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Quotes of the Day:
“One cannot see the modern world as it is, unless one recognizes the overwhelming strength of patriotism, national loyalty. In certain circumstances it can break down, at certain levels of civilization it does not exist. But as a positive force, there is nothing to set beside it. Christianity and international Socialism are as weak as straw in comparison with it. Hitler and Mussolini rose to power in their own countries very largely because they could grasp this fact and their opponents could not.”
– George Orwell.
"If a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it."
–Edgar Howe
"Don't argue with a fool. The spectators can't tell the difference."
– Charles Nalin
1. Don't underestimate North Korean troops in Russia, ex-soldiers tell BBC
2. Ukraine’s Last Few M-1 Abrams Tanks Are Fighting In Kursk—And May Have Engaged North Korean Troops
3. Ukrainian military eliminated an odd North Korean weapon being used by Russia
4. Hanwha Ocean to Build First Two FFX Batch-IV Frigates
5. US approves possible sale of Korea's Navy destroyer improvement program, related elements
6. Russia will abandon North Korea
7. Kim Jong Un ‘personally overseeing’ North Korean training for Ukraine amid losses
8. S. Korea, U.S. conducting joint research to block N.K. cryptocurrency heists
9. Main opposition urges acting president to sign special counsel bills or face consequences
10. Vice FM to visit U.S., Japan this week for talks on trilateral cooperation
11. S. Korea holds largest share of U.S. battery material import market in 2023
12. Shinsegae chairman says had '10-15 minute talk' with U.S. President-elect Trump
13. Unification minister, spy chief undergo questioning in martial law probes
14. North Korea is more surprised by Philippine submarine detection
15. Acting president, main opposition face own dilemmas amid power struggle
1. Don't underestimate North Korean troops in Russia, ex-soldiers tell BBC
But that does not mean to believe that they are 10 feet tall either.
Excerpts:
According to South Korean intelligence, most belong to the elite Storm Corps unit, and have "high morale", but "lack an understanding of contemporary warfare".
Only the taller, sportier men are selected for the Storm Corps, says defector Lee Hyun Seung, who trained North Korea's special forces in the early 2000s before defecting in 2014.
He taught them martial arts, how to throw knives and make weapons out of cutlery and other kitchen utensils.
But even though the Storm Corps' training is more advanced than that of regular North Korean units, the soldiers are still underfed and even malnourished.
Online videos, reportedly of the troops in Russia, show younger, "frail" soldiers, Haneul says. They are a stark contrast to Pyongyang's propaganda videos, where men are seen bursting out of iron chains and smashing blocks of ice with their bare hands.
During his entire time in the army, Haneul says he fired only three bullets in a single live-fire training session.
The closest he came to combat was when a hungry farmer stumbled into the DMZ looking for vegetables. Haneul says he ignored instructions to "shoot any intruders" and let the man go with a warning.
Don't underestimate North Korean troops in Russia, ex-soldiers tell BBC
Jean Mackenzie
Seoul correspondent
Getty Images
The US and Ukraine say North Korean troops are fighting Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region
What Haneul remembers most about his time in the North Korean military is the gnawing, continuous hunger. He lost 10kg in his first month of service, due to a diet of cracked corn and mouldy cabbage.
Three months into training, he says almost his entire battalion was severely malnourished and needed to be sent to a recovery centre to gain weight.
When they were later deployed as frontline guards to the border with South Korea, rice replaced corn. But by the time it reached their bowls, much had been siphoned off by rear units, and the remainder had been cut with sand.
Haneul says his unit was among the best-fed, a tactic to stop them defecting to South Korea. But it failed to prevent Haneul.
In 2012, he made a death-defying dash across the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) – the strip of land dividing the North from the South.
His experience and that of other military defectors helps shed light on the condition of thousands of North Korean troops deployed to the frontline in Russia's war against Ukraine.
BBC/Hosu Lee
Haneul was deployed as a border guard in the Demilitarised Zone with South Korea when he defected in 2012
Pyongyang has reportedly sent around 11,000 troops to help Russian forces reclaim part of its Kursk region taken by Ukraine in a surprise summer offensive.
Earlier this week, Seoul, Washington and Kyiv said the soldiers had now entered the fight "in significant numbers", and reported the first casualties, with South Korean officials estimating more than 100 had already been killed and more injured. This figure has not been confirmed.
However, defectors and other military experts have told the BBC these troops should not be underestimated.
According to South Korean intelligence, most belong to the elite Storm Corps unit, and have "high morale", but "lack an understanding of contemporary warfare".
Only the taller, sportier men are selected for the Storm Corps, says defector Lee Hyun Seung, who trained North Korea's special forces in the early 2000s before defecting in 2014.
He taught them martial arts, how to throw knives and make weapons out of cutlery and other kitchen utensils.
But even though the Storm Corps' training is more advanced than that of regular North Korean units, the soldiers are still underfed and even malnourished.
Online videos, reportedly of the troops in Russia, show younger, "frail" soldiers, Haneul says. They are a stark contrast to Pyongyang's propaganda videos, where men are seen bursting out of iron chains and smashing blocks of ice with their bare hands.
During his entire time in the army, Haneul says he fired only three bullets in a single live-fire training session.
The closest he came to combat was when a hungry farmer stumbled into the DMZ looking for vegetables. Haneul says he ignored instructions to "shoot any intruders" and let the man go with a warning.
BBC/Maxine Collins
Lee Hyun Seung was a special forces trainer in North Korea in the early 2000s
It is difficult to know how much has changed in the decade since Haneul defected, given the scarcity of information from North Korea. It appears that the country's leader Kim Jong Un has directed much of his limited resources into missiles and nuclear weapons rather than his standing army.
But according to another soldier, Ryu Seonghyun, who defected in 2019, the first three years in the military are "incredibly tough", even for the special forces. The 28-year-old, who worked as a driver in the air force for seven years, says that during his service, conditions deteriorated and rice gradually disappeared from meals.
"The soldiers are sent into the mountains for days with a small amount of rice, and are told it is part of their survival training."
Given these troops have been trained to fight in the mountainous Korean Peninsula, the defectors question how well they will adapt to fighting on the flatlands and in the trenches of Kursk.
Crucially, the Storm Corps are not a frontline unit. "Their mission is to infiltrate enemy lines and create chaos deep within enemy territory," Ryu says.
But, he adds, Kim Jong Un has no alternative to sending special forces, as regular soldiers spend most of their time farming, building or chopping wood.
"Kim Jong Un had to send men who could demonstrate at least a certain level of combat ability, to avoid damaging North Korea's reputation in Russia."
BBC/Hosu Lee
Ryu says soldiers are sent into the mountains for days with a small amount of rice as part of survival training
The language barrier seems to have created an additional hurdle. On Sunday, Ukraine's defence intelligence unit said communication issues had resulted in North Korean soldiers accidentally firing on a Russian battalion, killing eight.
