Quotes of the Day:
"Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory."
- George S. Patton
"My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth."
- Abraham Lincoln
"The shallow consider liberty a release from all law, from every constraint. The wise man sees in it, on the contrary, the potent Law of Laws."
- Walt Whitman
1. Biden Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: March (KOREA)
2. Human rights crises in N. Korea and others require international attention: Blinken
3. Presidential candidates condemn Russia, vow support for Ukraine during meetings with Kyiv envoy
4. External pressure alone will not denuclearize N. Korea: former USFK chief
5. N.K. ambassador to U.N. denounces U.S. over Russia's Ukraine invasion
6. South Korea risks becoming ‘Ukraine of Asia’ in event of conflict, presidential candidate says
7. S.Korea's Reluctance over Russia Sanctions Damages U.S. Alliance
8. Biden remains silent on N. Korea amid Russian invasion of Ukraine
9. Korean citizens pitch in to help support Ukraine
10. Seoul turns hawkish toward Pyeongyang amid pressure for Russia sanctions
11. Belated, lukewarm move
12. Two Koreas clash over Ukraine crisis at UN
13. South Pyongan Province mines recently scrambled to send coal to Nampo Port
14. North Korea conducts sweeping ideological reviews of important party and state officials
15. Daughter of high-ranking N. Korean cadre executed for watching and distributing S. Korean videos
1. Biden Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: March (KOREA)
Korea
By David Maxwell
Previous Trend: Negative
North Korea was relatively quiet in most of February, with no missile tests — after seven in January — until February 27. It is possible Pyongyang did not conduct tests due to the Beijing Olympics in order to placate China. It is likely the regime remains focused on severe internal problems ranging from food insecurity to COVID mitigation measures. Pyongyang claims the latest ballistic missile test is to support a future reconnaissance satellite. The regime may be signaling it intends to conduct another ICBM test, its first since November 2017.
Former South Korean military leaders severely criticized the incumbent Moon administration in an inflammatory article that included allegations of seeking to dismantle the United Nations Command (a long-time North Korean objective), weakening the ROK/U.S. military exercise program, hastily relocating U.S. military forces for political purposes, and rushing to transition operational control.
ROK presidential elections will take place March 9. The race is very close between the two leading candidates, conservative Yoon Suk-yeol and liberal Lee Jae-myung. The third major candidate, Ahn Cheol-soo, could be a spoiler in the manner of Ross Perot in the 1992 U.S. presidential election. Ahn rejected a merger offer from Yoon.
Both Yoon and Lee published articles in Foreign Affairs in February. Yoon outlined a foreign policy and national security strategy that aligns very well with American priorities, and he described a more expansive role for South Korea in Asia and beyond. Lee outlined a policy that emphasizes growth at home and South Korean leadership in Asia, and builds on the current ruling party policies.
2. Human rights crises in N. Korea and others require international attention: Blinken
Human rights is a moral imperative and a national security issue.
We should never forget that there are 25 million Koreans in the north who are suffering on a scale that has not been matched for the past 70 years.
A human rights upfront approach and an influence campaign are existential threats to the Kim family regime.
Human rights crises in N. Korea and others require international attention: Blinken | Yonhap News Agency
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, March 1 (Yonhap) -- Human rights crises in countries such as North Korea demand the United Nations and its member states' efforts to address them, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday while urging the international community to condemn what he called Russia's unlawful and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
"Even as we focus on the crisis in Ukraine, it is far from the only part of the world where the council's attention is needed," Blinken said in a virtual meeting with the U.N. Human Rights Council.
"The human rights crises in Burma, Cuba, the DPRK, Iran, Nicaragua, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen, among others, also demand this council's ongoing attention," he added, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The U.S. regularly calls out what it calls "egregious" human rights violations in North Korea.
Washington named the North Korean regime as one of 11 governments with a policy or pattern of human trafficking in its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, released in July 2021.
North Korea was also designated one of only 10 state violators of religious freedom in November.
(END)
3. Presidential candidates condemn Russia, vow support for Ukraine during meetings with Kyiv envoy
(3rd LD) Presidential candidates condemn Russia, vow support for Ukraine during meetings with Kyiv envoy | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with Yoon's meeting in paras 4-7; ADDS new photo; CORRECTS typos in lead para)
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's two main presidential candidates on Wednesday condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and vowed to work for its peace during their respective meetings with Ukraine's top envoy to Seoul.
Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party (DP) and Ambassador-designate Dmytro Ponomarenko met over a video conference and discussed Russia's attack on Ukraine and South Korea's response to the crisis, according to the DP.
"The Lee Jae-myung government will work for peace and the swift withdrawal of Russian troops," Lee was quoted as saying by his party. "Russia's attack on Ukraine cannot be justified by any reason."
Ponomarenko thanked Lee for his support and called for the international community's response, including South Korea, to punish Russia's war criminals.
Later in the day, Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative opposition People Power Party (PPP) had an in-person meeting with Ponomarenko at the party's headquarters.
He emphasized his and South Korea's strong support for Ukraine's fight against Russia and vowed to join the international sanctions against Moscow.
