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Quotes of the Day:
"Life appears to me to be too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrong."
– Charlotte Brontë
"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."
– John Quincy Adams
"It is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him."
– John Steinbeck
1. S. Korea begins permitting easy public access to N. Korea's main newspaper
2. Gov't eases access to Yongsan park for visitors, seeks name change
3. Lee to make state visit to China next week for summit with Xi Jinping
4. Thae Yong-ho says North may build nuclear submarine before South
5. North Korea's nuclear sub reveal jolts US-Russia-China dynamics
6. North Korea debuts new launcher for nuclear missiles aimed at South Korea
7. China has warned ships against operating in North Korean waters, statements show
8. Defectors protest proposed new label for North Koreans in South
9. ＜Super-Telephoto N.Korea Video＞Massive Fortress-Like Yalu River Embankment Construction — Mobilized Soldiers' Lunch: Large Portions of Corn Rice
10. ＜North Korea Video＞State Conducts Large-Scale Vehicle Smuggling: BYD, Toyota, Heavy Equipment... 24 Smuggling Bases in Just 80km Stretch Near Hyesan
11. Car repair skills become pathway to income for North Korean youth
12. South Korea Debates Nuclear Power's Future in 2050 Energy Mix
13. North Korea's License Plates Reveal Power Hierarchy: Kim '0001', Park '0002'
1. S. Korea begins permitting easy public access to N. Korea's main newspaper
Summary:
South Korea’s Unification Ministry has begun allowing easier public access to north Korea’s Workers’ Party daily, Rodong Sinmun, by reclassifying it from “special materials” to “general materials.” Starting December 30, 2025, paper copies can be read at roughly 20 designated facilities and major public libraries without prior identity and purpose checks that were previously required. The ministry argues the restriction implied citizens could be swayed by propaganda and says broader access will let the public judge conditions in the north for themselves. Online access to the newspaper’s website remains blocked, but the government says it will pursue lifting blocks on about 60 north Korean sites.
Comment: WIll The ROK government erect reading posts on the sidewalks so people read the papers like their brothers and sisters do in the north? That would be quote a site.
This is good news for all the reasons I have written here:
Why South Korea must not restrict information about the North
https://www.upi.com/Voices/2025/12/19/perspective-north-korea-information-unrestricted/8141766162270/
This will help the Korean people in the South understand the regime and its lies and evil in the north. I have no concern about anyone in the South being "brainwashed" by exposure to the Rodong Shinmun. Anyone who fears this has little respect for the critical thinking skills of the Korean people in the South.
But what is most important about this is that now the South has the moral high ground. The ROK Government should first ask the regime to allow South Korean newspapers in the north. If the regime refuses then the ROKG should embark on an aggressive information campaign to get massive amounts of information into the north to include news and entertainment. Human rights and escapee organizations should begin a full court press ont eh ROKG to make this a priority to get information to the Korean people in the north.
S. Korea begins permitting easy public access to N. Korea's main newspaper | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Soo-yeon · December 30, 2025
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251230006700315?section=nk/nk
SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Koreans will be able to easily read the Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's main newspaper, at designated facilities and major public libraries, starting Tuesday, according to the unification ministry.
The public will be able to easily access the Rodong Sinmun, like general publications, at around 20 facilities, as the newspaper is now being classified as "general materials" not as "special" ones, the ministry said.
In South Korea, public access to the Rodong Sinmun, along with other North Korean publications, was restricted as it was classified as "special materials" under the spy agency's guidelines on concerns that it includes content praising and promoting the North Korean regime.
Previously, people were able to read the Rodong Sinmun at designated facilities, such as the ministry's information center on North Korea, only after their identity and purpose for accessing the content were verified.
But with the lifting of such restrictions, South Koreans will be able to easily access the paper version of the Rodong Sinmun. Still, online access to the newspaper's website will continue to be banned.
This undated file photo shows the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party. (Yonhap)
During the unification ministry's policy briefing on Dec. 19, President Lee Jae Myung said a ban on public access to North Korean publications amounts to "treating the public as those who can fall for propaganda and agitation" by the North.
"The government will continue to expand public access to North Korean information by enabling the people to freely access it and assess and judge the North's situation based on their mature level of consciousness," Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung told reporters Tuesday.
In a related effort, the government will push to lift restricted online access to around 60 North Korean websites, including that of the Korean Central News Agency, the North's state-run news agency, the ministry said.
Under the Information and Communications Network Act, the government can restrict the public's online access to information related to activities banned under the national security law after deliberations by the media communications commission.
Meanwhile, the ministry said it will "comprehensively" consider whether to lift South Korea's unilateral sanctions on North Korea imposed in 2010 under the former Lee Myung-bak administration.
The so-called May 24 sanctions include the suspension of most trade and economic exchanges with North Korea and the disapproval of fresh investment in North Korea. The measures were imposed to punish the North for its deadly torpedoing of the South Korean warship Cheonan in March 2010.
The ministry said in 2020 that the May 24 sanctions lost their effectiveness and do not hinder inter-Korean exchanges any longer, but has not officially announced the lifting of such measures.
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Soo-yeon · December 30, 2025
2. Gov't eases access to Yongsan park for visitors, seeks name change
Comment: So I am currently in Korea staying in the ROKAUS Hotel in Yongsan (The ROK military hotel right next to Yongsan Station and I think is sort of the ROK equivalent of the Dragon Hill Lodge - lots of ROK Army soldiers and young families that look just like American soldiers and their young families).
After my meetings I decided to walk over to Yongsan just to see what the old gate 19 entrance looks like (where CFC CJ37 used to be in the Old Japanese police station for those who are familiar. And the gate is near the Shinyoungson subway entrance for another reference.) (It is now called Gate 14 - I am sure it was Gate 19 when we lived there).
I thought I would try to see what was the status of the houses in that area and I wanted to see if I could see our old house where we lived for a few years.
I was quite surprised to find the gate open. It was not guarded but there were people in civilian clothes at the entrance and they invited me in. I had no idea it had been turned into a family park. The first house (which traditionally housed the family of the USFK Deputy J2 was now the park information center. I got a brochure (only in Korean) and proceeded to tour the exhibits which were all set up in the old quarters that were completely renovated and reconstructed. I started with the history of Yongsan and it was a modest but informative exhibit with a series of photos and renderings going back to the 19th Century with a timeline to the present (2023 when the park opened). It had a two minute video with all the park scenery in bloom. I took a video of the video and will post it on Facebook. I visited the library (again in converted quarters as well as art exhibits (again in converted quarters was an immersive light, water, and music show that was oddly meditative.).
But the highlight for me was finding the quarters we lived in from 2004-2006 and the one my wife and daughter lived in from 2006-2007 while I was in the Philippines. Our quarters were completely converted into a children's play house, the center wall of the duplex was removed and the entire building was full of beautiful well constructed children's playground equipment. I was able to walk as far as the fence around the last helipad and the old athletic fields where the South Post field house was. The entire area was immaculately groomed, with newly paved roads, and all the houses were painted white (instead of the tan color) but the roofs were still red tiled. As noted in the article below, up until this week you had to make reservations to enter and there were security checks but now it is completely open to the public.
