Quotes of the Day:
"Political action means taking on responsibility. This cannot happen without power. Power is to serve responsibility."
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"One cannot expect positive results from an educational or political action program which fails to respect the particular view of the world held by the people. Such a program constitutes cultural invasion, good intentions notwithstanding."
- Paulo Freire
"A wise man ought to realize that health is his most valuable possession."
- Hippocrates
1. South promises strong measures if North conducts nuclear test
2. U.S. will again urge U.N. sanctions if N.Korea carries out nuclear test
3. Why the World Should Care About the COVID Outbreak in North Korea
4. North Korean COVID-19/Fever Data Tracker
5. South Korean special forces captain charged with spying for North Korea
6. North Korea: Deterrence Fast Losing Its Luster And Impact – OpEd
7. Korean armaments are getting into Ukraine
8. Ambassadors, civic groups condemn North's abductions
9. Poland requests S. Korea to accelerate arms supplies amid Ukraine war
10. S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 16,000 amid slowing virus trend
11. Second Miracle on the Han is in the U.S.
12. Biden's Asia Visit Shows Commitment to the Region
13. Rare Ship-to-Ship Transfers Keep Oil Moving From Russia to China
14. BTS says hopes visit to White House will be first step toward equality
15. White House Press Unleash Their Inner ARMY During BTS Briefing
1. South promises strong measures if North conducts nuclear test
Kim Jong-un: Will he or won't he test? Now or later?
Wednesday
June 1, 2022
South promises strong measures if North conducts nuclear test
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, introduces U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken before a town hall-style meeting at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations with members of staff in New York on May 19. [REUTERS]
South Korea will take "strong measures" to strengthen and expand its joint deterrence capabilities with the United States if the North carries out a new nuclear test, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
Speaking at a regular press briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Choi Young-sam said, “We are closely monitoring the possibility of further provocations, including preparations for a nuclear test at Punggye-ri, in close cooperation with the United States,” referring to the remote nuclear testing site located in the mountainous North Hamgyong Province.
In the event of a fresh nuclear test by Pyongyang, Choi stressed that Seoul “will strengthen and expand” its deterrence capabilities “based on a robust South Korea-U.S. joint defense posture, while working closely with the international community to produce a strong response by adopting a new Security Council resolution.”
That position was echoed by the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who told reporters at a press briefing in New York on Tuesday that Washington would push for additional United Nations sanctions on North Korea should Pyongyang ignore international warnings and conduct a nuclear test.
The U.S. ambassador’s remarks come after the Security Council failed to pass a U.S.-led sanctions resolution on North Korea last week. It was vetoed by permanent council members China and Russia.
“First of all, we need to enforce the sanctions that we already have the authority to enforce,” the U.S. diplomat told reporters in New York, according to AFP.
She added that the U.S. would “certainly” push for additional sanctions when asked if the Washington would push for a new sanctions resolution if Pyongyang goes ahead with a nuclear test.
Pyongyang has conducted six nuclear tests to date, and U.S. and South Korean intelligence have pointed to recent satellite images of ongoing tunnel excavation and construction work at Punggye-ri as signs that the regime is preparing to conduct a seventh test.
Despite the warnings from Seoul and Washington, Pyongyang has given little indication that it is considering scaling back tensions, which it has escalated with 17 missile tests this year alone.
The North has also blasted closer security ties between South Korea and the United States.
The regime broke its ten-day silence on U.S. President Joe Biden’s May 20-22 visit to South Korea by issuing a denunciation of the post-summit joint statement issued by Biden and President Yoon Suk-yeol through a propaganda outlet on Wednesday
Issued by an anti-Seoul outlet called the Echo of Unification, the editorial referred to the joint statement as "the worst declaration of ruin by treachery, submission, and ignorance” in its headline.
“It is the worst declaration of ruin of all time, surpassing all of the unequal treaties in the dark history of relations between South Korea and the United States,” the editorial opined.
The editorial appeared to take aim at various initiatives agreed upon by Biden and Yoon during their meeting, including the revival of the U.S.-Korea Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG), the deployment of additional U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula, and the expansion of joint military exercises between South Korea and the U.S.
The EDSCG, established by the U.S.-Korea Foreign and Defense Ministers’ meeting on Oct. 19, 2016, was intended to serve as a channel for the allies to hold in-depth discussions on strategic and policy issues regarding extended deterrence against North Korea, including how to better leverage the full breadth of the two countries’ national power, including diplomacy, information, military and economic capabilities.
The EDSCG has not met since its second meeting, in 2018, and political analysts have attributed the group’s dormancy to renewed attempts by Seoul to achieve rapprochement with Pyongyang under the administration of former President Moon Jae-in.
The North has bristled at news of the EDSCG’s meetings, calling the first conference in 2016 “a provocative action that worsens tensions over the Korean Peninsula and escalates the danger of nuclear war.”
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
2. U.S. will again urge U.N. sanctions if N.Korea carries out nuclear test
And again illustrate the weakness of the UNSC due to Chinese and Russian complicity in protecting north Korea and supporting sanctions evasion activities.
U.S. will again urge U.N. sanctions if N.Korea carries out nuclear test
UNITED NATIONS, May 31 (Reuters) - The United States will again push for more U.N. sanctions on North Korea if it carries out a seventh nuclear test, despite opposition by China and Russia, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Tuesday.
China and Russia last week vetoed a U.S.-led push to impose more U.N. sanctions on North Korea over its renewed ballistic missile launches, publicly splitting the U.N. Security Council for the first time since it started punishing Pyongyang in 2006. read more
Thomas-Greenfield has warned that North Korea is "actively preparing to conduct a nuclear test." If that happens, she said on Tuesday, the United States "absolutely will" push again for more U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang.
"First of all we need to enforce the sanctions that we have," she told reporters. "And we certainly - as we attempted in this last resolution - will push for additional sanctions."
Over the past 16 years, the Security Council has steadily, and unanimously, stepped up sanctions to cut off funding for Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. It last tightened sanctions on Pyongyang in 2017.
Since then China and Russia have been pushing for an easing of sanctions on humanitarian grounds.
Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Nick Macfie
3. Why the World Should Care About the COVID Outbreak in North Korea
Why the World Should Care About the COVID Outbreak in North Korea
The COVID-19 outbreak in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) is an immediate global concern. The country’s healthcare infrastructure, which the Global Health Index has ranked 193rd out of 195, is not equipped to handle a pandemic, especially not one that transmits as quickly as the Omicron variant. Without proper treatments and vaccines, the virus threatens to run rampant in the country. This would create the perfect conditions for new variants to arise, which is a threat to the rest of the world.
Many will rightfully point out here that the US, South Korea and multilateral initiatives like COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) have expressed a willingness to provide COVID aid, which North Korea has not accepted to date. Extending beyond the likely frustrations in Washington and Seoul, it’s crucial to underscore that the rapid spread of Omicron and other emerging variants are not just about North Korea—these issues are a global security threat. As such, assistance efforts should be pursued as an urgent common objective. Moreover, it’s necessary to understand the recent history of humanitarian cooperation in the country to know why North Koreans may be hesitant to accept aid, and what policy shifts might make them more amenable to receiving assistance.
Fire, Fury and Food: The Recent Politicization of Aid in North Korea
The failed attempts at diplomacy during the Trump administration may provide the key framework for understanding North Korea’s current hesitancy around accepting aid from countries other than its longtime ally, China. By most accounts, the détente between the US and North Korea fell apart in Hanoi when the two sides walked away without a deal. However, diplomacy under the Trump administration had never been consistent, and the manipulation of humanitarian channels undermined negotiations from the beginning.
In the wake of the first historic meeting between Trump and Kim and the signing of the Singapore Joint Statement that promised to “establish new US-DPRK relations,” the US began severely restricting nongovernmental humanitarian operations in North Korea and key backchannels, which was a puzzling way to reestablish relations. So, while the US was publicly declaring a new start to its relationship with North Korea, it was shutting down any meaningful engagement behind the scenes.
Initially, closing humanitarian channels was not a stated policy of the administration. Instead, these actions were quietly carried out by the US State Department, which began denying aid workers the special validations needed to travel to North Korea. The US Treasury Department also began significantly delaying aid requests and denying approvals for even simple cooperative activities, such as routine reforestation trainings, which, prior to this period, had helped reduce the overall need for aid by decreasing the impact of flooding.
