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1. South Korean Plane Crash Kills 179, Leaves Two Survivors
2. Nearly 200 people dead in fiery airliner crash in South Korea
3. What to Know About South Korea’s Worst Plane Crash in Decades
4. Plane crash at South Korean airport kills 179 with two survivors
5. Experts question bird strike as cause of deadly Jeju Air crash in South Korea
6. Report on Enlarged Meeting of Eleventh Plenary Meeting of Eighth Central Committee of WPK
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1. South Korean Plane Crash Kills 179, Leaves Two Survivors
There are no words for a tragedy like this. But there are so many questions that even us lay people know to ask. I am reminded of the Guam crash and the San Francisco crash by Korean air carriers. And I am sure there will be others who jump to conclusions with other comparisons.
There is video at the link. https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/at-least-28-killed-in-plane-crash-in-south-korea-670db7c2?mod=hp_lead_pos1
South Korean Plane Crash Kills 179, Leaves Two Survivors
Flight operated by Jeju Air had departed from Bangkok with 175 passengers and six crew members aboard
https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/at-least-28-killed-in-plane-crash-in-south-korea-670db7c2?mod=hp_lead_pos1
By Dasl Yoon
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Updated Dec. 29, 2024 7:22 am ET
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The plane skidded off the runway and collided with an airport barrier, according to South Korea’s fire agency. Photo: Yonhap/Reuters
SEOUL—All but two of the 181 people on board died after a plane crashed Sunday while attempting to land at an airport in South Korea, according to the country’s national fire agency.
The plane skidded off the runway and collided with a barrier at an airport in Muan County, located in the country’s southwest, according to the fire agency. The crash occurred shortly after 9 a.m. local time. The flight, operated by South Korea’s Jeju Air, had departed from Bangkok with 175 passengers and six crew members aboard.
Rescue operations continued hours after the crash. Two people had been rescued. Choi Sang-mok, South Korea’s acting president, declared the region a special disaster zone, which allows those affected to receive support funds from the state. He arrived at the site of the crash about four hours after it had occurred. More than 1,500 emergency personnel have been dispatched.
The aircraft involved in the crash was a Boeing 737-800, a narrow-body jet, according to Flightradar24. It has a strong safety record and is a workhorse of commercial air travel. The 737-800 is a predecessor to the 737 MAX, which was involved in two separate fatal crashes and was grounded worldwide in 2019 for nearly two years.
The aircraft involved in the crash at Muan International Airport was a Boeing 737-800. Photo: Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Two Thai nationals were on board, with the rest of the passengers South Korean citizens, according to South Korea’s Transportation Ministry.
In a roughly two-minute briefing with reporters, Kim E-bae, the CEO of Jeju Air, apologized to victims and their family members, promising the company would do its best to support them. He added the plane had no history of accidents and that no abnormalities were detected during maintenance inspections before takeoff.
South Korea’s police imposed the highest level of the nation’s emergency-alert system, allowing all available police forces to be deployed if necessary. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it had deployed medical and rescue personnel, including special forces, to provide on-site assistance.
On-site investigators were still determining the cause of the crash.
The Jeju Air plane’s body, according to video footage aired on South Korean TV networks, appeared to skid across the runway at Muan International Airport without the apparent deployment of its landing gear or flaps, which are movable surfaces on the wings that would allow the jet to slow during a typical landing. The aircraft burst into flames upon impact with a concrete barrier.
More than 1,500 emergency personnel were dispatched in response to the crash. Photo: kim hong-ji/Reuters
The Boeing 737-800 is one of the safest airplanes ever built, and an inability to lower the landing gear would be rare and have backstops, such as procedures or checklists to follow if there had been a deployment failure, said Jeff Guzzetti, a former senior accident investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration. Guzzetti, who is now an aviation-safety consultant, said he was puzzled by the crash.
Among the safeguards on the Boeing 737-800 is a system that would allow the pilots to let gravity lower the landing gear if other systems failed, said Guzzetti, who isn’t involved in the accident investigation. He said he wondered whether the crew mistakenly tried to land without the plane’s landing gear down, realized the mistake and attempted a “go-around” to redo the landing. That could explain why the plane was traveling so fast and so far down the runway, he said.
“If there was a failure there, why not continue to fly, burn off fuel so you don’t have a lot of fuel on board?” Guzzetti said. “You call emergency rescue crews to be ready for you. I don’t see any of that there.”
Boeing said it was in contact with and stands ready to support Jeju Air. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew,” Boeing said.
The plane is severely damaged, with only the aircraft’s tail left relatively intact, a spokesman for Muan County’s fire agency said at a press briefing. Verifying the identities of the victims was difficult because of the fire damage.
About 80 bodies were moved to a temporary morgue and were awaiting family members for identification, the Muan County public health center’s director said during a briefing. Two flight attendants were rescued and transferred to hospitals in the region, the director said.
Firefighters and rescue personnel work near the scene. Photo: jung yeon-je/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
One of the surviving flight attendants, who had been seated at the rear of the Jeju Air plane, sustained a fractured left shoulder and injuries to the head, though was conscious and able to walk, according to South Korea’s semiofficial Yonhap News Agency, citing local hospital officials.
“What happened?” the 33-year-old flight attendant told a doctor, Yonhap reported. The flight attendant recalled wearing a seat belt and the plane’s landing, though had no memory afterward.
Jeju Air, named after a popular South Korean resort island, is a budget carrier that was founded in 2005. It operates roughly 40 aircraft to more than 40 destinations, and handled more than 12 million passengers in 2023, according to the company’s website.
Shares of Jeju Air have fallen about 30% this year, in the midst of growing competition between budget carriers to lower their fares. A weakened South Korean currency, the won, has caused costs to increase because fuel is generally purchased with U.S. dollars.
The seemingly abrupt belly landing of the Jeju Air plane on Sunday was unusual because the pilots would have had other options, even if there had been a pressing problem due to mechanical troubles or a fire onboard, said Hiroshi Sugie, a former Japan Airlines pilot who has written books about aviation safety.
“A belly landing isn’t something you rush into doing,” Sugie said.
At least one passenger had been texting with a family member in the minutes before the crash, according to local media, which took a photo of a phone that showed the exchange.
“Should I write a will?” one of the messages reads.
The crash comes during a period of political tumult in South Korea. Earlier this month, President Yoon Suk Yeol made a short-lived declaration of martial law—a controversial move that led to the country’s legislature impeaching him more than two weeks ago. Then, on Friday, Yoon’s replacement as acting president, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, was also impeached, after declining to make certain judicial appointments.
That thrust Choi, a deputy prime minister, into the nation’s top job. The Muan crash occurred within 48 hours of Choi becoming acting president.
Choi, who had also served as minister of economy and finance, met with victims’ families at the airport on a frigid Sunday afternoon. “I believe no words of consolation will be enough for the families who have suffered such a tragedy,” Choi said.
Write to Dasl Yoon at dasl.yoon@wsj.com, Timothy W. Martin at Timothy.Martin@wsj.com and Andrew Tangel at andrew.tangel@wsj.com
2. Nearly 200 people dead in fiery airliner crash in South Korea
Excerpts:
Multiple questions are, at this early stage, unanswered.
The Boeing 737-800, a twin-engined aircraft, is capable of flying on one engine, meaning a single bird strike should not have been catastrophic.
A question being posed in multiple open source intelligence and aviation fora on social media is why the undercarriage was not lowered, given that it would be extremely unusual for an engine failure to impact hydraulics or landing gear.
An American pilot who has flown in southern South Korea, writing on a closed, security-related online chat group seen by Washington Times, stated: “A bird strike may take out an engine but not landing gear.”
Related protocols exist to deal with landing gear issues.
“If for some reason, [a pilot’s] landing gear does not deploy, he would want to circle the airport while making multiple attempts to deploy the gear, while getting input/guidance from flight engineers on the ground,” the source wrote.
If there is no resort but a belly landing, the pilot would usually dump fuel to reduce likelihood of fire, while emergency services would spray the runway with foam, he suggested.
No foam is evident in any of the footage.
Nearly 200 people dead in fiery airliner crash in South Korea
After mayday call, engine issue, plane attempts landing without landing gear
washingtontimes.com · by Andrew Salmon
By - The Washington Times - Sunday, December 29, 2024
SEOUL, South Korea | An airliner carrying 181 people crashed Sunday morning in South Korea, killing at least 176 of those on board.
Authorities said there were two survivors and three people missing from Jeju Air Flight 7C 2216 from Bangkok, Thailand, which crashed at 9:07 a.m. at Muan International Airport, about 180 miles from Seoul.
The cause of the Boeing 737-800 jetliner’s fiery crash was being investigated. Two separate issues — a bird strike to one jet engine and a failure to deploy landing gear — have been noted by flight data and video recordings by people on the ground.
Those onboard were South Korean, as well as two Thai nationals.
Jeju Air is Korea’s leading low-cost airline, mostly providing travel to and from the vacation island off Jeju, as well as regional routes.
Per the briefing, the Muan control tower issued a warning of a flock of birds in the air space at 8:57AM. One minute later, Flight 7C 2216 declared mayday and attempted to land from the opposite end of the runway, with the tower’s permission.
Disaster occurred on the aircraft’s second attempt to touch down.
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The fast-unfolding tragedy is visible in footage shot by persons near the airport.
An apparent bird impact to the aircraft’s starboard jet intake was caught in a video recorded from the ground as the plane passed overhead. The clip was shared by Korean news and then circulated widely on social media.
Visually, the strike causes a minor blast in the wake of the plane, but not a major explosion, nor a fire.
Other videos recorded from the ground show the aircraft hurtling along the runway on its belly without its landing gear deployed. Smoke, but no flame, is seen pouring from the starboard engine.
In decontrol and at high speed, Flight 7C 2216 careens off the runway and into a concrete barrier, explodes into a fireball, and disintegrates.
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Emergency crews were immediately on hand, but all imagery shows a scene of devastation with wreckage scattered far and wide.
The two survivors — both crew members with serious injuries, now hospitalized — were reportedly in the tail section. That appeared recognizably intact, though upside down and scorched.
Shocked family members gathered at the airport, where some berated media for filming their misery.
South Korean Acting President Choi Sang-mok on Sunday visited the airport and declared Muan County a special disaster zone, meaning it can receive state support.
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“The government is allocating all available resources,” Mr. Choi said. “We will thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident.”
Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol broke his silence to send condolences. He is awaiting a constitutional court hearing on his impeachment, which was voted on by parliamentarians after he declared martial law on Dec. 3.
One tragedy, two problems, no answers
The aircraft’s black box flight recorder has reportedly been discovered, but not yet analyzed, as investigations are pending.
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Multiple questions are, at this early stage, unanswered.
The Boeing 737-800, a twin-engined aircraft, is capable of flying on one engine, meaning a single bird strike should not have been catastrophic.
A question being posed in multiple open source intelligence and aviation fora on social media is why the undercarriage was not lowered, given that it would be extremely unusual for an engine failure to impact hydraulics or landing gear.
An American pilot who has flown in southern South Korea, writing on a closed, security-related online chat group seen by Washington Times, stated: “A bird strike may take out an engine but not landing gear.”
Related protocols exist to deal with landing gear issues.
“If for some reason, [a pilot’s] landing gear does not deploy, he would want to circle the airport while making multiple attempts to deploy the gear, while getting input/guidance from flight engineers on the ground,” the source wrote.
If there is no resort but a belly landing, the pilot would usually dump fuel to reduce likelihood of fire, while emergency services would spray the runway with foam, he suggested.
No foam is evident in any of the footage.
The aircraft destroyed in the Sunday incident had made an emergency diversion two days prior, while en route to Beijing.
“We can confirm that yesterday, December 27, 2024, the Boeing 737-8AS (Registration HL8088) involved in today’s accident declared an emergency and diverted to Seoul,” X account AirNav Radar, which tracks flights globally, wrote, citing flight data and a flight path map.
However, that emergency had been due to a passenger’s medical condition, not to any technical issue with the aircraft.
Boeing, the aircraft’s manufacturer, which has suffered from a string of safety issues in recent years, stated that it is in contact with the airline.
“We are in contact with Jeju Air regarding Flight 2216 and stand ready to support them,” the firm wrote on X. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”
In a remarkable coincidence, a Canadian aircraft crash landed at Halifax Aircraft just hours later.
Faulty landing gear was cited as the cause of the Air Canada Express flight, which crashed at 9:30PM Canada-time, at Halifax Airport.
Though footage shot from inside the aircraft shows an alarming blaze on the aircraft’s port side, no serious injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident.
The Canadian aircraft was a much smaller De Havilland than the Boeing involved in the Korean crash.
• Andrew Salmon can be reached at asalmon@washingtontimes.com.
Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.
washingtontimes.com · by Andrew Salmon
3. What to Know About South Korea’s Worst Plane Crash in Decades
What to Know About South Korea’s Worst Plane Crash in Decades
A plane carrying 181 people crashed while landing, killing most on board. Officials were investigating a possible malfunction with the landing gear and a bird strike.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/29/world/asia/what-to-know-south-korea-plane-crash.html
Firefighters and investigators at the scene of the crash on Sunday in Muan, South Korea.Credit...Chang W. Lee/The New York Times
By Choe Sang-HunJin Yu Young and Yan Zhuang
Reporting from Seoul
Dec. 29, 2024
Updated 8:19 a.m. ET
A passenger plane carrying 181 people crash-landed on its belly on Sunday at an airport in South Korea, hitting a barrier and exploding into an orange fireball in the worst aviation disaster in the country in almost three decades.
Nearly all of the people on board the plane, a Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air, were killed, officials said.
The plane, Flight 7C2216, had taken off from Bangkok and was landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea’s southwest when it crashed around 9 a.m. local time. Officials said the plane had broken into so many pieces that only its tail was identifiable.
The plane was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members. As of Sunday evening, the official death toll had risen to 179, according to the National Fire Agency. Only two people — crew members who were rescued from the aircraft’s tail section — survived.
What caused the crash?
Officials were investigating why the landing gear appeared to have malfunctioned, and whether birds had struck the plane or if bad weather had been a factor, Ju Jong-wan, a director of aviation policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said at a news briefing.
