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Quotes of the Day:
"Most people don't want to be part of the process, they just want to be part of the outcome. The process is where you figure out who's worth being part of the outcome."
– Alex Morton
"The simple step of the courageous individual is not to take part in the lie."
– Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
"The general population doesn't know what's happening, and it doesn't know that it doesn't know."
– Noam Chomsky
1. Trump's return and the North Korea question: An urgent call for a realistic strategy
2. Analysis: South Korea as an early target for Trump
3. N. Korea stays silent on Trump's win for 1 week
4. U.S. confirms N. Korean troops have begun engaging in combat operations in Russia's Kursk region
5. S. Korea, U.S., Japan to hold 2nd trilateral Freedom Edge exercise this week
6. Mounting fatigue among N. Korean students over increased indoctrination lectures
7. North Korea adds foreign exchange features to e-payment apps
8. How Trump’s picks for top posts could shape North Korea policy in second term
9. Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun: Trump Will Make North Korea a Key Agenda Item
10. Blinken: “We will resolutely respond to North Korea’s deployment to Ukraine”
11. 'America First' policy and America's interests (A Korean view)
12. Advancing Korean American legislators
13. North Korea will not engage in U.S. dialogue while receiving payments from Russia, South Korea adviser says
14. Why Yoon golfing is so controversial
15. Will Russia exposure leave North Korean troops wanting more?
1. Trump's return and the North Korea question: An urgent call for a realistic strategy
Useful and important insights from the north Korean diaspora.
Excerpts:
Additionally, Trump must prioritize North Korean human rights. For years, North Korea has remained one of the world's most repressive regimes, denying its people basic freedoms and subjecting them to brutal repression. President Trump has an opportunity to incorporate human rights into the North Korea dialogue, working with South Korea, Japan, and, when possible, China, to pressure North Korea toward reforms. This approach would bolster American credibility and demonstrate a principled commitment to the people of North Korea, who deserve the same rights and freedoms enjoyed in much of the world.
If Trump genuinely wants to secure a legacy on the Korean peninsula, he must focus not just on holding summits but on achieving tangible results. His previous meetings with Kim were historic but ultimately failed to bring about real change. To make a difference, Trump needs a team equipped with a deep understanding of North Korea and a realistic strategy to dismantle its nuclear program.
If we have learned anything from history, it's that North Korea will continue to seek out ways to delay, manipulate, and leverage its nuclear status for maximum advantage. That's why a new approach, grounded in pressure and pragmatism, is essential. Trump's administration must be clear-eyed and recognize the complex challenge of dealing with North Korea, pursuing not just optics but outcomes.
Only a clear, principled, and strategic approach will prevent North Korea from further embedding itself as a nuclear power.
Voices Nov. 12, 2024 / 1:09 PM
Trump's return and the North Korea question: An urgent call for a realistic strategy
https://www.upi.com/Voices/2024/11/12/Donald-Trump-North-Korea-strategy/3901731433459/
By Ri Jong Ho
Upon Donald Trump's return to the White House, only a clear, principled, and strategic approach will prevent North Korea from further embedding itself as a nuclear power. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 12 (UPI) -- As Donald Trump returns to the White House, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un must be feeling complex emotions. For North Korea, the U.S. presidency -- just a four-year term -- is almost a blink of an eye compared to Kim's extended grip on power. Yet, who leads the United States profoundly affects North Korea's politics, economy, and international standing. And while Pyongyang's interest in U.S. elections has grown over the years, North Korea is under no illusion that a new administration will bring significant changes to American policy. However, if President Trump is to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, his administration must adopt a realistic and principled strategy toward North Korea.
Trump's previous interactions with Kim Jong Un drew global attention and marked a bold shift from conventional diplomacy. But they were ultimately symbolic rather than substantive. To be frank, Trump's meetings with Kim did not bring North Korea any closer to denuclearization. Instead, they lent Kim a certain legitimacy on the world stage -- one that he has leveraged with increasing confidence, aligning more closely with powers like Russia.
Since his first term, Trump has portrayed Kim as a "friend," a stance that weakens U.S. credibility and sacrifices universal values. I would caution against this approach. Kim Jong Un is not a democratically elected leader. He presides over an authoritarian state with a track record of severe human rights abuses. Praising such a figure harms American values and lowers the nation's standing. The world needs to see American leaders as advocates for freedom, dignity, and human rights, not as casual supporters of despots.
Trump may have returned to power with promises to reduce conflicts and improve global relations, but his second term faces unprecedented challenges. Beyond North Korea, he must contend with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, China's rising threat to Taiwan, and volatile relations in the Middle East. All of this while managing U.S.-China competition and persistent domestic concerns. In such a climate, North Korea will not be the top priority, and North Korea knows this. Kim Jong Un has observed that each American administration struggles to address its relationship with Pyongyang meaningfully, and his regime has become adept at exploiting these dynamics.
Related
Yet if Trump aims to make real progress, he must shift from grand gestures to concrete, practical steps. He could start by showing that North Korea's nuclear program poses a direct threat to Kim's regime survival. Without denuclearization, there should be no guaranteed security for Kim. Anything less than this stance merely allows North Korea to continue its game of delay, holding onto its nuclear arsenal while enjoying intermittent economic relief.
Trump's transactional approach -- "one for one" negotiations -- may yield some results. For example, he might be able to negotiate the temporary freezing or dismantling of select North Korean nuclear facilities in exchange for modest sanctions relief or limited economic support. But any agreement must be coupled with robust verification mechanisms. Without that, Kim will simply wait out Trump's term while keeping his nuclear ambitions intact.
Additionally, Trump must prioritize North Korean human rights. For years, North Korea has remained one of the world's most repressive regimes, denying its people basic freedoms and subjecting them to brutal repression. President Trump has an opportunity to incorporate human rights into the North Korea dialogue, working with South Korea, Japan, and, when possible, China, to pressure North Korea toward reforms. This approach would bolster American credibility and demonstrate a principled commitment to the people of North Korea, who deserve the same rights and freedoms enjoyed in much of the world.
If Trump genuinely wants to secure a legacy on the Korean peninsula, he must focus not just on holding summits but on achieving tangible results. His previous meetings with Kim were historic but ultimately failed to bring about real change. To make a difference, Trump needs a team equipped with a deep understanding of North Korea and a realistic strategy to dismantle its nuclear program.
If we have learned anything from history, it's that North Korea will continue to seek out ways to delay, manipulate, and leverage its nuclear status for maximum advantage. That's why a new approach, grounded in pressure and pragmatism, is essential. Trump's administration must be clear-eyed and recognize the complex challenge of dealing with North Korea, pursuing not just optics but outcomes.
Only a clear, principled, and strategic approach will prevent North Korea from further embedding itself as a nuclear power.
Ri Jong Ho is a former senior North Korean economic official who served under all three leaders of the Kim family regime. His most recent role was in Dalian, China, where he headed the Korea Daehung Trading Corporation, overseen by the clandestine Office 39 under the direct control of the ruling Kim family. Before his assignment in Dalian, Jong Ho held pivotal positions, including Executive Director of the Daehung General Bureau of the North Korean Workers' Party, a role equivalent to Vice-Minister rank in the North Korean party-state. Subsequently, he was appointed Chairman of the Korea Kumgang Economic Development Group (KKG) under the North Korean Defense Committee by Kim Jong Il. Jong Ho is a recipient of the Hero of Labor Award, the highest civilian honor in North Korea. Following a series of brutal purges by Kim Jong Un, he defected with his family to South Korea in late 2014. Currently, Jong Ho resides in the greater Washington D.C. area.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
2. Analysis: South Korea as an early target for Trump
I fail to see how extorting more money from South Korea is a foreign policy "win."
I think what is more important is to be sure that our presence in Northeast Asia is about securing US interests. We are not there simply as a mercenary force solely focused on contributing to the defense of the region.
It is also important to understand that South Korea, just like NATO countries and Japan, does not pay the US directly with any type of funds. They pay for services (local work forces that supports the military, ultiaites, and certainly facilities and training area contribucion). The specific types of support provided are per the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and other related documents.
