Quotes of the Day:

"On 14 June 1775, Congress "Resolved, That six companies of expert riflemen, be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia… [and] as soon as completed, shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry, under the command of the chief Officer in that army.""

The delegates then prescribed an oath of enlistment that required the soldiers to swear: "I have, this day, voluntarily enlisted myself, as a soldier, in the American continental army, for one year, unless sooner discharged: And I do bind myself to conform, in all instances, to such rules and regulations, as are, or shall be, established for the government of the said. Army."

The next day Congress voted to appoint George Washington "to command all the Continental forces" and began laying the foundation for "the American army.""

“Reality cannot be ignored except at a price; and the longer ignorance is persisted in, the higher and more terrible becomes the price that must be paid.” 

– Aldous Huxley

"To be alive at all is to have scars."

–John Steinbeck

1. Message to the Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to North Korea

2. Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to North Korea

3. S. Korea, U.S., Japan expected to hold 1st trilateral multidomain exercise late June

4. N. Korea shows strong discontent over UNSC's meeting on its human rights situation

5. N.K. submarine movements may foreshadow SLBM, SLCM test preparations: U.S. monitor

6. Recent Ballistic Missile Submarine Movements at Sinpo

7. N. Korea criticizes Swiss-hosted Ukraine peace summit as 'conspiracy gathering'

8. Putin's visit to N. Korea likely to pave way for deeper military cooperation: experts

9. Japan tight-lipped on report of meeting with North Korea in Mongolia

10. Unification minister says N. Korea's socialist rationing system has collapsed

11. S. Korea, China could have diplomatic security talks in Seoul

12. Seoul activists develop 'smart balloons' to send messages deep into North Korea

13. Kremlin hails ties with Pyongyang ahead of rumoured Putin visit

14. CNA launches in North America as part of international expansion

1. Message to the Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to North Korea

Message to the Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to North Korea | The White House

whitehouse.gov · by The White House · June 13, 2024

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to North Korea that was declared in Executive Order 13466 of June 26, 2008, expanded in scope in Executive Order 13551 of August 30, 2010, addressed further in Executive Order 13570 of April 18, 2011, further expanded in scope in Executive Order 13687 of January 2, 2015, and under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13722 of March 15, 2016, and Executive Order 13810 of September 20, 2017, is to continue in effect beyond June 26, 2024.

The existence and risk of the proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula; the actions and policies of the Government of North Korea that destabilize the Korean Peninsula and imperil United States Armed Forces, allies, and trading partners in the region, including its pursuit of nuclear and missile programs; and other provocative, destabilizing, and repressive actions and policies of the Government of North Korea, continue to constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.

For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 with respect to North Korea.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

June 13, 2024.

whitehouse.gov · by The White House · June 13, 2024

2. Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to North Korea

Would this authorize a comprehensive political warfare plan, to include an information campaign, if they were developed? Or at least provide the rationale for developing them as the President would likely (and should) approve them specifically.

Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to North Korea | The White House

whitehouse.gov · by The White House · June 13, 2024

On June 26, 2008, by Executive Order 13466, the President declared a national emergency with respect to North Korea pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the existence and risk of the proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula. The President also found that it was necessary to maintain certain restrictions with respect to North Korea that would otherwise have been lifted pursuant to Proclamation 8271 of June 26, 2008, which terminated the exercise of authorities under the Trading With the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. App. 1 et seq.) with respect to North Korea.

On August 30, 2010, the President signed Executive Order 13551, which expanded the scope of the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States posed by the continued actions and policies of the Government of North Korea, manifested by its unprovoked attack that resulted in the sinking of the Republic of Korea Navy ship Cheonan and the deaths of 46 sailors in March 2010; its announced test of a nuclear device and its missile launches in 2009; its actions in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874, including the procurement of luxury goods; and its illicit and deceptive activities in international markets through which it obtains financial and other support, including money laundering, the counterfeiting of goods and currency, bulk cash smuggling, and narcotics trafficking, which destabilize the Korean Peninsula and imperil United States Armed Forces, allies, and trading partners in the region.

On April 18, 2011, the President signed Executive Order 13570 to take additional steps to address the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 and expanded in Executive Order 13551 that would ensure implementation of the import restrictions contained in United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 and complement the import restrictions provided for in the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.).

On January 2, 2015, the President signed Executive Order 13687 to expand the scope of, and to take further steps with respect to, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466, as expanded in Executive Order 13551, and addressed further in Executive Order 13570, to address the threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the provocative, destabilizing, and repressive actions and policies of the Government of North Korea, including its destructive, coercive cyber-related actions during November and December 2014, actions in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718, 1874, 2087, and 2094, and commission of serious human rights abuses.

On March 15, 2016, the President signed Executive Order 13722 to take additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466, as modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps in subsequent Executive Orders, to address the Government of North Korea’s continuing pursuit of its nuclear and missile programs, as evidenced by its February 7, 2016, launch using ballistic missile technology and its January 6, 2016, nuclear test in violation of its obligations pursuant to numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions and in contravention of its commitments under the September 19, 2005, Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks, that increasingly imperils the United States and its allies.

On September 20, 2017, the President signed Executive Order 13810 to take further steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466, as modified in scope and relied upon for additional steps in subsequent Executive Orders, to address the provocative, destabilizing, and repressive actions and policies of the Government of North Korea, including its intercontinental ballistic missile launches of July 3 and July 28, 2017, and its nuclear test of September 2, 2017; its commission of serious human rights abuses; and its use of funds generated through international trade to support its nuclear and missile programs and weapons proliferation.

The existence and risk of the proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula and the actions and policies of the Government of North Korea continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466, expanded in scope in Executive Order 13551, addressed further in Executive Order 13570, further expanded in scope in Executive Order 13687, and under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13722 and Executive Order 13810, must continue in effect beyond June 26, 2024. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13466 with respect to North Korea.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

June 13, 2024.

whitehouse.gov · by The White House · June 13, 2024

3. S. Korea, U.S., Japan expected to hold 1st trilateral multidomain exercise late June

S. Korea, U.S., Japan expected to hold 1st trilateral multidomain exercise late June | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · June 14, 2024

SEOUL, June 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, the United States and Japan are preparing to hold what would be their first trilateral multidomain exercise as early as this month, military sources said Friday, amid joint efforts to bolster security cooperation against North Korean threats.

