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Quotes of the Day:
"People, when they first come to America, whether as travelers or settlers, become aware of a new and agreeable feeling: that the whole country is their oyster."
– Alistair Cooke
"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, it's inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."
– Winston Churchill
"Intolerance of ambiguity is the mark of an authoritarian personality."
– Theodor Adorno
1. S. Korea to conduct global survey on inter-Korean unification
2. Some 10 high-ranking N. Korean officials defected to S. Korea last year
3. White House official not aware of any indications about N. Korea-Hamas military cooperation
4. 2.4 magnitude earthquake strikes near N. Korea's nuclear test site
5. Spy chief nominee denies benefits from dubious property deal with Exxon Mobil
6. South Korea’s Opposition Head Was Stabbed to Stop Him Becoming President, Police Say
7. Defense chief says N. Korea may supply tactical guided missiles to Russia
8. Recent Kim Jong Un order equates “delusions about South Korea” with “death”
9. N. Korean officers’ academy cadet dismissed due to checkered past
10. US and allies accuse Russia of using North Korean missiles against Ukraine, violating UN sanctions
11. North Korean propaganda sites targeting South go dark in simultaneous outage
12. S. Korea to begin production of homegrown KF-21 fighter jet
13. North expanding chemical complex critical to nuclear and missile programs
14. N Korea erases ‘one people’ notion with South, opens door for nuclear use
15. US should follow South Korea’s lead and invest in families
16. Trump dashes across North Korean border in bid for asylum (note satire)
1. S. Korea to conduct global survey on inter-Korean unification
For all those interested in the pursuit of a free and unified Korea. I am happy to discuss suggested responses (if you are not interested in a free and unified Korea there is no need for your to respond to the survey - (note sarcasm regarding my unification bias))
S. Korea to conduct global survey on inter-Korean unification | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · January 11, 2024
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will begin its first annual global survey this year to gauge awareness of its possible unification with North Korea, Seoul's unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said Thursday.
The survey will be conducted in several countries, including the United States, Japan, Germany and Vietnam, according to the ministry.
"Based on the results, we plan to supplement public diplomacy policy on unification and establish a systemic strategy to make a more favorable international environment for unification," the ministry said.
The ministry did not provide details on the survey.
The move came as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has recently threatened to annihilate South Korea if Seoul attempts to use force against North Korea, calling South Korea his country's "principal enemy."
This image, provided by the unification ministry, shows the ministry's logo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · January 11, 2024
2. Some 10 high-ranking N. Korean officials defected to S. Korea last year
The rats leaving the sinking ship? I was unaware of this information.
Excerpt:
"This is an unusually high level compared even to the pre-Covid-19. The number of defectors surged in the second half of last year and is expected to increase further this year."
Some 10 high-ranking N. Korean officials defected to S. Korea last year
donga.com
Posted January. 11, 2024 07:43,
Updated January. 11, 2024 07:43
Some 10 high-ranking N. Korean officials defected to S. Korea last year. January. 11, 2024 07:43. by Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com.
Around 10 former high-ranking North Korean government officials, including foreign trade representatives and high-ranking diplomats, defected to South Korea last year. The defection can be viewed as a sign of great agitation among the elite in North Korea, which is facing economic difficulties due to strengthened sanctions. Reportedly, North Korean authorities carried out large-scale censorship targeting diplomatic missions abroad at the end of last year in response to this phenomenon.
“None of the defectors came directly from North Korea, such as from Pyongyang; they arrived in South Korea after staying abroad,” said multiple sources from South Korean officials on Wednesday. "This is an unusually high level compared even to the pre-Covid-19. The number of defectors surged in the second half of last year and is expected to increase further this year."
South Korean intelligence authorities view that the defection of high-ranking officials has accelerated due to mounting pressure from the North Korean regime to earn foreign income amid the international community’s sanctions since the Covid-19 lockdown was lifted. Recent actions to recall overseas missions back to North Korea or to close overseas embassies due to financial difficulties may have impacted their departure.
“The people of the Republic of Korea are our main enemies,” Kim said during an on-site inspection of a key ammunition factory on Monday and Tuesday. “We will not hesitate to mobilize all the means and capabilities at our disposal to completely destroy the Republic of Korea.” This is the first time that Kim described South Korea as the ‘main enemy.’
한국어
donga.com
3. White House official not aware of any indications about N. Korea-Hamas military cooperation
Wait a minute. There is certainly a good bit of open source information. Why are we trying to play this down? Or has the Admiral just not gotten the memo (or read the books and reports on this). But it is probably way below his radar and like most things regarding north Korea, no one likes to focus on what the regime is doing around the world.
The US official is playing clean up. I think it is just hta no one has informed the Admiral about this.
Excerpt:
"I haven't seen any indications," Kirby told a press briefing. "I am not aware of any indications that there's been some sort of cooperation militarily between Hamas and North Korea."
...
Asked to elaborate on the issue, a U.S. official noted that the United States is aware of "public domain" evidence but repeated Kirby's statement.
"We are aware of a body of evidence in the public domain -- both historical and recent -- that DPRK weaponry has been used by Hamas," the official said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency via email. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
(LEAD) White House official not aware of any indications about N. Korea-Hamas military cooperation | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · January 11, 2024
(ATTN: ADDS U.S. official's response in paras 5-8)
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- A White House official said Wednesday that he has not seen any indication of military cooperation between North Korea and the Hamas militant group, despite the South Korean spy agency's assessment that North Korean-made arms are being used by the group.
John Kirby, the National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, made the remarks after Seoul's National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed last week's Voice of America (VOA) report that Hamas fighters have used an F-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher manufactured in the North.
"I haven't seen any indications," Kirby told a press briefing. "I am not aware of any indications that there's been some sort of cooperation militarily between Hamas and North Korea."
John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, speaks during a press briefing at the Foreign Press Center in Washington on Aug. 16, 2023, in this captured file photo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
On Monday, the NIS released a photo of a North Korean rocket part to confirm the VOA report.
Kirby's remarks raised questions over whether there is any discrepancy in intelligence analysis between Seoul and Washington regarding the potential military ties between the North and Hamas.
Asked to elaborate on the issue, a U.S. official noted that the United States is aware of "public domain" evidence but repeated Kirby's statement.
"We are aware of a body of evidence in the public domain -- both historical and recent -- that DPRK weaponry has been used by Hamas," the official said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency via email. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"As John Kirby stated at the briefing today, we have not seen indications of military cooperation between the DPRK and Hamas," the official added.
