Quotes of the Day:

"A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers."

– Plato

"Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?"

– T. S. Eliot

"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom."

– Charles Spurgeon

1. N. Koreans' high casualties in Ukraine blamed on inexperience

2. Lake says VOA won’t be ‘Trump TV’

3. S Korea's new missile both bunker buster and nuclear hedge

4. Ukraine official says sending of N.K. POWs to S. Korea 'possible'

5. See How Xi and Putin Are Ramping Up Joint Military Drills

6. N. Korea threatens to use 'strategic means' in response to S. Korea-U.S. air drills

7. Grenell says 'Trump can show up with Kim Jong-un'

8. Trump inks memo to facilitate allies' investment, restrict China from investing in strategic sectors

9. N. Korea seen using ChatGPT in AI education

10. OpenAI says it banned accounts potentially linked to N. Korea over deceptive employment scheme

11. Chey Tae-won visits U.S. and says S. Korea has invested 230 trillion won in U.S., emphasizing partnership

12. Cyber crooks STEAL £1.19bn in biggest-ever cryptocurrency theft - as North Korean hackers 'behind heist'

13. Party approval ratings fluctuate after martial law

14. Rallies held nationwide for, against Yoon's impeachment ahead of final hearing

15. Trump seen tapping into allies' security concerns over geographic proximity to conflict zones

16. N. Korea designated 'high-risk jurisdiction' for money laundering, terrorism financing for 15th year

1. N. Koreans' high casualties in Ukraine blamed on inexperience

Just for context and clarification, here are two of my comments that were not in the article.

I am skeptical of all reporting on north Korean casualties. I have seen varied reporting from massive casualties to the nKPA forces are fighting well.

Please make sure you caveat my comments by saying if the casualty reports are accurate these could be some of the contributing factors to the reported high casualty figures.

N. Koreans' high casualties in Ukraine blamed on inexperience

https://www.voanews.com/a/n-koreans-high-casualties-in-ukraine-blamed-on-inexperience/7983971.html

February 21, 2025 6:28 PM

By Christy Lee

FILE - A TV screen at Seoul Railway Station in South Korea, on Oct. 21, 2024, shows an image of soldiers believed to be from North Korea standing in line to receive supplies from Russia.

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North Korean troops that joined Moscow's forces about four months ago in Russia's border region of Kursk are estimated to have suffered considerable casualties in the war against Ukraine, which analysts attribute to their lack of front-line combat experience.

Numbers from different sources vary, but more than 3,000 North Korean soldiers are believed to have died or been injured while fighting Ukrainian forces.

The South Korean National Intelligence Service cited the figure in mid-January, breaking it down to at least 300 killed and another 2,700 wounded.

In an interview published Monday by South Korea's Chosun Daily, Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence, said North Korean troops had suffered about 4,000 casualties.

That would be one-third of the 12,000 North Korean soldiers who the U.S. in December estimated had been deployed to the Kursk region.

A peace deal is being pushed by the Trump administration to end the war, which began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Frontal assaults

"The North Korean military personnel fighting in the Kursk region are being used for frontal assaults without much military support such as artillery and armor and drones, against some of the very best Ukrainian forces," said Bruce Bennett, senior defense researcher at the Rand Corporation.

"Many of the North Korean forces used by the Russians were trained to be special forces intended to penetrate into the enemy rear and operate there," he said. "Their North Korean training was not for frontal assaults, and they appear to not have been trained in Russia very well for such tactics, especially given the evolution of warfare to involve drones and other factors."

If the Russians are using North Korean special operations forces as light infantry units, then "they are wasting their soldiers' lives" because they are not using the soldiers' special operations training, said David Maxwell, vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy.

If the Ukrainian forces are "employing effective combined arms maneuver with integrated fire support, they will inflict tremendous damage against frontal assaults," he said.

Another reason for high casualties among North Korean troops could be "communications problems if they are working under the command of Russian forces," Maxwell said. "The language challenge hinders interoperability and the ability of the Russians to provide support" to the North Koreans.

FILE - In this photo taken from a video and released Nov. 29, 2024, a Russian serviceman aims a D-30 howitzer toward Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region, Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

FILE - In this photo taken from a video and released Nov. 29, 2024, a Russian serviceman aims a D-30 howitzer toward Ukrainian positions in the Kursk region, Russia. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Many of the North Korean troops deployed to Russia are reportedly from the regime's elite special forces unit known as the 11th Corps of the Korean People's Army, also known as the Storm Corps.

Headquartered in Tokchon, North Korea, the Storm Corps is trained to infiltrate and sabotage enemy operations and assassinate targets.

North Korea began sending troops to Russia in October. Former U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the time that if the forces entered the war, it would be "a very, very serious issue" affecting not only Europe but also the Indo-Pacific region.

The deployment of North Korean troops, in addition to the munitions the country had been sending to Russia since October 2023, represented an escalation of military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow and a dangerous expansion of Russia's war, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said in October.

The same month, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun described North Korean troops as "mere cannon fodder mercenaries" for Russia's "illegal war of aggression."

Russia has been using so-called meat-grinder tactics to fight Ukraine. The strategy involves mobilizing a large number of troops in a concentrated area of combat to bombard the enemy and break through its defenses. The attackers often suffer a high number of casualties.

Escalation of conflict

Ukrainian forces first reported encountering North Korean units on Nov. 5 in the Kursk region. Shortly afterward, Russia, reportedly using meat-grinder tactics, suffered a record number of casualties for the month.

Russia suffered more than 2,000 casualties on Nov. 28 alone, which helped raise the average daily Russian casualties for the month to a new high of 1,523, according to the Institute for the Study of War, citing an analysis from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense.

Adding to the casualties are the lethal World War I-style combat tactics, such as heavy artillery bombardments and trench warfare, that have made a comeback in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Russians and North Koreans "are fighting in this horrible, almost World War I-style combat, where all sides, including the Ukrainians, are taking huge casualties" with "tons of artillery" and "missiles and rockets and tanks," said Bruce Bechtol, a professor focusing on East Asia and international security at Angelo State University in Texas.

Since the start of the war, Russia is estimated to have incurred more than 860,000 casualties, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported Friday. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this week that more than 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and about 380,000 had been injured over that same period.

Bechtol, a former intelligence officer for the Defense Intelligence Agency, said North Korean and Russian casualties could have been "exaggerated," and it might not be possible to assess exact figures, even after the war ends.

In October, neither Moscow nor Pyongyang denied the possibility of North Korean troop deployment to Russia, nor did either fully acknowledge that North Korean soldiers were fighting Ukrainian forces.

Jeff Seldin contributed to this report.

