Quotes of the Day:

"Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world. Science is the highest personification of the nation because that nation will remain the first which carries the furthest the works of thought and intelligence." 

- Louis Pasteur

"He who loses wealth loses much; he who loses a friend loses more; but he that loses his courage loses all." 

- Miguel De Cervantes

"[There is] an immense, painful longing for a broader, more flexible, fuller, more coherent, more comprehensive account of what we human beings are, who we are and what this life is for." 

- Saul Bellow

1. [Interview: Former Aide Bolton] “Unification of the Korean Peninsula should be the goal… “The North Korean regime will not last long.”

2.  Thousands gather in Seoul to support Korean unification

3. [INTERVIEW] 'Korea's unification best solution for stable Northeast Asia,' says peace foundation chairman

4. Global Peace Foundation presents vision for unified Korea through campaign

5. North Korea lays groundwork for US disarmament talks: experts

6. N. Korea intensifying cyber attacks against S. Korean shipbuilders: spy agency

7. Pentagon chief renews support for Japan's 'counterstrike' capabilities amid N. Korean threats

8. U.S. calls for China's 'constructive' role amid report on suspicious N. Korean ship in Chinese waters

9. Defense ministry warns N. Korea will face end of regime in event of nuclear use attempt

10. [Wang Son-taek] Korea-US alliance 70 years: Opportunities and challenges

11. S. Korean experts to inspect Japan water release

12. Seoul, Tokyo to resume financial talks amid geopolitical risks

13. North Koreans in Russia received scant medical care during pandemic

14. Yoon meets former nurses, miners sent to Germany

15.  70 years of the Korean Armistice Agreement: Republic of Korea Army’s 21st Infantry Division in Yanggu

1. [Interview: Former Aide Bolton] “Unification of the Korean Peninsula should be the goal… “The North Korean regime will not last long.”

This is a google translate version of this VOA interview.

I am pretty sure the Ambassador has been briefed on and read our strategy proposal. read his excerpt below.

National Strategy for Countering North Korea

https://nipp.org/information_series/robert-joseph-robert-collins-joseph-detrani-nicholas-eberstadt-olivia-enos-david-maxwell-and-greg-scarlatoiu-national-strategy-for-countering-north-korea-no-545-january-23-2023/

Excerpt:

Reporter) The Biden administration has continuously sent a message that it is open to dialogue with North Korea. Do you think it is best to continue this engagement policy? Should the U.S. government act in a more proactive way?

Former Aide Bolton) I believe that the goal of the United States and South Korea's policy toward North Korea should be the unification of the Korean Peninsula under a free government. And sanctions against North Korea due to its nuclear program must be implemented very strictly. We have to apply pressure. I don't think the North Korean regime has the strength to last long. We are obviously concerned about how this regime will fall and what the consequences will be. But the goal of unifying the Korean Peninsula could create real potential for stability in Northeast Asia, which China also says it wants. Therefore, we must focus more on the goal of unifying the Korean Peninsula rather than simply focusing on dialogue with North Korea. Talks with North Korea have yielded no results.

[Interview: Former Aide Bolton] “Unification of the Korean Peninsula should be the goal… “The North Korean regime will not last long.”

https://www.voakorea.com/a/7293830.html?utm

Former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton emphasized that the United States and South Korea should pursue policies toward North Korea with the goal of unifying the Korean Peninsula rather than dialogue with North Korea. Former aide Bolton said in an exclusive interview with VOA that this goal will also contribute to the stability in Northeast Asia that China wants. He also mentioned the need to implement strict sanctions against North Korea and predicted that the North Korean regime would not be able to hold out for long. Former aide Bolton evaluated that Korea is being given a greater role on the international stage in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance. Reporter Cho Sang-jin interviewed former aide Bolton.

Reporter) The U.S.-ROK alliance celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. During the Korean War, Korea fought the war with help from the United States and was a beneficiary of foreign aid. How do you evaluate the progress that Korea has made within the framework of the US-ROK alliance over the past 70 years?

Former Aide Bolton) Since division in 1945, Korea has written a truly amazing success story. The United States played an important role, but I think fundamentally it was the Korean people who did it. When I visited Seoul last spring, I talked to people about the anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement and the close military relationship between the United States and Korea. At that time, someone showed me a photo from the Korean War, showing an American pilot standing next to an airplane training about a dozen Korean pilots. That was what symbolized the US-Korea alliance at that time. But recently a new ad came out showing American and South Korean pilots walking side by side, and I think it reflects what the alliance looks like today. Therefore, from the U.S. perspective, I think support for the U.S.-ROK alliance is very strong. In particular, I believe that the measures taken by South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol over the past few years to respond to new threats in the region have been very positive developments that demonstrate how strong the U.S.-ROK alliance is.

Reporter) Former Advisor Bolton has been involved in diplomacy with North Korea several times in the past and has cooperated with South Korea in many ways. How do you evaluate the diplomatic capabilities that Korea is currently showing on the international stage?

Former Aide Bolton) I think Korea plays an important role on the international stage. I think former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's becoming Secretary-General of the United Nations was partly an acknowledgment of that. Former Secretary-General Ban was a very successful Secretary-General. And I believe that Korea is one of the most important countries in East Asia, given the role it has played politically, economically, and militarily in East Asian affairs. Additionally, I believe that South Korea can play a more important role as we face challenges from North Korea and China.

Reporter) Compared to the past, Korea is evaluated to have made progress in many areas, including economy, defense, and culture. Do you think Korea has evolved from being a recipient of aid during the Korean War to one of mutual cooperation with the United States?

Former Aide Bolton) Of course. It's very clear. Korean movies winning Academy Awards are great, and Korean music, such as K-Pop, is also loved by many people around the world, including the United States. This is proof that society has developed. Korea is free, politically open, and economically a place of enormous importance and potential. I think this is a truly remarkable thing from the perspective of Korea, where most industries were located north of the 38th parallel at the time of division in 1945, and many people suffered great pain when most of the country was reduced to ruins during the war and Japanese colonial rule. There are always going to be bumps in the development process of any country. However, I think the Korean people will be able to look back on the period after division with great pride. And the terrible and sad contrast with North Korea seems to be ingrained in the hearts of Koreans. You've probably seen the famous satellite photo where the entirety of South Korea appears brightly bright at night, but North Korea is pitch black, looking like part of the ocean. This is a tragic event for the people of North Korea. So I think South Koreans should be more interested in how to liberate North Koreans so that they can enjoy the same opportunities and lifestyle as South Koreans.

Reporter) What role do you think Korea should play in the future to further solidify the U.S.-ROK alliance and play a leading role not only in the region but also on the international stage?

(Former Aide Bolton) I think there are always some obstacles in every alliance, but the opportunities are actually much greater. Evidence of this can be seen at the recent US-ROK-Japan summit between President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Additionally, the conclusions reached by the three countries on joint military training, joint operations, and military relations are very important developments. We recognize that this is a very difficult task given Korea's history. However, it is absolutely necessary to counter threats from North Korea and China. If the U.S., Korea, and Japan join together, they can exert greater power than when they work together individually. The United States has always maintained strong bilateral relationships with Japan and South Korea since World War II. However, I think that if the three countries can now cooperate militarily, it will also help overcome other difficulties in Korea-Japan relations. It will also serve as a symbol that free nations across Asia can work together against new threats. In particular, it will be a good signal for the Taiwanese people, who have recently been most at risk. This means that Korea's role will inevitably grow. An example is Korea's sale of weapons and ammunition needed by Poland following Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine. This shows that Korea is a truly important actor on the world stage. And with Russia and China as the axis, allies such as North Korea, Iran, Syria, and Belarus are emerging. We are now past the stage of regional conflict. With China supporting Russia, Ukraine has become an international conflict rather than a European one. Taiwan will also become a global problem rather than a conflict within the Asian region.

Reporter) How do you evaluate the current foreign policy of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, especially its policy toward North Korea and the trilateral cooperation between the United States, Korea, and Japan?

