Over the past week, North Korea solidified internal unity and maintained pressure on the international community through intensified military development and expanded external relations. Pyongyang conducted a series of new weapons tests, including tactical ballistic missiles, submarine-launched strategic cruise missiles, and a new precision-guided underwater torpedo, showcasing its advanced defense capabilities. Marking the 81st anniversary of the Workers' Party, North Korea opened a "Defense Revolution Museum" displaying cutting-edge strategic weapons like the Hwasong-20 ICBM and reaffirmed its commitment to not abandoning its nuclear program, thereby escalating pressure on the United States. Satellite imagery also indicated continuous operation and expansion of key reactors and processing facilities at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, confirming ongoing efforts to strengthen its nuclear program. Externally, North Korea's ties with China and Russia appeared to deepen. The New Yalu River Bridge, connecting North Korea and China, officially opened after 12 years, raising expectations for increased logistics and economic integration, though concerns about potential circumvention of sanctions were also voiced. Cooperation with Russia also intensified, with Russia's Emergencies Minister visiting Pyongyang to discuss disaster management, and reports suggesting North Korean laborers might be deployed to Russian drone factories, hinting at potential military-technical collaboration. In response to these developments, the U.S. Justice Department busted a fraud scheme by North Korean IT workers, and the European Union imposed new sanctions on North Korean individuals and Russian entities implicated in Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction programs, underscoring continued international pressure. Internally, Kim Jong Un's daughter, Ju Ae, made a prominent public appearance seated directly beside her father at a Workers' Party anniversary celebration, fueling speculation about her political status and potential role in the succession. While North Korean authorities promoted housing initiatives and the superiority of their socialist housing system, residents reportedly continued to face severe economic hardships, including limited daily electricity supply, rising public utility fees, and fluctuating market prices for staples like rice and corn. The regime also maintained strict internal control, intensifying crackdowns on external radio listening and the viewing or distribution of "impure video recordings." Inter-Korean relations saw heightened tensions due to a North Korean landmine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the discovery of suspected North Korean-origin mines along the coast of Ganghwa Island, prompting South Korea to call for a resolute response to Pyongyang's provocations.