Quotes of the Day:
“Six mistakes mankind keeps making century after century:
Believing that personal gain is made by crushing others;
Worrying about things that cannot be changed or corrected;
Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it;
Refusing to set aside trivial preferences;
Neglecting development and refinement of the mind;
Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do.”
- Marcus Tullius Cicero
“Don't just say you have read books. Show that through them you have learned to think better, to be a more discriminating and reflective person. Books are the training weights of the mind. They are very helpful, but it would be a bad mistake to suppose that one has made progress simply by having internalized their contents.”
- Epictetus, The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness and Effectiveness
"There are but two powers in the world, the sword and the mind. In the long run the sword is always beaten by the mind."
- Bonaparte (as a Clausewitzian I will follow his lead and not use Napoleon)
1. N. Korea focuses on internal unity on late leader's birth anniversary: Seoul official
2. Kim Jong Un had hundreds of people stand outside in the freezing cold just to listen to a speech praising his family
3. S. Korean, Chinese nuclear envoys hold phone talks over N. Korea
4. Beijing vows continued support for Pyongyang on late N.K. leader's birth anniversary
5. North Korea releases thousands of prisoners to celebrate former leader’s birthday
6. How to deal with North Korean military threats
7. 1 in 4 students think unification with North Korea unnecessary: survey
8. North Koreans say Kim Jong Un’s recent appearance reminds them of Kim Jong Il
9. Many North Koreans placed more importance on a Korean folk festival than Kim Jong Il’s birthday
10. North Hamgyong Province orders people’s committees to better monitor trends in markets
11. Hyesan woman allegedly beaten to death while under investigation by N. Korea’s security agency
12. In warning to North Korea, Japan says it has right to carry out pre-emptive air strikes on enemy bases
13. Kim Jong-un sends gardeners to labour camp because flowers didn't bloom in time: Report
14. Olympics inflame deep rift between China and South Korea
15. Biden prepares a grand gift for Iran and North Korea
16. Malaysia, South Korea break daily coronavirus case records as Asia-Pacific region grapples with omicron
17. U.S.-led cadet training nurtures military talent for alliance with S. Korea
1. N. Korea focuses on internal unity on late leader's birth anniversary: Seoul official
An indicator that internal problems may be overwhelming Kim Jong-un.
(LEAD) N. Korea focuses on internal unity on late leader's birth anniversary: Seoul official | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 4, 7-13)
By Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to have focused on boosting internal unity on the occasion of the 80th birth anniversary of the country's late leader Kim Jong-il, instead of using it as a chance to send a new major message to the outside world, a Seoul official said Thursday.
North Korea has been holding various events to mark the anniversary, which falls on Feb. 16, with leader Kim Jong-un attending a national meeting held in the northwestern city of Samjiyon on Tuesday to pay tribute to his late father, according to the North's state media.
"North Korea appears to have used the holiday as an opportunity to bolster internal unity, rather than as a venue to deliver messages to the outside world," an official at the Ministry of Unification handling inter-Korean relations told reporters.
The North's state media made no mention of inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. relations, nor played up the country's military buildup under the late leader, the official pointed out.
South Korea's military earlier said it detected signs of the secretive regime gearing up for a large-scale military parade. But it could be held to mark the 110th birthday anniversary of Kim's late grandfather and national founder, Kim Il-sung, on April 15, given that the preparations seem to be still at the early stage.
The North says Kim Jong-il was born on Feb. 16, 1942, in a Samjiyon area located at the foot of Mount Paektu. He ruled the country for nearly two decades and died in 2011.
"The selection of Samjiyon as a venue to celebrate this year's anniversary could be aimed at stressing the legitimacy of Kim's rule and his achievements by highlighting the Paektu bloodline of the Kim family," the ministry official said.
Last week, Kim said, "The work of sprucing up Samjiyon City was victoriously concluded as a gift of loyalty to the 80th birth anniversary of Chairman Kim Jong-il."
North Korea elevated the status of Samjiyon from a county to a city in 2019 and has called for transforming the area into the "wealthiest" region in the country.
In Pyongyang, foreign diplomats attended celebratory events for the national holiday, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency, though it did not elaborate how many diplomatic officials were present or which countries they were representing.
Many countries have withdrawn their diplomats from the North after Pyongyang imposed strict border controls since 2020 to stave off the COVID-19 pandemic.
The North, meanwhile, has yet to report on Kim's possible visit to the landmark mausoleum of his father in the capital as usual for the anniversary.
Kim has paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the late leader's body lies in state, every year since he took power in late 2011.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)
2. Kim Jong Un had hundreds of people stand outside in the freezing cold just to listen to a speech praising his family
The brutality of the Kim family regime.
Kim Jong Un had hundreds of people stand outside in the freezing cold just to listen to a speech praising his family
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the celebration of the 80th birthday anniversary of late leader Kim Jong Il in front of his statue in Samjiyon City, North Korea February 15, 2022 in this picture released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).KCNA via REUTERS
- Kim Jong Un had hundreds endure freezing temperatures to listen to a speech honoring his late father.
- People stood outside in temperatures around 5 degrees Fahrenheit without gloves or ear protection.
- Some North Korea observers speculated that Kim and top officials may have been using heaters during the speech.
Get a daily selection of our top stories based on your reading preferences.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sat outside alongside other top officials and hundreds of attendees in freezing temperatures to listen to a speech about his father and former North Korean leader Kim Jong II on Tuesday, according to state media.
The celebratory event marking the 80th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong Il, who died in 2011, was held outside in the northern city of Samjiyon, and the maximum temperature was 5 degrees Fahrenheit, according to NK News.
North Korean leader attending an outdoor meeting celebrating his father and former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.Screenshot from KCTV video
Although North Korea claims that Kim Jong Il was born at a secret site near Samjiyon in 1942, Soviet records suggest he was actually born in eastern Russia.
Kim Jong Un and other North Korean officials at an event celebrating Kim Jong Il.Screenshot via KCTV
Some North Korea watchers, comparing this celebration to past events, suspect that Kim and other officials on stage may have been using heaters to keep warm.
—Colin Zwirko (@ColinZwirko) February 16, 2022
Colin Zwirko, a senior analytic correspondent for NK News, noticed a large clump of wires could be seen running underneath the red carpet under the long desk at which Kim was seated.
Event celebrating Kim Jong Il.Screenshot via KCTV
The speech celebrating the Kim family lasted about 30 minutes, during which time attendees stood at attention without gloves or ear coverings.
Top North Korean official Ri Il Hwan praised Kim Jong Il for challenging "US imperialists" and providing a "stepping stone" and leaving a "revolutionary legacy" for Kim Jong Un, according to state media.
The event held on Tuesday was the first "National Meeting," as the events are called, since July 2019. These events usually take place on the day before major holidays, including the birthdays of former and current leaders.
Sign up for notifications from Insider! Stay up to date with what you want to know.
Subscribe to push notifications
3. S. Korean, Chinese nuclear envoys hold phone talks over N. Korea
Excerpt:
"Noh stressed the need to continue diplomatic efforts while strengthening communications with relevant countries to fundamentally resolve North Korea's nuclear issue, and called for China's constructive role to promptly resume dialogue with the North," the ministry said in a press release.
The two sides agreed to hold face-to-face talks at an early date and continue cooperation, it added.
S. Korean, Chinese nuclear envoys hold phone talks over N. Korea | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, Feb. 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top nuclear envoy held phone talks with his Chinese counterpart Friday and called for Beijing's "constructive" role to resolve the North's nuclear issue, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.
Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and China's Liu Xiaoming shared their assessments on the situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula and agreed to continue close cooperation to keep it under control, the ministry said.
"Noh stressed the need to continue diplomatic efforts while strengthening communications with relevant countries to fundamentally resolve North Korea's nuclear issue, and called for China's constructive role to promptly resume dialogue with the North," the ministry said in a press release.
The two sides agreed to hold face-to-face talks at an early date and continue cooperation, it added.
The phone talks came days after top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan gathered in Hawaii for trilateral talks on North Korea and urged the reclusive state to return to dialogue.
The North has been recently upping the ante with a record seven missile tests in January and even hinted at the possibility of breaking its yearslong moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile testing amid an impasse in nuclear negotiations with the U.S.
scaaet@yna.co.kr
(END)
4. Beijing vows continued support for Pyongyang on late N.K. leader's birth anniversary
Support equals sanctions evasion assistance and support at the UN Security Council in addition to military technology.
