​Quotes of the Day:

"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest." 

– Elie Wiesel

"Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative." 

– H. G. Wells

"You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims." 

– Harriet Woods

1. Exclusive | The Ex-FBI Agent Who Spent Four Years Hunting Down a North Korean Spy

2. SOUTH KOREA’S USE OF CULTURE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF NATIONAL POWER

3. Suspension of RFA and VOA transforms North Korean public opinion as rumors replace outside news

4. UN Command denies proxying Seoul's proposal to talk with Pyongyang

5. Lee says won't neglect N. Korea's advance of nuclear program

6. U.N. panel adopts resolution condemning North Korea's rights abuses

7. 1 Army staff sergeant wounded in DMZ explosion accident

8. Why North Korean soldiers still find love letters hidden among their military belongings

9. All 267 people rescued after ferry runs aground off Korea's southwestern coast

10. North Korean logistics officers profiteer from grain collection as rice prices soar

11. Korea delays MOU ratification amid tariff concerns

12. West Sea developments prompted backing for Korean nuclear sub, says acting US envoy

13. N.K. soldiers briefly crossed MDL a day earlier: sources

14. US senators sound alarm over alleged sale of Trump-backed crypto to North Korea

15. Russia set to earmark $11M to search for oil off North Korea’s east coast

16. China postpones 3-way meeting of culture ministers with S. Korea, Japan

1. Exclusive | The Ex-FBI Agent Who Spent Four Years Hunting Down a North Korean Spy

​Summary:

Former FBI agent Eric Kerr continues tracking “Hades,” a North Korean Maui ransomware hacker who hit a Kansas hospital and funds RGB espionage. Posing as a crypto-casino employer, Kerr targets North Korea’s rogue IT-worker network, believes he unmasked Hades, and warns embedded operatives threaten corporate systems and national security worldwide.

​Comment: We must not only defend against the regime's all-purpose sword, we have to defeat it. 

Exclusive | The Ex-FBI Agent Who Spent Four Years Hunting Down a North Korean Spy

WSJ

Eric Kerr left the bureau in 2023 but kept searching for Conspirator 1, who allegedly targeted a Kansas hospital in a ransomware attack

By Robert McMillan

Follow

Nov. 19, 2025 8:00 am ET

https://www.wsj.com/tech/cybersecurity/the-ex-fbi-agent-who-spent-four-years-hunting-down-a-north-korean-spy-5b9f3109?mod=wknd_pos1

Eric Kerr and Caleb Marquis at the demilitarized zone in South Korea in 2023. Eric Kerr

In July, Eric Kerr hung up after an eight-minute video call with a software developer and called up his former partner at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“I think I got him,” he said.

Kerr, a cybersecurity researcher, left the FBI in 2023, but there was one investigation he and his former co-investigator, Caleb Marquis, couldn’t abandon.

On May 4, 2021, a hacker who went by the name Hades locked up servers at a Chanute, Kan., hospital during a ransomware attack. Hades was part of a crew of North Koreans who had burrowed in and disabled the hospital’s corporate network. They had even shut down a computer in the sleep lab. The ransomware they used was something the FBI had never seen before.

The FBI has said the ransomware, known as Maui, was built by North Korean hackers to make money for an espionage operation that eventually resulted in intrusions at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, two U.S. Air Force bases and a handful of military contractors.

The hackers’ mission was to steal military and technology secrets. To pay their living expenses as they did their work, they received more than $500,000 in ransomware payments, federal prosecutors alleged in documents released in 2022.

Caleb Marquis and Eric Kerr in 2023 at an observation deck providing views of the Korean DMZ. Eric Kerr

On Wednesday, Kerr and Marquis, who has also left the bureau and works as a cybersecurity researcher, are set to present their evidence at a conference in Washington, D.C. Hades didn’t return messages seeking comment.

Hades, identified as Conspirator 1 in a court filing, posted a note on the systems his ransomware hack infected. To get rid of the ransomware, the hospital would have to pay 2 bitcoin, the equivalent of just over $100,000 at the time.

“Please do not waste your time!” the note said. “You have 48 hours only!” After that, the price would double.

With so many systems on the fritz, the hospital paid.

The money—after being converted from bitcoin to yuan—was later withdrawn in Dandong, China—at an ATM near the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which connects China to North Korea, according to prosecutors.

While the Kansas hospital was one of at least five healthcare facilities that prosecutors said Hades and his associates hit, ransomware was really just a sideline. They were part of a cyber unit known as Andariel, which operated within North Korea’s military spy agency, the Reconnaissance General Bureau.

Kerr and Marquis had gathered digital clues about Hades during the ransomware attacks, many of which were published last year in an indictment of the hacking group’s alleged leader, a North Korean named Rim Jong Hyok.

A text exchange between Eric Kerr and an alleged hacker.

The indictment is what is known as a name-and-shame charge, meant to put the hackers on notice that U.S. authorities know who they are and could arrest them if they ever traveled to a jurisdiction where extradition to the U.S. is possible.

With only one person named in last year’s indictment, Kerr, now a threat analyst with Google’s Mandiant, couldn’t stop thinking about Conspirator 1.

Kerr’s mother is a nurse, and his father was an IT worker in the healthcare industry. He remembers his father’s painstaking work to keep networks operational, and he knew from his job at the FBI that ransomware was a big problem for hospitals.

“I have a kid,” he said in an interview. “What if I went to the hospital and they had to turn me away because their systems were down?”

Kerr and Marquis had acquired evidence connecting a suspect to Conspirator 1. The evidence included shared terms in coding repositories and on social-media profiles. And they appeared to share the same phone number.

On the July video call, what struck Kerr was that the suspect wasn’t seeking work as a hacker. He said he was a software developer based in Canada and looking for a programming job.

Last year, North Korea made as much as $800 million from its thousands of worldwide IT workers, who assume fake identities and obtain jobs with Western corporations, according to a report by 11 countries that are monitoring North Korea’s sanction violations. Workers can make as much as $100,000 a month, much of which is funneled back to support agencies such as the RGB spy agency.

​]Initially, the IT worker problem wasn’t considered to be a top cybersecurity threat, but governments and corporations have begun taking it more seriously as they realize the breadth of the problem, said Michael Barnhart, an investigator with the cybersecurity company DTEX. Nearly every U.S. corporation hiring for remote positions has received applications from North Koreans, including some who live outside North Korea and some who don’t, he said.

North Korea’s tactics have evolved, said John Kothanek, vice president of global intelligence with the cryptocurrency firm Coinbase Global. “Now I think it’s more about having access to the back-end systems of a company, so they can do worse,” he said.

Kerr said he felt there was a good chance that he had identified Hades, but he needed to learn more.

So he offered him a job. “I am trying to build a crypto casino. You look like you are a blockchain expert. Can you help me?” Kerr said.

He thought it would take weeks to learn more from the IT worker, but soon the person he thought was Hades offered to build a money-laundering system.

And later, he made a remarkable confession. He told Kerr in a text message that he had developed ransomware in the past and, though it was a risky business, made more than $1 million from it.

All of this matched Hades, Kerr said. “This is probably the person I spent years tracking,” he thought.

Then the suspect wanted to get on a conference call. He told Kerr in a video of the call viewed by The Wall Street Journal that his minimum hourly rate was $40. “I can work full time for you, where I receive at least $6,000 a month,” he said. Another voice—Kerr believes it is that of a second IT worker—is in the background during the call.

After the video call in July, Kerr excitedly told his wife that he had talked to Hades.

His wife stared back blankly. “You need a hobby,” she said.

Hades and the other Andariel hackers broke into companies and government agencies by finding computers that were running software that had known vulnerabilities. Kerr worries that if the people who were breaking into companies now have jobs there, they might be using this access as another way to install ransomware or steal secrets.

“The hardest part is getting in, but what happens when somebody is already in?” Kerr said.

Write to Robert McMillan at robert.mcmillan@wsj.com

WSJ

2. SOUTH KOREA’S USE OF CULTURE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF NATIONAL POWER

​Summary:

South Korea has deliberately built Hallyu into a state backed engine of power, funding cultural industries, branding idols as de facto diplomats, and using K-pop, film, and drama to boost tourism, exports, alliance favorability, and even inter-Korean engagement. Culture becomes a planned instrument of national strategy, influence, and security.

