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Quotes of the Day:
“We have realized the wish of the great leaders who devoted their lives to building the strongest national defense capability to reliably safeguard our country’s sovereignty, and we have created a mighty sword for defending peace, as desired by all our people who had to tighten their belts for long years.”
– Kim Jong-un, January 1, 2018
"Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."
– Dalai Lama
"In foreign policy you have to wait twenty-five years to see how it comes out."
– James Reston
1. Ex-Pentagon official downplays concerns over possible USFK pullout in case of Trump's election
2. US partnerships with S. Korea, Japan key to making prosperous, secure Indo-Pacific: Campbell
3. North Korea Might Ignore Donald Trump If He Takes Back the White House
4. N. Korea's Kim, daughter attend ceremony for new street in Pyongyang
5. S. Korea, NATO hold 2nd military staff dialogue in Belgium
6. HD Korea Shipbuilding to establish production base in Philippines
7. S. Korea-U.S. alliance will 'incessantly' strengthen regardless of who wins U.S. election: Seoul envoy
8. North Korea warns US allies over surveillance
9. US has no choice but to ‘double down’ on North Korea deterrence: official
10. U.S. Air Force in S. Korea assesses Chinese missile threats
11. Reviving The Six-Party Talks: Why Indonesia Is The Key
12. North's Kim calls for 'epochal change' in war preparations during arms factory visit
13. Seoul dismisses Tokyo's protests over Cho Kuk's Dokdo visit
14. N. Korea slaps temporary ban on sales of rice in some areas of the country
15. North Korea's nuclear threat: why we must stay the course
16. Destroying South Korea’s HUMINT Capability: The Framing of Colonel Cheong Kyu-phil; Benefits North Korea, China
1. Ex-Pentagon official downplays concerns over possible USFK pullout in case of Trump's election
From the cooler head of a long experienced Pentagon hand.
My response should be published today. Here is my conclusion.
Conclusion
So which country is more important to U.S. national security interests, Taiwan or South Korea? The truth is they both are. The U.S. must be able to support the defense of both. If pundits like the former defense official argue the U.S. cannot do both then the U.S. military must be reformed to be able to do both. It may very well be able to so with the support of friends, partners, and allies. To prioritize one over the other likely will end up sacrificing both. And to publicly prioritize one over the other and telegraph that priority is a political warfare blunder and simply invites conflict.
Ex-Pentagon official downplays concerns over possible USFK pullout in case of Trump's election
The Korea Times · May 14, 2024
Randall Schriver, the former assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs under the Trump administration, speaks during a press conference on the margins of a forum hosted by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
A former Pentagon official on Tuesday downplayed concerns over a possible withdrawal of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) troops should former U.S. President Donald Trump return to the White House, citing Congress' efforts to protect Washington's alliance with Seoul.
Randall Schriver, who served as the assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs under the Trump administration, made the remark after Trump recently suggested Washington could withdraw its troops in Korea, if Seoul does not financially contribute more to support them.
In a TIME magazine interview released late last month, Trump questioned the need for U.S. troops to defend Korea, raising concerns in Seoul over a possible pullout of troops if he wins a second presidential term in the upcoming November election.
"At the end of the Trump administration, there was a move on the part of Congress to really put a floor under the number of U.S. troops, saying the president couldn't go below that without the authorization and consent of Congress," Schriver said in a press conference in Seoul.
"What Congress did ... by legislating that floor proves that there's a very strong constituency in our Congress to protect this alliance."
In 2018, Congress added a lower limit for U.S. troops in Korea in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), when former President Donald Trump began to use the 28,500-strong USFK as a bargaining chip in talks with Korea over Seoul's share of the cost to maintain U.S. forces.
The current NDAA calls for maintaining approximately 28,500 U.S. troops in Korea.
Schriver also noted the allies' recent launch of earlier-than-expected negotiations over Korea's share of the cost for the upkeep of USFK, calling it a "smart" move.
Seoul and Washington held the first round of negotiations over the deal last month although the current one will expire at the end of next year. The move raised speculation that it appears to consider the possibility of Trump getting reelected.
"The notion of locking some things in now I think is smart," he said.
Regarding the possibility of Korea acquiring nuclear weapons amid lingering questions over Washington's security commitment, Schriver said such a scenario would mean a failure in U.S. policy.
"If Korea feels the need to go nuclear, to me that's a failure on the part of the United States to prove that our extended deterrence is meaningful and that those assurances are strong enough," he said.
Extended deterrence refers to the U.S. commitment to using the full-range of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to defend an ally.
Schriver said if Korea goes nuclear, the risks of proliferation would be "very real," noting that Japan would likely develop a nuclear weapon, while others would contemplate starting such a program or strengthening nuclear capabilities. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · May 14, 2024
2. US partnerships with S. Korea, Japan key to making prosperous, secure Indo-Pacific: Campbell
Our alliances are critical to mutual defense and national security.
US partnerships with S. Korea, Japan key to making prosperous, secure Indo-Pacific: Campbell
The Korea Times · May 14, 2024
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell delivers a keynote speech in a pre-taped video during the opening session of the Asan Plenum 2024, in this photo provided by the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, May 14. Yonhap
The United States' bilateral and trilateral relationships with South Korea and Japan will help enhance prosperity and security for all parties in the Indo-Pacific, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said Tuesday.
Campbell made the remarks in a virtual speech, pointing out that such partnerships have never carried more significance than now as the world faces many opportunities and challenges at the same time.
"Both alliances have transformed from primarily security-focused relationships to truly comprehensive global partnerships, with impacts reverberating far beyond the Indo-Pacific," Campbell said in a prerecorded keynote speech during a forum hosted by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, a Seoul-based think tank.
Campbell cast the series of the bilateral and trilateral summits the U.S. has had with South Korea, Japan, and separately with Japan and the Philippines, as a clear demonstration of the "not just historic but unrivaled" level of commitment from Washington and its allies in the Indo-Pacific.
"As President Biden has made clear, our partners and allies are critical if we are to be successful in seizing these key opportunities and maintaining our readiness to confront the most pressing challenges of the 21st century," Campbell said.
"Our bilateral and trilateral bonds with the Republic of Korea and Japan will define the future of Asia and grow our collective prosperity and security," he said.
On the trilateral cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo, Campbell noted that such commitment was made possible by the leaders of the two Asian allies, which led to the dramatic improvement in their bilateral relations.
"We wouldn't be here without the tremendous courage that President Yoon (Suk Yeol) and (Japanese) Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida have demonstrated in bringing Seoul and Tokyo closer together," Campbell said.
The Biden administration's Indo-Pacific strategy focuses on creating a "lattice-fence" structure of alliances, Campbell said, referring to trilateral or wider groupings of a handful of like-minded countries.
"We understand the tremendous importance of working together trilaterally and multilaterally and networking our alliances," he said. "We're creating a lattice fence arrangement with intertwined, overlapping and interlocking engagements."
