Quotes of the Day:
“Nearly all soldiers—and this applies even to professional soldiers in peacetime—have a sane attitude towards war. They realise that it is disgusting, and that it may often be necessary.”
-George Orwell, August 1944
"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom."
- John Locke
“Burke rejected the liberal idea of the social contract, as a deal agreed among living people. Society, he argued, does not contain the living only; it is an association between the dead, the living and the unborn. Its binding principle is not contract but something more akin to trusteeship. It is a shared inheritance for the sake of which we learn to circumscribe our demands, to see our own place in things as part of a continuous chain of giving and receiving, and to recognise that the good things we inherit are not ours to spoil but ours to safeguard for our dependents. There is a line of obligation that connects us to those who gave us what we have; and our concern for the future is an extension of that line. We take the future of our community into account not by fictitious cost-benefit calculations, but more concretely, by seeing ourselves as inheriting benefits and passing them on. Concern for future generations is a non-specific outgrowth of gratitude. It does not calculate, because it shouldn't and can't.”
- Roger Scruton, Conservatism: An Invitation to the Great Tradition
1. North's Hwasong-8 is a new hypersonic missile
2. U.S. working to confirm nature of N.K. missile launch, condemns any illicit missile launch: official
3. North Korea says it tested a hypersonic missile. If true, it could change the military equation in east Asia
4. N.K. convenes Supreme People's Assembly meeting without leader Kim, message toward S. Korea
5. U.S. to continue to pursue diplomacy with N. Korea despite missile launches: nuke envoy
6. Joint Press Statement for the 20th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue
7. S. Korea to cooperate with new Japanese Cabinet under Kishida for 'future-oriented' ties
8. Seoul treads lightly around Pyongyang’s ‘ballistic’ missile
9. OpEd: 'Double standards' dispute - North Korea should stop dubious approaches
10. North Korea's ambivalent stance puzzles Seoul
11. North Korea issues order allowing people to use foreign currency at state-run food shops
12. North Korea emphasizes strict management of grain supplies ahead of autumn harvest
13. Will inter-Korean summit affect presidential election?
14. Two Koreas could hold additional summit under next presidency of South: Cheong Wa Dae official
15. Top U.S. officials chime in on willingness for talks with North
16. Assimilation programs begin for Afghan evacuees in Korea
17. North keeps up pressure with missile launch
1. North's Hwasong-8 is a new hypersonic missile
This is based on north Korea's claims it launched a hypersonic missile. I will wait for the missile experts to provide an assessment.
North's Hwasong-8 is a new hypersonic missile
A photo of the Tuesday launch of Hwasong-8, North Korea's new hypersonic missile, released by Rodong Shinmun, the ruling Workers' Party's official newspaper, on Wednesday. [NEWS1]
North Korea said Wednesday that the missile it tested the day before was a new hypersonic missile called Hwasong-8.
"On the afternoon of Sept. 28, the Academy of National Defense Science conducted a test launch of the newly developed Hwasong-8 supersonic missile in Toyang-ri, Ryongrim-gun, Chagang province," the state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday.
Calling the Hwasong-8 one of the "five most important" new weapons systems envisaged in a five-year military development plan, KCNA referred to the missile as a "strategic weapon" that enhances "the nation's capabilities for self-defense in every way."
The launch Tuesday also marked the North's first use of a missile fuel ampoule, according to KCNA. Missile fuel ampoules refer to containers pre-filled with liquid fuel, which can be stored for months before being loaded onto missiles for immediate use.
Such technology greatly reduces the time needed to prepare a missile for launch compared to conventional liquid fuel-powered missiles, which require hours of pre-fueling.
Both the North's claimed development of a hypersonic missile and introduction of the missile fuel ampoule pose escalated threats to existing South Korean and U.S. missile defense systems.
While the North's new missile is believed to lag behind the capabilities of hypersonic missiles developed by the United States, Russia and China, the KCNA said the Tuesday launch confirmed "the maneuverability and the gliding flight abilities of a detached hypersonic gliding warhead."
A hypersonic glide vehicle is attached to a missile before the launch and separates mid-flight as the missile approaches a target. The hypersonic glide vehicle changes the missile's flight path, making it significantly more difficult for defense systems designed to intercept it.
Existing missile defense systems would have difficulty intercepting a missile flying at speeds at or above Mach 5, which is the speed of currently deployed hypersonic missiles around the world.
Experts have called the new development a "game-changer."
Nevertheless, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the Hwasong-8 was still a weapon in development, and a considerable amount of time remained before it would be ready for actual deployment.
The JCS also said that South Korea and the United States are capable of detecting and intercepting the new weapon at its current speed, which is reportedly around Mach 3.
The Hwasong-8 test-launch marks the country's third missile test this month, following tests of new cruise missiles over the weekend of Sept. 11-12 as well as two train-launched ballistic missiles on Sept. 15.
The latest launch also marked North Korea's sixth major weapons test this year. North Korea launched cruise missiles on Jan. 22 and March 21 and short-range ballistic missiles on March. 25.
Under United Nations Security Council resolutions, the North is prohibited from testing ballistic missiles but not cruise missiles.
North Korean envoy Kim Song on Monday defended the country's right to develop weapons at the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Mr Kim said the country was "building up our national defense in order to defend ourselves and reliably safeguard the security and peace of the country."
The North has bristled at characterizations of its weapons development program and associated tests as "provocations."
Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said in a statement Saturday that Pyongyang could take steps to improve relations with Seoul, including an inter-Korean summit and the reestablishment of the joint liaison office, if the South abandons its "hostility" and "double standards" – a term interpreted by analysts to refer to the South's own missile development program and joint exercises with U.S. forces stationed on the peninsula.
She called on Seoul to use "prudence" in the use of the terminology "provocation" if it wants to improve inter-Korean relations, warning it may "trigger a war of words."
The previous day, Friday, she called a formal declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War, as proposed by President Moon Jae-in in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly last week, an "admirable idea."
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
2. U.S. working to confirm nature of N.K. missile launch, condemns any illicit missile launch: official
Excerpts:
"We are aware of these reports. We are working to confirm the specific nature of the recent launch event and consulting closely with our allies," the official told Yonhap News Agency in an email, asking not to be identified.
"We take reports of any new capability seriously, and as we've said, we condemn any illicit missile launches, which are destabilizing to the region and to the international community," the official added.
The latest launch came about two weeks after the North test fired a new short-range ballistic missile.
U.S. working to confirm nature of N.K. missile launch, condemns any illicit missile launch: official | Yonhap News Agency
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- The United States is still trying to confirm the type of missile launched by North Korea this week, but it condemns any illicit missile launch by the North that poses threats to other countries, a U.S. official said Tuesday.
North Korea earlier said it test fired a new hypersonic missile Tuesday (Seoul time).
"We are aware of these reports. We are working to confirm the specific nature of the recent launch event and consulting closely with our allies," the official told Yonhap News Agency in an email, asking not to be identified.
"We take reports of any new capability seriously, and as we've said, we condemn any illicit missile launches, which are destabilizing to the region and to the international community," the official added.
The latest launch came about two weeks after the North test fired a new short-range ballistic missile.
The U.S. has condemned both launches as violations of "multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions."
Pyongyang is banned from testing or launching any ballistic missile under U.N. sanctions.
Kin Moy, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, earlier said the U.S. still remains open and committed to engaging with North Korea.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
3. North Korea says it tested a hypersonic missile. If true, it could change the military equation in east Asia
Maybe. Is it a road mobile or launched from a fixed site? I read one report that it was liquid fueled which makes it less mobile and more complex to prepare for launch.
But before we hyperventilate about a possible hypersonic missile we should conduct an assessment.
