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Quotes of the Day:
"Control your anger. If you have anger towards others, they control you."
- Miyamoto Musashi
"What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it from happening again."
- Anne Frank
"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
- Francis of Assisi
1. Yoon's approval rating up for 4th consecutive week: poll
2. Germany's Scholz visits Korean DMZ, urges North Korea to stop missile tests
3. South Korean, German leaders agree to cooperate on supply chains, North Korea
4. In North Korea, ‘Judas’ is nickname for informer and betrayer
5. At G-7 summit, Yoon focuses on Japan, global community, Ukraine
6. N. Korea celebrates completion of building more new homes in Pyongyang
7. Vice defense chief rules out Japan's participation in S. Korea-U.S. nuclear consulting group
8. S. Korea, US hold consultations on N. Korean WMD, human rights
9. Biden Meets Yoon, Kishida to Counter North Korea, China
10. Unification minister urges N. Korean leader to return to dialogue
11. Allies work on sharing North Korea missile warning data
12. How Did Hyundai Get So Cool?
13. Yoon Strengthens Democratic Alliances at G7
14. Sinuiju security official arrested on corruption charges
15. N. Korea hands down order regarding farm mobilizations in South Hwanghae Province
1. Yoon's approval rating up for 4th consecutive week: poll
Perhaps good foreign policy/diplomacy is having an effect on domestic approval.
Yoon's approval rating up for 4th consecutive week: poll | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 김한주 · May 22, 2023
By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating rose for the fourth consecutive week, a poll showed Monday, amid positive feedback on his handling of diplomatic and security issues.
This marks the first time since taking office in May 2022 that Yoon's approval rating has shown an upward trend for four weeks in a row.
In the poll of 2,504 adults aged 18 and older conducted by Realmeter from Monday to Friday of last week, the positive assessment of Yoon's performance rose 2.2 percentage points from the previous week to 39 percent.
Yoon's disapproval rating was 57.9 percent, down 2.9 percentage points from the previous week.
According to Bae Cheol-ho, a senior analyst at Realmeter, last week's approval rating can be attributed to a favorable assessment of Yoon's diplomacy and security efforts.
The approval rating of the main opposition Democratic Party, meanwhile, fell 4.6 percent to 42.4 percent, largely due to a cryptocurrency scandal involving a former party member, Rep. Kim Nam-kuk, the poll showed.
It marked the biggest fall in the DP's ratings since the launch of the Yoon administration, Bae said.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shake hands during a summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 21, 2023. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 김한주 · May 22, 2023
2. Germany's Scholz visits Korean DMZ, urges North Korea to stop missile tests
I have not found the joint statement yet (if there is one). I am curious to see if unification will be mentioned in greater detail than this excerpt:
“This is a threat to peace and security in this region,” he said at a military base after a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the Koreas.
Germany’s history as a divided nation had been overcome, he said, but division persists on the Korean peninsula.
Germany's Scholz visits Korean DMZ, urges North Korea to stop missile tests
theprint.in · by Reuters · May 21, 2023
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023
Text Size:
By Andreas Rinke
SEOUL (Reuters) -German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday called for North Korea to cease ballistic missile tests after he visited the fortified border between North and South Korea ahead of a summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul.
Scholz, who is visiting South Korea after attending the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, Japan, called the missile tests a sign of a “still dangerous situation” on the Korean peninsula.
“This is a threat to peace and security in this region,” he said at a military base after a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the Koreas.
Germany’s history as a divided nation had been overcome, he said, but division persists on the Korean peninsula.
Both Scholz and Yoon left Japan on Sunday after joining the G7 summit. South Korea was invited as an observer.
G7 leaders signaled they would not back down from supporting Ukraine, and outlined a shared approach towards China, looking to “de-risk, not decouple” economic engagement with a country regarded as the factory of the world.
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke and Hyunsu Yim; Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Alexandra Hudson)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibilty for its content.
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theprint.in · by Reuters · May 21, 2023
3. South Korean, German leaders agree to cooperate on supply chains, North Korea
Excerpts:
“Germany, which was reunified 33 years ago, is a country that understands and empathizes with the issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula,” Yoon said. “We will continue to work closely together (in broader efforts) to achieve North Korea’s denuclearization.”
Before his meeting with Yoon, Scholz visited the southern side of the heavily armed border splitting the two Koreas and called for the North to halt its testing activity. He repeated a similar message during the news conference, expressing solidarity with Seoul and calling for a more effective international response against North Korea’s missile development that threatens South Korea and Japan.
South Korean, German leaders agree to cooperate on supply chains, North Korea
The Washington Post · by Kim Tong-Hyung | AP · May 21, 2023
SEOUL, South Korea — The leaders of South Korea and Germany on Sunday pledged more cooperation in building stable industrial supply chains and addressing the challenges posed by nuclear-armed North Korea as they met in Seoul after flying in from the Group of Seven meetings in Japan.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, in a joint news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, pointed to the similarities between the two major manufacturing nations that are dependent on foreign trade and said a stronger supply chain partnership would help them cope with “intensifying global economic instability and geopolitical conflicts.”
He said the countries in particular will work to advance trade relations in high-tech industries and clean energy, including semiconductors and hydrogen projects, and pursue further opportunities in defense cooperation.
Yoon said they also discussed the growing threat posed by North Korea, which has test-fired around 100 missiles since the start of 2022 while accelerating its push to expand its nuclear arsenal. He said Scholz agreed to help maintain a “consistent message to the international community that North Korea has nothing not gain from its illegal provocations,” and coordinate on diplomatic efforts to pressure Pyongyang into abandoning its nuclear ambitions.
“Germany, which was reunified 33 years ago, is a country that understands and empathizes with the issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula,” Yoon said. “We will continue to work closely together (in broader efforts) to achieve North Korea’s denuclearization.”