Even before the Singapore Summit, aid channels were already under significant pressure. United Nations (UN) sanctions resolutions passed in 2017 prohibited the shipment of any metal goods—a decision that created bureaucratic nightmares for aid operations. Shortly after, a backlog of aid shipments accumulated at ports, thereby preventing urgent medical care from being made accessible to the most vulnerable. Surgery patients went without anesthesia, and childhood nutrition programs tapered off due to cumbersome bureaucratic procedures and confusion amongst customs officials. Meanwhile, suppliers and shipping companies became more reluctant to work with aid groups, and banking channels completely collapsed. The UN sanctions stipulations went so far as to cover spoons and paper clips, and on at least 42 occasions, aid shipments were halted mid-transit often for reasons such as containing small metal items like nail clippers.
Compounding matters at the time, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria abruptly announced in February 2018 that it would stop funding for projects in North Korea. Citing issues related to “risk management,” the decision stopped treatments that had reduced malaria by about 72 percent. The Global Fund also contributed a modest but, nonetheless, significant amount in trying to meet the immense needs for tuberculosis (TB) treatment and prevention. The open secret in Washington, however, was that the Global Fund’s decision was actually influenced by the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign.
The Trump administration’s move to worsen the conditions for aid operations before and immediately after signing the Singapore Joint Statement, at best, sent mixed signals to Pyongyang. Most likely, though, the gradual shutdown of longstanding aid operations cast reasonable doubt in the minds of North Koreans on the US’ stated commitment to establishing new relations.
These assaults on global humanitarian and health operations were consistent with the Trump administration’s propensity to dismantle global initiatives. While some of these issues were corrected at the UN level, the damage was already done—ordinary people suffered needlessly, established relationships were strained, and already resource-strapped aid operations came under increased pressure.
Similar to Trump’s decision to drastically cut disease control cooperation with China, these decisions ultimately put the humanitarian and global health communities on the worst possible footing in the years leading up to a global pandemic. The relatively recent politicization of aid has almost been forgotten in Washington, but it provides essential context for understanding how and why there are currently difficulties in providing global health and humanitarian cooperation in places like North Korea exists.
These nongovernmental aid organizations, which are predominantly faith-based, have longstanding operations in North Korea, such as the one I represent—the American Friends Service Committee, which has been active in North Korea since 1980. However, policymakers seldom appreciate these decades of trust building and on-the-ground experience. While I have heard US officials say to aid groups that they are “the best representation of American values on the ground in North Korea,” US policy has posed significant barriers to the work of aid organizations well before COVID.
Herein lies a critical misalignment: The US primarily views aid as a “carrot” to entice North Korea into dialogue, while North Korea seems to view aid as a cooperative activity essential to reestablishing a new relationship.
As viewed through the long history of humanitarian cooperation in North Korea, it is clear that these channels serve critical needs while undergirding diplomatic efforts. However, humanitarian channels can be dangerous and ineffective when used with a “carrot and stick” approach, as the lives of ordinary citizens hang in the balance. Furthermore, this approach politicizes what is an otherwise important bedrock on which to build relations.
Washington’s Opportunity
To date, the Biden administration has not changed any Trump-era regulations on aid to North Korea. In fact, the Biden administration has opted to actively reinstate Trump-era travel restrictions even though North Korea’s borders remain closed. These regulations could delay aid delegations when the North’s borders reopen. It is not surprising, then, that this administration’s attempts to speak with their North Korean counterparts have been met with silence. After all, this administration has not differentiated itself from its predecessor in this space—despite its campaign promises
The recent COVID outbreak provides an important opportunity for Biden to adjust critical aspects of humanitarian policies, such as obstructive sanctions regulations and travel restrictions, even before the North Koreans are willing to accept assistance. Consistent with recent changes in policies toward Cuba and Venezuela, the Biden administration now needs to adjust its policy and posture toward North Korea in a way that not only allows, but also encourages humanitarian cooperation. This is now a matter of global and national security. It may also have the welcome side effect of jump-starting dialogue with North Korea.
Congress, too, has a role to play. Given that Congress grants the administration sanctioning authorities, it also has the power to clarify humanitarian exemptions within sanctions regulations. In a keen move of foresight, Senator Edward Markey and Representative Andy Levin introduced the Enhancing North Korea Humanitarian Assistance Act, which would clear many of the unnecessary hurdles for lifesaving assistance.
However, the measure has been stalled amid opposition by key members of Congress, such as House Foreign Affairs Asia Subcommittee Chair Ami Bera. Bera, a medical doctor by training, has expressed support for COVID-19 aid to North Korea, while simultaneously blocking key regulatory fixes that would allow for the efficient delivery of that assistance. These types of contradictions in US policy and posture are no longer acceptable as, in the words of Dr. Kee Park, a global health specialist at Harvard Medical School and seasoned aid worker in North Korea, “we’re looking at a major, major catastrophe.”
The outbreak in North Korea demands an urgent response and is a crisis that affords the US a low-risk, high-reward opportunity to reinvigorate the most basic and longstanding elements of the US-DPRK relationship—humanitarian cooperation. The alternative is an even more prolonged global pandemic and continued diplomatic deadlock.
4. North Korean COVID-19/Fever Data Tracker
Graphs, data and photos at the link.
North Korean COVID-19/Fever Data Tracker
Article last updated on May 31, 2022.
After two years of claiming no confirmed COVID-19 cases, North Korea disclosed a nationwide outbreak on May 13 and launched emergency epidemic prevention measures. The epidemic began in late April.
Officially, only a handful of cases have been confirmed as COVID-19 with the rest attributed to an unidentified “fever.” This is likely due to insufficient testing capabilities and many are assumed to be COVID-19 related, however, that might not be the entire picture. On May 19, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told lawmakers that waterborne diseases, like measles and typhoid, had already been spreading and that the fever totals include those outbreaks. That hasn’t been confirmed by North Korea.
North Korean state media has been publishing daily data on the outbreak, which is featured below. 38 North will update these numbers daily as new information becomes available.
For more context on the extraordinary reporting by North Korean state media, read a comprehensive analysis by Nonresident Fellow Rachel Minyoung Lee. She writes that the level of detail provided is remarkable for North Korea and underscores the severity of the situation and the leadership’s alarm.
Also on 38 North, William Brown writes North Korean imports of goods from China jumped in April, just before the fever outbreak began. Cross-border trade has been suggested as a possible entry point for COVID-19, although North Korean authorities have not named a suspected source.
Current Situation
North Korea appears to be winning its battle against the epidemic outbreak as cases trend downwards, although it hasn’t been totally smooth sailing, according to government figures.
After eight successive days of decline in the number of new cases, they jumped on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday was also the first day in more than a week where the number of new cases was greater than the number of recoveries.
However, data for Monday showed new cases declining again and a jump in the number of recoveries. An additional death was reported over the weekend to take the total to 70 people, according to state figures.
As of May 29, 3.6 million citizens equivalent to 14 percent of the population have experienced feverish symptoms since the outbreak began in late April. Most have recovered although 182,940 remain under treatment.
Provincial Data
The number of people under treatment across the country has fallen significantly from a week earlier. In Pyongyang, 18,726 people remained in treatment on Sunday, equivalent to 0.5 percent of the city’s population.
The highest percentage of cases continues to be in Nampo, Rason and Kaesong. Those three areas and Pyongyang have led the outbreak and the faster drop in Pyongyang probably indicates the government has deployed more resources to the capital city. One report over the weekend said the situation had improved enough in Pyongyang that residents were now able to leave their homes again.
Previous Updates
May 27, 2022
The number of new cases of fever in North Korea continued to drop on Thursday per government data for the fifth day in a row. As of 6 p.m. on Thursday, new fever cases totaled 100,460, a five percent drop since the previous day. This represents the smallest decline in new cases since the outbreak was reported.
There were 233,090 total cases under treatment at 6 p.m. on Thursday, a drop of 14 percent from the day prior.
For the first time in four days, government data reported one new death, bringing the total number of deaths to 69.
Kim Jong Un issued a special order to mobilize Korean People's Army (KPA) medics to distribute medicine in Pyongyang. According to KCNA, KPA medics have provided medicine and treatments in households in 11 districts of the city.
(Source: KCNA)
(Source: KCNA)
May 26, 2022
The number of new cases of fever in North Korea continued to drop on Wednesday, per government data released on Wednesday. There were 271,810 total cases under treatment at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, a drop of 16 percent from the day prior.
New cases were reported as 105,500 on Wednesday, down 9 percent.
While the emergency conditions continue inside North Korea, state TV has broadcast new propaganda posters produced by the Mansudae Art Studio. This one asks citizens if they are following the emergency quarantine rules.
(Source: KCTV via Martyn Williams)
Across the nation, the number of new and existing cases dropped in every province and city. The epidemic is worse in Kaesong where 3.76 percent of the city’s population was sickened as of Wednesday at 6 p.m. In Pyongyang, cases continue to decline and make up 1.15 percent of the population as of Wednesday evening.
Emergency epidemic control restrictions remain in place.
