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Quotes of the Day:
"Fearful men control, intelligent men, analyze, but ise men listen with intent to understand."
– J. Mike Fields
"Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively."
– Dalai Lama XIV
"One of the most cowardly things ordinary people do is to shut their eyes to facts."
– C.S. Lewis
1. Haley to air New Hampshire ad with mother of student who died after North Korea detention
2. Beyond Utopia | North Korea Escape Documentary | Independent Lens (PBS)
3. British investigators confirm use of missiles from DPRK by Russia
4. The Korean Crisis – OpEd
5. Kim Jong-un and need for consensus
6. Russian ambassador sees Korea as ‘most favorable’ among ‘unfavorable nations’
7. The Korean peninsula is as divided as ever
8. Airfields are disappearing, suggesting a shift to drones (north Korea)
9. N. Korea condemns U.N. Security Council meeting on its hypersonic missile test
10. S. Korea to end anti-dumping tariff on Japanese stainless steel bars
11. N.K. says Putin expressed willingness to visit Pyongyang at early date
12. North Korea stresses alignment with Russia against US and says Putin could visit at an early date
13. Guerrillas Recommended for Intelligence & Sabotage Work (23 JAN 1951)
14. Exports of kimchi hit record high in 2023 amid global K-content popularity
15. S. Korea sees N.K.'s claimed test of underwater nuclear attack drone as 'exaggerated, fabricated'
1. Haley to air New Hampshire ad with mother of student who died after North Korea detention
I want a human rights upfront approach. I want international attention on the human rights abuses taking place in north Korea. I want the world to understand that Kim Jong Un denies the human rights of the Korean people in the north solely to remain in power. But we must be careful not to politicize human rights. That said, during her time at the UN, Ambassador Haley was one of the strongest voices for north Korean human rights in the US government.
Haley to air New Hampshire ad with mother of student who died after North Korea detention | CNN Politics
CNN · by Kylie Atwood · January 20, 2024
Former UN ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024.
Adam Glanzman/Bloomberg/Getty Images
CNN —
Nikki Haley’s campaign will begin airing a three-minute TV ad in New Hampshire on Monday featuring the mother of an American college student who died in 2017 after being detained by North Korea the previous year.
The ad is an effort to highlight Haley’s foreign policy experience and the personal relationship she built with Otto Warmbier’s mother, Cindy Warmbier, on the eve of the New Hampshire primary.
“My son, Otto, was invited to North Korea on an organized tour. He was taken hostage, tortured, and murdered by the government of North Korea,” Warmbier’s mother says in the ad.
During Haley’s time as ambassador to the United Nations, she built a strong relationship with the Warmbier family after their son’s death.
Otto Warmbier is taken to North Korea's top court in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this photo released by Kyodo on March 16, 2016.
Kyodo/Reuters
“She told us to be loud and fight back. To fight for justice. To fight for ourselves. And to fight for Otto. We passed laws in Otto’s name, seized North Korean assets, and helped close down illegal businesses run by the North Koreans,” Warmbier will tell New Hampshire voters, adding that Haley demonstrated strength and compassion in supporting her traumatized family.
“I will tell you how she promised me she would do everything she could to make sure the world never forgot Otto,” Warmbier says.
The new ad is just one piece of the massive investment Haley and her allies have made in the New Hampshire primary, spending roughly twice as much on advertising there as former President Donald Trump’s political network since the start of the 2024 White House race. But Trump and his allies have used recent weeks to ramp up spending in the state to counter signs of momentum for the former South Carolina governor.
Cindy and Fred Warmbier, parents of Otto Warmbier, in Washington, DC, on December 18, 2019.
Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images
Warmbier has not been a regular facet of Haley’s campaign, but she did introduce Haley in South Carolina when she launched her campaign last year.
Haley is seeking to draw a contrast between her stance on North Korea and that of Trump, who has boasted of the letters he exchanged with dictator Kim Jong Un during his presidency.
While Trump was critical of Kim in the immediate aftermath of Otto Warmbier’s death, he said he did not hold Kim responsible during their second meeting.
“He tells me that he didn’t know about it, and I will take him at his word,” Trump said at the time. “I don’t believe that he would have allowed that to happen, it just wasn’t to his advantage to allow that to happen.”
Those comments prompted Warmbier’s parents to clearly state that Kim and his “evil regime” were responsible for the death of their son.
CNN · by Kylie Atwood · January 20, 2024
2. Beyond Utopia | North Korea Escape Documentary | Independent Lens (PBS)
Beyond Utopia can now be accessed for free on PBS.
I strongly recommend investing 1:51.55 to watch this powerful documentary. For anyone who has ever thought about the plight of the Korean people in the north and that they have never known freedom, you should watch this documentary. And if you know anyone in Hollywood I recommend you reach out and lobby for this film for a documentary Oscar. It is on the short list to be nominated.
https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/beyond-utopia/?utm
Beyond Utopia | North Korea Escape Documentary | Independent Lens
PBS
Beyond Utopia
Premiered January 9, 2024
Directed by
Madeleine Gavin
The gripping story of families who risk everything escaping North Korea.
Watch Now 1:51:55 Preview
About the Documentary
They grew up believing their land was paradise. Now, they risk everything in escaping it. In an unforgettable documentary, follow families on a treacherous journey to defect from their homeland of North Korea, as the threat of severe punishment and possible execution looms over their passage, revealing a world many have never seen.
The Filmmakers
Madeleine Gavin has edited award-winning narrative and documentary films that have premiered at Sundance, Toronto, Berlinale, and Cannes, among others. Madeleine directed and edited the Netflix Original Documentary, City of Joy, and she is a member of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Emmy Award-winning producer Jana Edelbaum founded the production company Ideal Partners. Her productions include House of Z, Waiting for Hockney, Strange Weather, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete, and Idina Menzel: Which Way To The Stage. Current projects include Kim Snyder’s The Librarians and Barry Jenkin’s biopic about Alvin Ailey.
Rachel Cohen is a film producer and head of production at Ideal Partners. Projects include Kim Snyder’s The Librarians and Barry Jenkin’s biopic about Alvin Ailey. Prior to Ideal, Rachel was SVP of development and production at Tribeca Productions, and spent seven years at Artisan Entertainment as SVP of development and acquisitions.
Dr. Sue Mi Terry is a leading expert on the Korean Peninsula and East Asia. She served as a senior analyst at the CIA, director of Korea, Japan, and Oceanic Affairs at the National Security Council under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and National Intelligence Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Full Credits
Full Credits
Directed by
Madeleine Gavin
Produced by
Jana Edelbaum, p.g.a.
Rachel Cohen, p.g.a.