2. Lake says VOA won’t be ‘Trump TV’

The paradox for Trump supporters who may not like this headline is that all Ms. Lake needs to do is let VOA do its job and it WILL be "Trump TV." Not in the sycophantic sense that is both desired by some and unwanted by others. It will be "Trump TV" because it will be the most respected media organization overseas that is objectively explaining US national policy. It will objectively explain US policy and all POTUS' actions and it will give voice to both supporters and detractors thus enhancing its legitimacy among foreign target audiences both for the context it provides as well as for being a true beacon of the ideal of a free press. The fact that a government funded organization can present all sides of the issues is an example of American values in the world. But Trump supporters need not worry because despite giving voice to opponents and criticism, the majority of effort will go into objectively explaining US national policy (POTUS' policy) and actions to foreign target audiences to ensure they understand POTUS' intent. Now I cannot speak for all of the journalists at VOA, but I can give a comprehensive assessment of journalists in the Korea service who I know have and will continue to objectively report on US national policy. I provide my daily "citizen's oversight" by reading and listening to their reports every day. VOA is one of the most important conduits of communication to Kim Jong Un because we know the regime elite listens to its broadcasts (and those of Radio Free Asia as well). And so do the Korean people in the north. VOA is a national treasure that should be supported as well as honored for the work that it does. I am happy to debate this with anyone who pays close attention to the work of VOA as I do.

Lake says VOA won’t be ‘Trump TV’

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5157577-kari-lake-voice-of-america-trump/?utm

by Jared Gans - 02/21/25 12:21 PM ET

Kari Lake, President Trump’s choice to lead Voice of America (VOA), said the international state media broadcaster won’t be “Trump TV” under her watch. 

Lake said at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday that VOA will focus on “accurate” and “honest” reporting but also won’t feature “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” a common refrain for Trump supporters criticizing mainstream media coverage of the president. 

“It won’t become Trump TV, but it sure as hell will not be TDSTV. You can find all the ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ that you want over on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ’60 Minutes,’ The Washington Post and The New York Times,” she said. 

Lake previously served as a news anchor in Arizona before her unsuccessful runs for governor and Senate in the state. She has often spread misinformation, particularly on the COVID-19 pandemic and the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election, eliciting attacks from critics. 

She refused to concede her defeat in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) and pursued fruitless legal challenges to the results for years. She also fell short of conceding her loss to Sen. Ruben Gallego (D) in November, though she hasn’t pursued legal challenges. 

Lake said she feels “honored” that VOA has been “telling America’s story” for more than 80 years, though its coverage has sometimes been “incredible” and sometimes “pitiful.” 

“We are fighting an information war, and there’s no better weapon than the truth, and I believe the VOA can be that weapon,” she said. 

Some conservatives have accused VOA, along with other publicly funded media, of left-wing bias in its coverage. Lake said she understood some calls for shutting VOA down but believes it can be improved. 

“But I believe it is worth trying to save,” she said. “With a relatively small budget, along with honest reporting, we can spread the values of freedom all over the world and prevent trillion-dollar wars.” 

Voice of America was first formed in 1942 to oppose Nazi propaganda and receives funding from the government, broadcasting all around the world. 

The president doesn’t directly appoint the head of VOA, but Trump has nominated conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which makes the decision. Bozell needs to be confirmed by the Senate to take his post and then could select Lake.

Tags Kari Lake misinformation Trump TV VOA Voice of America

3. S Korea's new missile both bunker buster and nuclear hedge

An important capability for deterrence and warfighting.

The paradox is because it is non-nuclear that it can be employed against all north Korea threats across the spectrum of conflict.

And it will contribute to the South's "nuclear latency." Here is what my AI friend says about nuclear latency for South Korea:

South Korea’s concept of nuclear latency refers to its possession of the technological, industrial, and scientific infrastructure that would enable it to develop nuclear weapons relatively quickly if it ever chose to do so—even though it has not, and currently does not, pursue a nuclear weapons program.

Key Aspects of Nuclear Latency in South Korea

Robust Civilian Nuclear Program:

South Korea has invested heavily in nuclear power for civilian purposes, building an extensive network of nuclear reactors and research facilities. This long-standing commitment has developed a wealth of expertise and a robust infrastructure in nuclear science and technology.

Technological and Industrial Capabilities:

The nation’s advanced nuclear fuel cycle technology, research and development programs, and a highly skilled workforce contribute to its latent capability. Essentially, if a policy decision were made to develop nuclear weapons, South Korea could potentially leverage its existing facilities and know-how to do so within a relatively short timeframe.

Strategic Deterrence without Proliferation:

Despite having these capabilities, South Korea remains a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella for its security. The concept of nuclear latency thus serves more as a byproduct of the country’s overall technological advancement and energy strategy rather than as an active or intended path toward weaponization.

Regional and International Implications:

The latent capability raises important debates regarding deterrence and regional stability in East Asia. While it provides a sort of “insurance” against external threats, it also means that in a rapidly changing security environment, South Korea would face significant political and diplomatic challenges if it ever decided to cross the threshold into developing nuclear weapons.

In summary, South Korea’s nuclear latency is a reflection of its advanced civilian nuclear industry and technological prowess. It underscores the idea that a nation can maintain a rapid pathway to nuclear weapons development without actually pursuing a nuclear arsenal, balancing between national security concerns and international nonproliferation commitments.

S Korea's new missile both bunker buster and nuclear hedge - Asia Times

KTSSM missile boosts conventional strike capabilities while quietly positioning S Korea for a potential independent nuclear deterrent

asiatimes.com · by Gabriel Honrada · February 21, 2025

South Korea’s new KTSSM bunker-buster missile enhances conventional strike capabilities while quietly positioning the country for a potential independent nuclear deterrent.

The missile’s deployment signifies a broader strategic change that could potentially blur the boundaries between conventional and nuclear postures.

This month, Yonhap News Agency reported that South Korea has fielded the Korean Tactical Surface-to-Surface Missile (KTSSM), a domestically developed precision-strike weapon designed to neutralize North Korea’s underground artillery sites.

Dubbed “Ure” (Thunder), the KTSSM can conduct rapid, simultaneous precision strikes, targeting North Korea’s long-range artillery, much of which is positioned within striking distance of Seoul.

With a range of 180 kilometers, the missile enhances South Korea’s deterrence posture amid escalating tensions. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) emphasized that the deployment provides the military with an “overwhelming” capability to destroy enemy positions in a contingency.

The KTSSM was first developed following North Korea’s November 2010 bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island. Global Security notes that KTSSM is an affordable tactical ballistic system similar to the US Army’s Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), though it offers improved accuracy at the expense of a shorter range.

There are two variants: KTSSM-1, which is intended to target North Korea’s M1978/M1989 Koksan 170-mm howitzers and M1985/M1991 240-mm multiple rocket launchers (MRL), and KTSSM-2, a self-propelled unit designed to strike North Korea’s KN-09 300-mm MRLs and KN-02 short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM).

