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Quotes of the Day:
"No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little."
- Edmund Burke
"The harshest tyranny is that which acts under the protection of legality and the banner of justice."
- Montesquieu
“Your hopes, dreams, and aspirations are legitimate. They are trying to take your airborne, above the clouds, above the storms, if you only let them.”
- William James
1. Propaganda and Agitation Department: Kim Jong-un Regime's Sword of Indoctrination
2. N. Korea warns 'physical clash, war' on Korean Peninsula a matter of time, not possibility
3. Koreas' spy satellite launches heat up arms race in space
4. U.S. authorizes potential sale to S. Korea of munitions, equipment for F-35 stealth jets
5. Seoul says FEOC guidance reduces uncertainty, will continue close consultation with U.S.
6. F-35A fighter jet faces retirement after hitting an eagle mid-flight (South Korea)
7. North Korean ‘stormtroopers’ are ill-equipped for harsh winter weather
8. [Voice of America - Washington Talk] US Forces in Korea need to be reorganized in preparation for the Taiwan incident... Korea, public 'high-tech investment' Be careful
9. Korea seeks 'pragmatic' economic strategy amid Sino-US rivalry: industry minister
10. [INTERVIEW] Korea to work with US, Japan to fight climate change
11. S. Korea, Japan to resume high-level economic talks
12. UN reaffirms food assistance to North Korea through 2024
13. Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues Turner’s Trip to Los Angeles and Honolulu
14. Spanish Aristocrat Arrested For Helping Teach North Koreans How To Avoid U.S. Sanctions With Cryptocurrency
15. [ANALYSIS] Has N. Korean leader's daughter been confirmed as heir apparent?
16. Fewer Koreans Make Their Own Kimchi
1. Propaganda and Agitation Department: Kim Jong-un Regime's Sword of Indoctrination
The 136 page report can be downloaded here: https://www.hrnk.org/uploads/pdfs/PAD_web.pdf
This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the regime and how it uses information to protect the regime and advance its political warfare strategy.
Propaganda and Agitation Department: Kim Jong-un Regime's Sword of Indoctrination
Robert Collins
Nov 28, 2023
Read Summary Download PDF
This report explains how the Kim regime organizes and implements its policy of human rights denial using the Propaganda and Agitation Department (PAD) to preserve and strengthen its monolithic system of control. The report also provides detailed background on the history of the PAD, as well as a human terrain map that details present and past PAD leadership.
2. N. Korea warns 'physical clash, war' on Korean Peninsula a matter of time, not possibility
Kim Jong Un is upping the ante or doubling down on his failed blackmail diplomacy strategy.
We must always keep in mind that the Propaganda and Agitation Department must generate the threat from the South and from the alliance to justify the suffering and sacrifice of the Korean people in the north in order to prioritize nuclear weapons and missile development to protect the Kim family regime.
The seeming rise in extreme rhetoric may be because there is fear of internal pressure and possible instability.
N. Korea warns 'physical clash, war' on Korean Peninsula a matter of time, not possibility | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by CHANG JAE SUN · December 3, 2023
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- North Korea warned Sunday that a "physical clash and war" have become a matter of time on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of the scrapping of an inter-Korean military tension reduction accord, threatening that South Korea will face "total collapse" if it undertakes any hostile act.
A North Korean military commentator made the threat in an article carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency, blaming the South for the scrapping of the 2018 Comprehensive Military Agreement that called for a series of military measures to reduce tensions along the border.
The North effectively scrapped the agreement last month after the South suspended part of the deal in protest of the North's successful launch of a military spy satellite. The North has since restored guard posts and brought heavy firearms along the border.
"Owing to the reckless and imprudent moves of the puppet group of traitors to nullify the north-south military agreement, the extreme military confrontation as serious as that before the adoption of the agreement has been created again on the Korean peninsula," the commentator said.
The 2018 deal was the "minimum mechanism and the final line for preventing accidental military conflict in the area along the Military Demarcation Line where huge armed forces stand in highest density and sharp confrontation in the world," the commentator said.
"The physical clash and war on the Korean Peninsula have become a matter of time, not possibility," the commentator said.
The commentator also said the North's satellite launch was the country's "legitimate and just right of a sovereign state" and that it makes no sense for the South to suspend the deal in response to the satellite launch that is not banned under the agreement.
If the North's satellite launch constitutes a violation of the 2018 accord, South Korea's launch of its own military spy satellite would be no different, the commentator said, referring to Friday's launch of the country's first indigenous military spy satellite.
"Any hostile act of the puppet group against the DPRK will lead to the miserable destruction of the puppet army and the total collapse of the ROK," the commentator said, using the acronyms of the official names of the North and the South.
"The prevailing situation proves once again the validity of the choice of the DPRK which has pushed forward with the bolstering of nuclear war deterrence and modernization of armed forces," the commentator said. "The provokers who completely nullified the north-south military agreement will have to surely pay a high price."
This photo, taken from an observation tower on South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island bordering North Korea in the West Sea, shows the entrances of artillery positions (in red circles) being opened on North Korea's Jangjae Island on Nov. 29, 2023, days after the North's threat to immediately reinstate all military measures previously suspended under a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement aimed at mitigating military tensions. (Yonhap)
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en.yna.co.kr · by CHANG JAE SUN · December 3, 2023
3. Koreas' spy satellite launches heat up arms race in space
(News Focus) Koreas' spy satellite launches heat up arms race in space | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · December 2, 2023
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- Space has emerged as an extended battlefield for the rival Koreas as they have successfully launched their own spy satellites into orbit and are gearing up to send more to better monitor each other amid an intensifying arms race, analysts said Saturday.
South Korea's first homegrown spy satellite was launched from U.S. Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Friday (local time). It successfully entered orbit and communicated with a ground station a little over an hour after launch, the defense ministry said.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying South Korea's first indigenous spy satellite lifts off from U.S. Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Dec. 1, 2023 (local time), as seen in SpaceX's webcast.(PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Beginning with the electro-optical and infrared satellite, South Korea plans to launch four more synthetic apertures radar satellites by 2025 under a 1.2 trillion-won (US$918.2 million) project.
