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Quotes of the Day:
"History does not entrust the care of freedom to the weak or timid."
– Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Future shock [is] the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short a time."
– Alvin Toffler
"An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't. It's knowing where to go to find out what you need to know; and it's knowing how to use the information you get."
– William Feather
1. Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un's Closing Address at Ninth WPK Congress
2. Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un's Speech at Military Parade Held in Commemoration of Ninth Congress of WPK
3. Kim leaves door open to U.S. ties as North Korea vows nuclear buildup
4. Lee reaffirms commitment to improve ties with N. Korea after Pyongyang snubs dialogue offer
5. (News Focus) N. Korea keeps door open for dialogue with U.S.; deepens hostility toward Seoul
6. S. Korea regrets N.K.'s hostile policy declaration toward Seoul, vows to pursue reconciliation
7. Kim Jong-un Labels South Korea 'Complete Hostile State'
8. USFK Commander's Statement Directed by U.S. Department of Defense
9. China's rare earth leverage and South Korea's strategic counterweight
10. Anti-satellite weapons, AI tech headline North Korea’s new military wish list
1. Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un's Closing Address at Ninth WPK Congress
Summary:
Kim Jong Un closed the Ninth Workers’ Party Congress by declaring the meeting a success that reviewed the past five years and set “clear tasks and goals” across politics, the economy, national defense, and culture. He frames the congress as a landmark that proves the Party’s line is correct despite a “serious and rapid” global shift. The center of gravity is implementation: a new five-year plan, broken into annual plans, with 2026 as the decisive first year. He orders Party organs to intensify organizational and political work, mobilize mass “spiritual strength,” and demand higher discipline and responsibility from the newly elected central leadership.
Comment: This is hardline Kim Jong Un. He is under severe internal stress. This speech is all about ensuring control: tighten monitoring, rewards, and punishment around plan execution in 2026.
“National defense” is bundled with economic and cultural tasks, signaling continued militarization of resources, not a pivot to consumer relief.
The repeated stress on loyalty and “no vacillation” suggests elite anxiety about external pressure and internal fatigue, so the regime will treat dissent as a threat to plan fulfillment.
We should be under no illusion. He is not going to respond positively to South Korean overtures. He only wants to deal with the "big kids:" China, Russia and if given the right concessions, the US. He thinks that he is now on that level, despite the internal stresses he is facing.
Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un's Closing Address at Ninth WPK Congress
Date: 26/02/2026 | Source: KCNA.kp (En) | Read original version at source
https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1772075294-476555946/respected-comrade-kim-jong-uns-closing-address-at-ninth-wpk-congress/
Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a closing address at the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea.
The full text of his closing address is as follows:
Dear comrade delegates,
The Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea is about to conclude its work, having conducted responsible discussions of and reached decisions on all the agenda items.
The current Congress, the ninth in the history of our Party, has drawn great interest at home and abroad as it was convened in a period when our socialist construction is being pushed ahead with vigorously and the global political situation is experiencing a serious and rapid change.
The millions of our Party members and all other people across the country have extended their loyal and patriotic minds to the Congress, which has made a sacred review of our past arduous yet grand five-year struggle, and their absolute support to its work through a more intense struggle for creation, a labour struggle.
The world’s attention has also been focused on the revolutionary strategies and struggle policies the WPK would set forth and on the new level it would reach in advancing its cause.
Deeply mindful of the expectations of the Party and the people, all the delegates have displayed a high level of prudence and responsibility in performing their missions, so this Congress has achieved its set aim.
All in all, it can be said that all the work and schedules of the current Congress have achieved the desired results.
This Congress means a great review of the really arduous struggle and the start of a new journey.
I once again express my gratitude to all the delegates who, on behalf of all the organizations of the Party and all its members, have devoted, as one, sincere, proactive and responsible efforts to conducting successful discussions of the agenda items.
And availing myself of this opportunity, I extend my warm thanks to all the Party members, the people across the country and all the service personnel of our army, who have injected great encouragement and strength into the Congress and guaranteed its successful work by dint of their unique disposition of supporting the Party with single-hearted loyalty and steadfastness.
Comrade delegates,
The Ninth Congress of the WPK has served as a momentous occasion in turning the current phase of our Party and revolution into a more favourable one and putting onto a new stage our struggle for achieving gradual and stable progress in all spheres of the state activities and promoting the wellbeing of our people.
At the current Congress we have made a correct analysis and review of the achievements and experience we gained during the period under review. Through this, we have once again verified the validity of our ideology and cause and the righteousness of the direction of our work, and we have also got firmly convinced that we can attain greater successes in what we plan to do in the coming years.
What is of particular importance is that we have set clear tasks and goals we have to attain in the political, economic, military, cultural and all other fields, and specified the ways for their accomplishment. Now we are in a position to augment the overall strength of our state and push ahead with our efforts to open the era of comprehensive development of socialism with greater self-confidence.
We have acquired a guarantee for further enhancing our Party’s leadership ability and fighting efficiency to meet the requirements of the line of building the Party in the new era and the innovative requirements of our ever-intensifying struggle stage. This is of really enormous importance.
The successful Congress which has set a new goal on the road ahead of the Korean revolution serves as a demonstration of our absolute sense of mission regarding the destiny and future of our country and people as well as of our own strength and self-confidence which are growing greater in the trials.
For all these merits, the Ninth Congress of the WPK will be recorded as a political event that has set another landmark in the history of our sacred struggle for the development of our Party and for the victorious advance of our socialist construction.
Comrade delegates,
We are now faced again with a serious remoulding struggle, a struggle for achieving transformation, which we must surely undergo in the course of advance towards an ideal society in which the independence of the masses of the people has been fully realized.
It is an indispensable struggle for carrying out more formidable tasks and gigantic projects than those we have done up to now.
However, clear is the road ahead of us and definite is our success.
It is a source of great self-confidence and pride for our Party and people today that we are able to advance more confidently towards the comprehensive development of socialism in line with the right strategy for state building and along the correct road of the revolution without any slightest vacillation in the unprecedentedly complicated and ever-changing present world.
The long-term plans and struggle tasks put forward at the Ninth Congress of the WPK will be an inspiring banner instilling into our Party members and other people confidence, optimism, patriotic enthusiasm and stamina to bring about fresh miracles and innovations on all fronts of the revolution and construction.
Comrades,
The main idea and main spirit of the Ninth Congress of the WPK is, in a word, to consolidate the successes of the struggle for pioneering the era of comprehensive development and continue to lead them to a greater result.
The current Congress is run through with the idea and spirit that we should further cement the successes achieved during the period under review as a treasure of the country, the revolution and the people and bring about a more substantial improvement and development in all fields.
We should usher in a new heyday of strengthening the whole Party and make a big stride forward in the economy, national defence, culture and all other fields by holding aloft the idea and spirit of the Ninth Party Congress as the banner of struggle and advance and consistently applying them to the revolutionary practice.
In particular, we should carry out the new five-year plan without fail on an annual basis and, in the course of this, produce substantial, inspiring, significant and proud results.