Sue Mi Terry
3. British investigators confirm use of missiles from DPRK by Russia
British investigators confirm use of missiles from DPRK by Russia
The Conflict Armament Research (CAR) independent research organisation has found that the missile that Russia fired at Ukrainian Kharkiv on January 2 was manufactured in North Korea
global.espreso.tv
This is reported by ArcGIS StoryMaps.
On 10 and 11 January 2024, a Conflict Armament Research (CAR) field investigation team physically documented the remnants of a ballistic missile that struck Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, on January 2, 2024. Based on several unique features observed during documentation, CAR determined that this missile was manufactured in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and is probably a KN-23 or KN-24 ," the experts write, adding that the DPRK designates these missiles as Hwasong-11A and Hwasong-11B, respectively.
It is noted that both possible types of missiles were first tested in 2019 and entered service in North Korea in 2020.
The Russian Federation fired one of these missiles at Kharkiv on January 2, 2024.
Photo: gettyimages
Analysis of the missile
The CAR field investigation team documented the rocket engine and the tail section of the missile.
CAR found 4 characteristics that indicate the missile was of North Korean origin:
- distinct jet blade actuators
- a bolt pattern around the igniter
- the presence of a Korean character (Hangul) on one of the missile's barometers
- several signs that may refer to the "February 11th factory" in the DPRK, where these missiles are reportedly assembled.
The researchers compared the North Korean missile to the Russian Iskander, which was documented in Ukraine on 15 January 2024.
The diameter of the Iskander's tail section is 95 cm, which is smaller than that of the North Korean missile.
Experts also noted that the North Korean missile's jet blade actuators differ from those of the Iskander system in size, shape and design.
In CAR documentation and factory images, the central disc has 20 bolts evenly distributed around the circumference, which also proves that it is a KN-23 or KN-24 missile.
On the barometer, documented in Ukraine on January 11, 2024 as part of the missile wreckage, investigators noticed a label with the handwritten Korean (Hangul) character "ㅈ".
Several different components found in the wreckage also bear the marking "112", which may refer to the February 11th factory in North Korea, where these missiles are reportedly assembled.
The "112" markings are embossed on each of the four jet blade drives, the inside of the rocket engine, and a label applied to the battery of a North Korean KN-23 or KN-24 missile, documented by CAR in Ukraine on January 10, 2024.
The Russian Federation demonstrates a desire to continue the war in Ukraine, even at the cost of undermining global non-proliferation regimes, as North Korea is subject to a long-standing UN arms embargo.
For reference. Security Council Resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009) and 2270 (2016) prohibit UN member states from purchasing arms or related materials from North Korea and prohibit North Korea from exporting these materials.
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On the morning of January 2, the Russian invaders attacked Ukraine from strategic aviation. A series of explosions occurred in Kyiv and Kharkiv. The attack killed and injured people and destroyed buildings.
global.espreso.tv
4. The Korean Crisis – OpEd
Bruce Cumings? Would we really want the entire peninsula living under the domination of the Kim family regime today?
Excerpt:
With papers from before 1990, American historian Bruce Cumings was able to establish clear lines of responsibility for the tragedy that was the Korean War. His work is the most comprehensive English-language account of the causes of that conflict. Even though many people argue that the Korean War began on June 25, 1950, Cumings stated in his writing that this is not the case. This could not have been “started” by Kim II Sung at that time if it had not already begun at an earlier date. The farther we go into history in pursuit of that instant, the more we come to terms with the fact that civil wars do not begin; they appear. There are several root causes, and everyone from the Americans who carelessly partitioned Korea to the Koreans who afterward served under colonial authority has some responsibility. What percentage of Koreans may now be living if that hadn’t taken place?
The Korean Crisis – OpEd
January 21, 2024 0 Comments
By Simon Hutagalung
eurasiareview.com · January 20, 2024
Before Korea was split in two, the peninsula was controlled as one country for hundreds of years by a succession of dynasties. Korea was colonized by Japan for 35 years, from the end of World War II to the end of the Korean War in 1953. This period began when Japan occupied Korea during the Russo-Japanese War in 1905 and legally annexed it five years later.
According to Michael Robinson, emeritus professor of East Asian studies and history at Indiana University who has authored numerous works on both modern and historical Korea, the decision made between the Soviet Union and the United States to divide Korea into two occupation zones was the catalyst.
Control of the Korean Peninsula was split between the two “official” allies in August 1945. Northern areas, above the 38th parallel, were ruled by communist forces backed by the Soviet Army from 1945 to 1948. Military rule was established south of that boundary with direct U.S. assistance. A large portion of the North’s working class and peasantry supported Soviet policies, while most of the country’s middle class migrated south of the 38th parallel. In the meantime, the Southern government sponsored by the United States was biased toward anti-communist right-wing groups. At least 2.5 million people died in the Korean War (1950–53), yet the question of whether the state represented the “true” Korea was not settled. As U.S. military aircraft targeted civilian targets across the northern half of the Korean Peninsula, however, the United States became North Korea’s persistent bête noire.
With papers from before 1990, American historian Bruce Cumings was able to establish clear lines of responsibility for the tragedy that was the Korean War. His work is the most comprehensive English-language account of the causes of that conflict. Even though many people argue that the Korean War began on June 25, 1950, Cumings stated in his writing that this is not the case. This could not have been “started” by Kim II Sung at that time if it had not already begun at an earlier date. The farther we go into history in pursuit of that instant, the more we come to terms with the fact that civil wars do not begin; they appear. There are several root causes, and everyone from the Americans who carelessly partitioned Korea to the Koreans who afterward served under colonial authority has some responsibility. What percentage of Koreans may now be living if that hadn’t taken place? This includes the Soviet Union, which was just as indifferent to Korea’s ancient purity and as intent on “building socialism” as the Koreans themselves, regardless of whether or not they wanted this type of government. Who knows how many more Koreans would be here now if that hadn’t occurred? After that, we have a very long list of things the Korean government might have done differently to prevent national separation and fratricidal violence if it had looked within instead.
Present-day 2022 finds North Korea having launched a record number of missiles following a two-year hiatus from testing. The Hwasong-18, the country’s first solid-fuel ICMB, has been tested repeatedly since 2022. It takes less time to launch and is easier to conceal; therefore, testing has continued through 2023. If this technology can be perfected, it will make a preemptive strike on North Korea’s nuclear weapons less likely to succeed. A missile was launched over Japan for the first time since 2017, and a total of 23 missiles were tested in a single day. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il hosted high-ranking delegations from China and Russia in July 2023, promising to improve ties with both countries.
