Quotes of the Day:

"We are still in the position of waking up and having a choice. Do I make the world better today somehow, or do I not bother?"

- Tom Hanks

"Language and culture cannot be separated. Language is vital to understanding our unique cultural perspectives. Language is a tool that is used to explore and experience our cultures and the perspectives that are embedded in our culture." 

- Buffy Sainte-Marie

"They say "After wrestling, everything is easy." This is true but I'm not sure it lies within the hardship, struggle, and sacrifice the sport demands. At the heart is the character that is required to simply step on the mat alone, void of blame to give to teammates or others to lean on. A sport where children learn the oldest form of hand to hand combat and then carry this into adulthood where inevitably hard times come but that inner warrior always stares back and says, "I am a wrestler, you don't know what I've done."

- Unknown

1. S. Korea has backing of full U.S. capabilities, including nuclear weapons: State Dept.

2. JCS chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. discuss possible response to N. Korean provocation

3. N. Korea urges effort to attain this year's economic goals during Cabinet meeting

4. Top U.S. envoy notes 'full commitment' to economic ties with S. Korea amid IRA concerns

5. North's ripped off $1B in 2 years, says Mayorkas

6. N. Korea warns S. Korea to stop 'military provocations' in frontline areas

7. North shows pique with South's drill by firing artillery

8. Suspicions over repatriation of defectors

9. Yoon says 'North Korea sympathizers' are enemies

10. US maintains range of potential responses to N. Korean provocation: Pentagon

11. Kim Jong Un Said To Closely Watch US Midterms With Hope Pinned On Trump's Return As US President

12. About 100 US aircraft, including F-35s, to take part in large-scale exercise with South Korea

13. BTS' enlistment decision

14. Experts: Regarding North Korea, US Must Shift Focus From Denuclearization to Deterrence

15.  South Korea to let in North's propaganda-heavy media

1. S. Korea has backing of full U.S. capabilities, including nuclear weapons: State Dept.

This is not a spokesman speaking off the cuff. He is making an authorized statement for the administration and for America. I am VOA and RFA are also transmitting this message to Pyongyang.

"I think you saw President (Joe) Biden over the course of this administration affirm U.S. extended deterrence and the commitment to the ROK, using the full range of U.S. defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional and missile defense capabilities," he said when asked about the possible deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons to South Korea, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

...

He still reaffirmed U.S. commitment to engaging with North Korea.

S. Korea has backing of full U.S. capabilities, including nuclear weapons: State Dept. | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · October 20, 2022

By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is backed by the "full range" of U.S. defense capabilities, including nuclear capabilities, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday, apparently dismissing the need for the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons to South Korea.

Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the department, made the remarks as North Korea is widely anticipated to conduct a nuclear test in the near future.

"I think you saw President (Joe) Biden over the course of this administration affirm U.S. extended deterrence and the commitment to the ROK, using the full range of U.S. defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional and missile defense capabilities," he said when asked about the possible deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons to South Korea, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

The call for the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea has been growing, especially in Seoul, following a recent series of North Korean missile launches.

Pyongyang fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles, including one that flew over Japan, in eight rounds of missile tests since last month.

Seoul and Washington also believe the North may have completed all preparations for a nuclear test, which, if conducted, will mark North Korea's first nuclear test since September 2017 and seventh in history.

The U.S. apparently remains reluctant to deploy its nuclear arms to South Korea.

Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, spokesperson for the defense department, on Tuesday said the 28,500 U.S. troops already stationed in South Korea send a "signal of our commitment to our defense relationship and our security cooperation" with South Korea when asked if the U.S. may consider deploying strategic assets to South Korea.

Patel expressed concerns over North Korea's recent firing of artillery shells into buffer zones that it agreed to set up with South Korea in 2018 to help reduce military tension on the Korean Peninsula.

"The shelling that we've seen over the course of this week is a serious concern," he said. "It is further destabilizing towards the region and has the potential for adverse impacts on our allies and partners, respectfully Japan and the Republic of Korea with whom we continue to remain closely engaged on this."

He still reaffirmed U.S. commitment to engaging with North Korea.

"We have been consistent over the entirety of this administration that we believe dialogue without preconditions with the DPRK is a key facet of our ultimate goal here, which is the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," said Patel, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

bdk@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · October 20, 2022

2. JCS chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. discuss possible response to N. Korean provocation

My recommendations for the Chiefs:

North Korea’s Provocations: Time For An Asymmetric Approach

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/10/north-koreas-provocations-time-for-an-asymmetric-approach/

North Korea’s Missile Tests Are Part Of A Political Warfare And Blackmail Strategy

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/09/north-koreas-missile-tests-are-part-of-a-political-warfare-and-blackmail-strategy/

JCS chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. discuss possible response to N. Korean provocation | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · October 20, 2022

By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- The top military chiefs of South Korea and the United States discussed ways to deal with North Korean provocations, the office of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday.

South Korea's JCS Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum and his U.S. counterpart, Gen. Mark Milley, also reaffirmed their commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula in the annual Military Committee Meeting held in Washington, according to a press release from the South Korean JCS.

"The JCS chairmen of the two countries reaffirmed the strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance at the meeting and discussed a range of issues from security conditions on the Korean Peninsula and the region and the development of the countries' joint defense posture to the conditions-based transfer of the wartime operational control of troops (to South Korea)," it said.

The two also "discussed North Korea's continued provocations, including its nuclear threats and missile launches, and other actions that are destabilizing to the region, and ways to deal with them," it added.

North Korea staged eight rounds of missile tests since late last month, also firing an intermediate-range ballistic missile earlier this month that flew over Japan for the first time since 2017.

Gen. Milley reaffirmed the U.S.' security commitment to South Korea, including the provision of U.S. extended deterrence, the JCS said.

"The JCS chairmen of the two countries agreed on the importance of the countries' defense and security cooperation, along with their continued efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, to maintain peace and security on the peninsula and a free and open Indo-Pacific," it added.

Wednesday's meeting marked the first of its kind since Kim took office in July. It also marked the 47th of its kind since the allies began holding the annual talks in 1978.

The South Korean JCS earlier said Kim and Milley will be joined by their Japanese counterpart, Gen. Koji Yamazaki, on Thursday for three-way talks known as the Trilateral Chief of Defense.

bdk@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · October 20, 2022

3.  N. Korea urges effort to attain this year's economic goals during Cabinet meeting

Deja vu all over again. How many times have we heard the regime say this?

