In Honor of Yu Gwan Sun and the March 1st 1919 Korean Independence Movement

Informal Institute for National Security Thinkers and Practitioners

Happy Independence Day. And greetings from my layover at Incheon Airport.

Quotes of the Day:

“Democracy does not guarantee equality of condition – it guarantees equality of opportunity.”

– Irving Kristol

“Independence Day: freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.”

– Dwight D. Eisenhower

“As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.”

– George Washington

1. N.K. leader inspects munitions factory after key party meeting

2. Pentagon decries N. Korea's recent missile launches as 'irresponsible'

3. Yoon vows to deter N. Korea's threats through strength

4. Outgoing Chinese envoy says he will keep working to advance bilateral relations with S. Korea

5. Navy completes acquisition of 6 P-8A maritime patrol aircraft

6. North Korea recalls overseas students for ‘political indoctrination’

7. North Korea and Russia to build road bridge over Tumen River

8. I stayed at a North Korean summer camp. We polished statues and played a game where we destroyed the White House.

9. CHIPS Act advisor: "US-South Korea alliance key to technological dominance"

10. Assembly debates ways to shield state agencies from North Korean cyberattacks

11. Even wartime Israel shows concern over S. Korea’s low birth rate

12. N. Korea intensifies security around important statues

13. Is Kim Jong-un leveraging rise of women for daughter's succession?

1. N.K. leader inspects munitions factory after key party meeting

Making sure they are able to fill Russia's factory orders (and to fill KJU's coffers with cash).

(LEAD) N.K. leader inspects munitions factory after key party meeting | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · July 3, 2024

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info throughout; ADDS photo)

SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited major munitions and machinery factories, calling for efforts to expand production in the overall economic sector, according to state media Wednesday.

The inspection took place Tuesday, a day after North Korea wrapped up four days of a plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Accompanied by party officials, Kim visited a defense industrial enterprise, which the North said plays a key role in bolstering the country's defense capabilities.

This photo, provided by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on July 3, 2024, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) inspecting a major defense industrial plant the previous day. The inspection took place right after the final day of a plenary meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

He stressed the need for party officials to "thoroughly study and arm themselves in order to properly organize and guide the modernization of production lines at all units in the economic field," the KCNA said.

Later in the day, Kim also visited major machine and medical appliance factories.

During the latest plenary meeting, Kim expressed his satisfaction with the economic performance in the first half of the year, saying the country's economic situations are markedly on an upturn.

The inspection appears to be aimed at encouraging party officials to expand the modernization of the defense industry to other economic sectors.

Photos released show that Kim was accompanied not only by top party officials and close aides from relevant sectors but also by many other officials.

Given reports that the visit took place right after the plenary meeting, it appears that Kim led the participants of the meeting to the factory for an observational tour.

North Korea has been intensifying its efforts to revitalize the defense industry, with experts suggesting that this is not only for strengthening its defense capabilities but also to benefit from Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine.

Kim had previously visited key defense industry facilities multiple times in May.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (2nd from L) visits a major industrial plant on July 2, 2024, in this photo provided by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

khj@yna.co.kr

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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · July 3, 2024

2. Pentagon decries N. Korea's recent missile launches as 'irresponsible'

north Korea's actions are part of its political warfare and blackmail diplomacy strategy. We should be calling them out on that and explaining to the world what the regime is doing.

Pentagon decries N. Korea's recent missile launches as 'irresponsible' | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · July 3, 2024

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, July 2 (Yonhap) -- A Pentagon spokesperson on Tuesday criticized North Korea's recent ballistic missile launches as "irresponsible," and reiterated the United States' calls for the recalcitrant regime to return to diplomacy.

Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder made the remarks after Pyongyang claimed to have conducted a multiple warhead missile capability test last week, and test-fired a new tactical ballistic missile capable of carrying a super-large warhead this week.

"Again, we continue to highlight the fact that this kind of destabilizing, disruptive behavior is irresponsible. We continue to call on North Korea to return to diplomatic discussions," Ryder told a press briefing.

"But in those particular launches, while there was no assessment that it posed a threat to the U.S. or our allies or partners in the region, it is something that we will continue to take seriously," he added.

This photo, released by the Associated Press, shows Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder speaking during a news conference at the Pentagon near Washington on May 14, 2024. (Yonhap)

The North's stated pursuit of multiple warhead technology has been a new source of security concern as the technology, if acquired, would enable the regime to strike multiple targets with a single missile.

