Informal Institute for National Security Thinkers and Practitioners

Quotes of the Day:

"Recognize that your struggle and your suffering is the same as everyone else’s, I think that’s the beginning of a responsible life. Otherwise, we are in a continual savage battle with each other with no possible solution, political, social, or spiritual."

- Leonard Cohen

“The deepest sin against the human mind if to believe things without evidence.”

- Aldous Huxley

"Natural ability without education has more often raised a man to glory and virtue than education without natural ability."

- Marcus Tulles Cicero

1. North Korea conducts 4th round of missile tests in 1 week

2. N. Korea fires 2 ballistic missiles into East Sea: S. Korean military

3. Yoon warns N. Korea of 'resolute, overwhelming' response in event of nuclear weapons use

4. N. Korean leader stresses ties on China's National Day

5. NSC condemns N. Korea's missile launch

6. President Yoon’s Office and Party Threaten South Korean Broadcaster

7. S. Korea flaunts key weapons systems on Armed Forces Day

8. S. Korea does not recognize Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory

9. North Korea’s Latest Missile Tests Appear Aimed at Grabbing U.S. Attention

10. N.Korea Ranks High on Cyber Warfare Index

11. Despite DMZ gaffe, Kamala Harris displays deft Asia diplomacy

12. Ministry of State Security officers inspect cell phones on streets of border region

13. The truth about North Korea’s offer to send 100,000 troops to Ukraine for Russia

14. Sinpho South Shipyard: Activity at the Secure Boat Basin

15. US general stresses 'ironclad' alliance, decries N.K., China, Russia as threat to peace

16. Gov’t to clarify ‘N. Korea’s invasion’ in new history curriculum

17. Economy comes first; there is no time to lose over political disputes

1. North Korea conducts 4th round of missile tests in 1 week

The regime is on a roll. Maybe if they keep this up they will expend their inventory.

North Korea conducts 4th round of missile tests in 1 week

AP · by HYUNG-JIN KIM and MARI YAMAGUCHI · September 30, 2022

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Saturday test-fired two short-range ballistic missiles, its neighbors said, the fourth round this week of weapons launches that prompted quick, strong condemnation from its rivals.

In an unusually strong rebuke of North Korea’s weapons programs, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said North Korea’s “obsession” with nuclear weapons is deepening the suffering of its own people, and warned of an “overwhelming response” from South Korean and U.S. militaries should such weapons be used.

“North Korea hasn’t abandoned its obsession with nukes and missiles despite the persistent international objection in the past 30 years,” Yoon said during an Armed Forces Day ceremony at the military headquarters in central South Korea. “The development of nuclear weapons will plunge the lives of North Korean people in further pains.”

“If North Korea attempts to use nukes, it’ll face a resolute, overwhelming response by the South Korea-U.S. alliance and our military,” Yoon said.

Yoon’s comments could enrage North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who in July alleged that Yoon’s government was led by “confrontation maniacs” and “gangsters.” Kim has also rebuffed Yoon’s offers of massive assistance in return for denuclearization.

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The North’s testing spree this week is seen as a response to recent naval drills between South Korea and the United States and their other training that involved Japan. North Korea views such military exercises by the allies as an invasion rehearsal and argues they reveal U.S. and South Korean “double standards” because they brand the North’s weapons tests as provocation.

On Saturday, South Korea, Japanese and U.S. militaries said they detected the two North Korean missile launches. South Korea said the liftoffs occurred from North Korea’s capital region.

According to South Korean and Japanese estimates, the missiles flew about 350-400 kilometers (220-250 miles) at a maximum altitude of 30-50 kilometers (20-30 miles) before they landed in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Toshiro Ino, Japan’s vice defense minister, said the missiles showed “irregular” trajectory.

Some observers say the weapons’ reported low and “irregular” trajectory suggest they were likely nuclear-capable, highly maneuverable missiles modeled after Russia’s Iskander missile. They say North Korea has developed the Iskander-like weapon to defeat South Korean and U.S. missile defenses and strike key targets in South Korea, including U.S. military bases there.

The five other ballistic missiles fired by North Korea on three occasions this week show similar trajectories to the ones detected Saturday.

“The repeated ballistic missile firings by North Korea are a grave provocation that undermines peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

Ino called the launches “absolutely impermissible,” adding that four rounds of missile testing by North Korea in a week is “unprecedented.”

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the launches highlight “the destabilizing impact” of North Korea’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.

On Friday, South Korea, the United States and Japan held their first trilateral anti-submarine drills in five years off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast. Earlier this week, South Korean and U.S. warships conducted bilateral exercises in the area for four days. Both military drills this week involved the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.

The North Korean missile tests this week also bookended U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit Thursday to South Korea, where she reaffirmed the United States’ “ironclad” commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

Worries about North Korea’s nuclear program have grown since the North last month adopted a new law authorizing the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in certain situations, a move that shows its escalatory nuclear doctrine.

During his speech Saturday, Yoon said the North Korean law threatens South Korea’s national existence and that Seoul will expand military exercises with Washington and bolster South Korea’s own missile strike and surveillance capacities in response.

South Korean officials have typically avoided harsh rhetoric on North Korea to prevent an escalation of animosities. But Yoon’s Defense Ministry has recently warned North Korea would self-destruct if it uses its nuclear weapons

This year, North Korea has carried out a record number of missile tests in what experts call an attempt to expand its weapons arsenal amid stalled nuclear diplomacy with the United States. South Korean and U.S. officials say North Korea has also completed preparations to conduct a nuclear test, which would be the seventh of its kind and the first in five years.

Experts say Kim Jong Un eventually wants to use the enlarged nuclear arsenal to pressure the United States and others accept his country as a legitimate nuclear state, a recognition he views as necessary to win the lifting of international sanctions and other concessions.

Multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from testing ballistic missiles and nuclear devices. The country’s missile launches this year are seen as exploiting a divide at the U.N. council over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and U.S.-China competitions.

“North Korea’s frequent short-range missile tests may strain the isolated state’s resources. But because of deadlock on the U.N. Security Council, they are a low-cost way for the Kim regime to signal its displeasure with Washington and Seoul’s defense exercises while playing the domestic politics of countering an external threat,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

___

Yamaguchi reported from Tokyo.

