Informal Institute for National Security Thinkers and Practitioners

Quotes of the Day:

"Everyone gets the experience. Some get the lesson."

- T.S. Eliot

"It is dangerous to be right in matters where established men are wrong."

- Voltaire

"Beware of overconcern for money, or position, or glory. Someday you will meet a man who cares for none of these things. Then you will know how poor you are."

- Rudyard Kipling

1. U.S. to Send Its Biggest Sub to Korean Peninsula in Message to North and South

2. 5th anniversary of Singapore Summit: What's been achieved and what's failed

3. North Korea tightens state control of food

4. N. Korea braces for possible monsoon damage

5. S. Korea sanctions Russian individual involved in Pyongyang's illegal weapons-financing activities

6. U.S. is working with S. Korea, Japan to deter N. Korean aggression: Pentagon

7. Korean military ship, personnel leave to join multinational exercise in Australia

8. ‘Let’s Stamp on America’: North Korea Holds Massive Rally

9. Yoon says 'anti-state forces begged' to have N.K. sanctions lifted

10. N. Korea slams Japan for continued demand for resolution of abducted Japanese issue

11. Two N. Korean Panmunjom officials arrested for allegedly leaking state secrets

12. Korean Air delivers first fuselage for Boeing AH-6 helicopters

1. U.S. to Send Its Biggest Sub to Korean Peninsula in Message to North and South

It begs the question that is unanswerable: What actually deters Kim Jong Un?

We have some indications from Hwang Jong Yop (defected in 1997) which is the US military presence, US support to South Korea, and US nuclear weapons, but we cannot know for sure what is in Kim Jong Un's mind.

I believe that strength is a deterrent and that weakness invites conflict.

And lastly we have to keep in mind Sir Lawrence Freedman's dictum: "Deterrence works, until it doesn't."

U.S. to Send Its Biggest Sub to Korean Peninsula in Message to North and South

The high-profile port visit by nuclear-armed, Ohio-class ‘boomer’ may prove more successful at assuring South Korea than intimidating Kim Jong Un

By Timothy W. Martin

June 27, 2023 9:48 am ET

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-to-send-its-biggest-sub-to-korean-peninsula-in-message-to-north-and-south-d998518?mod=Searchresults_pos5&page=1

The USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine, visited South Korea in recent days to participate in combined special-ops training. PHOTO: YONHAP NEWS/ZUMA PRESS

SEOUL—The U.S. plans to send its largest nuclear-armed submarine to South Korea for the first time in four decades, in an effort to deter North Korea and reassure American allies in Seoul.

Bringing the massive submarine to the Korean Peninsula is intended to rattle the regime of Kim Jong Un. The Ohio-class warships, called “boomers,” can stay submerged indefinitely and go on monthslong patrols. They can fire nuclear warheads at targets thousands of miles away.

But the visit carries just as much—if not more—significance for South Korea.

The port visit will mark the first substantial payout from an accord struck in late April between President Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Seoul restated its commitment to not developing its own nuclear weapons. In return, the U.S. offered South Korea—for the first time—a bigger say in consultations on potential American nuclear use in response to a North Korean attack and promised to dispatch strategic assets like nuclear-armed submarines and B-52 bombers to the region.

In recent days, the USS Michigan, a nuclear-powered submarine that shoots cruise missiles, visited South Korea to participate in combined special-ops training. American and South Korean officials haven’t disclosed the timing of the visit by the submarine armed with nuclear warheads.

Pyongyang has engaged in a historic run of missile provocations in recent years, breaking a self-imposed moratorium on long-range weapons. U.S.-led efforts to thwart the North’s behavior through the United Nations Security Council have been met with resistance by China and Russia. The Kim regime went more than two months without any missile activity before test-firing a couple of short-range weapons earlier this month.

A port call by an Ohio-class submarine with nuclear firepower isn’t likely to dissuade the Kim regime. If anything, the arrival of the nuclear submarine will feed into the North Korean dictator’s narrative that more weapons advances are necessary to defend the country against the joint threat from the U.S. and South Korea, said Jean H. Lee, a nonresident fellow at the European Center for North Korean Studies.

People watched a report about a suspected ballistic missile launch by North Korea earlier this year. PHOTO: KYODONEWS/ZUMA PRESS

“They don’t have a lot now, so Kim Jong Un needs tension to justify testing,” Lee said. “It will be very tempting to use this as an opportunity to show the people there has been a very real reason why he’s been investing in nuclear weapons.”