The exercise comes in the face of North Korea's continued provocations and Russian President Vladimir Putin's impending visit to the North, which experts fear could deepen their military cooperation beyond arms transactions.

Discussions are under way on involving the Theodore Roosevelt, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, for the exercise, with details, such as the schedule and the scale of the drills, yet to be confirmed, the sources said.

South Korea, the U.S. and Japan agreed to launch the exercise, named Freedom Edge, during their three-way talks held on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference earlier this month. It takes its name from key bilateral exercises the U.S. holds with the Asian neighbors -- Freedom Shield with South Korea and Keen Edge with Japan.

Under the agreement, the exercise will take place across various domains, including air, maritime, underwater and cyber.

In April, the three countries held a two-day naval exercise involving the USS Theodore Roosevelt in efforts to improve their joint operability against North Korea's evolving threats.

This file photo, provided by the Navy on April 12, 2024, shows the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), taking part in joint naval drills by South Korea, the United States and Japan. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

mlee@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · June 14, 2024

4. N. Korea shows strong discontent over UNSC's meeting on its human rights situation

Along with information and the existence and example of South Korea, human rights is a threat to the Kim family regime.

N. Korea shows strong discontent over UNSC's meeting on its human rights situation | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · June 14, 2024

SEOUL, June 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea expressed strong discontent Friday regarding the U.N. Security Council's (UNSC) meeting on Pyongyang's human rights situation held earlier this week.

At the UNSC session Wednesday, diplomats, experts and activists emphasized the need for continued attention to the plight of North Koreans, and discussed the broader security implications.

The meeting was presided over by South Korea's Ambassador to the U.N. Hwang Joon-kook, who is serving as this month's rotating UNSC president.

In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim Sun-kyung, vice minister of the International Organization Department at North Korea's foreign ministry, condemned the U.N. meeting, asserting that the United States and South Korea should first address their own human rights violations.

"If the U.N. Security Council is to address human rights issues, it should first consider the severe human rights abuses in the U.S. and South Korea, which are riddled with various social evils," the statement said.

Referring to the meeting as a "serious political provocation," Kim, the North Korean official, urged the U.S. and other nations to refrain from interfering in North Korea's domestic affairs.

He also criticized Seoul's role as the UNSC president for this month, calling it a "disgrace" to the U.N.

Wednesday's meeting was the first UNSC discussion on North Korean human rights since August, when the UNSC resumed related talks after a six-year hiatus.

During this period, Seoul, Washington and other members highlighted that Pyongyang has been diverting its scarce resources toward weapons of mass destruction programs, amidst a repressive political environment that suppresses public dissent.

South Korean Ambassador to the U.N. Hwang Joon-kook speaks during a U.N. Security Council meeting on North Korean human rights at U.N. headquarters in New York on June 12, 2024, in this photo captured from U.N. Web TV. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

khj@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · June 14, 2024

5. N.K. submarine movements may foreshadow SLBM, SLCM test preparations: U.S. monitor

N.K. submarine movements may foreshadow SLBM, SLCM test preparations: U.S. monitor | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · June 14, 2024

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, June 13 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. monitor on Thursday reported recent North Korean ballistic missile submarine movements at a shipyard on the country's east coast, saying they may presage the start of submarine trials this summer or preparations for a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) test.

Citing recent satellite imagery, Beyond Parallel, a project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, released its monthslong analysis of the movements of the Hero Kim Kun Ok submarine, an experimental submarine, and the submersible missile test stand barge at a shipyard in Sinpo.

Launched in September, Hero Kim Kun Ok is known as the country's first true ballistic missile submarine.

"This overall level of activity may portend the commencement later this summer of sea trials for the Hero Kim Kun Ok, preparations for the resumption of SLBM/SLCM flight testing, or both," the monitor said in the analysis. SLCM stands for a submarine-launched cruise missile.

"Going forward, the level of activity and success these vessels achieve will heavily influence future North Korean development of SSBs, SLBMs, SLCMs, and submarine technology, designs, and operational procedures," it added. SSB stands for a ballistic missile submarine.

Key movements at the shipyard involved Hero Kim Kun Ok being moved from under the security canopy in the secure boat basin to the graving dock.

"The most likely explanation for the Hero Kim Kun Ok's presence in the graving dock is that it is a component of the submarine's final construction and fitting out," it said.

"The latter would include the final installation and testing of systems such as electrical, pumping, and communications, suggesting forthcoming sea trials and being declared operational."

This photo, taken from the website of North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 8, 2023, shows the North's newly built "tactical nuclear attack submarine" being launched on Sept. 6, during a commissioning ceremony attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · June 14, 2024

6. Recent Ballistic Missile Submarine Movements at Sinpo

Imagery at the link: https://beyondparallel.csis.org/recent-ballistic-missile-submarine-movements-at-sinpo/

Recent Ballistic Missile Submarine Movements at Sinpo

June 13, 2024, by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha and Jennifer Jun

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A slightly higher resolution image acquired on June 11, 2024, showing the No. 841 Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB from the portside. Some of the details of the submarine are more visible as are the various unidentified objects lined up along both sides of the graving dock. Click to enlarge. (Copyright © CNES 2024 Distribution Airbus DS) Image may not be republished without permission. Please contact imagery@csis.org.

Key Findings

• In an exceptional surge of activity during the past five weeks, North Korea has undertaken moves at Sinpo of the Hero Kim Kun Ok ballistic missile submarine (SSB), the 8.24 Yongung experiment ballistic missile submarine (SSBA), and the submersible missile test stand barge.
• These three vessels represent core elements of North Korea’s ballistic missile submarine, submarine launch ballistic missile (SLBM), and submarine launch cruise missile (SLCM) development programs.
• This overall level of activity may portend the commencement later this summer of sea trials for the Hero Kim Kun Ok, preparations for the resumption of SLBM/SLCM flight testing, or both.
• Going forward, the level of activity and success these vessels achieve will heavily influence future North Korean development of SSBs, SLBMs, SLCMs, and submarine technology, designs, and operational procedures.
• Aside from practical construction-related developments, these activities may represent an element of Kim Jong-un’s increasingly aggressive diplomatic posturing since 2023.