However, now more than ever, it is crucial that tensions on the Korean Peninsula be reduced. The need to de-escalate the situation on the Korean peninsula and China’s role in doing so were both addressed by South Korean President Yoon during the 43rd ASEAN Meeting and East Asia Summit. The President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, recently met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss the issue of North Korea’s nuclear threat and whether or not China could do more as a member of the United Nations Security Council. Yoon reportedly urged Li that China should “fulfill its responsibility and role as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council,” and he also emphasized the need to strengthen ties with Washington and Tokyo to resist North Korea. On the outskirts of the ASEAN conference in Jakarta, Yoon and Li met.
Simply put, the future of peace on the Korean Peninsula and its effects on Northeast Asia is of great importance to six countries: North and South Korea, the United States, China, Japan, and Russia. There is a plausible overlap between several of these passions. Denuclearization of the Peninsula is a goal shared by all six parties, but one with varying meanings and time frames. Even North Korea has made at least a verbal commitment to this aim, despite its actions suggesting otherwise. The presence of US soldiers on the Korean Peninsula and the human rights situation in North Korea are two examples of seemingly intractable disagreements that might, with more communication and trust, offer opportunities for positive change. Other interests pose difficulties since they are either specific to one country (such as Japanese abductees) or directly contradict each other (such as the sequencing of disarmament and reciprocal confidence-building measures). A better understanding of these interests can assist peacemakers in highlighting common ground while minimizing disagreements.
References:
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PRUITT, SARAH. “Why Are North and South Korea Divided?” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, 25 June 2021, www.history.com/news/north-south-korea-divided-reasons-facts.
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“Bruce Cumings.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Sept. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Cumings.
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“North Korea Crisis | Global Conflict Tracker.” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, 7 Aug. 2023, www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/north-korea-crisis.
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Choi, Soo-Hyang, and Cynthia Kim. “South Korea’s Yoon Urges China to Do More to Address North Korea Threat.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 7 Sept. 2023, www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/skoreas-yoon-says-rules-based-order-crucial-south-china-sea-2023-09-07/.
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Aum, Frank, et al. “A Peace Regime for the Korean Peninsula.” United States Institute of Peace, United States Institute of Peace, 30 June 2021, www.usip.org/publications/2020/02/peace-regime-korean-peninsula.
eurasiareview.com · January 20, 2024
5. Kim Jong-un and need for consensus
Conclusion:
The fundamental reason for Korea’s division will remain the stasis-to-conflict between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China. The latter thinks its star is rising. Of course, this only increases the chances of conflict over time. For the alliance for freedom, it will be vital not to cave to hype or to China’s rise. It will be critical to unite around a consensus of policies among South Korea, the United States and Japan, among many other regional and international partners. This will be the kind of consensus that the enemies of freedom will try to pull apart. But that, my friends, is our world for today and tomorrow.
Kim Jong-un and need for consensus
The Korea Times · January 21, 2024
By Bernard Rowan
At university, I pursued a course on American foreign policy with the late Harry Howe Ransom. We began by studying diplomacy, the work of Harold Nicholson and various other topics. I authored a thesis on the idea of consensus in foreign policy. At that time, and still in my mind, I believe that history shows the rational use of consensus serves the cause of reason and reasonableness in foreign affairs.
Unfortunately, consensus can’t change an enemy’s mind. It can’t alter the realities of power that obstruct peace. A determined enemy isn’t convinced by entreaties of reasonableness in many instances. There are other realities in international relations that limit what foreign policy by consensus can accomplish in a particular context.
These matters come to mind when reading Kim Jong-un’s recent pronouncements that North Korea no longer will seek peaceful reunification with South Korea. On the one hand, this means little, as North Korea has never sought peaceful reunification with the South. Its operative policies don’t incline to reason or reasonableness as a historical fact. Reunification has been the entreaty, while power projection, autarky and totalitarian fantasies have been North Korea’s real policies.
However, for the North Korean people, Pyongyang’s “radical departure” isn’t brinkmanship or clever diplomacy but a further stunting of the country’s potential. Changing North Korea’s constitution signals the consummation of Kim’s power as a regime leader. That Kim feels empowered to do what his father and grandfather never did is telling. Changing the fundamental goals of the North Korean state shows Kim as an autocrat. North Koreans have no voice in their government and are left as puppets in dramatic pageants.
Kim also finds his pulse emboldened given the ongoing support of China, Russia and Iran — among others. That triumvirate of the Brave New World that must never be, continues to ramp trade, illegal and otherwise, and to cooperate in the new bipolarity as the Axis of Autocracy. While little by way of consensus really exists between this four-headed hydra, their work to destabilize the world of democracy, peace and progress grows.
Grand pronouncements such as Kim’s gather would-be clients and partners, all seeking their own power projects and pursuits in a kind of Hobbesian sycophancy. When we see Kim confidently parading his daughter around like one of his, for-a-time, trusted officials, we’re intrigued by it all — instead of seeing his behavior as the debasement of a child. Kim Ju-ae is the good and adorable face of a coin that has Kim Yo-jong as its opposite. It makes good media fodder. It’s propaganda. The idea of a regency by Yo-Jong until Ju-ae is of age sounds like half a dozen cable television programs of late, and a good many disasters in history.
North Korea now spends more on defense than its own people. In the idolatry and mass fantasy that constitute the Kim regime, on a scale much grander than his father and grandfather, Kim literally mortgages his daughter’s future to prop himself up. The continuation of the autocrat is the reason for everything that unfolds in North Korea. Soliloquy, egocentrism and self-immolation all blend into the surreal and bogus regime that is Pyongyang.
Consensus is fleeting and subject to many variables, including the ends of policy, the means of policy and the information context. How allies arrive at a unified policy in the face of a determined adversary, autocrat, lunatic or whoever isn’t easy. The alliance for democracy will need to continue the sober and prudent exercise of their mutual and international relations in the face of Kim’s regime. Fleeting and ultimately futile in the long term, its half-life continues to the detriment of the North Korean people, the region and the world.
The fundamental reason for Korea’s division will remain the stasis-to-conflict between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China. The latter thinks its star is rising. Of course, this only increases the chances of conflict over time. For the alliance for freedom, it will be vital not to cave to hype or to China’s rise. It will be critical to unite around a consensus of policies among South Korea, the United States and Japan, among many other regional and international partners. This will be the kind of consensus that the enemies of freedom will try to pull apart. But that, my friends, is our world for today and tomorrow.
Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is associate provost for contract administration and academic services and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of te Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University.
The Korea Times · January 21, 2024
6. Russian ambassador sees Korea as ‘most favorable’ among ‘unfavorable nations’
So South Korea is the best of the worst to Russia? Hardly great praise.