Commenting on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit slated to take place from July 9-11 in Washington, Ryder said that the transatlantic alliance's partnership with South Korea and other regional partners would be an agenda item.

"During the summit, Secretary Austin will be engaged in discussions to ramp up transatlantic defense industrial production, ensure adequate defense investments from allies and the deepening of practical cooperation between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners to include Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea," he said, referring to South Korea by its official name.

"Since its creation 75 years ago, NATO has been the greatest defensive alliance in human history. Next week's summit underscores the U.S.' unwavering commitment to NATO and the alliance's critical role in maintaining global security and stability."

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · July 3, 2024

3. Yoon vows to deter N. Korea's threats through strength

The ROK/US alliance is so much stronger than the north (and the pseudo Russo-north Korean and Chinese-north Korean "alliances"). We should be viewing north Korea's actions through the lens of weakness and desperation, fear and envy.

The regime is weak due to internal pressures caused by KJU's deliberate policy decisions and he is facing extreme internal stress. He is desperate for help in advancing his military capabilities. He fears the ROK/US alliance, and along with China and Russia, is envious of the alliances among like-minded democratic countries because he will never be able to enjoy such relationships and alliances.

I continue to receive queries after each north Krorean action asking how the ROK/US alliance can be strengthened. First we should never react to every provocation. Second the alliance is already strong and we do not have to try to make it stronger with each providcation.

Yoon vows to deter N. Korea's threats through strength | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · July 4, 2024

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol said Thursday that South Korea will defend liberal democracy through strength by deterring threats posed by North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile program and other provocations.

Yoon made the remark during a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the right-leaning Korea Freedom Foundation as he slammed North Korea's recent signing of a mutual defense treaty with Russia and sending of trash-filled balloons across the border.

"Our government will firmly defend the freedom and prosperity of citizens with strength, not just words," Yoon said during the ceremony in Incheon, west of Seoul. "We will not retreat a single step in protecting the freedom and lives of our people, ensuring that no one dares to threaten the country."

Yoon underscored the importance of upholding the values of liberal democracy and a free market economy, highlighting North Korea's dismal economy and human rights issues.

"North Korea, which chose communist totalitarianism, remains the last frozen land on earth, the darkest and poorest place in the world," he said. "While we enjoy freedom and prosperity, many of our compatriots in North Korea are suffering from hunger, deprived of even basic human rights."

President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a speech during a ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Korea Freedom Foundation in Incheon, west of Seoul, on July 4, 2024. (Yonhap)

ejkim@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · July 4, 2024

4. Outgoing Chinese envoy says he will keep working to advance bilateral relations with S. Korea

Additional interpretation: While trying to undermine the ROK/US alliance.

(LEAD) Outgoing Chinese envoy says he will keep working to advance bilateral relations with S. Korea | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · July 4, 2024

(ATTN: RECASTS throughout with foreign ministry's comments; CHANGES headline)

By Kim Seung-yeon and Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming vowed Thursday to continue making efforts to boost bilateral relations between South Korea and China as he prepares to leave Seoul, a year after sparking a furor over his controversial remarks.

Xing's planned departure later this month comes amid cooling Seoul-Beijing relations as President Yoon Suk Yeol has taken the approach of aligning closely with the United States.

The Chinese envoy said in June last year that "those who bet" on China's defeat in its rivalry with the U.S. "will definitely regret it," prompting South Korea to call for "appropriate" measures, widely seen as pressure on China to recall the ambassador. Some lawmakers called for designating him as a "persona non grata."

Xing said he has worked hard to advance the relationship between South Korea and China, after a moment of silence when asked by a reporter if he had any regrets.

"I am grateful for the support I have received from the South Korean government and various sectors," Xing told reporters after paying a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul earlier in the day. It is known to be the first time that Xing met with Cho since Cho took office as foreign minister in January this year.

He has made few public appearances since he came under fire over his negative comments about the Yoon government's foreign policy. Xing has since reportedly been experiencing difficulties meeting with government officials in South Korea.

"I will continue to cherish these valuable experiences and strive for the development of China-South Korea relations," Xing said.

In the brief meeting with Xing, Cho acknowledged the efforts Xing has put in as ambassador for the past 4 1/2 years and asked him to continue to do his part to help promote the friendly relationship of the two countries, Lim Soo-suk, foreign ministry spokesperson, said in a briefing.