Former Aide Bolton) I believe that President Yoon has carried out a truly courageous policy to correct the North Korea policy, such as the past South Korean government's 'Sunshine Policy'. We must not be naive when dealing with North Korea. I also believe that President Yoon took the greatest political risk in his efforts to resolve differences and disagreements with Japan. Once again, I am well aware of the long history of Korea and Japan. So I know very well how difficult this is politically, but I think we have to adapt to the reality we face. The United States fought a war with Japan in the past, but relations with Japan have since clearly improved. I believe that for our benefit we must work together with allies who share our values and interests. So, I wish the Yoon Seok-yeol government good luck. I know very well how difficult the situation is politically in Korea, but I think they are doing the right thing.

U.S. President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held three-party talks at Camp David near Washington in August.

Reporter) North Korea has recently been accelerating military cooperation with Russia and appears to be continuing close contact with China. Some are pointing out that the Biden administration's North Korea policy has failed. How do you think North Korea, China, and Russia will fare? Also, how should the United States, Korea, and Japan respond?

Former Aide Bolton) I don’t think the Biden administration has much of a policy toward North Korea. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia paid little attention to North Korea for several decades. That's why, unfortunately, I think North Korea is the big winner in this power reorganization. North Korea has become more dependent on China and has now become very important to Russia. And we don't know exactly what the terms of Kim Jong-un's deal with Putin are. As time will tell, Kim Jong-un will be able to return to the position where his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, kept China in check through Russia and dealt with Russia through China during the Cold War. Not only would it improve North Korea's position, it would of course be dangerous for the Korean Peninsula and for all of us. So I think this shows how the interrelationships between China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, etc. need to be considered in our strategic sense. It goes beyond simply North Korea possessing nuclear weapons or threatening to unify the Korean Peninsula by force.

Reporter) The Biden administration has continuously sent a message that it is open to dialogue with North Korea. Do you think it is best to continue this engagement policy? Should the U.S. government act in a more proactive way?

Former Aide Bolton) I believe that the goal of the United States and South Korea's policy toward North Korea should be the unification of the Korean Peninsula under a free government. And sanctions against North Korea due to its nuclear program must be implemented very strictly. We have to apply pressure. I don't think the North Korean regime has the strength to last long. We are obviously concerned about how this regime will fall and what the consequences will be. But the goal of unifying the Korean Peninsula could create real potential for stability in Northeast Asia, which China also says it wants. Therefore, we must focus more on the goal of unifying the Korean Peninsula rather than simply focusing on dialogue with North Korea. Talks with North Korea have yielded no results.

Reporter) In a situation where North Korea's nuclear and missile threats are increasing and North Korea-China-Russia solidarity is accelerating, do you think discussions such as regime change can be considered?

(Former aide Bolton) If cracks begin to appear in the current North Korean regime, there is no telling what will happen to its nuclear program. Therefore, I think we should consider measures to prevent the nuclear program from falling into the wrong hands. And I don't think North Korea really needs a new regime once the authoritarian regime starts to fall and people start to move out. We need unity.

Reporter) North Korea recently officially stated its nuclear force policy in its constitution. The intention to possess nuclear weapons has been clearly stated once again. What impact will this have on the security environment around the Korean Peninsula?

Former aide Bolton) I think it's largely symbolic. North Korea may be able to write almost anything it wants into its constitution, but I think this is evidence that there has been no sign in years that the North Korean authorities have made a strategic decision to abandon their nuclear weapons program. Does North Korea want sanctions relief? Do you want financial support from outside? of course. To gain these benefits, will they make promises they have no intention of keeping? Of course. That is why negotiations with North Korea continue to fail. This is because North Korea wants to receive benefits in advance and does not want to keep its essential promise of denuclearization. If they were truly committed to denuclearization, they would have submitted to nuclear inspections, which they absolutely did not want.

So far, we have heard former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton's evaluation of the 70th anniversary of the US-ROK alliance, the direction of North Korea-Russia military cooperation, and suggestions on North Korea policy. Reporter Cho Sang-jin was interviewed.

2. Thousands gather in Seoul to support Korean unification

Thousands gather in Seoul to support Korean unification

The Korea Times · by 2023-10-04 11:57 | North Korea · October 3, 2023

Hyun Jin Preston Moon, third from left, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), waves a flag with other participants during a ceremony held to raise public awareness about the "Korean Dream 10 Million" initiative launched by local civic organizations, at Yeouido Park in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Global Peace Foundation

'2025 Korean Dream 10 million campaign' underway

By Lee Hyo-jin

On Tuesday afternoon, Yeouido Park in Seoul was filled with crowds rallying for the unification of the two Koreas, in a major event held to raise public awareness about the "Korean Dream 10 Million" initiative launched by eight civic organizations.

Around 20,000 people from different age groups participated in the ceremony hosted by eight local civic groups promoting Korean unification, including Korea Senior Citizens Association, the Korea Freedom Foundation, the Korea National Police Veterans Association, as well as Action for Korea United (AKU), according to event organizers.

Established in 2012, the AKU is a coalition of more than 800 civic, religious, humanitarian and non-profit organizations that focuses on North Korean issues and support the peaceful unification of the two Koreas.

The rally followed the "International Forum on One Korea" held the previous day, also in Yeouido, western Seoul.

Among the guests of the event were Kim Yong-in, head of the Korea National Police Veterans Association, Ahn Chan-il, co-chairman of AKU and Yoo Ja-hyo, head of the Society of Korean Poets.

"Through the Korean Dream, we will be able to achieve a glorious day not only for the Korean Peninsula but also for Northeast Asia and beyond, ultimately realizing world peace," Kim said in his opening speech.

"Many North Korean defectors are here at today's gathering, and our North Korean defectors are working towards the freedom of North Korean residents. I firmly believe that we will be able to put an end to the North Korean regime in two years and hold a unification ceremony in Pyongyang," Ahn said in his speech. Ahn, who also heads the World Institute for North Korea Studies, is a vocal proponent of North Korean human rights.

Yoo said that the division that has lasted for some eight decades cannot separate the Korean people.

"We were originally from the same roots, so the unification of the two Koreas is a natural course of events," he said.

In his keynote speech, Hyun Jin Preston Moon, the founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), stressed the significance of the rally being held on National Foundation Day, which falls on Oct. 3.

"Foundation Day represents the opening of heaven, a timing in which humanity can realize the very principles and values. This day has tremendously special meaning for the Korean people," he said.

"The most important thing for unification is ownership over identity. National Foundation Day is a holiday also celebrated in North Korea. It is the identity that will bring the Korean people together."

Participants wave flags during a ceremony held to raise public awareness of the "Korean Dream 10 Million" initiative launched by eight civic groups, at Yeouido Park in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Global Peace Foundation

Moon underscored that the unification movement is a campaign led not only by government officials or politicians but by the general public. He added that the campaign will gather the voices of not only South Koreans but also those of the Korean diaspora overseas and also the people of North Korea.

He has been campaigning for Korean unification based on the founding ideal of Korea "Hongik Ingan," which is about living for the greater benefit of all humanity.

As a part of his activities, he introduced the "Korean Dream" framework which aims to achieve the unification of the two Koreas and create a common national identity. The initiative is based on the notion that feasible progress on unification will be made by grassroots movements of ordinary people, rather than top-down decisions by policymakers.

Against this backdrop, the Korean Dream 10 million campaign organizing committee was launched with the goal of gathering 10 million people in Korea and overseas promoting unification by 2025. That year will mark the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule that ended in 1945.

And the "10 million Korean Dream campaign organizing committee" was inaugurated through the "2022 Action for Korea United Festival" last year.

The civic groups now plan to hold various events promoting its vision not only in South Korea, but also in other countries in six continents to engage global support for a unified Korea.

A Taekwondo demonstration performance involving some 1,000 teenagers from across the nation is held at Yeouido Park, Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Global Peace Foundation

Boosting the Korean Dream by empowering the young generation

To realize the Korean Dream project, securing support from the broader population ― especially the young generation ― is critical for campaign organizers. So they are seeking to garner support from young people through the medium of pop culture.

