Pyongyang is dependent on the world's second-largest economy, but the "blood-cemented alliance" doesn't extend to security issues.

For decades, North Korea's air force has been a collection of Cold War relics barely able to leave the ground, let alone pose a threat beyond its borders. In March 2025, intelligence analysts spotted an aging Soviet Il-76 transport aircraft sitting in an isolated Pyongyang hangar,

Lee Jae-myung, South Korea's liberal presidential candidate, aims to restore communication with North Korea and strengthen ties with the U.S. and Japan, amidst strained relations with China. His proposals mirror some of his rival's pledges,

A North Korean top defense official has been arrested as Kim Jong Un goes after those deemed responsible for last week's botched launch.

South Korea's liberal presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung said on Monday he would pursue the restoration of communication between Seoul and North Korea, including via a military hotline if elected.

As Korea approaches its presidential election, questions of national security and unification have become more complex than ever.

Trade tensions are building, the military alliance is under pressure and Korean domestic politics are fraught. Can Seoul negotiate a way out?

North Korea slammed on Tuesday US President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile shield plan as a "very dangerous" threat that could spark nuclear war in space, state media said.

South Korea's presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung pledged to restore communication with North Korea, including a military hotline, if elected. He also aims to improve relations with China, which he believes deteriorated under the previous administration.

South Korea hosts the third-largest number of American troops outside the U.S.—after Japan and Germany—stationed there to help defend Seoul against threats from nuclear-armed North Korea and support regional efforts to counter an increasingly assertive China.