Two more men charged after fatal Mount Druitt stabbing

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday it has clamped down on North Korean remote IT worker schemes that affected more than 70 American companies and generated millions of dollars in revenue allegedly linked to the North Korean regime. The department announced a series of recent coordinated law enforcement actions in Ohio and Texas, including an indictment, two arrests and the seizure of 187 computers used by North Korean IT workers to obtain fraudulent employment at U.S. companies. "North Korea's rogue regime uses its pervasive IT worker schemes to raise revenue for various illicit purposes, including the development of weapons that could ultimately target the United States or its allies," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said in a department release. According to the department, North Korean IT workers used stolen or fabricated identities and virtual private networks to secure remote jobs at American companies. They relied on U.S.-based facilitators who hosted company-issued laptops and transferred earnings to North Korean-controlled acc

WASHINGTON — North Korea is gaining experience in deploying troops and sustaining military operations over long distances through its involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Tuesday. U.S. Gen. Xavier Brunson made the remarks during a dialogue hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, highlighting the military benefits Pyongyang has gained from deploying troops and supplying weapons to support Moscow in the war. "They've learned how to go from North Korea to find themselves in Russia to move men, weapons and equipment there, as well to build supply lines that would allow them to support the Russian war effort," Brunson said when asked about the experiences Pyongyang gained through its participation in the conflict. Brunson stressed that North Korea's military has gained experience in strategic movement, mobilization and logistics, allowing it to develop capabilities that extend beyond tactical lessons learned on the battlefield. The commander warned that North Korea's military is becoming increasingly

WASHINGTON — New White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia said Tuesday that $54 billion was tied to an Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) project as part of a South Korean energy investment package, despite uncertainty over Seoul's participation in the project. Zacharia made the remarks during her first official press briefing at the White House while highlighting the South Korean energy investment package worth up to $200 billion that U.S. President Donald Trump announced earlier this month. "President Trump also unveiled a South Korea energy investment package of up to $200 billion in the United States. This is an amazing deal. This includes as much as $120 billion to build eight large-scale nuclear power plants," Zacharia said. "In addition to that, there is $54 billion tied to the Alaska LNG pipeline and terminal to service the Pacific Rim and sell fuel to our allies as well as $22.3 billion for a 6-gigawatt natural gas power facility in Texas." Following Trump's announcement, South Korea's industry ministry, however, said the Alaska project had not yet been finalized, stressing

The finance ministers of South Korea and the United States have reaffirmed the importance of economic and financial cooperation between the two countries, according to Seoul's finance ministry. Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il held a video conference with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for the first time since Lee took office last month, according to the ministry. Bessent congratulated Lee on his appointment and stressed the importance of bilateral cooperation in economic and financial affairs. Lee thanked Bessent for his congratulations and expressed hope for close communication and cooperation, the ministry said. The two ministers also discussed shared economic policy priorities and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation. The Treasury also issued a release on the finance chiefs' virtual exchange. "Secretary Bessent congratulated Deputy Prime Minister Lee on his new role and underscored the importance of the U.S.–Republic of Korea economic and financial relationship," the release said, adding, "The two officials discussed shared economic priorities and opportunities to strengthen

North Korea on Wednesday stressed the need to keep developing its nuclear arsenal for self-defense, in an editorial timed for the 100th anniversary of the founding of an organization considered the root of the Workers' Party of Korea. The front-page editorial in the Rodong Sinmun, the most widely read daily in the country, praised the spirit of "independence and anti-imperialism" at the center of the Down-with-Imperialism Union, formed by North Korean founder Kim Il-sung on Oct. 17, 1926. It called for "the strongest self-defensive capabilities" as the path to "complete and absolute sovereignty," and for bolstering the country's nuclear arsenal. "We accomplished the historic work of building our national nuclear forces in a short time and beyond all precedent," the editorial said. "By enshrining the policy of strengthening them in the constitution, we have ensured no one can bargain over our absolute strength any longer and secured a legal guarantee for its continued advancement," it said. North Korea stipulated the policy of strengthening its nuclear force in the constitution in Septembe

South Korea and the United States are in talks to set the date for their high-level defense dialogue after the U.S. midterms, informed sources said Wednesday, a move that would mark a delay of the annual talks typically held in early November. According to the sources, the allies have reached a mutual "understanding" to push back the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) largely due to the U.S. midterm elections slated for Nov. 3. Washington is due to host this year's SCM. The apparent delay, however, comes amid a perceived gap between Seoul and Washington over the timing of the U.S.' handover of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea, Seoul seeks to retake wartime OPCON from Washington before the Lee Jae Myung administration's five-year term ends in 2030, or even as early as next year. Washington has expressed reservations about rushing the transition out of political considerations. "The U.S. side has raised the need for rescheduling considering the midterm elections and other factors," a source said. Another source said that both sides "are aligned on delaying the schedule," T

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik has met with Greek lawmakers in Athens to discuss ways to step up bilateral cooperation in defense and high-tech industries, his office said Wednesday. Cho made the remarks during a luncheon meeting Tuesday (local time), outlining the Korean government's economic strategy on artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, culture, defense, energy and manufacturing. "We firmly believe that South Korea and Greece can cooperate closely in these areas and achieve mutually beneficial development through deeper cooperation," he said. Cho expressed hope that Korean companies could help strengthen Greece's naval capabilities through closer cooperation in shipbuilding and defense. Ioannis Plakiotakis, first vice speaker of the Greek parliament, said the two countries have maintained strong economic cooperation in shipping and shipbuilding, noting that their bilateral ties have expanded into other areas, including tourism and culture. He also stressed the importance of establishing direct flights between Seoul and Athens to boost tourism. Representatives from Kor

A bridge between North Korea and China will officially open to traffic this week after sitting idle for more than a decade following its construction, according to a Chinese news report on Wednesday. The New Yalu River Bridge, which connects the North Korean city of Sinuiju and Dandong in China, will open Thursday, according to China's Xinhua News Agency. There will be an opening ceremony on that day, the report said. The construction of the four-lane motor bridge began in October 2011 and wrapped up in October 2014, but it stood unused for years because North Korea did not finish the buildings and infrastructure on its side. Vehicles have recently been spotted crossing the 3,024-meter bridge, raising the possibility of a test run. The bridge, which is expected to boost trade and personnel exchanges between the two countries, opens after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged at their June summit in Pyongyang to raise their ties to a strategic level and enhance exchanges. It would supplement the existing Friendship Bridge, which opened in 1943 and has long

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