Quotes of the Day:

“Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness, but you keep going when you're going is hard and slow – that is patience. The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” 

– Leo Tolstoy.

“The exercise of imagination is dangerous to those who profit from the way things are because it has the power to show that the way things are is not permanent, not universal, not necessary.” 

– Ursula K, Le Guin, American author, change agent, and social critic, 1929 - 2018.

"I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." 

– Robert Frost

1. North Korea says it will no longer seek reunification with South Korea, will launch new spy satellites in 2024 

2. N. Korea to launch 3 more military spy satellites, build more nukes next year: state media

3. Sacked N. Korean military official returns to No. 2 post of military

4. U.S. warns N. Korea's space rocket launches flout U.N. Security Council resolutions

5. Yoon to give live New Year's address

6. S. Korean shipbuilders rank 2nd in new global orders in 2023: data

7. N.K. leader says 2 Koreas are 'hostile nations at war' with no chance of unification

8. North Korea's Kim vows to launch 3 more spy satellites and produce more nuclear materials in 2024

9. South Korea's capital records heaviest single-day snowfall in December for 40 years

10. More turbulent inter-Korean relations expected in 2024

1. North Korea says it will no longer seek reunification with South Korea, will launch new spy satellites in 2024

We should not be misled by the headline and the statements. There is no change to the regime seeking to dominate the entire Korean peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State, The regime has made unification talks and engagement with South Korean counterparts as part of its political warfare strategy but it has never sought "peaceful unification" through negotiation and integration. It always has been and always will be the objective of the Kim family regime to dominate the Korean peninsula either through political warfare and subversion of the South Korean system or through the use of force. In fact these statements are a part of the political warfare strategy to drive a wedge and further the political divisions within South Korea and cause the progressives/appeasers to blame the current ROK administration for tension rather than the real cause- the existence of the most evil mafia like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime.

North Korea says it will no longer seek reunification with South Korea, will launch new spy satellites in 2024 | CNN

CNN · by Heather Chen, Yoonjung Seo · December 31, 2023

Kim Jong Un orders North Korean military to ramp up war preparations

01:20 - Source: CNN

Seoul, South Korea CNN —

North Korea will no longer seek reconciliation and reunification with South Korea, Kim Jong Un has declared, as his nation vowed to put three new military spy satellites into orbit in 2024.

Kim said inter-Korean relations had become “a relationship between two hostile countries and two belligerents at war,” the state-run news agency KCNA reported.

“It’s time for us to acknowledge the reality and clarify our relationship with the South,” Kim said, adding that if Washington and Seoul were to attempt a military confrontation with Pyongyang, its “nuclear war deterrent will not hesitate to take serious action.”

“I believe that it is a mistake that we must no longer make to deal with the people who declare us as ‘the main enemy’ and seek only opportunities for ‘[our] regime collapse’ and ‘unification by absorption’ by collaborating for reconciliation and unification,” Kim added.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends what state media report was a launching ceremony for a new tactical nuclear attack submarine in North Korea, in this picture released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 8, 2023.

KCNA/Reyters

North Korea amends constitution to bolster nuclear power status, calls US and allies ‘worst threat’

North and South Korea have been cut off from each other since the end of the Korean War in 1953 which ended with an armistice. The two sides are still technically at war but both governments have long sought the goal of one day reunifying.

Relations have ebbed and flowed over the decades but tensions have remained particularly high in more recent years after Kim Jong Un ramped up the country’s nuclear weapons program in defiance of international sanctions.

Last week, KCNA reported that Kim had instructed the country’s army, munitions industry, nuclear weapons and civil defense sectors to accelerate war preparations in response to “confrontation moves” by the US.

At the time, KCNA described the political and military situation on the Korean peninsula as “grave,” saying it had reached an “extreme” point because of Washington.

Kim’s latest comments on reunification were significant, according to Hoo Chiew-Ping, a senior fellow at the East Asian International Relations CAUCUS (EAIR) and member of the Asia Pacific Nuclear Advisory Panel (APNAP), who said the North Korean leader has been increasingly walking away from “inter-Korean relations” in recent years.

“This will mark a critical milestone on the Korean Peninsula where extending the olive branch by future South Korean administrations will be vehemently rejected by North Korea,” Hoo told CNN.

