Quotes of the Day:
“Strategy is a commodity, execution is an art.”
- Peter Drucker
"Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider."
- Francis Bacon
"I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians."
- Charles de Gaulle
1. S. Korea conducts regular military reshuffle of general-grade officers
2. Most S. Koreans with families in N. Korea have no information on their fate: poll
3. End-of-war declaration a potential 'turning point' for peace: unification minister
4. U.N. panel OKs sanctions waiver for UNICEF aid project for N. Korea
5. 35 U.S. Republicans are against end-of-war declaration for Korean Peninsula
6. Seoul admits it's talking to Pyongyang on declaration
7. Democracy summit, Olympics boycott test Seoul's balancing act
8. U.S. Republicans Oppose Declaring an End to Korean War
9. North Korean authorities call for more intensified controls on overseas workers
10. North Korea establishes training center for quarantine workers in N. Hamgyong Province
11. N.Korea continues operating main nuclear reactor at Yongbyon: CSIS
12. [Lee Kyong-hee] How to rekindle inter-Korean exchanges
13. U.S. missile defense in S. Korea under constant review, upgrade: Pentagon press secretary
14. Thirty-five House Republicans are ‘gravely concerned’ about formally ending Korean War
15. Strong alliances place US in better position to compete with China: NSA Sullivan
16. YouTuber sends AirTags to North Korea to put DHL shipping claims to the test
17. Elon Musk gets a new hairstyle, netizens liken him to Kim Jong-un
18. BOOK LAUNCH: The Korean Peninsula Conundrum: True Peace, Security, and Human Rights
1. S. Korea conducts regular military reshuffle of general-grade officers
It would be interesting to assess the promotions and how much experience these senior officers have in the ROK/US Combined Forces Command. are officers with sufficient combined experience being promoted who will have the foundation to command the ROK/US CFC after the OPCON transition.
S. Korea conducts regular military reshuffle of general-grade officers | Yonhap News Agency
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Thursday conducted a regular military reshuffle of general-grade officials, including the vice chiefs of the Army and Air Force, the defense ministry said.
Announcing the shakeup that affects 111 posts, the ministry also said it plans to replace current Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Boo Suk-jong but did not name his successor as the selection process is still ongoing.
Lt. Gen. Park Jeong-hwan, head of the operations division at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), will become the vice JCS chairman, while Lt. Gen. Ahn Byung-suk, the commander of the Army's 1st Corps, will take the vice Army chief of staff post.
Maj. Gen. Shin Ok-chul will be promoted to the vice Air Force chief of staff post, while Vice Adm. Kang Dong-hun, currently head of the Naval Education and Training Command, was named to lead the ROK Fleet Command. ROK stands for South Korea's official name, Republic of Korea.
Lt. Gen. Choi Sung-chun, head of the Air Force Academy, will become the chief of the Air Force Operations Command.
Ministry officials said that the latest reshuffle focuses on the officials' security mindset and capabilities to conduct inter-agency defense operations among other qualities.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
2. Most S. Koreans with families in N. Korea have no information on their fate: poll
Just think about how much Korean people have suffered due to the unnatural division of the peninsula. When can the "Korea question" be solved? And the responsibility for the suffering lies squarely on the shoulders of the Kim family regime and today only Kim Jong-un.
I would also add that we should remember the 78,000+ ROK POWs who were not allowed to return when the Armistice was signed. Why was the issue of POW exchanges the hardest to resolve during the negotiations?
(LEAD) Most S. Koreans with families in N. Korea have no information on their fate: poll | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES with unification ministry official's comments, details in last 3 paras)
SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Yonhap) -- Eight out of 10 families divided by the 1950-53 Korean War have yet to confirm the fate of their parents and siblings in North Korea, a government survey showed Thursday.
According to the unification ministry's poll on 5,354 separated family members living in South Korea and abroad, 82 percent said they do not know whether their family members in the reclusive neighbor are still alive.
Among those who are aware of the fate and whereabouts of their dispersed family members, half of them obtained the information via organizers of private exchange programs or other individuals, the poll said.
Only a quarter of them heard news on their families living in the North through the government, it noted
When it comes to relevant government efforts, 65.8 percent said it is most urgent to push for measures to confirm the fate of their family members in North Korea and receive a notification via a government channel in the case of death.
Over 20 percent of the respondents also pointed out the government should push for regular family reunions and letter exchanges between family members divided due to the war, according to the poll.
The ministry in charge of handling inter-Korean relations said it will push for expanding the scope of the policy for separated families beyond the first generation to facilitate exchanges between their second- and third-descendants.
"Even today, about 10 people die a day without having met their divided family members. Considering the differences in life expectancy between the two Koreas, about five years are effectively (left) from now (for them)," a ministry official said on the background. "(We) hope that North Korea will consider the (matter of) separated families as that of urgent attention."
The respondents were chosen from a list of 47,004 South Koreans alive who have formally asked the government to find their families across the border. The survey marked the third of its kind following the previous ones in 2011 and 2016.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
3. End-of-war declaration a potential 'turning point' for peace: unification minister
I am often reminded by my Korean friends that the Minister of Unification is a pure politician with a political agenda and does not always represent actual ROK government views.
We should not get worked up over his comments (as I often do because I cannot help myself).
My recommendation has always been that the Ministry of Unification's sole focus should be on realistic and detailed planning for actual unification and the establishment of a United Republic of Korea.
End-of-war declaration a potential 'turning point' for peace: unification minister | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's unification minister said Thursday the declaration to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, if issued, could be a "turning point" to open a new phase for peace and urged North Korea to accept its dialogue offer.
Lee In-young said it is the right time to push for the end-of-war declaration to help bring Pyongyang back to the negotiating table as the reclusive regime seems more open to talks by not dramatically raising military tension and restoring the inter-Korean communication lines in October.
