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Quotes of the Day:
“In truth, O judges, while I wish to be adorned with every virtue, yet there is nothing which I can esteem more highly than being and appearing grateful. For this one virtue is not only the greatest, but is also the parent of all the other virtues.”
— Cicero
“Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”
— Maya Angelou
"I hope our wisdom will grow with our power and teach us that the less we use our power, the greater it will be."
––Thomas Jefferson
1. N. Korea fires 1 short-range ballistic missile into East Sea
2. North Korea fires a ballistic missile into the sea as South Korea and US step up deterrence plans
3. N. Korean leader Kim marks 12th anniversary of father's death
4. U.S. nuclear-powered sub arrives in S. Korea amid possibility of N.K. ICBM launch
5. S. Korea to coordinate bilateral, trilateral measures with U.S., Japan against N.K. provocations: official
6. South Korea, U.S. to incorporate nuclear operations in joint exercises
7. China and North Korea pledge stronger cooperation in rare talks as Beijing shores up ties with neighbours
8. S. Korea, U.S. to complete guidelines on nuclear strategy planning, operation by mid-2024: Seoul official
9. S. Korean military to launch 130 intelligence satellites to keep N. Korea in check
10. Only 30 percent of Korean women in 20s have intention of getting married
11. Trump factor clouds Biden pledge to bolster South Korean nuclear defense
12. Joint Press Statement on Nuclear Consultative Group Meeting
13. US issues dire warning to North Korea on nuclear threat
14. US-North Korea tensions flare again: What’s the problem now?
15. US-Korea economic ties and vote
16. More Sanctions and Military Pressure Won’t Improve North Korean Human Rights
1. N. Korea fires 1 short-range ballistic missile into East Sea
The regime is being a helpful training aid by providing an opportunity for trilateral real time information sharing. I wonder also if the regime's missile stocks are being depleted and they are going to fire fewer missiles so they are not all used up in provocations (okay that is some sarcasm).
Excerpts:
"While elevating our alert readiness, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture by closely sharing data on the 'North Korean ballistic missile' with the United States and Japan," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.
The three countries have agreed to operate a system for the real-time sharing of North Korean ballistic missile warning data by the end of this year amid efforts to bolster trilateral security cooperation against the North's threats.
(2nd LD) N. Korea fires 1 short-range ballistic missile into East Sea | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 18, 2023
(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES with more details throughout)
By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Yonhap) -- North Korea fired one short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Sunday, the 12th anniversary of the death of late leader Kim Jong-il, according to South Korea's military.
The launch briefly raised speculation that it could be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) because South Korea's First Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo said a few days earlier the North could fire an ICBM within this month.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, however, that the North fired a short-range missile from in or around Pyongyang at about 10:38 p.m. and it flew about 570 kilometers before splashing in the East Sea.
"While elevating our alert readiness, our military is maintaining a full readiness posture by closely sharing data on the 'North Korean ballistic missile' with the United States and Japan," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.
The three countries have agreed to operate a system for the real-time sharing of North Korean ballistic missile warning data by the end of this year amid efforts to bolster trilateral security cooperation against the North's threats.
The JCS called the latest launch a "clear" violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning the North from using ballistic missile technology, vowing to maintain a readiness to respond "overwhelmingly" to any provocations.
The launch also came days after Seoul and Washington held the second session of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) and agreed to complete the establishment of guidelines on the planning and operation of a shared nuclear strategy by the middle of next year.
Just after the South's announcement of the launch, the North's defense ministry lambasted the NCG meeting as "an open declaration on nuclear confrontation," and criticized the U.S.' deployment of major military assets to the Korean Peninsula this year.
"The hostile forces' any attempt to use armed forces against the DPRK will face a preemptive and deadly counteraction," it said in an English-language statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.
DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The North's latest saber-rattling also came amid heightened tensions after Pyongyang last month scrapped a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement designed to reduce tensions and prevent accidental clashes along the border.
Seoul had partially suspended the deal in protest of the North's successful launch of its first military spy satellite on Nov. 21.
The North last fired a ballistic missile on Nov. 22, but the launch apparently failed, according to the JCS.
The latest launch coincided with the 12th anniversary of the death of the North's former leader Kim Jong-il, the father of current leader Kim Jong-un.
This file photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 18, 2022, shows what the North claims to be a tactical guided missile being launched the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 18, 2023
2. North Korea fires a ballistic missile into the sea as South Korea and US step up deterrence plans
Should we be afraid? I think not. None of these capabilities are war winners and the alliance remains far superior in advanced and conventional military capabilities.
Excerpts:
The North has test-fired more than 100 missiles since the start of 2022 as Kim used the distraction caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to speed up the expansion of his military nuclear program, which he sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.
The weapons that North Korea tested in recent months included intercontinental ballistic missiles that demonstrated a potential range to reach the U.S. mainland, and a series of launch events the North described as simulated nuclear attacks on targets in South Korea.
Last month, North Korea also launched its first military reconnaissance satellite, which Kim described as a crucial for monitoring U.S. and South Korean military activities and enhancing the threat of his nuclear-capable missiles.
North Korea fires a ballistic missile into the sea as South Korea and US step up deterrence plans
AP · December 17, 2023
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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s military said Sunday that it had detected that North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, adding to a torrent of weapons’ tests in recent months that has elevated tensions.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff didn’t immediately say what type of missile it was or how far it flew.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest in years, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accelerating the expansion of his nuclear and missile program, and flaunting an escalatory nuclear doctrine that authorizes the preemptive use of nuclear weapons.
The United States, South Korea and Japan have responded by increasing the visibility of their trilateral partnership in the region, and strengthening their combined military exercises, which Kim condemns as invasion rehearsals.
North Korea’s latest launch followed high-level security talks between American and South Korean officials in Washington over the weekend, where they agreed on plans to incorporate nuclear operation scenarios in their combined military exercises next year to cope with the North’s evolving threats, according to details announced by Seoul’s presidential office.
In the face of North Korean threats, South Korea has been seeking stronger reassurances from the United States that it would swiftly and decisively use its nuclear capabilities to defend its ally in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack.
