Summary of external news of North Korea this week

NK weekly-external news

Summary of external news of North Korea this week

SEOUL, Oct. 28 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news of North Korea this week.

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S. Korea, U.S. to conduct Vigilant Storm air drills next week amid N.K. threats

SEOUL -- South Korea and the United States will hold major combined air drills, involving some 240 military aircraft, next week to verify the allies' wartime operational capabilities, the Air Force here said Friday, amid growing North Korean security threats.

The five-day Vigilant Storm exercise is set to begin Monday, as Seoul and Washington are striving to sharpen deterrence amid concerns that Pyongyang could ratchet up tensions by conducting a nuclear test or other provocative acts.

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(LEAD) Nuclear attack by N. Korea will result in end of Pyongyang regime: U.S.

WASHINGTON -- A nuclear attack by North Korea against the U.S. or its allies will result in the end of the country's regime, the U.S. Department of Defense said Thursday.

In its National Defense Strategy (NDS), the department said the U.S. will also hold North Korea responsible for any transfer of nuclear weapons or related materials and technology to other actors.

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(LEAD) S. Korea's military holds joint amphibious landing drills

SEOUL -- South Korea's military on Wednesday conducted amphibious landing drills with a focus on enhancing "real-world" combat capabilities, the Marine Corps said, amid its stepped-up efforts to counter evolving North Korean threats.

The drills took place in Pohang, 272 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as part of this year's Hoguk defense exercise that began Oct. 17 and runs through Friday.

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U.S. remains open to dialogue with N. Korea: Wendy Sherman

WASHINGTON -- The United States continues to seek serious dialogue with North Korea, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman reaffirmed Tuesday, amid speculation that Pyongyang may soon conduct a nuclear test.

Her remarks came in a bilateral meeting with her South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun-dong, held in Tokyo, according to department spokesperson Ned Price.

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(LEAD) U.S. ambassador highlights alliance role in face of 'unprecedented' global threats

SEOUL -- The top U.S. envoy in South Korea on Tuesday stressed the importance of broadening the two countries' alliance to encompass "shared values" while voicing concerns over "unprecedented" threats from the "authoritarian" countries of North Korea, China and Russia.

Amb. Philip Goldberg made the remarks at a forum amid Pyongyang's continued saber-rattling, Moscow's much-criticized war in Ukraine and Beijing's assertiveness under President Xi Jinping, who has secured an unprecedented third term in power.

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