Russia-North Korea Military Link: Ukrainian President Zelensky again warned that Russia “cannot wage war without” North Korean reinforcements, saying Moscow has received more DPRK ballistic missiles and is preparing to station an additional 30,000–50,000 North Korean troops on Russian territory, while offering no details on timing or sourcing. Combat Experience Transfer: Ukraine’s military intelligence claims North Korea has moved beyond supplying missiles to embedding missile crews inside a Russian brigade near the Ukraine front, giving Pyongyang live launch experience against real air defenses. Seoul’s Ukraine Limits: South Korea is keeping a cautious line on Zelensky’s request for air-defense systems, stressing weapons transfers must follow domestic law and offering non-lethal support instead. Kimsuky’s AI Leap: A cybersecurity report says the North Korean hacking group Kimsuky has built an offline AI setup to improve phishing and malware development, including local AI tools that can search stolen documents and make attacks more scalable. North Korea-China Bridge Watch: A long-idle North Korea–China bridge is showing signs of renewed preparation, hinting at possible trade corridor momentum after more than a decade of inactivity. FBI on Remote IT Insider Threat: The FBI is investigating a yearslong campaign tied to North Korean remote IT workers, including a case involving a federal agency, underscoring growing insider-risk concerns. Pyongyang vs Japan: North Korea denounced Japan’s 2026 defense white paper as a “re-invasion” justification for militarization. Food Market Shift: Reports say state grain sales offices are increasingly run in practice by wealthy private merchants (“donju”), with prices tracking markets more than state policy. US-ROK Readiness Drills: South Korea and the US announced Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises next week, explicitly factoring in lessons from North Korean troops fighting in Ukraine.