Before his meeting with Yoon, Scholz visited the southern side of the heavily armed border splitting the two Koreas and called for the North to halt its testing activity. He repeated a similar message during the news conference, expressing solidarity with Seoul and calling for a more effective international response against North Korea’s missile development that threatens South Korea and Japan.
Yoon and Scholz were among the leaders who participated in the G7 talks in Hiroshima, which were highlighted by an in-person appearance of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the discussions centered around countering Russia’s prolonged invasion of his country.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have also risen since the war in Ukraine, which North Korea has used as a distraction to ramp up its weapons testing. Moscow and Beijing have blocked U.S.-led efforts at the U.N. Security Council to strengthen punishment of Pyongyang over its recent tests, underscoring a divide among permanent members deepened by the war.
At the G7, Yoon focused on raising international awareness about the growing North Korean nuclear threat. The leaders issued a statement on nuclear disarmament that included condemnation of the North’s illicit weapons development and testing activity.
Yoon also met with Zelenskyy on the margins of the summit and promised South Korean demining equipment and ambulances as Seoul expands its non-lethal aid to Kyiv.
“There have been serious civilian casualties and damage (in Ukraine) because of the large number of land mines planted by the Russian military while they withdrew from (around) Kyiv. (Ukraine) has requested demining equipment and ambulances, and we are reviewing those requests first and plan on providing those supplies quickly,” Yoon said at the news conference.
Without specifying, Yoon said Zelenskyy during their meeting also presented a list of other non-lethal supplies he wants from South Korea and that Seoul was “carefully reviewing” the request.
South Korea, a growing arms exporter with a well-equipped military backed by the United States, has provided humanitarian aid and other support to Ukraine while joining U.S.-led economic sanctions against Moscow. Seoul has not directly provided arms to Ukraine, citing a long-standing policy of not supplying weapons to countries actively engaged in conflict.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Zelenskyy during his meeting with Yoon reiterated a previous request for South Korea to provide weapons.
___
This story corrects part of Yoon’s quote.
The Washington Post · by Kim Tong-Hyung | AP · May 21, 2023
4. In North Korea, ‘Judas’ is nickname for informer and betrayer
No matter how hard they try they do not seem able to eradicate all religion.
In North Korea, ‘Judas’ is nickname for informer and betrayer
Reference to disciple who betrayed Jesus persists in atheist country that has tried to stamp out Christianity
By Hyemin Son for RFA Korean
2023.05.21
rfa.org
‘Judas’ has become a scornful nickname for informers in North Korea.
For example, when a girl confided in her friend during the COVID-19 pandemic that she planned to escape North Korea once the border with China reopened, she was brought before authorities and punished.
Residents began calling the friend who sold her out “a modern-day Judas,” a woman from Kimjongsuk county, in the northern province of Ryanggang, told Radio Free Asia on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
“After this incident, whenever the informant passes by, other people in the neighborhood turn their backs on him and curse him as Judas,” the woman said. “Authorities who encourage the informants are called Judas as well.”
The reference to the disciple who betrayed Jesus in the New Testament might be surprising given that Christianity has been illegal in the country for nearly 120 years.
It is not a new term because underground Christians – who are persecuted in North Korea – are familiar with it. And Christianity does have roots in the country. Pyongyang was once such a bastion of Christians that it was called “Jerusalem of the East.”
Korea was one of the only places in East Asia where Christianity had staying power after it was introduced in the 17th century. But came to an end once the peninsula fell to Japanese rule in 1905 and Shinto became the state religion, pushing believers underground.
At the end of World War II in 1945, Christian missionaries returned to Korea, but only in the south, as the Soviet-occupied north forbade religion. Once North Korea was officially established in 1948, Christianity and other religions were completely outlawed, and the church remained underground.
Efforts to stamp out Christianity
But the nickname does appear to be used more widely these days.
The fact that people are still aware of the story of Judas, who betrayed Jesus to the Romans for 30 pieces of silver, indicates that despite North Korea’s best efforts to stamp out Christianity, the religion still maintains a presence there.
“People who lack loyalty or who stab their friends in the back are cursed as ‘Judas,’” a man living in Pyongsong, South Pyongan province, north of Pyongyang, told RFA on condition of anonymity to speak freely.
“The five-household propagandist, who reports the movements of people and even trivial words to the police, is also called ‘Judas’ by his peers,” he said.
The five-household watch is a sophisticated surveillance system in which paid informants, called propagandists, are tasked with monitoring five households in their neighborhoods. Five-household propagandists are enthusiastic Party members selected from factories and schools for exhibiting traits of loyalty.
“As the public sentiment has worsened due to the prolonged COVID-19 crisis, the authorities are focusing on monitoring the residents by mobilizing the informants,” the South Pyongan resident said. “As if that was not enough, the authorities secretly planted more informants in the neighborhoods.”
“In response, the residents are criticizing the authorities for creating distrust among the residents, telling them not to trust anyone, because they do not know who could be ‘Judas.’”
North Korean authorities have tried hard to eliminate Christianity from the country, but believers are still there – though it’s impossible to know how many.
The international Christian missionary organization Open Doors, citing a trusted North Korean source, described how in 2022 dozens of members of an underground church were discovered and executed, and more than 100 of their family members were arrested and sent to concentration camps.
Translated by Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Edited by Malcolm Foster.
rfa.org
5. At G-7 summit, Yoon focuses on Japan, global community, Ukraine
Excerpts:
Yoon took the unprecedented step Friday of meeting in Hiroshima with a group of Korean victims of the 1945 atomic bombing and on Sunday visited a cenotaph for the victims at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
The visit to the cenotaph was unprecedented for a South Korean president. Yoon was joined by Kishida, making it also the first joint visit by leaders of the two countries.
At the G-7 summit, Yoon attended three expanded sessions involving his counterparts from the bloc and the seven other invited countries.
During the sessions, Yoon pledged an additional US$24 million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) this year, an amount nearly triple what South Korea has contributed to CEPI so far.