The Koksan’s range with conventional shells is 40 kilometers and 60 kilometers with rocket-assisted projectiles, while North Korea’s 240-millimeter MRLs have a similar range. The KN-09 has an estimated range of 200 kilometers and the KN-02 falls within the 120-170 kilometer range.

KTSSM Block 1 features a thermal penetrating warhead, while Block 2 employs a unitary high-explosive warhead. South Korea deploys the KTSSM at the corps level, whereas its Army Missile Command operates the Hyunmoo and ATACMS systems.

North Korea’s hardened artillery sites (HARTS) remain a significant threat. Kyle Mizokami, in a January 2021 article for The National Interest (TNI), states that North Korea has between 200 and 500 HARTS positioned in the mountains north of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

These artillery pieces can fire and retreat into the mountains to reload. North Korea intends to use these sites to either support a potential invasion or as a means of bombardment against Seoul. It can also use its artillery threat as a means of coercion against the US and South Korea without relying on chemical or nuclear weapons.

An August 2020 RAND Corporation report estimates that North Korea possesses around 6,000 rocket and tube artillery pieces capable of striking significant South Korean population centers with high-explosive ammunition. Even a brief, targeted barrage could inflict catastrophic damage.

RAND warns that if these artillery units fired for an hour, fatalities could reach 100,000, while strikes on industrial facilities could devastate South Korea’s economy. The report stresses that the rapid onset of destruction would make it difficult for the US and South Korea to prevent mass casualties or protect civilian populations.

While these assessments underscore the scale of the threat, other experts caution against overstating North Korea’s artillery capabilities.

In a November 2024 Modern Warfare Institute (MWI) article, Ju Hyung Kim argues that North Korea’s artillery, though significant, may not be as formidable as often portrayed. He notes that North Korea likely possesses only about 100 170-millimeter self-propelled guns and 200 240-millimeter MRLs that could reach Seoul.

Kim also highlights the poor accuracy and high dud rate of North Korea’s artillery. During the 2010 Yeonpyeong bombardment, North Korea fired 400 rounds, yet only 80 reached their targets, while 320 fell into the sea. Of the 80 that hit their targets, 20 failed to detonate.

From that, Kim estimates that in a full-scale attack on Seoul, North Korea’s 170-millimeter guns could fire 100 shells, while its 240-millimeter MRLs could fire 4,400 rockets, but only 48 shells and 1,840 rockets would reach the city.

Given Seoul’s vast urban sprawl, the prevalence of reinforced concrete structures and the high dud rate of North Korean munitions, he argues that the damage inflicted by such an attack would be considerably lower than worst-case projections suggest.

While North Korea’s nuclear arsenal dominates discussions about deterrence, South Korea’s investment in conventional weapons such as the KTSSM demonstrates the continued relevance of non-nuclear deterrence.

In a 2019 Federation of American Scientists (FAS) report, Adam Mount critiques South Korea’s reliance on the US nuclear umbrella, arguing that it is an inadequate response to North Korea’s limited acts of aggression and risks unnecessary escalation.

He contends that conventional responses are preferable due to nuclear escalation’s operational, economic, political, human and normative costs. Mount further notes that relying on nuclear weapons for deterrence imposes strategic constraints while offering little practical leverage.

Politically, he contends that South Korea’s reliance on US extended deterrence presents a dilemma; the US is unlikely to forward-deploy nuclear weapons to the Korean Peninsula, and even if it did, their operational utility would be limited. Further, South Korea’s strategic calculations could be complicated by the potential for the US to use nuclear weapons against the former’s wishes.

Given these constraints, South Korea’s development of the KTSSM aligns with its broader conventional counterforce and countervalue strategy.

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In a 2021 International Security journal article, Ian Bowers and Henrik Hiim argue that South Korea’s pursuit of these capabilities reflects a long-term strategy of hedging against potential US abandonment while reinforcing its nuclear latency.

North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) capable of striking the US mainland amplifies the risk that the US could dilute its nuclear-extended deterrence commitments to South Korea.

This strategic uncertainty incentivizes South Korea to enhance its independent deterrence capabilities, ensuring that it retains the ability to preemptively neutralize North Korea’s nuclear arsenal and leadership if necessary.

In the short term, South Korea’s emphasis on conventional deterrence enables it to credibly threaten North Korean military assets without escalating to nuclear brinkmanship.

Over the long term, however, developments such as the KTSSM provide South Korea with a technological foundation for rapid nuclear weaponization should the security environment necessitate such a shift.

Bowers and Hiim say South Korea’s nuclear hedging strategy is based on dual-use missile systems. This means that South Korea is deliberately building up capabilities that could be used for nuclear deterrence, if necessary, while avoiding the immediate risks and political fallout of pursuing nuclear weapons.

The KTSSM’s deployment highlights South Korea’s evolving security calculus. While still under the US nuclear umbrella, South Korea’s investment in advanced conventional strike systems signals a growing desire for strategic autonomy.

The missile serves an immediate tactical purpose—countering North Korea’s artillery threat—but its broader implications extend into nuclear strategy.

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asiatimes.com · by Gabriel Honrada · February 21, 2025

4. Ukraine official says sending of N.K. POWs to S. Korea 'possible'

This will be an important theme and message to incorporate into Psychological Operations directly against the nKPA in north Korea. The regime will spend even more time in ideological indoctrination to counter this. It will sacrifice what little training time it provides for readiness to ensure ideological purity. This is one of the reasons we need to engage in a comprehensive PSYOP campaign. It may not result in large-scale immediate defections but it will cause the regime to devote even more resources to ideological indoctrination rather than readiness training. We need to take off the gloves of our PSYOP campaign and stop worrying about it being a provocation that will cause Kim to respond. The effects over time will be far greater than regime counter-propaganda and provocations.

(Yonhap Interview) Ukraine official says sending of N.K. POWs to S. Korea 'possible' | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · February 22, 2025

KYIV, Feb. 22 (Yonhap) -- A Ukrainian defense intelligence official has mentioned the possibility of sending North Korean soldiers captured during combat to South Korea, in the first such acknowledgment by Kyiv.

Andriy Chernyak, the representative of defense intelligence of Ukraine, made the remark in an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency in Kyiv on Friday (local time) when asked about the two North Korean soldiers held in Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.

"Everything is possible," Chernyak said in the interview conducted in Ukrainian. "Nowadays, we cooperate with the South Korean government very closely. We have tight connections with your defense intelligence and special forces. So we think that such a situation may happen."