"It is reasonable that many free nations in the world, including South Korea, have condemned the Russian invasion, which definitely violates the international laws, and are participating in the sanctions," said Yoon.
During the meeting, he gave Ponomarenko a letter and a financial donation for Ukraine's people in a personal capacity, according to the PPP.
The crisis in Ukraine has emerged as a key topic in South Korea's presidential race.
Lee came under fire for saying during a TV debate last week that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took power as a novice politician and "provoked" Russia with a decision to join NATO.
Yoon's campaign, meanwhile, shared a photo on Tuesday of a tangerine made to look like an angry face alongside a caption expressing solidarity with Ukraine, but took the post down later amid criticism it was making light of the war.
Ponomarenko has been an active presence on Twitter, sharing news of the latest developments regarding the Ukraine crisis.
(END)
4. External pressure alone will not denuclearize N. Korea: former USFK chief
External pressure alone will not denuclearize N. Korea: former USFK chief | Yonhap News Agency
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, March 1 (Yonhap) -- External pressure alone will not be enough to convince North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to give up his nuclear ambitions, a former head of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said Tuesday, stressing the need for what he called an internal pressure to change.
Retired Gen. Walter Sharp also pointed to the need for South Korea and the U.S. to work with China to rid North Korea of its nuclear weapons.
"I personally believe that there's no amount of external pressure that is going to force Kim Jong-un to get rid of his nuclear weapons," the former USFK commander said in a webinar hosted by the Washington Times Foundation. Sharp served as USFK commander from 2008 to 2011.
"I think the only way that has any potential is to create both external pressure and internal pressure, and that will require information getting into North Korea," he added.
The U.S. says it will seek a calibrated, practical approach toward North Korea, which many believe will include a willingness to make incremental concessions to North Korea, such as sanctions relief, in exchange for North Korean steps toward denuclearization.
Pyongyang, however, remains unresponsive to U.S. outreach for dialogue. Denuclearization talks between the U.S. and North Korea were last held in late 2019.
Washington sought to impose additional U.N. Security Council sanctions on North Korea after the recalcitrant state staged seven rounds of missile tests in January, the largest number of missile tests it conducted in a single month.
The U.S. move at the U.N. Security Council was blocked by China and Russia -- both veto power-wielding permanent members of the council and close partners of North Korea.
The former USFK commander stressed the importance of China's cooperation to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.
"It will require discussions with China about how reunified, denuclearized (Korean) peninsula is in China's national interest, much more so than where it is right now," said Sharp.
He also noted the North, even without its nuclear weapons, would pose a great threat to South Korea, adding it has the "largest artillery force in the world, many of them positioned within range of Seoul."
Sharp said that U.S.-South Korean combined forces would still be able to stop North Korea should the North ever invade the South.
"I am very confident that the South Korean military and the U.S. and all those that would come to fight, we would be able to stop North Korea from taking Seoul. I'm confident in that," he said.
"But I also unfortunately believe that if a full scale attack like that took place, the number of casualties in the city of 28 million, which the greater Seoul metropolitan area is, would be horrific," added Sharp.
(END)
5. N.K. ambassador to U.N. denounces U.S. over Russia's Ukraine invasion
N.K. ambassador to U.N. denounces U.S. over Russia's Ukraine invasion | Yonhap News Agency
NEW YORK/SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song blamed the United States for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying Washington's "hegemonic policy" is threatening the peace and security of other sovereign states.
Kim made the remarks at an emergency session of the U.N. General Assembly held in New York on Tuesday (New York time), as dozens of other speakers urged Russia to stop its military attacks on Ukraine.
"The U.S. and the West, in defiance of Russia's reasonable and just demand to provide it with legal guarantee for security, have systematically undermined the security environment of Europe by becoming more blatant in their attempts to deploy attack weapon systems while pursuing NATO's eastward expansion," Kim said.
The comments came as Washington is rallying allies and partners to impose "devastating costs" on Russia, including its isolation from global financial and trade systems to hold Moscow accountable for the invasion.
At the U.N. session, the chief of the South Korean mission to the U.N., Amb. Cho Hyun termed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine a "war of choice" by Russia, and vowed his country will provide additional humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine.
(END)
6. South Korea risks becoming ‘Ukraine of Asia’ in event of conflict, presidential candidate says
Interesting analogy or comparison.
The lesson for South Korea is to protect, sustain, and harden its democracy against north Korean and Chinese subversion. South Korean democracy is a threat to the Kim family regime which is why Kim and his allies are working so hard to muzzle it (e.g., anti-leaflet law) and subvert it.
South Korea risks becoming ‘Ukraine of Asia’ in event of conflict, presidential candidate says
South Korean presidential candidate and National Assembly lawmaker Sim Sang-jung attends a meeting of Justice Party officials in South Korea, Dec. 27, 2021. (Justice Party of South Korea)
South Korea could become “the Ukraine of Asia” in the event of conflict between its ally the United States and its neighbor China, the progressive candidate for South Korean president said during a recent televised debate.
