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Quotes of the Day:
"Freethinkers are those who are willing to use their minds without prejudice, and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges, or beliefs. This state of mind is not common, but it is essential for right thinking…"
– Leo Tolstoy
"People who live in an age of corruption are witty and slanderous; they know that there are other kinds of murder than by dagger or assault; they also know that whatever is well said is believed."
– Fredrich Nietzsche
“The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see.”
– Alexandra K. Trenfor
1. South Korea Promises It Will Rekindle U.S. Shipbuilding. That’s Still Far Off.
2. Pragmatic trio: China, Russia, North Korea’s triangle of convenience
3. Kim Jong Un says parades demonstrated North Korea’s military might to the world
4. Seoul’s defense chief says US troops should focus on North Korea, not China
5. North Korea, Vietnam sign deals on enhancing defense cooperation, other ties
6. How North Korea courted global friends at its ruling party celebrations
7. Defense chief says USFK's military buildup aimed at deterring N. Korea
8. High-profile chief of N.K.'s abolished body appears to retain director title
9. N. Korea's Kim pays respects at family mausoleum for party founding anniversary
10. Presidential office says U.S. shows response on some revised proposals in trade talks
11. Editorial: Parties Must Stop Dragging China into Political Strife
12. Trump expected to visit S. Korea for APEC but likely to skip leaders' summit: FM Cho
13. FM Cho says Korea reviewing new US proposal on $350 bil. investment package
14. North Korea's dangerous show of force
15. North Korea strengthens position through military, diplomacy
16. President Trump Must Treat Korea as a True Ally
1. South Korea Promises It Will Rekindle U.S. Shipbuilding. That’s Still Far Off.
From what I have heard, the state of US shipbuilding infrastructure is in terrible condition and will need huge investments of money and time.
South Korea Promises It Will Rekindle U.S. Shipbuilding. That’s Still Far Off.
Hanwha says two ships on order will be made almost entirely in South Korea
https://www.wsj.com/economy/trade/south-korea-us-shipbuilding-industry-timeline-5857c728
By Costas Paris
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Oct. 12, 2025 7:00 pm ET
The Philly Shipyard was purchased by Hanwha Group for $100 million. Hannah Beier/Bloomberg News
Quick Summary
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South Korea’s Hanwha Group is pledging to revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry, but it won’t happen soon.View more
At the Philadelphia shipyard in August, executives from its Korean parent company stood with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for a ceremony announcing $5 billion in investments and orders for 12 new ships.
Lee promised to help build a skilled workforce in the U.S., saying the shipbuilding industry would represent “growth, opportunity, dreams and hope” for young Americans.
That dream is a long way off. The two biggest ships on order—a pair of liquefied natural gas carriers—will be made almost entirely in South Korea, according to the shipyard’s owner, Hanwha Group.
The American yard doesn’t yet have the shipbuilding capabilities to make vessels that large and complex. Efforts over the past decade to build simpler LNG carriers in the U.S. have run into delays and cost overruns. Building oceangoing vessels in the U.S. now costs four or five times more than building them in China or South Korea.
President Trump has been pushing to bring commercial shipbuilding back to the U.S., citing national-security concerns. He reached a deal with South Korea in August to invest billions of dollars in U.S. shipbuilding as part of a broader trade deal.
Trump has said that the U.S. shipbuilding abilities and maritime workforce have been weakened “by decades of Government neglect.” As part of his effort to revive the domestic maritime industry, the U.S. this month plans to implement new port fees on Chinese ships calling at American ports.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and a mention of MASGA, or Make American Shipbuilding Great Again, at the Philly Shipyard this year. yonhap/epa/shutterstock
American shipyards employed more than a million people during World War II, but in the decades that followed, U.S. shipbuilding slowed to a trickle. Today, the few remaining major shipyards mostly build or repair vessels for the U.S. Navy.
Those that do produce new commercial ships mostly make small vessels for U.S. companies operating on domestic routes. American shipyards get that business thanks to a 1920 law called the Jones Act, which mandates that ships moving goods between U.S. ports must be American-built, -owned, -insured and -operated.
“Pure capital injections, even to the tune of billions of dollars, won’t be sufficient to provide the impetus for a sustainable renaissance in the U.S. shipbuilding industry,” said Basil Karatzas, chief executive of Karatzas Marine Advisors, a maritime consulting firm. It would also require a robust steel industry, a highly trained workforce and advanced engineering and design capabilities, he said.
Hanwha’s two new LNG carriers will be constructed at the company’s shipyard in Geoje, South Korea. The Philadelphia yard, which Hanwha bought last year for $100 million, will ensure that the ships meet U.S. laws and marine-safety standards, Hanwha officials said. The ships will be U.S.-flagged and will be used to move natural gas to Asia and Europe.
Over time, as technology and skills transfer to the U.S. from South Korea, the Philly Shipyard will manage a greater share of the building for Hanwha’s ships, said Hanwha Shipping Chief Executive Ryan Lynch in an interview.
Hanwha says the Philadelphia shipyard will ensure that new natural-gas vessels meet U.S. laws and standards. Hannah Beier/Bloomberg News
Hanwha has ordered 10 tankers—smaller vessels designed to move goods between U.S. ports. Hanwha has said they would be built in Philadelphia.
Their price tag will be steep. The cost of a tanker built in Philadelphia can exceed $220 million, compared with about $47 million for a tanker built in China or South Korea, according to shipyard executives and shipowners.
Hanwha hasn’t secured customers for the new tankers, Lynch said. For now, the company plans to add them to its own fleet.
America’s commercial shipping fleet includes about 150 vehicle carriers, oil tankers and containerships. Much of that Jones Act fleet is old and must be replaced, said Matt McCleery, president of the ship-financing firm Marine Money. That could provide an opportunity for Hanwha to find clients for its new tankers, he said.
Lynch said Hanwha could also help address another obstacle to expanding America’s commercial shipping fleet: a shortage of merchant mariners. Hanwha is looking to staff its two new natural-gas carriers with specially trained U.S. mariners, he said.
Write to Costas Paris at costas.paris@wsj.com
2. Pragmatic trio: China, Russia, North Korea’s triangle of convenience
Fear, weakness, desperation, and envy brought them together and will keep them together.
Excerpts:
Survival over ideology
The Russia–China–North Korea triangle shows how sanctions and isolation drive unexpected economic and strategic adaptations. It is less an alliance and more a network of necessity – improvisational and asymmetrical.
In the short term, it serves clear purposes: Russia secures supply chains and labor, North Korea gains sustenance and leverage, and China maintains influence while protecting its borders.
However, the triangle’s future depends entirely on external conditions. If sanctions ease or conflict dynamics change, the pragmatic logic sustaining this network could quickly unravel.
In essence, the triangle underscores the resilience and adaptability of states under pressure —and the limits of coercive economic policy in shaping meaningful regional outcomes.
Pragmatic trio: China, Russia, North Korea’s triangle of convenience - Asia Times
If sanctions ease or conflict dynamics change, the pragmatic logic sustaining three-way network could quickly unravel
asiatimes.com · Shamuratov Shovkat · October 10, 2025
The war in Ukraine and the resulting Western sanctions have dramatically reshaped Moscow’s external priorities.
Facing isolation from European and American markets, Russia has pivoted decisively eastward, rediscovering strategic and economic opportunities with China and North Korea. What has emerged is not a formal alliance but a pragmatic network of survival — a triangle defined less by shared ideology than by mutual necessity and the constraints of sanctions.