This photo, provided by himself, shows Andriy Chernyak, the representative of defense intelligence of Ukraine. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

One of the two North Korean soldiers expressed his intention to defect to the South in a recent interview with the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo. The South Korean government has since said it is willing to provide protection and support if the soldiers request to come to the South, treating them as South Korean citizens, as guaranteed under the country's Constitution.

Chernyak, who works for the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, the military intelligence agency of the Ministry of Defense, said he cannot disclose the location where the North Korean prisoners are being held.

"But all their needs are covered, they have everything necessary and they are situated in a protected, safe place," he said.

Chernyak said the 11,000 North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia are posing a "real problem" for not only Ukraine but also the Asia-Pacific region. Around 4,000 of them have already been killed or seriously wounded, he said, but some could return to the battlefield after recovering.

"In this way, the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is prolonging," Chernyak said. "Why I say it's a danger not only for Ukraine is because if those soldiers are injured, they will come back home and they are those people who have studied in real war conditions. This knowledge includes UAV tactics and small infantry group tactics."

Chernyak added, "Right now in the world, only the Ukrainian and Russian armies have such experience, and North Korea is getting it too."

When asked about reports that North Korean troops had disappeared from the front lines since mid-January, Chernyak dismissed them as untrue.

A wounded North Korean soldier, captured by Ukrainian forces in Russia's western Kursk region, is seen in this photo posted on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's X account on Jan. 11, 2025 (local time). (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

"Actually they didn't disappear," he said. "They were just taken back … because of the huge losses. They were completed and returned back to the battlefield."

He also said by Ukraine's estimates, North Korea could send an additional 150,000 troops in support of Russia's invasion.

"In the beginning, the North Korean soldiers didn't understand what to do," Chernyak said. "They had used the wrong tactics. That's why they had so many losses. But they learn very fast. And now they have become quite skillful and professional. They have no fear of death and fight bravely."

Russian soldiers, however, "undervalue them and act like North Korean soldiers are lower class," he said. "But honestly, we have to note their skills."

On the negotiations between the United States and Russia to end the war, Chernyak said Moscow will try to prove Ukraine's armed forces are unable to protect the country.

"Russia is trying to activate their efforts along the whole front line. Even though there are no active hostilities, they enhance their intelligence operations," he said. "No doubt they are going to use that for influencing the negotiation process."

Chernyak added, "We shouldn't undervalue the enemy ... But on the other hand we have seen that the Russian Army is not so scary as they wanted to show."

The official stressed Ukraine "can still hold the front line and fight" and Russians have paid "a high cost with the great human resource losses."

hague@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · February 22, 2025

5. See How Xi and Putin Are Ramping Up Joint Military Drills

See maps and graphics at the link. The GO/Weiji/Baduk board is in play.

Imagine playing Go in a multi-domain, multi-dimensional environment with 3 or more players. I play this game a lot against the computer and I never win.

Go is a strategic board game for two players where the objective is to control more territory on the board by placing stones on intersections, creating formations that surround empty spaces, and ultimately capturing more territory than your opponent by enclosing areas with your stones; players take turns placing stones, and a stone is captured when completely surrounded by the opponent's stones, with the winner being the player who controls the most territory at the end of the game. 

Key points about Go:

• Board: Played on a square grid with 19 lines on each side, creating intersections where players place their stones. 
• Stones: Black and white pieces representing each player. 
• Movement: Stones are placed on intersections and cannot be moved once placed. 
• Capturing: When a stone or group of stones is completely surrounded by the opponent's stones, it is captured and removed from the board. 
• Winning: The player with the most territory (empty spaces surrounded by their stones) at the end of the game wins. 

Important aspects of Go strategy:

• Territory building:

Players strategically place stones to create large areas of territory by surrounding empty spaces. 

• Stone connections:

Maintaining connections between your stones to prevent them from being captured individually. 

• Influence:

Even if a space isn't fully surrounded, a player can still exert influence over it by placing stones near the borders. 

• Reading the board:

Players must analyze the board to anticipate their opponent's moves and plan their own strategies. 

See How Xi and Putin Are Ramping Up Joint Military Drills

China and Russia expand cooperation from Alaska to Taiwan in a challenge to the U.S. and its partners

https://www.wsj.com/world/russia-china-joint-drills-putin-xi-6617c09b?st=PjVpT7&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

By Austin Ramzy

Follow

Updated Feb. 22, 2025 12:01 am ET

China–Russia joint military exercises by type, 2003–24*

KAZAKHSTAN

Med. Sea

South

China Sea

Arabian Sea

Multilateral

Multi-domain (multiple military branches)

Bilateral

Ground

Paramilitary

Naval

INDIAN OCEAN

Aerial patrol

International competitions

Computer simulation (virtual war games)

*As of July 2024

Source: China Power Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Emma Brown/WSJ

HONG KONG—The militaries of China and Russia, America’s top two global adversaries, are working together as never before in their long partnership, probing the defenses of the U.S. and its allies.

The message to America from the growing partnership is that, if drawn into a military conflict, U.S. forces could find themselves confronting both countries.

Chinese-Russian joint patrols and military exercises have become more frequent and increasingly assertive, a review of recent activity shows—and the U.S. and its allies have been forced to respond more frequently as well, scrambling jet fighters and other assets to safeguard territory.

Beijing and Moscow have been displaying close cooperation near Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, nations that the U.S. has pledged to defend, and Taiwan, to which the U.S. sells weapons and provides training. Washington has maintained a policy of ambiguity as to whether it would defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion.

Alongside growing military ties between Russia and U.S. foe North Korea, the prospect of battling multiple enemies compounds the challenge for the U.S. as it prepares and develops strategy for a potential conflict in Asia. 

Close to Alaska

A Chinese long-range bomber and a smaller Russian jet fighter are seen during a joint patrol. Photo: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/AP

The point was made closer to home in July, when Russian and Chinese warplanes took off from a Russian air base and flew together past Alaska, prompting the U.S. and Canada to send jet fighters to intercept them. U.S. officials said it was the first time strategic bombers from Russia and China operated together near North America.

“The locations and assets involved in these exercises are becoming more expansive and aggressive,” said Jacob Stokes, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington think tank. “It’s projecting military force at a scale sufficient to target other powerful states, which is a major shift.”

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin made a display of their partnership in the hours after President Trump took office last month, publicizing a video chat in which they called each other “old friend” and pledged to deepen China-Russia cooperation.

“Make no mistake, this is an escalation,” Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska said in July of the flight of Chinese and Russian bombers past his state. The patrol showed the state was “on the front lines of the authoritarian aggression by the dictators in Russia and China who are increasingly working together.”

The flyby was followed in October by a joint patrol to the Arctic through the Bering Strait involving two Russian border-guard ships and two cutters of the Chinese coast guard, a force that has grown in strength and assertiveness.