Xing began his term as China's top envoy to Seoul in January 2020. He is recognized for his extensive knowledge and experience in Korea-related affairs, including his fluency in Korean.

Some observers say Xing's planned departure indicates Beijing's effort to improve ties with Seoul amid signs of the two sides trying to better manage their bilateral relations amid North Korea's close alignment with Russia.

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming enters the foreign ministry in Seoul on July 4, 2024, to pay a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul ahead of his departure from the post. (Yonhap)

elly@yna.co.kr

khj@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · July 4, 2024

5. Navy completes acquisition of 6 P-8A maritime patrol aircraft

(LEAD) Navy completes acquisition of 6 P-8A maritime patrol aircraft | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · July 4, 2024

(ATTN: CHANGES photos; ADDS details, remarks in paras 3-4, 7; RESTRUCTURES)

SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- The Navy completed its acquisition of six P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft on Thursday, with the multi-mission assets expected to bolster South Korea's anti-submarine capabilities against North Korean threats.

Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo, and key defense and regional officials joined a ceremony marking the delivery of the advanced aircraft at the Naval Air Command in Pohang, 262 kilometers southeast of Seoul, the Navy said.

Shin said the new fleet of aircraft will be a "game changer" in defending waters around the Korean Peninsula and warned North Korea against maritime provocations.

"The P-8A Poseidon will turn the enemy's submarine into a fish in a fishbowl. The sea will become a hell for enemy submarines," Shin said in his congratulatory address.

Defense Minister Shin Won-sik (6th from L) and officials pose for a group photo during a ceremony marking the completion of the delivery of P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, at the Naval Air Command in Pohang, 262 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in this photo provided by the Navy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The delivery came nearly six years after the state military acquisition agency launched a project to purchase the aircraft from U.S. defense firm Boeing through a government-to-government "foreign military sale" program. Three aircraft first arrived in the country on June 19, followed by the delivery of the remaining batch on June 30.

Dubbed the "submarine killer," the P-8A is capable of conducting an array of missions, including anti-submarine, anti-surface, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. Its maximum speed is 907 kilometers per hour, compared with 749 kilometers per hour of P-3 maritime surveillance aircraft currently in operation.

The 40-meter-long aircraft, based on the Boeing 737 commercial airplane, is armed with anti-ship guided missiles and torpedoes that can strike surface targets and submarines, as well as around 120 sonobuoys that can detect, identify and track enemy submarines, according to the Navy.

"The P-8A will substantially contribute to the security readiness of the Republic of Korea, as a core asset that will neutralize enemy submarines and as a steadfast pillar of the maritime-based three-pronged deterrence system," Rear Adm. (lower half) Ha Sung-wook, who heads the Naval Air Command, said.

The Navy plans to deploy the P-8A next year following yearlong training and evaluation of its operational capabilities. It earlier dispatched personnel to the U.S. for 16-month training on operating the aircraft.

Officials and troops attend a ceremony marking the completion of the delivery of P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, at the Naval Air Command in Pohang, 262 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in this photo provided by the Navy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

mlee@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · July 4, 2024

6. North Korea recalls overseas students for ‘political indoctrination’

Loyalty first.

Another indicator of Kim's fear of the Korean people.

North Korea recalls overseas students for ‘political indoctrination’

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/pyongyang-student-recall-07042024010828.html

The sessions are seen as part of a broader effort to tighten control over the younger generation.

By Taejun Kang for RFA

2024.07.04

Taipei, Taiwan

North Korea’s youth and students wearing protective face masks hold an outdoor rally in Pyongyang, in protest over the leaflets sent by defectors in South Korea that condemned Kim Jong Un’s regime, in this photo taken June 6, 2020 and released by Kyodo on June 7, 2020.

Kyodo/Reuters

North Korea has issued a directive for students studying overseas to return home for “political indoctrination” sessions, said South Korea’s unification ministry.

The sessions, aimed at reinforcing allegiance to leader Kim Jong Un, will be held at the Pyongyang Grand People’s Study House later this month, the ministry said on Wednesday.

“North Korea is gradually resuming the measures that were halted due to the COVID-19 lockdown,” said the ministry, adding that the order appeared to be aimed at involving the younger generation.

The indoctrination is seen as part of a broader effort to tighten control over young North Koreans as well as preventing defections among the young members of the elite, said the ministry.