The North has test-fired more than 100 missiles since the start of 2022 as Kim used the distraction caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to speed up the expansion of his military nuclear program, which he sees as his strongest guarantee of survival.
The weapons that North Korea tested in recent months included intercontinental ballistic missiles that demonstrated a potential range to reach the U.S. mainland, and a series of launch events the North described as simulated nuclear attacks on targets in South Korea.
Last month, North Korea also launched its first military reconnaissance satellite, which Kim described as a crucial for monitoring U.S. and South Korean military activities and enhancing the threat of his nuclear-capable missiles.
Washington and its allies have also expressed concerns about a potential arms alignment between North Korea and Russia. They worry that Kim is providing badly needed munitions to help Russian President Vladimir Putin wage war in Ukraine in exchange for Russian technology assistance to upgrade his nuclear-armed military.
AP · December 17, 2023
3. N. Korean leader Kim marks 12th anniversary of father's death
Remember that the regime likes to conduct provocations around important dates.
(LEAD) N. Korean leader Kim marks 12th anniversary of father's death | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Yi Wonju · December 17, 2023
(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 5-6, 8, photo)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has marked the 12th anniversary of the death of his father and predecessor Kim Jong-il by visiting a mausoleum where the father's body lies in state, the North's state media said Sunday.
Kim paid tribute the previous day at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where the bodies of Kim Jong-il and the current leader's late grandfather and national founder Kim Il-sung lie in state, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
Senior officials accompanied Kim on his visit, including North Korean Premier Kim Tok-hun and Jo Yong-won, secretary for organizations affairs at the ruling Workers' Party. Photos released by the state media also showed North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of the North Korean leader.
Kim made a "deep bow of best wishes for immortality to Kim Jong-il who performed the exploits of great significance in human history, waging a heroic struggle under the uplifted red flag of Juche during his long revolutionary guidance, and thus laid a solid foundation of dignity and prosperity for the WPK and the DPRK to win a victory after another forever," the KCNA said in an English-language article. Juche means self-reliance.
In an editorial, the North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, praised Kim Jong-il for "providing scientific solutions to all theoretical and practical problems arising in the construction of a powerful and prosperous country by contemplating and exploring day and night."
It also lauded the late leader for boosting the country's defense capabilities and accomplishing the "great national achievement" of advancing into a nuclear weapon state.
Kim has paid tribute at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on his late father's death anniversary every year since he took power in 2012 with the exception of last year, when he appears to have skipped the event.
Kim Jong-il died on Dec. 17, 2011, having ruled the reclusive regime since the death of his father and national founder, Kim Il-sung, in 1994. Kim Jong-un, the third son of the late leader, took over the helm of the North in another hereditary succession of power.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and senior officials visit the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang on Dec. 16, 2023, to pay tribute to his late father, Kim Jong-il, as the country marks the 12th anniversary of the former leader's death, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 17. The mausoleum also enshrines the mummified body of Kim Il-sung, the current leader's late grandfather and national founder. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
North Korean women's union members attend a meeting at the Hall of Women ahead of the 12th anniversary of the death of the current leader's late father Kim Jong-il on Dec. 15, 2023, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency the following day. Kim Jong-il died on Dec. 17, 2011. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Yi Wonju · December 17, 2023
4. U.S. nuclear-powered sub arrives in S. Korea amid possibility of N.K. ICBM launch
Perhaps the short range ballistic missile launch was a welcome for the USS MIssouri. At least the regime is paying attention.
U.S. nuclear-powered sub arrives in S. Korea amid possibility of N.K. ICBM launch | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Yi Wonju · December 17, 2023
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine arrived in South Korea on Sunday, Seoul's defense ministry said, amid concerns North Korea could launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) this month.
The USS Missouri (SSN-780), a Virginia-class attack submarine, entered a key naval base in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, earlier in the day, according to the South Korean Navy.
"With the deployment of the USS Missouri, we plan to strengthen naval exchanges and cooperation with the United States and to bolster our combined defense posture," it added.
The deployment of the submarine comes just three weeks after the USS Santa Fe (SSN-763), a Los Angeles-class submarine, entered the Jeju Naval Base on the southern resort island.
Earlier this week, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo raised the possibility of North Korea launching an ICBM in December as he arrived in Washington for a meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), a South Korea-U.S. security meeting designed to discuss nuclear and strategic planning issues.
North Korea last test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM in July.
This photo, provided by the U.S. Pacific Fleet on Feb. 26, 2023, shows the USS Springfield nuclear-powered fast attack submarine arriving at the naval base in South Korea's southern port city of Busan on Feb. 23. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Yi Wonju · December 17, 2023
5. S. Korea to coordinate bilateral, trilateral measures with U.S., Japan against N.K. provocations: official
north Korea and China just do not get it. With every provocation, trilateral cooperation (JAROKUS - Japan, ROK, and US), just keeps getting stronger.
S. Korea to coordinate bilateral, trilateral measures with U.S., Japan against N.K. provocations: official | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · December 17, 2023
SEOUL, Dec. 17 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will work toward coordinating bilateral and trilateral measures involving the United States and Japan if North Korea continues to engage in provocations, a senior Seoul security official said Sunday.
Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo made the remarks at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, after returning home following his attendance at the second meeting of the South Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) in Washington last Friday.
Last week, Kim raised the possibility of North Korea launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in December. North Korea last test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM in July.
"If such provocations from North Korea continue, we will work toward coordinating necessary measures between South Korea and the U.S., actions the two countries can take individually and joint actions that South Korea, the U.S. and Japan can collectively implement," Kim told reporters after arriving at the airport.
Kim added that Washington also "recognizes the possibility of North Korea conducting ballistic missile provocations, including ICBMs, by mid-December or at the latest early next year."
He noted that the North's potential capability to equip missiles with nuclear warheads was a crucial concern that the NCG needs to be attentive of.
Amid renewed North Korean ICBM launch concerns, the USS Missouri (SSN-780), a Virginia-class nuclear-powered U.S. attack submarine, entered a key naval base in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, earlier in the day, according to the South Korean Navy.