Cruising past Alaska

Omsukchan

Chukchi Sea

RUSSIA

Egvekinot

Ugolnye Kopi

CAN.

Fairbanks

Nome

Alaska

(U.S.)

Bering

Sea

Uelen

RUSSIA

Anchorage

Naukan

Russian ship

Gulf of Alaska

Lavrentiya

10 miles

Bering Strait

Alaska

(U.S.)

Wales

Chinese ships

York

Port Clarence

Tracking data show one Russian and two Chinese coast guard ships pass through the Bering Strait on Oct. 1, 2024, on the countries’ first joint patrol to the Arctic.*

20 miles

20 km

*No tracking data was available for a second Russian ship that sailed with them.

Source: MarineTraffic

Emma Brown/WSJ

Closing in on Taiwan

The two powers made another joint display in December at a sensitive Asian hot spot. As China’s navy was massing for one of its largest shows of force around Taiwan in years, four Russian warships sailed past the self-ruled island. Three Russian corvettes took part—vessels designed to operate in shallow and coastal waters.

The corvettes, accompanied by a Russian fuel-supply ship, communicated with Chinese warships as they approached in what appeared to be a coordinated drill, a Taiwanese security official said.

Russian and Chinese ships were also spotted at the time in the waters surrounding Japan and South Korea, according to Taiwanese officials. In all, nearly 100 Chinese warships and vessels—involving several thousand personnel—were spotted across the region, Taiwan said. China considers the island democracy to be part of its territory with which it must be united someday, by force if necessary. 

Despite these drills, Russia and China don’t show many signs of advanced military cooperation or integration—and they don’t have to, said Dmitry Gorenburg, an expert on the Russian military at CNA, a think tank in Washington.

“If they were to get involved in a war with the U.S. in the Pacific, which is what they’re practicing for,” he said, “it is much more likely they end up in separate sectors fighting separately with enough interaction and communication they don’t get in each other’s way.”

China and Russia say their military exercises don’t target other countries. But they have come uncomfortably close to American allies. 

Circling Japan

Chinese-Russian joint patrols

RUSSIA

CHINA

HOKKAIDO

Sapporo

Oct. 18: The Japanese military says it spotted 10 Chinese and Russian warships and supply vessels traveling eastward.

N. KOREA

The ships sail between Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of Japan, and Honshu, the largest island, turning southeast on Oct. 21.

Sea of Japan

Oct. 14-17, 2021: The Chinese and Russian navies hold joint exercises in the Sea of Japan.

Seoul

S. KOREA

JAPAN

Tokyo

HONSHU

Busan

Kyoto

Nagoya

Osaka

Fukuoka

SHIKOKU

PACIFIC OCEAN

KYUSHU

Oct. 21: The ships sail through small islands about 250 miles south of Tokyo.

East China Sea

Oct. 21-22: The ships sail west, past Japan's southernmost main island of Kyushu and into the East China Sea.

Oct. 23: A helicopter is seen taking off and landing on a Chinese guided-missile destroyer in the East China Sea.

Source: Japanese Ministry of Defense

Emma Brown/WSJ

As Chinese and Russian ships carried out a series of joint exercises near Japan in September, a Russian patrol aircraft repeatedly entered Japanese airspace near Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands. Japan sent jet fighters that fired warning flares at the Russian plane.

The rising threat from China has pushed the U.S. to deepen its military cooperation with Japan. Trump, after meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House this month, said the U.S. was “totally committed to the security of Japan.”

The U.S. military maintains bases in Japan, as it does in South Korea, and collaborates with forces in Taiwan and the Philippines—security commitments over a broad geographical area that encompasses flashpoints from the Korean Peninsula to the South China Sea.

Increasing tempo

Number of China–Russia joint military exercises by type

10

Computer simulation (virtual war games)

Multi-domain (multiple military forces)

Ground

8

Paramilitary

Naval

One military

exercise

Aerial patrol

6

Intl. competitions

4

2

0

2003

’05

’10

’15

’20

’24

Note: 2024 data is through August 7

Source: China Power Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Working together at an increasing tempo, Russia and China have now conducted more than 100 joint exercises since 2003, according to a database maintained by the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ China Power Project. 

The geographical range of the cooperation has expanded, sending a message of broader reach and widening the range of potential conflict.

The October passage through the Bering Strait was the Chinese coast guard’s first joint patrol with Russia in Arctic waters. The U.S. Coast Guard, which monitored the ships by air, said it was the farthest north a Chinese cutter had been spotted. Russia and China are working together to dominate Arctic trade routes and expand their presence in the region.

China has also been broadening its maritime reach on its own. Three Chinese ships said Friday they would conduct live-fire exercises in waters between Australia and New Zealand, in drills that New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins said were the Chinese navy’s “most significant and sophisticated we have seen this far south.”

China and Russia conducted their first joint exercise in the South China Sea in September 2016, just two months after an international tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines against China’s claims over the disputed waters. Those drills were held more than 600 miles from the Philippines, off the southern Chinese city of Zhanjiang.

The partners have since made clear they would no longer keep at a distance.

In July, a patrol by Chinese and Russian naval ships sailed through the Balintang Channel, which separates two small Philippine archipelagoes. 

Weeks earlier, Chinese and Philippines vessels had clashed near the Second Thomas Shoal, an escalation in China’s use of forceful tactics and intimidation in the South China Sea.

The U.S. has committed to help defend Philippine forces in the South China Sea, and the clashes there raise the potential of a conflict between China and the U.S. Naval and air force units from the U.S. and the Philippines regularly conduct joint exercises in the area.

Support for Moscow

Russian and Chinese warships at the port of Vladivostok in Eastern Russia during a joint naval exercise. Photo: Russian Navy Pacific Fleet/TASS/Zuma Press

For Russia, the collaboration with China has allowed Moscow to show it has international support at times when it is being censured by the West.

China joined Russian drills in the Mediterranean Sea in 2015 as Moscow was facing international condemnation following its annexation of Crimea. In the lead-up to Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia and China enjoyed a partnership that spanned diplomatic, economic, investment and military ties.

Moscow in turn has appeared to defer to China’s own territorial claims.

Five months after Moscow began the invasion, Chinese and Russian warships sailed in quick succession near the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. China claims the islands as its own and calls them the Diaoyu, sending ships there on almost daily patrols.

Ten Russian and Chinese warships had jointly sailed around three of Japan’s main islands for the first time in 2021, traveling through international waters during a four-day patrol that was closely monitored by Japanese security forces.

Analysts described the partial circumnavigation of Japan as a warning to Tokyo, with which Russia also has territorial disputes.

“It was all legal, they used international straits—but nonetheless it was symbolically significant,” said Gorenburg, the Russian military expert.

