Quotes of the Day:
Education on the value of free speech and the other freedoms reserved by the Bill of Rights, about what happens when you don't have them, and about how to exercise and protect them, should be an essential prerequisite for being an American citizen — or indeed a citizen of any nation, the more so to the degree that such rights remain unprotected. If we can't think for ourselves, if we're unwilling to question authority, then we're just putty in the hands of those in power. But if the citizens are educated and form their own opinions, then those in power work for us…In the demon-haunted world that we inhabit by virtue of being human, this may be all that stands between us and the enveloping darkness."
- Carl Sagan, astronomer
“I don't give a damn what others say. It's okay to color outside the lines.”
- Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970), musician
“If I decide to be an idiot, then I’ll be an idiot on my own accord.”
- Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
1. U.S. security advisor emphasizes middle ground approach toward North
2. Biden administration puts North Korean nuclear issue on backburner
3. Kim Jong-un's Sister Resurfaces After 2 Months' Quiet
4. S. Korean gov't cautious on possible change in political status of N. Korean leader's sister
5. 'South Korea needs to focus on details of end-of-war declaration'
6. Koreans Own More U.S. Stocks Than Chinese
7. Defectors from North Korea pray for resettlement victims
8. North Korea’s Kim Jong-un wears ‘banned’ black leather coat to mark 10 years since his father’s death
9. U.S. ambassador to Korea post still empty despite appointments
10. Korea ranks 9th in world arms exports: report
11. North Korea cracks down on people making illicit profits by undervaluing money vouchers
12. In 10 years, Kim Jong Un has cemented his power and armed North Korea to the teeth, but he's no closer to his goals
13. Reading North Korea through trash washed up in South Korea
14. The problem with 'Snowdrop': Why South Koreans want Blackpink Jisoo's K-drama canceled
1. U.S. security advisor emphasizes middle ground approach toward North
Like a broken record, the ball is in Kim Jong-un's court. I know there are many who say the US should make the first move and lift sanctions (which theadmisntration cannot do unilaterally anyway). But that is exactly what Kim is working toward. And if he gets those concessions it will mean that he will assess his political warfare and blackmail diplomacy strategies are successful and that will simply cause him to double down, rather than negotiate in good faith toward denuclearization.
The Biden administration continues to give Kim the opportunity to act as a responsible member of the international community. Shouldn't we all agree that Kim should and must do that? Why should he get a pass? And if he chooses not to then we need to act accordingly and focus our efforts on resolution of the "Korea question."
Monday
December 20, 2021
U.S. security advisor emphasizes middle ground approach toward North
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan speaks with the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Friday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reiterated the American government’s “step-by-step” North Korea policy at a forum hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Friday.
“Our approach to North Korea when we came in was to look at the last two administrations,” Sullivan said, speaking with the New York-based think tank on Friday.
Addressing the strategic patience strategy of the Barack Obama administration, or the “none-for-none” approach, and the grand bargain strategy, or the “all-for-all” approach, of the Donald Trump administration, Sullivan said, “the thrust and purpose of our policy was to come in between those two, to be prepared to engage in diplomacy, to make step-by-step progress towards the ultimate goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.”
Sullivan’s statement was a reiteration of the Joe Biden administration’s announcement of its approach to North Korea in April.
He admitted, however, that the Biden administration’s approach has not led to “traction in diplomacy with North Korea.”
“When I say we haven’t gained traction, we have not sat down with North Korea this year to have that conversation,” Sullivan said. “We have communicated our willingness and readiness to engage in that diplomacy.”
Sullivan emphasized that the U.S. government is ready to engage with the North to follow-up on their agreement from the Singapore summit in 2018.
“We continue to indicate to them both directly and publicly as I am doing right now that we are prepared to engage to try to make progress against the basic points that we laid down in the Singapore summit back in 2018,” he said.
At the 2018 U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore, then-U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed an agreement that pledged joint commitments to denuclearize North Korea, establish normal relations and work toward a peace settlement, and the recovery of the remains of U.S. soldiers on North Korean soil.
The last dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang was the 2019 summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, which ended without a deal. Trump wanted the North to take measures beyond shuttering the Yongbyon nuclear complex, while the North demanded partial sanctions relief.
North Korea has since refused to engage in denuclearization negotiations with the United States, citing what it characterizes as U.S. hostility toward Pyongyang.
In the current U.S. administration’s approach to North Korea, which the Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haas, who moderated the conversation, said could be coined the “something-for-something” approach, North Korea is not to be offered incentives, such as relief from sanctions which the regime has been requesting repeatedly as a precondition to talks, just for the sake of dialogue.
The Biden administration has recently been highlighting the human rights violations of North Korea, imposing fresh sanctions earlier this month on Pyongyang’s new Defense Minister Ri Yong-gil and other entities in North Korea for their connection to human rights abuse and repression.
The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, with five other representatives of UN Security Council member states, called last week for an open session at the council to address the North Korean human rights violations. The council has held private meetings on the issue since 2018.
BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]
2. Biden administration puts North Korean nuclear issue on backburner
Sigh.... It is Kim who has chosen the backburner. The US is ready and willing to negotiate any time and any place with the only pre-condition that there are no pre-conditions.
Biden administration puts North Korean nuclear issue on backburner
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, and U.S. President Joe Biden / Korea Times photoBy Kang Seung-woo
The North Korean nuclear issue appears to have lost priority with the U.S. government, which is focusing heavily on ending China's control of global supply chains, cross-strait relations and other issues.
As Washington shows signs of preserving the status quo with the Kim Jong-un regime, which has in recent years refrained from testing nuclear and long-range missiles, the issue, described as "unproductive," is feared by some to remain shelved.
In April, after its months-long policy review of the totalitarian state, the Joe Biden administration came up with a "calibrated practical approach" to North Korea's decades-long nuclear problem. However, combined with Pyongyang's nonresponse to U.S. overtures and U.S. refusals to offer enticements to engage the reclusive state, negotiations on denuclearizing the North have made little progress.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan admitted, Friday (local time), that the U.S. "had not gotten traction in diplomacy with North Korea on that over the course of this year."