Comment: The Korean Wave (Hallyu) is one of Korea's superpowers. Information and influence activities on steroids.

SOUTH KOREA’S USE OF CULTURE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF NATIONAL POWER

warroom.armywarcollege.edu · Stephanie Sellers · November 20, 2025

 Stephanie Sellers , Qingan Leasure November 20, 2025

https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/articles/culture-as-national-power/

Hallyu (the Korean Wave) isn't just entertainment—it's nat’l power. S Korea has strategically invested in culture for econ growth & global influence.

South Korea has intentionally integrated the growth of its cultural industry into its national development strategy through sustained government policy.

Hallyu, the international “Korean Wave” of pop culture, media, and entertainment, exemplifies how cultural exports can shape global perceptions and influence international relations. Beginning in the 1990s and proliferating after the mainstream successes of BTS, Psy’s “Gangnam Style,” the acclaimed film Parasite, and Netflix’s Squid Game, Hallyu draws worldwide attention to South Korean culture and entertainment. Korean dramas, movies, and music have become household staples not only in Asia but also across North America, Europe, and other regions. The quality and appeal of its creative industries drive global interest in Korean culture, and the South Korean government actively promotes Hallyu as a central pillar of its foreign policy and economic strategies. The government deliberately uses K-Pop idols in international relations, riding the wave of immense Hallyu popularity and contributing to a stronger perceived national security relationship between the United States and South Korea. Ultimately, South Korea serves as a notable case study of culture functioning as an instrument of national power, demonstrating how a nation can leverage its cultural assets to achieve broader strategic objectives.

South Korea has intentionally integrated the growth of its cultural industry into its national development strategy through sustained government policy. K-pop and K-dramas not only spread culture but also serve as a tool for statecraft. In 1998, former South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung implemented the “Hallyu Industry Support Development Plan” to boost economic recovery after the Asian financial crisis, increasing government spending on culture from $14 million in 1998 to $84 million in 2001. This shift marked a turning point, as the government recognized the potential of cultural industries to contribute to national development. Subsequent administrations have continued to provide economic incentives, further developing the cultural sector and realizing the long-term value of cultural exports. For example, in 2023, South Korea allocated approximately 790 billion won ($622.5 million USD) to support companies and startups enhancing cultural exports, reflecting its ongoing commitment to fostering innovation and competitiveness in the creative industries. The state deliberately engineered and invested in the cultural sector, pursuing a broader strategy to use culture as a means of national advancement.

Government-backed cultural exports have directly increased tourism, cultural influence, and revenue for South Korea’s industries. In the early 2010s, as Korean entertainment entered the mainstream of global media, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism established the Cultural Contents Industry Promotion Committee. It announced the “First Basic Plan for Promoting the Cultural Contents Industry.” This unified government effort aimed to expand the reach of Hallyu content both domestically and internationally, setting clear goals for export growth and audience engagement. Tourism now ranks among South Korea’s largest economic sectors, generating jobs, revenue, and a national tourism policy framework. The surge in Korean content, supported by government investment, resulted in economic success—a clear overall benefit for South Korea.

Idols play a unique strategic role in South Korea’s international engagement. Unlike Western countries where celebrities often act independently, South Korea frequently assigns idols to represent national interests in international relations. The government leverages these cultural icons as literal representatives of modern Korean culture, using their popularity and influence to further South Korea’s interests abroad. South Korea sees idols as ambassadors who can bridge cultural gaps, foster goodwill, and project a positive image of the nation to global audiences. Their involvement in official state functions, international events, and humanitarian campaigns amplifies the reach and impact of Korean soft power.

BTS, the most influential K-pop group, exemplifies the use of idols in international engagement. Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in appointed BTS as a “Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture,” leading to BTS’s speech at the United Nations (UN) on the Sustainable Development Goals. Such direct representation by pop culture icons rarely occurs at the UN and probably elevated South Korea’s international presence. BTS’s participation in global forums showcases their artistic talents and signals the country’s commitment to addressing pressing global issues, such as youth empowerment, mental health, and sustainable development. Since November 2017, BTS has also partnered with UNICEF for the “Love Myself” campaign, raising about $6.6 million USD as of March 2024 to support children’s mental health. BTS’s massive fanbase—known as ARMY—has fueled the campaign’s global reach and demonstrated the potential for pop culture to drive meaningful social change.

In another milestone of international outreach, BTS visited President Joseph Biden at the White House in May 2022 to address anti-Asian hate crimes, marking an unprecedented instance of direct engagement by foreign celebrities. This event highlighted the group’s ability to influence public discourse and promote cross-cultural understanding at the highest levels of government. While not all of BTS’ activities constitute direct state-mandated engagement in international relations, their global influence consistently enhances South Korea’s image. The government does not control culture outright, but benefits from Korean culture spreading. Large fan bases for groups like BTS show their reach to address global issues and foster international solidarity.

Other K-pop groups also contribute to international outreach efforts on behalf of South Korea. In 2019, the boy group EXO, accompanied by former President Moon Jae-in, met President Donald Trump during the G20 Summit, presented signed albums, and engaged with the Trump family. While EXO’s specific international role was not publicly detailed, their presence fostered a hospitable environment for positive U.S.-Korean relations and demonstrated the soft power of Korean pop culture in high-level international settings. The group’s interaction with world leaders at such a significant event underscores the symbolic importance of cultural ambassadors, and their ability to humanize and personalize international relationships.

Through idol groups, South Korea has improved inter-Korean relations, demonstrating that cultural engagement can touch both leaders and populations.

Red Velvet’s 2018 performance in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, stands as a powerful example of cultural engagement. The group performed for hundreds of North Korean citizens and met with North Korean President Kim Jong-un, who expressed gratitude for their “gift to Pyongyang’s citizens” and said he was “deeply moved” by the performance, which included both North and South Koreans singing “Our Wish is Unification.” North Korean state media highlighted the event’s role in deepening understanding between the two Koreas. Kim’s support for further cultural exchanges underscores the success of South Korea’s strategy in international relations. Through idol groups, South Korea has improved inter-Korean relations, demonstrating that cultural engagement can touch both leaders and populations. Strategic empathy and finding common ground through shared cultural experiences serve as crucial prerequisites for further engagement, fostering mutual understanding and paving the way for more meaningful dialogue. This rare moment of goodwill on the Korean peninsula suggests that shared artistic experiences can pave the way for dialogue and reconciliation.

South Korea’s cultural exports have significantly improved Western perceptions of the country. Western audiences, especially Americans, now engage with Korean music, film, beauty products, food, video games, and fashion at unprecedented levels. The global success of Korean brands, ranging from cosmetics to technology, amplifies the positive associations created through Hallyu. This trend aligns with the concept of “nation branding” which means making a conscious effort to shape a nation’s global image. Often, a state’s perceived soft power outweighs its actual influence. By investing in cultural exports, South Korea has successfully cultivated a favorable identity among Western audiences, enhancing its reputation and impact on the world stage.

Recent data underscores the effectiveness of South Korea’s nation branding strategy with the West. As of 2023, this approach correlated with a higher perceived presence in world affairs and a stronger perceived national security relationship with the United States. According to a Crown Center study, Americans rated South Korea’s global influence at 5.1 out of 10 in 2023, up from 4.5 in 2021. The perceived strength of the U.S.-South Korea security partnership is high, with 71% of Americans viewing it as beneficial, ranking just behind Japan and Germany. While political and economic factors also contribute, these perceptions closely align with South Korea’s cultural influence strategy, demonstrating the tangible impact of Hallyu on international relations. The positive image cultivated by Hallyu has made it easier for South Korea to pursue its objectives, attract foreign investment, and build strategic alliances. The continued rise in South Korea’s favorability ratings suggests that its cultural efforts remain effective and sustainable in the long term.

South Korea’s strategic promotion of cultural exports has become a powerful instrument of national power. The government’s consistent support for the entertainment industry through funding and initiatives has driven economic growth, tourism, and positive international perceptions. K-pop idols have proven effective as agents of cultural engagement, advancing nation branding and strengthening international relationships. The success of Hallyu illustrates how culture can serve as an effective instrument of national power, shaping global identity and enhancing a nation’s standing in the international community. As South Korea continues to innovate and expand its cultural offerings, it will likely grow its influence on the global stage, providing a model for other countries seeking to harness the power of culture for national advancement. Through its unique blend of government support, creative talent, and international outreach, South Korea demonstrates that cultural exports both entertain and serve as a strategic asset capable of transforming a nation’s fortunes and reputation worldwide.