As the plane was landing, he said, the airport warned it about a potential bird strike. The plane issued a mayday alert shortly after, he said, then crash-landed.
The muddy tidal flats near Muan International Airport and much of the west coast of the Korean Peninsula are favorite resting places for migrant birds. Photographs in local media showed flocks of birds flying near the airport on Sunday.
Image
People waiting for news about victims of the crash at Muan International Airport.Credit...Chang W. Lee/The New York Times
Footage broadcast by MBC-TV showed one of the engines briefly emitting flames as it neared the airport.
Kim E-bae, the chief executive of Jeju Air, said at a news conference that the plane had no history of accidents, and also had no problems during routine maintenance checks.
The plane’s landing gear appeared not to have dropped down from underneath, and the flaps on its wings apparently were not activated for landing, said Keith Tonkin, the managing director of Aviation Projects, an aviation consulting company in Brisbane, Australia, who reviewed video of the crash.
“The aircraft was essentially in a flying configuration,” he said. That meant the plane was most likely “flying faster than it would normally be in a landing situation.”
Crashes are often caused by multiple factors, which can take years to uncover through in-depth investigations.
This was South Korea’s worst passenger plane crash in decades.
Sunday’s crash was the worst aviation accident involving a South Korean airline since a Korean Air jet slammed into a hill in Guam, a U.S. territory in the western Pacific, in 1997. That crash killed 229 of the 254 people onboard.
It also appeared to have been the first fatal crash for Jeju Air, a low-cost South Korean carrier that was established in 2005 and flies to dozens of countries in Asia.
Two days earlier, the plane involved in the crash had been flying to Beijing from Jeju, a Korean island south of the mainland, when it had to divert to Seoul, according to the flight tracking site Flightradar24. The diversion was caused by a medical, not technical, emergency onboard, according to the Incheon International Airport Police Corps.
After that, the plane flew 10 flights between South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, China, Taiwan and Thailand without incident, according to Flightradar24, before Sunday morning’s crash.
Image
The chief executive of Jeju Air, Kim E-bae, center right, and other company officials, bowing in apology ahead of a news conference on Sunday in Seoul.Credit...Yonhap, via EPA, via Shutterstock
In 2021, the South Korean authorities investigated Jeju Air after one of its planes flew despite having a defect, according to reports in the domestic news media. A tip of one of its wings was damaged during a landing, but the crew failed to notice the damage and the plane took off again, The Korea Herald reported.
Last year, the airline received a safety grade of A, or “very good,” from the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s annual review of domestic airlines. The score is based on the number of accidents or near accidents. The highest grade any airline got that year was A++, and the lowest was B+.
The Boeing 737-800 has a strong safety record.
The Jeju Air plane that crashed was a Boeing 737-800, a model that is used widely around the world and is a staple of low-cost airlines. There are about 4,400 Boeing 737-800s in service globally, according to Cirium, an aviation data provider. That’s about 15 percent of the passenger planes operating globally.
“The plane in question is very safe and has a good safety record,” said Najmedin Meshkati, a professor of engineering at the University of Southern California who has studied the safety history of the Boeing 737 line.
It was possible that the plane’s landing gear did not deploy because of a “maintenance” problem, he said, though he said he would not rule out a bird strike as a cause.
Mr. Meshkati said that the Boeing 737-800’s landing gear was well designed and had a history of reliability.
Choe Sang-Hun is the lead reporter for The Times in Seoul, covering South and North Korea. More about Choe Sang-Hun
Jin Yu Young reports on South Korea, the Asia Pacific region and global breaking news from Seoul. More about Jin Yu Young
Yan Zhuang is a Times reporter in Seoul who covers breaking news. More about Yan Zhuang
4. Plane crash at South Korean airport kills 179 with two survivors
Plane crash at South Korean airport kills 179 with two survivors
The control tower at Muan International Airport warned the Jeju Air plane of a potential bird strike minutes before the crash. Two people were rescued.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/12/28/jeju-air-crash-south-korea/
UpdatedDecember 29, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. ESTtoday at 8:00 a.m. EST
Search and rescue at scene of South Korean plane crash
0:41
Nearly all 181 people on a Jeju Air flight were presumed dead after crash landing at South Korea's Muan International Airport on Dec. 29, fire authorities said. (Video: Reuters)
By Kelly Kasulis Cho and Leo Sands
SEOUL — All but two of the 181 people aboard a Jeju Air flight were killed when the passenger plane crash-landed at an airport near South Korea’s southern tip Sunday morning, fire authorities said, in the nation’s deadliest aviation disaster in decades.
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The National Fire Agency confirmed that 179 people, including all the plane’s passengers, had died, after the figure increased throughout the day as authorities continued to retrieve remains. Two members of the cabin crew survived, it said.
The aircraft — a Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air as Flight 2216 — erupted into a ball of fire after a crash-landing at Muan International Airport around 9 a.m. local time, upon arrival from Bangkok.
Video verified by Storyful showed the aircraft veering down the runway without its landing gear deployed, hitting a wall and bursting into flames.
The Jeju Air plane slides down the runway before crashing, in an image taken from video. (Lee Geun-young/Reuters)
Photos of the smoking wreckage showed only the plane’s charred tail intact. According to authorities, two crew members — a woman in her 30s and a man in his 20s — were transferred to a hospital in the capital, Seoul.
Rescuers search the crash site. (Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters)
The pilot issued a mayday alert about two minutes before the crash, officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said.
Authorities have not given a cause for the crash and are examining communications from the aircraft, officials from the ministry said at a news conference Sunday afternoon. But they said the airport’s control tower warned the plane of a potential bird strike minutes before the crash. They rejected speculation that the airport’s 9,200-foot runway was too short and contributed to the disaster.
The ministry said two black boxes — one that recorded flight data and the other voice recordings from the cockpit — had been collected from the scene of the crash.
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In a statement issued Sunday night, South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok, said he was praying for the victims. “As the person acting on behalf of the office responsible for the life and safety of our citizens, I am terribly sorry and heartbroken beyond words,” he said.
He said the government declared a week of national mourning, during which memorials would be established across the country, flags would fly at half-staff above public offices and officials would wear ribbons. He also instructed government agencies to be transparent in their investigations.
In an earlier Sunday news briefing in Seoul, Song Kyung-hoon, a senior Jeju Air executive, said he would not speculate on the cause of the crash while an investigation was ongoing, but he ruled out the possibility of poor aircraft maintenance playing any role. Song said the airline has submitted all relevant information to the Transportation Ministry to aid in its investigation, the semiofficial Yonhap News Agency reported. The airline said the aircraft was 15 years old.
According to Yonhap, one of the flight’s two surviving crew members told rescuers that an engine began smoking after a suspected bird strike, before exploding.
Boeing, the aircraft’s manufacturer, said in a statement on social media that it was in contact with Jeju Air. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew,” it read.
On board were 175 passengers and six crew members. There were 173 Korean passengers and two people from Thailand.
Bodies have been transferred to a temporary morgue near the airport, according to authorities, who were working into the night to formally identify the remains. On Sunday evening, the fire agency said it had identified at least 88 of the victims.
Video aired on South Korean broadcasters showed thick, dark plumes of smoke rising from the mangled plane as firefighters and emergency workers surrounded the scene. The airport, along the country’s west coast in South Jeolla province, is about a three-hour drive west of the major port city of Busan.
The crash prompted an all-out emergency response that included the deployment of special forces troops to search for remains as well as hundreds of emergency responders. Authorities extinguished the fire within 43 minutes.
A person rescued from a plane crash at Muan International Airport is transported to a nearby hospital. (Yonhap/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
Choi is just beginning to assume his presidential duties after South Korean lawmakers voted to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo on Friday — the latest flash of political upheaval after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached this month for declaring martial law.
Jeju Air is one of South Korea’s largest low-cost airlines and was established in 2005 as a venture between a major firm and the provincial government in South Korea’s Jeju Island, famed for its citrus fruit and scenic hiking routes.
In 2023, the year of the most recent review, Jeju Air received an A rating, meaning “very good,” from the Transportation Ministry, along a four-point scale from B+ to A++.
South Korea last faced a large-scale aviation disaster in 1997, when a Korean Air flight from Seoul slammed into a hilly peak in the U.S. territory of Guam, killing 228 of the 254 people aboard. In 1993, 68 of 116 passengers on an Asiana Airlines flight from Seoul to Mokpo, South Korea, were killed.
Sands reported from London. Jintak Han in Seoul contributed to this report.
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By Kelly Kasulis Cho
Kelly Kasulis Cho is a breaking news reporter and editor at The Washington Post, based in Seoul. Previously, she spent four years covering North and South Korea as a freelance foreign correspondent, and she has also worked at the New York Times and Bloomberg BNA. Follow her on Twitter: @KasulisK.follow on X@kasulisk
By Leo Sands
Leo Sands is a breaking-news reporter and editor in The Washington Post’s London Hub, covering news as it unfolds around the world. follow on Xleo_sands
5. Experts question bird strike as cause of deadly Jeju Air crash in South Korea
Experts question bird strike as cause of deadly Jeju Air crash in South Korea
"I've never seen a bird strike prevent the landing gear from being extended," says one expert.
29 Dec 2024 07:51PM
(Updated: 29 Dec 2024 08:29PM)
channelnewsasia.com
Uncertainties surround the deadliest crash on South Korean soil, experts said on Sunday (Dec 29), questioning initial suggestions that a bird strike might have brought down Jeju Air flight 7C2216.
The apparent absence of landing gear, the timing of the twin-engine Boeing 737-800's belly-landing at Muan International Airport and the reports of a possible bird strike all raised questions that could not yet be answered.
The single-aisle aircraft was seen in a video broadcast on local media skidding down the runway with no visible landing gear before slamming into a wall in an explosion of flame and debris.
"Why didn't fire tenders lay foam on the runway? Why weren't they in attendance when the plane touched down? And why did the aircraft touch down so far down the runway? And why was there a brick wall at the end of the runway?" asked Airline News editor Geoffrey Thomas.
South Korean officials said they were investigating the cause of the crash, including a possible bird strike, which killed almost all the 181 people on the aircraft.
The flight data recorder was found at 11.30am (10.30am Singapore time), about two and a half hours after the crash, and the cockpit voice recorder was found at 2.24pm, according to South Korea's transport ministry.
"That gives you all the parameters of all the systems of the plane. The heartbeat of the airplane is on the flight data recorder," Thomas said.
"The voice recorder will probably provide the most interesting analysis of what went on on this tragic crash."
Within a few minutes of the control tower issuing a bird strike warning, pilots declared mayday and then attempted to land, officials said, although it was not clear whether the aircraft had hit any birds.
Experts said it seemed unlikely a bird strike would have caused the landing gear to malfunction.
"A bird strike is not unusual, problems with an undercarriage are not unusual. Bird strikes happen far more often, but typically they don't cause the loss of an airplane by themselves," Thomas said.
Australian airline safety expert Geoffrey Dell said: "I've never seen a bird strike prevent the landing gear from being extended."
Australian aviation consultant Trevor Jensen said fire and emergency services would normally be ready for a belly-landing "so this appears to be unplanned".
An excavator is used to lift burnt chairs from the wreckage of an aircraft that crashed after it went off the runway at Muan International Airport, in Muan, South Korea, Dec 29, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji)
A bird strike could have impacted the CFM International engines if a flock had been sucked into them but that would not have shut them down straightaway, giving the pilots some time to deal with the situation, Dell said.
It was unclear why the plane did not decelerate after it hit the runway, Dell and Jensen said.
Typically in a belly landing "you are going to land on your engines and you're going to have a bumpy ride", added Thomas.
"You come in with minimum fuel, you have fire tenders in attendance, covering the runway with foam and you land at the furthest end of the runway and usually it ends up being an okay situation."
Source: Reuters/mi
6. Report on Enlarged Meeting of Eleventh Plenary Meeting of Eighth Central Committee of WPK
A long report covering a lot of ground from agriculture to the arts from construction to the economy and more. Kim Jong Un's report is a thing of beauty if you think spin and propaganda is beautiful. No one can put lipstick on a pig better than Kim Jong Un. Reading this would make you think that north Korea is a very successful country.
But this is the key excerpt on national security and defense. The bottom line is that north Korea's revolutionary policy (read hostile policy) remains in effect. There should be no doubt that the regime has not ended its political warfare and blackmail diplomacy strategies at all. And it will continue to develop advanced military capabilities to both serve his political warfare and blackmail diplomacy strategies and utlaimte to achieve domination of the Korean peninsula by force when he can create the proper conditions.
Kim Is blaming the US ( and the trilateral ROK-Japan-US cooperation). This is necessary to justify the sacrifices and suffering of the Korean people. Although the report is couched in positive terms for so much from agriculture to the economy if we read between the lines he is really describing all the failures and is recognizing the challenge posed by the suffering of the Korean people and he is using restoric, a focus on ideology (as always) and blame on external threats to try to make the people understand they have to suffer and sacrifice for defense of the regime. He is using the rhetoric of keeping the civil sector on war footing in order to distract them from their suffering.
The bottom line - the regime and north Korea are failing, the regime is threatened by internal stress, Kim is dealing with the internal challenges (failures) by externalizing the threats and the regime's objective of domination of the peninsula (completing the revolution) remains in tact (as the only true path to long term regime survival).
And diplomacy with the US (or the ROK or Japan) is unlikely any time soon. But like Trump, Kim is negotiating through public statements. This is a form of blackmail diplomacy - the use of increased tension, threats, and provocations to gain political and economic concessions. Kim will only return to diplomacy with the US if he is offered something substantial. He wants to create the conditions to make the US want to negotiate badly because of fear of the regime which he believes will cause the US to make concessions to bring the north to the negotiating table. But he is misreading Trump who does live by the adage of "never fear to negotiate but but do not negotiate out of fear." Kim Jong Un will not be able to coerce Trump to the negotiating table and Trump will certainly not make any concessions that would be acceptable to Kim.
He gave an outline of the remarkable successes achieved this year in enhancing the international position of our state and consolidating its external position and of the features of the present international situation, in which the growth and rapid progress of the circles of the independent forces are conspicuous and the position of the circles of supremacy-seeking forces is rapidly weakening and declining.
