Quotes of the Day:

"The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. Great necessities call out great virtues."

– Doris Kearns Goodwin, Leadership: In Turbulent Times

“That's the whole challenge of life - to act with honor and hope and generosity, no matter what you've drawn. You can't help when or what you were born, you may not be able to help how you die; but you can - and you should - try to pass the days between as a good man.”

~ Sam Damon in “Once an Eagle” by Anton Myrer

"I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." 

– Henry David Thoreau, from Walden

1. North Korea’s Kim Dispenses Any Fantasy of Peaceful Negotiations With the South, Warns American Ex-Envoy at Seoul

2. The Future Faces of Irregular Warfare: Great Power Competition in the 21st Century

3. N. Korea slams U.S. envoy's remarks critical of N. Korean human rights situation

4. N. Korea appears to be preparing for explosions on roads connected to S. Korea: JCS

5. N. Korean leader's sister accuses S. Korean military of flying drones over Pyongyang

6. USFK training at Pocheon live-firing complex fully restored after 6 years

7. North Korea declares 'two-state theory', emphasizes unification by force theory to soldiers

8. South Korean Government: “North Korea is trying to consolidate its weak system by using drones”

9. Expert: “Kim Jong-un is worried about ‘K-pop’ being carried by South Korean drones”

10. Inter-Korean tensions escalate over drone saga

11. President Zelensky claims North Korea sending troops to help Russia in Ukraine war

12. South Korea puts military on alert after North places artillery on fire standby

13. Forbidden melodies: Two young North Korean K-pop listeners sent to prison

14. Military to deploy homegrown infrared smoke canisters next year

1. North Korea’s Kim Dispenses Any Fantasy of Peaceful Negotiations With the South, Warns American Ex-Envoy at Seoul

I agree with the Ambassador/Admiral that it is most likely unification will occur through a catastrophic event. But that does not negate the requirement for peaceful unification planning because only peaceful unification planning will result in the comprehensive plans that are a requirement for the complete and successful integration of Korea from both sides of the DMZ.

I cannot emphasize how significant this current period of Korean history is. It is an inflection point with north Korea eliminating the hope of peaceful unification while South Korea puts forth the 8.15 unification doctrine. My next article will be to explain the misunderstanding Americans have about peaceful unification and explain how important it is to have peaceful unification as the desired end state that must drive all planning "(plans are nothing, planning is everything," so said Ike). The only acceptable durable political arrangement that supports, protects, and advances US and ROK/US alliance interests is unification. However, we must understand that the north–South relationship is zero sum – meaning neither is going to acquiesce to the domination of other (except for Im Jong Seok and those like him) and that unification is going to most likely occur due to a catastrophic event (e.g., war or regime collapse), the outcome in any case must be unification. And there is still a path to peaceful unification which is through internal change created by the Korean people in the north when they are empowered with information and the knowledge of their universal human rights (particularly Art 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human RIghts and the right to self determination). Regardless of the path, planning for peaceful unification is the only way to ensure comprehensive planning is conducted for the complete integration of the two nations in a way that creates economic growth (as Dr. Nick Eberstadt's research is revealing). Lastly, public planning for peaceful unification gives the ROK the moral high ground and is also the basis for a superior political warfare strategy to undermine the Kim family regime and empower the Korean people in the north through a comprehensive information campaign.

Hereis the outline for my next essay this week that was inspired by the panel at last week's Korean Defense Veterans Association conference. Also below Donald Kirk's article is my recommendation to the next administration to initiate a national security decision directive to support the ROK 8.15 Unification Doctrine.

Introduction

In the arena of global strategy, few regions are as critical—and as overlooked—as the Korean Peninsula. Yet, an alarming trend among U.S. policymakers has taken hold: “Unification Dismissiveness.” This indifference toward peaceful unification planning not only jeopardizes the long-term security interests of the U.S.-ROK alliance but also undermines the moral imperative of supporting the Korean people’s right to self-determination. We stand at a historical inflection point, with North Korea actively extinguishing the possibility of peaceful unification, while South Korea has responded with the visionary 8.15 unification doctrine. The stakes are too high to remain passive or assume the status quo will hold. As Dwight Eisenhower famously noted, “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” Without a deliberate plan for peaceful unification, the Korean Peninsula risks descending into chaos in the face of potential war, regime collapse, or geopolitical miscalculation. Unification must be the primary objective, driving U.S. policy to ensure a stable future that aligns with both American and South Korean interests.

The Perils of "Unification Dismissiveness": Why the U.S. Cannot Afford Complacency

(Explore the dangers of neglecting unification planning and how this weakens the ROK-U.S. alliance)

Zero-Sum Dynamics on the Peninsula: Unification as the Only Viable Outcome

(Analyze the competitive nature of the North-South relationship and the inevitability of unification through peace or conflict)

Empowering North Koreans: The Key to Internal Change and Peaceful Unification

(Describe importance of information campaigns and human rights education to foster change from within)

Public Planning and Political Warfare: Gaining the Moral High Ground

(Describe why peaceful unification public planning strengthens South Korea’s position and undermines the Kim regime through superior political strategy)

Conclusion

There is no middle ground. The only acceptable and durable political arrangement for the Korean Peninsula is unification. Policymakers in Washington must abandon outdated thinking and embrace the reality that unification—whether through peaceful transition or catastrophic change—is inevitable. A coherent strategy that prioritizes peaceful unification planning is not merely aspirational; it is essential to ensuring the economic integration and long-term stability of the region. As the Korean people in the North awaken to the knowledge of their inherent rights, the seeds of internal change will sprout. The U.S. must stand with South Korea, proactively shaping a future where unification aligns with the values of freedom, democracy, and human dignity—securing peace not just for the Korean Peninsula, but for the world. Anything less is a betrayal of the principles the U.S. claims to uphold.

North Korea’s Kim Dispenses Any Fantasy of Peaceful Negotiations With the South, Warns American Ex-Envoy at Seoul

Admiral Harry Harris says only a catastrophic event could beget a unification of the peninsula.

https://www.nysun.com/article/north-koreas-kim-dispenses-any-fantasy-of-peaceful-negotiations-with-the-south-warns-american-ex-envoy-at-seoul

Admiral Harry Harris, left, commander of the United States Pacific Command, and Vice Admiral David Johnston of the Australian navy, off the coast of Sydney, June 29, 2017. Jason Reed - pool/Getty Images

DONALD KIRK

Oct. 14, 2024 03:25 AM ET

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The only American ambassador to South Korea ever to command all American forces in the Pacific and Indian Oceans has tough advice for wishful thinkers who may fantasize about a deal for reconciliation with North Korea.

Absolutely fuhgeddaboudit was the sum and substance of a retired four-star admiral, Harry Harris, as North Korea renews fire-and-brimstone threats against Seoul and Washington, claiming its enemies had sent drones over Pyongyang.

“There will be no unification of the Korean peninsula short of a catastrophic event,” says Admiral Harris, who commanded American forces in the Pacific for three years before serving as American ambassador to South Korea between 2018 and 2021. 

Harris blames the impasse flatly on the nuclear ambitions of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, who has not only ruled out any contact with the South’s conservative government but is ordering destruction of all possible links with the South.

“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Admiral Harris tells a gathering of the Korea Defense Veterans Association at Washington. “This fire is a nuclear fire built by Kim Jong-un. We should focus on realities to meet the threat.”

Admiral Harris’s remarks are a strong warning against activists who think there’s a chance of renewing dialogue with the North while Mr. Kim builds up his relationship with Russia, to which he’s shipping artillery shells and other munitions along with military advisers serving in Ukraine.

