Two members of North Korea’s delegation to the ​Asian Games in Japan are ‌looking to seek asylum, South Korea’s ​Monthly Chosun magazine reported ⁠on Tuesday (September 22, 2026).

Citing a source it identified as an official from Japan’s Cabinet ‌Intelligence and Research Office, the magazine said the two were ‌among a 180-member North ‌Korean ⁠delegation attending the Aichi-Nagoya Asian ⁠Games, which opened on Saturday (September 19).

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The two North Koreans expressed a preference to seek ​asylum in Japan ‌rather than South Korea and have communicated their intention not to return home, the report said.

Their ‌identities and positions within the ​delegation were not disclosed, and it remained unclear whether ⁠their reported outreach would ultimately lead to a defection, according to ‌Monthly Chosun.

The magazine said the information was obtained through a source connected to Japan’s intelligence apparatus and linked to the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in ‌Japan, known as Chongryon.

North Korea sent ​about 180 athletes and officials to the Games, including Sports ⁠Minister Kim Il-guk, according to media ⁠reports.

Reuters could not immediately reach the Japanese government for ‌comment on a national holiday in Japan.

North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong, the influential ‌sister of leader Kim Jong Un, ​on Friday (September 18, 2026) blamed U.S.-led military ⁠drills for “ever-worsening” tensions on the Korean Peninsula and vowed no change in the country’s ‌course to strengthen its nuclear arsenal.

In a statement carried by state ‌media KCNA, Ms. Kim referred ‌to the ⁠Pacific Vanguard 2026 naval exercise ⁠near Guam, calling it another threatening U.S.-led “war game” and part of Washington’s efforts to expand military ​influence in the ‌Asia-Pacific region through cooperation with allies including South Korea and Japan.

She said the current situation highlighted the need ‌for North Korea to take responsive ​measures “proportional or more offensive in its nature” and warned that the ⁠country’s armed forces would “mobilize all means available” if its security or national interests ‌were violated.

The statement was Ms. Kim’s second in two days. On Thursday (September 17, 2026), she rejected renewed calls for North Korea’s denuclearisation at an International Atomic Energy Agency conference and reiterated Pyongyang’s position ‌that its status as a nuclear weapons ​state is irreversible.

Pacific Vanguard 2026, a multilateral exercise led by the ⁠U.S. Navy and involving the navies of South ⁠Korea, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan in the vicinity ‌of Guam, ran from August 29 to September 10, according to Japan’s ​Maritime Self-Defence Force.

North Korea said on Monday (September 14, 2026) it conducted a joint live-fire drill involving missiles, artillery and drones that it claimed demonstrated “the huge destructive power of concentration fire.” The official Korean Central News Agency said Saturday’s (September 12) drill was meant to get familiar with the procedure for the operation of the integrated firepower control system. South Korea’s military earlier said it detected short-range ballistic missile launches from North Korea’s eastern coastal Wonsan area on Saturday (September 12) morning.

After observing the drill, Marshal Pak Jong Chon said the drill would “improve the level of specialisation to bring down the enemy’s armed forces organisationally and structurally once an order is issued.” He added the weapons systems mobilised demonstrated “the huge destructive power of concentration fire,” according to KCNA.

It is extremely difficult to independently verify North Korean claims on its weapons tests. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said several missiles fired Saturday flew about 250 kilometres each in a direction toward North Korea’s eastern waters. The flight distances signal the weapons are designed to strike targets in South Korea.

The firing drill marked North Korea’s first public ballistic missile launches in about three weeks.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump scaled back a major bilateral military drill with South Korea, citing what he called a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. That is an apparent effort to revive diplomacy between them, but North Korea rebuffed Mr. Trump’s overture saying just shortening the drill will not change its “provocative, aggressive nature.” Buoyed by his advancing nuclear arsenal and deepened ties with Russia and China, experts say Mr. Kim likely thinks he has greater leverage in possible diplomacy with the U.S. than when he first met Mr. Trump in 2018-19.