Sim Sang-jung, a National Assembly lawmaker and a former leader of the minority Justice Party, explained her vision for South Korea’s foreign policy on Friday as Russia continued its invasion of Ukraine. Sim and three other candidates are competing in the election March 9.
In her remarks, Sim compared South Korea’s relationships with China and the United States to the ongoing instability in Eastern Europe. Seoul’s relations with Beijing are experiencing a “breakdown,” and talk by other candidates of bolstering South Korea’s weapons programs may cause “considerable tension on the Korean Peninsula,” Sim said during the debate.
“We should learn from what happened in Ukraine now,” she said. "So, to speak, we can be the Ukraine of Asia when some strategic balance in northeast Asia collapses.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Russian armed forces into neighboring Ukraine on Thursday. South Korea is among the many nations that have condemned the invasion.
South Korea’s government also joined international sanctions against Moscow, and the Foreign Ministry on Monday announced an export ban on strategic items, including semiconductors and aerospace equipment.
China, one of the biggest trading partners for South Korea and Ukraine, has stopped short of condemning Putin’s invasion and instead urged all sides to negotiate. China also abstained from voting on a U.N. Security Council draft resolution condemning the invasion. The resolution was sunk by Russia’s veto Saturday.
“It is important to reject the Cold War mentality, take seriously and respect the reasonable security concerns of all countries and reach a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism through negotiation,” China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement Friday.
China “has long held the basic position of respecting all countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity and abiding by the purposes and principles of the U.N. charter,” the statement said.
President Joe Biden’s administration actively supports Kyiv. The U.S. enacted broad sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs, urged European allies to impose their own restrictions against Moscow and approved an additional $350 million in military aid “for immediate support to Ukraine’s defense,” according to a State Department press release Saturday.
South Korea’s precarious position between China and the U.S. has been a talking point among the leading presidential candidates in the election cycle.
Yoon Seok-youl, a front-runner and the conservative People Power Party’s nominee, in recent debates and public speeches has defended the U.S.-South Korea alliance. Yoon advocated for deploying another U.S.-made missile-defense battery in South Korea, a notion criticized by other candidates for its foreign policy implications for China.
Lee Jae-myung, another front-runner and the ruling Democratic Party’s candidate, has broadly called for negotiations between all nations and raised concerns about the economic risk to South Korea in taking sides between China and the United States.
7. S.Korea's Reluctance over Russia Sanctions Damages U.S. Alliance
It damages South Korea's reputation as a great middle power. It needs to step up not because of the ROK/US alliance but because it is the right thing to do. It must step up on international security affairs and it can no longer try to walk tightropes and thread needles between authoritarian powers and the democracies of the world. If it is a democracy (which I believe it is and will be despite threats) , it must act in concert with the community of democracies. It has to take sides and it cannot leave itself behind during what is likely to be a historical inflection point in the history of democracies.
S.Korea's Reluctance over Russia Sanctions Damages U.S. Alliance
South Korea has been pointedly left out of a list of 32 countries that are exempt from new U.S. licensing requirements for goods that use American technology, a curb aimed at punishing Russia for invading Ukraine. The U.S. Department of Commerce requires companies to obtain approval before exporting semiconductors, computers and communication, laser and sensor equipment to Russia that could be diverted for military purposes. The 27 EU member nations, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the U.K., which announced similar sanctions against Russia, are exempt from the curb because the U.S. trusts them to refrain from exporting strategic materials to Russia. But South Korea has been excluded from that waiver, which essentially means that the country has been classified as untrustworthy despite its 70-year alliance with the U.S.
The U.S. had good reason to do that. South Korea was the only U.S. ally that dragged its heels in announcing sanctions against Russia. Shortly after Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, President Moon Jae-in pledged to "take part in efforts by the international community, including sanctions." But he hesitated to implement separate sanctions, provoking a barrage of criticism from the U.S. political establishment. Now the government here belatedly decided to ban dealings with certain Russian banks and block exports of strategic materials to Russia.
The government was afraid of Russia's retaliation, but other U.S. allies probably had the same concerns yet were willing to take the risk in order to join the international response.
South Korea was saved by the U.S. and 16 other UN nations when it was invaded by North Korea and was able to prosper based on that alliance, which is a promise to risk lives for mutual protection. Such a relationship must be based on absolute trust. But the very foundation of its alliance with the U.S. has been weakened to the point that Seoul is no longer included among America's trusted allies. How can South Korea reach out to the U.S. for help but hesitate to help its strongest ally?
8. Biden remains silent on N. Korea amid Russian invasion of Ukraine
Let's step back and take a deep breath. north Korea cannot always be on the front burner. We should not interpret the lack of mention of north Korea as any kind of neglect. I know our Korea teams at State/DOOD/Treasury. and the IC are working the Korea problem hard. But Korea watchers (and the South Korea media) cannot expect that it will always be mentioned in every speech. There are a lot more pressing issues right now but we should be assured we are not neglecting the Korea problem.