Overview

During the past five weeks, North Korea has sequentially undertaken significant moves of its SSB, SSBA, and submersible missile test stand barge at both the Sinpo South Shipyard (identified by Kim Jong-un as the Pongdae Submarine Factory) and Sinpo Shipyard’s graving dock,

1. The No. 841 Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB was moved from under the security canopy in the secure boat basin to the graving dock at Sinpo Shipyard.
2. The 8.24 Yongung SSBA was moved from its former position along the south pier of the secure boat basin to under the security canopy.
3. The submersible missile test stand barge was moved from its position alongside the launching ways of the shipyard’s large construction hall into the secure boat basin aft of the 8.24 Yongung SSB. It then moved a second time to the north pier of the basin.

The most likely explanation for the Hero Kim Kun Ok‘s presence in the graving dock is that it is a component of the submarine’s final construction and fitting out. The latter would include the final installation and testing of systems such as electrical, pumping, and communications, suggesting forthcoming sea trials and being declared operational. For the 24 Yongung SSBA and submersible missile test stand barge, these moves are likely for maintenance or modification. If for modifications, it would suggest long term preparations for a resumption of flight testing of SLBMs and SLCMs. Aside from these practical construction and development-related considerations, these moves may represent an element in Kim Jong-un’s increasingly aggressive diplomatic posturing since 2023.

No. 841 Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB

North Korea’s first true ballistic missile submarine (SSB), the No. 841 Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB, was launched on September 6, 2023, at the Sinpo South Shipyard. It was then moved into the shipyard’s secure boat basin. It has remained there until sometime between May 8 and May 17, 2024, when it was moved to the graving dock at the Sinpo Shipyard.

Launch of the No. 841 Hero Kim Kun Ok ballistic missile submarine (SSB) on September 6, 2023. Click to enlarge. (KCNA).

Although of limited resolution, the No. 841 Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB can be clearly seen in the graving dock at the Sinpo Shipyard, May 18, 2024. Click to enlarge. (Copyright © 2024 by Planet) Image may not be republished without permission. Please contact imagery@csis.org.

Available satellite imagery from May 23 through June 11, 2024, provides no precise indication of the nature of the work being undertaken on the submarine. However, the fact that the graving dock’s tower crane is positioned directly over the Hero Kim Kun Ok‘s combined sail/missile “hump” in several of the images suggests that the work may be related to the launch tubes and/or fitting out activity in preparation for sea trials.

The No. 841 Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB seen in the graving dock at the Sinpo Shipyard, May 23, 2024. Click to enlarge. (Copyright © 2024 by Maxar Technologies) Image may not be republished without permission. Please contact imagery@csis.org.

The No. 841 Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB seen in the graving dock at the Sinpo Shipyard, May 28, 2024. Click to enlarge. (Copyright © 2024 by Planet) Image may not be republished without permission. Please contact imagery@csis.org.

A higher resolution image collected from a different angle on June 11, 2024, provides a more detailed view of the approximately 83.5-meter-long No. 841 Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB within the graving dock. The distinctive length and width of the combined sail/missile “hump” is clearly visible. While it is likely that highly skewed propellers were installed on the Hero Kim Kun Ok to reduce noise and vibration, none were seen in North Korean imagery of the launch ceremony and the latest image is not of sufficient resolution to pick out the details of any props mounted on the stern planes. The sail mounted dive planes visible in the launch ceremony imagery are not readily visible in the image. Likewise, the details of the top of the sail and missile hatches are not visible. There are, however, what appear to be two unidentified bulges visible on the portside mid and forward sections of the hull. The one opposite the sail may be a work platform. The numerous unidentified objects, some covered, along both sides of the graving dock remain in place. These likely consist of assorted equipment, supplies, scaffolding, and blocks.

A slightly higher resolution image acquired on June 11, 2024, showing the No. 841 Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB from the portside. Some of the details of the submarine are more visible as are the various unidentified objects lined up along both sides of the graving dock. Click to enlarge. (Copyright © CNES 2024 Distribution Airbus DS) Image may not be republished without permission. Please contact imagery@csis.org.

8.24 Yongung SSBA and Submersible Missile Test Barge

Prior to the Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB being moved to the graving dock, the 8.24 Yongung SSBA was tied up alongside that submarine, partially visible under the security canopy. In preparation for the Hero Kim Kun Ok‘s move, the 8.24 Yongung was repositioned to the south pier of the secure boat basin during the first week of May. Sometime between May 8 and May 17, 2024, with the transfer of the Hero Kim Kun Ok SSB to the graving dock, the 8.24 Yongung was repositioned to under the security canopy replacing the Hero Kim Kun Ok.1

Subsequently, sometime between May 28 and June 4, 2024, a telescoping crane arrived dockside and was positioned over the moveable opening of the security canopy above the 8.24 Yongung. At that time, what appears to be an object was also observed dockside between the crane and the submarine.

The secure boat basin at the Sinpo South Shipyard, June 4, 2024. A telescoping crane can be seen with its arm positioned over the moveable opening of the security canopy above the 8.24 Yongung. An unidentified object can be seen dockside between the crane and submarine. Click to enlarge. (Copyright © CNES 2024, Distribution Airbus DS) Image may not be republished without permission. Please contact imagery@csis.org.

Two days later, a satellite image collected on June 6, 2024, shows that the telescoping crane had departed. Notably, the submersible missile test stand barge, formerly berthed alongside the launching ways of the shipyard’s large construction hall, had been moved into the secure boat basin and positioned aft of the 8.24 Yongung, partially under the security canopy.

The secure boat basin as seen looking through the clouds on June 6, 2024. The telescoping crane is no longer present; however, the submersible missile test barge is now present aft of the 8.24 Yongung. Click to enlarge. (Copyright © 2024 by Maxar Technologies) Image may not be republished without permission. Please contact imagery@csis.org.