The new five-year plan, which has been formulated at the current Congress, is a plan aimed at further expanding and intensifying the struggle for the comprehensive development of socialism, and it is raising the demand as to what ideological viewpoint and attitude we should work with and what practical successes we should achieve for the Party and the people in the future.
The heavy duty for fulfilling such an important and responsible task rests with all the delegates and our newly-elected central leadership of the Party.
Taking the lead in the new historic struggle should be the delegates, who are more familiar with the idea and spirit of the Congress than anyone else and who have adopted in person its decisions while enjoying the trust and expectations of all the Party members and other people by participating in the current Congress.
All the delegates should regard this moment as a new starting point of more courageous struggle and endeavour and, from now on, work hard in the vanguard of the struggle to implement the decisions of the Ninth Party Congress and play the core role at their workplaces and posts.
The activities of the members of the central leadership of the Party, who form the backbone of our Party and state, should always be correct, responsible and enterprising, but the demands and expectations of the country, revolution, Party members and other people for them have grown incomparably higher today.
All the members of the central leadership of the Party should shoulder the Party and state affairs in a responsible manner, always remembering the pledge they have made at the Congress and keeping a deep sense of mission, and actively lead their sectors, regions and fields to steady improvement and new development in the term of the Ninth Party Central Committee.
Party organizations, the political General Staff of the relevant sectors and units, should conduct organizational and political work in a more substantial and innovative way to implement the decisions of the Party Congress.
All the Party organizations should draw up their five-year struggle plans in detail and definitely on an annual basis by relying on the collective wisdom of the masses of the Party members and intensify Party guidance, political guidance, to give full play to the spiritual and creative strength of the masses of the people, so as to attain the goals set by them with credit.
In particular, they must make a breakthrough in implementing the five-year plan by unfailingly and successfully carrying out the plan for this year, the first year of the implementation of the decisions of the Party Congress, while boosting the morale and redoubling the fighting spirit.
Let us all uphold the fighting programme set forth at the Ninth Party Congress and work hard with a single mind to vigorously pioneer an era of new massive transformations that will add another page to the chronicle of national prosperity.
The declaration that this Congress is closed will be the moment of opening a prelude to the implementation of the ambitious five-year plan and the starting signal for launching an intense struggle for this year 2026.
Comrade delegates,
Let us cherish strong will and faith, firm conviction and self-confidence, and turn all out with an extraordinary determination to achieve the eternal prosperity of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, our glorious motherland, and the wellbeing of our people.
Fully convinced that, thanks to the soaring revolutionary spirit and undaunted struggle of all the delegates and other members of the Party, the people across the country and the service personnel of the People’s Army, the lines, policies and decisions put forward at this Congress will surely be carried out with credit and a new historic turn will be brought about in the development of our Party and revolution and in socialist construction, I declare the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea closed. -0-
www.kcna.kp (2026.02.26.)
2. Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un's Speech at Military Parade Held in Commemoration of Ninth Congress of WPK
Summary:
At a military parade marking the Ninth Party Congress, Kim Jong Un cast the Korean People’s Army as the vanguard of both national defense and socialist construction. He praised five years of “arduous struggle,” declared a new start toward long-term goals, and framed the global environment as unstable and violent. The army’s permanent mission, he said, is to defend sovereignty and deliver “terrible retaliatory attacks” against any hostile act. He demanded ideological loyalty to the Party, overwhelming military-technical capability, and strict discipline. Beyond deterrence, he tasked the military to lead economic transformation as a “shock brigade,” linking defense strength to national development and regime legitimacy.
Comment: The speech reinforces deterrence signaling: explicit retaliation language aims to dissuade preemption while justifying continued force modernization. By assigning the army a central role in construction, Kim institutionalizes military control over resources and labor, tightening regime control over the economy. Emphasis on ideological unity and discipline suggests concern about internal cohesion under sanctions and external pressure, with loyalty framed as operational readiness.
Sounds like Songun reincarnated - Military First Politics.
We must understand the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim Family regime.
Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un's Speech at Military Parade Held in Commemoration of Ninth Congress of WPK
Date: 26/02/2026 | Source: KCNA.kp (En) | Read original version at source
https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1772075316-845597977/respected-comrade-kim-jong-uns-speech-at-military-parade-held-in-commemoration-of-ninth-congress-of-wpk/
Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a speech at the military parade held in commemoration of the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea.
The full text of his speech is as follows:
All the people and Party members across the country,
Officers and soldiers of the heroic Korean People’s Army and officers and soldiers of the parade units,
Delegates to the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Pyongyang citizens,
Comrades,
Opening here at Kim Il Sung Square is a grand ceremony in commemoration of the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea that has set a new goal of advance on the road of our glorious revolution and injected fresh vitality into our fighting ranks.
Just here five years ago we made a start full of determination to blaze a trail, and having achieved the desired results, we are here again today to start the sacred struggle that should be continued.
Greeting this glorious moment, I am full of emotion as I am reminded of the painstaking efforts the people of this country, its sons and daughters, have made for the Party Congress that had to make a victorious review only, and of the imprints they have left day and night to this end.
For this moment of today, all the citizens, families and service personnel of this country have worked 24-7 strenuously and devoted all their precious things without hesitation for over 1 800 days, etching in the annals of history really valuable records.
The record of such a noble, patriotic and sacred struggle can be created only by our people and army that are the most righteous, tenacious and resourceful in the world.
Had there been no heroic struggle of the people and army, who have supported the lines and policies of their Party staunchly, invariably and with strong confidence in them, and had there been no precious gains of their struggle, we would have been unable to expect the great review of our Party’s activities and the high-spirited start towards a more ambitious goal.
Today’s military parade will fully demonstrate their soaring spirit and revolutionary enthusiasm for pioneering another new great path full of dignity in having proudly reviewed the very arduous struggle.
Availing myself of this meaningful opportunity, I offer warm thanks to all the Party organizations and members, the working class, other working people in all sectors and the reliable young vanguard of our Party, who have vigorously embarked on the road of struggle towards the new long-term objectives with the honourable recollection of having resourcefully gone through the most crucial and key stage of the revolution by following our Party through the arduous yet glorious struggle of overcoming the challenges and difficulties of history, and with soaring self-confidence as well.
Recollecting once again that the best and brilliant fruits symbolic of the prestige of our Party and state are the results of the bloody struggle and strenuous efforts our army has made, I also pay heartfelt tribute to all the officers and soldiers of our army who are devoting everything precious to our sacred cause.
Comrades,
This square, as a witness to the victorious history of our Party and every stride of our army, is hosting a military parade of our army to mark the first of the significant ceremonies in honour of the Ninth Congress of the Party.
As the Congress has made a review with pride, the intrinsic nature of our army that is absolutely loyal to the ideology and cause of the Party has been verified once again in the era of the most gigantic undertakings, and this eloquently confirms the steadfastness of our cause and the inevitability of its victory.
Those proud and dignified columns of paraders can be called representatives, symbolic ranks, who are fully qualified to stand at the forefront at this moment of honour when the watershed in our Party’s history and the starting line for another stage converge.