(News Focus) At G-7 summit, Yoon focuses on Japan, global community, Ukraine | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · May 21, 2023
By Lee Haye-ah
HIROSHIMA, Japan, May 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol wrapped up a three-day visit to Hiroshima on Sunday after taking new steps to improve relations with Japan, pledging to do more for the global community and holding his first-ever meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Yoon was invited to Hiroshima to attend a Group of Seven (G-7) summit as the leader of one of eight guest nations, making him the fourth South Korean president to attend a G-7 leaders' gathering.
The three-day summit set the stage for a flurry of diplomacy, as Yoon held bilateral summits on the sidelines with leaders from Australia, Vietnam, India, Britain and other countries, and also held his third summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in two months.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (C) attends an expanded session of the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Relations between South Korea and Japan have warmed significantly since March, when the Yoon administration offered to resolve a row over wartime forced labor by compensating the Korean victims without asking for contributions from Japanese firms.
The solution led to the resumption of "shuttle diplomacy" between the two countries' leaders after 12 years, with Yoon visiting Tokyo in March and Kishida reciprocating with a visit to Seoul earlier this month.
In Seoul, Kishida said his "heart aches" over the suffering of the wartime forced labor victims, who were made to work in Japanese factories when Korea was under Tokyo's 1910-45 colonial rule, in what was seen by some as an expression of remorse long sought by the victims and other Koreans in generals.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) holds hands with a Korean victim of the 1945 atomic bombing in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 19, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Yoon took the unprecedented step Friday of meeting in Hiroshima with a group of Korean victims of the 1945 atomic bombing and on Sunday visited a cenotaph for the victims at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.
The visit to the cenotaph was unprecedented for a South Korean president. Yoon was joined by Kishida, making it also the first joint visit by leaders of the two countries.
At the G-7 summit, Yoon attended three expanded sessions involving his counterparts from the bloc and the seven other invited countries.
During the sessions, Yoon pledged an additional US$24 million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) this year, an amount nearly triple what South Korea has contributed to CEPI so far.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 21, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Yoon also announced plans to expand the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve, a partnership involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and South Korea, China and Japan, and help strengthen rice production capacity in at least seven sub-Saharan African countries.
Moreover, Yoon announced South Korea's decision to join the Climate Club established by the G-7 and actively push for carbon neutrality policies while fostering new low-carbon industries.
The series of actions was in line with Yoon's commitment to expanding South Korea's role in the international community and increasing aid for developing nations.
One of the highlights that received the most coverage, however, was Yoon's first-ever meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who arrived in Hiroshima on Saturday to rally support for his country's fight against Russia's invasion.
Yoon promised additional non-lethal aid, including demining equipment and ambulances, while reaffirming South Korea's support for Ukraine, according to his office.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · May 21, 2023
6. N. Korea celebrates completion of building more new homes in Pyongyang
Probably built with perfect surveillance capabilities.
N. Korea celebrates completion of building more new homes in Pyongyang | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 김수연 · May 22, 2023
SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has held a ceremony to mark the completion of building another housing district in Pyongyang as part of the country's project to construct 50,000 units of new homes in the capital by 2025, state media reported Monday.
The North held the ceremony to celebrate the completion of the construction of new residential areas in the Taephyong district in Pyongyang on Sunday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The Taephyong district in western Pyongyang is located near Mangyongdae, the birthplace of North Korea's late founder Kim Il-sung, also the grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong-un.
This photo, carried by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on May 22, 2023, shows a bird's-eye view of the Taephyong district in Pyongyang, where the North has completed the construction of new homes. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
"In the Taephyong district, multi-story, high-rise houses are located harmoniously in various forms, and schools, clinics and various service facilities are placed to ensure residents' convenience as much as possible," the KCNA said. The report did not disclose the number of housing units built.
At a key party congress in January 2021, North Korea unveiled a five-year project to build 50,000 new homes in Pyongyang by 2025, or 10,000 units each year.
The housing project is being driven by the North's leader Kim to produce economic achievements and improve people's lives amid economic hardships from sanctions and COVID-19 border restrictions.
Last year, the North built 10,000 apartments and an 80-floor skyscraper in the Songsin and Songhwa areas. It also completed the first stage of the housing project in the Hwasong district by building another 10,000 units of homes.
This photo, carried by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on May 22, 2023, shows the North holding a ceremony to mark the completion of building new homes in the Taephyong district in Pyongyang. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 김수연 · May 22, 2023
7. Vice defense chief rules out Japan's participation in S. Korea-U.S. nuclear consulting group
Their NCG is still in its nascent stages. It would be premature to include Japan right away as the ROK and US must put together the terms of reference and details of the NCG. There is a lot of work to be done.
Vice defense chief rules out Japan's participation in S. Korea-U.S. nuclear consulting group | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · May 22, 2023
SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul on Monday ruled out the possibility of Japan taking part in a nuclear consultative group between Seoul and Washington for bolstering nuclear deterrence against Pyongyang's military threats.
Shin made the remarks in a media interview earlier in the day amid speculation over Tokyo possibly joining the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) that Seoul and Washington agreed to form during their leaders' summit last month.
"The NCG is a consultative body that increases cooperation between South Korea and the United States for extended deterrence against North Korea's nuclear threats to the highest level," Shin said in a CBS radio interview. "The NCG itself is operated between South Korea and the U.S."
Japan has been interested in creating a body akin to the NCG, but Shin said he was unaware of progress on such talks between Tokyo and Washington.
"I don't think there will be a sudden move to include Japan in the NCG in the next summit talks," he said.
The comments came a day after President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed to strengthen trilateral cooperation to bolster deterrence against threats from Pyongyang during their meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima.
Shin also said efforts are being made to hold a trilateral defense ministerial meeting with Beijing and Tokyo by the end of this year.
