North Korea

North Korea initiated its first missile launch of the year by firing an unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea on Sunday, as confirmed by the South Korean military. While details remain limited, the Joint Chiefs of Staff acknowledged the launch without providing further information.

Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mariya Gabriel, alongside 46 foreign ministers, have collectively denounced the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) export of ballistic missiles to Russia.

The United States, alongside allied nations including Bulgaria, has issued a resounding condemnation of arms transfers between North Korea and Russia. This statement, undersigned by major European Union countries excluding Hungary and Slovakia, castigates the acquisition of North Korean ballistic missiles by Russia, allegedly utilized against Ukraine on December 30 and January 2.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has escalated tensions with South Korea, branding it as the nation's "main enemy" and issuing a stark warning of obliteration if provoked.

Day 686 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

Day 682 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

South Korea faced a tense situation as North Korea fired approximately 200 artillery shells into waters off its western coast. This abrupt aggression led to an emergency evacuation order for civilians on the border islands of Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong. The Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the artillery firings, breaching the maritime buffer zone that aimed to reduce border tensions.

North Korea has provided Russia with ballistic missiles and missile launchers that were used in recent attacks on Ukraine in a major escalation of support for Moscow, the White House said Thursday.

Russia is also looking to obtain missiles from its ally Iran as it runs short of arms nearly two years into President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, it said.

North Korea fired more than 200 artillery shells near two South Korean islands on Friday, Seoul's defence ministry said, warning the actions threatened peace and it would respond.

Residents on the two islands were ordered to evacuate, in one of the most serious military escalations between the two Koreas since the North fired a barrage of shells at one of the islands in 2010.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told his top military officers to use maximum force against South Korea and the United States if they initiate a military confrontation, state media reported Monday.

Seoul and Washington have ramped up defence cooperation in the face of a record-breaking series of weapons tests by Pyongyang over the past year.