Quotes of the Day:
“For all societies have some view of the past; one that shapes and is shaped by their collective consciousness, that both reflects and reinforces the value-systems which guide their actions and judgments; and if professional historians do not provide this, others less scrupulous or less well qualified will.”
- Michael Howard during a 1981 lecture at Oxford University
*The Lessons of History (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1991), 13.
"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."
- Carl Sandburg
"You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
1. N. Korea claims to have conducted test to develop 'reconnaissance satellite' seen as missile launch
2. N.K. officials pledge to shore up 'shortcomings' in carrying out ruling party tasks
3. N. Korea launches ballistic missile amid Ukraine invasion
4. U.S. returns land in Yongsan and other bases to Korea
5. A nuanced provocation (north Korea)
6. South Korea: Candidates Speak Out on Human Rights
7. S. Korea to ban exports of strategic materials to Russia
8. S. Korea to provide US$10 mln in humanitarian aid to Ukraine
9. Russian envoy warns of strain in ties with S. Korea following sanctions announcement
10. Lee under fire over remarks on Ukraine
11. Lee apologizes for his remarks on Ukrainian president
12. Seoul hustles to get sanctions going on Russia
13. Korea joins US-led sanctions to ban Russia's access to SWIFT
14. US-China rivalry pits presidential candidates against each other (South Korea)
15. Security emerges as key issue in presidential election as Ukraine crisis unfolds
16. South Hwanghae Province man sets fire to flower wreath on Kim Jong Il’s birthday
17. North Pyongan Province’s security agency attempts to get money transfer brokers to share their fees
18. North Korea notifies provinces that imported goods will be released in areas where commodity prices are most stable
19. Seoul Landmark Buildings Light up in Solidarity with Ukraine
1. N. Korea claims to have conducted test to develop 'reconnaissance satellite' seen as missile launch
(3rd LD) N. Korea claims to have conducted test to develop 'reconnaissance satellite' seen as missile launch | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: ADDS unification ministry's reaction in 7th para)
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Yonhap) -- North Korea claimed Monday to have carried out an "important test" for developing a "reconnaissance satellite" despite South Korea's characterization of it as a ballistic missile launch.
Sunday's test came amid concerns the North could fire a long-range rocket under the disguise of a satellite launch or conduct other provocative acts following its veiled threat last month to suspend its voluntary moratorium on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests.
"The DPRK National Aerospace Development Administration (NADA) and the Academy of Defence Science conducted an important test on Sunday under the plan of developing a reconnaissance satellite," the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The test helped confirm the "characteristics and working accuracy of high definition photographing system, data transmission system and attitude control devices," the KCNA added.
South Korea's military has said the North fired a ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Sunday morning in its eighth show of force this year.
Launched from around the Sunan area in Pyongyang, the missile flew about 300 kilometers at a top altitude of 620 km, according to the military.
"The government will assess the implications of the latest missile launch based on an in-depth analysis of its specifications while paying close attention to North Korea's claim the test was ... aimed at developing a reconnaissance satellite," Lee Jong-joo, spokesperson for Seoul's unification ministry, told a regular press briefing. "We will thoroughly prepare for all possibilities down the road."
The development of a reconnaissance satellite is among the key defense projects that the North unveiled during its major congress of the ruling Workers' Party in January last year.
Some observers viewed Sunday's test as an ominous prelude to preparations for a long-range rocket test.
In the past, the North claimed to have conducted satellite launches, which outsiders criticized as long-range rocket tests under the guise of a "peaceful" space development project.
Concerns about the North's possible ICBM test have lingered since it made the veiled threat last month to suspend its self-imposed moratorium on strategic weapons tests declared in April 2018 amid diplomacy with the United States.
North Korea watchers said that the North could engage in a provocative act to mark the 110th birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's late grandfather Kim Il-sung on April 15.
The latest launch, the first in just under a month, came 10 days ahead of South Korea's presidential election and amid the armed conflict in Ukraine following Russia's invasion of the country last week.
(END)
2. N.K. officials pledge to shore up 'shortcomings' in carrying out ruling party tasks
Ideological and political control over the Korean people in the north which is considered the existential threat to the regime.
We should not be duped by the recognition of failure(s). There is no blame on Kim Jong-un in the north despite the fact that every problem the north has stems from Kim Jong-un's deliberate policy choices.
N.K. officials pledge to shore up 'shortcomings' in carrying out ruling party tasks | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Yonhap) -- Participants in an ongoing gathering of North Korea's ruling party officials have acknowledged "shortcomings" in implementing party tasks and pledged to improve them, Pyongyang's state media reported Monday.
The 2nd Conference of Secretaries of Primary Committees of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the first since late 2016, opened Saturday, as the North appears intent to tighten discipline and unity among party ranks amid economic woes aggravated by sanctions and pandemic-driven restrictions.
"Speakers reflected on the fact that they failed to do the ideological and political work positively and to fulfill the functions and role of primary Party committees satisfactorily," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said of Sunday's discussions during the second day of the conference.
"They also referred to the fact that they failed to make guidance based on policies and the political guidance run through Party leadership of economic work," it added.
In his opening remarks Saturday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un addressed the "serious deviations of not meeting the requirement of the developing reality" despite the growth of many primary organizations of the party, according to the KCNA.
The conference reviews the past five years of work of the primary party organizations. Its inaugural meeting was held in December 2016.
(END)
3. N. Korea launches ballistic missile amid Ukraine invasion
Important conclusion:
North Korea’s adventurism that exploits the emergence of a new cold war is a long-odds bet, which is equivalent to digging its own grave. However distracted the U.S. may be by a war in Europe, the U.S. will not turn a blind eye to North Korea’s nuclear provocations that pose a threat to the mainland U.S. Left with hardly any choices, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is misjudging the possibility that it could find a way out, as a member of dictatorial regimes led by China and Russia. However, by so doing, Pyongyang is only posing itself as a pawn of the chess played by China and Russia. Contrary to its calculations, North Korea would be used as a scapegoat sacrificed first when China and Russia are forced into a corner.
N. Korea launches ballistic missile amid Ukraine invasion
Posted February. 28, 2022 08:11,
Updated February. 28, 2022 08:11
N. Korea launches ballistic missile amid Ukraine invasion. February. 28, 2022 08:11. .
North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea from Sunan, Pyongyang, on Sunday, which flew about 300 kilometers at a maximum altitude of 620 kilometers. This is the eighth launch since the start of the year, four weeks after the previous launch on Jan. 30.
North Korea, which had refrained from making provocations during the Beijing Winter Olympics, has again conducted a missile test amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine and with only 10 days to go before the South Korean presidential election scheduled on March 9. South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae called a meeting of the National Security Council and called the missile test “deeply worrisome and regrettable.”
North Korea’s resumption of missile testing clearly shows its opportunistic attitude to take advantage of the looming threat of a new cold war between the United States and China-Russia. In January, when Russia was building a military force along the Ukrainian border, North Korea carried out seven missile tests, which were followed by a pause during the Beijing Winter Olympics.
With the Russian aggression against Ukraine that took place right after the Beijing Winter Olympics ended, North Korea resumed missile tests as if it had been waiting for the move by Russia. Earlier, the North Korean Foreign Affairs Ministry had released a statement that accused the United States of being the “root cause of the Ukrainian crisis” and for its “high-handedness and arbitrariness.”
