South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff also assessed in a report distributed to journalists that North Korea is continuing its preparations to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile intended to reach the United States.

North Korea on Monday denounced Japan's recent opening of a new diplomatic mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), accusing the country of dangerously escalating the military tension in the region.

The following are key developments regarding North Korea this week. ---------- Jan. 20 -- Trump calls N. Korea 'nuclear power,' says Kim will be happy to see his presidential comeback N. Korea condemns Japan's opening of NATO mission as escalating regional military tension N.

China cannot say it wants to maintain good relations with the West while continuing to fuel the war in Europe, says NATO military committee chair Admiral Bauer - Anadolu Ajansı

NATO warns coordination between Russian, North Korean troops leads to casualties NATO expresses concern over rising dangers of Russian and North Korean military interactions

The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) issued the criticism in an article attributed to an international security analyst, following Japan's formal inauguration of an independent mission to NATO last week to bolster cooperation.

"I didn't even know who we were fighting against," the captured soldier from Pyongyang told Ukraine's Security Service.

North Korea on Tuesday test-launched several short-range ballistic missiles, neighboring South Korea and Japan said. NATO confirmed on Monday that North Korean troops had been deployed to fight ...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the wounded North Korean soldiers were taken to Kyiv and are communicating with Ukrainian officials.

South Korea and NATO on Wednesday urged North Korea and Russia to halt their military cooperation. The demand came after Seoul claimed at least 300 North Korean soldiers died while fighting Ukraine on behalf of Russia.

The attack came as South Korea’s military said North Korea is preparing to send more troops to join Russia’s fight against Ukraine, despite Pyongyang suffering a high rate of losses among its existing deployment of 11,000 and seeing some of its soldiers captured.

Nato has been increasing its forces along its eastern flank with Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, deploying thousands of troops and equipment. This is to deter Moscow from expanding its war into the territory of any of the organization’s 32 member countries.