Biden remains silent on N. Korea amid Russian invasion of Ukraine | Yonhap News Agency
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, March 1 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Joe Biden left out North Korea in his first State of the Union address on Tuesday that laid out various challenges facing his country, including the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. leader, however, thanked South Korea, along with dozens of other countries, for condemning what he called Russia's "unjustified" and "totally unprovoked" aggression on Ukraine.
"Along with twenty-seven members of the European Union including France, Germany, Italy, as well as countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and many others, even Switzerland, are inflicting pain on Russia and supporting the people of Ukraine," Biden said in his address, delivered in a joint session of U.S. Congress.
South Korea has agreed to suspend financial transactions with seven major Russian banks as part of the international efforts to hold Russia accountable for its invasion of Ukraine.
The chief of its U.N. mission, Ambassador Cho Hyun, also urged Russia to immediately withdraw its troops from Ukraine while addressing an emergency meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, held earlier Tuesday in New York.
Many had anticipated Biden to focus on the most urgent issues in his first State of the Union address since taking office in January 2021.
Still, the address comes after North Korea staged eight rounds of missile tests in just two months since the start of the year, which, according to the North, included two test launches of a new hypersonic glide vehicle and the firing of an intermediate-range ballistic missile.
The Biden administration, since taking office in January 2021, has repeatedly offered to meet with North Korea "without any preconditions."
Pyongyang remains unresponsive to U.S. outreach, and it has avoided denuclearization negotiations with the U.S. since late 2019.
The challenges facing the U.S. laid out by Biden included the U.S.' competition with China and climate change, as well as rising inflation at home.
(END)
9. Korean citizens pitch in to help support Ukraine
But the Korean government should follow the lead of citizens as it needs to do more. I believe Japan is providing from $200 million in aid while Korea is providing $10 million. And the ROKG should be sanctioning the Russians to defend democracy in Ukraine.
Tuesday
March 1, 2022
Korean citizens pitch in to help support Ukraine
The group "Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea" holds a press conference in front of Independence Gate in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine. [NEWS1]
The humanitarian crisis sparked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine has inspired an outpouring of charitable donations by Korean individuals to support the country's military and refugees fleeing the war.
The invasion of Ukraine by its much larger and stronger neighbor appears to have struck a chord with Koreans, who see historical parallels between the former Soviet republic and their own country.
“The situation in Ukraine is not irrelevant to Korea,” said Lee Hyun-seo (25), a college student who said he donated 100,000 won ($83) to the United Nations Refugee Agency after seeing posts on social media from friends who said they had donated to the Ukrainian cause. “Korea has a lot in common with [a country like] Ukraine, which suffers from security concerns between the major powers.”
Korean social media has been flooded with hundreds of posts within the past week announcing monetary support for the besieged country and its people fleeing war.
A 30-year-old office worker, who asked to be only identified by the surname Seo, told the JoongAng Ilbo that he donated 100,000 won to the Ukrainian Red Cross after seeing news reports of “innocent civilians being sacrificed for the greed of a superpower,” which he “couldn’t ignore.”
Ukraine’s Ambassador-Designate to Korea, Dmytro Ponomarenko, posted Tuesday on Twitter a photo and a translation of a letter written by actor Lee Young-ae, accompanied by a check for 100 million won, which he said Lee had donated in support of the country.
In the letter translation, the actor, who rose to international fame through the historical drama “Dae Jang Geum,” (2003) wrote, “As a family of veterans who have experienced through war, I sympathize with the horrors of the current situation.”
The actress also wrote that she prays for "everyone's well-being and safety," and encouraged “Ukrainian citizens who are calling for freedom and peace” to “not lose [their] courage and hope.”
Korean donations to humanitarian causes related to Ukraine were also conducted via cryptocurrencies, which some contributors said could be of more direct assistance than regular fiat transfers.
A 38-year-old office worker, who asked to be identified only by the surname Lee, said he donated an unspecified amount of Bitcoin into a cryptocurrency wallet address uploaded onto the Ukrainian government’s official Twitter account.
Cryptocurrency investors worldwide have donated more than $22 million in digital assets to the Ukrainian government and a nonprofit supporting the country’s military, according to data provided by the blockchain tracking firm Elliptic on Monday evening.
“I heard that if you donate through an international organization, a lot of money leaks out during the transfer process, so the actual amount delivered is not much. Cryptocurrency can be more useful than real assets in an emergency situation,” Lee said.
10. Seoul turns hawkish toward Pyeongyang amid pressure for Russia sanctions
Better late than never.
Seoul turns hawkish toward Pyeongyang amid pressure for Russia sanctions
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. for Special Political Affairs Jeff DeLaurentis, center, reads a joint statement of 11 U.N. member countries on North Korea's ballistic missile launch at the U.N. headquarters in New York, Monday (EST). On the right is South Korea's permanent representative to the U.N., Ambassador Cho Hyun. Screenshot from the U.N.'s YouTube channel
By Nam Hyun-woo
South Korea is taking a hawkish stance on North Korea, joining 10 other countries to condemn the Kim Jong-un regime's recent ballistic missile launch, while President Moon Jae-in is stressing the need for the South to gain more power to decide its future.