The potential for a bigger shift from the April accord lies more with South Korea, security experts say. Yoon, a conservative who took office last year, has made solidifying ties with Washington and Tokyo a priority. Earlier this month, the South Korean leader said his country’s relationship with the U.S. had been upgraded to a “nuclear-based alliance.”

The biggest prospects for a change lie with the establishment of a new Nuclear Consultative Group between the two countries. Seoul and Washington are firming up details for the first deliberations, which are expected to occur four times a year. The pact also calls for new training exercises for scenarios that could include a South Korean conventional military role in supporting U.S. nuclear operations in a conflict.

The historical focus of deterrence and extended-deterrence strategy consultations by Washington and Seoul has been scenarios of North Korean nuclear use and how a conventional response by the alliance might unfold, said S. Paul Choi, a former strategist for the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command.

5th anniversary of Singapore Summit: What's been achieved and what's failed

The Korea Times · June 28, 2023

By Lee Sang-hyun

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea's Chairman Kim Jong-un held their historic first summit meeting in Singapore on June 12, 2018, convinced that forging new U.S.-North Korea relations would contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and the world. Trump and Kim also recognized that mutual confidence building can help facilitate the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and agreed on the following:

First, the United States and North Korea commit to establishing new U.S.-North Korea relations, in line with the desire of the peoples of both countries for peace and prosperity.

Second, the United States and North Korea will work together to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.

Third, reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, North Korea commits to working toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Fourth, the United States and North Korea commit to the recovery of POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.

On Feb. 27 and 28, 2019, Trump met with Kim for a second bilateral summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. The summit, however, was cut short abruptly in the middle of the second day, and the widely anticipated joint statement between the two leaders was not signed. The primary reason for the failure of the Hanoi summit was a significant mismatch in expectations between the U.S. and North Korea.

Following the collapse of the Hanoi summit, talks between the two Koreas as well as denuclearization negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea came to a complete halt. North Korea perceived that the image of its supreme leader had been seriously damaged, reinforcing its belief that the U.S. and South Korea were untrustworthy negotiators.

Although the leaders of North Korea and the U.S. had a historic face-to-face meeting after years of hostility, North Korea squandered a crucial opportunity to improve U.S.-North Korea relations and advance denuclearization. The fleeting optimism of 2018 quickly disappeared, and North Korea completely changed its course to pursue the survival of its regime through nuclear weapons and missiles.

Since then, North Korea's nuclear doctrine has been evolving in an increasingly dangerous direction. During the 7th meeting of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly in 2022, North Korea announced a new law regarding the use of nuclear weapons. Kim Jong-un declared that North Korea's status as a nuclear power was now irreversible, and that he held the sole authority to decide on the deployment of nuclear weapons. North Korea has been dedicating its efforts to the development of various types of missile systems, including the Hwasong-17 and solid-fuel Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as intermediate-range, short-range and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).

On March 28, 2023, North Korean media reported that Kim personally supervised the weaponization project of nuclear warheads at an undisclosed location. One of the warheads, named Hwasan-31, is compatible with around eight delivery systems, such as missiles or submersible vehicles. Furthermore, on March 24, 2023, North Korea unveiled Haeil, its first-ever nuclear-armed unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), commonly known as a nuclear torpedo. North Korea claims that the Haeil can be equipped with a Hwasan-31 tactical nuclear warhead. Despite its eventual failure, North Korea attempted to launch a new satellite vehicle called Chollima-1 on May 31 equipped with its first military reconnaissance satellite known as Malligyeong-1.

Most South Koreans think that North Korea's nuclear weapons pose an existential threat to their country. Since North Korea's nuclear threat became visible, the results of public surveys consistently demonstrate support for the development of an independent nuclear weapons capability in South Korea. Currently, the discussed nuclear options include independent nuclear weapons development, the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons by U.S. Forces Korea and a NATO-style nuclear-sharing agreement.

However, none of these options will likely be realized in the near future. The most realistic option for South Korea is to strengthen U.S. extended deterrence while enhancing its own conventional deterrence capability against North Korea. To achieve this, Seoul and Washington agreed to the Washington Declaration during the April 2023 summit. This declaration established the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), a bilateral consultative body between South Korea and the United States aimed at strengthening U.S. extended deterrence. As part of this agreement, South Korea commits to complying with Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) norms and giving up its own nuclear weapon development options.

