brief update

North Korea to hold major meeting around Kim Jong Un’s 10-year anniversary - by Colin Zwirko Plenum will set 2022 state plans, as DPRK leader says economy ‘stable’ at Politburo meeting on Wednesday  Visit NK News for More Speakers at Seoul forum question push for end-of-war declaration with DPRK - by Chaewon Chung Experts voice concerns about unresolved POW situation, citing hundreds of ROK soldiers reportedly stuck in DPRK Visit NK News for More US and South Korea to update war plans to deter evolving North Korean threats - by Jeongmin Kim Two sides will also conduct assessment next fall for transfer of wartime operational control, defense chiefs say Visit NK News for More North Korean capitalism’s failure in the Third World - by Benjamin R. Young Pyongyang mixed economics and politics as it competed with Seoul and sought new trade partners in the Global South Visit NK News for More

The latest from the podcast The dangerous appeal of North Korean culture – NK News Podcast Ep. 211 Tatiana Gabroussenko discusses changes in DPRK films and dramas and how the country appropriates South Korean arts Listen to the full episode here

Top NK stories from around the web NK to hold key party meeting as Kim’s 10-year leadership anniversary approaches(Korea Herald)North Korea will hold a key party meeting later this month as leader Kim Jong-un is set to mark 10 years in office, North Korean media said Thursday, with growing speculation that Pyongyang could unveil its policy toward Washington and Seoul for the next year. ... Seoul, Washington update war plans to deter evolving North Korea's nuke, missile threats(Korea Times)South Korea and the United States agreed Thursday to update their joint wartime contingency plans to deter North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats, the two sides said, in a sign of their stepped-up cooperation to reinforce deterrence against the recalcitrant regime... U.S., South Korea defense chiefs discuss boosting alliance(Asahi Shimbun)U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday that China’s pursuit of hypersonic weapons “increases tensions in the region” and vowed the U.S. would maintain its capability to deter potential threats posed by China. ... Moon’s end of war proposal faces multitude of challenges(Korea Herald)President Moon Jae-in hopes to declare the end of the Korean War during his term, but such a declaration without corresponding denuclearization does not guarantee peace on the Korean Peninsula and time is too short to untangle complicated interests of all involved parties, experts say. ... National security adviser goes to China for talks(JoongAng Daily)Suh Hoon, South Korea’s national security adviser, will make a two-day visit to China, said the Blue House Wednesday, amid expectations that Seoul will want to discuss its desire for a declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War. ...