Looking ahead to 2026, Jeong said it would be difficult to expect major breakthroughs such as a U.S.-North Korea summit. He said Washington's stated goal of denuclearization and North Korea's negotiating conditions make a sudden turn toward dialogue unlikely, while the United States may continue relying on sanctions to pressure Pyongyang.

Internal tensions have arisen within South Korea's government over North Korea policy, leading to meetings between the National Security Council and the Foreign and Unification Ministries.

North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has opened a meeting to prepare for the upcoming ruling party congress, one of the country’s biggest political conferences meant to lay out new state priorities

South Korea's presidential office denied inter-ministry conflict after the Unification Ministry said it will skip an upcoming U.S. policy meeting.

Kim has been presiding over a key party meeting this week as the country prepares for the Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.

South Korea on Thursday confirmed that six of its nationals are currently being detained in North Korea on various charges, local media reported on Thursday.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said regular joint military drills with the US could be reviewed in order to facilitate dialogue with North Korea, in his latest olive branch to Pyongyang as he seeks to reduce tensions with the nuclear-armed neighbor.

Kim Jong-un hugged the returning troops and awarded the country’s highest medal to nine soldiers killed in action.