Beijing vows continued support for Pyongyang on late N.K. leader's birth anniversary | Yonhap News Agency
By Chae Yun-hwan and Choi Soo-hyang
SEOUL, Feb. 18 (Yonhap) -- A senior Chinese official has said Beijing will continue support for North Korea on the 80th birth anniversary of the North's former leader Kim Jong-il, describing their relations as "forged by blood," according to Pyongyang's state media Friday.
Ji Bingxuan, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, made the remarks Wednesday during an event held at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing to mark the anniversary, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
Ji delivered greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping to the North's leader Kim Jong-un as he met with Amb. Ri Ryong-nam, and expressed thanks for supporting China on the international stage.
"He expressed earnest gratitude for our country's recent support for China in the global stage and said that China, which highly values the China-North Korea ties, will continue to support North Korea and make efforts with North Korean comrades to further expand and develop the two countries' traditional relations," the KCNA said.
Earlier this month, Kim sent a message to Xi to congratulate China on the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics, and stressed "invincible strategic relations" between the two countries.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
5. North Korea releases thousands of prisoners to celebrate former leader’s birthday
We should not be duped by these actions. I guess the regime is showing some humanity and allowing the prisoners to go home to die (and then the gulags can lower the death statistics and not have to waste resources disposing of the bodies).
Excepts:
The North Korean prison system is well known to be incredibly brutal. Former inmates who have escaped the country have said prisoners are poorly fed, live in crowded cells, and are subjected to torture, backbreaking labor and sexual abuse.
Being released from a North Korean prison is reason to celebrate for the inmate and his or her family. But a resident of the northeastern province of North Hamgyong told RFA’s Korean Service that many of the prisoners released ahead of the Day of the Shining Star had suffered so badly that they appeared to be near death.
The focus remains on protecting the regime (and its monuments):
From Jan. 14-17, North Korean authorities ordered civic organizations and state-run enterprises to observe a “special security period,” an official from North Pyongan province told RFA.
“During this period, organizations and enterprises should … set up a special security team to guard the statues and historic sites of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at night,” the official said.
North Korea releases thousands of prisoners to celebrate former leader’s birthday
The amnesty prompts joyful reunions, and concern about the former inmates’ poor health.
By Jieun Kim and Myung Chul Lee
2022.02.17
This drawing made by a refugee who was once a prisoner in North Korea depicts various forms of torture inmates had to endure.
North Korea released several thousands of prisoners as part of a celebration for a major holiday, a move that prompted joyful family reunions but also alarm about the abuse many former inmates appear to have suffered while in captivity, sources in the country told RFA.
The holiday on Wednesday marked what would have been former leader Kim Jong Il’s 80th birthday. After his death in 2011, his son and successor, Kim Jong Un, declared his father’s birthday to be a national holiday called the “Day of the Shining Star,” elevating it to the same level as the “Day of the Sun,” the birth anniversary of the progenitor of the Kim Dynasty, national founder Kim Il Sung.
The North Korean prison system is well known to be incredibly brutal. Former inmates who have escaped the country have said prisoners are poorly fed, live in crowded cells, and are subjected to torture, backbreaking labor and sexual abuse.
Being released from a North Korean prison is reason to celebrate for the inmate and his or her family. But a resident of the northeastern province of North Hamgyong told RFA’s Korean Service that many of the prisoners released ahead of the Day of the Shining Star had suffered so badly that they appeared to be near death.
“Everyone was shocked when those who were released by the amnesty were severely malnourished and barely able to walk,” said the source, who requested anonymity to speak freely. “Some prisoners were unable to move, so their families had to bring them home on stretchers.”
The amnesty did not include political dissidents or criminals convicted of drug offenses or violent crimes such as robbery and murder, according to the source. It had been rumored for several months, and families eagerly anticipated the return of their imprisoned relatives.
“They had high hopes, they expected a five-year sentence reduction, but only a three-year reduction was announced, so, many prisoners who have more than three years remaining will have to complete the remainder of their sentences before they are released,” said the source.
“One-thousand prisoners were released from Hamhung prison, out of a total prison population of 6,000,” he said.
Prisoners headed home from all the country’s major prisons, including in the cities of Hamhung, Sariwon and Kaechon, and Chungsan county in South Pyongan province, west of the capital Pyongyang, a resident of North Hwanghae province, south of the capital, told RFA.
Graphic: AFP
“An 18-year-old prisoner became big news when she said after her release from Sariwon prison that her time in jail was the first time in her whole life that she had eaten three meals per day. They gave her three meals of steamed corn,” the second source told RFA.
“She had lost her parents at a young age and was imprisoned for theft after living as a homeless street beggar,” the second source said.
Many people are concerned now that the woman has been released to a situation where she is homeless and jobless, the second source said.
“She has no home or family, so the head of the local government office and a local party secretary took her in. I am worried about how she will live in the future. She never went to school and does not know how to write or read because she was a street beggar,” she said.
“This year’s amnesty was done on a fairly large scale, with the government touting it as a tremendous show of mercy from the Marshal,” the second source said, referring to Kim Jong Un.
According to the source, of the 1,000 prisoners in Sariwon prison, 300 were released and 600 had their sentences reduced by three years.
“Even with the February 16th amnesty, no one was released from Susong prison in the city of Chongjin, where serious criminals are held, such as those imprisoned for anti-state crimes, murder, robbery and drug offenses,” the source said.
Mobilization for celebration
North Korea forced residents to prepare elaborate celebrations for the Day of the Shining Star.
The activities included lectures on Kim Jong Il’s greatness, including research into his efforts and achievements and commentaries on his famous sayings, a resident of Chongjin told RFA.
The events were organized through civic organizations, state-run enterprises and neighborhood watch units.
“Residents participating in performances by organizations and enterprises have had to gather in one place after work every day since the end of January and practice singing until late at night,” the source said.
“The party committee chief officials came directly to the singing practice and monitored them so the staff of each organization and enterprise could not even think of leaving and had to practice until late at night for more than two weeks,” said the source.
From Jan. 14-17, North Korean authorities ordered civic organizations and state-run enterprises to observe a “special security period,” an official from North Pyongan province told RFA.
“During this period, organizations and enterprises should … set up a special security team to guard the statues and historic sites of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at night,” the official said.
“It is prohibited to gather to drink or eat, and chief officials should check the situation frequently to prevent any problems that harm the atmosphere of the event. Tensions are rising as it warns that those who cause problems during the three-day special security period will be punished.”
Translated by Claire Lee. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
6. How to deal with North Korean military threats
Two views in two essays below.
The first from former Foreign Minister Yun looks at various agreements - to include the security agreements for Ukraine.
Excerpts
Under these circumstances, what the U.S. and its NATO allies are going to do to help Ukraine in accordance with the Budapest Memorandum and other commitments, will be watched closely not just by China and North Korea, but also by the U.S.' allies and partners, NPT parties and nuclear threshold countries around the world, including Taiwan.
Back in 1994, The New York Times noted regarding the U.S.' security assurances to Ukraine, "These promises could inject the United States into the middle of a Russian-Ukrainian crisis with America risking the safety of New York or Washington to protect Kiev." Ever since, controversies have been ongoing as to the nature of the U.S.' obligations ― whether it is security guarantees (like NATO) or security assurances.
Nevertheless, it is encouraging to hear that the Biden administration has reiterated America's unwavering support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity on several occasions and is working to follow up this commitment with actions.
The right strategy for peace and honor should be to let rule-breakers know that miscalculation will come with an unbearably high price tag. It should make them ― not the rule-abiders ― sleepless and blink first. Otherwise, a geopolitical Pandora's Box will open up, releasing all kinds of trouble.
The second argues for US engagement with north Korea - end of war declaration and concessions.
But such proposals as using "adjustments" to military exercises illustrates the lack of understanding of the nature, objectives,and strategy of the Kim family regime. Kim is not interested in "adjustments." He wants US forces off the peninsula.
Excerpts:
...In addition, it is worth considering some confidence-building measures such as humanitarian cooperation and adjustments to the ROK-U.S. combined military exercises.
...
The U.S.' engagement with North Korea should not be interpreted as the unilateral action of the United States to provide excessive concessions, but rather a strategic decision that is in line with the U.S.' national interest. Should negotiations with North Korea be resumed, North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, as well as nuclear proliferation risks, could be brought under control for the time being.