This file photo, taken Nov. 4, 2023, shows Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul (L) speaking to lawmakers at the National Assembly in western Seoul. (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · May 22, 2023
8. S. Korea, US hold consultations on N. Korean WMD, human rights
As noted below, the president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy and I had a good meeting with DG Chun discussing our usual issues on north Korea.
S. Korea, US hold consultations on N. Korean WMD, human rights
The Korea Times · May 22, 2023
Chun Young-hee, right, head of the South Korean foreign ministry's Korean Peninsula Peace Regime Bureau, holds a meeting with Jung Pak, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, in Washington, in this photo provided by the ministry, May 19. Yonhap
Senior diplomats of South Korea and the United States held consultations on North Korea's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) development and the country's human rights conditions, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.
Chun Young-hee, head of the ministry's Korean Peninsula Peace Regime Bureau, met with Jung Pak, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, last Friday in Washington and exchanged views on developments surrounding the North, and Seoul-Washington's cooperation in dealing with Pyongyang.
During the meeting, Chun expressed regret over the North's depletion of scarce resources for the development of WMDs, stressing that such a situation ends up negatively affecting the human rights conditions of the average people in the country.
Chun also held separate meetings with David Maxwell, vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy, and Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, in Washington, the ministry added. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · May 22, 2023
9. Biden Meets Yoon, Kishida to Counter North Korea, China
Key point:
The trilateral meeting in Hiroshima is an opportunity for the leaders to discuss whether elements of U.S. extended deterrence can plausibly be applied to both South Korea and Japan, said Ken Jimbo, former adviser to Japan’s Defense Ministry who now teaches at Keio University.
“In that context, I think there will be a lot of chance that we will develop some kind of coordination mechanism together rather than one by one,” he told VOA.
In April, senior officials from the three countries agreed to hold regular missile defense and anti-submarine exercises together.
Biden Meets Yoon, Kishida to Counter North Korea, China
May 21, 2023 4:44 AM
UPDATE May 21, 2023 8:21 AM
voanews.com
hiroshima, japan —
In a sign of warming relations between America’s two closest allies in Asia, U.S. President Joe Biden met Sunday with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, in a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven advanced democracies’ summit in Hiroshima, Japan.
“You have Japan stepping up in a way that's a real consequence in terms of the defense budget number one, and a beginning of a rapprochement with South Korea, Biden told reporters after the talks.
Topping the meeting’s agenda was the growing nuclear and missile threat from North Korea and China’s rising assertiveness, two regional threats that have aligned the three countries more closely.
In a statement, the White House said the leaders discussed “how to take their trilateral cooperation to new heights,” including with new coordination in the face of North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, on economic security, and on their respective Indo-Pacific strategies.
“A big focus for our three countries is improving our interoperability militarily and improving our readiness and looking for ways in which we can better prepare ourselves to meet our individual and our collective national security commitments to each other and to the region,” a senior administration official said in a briefing to reporters Saturday.
China challenge
The leaders would also discuss the “economic challenges that they all face from the PRC when it comes to coercion,” the official added, referring to the People’s Republic of China’s use of punitive trade measures for its political goals.
The three leaders are largely aligned in their views of the regional threat posed by Beijing, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said in an interview with VOA Friday.
“Japan has put forward a new national security strategy which really gives them a stronger voice and presence here in the Indo-Pacific in terms of regional security,” Kirby said. “And President Yoon helped author a new Indo-Pacific strategy that the Republic of Korea put out that dovetails nicely with our national security strategy.”
Yoon has sought closer ties with Tokyo and Washington, a departure from his predecessor, former President Moon Jae-in, who worked to strengthen relations with Pyongyang.
Treaty allies
Japan and South Korea are both U.S. treaty allies. After Tokyo’s defeat in World War II, the United States occupied and pledged to defend Japan in exchange for maintaining a large military presence in the country. In 1953, in the aftermath of the 1950-53 war on the Korean Peninsula, the two sides signed the U.S.-Korea Mutual Defense Treaty which became the basis of U.S. continued military presence on the Korean Peninsula.
However, Japan-South Korea ties have long been strained by historical animosity following Tokyo’s brutal occupation of Korea from 1910 until Japan’s defeat at the end of World War II. Despite some domestic opposition, Yoon and Kishida have continued their rapprochement by expanding bilateral security and economic cooperation.
South Korea, which is not a G-7 member, was invited by Kishida to Hiroshima as an observer, along with the leaders of Australia, Brazil, Comoros, Cook Islands, Indonesia, India, and Vietnam.
The city, now rebuilt from the devastation caused by the atomic bomb dropped by American forces that ended World War II, provided a poignant backdrop for the trilateral meeting amid increasing saber-rattling by Pyongyang. This year alone North Korea has launched at least 13 missiles this year, including three intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Extended deterrence
During the South Korean leader’s state visit to the White House in April, Yoon and Biden signed the Washington Declaration, whereby Seoul agreed not to pursue its own nuclear weapons program, in return for a greater decision-making role in U.S. contingency planning in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack and a more muscular U.S. presence in the region.
Yoon called the Washington Declaration “an unprecedented expansion and strengthening” of the extended deterrence strategy — a term also known as the American nuclear umbrella.
The trilateral meeting in Hiroshima is an opportunity for the leaders to discuss whether elements of U.S. extended deterrence can plausibly be applied to both South Korea and Japan, said Ken Jimbo, former adviser to Japan’s Defense Ministry who now teaches at Keio University.
“In that context, I think there will be a lot of chance that we will develop some kind of coordination mechanism together rather than one by one,” he told VOA.
In April, senior officials from the three countries agreed to hold regular missile defense and anti-submarine exercises together.
voanews.com
10. Unification minister urges N. Korean leader to return to dialogue
Note:
The official also said the government is preparing for measures against North Korea, including legal action, over its unauthorized use of South Korean assets at a now-shuttered joint industrial park in the North's border city of Kaesong and the demolition of South Korean-built facilities at the Mount Kumgang resort.