The "latticework" alliances are compared with the "hub and spokes" alliances that center around each country's close security bond with the U.S. but not with each other.
The U.S.' AUKUS security partnership with Australia and Britain, and the Quad security dialogue with Australia, India and Japan are cited as latticework alliance partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region — groupings largely seen as aimed at keeping an assertive China in check.
Campbell also pointed out that modernizing the alliances is about sharing the resolve to address regional threats, including North Korea.
"The people of the Republic of Korea and Japan know too well the danger to peace and stability posed by the DPRK, and we are absolutely united in confronting that shared threat," he said, referring to the South by its official name.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · May 14, 2024
3. North Korea Might Ignore Donald Trump If He Takes Back the White House
North Korea Might Ignore Donald Trump If He Takes Back the White House
Having been burned once or twice by Trump, North Korea's Kim Jong-un is not eager to try again. In truth, he has already gotten what he most wanted from Trump: international legitimacy.
The National Interest · by Ralph A. Cossa · May 13, 2024
During a recent visit to Seoul, every conversation I had quickly got down to one key question: “What happens if Trump is reelected?” This was quickly followed by: “What will it mean for the Alliance?”; “What will it mean for US-DPRK relations?”
In an attempt to reassure my colleagues -- or perhaps to at least reassure myself -- my response was “Less than you might imagine!”
Trying to predict what Donald Trump might say or do is a fool’s errand. But Pyongyang is more predictable. The reason I say “less than you might imagine” is because, whatever a second Trump administration might try vis-à-vis Pyongyang -- olive branch or saber-rattling -- it is likely to be ignored by the North for several reasons.
First, having been burnt once or twice already by Trump, Kim Jong-un is not going to be eager to try again. In truth, Kim Jong-un has already gotten what he most wanted from Trump: international legitimacy. Why risk getting the rug pulled out from under him again, just for another photo op? Kim certainly understands the prospects of getting unrestricted aid from Trump 2 (or Biden 2 or any other US administration) at this point are slim to none.
And he no longer has to! An (admittedly oversimplified) overview of history shows that North Korea survived for decades by playing its two main patrons, Moscow and Beijing, against one another. Then the Soviet Union collapsed and Kim’s grandfather and father, worried about overreliance on China, began overtures toward Seoul and Washington, with mixed results. But now Russia is back. Not only is it back, but Vladimir Putin, who in the past did not hesitate to show his disdain for the Kim dynasty, stands on the curbside, hat in hand, when Kim III arrives.
As a result, Kim Jong-un has made it pretty clear he is no longer interested in talking to either Washington or Seoul (or Tokyo for that matter, as he continues to reject Prime Minister Kishida’s overtures as well). A change in administration in Washington is not likely to change this.
The likelihood that either Beijing or Moscow would apply pressure on Kim to enter into negotiations with Washington or Seoul is likewise pretty slim. Both see the value in keeping the North Korean threat alive, as one struggles with Ukraine and the other continues to apply pressure on Taiwan. While ROK President Yoon is seen by some as a “lame duck” following his party’s poor showing in last month’s National Assembly elections, there is little chance he will change his get-tough policy toward the North or stop reinforcing and strengthening the ROK-US alliance.
I suspect that Pyongyang (and Beijing and Moscow) will be more interested in seeing what kind of damage a second Trump administration will do to US-ROK relations than how it will impact US-DPRK relations.
My answer here is also “less than you might imagine.” True, candidate Trump is already saying things that are making alliance supporters in Seoul and Tokyo (and Washington, and Europe, and almost everywhere else) very nervous. But, if the past is a precedent (and it often, but not always, is), then it’s useful to distinguish between what then-President Trump said and what the Trump administration did when he was last in office.
The former Trump administration’s National Security Strategy document, which outlines and guides US policy, was remarkably similar to those that preceded and followed it when it came to the discussion of US alliances. This is because, while political parties and political rhetoric and catchphrases change from administration to administration, US national interests seldom shift dramatically. President Trump’s negotiating style certainly differed from most others who have held the job, but the centrality of the US alliance network as the “foundation” of US policy has changed little in the past 75 or more years.
Also, recall that Candidate Trump is not the first presidential aspirant to threaten to remove U.S. forces from Korea. That “honor” goes to Jimmy Carter, who discovered as president that this was easier said than done. And that was before the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2024 insured that no future US president (read: Trump) could unilaterally remove US forces from Europe or Asia without Congressional approval, demonstrating that the US system of checks and balances remains alive and well. (It also signals a realization that many in Congress on both sides of the political divide share Korea’s fears about the future of the alliance.)
About the Author: Ralph Cossa
Ralph Cossa is president emeritus and Worldwide Support for Development – Handa Haruhisa Chair at the Pacific Forum in Honolulu. Cossa has been with the Pacific Forum since 1993, first as Executive Director, then (2001-2018) as President, and now as President Emeritus and WSD-Handa Chair in Peace Studies. He is a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum’s Experts and Eminent Persons Group and a founding member of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific’s Steering Committee. Mr. Cossa is a political/military affairs and national security specialist with more than 50 years of experience in formulating, articulating, and implementing US security policy in the Asia-Pacific and Near East–South Asia regions. Mr. Cossa served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 to 1993, achieving the rank of colonel and last serving as special assistant to the commander of the US Pacific Command. He previously served as Deputy Director for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University’s Institute for National Strategic Studies and earlier as a national security affairs fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
All images are Creative Commons.
The National Interest · by Ralph A. Cossa · May 13, 2024
4. N. Korea's Kim, daughter attend ceremony for new street in Pyongyang
Back in the spotlight again.
(LEAD) N. Korea's Kim, daughter attend ceremony for new street in Pyongyang | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Deok-Hyun Kim · May 15, 2024
(ATTN: ADDS details; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, May 15 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his "beloved daughter" Ju-ae attended a ceremony marking a newly built street at the north gateway of Pyongyang, the North's state media reported Wednesday.
It was the first time in about two months that Ju-ae made a public appearance since she visited a military unit on March 15. Kim and his daughter attended the ceremony on Tuesday, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The KCNA described the street as "clear proof of validity and vitality of the WPK's ideology of valuing the youth and a striking demonstration of invincibility of the revolutionary cause of Juche."
The WPK is an acronym of the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea and the Juche ideology is the North's main guiding principle created by Kim Il-sung, the current ruler's grandfather.
"When the respected fatherly Marshal Kim Jong Un and his beloved daughter arrived at the venue of the ceremony amid the playing of welcome music, all the participants broke into stormy cheers of 'Hurrah!,' the KCNA reported.
Kim "paid special care for the construction of a new street," called "Jonwi" or vanguard street, which features an 80-story apartment building and other public buildings, according to the KCNA.
South Korean officials handling inter-Korean affairs have said there is a possibility that Ju-ae could become Kim's successor.