North Korea and Russia to build road bridge over Tumen River

Experts predict it will increase trade and tourism between two nations connected only by rail.

By Seo Hye Jun for RFA Korean

2024.07.03

An international passenger train travels on the Korea–Russia Friendship Bridge, July 15, 2014, leaving North Korea (DPRK) and entering Russia over the Tumen River. The bridge is the sole crossing point on the 17 km long North Korea–Russia border.

TowerCard via Wikipedia

North Korea and Russia plan to build a new road bridge connecting their countries over the Tumen River, which separates them in North Korea’s northeast.

The two sides agreed to the Tumen River Bridge plan during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Pyongyang on June 19.

North Korea is only connected on land to Russia by rail, so the new bridge would allow road traffic, meaning it would likely boost trade and tourism. Russian trucks and buses full of Russian tourists could travel across it, although roads need to be built on both sides to link it to existing roads.

Experts immediately made comparisons to the New Yalu River Bridge, a road bridge that connects North Korea and China in North Korea’s northwest.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un take a ride, June 20, 2024 in Pyongyang, North Korea. (KCNA via Reuters)

Though that bridge was completed almost a decade ago, it still remains unopened, because the North Korean side has yet to install the proper infrastructure.

Road traffic between North Korea’s Sinuiju and China’s Dandong, the two major hubs in Sino-Korean trade, must settle for a single reversible lane on the aging Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which was built in 1943 towards the end of Japan’s colonial occupation of Korea and primarily handles rail traffic.

North Korea and Russia have been discussing road bridge construction since 2015, but talks ended in 2016 when North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test.

Renewed closeness

Unlike the new bridge to China, North Korea’s renewed closeness to Russia makes it highly likely that the bridge to the Russian Far East will be completed and opened without much delay, Choi Eun-ju, a Research Fellow at the Sejong Institute in South Korea, told RFA Korean.

She said that even if war in Ukraine ends and Russia has less incentive to engage with North Korea, the two sides will likely remain close in the long term.

I stayed at a North Korean summer camp. We polished statues and played a game where we destroyed the White House.

Business Insider · by Joshua Zitser

Yuri Frolov, then 15, first visited North Korea in 2015.

Courtesy of Yuri Frolov

Some Russian kids will attend North Korea's Songdowon International Children's Camp this summer.
The camp features propaganda activities, such as cleaning leaders' statues and singing Korean songs.
Yuri Frolov, a Russian who twice stayed at the camp, told Business Insider about his experiences.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Yuri Frolov, 25, who in 2015 and 2016 attended North Korea's Songdowon International Children's Camp, where some Russian children will be sent this summer. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

When I was a kid, I remember watching a TV documentary about North Korea. Although I was very young, my perception of the country was that it was under siege by its capitalist neighbors.

I knew little; I wanted to see it with my own eyes.

I tried to find more information, so I subscribed to a group called "Solidarity with North Korea" on VKontakte — Russia's equivalent to Facebook.

In it, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation offered a chance to go to a North Korean children's summer camp for about $300.

That included food, accommodation, all the facilities, plane tickets, and everything else — really cheap for a 15-day trip.

I saw it as an opportunity to see North Korea for myself, so I asked my parents, who agreed to send me to Songdowon.

I traveled alone from St. Petersburg, where I grew up, to Vladivostok, in the far east of Russia, where I joined a group of other children and some Communist Party officials. At 15, I was one of the oldest; the others were 9, 10, and 11.

I was probably the only one traveling to North Korea to see this dystopia. The others seemed to see it as a chance to go to the beach or play in the playground inexpensively.

Yuri Frolov's view of Pyongyang from his hotel.

Courtesy of Yuri Frolov

First, we spent two days in Pyongyang, where we were constantly supervised.

We visited many places, including Kim Il Sung Square and the war museum where they displayed captured American vehicles as well as the USS Pueblo, the American ship that was seized by the North Koreans in the 1960s.

They kept pushing us into supermarkets so that we'd spend some money.

What was funny was that it was really easy to buy vodka and cigarettes.

Some kids in our group, as young as 12, bought North Korean rice vodka, brought it back to the camp, and got extremely drunk on the first couple of nights.

The main building of the Songdowon International Children's Camp.

Courtesy of Yuri Frolov

Upon arriving at Songdowon, the staff was very welcoming, cheering us on while they stood in a long line.