"The government has the basic stance that it will not tolerate any acts that infringe on the property rights of South Koreans. (Given that the North has refused to talk), we are preparing for legal steps by cooperating with those who have suffered damage," he added.
Unification minister urges N. Korean leader to return to dialogue | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 김수연 · May 22, 2023
SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's unification minister called on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to cease the country's provocative acts and return to the dialogue table, stressing that Seoul has no "hostile" intentions against Pyongyang.
In a meeting with reporters, Kwon Young-se also urged the North's leader to look back on the country's worsening economic situation amid global sanctions over the North's nuclear and missile programs and serious food shortages.
"We don't have any hostile intentions against North Korea and will not seek any change of the status quo through power," Kwon told a press conference marking the first anniversary of him taking office as Seoul's top pointman on unification.
He said his government is "ready" to discuss any issues with the North, and urged Kim to seek cooperation and dialogue.
This photo, taken May 22, 2023, shows Unification Minister Kwon Young-se speaking to reporters to mark the first anniversary of him taking office as Seoul's top pointman on unification. (Yonhap)
The call came as North Korea has announced the completion of preparations to mount its first military spy satellite on a rocket, raising speculation that the secretive regime may launch it as early as June.
A senior official at Seoul's unification ministry said the satellite launch "does not appear to be imminent," as Pyongyang is likely to first notify related international organizations of its plan for the launch.
The official also said the government is preparing for measures against North Korea, including legal action, over its unauthorized use of South Korean assets at a now-shuttered joint industrial park in the North's border city of Kaesong and the demolition of South Korean-built facilities at the Mount Kumgang resort.
"The government has the basic stance that it will not tolerate any acts that infringe on the property rights of South Koreans. (Given that the North has refused to talk), we are preparing for legal steps by cooperating with those who have suffered damage," he added.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 김수연 · May 22, 2023
11. Allies work on sharing North Korea missile warning data
To review: Xi told former President Moon during the THAAD situation when the PRC was conducting economic warfare against the ROK, that he must honor the three "no's:" no more THAAD, no integrated missile defense, and no trilateral ROK-PJapan - US alliance.
Xi only has his own actions and the actions of Kim Jong Un to blame for driving the ROK and Japan together and this missile information sharing is a step toward an integrated missile defense arrangement.
Allies work on sharing North Korea missile warning data
The Korea Times · May 22, 2023
From left, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Yoon Suk Yeol meet ahead of a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit Leaders' Meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, Sunday. AFP-Yonhap
By Lee Hyo-jin
South Korea, the United States and Japan are in talks over detailed plans regarding the real-time sharing of North Korean missile warning data, according to the Ministry of National Defense, Monday.
The three countries have been discussing the possibility of launching a data-sharing framework for the last few months and speculation is rising that the arrangement may be announced in the near future.
"The three nations have agreed to share real-time missile warning data during a trilateral summit held last November. And during the Defense Trilateral Talks (DTT) held in April, we have reviewed ways to utilize the existing Trilateral Information Sharing Arrangement (TISA) in doing so," Defense Ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyu said during a briefing, sharing the latest updates on the related talks.
Although Jeon did not give an exact timeline about when the final arrangement will be announced, it is expected that defense chiefs of the three nations may reach an agreement on the sidelines of the upcoming Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual Asian defense summit scheduled for early June in Singapore.
Currently, South Korea and Japan are separately linked to data from U.S. radar systems concerning the detection of North Korean missiles but there is no system linking all of the Asian nations directly. Due to North Korea's growing nuclear competence, the need for three-way intelligence-sharing capabilities has become more apparent.
Related talks have gained momentum as bilateral relations between Seoul and Tokyo have continued to improve in recent months.
Shin Jong-woo, a senior researcher at the Korea Defense and Security Forum, a think tank, believes that a real-time data-sharing framework, once launched, will be a win-win for participating countries.
"The sharing of intelligence data will lead to the enhancement of South Korea's missile interception capabilities," he said. "But since it would be difficult to directly link the radar systems of South Korea and Japan, it is most likely for them to link their systems through the U.S. one."
With trilateral security cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo accelerating, some suggest that Japan may be invited to join the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), a consultative body set to be launched between South Korea and the U.S. in order to strengthen extended deterrence.
However, Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul ruled out the possibility of Tokyo's participation in the NCG.
"The NCG itself is operated between South Korea and the U.S. I don't think there will be moves to include Japan in the consultative group in the following summits," he said during an interview with local radio, Monday.
During a trilateral summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, which was briefly held on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima, Sunday, Biden invited Yoon and Kishida for a trilateral summit in Washington.
Although detailed plans have yet to be announced, if set, the summit would be a major diplomatic event for the Yoon administration, which has been seeking to enhance trilateral cooperation with Washington and Tokyo.
Shin thinks that the summit will focus on broadening the sphere of cooperation between the three nations. "To say that military cooperation was the focus of trilateral ties, I think there will be discussions to strengthen partnerships in supply chain and cutting-edge technologies," he said.
The three leaders may hold a trilateral summit in Washington as early as July, according to local media reports.
"The possibility of holding a South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit this summer in Washington is being talked about," a presidential official was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency.
The Korea Times · May 22, 2023
12. How Did Hyundai Get So Cool?
How Did Hyundai Get So Cool?
Korean carmaker known for budget brands becomes EV innovator; sets sights on Tesla
https://www.wsj.com/articles/hyundai-kia-ev-tesla-7936b777?mod=Searchresults_pos3&page=1
By Sean McLainFollow
May 22, 2023 12:01 am ET
Hyundai Motor HYMLY 0.00%increase; green up pointing triangle was dreaming up an answer to Tesla when the company’s top executive sent its lead designer a photo of a bizarre-looking car that last rolled off assembly lines more than 70 years ago.
The Stout Scarab, manufactured in Michigan in the 1930s and 1940s, looked like an outlandish cross between a bus and a pontoon.