Pyongyang was keener to further relations instead with current allies like “China and Russia, and a selected network of countries around the world which will continue to enable its proliferation and financial outreach,” she added.

“The US, South Korea and Japan are excluded from Kim’s strategic outreach for now.”

A ballistic missile is launched from an undisclosed location in North Korea on July 13, 2023.

KCNA/Reuters

Ja Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science and nonresident scholar at Carnegie China, said Kim’s speech “reflects the reality that unification is not a short or even medium-term possibility (for the Koreas).”

“Given this situation, the question is whether non-unification means continuation of the status quo or if North Korea believes it needs to act to protect itself more actively, or even preempt what it sees as possible aggression from South Korea,” Chong added.

“The former is tolerable even as North Korea seeks to increase its defensive capability, since it keeps the status quo and is better than some belief in armed unification. If the latter, then friction and even tensions with South Korea and northeast Asia will likely rise,” he warned.

Spy satellites

After repeated failures, North Korea in November said it had put its first spy satellite into orbit.

Analysts said if the spacecraft works, it could provide significantly improve North Korea’s military capabilities, including enabling it to more accurately target opponents’ forces.

Kim hailed the feat, celebrating with workers at the launch site according to images put out by state media. South Korea called the launch a “clear violation” of a UN Security Council resolution that prohibits North Korea from using ballistic missile technology.

On Sunday KCNA said North Korea plans to bolster that program with three additional spy satellites in the new year.

Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile is launched from an undisclosed location in North Korea in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on July 13, 2023.

KCNA/Reuters

North Korea test fires ballistic missile with potential to reach entire US, Japan says

“Based on the experience of successfully launching and operating the first reconnaissance satellite in 2023, the task of launching three additional reconnaissance satellites in 2024 was declared to vigorously promote the development of space science and technology,” the statement read.

Throughout the course of 2023, Pyongyang also launched a series of intercontinental ballistic missiles tests, including a long-range liquid-fueled missile called the Hwasong-17 ICBM on December 17, which defence experts and regional watchers says showed a “maturing” North Korean missile program.

“While North Korea, like every country, has missile tests fail, it’s clear that the overall reliability of North Korea’s missiles is quite respectable,” Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, previously told CNN.

North Korea’s testing and strong rhetoric may be playing into Washington’s hands, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

“The North Korean threat is motivating greater trilateral cooperation among the US, Japan, and South Korea, including real-time sharing of missile tracking data. Officials in Seoul knew this ICBM test was coming, and had coordinated in advance with partners in Washington and Tokyo,” he said.

CNN · by Heather Chen, Yoonjung Seo · December 31, 2023

2. N. Korea to launch 3 more military spy satellites, build more nukes next year: state media

Remember that Kim Jong Un needs the perception of the threat from the South and the ROK/US alliance to justify the development of nuclear weapons and missiles to rationalize the suffering and sacrifice of the Korean people in the north solely to keep Kim Jong Un in power and support this elite. And Chinese and Russian interlocutors also use this to argue that it is the security threat posed by the US to the north that causes the tension and justifies their continued (and increased) support to the Kim family regime.

Excerpts:

Calling for a "fundamental change" in dealing with South Korea, the North's leader said that inter-Korean relations have become those of "two hostile countries" or "countries engaged in state of combat."

Relations between South and North Korea remained sharply strained this year, as North Korea focused on advancing its nuclear and missile programs, including the launch of solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The North's leader vowed an "offensive and ultra-powerful" stance against the U.S. in 2024, denouncing Washington's deployment of strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula and its military drills with Seoul.

"If the U.S. and the South pursue military confrontations with us, we will not hesitate to take a critical action against them with our nuclear deterrence," Kim said.

North Korea has used an increase in joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea and Washington's move to deepen security cooperation with its Asian allies, Seoul and Tokyo, as an excuse for boosting its weapons tests and provocations.

