Kim

While Kim has remained at the top of North Korean leadership, the party congress’s presidium – its executive committee – has been reshuffled since the last meeting in 2021. More than half of its 39 members have been replaced, according to state media.

SINCE my exclusive story broke about Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton, everyone wants to know how long they’ve been together.

And now I’ve been given a little more insight into their top-secret romance.

While it was thought that Kim and Formula 1 star Lewis started growing closer over Christmas, I can reveal it was a lot earlier than that.

My moles tell me Kim visited Lewis in Las Vegas in the days before the Grand Prix there on November 22.

From what I know, they went all-out to keep it hush-hush.

One insider said: “Lewis invited Kim to be his guest inside the garage over the week. That included for the preparation and the race itself.

READ MORE ON KIM KARDASHIAN

SEXY SNAPS

Kim Kardashian looks incredible as she models plunging Skims tops

WEIGH HEY

Fat jabs may CURE agonising skin condition suffered by thousands of Brits

“She was there when the race happened and was alongside him, talking to him and hanging out with him before he took to the circuit.

“Nicole Scherzinger did that back in the day when they were together.

“People saw it and didn’t think much of it — but now it all makes sense.”

A second source in the F1 world added: “Three days before the race, Kim was spotted coming out of a garage where Lewis’s car was.

“She headed to his trailer. That was one of the few times Kim was seen.

“Something was definitely happening between them then. Why else would she have been there?”

Why, indeed?

I revealed Kim and Lewis enjoyed a night at posh Estelle Manor in the Cotswolds on January 31, before heading to London for a second date and Paris for a third.

Lewis then flew back to Los Angeles with Kim on her £100million private jet, and days later they made their first public appearance together at the Super Bowl on February 8.

Since then, the A-list couple have been apart, with him flying to Bahrain, where he spent time last week doing pre-season testing in his Ferrari F1 car.

Lewis said he had a new-found vigour ahead of the season, adding: “I’m reset and refreshed.”

I’m sure that Kim has helped boost his drive . . . 

ESTEEM DREAM

SELF ESTEEM will be in Manchester this Saturday for the Brit Awards – and she may have a very special man by her side.

I’ve learned the singer-songwriter, who is nominated for Artist of the Year at the ceremony, is dating actor Wilf Scolding.

And I’m told they have been seeing each other since 2023, when they were cast in West End show Cabaret together.

The singer, whose real name is Rebecca Lucy Taylor, hinted they are an item when Wilf appeared in the video for her song The Curse in August.

A source said: “Rebecca and Wilf have been together for a while – they live together and even have a dog.

“But they aren’t showy with their personal lives so haven’t flaunted the relationship in the public eye.

“She’s had bad dating experiences in the past but Wilf is a good guy. He has the seal of approval from her mates.”

Wilf, who starred in Game Of Thrones and BBC One drama The Passing Bells, is a sea-change from the singer’s last boyfriend, who she has never publicly named but said was “a real nasty bastard”.

Self Esteem referenced her “current male lover” in an interview back in November.

When asked how often she has sex, she said: “Oh, often. That is one thing I don’t compromise on.”

Good on them both.

JUSTIN TIME FOR UK GIGS

JUSTIN BIEBER is set to embark on his biggest tour in more than a decade.

I’m told the Baby hitmaker will announce a string of global dates after playing two headline slots at US festival Coachella in April, as well as plans for a new pop album.

A source said: “This year is set to be a huge one for Justin.

“He kicked things off with his Grammy performance earlier this month and bosses hope his Coachella sets will remind the world why he became one of the most successful singers on the planet.”

As part of his upcoming world tour, Justin is expected to announce a show at BST Hyde Park in London.

He previously played BST in 2017 – but hasn’t done a full concert on UK soil since then.

ANTI’S EURO VISION

LOVE Island fans might spot a familiar face at the Eurovision Song Contest in the spring.

While the UK will be represented by YouTuber Look Mum No Computer, Cyprus’s act is Antigoni, who starred in the ITV2 series in 2022.

She wore this striking red dress in the video for her entry song, Jalla – and eagle-eyed viewers might recognise someone else in the promo.

Antigoni, who was born and raised in London but is of Greek-Cypriot descent, managed to get Stavros Flatley star Demetri Demetriou to make a cameo.

Currently, Antigoni is tenth favourite to win, while Look Mum No Computer is 14th.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for them both.

KEEP an eye out for LA-based singer Amelia Moore, who has just completed a UK tour supporting Ashnikko.

She has been getting rave reviews off the back of her latest EP He’s Still Just Not That Into You! and I’m expecting big things in the coming months.

FOO FIGHT FOR GIGS

FOO FIGHTERS have announced a set of surprise shows this week – leading to thousands of fans queuing in the streets for a ticket

Tonight they will play The Academy in Dublin, before a show on Wednesday at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire and the O2 Ritz in Manchester on Friday.

Tickets were released yesterday but fans had to queue at the venues’ box offices in a bid to stop online touts ripping people off.

The gigs come ahead of the release of their 12th album Your Favourite Toy on April 24.

I’ll be in Manchester to see the band – I can’t wait.