Aslo, I recall that during the first Trump administration when the demand was for $5 billion, the US negotiators were having a difficult time identifying $5 billion worth of service, utilities,and contributions projects that were in accordance with the SOFA. They could not raise the authorized support to $5 billion level.
But for the author, Professor Robertson, how does successfully extorting money from an ally count as a foreign policy "win?"
Ironically, one of the best gifts the Biden Administration is providing to the Trump administration are strong alliances. These alliances could serve the President-elect very well especially in regards to China. They will help him win the strategic competition with China as well as contributing to strengthening US defense capabilities. In Korea's case, this includes shipbuilding, artillery ammunition resupply, and contributions to NATO and other countries of advanced military equipment and weapons systems.
Analysis
Analysis: South Korea as an early target for Trump
South Korea represents low-hanging fruit for Trump to demonstrate his strength on foreign policy and achieve quick wins in his presidential term.
https://www.junotane.com/p/south-korea-as-an-early-target-for-trump?utm
Nov 12, 2024
Event or Trend: Donald Trump's election victory has reignited concerns in South Korea over his approach to alliances. These concerns stem from his criticisms of South Korea's defense cost-sharing contributions and his claim that South Korea is a "money machine". Recent developments suggest South Korea could become an early focal point for Trump's foreign policy strategy.
Significance: South Korea plays a pivotal role in the U.S. security strategy in East Asia, serving as a critical ally in countering North Korea and balancing China's influence in the region. Trump's past rhetoric and policies toward South Korea highlight a transactional view of alliances, where financial contributions often outweigh traditional strategic considerations. This makes South Korea particularly vulnerable to renewed scrutiny. Understanding this dynamic is crucial for policymakers, international businesses, and stakeholders reliant on stable U.S.-South Korea relations. Renewed tensions could disrupt regional security, impact bilateral trade, and strain diplomatic ties, creating ripple effects across global markets and geopolitical landscapes.
Analysis: During his first term, Donald Trump frequently criticized South Korea for not contributing sufficiently to its own defense. His administration demanded a significant increase in South Korea's financial contributions under the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), which governs U.S. troop costs on the peninsula. Trump’s transactional approach strained U.S.-South Korea relations, with negotiations nearly collapsing in 2020.
During the election campaign his rhetoric continued to emphasize the need for allies to shoulder more of the financial burden for defense, signaling potential challenges for South Korea.
South Korea’s decision to renegotiate the SMA on 4 November 2024, immediately before the election, will be viewed as an affront to Donald Trump. It essentially taunts the incoming president with the unbacked claim that he cannot increase South Korea’s payment.
The deal allows South Korea to pay 1.52 trillion won (US$1.19 billion) from 2026, up 8.3 percent from 1.4 trillion won in 2025 with increases linked to the consumer price index as opposed to defense budget until 2030. It effectively reduces the higher payments made under Trump’s first administration. The visuals of signing the deal immediately before the election are not ideal and will appear as an affront.
South Korea represents low-hanging fruit for Trump to demonstrate his strength on foreign policy and achieve quick wins in his presidential administration.
South Korea does not have the backing of a community like European Union or NATO member states, and does not have the same degree of influence and cultural affinity as AUKUS members Australia and the United Kingdom. The EU, NATO and AUKUS members currently face uncertainities and remain concerned regarding Trump’s previous statements and his plans for a second term. South Korea has reasons to be more concerned.
Trump’s prior demands for increased defense contributions from Seoul suggest that South Korea will once again face substantial pressure. Demands to again renegotiate the SMA will exacerbate tensions and the Yoon Administration will resist.
Economically, Trump’s policies will also impact South Korea’s industries. The Trump Administration previously imposed tariffs on South Korean products, particularly in the steel and automotive sectors. A renewed focus on trade imbalances could revive protectionist measures, disrupting supply chains and affecting businesses on both sides. Public sentiment in South Korea could also deteriorate, as Trump’s rhetoric and demands are likely to provoke criticism and resentment among the South Korean public.
The focus on South Korea might stem from broader efforts to showcase Trump's strength in dealing with allies, rather than specific grievances against Seoul. Alternatively, his administration could prioritize other allies, such as Japan or NATO countries, depending on the political and strategic calculus, and influence of senior advisors.
The resurgence of Trump’s rhetoric on alliances signals a potential shift in U.S.-South Korea relations. Diplomats should closely monitor public statements targeting South Korea’s SMA payment and trade policies. South Korea’s responses, both politically and in public opinion, will also be key indicators of the trajectory of the relationship.
Outlook: In the short term (0-12 months), South Korea is likely to face increased demands for higher defense contributions and possible renegotiations of the SMA. Over the medium term (1-5 years), these pressures could lead to a reevaluation of U.S.-South Korea alliance dynamics, with South Korea potentially seeking closer ties with other regional powers. In the long term (5-10 years), the alliance could undergo significant restructuring, impacting both regional security and economic relationships.
3. N. Korea stays silent on Trump's win for 1 week
Wait and see. Who will make the first move? But it is too early to tell and the President-elect cannot do anything prior to inauguration.
N. Korea stays silent on Trump's win for 1 week | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · November 13, 2024
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Nov. 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has remained mum about former U.S. President Donald Trump's reelection for a week, despite the significance the outcome might hold for the North's leader Kim Jong-un and his regime.
As of early Wednesday, none of the North's state media had published any articles, commentaries or broadcasts about Trump's election victory, although this is not rare considering that it took a similar course in the past.
North Korea has a track record of delaying reports on U.S. presidential election outcomes. When Trump won his first presidency in 2016, it took 10 days for Pyongyang to mention his election victory in an article in a state mouthpiece about criticizing South Korea.
As for the election of President Joe Biden, the North had stayed silent for more than two months before it first reported on the news in a propaganda outlet, after Biden was formally sworn in.
It was hardly any different with Barack Obama's consecutive wins.
North Korea's silence raises questions about why the recalcitrant regime is choosing this approach and when or how it might express its position on Trump's win.
Experts said Pyongyang may be considering the right timing to comment, as the incoming Trump administration has only just begun appointing personnel to key foreign policy positions, including U.S. Congressman Mike Waltz as the national security adviser and Senator Marco Rubio as the secretary of state.
Both Waltz and Rubio are known to have a hawkish stance toward North Korea.
This EPA file photo shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump during their Hanoi summit on Feb. 28, 2019. (Yonhap)
Rubio has described Kim as a "lunatic" that has nuclear weapons and long-range missiles that can hit the U.S. mainland and that the United States should do "whatever it takes" to stop the North from acquiring such weapons capabilities.
Waltz has strongly called for imposing secondary sanctions against Chinese and Russian energy companies for supporting North Korea.
Since Trump's new foreign policy team has not yet formally taken office, North Korea is likely to wait until his policy on North Korea takes shape in his second term and until he makes an initial statement about North Korea before issuing its own response.
Some experts said Kim's first message to Trump is likely to strike a more hostile tone than an amicable one, considering their failed nuclear summits in 2018 and 2019, and North Korea's deepening military cooperation with Russia.
North Korea and Russia recently ratified a new defense pact that Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed in June, raising speculations that the North may soon officially announce its troop deployment to Russia to support Moscow's war in Ukraine.
During Trump's first term, Trump and Kim had exchanged barbs, raising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Trump then warned of "fire and fury" against the North, and both of them boasted of having "nuclear buttons" on their desks.
But as the flurry of nuclear diplomacy with North Korea later unfolded, Trump and Kim met three times, although the denuclearization talks collapsed without a deal in Hanoi in early 2019.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · November 13, 2024
4. U.S. confirms N. Korean troops have begun engaging in combat operations in Russia's Kursk region
I can't wait to read the assessments. Are we ready to exploit them? (e.g., nKPA losses and failure)
(LEAD) U.S. confirms N. Korean troops have begun engaging in combat operations in Russia's Kursk region | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · November 13, 2024
(ATTN: CHANGES photo; UPDATES throughout)
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 (Yonhap) -- The United States confirmed Tuesday that North Korean troops, who have been deployed to Russia's western front-line Kursk region, have begun engaging in combat operations against Ukrainian forces.
Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, made the remarks amid growing concerns that the North's troop deployment could expand Moscow's protracted war in Ukraine with security implications for both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
This undated image captured from the Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security of Ukraine shows soldiers suspected to be North Koreans receiving apparent Russian military gear. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
"We are incredibly concerned by Russia's decision to turn to the DPRK to supply soldiers to continue their brutal war against Ukraine," Patel told a press briefing. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"Today, I can confirm that over 10,000 DPRK soldiers have been sent to eastern Russia, and most of them have moved to far western Kursk Oblast, where they have begun engaging in combat operations with Russian forces," he added.
Patel noted that Russian forces have been training North Korean troops in artillery, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and basic infantry operations, including trench clearing operations, which he said are "critical" skills for frontline operations.
But he stressed that Russia's battlefield success using North Korean troops will in large part be dictated by how well Russia can integrate them into their military.
"Some of the challenges they would need to overcome are interoperability, the language barrier, command and control and communications," Patel said. "The United States is consulting closely with our allies and partners in other countries in the region on the implications of this, on these development."
The North's troop deployment will likely be a topic to be discussed when Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss support for Ukraine with his counterparts at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and European Union, according to Patel.
The U.S.' confirmation on the North Korean troops' entry into combat came as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un finalized the domestic ratification procedure for the "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty with Russia in a telltale sign of deepening military cooperation between the two countries.
Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the treaty during their summit in Pyongyang in June. The treaty includes a mutual defense clause in what is seen as a revival of the two countries' Cold War-era military alliance.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · November 13, 2024
5. S. Korea, U.S., Japan to hold 2nd trilateral Freedom Edge exercise this week
I hope that they are going to apply lessons learned from Iran's attacks on Israel and how important it is to have an integrated missile defense capability to shoot down a massive attack that would likely come from north Korea.
(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S., Japan to hold 2nd trilateral Freedom Edge exercise this week | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · November 13, 2024
(ATTN: REWRITES lead; ADDS details in paras 3-5, 12, photo)
By Lee Minji
SEOUL, Nov. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, the United States and Japan were set to begin their second trilateral multi-domain exercise on Wednesday, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, in a display of joint deterrence against threats posed by North Korea amid its deepening alignment with Russia.
The three-day exercise will take place in international waters south of South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju, the JCS said, around four months after the inaugural exercise was conducted in accordance with an agreement reached by the leaders of the nations last year.
The second round of the Freedom Edge exercise will mobilize various warships and aircraft, including the U.S. Navy's USS George Washington aircraft carrier as well as F-35 stealth fighters , the South's ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong destroyer and Japan's JS Haguro destroyer.
The nuclear-powered USS George Washington is a supercarrier measuring 332 meters in length and 78 meters in width, and has an 18,210-square-meter flight deck. It was redelivered to the U.S. Navy last year after a six-year overhaul.
"This iteration demonstrates state-of-the-art air defense capabilities with the integration of 5th generation fighters into a sophisticated multi-domain defense infrastructure. Their incorporation ... ensures that their combined military and self-defense forces can operate together at the highest level against any threat," the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a release.
This photo, provided by the U.S. Navy, shows a Super Hornet fighter jet taking part in the first multi-domain exercise of Freedom Edge held by South Korea, the United States and Japan in international waters, south of South Korea's southern island of Jeju, on June 28, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The JCS said the exercise will span across an array of areas including air defense, ballistic missile defense, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction and defensive cyber training.
"The three nations have strongly condemned North Korea's provocative acts, including the test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), that threaten peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and within the region," the JCS said. "The exercise reflects the will to deter and respond to such threats."
The North launched the new Hwasong-19 ICBM on Oct. 31 and called it an "ultimate" version of its long-range missile series. The missile reached the highest altitude and flew for the longest time.
The drills came amid growing concerns that North Korea's troop deployment to Russia could escalate Moscow's protracted war with Ukraine.
In August last year, President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and then Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed to hold "annual, named, multidomain" trilateral exercises on a regular basis during their summit at Camp David as part of efforts to deter evolving nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.
In July this year, the defense chiefs of the three nations signed the Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework, in a move seen as formalizing their security cooperation and strengthening cooperation against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, including conducting regular joint drills.
North Korea has long denounced joint military drills as rehearsals for an invasion and used them as a pretext for provocations. Following the first Freedom Edge exercise in June, North Korea criticized the drills as an attempt to strengthen a U.S.-led military bloc.
This photo, provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, shows the USS George Washington aircraft carrier. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · November 13, 2024
6. Mounting fatigue among N. Korean students over increased indoctrination lectures
More cowbell for the Korean people in the north. (I bet SNL could create an irreverent skit about this).
more cowbell
idiom informal
an extra quality that will make something or someone better:
It was a fairly average show - it needed more cowbell.
On a more serious note, will Kim's new policies lead to instability and resistance?
Can the ROK and the ROK/US alliance exploit this situation through an information campaign?
Although this is viewed negatively among most pundits, I see opportunities here. This could be a major inflection point in the history of the Korean peninsula. This could be the point where Kim has miscalculated and put himself on the path to his own demise because he can no longer explain the living contradictions of the Kim family regime.
Mounting fatigue among N. Korean students over increased indoctrination lectures - Daily NK English
Some students express bafflement at how North Korea's longtime unification demands have been replaced by denouncing South Koreans as "enemies deserving of eternal hatred," a source told Daily NK
By Lee Chae Eun - November 13, 2024
dailynk.com · by Lee Chae Eun · November 13, 2024
“As one generation gives way to another and the revolution advances, our anti-imperial class consciousness should become ever more resolute,” the Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported on July 29. The photograph shows young people attending a class at the Central Class Education Center in Pyongyang in Pyongyang. (Rodong Sinmun, News 1)
North Korean authorities have stepped up ideological indoctrination by increasing mandatory class-consciousness lectures for middle and high school students from monthly to weekly sessions since mid-October. Students in cities such as Hoeryong are expressing fatigue over the increased frequency of these indoctrination sessions.
According to a source in North Hamgyong Province recently, a lecture entitled “Reinforcing the Principles of Unwavering Class Consciousness and Class Struggle” was held for middle and high school students in Hoeryong on Nov. 2.
The lecturer urged the students to adhere to class consciousness. “We must resolutely defend what has been achieved through the blood of the revolution with the determination never to stop fighting against the enemies of the resolution and feel unending hatred for the imperialists and our class enemies,” the lecturer said.
“At the moment, the U.S. imperialists and their puppets in South Korea are constantly carrying out vicious plots to overthrow socialism, which our revolutionary heroes defended with their lives,” the lecturer said. “The young people of the DPRK, who have only heard stories of such exploitation and pressure and haven’t directly experienced the trials of war, must never forget the aggressive nature of our sworn enemies.
“Such examples aren’t hard to find – just look at South Korea’s provocative drone infiltration into Pyongyang last month, which shows how our enemies continue to plot against the republic and threaten the North Korean form of socialism,” the lecturer concluded, citing the drone incident as justification for North Korea’s recently introduced “two hostile states” narrative.
Shift to South Korea bashing
The lectures typically last 45 minutes, after which the students in attendance go to breakout sessions where they are quizzed on the content of the lectures. But only a handful of students are able to answer the questions correctly, the source said.
“Students who don’t like what’s being said in the lecture are unlikely to pay attention. Everyone knows this, but the lectures are held anyway,” he pointed out.
“The regime used to use the phrase ‘the American imperialists and their lackeys,’ but lately it’s ‘the American imperialists and their Korean puppets,” the source continued. “The authorities are putting a lot of energy into class-consciousness programs designed to foster hostility toward South Korea.”
The North Korean regime has cemented the hostile nature of inter-Korean relations by amending the constitution to define South Korea as an enemy state. Now, the regime is stepping up programs to inculcate hatred of South Korea in young people.