Russia’s pivot to the East is not new, but the urgency imposed by sanctions has intensified it. China, Russia’s largest trading partner, provides both a reliable market and a critical supply of energy, technology and manufactured goods. In 2023, China–Russia trade hit a record US$240 billion.
Meanwhile, North Korea – long isolated and dependent on China – has found renewed value in a Russia willing to engage outside formal international frameworks, with an increasing share of its trade — arguably over 90% — flowing through Chinese channels.
For Russia, engagement with Pyongyang is largely pragmatic. Moscow seeks low-cost labor, logistical support and occasionally materiel or munitions —all of which North Korea can supply.
Pyongyang, in turn, gains access to food, fuel and a degree of diplomatic leverage. The result is a network of informal economic arrangements – sometimes referred to as a “gray trade corridor” – that enables both countries to circumvent certain key aspects of international sanctions.
Partnership forged in constraints
China’s role in this triangular network is crucial. Beijing benefits from discounted Russian energy and a more stable, predictable North Korea that serves as a buffer along its northeastern border.
Yet China remains cautious, wary of becoming too entangled in Moscow’s wartime economy or North Korea’s unpredictable behavior. Officially, China enforces UN sanctions on North Korea, but in practice, it permits limited cross-border trade in its northeastern provinces, particularly Jilin and Heilongjiang.
These flows help sustain both Russia and North Korea while minimizing Beijing’s exposure to secondary sanctions. By compartmentalizing trade and diplomacy, China preserves influence without committing fully to the triangle — a classic demonstration of realpolitik in both economic and strategic terms.
Across the Russian Far East and northern North Korea, informal networks are becoming increasingly important. Thousands of North Korean workers reportedly remain in Russia, particularly in sectors such as construction and logging.
Ports like Rajin have resumed limited operations for Russian coal and other commodities. Russia also supplies North Korea with oil and food in exchange for certain goods in a pragmatic barter system that skirts formal sanctions.
This emerging “shadow economy” is modest in scale compared to global trade volumes but carries significant strategic implications. It demonstrates how sanctioned states adapt in real time, improvising trade, labor and logistics solutions to sustain economic survival.
It also allows both Moscow and Pyongyang to maintain operational flexibility without directly provoking Beijing, which prefers to act as a steady but cautious intermediary.
Asymmetry and leverage
Despite signs of trilateral cooperation, the asymmetries are stark. China’s gross domestic product (GDP) is more than 25 times the size of Russia’s – and more than 600 times that of North Korea. Beijing remains deeply integrated into global financial systems, while Moscow and Pyongyang operate largely on the periphery.
Strategic intent diverges: Russia and North Korea prioritize short-term survival, while China aims for long-term leverage over its neighbors and broader regional stability.
These imbalances shape the triangle’s dynamics. Rather than a formal alliance, the network operates as a partnership of convenience. Its durability depends more on external constraints – primarily sanctions – than on any shared strategic vision or institutionalized coordination.
The rise of this pragmatic triangle carries several regional consequences. First, it weakens the effectiveness of UN sanctions by creating routes for goods, labor and energy to move despite official restrictions.
Second, it complicates the security environment for Japan and South Korea, which must navigate the dual challenges of Russian engagement and North Korean military activity.
Third, it underscores the fragmentation of regional economic governance, as parallel networks, sanctioned-adaptive trade and informal corridors may become increasingly normalized if sanctions persist.
Yet the triangle is also inherently fragile, with largely opportunistic transactions. Russia’s war economy is unsustainable in the long term, North Korea remains chronically resource-constrained and China’s tolerance for risk is finite.
The triangle endures because external pressures make it necessary — not because its members share a mutual and lasting strategic vision.
Survival over ideology
The Russia–China–North Korea triangle shows how sanctions and isolation drive unexpected economic and strategic adaptations. It is less an alliance and more a network of necessity – improvisational and asymmetrical.
In the short term, it serves clear purposes: Russia secures supply chains and labor, North Korea gains sustenance and leverage, and China maintains influence while protecting its borders.
However, the triangle’s future depends entirely on external conditions. If sanctions ease or conflict dynamics change, the pragmatic logic sustaining this network could quickly unravel.
In essence, the triangle underscores the resilience and adaptability of states under pressure —and the limits of coercive economic policy in shaping meaningful regional outcomes.
Dr Shamuratov Shovkat is a researcher in international trade and economics at Jiangxi Fenglin College of Economy and Trade in Nanchang, China.
asiatimes.com · Shamuratov Shovkat · October 10, 2025
3. Kim Jong Un says parades demonstrated North Korea’s military might to the world
This global recognition is one of the regime's major objectives.
Here is a summary of the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kimfmaily regime:
Kim Family Regime Strategy
Vital Interest: Survival of the Kim Family Regime
Strategic Aim: Unification of the Peninsula under the rule of the GDGS.
Subversion, coercion, extortion, use of force
Key Condition: Split the ROK/US Alliance
US forces off the Peninsula
“Divide and Conquer” – Divide the Alliance and conquer the ROK
Desire: Recognition as "global"and nuclear power – negotiate SALT/START
Nuclear weapons key to deterrence/survival – Hwang Jong Yop
nK believes US will not attack a nation with nuclear weapons
Kim Jong Un says parades demonstrated North Korea’s military might to the world
Leader thanks participants in holiday events for service to state despite rain, stressing social conformity
https://www.nknews.org/2025/10/kim-jong-un-says-parades-demonstrated-north-koreas-military-might-to-the-world/
Colin Zwirko October 13, 2025
Young children from "revolutionary schools" held their arms up while holding flaming torches for long periods during the torch march | Image: KCNA (Oct. 12, 2025)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared that large-scale events to mark the 80th anniversary of the ruling party demonstrated the country’s “absolute dignity and might” to the world, gathering participants of a military parade, mass games, float parade and torch march to thank them for their “spirit of serving the state.”
Kim stressed how the events reinforced social “cohesion” as well as a “strong sense of organization and strict discipline” among the tens of thousands of participants, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Monday.
He also emphasized that a major purpose of the events was “attracting the interest and attention of the world,” saying the country “demonstrated to the whole world once again the absolute dignity and might of the Party and the state.”
“The weather was unfavorable throughout the events, yet everybody performed their role both perfectly and creditably,” he added.
Kim Jong Un delivered a brief speech at May Day Stadium on Oct. 12 before watching the mass games performance for the second time since last week | Image: KCNA (Oct. 13, 2025)
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The gathering took place at May Day Stadium, where Kim invited parade participants to watch a second performance of the mass games, after the first on Thursday.
North Korea has held such propaganda events for decades, calling them “grand mass gymnastics and artistic performances.” This year’s program was titled “Long Live the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK).”
Kim’s words on social conformity and obedience echo multiple speeches on the topic in the last week, calling for “eliminating” opposition to his rule and safeguarding his totalitarian system.
Just as the DPRK leader emphasized his “people-centered” policies while defending his autocracy last week, he sought to convince North Koreans of his sincerity and attention to the people’s concerns when thanking participants of the celebratory events.
“Throughout the celebrations I felt [appreciation] with deep gratitude and utmost sincerity. This is by no means a rhetorical expression,” he told those gathered at the stadium Sunday. “I am so grateful to all of you and you are so precious to me.”