During the briefing, Kirby also commented on military cooperation between the North and Russia, saying the United States is watching the relationship "very closely."
"We have talked a long time about the relationship between Russia and the DPRK and the way that Russia finds ways to evade sanctions and to continue to do business with North Korea," he said.
He noted that cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow will have military benefits for both countries.
"I won't speculate about the degree to which we're seeing tangible evidence that North Korea is somehow benefiting militarily from this," he said. "We do know without question because I've said many times that certainly, Russia is benefiting militarily by the purchase of North Korean ballistic missiles."
Kirby revealed that Pyongyang had provided Moscow with several dozen missiles, some of which were used to strike Ukrainian targets on Dec. 30, Jan. 2 and Saturday.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · January 11, 2024
4. 2.4 magnitude earthquake strikes near N. Korea's nuclear test site
The question I always ask when I read these reports: Have the 6 nuclear tests somehow affected the geological balance in the region?
2.4 magnitude earthquake strikes near N. Korea's nuclear test site | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · January 11, 2024
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- A 2.4 magnitude earthquake struck near a North Korean nuclear test site Thursday, South Korea's state weather agency said, noting it appeared to have occurred naturally.
The earthquake was detected about 41 kilometers northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, at 7 p.m., with its epicenter at a latitude of 41.30 degrees north and a longitude of 129.16 degrees east at a depth of 20 km, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.
Kilju is home to the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, where North Korea conducted all six of its nuclear tests.
This image, captured from the United States Geological Survey website, shows the position of Punggye-ri (red mark), a North Korean nuclear test site in Kilju, North Hamgyong Province. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · January 11, 2024
5. Spy chief nominee denies benefits from dubious property deal with Exxon Mobil
It is tough being a public servant anywhere these days.
(LEAD) Spy chief nominee denies benefits from dubious property deal with Exxon Mobil | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · January 11, 2024
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with more details throughout)
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- Cho Tae-yong, the nominee to be South Korea's spy chief on Thursday denied allegations that he had reaped financial benefits from a dubious property deal with a South Korean affiliate of U.S. oil producer Exxon Mobil.
Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo of the main opposition Democratic Party raised suspicions that Cho received huge rental fees between September 2017 and December 2019 by leasing his home in central Seoul to Mobil Korea Lube Oil Inc.
The lawmaker said rental fees worth about 12 million won (US$9,130) per month were provided to Cho in the cited period, raising suspicions that it might be part of the U.S. company's business lobby, rather than a normal property deal.
At a parliamentary confirming hearing, Cho, the nominee to lead the National Intelligence Service (NIS), denied allegations that he received financial benefits from the deal.
Cho Tae-yong, the nominee to lead the National Intelligence Service, speaks at a parliamentary confirming hearing at the National Assembly on Jan. 11, 2024. (Yonhap)
"I've never met people working at Exxon Mobil either officially or privately before or after (the leasing contract was signed)," Cho said, adding that the deal was clinched via a realtor.
He said there seems to be no reason for the U.S. company to provide financial benefits as he was not in public office at that time.
Earlier in the day, Cho, a former national security adviser under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, said he will strengthen the NIS' intelligence gathering capabilities over key threats to the national security, such as North Korea's provocations.
"The agency plans to boost its capability to collect and judge intelligence over threats to the national security, such as signs of North Korea's military provocations and growing ties between Russia and the North," Cho said.
He also vowed stronger cooperation in sharing intelligence between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo, and efforts to deter North Korea's illegal cyber activities aimed at financing its nuclear and missile development programs.
North Korea is widely expected to carry out military provocations or stage cyberattacks ahead of South Korea's parliamentary elections in April and the U.S. presidential election in November.
Earlier this week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called South Korea the country's "principal enemy" and threatened to "annihilate" the South if it attempts to use force against the North.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · January 11, 2024
6. South Korea’s Opposition Head Was Stabbed to Stop Him Becoming President, Police Say
Then there is speculation that this could actually help him become president. There are always conspiracy theorists.
South Korea’s Opposition Head Was Stabbed to Stop Him Becoming President, Police Say
The elderly man who attacked Lee Jae-myung wanted to prevent Democratic Party victories in forthcoming elections, law-enforcement officials say
https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/south-koreas-opposition-head-was-stabbed-to-stop-him-becoming-president-police-say-2a2ec63f?mod=Searchresults_pos7&page=1
By Dasl Yoon
Follow
and Timothy W. Martin
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Updated Jan. 10, 2024 3:49 am ET
Lee Jae-myung called for an end to ‘warlike politics’ after he was discharged from hospital. PHOTO: YONHAP/REUTERS
SEOUL—The elderly man who stabbed South Korea’s opposition leader last week did so wanting to prevent the progressive politician from winning the country’s next presidential election in three years, police said.
Lee Jae-myung, head of South Korea’s Democratic Party, survived the Jan. 2 attack in the southern port city of Busan. He required emergency surgery for a laceration to a major vein of his neck. The alleged attacker, born in 1957 and surnamed Kim, had presented himself as a Lee supporter to draw close to the politician in a crowd of journalists and party officials, police said.
The suspect had earlier confessed to police a desire to kill Lee. At a Wednesday briefing in Busan, police said the man also wanted to eliminate Lee to thwart the Democratic Party’s chances of winning a majority of seats in April’s parliamentary election.
“The suspect’s subjective political beliefs led to an extreme criminal act,” Busan Police Chief Woo Cheol-mun said.
But questions remain unaddressed for an attack that stunned South Korea, a country with typically low rates of crime but rising political division. Police didn’t specify at the briefing why the suspect harbored such apparent dislike of Lee and his party—nor did officials share much about the contents of the eight-page letter the man had given police after getting detained.
Officials have confirmed several details about the suspect. He retired as a government worker and opened a real-estate office more than a decade ago in Asan, a city about 60 miles south of Seoul, officials said. Police received warrants to search his home and office, seizing his computers, mobile phone and other belongings.
Lee Jae-myung was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Seoul. PHOTO: YONHAP NEWS/ZUMA PRESS
Authorities have declined to reveal the man’s full name or his photo. Citing national laws, the police decided not to disclose his political party. Officials earlier said the man had no history of mental illness or drug use, and had been sober when the stabbing occurred.
A spokesman for Lee’s party criticized law-enforcement officials for sharing less information than during prior attacks of senior political leaders. “While the police refuse to reveal details, fake news about the political terrorism is overflowing and exceeding dangerous levels,” he said.
Police referred the man to prosecutors on Wednesday, recommending he be further investigated on charges of attempted murder.