But we should note that the north Korean economy is failing because Kim prioritizes the development of nuclear weapons and missiles over proper economic activity and the welfare of the Korean people in the north.

N. Korea urges effort to attain this year's economic goals during Cabinet meeting | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · October 20, 2022

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has held a Cabinet meeting to assess its economic performance so far this year and called for utmost efforts to achieve its goals in the remaining months, its state media reported Thursday.

At the expanded plenary meeting of the Cabinet held the previous day, Vice Premier Pak Jong-gun made a report on the economic performance and plans for the third and fourth quarters of this year and discussed ways to carry out the economic plan set forth by leader Kim Jong-un, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Pak presented the country's achievements in major industrial sectors and in projects involving science and technology, and pointed out the "flaws" that dragged down the economic performance as he urged officials to "wage a stronger battle" against irresponsible behavior.

At the meeting, officials also stressed the importance of improving and modernizing the manufacturing process as scheduled and "reaching its production goal at all costs," the KNCA said.

North Korea usually holds such an expanded plenary Cabinet meeting three to four times a year to discuss ways to implement plans presented by the ruling Workers' Party and evaluate related progress.

During the North's eighth party congress in January last year, Kim admitted that his five-year economic plan failed to meet the target and unveiled a new scheme focusing on self-reliance amid crippling global sanctions and a protracted border closure due to COVID-19.

julesyi@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · October 20, 2022

4. Top U.S. envoy notes 'full commitment' to economic ties with S. Korea amid IRA concerns

Excerpts:

"We're very aware of concerns regarding portions of the Inflation Reduction Act, IRA," Ambassador Philip Goldberg said at the 34th Korea-U.S. Business Council, co-hosted by the Federation of Korean Industries and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"While we acknowledge these concerns and are open to consultative dialogue as close allies, I want to reiterate our full commitment to our economic partnership. The U.S.-Korea business ties are strong and long standing and we want to make them even stronger."

(LEAD) Top U.S. envoy notes 'full commitment' to economic ties with S. Korea amid IRA concerns | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 김승연 · October 20, 2022

(ATTN: RECASTS throughout with details; CHANGES headline; ADDS photos; TRIMS)

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Oct. 20 (Yonhap) -- The United States remains "fully committed" to enhancing the economic partnership with South Korea and open to talks as close allies, the top U.S. envoy to Seoul said Thursday, amid mounting concerns over the new U.S. law on electric vehicles (EVs) that Korea has called discriminatory.

The South Korean government and industries have raised serious concerns over the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which calls for giving tax credits to EV buyers only if the cars were assembled in North America.

Korean businesses have voiced the need to allow exceptions for Korean automakers.

"We're very aware of concerns regarding portions of the Inflation Reduction Act, IRA," Ambassador Philip Goldberg said at the 34th Korea-U.S. Business Council, co-hosted by the Federation of Korean Industries and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"While we acknowledge these concerns and are open to consultative dialogue as close allies, I want to reiterate our full commitment to our economic partnership. The U.S.-Korea business ties are strong and long standing and we want to make them even stronger."

South Korea has said the unequal provisions in the law, enacted in August, will deal a heavy blow to the Korean companies, like Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp., as they make EVs at domestic plants for export to the U.S.

On Tuesday, Goldberg said in a separate forum that the allies had been discussing ways to resolve the issue, notably on how to deal with the "lag time" between Korean automakers' EV production and the completion of Hyundai's EV plant it is building in the U.S. state of Georgia. He didn't elaborate.

The IRA also affects Korean battery makers as it will require EV batteries to be made with a certain portion of minerals mined or processed in the U.S., or countries or regions that have free trade agreements (FTA) with Washington. The required portion of the components will increase over the years.

At Thursday's conference, South Korean business circles voiced the need for the two governments to swiftly come up with a solution.

"The implementation of the IRA is already having a real impact on sales of Korean products in the U.S., and countermeasures seem urgent as public opinion here is worsening," Huh Chang-soo, chair of the FKI, said in the opening speech.

"As Korea and the United States are the closest allies in the fields of security and economy, I hope that the current challenges can be wisely resolved between the leaders of the two countries," Huh said.

South Korea has been making all-out efforts, at both the government and business levels, to create exceptions for Korean-made EVs.

The lobby groups were expected to adopt a joint statement later highlighting their commitment to resolving the IRA issue in a way that would minimize the discriminatory elements.

Noting the close economic ties between the two countries, Huh stressed the need for government-level policy cooperation to ensure stable global supply chain, through "in-depth discussions" on the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), and the Chip 4 alliance.

"It's important for the two governments to help ensure businesses operate stably even if anything unexpected happens within the supply chains," he said.

The participants proposed Korea and the U.S. sign a permanent currency swap or a measure equivalent to that, so as to enhance the stability of the Korean foreign exchange market.

Among other key participants at the meeting were Foreign Minister Park Jin, Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun, Octavio Simoes, president and CEO of Tellurian Inc. and Charles Freeman, senior vice president for Asia at U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

This year's council meeting took place in person for the first time since 2019, following the two previous virtual sessions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

elly@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 김승연 · October 20, 2022

5. North's ripped off $1B in 2 years, says Mayorkas

The all purpose sword strikes.

Excerpts:

“In the last two years alone, North Korea has largely funded its weapons of mass destruction programs through cyber heists of cryptocurrencies and hard currencies totaling more than $1 billion,” Mayorkas said. “They have perpetrated these cyber heists against entities within countries present today [at the conference], and they have done so with near impunity.”

With international sanctions and Pyongyang’s closing of its borders during the Covid-19 pandemic, the regime appears to have ratcheted up its dealings in cryptocurrencies.

In the past, North Korea focused on narcotics manufacturing and trading, arms sales to anti-Western and non-aligned countries, and counterfeiting U.S. dollars to raise money for its weapons programs.

Wednesday

October 19, 2022

 dictionary + A - A 

North's ripped off $1B in 2 years, says Mayorkas

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/10/19/national/northKorea/north-korea-crypto-nuclear/20221019175828916.html

00:0002:36

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during a news conference during the U.S.-Mexico High-Level Security Dialogue at the State Department on Oct. 13. in Washington. [AP/YONHAP]

North Korea has stolen as much as $1 billion worth of cryptocurrencies and hard currency in the past two years to fund its nuclear program, said the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas at Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) on Tuesday.  

“In the last two years alone, North Korea has largely funded its weapons of mass destruction programs through cyber heists of cryptocurrencies and hard currencies totaling more than $1 billion,” Mayorkas said. “They have perpetrated these cyber heists against entities within countries present today [at the conference], and they have done so with near impunity.”

