|
Quotes of the Day:
"Humble because of knowledge; mighty by sacrifice."
- Rudyard Kipling
“War is treachery and hatred, the muddling of incompetent generals, the torture and killing and sickness and tiredness, until at last it is over and nothing has changed except for new weariness and new hatreds.”
- John Steinbeck, The Moon is Down
"Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value."
- Thomas Paine
1. Growing unrest among N.K. elites, signs of serial defections
2. N. Korean leader vows stronger strategic ties with Russia in message to Putin
3. S. Korea to hold arms component, equipment exhibition this month
4. Aunt, niece poised for power struggle over succession in North Korea
5. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl Travels to USINDOPACOM, the Republic of Korea, and Japan
6. Yoon's office says harm can be done to both countries if ambassador fails in bridging role
7. PPP accuses opposition leader of acting like 'branch chief of China's Communist Party'
8. Strong preventive measures required for AI-sourced disinformation
9. News of N. Korea’s failed satellite launch spreads through border region
10. N. Korea reshuffles work units in China that fail to meet foreign currency-earning quotas
11. U.S. to Allow South Korean, Taiwan Chip Makers to Keep Operations in China
12. Envoy's remarks cast further chill over Korea-China relations
13. New commander of USFK special operations unit takes office
14. Retired Maj. Joseph Johnson among 8240 Army Unit veterans remembered (the Korean Partisans)
15. Russian, Chinese Bombers Make 2nd Round of Flights Near Japan, Korea
1. Growing unrest among N.K. elites, signs of serial defections
Are we prepared? Can we exploit this? Are we ready for what might happen next?
Growing unrest among N.K. elites, signs of serial defections
donga.com
Posted June. 12, 2023 08:06,
Updated June. 12, 2023 08:06
Growing unrest among N.K. elites, signs of serial defections. June. 12, 2023 08:06. by Na-Ri Shin, Kwan-Seok Jang journari@donga.com,jks@donga.com.
There have been reports indicating that the South Korean government is closely monitoring the situation concerning the North Korean elites and the potential for a series of defections. These concerns arose after a number of North Korean diplomats attempted to defect to South Korea or seek asylum in various locations, including Vladivostok in Russia and certain European countries.
Last Sunday, a government official acknowledged the recent asylum attempts made by North Korean diplomats and others, saying, “The North Korean elite appear to be agitated. The South Korean government is closely monitoring the situation. It would be concerning for Kim Jong Un to witness the defection of those who have benefited from the North Korean system rather than those who have faced hardships.” “Unmet expectations of the North Korean elite and residents, particularly regarding economic development, have led to a sense of alienation," another official said. "Kim Jong Un is reportedly under a lot of stress because of this.”
This development appears to be linked to the mounting pressure on North Korean diplomats stationed abroad to generate foreign currency due to ongoing sanctions imposed by the international community, including the United Nations Security Council, to disrupt the flow of illicit funds into North Korea. An internal source said, “North Korea, facing economic difficulties, is exerting more pressure on its overseas missions and ambassadors. Intensified government oversight and monitoring on illicit trades with the North also had an impact.” Amidst these circumstances, it is believed that the recall of diplomats and trade representatives by North Korea has also contributed to the unrest among the North Korean elite as COVID-19 infection enters a more manageable phase. It is reported that North Koreans, who were apprehensive about returning to their home country, have started seeking escape routes to secure a better future for their children.
Amidst these developments, noteworthy measures have been taken to employ North Korean defectors in high-ranking and professional positions for one year following the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol government. According to the coverage by The Dong-A Ilbo, at least 16 North Korean defectors, who had previously held high-ranking and professional positions in North Korea, were appointed as advisory members to committees within the Ministry of Unification or as researchers at the Institute for National Security Strategy, an affiliated research institute of the National Intelligence Service.
“Earlier this year, three individuals, including former Acting Ambassador to Italy Cho Song Gil and a diplomat who defected from North Korea, have been appointed as research members, and a former North Korean defector researcher has been invited as a guest researcher,” a senior official at the Strategy Research Institute said.
한국어
donga.com
2. N. Korean leader vows stronger strategic ties with Russia in message to Putin
If we ever see nKPA soldier getting beat up by the Ukrainian military we will be able to put that to use in our influence campaign.
N. Korean leader vows stronger strategic ties with Russia in message to Putin | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 김수연 · June 12, 2023
SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has voiced his willingness to build closer strategic ties with Russia in his congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin over Moscow's key national holiday, state media said Monday.
In the message sent on the occasion of Russia Day, Kim said friendly relations between the North and Russia are a "precious strategic asset" and his country will make efforts to ceaselessly develop such cooperative ties, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Russia Day is celebrated on June 12 to mark the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1990.
The North's leader affirmed "his willingness to strive for closer strategic cooperation between the DPRK and Russia," the KCNA said in an English-language dispatch, using the acronym of the North's full name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim said the Russian people's struggle to counter hostile forces' move to deprive Moscow of its sovereignty and security has entered a "new decisive phase" and his people are extending "full support and solidarity" for Russia, the KCNA added.
Kim's message appears to reaffirm the North's support of Russia in Moscow's war with Ukraine.
The North has been strengthening its close ties with Russia despite international condemnation over the war, amid allegations that Pyongyang has provided arms to Moscow for use in the war.
This file photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands for a summit in Vladivostok on April 26, 2019. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 김수연 · June 12, 2023
3. S. Korea to hold arms component, equipment exhibition this month
S. Korea to hold arms component, equipment exhibition this month | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · June 12, 2023
SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will hold an arms component and equipment exhibition later this month, featuring advanced homegrown defense technologies, the state arms procurement agency said Monday.