May 25, 2022
The number of new cases of fever in North Korea continued to drop on Tuesday as total case numbers also continued their downward trend, according to government data released on Wednesday. There were 323,330 total cases under treatment at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, a drop of 19 percent on the day.
There were 115,970 new cases on Tuesday, down 14 percent on the day but evidence that the epidemic continues to spread even though it appears to be gradually under control, according to state data. As of Tuesday, over 3 million North Koreans have shown symptoms since the outbreak began in late April. That’s 12 percent of the population, according to official figures.
State television on Wednesday broadcast images of workers delivery food to residents in Pyongyang and rural health workers visiting small villages.
Health workers are seen visiting a rural village in footage broadcast on Korean Central Television on May 25, 2022.
May 24, 2022
North Korea registered its fourth straight daily drop in the number of new cases of fever on Monday and the first day with no reported deaths since the current epidemic was disclosed almost two weeks ago.
There were 134,519 new cases in the 24 hours to 6 p.m. on Monday and 213,680 people recovered, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported on Tuesday morning. In an editorial in the same edition, the newspaper likened the health crisis to a warlike condition and called on citizens to rally around the Workers’ Party Central Committee to defeat it.
As of Monday evening, 400,000 North Koreans remain “under treatment” for fever with 2.5m recovered. Together, that means about 11 percent of the nation has shown symptoms since the outbreak began in late April. North Korea has stopped disclosing the number of COVID-19 tests conducted each day and their results.
State media reported over a million medical workers, teachers and students have been mobilized as part of the state response, which has also seen army medics working in pharmacies.
Soldiers seen working in a pharmacy in footage broadcast on Korean Central Television on May 22, 2022.
State TV showed images of what it said was increased production at factories manufacturing traditional Korean medicine.
A worker adjusts pharmaceutical production equipment in video broadcast on Korean Central Television on May 23, 2022.
Medicines seen in video broadcast on Korean Central Television on March 23, 2022.
Across the nation, cases fell in all regions except Rason in the far northeast of the country, and Kaesong, which borders South Korea. Both those areas have been heavily affected by the outbreak and while cases have fallen rapidly in Pyongyang, according to government data, they have not abated as dramatically in those two regions.
Kaesong now leads the nation with 5.2 percent of its population currently under treatment. In Rason cases account for 4.7 percent of its population; and in Nampho, 4.4 percent. In contrast, active cases now affect just 1.6 percent of people in Pyongyang.
May 23, 2022
For the third day in a row, the number of people in North Korea currently under treatment for feverish symptoms (presumably COVID-19) dropped on Sunday, according to government figures released on Monday. There are currently 479,400 people in treatment out of a total of 2.8m who have experienced sickness. That represents 11 percent of the population.
The number of new cases is also falling fast and was 167,650 on Sunday. A total of 68 people have reportedly died. That number has been increasing by a single death for each of the last three days.
The data suggests that the government’s lockdown and restrictions on movement are having a positive effect. On Sunday, state television broadcast images of empty streets in several cities across the nation including Wonsan on the east coast and Sinuiju on the Chinese border.
Empty streets in Sinuiju, North Korea, shown on Korean Central Television on May 20, 2022.
At the same time, thousands of people gathered in the streets of Pyongyang on Sunday, May 22, to attend the state funeral of retired Korean People’s Army (KPA) Marshal Hyon Chol Hae. Almost everyone wore masks except Kim Jong Un and the honor guard members.
Kim Jong Un (center) is seen without a mask at the funeral of Hyon Chol Hae on May 22, 2022. (Image: KCNA)
Active cases have in Pyongyang halved between May 19 and 21 to just over 100,000 people or about 3 percent of the city’s population. Cases are also falling in neighboring Nampho but continue to rise slowly in the southern city of Kaesong.
The case surge in South Pyongan province, which is to the north of Pyongyang, appears to have ended and cases have dropped for the last two days, according to the data. Cases rose in South Hwanghae, North Hamgyong and Ryanggang provinces and Kaesong city.
May 21, 2022
For the first time since North Korea began providing outbreak data a week ago, the total number of active cases fell on May 20. State media reports 692,480 people were under treatment as of 6 p.m. on Friday down from more than 60,000 on the day. The government reported 219,030 new cases of fever on Friday and a single new death. In total, 2.5 million North Korean have been sickened by the outbreak, which is about 9.5 percent of the population.
On Saturday, state television broadcasted video of Kim Jong Un attending a late-night politburo meeting to discuss the current situation and the bier of Hyon Chol Hae, a North Korean Army marshall who died earlier this week. In contrast to earlier in the week, Kim was not wearing a mask in the TV images but others were.
Kim Jong Un is seen at a politburo meeting in in footage broadcast on Korean Central Television on May 21, 2022.
Kim Jong Un and senior North Korean officials pay their respects to Hyon Chol Hae in footage broadcast on Korean Central Television on May 21, 2022.
Cases continued to fall in Pyongyang, but the outbreaks in the country's central provinces showed no sign of slowing down, according to provincial-level data. The local data lags the national figures by a day so doesn't reflect the drop seen on Friday.
In North Hwanghae province, which is to the south of Pyongyang, 3.1 percent of the population was under treatment on Thursday. The rate was 2.8 percent in neighboring Kangwon and 2.5 percent in South Pyongan province, which borders Pyongyang to the north. Rates continue to be high in Kaesong and Rason but nowhere is as bad as Nampho, where 9 percent of people are currently under treatment, according to the government figures.
May 20, 2022
North Korea saw 263,370 new cases of fever in the 24 hours to 6 p.m. on Thursday, state media reported Friday morning. That’s equivalent to the number of new cases the previous day. Two people died and 248,720 recovered, according to the government figures. Across the nation, just over three-quarters of a million people are being treated and 65 deaths have been attributed to the outbreak. North Korea is only believed to have tested a small fraction for COVID-19.
On Thursday, state media reported more on the medical response to the epidemic and provided an insight into what the sick can expect. Regional treatment centers have been formed and more isolation wards created but the technological response appears to extend to more thermometers, unspecified injections and traditional medicine. State media also reported thousands of tons of salt were transported to Pyongyang to make antiseptic solution.
It also said work was underway to identify failings in the epidemic prevention measures so far. Consultations had begun to “immediately rectify” the “vulnerable points, vacuums, evils and defects revealed in epidemic prevention work.”
Cases continue to fall in Pyongyang, likely as a result of strict curbs on movement, but they did increase in neighboring Nampo.
Around 38,000 people are currently being treated in the province, which accounts for about 9 percent of its population. The general rise in fever cases in the provinces at the center of the country continued on Wednesday, according to government provincial-level data, which runs a day behind the national data. In South Pyongan province, which is to the north of Pyongyang, cases have surged from 43,736 on Monday to 80,920 on Wednesday, but as a percentage of the provincial population, it remains relatively low at 2 percent.
Cases are also rising fast in South Hamgyong, which has seen a jump from 21,477 on Monday to 53,814 on Wednesday. The latter represents 1.5 percent of the provincial population. The sole death announced on Wednesday was in North Pyongan province.
May 19, 2022
The number of new fever cases has registered its first rise in three days, North Korean state media reported on Thursday. The country saw 262,270 new cases in the 24 hours to 6 p.m. KST on May 18 but only 1 death, according to the Rodong Sinmun newspaper. In total, just under 2 million North Koreans, or nearly 8 percent of the population have been hit by the fever outbreak with 741,000 still being treated. Total deaths stand at 63.
Current cases are falling in Pyongyang but starting to rise across the country, according to the latest provincial data released by the North Korean government. In the 24 hours to 6 p.m. on May 17, Pyongyang was overtaken by neighboring Nampho as the area with the greatest number of active cases at 7.7 percent of the population versus 6.8 percent in the capital. Cases also fell in Rason in the northeast of the country from 5.2 to 4.7 percent of the population
Elsewhere, most provinces saw infection rates rise. The largest increases were seen in South Pyongan and South Hamgyong provinces, although with only four days of provincial data having been released by the government, it’s unclear whether any of these changes are down to reporting problems and delays or the underlying epidemic.
Korean Central Television broadcast more images of quarantine and health workers in Pyongyang.
Quarantine workers in Pyongyang's Moranbong District shown on Korean Central Television on May 19, 2022.
Health workers in Pyongyang's Rakrang District shown on Korean Central Television on May 19, 2022.
May 18, 2022
North Korean state media reported 232,880 new cases of fever diagnosed in the 24 hours to 6 p.m. KST on May 17. That’s the second day in a row that new cases have dropped, although with only six days of data is it too early to draw conclusions about what this means. An additional 6 deaths were reported taking the nationwide total to 62 since the outbreak began. There are currently 691,170 active cases nationwide and just over 1 million people have recovered. In total, 1.7 million people, or 6.7 percent of the population, have experienced symptoms to date.