KCNA presented the congratulatory mass games performance as being focused mostly on praising the leader, saying participants had the “honor of giving the performance again in the presence of Kim Jong Un” and that it reflected the “great era of Kim Jong Un.”
“Today’s peace and happiness and the bright future and prosperity of all generations to come [is all] thanks to Kim Jong Un,” it added, calling him “the dignity, destiny and future of Juche Korea.”
FLOAT PARADE AND TORCH MARCH
Kim attended the previous mass games performance as well as the military parade, but not the float parade and youth torch march on Saturday night, according to KCNA.
The “public procession” or civilian parade featured tens of thousands of people carrying large intricate slogans and floats, while the “torchlight gala of youth and students” involved tens of thousands more from middle school to college age carrying large flames to form political slogans and images that filled Kim Il Sung Square.
The float parade featured a new smiling portrait of Kim Jong Un, which may be displayed around the country in the future as the leader expands his cult of personality | Image: KCNA (Oct. 12, 2025)
This float features the Hwasong-19 ICBM, Hwasong-16B hypersonic IRBM, the new No. 51 naval destroyer and the No. 841 missile submarine, as well as the slogan “absolute power” | Image: KCNA (Oct. 12, 2025)
University students during the torch march held in Kim Il Sung Square march on Oct. 11 | Image: KCNA (Oct. 12, 2025)
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The state-organized event was heavily focused on once again demonstrating obedience and loyalty to the leader and WPK, with a float featuring a large new smiling portrait of Kim Jong Un for the first time. In the past, the float parades typically featured portraits only of former leaders.
Like the mass games performance, the floats and slogans in both civilian parade and torch march told state narratives on the country’s history, as well as current policies on nuclear weapons development, science and technology, farming and health care.
Meanwhile, the DPRK leader also visited Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on Sunday, KCNA reported, where former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il lie in state.
Despite shifting attention away from his predecessors and onto his own cult of personality in recent years, Kim Jong Un praised his father and grandfather during the visit, saying North Korea’s current progress would be “unthinkable” without their contributions.
He vowed to “devote himself to the sacred struggle for realizing the prosperity of the DPRK and the ideal of the people,” the report concluded.
The DPRK leader visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun as well on Oct. 12 | Image: KCNA (Oct. 13, 2025)
Edited by Bryan Betts
4. Seoul’s defense chief says US troops should focus on North Korea, not China
With all due respect the MINDEF is thinking too narrowly. Plus US troops are going to focus on what is necessary for US national security while living up to its treaty commitments in ways that support US interests.
Actually the correct statement is that the ROK/US military alliance must focus on preventing war on the Korean peninsula while achieving the strategic agility to protect mutual security interests throughout the Asia-Indo-Pacific.
But it makes no sense to protect Taiwan from attack if we lose South Korea. north Korea must be deterred from attack because war on the Korean peninsula will have global effects and they will not be good.
Lately the real strategy in Korea must focus on solving the "Korea question."
Seoul’s defense chief says US troops should focus on North Korea, not China
Ahn Gyu-back also says Russia has provided submarine tech to DPRK, while stressing need to invest in drone warfare
https://www.nknews.org/2025/10/seouls-defense-chief-says-us-troops-should-focus-on-north-korea-not-china/
Joon Ha Park October 13, 2025
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back answers lawmakers’ questions during a ministry audit before the National Assembly’s Defense Committee on Oct. 13, 2025. | Image: National Assembly via YouTube
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back told lawmakers on Monday that U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) is “solely intended to reinforce deterrence against North Korea,” drawing a clear distinction between Seoul’s defense priorities and Washington’s broader effort to counter China.
He also assessed that Russia has provided submarine technology to the DPRK in return for its military support for the invasion of Ukraine, while assessing that the South needs to ramp up investments in drone warfare to counter rapid North Korean developments in that area.
Ahn made the remarks during a parliamentary audit of the defense ministry before the National Assembly’s Defense Committee, responding in part to recent comments by U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll that American troops on the peninsula should be ready to respond to threats from both China and North Korea.
Asked about the comments, Seoul’s defense chief rejected Driscoll’s view outright, saying “I cannot agree with that statement.”
While acknowledging Washington’s broader Indo-Pacific strategy, Ahn emphasized that Seoul’s defense posture remains peninsula-focused.
“From the U.S. standpoint, it is understandable they seek to address the wider regional security environment,” he said. “But for the ROK, our foremost objective must be to counter threats from and around the peninsula — particularly from the North.”
Ahn’s comments come as the Trump administration signals a shift toward expanding USFK’s strategic role to deter China while pressing Seoul to increase its defense contributions.
At his recent confirmation hearing, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for East Asia John Noh said South Korean capabilities aimed at deterring North Korea can also help contain China.
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier T. Brunson has similarly stated that the alliance must evolve beyond focusing solely on “a nuclear-armed adversary” like North Korea, hinting at a shift toward addressing broader regional threats.
During Monday’s audit, Ahn also said China’s new strategic weapons from the Sept. 3 Victory Day parade “could pose complex threats to the security of the Korean Peninsula and the broader region,” adding that South Korea “is taking steps to prepare for such systems.”
Ahn stated that North Korea has been receiving “various technologies” from Russia related to submarines. However, he also said it is “too early” to assess whether North Korea has secured the capability to fire submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and whether Pyongyang has conducted tests using Russian technology.
When asked whether South Korea should agree to U.S. demands for higher defense spending if it created leverage to acquire a nuclear-powered submarine, Ahn said that his ministry “plans to keep all options on the table during consultations.”
He also dismissed views that his ministry supports halting live-fire training to restore the suspended 2018 inter-Korean military accord.
North Korea’s Israeli Harop-style loitering strike unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within new drone launch vehicles seen for the first time at the Oct. 10 military parade | Image: KCNA (Oct. 11, 2025)
OCTOBER 10 PARADE
Questioned by opposition lawmakers about the military’s silence on North Korea’s Oct. 10 parade, Ahn said he received intelligence from relevant offices regarding the newly unveiled Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile but said it was also “too early to assess the direct capabilities and competency” of the weapon.
Ahn also defended the lack of a National Security Meeting in response to the parade, stating that “there were no cases of holding such a meeting over the past 10 years, despite North Korea’s repeated military parades.”
Asked about the need to boost Seoul’s asymmetric capabilities in response to Pyongyang’s introduction of Israeli Harpo-style loitering drones, the defense chief acknowledged that South Korea’s development of such systems lags behind Pyongyang. But he said that Seoul has “not yet been able to identify whether North Korea has fully weaponized or mass-produced” such UAVs.
“The fact that we can’t identify them means they likely haven’t reached that stage. They may have displayed and showcased such systems for effect, but based on our tracking so far, we cannot assess that they are operational,” Ahn told lawmakers.
He added that ROK Army’s Drone Command and a drone brigade under the Ground Operations Command are the country’s only UAV formations. “That’s why I’ve proposed training 500,000 ‘drone warriors’ to form a core force and build deeper operational capability.”
Ahn also emphasized the need to reduce reliance on Chinese-made systems, citing that “more than 90 percent” of ROK drones currently use such technology.
“The 20.5 billion won within the defense budget now allocated is based on Chinese-made drones, so additional funding will be needed for domestic production. We’ll need the National Assembly’s cooperation on that,” he stressed.
North Korea has stepped up development of small UAvs and loitering munitions in recent years, leveraging experience gained through its troop deployment to fight alongside Russian forces in the Ukraine war.
More recently, Pyongyang confirmed its combat use of first person-view (FPV) attack drones in Ukraine, amid reports suggesting it has deployed workers to support Russian UAV manufacturing.
Edited by Bryan Betts
5. North Korea, Vietnam sign deals on enhancing defense cooperation, other ties
Our mutual friend, Vietnam. I wonder if we will try to establish a "Vietnam channel" for communications with the north.
North Korea, Vietnam sign deals on enhancing defense cooperation, other ties
Two sides provide no details about agreements in health care, media and more, which follow leader-level talks last week
https://www.nknews.org/2025/10/north-korea-vietnam-sign-deals-on-enhancing-defense-cooperation-other-ties/
Jooheon Kim October 13, 2025
North Korean and Vietnamese officials at a signing ceremony for cooperation agreements on Oct. 10 | Image: KCNA (Oct. 11, 2025)
North Korea and Vietnam have signed a series of agreements on increasing cooperation in fields ranging from health care and aviation to defense, raising the possibility that Hanoi seeks know-how from the DPRK’s troop deployment to Ukraine and weapons technologies.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Saturday that top officials, including the foreign and defense ministers of both countries, attended a signing ceremony for the deals at Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang on Oct. 10.
According to the Vietnamese government, the agreements cover cooperation in fields including defense, health care, culture, media, aviation, judicial assistance, investment and avoiding double taxation for their citizens.
The two sides did not provide details about the agreements, but the Vietnam News Agency reported on a cooperation deal with KCNA establishing a framework for information and staff exchanges and providing free access to English-language new and captioned photos.
The conclusion of the agreements took place against the backdrop of North Korea’s large-scale celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, which featured a mass games performance on Thursday and a military parade on Friday.
Vietnam’s ruling party chief To Lam joined DPRK leader Kim Jong Un on the viewing stand for both events. He also held one-on-one talks with Kim after arriving in Pyongyang last Thursday, reportedly affirming Hanoi’s will to strengthen bilateral ties.
Lam’s visit marked the first by Vietnam’s top-ranking leader to North Korea in 18 years, with top officials like the deputy prime minister and defense minister accompanying him.
But despite the agreement on boosting defense cooperation, neither side reported that Lam visited the ongoing Defense Development-2025 expo, where the DPRK has displayed many of its most advanced weapons, including nuclear missiles.
By contrast, Russian ruling party leader Dmitry Medvedev attended the expo while in Pyongyang last week, and then-Russian defense chief Sergei Shoigu visited a similar showcase in July 2023, which was widely seen as promoting DPRK weapons for use in the war against Ukraine.
General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee To Lam receives receives a bouquet from a North Korean boy. | Image: KCNA (Oct. 11, 2025)
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Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Sookmyung Women’s University, said Lam’s visit demonstrated solidarity between the two socialist countries.
“During the era of Kim Il Sung, there was a back-and-forth relationship with Ho Chi Minh, and that DNA still lives on,” the expert said. “But Vietnam also maintains relations with South Korea, so it conducts a very delicate, a kind of balanced diplomacy.”
Nam suggested the new defense agreement could provide Vietnam with an opportunity to strengthen its military capabilities, likely taking into account factors like North Korea’s deployment of troops to Ukraine and the opportunity to learn about modern warfare tactics.
The expert also flagged past instances where North Korea coal exports, banned under U.N. sanctions, have been illegally transshipped in Vietnamese waters. “The ROK government needs to keep an eye on such activities,” he said.
He added that the DPRK is likely seeking to expand its diplomatic influence in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through its engagement starting with Vietnam.
Kwon Sung-taek, president of the Korea-Vietnam Economic and Cultural Association, said engaging with both Koreas gives Vietnam an advantage compared with dealing only with South Korea.
But he said Vietnam heavily relies on South Korea for various defense products, including the K9 self-propelled howitzer, and that cooperation with the DPRK is unlikely to affect Vietnam’s trade with South Korea.
“At the Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul, the busiest Vietnamese diplomat is currently the defense attaché. This shows how extensive Vietnam’s military and defense-related connections are,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese journalist Hoang Phoung Ly, a reporter at Kinh Te AJU, told NK News that the media partnership with KCNA is meaningful to the Vietnam News Agency given the difficulty of directly accessing DPRK news sources.
Vietnam has pushed to restore exchanges since North Korea began loosening COVID-19 restrictions, notably dispatching a military delegation to Pyongyang in Sept. 2024 to explore ways to enhance cooperation in border defense, the defense industry, military technology, research and information sharing, among other areas.
However, Hanoi’s close ties with China and the U.S., as well as South Korea, could constrain its efforts to enhance cooperation with the DPRK, according to past NK Pro analysis, as Vietnam likely will not want to endanger its relationship with the two superpowers through military cooperation with Pyongyang.
Edited by Bryan Betts
6. How North Korea courted global friends at its ruling party celebrations
Again, the regime has long sought global recognition for its power. Are the stars lining up for a revival of "anti-imperialist ties" and north Korean leadership in the Global South and among non aligned nations?
How North Korea courted global friends at its ruling party celebrations
Despite focus on China and Russia, participants from Global South underscored DRPK push to revive anti-imperialist ties
https://www.nknews.org/2025/10/how-north-korea-courted-global-friends-at-its-ruling-party-celebrations/
Shreyas Reddy October 13, 2025
The leaders of Laos, the DPRK and Vietnam, with North Korea's Party Founding Day celebrations in the background | Images: Rodong Sinmun (Oct. 8 and 10, 2025), edited by NK News
China’s premier and the leader of Russia’s ruling party stood side-by-side with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as nuclear missiles rolled through central Pyongyang last week, once again underscoring the DPRK’s strengthened global position with its powerful neighbors at its back.
But these high-profile dignitaries were far from the only foreign guests on hand for the Workers’ Party’s 80th Founding Day festivities, with the presence of representatives from other countries and political parties shining a light on Pyongyang’s efforts to revive ties with its closest ideological partners.
North Korea friendship organizations from dozens of countries sent delegations to the capital for the holiday, demonstrating that the regime continues its efforts to nurture supporters overseas.
The attendance of pro-DPRK parties from Latin America, Africa and the Middle East also showed that Kim Il Sung’s Cold War legacy of fostering ties with the “Third World” remains alive and well under Kim Jong Un, while the participation of Southeast Asian states could offer a window into plans to boost engagement with the ASEAN bloc.
However, there are major question marks about whether North Korea can revive cooperation with historical partners as it looks to shed its pariah status, as even its friends see that there’s often more to gain by engaging Pyongyang’s far richer enemy to the south.
ADVANCING JUCHE
Among the myriad foreign delegations that descended upon Pyongyang last week were numerous representatives of international friendship organizations dedicated to promoting North Korean ideology.
Many were representatives of institutions dedicated to the study of the DPRK’s central ideal of Juche (self-reliance), representing over two dozen countries from Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America, in addition to others dedicated to the personal ideologies of North Korea’s former leaders.
While these organizations were not as prominent during the 80th Party Founding Day celebrations as the senior foreign officials holding talks with Kim, their presence highlighted Pyongyang’s longstanding efforts to spread its narratives through those sympathetic to its cause.
In the days leading up to the ruling party’s anniversary, these visitors participated in a Juche seminar led by the International Institute of the Juche Idea and Pyongyang’s Academy of Social Sciences, in which they praised Kim as “the beacon of hope of progressive mankind” and hailed the importance of Juche.