“Let’s face it, 10 years ago, our design strategy was all about the fast follower,” said SangYup Lee, the Hyundai designer. He said Euisun Chung, executive chair of Hyundai and its affiliate Kia 000270 0.11%increase; green up pointing triangle, who sent the photo, wanted to stop imitating and get ahead of rivals.
“The message was: Inspiration can come from anywhere,” said Lee.
The Hyundai electric car that drew inspiration from the Scarab’s eye-catching streamline design, the Ioniq 6, has been a hit with critics. At the New York auto show in April, it was voted World Car of the Year.
Hyundai and Kia, the sibling Korean carmakers, have long had a reputation for making inexpensive, uninspiring cars. Over the past few years, though, they have become one of the leaders in the electric-vehicle race, with models that are turning heads at rival car companies—and among car buyers.
Asked last year about competition in the EV sector, Ford Motor Chief Executive Jim Farley said: “The ones I’m paying the most attention to are Hyundai/Kia, the Chinese and Tesla. That’s my list.”
Behind the push has been Chung, 52 years old, who has pressed for investment in EVs and moonshot technologies such as flying cars and robots. In 2020, he took control of the Hyundai Motor Group, one of Korea’s largest family-run conglomerates, from his father, Chung Mong-Koo.
Last year, Hyundai became the world’s third-largest automaking group, with 6.85 million vehicles sold, behind only Toyota Motor and Volkswagen. Now, the company, currently the third-largest seller of EVs in the U.S., is setting its sights on Tesla.
Euisun Chung, left, executive chair of Hyundai and its affiliate Kia, at a ceremony in April to mark the start of construction on a new Kia EV plant. PHOTO: YONHAP NEWS/ZUMA PRESS
Tesla’s enormous success with its Model 3 showed the industry that the EV market was much bigger than many people thought, spurring Hyundai and Kia to move faster, said Michael O’Brien, a former vice president at Hyundai. “Hyundai leadership realizes that the EV market is a jump ball,” he said.
Chung, whose grandfather founded the business 76 years ago, has told employees repeatedly that the company needs to be more forward-leaning. “We will not fear risks and only be reactive,” he told workers in January.
Hyundai and Kia have gone on a hiring spree, luring high-profile designers from other carmakers, including from German luxury brands. Their aim is to make their vehicles look and feel more luxurious.
Ford’s Farley lauded Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, which came out 2021, noting that some software features were better than Ford’s own. “That company has really found their stride with electric vehicles,” he said.
Tesla’s Elon Musk said last summer in a tweet about the EV market: “Hyundai is doing pretty good.”
Hyundai and Kia are a part of a conglomerate that also owns steel mills, shipyards and construction firms. It is largely controlled by Chung’s family through their shareholdings in the motor company and other affiliates.
The company got started in the auto business in 1967, when the country was still recovering from the Korean War, at first doing contract work for Ford. Its first in-house vehicles, the Pony and Excel, were inexpensive and so prone to quality problems that they became fodder for comedians on late-night TV.
Kia began in 1944 as a manufacturer of metal parts and bicycles, and a decade later, licensed versions of Honda motorcycles and Mazda trucks and cars. After it declared bankruptcy in 1997, Hyundai purchased a controlling stake. It now owns nearly 34%.
New cars at a Hyundai factory lot in Ulsan, South Korea, in 1986, the year Hyundai entered the U.S. market. PHOTO: FRANCOIS LOCHON/GAMMA-RAPHO/GETTY IMAGES
Hyundai entered the U.S. car market in 1986, followed by Kia in 1993. Both were budget brands. When Chung’s father took over in 1996, he made solving quality woes a priority, overhauling manufacturing operations.
Decisions were made mostly by executives in Seoul, far from the U.S. market that was driving the bulk of profits, former executives said. “Hyundai was always known in Korea as the most conservative and the most militarylike,” said Frank Ahrens, Hyundai’s former head of communications. He likened directives from the chairman to imperial decrees. “If you want a pyramid, that’s a way to do it—get a whole bunch of people pushing in the right direction,” he said.
Both Hyundai and Kia were slow to react to the SUV boom in the U.S., despite pleas from stateside executives, the former executives said. For years, they didn’t do much to expand their U.S. factories, leaving them struggling to build enough vehicles when demand surged for popular models such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Tucson.
Another embarrassment was a surge in auto thefts following a social-media challenge that targeted certain Hyundai and Kia models as easy to steal. Several states and insurers have sued the companies over the thefts. On Thursday, Hyundai and Kia agreed to pay up to $200 million to owners of stolen cars to settle a class-action lawsuit.
When the Korean leadership takes notice, though, decisions are fast-tracked and change can come swiftly, former executives said. “They’ll throw a new engine in whenever the engine is ready,” said JP Garvey, a Hyundai and Kia dealer in New York. “They constantly make tiny incremental changes, and they don’t stop.”
Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 electric vehicle was unveiled at a 2022 auto show in Busan, South Korea. PHOTO: SEONGJOON CHO/BLOOMBERG NEWS
At the New York auto show in April, Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis, showed off a sportier version of its new GV80 SUV. The vehicle was a concept car—not one Genesis intended to make.
It was such a hit that the bosses in Korea decided that night to put it into production, said José Muñoz, Hyundai’s president and chief operating officer, whom Chung hired from Nissan Motor in 2019. “There are no arguments,” Muñoz said. “Once the decision is made, execution is very fast.”
Chung has installed overseas executives in key management positions. He hired designer Peter Schreyer from Volkswagen, where he had helped redesign the iconic Beetle, then promoted him to president, the first non-Korean to reach that level in Hyundai’s history.
“The chairman wanted something new, and the focus was on good styling,” said Ray Ng, a former Kia designer who worked closely with Schreyer.