Ju-ae, believed to be born in 2013, has gained the spotlight since Nov. 18, 2022, when her father brought her to the launch site of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile in her first public appearance.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R) attends a ceremony alongside his daughter, Ju-ae, to mark the completion of a new street in Pyongyang on May 14, 2024, in this photo carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
kdh@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Deok-Hyun Kim · May 15, 2024
5. S. Korea, NATO hold 2nd military staff dialogue in Belgium
The ROK as a global pivotal state.
S. Korea, NATO hold 2nd military staff dialogue in Belgium | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · May 15, 2024
SEOUL, May 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) held their second military staff dialogue in Belgium and discussed military cooperation, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday.
The talks on Tuesday (local time) were led by Rear Adm. Kang Dong-goo of the South Korean Navy, who heads the JCS' strategic planning, and Maj. Gen. Dacian-Tiberiu Serban of the Romanian Army, director of NATO's cooperative security division, the JCS said.
"The two sides agreed on the need to expand military cooperation and communication to achieve peace through strength, and maintain a rules-based international order," the JCS said.
The bilateral military staff dialogue was launched as part of efforts to promote the mutual understanding of the security situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Europe and enhance military cooperation.
The inaugural talks took place in Seoul in February last year.
The insignia of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · May 15, 2024
6. HD Korea Shipbuilding to establish production base in Philippines
A possible contribution to the arsenal of democracy?
HD Korea Shipbuilding to establish production base in Philippines | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · May 15, 2024
SEOUL, May 15 (Yonhap) -- HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co. said Wednesday it plans to establish a production base in the Philippines for its offshore wind power business.
The South Korean shipyard announced the decision to lease part of the land and facilities at the Subic Yard in the Philippines for the production of offshore wind farm substructures and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) businesses.
The announcement was made Tuesday at the Malacanang Palace, the official residence of the president of the Philippines, in the presence of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Located 110 kilometers northwest of Manila in Subic Bay, the yard had been involved in shipbuilding since 2006 under South Korea's Hanjin Heavy Industries, now renamed HJ Shipbuilding & Construction, until its suspension in 2019 due to a downturn in the industry.
It is currently owned by the U.S.-based private equity fund Cerberus Capital Management, and is also utilized by the Philippine Navy as a naval base.
This photo provided by HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering on May 15, 2024, shows Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (C), Kim Sung-joon (L), the CEO of HD Korea Shipbuilding, and Alex Bernard, the head of Cerberus Capital Management Asia, posing for a commemorative photo at Marcos' office on the previous day after the South Korean company announced a plan to build a production base in the Southeast Asian nation. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, a subsidiary of HD Korea Shipbuilding, established a naval support center within the Subic Yard in 2022 for MRO operations for ships delivered to the Philippine Navy.
The Philippines is widely considered an emerging nation for establishing offshore wind power production bases, as it is at the center of the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific offshore wind market.
The company said it plans to develop the yard into a comprehensive maritime industry complex capable of producing offshore wind farm substructures and ship blocks, and providing repair services through cooperation with the Philippine government.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · May 15, 2024
7. S. Korea-U.S. alliance will 'incessantly' strengthen regardless of who wins U.S. election: Seoul envoy
(LEAD) S. Korea-U.S. alliance will 'incessantly' strengthen regardless of who wins U.S. election: Seoul envoy | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · May 15, 2024
(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 7-8; TRIMS)
By Song Sang-ho and Kim Dong-hyun
WASHINGTON, May 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top envoy to the United States expressed confidence Tuesday that the alliance between Seoul and Washington will strengthen "incessantly" through the allies' "institutionalized" cooperation irrespective of who wins the White House in November.
Ambassador Cho Hyun-dong made the remarks as U.S. President Joe Biden is set to face former President Donald Trump in the Nov. 5 election amid speculation that Trump's return to the top office could potentially bring a foreign policy shift.
"Regardless of the election outcome. the South Korea-U.S. alliance will continue to strengthen incessantly along the line of institutionalized cooperation," Cho said during a meeting with South Korean correspondents.
This photo, taken on April 25, 2024, shows South Korean Ambassador to the United States Cho Hyun-dong speaking during a press meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul. (Yonhap)
He was apparently referring to cooperation frameworks between Seoul and Washington that have been deeply entrenched to ensure close-knit coordination on security and other issues.
Cho underscored that the South Korea government and his embassy are making sufficient preparations for "any situation," while noting the broadening scope of the bilateral alliance.
"The South Korea-U.S. alliance has already evolved into one that contributes to the global community beyond the confines of the Korean Peninsula," he said. "All staff of the embassy will make efforts to contribute to the alliance and its future-oriented development."
Meanwhile, the South Korean Embassy in Washington is said to be making efforts to communicate with those close to Trump amid speculation that the former president could consider a drawdown of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) or demand a hefty increase in Seoul's USFK contributions.
Last month, Time magazine reported in an interview article that Trump had suggested the U.S. could withdraw USFK if the Asian ally does not make more financial contributions to support the troops.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · May 15, 2024
8. North Korea warns US allies over surveillance
The regime is threatened by countries who decide to get aggressive in sanctions enforcement. Kim likely hoped that with the dissolution of the Panel of Experts it would have free reign for sanctions evasion.
North Korea warns US allies over surveillance
https://bhaskarlive.in/north-korea-warns-us-allies-over-surveillance/
on: May 13, 2024
In: Politics, Top Story
Seoul, May 13 (IANS/DPA) North Korea has warned allies of the US, including Germany, France and Britain, to stop provoking tension in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Foreign Ministry in Pyongyang denounced the “military interference” in the region “under the pretext of monitoring violation of UN sanctions” in a statement carried by state-controlled news agency KCNA on Monday.
North Korea warned Germany, France, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada to “immediately stop the provocations of causing tension and instability,” KCNA reported.
“Western countries should ponder over the fact that their unreasonable and blind policy of following the US is an act of harming their own interests.”
Pyongyang would “take necessary measures to firmly defend the sovereignty and security of the state,” the statement said.
In April, the US held a two-day training exercise involving the navies of South Korea and Japan.
Earlier this month, an Australian helicopter surveying North Korea was intercepted by a Chinese warplane in international airspace, while a Canadian plane was intercepted in similar circumstances in October.
Tensions on the peninsula are very high. Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has significantly increased the scope of its weapons tests, including the testing of nuclear-capable missiles, and has stepped up its rhetoric against the US and South Korea, both of which Pyongyang considers to be enemy states.
–IANS/DPA
9. US has no choice but to ‘double down’ on North Korea deterrence: official
Preventing war on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia is job one.
US has no choice but to ‘double down’ on North Korea deterrence: official
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/us-nk-deterrence-05152024012216.html
Senior US diplomat Daniel Kritenbrink cited Pyongyang’s unwillingness to talk.
By Taejun Kang for RFA
2024.05.15
Taipei, Taiwan
Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, testifies to a full committee hearing about China of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Feb. 28, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
The United States has been left with no option but to “double down” on the enforcement of sanctions against North Korea due to its rejection of dialogue, a senior U.S. diplomat said.