Pyongyang remains the hotspot of the outbreak with 269,000 active cases, which is about 7.5 percent of the city’s population. On Wednesday, North Korean state television broadcast images of empty streets and parts of the city cordoned off with “No Entry” signs and guards.
Video broadcast by Korean Central Television on May 18, 2022, appeared to show parts of Pyongyang cordoned off during an ongoing fever outbreak.
It also showed images of health workers visiting people in their homes and workers in full protective equipment carrying bags of gochujang paste, presumably to deliver to homes.
Workers in protective equipment carry bags of shopping in an image broadcast on Korean Central Television on May 18, 2022.
Nearby Nampho has the second-highest level of cases, at 6.7 percent of the population, followed by Rason and Kaesong.
The death toll rose by 6 people on Tuesday to 62 with an additional death in each age group except the over 60s, which remained the same. Deaths among the under 20s now equal those among the over 60s in this outbreak.
On 38 North's affiliated blog, North Korean Economy Watch, Benjamin Katzeff Silberstein looks at the government's numbers and argues they might tell us more about how the government perceives the outbreak than how many North Koreans have actually been infected with Covid-19.
May 17, 2022
North Korean state media reported 269,510 new cases of fever diagnosed in the 24 hours to 6 p.m. KST on May 16 to 6 p.m. KST on May 16. An additional 8 deaths were reported taking the nationwide total to 50 since the outbreak began. The country currently has 663,910 active cases and 819,090 people have recovered. Together, that means 1.5 million people, or 5.7 percent of the population, have experienced symptoms.
Provincial data reported on Korean Central Television indicates the fever outbreak is hitting North Korea’s main cities the hardest. In Pyongyang there were 240,459 people being treated as of May 15, accounting for roughly 7 percent of the city’s population. Cases in Nampho were equally high at 7 percent and in Rason and Kaesong active cases accounted for about 4.5 percent of the populations.
Of the 50 deaths reported to date, about a third have been among North Koreans aged 61 or older. By age group, infants and children up to 10 years old have been second hardest hit with 8 deaths, according to state data.
5. South Korean special forces captain charged with spying for North Korea
Previously reported but still very disappointing.
South Korean special forces captain charged with spying for North Korea
A North Korean soldier takes photos through the window while U.S. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is briefed at the Demilitarized Zone in South Korea, Nov. 11, 2012. (D. Myles Cullen/U.S. Army)
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — A special operations officer in the South Korean army allegedly traded military secrets to a North Korean hacker in exchange for nearly $70,000 in cryptocurrency, according to a South Korean military affidavit.
The army captain, identified in the redacted affidavit only as Kim, his surname, was arrested April 6 and charged with violating the National Security Act, military prosecutors state in the document.
The allegations against Kim are “absolutely shameful,” said a former South Korean special forces officer and former commander of a joint support group.
“In my 19 year-career in the military, this is the first time I’ve heard this kind of news,” Lee Kwan Woo Kim, a former commander in the Eighth Army’s U.S.-South Korea joint support group, told Stars and Stripes by phone Wednesday. “Special forces officers and noncommissioned officers are trained on security — all of those members are trained very seriously to keep security.”
Kim attended South Korea’s school of infantry in 2015, according to military records cited in the affidavit. He then served as a platoon leader for a reconnaissance company in 2016 and five years later became a company commander in the 13th Special Mission Brigade, according to Lee a special operations group specifically trained to capture or kill leaders in North Korea.
In March 2020, an unidentified former classmate approached Kim with an offer of money in exchange for military information for a third party, according to the affidavit. Kim declined the offer, saying such an act is illegal, the affidavit states.
Around six months later, Kim, now in financial straits due to online gambling, accepted his classmates’ offer, the affidavit said. The classmate introduced Kim to Boris, a man who claimed to be an ethnic Korean living in China.
Boris, later identified as an agent for a North Korean hacking group, posed as an information broker working for an illegal sports-betting website, according to the affidavit. Boris claimed that information given to him would be passed on to Russian entities.
Prosecutors alleged Kim began providing Boris information about South Korea’s military in November. At Boris’ request, Kim used his cellphone to photograph the secured military network’s login screen and sent the images through Telegram, an encrypted messaging service.
In January, Kim allegedly collected additional photos, including the start-up screens for computers, for Boris. The North Korean agent was preparing a “USB-type” module containing a malicious program to hack into the military network, according to the affidavit.
Kim went on to send pictures of “wartime and peacetime operational” plans to Boris, which would “incur obvious danger to national security and interests,” the affidavit said.
Kim is believed by prosecutors to have received 0.89761 Bitcoin — equivalent to roughly $28,300 as of Wednesday — in exchange for his services between November and March.
One Bitcoin reached an all-time high of roughly $68,000 in November. Its value plummeted since then and is currently trading at around $31,000, depending on cryptocurrency exchanges.
U.S. officials in recent weeks have warned of a rise in North Korea’s illicit activities involving cryptocurrency thefts and computer network attacks.
“These capabilities also support military operations and national security goals to collect information, garner illicit revenue, and spread propaganda,” Navy Adm. John Aquilino, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, wrote in a statement submitted to Congress on May 17. “Cyber-enabled financial theft, extortion campaigns, and cryptojacking—compromising computing resources to mine digital currency — fund much of Pyongyang’s weapons development programs.”
6. North Korea: Deterrence Fast Losing Its Luster And Impact – OpEd
"Deterrence works, until it doesn't." - Sir Lawrence Freedman.
If you do not think deterrence will work then you must ensure your military is ready and capable of successfully defeating an attack.
Some very interesting perspectives about the Quad and Kim.
Excerpts:
If Kim decides to up his ante and oversteps his own charted strategic lines, Quad will be poised to be in the leadership role in the global and regional movement and voice in both the de-escalation and crisis management measures with Pyongyang. If push comes to shove and prospects of deterrence impact continue to deteriorate, the Quad with its existing synergized coordination and growing collective deterrence will likely still be the last dependable front in salvaging the order and status quo of the Indo-Pacific, lacking any credible alternative with the persistent moves by Beijing to prevent both the expansion of Quad and the formation of a new pact, even when the end target is intended for Pyongyang.
The new directions and foreign policy shifts with potential for early strategic reset and recalibrations in relations under the new leaderships of Marcos Jr and Anthony Albanese might provide some new balances in the current tightrope facing Beijing, further trapped by the increasing vocal stances and solidarity displayed throughout Biden’s charm offensive in the region. Otherwise, he faces the same fate of Kim in playing the losing game of holding out their staying power in the long run where Uncle Sam will still be having the last laugh, albeit reluctantly.
Kim might opt for the shorter-term strategic patience, intertwined with phased escalations in pushing Biden to maintain the current status quo with no systemic challenge to current calibrations of the peninsula’s sole offensive nuclear capacity projection. This is projected by Kim to be played out over the remaining two years of Biden presidency, pinning hopes for the anticipated return of Trump where Kim will be given the space and trust once again in setting the exit agenda on his pace and terms. Hard truth and reality on the long-term fate of his nuclear dependence have been lingering on Kim and he will look for the best strategic opening and avenue in dictating the exit on his terms with enough face saving and honorable tools that will also cement his legacy in the North and in the history books. Trump is the only option and persona that will be able to give him just that.
North Korea: Deterrence Fast Losing Its Luster And Impact – OpEd
The old dogma of deterrence games is fast losing its luster and impact. Past containing strategies are now being used by Kim Jong-un to provide instant backfiring consequences. Strategic ambiguity no longer remains a useful option for the West.
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President Xi Jinping will be happy for now to play the dual role of both keeping Kim in check to preserve its obligations as the regional hegemon in maintaining regional order, while at the same time keeping the opening in dictating Kim’s next moves as an effective cat and mouse game with the West. For as long as Kim is seen as towing the line and adhering to the grand bargain and strategic projection of Xi, he will be given the lifeline and implicit legitimacy in continuing the same tactic of escalation for de-escalation. All these will not be a static dependence however, as potential backfiring in the form of an escalating hardline stance by the affected parties in doubling down their demands and ultimatums to Pyongyang will only create further risks of miscalculations and bringing American and Japan offensive capacities ever closer to Beijing in using Pyongyang threat as the excuse and pretext.