I suppose it is the rising anti-American sentiment that influences the desire for the name change. I can see certain political factions calling for that. But even after the name change I am sure it will still be known as the place formerly known as Yongsan Army Garrison.
Coincidentally a couple of years ago old Blackhawk Village was also opened as a tourist area with the playground open for the children and some of the quarters opened for tours. One of them included our old apartment that we lived in in the 1990s.
I took exactly 100 photos and one video. I will post them on Facebook.
Gov't eases access to Yongsan park for visitors, seeks name change | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Lee Minji · December 30, 2025
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251230009900315
SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Yonhap) -- The land ministry said Tuesday it has eased access to a park near the former presidential office in Yongsan, removing a reservation process for security verification purposes.
The move comes after the presidential office, previously located near the defense ministry compound, completed its relocation to Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul, easing security measures in the surrounding area.
Previously, visitors to Yongsan Children's Garden had to submit their information in advance, raising criticism the policy prevents people from freely visiting the park.
Alongside the updated entry policy, the ministry said it plans to operate the park in a more efficient and transparent manner, and seek to change its name after accepting public feedback.
As part of efforts to better manage the park, the ministry said it plans to conduct regular monitoring of air and soil quality, and disclose the results to the public.
The part in front of the former presidential office occupies around 300,000 square meters of land previously used as a base by U.S. forces stationed in South Korea.
It was named Yongsan Children's Garden and opened to the public in May 2023 under the former administration following yearlong construction.
This file photo shows animation footage featuring Yongsan Children's Garden in front of the former presidential office building in Yongsan. (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Lee Minji · December 30, 2025
3. Lee to make state visit to China next week for summit with Xi Jinping
Summary:
President Lee Jae Myung will travel to China early next week for a state visit and summit with Xi Jinping, aiming to strengthen strategic cooperation and economic ties. He departs for Beijing on Sunday, holds talks with Xi, then visits Shanghai on Tuesday before returning Wednesday. It will be Lee’s first China trip since taking office in June and the first South Korean presidential state visit to China since 2017. The leaders are expected to discuss deliverables on supply chain investment, the digital economy, and transnational crime, while also addressing China’s role in encouraging renewed dialogue with north Korea. In Shanghai, Lee will commemorate Kim Gu’s 150th birthday and related independence milestones, and attend startup-business events
Comment: No mention of tension of Chinese incursions in the West Sea and the malign activities it is conducting there. Interesting that he will be celebrating the birthday of Kim Koo (Gu), the Korean independence fighter.
World News Dec. 30, 2025 / 4:20 AM
Lee to make state visit to China next week for summit with Xi Jinping
By Kim Eun-jung, Yonhap News Agency
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) will visit China next week for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday. In this November photo, the two leaders shake hands ahead of their meeting at the APEC summit in Gyeongju. Photo by Yonhap
President Lee Jae Myung will make a state visit to China early next week for summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday, with the leaders expected to discuss ways to strengthen strategic cooperation and bilateral economic ties.
Lee is scheduled to depart for Beijing on Sunday for summit talks with Xi. On next Tuesday, Lee will travel to Shanghai before returning home on Wednesday, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a briefing.
The meeting will be the leaders' second since their first summit talks on Nov. 1 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, South Korea.
It marks Lee's first visit to China since taking office in June and the first state visit to China by a South Korean president since 2017.
Related
Their first meeting in two months is expected to build on the momentum toward fully restoring "strategic cooperative partnership" between the two nations, according to the spokesperson.
"They are expected to discuss ways to produce tangible results that directly benefit people in both countries, including cooperation in supply chain investments, the digital economy and responses to transnational crime," Kang said.
The planned visit comes as Lee has pledged to manage relations with China -- South Korea's largest trading partner and a key economic backer of North Korea -- in a stable manner, amid Seoul's efforts to bring Pyongyang back to the dialogue table.
Seoul has urged Beijing to play a constructive role in fostering conditions for the resumption of dialogue with North Korea, with China reaffirming its commitment to stability on the Korean Peninsula.
While in Shanghai, Lee will mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Korean independence hero Kim Gu (1876-1949) and the centennial anniversary of the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in the city.
Kim was a key leader of the independence movement during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule and served as president of the provisional government in Shanghai.
Lee is also scheduled to attend business events aimed at boosting partnerships between venture and startup companies from the two countries, Kang said.
The two countries plan to sign several memorandums of understanding covering a range of cooperation areas during the visit, she added, noting that further details will be released later.
According to industry sources, a large-scale business delegation led by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won is expected to accompany Lee on the trip.
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo are also likely to join the delegation organized by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the sources said.
Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.
4. Thae Yong-ho says North may build nuclear submarine before South
Summary:
Thae Yong-ho argues that north Korea is likely to field a nuclear-powered submarine before South Korea because Pyongyang can move without legislative scrutiny or alliance constraints. He says the regime wants a survivable second-strike capability that looks credible to Washington, since land-based missiles are more exposed to interception or preemption. Thae judges the North’s claims as bluster but notes it often eventually produces what it promises, even if the quality is crude. He also assesses that north Korea has not yet proven key submarine-launched ballistic missile skills, pointing to a lack of confirmed underwater launches since it showcased a “nuclear attack submarine” in 2023. He dismisses alarm over limited Rodong Sinmun access in the South.
Comment: I wonder if Kim has convinced Putin to give him all the help he needs so that complete a sub before South Korea. After all it is a case of the Kim's keeping up with the Lee's.
World News Dec. 29, 2025 / 9:40 PM / Updated Dec. 29, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Thae Yong-ho says North may build nuclear submarine before South
By Asia Today and translated by UPI
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/12/29/nkorea-nuclear-submarine/5021767061934/
Former People Power Party lawmaker Thae Yong-ho speaks during an appearance on Asia Today TV’s “Shin Yul’s Political Check” on Dec. 29. Photo by Asia Today
Dec. 29 (Asia Today) -- Former People Power Party lawmaker Thae Yong-ho said Monday that North Korea is likely to build a nuclear-powered submarine before South Korea, citing Pyongyang's ability to bypass lengthy legislative and administrative processes.
Thae made the remarks during an appearance on Asia Today TV's political talk show Shin Yul's Political Check. He was commenting on North Korea's stated goal of developing a nuclear-powered strategic submarine as part of its five major defense modernization tasks.
"North Korea's objective is to create a nuclear threat that the United States would perceive as credible," Thae said. He added, however, that Washington still does not view Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities as an immediate existential threat.