Tuesday's event featured performances by singers including trot singer Song Ga-in, who rose to stardom through the singing competition show "Miss Trot" in 2019. Also on the stage were singers Jo Myung-seop, An Sung-joon, Kim Da-hyun and Kim Soo-chan.

The Rainbow Choir, made up of children from multicultural backgrounds, also performed the song, "Beautiful Country."

Before the main event, a K-pop dance contest for teenagers took place, highlighting the foundation's efforts to encourage the unification movement by empowering young people. A Taekwondo demonstration performance involving some 1,000 teenagers from across the nation was also held during the event, while a photo exhibition raising awareness about human rights issues in North Korea was set up at the venue.

The Korea Times · by 2023-10-04 11:57 | North Korea · October 3, 2023

3. [INTERVIEW] 'Korea's unification best solution for stable Northeast Asia,' says peace foundation chairman

Ambassador Bolton is taking a cue from Dr. Moon and General Tilelli.

 Excerpts:

Under the theme of “Free and Unified Korea: A Catalyst for Regional and Global Peace and Development,” the forum hosted hundreds of scholars, former government officials and other experts on geopolitical matters, including former United States Forces Korea (USFK) Commander John Tilelli and former South Korean Vice Minister of National Defense Paik Seung-ju.

During the session, Tilelli shared a similar view to Moon that people should be “the instigators of change” toward unification. He said that unification could be a solution to various challenges that surround the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

“Peaceful reunification in the peninsula is a strategic imperative for all of us,” Tilelli said. “The main instigators of change, were the people themselves, as one who witnessed the change in Germany … Governments cannot build the relationships that friendships and people do.”

The former U.S. general cited the North Korean leader's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Crimes against humanity will not be resolved until the Korean dream is realized,” he said referring to Moon’s idea that a unified Korea could be a model to the world, adding that Korean society should lead such efforts.

“I believe the only way we will see an end to nuclear weapons of mass destruction, provocations and human rights abuses is a reunified Korea,” Tilelli said.

[INTERVIEW] 'Korea's unification best solution for stable Northeast Asia,' says peace foundation chairman

The Korea Times · by 2023-10-04 16:42 | North Korea · October 4, 2023

Hyun Jin Preston Moon, founder and chairman of Global Peace Foundation, speaks during a joint interview with local media outlets at a Seoul hotel, Monday. Courtesy of Global Peace Foundation

Global Peace Foundation hosts forum on benefits of unification

By Nam Hyun-woo

With inter-Korean confrontation expanding into a "New Cold War" narrative involving the United States, Japan, China and Russia, the outlook is getting gloomier for a unified Korea.

A recent poll by Seoul National University’s Institute for Peace and Unification Studies showed that 43.8 percent of 1,200 respondents said they believe unification is necessary, marking the lowest number since the annual survey began in 2007. This means that a growing number of people are taking the two Koreas’ division for granted at least in South Korea.

In the North, the Kim Jong-un regime has started referring to the South as "the Republic of Korea" instead of its usual term "South Chosun." This change, in comparison to its self-designated name of "North Chosun," signals the North's repositioning of the South as a distinct nation.

However, Hyun Jin Preston Moon, the founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), a Washington D.C.-based non-governmental organization, says this is not a desirable progression, given the benefits and advantages that unification could bring.

“You have all the world leaders now realizing that the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula is the only and the best way to deal with the nuclear proliferation issue, as well as the destabilization in Northeast Asia, the most dynamic and significant region in the world,” Moon said during a joint interview with news outlets on the sidelines of the International Forum on One Korea in Seoul, Monday.

Moon cited the recent trilateral summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the U.S. presidential retreat of Camp David in August as a case in point illustrating the proven importance of unification.

During the Camp David summit, the leaders elevated the three countries’ ties to a level of quasi-alliance in fields spanning from security to economy and social exchange.

While the stronger three-way cooperation was widely recognized for its function as a countermeasure to the North’s escalating nuclear and missile threats, Moon underscored the fact that the leaders stated their support for the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula in their joint statement, titled the Spirit of Camp David.

“What is one of the clear outcomes of Camp David? It was that the trilateral alliance would support the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula. It is not just to strengthen the trilateral alliance,” Moon said.

“The key element of the Camp David accord is not just the strengthening of the tripartite alliance, it is actually, the commitment of these nations to the peaceful unification of Korean Peninsula.”

Moon, who founded the GPF in 2009, has been championing the benefits and necessity of unification through international forums and a belief that the unification must be driven by a civil movement of Koreans, in the South and the diaspora, with broad international support.

He underscored that the unification should be driven by grassroots movements because inter-governmental talks have achieved nothing to date except to help create a more powerful nuclear-armed North Korea.

“At around 2010, some of the most influential thinkers in Korea advised me that Korean people are not interested in unification,” Moon said. “They looked at the feasibility and the possibility of unification being some type of inter-governmental negotiation. That is a flawed model.”

He said those inter-governmental negotiations do not guarantee what the Korean people really want from unification, but rather become a dangerous gamble risking the future of a unified Korea without understanding how Koreans want to shape their new country.

“They were just throwing the dice,” Moon said. “As long as we have some type of inter-governmental dialogue or some type of commitment, the future of a unified Korea turns into a crapshoot.”

To this end, Moon claimed that the most urgent task for Koreans is recovering the Korean identity, such as the founding ideal of Korea “Hongik Ingan,” which means to live for the greater benefit of all.

“Everyone knows how hyper-partisan and hyper-divided South Korea is … but I can tell you one thing. Regardless of if you are on the liberal side or the conservative side, whether you’re Christian or Buddhist, whatever your background is, there is one thing that brings Koreans together -- the Korean identity, rooted in the Hongik Ingan ideal,” Moon said.

“What do you think it’s going to bring North and South Koreans together? It’s going to be their Korean identity.”

Along with the civil unification movements among Koreans, Moon also noted that unification cannot be done by Koreans alone. He said his foundation’s Global Peace Leadership Conference in India in April was also part of hopes to convince Indians to use relations with Pyongyang to influence North Koreans.

Hyun Jin Preston Moon, founder and chairman of Global Peace Foundation, delivers a keynote speech during the International Forum on One Korea at a Seoul hotel, Monday. Courtesy of Global Peace Foundation

During his keynote speech at Monday’s forum, Moon said a unified Korea could play a role in addressing global tension between global superpowers by becoming “a model nation and a catalyst for advancing a new civilization” through “unalienable rights and freedoms.”

Under the theme of “Free and Unified Korea: A Catalyst for Regional and Global Peace and Development,” the forum hosted hundreds of scholars, former government officials and other experts on geopolitical matters, including former United States Forces Korea (USFK) Commander John Tilelli and former South Korean Vice Minister of National Defense Paik Seung-ju.

During the session, Tilelli shared a similar view to Moon that people should be “the instigators of change” toward unification. He said that unification could be a solution to various challenges that surround the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

“Peaceful reunification in the peninsula is a strategic imperative for all of us,” Tilelli said. “The main instigators of change, were the people themselves, as one who witnessed the change in Germany … Governments cannot build the relationships that friendships and people do.”

The former U.S. general cited the North Korean leader's recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Crimes against humanity will not be resolved until the Korean dream is realized,” he said referring to Moon’s idea that a unified Korea could be a model to the world, adding that Korean society should lead such efforts.

“I believe the only way we will see an end to nuclear weapons of mass destruction, provocations and human rights abuses is a reunified Korea,” Tilelli said.

Who is Hyun Jin Preston Moon?

Having graduated from Columbia University, Harvard Business School and Unification Theological Seminary, Hyun Jin Preston Moon, 54, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), has been leading the nonprofit organization for 14 years since its foundation in 2009.

He presented his idea of the Korean Dream in 2010 and authored a book titled “Korean Dream: A Vision for Unified Korea” in 2014. Moon published the book with the purpose of inspiring civil society, individuals and overseas Koreans aspiring for the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula to be “more hopeful about unification.”