Currently, both inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea relations are at their lowest point. Moreover, tensions in the Taiwan Strait and on the Korean Peninsula seem to be rising in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In order to overcome the stalemate on the Korean Peninsula, a multi-layered and creative approach is required. In the near future, South Korea should focus on crisis management on the Korean Peninsula and work toward materializing extended deterrence with the U.S. North Korea should not further exacerbate the situation on the Korean Peninsula through additional provocations, such as conducting its seventh nuclear test. Although challenging, the international community, including the U.S. and China, must intensify their efforts to resume denuclearization negotiations with North Korea before it is too late.

Lee Sang-hyun is president of Sejong Institute and a member of Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (APLN). This essay is published in cooperation with the APLN (www.apln.network).

The Korea Times · June 28, 2023

3. North Korea tightens state control of food

I cannot emphasize enough that we need to ensure we have our contingency plans ready for internal instability and potential regime collapse.

Just as a reminder here is Robert Kapaln's piece from 2006. Robert Collins and I (and our boss General Tilelli) would be happy to describe the threats and plans dealing with these problems

When North Korea Falls

The furor over Kim Jong Il’s missile tests and nuclear brinksmanship obscures the real threat: the prospect of North Korea’s catastrophic collapse. How the regime ends could determine the balance of power in Asia for decades. The likely winner? China

By Robert D. Kaplan

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2006/10/when-north-korea-falls/305228/

The situation now may be much more dire than that following the "Arduous MArch" of the famine of 1994-1996. Two things happened then that saved the regime and the people. The Sunshine Policy saved the regime by transferring billions in resources to it. WIth the failure of the Korean Workers Party's public distribution system the people had to fend for themselves and create their own survival emchaims. This turned out to be markets and now there are some 400+ markets that provided the Korean people in the north with a level of resilience. The problem now is made worse by Kim Jong Un's exploitation of the "COVID Paradox." While so fearful of an outbreak KJU has implemented draconian population and resources control measures to prevent an outbreak. However, he is also exploiting the opportunity provided by COVID to dramatically increase the oppression of the Korean people in order to prevent resistance to the regime. We should recall that Kim fears the Korean people in the north more than the US military. The problem is that themasures he has implemented put sever constraints on market activity among the people and now there is no other safety valve or relief mechanism for the people. This has the potential to be far worse than the 1990s.

Will it lead to unrest? We don't know. So far in the history of north Korea it has not led to any significant resistance in the north. But never say never. With growing outside information and influence and the indications of baleme for Kim Jong Un among the people it is becoming more possible. And then there are issues with the military which is also suffering. With the declining level of resources for the regime, it may only be a matter of time before Kim has to prioritize military units because of insufficient food and fuel, etc. Once a unit (or more) is "deprioritized" we could see a conflict over scarce resources which could lead to internal conflict.

We should keep in mind howwe defined regime collapse in the 1990s. I think it still applies. The regime will collapse when two conditions occur. The first is when the party can no longer govern all north Korean territory from Pyongyang. This is the loss of central governing effectiveness. The second is the loss of coherency and support of the military for the regime. When the chains of control break down within the military - particularly due to a lack of resources - the military will cease to function effectively and this will lead to a loss of support for the tregime.

The dangerous challenge to us is that when Kim observes these conditions emerging he may resort to what he believes is his only option to survive. That is the execution of his campaign plan to unify the peninsula under the domination of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State known as the DPRK( which is neither democratic nor a republic and certainly does not belong to the people).

North Korea tightens state control of food

The Korea Times · June 28, 2023

A farmer tends to rice seedlings at the Namsa Co-op Farm of Pyongyang's Rangrang District, May 25, 2021. Signs are palpable that North Korea has been tightening state control over its entire economy, particularly food, a veteran journalist said on Wednesday. AP-Yonhap

Famine worsens as Kim steps up fight against market forces: inside sources

By Jung Min-ho

North Korea's great famine in the 1990s, which was a direct result of failures by the state, gave rise to "jangmadang," the informal markets that eventually grew to play an essential role in the economic lives of its people.

But history is set to repeat, as Kim Jong-un, the state's young leader, is poised to tighten state control on the market economy, particularly on food, a veteran journalist said at Wednesday's seminar on the issue in Seoul. He added that Kim will likely unleash another devastating period of mass hunger upon his own people.

Citing six sources who are living in North Korea-China border regions, Jiro Ishimaru, who has been covering the rogue state for the past 30 years, said its food crisis may have already reached its worst level in more than two decades.