He said a land-based nuclear missile launched from North Korea would take about an hour to reach the United States and could be intercepted or neutralized through a preemptive strike. "That's why North Korea is trying to develop a method to hide in the depths of the ocean and launch closer to U.S. shores," he said, adding that Pyongyang ultimately seeks recognition as a nuclear-armed state.
"North Korea lies a lot and engages in bluster," Thae said. "But when you look back, they usually end up building what they say they will. The quality may not be sophisticated, but they get it done. A nuclear submarine is just a matter of time."
Asked whether South Korea or North Korea would succeed first, Thae said he believed the North would do so earlier. He noted that while South Korea has much of the necessary technology, building a nuclear-powered submarine would require years of preparation, legislative approval and negotiations, particularly with the United States.
"Even if it were built at a U.S. shipyard, the infrastructure alone could take five years to prepare," he said. He added that fuel transfer issues and U.S. legislative approval would also pose major hurdles. "We are a democracy, so procedures take time. North Korea can simply cobble something together with Russia, but we cannot."
Thae also said North Korea has not yet completed its submarine-launched ballistic missile technology. He noted that while the North has displayed launches from barges, it has not conducted a confirmed underwater launch since unveiling a nuclear attack submarine in September 2023.
"If they had mastered the technology, they would have demonstrated it by now," he said, adding that firing missiles underwater while maintaining submarine stability is highly complex.
Thae also predicted that North Korea's internal power structure could move into what he described as an "era of Ri Sol-ju," referring to Kim Jong-un's wife. He said Kim's daughter, Kim Ju-ae's public appearances appear symbolic rather than indicative of an imminent female successor.
Turning to South Korea's decision to allow limited public access to Rodong Sinmun, Thae downplayed concerns about social impact. He said the newspaper is only available in restricted settings such as libraries and is not widely read even inside North Korea.
"In North Korea, officials are forced to read it during designated morning sessions," he said. "Who would read it here, and how many people would bother? There won't be major social repercussions."
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.
5. North Korea's nuclear sub reveal jolts US-Russia-China dynamics
Summary:
Gabriel Honrada argues that north Korea’s claimed nuclear-powered submarine hull signals a bid for a survivable sea-based deterrent and could tighten an authoritarian alignment with Russia and, indirectly, China. The piece notes major technical hurdles, including reactor safety, quieting, and sustainment, and frames the 2023 “Hero Kim Kun Ok” as a noisier, conventionally powered stopgap. It highlights reporting that Russia may have transferred decommissioned nuclear-propulsion modules, though Seoul says it cannot confirm. The article warns that a regional response, including US nuclear-propulsion sharing with South Korea, could be slow, costly, and carry proliferation risk by normalizing enrichment and reprocessing, while alliance uncertainty could amplify pressure for independent options.
Comment: It takes half a CRInK to build a nuclear powered submarine. (Apologies for the attempt at humor.)
North Korea's nuclear sub reveal jolts US-Russia-China dynamics - Asia Times
asiatimes.com · Gabriel Honrada · December 26, 2025
May be track two in a plan whose first track is to build conventionally-powered nuclear-armed submarines such as the Hero Kim Kun Ok
by Gabriel Honrada
December 27, 2025
https://asiatimes.com/2025/12/north-koreas-nuclear-sub-reveal-jolts-us-russia-china-dynamics/
North Korea’s nuclear submarine gambit marks a dangerous inflection point in the rise of an authoritarian nexus that challenges established deterrence dynamics.
This month, multiple media outlets reported North Korea’s unveiling of what it says is the completed hull of its first nuclear-powered submarine, marking a significant step in leader Kim Jong Un’s drive to build a survivable, sea-based nuclear deterrent amid rising tensions with the US and its allies.
State media released images showing Kim inspecting the welded hull of what was described as an 8,700-ton “nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine” at an indoor construction facility, indicating the vessel has not yet been launched.
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, inspecting what North Korea claims to be the country’s 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine, called Seoul’s nuclear-powered submarine development plan ‘an offensive act.’ Photo: KCNA / via Yonhap
Completion of the hull suggests a reactor may already be installed, although North Korea has not disclosed when the submarine will be operational. It is questionable how quickly the country can master reactor safety, quieting technology and long-term sustainment.
Kim first designated a nuclear submarine as a top weapons priority at a ruling Workers’ Party Congress in 2021, framing it as essential to counter what North Korea calls growing “hostile” threats from the US, South Korea and Japan.
This development follows North Korea’s September 2023 reveal of a “tactical nuclear attack submarine” – the Hero Kim Kun Ok. Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. and other writers note in a Beyond Parallel report that the Kim Kun Ok is a conventionally powered, refurbished Soviet Romeo-class submarine modified to carry submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).
As to what may be North Korea’s next move, Bermudez and others say that the country could modify its 17 to 20 Romeo-class submarines into a similar configuration, further modify the Hero Kim Kun Ok, or design a new class of ballistic missile submarines.
In view of those options, North Korea may be implementing a dual-track approach to its undersea nuclear arsenal, says Hong Min in a September 2023 article for the Korean Institute of National Unification. According to Hong, the first track is to build conventionally-powered nuclear-armed submarines such as the Hero Kim Kun Ok, while the second track is to build a nuclear-powered submarine.
As for the rationale for a follow-on design to the Hero Kim Kun Ok, Sukjoon Yoon mentions in an October 2023 report for the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) that while the submarine has regionally significant range, it has significant technical flaws owing to its ad-hoc design, flaws that incllude stability issues and noisiness leading to easy detection.
However, Russia could have been instrumental in helping North Korea get its nuclear submarine program up to speed, with the two authoritarian allies bound together by pragmatic factors and shared hostility to the US-led international order. North Korea has supplied artillery, ballistic missiles and manpower for Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, while Russia has supplied North Korea with energy, currency, food aid and advanced military technology.
In line with transfers of advanced military technology, the Korea JoongAng Daily reported in September 2025 that unnamed South Korean government sources said Russia may have transferred two or three nuclear submarine modules to North Korea during the first half of this year.
The report notes that the modules, taken from decommissioned Russian nuclear submarines, include the reactor, turbine and propulsion unit – the core components of a nuclear propulsion system.
Furthermore, in a South China Morning Post (SCMP) article from the same month, South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac mentioned that the government could not confirm the existence of such intelligence. However, SCMP notes that while the transfer is highly provocative, it would not be unrealistic given the growing ties between Russia and North Korea. Furthermore, China’s studied silence on North Korea’s nuclear submarine ambitions reinforces its position as a key player in Asia’s shifting deterrence dynamics.
But should a North Korean nuclear-powered submarine ever materialize, it would have profound regional and strategic consequences.
Possibly mirroring Russia’s nuclear propulsion quid pro quo with North Korea, Politico reported in October 2025 that the US Trump administration announced that it would share nuclear propulsion technology with South Korea after calls to the latter to invest $350 billion in the US economy.