With international sanctions and Pyongyang’s closing of its borders during the Covid-19 pandemic, the regime appears to have ratcheted up its dealings in cryptocurrencies.

In the past, North Korea focused on narcotics manufacturing and trading, arms sales to anti-Western and non-aligned countries, and counterfeiting U.S. dollars to raise money for its weapons programs.

In his speech, Mayorkas also said Russia, Iran and China were committing cyber crimes with techniques that are getting “more sophisticated and creat[ing] more adverse consequences.”

“It will not surprise anyone that PRC-backed hackers are among the most active groups targeting governments and critical infrastructure this year – including across Southeast Asia,” said Mayorkas, mentioning a China-backed hacking group called APT41.

“[The group] has stolen intellectual property from at least 30 multinational companies in the pharmaceutical, energy, and manufacturing sectors, resulting in hundreds of billions of dollars of lost revenue,” he said. 

Mayorkas did not mince words about the dangers of accepting tech and infrastructure services from China.

“Nations must consider what leverage they are giving up and whether they are mortgaging their futures when they reach agreements for critical infrastructure with the PRC,” he said, referring to China by the acronym for its full name, the People’s Republic of China. 

He added Washington is working closely with Korea, Israel, Britain, Australia, Singapore and others to counter emerging cyber threats. 

According to an FBI report, the United States had over 2,500 ransomware attacks in 2021.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]

6. N. Korea warns S. Korea to stop 'military provocations' in frontline areas

The regime trying to control the narrative?  

(2nd LD) N. Korea warns S. Korea to stop 'military provocations' in frontline areas | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 김수연 · October 19, 2022

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with new statement; RECASTS headline, lead)

By Kim Soo-yeon

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's military warned South Korea on Wednesday to halt what it calls "provocations in frontline areas," having again fired hundreds of artillery shots into maritime buffer zones near their border in response to field drills under way in the South.

In its second statement directed at the South on the day, the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) said the North's troops opened "threatening and warning fire" again into the eastern and western waters in response to the firing by the "enemies" of over 10 shots from multiple rocket launchers near the border between around 8:27 a.m. and 9:40 a.m. in "another military provocation."

"Our Army strongly warns the enemy forces to immediately stop the highly irritating provocative act in the frontline areas," an unnamed spokesperson for the KPA General Staff said in the English-language statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that North Korea fired around 100 additional artillery shells into waters off its west coast Wednesday, following its overnight launch of more than 250 artillery shots.

The KPA official earlier said the North's move was aimed at countering a series of "military provocative acts by enemies," citing the Hoguk military drills under way in the South.

The South's military kicked off its annual Hoguk exercise Monday in order to hone combat readiness against the North's nuclear and missile threats. The drills are to run until Oct. 28.

The North's back-to-back artillery firings came despite speculation that Pyongyang may refrain from staging military provocations during the ongoing 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.

Last week, North Korea fired hundreds of artillery shots into the maritime buffer zones in the East and Yellow seas that were set under a 2018 inter-Korean agreement on reducing military tensions. South Korea called the North's provocations a clear violation of the 2018 inter-Korean military accord.

sooyeon@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 김수연 · October 19, 2022

7. North shows pique with South's drill by firing artillery

I know that there is no worry about the alliance backing down in the face of this rhetoric. We are going to continue to conduct readiness exercises and demonstrate strength and resolve.

Excerpts:

The JCS also issued an assurance that the South Korean military "is strengthening its preparedness in case of an emergency while tracking and monitoring related developments in close cooperation with the United States."

In addition to its own Hoguk exercise, South Korea is scheduled to conduct a large-scale combined air exercise with the United States from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 that will involve 240 aircraft from both militaries including F-35A and F-35B stealth jets.

The U.S. State Department also condemned the North's artillery drill in a daily press briefing on Tuesday.

Wednesday

October 19, 2022

 dictionary + A - A 

North shows pique with South's drill by firing artillery

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/10/19/national/northKorea/Korea-North-Korea-NLL/20221019164637133.html

In this still from footage released by Pyongyang's state-controlled Korean Central Television (KCTV), North Korean artillery units conduct a firing exercise at an undisclosed location in March 2020. [YONHAP]

North Korea conducted two artillery drills mere hours apart late Tuesday night and Wednesday, with the shells landing in a maritime buffer zone in the Yellow Sea in violation of an inter-Korean military agreement, South Korean defense officials said Wednesday. 

According to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea fired more than 100 artillery shots from coastal areas of South Hwanghae Province at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

At 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Tuesday night, it fired around 250 artillery shells into waters off its eastern and western coasts , according to the JCS.

A spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in Pyongyang said Wednesday morning that the North's military conducted a "threatening and warning" firing drill Tuesday night as a "powerful military countermeasure" against South Korea's military exercises.

South Korea began its annual Hoguk field training exercise on Monday. The drill is scheduled to end on Oct. 28. 

Artillery shots fired by the North on Tuesday and Wednesday fell within the maritime buffer zone surrounding the Northern Limit Line (NLL) demarcating the inter-Korean border in the Yellow Sea. 

Although the North does not acknowledge the legitimacy of the NLL, the buffer zone was set up by an inter-Korean military agreement on Sept. 19, 2018 to reduce the risk of accidental clashes in the area.

The South Korean military has issued several warnings against the North's artillery firing exercises, calling them a violation of the military agreement and demanding the North immediately stop provocations.

"Firing artillery into the maritime buffer zone is a blatant violation of the Sept. 19 military agreement, and we strongly urge North Korea to immediately halt its continued provocations, which undermine peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the international community," the JCS said in a statement released early Wednesday morning.

North Korea conducted nine missile launches between Sept. 25 and Oct. 14. Last Friday, the North not only launched a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) into the East Sea, but also fired about 170 artillery shells into a maritime buffer zone after more than 10 North Korean warplanes took part in a flight close to the inter-Korean border.

The JCS also issued an assurance that the South Korean military "is strengthening its preparedness in case of an emergency while tracking and monitoring related developments in close cooperation with the United States."

In addition to its own Hoguk exercise, South Korea is scheduled to conduct a large-scale combined air exercise with the United States from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 that will involve 240 aircraft from both militaries including F-35A and F-35B stealth jets.

The U.S. State Department also condemned the North's artillery drill in a daily press briefing on Tuesday.

"We call on the DPRK to cease all provocative and threatening actions," said Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the department, referring to the North by the acronym for its official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]

8. Suspicions over repatriation of defectors

I am at a loss why the Defense Minister is being arrested. I fear he is a scapegoat.

