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Quotes of the Day:
"Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
“No matter what anyone says, just show up and do the work. If they praise you, show up and do the work. If they criticize you, show up and do the work. If no one even notices you, just show up and do the work. Just keep showing up, doing the work, and leading the way.”
- Jon Gordon
"I would rather have questions that cannot be answered than answers that cannot be questioned."
- Richard Feynman, Physicist
1. Special Forces chief in Korea on preparing to fight the mystery that is North Korea
2. If Yoon moved Americans, he can do Koreans
3. N. Korea hands down “shoot on sight” orders to personnel guarding train tracks near border
4. Hanwha Systems wins US$34.5 mln deal to supply combat system to Philippine Navy
5. North Korea Hacks South Korea’s National Election Commission
6. South Korea debates ‘no-kid’ zones and what it means for moms
7. U.S. will continue working with Korea, Japan to maintain rule of order: State Dept.
8. S. Korea, Japan hold working-level meeting on Seoul's Fukushima inspection
9. 'Patience, diplomatic skill' necessary in Korea-Japan talks about Fukushima visit: U.S. amb.
10. Caught in China-US rivalry, South Korea is tempted by military nuclear capacity
11. South Korea rules out conscription of women, longer periods of military service
12. Half of North Korean missile program funded by cyberattacks and crypto theft, White House says
13. S. Korea, Britain sign letter of intent to establish strategic development partnership
14. Meet N Korea’s ‘crown princess’ and possible heir to Kim Jong Un
1. Special Forces chief in Korea on preparing to fight the mystery that is North Korea
An interview with the Commander of SOCKOR. (I reinforce his important points at the end of the article).
Special Forces chief in Korea on preparing to fight the mystery that is North Korea
washingtontimes.com · by Ben Wolfgang
This photo provided by the North Korean government shows what it says is a ballistic missile in North Pyongan Province, North Korea, on March 19, 2023. North Korea says its ballistic missile launch over the weekend simulated a nuclear attack … more >
Newsmaker
TAMPA, Fla. — The U.S. military routinely prepares contingency plans for virtually every possible conflict, including a surprise Chinese attack on Taiwan and a sudden conflagration in the Middle East, Africa or elsewhere.
War-gaming a theoretical clash with North Korea is no easy task. The regime has sealed itself off from outside penetration so successfully that even the top uniformed U.S. commanders acknowledge that they have major knowledge gaps about Pyongyang’s capabilities, its battlefield doctrines and its soldiers’ willingness to fight.
“It’s a literal black hole,” said Maj. Gen. Michael E. Martin, the head of U.S. Special Operations Command-Korea, which would play a vital role if a shooting war breaks out on the tense, long-divided Korean Peninsula.
In an interview with The Washington Times, Gen. Martin offered a blunt take on whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s military could inflict significant damage on the U.S. and its ally South Korea in the event of a major conflict.
North Korea’s nuclear weapons are another volatile variable. Washington and its partners have insights into Pyongyang’s nuclear program, but some of the North’s other capabilities remain mysterious.
“I don’t know, but I have to treat them as they are,” Gen. Martin said when asked whether the North Korean military is competent and capable by traditional standards. “We have to. Because if we don’t and we’re dismissive, we could undershoot the target if we ever get told it’s game time. We have to play that they can communicate amongst themselves, they do have mission-type orders, they do — potentially, not all militaries do this — empower at lower levels. I can’t tell you for sure, [but] I can’t discount it.”
Gen. Martin spoke with The Times on the sidelines of the Special Operations Forces conference, one of the world’s largest gatherings of military leaders, defense contractors and other players in the high-stakes special operations universe.
He said he and his forces must prepare to fight a North Korean military machine much stronger and better organized than it might be. That includes making educated guesses about what Pyongyang might bring to the battlefield. Intelligence from South Korea and other regional partners gives a window.
The 2023 Global Firepower ranking, which considers more than 60 factors, including manpower, financial resources and logistical capabilities, has rated North Korea’s military 34th out of 145 countries. The U.S. military was ranked first and South Korea sixth in the private survey.
Gen. Martin said commanders in recent U.S. military history have fought without full information about the enemy.
“For example, with the Taliban, we could make an educated assumption that they had SA-7s,” he said, referring to the surface-to-air missiles that a single militant can carry on his shoulder. “If you’re going to infiltrate forces early on, whether it be rotary or fixed-wing [aircraft], you do have to account for that threat. That’s no different than in North Korea. My assumption is they have something similar, SA-7s or something even more lethal.
“I don’t know if they have full battalions or half-battalions. It’s too hard to know,” he said of the North Korean military. “So you plan for full battalions that you’re going to face.”
‘Arrogance kills’
By the numbers alone, the North Korean military is one of the world’s most formidable. Its force has about 1.2 million personnel, according to estimates by the Council on Foreign Relations, and has a nuclear arsenal and a robust ballistic missile program. Pyongyang has launched more than 100 missile tests since 2022.
In a launch last year, a missile traveled over Japan and caused short-lived panic.
Pyongyang hasn’t tested a nuclear weapon since 2017, though its nuclear program remains the biggest wild card in any hypothetical clash.
In the event of a collapse of the North Korean regime, U.S. military personnel would play a central part in securing Pyongyang’s nuclear stockpile. Army forces, in concert with South Korean partners, would likely take the lead in securing strategically important nuclear sites, and U.S. special operations forces may be tasked with identifying and locating North Korean figures in positions of influence in the event of a power vacuum, officials said.
Many are expecting a destabilizing nuclear test by Pyongyang. Diplomatic contacts between Washington and Pyongyang evaporated after President Trump attempted to negotiate a sweeping denuclearization deal with Mr. Kim in 2018 and 2019.
The three extraordinary face-to-face meetings between the two leaders ultimately failed to produce an agreement to end North Korea’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from crushing economic sanctions. The Biden administration’s goal is to resume diplomatic engagement with the reclusive nation to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. Little progress has been made over the past two years, and tensions remain high.
Those tensions were at the top of the agenda last month when South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol visited Mr. Biden in Washington. The two nations also announced an upgraded joint nuclear deterrence plan, which includes the impending docking of a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine in South Korea for the first time in 40 years.
For all the U.S. and South Korean planning and preparation, specialists agree with Gen. Martin that many unknowns remain about how the North Korean military would fight.
The Kim regime’s trademark over-the-top rhetoric when faced with challenges from the U.S. and its allies offers few clues to what the North Korean military is capable of and how it would react if it felt the future of the regime is in danger. State-controlled media in Pyongyang repeatedly stress the unity of the military and the people, highlighting the army’s role in building houses, clearing roads and organizing disaster relief for civilians.
“All the miracles and achievements brought about one after another in the country in recent years are the products born of kindred affection between the people and the service personnel and the great army-people unity,” Naenara, the official web portal of the North Korean government, said in a typical commentary.
David Maxwell, a senior fellow at the think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the North Korean armed forces emphasize loyalty to Mr. Kim above all else, including traditional command-and-control structures or empowering leaders at lower levels.