Stephanie Sellers previously served as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Representative to the U.S. Army War College and is the former General Walter Bedell Smith Chair of National Intelligence Studies. She has twenty-seven years of experience in the U.S. Government as an intelligence educator; tradecraft facilitator; analytic manager; military and science and technology analyst; and missile system engineer.

Qingan Leasure is a junior at Seton Hall University studying Diplomacy & International Relations and Mathematics. He has previously served as an intern for the U.S. Army War College and is interested in pursuing a career in the fields of national security, intelligence, and foreign policy.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense.

Photo Description: The K-Pop band BTS joins White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House.

Photo Credit: Official White House Photo by Erin Scott

warroom.armywarcollege.edu · Stephanie Sellers · November 20, 2025

3. Suspension of RFA and VOA transforms North Korean public opinion as rumors replace outside news

​Summary:

With RFA, VOA, and South Korean broadcasts suspended, North Koreans receive far less outside information, silencing past secret radio sharing. In this vacuum, state security spreads false rumors that many accept as fact, strengthening regime propaganda, weakening independent judgment, fueling misinformation yet leaving some citizens still hoping for future change.

Comment: Troubling and so frustrating. This is another "own goal" by the US and ROK governments. Isn't there anyone in the administration who can explain to POTUS how vital these capabilities are to help the Korean people in the north?

And to South Korea just think how much more your Freedom Radio could amplify the Korean Wave (Hallyu) in the north.

Why have we shut off our information capabilities to the north? Surely we must understand that Kim assesses our actions as success for his political warfare and blackmail diplomacy strategies. Which means he will double down.

Suspension of RFA and VOA transforms North Korean public opinion as rumors replace outside news

State security officials are spreading groundless rumors that people accept as fact, filling the vacuum left by disappeared external information with regime propaganda and false narratives

By Lee Sang-yong - November 20, 2025

dailynk.com · November 19, 2025

https://www.dailynk.com/english/suspension-of-rfa-and-voa-transforms-north-korean-public-opinion-as-rumors-replace-outside-news/

FILE PHOTO: Popular devices for consuming media in North Korea (portable media player, radio, and mp4 player.) (©Daily NK)

Since the suspension of major radio broadcasts aimed at North Korea, such as Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Voice of America (VOA), the flow of information from the outside world into North Korea has drastically declined, transforming how public opinion is formed in the country and changing public mindsets.

“In the past, close friends would secretly share what they heard on the radio, but now nobody does,” a source in North Hamgyong province told Daily NK recently. “Neighborhoods have grown quite silent since the broadcasts ended, and far fewer people talk of the outside world.”

With radio broadcasts aimed at North Korea operated by South Korea’s National Intelligence Service and the South Korean military also being suspended, along with RFA and VOA, the ability of North Korean society to form unofficial opinions has also weakened as major windows to absorb information from the outside world close.

State security officials spread false rumors as fact

In the vacuum left by the disappearance of external information, a rather “odd” phenomenon is emerging in North Korea, as groundless rumors spread more easily.

“Unverified stories are going around, though some people don’t believe them, calling them merely conjecture by a handful of people,” the source said. “In particular, groundless rumors started by state security officials are accepted as hard fact.”

This demonstrates that the state is manipulating public opinion in its favor by disseminating false information. With the disappearance of news and information from the outside world, state propaganda and baseless rumors are more able to take their place.

Some worry that if access to outside information ends, North Koreans may be more likely to accept state propaganda uncritically rather than think and judge on their own.

“News from the outside world learned through the radio was an important device for easing (North Korea’s) information imbalance,” the source said. “If these channels close, falsehoods and distrust will grow within the society.”

The North Korean authorities have long mobilized technological and systemic devices to prevent external information from reaching their people. By erecting an “information firewall” through technology and systems, they have blocked the flow of information from the outside world and intensified control over the public.

For example, the Radio Wave Control Law enacted in 2006 makes it a crime to remove the locks on North Korean TVs or radios and point them toward other channels or frequencies.

Nevertheless, North Koreans have acquired news and information from the outside world by using various methods to evade the authorities’ controls. In border regions, people would climb mountains where the reception was better to listen to radio broadcasts at night. This “secret listening” of broadcasts went beyond mere curiosity—it reflected the people’s desire and will to be connected to the outside world in a closed society.

“You sometimes hear people say that things look bleak since they can’t hear news from around the world,” the source said. “But many people also express hope that while they can’t hear anything now, they believe something good will happen eventually.”

Read in Korean

dailynk.com · November 19, 2025

4. UN Command denies proxying Seoul's proposal to talk with Pyongyang

​Summary:

The UN Command said it has not relayed any proposals for inter-Korean military talks, contradicting Seoul’s claim it consulted UNC to convey its MDL dialogue offer. UNC stresses its armistice-focused neutrality, noting only independent contacts with North over MDL violations, fueling concerns about renewed friction with South Korea’s defense ministry.

Excerpts: 

While the UNC acknowledged contact with the North to manage border tensions, it said these interactions were unrelated to the South’s recent proposal. This level of clarity in a formal statement — especially on an issue of government policy — is rare for the UNC, which generally refrains from public commentary. The statement may reflect discomfort with how the ministry portrayed the UNC’s role.

...

Some within the military community are expressing concern that tensions between the Defense Ministry and the UNC may be resurfacing, echoing past frictions during the Moon Jae-in administration. Robert Abrams, who served as commander of both U.S. Forces Korea and the UNC, said in 2022 after his retirement that the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement posed the biggest point of friction in the alliance and had hindered readiness and alliance support efforts by the UNC.

Comment: This type of friction is troubling and must be dealt with. 

UN Command denies proxying Seoul's proposal to talk with Pyongyang

Published: 20 Nov. 2025, 19:06

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-11-20/national/diplomacy/UN-Command-denies-proxying-Seouls-proposal-to-talk-with-Pyongyang/2459426

The so-called “pink phone” ? the direct communication line between the United Nations Command (UNC) and the North Korean military [UNITED NATIONS]

The United Nations Command (UNC) said Thursday that it did not convey any message or proposal related to Seoul’s offer of military talks with Pyongyang, effectively contradicting a recent statement by South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense.

On Nov. 17, the ministry proposed military talks with North Korea to discuss redefining the military demarcation line (MDL), saying it had “actively attempted to deliver the proposal to the North in consultation with the UNC.” But in response to a JoongAng Ilbo inquiry, the UNC said, “We have not conveyed any messages or proposals specific to inter-Korean dialogue.”

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“United Nations Command is aware of the situation and continues to monitor developments along the military demarcation line,” the UNC said. “We have sought to engage the Korean People’s Army on Armistice-related MDL issues since last year. However, we have not conveyed any messages or proposals specific to inter-Korean dialogue.”

“We remain committed to close coordination with the Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense and continue to support efforts that reduce risk between military forces and align with established duties and obligations under the Armistice framework,” added the command.

While the UNC acknowledged contact with the North to manage border tensions, it said these interactions were unrelated to the South’s recent proposal. This level of clarity in a formal statement — especially on an issue of government policy — is rare for the UNC, which generally refrains from public commentary. The statement may reflect discomfort with how the ministry portrayed the UNC’s role.

Bases of the South Korean and North Korean militaries are seen from the border city of Paju in Gyeonggi on Nov. 18. [NEWS1]

Defense ministry cites UNC consultation

At a press briefing on Monday, director-general for defense policy at the Ministry of National Defense, publicly proposed military talks with Pyongyang to reset the MDL baseline. A senior ministry official told reporters the ministry “had been in consultation with the UNC and made active efforts to notify the North of those discussions.”

When asked whether the government had proposed discussing MDL issues multiple times through UNC or North Korean channels before resorting to a public announcement, the official replied, “That’s correct.”

The response was interpreted as meaning the government had been attempting behind-the-scenes contact with the North via the so-called “pink phone” — the direct communication line between the UNC and the North Korean military. A ministry official later clarified that while Monday's statement was the first formal offer of talks, there had been multiple attempts to raise the issue with the North.