AP · by HYUNG-JIN KIM and MARI YAMAGUCHI · September 30, 2022

2. N. Korea fires 2 ballistic missiles into East Sea: S. Korean military

(5th LD) N. Korea fires 2 ballistic missiles into East Sea: S. Korean military | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · October 1, 2022

(ATTN: UPDATES with phone talks between nuclear envoys in paras 7-9)

By Song Sang-ho

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Saturday, South Korea's military said, in its fourth such provocation in less than a week.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launches from the Sunan area in Pyongyang between 6:45 a.m. and 7:03 a.m. and that the missiles flew some 350 kilometers at apogees of around 30 km at top speeds of Mach 6.

The launches came just hours before South Korea was set to hold an event marking the Armed Forces Day with its key military assets on display. The previous day, the South, the United States and Japan staged an anti-submarine warfare exercise in the East Sea.

"The recent series of North Korea's ballistic missiles is an act of significant provocation that undermines peace not only on the Korean Peninsula, but also in the international community, and a clear breach of U.N. Security Council resolutions," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.

It added, "Our military will maintain a firm readiness posture while tracking and monitoring related movements in close cooperation with the U.S. in preparation against additional provocations."

The presidential National Security Council convened a standing committee session and condemned the North's latest launches.

The country's top nuclear envoy, Kim Gunn, held separate phone talks with his American and Japanese counterparts over Pyongyang's latest saber-rattling, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.

The envoys strongly condemned North Korea's series of missile provocations this week and called them a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, it said.

They also agreed to maintain close bilateral and trilateral communication, while strengthening coordination for a united response from the global community, it added.

JCS Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum and Gen. Paul LaCamera, the commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, held virtual consultations over the launches.

In a statement, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the North's move "highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRK's unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," It reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to the defense of its Northeast Asian allies. The DPRK is the acronym for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and WMD stands for weapon of mass destruction.

The latest launches followed earlier provocations on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Military authorities have been looking into possibilities that the North's recent launches might have involved its KN-23, KN-24, the KN-25 super-large multiple rocket launcher or other short-range platforms.

The KN-23 and KN-24 are modeled after Russia's Iskander ballistic missile and the U.S.' Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), respectively. Both KN-23 and KN-24 missiles are known for "pull-up" maneuvers to avoid interception.

Pyongyang's test-firing of short-range missiles raised speculation that it has been doubling down on its push to develop tactical nuclear arms.

On Thursday, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris made a daylong visit to South Korea, during which she met with President Yoon Suk-yeol and toured the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that divides Korea. While here, she said Washington would do "everything" in our power to ensure its security commitment to the Asian ally.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · October 1, 2022

3. Yoon warns N. Korea of 'resolute, overwhelming' response in event of nuclear weapons use

Note that he said "use" not "test."

(LEAD) Yoon warns N. Korea of 'resolute, overwhelming' response in event of nuclear weapons use | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · October 1, 2022

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details of Yoon's speech from 8th para; RECASTS paras 1-2; ADDS photo)

By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk-yeol warned North Korea on Saturday it will be met with a "resolute" and "overwhelming" response if it attempts to use nuclear weapons, shortly after Pyongyang fired two short-range missiles in its fourth such test in less than a week.

The launches further raised tensions as North Korea has appeared to be readying for what would be its seventh nuclear test and recently legalized the use of nuclear weapons in scenarios where its leadership is under threat.

"By adopting its nuclear arms policy into law, it is threatening the survival and prosperity of the Republic of Korea," Yoon said in a speech marking Armed Forces Day at the Gyeryongdae military headquarters 160 kilometers south of Seoul, referring to the South.

"If North Korea attempts the use of nuclear weapons, it will face the resolute and overwhelming response of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and our military," he said.

Yoon also said North Korea's nuclear weapons development defies the international nonproliferation regime and will put the North Korean people's lives in further pain.

"The North Korean regime must even now make the decision to denuclearize for true peace and joint prosperity on the Korean Peninsula," he said.

The ceremony, which was attended by Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and top military commanders as well as rank-and-file soldiers and veterans, was a display of South Korea's high-tech weaponry, including 230-mm Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers and ground-to-ground Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) ballistic missiles.

Yoon said South Korea will reinforce its reconnaissance and strike capabilities against the North by quickly establishing its "three-axis system," which he said will "overwhelm" North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

The three-axis system consists of the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform, the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) program and the Korea Air and Missile Defense system.

Yoon also vowed to further strengthen South Korea-U.S. military exercises, citing the recent joint naval exercise involving the U.S. aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan.

The exercises are a major source of tension with Pyongyang, which denounces them as rehearsals for an invasion.

"President Biden and I further strengthened the South Korea-U.S. security alliance through our summit in May and my recent overseas trip," Yoon said, referring to their summit in Seoul and their meetings in London and New York last week.

He said the two countries bolstered the effectiveness of the U.S. extended deterrence commitment to South Korea, which includes the timely deployment of U.S. strategic assets in a contingency, by reactivating the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group.

"From now on, the government will further strengthen combined training and exercises between South Korea and the U.S. and realize an 'alliance in action' that responds strongly to North Korea's provocations and threats," Yoon said.

hague@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · October 1, 2022

4. N. Korean leader stresses ties on China's National Day

The alliance that is "closer than lips and teeth." Contrast this with Taiwan's response to China's national day.

N. Korean leader stresses ties on China's National Day | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · October 1, 2022

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has touted ties with Beijing as an "invincible friendship" in a letter sent to Chinese President Xi Jinping on the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Pyongyang's state media reported Saturday.

Kim also stressed efforts to further develop bilateral relations while expressing support for Beijing in the congratulatory message, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

"Our party, government and people will invariably support and encourage the Chinese party, government and people in the just struggle to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and realize its reunification," Kim said in the letter carried by the KCNA.

"Today the two parties and the two countries are steadily writing the history of invincible friendship and unity," he added. "I will in the future, too, strive together with you to steadily develop in depth the traditional DPRK-China relations of friendship and defend peace and stability of Asia and the rest of the world."

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

North Korea has recently stressed its strong ties with China amid a growing Sino-U.S. rivalry.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · October 1, 2022

5. NSC condemns N. Korea's missile launch

Well they certainly would not condone it!

NSC condemns N. Korea's missile launch | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · October 1, 2022

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The presidential National Security Council condemned North Korea's missile launch Saturday, vowing to maintain a firm readiness posture against any North Korean provocation.

