The supreme leader of North Korea has tried to hide the true purpose of the military site - but global analysts say sand traps with launch pads pose a slight giveaway

SEOUL -- A former sergeant in the North Korean military says that few of Pyongyang's soldiers have been captured fighting against Ukraine because they're told their families will be executed if they are caught alive.

But analysts suggest Washington may be open to resuming talks with North Korea, with Moscow potentially playing the role of mediator.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Thursday that Moscow believes Pyongyang's measures to 'strengthen defense capabilities' are 'fully justified under conditions of current escalation' - Anadolu

An attack on South Korean reactors or spent fuel storage pools would release large amounts of radioactivity and cause massive evacuations, diverting attention from a possible strategic crisis in East Asia.

Kyrylo Budanov told reporters on Sunday that Pyongyang is "covering for practically 50% of Russia's need" for ammo.

It marked the first time that such aid to North Korea has come to zero since South Korea began providing humanitarian assistance in 1995, when torrential rain and flooding in the

North Korea has stopped tourists visiting weeks after reopening its borders to westerners for the first time in five years. Travellers from the West were allowed into the country in February after Pyongyang continued to lift restrictions introduced during the Covid pandemic.