With these assessments, it could be easy to dismiss the troops as "cannon fodder" and a sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin's desperation. But that would be a mistake, the defectors say. Their loyalty to the regime and fighting spirit will count for a lot.
"Most of the soldiers in the Storm Corps come from working-class or farming families, who are highly obedient to the party and will follow orders unquestionably," says Haneul, whose father and cousin were in the special forces.
Intense, ideological "brainwashing" sessions, held every morning, will further ensure they are mentally ready, Lee adds. He believes the North Korean troops "will become accustomed to the battlefield, learn how to fight the enemy, and find ways to survive".
Although the soldiers will not have been given a choice over whether to be deployed, Ryu thinks many will have wanted to go. The ambitious will see it as an opportunity to advance their careers, he says.
And given how tough it is to serve in North Korea, some will have relished the chance to experience life abroad for the first time.
"I think they'll be more willing to fight than Russian troops," he adds, admitting that in their situation, he too would have wanted to be sent.
Chun In-bum, a former commander of South Korea's special forces, agrees with the defectors' appraisals. "Just because they lack food and training, does not mean they are incapable. They will acclimatise quickly. We should not underestimate them."
While 11,000 troops are unlikely to turn the tide of such an attritional war – it is estimated Russia is suffering more than a thousand casualties a day – experts and officials believe this could be just the first tranche, with Pyongyang potentially able to send up to 60,000 or even 100,000 if they are rotated.
In these numbers, Mr Chun believes they could end up being effective.
Also, Kim Jong Un will be able to shoulder big losses without affecting the stability of his regime, the former soldiers say.
"Those who have been sent will be men without influence or connections – to put it bluntly, those who can be sacrificed without issue," Haneul says.
He remembers being shocked to learn there were no children of high-ranking parents in his frontline unit: "That's when I realised we were expendable."
He does not expect much resistance from the families of the deceased, whose sons, he says, will be honoured as heroes.
"There are countless parents who have lost a child after sending them to the military," he adds, recalling his second cousin who died. His aunt received a certificate, praising her son for his heroic contribution.
Reuters
Photos released by North Korea's state media in March 2024 show special forces soldiers taking part in a training session
The loyalty of the soldiers and their families could blunt Ukrainian and South Korean hopes that many will simply defect once they enter the fight. Kyiv and Seoul have discussed conducting psychological operations along the frontline to encourage the men to surrender.
But it seems they do not have access to mobile phones. According to Ukrainian intelligence, even Russian soldiers' phones are seized before they encounter North Korean troops.
So, possible infiltration strategies include broadcasting messages through loudspeakers or using drones to drop leaflets.
Both Ryu and Haneul decided to defect after reading anti-regime propaganda sent across the border from South Korea. But they are doubtful this would work so far from home.
They say it takes a long time to build up the desire and courage to defect.
Furthermore, Haneul suspects the officers will have been ordered to shoot anyone who attempts to flee. He remembers his comrades opening fire as he made his daring sprint across the DMZ.
"Twelve bullets flew just a metre over my head," he says.
Even capturing the North Korean troops may prove challenging for Ukraine.
In the North, being a prisoner of war is considered extremely shameful and worse than death. Instead, soldiers are taught to take their own lives, by shooting themselves or detonating a grenade.
Ryu recalls a famous military song entitled Save the Last Bullet. "They tell you to save two bullets, one to shoot the enemy and one to shoot yourself."
Nevertheless, the former special forces trainer Lee is determined to help. He has offered to go to the frontline to communicate directly with the soldiers.
"It's unlikely they will defect in large numbers, but we have to try. Hearing familiar voices like mine, and others from North Korea, might impact their psychology," he says.
Haneul just hopes they get home to North Korea. He knows there is a chance some of his relatives are among the troops sent to help Russia.
"I just hope they make it through and return safely."
Additional reporting by Jake Kwon and Hosu Lee
2. Ukraine’s Last Few M-1 Abrams Tanks Are Fighting In Kursk—And May Have Engaged North Korean Troops
Ukraine’s Last Few M-1 Abrams Tanks Are Fighting In Kursk—And May Have Engaged North Korean Troops
Forbes · by David Axe · December 20, 2024
David Axe
Forbes Staff
David Axe writes about ships, planes, tanks, drones and missiles.
Following
Dec 20, 2024,04:53pm EST
Updated Dec 20, 2024, 04:55pm EST
A Russian drone strikes a Ukrainian M-1 in Kursk.
Russian military capture
The Ukrainian army’s 47th Mechanized Brigade is running low on M-1 Abrams tanks. But the few tanks the brigade still has left are going out fighting, engaging Russian paratroopers and marines—and potentially North Korean soldiers—along the edge of the 250-square-mile salient Ukrainian forces carved out of Kursk Oblast in western Russia back in August.
“They are performing quite well,” Ukrainian war correspondent Andrii Tsaplienko said of the 47th Mechanized Brigade’s dozen or so surviving Abrams. Ukrainian crews have praised the M-1’s thick protection and accurate fire controls.
It’s hard to say whether the 2010s-vintage tanks have clashed with any of the thousands of North Korean troops who recently reinforced the Russians in and around Kursk. “The tankers are not 100-percent sure whether the North Koreans were among the enemy units they destroyed,” Tsaplienko noted, “because the machine gun cannot see the enemy’s face.”
The 47th Mechanized Brigade defends a length of the front line just east of the village of Novoivanovka on the western side of the salient. A pair of Russian formations—the 56th Airborne Regiment and the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade, apparently—has been trying to advance from Novoivanovka in order to gain control of the neighboring village, Leonidovo, a mile to the east along a country road.
That road and its branches are equally critical to both sides—and equally dangerous. Russian operators flying new fiber-optic drones recently immobilized one of the 47th Mechanized Brigade’s M-1s as the tank rolled down the road. The drones, which are jam-proof because they send and receive data via the fiber instead of the radio, repeatedly hit the 69-ton, four-person Abrams in its engine compartment.
The crew survived, according to Rob Lee, an analyst with the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia who has been in contact with the 47th Mechanized Brigade. The drones “were unable to penetrate either the turret or the hull elsewhere while we were inside,” one of the tankers told Lee. That particular M-1 was protected by locally installed anti-drone netting and reactive armor blocks as well as its factory-installed armor.
The 47th Mechanized Brigade told Lee the damaged M-1 may be recoverable. For now at least, it’s out of action—reducing by one Ukraine’s shrinking inventory of Abrams. The United States donated just 31 of the tanks despite having thousands of them in storage. In 18 months of hard fighting, the 47th Mechanized Brigade has lost at least nine of the original M-1s. Eight more have been damaged.
More M-1s are coming, but not from the United States. Australia pledged 49 surplus M-1s back in October. That’s more than enough fresh Abrams to restore the 47th Mechanized Brigade’s tank battalion back to its full strength of 31 tanks while also equipping a second battalion.