While being transported to prosecutors, the suspect told reporters he was sorry for causing concern. Asked if he had acted alone, the man said, “Who would I have planned this with?”
At the briefing, police alleged the man, who was detained at the scene, had carefully plotted the attack, video of which has spread on social media and news broadcasts. The man had attended five of Lee’s events since last June, at times traveling there in advance. The mountaineering knife used to stab Lee had been purchased online last April. The suspect traveled early to the event in Busan, too.
Police said the man had also expressed dissatisfaction over the delays in state prosecution cases against Lee, which alleged corruption and other charges. Lee has denied wrongdoing.
The 60-year-old Lee was discharged from a Seoul hospital on Wednesday. South Korea doesn’t hold its next presidential election until 2027 but Lee is widely seen as one of the early top contenders, if not the favorite, according to various polls. He lost a close race in 2022 for the country’s presidency to Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative, who has a five-year term.
“We should put an end to warlike politics where we have to kill and eliminate opponents,” Lee told reporters outside of the Seoul hospital where he had been airlifted for surgery.
Political division and distrust in South Korea accelerated after former President Park Geun-hye, a conservative, was ousted from office roughly seven years ago in a corruption scandal. Her successor, the left-leaning Moon Jae-in, often described reversing the Park government’s policies—and the dismissal of some officials—as removing “deep-rooted evils” from society.
In recent years, more extreme views fomented, particularly among older and far-right supporters who felt betrayed by South Korea’s right-wing media over Park’s impeachment and sought nontraditional outlets for news, said Dal Yong Jin, of Canada’s Simon Fraser University, who has studied the country’s digital media.
About two-thirds of South Koreans think political rifts in society are making communities more dangerous and unstable, according to a recent poll.
“Instead of viewing the other side as a competitor, politicians and their supporters now see them as the enemy,” said Park Sung-min, the head of the political consulting agency MIN Consulting. “The polarization and the lack of unity opens the door for acts of terror.”
Write to Dasl Yoon at dasl.yoon@wsj.com and Timothy W. Martin at Timothy.Martin@wsj.com
7. Defense chief says N. Korea may supply tactical guided missiles to Russia
Not a surprising assessment at all.
(Yonhap Interview) Defense chief says N. Korea may supply tactical guided missiles to Russia | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · January 11, 2024
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korea may sell new types of tactical guided missiles to Russia in addition to its alleged supply of short-range ballistic missiles for Moscow's use in its ongoing war with Ukraine, South Korea's defense chief has said.
Defense Minister Shin Won-sik also said North Korea could test-fire solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM) as early as this month and may launch a long-range missile at normal angles to escalate already-high tensions ahead of key elections in South Korea and the United States.
In an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday, Shin said the weapons system unveiled by North Korean state media during leader Kim Jong-un's visit to a munitions factory earlier this week appears to be close-range ballistic missiles (CRBMs) capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons.
"North Korea first test-fired a close-range ballistic missile in April 2022. It is a new type of weapon with an estimated range of 100-180 kilometers," Shin said.
Defense Minister Shin Won-sik speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at his office in Seoul on Jan. 10, 2024. (Yonhap)
The defense ministry evaluated the North Korean missiles atop mobile launchers as being CRBMs, which are about 5 meters long with a firing range below 300 km.
Shin suggested that Kim's recent visit to munitions factories could be linked to North Korea's alleged arms supply to Russia as the two countries have been strengthening their military cooperation.
"North Korea said it will deploy (CRBMs) with front-line troops. Given the recent arms trade, (I think) North Korea could sell them to Russia," Shin said, citing the North's suspected sales of KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles to Russia.
The White House has recently declassified intelligence showing that North Korea had provided Russia with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles with ranges of 900 km.
North Korea is estimated to have provided around 5,000 containers of weapons to Russia as of the end of December, which can accommodate some 2.3 million rounds of 152 millimeter shells or some 400,000 rounds of 122 mm artillery shells, according to the minister.
Shin expressed concerns over Russia's suspected provision of technological assistance for North Korea's weapons program in return for the arms trade, including Pyongyang's spy satellite.
North Korea successfully placed its first military spy satellite into orbit in November and vowed to launch three more this year.
"North Korea's spy satellite launched in November is considered rudimentary. If Russia continues to offer technological assistance, the satellite's capability is expected to improve," Shin said.
The minister said North Korea is likely to stage various forms of provocations ahead of South Korea's parliamentary elections in April and the U.S. presidential election in November for its strategic interests.
Shin said Pyongyang has been preparing to test-fire a new type of IRBM following its two solid-fuel engine tests in November, weighing the possibility of its launch as early as this month.
Seoul officials believe Pyongyang's solid-fuel IRBM under development, harder to detect due to shorter preparation time, could potentially target U.S. military bases in Japan and Guam.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L, rear) inspects a munitions factory, in this undated photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Jan. 10, 2024. During his visits to major munitions factories in unspecified locations on Jan. 8-9, Kim called South Korea the country's "principal enemy" and said he has "no intention of avoiding war," according to the KCNA report. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Shin also speculated the North could launch intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) at normal angles to test their atmospheric reentry technology and precision strike capability.
Last year, the North launched five ICBMs, including three solid-fuel Hwasong-18s, which were launched at lofted angles and flew around 1,000 km.
Experts believe that if fired on a normal trajectory, these ICBMs could reach distances of 12,000-15,000 km, demonstrating a capability to hit the U.S. mainland.
"As all of the ICBMs were launched at lofted angles, the reliability of their reentry technology and precision strike capabilities have not yet been verified. This year, there is a possibility of (ICBM) launches with the real range and at normal angles," he said.
Meanwhile, Shin said buffer zones created under a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement "no longer exist" due to North Korea's latest artillery firings near the tense western sea border, vowing to resume "defensive" drills near the border to bolster readiness.
North Korea fired about 350 rounds of artillery shells near the western maritime border between Friday and Monday, prompting the South Korean military to stage live-fire drills in response.
Tensions along the border have escalated as the North has been restoring some of its destroyed guard posts inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with concrete structures since last month.
As part of the 2018 deal signed under the previous liberal President Moon Jae-in, the two Koreas demolished 10 guard posts each inside the DMZ and disarmed an additional one each, leaving the North with some 150 guard posts and South Korea with 67 of them.
While South Korea completely destroyed its guard posts at the time, Shin said the North is believed to have left underground facilities intact considering that soldiers and equipment were deployed soon after it restored the ground facilities.
"It seems that North Korea has only destroyed the guard posts visible from above, leaving the rest of the underground facilities untouched. It appears that the guard posts can be easily repaired and accessed once the repairs are made," he said, noting the South Korean military has also been preparing to restore its guard posts.