Our Republic reliably defended its inviolable sovereign rights and achieved successes of strategic significance from the viewpoint of prospective growth of the interests and enhancing the prestige of the state while responding promptly and smartly to the harsh regional situation and the unsteady structure of the international relations, and firmly maintained its principled foreign policy stand and orientation of struggle. In this way, it has firmly occupied the international position as a representative and powerful independent force that dynamically pushes forward the building of a righteous multi-polar world.
The concluding speech put forward the strategic and tactical tasks for bringing about a more favourable external phase for the Korean revolution through proactive and offensive external activities in line with the Party’s external strategic plan and intentions.
The U.S. is the most reactionary state that regards anti-communism as its invariable state policy, the alliance between the U.S., Japan and ROK has expanded into a nuclear military bloc for aggression, and the ROK has turned into an out-and-out anti-communist outpost of the U.S. This reality clearly shows to which direction we should advance and what we should do and how.
The concluding speech clarified the strategy for the toughest anti-U.S. counteraction to be launched aggressively by the DPRK for its long-term national interests and security.
It indicated the tasks for the field of external affairs to wage a dynamic struggle for defending the national sovereign rights on the principle of enhancing the prestige and defending the interests of the state and to positively promote the development of relations with the friendly countries that respect the dignity and interests of the DPRK.
Kim Jong Un pointed to the special importance to thoroughly prepare the People’s Army as a revolutionary army of the Party, boundlessly loyal to its leadership and strong in ideology and technology.
Holding fast to strengthening its politico-ideological might as its primary strategic task for building itself up, the KPA should develop itself into a revolutionary army that always emerges victorious by dint of ideology, train all its service personnel to be genuine patriots, most powerful in their spiritual strength, and in particular, dynamically conduct the ideological work aimed at fully equipping them with keen awareness of the enemy, an immutable outlook on the archenemy and firm will to fight a decisive battle with them.
In order to meet the demands and features of modern warfare and cope with the ever-changing enemy’s war scenario and execution mode, it should enhance its capabilities for fighting a war by intensifying research into our own style of tactics, giving an uninterrupted spur to the work of putting its operations command on an IT and modern basis and steadily studying and applying scientific forms and methods of training.
We should also push ahead with fully preparing the civil defence sector for a war.
Kim Jong Un clarified the strategic and tactical policies for more reliably guaranteeing the bolstering of war deterrence for self-defence through accelerated progress of defence science and technology and radical development of the defence industry to cope with the ever-increasing military provocations of the U.S. and its vassal forces against the DPRK, and set forth the tasks for their implementation.
Saying that next year’s struggle for successfully carrying out the decisions of the Eighth Congress of the WPK requires the Party organizations, the political staff of relevant sectors and units, to enhance their functions and activities more than ever before, he stressed that all Party organizations should dynamically conduct their organizational and political work to attain their struggle goals without fail by making sound preparations and redoubled efforts.
In particular, all Party officials should bear in mind once again the true meaning of the slogan "Everything for the people and everything by relying on them!" and devote their all to the work for the people, as intended by the Party Central Committee, he said, adding:
The unprecedentedly harsh situation will persist in the future, too, but the invaluable experience and lessons, gained and drawn in this year’s intensive struggle for ushering in a new era of transformation unprecedented since the founding of the nation, and our confidence and internal force that have grown a hundredfold will surely encourage us to attain with credit the goals we have set.
He then ardently called on all the participants to remain true to their heavy duty and responsibility they have assumed for the times and revolution and the country and people, and wage a bolder struggle with higher confidence in the vanguard of the general offensive for a great victory and glory in 2025.
Report on Enlarged Meeting of Eleventh Plenary Meeting of Eighth Central Committee of WPK
https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1735429729-833034057/report-on-enlarged-meeting-of-eleventh-plenary-meeting-of-eighth-central-committee-of-wpk/
Date: 29/12/2024 | Source: KCNA.kp (En) | Read original version at source
Pyongyang, December 29 (KCNA) -- The noble idea and mature leadership ability of the great Workers' Party of Korea, which is determined to bring earlier the final completion of the sacred revolutionary cause of Juche under the uplifted banner of the people-first principle, are bringing a great change and vigorous leap forward in all fields of state building, making each year of this land a brilliant peak of success and victory in the history.
The Party Central Committee solemnly declared in front of the glorious Party flag the commitment to repay with absolute devotion the heavy responsibility assigned by the times and the people at the start of 2024 when the victory in the implementation of the five-year plan would be confirmed. It turned this year into a year of change and leap forward full of expanded successes despite the severe ordeals, with clear-cut fighting policies, strategic decisions and power of perfect execution.
This year made the people actually sense the advent of a new heyday of socialist construction and the important change of the comprehensive development and rejuvenation both in the capital and the provinces. These glorious achievements serve as an inspiring cornerstone for the brilliant implementation of the fighting programme of the Eighth Congress of the Party and the victory to be achieved steadily.
While going through the innumerable challenges and the processes of fresh innovations, bold creation and steady progress with indomitable and persistent struggles and efforts, people have kept in their minds more deeply the unshakable faith and dignified self-confidence that our Party and system are the best in the world and an absolute trust and conviction that today's happiness and future glory are achieved and guaranteed only in the embrace of the Party.
Members of the whole Party and other people and service personnel of the whole country, who are clearly foreseeing the successful fruition of their cause and ideal, are eager for a dynamic advance and development toward a greater victory as they harden their confidence in and optimism about the invincibility and bright prospects of Korean-style socialism dynamically advancing along the road of independence in politics, self-sufficiency in the economy and self-reliance in national defence under the guidance of the great Party Central Committee.
The Enlarged Meeting of the Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea was held at the headquarters of the Party Central Committee, the General Staff of the revolution, from December 23 to 27 to review the remarkable achievements made in 2024 by dint of the irresistible might peculiar to the DPRK and its people, which is stronger than trials and challenges, and to decide on the development orientation of the Party and state affairs and policies for them in 2025, which will constitute another watershed in the history of the growth and development of our Party and the Republic.
Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, attended the plenary meeting.
When the General Secretary took the platform, all the participants broke into cheers for Kim Jong Un , the great representative of the Party, the state and the people and the prominent leader of the Juche revolution, who is ushering in a new era of the most just and dignified prosperity with his extraordinary political acumen and gigantic leadership practice.
Present there were members and alternate members of the Central Committee of the WPK and, as observers, officials of the departments of the Party Central Committee, leading officials of ministries, national agencies and provincial leadership bodies, chief secretaries of the Party committees and chairpersons of the people's committees in cities and counties, leading officials of the Party and administrative bodies of major industrial establishments and the relevant commanding officers of the Korean People's Army.
Kim Jong Un presided over the plenary meeting.
The General Secretary said that this year, too, significant events of opening up a new turning phase were brought about in the political, economic, cultural, defence, diplomatic and all other fields as in last year, and this is an indispensable and remarkable success in the advance of the Korean revolution.
He stressed that that at this place of reviewing the results of the struggle for a year, it is the right and revolutionary attitude for the Party Central Committee to find out more defects, though they may be trifling and partial things, rather than successes and to find solutions to them.
Referring to the need for the plenary meeting to take positive measures to overcome the negative elements hindering the normal development of the state and work out a substantial plan for the struggle to successfully implement the decisions of the Party Congress in 2025, the final year of the eighth term of the Party Central Committee, he declared the plenary meeting open.
A presidium composed of the members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK was elected.
The following agenda items were brought up at the meeting:
1. On the review of the implementation of the policies of the Party and the state in 2024 and the orientation of struggle in 2025
2. On the work of the Central Inspection Commission of the Party in 2024
3. On the new regional development policy of our Party and its future tasks
4. On the enforcement of a series of measures for strengthening the educational foundations of the country
5. On the implementation of the state budget for 2024 and the draft state budget for 2025
6. On the work for the inner-Party structure
7. Organizational matter
The plenary meeting unanimously approved the proposed agenda items.
The plenary meeting discussed the first agenda item "On the review of the implementation of the policies of the Party and state in 2024 and the orientation of struggle in 2025".
The participants heard a report.
The report referred in detail to the achievements made through a dynamic struggle for implementing the important tasks set forth at the ninth and tenth plenary meetings of the Eighth Central Committee of the Party, the 19th and 22nd enlarged meetings of the Political Bureau of the Eighth Central Committee of the Party and other important Party meetings, and to the shortcomings revealed in the course of the work.
General Secretary Kim Jong Un made a concluding speech on the first agenda item.
He gave an assessment by the Party Central Committee of the implementation of the policies of the Party and state in 2024, recorded as a year of fortitude and transformation for the Party and the people of the DPRK, and made a review of the major successes achieved this year.
This year, too, we have channelled continuous efforts into the development of the political and military fields, further raising the absolute prestige of the country and firmly guaranteeing the defence of its sovereignty and development of socialism.
An all-Party campaign has been intensified to develop the patriotic enthusiasm of all the people based on the single-minded unity unique to us into creating the Chollima spirit in the new era, and this process resulted in further increasing the politico-ideological might, with which we are working miracles by braving any difficulties.
This year another unprecedented record was made in our Party’s history of people-first politics.
When flood disaster occurred in some areas this year, the WPK launched a huge restoration project with its timely decision and, at the same time, put into operation an emergency system for bringing the flood victims to the capital city of Pyongyang to provide them with stable and convenient living conditions and giving education to the schoolchildren.
This important measure was an expression of the sincerity and devotion of the Party, which is faithful to its natural mission of serving the people and desirous of providing those in misfortune with more things than they have lost, as well as an expression of its policy of giving precedence to the training of the younger generation above all state affairs. It has resulted in further deepening the ties of kinship between the Party and the people and consolidating the support and trust of the masses in the Party’s policies.
Kim Jong Un referred to the epochal successes made in building up the powerful self-reliant defence capability, a fundamental guarantee for defending the people and the national sovereignty.
The concluding speech stressed that the field of defence science and munitions industry of the country has played a great role in accomplishing the cause of building a powerful army, like firmly defending peace and stability with the overwhelming increase of combat strength while maintaining a resolute, tough posture of counteraction against the extremely worsening security environment in the region; and demonstrating to the world the entity of our new strategic deterrence and the infinite development potential and modernity of the defence science and technology, whose international position cannot be slighted.
The concluding speech noted that the overall national economy showed a firm growth trend and brought about substantial results directly related to the people’s well-being.
The 12 major goals of the national economic development including housing construction were successfully carried out; the production plans were carried out at 127 percent for rolled steel, 106 percent for nonferrous metals, 103 percent for nitrogenous fertilizer, 101 percent for electricity, 110 percent for coal, 101 percent for cement, 104 percent for timber, 101 percent for aquatic products, 108 percent for rail freight turnover, 101 percent for cloth and 107 percent for grain. The readjusting and reinforcing projects including the second-stage project for modernizing the Kumsong Tractor Factory and the installing of energy-saving oxygen blast furnace at the Hwanghae Iron and Steel Complex were successfully pushed forward, further strengthening the development motive force and potential of the self-supporting economy.
The agricultural sector reaped a bumper harvest again by actively introducing scientific farming methods and implemented the second-stage project for construction and restoration of the irrigation system by April, further consolidating the material foundations of its production.
The construction sector built again 10 000 flats of more refined and developed architectural beauty in the Hwasong area in the capital city, implemented the housing construction plan for this year in the Komdok area and completed the construction of modern rural villages in many cities and counties, bringing great pleasure and joy to the people across the country.
The large-scale rehabilitation projects were carried out in the flood-stricken North Phyongan, Jagang and Ryanggang provinces, presenting new, transformed looks of cultured country towns. As a result, a new path for regional construction was opened up, the inexhaustible might of self-sustenance was demonstrated, and Party members, youth and service personnel were tempered in the patriotic and practical struggle.
The concluding speech noted that the scientific and cultural fields achieved successes that contributed to promoting the all-people creative struggle and the national prosperity and development and raising the country’s prestige.
The core, main tasks for developing science and technology were carried out, a stride was made in resolving the sci-tech problems urgently needed for increasing production in key industries and other economic sectors including light industry and agriculture and for improving the people’s living standards, and positive efforts were made to bring about innovations in the fields of education, public health, literature and the arts.
Our women footballers won in the Asian Cup and World Cup finals and won the Asian and world championships in various sports events including weightlifting, table tennis, boxing and Taekwon-Do. This is a success noteworthy in the review of this year.
Kim Jong Un said with pride that our Party, having identified the Regional Development 20×10 Policy for a simultaneous and balanced development of the regions and the substantial improvement of the living standard of the people across the country, and presented its first perfect fruit, instilling hope and courage into the people of the whole country and doubling their creative enthusiasm and self-confidence.
On behalf of the Party Central Committee, he extended warm thanks to the Party members, working people, service personnel and youth across the country for having resolutely overcome the facing challenges and difficulties and faithfully implemented the Party’s decisions and thus filled this year, decisive of carrying out the five-year plan, with significant creative and innovative successes of strenuous efforts and patriotic devotion, remaining faithful to the ideas and leadership of the Party Central Committee with one mind.
The concluding speech pointed out a series of deviations and shortcomings hindering our advance and development, including the poor national disaster prevention capability and the failure to carry out construction on a scientific basis.
Kim Jong Un set it as the general orientation of the work for 2025 to successfully complete the five-year plan and push forward with the preparations for the next stage of development in a substantial way, and clarified the policy-oriented tasks for its implementation.
He said that the main efforts should be directed to putting spurs to the growth and development of the overall national economy, indicating the goals to be attained by the key industrial sectors including metal, chemical, electric-power, machine-building and coal-mining industries and rail transport.
The concluding speech stressed the need to wage a massive construction struggle in the new year, too, and, through this, make another leap forward to realize our ideals.
In 2025, building 50 000 flats in Pyongyang should be wound up through the fourth-stage housing construction in the Hwasong area, the construction of houses in the Komdok area completed, and housing construction in the rural communities pushed ahead without letup. In particular, efforts should be channelled into the construction of industrial and public facilities to accelerate the great cause of regional rejuvenation, and, on the basis of the experience gained in the construction of the Sinpho City Offshore Farm, an offshore farm should be successfully built in another area on a trial basis.
