Quotes of the Day:

“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill. I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose free will. 

- Rush

“Never regard your study as a duty, but as the enviable opportunity to learn the liberating beauty of the intellect for your own personal joy and for the profit of the community to which your later work will belong." 

- Albert Einstein

“An arrogant person considers himself perfect. This is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person's main task in life – becoming a better person.” 

-Leo Tolstoy

1. English version of the 2023 Korean Unification White Paper

2. The bodyguards who keep Kim Jong Un safe and alive

3. President Biden must work with Congress to promote American interests in Asia-Pacific region

4. And the Truth Shall Set You Free (nK human rights)

5. I’m banned from visiting my family in North Korea. When will the US change this policy?

6. US holds drills with allies off Korean peninsula, Pyongyang vows to bolster navy

7. S. Korea, China in talks to arrange summit next month

8. Unification ministry seeks 28 pct cut in 2024 budget for inter-Korean cooperation fund

9. N. Korean workers return home from China by road for 1st time since pandemic

10. Chief of U.S. Strategic Command visits S. Korea amid joint military drills

11. Yoon says 'communist totalitarian forces' will not stop attempt to disturb free society

12.  [ANALYSIS] Bloody purges may be imminent in North Korea amid worsening food crisis

13. S. Korea, US, Japan hold naval drills to counter N. Korean threats

14. Shining light on North Korea's human rights violations

15. 70 years of remembrance and reconciliation: The legacy of the Korean War

16. Why statues became center of ideological dispute

17.  Yoon meets with US senator to discuss bilateral ties

18. North Korea's Juche ideology has fans in India. There are seminars, societies, study circles

1. English version of the 2023 Korean Unification White Paper

The English version of the ROK unification white paper is available to download at th​e link​ bleow. 300 pages with a lot of interesting detail. Recall that all 3 presidents from "JAROKUS" stated their support for Korean unification in ​the Camp David Principles and the Spirit of Camp David documents at ​t​he summit ​ And Presidents Yoon and Biden included a free and unified Korea in their joint statement on April 26, 2023.

​The PDF can be accessed here: https://www.unikorea.go.kr/cms/getFile.do?file=2023082809085025562.pdf&orgname=(ENG)%202023%20Unification%20White%20Paper.pdf&mgmtId=MGMT_0000004308&siteId=SITE_00003&filePath=eng_unikorea/common/file/&count=Y

https://www.unikorea.go.kr/eng_unikorea/news/Publications/whitepaper/

​The key points are in the Preface below from Minister Kim.

My only quibble is that the north Korean nuclear issue is NOT "root cause of the threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and the lives and property of the Korean people, and [the] improve[ment] human rights situation of the North Korean people."​ But I certainly understand why this is included nad phrased this way becasue they cannot say I what I believe.

In my assessment, the root of all problems in Korea is the existence of the most evil mafia- like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime that has the objective of dominating the Korean Peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State. 

White Paper on Korean Unification 2023download

1. Chapter 1The Yoon Suk Yeol Administration’s Unification and North Korea PolicyChapter 2Promote Human Rights of North Korean People and Relieve the Pains of SeparationChapter 3Restoration of National Homogeneity through Openness and CommunicationChapter 4Principled Efforts for Inter-Korean Dialogue Based on Mutual RespectChapter 5Strengthening Support for North Korean Defectors’ SettlementChapter 6Unification Education for ROK CitizensChapter 7Preparing for Unification with ROK Citizens and the International CommunityAppendix

​Preface:

Since the liberation in 1945, the Repub- lic of Korea has experienced remarkable growth and development in almost all areas including politics, society, and culture, as well as the economy. Through the efforts of the entire nation in cooperation with the international community, we have achieved abundance and prosperity, while building a society where the values of freedom and human rights have been established.

However, the peace and unification of the Korean Peninsula remains an unfinished task. Since its establishment in 1969, the Ministry of Unification has done its utmost to bridge the separation and pave the way for unification. While we have accomplished many meaningful achievements along the way, they were not enough to bring unification of the Korean Peninsula. We feel a deep sense of regret and a heavy responsibility.

The Korean Peninsula is facing major crisis and challenges. The international order is being shaken up by new factions, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula has been further destabilized by North Korea’s ongoing nuclear threats and military provocations.

In these challenging times, the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, which took office in May 2022, reaffirmed the responsibility of “peaceful unification based on the basic free and democratic order” assigned to us by the Constitution, strived to normalize inter-Ko-rean relations and lay the foundation for the unification of the Korean Peninsula in line​ with the values and principles we aspire to.

Under the vision of creating a denuclearized, peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula, the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's unification and North Korea policy has three principles that we will not tolerate military provocations of any kind, develop mutually beneficial inter-Korean relations and lay the foundation for peaceful unification. The key tasks to accomplish the vision and principles are normalizing inter-Korean relations based on mutual respect, promoting human rights of North Korean people and addressing the pain brought by the national division, restoring ethnic homogeneity through open access and communication, as well as preparing for unification with the Korean people and the international community.

In particular, over the past year, the Ministry has been working hard to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, which is the root cause of the threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and the lives and property of the Korean people, and improve human rights situation of the North Korean people. We have also been working hard to secure the trust and support of the Korean people and the international community.

The government decisively responded to North Korea’s nuclear threats and military provocations, and proposed the 「Audacious Initiative」 for North Korea’s denuclearizai- ton. We also strived to improve the everyday lives and human rights situation of the North Korean people so that people in the North can realize freedom and human rights. Efforts were also made to resolve the human rights problems that the North Korean au- thorities are inflicting on our people, including separated families, abductees, and pris-

oners of the Korean war.

The English version of the 2023 Unification White Paper includes detailed description of the Ministry of Unification’s work. As such, I hope that the White Paper will help enhance the international community’s understanding of the Yoon Suk Yeol administra- tion’s unification and North Korea policy, and interest and will for the unification of the Korean Peninsula.

The Yoon Suk Yeol administration will work closely with the international commu- nity to spread understanding and consensus on the unification of the Korean Peninsula, and take courageous steps toward the future of peaceful unification based on liberal de- mocracy.

Thank you.

August 2023 

Minister of Unification

​      Kim Yung​ Ho

2. The bodyguards who keep Kim Jong Un safe and alive

I am not sure of this assessment. He may have confidence in his "Tier One security" and "Tier Two security" forces. Based on his actions and policies there is no indication that he is any less fearful of the Korean people than he was before COVID. He may feel his policies have helped to secure his position better but that does not mean he is no longer afraid of the people. We must not misread these photos.

Conclusion:

No leader can ever be perfectly safe. In 1984, Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by one of her bodyguards, and in 1979 South Korean dictator Park Chung Hee was murdered by his security chief.

And between ordering the execution of his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, and the murder of his half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, Kim Jong Un unquestionably operates in an environment that would make those in charge of his security nervous.

But the evidence to date suggests that despite his bloody past and many enemies, both domestic and international, Kim Jong Un feels safe for now in entrusting his life to “Grandpa” and the men Kim Chol Gyu commands.

The bodyguards who keep Kim Jong Un safe and alive

Images suggest North Korean leader is no longer afraid of crowds, enjoys pressing the flesh and feels secure enough to do so

asiatimes.com · by Mike Chinoy · August 29, 2023

At the end of July, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, as well as Chinese Politburo member Li Hongzhong, as he showed off his most powerful missiles during a huge military parade in Pyongyang.

But while most international attention was focused on what the visit and military display meant for the tense situation on the Korean peninsula and the Russian war in Ukraine, one photograph in particular highlighted another intriguing factor – the bodyguards who keep Kim Jong Un safe and alive.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Kim, with security chief Kim Chol Gyu on far left. Photo: Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)

Grandpa

The squat, pudgy, middle-aged man in the far left of this image is believed by American and South Korean experts who follow North Korea to be General Kim Chol Gyu.

Nicknamed “Grandpa” by one former US analyst of North Korean intelligence, his official title is commander of the Guard Department of the State Affairs Commission, and he appears to have been in charge of security for North Korea’s leaders going back to Kim Jong Un’s father, Kim Jong Il.

Security chief Kim Chol Gyu, known as “Grandpa”, stands in a doorway just behind Kim Jong Un. Photo: KCNA

A close examination of photographs and videos from the official North Korean media, starting from the later years of Kim Jong Il through the ascension of Kim Jong Un until today, provides a fascinating glimpse into how North Korea’s version of the US Secret Service actually works, and what the security arrangements say about the leader’s sense of his own personal security – and, presumably, his political security.

The late Kim Jong Il shown in 2009, with security chief Kim Chol Gyu on the far left. Photo: Korean Central TV

“Grandpa” first began appearing regularly with Kim Jong Il in 2008.

Security chief (right) and Kim Jong Il with a tier one security guard (left) in 2009. Photo: Korean Central TV

Following Kim Jong Il’s death in 2011, Kim Chol Gyu continued to appear with Kim Jong Un, remaining in this role to the present day. He appears to be in charge of a security detail divided into three tiers.

A young Kim Jong Un soon after taking power. Kim Chol Gyu can be seen on the far right speaking with another security guard.

Tier Three

Tier Three is the outer perimeter comprised of soldiers, often in battledress, sometimes wearing helmets and usually armed with automatic weapons. Normally, the soldiers are positioned at some distance from the leader, and are facing outward.

Tier Three stands guard as Kim Jong Un observes North Korean army exercise, undated. Photo: KCNA

Tier Three security facing outward in the background as Kim Jong Un points at pretty pictures on April 1, 2021. Photo: KCNA

Tier Three stands guard in the background as Kim Jong Un holds forth. Photo: KCNA

Tier Two

Then there is a mid-range (Tier Two) component that adjusts as the leader moves. In some cases, this shifting protective envelope consists of soldiers with automatic weapons, but more often appears to be made up of bodyguards wearing fatigues and field hats and armed with pistols.

Usually, there appear to be about a half dozen guards, several walking behind, some on the side, and, in some cases, a few in front of the leader. This group is less visible in still photographs, but sometimes appears in documentaries of the leader’s appearances.

Tier Two security for Kim Jong Un. Photo: KCNA

Tier Two security as Kim Jong Un visits a department store in Pyongyang. Photo: KCNA

Tier Two security in lockstep with Kim Jong Un. Photo: KCNA

Tier One

Finally, there is a close-in component (Tier One) of personal bodyguards. This contingent appears to be relatively small. Dressed in fatigues and field hats, and armed with pistols, the group sticks close to the leader.

On some occasions, plainclothes bodyguards accompany Kim, especially when he meets with foreign leaders or travels overseas. They can be identified either through their clothing ­– business suits, dress shirts and matching striped ties – or through their behavior and posture and the fact that they tend to tower over most of the other people in the photo.

Tier One security: Kim Jong Un with close-in plainclothes security guards distinguished by their matching dark grey suits and blue striped ties. Photo: KCNA

Photos frequently show the presence of Kim Chol Gyu. Indeed, he is seen often enough that it is likely he is present at virtually all the leader’s appearances. Sometimes, when the leader is in a building with many rooms, “Grandpa” can be seen going ahead to check out where Kim will go next.

This was the case with Kim Jong Un’s meetings with then-president Donald Trump in Hanoi, Singapore and at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), as well as Kim Jong Un’s September 2019 visit to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Security chief Kim Chol Gyu walks ahead of Kim Jong Un and his security detail as the North Korean leader heads towards the demarcation line at the Korean DMZ to meet then-president Donald Trump, June 30, 2019. Photo: Korean Central TV

In general, it appears Kim’s bodyguards try to avoid being photographed, and often are partially obscured or out of frame for still photographers. But this does not seem to be the case for videos, nor does there appear to be much of an effort to edit them out. Freeze frames from North Korean videos often provide the most revealing insights.

In outdoor settings, both the mid-range moving perimeter and the close-in personal guards are very active. When Kim visits a military installation to review the troops, for example, a guard will move either just behind or just ahead of him, while other guards position themselves along the very front line of the assembled soldiers.

Tier One security as Kim meets KPA soldiers. Security chief Kim Chol Gyu is immediately behind Kim, partially obscured. Behind him is an armed soldier watching the crowd. Photo: Korean Central TV

Indoors, one or two guards usually precede the leader, checking each room as he enters, and then exiting, often by gliding along the wall, as soon as he steps inside. Not only does Kim Chol Gyu himself sometimes assume this role, but he also occasionally will escort the leader up or down stairways.

Usually, guards are also positioned behind him, especially if he is making his way down especially tricky stairs or ladders at military installations or on navy ships.

Feeling safe, staying alive

In the period immediately after Kim Jong Un succeeded his father in late 2011, photos showed security personnel quite close to him, as if he needed even more intense protection in his new role.

But after more than a decade, based on what can be seen in photos and videos, it appears Kim is now quite confident, both of the loyalty of those tasked with ensuring his safety and of his broader standing with the North Korean people.

He does not seem to be afraid of crowds. Indeed, the images suggest he enjoys pressing the flesh, and feels secure enough to do so.

Tier Two security as Kim greets the masses. Photo: Korean Central TV

No leader can ever be perfectly safe. In 1984, Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by one of her bodyguards, and in 1979 South Korean dictator Park Chung Hee was murdered by his security chief.

And between ordering the execution of his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, and the murder of his half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, Kim Jong Un unquestionably operates in an environment that would make those in charge of his security nervous.

But the evidence to date suggests that despite his bloody past and many enemies, both domestic and international, Kim Jong Un feels safe for now in entrusting his life to “Grandpa” and the men Kim Chol Gyu commands.

Mike Chinoy is a former CNN senior Asia correspondent who is currently a non-resident senior fellow at the University of Southern California’s US-China Institute.

He has visited North Korea 17 times and is the author of two books about the country, Meltdown: The Inside Story of the North Korean Nuclear Crisis and The Last POW. His most recent book is Assignment China: An Oral History of American Journalists in the People’s Republic.

Related

asiatimes.com · by Mike Chinoy · August 29, 2023

3. President Biden must work with Congress to promote American interests in Asia-Pacific region

President Biden must work with Congress to promote American interests in Asia-Pacific region

BY REP. MICHELLE STEEL (R-CALIF.), OPINION CONTRIBUTOR - 08/28/23 1:30 PM ET

https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/4174852-president-biden-must-work-with-congress-to-promote-american-interests-in-asia-pacific/

AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File

FILE – U.S. President Joe Biden, left, talks with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, ahead of a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, May 21, 2023.

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida convened at Camp David to discuss North Korea and the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) increasing hostility and roll out a series of economic and military-centered initiatives.  

As a proud American who was born in South Korea, lived in Japan and is now a member of Congress from Southern California, these developments are extremely promising and personally very encouraging. I have been very vocal in advocating for the healing of relations between Japan and South Korea. Only by working together can we hope to successfully stop the CCP’s bid for global dominance. That is why I sent a letter to President Yoon ahead of his address to Congress in April, commending his ongoing work to improve relations between South Korea and Japan, and encouraging trilateral relations with the United States. 

Since being elected, I have been committed to the prosperity and peace that comes with this trilateral partnership, and I remind officials from all three countries anytime we meet. Our three countries are a beacon of freedom in the region and together can ensure prosperity for all. While the summit was a great step towards this future, there is still much work to be done. There are already strong steps towards deterrence and military cooperation being taken, but there is still more work to do on economic security.  

I recently returned from bipartisan congressional trade meetings in Asia that included meetings in South Korea with President Yoon and other ministers. It is imperative we use this momentum to establish a strong foundation that will stabilize the Pacific region and bring economic benefits to all three economies and the region. We can do that with strong trade agreements that will enhance economic, security and other benefits including technological advancements. 

Japan and South Korea have increased their investment within the United States in recent years, and with new technologies being developed, that investment could grow with time. This will create high-paying jobs within the U.S. that will boost local economies. 

It is concerning, however, that President Biden is trying to circumvent Congress by negotiating the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) without congressional approval. Congress has constitutional authority over trade, and there is a bipartisan coalition of members who are ready to work on effective, shared commitments to peace and our economic partnership within the law as dictated by the Constitution.  

The United States stands to benefit greatly from the elimination of economic barriers on goods going to the Asia-Pacific region. The lack of U.S. involvement in major trade agreements in the region has created a major void. The world’s largest free trade agreement (the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership), which came into effect last year, is based in the region. The United States is not a participant. It would be beneficial for the U.S. to explore a comprehensive free trade agreement that involves likeminded allies. If President Biden works with Congress, we can eliminate economic barriers and improve partnerships that reflect our values while improving the market access for exporters across the United States. 

America and our allies need to stay at the cutting edge of innovation, and it is time for President Biden to work with Congress to ensure we are engaged with constitutionally supported agreements. This administration has struggled to create meaningful progress in our foreign policy that benefit Americans, but together we can establish agreements with strong standards and ensure that we hold our trading partners accountable through tough and consistent enforcement that will create more U.S. jobs.  

As a proud Korean American who immigrated to the United States from Japan, I was encouraged by the historical trilateral summit held at Camp David. There is strength in unity, and I hope more will come from this summit. We cannot waste time. President Biden must work with Congress on proper economic agreements that promote American interest.  

Michelle Steel represents California’s 45th District. 

4. And the Truth Shall Set You Free (nK human rights)

We need a human rights upfront approach.

Conclusion:

Focusing on these three issues will erode the North Korean regime’s ability to obtain and utilize resources at the expense of the people. By adapting the Ukrainian plan to North Korea, the United States can expose Pyongyang’s actions and counter its assertions. Truth must be told through information campaigns aimed at the people of North Korea. It is critical to push back against disinformation campaigns that come out of North Korea or China. By exposing Pyongyang’s policies and practices and the individuals responsible for implementing them, the United States and its allies can help bring a brighter future for the North Korean people.

And the Truth Shall Set You Free

hrnkinsider.org · by Nick Miller​ Committee for Human Rights in North Korea

Nick Miller is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Edinburgh. His doctoral work examines how the U.S. Intelligence Community analyzed North Korean and Chinese politics during the Cold War. He previously served as a defense analyst for the U.S. Air Force, managing a variety of East Asian security issues.

As the war in Ukraine drags on, the United States has stated that Russia has been looking for resources from North Korea, including weapons and ammunition, in return for providing food and commodities to Pyongyang. While the food situation is reportedly at its worst since Kim Jong-un came to power, there have not been clear signs of a serious famine.[1]

The Biden administration’s policy of openly disseminating intelligence to U.S. allies and the public regarding the war in Ukraine should be maintained to keep everyone aware of the atrocities occurring in Ukraine. This also helps shine a much-needed light on the actions that the North Korean regime continues to take to support Russia, thus violating numerous UN sanctions that have already been imposed.

Arms

In March, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against a Slovakian individual who was attempting to broker arms deals between Russia and North Korea in exchange for new commercial aircraft and raw materials, for the purpose of replacing weapons and munitions spent in Ukraine.[2] From November to December 2022, the United States exposed how North Korea has been covertly funneling weapons via the Middle East and Africa to support Russia.[3],[4] North Korean state media, KCNA, stated that it had “never exported weapons or ammunitions to Russia” and did not plan to export any, according to an unnamed vice director general of the General Bureau of Equipment in the Ministry of National Defense.[5] Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, also dismissed the reports.[6]

Labor

There have been reports that North Korea is potentially sending construction workers to Russian-occupied Eastern Ukraine. While this reporting is doubted by some experts, this step would further strengthen Russian-North Korean ties, which have languished after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Lim Soo-ho of South Korea’s Institute for National Security Strategy stated that Russia had utilized North Korean constructions workers in the past due to their low cost. It is also a common strategy for North Korea to export its labor as a way for the regime to generate hard currency, but this activity was targeted in 2017 under UN Security Resolution 2397. Workers were estimated to provide between $200-500 million a year for the North Korean regime. Only a small portion is ever seen by the individual workers, who are under the scrutiny of the Ministry of State Security.[7]

According to an October 2021 Daily NK report, North Korea prepared to finalize the selection of 800-1,000 workers to the Donbas region in November. An unnamed source stated that North Korea, China, and Russia had agreed that sending North Korean workers did not violate existing sanctions.[8] There have been unconfirmed reports that the move was delayed due to not wanting to send people to a “danger zone.”[9]

What is to be done and adapted for future use?