The NSC standing committee met after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea in its fourth such test in less than a week.

President Yoon Suk-yeol was briefed on the launch, according to his office.

The committee members "strongly condemned North Korea's repeated ballistic missile launches in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, and agreed to closely cooperate with the United States, friendly nations and the international community," the presidential office said in a statement.

The committee especially noted the shortened interval between launches and "deplored North Korea's actions focusing on provocations when its people's livelihoods are in a critical situation due to economic difficulties and the antivirus crisis."

Moreover, it decided to maintain a "firm readiness posture" to respond "immediately and effectively" to any North Korean provocation.

hague@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · October 1, 2022

6. President Yoon’s Office and Party Threaten South Korean Broadcaster

South Korea: please stop the insanity. You must embrace freedom of the press and all its warts. If you want to win the ideological war with north Korea (and it has already been won based on the Miracle on the Han) you must protectfreedom of the press and not backslide into authoritarian tendencies. If you want to conduct an information and influence campaign with the north your actions have to match the information you send into north Korea and one element of that information has to be values and FREEDOM as President Yoon outlined at the UN.

President Yoon’s Office and Party Threaten South Korean Broadcaster

Days after using “freedom” 21 times in his debut at the U.N. General Assembly, Yoon is now harming the freedom of press in his country.

thediplomat.com · by Mitch Shin · September 30, 2022

On Thursday, South Korea’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) filed complaints seeking the prosecution of four members of MBC, one of the country’s biggest broadcasting companies. The complaints are against the reporter who covered Yoon’s hot mic scandal last week, along with three high-ranking officials who are in charge of news reporting. All are being accused by the PPP of defamation against President Yoon Suk-yeol.

On September 21, Yoon had a 48-second chat with U.S. President Joe Biden in New York at the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment event. After speaking with Biden, Yoon, on his way out of the event, used inappropriate words that were caught by one of the South Korean video journalists.

“What if the bastards in parliament do not approve… Biden would be embarrassed,” Yoon apparently said.

At the event, Biden had pledged to “donate $1 billion for every $2 billion committed by the rest of the world” to fight “AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.” Yoon also pledged to provide $1 billion as part of this initiative.

In this context, many interpreted Yoon’s words to mean that he was worried about Biden being embarrassed if the U.S. Congress did not approve the funds to carry out his pledge.

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More than ten hours after the video capturing Yoon’s inappropriate words was released, Kim Eun-hye, a senior secretary for press affairs, said that Yoon had used the word “nallimyun” (meaning “scrap” in English), not “Biden.” She also said that the “bastards” Yoon referred to meant the opposition Democratic Party, not the U.S. Congress. Kim assured reporters that her explanation came after Yoon’s direct confirmation of his words.

Under this explanation, however, Yoon’s words do not match clearly and grammatically. In English, his remarks would be: “What if the bastards in parliament do not approve (and) scrap… would be embarrassed.”

Since then, a national hearing test has begun as everyone scrambles to interpret the recording. While the main PPP members who are in Yoon’s inner circle claimed that “nallimyun” is the word he used, the opposition Democratic Party and some senior PPP members said the president clearly indicated “Biden.”

However, the Presidential Office has not expressed any regret about Yoon’s use of a curse word at the public event. The office says the swear word is not the main point of the scandal; it is more concerned with denying that Yoon was referring to Biden.

South Koreans are getting used to Yoon saying “bastards” as he was accused of using the same word toward Lee Jun-seok, the ousted PPP leader, and his staff member during the presidential campaign.

In order to prevent Yoon from being the first South Korean president caught publicly insulting a U.S. president and the U.S. Congress, the Presidential Office and PPP have actively defended Yoon on the frontline. However, the scandal has raged on as Yoon and his chief of staff clearly are not willing to accept responsibility. Yoon himself has not apologized or expressed his regret over the scandal for more than a week.

On Monday, in his first “door-stepping” exchange with reporters on his way to work after his trip to London and New York, Yoon did not apologize for his remarks but instead claimed that the untrue media reports damaged the alliance between South Korea and the United States. However, Yoon denied that he had mentioned Biden, although he did not offer an alternative explanation.

Hours after Yoon accused the media of fake news reports, the Presidential Office sent an official letter to MBC with many specific questions over how it came to write a transcript of Yoon’s hot mic moment. Almost every news media – foreign and domestic – used a similar, if not identical, transcript of Yoon’s comments in their news reports but only MBC, the first media to report on the scandal, has been scapegoated by the Presidential Office.

In a statement, MBC expressed regrets and concerns over the Presidential Office’s demand for details on its editorial process. It said that such an action can be seen as “a threatening act for the freedom of press.”

Following up on Yoon’s request to probe how could the media report “fake news” about his words, the PPP has launched a task force to prepare for a legal battle with MBC. Members of the task force visited the headquarters of MBC in Seoul on Thursday to complain about its reporting. However, they failed to enter the building due to the resistance of MBC employees at the site.

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The Presidential Office is claiming that the entire scandal was manufactured by MBC’s fabricated transcript; it also claims that the untrue news reports damaged the South Korea-U.S. alliance. Under these premises, the Presidential Office is also considering suing MBC before the Press Arbitration Commission and filing a civil lawsuit again it, according to media reports.

The Presidential Office said that unnamed voice analysts confirmed that Yoon used the word “nallimyun” but has not shared any details of the analysis.

Media outlets have posted many clips of his hot mic moment so that South Koreans can judge for themselves. And many believe that there is no issue with the original transcript offered by MBC.

According to polls released this week, nearly 62 percent of South Koreans said “Biden” was the word Yoon used, while about 27 percent said they heard “nallimyun.” With this, 75 percent of South Koreans said that the Presidential Office and PPP’s handling of the scandal is inappropriate while just 20 percent supported them.

In the light of the previous military regime’s suppression of the press in the 1980s, the Presidential Office’s request to get details of the media’s coverage has been highly criticized by the public.

Adding to the scandal, South Korean media confirmed that officials working at the external affairs division in Yoon’s Presidential Office did not originally deny the president’s phrasing. Instead, they acknowledged the video but asked journalists who were covering Yoon’s trip in New York not to report on the clip. MBC refused to accept the request and became the first media outlet to report on the comment. Minutes after MBC’s report, other media outlets also reported Yoon’s hot mic scandal.