About five buses of children arrived. Though most of us were Russian, there were also groups of children from Laos, Nigeria, Tanzania, and China.

However, the North Korean children in the camp were quite segregated from us, and we only met them once on our last day.

I think that was deliberate, preventing them from talking with us about their experiences.

The summer camp had many activities, such as beach outings, sandcastle-building competitions, and swimming. However, it also had some really weird rituals.

We had to clean statues of North Korea's former leaders. One morning, we woke up at 6 a.m. to clean the monuments of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

We didn't have sponges or anything — we were just brushing off the dust, even though the monuments were cleaned professionally every week. It was strange.

We also had to participate in concerts, singing propaganda songs in Korean about North Korea's Supreme Leaders, using lyric sheets translated into Russian.

The concert hall at Songdowon International Children's Camp.

Courtesy of Yuri Frolov

They tried to brainwash us in many ways. We played a computer game where your character, a hamster in a tank, had to destroy the White House.

One kid became so indoctrinated afterward that he joined the Communist Party in Russia and was always posting about North Korea.

For me, it didn't work — the propaganda was too straightforward.

Also, I was too frustrated with the strict schedule to be brainwashed. For example, when I was sick, they wouldn't let me skip early-morning exercise.

The food was also really bad. The only things I could eat were rice, wedges, and bread.

I lost about 11 pounds in 15 days, even though I was already skinny.

After leaving, I craved capitalist food so badly that I bought three Burger King burgers, two large fries, and a cola. It was impossible to eat all that, but I just wanted it so bad.

Despite the boring, miserable and overly controlled experience, I returned the next year. I don't like confrontation, and the Communist Party officials had already signed me up, so I went again.

It was a stupid decision to return, and I don't know why my parents let me go, but I'd totally do it again.

I can easily make friends just by talking about my experiences — people just want to hear about North Korea.

Business Insider · by Joshua Zitser

9. CHIPS Act advisor: "US-South Korea alliance key to technological dominance"

CHIPS Act advisor: "US-South Korea alliance key to technological dominance"

Interview with Mark Lundstrom, Purdue University's special advisor

https://www.chosun.com/english/people-en/2024/07/04/E2A5FLJH2ZGDFMAZ7W4GOPE2HU/

By Song Bok-gyu,

Yeom Hyun-a

Published 2024.07.04. 10:50

Mark Lundstrom, special advisor at Purdue University, talks to ChosunBiz at the Fairmont Ambassador in Yeouido, Seoul, on July 2, 2024./Korea Institute of Industrial Technology

The competition for technological dominance in semiconductors is escalating. In August 2022, the United States introduced the $280 billion CHIPS Act, also known as the Semiconductor Support Act, to bolster domestic semiconductor production. The CHIPS Act aims to prevent the growth of semiconductor manufacturing facilities in China by offering investment subsidies to companies that establish factories in the U.S. This initiative seeks to maintain the “semiconductor super gap” by actively supporting research and development (R&D) and human resources training.

Purdue University in Indiana has played a key role in implementing the CHIPS Act, providing the necessary R&D and workforce training to transition from the lab to the fab, the semiconductor production facility. SK Hynix is also building a $3.87 billion high-bandwidth memory (HBM) fab in Indiana to capitalize on Purdue University’s technology and workforce.

Mark Lundstrom, Purdue University’s special advisor to the vice chancellor, oversees semiconductor R&D at the institution. He is a key figure in the U.S. semiconductor strategy. “Collaboration is essential to achieving breakthroughs in semiconductors, which have reached their technological limits,” Lundstrom said in a July 2 interview with ChosunBiz at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul.

In 2003 and 2022, Lundstrom wrote in the international journal Science that “Moore’s Law, which states that the number of transistors on a chip doubles yearly, will reach its limit.” He emphasized that Moore’s Law continues to challenge the semiconductor field, noting that technologies and equipment have become increasingly complex and expensive, making it difficult to transition research from universities to semiconductor manufacturing plants.

The U.S. aims to increase domestic semiconductor production to 14% by 2032, up from the current 10%. With rapid advancements in computing technology, ensuring a reliable supply of semiconductors is crucial. “Global semiconductor sales, currently around $500 billion, are expected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2030,” Lundstrom said. He highlighted the critical importance of securing semiconductors for national security.