[INTERVIEW] Russian ambassador sees Korea as ‘most favorable’ among ‘unfavorable nations’
The Korea Times · by 2024-01-21 15:15 | North Korea · January 21, 2024
Russian Ambassador to Korea Georgy Zinoviev speaks on Korea-Russia relations during an interview with The Korea Times at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Envoy warns against direct weapons exports to Ukraine
By Kim Hyun-bin
Saying that the future of relations between Korea and Russia is "bright" but the way leading to them is winding, Russian Ambassador to Korea Georgy Zinoviev underscored Seoul's relatively favorable stance toward Moscow among what he referred to as "unfavorable nations,” claiming this would help get the tense ties back on track.
Amid the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol hinted at providing support other than humanitarian aid to Kyiv, prompting Russian President Vladimir Putin to issue a rare warning that implied devastating consequences for their bilateral ties.
In addition, the Korean government, which joined the international community's financial sanctions against Russia in 2022, made a decision last month to tighten export controls on Russia, a move provoking Russian threats of retaliation.
"If and when our Korean partners would be ready to once again enhance or enlarge the scope of our cooperation, I think that goodwill will most certainly be reciprocated by Russia,” the ambassador said during an interview with The Korea Times at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Seoul, Friday.
"Korea is one of the friendliest among so-called unfavorable nations. I do hope that the Republic of Korea would be among the first so-called unfavorable nations that become favorable."
Zinoviev, a career diplomat who took office earlier this month, said that Korea is different from some Western powers which want Russia “defeated, humiliated or disintegrated,” which the ambassador said is not the goal of South Korea's diplomacy and foreign policy.
“I do not think that that is kind of philosophy that is supported by our Korean partners,” he said.
On the contrary, the ambassador took Western countries to task for employing a deliberate strategy to accuse Russia of wrongdoings, which ultimately drove a wedge between Korea and Russia.
"One more goal would be to drag Korea further apart from Russia. By that kind of allegations and accusations, we already experience some turbulence in our bilateral relations," he said.
"While I think in the best interest of Russia and Korea is to contain that damage to get our relations out of turbulent area, perhaps some other countries would like them to enter into not just the turbulence but into the thunderstorm."
Direct export of arms to Ukraine
Against the backdrop of heightened global geopolitical tensions, the demand for weapons and ammunition has surged to unprecedented levels. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas confrontation have fueled this spike.
As the conflict in Ukraine intensifies, the international focus is shifting toward Korea as the international community is urging the nation to contribute to the supply of much-needed ammunition to bolster Ukraine's defense efforts.
Zinoviev expressed deep concerns over Korea supplying arms exports directly to Ukraine, warning of potentially severe consequences to bilateral relations.
"We have expressed many times to our Korean partners that it would be very detrimental for bilateral ties if the Republic of Korea starts direct arms exports to the Ukrainian regime, and we do not want to see the ammunition killing Russian soldiers," Zinoviev said.
INTERVIEWRussia brushes off arms deal allegations, flaunts ties with North Korea
He highlighted the gravity of such a scenario, suggesting that it could “deal a heavy blow” to the future prospects of their relations.
The ambassador acknowledged that this position has been communicated to Korean officials through diplomatic channels and public statements.
"We've seen several official statements by the Korean side that it is not going to and is not planning to have direct arms exports of weapons toward Ukraine and we take this position seriously," he said.
Zinoviev expressed hope that Korea would continue to uphold this commitment for the sake of their future relations. He stressed the importance of considering not only the current situation but also anticipating the post-conflict era in Ukraine.
"The conflict on the Ukrainian territory will end and I have no doubts that it will end by Russia achieving its goals that it has set for the special military operation which is demilitarization of the Ukraine and making sure that the Ukraine does not pose a threat towards Russia's security,” the ambassador said.
Russia welcomes return of Korean companies
The ambassador expressed optimism about the potential for Korean companies to regain their foothold in the Russian market, highlighting the historical success of Korean businesses in Russia and the favorable attitudes Russian consumers had toward Korean products.
"Well, Korean companies had a very strong and big share in Russian markets and it used to be very much respected and loved by Russian consumers," he said. "One of the names of an international company that came to the mind of a Russian consumer, if you just ask him on the street, would be Samsung."
However, he acknowledged that the current situation has changed, with a decrease in the market share of Korean companies in Russia, revealing that only one out of 50 cars sold in Russia last year came from Korea while before the war 20 percent of cars were Korean-made.
Last month, Hyundai Motor, Korea's leading carmaker, decided to sell its Russian manufacturing plant. The St. Petersburg facility, launched in 2010, halted operations in March 2022, citing disruptions in component supplies attributed to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Despite this decline, he underlined the absence of artificial restrictions or barriers imposed by Russia and added that Korean companies will be welcomed if they return at their convenience.
"I would like to stress that unlike Western or Japanese companies, none of Korean companies publicly declared that they are leaving the Russian market due to political reasons. No one slammed the door," Zinoviev said.
The ambassador expressed hope that Korean companies would consider returning to the Russian market, which he described as lucrative with numerous opportunities. He assured that Russia is open and welcoming to their return, stating, "We do hope that Korean companies have in mind the idea of returning to Russia as soon as possible, and we will be welcoming that."
Cultural exchanges
Zinoviev underscored the significance of cultural exchanges as a means of strengthening ties between Russia and Korea. As part of that, Moscow's state-owned Bolshoi Ballet is scheduled to perform in Seoul in April.
"The meaning of this visit is to have our Korean friends enjoy first-class world culture through cultural exchanges," he said.
"We do hope that our Korean friends will continue to enjoy the first-class world culture brought to them by Russian artists, as Korean artists are very welcomed in Russia as well."
Zinoviev emphasized the resilience of people-to-people connections and cultural ties, noting their resilience amid the current global turbulence affecting other areas.
He cited this as an example of a solid foundation that could help both nations return to normalcy and elevate their bilateral ties to a higher level.
The Korea Times · by 2024-01-21 15:15 | North Korea · January 21, 2024
7. The Korean peninsula is as divided as ever
We must not over react to north Korea rhetoric but we also must be wary of what could happen. While I do not believe Kim Jong Un is preparing to go to war at the moment, he is always preparing for war (the regime has been doing so for 7 decades). My real concern is that all of the recent actions and statements are a result of internal pressure on the regime and thus Kim has the need to externalize the threats to continue the justification of oppression of the Korean people in the north. But if the internal threat (which is existential) becomes unmanageable, it could result in Kim executing his campaign plan as the only means (in his calculation) of having a chance to survive).