As South Korea has relied on U.S. commercial and military assets for high-resolution imagery, it has been pushing to establish an independent military satellite network to gather information on North Korea.
When operated together, the five satellites are expected to provide regular coverage at about two-hour intervals, according to analysts.
Military officials expressed hope that the reconnaissance satellites will serve as an "eye" for South Korea's Kill Chain preemptive strike system as they will enable the prompt detection of signs of North Korea's potential nuclear and missile attacks.
The Kill Chain system is a pillar of South Korea's three-pronged deterrence system that also includes the Korea Air and Missile Defense system and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation, an operational plan to incapacitate North Korean leadership in the event of a major conflict.
"It will help pave the way for South Korea's military capability in space and accumulate know-how in the domestic satellite development to better respond to the expanding security domain in space," the ministry said.
In the long term, the ministry said it aims to integrate the spy satellites network with "left of launch," a strategy using electromagnetic, cyber and other technologies to disrupt and defeat a missile launch at a prelaunch stage.
In addition to the satellites, the South Korean military is also set to conduct a second round of testing of an indigenous solid-fuel rocket designed to put small satellites into low Earth orbit later this month. Such smaller, solid-fueled launch vehicles are considered as simpler and more cost-effective to launch compared with liquid-fuel rockets.
South Korea's satellite-based reconnaissance surveillance program is seen in this image provided by the state-run Agency for Defense Development. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The South's satellite launch came days after North Korea sent the Malligyong-1 spy satellite atop of the Chollima-1 rocket into orbit on Nov. 21 following two failed attempts earlier this year and vowed to launch several more in a short span of period.
While Seoul and Washington condemned Pyongyang's satellite launch as a violation of U.N. Security Resolutions that ban its use of ballistic missile technology, leader Kim Jong-un lauded the launch as an eye-opening event of deploying a "space guard" monitoring enemies' military activities.
Pyongyang has claimed the spy satellite took photos of the White House, the Pentagon, major military facilities in South Korea and the U.S. territories of Guam and Hawaii. But the North has not released related satellite photos.
Although Seoul and Washington have confirmed the Malligyong-1 is in orbit, experts question whether the satellite can carry out a reconnaissance mission, given the poor quality of imaging systems retrieved from the wreckage of North Korea's first botched test in May.
Seoul officials believe the North may have made progress in its space program with technological assistance from Russia following the rare summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in September.
North Korea's Chollima-1 rocket carrying a reconnaissance satellite called the Malligyong-1 lifts off from the launching pad at the Sohae satellite launch site in Tongchang-ri in northwestern North Korea at 10:42 p.m. on Nov. 21, 2023, in this photo released the next day by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Analysts say the North's homegrown satellite launched ahead of the South's has already served leader Kim's intention to boost morale for its people amid prolonged economic crisis.
"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," 38 North, a U.S. website dedicated to analyzing North Korea, said in a report.
Cha Doo-hyun, a researcher at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, questioned the North Korean satellite's military value, but took note of its engine system's potential for ballistic missile program and advancement in satellite development with Russian assistance in the future.
"The fact that North Korea has secured an engine thrust to launch an object weighing around 300 kg into orbit has implications for its future missile development. It means that the North has acquired the capability to carry nuclear warheads without having to making them too small," Cha said.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · December 2, 2023
4. U.S. authorizes potential sale to S. Korea of munitions, equipment for F-35 stealth jets
U.S. authorizes potential sale to S. Korea of munitions, equipment for F-35 stealth jets | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · December 2, 2023
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) – The United States has approved a potential sale to South Korea of munitions for the operation of F-35 radar-evading fighter jets and related equipment to help improve the Asian ally's defense capabilities, a government agency said Friday.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) under the Department of Defense made the announcement on the potential government-to-government Foreign Military Sale (FMS) estimated to cost US$271 million.
South Korea has made a request to purchase 39 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles, 88 KMU-556 Tail Kits for the GBU-31v1 Joint Direct-Attack Munition (JDAM) and 86 Mk-84 General Purpose 2000-lb bombs for the GBU-31v1 JDAM among other weapons and supplies.
"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region," DSCA said in a press release.
"The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea's capability to meet current and future threats by providing its fighter fleet with a range of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions to deter aggression in the region and ensure interoperability with U.S. forces," it added.
DSCA delivered the required certification notifying Congress of the possible sale earlier in the day as the sale requires congressional endorsement.
South Korea's Air Force operates a fleet of 40 F-35A fighters. It has recently decided to retire one of them as the aircraft was damaged by a bird strike in January last year.
An F-35 lifts off from the 17th Fighter Wing's air base in Cheongju, 147 kilometers south of Seoul, on Aug. 21, 2023, in this photo provided by the Air Force. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · December 2, 2023
5. Seoul says FEOC guidance reduces uncertainty, will continue close consultation with U.S.
Seoul says FEOC guidance reduces uncertainty, will continue close consultation with U.S. | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Duk-Kun Byun · December 2, 2023
SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul government on Saturday welcomed the release of proposed U.S. guidance on U.S. tax credits for electric vehicles (EVs), noting it will help remove uncertainties surrounding the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The U.S. released the guidance on Friday (U.S. time), defining a "foreign entity of concern" (FEOC) whose battery components and critical minerals may disqualify EVs from U.S. incentives.
"Our battery makers have been asking for an early release of FEOC requirements, and many uncertainties in their investment and business operations are expected to be greatly removed by their release this time," the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a press release.
Under the proposed rules, an EV eligible for tax credits may not contain any critical minerals that were extracted, processed or recycled by an FEOC, starting from 2025. Starting next year, an eligible EV may not contain any battery components that were manufactured or assembled by an FEOC.
The trade ministry said its first vice minister was set to host a meeting later in the day with government and business leaders to review any impact the proposed FEOC guidance will have on local businesses and discuss any necessary steps to offset such an impact.
To this end, the government will continue its close consultation with the U.S. to help minimize any negative impact the IRA may have on South Korean businesses, it added.
For instance, the new guidance stipulates that a company would not be eligible for tax credits if an FEOC holds 25 percent or more of its board seats, voting rights or equity interest.