Some interpret the two related moves as the Moon government's decision to mitigate growing international concerns that South Korea remains passive about joining the coalition of the U.S. and other democracies to counter the aggressive tones of China, Russia and North Korea.
On Monday, 11 United Nations members, including South Korea and the U.S., released a joint statement condemning North Korea's medium-range ballistic missile launch on Sunday, after the U.N. Security Council held a meeting to discuss countermeasures.
The statement was read by U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. for Special Political Affairs Jeff DeLaurentis with Ambassador Cho Hyun, standing beside him on the podium.
It was South Korea's first participation in an international condemnation of North Korea's missile launches this year. Pyongyang has conducted eight rounds of missile tests so far this year, but Seoul had previously not joined international condemnation of the acts, in apparent consideration of President Moon's efforts to revive the peace mood between the two Koreas.
Seoul's participation in this joint statement bears more significance because it urges the North to abandon its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in "a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner." The South Korean government had been refraining from using such phrases.
An official at Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday that South Korea joined the statement after "a comprehensive consideration of the seriousness of North Korea's repeated missile launches," which is similar to its previous explanation of Seoul's absence in previous U.N. members' condemnations.
President Moon Jae-in speaks during a ceremony to commemorate the 103rd anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement at the National Memorial for the Provisional Korean Government in Seodaemun District, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
President Moon also made stronger remarks recently emphasizing South Korea's power.
In his speech for the 103rd anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement on Tuesday, Moon said, "The lesson that the spirit of the March 1 Independence Movement gives us today is that we should have the power to lead our history without being pushed around by an international order centered on powerful countries."
Although Moon added that "only dialogue can bring peace" on the Korean Peninsula, he also noted that "peace on the Korean Peninsula is a must for us to become stronger," showing a more hawkish stance compared to his previous remarks calling for the North to come out for talks using a low-key approach.
Experts said that this shift appears to be in line with the growing international pressure on South Korea's seemingly passive stance in joining the U.S.' and other countries' efforts to contain the aggressive tones of China, Russia and North Korea.
"While the U.S. and its allies are uniting against Russia, South Korea passively joined the others in (supporting the) sanctions," said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean Studies at Ewha Womans University. "Against this backdrop, if Seoul again opts out of the joint condemnation toward Pyongyang's missile launch, it may give the U.S. the wrong signal that South Korea is unwilling to join its efforts to counter actions harming international rules and order."
On Feb. 24, the U.S. announced the application of the Foreign Direct Product Rule (FDPR) on all of Russia as part of export controls due to the recent invasion of Ukraine. This rule requires companies to receive a license from the U.S. for tech-related items using U.S. technology that are shipped to Russia.
While announcing the FDPR, the U.S. exempted 32 countries, but South Korea was not included. Park interpreted this move as resulting from Seoul's passive stance in joining the U.S.-led sanctions campaign on Russia and North Korea.
South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo told reporters Wednesday, "We will make sure of our principle that South Korea will adopt measures substantially similar to those of the U.S. and its other allies' export curbs on Russia, and will draw out an agreement on Seoul's exemption from the FDPR."
On the other hand, Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said South Korea's participation in the latest joint statement against the North should be understood separately from the issue of Seoul's support of the sanctions on Russia.
"Apart from South Korea's coalition with other free democracies, North Korea has concentrated on missile launches this year, and went as far as lifting its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and ballistic missile tests," Yang said. "This alone can give enough grounds for President Moon and his administration to participate in the latest condemnation."
11. Belated, lukewarm move
South Korea must contribute to defending democracies.
Belated, lukewarm move
Korea should submit proactive retaliatory measures
The United States and its Western allies are stepping up their sanctions on Russia over its comprehensive invasion of Ukraine. In his first State of the Union address Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said he would ban Russian aircraft from U.S. airspace in retaliation for the aggression in Ukraine. "When dictators do not pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos."
In bids to further isolate Russia, the allies plan to provide Ukraine with weapons and medical goods and expel Russia from various sports events. Global efforts coupled with the strong resistance of the Ukrainians are certainly becoming increasingly frustrating challenges for Russia, who then doubled down by announcing their "nuclear threat," desperate to survive these recent military setbacks.
Despite such global efforts, the recent moves by the Moon Jae-in administration have been disappointing at large. Earlier, the Korean government said it would not join the envisioned sanctions on Russia, having become the only U.S. ally to do so. As Russia launched an invasion, it then belatedly expressed willingness to join the sanctions.
On Feb. 28, Korea announced a set of retaliatory measures, banning exports of strategic materials and joining the move to exclude Russia from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Communication (SWIFT). The government said it had had prior consultations with the U.S. before doing so. Yet, it has come under fire for its slowness in implementing the move, which apparently prompted the U.S. to exclude Korea from its priority list of 32 allies.
