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Quotes of the Day:
“Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill.”
- Barbara Tuchman
“We have become the impatient species, too busy to let nature replenish itself and too puffed up with our own sense of importance to acknowledge our utter dependence on its generosity."
- David Suzuki
“You meet Saints everywhere. They could be anywhere. They are people behaving decently in an indecent society.”
- Kurt Vonnegut.
1. U.S. envoy voices concern over China's forced repatriation of N. Korean defectors
2. N. Korea-China border bridge shows increased activity: 38 North
3. Increased Activity on the Sino-North Korean “Bridge to Nowhere”
4. U.S. strategic bomber B-52 to arrive in S. Korea this week |
5. S. Korea, U.S. vow tighter coordination after suspected N.K. arms transfer to Russia
6. S. Korea, U.S. to sign agreement on strengthening defense supply chains this month: DAPA
7. Russia's foreign minister to visit N. Korea on Oct. 18-19: KCNA
8. Homegrown fighter jet KF-21 makes public debut at Seoul defense exhibition
9. Fearing China, South Korea targets firms building Taiwan navy submarines
10. S. Korea joins ICRC's major donor group for 1st time
11. Criticism mounts on Beijing after repatriation of North Koreans
12. US, South Korea confront China on North Korean human rights
13. ＜Inside N. Korea＞ A recent report on conditions at farms (1) The harvest is better than last year, but lack of materials remains a serious problem
14. Russia does not violate UN sanctions against NK: Russian diplomat
15. [Top Envoy] Russian satellite help not likely priority for North Korea: Chun
16. N. Korea slams Japan's plan to move up US missile purchase as 'arrogant choice'
17. F-22, B-52 warm up for Seoul's largest-ever air show
18. Why Only 2 K-Pop Idols Ever Have Served Their Military Service In The KATUSA Unit
19. At America’s Largest Overseas Military Base, Tension Ratchets Up With the Outbreak of War in the Middle East
1. U.S. envoy voices concern over China's forced repatriation of N. Korean defectors
Human rights upfront for all the human rights issues.
U.S. envoy voices concern over China's forced repatriation of N. Korean defectors | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Yi Wonju · October 16, 2023
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights on Monday expressed concerns that China may further forcibly send back North Korean defectors to their repressive home country amid a news report over Beijing's latest large-scale repatriation of such people.
Ambassador Julie Turner made the remark during a forum attended by rights activists and North Korean defectors in Seoul, saying that the U.S. will continue to urge China to abide by their commitments under international conventions.
"So, I have not personally spoken to the PRC about this issue, but the U.S. government does regularly raise forced repatriations with the PRC government, including as recently as last week," she told reporters after the forum, referring to China's official name, the People's Republic of China.
According to local human rights groups, China forcibly repatriated around 600 North Korean defectors detained in the Jilin and Liaoning provinces to the North last Monday via border cities shortly after the Asian Games in Hangzhou.
"So I again hope that the PRC will not and we will continue to remind them of their international obligations, but I can't say that I believe that they will not," she added, stressing that the defectors will likely be tortured upon return to North Korea.
She also expressed appreciation for the North Korean refugees who are willing to speak about their experiences, saying they serve as a "powerful tool" in calling attention to the issue.
"You all, as change makers and young leaders, have an opportunity to raise alarm bells and can be helpful in passing information back to governments that we can act upon," she said.
Turner was officially sworn in Friday, ending more than six years of vacancy in the post.
Julie Turner (L), a U.S. special envoy on North Korean human rights issues, and Lee Shin-hwa, South Korean ambassador for North Korean human rights, attend a forum at Korea University in Seoul on Oct. 16, 2023. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Yi Wonju · October 16, 2023
2. N. Korea-China border bridge shows increased activity: 38 North
N. Korea-China border bridge shows increased activity: 38 North | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · October 14, 2023
SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- An unused border bridge between North Korea and China has shown increased activity this week in a potential sign of its opening since construction was completed nearly a decade ago, according to a U.S. website.
38 North, a U.S. website dedicated to analyzing North Korea, said recent commercial satellite imagery indicates a hike in vehicle traffic on the New Yalu River Bridge, which connects China's Dandong and the North's Sinuiju.
"The exact nature and purpose of this traffic is uncertain, but comes after increased activity around the Chinese side of the bridge and suggestions it may fully open soon," 38 North said in a report Friday (local time).
Commercial satellite imagery of the border between China and North Korea taken on Oct. 12, 2023, shows vehicles near the Chinese customs area, in this photo captured from 38 North, a U.S. website monitoring North Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The cable-stayed bridge spanning 3 kilometers was completed in 2014 but has remained unused due to delays in construction of related infrastructure on the North Korean side and Pyongyang's COVID-19 lockdowns.
A satellite image captured Thursday shows what appears to be a large vehicle approaching the Chinese customs area, while several vehicles and apparent construction materials were visible on the North Korean side, according to the website.
"Although the nature of the traffic and its eventual destination cannot be determined from the Oct. 12 image, the level of traffic, while low, is unusual for a bridge that has seen no use in years," 38 North said.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · October 14, 2023
3. Increased Activity on the Sino-North Korean “Bridge to Nowhere”
Images at the link: https://www.38north.org/2023/10/increased-activity-on-the-sino-north-korean-bridge-to-nowhere/
Increased Activity on the Sino-North Korean “Bridge to Nowhere”
Recent commercial satellite imagery indicates an uptick in vehicular activity on the New Yalu River Bridge between China and North Korea this week. The US$350-million cable-stayed bridge was completed in 2014 and is supposed to be a major new crossing point for Sino-North Korean trade, but it has remained unused, earning it the nickname “the bridge to nowhere.”
The exact nature and purpose of this traffic is uncertain, but comes after increased activity around the Chinese side of the bridge and suggestions it may fully open soon.
Activity at the “Bridge to Nowhere”
A satellite image captured on October 12 shows what appears to be a large vehicle, possibly a coach, approaching the Chinese customs area on the Chinese side of the bridge.
Figure 2. Large vehicle heading towards Chinese customs area on October 12, 2023. Image © 2023 Planet Labs, PBC cc-by-nc-sa 4.0. For media licensing options, please contact thirtyeightnorth@gmail.com.
On the North Korean side, several vehicles are visible, including what appears to be a crane truck. Possible construction materials are near the truck at the roadside.
Figure 3. Several vehicles, including a possible crane truck, visible on the North Korean side of the bridge on October 12, 2023. Image © 2023 Planet Labs, PBC cc-by-nc-sa 4.0. For media licensing options, please contact thirtyeightnorth@gmail.com.
After the bridge was completed in 2014, construction of related infrastructure on both sides has moved ahead in small steps. Although the nature of the traffic and its eventual destination cannot be determined from the October 12 image, the level of traffic, while low, is unusual for a bridge that has seen no use in years.
When it was first built, the North Korean side of the bridge abruptly ended in a field, but work to connect it to Sinuiju City and the North Korean road network was completed around 2020. At the same time, it appeared North Korea was also beginning construction of a likely customs and immigration area, but work on that stopped in late 2020 and has not restarted.
Chinese Customs and Immigration Area
On the Chinese side, the unfinished customs and immigration area was completed earlier this year with control barriers and checkpoints.
In the October 12 image, the Chinese customs area appears quiet, with no vehicles visible.
Figure 4. Overview of Chinese customs area on October 12, 2023. Image © 2023 Planet Labs, PBC cc-by-nc-sa 4.0. For media licensing options, please contact thirtyeightnorth@gmail.com.
Lingering Questions
Transit of goods between North Korea and China has been rising for the last year since pandemic-era border restrictions began to be loosened. To date, rail and sea have been used for the majority of cargo shipments, and a smaller amount has been spotted coming by air.