Parade units and all officers and soldiers of the People’s Army,
This route of military parade represents the invaluable position the times and the revolution have presented to the armed forces of our Republic, and it means the one of advance they should follow steadfastly with loyalty and feats in the lead of the revolution.
The People’s Army should continue to play the main role in good faith in our great times befitting the faithful revolutionary armed forces of our Party, hardcore of the defence capabilities of the state, pioneers of dramatic transformation and artists of the people’s happiness.
The international peace mechanism has been demolished to bits and the overuse of military muscles has resulted in ceaseless devastation and slaughter all around. In this world of today, it is the topmost, overriding task of our state and the duty of our armed forces, which no one else could perform for them, to reliably defend the rights to existence and development of our state and people.
Our armed forces are fully ready to cope with any circumstances.
Our army will deliver terrible retaliatory attacks to any forces the moment they commit hostile military acts of infringing upon our national sovereignty and security interests.
It should be the permanent goal of our army to foster the ideological spirit for breaking the enemy’s will to fight a war and annihilating them, possess overwhelming military and technical potentials capable of winning any battles and establish steely military discipline with which the whole army moves as one. In this way, our army can steadily grow strong into an entity of strength striking fear into the enemy.
The socialist construction sites where a heyday of creation and construction will be unfolded are the bases of honourable service to be permeated with the ennobling blood and sweat of our army, and the theatres of no retreat where it should continue to build up its invaluable reputation.
Our army should become the banner of advance in all spheres of socialist construction and the shock brigade that breaks through the obstacles, and proudly present models of the new era to the country and the people through perfect practice.
When the Party’s ideology and leadership becomes the lifeblood of the whole army, the Party’s lines and policies become the primary criteria for its military activities, and the execution of the Party’s order becomes the foremost duty of all the service personnel, our army will emerge victorious forever.
I am firmly convinced that the Korean People’s Army will give full play to its absolute loyalty, burning patriotism, staunch pioneering will and great might in the future struggle to defend the self-respect and honour of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, our motherland that represents our lifeline, and provide our people with a beautiful life.
Comrades,
We have again turned out in the struggle to achieve our ennobling ideals.
The achievements we have made so far are precious, yet, in view of the standards of wellbeing to be enjoyed by our great state and our most excellent people, this is no more than a beginning. Our Party will take on all burdens, however heavy, and brave all trials, however severe, to bring the beautiful future of the country earlier.
The source of our self-confidence that has soared in this glorious struggle, which will propel us to advance forward with greater courage, is the absolute loyalty and extraordinary mental strength of our army, whose service personnel regard it as their raison d’etre and natural duty to realize the Party’s long-cherished desires and the people’s ideals.
All the people across the country will march bravely along the road to be pioneered by the steel-strong units of our army and all its service personnel, and the time of Korea will advance non-stop towards high aims.
As we go on this sacred journey, we will experience evident changes that are different from what we are witnessing today, and this square will greet the ranks of victors again.
Let us all start our bold march.
Let us all launch a vigorous struggle for the new era opened up by the Ninth Party Congress for the dignity and prosperity of our great state and for the invincibility of the socialist cause.
Long live the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea! -0-
www.kcna.kp (2026.02.26.)
3. Kim leaves door open to U.S. ties as North Korea vows nuclear buildup
Summary:
At the close of the Ninth Workers’ Party of Korea congress and a night military parade, Kim Jong Un paired conditional outreach with escalation. He said there is “no reason” relations with the United States cannot improve if Washington abandons its “hostile policy,” while reaffirming plans to expand the nuclear arsenal, broaden delivery systems, and run regular tests and drills. He again dismissed South Korea as the “most hostile entity,” portraying Seoul’s outreach as deception. The optics mattered: the parade showcased force and unity, with Kim Ju Ae prominently beside him, reinforcing regime continuity messaging.
Comment: This is KFR political warfare with Juche characteristics. Kim wants to, no, rather he must, split the ROK/US alliance. He is following a similar pattern of his father and grandfather. Talk to the US, ignore the ROK, and try to reach an agreement that will undermine the ROK/US alliance.
Kim is testing whether POTUS will accept a transactional détente that sidesteps denuclearization, while using nuclear growth as leverage.
The congress-plus-parade sequence is classic coercive signaling: talk is offered, but only from behind a bigger shield, to deter pressure and split allied coordination in the Asia-Indo-Pacific.
World News Feb. 26, 2026 / 4:47 AM
Kim leaves door open to U.S. ties as North Korea vows nuclear buildup
By Thomas Maresca
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2026/02/26/Kim-Jong-Un-improved-US-ties-nuclear-buildup-military-parade/3171772084493/
In this photo released Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (2-L) shakes hands while his daughter Kim Ju Ae (L) looks on during a military parade in Pyongyang. The event marked the conclusion of the week-long Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea. Photo by KCNA/EPA
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said there was "no reason" Pyongyang could not improve relations with the United States if Washington abandons what he called its hostile policy, while simultaneously vowing to expand the country's nuclear arsenal, according to state media reports Thursday marking the close of a major ruling party congress.
The remarks came as North Korea concluded the Ninth Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea this week and staged a large nighttime military parade in Pyongyang showcasing troops and weapons systems in a display of force.
In a report delivered to party delegates and published Thursday by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim said future relations with Washington depended entirely on the U.S. position.
"The U.S. policy of hegemony and tyranny has severely shaken the foundations of peace and security in places around the world," Kim said, according to KCNA.
"However, if the U.S. respects the present position of our state ... and withdraws its hostile policy toward the DPRK, there is no reason why we cannot get on well with the U.S.," he said.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.
Kim has previously expressed openness to resuming diplomacy with Washington, saying he has "fond memories" of U.S. President Donald Trump, with whom he met three times during Trump's first term.
Analysts said Kim's remarks could be another message aimed at Trump.
"So long as President Trump doesn't push denuclearization and/or regime change -- which he won't -- I'm not surprised Kim Jong Un's signaled a willingness to talk to Trump when he's ready," Sean King, senior vice president and East Asia expert at New York-based consulting firm Park Strategies, told UPI.
"Kim knows well Trump's contempt for U.S. alliances and commitments abroad, and the North Korean dictator will presumably look to make the most of this moment," King said.
The North Korean leader maintained his dismissive stance toward South Korea, however, calling it "the most hostile entity." The administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has sought to improve frayed inter-Korean relations -- efforts Kim described as "a clumsy deceptive farce."
Seoul's Unification Ministry responded to the remarks, saying it regretted that North Korea had not reciprocated the government's efforts toward peace.
"We will patiently and consistently pursue our policy of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, without being swayed by North Korea's attitude," the ministry said in a message to reporters.
Kim also reaffirmed Pyongyang's commitment to strengthening its nuclear deterrent, saying North Korea would continue expanding its nuclear forces under a plan to increase the number of weapons and broaden delivery systems and operational capabilities.
The KCNA report said the country would focus on improving strike systems, conducting regular tests and drills, and developing new strategic assets, including upgraded missile platforms and other advanced weapons.
