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Quotes of the Day:
“Lead with civility.
Lead with humility.
Lead with ethical morality.”
- Alexis Piquero
“Take sides! Always take sides! You will sometimes be wrong - but the man who refuses to take sides must always be wrong.”
- Robert A. Heinlein
“The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.”
- Aristotle
Apologies for the delay, multiple early meetings and phone calls.
1. Unification minister says inflow of outside information important for N.K. residents
2. Yoon apologizes to nation for failure to host 2030 World Expo
3. S. Korea mulling restoring disarmed guard post on eastern front: sources
4. U.S. says 'plenty' of White House, Pentagon images available online after N.K. claim on satellite imagery
5. What Would a Second Trump Administration Mean for North Korea?
6 .Modest Beginnings: North Korea Launches Its First Reconnaissance Satellite
7. South Korea Delays Its Own Spy Satellite Liftoff, Days After North's Satellite Launch
8. BAE Systems purchases South Korean charge system for 155mm guns
9. Relatives of N. Korean defectors are now highly preferred marriage partners
10. North Korean special economic zone poised for revival in new Russia trade
11. Fertility rate in S. Korea hits record low in Q3
12. ＜Inside N. Korea＞ The Major Changes Surrounding the November 26 Elections(1) For the first time, multiple candidates on secret ballots for preliminary election…a small change in past elections
13. JCS chairman joins Indo-Pacific security forum
1. Unification minister says inflow of outside information important for N.K. residents
Of course the Minister is exactly right. So let the ROK and the ROK/US alliance implement an overt, large-scale, and widespread information campaign using all available resources to include military psychological operations forces.
(LEAD) Unification minister says inflow of outside information important for N.K. residents | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · November 29, 2023
(ATTN: ADDS details in last four paras, photo)
SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's point man on North Korea stressed Wednesday the importance of providing outside information to North Korean people as a means to improve dire human rights conditions in the North.
Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho made the remarks at a forum in Seoul featuring the Sages Group -- an association of prominent experts on North Korean human rights -- as the reclusive regime has been tightening its grip on residents to block the inflow of outside information.
In 2020, North Korea adopted a new law on "rejecting the reactionary ideology and culture" that bans people from distributing or watching media originating from South Korea, the United States and other countries.
"But the desire for freedom tends to become stronger the more it is suppressed," Kim said.
"The impact of outside information will be especially stronger among the so-called jangmadang generation, or the North's millenials and Gen Zers, who are familiar with the culture of the Korean Wave," Kim said, referring to private marketplaces in the North that have emerged amid a lack of state benefits, such as food rationing.
Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho delivers a speech at "The Sages Group and Digital Freedom Symposium" in Seoul on Nov. 29, 2023. (Yonhap)
Kim said that North Korean residents will be able to find the "path to freedom" despite tight state control only when the government, civil society groups and the international community work together to explore "creative" alternatives.
Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo also stressed the importance of human rights, saying the issue is the "essence" of the government's policy on North Korea.
Kim called for the North's human rights record to be included as a "key agenda" in South Korea's diplomacy and inter-Korean ties.
Wednesday's symposium, organized by the Yonsei Human Liberty Center and Center for International Affairs, was held under the theme "The Sages Group and Digital Freedom Symposium."
During the event, the group announced eight recommendations regarding the North's human rights issue, including calling on the United Nations Security Council to hold Pyongyang accountable for human rights violations and providing a U.N. refugee camp for North Korean defectors in China.
The unification ministry said the group resumed its activities for the first time in seven years, with three members of the group who also took part in the U.N. Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Human Rights in North Korea holding discussions with the minister ahead of the symposium.
The COI's landmark report published in 2014, the first official documentation by the U.N. addressing the grim issue, accused the North Korean leadership of systemically violating North Koreans' human rights and recommended the North be referred to the International Criminal Court.
During their meeting Tuesday, members of the Sages Group called for efforts to raise awareness about the North's human rights issue among young South Koreans, the ministry said.
This photo, provided by the unification ministry, shows participants of the Sages Group Dialogue that took place Nov. 29, 2023. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · November 29, 2023
2. Yoon apologizes to nation for failure to host 2030 World Expo
A national leader takes national responsibility.
Excerpts:
The Saudi capital won 119 votes against Busan's 29 votes, while Italy's Rome trailed with 17 votes.
"Our predictions based on the stances we sensed during contact made by the private and public sectors appear to have been far off," he said in front of reporters at the presidential office.
"I offer my sincere apology for disappointing our people, including the citizens of Busan. It is all my own shortcoming," he said.
Riyadh had been widely regarded as the frontrunner, propelled by a substantial marketing campaign from the early stages, despite last-minute lobbying efforts by South Korea in recent months.
Yoon was at the forefront of South Korea's campaign, making two visits to Paris this year, including last week, and holding numerous meetings and phone calls with world leaders in an effort to rally support from the 182 BIE member states.
(LEAD) Yoon apologizes to nation for failure to host 2030 World Expo | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · November 29, 2023
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with more remarks by Yoon, details)
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized to the nation Wednesday after South Korea failed in its bid to host the 2030 World Expo, saying he would take all the blame but continue to push for balanced development across regions and contribute to the international community.
Yoon issued the apology during an address to the nation, hours after the southeastern city of Busan lost to Saudi Arabia's Riyadh in a vote held in Paris by member states of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the body responsible for overseeing the international fair with the potential to generate economic benefits and stimulate job creation.
The Saudi capital won 119 votes against Busan's 29 votes, while Italy's Rome trailed with 17 votes.
President Yoon Suk Yeol gives an address to the nation on South Korea's failed bid to host the 2030 World Expo in its southeastern city of Busan, at the presidential office in Seoul on Nov. 29, 2023. (Yonhap)
"Our predictions based on the stances we sensed during contact made by the private and public sectors appear to have been far off," he said in front of reporters at the presidential office.
"I offer my sincere apology for disappointing our people, including the citizens of Busan. It is all my own shortcoming," he said.