Admiral Harris’ choice of “catastrophic” to describe the explosion that could conceivably change the course of history in Korea coincides with the language of a warning by Mr. Kim’s often outspoken younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, as the Pyongyang press published images of what it said were drones fired by South Korea.

Citing South Korea’s “crucial provocation of infringement on sovereignty” of North Korea, Ms. Kim accused the South of “resorting to the customary practice” of attempting “to escape from responsibility” for “infiltration of drones.”

Her statement, carried by Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency, was assumed to have reflected the thinking of her older brother, on whose behalf she often issues strongly worded statements. 

Mr. Kim, meanwhile, in a speech marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party, inveighed in the party newspaper Rodong Sinmun against “abuse of power, bureaucratism and acts of illegally accumulating wealth” — a recognition of the corruption permeating the elite.

North Korea’s threats have escalated simultaneously with the tightening of ties with Russia, as seen at a reception hosted by Russia’s ambassador to Pyongyang. 

At the reception, North’s foreign minister, Choe Son-hui, according to KCNA, declared “the Russian army and people will surely win victory in accomplishing the sacred cause of defending the sovereign rights and security of the country.”

Emboldened by a new agreement reached with President Putin in June, Mr. Kim has ordered destruction of railroad tracks, never used other than for test runs, built by Hyundai 20 years ago in hopes of bringing about regular North-South ties.

While North Korea sends “low-tech weapons to Russia,” says Admiral Harris, “Russia is providing North Korea with satellite technology” — also vital in long-range missiles. “We have to be ready for any eventuality,” he said. “This is not the time to relax. One mistake could lead us into crisis.” 

Mr. Kim’s missiles “point in every direction,” he warns. “He’s gotten rid of every fantasy about peaceful negotiations with South Korea.”

DONALD KIRK

Mr. Kirk, based in Seoul and Washington, has been covering Asia for decades for newspapers and magazines and is the author of books on Korea, the Vietnam War and the Philippines.

David Maxwell

As of 9/5/2024

Strategy for U.S. Support to the Republic of Korea's 8.15 Unification Doctrine

Overview: This strategic plan is modeled after Ronald Reagan's National Security Decision Directive 32, National Security Strategy (NSDD-32), emphasizing a human-rights-centered approach, the role of information and public diplomacy, and the overall objective of supporting the Republic of Korea's (ROK) 8.15 Unification Doctrine. The U.S. will assist in shaping the environment for a unified Korean Peninsula through trilateral cooperation, leveraging U.S.-ROK-Japan relations, and fostering conditions that advance the doctrine's goals.

I. Purpose

This plan outlines U.S. strategy in support of the Republic of Korea's (ROK) 8.15 Unification Doctrine, with the objective of promoting the peaceful and democratic unification of the Korean Peninsula. The plan aligns with U.S. national security interests, the advancement of human rights, and regional stability. It reflects key principles from Ronald Reagan’s NSDD-32 and incorporates a comprehensive approach based on analysis of 8.15 Unification Doctrine and the need for a robust information and human rights strategy.

II. Policy Objectives

1. Peaceful Unification: Support the ROK’s 8.15 Unification Doctrine by encouraging a peaceful process of unification that avoids conflict and builds on shared national identity.
2. Human Rights First: Prioritize the protection and promotion of human rights in north Korea as a fundamental pillar of unification. This approach ensures that the welfare of Koreans in the north is front and center during and after the unification process.
3. Deterrence and Defense: Maintain U.S. deterrence capabilities and defense commitments to ensure stability on the peninsula and counter any aggressive actions from north Korea during the unification process.
4. Public Diplomacy and Information Campaign: Utilize a comprehensive information campaign to provide north Korean citizens with uncensored access to facts about their own regime, the outside world, and the benefits of unification with the ROK.
5. International Collaboration: Leverage alliances with regional partners, including Japan, and multilateral institutions like the United Nations to create a supportive international environment for peaceful unification.

III. Strategic Guidance

1. Diplomatic Engagement:

• ROK-U.S. Coordination: Deepen diplomatic collaboration with the ROK on unification strategies and policies, ensuring synchronized messaging and goals between Washington and Seoul.
• Multilateral Forums: Support the ROK’s efforts in international forums such as the United Nations to garner global support for unification, particularly on human rights concerns in north Korea.

1. Human Rights as a Core Pillar:

• Upfront Approach: Champion the cause of north Korean human rights by pressuring the regime through international sanctions tied to human rights abuses. The human rights issue should not be subordinated to security concerns but be placed at the forefront of negotiations and strategy.
• Legal and Humanitarian Assistance: Prepare to provide legal and humanitarian assistance to north Koreans post-unification, particularly to victims of regime abuses, ensuring accountability for crimes committed by the north Korean government.

1. Security and Military Measures:

• Enhanced Deterrence: Maintain and modernize the U.S. military presence on the Korean Peninsula to deter north Korean military adventurism during the unification process.
• Interoperability and Joint Exercises: Conduct regular joint exercises with the ROK military to prepare for any contingencies, including instability in north Korea or attempts by other actors to exploit the unification process.
• Reinforce Regional Alliances: Strengthen security ties with Japan and other regional allies to ensure a coordinated response to any north Korean threats.

1. Information Campaign:

• Expand Broadcasting Efforts: Intensify U.S.-supported broadcasting efforts, such as Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, to reach north Korean audiences with information about their regime’s human rights violations and the benefits of unification under the ROK.
• Leverage Technology: Use advanced communication technology and defectors' networks to disseminate factual information within north Korea, countering regime propaganda.
• Psychological Operations: The U.S. military, in conjunction with the ROK military, launch psychological operations designed to encourage defection among north Korean elites and military officers, disobey order to attack the South and disobey order to suppress resistance among the Korean people in the north, assuring them of fair treatment post-unification.

1. Economic Integration and Development:

• Humanitarian Relief: Prepare to support humanitarian relief efforts aimed at addressing severe poverty and food insecurity in north Korea immediately following unification.
• Long-Term Economic Support: In partnership with the ROK, design long-term economic aid programs to help integrate north Korean infrastructure and economy into the broader South Korean system, reducing the economic shock of unification.

1. Contingency Planning:

• Scenario Planning: Collaborate with the ROK to prepare for various unification scenarios, from a peaceful transition to a more chaotic collapse of the north Korean regime.
• Post-Unification Governance: Assist in planning for post-unification governance, including securing nuclear weapons and providing stability in north Korea’s military, government, and security sectors.

IV. Supporting the 8.15 Unification Doctrine's Three Strategies

1. Vision of a Unified Korea Based on Liberal Democracy

• U.S. Role: Advocate for the principles of liberal democracy as the foundation of a unified Korea, supporting ROK’s constitutional commitment to peaceful unification.

• Key Actions:
• Amplify South Korea’s messaging through diplomatic channels that emphasize the moral superiority of a democratic, free Korea.
• Partner with the ROK in public diplomacy efforts to promote unification as the path to peace, prosperity, and human rights for all Koreans.

1. Internal Transformation in north Korea

• U.S. Role: Support ROK-led efforts to create conditions for internal transformation in north Korea through public diplomacy, information dissemination, and human rights campaigns.

• Key Actions:
• Foster a network of defectors to spread truthful information about the outside world, weaken regime control, and inspire internal dissent.
• Establish a combined information organization that directly engage in information operations targeting north Korean military and civilian sectors to undermine the regime’s legitimacy.

1. Trilateral Cooperation for Peace and Stability

• U.S. Role: Work closely with Japan and South Korea to operationalize trilateral security frameworks, incorporating human rights and unification goals into joint policy planning.

