Netflix makes bombshell Russell Brand announcement days after disgraced TV star jailed

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

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. On Monday, Lee plans to hold discussions with ASEAN countries on ways to enhance cooperation during a South Korea-ASEAN summit, followed by a meeting with leaders of five Mekong countries — Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. During the summit with the Mekong countries, the South Korean president plans to express his commitment to strengthening strategic partnership with the countries and discuss ways to enhance cooperation in critical minerals, responses to transnational crimes and others, Wi said. The following day, Lee will attend the ASEAN Plus Three summit, which will bring together the

North Korea's Embassy in Beijing appears to have undergone expansion and renovation work recently amid strengthening ties and growing high-level exchanges between Pyongyang and Beijing, sources said Thursday. The interior expansion work involved two buildings, reportedly including dormitory facilities, with some of the work being detected around the time of leader Kim Jong-un's surprise visit to the Chinese city of Dandong last month, according to sources familiar with the matter. Construction safety netting was seen around buildings inside the embassy compound and near its main gate. The sources also said there were indications that Pyongyang had sought contributions from North Koreans staying in China to help cover the costs. The renovation work came as North Korea and China have stepped up efforts to strengthen bilateral ties through a series of high-level exchanges and concrete steps to expand cross-border cooperation. During a summit in Pyongyang in June, Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic level and expand cooperation in various fiel

South Korea is closely watching developments surrounding the possibility of a trilateral summit among the leaders of the United States, China and Russia on the sidelines of next week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, a senior Seoul official said Thursday. First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo made the remarks during a session of the parliamentary foreign affairs and unification committee in response to Rep. Park Sung-joon of the ruling Democratic Party's question about the prospect of such a meeting. "We are closely monitoring developments involving the U.S., China and Russia, as the possibility of discussions on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula (during the meeting) cannot be ruled out," Park said. There have been discussions about a possible first-ever trilateral meeting among U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the APEC summit scheduled for Nov. 18-19 in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, according to foreign media reports. The lawmaker said North Korea's strategic value and leverage ha

Three members of a criminal ring were sentenced to prison terms on Thursday for collaborating with North Korean hackers to create and distribute illegal gambling websites in South Korea. The Seoul Central District Court sentenced one member of the criminal ring to four years in prison and a four-year suspension of qualifications after finding him guilty of violating the National Security Act and operating illegal gambling sites. The two other ring members indicted in the same case were both sentenced to three years in prison, while one of them also received a three-year suspension of qualifications. The three individuals were brought to trial as accomplices to the ringleader, surnamed Kim, who was convicted of the same offenses in September and sentenced to five years in prison and a five-year suspension of qualifications. Kim was found guilty of creating 16 illegal gambling sites in collaboration with North Korean hackers between 2022 and 2024 and selling them to domestic gambling site operators. Kim earned about 23.5 billion won ($17.6 million) from the sales and transferred more than

Korea and Belgium have discussed the leak of personal information belonging to President Lee Jae Myung and members of his entourage during his June trip to Belgium and other parts of Europe, and agreed to maintain close communication on the matter, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. The issue was discussed during a Seoul meeting between First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo and Theodora Gentzis, secretary-general of Belgium's foreign ministry, held Friday, according to the ministry. "During the meeting, ways to promote cooperation in various areas were discussed, and the data leak was also discussed," ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon told a press briefing in response to a reporter's question about possible cooperation between the two countries on the incident. "We take this matter seriously and are conducting an investigation. The two sides agreed to continue communicating closely," Park added. The leak came to light after a file containing personal information of 168 people aboard the presidential aircraft, including Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung, was uploaded to VirusTot

A summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears unlikely at next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering in Shenzhen, China, a Cheong Wa Dae official and security analysts said Thursday, despite Trump’s earlier talk of a potential meeting. The assessment comes as the Republican Party’s sweeping losses in the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections have weakened Trump’s momentum for unconventional diplomatic initiatives such as a meeting with Kim. Pressing international issues are also expected to dominate any talks involving the U.S. on the sidelines of APEC, including a possible one-on-one meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and three-way talks that would also involve Russian President Vladimir Putin. “We see little possibility of North Korea participating in multilateral events on occasions such as APEC, and little possibility of U.S.-North Korea contact taking place on that occasion,” the Cheong Wa Dae official said during a press briefing. While acknowledging uncertainties, the official said, “the chances of contact

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will visit China this week for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on North Korea-related issues and bilateral relations, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. Cho is scheduled to make a two-day visit to Beijing starting Friday, during which he will hold talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang and attend a dinner on the same day, according to the ministry. "The two ministers plan to hold wide-ranging discussions on issues of mutual interest, including bilateral relations, developments on the Korean Peninsula and other regional issues," ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said at a press briefing. Cho's visit follows an invitation from Wang during their talks in Seoul in August. At the time, the two ministers exchanged views on bilateral relations and Korean Peninsula issues, with Cho calling for Beijing to play a constructive role in bringing North Korea back to dialogue. The visit will precede President Lee Jae Myung's planned trip to China to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen on Nov. 18-19. Chinese President Xi

North Korea on Thursday denounced what it called a U.S.-led naval buildup and nuclear submarine programs, warning it would counter the growing naval threat with unspecified "action." Kim Jong-sik, first vice department director of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, made the remarks in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "Arms build-up of the U.S. and its vassal allies for seizing a maritime edge in the Asia-Pacific region has emerged as a new dangerous factor seriously disturbing regional peace and security," Kim said. He described nuclear submarine programs in South Korea, Japan and Australia as the "detailed implementation" of a new U.S. security strategy aimed at "securing the maritime hegemony." "This has become a root cause of seriously undermining the strategic balance in the region and sparking off a new arms race," he claimed. The enemies' naval buildup and the threat it poses to its security are "a very grave challenge," he said, and the North's response "will not be merely confined to denouncing it." "We will deter all threats b

A consultant has broken ranks to condemn plans to downgrade the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, warning it will be the “final nail in the coffin”.

A cut to the number of representatives, appointment of an external auditor, or strict discipline in meetings? Here’s how candidates have suggested sorting out the beleaguered council’s issues.