The three-day Korea Defense Component and Equipment Fair & Advanced Defense Industry Fair 2023 is scheduled to take place from June 28-30 in Daejeon, 139 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
The exhibition is expected to bring together eight major weapons systems companies, including the country's sole aircraft manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., and 134 small and medium-sized arms companies, it said.
The event will also hold various programs to help companies gain a better understanding of the country's arms industry-related policies, such as a seminar on the domestic development of arms components, it added.
This year marks the seventh edition of the biennial Korea Defense Component and Equipment Fair, which is designed to promote South Korean defense technologies.
This image, provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) on June 12, 2023, shows a poster of the three-day Korea Defense Component and Equipment Fair & Advanced Defense Industry Fair 2023 set to kick off in Daejeon on June 28. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · June 12, 2023
4. Aunt, niece poised for power struggle over succession in North Korea
That could be a "battle royale" to watch.
Aunt, niece poised for power struggle over succession in North Korea
The Korea Times · June 12, 2023
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister Kim Yo-jong declares victory in her country's battle against COVID-19 during a meeting with health care workers in Pyongyang in this 2022 file photo. Yonhap
'The Sister' depicts North Korean leader's sister as a realistic candidate to succeed Kim Jong-un
By Kang Hyun-kyung
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's daughter Ju-ae has drawn media frenzy since she was first spotted on November 18, 2022 when she was with her father at the launch site of the Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile.
The plump little girl, believed to be born in 2013, has since been at the center of media attention whenever accompanying her father at major national or military events. Her public appearance has generated much buzz, sparking speculations over whether she is Kim Jong-un's heir apparent.
Ju-ae is the second female member of North Korea's ruling Kim family to make international headlines, following her aunt Kim Yo-jong who is notorious for her fiery and strongly worded statements.
Aunt Kim made a stunning diplomatic debut in 2018 when she visited South Korea as her brother's emissary to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. She stole the show. Her uniquely snobbish attitude and connection with Kim Jong-un came under wide media scrutiny.
Little is known about the relationship between the aunt and her niece.
But, a political scientist said that their ties may turn sour in the event Kim Jong-un becomes incapacitated.
Lee Sung-yoon, professor of Korean Studies at Tufts University / Courtesy of Lee Sung-yoon
Lee Sung-yoon, a professor of Korean Studies at Tufts University in the United States, did not rule out a possible power struggle over succession in North Korea.
"As for the prospects of a power struggle between Ju-ae and Yo-jong, the latter is far better poised to deal with it than her child niece," he said in a recent email interview with The Korea Times.
Lee is an expert on North Korea's leadership. His new book, titled "The Sister" published by Pan Macmillan, will be officially released on June 15 in the United Kingdom.
In the book, Lee tracks the rise of the North Korean leader's sister since her father's sudden death in December 2011.
He claimed Kim Yo-jong, who has served as North Korea's chief propagandist since 2014, is "far better prepared" for the leadership than her brother was in 2011 following their father's death from cardiac arrest.
"Even if Kim Jong-un has decided his daughter is his most suitable successor, it will be some time before she grows into adulthood and is able, like Aunt Yo-jong, to issue formal statements in her own name or lead a delegation to Seoul or a foreign country," he said.
The cover of "The Sister" published by Pan MacmillanBased on extensive research of media reports, research papers and books about North Korea, as well as interviews with experts, Lee follows Kim Yo-jong from childhood to her rise as a propagandist for the regime.
"The Sister" is thought-provoking.
The political scientist attempts to delve into the mind of Kim Yo-jong regarding leadership succession and how her presence can reshape North Korea's political scene after Kim Jong-un.
"In the event of such a sudden power transition, whether North Korea's first female supreme leader chooses to settle for the role of regent until her nephew or niece comes of age, or decides to rule for life ― the rest of her life and for her own life ― is a question to which there is no clear answer," the book reads.
Questions over Kim Yo-jong's choice in the hypothetical situation remain unanswered, mainly because of learned experience of what happened in North Korea in the previous succession process.
Kim Yo-jong witnessed the tragic fate of her uncle, Jang Song-taek who served as caretaker for Kim Jong-un in his early years in leadership but was brutally removed from the post, according to Lee.
It is a chilling reminder of the risks Yo-jong could face in case she remains as a caretaker for her niece, rather than a ruler of her country.
"The wrathful nipping winter of 2013 could give her sobering pause for thought: Kim Jong-un's uncle, Jang Song-thaek, had served as the new, young supreme leader's regent for the previous two years, but that winter his utility and life together expired," Lee's book reads.
"Suddenly accused of being a traitorous counter-revolutionary, and also guilty of clapping half-heartedly at his nephew's formal events, Jang was stripped of all his titles and executed ― at the same time as which, or some after, the process of digitally removing him from articles and photos was completed."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, front row right, shares a laugh with his daughter Ju-ae during a banquet to celebrate North Korea's Military Foundation Day, Feb. 9. Yonhap
Lee remains skeptical about the possibility of Kim Ju-ae rising to power in the event her father is incapacitated.
"Even in the profoundly weird political setting of the DPRK, an 11-year-old, pre-pubescent girl emerging as the supreme leader is an absurdity that cannot be tolerated," he said.
The DPRK stands for the Democratic Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea.
"What would Ju-ae be able to do? Head a DPRK delegation to Seoul or abroad as her aunt Kim Yo-jong has? Receive a foreign delegation? ... You'll recall that even her dad, in spite of intensive leadership training, appeared nervous and amateurish at his first public speech in April 2012," Lee said.
In the event of a sudden power transition, Lee claimed that North Korea has no other option but Kim Yo-jong for its leadership. "There is simply no leader of the Mount Paektu Bloodline who can assume the royal leadership other than Kim Yo-jong," he said.