Moreover, they could facilitate cooperation with China for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which could serve as a foundation for resolving the Sino-American conflict in a rational manner. What is more, stability in Northeast Asia could also contribute to de-escalating the tinderbox of tension between the U.S. and Russia over the Ukraine issue.
Despite heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula due to North Korea's barrage of missile launches, there is still room for dialogue. We should remain steadfast in making progress on the Korean Peninsula Peace Process amid the difficult situation.
How to deal with North Korean military threats
North Korea fires a ground launch tactical missile, Jan. 27. The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the two missiles hit their targets precisely. The North conducted seven missile launches, including the test-firing of what it claimed were as hypersonic missiles, cruise missiles and intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM), in January alone, heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Yonhap
Runaway nuclear ambition will derail Kim Jong-un's future
By Yun Byung-se
What has been unfolding in Eastern Europe and on the Korean Peninsula in recent months is a sad and ironic testament to the changing fortunes of Ukraine and North Korea.
The year 1994 was special for nuclear diplomacy. In October 1994, the U.S.-DPRK Agreed Framework to resolve the first North Korean nuclear crisis was signed in Geneva after 18 months of negotiations. Two months later, the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances was signed by Ukraine, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The background and rationale for these two agreements are quite different, but they shared some common characteristics.
First, Ukraine, nuclear weapon state at that time with the third-largest nuclear arsenal, acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a non-nuclear weapon state, and the DPRK, which had announced in 1993 its withdrawal for the first time in NPT history, decided to remain a party to the treaty (until 2003). Ukraine transferred some 1,900 strategic nuclear warheads (and earlier an additional 2,500 tactical nuclear weapons) to Russia. North Korea undertook a freeze and pledged to dismantle its nuclear facilities.
Second, security assurances were formally provided to both countries. Washington assured Pyongyang against the threat or use of its nuclear weapons. The scope of the Budapest Memorandum of December 1994 is much more broad and specific. It includes respecting Ukrainian independence and sovereignty in the country's existing borders; refraining from the threat or use of not just nuclear arms but economic pressure as well; taking immediate U.N. Security Council action to provide assistance if Ukraine "should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used."
Naturally, Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 caught Ukraine off guard. Should there be any forceful change to Ukraine's independence and sovereignty, that will be a formal death sentence to whatever is left of the Budapest Memorandum.
Third, both were given compensation and assistance for abandoning their nuclear assets. Russia provided Ukraine with fuel rods for civilian nuclear power plants and the U.S. spent many hundreds of millions of dollars to assist Ukraine's denuclearization under the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program of the historic Nunn-Lugar Act.
Meanwhile, the U.S. and like-minded countries undertook providing the DPRK with heavy oil for heating and electricity production pending the completion of the first light-water reactor (LWR). The LWR project was suspended in 2003 as North Korea's clandestine highly enriched uranium (HEU) program was revealed in 2002.
The commonalities stop here and the irony of history plays out. After 30 years, a cloud of war between the signatories of the Budapest Memorandum is gathering along the Ukraine-Russian border.
North Korea, who violated the 1994 Agreed Framework and other follow-up agreements, including the 2005 Six-Party Joint Statement, is threatening to wield its nuclear sword not only on its neighbors but also on the international community as a whole. According to a RAND Corporation-Asan Institute for Policy Studies report released last April, North Korea is estimated to possess 151 to 242 nuclear weapons by 2027 ― on par with the current nuclear arsenal of the U.K.
If Russia tramples on the Budapest Memorandum and the U.N. Charter, the consequences will not be confined to Eastern Europe, but will be far-reaching and across the board.
Among other things, such actions will vindicate Kim Jong-un's all-in bet on nuclear armament over the last decade. He must be ridiculing the Ukrainian leader who relinquished around 4,000 nukes, as his father did several times on the fate of the leaders of Iraq and Libya.
Since early this year, Kim has engaged in unprecedented serial missile provocations with impunity, exploiting the powerless and hopeless state of the U.N. Security Council. China's blocking power, combined with Russia's support due to the Ukraine crisis, will give Pyongyang a double free pass for nuclear armament and proliferation.
This situation is why eight U.N. Security Council ambassadors and Japanese ambassador, shamefully without South Korean presence again, warned in a joint press conference two weeks ago that inaction by the Council will embolden Kim Jong-un to go further.
First, Kim will quite likely cross the self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile testing since 2018. The latest testing of an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) on Jan. 30 is regarded by many as a precursor to that possibility. The end of the moratorium will effectively mean a return to the pre-2018 state of confrontation. Even President Moon Jae-in has warned that North Korea has inched closer to this possibility.
It will turn Moon's flagship policy ― the Korean Peninsula Peace Process ― and its offshoot inter-Korean agreements, especially the five year-long quest for the end-of-the-Korean-War declaration, into potential casualties.
Secondly, with or without the breach of the moratorium, Pyongyang will become a constant existential threat to South Korea, Japan and now the U.S., like the Sword of Damocles. Like it or not, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and next president of South Korea should be prepared for such a nightmarish scenario.
Under these circumstances, what the U.S. and its NATO allies are going to do to help Ukraine in accordance with the Budapest Memorandum and other commitments, will be watched closely not just by China and North Korea, but also by the U.S.' allies and partners, NPT parties and nuclear threshold countries around the world, including Taiwan.
Back in 1994, The New York Times noted regarding the U.S.' security assurances to Ukraine, "These promises could inject the United States into the middle of a Russian-Ukrainian crisis with America risking the safety of New York or Washington to protect Kiev." Ever since, controversies have been ongoing as to the nature of the U.S.' obligations ― whether it is security guarantees (like NATO) or security assurances.
Nevertheless, it is encouraging to hear that the Biden administration has reiterated America's unwavering support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity on several occasions and is working to follow up this commitment with actions.
The right strategy for peace and honor should be to let rule-breakers know that miscalculation will come with an unbearably high price tag. It should make them ― not the rule-abiders ― sleepless and blink first. Otherwise, a geopolitical Pandora's Box will open up, releasing all kinds of trouble.
Yun Byung-se is the former foreign minister of South Korea. He is now a board member of the Korea Peace Foundation and a member of several ex-global leaders' forums and task forces, including the Astana Forum and its Consultative Council, as well as the Task Force on U.S. Allies and Nuclear Weapons Proliferation, sponsored by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
US engagement with N. Korea in line with its national interest
By Yang Moo-jin
In January, North Korea conducted seven missile tests. At the Political Bureau meeting held on Jan. 19, North Korea stressed the need to be fully ready for long-term confrontation with the United States, while hinting at lifting the moratorium on nuclear and inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests, which it has upheld since 2018.
On Jan. 30, concerns were raised over the likelihood of North Korea's review to end its moratorium on nuclear and ICBM launches in the not-too-distant future, as North Korea launched a Hwaseong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) after nearly four years and four months.
The Biden administration responded in a way which is different from the Trump administration, which turned a blind eye to North Korea's short-range missile launches. Denouncing North Korea's missile launches, the Biden administration noted that they were in violation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions and maintained that the United States would like to resolve the issue through dialogue and diplomacy, while responding to such action by convening the U.N. Security Council meetings and imposing additional unilateral sanctions.
North Korea, on the other hand, emphasizes that their missile development is a normal activity for its self-defense. North Korea claims that it is a project to bolster its defense capabilities in accordance with its own plan ― not a show of force to attract someone's attention. Therefore, I would like to review some options for North Korea policy and scenarios that the U.S. can choose going forward under the difficult circumstances to narrow the differences between North Korea and the U.S. in their perspectives.
The first option is to impose sanctions and pressure to urge North Korea to choose denuclearization by causing pain and bringing disadvantages to North Korea for its nuclear and missile development. However, it is hard to expect additional sanctions resolutions to be adopted at the U.N. Security Council unless North Korea really launches ICBMs or nuclear tests. It is going to be less likely that China and Russia cooperate with the U.S. amid the heightening competition and conflict between the U.S. and China and between the U.S. and Russia.
If the adoption of a new U.N. Security Council resolution on North Korea is far-fetched, the U.S. is able to move forward with its unilateral sanctions. But North Korea has lived with its so-called "self-imposed sanctions" over the last two years, after it shut down its borders due to COVID-19. Even if additional sanctions are imposed, it will only be merely symbolic and the impact on North Korea will not be significant.
Military options against North Korea, such as the resumption of large-scale ROK-U.S. combined military exercises and the deployment of additional Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems, could be put on the table for discussion.