Excerpts:

Earlier, the prosecution requested arrest warrants for the former defense minister and the former commissioner general of the Korea Coast Guard over the tragic death of a South Korean fisheries official who was murdered and burned by the North Korean navy in the Yellow Sea in September 2020. The minister and commissioner general are suspected of having fabricated evidence to show the fisheries official tried to defect to North Korea voluntarily.

Wednesday

October 19, 2022

 dictionary + A - A 

Suspicions over repatriation of defectors

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/10/19/opinion/editorials/Noh-Youngmin-Moon-Jaein-North-Korea/20221019200319906.html

Former Blue House Chief of Staff Noh Young-min was summoned and investigated by the prosecution Wednesday over the suspicious repatriation of two North Korean fishermen in November 2019. Noh is the highest-level official in the Moon Jae-in Blue House probed by prosecutors. The former chief of staff is suspected of abusing his power by presiding over a meeting and deciding to send them back to North Korea just two days after our navy seized them in the East Sea.

Evidence of forced repatriation was shown in photos and video of their repatriation against their will through Panmunjom. The prosecution has found that the two fishermen clearly expressed their intention to defect in a joint interrogation session. Prosecutors also discovered that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) had reported their intention to defect to the National Security Office in the Blue House.

As our Constitution defines North Korean defectors as South Korean people, the government cannot repatriate them against their will. Even if they had committed murders on the boat before heading to the south, they should be punished according to our criminal law. But the chief of staff decided to return them without proper grounds. After the decision by the chief of staff, the NIS deleted evidence of the intention to defect from its earlier report and delivered the revised one to the Ministry of Unification. The next day, the ministry notified Pyongyang of its intention to return them. Two days later, the government sent them back to North Korea by using a special police force. Such fast repatriation is unprecedented. The two defectors are known to have been executed in North Korea.

We wonder how the chief of staff, not a security expert, could make a decision fast despite apparent international criticism for human rights violations. Noh said he did not record what was discussed in the meeting, as it was just a “brief meeting.” That does not make sense.

Earlier, the prosecution requested arrest warrants for the former defense minister and the former commissioner general of the Korea Coast Guard over the tragic death of a South Korean fisheries official who was murdered and burned by the North Korean navy in the Yellow Sea in September 2020. The minister and commissioner general are suspected of having fabricated evidence to show the fisheries official tried to defect to North Korea voluntarily.

Even though all the developments point to the former commander in chief, Moon called the request from the Board of Audit and Inspection to answer its written questions about the tragic death of the fisheries official simply an “outrageous act.” The prosecution must get answers from Moon about the mysterious incidents that took place during his presidency.

9. Yoon says 'North Korea sympathizers' are enemies

A very powerful statement from the President.

Excerpts:

"There are liberals, moderates and conservatives. There are people who identified themselves in the past as conservative but they have changed since and now they identify themselves as liberals. We can work together with people like them," he was quoted as saying. "But we cannot work together with people who are against democracy, against our country and against the Constitution."

The presidential office said Yoon was saying he has no intention of working with people who try to overthrow the Republic of Korea.

The President is right. The regime in the north is actively conducting subversion against the South and the north and South are in an ideological war.

Subversion

• The undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution.
• As in: "the ruthless subversion of democracy"
• Ideological War – a choice between:
• Shared ROK/US Values
• Freedom and individual liberty, liberal democracy, free market economy, rule of law, and human rights
• Kim family regime (KFR) “values”
• Juche/Kimilsungism/now "KIMJONGUNISM," Socialist Workers Paradise, Songun, Songbun, Byungjin, and denial of human rights to sustain KFR power
• nK engages in political warfare and active subversion of the ROK

North Korean Agencies

Responsible for Subversion (UW, SO and CI/Security)

• North Korean intelligence and security services collect political, military, economic, and technical information through open sources, human intelligence, cyber intrusions, and signals intelligence capabilities. North Korea's primary intelligence collection targets remain the ROK, the United States, and Japan. They likely operate anywhere North Korea has a diplomatic or sizable economic overseas presence.
• The Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB) is North Korea's primary foreign intelligence service, responsible for collection and clandestine operations. The RGB comprises six bureaus with compartmented functions, including operations, reconnaissance, technology and cyber capabilities, overseas intelligence, inter-Korean talks, and service support.
• The Ministry of State Security (MSS) is North Korea's primary counterintelligence service and is an autonomous agency of the North Korean Government reporting directly to Kim Jong Un. The MSS is responsible for operating North Korean prison camps, investigating cases of domestic espionage, repatriating defectors, and conducting overseas counterespionage activities in North Korea's foreign missions.
• The United Front Department (UFD) overtly attempts to establish pro-North Korean groups in the ROK, such as the Korean Asia-Pacific Committee and the Ethnic Reconciliation Council. The UFD is also the primary department involved in managing inter-Korean dialogue and North Korea's policy toward the ROK.
• The 225th Bureau is responsible for training agents to infiltrate the ROK and establish underground political parties focused on fomenting unrest and revolution.

Yoon says 'North Korea sympathizers' are enemies

The Korea Times · October 19, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a luncheon with the heads of the ruling People Power Party's regional chapters at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of presidential office

By Nam Hyun-woo

President Yoon Suk-yeol criticized what he called "North Korea sympathizers," claiming that they are neither liberals nor left wing.

During a luncheon with the members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) at the presidential office on Wednesday, Yoon said he will not cooperate with what he called enemies of the Republic of Korea.

He made the remarks when one of the participants advised him that the president shouldn't give in because of "North Korean sympathizers" while mentioning North Korea's recent military provocations.

"There are liberals, moderates and conservatives. There are people who identified themselves in the past as conservative but they have changed since and now they identify themselves as liberals. We can work together with people like them," he was quoted as saying. "But we cannot work together with people who are against democracy, against our country and against the Constitution."

The presidential office said Yoon was saying he has no intention of working with people who try to overthrow the Republic of Korea.

The president used the term "jusa-pa" or followers of North Korea's Juche ideology of self-sufficiency to refer to the hostile factions.

"President Yoon mentioned that a president's No. 1 duty is protecting the nation's integrity," the presidential office said in a statement. "This also means that the president is willing to work together with people of different political orientations as long as they believe in liberal democracy and market economy as opposed to denying them."