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced plans to prohibit shipments of high-tech items to Russia on Feb. 24, affecting companies from third countries as well as the U.S., if their products use U.S. technology and software. If these countries want to export them to Russia, they need to get prior approval from the U.S. in accordance with the revised Foreign Direct Product Rules (FDPR) regulation.
The U.S. noted it would not apply the revised rules on 32 nations such as the EU member states, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and Australia with the exception of Korea. The department cited countries which "have committed to implementing substantially similar export controls on Russia under their domestic laws are consequently excluded from certain requirements."
Major U.S. allies are displaying a tight and united alliance in sanctioning Russia. Germany did not permit opening the Nord Stream 2 gas line while Japan submitted additional sanctions regarding the curbing of exports of semiconductors and freezing assets in Russian financial institutes on Feb. 25. Yet, Korea failed to offer sanctions until Feb. 28.
"We are not sure why the U.S. did not include Korea in the list of nations excluded from the application of the revised FDPR," a foreign ministry official told The Korea Times. "But we see a high possibility (to be included)," he said. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo vowed to make maximum efforts to include Korea in the list of "priority" allies. Korea needs to offer its own retaliatory steps that meet international standards in a more proactive manner as a responsible member of the global community.
12. Two Koreas clash over Ukraine crisis at UN
The fundamental clash between north and South is ideological. It is an ideological war.
We should understand the words from the 8th Party Congress and consider the ideological war.
North Korea Strategy Reaffirmed by 8th Party Congress
- Political Warfare
- Subversion, coercion, extortion
- “Blackmail diplomacy” – the use of tension, threats, and provocations to gain political and economic concessions
- Example: Kim Yo-jong threats in June – ROK anti-leaflet law in December
- Negotiate to set conditions - not to denuclearize
- Set Conditions for unification (domination to complete the revolution)
- Split ROK/US alliance
- Reduce/weaken defense of the South
- Exploit regional powers (e.g, China and Russia)
- Economics by Juche ideology – the paradox of “reform”
- Illicit activities to generate funds for regime
- Deny human rights to ensure regime survival
- Continue to exploit COVID threat to suppress dissent and crack down on 400+ markets and foreign currency use
- Priority to military and nuclear programs
- For deterrence or domination?
Subversion
- The undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution.
-
As in: "the ruthless subversion of democracy"
- Ideological War – a choice between:
- Shared ROK/US Values
- Freedom and individual liberty, liberal democracy, free market economy, rule of law, and human rights
- Kim family regime (KFR) “values”
- Juche/Kimilsungism/now "KIMJONGUNISM," Socialist Workers Paradise, Songun, Songbun, Byungjin, and denial of human rights to sustain KFR power
- nK engages in political warfare and active subversion of the ROK
Political Warfare: Political warfare is the use of political means to compel an opponent to do one's will, based on hostile intent. The term political describes the calculated interaction between a government and a target audience to include another state's government, military, and/or general population. Governments use a variety of techniques to coerce certain actions, thereby gaining relative advantage over an opponent. The techniques include propaganda and psychological operations (PSYOP), which service national and military objectives respectively. Propaganda has many aspects and a hostile and coercive political purpose. Psychological operations are for strategic and tactical military objectives and may be intended for hostile military and civilian populations. Smith, Paul A., On Political War (Washington: National Defense University Press, 1989), p. 3. https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a233501.pdf
Two Koreas clash over Ukraine crisis at UN
Published : Mar 2, 2022 - 14:25 Updated : Mar 2, 2022 - 18:12
Cho Hyun, South Korean ambassador to the UN, addresses the UN General Assembly during an emergency meeting in New York on Tuesday, to discuss the crisis in Ukraine in this image captured from the website of the world body. (Yonhap)
Diplomats of South and North Korea clashed over differing views of the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the UN as delegates met for an emergency session to discuss a resolution condemning Moscow’s aggression.
Cho Hyun, the South Korean ambassador to the UN, strongly condemned “Russia’s armed invasion of Ukraine,” throwing support behind a UN General Assembly resolution that was set for a vote Wednesday, demanding Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine. On the contrary, North Korean Ambassador to the UN Kim Song sided with Russia, blaming the US and the West for their “hegemonic policy” and “high-handedness.”
The UN resolution, which requires two-thirds majority from the 193-member General Assembly, is largely expected to be adopted. Though the resolution is nonbinding, they do carry strong political weight in rebuking Russia on the world stage.
“We are gathered here today at one of the darkest times in recent history. My delegation joins the international community in strongly condemning Russia’s armed invasion of Ukraine,” said Cho at the emergency meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
Cho said “this war was a choice made by Russia,” which would not have taken place if Russia had “listened to the calls of the international community.”
“We condemn any act that seriously undermines the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of any member state,” he said. “My delegation is seriously concerned by the recent announcement by Russia to put the strategic deterrence forces on high alert. We urge Russia to refrain from further escalating the crisis and to seek a diplomatic solution.”
Cho said South Korea will further increase its humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, noting his country was the first country that the UN assisted in response to an act of aggression, under the “Uniting for Peace” resolution.