(4th LD) N. Korea to launch 3 more military spy satellites, build more nukes next year: state media | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 31, 2023

(ATTN: ADDS more details in paras 20-22)

By Kim Soo-yeon and Lee Minji

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korea aims to launch three additional spy satellites and produce more nuclear weapons next year, as it is accelerating war readiness against various forms of U.S. military threats, Pyongyang's state media said Sunday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un set forth the goal as he wrapped up five days of the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea on Saturday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"Based on the experience of successfully launching and operating the first spy satellite in 2023 in the space development sector, the task of launching three more spy satellites in 2024 was unveiled and all-out measures to spur the development of the space science technology were discussed," the KCNA said.

The North successfully put a military spy satellite, named the Malligyong-1, into orbit on Nov. 21 after two failed attempts in May and August. There are suspicions that North Korea might have received technical support from Russia in return for its arms supplies for use in Moscow's war in Ukraine.

This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 31, 2023, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un attending the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Koea the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

Outlining detailed tasks in the defense sector for next year, Kim put priority on stepped-up efforts to build more nuclear weapons.

"We need to swiftly respond to a possible nuclear crisis and mobilize all physical means, including nuclear force, in a bid to accelerate preparations for the great event of putting the entire territory of South Korea under our control," Kim said.

He also ordered the Navy to enhance its military capabilities and called for developing powerful unmanned combat equipment, such as spy and attack drones, and means for electronic warfare, the KCNA said.

Earlier this year, the North's leader ordered an expanded production of weapons-grade nuclear materials for an exponential increase in the country's nuclear arsenal.

At a key party congress in 2021, North Korea unveiled key defense projects, including the development of a nuclear-powered submarine and multiple nuclear warheads, and the launch of a military spy satellite.

In July, North Korea unveiled two types of new reconnaissance and multi-purpose attack drones at an arms exhibition and a military parade. The North sent five drones across the border with South Korea in December 2022, with one of them penetrating a no-fly zone close to Seoul's presidential office.

In regard to inter-Korean ties, Kim said he will no longer consider South Korea a counterpart for reconciliation and unification, saying Seoul has declared the North as a main enemy. The Workers' Party has also concluded that unification with South Korea is not possible, Kim was quoted as saying.

Calling for a "fundamental change" in dealing with South Korea, the North's leader said that inter-Korean relations have become those of "two hostile countries" or "countries engaged in state of combat."

Relations between South and North Korea remained sharply strained this year, as North Korea focused on advancing its nuclear and missile programs, including the launch of solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The North's leader vowed an "offensive and ultra-powerful" stance against the U.S. in 2024, denouncing Washington's deployment of strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula and its military drills with Seoul.

"If the U.S. and the South pursue military confrontations with us, we will not hesitate to take a critical action against them with our nuclear deterrence," Kim said.

North Korea has used an increase in joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea and Washington's move to deepen security cooperation with its Asian allies, Seoul and Tokyo, as an excuse for boosting its weapons tests and provocations.

This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 31, 2023, shows the North holding the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

South Korea's unification ministry "strongly" condemned North Korea for unveiling the plan to advance nuclear and missile programs while expressing its blatant animosity against South Korea.

The ministry said North Korea is expected to step up preparations to develop strategic weapons and carry out weapons tests next year.

"North Korea is likely to stage any form of provocations next year to flex its military muscle as its leader directly ordered the great event of putting the entire territory of South Korea under its control," it said.

Seoul's defense ministry also strongly condemned the North over its plans to continue building up its strategic weapons and renewed its warning that the North Korean regime will face its end if it attempts to use nuclear weapons against South Korea.

"If North Korea attempts to use nuclear (weapons) against us, we will overwhelmingly punish them by utilizing the significantly enhanced extended deterrence of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and the three-axis system, and we gravely warn that the Kim Jong-un regime will face its end," it said in a statement.

Extended deterrence refers to the U.S. commitment to using the full-range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend an ally. The three-pronged system refers to the South Korean military's defense system, which includes the Kill Chain pre-emptive strike platform.

In September, North Korea amended the constitution to enshrine the policy of strengthening its nuclear force. Last year, the country enacted a new nuclear law authorizing the preemptive use of nuclear arms, calling its status as a nuclear state "irreversible."