With Trump’s return to the White House, U.S. security commitments are being stress-tested. Trump this week began a reversal of U.S. policy toward Russia with regard to Ukraine—which like Taiwan has relied on U.S. support to fend off the territorial claims of its larger neighbor.

On Taiwan, Trump hasn’t declared any change to Washington’s policy of ambiguity.

The U.S. president, however, has demanded that allies spend more on their own defense, adding to concerns across Asia about how to confront threats from China—and, possibly, Russia as well.

Write to Austin Ramzy at austin.ramzy@wsj.com

6. N. Korea threatens to use 'strategic means' in response to S. Korea-U.S. air drills

We can always get the regime's attention.

Again, paradoxically, we might be showing Kim enough attention to satisfy him so that he can use it as an external threat justification for internal stability purposes while the new administration does not take any action to engage him which would otherwise be frustrating to Kim and could cause him to act out like a child demanding attention.

And of course this contributes to the larger strategic competition that includes Chinese and Russian exercises throughout Indo-Pacom.

N. Korea threatens to use 'strategic means' in response to S. Korea-U.S. air drills | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · February 22, 2025

SEOUL, Feb. 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea warned Saturday it will mobilize "strategic means" against what it called strategic threats from the United States and other adversaries, in response to a joint military exercise between South Korea and the U.S. involving a U.S. strategic bomber.

The chief of the press office at North Korea's defense ministry issued a statement after Seoul and Washington staged combined air drills, involving at least one B-1B bomber, on Thursday for the first time since the launch of the Trump administration.

"The DPRK will counter the strategic threat of the U.S. and other enemies with strategic means and continue its responsible military activities to control and manage the unstable security environment on the Korean Peninsula with powerful deterrence," the official was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency.

DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

North Korea claimed that since the Trump administration took office last month, the U.S. has been intensifying its military provocations threatening the security of the North.

North Korea's rapid and accelerating move to bolster its nuclear force is a "realistic requirement for coping with the military threat from the U.S. and its satellite countries which are getting more rampant recently," the official argued.

North Korea has long denounced a joint military exercise between South Korea and the U.S. as a rehearsal for invasion though the allies said such drills are defensive in nature. The North has used Seoul-Washington's military drills as a pretext for provocations.

South Korea and the United States conduct joint air drills on Feb. 20, 2025, in this photo provided by the South's defense ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

sooyeon@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · February 22, 2025

7. Grenell says 'Trump can show up with Kim Jong-un'

And I hope his inside voice is saying we will engage KIm as part of a sophisticated comprehensive political warfare campaign to solve the "Korea question."

Grenell says 'Trump can show up with Kim Jong-un' | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · February 22, 2025

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- A senior aide to U.S. President Donald Trump underscored the need Friday for dialogue to address security issues, saying that Trump is a person who "can show up" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Richard Grenell, the special presidential envoy for special missions on North Korea and other issues, made the remarks as Trump has voiced his openness to reengaging with the reclusive leader in Pyongyang.

"I don't think that talking means that you're weak. I actually think talking is a tactic to get to a goal," Grenell said during the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

"So, we've seen with President Trump. He can show up with Kim Jong-un and we need to be able to have these conversations with the Russians," he added as he highlighted the importance of diplomatic engagement in pursuit of an end to Russia's war in Ukraine.

This file photo, released by Reuters, shows Richard Grenell, former U.S. ambassador to Germany, speaking during the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 17, 2024. (Yonhap)

During a media interview last month, Trump said he will reach out to Kim again for talks, raising the prospects of the resumption of his direct diplomacy with Kim. During his first term, Trump held three in-person meetings with Kim, starting with the first summit in Singapore in 2018.

Grenell affirmed that the Trump administration does not seek any "regime change" in a foreign country.

"We articulate very clearly under Donald Trump. We don't do regime change," he said.

"We are going to deal with the countries that are in front of us, and our criteria is not how do we make that country better? (but) how do we make America better, stronger and more prosperous for the people that live here."

In December, Trump named Grenell, former U.S. ambassador to Germany, as the envoy for special missions that he said covers "some of the hottest spots" around the world, including North Korea.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · February 22, 2025

8. Trump inks memo to facilitate allies' investment, restrict China from investing in strategic sectors

I hope that South Korea is able to take advantage of this and that it contributes positively to the economic relationship. In 2023 South Korea had the largest foreign direct investment in the US of any country in the world (I do not think the stats are out for 2024).  

Trump inks memo to facilitate allies' investment, restrict China from investing in strategic sectors | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · February 22, 2025

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump signed a memorandum Friday to create a "fast-track" process to facilitate investment from U.S. allies and partners, and restrict China-affiliated people from investing in America's strategic sectors.

Trump inked the "America First Investment Policy" memo, accusing China and other foreign adversaries of systematically directing and facilitating investment in U.S. companies and assets to obtain cutting-edge technologies, intellectual property and leverage in strategic industries.

"The United States will create an expedited fast-track process, based on objective standards, to facilitate greater investment from specified allied and partner sources in U.S. businesses involved with U.S. advanced technology and other important areas," the memo read.

"This process will allow for increased foreign investment subject to appropriate security provisions, including requirements that the specified foreign investors avoid partnering with U.S. foreign adversaries," it added.

U.S. President Donald Trump stands in the Oval Office of the White House on the day Howard Lutnick is sworn in as U.S. commerce secretary by Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Feb. 21, 2025, in this photo released by Reuters. (Yonhap)

The memo also said that the U.S. will use all necessary legal instruments, including the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, an interagency government body, to restrict China-affiliated persons from investing in U.S. technology, critical infrastructure, health care, agriculture, energy and raw materials, among other sectors.

"My Administration will protect United States farmland and real estate near sensitive facilities," it said.

The document includes a directive to reduce the exploitation of public and private sector capital, technology, and technical knowledge by foreign adversaries, including China.

"The United States will establish new rules to stop U.S. companies and investors from investing in industries that advance the PRC's national Military-Civil Fusion strategy and stop PRC-affiliated persons from buying up critical American businesses and assets, allowing only those investments that serve American interests," it said.

PRC is short for China's official name, the People's Republic of China.

The memo underscored that America's investment policy is critical to the U.S.' national and economic security.

"Welcoming foreign investment and strengthening the U.S.' world-leading private and public capital markets will be a key part of America's Golden Age," it said.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · February 22, 2025

9. N. Korea seen using ChatGPT in AI education

How are they accessing it? They surely cannot generate the electric power inside north Korea to effectively operate AI on a significant scale. That said, is there an opportunity here for us to penetrate the regime's information firewall?

N. Korea seen using ChatGPT in AI education | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · February 22, 2025

SEOUL, Feb. 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is apparently using ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence (AI) service developed by OpenAI of the United States, in its higher education AI studies, according to a media report Saturday.