Riyadh had been widely regarded as the frontrunner, propelled by a substantial marketing campaign from the early stages, despite last-minute lobbying efforts by South Korea in recent months.
Yoon was at the forefront of South Korea's campaign, making two visits to Paris this year, including last week, and holding numerous meetings and phone calls with world leaders in an effort to rally support from the 182 BIE member states.
"Our private and public sectors truly ran hard together," he said, noting his more than 150 meetings with the leaders of 96 nations, and the efforts of government and business leaders, including Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, SK Chairman Chey Tae-won and Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong.
"I am solely to blame as president, as I failed to orchestrate well and win the bid," Yoon said.
While acknowledging responsibility, Yoon explained that the campaign to host the 2030 World Expo was aimed not only at helping Busan's own development but also at achieving balanced development across regions in order to boost national growth.
Citing the example of Japan, which he said is best known internationally by two cities -- Tokyo and Osaka -- Yoon said he sought to raise Busan's international profile, make the city one of two "axes" along with Seoul, and thereby drive the growth of the country's southern regions.
"We failed to host the Expo, but our country's balanced territorial development strategy will be pursued as is," he said. "In such a way, we will foster Busan as a maritime, international finance, advanced technology and digital hub, and build infrastructure as planned to organically connect the southern parts of the Gyeongsang and Jeolla provinces, and ensure all economic activities can run smoothly in the southern region, with Busan as the base, even without coming to Seoul."
Yoon recalled the promises South Korea made during the course of the campaign to return the favors it received from the international community in the decades following the 1950-53 Korean War.
"This foreign policy principle of the Republic of Korea will not change, and we will thoroughly, without fail, pursue and implement our responsible contributions to the international community under our vision for global pivotal diplomacy for the sake of the Republic of Korea's national status," he said.
Yoon also congratulated Saudi Arabia on being chosen as host, saying South Korea will help the "key partner nation" successfully host the World Expo by sharing its resources, experiences and assets.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · November 29, 2023
3. S. Korea mulling restoring disarmed guard post on eastern front: sources
The ROK (and the ROK/US alliance and the UNC) should do a complete review of the DMZ plans and operations and determine how best to both prevent infiltration and defend the ROK, as well as what actions will send the right messages to the regime in the north, the Korean people in the South, and the international community.
S. Korea mulling restoring disarmed guard post on eastern front: sources | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · November 29, 2023
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean military is considering restoring a disarmed guard post on the eastern front in a tit-for-tat response to North Korea's latest move to rebuild its own and redeploy weapons in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, sources said Wednesday.
South and North Korea demolished 10 guard posts each in the DMZ following a 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction deal, while leaving one each intact but unarmed given their historical value.
Under the agreement, the guard post in Goseong, some 155 kilometers northeast of Seoul, has been preserved as a cultural heritage property. Aside from the demolished ones, the North and South are known to have 150 and 50 guard posts in the DMZ, respectively.
Soldiers check a disarmed guard post in Goseong, some 155 kilometers northeast of Seoul, in this photo provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration. South Korea pulled troops and weapons from the facility in the Demilitarized Zone under a 2018 inter-Korean military reduction deal and designated it as a cultural property. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The symbolic facility, one of the first guard posts established following the 1950-53 Korean War, could be restored to normal operations as part of South Korea's corresponding measures to North Korea's reinstalling such facilities along the shared border, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.
"Compared with the 10 other destroyed guard posts, the one in Goseong is relatively easy to restore as the facility still remains intact. Moreover, the facility is located in a strategically important region," a military official said on condition of anonymity.
The South Korean troops have also been preparing equipment for temporary surveillance posts and weapons in response to North Korea's redeployment of troops and heavy arms in the DMZ, according to the sources.
The latest move comes after Pyongyang vowed to restore all military measures halted under the 2018 deal, after South Korea suspended part of the agreement in protest of North Korea's launch of a military spy satellite.
According to photos disclosed by the defense ministry, North Korean troops were spotted installing temporary guard posts, carrying what appeared to be recoilless guns and standing guard at night inside the DMZ.
Seoul officials said they have been closely monitoring North Korea's activities near the border and will take the necessary steps to counter provocations by the North.
The South Korean military plans to restore guard posts along the inter-Korean border in response to North Korea bringing back troops and weapons to the DMZ, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo said in an interview with public broadcaster KBS on Monday.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · November 29, 2023
4.U.S. says 'plenty' of White House, Pentagon images available online after N.K. claim on satellite imagery
Somehow I do not think the photos north Korea obtained(probably from Google Earth but likely no better from their own cameras if they work) will be of any strategic or tactical value to the north.
The truth is the magic sauce of satellite imagery is not the images themselves but the imagery analysts (or squints) who have extensive experience and expertise interpreting the imagery. I have never found imagery to be a magic or silver bullet from my review. It is nearly meaningless to me until I see the analysis by the professional analysts. Does north Korea have any proficient imagery analysts?
I doubt it.
U.S. says 'plenty' of White House, Pentagon images available online after N.K. claim on satellite imagery | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · November 29, 2023
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Department of Defense said Tuesday that there are "plenty" of images of the White House and the Pentagon already available online, after North Korea claimed its military spy satellite took photos of key U.S. government and military facilities.
In a press briefing, Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the department's press secretary, also reiterated the United States' "ironclad" defense commitment to South Korea, as Pyongyang started reinstalling guard posts and heavy weapons along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas.
"I will say that there are plenty of images of the Pentagon and the White House online," Ryder said. "So, let's leave it at that."
This Associated Press photo shows Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder speaking during a media briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on Nov. 2, 2023. (Yonhap)
On Tuesday (Korea time), the North claimed that its satellite took photos of the White House, the Pentagon, Norfolk Naval Station, Newport News Shipyard and a Virginia airfield -- in an apparent message signaling that it has started employing the satellite to monitor key U.S. sites.
But skepticism has emerged over whether the quality of those photos would be sufficient enough to aid military operations given that it might not have been able to acquire a high-resolution camera for satellite reconnaissance activities.