Mr. Kim said earlier this year that he could return to talks if the U.S. drops its “hostile policy” against his country and respects what he calls the North’s status as a nuclear state.

North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea on Saturday (September 12, 2026), its neighbours said, a day after the U.S., South Korea and Japan ended their trilateral military drill that North Korea views as a provocation.

The North Korean ballistic launch event, the first in about three weeks, came as the country was continuing its weapons display after rebuffing U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back a major bilateral military drill with South Korea in a goodwill gesture.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the launches of several missiles from North Korea’s eastern coastal Wonsan area. It said the missiles flew about 250 kilometres each in a direction toward North Korea’s eastern waters. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it has boosted its surveillance posture and was closely exchanging information on the launches with the U.S. and Japan.

South Korea’s presidential national security council issued a statement urging North Korea to halt ballistic missile firings that violate UN Security Council resolutions.

The U.S. Pacific Command said the North’s launch event did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. territory or to its allies. It said the U.S. remains committed to the defence of the U.S. homeland and its allies in the region.

On Friday (September 11, 2026), the U.S., South Korea and Japan ended their five-day Freedom Edge exercise as scheduled. The U.S. Pacific Command said the militaries of the three countries “trained side by side across air, sea and cyber domains, sharpening the interoperability that keeps the region secure.” It cited maritime maneuvers, air refuelling, cyber coordination and medical drills.

South Korea’s military earlier said the exercise is defensive in nature and meant to enhance a joint response capability against North Korean nuclear threats.

Hours after the trilateral exercise began Monday (September 7, 2026), North Korea’s defence minister Kim Song Gi criticised the exercise and threatened to take “strong and reflective countermeasures from the standpoint of power.” On Sunday (September 6, 2026), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for building a more reliable nuclear deterrent in a ceremony marking the commissioning of the country’s second naval destroyer. North Korea has said its two destroyers can carry nuclear-capable missiles. The second destroyer was damaged earlier during a botched launch last year, but it was relaunched after repairs.

Mr. Kim has been focusing on expanding his nuclear arsenal after his high-stakes diplomacy with Mr. Trump collapsed in 2019. In the last month, Mr. Trump ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise with South Korea. He cited what he called a good relationship with Mr. Kim, who views the drill as an invasion rehearsal.

But Mr. Kim’s sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, rebuffed Mr. Trump’s move, saying just shortening the drill would not change its “provocative, aggressive nature.” North Korea’s military later launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea, apparently following through with its previous threat to respond to the U.S.-South Korean drill.

Now apparently emboldened by his advancing nuclear programme and deepened ties with Russia and China, experts say Mr. Kim wants greater U.S. concessions in potential diplomacy with the U.S.. Kim Jong Un said earlier this year that he could return to talks if the U.S. drops its “hostile policy” against his country and respects what he calls the North’s status as a nuclear state.

While World and Olympic medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu is treading cautiously in search of an elusive Asian Games medal, Commonwealth Games silver medallist Chanambam Rishikanta Singh has been ruled out due to a recurring knee injury.

With no Chinese lifter in the fray in the women’s 49kg category, Mirabai — who won her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow with an aggregate of 190kg — has her best chance to open her account in the continental extravaganza.

Mirabai missed the 2018 Asian Games due to a back issue and was injured on the competition platform during the next edition in 2023.

According to chief coach Vijay Sharma, seasoned North Korean Ri Song Gum, Thailand’s Kaeosingkhon Suthasini and Taiwan’s Fang Wan-ling will be Mirabai’s main competitors. Since Ri is a notch above the rest, the 32-year-old Mirabai needs to beat the other two in a field of eight to break the jinx.

“Anything around a 200kg total would get us a medal. A medal is our target, not the total,” Sharma told The Hindu.

Mirabai promptly resumed training after winning gold in Glasgow in July. “She needed to train as she was troubled by shoulder and wrist injuries after the National championships in February. Now, we are not overloading her and playing it safe. The focus is on her fitness,” said Sharma.