"This year has been worse than any other previous years," one of the sources said in a voice file presented at the event. "Many people are dying, especially young children and old people … Few pay attention to such deaths … People are scary."

The COVID-19 pandemic was the chief reason for the unfolding calamity as it isolated North Korea even more from the rest of the world. As well, its trade with China plummeted, cutting off an important source of its food supply, and personnel exchanges among its own citizens were restricted.

Worse still, the North Korean ruler has been trying to take back control ― perhaps full control ― of its food resources from market forces, according to Ishimaru.

"This January, North Korea completely banned the selling of food in markets. Since April, it has looked the other way for those selling small amounts. But it is still largely restricted," he said. "The state has also set up many guard posts in places where officials monitor for 'unlawful' food trade."

Jiro Ishimaru, a veteran journalist from Asiapress International, a media company based in Japan, speaks during a seminar on North Korea's food situation at the Press Center in Seoul, Wednesday, as he shows a photo of North Korean officials repairing fences near its China border. Korea Times photo by Jung Min-ho

Instead, the North Korean ruling elite have been trying to restore the old distribution system, in which people receive their meager rations from state-run grain stores, he said.

So far, the results of the policy experiment have been disastrous as it has dried up the flow of cash between people, leaving many in misery, especially those in cities, where they do not have direct access to food and cannot buy it as easily as before. As the state is strengthening its grip on other economic activities, from haircuts and other services to all sorts of manufacturing, their concerns only deepen, Ishimaru said.

The conference was held at a time when concerns about North Korea's economic situation are rising. In its report to the National Assembly last month, South Korea's intelligence agency also said that the number of North Koreans that have died from starvation have tripled so far this year, compared with the same period in previous years. It also said that the prices of corn and rice surged by 60 percent and 50 percent respectively during the first four months of this year, compared with the same period last year ― the fastest pace of increase since Kim took power in 2011.

At a critical juncture between capitalizing on the expanding market forces and regressing to a proven failed system, the North Korean ruler appears to have chosen the latter, said Oh Gyeong-seob, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, a think tank.

"To me, it looks like a self-destructive policy, which reduces the purchasing power of North Koreans," he said. "It may take a while to figure out how it will affect popular sentiment and Kim's leadership, which does not show any will or capabilities to feed all North Koreans."

The Korea Times · June 28, 2023

4. N. Korea braces for possible monsoon damage

Can natural disasters create a tipping point for the regime?

N. Korea braces for possible monsoon damage | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · June 28, 2023

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has drawn up precautionary measures to minimize damage from the monsoon season with a focus on crop protection, state media said Wednesday, amid concerns that heavy rains could worsen the North's food situation.

Officials have swiftly carried out measures to prevent damage from downpours, as well as natural disasters stemming from climate change based on what it called a "scientific" analysis of such phenomena, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

The report comes two days after the North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, officially announced the beginning of the annual monsoon season and called for "maximum efforts for thorough preparation."

The KCNA emphasized crop protection as an area of top priority, saying that full-fledged efforts are under way to inspect reservoirs and irrigation facilities, while harvesting reapable crops and protecting young crops.

It said efforts to protect various power facilities from heavy rains, typhoons and lightning are under way. It also said that measures are being discussed to prevent casualties from rainy season accidents and heatstroke at key construction sites like the housing project in the Pyongyang district of Hwasong.

Additional pumps and piping have also been installed at mines prone to flooding while authorities have stepped up inspections of railways and other relevant facilities, according to the KCNA.

Downpours could deal a heavy blow to the North, which is known to be vulnerable to flooding due to poor irrigation and deforestation. It is also feared they could worsen the regime's chronic food shortage that has deepened amid self-imposed COVID-19 restrictions and global sanctions on its nuclear and missile programs.

Such circumstances have prompted the North to declare increased grain production as one of its key goals for the year.

This file photo, provided by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on May 9, 2023, shows Premier Kim Tok-hun (3rd from L) inspecting a farm in South Pyongan Province. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

mlee@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · June 28, 2023

5. S. Korea sanctions Russian individual involved in Pyongyang's illegal weapons-financing activities

(LEAD) S. Korea sanctions Russian individual involved in Pyongyang's illegal weapons-financing activities | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Yi Wonju · June 28, 2023

(ATTN: ADDS byline, comments from ministry official in paras 6-8; REPLACES photo)

By Yi Wonju

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Wednesday imposed unilateral sanctions on a Russian individual of Korean descent involved in the illegal financing of Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction programs, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Choi Chon Gon of Russia was among the total of four entities -- two individuals and two organizations -- newly added to Seoul's sanctions list against Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development programs, according to the ministry.

