South Korea has confirmed it fired warning shots earlier in the week at North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the heavily-fortified border between the two countries. North Korean state media called the shots a "deliberate provocation" and Pyongyang has accused Seoul of risking "uncontrollable" tensions.

For the first time since sending troops to fight in Ukraine, North Korea is publicly confirming combat deaths, an abrupt reversal after months of silence and denial. State media broadcast an emotional ceremony featuring Kim Jong Un,

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during an event to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the country's liberation from Japan's colonial rule, in Pyongyang, North Korea, August 14, 2025, in this picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency.