|
Quotes of the Day:
"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
"The ninety and nine are with dreams, content but the hope of the world made new, is the hundredth man who is grimly bent on making those dreams come true."
- Edgar Allan Poe
“The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world.”
- Plato
1. Kim Jong Un’s daughter seen for first time — at a missile launch site
2. Kim's daughter reveal shows dynastic dream for N. Korea
3. NK leader inspects ICBM launch with his daughter
4. S. Korea to attend U.N. Security Council meeting on N. Korea's ICBM launch: source
5. S. Korean KF-16 jet crashes, pilot safely escapes: Air Force
6. N.K. media raps S. Korea's push to create military division to counter nuclear, WMD threats
7. N. Korea fund 30% of missile programs through illicit cyber activities
8. Korea turns out to be no.1 in political conflicts
9. 2.0 magnitude natural quake hits near NK nuclear test site: weather agency
10. [ANALYSIS] Why did North Korean leader reveal daughter during ICBM launch?
11. Diplomacy emerges as double-edged sword for S. Korean president
12. Mounting nuclear threats
13. Kim Jong-un revealing daughter for first time shows his confidence, experts say
14. North Korean censors destroy more than half of soldiers’ Mother’s Day letters
15. Samsung Electronics world's No. 1 in brand recognition ahead of Google: YouGov
1. Kim Jong Un’s daughter seen for first time — at a missile launch site
I think this speculation about succession is very very premature. I am not sure why analysts and journalists are jumping to these conclusions now. It is not like they are going to be able to provide their "scoop" for years if not decades,
Photos at the link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/19/north-korea-daughter-kim-jong-un/?utm_source=pocket_saves
Kim Jong Un’s daughter seen for first time — at a missile launch site
By Victoria Bisset
November 19, 2022 at 7:39 a.m. EST
An official North Korean government photo shows leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter at the site of a missile launch in Pyongyang on Nov. 18. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service/AP)
Listen
3 min
Comment
102
Add to your saved stories
Save
Gift Article
Share
North Korea has unveiled the daughter of leader Kim Jong Un for the first time — ending years of speculation about her existence.
Photos published by state media Saturday showed Kim holding hands with his young daughter at a missile launch site and inspecting a missile. Another photo showed the pair, this time joined by Kim’s wife, Ri Sol Ju, at an observation platform during a missile launch. The photos are from Friday’s intercontinental ballistic missile launch — the second launch of its kind this month — according to state media.
Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia’s war in Ukraine.
It is the first time North Korea has mentioned Kim’s daughter, although state media didn’t provide her name or age, identifying her only as Kim’s “beloved daughter.”
North Korea fires intercontinental ballistic missile
While the child was not named, observers believe she is called Kim Ju Ae. Her name was first revealed in 2013 by retired NBA star Dennis Rodman, who said after visiting North Korea that he had met the leader’s “baby” daughter.
An official news agency photo of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, second from right, and their daughter at the Nov. 18 test firing of what North Korea says was a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile. (Korea Central News Agency/Korea News Service/AP)
According to Shreyas Reddy, a correspondent for North Korea monitoring website NK News, this is the first mention of any of Kim’s children by state media. South Korean intelligence agencies believe the North Korean leader has fathered two other children, born in 2010 and 2017, although their names and gender are not known.
“Her first public appearance at such a young age is in itself significant and a break from tradition, but it stands out even more that she was introduced to the country as well as the wider world at an event as prominent as the launch of North Korea’s biggest missile,” Reddy told The Washington Post. “While we can say it is definitely a significant moment, at this early stage we cannot be certain what the purpose is.”
A photo released by North Korea's official news agency shows Kim Jong Un and his daughter watching what the news agency says is a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile in Pyongyang on Nov. 18. (Korea Central News Agency/Korea News Service/AP)
“Some prominent North Korean defectors told us that this clearly marks her as a successor to Kim Jong Un, a massive change in Pyongyang’s largely male-dominated leadership and a break from the Kim family’s patrilineal rule,” he said. Others suggested the move was instead an attempt to humanize the North Korean leader, he added.
Kim Jong Un has been in power for 11 years and is the third generation of his family to rule the secretive nation since it was founded by his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, in 1948.
A photo of Kim Jong Un and his daughter, released by the official Korean Central News Agency on Nov. 19. (AFP/Getty Images)
Few confirmed details about Kim’s private life exist. Speculation about a potential successor began in 2020 when he was rumored to be gravely ill, although South Korean officials cast doubt on the reports, citing a lack of evidence. The following year, he returned to the public eye looking noticeably slimmer, prompting questions about the possible reasons for his sudden weight loss.
Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, has also played a significant role in public life.
2. Kim's daughter reveal shows dynastic dream for N. Korea
Analysts and the media are really reaching for something new to report on in north Korea. As I have said it is way too premature to speculate on succession and "bring your daughter to missile launch day" is hardly sufficient evidence to make a sound judgment about possible succession. That said, the Kim family regime is a mafia-like crime family cult.