The Mount Paektu Bloodline refers to the direct descendants of North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of Kim Jong-un.
Kim Jong-un is in his late 30s and appears to be fully in control.
Despite his tight grip on the totalitarian state, mainly through fear politics and brutal repression of North Korean residents' human rights, people outside of North Korea continue to speculate about who will rule the impoverished state next.
The current leader's family history of cardiovascular problems plays a part in the continued speculation about a sudden change in the North's leadership.
His father, Kim Jong-il, and grandfather, Kim Il-sung, both died of sudden cardiac arrest. Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack in December 2011 while traveling outside of Pyongyang on a train. His grandfather also died of a heart attack in July 1994, two weeks before a scheduled inter-Korean summit with then-South Korean President Kim Young-sam.
On top of his family health history, Kim Jong-un's health is another reason behind media speculation about a sudden change in the North.
TV footage shows that Kim has gained significant weight since rising to power in 2011.
Rep. Yoo Sang-bum of the ruling People Power Party said Kim's weight is believed to be over 140 kilograms based on an estimate by artificial intelligence.
"Kim is believed to suffer from a severe sleep disorder and increased dependence on alcohol and nicotine as massive amounts of foreign cigarettes and alcoholic beverages are shipped into North Korea," he told reporters last week after attending a meeting between members of the National Assembly Intelligence Committee and the National Intelligence Service.
The Korea Times · June 12, 2023
5. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl Travels to USINDOPACOM, the Republic of Korea, and Japan
Looks like part of his farewell tour but this is good as it continues to sustain high level engagement between US and allied officials.
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl Travels to USINDOPACOM, the Republic of Korea, and Japan
defense.gov
Release
Immediate Release
June 11, 2023 |×
Share
Department of Defense Spokesman Lt. Col. David Herndon provided the following readout:
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl departed for travel to the Indo-Pacific today. While in Hawaii, he is scheduled to engage with senior officials at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, conduct site visits, and meet with U.S. military personnel.
In the Republic of Korea (ROK), he will meet with senior officials and counterparts from the ROK government, visit the Joint Security Area (JSA) within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and attend a U.S.-ROK combined-exercise. Under Secretary Kahl's visit to the ROK will underscore the significant progress made in strengthening extended deterrence under the U.S.-ROK Alliance and emphasize that the U.S. commitment to the defense of the ROK remains ironclad.
During his visit to Japan, Under Secretary Kahl is scheduled to meet with senior officials and counterparts from the Government of Japan. Their discussions will focus on the historic steps taken to strengthen and modernize the U.S.-Japan Alliance, which continues to serve as the cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Planned counterpart engagements throughout this trip will address mutual security challenges, opportunities to increase defense cooperation, and efforts to network our Alliances with likeminded partners.
Under Secretary Kahl's visit reaffirms our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
defense.gov
6. Yoon's office says harm can be done to both countries if ambassador fails in bridging role
Or said another way - China should not be conducting wolf diplomacy.
(LEAD Yoon's office says harm can be done to both countries if ambassador fails in bridging role | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 김한주 · June 12, 2023
(ATTN: UPDATES with PM's remarks in paras 5-6)
SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- The presidential office said Monday that an inappropriate bridging role by an ambassador could harm the national interests of both the home and host countries, referring to Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming's recent controversial remarks on South Korea's ties with the United States.
The official made the remarks in a media briefing, stressing that the position of an ambassador serves as a bridge between the home country and the host country.
An undated file photo of Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming. (Yonhap)
The official said the presidential office has no particular position to add on the matter, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has fully conveyed Seoul's position to Beijing and the South Korean Embassy in China has also expressed its position.
"Article 41 of the Vienna Convention stipulates diplomats' duty to respect the laws of the host country. The same article also stipulates their duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of the host country," the official said.
Prime Minister Han Duck-so also emphasized that the role of an ambassador should be aimed at enhancing relations between the home country and the host country, saying Xing's remarks were "extremely inappropriate."
"Above all, I believe the actions of the Chinese ambassador were highly inappropriate," Han said during a parliamentary interpellation session on diplomacy.
Xing said during his meeting with opposition leader Lee Jae-myung last Thursday that it is a wrong bet to believe that China will lose in the rivalry with the United States.
Seoul's foreign ministry summoned Xing the following day to lodge a complaint and Beijing's foreign ministry also called in South Korean Ambassador Chung Jae-ho later to express its own complaint.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 김한주 · June 12, 2023
7. PPP accuses opposition leader of acting like 'branch chief of China's Communist Party'
Chinese political warfare contributes to north Korean political warfare to subvert the ROK and undermine its political system. China and north Korea are complicit in many ways - sanctions evasion, human rights abuses and political warfare (subversion) against the ROK.
PPP accuses opposition leader of acting like 'branch chief of China's Communist Party' | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 강재은 · June 12, 2023
SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- The ruling People Power Party (PPP) slammed opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Monday for acting like a "branch chief of the Communist Party of China" after Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming used a meeting with Lee to issue a warning message to South Korea.
Xing said during the meeting with Lee last week that it is a wrong bet for South Korea to believe that China will lose in the rivalry with the United States and that those betting on China's defeat "will certainly regret it later."
The remark was an apparent swipe at the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol, which has been seeking to bring South Korea closer to the U.S. and Japan in a departure from the previous Moon Jae-in administration that had put a greater emphasis on China.
South Korea's foreign ministry summoned the envoy and issued a strong warning.
On Monday, Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, leader of the PPP, said Lee appeared to agree with Xing's statement.