“I think we’ve had no choice but to double down on our security arrangements, particularly with the Republic of Korea and Japan, and no one should doubt the ironclad nature of our security commitments to those allies,” Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs said Tuesday during a forum hosted by the Washington-based Brookings Institution.
“We’ve also doubled down with a large international coalition of partners who continue to enforce sanctions against North Korea. I think given North Korea's unwillingness to respond to our offer of diplomacy, we’ve been left with no choice but to focus on these harder elements of our strategy,” he added.
His remarks came as critics questioned President Joe Biden’s approach to North Korea in this election year due to the lack of progress in re-engaging with it , and its relentless pursuit of advanced weapons programs and military cooperation with Russia.
Kritenbrink added that the U.S. has pursued dialogue with the North “without preconditions” while highlighting its security commitment to its allies.
“Unfortunately, the only response we’ve received thus far from the DPRK has been more missile launches,” he said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The senior diplomat also pointed out progress among South Korea, or the the Republic of Korea as it is officially known, the U.S. and Japan in bilateral and trilateral efforts to stand up to North Korean threats
“Our trilateral cooperation has also really reached unprecedented levels. And we have to be candid that a lot of that cooperation is designed to counter this growing threat from North Korea,” he said.
Leaders of the three countries held a summit at Camp David in Maryland in August last year, where they agreed on a “commitment to consult” each other in the event of a shared threat.
“There are many challenges across the Indo-Pacific. This [North Korea] remains one of the most significant and we are certainly focused on it on a daily basis,” Kritenbrink added.
Kritenbrink on Taiwan
Apart from North Korea, Kritenbrink also cited preserving the status quo in the Taiwan Strait along with broader regional peace and stability as U.S. priorities.
He highlighted the increasing Chinese coercion toward Taiwan and said the U.S. must use the Taiwan Relations Act to its advantage and cooperate with regional partners to contain Chinese aggression.
Kritenbrink added that Taiwan “plays a significant role” in the U.S. strategy in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly with regard to the global transport and semiconductor industries, stressing that any threat to the Taiwan Strait would have significant regional and international implications.
Edited by Mike Firn.
10. U.S. Air Force in S. Korea assesses Chinese missile threats
There will be no separation or compartmentalization of conflicts in Northeast Asia. No one will be able to sit one out or remain neutral.
U.S. Air Force in S. Korea assesses Chinese missile threats
donga.com
Posted May. 15, 2024 07:48,
Updated May. 15, 2024 07:48
U.S. Air Force in S. Korea assesses Chinese missile threats. May. 15, 2024 07:48. by Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com.
A subordinate unit of the U.S. 7th Air Force in South Korea has released details of a briefing on Chinese missile threats targeting U.S. bases in South Korea and Japan and the artificial islands constructed by China in the South China Sea. The decision to disclose information on Chinese missile threats during a preliminary briefing for readiness exercises earlier this month underscores the gravity of China's military capabilities amidst escalating tensions with the U.S. Observers note that this move by the U.S. military aims to incorporate this perceived threat into future exercise scenarios.
The U.S. 7th Air Force recently disclosed several photos on its website from a training briefing conducted by the 8th Fighter Wing at Gunsan Air Base in South Jeolla Province on May 2. This briefing, part of preparations for the May 6-10 Base-wide Readiness Exercise, featured the unit's intelligence assessment of military developments on the Korean Peninsula and the broader region.
In a photo, an intelligence officer and troops are captured, briefing commanders with a large screen entitled "China's Regional Missile Threat," outlining the ranges of China's major ballistic and cruise missiles. Text displayed at the bottom of the screen emphasized that China's expansive missile arsenal, encompassing ballistic, cruise, hypersonic, and anti-ship missiles, poses a significant threat to U.S. and allied forces in the Indo-Pacific region.
Of particular concern were China's short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) within range of U.S. bases in Gunsan, South Korea, and Misawa, Japan, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) capable of targeting Guam. The briefing also highlighted the location and provided photographs of seven concrete artificial islands constructed by China within its unilaterally claimed nine-dash line in the South China Sea.
한국어
donga.com
11. Reviving The Six-Party Talks: Why Indonesia Is The Key
Or Mongolia.
But will a location bring the 6 six parties together?
Reviving The Six-Party Talks: Why Indonesia Is The Key – OpEd
May 13, 2024 0 Comments
By Simon Hutagalung
eurasiareview.com · May 12, 2024
Indonesia the largest and most influential country in Southeast Asia, has a complex history that has shaped its approach to foreign policy. Formerly known as “Dutch East Indies” a former Dutch colony Indonesia gained independence from the Netherlands in 1945 after a four-year armed struggle with extensive diplomatic efforts. Throughout its history, Indonesia has remained to committed an independent foreign policy opting not to align itself with any specific global power and striving maintain to positive relationships with all major players.
During the Cold War Indonesia actively pursued an independent foreign policy refusing to align with either the Western or bloc the Eastern bloc. It instead adopted a free and active policy aiming to establish strong relations with both sides. This choice was driven by Indonesia’s inherent distrust of major international powers and their political agendas a sentiment that remains relevant even in the 21st century. Indonesia has consistently upheld its commitment to a free and active foreign policy, the resisting temptation to with align either China or the United States and instead choosing to maintain positive relations with both of these dominant powers in the global order.
As argued by Dewi Fortuna, Indonesia has consistently rejected being manipulated as a mere pawn in the political games of superpowers. Indonesia’s independent and proactive foreign policy is exemplified by its range diverse of bilateral and multilateral relationships (1953 Hatta). Indonesia successfully maintains a delicate balance in its relations with both China and Taiwan despite substantial economic ties with China. This approach of non-alignment is consistently applied in Indonesia’s engagements with other states embroiled in conflicts and divisions. By upholding a stance of neutrality Indonesia has made significant contributions to the mitigation of global and regional conflicts. For example, Indonesia played vital a role as a mediator in the dispute between Cambodia and the Philippines in the South China Sea utilizing the ASEAN platform. Its abilities as a bridge builder were exceptional in this instance.
Given Indonesia’s history of peacemaking its involvement be could invaluable in alleviating the conflict on the Korean Peninsula as well. The relationship between North Korea and South Korea is characterized by hostility with North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons deemed a threat to the security of South Korea and its allies including the United States and Japan (Cohen and Kim 7). Conversely, North Korea perceives South Korea’s regular joint military drills with the US and Japan as a provocation. This predicament not only places parties involved on the of brink war but also imposes an economic burden hindering potential collaboration. It poses a threat the to stability progress of the Korean peninsula jeopardizing global peace (Mack 340). Therefore it is crucial to diminish tensions on the Korean peninsula.
One step toward addressing these tensions is the revival of the Six-Party talks. These talks involving the United States, North Korea, Russia, and South Korea, Japan began in 2003 and occurred periodically with China assuming the role of chair and hosting the discussions Beijing in. The aim of these talks is to dismantle North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and resolve the security conflict it engendered. However, talks yielded marginal progress, and North Korea from withdrew the talks in 2009. Since then there have been several attempts by the other to participants resume negotiations.
