China’s President Xi Jinping hailed an “invincible friendship” with Pyongyang on arrival in North Korea on Monday, his first trip abroad this year after hosting back-to-back summits in Beijing.
China, Washington’s chief geopolitical rival, has been North Korea’s main trading partner by far for decades and a key source of diplomatic and economic support for a country hit by multiple international sanctions.
Military officers lined a red carpet as an Air China plane carrying Xi arrived for his first visit since 2019, video from Xinhua showed.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol-ju welcomed Xi, who was accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan.
The two leaders shook hands, and children presented flowers to Xi and Peng, while a banner reading “We warmly welcome Comrade Xi Jinping” and hailing the two countries’ “unbreakable friendship” hung below Chinese and North Korean flags.
Xi makes the trip after hosting US President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin separately in Beijing and as North Korea’s nuclear talks with Washington remain deadlocked.
The White House said last month that Xi and Trump “confirmed their shared goal to denuclearise North Korea” during their summit in Beijing.
However, Kim’s powerful sister said on the eve of Xi’s arrival that North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme was “the line of no retreat”.
South Korea’s dovish President Lee Jae Myung said Monday Seoul should not give up on North Korea’s denuclearisation, adding that “North Korea is still producing nuclear material even at this very moment”.
Minseon Ku, a diplomacy professor at DePaul University, told AFP that “Beijing probably has accepted North Korea as a nuclear state”, but Xi “will probably tell Kim that China wants stability more than anything”.
China has “always prioritised stability and is currently having to manage its relations and differences with the US”, Ku said.
Seong-Hyon Lee, a visiting scholar at the Harvard University Asia Center, also said Beijing is shifting towards “underwriting regime durability” rather than seeking to coerce North Korea into denuclearisation.
“China’s broader regional strategy benefits from a stable, heavily armed, and aligned buffer state that absorbs US and allied military bandwidth,” he told AFP.
North Korea has repeatedly declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear state since Kim and Trump’s 2019 summit collapsed over the scope of denuclearisation and sanctions relief.
Kim has also been emboldened by the war in Ukraine, securing critical support from Moscow after sending troops to fight alongside Russian forces.
Some analysts say the summit could be Xi’s way of countering Russia’s growing influence over North Korea, but DePaul’s Ku stressed that “overall, Moscow is not a major power like China”.
“Moscow-Pyongyang power relations are more equal than Beijing-Pyongyang; Moscow needs Kim for their war in Ukraine as much as Kim needs technology sharing and food from Russia,” she said.
In an article published on the front page of North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun, Xi pledged closer cooperation.
“No matter how the times change or how the international situation evolves, the traditional friendship between China and North Korea is always invincible,” Xi wrote.
Xi last met Kim in September, when he invited the North Korean leader and Putin to a military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Jun Sang-gab, 65, a South Korean tour guide who lives near the inter-Korean border, said he hopes that “North Korea opens its economy” and follows China’s development model.
“If they (the North) establish themselves economically, there won’t be any incidents like armed unification or war” on the Korean peninsula, he told AFP.
Trump has made little progress on North Korea, especially on the nuclear front, despite his earlier high-profile summits with Kim.
North Korea is also the only country with an official, binding military alliance with China.
North Korea could also serve as a useful counterweight to US partners in the region, including South Korea and Japan, analysts said.
Long-frosty China-Japan ties have deteriorated since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a security hawk, suggested last year that Tokyo might intervene militarily in any Chinese attempt to take self-ruled Taiwan.
“As China’s international standing rises, Beijing is likely seeking to draw Pyongyang more actively into its diplomatic orbit,” said Lim Eul-chul, a North Korea expert at Kyungnam University.
A Chinese dissident who fled to South Korea this week in a rubber boat will be transferred to an immigration detention centre, police told AFP on Thursday.
Dong Guangping, a 68-year-old former policeman, has been a thorn in Beijing’s side for advocating political reform and human rights and served multiple prison stints over the years.
The longtime critic of China’s ruling Communist Party made several failed attempts to flee the country, including a 2019 bid to swim to the Taiwanese territory of Kinmen and a 2020 trip to Vietnam where he was detained by local police.
He was found by South Korean authorities on Monday night drifting off the country’s west coast on a 3.3-metre (11-foot) rubber boat with a 9.9-horsepower engine, and was questioned on suspicion of violating immigration laws.
Prosecutors asked the court to detain him, but the Daejeon District Court determined that “detention is not necessary” for the authorities’ investigation, a court spokesperson told AFP on Thursday.
