THAAD & Deterrence: Reports say all six US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense launchers have returned to the Seongju base in South Korea after earlier movement to Osan, with US Forces commander Gen. Xavier Brunson denying any plan to remove THAAD from the peninsula. US-North Korea Nuclear Diplomacy: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met in Pyongyang with senior ruling party official Kim Yong Chol to nail down specifics of Trump-Kim denuclearization commitments, as Washington seeks to turn summit rhetoric into concrete steps. Sanctions vs. Russia Ties: South Korea’s Lee Jae-myung says sanctions are losing effectiveness as North Korea deepens military and strategic cooperation with Russia, and he reports Trump is open to renewed engagement with Kim. Phased Denuclearization Talk: Lee also says Trump is considering a phased approach—first limiting immediate nuclear and missile threats while leaving full denuclearization for later. G7 Cyber Pressure: G7 leaders renewed calls for joint action against North Korea’s crypto theft and cybercrime, linking digital asset laundering to broader security and Indo-Pacific risk. Missile Performance Watch: Ukraine says Russia improved the accuracy of North Korean short-range ballistic missiles used in Ukraine, raising concerns about deeper DPRK-Russia tech cooperation. Russia-North Korea Partnership: North Korea reaffirmed its comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia as a “legal framework” for expanding ties, citing North Korean troop deployment to Russia as a key example.