The persistent threat from the THAAD in the South and the risks for greater penetration of Beijing’s increasingly solid anti access and area denial (A2/AD) capacity by the US through the combined power from the new integrated deterrence approach especially in synergizing capacities with Japan. Pyongyang is increasingly becoming a thorn rather than an effective long-term kryptonite for Beijing in stalling the containment maneuvers by the West and Xi is trapped in another paradox of gaining the needed trust and support in its own version of inheriting regional and global dominance transition while grappling with the risks involved in ensuring internal and national survival through the explicit measures that are also desperately needed. An emboldened Quad or upward determination for Kishida’s new impassioned call for greater nuclear umbrella guarantees from Washington as has been seen in the case of Suk-yeol will only entrap Kim’s maneuvering space further. Xi is further confined with the three-front encirclement from Tokyo and increasingly Seoul, with Taiwan being largely a confirmed permanent resident of Washington’s security backing periphery with the sealed fate of the long held strategic ambiguity dependence.
Xi is strategic in the sphere of maintaining current equilibrium with these in mind, fully aware of the potential double-edged sword posed by Kim and in calculating the cost-benefit balance in his current approach. Xi realizes that for as much as Kim will be able to delay and distract Tokyo and Washington in coming up with the right and effective approach in denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, Kim will face the ultimate looming fate of losing the long-term confrontation. This current mechanism is unsurprisingly costly and unsustainable for Pyongyang to sustain, without risking further irreparable damage to its economic and national survival, now further in the doldrum following the explosion of Covid-19 penetration. It remains costly both to his regime’s survival and to his nation’s tipping point. The numbers game has always been asymmetric in nature, and there is no viable path for Pyongyang other than the previous dependable first strike deterrence which Kim is fully aware that if he really was to go ahead with striking the first nuclear missile, he would also practically sign the death warrant to his regime with the subsequent unmatched retaliatory second-strike responses by Washington.
As it stands, current brinkmanship threats are defined from the lenses of exerting greater chips and cards and in reasserting greater concessions from the South and the US for now, with expectations for the equal recognition and physical support given for Kim to assert his own narrative and terms of shaping the agenda sitting framework either for peace building negotiations or in reducing barriers for non-military contact support and exchanges. While deemed as not a potential systemic and structural competitor and long-term sustaining threat to the survival of the current regional order and the ultimate staying power of the US unlike China, it remains a stubborn and indistinguishable headache and Achilles heel for the West and the affiliated parties keen to refocus their efforts on China.
The Quad will likely maintain its laser focus on China for as long as Kim is able to keep the composure and not to overstep the red line, as the four-nation group will need the structural and systemic justification and pulling factor in expanding its membership and role. Already facing greater countermeasures from China in stalling its regional outreach and where Beijing is keen to exert more divisive fractions in the pact by smart early bilateral approaches and reorientation of it charm offensive push, Quad will need further impetus to break the deep-rooted economic entanglement and grip Beijing has enjoyed for years with the regional players in order to create openings for the pivot. It finds greater momentum and unified internal confidence now, which will ease hampering barriers and stimulate greater efficacy of increased coordinated efforts in a more unified front.
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If Kim decides to up his ante and oversteps his own charted strategic lines, Quad will be poised to be in the leadership role in the global and regional movement and voice in both the de-escalation and crisis management measures with Pyongyang. If push comes to shove and prospects of deterrence impact continue to deteriorate, the Quad with its existing synergized coordination and growing collective deterrence will likely still be the last dependable front in salvaging the order and status quo of the Indo-Pacific, lacking any credible alternative with the persistent moves by Beijing to prevent both the expansion of Quad and the formation of a new pact, even when the end target is intended for Pyongyang.
The new directions and foreign policy shifts with potential for early strategic reset and recalibrations in relations under the new leaderships of Marcos Jr and Anthony Albanese might provide some new balances in the current tightrope facing Beijing, further trapped by the increasing vocal stances and solidarity displayed throughout Biden’s charm offensive in the region. Otherwise, he faces the same fate of Kim in playing the losing game of holding out their staying power in the long run where Uncle Sam will still be having the last laugh, albeit reluctantly.
Kim might opt for the shorter-term strategic patience, intertwined with phased escalations in pushing Biden to maintain the current status quo with no systemic challenge to current calibrations of the peninsula’s sole offensive nuclear capacity projection. This is projected by Kim to be played out over the remaining two years of Biden presidency, pinning hopes for the anticipated return of Trump where Kim will be given the space and trust once again in setting the exit agenda on his pace and terms. Hard truth and reality on the long-term fate of his nuclear dependence have been lingering on Kim and he will look for the best strategic opening and avenue in dictating the exit on his terms with enough face saving and honorable tools that will also cement his legacy in the North and in the history books. Trump is the only option and persona that will be able to give him just that.
*Collins Chong Yew Keat has been serving in University of Malaya for more than 9 years. His areas of focus include strategic and security studies, America’s foreign policy and power projection, regional conflicts and power parity analysis and has published various publications on numerous platforms including books and chapter articles. He is also a regular contributor in providing op-eds and analytical articles for both the local and international media on various contemporary global issues and regional affairs since 2007.
7. Korean armaments are getting into Ukraine
Good. The indirect approach. Korean weapons can make an important contribution.
Wednesday
June 1, 2022
Korean armaments are getting into Ukraine
The self-propelled K-9 Thunder howitzer, manufactured by Hanwha Defense, on the move. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Other countries are supplying Ukraine with Korean-made weapons despite Seoul's own reluctance to do so, according to foreign media reports.
Polish public radio reported Sunday that Poland — a European Union member that has adopted a strong stance against Russia's invasion — has given Ukraine 18 AHS Krab self-propelled howitzers as Kyiv fights to defend its eastern Donbas region from a massive Russian assault.
The AHS Krab howitzer combines a British AS-90M Braveheart turret with a 155mm 52-calibre gun and WB Electronics' Topaz artillery fire control system with the chassis, or load-bearing vehicle frame, of Korean K-9 Thunder howitzers.
The K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer has been a major success for Korea's defense industry since its development by Samsung Techwin in 1999. Over 600 units have been exported to countries like Norway, Poland, Estonia, Finland, India and Turkey. Australia is set to introduce the K-9 after signing an agreement with Hanwha Defense, the howitzer's manufacturer, in December.
Citing a Polish government source in the report, Polish Radio also reported that Polish forces trained 100 Ukrainian artillerymen in preparation for the deployment of the Krab howitzers to the frontlines of the war.
Canada has asked Korea to supply it with artillery rounds to replenish ammunition stocks that Ottawa sent to Kyiv, according to Seoul's defense ministry.
A defense ministry spokesman confirmed with Reuters that Ottawa made the request, but only added that "no official proceedings are underway related to the request."
Korea is a major manufacturer of 155 mm ammunition, and a defense official who spoke to Korean broadcaster SBS on condition of anonymity said the country could sell up to 100,000 shells to Canada below market value.
Faced with heavy shelling in its eastern provinces, Ukraine has called on the West as well as Korea — the world's sixth largest arms exporter — to provide it with more longer-range weapons to turn the tide in the war.
Seoul has balked at Ukrainian requests for lethal weapons, citing the country's diplomatic and security situations and the impact on its own military's readiness posture.
It has provided Kyiv with humanitarian relief and non-lethal military supplies such as bulletproof helmets, blankets and medical supplies, according to Seoul's defense ministry.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov requested anti-aircraft weapons from Suh Wook, defense minister at the time, during a call in early April. But Seoul said it would be unable to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine.
In a May 9 call with senior defense officials of its allies, U.S. Defense Secretary Austin Lloyd also pressed for more weapon deliveries to Ukraine.
According to multiple Korean military sources, the U.S. defense officials during the call suggested that "if it is difficult to send weapons directly to Ukraine given each country's relationship with Russia, the U.S. will intervene," implying the U.S. would facilitate the transfer of weapons to Ukraine.
A Korean military source who asked not to be named said the administration of former President Moon Jae-in was very negative about the U.S. proposal, but the United States expects "a more forward-looking position" from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup held talks with his Polish counterpart Mariusz Błaszczak on Monday and exchanged views on defense cooperation, the Defense Ministry said Monday.
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
8. Ambassadors, civic groups condemn North's abductions
Again, as I have previously mentioned, it is good that these issues are now being addressed in public in South Korea.
Wednesday
June 1, 2022
Ambassadors, civic groups condemn North's abductions
French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lefort delivers welcoming remarks at a joint briefing condemning North Korea’s abduction of South Korean and Japanese citizens Tuesday at his residence in Seodaemun District, western Seoul. [YONHAP]
In a joint press briefing condemning North Korea’s abduction of South Korean and Japanese citizens, several ambassadors and local civic groups in Seoul called on the Yoon Suk-yeol administration to hold Pyongyang accountable and work to reunite those who have been taken captive with their families.
The briefing, held Tuesday at the French ambassador’s residence in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, was held in commemoration of the International Week of the Disappeared, observed annually in the last week of May.