An image collected on June 11, 2024, shows continued movement and changes within the secure boat basin. The submersible missile test stand has once again been repositioned from aft of the 8.24 Yongung, to a location along the north pier. Concurrently, an approximately 20-meter by 15-meter section of the security canopy has either been replaced or covered over by light-colored tarps or netting.

It is unclear what the purposes of these developments during the past two weeks are. In the past, telescoping cranes have occasionally been observed here undertaking maintenance, repairs, or modifications to the 8.24 Yongung SSBA, as well as loading SLBMs for testing. Likewise, the movement of the submersible test stand barge within the secure boat basin is not uncommon.

A slightly higher resolution image acquired on June 11, 2024, showing the secure boat basin. The submersible missile test stand has been repositioned to a location along the north pier and section of the security canopy has either been replaced or covered over. Click to enlarge. (Copyright © CNES 2024 Distribution Airbus DS) Image may not be republished without permission. Please contact imagery@csis.org.

Graving Dock’s Support of Submarine Programs

In the past, the Sinpo Shipyard‘s graving dock, the largest in North Korea and measuring approximately 185-meters-by-60-meters, has been used for the maintenance, repair, or overhaul of ROMEO and SANGO class patrol submarines (SS) based at the Mayang-do Navy Base across the bay from the shipyard. The reason for this is that the existing graving dock on Mayang-do, approximately 120-meters-by-20-meters, is often over-committed with overhaul and repair activities.2

Significantly, North Korea’s experimental ballistic missile submarine (SSBA), the 8.24 Yongung SSBA, has used the Sinpo Shipyard’s graving dock on at least two known occasions. First, during November 2021, the graving dock was used by the 8.24 Yongung for the repair of damage reportedly sustained damage during a test launch of an SLBM that took place the previous month.3

A December 13, 2021, close-up view of the 8.24 Yongung SSBA showing work being undertaken on the bow and stern, above the engine compartment. Components and equipment are visible both dockside and inside the graving dock. The top of the sail, including the hatch to the missile launch tube, is obscured by a tarp. Click to enlarge. (Copyright © 2024 by Maxar Technologies) Image may not be republished without permission. Please contact imagery@csis.org.

Subsequently, commercial satellite imagery collected on June 8, 2023, showed that the 8.24 Yongung had once again been moved into the Sinpo Shipyard’s graving dock. A knowledgeable source indicates that this movement is believed to have been for routine maintenance. The submarine was moved back to its normal position within the Sinpo South Shipyard’s secure boat basin sometime between June 19 and June 23, 2023.4 

Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. is an internationally recognized analyst, award-winning author, and lecturer on North Korean defense and intelligence affairs and ballistic missile development in developing countries. He is concurrently senior fellow for Imagery Analysis at the Center for Strategic and International Security (CSIS); and senior adviser and imagery analyst for the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK). Formerly, he has served as founder and CEO of KPA Associates, LLC, publisher and editor of KPA Journal, senior imagery analyst for 38 North, chief analytics officer and co-founder of AllSource Analysis, Inc., and senior all-source analyst for DigitalGlobe’s Analysis Center. 

Victor Cha is senior vice president for Asia and Korea Chair and the inaugural holder of the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 

Jennifer Jun is project manager and research associate with the iDeas Lab and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 

Headline image Copyright © CNES 2024 Distribution Airbus DS.

References

1. An infiltration mothership has been present in almost all imagery of the secure boat basin since 2021. Whether this is the same vessel or not is unknown. ↩
2. Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., and Victor Cha, Sharp Focus: A Unique View of the Sinpo Shipyard, Beyond Parallel, July 15, 2021, https://beyondparallel.csis.org/sharp-focus-a-unique-view-of-the-sinpo-shipyard/. ↩
3. Joseph S. Bermudez Jr, Victor Cha, and Jennifer Jun, “SINPO Class Submarine Damaged During October 19 Test Launch,” Beyond Parallel, January 7, 2022, https://beyondparallel.csis.org/SINPO-Class-submarine-damaged-during-october-19-test-launch/. ↩
4. Interview data acquired by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.; CSIS Korea Chair (@CSISKoreaChair). 2023. “Satellite imagery from 6/27 shows the 8.24 Yongung, North Korea’s sole SINPO-Class SSBA, was moved out of the Sinpo Shipyard’s graving dock between 6/19 and 6/23 and is now presumed to back in the secure boat basin under the movable security canopy. A large fishing vessel is now observed in the shipyard’s graving dock.” Twitter, June 28, 2022, 2:48 PM. https://twitter.com/CSISKoreaChair/status/1674127657108111360; CSIS Korea Chair (@CSISKoreaChair). 2023. “Satellite imagery acquired yesterday shows North Korea’s sole SINPO-Class experimental ballistic missile submarine (SSBA) continuing to undergo work in the Sinpo Shipyard’s graving dock with the tower crane now positioned over the sail.” Twitter, June 15, 2023, 12:54 PM. https://twitter.com/CSISKoreaChair/status/1669387953531961344; CSIS Korea Chair (@CSISKoreaChair). 2023. “Satellite imagery acquired during the past 7 days shows that the 8.24 Yongung, North Korea’s sole SINPO-Class experimental ballistic missile submarine (SSBA), was moved to the Sinpo Shipyard’s graving dock on 6/8.” Twitter, June 13, 2023, 3:00 PM. https://twitter.com/CSISKoreaChair/status/1668694871622688770. ↩

Related

7. N. Korea criticizes Swiss-hosted Ukraine peace summit as 'conspiracy gathering'

north Korea is trying to be a global pivotal state with its own Juche characteristics.

N. Korea criticizes Swiss-hosted Ukraine peace summit as 'conspiracy gathering' | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · June 14, 2024

By Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, June 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Friday strongly condemned the Ukraine peace summit to be hosted by Switzerland later this week, describing it as a "conspiracy gathering under the pretext of peace" to exclude Russia, according to the North's state media.

The Summit on Peace in Ukraine is scheduled to run for two days starting Saturday, bringing together officials from nearly 90 countries and organizations to discuss a path toward ending the war that began nearly 28 months ago when Russia invaded Ukraine. Moscow will not be participating.