Lectures “baffling” to many
However, some students are reluctant to accept these indoctrination lectures or express confusion about them.
“Some students are baffled about how the unification North Korea had been demanding for decades could be thrown away overnight and how their fellow countrymen could all of a sudden be denounced as enemies deserving of eternal hatred,” the source said.
“Other students whisper that the regime is trying to convince young people that South Korea is the enemy because they’re too enamored with South Korean movies and music to be deterred by law enforcement’s crackdown on such media.”
Meanwhile, some North Korean parents are urging their children to keep their lips sealed. “No matter how well you think you know someone, never share your true thoughts,” one parent said to their child, according to the source.
He explained that many parents fear that, given the current political tensions, a young student’s politically charged remarks could spell disaster for the entire family.
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 Lee Chae Eun · November 13, 2024
7. North Korea adds foreign exchange features to e-payment apps
We should be able to penetrate anything in the digital world.
The irony is that as the north modernizes, especially in the digital world, it is actually contributing to preparations for unification - a modern free and unified Korea.
North Korea adds foreign exchange features to e-payment apps - Daily NK English
The exchange rates North Korea offers in the apps adjust over time, but Daily NK has yet to confirm whether they change in real-time like South Korea’s exchange rates
By Mun Dong Hui - November 13, 2024
dailynk.com · by Mun Dong Hui · November 13, 2024
From left: Currency exchange information in the North Korean e-payment app Samhung Electronic Wallet, Samhung Electronic Wallet’s menu, currency prices of the day in the Jonsong app. (Daily NK)
North Korea is supporting foreign currency transactions by providing real-time exchange rate information through e-payment apps. The authorities appear intent on promoting the use of the apps by making foreign currency transactions more convenient.
Daily NK has obtained several e-payment apps in use in North Korea, including “Apnal,” “Saebyol,” “Kangsong” and “Manmulsang,” as well as leading apps “Chonsong” and “Narae.”
All these apps support payments in North Korean won and foreign currencies and were designed to enable real-time, in-app currency exchanges.
An in-app notice in Samhung Electronic Wallet said that users could “immediately change their foreign currency in their topped-up per-currency balance into foreign currency won or local won at the state exchange rate and use it” and that “foreign currency in their topped-up balance must be changed into foreign currency won or local won for use.”
Users can top off their foreign or local currency at IT exchange centers or other designated refill sites. In other words, users can immediately exchange and use the money they topped off at those sites in the app.
In particular, since March of 2023, users have been able to send money from their Narae Card e-payment app to Samhung Electronic Wallet to top off their foreign currency balance. Daily NK has yet to confirm whether users can use other banks or cards to top off their foreign currency balances.
According to a report on North Korea’s trading system published by South Korea’s Korea Legislation Research Institute in 2000, North Korea divides currency between the North Korean won — or “local won” — and the “foreign currency won.”
The foreign currency won is a convertible currency that can be changed back into foreign currency, distinguishing it from the ordinary North Korean won. The North Korean won can be exchanged for foreign currency at the set exchange rate, but in fact, it appears distinct from the dollar and euro. Foreign currency won cannot be exchanged for local currency.
According to North Korea’s foreign currency management law, North Koreans may not directly use foreign currency — they must exchange it. Since North Koreans may not directly circulate or conduct transactions in foreign currency, the country has adopted intermediate currencies like the foreign currency won and domestic won for use in e-payments. North Korea appears to have adopted a concept similar to the foreign currency exchange vouchers used in the past to the online space.
This exchange method accords with the North Korean authorities’ intention to encourage the use of foreign exchange while restricting its direct circulation. Essentially, the authorities efficiently collect and manage the public’s foreign currency holdings by encouraging foreign currency payments in the apps.
From left: The foreign currency exchange rates in the North Korean e-payment app Narae, the various bills payable by Saebyol Electronic Wallet, and main page of Samhung Electronic Wallet (Daily NK)
North Korea applies different exchange rates for domestic won and foreign currency won in the apps.
According to the Jonsong app’s daily exchange rate list, the purchase price of the domestic won was 6,900 won to the dollar, while the selling price was 7,200 won as of May 22, 2023. For the foreign currency won, the purchase price was 110 won to the dollar, and the selling price was 113.3 won.
This means when changing a dollar into foreign currency won, you need 110 foreign currency won, and to change foreign currency won back into a dollar, you need 113.3 foreign currency won. A similar concept applies to the domestic won, which means the price is higher when changing currency into dollars, be it foreign currency won or local won.
According to the Daily NK’s regular survey of North Korean exchange rates, the North Korean won was trading at 8,230 won to a dollar on the street in Pyongyang, Sinuiju and Hyesan as of May 29, 2023. A significant gap exists between the unofficial exchange rate North Koreans use in the market and the exchange rate offered in the e-payment apps.
The exchange rates North Korea offers in the apps adjust over time, but Daily NK has yet to confirm whether they change in real-time like South Korea’s exchange rates.
A user’s guide to foreign exchange in the apps
To make in-app foreign currency transactions, users must enter the payment amount after scanning a QR code and changing the foreign currency type into foreign currency won. If entering the payment or transfer amount and selects the currency type (dollar, euro or yuan), the foreign currency won price appears, calculated based on the exchange rate presented in the app.
When buying dollars with foreign currency won based on the purchasing price of 110 won, users select the currency type for foreign currency won, enter “1” and selects “US$” in the following input window, and the number “1” changes to 110 foreign currency won. Press the confirmation button, and the dollar is exchanged for 110 foreign currency won.
Each app offered different convertible foreign currencies. In the Samhung Electronic Wallet, convertible foreign currencies were the dollar, euro and yuan, while the Saebyol app offered those three currencies and the Japanese yen.
In particular, the Saebyol app allows users to pay various bills such as water bills, traffic fines, parking fees and building usage fees.
The Narae app can convert 11 foreign currencies, including the dollar, yen, pound, ruble, Swiss franc and Canadian dollar. It is presumed the app allows users to change more foreign currency types than other apps because it is made by North Korea’s Foreign Trade Bank.
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 Mun Dong Hui · November 13, 2024
8. How Trump’s picks for top posts could shape North Korea policy in second term
north Korea is always minimized and the less of the threats which does cause Kim to want to act out sometimes to prove that he is a threat (as well as raise the perceptionof external threats to the regime).
Excerpts:
Most recently, Waltz emphasized strong defensive measures against North Korea. In a press conference in August, Waltz said investing in better defense against DPRK nuclear missiles should be a priority when it comes to North Korea policy, “so that a regime like North Korea can never hold [the U.S.] hostage.”
He also said an “unholy alliance” between North Korea, China and Russia has taken shape during President Joe Biden’s term, stating that the U.S. needs to develop “Iron Dome technology and aggressively apply that to the United States” in response to the DPRK’s expanding nuclear arsenal.
At the same presser, Waltz said he expects Trump to continue the relationship with South Korea, Japan and the Quad in defiance of North Korea.
However, the former special forces soldier has also stated that Iran is America’s “most pressing” threat, not North Korea — an opinion shared by Trump’s pick for CIA director.
Analysis
How Trump’s picks for top posts could shape North Korea policy in second term
Prospective national security advisor, CIA director and others have pushed hard line on DPRK, but also backed diplomacy
https://www.nknews.org/2024/11/how-trumps-picks-for-top-posts-could-shape-north-korea-policy-in-second-term/
Ifang Bremer | Shreyas Reddy November 13, 2024
From left to right: John Ratcliffe, Mike Waltz, Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth | Images: U.S. government and Pete Hegseth's Facebook Page, edited by NK News
Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump announced his picks for three key positions that will shape North Korea policy during his second term on Tuesday, in addition to reportedly settling on his choice for Washington’s top diplomat.
On social media, Trump revealed that he has selected Mike Waltz as his prospective national security advisor, John Ratcliffe as Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director and Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense. Media reports also indicate Marco Rubio is likely to be named secretary of state.
Many of these officials have previously backed greater pressure and even direct military action against North Korea, while arguing that adversaries like Iran pose more urgent threats to the U.S.