Truck traffic, which used the older Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge in Sinuiju, does not appear to have resumed.
In recent weeks, North Korea has also begun repatriating its citizens who were stuck overseas for most of the pandemic. Some reports said they could enter through Sinuiju.
4. U.S. strategic bomber B-52 to arrive in S. Korea this week |
(LEAD) U.S. strategic bomber B-52 to arrive in S. Korea this week | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · October 16, 2023
(ATTN: CHANGES slug, headline; UPDATES throughout with USFK's statement; ADDS photo)
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. strategic bomber B-52 is set to land in a South Korean air base this week, the United States Forces Korea (USFK) said Monday, in the latest show of force against North Korea's missile and nuclear threat.
It would mark the first time that the B-52 Stratofortress has landed at a South Korean air base although the long-range bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons flew over the Korean Peninsula for joint drills between South Korea and the United States.
The B-52 is one of the major U.S. strategic bombers along with the B-2 Spirit and B-1B Lancer, which landed at Osan Air base in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul, in September 2016.
The USFK said the B-52 plans to conduct two flyovers as part of a larger cross-section of U.S. military aircraft during the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (Seoul ADEX) 2023, which runs from Tuesday to Sunday at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of Seoul.
"These flyovers, air demonstrations and static displays, including the landing for the B-52 on the peninsula, is part of our continued pledge to promote peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean peninsula," Maj. Rachel Buitrago, 7th Air Force public affairs director, said in a release.
A U.S. strategic bomber B-52 is seen in this photo provided by the United States Central Command on Nov. 11, 2022. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The 2023 Seoul ADEX is expected to draw some 290,000 visitors, including over 114 military and defense officials from 55 countries, marking the largest-ever edition of the biennial event that first launched in 1996.
The exhibition will showcase various homegrown aircraft and ground-based equipment, including the KF-21 fighter jet under development, FA-50 light attack aircraft, K2 main battle tanks and K9A1 self-propelled howitzers.
The U.S. military will also feature F-22 and FA-18G aircraft during the exhibition to mark the 70th anniversary of the South Korea-U.S. alliance this year.
"U.S. support for Seoul ADEX 23 is at an all-time high in recognition of the 70th anniversary of the ironclad commitment to the ROK-U.S. Alliance. Participation in the event allows the U.S. to demonstrate its robust readiness by showcasing capabilities committed to protecting service members and their families, as well as defending allies and partner nations," the USFK said, referring to South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
The deployment of the nuclear-capable B-52 is expected to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to further enhancing the regular visibility of strategic assets in the region amid heightened tension over Pyongyang's growing nuclear threat. North Korea also plans to launch a military spy satellite again this month after two failed attempts this year.
The nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier arrived at the southeastern port of Busan on Thursday for a five-day visit following trilateral naval drills involving the United States, South Korea and Japan.
In July, Pyongyang denounced the U.S. deployment of strategic nuclear assets to the Korean Peninsula as "the most undisguised nuclear blackmail" against North Korea.
Korean Air's exhibition booth for the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition 2023 is installed at the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, on Oct. 16, 2023, in this photo provided by Korean Air. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · October 16, 2023
5. S. Korea, U.S. vow tighter coordination after suspected N.K. arms transfer to Russia
(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. vow tighter coordination after suspected N.K. arms transfer to Russia | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · October 16, 2023
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES story throughout as talks ended; CHANGES photo, slug; ADDS byline)
By Kim Seung-yeon and Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States vowed Monday to work more closely in "sharing information on and joint responses to" any possible military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, after Washington accused Pyongyang of sending military equipment and munitions to Moscow.
Seoul's chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Gunn, and his U.S. counterpart, Sung Kim, reached the agreement at their meeting in Jakarta earlier in the day, as concerns are growing over a possible arms deal between Pyongyang and Moscow following last month's rare summit between the North's leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The suspicions have gained more traction after Washington made revelations Friday that the reclusive regime has delivered more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia in recent weeks for use in Ukraine.
Monday's talks also coincided with Pyongyang's announcement that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit the North later this week.
"The two sides agreed to coordinate more closely in the sharing of information and over response measures between South Korea and the United States, as we stress that Russia and North Korea must not carry out any military cooperation strictly prohibited under U.N. Security Council resolutions," Seoul's foreign ministry said in a release.
The two nuclear envoys also agreed to "firmly" respond to additional provocations by the North, as Pyongyang has declared a plan for another military spy satellite launch this month after two failed attempts.
The two sides reiterated the warning that the North will "pay the price" in the event of any illegal acts that undermine peace and stability.
They also agreed to continue joint efforts to deter the North's nuclear and missile threats based on the "superiority of overwhelming power," the ministry said.
Kim Gunn is on his two-day visit to the Indonesian capital for bilateral talks with Sung Kim and his Japanese counterpart, Hiroyuki Namazu, as well as a three-way meeting among the three envoys.
On Tuesday, Kim will meet one-on-one with Namazu, before holding the trilateral talks later in the day.
The three envoys last held talks in Japan in July.
Kim Gunn (R), special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, shakes hands with his U.S. counterpart, Sung Kim, special representative for North Korea, at their meeting in Jakarta on Oct. 16, 2023, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
elly@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · October 16, 2023
6. S. Korea, U.S. to sign agreement on strengthening defense supply chains this month: DAPA
Strengthening the partnership of the Arsenal of Democracy.
(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. to sign agreement on strengthening defense supply chains this month: DAPA | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr
(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. to sign agreement on strengthening defense supply chains this month: DAPA
Chae Yun-hwan
All News 16:40 October 16, 2023
(ATTN: UPDATES with DAPA minister’s remarks, more details in last 4 paras; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) — South Korea and the United States are expected to sign an arrangement aimed at bolstering bilateral security supply chains this month, Seoul’s arms procurement agency said Monday, amid the allies’ efforts to step up security cooperation.
In a policy report for a parliamentary audit, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said it expects to sign the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) with the U.S. Department of Defense at the end of October.
Under the agreement, the allies will be able to make requests for priority delivery for defense-related orders from each other. The two sides had agreed to sign the arrangement once they complete administrative procedures during their talks in Washington in July.
DAPA said it will also make efforts for the signing of the Reciprocal Defense Procurement-Agreement between the two countries in a move to help ease some trade barriers for bilateral arms exports.
In May last year, President Yoon Suk Yeol and his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, agreed to begin discussions on the agreement as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation in defense supply chains during the summit in Seoul.
This undated file photo, provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, shows a sign for the agency at its office in Gwacheon, south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
DAPA said it will also seek to ensure overdue payments are made by Indonesia for the joint KF-21 fighter jet development project by pushing for a revised cost-sharing agreement this year.
As a partner country, Indonesia has agreed to shoulder about 20 percent of the project’s cost of 8.1 trillion won (US$5.98 billion) through 2026, but it is estimated to be behind in payments by nearly 1 trillion won.
During the audit, DAPA Minister Eom Dong-hwan told lawmakers that he requested Jakarta to submit a payment plan for the next three years, when he met with Indonesia’s defense minister and the presidential chief of staff during his visit to Indonesia early this month.
“If they do not submit (the plan) by the end of October, we will have to completely reexamine the project in its entirety,” Eom said.
The minister added DAPA will meet with officials from the defense ministry and Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., which oversees the jet’s production, to come up with a backup plan to resolve the situation.
The agency also said it expects to decide on the type of aircraft next month before signing a deal for the country’s project to acquire additional large military transport aircraft.