The concluding speech underscored the need to improve afforestation, land administration and ecological environment protection, establish a strict and unified command system and order related to disaster prevention by the state, make full preparations for coping with the danger of disaster including securing rescue equipment and relief materials and ensure the scientific accuracy, correctness and promptness of flood warning so as to minimize disaster.
It also stressed the need to successfully attain the expected economic growth goals by channeling efforts into resolving urgent methodological problems, like improving the system and method of unified management of the overall economy, planning and pricing in conformity with the economic structure and specific conditions of the country.
Noting that it is the main task set forth by the Eighth Party Congress to bring about a substantial change in the people’s living, Kim Jong Un stressed the need to push forward more vigorously with the major policy-oriented tasks which had been set up and carried on for the people’s living and thus achieve more remarkable successes next year.
The task facing the agricultural sector in 2025 is to attain the goal of grain production set by the Party and lay the foundations for decisively increasing agricultural production during the new long-term plan period.
The concluding speech referred to the measures for putting the country’s agricultural production on a stable and sustainable track of development, including strengthening the material and technical foundations of the agricultural sector, attaching importance to scientific farming, training in a systematic way and in a large number the ranks of talents who will shoulder the implementation of the rural revolution programme in the new era and transformation of the socialist countryside.
It stressed that the light industry sector should raise the improvement of quality as the primary task and direct efforts to improving the quality of condiments and consumer goods and the socialist policy for the children and students should be implemented in a responsible manner. It also indicated the practical ways for strengthening the material foundations of the fishing sector.
It put forward the enhancement of the role of the scientific and cultural fronts as an important task in the new year’s advance to conclude the first-phase struggle for pioneering and transformation for the comprehensive socialist development.
The scientific circles should turn out as one to achieve successful results to fully support the victory of the final offensive for implementing the decisions of the Eighth Congress of the Party and lead it to a new stage of development.
The public health sector should steadily bring the preventive and curative treatment closer to reality, improve the quality of medical service for the working people, and lay solid foundations for anti-epidemic work to cope with any global public health crisis.
The concluding speech stressed the need for the fields of art and literature, media and sports to stir the times, shake the whole country and give a boost to its revolutionary spirit through the creation of excellent works of art and literature, powerful media offensive and successes in sports.
Noting that the working people’s organizations are the forces that should move vigorously in next year’s struggle, when a landmark for great victory and change will be set up in the history of the development of our Party and country,
Kim Jong Un stressed that the youth league organizations in particular should regard the purport and intention of the Party’s policy of prioritizing the youth as their lifeline and prepare the youth league officials and members as true successors to the revolution.
He gave an outline of the remarkable successes achieved this year in enhancing the international position of our state and consolidating its external position and of the features of the present international situation, in which the growth and rapid progress of the circles of the independent forces are conspicuous and the position of the circles of supremacy-seeking forces is rapidly weakening and declining.
Our Republic reliably defended its inviolable sovereign rights and achieved successes of strategic significance from the viewpoint of prospective growth of the interests and enhancing the prestige of the state while responding promptly and smartly to the harsh regional situation and the unsteady structure of the international relations, and firmly maintained its principled foreign policy stand and orientation of struggle. In this way, it has firmly occupied the international position as a representative and powerful independent force that dynamically pushes forward the building of a righteous multi-polar world.
The concluding speech put forward the strategic and tactical tasks for bringing about a more favourable external phase for the Korean revolution through proactive and offensive external activities in line with the Party’s external strategic plan and intentions.
The U.S. is the most reactionary state that regards anti-communism as its invariable state policy, the alliance between the U.S., Japan and ROK has expanded into a nuclear military bloc for aggression, and the ROK has turned into an out-and-out anti-communist outpost of the U.S. This reality clearly shows to which direction we should advance and what we should do and how.
The concluding speech clarified the strategy for the toughest anti-U.S. counteraction to be launched aggressively by the DPRK for its long-term national interests and security.
It indicated the tasks for the field of external affairs to wage a dynamic struggle for defending the national sovereign rights on the principle of enhancing the prestige and defending the interests of the state and to positively promote the development of relations with the friendly countries that respect the dignity and interests of the DPRK.
Kim Jong Un pointed to the special importance to thoroughly prepare the People’s Army as a revolutionary army of the Party, boundlessly loyal to its leadership and strong in ideology and technology.
Holding fast to strengthening its politico-ideological might as its primary strategic task for building itself up, the KPA should develop itself into a revolutionary army that always emerges victorious by dint of ideology, train all its service personnel to be genuine patriots, most powerful in their spiritual strength, and in particular, dynamically conduct the ideological work aimed at fully equipping them with keen awareness of the enemy, an immutable outlook on the archenemy and firm will to fight a decisive battle with them.
In order to meet the demands and features of modern warfare and cope with the ever-changing enemy’s war scenario and execution mode, it should enhance its capabilities for fighting a war by intensifying research into our own style of tactics, giving an uninterrupted spur to the work of putting its operations command on an IT and modern basis and steadily studying and applying scientific forms and methods of training.
We should also push ahead with fully preparing the civil defence sector for a war.
Kim Jong Un clarified the strategic and tactical policies for more reliably guaranteeing the bolstering of war deterrence for self-defence through accelerated progress of defence science and technology and radical development of the defence industry to cope with the ever-increasing military provocations of the U.S. and its vassal forces against the DPRK, and set forth the tasks for their implementation.
Saying that next year’s struggle for successfully carrying out the decisions of the Eighth Congress of the WPK requires the Party organizations, the political staff of relevant sectors and units, to enhance their functions and activities more than ever before, he stressed that all Party organizations should dynamically conduct their organizational and political work to attain their struggle goals without fail by making sound preparations and redoubled efforts.
In particular, all Party officials should bear in mind once again the true meaning of the slogan "Everything for the people and everything by relying on them!" and devote their all to the work for the people, as intended by the Party Central Committee, he said, adding:
The unprecedentedly harsh situation will persist in the future, too, but the invaluable experience and lessons, gained and drawn in this year’s intensive struggle for ushering in a new era of transformation unprecedented since the founding of the nation, and our confidence and internal force that have grown a hundredfold will surely encourage us to attain with credit the goals we have set.
He then ardently called on all the participants to remain true to their heavy duty and responsibility they have assumed for the times and revolution and the country and people, and wage a bolder struggle with higher confidence in the vanguard of the general offensive for a great victory and glory in 2025.
Raising cheers of "Hurrah!" and applause, all the participants expressed their full support to the General Secretary’s concluding speech that clearly specified the struggle tasks and ways for bringing the glory of 2024, achieved by self-reliance, based on the firm unity of all Party members and other people across the country under the banner of patriotism, to continuous development and successes in 2025, and dramatically accelerating the historic advance toward national rejuvenation.
The historic concluding speech of Kim Jong Un is a great action programme that makes it possible to scientifically guarantee the perfect attainment of the sacred fighting goal of the Party, which started a grand journey for the overall development of socialism based on the noble ideas of "The people are God", single-minded unity and self-reliance, and to expand it massively and steadily.
The plenary meeting discussed the second agenda item "On the work of the Central Inspection Commission of the Party in 2024".
A report on the relevant agenda item was made.
It referred to the successes made in the work for implementing the line of building the Party discipline in the new era and for providing Party work and activities with a financial and material guarantee and strictly pointed to the deviations revealed by the Party inspection commissions at all levels.
The plenary meeting made a relevant evaluation of the work of the Central Inspection Commission of the Party in 2024.
It discussed the third agenda item "On the new regional development policy of our Party and its future tasks".
Kim Jong Un said that the Regional Development 20×10 Policy, which our Party regards as a crucial political issue and the supreme task for fulfilling its cherished desire and is dynamically pushing forward as the top priority revolutionary task, is an eventful decision and unprecedentedly huge creative struggle, the first of its kind since the founding of the Party and the state, which is aimed at providing the people across the country with a new, affluent and civilized life in a matter of ten years and rapidly raising the level of development in all regions.
Despite the grave challenges and difficulties blocking our advance and the uphill tasks to be pushed forward and fulfilled in the remaining period of the implementation of the five-year plan, the medium- and long-term tasks for the regional transformation, which has only been an ideal for nearly 80 years, were made a policy and entered the full-scale stage of implementation without delay. This is a great revolution that creates a new history.
Saying that not minor consideration, courage and struggle were required to confirm such a great transformative line, the action programme for regional development, and translate it into an impeccable entity, the General Secretary stated that to develop all the regions of the country simultaneously and in a balanced way is an important strategic task for building Korean-style socialism oriented towards overall development and, at the same time, an urgent political task for more thoroughly applying and giving full play to the people-first principle, the basic political idea of the Party and the government.
He referred to the fact that the 19th enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea held in January this year established the Regional Development 20×10 Policy for boosting the elementary material and cultural living standard of the people across the country a level higher with ten years as a term by building modern regional-industry factories in 20 cities and counties in succession every year, with the Party and the government taking full responsibility, and took concrete measures for its implementation.
The soldier-builders, who are standing at the vanguard of implementing the regional development policy, directed every effort to ensuring perfect quality of construction with an extraordinary sense of responsibility and conscience, for the sake of the dignity of the Party and on the honour of the army. As a result, they built new factories, the first creations in the efforts for regional rejuvenation, commensurate with the idea, national power and the level of civilization of our times. And workers, scientists and technicians in various fields in charge of the supply of materials and equipment and technology, including the machine-building and building-materials industries, also achieved precious successes in the fulfilment of their production tasks and research and development by displaying dogged perseverance and creativity.
Meanwhile, a modern offshore farm, a new model of offshore farming, was built in the city of Sinpho on the east coast, accelerating the work in every way for creating excellent experience for the coastal cities and counties to live on with their own efforts and for actively promoting and spurring the distinctive development and growth of the regional economy.
Noting that the first creations in the efforts for implementing the regional development policy are, indeed, the fruition of our honourable and worthwhile struggle and proof of our most valuable and proud prosperity, the General Secretary said with pride that although the Party and the government have shouldered double workloads and heavier burdens, our struggle for the promotion of the people's well-being has remarkably intensified and expanded and socialist construction has entered a new phase of epochal advance.
Referring to the intention of the Party Central Committee to additionally build public health facilities, cultural complexes and grain management facilities in the cities and counties across the country, considering that the construction of some regional-industry factories in each city and county is not enough to completely eliminate the centuries-old backwardness remaining in local areas and put them on a sustainable development track, he gave an overview of the significance of the construction of the three essential projects and the specific orientation of construction.
He said that only when the aforesaid construction projects are completed correctly and in a practicable way so that they can be operated smoothly at the present stage can we surely provide a firm basis for regional development and open up a dynamic phase in which cities and counties can simultaneously undergo a change and rejuvenation, and proposed to the plenary meeting that the Party's new regional development policy formally include the construction of advanced public health facilities, scientific, educational and leisure facilities and grain management facilities in parallel with that of regional-industry factories.
Speeches were made on the third agenda item.
Jo Yong Won, secretary of the WPK Central Committee, Jong Kyong Thaek, director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army, and Ri Jong Nam, chief secretary of the South Hamgyong Provincial Committee of the WPK, made speeches and senior officials in various sectors presented written speeches.
They expressed absolute support to and approval for the great programme for regional development that clearly indicates the special and practical measures for putting an end to the centuries-old backwardness of the regions and accelerating the historic cause of their rejuvenation.
They stressed that the Party’s new regional development policy on building advanced health facilities, cultural complexes and integrated grain management facilities essential to regional development in parallel with the construction of regional-industry factories is an important state affair and historic cause that can be settled only by the General Secretary, who regards the pains taken for the people as his duty and shoulders all that are for promoting their wellbeing.
They made a firm determination to fulfill their responsibility and mission as the leading personnel of the revolution, who are to vigorously lead the gigantic struggle for transforming the regions in a multi-stage, three-dimensional and offensive way, true to the noble intention of the Party Central Committee with single-minded efforts, and thus fully guarantee the perfect implementation of the regional development policy in the new era.
The plenary meeting discussed the fourth agenda item "On the enforcement of a series of measures for strengthening the educational foundations of the country".
A report on the relevant agenda item was made.
The reporter said:
In August last the General Secretary took a special measure of bringing all the schoolchildren in the flood-hit areas to Pyongyang for their studying, and visited the classrooms laid out temporarily at the April 25 Hostel to acquaint himself with the teaching preparations for a new term, saying that the educational work is the primary state affair which can never be given up even if the sky may fall in. His noble intention on the rising generation reminds us once again of what attitude and stand we should take on the issue of the education of students and the provision of educational conditions for them.
Stressing that the urgent issue for glorifying our country as a talent power and a socialist educational power at present is to further strengthen the overall educational foundations as required by the times, the reporter presented to the plenary meeting the problems to be tackled by the state.
Kim Jong Un made a concluding speech on the fourth agenda item.
Noting that education is the first state affair that should be given priority and that demands tremendous effort at any time and at any stage and the most important sector that has to make steady progress, he referred to the precedence, necessity and significance of its development.
He said that, according to the tasks set forth at the sixth and eighth plenary meetings of the Eighth Party Central Committee, practical measures have been taken to readjust the educational structure of the country for giving advanced education and improve the contents and methods of education more reasonably, and the socialist policy for the students is being consistently carried on together with the work of training reserve teachers on a long-term basis. Despite the proud qualitative changes brought about in this sector in recent years, the overall educational foundations are yet to respond to the requirements of the times and the revolution, he pointed out, and made a strict analysis of the present situation in the educational sector and indicated the immediate, medium- and long-range tasks to be fulfilled through the investment of the national efforts on the responsibility of the Party and the government in order to consolidate the foundations of education, saying:
Now that we have set an aim of building a state which gives the most importance to education and is most advanced in education in the world, we should definitely take the direction of supplying school fittings, supplies and equipment and providing the educators and students with the best working and studying conditions on the full responsibility of the state.
He then indicated the intention of bringing up the above-said agenda item as a special one at the plenary meeting and the practical ways for putting the educational foundations of the country onto a new high in the shortest period possible.
Stressing the need to push forward the modernization of schools, which claims a lion’s share in strengthening the educational foundations, as a state undertaking, and set an ambitious goal to renovate all schools across the country within the next decade and push it forward persistently so as to carry it through to the end without fail, he set forth measures to this end.
