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Kim Jong Un, chairman of North Korea’s State Affairs Commission, met with China’s foreign minister and formalized plans to broaden high‑level exchanges and strengthen strategic communication between the two countries. He also referenced support on Taiwan and cooperation in responding to international developments, underscoring a renewed closeness between the two governments.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on the 10th that Kim received Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, at the Workers’ Party headquarters in Pyongyang.
Kim conveyed greetings to Xi Jinping through Minister Wang, saying, “My visit to China last September and my meeting with General Secretary Xi remain vivid in my memory.” He added, “I am pleased to see the important mutual understandings reached between General Secretary Xi and myself being implemented concretely. DPRK–China relations have risen to a new level in accordance with the will and wishes of our parties and peoples.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, warned that the country will face hard times in both military and diplomatic arenas through September.
According to Reuters and AFP on the 10th (local time), Zelenskyy said in a message released by the presidential office that “we will face a very difficult period until September.”
He said Ukraine will encounter pressure not only on the battlefield but also in diplomatic channels during the spring and summer months.
Earlier this year, the United States mediated three rounds of ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine, but they yielded no significant results. Negotiations effectively stalled after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Saturday the 11th will bring mostly clear skies and rising temperatures nationwide, producing distinctly springlike conditions. However, large day‑to‑night temperature swings mean people should take care of their health. Southern regions will see increasing cloud cover in the afternoon.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said skies will be mostly clear nationwide, with clouds increasing over the south from the afternoon.
Morning lows are forecast between 6°C and 12°C (about 43°F to 54°F), and daytime highs between 16°C and 23°C (about 61°F to 73°F).
Inland areas of Gyeongsang Province are expected to experience day‑night temperature differences of around 15°C (about 27°F). Rapid temperature changes can weaken immunity, so people should take extra precautions for their health.
Wi Seong‑rak, director of the Blue House National Security Office, said on the 10th that even after a temporary U.S.–Iran truce, “passage through the Strait of Hormuz is not smooth,” and supply‑chain uncertainty will persist for the time being.
Wi made the remarks at a press briefing at the Blue House and said, “We will continue efforts to identify alternative supply sources for crude oil and naphtha.”
He added that the number of transiting ships does not appear to have risen markedly compared with wartime levels, noting many vessels remain cautious about attempting immediate passage and are monitoring conditions.
He warned that if some 2,000 ships currently held up in the Strait of Hormuz attempted to leave all at once, it would take time and could complicate efforts to secure safe routes. He said the government is maintaining communications with relevant countries to ensure the safety of all vessels and crew, including 26 Korean‑flagged ships, and to expedite safe passage.
The Democratic Party and the People Power Party reached a sudden agreement on a supplemental budget to be finalized in a plenary session on the 10th. The package includes a new fuel‑price‑linked subsidy to ease the burden on farmers and fishers struggling with high fuel costs, as well as a temporary 50% discount on the K‑Pass transit card, among other measures.
The parties met in the morning at the National Assembly and agreed on a 26.2 trillion KRW (19.65 billion USD) supplemental budget that increases funding within the scope of the government’s originally reduced proposal.
First, they allocated 200 billion KRW (150 million USD) to support farmers and fishers. Specifically, they will temporarily introduce a fuel‑price‑linked subsidy for agricultural machinery fuel, raise the tax‑exempt diesel fuel price‑linked subsidy, ease fuel cost burdens for coastal passenger ferries, and provide mineral fertilizers.
They also agreed to boost funding by 100 billion KRW (75 million USD) to temporarily offer a 50% discount on the K‑Pass to encourage public transit use. However, refund rates will be reduced during peak commute hours and increased during off‑peak times as an incentive.
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