For the first ten hours after the reports went live, officials did not deny that Yoon referred to Biden in his remarks but defended it as “a private talk” with Yoon’s aides. No one questioned the press reports and transcripts until Kim, the senior secretary for press affairs, publicly asserted that Yoon had said “nallimyun,” not “Biden.”

Apparently, Yoon, who used the Korean word for “freedom” 21 times in his speech at the U.N. General Assembly, is now clamping down on the freedom of press. Considering his background as a prosecutor general before being elected as president, the PPP’s threats toward MBC sounds more provocative.

Mitch Shin

Mitch Shin is Chief Koreas Correspondent for The Diplomat and a non-resident Research Fellow of the Institute for Security & Development Policy (ISDP), Stockholm Korea Center.

thediplomat.com · by Mitch Shin · September 30, 2022

7. S. Korea flaunts key weapons systems on Armed Forces Day

(LEAD) S. Korea flaunts key weapons systems on Armed Forces Day | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · October 1, 2022

(ATTN: UPDATES with new photos)

By Song Sang-ho

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's military demonstrated some of its major high-tech weapons at its headquarters in a central city Saturday on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day following a series of ballistic missile provocations by North Korea this week.

The defense ministry held an official ceremony marking the anniversary at the Gyeryongdae compound, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, under the theme of "strong defense, robust military based on science and technology."

That theme resonated throughout the annual event that opened hours after the North's firing of two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea -- the fourth such provocation in less than a week.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and top commanders of all armed services as well as rank-and-file soldiers and war veterans attended the event.

In the troop formations on the ground were elite forces at the vanguard of the Yoon administration's Defense Reform 4.0 initiative designed to make the military stronger and smarter based on cutting-edge technologies, like artificial intelligence.

Key weapons systems mobilized for the ceremony highlighted Seoul's push to beef up its so-called three-axis system to counter Pyongyang's evolving nuclear and missile threats.

The three-pronged system consists of the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform; the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR), a program to target an adversary's leadership in a contingency; and the Korea Air and Missile Defense system (KAMD).

To demonstrate Kill Chain capabilities, the military mobilized 230-mm Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers, ground-to-ground Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) ballistic missiles and Hyunmoo-II and III missiles.

KAMD assets on display were anti-artillery radar systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 interception systems and other assets. The military also demonstrated K2 battle tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers and assault amphibious vehicles.

The demonstration of these weapons drew keen attention from foreign buyers in a sign of South Korea's growing stature in the arms industry. Earlier this year, local companies signed massive contracts with Poland to supply K2 tanks, K9 howitzers and FA-50 light attack fighters.

In the air, a team consisting of dozens of South Korean and U.S. troops staged a high-altitude low opening parachute jump.

The South Korean military also showcased a series of its bedrock air assets, including F-35A radar-evading fighters; F-15K, KF-16 and FA-50 jets; KC-330 tanker transport aircraft; and various helicopters, like Apache, Surion and Chinook choppers.

The U.S. Forces Korea also sent a set of core warplanes, including A-10 "tank killer" planes and F-16 fighters.

Those flybys were followed by a celebratory performance by the Air Force's Black Eagles aerobatic team.

Saturday's show of the country's military might came as Seoul is pushing to sharpen deterrence based on the South Korea-U.S. alliance amid concerns that Pyongyang could ratchet up tensions through a nuclear test or other provocative acts.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · October 1, 2022

8. S. Korea does not recognize Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory

S. Korea does not recognize Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · October 1, 2022

SEOUL, Oct. 1 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government said Saturday it does not recognize Russia's recent annexation of Ukrainian territory as legitimate while strongly condemning Moscow's invasion of the eastern European country.

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed treaties to annex four regions in Ukraine, following referendums in the territory late last month.

"The Korean government strongly condemns Russia's armed invasion against Ukraine as a violation of the principles of the U.N. Charter," foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said in a statement.

"The Korean government does not recognize the referenda held in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson and Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian territory as legitimate."

It also called for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence to be respected.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, Seoul has joined international sanctions against Moscow and has sent non-lethal aid to Kyiv.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · October 1, 2022

9. North Korea’s Latest Missile Tests Appear Aimed at Grabbing U.S. Attention

The petulant child acting out?

North Korea’s Latest Missile Tests Appear Aimed at Grabbing U.S. Attention

The Kim Jong Un regime’s recent quartet of launches didn’t have obvious arms-development purposes, experts said

By Dasl YoonFollow

and Timothy W. MartinFollow

Updated Sept. 30, 2022 9:17 pm ET

https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-koreas-latest-missile-tests-appear-aimed-at-grabbing-u-s-attention-11664547543?utm_source=pocket_mylist

SEOUL—North Korea has unleashed a dizzying number of missile tests this year, largely in an effort to hone its weapons capability. But the latest spree of launches appeared to be aimed more directly at getting Washington’s attention, security experts said.

Unlike its weapons activity for much of the year, the Kim Jong Un regime’s flurry of tests on Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday didn’t have obvious arms-development purposes, the experts said. The short-range ballistic missiles were familiar. The flight data didn’t impress.

Their timing—around some high-profile U.S. arrivals this week—was a return to a North Korean playbook that uses missile tests at opportune moments in an effort to provoke a policy response.

The Kim regime’s weapons provocations often serve multiple purposes to the military, North Korea’s citizenry and the outside world—often all at once. The Sunday launch featured a single ballistic missile with an estimated range of about 370 miles. That is roughly the distance between the launch site in Taechon and the South Korean port city of Busan, where hours earlier a U.S. warship had docked ahead of allied naval exercises.

Pyongyang fired ballistic missiles hours before Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in South Korea on Thursday, then fired a couple more just after Air Force Two had left for the U.S. The Saturday launch of two short-range ballistic missiles came a day after the maritime drills involving Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.

“I do think we’ve seen a return to the types of political signaling that North Korea often pursued with missile tests in 2016 and 2017,” said Ankit Panda, the Stanton senior fellow in the nuclear policy program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Vice President Kamala Harris toured the demilitarized zone near the border between North and South Korea this week.

PHOTO: LEAH MILLIS/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

During that time, North Korea’s string of escalating weapons provocations brought the Kim regime into direct confrontation with Washington. Then-President Donald Trump warned North Korea would “be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen” if the rogue nation kept threatening the U.S.