In the midst of a presidential campaign and in advance of a change in administration in South Korea, provocations by North Korea are likely to be intensified in severity until April 15, the 110th anniversary of the birth of the nation’s founding father Kim Il Sung. North Korea attempts to take advantage of the situation where, after Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution, the UN Security Council has been effectively rendered powerless, by freely continuing day-to-day provocations and have them accepted as normal defense activities. On top of that, North Korea could cross the red line by firing ICBM or conducting nuclear weapons tests.
North Korea’s adventurism that exploits the emergence of a new cold war is a long-odds bet, which is equivalent to digging its own grave. However distracted the U.S. may be by a war in Europe, the U.S. will not turn a blind eye to North Korea’s nuclear provocations that pose a threat to the mainland U.S. Left with hardly any choices, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is misjudging the possibility that it could find a way out, as a member of dictatorial regimes led by China and Russia. However, by so doing, Pyongyang is only posing itself as a pawn of the chess played by China and Russia. Contrary to its calculations, North Korea would be used as a scapegoat sacrificed first when China and Russia are forced into a corner.
4. U.S. returns land in Yongsan and other bases to Korea
Sunday
February 27, 2022
U.S. returns land in Yongsan and other bases to Korea
A view of Yongsan Garrison in Yongsan District, central Seoul, in July 2021. The U.S. military returned an additional 165,000 square meters (40.8 acres) of land at the Yongsan base to Korea Friday, a step toward speeding along Seoul's plan to build a national park there. [YONHAP]
Korea and the United States agreed on the U.S. military's return of an additional 165,000 square meters (40.8 acres) of land at the Yongsan base in central Seoul on Friday, a step toward speeding along the country's plans to build a national park there.
The United States, along with the transfer of two main posts and the south post at the Yongsan Garrison that day returned two other parcels of land at Camp Red Cloud and Camp Stanley in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, amounting to a total of 996,000 square meters.
The 830,000-square-meter handover at Camp Red Cloud comes as the city of Uijeongbu plans to build an e-commerce logistics complex there.
A 1,000-square-meter water detention basin of Camp Stanley was also returned to help river maintenance and flood control efforts in Buyongcheon, Uijeongbu.
The representatives of the Korea-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) joint committee reached the agreement over a telephone conference Friday, according to Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Lim Sang-woo, director-general for North American affairs at Korea's Foreign Ministry, and Lt. Gen. Scott L. Pleus, deputy chief of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), agreed that further delays in the return of the bases could exacerbate the economic and social difficulties faced by local communities.
The two sides also agreed to continue discussions on responsible solutions to pollution problems, environmental management and the possibility of a revision of documents related to the SOFA, the Foreign Ministry said.
The bilateral SOFA, signed in 1966, governs the legal status of U.S. military personnel stationed in Korea.
The two countries also agreed to continue discussions on conducting a joint environmental survey and environmental management regulations.
The latest return of land at the Yongsan Garrison is expected to bring "momentum" to the construction of Korea's first national park in Yongsan, the Foreign Ministry said.
The Korean government plans to build the 2.43-million-square-meter Yongsan park by 2027 on the returned land.
The Yongsan base covers an area of about 1.96 million square meters and is one of 12 bases that the U.S. military has yet to return to Korea.
Korea and the United States agreed in May 2003 to relocate 80 U.S. army bases across the country to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, and Daegu. As part of the agreement, the USFK and United Nations Command moved their headquarters to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek in 2018.
The United States returned 53,000 square meters at the Yongsan Garrison in December 2020.
So far, around 218,000 square meters of the Yongsan Garrison has been returned, or just over 10 percent of the base's total area.
Seoul and Washington in July last year also announced they had agreed to return 500,000 square meters of land at the Yongsan Garrison, or a fourth of the total area, by early this year.
However, the Combined Forces Command, a key military facility, remains at Yongsan Garrison, with efforts to move the command to Pyeongtaek within the first half of this year.
5. A nuanced provocation (north Korea)
I am afraid there are no policies that will prevent Kim Joong-un from taking a wrong turn.
Sunday
February 27, 2022
A nuanced provocation
North Korea once again fired a ballistic missile Sunday morning. The eighth launch since January means a resumption of its missile provocations 28 days after a short break during the Beijing Winter Olympics. The last time the North fired a missile was January 30, when it launched a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile.
North Korea wants to get international recognition as a nuclear power by showing off its capability to fire a wide range of missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads after dismissing the Moon Jae-in administration’s proposal of an end-of-war declaration and a gesture for dialogue from the United States. The recalcitrant country will surely ratchet up the level of provocation down the road.
What concerns us most is the timing of the provocation — just ten days before the March 9 presidential election in South Korea and in the middle of a crisis from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. North Korea may have thought that such international developments work favorably for it. It zeroed in on the power vacuum from the Sino-U.S. conflict.
If Pyongyang attempts to heighten tension when a fierce contest is being played out between superpowers, it is difficult for the international community to raise one voice and effectively respond to the threat. Worse, the power of Uncle Sam has noticeably weakened as seen in its withdrawal from Afghanistan and in the lead-up to the Ukraine crisis. As North Korea will be tempted to build more pressure on America under such circumstances, it will elevate the level of offense.
Concerns are fueled by our presidential candidates in the Mar. 9 election. Ruling Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung and his rival Yoon Suk-yeol from the opposition People Power Party (PPP) are attacking one another. Over the war in Ukraine, Lee stigmatized Yoon as a warmonger while Yoon denounced Lee for being a feeble pacifist. North Korea wants to influence the presidential race in South Korea with the launch of a ballistic missile to deepen security concerns among the voters. Whoever wins the election, such schisms on national security will be a major obstacle to devising effective North Korea policy if elected.
Alarmingly, such division provides fertile ground for North Korea to make a misjudgment. If the Ukraine crisis prolongs and the U.S.-China rivalry worsens, Pyongyang will lift the level of provocation. But such a belligerent approach will only help it toward self-destruction.
South Korea must remind North Korea of the dismal fate. Presidential candidates must stop their misleading promises on achieving unification and peace and present feasible policies to prevent Pyongyang from taking a wrong turn.
6. South Korea: Candidates Speak Out on Human Rights
Table at the link. Yoon did not respond to the survey. It is disappointing that Yoon did not respond to the survey.
South Korea: Candidates Speak Out on Human Rights
2 of 4 Major Presidential Contenders Respond to Questionnaire
South Korea’s presidential candidates – (l to r) Lee Jae-myung, Ahn Cheol-soo, Shim Sang-jung, and Yoon Suk-yeol – pose for a photo before a televised debate for the March 9 presidential election, in Seoul, South Korea, February 21, 2022. © 2022 AP Photos/Heo Ran
(Seoul) – Two of four major South Korean presidential candidates responded to a questionnaire on key human rights issues facing the South Korean people, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch prepared the questionnaire to provide the candidates an opportunity to publicly express their views on human rights concerns and policies ahead of the March 9, 2022 presidential elections.
Shim Sang-jung of the Justice Party and Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea submitted responses in Korean, which are also available in English in translations by a professional translator. Ahn Cheol-soo of the People’s Party and Yoon Seok-youl of the People’s Power Party did not respond to the questionnaire, which was sent in Korean to the four major candidates on January 25.