One thing we can assess is the regime's intent and strategy. Blackmail diplomacy continues. The regime is intent on trying to develop advanced warfighting capabilities. There is no sign that the north intends to negotiate denuclearization or that it has abandoned its objective to dominate the Korean peninsula. We should think about that.
That said, perhaps the launch was not for us at all. The timing was in conjunction with a previously unannounced Supreme People's Assembly meeting. Perhaps this was for domestic purposes. But in addition to the simple reason that the test could have been necessary to advance the program, it likely had multiple target audiences for influence, domestic and foreign.
North Korea says it tested a hypersonic missile. If true, it could change the military equation in east Asia
CNN · by Analysis by Brad Lendon, CNN
Hong Kong (CNN)The hypersonic missile North Korea claims to have tested on Tuesday has the potential to be one of the world's fastest and most accurate weapons -- and could be fitted with a nuclear warhead, experts say.
While the exact specifications of North Korea's hypersonic Hwasong-8 missile are not yet known, missiles with hypersonic glide vehicles can theoretically fly as fast as 20 times the speed of sound and can be very maneuverable in flight, making them almost impossible to shoot down, according to experts.
If North Korea can successfully produce and deploy a hypersonic weapon, analysts say it could even change the military equation in the region.
What North Korea claims to be a new hypersonic missile launched on Tuesday.
"If true, it means current South Korean and Japanese missile defense systems become close to impotent," said Lionel Fatton, an assistant professor at Webster University in Switzerland and researcher at Meiji University in Japan.
Those systems are designed for defense against ballistic missiles, which descend on their targets from much higher altitudes than hypersonics.
Read More
"A hypersonic missile that can defeat advanced missile-defense systems is a game changer if a nuclear warhead is mated to it," said Drew Thompson, a former US Defense Department official and a visiting senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. But he cautioned, "that's a huge if. Having it and wanting it are not the same thing."
Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said developing the "strategic" weapon was one of the five "top-priority tasks of the five-year plan" for the country's defense.
Ankit Panda, a nuclear policy expert at the Carnegie Endownment for International Peace, said on Twitter that North Korea's use of the term "strategic" in describing the weapon implies a nuclear warhead capability.
North Korea has detonated six nuclear devices and is believed to have a number of nuclear warheads, according to Hans Kristensen and Matt Korda, nuclear experts at the Federation of American Scientists. But they point out there is no certainty that Pyongyang has successfully been able to put a nuclear warhead on a missile and deliver to its target.
The KCNA report said Tuesday's test was the first for the hypersonic missile, and that it was was successful.
"National defense scientists confirmed the navigational control and stability of the missile in the active section and also its technical specifications including the guiding maneuverability and the gliding flight characteristics of the detached hypersonic gliding warhead," KCNA said.
Western analysts who looked at the lone picture North Korea released of Tuesday's test say the weapon had characteristic of a hypersonic boost glide weapon.
After analyzing data from the launch, South Korea's military said the missile appears to be in early stage development, and it will be some time before it can be deployed.
In a statement sent to reporters, South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff said the North's missiles can still be detected and intercepted with South Korean-US military joint assets.
How a hypersonic glide weapon works
Like ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide weapons are launched by rockets high into the atmosphere. But while a ballistic missile warhead is largely powered by gravity once it begins its descent to its target from as high as 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), hypersonics dive back to Earth sooner before flattening out their flight path -- flying just tens of kilometers above the ground, according a hypersonics report from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The weapon then uses internal navigation devices to make course corrections and keep it on target while traveling up to 12 times the speed of sound, the report said.
Roderick Lee, director of research at the American Air University's China Aerospace Studies Institute, said the lower altitude flight paths of hypersonics mean they stay below radars for longer periods.
"That makes things really complicated for the defender," Lee added.
(2018) Russia says it has tested hypersonic missile 02:16
Only two countries, Russia and China, are thought to have deployable hypersonic missiles.
China says hypersonic aircraft test a success 00:30
At a 2019 military parade, China showed off its DF-17 missile, which it can use to deploy a hypersonic glide vehicle. A report from the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, citing US defense officials, says the DF-17 can deliver a warhead to within meters of its intended target at a range of up to 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles).
According to a report this month from the Arms Control Association (ACA) in Washington, DC, the United States is working on eight types of hypersonic weapons. And the military's Defense Advanced Research Project Agency said this week it had successfully tested a hypersonic weapon in flight a week earlier.
The ACA report says hypersonics are contributing to "a burgeoning arms race with all sides rushing the deployment of the new weapons lest they be perceived as falling behind the others in mastery of the new technologies involved."
Panda, the Carnegie Endowment expert, wrote on Twitter: "Missile proliferation in Asia is happening faster than I can write about missile proliferation in Asia."
'A little bombshell' in North Korean report
While the North Korean weapon's hypersonic speeds drew top headlines Wednesday morning, missile experts noted something ominous in the KCNA report -- "a little bombshell" as Jeffery Lewis, professor The Middlebury Institute of International Studies, wrote in a tweet.
The report said North Korea used a "missile fuel ampoule," meaning the missiles are fueled in the factory, not after being deployed in the field, Lewis said.
What appear to be submarine-launched ballistic missiles are shown in a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea, in January.
"If the DPRK fuels the missiles in the factory, military units don't have to spend time doing it in the field when the US Air Force is doing its level best to kill them. ... Big step for the DPRK," Lewis tweeted.
Kim Dong-yub, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said the fuel ampoule can prolong the time missiles can spend deployed, waiting for launch.
"It seems that North Korea is trying to overcome the disadvantages of pre-launch injection of liquid fuel," which has been the predominant fuel in North Korean missiles, he added.
US military officials said Tuesday's launch did not pose "an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies" but it did highlight "the destabilizing impact of (North Korea's) illicit weapons program."
Pyongyang is barred from testing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons under international law. Previous such tests have been met with international opprobrium and sanctions from the United Nations Security Council.
North Korea ramps up testing
The missile test was North Korea's third this month.
In the first, Pyongyang said it tested long-range cruise missiles over two days, on September 11 and 12. Then, on September 16, both North and South Korea tested ballistic missiles -- ratcheting up tensions exponentially in what was already one of the most volatile regions on the planet.
A missile test firing is launched from a train on Sept. 15, 2021 in an undisclosed location of North Korea.
On Tuesday, news of the North Korean test came just before Pyongyang's representative to the United Nations, Kim Song, addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, where he lamented the divide between North and South Korea and criticized the US presence in the region.
Kim accused the US of "antagonizing" his country with military exercises in the region, saying Pyongyang would be "prepared to respond willingly at any time" to friendly overtures from Washington.
North Korea defends right to develop weapons 20 minutes after missile launch 02:17
In the meantime, he said, "as the whole world knows, and as the US is so much concerned, powerful offensive means are, of course, included in our war deterrent."
Whether a hypersonic missile will be part of that North Korean deterrent remains to be seen.
"If they can develop a reliable nuclear warhead that is small enough to be delivered by a missile, and they can conduct tests of the warhead and missile, then they have demonstrated that they have credible capability," said Thompson, the Singapore researcher.
For now, he's skeptical.
"(A) North Korean hypersonic system strikes me as fantasy at this point," Thompson said.
But Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said Pyongyang's hypersonic missile may not need to be as accurate as those potentially deployed by other nations.
"If Pyongyang manages to fit a nuclear warhead on even a rudimentary hypersonic, it would be a dangerous weapon because it wouldn't have to be extremely accurate to threaten the nearby metropolis of Seoul," he said.
CNN's Yoonjung Seo and Gawon Bae contributed to this report.
CNN · by Analysis by Brad Lendon, CNN
4. N.K. convenes Supreme People's Assembly meeting without leader Kim, message toward S. Korea
We will be trying to figure out the meaning of this unscheduled meeting. Maybe Kim will show up in subsequent sessions. But we will wait with baited breath to read the statements that result from this, if any.