After the first edition came out in 2014, English and Japanese editions were published, and the centennial edition, published in August 2020 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement, became a bestseller across the United States. In April 2018, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) selected it as a must-read book for 2018.

The Korea Times · by 2023-10-04 16:42 | North Korea · October 4, 2023

4. Global Peace Foundation presents vision for unified Korea through campaign

Excerpts:

The March 1 Independence Movement in 1919 was not a mere anti-Japanese movement, but a movement designed to build a new nation. Koreans dreamed of a new nation where the ideology of “Hongik Ingan” was realized through a nationwide civil revolution called the March 1 Movement, but the dream remains as an unfinished task. Eight civic organizations will join hands to lead the unified Korea through this campaign.

To realize the dream of building a new nation, ensure world peace and create a new civilization by inheriting the March 1st Movement, the biggest civil revolution of the Korean people, 2 million people participated in a drive to launch the second March 1 Movement, focusing on the “Korean Dream 10 Million campaign.”

It is really worth reading the 1919 Korean Declaration of Independence.

“We claim independence in the interest of the eternal and free development of our people and in accordance with the great movement for world reform based upon the awakening conscience of mankind.” 

We do not accuse Japan of betrayal for not keeping its promises in the aftermath of the Treaty of 1876. We shall not condemn the Japanese for their lack of respect because its scholars and politicians belittled our heritage as that of a colony, dismissed our culture as barbaric, and disrespected our long-established society and our good nature. We are too focused on upbraiding ourselves to point the finger at others. 

We are too occupied with righting wrongs of the present and not the past. The task at hand is to build ourselves up, not to tear others down. We are compelled by our conscience to create our destiny anew, not by envy to drive out others to indulge a long-standing resentment or a moment’s whim. We simply wish to set right this unjustified reality, in which we were sacrificed for the ambition of Japanese politicians for their outdated ideas and outdated forces, and to restore it to a natural and rational state. 

—Korean Declaration of Independence (1919)

https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-losangeles-en/brd/m_4394/view.do?seq=761378

Global Peace Foundation presents vision for unified Korea through campaign

The Korea Times · by 2023-10-04 11:57 | North Korea · October 4, 2023

Participants wave flags during a ceremony held to raise public awareness about the "Korean Dream 10 Million" initiative launched by the Global Peace Foundation at Yeouido Park in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Global Peace Foundation

By Sah Dong-seok

Established in 2009 and led by Chairman Hyun Jin Preston Moon, the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) is a nonprofit organization aimed at realizing world peace and seeking concrete action plans based on universal principles and values.

As an organization with special consultative status accreditation from the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and affiliated with the U.N. Department of Public Information (DPI), GPF, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is active in 23 countries around the world.

The GPF’s main focus is the “interfaith movement.” Its goal is to help each religious leader break away from the framework of religion and become a true leader who fulfills the objective of global peace. In the “National Faith Leaders Summit” held in Washington in 2011, religious leaders were urged to resolve conflicts and strengthen cooperation to realize a nation based on the founding spirit of the United States.

The Global Peace Leadership Conference (GPLC) was held in Nigeria in 2013 seeking to “resolve religious and tribal conflicts with leadership based on moral principles and universal values” in the presence of Christian and Muslim leaders.

Domestically, Moon presented the "Korean Dream" as a vision for a unified Korean Peninsula, driven by a grassroots movement.

In August 2012, Action for Korea United (AKU) was launched in conjunction with 370 civic groups and announced the "Unification Declaration."

Last year, the 10 million Korean Dream campaign organizing committee was inaugurated through "2022 Action for Korea United Festival" in the presence of unification experts, universities and citizens. During the festival, the Citizens’ Organizing Committee for the Action for Korea United March was launched to carry out a step-by-step unification movement through 2025.

‘Korean Dream 10 Million’ campaign

Amid today’s circumstances on the Korean Peninsula where nobody knows what may happen tomorrow owing to global division and conflict, the only solution that can bring peace and prosperity to the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia is a reunified Korea. Now, unification is no longer a matter of choice but a top priority on which the survival of all Koreans are dependent.

The March 1 Independence Movement in 1919 was not a mere anti-Japanese movement, but a movement designed to build a new nation. Koreans dreamed of a new nation where the ideology of “Hongik Ingan” was realized through a nationwide civil revolution called the March 1 Movement, but the dream remains as an unfinished task. Eight civic organizations will join hands to lead the unified Korea through this campaign.

To realize the dream of building a new nation, ensure world peace and create a new civilization by inheriting the March 1st Movement, the biggest civil revolution of the Korean people, 2 million people participated in a drive to launch the second March 1 Movement, focusing on the “Korean Dream 10 Million campaign.”

The Korean Dream 10 Million campaign, a grassroots unification movement to create an environment for the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula, envisions a plan to hold a large-scale unification movement rally in 2025.

The campaign aims to generate decisive momentum by 2025 to build a united nation where the Korean Dream is realized based on the ideology of Hongik Ingan, which seeks to broadly benefit the world, with the participation of the Parliamentarian’s Society of the Republic of Korea, the Korean National Police Veterans Association, the Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations of Korea and the Leaders’ Alliance for Korea Unification.

The goal is to hold the largest unification movement rally of 10 million citizens in 2025, and as part of this effort, other programs are planned around the world.

Campaigns have been continuously underway to that effect since 2022 on a four-year schedule, and in 2022, a 20,000-member citizen organizing committee was launched. Also, there will be a rally of 100,000 citizens this year to boost domestic support and a rally of 1 million citizens in 2024 to organize a global boom.

The Korea Times · by 2023-10-04 11:57 | North Korea · October 4, 2023

5.  North Korea lays groundwork for US disarmament talks: experts

To make concessions, lift sanctions, or agree to being disarmament or arms control talks will make Kim believe his political warfare and blackmail diplomacy strategies are working. He will not come to the table to negotiate in good faith. He will come to the table to see if he can improvise upon his political warfare and blackmail diplomacy strategies to extort more from the US, the ROK, and the international community while continuing to develop advanced warfighting capabilities, especially nuclear weapons and missiles.

North Korea lays groundwork for US disarmament talks: experts

The Korea Times · October 4, 2023

This photo released on Sept. 28 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attending a meeting of its parliament, where it unanimously enshrined the nuclear program in its constitution, during a two-day session from Sept. 26 to 27 in Pyongyang, North Korea. Yonhap

Kim Jong-un shows unwavering will for nuclear development by codifying right in constitution

By Jung Min-ho

North Korea’s development and advancement of nuclear weapons are now enshrined in its constitution following an amendment last week to expand its nuclear force. The reclusive state is the only country to have done that.

Speaking to The Korea Times, Wednesday, some experts said the codification demonstrates the regime’s determination to develop nuclear weapons and also reflects a firm rejection of international calls for denuclearization. They also said this could all be part of the North’s groundwork for its next step: seeking nuclear disarmament talks with Washington.

“North Korea’s constitutional reform is a message that it won’t accept international calls for denuclearization and that it would only respond to nuclear disarmament negotiations,” said Oh Gyeong-seob, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, a state-funded think tank.

“But that stance is unacceptable to South Korea and its allies, as it would signify a recognition of North Korea's status as a nuclear-armed state and weaken the justification for sanctions.”

Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, also thinks Pyongyang will seek such a disarmament deal with Washington ― most likely after the U.S. presidential election next year.

“At some point, North Korea will try to make a deal with the United States … All of this is part of the groundwork for the negotiation,” he said.

At the ninth session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly held from Sept. 26 to 27, North Korea decided to supplement Article 58 of Chapter 4 of the Socialist Constitution to ensure its right to existence and “protect peace” by rapidly developing nuclear weapons to a higher level. The move came a year after North Korea enshrined in law the right to use a preemptive nuclear strike to protect itself, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declaring that its nuclear status is “irreversible.”