Intelligence assessments are almost always kept classified, but the Biden administration has publicly disclosed them to spotlight and shame Russia. It quickly declassified and disseminated intelligence to key allies to highlight a range of issues, including Iranian arms support to Russia and atrocities committed by the Wagner Group. A similar policy should be adapted and utilized as a future tool of U.S. statecraft with respect to North Korea.[10]

Even after the War in Ukraine reaches a conclusion, this strategy needs to continue and be adapted by future administrations to assist the North Korean people, with the goal of weakening the figures and bureaucratic structures that enable the oppression of the North Korean people.

Some areas that the Biden administration could investigate include:

Prison Labor Complex. This includes the networks that enable the construction and operation of prison camps, as well as the distribution and export of items produced at these camps. Such networks could be targeted through sanctions by the United States, its allies, and the United Nations.

Food Security. While North Korea has not experienced a second “Arduous March,” it is reportedly experiencing a serious food shortage. Any food that is secured by the regime from the outside world will not go to the people who need it most, but rather, most likely, to elites and the Korean People’s Army.[11] If and when food aid is sent to North Korea, any diversion of this aid could be disclosed in the same way that North Korea’s ship-to-ship fuel transfers have been reported.

Oil Shipments. While China has denied facilitating North Korean oil shipments, China is still a core facilitator for the weakening of UN sanction enforcement and the current sanctions have not ended North Korea’s ability to finance and advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.[12], [13] According to Cho Bong-hyun of IBK Bank in Seoul, the targeting of oil supplies could paralyze the North Korean economy. However, the biggest obstacle to a full-on oil embargo is China’s veto power in the UN Security Council, since China does not want to manage the impact of a North Korean collapse on its border.[14], [15] In an 2020 annual report to the UN Security Council, it was noted that China’s shipping industry was instrumental in facilitating the coal and oil trade by North Korea in “defiance of UN sanctions.”[16]

While China continues to facilitate North Korean trade and weaken sanctions enforcement, the United States must take a tougher stance on China. China’s continued support ensures the Kim family’s security and continued control over the country. Severing that resource will be essential in creating meaningful change, as it deprives the regime of the means to fuel its weapons programs.

Focusing on these three issues will erode the North Korean regime’s ability to obtain and utilize resources at the expense of the people. By adapting the Ukrainian plan to North Korea, the United States can expose Pyongyang’s actions and counter its assertions. Truth must be told through information campaigns aimed at the people of North Korea. It is critical to push back against disinformation campaigns that come out of North Korea or China. By exposing Pyongyang’s policies and practices and the individuals responsible for implementing them, the United States and its allies can help bring a brighter future for the North Korean people.

[1] “U.S. says Russia looking to North Korea for weapons needed for Ukraine War,” Associated Press, March 30, 2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/us-russia-north-korea-ukraine-food-weapons-1.6796215

[2] U.S. Department of the Treasury, “Treasury Sanctions Facilitator for Attempted Arms Deals Between North Korea and Russia,” March 30, 2023. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1377.

[3] David Brunnstrom and Idrees Ali, “White House Says North Korea supplying Russia with artillery shells,” Reuters, November 3, 2022. https://www.reuters.com/world/white-house-says-north-korea-supplying-russia-with-artillery-shells-2022-11-02.

[4] George Wright, “North Korea sold arms to Russia’s Wagner group, US says,” BBC News, December 22, 2022. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64072570.

[5] Joori Roh, “N.Korea says it has never supplied weapons or ammunition to Russia – KCNA,” Reuters, September 21, 2022. https://www.reuters.com/world/nkorea-says-it-has-never-supplied-weapons-or-ammunition-russia-kcna-2022-09-21/.

[6] Trever Hunnicutt and David Brunnstrom, “U.S.: Russia could be about to buy ‘millions’ of North Korean shells, rockets,” Reuters, September 7, 2022. https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-is-buying-artillery-ammunition-nkorea-report-2022-09-06/.

[7] Kim Tong-hyung, “N. Korea may send workers to Russian occupied east Ukraine,” Associated Press, September 1, 2022. https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-south-korea-moscow-663c0f754b2c04644b532918fdeed3ab.

[8] Mun Dong-Hui, “N. Korea finalises selection of workers to join reconstruction efforts in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine,” Daily NK, October 21, 2022. https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-korea-finalizes-selection-workers-join-reconstruction-efforts-russia-occupied-parts-ukraine/.

[9] Mun Dong-Hui, “Pyongyang delays sending of workers to Eastern Ukraine due to security concerns,” Daily NK, February 1, 2023. https://www.dailynk.com/english/pyongyang-delays-sending-workers-eastern-ukraine-due-security-concerns/.

[10] Julian E. Barnes and Adam Entous, “How the U.S. Adopted a New Intelligence Playbook to Expose Russia’s War Plans,” The New York Times, February 23, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/23/us/politics/intelligence-russia-us-ukraine-china.html.

[11] Human Rights Watch, “A Matter of Survival: The North Korean Government’s Control of Food and the Risk of Hunger,” May 3, 2006. https://www.hrw.org/report/2006/05/03/matter-survival/north-korean-governments-control-food-and-risk-hunger.

[12] “China Denies Involvement in Illicit Oil Shipments to North Korea,” VOA News, December 29, 2017. https://www.voanews.com/a/south-korea-oil-hong-kong-north-korea/4184019.html.

[13] “North Korea: South seizes ship amid row over illegal oil transfer,” BBC News, December 29, 2017. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42510783.

[14] Stella Cooper, Christoph Koetti, and Muyi Xiao, “5 Takeaways From Investigating Covert Oil Deliveries to North Korea,” The New York Times, March 22, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/22/world/winson-north-korea-oil-tankers.html.

[15] Tony Monroe and Jane Chung, “For North Korea, cutting off oil supplies would be devastating,” Reuters, April 13, 2017. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-nuclear-china-oil-idUSKBN17F17L.

[16] “North Korea defies sanctions with China’s help, UN Panel says,” The Guardian, April 18, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/18/north-korea-defies-sanctions-with-chinas-help-un-panel-says.

hrnkinsider.org · by Committee for Human Rights in North Korea

5. I’m banned from visiting my family in North Korea. When will the US change this policy?

Must be a slow news day for Stars and Stripes to print this. (I have previously sent this out).

I would like to know how many Korean Americans were actually reunited with their families in north Korea. I do not believe any Korean Americns were allowed to travel to north Korea to meet their families in the north. 

Excerpt:

Before 2017, thousands of U.S. citizens traveled to North Korea, many of them Korean Americans seeking to reunite with family from whom they became separated during the Korean War. The State Department made this decision despite the repeated urging of activists to lift this inhumane ban.

But to Ms Choi, I will bet if you receive authorization from north Korea to visit your family the US government would make an exception to policy. It is not US policy that is preventing you from meeting your family, it is Kim Jong un and the Kim family regime. 

I’m banned from visiting my family in North Korea. When will the US change this policy?

Stars and Stripes · by Cathi Choi · August 28, 2023

U.S. and South Korean soldiers stand guard at the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea, on April 3, 2017. (Sandra Garduno/U.S. Marine Corps)

(Tribune News Service) — My grandfather rarely spoke, except through his saxophone. He was a man of few words but a lot of heart. I can’t pinpoint when exactly I learned that he was born in what is now called North Korea, but I do remember thinking, “I’m too old to be learning this for the first time.” Like thousands of Korean Americans, my family is still divided by the ongoing war in Korea and the current U.S. travel ban to North Korea.

Last week the State Department announced that the Biden administration will extend the travel ban to North Korea for another year. This draconian ban was initially instituted in 2017 under former President Donald Trump and prevents thousands of Korean Americans from reuniting with family in North Korea. Americans can still use their U.S. passports to visit some countries with travel restrictions, such as Cuba and Iran. But no U.S. passport is valid for travel to North Korea. Instead, U.S. citizens must apply for a totally separate “special validation passport.” The State Department has unfettered discretion as to whether it grants this passport, and does so only in exceedingly exceptional circumstances.

Before 2017, thousands of U.S. citizens traveled to North Korea, many of them Korean Americans seeking to reunite with family from whom they became separated during the Korean War. The State Department made this decision despite the repeated urging of activists to lift this inhumane ban.

My paternal grandfather fled North Korea during the war and lived the rest of his life separated from his siblings and family members. Decades after this separation, he participated in an effort coordinated by a nongovernmental organization to reunite split Korean families when travel to North Korea was still permitted prior to 2017. In North Korea, he was shown a faded photograph of his elementary Sunday school class to verify that he was, in fact, related to family members with whom he sought to reunite. My grandfather failed to recognize his younger self in this photograph but recognized his teacher. This happenstance recognition permitted him to meet his sister, from whom he had been separated for nearly 50 years. He was able to meet her children for the first time and learned that his younger brother had passed away.

Our family has otherwise remained divided.

For years, I hesitated to look at photographs of our relatives in North Korea because I was afraid of what I’d feel. To even dream about the possibility of lifting this travel ban felt frightening because fighting for change would open me up to heartbreak. I have been tempted to settle into pessimism and dismiss attempts for change as naive. An elder Korean peace activist described this tendency as “so Korean”: to break my own heart before anyone else could break it for me. She counseled me instead to engage in peace advocacy and learn from intergenerational Koreans from across the diaspora who have kept the fight aflame for decades.

If it weren’t for the wise council of elders who map movements in lifetimes, last week’s announcement would have been another reason for pessimism. However, we must remember that we in the U.S. — especially Korean Americans (gyopo) — have an important role to play. In the days before his election, President Joe Biden pledged “to reunite Korean Americans separated from loved ones in North Korea for decades.” But his administration has yet to make good on that promise. Biden instead escalates militarization and hurtles us closer to nuclear conflict, sending nuclear-capable submarines to Korea for the first time in 42 years. He also recently convened a trilateral summit with South Korea and Japan, further entrenching an escalatory militarized approach illustrated by this month’s large-scale Ulchi Freedom Shield war drills, which involved the participation of 12 countries total.