(2nd LD) N.K. convenes Supreme People's Assembly meeting without leader Kim, message toward S. Korea | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 7-8; REPLACES photo)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- North Korea opened a session of its rubber-stamp legislature without leader Kim Jong-un in attendance and dealt with economic and other domestic issues without issuing any message to South Korea or the United States, according to state media Wednesday.
The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) meeting held Tuesday drew attention as it came just days after the sister of leader Kim Jong-un issued a conciliatory message to South Korea, including the prospect of an inter-Korean summit, if Seoul drops its "double standards."
The session also came shortly after the North test-fired a newly developed missile earlier Tuesday.
Observers had said the North could use the SPA session to issue a message to the South or the U.S.
But the opening day meeting focused on domestic matters, such as adopting laws on youth education and modifications to the national economic plan, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
The deputies of the SPA also began a study and a discussion of the "draft law on the city and county development, draft law on the provision of education of young people and draft amendment and supplement of the law on the national economy plan," the KCNA said.
The agenda items introduced at the opening session include an unspecified "organizational matter," as well as the issue of renaming the Air Koryo Administration to the State Air Administration. Air Koryo is the North's national flag carrier.
The SPA also reviewed the mistakes made in all fields of the national economy and decided with unanimous approval on carrying out a law on recycling, the KCNA said.
Leader Kim did not attend the opening session.
Top officials attending the meeting included Choe Ryong-hae, president of the Presidium of the SPA, and North Korea's Premier Kim Tok-hun, according to the KCNA.
Still, leader Kim could attend following sessions.
During his policy speech at an SPA session in April 2019, leader Kim expressed his willingness to hold a third summit with then U.S. President Donald Trump after their no-deal summit in February that year.
The SPA usually meets in April every year to address the state budget and Cabinet reshuffling, but it has been closely watched from the outside for any glimpse into the reclusive state's stance on foreign affairs, including its stance on denuclearization talks with the United States.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
5. U.S. to continue to pursue diplomacy with N. Korea despite missile launches: nuke envoy
No reason to over react but we should be exposing the regime's strategy. We need to conduct an information and influence campaign to educate the Korean and American people about the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime.
We should continue to provide diplomatic space for Kim Jong-un to act as a responsible member of the international community. So far, he has not shown us that he can.
U.S. to continue to pursue diplomacy with N. Korea despite missile launches: nuke envoy | Yonhap News Agency
JAKARTA/SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's latest missile launches will not affect the U.S.' determination to seek diplomacy with the North for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. nuclear envoy for Pyongyang said Wednesday.
Sung Kim, U.S. special representative for North Korea, made the remark at a press event in Jakarta, a day after the North test-fired a hypersonic missile into the East Sea. The firing came after the regime's test-firings of two short-range missiles on Sept. 15 and a new type of cruise missile days earlier.
While describing the missile launches as a "threat" and "a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," under which the North is banned from testing or using nuclear and ballistic technologies, Kim said that does not "deter" the U.S. from continuing to pursue a "diplomatic path."
"We're strongly committed to finding a diplomatic path to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," he said at the event with foreign journalists. "That has not changed at all. These missile activities do not change our determination."
"We're waiting to hear back from Pyongyang. We have proposed dialogues on a wide range of topics ... we hope to hear back soon," Kim added.
The missile launches came amid Seoul's efforts to explore ways with Washington to resume the stalled dialogue with Pyongyang. Since last week, Pyongyang has expressed a willingness to improve inter-Korean relations and even discuss a summit with Seoul, but on the condition that the South drops its double standard and hostile attitudes against the regime.
Kim is set to hold talks with his South Korean counterpart, Noh Kyu-duk, to discuss North Korean issues in Jakarta on Thursday.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
6. Joint Press Statement for the 20th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue
Under the radar with everything else that is going on. This is a useful run down of some of the key alliance issues.
Joint Press Statement for the 20th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense (MND) held the 20th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue (KIDD) September 27-28, 2021 in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy (DEPMIN), Mr. Kim Man-gi, led the ROK delegation. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for East Asia, Dr. Siddharth Mohandas, led the U.S. delegation. Key U.S and ROK defense and foreign affairs officials also participated. Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense (A/ASD) for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities, Ms. Melissa Dalton, and Dr. Mohandas together co-chaired the Deterrence Strategy Committee (DSC) session of the KIDD opposite DEPMIN Kim.
During the KIDD, the ROK and U.S. delegations reaffirmed a shared goal of achieving the complete denuclearization of, and permanent peace on, the Korean Peninsula and pledged that the U.S. and ROK combined forces would remain ready and postured to defend the ROK. The two sides acknowledged the third year of the inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement, assessing that it—in addition to the continued enforcement and management of the Armistice Agreement by the United Nations Command—has contributed to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The leaders discussed DPRK’s recent missiles launches and agreed to explore enhancements to the Alliance’s defense posture to account for omnidirectional threats. Both leaders underscored the importance of diplomacy and the resumption of dialogue to address these changes.
During the Security Policy Initiative (SPI), both sides reaffirmed that the U.S.-ROK Alliance remains the linchpin of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Northeast Asia Region, and committed to seeking measures to further deepen and expand the Alliance. Both leaders lauded the ratification of the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) as a critical achievement in maintaining the U.S.-ROK Alliance, and ensuring the steady stationing of U.S. forces in the ROK. Additionally, both sides shared the common understanding that the Fall 2021 Combined Command Post Training (CCPT) played an important role in maintaining ROK-U.S. combined defense posture.
The leaders also acknowledged significant progress toward the return of Yongsan Garrison to the ROK, consistent with the Yongsan Relocation Plan. Both sides concurred on the importance of creating stable and unfettered access to training facilities, resources, and other sites critical to the U.S.-ROK combined defense posture and military readiness. The leaders also reviewed the progress made in the combined joint multi-purpose live fire range joint study and discussed the way ahead to ensure progress in advance of the Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) later this fall. Both sides pledged to deepen cooperation in other domains including cyber and space to ensure an effective joint response against emerging threats and to maintain a free, safe, and prosperous, Indo-Pacific region. Additionally, the two sides shared the common understanding regarding the importance of ROK-U.S.-Japan trilateral security cooperation, based on shared security interests among the three countries. The two leaders also pledged to strengthen cooperation to maintain the rules-based international order. Furthermore, both sides committed to cooperate to better align U.S. and ROK regional strategies, including the ROK New Southern Policy and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy.
During the Conditions-Based Operational Control Transition Working Group (COTWG), both leaders acknowledged the great progress made towards the transition of wartime Operational Control (OPCON) to the Future Combined Forces Command (F-CFC) and reaffirmed a mutual commitment to the bilaterally agreed upon Conditions-based OPCON Transition Plan (COTP). In particular, the two sides affirmed the progress of wartime OPCON transition tasks conducted this year, including the comprehensive joint study on COTP capabilities.
During the DSC, the two sides discussed combined deterrence and response concepts to strengthen Alliance tailored deterrence, to address DPRK’s threats including nuclear, WMD, and missiles, amidst a dynamic regional security environment. U.S. officials reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. commitment to provide extended deterrence to the ROK, utilizing the full range of U.S. capabilities, to include nuclear and conventional capabilities. ROK officials reaffirmed that they will continue to develop the ROK military’s nuclear and WMD response systems in order to deter and respond to North Korean threats. As part of the DSC, officials also participated in a tabletop exercise (TTX) to review measures to deter and respond to DPRK’s threats including nuclear, WMD, and missiles. The TTX outcomes will contribute to enhancing the combined deterrence capabilities of the Alliance and to shaping the Alliance Tailored Deterrence Strategy. On the margins of the DSC, A/ASD Dalton led consultations on the in-development U.S. Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) and Missile Defense Review (MDR) in which the ROK provided constructive feedback to shape its outcome.