“While we believe this is a recipe for failure in any military, we just can’t know for sure how the troops will perform when North Korea launches an attack,” he said. “And we have to be careful of mirror imaging or projecting our knowledge and beliefs on the enemy. I personally do believe that the North Korean system is doomed to failure, but I am not willing to bet on it. And I agree with the idea that we must prepare for the worst case.
“We need to be cautious and properly prepare our military. Arrogance kills,” Mr. Maxwell said. “I would rather assume a relatively capable [North Korean military] and be proved wrong rather than assuming an easy war that could lead to catastrophic results.”
As North Korea pours more and more money into its military while its citizens face food shortages and a strangled economy, the toll of human suffering is immense, Gen. Martin said.
“How do you have this rogue nation that continues to advance high-end weapons programs, who has self-imposed a blockade, and still keeps moving forward at the expense of their people? It defies any kind of understanding for me,” he told The Times. “It breaks your heart. From what I know, it breaks my heart.”
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
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washingtontimes.com · by Ben Wolfgang
2. If Yoon moved Americans, he can do Koreans
The sad irony is that I believe Yoon has a higher approval rating in the US and Biden has a higher approval rating in Korea.
I do give great credit to President Yoon's speechwriters. His speech to congress was perfectly constructed for the target audience.
Excerpt::
What made Yoon stand out as an orator was a sense of humor and timing. He joked, “BTS beat me to the White House, but I beat them to the Capitol Hill.” He brought representatives of Texas and Georgia to their feet as he mentioned Korean investments in the states. Although they could have been pre-orchestrated, Yoon pulled them off nicely and casually. His confidence under any kind of circumstances could be a great asset on the diplomatic stage.
Thursday
May 11, 2023
dictionary + A - A
If Yoon moved Americans, he can do Koreans
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/05/11/opinion/columns/Yoon-Suk-Yeol-speech-address/20230511202639263.html
Seo Seung-wook
The author is an editorial writer of the JoongAng Ilbo.
“Our alliance is an alliance of universal values. Freedom, human rights, and democracy are the very foundation of our bonds,” President Yoon Suk Yeol pronounced as he wrapped up his 43-minute speech to the joint session of the U.S. Congress in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Korea-U.S. alliance on April 27. Yoon’s eloquent English address that drew 23 rounds of standing ovations and roaring applause wowed both Korean and American audiences. Oh Seong-sik, one of the first-generation English instructors, praised his fluency in English and speech delivery, assessing Yoon’s English skills as “beyond” his imaginations. A retired diplomat who dealt with North Korean and American issues for 38 years confessed that Yoon is better than him in pronunciation and speech.
What made Yoon stand out as an orator was a sense of humor and timing. He joked, “BTS beat me to the White House, but I beat them to the Capitol Hill.” He brought representatives of Texas and Georgia to their feet as he mentioned Korean investments in the states. Although they could have been pre-orchestrated, Yoon pulled them off nicely and casually. His confidence under any kind of circumstances could be a great asset on the diplomatic stage.
President Yoon Suk Yeol waves to members of the House of Representatives and the Senate after finishing a 43-minute speech in English at the U.S. Congress on April 27. [NEWS1]
A video clip uploaded by CBS on YouTube showing a 92-year war veteran thanking Yoon for remembering and honoring their commitment to defend South Korea during the Korean War and the president responding back with sincere appreciation drew over 160,000 views. The presidential office said it has received warm responses from American citizens. Lawmakers and the Washington community were not merely impressed by Yoon’s English pronunciation and stage performance. Pundits were more impressed by how Yoon saw through the past and present of America.
“A new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal … For 234 years, the Congress has been the symbol of freedom and democracy … Korea will never forget the great American heroes who fought with us to defend freedom …Today, our democracy is at risk. Democracy is a community’s political decision-making system to protect freedom and human rights … We have for so long protected democracy and the rule of law with our blood and sweat. We must work together and fight the forces of falsehood and deception that seeks to destroy democracy and the rule of law … Together with the U.S., Korea will play the role as a ‘compass for freedom.’”
The U.S.’s traditional values — freedom, equality, democracy and the rule of law — have been impaired throughout the Donald Trump presidency. The indictment of Trump has upended the U.S. political legacy of solving conflict through negotiations and compromise instead of revenge. The Ideological divide also has deepened. The visitor from the Far East has reminded the true American values Americans themselves have forgotten or neglected. Americans have come to see their faces they were once proud of through the mirror of the Korea-U.S. alliance. The freedom the president often spoke of may sound all too familiar to Koreans, but can touch Americans. The Japanese media, including Yomiuri Shimbun, pointed out that President Yoon mentioned the word “freedom” more than 40 times in his speech. Yoon succeeded in delivering a big picture through his address on the podium of the Congress.
Koreans are as fatigued as Americans by the extreme polarization in politics, hostility, and ideological conflict. If Yoon could move Americans, he surely can win the hearts of his people. As the president celebrated his first year in office, he must restart with the commitment to earn the faith of the people.
3. N. Korea hands down “shoot on sight” orders to personnel guarding train tracks near border
The draconian population and resources control measures continue.
N. Korea hands down “shoot on sight” orders to personnel guarding train tracks near border
The shoot on sight orders suggest that North Korean authorities remain wary of the possibility that freight trains can bring COVID-19 into the country
dailynk.com
FILE PHOTO: A sentry post on the Sino-North Korean border in Sakju County, North Pyongan Province. (Daily NK)
North Korean authorities have recently handed down orders to personnel in North Pyongan Province guarding train tracks used by freight trains to carry goods from China to “shoot on sight” anyone infiltrating locked down areas.
Daily NK recently acquired a document entitled “On Additions and Revisions to the Base 24 Operational Guidelines,” which was handed down to officials on May 8. The “Base 24” mentioned in the document refers to North Pyongan Province’s Uiju Quarantine Facility, which conducts quarantine inspections and decontaminates imported goods.
A section of the document entitled “Guidelines for Behavior for the Area Between the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge and Sinuiju Chongnyon Station” instructs guards at the Sinuiju Chongnyon Station to “intensify security at checkpoints where necessary and to shoot on sight anyone engaging in smuggling, illegal border crossings [defections], or otherwise illegally entering or exiting locked down border areas.”
According to the document, one hour before freight trains enter North Korea from China, the authorities must completely lock down areas within a 50 meter radius of a zone stretching from the entrance of the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge to Sinuiju Chongnyon Station. Officials have been given permission to shoot on sight anyone entering this zone without permission.
The UN’s “Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials” states that law enforcement officials are required to use the least force necessary to enforce the law and to give both adequate warning and time to comply with warnings before using force. If officials use force, they are compelled to seek to minimize bodily injury and ensure immediate medical care to those affected.
The North Korean government’s directive to shoot trespassers on sight appears to be at odds with international norms established by the UN.
North Korea remains wary of COVID-19
The shoot on sight orders also suggest that North Korean authorities remain wary of the possibility that freight trains can bring COVID-19 into the country.
A section of the document entitled “Guidelines for Behavior Pertaining to the Departure from Sinuiju Chongnyon Station and Arrival at Base 24” instructs personnel to “shoot on sight anyone who enters areas where a ban on movement has been implemented to accommodate the passage of freight trains carrying imported goods.”