"The North Korean nuclear issue was already low on Biden's agenda as the Kim regime has remained unresponsive to U.S. calls to return to the negotiating table," said Shin Beom-chul, director of the Center for Diplomacy and Security at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy. "The only way to bring North Korea back to the bargaining table is by the U.S. making concessions to the North, which is not going to happen in consideration of the current U.S. stance."
The U.S. has repeated its position that it has no hostile policy toward North Korea and is willing to resume dialogue without preconditions.
"Due to these reasons, the North Korea issue has been pushed back on the priority list," Shin added.
While the North Korea issue is in a stalemate, the U.S. is bent on rallying its allies and friendly countries to move supply chains away from China, including the semiconductor industry, well-illustrated by a senior U.S. official who urged South Korea's participation in its campaign last week.
"Semiconductor shortages that were caused by COVID-19 ... put a spotlight on Korea as a leader and an essential partner in global semiconductor supply chains," Jose Fernandez, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, said during a meeting with Second Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon in Seoul, Friday.
"We firmly believe Korea has much more to offer to the global economy. You've got world-class technical expertise, high-quality transparent investment and foreign legislation and more."
According to a press statement by the U.S. State Department, the two sides agreed to bolster resilience, and secure supply chains for critical products such as semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries, health-related supplies and critical minerals.
In addition, the Biden administration's first sanctions on North Korea for its human rights abuses, Dec. 10, also indicate the nuclear issue is not an urgent priority for the U.S.
Since President Moon Jae-in's revived his proposal to declare an end to the 1950-53 Korean War in September at the United Nations, Seoul and Washington have discussed the issue, believing that the declaration would jump-start stalled nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
However, the current situation is not anticipated to help the end-of-war declaration.
"The end-of-war issue could make progress when the U.S. and North Korea are engaged in negotiations, where they could exchange what they want, but that seems to have gone out the window with no developments in talks," Shin said.
3. Kim Jong-un's Sister Resurfaces After 2 Months' Quiet
The speculation continues about the evil wicked witch of the north (is that my outside voice?)
"heralds entry into the heart of power." I think that intelligence assessment. Of course you probably have to be part of the bloodline to get to the heart of power. Of course she was likely already there but I guess we need to egenrate "news" to report on.
Excerpt:
One intelligence source said Sunday, "This heralds her entry into the heart of power."
Kim Jong-un's Sister Resurfaces After 2 Months' Quiet
December 20, 2021 12:37
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Yo-jong has resurfaced after disappearing from the radar 67 days ago. But instead of a rumored demotion she seems to have been promoted to the presidium of the politburo.
One intelligence source said Sunday, "This heralds her entry into the heart of power."
Brother and sister took part in a ceremony last Friday at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang marking the 10th anniversary of the death of their father Kim Jong-il. The last time Kim Yo-jong had been seen in public was on Oct. 11 when she attended an arms expo.
She ranked 14th on the roll call of the presidium in status-obsessed North Korea. Her name was listed after five members of the politburo standing committee, including Kim Jong-un, and eight ordinary members.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong (circled) and other officials attend a ceremony at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang on Dec. 17 marking the 10th anniversary of former leader Kim Jong-il's death, in this grab from [North] Korean Central Television.
Around a dozen so-called alternate politburo members were mentioned after Yo-jong, which suggests that she has recovered her status as at least an alternate member after being demoted from "first vice director" to "vice director" early this year.
Around 30 politburo members constitute the elite who run North Korea and are allowed to participate in meetings led by Kim Jong-un. One former high-ranking North Korean who defected to South Korea said, "An official title may not be crucial for Kim Yo-jong since she belongs to the ruling family, but her entry into the politburo shows she is not an undisputed member of the elite."
- Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com
4. S. Korean gov't cautious on possible change in political status of N. Korean leader's sister
And rightly so.
S. Korean gov't cautious on possible change in political status of N. Korean leader's sister | Yonhap News Agency
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's unification ministry responded cautiously Monday to reports of a possible change in the stature of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, days after she was seen standing alongside members of the powerful politburo of the North's ruling party during a memorial event last week.
Kim Yo-jong, apparently influential in the secretive regime, was spotted between members and alternate members of the politburo during a memorial event for her father and late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang on Friday, indicating she may have been named a member or an alternate member of the organ, according to footage aired on the North's state media.
She, however, appeared in the fifth row of a large group that included her brother, in the first row, and senior officials while paying tribute to her father at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where his body lies in state, the same day.
Kim Yo-jong was previously an alternate member of the political bureau but was demoted at a January party congress. Her currently known position is a member of the State Affairs Commission and the party's central committee, and the vice director of the party's information and instruction department.
Lee Jong-joo, spokesperson for the ministry handling inter-Korean affairs, said it is premature to conclude that Kim has been promoted officially.
"It's difficult to conclude at this point whether there was a change in her status as she is seen at various positions at major events," Lee told a regular press briefing. "We will continue monitoring related moves, including the party's plenary meeting slated for late December."
Lee, meanwhile, declined to confirm media reports on the status of three North Korean officials, who were previously rumored to have been executed or punished following the failed Hanoi summit with the United States in 2019.
Seoul-based newspapers reported earlier that a North Korean nuclear negotiator, Kim Hyok-chol, recently returned to Pyongyang following his exile, citing an unnamed government official, and that Kim Song-hye, an official at the United Front Department, and the North Korean leader's interpreter Shin Hye-young were also working in other positions.
"It's hard to confirm official changes in their posts as they are not in a position where their activities are identified at North Korea's major political events," Lee said.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)
5. 'South Korea needs to focus on details of end-of-war declaration'
This interview with President Park of Kyungnam University covers a lot of ground beyond the EOW declaration.
'South Korea needs to focus on details of end-of-war declaration'
Kyungnam University President Park Jae Kyu speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in Seoul, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Kang Seung-woo
Korea-Japan relations unlikely to improve overnight
By Kang Seung-woo
At the United Nations General Assembly last September, President Moon Jae-in repeated his proposal to declare an end to the Korean War as part of efforts to normalize inter-Korean ties and jump-start stalled nuclear talks, and since then his administration has strongly pushed to bring about a peace settlement before his term ends in May 2022.