In conclusion, U.S. and ROK leaders assessed that the 20th KIDD reaffirmed the close bonds within the Alliance, bolstered Alliance coordination, and strengthened U.S.-ROK combined defense posture. Based on these outcomes, the two sides pledged to continue efforts to achieve meaningful progress at the 53rd SCM, to be hosted in Seoul, Republic of Korea in late 2021.
7. S. Korea to cooperate with new Japanese Cabinet under Kishida for 'future-oriented' ties
I hope "future oriented ties" are about both countries putting their national security and national prosperity first while managing the historical issues.
S. Korea to cooperate with new Japanese Cabinet under Kishida for 'future-oriented' ties | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will continue to cooperate with the new Japanese government under the leadership of Fumio Kishida, the foreign ministry said Wednesday, following his win in the party election set to make him the next prime minister.
"The government intends to continue to cooperate with the newly launched Japanese Cabinet to develop the bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan in a future-oriented manner," the ministry said.
Kishida won the leadership election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, beating Taro Kono, minister for administrative and regulatory reform, in the runoff after a narrow win in the first round. He will replace outgoing leader Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who is stepping down only about a year after taking office.
Kishida, former Japanese foreign minister from 2012-17, is known here for reaching a 2015 agreement with Seoul on Tokyo's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, now in tatters as Seoul embraced the victims' claim that the deal was made without full consent from the victims.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
8. Seoul treads lightly around Pyongyang’s ‘ballistic’ missile
We must not show weakness toward north Korea.
Excerpts:
“Every single action North Korea takes is open to interpretation as it always contains subtle messages toward the US and South Korea. A comprehensive analysis is still underway.”
Earlier in the day, North Korea claimed it had succeeded in test-firing its first hypersonic missile on Tuesday.
Hypersonic missiles are ready for use as quickly as solid-fuel missiles, making them harder to intercept. North Korea touted the new type of missile was one of the “five most important” new weapons systems laid out in its five-year military development plan.
The US and Japan said the test violated multiple multiple UN Security Council resolutions. South Korea also expressed “regret” over the launch but did not confirm the missile type, citing an ongoing analysis.
Seoul treads lightly around Pyongyang’s ‘ballistic’ missile
Published : Sept 29, 2021 - 15:35 Updated : Sept 29, 2021 - 19:21
The wrecked inter-Korean liaison office building in the North Korean city of Gaesong is seen from the Dorasan Checkpoint in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, on Wednesday. (Yonhap)
Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday continued to exercise caution regarding North Korea’s latest missile test, while the US and Japan have condemned Pyongyang for firing what appears to be a ballistic missile, a violation of UN resolutions.
“We cannot predict anything for now,” Park Soo-hyun, President Moo Jae-in’s senior secretary for public communication, told a radio interview with KBS.
“Every single action North Korea takes is open to interpretation as it always contains subtle messages toward the US and South Korea. A comprehensive analysis is still underway.”
Earlier in the day, North Korea claimed it had succeeded in test-firing its first hypersonic missile on Tuesday.
Hypersonic missiles are ready for use as quickly as solid-fuel missiles, making them harder to intercept. North Korea touted the new type of missile was one of the “five most important” new weapons systems laid out in its five-year military development plan.
The US and Japan said the test violated multiple multiple UN Security Council resolutions. South Korea also expressed “regret” over the launch but did not confirm the missile type, citing an ongoing analysis.
Under UN resolutions, North Korea is banned from testing or launching nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles.
Experts said South Korea left room for diplomacy with the reclusive regime by releasing a toned-down statement amid its budding efforts to resume inter-Korean talks.
“With the latest missile launch, North Korea is testing South Korea’s will to improve ties,” said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. North Korea has accused the South of its “double standards” over military activities.
“If we condemned the missile launch as usual, North Korea could think that ‘nothing has changed’ and is more likely to refuse any overture. But it remains to be seen whether the North will respond to the low-profile approach positively,” he said.
While condemning the missile launch, the US State Department also said it remained committed to a diplomatic approach to North Korea, urging the country to engage in dialogue.
Cheong Wa Dae had hoped to use the momentum created by Moon’s UN speech last week, when the president called for declaring a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War, with North Korea seemingly responding positively to the offer over the weekend.
On Saturday, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said the country would consider holding a summit and declaring an end-of-war if certain conditions were met.
Her statement, one of the most conciliatory from the North in years, raised cautious hopes that North Korea had renewed its eagerness for dialogue. But the North’s back-to-back missile tests appeared to be thwarting such expectations.
The latest launch marked North Korea’s third missile test this month alone. The country has revealed a new type of cruise missile, as well as a new train-launched ballistic missile system.
For now, South Korean authorities seemed to be ramping up efforts to open the severed inter-Korean communication channels, a top priority ahead of resuming the stalled talks. The hotlines were briefly restored in late July but the North has not answered Seoul’s regular daily calls, again in protest against the then-planned joint military drills by South Korea and the US.
Despite Kim Yo-jong’s statement suggesting the country wished to restore the hotlines, North Korea remained unresponsive to Seoul’s calls via liaison and military channels.
9. OpEd: 'Double standards' dispute - North Korea should stop dubious approaches
Double standards are normal for north Korea and the Kim family regime. This is an example of north Korean political warfare and the regime's long con.
Excerpts:
Given this, Kim's recent remarks can be taken as a call for the South to scrap such a double standard. In a similar context, Monday, North Korean envoy to the United Nations Kim Song asked the United States to give up its "hostile policy" toward Pyongyang. During a U.N. speech, Kim also urged the South and the U.S. to stop the joint military exercises.
However, it is not appropriate for the North to continue to call on Seoul and Washington to give up their military deterrence while it has been building up its nuclear capabilities. Pyongyang should first take a step toward denuclearization in order to persuade the South and the U.S. to follow suit. North Korea's launch of ballistic missile is in violation of U.N. resolutions, while the South's launch of an SLBM wasn't.
What is encouraging is the flight distance and altitude of the recently fired missile was only half that of a short-range missile the North launched Sept. 15, possibly indicating the North's willingness for dialogue. Should the North want the U.S. to withdraw its "hostile policy" toward it, it needs to come forward to the dialogue table in full honesty. The resumption of inter-Korean communications can be a starting point. The Moon Jae-in administration should make relentless efforts to induce the North to return to dialogue without compromising the South's security.
'Double standards' dispute
North Korea should stop dubious approaches
North Korea said Wednesday the projectile it launched into East Sea early Tuesday was a new hypersonic missile. The Korean Central News Agency said the North successfully tested the missile's first flight which it claimed met key technical requirements such as launch stability and the characteristics of a "detached hypersonic gliding warhead."
The North claims the new missile can fly at more than five times the speed of sound with an undetectable trajectory, and thus can overwhelm existing missile defense systems if launched en masse. Specific steps should be taken to cope with the North's buildup of its nuclear capability. What is disappointing is the launch came only three days after Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, indicated the need for inter-Korean dialogue including a summit and the possible official declaration of an end to the Korean War.
While acclaiming President Moon Jae-in's proposal for the war termination as an "admirable idea" Kim said, "There is no need for the North and South to waste time with a war of words, accusing each other." Given this, the recent missile launch contradicts what Kim stated. It is inappropriate for North Korea to show such inconsistent and conflicting stances in dealing with crucial inter-Korean issues.
In a statement, Kim urged the South to drop its "double standards" to lay the groundwork for an envisioned inter-Korean summit. She asked the South not to describe the North's weapons tests including missile launches as "provocations." The North says the South has used a double stand by dubbing the North's firing of ballistic missiles as provocations even though it recently test-fired its own submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).