The court spokesperson said Dong had two options: “If he is deemed an illegal immigrant, it would be appropriate to transfer him to an immigration detention centre. However, if he applies for refugee status, he can stay in the country in accordance with the Refugee Act.”
After the court’s determination, the dissident remained in police custody in Taean county, on South Korea’s western coast.
Dong will soon be transferred to the immigration office’s foreign detention centre, police in Taean told AFP.
Dong’s lawyer did not immediately return AFP’s requests for comment. Seoul’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
South Korea has granted political asylum to relatively few applicants since it began formally processing refugee claims in 1994, with an overall recognition rate in the low single digits despite tens of thousands of applications.
Critics say the low approval rate reflects strict screening and lengthy procedures, while the government maintains that decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and take security considerations into account.
Dong was dismissed from his work as a policeman after signing a petition a decade after Beijing’s 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, according to US-based advocacy group Human Rights in China.
He later spent about three years in prison from 2001 for “inciting subversion of state power”, United Nations experts said, and was detained again in 2014 over Tiananmen-related activities.
Dong fled to Thailand with his family, who later resettled in Canada as refugees, but Thai authorities handed him over to Chinese police in 2015 despite his UN-recognised refugee status.
MEXICO CITY, June 12 — South Korea came back from a goal down to snatch a thrilling 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in their World Cup Group A opener today, substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu grabbing the winner in the 80th minute.
Korea captain Son Heung-Min wasted a number of decent chances before his Czech counterpart Ladislav Krejci broke the deadlock against the run of play in the 59th minute by heading home from a long throw-in, but the lead was short-lived as Hwang In-Beom kept his cool to dink the equaliser over the keeper eight minutes later.
Tomas Soucek thought he had put the Czechs back in front with a header from a free kick in the 77th minute but the goal was chalked off for offside, and less than three minutes later the Koreans went ahead as Hwang turned provider, pulling the ball back for Oh to fire home from close range.
Co-hosts Mexico top the group after their 2-0 win over South Africa and they will meet the South Koreans in Guadalajara next Thursday, while the Czechs take on South Africa in Atlanta. — Reuters
The 2020s have been the most fruitful half a decade for the K-drama landscape, introducing multidimensional, multi-genre series that promise to stay a part of the genre's modern history for a long time. The only thing that has changed in the past few years is the format, with more K-dramas actively embracing shorter episodes with less filler; some hardcore fans may worry that this takes away the K-drama charm from their favorite genre, but it has shown to only make the material better.
The leaders of North Korea and China adopted a “far-reaching blueprint” for bilateral ties during Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Pyongyang, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Wednesday.
China’s president made a rare visit to diplomatically isolated North Korea on Monday after hosting a series of world leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, in Beijing.
The trip also came at a time of unusually warm relations between North Korea and Russia, where Pyongyang has sent soldiers and munitions to assist Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Kim and Xi “expressed satisfaction and deep emotion over the fact that they provided a far-reaching blueprint for the development of the relations”, KCNA reported.
During the two-day trip, “the countries further deepened the revolutionary friendship and close comradely relationship and affirmed their steadfast will to develop the traditional DPRK-China friendly ties into a model of the most powerful and strategic relations”, it added.
Xi and Kim toured the Central Cadres Training School of the Workers’ Party, where they discussed the training of party officials and planted a commemorative tree, before visiting the Friendship Tower memorial honouring Chinese soldiers who fought in the Korean War.
Xi was afforded a lavish welcome on the trip, which he took with his wife and other senior officials.
Afterwards, he thanked Kim in a letter, saying the leaders had “made an in-depth exchange of views on the issues of mutual interest and achieved a series of important common understanding”, according to KCNA.
The talks “showed the firm determination of both sides to add lustre to the traditional friendship, promote development and prosperity together and defend peace and stability in the region and the rest of the world”, Xi reportedly wrote.
On Tuesday, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported Xi as saying he had reached “an important consensus with Kim on developing China-DPRK relations in the new era”, using North Korea’s official acronym.
Xi pushed to strengthen diplomatic, law enforcement and military ties, according to Beijing’s state media.
By sharing information in the military sector, China appears to want to “directly assess technological changes within the North Korean military and the status of Russian technology transfer”, said Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
China may also hope to “collect intelligence for the purpose of monitoring trends in pro-Russian and pro-Chinese human networks within the North Korean military”, he added.
Xi’s trip came after last month’s talks with Trump, during which the White House said the leaders “confirmed their shared goal to denuclearise North Korea”.
But official media reports from both China and North Korea made no mention of denuclearisation in their coverage of the Xi-Kim summit.
Analysts said that suggested Beijing was tacitly accepting Pyongyang’s status as a nuclear-armed state.