A KF-21 fighter jet under development flies over Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, on Oct. 16, 2023, ahead of the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2023, scheduled to run from Oct. 17-22. (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr
7. Russia's foreign minister to visit N. Korea on Oct. 18-19: KCNA
Russia's foreign minister to visit N. Korea on Oct. 18-19: KCNA | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · October 16, 2023
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit North Korea later this week, Pyongyang's state media said Monday, as the two countries move to strengthen military ties amid speculation over their suspected arms deal.
Lavrov will "pay an official visit" to North Korea on Oct. 18-19 at the invitation of the North's foreign ministry, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a short dispatch, without providing further details.
The upcoming visit follows a rare summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 13.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (2nd from L) talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) at the Vostochny Cosmodrome space launch center in the Russian Far East on Sept. 13, 2023, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · October 16, 2023
8. Homegrown fighter jet KF-21 makes public debut at Seoul defense exhibition
This will be quite a display of military equipment.
Homegrown fighter jet KF-21 makes public debut at Seoul defense exhibition | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · October 16, 2023
By Kim Eun-jung
SEONGNAM, South Korea, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's homegrown fighter jet KF-21 made its public debut on Monday, ahead of an international defense exhibition set to open at the Seoul Air Base this week.
The KF-21, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), staged an aerial demonstration at the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, during a press day event for the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023, which opens Tuesday for a six-day run.
South Korea's homegrown fighter jet KF-21 stages an aerial demonstration during a press event for the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023 held at the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Oct. 16, 2023. It is the first time that the KF-21 was disclosed to the public. (Yonhap)
Advanced U.S. military aircraft, including the F-22 stealth jet and carrier-based electronics warfare aircraft EA-18G Growler, were among those on display at the base's air field.
During the exhibition, the U.S strategic bomber B-52 plans to stage two flyovers as part of a larger cross-section of U.S. military aircraft providing static displays, flyovers and aerial demonstrations, the U.S. Forces Korea said.
The U.S. stealth jet F-22 stages an aerial demonstration during a press event for the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023 held at the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Oct. 16, 2023. (Yonhap)
This year's event will be held on the largest scale since it was established in 1996, involving 550 companies from 35 countries, according to the organizers.
South Korean companies plan to showcase their latest weapons systems and technologies to boost defense exports following large-scale export deals in Poland.
Last year, South Korea's arms exports hit a record high of 22.9 trillion won ($17.9 billion), according to Morgan Stanley, as it signed major contracts with Poland to supply K2 tanks, K-9 self-propelled howitzers, FA-50 light attack aircraft and Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers.
The defense ministry has unveiled a goal to carve out a 5 percent share in the global arms export market by 2027 to become the world's fourth-largest defense exporter.
The K-9 self-propelled howitzer is disclosed during a press event for the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023 held at the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Oct. 16, 2023. (Yonhap)
LIG Nex1 will display the Korean GPS Guided Bomb (KGGB) that can be used in fighter aircraft; a long-range air-to-surface missile; surface-to-surface guided missiles and drones.
Hyundai Rotem is set to disclose the latest models of the K808 wheeled armored vehicle for the first time to the public, along with its flagship model K2 tankers and battle tanks.
Hanwha Aerospace will showcase K-9 self-propelled howitzers, which are in service in nine countries, including South Korea, Turkey, Poland, India and Australia.
The first four days will host various seminars and forums for defense industry officials before the exhibition is opened to the general public in the last two days.
The South Korean Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team stages an aerial demonstration during a press event for the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023 held at the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on Oct. 16, 2023. (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · October 16, 2023
9. Fearing China, South Korea targets firms building Taiwan navy submarines
A very complex situation.
Excerpts:
The SI Innotec affidavit and interviews with seven people with military, shipbuilding and legal ties show how political considerations about an economic rupture with China, Seoul's largest trading partner, have weighed on South Korea's investigations into the three companies. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing legal proceedings with national security implications.
Seoul's foreign ministry was "completely against" KHNT's work with Taiwan and signalled its disapproval to DAPA, according to a person familiar with the subcontractor.
The affidavit said many firms with submarine expertise avoided helping Taiwan because they did not expect government approval given the risk of "bigger damage to (the) economy than benefits", including a possible Chinese ban on South Korean exports.
Police declined to comment, citing national security concerns. The prosecutors' office that charged the three subcontractors declined to comment on ongoing legal proceedings. Reuters attempted to reach then-president Moon Jae-in through the office of a former aide. The office referred questions to the foreign ministry.
Fearing China, South Korea targets firms building Taiwan navy submarines
Reuters · by Ju-min Park
SEOUL, Oct 16 (Reuters) - South Korean authorities cited the risk of Chinese economic retaliation when they charged marine technology firm SI Innotec last year with violating trade laws for its work on Taiwan's new military submarine program, according to a police document seen by Reuters and two people familiar with the matter.
In a Feb. 17, 2022 affidavit to a judge seeking the arrest of SI Innotec executive director Park Mal-sik, police said authorities feared a repeat of the sweeping sanctions imposed by Beijing in 2016, after Seoul decided to install THAAD, a U.S. anti-missile system. China agreed to lift those measures in late 2017.
The affidavit said SI Innotec's deal to supply Taiwan with submarine manufacturing equipment "directly impacts the overall security of South Korea" and police, who had consulted with the country's arms sales regulator, were "concerned about a crisis similar to a second THAAD deployment, such as economic retaliation".
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA)regulator had told an unidentified subcontractor that the government had "export concerns" regarding Taiwan, and "takes a very cautious stance" on such approvals, the affidavit said.
The judge ordered Park's arrest on Feb. 28 on grounds that he posed a flight risk and might destroy evidence, according to a person familiar with the matter.
In the sealed affidavit reviewed by Reuters, police cited China's furious reaction in a 2021 Reuters report about defence contractors and experts from South Korea and six other countries working on Taiwan's submarine program.
SI Innotec, which was fined in August 2022, and Park, who received a suspended prison sentence, deny wrongdoing and have appealed. Through a company lawyer, Park declined comment.
In a sign of a broader crackdown, two other South Korean companies that allegedly supplied Taiwan were also charged in November with breaking trade laws, and one of their chief executives was accused of industrial espionage, according to court records and four people familiar with the matter.
The identities of defence engineering subcontractors Keumha Naval Technology (KHNT) and S2&K, and the charges facing the co-defendants in their closed-door trial, have not been previously reported. Reuters could not determine if geopolitical tensions were discussed in those ongoing proceedings.
A KHNT official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to media, confirmed an ongoing criminal case. The company declined further comment. S2&K had no comment.
Amid rising military tensions with China, Taiwan unveiled its first homegrown submarine on Sept. 28 in the southern port city of Kaohsiung. The vessel will soon enter sea trials.
The SI Innotec affidavit and interviews with seven people with military, shipbuilding and legal ties show how political considerations about an economic rupture with China, Seoul's largest trading partner, have weighed on South Korea's investigations into the three companies. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing legal proceedings with national security implications.
Seoul's foreign ministry was "completely against" KHNT's work with Taiwan and signalled its disapproval to DAPA, according to a person familiar with the subcontractor.
The affidavit said many firms with submarine expertise avoided helping Taiwan because they did not expect government approval given the risk of "bigger damage to (the) economy than benefits", including a possible Chinese ban on South Korean exports.
Police declined to comment, citing national security concerns. The prosecutors' office that charged the three subcontractors declined to comment on ongoing legal proceedings. Reuters attempted to reach then-president Moon Jae-in through the office of a former aide. The office referred questions to the foreign ministry.
The foreign ministry said it was aware the trials were underway and referred detailed questions to DAPA. DAPA said it follows the law when making decisions on exports, but had no further comment.