The concluding speech advanced the tasks for making the educational sector fully discharge its purpose and mission, like steadily raising the intellectual level of all students by improving the quality of basic education at the general education sector, furthering the qualifications of educators to shore up the overall educational sector, reducing the difference between the town and country in the education level, and establishing a national educational aid system for persons with disabilities.
Kim Jong Un said that the educational work, which decides the destiny of the nation and has an important influence on the growth of the people, should be a matter of public concern, and that our present revolutionary practice demands that more efforts be made to help education. He stressed that officials, who are sincerely concerned about the prospects of the Party and the revolution and the future of the country and are ready to take responsibility for them, should always pay attention to the solution of the educational issue and take charge of solving it as a matter of their own concern irrespective of whether it is a big or small one.
Saying that the steady and promising comprehensive national rejuvenation, regional rejuvenation and rural development lie in the development of education, he affirmed that our Party would always place education above all else, prioritize it, further arouse public interest in it and keep increasing state support for and investment in it, as the scale of creation and transformation are expanded and revolutionary tasks become enormous.
In connection with the fifth agenda item, the plenary meeting decided to organize a state budget deliberation team for examining and reviewing the implementation of the state budget for 2024 and the draft state budget for 2025.
The plenary meeting discussed the sixth agenda item "On the work for the inner-Party structure" and approved a relevant decision with unanimous approval.
The plenary meeting discussed the organizational matter as its seventh agenda item.
Members and alternate members of the WPK Central Committee were recalled or by-elected.
Jong Myong Su and Yun Jong Ho, alternate members of the Party Central Committee, were by-elected as its members, and No Kwang Chol, Ri Hi Yong, Song Jun Sol and Kang Myong Chol were directly by-elected as members of the Party Central Committee.
Kim Jo Guk, Kim Yong Bok, Kwon Song Hwan, Ri Man Su, Kim Song Bin, Jon Ryong Nam, Hwang Yong Gil, Ri Jong Sik, Sin Chang Gil, Yun Chi Gol and Hong Kil Ho were by-elected as alternate members of the Party Central Committee.
Members and alternate members of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee were recalled or by-elected.
Ri Yong Gil and Choe Son Hui, alternate members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee, were by-elected as its members, and No Kwang Chol, Kim Jong Gwan, Ri Hi Yong and Choe Tong Myong were directly by-elected as its members.
Pang Tu Sop and Kim Chol Won were by-elected as alternate members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee.
Members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee were recalled or by-elected.
Pak Thae Song was by-elected as member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee.
Secretaries of the WPK Central Committee were dismissed or elected.
Choe Tong Myong, Kim Tok Hun and Ri Hi Yong were elected as secretaries of the Party Central Committee.
A vice-chairman and members of the Central Military Commission of the WPK were recalled or by-elected.
No Kwang Chol, Pang Tu Sop and Kim Jong Sik were by-elected as members of the Party Central Military Commission.
A chairman, vice-chairmen and members of the WPK Central Inspection Commission were recalled or by-elected.
Ri Hi Yong was by-elected as chairman of the Party Central Inspection Commission, Kim Jae Ryong and Kim Hyong Sik as its vice-chairmen and Kang Myong Chol as its member.
Department directors of the WPK Central Committee were dismissed or appointed.
Ri Hi Yong, Kim Tok Hun and Kim Jae Ryong were appointed as department directors of the Party Central Committee.
A chief secretary of a provincial Party committee was dismissed or appointed.
Kim Chol Sam was appointed as chief secretary of the North Phyongan Provincial Party Committee.
The premier and some senior officials of the Cabinet were dismissed or appointed.
Pak Thae Song was appointed as premier of the Cabinet.
Kim Jong Gwan was appointed as vice-premier of the Cabinet, Kwon Song Hwan as minister of Natural Resources Development and Kim Yong Sik as minister of Commerce.
The plenary meeting had two-day panel study and consultative meetings to work out a thoroughgoing and correct plan for implementing the struggle tasks for 2025 on the basis of the ideas and spirit of the instructions given by the WPK General Secretary during the discussion of the agenda items and his concluding speeches.
Members of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee presided over the panel study and consultative meetings.
The consultative meetings actively discussed the tasks for further consolidating and amplifying the achievements made in this year's struggle after an in-depth study of the draft decisions, and scientific and innovative suggestions were made in this course.
The 24th Meeting of the Political Bureau of the Eighth WPK Central Committee was convened on December 27.
The Political Bureau decided to examine the proposals put together at the panel study and consultative meetings and amend and supplement the draft decisions before submitting them to the plenary meeting.
It also decided to examine the state budget deliberation team’s review of the implementation of the state budget for 2024 and the draft state budget for 2025, and report the result to the plenary meeting.
Jo Yong Won reported the results of the Political Bureau meeting to the plenary meeting.
The plenary meeting adopted with unanimous approval the decisions "On carrying out the tasks for 2025 of the five-year plan set forth at the Eighth Party Congress", "On hastening the comprehensive rejuvenation of the state by vigorously pushing ahead with the implementation of the new regional development strategy" and "On taking a series of measures for strengthening the educational foundations of the country".
It finally examined the implementation of the state budget for 2024 and the draft state budget for 2025 and approved the submission of the document on them to the Twelfth Session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly.
Kim Jong Un concluded the plenary meeting.
Next year is a significant year marking the 80th founding anniversary of our Party and at the same time the year for the Eighth Party Central Committee to review its work before the times and the people, he said, pointing to the need to make 2025, the last year of its term, a historical watershed which occupies the most brilliant position in the history of leadership of our Party with extraordinary wisdom, courage, responsible efforts and strenuous exertion transcending the four years of pioneering and leap forward.
He ardently called upon the entire Party, the whole country and all the people to turn out in the sacred patriotic struggle for the comprehensive rejuvenation and development of our great state and achieve miraculous successes, thus greeting with honour the Ninth Party Congress as a glorious meeting of victors.
The 2024 December Plenary Meeting of the Central Committee of the WPK wrapped up its responsible work amid high political awareness and burning enthusiasm of all the participants to remain faithful to their duty as the leading personnel of the revolution to the last in the first rank and vanguard in implementing the Party’s policies, cherishing the great trust of tens of millions of people.
Bearing in mind the importance of the revolutionary tasks which they pledged to fulfil unconditionally before the plenary meeting, the members of the Party central leadership body, who embarked on the straight course of important struggle for the implementation of the grand revolutionary programme set forth at the Eighth Party Congress, renewed their solemn will to glorify 2025 as a year of eye-opening event and a year of great turn to bring about an upward trend towards a higher development stage with immense courage, redoubled efforts, inexhaustible enthusiasm and devotion.
The Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea will shine long in the history of our Party as a significant occasion as it boosted the optimism about the prospects and potential of our cause vigorously advancing with the most just ideal and lofty ambition and added a great spur to the historic advance for resolutely hastening an era of comprehensive prosperity of our state by dint of the irresistible force of self-respect and self-reliance. -0-
www.kcna.kp (2024.12.29.)
7. Korea launches ‘toughest’ US strategy at key party meeting
Straits Times/Reuters analysis of the plenary session of the 8th Party Congress.
Korea launches ‘toughest’ US strategy at key party meeting
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/north-korea-declares-strongest-us-strategy-in-key-party-meeting?utm
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a policy-setting meeting of the country's ruling party from Dec 23 to 27, state media KCNA said.
UPDATED Dec 29, 2024, 08:02 PM
SEOUL – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a key policy-setting meeting of the country’s ruling party last week ahead of the new year, the official Korean Central News Agency reported on Dec 29.
At the meeting of party and government officials, it was decided that North Korea would launch the “toughest” strategy to counteract the US for its security and national interests, the report said without elaborating.
The alliance between South Korea, the US and Japan has expanded to a “nuclear military bloc” and South Korea has become an “anti-communist outpost” for the US, the report added.
“This reality clearly shows to which direction we should advance and what we should do and how.”
The Dec 23 to 27 meeting also reviewed the handling of floods earlier in 2024, including the plan that brought those affected to Pyongyang, the capital, according to the report.
The reclusive state vowed to promote relations with “friendly” countries during the meeting.
Mr Kim also called for progress in defence science and technology to bolster the country’s war deterrence.
Such meetings often last a few days and have been used in recent years to make key policy announcements.
In a reshuffle, Pyongyang named Mr Pak Thae Song, a party secretary, as a new premier to replace Mr Kim Tok Hun.
Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui was named a member of the powerful Politburo of the party’s central committee.
The 11th plenary session of the eighth central committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea wraps up a year in which Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with Mr Kim and signed a deal that included a mutual defence pledge.
Washington and Seoul have criticised the two countries’ military cooperation, including what they say is a dispatch of North Korean troops to fight for Russia in its war against Ukraine. REUTERS
8. North Korea convenes key party meeting to set policy, state media reports
Channel News Asia/Reuters analysis.
North Korea convenes key party meeting to set policy, state media reports
29 Dec 2024 08:12AM
channelnewsasia.com
North Korea convenes key party meeting to set policy, state media reports
Soldiers participate in a military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice in Pyongyang, North Korea, Jul 27, 2023. (File photo: KCNA via REUTERS)
29 Dec 2024 08:12AM
SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a policy-setting key meeting of the country's ruling party last week ahead of the new year, state media KCNA reported on Sunday (Dec 29).
The "strongest" response strategy towards the United States was declared during the party meeting for the country's safety and national interests, the report said, without providing any details.
The trilateral alliance between South Korea, the US and Japan has expanded to a "nuclear military bloc" and South Korea has become an "anti-communism outpost" for the US, the KCNA report added.
"The reality clearly suggests which direction we should go and what we should do and how," the report said.
The meeting, which was held from Dec 23-27, according to the report, also reviewed the handling of floods earlier this year, including the plan that brought those affected to Pyongyang, the capital.
The reclusive state also vowed to promote relations with "friendly" countries during the meeting.
The assembly of the party and government officials often lasts a few days and has been used in recent years to make key policy announcements.
The 11th plenary session of the eighth central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea wraps up a year in which Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with Kim and signed a deal that included a mutual defence pledge.
Washington and Seoul have criticised the two countries' military cooperation, including what they say is a dispatch of North Korean troops to fight for Russia in its war against Ukraine.
Previously, state media had released Kim's speech on New Year's Day.
Source: Reuters/gr
9. South Korean Army develops secret Star Wars weapon: It’s capable of blowing up a country
Pretty sensational reporting.
If it is so good why have we not heard more about this?
South Korean Army develops secret Star Wars weapon: It’s capable of blowing up a country
riazor.org · by Edwin O. · December 27, 2024
This is the first time the South Korean Army has revealed a new weapon that could change the face of warfare as we know it. Known as the Block-I Laser-Based Anti-Aircraft Weapon, this weaponry system could have come from the movie “Star Wars,” and is intended to eliminate all aerial threats at a cost of only $1.50 per shot.
Although, at the moment, it cannot blow up entire countries, its scaling and enhanced capabilities suggest that laser-based armament could dominate future defense paradigms.
A laser weapon that transforms cost-efficiency in modern warfare
When defense costs are measured in millions for a missile, South Korea’s Block-I laser weapon is a revelation. Antigrade, a stationary system created to counter drones, costs as little as $1.45 per shot. This low cost is attributed to the absence of conventional ammunition; instead, it uses electricity to discharge an unseen, unheard beam.
This innovation focuses on a major deficiency in today’s combat strategies. In conflicts such as the ones in Ukraine and the Middle East, cheap drones serve the purpose of knocking out costly equipment. Old-school air defense systems cost tens of thousands of dollars per engagement and could not come close to this economic model. The Block-I laser weapon tilts the balance, favoring a low-cost solution to a high-cost phenomenon.
The weapon is also very accurate for a game of this nature. Recently, in live-fire tests performed in 2023, the system scored 100% efficiency by eliminating targets within several seconds. This makes it not only economical but also a good complementary system for the layered air defense system of South Korea, especially in countering North Korea’s increasing use of drones.
Future iterations could intercept missiles and redefine defense systems
The existing Block-I system is only the first step. There are plans for future models such as the mobile Block-II and the super potent Block-III in South Korea. The Block-II will improve the range and versatility of the system to counter threats like missiles. On the other hand, Block-III is for ballistic missile defense with power output rates of more than 100 KW.
All these developments will likely place Block III in strategic importance in the defense of South Korea. If the naval and aerial configurations are combined, the system could offer all-round defense against various aerial threats, including the new generation of swarm drones and high-speed missiles.
This innovation conforms to trends in laser weapon development witnessed across the world. Other developed countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel, are developing similar technologies. However, South Korea’s rapid development and deployment set it apart and put the country in the line of laser-based military technology.
The broader implications of laser weapon technology globally
Laser weapons are a new generation weapon in the military arsenal. They are fast, accurate, and cheap and, as such, are suitable for today’s warfare. Lasers do not produce debris compared to older systems, making them especially appropriate for application in crowded areas such as Seoul, where conventional barriers may present considerable dangers.
However, laser systems have some constraints. Their effectiveness is affected by adverse weather conditions and attacks by large numbers of drones, which may need other technologies for timely elimination. South Korea is now considering high pulse microwave (HPM) weapons while also working to improve radar integration to overcome these deficits and achieve higher accuracy.
Laser weapons worldwide are evidence that the emphasis on the technological aspect of defense is increasing. Governments are keen to unlock the capability of directed-energy weapons, and South Korea’s early adoption is a major step in this process.
South Korea’s Block-I laser weapon is one of the most advanced achievements of the nation’s technological development and military planning. In this way, the country has demonstrated that it is ready to overcome the challenges of modern war with the help of affordable and accurate solutions.