Seoul is said to be seeking further clarification on whether a company would still not be eligible for tax credits if a private firm from an FEOC that has no link to the government of the FEOC owns a 25 percent stake in the company.
The government "plans to continue its consultation with the U.S. by submitting an additional statement of opinion after gathering the opinions of related businesses," the ministry said.
A man charges his electric vehicle at a charging station in Seoul on Oct. 29, 2023. (Yonhap)
bdk@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Duk-Kun Byun · December 2, 2023
6. F-35A fighter jet faces retirement after hitting an eagle mid-flight
Friday
December 1, 2023
dictionary + A - A
Published: 01 Dec. 2023, 16:09
F-35A fighter jet faces retirement after hitting an eagle mid-flight
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2023-12-01/national/defense/F35A-fighter-jet-faces-retirement-after-hitting-an-eagle-midflight/1925918
F-35A at Seoul Air Base during an exhibition. [YONAHP]
The Korean Air Force on Friday announced it has decided to scrap the F-35A fighter jet that had been damaged after hitting an eagle in January.
An evaluation board at the Korean Air Force said Friday it will retire the broken stealth fighter jet as the damage is far greater than expected.
According to the Korean Air Force, it would take four years to repair the damaged fighter jet and cost a minimum of 140 billion won ($107 million), significantly more than the 110 billion won it would cost to buy a new fighter jet.
The F-35A on Jan. 4 ran into an eagle at an altitude of roughly 330 meters (1,082 feet), not long after taking off from the Cheongju Air Base in North Chungcheong.
The eagle was sucked into the fighter jet’s left air intake, damaging the hydraulic duct and power supply wiring that are essential to the navigation system and landing gear operation.
The aircraft had to make an emergency belly landing at the Seosan Air Base in South Chungcheong.
A joint inspection on the fighter jet with the manufacturer Lockheed Martin found 300 areas of damage, including in the engine and navigation system.
The fighter jet will be retired once the Joint Chief of Staff and the Defense Ministry give the final approval.
However, the Korean Air Force said the retired fighter jet could later be put to use in maintenance training.
BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]
7. North Korean ‘stormtroopers’ are ill-equipped for harsh winter weather
We need to be very observant for instability within the north Korean People's Army. The loss of coherency of the military and its support for the regime is very dangerous.
North Korean ‘stormtroopers’ are ill-equipped for harsh winter weather
The soldiers were sent north to build houses in the fall, but will have to stay through winter without warm clothes.
By Moon Sung Hui for RFA Korean
2023.12.01
rfa.org
North Korean soldiers who were sent to rugged rural areas to build homes in the summer and fall are staying on to do more work in the winter, but the army is not equipping them with adequate clothing to brave the harsh winter elements, residents in the country told Radio Free Asia.
The North Korean military maintains units of construction workers that it calls “stormtroopers,” and it uses them for free labor on state projects. When they arrived to start work in the far northern province of Ryanggang, near the border with China, it was still summer, and they were dressed for the heat.
But now that temperatures are plunging well below freezing, the stormtroopers are scrambling to find any warm clothing they can, they have earned the nickname “Kotjebi unit,” residents said, a reference to the homeless children who beg on the streets of many North Korean cities.
The military in the area is giving the soldiers whatever they have to spare, a resident of the province told RFA Korean on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
“On Oct. 20, the clothes that border guards had worn and discarded last winter were distributed to the stormtroopers,” he said. “They say it is discarded underwear and cotton clothing, but in reality, it’s nothing more than rags.”
The stormtroopers were brought together and ordered to go to Ryanggang in July this year, the resident said.
“Initially, the stormtroopers were scheduled to build houses in the rural areas of Ryanggang Province by the fall of this year and withdraw around mid-October,” he said. “They did not even dream of preparing for winter.”
The stormtroopers completed their assignment in September, and there was a large move-in event as rural residents entered their new homes on Oct. 5, the resident said.
“However, after the construction job [was completed], the withdrawal date was postponed to the end of this year as new rural road maintenance projects, communal livestock projects and reforestation projects were proposed,” he said.
Though they arrived in summer clothes, the military has only so far provided them with work shoes and used winter cotton clothes used by local soldiers, the resident said.
“With that level of supply, it will be difficult to survive until the end of December when their withdrawal is scheduled,” he said.
‘Struggle for survival’
Temperatures in Ryanggang have fallen to around minus 15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit), another resident of the province told RFA on condition of anonymity to speak freely.
“The stormtroopers who were mobilized to build rural homes are not working according to a set plan but are engaged in a fierce struggle for survival in the cold,” the second resident said.
He said that in addition to the lack of winter clothing, the stormtroopers are also not receiving adequate food.
“The meal that these stormtroopers eat is a mixture of 60% potatoes and 40% corn kernels,” he said. “The soup is salt water with salted cabbage loosely floating in it, and the side dishes are salted cabbage and salted radish.”
The soldiers are being housed not in barracks, but in empty offices and daycare centers, the second resident said.
“The stormtroopers, who must work hard without much rest, are unable to even bathe or do laundry due to the constant shortage of firewood,” he said. “Rural residents say that the living conditions of the stormtroopers are worse than those of prisoners in disciplinary labor camps.”
Survivors of the camps have described horrific conditions while incarcerated in such camps.
Though the situation of the stormtroopers is likely nowhere near as bad, that the comparison is being made suggests a deployment many of the soldiers will want to end sooner rather than later.
“The stormtroopers are looking forward to the day when they will finish the rural housing construction project in mid-December and return home,” the second resident said.
“They will return home and rest from the end of December to mid-January of the following year, and then they will return to the rural areas of Ryanggang Province from January 20th to take on next year’s construction tasks.”
Translated by Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong.
rfa.org
8. [Voice of America - Washington Talk] US Forces in Korea need to be reorganized in preparation for the Taiwan incident... Korea, public 'high-tech investment' Be careful
This week's Washington Talk hosted by Eunjung Cho with former Congressman Mark Kennedy and former DASD Eldridge Colby, Most of the discussion centered around China and contingencies going on around the world. It seems to me neither of the guests understood or knew the primary target audience was the elite in Pyongyang or know that the transcripts from these shows are disseminated to the senior ranks of the party and the military. They will certainly be gratified to know that the speakers criticized the Biden administration for saying the US can do what it needs to do because it is America, clearly implying that the US cannot meet all its national security obligations around the world.