The North launched the satellite, Malligyong-1, on a Chollima-1 rocket on Nov. 21 after two failed attempts in May and August, respectively.
Asked to comment on what constitutes a success of the North's launch, Ryder pointed out that the U.S. is aware that it went into orbit.
"We know that it went into orbit. For something to go into orbit, it needs to escape Earth's gravity and be able to be sustained in orbit around the Earth," he said. "So really, it would be up to the North Koreans to define what the parameters of this launch were and what they were hoping to achieve."
He added that the U.S. will stay in close consultation with South Korea, Japan and other partners and monitor related developments closely.
On the North's recent activities along the DMZ, Ryder highlighted America's security commitment to South Korea and Japan.
"What I will say is that the U.S.' extended deterrence to both the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan will remain ironclad," he said, referring to America's commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its allies.
"As you know, Secretary Austin just returned from his second trip this year to the Korean Peninsula and he was very clear (that) after seven decades of preserving peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, the U.S.-ROK alliance stands strong," he said.
After it said it would not be bound by a 2018 inter-Korean military tension reduction deal last week, the North began restoring measures suspended under the deal.
The deal called for demolishing border guard posts within 1 kilometer of the border, banning military drills and maneuvers near land and sea borders, and establishing no-fly zones along the border, among other measures aimed at reducing cross-border tensions and accidental clashes.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · November 29, 2023
5. What Would a Second Trump Administration Mean for North Korea?
This is the most common question I receive from my Korean friends and colleagues. They are very worried about what it will mean for the alliance.
Useful analysis and insight from Scott Snyder.
Of course we Americans worry about who will follow President Yoon.
Conclusion:
In sum, rather than presaging a rewind to Trump’s previous policies toward North and South Korea, new geopolitical circumstances resulting from the growing U.S.-China rivalry would generate unpredictable outcomes. But the foreign policy of a second Trump administration would still be rooted in Trump’s transactional focus on using immediate events to generate political benefits, regardless of past precedent.
What Would a Second Trump Administration Mean for North Korea?
A second Trump administration would likely lead to an escalatory and unpredictable approach toward the "Hermit Kingdom."
The National Interest · by Scott A. Snyder · November 28, 2023
It is tempting to presume that the return of Donald Trump to the White House in 2025 would revive the “bromance” between Trump and Kim Jong-un and spark renewed tensions within the U.S.-South Korea alliance over the level of South Korean contributions to support the U.S. troop presence.
But while in office, Trump showed that he values political flexibility and prioritizes moves that return immediate tactical political advantages. If Trump were to win the 2024 presidential election, he would face at least three new realities that might lead to outcomes different from those achieved during the first Trump administration.
First, the presence of the conservative Yoon Suk-yeol administration rather than the progressive Moon Jae-in administration (which was in office during Trump’s first term) would raise the costs of rapprochement with North Korea. Instead of Moon’s pursuit of dialogue and partnership with Kim, Yoon would be counseling Trump to pursue deterrence against North Korea’s ever-expanding threat. The South Korean president would no longer be a cheerleader for improvements in relations between Washington and Pyongyang.
Instead, the Yoon administration would likely oppose Trump’s efforts to restore dialogue channels without insisting that North Korea first signal its commitment to denuclearization. Moreover, Yoon would be loath to act as an intermediary for such efforts.
Second, Kim Jong-un may no longer perceive a need to engage with Trump now that he has more substantial backing from Vladimir Putin and support from China in opposition to U.S.-led sanctions. Having faced the humiliation of the failed February 2019 U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi, Kim may determine that it is necessary to establish North Korea’s upper hand over a weak Trump by demonstrating expanded North Korean capabilities. Doing so would drive up the asking price for renewed U.S.-North Korean engagement to levels that Trump could not afford. The result might be a return to a rhetorical escalation of tensions between the American “Dotard” and the North Korean “Rocket Man,” with the accompanying risks of direct conflict.
Third, the combination of South Korean anxieties about the implications of Trump’s return for the credibility of U.S. extended deterrence and Trump’s prior statements regarding the permissibility of South Korea pursuing a nuclear weapons capability might tempt South Korea to seek nuclear parity with North Korea.
Still, this course would likely come at the cost of a robust U.S.-South Korea alliance. Trump’s unpredictable leadership would dramatically transform the inter-Korean security dynamic and challenge the U.S. security commitment to South Korea in an unprecedented fashion, with uncertain regional and global security implications.
In sum, rather than presaging a rewind to Trump’s previous policies toward North and South Korea, new geopolitical circumstances resulting from the growing U.S.-China rivalry would generate unpredictable outcomes. But the foreign policy of a second Trump administration would still be rooted in Trump’s transactional focus on using immediate events to generate political benefits, regardless of past precedent.
About the Author
Scott Snyder is Senior Fellow for Korea Studies and Director of the Program on U.S.-Korea Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also the author of The U.S.-South Korea Alliance: Why It Might Fail and Why It Must Not, which considers implications for the alliance of future “America First” or “Korea First” policies.
Image Credit: White House Flickr/Creative Commons.
The National Interest · by Scott A. Snyder · November 28, 2023
6. Modest Beginnings: North Korea Launches Its First Reconnaissance Satellite
Excerpts:
Indigenous satellite imagery is likely to increase its contributions to North Korea’s military capabilities over time as Pyongyang gains more experience in operating its own imagery satellites, adds more satellites, and improves satellite capabilities and ground infrastructure.
In the wake of the satellite launch, North Korea announced its intention of “additionally launching several reconnaissance satellites in a short span of time” and noted “the need to launch more various reconnaissance satellites, put them on different orbits and operate them in a combined and practical manner…to provide the DPRK armed forces with abundant valuable real-time information about the enemy.” The current satellite’s orbit allows it to appear over the Korean Peninsula around 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. every five days, suggesting the need for an operational network of five or so satellites for regular coverage. The Malligyong-1 apparently is geared toward daytime, clear-weather imaging. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect North Korea to seek radar and possibly imaging infrared satellites to plug those coverage gaps in the future.