Kim's daughter reveal shows dynastic dream for N. Korea - UCA News
ucanews.com
Kim's daughter reveal shows dynastic dream for N. Korea
Pictures show a beaming Kim holding hands with an adoring girl in a white puffer jacket and red shoes in front of a missile
This picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Nov. 19 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (right) walking with his daughter as he inspects a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) "Hwasong Gun 17," ahead of its launch at Pyongyang International Airport. (Photo: AFP)
By AFP
Published: November 19, 2022 06:25 AM GMT
Updated: November 19, 2022 06:33 AM GMT
Kim Jong Un unveiled the fourth generation of his ruling family Saturday, appearing in photographs with his daughter for the first time ever, giving analysts a clear indication of his dynastic vision for North Korea.
State media has never mentioned Kim's children -- the regime has not even officially confirmed they exist -- but on Saturday, KCNA reported that Kim, "together with his beloved daughter and wife", oversaw the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Pictures showed a beaming Kim holding hands with an adoring girl in a white puffer jacket and red shoes, walking in front of a giant black-and-white missile and appearing to celebrate a successful test.
Kim -- the grandson of North Korea's founding leader Kim Il Sung and the third generation of the Kim family to lead the country -- married his wife Ri Sol Ju, in 2009, according to Seoul's spy agency.
She gave birth to their first child the following year, with their second and third born in 2013 and 2017, the agency has said.
The only previous confirmation of the children's existence had come from former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who made a quixotic visit to the North in 2013 and claimed he'd met a baby daughter of Kim's called Ju Ae.
The North Korean leader was "a good dad", Rodman said at the time.
North Korean 'princess'
The daughter revealed in the photographs is presumed to be Ju Ae -- likely Kim's second child, Cheong Seong-chang of the Center for North Korea Studies at the Sejong Institute in South Korea told AFP, adding that she was the equivalent of a North Korean "princess".
Now that her identity has been revealed, she will likely be able to participate in state affairs, he said, adding her appearance with her father could even indicate she was his anointed successor.
Kim Jong Un's own father, Kim Jong Il, selected him to be his successor over his elder children because he most resembled him, Cheong said.
"Kim Jong Un may want to do the same with this particular daughter. Perhaps she has the qualities that Kim thinks are a lot like his," he said, adding if she continued to accompany her father to important events it would be an indication this was the case.
'Next generation'
North Korea has fired scores of ballistic missiles this year, far more than any other year on record.
Japan said Friday's ICBM launch likely had the range to hit the US mainland.
To introduce Kim's daughter to the world at this juncture could be a message to the world that the North Korean regime is not going away, analyst Soo Kim told AFP.
"In a way, it's a symbolic picture of Kim passing the sceptre of rule to the next generation," she said, which sends "a message to the international community to accept and brace for North Korea's fourth iteration of terror and belligerence".
She said that the photos also suggest "a degree of closeness and comfort between Kim and his daughter", which could indicate that she is being groomed for future leadership.
"The third time is not the charm when it comes to dealing with the Kim family," she said, adding that the world needs to "think about dealing with the fourth generation" of the regime.
'Messed up'
The photographs may also be part of a carefully stage-managed attempt by Pyongyang to show Kim is a "normal" leader, North Korean studies scholar Ahn Chan-il told AFP.
"Pyongyang seems to be trying to brand itself as a 'normal' nation -- while conducting these ICBM launches that show off its military prowess -- by showing images of Kim being a seemingly loving father," Ahn said.
"It is also a gesture of stabilising the regime by declaring to the outside world that it is now heading for its fourth-generation succession and that it is well-prepared for it."
Including his wife in the public appearance and "especially his daughter 'soften' the image, at least [maybe] for domestic audience," North Korea expert John Delury wrote on Twitter.
"This is not a warmonger or narcissistic Little Rocket Man. He's a good Dad, protecting his family, like he protects the Nation," he added.
Other analysts said the timing and location of the daughter's introduction to the world -- at an ICBM launch -- was disturbing.
It is the "most messed up bring-your-kid-to-work day," said US-based security expert Ankit Panda on Twitter.
3. NK leader inspects ICBM launch with his daughter
Yonhap has provided numerous photos of Kim and his daughter at this link: https://en.yna.co.kr/view/PYH20221120047000325?section=image/nk
Kim and his daughter surrounded by the troops must be really exciting for her. (note sarcasm)
NK leader inspects ICBM launch with his daughter
North Korea 11:39 November 20, 2022
SHARE LIKE SAVE PRINT
NK leader inspects ICBM launch with his daughter
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stands closely behind his daughter as they look at a monitor to inspect the launch of a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile on Nov. 18, 2022, in this photo captured from the North's Korean Central Television on Nov. 20. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
(END)
North Korea 11:39 November 20, 2022
SHARE LIKE SAVE PRINT
North Koreamore
4. S. Korea to attend U.N. Security Council meeting on N. Korea's ICBM launch: source
(LEAD) S. Korea to attend U.N. Security Council meeting on N. Korea's ICBM launch: source | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · November 20, 2022
(ATTN: UPDATES with EU statement in paras 4-5)
SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will attend an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council this week to discuss North Korea's recent intercontinental ballistic missile test (ICBM), a diplomatic source said Sunday.