However, Politico reports that South Korea’s new nuclear submarines would be built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, a commercial facility currently not equipped to build nuclear submarines. It also notes that Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) – the company responsible for building US nuclear submarines – faces two- to three-year delays in building Virginia-class submarines and 18- to 24-month delays for the Columbia-class submarines.
But matching North Korea’s nuclear submarine ambitions by responding in kind may not be the best solution. South Korea may have to grapple with the immense costs of a nuclear submarine program. In Australia, the AUKUS nuclear attack submarines (SSN-AUKUS) may cost up to USD 245 billion over the next three decades, raising the question of whether it would be wise to spend similar resources on just one capability over an extended timespan, or to acquire and improve more conventional capabilities.
Such capabilities may include improved conventional submarines, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities, or long-range precision strike capabilities intended to threaten North Korea’s leadership.
South Korea must also address the fact that nuclear propulsion sharing with the US requires a long-term political commitment and may also hinder Seoul’s strategic autonomy, all the more important given the unpredictable Trump Administration’s transactional view of alliances.
While nuclear propulsion per se doesn’t automatically mean nuclear weapons, the highly enriched uranium (HEU) used in US nuclear submarine reactors could pose a proliferation risk – possibly bringing South Korea closer to acquiring nuclear weapons.
Sharon Squassoni argues in an article this month for the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists that US support for South Korean nuclear propulsion could indirectly enable nuclear weapons development by legitimizing uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing, both key pathways to fissile material.
Squassoni says that allowing South Korea to pursue indigenous nuclear-powered submarines increases pressure to master enrichment for naval fuel and reprocessing for waste management, eroding longstanding US nonproliferation restraints.
She notes that these capabilities, while nominally civilian, create a latent or “virtual” nuclear weapons option by shortening breakout timelines and complicating safeguards, especially given loopholes for naval fuel in International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) rules. In line with that, Squassoni points out that US approval risks conferring de facto latent nuclear-weapon-state status on South Korea.
While the idea of South Korea arming itself with nuclear weapons is extreme, it may gain traction amid doubts about US extended deterrence guarantees. A US military debacle in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea – whether a defeat by China or a US refusal to assist Taiwan or intervene in a limited South China Sea skirmish involving the Philippines – could expose US weakness and decline, irreparably damaging the credibility of its alliances.
While North Korea’s nuclear submarine ambition may not yet have gone critical, it is already powering a dangerous chain reaction across Asia.
asiatimes.com · Gabriel Honrada · December 26, 2025
6. North Korea debuts new launcher for nuclear missiles aimed at South Korea
Summary:
north Korean state media says Kim Jong Un inspected a factory producing new wheeled transporter-erector-launchers for the 600mm multiple launch rocket system and called the weapon a future “main strike” capability for the KPA with conventional and “strategic” roles, implying nuclear warhead integration. Photos suggest a new five-tube launcher configuration and an apparent production run of multiple completed vehicles, with additional units still under assembly. Kim ordered broader modernization of the plant and related munitions facilities to accelerate artillery upgrades. The report notes the system’s 300 to 400 km range and its longstanding framing as a South Korea targeting weapon.
Comment: TRP 1: Osan. TRP 2: Kunsan. TRP 3 the largest US military base outside of the United States- Camp Humphreys.
North Korea debuts new launcher for nuclear missiles aimed at South Korea
Kim Jong Un visits factory making new launch vehicle for 600mm MLRS, calling it the military’s ‘main strike’ capability
Colin Zwirko December 30, 2025
https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/north-korea-debuts-new-launcher-for-nuclear-missiles-aimed-at-south-korea/
Kim Jong Un inspects the March 16 Factory producing new 600mm MLRS TELs reportedly on Dec. 28 | Image: Rodong Sinmun (Dec. 30, 2025)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a factory making launch vehicles for 600mm multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) on Sunday, according to state media, saying he wants it to become the country’s “main” weapon with both conventional and nuclear strike capabilities.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) report on Tuesday did not name the factory or the weapon system, but photos show what appear to be a new five-tube configuration for the 600mm MLRS.
NK News analysis of the photos shows Kim visited the March 16 Factory in Phyongsong just north of the capital, based on the matching interior.
In the five initial photos released by KCNA, there appeared to be up to 16 completed models of wheeled transporter erector launch vehicles (TELs) and nine unfinished units of the new five-tube design.
At least two unfinished intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) TELs appeared in the background as well. ICBM TELs have been the main focus of production during Kim’s past visits to the factory.
Kim Jong Un inspects the March 16 Factory producing new five-tube 600mm MLRS TELs reportedly on Dec. 28 | Image: Rodong Sinmun (Dec. 30, 2025)
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“The multiple rocket system, which will be the main strike means of the Korean People’s Army (KPA), will completely change the composition of our artillery force,” Kim reportedly said Sunday.
The 600mm MLRS “will be used in large quantities for concentrated attack in military operations,” including “as a strategic attack means,” Kim stated, likely referring to equipping the rockets with Hwasan-31 nuclear warheads as he previously claimed.
KCNA reported that Kim was satisfied with the TEL production, calling them “a super-powerful weapon system [that] can annihilate the enemy through sudden precise strike with high accuracy and devastating power.”
Kim also ordered a major modernization project for the March 16 Factory and other weapons plants, saying “we should bring about a revolution in upgrading the artillery weapon system” by improving production processes and equipment.
While Kim said the new 600mm systems are “to be equipped by major units of the KPA” in the future, it also remains possible that he is initiating a production push in order to export the weapons to Russia, following his provision of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) and smaller caliber MLRS rockets and TELs in recent years for use in the war against Ukraine.
Weapons officials have been iterating designs for the 600mm MLRS TEL in recent years, having previously revealed separate new six-tube configurations at the October military parade and during Kim’s most recent public inspection to the March 16 Factory in Sept. 2024.
NK News previously reported that six-tube tracked TELs appear to be under production at the Kusong tank plant.
This image comparison shows differences between the six-tube 600mm MLRS TEL which appeared at the Oct. 10 military parade (bottom) and the ones Kim inspected on Sunday. The vehicles weight appears completely rebalanced, with the front wheel now under the cab and a lighter payload of five instead of six missiles | Images: Rodong Sinmun (Dec. 30, 2025), KCNA/KCTV (Oct. 11, 2025), edited by NK News
This image comparison shows identical interior features between the TEL assembly building Kim reportedly inspected on Dec. 28 and previously in 2024, which NK News already matched to the March 16 Factory in Phyongsong | Images: Rodong Sinmun (Dec. 30, 2025), KCNA (May 18, 2024), KCTV (Jan. 5, 2024), edited by NK News
The 600mm rockets themselves have so far only appeared under production at the Kanggye Tractor Factory, though it’s possible they are made at additional locations.
North Korea has tested the system over 20 times since July 2019. The rockets are sometimes mistaken for SRBMs since they exhibit similar range, having flown 300 to 400 km during tests in recent years.