However, such military pressure on North Korea could result in a vicious cycle that causes new military provocations by North Korea, and accidental military clashes are going to be very likely. Furthermore, some argue for the need to launch a preemptive strike on North Korea, but such a claim cannot be considered a rational choice that we could possibly choose given its escalation risks and potentially enormous damage.
The second option is to resume negotiations with North Korea. After announcing its North Korea policy on April 2021, the Biden administration has offered dialogue without any preconditions. However, North Korea argues that the U.S. hostile policy has not changed and demands the U.S. to withdraw its hostile policy through actions first.
The Biden administration may face political constraints in providing substantive concessions to North Korea prior to dialogue. However if the U.S. continues to shift the blame to North Korea, it will further advance North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities, leading to a de facto "strategic patience" policy yet again.
To draw North Korea back to the negotiating table, the U.S. needs to make an offer to rekindle negotiations by revisiting the 2019 Hanoi Summit. When negotiations are resumed, revealing that the U.S. is willing to discuss agenda items of interest to North Korea, including sanctions relief, a security guarantee and a peace regime together with denuclearization, and that corresponding measures in the phased approach toward denuclearization can be adequately considered, will be of great help to the resumption of dialogue. In addition, it is worth considering some confidence-building measures such as humanitarian cooperation and adjustments to the ROK-U.S. combined military exercises.
If the end-of-war declaration that President Moon Jae-in is pushing forward is achieved, it could provide a good opportunity for the U.S. and North Korea to start negotiations on denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula in earnest. An end-of-war declaration has the universal justification to end the abnormal state of armistice which has persisted for the last 69 years on the Korean Peninsula, and is a very useful measure to build confidence between North Korea and the U.S. as part of the withdrawal of its hostile policy, which North Korea demands.
The Biden administration expressed its willingness to find solutions through a calibrated and practical approach by moving away from the Obama administration's "strategic patience" policy and the Trump administration's "grand bargain" approach. If the Biden administration continues to build confidence by sticking to its original stance and knocking down easy tasks in an incremental manner, DPRK-U.S. relations will develop in a way that is different from today.
The U.S.' engagement with North Korea should not be interpreted as the unilateral action of the United States to provide excessive concessions, but rather a strategic decision that is in line with the U.S.' national interest. Should negotiations with North Korea be resumed, North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, as well as nuclear proliferation risks, could be brought under control for the time being.
Moreover, they could facilitate cooperation with China for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which could serve as a foundation for resolving the Sino-American conflict in a rational manner. What is more, stability in Northeast Asia could also contribute to de-escalating the tinderbox of tension between the U.S. and Russia over the Ukraine issue.
Despite heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula due to North Korea's barrage of missile launches, there is still room for dialogue. We should remain steadfast in making progress on the Korean Peninsula Peace Process amid the difficult situation.
Yang Moo-jin (yangmj@kyungnam.ac.kr) is a professor at the University of North Korean Studies and vice chairman of the Korean Association of North Korean Studies. He is also a standing committee member of the National Unification Advisory Council and a policy consultant at the Ministry of Unification.
7. 1 in 4 students think unification with North Korea unnecessary: survey
An interesting survey sample (elementary, middle, and high school students). Perhaps this reflects the opinions of their parents But another way to interpret the data is that 3 out of 4 think unification is necessary.
I think unification is necessary.
The only way we are going to see an end to the nuclear program and military threats as well as the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity being committed against the Korean people living in the north by the mafia-like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime is through achievement of unification and the establishment of a United Republic of Korea that is secure and stable, non-nuclear, economically vibrant, and unified under a liberal constitutional form of government based on individual liberty, rule of law, and human rights as determined by the Korean people. In short, a United Republic of Korea (UROK).
1 in 4 students think unification with North Korea unnecessary: survey
This Jan. 11 file photo shows a North Korean flag at a North Korean village inside the Demilitarized Zone. YonhapOne in four South Korean students think that unification with North Korea is unnecessary, a survey showed Friday.
In the online survey of 72,524 elementary, middle and high school students conducted by the education ministry and the unification ministry from Nov. 1 to Dec. 10 last year, 61.2 percent replied that unification is necessary, while 25 percent said it is not needed.
The rate of students against unification increased for the third consecutive year from 19.4 percent in 2019 and 24.2 percent in 2020.
Among the reasons for unification, the "reduction of the threat of war" was cited the most at 27.2 percent, followed by the "same ethnic race" at 25.5 percent and the "resolution of the separated family problem" at 20.9 percent.
Those who were opposed to unification cited the "economic burden" the most at 29.8 percent, followed by "potential social problems after unification" at 25 percent and "political differences between the South and the North" at 17 percent.
The survey also showed that 52.6 percent of respondents considered North Korea a cooperation partner, down by 2.1 percentage points from 54.7 percent tallied the previous year, while 27.1 percent said Seoul should be guarded against Pyongyang, up 2.9 percentage points.
Those considering inter-Korean relations to be peaceful amounted to 21.1 percent, while 30.2 percent said cross-border ties are not peaceful. The rate of the negative assessment fell by 5 percentage points, while the positive assessment rose by 3.5 percentage points year-on-year, according to the survey. (Yonhap)
8. North Koreans say Kim Jong Un’s recent appearance reminds them of Kim Jong Il
Something for our PSYOP professionals to use in themes and messages if we would empower our PSYOP professionals to conduct an influence campaign in the north.
North Koreans say Kim Jong Un’s recent appearance reminds them of Kim Jong Il
Because of unpleasant memories about Kim Jong Il, military families have been critical of his son’s decision to dress like his father
2022.02.18 11:59am
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a photo released by Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 13. (Rodong Sinmun)
North Koreans apparently have lots to say about leader Kim Jong Un’s recent appearance in attire reminiscent of his father, late leader Kim Jong Il. The younger Kim might have emulated his father’s sartorial style to highlight his family’s accomplishments ahead of the elder Kim’s birthday on Feb. 16, but this appears to be falling flat with the public.
The younger Kim appeared at the groundbreaking ceremony for 10,000 new housing units in Pyongyang’s Hwasong District last Saturday wearing a khaki windbreaker — called a “Songun Suit” in North Korea — and sunglasses.
The elder Kim would often wear a khaki windbreaker and sunglasses when he paid “on-the-spot guidance” visits. So, when his son showed up at the groundbreaking event in the same attire, locals were immediately reminded of his father.
A source in Pyongyang told Daily NK on Wednesday that three things remind people of Kim Jong Il: a windbreaker, sunglasses, and an ushanka that keeps your ears warm. The source said with Kim Jong Un showing up wearing two of the three, everyone knows he was trying to copy his father.
The source said many Pyongyang residents say they think of the “Arduous March” when they see the North Korean leader donning “Kim Jong Il-style” fashion.
That means that when many Pyongyang residents think of the Kim Jong Il era, they are reminded of the starvation of the Arduous March and of relatives in the countryside who died of hunger.
Moreover, with the public suffering economic difficulties due to the protracted closure of the border to control COVID-19, some North Koreans are even wondering if this is the start of a “Second Arduous March.”
Meanwhile, soldiers who attended the groundbreaking ceremony in Hwasong District recalled memories of “Songun politics” upon seeing Kim and his retro fashion.
Many soldiers attended the ceremony, including a construction brigade and officers from military academies.
Another Daily NK source in the country said he is reminded of Songun politics when thinking of Kim Jong Il. He said people likely remember the era of Songun politics as one of such severe tyranny, so much so that people used to say that soldiers owned all the livestock and daughters in the village. He noted, however, that soldiers have no good memories of the period as well.
The source said that back then, military units had to focus their efforts on preparing for potential on-the-spot guidance visits by the elder Kim, as they could happen at any time. He said soldiers suffered because military units competed with each other to offer better food and base conditions for the visits.
Moreover, military families had to provide 100 to 300 kilograms of pork to make it look as if the soldiers were being well fed, so even officers’ wives and children were mobilized for the effort.
The source said because of these unpleasant memories of the Kim Jong Il era, officers and military families have been critical of his son’s decision to dress like his father.
He said Pyongyang residents still have plenty to say about Kim’s clothing, with some saying it seems that while he spent his first ten years in power emulating his grandfather, North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, he will spend his next 10 years practicing the Songun politics of his father.
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.
9. Many North Koreans placed more importance on a Korean folk festival than Kim Jong Il’s birthday
One of the things that will need to be "undone" is the regime's capture of traditional Korean customs and holidays. A return to Korean traditions without the influence of juche and the regime is a necessary step during the unification process. Those traditions remain the connective tissue between north and South.