According to the source, the South will participate in the session, to be held in New York on Monday (local time), as a country directly involved in the issue.
South Korea currently is not one of the 10 non-permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. Under the UNSC's Provisional Rules of Procedure, non-member countries can be invited to participate in certain circumstances, though they are not allowed to cast a vote.
The European Union strongly condemned the North's launch of an ICBM that landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone Friday and voiced deep concerns over such "dangerous, illegal and reckless action."
"It is critical that the United Nations Security Council responds in an appropriate manner in order to address the growing threat the DPRK poses to international peace and security," the EU said in a statement, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, on Sunday claimed in an editorial that the North has developed the strongest ICBM on the planet. Pyongyang will continue to strengthen its nuclear weapons unless the U.S. withdraws its "hostile policies" against the North, it added.
"The weight we carry as a country that possesses the strongest intercontinental ballistic missile on the planet is truly immense," it said. "This is an overwhelming title that shows that the right to a preemptive nuclear strike is not exclusive to the U.S. and clearly proves to the world we are undeniably a nuclear power with the strength to confront the U.S. nuclear hegemony."
On Friday, North Korea fired a Hwasong-17 ICBM, which is known to carry multiple warheads and have a range of around 15,000 kilometers, a range long enough to reach the continental United States.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · November 20, 2022
5. S. Korean KF-16 jet crashes, pilot safely escapes: Air Force
(LEAD) S. Korean KF-16 jet crashes, pilot safely escapes: Air Force | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · November 20, 2022
(ATTN: UPDATES with details in last para; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean KF-16 fighter jet crashed due to an engine issue during a flight mission on Sunday, with its pilot having safely escaped, the Air Force said.
The pilot of the jet belonging to the 19th Fighter Wing made an emergency ejection in an area some 20 kilometers west of Wonju, some 85 km east of Seoul, at 8:05 p.m., according to the armed service.
"Currently, the pilot remains safe and we are trying to ascertain any damage to civilians," the Air Force said in a text message sent to reporters.
It remains unknown whether the fighter in question is a single-seat KF-16C or a double-seat KF-16D.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · November 20, 2022
6. N.K. media raps S. Korea's push to create military division to counter nuclear, WMD threats
South Korea's actions are having psychological effects on the Kim family regime even as it tries to use the actions for its own propaganda benefit.
N.K. media raps S. Korea's push to create military division to counter nuclear, WMD threats | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · November 20, 2022
SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean propaganda outlet on Sunday decried South Korea's push to install a new military division handling threats from Pyongyang's nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) as a move to enhance its "preemptive strike" capabilities.
Earlier this month, the South's defense ministry put on public notice a proposal to create the new division within the Joint Chiefs of Staff as part of efforts to counter the North's evolving nuclear and missile threats.
Uriminjokkiri, the propaganda website, said that the move to open the new division appears intended to improve the South's preemptive strike capabilities and double down on what it calls "preparations for a war of invasion."
"That said, it would be more accurate to call it the headquarters for preemptive strikes," the website said.
The website also pinned the blame for a rise in tensions on the Korean Peninsula on the U.S. and the South, though the North has carried out a flurry of provocations, including an intercontinental ballistic missile launch last week.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · November 20, 2022
7. N. Korea fund 30% of missile programs through illicit cyber activities
If accurate (I am sure it is as accurate as it can be given the dearth of information available - and perhaps even underestimating the percentage somewhat) then this should provide us with sufficient justification to go on the cyber offensive against north Korea. We need aggressive cyber operations against the regime.
N. Korea fund 30% of missile programs through illicit cyber activities
donga.com
Posted November. 19, 2022 07:25,
Updated November. 19, 2022 07:25
N. Korea fund 30% of missile programs through illicit cyber activities. November. 19, 2022 07:25. weappon@donga.com.
The White House announced that North Korea had funded about 30% of its nuclear and missile programs through illicit cyber activities, including cryptocurrencies and hacking.
Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technologies, said on Thursday local time that they "believe that North Korea funds just about 30 percent of its missile and other malicious programs from cyberattacks" and that "North Korean malicious cyber activity is of significant concern." She continued that several North Korean cyberattacks against cryptocurrency infrastructure have netted North Korea vast sums of money and stressed that "the U.S. is working closely with its allies and partners" and trying to "make it harder to move illicit funds through cryptocurrency infrastructure."
Neuberger also said the U.S. would strengthen the measures on cryptocurrencies stolen by North Korea to prevent further development of its weapons programs. She said they will "continue to use multiple tools -- our intelligence cooperation to find activity" and "the sanctions designation to designate elements of cryptocurrency infrastructure."