There are other signs the Kim regime may be reverting to the strategy it used during the Trump era. U.S. and South Korean officials have said the country appears to be prepared to do its first nuclear test since September 2017. A nuclear test could come sometime between the end of China’s upcoming National Congress meetings and the U.S. midterm elections, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers this week.

But the series of ballistic-missile tests this week appeared to be calibrated to avoid a broader backlash, security experts said, because they showed a capability to target military bases in the region, rather than longer-range launches.

Earlier

Kim Jong Un Says North Korea Is Ready to Use Nuclear Missiles Against U.S.

N.Korea Ranks High on Cyber Warfare Index

english.chosun.com

September 30, 2022 13:21

North Korea scores highly on in Harvard University's index of cyber warfare capabilities released Wednesday.

On the Cyber Power Index of 30 countries by the Kennedy School's Belfer Center, North Korea came 14th overall but ranked an ignominious first in the financial category.

The index evaluates cyber capabilities in eight categories -- financial, surveillance, intelligence, commerce, defense, information control, destructive and norms.

The U.S., China and Russia are in the top three and South Korea ranks seventh for overall cyber power. But in terms of ability to harness cyber power to steal money, North Korea tops the list, followed by China and Vietnam.

It assesses if countries have used cyber operations to amass wealth, including "theft by cyber means including ransomware, ransoms demanded for not publicizing information obtained via data breaches and attacking the digital infrastructure of financial institutions."

In terms of cyber defense North Korea ranks at the bottom, but it comes fifth following the U.S., Russia, China, the U.K., and Iran in terms of the destructive power of its cyber capabilities.

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U.S. Warns of N.Korean Cyber Warfare

N.Korea 'Plants Virus in S.Korean Bus Apps'

N.Korea Runs 200 Hacker Groups Overseas

Scores of Businesses Worldwide Fall Victim to N.Korean Cyber Attacks

N.Korean Hackers Attack S.Korean Agencies

U.S. Expert Calls for N.Korea's Spy Bureau to Be Neutralized

N.Korean Crime Rackets Try to Bring in Hard Currency

N.Korean Hackers Steal Hundreds of Millions of Dollars

U.S. 'Mulled Dozens of Military Options Against N.Korea'

Kim Jong-un Reinforces Security Detail

U.S. 'Mulling Cyber Strike Against N.Korea'

Kim Jong-un Appears in Public Amid S.Korea-U.S. Drills

N.Korea Hones Cyberheists into 'Almost Perfect Weapon'

english.chosun.com

11. Despite DMZ gaffe, Kamala Harris displays deft Asia diplomacy

Although in Stars and Stripes this is a Bloomberg article.

Despite DMZ gaffe, Kamala Harris displays deft Asia diplomacy

Stars and Stripes · by Justin Sink and Nancy Cook · September 30, 2022

A video screen grab shows Vice President Kamala Harris in front of a U.S. military aircraft at the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean peninsula, where she said the U.S. had a strong alliance with the Republic of North Korea. (YouTube)

WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) — Kamala Harris’s whirlwind tour of Japan and South Korea this week amounts to a microcosm for the state of her vice presidency: an ambitious, historic and increasingly confident effort still beset by the occasional high-profile gaffe.

In Japan, Harris stood alongside other world leaders at the state funeral for Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister whose assassination at a campaign event rattled a key American ally.

She delivered a carefully calibrated denunciation of China from the deck of a U.S. warship intended to reassure allies — without deepening a rift with Beijing that President Joe Biden has widened with explicit pledges to defend Taiwan from an invasion.

Harris soothed South Korean leaders angry over new U.S. tax credits for electric vehicles likely to disadvantage Asian automakers, while needling the country’s new president over gender inequities.

And at the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean peninsula, a photo-op of Harris gazing through binoculars across the heavily fortified border echoed the previous visits of five presidents.

But the clip of the vice president circulating on cable news the next morning featured an unfortunate slip of the tongue, after she said the U.S. had a “strong alliance” with “the Republic of North Korea.”

The moment illustrated the microscope of scrutiny that Harris, the nation’s first female vice president, labors under as she tries to rebuild her stature within the White House and with voters. Her first year in office was marked by rampant staff turnover, rhetorical stumbles, and struggles to address migration from Central America, her highest-profile assignment from the president.

At the DMZ, Harris clearly meant to refer to the Republic of Korea — South Korea’s official name — and she is hardly the only politician to commit such a slip. Only hours earlier, Biden made a much more awkward gaffe when he called out for a deceased congresswoman at a White House event.

Still, White House officials say perceptions of Harris within the West Wing warmed in recent months as her office staff stabilized under a new chief of staff and the former California Senator demonstrated more political acuity.

She has earned praise even from skeptics in the administration for her leadership of the White House’s response to the Supreme Court ruling striking down national abortion rights.

The vice president’s outspokenness on abortion has impressed Biden’s aides, according to a person familiar with their thinking, and is viewed as particularly helpful because the president — a nearly 80-year-old man and a practicing Catholic — can be uncomfortable speaking about the issue.

Harris, who is 57, has stood out as a key interlocutor with state and local women’s rights groups, a second person said. And she’s served as a bridge to Black, young, female and progressive voters who have not always rallied behind Biden.

She’s also shown enthusiasm for space exploration, welcoming a chance to lead the president’s National Space Council.

Many in the West Wing continue to fret that Harris’s retail political skills leave much to be desired, and her staff keep her public appearances closely managed. Her aides publicly bristled when she was given responsibility for addressing the root causes of migration from central America, and migrant flows at the Southern border have only increased.

Some in the White House say that her meticulous, prosecutorial approach to her portfolio is often risk-adverse and lacks a populist touch.

Diplomatic skills

But as her trip to Asia demonstrated, over-preparation can serve Harris well conducting high-stakes diplomacy. Abroad, she capably projects the image of a controlled and confident world leader who speaks for the president.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris during their meeting at the presidential office on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022 in Seoul, South Korea. (South Korean Presidential Office/Getty Images/TNS)

Aides say the vice president is increasingly comfortable with that role. Less than two years into her term, Harris has met with more than 100 world leaders, one White House aide noted, including high-profile trips to Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Poland, Romania, Germany and France.

Enlisting Harris to help navigate Taiwan tensions is a particular signal of trust from the West Wing, which has intensified its focus on the relationship with Beijing ahead of Biden’s November trip to Asia.

