Quotes of the Day:
"Can we really ensure stability or only manage chaos?”
- Anonymous
"I think at the heart of it, Afghanistan was an IW mission that was led by conventionally minded Army leaders, who never understood the problem set they faced, and they just tried to power through it, and move on to the next thing."
- A former senior US military officer
“All history proves that there is no cheap and easy way to defeat guerrilla movements”
- Henry Kissinger, 1962
1. End-of-war declaration would show absence of hostile policy: Seoul envoy
2. North Korea may be making plans for a future without Kim Jong Un
3. N. Korea denounces Canada, France for monitoring illicit maritime activities
4. Seoul says pope's possible N.K. visit to 'greatly' contribute to regional peace
5. Talks for end-of-war declaration gather pace, but skepticism lingers
6. Moon, Biden expected to meet on sidelines of G20 summit or U.N. climate talks
7. S. Korea to provide Iran with 1 mln doses of AstraZeneca vaccine
8. Over 200 N.Korean Defectors Caught in China Last Year
9. Former U.S. ambassador Gregg calls for 'dynamic' steps toward N. Korea diplomacy
10. US nationals could overtake Chinese as most numerous foreign visitors to Korea
11. N. Korea begins efforts to build "general stores" nationwide
12. Small price falls in grain and other foodstuffs reported in some regions of North Korea
13. North Korean leader's weight loss leads to diverse speculation
14. What happened to the cattle? (to north Korea in 1998)
15. Authorities to begin looking into data to explain why Nuri launch failed
1. End-of-war declaration would show absence of hostile policy: Seoul envoy
With respect, I do not think this will convince Kim Jong-un. I think we are misleading ourselves if we think a symbolic non-legally binding declaration will make a difference. That said if Kim thinks he can exploit this to lead to an end of the alliance and removal of US troops then he will be supportive. We must understand the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime. We must also understand how Kim Jong-un describes the hostile policy of the US andhe ROK/US alliance. It is the alliance, the presence of US troops, extended deterrence, and the nuclear umbrella over eh ROK and Japan. A declaration, a piece of paper, even a peace treaty will not convince Kim that there is an end to the hostile policy. And when these actions take place Kim will double down and simply demand more concessions because he is executing his political warfare strategy to achieve his long term objectives to dominate the Korean peninsula.
End-of-war declaration would show absence of hostile policy: Seoul envoy
Published : Oct 25, 2021 - 15:20 Updated : Oct 25, 2021 - 18:16
South Korea`s chief nuclear envoy, Noh Kyu-duk, speaks during a forum organized by the Institute for National Security Strategy in Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap)
A declaration to formally end the Korean War is the most symbolic move that Seoul could take to show Pyongyang that neither Washington nor Seoul have a “hostile policy” toward the regime and revive the stalled denuclearization talks, South Korea‘s chief nuclear envoy said Monday.
Noh Kyu-duk, the special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, made the remark at a forum organized by the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank affiliated with South Korea’s spy agency. The envoy recently returned from back-to-back talks with his US counterpart, Sung Kim, on ways to revive the stalled nuclear diplomacy with Pyongyang, with the end-of-war declaration among possible options.
Noting that the 1950-53 Korean War -- which finished in an armistice and not a peace treaty -- is technically the world’s longest war, continuing another 68 years after the initial fighting, Noh stressed that the end-of-war declaration is “meaningful as a trust-building measure” with the North.
“The end-of-war declaration could serve as a gateway for talks on achieving complete denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of a permanent peace,” said Noh. “Since the Hanoi Summit, the North has been calling for (Washington and Seoul) to withdraw their hostile policy against the regime, as a prerequisite for talks. The end-of-war declaration is the most symbolic action to show that there is no hostile policy against the North.”
The Biden administration has repeatedly said it is willing to meet with North Korean officials “anywhere, anytime and without preconditions.” But the North insists Washington needs to abandon what it calls its hostile policy, an apparent reference to the sanctions and joint military drills between the US and South Korea, before any talks happen.
Amid the stalled nuclear talks and inter-Korean stalemate, President Moon Jae-in has floated the end-of-war declaration -- something he has supported throughout his presidency -- as a way to nudge Pyongyang back to the talks and ultimately to encourage the regime to give up its nuclear arsenal.
Noh said the North has given a “prompt response” on Seoul’s proposal for an end-of-war declaration. “While the North continues to raise the need to resolve prior tasks before the talks (restart), it appears to be considering the possibility for talks as well.”
Last month, Kim Yo-jong, the North Korean leader’s powerful younger sister, said the end-of-war declaration idea was “interesting and admirable.” However, she added that the North would only be willing to discuss the proposal if the South ceases “hostile policies” and “double-dealing attitudes” -- referring to the way Seoul characterizes the North’s firing of ballistic missiles as “provocations,” while justifying its own arms buildup.
Noh stressed that the end-of-war declaration could serve as important momentum to restart the talks for denuclearization, which have been deadlocked since the Hanoi Summit collapsed in 2019.
“This also adheres to Washington’s position that it is willing to discuss any issues (with North Korea) anywhere and at any time,” he said. “In this regard, the US and South Korea discussed various North Korea policies to promptly bring the North back to talks.”
Noh and Sung Kim held talks in Seoul on Sunday, where Noh said the two engaged in a “serious and in-depth” discussion on the end-of-war declaration issue, as well as other ways to engage the regime. Last week, the two also met in Washington, along with their Japanese counterpart Takehiro Funakoshi for a three-way session.
2. North Korea may be making plans for a future without Kim Jong Un
The big question is WHO? Who could get away with such planning in north Korea? Reports like these arise from a lack of understanding of the Kim family regime and the system the regime has put in place to ensure the totalitarian rule of the Supreme Leader and no one else.
And as Dr. Bennett notes, the most dangerous position to be in in north Korea is to be perceived as Kim's "number 2." Except perhaps for KimYo-jong. I agree with Dr. Terry in that she is likely the second most important person in the regime but obviously her relationship is an important difference, even from Jang Song taek.
North Korea may be making plans for a future without Kim Jong Un
- Rumors have swirled around North Korean leader Kim Jong Un since he took power in 2011.
- Long absences from public view have prompted speculation about his health and who would succeed him.
- Political moves in North Korea suggests preparation for such a change, but experts said who comes next is unknowable.