Given this, Kim's recent remarks can be taken as a call for the South to scrap such a double standard. In a similar context, Monday, North Korean envoy to the United Nations Kim Song asked the United States to give up its "hostile policy" toward Pyongyang. During a U.N. speech, Kim also urged the South and the U.S. to stop the joint military exercises.
However, it is not appropriate for the North to continue to call on Seoul and Washington to give up their military deterrence while it has been building up its nuclear capabilities. Pyongyang should first take a step toward denuclearization in order to persuade the South and the U.S. to follow suit. North Korea's launch of ballistic missile is in violation of U.N. resolutions, while the South's launch of an SLBM wasn't.
What is encouraging is the flight distance and altitude of the recently fired missile was only half that of a short-range missile the North launched Sept. 15, possibly indicating the North's willingness for dialogue. Should the North want the U.S. to withdraw its "hostile policy" toward it, it needs to come forward to the dialogue table in full honesty. The resumption of inter-Korean communications can be a starting point. The Moon Jae-in administration should make relentless efforts to induce the North to return to dialogue without compromising the South's security.
10. North Korea's ambivalent stance puzzles Seoul
No one should be puzzled if they read and study the regime's political warfare strategy and blackmail diplomacy over the past 7 decades.
North Korea's ambivalent stance puzzles Seoul
People at Seoul Station watch a TV program showing a file image of a North Korean missile launch, Tuesday. North Korea launched what is suspected to be a short range missile, just four days after it released statements dropping hints at improvements in inter-Korean relations. Yonhap
Pyongyang fires short-range missile into East Sea
By Nam Hyun-woo
North Korea launched what was assumed to be a short range missile Tuesday, the same day that its envoy to the United Nations called for the U.S. and South Korea to stop their joint military exercise and withdraw their "hostile policies."
The actions seemed to present a puzzle for the Moon Jae-in administration, which has had its hopes pinned on tangible progress in the President's inter-Korean peace initiative after North Korea leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong, reacted positively to Moon's call for an official end to the Korean War and hinted at a potential inter-Korean summit.
According to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), "an unidentified projectile assumed to be a short range missile" was fired from North Korea's Jagang Province at around 6:40 a.m., and flew toward the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula.
"The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the U.S. are analyzing the specifications of the projectile," said a JCS official but refused to confirm whether it was a ballistic missile or not. Japan's Defense Ministry said the projectile was possibly a ballistic missile but gave no further details.
Reportedly, the projectile's range, velocity, trajectory and altitude were different from other North Korean ballistic or cruise missiles that have been observed of late.
Following the launch, the South Korean government held a National Security Council meeting and expressed "regret" over the launch that it said comes at a time when stability on the Korean Peninsula is important.
According to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee, Moon was briefed about the result of the meeting and ordered a "comprehensive analysis and response to North Korea's recent statements and missile launch."
North Korea's permanent representative to United Nations Kim Song speaks during the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Monday. Courtesy of United Nations
The launch came immediately before North Korea's permanent representative to United Nations, Kim Song, reaffirmed Pyongyang's stance that the regime would be "open" for improved relations with Washington and Seoul if the U.S. withdrew its hostile policies.
"I am convinced that good prospects will be opened for U.S.-DPRK relations and inter-Korean relations if the U.S. refrains from threatening the DPRK and gives up its hostility towards it," Kim said in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. The DPRK is an acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim also said the North Korea did not wish to use its power against any country. "In other words, we will neither violate nor endanger the security of the U.S., South Korea and our neighboring countries."
After the speech, Kim told reporters that his speech has no relation to the missile launch.
The speech was in line with the Kim Yo-jong's statement Friday that President Moon's proposal to put a formal end to the Korean War could be "an admirable idea" and Pyongyang had a "willingness" to talk if the U.S. and South Korea withdrew their "double-dealing standards."
The double-dealing Kim was referring to is assumed to be South Korea's test of a locally developed submarine-launched ballistic missiles, Sept. 15. When North Korea launched a ballistic missile from a train the same day, Seoul defined this move as a provocation.
Given this background, the North's call for a consistent attitude from the South could be interpreted as the regime's demand for Seoul and Washington to recognize its missile programs as its "rights to test weapons," not as military provocations. Ambassador Kim stressed in his speech: "Nobody can deny the right to self-defense for the DPRK."
Following Kim's statement, Moon didn't use the term provocation to describe Tuesday's launch, which is interpreted as a tactic to maintain his peace momentum.
"After Kim Yo-jong's statement, North Korea appeared to be contemplating whether to resume regular communication with South Korea, or to test Seoul's willingness to act as it desires by launching a missile, and the regime chose the latter," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.
"It seems that the North is waiting for the moment when South Korea and the U.S. do not describe its missile launch as a threat or provocation. And such a moment could be a turning point for Pyongyang in resuming communication with Seoul and engaging in further activities for talks."
However, it remains uncertain whether the U.S. will support Moon's tactics regarding the North's actions.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that "this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies" and that the "missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRK's illicit weapons program."
The Department of State condemned North Korea in a statement carried by AFP stating: "This launch is in violation of multiple U.N. Security Council Resolutions."
11. North Korea issues order allowing people to use foreign currency at state-run food shops
Realization by the regime that the people need a safety valve since the public distribution systems have long ago failed. But the regime still wants to exert total control over the people and will not rescind the prohibition on the use of foreign currency.
North Korea issues order allowing people to use foreign currency at state-run food shops - Daily NK
The strict ban on the use of foreign currency in markets, however, is still in effect
North Korean authorities have recently allowed locals to purchase food using foreign currency, Daily NK has learned. This comes amid efforts by North Korean authorities to provide food to the population at lower-than-market prices.
The move suggests the authorities have adopted a strategy to absorb more foreign currency as tough international sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic amplify the country’s economic troubles.
A source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Tuesday that the authorities recently issued an order allowing people to use foreign currency when they purchase food at state-run food shops. Accordingly, many people have purchased food in yuan at shops located throughout Hoeryong.
According to the source, the authorities stressed in the order that people could use foreign currency in accordance with “local characteristics.” In short, North Korea’s leadership wants to ensure that people can use the foreign currency in their possession – whether yuan or dollars – to buy needed items.
In fact, when the authorities provided 10 days of food per family in mid-September to mark the foundation of the country on Sep. 9, they told residents of Hoeryong that “Chinese money can be used [to make the purchases]” and that “it is more advantageous [to use Chinese money] rather than domestic currency [KPW] to buy things.”
Tongil Market in Pyongyang / Image: Daily NK
Generally speaking, residents of Pyongyang and other regions far from the Sino-North Korean border use US dollars when making purchases, while residents living in regions along the border – such as North Hamgyong, Yanggang and North Pyongan provinces – use Chinese yuan.
When the food provision was provided earlier this month, state-run food shops in Hoeryong sold a kilogram of rice for 4 yuan, 55 jiao. Using the RMB-KPW exchange rate as of Sep. 12 (RMB 1=KPW 700), this means North Koreans were able to buy food for the equivalent of KPW 3,190.
In fact, purchasing the rice with yuan made it KPW 800 cheaper than using local currency (the rice cost KPW 4,000 per kilogram). The source said many locals consequently tried to purchase food using yuan.
In short, North Koreans in the city believed they could purchase rice on the cheap, while the authorities believed that they could secure foreign currency, even though the state would incur some financial losses.
North Korean authorities have maintained their strict ban on the use of foreign currency in markets. All in all, the authorities appear to be using several techniques to ensure foreign exchange flows “naturally” into the state’s coffers, the source said.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
12. North Korea emphasizes strict management of grain supplies ahead of autumn harvest
How do you manage a failed harvest because I think that is what the people face?