The Korean peninsula is as divided as ever
But rumours of war are overblown
Jan 18th 2024 | SEOUL
The Economist
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Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s dictator, ended 2023 with war on his mind. Speaking to assembled party grandees on December 30th, he declared that the North and the South were now “two belligerents in the midst of war”. In early January he claimed to have no intention of starting a real conflict, but would have “no hesitation in annihilating” South Korea if it did.
Since Mr Kim’s bromance with Donald Trump, then America’s president, fizzled out after an ill-starred summit in Hanoi in 2019, such belligerence has become increasingly common. Hardly a month passes without Mr Kim testing fearsome weapons or threatening to annihilate South Korea. Yet a recent commentary published on the website 38 North by Robert Carlin and Siegfried Hecker, veteran North Korea-watchers , raised eyebrows by saying Mr Kim had made the “strategic decision to go to war”. That is hard to judge and perhaps overblown. Yet North Korea is certainly more threatening than ever and grows more dangerous by the day.
Its war machine is getting stronger. In the past two years it has tested an unprecedented number of missiles able to fire nuclear weapons at South Korea and America. In November it put a military satellite into orbit, the first step towards building a network that would provide vital military information. Already in 2024 it has conducted artillery drills and a test of what state media claim is a solid-fuelled intermediate-range ballistic missile that is topped with a “hypersonic” warhead.
Accompanying this military build-up has been a hardening North Korean attitude towards the South. Reversing decades of policy, Mr Kim now claims that Northerners and Southerners no longer belong to a single Korean people and that talk of unification with the South’s governing “clan” is pointless. North Korean propaganda sites and radio stations targeting the South have gone dark. On January 15th Mr Kim ordered the closure of three departments that deal with the South. The Arch of Reunification, a garish monument to inter-Korean rapprochement straddling the motorway between North Korea’s capital and the demilitarised zone separating the two countries, will be torn down.
Yet none of this need suggest that Mr Kim really wants war. He is “more comfortable than ever”, notes Christopher Green of Leiden University in the Netherlands. China provides food and industrial imports to keep his country going. America, distracted by Ukraine, Israel and the Red Sea, pays it little heed. And North Korea’s new friendship with Russia is going swimmingly. On January 17th the two countries’ foreign ministers met to follow up on a pow-wow between Mr Kim and Vladimir Putin, his Russian counterpart, held last September. North Korean munitions have been sighted on the battlefields of Ukraine.
War would be costly and risky for Mr Kim, even in the unlikely event that America stayed out of it. Any victory would be pyrrhic. What could be more destabilising for his totalitarian regime than absorbing 52m people with a passion for democracy?
Mr Kim is probably sticking to North Korea’s pattern of using aggression to get leverage before eventual negotiations with America, says Go Myong-hyun of the Asan Institute, a think-tank in Seoul. Although America insists that denuclearisation must be on the table and North Korea clings to its nukes, neither side is keen to talk. But Mr Kim can afford to wait, perhaps for the return of Mr Trump.
In 2010 North Korea shelled Yeonpyeong, a nearby South Korean island, killing four South Koreans. Robert Gates, then America’s secretary of defence, recalled in his memoirs how the South Koreans needed to be talked out of a “disproportionately aggressive” response involving artillery and air strikes, which he feared would trigger an escalation. Yoon Suk-yeol, now South Korea’s president, promised on January 16th to respond to provocations “with a punishment multiple times more severe”. Such an overreaction would be more likely to start a war than Mr Kim’s wild rhetoric about conquering the South. ■
The Economist
8. Airfields are disappearing, suggesting a shift to drones (north Korea)
Interesting speculation.
Airfields are disappearing, suggesting a shift to drones
Satellite imagery shows 9 airfields have vanished or been converted into farms or horseback-riding fields.
By Cheon Soram and Han Dukin for RFA Korean
2024.01.20
rfa.org
The military airfield at Ryongsong in Pyongyang, seen at left on March 31, 2023, has been replaced by a group of buildings in the Jan. 5, 2024 image at right. (Google Earth and Planet Labs images with RFA analysis)
Satellite imagery reveals that North Korea has demolished or repurposed nine runways or airfields, a move that experts say could signal a shift away from manned aircraft in favor of missiles and drones.
Four of the airfields were found to have been converted into parks for horseback-riding – a hobby of supreme leader Kim Jong Un – or property with other buildings, images show.
Other airfields were transformed into greenhouse farms for vegetables.
Uiju airfield in North Pyongan province, meanwhile, is being used as a coronavirus quarantine center, and Kumgang Airport in Kangwon province has been neglected to the point where no trace of the runway can be found.
Without clear indications about what is behind the changes, experts are seeking to discern the motives and strategies at work.
“I think North Korea first decided to reduce the importance of its military aircraft because of their vulnerability, and initially transitioned heavily to ballistic missiles,” Bruce Bennett, a senior fellow at the U.S.-based RAND Corporation told RFA Korean. “Now the North has been adding cruise missiles and drones.”
While Pyongyang has not abandoned its pursuits in aviation, “it has certainly downgraded them, especially commercial aviation and the dispersal airfields for its combat aircraft,” Bennett said.
North Korea could be reducing its reliance on its outdated aircraft, said Bruce Songhak Chung, a researcher at the South Korea-based Korean Institute for Security and Strategy, told Radio Free Asia.
The military airfield at Kangdong in Pyongyang, seen at left on Nov. 9, 2020, has been converted into a greenhouse farm for growing vegetables in the Dec. 1, 2022 image at right. (Google Earth and Planet Labs images with RFA analysis)
North Korea may be intending to concentrate its dispersed air power, said Yang Uk, a research Fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in South Korea.
“Airfields and runways are disappearing in North Korea, but General Secretary Kim Jong Un knows how important air power is, so this could be a process of modernization,” he said. “It is quite possible that they are now seriously preparing to dispose of outdated aircraft, strengthening existing power, or introducing a new strategy.”
Yang also said that the possibility of introducing additional aircraft with Russia’s help cannot be ruled out as North Korea strengthens military cooperation with Russia.
Changes to specific aircraft seem to point to this, said Cho Han Bum, a senior researcher at the South Korea-based Korea Institute for National Unification.
“We have detected evidence at Pyongyang International Airport that the IL-76 [Ilyushin-76] aircraft are being converted into early warning aircraft, but this is impossible without Russia’s help,” said Cho. “ There is a possibility that the relationship between Russia and North Korea will accelerate significantly in 2024.”
Drone power
North Korea may be trying to strengthen its asymmetric power, such as nuclear weapons and missiles, and replace its aging jets with drones or other unmanned aerial vehicles.