"(The North) has been seemingly showing a more open manner toward dialogue than before," Lee said in an academic conference in Seoul. "North Korea has fired multiple short-range missiles this year, but it hasn't severely deteriorated the situation by raising high-level tension."
Lee said reaching an agreement on the declaration under the current security situation on the Korean Peninsula would provide a "sure turning point for a new phase of peace."
The minister expressed hope for the North to respond before it is too late so as not to weaken the momentum and willingness for negotiations with Seoul and Washington.
The allies are known to be in final-stage consultations to draft the declaration, though it remains uncertain whether Pyongyang would positively respond to the overture.
Seoul officials have been trying to dispel lingering skepticism over the declaration in hope of making substantive progress on the peace efforts before the Moon Jae-in administration's term ends in May.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
4. U.N. panel OKs sanctions waiver for UNICEF aid project for N. Korea
Will Kim accept the aid?
U.N. panel OKs sanctions waiver for UNICEF aid project for N. Korea | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Yonhap) -- A U.N. Security Council panel has approved sanctions exemptions for an aid project by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to help North Korea respond to COVID-19 and prevent malaria, its website showed Thursday.
The approval by the North Korea sanctions committee will pave the way for UNICEF's provision of materials worth US$1.48 million, including vaccine cold chain equipment, ventilators and masks, according to a document posted on its website.
The exemptions were approved on Nov. 30 and will last for a year, the commitee said. The items will be shipped via the Chinese port of Dalian to the North's western port of Nampo.
The sanctions waiver comes as the reclusive country has been struggling with persistent economic woes amid pandemic-driven border controls and crippling economic sanctions.
The North has claimed to be coronavirus free. It has yet to accept COVID-19 vaccines allocated to the country through the COVAX Facility, a global vaccine distribution platform.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
5. 35 U.S. Republicans are against end-of-war declaration for Korean Peninsula
Rep. Young Kim has mobilized strong voices in support of the security of the ROK.
35 U.S. Republicans are against end-of-war declaration for Korean Peninsula
Posted December. 09, 2021 07:33,
Updated December. 09, 2021 07:33
Thirty-five U.S. House Republicans, including Rep. Young Kim, a Korean American, and Rep. Michael McCaul, urged the White House on Wednesday not to propose an end-of-war declaration to North Korea by sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sung Kim that they strongly oppose a unilateral end-of-war declaration for the Korean Peninsula without the North Korean regime’s commitment to denuclearization.
In a joint letter to the White House, the GOP Representatives said that an end-of-war declaration would pose a serious risk to the U.S. Forces stationed on the Korean Peninsula and undermine regional stability and that “opening the door for considering for the removal of U.S. troops from the Korean peninsula before the North has fully denuclearized would have disastrous consequences for U.S. national security, erode our combined deterrence, and jeopardize the lives of tens of millions of Americans, Koreans, and Japanese.”
lightee@donga.com
6. Seoul admits it's talking to Pyongyang on declaration
I would love to be a fly on the wall for these discussions.
But this is an important point. I am not at all surprised by this as the north and South have always maintained private communications lines for many decades despite the public displays of "hotlines being severed."
Excerpt:
This was the first time the Blue House confirmed that a private communication channel with North Korea is being used. The Blue House has not acknowledged that it has been operating a separate communication channel with the North other than the inter-Korean communication lines that were restored in July after Pyongyang severed them in June 9, 2020.
This is also interesting information:
A senior Blue House official who met with reporters Wednesday said, "South Korea and the United States are leading the consultations on an end-of-war declaration, coordinating the text, timing, and participants."
Thursday
December 9, 2021
Seoul admits it's talking to Pyongyang on declaration
South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stroll across a footbridge during their summit on April 27, 2018, at the inter-Korean truce village of Panmonjom. [YONHAP]
Seoul has been communicating directly with both Pyongyang and the United States on a declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War, according to a Blue House official.
A high-ranking Blue House official told the JoongAng Ilbo Wednesday, "South Korea and the United States are in the final stage of coordination over the text for an end-of-war declaration, but it is not completed and still in progress."
The official added, "During the coordination process between South Korea and the United States over the declaration's text, we have continued to communicate with North Korea."
This was the first time the Blue House confirmed that a private communication channel with North Korea is being used. The Blue House has not acknowledged that it has been operating a separate communication channel with the North other than the inter-Korean communication lines that were restored in July after Pyongyang severed them in June 9, 2020.
However, when it announced the restoration of the military, Panmunjom and joint liaison office hotlines, the Blue House revealed that President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had exchanged personal letters several times since April, suggesting the possibility of another communication channel.
The exact method of communication, however, was not described.
"The inter-Korean [communication] channel cannot be disclosed in detail," said a high-ranking government official. "However, discussions that require extreme security, such as an end-of-war declaration, cannot be conducted through the military communication line through which daily dialogue takes place."
The Blue House official said that "no personal letters were exchanged between the leaders [since the previously announced exchanges] and there is nothing currently being prepared," hinting at another high-level communication channel other than exchanges of letters.
The revelation may indicate that North Korea's position was directly or indirectly reflected in the process of discussing the draft text of an end-of-war declaration with the United States.
A senior Blue House official who met with reporters Wednesday said, "South Korea and the United States are leading the consultations on an end-of-war declaration, coordinating the text, timing, and participants."
The official added, "The key is how the North will respond." He said he expects a positive response because the two Koreas agreed to push for an end-of-war declaration in the Oct. 4, 2007 joint declaration between President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and in the April 27 Panmunjom Declaration in 2018 between Moon and Kim Jong-un.
The armistice agreement signed by the U.S.-led UN Command, North Korea and China on July 27, 1953, brought a complete ceasefire to hostilities until a final peaceful settlement was achieved. Thus, the two Koreas remain in a technical state of war.
The United States' diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics may put a damper on the Moon administration's vision of pursuing an end-of-war declaration and bringing North Korea to the dialogue table.
