Summary of inter-Korean news this week

SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of inter-Korean news this week.

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(LEAD) Presidential office expresses 'deep regret' over N.K. leader's criticism of Yoon

SEOUL -- The presidential office expressed "deep regret" Thursday after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un lashed out at President Yoon Suk-yeol by name.

Kim said in a Victory Day speech the previous day that he can no longer watch the "indecency" and "bravado" of Yoon and "his military gangsters," and will annihilate both the Yoon administration and the military if they attempt a preemptive strike on the North.

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N. Korean economy shrinks for 2nd year in 2021 on sanctions, pandemic: BOK

SEOUL -- North Korea's economy is estimated to have contracted for the second straight year in 2021 on global sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic, South Korea's central bank Wednesday.

The North's economy, which has been hit by tightened U.N. sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs, shrank 0.1 percent last year from the prior year, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said in a report.

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N. Korea may conduct nuke test to mark 'Victory Day': minister

SEOUL -- South Korea's unification minister did not rule out the possibility of North Korea carrying out a nuclear test on the occasion of what it calls "Victory Day" this week, speaking publicly Tuesday.

"I think there is such a possibility," Kwon Young-se said, when asked about the issue during a radio interview here.

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N.K. stockpile of fissile materials increased by 10 percent over past 5 years: defense minister

SEOUL -- North Korea's stockpile of weapons-grade plutonium and uranium is believed to have increased by about 10 percent since a 2018 inter-Korean summit where it committed to denuclearization, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup said Monday.

"North Korea possesses a considerable amount of fissile materials and is believed to have steadily produced them for the past five years," Lee said during a parliamentary interpellation session in response to a question how many nuclear weapons the North has produced since the 2018 summit.
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