“My country still exists today because the peoples of the United Nations at the time stood up immediately to the crisis of the innocent lives that suffered for no reason of their own,” he said. “This is why we are expressing our solidarity towards Ukrainian people. This is why we still try to have hope in this system and the commitment of its member states to uphold the principles of the charter. And again this is why we must be resolutely united against this act of aggression.”
About an hour after Cho’s speech, North Korea’s Kim also spoke on stage, denouncing the US and the West for Russia’s aggression.
“The root cause of the Ukraine crisis totally relies on the hegemonic policy of the United States and the West, which indulge themselves in high-handedness and arbitrariness toward other countries,” said Kim.
The North Korean envoy accused the US and the West of “systematically undermining (the) security environment in Europe,” by ignoring Russia’s “reasonable demand” for legal guarantees for security, while becoming “more blatant” in their attempts to deploy attack weapons systems while pursuing NATO’s eastward expansion.
“We clearly remember how Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya’s sovereignty and territorial integrity were violated by the United States and the West in the past under the pretext of international peace and security,” he said.
Kim said peace would never arrive in the world at any time with the “unilateral and double-dealing policy of the US, which threatens peace and security of the sovereign state.”
13. South Pyongan Province mines recently scrambled to send coal to Nampo Port
It is all about foriegn currency for the Royal Court economy of the Kim family regime.
Excerpt:
In fact, in accordance with a Central Committee order last year to restart “state-led smuggling,” mines had already been busy shipping coal to Nampo from November 2021. In addition, mines were providing coal to enterprises for the winter along with private merchants who sell coal to individuals. Given all of this consumption, mines in the province have had little coal to spare.
South Pyongan Province mines recently scrambled to send coal to Nampo Port
North Korean authorities promoted the transport of coal to the port as an opportunity to earn foreign currency
2022.03.02 2:18pm
Kumya Youth Coal Mine in South Hamgyong Province. (Yonhap)
Mines in South Pyongan Province were recently involved in a scramble to send coal to Nampo Port, Daily NK has learned.
A source in the province told Daily NK last Friday that local coal mines were ordered to engage in a week-long campaign to earn foreign currency from Feb. 15. The campaign involved having mines in the province send more than 20 large cargo trucks filled with coal to Nampo, 10 vehicles at a time.
In handing down the order, North Korea’s leadership emphasized that “rational plans” had been discussed that would allow local authorities to fund mines and organizations in the province with the foreign currency earned by exporting coal from just 10 of the 20 trucks the mines could send to the port.
The source said the provincial trade bureau and provincial cadres rushed around anxiously, afraid they might miss this opportunity to earn such a considerable amount of foreign currency. However, many of the trucks sent to the port were almost empty as mines in the province have produced so little coal.
In fact, in accordance with a Central Committee order last year to restart “state-led smuggling,” mines had already been busy shipping coal to Nampo from November 2021. In addition, mines were providing coal to enterprises for the winter along with private merchants who sell coal to individuals. Given all of this consumption, mines in the province have had little coal to spare.
South Pyongan Province authorities, however, were loath to miss the opportunity to earn foreign currency, so they called on the mines to ship a certain amount of coal to Nampo no matter what, even encouraging them to borrow coal from other mines with more coal or by accepting help from mines in other provinces.
However, given that the campaign lasted only a week, the province also ordered that if the mines could not ship the set amount of coal, they should do so during the “next opportunity.”
The source said officials scrambled to take advantage of this opportunity because they believed there will be no more chances to earn a 50% cut of the foreign currency earned from the sale of coal, despite the fact that they expect that state-led efforts to earn foreign currency will continue.
The source noted that one vehicle can transport 15 tons of coal and that the mines did not have enough coal on hand to fill 20 trucks.
14. North Korea conducts sweeping ideological reviews of important party and state officials
It is all about the ideology. Nothing is more important to the regime than keeping the Koraen people in line with ideological indoctrination - from the elite to those with the lowest Songbun.
This may be a strong indicator of the internal problems of the regime.
North Korea conducts sweeping ideological reviews of important party and state officials
The authorities are stressing the need for “changing the party atmosphere of the last decade” and bringing “new energy in the party"
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a photo released by Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 13. (Rodong Sinmun-News1)
The Central Committee’s Organization and Guidance Department recently brought out the scythe, conducting sweeping ideological reviews and personnel changes of leading party and state officials at so-called “leadership achievement units.”
“Leadership achievement units” refer to units and groups that have followed North Korea’s three generations of top leaders around on on-the-spot guidance and on-the-spot inspection tours, recording their teachings and comments. Within North Korea, cadres who serve in such units are regarded as the “flag bearers” of the party, military and nation, and experience as a leading official in one of these units ensures favorable treatment and fast promotions.
Accordingly, the review indicates the authorities’ intention to verify the loyalty of cadres in these choice positions.
That the review was timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of Kim’s ascent to the top position in the party on Apr. 11 also suggests the move aims to create a new atmosphere within the party based on “Kim Jong Un’s revolutionary ideology.”
According to Daily NK sources in South Pyongan Province and Pyongyang on Thursday, the Central Committee issued an order for the review on Feb. 19.