• Key Actions:
• Enhance trilateral diplomatic engagements with a focus on supporting the 8.15 Unification Doctrine.
• Leverage economic and cultural cooperation between the U.S., Japan, and South Korea to demonstrate the tangible benefits of a unified, peaceful Korea to north Korean citizens.

V. Seven Action Plans for Unification

The U.S. will collaborate with South Korea in the implementation of the seven action plans outlined in the 8.15 Unification Doctrine:

1. Human Rights as a Security Priority

• Integrate human rights advocacy into every aspect of U.S. policy toward north Korea, aligning it with security and diplomatic efforts.

1. Information Empowerment

• Build an information infrastructure capable of penetrating north Korean society with uncensored, truthful content that educates citizens on their rights and global realities.

1. Support for Escapees

• Establish a Defector Communication Hub to coordinate and amplify the voices of north Korean defectors in public diplomacy efforts.

1. Technological Innovations

• Invest in new technologies to bypass north Korean censorship and bolster underground communication networks within the DPRK.

1. Economic Sanctions with a Human Rights Focus

• Align future sanctions with human rights violations, focusing on holding the regime accountable for both nuclear ambitions and human rights abuses.

1. Strengthened Military Deterrence

• Maintain robust military capabilities to deter north Korean aggression while ensuring these efforts support the broader goal of peaceful unification.

1. Global Coalition Building

• Create an international coalition to support Korean unification efforts, incorporating human rights and denuclearization into a unified international agenda.

Tasking: The National Security Council shall develop a campaign plan using the methodology outlined in Presidential Decision Directive PDD 56 – The Management of Complex Contingency Operations and develop an interagency campaign plan that focuses on a human rights upfront approach, a robust public diplomacy and information campaign, and U.S support to a free and unified Korea based on the 8.15 Unification Doctrine.

V. Conclusion

The U.S. strategy to support the 8.15 Unification Doctrine rests on a multidimensional approach that incorporates diplomacy, human rights, defense, and information warfare. A peaceful and democratic Korean unification underpinned by human rights is in the interest of both the Korean people and the global community. With a focus on strategic deterrence, robust information campaigns, and regional partnerships, this plan aligns U.S. efforts with the long-term goal of a unified, free, and prosperous Korean Peninsula – A United Republic of Korea (UROK).

2. The Future Faces of Irregular Warfare: Great Power Competition in the 21st Century

The Irregular Warfare Center's 328 Page PDF can be downloaded here: https://irregularwarfarecenter.org/publications/the-future-faces-of-irregular-warfare/

Also KJU's face made the cover, there is a dearth of information about north Korean Irregular Warfare.

Although Korea is mentioned some 20 times though the publication( generally in passing) there is no single chapter on north Korea and irregular warfare. In fact this is the only substantive paragraph on north Korea in the 328 pages. Disappointing but not surprising given that there is little interest in or understanding of Korea outside of those who have been condemned within the national security community to focus on it. north Korea is just not as cool as China, Russia, Iran, and violent extremist organizations 

Now my bias aside, there are many excellent essays in this compendium by many excellent authors.  This is an excellent reference and should be used in PME and graduate level education in national security studies. There are strong contributions from APCSS, JSOU, and CISA/NDU.

Excerpt:

North Korea: Devious Hermits 

North Korea, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), decided to expand its proxy forces primarily through the Korean diaspora such as the Chosen Soren in Japan.416 The DPRK would complete its transformation into a criminal enterprise by raising capital through crypto crime, dark web dealing, synthetic methamphetamine production, the sale of its population as slave labor, and targeted assassination.417 The killing of Kim Jong Nam, Kim Jong Un’s half-brother, was a textbook example of DPRK proxy operations. Two unwitting, want-to-be actresses, one from Vietnam and the other from Indonesia, were told they were going take part in a prank show. They were trained in how to conduct the “prank,” and, after a few iterations, they were directed to conduct the prank on Kim Jong Nam in the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. However, this time the prank involved VX they were told to spray on the “target.” VX, one of the world’s most deadly nerve agents, was smuggled from the DPRK to Malaysia through state commercial airlines.418 Dramatic assassinations combining unwitting proxies and chemical warfare agents with state sponsored criminal activity sends a clear 

For anyone interested in north Korean irregular warfare I can provide these two articles. Also I will have a chapter in forthcoming JSOU publication on the north Korea threat.

Irregular Warfare on the Korean Peninsula – Thoughts on Irregular Threats for north Korea Post-Conflict and Post-Collapse: Understanding Them to Counter Them (2010

https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/irregular-warfare-on-the-korean-peninsula

Developing an Irregular Warfare Campaign for North Korea (2024)

https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/developing-an-irregular-warfare-campaign-for-north-korea/The Future Faces of Irregular Warfare: Great Power Competition in the 21st Century

The Future Faces of Irregular Warfare: Great Power Competition in the 21st Century

https://irregularwarfarecenter.org/publications/the-future-faces-of-irregular-warfare/

The Irregular Warfare Center’s first book, The Future Faces of Irregular Warfare: Great Power Competition in the 21st Century, is an edited volume of essays on the future evolutions and trends of irregular warfare and competition. Written by leading scholars and practitioners of irregular warfare and national security, the book presents a forward-leaning analysis of how IW between the U.S. and its competitors is likely to play out in several key theatres, such as the Indo-Pacific and the Baltics, and in particular issue sets, such as climate change, misinformation and disinformation, economic coercion, and counterterrorism. The book serves to fill a gap in existing literature on the future trends and applications of IW—while much work has been done on attempting to define IW and show how IW trends are at play currently, less focus has been given to the evolution of IW. As such, this volume will be an important addition to the IW debate.

3. N. Korea slams U.S. envoy's remarks critical of N. Korean human rights situation

An important indicator. Kim fears a human rights upfront approach. We need to include statements about the regime's human rights abuses every time we talk about its nuclear and missile threats because the regime must deny human rights of the Korean people in the north to remain in power and they suffer because Kim prioritizes nuclear weapons and missiles over the welfare of he people. 

Kim also can never achieve normalization and commercial investment by corporations in democratic nations because shareholders will not tolerate investing in a country with such horrendous human rights atrocities.

This is the north Korea paradox. Kim must change so that the nation and its people can survive and thrive but if he changes his legacy will be undermined and he will not survive.

N. Korea slams U.S. envoy's remarks critical of N. Korean human rights situation | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · October 14, 2024

SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Monday denounced the U.S. human rights envoy for stressing that an inflow of outside information to North Korea is a key element of Washington's policy toward the North, claiming the U.S. aims to bring down the North's system.

U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues Julie Turner and Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaack visited South Korea last week and met with key government officials to discuss ways to improve North Korea's human rights situation.

North Korea said Washington's goal is to collapse North Korea's ideology and social system, citing Turner's comments that the influx of outside information to North Korea and the spread of religion in the North is "the core pillar" of the U.S. policy toward the North, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"The U.S. should be aware that its futile 'human rights' racket will only further highlight the true colors of its 'denuclearization' policy that ended in a real flop," the KCNA said.

North Korea warned that it will "mercilessly eliminate" anything that poses a threat to its sovereignty, vowing to take measures to defend its rights and interests to the maximum.

North Korea has long bristled at outside criticism of its human rights abuses, calling it a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime.