"Lee's actions, which opened the floor for the Chinese ambassador to interfere in domestic politics, was a critical mistake that cannot be overlooked," Kim said during a party meeting, adding Lee should "clarify whether he is South Korea's No. 1 opposition party leader or the South Korean branch chief of the Communist Party of China."
Kim also said Xing's remarks were an "intolerable insult" to a sovereign nation.
"Such attitude of coercing a sovereign nation like South Korea to obey China ... is an intolerable insult. It was a serious discourtesy that resembles the local commander of an occupying nation," he said.
Ruling People Power Party leader Kim Gi-hyeon (2nd to R) is seen speaking at the party's Supreme Council meeting in Seoul on June 12, 2023. (Yonhap)
Other PPP lawmakers heaped criticism against the Chinese Ambassador and urged Beijing for a sincere apology over the remarks.
"A foreign ambassador summoning the leader of the opposition party of the host country and publicly criticizing its government is a rare move and a disregard for the host country on an international scale," said Rep. Yoon Jae-ok during the meeting.
Yoon further said the party will urge the government to take stern measures against Beijing if it attempts again to interfere in internal affairs or undermine the dignity of South Korea, while demanding an apology from ambassador Xing and the Chinese government.
"I would like to express my deepest regrets over the consecutive provocations and discourtesy from Chinese diplomatic officials. We firmly demand a responsible apology from Ambassador Xing Haiming himself and the Chinese government over the remarks," he said.
fairydust@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 강재은 · June 12, 2023
8. Strong preventive measures required for AI-sourced disinformation
It is important that Korea recognizes this political warfare threat that will likely come from both north Korea and China.
Strong preventive measures required for AI-sourced disinformation
donga.com
Posted June. 12, 2023 08:04,
Updated June. 12, 2023 08:04
Strong preventive measures required for AI-sourced disinformation. June. 12, 2023 08:04. .
Ahead of major elections in Korea and overseas, including the Korean general elections and the U.S. presidential election next year, there are growing concerns about the possibility of widespread disinformation using artificial intelligence technology. As 'deep fake' technology, which synthesizes and manipulates videos and audio, is rapidly evolving in tune with the development of AI, there will be more attempts to exploit it in elections. The political threat of AI, which was not an issue until the 2020 U.S. presidential election, has set off an alarm in the political sphere.
Generative AI, which is evolving day by day, has reached a point where even non-experts can easily create fake content using commercially available programs. When The Dong-A Ilbo tried this with an expert, it took only 10 seconds to create a false statement in the voice of a broadcast news anchor and one minute to change the background image of a video. The problem is that technological limitations are being quickly overcome with new versions, making it extremely difficult to tell what's real and what's not.
If used in elections, it can be manipulated to produce false campaign speeches or interviews of candidates in a matter of seconds. There are also ways to manipulate a rival candidate's voice to send false messages via the automatic response system and create fake news announcing a candidate's resignation close to the end of campaigning. Celebrities can also be faked as if they are endorsing a certain candidate and thus used in political ads and fundraisers. This is already a problem in foreign countries, including the U.S. Just as we recently saw the doctored photos of the Pentagon attack, we can expect to see more such attempts to sway votes by stoking security fears.
South Korea will be no exception when the general elections take place in April next year. We are concerned about the possibility of AI being manipulated by those who want to spread inflammatory disinformation to take advantage of social conflicts that divide the country between liberals and conservatives, the elderly and the young, genders, and the rich and the poor. Politics in Korea is already suffering from the ill effects of rigid fandom politics awash with sensationalized claims and accusations. Content spreads faster on social media in Korea than in any other country. There is a risk that disinformation tailored to target various voters could sway public opinion and distort election results, leading to consequences jeopardizing the very foundation of democracy.
Experts say that to address these challenges properly, we must start preparing countermeasures at least a year and a half before election day. The European Union is pushing to legislate an AI regulation law to prevent adverse effects, such as obliging the creators to insert the label of ‘AI-generated content.’ As it can be already too late, Korea should refer to overseas movements and rapidly prepare institutional measures to prevent political misuse of AI and to raise public awareness. Those who intentionally manipulate or attempt to influence elections by going beyond freedom of expression should be held sternly accountable.
한국어
donga.com
9. News of N. Korea’s failed satellite launch spreads through border region
For all those who think that information cannot flow throughout north Korea this is for you.
Have we employed news of the failed launch and the resources wasted on it as part of an influence campaign?
News of N. Korea’s failed satellite launch spreads through border region
"Rumors of the satellite’s crash have spread so much that people are saying that if you don’t know about the crash you are considered a reactionary,” a source told Daily NK
By Lee Chae Un - 2023.06.12 11:00am
dailynk.com
A photo of the launch of the "Malligyong-1" on May 31 published by DPRK state media on June 1. (KCNA)
News about the DPRK’s satellite crash is quickly spreading in the China-North Korea border region, multiple sources told Daily NK last Thursday.
Many people are reacting coldly to the news as it spreads in the border region, including Yanggang and North Hamgyong provinces, they said.
On May 31, a North Korean satellite launched in the early hours of the morning crashed in the Yellow Sea at around 6 AM. Through KCNA, the North Korean government admitted that the crash had occurred around two hours after the crash, citing the reason as instability in the engine and fuel system.
The government, however, has not yet announced news of the satellite crash to its people. Despite the information blackout, news of the failure is spreading quickly in the China-North Korean border region among Chinese mobile phone users.
According to Article 35 of the DPRK Law Rejecting Reactionary Thought and Culture, the full text of which was acquired by Daily NK earlier this year, obtaining outside information through Chinese phones is illegal and subject to severe punishment. However, “there are more people than you think that want to find out the truths that the government wants to hide,” a source in Yanggang Province told Daily NK, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
In one area of the country, “rumors of the satellite’s crash have spread so much that people are saying that if you don’t know about the crash you are considered a reactionary,” he added.