Chung’s biggest push has been with EVs, a sector Hyundai and Kia entered in 2010 when Hyundai released the Blueon in Korea. Kia followed with the Ray EV in 2011. A second model, an electric Kia Soul, went on sale in the U.S., Europe and South Korea in 2014, two years before General Motors released its rival Chevy Bolt.
The EV market presents unique challenges. Nearly all Hyundai and Kia EVs are built outside the U.S. Recent revisions to the $7,500 federal tax credit in the U.S. for EV purchases have made foreign-built EVs ineligible for the subsidy. Sales in the U.S. of Hyundai and Kia EVs have been declining since the tax revisions.
Hyundai lead designer SangYup Lee, left, and José Muñoz, the company’s president and chief operating officer, hold awards at the New York auto show in April. PHOTO: ANDREW KELLY/REUTERS
A new $5.5 billion factory complex is in the works for both Hyundai and Kia to build EVs in Georgia, but it won’t open until the end of next year, at the earliest.
Tesla’s success with the Model 3, which came to market in 2017, opened eyes at Hyundai, said O’Brien, the former vice president. “Everyone saw they went from a niche player to a core player in one model,” he said. “People in Korea, and Hyundai, saw Tesla as a tech company rather than a car company. Rather than focusing on four wheels, oil and brakes, they were focused on technology, and that was very appealing in Korea.”
While other automakers dithered about whether the batteries were too expensive and short on range, Chung was undeterred, O’Brien said.
After Chung became executive chairman in 2020, Hyundai and Kia announced plans to introduce 31 battery-powered models. The companies aim to become the third-largest seller of EVs globally by 2030. Tesla and China’s BYD are the current global leaders.
That the Hyundai Ioniq 6 took inspiration from the Stout Scarab is one example of how the company is leaning on design to set it apart from rivals. Lee, the designer, said the streamlined shape recalls the period in the 1930s and 1940s when car design borrowed from the aerospace industry.
The design has the added benefit of tacking on miles to the car’s range, giving it one of the lowest drag coefficients in the industry—a measure of how aerodynamic a shape is.
The design of Hyundai's Ioniq 6, left, was inspired by the Stout Scarab, pictured in its 1935 model.
ASSOCIATED PRESS (2)
When interest in EVs surged during the pandemic, Hyundai and Kia were among the few car companies that had a selection of electric and hybrid models on dealership lots. On top of that, the companies had stockpiled semiconductors, allowing them to avoid the worst of the supply-chain related shutdowns in recent years, giving them more stock to sell, dealers said.
Hyundai and Kia have said that most of their EV customers are coming to the brand for the first time. They also tend to be wealthier than customers of the companies’ other models. Last year, the biggest cohort of Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 buyers earned more than $250,000 a year, compared with between $50,000 and $75,000 for all models, according to data from S&P Global Mobility.
Andrew Mancall, a doctor from Portland, Maine, is among the Hyundai converts. A former Audi owner, he wanted to buy an EV for his next car and put himself on a number of waiting lists, including for the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
When his number came up for the Mach-E, he passed on it and bought the Hyundai Ioniq 5. He said he was sold on the driving dynamics and what he described as better technology than on the Ford. After a nine month wait, he took delivery of his Hyundai.
“Am I a Hyundai person? A couple years ago, I probably would have said no,” he said. “I guess the answer now is, yes.”
Mike Colias contributed to this article.
Write to Sean McLain at sean.mclain@wsj.com
13. Yoon Strengthens Democratic Alliances at G7
Yoon Strengthens Democratic Alliances at G7
english.chosun.com
May 22, 2023 09:46
President Yoon Suk-yeol met one-on-one with 10 global leaders on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan over the weekend.
Yoon, who was invited as an observer, not only met with the G7 leaders of Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. but also with those of Australia, India, Indonesia, Ukraine, Union of the Comoros and Vietnam.
He also continued to mend fences with Japan by paying tribute with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a monument honoring Korean victims of the atomic bombing of the city at the end of World War II and sat down with Kishida and U.S. President Joe Biden.
"The three countries agreed to further strengthen strategic cooperation necessary to solidify a free and open international order based on the rule of law to strengthen deterrence against North Korea," the presidential office said after the trilateral meeting.
President Yoon Suk-yeol (2nd from left) and first lady Kim Keon-hee pay tribute to Korean victims of the atomic bombing of the city at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan on Sunday with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife Yuko.
In his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, another non-member invited to the summit of the rich-countries' club, Yoon was keen to strengthen the "value alliance" of liberal democracies as authoritarian regimes such as China, Russia and North Korea close rank in the areas of security and the economy.
He was also able to "secure stable access to key minerals" through meetings with natural resources-rich countries like Australia and Indonesia, according to the presidential office.
The G7 leaders said in a joint statement, "We condemn, in the strongest terms, Russia's manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the impact of Russia's war on the rest of the world."
They were also "united in making clear to Beijing our opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo with Taiwan" and warned North Korea that further nuclear and missile provocations will "be met with a swift, united, and robust international response."
A presidential official said, "At a time when the [Russian] invasion of Ukraine and the North Korean nuclear and missile threats are threatening freedom, prosperity and world peace, the countries allied in freedom and democracy reaffirmed the seriousness of the situation and pledged international cooperation."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (left) listens to U.S. Colonel Burke Hamilton near the military demarcation line in the border truce village of Panmunjom on Sunday.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz flew to South Korea after the summit and visited the heavily fortified border with North Korea. Scholz said North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations are a sign of "still dangerous situation" on the Korean Peninsula and "a threat to peace and security in this region."
Yoon to Sit Down with Biden, Kishida at G7
Yoon Invites Ex-Japanese PM for Dinner at Home
Yoon, Kishida Agree to Pay Tribute to Korean Victims in Hiroshima
Japanese PM to Visit Seoul Next Week
Japan Invites Yoon to G7 Summit in May
Korean, Japanese 1st Ladies Focus on 'Soft Diplomacy'
Korea, Japan Agree to Resume Regular Shuttle Diplomacy
Yoon, Kishida Take 1st Steps to Restoring Relations
Yoon to Visit Tokyo Next Week
Yoon Calls Japan 'Partner' in Independence Movement Day Speech
- Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com
english.chosun.com
14. Sinuiju security official arrested on corruption charges
Corruption is endemic to life in north Korea.