Meanwhile, North Korea’s former leaders remained prominent thanks to representatives from the Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il Foundation Conference and the International Kim Il Sung Prize Council and the International Kim Jong Il Prize Council.
The two former leaders’ positions at the top of North Korea’s political hierarchy have come under pressure in recent years due to the rise of Kim Jong Un’s growing cult of personality, but events like last week’s celebrations show that Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il remain integral to state ideology.
“At these really big events, wheeling out the father and the grandfather doesn’t do any harm, so I think it will probably continue to happen,” Peter Ward, an NK Pro contributor and research fellow at Seoul’s Sejong Institute, told NK News.
He added that Juche remains the guiding principle of Kim Jong Un’s policies despite its association with Kim Il Sung, allowing the current leader to link the continued self-reliance focus to his own agenda.
However, the expert noted that the “de-emphasizing” of the former leaders will likely get stronger over time, opening the door for a new personal philosophy representing the current leader.
“Increasingly, it looks like he’s starting to take this idea of Kimjongunism and this idea of an ideology created by him … like our-people-firstism,” Ward said.
REVIVING ‘THIRD WORLD’ FRIENDSHIPS
Attention focused on China and Russia at celebrations for the Workers’ Party, but many of North Korea’s long-time partners from non-aligned and social countries were also prominent at last week’s events.
Some of Pyongyang’s closest partners from Southeast Asia — Laos, Vietnam and Indonesia — sent high-level dignitaries to the celebrations, but Pyongyang also played host to representatives of socialist and DPRK-aligned parties from other nations including Iran, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Mexico, Brazil and Equatorial Guinea.
In some of these cases, the visiting party representatives have little influence over the country’s governance, and instead represent ideological proximity to the DPRK.
However, what they have in common is that they have all been passionate advocates for North Korea for many years, much like the Juche-related institutions.
As such, they represent convenient partners for Kim’s foreign policy outlined at the Workers’ Party’s Eighth Congress in 2021, which called for stronger relations with socialist and “anti-imperialist” countries and organizations worldwide.
In doing so, Kim effectively reverted to his grandfather’s focus on engaging with “Third World” countries that were officially non-aligned during the Cold War, alongside the socialist bloc with which Pyongyang feels a strong kinship.
“North Korea appears keen to continue leveraging the current positive momentum in its ties with countries in the Global South — particularly those with anti-Western or non-aligned orientations — to project a more legitimate and accepted image as a potential partner,” Gordon Kang, a senior analyst at Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told NK News.
Ward said this approach aligns with Kim’s focus on “enhancing the country’s approach on the world stage” by working with “potentially semi-friendly states,” and opens the door for further outreach like during the Cold War.
He suggested non-aligned countries in Central Asia or Africa, which were prized partners during Kim Il Sung’s reign and remain critical to Pyongyang’s sanctions evasion activities, could present suitable partners for influence, particularly after U.S. President Donald Trump cut assistance to these countries.
However, he questioned whether Pyongyang has much to gain from this, as it no longer appears likely to win a diplomatic competition with South Korea like the one during the Cold War.
“North Korea does not really actually have that much to offer these places beyond handshakes and warm smiles, generally speaking,” Ward said.
“It’s as much about prestige and image making as it is about actual economic contacts,” he added.
He also highlighted the absence of high-level visitors from Iran, Syria and Cuba as a sign that these countries are deprioritizing the DPRK to some extent, explaining that Tehran likely sees Pyongyang as an “unreliable and not particularly useful partner.”
Meanwhile, Syria has focused less on the DPRK since a regime change last year, while ties between Havana and Pyongyang have been less close since Cuba established diplomatic relations with South Korea last year.
ASEAN IN FOCUS
One region that emerged as a particularly significant partner for Pyongyang at the anniversary celebrations was Southeast Asia, cementing its significance as a diplomatic partner for the DPRK.
The highest-ranking official in Pyongyang last week was Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith, the only head of state to attend the celebrations. While Sisoulith did not stick around for the parade displaying North Korea’s “most powerful” nuclear missile yet, his summit with Kim and his visit to a weapons expo highlighted the close bond between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s ruling party chief To Lam received the sort of reception that would usually be reserved for a state visit, despite being neither a head of state nor head of government, and the two countries signed a series of cooperation agreements in areas including defense and foreign affairs.
Indonesia’s foreign minister Sugiono attended the military parade and held talks with his counterpart Choe Son Hui, in which he affirmed Indonesia’s readiness to facilitate closer engagement between the DPRK and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
“This marked the first high-level Indonesian delegation to Pyongyang since 2013 and, with a bilateral MOU signed to institutionalize foreign ministry consultations, it signaled a move toward more structured diplomatic engagement for future cooperation,” Kang noted.
North Korea has long been a regular participant in ASEAN and related forums, using them as rare platforms for engagement with the outside world, and Sugiono’s pledge sets the stage for even greater engagement between Pyongyang and Southeast Asia.
But the region holds interest for Pyongyang beyond diplomacy and ideological solidarity with socialist states, as countries like Laos and Cambodia have long been hotbeds of DPRK sanctions evasion activities including IT worker operations, construction and laundering through casinos.
North Korea is unlikely to attend an ASEAN summit later this month in Malaysia, with which Pyongyang no longer maintains diplomatic relations.
But Kang said the high visibility of Southeast Asian and non-aligned states at last week’s ruling party celebrations hints at future foreign policy directions.
“Pyongyang is likely to stay this course, placing emphasis on strengthening diplomatic, sociocultural and people-to-people activities with politically acceptable states and organizations — though in a more selective manner than in the past two decades, as it seeks to manage its global exposure domestically,” he said.
Edited by Bryan Betts
7. Defense chief says USFK's military buildup aimed at deterring N. Korea
The MINDEF is trying to walk the tightrope between the US and PRC. THE SECARMY is correct. We have to deal with the world as it really is and not as we would wish it to be. The PRC is already conducting malign activities in South Korea. It is a threat.
Excerpts:
"I believe the purpose of the USFK's buildup of military strength lies in deterring North Korea on the Korean Peninsula," Ahn told a parliamentary audit.
When asked about recent remarks by U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll that both North Korea and China are "basic threats" in regional security and the role of the USFK, Ahn replied, "I cannot agree with such remarks."
(2nd LD) Defense chief says USFK's military buildup aimed at deterring N. Korea | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Lee Minji · October 13, 2025
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout; RECASTS headline)
By Lee Minji
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Monday a buildup of military strength by the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) needs to be aimed at deterring North Korea.
"I believe the purpose of the USFK's buildup of military strength lies in deterring North Korea on the Korean Peninsula," Ahn told a parliamentary audit.
When asked about recent remarks by U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll that both North Korea and China are "basic threats" in regional security and the role of the USFK, Ahn replied, "I cannot agree with such remarks."
Ahn's remarks came amid speculations over a possible readjustment in the role of the 28,500-strong USFK as Washington puts an increasing emphasis on countering an assertive China in the region.
The U.S. military has rolled in a range of advanced weapons systems to South Korea this year, recently confirming the deployment of an Indirect Fire Protection Capability air defense system, dubbed the U.S. version of the Iron Dome, as well as MQ-9 Reaper drones and new surveillance aircraft.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back speaks during a parliamentary audit session held at the defense ministry in Seoul on Oct. 13, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Addressing the U.S. push for "collective security" against China, Ahn said he understands that the U.S. likely believes that actions should be jointly taken against various factors in the Indo-Pacific.