The deployment of the submarine comes just three weeks after the USS Santa Fe (SSN-763), a Los Angeles-class submarine, entered the Jeju Naval Base on the southern resort island.
Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo speaks during a meeting with reporters at the South Korean Embassy in Washington on Dec. 15, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · December 17, 2023
6. South Korea, U.S. to incorporate nuclear operations in joint exercises
This is a significant positive and logical change. It has been a long time since I was at the ROK/US CFC but as I recall we never were able to discuss nuclear operations at the combined command. That was a US only issue.
Saturday
December 16, 2023
dictionary + A - A
Published: 16 Dec. 2023, 14:37
Updated: 17 Dec. 2023, 16:21
South Korea, U.S. to incorporate nuclear operations in joint exercises
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2023-12-16/national/northKorea/South-Korea-and-US-to-incorporate-nuclear-operations-in-joint-exercises/1937392
The South Korean security advisor Kim Tae-hyo, second from left, with the U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group lead by Maher Bitar, the U.S. National Security Council. (NSC) coordinator, right, in Washington. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]
Nuclear operations will be incorporated into joint exercises between South Korea and the U.S. starting as early as next year, potentially beginning with the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), an 11-day joint, combined and interagency exercise scheduled for August.
“Previously, the U.S. nuclear umbrella was the United States telling us to relax since they would take care of retaliating in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack,” said Kim Tae-hyo, national security deputy director, during a press briefing in Washington on Friday.
“But now, we are preparing an extended deterrence that is reliable and systemically guaranteed, given that South Korea and the United States are considering, preparing and training together and carrying out our nuclear response together.”
Kim said the two allies continue to refine nuclear and non-nuclear concepts and operations applicable to the Korean Peninsula, adding, "In the future, the deployment of U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula will not only increase in number but will also be more systematically linked to the ongoing enhancement of extended deterrence, which is being materialized.”
In Washington on Friday, Kim attended the second Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) meeting headed by Maher Bitar, the U.S. National Security Council. (NSC) coordinator for intelligence and defense policy.
Both sides agreed to finalize guidelines for nuclear strategy planning and operations next year.
“It will be an overall guideline on deterring and responding to North Korean nuclear threats,” Kim said.
Additionally, the two sides committed to establishing a hotline between the two presidents to address nuclear threats from North Korea.
Kim outlined the comprehensive nature of the guidelines, covering the sharing of sensitive nuclear-related information, establishing a security system, consultations in response to nuclear threats and real-time communication channels between the two presidents.
Kim highlighted establishing a hotline system designed for immediate communication between the two leaders, facilitating swift decision-making.
“A mobile device for continuous crisis communication has already been provided,” Kim stated. “We are presently strengthening the communication line in preparation for unforeseen situations, such as an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack.”
BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]
7. China and North Korea pledge stronger cooperation in rare talks as Beijing shores up ties with neighbours
Part of the axis of authoritarians which is of course led by CHina.
Excerpts:
The talks come as China makes relations with neighbouring countries a priority to help counter external threats.
The official Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily reported on Sunday that during a stop in southern China on the way back from Vietnam last week, President Xi Jinping highlighted the need for cooperation with neighbours and to “better coordinate the domestic and international situations”.
Noting the “increasingly complex, severe and uncertain” external environment, the report said Xi’s trips to Hanoi and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region were important to creating positive conditions for China’s development.
“Today’s China is not only China’s China but also Asia’s China and the world’s China. The greater the perspective, vision and ambition, the greater the space and potential for development,” it said.
China and North Korea pledge stronger cooperation in rare talks as Beijing shores up ties with neighbours
- Senior North Korean diplomat visits Beijing – one of the only high-ranking Pyongyang officials to do so since the Covid-19 pandemic
- The meeting shows China can continue to put pressure on US and its Asian allies as it boosts strategic coordination with hermit state, analyst says
Dewey Sim
+ FOLLOWPublished: 10:00pm, 17 Dec, 2023
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3245367/china-and-north-korea-pledge-stronger-cooperation-rare-talks-beijing-shores-ties-neighbours
China and North Korea pledged to deepen cooperation as senior officials met for rare talks last week amid broader efforts by Beijing to shore up relations with its neighbours to counter external risks.
According to China’s foreign ministry, foreign vice-minister Sun Weidong met his North Korean counterpart Pak Myong-ho in Beijing on Friday, with the parties agreeing to strengthen “strategic communication and coordination”.
“The two sides agreed to take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and [North Korea] next year as an opportunity to deepen the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries,” the ministry said in a brief statement.
North Korean state news agency KCNA said the two sides discussed boosting “strategic cooperation between the two countries in the future”.
Pak’s trip to Beijing was one of only a few by high-level North Korean officials to China since Pyongyang shut its borders in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. It also marked a post-pandemic resumption of engagement between North Korea and its neighbours.
Citing KCNA, Seoul-based news agency Yonhap reported that the last visit to China by a high-ranking North Korean official was in August 2019 by Kim Su-gil, then director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army. Kim held talks with his Chinese counterpart Miao Hua during his trip.
The talks come as China makes relations with neighbouring countries a priority to help counter external threats.
The official Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily reported on Sunday that during a stop in southern China on the way back from Vietnam last week, President Xi Jinping highlighted the need for cooperation with neighbours and to “better coordinate the domestic and international situations”.
Noting the “increasingly complex, severe and uncertain” external environment, the report said Xi’s trips to Hanoi and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region were important to creating positive conditions for China’s development.
“Today’s China is not only China’s China but also Asia’s China and the world’s China. The greater the perspective, vision and ambition, the greater the space and potential for development,” it said.
North Korea’s Kim Jong-un aims to reverse population decline with child support policies
Chong Ja Ian, professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, said the seniority of the officials at the Beijing meeting and the discussion of strategic coordination suggested that China and North Korea were looking to demonstrate cooperation.
“Given that the meeting comes after an uptick in North Korean nuclear weapons and missile developments, Kim Jong-un’s visit to Russia, and joint Russian and Chinese bomber patrols, [the meeting] indicates that China can continue to put pressure on the US and US allies in Asia,” Chong said.