At last year's party plenary meeting, Kim called South Korea an "undoubted enemy" and called for an "exponential" increase in the country's nuclear arsenal and the development of tactical nuclear weapons.

sooyeon@yna.co.kr

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 31, 2023

3. Sacked N. Korean military official returns to No. 2 post of military

There is perhaps only one "positive" to the north Korean system. A general can get fired but then reinstated/. Of course there is a rehabilitation process that none of us would want to go through (think of spending 6 months in a gulag that is 100 times worse than our SERE training).

And If I was going to be really snarky I would say that Kim values the first SOF truth - "humans are more important than hardware." He does not "throw away" his broken personnel - he "fixes" them.

Sacked N. Korean military official returns to No. 2 post of military | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 31, 2023

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korean Marshal Pak Jong-chon, who was sacked earlier this year, has returned to the second most powerful position of the country's military after the country's leader Kim Jong-un as part of a year-end ruling party reshuffle, according to state media Sunday.

Pak was named the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea in the reshuffle from the five-day plenary meeting of the party's Central Committee that ended Saturday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Pak had been removed from the position on Jan. 1 this year, but returned to public view in August as he visited a munitions factory with leader Kim, who chairs the Central Military Commission.

At the time, Pak headed the party's military political leadership.

As part of the party reshuffle, Pak was also named as a member of the politburo and a secretary of the Central Committee.

Pak, a former artillery commander, became the Chief of the General Staff in September 2019. He was promoted to vice marshal in May 2020 and to his current rank in October that year.

Jo Chun-ryong, director of the party's Munitions Industry Department, was also appointed as a member of the politburo and a secretary of the Central Committee in the reshuffle.

Jo, who in charge of production of conventional artillery shells, has been spotted multiple times with Kim during inspections of munitions factories this year.

His appointment comes as Seoul and Washington have accused Pyongyang of delivering arms to Moscow for its war in Ukraine.

The South Korean and U.S. governments have sanctioned Jo, while a U.N. Security Council Resolution named him in a travel ban list in 2016.

This file photo, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 11, 2021, shows Pak Jong-chon, who was named as the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea as part of a reshuffle carried out in a year-end party meeting in 2023. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · December 31, 2023

4. U.S. warns N. Korea's space rocket launches flout U.N. Security Council resolutions

U.S. warns N. Korea's space rocket launches flout U.N. Security Council resolutions | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · January 1, 2024

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- Any North Korean space rocket launch violates U.N. Security Council resolutions, a State Department spokesperson said Sunday, after Pyongyang announced a goal of launching three more military spy satellites in 2024.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un put forward the goal among others as the five-day Central Committee gathering of the ruling Workers' Party concluded on Saturday, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"Space launch vehicles (SLVs) incorporate technologies that are identical to, and interchangeable with, those used in ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)," the spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency via email.

"Any DPRK launch that uses ballistic missile technology, which would include SLVs used to launch a satellite into space, violates multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," the official added, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

In November, the North claimed to have successfully put a military spy satellite, named Malligyong-1, into orbit after two failed attempts in May and August, respectively.

During the ruling party session, Kim outlined key defense tasks for 2024, including stepping up efforts to build more nuclear weapons, according to KCNA.

He also called for a "fundamental change" in his regime's handling of relations with the South, saying cross-border ties have become those of "two hostile countries" or "countries engaged in state of combat."

The State Department spokesperson reiterated Washington's pursuit of diplomacy with Pyongyang.

"The United States has been very clear -- we seek dialogue with Pyongyang without preconditions. We remain committed to diplomacy, even as the DPRK launches an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles," the spokesperson said.

"We have also been clear that we will seek to cooperate on humanitarian issues, regardless of the status of WMD and missile-related discussions," the official added. WMD stands for weapons of mass destruction.

The spokesperson also reiterated that coordinated efforts with South Korea and Japan will continue to address challenges from the North.

"We continue to consult closely with the Republic of Korea, Japan, and other allies and partners about how to best engage the DPRK, deter aggression, and coordinate international responses to the DPRK's violations of multiple UN Security Council resolutions," the official said.

This photo, captured from footage of Korean Central Television footage on Dec. 27, 2023, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attending a key ruling party meeting in Pyongyang. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · January 1, 2024

5. Yoon to give live New Year's address

​Hopefully we can get both President Yoon's and Kim Jong Un's transcripts at the same time for comparison.