The White House is engaged in a high-stakes balancing act: The U.S. seeks to reassure allies in the region alarmed by China’s increasingly expansionist rhetoric and actions, while also maintaining a partnership with Beijing to avoid deepening trade disputes or a pivot toward Russia that could threaten American interests.

Pressure has only increased following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s August trip to Taiwan, which strained efforts to arrange a meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Speaking from the windswept deck of the USS Howard — a Navy destroyer stationed in Japan — Harris was largely able to thread the needle. She accused China of “undermining key elements of the international rules-based order” but said the U.S. would deepen its “unofficial” relationship with Taiwan, “consistent with our longstanding policy” — demonstrating a deft touch with ambiguity that has often seemed to elude Biden.

Overseas Icon

The trip also showed that while Harris struggles to gain political traction at home, she is regarded as a trailblazing icon overseas. At Abe’s funeral, she was one of just a handful of women in attendance — a female leader in a sea of men in black suits.

The same was true during a meeting with Japanese business leaders, where Harris — the lone woman at the table — spoke about the benefits of a new U.S. law for foreign semiconductor manufacturers.

Pictures of Harris meeting with leaders were splashed across the front pages of Japanese newspapers, and an announcement that she planned to visit the Philippines later this year garnered significant coverage.

North Korea met Harris’s trip to the DMZ with a response that seemed to betray that Pyongyang, at least, regarded her visit as momentous. Kim Jong-Un’s regime launched three short-range missiles into the waters east of the country in the days ahead of the vice president’s arrival, adding two more after she left for good measure.

Visit bloomberg.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Stars and Stripes · by Justin Sink and Nancy Cook · September 30, 2022

12. Ministry of State Security officers inspect cell phones on streets of border region

Information and communication are an existential threat to the regime.

Must I again recommend a comprehensive information and influence campaign?

Ministry of State Security officers inspect cell phones on streets of border region

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the North Korean authorities have redoubled efforts to stamp out the use of Chinese-made mobile phones

By Lee Chae Un - 2022.09.30 10:31am

dailynk.com

FILE PHOTO: In this photograph taken in February 2019, North Korean border guards can be seen at a checkpoint on the banks of the Yalu River in North Pyongan Province. (Daily NK)

Agents of the North Korea Ministry of State Security have recently been focusing on inspecting cell phones of people walking on the streets in North Korea’s border region, Daily NK has learned. It is unusual for state security agents to be given that job, rather than police officers or neighborhood monitors.

“People who are on the phone and other pedestrians on the streets of Hyesan have faced mobile phone checks since Sept. 10. Surprisingly, the checks are being done by agents from the provincial and municipal state security bureaus,” a source in Yanggang Province told Daily NK last Thursday.

According to the source, residents of Hyesan often conduct their phone calls on the streets rather than inside their homes because mobile signals are weak in the city. They often have to walk around to find a strong signal. That is when state security agents suddenly show up to check their phones.

“In the past, ordinary people’s mobile phones weren’t monitored very closely unless they were family members of smugglers or defectors. But more recently, state security agents have been snatching the mobile phones of people making phone calls on the street and checking meticulously for seditious music and videos on their phones,” the source said.

The state security agents who have been assigned to these phone inspections are reportedly going through phones multiple times even when they are clear of issues. This behavior is causing a great deal of irritation among people in the city.

For example, an individual surnamed Kim was stopped by state security agents on Sept. 15 when he stepped onto the street to call his son, who is in the military. Grabbing Kim’s phone from his hand, the agents demanded to know who he was talking to and what they were talking about and then inspected the text messages and video files on his phone.

Because the state security agents were in plainclothes and seized his mobile phone without any prior explanation, Kim was initially terrified by what he assumed to be a robbery.

After the agents failed to find any issues in their search of the phone, they returned it to Kim and explained that they were with the municipal bureau of the Ministry of State Security. Before they left, the agents stressed that Kim was not to tell anyone about the search.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the North Korean authorities have been trying to stamp out the use of Chinese-made mobile phones, which are capable of communicating with the outside world. But more recently, the authorities have been seeking to tighten control over people by inspecting North Korean-made mobile phones as well.

In short, the authorities know that news from the interior of the country, including Pyongyang, keeps leaking to the outside, and has mobilized state security agents to check whether secrets are being leaked through phone calls by people both in the border region and in the interior of the country. The authorities appear hopeful that doing this will prevfent people from leaking internal information.

“As people are struggling to make a living, the government is mobilizing all available methods to monitor and control the public. You can’t help but asking who exactly all these controls and inspections are supposed to benefit,” the source said.

“In the past, the authorities just wiretapped phone calls on the border and in the interior, but now state security agents are doing random mobile phone checks on the streets,” he explained, adding, “The ministry’s overbearing crackdowns and inspections will get worse before they get better.”

Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.

Read in Korean

dailynk.com

13. The truth about North Korea’s offer to send 100,000 troops to Ukraine for Russia

The truth about North Korea’s offer to send 100,000 troops to Ukraine for Russia

wearethemighty.com · by Team Mighty

In the wake of American intelligence revealing Russian purchases of North Korean weapons and ammunition, a new revelation appeared in American media: North Korea’s alleged offer to send 100,000 of its soldiers to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While that sounds wild at first glance, it caught the world’s attention for a few reasons. Russia and North Korea have longtime relations that remain amicable as both become bigger and bigger pariah states. 100,000 troops is also the estimated number of troops China used when North Korea’s invasion of South Korea in 1950 took a turn for the worst.

What sounds like a case of North Korea paying it forward isn’t all it appears to be, however. After the New York Post ran the story, news outlets around the United States began picking it up. Most, like the New York Post, referenced “a Russian state television show” as their source for the offer.

A North-Korean-built M-1978.

Referencing Russian state television is a dicey move at best, especially when none of the outlets are showing an actual clip of the offer, Russia’s acceptance, or anything else related to the offer. It turns out that “truthiness” is what’s really behind the story. It feels true, because it could be, but the real story is much less consequential.

Russia has received aid from a number of countries, mostly those hostile to the west and on good terms with Russia, or within the Russian sphere of influence. Syria, Iran, and some African countries have all provided some kind of assistance. North Korea’s recent deal to produce shells and ammo for Russian troops is just the latest.