While it may not yet ‘blow up a country,’ this system is a representation of a future where laser weaponry will change the face of military strategies. As upgrades roll out, South Korea’s leadership in this field will undoubtedly strengthen its defense capabilities and inspire similar advancements worldwide.
riazor.org · by Edwin O. · December 27, 2024
10. Private Jong’s Notes: the Special Operations Forces Offer Insights into North Korean Tactics Against Ukraine
A lot of reporting on a single notebook page. (see photo)
Private Jong’s Notes: the Special Operations Forces Offer Insights into North Korean Tactics Against Ukraine | Defense Express
https://en.defence-ua.com/news/private_jongs_notes_the_special_operations_forces_offer_insights_into_north_korean_tactics_against_ukraine-12988.html?utm
Sofiia Syngaivska
sofiyka.kv@gmail.com
December 26, 2024
1609 0
en.defence-ua.com
The Special Operations Forces (SOF) are making steady progress in deciphering a notebook belonging to North Korean operative neutralized in combat within russia’s Kursk region. Dubbed Private Jong’s Notes, the document offers a rare glimpse into the training and tactics of North Korean troops reportedly prepared for battle against Ukraine.
The latest revelations focus on techniques for countering drones and evading artillery fire, methods that rely heavily on what can be described as bait tactics. While it remains unclear whether these strategies were developed independently by the North Koreans or under the guidance of russian instructors, the details paint a striking picture of their battlefield approach.
To neutralize drones, North Korean soldiers were trained to work in trios. One soldier, acting as bait, would move ahead while maintaining a seven-meter distance. The other two would follow at a 10-12-meter interval, ready to open fire. Intriguingly, the notes highlight a specific tactic: if the bait halts, the drone typically pauses, creating an opportunity for the two trailing soldiers to shoot it down.
To evade artillery fire, the training emphasized quick, calculated movements. Troops were instructed to rally at predetermined locations in small groups or to briefly shelter in areas already struck by artillery before making a rapid move to a safer point.
en.defence-ua.com
11. North Korea Got Over $6 Billion in Payment For Weapons and Troops From russia: It's Alarmingly Cheap
Business is good. for KJU.
North Korea Got Over $6 Billion in Payment For Weapons and Troops From russia: It's Alarmingly Cheap | Defense Express
The West should be alarmed seeing the balance of these paychecks: $5.5 bln for weapon systems and ammunition, and $576 mln for soldiers
Defense Express
ukr.defense.news@gmail.com
December 26, 2024
1200 0
en.defence-ua.com
North Korea is ramping up ammunition and weapons production to support russia, with its military-industrial facilities actively expanding to meet this demand. According to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal, russia may have already paid $5.5 billion for weapons and another $576 million for North Korean troops engaged in the war in Ukraine.
Defense Express would like to particularly emphasize those figures, we'll return to them and dive into analysis in just a while, but first, let's also point out some previously unknown details from the original report that warrant special attention.
NEW: North Korea has increased its arms shipments to Russia amid the Ukraine war, sending both older ammunition and advanced weapons like ballistic missiles and rocket launchers. With Russian technical assistance, North Korea's arms production is operating at full capacity to… pic.twitter.com/nd2cJsMasM — Clash Report (@clashreport) December 23, 2024
The WSJ claims that russia is supplying North Korea with energy resources and industrial equipment, which are, in turn, being directly used to produce more weapons for russian military needs.
Additionally, in early 2024, russian technical personnel reportedly assisted North Korea in modernizing its KN-25 missile, a system with a declared range of 400 kilometers. The russians had shown a keen interest in acquiring those missiles from North Korea, too.
A salvo of North Korean KN-25s / Open-source illustrative photo
Now, let’s revisit the financial figures, starting with some introductory data.
The $5.5 billion allocated for arms purchases covers approximately 100 KN-23 ballistic missiles, 20,000 containers of artillery shells, and several dozen Koksan self-propelled guns and multiple rocket launchers known in the West as the M-1991.
Furthermore, considering that russia received several million artillery shells — amounting to 60% of the russian army's current arsenal — the overall price tag could even be seen as quite moderate.
The M-1991 artillery rocket system during tests / Open-source illustrative photo
The $576 million figure for manpower, however, is somewhat unexpected. It was previously speculated that russia might compensate North Korea for deploying troops with its Soviet-era MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft.
Dividing this amount by the estimated 12,000 North Korean troops in Ukraine results in $48,000 per soldier, which is surprisingly high, especially by russian standards.
This may indicate that the funds are not just to pay for the soldiers already deployed but also to expand the North Korean contingent further.
Illustrative photo: demonstration of a MiG-29 fighter jet at the North Korean air show in September 2016 / Photo credit: shashapak2
And here's the silver lining. These relatively low figures should be a stark warning for the West: authoritarian regimes like North Korea and russia can wage war much cheaper than democratic nations. Yet, the civilized world prefers to overlook this disparity for the time being.
en.defence-ua.com
12. New Owner of Philly Shipyard, Hanwha, Wants to Push ‘Boundaries of Shipbuilding’
New Owner of Philly Shipyard, Hanwha, Wants to Push ‘Boundaries of Shipbuilding’
Published: 5:14 am EST December 28, 2024Updated: 1:19 am EST December 28, 2024
bucksco.today · by Jensen Toussaint · December 28, 2024
South Korea’s Hanwha Group, following its $100 million acquisition of what is now Hanwha Philly Shipyard, plans on hiring a significant number of workers that will drive its expansion, writes Joseph N. DiStefano for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
David Kim, the Hanwha Defense USA executive who orchestrated the deal and now serves as CEO of Hanwha Philly Shipyard, said that the company plans to expand by “pushing the boundaries of shipbuilding” to fulfill orders for both commercial and government buyers.
While owned by Aker, the yard focused on building civilian ships. Hanwha’s Systems and Ocean divisions have emphasized their experience with constructing naval ships, drones, and radar and sensor systems on its Geoje Island shipyards.
Kim said that the company wants “to expand into naval vessel production.” He added that Hanwha promised “a smooth transition” and “sustainable and inclusive growth.”
The purchase was approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. back in September.
Hanwah is “very positive about this opportunity to enter the U.S. market” and offer Philadelphia “a historic opportunity” to revitalize its shipbuilding industry with modern technology, said David Oh, former Philadelphia City Councilmember.
Read more about Hanwha Philly Shipyard and its plans for growth in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
_____
bucksco.today · by Jensen Toussaint · December 28, 2024
13. Seoul’s New Political Saga Won’t Affect Its Resilience And Appeal – Analysis
Seoul’s New Political Saga Won’t Affect Its Resilience And Appeal – Analysis
December 29, 2024 0 Comments
By Collins Chong Yew Keat
eurasiareview.com · December 29, 2024
A majority in South Korea’s parliament has voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is next in line to assume the acting presidency, according to South Korean law.South Korea is seeing a change of the presidency three times in less than a month, as the ongoing political turmoil in the Asia’s fourth-largest economy threatened to plunge the region further into economic and political uncertainties.
The opposition Democratic Party (DP) that controlled the parliament decided to impeach Han after it deemed him to be yet another Suk-Yeoul’s puppet for failing to appoint three justices to fill vacancies that the DP backs at the constitutional court.
At least six judges on the constitutional court must uphold Suk Yeoul’s impeachment to remove him from office.
This new turmoil brings historical learnings and perspectives into South Korea’s colourful past.
Decades ago, iron-fisted leaders seized power and maintained it through force, but the country has since transitioned into a matured and stable democracy, where into a stable, but sometimes raucous, democracy. Since the democratic embrace in 1987, a new social transformation is seen through the lenses of capitalism and democratic overtures. Most citizens now are determined to not go back to such times, where martial law evokes painful memories of past abuses.
Suk Yeol has defended his martial law declaration as legal and aimed at tackling “anti-state forces”, but he is already deeply unpopular before declaring martial law with a sagging economy and constant wariness surrounding his competency and his wife’s Dior bag controversy and , he now faces a huge challenge in ever winning the confidence of an angry public. Polling data released by Gallup Korea showed that Suk-Yeol’s approval rating fell to 16% this week after he declared martial law, with 75% of respondents saying he is doing a poor job as president.
Suk-Yeol came into power by the slimmest margins in March 2022 as a hardline conservative, remaining a divisive victory that set the tone for now. He tapped into cohorts and segments of disenfranchised young men, who were dissatisfied with the policy of the previous administration under the banner of gender equality that they argued were giving women a free pass.
Suk-Yeol’s approval rating has steadily fallen since he came to power, with voters pointing out the lack of communication and worsening economic issues as well as controversy surrounding the first lady.
Suk Yeol has since been at a tug of war with the parliament and struggled to implement his agenda amidst the opposition-controlled parliament.
Most recently, he was forced into accepting a watered down budget, where the opposition slashed around 4.1 trillion won ($4.4 billion) from the government’s proposed 677 trillion won budget plan.
The reserve fund was cut, along with activity budgets for the prosecution, police and the state audit agency, and most significantly, the president’s office.
The Democratic Party also voted to impeach several of the country’s top prosecutors including the head of the audit agency for failing to investigate the first lady.
In declaring martial law, he justified his decision by citing North Korean threats and believes the opposition is too soft on Pyongyang.
Under his watch, relations between the neighbours have further plunged, where Pyongyang has been firing ballistic missiles, and has been upping the psychological warfare by sending rubbish-filled balloons across the border, playing loud disturbing noises towards border villages, and has also charting new frontiers by sending troops to help Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
By using the increased threats from Pyongyang and in accusing the opposition of sympathising with North Korea and paralysing the government with anti-state activities, the decision to impose the short lived martial law proved to backfire not only on Suk Yeol, but also in dragging the People Power Party further into a spiralling chaos of increased public discontent, distrust and plunging level of confidence in the government.
This fuels a lose-lose situation for South Korea, as both the disjointed and fragmented political system and a fed up public on the power play by the political elites, all of which would create a new opening for Pyongyang to have a greater leverage and chips in winning the mind game and capitalising on its long held propaganda of denouncing its southern neighbour’s capitalist and messy democratic system.
However, not all is rosy for Pyongyang as it faces a renewed wave of optimism and openness from the masses of South Korea, as reflected in the recent poll where more are increasingly open to the country going nuke as the ultimate fallback option of deterrence, facing new wariness of the level of support in the future from the West.
The South Korean public has embraced a new opening of possibilities as opposed to previous conventional perspectives, on how best to defend the country and relying less on the goodwill of external support.
It remains to be seen how much this new political turmoil and the toying of the idea of embracing nuclear will go down in the halls of the policymaking arena in Washington and Tokyo and with the future prospects of the Camp David Pact among the three powers.
The incoming Trump administration and the underlying uncertainties on the pledge of support also fuel the new wave of independent defence support on its own for Seoul.
In a similar security setting with Japan, South Korea is facing one of its most significant security fears and vulnerabilities in decades, and with renewed Pyongyang threat, it continues to seek and outward expansion of defence and security friendhsoring, beyond traditional reliance on the US and Japan as the main security assurance and partner.
Even with existing security mechanisms including the Camp David pact and renewed positive ties with Japan especially in the realm of defence and security, Seoul is feeling the concerns and wariness especially with the new uncertainties of America’s commitment and the consistent new fearmongering by Pyongyang.
Seoul is trying to increase greater extended deterrence efforts and fallback capacity beyond East Asia alone, and while toying with the idea of supporting Ukraine militarily, he still sees Southeast Asia as critical in a three pronged factor. First, as a vital economic, trade and natural resources support point for Seoul which will be vital in providing it with the needed food, energy and supply chain security which is needed especially during times of conflicts
Second, the region is also growing as a source of military and defense export factors for South Korea, and the region also is facing renewed threats and instability with the growing thirst and demands for military deterrence and assets.
Third, South Korea is seeing this region as a potential support system in its dealings with threats from Pyongyang, and as also another front providing a distraction and diversion for China in the potential conflict in South China Sea, which will reduce the severity and scale of any potential implications of a direct conflict with China or spin off impact of conflicts between China and the US or with Taiwan.
With the ongoing political dilemma choking Seoul’s highest power arena, the trust and support from neighbouring powers especially Japan and the new friendshoring efforts in Southeast Asia and beyond will be crucial, where the ultimate decision-making by the Trump administration will certainly alter the power game in East Asia. Beyond the transactional and quid pro quo approaches that are deemed by many as further incentivising Pyongyang and Beijing in their power quests, Trump might just be the much needed game changer in getting the conventional allies to spend more on their own defence but just being moulded and nurtured enough to lessen the burden of Washington without creating a new abyss of an all-out nuclear sabre rattling.
Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek remains the ultimate symbol of the solid Washington presence and deterrence, and is the largest U.S. overseas military base.
Strategic ambiguity remains in play, with a new sense of strategic clarity and a touch of expected and controlled containment policy against any threats of instabilities. The political saga of South Korea will soon pass, and the essence of the core tenets of the resilience of the people and the security and stability of the country and the region will endure.
eurasiareview.com · December 29, 2024
14. Anticipating Trump's foreign policy By Joseph S. Nye, Jr.
Excerpts:
Even if predictions based on campaign statements and personnel leave us uncertain, we can at least locate Trump in the historical traditions of US foreign policy. Recall his first inaugural address, when he proclaimed that “from this moment on, it’s going to be America first … we do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example.” This view accords with the “city-on-the-hill” approach to U.S. foreign policy, which has a long pedigree. It is not isolationism, but it eschews activism.
By contrast, in the twentieth century, Woodrow Wilson sought a foreign policy that would make democracy safe in the world, and John F. Kennedy urged Americans to consider what they could do for the rest of the world, establishing the Peace Corps in 1961. Jimmy Carter made human rights a core concern of US foreign policy, and George W. Bush’s international strategy rested on the twin pillars of leading a growing global community of democracies and promoting freedom, justice, and human dignity.
The one prediction that seems safe is that Trump’s approach to the world will be more in keeping with the first of these traditions than the second.
Anticipating Trump's foreign policy
The Korea Times · December 29, 2024
By Joseph S. Nye, Jr.
Joseph S. Nye
CAMBRIDGE – Prediction is always difficult, but doubly so in the case of the U.S. president-elect. Donald Trump not only speaks loosely and changes his positions often; he also considers unpredictability to be a useful bargaining tool. Still, one can try to get a sense of what his foreign policy will look like from his campaign statements, his high-level appointments, and his first term.
In Washington, it is often said that “personnel is policy.” But while we already know whom Trump wants for key positions, the problem is that their stated views sometimes conflict with each other. With Trump making every effort to avoid the traditional Republicans who hemmed him in during his first term, the common denominator among his choices this time is personal loyalty. But even this quality does not help us predict policy.