THE SEX PISTOLS BACK ON ROAD

THE SEX PISTOLS ft. Frank Carter have announced a brand new tour celebrating 50 years of punk.

Anarchy In The UK will see them play five shows at the end of the year, kicking off in ­Ireland at Dublin’s 3 Arena on December 7.

They will then play Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange on December 9, before hitting Glasgow’s O2 ­Academy the following evening.

Frank and Co will then head to London to play the Brixton Academy on December 18 and the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith two days later.

MARGOT IS SHEER DELIGHT

MARGOT ROBBIE skipped the Baftas and headed Down Under for Tropfest 2026 in Sydney.

The film festival, which celebrates the best short films and new rising stars of the industry, enlisted Margot as the president of this year’s jury.

Next year, I know Margot will be front and centre at the Baftas in London – with her new film Wuthering Heights expected to pick up a raft of nods, including Best Actress for her star turn.

Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel has caused a storm among cinema lovers, with Margot’s co-star Jacob Elordi expected to be shortlisted for Best Actor.

Kim focuses on improving economic activity in opening speech at Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea.

North Korea has kicked off a rare party congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, held once every five years, that will see the leadership in Pyongyang set major policy goals in defence, diplomacy and the economy, state media reports.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Friday that the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) was under way, marking the start of the country’s most consequential political event since 2021.

“The Ninth Congress of the WPK opened with splendour in Pyongyang, the capital city of the revolution,” KCNA said, reporting that the high-level meeting started on Thursday and observers say it is expected to run for several days.

South Korea’s official Yonhap News Agency said the gathering will be closely followed for any signs regarding North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons or overtures towards the administrations in Seoul and the United States, which the North considers its chief foes.

Yonhap reports that North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, made no mention of relations with either South Korea or the US in his opening speech to the congress on Thursday and, instead, focused on boosting the country’s economy.

“Ahead of our party are heavy and urgent tasks of advancing economic development and improving people’s livelihoods, and transforming all aspects of social life in the country as quickly as possible,” Kim said, according to KCNA.

While the true state of North Korea’s often struggling economy is hard to gauge, The Associated Press news agency reports that outside experts suggest the country has seen a gradual recovery in economic activity, helped by a post-COVID boost in trade with China and the export of weapons to help Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Several thousand North Korean troops have fought on Moscow’s side against Ukraine, and Pyongyang is believed to have exported large amounts of ammunition to help the Russian invasion of its neighbour.

North Korea’s ‘biggest enemy’

South Korea’s spy agency said last week it was monitoring the congress for any sign that Kim will officially designate his teenage daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his potential successor, formalising her position as heir apparent in a fourth-generation succession of the Kim family as North Korea’s leaders.

At the previous party congress five years ago, Kim declared that the US was his nation’s “biggest enemy”, the AFP news agency reports, and there is deep interest in whether the North Korean leader will soften his rhetoric – or double down – at this year’s congress, particularly amid the US presidency of Donald Trump.

Trump – who met Kim in 2019 when he briefly stepped foot into North Korea to shake Kim’s hand and pose for photos – said during a tour of Asia late last year that he was “100 percent” open to meeting Kim again.

So far, Kim has demurred on Trump’s overtures to meet again.

Observers of North Korean politics are reported to be scouring satellite imagery for any signs of the vast military parades that have accompanied previous congress meetings in Pyongyang.

Such parades will be closely watched for signs of a shift in North Korea’s weapons capabilities, as the country has used previous processions to show off its newest and most advanced weapons.

Kim held a ceremony on Thursday to unveil the deployment of 50 new launch vehicles for nuclear-capable short-range missiles as the congress kicked off.

According to Yonhap, the congress brings together some 5,000 party representatives from across the country, including 200 senior officials from the WPK’s headquarters. More than 4,700 officials from regional and industrial sectors are also in attendance.

Feb. 19 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Thursday it is taking note of a swift statement by Kim Yo Jong, a senior North Korean ruling party official, after Seoul expressed regret over recent drone incidents and announced steps to prevent a recurrence.

A ministry official told reporters the government “takes note” that North Korea quickly responded to Seoul’s expression of regret and its preventive measures. The official said the steps announced by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young are intended to protect the safety and peace of both Koreas and that the government will “responsibly” implement them.

The remarks came after Kim said earlier Thursday that North Korea “highly appreciates” Chung’s comments acknowledging what Pyongyang called a South Korean drone provocation, expressing regret again and stating an intention to prevent further incidents.

On Wednesday, Chung said Seoul expressed “deep regret” to the North over drone infiltration incidents during the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration and additional incidents carried out at the civilian level after President Lee Jae-myung took office. Chung also announced measures aimed at preventing a recurrence, including banning drone infiltration into North Korea and strengthening penalties.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260219010005700

PHOENIX — With Tommy Edman opening the season on the injured list, Hyeseong Kim is a prime candidate to see an uptick in playing time at second base for the Dodgers in the coming season. On Tuesday, he further solidified his case.

With teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto throwing a live batting practice session on the backfields at Camelback Ranch, Kim took the World Series MVP on an unexpected ride. On the 16th pitch of Yamamoto’s live batting practice, Kim crushed an opposite-field home run, dazzling the hundreds of Dodgers fans gathered to watch the team ready itself for its first slate of exhibition games that begin Saturday.