Defense Minister Shin Won-sik speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at his office in Seoul on Jan. 10, 2024. (Yonhap)
Shin said the North could also conduct a seventh nuclear test to make "smaller, lighter" nuclear weapons, adding its Punggye-ri testing site is ready to conduct a nuclear test at "any time."
"But the timing is hard to predict because it depends on North Korea's leadership. It may consider the optimal timing to exert influence, taking into account the elections in South Korea and the U.S.," he said.
Shin stressed North Korea's status as a nuclear state is neither acceptable nor should be acknowledged, warning its continued pursuit of nuclear weapons and missiles would only bring in tougher international sanctions.
"Nuclear development is not 'the sword of omnipotence' but 'a poisoned chalice' to Kim Jong-un and he should be aware of it," he said.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · January 11, 2024
8. Recent Kim Jong Un order equates “delusions about South Korea” with “death”
In my daily scans of KCNA, et al reporting from the Propaganda and Agitation Department, I have noticed reporting on protests and marches in South Korea supposedly taking place on a large cscal against the ROK government. See article yellow this from KCNA.
The regime may be projecting here. It is the one that is facing enormous internal pressure (though of course the ROK has its ongoing divisions within the political process). The regime needs to portray the South not only as a threat to justify military spending but also as a decadent enemy that could collapse (when in fact it is the north that might be more likely to collapse and that is what Kim is really worried about.
Recent Kim Jong Un order equates “delusions about South Korea” with “death”
The order claimed that the domestic situation in South Korea is approaching a crisis due to the anti-American and anti-Yoon Suk Yeol struggle of "patriotic" South Koreans
By Jong So Yong - 2024.01.11 4:00pm
dailynk.com
Recent Kim Jong Un order equates “delusions about South Korea” with “death” | Daily NK English
The 8th Plenary Session of the 9th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) was held at the headquarters of the party’s Central Committee from Dec. 26 to 30, 2023, according to the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party of Korea. (Rodong Sinmun-News1)
Rason’s party committee recently instructed local party officials on the contents of an order from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that equated “delusions about South Korea” with “death.”
On Jan. 4, the municipal party committee received the full text of Kim’s order, which was handed down by North Hamgyong Province’s party committee and warned: “The delusion that South Korea is a fraternal nation is tantamount to death because the South is a hostile nation that opposes us politically, ideologically and militarily,” according to a Daily NK source in North Hamgyong Province on Tuesday, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
Under orders of the provincial party committee, the Rason party committee drilled the content of the directive into cadres above the rank of elementary party secretary.
“The order, which refers to South Korea in a derogatory manner from beginning to end, focuses on the idea that we must not tolerate thinking of South Korea as a brother or longing for South Korea’s capitalist economy or liberal ideology,” the source said.
In particular, the order called for severe punishment of people who “disturb public sentiment” by spreading unfounded rumors or by watching, distributing, or concealing movies, television programs, news, or other visual content that promotes South Korea’s government, ideology, and culture.
The directive urged members of the judiciary, police, and state security apparatus to step up ideological indoctrination and intensify crackdowns and inspections in preparation for possible public unrest.
The order further claimed that the domestic situation in South Korea is approaching a crisis due to the anti-American and anti-Yoon Suk Yeol struggle of “patriotic” South Koreans and that North Korea must be fully prepared because the protests of the South Korean people could explode into an uprising without warning.
Specifically, the order called on the cadres to closely follow the political developments in South Korea and keep the North Korean people fully informed. It also urged them to awaken the class consciousness of the party members and workers, unite them under the values of the party, and prepare them to support the patriotic struggle of the South Korean people.
The order also called on officials to have a correct understanding of the state’s policy on South Korea and to work and live with the conviction that they should become the “standard-bearers and trumpeters of agitation and propaganda” to intensify the resistance of the South Korean people. It also stated that, if a situation arose, North Koreans must unite with the patriotic masses of South Korea to pacify the South and achieve territorial reunification. This, the order said, would be the “main strike direction of the ideological front.”
“After receiving Kim Jong Un’s order, Rason’s party committee stressed that the city’s location on the border with China and Russia means that it must resolutely reject and oppose the reckless infiltration of South Korean culture and boldly respond – with criminal punishment – to people who pour cold water on the Workers’ Party’s policy on South Korea, and promptly expose and crush them as forces collaborating with the enemy.”
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons. For more information about Daily NK’s network of reporting partners and information-gathering activities, please visit our FAQ page here.
Please send any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
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Jong So Yong
Jong So Yong is one of Daily NK’s freelance reporters. Questions about her articles can be directed to dailynk@uni-media.net.
dailynk.com
Candlelight March Staged in Region of South Korean Puppets
https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1704784240-787167803/candlelight-march-staged-in-region-of-south-korean-puppets/
Date: 09/01/2024 | Source: KCNA.kp (En) | Read original version at source
Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- A mass candlelight resistance continues in the whole region of south Korean puppets including Seoul in the new year, too, to demand the resignation of traitor Yoon Suk Yeol, a war maniac, sycophantic maniac, fascist dictator and kingpin of corruption and irregularities.
The 72nd grand candlelight march was staged in the area of Seoul on January 6 under the slogan "Step down Yoon Suk Yeol! Make a special inspection of Kim Kon Hui!"
Many people from all walks of life turned out in the struggle with candles in their hands despite the cold of winter.
Organizations of various circles, including the emergency action made up of 82 civic and public organizations, held rallies in different parts of Seoul to express their will to launch intensive struggles in the whole region to make 2024 the year of Yoon's resignation.
At a rally sponsored by the candlelight action, its participants expressed their anger at the prosecution dictatorship of Yoon Suk Yeol, holding such slogans of struggle as "Impeachment is peace. Let's defend peace with the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol!" and "Conduct a special investigation of special class criminal Kim Kon Hui!"
Saying that it is time to fight with action, not with words, the speakers stressed the need to impeach the Yoon Suk Yeol dictatorial regime and make the "general election" in April the spring of impeaching Yoon and make 2024 the year of Yoon's resignation.
The participants staged a demonstration toward the puppet presidential office, chanting such slogans as "Let's bring down Yoon to the last in 2024!"
In Kwangju, too, people from all walks of life held a candlelight rally, holding such posters as "Let's drive out Yoon Suk Yeol in the spirit of May 18". They declared that they would fight once again with the death-defying will to step down Yoon as in the Kwangju resistance in May 1980.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of Trade Unions held a rally in Kyonggi Province and expressed the will to wage a courageous struggle against the fascist suppression by the Yoon Suk Yeol puppet group this year, too.