Activists have been fighting against this alarming militarization and forever war-making, including through a congressional bill, the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act. This bill calls for urgent diplomacy in pursuit of a peace agreement to formally end the Korean War and urges the State Department to review and revise its travel restrictions. While the majority of the U.S. public supports the peace process in Korea, it is up to constituents to ensure our elected officials reflect this. Currently, 34 members of Congress are co-sponsors of the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act, and through our advocacy, we can grow this number.

On the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement last month, scholars and activists gathered to call for a peace agreement to formally end the Korean War. Among them, Dr. Kee Park, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, decried the current sanctions imposed on North Korea by the U.S., United Nations and others as deadly and “immoral.” Park has traveled to North Korea over 20 times, and said Korean Americans must act as a bridge from our community to the general U.S. public.

While the two Korean governments have facilitated a handful of brief “reunions” between residents of South and North Korea, Korean Americans have been left out of this process entirely. This U.S.-imposed travel ban is unjust and inhumane. For Korean Americans, we cannot heal this intergenerational pain until this travel ban is lifted. We must strategize, organize and educate our communities to ensure that this draconian ban is not renewed again.

Cathi Choi is the director of policy and organizing for Women Cross DMZ and co-coordinator of Korea Peace Now! Grassroots Network. She is based in Los Angeles.

©2023 Los Angeles Times.

Visit at latimes.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Stars and Stripes · by Cathi Choi · August 28, 2023

6. US holds drills with allies off Korean peninsula, Pyongyang vows to bolster navy

His navy will never be able to compete with the JAROKUS maritime forces.

US holds drills with allies off Korean peninsula, Pyongyang vows to bolster navy

Reuters · by Soo-Hyang Choi

SEOUL, Aug 29 (Reuters) - The United States, South Korea and Japan staged joint naval missile defence drills off the Korean peninsula on Tuesday, as North Korea accused Washington and its allies of creating "the most unstable waters with the danger of a nuclear war."

The three nations staged exercises in international waters off South Korea's southern Jeju island to improve their ability to detect and track targets, and share information in the event of provocation by Pyongyang, South Korea's military said.

The drills come as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for "radically" modernising the weapons and equipment of its naval forces, criticising an increased presence of U.S. strategic assets in the region.

In a speech to mark Navy Day, Kim said the "gang bosses" of the United States, Japan and South Korea announced regular joint military exercises, news agency KCNA reported, apparently referring to their Aug. 18 summit at Camp David, Maryland.

"Owing to the reckless confrontational moves of the U.S. and other hostile forces, the waters off the Korean Peninsula have been reduced into the world's biggest war hardware concentration spot, the most unstable waters with the danger of a nuclear war," Kim was quoted by KCNA as saying.

In the first standalone meeting between the leaders of the U.S., South Korea and Japan, the three agreed to deepen military and economic cooperation as they seek to project unity in the face of China's growing power and the North's nuclear threats.

South Korea and the United States last week began the Ulchi Freedom Shield summer exercises, designed to enhance their joint responses to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Pyongyang has long denounced the drills as a rehearsal for war.

As part of the exercises, the allies' special operations troops practiced infiltrating an enemy's coastline from the sea, riding rubber boats and emerging from the waves with diving gear and guns.

"The prevailing situation requires our navy to put all its efforts into rounding off the war readiness to maintain the constant combat alertness," Kim said, adding the naval forces would become part of the "state nuclear deterrence carrying out the strategic duty".

Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Chris Reese, Grant McCool and Michael Perry

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Acquire Licensing Rights, opens new tab

Reuters · by Soo-Hyang Choi

7. S. Korea, China in talks to arrange summit next month

China will not be able to coerce South Korea as it did in 2017.

S. Korea, China in talks to arrange summit next month | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · August 29, 2023

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and China are in talks to arrange a summit between Presidents Yoon Suk Yeol and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a multilateral summit event early next month, officials said Tuesday.

The discussions come as bilateral relations appear to be thawing following tensions in recent months over Yoon's remarks on Taiwan and the Chinese ambassador to Seoul's thinly veiled warning against South Korea's alignment with the United States.

"The two countries' diplomatic authorities are exchanging elementary views" on the possibility of a summit, a senior government official told Yonhap News Agency.

A presidential official also said "positive signals" have been detected with regard to the development of South Korea-China relations.

Earlier this month, China lifted a ban on group tours to South Korea. The ban had been in place for more than six years amid tension over South Korea's hosting of the THAAD U.S. missile defense system.

Yoon and Xi held their first summit on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, last November.

In this file photo, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) poses for a photo with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, during their bilateral talks at a hotel in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 15, 2022, on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit. (Yonhap)

hague@yna.co.kr

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en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · August 29, 2023

8. Unification ministry seeks 28 pct cut in 2024 budget for inter-Korean cooperation fund

​Show me your budget and I will show you your priorities.

Clearly a human rights upfront approach is now a priority.

I hope that the personnel and budget cuts are indications that the priority for MOU will be on detailed, indepth, comprehensive planning for unification.

Unification ministry seeks 28 pct cut in 2024 budget for inter-Korean cooperation fund | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · August 29, 2023

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's unification ministry said Tuesday it requested a 27.9 percent decrease in its budget for cooperative projects with North Korea next year amid frosty inter-Korean relations and the government's belt-tightening stance.

The ministry said it proposed 874.2 billion won (US$660.5 million) for next year's budget for the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund, down 338.3 billion won from this year's spending. It marked an unprecedentedly sharp cut in the budget for the cooperation fund.

The reduction came as the ministry proposed a 42.3 percent drop in spending for inter-Korean economic projects, such as its support for the now-shattered Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North's namesake border city.

The ministry earmarked 262.4 billion won next year for economic cooperation projects with the North, compared with this year's budget of 454.9 billion won.

The requested budget for humanitarian assistance was set at 589.6 billion won for 2024, down 19.2 percent from this year. But the share of such spending will account for the largest portion at 67.6 percent of the total proposed budget for the cooperation fund.

Meanwhile, the ministry requested a total budget of 1.109 trillion won -- which breaks down into spending for the cooperation fund and general accounts -- for next year, down 22.7 percent from this year. It marks the second straight year of a drop in its budget.

Of the amount, the ministry asked for a 5 percent hike in the budget for general spending to 234.5 billion won next year, as it plans to spend more on projects designed to raise awareness of the North's human rights record and beef up its capability to analyze North Korea-related information.

The ministry allocated 10.4 billion won next year for a 26 billion-won project to build a state-run center on North Korea's human rights in Seoul. It will also seek to spend 488 million won on subscribing to commercial satellite services to better monitor North Korea.

President Yoon Suk Yeol has taken a hard-line stance against the North's provocative acts, and has stressed the need for making the international community aware of the dismal human rights situation in the North.

The ministry's spending plan is part of the government's proposal for the 2024 state budget of 656.9 trillion won. The government plans to submit it to the National Assembly for approval on Friday.

This file photo, taken July 28, 2023, shows the logo of the Ministry of Unification. (Yonhap)

sooyeon@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · August 29, 2023

9. N. Korean workers return home from China by road for 1st time since pandemic

​I fear for the Koreans who are being forcibly repatriated by China.

(LEAD) N. Korean workers return home from China by road for 1st time since pandemic | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · August 28, 2023

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details throughout)

SHENYANG, China, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- More than 300 North Koreans returned home Monday from a Chinese border city, multiple sources said, following Pyongyang's announcement to reopen its borders for its citizens abroad for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Around 300 to 400 North Koreans left Dandong in northeastern China for the North's border city of Sinuiju earlier in the day on some 10 buses that made several trips across the border, according to the sources.

This file photo, taken Aug. 16, 2023, shows buses crossing a bridge from North Korea's border city of Sinuiju to China's Dandong. (Yonhap)

It marked the first time for North Koreans to return home by road transportation since the reclusive country closed its border in January 2020 due to the pandemic.

On Sunday, North Korea's state media reported that the country's emergency epidemic prevention headquarters had announced it is allowing its citizens overseas to return home amid eased concerns about the pandemic situation.

More than 100 North Koreans are expected to return Tuesday from Dandong, with over 1,000 in total by the end of this week, one of the sources said.

Another source said the returning North Koreans include students, government and trade workers, and patients, noting they gathered in the Chinese border city around a week earlier to go back to the North.

They are expected to undergo a week of quarantine in Sinuiju, before heading to Pyongyang.

In the border reopening announcement, the North said those returning will be put under medical observation at quarantine facilities for one week.

In signs of increasing cross-border travel, North Korea has recently permitted its athletes to cross the border into China to take part in the ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships in Kazakhstan. It also resumed the operation of commercial flights with China and Russia last week.

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · August 28, 2023

10. Chief of U.S. Strategic Command visits S. Korea amid joint military drills

(2nd LD) Chief of U.S. Strategic Command visits S. Korea amid joint military drills | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · August 29, 2023

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

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- The commander of a key U.S. military unit in charge of overseeing the country's nuclear arsenal visited South Korea on Tuesday to reaffirm America's "ironclad" commitment to its ally, the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said, amid ongoing major military drills between the allies.

Gen. Anthony J. Cotton, chief of the U.S. Strategic Command, arrived in South Korea earlier in the day as the allies have been staging the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise since Aug. 21 to strengthen the combined defense posture.

Cotton met with South Korea's Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and discussed ways to strengthen the U.S.' extended deterrence commitment to using the full-range of its military capabilities to defend its ally, according to Seoul's defense ministry.

Lee thanked Cotton for his command's efforts to strengthen the alliance's deterrence posture and noted his unit's importance in operating the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group, established through the Washington Declaration adopted by the two countries' leaders in April.

During the meeting, Cotton described the alliance as being stronger than ever and vowed to continue efforts to strengthen the U.S.' extended deterrence commitment, such as enhancing the visibility of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said.

Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup (L) meets Gen. Anthony J. Cotton, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, at Lee's office in central Seoul on Aug. 29, 2023, in this photo provided by the defense ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Earlier in the day, Cotton met with U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Philip Goldberg, and discussed South Korea's role for peace and stability on the peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region, the USFK said in a release.

He also visited CP Tango, a key U.S.-controlled wartime command bunker complex, to meet USFK Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera, where he was briefed on the ongoing UFS.

During his trip, Cotton will meet with senior South Korean officials to discuss ways the two sides can contribute to the stability of the Indo-Pacific region as discussed in the Washington Declaration and a trilateral summit also involving Japan earlier this month, according to the USFK.

On Aug. 18, President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, where they adopted a series of documents that outlined their commitments to enhance security and economic cooperation, such as launching an annual Trilateral Indo-Pacific Dialogue.

It marks Cotton's first visit to the Western Pacific region since taking office in December last year, according to the USFK.

"Cotton's visit and engagements demonstrate the commitment of the Department of State, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Korea to combined, key regional allies and partners," it said.

Gen. Anthony J. Cotton (L), commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, meets with Gen. Paul LaCamera, commander of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) at CP Tango, a key U.S.-controlled wartime bunker, on Aug. 29, 2023, in this photo provided by the USFK. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · August 29, 2023

11. Yoon says 'communist totalitarian forces' will not stop attempt to disturb free society

Powerful statements from President Yoon.

Yoon says 'communist totalitarian forces' will not stop attempt to disturb free society | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · August 29, 2023

SEOUL, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol called Tuesday for achieving inter-Korean reunification based on a firm belief in liberal democracy, saying "communist totalitarian forces" will not stop their attempt to disturb free society.

Yoon made the remark during a meeting with new leaders of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, a presidential body that helps establish and implement bipartisan policies on democratic and peaceful unification.

"Communist totalitarian forces, the forces that blindly follow them and the opportunist followers are engaging in psychological warfare to disturb free society through false fabrication, propaganda and instigation, and they will not stop," he said during the meeting held at the former presidential compound, Cheong Wa Dae.

"In such a reality, in order to defend liberal democracy and grow our capabilities for unification by developing into a global pivotal state, your roles are more important than ever," he told the more than 300 people gathered. The council, which is chaired by the president, has 21,000 members at home and abroad.

"I hope all of you, who are working across the nation and around the world, will have a firm belief in liberal democracy and become pioneers for free unification," he added.

Yoon recalled his Aug. 18 trilateral summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.

In particular, he cited the part of their joint statement that expressed support for "a unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace," saying it was the first time ever such language was adopted by the three leaders.

President Yoon Suk Yeol (6th from L, front) and other participants salute the national flag during a meeting of new members of the presidential Peaceful Unification Advisory Council at the former presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, in Seoul on Aug. 29, 2023. The council, chaired by the president, is a constitutional body, with 21,000 members at home and abroad, to help establish and implement bipartisan policies on democratic and peaceful unification. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

hague@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · August 29, 2023

12. [ANALYSIS] Bloody purges may be imminent in North Korea amid worsening food crisis

I Will continue to beat the dead horse. We must be observant for indicators of instability.

[ANALYSIS] Bloody purges may be imminent in North Korea amid worsening food crisis

The Korea Times · August 29, 2023

This photo released on Aug. 22 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspecting the flood situation in a tidal area of South Pyongan Province, North Korea. Signs of a bloody purge of top-ranking officials appear imminent in North Korea as Kim searches for scapegoats amid a worsening food crisis, according to analysts on Tuesday. Yonhap 

Top-level officials could be executed as Kim searches for scapegoats: analysts

By Jung Min-ho

A bloody purge of high-ranking officials appears to be imminent in North Korea as Kim Jong-un, its dictator, searches for scapegoats amid a worsening food crisis, according to analysts.

In assessments of the North's current economic and political situation, Tuesday, experts said at least several officials in charge of the economy, particularly food production management, could be executed. The North has often used such forms of punishment in the past to place the blame on bureaucrats for policy failures.

The analyses come as North Korean Premier Kim Tok-hun is being investigated over flood damage in farmlands along its western coast. During his visit to a tidal area where seawater flooded vast swathes of rice fields following the collapse of an embankment, Kim Jong-un used expletives to lambast the premier and other senior officials for "irresponsible neglect of duties."

"Judging by the degree of Kim Jong-un's criticism and anger expressed by the North's state media, those in charge of economic policy may well be executed or sent to political prison camps," Oh Gyeong-seob, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, a think tank, told The Korea Times.

Oh compared the current political mood to the atmosphere in North Korea during an acute food shortage in the 1990s, known as the Arduous March, and after botched currency reforms in 2009, in which high-ranking policymakers were executed apparently to ease a public furor over exacerbating economic problems.

Given the international sanctions, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the limited power of North Korea's Cabinet in terms of policymaking, the fate of Kim Tok-hun might have been determined from the very beginning, according to Cho Han-bum, another senior researcher at the think tank.

"In North Korea, where the Workers' Party of Korea rules, the Cabinet has little power," Cho said in his analysis. "Kim Jong-un appears to have tried to shift the blame on the powerless Cabinet … The photos of him giving orders in a flooded rice paddy seem to be a PR stunt aimed at projecting his image as a leader in contrast to the inept Cabinet."

Reports by many institutions and recent testimonies from North Korean escapees suggest that the food shortage there has been aggravating to the worst levels in over 20 years.

A Bank of Korea report released last month showed that North Korea's economy contracted for the third straight year in 2022. It is estimated to have decreased 0.2 percent, following a 4.5 percent contraction in 2020 and a 0.1 percent dip in 2021.

Cho said the extent and depth of the looming purge could be comparable to what is known as the Deepening Group Incident, in which approximately 10,000 people were executed and 15,000 others were sent to concentration camps as scapegoats for the great famine in the '90s.

"The strong criticism of Kim Tok-hun and the Cabinet appears to be part of a strategy to achieve a political breakthrough by victimizing scapegoats and enforcing a reign of terror in the face of the worst crisis seen since Kim Jong-un rose to power," Cho said. "Judging from (the intensity and content of) Kim Jong-un's criticism, it (the purge) could end up as the second Deepening Group Incident. But the North Korean elite and ordinary citizens are aware that Kim Tok-hun and the Cabinet were powerless from the beginning ... So questions remain as to whether a bloody purge would lead (him) to gain a firmer grip on power."

The Korea Times · August 29, 2023

13. S. Korea, US, Japan hold naval drills to counter N. Korean threats

One organization is missing from this report: The ROK/US Combined Forces Command. Why does the press overlook the command? It is the command that is executing Ulchi Freedom Shield. 

S. Korea, US, Japan hold naval drills to counter N. Korean threats

The Korea Times · August 29, 2023

South Korea, the United States and Japan hold a joint naval drill in international waters south of Jeju Island, Tuesday. Courtesy of South Korean Navy 

NK leader slams 'gang bosses' of trilateral partnership

By Lee Hyo-jin

South Korea, the United States and Japan held trilateral missile defense drills on Tuesday, in a show of force against growing North Korean military threats, including a recent rocket launch.

The exercise, which took place in international waters south of Jeju Island, involved three Aegis destroyers: ROKS Yulgok Yi, USS Benfold and JS Haguro, according to the South Korean Navy.

The Navy said the exercise was held in response to Pyongyang's growing missile and nuclear threats including the recent launch of a space vehicle, which "clearly violates U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban any launches by North Korea using ballistic technologies."

North Korea launched what it called a military spy satellite, the Malligyong-1, on Thursday ― a second attempt following the first failed launch in May ― which also ended in failure. The North is poised to make another attempt in October.

"The training exercise focused on practicing procedures of detecting and tracking a simulated target under the scenario of North Korea's ballistic missile provocations," the Navy said adding that the allies shared information regarding virtual ballistic missile targets in the exercise.

The exercise also included an inspection of the real-time information-sharing system on North Korea's missile warning data, as a follow-up measure to an agreement signed by the leaders of the three countries earlier this month.

During a three-way summit held at Camp David on Aug. 18 (local time), President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed commitment to activating a real-time missile warning data-sharing system by the end of this year and holding annual multi-domain military exercises.

Tuesday's drill was the fifth trilateral naval exercise to be held under the Yoon administration as South Korea continues to expand security ties with the U.S. and Japan to counter North Korea's evolving missile threats.

On the same day, Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, arrived in South Korea to reiterate the U.S.' commitment to its allies in Northeast Asia, according to U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).

He was briefed by USFK commander Gen. Pal LaCamera on the combined military drills, called Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), involving South Korean and U.S. troops currently being held across the nation.

Over the next two days, Cotton will meet senior South Korean officials to discuss ways the two countries can contribute to the stability of the Indo-Pacific region as discussed during the Camp David summit, the USFK said.

South Korean and U.S. troops take part in a joint military drill called the Ulchi Freedom Shield in waters off Yangyang, Gangwon Province, Monday. The 11-day annual joint exercise, which is based on an all-out war scenario, kicked off on Aug. 21. Courtesy of Republic of Korea Army 

In an apparent sign that the North is growing increasingly wary about strengthened South Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for bolstering the nation's naval forces during his recent visit to the navy command to mark Navy Day, which falls on Monday.

"Recently, the gang bosses of the U.S., Japan and the 'Republic of Korea' were closeted with each other, where they announced that they would conduct, on a regular basis, tripartite joint military exercises under different codenames, and set about its implementation," Kim was quoted as saying by Pyongyang's state media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Tuesday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Ju-ae visit the nation's navy command to mark Navy Day which falls on Monday, in this photo released by North Korea's state media Korean Central News Agency, Tuesday. Yonhap 

He also said that the waters off of the Korean Peninsula have become the world's "most unstable waters with the danger of a nuclear war" due to the reckless confrontational moves of the U.S. and other hostile forces.

South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Kim's remarks.

"We express deep regrets about North Korea's very rude language against the leaders of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan. It is clear that the North's unlawful nuclear and missile development and provocations are seriously undermining peace in the region," ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said during a briefing, Tuesday.