Increasing satellite capability may require satellites that are larger and, therefore, larger SLVs to put them into orbit. The original launch pad at Sohae has been under modification since March 2022, almost certainly for a larger SLV. It seems pretty clear there should be more evidence of such an SLV in the near future.
Modest Beginnings: North Korea Launches Its First Reconnaissance Satellite
North Korea conducted a satellite launch on November 21, first reported by Japanese and South Korean sources. The next day, North Korean media announced a successful launch from the Sohae Satellite Launching Ground of the “Chollima -1” space-launch vehicle (SLV) orbiting the “Malligyong-1” reconnaissance satellite. This was the first successful launch of the Chollima-1 SLV after two previous failures. Based on images of the launch, there do not appear to have been any external changes to the SLV over the three launches, and Pyongyang probably regards the Chollima-1 as ready for further satellite launches.
The Malligyong-1 has been confirmed in orbit, making it North Korea’s first reconnaissance satellite, but it has not yet been confirmed to be functioning and in communication with the ground. Pyongyang has already obtained domestic and international prestige and propaganda value from orbiting the satellite, including by beating South Korea to the punch, but the Malligyong-1’s substantive contribution to North Korea’s military capabilities will depend on the resolution of its imaging system and how many such satellites the North eventually maintains in orbit simultaneously.
Although South Korea has claimed Russia assisted with the launch in the wake of Kim Jong Un’s September 13 summit with President Vladimir Putin, it is highly unlikely that any new equipment or technology could have been provided, installed and checked out in the relatively short time before the launch. While this success was almost certainly due to North Korea’s own engineering and development work, Russian assistance does have the potential to permit Pyongyang to develop more capable satellites and SLVs in the future.
The military contribution of North Korea’s current-generation imaging satellites will probably be modest in light of the satellites’ likely moderate resolution; the availability of better-quality imagery from China, Russia and commercial sources; and the probable substantial contribution of signals intelligence, human sources and open sources. However, as North Korea gains more experience operating its own imagery satellites, adds more satellites (as it has already announced it intends to do), and improves its satellite capabilities, it will likely come to see its imaging satellites as worthwhile and important. Improved satellites will probably will also require larger SLVs to orbit them, and there is already evidence North Korea is working on them.
First Successful Launch of Chollima-1 SLV
After a reported second-stage failure on May 31 and a third-stage failure on August 24, the Chollima-1 SLV appears to have been completely successful in its third launch, putting a satellite into an operational orbit. North Korea seems to have corrected the issues leading to the two previous failures, with just under three months between the last two launches—even if it did mean missing its self-imposed October deadline for the third launch. Based on photos and videos released by the North Koreans, there do not appear to have been any external changes to the SLV over the three launches, and thus, there is presumably no change in overall booster performance. Pyongyang probably regards the Chollima-1 as ready for further satellite launches.
Previous
Figure 1d. Aerial view of coastal launch pad seconds after November 21, 2023 launch. (Source: Rodong Sinmun).
Figure 1a. View of strongback launching mechanism on coastal launch pad during launch on November 21, 2023. (Source: Rodong Sinmun).
Figure 1b. View of rocket in strongback launching mechanism on coastal launch pad on November 21, 2023. (Source: Rodong Sinmun).
Figure 1c. Pre-launch capture of coastal launch pad. Rail transfer structure pulled back from strongback launching mechanism. (Source: Rodong Sinmun).
Figure 1d. Aerial view of coastal launch pad seconds after November 21, 2023 launch. (Source: Rodong Sinmun).
Figure 1a. View of strongback launching mechanism on coastal launch pad during launch on November 21, 2023. (Source: Rodong Sinmun).
Figure 1b. View of rocket in strongback launching mechanism on coastal launch pad on November 21, 2023. (Source: Rodong Sinmun).
Figure 1c. Pre-launch capture of coastal launch pad. Rail transfer structure pulled back from strongback launching mechanism. (Source: Rodong Sinmun).
Figure 1d. Aerial view of coastal launch pad seconds after November 21, 2023 launch. (Source: Rodong Sinmun).
Next
Figure 2. KCTV video of the reported launch.
First North Korean Reconnaissance Satellite
South Korea and (indirectly) the US have confirmed the satellite is in orbit, but there has not yet been any corroboration of North Korea’s claims that the satellite is functioning and in communication with the ground. Although there has not yet been direct corroboration that the satellite is indeed for reconnaissance, its orbital parameters are consistent with such a mission.
Pyongyang has already obtained domestic and international prestige and propaganda value from orbiting the Malligyong-1. For example, the North was able to launch its first reconnaissance satellite before South Korea’s, which is scheduled for November 30, and do so on its own SLV rather than the foreign SLV (US SpaceX Falcon 9) being used by the South. The substantive contribution of the satellite to North Korea’s military capabilities, however, will depend on the resolution of its imaging system and, ultimately, on how many such satellites it maintains in orbit simultaneously.
Recent Russian Assistance Unlikely
On September 13, Kim Jong Un met Russian President Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome (space launch site) in the Russian Far East. Asked whether Russia would help North Korea build satellites, Putin replied, “That’s why we came.” Neither country has provided further clarity about what type of space-related cooperation, if any, has subsequently gone on between them. Earlier in November, South Korean officials said “there seem to be signs of the North receiving technical assistance from Russia” related to the satellite launch, and that the North was believed to have “almost resolved” its engine problems “with Russia’s help.” In the wake of the launch, South Korean intelligence reportedly briefed legislators, “There is intelligence that the North provided blueprints and data related to the vehicles used in its first and second attempts and Russia provided its analysis.”