North Korea emphasizes strict management of grain supplies ahead of autumn harvest - Daily NK
Documents accuse “some officials and workers” handling grain distribution efforts “tinged with the love of the party” of engaging in “irregular phenomena”
North Korean authorities are stressing strict management of grain supplies ahead of the autumn harvest and have been engaging in political education efforts at the regional work unit level to eradicate the illegal syphoning off of grain during the harvest or distribution process.
Daily NK obtained documents recently distributed by the Yanggang Province branch of the ruling party to subordinate organizations. Entitled “Let’s Conduct More Responsibly Activities to Handle Grain, which Contains the Sublime Love of Our Party,” the materials call on officials overseeing efforts to take care that no problems arise in the management of grain supplies, including the theft or disappearance of grain.
The materials were apparently written in late July, just after the authorities issued a provision of food through state-run food shops earlier that month.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un noted public concern regarding food during the Third Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee in mid-June. Afterwards, North Korean authorities sold rice and corn at lower-than-market prices through state-run food shops, issuing it to residents of Pyongyang and workers at major enterprises throughout the country.
The introduction to the materials acknowledge the country’s food shortages, noting that authorities carried out the “serious measure” of supplying large amounts of freed-up grain despite “the difficult conditions” confronted by the nation to “overcome the food crisis faced by the party and the state.”
This language appears aimed at instilling a sense of crisis in grain managers, to whom the materials are addressed.
The documents accuse “some officials and workers” handling grain distribution efforts “tinged with the love of the party” of engaging in “irregular phenomena” such as illegally handling, stealing or misplacing grain.
The materials recount the case of an official in Pungso County who was busted for stealing about 100 kilograms of the grain he was entrusted with transporting. They also point to a case in Hyesan in which 250 kilograms of grain was stolen as it was being shipped.
One page from the documents recently acquired by Daily NK / Image: Daily NK
The documents condemn the behavior, intentional or not, as “anti-party, anti-people acts” that tarnish the good name of the communist party and divide the people from the party.
The materials also threaten tough punishments for shoddy grain management and grain-related illegal behavior.
The documents further call on “all officials and workers” to help and control one another and generate an “atmosphere of mass struggle” in which people report illegal behavior. Demanding that officials handle grain in a more responsible manner, the materials warn that “irregular phenomena” in handling grain, no matter how trivial, would be regarded as “serious acts” and punished “according to war-time law.”
Going forward, North Korean authorities will likely strengthen their system of mutual surveillance and bolster state crackdowns and punishments to prevent the loss of grain during the grain distribution and circulation process.
North Korea also distributed educational materials to locals in mid-July in a bid to keep them silent, calling on them to be “thankful” for party and state measures “related to the sale of grain” and to exercise “the spirit of collectivism” by helping and leading one another.
Those documents seem aimed at subduing critical public opinion regarding state food sales, while the latest materials obtained by Daily NK call on officials managing grain supplies to take care that stores are not syphoned off or stolen.
Meanwhile, with the harvest season approaching, North Korean authorities are issuing repeated warnings against letting grain yields fall.
The Rodong Sinmun ran an article on Monday calling on people to come together this harvest season. It called rice “the most precious basis” for Koreans who must “push ahead vigorously towards a new victory in social construction as set out in the party congress, even amid unprecedented harsh challenges and difficulties.” It stressed the importance of choosing the optimal harvest time “to prevent actual harvests from falling below expected yields.”
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
13. Will inter-Korean summit affect presidential election?
Hmm.... perhaps but I doubt it.
Will inter-Korean summit affect presidential election?
President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hold hands as they cross the military demarcation line during their first meeting at Panmunjeom, April 27, 2018. Korea Times file
Conservative bloc criticizes gov't for using inter-Korean detente for political ends
By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea's "unexpected" overture for talks, including a possible inter-Korean summit, is prompting speculation that another period of detente on the Korean Peninsula could be emerging that may have an influence on next year's presidential election here.
Given that rapprochement between South and North Korea has historically favored the liberal bloc in elections, conservatives have already stepped up their criticism of the government and the North Korean regime for trying to work the political event to their advantage.
President Moon Jae-in proposed declaring a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War in his speech at the United Nations last week, and Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, responded positively, Saturday, further hinting at the two countries holding another summit between their leaders. The two Koreas are technically still at war after the three-year conflict ended in an armistice.
"I think that only when impartiality and the attitude of mutual respect are maintained, can there be smooth understanding between the North and the South and, furthermore, can several issues for improving relations ― the reestablishment of the North-South joint liaison office and a North-South summit, to say nothing of the timely declaration of the significant termination of the war ― see meaningful and successful resolutions one by one at an early date through constructive discussions," she said.
In response, Cheong Wa Dae described her remarks as "meaningful."
However, the North Korean response seems to be ruffling the feathers of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), as it has harshly criticized both South and North Korea for using the possibility of another inter-Korean summit for their political purposes.
"There is no doubt that the government and the ruling party have the intention of creating a dichotomy over war or peace ahead of the presidential election," PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok said during his visit to the United States, Sunday (local time).
"Just as the (first Moon-Kim) inter-Korean summit was ahead of the 2018 local elections, the government and the ruling party are approaching inter-Korean relations superficially by again drawing up a simple scheme."
President Moon met with Kim Jong-un for the first time on April 27, 2018, two months ahead of the local elections that chose 17 mayors and governors, and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) claimed a landslide victory on the back of the resultant "peace mood" on the Korean Peninsula.
Lee also complained that the government was proposing a premature and untimely end-of-war declaration, while trying to frame the PPP as opposing inter-Korean detente.
Former Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong, a presidential hopeful of the PPP, also slammed the Moon administration's peace overture to North Korea.
"Even if we declare an end to the war tomorrow, it is meaningless," Won said. "It would be nothing more than North Korea's 10 billion won lip service that is a result of the Ministry of Unification's announced support for the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund."
On Friday, the unification ministry stated that it would provide up to 10 billion won ($8.5 million) for civic organizations carrying out aid projects for North Koreans facing urgent humanitarian needs amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In response, Park Soo-hyun, senior presidential secretary for public communication, denied the PPP's claim, Monday.
"It is understandable that some are apprehensive over holding an inter-Korean summit ahead of the presidential election, but we are not the ones who masterminded such an important issue for political ends," he said in a radio interview.
The PPP's strong response comes from the past track record of the totalitarian state's actions ahead of previous major elections in South Korea.
In February 2017, three months before the presidential election, North Korea test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile. And previously, in January 2016, the country conducted its fourth nuclear test three months before the South held a general election.
The DPK won these elections, although it remains uncertain as to whether North Korea's provocations had an effect.
President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with Kim Yo-jong ahead of an inter-Korean summit at Panmunjeom in this May 25, 2018 photo. Korea Times fileHowever, Pyongyang watchers said North Korea's overture would not have much influence this time.
"I do not know what North Korea has in mind, but if it tries to influence the presidential election, it would be a foolish decision because it does not know too much about the situation or public opinion here toward the North," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.
"Although President Roh Moo-hyun held a summit with then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il before the presidential election, the conservative party won the next election and the North should remember that."
Despite the inter-Korean summit in October 2007, Lee Myung-bak from the conservative Grand National Party was elected president two months later.
However, Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a professor of international relations at King's College London, said North Korea's peace overture had to do with its future relations with a new South Korean administration.
"I think that Pyongyang is serious about improving ties with Seoul. And it makes sense to try to do this while President Moon is still in office," Pacheco Pardo said.