The participants in the rally chanted such slogans as "Let us oust the Yoon Suk Yeol regime!" and "Let us prevent the retrogressive revision of labor law!" -0-
www.kcna.kp (Juche113.1.9.)
9. N. Korean officers’ academy cadet dismissed due to checkered past
"Entrepreneurs" exist even in the nKPA. Note that markets solve problems.
He actually sounds like a variation of the RIchard Gere character in "An Officer and a Gentleman." Perhaps he saw a bootleg copy of the film smuggled into the north. The potential power of film.
Excerpts:
Given the difficulty in obtaining the goats, the platoons were instructed to breed the goats to ensure sufficient goat milk and meat for the soldiers. However, for the past two years, the soldier in question failed to report newly born goats to his division and instead sold them in the market or to private households, keeping the profits for himself.
The soldier then used his earnings to bribe and curry favor with his superiors, laying the groundwork for a more comfortable life in the military and a recommendation to attend the officers’ academy.
N. Korean officers’ academy cadet dismissed due to checkered past
The soldier used illicit earnings to curry favor with his superiors, laying the groundwork for a more comfortable life in the military
By Jong So Yong - 2024.01.11 3:00pm
dailynk.com
N. Korean officers’ academy cadet dismissed due to checkered past | Daily NK English
FILE PHOTO: North Korean soldiers in Musan County, North Hamgyong Province, tend to a small herd of goats. (Daily NK)
After his past misdeeds came to light, a North Korean soldier at a training academy for logistics officers recently had his admission revoked and his rank demoted to private, Daily NK has learned.
Speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, a source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Jan. 5 that the soldier had previously worked in the logistics management department of the 9th Corps before being recommended for the academy.
The man was in the midst of his academy training when he was dismissed from the academy in late December as punishment for abusing his position during goat-breeding duty before entering the academy.
The man’s crimes were linked to a directive issued by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un two years ago. In response to “many soldiers collapsing from malnutrition,” Kim ordered independent platoons to “raise at least 10 goats each and devote their efforts to supplementing the soldiers’ food and improving their fighting ability.” Soldiers from wealthy families were then sent home to buy goats to comply with the order.
Given the difficulty in obtaining the goats, the platoons were instructed to breed the goats to ensure sufficient goat milk and meat for the soldiers. However, for the past two years, the soldier in question failed to report newly born goats to his division and instead sold them in the market or to private households, keeping the profits for himself.
The soldier then used his earnings to bribe and curry favor with his superiors, laying the groundwork for a more comfortable life in the military and a recommendation to attend the officers’ academy.
The man’s misdeeds were finally brought to the attention of his superiors during an end-of-the-year review in December when questions were raised about why the platoon’s goat population had not increased. One unit member accused the man of “making money by secretly selling six goats and goat’s milk to civilians every day.”
“[Unit officers] feared that if this kind of greedy businessman became a logistics officer, he might end up selling off all the unit’s supplies. The political department stepped in and immediately revoked his admission to the officers’ academy and sent him back to his unit as a regular soldier,” the source said.
“The man is currently under investigation while being held in a prison run by the 9th Corps branch of the Ministry of State Security. Those in the unit say it’s the first time someone from the 9th Corps has been kicked out halfway through a program at the officers’ academy. It has also been announced that the man will stand trial in early January.”
Translated by Rose Adams. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons. For more information about Daily NK’s network of reporting partners and information-gathering activities, please visit our FAQ page here.
Please send any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
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Jong So Yong
Jong So Yong is one of Daily NK’s freelance reporters. Questions about her articles can be directed to dailynk@uni-media.net.
dailynk.com
10. US and allies accuse Russia of using North Korean missiles against Ukraine, violating UN sanctions
US and allies accuse Russia of using North Korean missiles against Ukraine, violating UN sanctions
BY EDITH M. LEDERER
Updated 11:26 PM EST, January 10, 2024
AP · January 11, 2024
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States, Ukraine and six allies accused Russia on Wednesday of using North Korean ballistic missiles and launchers in a series of devastating aerial attacks against Ukraine, in violation of U.N. sanctions.
Their joint statement, issued ahead of a Security Council meeting on Ukraine, cited the use of North Korean weapons during waves of strikes on Dec. 30, Jan. 2 and Jan. 6 and said the violations increase suffering of the Ukrainian people, “support Russia’s brutal war of aggression, and undermine the global nonproliferation regime.”
The eight countries — also including France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Malta, South Korea and Slovenia — accused Russia of exploiting its position as a veto-wielding permanent member of the council and warned that “each violation makes the world a much more dangerous place.”
At the council meeting, Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said the information came from U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, but he said representatives of the Ukrainian air force “specifically said that Kyiv did not have any evidence of this fact.”
Nebenzia accused Ukraine of using American and European weapons “to hit Christmas markets, residential buildings, women, the elderly and children” in the Russian city of Belgorod near the Ukrainian border and elsewhere.
U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the council that Ukraine has suffered some of the worst attacks since Russia’s February 2022 invasion in recent weeks, with 69% of civilian casualties in the frontline regions of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Over the recent holiday period, she said, “Russian missiles and drones targeted numerous locations across the country,” including the capital Kyiv and the western city of Lviv.
Between Dec. 29 and Jan. 2, the U.N. humanitarian office recorded 519 civilian casualties, DiCarlo said: 98 people killed and 423 injured. That includes 58 civilians killed and 158 injured on Dec. 29 in Russian drone and missile strikes across the country, “the highest number of civilian casualties in a single day in all of 2023,” she said.
The following day, at least 24 civilians were reportedly killed and more than 100 others injured in strikes on Belgorod attributed to Ukraine, she said. Russia’s Nebenzia said a Christmas market was hit.
“We unequivocally condemn all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur and whoever carries them out,” DiCarlo said. “Such actions violate international humanitarian law and must cease immediately.”
DiCarlo lamented that “ on the brink of the third year of the gravest armed conflict in Europe since the Second World War,” there is “no end in sight.”
Edem Worsornu, the U.N. humanitarian organization’s operations director, told the council that across Ukraine, “attacks and extreme weather left millions of people, in a record 1,000 villages and towns, without electricity or water at the beginning of this week, as temperatures dropped to below minus 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit).”
She said incidents that seriously impacted aid operations spiked to more than 50, “the majority of them bombardments that have hit warehouses.”