The North Korean leader travelled to Russia for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September, a visit that sparked Western concerns about a potential arms deal.
Last month, Russian and Chinese warplanes conducted joint aerial patrols over the Sea of Japan – also known as the East Sea. The patrols, which Beijing said were “routine”, were viewed as indicative of China’s close defence ties with Russia.
The Friday meeting between Chinese and North Korean officials also came amid heightened concerns over Pyongyang’s nuclear activity.
Yonhap reported on Saturday that the US and South Korea had plans to draw up joint guidelines on nuclear defence by the middle of next year and establish an integrated system to deter North Korea’s nuclear weapons.
A day earlier Kim Tae-hyo, South Korea’s deputy national security adviser, warned that North Korea might test an intercontinental ballistic missile this month.
Chong said these developments suggested that both China and North Korea “may wish to take a more robust stance” towards the US and its allies.
“Beijing’s actions could also be read as a response to enhancements in security cooperation among the US, South Korea, and Japan, as well as South Korea and Japan’s own efforts to enhance their respective militaries,” he added.
Chong suggested that the meeting in Beijing would likely draw attention from Washington and Seoul, particularly as the talks involved senior officials.
He said he expected the US and its regional allies to watch to see whether the meeting would be followed by increased military activity by Pyongyang or coordinated activity among North Korea, China, and Russia.
CONVERSATIONS (4)
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Dewey Sim
Dewey Sim is a reporter for the China desk covering Beijing's foreign policy. He was previously writing about Singapore and Southeast Asia for the Post's Asia desk. A Singapore native, Dewey joined the Post in 2019 and is a graduate of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information.
8. S. Korea, U.S. to complete guidelines on nuclear strategy planning, operation by mid-2024: Seoul official
(4th LD) S. Korea, U.S. to complete guidelines on nuclear strategy planning, operation by mid-2024: Seoul official | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · December 16, 2023
(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 2, 19)
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States agreed Friday to complete the establishment of guidelines on the planning and operation of a shared nuclear strategy by the middle of next year, a Seoul official said, as the allies held key deterrence talks on countering growing North Korean threats.
Seoul's Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo made the remarks after he and Maher Bitar, the U.S. National Security Council (NSC) coordinator for intelligence and defense policy, led the second session of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) at the Pentagon.
"(The two sides) agreed to complete guidelines regarding the planning and operation of a nuclear strategy by the middle of next year," Kim told reporters. "In other words, (we) agreed to complete the overall guidelines on how to deter and respond to North Korean threats next year."
Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo speaks during a meeting with reporters at the South Korean Embassy in Washington on Dec. 15, 2023. (Yonhap)
Kim said that the guidelines will encompass a whole range of issues concerning the sharing of sensitive nuclear information, the establishment of a relevant security system, the formulation of consultation procedures for nuclear crisis as well as the operation of a real-time leader-level communication channel.
The guidelines will also delineate concrete plans for crisis management and risk reduction, he said.
"At the second NCG session today, (the two sides) approved a work plan for the next six months, and through the NCG, South Korea and the U.S. will move toward a unitary South Korea-U.S. extended deterrence system," he said.
"While strongly deterring North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, (the allies) will be able to take an immediate, overwhelming and decisive response measure in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack," he added.
Based on the work plan, the two countries plan to build a fleshed-out nuclear extended deterrence system around June next year, he said.
Extended deterrence refers to the U.S. commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally. Through the NCG, the two sides have been seeking to leverage South Korea's conventional military assets to support America's nuclear operations in pursuit of an integrated deterrence formula.
Following the inaugural meeting in July, the second NCG session proceeded amid tensions heightened by Pyongyang's launch of a military reconnaissance satellite last month and the possibility of the regime launching another intercontinental ballistic missile this month.
The second session of the South Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group is in progress at the Pentagon near Washington on Dec. 15, 2023, in this photo released by South Korea's government delegation. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The participants also agreed on a plan to incorporate scenarios of nuclear operations in next year's allied military exercises, including the summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield, according to a Seoul official who requested anonymity.
Work is also under way to build a mobile system to enable immediate communication between the leaders of the two countries in case of a crisis, the official said.
"We have been building a system to enable the leaders of the two countries to phone each other immediately and make their decision, and to both presidents, a mobile device for frequent communication has already been delivered in case a problem flares up," he said.
But more work needs to be done to protect the leader-level phone communication from a potential electromagnetic attack or other security issues, he added.
At this week's NCG meeting, the U.S. also agreed to provide "in-depth" nuclear education to South Korean officials next year, Kim said. In October, 15 South Korean officials received education on the U.S.' nuclear policy, strategy and planning.
"To put it simply, our side's nuclear 'IQ' will continue to grow," he said.
After the meeting, the two sides issued a press statement, which reaffirmed that any North Korean nuclear attack against the U.S. and its allies is "unacceptable" and will result in the "end of the Kim regime."
The two sides agreed to hold the third NCG meeting in South Korea in summer next year, according to the statement.
The latest NCG session lasted for over seven hours and was attended by some 60 security, military and diplomatic officials from the two sides, including those from the U.S. Forces Korea, the U.S. Strategic Command and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
The NCG was established under the Washington Declaration that President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden adopted during their summit in Washington in April as part of efforts to enhance the credibility of extended deterrence.
The inaugural session was held in Seoul in July, led by Kim and U.S. NSC Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell and NSC Coordinator for Defense Policy and Arms Control Cara Abercrombie.
South Korean and U.S. officials pose for a photo as they attend the second session of the South Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group at the Pentagon near Washington on Dec. 15, 2023, in this photo released by South Korea's government delegation. Among them are Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo (2nd from L) and Maher Bitar (R), the National Security Council coordinator for intelligence and defense policy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · December 16, 2023
9. S. Korean military to launch 130 intelligence satellites to keep N. Korea in check
S. Korean military to launch 130 intelligence satellites to keep N. Korea in check
https://www.donga.com/en/home/article/all/20231214/4618984/1
Posted December. 14, 2023 08:14,
Updated December. 14, 2023 08:14
The South Korean military and intelligence authorities reportedly plan to put up to 130 reconnaissance satellites targeting North Korea into a low Earth orbit of 500 kilometers by the early 2030s. The military will test-fire solid-fuel space rockets, which are being independently developed, by 2025. It expects to carry out a successful launch test and place multiple small and micro-sized satellites into a low Earth orbit via solid-fuel rockets.