"If another liberal wins the presidency, most likely they will follow the same policy as President Moon so any dialogue with him would be a starting point for relations with the new president. And if a conservative wins, they wouldn't want to go back to the period of tensions that we witnessed from 2010 to 2017. So a conservative president would be tempted to seek engagement with Pyongyang. Particularly with a Biden administration that clearly wants no tensions with North Korea, and which seems to be open to diplomacy."
14. Two Koreas could hold additional summit under next presidency of South: Cheong Wa Dae official
I suppose this will be an election question - will you hold a summit after taking office?
Two Koreas could hold additional summit under next presidency of South: Cheong Wa Dae official | Yonhap News Agency
Two Koreas could hold additional summit under next presidency of South: Cheong Wa Dae official
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) — The two Koreas could hold an additional summit under the next presidency of the South if another meeting between the leaders isn’t able to take place before the end of President Moon Jae-in’s term next year, a senior Cheong Wa Dae official said Wednesday.
Speculation of an inter-Korean summit has surfaced as of late, especially following Moon’s proposal of signing a declaration on the end of the 1950-53 Korean War in his speech to the recent United Nations General Assembly.
Last week, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, also issued a conciliatory message to the South, in which she said her country will consider declaring a formal end to the war and holding an inter-Korean summit if Seoul drops its “double standards” toward Pyongyang.
The two Koreas are still technically at war, as the Korean War ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty.
“Even if an additional inter-Korean summit isn’t held within the remainder of the Moon Jae-in government’s term, the next administration could pursue it,” Park Soo-hyun, senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public communication, said in a radio interview.
He added that the administration plans to do its best to create a foundation to arrange a summit beyond Moon’s term.
When asked about the possibility of signing an end-of-war declaration around next year’s Beijing Winter Olympics, Park said it is “not right to deliberate on the matter with a specific time window in mind.”
As for North Korea’s latest missile test Tuesday, Park pointed out that the North’s U.N. Ambassador Kim Song has mentioned the need for Washington to demonstrate that it has no hostility toward Pyongyang through action, 20 minutes after the launch.
“From a common sense standpoint, we can interpret the statement as being connected to the missile launch,” Park added, suggesting the test was aimed at drawing a reaction from Washington and that Kim delivered such a message through his speech to the U.N. General Assembly.
The official Korean Central News Agency announced that North Korea test-fired the Hwasong-8 missile, a newly developed hypersonic missile, from Toyang-ri, Ryongrim County of Jagang Province, on Tuesday. The report did not mention whether the weapon is a ballistic missile, but experts said it appears to be one using liquid fuel.
North Korea is banned from ballistic technology under U.N. sanctions.
odissy@yna.co.kr
15. Top U.S. officials chime in on willingness for talks with North
Top U.S. officials chime in on willingness for talks with North
Kin Moy, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, speaks on Tuesday at a virtual forum hosted by the Atlantic Council and Korea Foundation. [PARK HYUN-YOUNG]
More top U.S. officials on Asia reiterated they are willing to meet with Pyongyang “without any preconditions” on Tuesday, leaving the North’s repeated calls for certain preconditions largely unheeded.
“In reference to the DPRK, the top U.S. priority is to work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” said Kin Moy, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, speaking on Tuesday at a virtual forum hosted by the Atlantic Council and Korea Foundation.
Moy used the acronym for the full name of North Korea, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
“To that end, we have reached out directly to Pyongyang to initiate dialogue and stand ready to meet without preconditions,” he said. “It’s on this basis that we hope the DPRK will come to the table to discuss our respective intentions and concerns and explore what progress may be achievable.”
The Joe Biden administration after completing its comprehensive review of North Korea policy in April said it will take a "practical and calibrated" approach to Pyongyang and has offered dialogue anytime, anywhere, “without any preconditions.”
Mark Lambert, deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea and Japan, reiterated the strategy during the forum.
“There is a misperception out there that we are not willing to talk to the DPRK, and that there are strings attached to our commitment,” said Lambert at the virtual forum. “That’s just not the case. We’ve made it very clear at all levels that we will go anywhere, anytime, no preconditions, to talk with the North Koreans. They have not responded.”
The statements from Lambert and Moy follow recent missile launches by the North. Moy said that while the U.S. government “condemns the DPRK’s recent ballistic missile launches,” Washington is “open to exploring meaningful confidence-building initiatives.”
Pyongyang, on the other hand, has repeatedly put forward conditions to meet with the United States, including ending the regular joint military exercises between Washington and Seoul.
“The issue of the Korean Peninsula has its origin in the U.S. hostile policy towards the DPRK,” said Kim Song, North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations, in addressing the general assembly in New York on Monday. “The U.S. has annually staged all sorts of war drills on and around the Korean Peninsula and the Korean waters for the last several decades.”
Talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled since 2019. In their summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reportedly asked former U.S. President Donald Trump for full sanctions relief. The summit fell through without an agreement.
Last week, the regime again called for a sanctions relief.
The Biden administration, however, has adhered to its principles of enforcing strict sanctions and not offering any incentives for the sole sake of talks with Pyongyang. The administration in June extended the sanctions on the regime, in place since 2008, for another year.
If there is any room for concessions, it will be on humanitarian grounds only, according to repeated offers of humanitarian assistance to the North from the U.S. government.
“Consistent with the Biden and Harris administration’s focus on human rights, we will advocate for the human rights of the North Korean people,” said Moy. “The United States will continue to support the provision of humanitarian aid, consistent with international standards for access and monitoring to the most vulnerable North Koreans regardless of progress on denuclearization.”
BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]
16. Assimilation programs begin for Afghan evacuees in Korea
Assimilation programs begin for Afghan evacuees in Korea
Afghan evacuees participate in an outdoor activity at the National Human Resources Development Institute in the central county of Jincheon, Korea, in this Sept. 13 file photo. YonhapThe government on Wednesday started assimilation programs for Afghan evacuees who settled in South Korea in August upon fleeing their country after it was taken over by the Taliban.
Various programs, offered by relevant ministries, are aimed at helping them learn the language, get familiar with the culture and more easily assimilate into Korean society.
The Ministry of Justice runs the Korea Immigration and Integration Program (KIIP) with a goal to teach them Korean culture and language, along with sports sessions for children, such as football and taekwondo. The ministry's programs cover a variety of subjects ranging from crime prevention to the understanding of Korean law and financial system.
The Ministry of Education focuses on long-term language and counseling programs, both online and offline, especially for kids, and provides the parents with essential information about the Korean education system.
"The ultimate goal of these programs is to help them lead an independent life in Korea," the justice ministry said in a press release. "The government will continue to provide necessary job training and education, tailored to individual demands, for their independence and assimilation," it added.
In August, the government evacuated 390 Afghan co-workers and their family members, including 190 young children and teenagers, under a military mission, as they faced possible Taliban retaliation for having supported foreign operations.
The Afghan evacuees include medical professionals, vocational trainers, IT experts and interpreters who worked for Korea's embassy in Kabul and its humanitarian and relief facilities in Afghanistan, as well as their family members.
They have been temporarily staying at the National Human Resources Development Institute in the central county of Jincheon. (Yonhap)
17. North keeps up pressure with missile launch
It could be all about the pressure.
Good timing by the north.
Just 20 minutes after news broke on the missile launch, North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations told the UN General Assembly in New York that the United States must permanently suspend its joint military exercises with South Korea and its deployment of strategic weapons to the peninsula.
"If the U.S. wants to see the Korean War, the most prolonged and long-lasting war in the world, come to an end and if it is really desirous of peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula," said Kim Song, North Korea's permanent representative to the United Nations, "it should take the first step towards giving up its hostile policy against the DPRK by stopping permanently the joint military exercises and the deployment of all kinds of strategic weapons [...] in and around the Korean Peninsula."