But what I really must criticize takes place about the 15 minute mark. This is the problem when you have commentators who know very little to nothing about how the ROK/US military alliances and specifically the combined command works. They say things like USFK should be reorganized to have forces to be able to go fight in Taiwan. Why would we want forces apportioned to defend Taiwan to be stationed in Korea? Why would you want to remove the intelligence, comminution, and logistics capabilities from Korea that provide the backbone to the ROK/US combined Forces COmmand as well as facilities the RSOI of for US reinforcements. Why would we want to telegraph to north Korea that if there is a Taiwan contingency that we are not going to help the ROK defend itself? Why would we want to remove the most important deterrent to war, US Forces? KIm wants US forces off the peninsula so that he will have sufficient correlation of forces (in his mind ) to defeat the ROK military. By laying out this proposal the commentator is telling Kim to just wait for a Taiwan contingency and then you will be in the best position to attack the South.
These comments do a lot of damage to strategic messaging from the alliance. I am not saying that anyone should ever not tell the truth on VOA, but commentators should moderate their comments because they are speaking directly to Kim Jong Un and the elite. They should be wary about providing their opinions, especially when those opinions are ill informed and not backed up by facts.
[Voice of America - Washington Talk] US Forces in Korea need to be reorganized in preparation for the Taiwan incident... Korea, public 'high-tech investment' Be careful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhUjcvGG7lM
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Premiered 13 hours ago #WashingtonTalk #VOA #UNSC
American experts assessed that there was no fundamental change in competition between the two countries even after the US-China summit. In particular, he mentioned that China's invasion of Taiwan would have a significant impact on Korea, and the need to reorganize the U.S. military in Korea. It was also pointed out that in the event of an emergency in Taiwan, Korea's investment in China would become an unbearable risk. Moderator: Eunjung Cho / Speaker: Mark Kennedy (Director of the Wilson Center’s ‘Waba Strategic Competition’ Institute), Elbridge Colby (Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategic Military Affairs) 2:01 Today’s panel introduction 3:15 North Korea’s ‘strategic value’ increases 7:00 China, different countries treated differently 11:46 Korea's role in case of Taiwan emergency? 16:04 Have the US, China and Russia strategies failed? 21:55 What are Korea’s economic benefits amidst the US-China competition? » More VOA Korean YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/VOAkorea VOA is America's largest international broadcaster, providing radio, TV, web and mobile content in 47 languages to 278 million viewers each week, including in areas where free speech is limited or limited. VOA Korean broadcasting provides news from around the world, news from the Korean Peninsula, and various special programs targeting Koreans in North and South Korea as well as various regions of the world. » VOA Korean website: https://www.voakorea.com/ » VOA Korean Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voakorea » VOA Korean Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voakorea/ » VOA Korean Twitter: https://twitter.com/voakorea #WashingtonTalk #VOA #Kim Jong-un#VoiceofAmerica#WashingtonTalk#ElbridgeColby#MarkKennedy#Russia#China#Japan#USA #Korea#North Korea#Denuclearization#Xi Jinping#Putin#Kishida#Seok-yeol Yoon#Biden#Tactics Nuclear#Nuclear Armament#Extended Deterrence#US-Korea-Japan#ICBM#Sanctions against North Korea-No. 1 #Great Mirror#UNSC
9. Korea seeks 'pragmatic' economic strategy amid Sino-US rivalry: industry minister
Korea seeks 'pragmatic' economic strategy amid Sino-US rivalry: industry minister
The Korea Times · December 3, 2023
Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu, right, poses with U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in San Francisco, Nov. 15, in this photo released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Yonhap
Korea will further strengthen trilateral ties with the United States and Japan for supply chains of advanced industries while cooperating with China as key trade partners to navigate the intensifying Sino-U.S. technology competition, Seoul's industry minister has said.
Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu stressed the need for such "pragmatic strategies" in an interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul on Friday, as Korea is facing challenges in striking a balance between the two global giants for security, industry and the broader economic security realms.
"The competition for technology hegemony between the U.S. and China is likely to continue. We need to seek utility by prioritizing national interests while adhering to our principles," Bang said.
"Our basic stance is boosting the trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan to ensure stable supply chains of the semiconductor industry, in particular. Given our economic structure, continued cooperation with China is also a must, which should come along with efforts to diversify our trade portfolio," he added.
China is the No. 1 trading partner for Korea, accounting for 19.7 percent, the largest share, of Seoul's total exports during the first nine months of this year.
Korea is also heavily reliant on the neighboring country for key industry materials, such as lithium and nickel, though the Seoul government has sought to reduce its dependence on China amid the Sino-U.S. rivalry and global uncertainties.
In the latest front of the technology war with the U.S., China began imposing exports restrictions of graphite on Friday, a key raw material in electric vehicle batteries and other electronics.
"Given major impacts of such moves on our trade and industry, we want to build multiple communication channels with China for information exchanges and prior consultations and that is what I've requested during last month's meeting with my Chinese counterpart," Bang said.
During a meeting between Bang and China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao last month in San Francisco, the two nations agreed to establish a working-level discussion channel on such restrictive moves and to hold talks of a joint free trade agreement committee this week.
Speaking of a yearlong deficit in trade with China, Bang called for new strategies to respond to changes in the two-way trade structure.
"China has rapidly achieved technology advances, and it has outstripped Korea in display, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies, among other sectors. Such development has led to the fall in our exports of components and intermediate goods to China," Bang said.
"It is an urgent task for us to speed up efforts to secure technology prowess in advanced fields, diversify our trade portfolio by tapping into Vietnam, India, Indonesia and other nations, and expand our presence in the Chinese market with premium goods and other high value-added consumer items," Bang said.
Korea enjoyed a surplus of $62.82 billion in trade with China in 2013, but the figure fell to $1.2 billion in 2022. Since October last year, Korea has suffered a monthly deficit in trade with China.