After the constitutional change, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul said on Sunday that North Korea will never be recognized as a nuclear-armed state and its nuclear ambitions will only lead to more international sanctions.

However, many experts have become increasingly skeptical of the prospects of denuclearization as North Korea’s nuclear threat continues to intensify. A report released this January by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, a state-funded think tank, estimated that North Korea had already secured enough technology and materials for “80 to 90 nuclear warheads.” The number is expected to increase to as many as 166 by 2030, it said.

Cheong Seong-chang, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, a think tank, is among the skeptics who believe that the chance of North Korean denuclearization through talks is practically “zero.”

“North Korea has made it clear repeatedly that it will continue to develop nuclear weapons as long as the U.S. has them,” Cheong said. “I think its nuclear weapons are unnegotiable at this point.”

Responding to a Pentagon document revealed on Wednesday labeling Pyongyang as a “persistent” threat, a spokesperson for the North Korean defense ministry issued a statement rejecting the notion and accused the U.S. of being a threat to Pyongyang.

6. N. Korea intensifying cyber attacks against S. Korean shipbuilders: spy agency

The all purpose sword.

N. Korea intensifying cyber attacks against S. Korean shipbuilders: spy agency

The Korea Times · October 4, 2023

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, inspects the Pukjung Machine Complex, one of North Korea's major manufacturing facilities, in this photo released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Sept. 3. Yonhap

North Korea has carried out intensive cyber attacks against South Korean shipbuilders in an effort to bolster its military capabilities upon leader Kim Jong-un's instruction, Seoul's spy agency said Wednesday.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said it had detected "multiple" attempts at cyber offenses by North Korean hacking groups against domestic shipbuilding companies and their employees in August and September.

The hackers infiltrated computers of IT maintenance companies for shipbuilders or distributed malicious emails to the employees to steal sensitive information, according to the agency.

"Such intensive attacks are presumed to have been made as Kim Jong-un ordered to build mid- to large-sized warships," the agency said. "North Korea is expected to continue such attacks against our shipbuilders and component manufacturing firms."

In response, the NIS vowed to beef up monitoring and extend supportive measures for domestic companies, and called on them to strengthen security checks and other preventive measures.

The North Korean leader has recently called for bolstering his country's military power and the development of its shipbuilding industry.

While inspecting the Pukjung Machine Complex last month, Kim reaffirmed that a key party meeting "would set forth an important line of the modernization of the complex and the development orientation of the shipbuilding industry of the country," the North's Korean Central News Agency said. (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · October 4, 2023

7. Pentagon chief renews support for Japan's 'counterstrike' capabilities amid N. Korean threats

(LEAD) Pentagon chief renews support for Japan's 'counterstrike' capabilities amid N. Korean threats | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · October 5, 2023

(ATTN: RECASTS paras 2-3, 6)

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated his backing for Japan's decision to build "counterstrike" capabilities during talks with his Japanese counterpart on Wednesday, as Washington and Tokyo are tightening security coordination in the face of North Korea's evolving threats and China's growing assertiveness.

Austin held his first in-person talks with Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara at the Pentagon since Kihara took office last month.

Their agenda included Japan's decision last year on the acquisition of counterstrike capabilities that observers said would allow Tokyo to launch a counterattack if it or its ally, the U.S., comes under attack -- an apparent change further away from its long-held defense-oriented policy.

"Secretary Austin reiterated his support for Japan's decision to strengthen its defense, including its acquisition of counterstrike capabilities and increase in defense spending," Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.

This photo, taken on Jan. 31, 2023, shows U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin attending a joint press conference with his south Korean counterpart, Lee Jong-sup, at the defense ministry in Seoul. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

"Both leaders reaffirmed the strategic alignment between the United States and Japan, as well as shared alliance goals to optimize force posture, bolster integrated deterrence, modernize roles and missions, and further cooperate with like-minded partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific," he added.

In December last year, Tokyo announced revisions to its key security and defense documents in what was seen as a marked shift for a country long restricted by its post-war "pacifist" constitution. Under the revisions, Tokyo embraced "counterstrike" capabilities.

Later, North Korea accused Japan of having formulated an invasion-oriented security strategy and warned of "actual action" without elaboration.

At the Pentagon meeting, Austin also reaffirmed America's "unwavering and ironclad" security commitment to Japan, according to Ryder.

"The two leaders confirmed both countries' mutual commitment to strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance amid historic shared momentum toward peace, stability, and deterrence in a free and open Indo-Pacific," the press secretary said.

In the midst of North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats, the U.S. has been striving to strengthen cooperation with its two East Asian allies, South Korea and Japan.

The effort culminated at the historic Camp David U.S.-Japan-South Korea trilateral summit in August, which produced a set of documents, including one committing the three countries to consult each other in the event of a common threat.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · October 5, 2023

8. U.S. calls for China's 'constructive' role amid report on suspicious N. Korean ship in Chinese waters

"constructive role" = enforcing UN Security Council Resolutions and not being complicit in both sanctions evasion as well as the human rights abuses of forcible repatriation of refugees to north Korea.

U.S. calls for China's 'constructive' role amid report on suspicious N. Korean ship in Chinese waters | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · October 5, 2023

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 (Yonhap) -- China has a "constructive" role to play in curbing North Korea's "destabilizing" activities, the U.S. Department of State said Wednesday, amid a report that a North Korean oil tanker with a record of sanction violations was detected in Chinese waters earlier this week.

Mu Bong 1, an oil tanker, was briefly spotted in waters east of the Chinese Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan on Monday (local time), the Voice of America (VOA) reported, citing information from MarineTraffic, a ship tracking website.

The vessel is known to have engaged in multiple illicit ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned products in the East China Sea in 2019, the VOA said, citing a report from a U.N. Security Council panel of experts.

"Certainly, if it's a sanctioned vessel, any kind of subversions of sanctions against that would, of course, be concerning, but I'm not aware of this specific scenario," the department's principal deputy spokesperson, Vedant Patel, told a press briefing.

State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel is seen answering questions during a daily press briefing at the department in Washington on Aug. 14, 2023 in this captured image. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

"We've long said that as it relates to the DPRK, we believe that Beijing has and can have a constructive role to play in reining in some of their destabilizing activities, and that continues to be the case," he added.

DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Patel also reiterated that Washington has no hostile intentions toward the North, as Pyongyang continues to argue that it is doubling down on its weapons-related activities due to U.S. hostility.

"We are not in any way harboring any hostilities towards the DPRK," he said. "In fact, when we talk about our ultimate goal of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, we are very clear in the fact that we continue to believe that we're ready to engage with Pyongyang without preconditions."

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · October 5, 2023

9. Defense ministry warns N. Korea will face end of regime in event of nuclear use attempt

Excerpts;

"Our military is equipped with a combined South Korea-U.S. readiness posture that can overwhelmingly respond to any attack from North Korea," the ministry said in a statement. "If North Korea attempts to use nukes, it will face the end of its regime."

The ministry also said the North is making undisguised efforts to advance its nuclear capabilities at a time when the livelihoods of its people have been ravaged.

Defense ministry warns N. Korea will face end of regime in event of nuclear use attempt | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · October 4, 2023

SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Yonhap) -- The defense ministry warned Wednesday that North Korea will face the "end of its regime" if it attempts to use nuclear weapons, after Pyongyang recently amended its constitution to enshrine its nuclear policy.

The ministry issued the warning after the North convened a key parliamentary meeting last week, with its leader Kim Jong-un in attendance, to stipulate the policy of strengthening its nuclear force in the constitution.

"Our military is equipped with a combined South Korea-U.S. readiness posture that can overwhelmingly respond to any attack from North Korea," the ministry said in a statement. "If North Korea attempts to use nukes, it will face the end of its regime."

The ministry also said the North is making undisguised efforts to advance its nuclear capabilities at a time when the livelihoods of its people have been ravaged.

"This is a grave threat that harms peace and stability in the international community, including on the Korean Peninsula, and through this, North Korea will become further isolated from the international community and its people's suffering will deepen," it added.