Pyongyang has typically framed the missiles as a key weapon targeting South Korea, such as when it launched 600mm rockets simultaneously from a mix of four and six-tube wheeled and tracked TELs in May 2024.
At a New Year’s Eve ceremony in 2023 celebrating deployment of 30 tracked TELs to KPA units, Kim Jong Un said the weapon system “has South Korea as a whole within strike range and is capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads.”
Joining Kim for the inspection on Sunday were head of the party munitions industry department Jo Chun Ryong, defense minister No Kwang Chol, top missile development official Kim Jong Sik, Missile Administration chief Jang Chang Ha and factory managers.
The visit appeared to take place on the same day that Kim oversaw a cruise missile test and inaugurated a paper factory.
It was the DPRK leader’s seventh public visit to the March 16 Factory. Notably, he also visited without state media coverage in 2018, just weeks after agreeing to work toward denuclearization in his first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
State media used to publish the factory’s name, alternatively calling it the Phyongnam General Machine Plant, when covering Kim’s inspections in 2019 and 2017. It said those visits were related to commercial truck production.
Pyongyang has since reported on Kim’s visits in Aug. 2023 and in January, May and most recently Sept. 2024, while omitting the factory’s name and obscuring the faces of its managers. Its managers’ faces were not blurred in Tuesday’s report, however.
Most visits have suggested the factory is focused on building TELs for North Korea’s range of liquid and solid-fuel ICBMs, but SRBM and 600mm MLRS TELs have appeared there occasionally since Kim’s Aug. 2023 visit.
Edited by Kristen Talman
7. China has warned ships against operating in North Korean waters, statements show
Summary:
Beijing has repeatedly warned Chinese fishing boats not to cross into waters under north Korea’s jurisdiction, citing March 2025 guidance under the “China Fishery Law Enforcement Sword 2025” campaign and similar language in 2024 enforcement guidance. Yet illegal activity persists. South Korea’s coast guard reported an average of about 190 Chinese vessels operating illegally near the inter-Korean maritime border in recent months, and Seoul seized vessels in December and ordered tougher enforcement. Analysts argue the gap reflects selective enforcement, with China preferring the appearance of compliance while limiting real policing. Structural weaknesses in the China–ROK fisheries framework, built around provisional zones and flag-state jurisdiction, further complicate deterrence.
Comment: What about Chinese malign activities in South Korean waters? Will that be addressed at the Xi-Lee summit?
China has warned ships against operating in North Korean waters, statements show
But illegal fishing continues despite Beijing’s official stance, raising questions about commitment to enforcement
Jifan Li December 29, 2025
https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/china-has-warned-ships-against-operating-in-north-korean-waters-statements-show/
Chinese fisheries enforcement authorities inspect vessels engaged in illegal fishing during the China Fishery Law Enforcement Sword 2025 campaign. | Image: China Fishery Law Enforcement (Aug. 2025)
Beijing has repeatedly warned fishing vessels against operating in waters near the Korean Peninsula throughout this year, NK News analysis shows, raising questions about why Chinese boats continue to engage in illegal fishing from North Korean waters.
China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued a directive on March 27 under its China Fishery Law Enforcement Sword 2025 campaign that called on agencies to “jointly crack down on Chinese fishing vessels illegally exiting the country or crossing boundaries to fish in waters under the jurisdiction of North Korea, South Korea … as well as sensitive waters between North and South Korea.”
The document prioritized regulating illegal fishing near the Korean Peninsula and emphasized coordination with maritime enforcement agencies. Similar language appeared in China’s fisheries enforcement guidance in 2024.
Chinese industry groups have publicly echoed Beijing’s official stance: In 2025, the China Fisheries Association said it would “coordinate with the China-South Korea Fisheries Agreement” and “promote solid and deeper cooperation in foreign fisheries.”
China and South Korea also agreed in August to strengthen cooperation to curb illegal fishing under their bilateral fisheries agreement.
However, the ROK coast guard reported in November that a daily average of 190 Chinese civilian vessels had illegally operated near the inter-Korean maritime border in preceding months. South Korea then seized six Chinese vessels on suspicion of illegal fishing in ROK waters on Dec. 9. Three days later, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung ordered tougher enforcement against illegal Chinese fishing vessels operating in South Korea’s exclusive economic zone.
A video posted on the Chinese social media platform Douyin earlier this year also suggested that some in China have openly discussed fishing operations in Korean waters. The short clip shows several Chinese individuals in North Korea talking about commercial activity in front of a map labeled “Fishing Zone Map near South Hwanghae Province.” The map depicts waters close to the inter-Korean Northern Limit Line, an area with heightened political and security sensitivities.
Peter Ward, a research fellow at the Sejong Institute in South Korea, said the footage points to selective enforcement rather than isolated lapses.
“I think a lot of what we’re seeing is Beijing uninterested in serious sanctions enforcement,” the expert said.
“They don’t want to openly endorse and they seek to appear as aggressive enforcers. But in practice, they do not expend resources to prevent their fisherman from engaging in risky and politically problematic activities because they don’t think it’ll actually cause any serious troubles.”
The discrepancy underscores a gap between Beijing’s purported maritime enforcement, with private fishermen appearing to exploit regulatory blind spots in one of Northeast Asia’s most sensitive maritime zones.
Enforcement is complicated by structural weaknesses in the China-South Korea fisheries management framework, according to Ding Duo, director of the Institute of Regional and Country Studies at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies
China and South Korea initially signed the China-South Korea Fisheries Agreement in 2000 as a provisional arrangement after shelving maritime boundary delimitation.
This agreement created shared and provisional fishing zones governed by flag-state jurisdiction, a framework that “helped avoid direct jurisdictional conflict” and “weakened effective law enforcement in overlapping waters,” Ding wrote in April 2019 column.
The arrangement has increasingly worked against Chinese fishermen because of the uneven distribution of fish stocks in the Yellow Sea, the expert assessed.
“Many traditional Chinese fishing grounds are located in waters closer to the Korean side,” while resources nearer China’s coast were “relatively scarce,” he wrote.
Ding also accused South Korean authorities of “taking action without timely and accurate information sharing,” leading to cases in which Chinese vessels are penalized “before the relevant conduct is clearly determined.”
Edited by David Choi
8. Defectors protest proposed new label for North Koreans in South
Summary:
Defector-led organizations in South Korea protested the Unification Ministry’s review of changing the official term “North Korean defectors,” urging the government to halt the process and release results of a late September to early October public opinion survey. They opposed “Bukhyangmin” in particular, arguing it could be misunderstood as implying sympathy for north Korea rather than escape from repression, and said it undermines defector identity. The dispute sharpened after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said on Dec. 19 that “all” defectors reject the current label, citing feedback from roughly 60 residents at Hanawon on Dec. 5. Another umbrella association demanded an apology and formal public deliberation before any change.