South Korea has consistently tried to downplay the capabilities of North Korean satellites and SLVs, however, and there has been no corroboration from other Western sources of Russian assistance playing a material role in the successful satellite launch. Even if Russia has provided assistance, it is highly unlikely that (a) any new equipment or technology could have been provided by Russia to North Korea; (b) corresponding modifications could have been made in the Chollima-1 SLV or the satellite to accept such inputs; and (c) those inputs could have been installed and checked out in the relatively short time between the September 13 Kim-Putin summit and the November 21 launch. Despite outside claims that the success of the third launch was “the direct result of assistance from Russia,” it is highly likely that the success was due to North Korea’s own engineering and development work.
Depending on what might be provided over time, Russian assistance does have the potential to enable Pyongyang to develop more capable satellites and SLVs in the future. Russia also might decide to grant any North Korean requests to launch future satellites that are too large for the North’s own SLVs to put into orbit.
Modest Military Impact for Now
It remains to be seen whether North Korea releases any examples of imagery from the new satellite and if those examples are genuine. In the absence of such information, it is reasonable to assume that the current level of North Korean technology would yield an imaging satellite with modest resolution, particularly given the limited payload capability of the Chollima-1 compared to the much larger SLVs used to loft other countries’ reconnaissance satellites.
The Malligyong-1 is more likely to be capable of resolutions useful for “indications and warning” (I&W) intelligence—such as identifying military installations and their general activity levels—than for scientific and technical (S&T) intelligence, such as discerning and permitting the detailed identification and measurement of aircraft and missiles.
I&W-level satellite imagery (resolution of a couple of meters or so) would be helpful in detecting the construction of new facilities, noting substantial increases in activity at known facilities, and detecting large concentrations of troops, ships and aircraft. This would help Pyongyang detect and track a buildup of allied forces in the region, either to warn of a feared attack on North Korea or to prompt North Korea to update its targeting of such facilities and concentrations in an attack it was planning to conduct.
Figure 3a. An image of the Sinpho South Shipyard secure boat basin captured at 3-meter resolution. Image © 2023 Planet Labs, PBC cc-by-nc-sa 4.0. For media licensing options, please contact thirtyeightnorth@gmail.com.; Figure 3b. An image of the Sinpho South Shipyard secure boat basin captured at 30-centimeter resolution. Image Pleiades NEO © Airbus DS 2023. For media options, please contact thirtyeightnorth@gmail.com.
Although satellite imagery could also be useful to North Korea during a war to see how well its missile and other attacks had succeeded, and thus whether follow-on strikes were necessary, I&W-level satellite resolution would limit how much of this “damage assessment” information could be obtained. Moreover, such information would only be available as long as the ground stations in North Korea could receive satellite imagery information that survived allied attacks during the course of a war.
Current North Korean imagery satellites realistically will make only a modest contribution to all the other intelligence information North Korea receives. It is reasonable to presume Pyongyang receives higher-resolution satellite imagery information from commercial and military sources in China and Russia. It likely can also obtain better imagery information on the commercial market from other countries’ satellites via friendly governments, front companies, and possibly computer hacking as well.
All this imagery information would be in addition to what appears to be a robust signals intelligence and computer hacking effort focused on South Korea, Japan, and US bases in East Asia; potential human intelligence penetrations in South Korea and likely Japan; and probable extensive monitoring of open sources, including social media. Pyongyang almost certainly has worked these other sources of intelligence hard for many years, and it probably would be more confident of the combination of these other sources to provide warning of an alliance attack than its current imagery satellites, even after a suitable constellation was in play.
Although the contribution of current-generation imaging satellites to North Korean military capabilities will, therefore, be modest, Pyongyang will probably come to see them as worthwhile and important. Every country wants more intelligence, especially information it can gather and control itself. Whatever ability North Korean imaging satellites will have to gather information during an ongoing war will be particularly useful, especially given robust alliance air defenses that are likely to make obtaining tactical reconnaissance via drone and manned aircraft difficult.
Better Capability Likely in the Future
Indigenous satellite imagery is likely to increase its contributions to North Korea’s military capabilities over time as Pyongyang gains more experience in operating its own imagery satellites, adds more satellites, and improves satellite capabilities and ground infrastructure.
In the wake of the satellite launch, North Korea announced its intention of “additionally launching several reconnaissance satellites in a short span of time” and noted “the need to launch more various reconnaissance satellites, put them on different orbits and operate them in a combined and practical manner…to provide the DPRK armed forces with abundant valuable real-time information about the enemy.” The current satellite’s orbit allows it to appear over the Korean Peninsula around 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. every five days, suggesting the need for an operational network of five or so satellites for regular coverage. The Malligyong-1 apparently is geared toward daytime, clear-weather imaging. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect North Korea to seek radar and possibly imaging infrared satellites to plug those coverage gaps in the future.
Increasing satellite capability may require satellites that are larger and, therefore, larger SLVs to put them into orbit. The original launch pad at Sohae has been under modification since March 2022, almost certainly for a larger SLV. It seems pretty clear there should be more evidence of such an SLV in the near future.
7. South Korea Delays Its Own Spy Satellite Liftoff, Days After North's Satellite Launch
South Korea Delays Its Own Spy Satellite Liftoff, Days After North's Satellite Launch
military.com · by Associated Press | By Hyung-Jin Kim Published November 28, 2023 · November 28, 2023
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has postponed the planned launch of its first military spy satellite set for this Thursday, officials said, days after rival North Korea claimed to put its own spy satellite into orbit for the first time.
Under a contract with SpaceX, South Korea is to launch five spy satellites by 2025, and its first launch using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket had been scheduled to take place at California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base in the United States.
The South Korean Defense Ministry said in a brief statement Tuesday the launch was delayed due to weather conditions. Ministry officials said the launch was tentatively rescheduled for this Saturday but it wasn’t a fixed date.
South Korea currently has no military reconnaissance satellites of its own and partially resorts to U.S. spy satellites to monitor moves by North Korea.
After two launch failures earlier this year, North Korea said it successfully placed its “Malligyong-1” spy satellite into orbit on Nov. 21. South Korea said it has confirmed that the satellite entered orbit, but said it needs more time to verify whether it is working properly.