In the document, the authorities also order officials to shoot on sight anyone who enters areas where a ban on movement has been implemented to accommodate the passage of freight trains heading to Base 24 after completing their first round of quarantine at Sinuiju Chongnyon Station.
The document offers no precise definition about areas where a ban on movement has been implemented, but based on other areas of the document, these areas appear to be anywhere “within 30 meters of the fences along the train tracks.”
The document further instructs officials to mercilessly shoot on sight anyone who approaches Base 24.
A section of the document entitled “Organization of the Base 24 Security and Lockdown Operation and Guidelines for Behavior” states that when trains are operating, officials should “shoot on sight anyone who enters within 30 meters of the fences along the train tracks, anyone who destroys the fencing or enters the area surrounding the train tracks, or anyone who boards the trains and steals imported goods.”
The document also states that when trains are not in operation, officials should “immediately fire warning shots at and subdue anyone attempting to approach areas where a ban on movement has been implemented” and that they should “unhesitatingly shoot to kill if the individual[s] fail to comply.”
Translated by Rose Adams. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Daily NK works with a network of reporting partners who live inside North Korea and China. Their identities remain anonymous due to security concerns. More information about Daily NK’s reporting partner network and information gathering activities can be found on our FAQ page here.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Read in Korean
dailynk.com
4. Hanwha Systems wins US$34.5 mln deal to supply combat system to Philippine Navy
The arsenal of democracy.
Hanwha Systems wins US$34.5 mln deal to supply combat system to Philippine Navy | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 김승연 · May 12, 2023
SEOUL, May 12 (Yonhap) -- Hanwha Systems Co., the defense and ICT unit of South Korea's Hanwha Group, said Friday it has won a US$34.5 million contract to supply its combat management system (CMS) to the Philippine Navy.
Hanwha's indigenous combat system will be installed in six 2,400-ton offshore patrol vessels, in a deal valued at $29.5 million, the Seoul-based company said in a release.
The contract also includes the export of the standard digital communications system, known as the tactical data link, worth $5 million.
A CMS works as the brain of a vessel and is designed to integrate all equipment, like sensors, weapons and communications systems, into one single system to help counter threats more efficiently during combat.
The latest deal raised to 13 the number of Philippine naval ships that are and will be equipped with Hanwha's CMS.
Hanwha Systems has bagged several CMS supply deals from the Philippine Navy since 2017, including the contracts for two patrol combat corvettes and five frigates.
Hanwha Systems said it plans to participate in the Philippine Navy's project aimed at modernizing its vessels.
This photo, provided by Hanwha Systems Co. on May 12, 2023, shows a Jose Rizal-class frigate of the Philippine Navy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 김승연 · May 12, 2023
5. North Korea Hacks South Korea’s National Election Commission
Home > Election Fraud / Elections / Hacking / National Security
North Korea Hacks South Korea’s National Election Commission
https://eastasiaresearch.org/2023/05/11/north-korea-hacks-south-koreas-national-election-commission/
PUBLISHED DATEMAY 11, 2023
LAST MODIFIED DATEMAY 11, 2023
2023-5-11, Tara O
South Korea’s National Election Commission (중앙선거관리위원회) has been cyber attacked 8 times in the past 2 years, 7 of which are believed to have been conducted by “Lazarus Group” a hacking organization which is linked to North Korea’s General Reconnaissance Bureau (북한 정찰 총국). Lazarus Group gained notoriety after its hacking of Sony Pictures in 2014 in the U.S. after the studio produced a satire movie about Kim Jong-un, again in 2016 for stealing $81 million after it cyber attacked Bangladesh’s central bank, and again in 2017 for infecting Windows computers with its WannaCry ransomware, encrypting files so the owners cannot access them, and then demanding ransom payment in Bitcoin to decrypt the files.
On April 18, 2023, South Korea’s National police said Lazarus Group had spread malicious code to 207 computers in 61 government institutions since November 2022. One of the institutions hacked was the National Election Commission (NEC).
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) reached out to the NEC to inform them about the hacking, but the NEC did not reply. Without reviewing NEC’s systems, the NIS could not determine the extent of the hacking penetration or devise security measures. South Korea’s Ministry of Public Administration and Security (행정안전부) and the National Intelligence Service each recommended that the NEC receive security consulting, but strangely, the NEC refused.
In late March 2023, the NIS contacted the NEC to offer to conduct a security audit of NEC’s IT system, but the election commission refused assistance, stating “it is not a legal obligation” and “there is political controversy.” The NEC also rejected the alternative of receiving a security audit while the governing election commission officials are present.
On May 3, 2023, when asked about the hacking, a NEC official claimed the NEC completely blocked all attempted hacking by email, stating, “Hacking e-mail attempts have been detected, but all of them have been blocked by our own control system 24 hours a day.” The NEC did not mention other types of hacking.
The NEC official also denied being notified of the cyber attacks, stating “We have not been notified of North Korea’s hacking by the NIS.” The official made it clear that it did not want any other government agency to review its IT system, citing its “independence as a constitutional organ” and a potential for “political controversy.” Many netizens found this claim absurd, as reflected in some of the comments below.
It turned out that the NEC’s claim that it was not notified by the NIS regarding the cyber attacks was false. Yoo Sang-beom (유상범), People Power Party, held a hearing on March 4, 2023 at the National Assembly. In response to Assemblyman Yoo’s questions, the NIS representative said, “In the past two years, through 8 emails & phone calls, the NIS notified the NEC about cyber attacks such as hacking emails and malware infections, 7 of which were attacks from North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau, and [the NIS] sent information necessary for countermeasures, such as the date and time of the attacks, IP address, etc.” and provided further details contained in the notifications.
The NEC official also claimed that it is impossible to hack the electronic vote counting machines that the NEC uses for elections in Korea. The South Korean company that makes the electronic voting and vote-counting machines used in Korea exports the machines to other countries, and the exports of these machines are promoted by the National Election Commission.
When asked about the hacking attempts on the Korean-made electronic voting machines used in Iraq, the NEC official said “Although the equipment is made by the same company, the Iraqi equipment can transmit information, while the voting equipment used by the NEC cannot transmit information, so there is no possibility of a hacking attempt.”
The NEC official’s claim that the voting equipment used in Korea is not able to transmit information is also false. NEC chose a wifi company that uses Huawei equipment to provide internet and wifi to voting sites for handling the pre-vote ballots, which is unsecure. The voting equipment also has multiple USB ports, which means it has the capability for connectivity with thumb drives, phone cables, keyboards, or computer mice for transmitting and receiving information.
The National Election Commission refused audit or review by any other government agencies in the past. On August 12, 2022, the NEC refused to provide information to or be audited by the Board of Audit and Inspection (which audits other government agencies), stating “since the Election Commission is an independent body under the Constitution, it is difficult to be subject to the auditor’s inspection.” The NEC is a government agency funded by taxpayers, and as such the citizens have the right to ensure that their funds are used properly by the NEC.