Organized by the Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights in cooperation with the UN Human Rights Office in Seoul and the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances, the event was participated in by French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lefort, Argentine Ambassador Alfredo Carlos Bascou, Dutch Ambassador Joanne Doornewaard and British Ambassador Colin James Crooks.
In a joint declaration, the envoys and NGOs expressed “deep concern” about Pyongyang’s “systemic abduction, denial of repatriation and subsequent enforced disappearance of persons from other countries,” and urged the regime to confirm the fates and identities of the abductees.
They recommended that the Yoon administration sign and ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, a UN-backed treaty.
“As the fates and whereabouts of most of the disappeared victims remain unknown, their remaining families and relatives experience continuous mental anguish,” the groups said. “To date, the Citizens’ Alliance and other NGOs have submitted hundreds of cases to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances that remain unanswered.”
Among the abductees are almost 100,000 South Korean civilians kidnapped by the North Korean government during the 1950-53 Korean War, the groups continued, and at least 19,000 South Korean prisoners of war, who are believed to have been enslaved in “various mining zones through multiple generations.”
The groups also mentioned there were many Japanese trapped in the North.
North Korea has for years shunned requests from South Korea and Japan to return the abductees, claiming they had chosen to become North Korean citizens of their “free will.” The regime has even refused to confirm whether they were still alive.
Local civic groups condemned former left-leaning South Korean President Moon Jae-in for sidelining human rights issues, including the abductions, as he was holding denuclearization talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
In an interview with CNN last month, President Yoon Suk-yeol, a conservative, said the age of appeasing the North was over and that any new dialogue between the two Koreas would have to be initiated by North Korean leader Kim.
BY LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]
9. Poland requests S. Korea to accelerate arms supplies amid Ukraine war
Poland requests S. Korea to accelerate arms supplies amid Ukraine war
S. Korea approves Hanwha Defense to begin negotiations on exporting machine guns to Poland
Published : May 31, 2022 - 18:05 Updated : May 31, 2022 - 18:05
Polish Minister of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak (Polish Ministry of National Defense
South Korea has approved a defense contractor to begin negotiations on arms exports to Poland as the central European country called for support to accelerate and expand the delivery of weapons amid the war in Ukraine.
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration said Tuesday that it has given the green light for Hanwha Defense to kick off dialogue on exporting K4 machine guns to Poland.
The announcement came after Polish Minister of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak on Monday met his South Korean counterpart,Lee Jong-sup, and DAPA Minister Kang Eun-ho during his trip to Seoul.
Blaszczak also met representatives of the South Korean defense industry and the CEO and president of Hanwha Defense, the Polish Ministry of National Defense announced on Monday.
“During the meetings in Seoul, Minister Blaszczak talked about strengthening the defense potential of the Polish Army with the participation of South Korean armaments companies,” Poland’s Ministry of National Defense said Monday in a statement.
Blaszczak’s visit to South Korea came as Poland, Ukraine’s closest neighbor, sees the urgency of securing additional weapons at an early date as the country has continued to send weapons to the war-torn country.
The Polish defense chief and South Korean government agencies and companies discussed ways to accelerate and increase the delivery of weapons to the Polish srmy.
“Why is it important? Because of the war on our eastern border. It is important for the Polish Armed Forces to be equipped with modern equipment, proven equipment, and such is the equipment produced by Korea,” Blaszczak was quoted as saying by his ministry.
Blaszczak particularly pointed to the urgency of promptly increasing the supply of AHS Krab self-propelled howitzers, which have been domestically manufactured. But the AHS Krab is combined with the chassis of Hanwha Defense’s K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers.
The Polish defense chief also raised a necessity of newly establishing bilateral cooperation with South Korea in securing infantry fighting vehicles in light of his country’s limited production capabilities.
“My task as the minister of national defense is to equip the Polish Army with this weapon as soon as possible. So, in self-propelled howitzers Krab and infantry fighting vehicles,” Blaszczak was quoted as saying.
DAPA spokesperson Park Geun-young on Tuesday said South Korea and Poland have continued to “discuss defense cooperation focusing on ground weapon systems” during a regular press briefing.
Park went on to say that both sides have made an advancement on arms export, but declined to confirm the specific items currently under discussion.
The two countries consulted on the export of South Korea-produced battle tanks and armored vehicles during Blaszczak’s visit to Seoul, a senior official at the DAPA confirmed to The Korea Herald. But they are at a fairly early stage of discussion.
Both Hyundai Rotem, producer of K2 Black Panther tanks, and Hanwha Defense, manufacturer of K21 Infantry Fighting Vehicles, declined to confirm whether they engaged in dialogue with Poland over the arms exports when asked by The Korea Herald.
South Korea has been requested to step up support to countries who need to fill up their weapons stocks sent to Ukraine.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said on Monday that it has been reviewing the export of 100,000 shells of 155 mm caliber to Canada, which will have the country indirectly join the international community’s move to provide weapons aid to Ukraine against Russia.
(dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)
10. S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 16,000 amid slowing virus trend
Some (slightly) good news.
S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 16,000 amid slowing virus trend | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell to below 16,000 Wednesday amid a slowing virus trend, as authorities take steps for a return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
The country added 15,797 COVID-19 infections, including 44 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,119,415, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
The daily cases have marked a steady decline since the all-time daily high of more than 620,000 in mid-March. The infection numbers have fallen to five digits or under since April 21.
The death toll came to 24,197, up 21 from Tuesday, with the fatality rate at 0.13 percent.
The number of critically ill patients stood at 188, up from 180 the previous day.
Starting Wednesday, international arrivals need to take only one polymerase chain reaction test within the first three days of arrival, in further easing of COVID-19 restrictions amid a virus slowdown and in line with border reopenings in other countries.
Rapid antigen tests that had been required for inbound travelers by the end of the first week of arrival are now a recommendation.
The age of minors for self-isolation exemption is extended to 11 from 5.
Also beginning Wednesday, the government will shut down most of the makeshift COVID-19 testing stations and temporary treatment centers across the country. Health authorities said they will increase the number of private clinics and local hospitals designated for COVID-19 treatment.
As of Tuesday, 44.58 million, or 86.9 percent of the population, had completed the full two-dose vaccinations, and 33.30 million, representing 64.9 percent, had received their first booster shots.
More than 4.1 million people, or 8 percent, had gotten their second booster shots, the KDCA said.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
11. Second Miracle on the Han is in the U.S.
Excerpts:
The new government pledging incentives and business-friendly environment has added traction. Despite global competitiveness, Korean companies were not appreciated at home. No.1 Samsung raised the bar in corporate investment by pledging 450 trillion, of which 360 trillion won will be spent at home.
Companies took their investment and hiring overseas. Creating jobs in America is not entirely bad. Once Korean technology can become global standard, it can increase its market share. If Korea does not act, Japan, Taiwan or other companies or U.S. enterprises will take its place.
But jobs must be made at home, too. The domestic stage must make local companies dance. Big chaebol have pledged to create more than 400,0000 jobs. They would willingly build factories and create jobs at home if regulations are lifted and labor conflict eases.
Wednesday
June 1, 2022
Second Miracle on the Han is in the U.S.
Kim Dong-ho
The author is an editorial writer of the JoongAng Ilbo.
“Compliments can make even a whale dance,” says a Korean proverb. The magic can work not just on people, but on corporations. The Yoon Suk-yeol government has made them dance in big steps.
Chaebol like Samsung, SK, LG, Hyundai Motor, Lotte, Posco, Hanwha, GS, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Shinsegae, CJ, and Kolon pledged to invest a combined 1,080 trillion won ($870 billion) over the next five years. They rushed out investment schemes after staying low over the past five years.
Companies could not help sighing, not just from intense competition in the global market, but also from anti-business and anti-market tone and policies of the Moon Jae-in administration, which vowed to reform chaebol. A law punishing employers for serious industrial accidents passed the National Assembly towards the end of Moon’s term. Companies laid low so as not to draw government attention. The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) — once the most powerful business lobby group — was even excluded from government events. Most key members of the group left the FKI. Entrepreneurship, investment and jobs were wanting.
Jobs are made when there are investment opportunities. Companies would hoard cash if they become reluctant to invest and hire. As business sentiment has dramatically changed, companies have become ambitious again. The elevation of Korea-U.S. ties to a comprehensive alliance encompassing the economy, security and technology cooperation has been the impetus. At the Korea-U.S. summit in May, the power of Korea Inc. has been recognized and appreciated.
Threatening chaebol with reform by political power is outdated reasoning. There must not be left or right in stimulating corporate activities. U.S. President Joe Biden visited Samsung Electronics as soon as he arrived in Korea and devoted nearly an hour to the head of Hyundai Motor Group before he left to underscore the influence and value of Korea’s top businesses on the global stage. Those companies should not be regarded as subjects to be tamed.