Based on The Dong-A Ilbo’s reports on Wednesday, the South Korean military and intelligence authorities intend to build a recon space network to monitor North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats in real time by the early 2030s.
The military announced on Tuesday that it will launch 40 micro-sized satellites weighing less than 100 kilograms by 2030, according to the 2024-2028 Mid-term Defense Program. Additionally, it will deploy multiple small and micro-sized satellites in cooperation with intelligence agencies to monitor North Korea’s military activities. “If solid-fuel rockets, an independently developed program by the military, make it in the final test, South Korea will be able to launch small and micro-sized satellites independently,” said a military source. “A solid-fuel rocket is capable of carrying three to five micro-sized satellites which will allow a real-time monitoring of major targets such as nuclear and missile bases and any signs of provocation.”
Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com
10. Only 30 percent of Korean women in 20s have intention of getting married
This is why Korea may disappear.
Only 30 percent of Korean women in 20s have intention of getting married
https://www.donga.com/en/home/article/all/20231216/4623286/1
Posted December. 16, 2023 09:06,
Updated December. 16, 2023 09:06
Only 3 out of 10 single Korean women in their 20s and 30s saw marriage as a must-do requirement or a preferred option according to a recent survey.
A report titled “The Korean Social Trends” issued by the Statistics Korea on Friday found that 27.5 percent of unmarried women in their 20s regarded getting married as positive as of last year, less than half the figure (48.6 percent) recorded 10 years ago. Likewise, only 31.8 percent of women in their 30s answered that finding a spouse is an essential part of life or they prefer to get married, 10.6 percent points down from 2012.
Similarly, less than half of men in their 20s and 30s - 41.9 percent and 48.7 percent, respectively - saw married life in a positive way. Compared to 10 years ago, the share of these groups went down by 25.1 and 13.6 percent points, respectively, showing a greater decrease than their female counterparts. This implies that men in their 20s and 30s have changed their perspective of marriage more rapidly than women of the same age brackets. More than 30 percent of the respondents attributed their unwillingness to get married to not being prepared financially, making it the biggest reason not to get married in the survey.
kalssam35@donga.com
11. Trump factor clouds Biden pledge to bolster South Korean nuclear defense
A second Trump presidency will likely be the biggest supporter of or contributor to South Korea going nuclear.
Trump factor clouds Biden pledge to bolster South Korean nuclear defense
koreaherald.com · by Kim Arin · December 17, 2023
By Kim Arin
Published : Dec. 17, 2023 - 15:27
Republican candidate for President Former US President Donald Trump, looks out at members of the media as he addresses a crowd of supporters during a rally at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire, US, on Dec. 16, 2023. (Yonhap)
South Korea and the US held another round of talks on nuclear deterrence in Washington DC on Friday, as part of US President Joe Biden’s commitment to step up protection from North Korea. According to a Seoul official, both sides agreed to complete guidelines on joint nuclear defense strategy by mid-2024 -- a timeline that falls before the US presidential election.
South Korea’s principal deputy national security adviser, Kim Tae-hyo, told reporters that Seoul and Washington have decided to draw up comprehensive guidelines for responding to a conflict with Pyongyang and deterring its nuclear weapons.
The guidelines would include sharing sensitive information concerning North Korea’s nuclear threats, establishing a consultation process in the event of a nuclear crisis and setting up a secure hotline for real-time communication between the leaders of the two countries, according to the Seoul official.
He called the progress made from the latest meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group, the bilateral body for implementing South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Biden’s Washington Declaration, “a significant step forward in extended deterrence.”
“This meeting builds on the US nuclear umbrella that was already in place by involving South Korea in the design, preparation and execution of a response against a North Korean nuclear attack,” he said, speaking about the first NCG meeting hosted in the US, held five months after the inaugural meeting in Seoul.
He added that Seoul officials involved in the working-level meetings were getting the knowledge and training that would collectively “boost South Korea’s nuclear intelligence.”
The progress that Yoon and Biden have achieved in nuclear deterrence cooperation may be at risk of being overturned should another Donald Trump administration take office, however, experts in Seoul worry.
Yang Uk, a defense researcher at the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, told The Korea Herald that the plan outlined for expediting progress by the first half of next year may have considered that Trump’s possible White House return could invalidate the bilateral efforts.
“To contain the Trump risk, the South Korean government should aim to make a meaningful development before the 2024 presidential election so that it might prevent the next US administration from doing away with something that has already led to tangible progress,” he said.
Yang said that Trump, who, when in power, called for US allies to bear more of the defense costs, may surprise South Korea with unexpected moves.
A Dec. 13 Politico report said Donald Trump may be planning to let North Korea keep its nuclear weapons, diverging from the policy of US presidents of both parties for denuclearizing the isolated country.
Rep. Han Ki-ho, the chair of the National Assembly’s national defense committee, told The Korea Herald if Trump gets elected a second time, the former US President will be forced to realize South Korea and the US are now dealing with a North Korea that has allowed itself by law preemptive nuclear strikes.
“This is a different North Korea than when (Trump) was in office,” the army commander-turned-lawmaker said. “The direction that Yoon and Biden administrations is headed is one that reflects the renewed North Korea threats, and one that the two countries ought to continue to pursue.”
Amid warnings of a possible intercontinental ballistic missile launch by North Korea this month, a US nuclear-powered submarine arrived at the South Korean port city of Busan, according to Seoul’s Defense Ministry. The arrival of the USS Missouri was anticipated to boost South Korea and the US’ combined defense posture, the Defense Ministry said.
The Virginia-class submarine is the latest US attack submarine to dock at a South Korean naval base after the USS Santa Fe, a Los Angeles class, three weeks ago. The Virginia-class is a later generation attack submarines that are scheduled to replace older Los Angeles-class ones.