“The Kim Jong Un regime is trying to diversify its threats to attract more international attention,” said Bennett. “It is a big possibility that North Korea, having seen Russia use drones in the war in Ukraine, will develop them and use them for provocations against South Korea.”
The military airfield at Wonsan in North Korea’s Gangwon province, seen at left on July 21, 2019, has been converted into horse-riding grounds in the Oct. 30, 2023 image at right. (Google Earth and Planet Labs images with RFA analysis)
Kim showed great interest in attack drones during his visit to the military exhibition hall in Vladivostok, during the North Korea-Russia summit in September.
He received five suicide drones – attack aircraft not designed to return to base – and one surveillance drone as gifts from the governor of Primorsky Krai.
In addition, the North Korean military unveiled the Saetbyol-4 strategic unmanned surveillance aircraft and the Saetbyol-9 attack drone last year. The military was also seen training with new drones in frontline areas.
Unmanned aerial vehicles are advantageous in that they can take off and land on narrow and shorter runways than regular fighter planes.
“It depends on the type [of drone],” Yang said. “The quadcopter does not need a separate space for loading and unloading. For fixed wing drones, you may need a runway, but it varies depending on the size.”
He said the Saetbyol-4 and Saetbyol-9 can take off and land on normal or slightly shorter-sized runways, but the drones smaller than these can be launched from the ground or on trucks.
Drones have been actively used in Russia’s war in Ukraine and in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. North Korea has also experimented with drones.
In December 2022, five North Korean drones crossed the Military Demarcation Line into South Korean territory.
In that incident, the drones crossed into areas to the north and northwest of Seoul, including over the cities of Gimpo and Paju, and also over Ganghwa Island, in the Yellow Sea. It was later revealed that some drones even flew into the airspace around the presidential office in Seoul’s Yongsan district.
The three airfields that appear to be converted into horseback riding parks are Wonsan in Gangwon Province, Mount Myohyang in Jagang province, and Sinchon Airfield in South Hwanghae province, experts say.
Three airfields that now seem to be greenhouse farms include Yeonpo in South Hamgyong province, Kyongsong in North Hamgyong province, and Kangdong in Pyongyang.
Limited capabilities
Evaluations of North Korea’s drone technology have drawn mixed results.
The North Korean drones that infiltrated South Korea in 2022 were Chinese-made commercial drones, Yang said, making it difficult to view them as indicative of North Korea’s technological capabilities.
The military airfield at Yeonpo in North Korea’s South Hamgyong province, seen at left on March 30, 2021, has been converted into a greenhouse farm for growing vegetables in the Dec. 3, 2023 image at right. (Google Earth and Planet Labs images with RFA analysis)
The level of strategic threat is low because real-time control is not possible,” he said. “Even if they were converted to attack, there is a limited number of bombs that could be loaded on them.
On the other hand, Kim Tae Woo, the president at the Korea Institute for National Unification, noted that if North Korean drones can infiltrate South Korean airspace, they can also be used for attacks at any time and pose a potential threat.
“For example, even if a small can of anthrax, a biochemical weapon, is carried and detonated over Seoul, it would be a huge catastrophe,” said Kim. “As drones become larger and develop increased capacity, small nuclear warheads can be attached to them.”
He said that even a simple surveillance mission is threatening to South Korea.
“But if a drone is made to self-destruct and it is loaded with biochemical substances or nuclear warheads, it poses a huge threat to South Korea,” said Kim.
However, replacing the combat power of an air force with unmanned aerial vehicles is impossible, Yang said.
“The question is to what extent North Korea can expand its unmanned aerial vehicles,” he said. “In the end, I think North Korea will find its own optimal solution by looking at the cases used in the recent war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war.”
Translated by Claire S. Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.
rfa.org
9. N. Korea condemns U.N. Security Council meeting on its hypersonic missile test
Of course it does. It is especially bold with the support of China and Russia.
N. Korea condemns U.N. Security Council meeting on its hypersonic missile test | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by CHANG JAE SUN · January 21, 2024
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Sunday strongly condemned a recent meeting of the U.N. Security Council convened to discuss Pyongyang's recent test-fire of a hypersonic missile and other issues.
The council held the closed-door meeting Thursday, days after the North launched what it claims was a solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead last Sunday.
"The U.N. Security Council, at the brigandish demand of the U.S. and its vassal states, convened a closed-door negotiation to discuss the hypersonic missile test-fire, which was conducted as a part of the DPRK's regular efforts for bolstering up its defense capability," the North's foreign ministry said.
The North also said in the statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, that the test-fire "gave no harmful affect to the security of neighboring countries and it had nothing to do with the present regional situation."
The North also claimed the launch was "part of regular and legitimate activities of sovereign state."
"This is a wanton violation of the sovereignty of the DPRK, an unpardonable provocation and an irresponsible act of deliberately escalating the critical situation on the Korean peninsula," the statement said.
"We deeply regret that the UNSC has brought the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's sovereign right to the discussion without any expression of concern, far from detention and restraining of the grave military threat of the U.S. and its vassal states that breaks peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, and strongly denounce it."
This composite image shows a meeting of the United Nations Security Council (L) and a missile being launched. (Yonhap)
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by CHANG JAE SUN · January 21, 2024
10. S. Korea to end anti-dumping tariff on Japanese stainless steel bars
S. Korea to end anti-dumping tariff on Japanese stainless steel bars | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kang Yoon-seung · January 21, 2024
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's trade commission said Sunday it has decided to lift the anti-dumping tariff imposed since 2004 on Japanese stainless steel bars this week.
The decision came as domestic producers of stainless steel bars, including Seah Changwon Integrated Special Steel Corp., did not request the extension of the 15.39 percent tariff, according to the Korea Trade Commission.
Stainless steel bars are used in various areas of industries, including aviation parts, medical instruments and construction materials.
"(Since 2004), imports of Japanese stainless steel bars have significantly decreased on the back of the anti-dumping tariff," the commission said in a statement, noting that the competitiveness of the local industry also has been recovering.
South Korea's imports of Japanese stainless steel bars, which came to 9,269 tons in 2003, more than halved to 4,303 tons in 2021, the government data showed.
The anti-dumping tariffs on Indian and Spanish stainless steel bars will also be lifted this week, it added.
Separate anti-dumping tariffs, ranging from 9.47 percent to 18.56 percent, imposed on Taiwanese and Italian stainless steel bars will be removed on May 16 as well.
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kang Yoon-seung · January 21, 2024
11. N.K. says Putin expressed willingness to visit Pyongyang at early date
Is the world turning upside down? Is Putin going to go to Pyongyang to kiss Kim Jong Un's ring?