This file photo, taken June 26, 2024, shows U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues Julie Turner speaking at a forum in Washington, D.C., the previous day. (Yonhap)

sooyeon@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · October 14, 2024

4. N. Korea appears to be preparing for explosions on roads connected to S. Korea: JCS

(3rd LD) N. Korea appears to be preparing for explosions on roads connected to S. Korea: JCS | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · October 14, 2024

(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 16-17, 19-21)

By Lee Minji and Chae Yun-hwan

SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to be preparing to carry out explosions at roads connected to South Korea as early as Monday, the South's military said, just days after Pyongyang vowed to cut off all inter-Korean roads and railways.

On Wednesday, the North's Korean People's Army (KPA) announced the measure that will "completely separate" North Korea's territory from that of South Korea and said it sent a telephone message to the U.S. military in the South to "prevent any misjudgment and accidental conflict over the fortification project."

"Following an announcement by the KPA on Oct. 9, the North Korean military has been carrying out activities assumed to be linked to explosions on the roads along the Gyeongui and Donghae lines," the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun said at a regular briefing that the military has detected the North installing screens along the roads to make preparations for the explosions.

"It is possible for (North Korea's explosions) to take place as early as today," he said.

The JCS said it is closely monitoring such activities that are taking place north of the Military Demarcation Line and seeking safety measures for troops and South Korean people.

North Korean soldiers build a strongpoint in the Demilitarized Zone in this photo taken from a South Korean observation tower in Paju, 37 kilometers northwest of Seoul, on June 4, 2024. Earlier in the day, a motion calling for the full suspension of a 2018 inter-Korean tension reduction pact was passed at a Cabinet meeting following North Korea's sending of hundreds of trash-filled balloons into South Korea in the past few days. (Yonhap)

The Koreas are connected by roads and railways along the Gyeongui line, which connects the South's western border city of Paju to the North's Kaesong, and the Donghae line along the east coast.

The latest move came as North Korea has been ramping up inter-Korean tensions and wiping out traces of unification after its leader Kim Jong-un defined the Koreas as "two hostile states" last year and has taken steps to eliminate the routes once seen as symbols of inter-Korean exchange and cooperation.

The North has since dismantled street lamps and installed mines along its side of the Gyeongui and Donghae roads as well as deployed troops to build suspected anti-tank barriers and reinforce barbed wire within the North's side of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas.

On Friday, North Korea claimed that the South had sent unmanned drones over Pyongyang three times this month. Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, warned of a "horrible disaster" if South Korean drones are flown again over the North's capital the following day.

South Korea's defense ministry declined to confirm the claim, citing strategic issues, and warned that the North will see "the end of its regime" if it causes any harm to South Koreans.

This image, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Oct. 11, 2024, shows a purported drone (in large circle) and a pack of leaflets (in small circle) that Pyongyang claims were sent by South Korea. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

In the briefing, Lee said the military is maintaining full readiness against the possibility of a provocation after the North's military ordered artillery units along the border the previous night to be fully ready to open fire.

North Korea earlier ordered eight artillery brigades to be on standby to open fire, and reinforced anti-air observation posts in Pyongyang, citing the possibility of more drone incursions, according to its state media.

"This entire situation started from North Korea and we strongly warn North Korea to stop its (launches of) vulgar and base trash balloons," Lee said.

Since late May, North Korea has launched thousands of balloons carrying trash toward South Korea in retaliation against anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets sent across the border by activists in the South.

When asked about the possibility of war between the Koreas, Lee said North Korea could carry out detonations along the inter-Korean roads or other provocative acts, such as launching a space projectile, to change the course of the recent situation with the South.

"If North Korea undertakes a provocation, we will strongly retaliate in terms of our right to self defense," he said.

The JCS has ordered troops to strengthen surveillance and firepower readiness in response to the situation, a military source said. The JCS declined to confirm the move, citing operational security.

Meanwhile, the U.S.-led U.N. Command, which oversees activities within the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas, said it was aware of North Korea's claim of drones appearing over Pyongyang and has begun to look into the issue.

"The command is investigating the matter in strict accordance with the Armistice Agreement," it said in a statement.

The U.N. Command is tasked with enforcing the armistice of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in a truce, not a permanent peace treaty.

mlee@yna.co.kr

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · October 14, 2024

5. N. Korean leader's sister accuses S. Korean military of flying drones over Pyongyang

​The evil sister and most dangerous woman in the world. We should recall she has also been sanctioned for human rights abuses.

I find it difficult to believe the ROK would send UAS/drones to Pyongyang at this time. The north Korean allegations assist Kim in portraying the South as a threat with a hostile policy, But it is only the regime that has a hostile policy toward the South and the US.

(LEAD) N. Korean leader's sister accuses S. Korean military of flying drones over Pyongyang | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Shim Sun-ah · October 14, 2024

(ATTN: RECASTS lead, paras 3, 6)

SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, accused the South Korean military on Monday of sending unmanned drones carrying leaflets over Pyongyang in recent days, while also blaming the United States for the incident.

"We clearly know that the main culprit behind the Pyongyang drone incident is the trash of the South Korean military," Kim said in a statement carried by North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency.

She, however, provided no evidence to support her claim.

On Friday, North Korea's foreign ministry claimed that South Korean drones carrying anti-North Korean leaflets were detected over Pyongyang on Oct. 3, as well as on Wednesday and Thursday last week, and warned of retaliation if the flights continued.

Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is seen in this undated file photo, captured from the North's state-run Korean Central TV. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said he could not confirm the North's allegations.

In the North's latest harsh rhetoric over the drone issue, Kim Yo-jong also called Washington responsible, saying the ultimate responsibility for the actions of the "dogs" lies with their "master."

Her statement came a day after the South Korean defense ministry condemned the North for making threats of force and warning of a "terrible catastrophe" over drone incidents without even confirming the source of the flights.

Kim earlier suggested that South Korean activist groups might be behind the drone flights, criticizing the South Korean military for failing to properly monitor such activity.

"If the military failed to properly identify civilian organizations' drones freely crossing the border, it is clearly a problem," she said in a statement Saturday.

sshim@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Shim Sun-ah · October 14, 2024

6. USFK training at Pocheon live-firing complex fully restored after 6 years

Consequently, we heard a former ROK Chairman of the JCS say last week at a conference that this is very necessary training. Our Korean military brothers know training is perishable and that this type of training is an absolute necessity.

Sometimes a nation's citizens must be reminded that the noise of military training is the sound of freedom and I do not mean that it be a flippant comment.

USFK training at Pocheon live-firing complex fully restored after 6 years | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · October 14, 2024

SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) troops are now allowed to hold full-scale drills at a firing range in Pocheon, where training had taken place in a limited manner due to safety concerns raised by residents, the defense ministry said Monday.

Under the agreement signed among the ministry, the city government of Pocheon, the 5th Corps and a committee of residents in the city, some 25 kilometers south of the Demilitarized Zone, USFK firing drills at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex had been fully restored as of Monday, the ministry said in a release.

"Through the agreement, all firing drills by the USFK, including those that involve Apache helicopters, held at the Pocheon Yeongpyeong range have been normalized," the ministry said, referring to the Korean name of the firing range.

The development came more than six years after firing drills at the range have been conducted in a limited manner following stray bullets being found in a nearby area in January 2018, in a string of safety accident that residents have protested against.

As part of the agreement, the ministry said the stakeholders agreed to launch a special committee on establishing a community sports and culture facility for residents and troops in the area.

The ministry said the agreement will help bolster the South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture by providing stable training circumstances for the USFK.