Choi, previously a South Korean national, founded a North Korea front company named Hanne Ulaan LCC in Mongolia for the purpose of evading international sanctions while securing funding for Pyongyang's weapons programs.

He is also accused of having supported Pyongyang's illegal financing by establishing Epsilon, a Russia-based trading firm, through a joint investment partnership with So Myong, head of the North's Foreign Trade Bank branch in Vladivostok.

The three other entities newly added to the sanctions list were So, Hanne Ulaan and Epsilon.

"Our government's unilateral sanctions on Choi and the others will help raise awareness both in the country and abroad to prevent activities that violate sanctions," Lee Jun-il, the director-general for North Korean nuclear affairs, said.

Choi is known to have departed for Russia while being investigated in South Korea for an alleged financial crime, and appears to have obtained Russian citizenship afterward, a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

The official said Choi currently runs other businesses in Vladivostok and maintains close ties with the Korean community there.

The announcement marks the Seoul's ninth unilateral sanctions measure against the North since the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration in May last year, and the first time adding an international individual of Korean descent to the blacklist.

A total of 45 individuals and 47 agencies have been added to the sanctions list since Yoon came to office.

Lee Jun-il, the foreign ministry's director-general for North Korean nuclear affairs, briefs reporters on South Korea's independent sanctions on North Korea's weapons-financing activities at the ministry in Seoul on June 28, 2023. (Yonhap)

julesyi@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Yi Wonju · June 28, 2023

6. U.S. is working with S. Korea, Japan to deter N. Korean aggression: Pentagon

(LEAD) U.S. is working with S. Korea, Japan to deter N. Korean aggression: Pentagon | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Duk-Kun Byun · June 28, 2023

(ATTN: UPDATES with additional remarks, more information in last 4 paras)

By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, June 27 (Yonhap) -- The United States is working with allies and partners, namely South Korea and Japan, to deter potential aggression from North Korea, a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday, after Pyongyang warned that the Korean Peninsula is on the "brink of a nuclear war."

Department of Defense spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder noted the North may conduct a nuclear test to further its escalation.

"So rhetoric aside, again, our focus is on working with our allies and our partners in the region to ensure strategic stability, peace that includes extended deterrence," the Air Force general told a press briefing.

Department of Defense spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder is seen answering questions during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington on June 27, 2023 in this captured image. (Yonhap)

North Korea on Monday (local time) accused South Korea and the U.S. of pushing tensions to the "brink of a nuclear war" while arguing that a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula would "rapidly expand into a world war" that would cause the "most catastrophic and irreversible consequences."

The Pentagon spokesperson underscored the possibility of an additional nuclear test by North Korea.

"And so when it comes to things like nuclear testing we have known for a while as you have heard us say that North Korea at some point will conduct a nuclear test," said Ryder.

"I don't have anything to announce nor would I in terms of when that might be," he added.

Ryder highlighted the importance of U.S. alliances in dealing with threats posed by North Korea.

"Our focus is going to be on continuing to work with our allies to include the Republic of Korea and Japan to deter potential aggression and destabilizing acts," he said, referring to South Korea by its official name.

To this end, the U.S. regularly conducts joint military exercises with South Korea and Japan, Ryder noted, adding, "because our alliances and our partnerships are critical strategic advantage and capability."

Ryder also underscored the importance of trilateral cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the U.S.

"We very much value the relationship that we have with Japan and with the Republic of Korea, and certainly continue to work very closely with those allies to find opportunities for our nations to work together," he said when asked about possible inclusion of Japan in the Washington Declaration, under which Seoul and Washington agreed to establish a Nuclear Consultative Group to discuss how the U.S. should use its nuclear capabilities to deter, or to counter if necessary, nuclear aggression from North Korea.

The Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on whether Seoul and Washington may expand the Washington Declaration to include Japan.

"But one thing I am positive about is that we will continue to work very closely together, both in the region and elsewhere, to ensure that we can preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific and that we can work together to ensure peace and stability around the world," he said.

bdk@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Duk-Kun Byun · June 28, 2023

7. Korean military ship, personnel leave to join multinational exercise in Australia

Part of the ROK INDOPACIFIC strategy.

Korean military ship, personnel leave to join multinational exercise in Australia

The Korea Times · June 28, 2023

,500-ton ROKS Marado amphibious landing ship in operation is seen in this photo provided by the navy. Yonhap

A Korean warship carrying some 500 personnel departed Wednesday for Australia to participate in a biennial multinational maritime exercise set to begin next month, the Navy said.