The closest these stories get to showing the North Korean offer is a clip from Russian TV, where pundit Igor Korotchenko announces “there are reports that 100,000 North Korean volunteers are prepared to come and take part in the conflict.” But even Korotchenko’s claim isn’t backed up by any announcements from Russian or North Korean sources.

North Korean troops.

Russian propaganda outlets first mention Pyongyang’s offer to send troops with a quote from the Russian state Duma, in which Duma member Sergeri Mironov, announces the offer. The quote came from a meeting held on August 2, 2022.

“I believe that this, without exaggeration, is an historic moment! Both in the foundation of the liberated Donbas republics, and in tightening our relationship with North Korea!” Mironov says. “North Korea signaled via the diplomatic channels its willingness to support the defense of the Luhansk and Donetsk Republics… to send up to 100,000 of its soldiers to the Donbas.”

The alleged payoff for North Korea would be receiving food and wheat from the region when it’s firmly in Russian control. Though no video of the quote exists, Korotchenko would later double down on the claim in an interview with a Russian newspaper the next month.

North Korea has been vocal in its support for Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine. Along with Syria, North Korea recognized the two breakaway republics as independent nations, in line with Moscow’s own recognition. But North Korea has not made any claims or statements regarding any “volunteer” forces heading to Ukraine.

While Russia has also made no attempt to dispute the claim publicly, it has also not signaled its support for the idea or indicated that it would accept any kind of help.

wearethemighty.com · by Team Mighty

14. Sinpho South Shipyard: Activity at the Secure Boat Basin

Sinpho South Shipyard: Activity at the Secure Boat Basin

HTTPS://WWW.38NORTH.ORG/2022/09/SINPHO-SOUTH-SHIPYARD-ACTIVITY-AT-THE-SECURE-BOAT-BASIN/
BY: JACK LIU, OLLI HEINONEN AND JENNY TOWN
SEPTEMBER 30, 2022SATELLITE IMAGERY

Recent commercial of North Korea’s Sinpho South Shipyard indicates new activity at the secure boat basin. Since September 18, the submersible test barge has been repositioned within the basin. On imagery from September 29, a large, white cylindrical object was observed on the quay next to the test barge, along with a possible truck–mounted crane. The purpose of this object is unclear, but it is roughly 11.5 meters long, and around 1.4 meters wide, which is similar to the Pukguksong-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile. While this could indicate preparations for a forthcoming test, it may be unrelated as well. In September 2020, a similar white, cylindrical object of comparable size was observed—reported in a UN Panel of Experts Report—but no test took place around that time.

Figure 1. Activity at Sinpho South Shipyard.

15. US general stresses 'ironclad' alliance, decries N.K., China, Russia as threat to peace

US general stresses 'ironclad' alliance, decries N.K., China, Russia as threat to peace

koreaherald.com · by Yonhap · September 30, 2022

By Yonhap

Published : Sept 30, 2022 - 21:27 Updated : Sept 30, 2022 - 21:27

Lt. Gen. Willard M. Burleson, the commander of the Eighth US Army, speaks during the Far East Forum hosted by the Far East Broadcasting Co. in Seoul on Sept. 30, 2022, in this photo provided by the broadcaster.(Yonhap)

A top US military officer in South Korea stressed the importance of maintaining the "ironclad" alliance between the two countries Friday, as he decried North Korea, China and Russia as a threat to peace in Northeast Asia and beyond.

Lt. Gen. Willard M. Burleson, the commander of the Eighth US Army, delivered a lecture on the alliance as Seoul and Washington are moving to deepen and broaden the alliance amid Pyongyang's evolving military threats and Beijing's growing assertiveness.

"Both the United States and the Republic of Korea are confronted by more than one country that seeks to compete with our values and our way of life," the commander said during the Far East Forum hosted by the Far East Broadcasting Co. in Seoul.

"We have stood shoulder to shoulder here for years as a promise to this region that freedom and democracy are not going anywhere without a fight. And it's not just North Korea, but China and Russia also threaten peace both in Northeast Asia and the world," he added.

Noting the allies are in an "era of persistent conflict," Burleson highlighted the need for the alliance to remain robust.

"The commitment to our ROK-US alliance must remain ironclad," the general said, referring to South Korea by its official name, Republic of Korea. "It may be more important now than any time since the end of the Korean War."

Touching on the recent arrival here of the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier for allied naval drills, Burleson called attention to the flattop's motto -- "peace through strength."

"I find that (motto) to be very appropriate in the discussion and the time that we're in today," he said. "Freedom and democracy come with a cost and that cost is a commitment to ensure that our militaries deter our adversaries from undermining our values and the international rules-based order."

The commander then cited a famous quote from the movie, "Top Gun: Maverick," to underscore the importance of service members' roles for peace.

"It's not the plane, it's the pilot," he said. "That's a strong reminder ... that is the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines that make a difference and are prepared to sacrifice for our freedom and values." (Yonhap)

16. Gov’t to clarify ‘N. Korea’s invasion’ in new history curriculum

This is an effort to counter north Korean subversion of the ROK which has worked to manipulate school textbooks.

But the justification for accurately describing the Korean War could be found in UN Security resolution 82, pasted below. All schools and teachers need to do is show students what the UN described,

Gov’t to clarify ‘N. Korea’s invasion’ in new history curriculum

donga.com

Posted October. 01, 2022 07:24,

Updated October. 01, 2022 07:24

Gov’t to clarify ‘N. Korea’s invasion’ in new history curriculum. October. 01, 2022 07:24. by Sung-Min Park min@donga.com.

The South Korean government has decided to clarify that the Korean War broke out due to “North Korea’s invasion of South Korea” in the new history curriculum, which will be implemented starting with high school and middle school first graders in 2025. However, some groups’ demand to change “democracy” to “liberty and democracy” has not been accepted. The new curriculum will be finalized by the end of this year.

The education ministry publicized a revised plan for the 2022 revised education curriculum that calls for these changes on Friday. People’s opinions collected from Aug. 30 to Sept. 13 were reviewed by reviewers of different subjects to be reflected in the new curriculum. The draft curriculum, made public on the day, addresses content in subjects including Korean language, society, history, art, and physical education. The new curriculum is a guideline that defines the minimum of what is taught at school and will become the standard for writing textbooks in the future.