"There is no direct relationship between an end-of-war declaration and the Beijing Olympics," the same senior Blue House official told reporters. "The Korean government continues to hold the position that it hopes that the Beijing Olympics will serve as an opportunity to improve inter-Korean relations and advance the peace process on the Korean Peninsula... However, it is not being pursued with a specific time or occasion in mind."
Likewise, Unification Minister Lee In-young said during a meeting on Nov. 24, "Do not interpret the Olympics and an end-of-war declaration as being inseparable."
BY KANG TAE-HWA, SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
7. Democracy summit, Olympics boycott test Seoul's balancing act
The ROK is in a tough position walking the diplomatic tightrope.
Obviously all countries have to act in their own interests. The question is whether they should prioritize short term or long term interests.
Excerpts:
Reflecting the complex dynamics, Cheong Wa Dae's message on the Olympic boycott was also self-contradicting. The senior official said the government was not considering a diplomatic boycott, but at the same time added "no decision has been made on our government's participation in the Games."
The comment was interpreted as the government's indecisiveness on whether Moon will visit Beijing or form a separate delegation comprised of diplomatic representatives. Following earlier precedents, South Korea could send Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Hwang Hee as the country's representative to the Games, but this will be subject to change depending on Moon's decision.
China's welcome message is also a burden for Moon. In a press briefing, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Seoul and Beijing "have been supporting each other in hosting Olympic Games, which demonstrates the friendly, cooperative relations between our two countries and the manner of the big Olympic family."
As South Korea's stance of not joining the boycott could be used as a model by China to persuade other countries that are contemplating their own boycotts to attend the Games, pundits said this can be a factor weakening the Seoul-Washington alliance.
Democracy summit, Olympics boycott test Seoul's balancing act
President Moon Jae-in looks down as he convenes a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
South Korea's tricky balancing act between the United States and China is becoming ever more precarious, as the Washington-led democracy summit and Beijing Olympics boycotts have left the Moon Jae-in administration caught in the middle of the two superpowers.
President Moon will speak at a U.S.-hosted summit aimed at countering China, Thursday (KST), just a day after Seoul took a step closer to Beijing's side regarding the Washington-led diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics.
Moon will participate in the leaders' plenary session of the virtual Summit for Democracy, which will be hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden. In the two-day summit, more than 100 countries joined the U.S. campaign to "strengthen democracy and defend against authoritarianism," with China and Russia conspicuously not invited.
In the session, the President is expected to address general ideas on democracy, although the full details of his speech were not disclosed because the plenary session was a closed-door videoconference.
"During his speech, Moon plans to share South Korea's achievements in democracy and the country's commitment to bolstering democracies in international society," a senior Cheong Wa Dae official said.
President Joe Biden speaks as he meets virtually with Chinese President Xi Jinping from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., Nov. 15. AP-YonhapThough Moon is expected to maintain a low profile at the summit, his participation is coming as a burden for South Korea, which counts China as its largest trading partner. When South Korea decided to deploy a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery on its soil, the country suffered economic retaliation from Beijing that resulted in serious contractions to major South Korean businesses operating in China.
"It is very natural for South Korea to participate in the Summit for Democracy, given its status as one of the leading democracies in Asia," the official said. "China and Russia are also understanding South Korea's participation in the summit."
A woman wearing a face mask stands in front of the logo for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics before the Olympics flame exhibition tour at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Thursday. Reuters-YonhapMoon's participation in the summit came after the presidential office said earlier that the government was "not considering a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics," which is interpreted as a move in China's favor, as Beijing is facing a string of no-shows from a number of U.S. allies and other Western countries.
Since Washington announced its official snubbing of the Games, Seoul has been under indirect pressure to join the move, as the U.S. is its most important ally.
However, given its economic partnership with China and President Moon's hope to declare an official end to the Korean War with North Korea on the sidelines of the Games, Seoul is refraining from announcing an official stance regarding the Beijing Olympics.
Meanwhile, other U.S. allies including the U.K., Australia and Canada have said they will not send diplomatic representatives to the Games. The U.K. and Australia are members of AUKUS, a U.S.-led trilateral security pact aimed at countering China, which South Korea is also under pressure to join.
Reflecting the complex dynamics, Cheong Wa Dae's message on the Olympic boycott was also self-contradicting. The senior official said the government was not considering a diplomatic boycott, but at the same time added "no decision has been made on our government's participation in the Games."
The comment was interpreted as the government's indecisiveness on whether Moon will visit Beijing or form a separate delegation comprised of diplomatic representatives. Following earlier precedents, South Korea could send Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Hwang Hee as the country's representative to the Games, but this will be subject to change depending on Moon's decision.
China's welcome message is also a burden for Moon. In a press briefing, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Seoul and Beijing "have been supporting each other in hosting Olympic Games, which demonstrates the friendly, cooperative relations between our two countries and the manner of the big Olympic family."
As South Korea's stance of not joining the boycott could be used as a model by China to persuade other countries that are contemplating their own boycotts to attend the Games, pundits said this can be a factor weakening the Seoul-Washington alliance.
8. U.S. Republicans Oppose Declaring an End to Korean War
U.S. Republicans Oppose Declaring an End to Korean War
U.S. Republican members of the House of Representatives have come out to oppose President Moon Jae-in's quixotic plan to declare a formal end to the Korean War.
Thirty-five Republican congressmen expressed their opposition in a joint letter they sent on Tuesday to Secretary of State Tony Blinken, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, and Sung Kim, the U.S. special representative for North Korea policy.
"We are gravely concerned that this declaration, instead of promoting peace, would seriously undermine and destabilize the security of the Korean Peninsula," they wrote.
"Opening the door for considering for the removal of U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula before the North has fully denuclearized would have disastrous consequences for U.S. national security, erode our combined deterrence, and jeopardize the lives of tens of millions of Americans, Koreans, and Japanese," they added.