Reviving the six-party talks is imperative because they have demonstrated the ability to compel North Korea to exercise control over its nuclear program in the interest of global security. To maximize the efficacy of these negotiations Indonesia’s roles should not be underestimated. With longstanding ties to North Korea dating back to the 1960s, Indonesia has forged an economic partnership with them and actively seeks opportunities to deepen this cooperation. Moreover, Indonesia maintains bilateral cooperation with South Korea on social and security matters itself positioning it a as valuable partner to the latter. Given North Korea’s commitment to neutrality and its recognition as a significant robust democracy, it is likely that all parties involved in the conflict would accept Indonesia’s offer to provide a neutral venue for improving relations between the two Koreas. Additionally, Indonesia enjoys the support of Western countries in promoting democratic ideals within the Association of Asian Southeast Nations (ASEAN). Furthermore, Indonesia boasts strong economic ties with China.
In conclusion, selecting Indonesia as the new location for these multilateral negotiations would be a favorable choice. Indonesia’s encouragement to embrace this significant responsibility would harness its potential to play a pivotal role in fostering peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own.
References
- Cohen, Jerome Alan, and Jong Dae Kim. “The Korean Peninsula: A New Approach.” Foreign Affairs, vol. 81, no. 6, 2003, pp. 7-8.
- Dewi Fortuna Anwar. “Indonesia’s Foreign Policy: A Historical Perspective.” Indonesian Foreign Policy, edited by Leonard B. Andaya Jr., University of Hawaii Press, 2014, pp. 195-213.
- Hatta, Mohammad. “Speech at the Opening of the Indonesian National Party Congress.” Jakarta, Indonesia, April 22, 1953.
- Mack, Andrew. “Korea: The Next Crisis?” Foreign Affairs, vol. 73, no. 3, 1994, pp. 340-341.
-
“Six-Party Talks.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Party_Talks.
-
Hatta, Mohammad. “Indonesia’s Foreign Policy.” Foreign Affairs, vol. 31, no. 3, 1953, pp. 441–52. https://doi.org/10.2307/20030977
eurasiareview.com · May 12, 2024
12. North's Kim calls for 'epochal change' in war preparations during arms factory visit
Externalize the threat to manage the internal stresses on the regime.
Wednesday
May 15, 2024
dictionary + A - A
Published: 15 May. 2024, 17:26
Updated: 15 May. 2024, 17:28
North's Kim calls for 'epochal change' in war preparations during arms factory visit
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-05-15/national/northKorea/Norths-Kim-calls-for-epochal-change-in-war-preparations-during-arms-factory-visit/2047503
In this photograph released by Pyongyang's state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Wednesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, speaks to military officials during an inspection of an unspecified weapons plant that took place the previous day. [YONHAP]
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a factory that produces new missile launchers as he called for an “epochal change” in the regime’s war preparations, Pyongyang's state media said Wednesday.
According to the North’s state-controlled Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim on Tuesday visited an unspecified weapons plant that manufactures “a tactical missile weapons system that will be newly deployed to missile units of the Korean People’s Army (KPA).”
During his inspection of the plant, the North Korean leader “emphasized the need for an epochal change” in his military’s “preparations for war” by carrying out its weapons production plans for 2024 “without fail,” according to the KCNA.
The KCNA said that the North’s arms factories will manufacture the new tactical missile weapon systems in time for their deployment by the end of the year but did not specify the exact nature of the new system.
The state news agency also said that the regime’s weapons plants had met their production quotas in the first half of the year for missile launchers, which it said will be stationed with combined missile units of the North Korean military’s western operations group.
Recent North Korean state media reports have highlighted a flurry of weapons factory visits by Kim in recent days, which appear aimed at underlining his drive to modernize the regime’s military and ramp up arms production.
Related Article
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the North maintains the world’s fourth-largest standing army, but outside observers believe its armed forces’ conventional capabilities are severely hampered by limited fuel supplies, malnutrition and technological stagnation.
Kim’s weapons factory inspection on Tuesday took place two days after he visited factories that produce sniper rifles and rocket launcher vehicles and demanded improvements in the North Korean military’s artillery capabilities.
On Friday, he also oversaw a live-fire artillery test of what state media called an “updated version” of its 240-millimeter multiple rocket launcher system, which the North said it plans to deploy between this year and 2026.
Officials in Seoul believe that Pyongyang is trying to ramp up production of artillery shells and multiple rocket launcher systems amid deepening military cooperation between the North and Russia, especially following a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in September last year.
South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik previously said the North has shipped at least 6,700 containers to Russia since the summit, enough to carry around 3 million rounds of 152-millimeter artillery shells or 500,000 rounds of 122-millimeter artillery shells.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service said Sunday that it is conducting its own investigation into suspicions that the North supplied Russia with old stockpiles of artillery shells to use against Ukraine, following a local media report that 122-millimeter artillery shells manufactured in North Korea in the 1970s had been photographed by a Ukrainian photographer on the battlefield.
The North is also suspected of sourcing semiconductors and other technological components that it is officially barred from importing with assistance from intermediaries in China and other places.
British weapons monitoring group Conflict Armament Research said in February that “hundreds” of U.S. and European components were found in the debris of North Korean ballistic missiles fired upon Ukraine, some manufactured as recently as last year.
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
13. Seoul dismisses Tokyo's protests over Cho Kuk's Dokdo visit
Both countries must do better managing the historical issues
Wednesday
May 15, 2024
dictionary + A - A
Published: 15 May. 2024, 18:46
Updated: 15 May. 2024, 18:49
Seoul dismisses Tokyo's protests over Cho Kuk's Dokdo visit
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-05-15/national/diplomacy/Seoul-dismisses-Tokyos-protests-over-Cho-Kuks-Dokdo-visit-/2047540
Cho Kuk, the leader of the liberal Rebuilding Korea Party, holds the Korean national flag as he visits the Dokdo islets on Monday. [REBUILDING KOREA PARTY]
Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk's recent visit to the Dokdo islets has sparked controversy as Japan lodged a formal protest expressing "regrets" about the trip.
Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it has dismissed Japan’s complaint over the visit, stressing that Dokdo is "undeniably Korea’s territory historically, geographically and under international law."
Related Article
"Japan has protested through diplomatic channels, but we have dismissed it," said Lee Joo-il, deputy spokesperson at the Foreign Ministry, in a press briefing. "The government will sternly respond to Japan’s unjust claims about Dokdo."
Cho Kuk visited the islets of Dokdo on Monday, where he announced a statement denouncing President Yoon Suk Yeol’s diplomacy with Japan as "submissive."
Following Cho's visit to Dokdo, the Japanese government expressed regret, stressing that the trip was made despite its request to refrain from doing so beforehand.