On March 3, 2023, members of the People Power Party’s Executive Committee issued a statement stating, “The irresponsible behavior of the National Election Commission, which is neglecting to take measures against a serious threat from North Korea, is absolutely unacceptable.”
In addition, various veterans’ groups representing veterans from the ROK Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines have issued a statement on May 11, 2023, calling for investigating the National Election Commission. Separately, rallies were held in the Gwacheon complex (government office building complex, which includes the National Election Commission headquarters) on May 11, 2023 to denounce the NEC and to call for investigating the NEC for threatening national security (for refusing to have its hacked system reviewed). The civic group plans to sue the NEC for dereliction of duty, according to former lawmaker Min Kyung-wook.
The below are partial online comments (1, 2, 3, 4) in response to the news of the NEC refusing to have the auditors or the NIS review its IT system after the hackings, including the cyber attacks by North Korea. The public mistrust of the NEC is palpable.
- They must be investigated and punished.
- After the results of the April 15 [2020] general election counting, allegations of election fraud were strongly raised, but neither the Supreme Court nor the Election Commission showed a clear explanation or ruling on the matter. Seeing the NIS notification that North Korea hacked the National Election Commission, and that North Korea could have manipulated the results of the vote counting through hacking regardless of the actual votes, there is a strong suspicion that there are people within the NEC, who sympathize with or aid [North Korea]. This needs to be uncovered.
- This is…a serious anti-state act that should be clearly investigated and severely punished. Since the NIS does not have investigative powers anyway [after the end of this year], the prosecutor’s office should investigate immediately~~~ After that, return the authority to investigate anti-state acts to the NIS~
- With such a National Election Commission, the election is meaningless. It is a grave crime that is manipulated at will regardless of the will of the citizens. The evil people who sabotage liberal democracy must be destroyed.
- In many countries in Europe, such as France and Germany, they emphasize the principle of manual counting of votes, and in nearby Taiwan, on-site manual counting is held at polling stations on the same day. This is because they know the harmful effects of electronic voting [and electronic vote counting], which is easy to hack and manipulate, and to prevent those harmful effects. In recent years, in countries in Africa and South America, election fraud has been a problem due to electronic counting, resulting in large-scale protests close to revolution and punishment of those involved. For the sake of fairness in voting, electronic voting and early voting should be abolished and changed to voting and counting the votes on the same day. In addition, if the NEC’s computer network was hacked as reported, the problem should be revealed through a thorough security audit and investigation and the public should be informed of the truth.
- The National Election Commission sign should be replaced with the National Election Manipulation Commission and hung or dismantled. It is a completely useless organization that only causes harm.
- National Election Commission Chairman, who is appointed by a spy
- It makes me suspect that the chairman of the National Election Commission, a leftist political judge, opened the NEC server to North Korea, so that North Korea could easily manipulate the election results in next year’s general elections. The NIS’ security capability is the best in the Republic of Korea. Such a competent security office at the NIS notified the NEC of the North’s hacking and offered to look [at the system]. [The NECs] refusal of the proposal to inspect [the hacked system] can only be seen as the NEC’s attempt to allow North Korea to manipulate the election results collected in each constituency on the server in next year’s general elections. Prosecutors and the NIS will have to investigate the chairman of the NEC. It should also consider transferring the NEC to the Prime Minister’s Office. The power of the NEC, the Anti-corruption and Civil Rights Commission (권익위), and the Korea Communications Commission (방통위) has become too large.
- The current NEC needs to be dismantled. The Democratic Party of Korea took control of it and now it colludes with North Korea? What good is voting? It would be ruined by manipulation!!! I don’t trust them. Either have another organization to monitor the National Election Commission at the time of counting votes, or disband it and have the Ministry of Administration and Safety manage it or create another organization.
- Ah, the secret of 180 seats [the 3/5 majority for the Democratic Party of Korea from the April 15, 2020 elections; the 3/5 majority enables the Party to singlehandedly, without any other party’s support, pass any law it wants, except the Constitution]. If their seats exceed 100 next year, it would be the result of North Korea’s manipulation.
- Don’t waste taxpayers’ money, just fire them all
- Under these circumstances, can the citizens believe the election results announced by the National Election Commission in the future? This incident is a case of concealing a fraudulent election and finally festering~
- Are they afraid that election fraud will be discovered?
- The NEC must be thoroughly investigated.
- The NEC should be audited by the Board of Auditors and investigated by the prosecutors.
- NEC is pathetic. Viewing the [sophisticated] hacking by the North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau as simple hacking. What a backward mindset. It’s lamentable.
- If the NEC weren’t a group of liars, I don’t think they would go to lengths to avoid being investigated and audited.
- The National Election Commission reigns over the country. Yoon Seok-yeol should immediately order an investigation into election fraud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- What is the NEC, which is supposed to value neutrality and fairness, afraid of, avoiding inspection???? How many crimes have they committed….. Give the maximum sentence for bringing chaos to the state….. I hope they will thoroughly investigate….. Those who oppose should be sent to jail as the criminal ringleaders…. Let’s create a fair world.
- The sovereignty of the citizens and the future of the country are at stake. Investigate the NEC!!!
Categories:Election FraudElectionsHackingNational Security
Tags:LazarusNational Election Commission
6. South Korea debates ‘no-kid’ zones and what it means for moms
Oh no.
Excerpts:
In South Korea, which has the lowest fertility rate in the world, this is especially relevant. Hyeyoung Woo, a sociologist who studies families at Portland State University, said by email that no-kid zones started popping up in South Korea about a decade ago, in the context of social media reports of inappropriate behavior by parents at restaurants, like leaving diapers out and letting children run around.
But what these zones really reflect is “persisting gendered expectations toward child rearing,” Woo says, by reinforcing “the notion that women should take care of children at home.” Limiting children from public spaces, she added, “further stresses the challenges of parenting” and discourages people from having children.
Woo also attributes the uptick in restrictions to a society that she says is “less accepting” of those who are not perceived as “normal,” making life difficult for parents and children, as well as minorities and those with disabilities.
Is it discrimination if you can’t bring your kids to a restaurant?
The Washington Post · by Kelsey Ables · May 12, 2023
SEOUL — The first time South Korean lawmaker Yong Hye-in, 33, ventured out of her home after having her son in 2021, she was struggling with postpartum depression, and her husband wanted to cheer her up with a stroll. But when Yong’s family tried to walk into a nearby cafe, they were turned away. It was a “no-kid zone.”
Yong was in tears after being refused entry. “It felt like society didn’t want people like me,” she said in a phone interview. “It hurt.”
South Korea has around 500 no-kid zones — not including spaces where children are normally barred, like bars and nightclubs — according to an estimate from the Jeju Research Institute, a think tank. Last week, while holding her now 23-month-old son, Yong stood at a podium inside the national legislature building and pledged to render these policies illegal.
On Jeju Island, a popular tourist destination, the local council will vote this month on an ordinance that discourages businesses from having child-free zones.
The restrictions on youngsters are not limited to Korea. Policies at restaurants and cafes have sparked debate in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and elsewhere. Several airlines, including Japan Airlines, Malaysian Airlines and IndiGo in India, have created options for passengers to choose seats away from young children or babies. Some libraries and museums also place minimum-age restrictions on visitors.