In a June report, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimated that North Korea possesses about 50 nuclear warheads and has enough fissile material for about 40 more. South Korean President Lee said last month that North Korea is producing enough weapons-grade material to build between 10 and 20 nuclear weapons each year.
The congress, held from Feb. 19 to 25, reviewed policy achievements over the past five years and adopted a new long-term plan emphasizing economic development alongside military modernization. Kim was reappointed general secretary of the ruling Workers' Party, cementing his leadership.
Hours after the congress closed, North Korea staged a military parade at Kim Il Sung Square late Wednesday night to commemorate the event.
KCNA said the parade featured 50 foot columns representing different military branches, aircraft flyovers and fireworks, with Kim presiding from a viewing platform alongside senior party and military officials.
Images from the event showed Kim Ju Ae, the North Korean leader's daughter, prominently accompanying her father in a matching leather coat. Her increasingly frequent public appearances have fueled outside speculation about a possible future leadership role.
KCNA did not release detailed images of strategic weapons systems displayed during the parade. In October, North Korea unveiled its Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, which state media described as the country's "most powerful nuclear strategic weapon system."
4. Lee reaffirms commitment to improve ties with N. Korea after Pyongyang snubs dialogue offer
Comment: Time for a new strategy. Doing the same thing over and over again will not work and only undermines South Korean legitimacy.
Lee reaffirms commitment to improve ties with N. Korea after Pyongyang snubs dialogue offer | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Eun-jung · February 26, 2026
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260226007600315?section=nk/nk
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday vowed to continue efforts to normalize relations with North Korea despite Pyongyang's rejection of his dialogue overture, saying the two Koreas should move beyond past confrontation and pursue peace and stability.
Lee reaffirmed his commitment to improving ties after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un dismissed dialogue with Seoul, describing the South's overture as deceptive while appearing to leave the door open for talks with Washington as he wrapped up the North's key party congress the previous day.
"We should pursue such values as peace and stability," Lee said at a meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae. "We should decisively put an end to the past that was racing toward confrontation and war."
He also called for sober reflection on past approaches that have stoked tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
"We need to seriously consider whether previous acts of humiliation or threats toward North Korea have truly contributed to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula or served the Republic of Korea's interests and security," he said.
To normalize inter-Korean relations, Lee underscored the need for sustained efforts to ease long-running hostility and build trust with Pyongyang.
"I believe lasting peace and stability can ultimately take hold on the Korean Peninsula by consistently communicating, engaging in dialogue and making efforts to cooperate, and steadily building trust and mutual understanding," he said.
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Feb. 26, 2026. (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Eun-jung · February 26, 2026
5. (News Focus) N. Korea keeps door open for dialogue with U.S.; deepens hostility toward Seoul
Summary:
Yonhap reports that Kim Jong Un signaled conditional openness to renewed DPRK US dialogue while hardening hostility toward Seoul. He said there is “no reason” Pyongyang cannot “get on well” with Washington if the United States respects the DPRK’s “present position” and ends its “hostile policy,” language experts read as demanding de facto recognition of north Korea as a nuclear weapons state and an end to denuclearization as the negotiating frame. In parallel, Kim labeled the ROK a permanent “hostile state” and “eternal enemy,” rejected dialogue, and warned of “any action” if Seoul interferes, implying a bid to bypass Seoul and deal directly with POTUS.
(News Focus) N. Korea keeps door open for dialogue with U.S.; deepens hostility toward Seoul | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Park Boram · February 26, 2026
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260226006300315?section=nk/nk
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- North Korea left the door open to resuming dialogue with the United States while deepening hostility toward Seoul, in what experts say appears to be an effort to pursue North Korea–U.S. relations independently.
On Thursday, North Korea reported the results of the weeklong congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, held from last Thursday to Wednesday, during which Kim declared, "There is no reason why we cannot get on well with the U.S."
Kim qualified the statement, stipulating that the U.S. must first respect "the present position of our state specified in the Constitution of the DPRK and withdraw its hostile policy toward the DPRK."
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks to the ninth congress of the Workers' Party of Korea on Feb. 19, 2026, in this photo from the Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
"The prospect of the DPRK-U.S. relations depends entirely on the attitude of the U.S. side," Kim said. "Whether it is peaceful coexistence or eternal confrontation, we are prepared for everything, and that choice is not made by us."
"The present position" cited by Kim apparently refers to North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons, suggesting that the North wants Washington to recognize it as a nuclear weapons state and abandon its denuclearization approach to resume dialogue.
Such a position has previously been revealed by Kim during a parliamentary meeting in September last year, when he said, "If the U.S. drops its ... denuclearization (policy), there is no reason for us not to sit down with the U.S."
Experts said the North Korean stance increases the likelihood that Kim will respond to U.S. President Donald Trump's overture for dialogue on the occasion of Trump's upcoming visit to China, scheduled for March 31-April 2.
Kim may attempt to have his regime's self-claimed status as a nuclear weapons state recognized by the U.S. through dialogue, emboldened by its increasingly sophisticated nuclear and missile programs and closer ties with Russia, experts said.
"North Korea may refuse any negotiations with the U.S. over denuclearization, but it has left the possibility of dialogue open by setting a precondition that Washington first abandon its hostile policy," said Yang Moo-jin, a senior professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) holds a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom on June 30, 2019. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Toward South Korea, however, North Korea further cemented its antagonistic stance, rejecting any possibility of dialogue with Seoul.
Kim said the party "put a historic end to the abnormal relations with the ROK ... and made a final crucial decision to define these relations as the most hostile state-to-state relationship."
He described the stance as an "invariable, principled stand" of North Korea's ruling party and government. "The DPRK remains strong and conclusive in its determination and will to regard the ROK just as a very hostile state and eternal enemy on this principle in the future."
ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, the official name of South Korea.
Kim also denounced the reconciliatory policy of President Lee Jae Myung's administration toward Pyongyang as "deceptive," saying the North has "nothing to discuss with the ROK and will exclude it from the category of compatriots forever."
He vows to launch "any action" if Seoul engages in "mischievous acts," warning that "the possibility of the ROK's complete collapse in the extension of the action cannot be ruled out."
Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said the remarks could be translated as a warning to Seoul against intervening in North Korean affairs, including its dialogue with the U.S.
"It means North Korea is declaring it will handle its relations with the U.S. independently, rather than through South Korea," Yang Moon-in added.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R) attends a military parade at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on Feb. 25, 2026, accompanied by his daughter Ju-ae, in this Korean Central News Agency photo published the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · Park Boram · February 26, 2026
6. S. Korea regrets N.K.'s hostile policy declaration toward Seoul, vows to pursue reconciliation
Comment. No, no, no. The word is not reconciliation it is (re)unification. Seoul must adopt a new strategy.
"Unification first, then denuclearization; the path to unification is through information and human rights"
I apologize for being a broken record.
S. Korea regrets N.K.'s hostile policy declaration toward Seoul, vows to pursue reconciliation | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Park Boram · February 26, 2026
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260226005400315?section=nk/nk
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry said Thursday it regrets North Korea's declaration to maintain a hostile policy toward South Korea but added that Seoul will continue its reconciliatory approach toward the regime.