Comment: South Korea needs to get this narrative correct both out of respect for escapees but also to educate the Korean people in the South as well as to influence the Korean people in the north so they know will be treated with dignity and respect when they come to the South. Getting the narrative right has to be a supporting effort in the pursuit of a free and unified Korea.
World News Dec. 29, 2025 / 9:31 PM / Updated Dec. 29, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Defectors protest proposed new label for North Koreans in South
By Asia Today and translated by UPI
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/12/29/nkorea-defectors-protest-official-term-change/1251767061462/
Rep. Park Chung-kwon of the People Power Party and leaders of North Korean defector groups hold a news conference at the National Assembly Communication Center in Seoul on Dec. 29 to oppose changing the official term “North Korean defectors” to “Bukhyangmin.” Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Dec. 29 (Asia Today) -- North Korean defector groups on Monday urged South Korea's Unification Ministry to halt its push to replace the official term for defectors, warning that one leading alternative could be misunderstood as meaning people who "look toward" North Korea.
Five defector organizations, including the Committee for North Korean Democracy and the North Korea Strategy Center, held a news conference at the National Assembly and issued a joint statement calling for the government to stop reviewing the term change and to release the results of a public opinion survey conducted from late September to early October, organizers said.
The groups objected in particular to "Bukhyangmin," a term the ministry has weighed as a possible replacement for "North Korean defectors." They said the word could be confused with similar-sounding phrases that imply sympathy for North Korea, framing it as an attack on defector identity.
The dispute also intensified after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said during a Dec. 19 work report that "all" defectors strongly reject the current term, a claim critics said overgeneralized defector views. The ministry has said Chung asked roughly 60 residents at Hanawon, a government resettlement and education center in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, during a private visit on Dec. 5 and that all those present supported a change.
At the news conference, Kang Cheol-hwan, head of the North Korea Strategy Center, questioned whether the new term would make defectors appear to be people who admire North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Other speakers argued the current term reflects "escape" from the North Korean system and symbolizes resistance to repression.
A broader umbrella group, the National Association of North Korean Defectors, also issued a separate statement demanding a public apology for what it called distorted remarks and urging the government to guarantee public deliberation if it changes terminology tied to defectors, organizers said.
The ministry has said it is reviewing whether to adjust legal terminology and social usage to reduce negative connotations and support settlement and social integration.
Previous surveys have shown mixed views among defectors. A Korea Institute for National Unification survey found about 59% of defector respondents said a change was needed, but preferences among alternatives were split, with "Hanamin," "Tongilmin" and "Bukhyangmin" drawing similar levels of support, news reports said.
The Unification Ministry has not announced a final decision and has said it is internally reviewing whether to disclose results from its latest survey, according to local reports.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.
9. ＜Super-Telephoto N.Korea Video＞Massive Fortress-Like Yalu River Embankment Construction — Mobilized Soldiers' Lunch: Large Portions of Corn Rice
Comment: Video at the link:
＜Super-Telephoto N.Korea Video＞Massive Fortress-Like Yalu River Embankment Construction — Mobilized Soldiers' Lunch: Large Portions of Corn Rice
asiapress.org
https://www.asiapress.org/rimjin-gang/2025/12/movie/video-3/
Uiju County is located upstream on the Yalu River from Sinuiju in North Pyongan Province. The area was flooded by heavy rains in late July 2024, and recovery work has been underway. One year later, what is the situation on the ground? The ASIAPRESS reporting team filmed the site from the Chinese side in September 2025. Stone embankment construction has continued since last year, and a massive levee resembling a fortress wall was under construction. We also captured soldiers eating lunch, wolfing down large portions of corn rice. (ASIAPRESS Editorial Team)
South Korean 'Doosan' Heavy Equipment Bears North Korean Slogans
Eojeokdo Island in Uiju County, filmed by the reporting team, is a river island in the Yalu River that was swept by floods. Construction of a massive embankment was progressing as if to encircle the island. Its scale and height made it look like a fortress wall.
Excavators from South Korean company 'Doosan' were being used in the construction. While the "DOOSAN" logo remained intact, slogans reading "Spirit of Mt. Paektu's Cold Wind" and "Ten Thousand Miles Following the Party Central Committee" were written on the boom section.
Mobilized soldiers were moving ceaselessly, carrying blocks on their backs, placing concrete blocks on the embankment slopes, and securing them. At lunchtime, we were able to observe the rare sight of soldiers eating. They squatted on the ground with large servings of corn rice, eating their side dishes together with soup.
The Ninth Party Congress is scheduled for early 2026 in North Korea. The Kim Jong-un regime intends to move past last year's major flood damage and promote the completion of recovery construction as a major achievement symbolizing regional development.
This must be placing enormous pressure on the young soldiers mobilized for the rushed construction project.
More details can be confirmed in the video footage.
※ This audio utilizes VoiceGate from video production company VIDWEB. (https://vidweb.co.jp/)
10. ＜North Korea Video＞State Conducts Large-Scale Vehicle Smuggling: BYD, Toyota, Heavy Equipment... 24 Smuggling Bases in Just 80km Stretch Near Hyesan
Comment: Another indicator that KJU cannot maintain control? video at the link.
＜North Korea Video＞State Conducts Large-Scale Vehicle Smuggling: BYD, Toyota, Heavy Equipment... 24 Smuggling Bases in Just 80km Stretch Near Hyesan
asiapress.org
https://www.asiapress.org/rimjin-gang/2025/12/movie/video-2/
Hyesan in North Korea's Ryanggang Province has emerged as a hub for "state smuggling" that undermines international sanctions.
In mid-September, ASIAPRESS captured with super-telephoto cameras hundreds of smuggled vehicles parked throughout Hyesan on the upper Yalu River, facing Changbai County in China's Jilin Province.
Large quantities of vehicles have been brought in, including passenger cars, buses, large trucks, and construction equipment with license plates removed, as well as luxury cars such as Chinese BYD electric vehicles, Japanese Toyotas, and Hongqi, known as China's "Rolls-Royce."
These are vehicles brought in through "state smuggling," in which North Korean authorities collude with Chinese smugglers to evade sanctions against North Korea, crossing the border by creating paths with excavators at shallow fords in the Yalu River or by building temporary bridges. Satellite image analysis revealed more than 24 smuggling routes in just an approximately 80km stretch downstream along the Yalu River.
Due to the sudden increase in vehicles, Hyesan is experiencing severe parking shortages, with school playgrounds taken over by smuggled vehicles and factories demolished and transformed into massive parking lots. Behind the large-scale vehicle smuggling taking place at the North Korea-China border appears to be the policy permitting private vehicle ownership, implemented in February of this year.
For more details, please refer to the video.
※ This audio uses the voice gate of video production company VIDWEB.
