Brother-in-Law Pilots N. Korea for Ailing Kim

Seoul radio cites suspicion of foul play

(NEWSER) - A train full of birthday presents en route to North Korea’s heir derailed this month—but was it a simple accident, or sabotage? A South Korean radio station that often cites Northern sources reports that a train departing from Sinuiju and headed for Pyongyang derailed on Dec. 11, creating an "emergency situation." The station's source noted that track wear could have been the problem, reports Reuters , but said that "the extent of damage to the tracks and the timing of the incident points to a chance that someone intentionally damaged the tracks.” More»

Style spreads 'expeditiously' in 'unprecedented' manner: 'expert'

(NEWSER) - The rest of the world might think he needs a straight jacket, but to hear the North Korean state news apparatus tell it, “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-Il’s matching Ike jackets and slacks has inspired a global vogue for the style. “The reason is that the august image of the Great General, who is always wearing the modest suit while working, leaves a deep impression on people's mind,” says the government website. “That is because his image as a great man is so outstanding.” More»

Warning comes days after suspected attack on S. Korean ship

(NEWSER) - If the US and South Korea don't stop allowing tourists and journalists into the buffer zone on the heavily armed border between North and South Korea, the North will retaliate with “unpredictable incidents including the loss of human lives in this area for which the US side will be wholly to blame,” Pyongyang warned today. Belligerence like this is typical for North Korea, but the warning came amidst high tensions over North Korea's suspected sinking of a South Korean vessel . More»

(AP) - North Korea condemned a US pledge to provide nuclear defense of South Korea, saying the move boosts its justification to hold onto atomic bombs and invites a potential "fire shower of nuclear retaliation." The salvo in Pyongyang's main newspaper is the North's latest reaction to last week's summit between President Obama and South Korea's Lee Myung-bak. The allies issued a joint statement committing the US to defend the South with nuclear weapons. More»

First test since 2006 draws international condemnation

(NEWSER) - North Korea announced today it had successfully conducted its first nuclear test since 2006, catching the South and the US off guard and drawing a swift denunciation from Barack Obama. The underground test produced a 4.7-magnitude earthquake, but as with the previous test, it remains unclear whether the North has successfully expanded its weapons capabilities. Hours later, the country fired a short-range missile from its east coast. More»