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David Axe
Following
Forbes · by David Axe · December 20, 2024
3. Ukrainian military eliminated an odd North Korean weapon being used by Russia
Dr. Bechtol mentioned these points when he flagged these articles for me:
It is like the original Russian version but the North Korean version is not wire guided.
Also used by Hezbollah and Hamas against the IDF since Oct. 7th
Ukrainian military eliminated an odd North Korean weapon being used by Russia
Story by thedailydigest.com • 16h
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ukrainian-military-eliminated-an-odd-north-korean-weapon-being-used-by-russia/ss-BB1r0e8N?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=3a2330c2280346e6957557481265caf5&ei=24#image=1
1 / 26
What is the Bulsae-4?
©Provided by The Daily Digest
On November 30, combat footage was released by the Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade through its Telegram channel, showing the neutralization of an unconventional North Korean-origin weapon used by Russian forces.
Ukraine Says Destroyed N. Korean Bulsae-4 Missile Used by Russia
https://thedefensepost.com/2024/12/03/ukraine-destroyed-bulsae-missile/
December 3, 2024
1 minute read
The Ukrainian military has claimed to have destroyed a North Korean Bulsae-4 anti-tank missile system operated by the Russian Armed Forces.
In a video shared by Kyiv’s Third Assault Brigade, a supposed Windbreaker suicide drone tracked and hit the North Korean weapon as it moved along a road in Kharkiv Oblast.
Prior to this, Ukraine’s forces had also destroyed several Russian vehicles using the one-way attack drone.
The Bulsae-4 is described as a long-range anti-tank weapon capable of destroying armored targets up to 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) away.
It is mounted on an M-2010 6×6 wheeled armored vehicle, offering enhanced mobility and flexibility on the battlefield.
The system also employs an electro-optical seeker, enabling precise strikes, even beyond the line of sight.
More Evidence
The destruction of the Bulsae-4 missile system is seen as further evidence of North Korea’s direct involvement in the conflict.
Earlier this year, a similar weapon was spotted by a Ukrainian drone operating in the Kharkiv region.
Additionally, Russia reportedly launched about 60 North Korean KN-23 missiles at Ukraine, furthering its invasion efforts.
These sightings confirm earlier Ukrainian intelligence reports indicating broader North Korean military support for Moscow.
Apart from weapon systems, Pyongyang has allegedly sent at least 11,000 troops to reinforce Russian frontline units in Kursk, according to Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
4. Hanwha Ocean to Build First Two FFX Batch-IV Frigates
Excerpt:
It was reported in the local media that Hanwha Ocean was the sole bidder for the Batch-IV program, suggesting that the company is likely to continue leveraging its expertise in constructing “smart frigates.”
Hanwha Ocean to Build First Two FFX Batch-IV Frigates
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/12/hanwha-ocean-to-build-first-two-ffx-batch-iv-frigates/
South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean won a contract for the construction of the 1st and 2nd ships of the new Ulsan-class Frigate (FFX) Batch-IV for the ROK Navy. Hanwha Ocean previously won a contract for the construction of the 5th and 6th vessels of the Batch-III.
Eunhyuk Cha 20 Dec 2024
Hanwha Ocean Press Release translated by Naval News
Hanwha Ocean announced on the 18th that it has signed a major contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) for the “Ulsan-class Frigate (FFX) Batch-IV Ship Construction Project,” valued at 839.1 billion KRW (578.69 million USD), with a completion target of December 2030.
FFX Batch-IV marks the final phase of a four-stage project to replace the Ulsan-class frigates, which have been in service since the 1980s. A total of six Batch-IV ships will be built, representing a significant step forward in the evolution of the Republic of Korea Navy’s frigates. Although the Batch-IV ships will retain the displacement and exterior design of their Batch-III predecessors, they are essentially a “full change” model, featuring state-of-the-art upgrades that distinguish them as “smart frigates.”
The Batch-IV frigates will feature upgraded systems, including four advanced weapon systems and newly developed technologies, such as the Close-In Weapon System (CIWS-II) and Electronic Warfare Equipment-II, seamlessly incorporated into the combat system. Designed for future operational environments with potential manpower limitations, these ships will incorporate manpower-saving designs while enhancing crew operational efficiency and living conditions. Additionally, they will feature cybersecurity monitoring systems to counteract cyber threats and advanced capabilities to defend against drone threats.
Following the delivery of the 5th and 6th vessels of Batch-III, Hanwha Ocean seeks to strengthen the Republic of Korea Navy’s operational capabilities and further advance national defense through the successful delivery of the 1st and 2nd vessels of Batch-IV. Hanwha Ocean is the only company with construction experience across the entire lineup of advanced domestic destroyers under the KDX-I, II, and III programs, which introduced new combat technologies and concepts since 2000. As such, it holds the distinction of having delivered the most destroyers currently operated by the Republic of Korea Navy.
By building on the technical continuity of the 5th and 6th vessels of Batch-III and incorporating state-of-the-art smart ship solutions, we are committed to creating frigates that set a new standard unlike anything seen before.
Yong–Jun Cho, Head of the Domestic Sales Team for Special Purpose Ships at Hanwha Ocean
Author’s Note
The FFX Batch-IV will retain the exterior design and general specifications of the recently delivered FFG-III Chungnam-class ships to the ROK Navy. However, it will feature enhanced combat efficiency compared to the Batch-III through the integration of four advanced weapons systems: the C-Star anti-ship missile, the Red Shark K-ASROC, the K-SAAM short-range surface-to-air missile, and the Sea Dragon Cruise Missile. Additionally, the Batch-IV will incorporate an indigenous Engineering Control System (ECS), distinguishing it from the Batch-III.
Last but not least, the Electronic Warfare Equipment-II, currently being developed by LIG Nex1 and scheduled for completion by 2029, is expected to replace the SLQ-200K Sonata, which is currently used on the majority of the ROK Navy’s surface combat ships. This new system is anticipated to significantly enhance the vessels’ survivability against the latest anti-ship missiles and drones through advanced jamming capabilities, ensuring the FFX Batch-IV is well-prepared for future naval battlespaces.
It was reported in the local media that Hanwha Ocean was the sole bidder for the Batch-IV program, suggesting that the company is likely to continue leveraging its expertise in constructing “smart frigates.”
Tags FFX Batch IV Hanwha Ocean ROK Navy
5. US approves possible sale of Korea's Navy destroyer improvement program, related elements
Partnership in the arsenal of democracy.
US approves possible sale of Korea's Navy destroyer improvement program, related elements
The Korea Times · December 17, 2024
The first of three next-generation Aegis Combat System-equipped destroyers built for the Republic of Korea Navy, ROKS Jeongjo the Great, undergoes test operations at sea in this undated file photo. Courtesy of HD Hyundai
The United States has authorized a potential sale to Korea of a Navy destroyer improvement program and related elements, a government agency said Monday, noting that the proposed sale will help enhance the Asian ally's defense capabilities.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) under the Department of Defense announced that the State Department has made the decision on the potential government-to-government Foreign Military Sale (FMS) estimated to cost $300 million.