The North "has repeatedly violated binding agreements with South Korea, the U.S., and the United Nations, and continues to engage in illegal activity to skirt sanctions on its nuclear weapons program and egregious human rights abuses," they warned.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry was clearly embarrassed. In an urgent press briefing on Wednesday, a ministry spokesman told reporters that the declaration "has nothing to do with the presence of the U.S. Forces Korea and the status of the UN Command."
But he added, "It is against diplomatic protocol and etiquette and inappropriate for our government to make an official comment on activities in the parliament of a foreign country."
Congresswoman Young Kim, who led the signatories, tweeted, "I wrote to the Biden administration with 34 colleagues in opposition to a premature end-of-war declaration for the Korean War without [North Korean leader] Kim Jong-un's commitment to denuclearize & support human rights of the North Korean people."
9. North Korean authorities call for more intensified controls on overseas workers
Imagine if there was a campaign to try to "rescue" these overseas Korean workers from north Korea. Of course the majority of "overseas" workers are in China and Russia and it is hard to help them. But the regime recognizes its vulnerability.
North Korean authorities call for more intensified controls on overseas workers
North Korean authorities are apparently so concerned about worker defections that the state is even cruelly maiming individuals before repatriating them
North Korean authorities are exerting increasingly cruel surveillance and controls to prevent defections by North Korean workers who have been dispatched abroad. Pyongyang is reportedly worrying about potential defections as workers have forced to extend their sojourns abroad due to the protracted closure of North Korea’s borders.
According to a Daily NK source in Russia, North Korean authorities issued an order during a political lecture on Saturday calling for intensified reports and controls on worker tendencies.
The lecture was attended by cadres tasked with managing North Korean workers in Russia, including workplace bosses, responsible officials, party secretaries, and security guidance officers.
The lecturer said there would be no worker rotations for the time being, and that worker deployments would be extended for a year, even for those who should return home because their visas have expired or because they have been deployed overseas for 10 years, the maximum allowable period.
The lecturer also stressed the measure was due to quarantine efforts to block COVID-19, not international sanctions on North Korea.
He added that with the Omicron variant spreading, repatriating overseas workers could lead to the immediate collapse of North Korea’s quarantine defenses.
North Korean authorities also presented policies that strengthen controls on workers to prevent them from defecting while they are overseas.
In the order, the authorities called for strict surveillance and regular reports on “workers who usually complain a lot, workers with suspicious movements and workers who want to abandon the Fatherland and escape” to prevent their alleged shortcomings from “turning into actual crimes.”
However, the order called for people who “turn their back to the Fatherland and try to escape” to be arrested and repatriated to North Korea in accordance with “Ministry of State Security repatriation procedures.”
A construction site in Russia photographed in June 2019. North Korean workers reportedly were working there at the time. / Image: Daily NK
Among North Korean workers in Russia, “Ministry of State Security repatriation procedures” means repatriating those who attempt to defect after injuring their legs so badly that they cannot walk on their own.
A North Korean defector who had worked in Russia said all workers know that the “Ministry of State Security’s repatriation procedures” means breaking the legs of would-be defectors and repatriating them in wheelchairs. He had never actually seen this done, he said, but was surprised the state would make direct mention of the “procedures.”
A high-ranking source in North Korea verified that Chu Kyong Chol, a North Korean worker in Russia who attempted to defect, was forcefully repatriated in an anesthetized state with wounded Achilles tendons after he was arrested by a Ministry for State Security security team sent to Russia.
North Korean authorities are apparently so concerned about worker defections that the state is cruelly maiming individuals before repatriating them.
North Korean authorities also made clear in the order that they will not reduce the so-called “loyalty funds,” the allotted share workers must pay to the state.
This essentially revealed the desire on the part of the authorities to secure party funds through worker efforts to earn foreign exchange, even though there will be no rotation of workers due to COVID-19.
North Koreans currently working in logging camps and construction sites in Russia pay anywhere from USD 4,500 to USD 10,000 per person a year in loyalty funds.
Based on Daily NK’s reporting, North Korean authorities raised the loyalty fund quota by around 30 to 55%.
Many North Korean workers in Russia reportedly complain that they suffer from hard labor and poor living conditions.
Many workers apparently wish to return to North Korea, believing it better to go back to their hometowns after the loyalty funds they must pay have skyrocketed.
With North Korean authorities ordering workers to continue paying increased loyalty funds while nixing worker rotations for the time being, discontent on the part of North Korean workers in Russia is expected to rise. However, workers will likely need to think long and hard before deciding to defect in the face of tightened surveillance by the authorities.
Seulkee Jang is one of Daily NK’s full-time journalists. Please direct any questions about her articles to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
10. North Korea establishes training center for quarantine workers in N. Hamgyong Province
The north Korean COVID paradox - deathly afraid of an outbreak with an opportunity to exert greater control of the population.
North Korea establishes training center for quarantine workers in N. Hamgyong Province
Trainees will learn methods to detect viruses, among other skills
Disease control officials in Pyongyang spraying buses with disinfectant. / Image: Rodong Sinmun
North Korean authorities recently established a training center for quarantine workers in Kyongsong County, North Hamgyong Province.
This comes as North Korea establishes such training centers nationwide.
According to a Daily NK source in North Hamgyong Province on Wednesday, the Central People’s Committee for Health and the Central Emergency Anti-epidemic Headquarters have been directly involved in recent efforts to establish training centers for quarantine workers in each province.
The source said the government’s goal in establishing the centers is to enable each province to “autonomously” produce skilled quarantine medicine personnel who can carry out quarantine policy on the ground in a professional manner when the authorities declare an “emergency quarantine footing” to combat viruses such as COVID-19.
Accordingly, North Hamgyong Province recently established a new training center for quarantine workers in Kyongsong County.