Consider the question of China. Trump’s choices for Secretary of State and national security adviser – Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Michael Waltz, respectively – are well-known “hawks” who see China as a dominant threat that demands a strong response. We also know from his campaign that Trump is eager to introduce new tariffs on imports from allies, with even higher tariffs on goods from China.
With Trump already announcing plans to slap tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China, we should certainly expect some new levies to be imposed. But the tariffs’ rates, duration, and exemptions remain uncertain and subject both to domestic political pressures and Trump’s personal whims. As his designee for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, recently said, “I think a lot of what he’s doing is to escalate to de-escalate, and my goal for his administration would be to save international trade.”
Equally uncertain is how Trump might respond to retaliation by America’s trade partners. If tit-for-tat trade wars drive tariffs and prices higher, the return of inflation may trigger a domestic political backlash. Since Trump prides himself on his dealmaking prowess, he may seek compromises. Would he offer his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, weaker U.S. support for Taiwan in exchange for a trade deal that he could hold up as a victory? Some of America’s Asian allies worry about precisely this scenario.
Judging by Trump’s campaign statements and previous term in the White House, we should also expect him to devalue multilateralism and alliances. He has promised to withdraw again from the Paris climate agreement, and to increase domestic production and exports of oil and gas. While the price of renewable energy has been declining in the U.S., it remains to be seen whether his policies will cancel out that beneficial market effect by reducing these industries’ relative cost competitiveness.
In the Middle East, Trump’s campaign statements were unconditionally supportive of Israel, and he still takes pride in having negotiated the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and four Arab countries. When the Biden administration tried to build on this breakthrough by enticing Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel, the Saudis set a precondition: Israel must take steps toward creating a Palestinian state. But Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition staunchly opposes a two-state solution, and since Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, Israeli public support for such an outcome, already low, has fallen further. Trump undoubtedly wants to extend his prior success in the region; but it is anyone’s guess how he will go about it.
Turning to Europe and NATO, Trump said during the campaign that he would end the war in Ukraine “in one day.” We know that will not happen; but there is deep uncertainty about how he will try to negotiate an armistice. One possibility is to reduce assistance to Ukraine and weaken its bargaining position so that it must accept Russian terms. Or Trump could temporarily extend support for Ukraine while moving toward a “Korean solution.”
In the latter scenario, the current front line would become a demilitarized zone staffed by United Nations or European peacekeepers whom Russia would have to force out if it wants to restart the war. Ukraine could continue to assert sovereignty over areas like the Donbas, but it most likely would be unable to join NATO; instead, perhaps some subset of countries (“friends of Ukraine”) could offer to come to its aid if Russia violated the demilitarized zone. It is unclear whether Trump will use his bargaining power vis-à-vis Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to produce such a compromise. But securing a deal will certainly be attractive if he is thinking about his legacy.
Even if predictions based on campaign statements and personnel leave us uncertain, we can at least locate Trump in the historical traditions of US foreign policy. Recall his first inaugural address, when he proclaimed that “from this moment on, it’s going to be America first … we do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example.” This view accords with the “city-on-the-hill” approach to U.S. foreign policy, which has a long pedigree. It is not isolationism, but it eschews activism.
By contrast, in the twentieth century, Woodrow Wilson sought a foreign policy that would make democracy safe in the world, and John F. Kennedy urged Americans to consider what they could do for the rest of the world, establishing the Peace Corps in 1961. Jimmy Carter made human rights a core concern of US foreign policy, and George W. Bush’s international strategy rested on the twin pillars of leading a growing global community of democracies and promoting freedom, justice, and human dignity.
The one prediction that seems safe is that Trump’s approach to the world will be more in keeping with the first of these traditions than the second.
Joseph S. Nye, Jr., Professor Emeritus at Harvard University, is a former US assistant secretary of defense and author of the memoir “A Life in the American Century” (Polity Press, 2024). This article was distributed by Project Syndicate.
The Korea Times · December 29, 2024
15. Is the US-S. Korea alliance still 'ironclad'? Should it be?
That which does not kill the alliance will make it stronger. That is the value of these types of articles. These criticisms allow alliance proponents to reaffirm the necessity of the alliance to serve US interests.
Dr. Kavanugh misses one point of the alliance and that is the US national security interest to prevent war in Northeast Asia. Withdrawal of US troops and significant weakening of ending the alliance will lead to conflict. Arguments such as Dr. Kavanaugh's never seem to address the critical assumptions about the nature, objectives, and strategies of the Kim family regime and how those affect US national security interests. And most importantly there is a lack of understanding of whatever happens on the Korean peninsula, war, regime collapse, or unification will have global effects and direct effects on the US, both negative and positive.
But frankly speaking, Dr. Kavanaugh, like most pundits, really does not have a clear understanding of the military aspects of the alliance from the MIlitary Committee and how it operates to the combined staff. it is not her fault though as true understanding requires experiencing the actual working of the command and the alliance. In her defense many in the US military who have not served in the ROK/US CFC also have similar misunderstanding about the nature of the command.
Is the US-S. Korea alliance still 'ironclad'? Should it be?
responsiblestatecraft.org · by Jennifer Kavanagh · December 27, 2024
Washington was left in the dark before and during Yoon's martial law fail
- regions asia pacific
- south korea
Dec 27, 2024
As word of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s surprise declaration of martial law spread across Washington, the message from the outgoing administration was surprising but clear. Despite “grave concerns” about the political turmoil, “our alliance with the ROK [or Republic of Korea] is ironclad,” said Deputy Undersecretary of State Kurt Campbell.
As other Biden acolytes repeated the refrain, any serious public discussion of the implications of Yoon’s move for the U.S.-South Korea alliance were largely brushed aside.
That is a mistake. The ongoing political upheaval in a country that the Biden administration positioned in the heart of its Indo-Pacific strategy and that the United States is committed to defend should trigger alarm bells in Washington. Not only does the incident raise questions about the health of the alliance, but it also suggests that the potential for U.S. military entanglement on the Korean Peninsula may be higher than previously assessed. The incoming administration should critically reevaluate the benefits and risks of the U.S.-South Korea relationship and recalibrate accordingly.
Even among the vast portfolio of security guarantees the United States has on its books, the U.S.-South Korea alliance stands out. No less than 28,500 U.S. military personnel permanently based in South Korea, with others rotating through. The 1953 mutual defense treaty commits the United States to support South Korea in the event of an attack, and the two countries share a combined command that integrates their forces and is led by a U.S. four-star general with a South Korean deputy. The bilateral relationship is thus based on a high level of trust and presumes constant communication.
Yoon’s abuse of power and subsequent impeachment raise questions about the U.S.-South Korea relationship on three levels. First, there is new uncertainty about the benefits of the alliance for the United States. Over the past four years, the Biden administration leaned hard into the relationship with South Korea, viewing the strategically positioned and militarily capable country as a valuable chess piece in its efforts to balance Chinese power. Biden also cast South Korea as a member of his global coalition of democracies.
Both roles have now been placed in doubt. South Korea’s position as a leading liberal democracy has been irreparably damaged. Although the declaration of martial law was met with massive popular protests and failed under pressure from the country’s lawmakers, the events before and after are a reminder of the country’s authoritarian past and just how fragile its democracy remains.
South Korea’s continued role as a counterweight to China also seems tenuous. Yoon’s likely successor, Lee Jae-myung, has already indicated that he wants a more constructive relationship with China. While the extent of any rapprochement remains to be determined, a shift by Seoul toward Beijing could compromise U.S. military and economic plans in Asia. For instance, a less hawkish Lee might restrict U.S. military contingency access to bases in South Korea during a regional conflict, turn back the clock on the nascent U.S.-led trilateral cooperation with Japan, or resist U.S. pressure to cooperate with export controls and trade restrictions aimed at China. Going forward, South Korea’s strategic value to the United States could be much diminished.
Second, the events surrounding Yoon’s martial law declaration challenge the Biden administration’s narrative that the U.S.-South Korea alliance is “stronger than ever” and raise troubling concerns about its readiness to “fight tonight,” as promised by the South Korea-based U.S. Eighth Army. The Biden administration invested heavily in alliance coordination with South Korea, with frequent high-level visits, combined military drills, and new mechanisms for information sharing and integration, such as the Washington Declaration’s “enhanced dialogue” around nuclear issues.
Despite these efforts, Yoon did not notify the White House before his political maneuver, nor did his defense chief warn his counterpart in the Pentagon. U.S. Forces Korea and the Combined Forces Command were also left in the dark, even as South Korean military forces were sent to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly building.
This complete breakdown in communication suggests both a lack of transparency and serious alliance management issues. Had North Korea taken advantage of the political unrest, the U.S. general at the helm of Combined Forces Command would have found some portion of South Korean personnel under his operational command unexpectedly already deployed elsewhere. It is not clear that the United States and South Korea are primed to work in lockstep during peacetime, let alone operate together under the pressure of a crisis. The consequences of this breach of trust are far-reaching; not just U.S. policymakers, but also adversaries, now have reason to be skeptical of the alliance’s readiness and effectiveness in war.
Finally, Yoon’s rash move and the apparent complicity of his defense chief, who subsequently attempted suicide, may arouse new worries about Seoul’s reliability as a military ally and the risks the Korea alliance poses to the United States. Although U.S. forces have no role in South Korea’s internal security, the unrest following the martial law declaration still left them vulnerable. Worse, U.S. policymakers must now grapple with fears about an imprudent ally dragging the United States into major war.
This risk is not far-fetched. There are reports that in October 2024, South Korea’s defense chief sent drones over North Korean territory hoping to provoke a response from Pyongyang that would give cover for Yoon’s martial law announcement. But a North Korean response also could have triggered the U.S.-South Korea mutual defense commitment and almost certainly would have placed U.S. forces in harm’s way.
U.S. officials may now be wondering whether ongoing political machinations in South Korea disguise future threats of entanglement — or entrapment — for the United States.
During his first term, President-elect Donald Trump was critical of the U.S.-South Korea relationship, but his concerns were centered on burden-sharing. As he returns to the White House, Trump and his foreign policy team should ask a more fundamental question: Given changed political and military realities after the martial law declaration, does the alliance still serve American interests?
Though the events of the past month likely do not warrant an immediate termination of the U.S.- South Korea alliance, there is certainly justification for a recalibration to protect U.S. interests and preserve military assets. With more uncertain strategic benefits, lower than expected readiness, and substantially higher risks, the U.S. alliance commitment should also be scaled back.
The incoming administration has several options. It might adopt new safeguards, including additional crisis communication mechanisms, or apply limitations and conditions to the terms of the mutual defense agreement effectively limiting U.S. obligations. It could reduce the number of soldiers and systems permanently based in South Korea to decrease U.S. exposure to events on the Peninsula or harden existing base infrastructure to better protect U.S. personnel based there.
Finally, Trump might simply decide to invest less in the alliance, matching lower outlays with the lower expected returns. This might mean holding fewer consultations and military exercises and pausing efforts to deepen operational, logistical, and industrial integration.
Critics will argue that any pullback from South Korea will damage U.S. credibility and encourage opportunistic aggression from adversaries. But U.S. alliances are not sacrosanct; all should be treated as means to an end. Given recent events in Seoul, it would be strategically foolish for Washington to proceed with South Korea as if nothing has changed.
Jennifer Kavanagh
Dr. Jennifer Kavanagh is a senior fellow and director of military analysis at Defense Priorities. Previously, Dr. Kavanagh was a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation. She is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.
Top photo credit: Republic of Korea Combined Forces Command C4 Maj. Gen. Byung gi Park watches a video during the Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore 2015 exercise, July 5, 2015, Anmyeon Beach, Republic of Korea. (U.S. Army photo by: Maricris C. McLane)label_outline
Dec 27, 2024
16. How North Korea Actually Works | Authorized Account | Insider
From my friends and colleague, Hyun Seung Lee. 44 minutes of insights into north Korea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLRPDzs3bRQ
How North Korea Actually Works | Authorized Account | Insider
Insider
8.95M subscribers
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542,864 views Dec 26, 2024 Authorized Account | Podcast
Hyunseung Lee and his family defected from North Korea in 2014 after a series of violent executions by North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un. Despite living a privileged life in the elite class of Pyongyang and serving in the North Korean special forces, he feared for his safety. He tells Business Insider how he escaped to the United States. He also discusses brutal conditions inside the hermit kingdom, how law and order are maintained, and the social hierarchy. He covers public attitudes toward Kim Jong Un and the past dictators, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. He also explains what North Korean propaganda is like, what Hollywood movies and TV shows are shown to the public, and why he believes the North Korean Storm Corps troops sent to help Russia will fail in Ukraine. He now works as a consultant for the Global Peace Foundation in Washington, DC. For more, visit: Global Peace Foundation https://globalpeace.org/ 00:00 - Intro 00:53 - The Control 07:00 - The Hierarchy 10:04 - The Military 15:22 - The Storm Corps 18:54 - Time To Leave 22:58 - The Escape 26:28 - Prison Camps 31:06 - The Great Leader 35:57 - The Future 38:41 - Life In America 43:40 - Credits
17. Korea's 'Naembi Geunseong' Society
Some Korean culture analyzed by an American professor. (who lives and teaches in Korea).
Excerpts:
If Korea’s pot is to boil with purpose, it must sustain the heat long enough to produce meaningful outcomes. This requires cultivating a culture of patience, persistence and critical thinking. It has to temper the fervor of the moment with the wisdom of the long view. Without these, the nation risks burning itself out in its relentless cycle of boiling and cooling. While the events we are currently witnessing in Korean politics feel new and unprecedented, as something that needs to be addressed immediately with new laws to be created, powers to be applied and people appointed, at the same time I can’t help but feel we’ve been here many times before. And, if we’re not careful, we’ll be here again in the not-too-distant future.
Korea’s challenge will be to harness the energy of its naembi geunseong while building structures that endure. If the nation can transition from a society of fleeting populism to one of enduring democracy, it will have achieved something great. Obviously this is not easy, and is perhaps becoming harder than ever with social media and the current culture, but I’ve long learned to not bet against this country. And who can deny the taste of the food cooked in these wonderful Korean pots?