These policies are met with a mix of anger and praise. Supporters say business owners have a right to control their atmosphere. Opponents say they stigmatize children and deny them the basic right to exist in public space. The debate gets at wider questions about who is responsible for caring for — and at times, tolerating — the next generation.
Birthrates have been on a steady decline globally over the past 70 years, reshaping demographics and public life. Heike Schanzel, a professor of hospitality and tourism at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, told The Post that children are seen as a “a lifestyle choice” rather than part of a healthy society. This, she says, drives divisions that “need to be carefully managed as allowing more no-kid zones could only further aggravate fewer families who decide to have children.”
In South Korea, which has the lowest fertility rate in the world, this is especially relevant. Hyeyoung Woo, a sociologist who studies families at Portland State University, said by email that no-kid zones started popping up in South Korea about a decade ago, in the context of social media reports of inappropriate behavior by parents at restaurants, like leaving diapers out and letting children run around.
But what these zones really reflect is “persisting gendered expectations toward child rearing,” Woo says, by reinforcing “the notion that women should take care of children at home.” Limiting children from public spaces, she added, “further stresses the challenges of parenting” and discourages people from having children.
Woo also attributes the uptick in restrictions to a society that she says is “less accepting” of those who are not perceived as “normal,” making life difficult for parents and children, as well as minorities and those with disabilities.
However, businesses with no-kid zones counter that they are offering parents a break and perhaps even making parenting more manageable.
The Old Barracks Roastery, a cafe in Ireland that prohibits children, says on its website they hope to give adults “me-time” during which they can “take a moment of mindfulness.”
Tim Ptak, a restaurant owner in Seattle whose brunch spot Hudson does not allow children, said in an email that they’ve received positive feedback. They have another restaurant that is “very family friendly,” and “the beauty of this system is that it allows space for everyone, those with families and those who prefer adults only,” he said.
Some parents have also gotten on board. After Nettie’s House of Spaghetti in New Jersey decided to prohibit visitors under age 10 in February, citing “crazy messes” and liabilities, one commenter, who identified herself as a mother, wrote that she loves the policy. “It’s like an escape plan,” she said.
Still, many feel there are better ways to manage public environments. Businesses could instead ban loud and disturbing behavior, John Wall, a professor of childhood studies at Rutgers University, told The Post. “A drunk adult shouting at his partner in a restaurant is much more disturbing than a crying toddler,” he said. When children are specifically targeted, it tells them “they are second-class citizens, unfit for social company,” Wall added.
Wall and other experts argue that such policies violate international human rights law, which prohibits discrimination based on general characteristics, including age. They don’t protect children but “protect a supposed right of adults not to have to associate with them,” Wall said.
Ann Marie Murnaghan, a professor who studies childhood at York University in Toronto, wrote in an email that no-kid areas are an instance of “childism” or “the prejudice against children, that asserts that 1/3 of humanity (children) are a problem for the other 2/3 (adults).”
For Amy Conley Wright, director of the Research Centre for Children and Families at the University of Sydney, no-kid zones break a fundamental intergenerational pact that says we care for those who come before and after us. In a phone interview, she called them “very shortsighted.”
“People forget that they were babies,” she said. “Do you think you weren’t screaming at one point?”
The Washington Post · by Kelsey Ables · May 12, 2023
7. U.S. will continue working with Korea, Japan to maintain rule of order: State Dept.
Friday
May 12, 2023
dictionary + A - A
U.S. will continue working with Korea, Japan to maintain rule of order: State Dept.
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/05/12/national/diplomacy/KoreaUSJapan-trilateral-cooperation-IndoPacific-security/20230512095902736.html
Special representatives for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs Kim Gunn, center, poses for a photo with his Japanese and American counterparts ahead of their trilateral meeting in Seoul on April 7. [YONHAP]
The United States will continue to work closely with its key allies, namely Korea and Japan, to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, a state department spokesperson said Thursday.
Vedant Patel, deputy spokesperson for the state department, made the remark when asked about possible Chinese retaliation against U.S. allies amid heightening competition between Washington and Beijing.
"We certainly are not going to preview or get ahead of any actions or destinations from here, but we will continue to work in lockstep with our allies and partners in the region and across the globe, including the Republic of Korea, and we will continue to take prudent steps that we believe are integral to peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world," the spokesperson told a daily press briefing, referring to Korea by its official name.
His remark comes amid concerns in Seoul that China may seek to economically retaliate against Korea for President Yoon Suk Yeol's recent state visit to the United States where he and U.S. President Joe Biden reached a historic agreement, dubbed the Washington Declaration, that allows increased frequency of deployment of U.S. strategic assets to and around the Korean Peninsula.
Patel suggested that the declaration may be part of the "prudent steps" that are integral to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
"The most recent state visit that the administration hosted, in which we hosted the Republic of Korea President Yoon, you saw a number of steps and active policies come out of that, including the Washington declaration," he said. "So we will continue to pursue those lines of efforts."
The department spokesperson also emphasized the importance of trilateral cooperation between the United States, Korea and Japan to counter potential economic coercion by China.
"There are of course benefits to working through these issues in a bilateral mechanism. There is of course benefit to working these issues trilaterally as well," said Patel when asked if the three countries should form an alliance to deal with potential retaliation by China.
"We have important, close partnerships with both the ROK and Japan. We also have important work to be done in trilateral auspices as well. The secretary has had the opportunity to engage his foreign minister counterparts, both in a bilateral setting, as well as trilaterally, and we will continue to do so," he added.
Yonhap
8. S. Korea, Japan hold working-level meeting on Seoul's Fukushima inspection
One of the points of friction that is not related to historical issues from 1910-1945.
(LEAD) S. Korea, Japan hold working-level meeting on Seoul's Fukushima inspection | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · May 12, 2023
(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in last 4 paras; ADDS photos)
SEOUL, May 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan held working-level consultations on Friday to discuss details of Seoul's inspection of Tokyo's plan to discharge contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant.
The director-general-level meeting was held at Seoul's foreign ministry, with the South Korean side headed by Yun Hyun-soo, head of the ministry's bureau for climate change, energy, environment and scientific affairs, and the Japanese side led by Atsushi Kaifu, director-general of the Japanese foreign ministry's disarmament, non-proliferation and science department.
The meeting was held to discuss details of the Seoul team's on-site inspection activities from May 23-24, as agreed upon during a summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sunday.
Park Ku-yeon, the first deputy chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, told a press briefing earlier in the day that the inspection team will comprise some 20 experts in safety regulation.
Atsushi Kaifu (2nd from L), director-general of the Japanese foreign ministry's disarmament, non-proliferation and science department, attends a meeting at Seoul's foreign ministry on May 12, 2023, to discuss details of the South Korean team's upcoming inspection of Tokyo's plan to discharge contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant later this month. (Yonhap)
The inspection comes amid concerns over possible health and environmental hazards from the release of more than 1 million tons of water from the wrecked plant.
The two countries appear to be at odds over the mission of the team. Seoul has said the inspection is aimed at checking the safety of the discharge process but Tokyo has suggested a limited scope for their activity.