Chainalysis, a blockchain data analysis platform, released an analysis report in August that said North Korean hacking groups, including the Lazarus Group, have stolen some one billion dollars worth of cryptocurrency this year alone. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also announced that the Lazarus Group hacked the blockchain-based video game Axie Infinity in March and stole some 540 million dollars worth of cryptocurrency.
Kim Kun, the head of the Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, said on Thursday at the symposium on countering DPRK cyber-exploitation of cryptocurrency exchanges that the South Korean Foreign Ministry estimated that North Korea squandered somewhere between 400 million and 650 million dollars in launching 31 ballistic missiles in the first half of this year. He continued that the regime had likely earned the money for the program through one hacking activity in March this year.
한국어
donga.com
8. Korea turns out to be no.1 in political conflicts
Interesting surveys and statistics.
Korea turns out to be no.1 in political conflicts
donga.com
Posted November. 19, 2022 07:24,
Updated November. 19, 2022 07:24
Korea turns out to be no.1 in political conflicts. November. 19, 2022 07:24. .
A survey report published on Wednesday in the U.S. revealed that Korean citizens felt political conflicts were the most severe among major countries. It means Korea ranks even higher than the U.S., a country facing the crisis of democracy represented by the public rejection of presidential election results, the trespassing on the U.S. Capitol, and politics of hatred. This results from a comparative analysis conducted from February to June on people from 19 democratic countries by the Pew Research Center, an authoritative polling agency based in Washington.
The survey was conducted of more than 1,000 adults aged 18 or older in each country. When asked whether there is any conflict between supporters of different political parties, South Korea had the highest percentage of respondents who answered “Strong” or “Very strong” at 90%. The United States was right behind with 88%. In the number of respondents who answered “Very strong,” Korea topped the list with an overwhelming 49%. The U.S. was 41%. Nine out of 10 Korean and American citizens said there were severe political conflicts in the country, but Koreans seem to consider it more seriously.
The result is indeed worrisome. In the U.S., the conflict between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party over the rejection of the presidential election result has reached a dangerous level, which came to the surface with a disastrous invasion of the U.S. Capitol in January last year, the year after the presidential election. Before the recent midterm elections, there was even a hammer attack by an extreme rightist targeting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democratic Party). But Korean citizens acknowledged that Korea has the most political conflicts, even after everything that happened in the U.S.
The problem is that such political conflicts are ever-intensifying after the presidential election. Every weekend, liberals and conservatives rally at the Gwanghwamun Plaza and in front of the Presidential Office in Yongsan, shouting “Resign Yoon Suk-yeol” and “Arrest Lee Jae-myung.” And the confrontations are plagued with sharp accusations against the opposing camp, ferocious words, and insults. Politicians are busy inciting more conflicts and weighing the gains and losses while paying attention to their fierce supporters.
There is a flood of news reports saying that the economy is on the verge of a precipice, and North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Friday yet again. Talking about the economic and security crisis is not enough. It is time that we gathered our wisdom and national capacity to find ways to survive as a country. We should stop engaging in dirty politics. The Pew Research survey shows that the public's patience has crossed a critical point. I hope that we can at least establish a bipartisan consultative committee in the near future.
한국어
donga.com
9. 2.0 magnitude natural quake hits near NK nuclear test site: weather agency
I wonder how six nuclear tests has affected the geology around the nuclear test site. Have the tests somehow weakened the area and created fault lines that are more prone to earthquakes?
What happens after the next big test?
2.0 magnitude natural quake hits near NK nuclear test site: weather agency
The Korea Times · November 20, 2022
The minor earthquake occurred about 38 kilometers north-northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, at around 3:21 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA)A 2.0 magnitude natural earthquake struck near North Korea's nuclear test site on Sunday, the latest in a series of natural earthquakes to hit the region in recent months, South Korea's state weather agency said.
The minor earthquake occurred about 38 kilometers north-northwest of Kilju, North Hamgyong Province, at around 3:21 p.m., according to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA).
The epicenter was at a latitude of 41.29 degrees north and a longitude of 129.22 degrees east at a depth of 11 km, the KMA said, adding that the quake occurred naturally.
Six minor natural quakes hit near Kilju, where the North's Punggye-ri nuclear testing site is located, in February and March. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · November 20, 2022
10. [ANALYSIS] Why did North Korean leader reveal daughter during ICBM launch?
This better assessment than the succession hysteria.
[ANALYSIS] Why did North Korean leader reveal daughter during ICBM launch?
The Korea Times · by 2022-11-19 07:57 | North Korea · November 20, 2022
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, stands hand-in-hand with his daughter at a ballistic missile launch site at Pyongyang International Airport, Friday, in this photo provided by the Korean Central News Agency, the following day. Yonhap
Public debut of 'secret' daughter shows country's determination on nukes issue
By Kang Seung-woo
An unexpected appearance of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's daughter indicates that he has no plans on giving up his nation's nuclear program, evidenced by his strong conviction in his arsenal of weapons, which can protect him from hostile forces, according to Pyongyang analysts, Sunday.