In this file photo, a U.S. Apache helicopter maneuvers over the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, 52 kilometers northeast of Seoul, on Aug. 14, 2024, as part of a rapid deployment drill. (Yonhap)

mlee@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · October 14, 2024

7. North Korea declares 'two-state theory', emphasizes unification by force theory to soldiers

Here it is. Believe these words. Kim may have given up peaceful unification but he has never given up unficiation. KJU seeks domination (as I wrote here: "Kim Jong Un: Domination, not peaceful unification" https://www.upi.com/Voices/2024/10/03/Kim-Jong-Un-domination-not-peaceful-unification/9971727969103/ )

Note that the theme of unification by domination/force has never changed.

Excerpt:

In relation to this, a military source in North Hamgyong Province (requesting anonymity for personal safety) also told Radio Free Asia on the 8th, “Recently, they are conducting educational work on the theory of unification by force within the People’s Army,” but “this theory of unification by force is a military line of the army that has in fact never changed.”

​This is a Google translation of an RFA report.

North Korea declares 'two-state theory', emphasizes unification by force theory to soldiers

Seoul-Kim Ji-eun xallsl@rfa.org

2024.10.11

North Korean tank unit training.

 /REUTERS

00:00 /02:59

Anchor : There is news that the North Korean authorities, who declared the ' two-state theory', are emphasizing the theory of unification by force against the South to soldiers . Reporter Kim Ji-eun reports on the news from inside North Korea .

A military source in North Pyongan Province (requesting anonymity due to safety concerns) told Radio Free Asia on the 7th, “Recently, political education on the unification by force concept has been conducted for soldiers within the military, ” adding , “This is in direct conflict with the two-state theory that we (North Korea) have declared to the domestic and international community.”

Propaganda video : As long as we have the great Songun revolutionary ideology of the respected Comrade Supreme Commander and the invincible ideologically strong army and the Mt Paektu revolutionary strong army colored by the revolutionary ideology of the respected Comrade Supreme Commander, the single-hearted unity with our revolutionary leadership and our style of socialism will be unshakable. All the soldiers of the People's Army should not have even the slightest illusions about the enemies blowing fragrant winds and talking about dialogue and cooperation, but should arm themselves more thoroughly with only our Party's " view on unification by force of arms " and achieve the final victory in the anti-US showdown through an all-out explosion of our spiritual strength and gun power.

The source said, “This year, political propaganda campaigns aimed at arming all soldiers politically and ideologically have become more intense,” and pointed out that “this campaign is part of the propaganda campaign to arm soldiers’ ideology with the view of unification by force as intended by the Supreme Commander.”

He also added that “the main content of the propaganda video, as claimed by the authorities, emphasizes the Supreme Command’s view of unification by force,” and “they emphasize that soldiers should not have any illusions about South Korea and foreign powers and should be thoroughly armed only with the Supreme Commander’s ( Kim Jong-un ) view of unification by force .”

Did the North reflect ' two hostile countries ' in its socialist constitution ?

North Korea, Kim Jong-il's ' Kim Il-sung's instructions for national reunification ' politically praised

In relation to this, a military source in North Hamgyong Province (requesting anonymity for personal safety) also told Radio Free Asia on the 8th, “Recently, they are conducting educational work on the theory of unification by force within the People’s Army,” but “this theory of unification by force is a military line of the army that has in fact never changed.”

The source said that the peaceful dialogue and exchanges with South Korea so far are understood to be a strategic and tactical measure to revive the poor internal economy, and pointed out that North Korea has never once given up its view of unification by force, and that this has been emphasized even more recently. 

He continued, “The recent change of political studies targeting soldiers into a video was also to maximize the visual effect and correct the soldiers’ deteriorating ideological and mental state,” adding, “This is because the ideological deviation of soldiers has become a major problem since the declaration of the two-nation theory.”

Meanwhile, North Korea's General Secretary Kim Jong-un previously defined inter-Korean relations as being completely fixed as a relationship between two hostile countries , not a relationship between compatriots or homogeneous peoples , at the 5th day meeting of the Workers' Party of Korea held on December 30, 2023 .

This is Ji-eun Kim of RFA, Radio Free Asia, in Seoul.

Editor Yang Seong-won, Web Editor Kim Sang-il

8. South Korean Government: “North Korea is trying to consolidate its weak system by using drones”

I concur with the South Korean government. This is about Kim Jong Un's internal threats. And it is internal instability and regime collapse that has the greatest potential to lead to conflict. Therefore we must be observing for the indicators of instability and not only the indicators of deliberate attack.

We must understand the" Pattern of North Korean Collapse" as Robert Collins writes here:  https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/pattern-collapse-north-korea

​This is a Google translation of an RFA report.

South Korean Government: “North Korea is trying to consolidate its weak system by using drones”

https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/101424hw-10142024043048.html

Seoul - Hong Seung-wook hongs@rfa.org

2024.10.14

A drone and leaflets sent by South Korea that North Korea released on the 11th.

Yonhap News

00:00 /04:20

Anchor : The South Korean government has concluded that North Korea's heightened tensions over the infiltration of a South Korean drone into Pyongyang's skies are an attempt to cover up internal problems within the fragile regime . Hong Seung-wook reports from Seoul .

North Korea claimed in a major statement released through state-run media on the evening of the 11th that South Korea had infiltrated Pyongyang with a drone .

They said that South Korean drones entered the skies over Pyongyang several times during the night and scattered anti-North Korean leaflets , and threatened retaliatory measures if such incidents were repeated .

In relation to this, South Korea's Ministry of Unification released an assessment on the 14th that the background to North Korea's attempt to heighten tensions is an intention to unite the vulnerable regime . These are the words of South Korea's Ministry of Unification spokesperson Koo Byung-sam .

[ Koo Byung-sam, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification ] North Korea has been continuously creating, exaggerating, and using external crises and tensions to consolidate its vulnerable regime and control its people . We believe that this sudden and unusual drone incident is also intended to have a similar intention .

The Ministry of Unification stated that “ North Korea has been escalating crisis situations for internal needs or other purposes when necessary , ” citing the bombing of the inter-Korean liaison office in 2020 and the planting of wooden box mines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in 2015 as examples .

He continued , “ There may be an intention to accumulate a pretext for provocation and create anxiety and confusion within Korean society . ”

He also emphasized that “ regardless of North Korea’s intentions, they will never achieve what they want through threats and provocations . ”

The Ministry of Unification responded to a question asking about the possibility of dialogue following the request by Vice Department Director of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Yo-jong for so-called " measures to prevent recurrence , " saying that South Korean President Yoon Seok- yeol had already proposed a dialogue consultative body when he announced the "August 15 Unification Doctrine . "

Regarding the claim that North Korea used drones to scatter leaflets, the government stated, “ It is not appropriate to respond to North Korea’s claims one by one and confirm the facts . ”

Regarding the distribution of anti-North Korea leaflets by civic groups in South Korea, he said, “ There is no change in the position that has been maintained consistently ,” and hinted at his intention to follow the ruling of the South Korean Constitutional Court to respect freedom of expression .

Expert: “ Kim Jong-un is worried about ‘K- pop’ carrying South Korean drones ”

State Department: Concerns about Strengthening Cooperation Between North Korea and Russia After North Korea's Suicide Drone Reveal

The South Korean military criticized North Korea for making unilateral claims without mentioning the drones and garbage balloons it sent . Lee Sung-joon, public relations officer for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, said :

[ Lee Sung-joon , Public Relations Director of the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff ] They claim that a drone appeared in the skies over Pyongyang , but they are not even able to confirm the source of the drone and are placing the responsibility on the South . They are also keeping quiet about taking responsibility for sending drones to the South on more than 10 occasions . This is nothing but putting the cart before the horse .