Speaking at a press briefing earlier this week, Japanese Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said the inspection is intended to "help deepen understanding" about the safety of the release, not to evaluate or certify its safety.
The Fukushima plant has stored more than 1.3 million tons of water through a custom purification system known as the Advanced Liquid Processing System, since three reactors melted down after a powerful earthquake struck off the coast in March 2011.
In this file photo, officials at Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, speak to journalists at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on Feb. 2, 2023. (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · May 12, 2023
9. 'Patience, diplomatic skill' necessary in Korea-Japan talks about Fukushima visit: U.S. amb.
(LEAD) 'Patience, diplomatic skill' necessary in Korea-Japan talks about Fukushima visit: U.S. amb. | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 김현수 · May 12, 2023
(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPATES throughout with remarks from Q&A session)
By Kim Hyun-soo
SEOUL, May 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan should exercise "patience and diplomatic skill" during talks about details of a planned inspection visit by South Korean experts to Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg said Friday.
Goldberg made the remark during a Q&A session after a lecture at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, as South Korea and Japan opened a working-level meeting in Seoul to determine specifics of the inspection, stressing that the overall objective of such an inspection is to make bilateral relations better.
"So now there's a discussion between the foreign ministries about how exactly that will be carried out. And so again, it needs to be done with patience and diplomatic skill," Goldberg said.
"We believe that the overall objective, which is to create a better environment for relationship between two modern and democratic countries that share values, is hugely important for the security in the region and prosperity in the region," he said.
The inspection trip, set for May 23-24, is one of the outcomes from a recent summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and shows relations between the two countries are warming after years of fraying over the issue of wartime forced labor.
Still, there appears to be a gap between the sides over the nature of the inspection.
South Korea says the inspection is aimed at looking into whether Japan's treatment facilities are working properly, while Japan says the inspection is meant to "help deepen understanding" about the safety of the release, not to evaluate or certify its safety.
Goldberg's emphasis on patience and diplomatic skill could reflect concern about the gap.
U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg speaks during a lecture at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul on May 12, 2023. (Yonhap)
Relations between Seoul and Tokyo have warmed significantly since the Yoon administration offered in March to resolve a dispute over wartime forced labor by compensating the Korean victims without contributions from Japanese firms.
That led to the resumption of "shuttle diplomacy" of regular leader visits after 12 years.
Goldberg praised Yoon for making a "quite brave political move" to start mending ties with Japan.
"One of the things that has happened ... is that it has opened up more space for the kinds of projects, programs, military cooperation that will help secure both countries and that includes through trilateral cooperation with the United States," he said.
During the lecture, the ambassador called on South Korea to "keep speaking out" against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stressing the importance of the two allies working together on global issues.
"We need you to work with us to find solutions to the climate crisis. We need you to continue standing up for our shared democratic values, such as respect for human rights," Goldberg said. "And we need you to keep speaking out against atrocities, like Russia's war in Ukraine."
The ambassador also reaffirmed the U.S. security commitment to South Korea is firm.
"There should be no doubt that our commitment to the Republic of Korea's defense is ironclad, as it has been for the past 70 years," he said.
Goldberg denounced North Korea's destabilizing actions, such as missile launches, saying Pyongyang is using its scarce resources to develop weapons of mass destruction, rather than caring for its people.
Still, he said diplomacy is the "only viable way to achieve a safe and stable Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons."
The envoy also spoke at length about the recent summit between Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden, saying the two leaders "looked a lot like old college friends."
"To ensure we are ready to stand against any threat, our presidents announced a new forum to discuss the full range of our combined defensive capabilities, including nuclear, conventional and missile defense," he said, referring to the Washington Declaration adopted at the White House summit.
sookim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 김현수 · May 12, 2023
10. Caught in China-US rivalry, South Korea is tempted by military nuclear capacity
Excerpt:
The issue of nuclear development in South Korea – now a democracy – is resurfacing in the midst of a crisis on the peninsula and against a backdrop of tensions in East Asia. Dialogue is at a standstill with North Korea, which is firing missiles and getting closer to Moscow and Beijing. Indeed, the Chinese and North Koreans have strongly criticized the Washington Declaration.
Caught in China-US rivalry, South Korea is tempted by military nuclear capacity
At the end of April, South Korea and the United States signed the Washington Declaration on nuclear weapons. But Seoul remains concerned about the threat posed by its northern neighbor.
Published yesterday at 5:00 pm (Paris) Time to3 min. Lire en français
Le Monde · by Philippe Mesmer Tokyo (Japan) correspondent
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on November 5, 2021. KIM HONG-JI / AFP
Organized with great fanfare for the 70th anniversary of the security alliance between Washington and Seoul, conservative South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's late April visit to the United States could not dispel mutual distrust over military nuclear capacity. South Korea is concerned about its deteriorating security environment, North Korean nuclear development and tensions between the Chinese, Russians and Americans. It hoped that Washington would agree to deploy nuclear weapons on its soil for deterrence purposes, or even let it develop its own arsenal.
The Washington Declaration signed by Yoon and US President Joe Biden calls for the creation of a Nuclear Consultative Group to help coordinate the deployment of US nuclear-capable submarines, aircraft carriers and other bombers. The goal is to allow South Korea to better understand the American notion of "extended deterrence" protecting it.
The initiative resembles the NATO framework currently in place. However, it differs in that it does not include the nuclear sharing that Seoul wants. And in exchange for the creation of the Nuclear Consultative Group, Yoon has committed to abide by the obligations of the non-proliferation treaty and the US-South Korea nuclear energy agreement. In other words, Seoul will renounce developing a nuclear arsenal.
"Mr. Yoon's and Mr. Biden's positions are not reassuring," wrote the conservative South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo. They are "the product of mutual distrust between South Korea and the United States," added Lee Je-hun, an analyst for the center-left newspaper Hankyoreh.
The failure of rapprochement
This is a long-standing mistrust. In the 1970s, the US, fearing an arms race, blocked the attempts of authoritarian president Park Chung-hee (1961-1979) to launch a nuclear development program. Park feared being abandoned by the American ally in the wake of the rapprochement between Washington and Beijing and the withdrawal from Vietnam – where South Korean forces had fought at the request of the US. At the same time, the US Congress was increasingly critical of Seoul's disastrous human rights record.
The issue of nuclear development in South Korea – now a democracy – is resurfacing in the midst of a crisis on the peninsula and against a backdrop of tensions in East Asia. Dialogue is at a standstill with North Korea, which is firing missiles and getting closer to Moscow and Beijing. Indeed, the Chinese and North Koreans have strongly criticized the Washington Declaration.
Le Monde · by Philippe Mesmer Tokyo (Japan) correspondent
11.South Korea rules out conscription of women, longer periods of military service
South Korea must build a highly capable reserve force to mitigate the demographic challenge.
South Korea rules out conscription of women, longer periods of military service
The Korea Times · May 12, 2023
By Nam Hyun-woo
gettyimagesbank
Korea's Ministry of National Defense on Friday said that it ruled out the possibility of conscripting women for the country's mandatory military service, extending the current service period or abolishing alternative services. The media was informed about the decision via a text message.