Many North Koreans placed more importance on a Korean folk festival than Kim Jong Il’s birthday
Many North Koreans hoped for all the bad luck caused by COVID-19 to go away and for the border closure to finally be lifted
North Koreans flying kites in celebration of the first full moon of the year festival. (DPRK Today)
Many North Koreans living outside of Pyongyang appear to have placed more importance on the Feb. 15 Jeongwol Daeboreum (the first full moon of the year) festival than on the Day of the Shining Star, the holiday on Feb. 16 that commemorated Kim Jong Il’s birthday.
A source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Feb. 16 that, “Compared to previous years, there are more citizens in Hoeryong this year saying they will definitely be eating five-grain rice and gwibalgisul [ear-quickening wine, said to help people hear good news throughout the year].
“[By doing this] people think bad luck will go away and things will turn out well,” the source added.
“Various events were held on a continuous basis before the General [Kim Jong Il]’s birthday, such as performances, festivals, meetings to sing songs of loyalty, but few people felt moved [to participate],” the source continued. “People participated in such meetings as a formality, but then went home and focused more on praying for the well-being of their family.”
The North Korean government has designated Kim Jong Il’s birthday, the day Kim Jong Un was appointed as first secretary of the Workers’ Party (Apr. 11), Kim Jong Un’s appointment as first chairman of the National Defense Commission (Apr. 13), the 110th anniversary of Kim Il Sung’s birth (the Day of the Sun, Apr. 15), and the 130th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army (Apr. 25), as part of “the nation’s greatest celebratory period.”
Although the authorities are promoting this period as one of great importance that should be grandly celebrated by all citizens, things do not seem to be going as planned. North Koreans do not appear to be very enthusiastic about these holidays, which was on full display through the lack of popular interest in the recent events surrounding Kim Jong Il’s birthday celebrations.
But one holiday that is celebrated in a grand fashion by North Koreans is the first full moon of the new lunar year. Besides eating five-grain rice and drinking gwibalgisul, people also make side dishes out of nine dried vegetables, including mushrooms, pumpkin, dried chili pepper leaves, different kinds of ferns, and radish.
This year, however, people said that they would be eating five-grain rice, gwibalgisul, and using only three of the traditional nine wild vegetables for side dishes. This means people are having six fewer kinds of wild vegetables compared to last year.
North Koreans eat five-grain rice because it is believed to clear away all the bad luck from the previous year, and they drink the gwibalgisul to only hear good news moving forward, the source explained.
Originally, these customs were aimed at expressing hopes for a good harvest and to hear only good news in the new year. But this year, many North Koreans are praying for all the bad luck caused by COVID-19 to go away and for the border closure to finally be lifted.
One resident of the Yeokjeon district of Hoeryung who spoke with a Daily NK source said the economic situation has indeed been very difficult for the people.
“Last year I did not have enough money, so the morning of the Daeboreum holiday I just ate ordinary white rice,” the man, surnamed Choi, said. “This year, I heard that eating five grain rice would result in things working out well [in the new year], so I started preparing the necessary grains starting a few days ago.
“In the hopes that all the troubles of the past two years will end quickly, the whole family each drank one glass of gwibalgisul at midnight,” Choi continued, adding, “This year, it is said that if you bow three times facing the full moon, all your wishes will come true. So many people are looking forward to this full moon [holiday].”
Translated by Gabriela Bernal
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
10. North Hamgyong Province orders people’s committees to better monitor trends in markets
Another indicator that the regime is trying hard to control the economy and market activity. These markets are the most important thing for resilience among the Korean people.
North Hamgyong Province orders people’s committees to better monitor trends in markets
The committee told workers to conduct daily checks whether merchants are selling items according to set rules
North Hamgyong Province’s party committee recently ordered commerce department workers in local people’s committees to “go out to the field rather than just staying in the office.”
A source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK last Friday that the party committee handed down an order on Feb. 3 telling commerce departments of people’s committees to have only one or two people on duty in their offices answering phones while the rest head out into the field donning “ordinary clothing.”
According to the source, the provincial party committee said in the order that people should get out of their offices because commerce sector workers should be “out in the field” the most compared to people in other sectors. It also berated workers for only going out once per month and adhering to “outdated working methods” of sitting at their desks and recording numbers that come in “from the field.”
The provincial party committee further told the workers to go to local markets daily to check whether merchants are selling items according to the rules and regulations set forth by market management offices. The workers were also told to check whether the sellers are charging according to rules established by the country’s national commerce agency.
Street markets and stands in various agricultural regions of North Korea. (Daily NK)
The workers were also told to find the reason why “rice and commodity prices are skyrocketing for no apparent reason” and report the results to the party. The party committee further demanded that the workers “take the lead” in solving issues faced by the people in “this difficult period.”
According to the source, the purpose of the provincial party committee’s order encouraging commerce department workers to go out to the field is to “steady the lives of North Koreans.” As such, the workers “must make reports to the party regarding the skyrocketing of rice and other commodity prices without fail” and “adopt fundamental measures” to deal with the increase in prices.
The provincial party committee also stated that with the borders closed and commodity prices increasing at will, the lives of the people have become more difficult. The committee noted that commerce department workers must work with “the people in mind at all times” given that reading their “hearts and minds” is “incredibly important.”
According to the source, the provincial party committee made clear that workers need to “know the feelings of the people in and out” given the upcoming celebration of the nation’s biggest holiday (Kim Jong Il’s birthday on Feb. 16). The committee ordered that commerce department workers avoid overlooking even one word of public opinion and write down any complaints to report to the party.
In fact, the party provincial committee had commerce department workers carry around notebooks containing “records of people’s feelings in local markets.” Meanwhile, people’s committees were ordered to frequently inspect the notebooks to “find clues to implement policies that improve the stability of people’s lives.”
Translated by Jason Mallet
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Jong So Yong is one of Daily NK’s freelance reporters. Questions about her articles can be directed to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
11. Hyesan woman allegedly beaten to death while under investigation by N. Korea’s security agency
The north Korean security services make the gestapo, staszi, and KGB look tame.
Excerpts:
Essentially, this means the authorities regard as “spies” anyone caught having a Chinese-made phone with signs of violations against their rules, and intend to punish them accordingly.
From the first day of her detention, Kim was subjected to questions such as, “What kind of information did you turn over to South Korea and how much did you receive in return?” and “What kind of South Koreans did you make deals with?”
Naturally, the Ministry of State Security interrogators did not believe Kim when she answered that she turned over no information, and only received money transfers to survive.
The interrogators then began beating Kim on her head, legs and the rest of her body using a seven centimeter club. This severe beating, the source claimed, ultimately led to her death.
The source said when Kim was taken to the hospital, her arms and legs were a mess. He claimed the Ministry of State Security’s outrages never end, with agents beating confessions out of people caught using Chinese-made mobile phones “as if they were trapping beasts.”
Hyesan woman allegedly beaten to death while under investigation by N. Korea’s security agency
Nobody takes responsibility if a suspect dies during interrogations, a source claimed
By Lee Chae Un - 2022.02.18 1:36pm
A source says a resident of Hyesan, Yanggang Province, was allegedly beaten to death recently while she was under investigation by the Ministry of State Security.
The death comes as North Korean security authorities bolster crackdowns and punishments regarding the use of Chinese-made mobile phones.
A Daily NK source in North Hamgyong Province said Thursday that a woman in her 30s — identified by her family name of Kim — was taken to the city hospital in Hyesan after she was beaten during an investigation by the provincial branch of the Ministry of State Security.
She died within three hours of arriving at the hospital, however.
Kim had been arrested for using a Chinese-made mobile phone, and according to the source, the roots of the incident go back to the end of last year.
Kim was arrested at the time after she was caught by the Ministry of State Security using a Chinese-made mobile phone. Investigators later discovered records of conversations with South Koreans and lots of photos of North Korea on her phone, and transferred Kim to a detainment facility on Jan. 10.
Every provincial headquarters of the Ministry of State Security has a detainment facility. The authorities generally use them for investigating people accused of espionage.
For example, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, provincial branches of the Ministry of State Security in border regions such as Yanggang Province have been detaining people who were caught using Chinese-made mobile phones with South Korean numbers or text messages, or messaging apps like Wechat or KakaoTalk, regardless of the reason.