Lundstrom identified international collaboration, spearheaded by the CHIPS Act, as a solution for semiconductor innovation. “The growth of the semiconductor industry is an opportunity for the U.S., but also for South Korea and Taiwan, where TSMC is located,” he said. “If Samsung Electronics builds a fab in Texas and SK Hynix builds a fab in Indiana, the U.S. government’s support can help fill in each other’s gaps and promote growth.” He added that international cooperation in semiconductors could prevent competitors like China from catching up.

Mark Lundstrom, special advisor to Purdue University, and Lee Sang-mok, president of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), tour the KITECH Research Institute of Intelligent Manufacturing & Materials Technology in Incheon, on July 2, 2024./Korea Institute of Industrial Technology

Lundstrom believes the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November will have minimal impact on the semiconductor industry, as there is a bipartisan consensus on its importance. However, he advised that Samsung and SK Hynix, recognizing the limitations of their memory semiconductor-centric businesses, must develop technologies simultaneously addressing computing and memory.

“The CHIPS Act received bipartisan support in the U.S., so there is no debate about the alliance between South Korea and the U.S. regardless of the election outcome,” Lundstrom said. “Korean semiconductor companies such as Samsung and SK will have opportunities if they develop chips that combine computing and memory, moving away from the low-margin memory semiconductor industry. We need to break out of traditional thinking because semiconductor technology is changing dynamically,” he added.

References

Science(2022), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ade2191

Science(2003) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1079567

10. Assembly debates ways to shield state agencies from North Korean cyberattacks

Must defend against the regime's all purpose sword.

Assembly debates ways to shield state agencies from North Korean cyberattacks

koreaherald.com · by Kim Arin · July 3, 2024

Bill proposed to make cybersecurity compliance mandatory for constitutional bodies

By Kim Arin

Published : July 3, 2024 - 20:09

People Power Party Rep. Park Choong-kwon speaks at a forum held at the National Assembly on Wednesday. (courtesy of Rep. Park Choong-kwon’s office)

Cybersecurity compliance should be made mandatory for constitutional institutions like governmental agencies in South Korea, lawmakers and experts said Wednesday.

At a National Assembly forum held on the day, ruling People Power Party Rep. Park Choong-kwon said constitutional institutions should be required to observe security practices in light of the recent North Korean cyberattacks against South Korean courts.

According to findings by the Korean National Police Agency in May, hackers for North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau planted malicious code into the networks of South Korean courts, stealing up to 1,014 gigabytes of data over two years up to January.

When the Supreme Court’s administrative office became aware of the breach last year, it did not inform the National Intelligence Service or investigative agencies of the breaches immediately and resorted to consulting a private cybersecurity company instead.

Not long after cyberattacks against the courts became known, an official social media account owned by the Ministry of Health and Welfare was breached by a North Korean hacker group.

Park said that when he was a student at the Kim Jong-un National Defense University in Pyongyang, the first thing they taught in computer engineering class was hacking skills.

“The Kim Jong-un administration is intent on cultivating an army of North Korean hackers to use stolen private data for criminal activities to generate illicit funds,” he said. “The stolen information can be used to spread disinformation and fake news to cause a divide in our society.”

Under existing laws, agencies in charge of cybersecurity affairs like the National Intelligence Service cannot initiate an inspection of constitutional institutions -- governmental bodies established by the Constitution -- even in a suspected instance of an attack.

“North Korean cyberattacks have gotten to a point where the top institutions that uphold democracy in our country are exposed to infiltrations,” Park said. “To catch up with advanced threats, we have to step up our efforts in protecting our public agencies.”

The ruling party proposed a bill for making cybersecurity checks more widely accessible to constitutional institutions.

Kim So-jeong, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Strategy, called on the Assembly to create a legal basis for implementing security measures in the government as well as other public bodies through legislation.

She pointed out that in the US, state agencies could face reduced federal funding or other penalties for failing to meet security requirements under the Federal Information Security Management Act.

“The US Congress has continued to play a role in enforcing how security measures are enforced in the government,” she said.

She said that other countries also looked to South Korea for clues about responses to cyber threats from North Korea.

“The embassies in South Korea were increasingly reporting North Korean cyberattacks targeting its citizens, and one of the questions that they have was what the best practice is for responding to such threats,” she said.

“There are a lot of efforts in the international community to address these threats in cyberspace, and South Korea is very much involved. South Korea could have a leading presence in the cyber domain.”

As police tend to focus on the postattack response rather than prevention, close cooperation with agencies in charge of prevention and protection was crucial, according to Kim San-ho of the Korean National Police Agency’s National Security Bureau.

