Stories from Pyongyang · North Korea

Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, and Kim Chinny opened a museum exhibition in Pyongyang. The exhibition features trophy military equipment from foreign special operations. The officials participated in a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate the display.

The head of the Russian military is currently in Pyongyang to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The meeting focuses on a long-term military cooperation agreement between Russia and North Korea. North Korea has provided thousands of soldiers and missiles to Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.

The United Nations has issued a warning regarding North Korea's accelerating nuclear weapons development. The update describes a growing arms race that poses a significant threat to regional and global security. This follows recent escalations in the peninsula's military posture. North Korea plans to produce up to 20 nuclear warheads per year, according to a Bloomberg report. The nation currently possesses approximately 50 warheads. Analysts suggest the total could reach nearly 300 by 2035. This expansion could allow North Korea to match France's nuclear potential and surpass several other nations. The production process is expected to take about five weeks per stage, which may cause delays.

North Korean hacking groups are reportedly utilizing artificial intelligence to automate various stages of cyberattacks, including 'vibecoding' malware and generating fraudulent company websites. These AI-driven tactics have been used to facilitate thefts amounting to millions of dollars. The use of generative AI significantly lowers the barrier for sophisticated social engineering and malware development. Authorities have launched a second investigation in less than one week into missing international payments. More than $600,000 was reportedly stolen by hackers in the latest incident. The investigation is ongoing to determine the scope of the theft.