The coach added that the three other women lifters in the Indian squad — Gyaneshwari Yadav (53kg), Nirupama Devi (61kg) and Harjinder Kaur (69kg) — would try to achieve their personal bests.

Rishikanta (60kg), the lone male weightlifter in the Indian squad, will not compete in Japan. “He has been carrying the injury for some time. He managed to claim the Commonwealth Games silver despite the injury. But he will not be able to take part in the Asian Games,” said Sharma.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised tests of a nuclear-capable cruise missile and other weapons aboard a new 5,000-ton destroyer, the Kang Kon, repaired after being damaged in a failed launch ceremony last year, state media said Sunday (July 5, 2026), in the latest military display marking Mr. Kim’s push to build a nuclear-armed Navy.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Friday’s (July 3, 2026) event included test-firings of a strategic cruise missile and of the Kang Kon’s main gun and automatic cannons, as well as trials of its electronic warfare systems and assessments of its target-detection and information-processing capabilities.

After observing the tests from shore, Mr. Kim ordered officials to complete the destroyer’s trials and place the vessel in active duty within two months, the state news agency said.

The tests came after North Korea in late June commissioned its first 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, a milestone Mr. Kim marked with a lavish ceremony where he declared that the nuclear armament of his Navy was proceeding as planned.

After years of prioritizing ballistic missile development, Mr. Kim has increasingly turned his focus to naval capabilities, including the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine. While outlining his five-year military goals at February’s Workers’ Party congress, Mr. Kim also called for intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of underwater launches.

North Korea first unveiled the Choe Hyon in April 2025, which Mr. Kim portrayed as a major step toward expanding his military’s operational reach and preemptive strike capabilities. KCNA has said the warship is equipped with a range of systems, including anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons as well as nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles.

South Korean officials and experts say the vessel was likely built with Russian assistance amid deepening military ties between the countries, but some analysts have questioned how effective the vessel would be in active service.

The Kang Kon was unveiled a month after the Choe Hyon in May 2025, but it was damaged during a botched launch at the northern port of Chongjin, prompting a furious response from Mr. Kim. The country later said the ship was relaunched in June after repairs, but outside experts have questioned whether it’s genuinely ready for active duty.

Mr. Kim has also called for building two new 5,000-ton warships annually over the next five years, as well as developing a larger 10,000-ton destroyer.

North Korean leader ‌Kim Jong Un oversaw tests of ​key weapons on ⁠Thursday (June 25, 2026) as part of the country’s goal for the modernisation of its missile ‌program, state media KCNA reported on Friday (June 26, 2026).

The tests ‌involved an upgraded version ‌of ⁠a 240-mm, 24-tube multiple rocket ⁠launcher system, tactical ballistic missiles, and a 155-mm self-propelled howitzer, KCNA said.

The upgraded ​rocket launcher is ‌equipped with an autonomous precision guidance system with its firing range extended to 90 kilometres (56 miles), ‌the media report said.

Mr. Kim, ​expressing satisfaction with the test results, said Pyongyang was ⁠pursuing automation, long-range capability and “ultra-precision” in its weapons programmes, according ‌to KCNA.

The goal is for its defence along its southern border, Mr. Kim said, effectively referring to the one with South Korea. In May, North ‌Korea said it had tested a ​mix of tactical ballistic missiles, artillery rockets and AI-guided ⁠precision cruise missiles designed for modern warfare.

Pyongyang ⁠has been steadily upgrading its tactical and conventional arsenal, ‌vowing to deploy it near the border with South Korea.

North ​Korea should build two warships as large as ‌its 5,000-metric-ton Choe Hyon vessel ​every year in the next five ⁠years, leader Kim Jong Un said at a commissioning ceremony of a destroyer on ‌Tuesday(June 23, 2026), according to state media KCNA.

Mr. Kim attended the ceremony held at ‌the Nampho port in North Korea ‌to ⁠celebrate the deployment of the ⁠new multipurpose destroyer Choe Hyon, KCNA reported.

The destroyer successfully completed military operational tests over the past ​14 months, KCNA ‌added.