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Few world leaders are as closely watched and as shrouded in mystery as Kim Jong Un. Political and diplomatic intrigue has surrounded the dictator, believed to be in his late 30s, since he took power in 2011.
There have been frequent rumors that he is in poor health. His condition and daily whereabouts are so opaque that when he went unseen for several weeks in 2020 speculation about his death was rampant until he again appeared in public.
While Kim has proven the rumors wrong so far, developments in the past year suggest that behind closed doors, North Korea may be preparing for a day when Kim Jong Un is really gone.
Rule without rules
Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim Jong Un.AP; Getty; KCNA via Reuters
There are currently no known rules for succession within the hierarchy of North Korea's ruling party, the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). As a result, analysts can only base predictions about who comes after Kim on previous transfers of power.
The lack of succession protocols is not necessarily by design. North Korea has only had three leaders in its 73-year history.
Its first leader, Kim Il Sung, designated his son, Kim Jong Il, as his successor in 1980, 14 years before his death in 1994. Kim Jong Il actively avoided designating a successor until just before his death, likely in part because he himself had undermined his father's regime in some respects after his own designation.
Kim Jong Il only designated Kim Jong Un as his successor when it became clear he likely wouldn't fully recover from a severe stroke he suffered in summer 2008. Even then, it took two years for the official announcement, and Kim Jong Un was only heir-apparent for a year before becoming leader himself.
Though young and inexperienced, Kim Jong Un has ruthlessly consolidated power.
In 2013 he executed his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, for "anti-party" and "counter-revolutionary acts." Jang had been appointed as something of a regent by Kim Jong Il, and one North Korean defector has said the influence Jang gained made him a target for the younger Kim.
In 2017, Kim Jong Un had his half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, assassinated in Kuala Lumpur. Kim Jong Nam was the eldest son of Kim Jong Il and had been a vocal critic of the regime.
No alternatives
Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un tour an under-construction power plant in August 2001.API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Kim Jong Un came to power at a considerably younger age than his father and grandfather when they assumed power and hasn't needed to designate a successor. He has also actively avoided appointing a number-two official.
"Kim Jong Un's typical procedure was to let someone look like he's becoming number two for a year or two and then purge him," Bruce Bennett, a senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation, told Insider.
Purging sometimes means reeducation and a reduction in rank and status rather than execution.
"He's regularly done that because he doesn't want anybody to appear to be an alternative to him," Bennett said of Kim's purges. "He wants to be totally in control."
But several decisions made over the past year indicate that Kim Jong Un and WPK leaders may be preparing for someone to replace Kim.
The first are two articles from a series of rule changes that were instituted in January at the Eighth Party Congress.
Kim with senior officials from the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and Provincial Party Committees, in an undated photo released on June 8, 2021.KCNA/via REUTERS
Article 28 states that any one member of the five-man Presidium of the Politburo, the WPK's highest body, may preside over a meeting if given consent by the general secretary, who is Kim Jong Un. This essentially means Kim no longer has to oversee or even attend Presidium meetings.
The most striking change by far, though, is Article 26, which creates the new position of "first secretary." The title itself isn't new. Kim Jong Un used it before he adopted "chairman" in 2016 and then "general secretary" in 2021.
Now, however, "first secretary" refers to the first deputy of the general secretary, creating a position akin to vice president — a revolutionary change, as neither the WPK nor any ruling communist party has ever officially designated a second-in-command.
No one has been named as first secretary, however, and there is nothing that states the first secretary would automatically become the leader if the general secretary dies.
"The arrangement put in place here raises an interesting question," Bennett said. "Would the number two just obviously take over or would the senior Politburo members get together and make a selection?"
Doubts about the future
Kim's apparent weight loss has led to speculation about his health.Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP / Insider
Kim Jong Un's health continues to be a mystery. Kim not only disappeared from public view again for over a month this year, but he also lost a considerable amount of weight — as much as 44 pounds, according to intelligence sources.
"The truth is we don't know what's going on with his health," said Sue Mi Terry, an expert on North Korea and security in Northeast Asia. "What we do know is that Kim's health is going to be the most important wildcard event for North Korea and for North Korea's stability."
"It is a high-risk, high-impact scenario for North Korea, because he doesn't have a successor lined up who's been groomed like Kim Jong Il was for 20 years," said Terry, who is now director of the Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy.
The biggest question, then, is who would succeed Kim Jong Un in the event of his death or long-term incapacitation?
Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un, at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, February 10, 2018.(Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
There has been some speculation that, as Kim Jong Un's children are too young, someone from the Politburo or military could seize the initiative and take charge himself.
"Ultimately, this is something that is very unknowable," Terry said, noting that it is impossible to know if such a person even exists because "by the time we assess something or somebody, that means Kim Jong Un himself would know about it, and that guy would be gone."
"If somebody has that kind of intent, they would put their head down and act like they didn't," Terry said.
Precedent suggests Kim is unlikely to pick a successor, which could fuel rumors about his health and potentially undermine his hold on power.
But many see his sister, Kim Yo Jong, as the most likely candidate. She is a member of the Kim family and has the complete trust of Kim Jong Un. She could also be relied on to be regent for Kim's children.
Last month, Kim Yo Jong was promoted to the State Affairs Commission, the North Korean government's highest ruling body. She has also taken a central role in overseeing relations with South Korea.
"She is probably the single most important figure because [Kim] trusts her," Terry said.
3. N. Korea denounces Canada, France for monitoring illicit maritime activities
We have a system in place to try to counter north Korean sanctions evasion in the maritime domain. WHy are we not being more effective? Is it because of support from China and Russia? Or are we being effective in ways that are not or cannot be reported?
Excerpts:
Last week, the Canadian defense ministry announced the deployment of a CP-140 aircraft to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, "to support ongoing multinational efforts to counter North Korea's attempts to evade sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)."
Earlier this month, the Japanese foreign ministry said France will engage in monitoring illicit maritime activities, including "ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels" prohibited by the UNSC resolutions.
"The U.S. and the Western countries should be aware that their military provocations will not only hurt the regional situation but also their own national security," the statement said.
N. Korea denounces Canada, France for monitoring illicit maritime activities | Yonhap News Agency
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's foreign ministry on Monday denounced Canada and France for dispatching patrol planes near the Korean Peninsula to monitor the North's activities violating U.N. Security Council resolutions, calling it a "military provocation" endangering the security situation in the region.