South Korean and U.S. diplomats have frequently met with each other to discuss the proposal and Director of National Security Suh Hoon also drew support from China following a meeting with top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi earlier this month, prompting Moon to say, Dec. 13, that the U.S., North Korea and China have agreed "in principle" to an end-of-war declaration.
However, Kyungnam University President Park Jae Kyu, a former South Korean unification minister, advises the Moon government not to race against the clock regarding the issue, and to focus on ironing out the details of a complete cessation of hostilities.
"President Moon's proposal shows his own strategic will to break the long-term stalemate in inter-Korean relations and U.S.-North Korea relations," Park said during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in Seoul, Wednesday.
"However, he must not be impatient. Even if such a declaration cannot be implemented within his term of office, it is desirable to prepare calmly from the standpoint of creating the conditions for establishing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, and laying the groundwork for continuous and consistent discussions."
The proposal immediately sparked concerns over possible negative aftereffects from the declaration such as the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Korean Peninsula and the abolition of the United Nations Command (UNC), leading the government to hurriedly explain that it would be a political and symbolic measure to build confidence with North Korea.
But Park said there are two points that should be contained in the declaration.
"First, there needs to be a confirmation and determination of the relevant parties ― that is, South Korea, North Korea, the U.S. and China ― to completely end the Korean War," he said.
"Second, it must include the responsibilities and measures to be taken by the relevant parties to form a new peace system on the Korean Peninsula."
He added, "The contents must contain measures on the implementation of the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue and U.S.-North Korea dialogue, denuclearization, system guarantees, economic cooperation and improvement of relations."
The 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice between the North Korean and Chinese forces and the U.S.-led UNC. Despite Moon's remarks on a relevant parties' agreement, realizing such an agreement must first factor in how to overcome an apparent stumbling block: the growing U.S.-China rivalry.
"The key is that the U.S. and China, the signatories of the armistice agreement, must participate to promote the end of the war; but it is not easy in the context of the current free fall in U.S.-China relations," Park said.
"With the recent U.S. decision to diplomatically boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics, and China's stern response to that decision, the future of U.S.-China relations seems even more uncertain."
He also suggested that the government seek to come up with more creative and active approaches such as starting a discussion between the two Koreas, and then leading the U.S. and China in a positive direction, rather than first having the U.S. and China come together.
South Korea's top nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk, left, and his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim hold a press conference after their meeting in Indonesia, Sept. 30. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On Dec. 13, President Moon said South Korea was not considering joining the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games, citing the need for China's help in his push to end the war; and Park also concurred that Beijing could play a certain role in this process.
"Even looking at the results of the recent meeting between Suh and Yang, there is no justification for China to reject a declaration to end the Korean War," he said.
"If China actively supports the end-of-war declaration, North Korea will have little choice but to consider China's position."
North Korea has remained quiet on Moon's proposal since it made two statements on the matter, one by its leader Kim Jong-un who said he did not oppose the declaration itself although he urged South Korea to drop its "double-dealing" attitude first.
"The reason that North Korea cannot refuse to pursue an end-of-war declaration proposed by South Korea is that it is necessary for North Korea to clarify its position in preparing an opportunity to convert the armistice system into a peace regime, along with the withdrawing of hostile policies, through the process of discussing an end-of-war declaration," Park said.
"Also observable and at work here in this situation is the burden of responsibility for the refusal to talk."
Since the Hanoi summit between the U.S. and North Korea ended without a deal in February 2019, inter-Korean ties have been stalled. Park said another summit between South and North Korea could offer an opportunity for a change in the situation on the peninsula, including the end-of-war declaration.
"Since an end-of-war declaration should contain a declaration and contents on its implementation, dialogue and consultations between the two Koreas must take place in the process of promoting such a declaration," he said.
"To do this, it is necessary to ensure that the U.S.-China relationship does not deteriorate nor have a negative impact on the Korean Peninsula. As well, there needs to be close consultations between South Korea and the U.S., accompanied by consultations between South Korea and China, and at the same time, efforts should be made to ensure North Korea responds with trust."
When Joe Biden was elected as the 46th president of the U.S. in November 2020, concerns were rampant in Korea that his policy toward North Korea may follow in the footsteps of the Barack Obama administration's "strategic patience" ― its failed diplomatic approach to Pyongyang.
Strategic patience means no engagement with the North Korean regime as long as its leadership persists with nuclear weapons development and ballistic missile testing. But many critics say this policy actually failed to address the North's ever-growing nuclear and missile programs.
With Biden being in office for nearly a year now, some concerns are being realized as there has been no progress between the U.S. and North Korea regarding nuclear talks. Park advised Washington to do something more to get the negotiations back on track.
"Traditionally in the U.S., the Democratic Party has conducted value-based diplomacy based on the alliance, solidarity, democracy and human rights. If dialogue is being refused, the possibility of presenting a hasty carrot policy to North Korea is very low," he said.
Since Biden took office in January, the U.S. government has repeatedly offered to meet the North Korean regime "anywhere, anytime" amid a continued impasse in negotiations between the two, with the reclusive state remaining unresponsive.
"The U.S. needs to show a willingness to build new trust with North Korea and break the status quo by mobilizing official and unofficial channels, rather than simply say it has 'no hostile policy toward North Korea' or it is willing to 'resume dialogue without preconditions,'" he added.
According to him, the U.S. has a midterm election next year, so there is a demand to manage the North Korean issue stably.
"The U.S. is proposing a resumption of dialogue without conditions and it will be difficult to expect new changes and progress if Washington is satisfied with simply managing the situation in a way that does not give North Korea an excuse for provocation," he said.
"We need to get rid of the complacency that time is on the U.S. side."?
President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida / Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae
Currently, ties between South Korea and Japan have slumped to their worst level in years due to the latter's imposition of export controls on three key materials critical for the semiconductor and display industries here in apparent retaliation for a ruling by South Korea's Supreme Court ordering Japanese companies to compensate South Koreans who were forced to work for them before and during World War II.
However, since the inauguration of the Biden administration, which stresses the importance of trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan, the Moon administration has offered an olive branch, although Tokyo has urged Seoul to come up with an acceptable solution.