Kim’s home run came after watching Yamamoto walk Teoscar Hernández, induce a ground ball from Andy Pages, and strike out newcomer Kyle Tucker looking. However, Kim wasn’t finished quite yet.

Yamamoto took a short break, as Shohei Ohtani threw a round of batting practice himself. After Ohtani got his work in, Yamamoto returned to the mound, with Kim waiting for him in the batter’s box.

On the fifth pitch of his second at-bat versus Yamamoto, Kim ripped a base hit to right field. Yamamoto would see eight at bats on the day, logging 30 pitches. He allowed three hits, two of which came from Kim.

Kim said he tweaked his swing last year after coming over from the KBO on a three-year, $12.5 million contract, and is continuing to progress and feel more comfortable with the adjustments he’s made.

“The swing changes we made last year, I would say I felt about 70% comfortable with,” Kim said through an interpreter on Monday. “And then, this offseason and spring training, we were able to recognize some of the other stuff that we needed to work on, so I’m working very hard to make those changes again this year.”

As a rookie, he batted .280 with a .314 on base percentage, .699 OPS, three home runs and 17 RBI across 71 games. He began the season in Triple-A, before earning a promotion in May. A left shoulder injury would land him on the IL, limiting his time in his first big league season — though he was healthy enough to be on the team’s postseason roster primarily as a late-inning defensive replacement, playing second base when the Dodgers closed out their Game 7 World Series victory.

Kim also mixed in 17 games in the outfield to provide depth behind Pages last season, and he knew his outfield defense would be an offseason priority.

“I was aware that I needed to work on my center field and outfield defense,” Kim said. “Even without the front office telling me, I knew that it was something I needed to work on, so I was going to work on it regardless.”

As he prepped for the coming season, Kim focused on his nutrition, upping his protein intake and adding some weight.

“I noticed that I lost a little bit of weight throughout the season and I wanted to make sure that I was gaining my weight back before the season started,” Kim said. “So, I made sure to intake my proteins and my meals so that I was able to gain 2-3 kilograms this offseason.”

With the news that Edman is still on the mend from offseason ankle surgery, Kim stands to benefit in terms of playing time but he says he’s not getting ahead of himself.

“I’m using this time — the offseason and spring training — to just get better,” Kim said. “Whether I play more or not, it doesn’t really affect me much. I’m just trying to get better every day.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has showcased a newly constructed residential street for families of soldiers who have died fighting in Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to state media.

Intelligence agencies from South Korea and Western nations have reported that North Korea has dispatched thousands of soldiers to fight for Russia, and Seoul estimated they have suffered 2,000 casualties.

Experts suggested North Korea receives financial aid, military technology and essential supplies from Russia in exchange for this support.

Its official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released photographs showing Kim touring the new homes on Saeppyol Street in Pyongyang with his daughter, Ju Ae, widely regarded as his heir apparent.

South Korea’s intelligence agency recently claimed she has been “designated as a successor”, citing her involvement in high-profile events with her father.

One image depicted families inspecting utilities in their new apartments.

“The new street has been built thanks to the ardent desire of our motherland, which wishes that … its excellent sons who defended the most sacred things by sacrificing their most valuable things will live forever,” Kim said in a speech released by KCNA.

Although Monday’s report did not mention Russia, Kim recently pledged to “unconditionally support” all policies and decisions made by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Before their death, the heroic martyrs must have pictured in their mind’s eye their dear families living in the ever-prospering country,” he added.

The unveiling preceded the ruling Workers’ Party congress in Pyongyang, the nation’s most significant political event, scheduled this month. Observers are closely monitoring Kim’s announcements on foreign and domestic policy directions as well as whether Ju Ae will be granted any official party titles.

Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told the AFP news agency that the timing of the street inauguration represents a “highly calculated political move to justify its soldier deployment” before the party congress.

“It visualises the state providing tangible compensation to the families of fallen soldiers … as a symbolic showcase,” he said.

SHE’S got her showbiz career nailed, but will it be boom or bust for Sydney Sweeney as she takes on Kim Kardashian in the lingerie business?

It is the big question in Hollywood following Syd’s very ambitious move to rival Kim’s Skims brand with her own label, Syrn.

Last month, Sydney finally launched her highly anticipated range of undies with $1billion of support from a fund backed by Amazon ­billionaire Jeff Bezos.

And this week, she upped the ante with a cheeky promo video, which sees her raiding a local store with a gang of pals flashing their bras.

It is a ballsy scheme for a relative rookie who, despite cementing herself as a leading lady in the acting world, has yet to prove she has the business acumen to “do a Kim” and turn her sex symbol status into a corporate, billion-dollar brand.

Since co-launching her shapewear company Skims in 2019, Kim, 45, has defied the odds, making it a global lifestyle behemoth worth $5billion.

read more on Sydney Sweeney

MIDNIGHT SNACK

Sydney Sweeney shimmies and shakes in just a bra and underwear for Syrn ad

SMASHER SYD

Sydney Sweeney shows off curves in figure-hugging dress as she receives gong

She’s also launched a new partnership with sportswear giant Nike to create the NikeSkims label.