Seoul's defense chief, however, said from South Korea's point of view, the country should prioritize addressing North Korean threats on the Korean Peninsula.
Still, Ahn noted that China's new weapons systems showcased during a military parade in Beijing last month are among "complex" threats for the Korean Peninsula as well as the region, adding preparations are being made against such risks.
The defense chief reiterated his ministry's stance on the need to maintain firing drills and maneuvering training near the tense inter-Korean border despite government efforts to restore a now-suspended military tension reduction agreement.
Ahn said relevant ministries will closely cooperate on the issue going forward.
In his opening remarks for the audit session, Ahn said the military faces complex and unpredictable security threats, including North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats that gravely imperil the regional security order.
He pledged to build a strong military, armed with cutting-edge technology, while maintaining a robust readiness posture.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (C) speaks during a parliamentary audit session held at the defense ministry in Seoul on Oct. 13, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Lee Minji · October 13, 2025
8. High-profile chief of N.K.'s abolished body appears to retain director title
The north continues to conduct subversion of the South. There should be no doubt about that,
High-profile chief of N.K.'s abolished body appears to retain director title | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Park Boram · October 13, 2025
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- Ri Son-gwon, director of North Korea's now-abolished United Front Department (UFD), which handled affairs with South Korea, appears to have retained his director title even after the organ's dissolution, a North Korean report showed Monday.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Ri delivered a speech at a banquet for overseas North Koreans the previous day marking the 80th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), addressing him as "comrade director of the WPK's Central Committee."
South Korea's unification ministry said North Korea has disbanded all of its roughly 10 official organizations responsible for addressing inter-Korean issues, following leader Kim Jong-un's 2023 order to designate South Korea as its primary foe.
As part of the organizational revamp, the UFD was reportedly downgraded in status and renamed Bureau 10 of the party's Central Committee, according to the unification ministry's assessment.
Monday's KCNA report confirmed Ri's directorial status after his fate had been the subject of speculation since the UFD's abolition.
Ri has had a prominent role in North Korea's officialdom, having served as a member of the party's powerful politburo and as foreign minister from 2020-2022.
The precise status of Bureau 10 within North Korea's organizational hierarchy remains unclear.
Citing a foreigner who recently visited North Korea, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has said he heard that the UFD had taken down its signboard, but its office and personnel remain in place.
Ri Son-gwon (R, front), director of North Korea's now-abolished United Front Department, attends an event in Pyongyang marking the 70th anniversary of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, in this May 25, 2025, file photo from Korean Central Television. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · Park Boram · October 13, 2025
9. N. Korea's Kim pays respects at family mausoleum for party founding anniversary
Was Kim Ju Ae with him?
N. Korea's Kim pays respects at family mausoleum for party founding anniversary | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Park Boram · October 13, 2025
By Park Boram
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun family mausoleum to pay respects to former leaders on the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), state media said Monday.
Kim, "who organized and guided the grand celebrations of the 80th founding anniversary of the WPK in a responsible manner, respectfully presented the great glory won by the party and state to the great leaders," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
The mausoleum enshrines the embalmed bodies of the North's founder Kim Il-sung, grandfather of Kim, and Kim Jong-il, a former North Korean leader and Kim's father.
The visit came as North Korea held celebratory events last week, including a military parade, to mark the Oct. 10 party anniversary, which were attended by foreign dignitaries, including Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Vietnamese leader To Lam.
The KCNA quoted Kim as saying, "The revolutionary exploits of the great leaders who laid a solid cornerstone for the durable existence and victorious development of our party and state will be immortal along with the steady prosperity of socialist Korea."
The higher North Korea's socialist construction progresses, the more the country will uphold the former leaders' achievements, Kim said, adding, "There will be no veering and deviation in this road."
Pledging to remain faithful to the cause of the former leaders, Kim also vowed to devote himself "to the sacred struggle for realizing the prosperity of the DPRK and the ideal of the people," the KCNA said.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the country's official name.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gives a thumbs-up after celebratory performances at Pyongyang's May Day Stadium on Oct. 9, 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea, in this image captured from the Korean Central Television the next day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Park Boram · October 13, 2025
10. Presidential office says U.S. shows response on some revised proposals in trade talks
Presidential office says U.S. shows response on some revised proposals in trade talks | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Eun-jung · October 13, 2025
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The presidential office said Monday the United States has shown a response on some revised proposals in trade talks, possibly including a US$350 billion investment pledge from Seoul, as little progress has been reported in the negotiations.
South Korea and the U.S. have been in talks about details of the $350 billion package of investment in principle as the two nations agreed on a framework deal to lower U.S. tariffs against South Korean goods. Seoul has demanded Washington establish a currency swap deal because such a direct investment could trigger a financial crisis without safeguards.
In a statement, the presidential office said the U.S. has proposed a "new alternative" on the trade talks, after Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told a parliamentary audit that the government is reviewing an alternative proposal by Washington on how Seoul would finance the investment package.
"Our side submitted a revised proposal related to the financial package last month, and the U.S. side has responded to some parts," the office said, without disclosing further details, citing ongoing negotiations.
Seoul and Washington have been hashing out details of the investment package, which is tied to an agreement to lower U.S. tariffs on South Korean goods from 25 percent to 15 percent.
U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier the investment would be made "upfront," while Seoul officials argued the investment pledge was intended to finance projects rather than a cash payment and called for financial safeguards, such as a currency swap arrangement.
The Seoul government has reportedly sought to adjust the ratio of direct cash investments in the plan.
In this file photo, President Lee Jae Myung (L) gives his fountain pen as a gift to U.S. President Donald Trump during their summit at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 25, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Eun-jung · October 13, 2025
11. Editorial: Parties Must Stop Dragging China into Political Strife
But China is actively subverting South Korea through unrestricted warfare and its three warfares. There can be no denying that.
Editorial: Parties Must Stop Dragging China into Political Strife
Critics condemn parties' bills exploiting anti-Chinese sentiment for political gain
https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2025/10/13/57IGREAFE5HBTFJSSFAQZWLWZI/
By The Chosunilbo
Published 2025.10.13. 00:01
On the 29th, when visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists begins, Chinese tourists browse the duty-free shop at Shinsegae Duty Free Shop Seoul branch in Jung-gu, Seoul. /News1
The People Power Party (PPP) has decided to push forward with a party-line initiative to enact the "three major shopping prevention laws for Chinese nationals: healthcare, elections, and real estate." The PPP stated, "Our citizens cannot properly enjoy health insurance benefits, voting rights, or freedom in real estate transactions abroad," and vowed to revise laws based on reciprocity between nations. In response, the Democratic Party criticized, "They are inciting public opinion with false rumors and hatred that are not factual." This comes as the PPP is accused of exploiting anti-Chinese sentiment for political gain ahead of next year’s local elections.
The issues raised by the PPP—health insurance for foreigners, voting rights, and real estate ownership—are areas requiring institutional improvements. The Election Law grants local voting rights to foreigners aged 18 or older who have held Korean permanent residency for at least three years. In 2006, there were 6,700 foreign voters, but this number has now surpassed 140,000, with approximately 110,000 of them holding Chinese nationality. Meanwhile, South Korean citizens living abroad in countries like China and Japan do not enjoy voting rights based on reciprocity. Strengthening residency requirements and reforming the system are necessary to prevent potential political interference by specific nations. If domestic foreigners are receiving undue privileges, these must be corrected. However, labeling such reforms as the "Chinese shopping prevention law" is a politically motivated approach. A PPP lawmaker’s remark that visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists is "issuing activity permits to spies" also appears to be an attempt to provoke anti-Chinese sentiment.