Even a leadership change in Japan ― the inauguration of the relatively moderate Fumio Kishida Cabinet ― is unlikely to reverse the current downward spiral of bilateral ties with Seoul anytime soon, according to Park.
"Considering the political schedule ― such as next year's House of Councillors election in Japan in July ― the possibility is low of there being a radical change in Japan's conservative policy toward South Korea," Park said.
"As South Korea has its own presidential election next year in March, I expect the Kishida administration in Japan will manage Korea-Japan relations without any changes to its existing policy. Tokyo will keep its eye on the election trend in South Korea."
He also said public opinion in Japan on Seoul-Tokyo relations was not so good these days.
Saying that historical issues are one of the biggest obstacles in bilateral ties that cannot be overcome solely by one side or the other making concessions, Park said future administrations will need to acknowledge differences yet continue to pursue a resolution of such obstacles.
"It is necessary for South Korea and Japan to firmly establish a cooperative relationship in order for all of us to respond to the urgent global challenges we face, such as the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and supply chains disruptions," he said.
"It is necessary to continue to encourage Japan to cooperate on efforts to resolve the North Korean issue, as well as guide South Korea, the U.S., and Japan to improve trilateral cooperation."
6. Koreans Own More U.S. Stocks Than Chinese
An interesting data point.
Koreans Own More U.S. Stocks Than Chinese
Korean retail investors now own more U.S. stocks than their Chinese counterparts.
NH Investment and Securities analyzed U.S. Federal Reserve data and found that Korean investors owned US$315.1 billion worth of American stocks at the end of October, surpassing the amount $285.3 billion owned by Chinese investors. The Japanese are the only Asians who owns more with $908.2 billion.
Korean investors increased their U.S. stock holdings by a whopping 30 percent this year, second only to India's 39 percent and surpassing Taiwan (23 percent), Hong Kong (20 percent), Japan (13 percent) and China (nine percent).
Global investors flocked to U.S. stocks due to high returns. NH Investment and Securities looked at the rates of return on 15 investments including stocks, bonds, real estate and raw materials during 2011 to 2021 and found that U.S. blue-chip stocks ranked top with an average 13.3 percent profit.
The second most profitable investment was small and mid-sized U.S. stocks on the Russell 2000 Index that yielded an 11.8 percent return.
But U.S. stocks have risen steeply this year, triggering concerns of overheating, while the Fed is intent on ending quantitative easing and increasing interest rates, so analysts are warning investors to think carefully before snapping up more American shares.
An analyst said, "Higher interest rates could cause the tech-heavy Nasdaq to tumble, so investors should beware."
7. Defectors from North Korea pray for resettlement victims
Always be suspicious of anyone offering you a ticket to paradise.
Defectors from North Korea pray for resettlement victims | AP News
AP · by CHISATO TANAKA · December 20, 2021
NIIGATA, Japan (AP) — Eiko Kawasaki stood at the port of Niigata, the place from which she left for North Korea more than 60 years ago, and tossed chrysanthemum flowers into the sea to pray for her peers who could not come back. Then she burst into tears.
As a 17-year-old girl seeking a better life, Kawasaki joined a resettlement program led by North Korea that promised a “Paradise on Earth” — where everything was supposed to be free and those with Korean roots like her could live without facing discrimination.
Kawasaki was among some 93,000 ethnic Korean residents in Japan and their relatives who joined the program only to find the opposite of what was promised. Most were put to brutal manual labor at mines, in forests and on farms and faced discrimination because of Japan’s past colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
One of the rare survivors who made it back to Japan, her birthplace, Kawasaki, now 79, is on a mission to keep alive the tragic stories and memories of the deceived “resettlement” victims.
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She aspires to open a museum and revitalize a street in Niigata to commemorate the resettlement program under the auspices of Japanese and Korean friendship groups.
Kawasaki held a commemoration ceremony at the port in early December, marking the day the first ship left for North Korea 62 years ago. Participants offered a moment of silence to the victims who had perished despite their hopes of returning to Japan someday.
“Luckily, I came back to Japan alive. Since I consider my life here to be an extra bonus I’ve received, I want to devote all my time left to doing whatever I can do to make sure this tragedy does not happen again,” Kawasaki said.
Born in Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto as a second-generation Korean, she was curious to see the much-touted but isolated communist country after studying at a pro-North Korean school. She says she was brainwashed.
Kawasaki had doubts about the promised future when her ferry arrived at a North Korean port and was met by hundreds of cadaverous people covered with soot from head to toe, she said.
“Everything looked completely black,” she recalled. The third biggest international port in North Korea looked much shabbier than the Niigata port. “That moment I realized I had been deceived.”
Then she saw her former schoolmate who had left for North Korea earlier, collecting leftover lunch boxes that Kawasaki and other passengers didn’t finish. The schoolmate told her she should have eaten it because she wouldn’t have access to such good food anymore.
“I was stunned and thought my heart would stop in shock,” Kawasaki recalled.
Kawasaki was stuck in North Korea for more than 40 years until she fled in 2003 to Japan without telling anyone — including her family — “after seeing the bodies of those who died of starvation” during famines, she said.
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Though Kawasaki is safe in Japan, she never feels at ease because she worries about her husband and children still in North Korea. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, she has lost contact with them, and all the letters and packages she sent have been returned.
“My biggest worry now is their survival,” Kawasaki said.
Kawasaki and other defectors want to rejuvenate a 1.5-kilometer (about 1 mile) stretch called “Bodnam,” or willow street, by planting new trees to replace those that have withered or died since the resettlement program ended in 1984. Older trees were planted to mark the 1959 launch of the resettlement program.
“The street has gotten shabby because people paid little attention to the resettlement program or they couldn’t care less about it. I thought I had to change that,” said Kawasaki.
Among her supporters is Harunori Kojima, 90, a former communist who once backed the resettlement program.
Kojima said he wanted to join the Bodnam street project because of a sense of guilt and regret that he long supported the program despite knowing the severe conditions in the North.
He saw the reality during a 1964 trip to North Korea but “could not tell the truth” to those associated with the pro-Pyongyang organization or to his Japanese communist comrades. “That matter is still tormenting my heart.”