A North Korean ministry researcher made the comments in a statement posted on its website, referring to the surveillance operations as an "imprudent" act that will "destroy security balance in the region and result in aggravating the political situation."
Accusing Washington of "inciting" the countries' military activities in the region, the ministry claimed such moves are part of U.S. efforts to keep China and Russia in check.
Last week, the Canadian defense ministry announced the deployment of a CP-140 aircraft to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, "to support ongoing multinational efforts to counter North Korea's attempts to evade sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)."
Earlier this month, the Japanese foreign ministry said France will engage in monitoring illicit maritime activities, including "ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels" prohibited by the UNSC resolutions.
"The U.S. and the Western countries should be aware that their military provocations will not only hurt the regional situation but also their own national security," the statement said.
(END)
4. Seoul says pope's possible N.K. visit to 'greatly' contribute to regional peace
Wishful thinking? I just do not see how the Pope is going to influence Kim Jong-un in a positive and effective way.
Seoul says pope's possible N.K. visit to 'greatly' contribute to regional peace | Yonhap News Agency
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- Pope Francis' visit to North Korea, if made, will "greatly contribute" to establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea's unification ministry said Monday, as Seoul prepares for President Moon Jae-in's papal meeting at the Vatican this week.
Moon is scheduled to meet with Pope Francis on Friday in Rome, where he plans to attend the Group of 20 Leaders' Summit before traveling to Glasgow to join a U.N. climate change conference next week.
Asked if South Korea will request the pope's early visit to North Korea during the meeting, ministry spokesperson Lee Jong-joo said the two are expected to exchange views on a wide range of issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula.
"We believe the pope's North Korea visit, if materialized, will greatly contribute to building peace on the Korean Peninsula, and thus we have maintained a position to provide support to realize the visit if related discussions make progress," she said. "We will continue the efforts accordingly."
This week's talks will be Moon's second meeting with the pope after they met in October 2018.
During the 2018 meeting, Moon delivered a verbal invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to which the pope expressed a willingness to visit the North if Pyongyang sends an official invitation.
No progress, however, has been made since then amid a deadlock in nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
(END)
5. Talks for end-of-war declaration gather pace, but skepticism lingers
We really have to ask the hard question and do the deep analysis to determine how such an end of war declaration will contribute to the security of the ROK and the prevention of war by a regime that seeks to dominate the entire peninsula through subversion, coercion/extortion, and use of force.
Call me a naysayer:
The proposal touched off a heated debate again, pitting liberals and others advocating for speedier efforts to ensure a peaceful coexistence of the two Koreas against security hawks, mostly in the nation's conservative fold.
Liberals said that the declaration would help bring the divided Koreas together, ease military tensions and create a much-needed impetus to the stalled peace process.
Conservatives have said the declaration should come only after the North takes significant denuclearization steps to reduce its military threats, and that its evolving nuclear and missile programs underscore that Pyongyang is not ready for an end to the war.
Naysayers also raise speculation that the North could use the declaration to demand the withdrawal of the U.S.-led U.N. Forces Command, an enforcer of the armistice agreement and American troops here, which they fear could eventually lead to the dissolution or at least a significant rupture in the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
The South and U.N. forces fought against the North and its ally China during the Korean War, which ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty.
There is no evidence that Kim Jong-un has given up the regime strategy or its playbook to achieve peninsula domination. It is imperative that the ROK and the U.S. do not provide inadvertent support to that strategy. In fact, they must identify and expose it as the only way to prevent its success and as the only course that could bring Kim to the negotiating table. If he can be shown without a doubt that his strategy has failed he will have no other option but to negotiate. But even if he does agree to negotiate once again, negotiators can never lose sight of the regime’s political warfare strategy.
However, the sad truth is the only way there will likely be an end to the nuclear program and threats as well as the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity being committed against the Korean people living in the north by the mafia-like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime is through achievement of unification and the establishment of a United Republic of Korea. It must be secure and stable, non-nuclear, economically vibrant, and unified under a liberal constitutional form of government based on individual liberty, rule of law, and human rights as determined by the Korean people. In short, a United Republic of Korea (UROK).
(News Focus) Talks for end-of-war declaration gather pace, but skepticism lingers | Yonhap News Agency
By Song Sang-ho and Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's push for the declaration of a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War appears to be gaining steam, with the United States publicly confirming ongoing consultations with the ally and North Korea signaling conditional interest.
Still, skepticism lingers over feasibility and utility, as well as controversy over its potential impact on regional security.
In recent weeks, Seoul and Washington have been discussing President Moon Jae-in's renewed suggestion for the declaration meant to help bring Pyongyang back to dialogue and resume a stalled process toward a lasting peace regime on the peninsula. Moon and his aides emphasize that it represents a largely symbolic and political move as a "catalyst" toward the denuclearization goal.
The proposed declaration topped the agenda for the talks between Seoul's top nuclear negotiator, Noh Kyu-duk, and his U.S. counterpart, Sung Kim, in Seoul on Sunday and the trilateral talks with their Japanese counterpart, Takehiro Funakoshi, in Washington days earlier.
After the talks in Seoul, Kim reiterated Washington's willingness to discuss the end-of-war declaration with Seoul in an apparent show of its openness to various options to build confidence with Pyongyang and move forward the peace efforts.
"I look forward to continuing to work with Special Representative Noh to explore different ideas and initiatives, including the ROK's end-of-war proposal as we continue to pursue our shared objectives on the peninsula," Kim said. ROK stands for the South's official name, Republic of Korea.
He did not clarify where the allies stand when it comes to relevant discussions, but his repeated mention of the proposal suggested they are seeking to build common ground.
Addressing an annual U.N. General Assembly session in New York last month, Moon renewed the proposal for the declaration by the two Koreas and the U.S. or by the two Koreas, the U.S. and China -- in a last-ditch move to revive his waning peace crusade ahead of the end of his five-year term in May.
The proposal touched off a heated debate again, pitting liberals and others advocating for speedier efforts to ensure a peaceful coexistence of the two Koreas against security hawks, mostly in the nation's conservative fold.