Upon hearing rumors of the crash, many people criticized the government in light of the country’s difficult economic situation. Some said they were “speechless from heartbreak” at the complete waste of money spent on a failed launch. Others said they wanted to ask the government why it thinks creating and launching ballistic missiles and satellites is more important than the lives of the people during these difficult times.
Many expressed the belief that funds earmarked for the development of missiles and satellites should be redirected towards the civilian economy. Some said that if the government “shifted even 0.01% of the money and efforts currently being spent on making missiles and reconnaissance satellites to improving the livelihoods of the people, our situation would not be this desperate.”
Some people even directly criticized North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for not notifying the people about the satellite crash.
One source told Daily NK that some people were wondering why the government is so intent on hiding the news of the satellite crash, along with speculation that the authorities decided that the news would damage the image of Kim Jong Un.
Translated by Annie Eun Jung Kim. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Daily NK works with a network of sources who live inside North Korea, China and elsewhere. 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
10. N. Korea reshuffles work units in China that fail to meet foreign currency-earning quotas
Excerpts:
This sense of anxiety has even spread among ordinary workers. “Some workers, after hearing [about the reshuffling] from their managers, reacted by saying ‘If we are suddenly recalled to North Korea, we won’t have a scrap of foreign currency to bring home because we didn’t earn any money during COVID-19. If they’ll just let us keep working here, we’ll work 18 hours a day if we have to.’”
However, some were reassured by the fact that the latest orders were not aimed at ordinary laborers.
The source said that workers believe “it will be difficult to repatriate us immediately and replace us with new laborers,” especially since Chinese managers consider North Korean workers to be “sincere and competent” at their jobs.
N. Korea reshuffles work units in China that fail to meet foreign currency-earning quotas
Some speculate the move is connected to an upcoming plenary session of the Central Committee that is expected to review foreign currency-earning targets for the first half of the year
dailynk.com
FILE PHOTO: North Korean laborers at China's Dandong Station waiting to depart back to North Korea. (Daily NK)
North Korea recently reorganized work units that failed to meet their foreign-currency earning quotas in the first half of the year, demoting managers of the work units as punishment, Daily NK has learned.
A source based in China told Daily NK on June 2 that the personnel restructuring process began on May 22. At the time, the North Korean government passed along orders through its consulates in China to review whether trade workers and laborers in factories and restaurants had met their quotas for the first half of the year.
On May 25, the findings were reported to North Korean authorities, who handed down orders on May 30 to “demote those responsible [for underperformance]” and to conduct “personnel transfers.” That the measures were handed down just five days after the review results were submitted shows how interested North Korea is to expand its foreign currency earnings.
At one clothing factory, ten work units were reduced to just eight work units, while workers who managed two work units were demoted to “laborer” status. These demotions serve as warnings that those working in China will be subject to the “North Korean style” of punishing under-performing managers by taking away their “social and political lives.”
Many worry that punishments will be handed down on a broad-scale because trade officials and laborer managers in Liaoning and Jilin provinces have suddenly been ordered to conduct personnel reorganizations.
Some speculate that the personnel reshuffling orders are connected to the upcoming Eighth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee in mid-June, which is expected to review whether the government has met its targets for the first half of the year. The source said that the orders have created an atmosphere of trepidation among trade officials and managers in China, including fears that they may even be summoned back to North Korea.
This sense of anxiety has even spread among ordinary workers. “Some workers, after hearing [about the reshuffling] from their managers, reacted by saying ‘If we are suddenly recalled to North Korea, we won’t have a scrap of foreign currency to bring home because we didn’t earn any money during COVID-19. If they’ll just let us keep working here, we’ll work 18 hours a day if we have to.’”
However, some were reassured by the fact that the latest orders were not aimed at ordinary laborers.
The source said that workers believe “it will be difficult to repatriate us immediately and replace us with new laborers,” especially since Chinese managers consider North Korean workers to be “sincere and competent” at their jobs.
Translated by Rose Adams. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Daily NK works with a network of sources who live inside North Korea, China and elsewhere. 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
11. U.S. to Allow South Korean, Taiwan Chip Makers to Keep Operations in China
"Allow?"
U.S. to Allow South Korean, Taiwan Chip Makers to Keep Operations in China
Analysts say the move will weaken export-control measures aimed at curbing Beijing
By Yuka HayashiFollow
June 12, 2023 5:30 am ET
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-allow-south-korean-taiwan-chip-makers-to-keep-operations-in-china-5d7d72cc?mod=hp_lead_pos5
WASHINGTON—The Biden administration plans to allow top semiconductor manufacturers from South Korea and Taiwan to maintain and expand their existing chip-making operations in China without U.S. reprisals, according to recent remarks by a senior Commerce Department official.
Some analysts say the move will weaken U.S. export controls designed to slow China’s technological advance.
Alan Estevez, undersecretary of commerce for industry and security, told an industry gathering last week that the administration intended to extend existing exemptions from a U.S. export-control policy designed to restrict companies from selling chips and chip-making equipment to China, according to several attendees.
Last October, the U.S. implemented curbs on China’s semiconductor sector but it also provided one-year exemptions to several companies—including South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing—that have invested billions of dollars to build plants in China.
Those exemptions were set to expire in October. Estevez told a meeting of the Semiconductor Industry Association, a trade group, that the exemptions would be renewed for the foreseeable future, according to the attendees. The Commerce Department declined to comment.
Alan Estevez, a senior Commerce official, said the exemptions granted to some companies would be renewed for the foreseeable future. PHOTO: JACQUELYN MARTIN/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The status of the exemptions was closely scrutinized by companies and foreign governments to see how strictly the U.S. export curbs would affect investments in China beyond the fall.
