Summary of domestic news in North Korea this week

NK weekly-domestic news

Summary of domestic news in North Korea this week

SEOUL, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of domestic news in North Korea this week.

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N. Korea's top envoy to Cuba begins duties, vows to further strengthen ties

SEOUL -- North Korea's new ambassador to Cuba has vowed to further strengthen ties with Havana, seven months after South Korea established diplomatic ties with Cuba in a significant diplomatic setback for Pyongyang.

Han Su-chol presented his credentials, according to Cuba's presidential office Thursday (local time), more than six months after his predecessor returned home.

Cuban Vice President Salvador Valdes Mesa accepted the credentials.

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Vietnam's deputy defense minister visits N. Korea to discuss cooperation

SEOUL -- Vietnam's deputy defense minister has visited North Korea to discuss ways to bolster bilateral defense cooperation, the Southeast Asian country's defense ministry said on its website Friday.

Senior Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien held a meeting with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Min-seop, on Wednesday in Pyongyang, according to Vietnam's ministry.

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Top diplomats of N. Korea, Russia discuss bilateral ties in Moscow

SEOUL -- North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has met her Russian counterpart in Moscow to discuss ways to bolster bilateral ties and beef up cooperation, state media reported Thursday.

Choe held talks with Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, on Tuesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

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3.9 magnitude earthquake hits northwestern N. Korea: KMA

SEOUL -- A 3.9 magnitude earthquake struck North Korea's northwestern province bordering China on Thursday, which is believed to be a natural one, the South Korean weather agency said.

The quake struck an area 7 kilometers northeast-east of Ryongrim in Jagang Province, at 7:41 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).

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(LEAD) N. Korea says it test-fired new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying super-large warhead

SEOUL -- North Korea claimed Thursday it has successfully test-fired a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a super-large warhead, a day after South Korea said Pyongyang fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles.

The new missile, named the Hwasongpho-11-Da-4.5, was tipped with a 4.5-ton super-large conventional warhead in the test-firing conducted Wednesday by the North's Missile Administration, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

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(5th LD) N. Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles: JCS

SEOUL -- North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles in a northeastern direction on Wednesday, South Korea's military said, further ratcheting up tensions already heightened by its rare disclosure of a uranium enrichment facility last week.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launches at about 6:50 a.m. from the North's Kaechon area in South Phyongan Province, north of Pyongyang, and the missiles flew about 400 kilometers.

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N. Korea to hold key parliamentary meeting on Oct. 7 to revise constitution

SEOUL -- North Korea will hold a key parliamentary meeting next month to mainly amend the country's constitution, state media reported Monday, after its leader Kim Jong-un called for the constitutional revision to define South Korea as its primary foe.

The 11th Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) will be convened in Pyongyang on Oct. 7, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

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