“Presidential candidates Shim Sang-jung and Lee Jae-myung have done South Korean voters a service by sharing their views on the critically important human rights issues affecting South Korea, as well as its relations with North Korea,” said Lina Yoon, senior Korea researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Sadly, human rights issues have largely been missing from debates and discussions in the South Korean presidential campaign.”
The Human Rights Watch questionnaire contained 15 questions focused on children’s rights to education, women’s rights, the rights of older people, the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, freedom of expression, and human rights policy toward North Korea. The deadline for responding was February 21.
Human Rights Watch contacted each campaign multiple times between January 25 and February 25 via phone, text message, and email to ensure that they had received the questionnaire and to remind them of the deadline. On February 8, the campaign teams of presidential candidates Lee Jae-myung and Shim Sang-jung told Human Rights Watch that they planned to respond. On February 17, candidate Ahn Cheol-soo’s campaign told Human Rights Watch that they would not respond due to what they said were scheduling difficulties. On February 21, candidate Lee Jae-myung’s campaign team asked for an extension to February 25 to submit their response, which they sent on February 24. Yoon Seok-youl’s team responded to repeated attempts to contact them on February 25, but gave no indication whether they would respond to the questionnaire.
“All South Korean presidential candidates should clearly state their positions on human rights issues,” Yoon said. “South Korean voters should know what their prospective future president thinks about discrimination, inequality, and freedom of expression.”
Appendix:
Below is a Human Rights Watch summary of the responses received. Please consult the candidates’ responses from the two campaigns for the candidates’ full answers.
Lee Jae-myung
Shim Sang-jung
Discrimination in Access to Education
- Expand support in schools for underprivileged children.
- Review expanding free education benefits to include migrant children.
- Provide education access to all children regardless of their backgrounds
- Provide free preschool education for children ages 3 to 5.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education
- Agree with the need for a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate, accurate and scientific sexuality education.
- Ensure protection of people’s right to sexual autonomy with comprehensive sexuality education based on equality and respect.
Digital Literacy Education
- Create a child-friendly digital environment in which children exercise self-leadership in using digital services and are protected from harmful digital content
- Strengthen digital literacy education and implement child protection regulations.
- Provide education to prevent sex crimes online and digital literacy education in schools.
- Establish timely intervention and prevention by installing and expanding sexual abuse/harassment response teams in city and provincial education offices.
Gender-based Violence
- Strengthen both punishment for offenders of dating violence, stalking, and sexual violence, and support for victims.
- Take a no-tolerance approach to sex crimes targeting children and adolescents.
- Eradicate digital sex crimes by installing a dedicated investigation unit, creating a forfeiture system to confiscate profits made from these crimes, and strengthen responsibility of platform providers.
- Strengthen punishment for offenders and support for victims of gender-based violence, including victims of digital sex crimes, stalking, child abuse, and dating and domestic violence
- Increase human and financial resources to systematize immediate removal of all identified illicit digital images, and obligate app business operators to monitor their platforms to protect users.
- Redefine crime of rape, based on lack of consent.
Discrimination against Women
- Introduce a system to publish wages to promote gender equality and establish a plan with affirmative action measures to reduce gender wage gaps; create equal employment units in the Employment and Labor Offices.
- Install a fair employment committee under the National Labor Relations Committee.
- Prevent gender discrimination by establishing gender equality officers in the workplace and anti-discriminatory employment guidelines.
- Introduce a law to reduce the gender wage gap.
Ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment
- Support the ratification of the ILO Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment.
- Support the ratification of the ILO Convention No. 190 on Harassment and Violence and implement measures to eradicate harassment and violence in the workplace.
Regulation of Abortion
- Supports the 2019 Constitutional Court’s decision, which decriminalized abortion during the first three months of pregnancy, and supports amending the Criminal Law and Mother and Child Health Act to carry out this ruling.
- Expand insurance coverage for contraception and abortion.
- Ensure access to safe abortion and sexual and reproductive health by increasing easy access to information in hospitals, pharmacies, and public clinics; create more medical and counselling services; introduce the use of medical abortion pills; and eliminate financial barriers to access contraceptives.
Poverty among Older People
- Abolish regulations that reduce the basic pension amount if a partner receives a pension; revise pension reduction for people with alternative income sources.
- Expand insurance coverage for dental implants and lower the eligible age; introduce integrated nursing and care services.
- Provide social welfare services, including medical, welfare, rehabilitation, and financing for care workers to allow for in-home care services.
- Provide affordable housing services customized to the needs of older people.
Employment among Older People
- Create 1.4 million jobs for older people.
- Cooperate with community resources to encourage businesses to participate in job creation for older people.
- Create social participation activities and jobs for older people.
- Reinforce enforcement of the Act on the Prohibition of Age Discrimination in Employment and Elderly Employment Promotion.
Article 92-6 of the Military Criminal Act
- Address same-sex sexual acts in the military based on social consensus.
- Abolish article 92-6 of the Military Criminal Act, which prohibits male military members from engaging in consensual sexual activity with other men.
Same-Sex Partnerships
- Same-sex partnership should be accepted and not be grounds for discrimination, but will address based on social consensus.
- Enact a partner registration law so that same-sex partners can enjoy equal rights and benefits as a family in the absence of same-sex marriage.
- Revise the Civil Code to recognize same-sex marriage.
- Pass a comprehensive anti-discrimination act
Threats to Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Press
- Fake and fabricated news with malicious intentions need to be addressed through social and institutional systems.
- Support establishment of an integrated self-regulatory body for press freedom and effective remedies for damages for victims.
- National Security Act, which criminalizes positive comments about North Korea, dissemination of North Korean propaganda, and possession of North Korean books and publications, is one of the greatest threats to freedom of expression.
Criminal Defamation Law
- Review components of the crime of defamation, and revise if necessary.
- Abolish the Criminal Defamation Law and the crime of insult.
National Security Law
- Abolish problematic clauses of the National Security Law and seek public consensus regarding the law itself.
- Repeal the National Security Law, and if necessary, revise the Criminal Code.
Implementation of the North Korean Human Rights Act
- Respect the incumbent government’s position and directions.
- Expedite the recommendation process for board members for the establishment of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation and the appointment of an ambassador on North Korean human rights.
Promotion of North Korean human rights internationally
- Cooperate with international efforts to make North Korea adhere to human rights.
- Continue South Korea’s humanitarian efforts to improve the economic rights of North Koreans, including an inter-Korean human rights dialogue.
- Cooperate with the international community to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.
7. S. Korea to ban exports of strategic materials to Russia
Good. About time.
(3rd LD) S. Korea to ban exports of strategic materials to Russia | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES with Russian envoy's comments in paras 4-5, 16-18; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea announced its decision Monday to ban exports of strategic materials to Russia and join the multinational move to exclude the country from the SWIFT global payment network, in a move to back a campaign to hold Moscow accountable for its invasion of Ukraine.
The foreign ministry made the announcement as Washington is rallying allies and partners to impose "devastating costs" on Russia, including its isolation from global financial and trade systems.
Seoul has notified Washington of its decision on the sanctions through a diplomatic channel, the ministry said, following various considerations, including relations with Moscow, still a partner for peace on the Korean Peninsula, trade and other exchanges.