The ministry issued the response to the results of the ninth congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, during which North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the country will "have no business dealing with South Korea," in rejection of dialogue overtures by President Lee Jae Myung's administration.
"The ministry finds it very regrettable that North Korea unveiled a stance to continue the two hostile states (policy) without responding to our government's efforts for peaceful coexistence," the unification ministry said.
The government will not be deterred by North Korea's attitude but will continue to pursue its policy of seeking peaceful coexistence with the North, the ministry said, reaffirming Seoul's stance not to seek unification by force or hostile actions against the regime.
At the party congress, the North's leader said the current state of having nullified all conditions connected with South Korea will be "perpetuated," reaffirming a policy stance he first unveiled in 2023 that regards the two Koreas as "hostile states."
This photo, published by the Korean Central News Agency on Feb. 26, 2026, shows the ninth congress of the Workers' Party of Korea, which was held from Feb. 19-25. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · Park Boram · February 26, 2026
7. Kim Jong-un Labels South Korea 'Complete Hostile State'
Summary:
Kim Jong Un is tightening a political warfare frame that turns identity into targeting. He declares South Korea a “complete hostile state” and ends the “compatriot” category, stripping away the moral brake that once complicated threats of mass violence. He couples that with blackmail diplomacy toward Washington: dialogue is possible only if the United States recognizes north Korea’s constitutional nuclear status and drops denuclearization. He also brands Seoul’s outreach as deception and casts cultural “infiltration” as regime-subversion, justifying permanent rupture while reserving “arbitrary actions” near the border. The message is coercion, not reconciliation.
Comment: The “hostile state” doctrine is legal narrative warfare designed to normalize nuclear threats as “self-defense,” lowering the threshold for crisis escalation. The split track is wedge strategy: bypass Seoul, tempt POTUS with a “deal,” and force alliance friction over drills, DMZ access, and policy lines. Culture-war claims are internal control operations: criminalize South Korean influence, mobilize surveillance, and preempt dissent by labeling it foreign-enabled.
Again we must consider alliance actions through the lens of the north Korean strategy. Failure to do so ...is well, ...failure.
Kim Jong-un Labels South Korea 'Complete Hostile State'
Threatens Nuclear Action; Open to U.S. Talks if Recognized as Nuclear State
By Kim Min-seo
Published 2026.02.27. 00:55
Updated 2026.02.27. 06:14https://www.chosun.com/english/north-korea-en/2026/02/27/WWV3FNRWDBA2XOGAFVNSWHB7R
U/
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Kim Ju-ae attend the military parade commemorating the 9th Workers' Party Congress held at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on the 25th, North Korean Korean Central Television reports on the 26th. /Korean Central Television
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated during the work report at the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party that “there is absolutely nothing to discuss with South Korea, and we will permanently exclude South Korea from the category of compatriots,” according to North Korean media on the 26th. In his report delivered on the 20th to 21st, Kim Jong-un described the South Korean government’s outwardly conciliatory attitude as “a clumsy farce and a crude deception” before making these remarks.
The Lee Jae Myung government, which took office in June of last year, has pursued measures to improve inter-Korean relations, including the suspension of anti-North Korea broadcasts and the preemptive restoration of the September 19 inter-Korean military agreement. Recently, it also clashed with the U.S. by demanding the reduction of joint military drills.
However, Kim Jong-un defined South Korea as a “complete hostile state, a permanent enemy,” adding, “if South Korea’s reckless actions near the border of a nuclear-armed state are recognized as threatening our security environment, we may initiate arbitrary actions.” He further warned, “the possibility of South Korea’s complete collapse cannot be ruled out in the extension of such actions,” effectively threatening a nuclear attack on the South.
Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un stated, “if the U.S. respects the status of our nation as stipulated in the North Korean Constitution and withdraws its hostile policy, there is no reason why we cannot coexist amicably with the U.S.” This implies that dialogue with the U.S. remains possible if it acknowledges North Korea’s constitutional status as a nuclear-armed state. At the party congress, which will determine the next five years, a more extreme “engage-with-the-U.S.-and-hostilize-the-South” (通美敵南) policy was proposed, surpassing the previous “engage-with-the-U.S.-and-isolate-the-South” (通美封南) approach.
President Lee Jae Myung responded to Kim’s remarks on the same day, stating, “the values we must pursue are peace and stability, and we will continue our efforts to achieve them.” The Democratic Party of Korea launched its internal body, the “New Strategy Committee for Peace on the Korean Peninsula,” in the afternoon.
◇Leaving Door Open for Dialogue with U.S.… Firmly Labels South Korea as ‘Complete Hostile State’
In the foreign affairs report unveiled on the 26th at the 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party, Kim Jong-un declared that the party had made a “final and significant decision to establish relations with South Korea as those between the most hostile nations,” calling it an “unchanging principled stance.” This confirms that the 2023 inter-Korean hostile two-state theory is not a temporary tactic but a “conclusive doctrine.”
Kim added, “with all considerations for South Korea now nullified, our military response criteria have fundamentally changed, and the use of all physical force applicable to hostile states, including preemptive strikes, has become fully realized in theory and technology.” Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, explained, “previously, there were ethical contradictions and constraints in using nuclear weapons against a fellow ethnic group, but by labeling South Korea as a hostile state, North Korea has redefined it as a legitimate target for nuclear attacks.”
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young says, 'North Korea's position is regrettable,' and states at the 'Border Area Peace and Safety Joint Conference' on the 26th that 'peaceful coexistence is the most necessary and only path for the residents of the two Koreas.' /Yonhap
However, the South Korean government and ruling party reaffirmed their commitment to easing inter-Korean tensions. At a senior secretaries’ meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on the same day, President Lee Jae Myung acknowledged, “some argue that North Korea has expressed distrust toward the South through hostile rhetoric and that we should not respond passively.” He added, “as the old saying goes, ‘one meal cannot fill the stomach.’ To normalize inter-Korean relations, we must eliminate long-standing hostility, which cannot be achieved through a single dramatic measure.” The Ministry of Unification also stated, “we will consistently pursue a policy of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula with patience, without being swayed by North Korea’s attitude.”
Democratic Party of Korea leader Jung Chung-rae, at the launch of the party’s “New Strategy Committee for Peace on the Korean Peninsula” at the National Assembly, emphasized, “peace is the stock, and peace is the stock index.” Regarding joint U.S.-South Korea drills, he said, “I hope the drills are well-coordinated between the two nations at a level that maintains war deterrence and balances peace on the Korean Peninsula.” He also proposed, “shouldn’t we consider and promote amendments to the DMZ Act to allow autonomous entry into the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) without approval from the UN Commanding General?” He added, “the restoration of the September 19 military agreement is also crucial.”
The U.S. views the proposed DMZ Act, which would share the UN Commanding General’s authority to approve DMZ access with the South Korean government, as a violation of the armistice agreement. It also opposes the restoration of the September 19 military agreement, which restricts operations near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), and has expressed reluctance to cancel or reduce joint U.S.-South Korea field training exercises. Despite this, the South Korean government intends to continue pushing for these measures to ease tensions with North Korea.