11. Car repair skills become pathway to income for North Korean youth
Summary:
Rising inflows of used cars from China are making auto repair a practical income path for young north Koreans, especially those in their late 20s to mid-30s, according to a Daily NK source in Ryanggang province. Because many imported vehicles are old and prone to breakdowns, demand for repairs is growing, and repair skills now offer a way to earn money with little upfront capital. Some youths are paying experienced mechanics to train them. The report highlights a Hyesan man in his 30s learning repairs to better support his wife and child, reflecting a broader shift toward self-reliance and private earning. The trend undercuts official expectations that assigned state jobs alone are sufficient.
Comment: The Korean people will survive because of their own skills and will not because of the regime. There is a lot to do with this information to support an information warfare plan.
Car repair skills become pathway to income for North Korean youth
dailynk.com
Growing numbers of used Chinese vehicles have created new economic opportunities for those willing to learn technical skills
By Lee Chae Eun - December 30, 2025
https://www.dailynk.com/english/car-repair-skills-become-pathway-to-income-for-north-korean-youth/
A car on the streets of Pyongyang. (Lawrence Wang, Creative Commons, Flickr)
Many more young North Koreans are learning car repair skills to earn a living amid the recent rise in used cars entering the country from China. Acquiring technical skills has become a realistic way to earn money and build assets.
“More young people have recently learned car or motorcycle repair skills,” a Daily NK source in Ryanggang province said recently. “People in their late 20s to mid-30s are learning these skills, regardless of their marital status.”
With the recent rise in the number of car owners and operators in North Korea, demand for learning car repair skills has naturally grown. Given the frequent need for repairs, as most cars imported from China are old and often break down, auto repair is becoming a new market for making money.
In the past, car repair was an occupation North Koreans avoided. There were few cars in the country, and the occupation carried the image of hard labor because its practitioners’ bodies and clothing were often covered in grease and oil.
However, as demand for auto repairs naturally rises with the recent growth in the number of cars in North Korea, having car repair skills has become a sure way to make money. Young people are especially keen on auto repair as it allows them to earn money with little initial investment.
In fact, some young people are paying individuals with car repair skills to learn from them. This has become a recent trend, with the number of young people who wish to learn auto repair skills continuing to grow, the source said.
Young father seeks self-sufficiency
A young person in his 30s in Hyesan has been learning auto repair skills for about a month to provide for his family. According to the source, the man “felt that after getting married and having a kid, his wife couldn’t support the family as the sole earner.” Accordingly, he “looked at ways to make money without seed money and found that people his age were flocking to learn car or motorcycle repair, so he also began learning it.”
“The only thing I’m thinking about now is learning repair skills and saving money,” the man said. “I want to make money and raise our child with my wife free from want and reduce the burden on my parents, about whom I always worry because I can’t help them financially.”
This trend among young people contrasts starkly with the establishment view that all one needs to do is perform their assigned work well.
In particular, in the past, North Korean men were locked in a patriarchal mindset — they believed all they needed to do was focus on their workplace with assistance from their wives. However, young men today have turned their sights to well-paying jobs because they strongly wish to take care of their families themselves.
“Young people are interested in work that can generate income,” the source said. “Above all, repair work is becoming a practical means to earn a living among young people who can count on little help from their parents or come from poor backgrounds.”
“More young people will pursue private economic activity, attending their assigned workplaces only on paper,” the source said. “Nowadays, no matter how much the state tries to tie young people to organizational activities, young people prioritize making a living on their own, and the state will find it hard to reverse this.”
Read in Korean
dailynk.com
12. South Korea Debates Nuclear Power's Future in 2050 Energy Mix
Summary:
South Korea’s new climate and energy ministry convened its first National Assembly forum on a 2050 carbon neutrality power mix, exposing sharp divisions over nuclear expansion versus a renewables led transition. KAIST’s Jeong Yong-hoon warned the government’s scenarios omit electricity price impacts and, in practice, resemble nuclear phase out plans even as the U.S. and China revive nuclear for competitiveness. He argued renewables would require massive batteries and storage at prohibitive cost and could drive industry offshore. Energy Transition Forum’s Seok Kwang-hoon countered that nuclear is inflexible, faces frequent output curtailment, and that solar is already displacing gas; he urged safety and economics reviews of existing plants before any new builds. Coal phase out timelines and worker compensation also drew sustained debate.
Comment: What is the future of nuclear power in Korea?
South Korea Debates Nuclear Power's Future in 2050 Energy Mix
Experts clash over nuclear phase-out and renewable expansion in carbon neutrality push
By Lee In-ah(ChosunBiz)
Published 2025.12.30. 19:35
Updated 2025.12.30. 19:40https://www.chosun.com/english/industry-en/2025/12/30/O3HUPYQUDFEGREGS3GQ54CVKKQ/
“The 2050 energy mix scenario released today does not include details on how much the burden of electricity bills will increase. A scenario must be presented, even if it’s incorrect, regarding how much the electricity cost burden will rise. Moreover, the current discussions are essentially a nuclear phase-out scenario. While the U.S. and China, leading the global economy, are reviving nuclear power to enhance industrial competitiveness, South Korea is moving in the opposite direction. Can Korea survive solely by pursuing carbon neutrality? If the direction is wrong, the course must be changed.” (Professor Jeong Yong-hoon, KAIST Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering)
“Nuclear power has drawbacks: large scale and inability to adjust output in real time. Power shortages caused by temporary nuclear plant shutdowns are continuously being filled by expensive gas power generation. In reality, solar power, which has no fuel costs, is replacing gas power. Discussions on the economic feasibility and safety of currently operating nuclear plants must come first. Building more large-scale new nuclear plants does not suit South Korea’s circumstances.” (Senior Researcher Seok Kwang-hoon, Energy Transition Forum)
On the 30th, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment held its first policy discussion at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, under the theme “Carbon Neutrality and Desirable Energy Mix.” The discussion focused on debates over whether to build new nuclear plants and phase out coal power plants. The forum aimed to discuss mid- to long-term energy mix directions and power supply stability measures under the premise of achieving carbon neutrality.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment holds the first policy forum themed 'Carbon Neutrality and a Desirable Energy Mix' at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul on the 30th. /News1
Minister Kim Sung-whan of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment shared his views on nuclear power in a keynote speech before the discussion. Minister Kim stated, “Nuclear power was an important base-load power source, but South Korea has the highest number of nuclear plants per unit area globally. There is no doubt that nuclear power is a highly dangerous energy source prone to accidents, and it also has the problem of inflexible operation.”
However, Minister Kim added, “If the most urgent issue in human history is responding to the climate crisis, coal and gas power plants must also be phased out as energy sources, and ultimately, a major energy transition combining carbon-free renewable energy and nuclear power is needed. How to implement this in practice is South Korea’s challenge.”
Minister Kim’s remarks were scrutinized throughout the discussion. Some panelists and attendees strongly protested, arguing that the minister had convened a nuclear phase-out discussion. Professor Jeong criticized during the discussion, “South Korea not only has the highest number of nuclear plants per unit area but also the most extensive solar panel installations.”