The North's latest move came after it enacted a new nuclear law in September last year that authorized the preemptive use of nuclear arms, calling its status as a nuclear state "irreversible."

South Korea has previously made similar warnings against the North, with President Yoon Suk Yeol saying the regime will be brought to an end by the South Korea-U.S. alliance if it uses nuclear weapons during an Armed Forces Day ceremony last month.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) claps during the ninth session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly held on Sept. 26-27 in Pyongyang, in this photo captured from Pyongyang's official Korean Central Television on Sept. 28. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · October 4, 2023

10. [Wang Son-taek] Korea-US alliance 70 years: Opportunities and challenges

Some of the challenges:

While the Korea-US alliance finds itself amid these favorable conditions, there are also unfavorable ones. Political polarization, for example, can be one of the structural vulnerabilities accompanying liberal democracy. Polarization becomes a factor that hinders rational judgment while operating national policy. This is especially true in the field of foreign affairs and security. Rationally judged, the Korea-US alliance benefits both countries, but some candidates might argue against the alliance to distinguish themselves from competitors in the election process. Former US President George W. Bush, who took power in January 2001, shocked his predecessor, former President Bill Clinton, by applying what some called an "anything but Clinton" approach to foreign policy. Former President Donald Trump, who took power in January 2017, also pursued conflict with the US' historical allies.

Second, excessive selfishness derived from neoliberalism could push the Korea-US alliance into crisis. Neoliberalism, which emerged the dominant direction of capitalism after the end of the Cold War, emphasizes free markets of goods, capital and labor. In the process, selfishness also expanded to the extreme. The background of far-right populism seen in many parts of the world permeates as a side effect and evil of neoliberalism. If selfishness becomes excessive, the Korea-US alliance could come to be based on monetary transactions. The US might try to increase Korea's share in defense costs dramatically, and Korea might have to imagine a scenario without US troops stationed in Korea.

The "strategic competition" between the US and China is also a dangerous factor. If the US fails to manage its relationship with China as a "strategic competitor," the global community will become confused, and the future of the Korea-US alliance will be unclear. Korea achieved national development by actively participating in globalization. Large-scale trade cooperation with China was also possible in the context of globalization. The failure of the two countries to readjust could lead to a head-on conflict as well as a situation in which South Korea has to cut ties with one of the two. In that case, Korea will face severe internal divisions and consider moving to a third neutral zone.

[Wang Son-taek] Korea-US alliance 70 years: Opportunities and challenges

koreaherald.com · by Korea Herald · October 4, 2023

By Korea Herald

Published : Oct. 5, 2023 - 05:31

The South Korea-US alliance celebrated its 70th anniversary on October 1. Exactly 70 years have passed since Korea and the United States signed the Mutual Defense Treaty on Oct. 1, 1953.

The Korea-US alliance can be evaluated as a successful one for both nations. First, the alliance was a safety valve to ensure peace and stability while preventing a second Korean War on the Korean Peninsula. The Korean War was a tragedy in which about 3 million people were killed. The war was a huge hell that should never happen again. Second, afterwards, South Korea achieved miraculous national development. At the end of the war in 1953, South Korea's per capita income was less than $100, but by 2020, it had grown to more than $30,000. Such development resulted from Koreans' efforts, but it is also true that it was achieved based on the peace and stability provided by the alliance. For the US, the alliance is also a success because Korea contributes in various forms to maintaining and managing the international order led by the United States. South Korea serves as a faithful partner of the US in several types of global initiatives led by the latter.

The alliance is currently at its highest level, but there is also great potential for further development. This is because there are opportunities for the partnership. However, such opportunities are accompanied by challenging aspects that hinder the development of the alliance as well.

One of conditions favorable to the Korea-US alliance is the fact that the trend of liberal democracy continues to spread. The more liberal democracy spreads, the more likely the alliance will become valuable. This is because the United States leads the world in freedom, democracy and human rights issues, and Korea is also based on free democracy. The scope of cooperation in the alliance will expand as freedom and democracy spread.

Another factor favorable to the development of the Korea-US alliance is that the "fourth industrial revolution" will unfold widely and deeply. There is a lot of anxiety and discomfort about this revolution. Still, depending on how it is used, it can be an opportunity to bring peace and prosperity to the entire global community. Therefore, developed countries leading this revolution should strive to help the international community, not just conduct research and development efforts for their own interests. As leaders of it, Korea and the United States can cooperate to drive the direction of the revolution in a positive direction. In the process, the alliance will develop dramatically.

Another factor that gives expectations for the future of the Korea-US alliance is that globalization -- or interdependence -- is still spreading. Globalization has been a device for the United States to manage the international order and guarantee US interests as a hegemonic state since the end of the Cold War in 1991. Korea has also dramatically upgraded its trade volume and technology level by capitalizing on the trend of globalization. In the short term, supply chain restructuring is underway in the strategic competition between the US and China, and globalization is slowing down. However, since side effects and problems have been revealed during over 30 years of globalization, the readjustment of US and China relations is likely to be a painful cost in the continued spread of globalization.

While the Korea-US alliance finds itself amid these favorable conditions, there are also unfavorable ones. Political polarization, for example, can be one of the structural vulnerabilities accompanying liberal democracy. Polarization becomes a factor that hinders rational judgment while operating national policy. This is especially true in the field of foreign affairs and security. Rationally judged, the Korea-US alliance benefits both countries, but some candidates might argue against the alliance to distinguish themselves from competitors in the election process. Former US President George W. Bush, who took power in January 2001, shocked his predecessor, former President Bill Clinton, by applying what some called an "anything but Clinton" approach to foreign policy. Former President Donald Trump, who took power in January 2017, also pursued conflict with the US' historical allies.

Second, excessive selfishness derived from neoliberalism could push the Korea-US alliance into crisis. Neoliberalism, which emerged the dominant direction of capitalism after the end of the Cold War, emphasizes free markets of goods, capital and labor. In the process, selfishness also expanded to the extreme. The background of far-right populism seen in many parts of the world permeates as a side effect and evil of neoliberalism. If selfishness becomes excessive, the Korea-US alliance could come to be based on monetary transactions. The US might try to increase Korea's share in defense costs dramatically, and Korea might have to imagine a scenario without US troops stationed in Korea.

The "strategic competition" between the US and China is also a dangerous factor. If the US fails to manage its relationship with China as a "strategic competitor," the global community will become confused, and the future of the Korea-US alliance will be unclear. Korea achieved national development by actively participating in globalization. Large-scale trade cooperation with China was also possible in the context of globalization. The failure of the two countries to readjust could lead to a head-on conflict as well as a situation in which South Korea has to cut ties with one of the two. In that case, Korea will face severe internal divisions and consider moving to a third neutral zone.

If Korea and the United States can strengthen their diplomatic efforts to manage these opportunities and challenges positively, the two allies will be able to hold grand centennial celebrations in Seoul and Washington on Oct. 1, 2053.

Wang Son-taek

Wang Son-taek is a director for the Global Policy Center at the Hanpyeong Peace Institute. He was a former diplomatic correspondent at YTN and former research associate at Yeosijae. The views expressed here are his own. -- Ed.

koreaherald.com · by Korea Herald · October 4, 2023

11. S. Korean experts to inspect Japan water release

S. Korean experts to inspect Japan water release

koreaherald.com · by Choi Si-young · October 4, 2023

By Choi Si-young

Published : Oct. 4, 2023 - 19:50

The South Korean (right) and Japanese flags. (123rf)

South Korean experts will fly to Japan to monitor the second release of treated radioactive wastewater from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant, set to start Thursday, the Korean government said Wednesday.

“Like the first release, we will be working with the Japanese government to share real-time data on the second discharge and monitor data released by the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company,” said Park Ku-yeon, the first deputy chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the body leading interagency efforts to check on the discharge plans.

According to Park, the experts set to be on site will tour the facility around the power plant and an International Atomic Energy Agency office. The UN nuclear watchdog, which has said the health and environmental impacts from the release are negligible, set up the office to make sure the release of the water into the Pacific Ocean takes place in compliance with safety standards.