More specifically, the order called for a general review of party and state officials in central government and province-level historical and leadership accomplishment units, focusing on their execution of party policy and other activities over the last 10 years. The order also called on the Organization and Guidance Department and Cadre Department to take charge of the review.
The situation on the ground changed rapidly after the order. The Organization and Guidance Department immediately dispatched ideological review personnel, who have reportedly been taking a fine-tooth comb to the abilities and records of leading officials at leadership accomplishment units across the country.
This has cadres on edge. They worry that the authorities may break the long-standing practice — never before altered — of setting no age limits for service as leading officials in leadership accomplishment units.
In fact, the authorities have basically been telegraphing a sweeping generational change, stressing the need for a “general review and changing the party atmosphere of the last decade” and for “new energy in the party.”
Because of this, some North Koreans wonder if Kim is using the 10th anniversary of his leadership to bring an end to “rule by the dying wishes” of his ancestors and to begin standing on his own in earnest.
The sources said leaders continuously stress that the “ideology of unitary leadership of Comrade Kim Jong Un alone” is “the new task of the age.” In order to accomplish this, it seems leaders believe they urgently need to bolster leadership accomplishment units and their cadres.
The authorities will conduct the review for about a month until Mar. 19. A sweeping reshuffle of personnel is expected to follow, according to the sources.
15. Daughter of high-ranking N. Korean cadre executed for watching and distributing S. Korean videos
Information is an existential threat to the regime.
But we should not be self deterred by the moral hazard some argue that we create by sending information into the north. Every escapee/refugee/defector I have spoken with says they know the risks and despite being caught multiple times and punished they still search out information from the outside world.
We need a comprehensive information and influence campaign.
Daughter of high-ranking N. Korean cadre executed for watching and distributing S. Korean videos
Though the lives of her father and other family members were spared, they were sent to a political prison camp
2022.03.01 1:46pm
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a photo released by Rodong Sinmun on Feb. 13. (Rodong Sinmun-News1)
The daughter of a high-ranking cadre has been publicly executed for watching and distributing South Korean films, soap operas, and entertainment programs. North Korea is apparently intensifying its “fear politics” based on a law to eradicate “reactionary thought and culture.”
According to a Daily NK source in South Pyongan Province on Friday, a young woman in her 20s identified as “A,” along with her boyfriend “B,” were publicly shot in Munhwa-dong, Pyongsong, in mid-January.
The woman was the daughter of the head of the political department of the South Pyongan Province branch of the Ministry of State Security (MSS). A graduate of the Pyongyang Han Tok Su University of Light Industry, she had worked in foodstuff production.
Recently, however, she was essentially unemployed, having returned to her hometown of Pyongsong. On paper, she was employed at a production base under the provincial branch of the MSS, her father’s employer. However, she was making monthly payments to avoid showing up at the office, a practice known as “Aug. 3 work” in North Korea.
Her boyfriend — reportedly the son of a laborer — was a computer technician who graduated from the automation department of a natural sciences university.
The couple apparently enjoyed South Korean food programs such as “Baek Jong-won’s Alley Restaurant” and “Hard Life Rich People,” and even considered selling dishes based on what they saw in the programs. Later, they began watching other kinds of South Korean videos, and started to earn money by copying and distributing the videos.
An image showing a portion of North Korea’s “anti-reactionary thought law.” (Daily NK)
According to the judgment handed down at their public trial, the couple imported a computer from China to copy the videos. They were also crafting a plan to engage in professional distribution activities by copying videos and printed materials from overseas, operating a photo studio with photo editing and printing equipment as a front.
In fact, according to explanatory materials for the law to eradicate “reactionary thought and culture” obtained by Daily NK in January of last year, Article 27 of the legislation calls for sentences of five to 15 years of correctional labor against people caught watching, listening or possessing “films, recordings, publications, books, songs, drawings or photos from South Choson [South Korea],” and life sentences of correctional labor or even death for individuals who import and distribute such materials.
North Korean authorities judged that the couple was able to avoid registering their imported computer with the MSS and engage in illegal copying of videos because they were protected by A’s father, a high-ranking cadre at the provincial branch of the MSS.
A’s father was originally an administrative cadre, but was promoted to the MSS based on his reputation for eliminating “reactionary” individuals and dissidents.
Ultimately, A was publicly executed. Though the lives of her father and other family members were spared, they were sent to a political prison camp.
About 20 people accused of taking part in distributing the videos along with MSS officials were given front row seats to the execution. Immediately after the shooting, all these spectators were arrested for participating in or overlooking the illegal distribution of videos.
Prior to this, North Korean authorities ordered that a certain number of people from institutions such as the local inminban (people’s unit), MSS, and prosecutor’s office participate in public trials. Accordingly, about 300 people reportedly watched the execution.
The source said intense crackdowns to eradicate the import and distribution of foreign videos are continuing. He said that while this is partly to crack down on “anti-socialist and non-socialist behavior,” the authorities are also using the opportunity to reign in discontent and illegal activity.
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.
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.