From where we are sitting, Kim’s a tough act to beat.

‘CALCULATED PLOT’

But evidently, Sydney, 28, isn’t one to be deterred — and why should she be when she’s got the world’s fourth-richest man on her side, injecting big bucks into her new venture?

Syrn, pronounced “siren”, is a ­lingerie line that promises to offer inclusive sizing, up to a 42DDD.

So far, the inventory is limited, with a handful of sexy bras, corsets, thongs and knickers offered on its online store, mostly priced at around $100 (£73) or under.

But sales have already been sky- high, with the “Seductress” collection going out of stock almost immediately.

Like Kim, Sydney has chosen a platform to stand on.

While Skims’ remit focuses on inclusivity — with shapewear sold in nine skin colours and in a large range of sizes — Syrn includes bigger-breasted women, who might not otherwise be catered for by traditional retailers.

It is a clever move, positioning the actress and her own famously ample chest front and centre, with the underlying message that she has something innovative to offer.

According to sources close to Sydney, the Euphoria star’s new business isn’t a half-baked move.It is a ­calculated plot to elevate her to the big leagues and prove she can more than keep up with the Kardashians.

Sydney wants to dethrone Kim — she knows she has the potential to make enormous money and turn Syrn into a multi- billion-dollar company, like Skims

Sweeney insider

“Sydney is extremely competitive and knows she has the potential to reach the very top of the fashion industry,” an insider exclusively tells The Sun.

“That’s exactly why she launched her lingerie brand.

“Syrn is one of her biggest dreams, and she is fully committed to doing whatever it takes to turn it into a major success and compete with top brands like Skims.

“She isn’t afraid of anything.

“She’s aware that Kim Kardashian and her team aren’t happy about her entering the lingerie space, and she was warned by several people not to do it, including friends close to Kim.

“But she never cared about Kim’s opinion, and she never lets others influence her business ideas.”

The insider adds: “Sydney wants to dethrone Kim — she knows she has the potential to make enormous money and turn Syrn into a multi- billion-dollar company, like Skims.

“She sees this as a competition and she loves that challenge.”

Sydney showed her rebellious streak — and got her brand some extra publicity — with a video in which she and her production crew scaled the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, before hanging Syrn bras across the famous letters.

Some hailed her a cheeky rabble-rouser.

Others dismissed it as a PR stunt.

Either way, it got Sydney noticed and made her brand a ­talking point — especially after the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which owns and licenses the sign, slammed the actress, saying she did not have prior authority.

So could Sydney go to jail thanks to her zest and zeal for selling big-sized bras to the world?

No. But for an actress who knows the power of a good performance, she put on one hell of a show.

According to brand and culture expert Nick Ede, the stunt was in keeping with Sydney’s bold approach, which hinges on her unapologetically selling her biggest asset: herself.

She is not afraid to stick two ­fingers up to propriety to make her mark — and money.

‘STUNT MAVERICK’

Nick says: “While Kim is all about being wanted and admired, and always making sure everyone loves her, Sydney doesn’t care.

“She knows that people want to buy into the brand, and she is being maverick with her stunts.

“We didn’t know much about the lingerie line until a few weeks ago, but she’s stepped it up in a strategic way to cut through other celebs with huge brands and endorsement deals.

“Look at Meghan Markle — she had so much around her when she launched her brand.

“She had her TV show and her status, but Sydney has cut through all that in a punky way.

“In Euphoria, she’s a little bit messy as her character Cassie, and she’s a little bit messy as an actual celebrity.

“She’s sticking with her persona, which works well as a brand.”

Fans and critics will remember the chaos last year over Sydney‘s American Eagle ads, which boasted that she “has great jeans”.

Critics suggested the line was racist, claiming it ­promoted white supremacy.

But ­Sydney proved that sex plus controversy sells.

The clothing brand duly reported a massive spike in sales, plus a stock surge of 25 per cent.

Initially, Sydney refused to discuss the controversy.

However, in December, she said: “I’m against hate and divisiveness.

“In the past, my stance has been to never respond to negative or positive press, but I have come to realise that my silence regarding this issue has only widened the divide, not closed it.”

That said, she didn’t regret the ads, nor the impact they made.

And she’s not about to moderate her behaviour . . . not when she’s got her own brand to promote.

As Nick explains, the actress knows what her assets are, with curves that match her confidence, and she’s putting both on display.

“Sydney’s selling and creating a fantasy,” he explains.

‘SULTRY SELFIE’

It’s very ‘old Hollywood’ in many ways, but it’s gritty, too, and that’s why there is such huge appeal.

“She will become a mega-brand in the future.”

As for Kim, it is no surprise her nose has apparently been put out of joint over the Sydney uprising.

While she often gets models and celeb brand ambassadors to model her Skims wear, the week of the Syrn launch in January saw Kim post her own sultry selfie to Instagram, posing in her brand’s lacy lingerie.

Fans could not help but notice the timing of her decision to model a sexy Skims set, hot on the heels of Sydney’s own saucy ­campaign, also on social media.