Intermediate goods accounted for about 80 percent of the bilateral trade, and consumer items took up less than 10 percent, government data showed.
Next year, Korea is expected to enjoy marked growth in exports, which will lead the country's overall economic growth amid weak consumption and investment, the minister said.
"Exports could rise around 6-9 percent on-year in 2024, as shipments of semiconductors are forecast to log double-digit growth," Bang said. "If the Chinese economy makes a turnaround, the figure will rise further."
After a yearlong decline, exports rebounded in October and further accelerated to a 7.8 percent on-year expansion last month.
The Korean economy is forecast to grow over 2 percent next year, compared with about 1.4 percent this year, according to major economic institutions.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of designating the Day of Trade, as the government in 1964 celebrated the country's achievement of $100 million in exports for the first time ever.
Since then, exports have expanded exponentially to surpass the $1 billion mark in 1970, the $10 billion level in 1977 and $100 billion in 1995.
The country achieved a $500 billion milestone in exports in 2011 and reported a record level of $683.9 billion last year, according to government data.
"Our economy has been driven by exports over the past decades. Export was like a relief pitcher for our economy as we've been able to overcome crises through overseas sales, and the strategy still works," Bang said. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · December 3, 2023
10. [INTERVIEW] Korea to work with US, Japan to fight climate change
[INTERVIEW] Korea to work with US, Japan to fight climate change
The Korea Times · December 3, 2023
Kim Sang-hyup, co-chairperson of the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at Korea Science and Technology Center in Seoul, Friday, with his signature green jacket on and his hair dyed green to express his belief in green growth. Courtesy of Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth
Head of presidential commission shares John Kerry's tripartite climate vision for 2024
By Ko Dong-hwan
Korea will cooperate with the United States and Japan in the areas of renewable energy, electric vehicles (EVs), hydrogen and green buildings in 2024 to help fight global climate change, according to the head of the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth.
In a recent interview with The Korea Times, the co-chairperson of the commission, Kim Sang-hyup, said that the trilateral cooperation will have a meaningful impact on global environmental policy as the trio account for a significant portion of the global economy.
"If the three of us make a pact to restrict ourselves from burning fossil fuels and fuming carbon emissions, the outcome would carry a far-reaching impact throughout the world," he said. Together the three represent 30 percent of the world's economy and generate nearly 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
To make the evisioned partership happen, Kim said that the three countries will gather in Seoul next year. It will be a follow-up to the historic U.S.-Korea-Japan trilateral summit at Camp David, the U.S. presidential retreat in Maryland, last August.
"There will be a business roundtable in the first quarter of next year in Seoul. The Federation of Korean Industries, Japan Business Federation and their counterpart in the U.S. will be here to discuss those topics," said Kim, an invited professor at the College of Business at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
His optimism over a trilateral partnership on environment is based on his recent conversation with John Kerry, the United States special presidential envoy for climate.
"One of the terms they had agreed on in the summit was jointly responding to the climate crisis," said Kim. "I wanted to know if there happened to be specific developments from the U.S. government regarding that agreement. Kerry shared with me the key goals that have been okayed by the U.S. Department of State."
Kerry was emphatic about the promise of the trilateral tie on Nov. 7 at Green Big Bang Prelude 2023, a forum hosted by Korean think tank, Coalition for Our Common Future, foudned by Kim in 2014. In a video clip Kerry sent for the forum's opening ceremony, he said the three countries share a "unique opportunity and responsibility to lead on clean energy innovation and technologies of the future."
Carbon-free initiatives
What has brought Kerry and Kim to the same page is the Carbon-Free (CF) Alliance, an environmental initiative pushed by Korea. President Yoon Suk Yeol first mentioned the new global governance model at the UN general assembly in New York last October and officially launched it later that month.
The idea was promoted again by the president during a Seoul-Washington academic forum on clean energy in Seoul on Nov. 13 and also at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco during Nov. 15 to 17. Participants of the UN Climate Change Conference's COP28 in the United Arab Emirates on Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 will see Korea's top officials elaborating on the initiative once again.
Kim Sang-hyup, co-chairperson of the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth, speaks during the commission's fifth plenary meeting in Seoul, Thursday. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, left of Kim, jointly chairs the commission. Courtesy of Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth
Such active campaigning, according to Kim, is due to the global recognition that 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the energy sectors and that making them carbon-free is undeniably critical for sustainable growth.
But the fledgling initiative has yet to bear authority on countries with varying standards and environmental policies. Renewable energies' chronic intermittence and the varied conditions required to harness them in each country are part of the complex equation carbon-free energies to become a universal solution.
So the alliance should be "technologically neutral" to take advantage of all cutting-edge solutions available for its purpose, according to Kim.
"Technological neutrality is already being enforced in the U.S. with its Inflation Reduction Act which allows carbon-free energies like nuclear power with the same tax exemption reserved for renewable energies. Japan this year has also begun rewriting energy policies by introducing Green Transformation, or GX, to include carbon-free energies," said Kim.
"CF alliance, to arouse international interests, must further work on introducing reasonable and inclusive standards in terms of clean certification guidelines and membership conditions for different countries."
In the Middle East, meanwhile, oil-rich countries are busy with another kind of energy transformation. And Korea is part of it, as was attested by President Yoon's reception in Saudi Arabia and Qatar last October when he and Korean delegation of 130 business leaders signed over 60 deals in clean energies, EVs, smart city projects and other eco-friendly bids with the two nations.
The two countries previously announed a national vision to expand renewable energies' contribution to their domesic power grids by securing up to 59 gigawatts of clean power (Saudi Arabia) or having 20 percent of the entire electricity come from renewable energy (Qatar) by 2030.
"Korean companies represent world-class technologies in solar power, hydrogen and nuclear energies. Their participation in Korea's bilateral deals with Saudi Arabia and Qatar in renewable energies and clean hydrogen will certainly spur green growth throughout the Middle East," said Kim.
One promising energy source to drive the global CF campaign, according to Kim, is clean methanol. Depending on how it's made, green and blue methanols are considered clean while grey isn't. The energy took on an official national campaign last month when 67 representatives of local governments, private firms, researchers and associations gathered to launch the new energy initiative.