Liberals said that the declaration would help bring the divided Koreas together, ease military tensions and create a much-needed impetus to the stalled peace process.
Conservatives have said the declaration should come only after the North takes significant denuclearization steps to reduce its military threats, and that its evolving nuclear and missile programs underscore that Pyongyang is not ready for an end to the war.
Naysayers also raise speculation that the North could use the declaration to demand the withdrawal of the U.S.-led U.N. Forces Command, an enforcer of the armistice agreement and American troops here, which they fear could eventually lead to the dissolution or at least a significant rupture in the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
The South and U.N. forces fought against the North and its ally China during the Korean War, which ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty.
At issue is the Joe Biden administration's position. The U.S. was initially seen as lukewarm to Moon's offer.
While Washington officials haven't publicly brought up the declaration issue in stark contrast to emphatic Seoul diplomats, there seems to be a subtle change in tone following a series of recent high-profile meetings between the two nations.
"The U.S. acknowledged the need to review the potential impact of the declaration, and has been looking into the matter internally," a senior government source here said.
Some news reports also say Washington has already begun a legal review on the sensitive issue, even including specific wording in a draft declaration.
The Moon administration points out that the declaration is a political gesture for building trust and a preliminary step for signing a legally binding peace treaty, with its peace initiative having lost steam since the Hanoi summit in 2019 between the U.S. and North Korea ended without a deal.
"South Korea and the U.S. are having more in-depth discussions on the declaration, but it is premature to say how the U.S. will respond to the proposal considering the complexity and potential impact on the security situation on the Korean Peninsula," the source said. "How to persuade North Korea is another matter."
The North Korean side has been seen as warming to the proposal, albeit conditionally.
Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of the North's leader, branded Moon's offer as "an interesting and an admirable" idea, but said discussions can resume only if the South abandons its hostile policy towards the North.
The North's repeated calls for an end to the hostile policy remains vague, but Pyongyang has persistently demanded the South end its joint military drills with the U.S., denouncing them as a war rehearsal. The North's leader Kim Jong-un openly accused the allies of having what he described as "double standards" and demanded confidence-building measures.
Observers raise the need for a careful approach to the declaration as it could affect the future of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea -- a symbol of the hitherto security-centric alliance -- as well as the U.N. Command amid renewed tensions over Pyongyang's missile activities.
On Tuesday last week, North Korea fired a new submarine-launched ballistic missile in its eighth known missile test this year.
The U.S. State of Department condemned the latest missile test as violation of multiple U.N. Security Council sanctions, but said it remains open to talks with the North without any preconditions.
Park Won-gon, a North Korean studies professor of Ewha Womans University, said Pyongyang has "nothing to lose" from the end-of-war declaration whether it's signed or not, which could give it leverage in its nuclear diplomacy and efforts to ease sanctions.
Curtis Scaparrotti, a former commander of U.S. Forces Korea who also led U.N. Command from 2013-2016, said Wednesday North Korean security threats won't change even if a formal end to the Korean War is declared and stressed the bilateral alliance for the stability on the Korean Peninsula.
(END)
6. Moon, Biden expected to meet on sidelines of G20 summit or U.N. climate talks
Moon, Biden expected to meet on sidelines of G20 summit or U.N. climate talks | Yonhap News Agency
By Kim Deok-hyun
SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden are expected to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Italy or the U.N. climate summit in Britain, a senior presidential official said Monday.
Moon and Biden are scheduled to participate in the G20 summit next week, as well as the COP26 climate talks on Nov. 1 and 2, when world leaders will assess achievements since the Paris agreement to limit global warming.
Asked whether Moon and Biden could meet on the margins of the global summits, the presidential official replied, "I expect President Moon and President Biden to meet at G20 or COP26."
The official said, however, no specific timing has been decided, indicating there may be a "pull aside" meeting rather than formal bilateral talks.
Before joining the G20 summit, Moon will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday to discuss peace on the Korean Peninsula and efforts to end the pandemic.
Moon and the pope are expected to exchange their opinions on ensuring peace between the two Koreas, the official said.
The pope has called for peace on the peninsula and expressed a willingness to visit North Korea.
Moon and the pope are also expected to discuss a possible visit by the pope to North Korea, according to the official.
This week's talks will be Moon's second meeting with the pope after they met in October 2018.
During the 2018 meeting, Moon delivered a verbal invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, to which the pope expressed a willingness to visit the North if Pyongyang sends an official invitation.
No progress, however, has been made since then amid a deadlock in nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
(END)
7. S. Korea to provide Iran with 1 mln doses of AstraZeneca vaccine
(LEAD) S. Korea to provide Iran with 1 mln doses of AstraZeneca vaccine | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details; ADDS photo)
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will donate 1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Iran, on humanitarian grounds, to help address its vaccine shortage, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.
The shipment of the vaccines will begin later in the day for arrival in Iran on Wednesday to support the Middle Eastern nation's COVID-19 vaccination campaign as a symbol of six decades of friendly ties between the two sides, according to the ministry.
Diplomatic relations between South Korea and Iran have frayed recently over Iranian assets frozen here under U.S. sanctions and ongoing multilateral efforts to restore the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement.
Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong had phone talks with his Iranian counterpart last month and vowed efforts to resolve the issue of Tehran's frozen funds and to cooperate with Iran to help the country overcome the humanitarian crisis stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last month, South Korea donated 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Vietnam and 470,000 doses to Thailand, as it has enough vaccine to inoculate its own people and help other countries.
The country's vaccination rate had reached the milestone of 70 percent as of Saturday, marking a precondition set by the government to return to normalcy, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
(END)
8. Over 200 N.Korean Defectors Caught in China Last Year
These are refugees fleeing from the most despotic regime in the modern era and they should be protected. But China is complicit in north Korean human rights abuses and crimes and against humanity.
Over 200 N.Korean Defectors Caught in China Last Year
October 25, 2021 12:12
More than 200 North Korean defectors were caught in China last year as they tried to make their way by a circuitous route to a South Korea.
Some of them have reportedly been sent back to the North, but most are in Chinese prisons after Pyongyang sealed its borders due to fears of COVD-19 and asked Beijing to halt repatriations.
According to the Unification Ministry, only 48 North Koreans have made it to South Korea this year, 12 of them in the third quarter.
- Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com
9. Former U.S. ambassador Gregg calls for 'dynamic' steps toward N. Korea diplomacy
Excerpts:
He added Pyongyang may want sanctions relief and good relations with the U.S. in return for giving up its weapons program as the regime clearly knows that its nuclear weapons cannot strike the U.S., which would lead to its demolition by an overwhelming military power.
"I think they know that if they use that power, they would be destroyed by us. They know that, so they're not going to do that," he said. "We need to say that we want to have a good relationship with you."
In regard to Seoul's proposal for a declaration to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, Gregg said there have not yet been "real discussions" in the U.S. and a careful approach is needed to figure out implications on the divided peninsula.
With all due respect to the Ambassador I think we have to be careful when we say Kimknows or the regime knows. As I have written previously:
I think when we use “Kim knows” we lose the debate. People will say “Kim knows" he cannot win a war against the South. “Kim knows” he cannot absorb and rule South Korea. “Kim knows” China will not let him attack the South. “Kim knows” but we cannot know what he knows.
We can only know what the Kim family regime has said and done over the past 70 years and that is what we must assess - not one what we think "Kim knows."
No one knows what Kim knows or believes. That said, we should start with Occam’s Razor. The simplest answer is the regime has been telling us & the Korean people it’s strategy for 7 decades. We spin that at our peril.
Do we believe that Kim Jong-un has abandoned the seven decades old strategy of subversion, coercion-extortion (blackmail diplomacy), and use of force to achieve unification dominated by the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State in order to ensure the survival of the Kim regime?
In support of that strategy do we believe that Kim Jong-un has abandoned the objective to split the ROK/US Alliance and get US forces off the peninsula? Has KJU given up his divide to conquer strategy - divide the alliance to conquer the ROK?
We should never forget that north Korea is a master of denial and deception in all that it does from military operations to strategy to diplomatic negotiations.
nK engages in active subversion of the ROK as well as the ROK/US Alliance (See UFD and 225th Bureau mission statements).
The root of all problems in Korea is the existence of the most evil mafia- like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime that has the objective of dominating the Korean Peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State.
Those are my completely biased views of the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime.
Former U.S. ambassador Gregg calls for 'dynamic' steps toward N. Korea diplomacy | Yonhap News Agency
NEW YORK, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- Donald Gregg, a former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, stressed that the United States should take a more proactive approach to resume talks with North Korea and break the impasse in the Korean peace process.
Gregg, who served in the South Korean embassy from 1989 to 1993 and is known for expertise on regional security issues, said the Joe Biden administration is in a more advantageous position than the Kim Jong-un regime and that's why Washington should first reach out to Pyongyang.
"I hope the Biden administration will really become more dynamic, take more risks, take more imaginative steps," the 94-year-old retired diplomat said in a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency at his home in Armonk, New York. "(North Korean leaders) have a very difficult hand of cards to play, but they've tried to do a good job ... We need to reach out to them."
Gregg, who also worked as a Central Intelligence Agency officer and visited North Korea six times, emphasized the need for efforts to build trust with Pyongyang to kickstart the long-stalled peace process, calling on the Biden administration to become more "confident" and "muscular."
"Trust is the foundation of the kind of negotiation we need to have," he said. "You don't get trust by just sort of sitting there with your arms folded, saying well, you'll do this and then maybe we'll do that. I mean you don't get that."
He added Pyongyang may want sanctions relief and good relations with the U.S. in return for giving up its weapons program as the regime clearly knows that its nuclear weapons cannot strike the U.S., which would lead to its demolition by an overwhelming military power.
"I think they know that if they use that power, they would be destroyed by us. They know that, so they're not going to do that," he said. "We need to say that we want to have a good relationship with you."
In regard to Seoul's proposal for a declaration to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, Gregg said there have not yet been "real discussions" in the U.S. and a careful approach is needed to figure out implications on the divided peninsula.
Last month, President Moon Jae-in used his U.N. National Assembly speech to again propose the end-of-war declaration as part of initial steps towards the denuclearization of Korea and lasting peace.
The war ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically at war.
(END)
10. US nationals could overtake Chinese as most numerous foreign visitors to Korea
A good sign for the alliance.
[News Focus] US nationals could overtake Chinese as most numerous foreign visitors to Korea
Korea getting more visitors from US than China, Japan, Taiwan in 2021
Published : Oct 21, 2021 - 16:23 Updated : Oct 21, 2021 - 16:37
Foreigners experience “tuho,” a Korean traditional game, in Seoul in 2013, when the tally of expatriates staying in the nation topped 1.5 million for the first time. (Yonhap)
SEJONG -- US nationals are likely to make up the largest proportion of inbound foreign visitors this year, overtaking Chinese visitors, who have held the No. 1 position for more than a decade.
According to the Korea Immigration Service, the total number of foreigners who visited South Korea posted 747,813 for the first nine months of the year.
Data showed that almost 1 in 4 of the non-Korean visitors were US nationals: They made up 24.2 percent of the 181,558 people who visited Korea during the January-September period.
They far outnumbered the 144,309 Chinese visitors, who made up 19.2 percent of the total.
(Graphic by Kim Sun-young/The Korea Herald)
In contrast, over the corresponding period of 2020 the tally for visitors from China far surpassed that for the US, at 707,302 to 216,312. Americans ranked third on the list of foreign visitors by nationality, after the 434,961 Japanese visitors.
In 2019 and 2018 Americans were in fourth place, after Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese.
“US nationals overtook those from Taiwan, Japan and China, in turn. This could be attributable to the unprecedented pandemic situation,” said a tourism research analyst.
He suggested that travelers in neighboring Asian countries may have been more reluctant than North Americans to visit Korea, pointing out the sharp increase in the number of coronavirus infections here involving the delta variant.
For the first nine months of 2021, Japanese slid to 11th place in visitor numbers with only 13,300, and Taiwanese to 17th with 4,298.
Next to Americans and Chinese, visitors from the Philippines placed third on the list at 84,012, followed by Myanmar nationals at 40,857 and Indonesians at 34,666. Next were those from Russia, India, Canada, Vietnam and Germany.
The number of visitors from Macao plunged 99.6 percent on-year to only 24 visitors over the past nine months. Hong Kongers, likewise, showed a 98.9 percent plunge to 984 visitors.