Dokdo has long been a point of contention in relations between Korea and Japan, with Tokyo renewing its assertion over ownership of the islets in policy documents, public statements and school textbooks. The Korean government maintains that no disputes exist over the Dokdo islets, which are historically, geographically and under international law an integral part of Korean territory.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Japanese government’s top spokesperson, said that it is "absolutely unacceptable and extremely regrettable" that the leader of Korea's third-largest party paid a visit to the islets, reiterating that "Takeshima is an inherent part of Japan’s territory." Takeshima is the Japanese name for the Dokdo islets.
Hiroyuki Namazu, the director-general of the Asian and Oceania Affairs Bureau of Japan’s foreign ministry, reportedly contacted senior diplomat Kim Jang-hyun at the Korean Embassy in Japan, fiercely protesting the trip and seeking assurance that no such visit would happen again.
The Rebuilding Korea Party criticized Japan's response and requested an apology.
"The visit to the Dokdo islets by Cho and major members of the party is a very natural matter, just like Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi visiting Tsushima Island," said Kim Bo-hyup, the party’s spokesperson, in a commentary released Tuesday.
He also questioned whether the Korean government had expressed regrets over Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visiting any parts of Japan. The spokesperson also urged the Korean Foreign Ministry to strongly protest against Japan's claim that Dokdo is its territory and demand an apology.
President Yoon Suk Yeol, second from right, greets Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk at an event held to celebrate Buddha's birthday at Jogye Order in central Seoul on Wednesday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]
Meanwhile, Cho on Wednesday made his first public encounter with President Yoon Suk Yeol in about five years. The two reportedly shook hands, with Yoon briefly greeting Cho, at an event held at Jogye Order in central Seoul to celebrate Buddha’s birthday.
The last time the two met in a public appearance was in July 2019 when Yoon was appointed as prosecutor general, while Cho served as the presidential secretary for civil affairs under the former Moon Jae-in government.
Related Article
The brief meeting between the two caught public attention as they had been in a somewhat uncomfortable relationship since mid-October of 2019 when Cho stepped down just over a month after he was appointed to be justice minister following the state prosecution service's investigation into Cho's family affairs. The investigation was led by Yoon during his tenure as prosecutor general.
Cho's wife was later convicted and served a prison term.
Cho, who was also handed a two-year prison term and is expecting his final trial at the Supreme Court, launched his party just before the latest general election. His election campaign mostly centered on passing judgment against the Yoon government. He has also been pushing for special counsel investigations into first lady Kim Keon Hee’s handbag controversy and the senior officials who allegedly intervened during the investigation into the death of a young Marine last year.
BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]
14. N. Korea slaps temporary ban on sales of rice in some areas of the country
A country that cannot feed its people cannot be called a country.
There is only one solution to this: A free and unified Korea.
N. Korea slaps temporary ban on sales of rice in some areas of the country - Daily NK English
A long-term ban on rice sales would cause distribution problems and exacerbate food shortages, so these measures are likely temporary
By Seulkee Jang - May 15, 2024
dailynk.com · by Seulkee Jang · May 15, 2024
FILE PHOTO: A market official on patrol in Sunchon, South Pyongan Province. (Daily NK)
Food shortages are so severe in North Korea this spring that some regions have banned the sale of rice in markets to regulate the supply of the commodity, Daily NK has learned.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source in Chagang Province told Daily NK last Thursday that the sale of rice in official markets in the province was banned at the end of April, and market managers regularly visit grain stalls to check whether rice is being sold or not. The sale of other grains such as corn, millet, and beans has not been banned.
When market management offices suddenly announced that they were banning the sale of rice, some businesspeople protested and asked why the ban was being implemented. Market officials responded by saying: “You know there’s not enough rice to go around. This is what we have to do.”
The ban on rice sales at markets was ordered by the commerce bureau of the province’s people’s committeeNorth Korean people's committees are akin to local governmen... More. The province’s authorities appear to have implemented the ban out of concern about the lack of rice to sell in state-run grain shops and due to worries about a spike in rice prices in markets.
N. Korea moves to protect supply of rice to grain shops
North Korean authorities established grain shops to regulate food prices and distribution after the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party in January 2021.
North Korea operates approximately 280 of these shops throughout the country. The shops typically sell their products once or twice a month, depending on the region, at prices 15% to 25% below market prices. As a result, food prices in nearby markets drop slightly immediately after the grain stores make their sales.
North Korean authorities have not centralized ownership of these grain stores, instead leaving management in the hands of the municipalities and counties in each province. As a result, the selection of grains available at the shops varies from region to region, as does the price and quantity.
As part of efforts to guarantee supplies of rice and corn to the state-run stores, North Korea appears to be pressuring farmers and merchants to sell their grains to the government or slapping temporary bans on the sale of rice at markets. The recent ban on rice sales at markets in Chagang Province is likely related to the lack of rice at state-run shops.
In a related development, at Yanggang Province neighborhood watch meetings in March, police officials encouraged local residents to buy rice and corn from grain shops. They also warned rice vendors that they could face confiscation of their product, fines, and even legal punishment if they were caught secretly selling rice.
A long-term ban on rice sales would cause distribution problems and exacerbate food shortages, so these measures are likely temporary.
Bans on movement hamper economic activity
Meanwhile, tighter restrictions on the movement of people in Chagang Province since last year have made business difficult for traders, who are now unable to travel to other provinces and cannot supply enough food to meet demand.
“The price of pork has risen to KPW 25,000,” the source said. “Prices are rising every day because there’s nothing in the markets.”
According to Daily NK’s regular North Korean market survey, pork prices in Pyongyang, Sinuiju and Hyesan fell between KPW 16,850 and 17,000 per kilogram as of Apr. 28. The source reported that the price of pork in Chagang Province is about 1.5 times higher than in other provinces.
“Things may be different elsewhere, but it’s impossible to travel from Chagang Province to other regions of North Korea, so it’s hard to find food even in the markets,” the source said. “The number of families facing starvation is increasing rapidly.”
Translated by Audrey Gregg. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons. For more information about Daily NK’s network of reporting partners and information-gathering activities, please visit our FAQ page here.
Please send any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Read in Korean
dailynk.com · by Seulkee Jang · May 15, 2024
15. North Korea's nuclear threat: why we must stay the course
North Korea's nuclear threat: why we must stay the course
The Korea Times · May 14, 2024
By Ahn Ho-young
Each time a new president comes to power, the U.S. government conducts a major review of important policies. One of the policies which undergoes such a review is the U.S.' policy toward North Korea’s nuclear weapons development. This is a presidential election year in the U.S. I already hear the beginning of related discussions in Washington.
Chris Miller, who is often touted as a strong candidate as secretary of defense in case of a new Trump government, said through an interview with a Korean newspaper: "we need to look at the merit of trading the withdrawal of sanctions for the freeze of North Korea’s nuclear weapons." He even suggested the possibility of engaging North Korea in disarmament talks. Mira Rapp-Hooper, senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the White House National Security Council, said that we could consider first arranging an interim step on the way to the ultimate goal of North Korea’s denuclearization.
