Micah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian ... Read more

North Korea has conducted artillery firing drills to bolster its combat readiness posture, the North's state media reported on Tuesday, as South Korea and the United States prepare to kick off

The shortfall, driven by the Asian country’s record-low birthrate of 0.75, left the military 50,000 soldiers under the level deemed necessary for defence readiness in 2025, the defence ministry said in a report on Sunday. More worryingly, it noted, there was a shortage of 21,000 non-commissioned officers.