Korea's 'Naembi Geunseong' Society
The Korea Times · December 28, 2024
Courtesy of Matthew Schwartz
By David Tizzard
Korea is often celebrated for its resilience and dynamism. It’s constantly changing, adapting, and redefining itself. While this might produce an existential crisis in terms of identity, it has also resulted in the country punching far above its weight on the global stage. The economic rise, the democratization and the cultural export juggernaut stands testament to Korea’s collective drive and ingenuity. What one misses when focusing on the globally admired achievements however is an oft-discussed societal trait: “naembi geunseong.” This idiom talks of a boiling pot. But it is not just about being quick to anger or to action, it’s more specifically about the tendency to heat up passionately before then cooling just as rapidly. It is inspiring and problematic. The source of great achievement and frustrating missed opportunities.
Of course, it is not exclusively Korean. That some people will be deeply interested in a political issue in the morning and then spend their evenings watching a rom-com should be understood as human behavior rather than the unique act of a particular group. And this tendency to shift attention, multitask, and be gripped by a series of different events has also been exacerbated by technology and the rise in importance of the individual voice. People ask me frequently to speak on Palestine, Russia, Musk, Syria and polar bears, but I often decline because I know enough on these subjects to know how little I know and thus prefer listening to those with deeper insight. We’re all guilty of naembi geunseong in some way, irrespective of our nationality. Nevertheless, this is a term that some Korean people use when describing themselves and their own society.
Korea’s swift reactions
In a nation as hyper-connected and fast-paced as South Korea, where “bballi-bballi” (quick, quick) is a lifestyle, it is hardly surprising that trends and movements flare up with such speed. Political scandals dominate headlines and flood social media feeds for days, often leading to mass protests, impassioned debates, and public demands for accountability. Yet they are often forgotten, swept aside by the next story du jour. Karina’s boyfriend, Suga’s drink-driving, Lee Sun-kyun’s suicide, and Moon Ga-bi’s baby had everyone debating specific issues surrounding fame, mental health and parenthood for a few days. The stories dominated news cycles and reddit discussion pages, people tweeted about it, radio shows and television programs made sweeping statements about how each of these events represented something more fundamental about Korean society (is that what I’m doing now?), and then…? Gone. Everyone had an opinion for a few days, it was the biggest issue the country was facing, and then no one cares. We’re back to watching reruns of “My Mister” and talking about the acting in the latest blockbuster movie “Harbin.”
A new K-pop group, drama, or TikTok challenge catches fire seemingly overnight. We need to know what dance the baseball cheerleaders are doing, we have to eat Dubai chocolate. Beauty standards, lifestyle habits, and even language explode in popularity. Neophilia takes hold and we seek the dopamine rush of the new. Something else to define us and give us meaning in a world without god or purpose. But then the trend rarely endures. The boiling pot cools, leaving only traces of yesterday’s obsessions. Rubbish dumps are filled with plastic memories of last month’s craze. The supermarket shelves and local convenience stores remind you how honey butter snacks and green onion cereal were once the most important thing the nation had to offer.
Populism or democracy?
In the world of politics, naembi geunseong lends itself to a form of governance that often feels more like populism than democracy. Far smarter people than me have discussed whether what we see in the streets of Seoul is actually democracy or rather the overspilling of emotions, ignited purposefully by particular groups to achieve certain goals. It feels wrong to say it’s either one or the other but rather that both are at play simultaneously. The gusts of popular feeling still blow through this nation in the 21st century.
Politicians increasingly cater to the immediate emotional reactions of the electorate, prioritizing short-term gains and performative gestures over substantive policymaking. “We will give you money,” they say with a smile. “We will attack the enemy,” they shout. The enemy being Tokyo or Pyongyang accordingly. And thus public opinion shifts rapidly, driven by viral news stories or trending hashtags, leaving little room for the deliberation that democracy requires. “No Japan” as a national movement to prohibit the purchase of goods made in Tokyo is quickly replaced by a flood of stories about Chinese immigrants causing problems, Joseon-jok and their visas, and foreign nationals from Beijing being to blame for the housing prices here in Seoul. For those with their nose to the ground, it feels like we’re about to shift back to the former position as the presidency changes. That will also mean North Korea no longer being the country that sends trash and abuse into our country and helps kill Ukrainian soldiers but rather our brothers and sisters who have been mercilessly excluded and downtrodden by imperialist ideologies, capitalism and colonialism.
It happens with more domestic issues, too. Korean governments’ responses to issues such as housing, gender inequality and economic disparity often feel reactionary. Policies are introduced hastily to quell public dissatisfaction but are rarely followed through with consistency or rigor. Societal trust in institutions erodes, and the cycle of fleeting outrage repeats itself. Democracy is replaced by “emo-cracy,” the rule of emotions rather than the people.
Strength or weakness?
Of course, there is something undeniably powerful about Korea’s ability to mobilize quickly and passionately. It reflects a deeply ingrained collectivism and an admirable refusal to accept the status quo. The naembi geunseong trait has fueled revolutions, toppled dictators, and propelled the nation onto the global stage. It is the reason that the recent martial law was overturned so quickly. It brought people into the streets despite the cold. However, its long-term consequences warrant reflection.
If Korea’s pot is to boil with purpose, it must sustain the heat long enough to produce meaningful outcomes. This requires cultivating a culture of patience, persistence and critical thinking. It has to temper the fervor of the moment with the wisdom of the long view. Without these, the nation risks burning itself out in its relentless cycle of boiling and cooling. While the events we are currently witnessing in Korean politics feel new and unprecedented, as something that needs to be addressed immediately with new laws to be created, powers to be applied and people appointed, at the same time I can’t help but feel we’ve been here many times before. And, if we’re not careful, we’ll be here again in the not-too-distant future.
Korea’s challenge will be to harness the energy of its naembi geunseong while building structures that endure. If the nation can transition from a society of fleeting populism to one of enduring democracy, it will have achieved something great. Obviously this is not easy, and is perhaps becoming harder than ever with social media and the current culture, but I’ve long learned to not bet against this country. And who can deny the taste of the food cooked in these wonderful Korean pots?
David A. Tizzard has a doctorate in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He is a social-cultural commentator and musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He is also the host of the "Korea Deconstructed" podcast, which can be found online. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr.
The Korea Times · December 28, 2024
18. Royal Asiatic Society Korea: End of an era
Royal Asiatic Society Korea: End of an era
The Korea Times · December 26, 2024
By Steven L. Shields
Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea has its roots in the Protestant missionary community, which gathered in Korea in the mid-1880s. Primarily English-speaking, the missionaries launched into their work with gusto. Over the next decade, they began to issue missionary magazines aimed mostly at folks back home to excite donors about Korea’s Protestant potential. The missionaries began arriving in the years of great turmoil in East Asia and Korea in particular. The tension over the peninsula between the three regional powers, Qing, Nippon and Russia, had divided Korea’s elite. Many parties advocated change, such as the modernization of society in all aspects (government, economy, infrastructure).
When a small group of diplomats and missionaries met in 1900 to form RAS Korea, there was a slight lull in the turmoil, enough of a break that many turned their attention to learning more about Korea and the region. Most missionaries were from the British Empire, so it’s unsurprising that they looked to the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland as leaders in Asian studies. The main goal of the founding brothers was to spread information about Korea’s heritage. They had been told by many that Korea had nothing of note to contribute to the studies of history and culture. Their small society would change the shape of academia worldwide.
The lull in 1900 was short-lived, and within a couple of years, the group quit meeting. The Russo-Japanese War, the 1905 “protection” treaty, and finally, annexation in 1910 effectively stopped extracurricular pursuits. As Korea moved into the new routine of foreign domination, RAS restarted but often trod lightly as the society tried to maintain political neutrality. This all came to an end when foreigners of the Allied nations were arrested and then expelled in the weeks following the declaration of war on Japan by the United States in late 1941.
At the end of the Pacific War, missionaries were allowed back into a truncated Korea, arriving only in the southern part of the now-divided peninsula. As the South became an American satellite and installed the America-promoted Syngman Rhee as president, some, who had been RAS members got together again and restarted the society. Their enthusiasm was short-lived as the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 put a stop to such programs. It wasn’t until the late 1950s that RAS was again revived. During the 1950s, '60s and '70s, RAS Korea was in its heyday, and its membership read more than 1,000. During those years, as Korea was developing, the huge S military presence and the even larger affiliated civilian contractors and businesspeople offered an audience for which RAS filled the important purpose of lectures, presentations, cultural excursions and more. RAS was the only English-speaking organization engaging the ex-patriate community in such ways.
Not only was RAS Korea then the world’s first and only Korean Studies organization, but the society’s journal was, for decades, the only English-language journal publishing research on Korea’s rich national heritage. Topics of history, geopolitics, religions, archaeology, anthropology, music and arts have been reported through more than 100 “Transactions” volumes, more than 1,500 lectures and possibly thousands of cultural excursions. RAS Korea was one of the first publishing enterprises to issue dozens of Korean history and culture monographs.
What had been a membership-driven society funded by dues, events and book sales has declined significantly since the early 2000s. Membership numbers are the lowest in 60 years. RAS has increasingly had to rely on donations from organizations that were not necessarily part of RAS Korea. After several years of giving our level best, we have been unable to boost membership to adequate levels for support and have been thwarted in our efforts to find outside support. We’ve had dozens of suggestions about grants and other funding sources, But we’ve already tried it all. I joined in the mid-1970s and have benefitted from and happily served RAS Korea. I’ve been an excursions docent, an editor, a member of the RAS Council, and several years, most recently as vice president and president.
Unfortunately, RAS Korea has reached a point of no return. In November, the RAS Council voted, with heavy hearts and an overwhelming sense of loss, to close the doors and dissolve the legal governing entity of the society. At the same time, we voted to find a new home for the RAS library. We hope to have an announcement about that in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the RAS office, which has been on the sixth floor of the Korea Ecumenical building at Daehag-ro in Seoul since the late 1970s, is now closed. After the holidays, we will vacate the office space.
There is much to celebrate about the 124 years of RAS Korea's work. Now, the entire world knows about Korea. Korean and Asian Studies departments abounded in universities worldwide. Dozens of scholarly societies pursue their deep interest in “all things” Korean.
There is good reason for hope in the future. RAS Korea has risen from the ashes over the past century and a quarter and may yet do so in the future.
Rev. Steven L. Shields FRAS has been the Royal Asiatic Society Korea president since January 2021. He is a columnist for The Korea Times. Visit www.raskb.com for more information about the society.
The Korea Times · December 26, 2024
19. Save the legacy of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea
Its history has rivaled Lazarus.
Save the legacy of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea
The Korea Times · December 29, 2024
By Choe Chong-dae
The Royal Asiatic Society Korea (RAS Korea), founded in 1900 in Seoul, is the world’s first organization dedicated exclusively to Korean studies. As the oldest English-language academic institution focused on Korea, it has played a pivotal role in advancing knowledge of Korea's history, culture, religion, language, literature and arts. Through its esteemed academic journal, Transactions, which has published 98 volumes, RAS Korea has significantly shaped Western understanding of the country.
Founded to promote Korea as a distinct civilization, RAS Korea has fostered a vibrant intellectual community across diverse disciplines. The society has organized regular lectures, cultural events, a literature club and field excursions, allowing members from all walks of life and various countries, including Korea — to deepen their understanding of Korea's heritage and legacy. This diversity has enriched the exploration of Korea’s culture, ensuring RAS Korea remains a dynamic institution with a lasting impact. For over a century, RAS Korea has played a vital role in promoting K-culture.
In 2023, I had the honor of publishing my paper “Humanistic Egalitarianism in Donghak” in Transactions Vol. 97, which received international attention among scholars of Korean studies and East Asian religions. Another paper, titled “Choe Nam-ju: A Pioneer of Korean Archaeology and Silla Cultural Heritage,” highlights his lifelong dedication to the excavation, preservation and research of cultural relics from the ancient Silla Kingdom in its capital, Gyeongju, as well as its surrounding areas. It was published earlier this month in Vol. 98 and garnered interest from scholars worldwide, including Donald Baker, professor emeritus of Asian studies at the University of British Columbia, who plans to incorporate it into his lectures on early Korean history.
In 1900, Korea was largely unknown to the world. RAS Korea pioneered the scholarly study and understanding of the country. Today, as global interest in Korea soars, RAS Korea struggles to remain relevant amid the many Korean studies programs and tour operators that have emerged.
As a longtime member, I’ve seen firsthand the profound impact RAS Korea has had on scholars and the public. One cherished memory is meeting Carl Ferris Miller during a 1960s excursion in my hometown of Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Silla Kingdom in North Gyeongsang Province. My father, a pioneer of Korean archaeology, led the tour, and Miller, fluent in Korean, translated my father’s explanations of Silla cultural remains. Miller, naturalized as a Korean citizen in 1979, dedicated his life to Korea’s conservation, including the creation of the Cheollipo Arboretum in Taean, South Chungcheong Province. Inspired by his work, I wrote an article in this paper, “C. F. Miller — Nature's Friend,” published May 18, 2006.
It is deeply disheartening to learn that RAS Korea is facing a crisis due to severe financial difficulties, with the prospect of losing its office and library — key symbols of its rich history.
The organization houses an invaluable collection of rare books and resources, serving as a vital hub for scholars and anyone interested in Korea. Moreover, RAS Transactions, the world’s oldest journal on Korean studies, remains an essential source of knowledge.
However, serious concerns loom over the society’s future, including the continuation of the journal and the potential shutdown of the organization. RAS Korea urgently needs donations to survive, and this troubling situation has saddened many supporters of Korean studies worldwide.
I urge both government organizations and the private sector in Korea to recognize RAS Korea’s vital contributions and provide the support needed to preserve its legacy. Ensuring the survival of this institution is essential for safeguarding Korea’s heritage and fostering global understanding.
It is my fervent hope that RAS Korea will recover, revitalize its organization and continue to rise to the challenges it first embraced 124 years ago.
Choe Chong-dae (choecd@naver.com) is a guest columnist of The Korea Times. He is president of Dae-kwang International Co., and founding director of the Korean-Swedish Association.
The Korea Times · December 29, 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
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