The country plans to deploy another 5,000-ton destroyer named Kang Kon soon along with 10,000-ton strategic warships, Mr. Kim said, ‌according to the report.

Kang Kon ​was repaired last year after partially capsizing during a launch ceremony.

The ⁠Navy had been the weakest part of North Korea’s military forces, Mr. Kim said, ‌adding that its capabilities would now be “something incredible beyond imagination.”

“Building a modernised naval base has emerged as a desperate and essential task,” Mr. Kim said.

He said officials of the ruling ‌Workers’ Party’s Central Committee discussed plans to build ​new naval bases at a meeting on Monday (June 22, 2026).

The most important change ⁠for the navy would be a shift ⁠in its status, role and scope of operations, Mr. Kim said, without elaborating.

The ‌Navy’s nuclearisation is “advancing along its own course,” contributing to the country’s nuclear ​deterrence, he said. 

North Korean leader Kim ​Jong Un said exercising the country’s position as a nuclear ‌state is the only way to cope with ​an unpredictable and complicated global security situation, ⁠KCNA state news agency reported on Tuesday (June 23, 2026).

“Unimaginable, astonishing incidents and events” are occurring because of the “gangster-like” greed of hegemonic forces, ‌making confrontations around the world more violent, Mr. Kim said, blaming the U.S. for worsening ‌bloodshed in Europe and the West Asia.

Mr. Kim spoke ‌at ⁠a Central Committee meeting of the ⁠ruling Workers’ Party, which began on Saturday and closed on Monday, KCNA said.

Mr. Kim accused the U.S. and South Korea of making ​the security situation on the ‌Korean Peninsula more dangerous by steadily upgrading their combined nuclear posture, the only purpose of which, he said, is to attack North Korea.

“To steadily expand ‌and strengthen the nuclear forces … and to thoroughly ​exercise the position of a nuclear weapons state is the most correct and unique ⁠way to actively and confidently cope with the unpredictable international military and political situation getting complicated in multiple ‌ways,” KCNA said.

KCNA did not elaborate on specific actions regarding the country’s nuclear arsenal that might be taken.

Mr. Kim also ordered the buildup of conventional weapons and an acceleration of the construction of a 10,000-ton strategic guided missile cruiser, KCNA said.

North Korea has ‌defied a slew of sanctions imposed by both the United ​Nations and the U.S. between 2006 and 2017 banning Pyongyang from developing nuclear weapons and ⁠ballistic missiles to deliver them. Its stance has alarmed ⁠regional powers.

It has declared itself a nuclear state and has said nothing would convince it ‌to abandon its atomic weapons, despite years of diplomatic efforts by the U.S., China and South ​Korea.

North ​Korea’s Foreign Ministry condemned a U.S. decision ‌to approve the sale of advanced air-to-air ​missiles and related equipment to ⁠South Korea, warning the move would worsen tensions on the Korean peninsula, state media KCNA said ‌on Saturday (June 13, 2026).

The Ministry’s Director-General for External Policy said in a statement ‌carried by KCNA that military ‌cooperation ⁠between Washington and Seoul was being “systematically ⁠strengthened” despite what it called international concern over rising tensions in and around the peninsula.

The official cited ​the U.S. State ‌Department’s approval of a nearly $300 million foreign military sale of advanced air-to-air missiles and related equipment to South Korea as ‌the latest example.

“U.S. arms exports are ​war exports,” the official said, adding that North Korea would continue ⁠strengthening its self-defensive deterrent to maintain the regional balance of power.

North Korea routinely criticises U.S.-South ‌Korea military cooperation as preparation for war.

It separately criticised South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung over a joint statement with European Union leaders during a visit to Europe, which described North Korea’s ‌status as a nuclear weapons state and its ​military cooperation with Russia as “illegal”, KCNA said on Saturday(June 13, 2026).

KCNA said it was ⁠a violation of North Korea’s sovereignty, South Korea ⁠had shown there could be no “peaceful coexistence” between the two Koreas ‌and that Pyongyang would continue to regard the South as a hostile ​state.