According to the report from Voice of Korea, a Pyongyang external propaganda outlet, members of an AI research institute at Kim Il Sung University were seen learning ChatGPT and its functionalities.

Learning material used by the institute explained how ChatGPT generates text based on user input. Given North Korea's heavily restricted internet access, it is unclear whether researchers have direct access to the service.

This photo captured from the website of Voice of Korea, a Pyongyang external propaganda outlet, on Feb, 22, 2025, shows learning material used at North Korea's Kim Il Sung University on ChatGPT's functionalities. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Han Chol-jin, a researcher at Kim Il Sung University, said the institute is focused on teaching ways to understand and acquire advanced technology and adapt it for domestic use.

Earlier this month, Choson Sinbo, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper based in Japan, reported on global AI developments and the growing concerns and restrictions surrounding China's DeepSeek.

The outlet criticized Western restrictions on Chinese AI technologies, claiming they are part of an effort to limit China's technological growth. It also stated that China has developed a low-cost AI model comparable to ChatGPT without advanced semiconductors.

odissy@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · February 22, 2025

10. OpenAI says it banned accounts potentially linked to N. Korea over deceptive employment scheme

Who will win this cat and mouse game? Is there a way we can instead get ChatGpt on everyone smart phone (more than 8 million) inside north Korea? Again, how can we exploit this?

OpenAI says it banned accounts potentially linked to N. Korea over deceptive employment scheme | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · February 22, 2025

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- OpenAI, a U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) firm, said Friday it has banned user accounts that were potentially used to facilitate a deceptive employment scheme possibly connected to North Korea, as it seeks to ensure its AI models are not utilized for malicious purposes.

In an updated report, the ChatGPT maker revealed that actors in question generated content consisting of personal documentation for fictitious "job applicants," such as resumes, online job profiles and cover letters as it pointed to the North's scheme to deploy IT workers overseas to create hard currency to support the Pyongyang regime.

"The activity we observed is consistent with the tactics, techniques and procedures Microsoft and Google attributed to an IT worker scheme potentially connected to North Korea," the company said in the report, titled "Disrupting malicious uses of our models."

"While we cannot determine the locations or nationalities of the actors, the activity we disrupted shared characteristics publicly reported in relation to North Korean state efforts to funnel income through deceptive hiring schemes, where individuals fraudulently obtain positions at Western companies to support the regime's financial network," it added.

The actors also generated content that consisted of creating "support" personas used to provide reference checks for the "job applicants" and refer them for employment opportunities.

"In parallel, the operators crafted social media posts to recruit real people to support their schemes," the company said. "These included, for example, individuals willing to receive and host laptops from their home or lend their identities to the scheme to enable the applicants to pass background checks."

The company's AI models also appeared to have been used for interviews to generate plausible responses to technical and behavioral questions, it said.

The report came as Seoul and Washington have been cracking down on Pyongyang's use of IT workers overseas through deceptive means as their generation of revenue is likely to help bankroll the recalcitrant regime's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

North Korea's national flag (Yonhap)

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · February 22, 2025

11. Chey Tae-won visits U.S. and says S. Korea has invested 230 trillion won in U.S., emphasizing partnership

Korean patriots. Making money for their businesses by investing in the strength of the ROK/US alliance.

Chey Tae-won visits U.S. and says S. Korea has invested 230 trillion won in U.S., emphasizing partnership

donga.com

Posted February. 22, 2025 07:16,

Updated February. 22, 2025 07:16

Chey Tae-won visits U.S. and says S. Korea has invested 230 trillion won in U.S., emphasizing partnership. February. 22, 2025 07:16. by 한재희기자, 세종=김수연기자 hee@donga.com.

A private economic delegation of 26 members, including Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), visited the U.S. on Wednesday through Thursday (local time) and met with White House officials.

According to KCCI on Friday, Chairman Chey met with senior White House officials on the first day of the delegation's activities in the U.S. and said, "South Korea has invested over 160 billion dollars in the U.S. over the past eight years, and South Korean companies have created more than 800,000 jobs in the U.S." The delegation highlighted the necessity of strategic cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. in six key sectors: shipbuilding, energy, nuclear power, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, mobility, and materials and components. "We have met economic delegations from more than 20 countries recently, but our discussions with the South Korean private delegation have been the most productive," White House officials reportedly responded positively.

On Tuesday, about 250 people attended the "Korea-U.S. Business Night" dinner at the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building in Washington, D.C. "The bilateral relationship, which has evolved beyond security cooperation into an economic alliance over the past century, must now advance into a partnership leading to cutting-edge technology and future value," Chairman Chey said. "The U.S.-South Korea relationship is an alliance that shares values and cannot be explained merely in terms of trade and investment transactions," Matt Murray, the U.S. senior official for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), said.

한국어

donga.com

12. Cyber crooks STEAL £1.19bn in biggest-ever cryptocurrency theft - as North Korean hackers 'behind heist'

We must fight the regime on the cyber battlefield.

Cyber crooks STEAL £1.19bn in biggest-ever cryptocurrency theft - as North Korean hackers 'behind heist'

By PERKIN AMALARAJ

Published: 11:14 EST, 22 February 2025 | Updated: 11:25 EST, 22 February 2025

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14424399/biggest-crypto-theft-North-Korea-hacker-bybit.html

Hackers, believed to be North Korean, have stolen nearly £1.2billion worth of cryptocurrencies in what is being described as the biggest every theft of digital money. 

Dubai-based platform Bybit said that an attacker managed to take control of a 'cold', or offline, Ethereum wallet controlled by the company and transferred the massive set of assets to an as-yet-unidentified address. 

The firm, which says it has more than 60million users across the world, said no other wallets were affected and that withdrawals appeared to be proceeding normally. 

The company's CEO Ben Zhou said in a post on X: 'Bybit is solvent even if this hack loss is not recovered, all of clients assets are 1 to 1 backed, we can cover the loss.'

The attack is believed to have been carried out by the Lazarus Group, a North Korean hacking collective that has been run by Kim Jong Un's country since 2010. 

The theft is believed to be the largest of its kind, with the previous record coming in at £490million worth of cryptocurrency stolen from the Ronin Network in 2022. 

It is not known how the hack happened. Cold wallets are considered safer than online 'hot' wallets, and Bybit's cold Ethereum wallet required several people to sign off on transfers, according to the Financial Times. 

While the company is investigating the hack with the help of its security team and forensic experts, masses of people are pulling their assets from the platform.  

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Dubai-based platform Bybit said that an attacker managed to take control of a 'cold', or offline, Ethereum wallet controlled by the company (File image)

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Zhou added in a later post: 'Since the hack, Bybit has experienced the most number of withdraws that we have ever seen, We have had a total number of more than 350k withdraws requests, so far, around 2100 withdraw requests left to be processed. 