"The idea of discussing the Ukraine issue without including Russia, a key party in the conflict, is absurd," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The statement came amid increasingly close military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang, highlighted by the impending visit to North Korea by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The United States, South Korea and other countries have accused North Korea of supplying artillery, missiles and other conventional weapons to Russia in exchange for advanced military technology and economic aid. Both North Korea and Russia have repeatedly denied the allegations.

North Korea criticized the U.S. and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing them of using the summit to instigate war and confrontation.

"It is only natural that the international community condemns this conspiratorial meeting, which is held under the guise of peace but aims to promote conflict and war," the KCNA added.

A South Korean presidential official indicated that Putin is expected to visit North Korea "in a few days." Meanwhile, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that Putin might travel to North Korea "as early as next week" as part of a tour that includes a stop in Vietnam.

In response, Seoul's unification ministry questioned whether North Korea is qualified to criticize the international community's efforts to resolve the Ukraine issue.

"We must question whether North Korea, which has blatantly supported Russia's illegal invasion and disrupted international norms through illicit arms deals, has the right to disparage the efforts of Ukraine and the international community to uphold justice," said Kim In-ae, the deputy spokesperson for the ministry, during a press briefing.

This file photo, carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 14, 2023, shows its leader Kim Jong-un (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin holding a summit at Russia's Vostochny spaceport the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

khj@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · June 14, 2024

8. Putin's visit to N. Korea likely to pave way for deeper military cooperation: experts

We just may not detect exactly what support Russia might provide to assist with nuclear weapons and advanced missile systems.

(LEAD) (News Focus) Putin's visit to N. Korea likely to pave way for deeper military cooperation: experts | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · June 13, 2024

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout)

By Kim Soo-yeon

SEOUL, June 13 (Yonhap) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin's impending visit to North Korea is expected to serve as an occasion to elevate the level of military cooperation between the two nations beyond arms transactions amid a new Cold War geopolitical structure, experts said Thursday.

A South Korean presidential official said that Putin is expected to visit North Korea "in a few days." Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that Putin could travel to the North "as early as next week" as part of a tour that would include a stop in Vietnam.

North Korea and Russia have yet to officially announce the details of Putin's trip. But if realized, it would be Putin's first trip to Pyongyang since 2000, when he met with then North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the late father of the current leader.

North Korea and Russia have been bolstering military ties and expanding the scope of cooperation in various fields following the summit between the North's leader Kim Jong-un and Putin in Russia's Far East in September last year.

This file photo, carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 14, 2023, shows its leader Kim Jong-un (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin holding a summit at Russia's Vostochny spaceport the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

"If Putin visits Pyongyang, there is a high possibility that North Korea and Russia could upgrade military cooperation to a new level at a time when they are maintaining close military ties," said Cheong Seong-chang, a director at the Sejong Institute.

Putin's trip comes at a delicate time when North Korea and Russia have seen their strategic needs converge amid Moscow's protracted war in Ukraine and Pyongyang's push to advance its weapons programs.

"What garners attention in regard to Putin's trip will be to what extent Russia will provide its support to North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons," said Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

"In case the two nations renew a treaty of friendship, whether it would include something beyond military cooperation -- for example, their troops' automatic intervention in emergency situations involving the other -- could also be an issue of concern," he said.

North Korea and the Soviet Union clinched a treaty of friendship and mutual assistance in 1961, when the North's national founder Kim Il-sung visited Moscow.

The treaty included a provision for the so-called automatic military intervention, under which if one side is under an armed attack, the other provides military troops and other aid without hesitation.

But the deal was scrapped in 1996 after the Soviet Union established diplomatic ties with South Korea in 1990 and collapsed the following year.

In February 2000, North Korea and Russia signed a new treaty of bilateral cooperation, but it did not contain such a provision as it centered on cooperation in the economic, science and cultural sectors.

Since the Kim-Putin summit last year, North Korea and Russia have been bolstering military cooperation amid suspicions that Pyongyang has provided weapons and munitions to Moscow for use in its war with Ukraine.

In return, North Korea appears to have received technology assistance from Russia in the development of a military spy satellite.

In late May, North Korea launched a military spy satellite, but the attempt ended in failure as a rocket carrying the satellite exploded right after liftoff.

At a year-end party meeting, Kim Jong-un vowed to launch three more satellites in 2024 after the country successfully placed its first military spy satellite into orbit in November last year.

"If North Korea and Russia announce any plans to cooperate on space development programs, it means that they have a commitment to maintaining cooperative relations on a long-term basis," Hong said.

This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 14, 2023, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un (C) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meeting at Russia's Vostochny spaceport the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

Cheong at the Sejong Institute raised the possibility of North Korea asking for Russia's assistance in the North's push to build a nuclear-powered submarine.

A nuclear-powered submarine is on the list of high-tech weapons systems that North Korea has vowed to develop, but it appears there has been little progress in Pyongyang's push.

The issue of North Korea's dispatch of its workers abroad could be also discussed at the upcoming summit, experts said. The North is in a desperate need to earn foreign currency due to international sanctions, while Russia has been facing a labor shortage amid its war with Ukraine.

All member states of the U.N. were required to repatriate any North Koreans earning income in their jurisdiction by the end of 2019 under a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted in 2017.

Experts said North Korea and Russia are expected to highlight cooperation in the economic sector, as their arms transactions and deeper military cooperation constitute a violation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions banning Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.

In March, the UNSC failed to extend the mandate of the panel of experts monitoring the enforcement of sanctions against North Korea as Russia, a permanent member of the council, vetoed the move. The operation of the panel expired in April.

Meanwhile, Putin's trip is highly likely to coincide with South Korea's talks with China, set for early next week in Seoul. South Korea and China plan to hold a "two plus two" meeting with their senior foreign and defense officials, the first of such talks in nine years.

North Korea indirectly expressed its complaint against China by slamming a joint declaration issued after South Korea, China and Japan held a trilateral summit in May. Beijing appears to be cautious about joining Pyongyang's drive to deepen trilateral solidarity with Russia and China.

"Russia and China could show a prudent attitude in externally sending messages (in regard to North Korea)," Hong at the state-run think tank said.

sooyeon@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · June 13, 2024

9. Japan tight-lipped on report of meeting with North Korea in Mongolia

Japan tight-lipped on report of meeting with North Korea in Mongolia

South Korean media reported that Japanese and North Korean representatives met in secret in Mongolia last month.