Korea has made a request to purchase a series of items for a program to improve its KDX-II-class destroyers, including modified MK 99 fire control systems, updated Weapon Direct System software modification, integration, installation, as well as personnel training and training equipment.
"The proposed sale will improve the ROK's capability to perform anti-surface and anti-air warfare missions. The ROK will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense," DSCA said, referring to Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.
"This upgrade does not provide any additional capabilities, but ensures the ship class remains operationally viable in light of obsolescence issues with current hardware and required software fixes," it added.
DSCA delivered the certification, notifying Congress of the proposed sale earlier in the day as the sale requires congressional endorsement. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · December 17, 2024
6. Russia will abandon North Korea
Because their relationship is purely transactional.
Excerpts:
Mr. Kim, his father and his grandfather knew that normal relations with the U.S. would permit North Korea to receive significant economic development assistance as a legitimate member of the international community. Today, North Korea is heavily sanctioned and is aiding Russia, a pariah state, with its war of aggression in Ukraine. Dealing with a fickle Mr. Putin, who will abandon North Korea as his predecessors did, is not in North Korea’s interest.
Eventually, returning to negotiations with the Trump administration would be in North Korea’s best interest.
Russia will abandon North Korea
Pyongyang should reengage with incoming Trump administration
washingtontimes.com · by Joseph R. DeTrani
By - Friday, December 20, 2024
OPINION:
Syrian dictator Bashar Assad said he “never considered stepping down or seeking refuge, nor was such a proposal made by any individual or party.”
In July, Mr. Assad visited with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and no doubt was told by Mr. Putin that Moscow would protect the Assad regime.
But Russia didn’t protect the Assad regime. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking on Dec. 7 in Doha, Qatar, said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that toppled the Assad regime, was a terrorist organization, while Russia’s Foreign Ministry used more diplomatic language, calling the group, known as HTS, an “armed opposition group.”
Since 2015, Russia has been militarily supporting the Assad regime, with a naval base in Tartus and an air base in Latakia. This gave Russia a presence in the region, something Mr. Putin coveted. It’s questionable whether HTS will permit Russia to maintain this military presence in Syria. Regardless, it’s apparent that Russia suffered a humiliating defeat in Syria and abandoned Mr. Assad.
Russia’s abandoning the Syrian dictator shouldn’t be a surprise to North Korea. In 1985, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, inheriting a costly and eventual military defeat in Afghanistan, started to distance the Soviet Union from North Korea while moving toward formal diplomatic relations with South Korea, which were established in September 1990.
The Soviet Union’s 1961 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance with North Korea formally ended in 1995, replaced by a February 2000 treaty that emphasized trade and excluded military assistance, prominent clauses in the 1961 treaty.
Fast-forward to this past June and Russia’s new treaty with North Korea: the Treaty of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This new treaty states that if either country is invaded, the other must provide military and other assistance. Indeed, the treaty immediately benefits a revanchist Russia and its war of aggression in Ukraine.
North Korea is reportedly providing artillery shells, ballistic missiles and over 10,000 special forces troops to Russia. In return, Russia is likely to provide North Korea with food aid and energy assistance, with likely assistance to North Korea’s satellite and nuclear programs.
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But when the war in Ukraine ends, a heavily sanctioned Russia will likely walk away from North Korea, as it did in 1995 when Moscow renounced the 1961 treaty with North Korea and as it just did with Mr. Assad.
History has a way of repeating itself, and it should be self-evident to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that Mr. Putin is using North Korea for military assistance in his war in Ukraine. Once North Korea ceases to be of value to Mr. Putin, North Korea will have to find its own way.
And that way isn’t relying on Mr. Putin and Russia. Mr. Kim was correct in meeting with then-President Donald Trump in Singapore, Hanoi and the DMZ. He was correct in pursuing the goal his father, Kim Jong Il, and his grandfather Kim Il Sung pursued: normal diplomatic relations with the U.S.
North Korea pursued that objective for over 30 years, with high points including the 1994 Agreed Framework, the September 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks and the summits between Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim, as well as Mr. Trump’s symbolic visit to the DMZ.
Mr. Kim, his father and his grandfather knew that normal relations with the U.S. would permit North Korea to receive significant economic development assistance as a legitimate member of the international community. Today, North Korea is heavily sanctioned and is aiding Russia, a pariah state, with its war of aggression in Ukraine. Dealing with a fickle Mr. Putin, who will abandon North Korea as his predecessors did, is not in North Korea’s interest.
Eventually, returning to negotiations with the Trump administration would be in North Korea’s best interest.
• Joseph R. DeTrani is the former director of East Asia operations at the CIA, former special envoy for talks with North Korea (2003-2006) and former director of the National Counterproliferation Center. The views expressed here are the author’s and not those of any government agency or department.
Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
washingtontimes.com · by Joseph R. DeTrani
7. Kim Jong Un ‘personally overseeing’ North Korean training for Ukraine amid losses
I hear Kim Jong Un is a real expert in training. (note sarcasm)
Kim Jong Un ‘personally overseeing’ North Korean training for Ukraine amid losses
Pyongyang claimed on Thursday that its alliance with Russia was ‘normal’ and ‘very effective’, despite international alarm about the deployment of North Korean troops to the war in Ukraine
Shweta Sharma
Thursday 19 December 2024 09:28 GMT
Independent · December 19, 2024
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is personally overseeing training of soldiers to be sent to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean intelligence reports, after Pyongyang’s inexperienced forces were said to have suffered a high number of casualties.
South Korean MP Lee Seong-kweun claimed at least 100 North Korean soldiers had been killed in the war, citing a briefing to parliament by the National Intelligence Service.
“There was a report that there have been at least 100 deaths and the injured are approaching 1,000,” he said.
MPs were told that the North may be preparing for more deployments to Russia, Lee said, as well as about intelligence that the country’s leader Kim Jong Un is overseeing training.
Ukraine and its allies estimate that North Korea has deployed between 10,000 and 12,000 troops so far to aid Russia’s war effort. The Pentagon said the soldiers were largely deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, where Moscow’s forces were battling a Ukrainian ground incursion since August.
They also accused North Korea of shipping artillery systems, ballistic missiles and other weapons to replenish Russia’s armouries. Russia and North Korea neither confirmed nor denied the accusations.
The US and nine other countries condemned Pyongyang’s alleged export of ballistic missiles and other military equipment to Russia for use in the Ukraine war in a joint statement on Monday. The North’s direct support for the Russian war effort, they said, marked a “dangerous expansion of the conflict”.
On Thursday North Korea’s foreign ministry said its relationship with Russia was being “distorted” by the West, calling its alliance with Moscow “normal” and “very effective”.