He continued in his address to the 76th session of the General Assembly Monday evening, "I am convinced that a good prospect would be opened for the U.S.-DPRK relations and inter-Korean relations if the U.S. refrains from threatening the DPRK and gives up its hostility towards it."
Kim also warned that "if the U.S. continues to commit acts to threaten us" and depends on the legacy of the Cold War while trying to solve the Korean Peninsula situation, "it would really turn out to be unfavorable for them."
Referring the United States' recent withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, Kim noted that the Korean War has not ended for 70 years.
"The DPRK-U.S. relations are not merely the relations between unfriendly countries without diplomatic relations, but between belligerent countries which are legally in a state of war," Kim said.
Kim argued that North Korea has a right to "self-defense" as a "war deterrent" and to maintain a "balance of power on the Korean Peninsula."
North keeps up pressure with missile launch
Officials of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly, its rubber-stamp legislature which convened Tuesday, visit Mansudae Hill in Pyongyang Monday in an image released by the official Korean Central News Agency. Pyongyang launched a short-range missile Tuesday morning. [YONHAP]
North Korea fired a short-range missile into the East Sea Tuesday morning, said South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), a move immediately condemned by Washington.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said a projectile believed to be a short-range missile was fired eastward from Mupyong-ri in northern Chagang Province, near the border with China, at around 6:40 a.m.
"The military is maintaining a readiness posture while closely monitoring related trends," said the JCS, adding that South Korean and the U.S. intelligence authorities are conducting further analysis "taking into consideration characteristics of the currently detected data."
This launch came days after Kim Yo-jong, the North Korean leader's influential sister, said in a statement Saturday that Pyongyang could take steps to improve relations with Seoul, including an inter-Korean summit and the reestablishment of the joint liaison office, if the South abandons its "hostility" and "double standards." She also called on Seoul to use "prudence" on the use of the terminology "provocation" if it wants to improve inter-Korean relations, warning it may "trigger a war of words."
The previous day, Friday, she called a formal declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War, as proposed by President Moon Jae-in in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly last week, an "admirable idea."
The launch came 13 days after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from a train-borne launcher into the East Sea on Sept. 15.
This marks North Korea's sixth major weapons test this year. North Korea launched cruise missiles on Jan. 22 and March 21 and short-range ballistic missiles on March. 25. It also tested long-range cruise missiles Sept. 11 and 12. Under UN Security Council resolutions, the North is prohibited from testing ballistic missiles but not cruise missiles.
South Korea convened an emergency meeting of its National Security Council (NSC) later Tuesday morning to review the North's "intentions" and discuss a response, said the Blue House.
The NSC "expressed regret over the launch which came at a time when stabilization of the Korean Peninsula situation is very important," it added.
The NSC "decided to closely consult with the United States and other relevant countries while closely monitoring North Korea's future trends."
The 75-minute NSC meeting was convened by Suh Hoon, director of the Blue House National Security Office, and attended by Defense Minister Suh Wook, Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, Unification Minister Lee In-young and other senior security and Blue House officials. The members received a report from JSC Chairman Gen. Won In-choul and discussed countermeasures.
Suh later briefed President Moon.
Moon ordered "to prepare countermeasures through a thorough and comprehensive analysis of North Korea's recent statements and missile launch situation," said Park Kyung-mee, the Blue House spokesperson.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson took a step further and said in a statement Tuesday, "The United States condemns the DPRK's missile launch," adding that it is "in violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions and poses a threat to the DPRK's neighbors and the international community."
DPRK is the acronym for the North's official name, the Democratic People' Republic of Korea.
However, the spokesperson added, "We remain committed to a diplomatic approach to the DPRK and call on them to engage in dialogue." Neither South Korean nor U.S. officials in their immediate responses used the term "provocation."
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement, "While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRK's illicit weapons program."
The largest and oldest American combatant command added, "The U.S. commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remains ironclad."
Japanese government officials said that the projectile "appeared to be a ballistic missile" and was believed to have landed in waters outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone, reported Japan's Kyodo News.
South Korean and U.S. military authorities did not clarify if Tuesday's launch was a ballistic missile. Military authorities are conducting detailed analyses of the flight range, speed, and altitude as it reportedly showed a different flight trajectory than previous North Korean missile tests.
The projectile flew less than 200 kilometers at an altitude of about 30 kilometers, said Seoul sources.
Some defense experts said that it could be a new type of weapon, such as a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), taking into consideration that its flight trajectory seems to differ from that of known North Korean short-range ballistic missiles. HGVs boast increased maneuverability and fly at least five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5, making them harder to track and intercept.
In a report to the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party at the beginning of the year, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said that Pyongyang is developing new weapons systems including "hypersonic gliding-flight warheads for new-type ballistic rockets."
China revealed a new vehicle-mounted Dongfeng-17, or DF-17, medium-range missile system equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle in a military parade in October 2019.
Analysts say that Pyongyang may be trying to leverage itself through the back-to-back statements and latest missiles launches ahead of a possible return to talks with Seoul and Washington.
Kim Song, North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, speaks during the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in New York Monday. [UNITED NATIONS]
Just 20 minutes after news broke on the missile launch, North Korea's ambassador to the United Nations told the UN General Assembly in New York that the United States must permanently suspend its joint military exercises with South Korea and its deployment of strategic weapons to the peninsula.
"If the U.S. wants to see the Korean War, the most prolonged and long-lasting war in the world, come to an end and if it is really desirous of peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula," said Kim Song, North Korea's permanent representative to the United Nations, "it should take the first step towards giving up its hostile policy against the DPRK by stopping permanently the joint military exercises and the deployment of all kinds of strategic weapons [...] in and around the Korean Peninsula."
He continued in his address to the 76th session of the General Assembly Monday evening, "I am convinced that a good prospect would be opened for the U.S.-DPRK relations and inter-Korean relations if the U.S. refrains from threatening the DPRK and gives up its hostility towards it."
Kim also warned that "if the U.S. continues to commit acts to threaten us" and depends on the legacy of the Cold War while trying to solve the Korean Peninsula situation, "it would really turn out to be unfavorable for them."
Referring the United States' recent withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, Kim noted that the Korean War has not ended for 70 years.
"The DPRK-U.S. relations are not merely the relations between unfriendly countries without diplomatic relations, but between belligerent countries which are legally in a state of war," Kim said.
Kim argued that North Korea has a right to "self-defense" as a "war deterrent" and to maintain a "balance of power on the Korean Peninsula."
He stressed, "We would never violate or endanger the security of the U.S., South Korea and our neighboring countries."
Referring to leader Kim's report to the eighth congress in January, the ambassador said that the "key to establishing a new DPRK-U.S. relationship lies in the withdrawal of its hostile policy," and an approach to Washington "on the principle of power for power and goodwill for goodwill."
He said, "The U.S. has now two options: One is to contribute to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the world by withdrawing an anachronistic, hostile policy towards the DPRK in a bold and complete manner."
Ambassador Kim called on the Joe Biden administration to "translate its state policy standard of no hostility towards the DPRK into practical actions" and "remove the double standards."
The Biden administration said it plans to take a "calibrated, practical" approach toward North Korea policy. While it has offered talks anytime and "without preconditions," it also indicated it does not plan to ease sanctions on Pyongyang.
Kim continued, "If the U.S. shows its bold decision to give up its hostile policy, we are also prepared to respond willingly at any time. But it is our judgment that there is no prospect at the present stage for the U.S. to really withdraw its hostile policy towards the DPRK."
North Korea convened its Supreme People's Assembly, its rubber-stamp legislature, Tuesday, which decides domestic affairs but could also reaffirm its strategy toward the United States.
BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
V/R
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow
Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Phone: 202-573-8647
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
FDD is a Washington-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