Despite the clarification, it remains unclear whether Yoon was indirectly referring to politicians of the so-called 586 generation inside the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) when he used the term "North Korea sympathizers." The term was coined to refer to 50-something people who were born in the 1960s and went to college in the 1980s. The 586 generation politicians inside the DPK are former student protestors who fought against military dictatorships in the 1980s under an anti-American slogan.

Yoon made the remarks as he stood firm against North Korea's continued missile, artillery and other provocations in recent weeks. While condemning the North, Yoon has been stressing that it is important for South Koreans to have a firm belief in the country's free democracy.

Yoon's straightforward comments are seen as part of his efforts to unite conservatives to boost his dismal approval ratings and solidify his political footing within the ruling party, which is anticipated to elect a new chairman early next year.

The PPP members who had lunch with the president on Wednesday are those who ran unsuccessfully in the 2020 National Assembly elections. It's the first time Yoon met with them since he was sworn in as president on May 10.

"As I decided to jump into politics and stand before the public, I made up my mind to devote myself fully to the people," Yoon said. "Let us join forces to propel South Korea once again and build a country where all people can prosper together."

The Korea Times · October 19, 2022

10. US maintains range of potential responses to N. Korean provocation: Pentagon

Doesn't INDOPACOM have enough on its plate throughout the rest of the INDOPACIFIC?

Is iINDOPACOM speaking for the alliance? Are its messages about the alliance cleared with our alliance partner?

Excerpt:

"As you have seen INDOPACOM (Indo-Pacific Command) say in the past when they detected those launches, those launches have been determined ultimately not to pose any threat to U.S. forces territory or that of our allies," he added. "But it's something we will continue to work on closely or monitor closely, rather."

US maintains range of potential responses to N. Korean provocation: Pentagon

The Korea Times · by 2022-10-19 14:43 | North Korea · October 19, 2022

Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder holds a press briefing at the Pentagon Arlington, Virginia, Oct. 18. AFP-Yonhap

The United States maintains a whole range of responses it may take when necessary against North Korean provocations, a Department of Defense spokesperson said Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder also said the U.S. continues to closely monitor the recalcitrant country for actions that may warrant such a response.

"In terms of how we respond to individual provocations, for example, missile launches, we are going to maintain a whole range of potential responses," he said when asked why the U.S. did not intercept missiles fired in recent North Korean missile tests.

"As you have seen INDOPACOM (Indo-Pacific Command) say in the past when they detected those launches, those launches have been determined ultimately not to pose any threat to U.S. forces territory or that of our allies," he added. "But it's something we will continue to work on closely or monitor closely, rather."

North Korea fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles in eight rounds of missile tests staged in just three weeks from Sept. 25.

The country has launched more than 40 ballistic missiles this year, the largest number of ballistic missiles it fired in a single year.

The recent series of North Korean provocations prompted a renewed call in Seoul to redeploy U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea.

The Pentagon spokesperson said the U.S. troops stationed in South Korea already provide the necessary deterrence.

"We have more than 28,000 U.S. forces already stationed on the peninsula. I think that is a signal of our commitment to our defense relationship and our security cooperation with the people of the Republic of Korea," he said, adding. "It's very long standing and will remain long standing."

Ryder also reiterated that the U.S.-South Korea alliance is defensive in nature.

"What I would say ... is our primary focus is on preserving a free, peaceful Indo-Pacific. The relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea is about defense and it's about preserving peace," he said of the alliance, referring to South Korea by its official name.

"It's not meant to escalate. It's not meant to create more consternation or instability in the region, and certainly the actions by North Korea are doing just that," added Ryder.

North Korea earlier claimed its recent missile launches had been provoked by joint military exercises of South Korea and the U.S.

The U.S. has rejected the claim, partly by saying that it joint military drills with South Korea have been held regularly and are strictly defensive in nature. (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · by 2022-10-19 14:43 | North Korea · October 19, 2022

11. Kim Jong Un Said To Closely Watch US Midterms With Hope Pinned On Trump's Return As US President

Who said? Who knows this? How do they know this? Sure it is a logical assessment. But who is qualified to say this with any accuracy? Does this NIS have a HUMINT source? Can it assess this based on intercepts?

On the other hand since this is a logical assessment perhaps the NIS wants the regime to think it has a HUMINT source. Though I wonder who Kim could be made even more sus=icous of his elite and those around him.

Kim Jong Un Said To Closely Watch US Midterms With Hope Pinned On Trump's Return As US President

benzinga.com · by Navdeep Yadav

North Korean experts believe Kim Jong Un may not rush his seventh nuclear test before the U.S. midterm elections, given Pyongyang's medium- and long-term strategy.

What Happened: The South Korean National Intelligence Service told the country's parliament in May that Pyongyang had completed preparations at Tunnel 3 of its Punggye-ri nuclear test site, according to Nikkei Asia — but it has been holding off from the seventh test.

"Kim must be keeping a close watch on the U.S. midterm elections, as he expects little from [President Joe Biden] and pins his hopes on Donald Trump's comeback as U.S. president," a senior South Korean official who had been involved in negotiations between the two Korean peninsular countries told the publication.

The report noted that Kim is watching out for the U.S. midterm elections, where the former president's prospects of winning the 2024 Republican nomination may get a boost if his favored candidates perform well in the midterms.

"North Korea may focus on bolstering its nuclear capability by 2023 in the hopes of striking a big deal with Trump if he wins the 2024 presidential election," Kwak Gil-sup, professor at Kookmin University in Seoul and former analyst at the NIS, told the publication.

Trump and Kim shared a close relationship during the former president's time in office, a dozen "love letters" exchanged between him and the North Korean leader, recently retrieved by the authorities from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida suggest.

In his letters, Kim reportedly expressed his willingness to discuss his isolated country's denuclearization with Trump, while sidelining Moon Jae In, the South Korean president at the time.

Check out more of Benzinga's Europe and Asia coverage by following this link.

benzinga.com · by Navdeep Yadav

12. About 100 US aircraft, including F-35s, to take part in large-scale exercise with South Korea

A pretty formidable force. Imagine what this could do if it was fully armed and supported (with target intelligence packages). What kind of damage would this do to the regime? Maybe it would be useful to describe the effects on the north. Perhaps Kim Jong Un would like to know.

About 100 US aircraft, including F-35s, to take part in large-scale exercise with South Korea

Stars and Stripes · by David Choi · October 19, 2022

F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters from the United States and South Korea train together in South Korean airspace in July 2022. (South Korean Ministry of National Defense)

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — U.S. and South Korean military aircraft are scheduled to hold a five-day, large-scale air exercise to “improve combat readiness,” a South Korean air force spokesman told reporters at a briefing Tuesday.