The statement made no mention of Pyongyang’s involvement in the Ukraine war or the casualties its troops allegedly suffered in Kursk.
The North blamed Washington and its allies for prolonging the Ukraine war and destabilising the security situation in Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
The “madness” on display in response to the North’s relationship with Russia “goes to prove that the strengthened cooperative relations between independent sovereign states are very effective in deterring the US and the West’s ill-intended extension of influence”, it added.
Washington and Kyiv recently claimed that North Korean soldiers took heavy casualties while fighting Ukrainian forces in the Russian border region. The Ukrainian military intelligence agency said at least 30 North Korean troops were killed or wounded, while a US official suggested the figure for North Korean casualties was in the “several hundreds”.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky posted drone footage on Telegram claiming that it showed North Korean soldiers fighting in the war.
"Ukraine’s defence forces and intelligence are working to determine the full extent of the actual losses suffered by Russian units that include North Koreans," he said.
The Russian military was taking drastic measures to conceal the identity of North Koreans by burning the faces of those killed in battle, Mr Zelensky claimed.
Independent · December 19, 2024
8. S. Korea, U.S. conducting joint research to block N.K. cryptocurrency heists
We must defeat the regime's all purpose sword.
S. Korea, U.S. conducting joint research to block N.K. cryptocurrency heists | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 22, 2024
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States are conducting joint research to strengthen protection against cryptocurrency heist attempts amid growing concerns of such attacks by North Korea-linked hackers, officials said Sunday.
Based on a recently signed technical annex between the South Korean government and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the two sides will jointly develop technologies to prevent cryptocurrency-targeted attacks and to track stolen assets, according to authorities and cybersecurity industry officials.
The science ministry plans to support such research through the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation until 2026.
The move comes as the price of bitcoin recently surged to US$100,000 after the U.S. presidential election last month, raising concerns of increased attempts by hackers to steal virtual assets.
While the United States collaborates with other countries for cybersecurity research, it is known to have chosen South Korea for research on digital asset tracking technology as North Korea is seen as a key culprit behind cryptocurrency heists.
Under the program, South Korean and U.S. researchers, including those from Korea University and the RAND Corp. research institute, will focus on technologies to prevent and track hackers when they steal assets from a cryptocurrency exchange.
They will also focus on understanding how they convert or launder other financial assets they obtain into virtual assets through illegal ransomeware or other methods.
North Korea is known as a major player in cryptocurrency heists, with hackers linked to the country estimated to have stolen $1.34 billion worth of cryptocurrency across 47 incidents this year, according to Chainalysis, a blockchain analysis firm.
A representation of a virtual currency bitcoin is seen in this Reuters file photo. (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 22, 2024
9. Main opposition urges acting president to sign special counsel bills or face consequences
Threats. Coercion.
Will the opposition party's actions have blowback for it? Are the leaders miscalculating support?
(2nd LD) Main opposition urges acting president to sign special counsel bills or face consequences | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 22, 2024
(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in last 4 paras)
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on Sunday urged acting President Han Duck-soo to quickly promulgate special counsel bills against President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee, vowing to hold him accountable if he fails to do so.
DP floor leader Rep. Park Chan-dae made the call as Han faces a decision on whether to veto the opposition-led bills, mandating special probes into Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration on Dec. 3 and allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee.
"If acting President Han does not promulgate the special counsel bills by Tuesday, (we) will immediately hold him responsible," he said in a news conference at the National Assembly in western Seoul, apparently indicating the DP would push for his impeachment.
Rep. Park Chan-dae (2nd from R), floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, speaks during a news conference at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Dec. 22, 2024. (Yonhap)
Park said a special counsel investigating insurrection charges against Yoon would be "most rational," also adding there was no reason to delay an investigation into allegations against first lady Kim over stock manipulation and interference in election nominations.
The National Assembly passed the two bills earlier this month in the aftermath of Yoon's short-lived martial law imposition.
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) slammed the DP's call, describing the bills as being intended to paralyze state affairs.
"(The bills) were designed by the DP with the ulterior motive of paralyzing state affairs and the ruling party," PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong said.
On Thursday, Han vetoed six other contentious bills passed by the National Assembly, marking his first use of the presidential power since assuming interim leadership after the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon on Dec. 14.
Han has been named a suspect in a police investigation into the short-lived imposition of martial law, undergoing questioning over his attendance at a Cabinet meeting as prime minister just before Yoon's martial law declaration.
The minor opposition Rebuilding Korea Party said Sunday that it has drafted a motion for Han's impeachment, accusing him of "silently agreeing" with Yoon's martial law declaration.
Rep. Kim Sun-min, the party's acting leader, urged the DP to submit the impeachment motion against Han should he fail to promulgate the two special counsel bills by the Tuesday deadline.
An impeachment motion against a Cabinet member requires support from at least 100 lawmakers to be introduced at the National Assembly. The Rebuilding Korea Party has 12 seats in the 300-member parliament, while the main opposition DP holds 170.
Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the ruling People Power Party, speaks during a news conference at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Dec. 22, 2024. (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 22, 2024
10. Vice FM to visit U.S., Japan this week for talks on trilateral cooperation
Working to sustain trilateral cooperation which is in the natural national security and national prosperity interests of all three countries.
Vice FM to visit U.S., Japan this week for talks on trilateral cooperation | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 22, 2024
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- A senior diplomat will visit the United States and Japan this week to discuss cooperation between the three countries and North Korea-related issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday.
First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun will embark on the five-day trip later Sunday that will first take him to Washington for talks with his U.S. counterpart on bilateral ties, trilateral cooperation with Japan, and North Korea, according to the ministry.
He will then visit Tokyo for vice ministerial-level talks on the three-way cooperation with the United States and preparations for the 60th anniversary of the normalization of relations between South Korea and Japan next year.
The trip comes after President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment on Dec. 14 over his short-lived imposition of martial law, which has raised concerns over Seoul's policy coordination with Washington and Tokyo, especially with the incoming U.S. administration of Donald Trump, set to take office next month.
Under Yoon, South Korea has sought to deepen trilateral security cooperation with the United States and Japan amid evolving nuclear and missile threats posed by North Korea.
To address uncertainties posed by the incoming Trump administration, the foreign ministry has set up a task force to come up with response measures to the new administration's foreign policy.
This file photo, taken Oct. 16, 2024, shows First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun speaking at a press conference at the government complex in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 22, 2024
11. S. Korea holds largest share of U.S. battery material import market in 2023
(LEAD) S. Korea holds largest share of U.S. battery material import market in 2023 | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 22, 2024
(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea held the largest share of the U.S. import market for battery materials last year, a trade association said Sunday, outranking rivals China and Japan.
The United States imported US$9.7 billion worth of key battery materials -- anode and cathode materials and separators -- from South Korea in 2023, up 93.1 percent from $5.02 billion in 2020, according to the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), which analyzed U.N. trade data.
