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images Satellite imagery on the site showed the vessel lying on its side and draped in blue covers, with parts of it submerged. North Korea says it will take about 10 days to repair the damage, but outside observers question that timeframe because damage to the ship appeared much worse than what North Korea claims. Advertisement Here is what you need to know about the failed ship launch: How much damage was there to the ship? North Korea's state media said Friday the severity of the damage to the 5,000-ton-class destroyer was 'not serious' as it canceled an earlier assessment that the bottom of the hull had been left with holes. It said the hull on the starboard side was scratched and some seawater had flowed into the stern section. It said it needs a total of 10 days to pump out the seawater, set the ship upright and fix the scratches. Advertisement It's almost impossible to verify the assessment because of the extremely secretive nature of North Korea. 7 Satellite footage captured the extensive damage the destroyer sustained in the launch, as the vessel sits in the water covered by tarps. @osc_london/X 7 The newly-built destroyer sits above the water before the launch ceremony on May 18, 2025. via REUTERS It has a history of manipulating or covering up military-related setbacks, policy fiascoes and other mishaps, though it has periodically acknowledged some in recent years. Advertisement Lee Illwoo, an expert with the Korea Defense Network in South Korea, said the North Korean warship likely suffered much worse damage, including the flooding of its engine room located in the stern section, and holes in the starboard. He said North Korea could simply set the ship upright, paint it over and claim the ship has been launched, but that repairs could take more than a year as the replacement of an engine requires cutting the hull. Why the ship's launch failed According to the North Korean account, the destroyer was damaged when a transport cradle on the ship's stern detached early during a launch ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin on Wednesday. Moon Keun-sik, a navy expert who teaches at Seoul's Hanyang University, said North Korean workers are probably not familiar with launching a 5,000-ton-class warship, which is a few times heavier than its existing main navy ships. 7 According to the North Korean account, the destroyer was damaged when a transport cradle on the ship's stern detached early during a launch ceremony at the northeastern port of Chongjin on Wednesday. via REUTERS Observers say North Korea tried to launch the destroyer sideways, a method it has never used for warships, although it has previously employed it with big cargo and passenger ships. Compared with those non-military vessels, Lee sad it would be more difficult to maintain balance with the destroyer because it's equipped with heavy weapons systems. He suspected North Korean scientists and officials likely did not factor that in. How Kim has reacted Advertisement The damaged ship is assessed as the same class as North Korea's first destroyer, launched with great fanfare last month with a floating dry dock at a western shipyard. It is North Korea's biggest and most advanced warship to date, and Kim called its construction 'a breakthrough' in modernizing North Korea's naval forces to cope with what he calls US-led security threats. Subsequently, a failure to launch the second destroyer was an embarrassment for Kim. 7 Kim Jong Un addresses a crowd during a launch ceremony at the western port of Nampo on April 25, 2025. AP Advertisement 7 Kim Jong Un and his daughter participate in a ceremony near the destroyer on April 26, 2025. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images But by disclosing the failure both internally and externally, Kim could be trying to show his resolve in building greater naval forces and boosting discipline at home. He ordered officials to repair the warship before a ruling Workers' Party meeting in late June. The official Korean Central News Agency said Friday that a team of prosecutors and experts began steps to arrest and investigate those responsible as part of their full-scale investigation into the case. KCNA said that Hong Kil Ho, manager of the Chongjin shipyard, has been summoned for questioning. Advertisement 7 Kim Jong Un attends looks on during a launch ceremony for the country's new Naval destroyer. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images 'No matter how good the state of the warship is, the fact that the accident is an unpardonable criminal act remains unchanged, and those responsible for it can never evade their responsibility for the crime,' the North's Central Military Commission said in an instruction to the investigation team, according to KCNA. Kim Dong-yub, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said North Korea appears to be using the failed launch as a chance to strengthen the ruling party's control over science and technological sectors. Advertisement Lee Choon Geun, an honorary research fellow at South Korea's Science and Technology Policy Institute, said that North Korea's handling of the damaged warship could have long-term consequences for its defense science sector. 'If scientists are held severely accountable, I would say the future of North Korea's defense science doesn't look very bright, as it would be a sign that political responsibility is being prioritized over technical accountability,' Lee wrote on Facebook.