N.K. says Putin expressed willingness to visit Pyongyang at early date | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Yoo Jee-ho · January 21, 2024
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his willingness to visit Pyongyang at an early date and the country is ready to "greet the Korean people's closest friend with the greatest sincerity."
The North Korean foreign minister's assistant office made the announcement in a statement released on the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), two days after Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui returned from a trip to Moscow.
"President Putin expressed deep thanks once again for the invitation of President of the State Affairs Kim Jong Un to visit Pyongyang at a convenient time and expressed his willingness to visit the DPRK at an early date," the KCNA said.
The DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) greets North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui at the Kremlin in Moscow on Jan. 16, 2024, in this Kremlin pool photo by Sputnik via the Associated Press. (Yonhap)
Choe's visit to Russia came with the two countries seeking to strengthen military cooperation, as the North has been supplying Russia with arms for use in its war against Ukraine in exchange for Russia's technical assistance for Pyongyang's weapons programs. Choe met with her Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, and paid a courtesy call on Putin.
Choe's assistant office noted that Putin thanked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for extending an invitation to visit Pyongyang, and the Russian leader "expressed his willingness to visit the DPRK at an early date."
"The DPRK government warmly welcomes President Putin to visit Pyongyang and is ready to greet the Korean people's closest friend with the greatest sincerity," the statement said.
On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin's visit to the North was being discussed between the two sides "through diplomatic channels."
Putin last visited North Korea in July 2000.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) meets North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui at the Kremlin in Moscow on Jan. 16, 2024, in this Kremlin pool photo by Sputnik via AFP. (Yonhap)
The North Korean foreign minister's assistant office said Pyongyang and Moscow "reached a consensus of views" on regional and international issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.
"Both sides recognized that the friendly and cooperative relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation, independent sovereign states, serve as a powerful strategic fortress and a traction engine in defending international peace and security and promoting the building of a multi-polarized world," the statement read.
It also said Russia thanked the North "for extending full support and solidarity to the stand of the Russian government and people on the special military operation in Ukraine."
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Yoo Jee-ho · January 21, 2024
12. North Korea stresses alignment with Russia against US and says Putin could visit at an early date
North Korea stresses alignment with Russia against US and says Putin could visit at an early date
The Washington Post · by Kim Tong-Hyung | AP · January 21, 2024
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his willingness to visit the North at an unspecified “early date” as the countries continue to align in the face of their separate, intensifying confrontations with the United States.
The North Korean Foreign Ministry highlighted Putin’s intent for a visit following North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui’s meetings with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow last week. The ministry said in a statement published by state media that the two countries agreed to further strategic and tactical cooperation with Russia to establish a “new multi-polarized international order,” a reference to their efforts to build a united front against Washington.
Putin had already confirmed his willingness to visit the capital, Pyongyang, at a convenient time during his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Russia’s Far East in September. One of the few world leaders openly supporting Putin’s war on Ukraine, Kim has been actively boosting the visibility of his ties with Russia in an attempt to break out of diplomatic isolation and strengthen his footing, as he navigates a deepening nuclear standoff with Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.
In a separate statement on Sunday, the North’s Foreign Ministry condemned the U.N. Security Council for calling an emergency meeting over the country’s latest ballistic test, which state media described as a new intermediate-range solid-fuel missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead. The ministry said the test-firing on Jan. 14 was among the country’s regular activities to improve its defense capabilities and that it didn’t pose a threat to its neighbors.
South Korea on Thursday urged the Security Council “to break the silence” over North Korea’s escalating missile tests and threats. Russia and China, both permanent members of the council, have blocked U.S.-led efforts to increase sanctions on North Korea over its recent weapons tests, underscoring a divide deepened over Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The alignment between Pyongyang and Moscow has raised international concerns about alleged arms cooperation, in which the North provides Russia with munitions to help prolong its fighting in Ukraine, possibly in exchange for badly needed economic aid and military assistance to help upgrade Kim’s forces. Both Pyongyang and Russia have denied accusations by Washington and Seoul about North Korean arms transfers to Russia.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry, in comments published by state media, said Choe and the Russian officials in their meetings expressed a “strong will to further strengthen strategic and tactical cooperation in defending the core interests of the two countries and establishing a new multi-polarized international order.”
Russia expressed “deep thanks” to North Korea for its “full support” over its war on Ukraine, the North Korean ministry said. It said Choe and the Russian officials expressed “serious concern” over the United States’ expanding military cooperation with its Asian allies that they blamed for worsening tensions in the region and threatening North Korea’s sovereignty and security interests.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest point in years, after Kim in recent months used Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a distraction to ramp up his weapons tests and military demonstrations. The United States, South Korea and Japan have responded by strengthening their combined military exercises, which Kim portrays as invasion rehearsals, and sharpening their deterrence plans built around nuclear-capable U.S. assets.
In the latest tit-for-tat, North Korea on Friday said it conducted a test of a purported nuclear-capable underwater attack drone in response to a combined naval exercise by the United States, South Korea and Japan last week, as it continued to blame its rivals for tensions in the region.
Choe’s visit to Moscow came as Kim continues to use domestic political events to issue provocative threats of nuclear conflict.
At Pyongyang’s rubber-stamp parliament last week, Kim declared that North Korea is abandoning its long-standing goal of a peaceful unification with war-divided rival South Korea and ordered the rewriting of the North’s constitution to cement the South as its most hostile foreign adversary. He accused South Korea of acting as “top-class stooges” of the Americans and repeated a threat that he would use his nukes to annihilate the South if provoked.
Analysts say North Korea could be aiming to diminish South Korea’s voice in the regional nuclear standoff and eventually force direct dealings with Washington as it looks to cement its status as a nuclear weapons state.
The Washington Post · by Kim Tong-Hyung | AP · January 21, 2024
13. Guerrillas Recommended for Intelligence & Sabotage Work (23 JAN 1951)
Every September we would travel to the UN Partisan's memorial of Kanghwa Island to honor the partisans/guerrillas of the UN Command. Commander Park was a school teacher just north of the Han River estuary but south of the 38th parallel at the outbreak of the war. When the north attacked he brought his high school class to the South and they trained as guerrillas. Commander Park made 51 parachute jumps into north Korea and walked out through the lines bringing back intelligence. This is one of the many contributions of special operations to large scale combat operations.
