N. Korean Embassy in China undergoes renovation amid closer Pyongyang-Beijing ties

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected a major naval base under construction on the east coast, calling the project "crucial" to the country's security and maritime sovereignty, state media reported Thursday. Kim made the remarks during his Wednesday visit and urged the construction work to be finished within the deadline set by the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Accompanied by Pak Jong-chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the WPK, Kim was briefed on the progress of the project by commanding officers at the site. Kim called for building "as early as possible" a Korean-style naval command center, a hub of naval culture and a center of naval combat capability, along with the base's infrastructure, according to the KCNA. "As the construction of the modern naval base is a crucial core undertaking directly related to the security of our state and the defense of its maritime sovereignty from A to Z, it should be completed without fail" to the standard required by the party and within the period it has set, he was qu

WASHINGTON — Korean American Congressman-elect Dan Koh expressed concern Wednesday over the state of the South Korea-U.S. alliance under President Donald Trump, pledging to help restore bilateral ties while questioning the prospects of productive diplomacy between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Koh, a Democrat who won a House seat representing Massachusetts in last week's midterm elections, made the remarks during a press conference hosted by the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus in Washington. "I'm very concerned about the relationship," Koh said, stressing that the alliance should remain strong regardless of whether a Republican or Democratic president occupies the White House. In the past, Koh served as a White House official during former President Joe Biden's administration and chief of staff of former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. He criticized Trump's treatment of Korean immigrants and Korean workers in the U.S., citing an incident involving South Koreans in Georgia last year, as well as the administration's tariff policies toward U.S. allies. "So I will be doin

North Korea is unlikely to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit set to be held in China next week, a South Korean presidential official said Thursday. "It would be difficult to say there is zero possibility of talks (between North Korea and the United States), but I think the probability might not be high," the official said when asked about the possibility of North Korea attending multilateral diplomatic events or holding talks with Washington. The North is, in particular, unlikely to attend next week's APEC summit, the official said on condition of anonymity, adding the chances of talks between the two sides during the summit are slim. The remarks come amid persistent speculation about a possible meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during the APEC summit, scheduled for next Wednesday and Thursday in Shenzhen, China, after Trump repeatedly offered to meet Kim for talks.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will attend summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) next week, his national security adviser said Thursday. The South Korean president will depart Monday first for Manila where he will attend the ASEAN summit until Tuesday, followed by a two-day trip to China's Shenzhen beginning Wednesday, where he will attend the APEC summit, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told a briefing. At the upcoming events, Lee plans to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation with other heads of state through bilateral and multilateral meetings while highlighting South Korea's contributions to resolving regional challenges, including energy supply chains, transnational crimes and food security, according to Wi. A presidential official separately said that North Korea is unlikely to attend next week's APEC summit to hold talks with the United States. "It would be difficult to say there is zero possibility of talks (between North Korea and the US), but I think the probability might not be high," the of

A 17-year-old boy has been reunited with his mother after being found alive in Walhalla East, surviving six days on just a packet of chips and water.

Missing teenager William has been found alive, six days after he vanished while camping in Victorian bushland.

Five people who worked at the chipmaker told The New York Times that Jensen Huang, 63, also had an extramarital affair with Kimberly Powell,, 48, Nvidia's vice president of healthcare.

Dalaroo Metals is set to drill its high-grade Bondoukou gold discovery in Côte d’Ivoire, with a rig now mobilising to site to test extensions of an 18m hit grading 7.31 g/t gold.

The accused killer has returned to the witness box for further cross-examination after the jury was sent home early on Wednesday.

A teenage boy is being fighting for life after falling while train surfing across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The structure started to crumble around 4pm on Wednesday on Bedford Avenue in Flatbush, officials said.