Kim has repeatedly vowed never to give up his nuclear arsenal, and his powerful sister said before Xi’s visit that the programme was Pyongyang’s “line of no retreat”.
Despite being historically highly reliant on political and economic support from China, Kim has drawn North Korea closer to Russia in recent years.
He has boosted an alliance with Putin by sending troops to fight alongside Russian forces against Ukraine.
Still, Beijing remains an economic anchor for North Korea, whose economy has been hobbled for years by international sanctions over its nuclear programme.
China accounted for US$2.6 billion of North Korea’s foreign trade — nearly 98 percent of the total — in 2024, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance.
With hundreds of K-dramas hitting the market each year, it's easy for even the best to fall through the cracks. Streaming services have optimized the traditional K-drama format into a shorter, more streamlined version of the same type, but that doesn't mean that shows with many filler episodes or longer paths to conclusion aren't equally good.
SEOUL, June 1 — South Korea’s entertainment industry has entered a peculiar season of self-censorship. As the country gears up for major elections, K-pop stars and celebrities find themselves navigating a minefield where seemingly innocent choices—from a hair color to a hand gesture—can be perceived as political statements.
The latest controversy to engulf the industry unfolded in the final days of May 2026, just ahead of the June 3 local elections.
On May 30, popular rapper and entertainer Lee Young-ji made an innocent post on her Instagram story: "Isn't the hair color pretty?" accompanying a selfie of her freshly dyed red locks. A follow-up photo showed her paired the new hair with a matching red T-shirt. The timing, however, proved disastrous.
The post triggered immediate backlash on Korean online communities. Critics pointed out that repeatedly exposing a color associated with a specific political party during the early voting period was highly inappropriate. Adding to the fuel, Lee's post featured the song "REDRED" as background music.
What happened next became the story. Within 24 hours, Lee Young-ji had not only deleted the controversial post but also rushed to dye her hair back to black. On May 31, she issued a lengthy apology alongside a new photo showing her black hair.
"I must have startled many of you by posting such an untimely story," she wrote, explaining she received many direct messages from people concerned. "So many people DM'd me about it that I felt sorry and wanted to remedy the situation as quickly as possible, so I rushed to dye my hair. ... Even though I was well aware that this is an important time, my desire to communicate came first". She concluded: "I won't hide behind the cowardly excuse of ignorance; I will reflect and learn from this".
Lee Young-ji's experience is far from an isolated incident. During election season, the colors red and blue have become a de facto "traffic light" in the entertainment world.
Red: Off-limits, as it is the official color of the conservative People Power Party (PPP). During the early voting period, wearing red clothing or dyeing hair red can be interpreted as showing support for the party.
Blue: Also banned, as it is the color of the main liberal opposition, the **Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)**.
Yellow and green: Also associated with minor political parties like the Green Justice Party.
The scrutiny doesn't stop at colors. Hand gestures, emojis, and even numbers have become potential traps. During the recent election period, a female idol from the group ODD YOUTH accidentally flashed a "V" hand sign during a live broadcast and was instantly horrified, frantically signing numbers one through five to prove her neutrality. The "V" sign, also called the "peace" sign, can be seen as a reference to candidate numbers on the ballot.
Perhaps the most infamous example of the phenomenon occurred in May 2025, as the country prepared for a presidential election. Karina, the leader of the popular girl group aespa, posted a seemingly innocent casual photo on Instagram. The image showed her wearing a black jacket adorned with a red pattern and the visible number "2," accompanied by a simple red rose emoji.
She was quickly labeled "conservative Karina" and "No. 2 voter Karina" by critics. Her agency, SM Entertainment, issued an apology, stating she had "absolutely no other intention or purpose". Months later, a visibly shaken Karina offered an emotional apology on a YouTube show, revealing her guilt over how the scandal had affected her aespa members.
This controversy gave a name to an unspoken rule in K-pop: the "no color, no gesture" guideline during elections.
The mounting scrutiny has forced idols to evolve. With each election, a new "political survival guide" emerges, and the strategies are increasingly creative.
Some idols have taken to posting black-and-white photos to preemptively neutralize any color-related controversy, a trend that has been praised as "socially aware". Others have abandoned the "V" sign altogether, replacing it with casual hand waves or even clenched fists as a greeting. The extreme caution was demonstrated by the group B1A4, who during a recent live broadcast, chose to film the entire session using a black-and-white filter to completely eliminate the risk of any color being misinterpreted.