North Korea said Tuesday leader Kim Jong Un reviewed imagery taken by the Malligyong-1 satellite of the White House and the Pentagon in Washington and U.S. aircraft carriers at a navy base and a shipyard in Virginia. North Korea earlier said the satellite also transmitted photos of U.S. military facilities in Guam and Hawaii and key sites in South Korea.
North Korea hasn’t yet released those satellite photos. Outside experts remain skeptical about whether the North Korean satellite can send high-resolution imagery and perform proper military reconnaissance.
The North Korean launch invited strong condemnations from South Korea, the U.S., Japan and others. It violated U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban any satellite liftoffs by North Korea because they are considered disguised tests of the country’s long-range missile technology.
Kim has said spy satellites would allow his country to better monitor its rivals and enhance the precision-strike capability of its nuclear-capable missiles.
The satellite launch flamed animosities between the rival Koreas, with both nations taking steps to breach their previous military agreement meant to ease frontline military tensions.
Spy satellites were among the high-tech weapons systems that Kim has publicly vowed to introduce. Since last year, North Korea has conducted about 100 ballistic missile tests in part of efforts to modernize its arsenal of weapons targeting South Korea and the United States.
In response, South Korea and the United States have expanded their military training and enhanced “regular visibility” of U.S. strategic assets such as aircraft carriers, nuclear-capable bombers and a nuclear-armed submarine to the Korean Peninsula.
military.com · by Associated Press | By Hyung-Jin Kim Published November 28, 2023 · November 28, 2023
8. BAE Systems purchases South Korean charge system for 155mm guns
BAE Systems purchases South Korean charge system for 155mm guns
defence-blog.com · November 28, 2023
NewsArmy
Nov 28, 2023
Modified date: 4 hours ago
Courtesy Photo
South Korean defense giant Hanwha Aerospace has announced securing a contract from BAE Systems, Britain’s largest defense company, for a modular charge system designed for 155mm guns.
This strategic partnership responds to the soaring demand for 155mm artillery shells, amplifying the importance of the recently inked contract to supply the Modular Charge System (MCS), valued at KRW 175.9 billion ($135 million), in collaboration with BAE Systems, a significant entity in the global defense sector.
The cylindrical Modular Charge System (MCS) plays a critical role as the propelling component behind artillery shells, detonating with immense force to project the warhead to a designated range outside the cannon.
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Hanwha, in a press release, highlighted its proactive measures since 2019 to develop the propulsion system, anticipating heightened demand among NATO member countries amid Europe’s evolving geopolitical dynamics. Successfully meeting NATO’s range criteria earlier this year, the export-oriented MCS is engineered to withstand the impact of self-propelled howitzers’ automatic supply mechanism, ensuring optimal performance.
Moreover, in parallel with the UK’s advancement in Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) procurement, the potential selection of K9A2 could offer an export package opportunity, facilitating the simultaneous supply of MCS.
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Gu Min Chul is a defense reporter who covers the Korean defense industry and all related issues.
defence-blog.com · November 28, 2023
9. Relatives of N. Korean defectors are now highly preferred marriage partners
Information that could be useful in an information campaign.
Relatives of N. Korean defectors are now highly preferred marriage partners
The relatives of defectors were often discriminated against as family members of “traitors,” but recently, they have become the object of envy due to their relative economic well-being
By Choi Han-bin - 2023.11.28 5:00pm
dailynk.com
Relatives of N. Korean defectors are now highly preferred marriage partners | Daily NK English
FILE PHOTO: Korean traditional dress for marriage on display at a North Korean clothing store. (© Daily NK)
The relatives of North Korean defectors are now considered some of the country’s best candidates for marriage, reflecting changes in marriage preferences as economic difficulties have worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“More and more people are asking matchmakers to fix them up with the relatives of defectors,” a source told Daily NK on Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons. “When the matchmakers introduce somebody, the first thing the client asks is if they have relatives sending money from South Korea.”
“In the past, the most eligible bachelors were university students with mobile phones and motorcycles. People from business families, families that made batteries for cargo trucks, or security personnel, soldiers or trading company employees were also popular marriage partners, but now, defector relatives are the best.”
In other words, while people with power or money were preferred marriage material in the past, relatives of defectors — particularly defectors who have settled in South Korea — are now at the top of the list.
The source said this is because the perception has set in that relatives of North Korean defectors who can receive lots of money from their kin in South Korea are economically better off than traders or businesspeople.
In the past, the relatives of defectors were often discriminated against as family members of “traitors,” but recently, they have become the object of envy due to their relative economic well-being.
More North Korean families also hold simpler marriage ceremonies as economic troubles have worsened due to COVID-19.
“In the old days, they used to hold separate marriage ceremonies at the bride’s and groom’s homes, and they would invite their neighbors over to eat noodles and dance all night, but now, they just hold one marriage ceremony,” the source said. “And they often invite only close friends and family to the ceremony to eat a meal, take photos and go home.”
Families without money also hold mock wedding ceremonies where they put models of food on the wedding table and rent traditional wedding attire for photos.
In the process, wedding costs have fallen. “In the past, people spent up to RMB 30,000 [around USD 4,237] on weddings, but now, they hold them for just RMB 3,000 [around USD 423].”
The source said that the so-called five closets (clothes closet, blanket closet, cupboard, bookshelf and shoe closet) and six appliances (TV, refrigerator, washing machine, recorder, camera and fan) newlywed couples were expected to have “are a thing of the past.”
He told Daily NK that young people are waiting longer to get married, too. In the past, North Korean women got married between the ages of 23 and 26, but nowadays, many women remain unmarried even past the age of 30.
“Unmarried women are living alone in every neighborhood, earning money in the market past the age of 30,” the source said. “Because earning money is more important nowadays, many young people believe they don’t need to get married right away.”
