A delegation from Laos visited North Korea this week, holding talks on expanding ties post-pandemic and likely discussing joint efforts to crack down on defectors who cross through the Southeast Asian country when trying to escape to South Korea.

North Korea commemorated the March 1 Independence Movement by denouncing Japanese imperialism, but subdued coverage in state media reflected Pyongyang’s efforts to downplay the movement in favor of official narratives emphasizing Kim Il Sung’s role in countering Japanese colonial rule.

State-run television aired a new program that sought to showcase Kim Jong Un’s use