Grey methanol, made from fossil fuels and some 100 million tons now used each year as fuel for ships and vehicles, can be replaced by clean methanols that generate less carbon emissions. Because shipbuilding, vehicles and petrochemical industry are Korea's competitive areas, harnessing the energy is considered to add extra muscle to the national output.
"Last July, thousand tons of clean methanol was fueled into a Maersk container ship departing Ulsan and bound to Denmark, which was never done in the world, while Last October, the world's first methanol-propelled container ship (built by HD Hyundai) earned its name, Laura Maersk, at Port of Copenhagen," said Kim. "Use of clean methanol is being spread globally, like EU's new ReFuelEU Aviation policy and vehicles completely running on methanol in China. With the new clean methanol initiative now at work in Korea, we should expect some good news from this new energy."
The Korea Times · December 3, 2023
11. S. Korea, Japan to resume high-level economic talks
S. Korea, Japan to resume high-level economic talks
koreaherald.com · by Yonhap · December 3, 2023
By Yonhap
Published : Dec. 3, 2023 - 10:29
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during their talks in San Francisco on Nov. 16, on the sidelines of a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. (Yonhap)
South Korea and Japan are expected to resume high-level economic talks later this month after nearly eight years of suspension due to tensions over wartime sexual slavery and other rows, diplomatic sources said Sunday.
The resumption of the Korea-Japan High-Level Economic Consultation is the latest in a series of measures the two countries have taken amid warming relations in the wake of the resolution of the wartime forced labor issue earlier this year.
During a summit in Lithuania's Vilnius in July, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed to resume the economic talks and have since reaffirmed the commitment in two follow-up summits in August and last month.
Diplomatic sources said the two sides have agreed to hold a new meeting in Seoul later this month.
First launched in 1999, the forum had since been held alternately in South Korea and Japan before being suspended following the 14th session in Tokyo in January 2016 due to tensions over the issue of wartime sexual slavery.
On Friday, the two countries also clinched a $10 billion currency swap deal eight years after the former deal ended. (Yonhap)
koreaherald.com · by Yonhap · December 3, 2023
12. UN reaffirms food assistance to North Korea through 2024
Sometimes called the "Paektu bloodline?" We call it the Kim family regime. Or sometimes the mafia-like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime protects and perpetuates the "Paektu bloodline"
Excerpts?
The Kim family, sometimes called the "Paektu bloodline," was enshrined by the nation's first communist dictator, Kim Il Sung. It remains the ruling family of North Korea.
The harsh and authoritarian governance of the nation complicates international aid as global relief organizations attempt to reach impoverished and malnourished citizens but are forced to work through the regime's channels.
Additionally, the North Korean government often prioritizes military capabilities and weapons technology over the standard of living of its citizens.
"WFP will support the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in achieving zero hunger in a manner that protects the food security and nutrition gains made so far while preventing undernutrition, especially among children, pregnant and lactating women and girls and other nutritionally vulnerable groups and while helping men and women become more resilient to natural disasters," the organization wrote in the document.
UN reaffirms food assistance to North Korea through 2024
The World Food Program has been largely unable to access North Korea since 2021 after the country rolled out harsh COVID-19 lockdowns
By Timothy H.J. Nerozzi Fox News
Published December 2, 2023 7:47am EST
foxnews.com · by Timothy H.J. Nerozzi Fox News
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The United Nations has recommitted to offering food assistance to North Korea through December 2024.
The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) noted its continued support in an undated document posted to the organization's website outlining persistent humanitarian challenges faced by the authoritarian nation's citizens.
"The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continues to face a wide range of challenges, despite the fact that for several years, the country’s food supply has been remarkably stable," WFP wrote on its website.
NORTH KOREA ACKNOWLEDGES VOTES AGAINST SELECTED CANDIDATES FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1956
A general view shows the first snow fall of the winter in Pyongyang on November 17, 2023. (KIM WON JIN/AFP via Getty Images)
It continued, "However, the protracted humanitarian situation continues to pose significant challenges, together with recurrent natural disasters that exacerbate vulnerabilities."
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.
The document notes that financial commitment to food aid in North Korea is approximately $248 million.
The country, ruled by Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, began as a communist society before rapidly transforming into a cult of personality and military dictatorship without even the most basic civil rights.
KIM YO JONG CLAIMS NORTH KOREA WILL 'NEVER SIT FACE TO FACE' WITH US AGAIN
The Kim family, sometimes called the "Paektu bloodline," was enshrined by the nation's first communist dictator, Kim Il Sung. It remains the ruling family of North Korea.
The harsh and authoritarian governance of the nation complicates international aid as global relief organizations attempt to reach impoverished and malnourished citizens but are forced to work through the regime's channels.
Additionally, the North Korean government often prioritizes military capabilities and weapons technology over the standard of living of its citizens.
"WFP will support the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in achieving zero hunger in a manner that protects the food security and nutrition gains made so far while preventing undernutrition, especially among children, pregnant and lactating women and girls and other nutritionally vulnerable groups and while helping men and women become more resilient to natural disasters," the organization wrote in the document.
A bag of blended food powder at the formerly operational World Food Programme factory in Pyongyang. The milk powder was used for blended food for children under 5 years and breast-feeding mothers. (AFP via Getty Images)
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The new budget and distribution plan has been prepared anticipating a return of U.N. officials to North Korea after years of absence.
WFP officials have had practically zero access to the country since March 2021, when the last remaining U.N. employees exited amid some of the harshest COVID-19 lockdowns in the world.
Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at timothy.nerozzi@fox.com
foxnews.com · by Timothy H.J. Nerozzi Fox News
13. Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues Turner’s Trip to Los Angeles and Honolulu
I hope she will ask INDOPACOM about its information campaign against north Korea.
Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues Turner’s Trip to Los Angeles and Honolulu - United States Department of State
state.gov · by Office of the Spokesperson
An official website of the United States Government Here's how you know
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Media Note
December 1, 2023
Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues Julie Turner will travel to Los Angeles and Honolulu from December 1-5. During her visits, Ambassador Turner will deliver keynote remarks to the 2023 North Korean Human Rights Hawaii Conference. She will also meet with representatives of the North Korean defector and Korean-American communities, including those from divided families seeking reunions with relatives in the DPRK. Ambassador Turner will also meet with civil society and INDOPACOM officials.
state.gov · by Office of the Spokesperson
14. Spanish Aristocrat Arrested For Helping Teach North Koreans How To Avoid U.S. Sanctions With Cryptocurrency
This "Spanish aristocrat" is a real piece of work. I think he has drunk more of the Kim family regime koolaide than any Korean in the north.
Watch this 43 second YouTube video to see what this guy is all about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et74KJsWZSU Make sure you are not drinking coffee in front of your computer when you watch it.
Spanish Aristocrat Arrested For Helping Teach North Koreans How To Avoid U.S. Sanctions With Cryptocurrency
Forbes · by Zachary Folk · December 2, 2023
Topline
A Spanish citizen from an aristocratic family was arrested by Spanish police on Friday for organizing a cryptocurrency conference in North Korea–where the U.S. Department of Justice believes attendees taught the country’s officials how to use the technology to evade sanctions.
... [+]AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Alejandro Cao de Benos, a Spanish citizen and longtime North Korean sympathizer, is facing up to 20 years in an American prison for the scheme.
According to the Justice Department, Cao de Benos organized the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea (DPRK) Cryptocurrency Conference in April 2019, where he introduced cryptocurrency experts to North Korean officials.
Cao de Benos’ conference allegedly showcased how the rogue state could use the emerging technology to launder money and evade U.S. regulators, according to prosecutors.
He was arrested by Spanish authorities at the Madrid-Puerta de Atocha train station in the nation’s capital on Friday, the country’s National Police said.
Cao de Benos, who police believe was hiding in Barcelona using a fake name, spent over a year on the FBI’s most wanted list after he was charged.
He appeared before a Spanish High Court on Friday, but the U.S. has not started the formal extradition process, Reuters reported.
Key Background
Cao de Benos, a Spaniard from an aristocratic family, founded the Korea Friendship Association in 2000. He is frequently cited as North Korea’s most prominent supporter in the West, and has appeared in multiple documentaries about the isolated nation. He allegedly began planning the conference in 2018. Attendees included U.S. citizen Virgil Griffiths, who was arrested for his role in the conference and sentenced to five years in prison and fined $100,000 in 2022. Also in attendance was Christopher Emms, a U.K. citizen on the FBI’s most wanted list. According to prosecutors, Griffith and Emms told North Korean government officials “mapped out cryptocurrency transactions designed to evade and avoid U.S. sanctions, including by diagramming such transactions on a whiteboard for the North Korean audience.” Emms also allegedly explained how to use “over-the-counter cryptocurrency providers” to process transactions while avoiding U.S. oversight.
Crucial Quote
Cao de Benos denied the accusations on Friday in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “There is no extradition. The U.S. accusation, in addition to being false, does not exist in Spain (Order of former President Trump).” The U.S. does have an extradition treaty with Spain, which was signed in 2004.
Surprising Fact
In the years since the DPRK Cryptocurrency Conference, North Korea has successfully used blockchain technology and cryptocurrency to obtain nearly $3 billion, according to a report published on Thursday by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. According to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Control, North Korea was also using the world’s largest crypto exchange, Binance, as part of its cryptocurrency operation. Binance was fined a record $968,618,825 by the Treasury Department for allowing sanctioned individuals and organizations to trade on their platform, including some from North Korea. The fines are part of the $4 billion settlement the company agreed to pay in November.
Further Reading
MORE FROM FORBESHere Are All The Crypto Firms Facing Charges From Regulators This YearBy Ty RoushMORE FROM FORBESBinance CEO CZ Steps Down As Part Of $4 Billion Settlement With USBy David JeansMORE FROM FORBESRazzlekhan, Husband To Plead Guilty To Money Laundering Billions In CryptoBy Cyrus Farivar
Forbes · by Zachary Folk · December 2, 2023
15. [ANALYSIS] Has N. Korean leader's daughter been confirmed as heir apparent?
She is getting a lot of press. I recommend reading Robert Collins' new HRNK report, "Propaganda and Agitation Department: Kim Jong-un Regime's Sword of Indoctrination," to understand this phenomenon.
[ANALYSIS] Has N. Korean leader's daughter been confirmed as heir apparent?
The Korea Times · December 3, 2023
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, seated right, and his daughter Ju-ae, seated left, visit North Korea's Air Force Command on Nov. 30. Yonhap
Kim Jong-un's elevated title for daughter raises questions on possible succession plans
By Kang Hyun-kyung
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un referred to his daughter as "Morning Star General," just days after the North's reconnaissance satellite, Malligyong-1, successfully entered orbit on Nov. 21.
The young girl, known as Ju-ae, was previously referred to by North Korea's state-controlled media as "dear child" or "respected child."
The dramatic change in the way she is addressed has fueled speculation on whether the new title could be interpreted as a confirmation of her status as the North's heir apparent.
Cheong Seong-chang, a research fellow at Sejong Institute, took the title change seriously, arguing that it is an important move related to leadership succession.
"I think it's definitely associated with the fourth-generation leadership succession," he told The Korea Times. "Kim made it clear that his daughter will succeed him by referring to her as 'Morning Star General.'"
In North Korea, the term "morning star" has been used figuratively to refer to a leader in waiting.
In the propaganda movie released in 1987, titled "Star of Choseon," Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea and Kim Jong-un's grandfather, was likened to a morning star. Set in the 1920s and 1930s when Korea was ruled by Imperial Japan, the movie depicts the elder Kim as a heroic independence fighter.
Kim Jong-un was referred to as "Morning Star General" before ascending to power following the death of his father, Kim Jong-il, in December 2011.
On Tuesday, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that Kim Jong-un called his daughter "Morning Star of Choseon" in a speech he gave at an event held on Nov. 23 to celebrate the country's successful spy satellite launch.