But when exactly those experts will leave and come back home was not disclosed, with Park saying revealing dates could affect their work. He did not elaborate on how or what kind of such work is affected.

The latest tour marks the third time after two previous trips each in August and September. The Japanese government started the initial discharge in late August, a process that ended in early September.

The push to discharge more than 1.34 million tons of radioactive wastewater from the plant -- hit by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2011 -- represents only a small step to fully decommissioning the facility. Japan maintains that radioactivity levels in the released wastewater will be made safe enough by filtering and dilution processes.

But some in neighboring countries like China and Korea say long-term effects of still radioactive water on the broader ecosystem of fish and those who consume it are debated.

Meanwhile, the latest data from the National Assembly found that violations of the country of origin law by seafood importers more than doubled in August from a year earlier. The August data, a compilation of the first eight months this year, amounted to 164 cases, compared with 74 from the same period a year earlier.

The Korean government said earlier this year it would crack down on seafood importers who have not reported or wrongly marked the country of origin, a practice officials say is still prevalent despite the fines or prison sentences possible for such crimes.

koreaherald.com · by Choi Si-young · October 4, 2023

12. Seoul, Tokyo to resume financial talks amid geopolitical risks

Seoul, Tokyo to resume financial talks amid geopolitical risks

Collaboration would fend off potential spillover financial risks from China’s shaky property market.

By Lee Jeong-Ho for RFA

2023.10.03

Seoul, South Korea

rfa.org

South Korea and Japan are set to revive their financial cooperation in the face of heightened geopolitical risks – a move indicating that the bilateral collaboration is extending beyond the military realm.

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission Chairman Kim Joo-hyun and Japan’s Governor of the Financial Services Agency Teruhisa Kurita met in Tokyo Tuesday and agreed to resume the regular bilateral meeting that had been suspended since 2016.

During the meeting, the two authorities shared experiences on financial services digitalization, agreeing to further discussion on this front going forward. They also discussed ways to strengthen measures to foster financial stability.

Both sides will hold their first formal bilateral meeting of financial authorities in seven years this December in the South Korean capital, according to a joint statement by Seoul and Tokyo.

Tuesday’s meeting is a sign that the relations between the two key U.S. allies are on the mend, with cooperation now extending into the financial sector.

The two have been in dispute over various issues, predominantly on history during Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean peninsula. Most notable is the issue of compensating forced laborers and ‘comfort women,’ a Japanese euphemism for wartime sex slaves. As the dispute showed no signs of reaching a resolution, its implication has extended to other areas, affecting military and economic security.

The discord between Tokyo and Seoul ran against the U.S. President Joe Biden’s mission to unite allies in addressing regional challenges, particularly those posed by China. South Korea’s conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office last year, made steps to reconcile the dispute, and had proposed measures to compensate the wartime victims using South Korean funds, despite the domestic backlash.

Initial indications of reconciliation appeared in the military sector, with the navies of South Korea and Japan actively and openly participating in drills in waters that divide the Koreas and Japan.

China risks

The latest bilateral financial cooperation is taking place as both nations strive to counteract potential financial risks arising from China’s real estate sector. The instability of the Chinese property market, a significant component of its economy, has heightened concerns about the country’s shadow banking system. Shadow banks, which operate outside the formal banking sector, are particularly vulnerable to property market downturns as they often fund developers who are not qualified for traditional bank loans.

The risks have stacked up as indebted developers struggle to repay their creditors and investors, raising fears of a wider financial destabilization. Such disruptions may impact global financial systems, which means that major U.S. allies like South Korea and Japan could be indirectly affected.

Financial collaboration is also expected to mutually benefit both Tokyo and Seoul, on their own terms. While Japan faces hurdles in its shift to a digital finance platform, South Korea’s expertise in this domain could expedite Japan’s transition.

South Korea has also been focusing on stabilizing its financial environment, as reflected by the fluctuations in its Financial Vulnerability Index, a barometer that gauges financial risk.

According to a Bank of Korea report released last week, the index increased by 0.3 percentage points in the second quarter, reaching 43.6. This figure suggests that Seoul may seek to collaborate with relevant authorities to address potential risks. In June, Seoul and Tokyo reached an agreement on a US$10 billion currency swap deal.

Edited by Elaine Chan and Mike Firn.

rfa.org

13. North Koreans in Russia received scant medical care during pandemic

I spent Chuseok with an escapee who has been here in Korea for 6 months. He spent 5 years in Russia as an interpreter for a north Korean logging company. He sadi conditions were bad but better than inside north Korea.

North Koreans in Russia received scant medical care during pandemic

Workers can’t afford medical checkups, so serious diseases are only found after it’s too late.

By Jamin Anderson and Kim Jieun for RFA Korean

2023.09.26

rfa.org

North Korean workers in Russia who contracted serious diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic were unable to receive proper medical treatment, nor were they able to return to North Korea, according to an internal document seen by Radio Free Asia.

The three-page document, titled ‘Status of Patients at the First Construction Company in Khabarovsk, Russia’, was written around February 2022, and recorded the details of several medical issues of North Koreans sent to the Russian far eastern city to earn foreign cash for the government.

It says that out of 58 employees belonging to the company, 54 are laborers, and eight of them have ‘lost the ability to work due to medical evaluation by the health institution in their country of residence.’

It specifically stated that there was one patient each with stomach cancer, lymphatic cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, emphysema, problems with the intervertebral disc, two patients with heart disease, and one patient with an indeterminate diagnosis.

Choi Jeong-hoon, a senior researcher at the Public Policy Research Institute at Korea University in Seoul, who worked as a doctor in North Korea, reviewed the document and confirmed that it appears to have been written by a North Korean resident, as the disease names and other names used North Korean spelling and spacing.

Sacrificing health

One construction worker in his 40s, who had been working in Khabarovsk since 2014 came down with lymphatic cancer in 2021, the document said. When doctors recommended treatment at an oncology hospital he refused because he did not have enough money to pay for it.

The worker continued on at the construction site until he could no longer eat properly. He took many rounds of medications but never recovered.

Another worker, in his 50s, who had been working in Russia from Pyongyang in 2015. In 2021 he was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer.

The document said that the company is ‘administering immunotherapy on its own,’ and said the patient himself was responsible for his worsening condition.

“The patient’s basic needs are stabilization of life and dietary treatment,” the document said. “But as the patient continues to worry, his condition continues to worsen, and he is currently unable to eat and is in pain.”

Another worker in his 50s is said to have missed treatments for pulmonary emphysema.

The document said he developed symptoms of illness such as “shortness of breath, mild fever, and loss of appetite” eight months after being dispatched to Russia in January 2020, and was diagnosed with pulmonary emphysema in the spring of 2021.

While he was not receiving proper treatment, the emphysema, which was originally 3.5 centimeters in size, grew to 5 centimeters in January 2022, in just one year. Surgery to remove it would cost 320,000 rubles (US$3,345).

More dispatched?

UN sanctions mandate that all North Korean workers abroad were supposed to have been repatriated by the end of 2019, but Pyongyang has been able to get around this by dispatching workers under non-working visas, and then putting them to work anyway.

Estimates suggest that there are thousands of North Korean workers in the Russian Far East alone.

The recent summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin has resulted in closer relations between Moscow and Pyongyang, possibly paving the way for an increase in North Korean dispatched workers in Russia.

The document clearly reveals that North Korea is sending workers overseas while failing to properly guarantee their basic human rights and healthcare, a local source in Khabarovsk, who requested anonymity for personal safety, told RFA Korean.

“Before the pandemic, patients diagnosed with serious illness and unable to work were sent back to North Korea within a month,” he said. “But this was not possible during the pandemic, with the transportation blocked due to the border closure.’

Angry reactions

Professor Kang Dongwan, a professor at Dong-A University in Busan, South Korea, visited the Russian far eastern city of Vladivostok last April to directly observe the lives of North Korean workers. He said that there were some angry reactions to the authorities’ neglect.