North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released photos, Saturday, showing Kim hand-in-hand with his daughter at a missile launch site in Pyongyang, the previous day when the country successfully test-fired a Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). According to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, the missile ― the eighth launch this year alone ― traveled some 1,000 kilometers at an altitude of 6,100 kilometers, further ratcheting up tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Despite the successful launch of North Korea's largest and most powerful missile with a range capability allowing it to strike anywhere in the United States, it was overshadowed by the images of Kim's little-known daughter, leaving government officials here and analysts scrambling to analyze the meaning behind the dictator's daughter's first official appearance in state media.
NK leader inspects Hwasong-17 ICBM test launch, declares resolute nuclear response to threats
"It is self-confidence in its nuclear weapons," said Park Won-gon, a professor at Ewha Womans University.
"When North Korea prepared for high-intensity provocations by launching a Hwasong-17 missile, the North Korean leadership did not show up (at the launch site) out of fears that the South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities can detect it. However, Kim brought his wife and daughter to the missile test site, based on the strong belief that South Korea and the U.S. cannot take any countermeasures against his country with nuclear weapons."
Rep. Tae Yong-ho, a North Korean defector-turned-lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), said the photos showed that North Korea's abandoning of its nuclear weapons is not going to happen although South Korea, the U.S. and Japan are seriously urging China to play a role in pressuring Pyongyang to give up its nuclear ambitions.
"By showing his daughter at a missile test site, Kim is showing his strong yet unchangeable determination of responding to nuclear threats with nuclear weapons," he said, Sunday.
The unexpected appearance of his daughter whose existence had not previously been confirmed also raised speculation that the leader is now priming his daughter to be the next leader of the dynastic totalitarian dictatorship.
North Korea was founded by Kim Il-sung in 1948, who was succeeded by Kim Jong-il, in 1994, the founder's son and the current leader's father. Kim Jong-un has led the secretive state since 2012.
However, experts think the theory about succession goes a bit too far.
"It is not the traditional way that North Korea introduces a new heir," said Go Myong-hyun, a senior fellow of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.
According to him, the Kim regime usually makes a much bigger set of preparations, including glorifying and enhancing the successor's background as well as other things, before introducing someone who is next in line, but there was nothing like that on this occasion.
"As for Friday's launch, Kim and the nuclear weapons took center stage," Go added.
The Korea Times · by 2022-11-19 07:57 | North Korea · November 20, 2022
11. Diplomacy emerges as double-edged sword for S. Korean president
President Yoon is in a tough position. South Korean politics are unforgiving.
Diplomacy emerges as double-edged sword for S. Korean president
The Korea Times · November 20, 2022
President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee disembark from the presidential jet at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 16, following a six-day trip to Southeast Asia. Courtesy of presidential office.
Yoon's approval rating falls below 30% after overseas trips
By Nam Hyun-woo
President Yoon Suk-yeol has seen his job approval rating dive below the 30 percent mark again despite spending a week jam-packed with diplomacy, including trips to Southeast Asia for regional summits.
Traditionally, public polls released right after a president's overseas trip show upticks in job approval ratings. But for Yoon, the opposite is happening again, due to controversies associated with him overshadowing diplomatic achievements, thereby negatively affecting his job approval.
According to a survey by Gallup Korea released on Friday, Yoon's job approval rating stood at 29 percent in the third week of this month, down 1 percentage point from a week earlier.
Negative responses reached 61 percent, down 1 percentage point during the same period.
In the poll, which surveyed 1,007 adults from Nov. 15 to 17, the top reason for both positive and negative opinions was diplomacy.
Among positive respondents, 12 percent picked Yoon's diplomacy as the reason why they approved his job performance, followed by overall performance at 10 percent and national security at 9 percent.
Among negative respondents, 9 percent picked Yoon's diplomacy as the biggest reason for their disapproval. Another 9 percent were dissatisfied with his overall performance, followed by 8 percent who cited the government's poor response to the Itaewon crowd crush, which killed 158 people who were enjoying Halloween festivities on Oct. 29.
President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee disembark from the presidential jet at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 16, following a six-day trip to Southeast Asia. Courtesy of presidential office. The positive opinions appeared to reflect Yoon's diplomatic achievements during the past week.
From Nov. 11 to 16, Yoon visited Cambodia and Indonesia to attend ASEAN-related summits and the G-20 Summit. During the trip, Yoon had summits with his counterparts of six countries _ the U.S., Japan, China, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines _ and joined a trilateral summit with the U.S. and Japan. After returning home, he held summits with the prime ministers of the Netherlands and Spain, and met Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
During the summits, Yoon announced South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy, an initiative to bolster ties between South Korea and ASEAN members and stronger commitments for Seoul-Washington-Tokyo trilateral security cooperation to counter North Korea's nuclear threats. Also, respective summits with Japan and China have served as watershed moments to improve South Korea's chilled relations with its regional neighbors.