UNC distances itself from Seoul’s outreach

Despite the ministry’s narrative, the UNC stressed that it had not delivered any message related to inter-Korean talks. Analysts say the clarification reflects the UNC’s emphasis on political neutrality and its intent to avoid the perception of facilitating dialogue between the two Koreas.

The United Nations logo is pictured in front of the United Nations Headquarters building during the 71st United Nations General Assembly in the Manhattan borough of New York, U.S., Sept. 22, 2016. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Sources say the UNC has sent communications to the North Korean military on its own account regarding MDL violations since the first half of last year. The UNC apparently formed its statement right after the defense ministry's claim, and the ministry then also altered its position the following day on Tuesday, saying, “Our proposal for talks was not delivered to the North through UNC channels.”

In a follow-up statement, the ministry said the official proposal was made for the first time via the press briefing and emphasized again that “there had been repeated discussions between our military with the UNC on MDL issues, and the UNC has conveyed its views to the North on multiple occasions.” The ministry maintained that “prior coordination with the UNC took place regarding our recent proposal on the South-North military talks.”

Some within the military community are expressing concern that tensions between the Defense Ministry and the UNC may be resurfacing, echoing past frictions during the Moon Jae-in administration. Robert Abrams, who served as commander of both U.S. Forces Korea and the UNC, said in 2022 after his retirement that the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement posed the biggest point of friction in the alliance and had hindered readiness and alliance support efforts by the UNC.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY LEE YU-JUNG, SHIM SEOK-YONG [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]

5. Lee says won't neglect N. Korea's advance of nuclear program

​Comment: I wish he would not neglect unification either because it is the only way to achieve denuclearization. Unification and denuclearization are inextricably linked in these 14 words: "Unification first, then denuclearization, the path to unification is through information and human rights."

Lee says won't neglect N. Korea's advance of nuclear program | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · Kim Eun-jung · November 20, 2025

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251120001200315

By Kim Eun-jung

CAIRO, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung has said he will not neglect efforts by North Korea to advance its nuclear program, vowing to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula with a "pragmatic and phased" approach.

In a contribution to Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram that was published Thursday, Lee asked Egypt to support South Korea's plans to denuclearize North Korea and peace initiatives on the Korean Peninsula.

Highlighting Cairo's mediating role in the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip, Lee also expressed hope for expanded cooperation between South Korea and Egypt to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East.

Since taking office in June, Lee has extended an olive branch to resume dialogue with Pyongyang and proposed a three-step road map to halt, reduce and dismantle North Korea's program, though the North remains unresponsive.

"The suspended inter-Korean dialogue and North Korea's evolving nuclear capabilities cannot be left as they are, and I firmly believe we should open a new era of peaceful coexistence and shared growth on the Korean Peninsula," Lee wrote.

"To that end, we will increase exchanges with North Korea in feasible areas, support its efforts to normalize relations with the international community, and plan to pursue denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through a pragmatic and phased approach," he added.

President Lee Jae Myung (R) and first lady Kim Hea Kyung arrive at Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt, on Nov. 19, 2025 (local time). (Yonhap)

Marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, Lee stressed the importance of deepening cooperation in trade, investment, and cultural exchanges.

He noted the presence of Samsung and LG factories in Egypt producing smartphones and home appliances, as well as Egypt's contracts for South Korea's K-9 self-propelled howitzers, with the first batch expected to be delivered next year.

Lee highlighted the rising popularity of Korean music and dramas in Egypt, saying he was "deeply moved" by the interest in Korean culture in a country rich in its own history and heritage.

He positioned South Korea as a "reliable partner" for Egypt's national development blueprint, Vision 2030, expressing hope for strengthened cooperation across various fields.

"The Republic of Korea, which achieved the 'Miracle of the Han River,' will join the great journey of Egyptians, who achieved the 'Miracle of the Nile River,'" he said, referring to South Korea's official name.

ejkim@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · Kim Eun-jung · November 20, 2025

6. U.N. panel adopts resolution condemning North Korea's rights abuses

​Summary:

A U.N. General Assembly committee adopted by consensus a resolution condemning North Korea’s systemic human rights abuses and political prison camps, backed by 61 co sponsors including South Korea and the United States. Seoul signals continuity on human rights, while Pyongyang, China, and Russia denounce the measure as politicized interference.

Comment: We must sustain a human rights upfront approach. Human rights are not only a moral imperative, they are a national security issue because KJU must deny human right to remain in power and he severely abuses human rights in nuclear weapons development. Please read Robert Collins' report "Slaves to the Bomb" at the US Committee for Human Rights in north Korea. https://www.hrnk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/STTB_web.pdf

And again my fourteen words: Unification first, then denuclearization; the path to unification is through information and human rights.

World News Nov. 20, 2025 / 3:03 AM

U.N. panel adopts resolution condemning North Korea's rights abuses

By Thomas Maresca

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/11/20/UN-adopts-resolution-condemning-North-Korea-human-rights-violations/5041763624495/

A U.N. committee adopted a resolution condemning North Korea's human rights violations during a plenary meeting of the General Assembly's Third Committee, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Thursday. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

SEOUL, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A U.N. committee adopted a resolution condemning North Korea's human rights violations, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Thursday, with 61 co-sponsors including South Korea and the United States.

The draft resolution, introduced earlier this month to the Third Committee of the U.N. General Assembly, "condemns in the strongest terms the long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights in and by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, including those that may amount to crimes against humanity."

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.

The resolution calls on Pyongyang to "respect, protect and fulfill all human rights and fundamental freedoms" and to "immediately close the political prison camps and release all political prisoners unconditionally."

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• Kim Jong Un praises secret police on 80th anniversary
• G7 diplomats reaffirm commitment to North Korea's complete denuclearization
• South Korea to back U.N. resolution condemning North Korea rights abuses

It was approved by consensus during a plenary meeting of the Third Committee on Wednesday.

South Korea was among the initial 41 member states to co-sponsor the resolution, despite speculation that the liberal administration of President Lee Jae Myung might withhold support in an effort to improve relations with Pyongyang.

However, South Korea maintained the position of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's conservative government, with the Foreign Ministry noting that Seoul's approach to North Korean human rights would remain a matter of principle.

In a statement on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry said the resolution "urges the DPRK to establish an operating environment conducive to the return of international and humanitarian staff and encourages all Member States and U.N. entities to provide more support for the work of civil society organizations."

"The ROK government will continue its close cooperation with the international community for the substantive enhancement of human rights of DPRK people," the ministry added, using the official acronym for South Korea.

North Korea has long rejected such resolutions as hostile acts, accusing the United Nations and Western powers of using human rights as a pretext to undermine its government.

During Wednesday's plenary meeting, North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Kim Song said Pyongyang "strongly condemns and totally rejects" the resolution, calling it "a document of political plots motivated by the impure intention of defaming the dignity of our republic and undermining its sovereign political system."

Representatives of China and Russia also dissociated themselves from the consensus, with Beijing rejecting what it called a "politicized approach to human rights issues."

A September report by the U.N. Human Rights Office found that North Korea's human rights situation "has not improved over the past decade and, in many instances, has degraded," citing worsening food shortages, widespread forced labor and tight restrictions on movement and expression.

This week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised his regime's state security forces, which run the political prison system and have been widely accused of employing brutal methods of repression and torture. The security apparatus has long been central to maintaining the Kim family's grip on power through pervasive surveillance and the suppression of dissent.

The United States, which was not initially among the co-sponsoring nations, later joined the group that also includes Australia, Britain, France, Germany and Japan.

The resolution will be reviewed at the upcoming General Assembly plenary next month for final adoption.

7. 1 Army staff sergeant wounded in DMZ explosion accident

​Comment: We must never forget how dangerous the DMZ is. There could be upwards of 1 million mines and unexploded ordnance. I do not know how the DMZ could ever be completely cleared and made safe.

World News Nov. 20, 2025 / 4:49 AM

1 Army staff sergeant wounded in DMZ explosion accident

By Kim Hyun-soo, Yonhap News Agency

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/11/20/korea-DMZ-explosion-soldier-injured-Paju/1431763631925/

One soldier was injured Thursday morning after an explosion occurred inside the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, officials said. File Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo

One soldier was injured Thursday morning after an explosion occurred inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, officials said.