The North Korean leader's public visit to the country's naval headquarters was the first of its kind since he took power in 2012. Some analysts believe that the rare move shows his intentions to bolster the capacity of naval assets by deploying nuclear weapons in the near future.

During his speech, Kim noted that the navy would be "equipped with new weaponry according to the policy of expanding the tactical nuclear weapons operation specified in building the state nuclear force."

"This could mean that the North is planning to soon deploy tactical nuclear weapons to its navy in response to strengthened military cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan," said Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korean Institute for National Unification.

Hong added that North Korea would diversify its naval weapons system using its Haeil ― an underwater nuclear-capable attack drone ― along with strategic cruise missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM).

The Korea Times · August 29, 2023

14. Shining light on North Korea's human rights violations

Shining light on North Korea's human rights violations

The Korea Times · August 29, 2023

By John J. Metzler

Most countries politely prefer to look the other way when it comes to confronting widespread reports of North Korean human rights violations. After all, what can you do about what goes on in one of the world's most closed and repressive communist regimes?

Well the U.N. Security Council, under the American presidency for August, ran with the diplomatic ball and scored major multinational condemnation of the ongoing rights violations in the quaintly titled Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a.k.a. North Korea.

Albania, Japan, South Korea, and the United States co-sponsored an open briefing, which focused on what the United Kingdom described as "the appalling human rights situation in the DPRK. It is clear that human rights violations remain widespread, systematic and completely lacking in accountability."

A joint statement supported by 52 countries including most European states along with Australia, Canada, and Costa Rica, highlighted, "The DPRK government's violations and abuses have been well-documented by credible accounts, including numerous UN experts, and have been condemned through many General Assembly resolutions adopted by consensus over the past years … which include arbitrary killings, harsh and life-threatening prison conditions."

The Joint Statement added, "these human rights violations and abuses demand the Council's attention. But they are also inextricably linked with the DPRK's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile advancements in violation of Security Council resolutions."

Significantly the Statement underscored, "the DPRK's repressive political climate allows the government to divert resources to weapons development, at the expense of the welfare of the people in the DPRK who suffer from severe economic hardship and malnutrition."

Such a joint statement, agreed to by consensus by over fifty countries, is in itself a diplomatic achievement, especially within the halls of the United Nations. China was naturally opposed to the meeting that criticized Beijing's North Korean ally.

Addressing the Council, Volker Turk the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights warned, "The persistence of severe, widespread and long-standing human rights violations in the DPRK cannot be seen in isolation from peace and security issues on the peninsula and within the wider region."

Commissioner Turk chided, that along with North Korea's increasing militarization, there is also "the widespread use of forced labor, including labor in political prison camps; forced use of schoolchildren to collect harvests; the requirement for families to undertake labor" as to provide for government quotas. Equally, the regime confiscates wages from overseas workers as a way to collect cash.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated powerfully, "The modern world has no place for the DPRK government's brutality. And the international community, and this Council, this Council, must continue to speak out against this injustice and its destabilizing impact on regional and international peace and security." She stressed, "Reports indicate the DPRK continues to hold more than 80,000 individuals in political prison camps," where reportedly "they are widely subjected to arbitrary or summary executions, torture, starvation, gender-based violence, forced abortions, and forced labor."

Naturally, the wider issue becomes the Kim Jong-un regime's profligate missile proliferation and ceaseless nuclear weapons development. Pyongyang's primary focus remains building a credible and lethal offensive weapons capacity at the expense of its population's well-being. Clearly, the DPRK regime stresses neutrons over nutrition for its impoverished people.

ROK delegate Hwang Joon-kook stated, "Instead of addressing its critical food shortages, the regime has continually squandered its scarce resources on a dangerous show of force and advancement of its weapons of mass destruction technology."

North Korean defector/dissident Kim Il-hyeok told the Council, "The government turns our blood and sweat into luxurious life for the leadership and missiles that blast our hard work into the sky." Kim added, "the money spent on just one missile could feed us for three months. But the government doesn't care and is only concerned with maintaining their power."

Shortly after the U.N. meeting, the United States separately hosted a Camp David summit where President Joe Biden welcomed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to a historic trilateral meeting. In response to widening North Korean and Chinese communist military muscle flexing, the Summit Communique stated, "The United States unequivocally reaffirms that its extended deterrence commitments to both Japan and the ROK are ironclad and backed by the full range of U.S. capabilities."

A memo added, "We recognize that we are stronger, and the Indo-Pacific is stronger, when Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States stand as one."

 This remains unquestioned.

John J. Metzler (jjmcolumn@earthlink.net) is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of "Divided Dynamism The Diplomacy of Separated Nations; Germany, Korea, China."

The Korea Times · August 29, 2023

15. 70 years of remembrance and reconciliation: The legacy of the Korean War

Excerpt:

In conclusion, the Korean Peninsula's journey from a war-torn battleground to a haven of peace and prosperity is a testament to the resilience of nations and the unwavering human spirit. As the world marks 70 years since the armistice agreement, the sacrifices of the past must be remembered, and the efforts toward reconciliation and peace must be acknowledged. The NNSC, often overlooked, stands as an enduring symbol of international cooperation. Its role in maintaining peace, stability, and credibility deserves not only our respect but also our profound gratitude as we look toward a future marked by continued harmony and growth on the Korean Peninsula.

70 years of remembrance and reconciliation: The legacy of the Korean War

The Korea Times · August 29, 2023

By Chun In-bum

On July 27, 2023, a significant milestone was reached in the Republic of Korea as the nation commemorated the 70th anniversary of the signing of the armistice agreement, a pivotal event that laid the groundwork for South Korea's extraordinary economic growth and its evolution into a thriving democracy. This occasion not only marked a celebration of peace, but also served as an opportunity for the Korean people to reflect on the immense sacrifices made during the Korean War. The contributions of 16 nations that deployed combat troops and six nations that provided vital medical support were remembered with gratitude, showcasing the true spirit of international solidarity.

The Korean War, 1950 to 1953, cast a long shadow of sorrow over the region. The statistics are both heart-wrenching and staggering: two million North Koreans and 400,000 thousand South Koreans lost their lives during this period, amounting to nearly ten percent of the entire population. Adding to this devastating toll, approximately 150,000 South Korean soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice. The North Korean military and the Chinese "volunteers" also experienced grave losses, with estimates exceeding five hundred thousand casualties combined.

As the conflict engulfed the Korean Peninsula, other nations also faced the weight of casualties. The United States mourned the loss of thirty-six thousand servicemen, while the United Kingdom saw more than a thousand lives cut short.

 Turkey, known for its unwavering courage and discipline, saw its own losses surpassing a thousand. The profound impact of this war reverberated across the globe, as evidenced by the hundreds of families in countries such as Canada, Australia, France, Colombia, Greece, Thailand, Ethiopia, the Netherlands and the Philippines who still bear the sorrow of their fallen loved ones. The human cost, both in lives lost and families shattered, was an integral part of the high price paid for the Korean War.

Six nations, namely Sweden, India, Denmark, Norway, Italy and West Germany, extended crucial medical support to South Korean and the United Nations Forces. Their contributions ranged from setting up mobile field hospitals and sending medical professionals including doctors and nurses to providing hospital beds, equipment and ambulances. This humanitarian intervention amidst the chaos of war highlighted the power of empathy in the face of adversity.

The eventual armistice marked a turning point, but the formation of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) became an important element that ensured its implementation. The NNSC's initial mission was to conduct inspections and investigations to prevent the influx of reinforcements, such as additional military personnel or new weapons, into Korea. The NNSC's role was crucial in maintaining stability. The NNSC was comprised of senior officers who were appointed by the United Nations Command (UNC) and jointly appointed by the Korean People's Army (KPA) and the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV).

Notably, Switzerland and Sweden were chosen by the UNC, while Czechoslovakia and Poland were selected by the KPA and CPV. As geopolitical dynamics shifted following the collapse of communism, the Czech and Polish components were expelled from the NNSC in the 1990s. However, Sweden and Switzerland remained steadfast, continually adapting their roles and responsibilities to bolster South Korean security and stability in Northeast Asia.

Swedish and Swiss officers stand as a testament to the enduring commitment to peace. Serving along the Military Demarcation Line, these unarmed individuals hold the distinction of being the most forward-deployed military personnel, second only to South Korean and U.S. combat forces. Their presence acts as a living tribute to the armistice. Their only reward is being allowed to witness the tranquility of the night sky unpolluted by the lights of the modern world.

Curiously, despite their dedication, the presence of Swiss and Swedish delegations have often gone unnoticed by most Koreans. Similarly, the discomfort of North Korea regarding the NNSC's presence has remained overshadowed by larger geopolitical concerns. Amid this backdrop, Poland, while participating in NNSC activities, has not maintained a continuous presence since the mid-1990s. Given the changing landscape in Europe and the deepening military relationship between Korea and Poland, the reevaluation of Poland's involvement in the NNSC becomes an intriguing prospect.

As the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement is celebrated, it is an opportune moment to reflect on the significance of this event. Sweden, Switzerland and Poland, through their engagement with the NNSC, have made substantial contributions to the peace process. While the NNSC's significance might be downplayed by North Korea, its role remains influential, lending credibility to the ongoing efforts toward stability. This small yet impactful organization deserves the respect, recognition, and gratitude of the Korean people, whose lives have been shaped by the lasting peace that the NNSC has helped maintain.

In conclusion, the Korean Peninsula's journey from a war-torn battleground to a haven of peace and prosperity is a testament to the resilience of nations and the unwavering human spirit. As the world marks 70 years since the armistice agreement, the sacrifices of the past must be remembered, and the efforts toward reconciliation and peace must be acknowledged. The NNSC, often overlooked, stands as an enduring symbol of international cooperation. Its role in maintaining peace, stability, and credibility deserves not only our respect but also our profound gratitude as we look toward a future marked by continued harmony and growth on the Korean Peninsula.

Chun In-bum (truechun@naver.com) served as a lieutenant general of the ROK Army and commander of Special Forces Korea.