In July, the USS Kentucky pulled into Busan, marking a first visit of a US nuclear ballistic missile submarine to a South Korean port in four decades. The port call by the nuclear-capable submarine came as a part of the US commitment under the Washington Declaration to enhance deployments of strategic assets here.
South Korean and US officials pose for a photo as they attend the second session of the Nuclear Consultative Group at the Pentagon near Washington on Dec. 15, 2023, in this photo released by South Korea’s government delegation. From left to right: Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy Heo Tae-keun, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo, US Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker, Vipin Narang, US principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for space policy, and Maher Bitar, US National Security Council coordinator for intelligence and defense policy. (Yonhap)
koreaherald.com · by Kim Arin · December 17, 2023
12. Joint Press Statement on Nuclear Consultative Group Meeting
Joint Press Statement on Nuclear Consultative Group Meeting | The White House
whitehouse.gov · by The White House · December 16, 2023
The second U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) convened in Washington D.C. on December 15, 2023. Established to implement President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Washington Declaration, the NCG is an enduring bilateral consultative body to strengthen the U.S.-ROK Alliance and enhance extended deterrence on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.
The meeting was convened by Mr. Maher Bitar, Coordinator for Intelligence and Defense Policy at the U.S. National Security Council (NSC), and Dr. Kim Tae-hyo, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor of the ROK. Discussions were led by Dr. Vipin Narang, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, and Dr. Heo Tae-keun, Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy of the ROK. ROK and U.S. officials from the NSC, and relevant defense, foreign affairs, intelligence, and military agencies also took part in the meeting.
The United States reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to provide extended deterrence to the ROK, backed by the full range of U.S. capabilities including nuclear. Any nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies is unacceptable and will result in the end of the Kim regime, and the U.S. side reiterated that any nuclear attack by the DPRK against the ROK will be met with a swift, overwhelming, and decisive response.
During this NCG meeting, the first hosted in the United States, both sides acknowledged that U.S. and ROK nuclear deterrence cooperation has deepened as progress has been achieved since the first NCG meeting in July through frequent meetings of the NCG working Group (WG) on NCG workstreams, including on guidelines; security and information sharing protocols; nuclear consultation processes in crises and contingencies; nuclear and strategic planning; U.S.-ROK conventional and nuclear integration (CNI); strategic communications; exercises, simulations, training, and investment activities; and risk reduction practices. NCG Principals also commended the holding of an Extended Nuclear Deterrence Immersion Course this November, which was provided for officials from across the ROK interagency, and the substantive interagency cooperation being practiced through the NCG.
NCG Principals reviewed the enhanced visibility of strategic assets to bolster extended deterrence, including the ballistic missile submarine the USS KENTUCKY port visit to Busan in July, B-52 strategic bomber flyover and landing on the Korean Peninsula in October, and joint observation of an ICBM test launch in November, as well as discussing future plans to demonstrate a strengthening of deterrence.
NCG Principals approved the proposed work plan and prospective key events for the first half of 2024, underscored their commitment to securing substantive progress in an expedited manner, and will report relevant progress on the NCG workstreams and other efforts to their respective commanders-in-chief.
The third principal-level NCG will be convened in Korea next summer.
whitehouse.gov · by The White House · December 16, 2023
13. US issues dire warning to North Korea on nuclear threat
Not too much press on the WHite House Statement This and the NY Post is all I have seen so far. But it is the weekend and the statement was issued Forday afternoon.
US issues dire warning to North Korea on nuclear threat
BY TARA SUTER - 12/16/23 3:17 PM ET
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4363955-us-issues-dire-warning-to-north-korea-on-nuclear-threat/
The U.S. issued an intense warning to North Korea over nuclear threats Friday.
In a statement on the second U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) coming together in Washington, D.C., Friday, the White House warned that “[a]ny nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies is unacceptable and will result in the end of the Kim regime.” The Republic of Korea is the official name of South Korea.
“The United States reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to provide extended deterrence to the ROK, backed by the full range of U.S. capabilities including nuclear,” the statement said.
The statement comes a few weeks after North Korea said it successfully launched a spy satellite that photographed the White House as well as Naval Station Norfolk and Newport News Dockyard in Virginia.
When the North Korean satellite was launched, the White House said it “strongly” condemned it, adding that the launch violated United Nations Security Council resolutions prohibiting North Korea from using ballistic missile technology.
“The president and his national security team are assessing the situation in close coordination with our allies and partners,” the Biden administration said in a statement. “We urge all countries to condemn this launch and call on [North Korea] to come to the table for serious negotiations.”
North Korea has also warned that any interference with its spy satellite would be a “declaration of war.”
“Any attack on space asset of DPRK will be deemed declaration of war against it,” a statement by a spokesperson for North Korea’s defense ministry read, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
14. US-North Korea tensions flare again: What’s the problem now?
I think the author is the only one on the edge of his seat. The rest of the world likely has a form of north Korea and Kim Jong Un fatigue.
Excerpts:
So, what’s cooking in this high-tension kitchen? For starters, US-North Korea relations are walking a tightrope over a canyon of nuclear threats and military one-upmanship. The US, with its allies South Korea and Japan, is stepping up its game with new technology and stern warnings. North Korea, not one to back down, keeps upping the ante with missile tests and fiery rhetoric.
In this latest chapter of the US-North Korea saga, the stakes are as high as ever. The world watches with bated breath as these nations navigate the murky waters of nuclear politics, where one wrong move could have catastrophic consequences. The burning question remains: will this episode of the US-North Korea drama lead to a cliffhanger, or will cooler heads prevail? Only time will tell, but for now, the plot thickens, and the audience is on the edge of their seats. Well, at least I know I am.
US-North Korea tensions flare again: What’s the problem now?
cryptopolitan.com · by By Jai Hamid · December 16, 2023
The simmering pot of US-North Korea relations is boiling over yet again. It seems like the world’s longest-running geopolitical soap opera has introduced a fresh episode of tension, where nuclear threats and military maneuvers are as common as popcorn at a movie theater. The latest flare-up pivots around the United States’ blunt warning to North Korea: any nuclear attack will spell doom for the Kim Jong Un regime. This stern message, echoed in a US-South Korean joint statement, sets the stage for yet another high-stakes drama on the global political stage.