Trainees are to spend six months at the center learning methods to detect and diagnose viruses, ways to separate and process suspected cases and contacts, and other skills needed during an outbreak of infectious disease.
North Korean authorities recruited young trainees in their 30s, believing the country needs young, talented personnel as the training program aims to train personnel who can help stop outbreaks early.
Moreover, North Korean authorities ordered provincial people’s health committees and emergency anti-epidemic headquarters to entrust the issuing of graduation certificates and deployment of graduates to provincial party committee cadres, and also that they guarantee that capable personnel can effectively exercise their skills in the field.
The source said the government is stressing the need to establish a progressive medical and quarantine system and demonstrate a model example of “socialist quarantine efforts” by training quarantine personnel who can manage whatever they come up against. This goes for not only the current pandemic, but also for future viruses that could affect the world.
He added that Kyongsong County is using a separate county building as a temporary residence to house trainees from outside of town in a comfortable manner, and that the authorities plan to establish more training centers in Chongjin and other places in the province next year.
Jong So Yong is one of Daily NK’s freelance reporters. Questions about her articles can be directed to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
11. N.Korea continues operating main nuclear reactor at Yongbyon: CSIS
N.Korea continues operating main nuclear reactor at Yongbyon: CSIS
Thermal image analysis shows water being discharged from cooling system
Published : Dec 9, 2021 - 15:04 Updated : Dec 9, 2021 - 18:22
North Korean flag (Flicker-dion gillard)
North Korea is operating its main plutonium-producing nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon complex, a Washington-based think tank revealed Wednesday, citing thermal infrared imagery.
The CSIS Korea Chair said in a report it found the “clear and conclusive evidence” that the 5-megawatt reactor was operating based on thermal image analysis.
The 5-megawatt nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon Nuclear Complex is the core of Pyongyang’s proliferation efforts given that the reactor has been estimated to be able to produce around six kilograms of plutonium a year.
The think tank underscored the continued water discharge from the cooling system as key evidence of the operation of the main reactor at the Yongbyon complex.
Multiple thermal images taken from September to November showed warm water being dumped from the cooling system of the 5-megawatt nuclear reactor and funneled into the nearby Kuryong River.
Specifically, the images taken during the three months showed “continued and similar patterns of warm water discharge” from the reactor’s outflow channel into the river.
The CSIS Korea Chair identified temperature variations of up to 4 degrees Celsius in the Kuryong River when heated water was discharged into it.
“The warmest temperatures of the dispersal pattern are found near the mouth of the water discharge channel outlet and reveal clear indications that the reactor is in operation,” the CSIS Korea Chair, which runs the Beyond Parallel project, said.
The multiple thermal images provided by the CSIS Korea Chair report showed the heat concentration and a warm thermal pattern around the water discharge area in the Kuryong River.
In general, the temperature increase was observed in some parts of the river as the heated water was dispersed from the edge of the river where the outflow channel is located.
The thermal infrared analysis also corroborated the previous satellite images, which showed “water discharge from the reactor and probable steam exhaust from the steam turbine and electric generator.”
In addition, the CSIS Korea Chair said the irradiated fuel rods discharged from the nuclear reactor would “most likely to be subsequently sent to the Radiochemical Laboratory for reprocessing” to produce additional weapons-grade plutonium.
Pyongyang can extract plutonium for use in nuclear weapons at the radiochemical laboratory by reprocessing spent nuclear fuel rods obtained from the 5-megawatt reactor.
But the US think tank concluded that there were “no strong indications of any significant activity at the Radiochemistry Laboratory or thermal plant” based on the combined imagery analysis.
The CSIS Korea Chair also said thermal patterns showed there were no indications of the operation of the IRT-2000 research reactor. The thermal reactor was obtained from the Soviet Union in the mid-1960s, and requires 36 percent enriched uranium.
Wednesday’s analysis is in line with the previous assessment of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog in late November said Pyongyang had continued to operate the 5-megawatt nuclear reactor from early July this year. The reactor had been temporarily shut down from early December 2018 to that month.
But the IAEA said there were no signs of a new processing campaign and the operation of the Radiochemical Laboratory since early July 2021.
Suspected nuclear activities were previously observed at the laboratory from mid-February to early July.
In November, US think tank 38 North also released satellite images showing the continued operation of the main nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon complex, pointing to the steam exhaust and water discharge as the key evidence.
By Ji Da-gyum (dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)
12. [Lee Kyong-hee] How to rekindle inter-Korean exchanges
Key point in the concluding paragraph. Though I am not sure she and I are in sync about change in north Korea. I will say the quiet part out loud. There will be no change in the security situation on the Korean peninsula nor a resolution of the Korea question until there is change in Pyongyang. All the recommendations and policies until then are merely wishful thinking as Ms Lee says. New leadership must emerge. The question is can we influence and nurture it and will the alliance be ready to exploit the opportunity when the time comes?
Excerpt:
All this is wishful thinking, however, without brilliant strategic minds that can wisely navigate the rough seas of international politics surrounding the peninsula. No doubt that change must begin in the leadership of North Korea, which has emerged as a stronger military power under Kim Jong-un. Triggering the change will be the task of our next president, who will be elected in less than 100 days.
[Lee Kyong-hee] How to rekindle inter-Korean exchanges
Published : Dec 9, 2021 - 05:30 Updated : Dec 9, 2021 - 05:30
History repeats itself -- and it oftentimes is not kind. I have been reminded of this in the closing weeks of the past several years. As Korea approached the 21st century, hearts filled with hope and eyes rejoiced at sights unseen before. The history of an undivided Korean Peninsula seemed likely to be repeated. But a Cold War freeze rose again.
On Nov. 18, 1998, a cruise ship left Donghae Port on the east coast, carrying the first group of 826 South Korean tourists to Kumgangsan in North Korea. Two days later, another ship duplicated the same four-night round-trip tour to the legendary mountain. Thus began cross-border tourism and inter-Korean cooperation on the largest scale since 1948, when world powers divided the nation into the communist and democratic halves, ushering in the Cold War on a peninsula just liberated from colonial rule.