As one follower said: “Kim said, not today, Sydney Sweeney,” while another weighed in: “Is this the Sweeney fight back?”

Ramping it up, Kim this week called in little sister Kylie Jenner to model a bra and knicker set from her “Everyday Cotton” Skims range in a bid to reel in younger fans.

Obviously, when it comes to the Hollywood pool of superficial friendships, Kim and Sydney are on decent terms, having rubbed ­shoulders last year at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding.

Needless to say, having a mutual pal like Jeff will keep them civil — on the surface at least — as they have too much to lose if they fall out and put him in the middle.

But, according to insiders, Kim feels particularly irked by Sydney’s apparent bid to claim some of her global spotlight.

The Kardashian beauty is used to being the most talked-about woman in any room, but — since Sydney became a pop culture phenomenon — she’s been pulling eyes away.

The fact that she is now launching this lingerie line feels a little too close to home for Kim, especially since it has been reported that Sydney has also filed to trademark the Syrn name for cosmetics and beauty care products.

Coincidentally — or maybe not so — Kim has also spoken about expanding into the beauty space with Skims.

Now, she has ­reportedly been complaining to friends that Sydney is nothing more than a “copycat”.

Still, as Nick tells us, the pair actually have more to gain from this rivalry than meets the eye, as “it’s all about the amount of column inches and publicity they can get”.

‘REBELLIOUS STREAK’

Kim is hardly naive when it comes to the art of publicity.

This is the woman who “broke the internet” in 2014 after exposing her very famous bum to the world on the cover of Paper magazine.

She is hardly going to blush at the thought of engaging now in some performative bra wars with Sydney, as she knows full well that the oxygen for any successful brand is attention and visibility.

So who will ultimately triumph?

Well, Kim’s obviously got a tremendous head start.

She steered her brand to global domination, proving that — despite her internet-breaking derriere — she does nothing half-arsed.

But, like Kim, Sydney understands the power of harnessing one’s sex symbol status to achieve fame and fortune, combining that with business-minded savvy and sizeable investments to create a brand with real selling power.

Add to that her rebellious streak and she could be on to a winner with Syrn.

Whether she overshadows Kim remains to be seen, but one thing remains clear.

In the big, bad world of bra- selling celebs, this storm in a D cup will run and run.

SYD’S GEAR

SYDNEY SWEENEY

AGE: 28.

WEALTH: £30million.

FAMOUS FOR: Starring in The White Lotus, Euphoria and 2025 film The Housemaid.

CONTROVERSIAL MOMENTS: Her American Eagle clothing ad, with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”, which saw her accused of promoting genetic supremacy.

Plus having her bath water used to make a soap range in 2025.

RELATIONSHIPS: Dated businessman Jonathan Davino from 2018 to 2025.

Began dating controversial music executive Scooter Braun in 2025.

BRANDS: As well as Syrn, ­Sydney has her own production company, Fifty-Fifty Films.

She has also collaborated with Armani Beauty, Kerastase haircare, Laneige skincare, Ford motors and Miu Miu fashion.

KIM’S GEAR

KIM KARDASHIAN

AGE: 45.

WEALTH: £1.4billion.

FAMOUS FOR: Reality shows including Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

CONTROVERSIAL MOMENTS: Leaking of a sex tape starring Kim and Ray J in 2007, “breaking the internet” with her 2014 cover of Paper magazine, and a 72-day marriage to Kris Humphries.

RELATIONSHIPS: Married music producer Damon Thomas at 19 and split after three years; Kris Humphries, married and split after 72 days, 2011; Kanye West, married 2014, split 2021.

She is now dating Lewis Hamilton.

BRANDS: KKW Beauty (2017-2021), SKKN By Kim – skincare brand from 2022, Kardashian Kloset – resale site for TV family’s clothes.

Skims has also launched collaborations with Nike, Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi.

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (UPI) — Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Friday that Seoul’s expression of regret over alleged drone incursions was “sensible,” but cautioned that any future flights would trigger a “terrible response.”

The statement, carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, followed comments Tuesday by South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, who expressed “deep regrets” over alleged drone flights into the North as part of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s broader push to ease tensions with Pyongyang.

North Korea’s military last month said it shot down a South Korean surveillance drone near the border city of Kaesong. Seoul has denied involvement, saying it does not operate the drone model cited by the North.

Kim described Chung’s remarks as “fortunate” and “quite sensible behavior,” but said South Korean authorities must take preventive measures to ensure such violations “would never happen again.”

“We don’t care who the very manipulator of the drone infiltration into the airspace of the DPRK is and whether it is an individual or a civilian organization,” she said.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.

“I give advance warning that reoccurrence of such provocation as violating the inalienable sovereignty of the DPRK will surely provoke a terrible response,” Kim said. “Various counterattack plans are on the table and one of them will be chosen without doubt and it will go beyond proportionality.”

A South Korean investigation initially centered on three civilians who were placed under travel bans last month. But a joint military-police task force on Tuesday raided the country’s spy agency and a military intelligence command as the probe widened to include three military officers as suspects.

On Wednesday, the Unification Ministry said Seoul would take immediate action to prevent future incidents.