Vigilant Storm, previously known as Vigilant Ace, will take place Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, the spokesman said. The air force declined to say which and how many aircraft will be participating in the drills. It’s customary for some South Korean government officials to speak to the media on condition of anonymity.

However, the Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday that about 140 South Korean aircraft and an Australian refueling tanker are expected to participate.

Roughly 100 U.S. aircraft, including helicopters from Camp Humphreys and F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, are scheduled to take part in the exercise, 7th Air Force spokeswoman Lt. Col. Kelley Jeter told Stars and Stripes by phone Wednesday.

The training was planned months in advance and is “part of what a professional military does,” Jeter said.

“Combat readiness is perishable, and all professional militaries practice their skills routinely in order to stay ready,” she said. “This training brings together elements from the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Space Force and Air Force, and practices working together with [South Korean] air force capabilities.”

F-35As from the U.S. and South Korea drilled together in July, the first time the stealth fighters from both countries were used in an exercise in South Korea.

The announcement of the upcoming air drills comes five days after North Korean aircraft were detected near the North-South Korean border. Roughly 10 North Korean warplanes flew near the border, prompting the South to scramble fighters, according to a statement from South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff on Friday.

In addition to firing hundreds of artillery rounds, North Korea so far this year has launched more than 40 missiles in an unprecedented 26 rounds of testing, including an intermediate-range weapon that flew directly over northern Japan on Oct. 4.

North Korea fired roughly 100 artillery rounds toward the Yellow Sea on Wednesday afternoon, according to a text message from the Joint Chiefs of Staff the same day.

Japan on Tuesday announced it will impose sanctions against five organizations suspected of having ties to North Korea’s nuclear and missile program. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno during a news conference described the North’s “string of provocations” as “absolutely intolerable” and a threat to Japan’s security.

News of the punishments comes less than a week after Seoul imposed its own sanctions against 31 people and corporate entities suspected of aiding North Korea’s missile program.

The Korean Central News Agency, the North’s state-run media organization, said in multiple reports throughout October its military activity is in response to U.S.-South Korean joint military drills.

Stars and Stripes reporters Hana Kusumoto and Yoo Kyong Chang contributed to this report.

Stars and Stripes · by David Choi · October 19, 2022

13. BTS' enlistment decision

BTS is setting the right example.

The military service issue involving the BTS members has been settled by their own decision, but the controversy over military service exemptions has not been cleared up. Under the Military Service Act, global award-winning athletes and classical musicians can do alternative service in their respective fields instead of serving in the military. There are no provisions for pop artists.

Considering that the number of people to be conscripted for active military service has continued to fall due to a decrease in population, this scheme appears not to hold water any longer. It's neither valid nor convincing to keep applying the current exemption rules which discriminate against pop artists. Many young people waiting to be conscripted even view the exemption system as being unfair. At this juncture, it is necessary to begin discussing the system in earnest, including abolishing it.

BTS' enlistment decision

The Korea Times · October 19, 2022

Time to revamp military service exemption system

Members of BTS, the world-renowned K-pop group, will fulfill their mandatory military service, starting with the oldest member Jin. "Jin will cancel his request to delay enlistment in late October and follow the Military Manpower Administration's procedures for enlistment," Bighit Music, the boy band's record label, said Monday, adding that all other members will also finish their military duty according to their respective plans.

The announcement will end the long-running debate about whether BTS should serve in the military or be exempt due to their lengthy contribution to promoting Korea around the world. The BTS members keep saying that they would go voluntarily to the military when "the time comes," but there have been calls to allow them to do alternative military service regardless of the group's intention to fulfill their duty.

The public will feel sorry about the fact that BTS won't be able to carry out group activities at, what is, the peak of their careers. But given that all able-bodied Korean men should serve in the military for 18 to 21 months, their decision must be respected. For the time being, the seven-member group will focus on solo activities in accordance with each member's military enlistment plan.

The military service issue involving the BTS members has been settled by their own decision, but the controversy over military service exemptions has not been cleared up. Under the Military Service Act, global award-winning athletes and classical musicians can do alternative service in their respective fields instead of serving in the military. There are no provisions for pop artists.

Considering that the number of people to be conscripted for active military service has continued to fall due to a decrease in population, this scheme appears not to hold water any longer. It's neither valid nor convincing to keep applying the current exemption rules which discriminate against pop artists. Many young people waiting to be conscripted even view the exemption system as being unfair. At this juncture, it is necessary to begin discussing the system in earnest, including abolishing it.

The Korea Times · October 19, 2022

14. Experts: Regarding North Korea, US Must Shift Focus From Denuclearization to Deterrence

Please tell me when deterrence was not the priority?

Experts: Regarding North Korea, US Must Shift Focus From Denuclearization to Deterrence

October 18, 2022 11:43 PM

• Christy Lee

voanews.com

washington —

Washington has exhausted viable options for containing North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs and now must prioritize deterring the regime from using its weapons to carry out attacks against the U.S. and its allies, experts say.

North Korea test-fired 27 missiles so far this year, believed to be a record, in defiance of the U.S. and South Korea, which responded with a show of force.

This month, the regime of leader Kim Jong Un has conducted six missile tests, mostly involving ballistic missiles banned by U.N. sanctions.

The latest test came with Friday’s launch of a short-range ballistic missile. A short time earlier, Pyongyang dispatched about a dozen warplanes near the inter-Korean border, prompting South Korea to send F-35 fighter jets to ward them off.

On October 10, North Korea said the purpose of its missile launches over the previous two weeks was to assess “nuclear counterattack capabilities” on targets in South Korea. It said the U.S. redeployment of the USS Ronald Reagan to the region made the launches necessary for its self-defense.

The U.S. Navy adjusted course for the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier on October 5, a day after Pyongyang fired an intermediate-range ballistic (IRBM) missile over Japan for the first time since 2017. The aircraft carrier departed the area after participating in naval exercises with South Korea.

SEE ALSO:

US Carrier to Visit South Korea in Show of Strength Toward North

Deterrence by default

Experts said Washington now must focus on preventing Pyongyang from using its nuclear weapons and missiles to launch an actual attack against the U.S. and its allies, as trying to curb the regime from developing and testing them seems unlikely.

Harry Kazianis, the president of the Rogue States Project, said, “Washington is now forced to essentially accept North Korea as a de facto nuclear weapons state.”

