President Barack Obama has directed the U.S. military to coordinate with South Korea to “ensure readiness” and deter future aggression from North Korea, the White House said on Monday. Read the full story

An emotional President Lee Myung-bak vowed Monday that South Korea would respond “resolutely and unwaveringly” against those behind the deadly sinking of a naval ship near the tense maritime border with North Korea. Read the full story

North Korea has accused the US and South Korea of seeking a regime change in the country, threatening to launch nuclear strikes to counter any provocations by the two. Read the full story

A senior Chinese official was in North Korea on Monday and a top U.N. political envoy was slated to arrive a day later in a new push to have the reclusive state return to stalled nuclear disarmament talks. Read the full story

North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire near their disputed sea border on Wednesday, highlighting instability along a heavily armed frontier for the second time in three months. Read the full story

Kim’s all-powerful National Defense Commission had threatened Friday to initiate a sacred “retaliatory battle” against the South in anger over its reported contingency plan to cope with potential unrest in the communist country. The commission also warned it could break off all dialogue and negotiations with the South. Read the full story