“The government is conducting a thorough investigation and will immediately implement measures to prevent similar incidents,” ministry spokesman Yoon Min-ho said at a regular press briefing.

Kim’s statement was “signaling the need for joint efforts between the two Koreas to ease tensions and prevent accidents on the Korean Peninsula,” Yoon added.

North Korea is preparing to convene its Ninth Party Congress later this month, where Kim Jong Un is expected to outline a new five-year economic plan and recalibrate military and foreign policy priorities. Analysts will be watching for signs the North will formalize a hardened posture toward Seoul. In 2024, Pyongyang designated the South a “hostile state” and publicly rejected the long-held goal of reunification.

MILAN — Chloe Kim came up short in her attempt to become the first person to win three consecutive Olympic snowboarding gold medals on Thursday, finishing second in the halfpipe to South Korea’s Gaon Choi at Livigno Snow Park.

Choi stormed back from a nasty crash on her first run in which she clipped the lip of the halfpipe and came tumbling almost head first onto the icy surface. She looked shaky on her second run then the 17-year-old who leads the World Cup standings threw down a near flawless 90.25-point run while fresh snow fell to jump ahead of Kim, who had 88 points on her first run.

Dropping in last as the top qualifier, Kim had a chance to grab the gold medal back. She flashed two thumbs up to her coaching team before dropping in. But she fell on a cab double cork 1080, which she had stomped in her first two runs.

At the bottom of the halfpipe, Choi threw her arms in the air. Her coach ran to hug her. Kim, after sliding to the bottom of the pipe, ran through the crowd to congratulate Choi. The new Olympic champion was celebrating with Kim’s family.

The snowboard stars have history. Kim helped Choi train at Mammoth Mountain Snowboarding Club. Choi counts Kim among one of her snowboarding idols after Kim launched herself to superstardom at the 2018 Olympics.

Kim, then 17, became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold medal in PyeongChang. She followed it up with a historic gold in Beijing, where she became the first woman to win two Olympic gold medals in halfpipe.

The 25-year-old Kim suffered a torn labrum in her right shoulder in early January while training in Switzerland. It was the second time she had injured her shoulder in less than four weeks after she was forced to withdraw from a World Cup competition in December.

The injury meant the Olympics were Kim’s first competition of the season.

Little is known about Kim’s daughter, Ju Ae, who made her first public appearance in 2022 but appears set to be her father’s successor.

South Korea’s spy agency believes that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to designate his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, as his successor, increasing the agency’s earlier assessment of the teenager being the “most likely successor”.

The National Intelligence Service in Seoul informed legislators of the news during a closed-door briefing on Thursday, according to South Korea’s official Yonhap News Agency. Their intelligence agency’s findings were later shared with the media by South Korean politicians Park Seon-won and Lee Seong-gwon.

“Kim Ju Ae’s presence continues to be highlighted at events such as the recent Armed Forces Day ceremony and her visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, and there are even signs that she is expressing opinions on some policies,” Lee told reporters, according to Yonhap.

“We believe that she has now entered the succession selection stage,” Lee said.

Kumsusan Palace of the Sun is considered one of the most important places in North Korea as the final resting place of the country’s Great Leader Kim Il Sung and his son Dear Leader Kim Jong Il – the current Kim’s grandfather and father, and Ju Ae’s great-grandfather and grandfather.

Yonhap reports that if Ju Ae attends or receives a title at the ruling Workers’ Party congress later this month, a key political event that analysts believe will see major policy goals unveiled, speculation about her path to succession will “gain traction”.

Very little is known about Kim’s daughter, including her official age, though she is believed to still be in her teens.

Her first public appearance was in 2022 at the test launch of a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile, and she has been photographed alongside her father at numerous events across the country since then.

In January, she was photographed by Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency attending the test launch of a large-calibre multiple-rocket launch system alongside her father.

She also travelled by armour-plated train with her father to Beijing in September to attend a military parade marking 80 years since Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II, where she would have mixed with both Chinese and Russian leaders.

Seoul’s spy agency also said that Kim is currently directing the development of a large submarine ‌that is likely capable of carrying up to 10 submarine-launched ballistic missiles and which may be designed to be powered by a ‌nuclear ‌reactor, according to the politicians Park and Lee.

THEY kept their romance under wraps for weeks, and now Kim Kardashian is about to meet Lewis Hamilton’s mum.

Just one week after The Sun revealed their top- secret relationship, the motor-racing ace and US reality star Kim went public at Sunday’s Super Bowl.

The pair were seen together at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, alongside Kim’s half-sister Kendall.

And now their relationship is public, they are moving at lightning speed, with Lewis telling Kim during the game that he was ready to ­introduce her to his mum Carmen Larbalestier.

The 41-year-old Ferrari-driving F1 star was seen turning to Kim and saying: “I don’t take just any girl to my mum. I mean you’re going to meet some day. She is very excited to see you.”

Bashful Kim, 45, grinned and replied: “OK,” before turning her attention back to the Seattle ­Seahawks, who beat the New England Patriots 29-13.

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Insiders told The Sun the pair’s relationship had been hotting up over the past few days, with Lewis ­spending time with her in LA.