Russia expressed regrets over the decision, warning the trend of the two countries' evolving relations could shift course.
"The decision is deeply regrettable," Russian Ambassador to South Korea Andrey Kulik told a press conference held hours after the announcement. "Russia-South Korea relations have developed only in a positive way in the past 30 years. The upward trajectory, I think, will now change course."
South Korea plans to strengthen export screening procedures concerning Russia.
It is expected to bar the exports to Russia of strategic materials singled out by four multilateral export control regimes -- the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG); the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA); the Australia Group (AG); and the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
The regimes are aimed at fending off the spread of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery vehicles and related technologies and equipment.
Earlier, Washington announced restrictions on exports of U.S. origin technology and products to 49 Russian military entities, including its defense ministry, under a "policy of denial."
Washington is known to have requested Seoul take such strong export control measures against Moscow.
South Korea also plans to finalize a decision on possible steps it can take in connection with U.S. standalone export curbs against Russia on dozens of items, such as semiconductors, computers, telecommunications, information security equipment, lasers and sensors.
On the financial front, Seoul plans to join the move to remove Russia from the SWIFT payment system that links 11,000 banks and institutions in more than 200 countries and allows the smooth cross-border transfer of money.
The U.S., Britain, Canada and other countries have already moved to exclude key Russian banks from the system.
South Korea plans to decide on specific steps to join the financial sanctions after interagency consultations, the ministry said.
Aside from partaking in the sanctions program, Seoul plans to bolster humanitarian support for Ukraine. That includes the provision of military suits and other in-kind contributions and the expansion of official development assistance allotted for Ukraine.
During the press conference, the Russian ambassador also warned the sanctions will "be of no help" for trilateral cooperative projects involving the North.
"Cooperative projects among South and North Korea, and Russia are indeed closely related to resolving the nuclear issue, inter-Korean relations, peace on the Korean Peninsula, security and prosperity," he said. "With that in mind, it makes me doubt if South Korea really needs all that."
"One thing that should be clearly understood is that countries taking part in sanctions against Russia will not only face considerable damage in bilateral ties but are also participating in illegal acts led by the Western countries," he added.
(END)
8. S. Korea to provide US$10 mln in humanitarian aid to Ukraine
(LEAD) S. Korea to provide US$10 mln in humanitarian aid to Ukraine | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with foreign ministry's aid announcement; CHANGES headline, lead)
SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea decided to provide US$10 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, as it is fighting against Russia's invasion, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.
The aid for the Ukrainian government and its people, including refugees, was announced hours after President Moon Jae-in ordered officials to swiftly draw up a plan to help support the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country.
"The assistance will be swiftly made following consultations with the governments of Ukraine and its neighboring countries, as well as with international organizations," the ministry said in a statement.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees estimates more than 4 million Ukrainians could flee the country following the conflict.
"We hope our government's support can be effectively helpful to the Ukrainian people and refugees, and we will continue active contribution to resolve Ukraine's humanitarian crisis," the ministry added.
Moon also told officials that the government should set up contingency measures to minimize the impact of sanctions on Russia, presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said.
Moon said last week that South Korea will join international sanctions on Russia.
Foreign ministry officials said they will hold talks with U.S. officials about export controls on Moscow.
Washington earlier announced restrictions on exports of U.S. origin technology and products to 49 Russian military entities, including its defense ministry. The sanctions apply to semiconductors, computers, telecommunications, information security equipment, lasers and sensors, and cover items produced in the U.S. or foreign items produced using U.S. equipment and software.
Moon was also briefed that there is little impact on global supply chains in the short term.
Moon urged the government to set up a hotline with companies to monitor supply chain issues, and stabilize supplies of energy and other key materials, Park said.
(END)
9. Russian envoy warns of strain in ties with S. Korea following sanctions announcement
And whose fault is this? Certainly not South Korea's. Mr. Ambassador: "Your country's decision TO INVADE UKRAINE is deeply regrettable."
Russian envoy warns of strain in ties with S. Korea following sanctions announcement | Yonhap News Agency
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Yonhap) -- Russia's top envoy to South Korea warned the two countries' cooperative ties could "change course," after Seoul announced its decision Monday to join a sanctions campaign to hold Moscow accountable for its invasion of Ukraine.
Ambassador Andrey Kulik made the remarks hours after Seoul's foreign ministry announced its decision to bar the exports of strategic materials to Russia and join the multinational move to exclude the country from the SWIFT global payment network.
"The decision is deeply regrettable," Kulik told a press conference. "Russia-South Korea relations have developed only in a positive way in the past 30 years. The upward trajectory, I think, will now change course."
The ambassador accused the United States of using Ukraine as a "tool" to "suppress Russia's development" and warned of consequences facing countries joining anti-Moscow sanctions.
"Countries taking part in sanctions against Russia will not only face considerable damage in bilateral ties but are also participating in illegal acts led by the Western countries," he said.
He also said the sanctions will "be of no help" for long-sought three-way cooperative projects involving the two Koreas and Russia.
"Cooperative projects among South and North Korea, and Russia are indeed closely related to resolving the nuclear issue, inter-Korean relations, peace on the Korean Peninsula, security and prosperity," he said. "With that in mind, it makes me doubt if South Korea really needs all that."
On Thursday, President Moon Jae-in announced South Korea will join international sanctions on Russia, saying any use of armed force causing human casualties cannot be justified.
(END)
10. Lee under fire over remarks on Ukraine
Not a good indicator for the future of South Korea foreign affairs. Diplomats could have their work cut out for them.
(LEAD) Lee under fire over remarks on Ukraine | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: ADDS photo, Lee's remarks in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Feb. 28 (Yonhap) -- Ruling party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has come under fire for appearing to blame Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Russia's invasion of the country.
Lee of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) made the controversial remarks during a TV presidential debate Friday while trying to underscore the political inexperience of main opposition candidate Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative People Power Party.
"In Ukraine, a novice politician of six months became president and declared (Ukraine's) accession to NATO, which provoked Russia and eventually led to a clash," Lee said.
The remark unleashed a torrent of criticism on the U.S. social media platform Reddit after a video of the debate appeared alongside a translation of Lee's comments.
Critics panned the candidate for failing to see the crisis for what it is -- Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine -- and instead putting the blame on Zelenskyy.
Yoon wrote on Facebook on Saturday that what Lee said was an "international disgrace" and that he apologized to the Ukrainian people "as a presidential candidate of the Republic of Korea."
Lee scrambled to defuse the controversy by issuing his own apology.
"Before any other presidential candidate, I plainly criticized Russia's invasion and expressed my support for Ukraine," he also wrote on Facebook on Saturday.
"However, if I unintentionally caused even a partial misunderstanding among the Ukrainian people, it was due to my lack of ability to express myself," he said.
The DP came to his defense Monday.
"President Zelenskyy is inexperienced in many ways. That's a fact," Rep. Woo Sang-ho, chief of the DP campaign committee, said during a radio interview.
"But at this point in time, when (Ukraine is) under attack, I believe that regarding this issue it would have been correct to emphasize the invasion."
Later in the day, Lee urged Russia to swiftly withdraw from Ukraine and negotiate a peaceful solution.
"The era of pressing one's desire through oppression and coercion like this has passed," he said during a campaign rally in the southeastern city of Daegu.
