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President Trump's national security team is reviewing an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the US blockade, while postponing nuclear negotiations. The proposal faces skepticism in Washington, with Trump expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of nuclear safeguards.
President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that issues with traditional allies should be resolved based on mutual respect and principles, amid reported friction with Washington over an intelligence breach and North Korea disclosures. Lee also pledged to increase defense spending and highlighted plans to regain wartime operational control from the U.S. by 2030.
At the opening of the 11th NPT Review Conference, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that proliferation drivers are accelerating and that arms control is dying. Delegates face deep divisions, with France's foreign minister saying the risk of nuclear proliferation has never been higher.
The United States has partially restricted intelligence sharing with South Korea following Unification Minister Chung Dong-young's public mention of a North Korean uranium enrichment facility in Kusong, which Washington believes was based on classified information. Seoul insists the information was open-source, and both governments are working to resolve the misunderstanding.
President Lee Jae-myung has reiterated his administration's commitment to rebuilding trust with North Korea, urging Pyongyang to respond to Seoul's overtures. The remarks came amid a series of diplomatic messages marking the eighth anniversary of the Panmunjom Declaration, with former President Moon Jae-in also calling for resuming inter-Korean dialogue.
Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, where they discussed military cooperation and a planned five-year agreement. The visit included commemorations for North Korean troops killed in Russia's Kursk region and comes amid reports of a new road bridge and deepening alliance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to North Korean soldiers who fought alongside Russian forces in the Kursk Region, as a memorial complex opened in Pyongyang. Russian officials highlighted the partnership and friendship between the two countries, with North Korean troops also participating in the Victory Day parade in Moscow.
The deputy commander of the U.N. Command, Lt. Gen. Scott Winter, has warned against altering the management of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, calling the armistice a 'proven framework.' His remarks come amid UNC objections to South Korean bills promoting peaceful use of the buffer zone and reports of a proposed handover of southern DMZ management to Seoul.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and senior Russian officials inaugurated a memorial museum in Pyongyang honoring North Korean troops killed in the Ukraine war, marking the first anniversary of Russia's recapture of the Kursk region. The ceremony underscores the deepening military alliance between the two nations, with casualty estimates ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 soldiers and plans for expanded long-term military cooperation through 2031.
The World Health Organization, UNICEF, and Gavi announced that the Big Catch-Up initiative has vaccinated 18.3 million children across 36 countries, with over 100 million doses administered. Pakistan is among 12 countries that successfully reached more than 60% of zero-dose children under five. However, funding cuts and rising measles outbreaks threaten further progress.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would not extend the waiver allowing purchases of Russian oil at sea, stating that most of the oil has been 'sucked up.' The Treasury also has no plans to issue a new general license for Iranian oil. A current license allows Russian oil loaded before April 17 to be sold until May 16.
South Korea and Australia will begin a joint excavation project next week to recover the remains of an Australian soldier missing since the Korean War. The effort coincides with the 75th anniversary of a key battle in Gapyeong, where Commonwealth forces fought Chinese troops. Separately, South Korea has identified the remains of another of its soldiers, raising the total to 273.
Coupang, South Korea's e-commerce giant, disclosed spending over $1 million on U.S. lobbying in the first quarter, involving the White House and Congress. The company denies allegations that it lobbied to pressure the South Korean government, emphasizing its focus on economic cooperation, AI innovation, and job creation.
Russian and North Korean officials held sectoral talks in Wonsan and broke ground on a joint hospital project, part of agreements from a June 2024 summit. Three Russian ministers visited North Korea simultaneously, and a ceremony is planned for a memorial museum honoring North Korean soldiers in the Russia-Ukraine war.
South Korea's air force has publicly apologized for a 2021 mid-air collision between two F-15K fighter jets, after an audit found pilots were taking selfies and filming during the flight. The wingman pilot, who was held primarily responsible, has been fined approximately $60,000 and has since left the military.
USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson has proposed positioning South Korea as a regional sustainment hub for the maintenance and repair of US military assets, leveraging the country's defense industrial base. The plan, detailed in a document submitted to Congress and in recent remarks, also includes a broader modernization of the US-South Korea alliance and a shift to an 'east-up' strategic perspective in the Indo-Pacific.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has rejected accusations that his public identification of Kusong as a North Korean uranium enrichment site constituted a leak of classified information, calling the criticism a 'political trick' that harms national interests. The remarks have strained intelligence-sharing relations with the United States, which reportedly protested Seoul's disclosure of sensitive data.
North Korea has denounced Japan's planned overhaul of key security documents and its establishment of military drone offices, warning that these moves fuel Tokyo's 'reinvasion' ambitions. The criticism, reported by Yonhap, highlights regional tensions over Japan's defense buildup.
North Korea and Russia have agreed to expand law enforcement cooperation, signing a 2026-2027 roadmap for delegation exchanges during Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev's visit to Pyongyang. The talks come amid deepening bilateral ties following North Korea's troop deployment in support of Russia's war in Ukraine.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine during its annual spring festival, a move that drew strong condemnation from China and expressions of regret from South Korea, while North Korea called it a 'challenge to international justice.' Takaichi did not visit in person, marking the second time she has sent an offering since taking office.