Why are such discussions being held in Washington at this time? I raised the question with some former U.S. diplomats and scholars who recently came to visit Seoul. One of them recalled that U.S. President Joe Biden, at the beginning of his presidency, said that his North Korean policy would be based on “diplomacy and stern deterrence.” Much progress has been made for strengthening deterrence, especially after the inauguration of the Yoon Suk Yeol government in Seoul. However, there has been very little progress on diplomacy. Rapp-Hooper’s statement was an early indication of Biden’s diplomatic efforts in the second term.
Another piece of background was the reality on the Korean Peninsula as perceived by Washington: there’s very little chance for making progress on denuclearization for the time being, while the more immediate concern is North Korea’s provocations of various kinds.
A related fact was the collusion between North Korea and Russia, which is moving into a very ominous direction. Washington sees the need to engage North Korea to keep it from going too far.
I observed a common thread underlying all these pieces of background facts shared by U.S. visitors: A sense of frustration over the failure of all diplomatic efforts and the aggravation of North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons and missiles. I share this frustration. However, there are several points to keep in mind before changing the course for interim steps.
The first point is the present context surrounding the issue. Chairman Kim Jong-un met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September last year at the Vostochny Space Center. Beginning from around that meeting, North Korea has supplied hundreds of thousands of munitions and even missiles to Russia. Russia is believed to be supplying North Korea with energy, materials and even military technology.
If sanctions are removed in such a context, it could lead to the significant strengthening of North Korea’s conventional forces. Peace has been maintained on the Korean Peninsula through two mutually reinforcing components: the U.S. extended deterrence and the predominant advantage in conventional capability over North Korea’s. The interim step could lead to undermining the second component.
The consequences of the interim step may not be limited to strengthening North Korea’s conventional forces, but have a wider impact upon the security environment in Northeast Asia and beyond.
Recently, Russia exercised veto power to terminate the panel of experts for the 1718 Sanctions Committee. It is indicative of wide efforts among a group of countries to undermine the rules-based international order. Were the North Korean sanctions to be removed through interim step negotiations, it would be perceived as another conspicuous achievement by these countries. Such perception’s consequence will be felt in other parts of Northeast Asia and beyond.
We must have more confidence in our current approach to the North Korean nuclear issue. We have maintained peace through further strengthening extended deterrence and maintaining predominant advantage in conventional forces. The diplomatic door should be kept open. However, it must not be used in a way to undermine the effective formula for peace on the Korean Peninsula. We also have to remember that the impasse on the diplomatic front was dictated by North Korea’s determination to develop nuclear weapons at any cost, even at the cost of sacrificing millions of lives during the Arduous March period of the 1990s.
North Korea’s persistence stays the same even today. However, the context will change in time for North Korea. The structural and chronic weaknesses in the North Korean economy and society will eventually lead to that outcome. Its economy is not getting any better. There are growing signs of widespread discontent in North Korean society. The younger generations in particular have more chances to learn about South Korea and the outside world, which undermines its loyalty to the regime. It’s another reason why we must stay the course.
Ahn Ho-young is chair professor at Kyungnam University. He served as ambassador to the United States and vice foreign minister.
The Korea Times · May 14, 2024
16. Destroying South Korea’s HUMINT Capability: The Framing of Colonel Cheong Kyu-phil; Benefits North Korea, China
Destroying South Korea’s HUMINT Capability: The Framing of Colonel Cheong Kyu-phil; Benefits North Korea, China
https://eastasiaresearch.org/2024/05/14/destroying-south-koreas-humint-capability-the-framing-of-colonel-cheong-kyu-phil-benefits-north-korea-china/
PUBLISHED DATEMAY 14, 2024
LAST MODIFIED DATEMAY 14, 2024
AUTHORADMIN
COMMENT: 1
2024-5-14, Tara O
The Moon Jae-in administration (10 May 2017 – 9 May 2022) conducted a wide-scale purge of patriots who dedicated themselves to protecting the Republic of Korea (ROK) under the “Jeokpae Cheongsan” (eliminating accumulated ills / deep-rooted evil) campaign. ROK intelligence agencies and the dedicated professionals in them were targeted with the effect of degrading and destroying ROK intelligence capabilities.
One favorite method was to target specific individuals, “investigate” them, and accuse them of nonexistent or unreasonable charges. Using investigations and lawfare, the Moon administration imprisoned three former National Intelligence Service directors and dozens of intelligence professionals who were focused on North Korean agents and spies. They also falsely accused Lieutenant General Lee Jae-su (이재수), Commander, Defense Security Command (DSC), of a long list of charges and applied high-pressured and abusive tactics in investigating him and other intelligence professionals under him, which drove him to suicide on December 7, 2018. He left a note, clearly indicating he wanted to protect those under his command from unfair investigations, when they were only doing their jobs to defend the Republic of Korea. Moon Jae-in electronically signed an order to dismantle the DSC on August 3, 2018 while he was visiting India, which expelled 4,200 personnel from it and took away its counterintelligence function. Moon had already called for abolishing the National Intelligence Service (NIS), which is the same demand by North Korea.
Moon Jae-in holds a sign: Dismantle the NIS
The latest case, which is still on going, is the case of retired Colonel Cheong Kyu-phil (정규필). Former NIS officials call it “the Moon regime’s fake espionage case.” Colonel Cheong had been a covert agent and an attache in a South Korean mission in China. In 2019, as in other cases, he was falsely accused of espionage, specifically selling secrets to Chinese and North Korean officials. Despite search and seizure, the prosecution found no evidence and he was cleared of the espionage charge in February 2020. But it was not over. He was soon charged with violating the Military Secrets Protection Act for possessing classified information, which Cheong found preposterous. Colonel Cheong has been fighting this battle for the past 5 years, losing 44 pounds in the process.
Retired Colonel Cheong Kyu-phil; Source: Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
The Supreme Court is expected to decide his fate sometime around May 17, 2024.
Colonel Cheong Kyu-phil had risked his life for his country, conducting clandestine operations to collect intelligence on North Korea. After graduating from the Korean Military Academy, he began his career in special operations. He was assigned to various intelligence organizations including Korea Defense Intelligence Command (KDIC) and the Defense Security Command. He retired from the military after 37 years of honorable service. Choi Su-yong, former NIS official who also was an operative, described Colonel Cheong as an extraordinarily skilled operative, an “ace” in the field. (59:40) Another intelligence official called him “a legend.”
Colonel Cheong Kyu-phil with General Paik Sun-yup at a ROK-US Combined Forces Command event in 2013
Colonel Cheong’s nightmare began slightly over a month after his retirement from the military. On May 14, 2019, 21 young NIS agents arrived at his residence with a search warrant, accusing him of espionage. Cheong thought it was absurd, since that’s not the kind of person he is, and even freely gave them his email passwords to check. The search lasted from 7:50 a.m. until 6:20 a.m. the next day, and found nothing. Certain of his innocence and in sympathy for the agents who had to continue to work long hours, he told them to just take everything, so they took about 100 items from his house. Investigations showed that there was no basis for the allegations and all charges were dropped.