The statement came a day after the ideas were proposed during a forum hosted by ruling People Power Party Rep. Shin Won-sik, the Military Manpower Administration and a former military generals' association.
"If the current system of military force management continues, not only will the chronic shortage of personnel worsen, but it will also become increasingly difficult to maintain the target of maintaining approximately 365,000 soldiers in the Army by 2025," Cho Kwan-ho, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, said during the forum. "From a long-term perspective, the mandatory service period should be extended to 21 months or 24 months from the current 18 months."
In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged over 19 are required to serve in the military. Active duty enlisted personnel serve 18 months in the Army or Marine Corps, 20 months in the Navy and 21 months in the Air Force. Women are allowed to join the armed forces, but their service is voluntary.
The number of 20-year-old men in South Korea stood at 250,000 this year, but the number is anticipated to decline to 180,000 in 2037, triggering concerns about military manpower shortages.
Lee Han-ho, head of the Korea Retired Generals and Admirals Association, said "The current approach of reducing the military manpower based on a predetermined principle of an 18-month service period is nothing short of a grave neglect of our national security readiness," and "the country should seriously consider extending the service period to two years or longer."
"In the past, the country's birthrate surpassed 6 births per woman, but now it remains at 0.78, so there is no reason to not enforce conscription to women … Amending the related laws to enable women's conscription is a due assignment that should be considered," Lee said.
Women's conscription has long been a sensitive issue in South Korea, and it became a subject of heated debates in recent elections, as politicians, mostly conservatives, raised voices over the enlistment of women in an apparent effort to win support from men in their 20s.
Globally, there are only 10 countries that conscript both men and women, of which Sweden and Norway conscript both sexes on the same conditions. Countries including Israel, Myanmar, Libya and North Korea conscript women but allow different service periods and exemptions.
The Korea Times · May 12, 2023
12. Half of North Korean missile program funded by cyberattacks and crypto theft, White House says
The value of the all purpose sword.
Half of North Korean missile program funded by cyberattacks and crypto theft, White House says | CNN Politics
CNN · by Sean Lyngaas · May 10, 2023
Washington CNN —
About half of North Korea’s missile program has been funded by cyberattacks and cryptocurrency theft, a White House official said Tuesday.
A sweeping US federal government effort is ongoing to understand how “a country like [North Korea] is so darn creative in this space,” Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, said at an event hosted by the nonprofit Special Competitive Studies Project.
US intelligence agencies are working to identify North Korean operatives and the Treasury is tracing stolen cryptocurrency, Neuberger said, adding that the Biden administration is “putting a lot of time and thought” into the problem.
It’s an estimate that suggests hacking and cybercrime are key to the North Korean regime’s survival. Neuberger’s comments come amid heightened international concern over Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear weapons program. A new intercontinental ballistic missile that North Korea tested in April could allow the regime to launch long-range nuclear strikes more quickly, CNN previously reported.
The Justice Department last month charged a North Korean man with an elaborate money laundering scheme that tapped employees of US cryptocurrency firms to help fund the North Korean regime.
At a public event last July, Neuberger said that the North Koreans “use cyber to gain, we estimate, up to a third of their funds to fund their missile program.” A spokesperson for Neuberger told CNN on Wednesday that the updated figure she cited this week was accurate. That suggests that the issue has, if anything, only grown in importance in the months since.
North Korean hackers have stolen billions of dollars from banks and cryptocurrency firms over the last several years, providing a key source of revenue for the regime, according to reports from the United Nations and private firms. US officials have long suspected that at least some of that money has been fueling Pyongyang’s weapons development but have rarely spoken publicly in detail about the issue.
A recent CNN investigation found a rampant effort by North Korean hackers to steal cryptocurrency and launder it into hard cash that might help fund dictator Kim Jong Un’s weapons programs. Another CNN investigation identified one cryptocurrency entrepreneur who said his firm had unwittingly sent a North Korean IT worker tens of thousands of dollars.
Such North Korean cyber activity is part of regular intelligence products presented to senior US officials, sometimes including President Joe Biden, a senior US official previously told CNN.
CNN · by Sean Lyngaas · May 10, 2023
13. S. Korea, Britain sign letter of intent to establish strategic development partnership
More from the Global Pivotal State.
S. Korea, Britain sign letter of intent to establish strategic development partnership | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 장동우 · May 12, 2023
SEOUL, May 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Britain on Friday signed a letter of intent (LOI) to establish a bilateral strategic development partnership, Seoul's foreign ministry said.
The LOI was signed by Seoul's Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon, First Vice Finance Minister Bang Ki-sun and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Britain's minister of state for the Indo-Pacific, at the ministry in Seoul.
The letter calls for the establishment of a bilateral strategic development partnership in the Indo-Pacific based on shared values of freedom, democracy, rule of law and human rights.
The two sides also agreed to explore joint cooperation measures with a focus on the areas of digital, climate, environment, public health, private sector collaboration and women, according to the ministry.
Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon (R), First Vice Finance Minister Bang Ki-sun (C) and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Britain's minister of state for the Indo-Pacific, pose for photos at Seoul's foreign ministry on May 12, 2023, after signing a letter of intent to establish a bilateral strategic development partnership between South Korea and Britain. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 장동우 · May 12, 2023
14. Meet N Korea’s ‘crown princess’ and possible heir to Kim Jong Un
Meet N Korea’s ‘crown princess’ and possible heir to Kim Jong Un
Al Jazeera English · by Kevin Doyle
There is nothing arbitrary in how North Korea presents itself to the outside world, or to its own people.
North Korean propaganda is so manicured that analysts monitor its output for the smallest adjustments to national narratives seeking insights into the machinations of one of the world’s most secluded, nuclear-armed states.
Those analysts went into overdrive late last year when one of North Korea’s biggest non-nuclear secrets was revealed: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter, believed to be about 10 years old.
Some considered the public presentation of Kim Ju Ae – who has featured extensively in photographs and video footage from the state’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) – as the first steps in a potential succession plan by her father.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, his wife Ri Sol Ju, left, and their daughter Kim Ju Ae, centre, attend a banquet to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Korean People’s Army in Pyongyang, North Korea, in February 2023 [File: KCNA via Reuters]
Others view her appearance as something more mundane: An attempt by Kim to leverage his image as a family man to shore up support when the North Korean economy is faltering and he is spending lavishly on a ballistic missile programme and developing nuclear capabilities.
While the timing of Ju Ae’s public debut is still being debated, the photogenic youngest is now the closest Pyongyang has to a “crown princess”, says one expert.
‘Crown princess’
Author of “North Korea before Kim Il Sung”, Seoul-based historian and leading North Korea scholar Fyodor Tertitskiy believes the revealing of Ju Ae’s existence was designed to send different messages – one for an international audience and the other for the North Korean public.
The timing of the daughter’s introduction and place of unveiling was also highly symbolic, appearing hand-in-hand with her father at the test launch of North Korea’s ballistic missiles in November.
