SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised "heroic" North Korean troops who fought for Russia in the war against Ukraine, in a meeting with officers of the army's overseas operation, state media KCNA said on Thursday.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un condemned South Korean-U.S. military drills and vowed a rapid expansion of his nuclear forces to counter rivals, state media said Tuesday, as he inspected his most advanced warship being fitted with nuclear-capable systems.

The drills, which will kick off next week, are a "direct military provocation" against North Korea, Pyongyang said.

Shenghua Wen, 42, was sentenced to eight years in prison in connection with the scheme that earned him $2 million from North Korean handlers.

A California man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after admitting to shipping weapons and ammunition to North Korea

A Chinese national has been sentenced to eight years in prison for smuggling firearms and other military items to North Korea, the US justice department said. Shenghua Wen, 42, received around $2m (£1.5m) from North Korean officials to ship the items from California, according to a statement from the agency on Monday.

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday denied Seoul's claim that the North had begun removing propaganda speakers inside the DMZ.

Ulchi Freedom Shield will involve 21,000 soldiers in computer-simulated command post operations and field training.