Samsung Electronics chip plants, Hyundai Motor car plants, and LG and SK battery plants spreading across the United States should be the second Miracle on the Han River. Until the 1990s, Korean brands were regarded as cheap assemblies or copycats. Second-rates had no place on the global stage.
President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with Samsung Electronic Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong at an event to foster symbiotic growth for large and small companies in the garden of the presidential office in Yongsan, May 25. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Local companies evolve to international ones and then to multinationals. Korean businesses have become top-rate multinationals, chased by the technology-strong U.S. for investment. America is courting Korean companies purely for U.S. interests. The U.S. has shifted to innovative and high value industries since the 1990s and neglected manufacturing, including chips and nuclear reactors. Korea was able to leverage on the U.S. vacuum and build supremacy.
The new government pledging incentives and business-friendly environment has added traction. Despite global competitiveness, Korean companies were not appreciated at home. No.1 Samsung raised the bar in corporate investment by pledging 450 trillion, of which 360 trillion won will be spent at home.
Companies took their investment and hiring overseas. Creating jobs in America is not entirely bad. Once Korean technology can become global standard, it can increase its market share. If Korea does not act, Japan, Taiwan or other companies or U.S. enterprises will take its place.
But jobs must be made at home, too. The domestic stage must make local companies dance. Big chaebol have pledged to create more than 400,0000 jobs. They would willingly build factories and create jobs at home if regulations are lifted and labor conflict eases.
12. Biden's Asia Visit Shows Commitment to the Region
The next step for the Binde and Yoon administration is to commit to a free and unified Korea. The only way we are going to see an end to the nuclear program and military threats as well as the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity being committed against the Korean people living in the north by the mafia-like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime is through achievement of unification and the establishment of a United Republic of Korea that is secure and stable, non-nuclear, economically vibrant, and unified under a liberal constitutional form of government based on individual liberty, rule of law, and human rights as determined by the Korean people. In short, a United Republic of Korea (UROK).
Excerpts:
Finally, on North Korea, Biden's quip, "Hello." when asked if he had a message for Kim Jong-un was clearly an unscripted moment. Biden seemed to suggest that he does not rule out direct dialogue with the North Korean leader, but not of the style followed by Trump. Biden's team has emphasized that the main goal of engagement with North Korea is tangible and substantive steps to denuclearization, not photo opportunities to stroke the ego of the North Korean leader (or the U.S. president for that matter).
My understanding is that the Biden administration has made nearly 20 attempts to engage in a dialogue with Pyongyang, and none of them have been responded to. This makes it unlikely that Kim would respond to Biden's "Hello" with anything but a nuclear or intercontinental missile test. Hopefully, the U.S., South Korea, and Japan will be on similar wavelengths after Biden's trip to Asia to coordinate policy to respond to this eventuality.
Biden's Asia Visit Shows Commitment to the Region
By Victor Cha, a professor at Georgetown University, senior fellow in human freedom at George W. Bush Institute, and Korea chair at CSIS in Washington, D.C.
U.S. President Joe Biden's recent visit to Japan and South Korea demonstrates his commitment to the region, which is vital to U.S. interests. Prior to Biden's first visit to Asia as president, the White House hosted a meeting with the leaders of Southeast Asian nations. Biden then went to South Korea to meet President Yoon Suk-yeol, the earliest summit meeting ever for a newly elected South Korean president.
He then went to Japan, where he announced the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) by enlisting about a dozen countries. Biden also attended a meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), involving leaders from the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia. This is the fourth meeting of the leaders in Biden's sixteen months in office.
He talked individually with each leader, including the newly elected prime minister of Australia. And following Biden’s trip, the administration laid out its long-awaited China policy review in a speech by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
These activities clearly demonstrate the "pivot to Asia" which Biden inherited from the Barack Obama administration. He is making up with extraordinary speed for the ground lost with allies during the Donald Trump administration's four years.
South Korea figures very largely in this new pivot to Asia. The Yoon administration's own pivot for South Korea to a regional and global role contributed to the success of the bilateral meeting. Deterrence was a key theme of the meeting, and the two leaders did well to follow up statements of the strength of "extended deterrence" with concrete measures like resuming joint military exercises, reviving the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group, and other as yet unnamed measures regarding movement of strategic assets.
These are necessary measures to ensure the alliance is strong, not just optically but in substance -- something that was arguably eroding over the past five years. Officials have told me that they are very comfortable with the clear-headed decisiveness of where the new Yoon government stands on the alliance. What is different is that support for the alliance is not viewed by Seoul as transactional -- that is, in return for some other policy concession by the U.S., for example on North Korea. Rather, that the support from Seoul is unconditional and seen as necessary for South Korea.
The real transformation of the alliance to a global and regional role, however, has to do with the Yoon government's commitment to work with the U.S. and other like-minded democracies on carbon-neutrality, nuclear energy, resilient supply chains, and support of democracy and the liberal international order. These were all addressed in the joint statement and they are an early indication of South Korea's re-engagement on the global stage.
Prior to this, there was a worrying trend where many new regional groupings were being formed around South Korea involving other democracies but without Seoul's participation. This was not a conscious U.S. decision, but a choice made by South Korea that had the effect of isolating the country in its own region.
In this regard, the joint statement laid down an important marker on the Quad, in which Biden welcomed South Korea's interest and enumerated the ways in which Seoul is an important contributor in terms of critical technology, global health, and resilient supply chains. Japan opposes South Korean membership in the Quad, and that is also why the administration emphasized the improvement of trilateral relations among the three countries in background briefings as one of the key messages of his meetings in Seoul and Tokyo.
The fact that the joint statement explicitly mentioned U.S.-South Korea-Japan trilateralism twice -- in reference to deterrence and to economic security -- is unusual and reflects the imperative placed on this policy objective by Washington. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman’s trilateral meetings in Seoul in the aftermath of the summit will follow the two presidents' directives.
Finally, on North Korea, Biden's quip, "Hello." when asked if he had a message for Kim Jong-un was clearly an unscripted moment. Biden seemed to suggest that he does not rule out direct dialogue with the North Korean leader, but not of the style followed by Trump. Biden's team has emphasized that the main goal of engagement with North Korea is tangible and substantive steps to denuclearization, not photo opportunities to stroke the ego of the North Korean leader (or the U.S. president for that matter).
My understanding is that the Biden administration has made nearly 20 attempts to engage in a dialogue with Pyongyang, and none of them have been responded to. This makes it unlikely that Kim would respond to Biden's "Hello" with anything but a nuclear or intercontinental missile test. Hopefully, the U.S., South Korea, and Japan will be on similar wavelengths after Biden's trip to Asia to coordinate policy to respond to this eventuality.
13. Rare Ship-to-Ship Transfers Keep Oil Moving From Russia to China
Is this learned behavior from north Korean ship-to-ship transfers? They have gotten away with them for some time despite having a combined naval operations center in Yokosuka, Japan manned by Japanese, ROK, US, and other allied naval officers tracking sanctions evasion activities. But if we do not take action by at least trying to deny access to areas where they are conducting these activities then the operations center is conducting little more than naval gazing and simply admiring the problem. We do not need to physically interdict these ships - we just need to patrol the areas to disrupt their activities. Our navy is stretched too thin, but this is where allies are really needed to step up. But maybe after they are done playing RIMPAC they could conduct some presence patrols. Or better yet they should conduct RIMPAC in the likely areas for ship-to-ship transfers - flood the zone with combatant ships.
Rare Ship-to-Ship Transfers Keep Oil Moving From Russia to China
May 25, 2022, 10:56 PM EDT
A logistically risky and costly transfer of crude between tankers at sea highlights the steps at least one Chinese buyer is willing to take to ensure the smooth flow of oil from eastern Russia to Asia.
Buyers are using creative ways to maintain flows as more shipowners shun Russian oil due to the potential fallout from financial sanctions, according to shipbrokers. Small vessels are being used to shuttle between Russia’s Kozmino port and the waters off Yeosu in South Korea, where cargoes undergo ship-to-ship transfer to supertankers for the next leg of the journey to China.
The number of shipowners and insurers willing to handle Russian crude is dwindling, said shipbrokers, created a logistical challenge for producers and buyers working with fewer tankers. The new approach isn’t to dodge sanctions but to more effectively deploy the available fleet, they added.
This process is unusual for ESPO crude, a type of Russian oil that’s typically loaded onto smaller tankers for a direct, five-day journey to China. While it adds to overall sailing time and costs, the brokers said the practice is becoming more common as shipowners and buyers prioritize a ready supply of small vessels to ferry oil out of Kozmino in short runs.
Unusual ship-to-ship transfers seen for China-bound shipments of Russian ESPO oil as shippers try to more efficiently deploy a shrinking fleet.