We first reported last week how Kim had flown Lewis back to her home city following a whirlwind three dates in the Cotswolds, London and Paris.

The couple headed to Kim’s £40million Hidden Hills residence, which she shares with children North, 12, Saint, ten, Chicago, eight, and six-year-old Psalm.

A source said: “Kim and Lewis’s relationship is intense but they are both keen to keep moving forwards.

“He wants to spend as much time with her as possible, especially as he’ll be back getting ready for the new F1 season in a couple of weeks.

‘Want to see Kim happy’

“Lewis has been in LA, spending time with Kim and her family.

“They all adore him, especially her mum Kris [Jenner], who has loved having Lewis around.

“They’re all really approving of this relationship. They just want to see Kim happy.”

Of Lewis’s family, they added: “Lewis and his mum are incredibly close. Wanting to introduce Kim to Carmen shows how serious he is.”

Kim and Lewis were seen chatting with Kendall, 30, at the game in a VIP box which also included other celebrities such as Justin and Hailey Bieber, and musicians Tyler The ­Creator and Dave Grohl, as well as Apple boss Tim Cook.

Despite knowing they would be seen, the pair went to some lengths to keep their arrival quiet.

The Sun understands that, having travelled to the stadium in the same car, Kim and Lewis entered it within seconds of one another.

Kim and Lewis’s relationship is intense but they are both keen to keep moving forwards

A source

Over the past few days, Lewis has tried to throw fans off the scent of their fledgling romance.

On Sunday he shared a video on Instagram of him running in London and appeared to try to show it was filmed in real time, captioning it 06.26am.

In fact, he was in the US with Kim.

Lewis’s fans have rounded on his romance and cited the “Kardashian Curse”, which is said to negatively affect men who date the famous ­reality TV sisters.

Following Lewis’s most recent Instagram post, one fan wrote: “Focus on yourself, King. Kim will ruin your season.”

Another added: “Ferrari and ­Kardashian curse is a recipe for disaster.”

Lewis has been in LA, spending time with Kim and her family

A source

A source said: “Kim and Lewis know there is a huge amount of interest in them and he’s aware of the backlash online. His social media accounts have been flooded with comments from his followers about the Kardashian curse and, to be honest, it’s boring him and he’s not interested.

“They had wanted to try to keep things as low-key as possible — and hard-launching at the Super Bowl made sense.

“There, they could be seen together but not be approached.

“Fans who were questioning their relationship before now have it laid out in front of them. Kim and Lewis are very happy and are just navigating this together.”

Although they have never been romantically linked before, Kim and Lewis have been friends for more than a decade.

The Sun understands their friendship started to evolve into romance at the end of last year.

We first revealed the pair were dating on February 2 — with the pair spending a lavish evening together in the Cotswolds on ­January 31.

They stayed at the £1,000-a-night Estelle Manor, where they enjoyed a couple’s massage and dinner in a ­private room.

‘Like military operation’

The following day they travelled to London and holed up in a £7,000-a-night suite in the Rosewood Hotel near Covent Garden.

Insiders said the couple were driven straight into the five-star hotel’s underground car park to avoid being seen by snappers.

Kim was later seen in London at a Selfridges event to promote a collaboration between her brand Skims and Nike, while Lewis stayed at the hotel and waited for her.

From there, on the Monday Kim readied her £100million jet to fly them to Paris where she was ­opening another NikeSkims pop-up at the 10 Rue de Turenne gallery.

Kim absolutely loves spending time in Paris and wanted Lewis to go with her

A source

The couple booked into the five-star Le Bristol hotel — where Kim usually stays in the Paris suite, which costs £21,000 a night.

A source said: “Kim absolutely loves spending time in Paris and wanted Lewis to go with her.

“Her work is so important to her but it’s all things she can slot around spending time with Lewis.

“They are both used to travelling all over the world while working so doing it together means they can spend proper time with each other. They kept things super low-key in Paris and spent most of their time together in their room and ordered food there.”

Those close to Kim and Lewis said they were keen to keep their dates under wraps and had pulled out all the stops to avoid being ­pictured together.

A source added: “Kim and Lewis have been using side entrances at hotels, or are using hotels which have underground car parks. They’ll then use lifts straight to their room.

Lewis is a massive fan of Nineties culture and fashion — and Kim was clearly going all out to impress

A source

“It’s like a military operation moving them from place to place but Kim has her two bodyguards and Lewis has his close protection officer on hand to help things run smoothly.”

Insiders said Kim was keen to impress Lewis, and even channelled his love of the Nineties with her hairstyle at the Super Bowl.

Her long-time hairdresser Chris Appleton shared a photograph of her “Super Bowl bangs” on Instagram ahead of the game.

He previously created the style on her for the 2023 Council of Fashion Designers of America awards and said it was inspired by “Nineties Pammy” — Pamela Anderson.

A second source added: “Lewis is a massive fan of Nineties culture and fashion — and Kim was clearly going all out to impress.”

The Sun understands Lewis will be leaving the US in the coming days as his Ferrari team starts preparations for the F1 season, which gets under way with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 8.

Tomorrow, testing begins across all the F1 giants in Bahrain, with Ferrari yet to confirm which of their drivers will be taking part.