The 14,500-ton ROKS Marado amphibious landing ship left a military port in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to join the Talisman Sabre exercise slated to take place in a northeastern region of Australia from July 22-Aug. 4.

Jointly hosted by the United States and Australia, this year's edition of the exercise will involve some 30,000 troops, about 20 military vessels and 60 aircraft from 15 countries, including Britain, India, Indonesia and Japan, according to the Navy.

Korea plans to deploy ROKS Marado, the 4,400-ton ROKS Munmu the Great destroyer, Marineon helicopters, K9 self-propelled howitzers, Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers and Korean Assault Amphibious Vehicles, as well as some 720 personnel from the Navy and Marine Corps.

The Munmu the Great destroyer and its personnel are set to join the exercise after their participation in the Pacific Vanguard exercise, a U.S.-led multilateral program scheduled to take place in waters off Guam from July 1-12.

Participants in the exercise will engage in various drills, including those on air defense, anti-submarine and anti-ship operations, as well as live-fire drills.

The Talisman Sabre exercise was launched in 2005 with the aim of enhancing the participants' combined operational capabilities and strengthening military engagement among them.

The Korean Navy first attended the exercise as an observer in 2019 and participated in it as a full member two years later. (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · June 28, 2023

8. ‘Let’s Stamp on America’: North Korea Holds Massive Rally

37 second video that gives a quick look at the size of the well orchestrated "demonstration."

6/27/2023 4:17AM

‘Let’s Stamp on America’: North Korea Holds Massive Rally

https://www.wsj.com/video/lets-stamp-on-america-north-korea-holds-massive-rally/90CB7F1E-B52C-424E-8BA5-1D9DBC51AE6E.html

9. Yoon says 'anti-state forces begged' to have N.K. sanctions lifted

A core strategy of the Kim family regime is subversion of the ROK government and society. (and secondly to split the ROK/US alliance). This is one indication of north Korean subversion of the ROK.

I do give credit to Trump and Moon and Biden and Yoon for not lifting sanctions.

Once we lift sanctions without substantive reciprocity from the north, Kim will assess his political warfare and blackmail diplomacy strategies a success and will double down, especially if we lift sanctions only in the hopes of enticing Kim to the negotiating table.

(LEAD) Yoon says 'anti-state forces begged' to have N.K. sanctions lifted | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · June 28, 2023

(ATTN: UPDATES with Yoon's actual remarks; CHANGES headline)

By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, June 28 (Yonhap) -- In an apparent reference to the preceding administration, President Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday that "anti-state forces" had significantly undermined South Korea's security by begging for the lifting of U.N. sanctions on North Korea and pushing for an end-of-war declaration with Pyongyang.

Yoon made the remark at an event celebrating the 69th founding anniversary of the Korea Freedom Federation, a major conservative civic group, in apparent reference to the previous Moon Jae-in administration and its efforts to promote peace with North Korea.

"Anti-state forces with a distorted view of history and an irresponsible view of the state begged for the lifting of U.N. Security Council sanctions on the communist group of North Korea, which is advancing its nuclear armament," he said during the event held at a gymnasium in central Seoul.

President Yoon Suk Yeol gives congratulatory remarks during an event marking the 69th founding anniversary of the Korea Freedom Federation at a gymnasium in central Seoul on June 28, 2023. (Yonhap)

"They sang for an end-of-war declaration dissolving the U.N. Command," he said, referring to the Moon government's push for a declaration signifying the formal end of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

"It was a chorus for an end-of-war declaration aimed at blocking the automatic activation of the U.N. Command and its military strength in the event of another North Korean invasion, and a hollow claim of fake peace that we should trust the goodwill of an enemy seeking to invade us," he continued, referring to the U.S.-led command overseeing the cease-fire.

"The national security of the free Republic of Korea was fatally shaken," he said.

Yoon has been a harsh critic of the former government's North Korea policies, which centered on promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula, including by brokering three historic meetings between then U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

"Since taking office, I have strengthened the South Korea-U.S. alliance to deter North Korea's nuclear threat and provocations, and elevated the South Korea-U.S. alliance to one that is nuclear-based," Yoon said.

"I have strengthened security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, and swiftly restored and normalized South Korea-Japan relations to that end," he added. "Our diplomacy, which looked only to North Korea and was looked down on by China, has risen to a global pivotal diplomacy that closely cooperates with all nations respecting international rules across five oceans and six continents."