Essentially, this means the authorities regard as “spies” anyone caught having a Chinese-made phone with signs of violations against their rules, and intend to punish them accordingly.
From the first day of her detention, Kim was subjected to questions such as, “What kind of information did you turn over to South Korea and how much did you receive in return?” and “What kind of South Koreans did you make deals with?”
Naturally, the Ministry of State Security interrogators did not believe Kim when she answered that she turned over no information, and only received money transfers to survive.
The interrogators then began beating Kim on her head, legs and the rest of her body using a seven centimeter club. This severe beating, the source claimed, ultimately led to her death.
The source said when Kim was taken to the hospital, her arms and legs were a mess. He claimed the Ministry of State Security’s outrages never end, with agents beating confessions out of people caught using Chinese-made mobile phones “as if they were trapping beasts.”
The source further said nobody takes responsibility if a suspect dies during interrogations. On the contrary, agents point to the dead and say, “It’s OK if some bastard who engaged in espionage dies.” He added that over the last couple of years, people consider it “natural” if somebody dies under questioning or investigation by the Ministry of State Security or Ministry of Social Security.
Meanwhile, the Yanggang Province branch of the Ministry of State Security arrested hundreds of people for using Chinese-made mobile phones last year. Most of them are women in their 20s to 40s, and they have been sent to forced labor camps or political prison camps after being interrogated in the ministry’s provincial detention facility.
Moreover, during questioning, detainees have been subjected to endless torture by investigators and guards, including the strappado, electrocution, and exposure to heat and cold. In particular, sexual assaults have reportedly been a regular occurrence.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
12. In warning to North Korea, Japan says it has right to carry out pre-emptive air strikes on enemy bases
I look for those with Japanese language and national security expertise to determine if this is accurate or a translation issue.
A very powerful statement if accurate.
In warning to North Korea, Japan says it has right to carry out pre-emptive air strikes on enemy bases
- Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi’s comments come against a backdrop of Tokyo seeking to reinterpret Japan’s pacifist constitution to allow more offensive actions
- The matter has been forced by a string of recent missile launches by Pyongyang, say analysts who expect more such tests when the Beijing Winter Olympics ends
+ FOLLOW
Published: 6:12pm, 17 Feb, 2022
By Julian Ryall South China Morning Post5 min
Japan’s defence minister has doubled down on the nation’s right to carry out an air strike against an enemy base if intelligence indicates an attack on Japan is imminent.
The declaration appears to be aimed at North Korea, which has stepped up its ballistic missile tests since the turn of the year, and is likely to stir further debate on Japan’s pacifist constitution.
In a hearing of the Diet’s lower house budget panel on Wednesday, Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said he would not rule out the option of sending fighter aircraft into another state’s airspace to carry out a pre-emptive strike against a military installation. He added, however, that any such attack would be a last resort to protect the nation from inbound missiles.
Kishi’s remarks are significant because Japan has a pacifist constitution.
Just how much leeway Tokyo has to attack a target in a foreign country under the terms of that constitution has become a matter of great debate in Japan in recent years.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is the latest leader to indicate that he hopes to either revise or reinterpret the constitution to give Japan a better chance to defend itself.
The defence minister qualified his remarks in the Diet by saying prerequisites would need to be met before the Self-Defence Forces could be ordered to attack a base in another country. These included limiting the use of force to only that necessary to complete the mission, the Nikkei newspaper reported.
At present Tokyo largely relies on defensive systems to ward off attacks, equipping its warships with the Aegis missile and installing Patriot systems on land. Both systems are aimed at intercepting incoming missiles. Even so, plans to construct two advanced Aegis Ashore facilities had to be cancelled due to local opposition.
But it has begun to toy with more aggressive military capabilities, including the idea of developing a new class of submarine that would be capable of launching cruise missiles against a range of targets.
Kishi’s comments indicate that aircraft would at present be tasked with carrying out any pre-emptive attack.
“It would fall within the scope of self-defence,” he told the panel in the Diet, Japan’s parliament.
In a subsequent press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that, “no option will be ruled out as long as it falls within the scope of the constitution and international law.”
Adding pressure to the debate are the seven missile launches conducted so far this year by North Korea, including an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of hitting the US territory of Guam and a weapon described by Pyongyang as a hypersonic ballistic missile.
“I very much suspect this has been at least in part brought on by North Korea’s recent missile launches, with the Japanese government feeling that now is the right time to have the debate about Japan having what could be seen as offensive weapons,” said Akitoshi Miyashita, a professor of international relations at Tokyo International University.
He said whether a weapon was seen as defensive or offensive was largely subjective, pointing out that in the late 1950s then-prime minister Nobusuke Kishi had said even a nuclear weapon could be considered defensive in nature if it worked as a deterrent against an attack.
“I think that Kishida and [defence minister] Kishi feel that North Korea’s actions have created the opportunity to rethink the nation’s defensive options, and I also believe that very few people in Japan are now opposed to the government shifting to a more aggressive position,” he said.
With the opposition parties also still weak, the threat posed by Pyongyang’s missiles gave the prime minister the chance to take a firmer stance, he added.
Stephen Nagy, an associate professor of international relations at Tokyo’s International Christian University, also felt Kishi’s comments were aimed at Pyongyang.
“North Korea has carried out more missile tests in the last two months than they did in the two years before that, so Kishi’s comments are part of the wider message that Japan is a close ally of the United States and South Korea and is ready to stand up for itself and play a greater role in its own security.”
The warnings may be more of a threat than a committed course of action, he said, pointing out that when a North Korean Hwasong-12 ballistic missile flew over Hokkaido in August 2017, it was already in space and therefore beyond Japan’s territorial airspace, meaning that there was nothing that Japan could do to interfere with the launch.
Nagy expects another flurry of North Korean launches in the near future, including potentially another intercontinental ballistic missile over Japan. Pyongyang was just waiting for the Beijing Winter Olympics to conclude, he said.
“The Olympics are designed to help China boost its ‘soft power’ appeal so North Korea will not want to poke its ally in the face while the Games are still on, but I expect that to change next month, when the Olympics are over and as the South Korean presidential election draws closer,” he said.
A victory for a left-leaning candidate keen to continue President Moon Jae-in’s policy of engagement towards North Korea might provoke only a brief flurry of missile tests, Nagy suggested, while a win for the conservative opposition would probably lead to a stronger response from the North.
Pyongyang will also want to grab Washington’s attention as it attempts to wriggle out of international sanctions imposed as a direct result of its nuclear and missile programmes, he said.
Analysts believe that North Korea is investing heavily in the development of a wide range of missiles across all categories of range and payload in order to have the capability to saturate the anti-missile defences of South Korea, the US and Japan. That would then give Pyongyang the ability to negotiate from a position of strength, particularly if it maintains its alliance with Beijing and China is able to weaken the influence of the US in the Indo-Pacific region.
Julian Ryall never expected to still be in Japan 24 years after he first arrived, but he quickly realised its advantages over his native London. He lives in Yokohama with his wife and children and writes for publications around the world.
13. Kim Jong-un sends gardeners to labour camp because flowers didn't bloom in time: Report
Yes we laugh derisively when we read these reports but they indicate the nature of the Kim family regime.
Kim Jong-un sends gardeners to labour camp because flowers didn't bloom in time: Report
Last Updated: 16th February, 2022 18:58 IST
Kim Jong-un Sends Gardeners To Labour Camp Because Flowers Didn't Bloom In Time: Report
the President of North Korea, Kim Jong-un send a group of gardeners to labour camps after certain flowers failed to bloom in time for his father's birthday.
Written By
Image: Shutterstock/ AP
In a shocking development from North Kora, its supreme leader Kim Jong-un sent a group of gardeners to labour camps after certain flowers failed to bloom in time for his father's birthday. The incident happened when Kim learned that the flower of Kimjongilia Begonias, named after his late father Kim Jong-il, would not be blooming in time for his birthday. The flowers were supposed to be the focal point of the massive celebration 'Shining Star Day,' which falls on February 16.
A 50-year-old man named Han from Samsu County was apparently in charge of the greenhouse wherein the Kimilsungias and Kimjongilias were being grown, according to Mirror. He received a six-month sentence in a labour camp. Han was apparently instructed to ensure that the flowers were ready in time for the Day of the Shining Star, which commemorates Kim Il-birthday.
