North Korea in April 2026: the most important developments in security
North Korea carried out a series of weapons tests in April 2026. Around April 10 it tested new electromagnetic and blackout bombs, after earlier launches of missiles with cluster-bomb warheads and electromagnetic weapons; the tests were reported to draw on lessons from the Iran war. On April 18 it fired multiple ballistic missiles from the Sinpo area on the east coast, according to South Korea's military and Japan, and Japan said none hit its territory. On April 19 it launched more short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea, which may have included a submarine-launched weapon. On April 20 state media said Kim Jong Un and his daughter watched another test of cluster munitions on tactical ballistic missiles, meant to evaluate warhead performance. Britain's foreign office condemned the launches, and a US newspaper reported that Washington has restricted intelligence sharing on North Korea with South Korea.
On April 15 the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, expressed concern over North Korea's increased uranium enrichment and its ability to build more nuclear weapons. The same day, the United States jailed two men over a scheme involving an IT worker that funded North Korea's weapons development, and North Korea was suspected of being behind an April 1 cryptocurrency heist.
On April 26 Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov awarded North Korean soldiers with Orders of Courage for their service.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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