Yoon's remarks came the same day the government announced new sanctions on four entities, including a Russian individual of Korean descent, over their alleged involvement in supporting Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction programs.

Citing the threats of false instigation, fabrication and fake news, Yoon stressed the need for a correct view of history, a responsible view of the state and a clear view of national security.

He also said his administration has been strengthening solidarity with nations sharing the universal values of liberal democracy, a matter he said is not about conservative or progressive values, but about defending the nation's identity.

Yoon called for defending the country and future generations with love for the nation and dedication to the constitutional spirit of liberal democracy.

The KFF is a major conservative civic group promoting liberal democracy, national unity and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Around 4,000 people attended the ceremony, including KFF President Kang Seok-ho, acting Interior Minister Han Chang-seob and leaders of the ruling People Power Party.

Yoon conferred medals and a citation on 18 KFF officials from across the nation in recognition of their efforts to defend liberal democracy and promote national harmony.

hague@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · June 28, 2023

10. N. Korea slams Japan for continued demand for resolution of abducted Japanese issue

Note how the regime feels threatened by anything associated with human rights. It is why we need a human rights up front approach. We cannot allow these atrocities to occur without accountability.

And north Korea cannot have normalized relations with any country unless it ceases these abuses and makes full amends for them.

N. Korea slams Japan for continued demand for resolution of abducted Japanese issue

The Korea Times · June 28, 2023

Family members of victims of North Korea's abduction of Japanese citizens decades ago hold a meeting in Tokyo to call on the North to return such abductees home, Feb. 27. Yonhap

North Korea condemned Japan on Wednesday for continuing to demand Pyongyang resolve the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the North decades ago, claiming that such a stance runs counter to Tokyo's hope for a summit with the North without preconditions.

Ri Pyong-dok, a researcher at the Institute for Japan Studies of the North's foreign ministry, said the abductee issue has been "completely, finally and irreversibly" settled, accusing Japan of bringing the "unfeasible" issue to the fore, according to the North's state media.

"It is also little short of denying the stand of the Japanese chief executive who doesn't miss an opportunity to say that he hopes for the 'Japan-DPRK summit without preconditions,'" Ri was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Ri apparently referred to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has said he is ready to meet with the North's leader Kim Jong-un without preconditions to settle the abductee issue.

Japan has said North Korea abducted 17 Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s. It has insisted 12 of them are still in the North, excluding five whom the North let return home, following then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's trip to Pyongyang in 2002.

At that time, the North admitted having abducted 13 Japanese nationals in the past to train its spies on the Japanese language and culture. While returning the five, North Korea claimed the other eight were dead.

Ri also blamed Japan for talking about "abduction" and "human rights" at the United Nations despite the fact that it was Tokyo that brutally violated human rights and committed war crimes during the 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.

"This is the height of shamelessness and an insult to history," the official said. (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · June 28, 2023

11. Two N. Korean Panmunjom officials arrested for allegedly leaking state secrets

Keeping up with the Joneses? The north does not want to be outdone by the US in leaks of secrets (note sarcasm).

But there are some serious issues here. Turmoil in the ranks. Nepotism, Potential breakdowns of the chains of control.

But also note the information implications. Information does get through.

Excerpts:

They found a mountain of photocopies of secret documents in their home, along with photocopies of foreign newspaper articles that criticized North Korea. Investigators also found many mobile storage devices with South Korean news, singing programs, TV shows in which defectors appear, and other videos.

The GPB immediately put the officials under arrest, considering them dangerous individuals who could inspire defections or mass ideological corruption based on the content of the soldier’s complaint, namely that the two had “unhesitatingly criticized North Korea whenever they met,” the source said.

Two N. Korean Panmunjom officials arrested for allegedly leaking state secrets

"People say they will likely be sent to a political prison camp when the investigation process ends," a source told Daily NK

By Jong So Yong - 2023.06.28 6:00pm

dailynk.com

A view of Panmunjom from the South Korean side of the border. (Wikimedia Commons)

Two political officials with North Korea’s Panmunjom mission were recently arrested and turned over to the military’s security department for allegedly leaking state secrets, Daily NK has learned.

According to a Daily NK source in Kaesong last Friday, two political officials with the Panmunjom mission were arrested on the spot on charges of leaking “Class 1 secrets” on June 15.

According to the source, the incident began when a soldier tasked with various chores at the home of one of the officials sent a written complaint to the General Political Bureau.