A total of 1,934,662 people visited Kumgangsan from South Korea in the following 10 years and eight months. During this time, an overland route was installed, slicing through the Demilitarized Zone and drastically cutting travel time. Then, on July 11, 2008, shortly after North Korean soldiers fatally shot a South Korean woman, Seoul halted the tours. Pyongyang claimed the visitor was in an off-limits area.
Kumgangsan is revered for its exquisite scenery. But my two trips there have etched tempered emotions. Approaching North Korea from the East Sea aboard one of the cruise ships along with other journalists in February 2002, I saw the first rays of dawn revealing the naval port Changjeon, with its eerily barren landscape. Then, trekking the valleys of the mountain, I found the streams implausibly clean -- probably too clean to accommodate any living organisms. A circus performance, which was part of the tour program, was immaculate but implied Spartan practices.
My second visit in September 2009 was sadder. I returned with family for a reunion with my sister who lived in the North, hosted by the Red Cross. As was provided by the inter-Korean family reunion regulations, five members of my family -- my mother, two elder sisters, a younger brother and I -- went to meet my sister at her request. In accordance with the regulations, some 100 South Korean families --about 500 people -- gathered at Sokcho Port the previous day, rode buses along the coastal road, crossed the DMZ and went through immigration.
The three-day reunion consisted of six meetings, including meals and an outdoor picnic, each lasting one or two hours. My sisters cried a lot, while my mother remained relatively calm. I wept too but I was entitled to feel less tormented than my sisters.
My sister in the North went missing during the Korean War. I was only 4 years old at the time, but still I can vividly recall the day we lost her. It was decades later that we learned she ended up in North Korea, became a doctor, married and had four children. The news came through her husband’s relatives in the United States, shortly before the first North Korean nuclear crisis.
Sitting around one of the 100 round tables in the big reunion hall, we looked at family photos, talked, cried and then talked. Surrounded by scores of officials and reporters from the North and South, there was little privacy in the first family gathering in six decades. Furthermore, my family happened to draw media attention because my mother was the oldest person participating in the reunions. She was 101 years old at the time. She passed away exactly 10 years later, in September 2019.
My mother prayed for my sister’s safety early in the morning every day after she went missing. But she never uttered her wishes to meet her. She knew the volatile relations between the two Koreas could possibly cause problems for her children anytime if they pursued contact -- whether official or unofficial. Returning from the reunion, she just said everything felt unreal and she still recalled more clearly the last sight of her teenage daughter before she disappeared.
Whatever my mother’s post-reunion response, I wished I could arrange for her to meet my sister one more time while she was alive. I thought she could probably travel to somewhere nearer than Kumgangsan, like Kaesong for example, where she could spend a few days with her long-missed daughter in a more private environment.
My mother passed away before I found an opportunity to try to turn that thought into action. But I still believe it can be a viable option for thoughtful policymakers in Seoul or Pyongyang who want to alleviate the grievances of separated families.
In a total of 21 rounds of reunions so far, only 20,761 members of 4,355 families have met their loved ones face to face. The Ministry of Unification’s list of registered separated family members had 133,549 names on it at the end of October this year. Of these people, only 46,813 were still alive. Among them, 12,719 were 90 years old or older. Additionally, there were 18,050 people in their 80s, 9,215 in their 70s, 4,020 in their 60s and 2,809 aged 59 or younger.
The statistics are misleading. Those counted are a small fraction of the entire population of families dispersed by national division and war. Estimates of those unregistered in the South alone run into millions.
The sorrow of separated families is a humanitarian issue that should precede any pending issues between the two Koreas. Then, economic cooperation and health care assistance for the suffering population in the North may follow, as well as a massive reforestation program to enable long-term development.
All this is wishful thinking, however, without brilliant strategic minds that can wisely navigate the rough seas of international politics surrounding the peninsula. No doubt that change must begin in the leadership of North Korea, which has emerged as a stronger military power under Kim Jong-un. Triggering the change will be the task of our next president, who will be elected in less than 100 days.
By Lee Kyong-hee
Lee Kyong-hee is a former editor-in-chief of The Korea Herald. She is currently editor-in-chief of Koreana, a quarterly magazine of Korean culture and arts published by the Korea Foundation. -- Ed.
13. U.S. missile defense in S. Korea under constant review, upgrade: Pentagon press secretary
We will never have enough missile defense. As the adage goes, sometimes the best defense is a good offense. We need deep attack capabilities to contribute to missile defense. This is why the ROK kill chain concept is important.
U.S. missile defense in S. Korea under constant review, upgrade: Pentagon press secretary | Yonhap News Agency
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- U.S. missile defense system capabilities including those in South Korea are constantly reviewed and upgraded to meet evolving threats, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Wednesday.
Kirby also highlighted the need for such capabilities to counter threats posed by what he called any "would-be" foes.
"This is the kind of capability that we not only believe we need in the region but that we need to continually review and upgrade as necessary," Kirby said when asked if the U.S. has enough missile defense capabilities to counter threats from North Korea, China and Russia.
"I think this all folds very significantly into the secretary's vision of innovative deterrence ... this fully netted effort to get capabilities and operational concepts working together with modern technology to help change the calculus of any would-be foe," he told a daily press briefing.
The Department of Defense announced on Monday that it has fielded a new long-range discrimination radar (LRDR) in Alaska that can discriminately pick out "lethal objects" or warheads of ballistic missiles launched from North Korea. The LRDR is the backbone of the Missile Defense Agency's strategy to protect the U.S. from ballistic missile attacks.
Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director of U.S. Missile Defense Agency, added the LRDR will likely be fully operational in 2023, and that it will also be upgraded to detect hypersonic missiles.
