Its leader Kim Jong-un has pledged to expand the country's nuclear arsenal and military potential.
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Video caption: South Korean artist highlights gay rights in military service Artist and activist Jeram Kang says he was sexually harassed while serving in the South Korean military.
By Mark Savage
BBC music reporter
South Korea starts vaccinations
Copyright: ReutersSouth Korea started its Covid-19 vaccination rollout on Friday, with the first doses going to nursing home workers and some patients.
Officials hope to vaccinate hundreds of thousands of people over the next month using jabs produced by AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech.
Earlier this week, South Korea’s prime minister told the BBC that he was confident the country would achieve herd immunity from Covid-19 by the autumn despite a later start to its vaccination programme.
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By Laura Bicker
BBC News, Seoul
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Video caption: North Korea: Forced to work in a coal mine for 28 years A former South Korean prisoner describes her time working in a North Korean coal mine.
By Laura Bicker
BBC News, Seoul