“In December alone, five humanitarian warehouses were damaged and burned to the ground in the Kherson region, destroying tons of much needed relief items, including food, shelter materials and medical supplies,” Worsornu said.
She said that more than 14.6 million Ukrainians, about 40% of the population, need humanitarian assistance.
In 2023, the U.N. received more than $2.5 billion of the $3.9 billion it requested and was able to reach 11 million people across Ukraine with humanitarian assistance.
This year, the U.N. appeal for $3.1 billion to aid 8.5 million people will be launched in Geneva next week, Worsornu said, urging donors to continue their generosity.
AP · January 11, 2024
11. North Korean propaganda sites targeting South go dark in simultaneous outage
Worrisome perhaps. It probably is part of a deliberate overhaul based on the new party directives.
But we should also recall history. In May 1950 the north halted all propaganda against the South and we al know what happened a month later. Although at that time the regime lulled the ROK (and the uS) into a sense of complacency because they started a charm offensive by calling for negotiations at Kaesong and analysts interpreted this they way we wanted it to look - north Korea was ceasing hostile intent and was ready to negotiate. Currently, the regime is not executing a similar charm offensive. It is fully implementing its hostile policy toward th eSouth.
North Korean propaganda sites targeting South go dark in simultaneous outage
https://www.nknews.org/2024/01/north-korean-propaganda-sites-targeting-south-go-dark-in-simultaneous-outage/
Expert says DPRK appears to have intentionally turned off sites, as Kim Jong Un looks to overhaul inter-Korean policy
Shreyas Reddy January 11, 2024
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An edited screenshot of the DPRK Today homepage (archived) | Image: DPRK Today, edited by NK News
Several major North Korean propaganda websites targeting South Korean audiences went offline on Thursday, in what may be a move to revamp or take down the sites after leader Kim Jong Un called for a “decisive” change in inter-Korean policy.
The websites of Uriminzokkiri, DPRK Today, Arirang Meari, Tongil Voice and Ryomyong were all down on Thursday morning and remained inaccessible as of 2:20 p.m. KST.
The externally focused sites, which mainly seek to spread North Korean propaganda in South Korea, appear to have been taken down intentionally, according to cybersecurity researcher Junade Ali.
He told NK News that these propaganda sites were all taken down in a similar manner despite having separate digital infrastructure. DPRK Today is hosted from Germany and the others are hosted on different IP addresses from Chinese internet service provider China Unicom.
“All are down in the same way. Domains exist, Domain Name System works, no immediate server errors — but just like they’ve been turned off,” he explained.
“Usually, if there’s a coincidental problem, it would be different for different sites,” the expert added.
The apparent shutdown of the websites follows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s declaration in late December that Korean unification is “impossible,” seemingly abandoning a goal the DPRK has pursued since the days of its founding leader Kim Il Sung.
After Kim Jong Un instructed the ruling party to work on “eliminating and reorganizing” organs dealing with inter-Korean affairs, senior officials discussed measures to revamp Pyongyang’s approach to relations with South Korea.
The changes to Pyongyang’s propaganda approach were soon apparent on the Ryomyong and Uriminzokkiri websites, which purged references to unification last Wednesday.
Ryomyong deleted two of three sections referencing reconciliation and unification as well as the magazine of the North’s June 15 Committee, while Uriminzokkiri removed a banner linking to the texts of the four inter-Korean agreements signed in 2000, 2007 and 2018.
Martin Weiser, an independent North Korea researcher and NK Pro contributor, questioned why Pyongyang would shut the sites down now rather than after Kim’s declaration. He expressed hope for the return of the sites and the information they provide.
“It would be really terrible if those were really gone now,” he told NK News. “I hope that the goal might be something like hosting those sites on North Korean domains again.”
He said it is hard to predict what form the propaganda sites may take if they return, and suggested they may retain older material and discontinue or alter content like Uriminzokkiri’s videos targeting South Koreans and Koreans abroad.
Pyongyang’s removal of propaganda channels also appeared to extend to social media.
DPRK Today’s Instagram account, Arirang Meari’s Twitter account and the Weibo and Bilibili accounts of NewDPRK, an account operated by the state-run Sogwang Media corporation, were all unavailable as of Thursday.
Some Sogwang-run sockpuppet accounts, which spread Pyongyang’s narratives while pretending to be regular people, also appear to have been deleted.
These include the Twitter accounts YuMi_DPRK_daily and Parama_Coreafan, although some Weibo sockpuppet pages remain online. This includes “I Take You To Koryo,” a rebranded version of the coldnoodlefan account.
The Twitter accounts YuMi_DPRK_daily and Parama_Coreafan are no longer accessible as of Jan. 11, 2024 | Image: Twitter, edited by NK News
Seung-yeon Chung and Colin Zwirko contributed reporting to this article. Edited by Bryan Betts
Updated at 4:25 p.m. on Jan. 11 with expert comments on propaganda sites’ future and at 7:00 p.m. with additional details on removal of social media accounts.
12. S. Korea to begin production of homegrown KF-21 fighter jet
Arsenal of Democracy partner.
S. Korea to begin production of homegrown KF-21 fighter jet | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · January 10, 2024
SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is set to begin production of the KF-21 fighter jet this year as planned, the state arms procurement agency said Wednesday, in what would be a major milestone in the country's pursuit of an advanced homegrown fighter.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) seeks to sign a contract with Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI), the jet's manufacturer, within the first half of the year to pave the way for the KF-21's large-scale production, according to a DAPA official.
In 2015, South Korea launched a joint fighter jet development project with Indonesia, with the aim of deploying 120 KF-21s in the South Korean Air Force by 2032 to replace its aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 jets.
DAPA said all six KF-21 prototypes have successfully staged test flights, carrying out various performance assessments, including supersonic flights and arms separation tests.
The prototypes will continue various testing this year, DAPA said, adding that one of them will undergo extreme weather tests at the Agency for Defense Development's test center in Seosan, 98 kilometers southwest of Seoul, through February.
The joint development project worth 8.1 trillion won (US$6.1 billion) through 2026 still faces uncertainties stemming from Indonesia's overdue payments, which were estimated at nearly 1 trillion won as of October last year.
Seoul has agreed to pay about 60 percent of the project's cost, with Jakarta and KAI covering around 20 percent each.
The DAPA official said talks are ongoing for Jakarta to submit an updated payment plan for the project.