Kojima published a book in 2016 including photos he took of those who left for North Korea, newspaper clips endorsing the program and letters he received from victims who yearned to return to Japan, as a way to document the history — and as atonement.
He noted the repatriation was strongly backed by Japan’s government, Japanese media and many nonprofit organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross.
A 2014 United Nations Commission of Inquiry report described the victims of the resettlement program as “forcibly disappeared” people whom North Korea kept under strict surveillance, deprived of liberty and freedom of movement. It said many were likely to be among the first victims of the 1990s famines due to their lower social status.
Kawasaki and several other defectors are seeking damages in a lawsuit against North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over human rights violations they say they suffered under the resettlement program.
Kim is not expected to appear or compensate them even if the court orders it, but the plaintiffs hope the case can set a precedent for the Japanese government to negotiate with North Korea in the future on seeking the North’s responsibility. A ruling is expected in March.
AP · by CHISATO TANAKA · December 20, 2021
8. North Korea’s Kim Jong-un wears ‘banned’ black leather coat to mark 10 years since his father’s death
There can be only one! (Kim Jong-un not the Highlander)
North Korea’s Kim Jong-un wears ‘banned’ black leather coat to mark 10 years since his father’s death
- Thinner and also thin-skinned it would seem, the North Korean leader banned citizens from wearing black leather coats like his lest it challenge his authority
- The coat he wore to mark Kim Jong-il’s death isn’t his only fashion statement – he’s also worn a camel coat that wouldn’t look out of place on a Prada runway
By Vincenzo La Torre South China Morning Post2 min
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s black leather coat has been seen in various outings, including this one from 2019. He wore the same coat to mark 10 years since the passing of his father. Photo: AP
This month marks the 10th anniversary of the ascension to power of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un who, on December 17, commemorated the death of his father and predecessor, Kim Jong-il.
For the sombre ceremony, a visibly thinner Kim wore one of his favourite outfits: a double-breasted trench coat in black leather.
Kim’s leather coat, which he has previously worn in several public outings, made headlines earlier this year, when the North Korean government banned its citizens from wearing black leather coats after copycat versions of the leader’s go-to wardrobe staple started proliferating in the country.
According to a report by Radio Free Asia, the leader was unhappy with the idea of people emulating his style, as “wearing clothes designed to look like the Highest Dignity’s is an ‘impure trend to challenge the authority of the Highest Dignity’”.
During the mourning period, which is set to last 11 days, North Koreans have been banned from drinking alcohol, engaging in leisure activities, and even laughing. On the exact day of Kim Jong-il’s death, December 17, even grocery shopping was forbidden by the totalitarian regime.
Politics aside, Kim knows how to wrap up in a luxurious coat. In 2019, he made a fashion statement while riding a horse in the snow, clad in a camel coat with a fur collar that flattered his full figure and wouldn’t have looked out of place on a Prada runway.
Italian-born Vincenzo La Torre is Fashion Editor for the Post and Post Magazine, and started his career in fashion journalism after graduating from Columbia University in New York. He has previously worked for Vogue Japan, Harper's Bazaar Singapore and Prestige Hong Kong. Before joining the Post as fashion editor in 2017, Vincenzo was a member of the launch team of Vogue Arabia in Dubai.
9. U.S. ambassador to Korea post still empty despite appointments
Yes it would be good to have an ambassador to Korea as well as one for human rights in north Korea. But I believe our Korea team and the sustained high level engagement somewhat offsets the lack of an ambassador. But we cannot let this continue for too much longer.
Monday
December 20, 2021
U.S. ambassador to Korea post still empty despite appointments
U.S. Charge d'Affaires to Korea Christopher Del Corso, center, attends an event hosted by the Korea-America Association in Seoul on Nov. 25. [FACEBOOK ACCOUNT OF U.S. EMBASSY IN KOREA]
The post of U.S. ambassador to Korea is approaching one full year of vacancy.
The U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment of American ambassadors to some 40 countries on Saturday, which included the U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, who was formerly the mayor of Chicago, and the U.S. Ambassador to France Denise Bauer, who was formerly ambassador to Belgium.
Korea, however, was not included. The last U.S. ambassador to Korea was Harry Harris, who left Korea in January. Robert Rapson was the deputy chief of mission in Korea until July, after which Christopher Del Corso filled his shoes.
The U.S. president first nominates the country's ambassadors, who are then approved by the Senate. In Korea’s case, a nomination is yet to take place.
The longest time for the position to ever be left vacant was around one and a half years, between the tenure of former U.S. Ambassador to Korea Mark Lippert and Ambassador Harris, whose appointment was approved by the Senate in June 2018.
The Senate approval over the weekend left Korea as the only East Asian country without the appointment of a U.S. ambassador. On Thursday, the Senate approved the appointment of Nicholas Burns, a career diplomat, as the ambassador to China.
With the U.S. ambassadors to India and Australia also nominated in recent months, now all U.S. ambassadors to the other three nations in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue — India, Japan and Australia — have been either nominated or appointed.
“It is our understanding that the U.S. government is trying its best to nominate the American ambassador to Korea as soon as possible,” a Foreign Ministry official told the JoongAng Ilbo on Monday.
Possibilities that either the U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim, former Commander of U.S. Forces Korea Vincent Brooks or the U.S. Ambassador to Myanmar Derek Mitchell could be nominated as the next U.S. ambassador to Korea were once floated in media reports.
Some experts in Korea projected that the nomination may take place after the presidential election in March.
“Because we're in a situation where we're not sure what kind of government will come after the election in March next year, there is a possibility that the United States will watch the situation first, rather than rush to appoint the U.S. ambassador to Korea,” James Kim, a researcher at the Seoul-based think tank Asan Institute for Policy Studies, told the JoongAng Ilbo on Monday.
BY PARK HYUN-JU, ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]
10. Korea ranks 9th in world arms exports: report
Should not be surprising.
Excerpts:
In the latest yearbook, the United States remained the top arms exporter, followed by Russia, France, Germany, China, Britain, Spain and Israel.
"South Korean defense companies have grown enough to be able to produce high-tech weapons systems that are comparable to those produced by major arms exporting countries," the institute said in the report.
As for the key destinations of South Korean arms exports in the same period, Britain accounted for the highest 14 percent, followed by the Philippines with 12 percent and Thailand with 11 percent, according to the institute.