A police investigator, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing legal matters, said that there was no pressure from Moon's liberal government, which left office in May 2022, to get tough on SI Innotec.
Reuters could not determine whether Beijing pressured Seoul to clamp down on the companies.
Asked by Reuters for comment, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson accused Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party of "colluding with external forces". The spokesperson did not address a question on whether Beijing pressed Seoul about the subcontractors.
Beijing told Reuters in 2021 that countries involved in Taiwan's project were "playing with fire".
Taiwan's foreign and defence ministries had no comment.
Seoul has no formal diplomatic ties with Taipei and has avoided arming the democratically ruled island over which China claims sovereignty, even as its companies ink weapons deals with other Asian neighbours.
FOREIGN EXPERTISE
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen initiated the Indigenous Defense Submarine program in 2016.
The new vessels, which complement two delivered by the Netherlands in the 1980s, are a "strategic deterrent" that make it more challenging for China to project naval power in the Pacific, the Taiwanese admiral leading the project told an internal briefing in September.
Many military experts say that an expanded Taiwanese submarine fleet could complicate a potential invasion by Beijing. U.S. officials, however, warn that such assets should not come at the expense of smaller weapons that would help Taiwan wage "asymmetrical warfare" against China's far-larger arsenal.
Taiwan drew on the expertise of retired South Korean naval officers - including managers at SI Innotec and KHNT - who are not required by defence ministry regulations to seek permission before working overseas.
SI Innotec is accused of violating the Foreign Trade Act, which requires DAPA's approval to transfer abroad many "strategic goods" for military use.
The regulator is also tasked with promoting exports, a role that requires officials to make hard decisions on otherwise profitable deals that might irk China, said four people familiar with the criminal cases.
In 2019, SI Innotec agreed a deal with Taiwanese shipbuilder CSBC to supply and install $12 million in welding and assembly equipment for submarine pressure hull manufacturing, according to contracts presented at trial.
The equipment was not designed solely for military purposes and did not involve sensitive technology, SI Innotec told Reuters.
SI Innotec said the contract, at CSBC's request, listed the equipment's primary use as for wind power generation. It told Reuters it is "customary" for dual-use equipment contracts to be "signed for industrial use, not exposing military use" and Taiwanese clients are discreet about defence work.
CSBC, which leads construction for the submarines, has an offshore wind power business. It declined to comment on its contracts.
In April 2020, DAPA suggested SI Innotec check with it whether the equipment could be categorized as military goods and require export approval, according to court documents.
In response to Reuters questions, the subcontractor said it told DAPA it was exporting dual-use goods, which can undergo a self-certification process that the regulator does not oversee. The results of that self certification showed export approval was not needed and DAPA was informed, SI Innotec said.
In August 2022, the Changwon District Court fined SI Innotec 14 billion won ($10.42 million).
"The accused were fully aware that the subject equipment would be used to manufacture a military submarine", the court ruled.
SI Innotec said police designated its equipment as military goods after a "subjective and opaque" consultation with DAPA reliant on "limited data". It said it had "strong doubts" about whether its exports would be considered military grade if they had not been sent to Taiwan.
SI Innotec CEO Park Moo-sik — who was not personally charged — continues to work in Taiwan on the project, said two people familiar with his movements. He declined comment through a company lawyer.
QUESTION OF PERMISSION
KHNT and its chief executive, retired naval officer Yang Hyang-kweon, are alleged to have illicitly transferred a submarine component to Taiwan, said two people familiar with the subcontractor's agreement.
Yang - who did not respond to requests for comment - was detained last year and released on bail in March, court records show.
The component was related to a torpedo launching tube, according to two people familiar with KHNT's work. KHNT's co-defendant, S2&K, specializes in such systems.
KHNT initially went through DAPA's process, according to three people familiar with the matter. But it received no response when it wanted to send detailed designs and went ahead to meet a deadline, two of the people said.
It was at this point that Seoul's foreign ministry told DAPA it disapproved of the deal, one of them said.
"There are many things that South Korea can help Taiwan with but can't in reality", said defence diplomacy researcher Cho Hyeon Gyu, who served as military attache in Taipei and Beijing. Relations with China and the difficulty of secretly supporting Taiwan severely narrowed Seoul's ability to help, he added.
($1 = 1,343.1000 won)
Reporting by Ju-min Park; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Faith Hung in Taipei, and Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; Editing by Katerina Ang and Josh Smith
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Reuters · by Ju-min Park
10. S. Korea joins ICRC's major donor group for 1st time
Recall that the ROK is the only OECD nation to go from a major aid recipient to a major donor nation.
S. Korea joins ICRC's major donor group for 1st time | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · October 15, 2023
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has joined a key donor group of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for the first time after making major contributions last year, the humanitarian organization said Sunday.
The country was recently included in the ICRC's 2023 Donor Support Group, which consists of donors contributing more than 10 million Swiss francs (US$11 million) a year, after it contributed 10.5 million Swiss francs to the ICRC last year, according to the ICRC's office in Seoul.
Other than South Korea, the ICRC's major donor group for this year also includes 20 other countries, such as the United States, Germany and Switzerland, as well as the European Commission.
As a member of the donor group, South Korea will be able to take part in high-level talks with the ICRC on its policies and projects, raising expectations for Seoul's possible involvement in the ICRC's projects in North Korea.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ICRC operated an office with 11 personnel in Pyongyang for various humanitarian projects, such as those on health, sanitation, physical rehabilitation and demining efforts.
The organization has yet to send its personnel back to North Korea after it pulled them out after the reclusive country implemented strict border restrictions against the pandemic in early 2020.
This undated file photo, captured from the International Committee of the Red Cross's website, shows the organization's water supply project being carried out in North Korea. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · October 15, 2023
11. Criticism mounts on Beijing after repatriation of North Koreans
The entire international community call out China's complicity in north Korean human rights abuses. The Chinese DCM in Seoul offers no credible defense.
Excerpts:
“What Xi has done is cruel, inhuman, barbaric and illegal,” Scholte said. “Xi knows what China is doing is morally wrong and that it violates their U.N. treaty obligations, specifically the 1951 Convention Relating to Refugees and its 1967 Protocol and the Convention Against Torture.”
She said she would work with other like-minded rights advocates and officials in Washington to impose sanctions on all Chinese officials involved in the decision, adding that they should be held accountable for being complicit in rights violations in North Korea. Those returnees may well face torture, execution or other inhuman treatment for simply crossing the border without permission, according to experts.
...
Asked about the Chinese government’s position on the growing criticism here and overseas, Fang Kun, deputy chief of mission at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, said Beijing “handled the issue according to the domestic laws in China as well as international laws and humanitarian principles.”
Criticism mounts on Beijing after repatriation of North Koreans
The Korea Times · October 16, 2023
The flags of China and North Korea sit in front of the Yalu River, on the border between the North Korean town of Sinuiju and the Chinese city of Dandong, in China's northeastern Liaoning Province, Sept. 22. Criticism of Beijing is growing over its role in recent mass forced deportations of North Korean refugees. AFP-Yonhap
‘What Xi has done is cruel, inhuman, barbaric and illegal,’ Scholte says
By Jung Min-ho
Suzanne Scholte, a renowned U.S. activist promoting North Korean human rights, has joined in with the criticism against Beijing after its forced repatriation of hundreds of North Koreans, comparing the tragedy to what is unfolding in the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East.
“It is extremely cruel and cynical that Xi Jinping appears to have now repatriated another 500 refugees back to North Korea while the world’s attention was on what happened in Israel,” Scholte said in a statement sent to The Korea Times on Monday. “Because of this action, just like families in Israel terrified for the fate of their loved ones abducted by Hamas, we now have Korean families in South Korea and America terrified for worrying about their family members (sent back).”