While the entertainment industry rushes to adopt these precautionary measures, a parallel debate has ignited online. Some observers argue that the scrutiny has crossed the line into unreasonable overreaction. They point out that unless a celebrity explicitly expresses support for a specific candidate or political party, it is unfair to infer political intentions solely based on colors or outfits. Others counter that celebrities, as public figures, have a responsibility to remain neutral and avoid controversy.
As the June 3 election approaches, the spotlight remains on every move, post, and selfie. For Korea's celebrities, the simplest acts of sharing daily life have become a tightrope walk, where the line between personal expression and political statement grows increasingly blurred.
Trendy Korean snacks get a convenience store makeover, but is it a good thing?
Last year, 7-Eleven showcased some of Korea’s most famous food in a special limited-time campaign, and it proved to be so popular that Korean cuisine is back in the spotlight again, with a series called “Mashisso! Korea’s Top Recommended Gourmet Picks”.
This two-part series kicked off on 1 June, with a second batch of items released just over a week later, on 9 June. Out of all the “mashisso!” (“delicious!”) products in this second release, there was one in particular that became a runaway hit with customers.
▼ Freshly Fried Gamja Cheese Balls
Gamja Cheese Balls are hugely popular in Korea, and they’re also a hit in Shin-Okubo, Tokyo’s Koreatown district. Curious to find out what a convenience store version would taste like, we stopped by 7-Eleven to give them a try, and we found them waiting for us in the hot display case next to the register, glistening in the golden light like delicious fried jewels.
After ordering a pack, staff handed us a warm pouch of three and we raced home to try them while they were still hot. Spearing one with the included toothpick, we took a bite and found that the outside was wonderfully crisp, while the inside was incredibly chewy and soft.
With “gamja” meaning “potato” in Korean, we’d initially expected the balls to have a fluffy, hearty, mashed potato-like texture, but the potato-infused dough turned out to be satisfyingly chewy, with a springy texture that made it irresistible. Inside, the saltiness of the gooey, melted cheese paired beautifully with the subtly sweet dough, creating a combination that was absolutely addictive.
Being freshly fried in-store is another bonus, as it ensures maximum enjoyment of the interplay between gooey and crispy textures. After polishing off our balls, we realised they would also work well with some added customisations, like a drizzle of honey for an extra sweet-and-salty kick.
At just 230 yen (US$1.44) per bag, these trendy Korean snacks are an easy treat to pick up at 7-Eleven, and in our opinion, they’re well worth a repeat purchase before they disappear on 16 June.
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SHAH ALAM, June 10 — The Selangor govt today launched the Selangor Persons with Disabilities Policy and Action Plan 2026-2030 to strengthen inclusion and support the holistic development of the state’s approximately 150,000 registered persons with disabilities (PWDs).
State Women Development and Social Welfare Committee chairman Anfaal Saari said the comprehensive policy marked a significant shift from a passive welfare-based approach towards one centred on rights, active participation and empowerment.
“This proactive step is intended to ensure that the PWD community is recognised as an equal strategic partner in the state’s development.
“The policy was formulated based on field studies involving PWDs, caregivers, non-governmental organisations, government agencies and academics,” she told reporters after launching the policy at Universiti Teknologi MARA’s Dewan Tuanku Canselor here.
Anfaal said the policy was designed to bridge the gap between policymaking and implementation through a structured framework guided by five key pillars: quality of life and social equity, education and lifelong learning, productivity and economic development, accessibility and universal design (UD), as well as governance and advocacy.
She said the policy, which is guided by the principles of maqasid syariah, also seeks to improve access to healthcare services, early intervention programmes, mental health support for PWDs and caregivers, economic participation, and inclusive worship facilities.
On accessibility, Anfaal acknowledged that making older developments fully PWD-friendly could be challenging, but said improvements could begin with new developments.
She said the state govt would also determine mandatory UD requirements to be incorporated into development planning and complied with by developers.
“The action plan must serve as a genuine instrument of change and not merely remain a document on paper,” she said.
Anfaal said the state govt was committed to ensuring transparent implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the policy, with government agencies and stakeholders expected to play accountable roles.
As a follow-up measure, she said the Selangor Disability Action Council (MTOS) had begun advocacy and awareness workshops with local authority planners and engineers to improve compliance with existing guidelines.
Earlier, Anfaal, accompanied by MTOS chairman and Batu Tiga assemblyman Danial Al-Rashid Haron, presented RM90,000 in grants to three recipients under the Selangor Inclusive Innovation Programme (SIIP).
She also presented awards to PWD students who excelled in the 2025 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, 2025 bachelor’s degree graduates and participants of the recent Global IT Challenge (GITC) in South Korea. — Bernama
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