Korea ranks 9th in world arms exports: report
gettyimagesbank
South Korea was the world's 9th-largest arms exporter in the 2016-2020 period, accounting for 2.7 percent of the world's total defense exports, an annual government report showed Monday.
According to the Global Defense Market Yearbook 2021 released by the Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement (KRIT), South Korea's arms export ranking rose from 10th place in the 2015-2019 period.
The Asian country's share in the global arms export market jumped to 2.7 percent from 0.9 percent in the 2011-2015 period, the institute said, partially attributing the increase to the country's technological edge comparable to that of advanced exporters.
In the latest yearbook, the United States remained the top arms exporter, followed by Russia, France, Germany, China, Britain, Spain and Israel.
"South Korean defense companies have grown enough to be able to produce high-tech weapons systems that are comparable to those produced by major arms exporting countries," the institute said in the report.
As for the key destinations of South Korean arms exports in the same period, Britain accounted for the highest 14 percent, followed by the Philippines with 12 percent and Thailand with 11 percent, according to the institute.
The defense market report came as South Korea stepped up efforts to tap into foreign defense markets with its homegrown products.
South Korea recently signed a contract with Australia to export K-9 self-propelled howitzers.
The country has also been in talks with Egypt to export the artillery system, while pushing to sell mid-range surface-to-air missiles to the United Arab Emirates in a possible deal likely to reach $3.5 billion.
In the yearbook, South Korea was listed as the world's 7th-largest arms importer. Saudi Arabia was the largest importer, followed by India, Egypt, Australia, China and Algeria. (Yonhap)
11. North Korea cracks down on people making illicit profits by undervaluing money vouchers
The regime cannot control currency. This will be a source of future instability.
Excerpts:
North Koreans believe the money changers detained in the recent crackdown will receive life sentences or at least 15 years of forced labor.
The prosecutors’ offices have already conducted “public struggles,” public trials of a sort that gathered together about 100 people, including cadres from local people’s committees and other money changers. Because those managing these “struggle” sessions have said the accused committed crimes “deserving of life sentences,” the suspects likely face similar sentences during their actual trials.
One source told Daily NK that a sentence of 15 years or more is lighter than those handed out to “political criminals”; however, such long sentences still mean the accused are receiving punishment similar to those handed out to political criminals. He further claimed that the North Korean state has “fully drawn its sword” to “normalize the distribution of donpyo.”
North Korea cracks down on people making illicit profits by undervaluing money vouchers
Money changers accused of wrongdoing reportedly sold KPW 5,000 donpyo for less than their face value
By Seulkee Jang - 2021.12.20 3:04pm
North Korea is cracking down hard on people who refuse to accept money vouchers – donpyo – or who make illicit profits by undervaluing the vouchers. These people could face a maximum punishment of life in prison given they are being treated as political criminals who violated state measures.
According to multiple North Korean sources on Friday, North Korean authorities arrested and detained several money changers in major cities such as Pyongyang, Sinuiju and Chongjin between Dec. 9 and 11, accusing them of hindering the distribution of donpyo.
The accused money changers reportedly sold KPW 5,000 donpyo for less than their face value, and then used the vouchers to buy various imported goods, gasoline, and diesel fuel.
The clients of the money changers were also arrested, accused of “accepting without criticism” transactions that valued official state-issued currency less than “the US imperialists’ dollar.”
Daily NK previously reported that the authorities organized a “unified command to normalize the distribution of donpyo” to crack down on illegal behavior involving donpyo and improve the public’s image of the vouchers.
The command’s teams are reportedly going around markets to ensure the smooth distribution of the donpyo.
What is peculiar, however, is that when the teams discover illegalities, the culprits are arrested and detained not by the Ministry of Social Security — analogous to South Korea’s police — but by the country’s prosecutors.
A picture of the foreign currency vouchers currently in circulation in North Korea. / Image: Daily NK
In North Korea, prosecutors generally remain uninvolved in a crime’s investigation process, with the Ministry of Social Security usually exercising investigative authority. However, Daily NK understands that prosecutors are directly involving themselves in cases involving donpyo from the investigation stage.
When a money changer in a market in Pyongyang’s Sosong District was arrested last month for selling KPW 5,000 donpyo for just KPW 2,500, he was arrested by Ministry of Social Security agents. More recently, however, prosecutors’ offices have been getting directly involved from the investigation stage in similar cases.
One of the sources said this is because most of the money changers who have been arrested so far were found to have colluded with Ministry of Social Security personnel.
In fact, money changers often bribe Ministry of Social Security agents to reduce their sentences even if they are caught engaged in wrongdoing. North Korean authorities are apparently mobilizing the prosecutors rather than the Ministry of Social Security to crack down hard on the money changers, knowing full well the corruption taking place.
Given that the Central Public Prosecutors Office is getting directly involved in donpyo-related cases, money changers will find it difficult to reduce their sentences through bribes and connections.
North Koreans believe the money changers detained in the recent crackdown will receive life sentences or at least 15 years of forced labor.
The prosecutors’ offices have already conducted “public struggles,” public trials of a sort that gathered together about 100 people, including cadres from local people’s committees and other money changers. Because those managing these “struggle” sessions have said the accused committed crimes “deserving of life sentences,” the suspects likely face similar sentences during their actual trials.
One source told Daily NK that a sentence of 15 years or more is lighter than those handed out to “political criminals”; however, such long sentences still mean the accused are receiving punishment similar to those handed out to political criminals. He further claimed that the North Korean state has “fully drawn its sword” to “normalize the distribution of donpyo.”
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Seulkee Jang is one of Daily NK’s full-time journalists. Please direct any questions about her articles to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
12. In 10 years, Kim Jong Un has cemented his power and armed North Korea to the teeth, but he's no closer to his goals
Excerpts:
Back in June, at a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, Kim himself acknowledged that food scarcity loomed.
"The people's food situation is now getting tense," he said, admitting that typhoons had damaged the country's grain crop. Analysts think it's likely that people are going hungry this winter.
Kim Jong Un will mark the end of his first decade in power armed to the teeth, but more isolated than ever as he tries to battle a killer virus in one of the world's poorest countries.
