None of this should be a surprise to anyone:

This footage from the Korean Central Television aired on June 15, 2026, shows advertising boards for South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co. shown during the state-run North Korean outlet’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

North Korea’s state media excluded games involving South Korea, the United States and Japan from its apparently unauthorized coverage of the ongoing FIFA World Cup matches.

The North’s state-run Korean Central Television aired four- to six-minute broadcasts on the results of the World Cup group-stage matches at the end of its daily evening newscasts from Monday through Thursday but excluded the results of games involving the three countries.

The North, however, aired footage that showed pitch-side advertising boards for South Korean and U.S. companies, such as Hyundai Motor Co., The Coca-Cola Company and McDonald’s.

In the past, the North often blurred images related to South Korea and the U.S. in broadcasts of major sports events, such as advertising boards of companies from the two countries and the South Korean national flag.

The North Korean broadcaster included major scenes from the World Cup matches in its coverage, raising suspicions the North aired them without authorization.

North Korean state media outlets are not among the media rights licensees authorized by FIFA to broadcast the World Cup games.

The North appears to have been excluded from the broadcasting rights for the ongoing World Cup after it aired matches from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand without authorization.

The outlet has ceased broadcasting scenes from the ongoing World Cup since Friday.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Please leave anything you would like to discuss in the comments section.

At this point all these global politicians must understand that North Korea is never going to denuclearize, but they just have to keep up the facade to deter others like Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons:

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Thursday denounced international calls for denuclearization, describing the country’s nuclear weapons as its “core interests” and denuclearization as a “line of no retreat that can never be crossed,” Pyongyang’s state media reported.

In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim Yo-jong criticized the United States and its allies for making what she called “anachronistic” demands for North Korea’s denuclearization.

Kim’s remarks came in response to a joint statement issued by leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations at their summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on Wednesday, which reaffirmed their commitment to the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea in line with U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Its official, Seoul has a new U.S. Ambassador:

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Michelle Steel, a former two-term Korean American congresswoman, as the United States’ ambassador to South Korea.

The upper chamber approved Steel in a 55-39 vote, clearing the way for her to take the ambassadorial post as Seoul and Washington face a series of joint tasks, including “modernizing” their alliance and implementing bilateral security and trade agreements.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Until the fantasy of pushing North Korea to denuclearize is put away, the North Koreans are not going to see any value in negotiations especially when the Russians are meeting all their current needs:

Cheong Wa Dae stated on the 17th (local time) that during the G7 (Group of Seven) summit in Évian, France, President Donald Trump expressed a strong commitment to playing a necessary role in advancing issues related to the Korean Peninsula. This followed President Lee Jae Myung’s request to President Trump to “lead the peaceful resolution of the North Korean issue.”

Cheong Wa Dae added that President Trump praised President Lee as a “strong leader” and expressed optimism that the two leaders could jointly contribute to peace and security in the Korean Peninsula region.

No bilateral South Korea-U.S. summit took place during this G7 summit. However, President Lee engaged in a roughly 30-second conversation with President Trump during the group photo session and sat next to him at the official dinner, exchanging discussions on various topics for over two hours.

During the group photo session, President Lee approached President Trump with an interpreter and said, “As you resolved the Middle East war, please lead the peaceful resolution of the North Korean issue.” President Trump reportedly responded, “I will strive to resolve the North Korean issue.”

Chosun Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

This is an absurd situation going on that hopefully does not impact the team’s preparations to play Mexico:

Korea’s national football team has effectively turned its back on parts of the domestic press just days before a World Cup showdown with Mexico, a rare and public rupture that exposes a deeper trust crisis between players and legacy media in a country where fans now fact‑check reporters in real time.

The rupture did not begin with tactics or results. It began with contempt, caught on a hot mic.

On June 7, during a light pretraining jog at the national team’s camp, two male Korean journalists mocked some of the players, including captain Son Heung‑min. The footage, laced with sneers about military service exemptions and leadership, later surfaced on the YouTube channel of the TV network JTBC — the local holder of broadcasting rights for this year’s World Cup — turning their backstage banter into public record.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) reportedly summoned the reporters two days later and issued a reprimand behind closed doors. No clear, immediate apology came from the journalists, and the rift widened even as the team beat the Czech Republic last Friday.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.