The explosion took place at 9:20 a.m. on the western front of the DMZ in Paju, just northwest of Seoul, for unknown reasons, according to officials.

A 24-year-old Army staff sergeant, who was on a mission to detect land mines on the southern side of the inter-Korean border at the time, sustained what is presumed to be an ankle fracture due to the blast.

He was wearing anti-mine protective gear and sustained non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

Military authorities are investigating the exact cause of the accident.

Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.

8. Why North Korean soldiers still find love letters hidden among their military belongings

​Summary:

In North Korea, youth still practice “analog romance.” Handwritten letters, often hidden in soldiers’ belongings, express love and promises to wait through military service. Mobile phones are costly and subject to random morality police checks, so affectionate texts risk humiliation. Letters provide candid conversation about ideals, marriage, and genuine love.

Comment: "Old school" still works. On a more serious note: what happens when the chain of control (control first then command) cracks down on these seemingly normal and human interactions? Is there a tipping point or breaking point? Remember what happens when there is a loss of coherency (breakdown) of the military, loss of military support combined with the regime/party's inability to govern from the center? Rhetorical question. We should all know that these conditions could lead to internal instability and eventually, possibly regime collapse.

Why North Korean soldiers still find love letters hidden among their military belongings

Random phone inspections by morality police threaten embarrassment and mockery if "lovey-dovey text messages" are discovered, keeping romantic expressions on paper instead of screens

By Eun Seol - November 20, 2025

dailynk.com · November 20, 2025

https://www.dailynk.com/english/why-north-korean-soldiers-still-find-love-letters-hidden-among-their-military-belongings/?tztc=1

FILE PHOTO: North Korean soldiers are seen in Sakju County, North Pyongan Province. (Daily NK)

For North Korean young people, a handwritten letter remains the chief means of expressing feelings of passion. Despite the growing adoption of mobile phones in the country, various restrictions on their usage are sustaining an analog approach to romance.

“Some people still don’t have mobile phones here. High school students and twenty-somethings without phones continue to share their hearts through the medium of letters,” a source in North Hamgyong province told Daily NK recently.

Confessing one’s feelings in a letter has become a ritual of sorts for young men and women about to enter the military.

“People promise to wait for the soldier to return from their service in a letter hidden among the soldier’s belongings. People express their feelings in a letter because they feel bashful about saying it in person,” the source said.

Fear of “morality police” mockery keeps romance on paper

Even North Koreans with mobile phones still commit professions of love to paper because of concerns about making a fool of themselves in street inspections of mobile phones and the text messages they contain.

“Young people are frequent targets of random mobile phone checks. They worry about the morality police coming across lovey-dovey text messages, which would not only be highly embarrassing but also open them up to mockery. So people generally don’t express their feelings over text messages,” the source said.

Young people who are planning to get married regard letters as a means of candid conversation, as evidenced by the following excerpt from a recent letter from an individual to their fiancé that the source shared with Daily NK:

“Some young people, when choosing their marriage partner, take into account the financial situation and social standing of their partner’s parents and weigh how well the match would aid their career. But for me, being allured by external factors—rather than internal qualities—to choose a spouse who does not meet one’s ideals doesn’t seem to represent a true understanding of love for young people of our generation. That’s a point I wanted to stress out of concern that such an unfortunate seed might take root in our relationship.”

“A letter is more than a piece of paper; it’s the most honest means of sharing one’s thoughts in a restricted environment. Some people say that exchanging letters is a pleasure reserved for the young, while singles express jealousy about not having anybody to correspond with,” the source said.

Given the threat of random phone searches and financial difficulties that often make mobile phones unaffordable, young North Koreans continue to engage in “analog romance,” writing handwritten letters to share feelings they would never dare to speak aloud.

Read in Korean

dailynk.com · November 20, 2025

9. All 267 people rescued after ferry runs aground off Korea's southwestern coast

​Comment: Some good news. At least everyone was rescued.

World News Nov. 19, 2025 / 9:44 PM

All 267 people rescued after ferry runs aground off Korea's southwestern coast

By Lee Haye-ah, Yonhap News Agency

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/11/19/korea-Korea-ferry-Queen-Jenuvia-passengers-rescued-Jangsan-Mokpo/5761763605653/

All 267 passengers and crew of the Queen Jenuvia II were safely rescued after their ferry ran aground off South Korea's southwestern coast, the Coast Guard said Thursday. Photo by Yonhap

All 267 passengers and crew were safely rescued hours after their ferry ran aground off South Korea's southwestern coast this week, the Coast Guard said Thursday, with investigators giving weight to errors in navigation as a potential cause of the accident.

The 26,546-ton Queen Jenuvia II carrying 246 passengers and 21 crew members was reported to have run aground at the uninhabited islet of Jok near Jangsan Island off the coast of Sinan County, 366 kilometers south of Seoul, at around 8:17 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Coast Guard. It was en route to the port city of Mokpo after departing from the southern island of Jeju.

Half of the vessel's hull was said to have moved onto Jok Islet. No serious injuries were reported, with 27 people reporting pain due to the shock that they experienced when the vessel ran aground.

All people aboard the ferry were safely moved to a nearby port aboard Coast Guard and other vessels.

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• Seven workers trapped after tower collapse at South Korean power plant
• South Korea resumes excavation of war remains at DMZ battle site

For the rescue operations, the Coast Guard deployed 17 patrol ships, four coastal rescue vessels, a plane and special rescue personnel.

Maritime authorities presumed that the ferry ran aground due to human error.

"We confirmed that the vessel veered belatedly, deviating from the regular course," an official from the Mokpo Coast Guard said during a press briefing in the southwestern city of Mokpo.

In an earlier briefing, Korea Coast Guard Commissioner Kim Yong-jin also attributed the cause to errors by a captain or navigator.

Neither the captain nor navigator were found to be under the influence.

At the time of the accident, the waves were measured at around 0.5 meters and calm.

The Coast Guard said it received the first distress call at 8:16 p.m., a minute before the ship ran aground, from a person tentatively identified as a navigator.

An investigation team has been set up to determine the cause, including through data recorders and surveillance cameras on the vessel, and by questioning crew members.

Some passengers described the incident in real time on social media. "There was a loud bang, and then the ship tilted," one passenger wrote. "An announcement told everyone to put on life jackets, so we're wearing them and waiting on the top deck."

Children, pregnant women and older adults were reportedly taken off first, while other passengers and crew waited their turn on deck wearing life jackets.

President Lee Jae Myung ordered swift rescue efforts immediately after being briefed on the accident during his visit to the United Arab Emirates.

"Lee immediately ordered the relevant authorities to act swiftly to prevent any loss of life and to provide real-time updates on the rescue operations to reassure the public," the presidential office said.

Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.

10. North Korean logistics officers profiteer from grain collection as rice prices soar

​Summary:

North Korean logistics officers exploit state grain collection by skimming rice and replacing it with cheaper mixed grains, especially as rice prices triple. Using official rice-to-corn ratios as cover, they divert tons for personal gain and to reward senior officials. Ordinary workers receive inferior rations, deepening inequality and resentment.

Comment: Again, what happens when the chain of control becomes ineffective and military corruption runs rampant? Will we see a loss of coherency and support? What happens then? internal instability and threats to the regime.

North Korean logistics officers profiteer from grain collection as rice prices soar

Officers are pilfering rice and replacing it with corn to maintain total weight, with one family preparing several tons of corn each autumn specifically for this scheme

By Seon Hwa - November 20, 2025

dailynk.com · November 19, 2025

https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-korean-logistics-officers-profiteer-from-grain-collection-as-rice-prices-soar/

North Korea's Kangryong county in South Hwanghae province as seen from Yeonpyeong Island. (Courtesy of Professor Kang Dong-wan of Dong-A University)

As officers from the logistics departments of government agencies begin collecting grain, they are profiteering by tampering with the ratio of rice received, as they have done in previous years. In particular, amid soaring market rice prices, logistics officers are enjoying a “golden time” as they can profit even more.

“With not only the military, but other agencies such as the Ministry of Social Security and Ministry of State Security now engaged in large-scale efforts to collect food, logistics officers are even more corrupt,” a Daily NK source in South Hwanghae province said recently. “People here even say that logistics officers have never had it as good as this year.”