Citing a Pyongyang-based source, RFA quoted the North Korean leader as saying, "In an era of space, North Korea's future is brighter because of the Morning Star General of Choseon."
Kim reportedly addressing his daughter in this manner has drawn keen attention from North Korea watchers, because such a title has only been given to an heir apparent.
Rep. Tae Young-ho of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), a North Korean defector-turned-lawmaker, said the title change from "respected child" to "Morning Star General" has significant implications about the leadership succession.
"If North Korea uses the successful launch of the spy satellite as an opportunity to dignify Kim's daughter, this certainly means that she was confirmed internally as an heir apparent to succeed her father as North Korea's next leader," he said in a commentary released after the media report.
Reports of the title change have sparked speculation about whether North Korea is ready for a female leader.
Cheong said North Korean residents have no choice but to accept it under Kim's autocracy.
"North Korea is operating like a monarchy, because if a current ruler dies, his son succeeds him," he said. "North Korea became the first socialist state that experienced leadership succession from father to son when Kim Il-sung's son, Jong-il, rose to power after his father's death in 1994. Since then, North Koreans took the father-son leadership succession for granted."
In a country like North Korea, where a leader with absolute power dominates the decision-making process and cannot be challenged, Cheong said the gender of a successor would not become an issue.
"If the leader has sons but he believes none of them are capable enough to lead the state, he can pick a daughter as his successor. This is not something unusual," he said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter are spotted during a banquet held on Nov. 23 to celebrate North Korea's launch of the spy satellite. Yonhap
But Hyun In-ae, a professor of North Korean Studies at Ewha Womans University, remained cautious about the prospects of Ju-ae succeeding her father, saying she would wait and see how it turns out, rather than making any hasty predictions.
Hyun, a North Korean defector-turned-professor, said North Korea is a patriarchal society, male-dominated and far behind in gender equality.
"I believe North Korea's high-ranking officials would feel very uncomfortable about a female leader. Many would feel strange about Kim taking his daughter everywhere and showing up with her at major events," she said.
Hyun said she is not sure whether the media reports are based on facts.
"If Kim really referred to his daughter like that, this would mean that he is seriously considering her as his successor," she said. "To be honest, I am not quite sure whether the media reports are true. We need to verify them."
Hyun explained that Kim's daughter is not the first female North Korean royal family member to earn such a title, adding that Kim Jong-un's grandmother, Kim Jung-sook (1917-1949), was glorified with a similar title.
"She was addressed as 'Female General of Baekdu' when North Korea moved to dignify Kim Il-sung and his wife," she said. "All I can say now is that that if someone is introduced as 'Morning Star General' or something similar, this means she is almost certainly a successor or someone with a status akin to that," she said.
Kim Jong-un, who is in his late thirties, is still relatively young and is expected to stay in power for a good number of years to come, although he has a family history of heart disease. Both his grandfather and father died of heart attacks. Kim's height is estimated at around 170cm and his weight of about 120 kilograms. Therefore, he could be considered obese, which places him at a high risk of heart disease.
Those who are skeptical about a link between Kim's motives behind his frequent public appearances with his young daughter and leadership succession said that it is way too early for the leader to pick his successor.
Cheong said Kim may have learned from his tough succession process after his father's death.
He said Kim had to learn everything by himself and overcome doubts by critics about his leadership skills until he could prove himself.
"Kim would have found it tough to make himself seen as a leader, because he had to build and solidify his power base on his own and convince naysayers both at home and abroad who were skeptical about his untested leadership skills," he said.
"Through trial and error, he would have learned from his own experiences. He would have realized that his successor would need time to develop herself and hone her leadership skills as a leader in waiting," Cheong added.
He said Kim's frequent public appearances with his successor would also help the North Korean people believe that she is a prepared leader.
The Korea Times · December 3, 2023
16. Fewer Koreans Make Their Own Kimchi
Kimchi is not easy to make.
Fewer Koreans Make Their Own Kimchi
english.chosun.com
December 02, 2023 08:16
Kimchi-making season has arrived, but about half the population say they will not be making their own this year.
The ideal season for making the fermented side dish is when temperatures hover near freezing or from mid-November to December.
But when pollster Tillion Pro surveyed 2,507 Koreans, it found that 48.6 percent had no plans to make kimchi this year. Some 31.4 percent said they do make kimchi at home, and 20 percent said they are given it by family members.
Numbers are dwindling as young people have little stomach for the work involved. Among people in their 60s, the proportion who make kimchi stood at 44.3 percent, but that fell to 30.9 percent among people in their 50s, 29.9 percent in their 40s, 25 percent in their 30s and 26.7 percent among those in their 20s.
Suh Eun-ah, a 44-year-old housewife living in Seoul, said, "Even my parents and in-laws buy their kimchi instead of making it at home. My mother and mother-in-law are in their mid-70s and say they no longer have the energy to make kimchi. I never made kimchi alone and find it too daunting a task."
A study by the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation last year showed that households that make kimchi dwindled from 56.3 percent in 2017 to 22.6 percent in 2021. A major reason was that people do not eat so much of it any more. Per-capita kimchi consumption fell from 109.9 g in 2010 to 88.3 g in 2020.
The coronavirus pandemic also had an effect since it kept families apart, and kimchi-making is often a collaborative process.
But overseas the Korean staple is growing more popular, and exports are expected to reach a record this year. Kimchi exports surged 10.6 percent on-year in the first nine months of this year to US$118.86 million or 8.1 percent in terms of volume to 33,828 tons.
Kimchi is particularly popular in the U.S. and Europe. Exports to the U.S. surged 41.2 percent to $30.64 million.
Is Kimchi Going out of Fashion?
Cost of Making Kimchi Rises Due to Poor Cabbage Harvest
Koreans Eat 36 kg of Kimchi a Year
What Kimchi Making Means to Koreans
Fewer Housewives Make Kimchi at Home
UNESCO to Add Kimchi-Making to Intangible Heritage List
Food Scare Sends Koreans Back to Making Kimchi
Kimjang Losing Its Meaning
Koreans No Longer Make Kimchi at Home
- Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com
english.chosun.com
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
er Koreans Make Their Own Kimchi
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