He warned Moscow will face international isolation and called on the South Korean government to actively participate in international sanctions against Russia.
(END)
11. Lee apologizes for his remarks on Ukrainian president
At least he is admitting his error and apologizing.
Lee apologizes for his remarks on Ukrainian president
Posted February. 28, 2022 08:12,
Updated February. 28, 2022 08:12
Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, apologized on Saturday that the misunderstanding caused to the Ukrainian people unintended by him was due to the lack of his ability to express himself well. On the Friday TV debate, he said that the novice Ukrainian president with six months of experience in politics provoked Russia, which led to conflicts. Lee apologized a day later as heavy criticism followed both domestically and internationally.
“I would like to express my stance on the Ukrainian situation since I didn’t provide enough explanation due to time restriction,” said Lee on Facebook on Saturday. “If you take a look at the whole script of the TV debate on Friday, anybody can see that I clearly criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine right after I made the comment and that I commented on Yoon Seok-youl’s unstable diplomatic and security perspective, rather than belittling the Ukrainian president,” Lee emphasized. “I fully support the Ukrainian people and government’s stance and efforts. Russia’s invasion cannot be justified.”
It seems that Lee made a quick apology as the video of his comment was posted on popular foreign websites, including Reddit, and received negative replies.
The main opposition People Power Party criticized Lee for causing international embarrassment. “Lee’s thoughtless words to use the situation for the election, rather than consoling the country in an unfortunate situation, are bringing international rage,” said Yoon on Facebook on Saturday. “I apologize to the Ukrainian people hurt by his words on behalf of him as a presidential candidate of South Korea.”
12. Seoul hustles to get sanctions going on Russia
There was a lot of criticism among Korea watchers on Twitter over the ROK failure to step up. I wonder if that influenced the Moon administration in any way. Or is it simply that the administration realized that they must do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.
Monday
February 28, 2022
Seoul hustles to get sanctions going on Russia
Civic groups protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine in front of the Russian Embassy in central Seoul on Monday. [NEWS1]
Korea will restrict its exports of strategic goods to Russia to protest its invasion of Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry announced Monday.
“The Korean government will control the export of strategic goods to Russia,” said the ministry in a statement on Monday, adding that additional measures on non-strategic goods will follow after a review.
The announcement came after the U.S. government left Korea off a list of countries exempted from its sanctioning of items including chips and electronics made with U.S.-originated technology or software bound for Russia. Countries not included on the list -- such as Korea -- have to get licenses from American export regulation authorities every time they want to export items using American technology or software to Russia.
Korea was the only ally of the United States not included on the list. On the list were 32 countries that already levied sanctions on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, including Australia, Britain, France, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden and Japan.
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken released a statement on Japan’s financial sanctions on Russia, emphasizing “the strong and decisive steps” of the Japanese government and its standing “resolutely together” with the U.S. against Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
The Fumio Kishida government froze trade with separatist regions in Ukraine backed by Russia and banned the issuing and trading of Russian bonds in Japan on Wednesday.
In contrast, the Moon Jae-in administration announced its intention to join international sanctions on Thursday, but no specific sanction measures were announced by the ministries of foreign affairs or trade since.
The Trade Ministry said Monday it will be communicating with the U.S. Department of Commerce to try to coordinate its sanctions with the United States.
The Foreign Ministry added that Korea will be joining the international move to block certain Russian banks' access to the SWIFT international messaging system.
The Moon administration also announced $10 million in humanitarian aid for Ukrainians on Monday.
"This assistance will go towards Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country under Russian invasion, and it will be coordinated with the governments of Ukraine and neighboring countries, as well as with international organizations," said the Foreign Ministry.
At least 300,000 Ukrainians had fled to neighboring countries including Poland and Romania as of Sunday, according to the European Commission. The commission put the total number of Ukrainians at risk from the war at up to seven million.
Russia invaded Ukraine by sea, land and air on Thursday, after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the independence of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.
Leaders around the world have announced humanitarian assistance for the Ukrainians, including nearly $54 million from the Joe Biden administration in Washington, $100 million from the Kishida administration and 40 million pounds ($53 million) from Boris Johnson administration in Britain.
Johnson announced a measure to allow immediate family members of Ukrainians in Britain to join them, as the European Union announced plans to take in all Ukrainians fleeing the country for the next three years, waiving the usual asylum-seeking process.
The Moon government has not made any announcement on taking in refugees from Ukraine.
The Justice Ministry did announce Monday it will allow the 3,843 Ukrainians staying in Korea on short- and long-term visas to stay even after their visa expires, until the situation in Ukraine improves.
13. Korea joins US-led sanctions to ban Russia's access to SWIFT
It is important that South Korea is stepping up.
Korea joins US-led sanctions to ban Russia's access to SWIFT
The Korea Times · by 2022-02-28 17:53 | Foreign Affairs · February 28, 2022
People from a civic group and Ukraine stage a protest rally near the Russian Embassy in Seoul, Monday, over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Yonhap
Seoul also plans to ban exports of strategic materials to Moscow
By Kang Seung-woo
Korea has decided to participate in the international community's move to block select Russian banks from a global payments network as part of efforts to stand in line with global sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.
In addition, Korea also plans to ban exports of strategic materials to Russia.
The decision came days after the United States and its key allies, including Germany and Britain, announced Saturday (local time) that they would remove some Russian banks from the SWIFT bank messaging system. SWIFT stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication that facilitates rapid cross-border payments.
President Moon Jae-in said, Thursday that Korea will join international sanctions against Russia in protest against its military aggression.
"The Korean government will join the international community's move to remove Russia from the SWIFT and its specific plan will be decided following relevant ministries' discussions," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The ministry added that the government had notified the U.S. of its decision via a diplomatic channel.
There is widespread speculation that the SWIFT exclusion will hit Russia's economy hard immediately as it will need to use "a telephone or a fax machine" to make payments, according to the White House. In addition, the measure is expected to hamper Russia's ability to profit off oil and gas production that accounts for more than 40 percent of its revenue.
When it comes to export controls on strategic materials, Seoul is expected to ban shipments to Russia of strategic materials singled out by four multilateral export control regimes ― the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG); the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA); the Australia Group (AG); and the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
They seek to fend off the spread of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery vehicles and related technologies and equipment.
Also, Korea is reviewing whether to bar non-strategic materials that include semiconductors, computers, telecommunications and information security equipment, lasers and sensors, and cover items produced in the U.S. or foreign items produced using American equipment and software.
Besides, the government has also decided to release strategic oil reserves and review reselling liquefied natural gas to Europe in order to stabilize the global energy market.
The ministry also said it will beef up humanitarian assistance in cooperation with the international community.
Ukraine is one of the Korea International Cooperation Agency's partner countries.
Meanwhile, the government will seek close consultations with the U.S. to receive an exemption from Washington's recently expanded sanctions against Russia to minimize the impact of the restrictions on local firms and the economy.
Last week, the U.S. government announced the Foreign Direct Product Rule for all of Russia as part of sweeping export controls, which requires companies to receive a license from the U.S. for tech-related items using American technology before they can be shipped to Russia.
However, Korea has failed to make the exemption list unlike other U.S. allies such as Japan and Taiwan.
Earlier, Washington announced restrictions on exports of U.S. origin technology and products to 49 Russian military entities, including its defense ministry, under a policy of denial.