The South Korean military then strongly demanded that North Korea “ stop scattering low-level trash balloons . ”

As North Korea's preparations to blow up the Gyeongui Line and Donghae Line roads were captured by South Korean military surveillance equipment, a pile of dirt (red circle) is seen near a structure on the Gyeongui Line road in the northern part of the western front demilitarized zone (DMZ) as seen from the border area in Paju, Gyeonggi Province on the 14th. / Yonhap News

Regarding the current situation, the possibility of North Korea carrying out provocations was not ruled out .

The military authorities stated that they are preparing for this, saying , “ There is a possibility that North Korea will launch a space launch vehicle in order to change the situation , or carry out a show-off explosion on the Gyeongui Line or Donghae Line . ”

In particular, regarding the detection of signs that North Korea appears to be preparing to blow up the Donghae Line and Gyeongui Line roads, he assessed, “ They have installed a barrier on the road and are making preparations to blow up the road behind it, ” and “ It could happen as early as today . ”

Regarding the space launch vehicle, it was predicted that North Korean authorities may launch it at an early date, as there are circumstances where they are continuously improving satellites and conducting related experiments .

Military authorities on both sides remain at odds over North Korea's claim that a South Korean drone infiltrated Pyongyang .

North Korea's state-run media reported on the 12th that the General Staff of the Korean People's Army had ordered artillery units near the border to full-fire readiness and strengthened Pyongyang's air defense surveillance posts .

On the 13th , the South Korean Ministry of Defense announced to North Korea, “ We clearly warn that if you threaten the safety of the South Korean people, that day will be the end of the North Korean regime . ”

This is Hong Seung-wook of RFA's Radio Free Asia in Seoul .

Editor Yang Seong-won

9. Expert: “Kim Jong-un is worried about ‘K-pop’ being carried by South Korean drones”

​I do not consider myself an expert, only a student of the Korea problem/Korea question. But I think the headline is referring to Dr. Bennett.

And I did not say UAS/drones are changing the "nature" of war. I said it is changing the "character." That must be a translation issue.

But I would like to see something a little more sophisticated than simply K-Pop (though that is very important too) in terms of an information campaign for the Korean people in the north as I have written here: "The power of fiction: Why North Korea needs its own 'Moon is Down'" https://www.upi.com/Voices/2024/09/23/power-of-fiction-North-Korea-needs-Moon-is-Down/1521727105563/

Comments from Dr. Bruce Bennett and me are below.

This is a Google translation of an RFA report.

Expert: “Kim Jong-un is worried about ‘K-pop’ being carried by South Korean drones”

WASHINGTON-Kim So-young kimso@rfa.org

2024.10.11

South Korean drone seen in Pyongyang, North Korea claims.

 /Yonhap News

00:00 /03:36

Anchor :  North Korea criticized South Korea for sending a drone carrying anti-North Korea leaflets into Pyongyang without permission, but an expert analysis has shown that what General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong-un is truly concerned about is the inflow of outside information through drones . Reporter Kim So-young reports.

North Korea claimed on the 11th through its state-run media that a South Korean drone entered the skies over Pyongyang and scattered anti -North Korea leaflets .

They also released drone footage taken from the sky and photos of bundles of anti-North Korea leaflets dropped from the drone as evidence.

North Korean authorities said South Korea sent drones late at night on the 3rd , 9th , and 10th , and threatened retaliatory measures if such incidents occur again . 

On that day, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff ( JCS ) said in a text message to reporters, “ We cannot confirm the truth of North Korea’s claims, ” but added that North Korea is “ carrying out despicable, low-level, and internationally shameful provocations such as the dropping of filth and trash balloons . ”

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said , " We urge North Korea to exercise self-restraint and refrain from rash actions, " and " We will resolutely and thoroughly punish any threat to the safety of our people . "

David Maxwell, deputy director of the Asia-Pacific Strategy Center, told Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 11th that “ drones and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are changing the nature of war and conflict ,” and pointed out that “ as their capabilities continue to evolve, they pose more complex and dangerous challenges . ”

Deputy Maxwell predicted that North Korea could develop drones in a variety of forms, from expensive government-level drone systems to simple, inexpensive commercial drone systems.

He added that “ since drones are relatively difficult to detect and defend against, this type of intrusion across the Military Demarcation Line (DMZ) from both North and South Korea could continue .”

Deputy Maxwell also emphasized that while North Korean authorities claim that drone incursions are intrusions into North Korean airspace and are viewed as hostile acts, what the North Korean regime fears is information that could be leaked into North Korea via drones from South Korea.

The South Korean government then predicted that it could identify the source of the drones sent to North Korea and ask them to refrain from doing so.

Anti-North Korea leaflets scattered in Pyongyang, as claimed by North Korea. /Yonhap News

Bruce Bennett, a senior researcher at the RAND Corporation, a U.S. research institute, also said in a phone call with Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the same day that General Secretary Kim is most afraid of information about the outside world, such as Korean music and dramas, that can be easily brought in via drones .

Researcher Bennett : ( The people who sent the drones ) believe that if the people see or read the leaflets or USBs they sent to Pyongyang , it could weaken the North Korean regime . That's why the North Korean regime is very worried . Kim Jong - un doesn't want the people to have access to outside information .

Researcher Bennett also pointed out that it would be realistically difficult for either South or North Korea to detect and shoot down small drones with radar.

He uses ' radar cross section' to intercept missiles and the like, but if it is activated to detect objects the size of a drone, it could be mistaken for a drone whenever a bird of similar size and shape flies in the air .

Radar cross-section is a technology used to detect distant objects, such as approaching enemy equipment or tracking their movements, by measuring the reflected waves generated from the object.

Meanwhile, in August , North Korea reported through state-run media that it had supervised the performance tests of various drones made by the Weapons Research Institute of the Academy of Defense Science on site , and revealed two types of suicide drones for the first time .

North Korea also sent garbage balloons toward South Korea for the first time on May 28, and has been sending garbage balloons 27 times through the early morning of the 11th .

North Korea Disperses Trash Balloons Against South Korea … 24th Time This Year

US Expert: “ Possibility of Applying Russian Technology to North Korean Suicide Drones ”

State Department: “ Concerns about Strengthening Cooperation Between North Korea and Russia ” after North Korea’s Suicide Drone Reveal

This is Kim So-young from RFA  Free Asia Broadcasting.

Editor  Park Jeong-woo ,  Web Editor Kim Sang-il

10. Inter-Korean tensions escalate over drone saga

In addition to this helping the regime to externalize its internal problems by creating a threat from the South, the increased tensions supports blackmail diplomacy which is the use of threats, increased tensions, and provocations to gain political and economic concessions.

Inter-Korean tensions escalate over drone saga

The Korea Times · October 14, 2024

A TV screen shows a news report at Seoul Station, Seoul, Monday, about a statement by Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warning of a "horrible disaster" in response to South Korea's alleged drone incursion. EPA-Yonhap

South Korean military vows strong retaliation against any provocation by Pyongyang

By Lee Hyo-jin

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have intensified sharply after North Korea ordered its artillery units near the border to be fully prepared to open fire, citing alleged threats from South Korean drone incursions, according to military officials, Monday.

North Korea has accused South Korean drones of dropping anti-Pyongyang leaflets over its capital on three separate occasions earlier this month, a claim that the South Korean military has stated it cannot verify.

According to the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea's artillery units along the border were ordered late Sunday to be fully prepared to open fire.

"The General Staff of the Korean People's Army issued a directive on Oct. 12, instructing artillery combined units and other key units along the border to prepare for immediate fire," a spokesperson for North Korea's Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.