The move to extend the exemptions, rather than winding them down, amounts to a recognition by U.S. authorities that efforts to isolate China from high-tech goods are more difficult than anticipated in a highly integrated global industry, according to industry executives. It also comes as some foreign businesses bristle at Washington’s expanding interference in their operations.
The U.S. has sought to keep advanced chips out of Chinese hands by limiting the exports of chips and related chip-making equipment not only by American manufacturers but also those made by allies.
The U.S. has influence over Korean and Taiwanese chip makers because the companies rely on technology and equipment developed or manufactured by companies from the U.S., as well as from the Netherlands and Japan, where the governments have agreed to join the U.S. export-control efforts.
U.S. and foreign chip makers have resisted U.S. efforts to limit their business with China. Asian and European governments have also pushed back. The most vocal criticism has come from South Korea. China is by far its largest export market. Seoul, a close U.S. military and economic ally, is also careful not to anger Beijing, which has strong influence over North Korea.
U.S. officials in recent weeks said the U.S. doesn’t seek to decouple from China. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said in an April speech that Washington’s strategy is to limit restrictions to highly strategic technologies with “a small yard, high fence.” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said in multiple speeches a full separation from China’s economy will be disastrous for both countries.
Others in Washington, particularly Republican lawmakers, want tougher stances on China. Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.), in a May 30 letter, urged Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to strengthen the U.S. controls over technology exports, including chips: “Companies are hard at work to weaken and circumvent the rule’s export controls.”
“You can’t control technology when two huge firms get to do whatever they want,” said Derek Scissors, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, and a former commissioner on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, an independent agency established by Congress.
“You look very weak,” Scissors added.
Samsung, for one, has said it has curtailed some of its operations in China and isn’t producing there the most advanced semiconductors that could aid China in advancing its military and other sensitive technologies such as quantum computing. Samsung didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. is also pressuring Asian manufacturers to curb their operations in China through the $53 billion Chips and Science Act. While wooing Samsung and TSMC with the program’s incentives to build plants in the U.S., Washington has laid out expectations that such money would be awarded in exchange for companies limiting investment in China. Both chip makers have resisted such efforts.
The South Korean government and companies have asked the U.S. to reconsider those restrictions. Industry executives say some Korean companies are so troubled that they are considering forgoing U.S. federal-government aid, a move that could deal a blow to one of the administration’s signature programs.
Write to Yuka Hayashi at Yuka.Hayashi@wsj.com
12. Envoy's remarks cast further chill over Korea-China relations
Will this be a minor spat or create a major riff? Will there be second and third order effects?
Envoy's remarks cast further chill over Korea-China relations
The Korea Times · June 12, 2023
Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming, left, gestures during a meeting with main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Jae-myung at the envoy's residence in Seongbuk District, Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press Corps
Neighboring countries urged to prevent tensions from escalating
By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea's already-deteriorating relations with China seem to be going further downhill following Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Xing Haiming's openly critical remarks about the Korean government's foreign policy.
Analysts viewed that both countries should make efforts to prevent the latest diplomatic flare-up between Seoul and Beijing from deepening into friction in other fields such as the military and the economy.
During a dinner with main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung last Thursday, Xing read a prepared statement in front of reporters, expressing discontent about Korea's increasing alignment with the United States. The 15-minute speech given in Korean was aired live on the DPK's official YouTube channel.
"The current China-Korea relations are facing various difficulties, and frankly speaking, the responsibility for these problems does not lie in China," Xing said.
He also complained about Korea's stance leaning toward Washington amid the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry, saying, "With the U.S. exercising full-fledged pressure on China, some people seem to bet that the U.S. will prevail and China will be defeated. That is a wrong bet … Those who bet on China's loss will surely regret their decision in the future."
Those comments prompted a furious response from the Korean government and ruling party.
The People Power Party (PPP) slammed the remarks as a "diplomatic blunder," with some PPP members calling for designating Xing as persona non grata and expelling him.
The presidential office also expressed displeasure. "The role of an ambassador is to bridge their home country and receiving nation. If they do not carry out their role accordingly, it may harm the national benefit of both nations," presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon told reporters, Monday, in response to an inquiry about the Chinese envoy's remarks.
Presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon speaks during a briefing at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
On Friday, Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin summoned Xing to the ministry to lodge a strong protest against the envoy's "irrational and provocative" rhetoric. Chang said Xing's "unforgivable remarks" criticizing the Korean government's policies not only violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, but can also be perceived as the envoy's attempt to interfere in Korea's internal affairs.
In a tit-for-tat, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong called in Korea's Ambassador to Beijing Chung Jae-ho, Saturday, to protest the Korean foreign ministry's "unfair response" to what China described as Xing's efforts to "promote understanding and facilitate cooperation between the two nations."
Diplomatic observers viewed that Xing's strongly-worded speech reflects Beijing's growing concern over strengthening Korea-U.S., and Korea-U.S.-Japan ties.
"From China's perspective, Korea is the weak link in the U.S.-led Asian alliance against China. Adding pressure to Korea is Beijing's strategy to deter strengthening ties between Korea, the U.S. and Japan," said Lee Sang-man, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University.
Lee added that the Chinese envoy's brazen rhetoric does not mean that the Chinese government will return to its previous combative foreign policy posture, known as "wolf warrior" diplomacy.
"China is unlikely to resort to belligerent diplomatic tactics which negatively influenced its global image," he said. "Rather, I would say that Xing's speech was an expression of disappointment toward the Korean government's reluctance to improve relations."