Overall, the tally of all foreign visitors fell by 69.6 percent on-year from 2.45 million during the January-September period in 2020.
Despite the sharp drop in arrivals, the number of foreigners "staying" in the nation as short- or long-term visitors (including residents) climbed for the second consecutive month, the Korea Immigration Service data showed.
The tally for expatriates staying in Korea came to 1.982 million as of September, slightly higher than the 1.976 million recorded in August and the 1.974 million in July.
Positive growth was seen in those two months after a 19-month fall that started in January 2020, when COVID-19 initially hit the nation.
The rebound, though meager, reflected the return of foreign students after weeks or months in their homelands.
But the number of foreigners staying in the nation as of last month remained at the same level seen in mid-2016.
Compared with December 2019, when the figure peaked at 2.52 million, the number of expatriates is down by 21.4 percent.
The number of long-term visitors (involving the resident-registered foreigners) -- those staying in Korea 91 days or longer -- slid from 1.73 million in December 2019 to 1.56 million in September 2021.
The figure for short-term visitors -- those with permission to stay in Korea for no more than 90 days -- dropped more sharply, from 792,853 to 419,009.
The plunge in the number of short-term visitors could be attributable to a marked fall in the number of inbound travelers here for sightseeing or business amid the pandemic.
11. N. Korea begins efforts to build "general stores" nationwide
A tacit acknowledgement that markets work? The regime wants to capitalize on them for its own benefit? This will likely be a failed effort as the regime tries to impose central control over markets.
N. Korea begins efforts to build "general stores" nationwide - Daily NK
Merchants in local markets are reportedly expressing concern about their future upon hearing news of the new commercial network
North Hamgyong Province has reportedly commenced preparations to build “general stores” in accordance with a Central Committee order to build “a new commercial network.”
A source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Friday that the Central Committee issued an order on Oct. 11 calling on local authorities to research ways to better supply daily necessities to the people and “build a new commercial network.” The order called on authorities to draw up a basic design plan by the end of November and begin operations of the new network by the end of the year.
In accordance with the order, the government of North Hamgyong Province is reportedly discussing with the provincial ruling party committee and people’s committee plans to build a new commercial network in keeping with “local conditions.” The authorities are drawing up the basic design based on these discussions.
Accordingly, North Hamgyong Province is conceptualizing a plan that would operate provincial markets in accordance with current conditions, while inviting private investment to build new general stores of various sizes in densely populated areas, or to expand existing stores.
Vendors and customers at Rason Market in North Hamgyong Province / Image: Daily NK
The province has reportedly revealed that the new or expanded shops will sell items at lower-than-market prices “as the new commercial network is being built under state guidance.” It is also accepting applications from locals who would like to manage the new shops.
The source said the province says the strengths of the new network are that the shops will include all items currently available in markets, that anyone can deliver goods to them, and that shoppers can easily purchase anything they want as long as they have the money.
The source said the provincial authorities are pointing to other strengths as well, namely, that managers of each shop share the profits according to a precise, fixed ratio after the state has taken its cut, and several merchants can split their time, with no need to spend all day on a cramped market floor.
However, some people are reacting to the scheme with skepticism.
The source said there were already plenty of shops besides markets; the problem is that there are now no goods. “So the locals who have heard the news don’t know whether the new commercial network will be managed properly, and are at a loss as to whether to accept the province’s propaganda,” he said.
Meanwhile, merchants in local markets are reportedly expressing concern about their future upon hearing news of the new commercial network. They are worried that if there are even more shops and their items are cheaper than market prices, “it could grow even tougher to do business.”
12. Small price falls in grain and other foodstuffs reported in some regions of North Korea
Excerpts:
The source said market prices for all sorts of items are so unstable that prices change from morning to afternoon. This is leading to continued chaos with merchants refusing to sell when prices are low.
Meanwhile, the Voice of America reported on Friday that North Korea imported nearly USD 11.4 million in foodstuffs from China in September, citing trade statistics from China’s customs authority.
This was a 44% increase over August, when North Korea imported just under USD 8 million in foodstuffs from China. Foodstuffs accounted for one-fifth of North Korean imports from China in September.
Small price falls in grain and other foodstuffs reported in some regions of North Korea - Daily NK
The prices of items in high demand - such as cooking oil, seasonings, and sugar - are falling
2021.10.25 1:27pm
Market official on patrol in Sunchon, South Pyongan Province. / Image: Daily NK
The price of grain and major foodstuffs has fallen slightly compared to last month in some regions in North Korea.
According to a Daily NK source in Yangang Province on Friday, prices of rice, corn, beans, cooking oil, seasonings and sugar have been falling in Hyesan’s markets this month.
A kilogram of rice has fallen from KPW 5,700 to KPW 5,400, while the price of corn fell from KPW 3,300 to KPW 2,600. Meanwhile, a kilogram of beans has been selling at KPW 7,000 after previously selling at KPW 9,000 a kilogram.
The price of cooking oil has fallen from KPW 46,000 a kilogram to KPW 41,000, while the price of seasonings has fallen from KPW 230,000 to KPW 210,000. A kilogram of sugar has sharply dropped from KPW 45,000 to KPW 35,000.
What is noteworthy is that rice prices have hardly changed despite it being the height of the harvest season. The source said with poor harvests this year due to natural disasters and insufficient fertilizer, “seasonal factors” like the harvest are having little impact on the market.
The source said locals are clearly disappointed that prices have not fallen as anticipated this autumn. He added that some people are already expressing concern about next year’s food supply.
The price of items that were in high demand such as cooking oil, seasonings and sugar are falling, but from the perspective of locals, prices are still ridiculously high compared to what they were before COVID-19.
Moreover, growing numbers of locals are searching these items out based on rumors of imports entering through the port of Nampo. However, many reportedly complain that stocks remain insufficient.
The source said market prices for all sorts of items are so unstable that prices change from morning to afternoon. This is leading to continued chaos with merchants refusing to sell when prices are low.
Meanwhile, the Voice of America reported on Friday that North Korea imported nearly USD 11.4 million in foodstuffs from China in September, citing trade statistics from China’s customs authority.