Christopher Johnstone, who recently served as the director for East Asia under President Joe Biden and now is Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said, “The most realistic approach in the near term is to strengthen deterrence, including through closer defense cooperation among the United States, Japan and South Korea.”

Washington, Seoul and Tokyo conducted several trilateral exercises, including on October 6, two days after Pyongyang launched its missile over Japan.

The U.S. National Security Strategy published on October 12 says “strengthening extended deterrence in the face of North Korean weapons of mass destruction and missile threats” is Washington’s goal as it seeks diplomacy to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. The National Security Strategy is a legally mandated annual report sent by the White House to Congress to present the national security vision of the executive branch to the legislative branch.

“North Korea may not be persuaded to abandon its programs," said Scott Snyder, director of the program on U.S.-Korea policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. “Deterrence is important in terms of discouraging use.”

Denuclearization options

Experts said Washington’s options for denuclearization may have been exhausted as they see a Pyongyang uninterested in dialogue striving to become a nuclear state.

“The United States and its partners and allies have tried virtually everything,” said Evans Revere, a former State Department official with extensive experience negotiating with North Korea. “Nothing has convinced or compelled North Korea to make [a] strategic decision to give up its nuclear weapons and missile programs. So far, evidence suggests that a decision to denuclearize or even freeze missile and nuclear programs is highly unlikely.”

He added, however, that denuclearization should not be ruled out as a long-term goal, and one option at Washington’s disposal is to make it “as painful as possible” for North Korea to develop and test its weapons by imposing heavy sanctions in cooperation with U.S. allies and partners.

Three days after North Korea flew the IRBM over Japan, the U.S. Treasury issued new sanctions on North Korea-connected individuals and entities that support its weapons programs.

SEE ALSO:

US Imposes New Sanctions on North Korea After Missile Tests

The U.N. Security Council remains divided on how to handle the regime’s IRBM flight over Japan. China and Russia defended the missile launch as a defensive measure against U.S. threats, leaving the council’s October 5 meeting on North Korea to dissolve without an agreement on next steps.

Ken Gause, director of the Adversary Analytics Program at CNA, said, “We missed the boat on denuclearization.”

“The failure in Hanoi was our last best chance for the near term,” Gause said. “You have to freeze the program. That’s the best you can do.”

Dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang remains stalled since working-level talks in Stockholm failed in October 2019. The Hanoi summit in February 2019 broke down over disagreement on Pyongyang-sought sanctions relief and Washington-sought denuclearization.

North Korea has already ruled out denuclearization by codifying into law on September 8 its readiness to use nuclear weapons in the event of what it perceives as an imminent threat.

SEE ALSO:

Experts: North Korea's New Law on Preemptive Use of Nuclear Weapons Puts Regime at Risk

John Kirby, the National Security Council’s director of strategic communications, said on October 11 that Pyongyang has not responded to U.S. offers for talks.

VOA’s Korean Service contacted North Korea’s U.N. mission in New York asking under what circumstances Pyongyang would be interested in talks but did not receive a reply.

Robert Einhorn, a former special adviser for nonproliferation and arms control at the State Department who is now a current senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Pyongyang is “not going to be prepared even to make substantial reductions in its capabilities” or “limitations” of its programs unless it receives “very significant concessions by the United States and its partners.”

Einhorn said Pyongyang is completing and enhancing a list of weapons its leader Kim announced in his speech in January 2021.

They include some already tested, such as tactical nuclear weapons, ICBMs, a submarine-launched ballistic missile, and new types of ballistic missiles, among others.

voanews.com

15. South Korea to let in North's propaganda-heavy media

This is an important initiative. I know the conservatives think this will "indoctrinate" some in the SOuth. But this provides some of the moral high ground for the alliance to execute its information and influence campaign in the north.

I also think there are lots of opportunities to exploit north Korean propaganda. An easy project would be to have a follow-on program to each north Korean broadcast. Use escapees from thenrth to diagnose and explain the propaganda, what it means and what it is intended to do. Also it will be interesting to see how long it will be a novelty and how soon the Korean people in the South will tire of it.

South Korea to let in North's propaganda-heavy media – DW – 10/18/2022

DW · by Latest videosLatest audio

Tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang are high, with North Korea firing missiles, conducting air exercises, and reportedly preparing its first nuclear test since 2017.

At the same time, Seoul is preparing what could be seen as an olive branch to the North's regime — the South Korean government aims to revise a law that dates back to 1948, banning the dissemination of North Korean media in the South.

Government officials say that lifting the ban on Pyongyang's newspapers, television programs and internet content will encourage cross-border understanding and potentially foster detente.

North Korea marks 'Victory Day'

Analysts agree that the legislation is outdated and ineffective in the modern era, but question why the government wants to change at a time of rising tensions on the peninsula.

What happens when the law is changed?

The National Security Act dictates punishments for activities that promote or are in favor of the North Korean regime or, more broadly, communism. The law has been criticized in South Korea as a tool that enabled governments — particularly the military dictatorships in the years immediately after South Korean independence in 1945 — to crack down on any form of dissent.

Plans to revise the legislation are expected to progress rapidly as the left-leaning main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea, has previously indicated that it agrees that the ban should be scrapped.

Immediately after the revisions are passed in the national assembly, South Koreans will be permitted to access newspapers, such as the Rodong Sinmun, the official publication of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, and the Joson Inmingun, the newspaper of the Korean People's Army.

The output of the state-run Korea Central News Agency will also be available, along with television programs and other state-controlled news sites such as Uriminzokkiri.

'Virtually no one in the South would like to live there'

Kim Sang-woo, a member of the board of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Foundation which aims to help reunification between the two Koreas, dismissed the idea that viewing North Korean news would encourage support for the regime of Kim Jong Un.

"I think the South Korean public is mature enough to recognize the propagandistic side of North Korean media," he said. "And while there are always going to be some in South Korean society who are pro-North Korea no matter what, I believe news from the North will reinforce our understanding of the sort of society that it is and that virtually no-one in the South would like to live there."

The former politician believes lifting the legal ban on North Korean media "will cause a brief sensation but that will very quickly die down again."

The National Security Act has remained untouched for such a long time because "policy towards North Korea has been very rigid," Kim told DW, despite conservatives and left-leaning politicians clashing over the best way to deal with the nuclear-armed state on their border. While "progressives" advocated engagement and assistance to the North, successive right-of-center administrations have taken a harder line, particularly amid Pyongyang's military provocations.

Joint US-South Korean missile launches

Park Jung-won, a professor of international law at South Korea's Dankook University, agrees that the North Korean propaganda is designed for a "brainwashed" domestic audience and unlikely to convince many in the South to switch their allegiance to the impoverished dictatorship in the North.