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Daily NK works with a network of sources who live inside North Korea, China and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous due to security concerns. More information about Daily NK’s reporting partner network and information gathering activities can be found on our FAQ page here.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Read in Korean
dailynk.com
10. North Korean special economic zone poised for revival in new Russia trade
After unification this will be a major global economic hub. (read the UN's Tumen River Area Development Project)
Right now it is likely shipping ammunition to Russia.
North Korean special economic zone poised for revival in new Russia trade
By CUE The Straits Times2 min
November 28, 2023
View Original
The Rason Special Economic Zone was a dream destination for many North Koreans before tighter sanctions hit. PHOTO: REUTERS
Military logistics
Since August, Rason’s port has seen visits from Russian ships linked to that country’s military logistics system, according to US and South Korean officials and reports by Western researchers citing satellite imagery.
Those ships are suspected of transporting military supplies from North Korea to Russia, the reports said. The Kremlin has denied such shipments.
From Rason’s port, North Korea has sent Russia an estimated 2,000 containers suspected of carrying artillery shells and possibly short-range missiles, South Korean military officials have told reporters.
Since late 2022, activity has been spotted around Rason’s Tumangang station, which has rail links to Russia, said Korea Institute for Security Strategy senior researcher Chung Songhak, who analyses satellite imagery around Rason.
More train carriages were spotted after Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Pyongyang in July, Mr Chung said, citing satellite imagery, adding that possible new cargo depots popped up in May.
When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited Russia in September, he discussed restarting a stalled joint logistics project in Rason, building a new road bridge connecting it with Russia and additional grain supplies, Mr Kozlov said.
Global hub
Since Mr Kim’s grandfather Kim Il Sung designated Rason a special zone in 1991 after the Soviet Union’s collapse, and as China opened further, North Korean officials have tried to attract investment there.
Rason, the oldest and largest of North Korea’s 29 economic development zones, has been central to the country’s push to attract foreign investment.
It has one of North Korea’s first and biggest markets, was the site of the country’s first mobile network, and is the only place where North Korea legalised buying and selling homes in 2018, according to experts and North Korean government publications.
The other zones have had poor results because of shaky infrastructure and international sanctions, according to South Korea’s National Institute for Unification Education.
Mr Abraham Choi, a Korean American pastor who works on religious exchanges with North Korea, said that when he last visited Rason in 2015, he saw Chinese and Russian tourists.
South Korean media reports said the Rason border with China had reopened in January 2023 and that trucks were trickling in. Mr Choi said there were no signs yet of large groups of foreign tourists visiting Rason.
Prof Lee of Teikyo University said that whichever outside country helped reinvigorate the special economic zone, it offered a potential bright spot for North Koreans after years of pandemic restrictions.
“Rason took a harder hit than other places in North Korea because it used to be on the front lines of the opening,” he said. “Now many businesses have collapsed there, but as soon as the border fully reopens, North Koreans might think that the paradise can come back.” REUTERS
11. Fertility rate in S. Korea hits record low in Q3
Will there be enough soldiers to defend Korea someday?
(LEAD) Fertility rate in S. Korea hits record low in Q3 | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · November 29, 2023
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead with record low fertility rate; ADDS more Q3 data throughout, byline)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's total fertility rate fell to a record quarterly low of 0.7 in the third quarter of 2023, in yet another grim milestone for the country struggling with rapid aging and a falling birthrate.
The average number of expected babies a woman bears in her lifetime came to 0.7 in the July-September period, down 0.1 from a year earlier, according to data from Statistics Korea.
It marked the lowest figure for any third-quarter readings since the agency began compiling related data in 2009.
The total fertility rate came to 0.7 in the fourth quarter of last year, but rebounded to 0.81 in the first quarter of this year before skidding again to 0.7 in the second quarter.
The rate was much lower than the replacement level of 2.1 that would keep South Korea's population stable at 51 million, according to the agency.
This file photo taken April 5, 2018, shows beds for infants at a general hospital in Seoul. (Yonhap)
The number of babies born in South Korea fell 11.5 percent on-year to 56,794 in the third quarter of 2023, the lowest for any third-quarter figures since 1981.
The number of deaths grew 2.1 percent on-year to 87,143 in the third quarter, the data showed.
The number of marriages also fell to a record third-quarter low of 41,706, logging an 8.2 percent on-year fall.
The country saw 23,061 divorces in the third quarter, a fall of 3.6 percent from a year earlier.
The country has suffered a chronic decline in childbirths as many young people opt to postpone or give up on getting married or having babies in line with changing social norms and lifestyles, as well as in the face of high home prices, a tough job market and an economic slowdown.
In September alone, a total of 18,707 babies were born, down 14.6 percent from a year earlier.
It marked the lowest level for any September, and was the sharpest on-year fall since November 2020, when the country reported a 15.5 percent decline in the number of newborns, or 3,673 babies.
The number of deaths grew 3 percent on-year to 28,364 in September, and the country, accordingly, suffered a natural decline in population by 9,657 that month.
South Korea reported the first natural fall in its population in 2019, and the trend of deaths surpassing births has continued for 47 consecutive months, the agency said.
The number of marriages sank 12.3 percent on-year to 12,941 cases in September, also the lowest figure for the month, and divorces also slid 8.1 percent on-year to 7,504.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · November 29, 2023
12. ＜Inside N. Korea＞ The Major Changes Surrounding the November 26 Elections(1) For the first time, multiple candidates on secret ballots for preliminary election…a small change in past elections
＜Inside N. Korea＞ The Major Changes Surrounding the November 26 Elections(1) For the first time, multiple candidates on secret ballots for preliminary election…a small change in past elections
asiapress.org
A poster promoting the November 26 people’s committee delegate election. The poster says “Let’s firm up the sovereignty of our revolution like a rock!” Taken from a KCNA report published in November 2023.