The Democratic Party recently proposed a bill effectively banning anti-Chinese protests after President Lee Jae-myung publicly criticized such gatherings. The bill aims to prohibit assemblies that discriminate against or incite hatred toward specific races or nations. However, this constitutes excessive legislation that infringes on the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution. The Democratic Party has historically remained silent on or politically exploited anti-American and anti-Japanese protests. Both the "three major shopping prevention laws for Chinese nationals" and the "anti-Chinese protest ban bill" stem from the same flawed logic of weaponizing China for political conflict.
If there are problems with systems like real estate regulations or local voting rights, ruling and opposition parties should collaborate to amend laws. However, exploiting public sentiment toward specific nations for political purposes is unacceptable. This is especially true when the target is China, a country with significant implications for South Korea’s economy and security. Both the Democratic Party and the PPP must resist the temptation to drag China into political strife.
12. Trump expected to visit S. Korea for APEC but likely to skip leaders' summit: FM Cho
Trump expected to visit S. Korea for APEC but likely to skip leaders' summit: FM Cho | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Hyun-soo · October 13, 2025
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum but not likely to attend the leaders' summit, Seoul's top diplomat said Monday.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun made the remarks during a parliamentary audit of his ministry as Seoul and Washington are reportedly in talks to coordinate a two-day visit by Trump from Oct. 29-30 in the run-up to the APEC summit for Oct. 31-Nov. 1 in the southeastern city of Gyeongju.
When asked about whether Trump will visit South Korea, Cho replied, "Yes," adding that he sees a "high possibility" for Trump not to attend the APEC summit.
Trump is widely expected to attend the APEC CEO Summit set for Oct 29-31 and other events without taking part in the APEC leaders' summit.
Asked whether Trump will sit down for a summit with President Lee Jae Myung, Cho responded positively, dismissing the possibility of a pull-aside meeting between them.
"The location (for the Korea-U.S. summit) is likely to be in Gyeongju," the top diplomat said.
He also said Lee's possible talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump's potential meeting with Xi are all likely to be held in Gyeongju as well.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun responds to questions during a parliamentary audit session at the National Assembly in southern Seoul on Oct. 13, 2025. (Yonhap)
sookim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Hyun-soo · October 13, 2025
13. FM Cho says Korea reviewing new US proposal on $350 bil. investment package
FM Cho says Korea reviewing new US proposal on $350 bil. investment package - The Korea Times
The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint
Korea is reviewing an alternative proposal laid out by the United States on how Seoul would finance the $350 billion investment package reached as part of tariff negotiations with Washington, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Monday.
Cho's remarks came as Seoul and Washington have been working to settle their differences on the details of the investment package to finalize a framework deal in July that called for lowering U.S. tariffs on Korean products from 25 percent to 15 percent.
U.S. President Donald Trump earlier said the investment package would be made "upfront," while Seoul officials have countered that the investment pledge was intended to finance projects rather than a cash payment, and called for safeguards to the deal, such as a currency swap.
During a parliamentary audit of his ministry, Cho said the U.S. has offered an alternative idea for the investment deal in response to Korea's recent proposal to revise it.
"If (we should put) all of $350 billion into direct investments in the U.S., this could cause a problem in the foreign exchange (market) and have serious repercussions on the economy," Cho said.
"So we explained all of the (potential) problems to the U.S. side, and they have come up with a new alternative solution," Cho said, adding they were in the process of reviewing the proposal.
Cho reiterated the stance Monday that Korea cannot make direct investments in the form of cash to Washington, noting the U.S. had initially included loans and guarantees in the investment plan.
Cho also said Korea has delivered to the United States its "strong" will to push for modernizing the alliance with Washington, hinting at Seoul's readiness to step up its defense posture.
"The U.S. side has vowed to reaffirm the ironclad security commitment and bolster bilateral cooperation in (Washington's move to provide) extended deterrence," he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration seeks to "modernize" the decades-old alliance with Seoul in an apparent bid to ensure that U.S. forces stationed in Korea and assets can be mobilized for operations outside the Korean Peninsula to better deter threats from China.
Regarding the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Korea in two weeks, Cho said if Trump visits the , it will mark reciprocal visits by the leaders of the two nations after President Lee Jae Myung traveled to Washington in August for a summit with Trump.
"As Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Korea for the APEC summit, we will take this opportunity to restore exchanges at the leadership level between Seoul and Beijing," Cho said.
The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint
14. North Korea's dangerous show of force
The subtitle says it all.
Again, we must deal with the world and the pensinual as it really is and not as we would wish it to be.
Excerpts:
Lee has consistently pursued a conciliatory policy toward North Korea. Since announcing his candidacy for the presidential election in 2022, he has emphasized the importance of dialogue and peaceful coexistence of the two Koreas. He has rejected former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s “peace through strength” strategy, which emphasized bolstering South Korea's military deterrent.
Lee's approach is rooted in the belief that “it’s better to win without war.” Ideally, he envisions a future where the two Koreas no longer engage in hostilities, and peace emerges organically.
While that vision is noble, it is increasingly detached from current geopolitical realities.
The world is now starkly divided into two blocs: democracies led by countries like South Korea, the U.S. and Japan on one side, and autocracies like North Korea, China and Russia on the other. This division is deepening, not easing — making Lee’s vision less feasible with each passing year.
North Korea's dangerous show of force - The Korea Times
President Lee shouldn't repeat Moon's ineffective policy
The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint
North Korea unveiled new weapons of mass destruction at a military parade held Friday, including a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the United States, along with a hypersonic missile.
The ICBM, named Hwasong-20, is an upgraded version of the Hwasong series reportedly capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads.
The parade, held at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, underscored the continued sophistication of the regime’s weapons program.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was seen applauding as the new ICBM passed by. Notably, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, also attended the event. This created a powerful visual signal of strengthening ties among the three autocratic regimes.
Kim standing shoulder to shoulder with top representatives from China and Russia shows that the trilateral partnership among China, Russia and North Korea is not a one-off diplomatic gesture. It highlights a dangerous and evolving tripartite alliance that is growing more cohesive in both political and military terms.
North Korea's growing weapons capabilities pose a direct and immediate threat to South Korea. Meanwhile, the North's deepening cooperation with China and Russia — two of the world's top three military powers — raises serious concerns. If Moscow and Beijing are willing to share advanced military technologies with Pyongyang, the strategic balance in East Asia, including the Korean Peninsula, could shift in dangerous ways.
Despite these alarming developments, South Korea's Lee Jae Myung administration appears to be underplaying the security implications. A presidential official referred to the military parade as “a domestic event,” a remark that seems either naively optimistic or deliberately dismissive.
This downplaying does not likely stem from a lack of understanding. More plausibly, it reflects Lee's longstanding political posture — one that favors engagement with the North and seeks to avoid provoking Pyongyang.
Lee has consistently pursued a conciliatory policy toward North Korea. Since announcing his candidacy for the presidential election in 2022, he has emphasized the importance of dialogue and peaceful coexistence of the two Koreas. He has rejected former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s “peace through strength” strategy, which emphasized bolstering South Korea's military deterrent.