Willing buyers of Russian crude are set to benefit from steep discounts relative to global benchmark prices as others avoid deals with Moscow due to its war in Ukraine. Cheap oil has made it attractive for top consumers such as China and India to keep importing from the OPEC+ producer, despite facing international condemnation and mounting logistical and financial hurdles.
China is set to take almost all of the ESPO loadings this month, a grade that often flows to other countries such as South Korea and Japan due to the close proximity and simple logistics. Cargoes are typically transported directly from loading to receiving ports on aframax and Long Range-2 tankers.
Shrinking Fleet
Yang Li Hu and Yang Mei Hu -- both LR-2 tankers -- loaded ESPO between May 16 and May 18, before traveling toward Yeosu to transfer oil to supertanker Yuan Qiu Hu, according to ship-tracking data. The very-large crude carrier was only three-quarters full when it headed for China.
The vessels are owned by China’s Cosco Shipping Holdings Co., according to shipbrokers, while Unipec chartered the tankers. Nobody answered calls to the spokesman’s office at Cosco, while an email wasn’t immediately responded to. A Beijing-based official with the press office at China Petrochemical Corp. -- Unipec’s parent -- declined to comment.
A Covid-19 resurgence in China sapped some demand and crimped its long-haul crude imports, leading to an ample supply of VLCCs. The abundance of bigger ships means that the rare ESPO ship-to-ship transfer could be replicated more often as the smaller vessels make shorter trips.
Shipbrokers said smaller tankers which are suited to shuttle cargoes out of Kozmino efficiently are now in high demand. Since the recent transfer, Yang Li Hu picked up another ESPO cargo on May 23 and is en route to Yeosu, while Yang Mei Hu is scheduled to reach Kozmino for its next loading on May 26.
While ship-to-ship transfers from small to large tankers are common for long-haul shipments of crude such as Russia’s Urals, which is increasingly flowing from the Baltic Sea to Asia, it’s almost unheard of for ESPO. That’s due to the short voyage required to deliver cargoes to major customers in Asia.
Shipowners such as Cosco Shipping and Russia’s Sovcomflot are handling a sizable amount of Russian crude from ports such as Kozmino and Ust Luga in the Baltic Sea. In recent weeks, others such as Maersk wound up their Russian dealings, while more companies are taking a wait-and-see approach on concerns of harsher rules and a potential oil ban by the European Union.
— With assistance by Sharon Cho, and Sarah Chen
14. BTS says hopes visit to White House will be first step toward equality
BTS gets a White House visit before Kim Jong-un. This shows the strength of South Korea's Soft Power. (only slight sarcasm here) And BTS and such power is feared by Kim Jong-un (which is why he has banned K-Pop).
Excerpts:
Group member Jimin said the group was "devastated" by the recent surge in hate crimes in the U.S.
"To put a stop on this and support the cause, we would like to take this opportunity to voice ourselves once again," he said through an interpreter.
Suga stressed the need to embrace differences, saying, "It's not wrong to be different."
"Equality begins when we open up and embrace all of our differences," he said, also through an interpreter.
Another group member, V, also called on people to respect each other.
"Everyone has their own history. We hope today is one step forward to respecting and understanding each and every one as a valuable person," he said.
(2nd LD) BTS says hopes visit to White House will be first step toward equality | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from meeting at bottom; ADDS photos)
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean supergroup BTS highlighted the need to respect one another as they made their first visit to the White House on Tuesday for a rare meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden.
The group also joined White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a daily press briefing before meeting with the U.S. president.
"It is a great honor to be invited to the White House today to discuss the important issues of anti-Asian hate crimes, Asian inclusion and diversity," group member RM said in the press briefing.
RM and six other members of the boy band arrived here earlier in the week. The White House has said the president and BTS members will discuss "Asian inclusion and representation," as well as using BTS' platform as youth ambassador to "spread a message of hope and positivity across the world."
Group member Jimin said the group was "devastated" by the recent surge in hate crimes in the U.S.
"To put a stop on this and support the cause, we would like to take this opportunity to voice ourselves once again," he said through an interpreter.
Suga stressed the need to embrace differences, saying, "It's not wrong to be different."
"Equality begins when we open up and embrace all of our differences," he said, also through an interpreter.
Another group member, V, also called on people to respect each other.
"Everyone has their own history. We hope today is one step forward to respecting and understanding each and every one as a valuable person," he said.
The group members exited the briefing room without taking any questions, while some journalists cheered and shouted their group name.
The rare visit by a South Korean band to the White House was met with fervor, with hundreds of BTS fans gathered outside of the White House.
The White House briefing room was also packed with what many White House correspondents said was the largest number of journalists seen in many months, if not years.
The White House spokesperson said the group's conversation with the president will likely be kept private, but insisted their visit to the White House itself will send a strong message across the country.
"You have heard from them directly about how important it was for them to use their platform to be here and to talk about issues that matter to them, in particular, the anti-Asian hate that we have seen across this country these past few years," said Jean-Pierre.
"And so this was an important moment for them. They were thrilled to come out and make sure that you heard directly from them why they were here," she added.
Biden's official Twitter account later released a short video clip of the president's meeting with BTS.
Addressing the group members, Biden said, "A lot of our Asian-American friends have been subject to real discrimination. Hate only hides. When good people talk about it and say how bad it is, it goes down. So thank you."
In response, RM thanked Biden for a recent decision to sign the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law.
"We just want to be a little help and we truly appreciate the White House and the government's trying to find solutions," RM said.
"People care a lot about what you say, and what you're doing is good for all people," Biden said. "It's not just your great talent. It's the message you're communicating. It matters."
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
15. White House Press Unleash Their Inner ARMY During BTS Briefing
White House Press Unleash Their Inner ARMY During BTS Briefing
Call it the BTS House now! The boys of BTS made an appearance alongside Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s press briefing in honor of Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month following a meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House.
The group — comprising of Jungkook, V, Jimin, Suga, Jin, RM, and J-Hope — know how to draw a crowd wherever they go. They walked into the room to an audience much larger than normally gathered for a Biden press meeting. And just like ARMY, their phones were out hoping to capture the moment on camera.
Each took a moment during the conference to speak on the pressing concern of rising anti-Asian hate crimes, Asian inclusion, and diversity. They spoke first in Korean then swiftly translated before they headed out without taking press questions.
“We’re BTS and it is a great honor to be invited to the White House today to discuss the important issues of anti Asian hate crimes, Asian inclusion and diversity,” RM said in the band’s opening remarks. He then passed to Jin, who said: “Today’s the last day of the AANHPI Heritage Month. We join the White House to stand with the AANHPI community and to celebrate.”
“We were devastated by the recent surge of hate crimes, including Asian American hate crimes,” Jimin followed up. “To put a tough stop on this and support the cause, we’d like to take this opportunity to voice ourselves once again.”
J Hope added: “We are here today thanks to our ARMY – our fans worldwide, who have different nationalities and cultures and use different languages. We are truly and always grateful.”
“We still feel surprised that music created by South Korean artists reaches so many people around the world, transcending languages and cultural barriers,” Jungkook shared. “We believe music is always an amazing and wonderful unifier of all things.”
Suga expanded on J-Hope’s earlier point, saying: “It’s not wrong to be different. Then equality begins when we open up and embrace all of our differences.”
“Everyone has their own history,” V concluded. “We hope today is one step forward to respecting and understanding each and every one as a valuable person.”
“Lastly, we thank President Biden and the White House for giving us this important opportunity to speak about the important causes and remind ourselves of what we can do as artists. Once again, thank you very much,” RM wrapped up.
The press clamored for a few questions, but BTS were already through the door, sharing polite apologies on their way out.
The White House announced the K-pop group’s Washington, D.C. visit last week, sharing that the group would discuss “Asian inclusion and representation” and address anti-Asian discrimination with Joe Biden.
Last year, the group denounced anti-Asian racism in the United States in a statement condemning violence. “We stand against racial discrimination,” the group wrote. “You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.”
“We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look” — but called these instances “inconsequential” compared the uptick in anti-Asian violence. Still, they added, “these experiences were enough to make us feel powerless and chip away our self-esteem. … What is happening right now cannot be dissociated from our identity as Asians.”
“The way we think is that everything that we do, and our existence itself, is contributing to the hope for leaving this xenophobia, these negative things, behind. It’s our hope, too, that people in the minority will draw some energy and strength from our existence,” RM said at the time. “Yes, there’s xenophobia, but there are also a lot of people who are very accepting. . . . The fact that we have faced success in the United States is very meaningful in and of itself.”
The group’s visit to the White House comes just several days before they’re set to release Proof, an anthology album with music from throughout their discography, new tracks, and some unreleased demos.
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Senior Advisor, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