Kim Jong-un, however, stated at the party congress that all South Korean administrations have “insidiously used opportunities for reconciliation and cooperation to spread their culture within North Korea and attempt to collapse our system.” He vowed to “perpetuate the current state where all conditions for engagement with South Korea have been completely eliminated.” This reflects the regime’s perception that the influx of Hallyu (Korean Wave) poses a critical threat to its stability, making short-term resumption of inter-Korean dialogue or exchanges highly unlikely. Yang Moo-jin, a distinguished professor at the University of North Korean Studies, noted, “this appears to be a move toward establishing an independent state, possibly with succession in mind.”
North Korea has left the door open for conditional dialogue with the U.S. Kim Jong-un emphasized that North Korea’s status as a nuclear-armed state is “completely irreversible” and that it will “remain fully prepared for confrontation with the U.S.” Nevertheless, he stated, “if the U.S. respects the status of North Korea as stipulated in its constitution, there is no reason why we cannot coexist amicably,” adding, “it entirely depends on the U.S.’s attitude.” North Korea’s 2012 revised constitutional preamble and 2023 constitutional text explicitly state its status as a nuclear-armed state and the principle of “qualitative advancement of nuclear capabilities.” This implies that if the U.S. abandons its current goal of “complete denuclearization of North Korea,” dialogue could be possible.
In related developments, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on the 25th (local time), “we are always ready to engage with officials from any government that shares information or perspectives with us, whether it’s someone from Cuba, a potential someone from North Korea one day, or someone from Iran today.” While his remarks were in response to a question about Cuba and he clarified, “this is clearly different from negotiations,” they leave room for potential U.S.-North Korea dialogue, possibly around President Donald Trump’s visit to China in late March to early April.
The 9th Congress of the Workers’ Party, which opened on the 19th, concluded on the 25th with the adoption of the congress resolution and Kim Jong-un’s closing speech. It remains unclear whether the inter-Korean hostile two-state theory was reflected in the revised party regulations at this congress. In North Korea, party regulations hold higher authority than the constitution. Analysts suggest that future sessions of the Supreme People’s Assembly may introduce constitutional territorial provisions to concretize the hostile two-state stance.
· This article has been translated by Upstage Solar AI.
8. USFK Commander's Statement Directed by U.S. Department of Defense
Summary:
A Chosun Ilbo report says USFK commander Gen. Xavier Brunson’s late night statement rejecting any “apology” over a West Sea air training controversy was directed by the U.S. Department of Defense, and reflects the Trump administration’s intent to publicly lock in the U.S. readiness narrative. The dispute followed reports that U.S. F-16 activity near China’s air defense zone triggered Chinese scrambles, and that South Korea’s defense ministry suggested Brunson had expressed regret. Washington reportedly suspects Seoul’s handling was shaped by Chinese pressure and by internal personnel upheaval under the Lee Jae Myung government, which could be degrading alliance command reporting and coordination.
Comment: We cannot conduct effective operations in Korea by central control from the Pentagon or even Hawaii. we must have a fully empowered Combatant Commander in Korea. This incident would not have blown up this way had the CINC in Korea not been constrained by the Pentagon. The Commander on the ground has the situational awareness and UNDERSTANDING to make the right call in the best interests of the US and the ROK/US alliance.
This is another example of our risk averseness in the information environment. We cannot be effective or successful through central control in the information environment.
USFK Commander's Statement Directed by U.S. Department of Defense
Pentagon's directive amid Trump's concerns over South Korea's command, Chinese influence
By Lee Ha-won,
Kim Eun-joong
Published 2026.02.27. 00:54
Updated 2026.02.27. 05:39https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/02/27/7Q73VWQ7H5HLPHAFZ4LCOAZW7Q/
USFK Commander Xavier Brunson moves after finishing a breakfast meeting with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, Elbridge Colby, and U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 26th of last month. /Yonhap
The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson’s statement on the 24th, around 10 p.m., directly criticizing South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense over a West Sea aerial training exercise, was revealed on the 26th to have been issued under the direction of the U.S. Department of Defense. Multiple diplomatic and security sources stated, “The midnight statement by Commander Brunson was not a personal judgment but a clear message from the Trump administration,” adding, “We understand that there were directives from top officials, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.”
Earlier, when the South Korean Ministry of National Defense announced that Commander Brunson had expressed apologies regarding the training, he issued a statement in the middle of the night stating, “We do not apologize for maintaining our readiness posture.” Given the precedent of behind-the-scenes coordination between South Korea and the U.S. during disagreements, his public rebuttal of the South Korean government was deemed unusual.
The incident emerged after it was reported that on the 18th, U.S. F-16 fighters conducted training flights near the Chinese Air Defense Identification Zone (CADIZ), prompting Chinese military scrambles and a standoff between U.S. and Chinese fighters. The U.S. had initially planned a trilateral aerial drill with South Korea and Japan but ultimately conducted joint training with Japan only on the 16th and 18th in the East China Sea. After a domestic broadcaster reported that Commander Brunson had apologized for the U.S.-China fighter standoff, the Ministry of National Defense spokesperson stated, “We acknowledge some parts as factual,” escalating the controversy.
◇ “U.S. Suspects Chinese Influence in South Korea’s Response”
On November last year, Defense Minister Pete Hegseth (center) who visits the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom Joint Security Area (JSA) listens to an explanation from USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson. /News1
According to sources, the issue was immediately reported to the U.S. mainland, and related developments were shared within the Pentagon’s command chain. One source noted, “The timing of Commander Brunson’s statement coincided with morning hours in Washington, D.C. Eastern Time,” adding, “We understand that the Pentagon’s leadership instructed him to clarify the U.S. position.” Consequently, in his statement, Commander Brunson emphasized to Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back that the training had been pre-notified, while expressing regret that the minister and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) had not been timely informed. This publicly pointed to flaws in South Korea’s command and reporting system.
The U.S. reportedly views the escalation as stemming from the Office of National Security’s handling of the situation. It is particularly scrutinizing whether South Korea’s heightened response followed diplomatic objections from China, as relayed through diplomatic channels. A former high-ranking official who worked at the Office of National Security questioned, “Couldn’t the origin of this escalation be linked to China?”
A former defense minister stated, “During my tenure, I received daily briefings from the JCS on training activities by South Korean, U.S., Chinese, and Japanese forces in the Korean Peninsula’s airspace,” adding, “Our aerial training is systematically categorized into three types—South Korea-only, U.S.-only, and joint drills—so why did the channels fail to function properly?”
Broadly, the U.S.’s tough response is interpreted as reflecting dissatisfaction with the Lee Jae Myung government’s ‘purge’ of the Ministry of National Defense. The U.S. has expressed concerns over the large-scale replacement of generals, including those with minimal direct involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s 2024 emergency measures. A former JCS official stated, “The U.S. is monitoring the trend where military personnel in key positions faced hardships for following orders related to the emergency measures, while those in minor roles were promoted.” There are worries that the replacement of capable military personnel who value the ROK-U.S. alliance with those compliant to a regime prioritizing North Korea has hindered smooth joint training. Recent visits by Michael Needham, a U.S. State Department advisor, to figures who defended the Yoon Suk Yeol government during the emergency measures are seen as connected to this context.
