A malfunctioning South Korean ballistic missile blew up as it plowed into the ground Wednesday during a live-fire drill, panicking and confusing residents of the coastal city of Gangneung.

South Korea called an emergency National Security Council meeting where members denounced the launch as a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country will never abandon the nuclear weapons it needs to counter the United States, which he accused of pushing to weaken the North's defenses.

South Korea's new government on Thursday proposed a meeting with North Korea to resume reunions of families separated since the 1950-53 Korean War.

While Washington and Seoul describe their exercises as defensive, North Korea portrays them as invasion rehearsals and has used them to justify its nuclear weapons and missiles development.

Nighttime temperatures could double in some eastern Asian cities, according to a study researchers say is the first to estimate the impact of hotter nights on climate change-related mortality risks.

The North's official news agency also reported that Kim's sister blamed the COVID outbreak on leaflets flown from across the border from South Korea, while warning of deadly retaliation.

Some of the heaviest rain in decades swamped South Korea's capital region, turning Seoul's streets into car-clogged rivers and leaving at least eight people dead and seven others missing.

North Korea on Sunday slammed the United States, South Korea and Japan for pushing to boost their trilateral military cooperation, warning it would reinforce its military capability.

North Korea on Sunday slammed the United States, South Korea and Japan for pushing to boost their trilateral military cooperation, warning it would reinforce its military capability.

The barrage of eight missiles test-fired over 35 minutes extends a streak in weapons demonstrations this year that U.S. and South Korean officials say may culminate with a nuclear test explosion.

The isolated East Asian country has only stated how many people have fevers daily, and has only identified a few of the cases as COVID-19 since admitting to an outbreak of the omicron variant.

North Korea's official news agency says nearly 190,000 people are being isolated for treatment across the country.

North Korea has test-fired a new type of tactical guided weapon designed to boost its nuclear fighting capability, state media reported Sunday, days after it passed its biggest state anniversary.

North Korea is marking a key state anniversary Friday with calls for stronger loyalty to Kim Jong Un, but there was no word on an expected military parade amid heightened international tension.