New York Post
22-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
North Korea's second naval destroyer damaged in failed launch at ceremony attended by Kim
North Korea's second naval destroyer was damaged in its failed launch to the water this week, state media reported Thursday, in an embarrassment for leader Kim Jong Un as he pushes to modernize his naval forces. It's not common for North Korea to acknowledge military-related setbacks, but observers say the disclosure of the failed ship launch suggests that Kim is serious about his naval advancement program and confident of ultimately achieving its objectives. During a launching event at the northeastern port of Chongjin on Wednesday, the newly built 5,000-ton-class destroyer became unbalanced and was punctured in its bottom sections after a transport cradle on the stern section slid off first and became stuck, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Advertisement 4 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) and his daughter Ju Ae attending the launch ceremony of a newly-built destroyer at the Nampo port in Nampo on April 26, 2025. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images KCNA didn't provide details on what caused the problem, the severity of the damage or whether anyone was injured. According to KCNA, Kim, who was present at the ceremony, blamed military officials, scientists and shipyard operators for a 'serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism.' Kim called for a ruling Workers' Party meeting slated for late June to address their 'irresponsible errors.' Advertisement 'It's a shameful thing. But the reason why North Korea disclosed the incident is it wants to show it's speeding up the modernization of its navy forces and expresses its confidence that it can eventually build' a greater navy, said Moon Keun-sik, a navy expert who teaches at Seoul's Hanyang University. Moon suspected the incident likely happened because North Korean workers aren't yet familiar with such a large warship and were rushed to put it in the water. The damaged vessel was likely in the same class as the country's first destroyer, unveiled April 25, which experts assessed as the North's largest and most advanced warship to date. 4 Kim Jong Un speaks during a launching ceremony of a new naval destroyer at a western port in Nampo, North Korea, on April 25, 2025. AP Advertisement Kim called the first vessel, named Choe Hyon — a famed Korean guerilla fighter during the Japanese colonial period — a significant asset for advancing his goal of expanding the military's operational range and nuclear strike capabilities. State media described that ship as designed to handle various weapons systems, including anti-air and anti-ship weapons as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles. Kim said the ship was expected to enter active duty early next year and later supervised test-firings of missiles from the warship. Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday the damaged vessel was likely equipped with similar systems and remains toppled over in the sea. Advertisement 4 The launch ceremony of a newly-built destroyer at the Nampo port in Nampo. KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images The North Korean report came after recent commercial satellite images indicated that the country was building its second destroyer at a shipyard in Chongjin. Beyond Parallel, a website run by the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said the satellite imagery of Chongjin's Hambuk shipyard on May 12 showed that a second vessel in the Choe Hyon-class of guided missile destroyers was under construction. A report by the North Korea-focused 38 North website assessed last week that the destroyer built at the Chongjin shipyard was being prepared to be launched sideways from the quay, a method that has been rarely used in North Korea. The report said the previous destroyer launched at the western shipyard of Nampo, in contrast, used a floating dry dock. South Korean officials and experts say the Choe Hyon destroyer was likely built with Russian assistance as the two countries' military partnerships are booming. 4 North Korea has unveiled a new warship it claims is a destroyer armed with the 'most powerful weapons.' KCNA VIA KNS/AFP via Getty Images While North Korea's naval forces are considered inferior to South Korea's, analysts still view the destroyer as a serious security threat, as it could enhance the country's offensive and defensive capabilities. Advertisement Kim has framed the arms buildup as a response to perceived threats from the United States and its allies in Asia, who have been expanding joint military exercises amid rising tensions over the North's nuclear program. He says the acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine would be his next big step in strengthening his navy. Hours after releasing the report on the damaged destroyer, North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles from an area near the northeastern town of Sondok, according to South Korea's military. The launches were a continuation of a streak of weapons-testing activities by North Korea in recent years. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff didn't immediately say how far the missiles flew, noting the launches were being analyzed by South Korean and US intelligence authorities.