Greenhouse's temperature and humidity would have to be properly maintained
The greenhouse's temperature and humidity would have to be properly maintained in order for these flowers to bloom. Han and his gardening crew were unable to bloom the flowers on time due to a lack of firewood. The staff was accused of ignoring their work after Kim came to know that the flowers didn't bloom. A source familiar with the development stated that economic activity substantially fell owing to the country's emergency disease-control efforts, which resulted in many Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia greenhouses getting neglected, reported Daily NK News.
Earlier, a man named Choi, who was in charge of the boilers, was allegedly punished for three months in the labour camps for not properly setting the temperature, according to Mirror. It's not the first time these flowers have had trouble growing. Notably, they also had to be imported from China earlier. Recently, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's death, Kim Jong-un barred citizens of North Korea from laughing, drinking, and going grocery shopping for 11 days.
Kimjongilias was created by Kamo Mototeru, a Japanese botanist
Kimjongilias, which is commonly known as the immortal flower, was created by Kamo Mototeru, a Japanese botanist, over 30 years ago in 1988 to commemorate the late leader's birthday. Since the death of the former North Korean leader back in 2011, the flower has gained prominence.
14. Olympics inflame deep rift between China and South Korea
China continues to lose the soft power war with South Korea.
Olympics inflame deep rift between China and South Korea
SEOUL — Allegations of cultural appropriation and unfair officiating at the Beijing Winter Olympics have stoked anger among South Koreans toward China, turning what should be a global celebration of athleticism into yet another flash point between two neighbors with a history of cultural and political tensions.
The controversies began during the Opening Ceremonies when a Chinese performer wore Korea’s traditional attire, the “hanbok” — reviving a long-running online dispute over the provenance of certain cultural items found in both countries, including kimchi, a staple Korean dish made of fermented cabbage.
Then, two South Korean speedskaters were disqualified in a competition that Chinese athletes eventually won. Protesters rallied in Seoul, tearing up Chinese flags by hand. Even fans of the K-pop superstar band BTS rallied in defense of the skaters. Chinese commentators responded by criticizing South Korean athletes and journalists as “shameless.”
The Olympics have become a new focus for mounting anti-China sentiment in South Korea, particularly among the younger Koreans leading the online attacks. The controversies have even spilled into the political arena, with presidential candidates chiming in on the anti-China discourse to appeal to the youth swing vote — complicating the future of diplomatic and economic ties between the two nations.
“Young and liberal South Koreans see China as an unfair player in the global arena, based on what they have seen about Beijing’s crackdown on free press, social activism and democracy protests in Hong Kong,” said Ha Nam-seok, a professor of Chinese language and culture at the University of Seoul.
He said the new wave of animosity against China among young Koreans is distinct from the anti-communist sentiments of older South Koreans dating from the Cold War era. Young Koreans have been angered by the apparent violation of “fairness,” a core value to those who live amid the harsh competition of capitalist and democratic South Korea, experts say.
These perceptions of unfairness have been building since 2017, when South Korea suffered an unofficial economic retaliation from China after Seoul embraced a plan to deploy the U.S. antimissile system known as Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD. South Korean companies with a Chinese presence faced boycotts, package trips from China to South Korea were suspended, and K-pop singers disappeared from Chinese television.
A survey late last year of some 1,000 South Koreans found that China was seen as the most threatening country, with 72 percent of the respondents pointing to their Asian neighbor as “the biggest threat.” In an analysis of the survey, Seoul’s Korea Institute for National Unification cited “China’s coercive and disrespectful attitude towards neighboring countries” as the reason for the negative views.
The latest spat also happens to be taking place during election season. After a Chinese performer was seen in a hanbok at the Olympics, the South Korean governing party’s presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung, warned China to “not covet the culture” of Korea. The main opposition candidate, Yoon Suk-yeol, said he “shares the fury and frustration felt by the South Korean athletes” over the “biased judgment” in speedskating.
“Amid a close race, the candidates are making use of the anti-China sentiments for political gain, which is a risky move, considering how China is an important economic and diplomatic partner for South Korea,” said Ha, the academic.
South Korea’s economy is heavily dependent on China, which is both its largest source of imports and largest export destination. On the diplomacy front, South Korea needs support from North Korea’s ally China to persuade Pyongyang to give up nuclear weapons and promote peaceful relations.
The cultural row between the neighbors also is a problem for China as Beijing seeks to strengthen its ties in Asia in the face of growing competition from the United States, Yang Yanlong, a scholar at Shandong University in China who studies relations between China and Korea, wrote in a blog post.
The Olympics is a missed opportunity to promote friendly exchanges between the two neighbors, especially with the current growth of nationalist vitriol, he said.
“We have to wake up to the fact that the cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Korea have far lagged behind our close economic ties, which indirectly hampered the strengthening of political mutual trust,” Yang wrote.
Chinese commentators have responded fiercely to the South Korean attacks. Nationalists have countered that it’s the Koreans who have been appropriating China’s culture for centuries. They resuscitated an older nickname for South Korea, “thief country,” claiming that the hanbok is essentially the Chinese qipao, also known as the cheongsam. Others complained about Koreans they had encountered in China, criticizing them as loud and unruly. One user asked, “Are Koreans human?”
The Chinese Embassy in South Korea said that the performer was wearing the hanbok to represent China’s Korean minority and that China respects Korean history and culture. About 2 million ethnic Koreans live in northeast China.
It was the disqualification of South Korean short track speedskaters Hwang Dae-heon and Lee June-seo that particularly struck a chord in the country, where the sport is extremely popular. On Feb. 7, the two were penalized for illegal contact in the semifinals of the men’s 1,000-meter race. Chinese skaters eventually took the gold and silver medals in the finals.
The penalty against the two skaters, especially world-record holder Hwang, led Koreans to allege that there was unfair officiating in favor of the host nation. The South Korean delegation to the Beijing Games lodged an appeal to the International Skating Union and International Olympic Committee. South Korea’s local media also reacted angrily to the decision, and a crude insult against Chinese people was trending on Twitter.
Later that day, a Chinese student in the South Korean city of Busan was attacked by two Korean men, according to local news reports. The Busan police said the attack had no apparent connection to the Olympics controversy, but Beijing’s Foreign Ministry said it was “paying great attention to the matter.”
The animosity had reached such a level that when, two days later, South Korean skater Cha Min-kyu reached down to dust the podium with a hand before standing on it to receive his silver medal, his action was immediately slammed by Chinese commentators as a gesture of disrespect in protest of the race results.
In response to the consecutive points of friction, Trigger Trend, a Chinese blog for social and economic analysis, accused Korean media of bias, Korean netizens of vulgarity and the Korean public generally of being oversensitive, with “glass hearts.”
“It can be said that the attitude of South Korean politics towards China has never been so harsh as it is now,” the article said.
“The disharmony between China and South Korea during the Winter Olympics is no accident,” it said. “We can conclude that this is just the beginning.”
Kuo reported from Taipei. Michelle Ye Hee Lee in Tokyo and Lyric Li in Seoul contributed to this report.
15. Biden prepares a grand gift for Iran and North Korea
Biden prepares a grand gift for Iran and North Korea
As talks over Iran’s nuclear program and a revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear accord continue in Vienna, both the United States and Iran signal the talks are nearing their conclusion.
"We have, I think, a few weeks left to see if we can get back to mutual compliance," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a few weeks ago. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, meanwhile, said on Monday that a deal is “at hand." There is also a growing sense in Congress that a deal is near, albeit not a favorable one. Special Envoy Rob Malley has thrown an increasingly generous incentive package at Tehran in exchange for restrictions that, at best, are transitory.
The 2015 Iran nuclear deal never did what its proponents advertised.
In order to win Iran’s agreement in 2015, Secretary of State John Kerry reversed the prohibition on Iran constructing delivery systems. So long as Iranian leaders say their rockets are designed to launch satellites into space, any dual-use purpose, even one delivering warheads thousands of miles away, becomes technically legal.
As for the enrichment, the JCPOA left Iran with more centrifuges than Pakistan had when it built not a bomb but an arsenal. That President Barack Obama acquiesced to a sunset clause, an expiration on controls and many inspections, simply weakened the deal further. This is why so many nonproliferation specialists and states living in Iran’s nuclear shadow worried about how Obama-era deal-making reversed decadeslong nonproliferation precedent. Nevertheless, many proponents of the Iran nuclear deal argue with almost religious fervor that its inspection regime was rigorous and essentially put Iran’s nuclear program in a box.