According to the revised curriculum, the wording “June 25 (Korean War),” which is contained in the first draft of history curriculums for middle and high schools, has been replaced with “Korean War that broke out due to North Korea’s invasion of South Korea.” As for the expression‎ “achievements and limitations of industrialization,” the word “limitations” has been removed as critics said it connotes a negative view of the development of the Korean economy.

In the society class textbook for the elementary school, the ministry has decided to replace ‘liberation’ with ‘August 15 liberation.’ The lesson on ‘the cause’ of the Korean War has also been added. As for titles in contemporary history, the wording “people who have been guarding peace and democracy” has been replaced with “efforts towards peace and reunification, and democratization and industrialization.” The suggestion to remove “sexual minority” when referring to social minority groups has not been accepted.

Many people’s opinions collected online have been accepted, but researchers insisted on their conventional beliefs about some other issues. The suggestion to replace “democracy” with “liberty and democracy” to convey the value of “liberty” in the history textbooks for middle and high schools has been rejected, as was the case for the suggestion to replace “the establishment of the Republic of Korean government” with ‘the establishment of the Republic of Korea” or “the founding of the Republic of Korea.”

The proposed revisions that have just been made public are not final. The ministry will conduct a second round of public opinion gathering. Afterward, a review by the committee on the coordination of itemized issues will be conducted, and thus there is a possibility for additional changes. The new education curriculum will be reviewed and approved by the National Education Committee, launched last month, before being publicized by the education minister at year’s end.

한국어

donga.com

https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/112025?ln=en

82 (1950). Resolution of 25 June 1950

[S/1501)

The Security Council,

Recalling the finding of the General Assembly in its resolution 293 (IV) of 21 October 1949 that the Government of the Republic of Korea is a lawfully established government having effective control and jurisdiction over that part of Korea where the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea was able to observe and consult and in which the great majority of the people of Korea reside; that this Government is based on elections which were a valid expression of the free will of the electorate of that part of Korea and which were observed by the Temporary Commission; and that this is the only such Government in Korea,

Mindful of the concern expressed by the General Assembly in its resolutions 195 (III) of l 2 December 1948 and 293 (IV) of 21 October 1949 about the conse quences which might follow unless Member States refrained from acts derogatory to the results sought to be achieved by the United Nations in bringing about the complete independence and unity of Korea; and the concern expressed that the situation described by the United Nations Commission on Korea in its report 9 menaces the safety and well-being of the Republic of Korea and of the people of Korea and might lead to open military conflict there,

Noting with grave concern the armed attack on the Republic of Korea by forces from North Korea,

Determines that this action constitutes a breach of the peace; and

Calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities;

Calls upon the authorities in North Korea to withdraw forthwith their armed forces to the 38th parallel;

Requests the United Nations Commission on Korea:

(a) To communicate its fully considered recom mendations on the situation with the least possible delay;

(b) To observe the withdrawal of North Korean forces to the 38th parallel;

Calls upon all Member States to render every assistance to the United Nations in the execution of this resolution

17. Economy comes first; there is no time to lose over political disputes

Economy comes first; there is no time to lose over political disputes

donga.com

Posted September. 29, 2022 07:37,

Updated September. 29, 2022 07:37

Economy comes first; there is no time to lose over political disputes. September. 29, 2022 07:37. .

The strengthening of the U.S. dollar, becoming stronger than ever due to the Fed’s interest rate hike by 0.75 percentage points three consecutive times, has created chaos for the global economy. The Korean won to the dollar exchange rate, which passed 1,430 won per dollar, on Monday this week broke through 1,440 won Tuesday, and appears poised to reach 1,450 won. This impacted the Korean stock market as foreign investors quickly withdrew their investments to avoid foreign exchange-related losses. Following Monday’s 3 percent plunge, the KOSPI collapsed by a further 2.45 percent below 2,200 on Wednesday.

The problem is that the impact is not expected to end here. With a plunging British pound triggered by the U.K. government’s tax cuts, a prolonged war in Ukraine, an unpredictable Russia, a Zero Covid-19 policy, and a slowing Chinese economy impacted by the U.S. counterbalance, there are several issues with potential impact on the global economy. All these circumstances raise the risk of a second foreign exchange crisis for emerging Asian economies whose foreign reserves have become depleted due to trade deficits, including Korea.

The domestic economy has contracted as many people feel that asset has been impacted by the economic situation, with housing and stock prices decreasing. The economy will contract even further if large companies hesitate to invest under these severe circumstances amid a strong dollar and recession. It is an emergency for both the global and Korean economies.

Despite such challenges, political circles remain focused on the controversy over President Yoon Suk-yeol’s swearing on video footage during his visit to the U.S. and the removal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Presidential Office and the opposition and ruling parties dispute these issues amid pending challenges that require immediate attention. The political sector appears to focus on legislative issues related to the livelihoods of the people, but they are simply catering to the needs of their political support groups. The national audit of the new government kicks off in October, but it is highly likely to turn out to be a political one.

Political disputes have always been in place, but our current economic situation can be likened to a war. Politicians claim they are concerned about the people's livelihoods, but they remain focused on matters that lead to political exhaustion and blaming. No efforts can be found to develop bi-partial solutions to address the challenges of the semiconductor industry. It is nearly impossible for the public to expect political collaboration. We do not have any time to waste. President Yoon should apologize for the incident and its impact and reach out to the opposition party. The main opposition Democratic Party should give up the idea of dismissing the foreign affairs minister through a single vote and instead focus on the economy. It is time for the President and the leaders of the opposition and ruling parties to sit at the table and put their heads together to find ways to overcome the national crisis.

한국어

donga.com

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Senior Advisor, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

Phone: 202-573-8647

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

V/R

David Maxwell

Senior Fellow

Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Phone: 202-573-8647

Personal Email: d avid.maxwell161@gmail.com

Web Site: www.fdd.org

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

Subscribe to FDD’s new podcast, Foreign Podicy

FDD is a Washington-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.

If you do not read anything else in the 2017 National Security Strategy read this on page 14:

"A democracy is only as resilient as its people. An informed and engaged citizenry is the fundamental requirement for a free and resilient nation. For generations, our society has protected free press, free speech, and free thought. Today, actors such as Russia are using information tools in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democracies. Adversaries target media, political processes, financial networks, and personal data. The American public and private sectors must recognize this and work together to defend our way of life. No external threat can be allowed to shake our shared commitment to our values, undermine our system of government, or divide our Nation."

Access NSS HERE

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