North Korea held its first local elections for people’s committee delegates at the provincial, directly-administered city, district, and county levels on November 26 - the first time such elections have taken place in four years. A preliminary election where candidates were selected was held on November 4, which involved voters selecting two candidates through secret ballots. This appears to be the first time North Korea has ever conducted elections in this way. In the run-up to the elections on November 26, North Korean authorities tightened control over the country. Over a two-part series, ASIAPRESS will report on the “major changes” that surrounded the elections. (KANG Ji-won / ISHIMARU Jiro)
◆ Secret elections held to select one candidate among two
The election of delegates to North Korea’s people’s committees has long been characterized by being a “forced election,” where almost all voters cast 100% of their ballots for a single candidate designated by the authorities. However, for the first time in North Korean history, a preliminary election was held nationwide to allow voters to select one candidate from among multiple candidates. ASIAPRESS reporting partners in Yanggang and North Hamgyung provinces confirmed that this happened. There is a high possibility that the same kind of preliminary election was held in other areas, but ASIAPRESS wasn’t able to confirm this as of November 24.
The reporting partner in Yanggang Province said that the preliminary election was held on November 4. The authorities recommended two candidates and told people to vote for one through secret ballots. The reporting partner explained what happened on voting day:
“A voters' meeting was held in the morning, and there was an order by the authorities to vote for one of the two people recommended by the provincial authorities. It’s the first time (multiple candidates) have been on a ballot. The professional background and awards won by each candidate were posted at the elections booth at the district office on election day.
“There were two men who were recommended by the provincial authorities for the election in our neighborhood, and one of them was the director of an organization while the other was the manager of a factory. The order told voters to select one, and the first candidate (the director) lost the vote because he had siphoned off supplies in the past.”
※ ASIAPRESS has not disclosed specific information about the candidates due to concerns about the security of the reporting partner.
The candidates who were “elected” during the preliminary elections on November 4 were then put forth as the sole candidates recommended by the authorities during the elections on November 26, just like in the past.
◆ RFA publishes rare report about elections
In a series of articles published by the American media outlet Radio Free Asia starting on November 7, detailed information from inside the country was revealed about the preliminary elections held on November 4. The outlines of the RFA reporting were similar to information gleaned from ASIAPRESS reporting partners.
According to the RFA articles, the manager of a grain office born in 1979 and the accountant for a restaurant born in 1973 were candidates in one district in Hyesan, and the former received more than 70% of the vote. Both candidates were women. The ballots had the names of both people, and voters were instructed to draw a circle around the name of the person they wanted to elect.
※Grain offices are operated by local governments and manage the sale and distribution of food. People’s lives are so difficult these days that people probably voted for the grain office manager in hopes that food supplies would get better, according to RFA.
◆ Elections are held even for the selection of low-level party and government cadres
ASIAPRESS asked the Yanggang Province reporting partner, who said that it was the first time they had ever conducted a secret ballot, about the background of the elections and the unusual process they used.
He told ASIAPRESS that, while they are not “elections” in the strictest sense, anonymous voting to select new cadres at enterprises and agencies have been taking place a lot since last year.
“It’s the first time that we’ve cast ballots between two candidates, but most people aren’t particularly surprised. That’s because starting last year (2022), whenever there’s been issues at workplaces or corruption committed by a manager, those in trouble are immediately replaced by others, and elections are held to select these replacements. That being said, this recent election was for local people’s committee delegates, so I think people probably voted for those who they thought would do a good job.
“It’s hard for cadres these days. Cadres can’t scold people while getting bribes from them like in the past. They are always being told to take the lead. Party cadres in particular have to model good behavior every morning.
“If a cadre is suspected of having caused a problem, petitions or anonymous letters talking about that person’s corruption are made public during criticism sessions (held every week). They even face being fired or being revolutionized during the sessions. Then a secret election is held to propose 2-3 other people to replace the problematic person. The ultimate winner of this process is selected after a background check and investigation.”
※ Starting several years ago, boxes for people to place anonymous tips and letters calling out corruption, crimes or other issues by cadres began to be installed in workplaces. “Revolutionization” refers to a process in which cadres are subject to forced labor or ideological training, not punishment or criminal punishment meted out by the Workers’ Party.
◆ What Are the Reactions of Local People?
“Even the bosses and managers of enterprises and agencies face replacement through voting if issues come up. However, those in higher positions don’t do anything (to help production or achieve business goals), so if a workplace or organization faces trouble, responsibility for that falls on cadres. If higher-ups pick cadres at their own whim, people would express discontent toward them, so the higher-ups aim to have people take responsibility for selecting their own cadres.
“Even when someone is fired and a new cadre is selected, people cast anonymous ballots based on that person’s loyalty, past experience, awards, and achievements. A new system allowing people to report on past violations of the law is now in place, so candidates selected by the higher-ups are more frequently losing elections.
“This year’s local delegate elections allowed people to vote for just two candidates. Delegates are nothing more than robots who raise and lower their hands, so people think that it is more important to (be able to) select capable people for positions at work than for delegate positions.”
KCNA reported on August 31 that the North Korean government reformed the country’s election law for selecting people’s committee delegates through a Standing Committee Meeting of the Supreme People’s Assembly on August 30. It is possible that the reforms made at that time allowed voters to select one candidate from multiple candidates during the November local elections.
※ ASIAPRESS communicates with reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.
Map of North Korea ( ASIAPRESS)
asiapress.org
13. JCS chairman joins Indo-Pacific security forum
JCS chairman joins Indo-Pacific security forum | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · November 29, 2023
SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Yonhap) -- Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Kim Myung-soo attended a multinational security forum Wednesday to discuss security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, his office said.
Kim joined the sixth Indo-Pacific Security Forum, hosted by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, via video links, according to the JCS. Senior military officials from 20 other countries in the region, including Japan, Australia and India, also attended the session.
During the meeting, Kim said North Korea's Nov. 21 launch of a military spy satellite is a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a provocative act that threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific.
He stressed the importance of the international community's coordinated response to deter and respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, it said.
Gen. Kim Myung-soo, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), speaks during an inauguration ceremony held at the defense ministry in Seoul on Nov. 25, 2023, in this photo provided by the JCS. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · November 29, 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
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