This was a 44% increase over August, when North Korea imported just under USD 8 million in foodstuffs from China. Foodstuffs accounted for one-fifth of North Korean imports from China in September.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
13. North Korean leader's weight loss leads to diverse speculation
Yes, enquiring minds what to know what is up with Kim and his amazing diet.:-) And of course we want to jump to conclusions about what this could mean for the future.
North Korean leader's weight loss leads to diverse speculation
This 2020 Oct. file photo shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, appearing on North Korea's Korean Central News Agency.
The Sept. 9 image of him, right, captured from Korean Central Television shows he has lost much weight.
Yonhap
By Yoon Ja-young
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who seems to have succeeded in a rigorous diet plan, is facing diverse speculation due to his change in appearance. Following speculation of him being sick, now there are rumors that he was murdered, which South Korea's spy agency rebut.
Media outlets here have cited a recent report by Globe, a U.S.-based tabloid magazine, about a coup in North Korea. Globe reported on the front page of its Oct. 23 (local time) edition that Kim's "ruthless kid sister" Yo-jong staged a secret coup between May and June and "murdered him before he could execute her."
Citing U.S. intelligence sources, it reported that Kim Jong-un, who hadn't been seen in public since June, was only seen at a Sept. 9 event marking the 73rd anniversary of the country's founding. The person appearing for the event was a "skinny impostor," it claimed, citing the difference in his appearance.
However, the South's National Intelligence Service (NIS) denied the report, calling it "completely false," in text messages to reporters. But speculations over Kim Jong-un's well-being have been raised continuously since last year.
Japan's Tokyo Shimbun speculated last month that the North Korean leader seen at the Sept. 9 event could have been a double, focusing on how different he looked from previous pictures in which he was estimated to be around 140 kilograms (308 pounds) in weight.
The NIS reported to lawmakers last November that Kim, who is believed to be 170 centimeters tall, weighed 90 kilograms (198 pounds) in 2012 when he took power, but had gained six to seven kilograms each year to reach 140 kilograms in 2020.
The NIS analyzed in July that Kim seems to have lost 10 to 20 kilograms, and a number of media reported he seems to have shed an additional 20 kilograms since then based on his picture.
While the drastic loss of weight coupled with his absence from public view have led to rumors that he could have been seriously ill, the spy agency reported to lawmakers that he seems to have shed weight for health reasons. Both Kim's grandfather Kim Il-sung and father Kim Jong-il reportedly died of cardiovascular disease, which would give him enough reason to control his weight.
14. What happened to the cattle? (to north Korea in 1998)
I remember when these cattle crossed the DMZ!
Excerpts:
Twenty three years have passed. If so, what happened to Chung’s 1,001 cattle by now? Did they become the seed to develop the primitive livestock industry in the North?
A cattle expert who traveled to North Korea in 2000 with the 400 dairy cows donated by a South Korean relief organization, said, “I heard many of them died just after the first winter season.”
Another expert who visited the North the following year to check on the health conditions of the cows joined the chorus by saying he was extremely frustrated to hear from a North Korean official that many of them died.
The other specialist said that a breeding bull donated to the North became skinny because of shortages of food. Most livestock experts attribute the deaths to a scarcity of corns for cattle, parasite-related diseases and very poor breeding environments.
Monday
October 25, 2021
What happened to the cattle?
Chang Se-jeong
The author is an editorial writer of the JoongAng Ilbo.
Chung Ju-yung (1915-2001), the legendary founder and chairman of Hyundai Group, crossed the border in a convoy of trucks carrying 501 head of Korean native cattle on Oct. 27, 1998. [JOONGANG PHOTO]
Chung Ju-yung (1915-2001), the legendary founder and chairman of Hyundai Group, crossed the Military Demarcation Line at Panmunjom in a convoy of trucks carrying 501 Korean indigenous cattle, Hanwoo, on Oct. 27, 1998.
That was his second trip to North Korea following an earlier trip with 500 Hanwoo on June 16, which was covered live by CNN.
The blitzkrieg-like events choreographed by the chairman in appreciation of his hometown in North Korea for his marvelous success in South Korea after the war paved the way for South Koreans to tour Mount Kumgang near his hometown in the east coast.
Twenty three years have passed. If so, what happened to Chung’s 1,001 cattle by now? Did they become the seed to develop the primitive livestock industry in the North?
A cattle expert who traveled to North Korea in 2000 with the 400 dairy cows donated by a South Korean relief organization, said, “I heard many of them died just after the first winter season.”
Another expert who visited the North the following year to check on the health conditions of the cows joined the chorus by saying he was extremely frustrated to hear from a North Korean official that many of them died.
The other specialist said that a breeding bull donated to the North became skinny because of shortages of food. Most livestock experts attribute the deaths to a scarcity of corns for cattle, parasite-related diseases and very poor breeding environments.
Reliance on antibiotics without vaccines also could make the cattle vulnerable to animal diseases. When a herd of cattle moves, livestock specialists and veterinarians must accompany them and tend to the safety of the animals for a certain period of time. But it was impossible because of the North’s isolation.
If 1,001 heads of Korean native cattle and 400 dairy cows could not adapt to the local environment, it’s the same as sending beef to North Korea, instead of any means to develop North Korea’s outmoded livestock industry.
If it is not backed by breeding know-how transfers and infrastructure improvement, it cannot succeed. You must teach them how to fish instead of giving fish.
A farmer in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, who plans to donate his cows to Nepal, underscores the persistent technical support for the Nepalese until all related systems are established there. [JOONGANG PHOTO]
The severe malnutrition for North Korean children has reached a point of no return. “The time has come for us to resume the campaign to send milk to North Korean kids to brace for improved inter-Korean relations,” said Lee Seung-ho, chairman of the Korea Dairy & Beef Farmers Association. “That is a preinvestment in a unified country.”
Given the need to develop the cattle industry in North Korea to prepare for unification, we must carefully review what went wrong before.
What attracts our attention is a bold “experiment” by Heifer International, a U.S.-based NGO devoted to ending hunger and poverty around the world in a sustainable way. It is the organization that sent a large number of dairy cows, goats, pigs, hatching eggs and bees to South Korea shortly after the 1950-53 Korean War.
Heifer Korea, an affiliate of Heifer International, is pushing forward a project to send 101 heifers and two high-quality breeding bulls to Nepal. This is the first time for Korea to dispatch live cattle overseas.