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/north-korea-japan-meeting-06132024234758.html

By Taejun Kang for RFA

2024.06.13

Taipei, Taiwan

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi at a press conference at Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's residence in Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 14, 2023.

 (Issei Kato/Reuters)

The Japanese government declined to comment on a South Korean media report that officials from Japan and North Korea had a secret meeting in Mongolia last month, saying it was aware of the report but would refrain from commenting due to the nature of the matter.

“We have been responding to North Korea through various channels, but I will refrain from answering due to the nature of the issue,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a briefing on Thursday.

“As Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said repeatedly, there is no change in the idea that we will proceed with high-level consultations at the prime ministerial level to realize a summit to resolve various issues between Japan and North Korea,” he added. 

South Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo daily reported on Wednesday that a North Korean delegation, including three officials from the Reconnaissance General Bureau and personnel responsible for earning foreign exchange, met a group of Japanese politicians in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in the middle of last month, citing multiple intelligence sources.

Among the main obstacles to a normalization of relations between isolated North Korea and Japan is the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea over the decades to help North Korea train its spies.

Japan’s Kyodo News reported that Kishida was considering traveling to Mongolia in August with the abduction issue in mind and asking Mongolia for cooperation in advancing consultations with North Korea.

Hayashi also declined to comment on the Kyodo report, saying: “Nothing has been decided.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, said in March that Pyongyang had received a summit proposal from Japan. Her comments came a month after she said her country was open to enhancing ties with Tokyo. 

However, Kim Yo Jong added that improving relations between the two countries would depend on whether Japan could make practical political decisions.

“If Japan continues to interfere in the exercise of our sovereign rights, as it is doing now, and continues to focus on the abduction issue, which it has no ability to resolve or even understand, the prime minister’s initiatives will inevitably be viewed as little more than popularity stunts,” she said.

‘Unacceptable’

Japan says it has confirmed the abductions of 17 of its citizens by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s for language education for North Korean spies, and 12 are still in the North. 

North Korea has said that of the 12, eight had died, and four never entered North Korea, insisting that there is no issue to be resolved.

In February, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi said assertions that the abduction issue had been resolved were “completely unacceptable.”

“Japan has not changed its policy of comprehensively resolving issues such as abduction and nuclear and missile programs on the basis of the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration,” he said.

The declaration was signed in 2002 after former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Pyongyang. 

It contained four sections: promoting talks on normalization of diplomatic relations, compensation based on reflection on past history, preventing the recurrence of “regrettable issues,” such as abductions, and establishing cooperation to resolve nuclear and missile issues.

Edited by RFA Staff.

10. Unification minister says N. Korea's socialist rationing system has collapsed

It collapsed during the Arduous March of the famine of 1994-1996. What saved the people is their development of markets. Today, Kim is cracking down on markets and by doing so he is eliminating the safety valve for the people. Because of the failure of the public distribution system the government/party cannot provide for the people and the regime is doing everything it can to prevent the people from using markets to survive.

Unification minister says N. Korea's socialist rationing system has collapsed | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · June 14, 2024

SEOUL, June 14 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said Friday that North Korea's socialist rationing system has completely collapsed, leading people to rely on local "jangmadang" markets for survival.

Kim made the assessment during a general meeting of ruling People Power Party lawmakers, citing a report published by his ministry in February based on interviews conducted between 2013 and 2023 with 6,351 North Korean defectors.

"North Korea's socialist rationing system has completely collapsed," he said during the meeting at the National Assembly. "The North Korean people are going out to jangmadang to live their lives and internal marketization is accelerating."

Citing the report, Kim said around 36 percent of North Korea's population owns a cellphone, which translates to around 7 million cellphones, for use in exchanging information and watching South Korean TV dramas.

More than 50 percent of North Korean defectors acknowledged having given a bribe while they were in the North, pointing to a "structuralization of corruption," he said.

Kim also said the North Korean people are undergoing a major shift in psychology from collectivism to individualism and showing signs of "deepening distrust of the regime."

He further attributed the North Korean regime's recent policy decision not to seek reunification with South Korea as part of its attempts to shield its people from harboring yearnings for South Korean society in an ultimate quest to maintain power.

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho walks to the front of the National Assembly to give a report on North Korean issues during a general meeting of ruling People Power Party lawmakers in Seoul on June 14, 2024. (Yonhap)

hague@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · June 14, 2024

11. S. Korea, China could have diplomatic security talks in Seoul

S. Korea, China could have diplomatic security talks in Seoul

donga.com

Posted June. 14, 2024 07:38,

Updated June. 14, 2024 07:38

S. Korea, China could have diplomatic security talks in Seoul. June. 14, 2024 07:38. by Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Pyongyang from next Tuesday through Wednesday, South Korea and China are finalizing details to hold high-level diplomatic security talks in Seoul on Tuesday. The leaders of South Korea and China and those of North Korea and Russia will meet in Seoul and Pyongyang, respectively, on the same day. It has been 24 years since the Russian president’s visit to North Korea and nine years since the last diplomatic security talks between South Korea and China.

“Russian President Putin will visit North Korea within a few days while South Korea and China will hold strategic diplomatic security talks around the same time,” said a high-level South Korean presidential office member. The context in which the South Korean government made an unusual announcement about a foreign leader’s visit to the North while mentioning the upcoming diplomatic security talks between South Korea and China is garnering attention.

Such a decision by the South Korean government might have been based on its judgment that part of the reason why North Korea and Russia are getting close to each other, as evidenced by the Russian president’s visit to the North, is the current uncomfortable relationship between North Korea and China amid cooperative atmosphere between South Korea and China. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un believes that President Putin’s visit to the North can draw China’s attention. It is interpreted that the South Korean government is trying to keep the closer relationship between North Korea and Russia in check while highlighting the improving relationship between South Korea and China.

In fact, as its relationship with China has cooled, North Korea hurried President Putin’s visit to the country. “North Korea must have hurried the Russian president’s visit based on the judgment that losing both China and Russia, which are its key alleys, and being isolated would be the worst-case scenario,” said a high-level government source. It is believed that the North requested President Putin’s early visit based on the concern that its relationship with Russia can cool down any time once the Ukrainian war is over and Russia’s demand for North Korea’s weapons is reduced.