This comes at a time when rights organizations are raising their voices in criticism of the Chinese government, which resumed the deportation of North Korean escapees on Oct. 9, the day after the end of the Asian Games in Hangzhou. It is unclear how many exactly have been forced to leave China as a result; officials simply say “a large number,” with some activists including Peter Jung claiming more than 2,000 such people, who had been detained over the past three years of the pandemic, were deported.
“What Xi has done is cruel, inhuman, barbaric and illegal,” Scholte said. “Xi knows what China is doing is morally wrong and that it violates their U.N. treaty obligations, specifically the 1951 Convention Relating to Refugees and its 1967 Protocol and the Convention Against Torture.”
She said she would work with other like-minded rights advocates and officials in Washington to impose sanctions on all Chinese officials involved in the decision, adding that they should be held accountable for being complicit in rights violations in North Korea. Those returnees may well face torture, execution or other inhuman treatment for simply crossing the border without permission, according to experts.
Rights groups contacted by The Korea Times said they were drafting a joint statement urging both Seoul and Beijing to resolve the issue, with some planning to hold a rally in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul on Tuesday.
Apparently out of concern regarding the diplomatic relations with Beijing, top officials and politicians here have been reluctant to directly denounce China’s role in the deportations.
But during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Yun Jae-ok, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, called the move “a large-scale human rights violation” in remarks aimed at Beijing’s responsibility.
At a meeting with Julie Turner, a U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights, Foreign Minister Park Jin reiterated the ministry’s long-held position opposing forced repatriations and said he would continue diplomatic efforts to help North Korean escapees who are willing to defect to the South.
Turner promised close cooperation, saying “As an international community, we need to come together to work to expose the regime's terrible abuses ... and create concrete change to improve the lives of the North Korean people.”
Asked about the Chinese government’s position on the growing criticism here and overseas, Fang Kun, deputy chief of mission at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, said Beijing “handled the issue according to the domestic laws in China as well as international laws and humanitarian principles.”
The Korea Times · October 16, 2023
12. US, South Korea confront China on North Korean human rights
US, South Korea confront China on North Korean human rights
Both sides’ commitment comes amid reports hundreds of escapees were forcibly sent back to the North from China.
By Lee Jeong-Ho
2023.10.16
Seoul, South Korea
rfa.org
The United States and South Korea issued a veiled warning to China for repatriating North Korean escapees, pledging to collaborate in addressing the human rights situation in the country.
The vow came as South Korea’s Foreign Minister, Park Jin, met with the U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues, Julie Turner, in Seoul on Monday. During their meeting, the allies confirmed their commitment to enhancing the human rights situation in North Korea, particularly concerning China’s return of escapees to the North.
“The North Korean people are living in extremely dire conditions,” Park told Turner, adding that the Kim Jong Un regime is pursuing nuclear weapons at the expense of its citizens’ basic rights.
The foreign minister then indirectly criticized China for sending escapees back to the North. Recent media reports alleged that “hundreds of North Korean defectors detained in China have been forcibly repatriated to North Korea,” Park said. “Under no circumstance should North Korean defectors be forcibly repatriated against their will.”
“That is our government’s position. And we’ve made it clear to the Chinese side,” the foreign minister continued. “My government is engaging in vigorous diplomatic efforts to ensure that North Korean defectors are not forcibly repatriated to North Korea, but rather in accordance with humanitarian principles.”
“I look forward to a continuous robust engagement and to our active collaboration to bring about real change in the North Korean human rights situation.”
Park’s comments added weight to the announcement from South Korea’s Unification Ministry on Friday that it had lodged a protest against China regarding the suspected forced repatriation of numerous North Koreans. The escapees are viewed as a betrayal and a threat to the Kim Jong Un regime, and are often subjected to harsh punishments, including imprisonment, torture, and potentially capital punishment – according to testimonies of North Korean escapees.
Human Rights Watch reported last week that Chinese authorities had forcibly returned over 500 North Koreans to the reclusive nation. The organization urged governments worldwide to condemn Beijing’s actions. Most of these North Koreans were civilians and religious figures who were arrested while attempting to travel to South Korea from China, Radio Free Asia has learned.
Peter Jung, head of Seoul-based rights organization NGO Justice for North Korea, also told RFA that a large number of North Koreans had been repatriated through the North Korean-Chinese border, including children, and that the repatriations had taken place simultaneously in several areas.
Turner, who was sworn into office on Friday and began her inaugural three-day visit to Seoul Monday, vowed to work with South Korea in making a difference regarding this issue.
“I am very much looking forward to working with you and others in the ROK government to further advance North Korea,” Turner said, referring to South Korea’s formal name. “The human rights situation in North Korea remains amongst the worst in the world.”
“The international community must come together to work to expose the regime’s human rights abuses and create concrete change to improve the lives of the North Koreans,” she added.
The U.S. and South Korean collaboration in gathering and disseminating information to provide an unfiltered view of the ground realities, may have the potential, albeit limited, to influence North Korea’s human rights situation.
As two major international players with vested interests in the Korean Peninsula, their combined diplomatic and political weight could garner a broader international coalition to exert pressure on North Korea to change its practices.
“The nomination of a U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues, a post that has been empty for a while, conveys a significant message to the North Korean people,” said Ji Seong-ho, who defected from North Korea to South Korea, where he’s now a member of the national assembly. “It’s a message that the allies will actively raise voices to protect basic rights of the ordinary North Koreans.”
“It’s particularly crucial for both ROK and the U.S. to intervene and aid North Korean escapees in China, actively working to halt further forced repatriations,” Ji added. “We hope that such messages persistently resonate from Washington and the global community.”
Edited by Elaine Chan and Mike Firn.
rfa.org
13. ＜Inside N. Korea＞ A recent report on conditions at farms (1) The harvest is better than last year, but lack of materials remains a serious problem
The lack of materials is a result of poor policy decisions by the Kim family regime.
Photos at the link: https://www.asiapress.org/rimjin-gang/2023/10/photo/poor-harvest1/
＜Inside N. Korea＞ A recent report on conditions at farms (1) The harvest is better than last year, but lack of materials remains a serious problem (4 recent photos)
asiapress.org
A woman talking to a male guard on a field after the end of the harvest. The man appears to be part of the Worker and Farmer Red Guard, a paramilitary organization in North Korea. Taken in September 2023 on the Chinese side of the border across from Sakju County, North Pyongan Province. (ASIAPRESS)
The Kim Jong-un regime has made noticeable efforts to bring about achievements in the agricultural sector this year. During various meetings of the Workers’ Party of Korea’s Central Committee, agricultural issues were discussed several times as top agenda items, and the regime focused on increasing food production through mass mobilizations of its people starting in early spring. Now collective farms throughout the nation are in the midst of the harvest season. An ASIAPRESS reporting partner visited a collective farm in North Hamgyung Province in late September to conduct a survey of the situation there. At around the same time, a Chinese reporting partner took photos of a farm in North Pyongan Province near the Yalu River involved in the harvest. Going forward, ASIAPRESS will publish a series of articles talking about North Korea’s present farming conditions. (KANG Ji-won / ISHIMARU Jiro)
Farmers harvesting corn from a field. Taken in September 2023 on the Chinese side of the border across from Sakju County, North Pyongan Province. (ASIAPRESS)
◆ Kim Jong-un regime orders increase in agricultural production
“The most important and critical task of our revolution today is doing a good job farming, and whether farming is a successful depends completely on the roles of the party organizations and party members.”