He's no closer to what he really wants, which is relief from devastating sanctions and normal relations with the rest of the world.
In 10 years, Kim Jong Un has cemented his power and armed North Korea to the teeth, but he's no closer to his goals
Seoul — As Kim Jong Un walked with the car carrying the coffin of his father, former North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il, the public displays of grief by mourners lining the funeral procession route would have reminded him that he had big shoes to fill.
But a decade on, he's done it. Unforgettable pictures of the young Kim riding a horse up a sacred mountain, released by North Korea's government in 2019, depicted a man firmly in control not only of his steed, but of his country.
Ryu Hun Woo was a senior North Korean diplomat until he defected from the isolated "Hermit Kingdom" two years ago. Speaking to CBS News Asia correspondent Elizabeth Palmer, Ryu said there was no ambiguity in North Korea about who was in charge.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rides a horse during snowfall in Mount Paektu in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on October 16, 2019. REUTERS
Kim has "absolute power," said the defector. "That's how he maintains the dictatorship."
Kim Jong Un, as commander in chief of North Korea's armed forces, has amped-up the country's weapons program. On his watch, the North has tested four nuclear warheads, and in 2017, a missile capable of reaching the United States.
His meetings with President Trump in 2018 and 2019 failed to kickstart negotiations on denuclearization in return for sanctions relief, and at the annual ruling party congress earlier this year, Kim said the U.S. remains North Korea's biggest enemy.
But his other enemy is the coronavirus pandemic. Kim has sealed the country's borders for the second time in a bid to keep COVID-19 out, which means no trade, and no aid — not even donated vaccine doses.
He isn't even letting in COVID vaccines made and supplied by his ally, China.
Apart from a lack of syringes in the country, Ryu explains the drugs would be useless as there's no reliable electricity supply, to ensure they can be stored at the required low temperatures.
However, it's not even clear they'd be needed. Kim claims there hasn't been a single case of COVID-19 in North Korea since the pandemic began. Unlikely as it sounds, it may actually be true. The borders have been shut so effectively that no one — not even the smugglers who have trafficked goods to and from China for years — is getting in or out.
Nor is any information. North Korea has been a complete news void for almost two years. Defectors like Ryu, along with various intelligence services in South Korea and elsewhere, have been getting almost no reliable updates about what is really going on inside the North.
The grand military spectacles that Korea regularly stages have continued during the pandemic, but they mask North Korea's suffering.
Back in June, at a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, Kim himself acknowledged that food scarcity loomed.
"The people's food situation is now getting tense," he said, admitting that typhoons had damaged the country's grain crop. Analysts think it's likely that people are going hungry this winter.
Kim Jong Un will mark the end of his first decade in power armed to the teeth, but more isolated than ever as he tries to battle a killer virus in one of the world's poorest countries.
He's no closer to what he really wants, which is relief from devastating sanctions and normal relations with the rest of the world.
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13. Reading North Korea through trash washed up in South Korea
All source intelligence.
Reading North Korea through trash washed up in South Korea
The author of a new book combed through trash that washed up over the course of a year, collecting 1,414 discarded wrappers
By Mun Dong Hui - 2021.12.20 2:41pm
A recently published book is drawing attention for analyzing conditions in North Korea by examining North Korean trash that washed up on South Korea’s Five West Sea Islands. The author of the book says you can get a glimpse of North Korean product branding and design, factory conditions, and even North Korean political propaganda from its discarded wrappers.
Cover of Dong-A University professor Kang Dong-won’s book ‘Picking Up North Korean Garbage in the Five West Sea Islands / Photo: Kang Dong-won
North Korea expert Kang Dong-wan, a professor at Dong-A University, recently published his book “Picking Up North Korean Garbage in the Five West Sea Islands,” which analyzed North Korean trash that washed up on the South Korean islands of Baengnyeong, Daecheong, Socheong, Daeyeonpyeong and Soyeonpyeong between September of 2020 and October of 2021.
Kang said he combed through the trash that washed up over the course of a year, collecting 1,414 discarded wrappers of 708 kinds from North Korea during that period. The number 708 refers to the total number of unique products with different brands or factories of origin, while the number 1,414 includes multiple examples of the same product.
Kang said there were really quite a lot of products that have washed up on South Korean shores, from confections and drinks to other foodstuffs, sundries, and medications. He called the gathered trash “precious materials” and “treasures” useful for reading North Korean society.
Kang’s book analyzes the trash by putting it in the following categories: confections, baked goods, drinks, dairy products, foodstuffs, seasonings, liquor and cigarettes, medical supplies, and sundries.
‘Galaxy Candy with Strawberry Cream Inside’ by Pyongyang Wheat Flour Factory. The wrapper features cat drawings similar to a Japanese fictional character. / Image: Kang Dong-won
One particularly conspicuous product is “Galaxy Candy with Strawberry Cream Inside” by Pyongyang Wheat Flour Factory, which North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited in 2016.
The candy wrapper is covered in bright drawings and colors, including some cat characters that are similar to Japan’s famous “Hello Kitty” character.
Slightly altering the original Hello Kitty design, the package very likely violates intellectual property rights. The North Koreans appear to have taken advantage of the closed nature of its society and subsequent lack of international IP disputes to copy the design.
The package of the “Fried Banana Snack” by Sonhung Food Processing Factory even features the Disney character Winnie the Poo.
Kang found that several wrappers emulated South Korean instant noodle and snack brands. He claims that if you examine the wrappers of products made in North Korea, some conspicuously copy the designs of analogous South Korean products. Kang further says the wrappers displayed similar color schemes, particular designs or content, with snack wrappers frequently displaying this tendency in particular.
North Korean instant noodle wrappers that resemble South Korean instant noodle products / Photo: Kang Dong-won
According to Kang, in capitalist market economies, product wrapper and design naturally consider consumer choice. However, he expressed surprise that North Korean product wrappers also included product names, designs and even characters that suited the characteristics of the product. Kang said that this ended his thinking that a socialist nation like North Korea makes “simple-minded” products.
He said if North Korean product wrappers had been simple plastic wrappers devoid of color, he would not have noticed. Kang further states that we can see the current state of North Korean design and branding through its wrappers with unique fonts and characters that demonstrate the characteristics of each product.