Negative opinions, on the other hand, appear to reflect the ongoing controversies over the presidential office's decision to ban broadcaster MBC from boarding the presidential jet, accusing as "fake news" its reports on Yoon's alleged use of profanities during his trip to New York in September.
After the September 18-24 trip, Yoon's job approval rating plummeted to 24 percent in the fifth week of that month, down 4 percentage points from a week earlier, according to Gallup Korea ratings. At that time, the top reason for both positive and negative responses was diplomacy.
In June, when Yoon was mired in a controversy for letting the wife of one of his secretaries board the presidential jet, his job approval rating plunged to 37 percent in the first week of July, down 6 percent from a week earlier.
Participants of a rally denouncing the Yoon Suk-yeol government converge in a street near Sungnyemun in central Seoul, Saturday. Yonhap "Previous presidents' overseas trips have jacked up their job approval ratings, because such trips showcase a leader representing national interests on the global stage and coming home with some results, even if those results are nothing more than rhetoric," said Park Sang-byeong, a professor at Inha University's Graduate School of Policy Science.
"That is why some survey analysts say an overseas trip guarantees the president a 5 percent surplus to his or her job approval rating," Park added.
He said, however, that this is not the case for Yoon as various controversies eclipse any achievements during his overseas trips.
"Having this level of job approval rating in his first six months of presidency means that Yoon is already losing grip on state affairs," he said. "Since it is more difficult to expect a boost in his approval rating with domestic politics, chances are high that the president or the ruling bloc will keep a tighter rein on the opposition bloc, in order to seek a stronger bond between the conservatives."
As the professor noted, the prosecution is expediting its investigations into close aides of main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung on suspicions that they received illegal political funds. Although Yoon and the presidential office are refraining from making comments on the investigations, the DPK is crying foul, claiming the probes are "Yoon's political persecution of the opposition."
Yoon faces tough domestic issues after returning to Korea.
The DPK is urging the ruling bloc to accept its demand for an official investigation into the government's possible misconduct in the Itaewon crowd crush. Along with the DPK, two other minor opposition parties jointly submitted a document requesting the investigation, and announced that they will pass a bill by Thursday to launch the probe.
So far, the presidential office and the ruling People Power Party have been saying that they should wait until ongoing investigations end to determine whether police responded to the incident appropriately. But the three-party coalition can unilaterally pass the state investigation plan bill, because it controls more than half of the National Assembly's seats.
The Korea Times · November 20, 2022
12. Mounting nuclear threats
Excerpts:
In a nutshell, Pyongyang has apparently taken a step toward developing and deploying Hwasong ICBMs. The North, of course, has yet to prove its technologies to ensure that warheads endure the harsh conditions of their reentry into the atmosphere. So Pyongyang is likely to conduct more ICBM launches to speed up acquiring such technologies. What's worrisome is that such ICBMs, which are designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads, could hit several targets, including Washington, D.C., and New York, at the same time. In this sense, Hwasong ICBMs could be called a game changer in any potential military conflicts.
The problem facing South Korea and its allies is how to respond to the North's soon-to-be-completed nuclear weapons program. Pyongyang is expected to conduct its seventh nuclear test soon to miniaturize nuclear warheads as part of its efforts to deploy tactical nuclear weapons. Such a move is in defiance of trilateral security cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo.
Mounting nuclear threats
The Korea Times · November 20, 2022
North's ICBM launch destabilizes security situation further
North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last week has raised tensions further on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia. The North test-fired a Hwasong-17 ICBM at Pyongyang International Airport on Friday, according to its state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The missile, known as a "monster ICBM" due to its size, flew about 1,000 kilometers at a maximum altitude of 6,040 kilometers with a top speed reaching Mach 22. It landed in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone 4,135 seconds following launch at a lofted angle. This means the ICBM could hit any target on the U.S. mainland.
The North was estimated to have made considerable progress in advancing ICBM technologies. Friday's launch was seen as a success compared to the failure of the North's Nov. 3 firing of the same type of missile. It came one day after North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui threatened "fiercer" military responses to an agreement by the U.S., South Korea, and Japan to strengthen extended deterrence.
There is no doubt that the North's ICBM launch poses a grave threat to peace and stability in the region. "The test-fire clearly proved the reliability of the new major strategic weapon system to be representative of the DPRK's strategic forces and its powerful combat performance as the strongest strategic weapon in the world," the KCNA said. The report also mentioned the existence of the North's military units in charge of operations of ICBMs for the first time.
In a nutshell, Pyongyang has apparently taken a step toward developing and deploying Hwasong ICBMs. The North, of course, has yet to prove its technologies to ensure that warheads endure the harsh conditions of their reentry into the atmosphere. So Pyongyang is likely to conduct more ICBM launches to speed up acquiring such technologies. What's worrisome is that such ICBMs, which are designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads, could hit several targets, including Washington, D.C., and New York, at the same time. In this sense, Hwasong ICBMs could be called a game changer in any potential military conflicts.