According to the source, workplace units are graded, and grain ratios differ for each grade. Top-grade units collect their grain entirely in rice, while lower-graded units collect grain in rice-to-corn ratios of eight to two, seven to three, six to four and so on.

The problem is that units stay true to this ranking system only during the collection stage. In fact, because the only thing that matters is the total amount of grain collected, logistics officers pilfer rice during the collection process and replace it with mixed grains to make up the weight.

Three-fold price gap creates “golden time” for corruption

For example, if a particular unit collected 10 tons of grain in a seven-to-three ratio, the logistics officers could pilfer three of the seven tons of rice, replacing one ton of that with three tons of mixed grains to make up the weight, without raising suspicion. The logistics officers could then take two tons of rice for themselves and even pocket the remaining profit from changing the other ton into mixed grain.

The family of one logistics officer in Haeju, South Hwanghae province, visits Pyoksong and Kangnyong counties every autumn to prepare several tons of corn. This provides the cereal necessary when, during the grain collection process, they pilfer the rice and replace it with corn.

Although this sort of corruption is nothing new, logistics officers consider this year a golden time because rice is now more than three times as expensive as mixed grain.

“Since you can pilfer the rice and simply replace it with mixed grain, logistics officers really have it good,” the source said. “In the past, only logistics officers kept a cut, but nowadays they share it with other leaders in their work unit for fear of getting in trouble, strengthening the network of corruption.”

Ultimately, even within the work unit, the most powerful officials profit immensely from the rice or eat it themselves, while the powerless people at the bottom receive worse rations with mixed grain instead of the rice they were supposed to get. Given that rice is both a staple and the preferred food in North Korea, the people at the bottom feel an even greater sense of loss.

“Many logistics officers or officials personally profit by making use of this time, but the people under them have no opportunity to benefit,” the source said. “As people manipulate the grain ratio set by the state at the collection stage, inequalities are arising in the rations people actually receive.”

Read in Korean

dailynk.com · November 19, 2025

11. Korea delays MOU ratification amid tariff concerns

​Summary:

Seoul will skip MOU ratification and instead pass a U.S. investment act to unlock lower auto tariffs, fearing political disputes will prolong 25 percent duties.

Excerpt:

The South Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations, initiated under the Trump administration, have created a substantial investment burden for South Korea, comparable to a natural disaster. It is a heavy load but an unavoidable choice to preserve an economy that has relied on exports for growth. For companies anxiously awaiting parliamentary decisions, the MOU ratification issue should no longer be treated as a matter of political contention.

Comment: It is hard to see how any of this could be good for our alliance. Of course it did not have to be this way.

Korea delays MOU ratification amid tariff concerns

Posted November. 20, 2025 08:18,   

Updated November. 20, 2025 08:18

https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20251120/5970571/1

The government and the ruling Democratic Party have reportedly decided not to submit the memorandum of understanding, or MOU, on South Korea-U.S. tariff and security negotiations for parliamentary ratification. The main opposition People Power Party has called for ratification, but officials say a prolonged dispute could delay cuts to U.S. import tariffs on Korean cars and parts, potentially causing serious harm to domestic companies.

Instead of submitting the ratification request, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Democratic Party plan to push legislation this month for a “Special Act on Investment in the United States” to support $35 billion in U.S.-bound investment. South Korea and the United States have agreed that tariffs reduced to 15 percent will be applied retroactively from the first day of the month in which the government submits the bill establishing the U.S. investment fund. If submission is delayed until next month, Korean auto exporters would have to bear a full month of higher tariffs.

After the United States imposed a 25 percent tariff on all imported vehicles in April, Hyundai Motor Group faced $1.6 billion in U.S. export tariffs in the second quarter and $3 billion in the third quarter. Once the tariff rate drops to 15 percent, the burden is expected to decrease by roughly $400 million per month. If the special legislation is delayed due to ratification debates, Korean automakers would have to compete in the U.S. market under the 25 percent tariff, while European Union and Japanese competitors, which signed MOUs with the U.S. earlier, have been paying only 15 percent since Aug. 1 and Sept. 16, respectively.

Korean automakers are particularly vulnerable to high tariffs because their U.S. production share is lower than that of Japanese rivals. To increase local output, Hyundai Motor Group has pledged $26 billion over four years for facilities such as MetaPlant America in Georgia, a significant financial commitment. The group has also announced plans to invest 125.2 trillion won by 2030 to counteract domestic manufacturing hollowing.

The South Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations, initiated under the Trump administration, have created a substantial investment burden for South Korea, comparable to a natural disaster. It is a heavy load but an unavoidable choice to preserve an economy that has relied on exports for growth. For companies anxiously awaiting parliamentary decisions, the MOU ratification issue should no longer be treated as a matter of political contention.

12. West Sea developments prompted backing for Korean nuclear sub, says acting US envoy

​Summary:

Acting US Ambassador Kevin Kim linked West Sea tensions to alliance modernization, including Korea’s first nuclear-powered submarine, enabled by US nuclear cooperation. He called Korea a model ally investing in defense and backing US presence. China condemned his remarks. Kim highlighted a joint fact sheet deepening security, economic ties cooperation.

Comment: Strategic competition comes to the West Sea and the KTO. Of course Korea fears being a shrimp among whales (historical Korean saying). I am not sure "model ally" is the right description or should even be used. There are negative connotations with the use of "model." The ROK is a staunch ally, it is the linchpin for security in Northeast Asia, the alliance is ironclad and both the ROK and US are committed to mutual defense? A "monde" can be interpreted as condescending (among other negative interpretations). 

West Sea developments prompted backing for Korean nuclear sub, says acting US envoy - The Korea Times

The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint

By Lee Hyo-jin

• Published Nov 20, 2025 4:10 pm KST
• 
  
• 
  
• Updated Nov 20, 2025 9:44 pm KST

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/20251120/west-sea-developments-prompted-backing-for-korean-nuclear-sub-says-acting-us-envoy

Acting U.S. Ambassador to Korea Kevin Kim said Thursday that events unfolding in the West Sea illustrate why the allies are moving to modernize their security alliance, a plan that includes Korea’s first nuclear-powered submarine.

Speaking at a forum in Seoul, Kim stressed that Seoul and Washington must work together to address evolving security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, calling the Asian nation "a model ally willing to invest in its own defense."

"Look no further than what has happened in the Yellow Sea (West Sea) recently. That is why President Trump and President Lee agreed to modernize the U.S.-ROK alliance, increase Korea’s defense spending and seek new capabilities, such as nuclear-powered submarines, to meet that challenge," Kim said in his keynote speech. ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, Korea's official name.

Although Kim did not elaborate on recent developments in the West Sea, China has been installing artificial structures in the area. Beijing says the facilities support fishing activities, but critics see them as part of an effort to expand its maritime sovereignty.

U.S. officials have already hinted that Korea's plan to acquire its first nuclear-powered submarine — made possible by U.S. approval for uranium enrichment and spent nuclear fuel reprocessing — could help deter China's growing influence in the region.

Korean officials stress that the plan for nuclear-powered submarines is not targeted at any one country but is part of broader measures to reinforce national defense in the face of a changing security environment on the Korean Peninsula.

Later in the day, the Chinese Embassy in Korea rejected Kim's remarks, condemning U.S. officials for pitting countries against one another.

"The comments made by U.S. officials undermine the collaborative spirit of those meetings," an embassy spokesperson said in a stamtent, referring to respective bilateral summits held recently between Korea, China and U.S. leaders in Korea.

"We hope the U.S. side will do more to contribute to China-U.S., China-Korea and Korea-U.S. relations, rather than sowing discord or picking arguments," an embassy spokesperson said in a statement.

President Lee Jae Myung poses with U.S. President Donald Trump for a special dinner at the Hilton Gyeongju hotel in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Oct. 29, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. AFP-Yonhap

Meanwhile, during the forum, referring to the Korea–U.S. joint fact sheet released earlier this month which outlines new security and trade agreements following two summits between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, the acting U.S. envoy said, "This is a simple recognition that America’s future depends on Korea, and Korea’s future depends on America."

"That historic document highlights the comprehensive nature of our relationship, touching on every facet of our U.S.-ROK alliance. Together, we will focus on rebuilding and expanding our cooperation on strategic industries to include shipbuilding, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals and the technologies of tomorrow,” he said.