Chinese President Xi Jinping made a visit to LG Display's production plant in Guangzhou, southern China in April, marking his first trip to a Korean company since he took power in 2012.
"The rare visit by the state leader to a foreign company was a gesture that China is still willing to forge better relations with Korea, but our government did not respond positively to the signal," Lee explained.
The professor advised the Korean government to make more diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions with the neighboring country, mentioning signs of rapprochement between U.S. and China.
"Our diplomatic channel with China should also stay open. But Beijing should also do its part and respect our relations with the U.S.," Lee said.
The Korea Times · June 12, 2023
13. New commander of USFK special operations unit takes office
Congratulations to both commanders.
I tried to stay up late on Sunday night to watch this when it was streamed live on Facebook at 2am or so but I can no longer do all nighters! :-)
Excerpt:
"I am grateful for the opportunity to support our nation's ironclad commitment to the alliance that has continued to grow and prosper and strengthen for 70 years," Lipson said at the ceremony. "The things we do daily as allies with regional partners ensure those we compete against do not miscalculate the strength of the United States and the Republic of Korea alliance and our commitment to winning."
New commander of USFK special operations unit takes office
The Korea Times · June 12, 2023
In this photo captured from SOCKOR's Facebook page, Brig. Gen. Derek N. Lipson, the new U.S. Special Operations Command-Korea (SOCKOR), speaks at a change-of-command ceremony at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul, June 12. Yonhap
The new commander of the U.S. special operations unit in Korea took office Monday, saying that he is committed to working with Korean troops to support the U.S.' "ironclad" commitment to the alliance.
Brig. Gen. Derek N. Lipson replaced Maj. Gen. Michael E. Martin as the commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command-Korea (SOCKOR) and the United Nations Command Special Operations Component (UNCSOC) during a change-of-command ceremony at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul.
Senior U.S. and Korean government and military officials attended the event, including Christopher Maier, U.S. assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, and Gen. Ahn Byung-seok, deputy commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to support our nation's ironclad commitment to the alliance that has continued to grow and prosper and strengthen for 70 years," Lipson said at the ceremony. "The things we do daily as allies with regional partners ensure those we compete against do not miscalculate the strength of the United States and the Republic of Korea alliance and our commitment to winning."
Lipson previously served as the deputy commanding general support for the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) in North Carolina.
Martin, who took command of SOCKOR and UNCSOC in June 2021, will move to the U.S. Special Operations Command in Florida to serve as the J3 director of operations. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · June 12, 2023
14. Retired Maj. Joseph Johnson among 8240 Army Unit veterans remembered (the Korean Partisans)
There are very few veterans, Korean and US, still with us. We need to honor them. Monika Stoy is nearly single handedly ensuring they remain recognized and honored.
Retired Maj. Joseph Johnson among 8240 Army Unit veterans remembered - CityView
PHOTO BY BILL KIRBY JR.
Retired Capt. Monika Stoy welcomes retired Maj. Joseph Johnson to the May 23 ceremony honoring the 8240 Army Unit at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum.
Photo by Bill Kirby Jr.
A stone at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum commemorates the 8240 Army Unit.
Photo by Bill Kirby Jr.
Retired Maj. Joseph Johnson at Staunton Military Academy in the 1940s
Contributed photo
Retired Lt. Col. Timothy Stoy salutes as a wreath is laid at the 8240 Army Unit commemorative stone.
Photos by Bill Kirby Jr.
Posted Sunday, June 11, 2023 1:00 am
It’s not a forgotten war, and we will not forget.”
Retired Army Capt. Monika Stoy, speaking of the Korean War from 1950 to 1953
By Bill Kirby Jr.
You will find along the walkway the granite stone commemorating the 8240 Army Unit at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum across from Freedom Memorial Park downtown.
The stone is among many that remind museum visitors about our military history.
“If we don’t honor veterans while they are living,” retired Capt. Monika Stoy would say on May 23 to honor soldiers of the unit, “their stories will be gone.”
Retired Maj. Joseph Johnson listened to Stoy’s words with pride. So did retired 1st Sgt. Jerry Cunningham and retired Sgt. 1st Class Don Christiansen.
Johnson, you see, is an American soldier who was part of the 8240 Army Unit that was based in South Korea and trained North Korean partisans in 1951 during the Korean War, as did Cunningham and Christiansen.
“He served in the Airborne and Special Forces in Korea as a lieutenant,” Stoy told active-duty and retired soldiers — Korean and American — at a ceremony that drew some 60 people in front of the granite stone.
Among the Korean partisans assigned to the Wolfpack that Johnson trained was Commander Kyung Jin Choi, who was Stoy’s father.
A part of the legacy
The conflict between North Korea and South Korea from 1950 to 1953 is often referred to as “The Forgotten War,” and Stoy takes issue with the mantra.
“It’s not a forgotten war,” she said for all of us to hear, “and we will not forget.”
Lt. Gen. Son Sik, commander of ROK Special Warfare Command, would reiterate Stoy’s sentiments.
“We are continuing the 8240 legacy,” he said. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to those lost in Korea. Korean War veterans are true heroes. We will remember.”
Johnson would remember, too.
“It was not a large force,” Johnson, 93, would say later about the North Korean partisans. “I was 23 years old, and we helped the United Nations train and work with these people.”
For Johnson, the May 23 ceremony brought back memories of his days as a Special Forces soldier.
“I thought it was very good,” Johnson said. “It recognized a lot of people active in the movement.”
This ceremony will be an annual event each Oct. 20, according to retired Lt. Col. Timothy Stoy, who reminds us it is the anniversary of the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat team's first combat jump in Korea on Oct. 20, 1950.