The problem facing South Korea and its allies is how to respond to the North's soon-to-be-completed nuclear weapons program. Pyongyang is expected to conduct its seventh nuclear test soon to miniaturize nuclear warheads as part of its efforts to deploy tactical nuclear weapons. Such a move is in defiance of trilateral security cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo.
China, still the North's sole ally, should exercise its influence to restrain the recalcitrant country from conducting another nuclear test at least, if it is not possible to force the Kim Jong-un regime to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
However, it was disappointing to see that Chinese President Xi Jinping refused to accept U.S. President Joe Biden's request for Beijing's active role in keeping the North's nuclear program in check, during their summit in Indonesia last week. The North Korean leader must have been emboldened by Xi's refusal.
We urge China to do more to ensure peace and stability on the peninsula and the region, instead of acquiescing to nuclear proliferation in North Korea. China, together with North Korea and Russia, should not revive a new Cold War with the U.S., Japan and South Korea. Instead, it should cooperate with the U.S. and other U.N. member countries to toughen sanctions against the North for its military provocations and nuclear threats.
The Korea Times · November 20, 2022
13. Kim Jong-un revealing daughter for first time shows his confidence, experts say
Confidence? Yes. Succession? Way too premature to make a judgement.
Kim Jong-un revealing daughter for first time shows his confidence, experts say
Rare revelation of young daughter raises speculation over future leadership succession of Kim dynasty
koreaherald.com · by Jo He-rim · November 20, 2022
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stands with his daughter at a missile launch site in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency on Saturday. (Yonhap)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un revealed his daughter to the world for the first time on Saturday, in photos of him holding a young girl’s hand as he inspected the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Experts say the unexpected event manifests Kim’s confidence in his missile program, and that it could possibly signal the beginning of her training for leadership succession.
The Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang’s state media, said on Saturday Kim observed the test-firing of Hwasong-17 ICBM on the previous day, with his wife Ri Sol-ju and “beloved daughter” -- officially confirming her existence for the first time.
On Sunday, the KCNA released additional photos of Kim and his daughter visiting the missile test site on Friday.
In the photos, Kim is seen observing the regime's largest missile launch while holding hands with a young girl in a white jacket and red shoes.
The KCNA reported that Pyongyang launched the “new” missile from Pyongyang International Airfield, and it flew 999.2 kilometers for 4,135 seconds at an apogee of 6,040.9 kilometers. The missile landed in the international waters of the East Sea, the news agency said.
"The test-fire clearly proved the reliability of the new major strategic weapon system to be representative of the DPRK's strategic forces and its powerful combat performance as the strongest strategic weapon in the world," KCNA said in an English-language report. DPRK stands for Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the official name of North Korea.
According to assessments by Seoul and Tokyo, Pyongyang appears to have succeeded in advancing its ICBM to fly far enough to hit the US mainland.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter walk away from an intercontinental ballistic missile in this undated photo released on Saturday by KCNA. (Yonhap)
The launch was a countermeasure to the “reckless military confrontational moves of the US and other hostile forces” that drive regional security to the “red line,” going beyond the limit, the KCNA also said.
Pyongyang has been critical of South Korea and the US for conducting joint military drills involving American strategic assets, such as B-1B and B-52 bombers and a nuclear powered aircraft carrier, saying they undermine the regime’s authority.
Experts view Kim’s first revelation of his daughter as a sign of his confidence in the advancement of the missile program. At the same time, it possibly hints at Kim’s intent to hand over leadership to his bloodline, experts say.
Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification’s North Korean research division, suggested that the North Korean leader bringing his family to watch the missile launch is intended to show off his confidence in the stable operation of the Hwaseong-17.
"It shows that (Hwaseong-17) is an important asset that guarantees the safety of the future generation," Hong said.
If the North Korean leader expected the missile launch would fail, he would not have brought his wife and daughter to the test site, Lim Eul-chul, a professor of North Korean studies at Kyungnam University in Seoul, said.
Michael Madden, a North Korea expert at the US-based Stimson Center said the first public appearance of Kim’s daughter is “highly significant.”
“It is highly significant and represents a certain degree of comfort on Kim Jong-un's part that he would bring her out in public in such fashion."
According to Madden, Ju-ae is believed to be aged between 12 and 13, and she would likely be preparing to attend a university or go into military service in four to five years.
"This would indicate that she will be educated and trained to go into leadership -- it could be preparing for her to assume the central leader's position, or she could become an adviser and behind-the-scenes player like her aunt," he said, adding Kim may be showing his intent about the fourth-generation power succession.
While very little is known about Kim’s family, the girl revealed on Saturday is believed to be the oldest daughter of Kim, who is believed to have as many as three children – two girls and a boy.
Retired American basketball star Dennis Rodman mentioned that Kim has a daughter named Ju-ae in a 2013 interview, following a visit to North Korea. Rodman said he had spent time with Kim’s family, and had “held their baby Ju-ae.”
Last week’s launch of the ICBM is the eighth this year, and came about two weeks after the last test-fire on Nov. 3, which was observed to have ended in failure.