KANYE West accused Kim Kardashian of ‘flirting’ with Lewis Hamilton years before she entered into a relationship with the F1 driver, The Sun can reveal.

We revealed over the weekend that Lewis, 41, and Kim, 45, are in a new relationship, with the pair enjoying a string of international dates over recent weeks.

The reality star and entrepreneur has known Ferrari driver Lewis for over a decade, but things only recently turned romantic.

However, her ex-husband Kanye, 48, had previously accused her of flirting with Lewis when they were together.

Kim and Kanye were married from 2014 until 2021, and a source tells us that the Yeezy owner’s jealous streak especially came out around Lewis.

“It was so awkward as when they were together, Kanye would always fly into jealous rages and accuse Kim of flirting with Lewis,” revealed the source.

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They continued: “She wasn’t – of course – but Kanye was always so erratic that if Kim was even friendly with someone he’d accuse her of something.”

Kim and Kanye share children; and cited “irreconcilable differences” as a reason for their divorce five years ago.

Lewis was a friend of both Kim and Kanye, with them bonding over a shared love for fashion. The sportsman even spent Easter at the house they shared as a married couple back in 2016.

The Sun understands Kim and Lewis have been growing close for a number of months, with the pair attending actress Kate Hudson’s New Year’s Eve party together.

The new couple have enjoyed several dates in different cities over recent weeks, including London and Paris, to fit around Kim’s work commitments.

Earlier this week, a source told The Sun: “Kim and Lewis have such intense working schedules so they’re keen to spend as much time together as possible.

“Right now, they’re inseparable and are fitting their dates around Kim’s work commitments.”

Kim had to be in Paris to attend a NikeSkims event – her brand’s collaboration with Nike.

Taking Lewis along with her, the pair stayed at luxurious hotel Le Bristol, and ate in private during their stay.

A source revealed: “Kim absolutely loves spending time in Paris and wanted Lewis to go with her. Her work is so important to her but it’s all things she can slot around spending time with Lewis.

“They’re both used to travelling all over the world while working so doing it together means they can spend proper time with each other.”

ROMEO Beckham gets a lift amid his family’s ongoing feud with older brother Brooklyn.

David and Victoria’s model son, 23, tried his hand at sumo wrestling while in Tokyo with DJ girlfriend Kim Turnbull, 24.

The couple visited the Tatsunami sumo wrestling stable for a bout.

At half his opponent’s size, Romeo easily lost — but still got stuck in.

The Tatsunami Instagram account shared the footage and said: “They were very friendly and chatted with the wrestlers.”

Romeo also shared the snaps online and said: “Didn’t stand a chance.”

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Last week the youngest Beckham brother Cruz  took to his TikTok to share a video of him and Romeo along with their girlfriends Jackie Apostel and Kim Turnball as they sat in a car together.

The camera panned to all of them as they mouthed the noise to an audio track.

He captioned the post: “Imagine hating and we’re just here like.”

The seemingly savage swipe comes after their brother Brooklyn broke his silence on the family feud with an explosive statement.

He accused his parents of trying to end his relationship with wife Nicola Peltz as well as “attempting to bribe” him to “sign away the rights to his name”.

He took particular aim at his mum for reportedly cancelling making his wife’s wedding dress in the eleventh hour and claimed she danced “inappropriately” on him on his wedding day.

Brooklyn denied claims by Romeo and Cruz that he had blocked them on Instagram — insisting it was the other way around.

A court sentenced former first lady Kim Keon Hee to one year and eight months in prison Wednesday after finding her guilty of accepting luxury bribes from the Unification Church that had sought business favors.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team had sought a 15-year prison term for Kim, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who stands trial on an insurrection charge related to his martial law bid in 2024.

But the Seoul Central District Court handed down the far shorter prison term for Kim, acquitting her of charges of involvement in a stock manipulation scheme and violating the Political Funds Act.

The court also ordered Kim to forfeit 12.8 million won (US$8,988). With Wednesday’s ruling, Kim and her husband have become the country’s first presidential couple to be imprisoned with criminal convictions.

The court said it found Kim guilty of receiving luxury goods, such as a Chanel bag and a high-end Graff necklace, from the Unification Church, which had sought business favors from her.

“The defendant misused her position as a means to seek profit,” the court said. “(She) failed to reject high-end luxury goods shared in connection with the Unification Church’s requests and focused on her own adornment.”

Kim had been charged with conspiring with a former head of Deutsch Motors, a BMW dealer in South Korea, as well as a close associate, to manipulate the company’s stock price and make 810 million won in illegal profits between 2010 and 2012.

She was also indicted for violating the Political Funds Act for allegedly receiving free opinion polls worth 270 million won, together with her husband, from a self-proclaimed power broker ahead of the 2022 presidential election.

The former first lady was additionally charged with conspiring with a shaman to receive luxury gifts worth 80 million won from a Unification Church official in 2022, along with requests for business favors.

Kim, who has been held in custody since August, had denied all of the charges.

Yoon has been sentenced to five years in prison on charges stemming from his martial law bid in 2024. He is also standing trial on more charges, including leading an insurrection through his martial law decree.

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