But they have also shown a willingness to back Trump’s push for direct engagement with Kim Jong Un and could do so again if he seeks to rekindle diplomacy to denuclearize North Korea.
Mike Waltz with Donald Trump at Mar-A-Lago | Image: Mike Waltz via Instagram (March 25, 2021), edited by NK News
MIKE WALTZ: NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR
Mike Waltz, a former Green Beret and current member of the House Armed Services Committee, will be Trump’s chief advisor on all things related to national security, and he appears likely to endorse a hard line on North Korea.
Benjamin Engel, a visiting professor at Dankook University, told NK News that in the Asia-Pacific, “Waltz’s primary concern is China containment.”
“Waltz seems to want to push South Korea to at a minimum declare USFK and bases in Korea can be used to defend Taiwan. This has broader implications for the Korean Peninsula because it increases the likelihood of a conflict in the Taiwan Strait widening to the Korean Peninsula.”
When it comes to North Korea, Waltz’s views appear to align with the “maximum pressure” approach emphasizing economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation that Trump employed before engaging Pyongyang in 2018, according to Lami Kim, a professor at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.
“That said, if Trump were to reengage with North Korea, Waltz would likely support such a move, given his loyalty to Trump — unlike [his former National Security Advisor] John Bolton, who has been consistently critical of engagement with Pyongyang,” Kim told NK News.
Most recently, Waltz emphasized strong defensive measures against North Korea. In a press conference in August, Waltz said investing in better defense against DPRK nuclear missiles should be a priority when it comes to North Korea policy, “so that a regime like North Korea can never hold [the U.S.] hostage.”
He also said an “unholy alliance” between North Korea, China and Russia has taken shape during President Joe Biden’s term, stating that the U.S. needs to develop “Iron Dome technology and aggressively apply that to the United States” in response to the DPRK’s expanding nuclear arsenal.
At the same presser, Waltz said he expects Trump to continue the relationship with South Korea, Japan and the Quad in defiance of North Korea.
However, the former special forces soldier has also stated that Iran is America’s “most pressing” threat, not North Korea — an opinion shared by Trump’s pick for CIA director.
John Ratcliffe with Donald Trump in the Oval Office | Image: John Ratcliffe via Facebook (June 15, 2019)
JOHN RATCLIFFE: DIRECTOR OF THE CIA
John Ratcliffe, who previously served as director of national intelligence from May 2020 to Jan. 2021, will return to the Trump administration as director of the CIA, overseeing U.S. efforts to gather foreign intelligence.
Ratcliffe called North Korea’s nuclear weapons program “deeply concerning” before his confirmation as national intelligence chief in 2020, and said Pyongyang viewed such weapons as “essential to protect the regime from military action and to gain standing in the international community.”
He added that North Korea could be open to partial nuclear and missile concessions in exchange for sanctions relief and other political and security benefits.
However, in a discussion hosted by the Heritage Foundation in 2021, Ratcliffe suggested Iran is a more urgent threat to the U.S., leaving the door open for acknowledging the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state.
Between Iran and the DPRK, the U.S. “only has the capability to stop one of those two countries from getting a nuclear weapon, and that’s Iran,” he said. Ratcliffe also emphasized that Pyongyang mainly uses nukes as a “deterrent,” while “we don’t know how the Iranians would use a deliverable nuclear weapon.”
But Kim of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies said that it’s difficult to determine how Ratcliffe’s views could influence U.S. policy “as intelligence chiefs are generally expected to focus on gathering, analyzing and presenting intelligence rather than shaping or advocating for specific policies.”
Pete Hegseth addressing an event by conservative group Turning Point USA | Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr (Aug. 11, 2019) (Creative Commons – CC BY-SA 2.0)
PETE HEGSETH: SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Pete Hegseth, a U.S. Army veteran and Fox News host, is set to lead the Department of Defense under a second Trump administration.
Hegseth, who did tours in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan, emerged as an “unofficial Trump adviser” during the former president’s first term, and his views often mirrored the White House’s policies at the time.
When Trump and Kim Jong Un were trading insults and threats in 2017, the “Fox & Friends” anchor called for “decisive” military action against Pyongyang.
“There’s merit in a preemptive strike. But you got to do it right,” he said.
“History shows us that when you let dictators get the worst weapons in the world, they wield a ton of influence,” he added, warning that North Korea would never stop its nuclear activity.
However, Hegseth began singing an entirely different tune the following year as Trump and Kim embarked on a historic period of diplomacy.
Weeks before the first U.S.-DPRK summit took place in Singapore, he backed a “normalization” of relations and said Kim would agree to a face-to-face meeting as he “wants a picture with the American president.”
“There is probably a point at which the guy who wants to meet with Dennis Rodman and loves NBA basketball and loves Western pop culture, probably doesn’t love being the guy that has to murder his people all day long,” he said.
When hopes for denuclearization nosedived after a failed summit in Hanoi the following year, Hegseth struck a balance between supporting Trump’s leader-to-leader approach and the overall goal of being “rid of nuclear weapons in rogue regimes.”
“He wants to get a deal with Kim Jong Un. It doesn’t mean he wants to be buddy-buddy with an authoritarian,” he emphasized in a May 2019 interview.
Marco Rubio at the Joint Security Area separating the two Koreas in 2014 | Image: Senator Marco Rubio via X (Jan. 24, 2014), edited by NK News
MARCO RUBIO: SECRETARY OF STATE?
One of Trump’s biggest cabinet picks is the reported appointment of Marco Rubio as secretary of state. While the president-elect has not announced the pick yet, even some Trump opponents have welcomed Rubio as a more moderate choice than some other rumored candidates.
The senator from Florida is known for his hawkish approach to foreign adversaries, including North Korea and Cuba. His anti-communist stance has shaped his Senate career, influencing U.S. policy on both Latin America and Asia, where he has advocated for a strong U.S.-ROK alliance.
Rubio previously condemned Pyongyang’s leadership as a nuclear-armed “criminal syndicate” that inflicts abuses on its own people, and has sponsored DPRK human rights bills on multiple occasions.
“The Kim regime systematically and ruthlessly terrorizes its own citizens, denying them their most basic freedoms,” he said in 2018, emphasizing that Washington must hold North Korea accountable for its crimes.
Before Trump’s first term, Rubio criticized the idea of engaging Kim directly as talks with Pyongyang “haven’t gone anywhere,” and said the North Korean leader was “not a stable person.”
However, he was more open to the idea of summitry as the two sides ramped up engagement in early 2018, while emphasizing that Washington would maintain “preconditions” and not abandon sanctions.
“If [Kim is] not willing to give up nuclear weapons and the ability to strike the United States, then my sense is that this is basically an effort to undermine international sanctions by saying, ‘Look, I’m willing to meet,’” he told CBS in March 2018.
When the Singapore summit was temporarily in doubt in May 2018, Rubio warned that Pyongyang was “playing a game” and would try to get as much sanctions relief as possible without giving up nuclear weapons.
After the failed Hanoi summit, Rubio said he believed Trump’s efforts to denuclearize North Korea and engage the “young dictator” would fail, but emphasized that he wasn’t criticizing the president’s efforts.
“I would love for Kim Jong Un to give up his weapons and everything else,” Rubio stated. “I just never believed he would.”
Edited by Bryan Betts
9. Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun: Trump Will Make North Korea a Key Agenda Item
This is a Google translation of an RFA report.
Excerpt:
Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun : I don’t think it will take long for North Korea to become a major issue . If it does , the regime in Pyongyang will make itself the main issue, as it has often done in the past .
Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun: Trump Will Make North Korea a Key Agenda Item
https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/nk_nuclear_talks/stephen-biegun-trump-north-korea-forecast-11122024151409.html
WASHINGTON-Kim So-young kimso@rfa.org
2024.11.12
Former Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun speaking at a talk hosted by the Korea Society on the 12th.