By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)
koreaherald.com · by Jo He-rim · November 20, 2022
14. North Korean censors destroy more than half of soldiers’ Mother’s Day letters
North Korean censors destroy more than half of soldiers’ Mother’s Day letters
The military ordered the soldiers to write home, but used the contents of their letters to punish some of them.
By Hyemin Son for RFA Korean
2022.11.17
rfa.org
North Korea’s military ordered soldiers to write letters to their mothers ahead of the country’s Mother’s Day, which was on Wednesday, but military censors destroyed more than half of them for ideological reasons, sources in the country told Radio Free Asia.
To make matters worse, the censors even used the contents of some letters to identify and punish problematic soldiers, sources said.
“The letters from soldiers of each unit … are opened before they arrive at the regimental postal office, and the ones that contain complaints about the difficulties of military service are sorted out and destroyed,” a source from the northwestern province of North Pyongan told RFA’s Korean Service on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.
The number of mothers who aren’t receiving letters is likely in the hundreds of thousands.
Every able-bodied North Korean must serve in the military. Until recently, male soldiers spent 10 years in the service, but since 2020, men serve eight years and women five as part of a fighting force estimated by the CIA World Factbook to be 1.15 million strong.
From the letters sorted out, the censors made a list of soldiers with “weak ideological wills” – in other words, those who complained about hunger or fatigue, the source said. Those soldiers will be sent to ideological training.
Letters written by a unit of soldiers guarding the border with China in the northeastern province of North Hamgyong had to pass through two rounds of censors, a source there told RFA on condition of anonymity to speak freely.
“The letters were first opened and censored by the company security officers, then they were all collected at the regiment and the military’s security authorities inspected them again,” the second source said.
Some of the soldiers on the weak ideology list did not even complain. Instead they made the mistake of asking about their mothers’ wellbeing, the second source said.
“A soldier sent his regards to his mother and asked her if the house had not collapsed in a recent flood and if the farming was going well,” the second source said. “However, the military security department pointed out that this shows that the soldier … does not trust the Party and speaks weakly instead of trusting that the Party takes care of the lives of all citizens.”
Because so many soldiers are now going to be sent to ideological reeducation, they are griping about the authorities’ duplicitous behavior, because they are the ones that ordered them to write the letters in the first place, the second source said.
Though Mother’s Day is most commonly celebrated around the world on the second Sunday in May, it falls on other dates in many countries. It is a relatively new holiday in North Korea, introduced in 2012 during the first year of Kim Jong Un’s reign, and became a public holiday in 2015.
Authorities chose Nov. 16 in remembrance of an iconic speech about mothers delivered on that day in 1961 by Kim’s grandfather, national founder Kim Il Sung.
Translated by Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee and Leejin J. Chung. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
rfa.org
15. Samsung Electronics world's No. 1 in brand recognition ahead of Google: YouGov
Excerpts:
Samsung Electronics ranked first in four countries: South Korea, the Netherlands, Vietnam and Ireland. It also ranked second in the United Kingdom, fifth in France and sixth in the United States. Its high ranks in various regions gave it the top score overall.
The company jumped to second place last year from fourth in 2017, third in 2018 and fourth in 2019 and 2020.
Samsung Electronics world's No. 1 in brand recognition ahead of Google: YouGov
The Korea Times · November 20, 2022
Samsung Electronics headquarters in Seocho, Seoul / Korea Times file By Kim Jae-heun
Samsung Electronics topped Google for the first in the 2022 Global Best Brand Rankings, which is assessed by global polling firm YouGov, data showed Sunday.
YouGov picked 380 top 10 brands in 38 markets based on its own brand index evaluation that analyzes brand reputation, quality, value and customer satisfaction and selected the overall best 10. Firms were given points from 1 to 10 based on their ranking in each market and added overall scores to rank them in the best brand list.
Local tech giant Samsung Electronics received 127 points thereby outperforming Google, YouTube and Netflix, who achieved 106 points, 85 points and 59 points to rank second, third and fourth respectively. Singaporean online shopping mall Shopee was ranked fifth after attaining 51 points.
Samsung Electronics ranked first in four countries: South Korea, the Netherlands, Vietnam and Ireland. It also ranked second in the United Kingdom, fifth in France and sixth in the United States. Its high ranks in various regions gave it the top score overall.
The company jumped to second place last year from fourth in 2017, third in 2018 and fourth in 2019 and 2020.
This year, tech companies dominated the best brand ranking, with five being selected out of the top 10. Here, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz were ranked seventh and ninth to join the top 10, showing the increased popularity of automakers.
Global sportswear brands Adidas and Nike, which ranked eighth and 10th last year, were pushed out of the top 10 this year.
It is also notable that Shopee rose one notch and Riddle reached the top 10, which reflects the fact that consumers are seeking cost-effective products as the cost of living soars around the world.
The Korea Times · November 20, 2022
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Senior Advisor, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
| 