North Korea test fired a self-claimed hypersonic missile in September, followed by the test launch of a new submarine-launched ballistic missile the following month.
"I won't talk to the specifics of defense systems on the peninsula, but as you well know, the secretary was just out there and he had a lot of good discussions with Minister Suh and President Moon about the defensive capabilities that we continue to have on the peninsula and how we can keep those robust," said Kirby, referring to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's visit to Seoul earlier this month and his meetings there with his South Korean counterpart, Suh Wook, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
During his visit, Austin and Suh approved a new Strategic Planning Guidance, which will set the tone for updated wartime operation plans (OPLANs) for ROK-US combined forces.
Colin Kahl, under secretary of defense for policy, said OPLANs too continue to evolve as do threats.
"Our planning with South Korea is robust and it continues to evolve given the, you know, the evolution of the threat posed by North Korea, as well frankly as other challenges in the region," he said earlier Wednesday while speaking in a webinar hosted by U.S. online news outlet Defense One.
"This is just the next turn of the crank in terms of our ongoing planning and the evolution of our alliances with South Korea, which is as strong as it's ever been," he said of the upcoming change to OPLANs.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
14. Thirty-five House Republicans are ‘gravely concerned’ about formally ending Korean War
Rep. Young Kim's efforts are getting a lot of press in Korea and in papers like Stars and Stripes but not so much in the mainstream media in the US (except for Fox).
Thirty-five House Republicans are ‘gravely concerned’ about formally ending Korean War
South Korean soldiers stand guard at the Korean Demilitarized Zone’s Joint Security Area in May 2017. (Aaron Kidd/Stars and Stripes)
The House members said in a letter addressed to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday “there is no historical precedent” that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would abide by a peace agreement, as indicated by his continued “illegal activity to skirt sanctions on its nuclear weapons program and egregious human rights abuses.”
“Declaring an end to hostilities should come at the culmination of comprehensive and long-term talks with North Korea after eliminating its nuclear arsenal and demonstrating verifiable improvements on its human rights record,” the letter said. “It should not be offered as an attempt to initiate talks with an uncertain endgame and strategy.”
South Korean President Moon Jae-in in recent months has prioritized the issue before his term ends next year. His administration, which argues that a formal declaration may normalize relations with the North, has met with U.S. diplomats on numerous occasions to discuss the proposal.
Lawmakers who signed the letter include Reps. Young Kim and Michelle Steel of California, two of the first three Korean American women elected to Congress; Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida, a former Green Beret; and Rep. Peter Meijer of Michigan, a former Army intelligence specialist.
The lawmakers echoed the concerns of some international policy experts, who caution that such a declaration could bolster calls for the withdrawal of the roughly 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. Pyongyang continues to demand the full withdrawal of the U.S. military from the Korean Peninsula and criticizes the joint military exercises conducted by the two allies.
“Opening the door for considering for the removal of U.S. troops from the Korean peninsula before the North has fully denuclearized would have disastrous consequences for U.S. national security, erode our combined deterrence, and jeopardize the lives of tens of millions of Americans, Koreans, and Japanese,” the Republicans wrote in their letter.
The lawmakers said they acknowledged and supported the “measured approach” the White House “demonstrated thus far” but urged it to consult with the South Korean government on the “clear dangers and risks” of the proposal.
Congress appears to be divided on the issue by political party. In a separate letter addressed to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month, nearly two dozen Democratic House lawmakers called on the White House to declare a “final end” to the Korean War.
“While North Korea’s nuclear weapons continue to pose a threat to peace and security around the world, a forever state of war does not resolve this issue, nor does it serve the national interest of the United States and our allies,” 23 Democrats wrote in their letter.
The details of a possible declaration have yet to be publicly revealed; however, Ministry of Unification chief Lee In-young said in November that negotiations with the U.S. are “coming to a finish to some degree.”
The 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. The agreement was intended to bring about a “final peaceful settlement," according to the original document.
David Choi
15. Strong alliances place US in better position to compete with China: NSA Sullivan
Strong alliances place US in better position to compete with China: NSA Sullivan
Published : Dec 9, 2021 - 09:18 Updated : Dec 9, 2021 - 09:18
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is seen speaking in a webinar hosted by an online news outlet, Defense One, in Washington on Thursday in this captured image. (Yonhap)
The United States is in a better position from a year earlier to compete with China, partly thanks to its strong alliances with countries such as South Korea, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Wednesday.
The top US security advisor also underscored the importance of a US military presence in the Indo-Pacific region to help maintain peace and stability.
"I believe that there's a fairly straightforward way of looking at this, which is, close to one year into the Biden administration are we in a stronger position to deal with China than we were one year ago?, and I would argue that the answer to that question is unequivocally yes," Sullivan said in a webinar hosted by US online news outlet Defense One.
Sullivan explained reasons for the US' increased strength in dealing with China included the recently launched security arrangement with Australia and Britain, called AUKUS, as well as the Quad, which President Joe Biden elevated to a leader-level forum by hosting its first-ever summit this year, involving his counterparts from Australia, Japan and India.
"President has welcomed the president of Korea, the prime Minister of Japan to the White House, and those alliances are at their strongest point that they've been in in many years," said Sullivan.
He said the US alliances, along with its engagement with partners in multilateral formats, place the US in a position to both "compete effectively" with China and manage its relationship with China responsibly.
Sullivan also highlighted the importance of a US military presence in North East Asia.
"He (Biden) believes that stationing troops in an operational posture that is effective and adaptable in the Indo Pacific is important to keep peace and stability there, as well as to do so in the face of a rising challenge and threat from China," said Sullivan when asked how keeping US troops in the region serves US national interests.
The US currently has some 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea and around 50,000 in Japan.
"We feel good about where we are," said Sullivan.