Washington is known to have requested Seoul take such strong export control measures against Moscow.
The Korea Times · by 2022-02-28 17:53 | Foreign Affairs · February 28, 2022
14. US-China rivalry pits presidential candidates against each other (South Korea)
Candidate positions on a number of issues, to include the alliance, OPCON transition, THAAD, and Quad among others.
US-China rivalry pits presidential candidates against each other
GettyimagesbankThis article is the fifth in a series about the 2022 presidential election candidates' campaign pledges. In this article, their pledges for Korea-US relations are examined and compared. ―ED
Lee calls for immediate OPCON transfer; Yoon says wait until South Korea is ready
By Nam Hyun-woo
Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung labels himself as a pragmatist in foreign policy. He says South Korea has no good reason to push itself to choose between the United States or China, noting they are both important for the country as a security guarantor and the nation's No. 1 trading partner, respectively.
Based on this belief, Lee has yet to show a clear stance regarding questions such as what his choice will be, if elected, in case the nation is forced to choose between the United States and China _ just as when South Korea faced mounting pressure from both countries' opposing calls over the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery years ago.
Meanwhile, his rival Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), has maintained a rather a clear stance on diplomatic priorities amid the U.S.-China rivalry.
He reiterated that the South Korea-U.S. alliance became significantly impaired during the Moon Jae-in government, and if elected, he would fix it to make it stronger than ever before. When asked during a TV debate weeks ago to list the leaders he would meet in sequence, he named the United States first and China later.
On top of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, the two leading candidates share little in their positions on other key issues about bilateral relations.
The following are comparisons between the U.S. policies of DPK presidential candidate Lee and PPP candidate Yoon.
South Korea-US alliance
The DPK's Lee stresses pragmatism in foreign policy as the core value of his diplomatic stance, distinguishing himself from President Moon Jae-in, who has been accused of prioritizing South Korea's relations with China and North Korea over other bilateral relations.
Lee underscores the importance of upgrading the current Seoul-Washington alliance to "a comprehensive" one. His remarks mean that the alliance should not only cover areas of security or the military, but should expand further to other fields, such as advanced technologies and industrial partnerships.
In a Feb. 23 contribution to Foreign Affairs magazine, Lee cited the joint statement between President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden in May of last year as an example of his idea.
"The joint statement went far beyond security priorities and covered diverse issues such as the response to COVID-19, climate change, and even space exploration," Lee wrote. "The two countries already enjoy a relationship of remarkable breadth and depth, which will continue to be upgraded in the coming years."
Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung sings during his campaign in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, Thursday. Yonhap
Wi Sung-lac, former South Korean ambassador to Russia who is currently in charge of foreign policy at the Lee Jae-myung camp, said that the candidate views the joint statement as a case showing "the current and future relations between the two countries."
"There are critics, especially the main opposition candidate, saying that South Korea-U.S. relations turned soured during the Moon administration, but Lee does not agree," Wi told The Korea Times. "He believes the joint statement between Moon and Biden in May well reflects the current and future relations between the two countries. By carrying agreements in the statement, the alliance can evolve into a comprehensive one."
Wi said Lee's idea on policies toward the U.S. is largely in line with that of Moon, but the candidate will seek to expand the fields of bilateral cooperation.
"If Lee wins the election, he is anticipated to expand the areas of cooperation, such as technologies related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and new economic order," Wi said.
Main opposition People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during an endorsement event at the National Assembly, Thursday. Joint Press CorpsOn the other hand, the PPP's Yoon believes Seoul's relations with Washington "collapsed" under the Moon administration, and the alliance should be "rebuilt" strong enough to "revive trust between the allies.
During a TV debate on Feb. 3, Yoon stressed "South Korea's relations with the U.S. and Japan had collapsed under the DPK administration's submissive stance to China and North Korea, so the top priority is rebuilding the alliance with the U.S."
Kim Sung-han, a professor at Korea University and former vice foreign minister who is in charge of diplomatic policy at Yoon's camp, cited former U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commanding General Robert Abrams' Dec. 25 interview with Voice of America as an example showing why Yoon thinks the alliance has collapsed.
"In the interview, the former commander said he has been requesting the South Korean military for the past two years that Washington and Seoul should develop new operational war plans (OPLANs) to account for military aggression by Beijing, but Seoul did not respond properly," Kim told The Korea Times.
"Adding to this, the allies have not been conducting proper joint military exercises for years, and there also seems to be differences in the two countries' perspectives on President Moon's proposal to declare a formal end to the Korean War," Kim said.
"The reason is Moon's obsession over appeasement policies involving North Korea and subsequent policies leaning toward China. This caused serious damage to the South Korea-U.S. alliance. This is why we are calling for a 'rebuilding' of the alliance, because the damage is too serious to be restored."
In his Feb. 8 contribution to Foreign Affairs magazine, Yoon also noted, "A foreign policy tailored mostly to improving relations with North Korea has allowed Seoul's role in the global community to shrink."
Armored vehicles are seen at Camp Casey, a U.S. military base in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, in this Aug. 10 file photo. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han
Yoon believes the two countries should rebuild their mutual trust through strong military ties, and then move on to pursue a comprehensive alliance in various fields, such as semiconductors, batteries and artificial intelligence.
"The key to the Seoul-Washington alliance is their military alliance," Kim said.
"When you see DPK candidate Lee's foreign policies, he also stresses the comprehensive alliance, but when you look inside his pledges, the expansions he claims are not based on solid military ties. We believe the core value of the alliance is military, and an alliance having an untrained army is meaningless."
US-China rivalry
While stressing pragmatism in his foreign policies, Lee seeks to exploit the current U.S.-China rivalry as an opportunity for South Korea's greater national interest, but has been relatively unclear about his diplomatic priority.
On Aug. 21, he commented: "The U.S. is our only ally and China is our strategic partner. There is no reason for us to choose a side and limit our capability by ourselves. Competent diplomacy is making the two countries choose us."
He also believes that excessive antagonism toward China is not helpful for the alliance with the U.S., citing Beijing's cooperation in persuading North Korea to drop its nuclear programs.
Lee wrote in his contribution to Foreign Affairs magazine, "South Koreans have good reason to be concerned by Beijing's increasingly assertive behavior. But overt antagonism serves neither South Korea's national interests nor its alliance with Washington."
The PPP's Yoon, meanwhile, has been rather clear. He called for a stronger South Korea-U.S. alliance, saying Seoul should enhance its military or strategic ties with Washington to create a greater deterrence against North Korea's threat and take a firm stand with the U.S. to counter China's assertion.
Showing this stance is Yoon's pledge to enhance the military exercises between South Korea and the U.S., such as the annual command post exercises and combined field training exercises. He also promised to deploy carriers, nuclear submarines and other strategic assets in South Korea, as well as deploying additional U.S. THAAD batteries on his home soil.
South Korea's 2017 deployment of a THAAD battery in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province triggered China's strong opposition and economic retaliation, such as shutting down South Korean retailers in China or banning Chinese tourists from visiting South Korea.
Also, Yoon promised to restore the "Kill Chain," a South Korea-U.S. preemptive strike system to more effectively counter potential nuclear threats posed by the North.