An official in charge of developing breeding strategies at Dairy Cattle Genetic Improvement Center (DCIC) of the NongHyup Agribusiness Group said “Artificial insemination has been conducted on over 10,000 dairy cows on dairy farms in Uganda with frozen semen from Korean proven bulls we exported since 2015.”
“Such a project can give a chance for Korea to prove its sophisticated breeding technology,” he said.
In fact, the annual milk production of Korean dairy cows is 10,352 kilograms (22,822 pounds) ranked 4th in the world after Israel (1st), the United States (2nd) and Canada (3rd).
African countries are struggling to boost their milk production after the average size of children’s brains shrank due to insufficient intake of animal proteins.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, for instance, pleads for milk and cows in return for its rare earth metals, a key ingredient in smartphones. Nepal is no different.
“To localize South Korea’s excellent cattlefarming know-how, the Nepalese government plans to establish a Model Dairy Village in the Sindhuli district 150 kilometers (93 miles) to the southeast of Kathmandu,” said Haewon Lee, CEO of Heifer Korea. “Nepal is willing to send a charter plane to Korea to bring cattle, not simply frozen semen, home.”
When you transport living cows to a foreign country by air, you must go through a tough quarantine process in a sharp contrast with 1954, when Heifer International sent a gold medal-winning Holstein bull — worth $8,000 at the time — from America. After the foot-and-mouth disease spread globally, restrictions on cross-border cattle movement were reinforced.
Fortunately, Korea’s advanced animal quarantine system helps prevent the spread of many infectious animal diseases.
An increasing number of Koreans sharing the goodwill of Heifer Korea are taking part in donations. Ms. Ahn (61, female) who wants to remain anonymous donated 50 cows. She said, “I decided to donate part of our inheritance with my sister to respect the will of my mother, who valued life working as an obstetrician for 30 years in Seoul. I hope that rural villages in Nepal will also be able to raise cows that will become the source of their sustainable income and allow them to break free from poverty.”
Cattle farmers in Korea are also jumping on the bandwagon one after another. An 84-year-old dairy farmer, who started his cattle farm in 1973 with dairy cows received from Heifer International, donated a dairy cow, and a 74-year-old Lee Chung Ho, a dairy cattle farm owner in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, also plans to donate.
“My father started this ranch in 1957 with two Jersey cows he received, and now our farm has grown to raising 99 cows. I’m donating to thank and to give back.”
He emphasized, “It is not enough to simply send a few cows, but we need to help until they adjust themselves by passing on the know-how of breeding cows.”
Moon Jin-sup, President of Seoul Dairy Co-op, pledged to provide Korea’s cattle-farming expertise to the young Nepalese working at farms here so that they can propagate their knowledge and experience to their country.
Still, obstacles remain. The biggest problem is how to secure quality breeding bulls. The DCIC of the NongHyup Agribusiness Group is the only institution in Korea aimed at producing world-best breeding bulls. The center selects the best 60 calves each year and chooses five of them as finalists after undergoing strict progeny testing.
Nepal looks forward to shipping 20 breeding bulls from Korea as it needs a sufficient number of bulls to avoid the risk of inbreeding. The problem is their high prices. A 1.1-ton (2,491-pound) breeding bull born at the center in 2012 and named “BTS” is for about 500 million won ($425,170). The center retains only the top five breeding bulls out of 35 candidates.
There may be a good use for the rest for countries in need. The experiment of sending live cattle overseas has several implications. This could be an opportunity to raise Korea’s status by sharing our advanced livestock experiences with other countries. It can help establish a foothold to expand overseas markets for its dairy products starting with “K-Milk.” Thirty years after joining the United Nations in 1991, Korea was classified as a developed country by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) last July. The time has come for the country to give a helping hand to other countries in need.
15. Authorities to begin looking into data to explain why Nuri launch failed
Failure is necessary to advance the program.
[Newsmaker] Authorities to begin looking into data to explain why Nuri launch failed
Published : Oct 24, 2021 - 16:37 Updated : Oct 24, 2021 - 16:40
(Yonhap)
South Korea’s Science Ministry said Sunday that researchers will begin looking into why the country’s first domestically-built rocket Nuri, or Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle II, failed to put a dummy satellite into orbit in its maiden flight last week.
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute that led the Nuri project will form a task force to examine data from the Oct. 21 test to determine what caused the shorter-than-programmed burning of the rocket’s third engine.
Named the Korean word meaning world, Nuri blasted off from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, on Thursday afternoon.
The three-stage liquid-fueled satellite launcher completed its flight sequence, reaching a low orbit 700 kilometers above the Earth, but it failed to place the 1.5-ton dummy payload into orbit following the separation of the payload‘s first-stage, fairing, and second-stage rockets.
Science and ICT Minister Lim Hye-sook said during the press briefing on Thursday that the mock satellite could not reach the intended orbit because it failed to reach a speed of 7.5 kilometers per second.
Lim said that a 7-ton engine in the third-stage rocket was supposed to burn for 521 seconds, but only burned for 475 seconds, which led to a slowdown in the rocket’s speed at the end.
While some experts suggested that the shortened burning time could be due to flaws in the engine, KARI is leaving all possibilities open, such as a system error in the pressure tank, malfunction of valves attached in the third-stage or an error in the engine termination program as causes of the fault.
KARI said they plan to receive telemetry data gathered from Naro Space Center, tracking stations in the southern island of Jeju and Palau in the South Pacific for analysis.
Officials said that data from the Palau-based center will be essential in understanding what happened as it should have been able to record the latter part of the flight.
KARI opened the Palau center in 2019 to analyze real-time location and status of projectiles and payloads like Nuri. The center’s telemetry can receive data such as speed, acceleration, separation signal, image and more from a projectile as far away as 1,700 km.
If authorities cannot figure out why it failed, Nuri’s next test -- carrying actual satellites weighing 200 tons -- scheduled for May 19 can be delayed. Five additional launches are scheduled by 2027.
With the next Nuri model, South Korea aims to become the world’s seventh country with home-grown capabilities to launch a satellite weighing over 1 ton from its own soil.
The Moon Jae-in government has unveiled a plan that over the next decade, more than 100 satellites will be launched and aims to send an unmanned spaceship to the moon by 2030.
16.
V/R
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow
Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Phone: 202-573-8647
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
FDD is a Washington-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
