North Korea deepens ties with China and Russia while captured North Korean soldiers in Ukraine become a flashpoint in Seoul-Kyiv diplomacy. The regime's nuclear program remains intractable despite decades of international efforts.
·North Korean POWs held by Ukraine are caught between Seoul and Kyiv, complicating diplomatic negotiations over their repatriation
·Kim Jong Un emphasizes unshakeable partnership with China's Xi Jinping amid closer alignment with Russia
·A planned North Korea-Russia road bridge faces delays, signaling friction in the newly strengthened axis
·China is leveraging criticism of Japanese militarism to build diplomatic consensus beyond its traditional Moscow and Pyongyang allies
·International denuclearization efforts have reached a dead end with no viable path forward
drawn from Nikkei Asia, The Japan Times, South China Morning Post, The Economist · updated 23h ago