Excerpts:
“It’s hard to make a living nowadays, so corruption by security agents who squeeze money from the people is a serious problem. In fact, Pak confessed during questioning that he used all the money he received from Kim’s family by himself. Among locals, rumors are circulating that not only will Pak be sacked over the matter, but that his family will also be exiled to a remote area.”
Sinuiju security official arrested on corruption charges
“It’s hard to make a living nowadays, so corruption by security agents who squeeze money from the people is a serious problem," a reporting partner told Daily NK
By Lee Chae Un - 2023.05.22 3:24pm
dailynk.com
FILE PHOTO: Taken on on the Chinese side of the Yalu River, this photo shows apartments being built in Sinuiju's Ponbu District. (Daily NK)
A security agent in Sinuiju was recently arrested on corruption charges for allegedly using his power to squeeze locals for money.
Speaking on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, a reporting partner in North Pyongan Province told Daily NK on May 17 that the security agent — identified by his family name of Pak — took RMB 70,000 (around USD 9,965) from the family of a certain Mr. Kim, who was in jail after being busted for watching South Korean TV programs, by offering to make his problem go away.
Pak put Kim’s family at ease, telling them he could definitely free their loved one because he had friends at the Ministry of State Security (MSS) headquarters in Pyongyang. In the end, however, Kim was sentenced at trial to five years of forced labor. That’s when the problem arose.
Kim’s family found Pak and protested, “You told us to trust you, and now look what’s happened.” However, Pak responded presumptuously, yelling at them, “I pulled strings, so he only got five years. If I hadn’t done that, he would have gotten life!”
Kim’s family responded by filing a complaint to North Pyongan Province’s MSS branch, detailing how Pak had used his position and authority to demand not only cash, but also RMB 3,000 (around USD 427) in high-end cigarettes and alcohol as bribes.
Pak was put under emergency arrest for corruption, and with the matter being reported all the way up to the ministry headquarters in Pyongyang, all security agents are nervous, the reporting partner said.
“Because the Supreme Leader has been calling for a struggle against corruption, you never know where or when the Ministry of State Security will conduct an investigation, so agents are trembling.”
In fact, North Pyongan Province’s MSS branch was taking the problem seriously as they were receiving almost daily reports that security agents — the first line of defense protecting the nation’s leadership — were using their position and authority to squeeze money from the locals. It appears the MSS branch made the latest incident an example and reported it to headquarters in Pyongyang to warn other agents engaged in corruption and to placate public sentiment, the reporting partner said.
“It’s hard to make a living nowadays, so corruption by security agents who squeeze money from the people is a serious problem. In fact, Pak confessed during questioning that he used all the money he received from Kim’s family by himself. Among locals, rumors are circulating that not only will Pak be sacked over the matter, but that his family will also be exiled to a remote area.”
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Daily NK works with a network of reporting partners who live inside North Korea and China. Their identities remain anonymous due to security concerns. More information about Daily NK’s reporting partner network and information gathering activities can be found on our FAQ page here.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Read in Korean
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15. N. Korea hands down order regarding farm mobilizations in South Hwanghae Province
Political activities still remain top of the priority list.
N. Korea hands down order regarding farm mobilizations in South Hwanghae Province
The order said that farm work units that reduce their manpower will be supplied with 50% of the fuel they need to mechanize the agricultural process
By Jong So Yong - 2023.05.22 10:11am
dailynk.com
A photo of North Korean farmers spraying pesticides published by North Korean media on May 5, 2022. People beating drums and yelling out slogans can be seen in the background. (Rodong Sinmun - News1)
North Korea recently handed down an order to farms in South Hwanghae Province regarding agricultural mechanization and the need for political activities to take place alongside farm work, Daily NK has learned.
“South Hwanghae Province was the first area in the country to begin its rice-planting efforts,” a reporting partner in the province told Daily NK on May 17, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons. “Everyone, from adults to children, has been ordered to engage in the rice planting, and a new administrative order was handed down on May 10.”
In the new order, the authorities explained that South Hwanghae Province had received a large quantity of farming equipment this year and that farm work units must carefully organize and manage their personnel to carry out their rice-planting with less manpower.
In fact, the order said the government would supply farm work units that reduced their manpower with more than 50% of the fuel they need to mechanize the agricultural process.
The order also mentioned that farms must place importance on practical political activities, and that, despite it being a busy agricultural season, political activities must be emphasized to ensure that those mobilized for farmwork take the rice planting efforts seriously.
The order also emphasized that in the lead up to the 70th anniversary of Victory Day (a holiday on July 27 commemorating the signing of the Korean War Armistice) there is a need for this year’s rice-planting efforts to be carried with a fervor that will virtually guarantee a bountiful harvest.
The order explained that even in the midst of ruthless bombings during the Korean War, farmers had plowed the fields and reaped an abundant harvest with nothing but oxen and their own strength. It went on to say that party organizations must prioritize political ideological activities aimed at encouraging farmers to emulate the sacrificial spirit of those war time farmers who sent rice to soldiers on the frontline with a view to guarantee a plentiful harvest this year.
The order further stated that over the last few years, the country has failed to conduct proper farm work mobilizations due to COVID-19, and that the negative impacts of this will last until the end of this year. It went on to emphasize that farmers must overcome the current food shortages by obtaining all the food this year that they failed to harvest last year.
Translated by Rose Adams. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Daily NK works with a network of reporting partners who live inside North Korea and China. Their identities remain anonymous due to security concerns. More information about Daily NK’s reporting partner network and information gathering activities can be found on our FAQ page here.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Read in Korean
dailynk.com
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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