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North Korea Halts Radio Broadcasts, Curbs Exchanges with South

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with commanders of the Korean People's Army, at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Party, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released by the Korean Central News Agency on January 1, 2024. (KCNA via Reuters)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with commanders of the Korean People's Army, at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Party, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released by the Korean Central News Agency on January 1, 2024. (KCNA via Reuters)
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North Korea Halts Radio Broadcasts, Curbs Exchanges with South

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with commanders of the Korean People's Army, at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Party, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released by the Korean Central News Agency on January 1, 2024. (KCNA via Reuters)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with commanders of the Korean People's Army, at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Party, in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this picture released by the Korean Central News Agency on January 1, 2024. (KCNA via Reuters)

North Korea stopped operating a radio station used to send coded messages to its agents in South Korea, the Yonhap news agency said on Saturday, the latest sign the isolated country is shaking up the way it handles relations with Seoul.

North Korea has been stepping up pressure on Seoul in recent weeks, declaring it the "principal enemy", saying the North will never reunite with the South and vowing to enhance its ability to deliver a nuclear strike on the US and America's allies in the Pacific.

Radio Pyongyang, known as a numbers station, in the past broadcast mysterious coded numbers presumed to be targeted at Pyongyang's spies operating in South Korea. Its website was also down on Saturday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, addressing a year-end meeting of his ruling party, ordered a "decisive policy change" in relations with the South, instructing the military to be prepared to pacify and occupy the South in the event of a crisis.

Early on Saturday, North Korea announced plans to dissolve organizations in charge of civilian exchanges with South Korea. State media KCNA reported a decision "to readjust all relevant organizations... including the North Side Committee for Implementing June 15 Joint Declaration, the North Headquarters of the Pan-national Alliance for Korea's Reunification".

North and South Korea remain technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, and tensions are running high.

Seoul-based news outlet NK News said on Friday several North Korean propaganda sites were inaccessible more than 24 hours after they went offline.

The websites of Uriminzokkiri, DPRK Today, Arirang Meari, Tongil Voice, Ryomyong and Ryugyong have been down since at least Thursday morning, it said.

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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Says There Is Now a Good Chance to End War

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Says There Is Now a Good Chance to End War

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that he saw a good chance to end the war with Russia after Ukraine accepted a US proposal for a 30-day interim ceasefire and Moscow said it would only agree if certain conditions were met.

"Right now, we have a good chance to end this war quickly and secure peace. We have solid security understandings with our European partners," Zelenskiy said on X.

"We are now close to the first step in ending any war – silence," he said, referring to a truce.

Speaking to reporters, Zelenskiy urged the US and other allies to apply pressure on Moscow, reiterating his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin will delay reaching a ceasefire as long as possible.

"If there is a strong response from the United States, they will not let them play around. And if there are steps that Russia is not afraid of, they will delay the process," Zelenskiy told media.

He said that the ceasefire along a more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) frontline could be controlled with US help via satellites and intelligence. Washington resumed intelligence sharing and military aid after US and Ukrainian officials met in Saudi Arabia this week and Ukraine accepted the ceasefire.

Zelenskiy also said that officials at that meeting discussed the issue of territory, but a difficult dialog would be required to resolve it.

"The issue of territories is the most difficult after the ceasefire," Zelenskiy said at a media briefing.

With the war is in its fourth year, Russian forces control nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory and they have steadily advanced in the eastern Donetsk region in recent months.

"The ceasefire unblocks the way for the sides to end the war. And the territories ... will be the point that makes it possible to end the war after this issue is resolved," the Ukrainian president said.

Moscow has demanded that Kyiv permanently cede territory claimed by Russia including Crimea and four other regions, a position Ukraine has rejected.

Zelenskiy said he was discussing with Kyiv's allies future security guarantees and also economic support, adding that 100% air defense cover would be required as deterrence in a peace deal.