This undated photo, provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration on Jan. 10, 2024, shows the No. 4 KF-21 fighter jet prototype undergoing extreme weather tests at the Agency for Defense Development's test center in Seosan, 98 kilometers southwest of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · January 10, 2024
13. North expanding chemical complex critical to nuclear and missile programs
Thursday
January 11, 2024
dictionary + A - A
Published: 11 Jan. 2024, 18:29
North expanding chemical complex critical to nuclear and missile programs
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-01-11/national/northKorea/North-expanding-chemical-complex-critical-to-nuclear-and-missile-programs/1956491
In this footage broadcast by Pyongyang's state-controlled Korean Central Television on Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un examines weapons systems manufactured at what state media called "key munitions plants" during a two-day inspection that began on Monday. [YONHAP]
North Korea is expanding a chemical plant that plays a crucial role in its nuclear and missile program, according to satellite imagery examined by analysis group 38 North and the Korea Institute of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Control.
The images, taken via commercial satellites, show that the Unha chemical complex near Manpho, Chagang Province, is undergoing expansion and modernization and exhibits signs of increasing production of reagents, such as nitric and sulfuric acids, that are associated with the reprocessing, enrichment and conversion of nuclear materials.
The Unha chemical complex “holds considerable strategic importance to North Korea,” according to 38 North, which noted that a declassified Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) report from 1980 linked Unha with the production of liquid rocket propellant and other chemical products needed to support North Korea’s demanding strategic industries.
Beyond Parallel, a North Korea analysis group run by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, released a report in March 2023 that determined Unha as a key source of reagents to the North’s Yongbyon nuclear complex, and that three specialized railcars have been used to transport reagents between the two sites.
Related Article
Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed in a board of governors meeting held in Vienna in November that North Korea is running its Yongbyon nuclear complex again after a short period of inactivity between September and October.
The Yongbyon nuclear complex in North Pyongan Province is the North’s primary uranium enrichment and reprocessing facility.
Yongbyon’s 5-megawatt reactor has long been the focal point of previous failed international diplomatic efforts to rein in North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
The reactor is believed to be the regime’s sole source of spent nuclear fuel for reprocessing and is capable of producing six kilograms of weapons-grade plutonium from spent fuel rods per year.
In the meeting, Grossi confirmed there have been “increased levels of activity” at and near the reactor, and they could observe, since mid-October, “a strong water outflow” from the reactor's cooling system.
Grossi also told the board that the Punggye-ri underground nuclear testing site in North Hamgyong Province remains “prepared to support a new nuclear test” following the restoration of multiple tunnels, which was detected via satellite photography in 2022.
Although South Korea and the United States have called on the North to return to talks to negotiate its complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization, the North demanded the scrapping of international sanctions and joint South Korea-U. S. military exercises as preconditions for the resumption of talks.
In recent months, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his influential sister Kim Yo-jong have staked out an even harder-line position against abandoning nuclear weapons and threatened to use them against the South.
The North’s state media reported on Wednesday that Kim Jong-un called South Korea his regime’s “main enemy” and said he has “no intent to avoid war” during a two-day inspection of a munition factory that began Monday.
According to the report, Kim also said the North “will not hesitate to annihilate” the South using “all means and forces available” in the event of an armed conflict.
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
14. N Korea erases ‘one people’ notion with South, opens door for nuclear use
Everyone is trying to read the tea leaves and make excuses for the regime's current rhetoric. The fact is that the regime has always had designs on using nuclear weapons against targets in the South. It has only been many years of wishful thinking that allowed people to think nuclear weapons would never be used against the South. And that thinking just illustrates the effectiveness of the regime's political warfare strategy and psychological operations campaign.
N Korea erases ‘one people’ notion with South, opens door for nuclear use
Pyongyang used to describe the nuclear arsenal as the ‘treasure of Koreans,’ hinting non-use against the South.
By Lee Jeong-Ho for RFA
2024.01.10
Seoul, South Korea
rfa.org
North Korea has eliminated the idea of “one people” shared with South Korea from its media outlets, defining the South as a separate entity rather than the “same Koreans,” a shift experts said could rationalize the use of nuclear weapons in future conflicts with Seoul.
North Korea’s leading propaganda website DPRK Today has removed its “reunification” section, as confirmed Thursday. Earlier this week, the section was still accessible. The website is operated under the supervision of North Korea’s United Front Department, with the primary aim of disseminating Pyongyang’s favored vision of reunification with the South.
The erased section had displayed the history of every inter-Korean agreement, ranging from the July 4 Joint Statement in 1972 to the latest September 19 Pyongyang Joint Declaration in 2018.
It also contained details on North Korea’s reunification policy, advocating for the reunification under a federal structure based on the “one nation, two systems” principle, wherein the governments of both countries retain sovereignty over their respective regions.
Last week, North Korea also removed the reunification section from other propaganda platforms, including the Uriminzokkiri.
Such moves came after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed his intention to discard the idea of “one people” shared with the South during the major policy meeting held last year.
“Reflecting on the long history of inter-Korean relations, our conclusion is that unification can never be achieved with South Korea,” said Kim, according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 31, as North Korea wrapped up its Central Committee Plenary Meeting of the Workers’ Party Korea.
South Korea’s reunification policy “starkly contrast with our nation’s unification policy based on the principles of one people, one state, two systems,” he added, noting that he would start treating the North’s relations with the South as a state-to-state relations and that he no longer views the South as the same Koreans.
In a separate report on Jan. 1, KCNA also reported that North Korea’s Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, along with the head of the United Front Department Ri Son Gwon, hosted a meeting to discuss ways to deliver Kim’s orders to restructure organizations involved in South Korean affairs.
Since then, North Korea’s state-run media outlets have been consistently calling South Korea by its formal name “Republic of Korea.” Pyongyang had rarely referred to the South as the ROK, typically calling it as “Namjoseon,” which means “South of North Korea” in Korean. This terminology implied, albeit rhetorically, that both were parts of the same nation.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul who had advised South Korean administrations, said the move may harbor dual implications.
“Previously, North Korea described its nuclear arsenal as the ‘treasure of the entire Korean people,’ subtly implying that they were not intended for use against the South,” said Yang.
“However, recent developments indicate a shift in this stance. As North Korea no longer views the South as part of the same people and nation, it raises the possibility that the North might consider using its nuclear weapons against the South,” he added.
In fact, on Wednesday, Kim has declared that South Korea is now officially Pyongyang’s “principal enemy,” openly stating his readiness for war.
“Another goal could be Pyongyang’s effort to lessen its reliance on the South and highlight its self-reliance to the domestic audience,” Yang said.
“North Korea may aim to delay addressing unification issues and justify the enhancement of its nuclear capability. Additionally, this strategy could be viewed as a means to reinforce regime unity domestically by fostering anti-South sentiment among its population.”
Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn.
rfa.org
15. US should follow South Korea’s lead and invest in families
US should follow South Korea’s lead and invest in families
ByMatt Lamb
Washington Examiner · January 8, 2024
South Korea is investing in its families to boost a low birth rate — and the United States should do the same.
The U.S. ally announced that it “will pay 1 million won ($770) a month to households that have an infant under a year old, and 500,000 ($385) won to those with babies aged between 1 and under 2,” as reported by the Korea Times. “The amount has increased from the 700,000 won and 350,000 won, respectively, paid in 2023 when the policy was introduced first.” South Korea will also pay approximately $1,500 for each child born to help offset the cost of childbirth. Bonuses increase with each child.
EMPLOYMENT GROWTH TICKED UP IN DECEMBER WITH 216,000 JOBS
Why such significant action?
Well, because South Korea currently has a birthrate of just 0.8 births per woman. The United States is double that, but still at a low 1.7 births per woman, according to the World Bank. In turn, the U.S. should look to better support families with children through policies. The intent shouldn’t be simply to boost birth rates in the short term but to create a pro-family culture for the long term.
Some married couples don’t want to have more children, but those who do have them should be supported. Our policies should promote marriage and childbearing. The per-child tax credit can be increased to reward families that have more children, for example. It’s an idea that both Democrats and Republicans support. Other proposals include starting the tax credit once a woman is pregnant, to help offset the cost of childbirth.
Policies such as expanded school choice vouchers would support families further by letting them choose the school that works best for their children. That does not mean just private schools, but also homeschooling, hybrid models, and charter schools. School choice also can push public schools to improve under new competition, improving educational opportunities for all types of learners.
Then there’s childcare. Daycare has its own problems and is not a silver bullet for families. The ideal situation is that of children being at home with their mothers for at least the early years, according to experts such as Erica Komisar. All parents should also be allowed to set aside money pretax, in the same way a health savings account works, to pay for any form of childcare. That would also allow mothers who want or need to work to do so from home while having their children nearby.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Indeed, dependent care flexible savings accounts offer this benefit, but they also illustrate another way policies work against some families. These programs are only available through employers, so self-employed people and small business employees cannot access them. Of course, a self-employed person has just as much need for babysitting help as someone who works for a large corporation.
Families are the lifeline of a country, and children are the literal future. Our policies should encourage families and childbearing.
Matt Lamb is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. He is an associate editor for the College Fix and has previously worked for Students for Life of America and Turning Point USA.
Washington Examiner · January 8, 2024
16. Trump dashes across North Korean border in bid for asylum (note satire)
With all the bad news we need some satire. I do not mean this in a partisan way. But I am pleased to see the Duffelblog sustain its interest in north Korea which does offer so much fodder for satire. The team at Duffelblog really does have some creative minds but on the other hand the material they have to work with makes this satire actually write itself (or does AI do it?)
Trump dashes across North Korean border in bid for asylum
Who thought he could move that fast?
https://www.duffelblog.com/p/trump-dashes-across-north-korean-border-in-bid-for-asylum
Duffel Blog Staff
January 10, 2024
PANMUNJOM, N.K. and DEMILITARIZED ZONE - In an unprecedented move that shocked the world, former President Donald Trump made a daring run across the North Korean border yesterday.
Clad in his signature red tie and sporting a “Make America Great Again” hat, Trump reportedly sprinted across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) shouting, “Rocket Man, take me in!,” possibly referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with whom he shared an inconsistent relationship during his presidency.
Eyewitnesses on both sides of the border were left dumbfounded as Trump’s chaotic dash unfolded. “I couldn’t believe my eyes,” said Sergeant Michael Kim, stationed at the South Korean guard post. “One minute he’s tweeting a bunch of randomly capitalized malapropisms, the next he’s making a run for it.”
North Korean guards, initially taken aback by the sight of another human being charging toward them with the intent to cross their borders, quickly shifted into full alert before taking the ex-president into custody.
Reactions from around the world have been mixed. Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly raised an eyebrow and said, “Good idea,” while Edward Snowden muttered, “Bold move.”
In America, responses from top political leaders were less measured. President Joe Biden asked, “Who did what, now? Check out these suspenders I just got! You gonna eat your Jell-O, Jack?”. On the opposite side of the aisle, Sen. Mitch McConnell spent his press conference staring blankly at reporters, saying nothing.
Experts are divided on the motivations behind Trump’s audacious move. Some believe he may be seeking refuge from the many legal challenges he faces, while others speculate that he’s attempting to broker some kind of reality TV deal with Kim Jong Un. One Mar-A-Lago source close to Trump, who requested anonymity as someone unauthorized to speak on the matter, said Trump recently noted there is some “top shelf ass” north of the border separating the two Koreas.
“This has ‘reality show plot twist’ written all over it,” said non-partisan political analyst Michael Flynn. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re planning to film ‘The Apprentice: Pyongyang Edition.’ Or maybe it’s the latest season of ‘Survivor’.”
Tweeting for the first time since surrendering at Alanta’s Fulton County jail, Trump characterized the incident as merely a misunderstanding.
While Trump’s intentions remain unclear, some insiders suggest that he might be using this incident to launch a new line of Trump-branded products. “Imagine the potential for a Trump Tower Pyongyang,” said Donald Trump Jr. “The president knows how to make a deal, and now he’s got an entire nation as a potential client.” When informed of the severe poverty of North Korea, Don Jr. simply shrugged.
Meanwhile, Trump supporters have found the reports baffling and confusing. “Of course, I don’t believe it,” said one Trump rally attendee, Susane Smothersome. “Lord Trump would never abandon us or escape like that.” When shown a selfie President Trump recently posted with him stating he’s in North Korea hanging with Kim Jong Un, both sporting “Make North Korea Great Again” hats, Susane emitted a high-pitched screech and screamed, “FAKE NEWS!”
To their credit, North Korea has met the incident with both surprise and alarm. A spokesperson let slip, “Honestly, we spend so much time trying to keep people inside of our dear kingdom that we haven’t thought about bolstering our security to keep people from coming in. First we have to deal with that idiot Army private, now this guy comes running in?”
Meanwhile, the United Nations has called for an emergency meeting to discuss the situation, with world leaders divided on how to handle the bizarre development. “We’re used to diplomatic crises, but this is really a moral conundrum. Honestly, do you think we can just let Trump stay in North Korea?” admitted UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric.
The Duffel Blog Staff is either a liberal cuck or a literal fascist. Kinda depends on the day.
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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