Lee's approach is rooted in the belief that “it’s better to win without war.” Ideally, he envisions a future where the two Koreas no longer engage in hostilities, and peace emerges organically.
While that vision is noble, it is increasingly detached from current geopolitical realities.
The world is now starkly divided into two blocs: democracies led by countries like South Korea, the U.S. and Japan on one side, and autocracies like North Korea, China and Russia on the other. This division is deepening, not easing — making Lee’s vision less feasible with each passing year.
For Lee's peace efforts to succeed, the two Koreas must be willing to talk in good faith. North Korea’s record shows little to no interest in such dialogue. Kim has been clear: The North will not abandon its nuclear weapons as he believes they protect him and his country from foreign invasion. During Friday’s parade, he urged his military to continue modernizing its capabilities until it becomes "unrivaled."
At this point, it is worth questioning the value of South Korea’s continued outreach to the North. What’s the point of offering peace when the other side repeatedly ignores it?
Worse, a policy of patience and goodwill could be exploited by the North to buy time — time that could be used to further enhance its nuclear and missile programs, increasing the threat to the South.
South Korea should learn from the mistakes of former President Moon Jae-in, who strove in vain to act as a peace broker between the U.S. and North Korea. His efforts ultimately failed, and Kim Jong-un made his disdain for Moon’s mediation efforts clear — even referring to them as bothersome in a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump.
Lee would be wise to reflect deeply on whether he is following in Moon’s footsteps — and whether that path is setting South Korea up for another diplomatic failure while North Korea grows more dangerous by the day.
The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint
15. North Korea strengthens position through military, diplomacy
Again, we must understand the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime.
North Korea strengthens position through military, diplomacy
Posted October. 13, 2025 07:35,
Updated October. 13, 2025 07:35
https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20251013/5896768/1
North Korea held a large-scale military parade on the night of Oct. 10 at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang to mark the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party. The event showcased the new intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-20, hypersonic missiles, and modernized conventional forces, including the Chonma-20 tank and drone launch vehicles. On the reviewing stand, Kim Jong Un, chairman of the State Affairs Commission, was flanked by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Vo Van Thuong, and Dmitry Medvedev, vice chairman of Russia’s Security Council.
The parade highlighted North Korea’s “survival diplomacy.” Last month, Kim appeared alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during China’s Victory Day parade. Just over a month later, he recreated the scene in Pyongyang with China and Russia’s second-in-command at his sides, positioning North Korea at the center of the anti-Western bloc. The country also welcomed delegations from more than 10 nations, including Vietnam and Laos, signaling it is no longer isolated. By displaying its “most powerful nuclear strategic weapons,” North Korea asserted its de facto nuclear status. Kim pledged to continue strengthening the country’s defense and said North Korea would fulfill its responsibilities in opposing injustice and hegemony.
North Korea’s elevated profile reflects confidence gained from its advanced nuclear and missile capabilities, allowing it to navigate the emerging new Cold War between the United States and China. The country has employed high-stakes tactics, including Russian troop deployments and indirect approaches to China via Russia, demonstrating its characteristic survival strategy. While this diplomatic leap shows strategic skill, Kim Jong Un is likely aware that the high point may be followed by an uncertain decline. How this elevated stance will shape future diplomacy remains to be seen.
In August, the Foreign Ministry held a bureau-level meeting emphasizing “preemptive diplomatic responses” toward rival nations, signaling an assertive approach. Just as Kim Jong Un orchestrated a dramatic pivot from near-war conditions eight years ago to dialogue after declaring North Korea’s nuclear program complete, he may stage another transformation. He has already left open the possibility of talks with U.S. President Donald Trump if the United States relaxes its insistence on denuclearization. Questions remain about whether Seoul and Washington are adequately coordinating in anticipation of any sudden North Korea-U.S. negotiations.
16. President Trump Must Treat Korea as a True Ally
Monday
October 13, 2025
President Trump Must Treat Korea as a True Ally
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-10-13/opinion/columns/President-Trump-Must-Treat-Korea-as-a-True-Ally/2418038
Published: 13 Oct. 2025, 00:04
Korea JoongAng Daily
President Trump Must Treat Korea as a True Ally
4 min
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
Park Moon-soo
The author is a chairman of Future & Values and director of the Korea Peace-making foundation.
Dear President Donald Trump,
It has been 27 years since we first worked together as business partners in 1998. The memories remain vivid and positive. Yet I am writing today not as a businessperson, but as a Korean deeply anxious about my country’s future.
Mr. President, Korea is facing a grave political and economic crisis. Anxiety reminiscent of the 1997 IMF financial meltdown is spreading across the nation. What troubles Koreans even more is the growing perception that our fate rests in your hands. It feels as if we are once again waiting for decisions made abroad, like a subordinate awaiting a ruler’s command.
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, greets Korean President Lee Jae Myung outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington on Aug. 25. [UPI/YONHAP]
For more than seven decades, the Korea-U. S. alliance has been the cornerstone of our security. It is an alliance forged in blood. The sacrifice of young American soldiers in the Korean War remains embedded in our soil, just as young Koreans fought and died alongside U.S. troops in Vietnam. Through this partnership, Korea rose from the ruins of war to become the world’s 10th-largest economy, while the United States gained a steadfast democratic partner in Asia. But the alliance has also carried tensions and asymmetries.
In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt secretly agreed to recognize Japan’s control over Korea in exchange for Japan’s acceptance of U.S. rule in the Philippines. The so-called Taft-Katsura Agreement turned Korea into a pawn on the chessboard of great powers. America ignored Korea’s freedom, and Japan seized it as a colony. That betrayal remains an enduring scar on the Korean consciousness.
Today, your words and actions evoke memories of that painful past. When Korea is spoken of as a “cash cow” or treated as an “economic colony,” it undermines the alliance and breeds deep mistrust and resentment among Koreans. Demands such as $350 billion in cash investment have provoked harsh reactions here, reviving the kind of anti-American sentiment seen during the mad cow disease protests years ago.
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You champion “America First” and the goal of making America great again. Every leader should put their nation’s interests first. But true alliances are built not on coercion, but on mutual respect. President Lee Jae Myung has made a wise proposal to you — that you be the peacemaker and he the pacemaker. His message is that Korea wishes to be a genuine partner in achieving your vision of a great America.
Such a partnership would serve both nations. Yet if your impatience or unilateral demands were to destabilize the Lee administration, it would deal a severe blow to Korean democracy. The shock waves would spread across East Asia, weakening the region’s democratic bloc and undermining America’s strategic position.
If democratic allies fall apart, the vacuum will be filled by instability and disorder. A runner without a pacemaker cannot sustain pace, and a peacemaker without a partner cannot deliver peace. The success of the Lee administration is intertwined with your own. If one falters, both fail.
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a ″Foreign Trade Barriers″ document as he delivers remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington on April 2. [REUTERS/YONHAP]
You hold the key to transforming Korea’s crisis into opportunity. I earnestly ask you to exercise leadership in resolving the stalled Korea-U. S. trade negotiations based on mutual respect and shared benefit. If you genuinely support Korea’s efforts for peace and stability, it will serve America’s long-term interests as well.
When Korea and the United States stand again as equal partners, we will together enjoy greater freedom and prosperity. And you, Mr. President, will be remembered as a leader who advanced global peace and democracy in the 21st century.
With an unwavering heart, I will continue to pray for your wisdom and for the enduring friendship between our nations.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
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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