The Korea Times · August 29, 2023

16. Why statues became center of ideological dispute

Why statues became center of ideological dispute

koreaherald.com · by Ji Da-gyum · August 29, 2023

By Ji Da-gyum

Published : 2023-08-29 15:47:55

A bust of revered independence fighter Hong Beom-do at the headquarters of the defense ministry in Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap)

A heated debate is unfolding over the conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration's plan to relocate the statue of an independence activist, once again placing ideological divisions in the political spotlight.

At the center of the renewed controversy is the statue of Hong Beom-do, a prominent figure in Korean independence history, who was associated with the Soviet Communist Party during his time in the Soviet Union.

The debate was sparked when the Defense Ministry on Saturday openly acknowledged its intention to relocate the statues of five Korean independence fighters, including Hong, which are presently located at the Korea Military Academy.

The ministry went on to say Monday that Gen. Hong's historical associations with communism contradict the Military Academy's "ethos."

The ministry said it deemed it more appropriate to situate the statue of Gen. Hong within the Independence Hall of Korea in South Chungcheong Province, adding that it has initiated discussions with the Independence Memorial Hall and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs regarding the matter.

While advocates support the move, critics blasted the Yoon administration for initiating an "anti-communist campaign," saying that it is attempting to wipe out the legacy of the preceding liberal Moon Jae-in administration.

The busts of the independence activists were brought to the Military Academy in 2018, a year after Moon became president, with the rationale that the South Korean Army's origins can be traced back to the Liberation Army and the independence fighters.

Amid intensifying debate, the presidential office stated on Tuesday that the president has not shared his thoughts on the issue. The concern is that if Yoon's stance were to be disclosed, it could potentially influence or bias ongoing discussions in a particular direction.

This file photo taken in March 2018, shows the busts of five Korean independence fighters erected at the Korea Military Academy, in northern Seoul. (Yonhap)

Hong held the position of general commander in Korea's Independence Army. He stands as a historical icon in Korea's struggle for liberation, gaining particular renown for his leadership in the Battle of Fengwudong, or Bong-o-dong in Korean. Bong-o-dong was a pivotal engagement fought against Japanese forces in northeastern China in 1920.

This victory dealt a significant blow to Japanese attempts to eradicate anti-Japanese resistance forces in Gando, highlighting the effectiveness of a unified front against the Japanese. Moreover, this triumph boosted the morale of anti-Japanese armed groups and patriotic crowds across different regions.

However, the Defense Ministry highlighted that Hong joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Party, in 1927. After the Gando Massacre, during which Japanese military forces killed thousands of Koreans in Gando, northeastern China, Hong had to relocate to the Soviet Union -- now Russia -- to continue his independence activities.

Ban Byung-ryul, a professor emeritus at the Department of History at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, countered the ministry's claim that Hong's decision to join the Soviet Communist Party was primarily to secure a livelihood.

Born in 1868, Hong would have become eligible to receive a pension in 1929, two years after joining the party. Party membership was also a prerequisite for receiving land allocations and managing resources like farming plots and agricultural tools, with assistance from the Soviet government.

"He did not hold a prominent role within the Soviet Communist Party, and his membership was not driven by any specific engagement in communist activities. His decision to join was largely influenced by practical considerations that pertained to his life as an ordinary citizen," Ban told The Korea Herald.

"To categorize him solely as a communist figure, it would logically follow that he should have either joined a communist party during the 1917 Russian Revolution or participated in a communist party in Korea. However, historical records show that he did not take part in such activities during those periods," he said, adding that his contribution to the anti-Japanese armed struggle was "far more significant."

Other historians also noted that the Defense Ministry's assertion overlooks the intricacies of historical context, particularly the distinctive circumstances in which Korean independence fighters had no option but to seek assistance from communist countries to sustain their struggle against Japanese colonial rule.

In particular, Hong found himself in a situation where he was essentially left without support from the Soviet Communist Party. In line with Joseph Stalin's policy of relocating Koreans to the Far East, he moved to Kazakhstan in 1937 and passed away in 1943.

Considering the year of his death, there is no evidence to suggest that he opposed the establishment of the government of the Republic of Korea in 1948 or participated in activities that supported North Korea's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, which was officially proclaimed in 1945.

This file photo shows Korean independence fighter Hong Beom-do taking part in the 1922 Congress of Peoples of the Far East in Moscow. (Photo courtesy of General Hong Beom Do Memorial)

Conflicts within conservative camp

However, even within the conservative camp, opinions regarding Hong's statue were not unanimous.

Kim Byung-min, a member of the ruling conservative People Power Party's Supreme Council, expressed his concerns during an interview with local broadcaster SBS on Monday. He viewed the approach as "going beyond is as wrong as falling short."

Kim also clarified that Hong's accomplishments had been acknowledged by previous conservative governments. Hong was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation during Park Chung-hee's presidency in 1962. Additionally, during the Park Geun-hye presidency, the South Korean Navy commissioned a submarine named "ROKS Hong Beom-do" in 2016.

Kim Tae-heum, the governor of South Chungcheong Province and a member of the ruling party, also voiced his disagreement with the proposed plan.

"Before the liberation of Korea, both left-wing and right-wing factions collaborated in the pursuit of the independence movement," he said during an interview with CBS radio on Tuesday. "As a result, scrutinizing his past communist party affiliation as a significant concern is not entirely justified within this historical context."

However, the Korea Military Academy Alumni Association on Tuesday countered the opposition to the plan for relocation through a statement. The association asserted that the installation of Gen. Hong's bust lacked sufficient consensus under President Moon's administration, and has subsequently remained a contentious matter.

"The placement of sculptures for individuals with conflicting historical evaluations should be approached cautiously. In particular, figures who played a role in instigating the Korean War; engaged with North Korean, Chinese and Soviet forces; and undermined the legitimacy of the Republic of Korea should not be included," the statement read.

"It should not be allowed for cadets of the military academy to pay tribute in front of the statues of such individuals."

Shin Won-sik, a former three-star general and current lawmaker of the ruling party, also released a statement on behalf of associations of retired generals and other retired military officers. The groups asserted that the matter of installing statues of independence activists is fundamentally within the purview of the military academy itself, urging the removal of the busts.

But Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor of general education at Sungshin Women's University, highlighted the peril posed by the political exegesis in the struggle for independence — an "essential historical thread woven into the fabric of the Republic of Korea."

"I hold a conviction that approaching these aspects exclusively from a political or ideological standpoint poses significant risks," Seo told The Korea Herald. "If we continue down this path, it could potentially exacerbate deep divisions among our citizens."

Cha Du-hyeogn, a principal fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, emphasized that the fundamental question revolves around whether figures like Hong and other independence fighters pose a genuine threat or harm to South Korea, irrespective of the ideologies they adhered to.

In South Korea's history up to the present day, there have been countless sacrifices, tears, and tireless efforts by trailblazers that have persisted up, Cha said. Throughout the journey, those who exhibited unwavering commitment in the midst of formidable challenges were genuinely exceptional, he added.

"The stance of a diverse South Korea should entail commemorating and honoring all, except those who were evidently engaged in hostile actions against Korea or unambiguously endorsed Japanese imperial rule," Cha emphasized. "Why strive to construct a history of omissions, and whose benefit does it exactly serve?"

koreaherald.com · by Ji Da-gyum · August 29, 2023

17. Yoon meets with US senator to discuss bilateral ties

Yoon meets with US senator to discuss bilateral ties

koreaherald.com · by Yonhap · August 29, 2023

By Yonhap

Published : 2023-08-29 22:00:47

President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) shakes hands with Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) during their meeting at the presidential office in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

President Yoon Suk Yeol met with Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) on Tuesday and discussed ways to develop bilateral ties, his office said.

During their meeting at the presidential office, Yoon said South Korea and the United States are optimal economic cooperation partners sharing the common values of freedom and democracy, which can combine the US' competitiveness in technology and South Korea's competitiveness in manufacturing, presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon said in a written briefing.

Yoon also said he is pleased with the recent increase in South Korean companies' investment in Young's state of Indiana, and requested the senator's continued attention and support for the smooth execution of the investment plans as well as for additional, win-win investments.

In addition, he expressed hope for bipartisan support from the US Congress for the stable development of trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the US and Japan, as he recalled his recent trilateral summit with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland.

Young serves as co-chair of the Senate Korea Caucus.

The senator said a strong liking and support for Yoon have formed within Congress since his address to a joint session during his state visit to Washington in April.

He added that he will play a more active role for the expansion of the caucus and for the development of the South Korea-US relationship. (Yonhap)

koreaherald.com · by Yonhap · August 29, 2023

18. North Korea's Juche ideology has fans in India. There are seminars, societies, study circles

North Korea's Juche ideology has fans in India. There are seminars, societies, study circles​

Juche, broadly based on the principles of self-reliance and nationalism, has a dedicated set of followers in India. They admire the ‘philosophy’, critics call it a propaganda tool.

KESHAV PADMANABHAN

28 August, 2023 09:28 am IST

theprint.in · by Keshav Padmanabhan · August 28, 2023

Illustration: Prajna Ghosh | ThePrint

Text Size: A- A+

New Delhi: One of the high points of journalist Vipin Gupta’s career was when the North Korean government invited him to the capital Pyongyang in 2007. There, during the birth anniversary commemorations of the nation’s founder, Kim Il-sung, Gupta was presented with an ‘International Friendship Award’ in 2007.

“During my first visit to Pyongyang, my first-hand impression of the various places visited and life as seen by me from close quarters was truly mesmerising. I found people enjoying themselves without being boisterous,” Gupta, chairman of the Juche Philosophical Study of Committee of India (JPSCI), recounted to ThePrint.

The award was a result of Gupta’s dedication to Juche, the official ideology of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), and known for its emphasis on self-reliance and nationalism.

But Gupta is not the only Indian to be impressed with Juche. It has captured the imagination of many others. The Asian Regional Institute of Juche Idea is headquartered in New Delhi and there are multiple ‘study circles’ across the country.