Yoon to give live New Year's address | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · December 31, 2023

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol will deliver a New Year's address live from his office, focusing on people's livelihoods and the economy, a presidential official said Sunday.

Yoon will begin his message at 10 a.m. on New Year's Day and speak for around 20 minutes, according to the presidential official.

"President Yoon will emphasize a government that promptly addresses issues and takes action ... (and) intends to announce his resolve to establish a government that takes care of people's livelihoods," the official said.

This photo, provided by the presidential office, shows President Yoon Suk Yeol during an inspection of the defense readiness posture at the Army's observatory in Yeoncheon near the central section of the inter-Korean border on Dec. 28, 2023. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · December 31, 2023

6. S. Korean shipbuilders rank 2nd in new global orders in 2023: data

The Koreans know how to build ships. I wonder if the US Navy should consider outsourcing to an ally who is a partner in the Arsenal of Democracy.

S. Korean shipbuilders rank 2nd in new global orders in 2023: data | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · December 31, 2023

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shipbuilders ranked second in 2023 in terms of new global orders for the third straight year, industry data showed Sunday.

Local shipbuilders clinched a combined 10.01 million compensated gross tons (CGTs) in new orders this year, accounting for 24 percent of the 41.49 million global total, according to the data provided by global market researcher Clarkson Research Service.

The South Korean industry's total was down 37.6 percent from a year earlier. The global tally also went down 18.7 percent from 2022.

Chinese shipyards far outpaced South Korean players in 2023, bagging 24.46 million CGTs in new orders, or 59 percent of the world total.

South Korea previously retained the world's No. 1 spot in new shipbuilding orders for three straight years before falling behind China since 2021.

However, South Korean shipyards far outperformed Chinese rivals in terms of orders for high-end liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers this year.

Local shipbuilders obtained 4.41 million CGTs worth of LNG carrier orders this year, taking up 80 percent of the 5.54 million global total, while Chinese shipyards took the remaining 20 percent, or 1.13 million CGTs worth of orders.

South Korea's percentage was up from 70 percent in 2022, while China's proportion went down from 30 percent last year.

This photo provided by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. shows the company's shipyard in Ulsan, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

odissy@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · December 31, 2023

7. N.K. leader says 2 Koreas are 'hostile nations at war' with no chance of unification

​The bottomline is that we must understand the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime. Kim's statements are clear in providing that understanding. The regime is usefing political warfare to undermine and subvert the South as well as the ROK/US alliance to weaken the ROK and drive US forces off the Korean peninsula. It is conducting blackmail diplomacy (the use of threats, increased tensions, and provocations) to coerce political and economic concessions from the ROK. the US, and the international community.  It is developing advanced military capabilities (nuclear weapons and missiles among advance conventional weapons) for three purposes - (1) to support political warfare and blackmail diplomacy; (2) to develop the threat perception from the ROK and US in order to justify the sacrifice and suffering of the Korean people in the north; and (3) to prepare the nKPA for the use of force to dominate the the Korean peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State. The current statements from the regime confirm this nature and its objectives, and strategy.

(News Focus) N.K. leader says 2 Koreas are 'hostile nations at war' with no chance of unification | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · December 31, 2023

By Kim Soo-yeon

SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's characterization of inter-Korean relations as those of "two hostile countries in a state of war" appears to be a veiled threat that the regime could use its nuclear weapons against South Korea, experts said Sunday.

Calling for a "fundamental change" in dealing with South Korea, Kim also said he will no longer consider South Korea a counterpart for reconciliation and unification, wrapping up five days of a plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on Saturday.

"Relations between North and South Korea are no longer those of the same peoples but have become those of two hostile countries or countries in a state of combat," Kim was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"We should not make a mistake any longer in regarding them as a counterpart for reconciliation and unification, as South Korea has declared us as its main enemy and colluded with foreign forces while seeking the collapse of our regime and unification by absorption," he said.

This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 31, 2023, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un attending a plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea the previous day, as he wrapped five days of the party meeting designed to review the 2023 policy goals and set those for next year. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

Experts said Kim's remarks indicated North Korea's threat to use tactical nuclear weapons against South Korea would not be just rhetoric, as Pyongyang will regard the South as a country in a state of war with it.