The above comes from an editorial published in the Rodong Sinmun on March 21. The newspaper called on Workers’ Party of Korea organizations to focus on increasing agricultural production around the time of the start of the spring planting season.
While the regime mobilizes massive numbers of people from workplaces, schools, and social organizations to farming areas every year, the authorities took the unusual step of mobilizing soldiers to the farms to repair waterways and participate in the planting of crops this year. Many farms had around 100 soldiers – the size of one infantry company - working in the fields.
Collective Farm “B,” which was the target of ASIAPRESS’s recent investigation, has around 500 farmers. The farm largely cultivates the mainstay of North Korean agriculture, corn. The farm is slightly on the smaller side compared to other farms in North Hamgyung Province; however, it is typical to the northern area of North Korea with its many mountains and limited amounts of farmland.
Photographs of a farm were also taken by a Chinese reporting partner in late September. The reporting partner took a ferry boat operating along the Yalu River on the border with North Korea and China and took pictures of Sakju County, North Pyongan Province. As it happened, farmers were busy harvesting corn.
The investigation covered a very small number of farmers in the northern region of North Korea, and we were not able to find out about the situation in other areas, such as North Korea’s breadbasket region, which stretches across the two Hwanghae provinces in the country’s southwest area. However, the investigation was able to identify certain trends regarding the kinds of tasks collective farms are conducted and how they harvest corn.
A guard house built near a field. The guards monitor the fields to prevent the stealing of crops. The guard house is near a road, so it also monitors the entry of outsiders. Taken in September 2023 on the Chinese side of the border across from Sakju County, North Pyongan Province. (ASIAPRESS)
◆ Yields increased due to the good weather, but materials shortages still severe
Below is an interview with “A,” the reporting partner who conducted the investigation. When he visited Collective Farm “B,” the farmers were at the height of the harvest of corn.
―― How was the corn yield this year at collective farm “B”?
They say the yield was slightly better than last year. One sub-work team I surveyed was able to harvest 4.6 tons of corn per hectare, which is slightly more than the 4.3 tons achieved last year. That being said, some of the crops were lost because they weren’t ripe yet or were stolen, so they say it’s impossible to know the final yield until the release of the final assessment, which will tell us how much was harvested and how much each farmer will receive.
※ The normal yield of corn in North Korea is around 6-7 tons per hectare, so the farm’s yield this year is not particularly good.
※ A sub-work team, or bunjo, is the smallest work unit at a collective farm. Presently, the teams are made up of around 10 people.
―― There doesn’t seem to have been any major flood or drought damage this year.
Normally, there’d have been a larger increase in production this year. They say that the lack of farming materials had a major impact. Farmers say that the materials that were difficult to obtain include: vinyl wrapping, fertilizer, parts for machinery (for tractors and other vehicles), and fuel. The farmers also face a severe lack of daily necessities. They didn’t have shoes to wear, so a shoe factory in Sinuiju provided some rubber shoes that the farmers used during the summer.
Straw piled up on a sloped field is dry enough to use as feed for bulls. An area with lots of weeds can also be seen, which appears to be a place where a farmer abandoned a private plot due to pressure from the authorities to close down private farming plots.
Taken in late September 2023 on the Chinese side of the border across from Sakju County, North Pyongan Province. (ASIAPRESS)
◆ Farmers unhappy with rare distribution of crops after the harvest
―― Did the harvest go forward smoothly?
The harvest this year was not conducted by work unit or sub-work team. In a rare move, the farm had single sub-work teams take turns to harvest the fields in turns. For example, an entire work team would gather and one sub-work team would go and harvest crops. Then farm officials would assess the crop yield and monitor the transport of the harvested crops to the threshing facility. After that, another sub-work team would then take to the field to harvest more crops. The farm did this because it wouldn’t be able to manage the harvest if sub-work teams were all working at the same time, and because there is so much lost in the farming process. The farm aimed to prevent as much of the crops from disappearing as possible.
※ Collective farms in North Korea have separate work teams that manage rice, corn, and vegetable harvesting. Work teams are made up of sub-work teams, or bunjo.
―― Were farmers able to receive a share of the crops harvested?
Even within the farm, officials conducted strict monitoring of food harvested this year. Farmers were not given their share of the crops all at once; instead, the distributions were given out once in the fourth quarter or once in the second quarter. This was aimed at preventing people from eating up all their share at once, and to prevent farmers from skipping work, given that many farmers ended up not showing up (after receiving their shares all at once). That being said, farmers are talking about how unhappy they are about not getting their shares all at once.
Corn with their seeds still attached was given out to farmers at collective farm “B” this quarter. The farm needed to use electricity to thresh the corn, along with people to do the threshing. Guards were also needed to prevent stealing of the crops, and costs were incurred to transport the corn. The distribution of corn with their seeds still attached was aimed at lowering costs as much as possible.
From the perspective of the farm managers, given they just barely prevented corn from being stolen from the fields, they find it difficult to prevent the loss of corn after it has been moved to the threshing facility. There are many guard houses around the fields to prevent newly harvested corn from being stolen. The farms also strictly control the entry of people into the farms to prevent burglaries by outsiders. (To be continued in the next installment)
※ ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.
Map of North Korea ( ASIAPRESS)
asiapress.org
14. Russia does not violate UN sanctions against NK: Russian diplomat
If you say so. But I am not going to take your word for it Mr. Ambassador.
Russia does not violate UN sanctions against NK: Russian diplomat
The Korea Times · by 2023-10-14 09:25 | North Korea · October 15, 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un shake hands during their meeting at the Vostochny cosmodrome outside the city of Tsiolkovsky, Russia, Sept. 13. AP-Yonhap
Moscow does not violate United Nations sanctions against North Korea, but is categorically against new restrictive measures on Pyongyang, a high-ranking Russian diplomat told the RIA state news agency in remarks published on Sunday.
"Russia, as a responsible member of the world community, strictly adheres to its international obligations towards Pyongyang through the U.N. Security Council," Russian Ambassador at Large Oleg Burmistrov told RIA in an interview.
"At the same time, we are categorically against the introduction of new restrictive measures.
The White House on Friday said North Korea recently provided Russia with a shipment of weapons, calling it a troubling development and raising concerns about the expanded military relationship between the two countries.
US says NK delivered 1,000 containers of equipment and munitions to Russia
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for a rare summit last month at which they discussed military matters, the war in Ukraine and possible Russian help for the secretive state's satellite programme.
North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs since 2006. Those measures have unanimously been strengthened over the years, but the Security Councils is now deadlocked as China and Russia push for them to be eased to convince Pyongyang to return to denuclearization talks.
Burmistrov told RIA that the risk of a nuclear conflict on the Korean Peninsula have grown sharply, partially as a result of Washington's actions.
"The rhetoric of North Korean officials about a hypothetical 'nuclear conflict' clearly illustrates the sharply increased risks that are provoked by the United States by drawing strategic assets to the peninsula," Burmistrov said. (Reuters)
The Korea Times · by 2023-10-14 09:25 | North Korea · October 15, 2023
15. [Top Envoy] Russian satellite help not likely priority for North Korea: Chun
I have some disagreement. I do not think north Korea is really concerned about food for the Korean people in the north. Energy for the regime, yes, bit not food aid. I also do think the regime wants satellite technology to enhance its missile targeting capabilities. I do not think we should minimize the regime's intentions.