While South Korea’s Hallyu wave, driven by K-pop and K-dramas, has been on the rise in India in recent years, a smaller yet devoted following has existed for North Korea’s Juche ideology here for decades.

In fact, Juche had adherents in India as early as the 1960s, when the ideology was still being established by Kim Il-sung, the first premier of North Korea’s authoritarian regime, which has gripped power for three generations.

Gupta is the third generation from his family to be involved in the study of Juche. The JPSCI, in fact, was formed in 1965, years before Juche became North Korea’s ‘official’ ideology.

He told ThePrint that his late grandfather MR Gupta used to teach English to DPRK embassy officials, who introduced him to Juche. It sparked an interest in him that was passed down to both his son and grandson.

“My father, the late Anil Gupta, was a journalist. He was fascinated with Juche philosophy and started publishing a weekly newspaper covering important news from the world along with news from DPRK. The paper, Indian and World Events, used to go to DPRK through diplomatic bags,” Gupta added.

The importance of Juche in North Korea is evident in the frequent use of the term by the state media, whether it’s praising the “Juche-based” tractor industry to the “Juche-oriented army”. There’s even a Juche calendar system that starts from 1912, the year of Kim Il-sung’s birth. The year 2023, for instance, is Juche 112.

While the presence of Juche enthusiasts in India might be seen as part of relationship-building activities between the two countries if they had strong economic ties, this is not the case. In 2022, bilateral trade, including imports and exports, between India and DPRK amounted to just $4.25 million— just a fraction of India’s total global trade of $1.165 trillion that year.

So, what is Juche all about, and how has a devoted community grown around it in India?

Also Read: K-pop to K-dramas, there is a new K in the life of Indians – it’s Korean language

Philosophy vs propaganda tool

Juche has earned various labels over the years — from a political ideology to a philosophical doctrine to a propaganda instrument.

But no matter how one interprets it, Juche stands as a resounding “nationalistic national rallying cry” for North Korea, according to an Associated Press analysis. Even amid crises such as the deadly famine of the 1990s and economic sanctions linked to DRPK’s nuclear missile programme, it is Juche that has provided comfort and a sense of stability.

Political artwork in North Korea | Commons

For its fans in India, too, Juche means many things. To Gupta, for instance, Juche’s guiding principle is simply, “man is the master of everything and decides everything, with an emphasis on self-reliance and independence.”

To Subash Kaji Shrestha, the deputy secretary general of the Asian Regional Institute of Juche Idea (ARIJI), Juche is also about revolutionary leadership.

In a piece published in the ARIJI website, he extols “the leadership of party and leader over the popular masses” and the importance of “monolithic guidance”.

“The Juche-oriented socio-historical principle explains scientifically that the popular masses are the subject of social history and that the socio-historical movement is an independent, creative and conscious movement of the popular masses,” Shrestha further writes.

If what exactly this means is unclear, it can be chalked down to the nebulousness of Juche itself. This vagueness is strategic, points out the Associated Press analysis. The flexibility of its fundamentals allows Juche to shift in meaning and operate successfully as propaganda pushed by the government of DPRK, energising its citizens, while also helping to evade responsibility for economic mismanagement and justifying isolationism.

Debt, diplomatic smuggling, & ‘self-significance’

For all the lofty ideals of Juche, the principles of “self-reliance” and “independence” seem to have have been interpreted in some remarkable ways by North Korea and some of its officials.

Russian scholar Andrei Lankov describes how, in the 1970s, North Korea tried to rid its economy of dependence on Moscow and Beijing by borrowing heavily on the international market.

Lankov writes that not only were the funds squandered on ill-conceived prestige projects, Pyongyang also refused honour interest payments. Between 1979 and 1980, North Korea became the first Communist state to default, landing it with a huge debt of $600 million in principal and $1.2 billion in accrued interest by 2007.

This “debacle”, Lankov notes, “seriously damaged North Korea’s credit ratings”.

In addition, North Korean diplomats have been implicated in all kinds of smuggling over the decades, from alcohol, tobacco, and drugs in the 1970s to rhino horn and ivory in the 2010s.

Lankov suggests that these illicit activities may have been connected to North Korean missions overseas being required to adhere to the “self-reliance” principle, meaning that embassy officials had to generate their own funds to cover their expenses.

In the same book, Lankov provides a translation of the word Juche. The common understanding of the word in English is ‘self-reliance.’ This, he calls misleading. “A better translation would be ‘self-importance’ or ‘self-significance’,” he writes, “that is, the need to give primacy to one’s own national interests and peculiarities.”

Juche in India— societies, seminars for ‘world peace’

Juche study centres have existed in India for a long time. While the JPSCI was founded in 1965, the Asian Regional Institute of Juche Idea (ARIJI) was in operation before the 1980s, as evidenced by its plaque of honour in the Juche Tower in Pyongyang, which was installed on September 7, 1980.

Tower of the Juche Idea in Pyongyang | Commons

The tower, a monument to the Juche idea, contains 82 tribute plaques from foreign supporters and Juche study groups.

A cursory glance at online images of these tribute plaques show numerous Indian societies dedicated to studying Juche. These include, to name a few, the Juche Idea Study Society of Allahabad India, Juche Idea Study Society of Patna University, Juche Idea Study Society of Bombay, Juche Idea Study Society of Delhi, Juche Idea Study Society of Gujarat, and the Aligarh Juche Idea Study Society.

It is also worth noting that the online images suggest there are as many or even more tribute plaques from Juche study societies in Pakistan.

Tribute plaques from around the world in the Juche Tower in Pyongyang | Commons

According to JPSCI chairman Vipin Gupta, the organisation is not funded by the DPRK or its embassy in India. However, it does receive support from embassy officials who participate in events to promote Juche in India.

The JPSCI holds multiple events throughout the year, including seminars that aim to “promote world peace through emphasising the role of the individual and the importance of national self-reliance,” Gupta told ThePrint.

He claimed a diverse array of people actively participate in Juche events, including “doctors, advocates, professors, journalists, politicians, and businessmen”.

According to ARIJI website, Justice Vijender Jain, a former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and chairman of the Uttarakhand and Haryana Human Rights Commissions is the “chief patron” of the organisation and former Delhi cabinet minister Mangat Ram Singhal is a “patron”.

A peek behind the iron curtain

Members of Indian Juche societies have occasionally been granted the opportunity to visit North Korea because of their dedication to the ideology.

For instance, Vishwanath, an Indian journalist and businessman and a former director general of the International Institute of the Juche Idea (IIJI) was instrumental in setting up the ‘International Kim Il Sung Prize’ in 1993 to honour those who contribute to and propagate Juche, even registering a council for the award in Delhi.

He reportedly visited North Korea in 1979 and met with Kim Il-sung, even going boating with him in an experience that left him overcome with “strong emotion”.

Similarly, when Gupta won his award, he too was able to get a peek behind the DPRK’s iron curtain, with his 2007 visit even being mentioned in a Financial Times report.

As he recalled his visit to ThePrint, Gupta’s admiration occasionally lapsed into the style of rhetoric favoured by North Korean state media.

“The common man in DRPK is totally committed to his leader, His Excellency Kim Jong-un,” Gupta said. “The DPRK is now witnessing rapid progress in the development of science and technology in the fierce flames of breaking through the cutting edge, as Chairman Kim Jong-il had wished.”

He claimed that this development stemmed from the launching of artificial satellites and because factories in the machine-building sector had been upgraded. The cities and villages in North Korea, he said, were “being turned into socialist paradises, adding remarkable successes to the building of a civilised socialist nation”.

Notably, on August 17, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) discussed North Korea’s human rights situation for the first time in six years. Officials painted a grim picture, highlighting hunger, forced labour, and medicine shortages. Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, noted that many human rights violations stemmed from “increasing militarisation of the DPRK”.

In response, the Korea Association for Human Rights Studies (KAHRS) issued a press statement strongly denouncing the UNSC for “haggling about the human rights situation in an individual country, wantonly abusing its authority specified in the UN Charter, pursuant to the U.S. and its vassal forces’ sordid and despicable anti-DPRK human rights racket”.

The press statement was published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the state news agency of North Korea, and made available to ThePrint.

Meanwhile, despite his own praise of North Korea, Gupta clarified that there are a “large number of people” who do support Juche philosophy, but may not necessarily support the regime.

The history of Juche

Lankov explains in his book that Juche, an idea first mentioned by Kim Il-sung in a speech in 1955, remained on the margins of North Korea’s political ideology until the mid-1960s, when it was repackaged as the official ideology of the state.

In 1970, Juche was mentioned as the guiding principle of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) alongside Marxism-Leninism. A decade later, in 1980, the sixth WPK congress deleted all mentions of Marxism-Leninism, leaving Juche as the sole ideology of the party.

This made North Korea the only country in the Communist Bloc that did not claim adherence to Marxism-Leninism.

Lankoov writes that Kim Il-sung’s son Kim Jong-il argued in an article in 1976 that Kimilsungism, of which Juche is the “quintessence”, was original and superior to Marxism.

According to a paper published in the North Korean Review by Kei Koga, an associate professor at the Public Policy and Global Affairs Programme, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Juche operates in North Korea through a mix of Korean nationalism and Confucian culture.

Koga argues that the Juche ideology combined with the Suryong (an ancient Korean term meaning ‘chief’) political structure helped to portray Kim Il-sung as the ‘Supreme Leader’ and encourage unity of thought and action among the people.

Kim’s rule was further consolidated through the construction of monuments and museums canonising his parents as “saints of the Korean revolution” and preventing outside political influence.

The veneration of Kim Il-sung, the “Eternal President” of the DPRK, is evident in many aspects of North Korean society today. For example, couples often celebrate their weddings in front of his statue.

The operation of Juche in both the social and political spheres of North Korea could perhaps be referred to as an example of what Karl Marx called the “opium of the masses”. And its powers are clearly not limited to North Korea.

(Edited by Asavari Singh)

Also Read: North Korea’s nuclear weapons cult shows Kim Jong-un won’t limit his ambitions

theprint.in · by Keshav Padmanabhan · August 28, 2023

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