Kim added that recent progress between the allies has been possible because Seoul "is an ally that is willing to spend on its own defense, an ally that is willing to shoulder its own burdens and an ally that continues to support an enduring American presence on the Korean Peninsula."

His remarks come as the joint fact sheet commits Seoul to spending $25 billion on U.S. military equipment purchases by 2030 and providing $33 billion in comprehensive support for U.S. Forces Korea in accordance with domestic legal requirements.

Thursday's forum, co-hosted by the Korea–U.S. Parliamentarians' Union and the East Asia Foundation, brought together Korean lawmakers, senior diplomats and policy experts. The cross-party union, launched in March, aims to promote cooperation between the two countries' legislatures and serve as a platform for discussions on security and trade.

Among the participants were First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo and Rep. Cho Jeong-sik of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, who co-chairs the parliamentarians’ union. U.S. Sen. Andrew Kim and Rep. Young Kim also delivered congratulatory remarks via pre-recorded video.

The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint

13. N.K. soldiers briefly crossed MDL a day earlier: sources

​Comment: The ROK is certainly justified in wanting to get improved MDL coordination and markings.

N.K. soldiers briefly crossed MDL a day earlier: sources | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · Kim Hyun-soo · November 20, 2025

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251120009800315

SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the heavily fortified inter-Korean border the previous day, military officials said Thursday, as Pyongyang remains unresponsive to Seoul's calls for dialogue to prevent such accidental crossings.

The soldiers, believed to have been working near the border at the time, crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) into the South on Wednesday, according to the officials.

They said South Korea's military issued warning messages and fired warning shots, prompting the North Korean troops to retreat to their side of the border.

"We acted in accordance with due procedure, as there was a violation of the armistice agreement at the Demilitarized Zone by North Korean troops," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

It remains unclear how many soldiers crossed or whether they were armed.

The brief incursion occurred as North Korea has yet to respond to Seoul's proposal to hold military talks aimed at preventing potential clashes near the inter-Korean border.

The defense ministry said the recent MDL violations appear to be linked to the significant loss of boundary indicators that have largely been left unattended since 1973.

North Korean troops are known to have intruded over the border about 10 times this year alone, including in October when two soldiers briefly crossed the border while chasing a defector.

This file photo, provided by the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Dec. 23, 2024, shows North Korean soldiers installing barbed wires near the border. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

sookim@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · Kim Hyun-soo · November 20, 2025

14. US senators sound alarm over alleged sale of Trump-backed crypto to North Korea

Summary:

U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed urged Treasury and DOJ to investigate World Liberty Financial, a Trump family–backed crypto firm, for selling governance tokens to wallets linked to North Korea’s Lazarus Group and other illicit actors. Watchdog Accountable.US found WLF sold tokens to an address previously blocked by major platforms and to dozens of Tornado Cash users. Senators warn WLF’s weak due diligence and Trump’s financial stake create national security risks by granting adversaries influence over a U.S. platform. Experts call for CFIUS/FIRRMA review and stricter AML/KYC enforcement to prevent sanctions evasion and money laundering.

Comment: I had not heard this before. Is this based on fact or just another partisan attack?

US senators sound alarm over alleged sale of Trump-backed crypto to North Korea

Reported links between actors tied to DPRK and World Liberty Financial raise security concerns, Democrats warn

Shreyas Reddy November 20, 2025

https://www.nknews.org/2025/11/us-senators-sound-alarm-over-alleged-sale-of-trump-backed-crypto-to-north-korea/

U.S. President Donald Trump and World Liberty Financial | Image: The White House via X (Nov. 5, 2025) and World Liberty Financial Inc. via X, edited by NK News

Two U.S. senators have called for a probe into alleged links between North Korean cybercriminals and a cryptocurrency firm tied to President Donald Trump’s family, raising security concerns about the sale of virtual tokens to actors connected to Washington’s “enemies.”

In a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed of the Democratic Party sought information on an investigation into reports that the Trump family-backed World Liberty Financial (WLF) sold virtual currency tokens to buyers linked to the DPRK and other illicit actors.

They added that these alleged sales raise “serious concerns” about the cryptocurrency venture’s due diligence policies, including procedures against enabling “sanctions evasion, money laundering and terrorist financing.”

“By selling these tokens, WLF has ‘take[n] money from people with open and obvious connections to enemies of the United States’ and raised national security risks by giving them ‘a seat at the table’ to set WLF’s forward-looking governance policies,” Warren and Reed wrote, citing a report released by Washington-based advocacy group Accountable.US.

In September, the self-described “nonpartisan” watchdog reported that WLF sold over 600,000 of its $WLFI tokens to the user “Shryder.Eth” for $10,000 on Jan. 20, the day of Trump’s presidential inauguration.

Five months later, WLF sent the same user 47 $USD1, a stablecoin pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar, as part of a promotion rewarding early purchasers of $WLFI governance tokens, which grant holders voting rights that can influence the platform’s operations.

However, Accountable.US observed that Shryder.Eth previously conducted at least 55 transactions in 2022 with a virtual currency wallet operated by North Korea’s Lazarus Group, a U.S.-sanctioned cybercrime syndicate known for its prolific cryptocurrency theft operations.

As a result, the user was blocked from using various “mainstream” cryptocurrency services like decentralized finance (DeFi) exchange Uniswap and non-fungible token marketplace OpenSea long before his WLF dealings, the report noted.

WLF eventually blacklisted Shryder.ETH from interacting with the $WLFI token on Aug. 31, but did not elaborate on the reasons for the ban.

The cryptocurrency firm also sold tokens to at least 62 users with a history of transactions on Tornado Cash, a cryptocurrency mixer used by North Korean cybercriminals and other illicit actors to obscure the sources and destinations of virtual tokens.

The U.S. blacklisted the anonymized service in 2022 after Lazarus used the mixer for laundering stolen funds, but the Trump administration rolled back the designation this March after a court deemed a critical component of the sanctions unlawful.

WLF has yet to respond to Warren and Reed’s calls for a probe or Accountable.US’ investigation.

Sens. Jack Reed and Elizabeth Warren | Image: Sen. Jack Reed via X (Oct. 31, 2025) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren via YouTube (June 7, 2016), edited by NK News

CONFLICT OF INTEREST CONCERNS

The U.S. senators’ call for an investigation into WLF’s dealings come amid growing concern about the fund’s security and possible conflicts of interest involving Donald Trump, who has personally promoted the venture and whose family reportedly earned $466 million from the company in the first half of 2025. 

The firm lists the president as co-founder emeritus and his sons Eric, Donald Jr. and Barron as co-founders, while a corporate entity owned by the Trump family holds a 60% stake in the company.

Earlier this week, a report by the International Consortium of Investigative journalists also highlighted links between the Trump family-owned venture and Justin Sun, the owner of cryptocurrency exchange HTX, which a Russian actor allegedly used to launder cryptocurrency for North Korean cybercriminals.

The Chinese-born billionaire is one of WLF’s most high-profile investors, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dropped an investigation into Sun in February after he purchased $75 million worth of virtual assets issued by the Trump family-backed firm.

Dennis Desmond, chief technology officer of the Australian cybersecurity firm Ravinn, told NK News that Accountable.US’ findings raise significant concerns due to Trump’s sons’ WLF involvement and “the potential for foreign misuse.”

“These transactions create a national security vulnerability, allowing foreign actors to buy influence anonymously and without disclosure,” he said.

Desmond, a former FBI special agent, warned that the Trump administration’s moves to dilute financial transaction oversight and scale back investigations into cryptocurrency-related crimes have weakened enforcement against money laundering, sanctions evasion and fraud by actors like the DPRK, Russia and Iran.

“When regulatory rollback coincides with executive clemency for a major crypto player, it suggests alignment with interests that benefit from opacity,” he said.

Donald Trump Jr. (fourth from left) with other senior World Liberty Financial figures | Image: World LIberty Financial Inc. via X (Oct. 1, 2025)

Following the Accountable.US investigation, Warren and Reed warned that the president’s close ties to the company create a conflict of interest that nation-states like the DPRK can exploit, noting that the Trump family receives three quarters of all earnings from the sales of WLF governance tokens.

Citing the risk of handing illicit actors such as the DPRK “the keys to financial platforms that they can later exploit,” they emphasized that the Trump administration’s efforts to deregulate the cryptocurrency sector should not come at the expense of national security.