“When we identify an attack, we begin an investigation and work with authorities of other concerned agencies to minimize the damage. But it goes without saying that proactive prevention is way better than recovery,” he said. “In order to prevent future incidents, strengthening cooperation among agencies is key.”

koreaherald.com · by Kim Arin · July 3, 2024

11. Even wartime Israel shows concern over S. Korea’s low birth rate

Even wartime Israel shows concern over S. Korea’s low birth rate

donga.com

Posted July. 04, 2024 08:19,

Updated July. 04, 2024 08:19

Even wartime Israel shows concern over S. Korea’s low birth rate. July. 04, 2024 08:19. .

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke at Tel Aviv University on June 25. He highlighted Israel's strong economic and social resilience, even amid conflict with Hamas, which he attributed to the country's high birth rate of 3.0. Bennett contrasted this with South Korea’s significantly lower birth rate.

Public figures such as Tesla CEO Elon Musk and American feminist legal scholar Joan Williams have also discussed the implications of low birth rates. The severity of South Korea’s situation was underscored in Tel Aviv, far from Seoul. If Bennett knew South Korea's birth rate in the fourth quarter of 2023 was just 0.65, he might emphasize it more in future speeches.

During my visit to Israel from June 23 to 27, many Israelis, including the general public, politicians, and businesspeople, proudly shared the number of their children and grandchildren. “I have four children and 15 grandchildren, eight from my first son,” said Jonathan Medved, CEO of OurCrowd, which secures investments from Hana Bank and NH Nonghyup Bank for IT startups.

Israel’s high fertility rate is partly due to its ongoing state of conflict, surrounded by Arab nations, and its historical experience of re-establishing a nation after 2,000 years. The existential fear of losing their country has fostered a societal emphasis on childbirth and raising children.

However, Israel's high birth rate is largely driven by the Haredi, or ultra-Orthodox Jews, whose average birth rate is 6.6, compared to 2.5 among other Jews. When I visited the Western Wall, a Jewish holy site in Jerusalem, I saw many Haredi women with long sideburns, black clothes, and hats, accompanied by their Haredi husbands and seven or eight children.

The Haredi population grew from 750,000 in 2009 to 1.28 million in 2022, making up 13.5% of Israel's 9.45 million people. This percentage is expected to rise to 19% by 2035.

While improving housing prices, private education costs, jobs, and childcare are common suggestions for increasing birth rates, these policies mainly benefit the white-collar class. Even in Nordic countries with better parenting environments and lower costs than South Korea, fertility rates are declining. Finland's fertility rate dropped from 1.75 in 2013 to a record low of 1.26 last year.

This trend shows that welfare expansion alone does not significantly boost population growth. Instead of treating population decline as an "emergency," it is more practical to find ways to mitigate its impacts.

한국어

donga.com

12. N. Korea intensifies security around important statues

Another indicator of the stresses the regime is facing. Potential internal resistance.

The regime must create the perception of an external threat from the ROK/US alliance to justify the sacrifices and suffering of the Korean people in the north.

N. Korea intensifies security around important statues - Daily NK English

Recent personnel shifts also eliminate the need to mobilize personnel from other technical units for seasonal and daily repairs of the statues and tunnels on Mansudae Hill

By Jeong Tae Joo - July 4, 2024

dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · July 4, 2024

A statue of Kim Il Sung in North Korea. (Roman Harak, Creative Commons, Flickr)

The Bunker Management Department of the Supreme Guard Command has expanded its patrol and technical formations to strengthen the security of the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on Mansudae Hill in Pyongyang.

A Daily NK source in North Korea, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Friday that the Supreme Guard Command expanded the formations of its Bunker Management Department between June 17 and June 22. The move aims to strengthen emergency response capacity and eliminate the need to mobilize personnel from other technical units for seasonal and daily repairs of the statues and tunnels on Mansudae Hill.

The reorganization integrates specialized technical management personnel into the Supreme Guard Command, focusing on the security of the tunnels and maintaining secrecy. The source said the party committee of the Supreme Guard Command made this strategic decision to improve security and efficiency by including personnel with expert knowledge in the Bunker Management Department.

“An additional battalion was quickly added to the Bunker Management Department within a few days following a decision by the party committee of the Supreme Guard Command last month,” the source said. “Previously, the Bunker Management Committee had only one battalion, but it was reorganized into two battalions, including a technical company.”