Last year, South Korea held a 33.7 percent share of the U.S. battery material import market, followed by Japan at 26.4 percent and China at 8.4 percent. In comparison, South Korea held an 8.5 percent share in 2020, far behind China's 28.9 percent and Japan's 17.2 percent.
South Korea's rise in the U.S. battery materials import market comes amid changes to the global supply chain, sparked by growing trade disputes between the United States and China.
Major South Korean battery makers -- LG Energy Solution Ltd., SK On Co. and Samsung SDI Co. -- have recently built large-scale battery plants in the United States, leading to increased U.S. imports of battery materials from South Korea.
The sharp growth in the South Korean firms' U.S. market share, however, is sparking concerns as the incoming U.S. administration of Donald Trump is reportedly considering imposing tariffs on battery materials.
In an internal document, Trump's transition team recommended changes to restrict support for electric vehicles and impose tariffs on all battery materials globally, Reuters earlier reported.
South Korean companies have pushed to operate battery plants in the United States under the current Joe Biden administration's initiative to induce investment in electric vehicles in the country.
A representation of a South Korea-made battery (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 22, 2024
12. Shinsegae chairman says had '10-15 minute talk' with U.S. President-elect Trump
South Korea has to lead with business for the foreseeable future.
(LEAD) Shinsegae chairman says had '10-15 minute talk' with U.S. President-elect Trump | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Choi Kyong-ae · December 22, 2024
(ATTN: UPDATES with details in last 2 paras)
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- Chung Yong-jin, chairman of South Korean retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group, said he had a brief talk with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump during his visit to Trump's Florida resort but declined to provide any other details.
"I had a meal together with President-elect Trump, and we separately had an in-depth conversation on various topics," he told Yonhap News Agency while waiting for his return flight home from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Saturday (U.S. time).
Chung said his chat with the incoming U.S. leader lasted about 10 to 15 minutes.
Chung is the first South Korean known to have met Trump since his election victory last month.
He had stayed at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort since Monday at the invitation of Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of the president-elect, with whom the Shinsegae chairman had already met three times this year.
Chung said he could not disclose the content of his talk with the U.S. president-elect.
He said Trump had made no "special indication" when asked if the president-elect made any comments on South Korea.
Instead, Trump Jr. introduced him to "many people," with whom he discussed business, Chung added.
The Shinsegae chairman said Trump Jr. and others expressed their interest in the situation in South Korea following President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law declaration early this month.
Chung said he explained that South Korea has the potential to recover from the ongoing political fiasco and it won't take long before the country returns to a normal state.
Chung Yong-jin, chairman of South Korean retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group, poses for the press at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after his meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Dec. 21, 2024. (Yonhap)
sookim@yna.co.kr
(END)
Related Articles
en.yna.co.kr · by Choi Kyong-ae · December 22, 2024
13. Unification minister, spy chief undergo questioning in martial law probes
But Korea must not let the 8.15 Unification Doctrine whither because of the natural incident.
(LEAD) Unification minister, spy chief undergo questioning in martial law probes | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 22, 2024
(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 2 paras, photo)
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho and the spy agency chief have undergone questioning by investigators as part of their ongoing probes into President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived imposition of martial law this month, officials said Sunday.
Kim underwent questioning by police for six hours Saturday over his attendance at a Cabinet meeting that took place shortly before Yoon's declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, making him the latest participant of the gathering to appear before police investigators.
Police have now questioned ten of the 12 participants of the Cabinet meeting, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. Yoon and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun have yet to undergo police questioning.
Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho attends a Cabinet meeting at the government complex in central Seoul, in this file photo taken Dec. 3, 2024. (Yonhap)
Separately, Cho Tae-yong, the head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), was recently questioned by prosecutors in their own investigation, judicial sources said. Cho, who is not a Cabinet member, was among the 12 participants of the Dec. 3 meeting.
Prosecutors reportedly questioned Cho over whether he was informed of alleged orders from Yoon to arrest politicians during martial law.
Hong Jang-won, former first deputy director of NIS, has claimed he received such orders from Yoon but Cho deferred from immediately taking action when he reported them.
The NIS has rejected Hong's claims of making such a report to Cho as false.
Police have been separately investigating the martial law episode from the prosecutors through a joint investigation team with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the defense ministry's investigative unit.
On Sunday, the CIO also questioned Maj. Gen. Moon Sang-ho, head of the Defense Intelligence Command, over his alleged role in the martial law declaration, days after his arrest Friday.
The CIO has been pushing to step up its investigation, summoning Yoon to appear for questioning on Christmas Day, following his refusal to cooperate with a summons request last week.
Cho Tae-yong (C), head of the National Intelligence Service, attends a parliamentary intelligence committee session at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Dec. 7, 2024, in this file photo. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 22, 2024
14. North Korea is more surprised by Philippine submarine detection
This is a Google translation of an RFA report.
North Korea is more surprised by Philippine submarine detection
https://www.rfa.org/korean/weekly_program/c2e0bc15d55cd55cbc18b3c4c2e0bb34ae30b300bc31acfc/philippines-north-korea-submarine-12202024142834.html
WASHINGTON-Kim Jin-guk kimj@rfa.org
2024.12.22
Russian Navy Submarine 'Ufa' Seized Near Philippine Territorial Waters
/Source: Philippine Department of Defense
00:00 / 00:00
( Host ) We will accurately grasp the current state of the military standoff on the Korean Peninsula and seek a path to peace. This is Kim Jin-guk, presenting 'Encyclopedia of New Weapons on the Korean Peninsula' from Washington D.C. We will connect with Lee Il-woo, Secretary General of the ' Independent Defense Network ' in Korea .
Russian Defense Ministry delegation visits North Korea. /Source: Korean Central News Agency
North Korea-Russia Treaty Goes into Effect : What is Its Military Significance ?
( Host ) The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty signed between North Korea and Russia last June has recently officially come into effect as the two sides exchanged instruments of ratification . When the Russian Minister of Defense recently visited North Korea, the Deputy Minister of Defense in charge of the defense industry also accompanied him . There are growing concerns that Russia will provide North Korea with military science and technology , especially submarine-related technology ?
( Lee Il-woo ) Many people are wondering why it took six months until the treaty between North Korea and Russia came into effect . In terms of international law, a treaty is signed by the head of the executive branch, the person with the authority to conclude the treaty , and this is called ratification . If the legislative branch, which has the authority to approve the treaty, gives its consent to ratification , it gains legal legitimacy . When the ratification instruments that received this consent are exchanged between the parties to the treaty, it then officially takes effect . Because the ratification instruments were exchanged this time, the North Korea-Russia alliance has now become a formal and effective alliance .