/Source=YouTube video capture
00:00 / 00:00
Anchor : Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun predicted that President- elect Donald Trump will once again make the North Korea issue a major diplomatic agenda after his reelection, but he also predicted that it will be difficult to resume dialogue with North Korea due to various changes in the geopolitical situation . Reporter Kim So-young reports .
Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun served as the special representative for North Korea policy under the Trump administration and directly coordinated the 2018 and 2019 US -North Korea summits .
Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun, who attended a talk hosted by the Korea Society, a U.S. research institute, on the 12th , interpreted that the North Korea issue has tended to be pushed down the priority list due to domestic and foreign issues under the Biden administration.
He also predicted that there is a possibility that the second Trump administration will engage with North Korea in some form , and that the North Korean issue will soon become a major agenda item again .
On January 17, 2019, then-Special Representative Biegun (left) arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia with State Department officials. /RFA Photo
Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun : I don’t think it will take long for North Korea to become a major issue . If it does , the regime in Pyongyang will make itself the main issue, as it has often done in the past .
Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun said that when the Trump administration changed to the Biden administration, he ordered a more active engagement policy, such as sending periodic signals to convey the United States' intentions to North Korea and to understand North Korea's intentions .
However, he pointed out that the communication channel with North Korea, which had been maintained to a limited extent since the US-North Korea negotiations, was completely closed due to the outbreak of COVID-19, and that the resumption of dialogue with North Korea has become more difficult due to several changes in the geopolitical environment, such as the strained inter-Korean relations and the invasion of Ukraine .
South Korean Government: “ If US-North Korea Dialogue Resumes, South Korea’s Position Must Be Reflected ”
South Korea's ruling party leader : " Trump's reelection is an opportunity ... We must prepare to secure ' nuclear potential ' "
Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun also said he still disagrees with the idea that concessions should be offered first simply to bring North Korea to the negotiating table .
Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun : I didn’t want to offer concessions to North Korea simply by saying we’re going to engage . The least we could hope for was to sit down and discuss it . The regime tends to use that as leverage to get something in return .
Regarding North Korea's denuclearization, former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun predicted that it would be difficult to persuade the Kim regime to give up its nuclear weapons, as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong-un was able to hold a summit with U.S. President Trump on equal footing as a nuclear state.
This is Kim So-young from RFA Free Asia Broadcasting.
Editor Park Jeong-woo , Web Lee Gyeong-ha
10. Blinken: “We will resolutely respond to North Korea’s deployment to Ukraine”
So what are the options for a "reoulate response?"
Excerpts:
[ Secretary of State Tony Blinken ] The North Korean military has been deployed and is now literally in combat . This demands a decisive response, and we will respond .
He also stressed that it is becoming increasingly clear that the security of the Atlantic , Indo-Pacific , and the Middle East cannot be separated, and that ways must be found to cooperate more closely .
He said NATO has been strengthening its cooperation with its Indo-Pacific partners in recent years and will be doing more of this in the coming weeks and months .
This is a Google translation of an RFA report.
Blinken: “We will resolutely respond to North Korea’s deployment to Ukraine”
Seoul-Lee Jeong-eun leeje@rfa.org
2024.11.13
U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken.
AFP
00:00 /03:12
Anchor : U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken emphasized that North Korean troops deployed to Russia, which is at war with Ukraine, have been deployed to combat, and that the U.S. will respond resolutely . Lee Jeong-eun reports from Seoul .
Secretary of State Blinken reaffirmed on the 13th that North Korean troops deployed to Russia were involved in combat in the war in Ukraine .
Secretary Blinken made the announcement after a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the NATO headquarters in Brussels , Belgium, and emphasized that the United States will respond resolutely to North Korea's military involvement in the war .
[ Secretary of State Tony Blinken ] The North Korean military has been deployed and is now literally in combat . This demands a decisive response, and we will respond .
He also stressed that it is becoming increasingly clear that the security of the Atlantic , Indo-Pacific , and the Middle East cannot be separated, and that ways must be found to cooperate more closely .
He said NATO has been strengthening its cooperation with its Indo-Pacific partners in recent years and will be doing more of this in the coming weeks and months .
South Korea's Ministry of National Defense told Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the same day that it was closely monitoring the situation, keeping in mind the possibility of North Korean troops engaging in actual combat .
Earlier, State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel confirmed at a press conference on the 12th that North Korean troops had engaged in combat alongside Russian troops in Kursk Oblast, Russia .
Kursk is a region in southwestern Russia that has been occupied by Ukraine for about three months since last August , and it is known that about 10,000 North Korean troops are currently deployed there .
- US: “North Korean troops deployed to fight alongside Russian troops”
- Former Deputy Secretary of State Biegun: “Trump Will Make North Korea a Key Agenda Item”
Meanwhile, South Korea, the United States, and Japan are conducting the second round of the multi-domain training exercise, “ Freedom Edge ,” in response to North Korea’s provocations, including its ballistic missile test launch .
According to a press release distributed by the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff on this day, the three countries of ROK, the US, and Japan will conduct multi - domain training, including air training , maritime missile defense training , anti-submarine warfare training , anti-counterfeiting training , air defense training , and cyber defense training, in the international waters south of Jeju Island for three days starting on the 13th .
The U.S. Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington (CVN-73) , the Higgins and McCampbell , P-8 maritime patrol aircraft , and F-35A fighter jets will participate in this training .
South Korea's Aegis destroyers Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong and Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin , maritime patrol aircraft , fighter jets, and Japan's Haguro (DGG), maritime patrol aircraft , and fighter jets will also participate .
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the Freedom Edge exercise is a defensive exercise that promotes interoperability among the three countries and contains the will to protect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and that this exercise is being promoted additionally as part of the implementation of the agreement reached between the defense ministers of South Korea, the United States, and Japan in July .
Last August, the three countries of South Korea, the US and Japan agreed to conduct multi-domain training at the Camp David Summit and conducted the first “ Freedom Edge ” training in June .
This is Lee Jeong-eun of RFA's Radio Free Asia in Seoul .
Editor Yang Seong-won
11. 'America First' policy and America's interests (A Korean view)
National security practitioners in the US and around the world need to (re-)learn the mantra, "It is the interests first, stupid." How could any country not put their national interests first? For the President-elect, his advisors need to ensure they frame all foreign policy and national security recommendations from the framework of protecting US national interests (which of course they must both effectively define and communicate those definitions to the American people).
'America First' policy and America's interests
https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20241112/5280556/1
Posted November. 12, 2024 08:12,
Updated November. 12, 2024
Trump has been elected president of the United States. Some people say that Korea may now be in trouble. During his campaign, Trump allegedly stated, “Korea is a money machine,” “We need to increase its defense spending,” and, “If there is a war in Europe, Taiwan, or on the Korean Peninsula, the United States cannot intervene. South Korea is not a priority.” He also made similar remarks about NATO and, regarding the war in Ukraine, seemed to imply that he did not know the situation and simply wanted the conflict to end, no matter the circumstances.
Trump's behavior is often characterized as America First and neo-isolationism. However, this doesn't necessarily mean a return to the Monroe Doctrine of 19th-century America. Back then, the United States was a young nation, led by first- and second-generation European immigrants. If the United States had intervened in a European war, it would have divided the country. That concern remains relevant today but differs from Monroe's era when the country already had a strong national identity.
Whether it is America First or isolationism, these arguments are rooted in American interests. In the past, the United States took on the role of primarily responsible for NATO's defense and intervened in conflicts worldwide because it was in its interests to do so. Isolationism is now being invoked because there is a widespread belief among the American electorate that isolation is better for America than intervention. But even if that belief were true, the world is already economically interconnected. Just because the U.S. can meet its energy needs with domestic oil, it doesn’t mean that if Middle Eastern oil fields were entirely destroyed, or if South Korea and Japan were drawn into war or even suffered a nuclear attack leading to their demise, U.S. interests wouldn’t be severely harmed.
Whether it’s Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, there are pros and cons for Korea. If the burden of defense spending increases, there may be opportunities for gains elsewhere. You can’t sail by blaming the wind; we must take advantage of headwinds or tailwinds.