The nuclear chess game
At the heart of this latest squabble is the second US-Republic of Korea Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) meeting in Washington. Here’s where the chess pieces move: The US and South Korea have been noodling over nuclear deterrence strategies, looking to thwart any potential conflict with North Korea. Pyongyang, not known for its subtlety, has been busy showing off its ballistic missiles that could potentially hit targets from Seoul to San Francisco.
Meanwhile, Kim Tae-hyo, South Korea’s deputy national security adviser, dropped a bombshell (figuratively speaking, of course). He mentioned that North Korea might be gearing up to test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile this month. In the high-stakes poker game of international politics, that’s akin to raising the bet while giving your opponents a sly grin. And to keep the suspense, the next NCG rendezvous is scheduled for summer in Korea.
A trilateral tangle
Adding more ingredients to this geopolitical stew, the US, South Korea, and Japan are concocting a real-time missile warning data-sharing system. This move, expected to be operational soon, is like adding a high-tech security camera in a neighborhood notorious for sneaky shenanigans. North Korea, unsurprisingly, slammed this development as an “extremely dangerous military act.” According to Rodong Sinmun, North Korea’s top newspaper, this trilateral system is nothing but a war-mongering tactic and a ruse to suppress surrounding powers, hinting at China and Russia.
This tension is not just about flexing military muscle; it’s also about sending signals and testing waters. The United States’ warning to North Korea about a nuclear attack comes off like a teacher sternly reminding a notorious student of the consequences of breaking school rules. On the flip side, North Korea’s response to the trilateral data-sharing system is like the student accusing the teacher of unfair surveillance.
So, what’s cooking in this high-tension kitchen? For starters, US-North Korea relations are walking a tightrope over a canyon of nuclear threats and military one-upmanship. The US, with its allies South Korea and Japan, is stepping up its game with new technology and stern warnings. North Korea, not one to back down, keeps upping the ante with missile tests and fiery rhetoric.
In this latest chapter of the US-North Korea saga, the stakes are as high as ever. The world watches with bated breath as these nations navigate the murky waters of nuclear politics, where one wrong move could have catastrophic consequences. The burning question remains: will this episode of the US-North Korea drama lead to a cliffhanger, or will cooler heads prevail? Only time will tell, but for now, the plot thickens, and the audience is on the edge of their seats. Well, at least I know I am.
cryptopolitan.com · by By Jai Hamid · December 16, 2023
15. US-Korea economic ties and vote
Excerpts;
This suggests that the CHIPS Act and U.S export controls on semiconductors would survive a second Trump administration, but likely see more stringent enforcement and the expansion of similar tools to new areas of technology.
However, there will be constraints on a new Trump administration’s agenda. While the polls are currently favoring a second Trump term, legal battles over Congressional districts suggest that the next Congress is highly likely to remain divided. It is unlikely that Democrats would vote to unwind the IRA and that any new legislation along the lines of the CHIPS Act would need to be genuinely bipartisan — something that may be challenging given what would likely be a highly partisan environment.
If a new Trump administration cannot legislate its objectives, it will likely turn to its administrative powers to issue new regulations or provide new interpretations to achieve its objectives. With more sympathetic political appointees and efforts to legalize the dismissal of significant portions of the bureaucracy on issues of loyalty, a second Trump administration would be more successful in advancing its agenda – even if it were not legal. The difficulty for Korea is that many of the high-tech areas of interest to a second Trump administration are also areas of Korea’s economic strength.
US-Korea economic ties and vote
The Korea Times · December 13, 2023
2nd Trump presidency to be more challenging than 1st
By Troy Stangarone
One question I’m increasingly asked is whether Donald Trump can retake the White House.
Despite facing 91 criminal charges across four cases ranging from election interference to the mishandling of classified documents there is a very real chance that Donald Trump could win the U.S. presidency in 2024. He has a slight lead in national polls, but more critically is leading in five of the six swing states.
Polls this far from election day rarely reflect the final result but given Trump’s lead in the Republican primaries, there is no reason to believe he will not be the Republican nominee. If he were to win the general election, it would have considerable implications for Korea.
A second Trump presidency would be significantly more challenging than the first. Establishment officials would mostly be unwilling to serve or would be unwanted in a second Trump administration. There would be no Gary Cohen to pull an executive order off Trump’s desk should he again decide he wanted to withdraw from the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA).
Campaigns are often full of rhetoric and plans that do not come to pass, but in the case of Trump, it’s safer to assume he means what he says rather than that he is simply playing to the crowd. That suggests what he and those close to him say should be taken as actual intentions, even if the final details may look different.
The early indications of where a second Trump administration might take policy would undermine much of the cooperation between the United States and Korea developed over the last three years and would make disputes over the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and where electric vehicles (EVs) are built look trivial by comparison.
Trump himself has said that he would enact a 10 percent tariff on all U.S. imports, as he put it, a “ring around the collar.” There is no indication that Trump would make an exception for FTAs.
In supporting his protectionist trade policy, Trump has cited actions taken against Korea to demonstrate the benefits of his protectionist policies. At the time of the first Republican presidential primary debate, which he skipped to give his own interview, he praised how his tariffs on Korean washing machines helped to save U.S. manufacturers. In remarks to U.S. automotive unions during their recent strike, he bragged that by renegotiating the KORUS FTA he saved the U.S. automotive industry. Neither is accurate, but both demonstrate Trump’s continuing affinity for protectionist policies.
Beyond Trump himself, former Trump administration officials who are developing plans for a second administration have indicated that they would push to repeal the IRA. The IRA has little support among Republicans and a repeal of its EV and EV battery provisions was part of the House Republicans’ failed debt ceiling legislation earlier this year.
However, the best indication of a second Trump administration’s trade policy might be from former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. He has indicated a willingness to serve in a second Trump administration and was perhaps the most influential voice in the first Trump administration on economic issues.
In both a New York Times op-ed and in testimony before Congress Lighthizer has called for what he has described as strategic decoupling from China. The objective would be to push China to provide the United States with reciprocity in trade. This would be achieved by increasing U.S. tariffs to a point that eliminates the United States’ trade deficit with China. Strategic decoupling would also seek to disentangle U.S. technology from China and limit U.S. investment in China.