한국어

donga.com

12. Seoul activists develop 'smart balloons' to send messages deep into North Korea

Seoul activists develop 'smart balloons' to send messages deep into North Korea

11 Jun 2024 07:35AM

channelnewsasia.com

SEOUL: In the balloon warfare between North Korea and South Korean activists, one Seoul-based group has honed its tech expertise to develop balloons capable of dispersing leaflets and electronic speakers hundreds of kilometres across the border.

Built using 3D printers and components sourced online and sometimes equipped with GPS-tracking, these so-called "smart balloons" can cost up to US$1,000 each.

Once or twice a month from spring to autumn, when favourable winds blow north, the secretive group flies the balloons - mostly under the cover of darkness. The aim is to drop cargoes deeper into North Korea, including over the capital Pyongyang, with the longer ranges now possible. One balloon has flown as far as China.

"Our smart balloons are expensive but we think they're a hundred times more powerful than balloons flown by other groups," said one member of the group, called "The Committee for Reform and Opening up of Joson". Joson is another word for North Korea.

The group, which has some 30 core members and is funded by members' own finances and donations, has not previously detailed its activities to the media.

Balloon tactics have taken centre stage in the frosty relationship between the two Koreas since late last month. North Korea, in recent years a rare deployer of balloons, has sent more than 1,000 south - most laden with garbage and some with what appeared to be animal faeces.

That has ratcheted up tensions between the countries, which technically remain at war after the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice agreement and not a peace treaty. South Korea on Sunday resumed loudspeaker broadcasts directed at the North for the first time since 2018.

How effective the balloons are is a matter of debate, with no independent verification possible of where they land or what average North Koreans might think about the contents.

A second member of the group said he was encouraged by Pyongyang's anger over balloons from South Korea, saying it shows that activists' balloons and their payloads are having an effect.

The group's members declined to be identified, worried about harassment from South Koreans critical of such activists, a potential crackdown by South Korean authorities or reprisals by North Korean agents.

THE PAYLOADS

Filled with hydrogen, the group's smart balloons can carry payloads of up to 7.5kg.

In a small rented apartment in Seoul, the team uses 3D printers to build white plastic boxes and some connective parts. Wires, circuit boards, and timers bought from Chinese and South Korean e-commerce websites are used to make devices that control the dispersal of the balloons' contents.

Most balloons contain devices pre-programmed to scatter 1,500 leaflets, 25 at a time, taking into account the hoped-for flight path, wind and other weather conditions.

This year, some balloons are carrying speakers attached to small parachutes that blare pre-recorded messages critical of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

A typical cargo might be six speakers and six other bundles, each containing a bible and a short-wave radio, according to the first member of the group, who defected from the North in the 1990s and is in charge of technical development.

The lantern-shaped speaker devices are constructed using a waterproof box, lithium-ion batteries and an amplifier. When deployed, three small rainbow-coloured parachutes on top of the speaker open while a foam base helps absorb any landing shock.

They then blare 15 minutes of North Korean songs and messages recorded in a North Korean accent and pause for 30 minutes before beginning again. The batteries can last for 5 days.

"Get rid of the Workers' Party, then Joson can survive. Kim Jong Un is a traitor that opposes unification," part of the recording says.

Another key technical advancement made over the past two years has been altimeter-linked valves that automatically prevent the balloons from going too high, making for a more stable flight, though the balloons are still at the mercy of the weather and their flight paths cannot be controlled.

The group estimates its balloons have a 50 to 60 per cent success rate of going further than a few dozen kilometres north of the border. That's better than older-style balloons that often don't go that far, can quickly go off course and are only able to drop one parcel of leaflets.

A member of a Seoul-based activist group, who is a North Korean defector, sets the time on a device that will be carried by balloon to distribute anti-North Korean leaflets over North Korean territory, in Seoul, South Korea, Jun 3, 2024. (Photo: REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji)

A member of a Seoul-based activist group holds a device that will be carried by balloon to distribute anti-North Korean leaflets over North Korean territory, in Seoul, South Korea, Jun 3, 2024. (Photo: REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji)

PUSHBACK

A handful of groups in the South regularly send balloons to the North, activists estimate.

The South Korean government once sent its own leaflets over but abandoned the practice more than a decade ago. It instituted a ban in 2020 on national security grounds. But when a court struck down that ban last September saying it violated the constitutional right to free speech, groups ramped up balloon flights from the South.

South Korea's Unification Ministry said it respects the court's decision. It will take appropriate measures if necessary, it added, without elaborating.

North Korean officials have called South Korean leaflet activists "human scum" and, in 2020, demolished an inter-Korean liaison office during a spat over leaflets. In 2022 they claimed that these "alien things" could carry the coronavirus.

The flights are also controversial in South Korea where some residents have clashed with activist groups, arguing the balloons are confrontational and put them at risk.

The smart balloon group said South Korean marines near the border have previously verbally warned them away from conducting launches. The military has said troops have no right to restrict balloon launches by private groups.

channelnewsasia.com

13. Kremlin hails ties with Pyongyang ahead of rumoured Putin visit

Kremlin hails ties with Pyongyang ahead of rumoured Putin visit

channelnewsasia.com

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Kremlin hails ties with Pyongyang ahead of rumoured Putin visit

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets Russia's President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny cosmodrome in the Amur Oblast of the Far East Region, Russia, Sep 13, 2023, in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency. (File photo: KCNA via Reuters)

13 Jun 2024 09:17PM (Updated: 13 Jun 2024 09:36PM)

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MOSCOW: The Kremlin hailed ties with North Korea on Thursday (Jun 13) ahead of a rumoured visit by President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang, which the West says is supplying weapons for Moscow to use in Ukraine.

Moscow has for months promised Putin will reciprocate a visit to the reclusive state after hosting dictator Kim Jong Un in the Russian Far East in September.

Kim said on Wednesday that the two heavily sanctioned countries are "invincible comrades-in-arms" and South Korean officials expect the visit in the coming days.