The directive instructed eight artillery brigades to be ready in accordance with wartime operational protocols by 8 p.m. on Sunday, the KCNA said.

North Korea stated that the move was in response to "a high possibility of additional intrusions" by South Korean drones and warned that such a situation requires an immediate strike. The statement also suggested that the situation could escalate into a broader armed conflict.

In response, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday that it is closely monitoring North Korean military movements and is fully prepared for potential provocations.

"The root cause of these tensions is North Korea. We strongly urge them to cease their vulgar actions, such as launching balloons filled with trash," JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun said during a briefing.

Lee said North Korea might be preparing for small-scale provocations, the launch of a military satellite or severing roads along the Donghae and Gyeongui rail lines as a show of force.

Earlier in the day, the South Korean military detected a barricade set up near the railways, which could be interpreted as a last-minute preparation to block access to the roads. This development follows North Korea's announcement on Wednesday to completely sever all roads and railways linked to South Korea and to strengthen its border.

In response to Pyongyang's potential provocations, Lee stated that the military would "strongly retaliate" in self-defense.

However, he remained tight-lipped about North Korea's drone incursion claim, including whether it actually took place or the origin of its launch, maintaining that the military cannot confirm the North's assertions.

A North Korean military guard post, top, and a South Korean post, bottom, are seen from Paju, Gyeonggi Province, near the inter-Korean border, Thursday. AP-Yonhap

"The enemies have their own intentions behind making such public claims, but our goal is to avoid being misled by them. Additionally, if we confirm or disclose any details about the drone's route, it could lead to internal conflicts here," the spokesperson said.

The Ministry of Unification echoed a similar stance regarding the drones, stating that it would not be swayed by North Korea's allegations.

"North Korea has repeatedly fabricated and exaggerated external crises to consolidate its vulnerable regime and control its people. This sudden drone incident appears to have a similar purpose," ministry spokesperson Goo Byung-sam said during a briefing.

"Also, the North may be trying to justify future provocations or incite anxiety and confusion within our society. Regardless of its intentions, North Korea will not achieve its goals through threats and provocations."

Opposition lawmakers have criticized the government's ambiguous stance on the drone incident, arguing that its "neither confirm nor deny" approach fails to alleviate public anxiety regarding the unstable situation.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea said Monday it would launch an internal review committee on national security aimed at assessing the government's measures regarding inter-Korean tensions. The committee, headed by Rep. Park Ji-won, former chief of the National Intelligence Service, includes diplomat-turned-lawmaker Rep. Wi Sung-lak and retired Army Gen. Rep. Kim Byung-joo.

"While it is clear that North Korea is the party that initially triggered unnecessary tensions, our defense ministry must also maintain a thorough readiness and issue a clear statement on North Korea's claims regarding the drone leaflets," party spokesperson Rep. Hwang Jeong-ah said.

The Korea Times · October 14, 2024

11.  President Zelensky claims North Korea sending troops to help Russia in Ukraine war

President Zelensky claims North Korea sending troops to help Russia in Ukraine war

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-10-14/national/northKorea/President-Zelensky-claims-North-Korea-sending-troops-to-help-Russia-in-Ukraine-war/2154490

Published: 14 Oct. 2024, 15:50

• 
  
• LIM JEONG-WON
• lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr

Korea JoongAng Daily

President Zelensky claims North Korea sending troops to help Russia in Ukraine war

3 min

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives at the San Damaso courtyard before meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Sunday that North Korea is sending not only weapons but also troops to support Russia in a show of deepening military ties between the two countries.

"We see an increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like North Korea," Zelensky said in his evening address on Sunday, according to the Kyiv Independent. "This is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about transferring people from North Korea to the occupying military forces."

Zelensky further said that Ukraine’s front-line troops need “more support” to prevent a bigger war.

Zelensky's remarks Sunday are interpreted as an extension of his recent request for military and financial support for Ukraine during his tour of the United States and Europe.

Related Article

Reports of North Korean soldiers in Ukraine may show Russia's desperation: U.S. offiicial

North Korea 'highly likely' to deploy troops to Ukraine to help Russia: South's defense minister

Pentagon calls North Korea 'complicit' in Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Zelensky met with the leaders of Germany, Britain, France and Italy during his visits to those countries last week to ask for support. He also planned to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden, but Biden's side postponed the meeting in response to Hurricane Milton.

Ukraine has requested support from the West since early this month, claiming that North Korea is intervening in support of Russia. On Oct. 3, Ukrainian media Kyiv Post reported that six North Korean soldiers had been killed in a missile attack by the Ukrainian military near the city of Donetsk the previous day.

On Thursday, The Guardian reported, citing Ukrainian sources, that North Korea had dispatched dozens of military technicians to the front lines to support the operation of North Korean ballistic missiles sent to Russia.

Advertisement: 0:27

South Korea is also closely monitoring the military alliance between Russia and North Korea.

“Since Russia and North Korea have a mutual agreement that is almost like a military alliance, we believe it is highly likely that [the North] will send troops,” South Korea’s Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said on Oct. 8 during a National Assembly Defense Committee state audit.

On the other hand, a spokesperson for the Kremlin issued a statement on Thursday dismissing the rumors of North Korea’s involvement, including the dispatch of troops, as “fake news.”

As the war between Russia and Ukraine drags on, claims that a Russian fighter jet was shot down after an exchange with a Ukrainian fighter jet have been raised for the first time.

The Kyiv Post reported on Saturday that pro-Kremlin military bloggers "have claimed that [Ukrainian] F-16 fighter jets shot down a Russian Su-34 fighter jet that was dropping KAB glide bombs over the Ukrainian-occupied Kursk region in northwestern Russia.”

The Su-34 is a multipurpose, twin-engine, all-weather supersonic medium-range warplane that entered the Russian Air Force service in 2014.

The possibility of a Russian Su-34 fighter jet being shot down by Ukrainian fighter jets soon spread on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. There were also reports that the Russian pilot did not escape safely.

However, the two sides have not yet revealed their official positions. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday that it had deployed Su-34 fighter jets near the border in the Kursk region of western Russia and dropped glide bombs on Ukrainian military strongholds and areas where troops were concentrated, Reuters reported.

If the shooting down of the Russian fighter jet by Ukraine is confirmed, it would represent the first victory of the F-16 in Ukraine, local media say. It would also be the Ukrainian military's most significant accomplishment since its partial occupation of Russia's Kursk region on Aug. 6.

BY HAN JEE-HYE,LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]

12. South Korea puts military on alert after North places artillery on fire standby

​Of course it must do this. We have to take every threat from the north seriously. But we need to understand why the regime is doing what it is doing and it is important for the ROK ot es[lain this to the Korean people in the South. People in the ROK and the US must be inoculated against the regime's political warfare strategy.

Remember that we think war is politics by other means. But for the north, politics is war by other means (and as Mao said, "War is politics with bloodshed and politics is war without bloodshed"). Everything is warfare and struggle for the north and we need to understand that and expose it.

South Korea puts military on alert after North places artillery on fire standby

Published: 14 Oct. 2024, 14:59

Updated: 14 Oct. 2024, 18:03

• 
  
• LIM JEONG-WON
• lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr

Korea JoongAng Daily

South Korea puts military on alert after North places artillery on fire standby

4 min

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

The area around the Kaesong Industrial Complex connected to the Gyeongui Line road in the western front of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) as seen from the border area of Paju, Gyeonggi on Monday. [YONHAP]

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Monday issued guidelines to military units to strengthen their alertness and firepower readiness in response to North Korea’s heightened threat levels to the South.