He discovered that the accusation of espionage was based on a statement from Lee Young-kwon (이영권) of the NIS, but no one knew who he was initially; certainly Cheong did not know someone by that name. Much later, it was discovered that the so-called Lee Young-kwon was actually Kim Yong-woo (김용우), who was promoted twice after he accused Cheong. On April 16, 2018, only 2 weeks after Cheong’s retirement, Kim wrote the statement that led to the search and seizure of Cheong’s residence. If Cheong was still in the military, the proper jurisdiction would have been DSC. The timing of waiting after he retired seems to indicate that they did not want DSC to investigate.
Another person who accused Cheong was Ryu Won-ho (류원호) of the Defense Security Command (DSC), to whom Colonel Cheong reported during 2013-2014. It is suspected that Ryu provided the false content suspecting Cheong under threat one month after Ryu’s retirement. Ryu’s accusations became one of the bases for a legal action against Colonel Cheong. If Ryu suspected Cheong, he could have reported it in 2013-14, but he did not. Also, if he really suspected Cheong and reported it then, the investigation would have been handled by the DSC. It is suspicious also that Ryu reported it to the NIS, rather than DSC.
At that time when the charges against Colonel Cheong began, Suh Hoon (서훈), appointed by Moon ae-in, was the director (2017-5-10 to 2020-7-3) of the National Intelligence Service (NIS). Suh Hoon is notorious for being one of Moon Jae-in’s circle of close associates involved in forcibly sending the two fishermen who defected from North Korea back to North Korea across the DMZ against their will on November 7, 2019, as well as misleading the U.S. by portraying North Korea as being willing to denuclearize only if the U.S. would meet Kim Jong-un.
Suh Hoon created the “Jeokpae Cheongsan Task Force” (적폐청산TF) in June 2017 and appointed Cho Nam-kwan (조남관) , former prosecutor, to direct it. The Moon Jae-in administration also launched the “NIS Reform and Development Committee (국정원개혁발전위원회) to weed out the dedicated patriotic professionals at NIS in the name of “reform.” The Committee was chaired by Professor Jeong Hae-gu (정해구), a leftist professor, and populated by civilians unfamiliar with the intelligence field, but who shared the same ideological leanings as Jeong Hae-gu. Among many of its misdeeds, it accessed the NIS central server, which contains extremely sensitive information, including on South Korea’s HUMINT network.
Park Jie-won replaced Suh Hoon as the NIS director (2020-7-29 to 2022-5-11). Park Jie-won, a right hand man of Kim Dae-jung, was notorious for having transferred $500 million to North Korea as a bribe to hold the 2000 summit between Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il, for which Kim received the Nobel Peace Prize. Park went to jail for his role over a decade ago, and then returned to politics. He played a crucial role in impeaching President Park Geun-hye while he was the head of the People’s Party by getting Kim Moo-sung, the head of the Saenuri Party (President Park geun-hye was a member), to garner enough votes to impeach the president from her own party.
Moon Jae-in’s NIS director was so interested in this case that the NIS investigation reports on the case against Colonel Cheong was apparently reported directly and frequently to the NIS director. As mentioned, both Suh Hoon and Park Jie-won were NIS directors under Moon.
The NIS does not have authority to indict, so it transferred the seized items to the prosecution, who found no evidence of espionage. The prosecutors however, indicted Cheong on another charge, that of violating the Military Secrets Protection Act. They re-constructed deleted files from a seized external drive and used them to charge Cheong with possessing such files.
Cheong found the whole accusation absurd. Some of the files were created by Cheong himself in 2013 when he worked as the attache in China, and they were declassified a year later. Before he retired, he deleted the files as he was going through his hard drive, but the NIS recreated the files through forensics, and then accused Cheong of the violation, having failed to find any evidence of espionage.
Besides the significant problems with the charges, another problem was the way that sensitive national security information was handled. Normally, sensitive information like this was handled by courts associated with the Defense Security Command where the information is protected. Instead, the NIS submitted the information in public court, and the case was tried in between sexual assault and fraud cases, and all of the sensitive information in the case including his identity was made open to the general public.
During the initial case, Judge Kim Chang-mo (김창모) found him guilty and sentenced him to six months in prison suspended for one year. The appeals court judge, Kang Hee-suk (강희석), increased the sentencing to ten months in prison suspended for two years. These courts handle primarily sexual assault and fraud cases, so they are used to viewing the accused as sexual molesters and frauds and their decisions reflect such views. They do not understand the intricacies of handling sensitive national security information and the impact of their actions in handling these national security cases.
Exposing to the public the identity of Colonel Cheong and other relevant personnel as well as certain clandestine operations details puts everyone that works in their field at risk. These cases should be handled at specialized places, such as the Defense Security Command, which can better discern the situation.
Colonel Cheong stated, “The NIS collapsed in 2017, the Defense Security Command was disbanded in 2018, and the military intelligence (HUMINT) organization collapsed from early 2019. In the past, the NIS would have protected and shielded KDIC in a large framework, but the NIS itself stepped in to crush me and the agents of KDIC. I don’t think our [fellow intelligence organization] acted as agents of the enemy, but it is a sad situation. Still, I believe that the NIS must play its role as the last bastion [to defend] the state in order for the country to exist. Although, personally, I’m sorrowful. It takes one year to grow a crop, 10 years to grow a tree, and 30 years to grow a person. It’s not a 100-year plan, but 30 years is a lot of work. After the establishment of diplomatic relations [with the Republic of Korea] in 1992, China invited its people who had remained in Korea since 1945 to China and encouraged them. What an enviable and terrifying country. When will we [treat our intelligence agents like that]? The Republic of Korea, which only destroys those who worked hard. I’m really worried.”
Implications
Personal
Colonel Cheong dedicated 37 years of his life, risking his life in risky missions to defend his country. As a retired military officer, he receives a military pension. If the Supreme Court finds him guilty, then he would not only lose his pension, but would have to pay back all of his post-retirement pension that he had received.
Also, it would take away honor from a person who served his country admirably.
KDIC and HUMINT Capability in general
South Korea’s human intelligence (HUMINT) capabilities are gravely degraded as secret information about KDIC and its agents, including Cheong’s identity as a former undercover intelligence agent in China gathering intelligence about North Korea were revealed to the public during the investigations and trials.
‘A symbolic figure in the work of countering North Korea has been accused of espionage, and all operations against North Korea have been paralyzed,’ according to multiple intelligence officials.
While this has already had a chilling effect on South Korean intelligence agencies, dedicated professionals in South Korea’s intelligence community would see what happened to Colonel Cheong and become even more risk-averse, and not seek out intelligence regarding North Korea.
Beneficiaries
Who benefits from undermining of South Korea’s human intelligence capability? China and North Korea.
For more details on Colonel Cheong’s ordeal, see here (in English) and here for former NIS official Choe’s description of the case (in Korean, but can select the English translation subtitle option).
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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