To disentangle U.S. technology from China, Lighthizer has called for strengthening and expanding U.S. export controls on advanced technologies. He has also praised the CHIPS and Science Act as the type of legislation that the United States needs. This suggests that the CHIPS Act and U.S export controls on semiconductors would survive a second Trump administration, but likely see more stringent enforcement and the expansion of similar tools to new areas of technology.
However, there will be constraints on a new Trump administration’s agenda. While the polls are currently favoring a second Trump term, legal battles over Congressional districts suggest that the next Congress is highly likely to remain divided. It is unlikely that Democrats would vote to unwind the IRA and that any new legislation along the lines of the CHIPS Act would need to be genuinely bipartisan — something that may be challenging given what would likely be a highly partisan environment.
If a new Trump administration cannot legislate its objectives, it will likely turn to its administrative powers to issue new regulations or provide new interpretations to achieve its objectives. With more sympathetic political appointees and efforts to legalize the dismissal of significant portions of the bureaucracy on issues of loyalty, a second Trump administration would be more successful in advancing its agenda – even if it were not legal. The difficulty for Korea is that many of the high-tech areas of interest to a second Trump administration are also areas of Korea’s economic strength.
Troy Stangarone (ts@keia.org) is the senior director of congressional affairs and trade at the Korea Economic Institute.
The Korea Times · December 13, 2023
16. More Sanctions and Military Pressure Won’t Improve North Korean Human Rights
I am sorry Ms. Ahn. Appeasing north Korea will not solve the human rights abuses. Not taking on the human rights issues will only hurt them. I will not give up on helping the Korean people in the north.
Second, the arguments below are in line with north Korea Propaganda and Agitation Department themes and messages on human rights. Is the regime's water being carried here?
More Sanctions and Military Pressure Won’t Improve North Korean Human Rights
truthout.org · by Christine Ahn , · December 15, 2023
More Sanctions and Military Pressure Won’t Improve North Korean Human Rights | Truthout
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Human Rights
Current U.S. policy justifies an arms race and keeps families separated while risking nuclear conflict with North Korea.
By
Christine Ahn ,
ForeignPolicyinFocus
Published
December 15, 2023
Visitors walk past a military fence at Imjingak peace park near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing the two Koreas in Paju, South Korea, on November 22, 2023.
Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images
Human rights in North Korea are currently in the spotlight. In addition to a recent conference on North Korean human rights held in Honolulu, there’s also a new documentary, Beyond Utopia, about North Korean defectors that is receiving Oscar buzz.
We can expect to hear more about North Korea human rights in 2024, the 10-year anniversary of the United Nations Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, a landmark report that concluded that North Korea was committing crimes against humanity.
While there are many legitimate concerns about human rights in North Korea, the question is how can we actually improve the daily lives of North Koreans? And is the current U.S. approach helping or hurting the situation?
While many in Washington advocate for more pressure in the form of sanctions and an information offensive, history has shown that these actions do not improve human rights. Instead, they increase tensions, and North Korea responds by doubling down on its nuclear weapons program. As Elizabeth Beavers and Su-mi Jeon noted for The Hill, “the status quo has been an unmitigated failure in terms of improving both rights and security.”
North Korea is already one of the most sanctioned countries in the world, and evidence suggests that sanctions are worsening the humanitarian situation. Dr. Kee Park of the Harvard University Department of Global Health and Social Medicine and a neurosurgeon who has performed surgeries in North Korea calls the sanctions a “complete economic blockade“ and “warfare without bullets.”
“Sanctions kill,” Park argues. “We know it and we should not accept that… We have allowed our leaders and our examples of our morals to deteriorate. We have become barbarians because we accept the death of children and women in the name of national and regional security.”
Sanctions and the U.S. travel ban on North Korea have also significantly hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid, according to Joy Yoon, the co-founder of IGNIS Community, a nonprofit organization working in North Korea. And high military tensions are not conducive to humanitarian aid work.
What is fundamentally missing in the human rights discourse is recognition of the ongoing state of war on the Korean Peninsula, which provides the North Korean government justification to invest its limited resources on defense and maintaining a national security state. (The Korean War only ended in an armistice, so the U.S. and North Korea have technically remained in a state of war ever since.) The U.N. Special Rapporteur on DPRK Human Rights, Elizabeth Salmon, has noted that North Korea’s militarization severely impacts human rights because the government under-invests in socio-economic development, which disproportionately affects children and women.
Instead of continuing the status quo of more pressure and sanctions, ending the state of war with a peace agreement would be more conducive to improving human rights and security — specifically by building trust, sapping the militarism that undergirds the human rights abuses, and creating the conditions to engage more effectively on human rights.
As Tomás Ojea Quintana, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in North Korea, said in his 2020 report: “A declaration on peace and development in the Korean Peninsula, and a swift resolution of the armistice status, would create the atmosphere and space needed for further discussions on denuclearization, less isolation, more access, and respect for human rights.”
In fact, in 2019, following the historic peace summits between the two Koreas and the United States, North Korea engaged in the first ever Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and then participated in a two-week-long human rights workshop. Peace summits also led North Korea to self-impose a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests, to cooperate with South Korea on removing landmines in the DMZ, and to repatriate the remains of U.S. servicemen.
Not only have decades of war, sanctions, and isolation forced North Korea to adapt and become more resilient to pressure. But China and Russia, two members of the UN Security Council, are no longer willing to go along with the U.S.-led calls for more sanctions.
To truly create genuine human security and the conditions for improved human rights, we need to end the unresolved Korean War — which is only justifying the endless arms race, keeping families separated, and continuing the risk of nuclear conflict. “What will improve the ordinary North Korean people’s situation is more engagement with people from the outside world, not less,” said Cassie Kim, a North Korean defector now living in the United States.
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Christine Ahn
Christine Ahn is the international coordinator of Women Cross DMZ, a global movement of women mobilizing for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
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truthout.org · by Christine Ahn , · December 15, 2023
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
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Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
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