“During the pandemic, there were cases of coronavirus and even deaths. However, the North Korean authorities gave instructions to handle the response to COVID-19 on their own and did not provide any support for treatment or vaccines,” said Kang.

“In the end, there was a lot of awareness that ‘the country we trusted in has abandoned us,’ and that’s why the overseas workers felt uneasy,” he said.

Kang said that the workers put in 16 hours of backbreaking labor per day at the construction sites, and some even worked at night.

“Their environment is so bad that some workers have removed their own teeth because they cannot go to the dentist due to status issues and treatment costs.”

Surgery nearly impossible

North Korea sometimes dispatches doctors with the workers, but they are usually not equipped to handle serious illnesses, said Choi Jeong-hoon, a senior researcher at the Public Policy Research Institute at Korea University in Seoul, who worked as a doctor in North Korea.

“Patients with serious illnesses are left without proper treatment, which only makes their illnesses grow worse,” said Choi.

Illnesses requiring surgery are impossible to treat with the dispatched doctors, he said.

Khabarovsk, Russia, is seen along the banks of the Amur River in the country's Far East, Sept. 12, 2021. Credit: Daniel Kozin/AP

He explained that sometimes doctors are dispatched with workers, but this is only a formality. It is impossible to treat serious illnesses other than colds or indigestion or to perform surgery.

After reading the report about the patient with stage 4 stomach cancer, Choi said it is unlikely that he is still alive, because without proper treatment, it is typical that patients will live between six months and a year.

“Since he cannot eat, he might suffer from malnutrition and will not live long,” said Choi. “Medicines are of low quality, and even if there are medicines, the officials get to use them first. They say, "The workers should earn money and buy it on their own.”

Meager earnings

But earning enough money for their own treatment is almost impossible.

While each worker is paid a salary far higher than what they could earn doing the same job in North Korea, most of their earnings are given to the North Korean government. The workers are allowed to keep only 10-20%, or a few hundred dollars per month.

A hospital bill for a serious disease could cost as much as US$5,000-6,000.

Receiving regular health checkups is also costly, Kang said. With no checkups during their deployment, serious diseases like cancer are usually not discovered until the last stage, he said.

“Given the rapid increase in the number of patients with diseases, expenditure of funds is currently being raised as the biggest problem,” the First Construction Company’s document said.

It was “the company’s opinion that the implementation of the national plan has been hindered since January of this year” due to the need to spend hundreds of thousands of rubles for treatment.

The document also cited a lack of connection with anyone in North Korea since the beginning of 2022 as a major reason many of its issues were not being resolved.

Translated by Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.

rfa.org

14. Yoon meets former nurses, miners sent to Germany

I recommend the Korean film, Ode to My Father (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ode_to_My_Father), to see this part of Korean history. It is a small part of the overall film but it provides some insights into what was happening during this period.

Yoon meets former nurses, miners sent to Germany | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · October 4, 2023

By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol met Wednesday with a group of former nurses and miners sent to Germany in the 1960s to earn foreign currency for South Korea's economic development, saying the government will work to ensure their sweat and dedication were not in vain.

The meeting took place over lunch at a hotel in Seoul, with the attendance of around 240 former nurses, miners and nursing assistants, as well as first lady Kim Keon Hee and government and presidential officials.

This year marks 140 years since the 1883 signing of a treaty of friendship and commerce between Germany and the Joseon Dynasty, Korea's predecessor, as well as 60 years since the first batch of nurses and miners were sent to Germany.

"Your sweat and dedication were the foundation for the Republic of Korea's industrialization, and your lives were our nation's modern history," Yoon said in opening remarks.

"Your sense of responsibility for your families and homeland amid the foreign environment and dangerous workplace is what created you and the Republic of Korea of today," he added.

Yoon recalled that the foreign currency remitted by some 20,000 South Korean miners and nurses in the 1960s and 70s formed the seed money needed to achieve the Miracle of the Han River, a term referring to South Korea's rapid economic development in the decades following the 1950-53 Korean War.

"Now it is time for the Republic of Korea to thank and take care of our miners and nurses who were sent to Germany," he said. "To ensure your drops of sweat were not in vain, the Republic of Korea will fulfill its role as a global pivotal state that contributes to world freedom, peace and prosperity."

President Yoon Suk Yeol gives remarks during a luncheon marking 60 years since the first batch of nurses and miners were sent to Germany to earn foreign currency for South Korea's economic development, at a hotel in Seoul on Oct. 4, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

hague@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · October 4, 2023

15. 70 years of the Korean Armistice Agreement: Republic of Korea Army’s 21st Infantry Division in Yanggu

Photos at the link.

70 years of the Korean Armistice Agreement: Republic of Korea Army’s 21st Infantry Division in Yanggu

https://korea.stripes.com/community-news/70-years-korean-armistice-agreement-republic-korea-army%E2%80%99s-21st-infantry-division

korea.stripes.com · October 3, 2023

Korea Defense Daily

October 3, 2023

Editor’s Note: This story was translated by the Korea Defense Daily and originally appeared on their website.

The operational area around Yanggu County, Gangwon Province, is known for its rugged mountainous terrain. Among them is Mount Gachilbong at an elevation of 1,242 meters, which is guarded by the Cheonbong Battalion of the 21st Infantry Division.

During the Korean War, numerous casualties resulted from fierce battles on Mount Gachilbong. After six rounds of combat for control, the Republic of Korea military managed to seize all of the high ground in the Gachilbong area except for 'Kim Il-sung Peak'. As a result, they were able to secure a tactical advantage by quickly detecting enemy movements in this region.

The Gachilbong Company of the Cheonbong Battalion is situated 750 meters away from North Korea on the eastern front line, making it the closest point to North Korea. Moreover, it's the highest-positioned GOP (General Outpost) unit in the Republic of Korea Army. This location is notorious for its harsh conditions and rigorous duties.

First Lieutenant Cha Yu-seong explained, "The soldiers serving in the Gachilbong Company are physically and mentally prepared. However, the environment is not easy. I believe that the most important thing is to have an attitude where you can feel small joys even amidst tough duties to overcome this."

The thoughts of Corporal Jo Jae-hyun, a GOP border guard working here, were similar.

He said, "For the soldiers of the Gachilbong Company, outstanding mission performance is a given," and added, "A positive mindset that can adapt to the environment of Gachilbong is also necessary."

At the A outpost of Cheonji Company, First Lieutenant Han Su-wan, the outpost commander, and his soldiers were conducting a military equipment inspection. This is an important procedure to check personal equipment and tasks ahead of the border operation that continues until dawn. The soldiers' unwavering posture showed the usual strict military discipline of the outpost.

First Lieutenant Han said, "Performing the same task every day can be monotonous, but it's important to overcome such mannerism. I also consistently encourage my subordinates to focus on their tasks and concentrate on creating small moments of happiness."

The soldiers who had finished their preparations set out to inspect the barbed wire. The path along this fence is not only steep but also unusually rocky, making patrol more challenging for the soldiers.

The mountain path was so treacherous that it raised doubts about whether an enemy would really attempt to infiltrate through here.

However, Sergeant Kang Cheon-bin thought differently. Sergeant Kang emphasized that "we should always be on guard with the thought that there is enough possibility of enemy infiltration."

The search battalion members guarding the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the General Outpost (GOP) border guards refer to themselves as 'the 1% of South Korea'. The qualification for being '1%', as unanimously stated by everyone from the battalion commander to the soldiers, is 'attitude'. the determination to protect our precious DMZ and territory is the quality needed by elite soldiers.

lieutenant colonel Moon Hyun-ho, the commander of Cheonbong Battalion, explained the qualifications of an elite GOP border guard like this.

"No matter how excellent your qualifications are, without the firm determination to defend the front line of Republic of Korea, you can achieve nothing."

The noble spirit of the veterans who risked their lives to defend Gachilbong continues to this day. This virtue will undoubtedly become a steadfast force in protecting the DMZ in the future.

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