12. Advancing Korean American legislators
Advancing Korean American legislators
The Korea Times · November 13, 2024
Senator-elect Andy Kim (D-NJ) poses at a hotel in his constituency with his family after winning a Senate seat, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on Nov. 5 (US time). Yonhap
Andy Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey, becomes first Korean American to be elected to US Senate
By Kim Ji-soo
Andy Kim, a 42-year-old Democrat and son of immigrants, won a decisive victory in the race for New Jersey's U.S. Senate seat. This election win took place on Nov. 7, alongside the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Kim will make history as the first Korean American senator and the third-youngest member of the Senate.
The Democrat senator-elect from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, said of his political win that "politics isn't an exclusive club, just for the well-off and the well-connected." He was born in Boston in 1982 to a father who was a medical researcher and a mother who was a nurse, both from Korea.
Unlike the 435-member House of Representatives, the Senate is made up of 100 members and holds greater influence over foreign policy and security matters. Kim has an extensive foreign policy portfolio, having worked in the State Department, the Department of Defense and the White House Security Council from 2013 to 2015, during Barack Obama's administration. He graduated from the University of Chicago and earned his Ph.D. in international relations at Oxford University.
Many are comparing Kim's Senate win to the historic moments when the first Latino senator was elected in 1960s.
While first-generation Korean Americans primarily focused on achieving success in business and took an interest in the turbulent political landscape of Korea, their children including second-generation individuals like Kim are well-positioned to elevate the current bilateral relationship between Korea and the United States to new heights.
In an interview in September with Yonhap News Agency, Kim expressed his desire to serve as a bridge between the United States and Korea, calling it a "win-win" situation. While Kim is accountable to his U.S. constituents, his family background, life and career experiences uniquely position him to adopt a more innovative approach when dealing with Korea-U.S. issues.
Another Korean American to hit a milestone herself is incumbent Rep. Young Kim, who serves California's 40th Congressional District. She won a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Having emigrated to the United States from Incheon, she graduated from the University of Southern California and entered U.S. politics as an aide to former Congressman Ed Royce. She successfully ran for Congress in 2020. Before politics, she ran an apparel business. Young Kim is also the mother of four children.
Marilyn Strickland won a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Washington State's 10th Congressional District. Born Sun-ja in Korea in 1962 to a Korean mother and a U.S. serviceman father, Strickland is of Korean and African American descent. She previously served as the mayor of Tacoma, Washington.
Michelle Park Steel is currently running in a tight race in the district of Orange County in California.
The emergence of first and second-generation Korean American lawmakers highlights how a community — and society as a whole — can benefit from greater diversity.
There are approximately 2 million Korean Americans living in the United States, and many are finding that having someone from their community in office provides a significant morale boost. While these newly elected senators and the House lawmaker will primarily serve their constituents, their presence is also important in the context of Trump's second term. As uncertainty and turbulence are expected to define his administration, Korean policymakers will have an opportunity to better understand the overall sentiment and policy direction of the incoming administration. A recent column by James Jarsadiz on the Los Angeles Times noted that the Asian Americans--to which the Korean American voters are part of -- has shifted to the right in the recent 2024 U.S. presidential election and they are less inclined to the liberal views as before.
On a more immediate level, it serves as another testament to how far Korea has come, and simultaneously, how much some Korean diaspora communities have grown. Koreans here on the peninsula should also ponder on how it engages with a far mature Korean ethnic communities overseas.
There will also be important insights for Korea, as it evolves into a more diverse society, to consider when shaping its future policies.
The writer is a member of the editorial board.
The Korea Times · November 13, 2024
13. North Korea will not engage in U.S. dialogue while receiving payments from Russia, South Korea adviser says
I think that is a logical assessment.
Wednesday
November 13, 2024
dictionary + A - A
North Korea will not engage in U.S. dialogue while receiving payments from Russia, South Korea adviser says
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-11-13/national/northKorea/North-Korea-will-not-engage-in-US-dialogue-while-receiving-payments-from-Russia-South-Korea-adviser-says-/2176629
Published: 13 Nov. 2024, 11:59
Tae Yong-ho, the secretary general of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, speaking during a parliamentary audit session at the National Assembly in Seoul on Oct. 8. [YONHAP]
The secretary general of South Korea's presidential advisory body on unification said Tuesday that North Korea would not engage in dialogue with the United States as long as it is being paid by Russia for its troop deployment and other forms of military cooperation.
Tae Yong-ho, the secretary general of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, made the remarks amid expectations that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could revive his personal diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after he takes office in January.
Related Article
"I think as long as Kim Jong-un is paid [for] his soldiers and military cooperation with Russia, he would not open dialogue with America or China because now currency keeps on coming," Tae said in English during a podcast hosted by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
"That's why he may concentrate all on the relations with Russia, but if the Ukraine war is finished, then Kim Jong-un may come back to his relations with China and whatever," he added.
He called for the upcoming U.S. administration to make clear to North Korea that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is its primary goal.
"I think the new administration of America should continue to say to North Korea that denuclearization of North Korea is an unchangeable goal of America, [that] America would never compromise on this goal. That is, I think, very important," he said.
"I think America should try every possibility to invite China to be on the [side] of America and the South Korean side."
Touching on North Korea's troop deployment to Russia, Tae said that the dispatch has been kept a secret in the reclusive state, as observers have started to mention the possibility of public pushback that could arise in the event of heavy North Korean casualties in the fighting against Ukrainian forces.
"How long can this secret be kept ... it could be dependent on how many causalities North Korea would suffer," he said.
He also warned that if families of the deployed North Korean soldiers receive death notices or "sacrifice" notes from the military, they would be "very" upset.
"Because inside North Korea now, even North Korea has a very low birthrate. So there is only one child or two children in each family," he said. "So parents cannot accept that their sons were killed not in defense of North Korea but in defense of Russia."
Tae pointed out that if North Korean troops' involvement in the war turns out to be successful, the reclusive leader might use the case to justify his regime's development of nuclear weapons.
"If he is successful in the Ukraine case, he may say to the leaders and North Korean people that because of nuclear weapons, North Korea can even take these troops out of North Korea and help a big country like Russia, and that even a big country like Russia comes to ask for help to North Korea," he said.
"[Kim would say] because of these nuclear weapons, he can send conventional weapons out of North Korea and even soldiers in return for huge hard currency. He may do a lot of things to justify his nuclear development domestically."
Yonhap
14. Why Yoon golfing is so controversial
These reports always show Present Yoon swinging a baseball bat.
I recall in my younger days that our baseball coach outlawed all golf because he said that the baseball and golf swings so different that each hindered the development of the other.
[KH Explains] Why Yoon golfing is so controversial
koreaherald.com · by Son Ji-hyoung · November 13, 2024
By Son Ji-hyoung
Published : Nov. 13, 2024 - 15:39
President Yoon Suk Yeol attends the 2024 National Saemaeul Leaders' Conference at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on Nov. 5. (Yonhap)
When reports surfaced that President Yoon Suk Yeol had played golf at a course in northeastern Seoul on Saturday, opposition politicians saw it as an opportunity to pounce.
Playing golf has become close to a taboo for politicians in Korea. The exclusive and expensive nature of the sport here means that it is seen as an elite indulgence, rather than a way to unwind or a pastime for ordinary people.
As such, public officials who golf are often accused of being out of touch with the general public and neglecting their responsibilities by engaging in luxury pursuits.
Yoon's office claimed his golfing is connected to his role as president, saying Tuesday that he has been practicing the sport to prepare for "golf diplomacy" with President-elect Donald Trump.
According to a news report by local media outlet Nocut News, Yoon played golf for four hours Saturday in the afternoon at the military-owned Taereung Country Club in Nowon-gu, Seoul.
"President-elect Trump has honed his golf skills to the extent that golf feels like a way of life to him," a source from Yoon's office said on condition of anonymity Tuesday.
"In order to let the conversations (between Yoon and Trump) go on, Yoon has to know how to hit the ball right, so I thought it’s necessary for Yoon to at least start practicing golf, as he has stopped playing golf for a while," the source continued.