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during the Quad summit at the White House, Sept. 24. Seated clockwise from left, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and then-Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. AP-Yonhap
The candidates are also showing differences in the debate over the Quadrilateral Strategic Dialogue (Quad), which is a U.S.-led multilateral network widely viewed as a mechanism to keep an assertive China in check.
The DPK's Lee refrains from using the term of "joining" Quad or Quad Plus (inclusion of other countries), but has said that he intends to cooperate with member countries over its agendas _ COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and emerging technology.
"The three main agendas of Quad are the field in which South Korea can cooperate with Quad members, and the candidate is also interested in active cooperation over those agendas," Wi said. "Lee also believes there will be additional areas for cooperation."
On the other hand, the PPP's Yoon has a clearer stance _ joining Quad's working groups of vaccine, climate change and emerging technologies to enable functional cooperation, and seek official entry as a Quad Plus member if the member countries open the door.
"We oftentimes try to find security and strategic traits in Quad, like an alliance, but it is a forum for non-traditional regional security issues, which is far from a military alliance," Kim said. "Since South Korea is now in Quad's vaccine working group, we seek to join the working groups of climate change and emerging technologies to prove the country's capability, and seek an entry as a member country."
Along with Quad, Yoon also pledged that he will pursue Seoul playing host to the Summit for Democracy, which was held by U.S. President Joe Biden in December last year and was widely viewed as a meeting to counter China's growing influence.
U.S. Forces Korea Commanding General Paul LaCamera, right, and his predecessor Gen. Robert Abrams, second from right, attend the former's inauguration ceremony at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, in this July 2 file photo. Joint Press Corp
OPCON transfer
The rival candidates are also showing clear differences in how they view the debate over Seoul taking over wartime operational control (OPCON) of its forces from the United States.
The DPK's Lee believes OPCON should be transferred as promptly as possible.
On Dec. 30, Lee said, "OPCON should be transferred as soon as possible and it is important to finish assessment quickly based on a mutually agreed processes." Wi also said it is necessary to finish the assessment process and Seoul should promptly take over the OPCON of the South Korean military.
The OPCON transfer is a subject of deep-seated tension between Seoul and Washington.
In 2014, Seoul and Washington agreed upon a conditions-based OPCON transition, and Moon had sought to complete the task before his term ends in May 2022, although the plan has fallen through due to a lack of adequate assessment.
Abrams, the former USFK commander, has expressed his view that South Korea's military capabilities are not sufficient for an OPCON transition, and his successor Gen. Paul LaCamera also said the OPCON plan needs to be adjusted.
Yoon's stance is closer to the position held by the USFK chiefs.
On Dec. 1, Yoon said the OPCON transition is "a great principle that should be realized ultimately," but it should be transferred when Seoul is capable of leading combined missions, and has enough reconnaissance and missile defense capabilities, as well as a suitable inter-Korean environment.
"One of the reasons why Yoon is reiterating the importance of reconnaissance assets is because it decides early responses in case of a full-scale war, and this still requires dire efforts," Kim said. "Also, the current inter-Korean situation of North Korea firing missiles is raising doubts over the prompt transfer of OPCON. So we believe there is no need to preemptively set a time to take over control."
15. Security emerges as key issue in presidential election as Ukraine crisis unfolds
Will national security have a significant (or any) impact on the election?
Security emerges as key issue in presidential election as Ukraine crisis unfolds
D-9
Mar. 9,2022
Candidates face headwinds after putting feet in mouth over security
Published : Feb 28, 2022 - 16:10 Updated : Feb 28, 2022 - 16:10
A woman participating in a protest in Montreal, Canada, holds a hand sign saying “No war,” denouncing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Sunday (local time). (Yonhap)
South Korean presidential candidates’ stances on national security and foreign policy are emerging as key issues in the upcoming election as East-West tensions escalate over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Each candidate has insisted that their security views are the best for the country, while some of their attacks on rivals have backfired.
The two frontrunners, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea’s Lee Jae-myung and the main opposition People Power Party’s Yoon Suk-yeol, showed stark differences in their security stances. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Lee insisted on “setting up a peace regime that eliminates war itself,” while Yoon suggested the opposite solution, “deterrence of provocation by force.”
In a recent televised debate, Lee said it is wrong to force and win a war. “What is the point of winning after breaking everything? The important thing is to win without fighting, and more importantly, the peace that makes it so you don‘t have to fight.”
Yoon refuted Lee’s claims, saying peace is maintained only when a certain deterrent force exists. “If we could deter the North Korean aggression in 1950 with our strength and military power, we would not have suffered a tragedy like the Korean War,” Yoon said.
While stressing their views on security and criticizing the other side, they even crossed the line.
Lee blamed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, describing him as “a six-month novice politician.” Lee said the president “provoked Russia” by making public that his nation would join NATO. His remarks are in line with other ruling party figures, including former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Justice Minister Park Beom-kye.
Hours before the debate, Choo wrote a similar message on her Facebook account. She described Zelenskyy as an amateur president with no diplomatic experience, and who provoked Russia with immature leadership. A day before, Park retweeted a news article blaming Ukraine’s president.
These remarks were aimed at highlighting Yoon‘s inexperience, but Lee’s comments spread through social network platforms, such as Twitter and Reddit, drawing criticism at home and abroad. On Sunday, the Ukrainian Ambassador to South Korea Dmytro Ponomarenko shared an article addressing Lee’s remarks on his personal Twitter account.
As criticism grew that Lee’s remarks were an international disgrace, Lee apologized, saying, “If I made the Ukraine people misunderstand me contrary to my intentions, I was lacking in my ability to express myself.”
During the debate, Yoon’s words also raised controversy.
The Justice Party candidate Sim Sang-jung criticized Yoon’s proposed Korea-US-Japan military alliance. Sim asked Yoon whether he would let Japan intervene in case of an emergency, as it was possible in such an alliance. Yoon replied, “The presence of the Korea-US-Japan alliance allows Japan to enter (South Korea) in case of an emergency, but it does not necessarily presuppose it.”
Although Yoon put the preconditions of “in case of emergency,” his answer was understood as opening up the possibility of Japanese troops -- although the nation has only self-defense forces in reality -- entering the Korean Peninsula, causing controversy.
Experts say the Ukrainian crisis has an impact on the presidential election, but it is unlikely that it will favor only one side.
“Yoon has a strong view of security to prepare for war at all times, but it is also questionable whether he will be able to read complex international political calculations well in the event of war. Lee insists on peace, but there is no solution to how to maintain security in the event of a war,” said Park Sang-chul, a professor at Kyonggi University’s Graduate School of Politics and Policy.
“Both of them can be criticized for their own security views. In the end, it depends on who defends against an attack well.”
16. South Hwanghae Province man sets fire to flower wreath on Kim Jong Il’s birthday
Nascent resistance potential? This bears watching.
South Hwanghae Province man sets fire to flower wreath on Kim Jong Il’s birthday
“The case is being kept tightly under wraps since it is not an ordinary case but a weighty political incident...," a source told Daily NK
By Kim Chae Hwan - 2022.02.28 1:22pm
A resident of Sinwon County, South Hwanghae Province, set fire to a flower wreath placed on a historic site in celebration of the 80th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s birthday on Feb. 16, referred to in North Korea as the “Day of the Shining Star.”