9. China's rare earth leverage and South Korea's strategic counterweight
Summary:
Nohsok Choi argues China has used rare earths as strategic leverage because it dominates roughly 90% of global processing, and it tightened export licensing in April 2025, reportedly contributing to a sharp drop in South Korea’s imports. He stresses that rare earths are not geologically rare, but refining is dirty and complex, which helped China consolidate the industry. He highlights Korea Zinc’s hydrometallurgical refining as a cleaner, high purity way to recover critical metals, and links this to its planned Tennessee facility (operational target 2029) as a U.S. supply chain hedge. He also notes South Korea’s reported deep sea rare earth discovery and possible ISA bid.
Comment: China’s coercive advantage rests less on mining than on processing chokepoints, so allied strategy should prioritize refinery capacity, standards, and waste to feedstock pipelines, not just new mines. If Seoul pairs seabed access with U.S.-based refining, it gains bargaining power in the Asia-Indo-Pacific, but it also inherits legal, environmental, and maritime security risk that Beijing can contest through “lawfare” and gray zone pressure.
Voices Feb. 25, 2026 / 1:26 PM
China's rare earth leverage and South Korea's strategic counterweight
By Nohsok Choi
https://www.upi.com/Voices/2026/02/25/perspective-china-rare-earth-leverage/5941772043256/
For more than a decade, China has treated rare earths as instruments of strategic influence. That leverage, however, may now face constraints. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 25 (UPI) -- For more than a decade, China has treated rare earths not merely as industrial inputs but as instruments of strategic influence. That leverage, however, may now face meaningful constraints.
Beijing controls roughly 90% of the global rare earth processing supply chain. In April 2025, it tightened its export licensing regime, leading to a reported 76% drop in South Korea's rare earth imports. The move was widely seen as a reminder that access to materials underpinning advanced electronics and defense systems could be curtailed if political tensions rise.
To grasp the implications, it is important to clarify what rare earths are -- and are not. Despite the name, they are not especially scarce geologically. The difficulty lies in extraction and refinement. Rare earth elements are dispersed in very low concentrations, making separation and purification technically demanding and environmentally taxing.
Processing requires vast quantities of water and chemicals such as sulfuric acid, producing toxic wastewater and radioactive byproducts. Until the 1980s, California's Mountain Pass mine was the world's largest producer, but it shut down due to environmental concerns. Japan and European countries likewise withdrew from large-scale refining as standards tightened. Advanced economies stepped back from what was widely regarded as an environmentally burdensome industry.
Related
China stepped in.
In areas such as Baotou in Inner Mongolia, Beijing built extensive refining infrastructure, accepting environmental costs. Combined with lower labor expenses and looser regulations, this approach enabled China to consolidate global dominance.
The strategic consequences are substantial. About 440 kilograms of rare earth materials are required to manufacture a single F-35 stealth fighter jet; a submarine may require roughly 4,400 kilograms. Neodymium magnets in electric vehicle motors, smartphone components, wind turbines and sensors in precision-guided missiles all depend on rare earth elements. Modern advanced economies and defense systems are inseparable from them.
China has shown its willingness to use this leverage. During the 2010 Senkaku Islands dispute, Beijing halted rare earth exports to Japan -- a stark signal that supply concentration can translate into geopolitical pressure.
Against this backdrop, a South Korean company has emerged as a strategic actor: Korea Zinc, founded in 1974. While known as a leading zinc smelter, its core strength lies in advanced hydrometallurgical refining.
In conventional smelting, slag -- the residual byproduct -- is treated as waste. Korea Zinc has developed technology to recover iron, nickel, copper, cobalt and rare earth elements from slag at 99.99% purity. In effect, it has expanded "urban mining" into the industrial waste domain, turning discarded material into strategic resources.
The environmental dimension is equally significant. The company's hydrometallurgical process reportedly reduces pollution by 60-70% compared with traditional methods. For the United States, this offers a critical opportunity: domestic rare earth processing using cleaner technology, mitigating objections that once made such operations politically untenable.
Successive U.S. administrations -- including those of Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden -- have pursued reshoring to reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains. Korea Zinc's acquisition of the former Nyrstar smelter site in Tennessee aligns with that goal. When operations begin in 2029, the facility is expected to integrate production of zinc, copper, nickel and potentially rare earth elements within a U.S.-based supply chain.
The economic potential is notable. Korea Zinc has reportedly identified about $3 billion worth of recyclable metal materials at the Tennessee site -- uncovering value in long-overlooked industrial waste. Should export restrictions intensify, Washington would be better positioned to respond with expanded domestic production in partnership with South Korean industry.
South Korea's strategic positioning may extend further.
On Jan. 15, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources announced that its research vessel, Tamhae 3, identified high-grade rare earth deposits about 5,800 meters deep in international waters of the western Pacific. Concentrations reached up to 3,100 ppm, with averages above 2,000 ppm -- higher than many terrestrial deposits.
The location adds significance. Because the discovery lies in international waters rather than within national jurisdiction, South Korea plans to apply to the International Seabed Authority for exclusive exploration rights. If granted, Seoul could establish a vertically integrated rare earth supply chain -- from extraction to advanced, cleaner refinement.
In the 20th century, oil determined geopolitical power. In the 21st, power belongs to those who control advanced materials processing and precision manufacturing. For years, China treated rare earth dominance as a strategic weapon -- a lever capable of pressuring industries and governments.
That era may be ending.
If South Korea secures exclusive exploration rights and integrates extraction with advanced refining capacity -- including the Tennessee facility scheduled for full operations in 2029 -- China's rare earth leverage would no longer be decisive. A vertically integrated supply chain outside Beijing's control would fundamentally weaken its ability to use rare earths as coercion.
South Korea would not merely remain a manufacturing power; it would emerge as a strategic state controlling a critical chokepoint in advanced materials. In an era when rare earths underpin advanced weapons systems and high-technology industries, technological capability translates directly into defense strength and diplomatic leverage.
If these developments materialize, Beijing's rare earth weapon would be effectively neutralized. A strategy built on supply chain coercion would lose much of its leverage - and Beijing would confront a new strategic reality.
Nohsok Choi is the former chief editor of the Kyunghyang Shinmun and former Paris correspondent. He currently serves as president of the Kyunghyang Shinmun Alumni Association, President of the Korean Media & Culture Forum, and CEO of the YouTube channel One World TV.
10. Anti-satellite weapons, AI tech headline North Korea’s new military wish list
Summary:
north Korea used the Ninth Party Congress to unveil a five year weapons “wish list” through 2030. KCNA highlighted five priorities: stronger ground and submarine launched ICBM systems, AI enabled unmanned attack systems, “special assets” to strike enemy satellites, powerful electronic warfare weapons to paralyze command centers, and more advanced reconnaissance satellites. Analysts note anti satellite tools could include jamming or direct ascent missiles, and a nuclear warhead could compensate for weaker guidance. The list reinforces Kim’s focus on survivable, fast launch solid fuel missiles and tighter nuclear command and control via the “nuclear trigger,” with more tests and drills expected.