◇ “Difficult to Protect Industry with Renewable Energy” vs “Nuclear Power, Power Reduction Leading to Waste”
The policy discussion proceeded with presentations by three speakers, followed by a panel debate. The first presentation was by Researcher Shin Heum-cheol from the Korea Energy Economics Institute on the topic “2050 Energy Demand Outlook.” This was followed by Professor Lee Ji-woong from Pukyong National University on “Carbon Neutrality and Coal Power Transition Direction,” and Director Ok Gi-yeol from Korea Power Exchange’s Energy System Innovation Headquarters on “Energy Mix Plans of Major Overseas Countries and South Korea’s Policy Direction.” All analyses were based on the government’s policy of expanding renewable energy.
Professor Jang Gil-soo from Korea University moderated the discussion. Panelists included Professor Jeong, Professor Oh Hyung-na from Kyung Hee University, Song Yong-hyun, Deputy Representative of the Next Corporation, Senior Researcher Seok, Nam Tae-seop, Secretary-General of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions’ National Power Industry Labor Union, and Choi Hyuk-jun, Head of Korea Western Power’s Gongju Construction Headquarters.
Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment Kim Sung-whan delivers opening remarks at the 'Carbon Neutrality and a Desirable Energy Mix 1st Policy Forum' held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul on the 30th. /Yonhap
Professor Jeong pointed out, “The presentations omitted all content regarding future electricity prices if renewable energy is expanded by 2050 or the effects of building new nuclear plants. If renewable energy is expanded as planned by the government, 200 gigawatts (GW) of batteries would be needed to compensate for renewable energy volatility, costing 100 trillion Korean won at current prices. If solar power generation is impossible due to rain, an energy storage system (ESS) worth 300 trillion Korean won would be required.”
Professor Jeong added, “Renewable energy cannot protect South Korea’s industries. How can we prevent Korean companies from moving to the U.S. in search of stable electricity? I am worried about how to explain that industries will disappear, leaving no jobs for our children.”
Senior Researcher Seok, a former anti-nuclear activist, noted that domestic nuclear plants experience approximately five instances of “power reduction” (measures to forcibly lower output and reduce generation) annually, undermining safety and economic efficiency. As solar power generation increases, grid operators reduce the output of base-load nuclear power to prevent grid overload.
Senior Researcher Seok stated, “Even France, which operates nuclear power more flexibly than South Korea, wastes electricity by reducing nuclear output 365 days a year. South Korea has an isolated grid (an independent power system not connected to external grids), so the shock from expanding renewable energy is greater than in other countries. Discussing new nuclear plant construction is inconsistent with the situation.”
There were also calls for in-depth discussions on phasing out coal power plants.
Deputy Representative Song said, “Phasing out coal alone can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but our society needs a clear roadmap on whether to proceed with coal phase-out.” Secretary-General Nam stated, “The disappearance of coal power plants is linked to jobs and regional economies, so discussions on compensation are necessary.”
The discussion, scheduled from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., ended 30 minutes late due to a flood of questions from attendees. Participants requested that the second discussion allocate sufficient time for questions. The second discussion is scheduled for the first week of next month.
13. North Korea's License Plates Reveal Power Hierarchy: Kim '0001', Park '0002'
Summary:
north Korea’s state media noticed Kim Jong Un changed the plate on his Russian gifted Aurus limousine to “7·27 0001,” shifting from “7·27 1953” and signaling a “number one” supreme leader marker tied to the July 27 armistice date. Broadcast footage then showed Cabinet Premier Park Tae-seong using “7·27 0002” and Supreme People’s Assembly standing committee chairman Choe Ryong-hae using “7·27 0003.” Analysts read that ordering as political messaging: the cabinet, especially the premier who drives economic management, is being elevated above the legislature in visible protocol. The article cites seating and roll call patterns where Park appears immediately after Kim and is named first among top standing committee figures, reinforcing a “number two” interpretation. A Kyungnam University scholar calls it symbolic empowerment short of military affairs.
Comment: KJU says "there can be only one. But I guess the "Kimologists" have another indicator to determine status after number one.
North Korea's License Plates Reveal Power Hierarchy: Kim '0001', Park '0002'
Park Tae-seong's '0002' plate signals Cabinet's rising political status under Kim Jong-un
By Kim Dong-ha
Published 2025.12.30. 10:48
Updated 2025.12.30. 14:33https://www.chosun.com/english/north-korea-en/2025/12/30/L54UZIAXJFHPBPDWUFZRX4NBKI/
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends the completion ceremony of a local factory in Sinpo-si, South Hamgyong Province, built according to the 'Regional Development 20×10 Policy' on the 19th. Korean Central Television reports on the 21st. /Korean Central Television-Yonhap
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently replaced the license plate of the dedicated limousine ‘Aurus,’ gifted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, with ‘7·27 0001.’ The previous plate number, ‘7·27 1953,’ combined the date of the Korean War (6·25 War) armistice agreement (July 27, 1953). The new plate signifies ‘Number 1,’ symbolizing the supreme leader of North Korea.
Who then uses the license plates ‘0002’ and ‘0003,’ which reflect the power hierarchy among North Korean high-ranking officials?
North Korean media, including Korean Central Television, identified that Park Tae-seong, the Cabinet Premier, uses ‘0002,’ while Choe Ryong-hae, the Standing Committee Chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly, uses ‘0003.’
North Korean Cabinet Premier Park Tae-seong exits a passenger vehicle with license plate '7.27.0002' to attend the 13th plenary meeting of the 8th Party Central Committee expanded session on the 11th. /Korean Central Television-Yonhap
Analysts suggest that the Cabinet Premier, who oversees the administrative branch, being assigned a higher-numbered vehicle than the head of the legislative branch indicates a rise in the political status of the Cabinet.
During the 80th-anniversary celebration of the Workers’ Party of Korea held in Pyongyang last October, Kim Jong-un was seated with Chinese Premier Li Qiang to his right, followed by Park Tae-seong and Choe Ryong-hae. In recent roll calls of the Political Bureau Standing Committee members of the Workers’ Party—the highest core power in North Korea—Park Tae-seong has been called first. This has led to interpretations that Park’s official power ranking has solidified as the ‘Number 2.’
Standing Committee Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea Choe Ryong-hae exits a passenger vehicle with license plate '7.27.0003' to attend the North Korean Constitution Day commemorative event on the 27th and moves to the venue. /Korean Central Television-Yonhap
During the reigns of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, the Cabinet was subordinate to the Workers’ Party, with the party and military holding absolute dominance. However, under Kim Jong-un, analyses suggest that the status of the Cabinet Premier, who oversees economic affairs, has been elevated, as seen in policies like the ‘Local Development 20×10’ initiative.
Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies, stated, “Except for military affairs, Park Tae-seong can be considered the de facto responsible official, so this is a symbolic measure to empower him.”
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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