“The main message is that [she is] sort of like a symbol of power because the first time she appeared was near missiles, and missiles are probably the biggest symbol of North Korea’s military,” Tertitskiy told Al Jazeera.
“The idea is, look how stable we are. No one can attack us because we have these missiles … and our system can last for another generation,” said Tertitskiy, who compared Ju Ae to a “crown princess” – a presumptive heir to her father’s kingdom.
Kim Jong Un and Ju Ae inspect an intercontinental ballistic missile in this undated photo released on November 19, 2022 by KCNA [File: KCNA via Reuters]
But Tertitskiy believes that the daughter has yet to be anointed as Kim’s successor. Although North Korea’s reputation for secrecy is almost bottomless, hiding a “full-blown succession campaign” would be near to impossible – even in Pyongyang, he says.
Kim appears to be considering his daughter as a future successor, but he has not made up his mind yet. Revealing his daughter now might be a way to test elite opinion in North Korea – a nation whose Politburo membership is almost entirely made up of men.
While Kim is an “entrenched autocrat” and could “theoretically” appoint anyone as his successor, there are still risks if Kim chooses poorly.
“Whoever he puts, they will be unanimously endorsed. But if his success is very unpopular … the regime might not survive. And I guess that’s what might be concerning for him,” Tertitskiy said.
South Korea’s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), reported in March that Ju Ae was home-schooled and she enjoyed horse riding, skiing and swimming. The service also believed that Kim had not yet anointed her as heir, pointing out his young age – 39, although her growing public profile appeared to emphasise that succession would be a Kim family affair, South Korean media reported.
Kim Jong Un and Ju Ae watch a missile drill at an undisclosed location in this image released by North Korea’s Central News Agency in March 2023 [File: KCNA via Reuters]
Ju Ae is believed to have an elder brother – possibly with a disability – and a younger sibling whose gender is not known, the NIS reported.
According to Tertitskiy, Kim may be waiting for opinions to surreptitiously seep back regarding his daughter, and based on that unofficial feedback “it’s possible that he’ll make a final decision based on what he hears”.
What appears unusual is that Kim is still relatively young and yet he seems concerned with who will continue the Kim family line, he said.
“It’s quite early for him to be concerned” about succession.
Missiles, the military, and Ju Ae
There is a theme to the young girl’s public appearances and the propaganda generated, notes Rachel Minyoung Lee, a former North Korea analyst for almost two decades with the US Central Intelligence Agency’s Open Source Enterprise.
Ju Ae has appeared primarily at military events and alongside the country’s ballistic weapons arsenal, including the fearsome Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), said Lee, who is now a non-resident fellow at the 38 North programme with the Stimson Center think tank in Washington, DC.
Those appearances convey the “powerful message” that “continued weapons development is essential for the security of future generations”, Lee says.
“At the reception on the army founding day, also attended by the daughter, Kim Jong Un gave a speech where he emphasised the importance of having a powerful military ‘generation after generation’, again emphasising the security of future generations,” Lee told Al Jazeera.
“We may view her other two appearances – touring a missile facility and watching the military parade – in the same vein.”
Kim Jong Un and his daughter attend a photo session with the scientists, engineers, military officials and others involved in the test-launch of the fearsome Hwasong-17 ICBM in this photo from November 2022 [File: KCNA via Reuters]
(Al Jazeera)
For Lee, more evidence is necessary to view Ju Ae’s appearances as signalling a succession plan. More likely, the father has unveiled the daughter for his own propaganda benefits as the current leader, rather than for Ju Ae’s benefit as a possible future successor.
“North Korean television showed the daughter laughing with her father and stroking his face. No North Korean will see those images and think of her as the next in line to the Kim family throne. In short, I believe the photos and videos of the daughter were part of the Kim Jong Un leadership propaganda, not the daughter’s propaganda,” Lee says.
For more than a decade, North Korean propaganda has focused on Kim’s “pragmatism and realistic leadership” style, portraying him as a good family man, and a fatherly figure. In short “a normal human being” to which “the people can relate”, she says. Public displays of affection between Kim and his daughter reinforce those themes. Yet the wider political and economic context needs to be considered to better understand Ju Ae’s entrance onto the political stage now, Lee says.
Kim Jong Un and Ju Ae inspect the National Aerospace Development Administration at an undisclosed location in North Korea in this photo released in April 2023 [Stringer/KCNA via KNS/AFP]
‘All efforts on the economy’
North Korea has shifted quietly in the past few years from what Lee describes as a policy of “all efforts on the economy” to the prioritising of national defence.
Kim’s diversion of scarce resources to spending on North Korea’s military has occurred despite a deteriorating economic situation in the country.
In March, South Korea said Pyongyang appeared to be dealing with a “grave” food situation.
The Stimson Center’s 38 North also said the country’s 2020-21 harvest had “probably failed to satisfy minimum human needs” and that “food availability has likely fallen below the bare minimum with regard to human needs, and on one metric, is at its worst since the country’s famine in the 1990s”.
Extreme weather and border closures with China due to the COVID-19 pandemic had hit the country’s food sector. Food insecurity is not uncommon in North Korea where a devastating famine in the 1990s is believed to have led to the deaths of almost a quarter of a million people, according to conservative estimates. Some say 3.5 million people might have died.
With Kim’s promises to improve the economic conditions of his people going unfulfilled, he is probably looking for a new propaganda strategy to improve his image while spending on weapons, when in fact it is agriculture that needs booster rockets.
“What could be more persuasive and powerful than to mobilise the supreme leader’s daughter to represent future generations?” Lee asked.
Can Ju Ae’s posing with her father and flanked by military generals and missiles really take North Koreans’ minds off their material problems? Does propaganda work that way?
Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae attend a test launch of a new solid-fuel Hwasong-18 ICBM at an undisclosed location in this still image from a video released on April 14, 2023 [File: KCNA via Reuters]
Propaganda in North Korea is quite unlike anywhere else, says the University of Auckland’s Ethan Plaut, an expert on media and communications who has taught courses on political propaganda.
North Korea is probably unique in the amount of propaganda produced, coupled with the lack of alternative information due to suppression of almost all other media, a feat which few – if any – authoritarian regimes have achieved, Plaut tells Al Jazeera.
“Looking at North Korea, we’re really talking about decades-long combination of very strict censorship combined with a kind of flood of propaganda media,” Plaut said.
“So I think that it is in some ways really quite different from what we experienced in a lot of the rest of the world.”
Though Ju Ae’s role might be primarily a propaganda prop for her father as he moves ahead with costly military spending, Seoul-based historian Tertitskiy says that being a model father fits comfortably “within the norms of the North Korean ideology”.
The Kims as hereditary rulers have been hailed as the Great Fathers of North Korea’s people, and the apparent affection between Kim and his daughter may not simply be a highly-refined propaganda image.
Tertitskiy says it is quite possible that there is a genuine closeness between the daughter and her father – the absolute ruler of one of the world’s harshest dictatorships.
“Kim Jong Un, at least, he projects an image of a very loyal husband to his wife … and now also as a good father,” Tertitskiy said.
“The best … we can say about this man is that he loves his family.”
Al Jazeera English · by Kevin Doyle
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
| 