Since North Korea and Russia have become formal allies, they can now openly engage in military exchanges and cooperation, such as troop dispatches , arms trade , and joint training . While they have been cooperating in a quiet manner while keeping an eye on the international community , a legal basis for open cooperation has now been established .
Recently, Russia sent a Defense Ministry delegation to North Korea, led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. The delegation included Alexei Krivorutsko, Deputy Minister of Defense for Military-Technical Support Organizations . The Russian Defense Ministry has ten deputy ministers , and two of them are related to the defense industry: Major General Aleksandr Fomin, Deputy Minister for International Military and Military-Technical Cooperation Organizations , and Krivorutsko , Deputy Minister for Military-Technical Support Organizations . While Major General Fomin mainly oversees work related to the export of weapons systems abroad , Deputy Minister Krivorutsko oversees the fostering and operation of the Russian defense industry , as well as technological development . In other words , Krivorutsko’s visit this time means that in return for the dispatch of troops and the supply of conventional weapons, North Korea has been promised not only the usual finished weapons systems , but also cooperation such as technology transfer, joint development , and joint production .
There are many areas of military science and technology that North Korea could obtain from Russia, but the one that American think tanks and the Indo-Pacific Command are most concerned about is submarines , and in particular, nuclear submarines . The American think tank CSIS even went so far as to say , “Imagine the horrifying sight of a North Korean nuclear submarine sailing the Pacific Ocean,” so cooperation between North Korea and Russia on submarines is something that not only South Korea and Japan , but also the United States is wary of .
Russian submarine heading to Korean Peninsula “ caught ” by K -class frigate
( Host ) Russia is known as a submarine powerhouse, having invested heavily in submarine power since the Soviet era as an asymmetric force to counter U.S. aircraft carriers. But recently, one of Russia's newest submarines was detected and forcibly surfaced while approaching the Korean Peninsula ?
( Lee Il-woo ) On November 28 , a Russian submarine was detected in the territorial waters near Busuanga Island , a Philippine territory, about 148km off the west coast of Mindoro Island , Philippines . This submarine, discovered near the Philippines in the South China Sea, was not a submarine from a neighboring country such as China or Malaysia , but, strangely enough, was a Russian Navy submarine .
A Philippine Navy frigate that detected an unreported foreign submarine approaching its territorial waters immediately began pursuit, catching up with the submarine and ordering it to surface immediately . Under international law, submarines must not violate the territorial waters of other countries without permission , and when passing through an exclusive economic zone, they must surface, obtain prior approval from the government of that country , hoist their flag, and sail through it . This is called innocent passage . Since submarines cannot do anything on the water, this sailing is intended to signal their intention not to cause any harm to the country in question .
However, the Russian submarine sailed underwater while approaching Philippine territorial waters, and the Philippines immediately responded with a warship . If the Russian submarine had not responded to the Philippines’ warning communication, the Philippines could have sunk it . However, the Russian submarine immediately surfaced after receiving the warning communication , apologized to the Philippines , and said that it had unintentionally approached territorial waters while being pushed by the ocean current . It was then closely monitored by Philippine escort ships until it left Philippine waters, and was driven out of Philippine waters .
The reason this incident has become a hot topic is because the submarine that suffered the humiliation of being detected and forcibly wounded by a Philippine frigate this time is the latest submarine that has just been deployed to the Russian Pacific Fleet. This submarine is a model called the improved Kilo-class , and in Russia it is called the Project 636.3 Warsaw-class . It is a considerably large submarine with a displacement of 3,900 tons , and it is the latest ship that was commissioned in November 2022 with the application of the latest technology . After being commissioned in St. Petersburg and undergoing tests and evaluations , it departed in October and was on its way to the Pacific Fleet, its original deployed unit , when it was detected while passing near the Philippines .
This submarine was named 'Ufa', and unlike the existing Kilo-class, Ufa had a greatly improved acoustic stealth design and was equipped with various cutting-edge electronic equipment, making it the quietest submarine in existence. However , it was a great embarrassment for Russia that it was detected and forcibly surfaced in the Philippines on its way out of Malaysia after such a loud propaganda event .
Philippine frigate that caught Russian ' right wing ' submarine , downgraded to Korean version
( Host ) The reason experts are paying attention to this incident is because Russia's latest flagship submarine was so easily defeated by a cheap warship exported from Korea. The Philippine Navy frigate that successfully responded to the Russian submarine this time , turns out to be a downgraded version of the Korean Navy frigate ?
( Lee Il-woo ) The Philippine Navy frigate that recently captured the Russian submarine has been confirmed to be a new frigate named 'Jose Rizal'. In reality, the Philippines, which had no proper naval force , decided to purchase a new combat ship in response to China's escalating territorial disputes in various parts of the South China Sea in the 2010s , but the problem was that they did not have the money to purchase a new warship . For this reason, at first, plans were pursued to purchase a used Maestrale-class frigate retired from the Italian Navy or to procure a Camorta-class corvette from India at a low price , but both plans fell through during the negotiations, and a Korean-made frigate emerged as an alternative .
The first ship that the Philippines was considering to purchase was the Incheon-class frigate of the South Korean Navy. It had a 2,300-ton size , and had reasonable armament, sensors , and a reasonable price, so they were considering purchasing it , but the South Korean side proposed the Daegu-class, which was an improved design model of the Incheon-class , and the Philippines accepted this, and a scaled-down, redesigned model for export was created based on the Daegu-class . That is the Jose Rizal-class .
The Philippine Navy's Jose Rizal frigate that found the Russian submarine / Source: Philippine Navy
The Philippines contracted for these two warships for a ridiculously low price of $ 337 million . To give you an idea of how cheap that is , the Daegu- class frigates of the South Korean Navy, on which the design was based, cost about $300 million apiece . The size was reduced by 800 tons , but the price was cut in half . This is a major downgrade .
[ Encyclopedia of New Weapons on the Korean Peninsula ] What will happen in the skies of the Korean Peninsula when the F-15K is improved
[ Encyclopedia of New Weapons on the Korean Peninsula ] Is the Price of Deploying the North's Storm Corps to Russia Strategic Nuclear Submarines ?
It was much smaller, and unlike the Daegu-class which used an electric hybrid propulsion system, it only had an inexpensive diesel engine . It also had a cheap German TRS-3D radar , and the most important sonar was a cheap American Harris Model 997. Unlike the Daegu-class which was armed with guns , missiles , and torpedoes , it only had guns and machine guns , and later on, with additional budget, it was equipped with an ultra-short-range surface-to-air missile called Simbad -RC with two Mistral infantry-portable surface -to-air missiles attached, Korean-made HaeSeong missiles , and Cheongsang-eo light torpedoes .
In fact, even with this downgrade, for the Philippine Navy, this was the first proper combat ship they had in decades, and they received two of them amid a grand national welcome ceremony, and they were used for various national events and overseas joint military exercises, serving as the pride of the Philippines . For such a ship to capture Russia's most advanced submarine with the best stealth performance this time was enough to turn the Philippines upside down .