[Top Envoy] Russian satellite help not likely priority for North Korea: Chun
koreaherald.com · by Shin Ji-hye · October 16, 2023
Primary demand from NK is unlikely military technology, but ‘energy and food,’ he says
By Shin Ji-hye
Published : Oct. 16, 2023 - 16:16
Chun Yung-woo, a former South Korean national security adviser and chief negotiator for six-party, speaks with The Korea Herald in his office in Seoul on Sept. 25. (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald)
Chun Yung-woo, a former South Korean national security adviser and chief negotiator for the six-party talks, downplayed recent speculations regarding Russia's potential deal to provide North Korea with advanced satellite and nuclear missile technologies.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met last month in Vostochny, Amur region, marking their first summit in four years. Following their talks, there is speculation that North Korea might supply Russia, which is facing shortages of conventional weapons in its conflict with Ukraine, with artillery shells and anti-tank guided missiles. Russia could in return assist North Korea in developing military satellites and nuclear weapons.
Contrary to widespread concerns, Chun said in an interview with The Korea Herald that he believes it is unlikely that Russia provided North Korea with such critical technologies.
As for nuclear development, he asserted that North Korea’s advancements in nuclear missile technology have reached a point where reliance on Russian support is unnecessary.
"The North has achieved a level of 'minimum deterrence' against the US and the provision of new technologies wouldn't significantly alter its current capabilities," said Chun, who also served as the chief negotiator for the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear program.
Even for spy satellite technology transfer, he downplayed fears, saying Russia could not have provided its cutting-edge technologies to the North in exchange for the regime's aging liquid-based missiles and ammunition stockpiles.
"Also, satellite technology cannot be acquired by simply being transferred by other nations," he said. "Even with significant purchases in acquiring the technologies from other nations, satellites can fail during testing. The North should test it by itself to make it its technology."
Instead of seeking such technologies, North Korea might have sought help to launch a satellite manufactured by its regime through Russia's rockets, which would not violate the United Nations Security Council resolutions, he said. Additionally, North Korea could be interested in information from Russia's GLONASS satellite system to monitor military trends in South Korea, the US and Japan.
However, Kim’s primary demand from Russia is not military technology, but rather “energy and food,” Chun said.
After the unsuccessful Hanoi summit between the US and North Korea, Kim announced a push for self-reliance to overcome economic challenges. However, with borders sealed for years due to the pandemic, markets suffered, people's lives were severely impacted, and dissatisfaction among residents grew. This left Kim highly concerned. “The North Korea-Russia meeting is a continuation of that sentiment.”
"North Korea urgently requires energy and food while Russia has a surplus," he said.
North Korea might also have sought Russia's assistance in alleviating its significant foreign currency deficit by employing North Korean workers -- including loggers and construction workers -- on a grand scale, Chun said.
The former top envoy noted that bilateral efforts to build close ties between North Korea and Russia are not new. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, North Korea “fully aligned” itself with Russia.
In March 2022, five nations — Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Syria and Russia — voted against a resolution condemning Russia's aggression. He said North Korea was the sole member state backing Russia's invasion aside from nations like Belarus and Syria, which rely heavily on Russia for their regime's survival.
North Korea needed Russia to forestall further UN Security Council sanctions and to push for the removal of existing sanctions as they pursued the development of strategic weapons, as announced in its eighth Party Congress.
"This served as assurance that Russia, being a permanent member of the UN Security Council, would use its veto power to block any action," he said.
Following the North Korea-Russia summit, multiple news media outlets reported that their border is seeing a sharp increase in rail traffic, likely a sign of North Korea supplying munitions to Russia.
Chun said if evidence of a North Korea-Russia arms deal emerges, it would provide a stronger rationale for South Korea to export arms to Ukraine.
Despite widespread international appeals for South Korea to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, the country has held back, largely because of its relationship with Russia and potential implications for the North.
However, if North Korea and Russia are confirmed to have exchanged military arms, the political burden to voluntarily restrain the arms support will decline, he said.
As for growing tension between the two Koreas caused by the North’s continued provocations, he predicted that tension in inter-Korean relations would continue for the time being, and some level of tension and confrontation is inevitable.
"North Korea has focused on developing five major strategic weapons, a goal set at the eighth Party Congress a few years ago,” he said. “The country will continue to test missiles and launch satellites until the goal is achieved."
He notes that, as this occurs, relations between the US and North Korea, as well as inter-Korean relations, will likely stall, making dialogue impossible.
"Once North Korea develops its five major strategic weapons, it will initiate talks. It won't enter negotiations until it has clear leverage against the US,” he said.
Profile
Chun Yung-woo, who graduated with a degree in French literature from Busan University and holds a master's from Columbia University, has served as a diplomat for more than 30 years. He has held positions as South Korean ambassador to the United Kingdom and as deputy minister of foreign affairs and trade. Chun was South Korea's chief negotiator during the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program under former Roh Moo-hyun administration. He also was the national security advisor to former President Lee Myung-bak from October 2010 to February 2013. Currently, he leads the Korean Peninsula Future Forum and serves as a senior advisor at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.
The Korea Herald publishes a series of interviews with South Korea’s former and current top diplomats who have played a central role in shaping the country’s foreign policies to confront the complexities of an increasingly contested international order while managing its historical relationships with allies and neighbors, for lasting peace beyond the Korean Peninsula. This is the second installment. -- Ed
koreaherald.com · by Shin Ji-hye · October 16, 2023
16. N. Korea slams Japan's plan to move up US missile purchase as 'arrogant choice'
This is perceived as a threat to the regime.
N. Korea slams Japan's plan to move up US missile purchase as 'arrogant choice'
koreaherald.com · by Yonhap · October 16, 2023
By Yonhap
Published : Oct. 16, 2023 - 10:15
The Yulgok Yi I destroyer of South Korea, the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and the JS Umigiri destroyer of Japan in international waters south of the southern island of Jeju on April 4. (Herald DB)
North Korea on Monday condemned Japan's move to accelerate its planned acquisition of Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States as an "arrogant choice," warning that it will heighten regional tensions.
Earlier this month, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said Tokyo aims to purchase the missiles as early as fiscal 2025, a year earlier than planned, following talks with his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, in Washington. He later said Japan is also reviewing speeding up the deployment of its homegrown long-range missiles.
"Japan's arrogant choice will create new challenges to its security and will result in escalating tension on the Korean peninsula and in the region," the North's official Korean Central News Agency said in an English commentary.
The KCNA also slammed how the leaders of South Korea, US and Japan agreed to enhance security cooperation during their summit in Camp David in August, claiming that "war state Japan's reinvasion is not a fiction but a reality."
"Japan should not act rashly," the KCNA said, stressing that the North's armed forces are closely keeping tabs on Japan's every move, to defend peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the surrounding region.
North Korea has been seeking to bolster military ties with Russia while criticizing growing trilateral security cooperation among Seoul, Tokyo and Washington as "the Asian version of NATO." (Yonhap)
koreaherald.com · by Yonhap · October 16, 2023
17. F-22, B-52 warm up for Seoul's largest-ever air show
F-22, B-52 warm up for Seoul's largest-ever air show
The Korea Times · October 16, 2023
An F-22 Raptor flies above Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Monday, during a rehearsal flight for the opening ceremony of the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX), which will kick off, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
ADEX 2023 kicks off Tuesday for six-day run
By Lee Hyo-jin
SEONGNAM, Gyeonggi Province — An F-22 Raptor stealth fighter zoomed across the blue autumn sky over Seoul Air Base, Monday, in a rare public appearance by one of America’s most advanced fighter jets.
The KF-21 Boramae, Korea's first domestically developed fighter jet, also flew over, making final preparations for its first public debut set for Tuesday.
Before flyovers of the fighter jets, a 30-minute performance was held by the Black Eagles, the Republic of Korea Air Force's aerobatic team, turning viewers skyward to the aerial maneuvers that included the formation of a "Taegeuk" pattern, the signature symbol of Korea's national flag, using smoke trails.