Security reinforced around statues amid heightened tensions

The Supreme Guard Command believes it can now better protect the statues and tunnels on Mansudae Hill by strengthening the technical management capacity for the tunnels and creating a system that allows personnel to respond more effectively in emergencies.

“The unit’s political department told the soldiers that the unit has built a system that can respond more effectively in an emergency by expanding the formations that manage the tunnels under Mansudae Hill and improving their technical expertise. It urged them to take full responsibility for guarding the statues to the best of their abilities,” the source said.

Supreme Guard Command officials say efforts to improve security around the statues are necessary due to heightened military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

“Within the Supreme Guard Command, they believe the move is highly significant as it strengthens the management posture and security of the statues on Mansudae Hill and the tunnels that can be used in case of emergency during the current tensions,” the source said.

Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons.

Please send any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.

Read in Korean

dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · July 4, 2024

13. Is Kim Jong-un leveraging rise of women for daughter's succession?

Or is this "mirror imaging on our part? Has information about women's rights from around the world made it into north Korea?

Ofr is Kim cultivating his external image?

Is Kim Jong-un leveraging rise of women for daughter's succession?

The Korea Times · July 4, 2024

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, and his daughter, Ju-ae, supervise a paramilitary parade held at Kim Il Sung Square to mark the 75th anniversary of the regime establishment in this Sept. 9, 2023 photo carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap

Kim Jong-sun promoted to head of social organization department of ruling party

By Kwak Yeon-soo

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently promoted Kim Jong-sun, the chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Socialist Women's Union of Korea (SWUK), as the head of the social organization department of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), which is seen as an unprecedented move, according to analysts.

The personnel changes were announced during the 10th plenary meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea's 8th Central Committee, held from Friday to Monday, to review state policy performances in the first half of this year.

This is the first time a woman was appointed to the position of head of the social organization department of the WPK, according to the Ministry of Unification. The ministry said it is closely monitoring developments in North Korea.

Cheong Seong-chang, director of the Center for Korean Peninsula Strategy at the Sejong Institute, suggested that the promotion of women to leadership roles could indicate preparations for a smoother transfer of power to Kim Jong-un's young daughter, Ju-ae.

"Expanding women's presence in the political scene and increasing the number of women in leadership roles signal that Kim Ju-ae's succession is likely. Some women leaders like Kim Jong-sun may appear as Ju-ae's advisor or confidant in the future," Cheong said. "Although there is no official announcement yet, it seems like the North Korean leader has already begun planning his succession."

Kim Jong-sun, the chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Socialist Women’s Union of Korea / Yonhap

Cho Han-bum, a senior research fellow at the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification, noted that Kim Jong-un has taken a different approach compared to his father Kim Jong-il or grandfather Kim Il-sung in appointing more women to high-ranking positions.

"The head of the social organization department plays a key role in building North Korea's propaganda strategy. Since Kim Jong-un came to power, several women, like his sister Kim Yo-jong, his wife Ri Sol-ju, Deputy Director of the WPK's Propaganda and Agitation Department Hyun Song-wol and former Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui, have gained more visibility and political power in the reclusive regime," Cho said.

He added: "Kim Jong-un has also started bringing along his daughter, Ju-ae, to public events. The idolization of Kim Ju-ae has accelerated lately."

Ju-ae, described as a "great person of guidance" by North Korea's state-run media, has been appearing publicly with her father since late 2022 during inspections of military facilities, fueling speculation that she may be next in line for succession.

Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, arrives to attend a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the North Korean leader at the Vostochny cosmodrome outside the city of Tsiolkovsky, about 200 kilometers from the city of Blagoveshchensk in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, Sept. 13, 2023. AP-Yonhap

Moon Seong-mook, chief of the Unification Strategy Center at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, said the rise of women's political power coincides with the increasing economic and social influence of women within the regime.

"I think the latest promotion news of Kim Jong-sun sends out a clear message that women can reach high-ranking positions if they are competent and loyal to the regime. Kim Jong-un's biggest concern is seeking greater internal unity and blocking outside information and culture," Moon said.

He added that North Korea recently aired commercials of female reporters playing golf in its latest effort to brand itself as a "normal state" and promote tourism.

The Korea Times · July 4, 2024

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

Phone: 202-573-8647

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

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

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

Access NSS HERE

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