The book also includes a comparative analysis of trash from various North Korean dairy, medical, and food additive products.
Mun Dong Hui is one of Daily NK’s full-time journalists. Please direct any questions about his articles to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
14. The problem with 'Snowdrop': Why South Koreans want Blackpink Jisoo's K-drama canceled
A soft power battle in South Korea.
The problem with 'Snowdrop': Why South Koreans want Blackpink Jisoo's K-drama canceled
Many claim that Jisoo's 'Snowdrop' is glorifying the NSA that had been a terror during South Korea's pro-democratic uprising
By Lopa K
Updated On : 00:53 PST, Dec 20, 2021
K-drama lovers and Blinks (Blackpink’s fandom) were all excited for the premiere of the latest K-drama ‘Snowdrop’. A romantic melodrama, it is set during South Korea’s 80s June uprising and civil unrest and stars Blackpink’s Jisoo and Jung Hae-in of ‘D.P.’ fame. After several obstacles like cancellation petitions, delay due to the pandemic and no promotions, it was finally smooth sailing as the drama was acquired by Disney+ and premiered on December 18. However, after the broadcast of the first two episodes, people are again clamoring to get it canceled for allegedly distorting history.
When ‘Snowdrop’s plot was first made public in March 2021, South Korean citizens signed several petitions to get it canceled and sent it to the Blue House (South Korea’s presidential office). They claimed that the drama was distorting history, romanticizing the civil unrest and glamorizing the life of activist Young-cho who would be played by Blackpink’s Jisoo. Production apologized for the misunderstanding, changed the female lead’s name to Young-ro and stated that the plot would be doing justice to the revolution that led to the democracy that South Korea is now.
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'Snowdrop' slammed for glorifying NSA
However, after the premiere of the first episode of ‘Snowdrop’, more than 200,000 South Korean citizens have signed a petition to cancel the drama starring Jung Hae-in and Blackpink’s Jisoo. In the premiere, Jisoo’s Young-ro ignorantly saves Jung Hae-in’s Su-ho who is supposedly a North Korean spy. It also shows the allegedly violent NSA (National Security Planning) team following proper legal procedures which many South Koreans felt was false. The scene where the NSA team chases the male lead also featured a symbolic song of the uprising which the petition claimed was inappropriate.
It also claimed that since Su-ho was supposedly from North Korea, then being mistaken as an activist fighting for South Korea was insensitive. In reality, there were many innocent people who had been tortured by the NSA for being mistaken as a spy since, at that time, many justified the violence with the implication that North Korea was involved in the uprising. Su-ho's character would further justify the NSA's actions who allegedly tortured activists with false accusations that they were actually North Korean spies.
On top of it, a lot of brands that had sponsored the drama, dropped out as they confessed that they had not received the script. A lot of South Korean and non-Korean fans also spoke up about the alleged distortion of facts on social media for those wondering why viewers couldn’t separate reality from fiction.
According to them ‘Snowdrop’ was glorifying the NSA who in reality had been a terror during the uprising. They shared their parents’ experiences and how they had been tortured or known people who had been tortured by the NSA on false accusations. Many viewers also spoke up that additionally with the casting of Blackpink’s Jisoo, who is a famous K-pop idol, the drama would be spreading false information to her huge international fanbase that would be tuning in to see the drama.
'Very unfortunate'
Some viewers felt that the show should be given a chance as only two episodes have aired up till its point. One viewer tweeted, “There are very good points that should be respected but also a lot of lies that are being used to get the drama cancelled and to get clout. very unfortunate to see but I will not speak on it further.” Some also translated Korean posts that did not have a problem with the distortion of history since it is fiction, “Knetz defending snowdrop after watching today's episode and prasing jisoo acting.”
However, a lot of viewers made informative threads as to why for this particular drama, it was important not to whitewash one of the bloodiest revolts in South Korean history. One user shared, “It’s fiction to you because you don’t recognize anything in this show The politics and history are unfamiliar to you, you don’t have the knowledge to recognize the glaring red flags You don’t know your own ignorance.” Another shared, “A fiction that has a female lead who has globally big fanbase and a lot literal children following her a** and learning being educated from the fictions she's acting in, same goes to every other actor there, however it's very obvious she's attracting most of intl audience.”
Many compared the NSA to the KGB and the current civil unrest in the Philippines, “As someone from philippines where the dark martial law era is being glorified & its murders & atrocities being forgotten as it gets labelled the golden age, i agree that snowdrop should be cancelled. im sad coz i saw jisoo's acting & its great but no to historical revisionism.” Another viewer shared, “The story that there were spies from North Korea behind South Korea's democratization movement is their fiction to beautify South Korea's dictatorship. Many of the many people who were tortured for being spies are still surviving.”
There are very good points that should be respected but also a lot of lies that are being used to get the drama cancelled and to get clout. very unfortunate to see but I will not speak on it further.
— Dan (@itsnottserious) December 19, 2021
— youngro day (@jisoobitchoe) December 19, 2021
It’s fiction to you because you don’t recognize anything in this show
The politics and history are unfamiliar to you, you don’t have the knowledge to recognize the glaring red flags
— 아나탈 (@gatamchun) December 19, 2021
a fiction that has a female lead who has globally big fanbase and a lot literal children following her ass and learning being educated from the fictions she's acting in, same goes to every other actor there, however it's very obvious she's attracting most of intl audience. https://t.co/CfGhzi1zOK
— sbphobic (@phobicsb) December 19, 2021
as someone from philippines where the dark martial law era is being glorified & its murders & atrocities being forgotten as it gets labelled the golden age, i agree that snowdrop should be cancelled. im sad coz i saw jisoo's acting & its great but no to historical revisionism https://t.co/PinDBIWO6H
— yoon || someone ordered me an album haver (@LEE0NMARK_) December 20, 2021
#Snowdrop #설강화 #DisneyPlus The story that there were spies from North Korea behind South Korea's democratization movement is their fiction to beautify South Korea's dictatorship. Many of the many people who were tortured for being spies are still surviving.
— ㄴㅂ (@nb_samwol) December 19, 2021
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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.