We must also prepare to secure the '4.5 generation cutting-edge fighter jet ' that Kim Jong-un wants.
( Host ) If a Russian submarine equipped with the latest technology could be defeated so easily, it doesn’t seem like it would pose much of a threat to South Korea even if Russia transfers its submarine technology to North Korea . If it receives technological support from Russia , would North Korea be able to build a submarine that could threaten South Korea ?
( Lee Il-woo ) As the Ukrainian War clearly revealed, the characteristic of Russian weapons is that there is a huge difference between the catalog specifications and the actual specifications . If you look at the propaganda materials, they are advertised as being able to fight on par with the latest weapons from Europe and the United States , and at a very low price , but as the eternal truth that cheap things are expensive does not mean good things .
This latest Russian submarine detection incident could be due to the Russian submarine underestimating the capabilities of the Philippines and letting its guard down, but it is also possible that the Russian submarine's performance is actually poor . In fact, the South Korean Navy once considered importing a pre-improvement version of this submarine through the Bear Project , and according to the evaluation team that inspected the submarine on site in Russia, its performance was truly horribly poor .
Even if Russia were to transfer this submarine technology to North Korea, strictly speaking, North Korea, with its very underdeveloped shipbuilding and steel infrastructure, would not be able to build such a submarine . Even if it were to build one, it would likely be an inferior version with significantly lower performance and reliability than the submarines built in Russia . For this reason, North Korea would likely prefer to import finished products rather than transfer technology in the submarine sector.
If North Korea were to import ready-made Russian submarines, it would clearly be far inferior to South Korean submarines in terms of objective performance , but the seas around South Korea are notorious worldwide for having a unique underwater environment that makes submarine detection difficult , so rather than being complacent after a Russian submarine was caught in the Philippines this time , we should be alert to the possibility that this type of submarine technology could also be provided to North Korea, and we should be reorganizing our anti-submarine forces .
( Host ) This was Lee Il-woo, Secretary General of the Korea Independent Defense Network. Now, with Kim Jin-guk from RFA in Washington , D.C.
Editor Lee Jin-seo, Web Editor Lee Gyeong-ha
15. Acting president, main opposition face own dilemmas amid power struggle
Acting president, main opposition face own dilemmas amid power struggle
The Korea Times · December 22, 2024
Acting President Han Duck-soo attends a meeting with senior government and ruling party officials at his official residence in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap
DPK threatens to impeach interim leader if he fails to approve special probe bills by Dec. 24
By Lee Hyo-jin
Acting President Han Duck-soo and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are facing dilemmas in their power struggles for an upper hand in key state affairs amid the absence of President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to political analysts, Sunday.
In the coming days, Han must decide whether to veto two special investigation bills: one targeting first lady Kim Keon Hee and another probing Yoon’s failed martial law declaration. Both bills pose serious challenges to the faltering Yoon administration.
The DPK, which holds a parliamentary majority, has threatened to impeach Han if he does not approve the bills. The party issued an ultimatum, Sunday, stating that Han will have to "bear responsibility" if he fails to make a decision by Christmas Eve.
However, whether the DPK will follow through on its threat remains uncertain, as excessive power plays could backfire. The fact that Han, as acting president, has the authority to appoint Constitutional Court justices — a key issue for the DPK — complicates the opposition's strategy.
Rep. Park Chan-dae, left, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap
Han has two weeks to decide on the special probe bills after the opposition-controlled National Assembly passed on Dec. 12, just two days before approving Yoon’s impeachment motion. Han’s office said it will carefully review the bills and deliberate before making a decision by the legal deadline of Jan. 1.
As Han was widely regarded as a technocrat rather than a politician, DPK members had initially hoped that the acting president might cooperate in approving the contentious bills. However, Han's rejection of six opposition-backed bills last week has raised doubts about these expectations.
During a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, the acting president vetoed four agricultural bills, the National Assembly Act, and the National Assembly Testimony Appraisal Act, citing constitutional concerns and potential harm to the nation's future.
The vetoes, a rare move from an interim leader, prompted strong backlash from the DPK, which accused Han of "infringing on legislative power" and warned him not to turn the Cabinet into “Yoon Suk Yeol 2.0."
Analysts believe Han faces a tougher decision regarding the special counsel bills, as approving or rejecting them carries significant political consequences.
"It's a major dilemma for the acting president. Public opinion strongly favors a special probe into the first lady, especially since many remain suspicious after prosecutors cleared her of all charges. Han is well aware of this. Additionally, since Han himself acknowledged his failure to stop Yoon from declaring martial law, rejecting the special probe bills into the martial law would seem contradictory," said political commentator Park Sang-byung.
Approving the bills, however, would deal a heavy blow to the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the embattled president. A special counsel investigation into Yoon and his wife could further weaken the conservatives' position, as they grapple with the fallout from the president's impeachment.
Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, acting leader of the ruling People Power Party, speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap
PPP acting leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong criticized the DPK’s push for special probes, accusing the opposition of attempting to “paralyze the government and the ruling party.” He urged the acting president to exercise his veto powers.
“Failing to use the veto would itself be a violation of the Constitution, given the unconstitutional elements of these bills,” Kweon said at a press conference, Sunday.
Meanwhile, the DPK has set a Christmas Eve deadline for Han to approve the bills.
“If Han does not approve the special counsel bill by Dec. 24, we will immediately hold him accountable,” said DPK floor leader Rep. Park Chan-dae.
Although Park did not specify how, the opposition bloc has threatened to remove the acting president from office.
With its 170 seats in the 300-member Assembly, the DPK has enough votes to proceed with Han’s impeachment on its own, which requires the approval of a parliamentary majority. However, this carries significant political risks for the DPK.
“For the DPK, the top priority is increasing the chances of Yoon’s impeachment being upheld by the Constitutional Court. To achieve this, they need cooperation from Han,” Park, the political commentator, said.
People hold a rally calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment at the May 18 Democracy Square in Gwangju, Saturday. Yonhap
The opposition is pushing for the swift confirmation of nominees to fill three vacancies on the nine-member Constitutional Court, which would increase the chances of upholding Yoon’s impeachment.
Under the Constitution, at least six justices must consent to uphold impeachment. While the court can technically proceed with its current six members, a full bench would provide a better chance, as the ruling could still be upheld even if one or two justices dissent.
As acting president, Han has the authority to approve the appointment of judge nominees.
The DPK plans to hold confirmation hearings for two of the nominees on Monday and Tuesday, with expectations that the appointments will be finalized by the end of this year.
However, if the DPK proceeds with Han’s impeachment, it risks disrupting its own strategy.
If Han is ousted, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok would step in as interim leader. But this scenario brings even more uncertainties, as Choi has already expressed his willingness to resign following the martial law fallout.
The Korea Times · December 22, 2024
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
| 