"We have the right to develop good relations with our neighbours and this should not cause concern for anyone," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

Russia and North Korea share a small land border.

North Korea was a "friendly country for us, with whom we are developing bilateral relations", Peskov said.

"We will do that further. The potential for development in our relations is very deep," he added.

South Korea, the United States and Ukraine have said North Korea is shipping weapons to Russia, in violation of UN sanctions.

Seoul said Thursday it was "closely watching" preparations for the visit.

Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have confirmed a date for the visit.

The expected trip comes over two years into Russia's Ukraine offensive.

channelnewsasia.com

14. CNA launches in North America as part of international expansion

CNA - Channel News Asia.

Hee Eun Kim (president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy) and I attended this event last night. I have long received CNA news updates about Asia.  

What is unique and important about this Singapore based news organization is that they have excellent journalists embedded throughout Asia who are experts on specific countries and the region, speak the languages, and yet provide all reporting in English. We watched summaries of four documentaries that are well worth watching: one on the PLA and its military developments, one on Chinese migration/illegal immigration over the US southern border, one on US bases in the Philippines, and one on the move of the Singapore bird sanctuary (see the descriptions in the article below). I recommend everyone watch the two Chinese documentaries and the Philippines one. We were able to have some in depth and fascinating conversations with the producers.

I have never been a big YouTube watcher but I will be watching their East Asia news tonight daily (I already watched it this morning). If we are pivoting to Asia and want to be informed with expert reporting on the region we should be watching CNA.

CNA launches in North America as part of international expansion

CNA’s content is available for North American viewers on a curated edition of the website, a live YouTube stream, and will soon be on television.

Daniel Heng, executive producer of CNA current affairs programme Insight, speaks during CNA's North American launch in Washington DC.

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5 min

This audio is generated by an AI tool.

Darrelle Ng

14 Jun 2024 02:53PM

(Updated: 14 Jun 2024 04:24PM)

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WASHINGTON DC: CNA launched in North America on Thursday (Jun 13) as part of its international expansion plans amid efforts to grow its global audience.

CNA is now available for the North American audience on a curated edition of the website and a live YouTube stream.

Viewers will also be able to watch CNA on a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel within the next 12 months.

The broadcaster offers viewers the latest news from Asia, as well as award-winning documentaries and current affairs programmes.

About 200 guests, including members of the United States Congress, academia, business leaders and think tanks attended the event at the Willard InterContinental hotel, located just two blocks away from the White House, in Washington DC.

Singapore Ambassador to the United States Lui Tuck Yew speaks during CNA's North American launch in Washington DC.

Singapore Ambassador to the United States Lui Tuck Yew, who was at the event, said CNA’s expansion into North America comes at a timely moment, during an election year in America and complex geopolitical ties across the globe.

“CNA can provide an alternative that offers a more nuanced and contextualised understanding of the complexities we (in Asia) face, as well as the sensitivities, the challenges and the relationships in our part of the world,” he said during the launch.

Mediacorp’s editor-in-chief Walter Fernandez said he was “thrilled” to bring CNA’s diverse range of content, told from an Asian perspective, to the North American audience. CNA is owned by Mediacorp, Singapore's national media network.

“CNA offers timely ground reporting and nuanced analysis of Asia through its news bulletins and documentaries, helping a global audience to understand Asia,” he said.

“Against the backdrop of AI-fuelled disinformation campaigns, coupled with a worrying habit of news avoidance, having high quality and trusted media sources which the public and global decision makers can turn to is paramount.”

AWARD-WINNING PROGRAMMING

At the launch, CNA showcased exclusive award-winning content that viewers in North America will soon be seeing on their screens. 

Producers also shared behind-the-scenes experiences and offered insider perspectives on their stories.

Among the screenings was ‘Walk The Line’, a multi-part documentary on the treacherous route taken by Chinese migrants across South and Central America to enter the US illegally via its southern border, hoping to live the American dream.

“This is really a story that ties the two biggest and most powerful countries in the world together in one story,” said CNA correspondent and the documentary’s producer Wei Du.

“When we put the documentary on YouTube, a sizeable portion of the viewers came from the US, so we understand there is a lot of hunger in this market for content about Asia, and now we have this opportunity to showcase it to a greater audience.” 

CNA producer Wei Du (R) speaks about her documentary Walk The Line during CNA's North American launch in Washington DC.

The launch event was hosted and moderated by CNA contributors and correspondents and will be advertised across the capital city this week.

Apart from Walk The Line, content available on CNA for North American viewers include:

• Daily news updates from the Asian region on the Asia Tonight programme and an in-depth look into developments from Greater China, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula on East Asia Tonight programme.
• Insight – An acclaimed investigative documentary that analyses political, social and economic issues impacting Asia and the rest of the world.
• The Great Migration: A New Eden – A programme showcasing a year-long journey with a team of specialists moving 3,500 birds into Asia’s largest bird park in Singapore. The programme won the gold award at the World Media Festivals.
• Preparing For Dangerous Storms: Inside the People’s Liberation Army – A three-part series on the world’s largest army taking measures to ensure technology, energy, and food self-sufficiency in China. The documentary won the gold award for best documentary in the global issues category at the World Media Festivals.

CNA’S INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION

CNA was established in March 1999. The news channel has correspondents in 15 major cities across Asia, and is supported by 23 bureaus in North America, Europe, and Africa.

Mediacorp, during CNA’s 25th anniversary celebration in March, announced plans to scale up growth and reach new audiences in regional and international markets.

“We are making deliberate inroads in these regions because surveys have shown there is a significant audience in the US, Canada and the United Kingdom who are hungry for news and documentaries about Asia – in particular, China, Japan, and Korea,” said chairman Niam Chiang Meng.

Mediacorp said CNA fills a crucial gap in the North American market by delivering authentic narratives and firsthand perspectives from the Asian region, with an aim to enrich audiences' understanding of Asia.

This includes in-depth coverage of the region’s political scene, business developments, lifestyle trends as well as human-interest features which reflect the diversity of Asia.

Earlier this year, CNA launched its FAST channel in the UK with six hours of programming repeated throughout the day with news updates, in-depth current affairs content, and documentaries.

15.

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