There is one huge problem which such certainty. While it is hard to hide an enrichment program (not that Iran has not tried repeatedly), warhead design takes considerably less space. Experimenting with detonators, modeling, calculations, and computer simulations can all occur in a relatively small space — a space that can also easily and quickly be sanitized. Perhaps the Biden administration, like Obama’s before it, will argue that the inspection regime is sufficient to ensure compliance (it’s not). Regardless, a core assumption of their confidence is that all Iranian nuclear work occurs inside Iran.
The relationship between Iran and North Korea runs deep. Their missiles have common origins. Their engineers and military scientists have attended each other’s tests. They have collaborated to augment Hezbollah’s underground tunnels and compounds. In the mid-1990s, North Koreans attended the same Tehran language school as did I. What the JCPOA and Biden’s prospective new version fail to do is address the interplay between rogue nations. It is simply arrogant for Biden and Malley to believe that Iran compartmentalizes its nuclear work in the same way as the United States. Add into the mix that Biden’s $12 billion-plus in sanctions relief can buy space to conduct warhead work in a North Korean safe haven.
Quite simply, it is a match made in hell and one to which Biden, Malley, and their liberal supporters remain blind.
Michael Rubin (@mrubin1971) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential. He is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.
16. Malaysia, South Korea break daily coronavirus case records as Asia-Pacific region grapples with omicron
Malaysia, South Korea break daily coronavirus case records as Asia-Pacific region grapples with omicron
As coronavirus cases and restrictions fall in the United States and Europe, parts of Asia and the Pacific are in the thick of a surge driven by the omicron variant, with Malaysia and South Korea reporting new daily records Thursday.
Malaysia logged 27,831 new cases on Thursday, the country’s highest tally of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organization. South Korea reported 93,135 new infections on the same day, also its daily record. Indonesia and New Zealand marked new daily records Wednesday, while Vietnam, Singapore, Japan and Thailand all remain in the grasp of omicron with high case counts.
Hong Kong reported 4,000 new infections on Wednesday, a figure that is expected to double later this week. The city had never logged more than 200 new daily cases before 2022. For the first time, its hospitals are being overwhelmed.
The region’s troubles come amid warnings by WHO officials Wednesday that the pandemic is far from over, and that governments must maintain preventive restrictions, despite the temptations to ease them.
Mike Ryan, the WHO’s emergencies chief, urged people to get vaccinated and to keep up preventive measures such as masking, isolating or quarantining, while speaking at a live-streamed event on Wednesday. “This idea that we’re just going to abandon everything, I think is a very premature concept in many countries right now,” he said.
Deaths, which typically go up days after a surge in new infections, are starting to climb in some countries. Japan reported 945 new covid-19 deaths on the week beginning Feb. 7, WHO tallies show, an 80 percent increase from the prior week. Singapore saw fatalities rise at a similar pace in the same period, with 25 deaths.
The region is undergoing what Western countries such as the United States, Canada and several in Europe experienced weeks ago. And as Western officials roll back preventive restrictions such as masking and social distancing, their Asian counterparts have been reluctant to do so, despite growing social pressure to ease them.
In South Korea, small-store owners held demonstrations in the capital of Seoul this week. Some shaved their heads while shouting out anti-government slogans, in protest of a government-mandated 9 p.m. curfew for public venues such as bars, restaurants and cafes.
The business owners packaged the hair in a box that was sent to the presidential Blue House to express their disapproval of the left-leaning administration’s pandemic policies, local media reported.
New Zealand, which reported a record 1,203 single-day infections on Wednesday, according to WHO figures, has also had hundreds of protesters mass in its capital, Wellington.
The demonstrators, who appear to have been inspired by the self-styled “Freedom Convoy” protests in Canada, have blocked roads around the Parliament building. Authorities have failed to disperse the protesters, who demand the easing of pandemic restrictions. Last weekend, officials turned on songs such as “Baby Shark” and “Let It Go” in a bid to persuade them to go home.
New Zealand, though, will be easing some of its border controls, with plans to gradually lift all of its travel restrictions by October.
17. U.S.-led cadet training nurtures military talent for alliance with S. Korea
Good for our alliance. Planting the seeds.
(Yonhap Feature) U.S.-led cadet training nurtures military talent for alliance with S. Korea | Yonhap News Agency
By Song Sang-ho
PYEONGTAEK, South Korea, Feb. 18 (Yonhap) -- Braving subzero temperatures, 10 South Korean Army cadets slogged through this week's U.S.-led field training designed to gear them up for an annual international military academy contest slated for April.
The three-day training at Camp Humphreys, a sprawling U.S. base in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, centered on honing their warrior capabilities in the runup to the Sandhurst Military Skills Competition at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York.
But for the trainees, it also offered a rare foretaste of the unity -- a pivotal element that has glued South Korea and the United States together in their alliance forged during the 1950-53 Korean War.
The 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-US Combined Division, a unique unit emblematic of the alliance, trained the cadets through Thursday under a resonant rallying cry: "Second to None, Fight Tonight." ROK stands for South Korea's official name, Republic of Korea.
"It took some time to get the hang of different rules and stuff here, but U.S. instructors and other officers have been forthcoming and helpful," Jang Su-hae, a freshman at the Korea Military Academy (KMA), said on the last day of the training open to the media. "I think this experience has had a positive effect on us in light of the South Korea-U.S. alliance."
Jang and nine other cadets were selected through last year's stiff intramural competition to get KMA tickets for the Sandhurst competition, an annual event involving military academies from more than a dozen countries, including South Korea, Britain, Brazil and Denmark.
Launched in 1967, the competition took its name from Britain's Royal Military Academy Sandhurst that presented the U.S. academy with a British officer's sword to use as the prize for such a contest, according to the West Point website. It tests military proficiency, leadership and team cohesion to name a few.
South Korean cadets have joined it since 2013 as part of efforts to strengthen military diplomacy and build capabilities to conduct combined operations with their future U.S. colleagues. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the KMA did not partake in 2020 and last year.
This week, the cadets went through an array of challenging sessions on water survival capabilities, combat casualty care, radio communication, and the assembling and dissembling of U.S. guns, as well as a "confidence course" testing their mettle through such events as scaling a rope tower.
For Jeon Seong-wan, a KMA junior, the preparations for the Sandhurst competition appeared to be a daunting yet thrilling opportunity to attain his goal of becoming a soldier fulfilling "any missions under any circumstances."
"I learned about the competition before entering the KMA. I have thought that the contest's criteria mesh with my military ideals," he said.
Throughout Thursday's outdoor session, Jeon and his fellow cadets remained focused despite physical challenges in an unfamiliar training setting and not least the mercury having dipped to minus 10 C in this seaside U.S. installation.
"Yes, there were difficulties during the training, but we have to overcome them with our enthusiasm that has driven us to digest all this within the short period of time," Jeon said.
The cadets' instructors belonged to the South Korea-U.S. combined division launched in 2015 in a unique force configuration highlighting the two countries' shared commitment to their security partnership.
The launch of the only such unit in the U.S. military came as Seoul and Washington sought to reinforce their treaty alliance in the face of a nuclear-ambitious North Korea and an assertive China.
Among the most demanding sessions was the "Humvee competition," in which two teams of cadets pushed and pulled the switched-off armored vehicle to test their capability to handle an emergency scenario like the sudden breakdown of a Humvee.
"All the way through the second line and keep it steady," Msg. Dimas Magundayao shouted as the cadets were pushing the Humvee in a makeshift training site near a parking lot brimming with military vehicles.
The medical training session simulating the process to treat battle injuries and call in an evacuation chopper did not seem to be too much of a challenge as it involved a relatively common set of procedures.
"When you pack it, hold it for two to three minutes because you want to make sure bleeding stops," Staff Sgt. Braum Mohler told cadets. "Once it stops, then you do the pressure dressing and maintain that."
U.S. military officials anticipated that the training at the U.S. base would offer the cadets a sense of how South Korean and American troops work together under the close-knit alliance system.
Under the system, allied forces have jointly mapped out deterrence and war plans, conducted regular exercises based on those plans and engaged in a series of combined security operations.
"The benefit is that they get to see firsthand in terms of how we operate so that when they go out to the field, they know what's expected of them in terms of the relationship between the U.S. and South Korea," Chief Warrant Officer 3 Eric Bermudez said.
The last-day training session concluded with the cadets and officials of the combined division chanting the unit's gung-ho slogan, "Fight Tonight."
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
V/R
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow
Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Phone: 202-573-8647
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
FDD is a Washington-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