"Now, that doesn't mean that we are not going to work with China where it's in our interest to do so ... We are going to work with China to try to deal with the climate crisis. We are going to work with China on questions related to regional security issues like the Iran nuclear deal, and that's in America's interests," he added. (Yonhap)
16. YouTuber sends AirTags to North Korea to put DHL shipping claims to the test
Interesting. Although perhaps not directly related to critical north Korea security issues, I do understand that DHL is the only company that can ship to north Korea.
YouTuber sends AirTags to North Korea to put DHL shipping claims to the test
9to5Mac · by Derek Wise · December 8, 2021
Jonathan of the YouTube channel Megalag previously grabbed the attention of the internet when he used Apple’s AirTag tracker to follow packages sent to North Korea, Elon Musk, and Apple CEO Tim Cook (the latter of which was returned to him with a letter). The AirTags sent to North Korea could not be delivered, prompting him to try again in order to figure out why.
Anyone who orders packages online or ships packages often has likely dealt with the odd missing package or failed delivery, but those packages probably weren’t destined for North Korea.
Jonathan started this journey on his YouTube channel in May in order to test how well AirTags worked to track packages that were sent overseas. In order to test this, he used DHL to send AirTags from Germany to Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and North Korea. The AirTags worked surprisingly well, even picking up some location information while in the air on a cargo plane.
While the AirTag sent to Cook managed to reach its intended destination and was returned with a letter, the North Korea-bound AirTags ended up stuck in a German AirPort, South Korea, and Beijing.
In his latest video, along with sending another AirTag to North Korea, he got back one of the initial packages bound for the country.
After receiving identical letters about the packages (of which he had the current location) being lost despite an investigation, and with the packages later being found, he speculated that this could be because DHL finds it more cost-effective to just pay off customers rather than actually searching for missing items. Check out his video below.
While it isn’t practical for every package you send, perhaps sending a $29 AirTag along with more expensive packages can serve as a sort of extra insurance, or at least, some peace of mind – especially when sending gifts this holiday season.
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9to5Mac · by Derek Wise · December 8, 2021
17. Elon Musk gets a new hairstyle, netizens liken him to Kim Jong-un
I could not resist.
Elon Musk gets a new hairstyle, netizens liken him to Kim Jong-un
Photo: Twitter
Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, December 9
Anything that Elon Musk does makes news.
The SpaceX CEO's was recently spotted at The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council with a new hairstyle.
A fan page, Tesla Silicon Valley Club, shared a screen grab of Musk from the WSJ CEO Council, and captioned it "nice haircut," the 50-year-old immediately responded to the compliment, "Did it myself."
Did it myself
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 7, 2021
The netizens went all out to find resemblance which has triggered a lot of interest on social media.
— Art (@Mr_Geminian) December 7, 2021
— Ensign Joseph (@joe_obrien5858) December 7, 2021
— Dariush (@Dariush35796235) December 7, 2021
Tribune Shorts
18. BOOK LAUNCH: The Korean Peninsula Conundrum: True Peace, Security, and Human Rights
BOOK LAUNCH: The Korean Peninsula Conundrum: True Peace, Security, and Human Rights
December 8, 2021
Details
Monday, December 13, 2021
11: 30 AM - 3:00 PM EST
DACOR Bacon House
1801 F ST NW Suite 305
Washington DC 20006
Most people want peace on the Korean Peninsula – bringing it about is the hard part. The United States has tried mightily, albeit unsuccessfully, for the last 30 years to persuade the North Korean regime to adhere to a lasting peace agreement.
A handful of members of Congress and ‘peace’ activists are now pushing the Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act (H.R. 3446) which instructs the Secretary of State to produce a road map for signing a peace treaty with the North Korean regime. Politicians in South Korea are also urging that the US Government issue an ‘end of war declaration’ as the Moon Administration is coming to its final stretch. These seemingly innocuous steps are, in fact, dangerous to the national security of South Korea and the United States and only further the agenda of China and North Korea.
One Korea Network’s edited volume, The Quest for Peace on the Korean Peninsula and the Unrelenting Threats from the North, covers a wide range of topics on the dangers of an ill-considered peace treaty, Chinese and North Korean objectives for the Korean Peninsula, the central role of human rights in any effective US strategy, North Korean influence in the American ‘peace activist’ movement and more.
To learn about the issues and risks posed by H.R. 3446 and similar bills, you are exclusively invited to the book launch event to hear from the contributors. This event is co-hosted with The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK).
Schedule of Events
Registration: (11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
Welcoming Remarks: (12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.)
Greg Scarlatoiu (Executive Director, Committee for Human Rights in North Korea)
Col. Grant Newsham, USMC (Ret.) (President, Korean Conservative Political Action Conference)
Book Introduction: (12:10 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.)
Col. David Maxwell (Ret.) (Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies)
Lunch: (12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.)
Keynote Address: (1:00 p.m. – 1:10 p.m.)
Session I: National Security: (1:10 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Moderator: Dr. Tara O (Adjunct Fellow, Hudson Institute)
Speakers:
Col. David Maxwell (Ret.) (Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies)
Dr. Bruce E. Bechtol, Jr. (Professor, Angelo State University)
Col. Grant Newsham, USMC (Ret.) (President, Korean Conservative Political Action Conference)
Gordon Chang (Author & Commentator, Newsweek)
Session II: Human Rights: (2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
Moderator: Olivia Enos (Senior Policy Analyst, The Heritage Foundation)
Speakers:
Greg Scarlatoiu (Executive Director, Committee for Human Rights in North Korea)
Amb. Morse Tan (Former Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, U.S. Department of State)
Dr. Sung-Yoon Lee (Kim Koo-Korea Foundation Professor in Korean Studies, The Fletcher School at Tufts University)
Closing Remarks: (3:00 p.m.)
[In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the event will have facemasks, hand sanitizers, and wipes available for attendees who request them. ]
V/R
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow
Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Phone: 202-573-8647
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
FDD is a Washington-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