The soldier is a relative of a General Political Bureau (GPB) cadre and was performing his military service in comfort at the Panmunjom mission, frequenting the political officials’ homes and looking after their affairs. However, he filed the complaint out of spite when the political official refused his request to go on vacation during the rice planting season.

The official said he had no choice but to say no because there were no officers to lead the men with everyone mobilized to help plant rice. He strongly rebuked the soldier, telling him that it was “absurd to leisurely go on vacation when everyone had been mobilized to plant rice.”

The angry soldier then wrote a detailed letter that claimed the official sympathized with South Korea and openly held North Korea in contempt in discussions with another political official.

After receiving the latter, the GPB descended on the scene with the military’s security department and searched the two officials’ homes.

They found a mountain of photocopies of secret documents in their home, along with photocopies of foreign newspaper articles that criticized North Korea. Investigators also found many mobile storage devices with South Korean news, singing programs, TV shows in which defectors appear, and other videos.

The GPB immediately put the officials under arrest, considering them dangerous individuals who could inspire defections or mass ideological corruption based on the content of the soldier’s complaint, namely that the two had “unhesitatingly criticized North Korea whenever they met,” the source said.

“The two are undergoing a preliminary examination by the military’s security department, and people say they will likely be sent to a political prison camp when the investigation process ends.”

Meanwhile, the GPB issued an order to search the barracks and officers’ homes of the Panmunjom mission, declaring that it will “forgive those who acknowledge their mistakes and turn themselves in or those who report [on other people].” This has put members of the delegation on edge.

“Officers with the Panmunjom mission say they inevitably learn about South Korea or the outside world when they come to Panmunjom, so they easily become ideological corrupted. They say the two individuals couldn’t hide this and too openly revealed themselves in front of the soldier, and that they should have concealed their thinking better,” the source said.

He added that two political commanders who were serving with the GPB have been named to replace the political officers who were arrested.

Translated by David Black. 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

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12. Korean Air delivers first fuselage for Boeing AH-6 helicopters

Korean Air delivers first fuselage for Boeing AH-6 helicopters

Defense News · by Mike Yeo · June 27, 2023

MELBOURNE, Australia — Korean Air has delivered its first AH-6 helicopter fuselage built under a contract with Boeing, the South Korean company announced June 26.

Korean Air signed the deal in December 2021 to manufacture eight fuselages for AH-6 helicopters that will undergo final assembly by Boeing Defense, Space and Security.

The AH-6 is a modernized, light attack variant of the MH-6 special operations helicopter, which is based on the MD 500/OH-6 light observation helicopter.

Korean Air did not specify the eventual user of the helicopters, but Boeing has an outstanding order for eight AH-6i helicopters from Thailand. The American firm was awarded a $103 million contract under the Foreign Military Sales program for the helicopters in February 2022, with delivery set for 2024 and 2025.

The Thai AH-6is will be fitted with Wescam MX-10 electro-optic sensors from L3 Harris Technologies, and will be compatible with night vision goggles, according to a 2019 U.S. State Department approval announcement for the proposed sale.

The announcement also said the proposed sale includes 50 Lockheed Martin-made AGM-114R Hellfire missiles; 200 BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System laser-guided 2.75-inch rockets; Hydra unguided rockets; Dillon M134 7.62mm miniguns; and 0.5-inch heavy machine guns.

The Royal Thai Army intends to use the AH-6i to replace its fleet of Bell AH-1F attack helicopters.

Korean Air was the first South Korean company to manufacture the MD 500 helicopter, which is also extensively used by the country’s military. The company has also produced and sold 309 MD 500 helicopters to armed forces, public institutions and private companies from 1977 to 1988, and exported 516 fuselages for the type.

The company has also developed an unmanned MD 500, and plans to collaborate with Boeing to expand its overseas sales and new aircraft development and manufacturing business.

About Mike Yeo

Mike Yeo is the Asia correspondent for Defense News.

13.

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

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

If you do not read anything else in the 2017 National Security Strategy read this on page 14:

"A democracy is only as resilient as its people. An informed and engaged citizenry is the fundamental requirement for a free and resilient nation. For generations, our society has protected free press, free speech, and free thought. Today, actors such as Russia are using information tools in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democracies. Adversaries target media, political processes, financial networks, and personal data. The American public and private sectors must recognize this and work together to defend our way of life. No external threat can be allowed to shake our shared commitment to our values, undermine our system of government, or divide our Nation."

Access NSS HERE

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