Anti-satellite weapons, AI tech headline North Korea’s new military wish list
Five-year plan approved at Party Congress features submarine-launched nukes, military satellites, electronic weapons
Colin Zwirko February 26, 2026
https://www.nknews.org/2026/02/anti-satellite-weapons-ai-tech-headline-north-koreas-new-military-wishlist/
A satellite orbiting Earth (left) and Kim Jong Un watching a missile launch (right) | Images: KCTV (Oct. 7 and Nov. 1, 2021), edited by NK News
North Korea announced a new list of weapons systems to be developed over the next five years on the final day of the Ninth Party Congress on Wednesday, including anti-satellite systems and unmanned systems utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), according to state media.
The five-point list also includes land and sea-launched long-range nuclear missiles, military satellites and unspecified electronic weapons, while state media also vaguely alluded to “new secret weapons.”
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) published a lengthy report on the results of the congress on Thursday, but it did not include the same level of detail on planned weapons systems as leader Kim Jong Un offered at the previous congress in 2021.
According to KCNA, North Korea’s top five munitions goals to be achieved by 2030 are:
- “Ground and submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) systems made more powerful by consolidating accumulated technologies” (더욱 강력해진 지상 및 수중발사형의 대륙간탄도미싸일종합체)
- “Various AI unmanned attack systems” (각이한 인공지능무인공격종합체들)
- “Special assets for attacking adversary satellites in contingencies” (유사시 적국의 위성을 공격하기 위한 특수자산)
- “Very powerful electronic warfare weapon systems for paralyzing the enemy’s command nerve centers” (적의 지휘중추를 마비시키기 위한 매우 강력한 전자전무기체계들)
- “Further evolved reconnaissance satellites” (더욱 진화된 정찰위성들)
The newest goal in the list is developing anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities, which could include electronic jamming and also missile systems.
North Korea’s development may “start with a direct ascent ASAT against targets in low-Earth orbit (LEO),” Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), told NK News on Thursday. “A hit-to-kill warhead is harder, but North Korea could just use a nuclear weapon instead.”
The U.S., Russia, China and India have tested ASAT systems, which can even involve short-range sized ballistic missiles, but such tests are controversial since they create space debris.
Analyst Michael Duitsman with the CNS Open-Source Team told NK News that “with a large enough nuclear warhead, you don’t need to be that close. Given that satellite orbits are predictable, you might not even need a very complicated guidance system.”
Lewis added North Korea could test ASAT capabilities in the future by using its only known orbiting satellite, the Malligyong-1 launched in late 2023, as a target at the end of its life. Pyongyang could also “test in anti-ballistic missile mode,” firing an ASAT missile at another missile launched separately.
Among the other goals, the development of ICBMs launched from large transporter erector launch vehicles (TELs) was a key achievement of the previous five-year plan. The return of this military objective to the top of the list indicates Kim thinks ICBMs will continue to play the most important role in his deterrent, though questions remain over aspects like multiple-warhead capabilities.
North Korea has yet to conduct a submarine-launched ICBM test, but it has continued to promote such missiles at recent parades and weapons expos.
Pyongyang has largely switched to focusing ICBM and other missile development on solid-fuel engines — another key part of Kim’s last weapons wishlist — which allows for quicker pre-launch procedures compared to North Korea’s original arsenal of liquid-fuel nuclear missiles.
The reference to AI-based unmanned systems builds on the DPRK leader’s past vows to mass-produce small suicide drones, while Pyongyang also appears to be pursuing unmanned naval surface vessels. The North has not offered an update on its nuclear torpedo project since early 2024, but last October’s arms expo suggested the program is still active.
The return of military reconnaissance satellites to the list is in line with Kim’s optimistic outlook on the program following a failed launch in 2024, after which updates largely ceased.
North Korea has yet to test its newest solid-fuel ICBM, the Hwasong-20 | Image: KCNA (Oct. 11, 2025)
Other key military goals mentioned in Thursday’s KCNA report on the congress include:
-
Developing unspecified “new secret weapons and special strategic assets” (새로운 비밀병기,특수한 전략자산들)
- Updating nuclear missile launch vehicles and support systems (“각이한 핵무기들의 군사적효용성을 높이기 위한 보충적인 타격수단들과 운용지원체계들을 갱신”)
- Improving naval capabilities focusing on arming warships and submarines with nuclear weapons (“해군 수상 및 수중전력의 핵무장화를 중심으로 해군작전능력을 급속히 그리고 지속적으로 갱신”)
- Conducting “various exercises for the operation and operational testing of the nuclear trigger — i.e., the integrated nuclear crisis response system” (핵방아쇠 즉 통합핵위기대응체계의 가동 및 운용시험)
- Improving “nuclear weapons handling procedures and operational movements” (핵무기취급질서와 운용동작에 숙달시키기 위한 각종 연습들)
- Strengthening “the security and guard systems for nuclear-related facilities” (핵관련시설들에 대한 보안 및 경계체계를 더욱 강화)
- Creating plans to “renew all military bases toward standardization” (모든 군사기지들을 표준화에로 갱신하기 위한 대책들을 강구)
- “Pushing forward the renewal of conventional weapons to world-class caliber” (상용무기들을 세계적수준의 위력한 무기들로 갱신)
“We have a forward-looking plan for strengthening national nuclear forces year by year, and will devote all our efforts to work for increasing the number of nuclear weapons and expanding nuclear delivery means and operating space,” KCNA added.
While Kim is reportedly satisfied with the deterrent effect his nuclear missiles currently pose, he wants to focus more on developing command and control systems like the “nuclear trigger.”
The report said North Korea will “conduct continuous tests and training to maintain the readiness posture of our nuclear forces,” pointing to more missile tests to come.
The only other specific weapons systems mentioned in the report were those considered the “main strike means for deterring the South Korea area”: tactical nuclear short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), nuclear-capable 600mm multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) and 240mm conventional MLRS.
Pyongyang reiterated that its nuclear weapons capabilities are “irreversible” and will never be put on the negotiating table, while continuous nuclear buildup is required to fend off unceasing “hostile” U.S. and South Korean activities.
Meanwhile, KCNA stressed the importance of military secrecy, possibly resulting in a less detailed report on weapons development plans than what was published after the Eighth Party Congress.
It said “our adversaries do not know what we are planning and calculating” and that “they cannot know, and they must not know.”
“That becomes for enemies an anxiety and fear they cannot shake off.”
Edited by Bryan Betts
Updated on Feb. 26 at 3:22 p.m. KST with expert comments
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
https://apstrategy.org/
Executive Director, Korea Regional Review
https://www.upi.com/Korea-Regional-Review/
Editor-at-large, Small Wars Journal
https://smallwarsjournal.com/
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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