“[The Treasury’s] stated commitment to preventing crypto hacking and money laundering by North Korea suggests that the Treasury Department, at least, should be alarmed by WLF’s sale of governance tokens to entities linked to North Korea, Russia and other illicit actors,” their letter stated.

The senators called on the Treasury and Department of Justice to list due diligence requirements for DeFi platforms engaging with governance token holders, outline security risks from allowing DPRK and Russia-linked individuals governance rights for U.S. cryptocurrency platforms and provide details of investigations into WLF’s sales to illicit foreign actors. 

Desmond highlighted the need for a robust review under existing mechanisms such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) and the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA), as well as enforcing anti-money laundering and know-your-customer protocols.

“Without CFIUS/FIRRMA review, foreign entities can acquire stakes in U.S. companies, including those tied to defense, AI or energy, without transparency or disclosure,” he explained.

Edited by Bryan Betts

15. Russia set to earmark $11M to search for oil off North Korea’s east coast

​Summary:

Russia plans to spend $11 million in 2026 exploring oil and gas on North Korea’s shelf in the Sea of Japan, advancing a Putin-backed initiative. Geological surveys and Russian university training for DPRK specialists are underway, aiming to boost North Korea’s energy security while securing new hydrocarbon reserves for Moscow.

Comment: "Is there (black) gold in them there hills (or waters)?" Would this be a game changer if significant deposits were discovered?

Russia set to earmark $11M to search for oil off North Korea’s east coast

Initiative to explore deep-sea shelf aims to help DPRK address energy shortages and secure Russian access to deposits

Anton Sokolin November 18, 2025

https://www.nknews.org/2025/11/russia-set-to-earmark-11m-to-search-for-oil-off-north-koreas-east-coast/

A Russian oil rig | Image: Pixabay

Russia is set to earmark millions of dollars to explore North Korea’s deep-sea shelf for gas and oil next year, an NK News investigation has found, part of its plans to help the DPRK address longstanding energy shortages while securing access to additional deposits of hydrocarbons near the Far East.

President Vladimir Putin has personally put forward the initiative to assess “the prospects for oil and gas potential in the deep-water basin of the Sea of Japan” on the DPRK shelf, first deputy finance minister Irina Okladnikova told the State Duma’s Budget and Taxes Committee on Thursday, reviewing a draft of Russia’s federal budget for 2026-2028.

Russia plans to invest nearly $11 million (890 million rubles) to carry out the exploration project in 2026, supplementary documents published by the committee show.

The Duma is expected to review the budget proposal on Tuesday as part of the second hearing in the lower chamber of the Russian parliament. Barring unexpected revisions, the draft is likely to pass the third hearing before making it to the upper chamber or the Federation Council, after which Putin will sign the document into law.

Moscow appears to have already laid the groundwork for geological exploration of the area in the future, official procurement documents reveal, conducting “hydromagnetic surveying” of “2,300 linear km in the Korean East Sea.” This technique is used for locating oil and gas under the seabed.

VNIIOkeangeologia’s government tender (machine-translated) seeking contractors to perform hydromagnetic surveys in the East Sea (Sea of Japan), published on Aug. 18, 2025 | Image: Screenshot of zakupki.gov.ru

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The St. Petersburg-based I.S. Gramberg All-Russia Scientific Research Institute for Geology and Mineral Resources of the Ocean (VNIIOkeangeologia) sought to hire a contractor for the research from Sept. 1 toNov. 3 this year, offering some $25,000 for the task. 

St. Petersburg State University (SPbU) took on the mission, the procurement documents show.

The university has recently hosted North Korea’s “leading specialists in marine geological exploration,” providing a two-day course focusing on engineering and geophysical survey at its Advanced Engineering School, SPbU announced in a press release on Nov. 2.  

DPRK delegates learned how to operate the SeisPro and XTomo seismological research software, as well as a ground-penetrating radar, a seismic-acoustic system and interrogator among others.

SPbU regularly joins marine geological expeditions on the Arctic shelf, while closely cooperating with VNIIOkeangeologia and the Marine Technical Center in designing educational programs, according to the readout.

North Korea and Russia agreed in principle to work together on the geological exploration of hydrocarbons in Nov. 2023, with Moscow expressing its readiness to devise a plan after Pyongyang provides relevant “geophysical maps.”

OIL AND TRAVEL

The new details about the planned Russia-DPRK cooperation on hydrocarbon exploration comes as related academic exchanges have gained momentum.

Kim Chaek University of Technology (KCUT) in Pyongyang hosted a symposium on IT, energy engineering, environmental sciences and other subjects from Nov. 11-12, with Russian and Chinese scholars joining, according to DPRK state media.

Danis Nurgaliev, vice-president of Kazan Federal University (KFU) in Tatarstan, gave a congratulatory speech and a lecture in English titled “Effective Non-Seismic Methods for Hydrocarbon Exploration,” according to KFU. Nurgaliev holds a doctorate in geology and mineralogy science and specializes in gas and oil exploration.

Danis Nurgaliev giving a lecture on oil exploration at Kim Chaek University of Technology during the symposium from Nov. 11-12, 2025 | Image: KFU, edited by NK News

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KFU is expected to host six North Korean specialists from KCUT in May 2026, marking the start of a “major project” to train personnel for oil exploration in the DPRK. The initiative will create a “high-tech oil and gas geology sector in this friendly country,” the university said in a statement after Nurgaliev’s trip.

This month’s symposium in Pyongyang was also attended by representatives of SPbU, the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok and the Irkutsk-based Matrosov Institute for System Dynamics and Control Theory, NK News analysis of state media footage showed.

The Bauman Moscow State Technical University’s representative Anton Egorov announced that at least 20 North Korean master’s and Ph.D. students will attend academic programs in Moscow, according to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang.

Igor Bychkov (front), the head of the Irkutsk-based Matrosov Institute for System Dynamics and Control Theory, at Kim Chaek University of Technology during the symposium from Nov. 11-12, 2025 | Image: KCTV (Nov. 13, 2025)

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Russia’s assistance in locating gas and oil deposits could be instrumental in North Korea’s bid to improve its energy security, amid ongoing U.N. restrictions on its import of petroleum.

A Russian lawmaker in charge of a Russia-DPRK friendship group Kazbek Taisaev even suggested in a recent interview that Moscow could revive a long-abandoned project to help North Korea build a nuclear power plant.

Russia wouldn’t be the first country to undertake gas and oil research on the DPRK’s east coast, following similar efforts by Australia’s Beach Petroleum in the 1990s. 

A map indicating the locations of North Korea’s suspected oil reserves as of 1998 | Image: Screenshot of Hartford Web Publishing

Moscow also previously surveyed the area, drilling exploratory wells, while a Singaporean firm probed the area in 2012.

But North Korea’s west coast has attracted much more foreign interest, with China, Russia, Switzerland and Malaysia conducting surveys and drilling exploratory wells over the decades.

Edited by Bryan Betts

Updated at 11:34 a.m. KST on Nov. 19 with additional context on Russia-DPRK oil exploration efforts

16. China postpones 3-way meeting of culture ministers with S. Korea, Japan

Comment: Hardly a surprise with a nuclear powered attack sub proposed for the South and the PM 's tough talk on defense of Taiwan. 

China postpones 3-way meeting of culture ministers with S. Korea, Japan | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · Yi Wonju · November 20, 2025

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251120008500315

By Yi Wonju

SEOUL, Nov. 20 (Yonhap) -- China has notified South Korea that it postponed a planned trilateral meeting of culture ministers from Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo that was slated for next week, according to Seoul's culture ministry on Thursday.

China has not specified why it postponed the planned meeting, but Tokyo and Beijing have been embroiled in a diplomatic row after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi earlier this month suggested that Japan could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan.

On Tuesday, China's culture ministry notified South Korea's culture ministry that Beijing "temporarily postpones" the trilateral meeting, which had been scheduled to be held next Monday in Macao.

Since the inaugural session of the ministerial conference held in China in 2007, the trilateral talks have brought together the cultural ministers of the three nations every year to discuss cultural exchange and cooperation.

This Associated Press and AFP photo shows Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (R). (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

julesyi@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · Yi Wonju · November 20, 2025

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