The source said that Ministry of State Security officials in Sinwon County and South Hwanghae Province were alarmed by the incident because a flower wreath meant to honor Kim Jong Il was damaged on the very day of the late leader’s 80th birthday, a day to which North Korean authorities bestow great political significance.
The provincial and county-level MSS branches suspected that the fire was intentional and promptly organized an “emergency investigative team” to find the culprit. As a result, a man in his 40s, surnamed Chae, was quickly arrested by security officials for being responsible for the fire.
Kim Jong Il in his later years (Wikimedia Commons)
The source said Chae had long been dissatisfied with the North Korean regime. Chae’s father, who worked as a scientist in the State Academy of Sciences, was labeled in the 1980s as being “anti-party and anti-revolutionary” and was banished to a remote region in Sinwon County. Since elementary school, Chae had grown up hearing from others “your father is a reactionary.”
Due to his “impure” social status, Chae was unable to join the military and could not receive any college recommendations by the time of his high school graduation. As an adult, Chae worked hard with the goal of “paying for his father’s mistakes,” but eventually failed to fulfill his long-desired hope of joining the Workers’ Party of Korea.
Having been subjected to political abuse and persecution since childhood, Chae may have felt frustration and outrage at the fact that he could neither enlist in the military nor go to college due to his social status.
“Chae seems to have borne a grudge against the authorities and aimed to ‘show something’ by turning to extreme actions on the 80th anniversary of the Day of the Shining Star,” the source said. “The case is being kept tightly under wraps since it is not an ordinary case but a weighty political incident that involves subversive behavior against the regime, and may spawn formidable repercussions if news of it were to be released.
“Chae’s entire family has been arrested by the security agency after the incident,” the source continued, adding, “Due to this incident, the province’s MSS branch is expected to fully reinvestigate the ‘ideological tendencies’ of people under its surveillance within the province and intensify this surveillance going forward.”
Translated by Youngheon Kim
17. North Pyongan Province’s security agency attempts to get money transfer brokers to share their fees
Control and corruption. Controlled corruption?
North Pyongan Province’s security agency attempts to get money transfer brokers to share their fees
Security officials have also demanded that brokers register their foreign mobile phones with the MSS
A North Korean truck crossing over a bridge in North Pyongan Province. (Daily NK)
North Pyongan Province’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) branch has been attempting to make money by persuading money transfer brokers to share part of their transfer fees in exchange for turning a blind eye to their use of foreign mobile phones.
“The province’s MSS branch has given implicit instructions to municipal and county security officials that brokers be given permission to use foreign-made cell phones if they give money transfer fees to the ministry, regardless of whether the money comes from South Korea or China,” a source in the province told Daily NK last Tuesday.
Accordingly, security officials have tracked down people who worked as brokers in the past and have been peddling the proposal that the ministry will “turn a blind eye to all broker-related activities if you share the transfer fees with the agency,” he added.
Specifically, security officials have told former brokers the following: “The provincial security agency’s measure is not approved by the central government, but the province has no other choice but to find a way to ensure its survival. The agency also has no other way to fill its foreign currency earning quotas this year.” They further claimed that keeping both the brokers and the ministry afloat is akin to “killing two birds with one stone.”
Security officials also demanded that brokers register their foreign mobile phones with the MSS so that the ministry can see the transaction history of all their income. They further asked brokers to keep quiet about the new measure since the provincial MSS branch’s activities in this regard are being done in secret.
According to the source, many people’s reactions to the provincial MSS branch’s proposal have been negative. They claim the security agency has always coaxed and exploited locals for its own gain, only to betray them in the end. Some people are even “snorting” with sarcasm, complaining the MSS always interferes in everything.
“People are angry because many security officials have simply clung onto brokers for profit only to later frame them as spies, leading to executions or time in re-education camps,” the source said. “Even if the agency tries to persuade brokers to accept the proposal, brokers cannot accept because even those who had even a small [money transfer] network have nothing now.”
According to the source, the provincial MSS branch appears to be facing a two-fold problem: it is difficult for the agency to “meet its foreign currency earning quotas for this year,” while “security officials are finding it hard to be self-sufficient in their personal lives.”
Translated by Youngheon Kim
18. North Korea notifies provinces that imported goods will be released in areas where commodity prices are most stable
The regime believes it must centrally control the economy.
North Korea notifies provinces that imported goods will be released in areas where commodity prices are most stable
The order stressed that the central authorities will release imported supplies after ascertaining the status of provincial commercial departments
The Sino-North Korean Friendship Bridge, which connects the Chinese city of Dandong with the North Korean city of Sinuiju. (Image: Daily NK)
North Korea recently notified the country’s provincial authorities that goods imported from China will be released in areas of the country where commodity prices are most stable. The notification also emphasized the importance of “state-led trade.”
A source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK last Thursday that the Central Committee and Cabinet released the notification on Feb. 14. The notice said that supplies recently imported by train will be released to “areas where there are stable markets and local authorities are doing a good job managing commodity prices.”
The party and people’s committees of North Hamgyong Province received the notification, along with all cities and counties within the province.
The notice emphasized that with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, trade will take place under party leadership, and that the state will control commercial activity of each province because all trade comes under state control.
The notification stressed that the central government will release imported supplies after ascertaining the status of provincial commercial departments, and only by improving the situation through “this method” can the authorities keep domestic prices stable and improve the difficulties faced by the people.
The source said that because North Hamgyong Province does not have its own quarantine base or state-approved quarantine space, it can only receive goods imported through Sinuiju, North Pyongan Province. Accordingly, provincial authorities have stressed the need to stabilize market prices as desired by the central government.
The source said the provincial party committee warned that in accordance with government policy to stabilize prices, marketplace merchants, state-run shops, privately-run shops, restaurants, and stores must not arbitrarily raise prices fixed by the state. Those caught doing so will immediately have their goods or booths confiscated — or even have their businesses shut down — for the crime of “rejecting party policy,” and workers at those shops will be subject to party, administrative, or legal punishments.
Many North Koreans are reportedly unhappy with the state’s focus on market prices. They complain that prices naturally climb during times of scarcity and fall during times of plenty, but the state is already trying to control prices even before goods hit the market.
Specifically, people have been complaining that the state “always shouts about this or that but brings nothing to the table;” that what is “most important is for goods to come in, yet the authorities are starting off with price controls;” and that with all the controls in place they are not sure “when the goods will be available.”
The source said provincial cadres tasked with conveying the market price stabilization policy share the public’s skepticism, questioning just how much effort the state will put into stabilizing prices.
The source further reported that officials wonder how long it will take for goods that entered the country through Sinuiju to make it to North Hamgyong Province. Among themselves, officials are also wondering if each province along the border should just make its own trade zone, he added.
19. Seoul Landmark Buildings Light up in Solidarity with Ukraine
Seoul Landmark Buildings Light up in Solidarity with Ukraine
February 28, 2022 13:53
Some landmark buildings in Seoul lit up in the Ukrainian colors of sky-blue and yellow on Sunday in solidarity with Europe's second-biggest country as it suffers a Russian invasion.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the campaign aims to express visible support for Ukraine.
Artificial floating islands in Seoul's Han River Park are lit up in sky-blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag, on Sunday.
City Hall, N Seoul Tower on Mt. Nam, and the artificial Floating Islands in the Han River Park were illuminated in the Ukrainian colors on Sunday evening.
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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.