"If North Korea views inter-Korean relations as those of the same peoples, it would be self-contradictory if Pyongyang uses nuclear arms against South Korea," said Hong Min, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU).

"To justify its push to advance nuclear and missile programs and operate them against South Korea, North Korea set inter-Korean ties as a state-to-state relationship," he added.

This year, North Korea began using South Korea's full name, the Republic of Korea (ROK), in its official statements condemning the South. North Korea has long called the South "south Korea" or "the south Korean puppet."

In July, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of the North's leader, issued hard-worded statements using the term "ROK" for the first time, when she condemned U.S. surveillance flights over its exclusive economic zone.

South Korea's unification ministry said at the time that North Korea's reference to the ROK is an expression of its "mockery" against South Korea, rather than an intent to regard the two Koreas' relations as a state-to-state relationship.

Under an inter-Korean basic agreement signed in 1991, inter-Korean ties were designated as a "special relationship" tentatively formed in the process of seeking reunification, not as state-to-state relations.

North Korea has preached for the notion of "Uriminzokkiri," which roughly translates into "among our own people," in handling inter-Korean affairs and the issue of reunification.

This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 31, 2023, shows the North holding a plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea that ended its five-day session the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

But at the latest WPK meeting, the North's leader announced a shift in dealing with Seoul as relations of "two countries in a state of war."

"We need to swiftly respond to a possible nuclear crisis and mobilize all physical means, including nuclear force, in a bid to accelerate preparations for the great event of putting the entire territory of South Korea under our control," Kim said.

He also called for the overhaul of North Korean organizations in charge of inter-Korean affairs, such as the United Front Department at the WPK.

Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, said Kim also signaled a revision in a blueprint for unification that North Korea's late founder Kim Il-sung unveiled in 1980.

North Korea has claimed the only realistic way to achieve unification is the federation system, which calls for the respecting of each other's differences in political ideology and government system in the form of "one state and two systems."

South Korea's spy agency said Thursday there is a high possibility that North Korea could carry out military provocations early next year ahead of South Korea's parliamentary election in April and the U.S. presidential election in November.

The National Intelligence Service made the assessment, citing North Korea's track record of staging provocations before South Korea's general elections and Pyongyang's reinstatement of key figures involved in high-profile provocations against Seoul.

"At the WPK meeting, Kim presented a detailed plan to accomplish key defense projects next year. In the run-up to the U.S. election, North Korea will seek to demonstrate its military capabilities at its maximum level to show that the development of its nuclear weapons is irreversible," Hong at the KINU said.

This photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Dec. 19, 2023, shows the North's launch of a solid-fuel Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

sooyeon@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · December 31, 2023

8. North Korea's Kim vows to launch 3 more spy satellites and produce more nuclear materials in 2024

North Korea's Kim vows to launch 3 more spy satellites and produce more nuclear materials in 2024

The Washington Post · by Hyung-Jin Kim | AP · December 31, 2023

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to launch three additional military spy satellites, produce more nuclear materials and introduce attack drones in 2024, as he called for “overwhelming” war readiness to cope with U.S.-led confrontational moves, state media reported Sunday.

Kim’s comments, made during a key ruling Workers’ Party meeting to set state goals for next year, suggest he’ll intensify a run of weapons tests ahead of the U.S. presidential elections in November. Observers say Kim believes a boosted nuclear capability would give him another chance for high-stakes diplomacy with the U.S. to win sanctions relief if former President Donald Trump returns to the White House.

During the five-day meeting that ended Saturday, Kim said “vicious” anti-North Korea moves by the United States and its followers “have reached the extremes unprecedented in history,” pushing the Korean Peninsula to the brink of a nuclear war, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. Kim cited the expansion of U.S.-South Korean military exercises and the temporary deployment of powerful U.S. military assets such as bombers and a nuclear-armed submarine in South Korea — the steps the allies have taken in response to the North’s weapons testing spree since last year.

Kim called for “the overwhelming war response capability” to deter potential enemy provocations, KCNA said.