"I do not think it will serve to influence anyone because it is so clearly propaganda, but I do wonder why the Unification Ministry is promoting this plan at this moment," he said. "The government has not fully explained its motivations for this and, for me, it is strange because it comes at a time of great security problems and challenges on the peninsula."

Government urged to give more information

"The government needs to explain why it is necessary to change the law when there are so many tensions surrounding us," Park said.

The professor for international law says he fears the government is "not paying sufficient attention to the security problems" that hang over the nation and suggests that Seoul should focus more on ensuring the well-being and safety of citizens rather than providing them with access to the North's propaganda.

"If the government wanted to reintroduce US tactical nuclear weapons into the South, then they would have to explain to the public why that decision was being made and how it would be beneficial to the nation," he said. "It's the same with the North's propaganda; people need to understand why this has become a priority for the government."

Edited by: Darko Janjevic

DW · by Latest videosLatest audio

16. Defuse the current impasse with North Korea

I think this is what Kim wants. He will assess that his stragegy works. He will think he has us running scared and willing to make concessions.

Excerpts:

Given these developments, it would appear appropriate to use all the tools of diplomacy to defuse the nuclear escalatory impasse with North Korea. A message to Mr. Kim, directly or through China, indicating a willingness to discuss sanctions relief in return for the halting of all missile launches, nuclear tests and production of fissile material (plutonium and highly enriched uranium) for nuclear weapons, in an action for action process would seem appropriate.

At a minimum, it would display continued U.S. flexibility, with the goal of not rewarding North Korea for its bad behavior but defusing the current nuclear escalatory tension, with the goal of the eventual complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea.

Defuse the current impasse with North Korea

Increased nuclear tension in the Northern Hemisphere

washingtontimes.com · by The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com

OPINION:

I spent 13 years dealing directly with senior North Korean officials, from 2003 to 2016, and believe the current unprecedented escalation of tension with North Korea could result in planned or accidental conflict on the Korean Peninsula, involving conventional and possibly tactical nuclear weapons.

North Korea has been clear in stating that it will not abandon its nuclear weapons and will continue to build more nuclear weapons and sophisticated ballistic missiles. Over the last two weeks, North Korea has conducted seven rounds of missile launches, including an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of reaching Guam and possibly beyond, a KN-23 short-range ballistic missile, modeled after Russia’s Iskander, capable of maneuvering in flight and flying low, to evade missile defense, and an underwater launch. North Korea said this barrage of nuclear-capable missile launches — and warplanes — were practice exercises for tactical nuclear strikes against South Korean and U.S. targets.

In September, Kim Jong-un announced a new nuclear doctrine, permitting the first use and preemptive use of nuclear weapons if an imminent attack by weapons of mass destruction against North Korea’s strategic targets or leadership is detected. This is a significant change, given that in 2013 North Korea’s nuclear doctrine was that their nuclear weapons were a deterrent to protect the North from an attack from a hostile power. Now, however, the North could preemptively use its nuclear weapons if there is an actual or perceived imminent threat against the North or its leadership.

The United States and South Korea devote significant resources to maintaining a robust intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability to monitor North Korea to ensure that there are no military surprises. It’s unlikely that North Korea has a similar robust capability to monitor South Korea and the U.S., thus the concern that Pyongyang may mistakenly view a routine military drill or exercise as an actual threat and conduct a preemptive nuclear strike against the South. This, then, would be the opening volley in an escalatory nuclear and conventional – military confrontation on the Korean Peninsula.

Although Mr. Kim had clearly stated that North Korea will never abandon its nuclear weapons and will no longer engage in negotiations about its nuclear arsenal, it’s imperative that a greater effort be made to defuse the current impasse.

The goal is and must continue to be the eventual denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. But this will take time. We knew this during the Six-Party Talks with North Korea and the resultant Joint Statement of Sept. 19, 2005, that memorialized North Korea’s agreement to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and return, at an early date, to the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

In return, the United States stated that it has no intention to attack or invade North Korea with nuclear or conventional weapons and, inter alia, the six countries undertook to promote economic cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, and investment, bilaterally or multilaterally. Of note, however, is that the joint statement clearly said that it was to be implemented in a phased manner in line with the principle of “commitment for commitment and action for action.”

We knew in 2005, after over two years of intense negotiations with North Korea, that Mr. Kim would not agree to the “Libya model,” when dictator Moammar Gaddafi initially abandoned his nuclear program in anticipation of diplomatic recognition and other deliverables. In fact, Libya’s nuclear arsenal was in unpacked crates, never assembled and far from a nascent nuclear program. Eventually, as we know, Gaddafi was killed by his own people.

These developments got the attention of North Korea and as negotiators, we were routinely told that North Korea would never initially abandon its nuclear weapons and programs (the Libya model) in anticipation of deliverables from the United States, South Korea, Japan, China and Russia. Accordingly, all our discussions and the actual joint statement were clear in an “action for action” approach to denuclearization — as North Korea denuclearized, they received the promised deliverables, with the end goal being total denuclearization in return for security assurances, economic development assistance and normal diplomatic relations with the United States, only when the North also made progress on human rights toward its citizens.

At his Hanoi Summit In February 2019, President Donald Trump was unable to convince Mr. Kim that North Korea would have to abandon all its nuclear programs— not just the Yongbyon plutonium nuclear facility— before sanctions could be lifted. Mr. Kim was not willing to go that far, and discussions ceased. To date, negotiations have not resumed, despite U.S. efforts to engage North Korea unconditionally. And since 2019, North Korea has built more nuclear weapons and more sophisticated ballistic missiles — hypersonic, cruise and submarine-launched — and is reportedly preparing for a seventh nuclear test.

Given these developments, it would appear appropriate to use all the tools of diplomacy to defuse the nuclear escalatory impasse with North Korea. A message to Mr. Kim, directly or through China, indicating a willingness to discuss sanctions relief in return for the halting of all missile launches, nuclear tests and production of fissile material (plutonium and highly enriched uranium) for nuclear weapons, in an action for action process would seem appropriate.

At a minimum, it would display continued U.S. flexibility, with the goal of not rewarding North Korea for its bad behavior but defusing the current nuclear escalatory tension, with the goal of the eventual complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea.

• Joseph R. DeTrani is the former special envoy for negotiations with North Korea and the former director of the National Counterproliferation Center. The views are the author’s and not any government agency or department.

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