These were part of the rehearsal flights for the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX), which will open Tuesday at the military airbase located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The rehearsal flights were disclosed to the press and early visitors such as Seongnam residents.
The six-day defense exhibition featuring cutting-edge aerospace and defense industry technology will gather 550 companies from 35 countries, marking the largest-ever edition of the exhibition since its inception in 1996 under the name Seoul Air Show.
The Republic of Korea Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team performs over Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
This year's event will highlight the military partnership between Korea and the United States, the organizers said, marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the two nations.
A B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber will conduct two flyovers during the opening ceremony, according to ADEX organizers and the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).
The highly rare display in Korea of the U.S. strategic bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons is seen as a move to enhance the visibility of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula and counter North Korea's increasing belligerence.
Speaking to the press on Monday, Col. Charles Cameron of the U.S. Air Force said the defense fair will be an opportunity to demonstrate the U.S.’ ironclad commitment to the Korea-U.S. alliance.
“And as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the alliance, we have a larger participation from the U.S. military,” he said.
An ADEX official said the B-52 will not be on display on the ground after the flyby, but noted that it will be visible during its flyby at a relatively low altitude of 1,500 feet (457 meters).
Other U.S. military assets such as the MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system, the EA-18G Growler and ground equipment such as self-propelled howitzers, will also be featured during the exhibition.
Officials from local and foreign defense firms were busy making final preparations on Monday. Over 2,300 booths will be set up at six indoor exhibition halls, sized 250,000 square meters altogether. Korea's defense giants such as Hanwha, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), LIG Nex1 and Hyundai Rotem will display their state-of-the-art technologies.
About 100 foreign delegates from 55 countries are expected during the weekdays – from Tuesday through Friday ― and some 280,000 visitors are expected on the weekend when the event will be open to the general public.
ADEX organizers expressed hopes for the exhibition to lay the groundwork for achieving the nation's goal of becoming the fourth-largest player in the global arms market.
A visitor watches the Black Eagles, the aerobatic team of the Republic of Korea Air Force, at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Airbus eyes more partnerships with Korea
Amid anticipation that the defense fair will provide marketing opportunities for local defense contractors, European multinational aerospace giant Airbus, one of the participants of ADEX, said Monday that it would like to bolster partnerships with Korea possibly by establishing a research and development center here.
"Airbus' goal is to become a partner of choice for the development of local solutions in the helicopters, defense and space sectors, as well as in the supply chain," Loic Porcheron, Airbus' chief representative for South Korea, told reporters in Seoul.
Porcheron said Airbus is "studying the possibility of setting up an R&D center" in Korea, adding that the plan is in the conceptualization stage through discussions with local space and aerospace companies.
The Korea Times · October 16, 2023
18. Why Only 2 K-Pop Idols Ever Have Served Their Military Service In The KATUSA Unit
Why Only 2 K-Pop Idols Ever Have Served Their Military Service In The KATUSA Unit
koreaboo.com · October 14, 2023
When DAY6‘s Young K enlisted into the KATUSA branch of the Republic Of Korea (ROK) Army, he became the first K-Pop idol to be accepted into the program. A.C.E‘s Byeongkwan became the second when he enlisted in April 2022. Here’s what it takes to get into this highly sought-after, low-acceptance branch.
Young K of DAY6. | @from_youngk/Instagram
KATUSA, which stands for Korean Augmentation To the United States Army, started in 1950 following the beginning of the Korean war. Its purpose was support the US forces during the war, and since the 1953 armistice, it functions to the benefit of both the US Army and ROK Army.
| The Korea Times
KATUSA members serve as support to the US Army forces as well as translators between Americans and the Korean public. Beyond the military, however, many KATUSA and US Army soldiers have shared that the cultural exchange and learning opportunities make the experience unique.
| 8th Army, ROKA Support Group
Those who wish to join are required to take and pass one of eight standardized English tests. Two of the most common tests are TOEFL, with a passing score of 83, and TOEIC, with a passing score of 780. For Young K, he received a TOEFL score of 116 and a TOEIC score of 970. For reference, the highest score possible for TOEFL is 120, and the highest for TOEIC is 990.
| @from_youngk/Instagram
But even once they receive their passing score, their acceptance is not guaranteed; KATUSA relies on a lottery system to choose from the pool of qualified volunteers. According to The Korea Times, out of 16,760 applicants in 2020, only 1,600 were accepted. Their acceptance rate will continue to decline in future years as more US Army forces move out of South Korea.
| 8th Army, ROKA Support Group
However, despite the highly competitive process to get into KATUSA, it remains “the most enviable” post for Koreans entering the military. This is due to the comparatively better treatment soldiers can receive through working with US Army units.
The popularity of joining KATUSA derives from the fact that they can receive better treatment, including meals, compared to regular South Korean military units. These perks include the freedom to leave military posts on weekdays with relative ease, and a comparably less hierarchical relationship with supervisors.
— Bak Se Hwan, The Korea Herald
Young K was the first idol to be accepted into the highly desired KATUSA branch thanks to both his impressive fluency in English and just a touch of good luck. He completed his military service in April 2023, while Byeongkwan will complete his service this month!
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koreaboo.com · October 14, 2023
19. At America’s Largest Overseas Military Base, Tension Ratchets Up With the Outbreak of War in the Middle East
At America’s Largest Overseas Military Base, Tension Ratchets Up With the Outbreak of War in the Middle East
nysun.com
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – North Korean threats to inflict a “first strike” on American forces in South Korea places this sprawling base 60 miles below the North-South line in the crosshairs of the North’s atomic bombs and missiles a week after Hamas’ onslaught against Israel.
Here at America’s largest overseas military base, a video in the base museum glorifies American and South Korean troops staving off North Korean and Chinese invasion in the Korean War that ended more than 70 years ago.“Ready To fight tonight” is one of the slogans emblazoned in the video.
The tension here seems all the more pronounced since North Korea praises Hamas’ terror attack on Israel and threatens to strike the United States Ship Ronald Reagan, dispatched to South Korea after another aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, steamed to the eastern Mediterranean off the coast of Israel.
Just as the Gerald Ford buttresses defenses against Palestinian Arab terrorists, so the arrival of the Ronald Reagan at the port of Busan reminds North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un of what to expect if he fulfills his vows to rain death and destruction on the South.
Around the headquarters of the combined U.S. Forces Korea and United Nations Command, which moved here five years ago from the historic Yongsan base in Seoul, the rhetoric from the North arouses concerns even if an attack does not seem imminent.
As Israeli troops readied to move into Gaza, North Korea boasted of its decision to conduct a “rapid first strike” against the Americans, most of them stationed here and in the nearby Osan Air Base, headquarters of the Seventh United States Air Force.
The Ronald Reagan, on a five-day mission to Busan, on Korea’s southeastern coast, inspired the latest torrent of North Korean rhetoric against a “provocation” that it might counter with a “first strike” — that is, an attack before the Americans had a chance to strike first.
Although the nuclear-powered Ronald Reagan is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, there’s no confirmation that any are in the arsenal on board, and none of its planes carry atomic bombs. The ship is basically on a show of strength, designed to dissuade Mr. Kim from whatever ideas he may have gotten from Hamas’ onslaught in Israel.
The North’s propaganda machine went into overdrive with Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency warning of a “powerful and rapid first strike” against “the bases of evil in the Korean peninsula and its vicinity” — meaning North Korean missiles might strike bases in Japan as well as South Korea.
DONALD KIRK
Mr. Kirk, based in Seoul and Washington, has been covering Asia for decades for newspapers and magazines and is the author of books on Korea, the Vietnam War and the Philippines.
nysun.com
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
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