He set forth plans to launch three more military spy satellites next year in addition to the country’s first reconnaissance satellite launched in November. He underscored the need to establish “a reliable foundation” to build more nuclear weapons, an apparent reference to facilities producing fissile materials like weapons-grade plutonium and highly enriched uranium. Kim also ordered authorities to enhance submarine capabilities and develop various types of unmanned combat equipment such as armed drones.

“Pyongyang might be waiting out the U.S. presidential election to see what its provocations can buy it with the next administration,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

“The Kim regime has closed the political door on denuclearization negotiations but could offer rhetorical restraint and a testing freeze in exchange for sanctions relief,” Easley said. “Although North Korea has no intention of giving up nuclear weapons, it might try to extract payment for acting like a so-called responsible nuclear power.”

Kim has been focusing on modernizing his nuclear arsenal since his diplomacy with Trump broke down in 2019 due to wrangling over how much sanctions relief the North could get for a partial surrender of its nuclear program. Experts say Kim likely thinks that Trump, if elected for a second term, could make concessions as the U.S. is preoccupied with the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas fighting.

Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University in South Korea, said if President Joe Biden is reelected, North Korea won’t get what it wants. But he predicted a Trump win could revive diplomacy, saying Trump will likely say during his campaign that he can convince North Korea to suspend intimidating weapons tests.

He said Kim’s vow to ramp up production of plutonium and uranium is meant to strengthen his negotiating cards. Nam said North Korea will also test-launch more intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the continental U.S. this year.

“North Korea will act to the fullest extent under its timetable for provocation until the U.S. election day,” Nam said.

During his speech at the party meeting, Kim used bellicose, derisive rhetoric against South Korea, calling it “a hemiplegic malformation and colonial subordinate state” whose society is “tainted by Yankee culture.” He said South Korea must not be considered as a partner for reconciliation or unification. He ordered the military to use all available means including nuclear weapons to conquer South Korea in the event of a conflict.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry responded by strongly condemning North Korea for pushing to advance its nuclear program and displaying hostility toward its neighbors. A statement said South Korea will try to overwhelmingly deter North Korean threats based on a solid alliance with the United States.

Some analysts have speculated that limited clashes between the Koreas along their tense border could happen in the coming year. South Korea’s spy agency said last week that North Korea will likely launch military provocations and cyberattacks ahead of South Korean parliamentary elections in April and the U.S. presidential election in November.

Kim also maintained that North Korea must solidify cooperation with “anti-imperialist, independent” countries that he said oppose U.S.-led Western hegemony.

Kim didn’t name the countries. But North Korea has been seeking to beef up its cooperation with Russia and China, which have repeatedly blocked attempts by the U.S. and its partners to toughen U.N. sanctions on the North over its banned missile tests. The U.S. and South Korea accuse North Korea of supplying artillery and ammunition to Russia in return for high-tech Russian technologies for its own military programs.

Julianne Smith, U.S. permanent representative to NATO, said earlier this month the U.S. assessed that the suspected Russian technologies North Korea seeks are related to fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment or materials of that kind. Smith said U.S. intelligence indicates that North Korea had provided Russia with more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions.

South Korean officials said Russian support likely enabled North Korea to put its spy satellite into orbit for the first time on Nov. 21. Many foreign experts are skeptical about the satellite’s ability but South Korean Defense Minister Shin Wonsik said in November that Russia could help North Korea produce higher-resolution satellite photos.

Yang Uk, an analyst at Seoul’s Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said that he believes North Korea hasn’t yet obtained functioning ICBMs that can launch nuclear strikes on the continental U.S. But he said North Korea’s shorter-range nuclear-armed missiles can reach South Korea and Japan, where a total of 80,000 American troops are stationed.

Estimates on the size of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal vary, ranging from 20-30 bombs to more than 100. The U.N. atomic agency and foreign experts recently said North Korea appears to have started operating a light-water reactor at its main nuclear complex in a possible attempt to secure a new source for weapons-grade plutonium.

Meanwhile, Kim said during the meeting that North Korea made “eye-opening” economic achievements by fulfilling or exceeding set quotas in major areas such as farming, housing construction and fisheries. Nam, the professor, said the self-praise appears aimed at burnishing Kim’s image as a leader who cares about public livelihoods as well as military issues.