The South's military has also detected signs that the North may be preparing to blow up roads linking the two countries as early as today.  

Related Article

Sister of North Korea's leader threatens South with 'horrible disaster' as war of words continues

Late Sunday, North Korea ordered an artillery corps near the border with South Korea to fully prepare to fire, according to a report by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

“The JCS issued guidelines to strengthen the overall necessary readiness posture,” a South Korean military source said.

Related Article

North Korea condemns U.S. human rights envoy's call for open information

North Korea issues directive for artillery brigades as tensions with South rise

Seoul warns of end to North Korean regime over reaction to alleged drone incursion

Some North Korean trash balloons equipped with GPS transmitters: JCS

“We are closely monitoring the North Korean military’s movements, and our own military is on standby,” a JCS official said. “We cannot confirm specific operational details at this time.”

North Korea has been raising the level of threats against the South by claiming that South Korean drones have infiltrated the skies over Pyongyang several times.

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, threatened in a statement released through KCNA on Saturday that “the moment that a drone of South Korea is discovered in the sky over our capital city once again will certainly lead to a horrible disaster.”

Advertisement: 0:12

The General Staff of the North Korean military issued an operational preparatory directive on Saturday to "artillery combined forces near the border and units assigned important firepower missions" to prepare for full-scale fighting, according to the KCNA on Sunday.

The operational preparatory directive included putting eight artillery brigades on a firing standby by 8 p.m. Sunday, and completing various operation security projects.

“Our military is closely monitoring the North Korean military’s movements and is fully prepared for the possibility of actual provocations,” said Lee Sung-joon, the public relations director of the South’s JCS, during a regular press briefing Monday.

North Korea claimed that South Korean drones infiltrated Pyongyang on Oct. 3, 9 and 10 and scattered anti-North leaflets, but the South’s military has taken an official position that it “cannot confirm” the facts.

“They claim that a drone appeared in the skies over Pyongyang, but they have not even confirmed where the drones came from and are blaming the South for it,” said Lee when asked whether the military has identified the source of the drones.

“At the same time, North Korea is keeping quiet about its responsibility for sending drones into the South more than 10 times, and this cannot be anything other than a double standard,” said Lee. “We strongly warn North Korea to stop sending dirty and low-level trash-laden balloons to South Korea first.”

When asked about the possibility of North Korea launching an all-out war, Lee responded that “North Korea may launch a space launch vehicle to change the situation or conduct a show-off explosion on the Gyeongui or Donghae lines, and the military is preparing for such a case.”

“Since North Korea is continuously upgrading their satellites and conducting necessary experiments, another space launch vehicle being launched is not imminent, but they might launch one early,” said Lee.

Regarding North Korea preparing to blow up the Gyeongui and Donghae line roads, Lee said the North“has installed a barrier on the roads and is preparing to blow up the road behind it, and it may happen as early as today.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department announced Monday that Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell will visit Seoul on Wednesday to discuss concerns surrounding North Korea's provocations with senior South Korean government officials.

"Deputy Secretary Campbell will meet with senior South Korean officials in Seoul to discuss bilateral cooperation to strengthen security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and shared regional and global challenges, including shared concerns surrounding North Korea's provocations on the Korean Peninsula," the State Department said in a press release.

The State Department also reported that the trilateral foreign ministers' meeting between South Korea, the United States, and Japan, to be held in Seoul on Wednesday during Deputy Secretary Campbell's visit to South Korea will focus on threats from North Korea and the importance of compliance with international law in the South China Sea. 

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]

13. Forbidden melodies: Two young North Korean K-pop listeners sent to prison

Any outside information or entertainment is a threat to the regime.

We need to really think through our information campaigning.

•      Information campaign – focus on the three target audiences: regime elite, 2d tier leadership, and the Korean people in the north.

o   The five principles of information: (1) massive quantities of information from news to entertainment; (2) practical information from market activity to organization for collective action; (3) facts and the truth about north Korea and the outside world; (4) understanding of the universal human rights for all people; (5) Voices from north Korean escapees to tell their stories of success

o   Major theme: Kim’s strategy has failed to achieve his objectives.

o   To counter nK propaganda we must recognize the Kim family regime’s strategy(s), understand the strategy(s), EXPOSE the strategy(s) to inoculate the Korean and American publics and the international community, and attack the strategy(s) with a superior form of political warfare (led by information).

Forbidden melodies: Two young North Korean K-pop listeners sent to prison - Daily NK English

"This case has Jagang province buzzing," a source told Daily NK. "It's unusual for young students to be sent to prison just for consuming K-pop"

By Seulkee Jang - October 14, 2024

dailynk.com · by Seulkee Jang · October 14, 2024

An illustration of a North Korean prison camp. (Adobe Firefly)

In early September, two 15-year-old North Korean boys were sent to a political prison camp for listening to K-pop, according to a source in Jagang province recently.

The boys, classmates and friends, were unremarkable students with no notable academic or social records. Their troubles began when they allowed a few classmates to listen to South Korean songs on their MP3 players.

Their arrest came after a classmate reported them to state security agents. Investigators discovered dozens of South Korean songs on the boys’ devices.

The punishment was particularly severe because the boys had not only listened to music from the “puppet state” – North Korea’s derogatory term for South Korea – but had also shared it with others.

Until recently, North Koreans often consumed South Korean media on cell phones. However, increased monitoring has led to a sharp decline in this practice.

As a result, MP3 players have gained popularity. These devices are easier to conceal or discard during searches, according to sources.

A week after the boys’ detention, their families vanished, casting a shadow over the community.

Daily NK understands that both sets of parents have been sent to concentration camps – effectively a life sentence – for failing to properly raise their children. Even the boys’ siblings were imprisoned under guilt by association.

The incident has shocked neighbors.

“This case has Jagang province buzzing,” a source said. “It’s unusual for young students to be sent to prison just for consuming K-pop.

“Many view sending entire families to camps over some South Korean songs as extreme. Some speculate that the regime is making an example of these families to instill fear in Jagang province, given its concentration of munitions factories and military facilities, and to shield the population from capitalist influences,” the source added.

The North Korean regime has recently enacted several laws aimed at strengthening ideological loyalty among the younger generation. These include the DPRK Law of Rejecting Reactionary Ideology and Culture in 2020, the Youth Education Guarantee Law in 2021, and the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Act in 2023.

The Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.

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

Read in Korean

dailynk.com · by Seulkee Jang · October 14, 2024

14. Military to deploy homegrown infrared smoke canisters next year

Military to deploy homegrown infrared smoke canisters next year

The Korea Times · October 14, 2024

This undated image provided by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) shows an infrared smoke canister scheduled for full deployment in 2025. Yonhap

The military will deploy homegrown infrared smoke screen canisters in full scale next year, the state arms procurement agency said Monday, amid efforts to introduce improved equipment to protect troops.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) signed a 7.5 billion-won ($5.5 million) deal with Samyang Chemical to produce the canisters that are designed to emit smoke to block or disrupt infrared sensors from this year to 2026.

The country's existing smoke screen canisters that have been in use since the 1980s are unable to shield troops from infrared light, making them vulnerable to surveillance equipment or guided weapons that use the technology.

DAPA said the new canisters for ground and maritime operations completed development in 2020 and will undergo full-fledged deployment next year.

DAPA said the canisters are expected to minimize possible damage to troop health, noting that testing confirmed the smoke emitted to be non-carcinogenic and low in toxicity to the human body and the environment. (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · October 14, 2024

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