But the same Nocut News report said Yoon had also played golf on Oct. 12 and Nov. 2 -- before Trump was elected on Nov. 5. Yoon's office declined to confirm these dates.
Although Yoon's office might be serious about using golf diplomacy as a way to deal with the transition of power in the US, some experts said this approach might backfire.
Karl Friedhoff, a fellow for Asia Studies at US-based think tank Chicago Council on Global Affairs, said there could have been more subtle, sophisticated ways than blatantly making Yoon's golf outings known to the public just after the US presidential election.
"I think it was a mistake to announce it in this way. It serves no other purpose than to feed Trump’s worst instincts that President Yoon will do anything to please him," Friedhoff said.
"Trump may see these efforts as almost subservient and so President Yoon will have to show that he can also take a tougher line to represent his country's interest," he continued.
The then-US President Donald Trump and the late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wave on the way to play golf at Mobara Country Club on May 26, 2019 in Chiba, Japan. (Getty Images)
The presidential office earlier said that Yoon's predecessors, including both Park Chung-hee and Roh Moo-hyun, had also golfed at Taereung.
Former conservative President Lee Myung-bak was the first South Korean leader to get an invitation to tee off in the US. He played with his then counterpart, US President George W. Bush, at Camp David in Maryland.
Although Yoon is not the first South Korean president to have golfed, presidents golfing has become associated with neglecting their public duties.
In South Korea, political figures have often faced a barrage of public criticism if they have been found to have been playing golf during a major crisis like a strike, natural disaster or emergency security situation.
Among other examples, then-Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan in 2006 offered to resign after he was met with a slew of public criticism upon playing a round of golf during a railway strike.
In 2007, then-Air Force chief of staff Kim Sung-il had to resign from his post after he teed off during the national mourning period of a noncommissioned officer who had been killed in Afghanistan.
In Yoon's case, his latest golf game came just two days after he had apologized over scandals involving himself and his wife, in a lengthy press conference.
On Tuesday, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea's spokesperson Rep. Yoon Jong-kun said in a statement that Yoon golfing over the past weekend indicated that his recent public apology was "just for show." The lawmaker also said he was perplexed by the argument that Yoon was practicing golf for diplomacy reasons while placing the domestic issues of such as the government's tax revenue shortfall and consumer price hikes on the back burner.
And the earlier golf games Yoon is alleged to have played took place on Oct. 12 -- a day after North Korea alleged that South Korea had sent a drone to Pyongyang -- and on Nov. 2 -- two days after Yoon's election meddling scandal involving his former political consultant, Myung Tae-kyun, erupted.
President Yoon Suk Yeol swings a baseball bat as he invited children and professional baseball players of San Diego Padres based in San Diego, Calif. in March at a park near Yoon;s office in Seoul. (Presidential office)
Democratic Party Rep. Choo Mi-ae on Monday criticized Yoon at the National Assembly National Defense Committee meeting for allegedly golfing on Nov. 2 at Taereung despite mass protests criticizing the Yoon administration on Nov. 2 and failing to appear in parliament to give his budget speech on Nov. 4 -- which Prime Minister Han Duck-soo read on his behalf.
Rep. Han Min-soo, another spokesperson for the Democratic Party, on Monday slammed Yoon for "handling foreign affairs issues with his hobby."
Public officials golfing has also long been associated with corruption, given the costly nature of the game here, and golf games and memberships have been used as an avenue for bribery. A de facto golf ban for public officials was in place in the first two years of the Park Geun-hye administration.
Meanwhile, Yoon's political opponents suspect that Yoon has been playing long before these recent games.
In a September meeting of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, Rep. Park Sun-won of the Democratic Party said he had obtained information that Yoon played golf on Aug. 24, Aug. 31 and Sept. 7, without disclosing further details.
Rep. Han Ki-ho of the ruling People Power Party disagreed, arguing that Yoon had taken a break from golf for more than 10 years.
15. Will Russia exposure leave North Korean troops wanting more?
This is why we need to embark on a comprehensive military PSYOP campaign targeting the nKPA.
North Korea TalkA Psychological Operations Strategy for the Korean Peninsula from Lessons Learned in Ukraine
https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/a-psychological-operations-strategy-for-the-korean-peninsula-from-lessons-learned-in-ukraine/
Will Russia exposure leave North Korean troops wanting more? – DW – 11/11/2024
DW
North Korea's decision to send troops into Russia's war with Ukraine is sure to reinforce Pyongyang's partnership with Moscow but will also expose thousands of North Korean soldiers to foreign ideas and a different way of life.
While exact numbers are hard to verify, Western intelligence says over 10,000 North Korean troops have already been deployed to the Kursk region to counter Ukraine's incursion into Russia.
Even though they are traveling to a warzone, they will likely see the relative wealth of Russian cities and towns at some point during their long journey between Russia's eastern border in Asia and its western border in Europe. They will also likely receive better food and wages than what they would expect in their homeland.
Evidence of North Korean troops in Russia emerges
"Many of these soldiers are just humble farm boys from the countryside or junior officers who will see the world beyond North Korea's borders for the first time. That will certainly make them understand that their country is isolated and extremely poor," Andrei Lankov, a Russian-born professor of history and international relations at Seoul's Kookmin University, told DW.
"Even if much of what they see will be around the front lines, battle-damaged villages and so on, they will still have seen the countryside of Russia before they get there. They will inevitably begin to ask themselves why their country is not rich like Russia."
Returning as 'heroes'
Those who survive the front lines will return home with ideas that contradict the regime propaganda, which insists North Korea is one of the happiest and most advanced nations in the world. However, analysts warn the soldiers would avoid voicing any critical sentiment, even to their family and friends. North Korea's secret police is infamous for treating any criticism of the regime or society as treason and doling out severe punishment.
"These people have grown up knowing what they cannot say, and they will not be suicidal heroes and speak out about their experiences," Lankov said. "They will also benefit from the aura of being heroes of the nation, and Kim Jong Un [the North Korean leader] will reward them generously.
"There will be an impact on these soldiers from what they see and do in Russia, but we cannot expect that to be politically meaningful for a couple of decades, at least."
Regime escalates clampdown on foreign influence
For many decades, North Korea's government has worked to cut off its people from any foreign ideas. And this campaign has only grown more fierce in recent years, with authorities cracking down hard on anyone caught with foreign movies or music and handing out extended prison terms to its citizens who try to flee to China. Certain clothes or hairstyles — if officials deem them to be influenced from abroad — are also used as pretext to arrest people in the isolated country.
How Russia, N. Korea, Iran and China are forming new bonds
In Russia, however, officers and minders will not be able to keep North Korean soldiers completely shielded from outside influence, says Dan Pinkston, a professor of international relations at the Seoul campus of Troy University.
"There have been reports that North Korean troops have been airlifted from training facilities in the Russian Far East, and it is possible they decided to fly them simply because they did not want them to see Russian towns from trains as they crossed the country," he told DW, adding it was very likely to be the first time many of them had taken a flight.
"They will very quickly realize the backwardness of North Korea, although I imagine the officers will try to keep the men segregated from the general population as much as possible to limit their interactions."
Captains to become generals
Given the regime's track record on people who have been overseas, including those sent to work on construction sites and logging camps in Russia or restaurants and factories in China, it is also likely that returning troops will undergo a period of assessment and re-education before they are permitted to return to North Korean society.
Ukraine says North Korean troops in Russia
Lankov, the Kookmin University professor, agrees that the returning soldiers would be "closely monitored."
"That may be more difficult when they are in Russia, and they are experiencing battlefield conditions, but those that come back will be aware that if they talk about what they saw, it could be dangerous for them."
However, Lankov believes that the experience of life beyond North Korea and "the obvious prosperity" of other countries will fester within them.
"I do not expect them to start a revolution immediately, of course, but captains who serve in Ukraine will go on to become generals in a few years, and they will continue to have their doubts. Over time, those doubts about the North Korean system could become meaningful."
Edited by: Darko Janjevic
DW
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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