The Washington Post · by Hyung-Jin Kim | AP · December 31, 2023

9. South Korea's capital records heaviest single-day snowfall in December for 40 years

South Korea's capital records heaviest single-day snowfall in December for 40 years

The Washington Post · by Associated Press · December 31, 2023

SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean capital, Seoul, received the biggest single-day snowfall recorded in December for more than 40 years on Saturday but there have been no reports of any weather-related deaths or injuries.

The country’s weather agency said Sunday that 12.2 centimeters (4.8 inches) of snow fell on Seoul the previous day, the heaviest since 1981.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said a heavy snow advisory was issued for Seoul’s entire area on Saturday before it was lifted later in the day. It said other parts of South Korea also received snow or rain on Saturday.

South Korea’s safety agency said that Saturday’s snow in Seoul and other areas caused traffic congestion, but no snowfall-related deaths or injuries have been reported.

The Washington Post · by Associated Press · December 31, 2023

10. More turbulent inter-Korean relations expected in 2024

This is because Kim Jong Un has not been successful with his political warfare and blackmail diplomacy strategies.

More turbulent inter-Korean relations expected in 2024

The Korea Times · December 31, 2023

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during the plenary of the eighth Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, Saturday, in this photo released by the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency the next day. Yonhap

North Korea to launch 3 more spy satellites in new year: state media

By Lee Hyo-jin

Relations between South and North Korea are expected to go from bad to worse in 2024, according to analysts, with Pyongyang declaring on Sunday that Seoul is no longer "a counterpart for reconciliation and unification."

North Korea plans to ramp up its military capabilities in the new year, focusing on advancing its military spy satellite and nuclear technologies, prompting South Korea to bolster its readiness against any potential military provocations.

"I believe that it is a mistake that we must no longer make to deal with the people who declare us as ‘the main enemy’ and seek opportunities for ‘our regime collapse’ and ‘unification by absorption’ by collaborating for reconciliation and unification," North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was quoted as saying by the North's state-run media outlet, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Sunday.

Saying that it is time to fundamentally depart from its existing policies toward South Korea, Kim described current inter-Korean relations as “a relationship between two hostile countries."

The KCNA reported that Kim made such remarks the previous day while wrapping up a key ruling Workers’ Party meeting held to set the regime's internal and diplomatic policy goals for 2024. The five-day meeting kicked off on Dec. 26.

Cho Han-bum, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, thinks that Kim's latest remarks signal the North's "decision to leave" any peaceful talks with South Korea.

"Kim has officially declared his intention not to engage in any dialogue with the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. It's a clear indication that Pyongyang will walk away from inter-Korean relations," Cho said.

However, the researcher noted that Kim's rhetoric does not mean that the North will not pursue unification at all.

"If you read between the lines, what Kim meant is that his regime will achieve its ultimate goal of unification through the use of force, not through peaceful means. It seeks the collapse of South Korea," Cho explained, adding that South Korea should brace for heightened military provocations.

President Yoon Suk Yeol visits a front-line army unit at the central section of the inter-Korean border in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. During the visit, Yoon ordered the military to immediately retaliate first and report it later in case of enemy attacks. Courtesy of presidential office

According to the KCNA, during the end-of-year meetings, Kim ordered the military to "pacify the entire territory of South Korea," through means including nuclear bombs if necessary, in response to any attacks. He also announced the launch of three additional military reconnaissance satellites as one of the regime's key policy goals for 2024.

"The year 2024 is expected to witness an intensified standoff between the two Koreas, potentially surpassing the levels that we've seen in the past couple of years," said Yang Moo-jin, the president of the University of North Korean Studies.

"With neither Seoul nor Pyongyang showing any willingness to step back, the security environment on the Korean Peninsula may see more tensions with South Korea, U.S. and Japan on one side and North Korea, Russia and China on the other," he added.

Earlier this week, South Korea's intelligence agency warned of a high possibility for North Korea to stage military provocations in early 2024, in the lead-up to the April 10 general elections in South Korea and the U.S. presidential elections in November.

Regarding this, Cho of the unification institute said, "I wouldn't assert that the Kim regime is aligning its provocation plans with our election schedule. However, based on previous patterns, it is always possible that North Korea will use military provocations to shape our domestic affairs to its advantage."

The Korea Times · December 31, 2023

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