Guerrillas Recommended for Intelligence & Sabotage Work (23 JAN 1951)
dvidshub.net
Photo By Erin Thompson | Guerrillas using an AN/GRC-9 (“Angry 9”) radio set during communications training... read more
Photo By Erin Thompson | Guerrillas using an AN/GRC-9 (“Angry 9”) radio set during communications training | View Image Page
UNITED STATES
01.19.2024
by Erin E. Thompson, USAICoE Staff Historian
GUERRILLAS RECOMMENDED FOR INTELLIGENCE & SABOTAGE WORK
On 23 January 1951, Col. John H. McGee and Maj. William A. Burke of the Eighth Army (EUSA) G-3 submitted a report to the United Nations Far East Command (FEC) recommending the use of North Korean anti-communist guerrillas for intelligence gathering and sabotage missions behind the 38th parallel. This report led to the formation of the United Nations Partisan Forces Korea (UNPFK).
The Army’s early forays into organized special warfare came about over a need to perform reconnaissance and sabotage operations behind the 38th parallel. The Army encountered the North Korean partisans during the retreat from the Chinese Communist Force (CCF) invasion in late 1950. Many of these guerrillas had moved to the hillsides to escape being drafted into the North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) in the late 1940s. They quickly gained sympathizers among the villages, raided NKPA encampments, stole Soviet and Chinese weapons, arranged for the spreading of propaganda, and actively recruited from the nearby villages.
Colonel (later Brig. Gen.) McGee was a veteran of World War II, where he served with the 45th Infantry Scouts training indigenous troops on Mindanao, Philippines. After two years as a prisoner of war in Japan, McGee escaped a prison transport ship in 1944 and became involved with and eventually commanded a unit of Filipino guerrillas. At the start of the Korean conflict, he was working under EUSA G-3. Since gathering intelligence behind the 38th parallel often required the resources and personnel of the G-3, Colonel McGee’s involvement with unconventional and covert warfare consistently found him performing tasks under the umbrella of both G-2 and G-3 control. From his previous experience working with guerrillas, McGee believed the partisans could secure valuable intelligence behind enemy lines.
In early January 1951, FEC permitted McGee to establish the partisans as an organized force under Eighth Army command. Operating under EUSA G-3, Miscellaneous Division, the “Attrition Section,” as it became known, initially employed only one officer: McGee. He was joined a week later by FEC G-3 Executive Officer Maj. William A. Burke. Burke took McGee’s early plans for guerrilla operations and began refining them into a formal report for the Attrition Section under a mixed EUSA/FEC coordination. On 23 January 1951, Major Burke submitted Plan ABLE to Eighth Army command, recommending the use of partisans in performing intelligence and sabotage missions. This plan, known later as Operational Plan One, became the basis for the organization of all UNPFK activities during the Korean War.
Plan ABLE called for guerrillas to be trained in areas of intelligence gathering, communications, demolitions, and basic infantry tactics. It outlined the organization of partisan units and command structure and outlined west coast areas of operations. East coast and potential airborne operations were expected to begin in March. [See "This Week in MI History" #177 15 March 1951] Above all, Plan ABLE anticipated the partisans would be useful for the UN’s planned counteroffensive in mid-1951 to push CCF and NKPA troops north of the 38th parallel and called for recruitment of more guerrillas to assist with the operation.
The efforts of UNPFK were consistently hampered by command structures, as commanders like McGee were placed under Army G-3 while operational control remained under FEC G-2. Staff elements would consistently be moved and reorganized throughout the remainder of the war. Despite this, partisans showed proven successes in their ability to infiltrate enemy encampments, disrupt enemy communications, collect maps and documents for EUSA and FEC intelligence, and perform sabotage missions against NKPA bridges, tunnels, and bases.
"This Week in MI History" publishes new issues each week. To report story errors, ask questions, or be added to our distribution list, please contact: TR-ICoE-Command-Historian@army.mil.
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14. Exports of kimchi hit record high in 2023 amid global K-content popularity
Soft (and spicy) power.
Exports of kimchi hit record high in 2023 amid global K-content popularity | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kang Yoon-seung · January 21, 2024
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's exports of kimchi set a new record in 2023 amid the rising popularity of Korean entertainment content around the globe, data showed Sunday.
Outbound shipments of kimchi, a traditional Korean side dish typically made from fermented cabbage, shot up 7.1 percent to 44,041 tons, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service.
The latest figure hovers above the previous record set in 2021, when the export volume reached 42,544 tons.
In terms of value, exports came to $155.6 million in 2023, up 10.5 percent on-year.
"Kimchi exports experienced a significant surge last year, primarily attributed to the increased popularity of K-content," an agricultural ministry official said.
Japan was the top destination for kimchi exports last year, accounting for 20,173 tons, followed by the United States with 10,660 tons and the Netherlands with 1,756 tons, the data showed.
South Korea's imports of kimchi, meanwhile, came to $163.5 million in 2023, down 3.4 percent on-year to report a trade deficit of $7.95 million.
The country imports kimchi, mostly from China, due to high production costs in the domestic market.
Packaged kimchi products are displayed at a supermarket in Seoul, in this file photo taken Nov. 21, 2023. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kang Yoon-seung · January 21, 2024
15. S. Korea sees N.K.'s claimed test of underwater nuclear attack drone as 'exaggerated, fabricated'
Very likely.
S. Korea sees N.K.'s claimed test of underwater nuclear attack drone as 'exaggerated, fabricated' | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · January 21, 2024
SEOUL, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's presidential office said Sunday it is weighing the possibility that North Korea's latest purported test of an underwater nuclear weapons system is an "exaggerated and fabricated" claim.
North Korea said Friday it has conducted an important test of an underwater nuclear attack drone, named the Haeil-5-23, in the East Sea in response to the latest joint naval drills involving South Korea, the United States and Japan.
"Taking into account comprehensive analysis so far, we are weighing the possibility that North Korea's claim is exaggerated and fabricated," the presidential office said in a press release.
"If tested, it is presumed to be a kind of torpedo, but there is a very slim possibility that it is a nuclear-powered system. There is no case of the development of a small reactor that can be fitted in a torpedo with a diameter of less than 1 meter," it said.
The office of President Yoon Suk Yeol said there is a limitation in verifying the authenticity of the North's claim as Pyongyang has not released related photos.
It added the South Korean military has been monitoring signs of the North developing underwater weapons systems, including nuclear attack drones and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, by using intelligence and surveillance assets with the U.S.
"Our military already possesses overwhelming striking capabilities against the launch sites of such weapons systems in case of a contingency. We will further strengthen our anti-submarine capabilities and defense postures over ports," it noted.
In regard to North Korea's firing of a solid-fuel hypersonic missile on Jan. 14, Yoon's office said South Korea will accelerate its push to build a multilayer missile defense system against the North's evolving threats.
This file photo shows South Korea's presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · January 21, 2024
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
| 