Epilogue
I’m not an authority on the history of the Korean War other than to know it began June 25, 1950, with the invasion of South Korea by some 75,000 soldiers with the North Korean People’s Army.
And that U.S. President Harry S. Truman was watching from the White House.
“Korea is a small country, thousands of miles away, but what is happening there is important to every American," he said three weeks later. “The fact that communist forces have invaded Korea is a warning that there may be similar acts of aggression in other parts of the world.”
Beyond that, I know my father served as a U.S. soldier in the Korean War, and I remember his return home to Southern Pines Airport.
And I know that retired Maj. Joseph Johnson as a young soldier with the 8240 Army Unit trained North Korean partisans in guerrilla warfare and that he was one of first graduates of Special Forces training that began in 1952.
And that on May 23 at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum, the 8240 Army Unit and Joseph Johnson, Jerry Cunningham and Don Christiansen were not forgotten.
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.
Keywords
Fayetteville, Korean War, Airborne & Special Operations Museum, ceremony
15. Russian, Chinese Bombers Make 2nd Round of Flights Near Japan, Korea
Photos and map graphic at the link: https://news.usni.org/2023/06/09/russian-chinese-bombers-make-2nd-round-of-flights-near-japan-korea?mc_cid=d97e8ada85&mc_eid=70bf478f36
Russian, Chinese Bombers Make 2nd Round of Flights Near Japan, Korea - USNI News
news.usni.org · by Dzirhan Mahadzir · June 9, 2023
Chinese H-6 and Russian T-95 bombers flying near Japan. JSDF Photo
Russian and Chinese bombers continued to fly missions around Japan and South Korea this week after an initial joint bomber mission on Monday, according to the Japanese and Russian defense ministries.
On Wednesday afternoon, two Chinese H-6 bombers and two Russian Tu-95 bombers flew from China and into the Pacific Ocean, according to Japan’s Joint Staff Office of the Ministry of Defense. Prior to flying through the Miyako Strait, four Chinese fighters joined the bombers. On their return through the Miyako Strait, two Chinese fighters joined the formation.
When the two Russian bombers flew to the Tsushima Strait, two aircraft presumed to be Chinese fighters joined them while seven other aircraft, also presumed to be Chinese fighters, were active over the East China Sea.
During the flight over the Sea of Japan to Russia, the two Russian bombers were joined by two presumed Russian fighters, while another Russian aircraft had flown East over the Sea of Japan before turning northwest to the Russian continent. The JSO stated that in response, it scrambled fighters from the Southwestern Air Defense Force of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) and other commands.
Russian’s Ministry of Defense confirmed some details, saying Russia and China flew a joint eight-hour air patrol over the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the western part of the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday. Russian Su-30 and SU-35 fighters and Chinese J-11 fighters provided fighter cover along the entire route, according to the release. During the joint air patrol, Russian aircraft landed and took off from an airfield in the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Ministry of Defense said.
Flight path of Chinese, Russian bombers on June 7, 2023. JSDF Image
China’s Ministry of National Defense issued a short one-line release on Wednesday that read: “On June 7, the Chinese and Russian militaries completed the second phase of the sixth joint air strategic cruise in the western Pacific airspace.”
Japanese officials have spoken out against the flights, with Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno telling a media conference on Wednesday that the flights, while not violating Japanese airspace, were a grave security concern for Japan as they appeared to be directed towards Japan. Tokyo lodged its concern via diplomatic channels.
“Such repeated joint flights by the strategic bombers of the two countries in the vicinity of our country signify the expansion of activities in the vicinity of our country, and are clearly intended to act arbitrarily against our country,” Matsuno said. On Thursday, Matsuno told a media conference that Japan had lodged a protest to China after a People’s Liberation Army Navy survey vessel entered Japan’s waters near Yakushima Island that day.
On the same day, the JSO issued a news release stating that at around 7:30 a.m. local time, PLAN Shupang-class survey ship Qian Sanqiang (22) was sighted sailing westward through Japan’s contiguous zone southeast of Yakushima Island. At around 10:00 a.m, the survey ship entered Japanese territorial waters southwest of Yakushima Island. At 1 p.m, the PLAN ship left Japan’s territorial waters west of Kuchinoerabu Island and sailed west, according to the release. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer escort JS Tone (DE-234) and a JMSDF P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) of Fleet Air Wing 1 based at JMSDF Kanoya Air Base, Kyushu surveilled the PLAN ship.
On Thursday, PLAN destroyer CNS Xiamen (154) and frigate CNS Yangzhou (578) were sighted sailing northwest in an area about 70 miles northeast of the island of Amami Oshima, located in southwest Japan, and subsequently sailed southwest to enter the East China Sea, according to a statement from the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. The statement said the two PLAN ships transited southeast through the Miyako Strait on Tuesday. A JMSDF P-1 MPA of Fleet Air Wing 1 shadowed the PLAN ships. Japan’s straits are mostly designated as international waterways, so foreign ships and aircraft have unrestricted access for transit.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Defense Ministry announced on Friday that in early June, Royal Canadian Navy frigate (RCN) HMCS Montreal (FFH336) carried out monitoring and surveillance activities in the waters surrounding Japan, including the East China Sea, for illicit maritime activities like ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by the United Nations Security Council resolutions. This is the seventh time the RCN has carried out this operation, the release noted. RCN ships and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CP-140 Aurora MPAs routinely deploy under Operation Neon, which is Canada’s support for the multinational effort to conduct surveillance in support of U.N. sanctions on North Korea.
In the past 12 months though, Canada has reported that its surveillance flights have been subjected to unsafe interceptions by Chinese fighter aircraft on several occasions.
Related
news.usni.org · by Dzirhan Mahadzir · June 9, 2023
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
| 