'Overall 99. 994% withdraws have been completed. If your withdraws are completed, please leave a comments here. 

'Although we have been hit by the worst hack possibly in the history of any medians (banks, crypto, finance), all Bybit functions and product remain functional, the Whole team had been awake all night to process and answer client questions and concerns. ALL hands on DECK. rest assured, we are here with you.'

Bybit said its security team, along with forensic experts, was investigating the incident, adding: 'We have reported the case to the appropriate authorities.'

The firm said: 'All client funds are safe, and our operations continue as usual without any disruption.'

13. Party approval ratings fluctuate after martial law

Passion, reason, and chance are in every aspect of national life. Both extremes are not healthy for the nation. They let passion dominate and that overcomes reason (and chance always has a role that contributes to uncertainty of course). But the PPP would do well to focus on sustained support from the moderate middle and not think that its extreme right policies will prevail.

Party approval ratings fluctuate after martial law

donga.com

Posted February. 22, 2025 07:15,

Updated February. 22, 2025 07:15

Party approval ratings fluctuate after martial law. February. 22, 2025 07:15. .

The People Power Party's (PPP) approval rating has fluctuated like a roller coaster since the Dec 3 martial law. Immediately after the declaration of martial law, support dropped to the low 20% range. Still, it rebounded amid the impeachment of Acting President Han Duck-soo and the political turmoil surrounding the arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol. However, the trend has since been seesawing, with the Democratic Party regaining the lead, particularly among centrist voters.

This shifting approval trend comes as the Constitutional Court’s impeachment trial has reached its final stage, with only President Yoon’s closing statement remaining on Tuesday. Gallup analysts suggest that recent developments, including the disclosure of prosecution records contradicting the president’s arguments in the impeachment trial and the transfer of the Myung Tae-kyun case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, have added pressure on the ruling party.

At the early stage of the Constitutional Court's hearings, the PPP focused on highlighting minor memory lapses by key witnesses. They repeatedly echoed the martial law forces’ claims that the president had neither ordered the removal of lawmakers nor instructed the arrest of politicians. However, testimonies from military commanders have since surfaced, saying, “The president pressured us to arrest lawmakers every time he called, six times in total,” and “I even repeated back the order to remove lawmakers.” These statements have clarified the facts of the case.

Despite this, the PPP appears more inclined to defend the martial law forces than to distance itself from the illegal martial law. Interim leader Kwon Young-se openly attacked the Constitutional Court, the final judicial authority under the Constitution, calling its justices “puppets.” Senior party members, after visiting the detained president, publicly relayed his messages, effectively turning themselves into tools for his prison-based politics. Furthermore, the party has yet to shake off election fraud allegations completely. President Yoon’s legal representatives also revealed his message: "I will return to office as soon as possible and lead Korea with the power of generational unity.”

However, this alignment with far-right street movements has led to a loss of centrist support, as confirmed by the latest polls. The PPP now faces a critical choice: whether to continue defending the martial law forces or to pivot toward expanding its appeal to moderate voters.

한국어

donga.com

14. Rallies held nationwide for, against Yoon's impeachment ahead of final hearing

Will these rallies sway the court?

Rallies held nationwide for, against Yoon's impeachment ahead of final hearing

The Korea Times · February 22, 2025

Citizens from civic groups, labor organizations, and progressive parties hold a rally calling for the president's impeachment at Eunhasu Intersection in Daejeon, Feb. 22. Yonhap

Protests were held across South Korea on Saturday to rally for or against President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment as the final Constitutional Court hearing of his trial draws near.

A group of protesters led by conservative activist pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon gathered in the Gwanghwamun area of central Seoul at 1 p.m. to oppose Yoon's impeachment.

"The time has come for us to put an end to this," he said during the rally, asking 30 million people to take to the streets of Gwanghwamun on March 1 Independence Movement Day, which falls next Saturday.

An unofficial police estimate put the attendance at 30,000, while organizers claimed 3 million participated in the rally.

In the central city of Daejeon, 137 kilometers south of Seoul, a conservative Christian group called "Save Korea" organized a large-scale rally opposing Yoon's impeachment.

Members of the conservative Christian group Save Korea rally at Mokpo Station square in South Jeolla Province, Feb. 22. They oppose the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol and call for his release. Yonhap

Participants held up signs calling for Yoon's release from detention and the Constitutional Court's dismissal of his impeachment.

Police estimated around 10,000 people took part in the rally, though organizers had reported that 20,000 were expected to attend. Similar events were held in Incheon, west of Seoul, and Daegu, about 230 km southeast of the capital.

Opposing rallies calling for Yoon's impeachment were also held across the nation.

A rally near Gyeongbokgung Station saw an estimated 11,000 people demanding Yoon's immediate ouster and urging a prompt ruling by the Constitutional Court on Yoon's impeachment. Organizers claimed around 100,000 were in attendance.

Similar rallies took place at Anguk Station near the Constitutional Court, with an estimated 9,000 participants according to the police's unofficial count, while organizers reported 35,000 in attendance.

The final hearing of Yoon's impeachment trial is slated for Tuesday, after which the Constitutional Court will decide whether to remove him from office or reinstate him.

Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly over his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3. (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · February 22, 2025

15. Trump seen tapping into allies' security concerns over geographic proximity to conflict zones

Koreans fear "Korea passing" and abandonment. 

I think as Americans we need to remember that what happens on the Korean peninsula (war, regime collapse, unification) will have global effects both extremely negative and positive and will directly impact US national security and national prosperity.

Paradoxically, one of the great strengths of the ROK is that it is fully committed to its own defense and has the will to defend itself. This could make POTUS respect it and see the benefit of mutual defense that best contributes to deterrence and prevention of war on the peninsula which is an absolute strategic US interest. Americna can pick the side of a winner so it will be more likely to support it than others who are appraent freeloaders who think American will rsuce them. Korean can defend itself and this should make the US want to contbute to deterring war even moreso as a winning investment for the long term. 

We should adopt America First, but Allies Always.

Trump seen tapping into allies' security concerns over geographic proximity to conflict zones

The Korea Times · February 22, 2025

A South Korea-U.S. joint military exercise takes place in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, March 13, 2023. Yonhap

U.S. President Donald Trump appears to be tapping into European allies' security concerns about their geographic proximity to a conflict zone to prod them into doing more for their defense — a move keenly watched in South Korea, a U.S. ally that confronts persistent threats from an adjacent North Korea.

Trump has repeatedly said that the continental United States is an "ocean" apart from Russia's war in Ukraine as he doubled down on his call for North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states to make greater security contributions.

The president's threat perception has raised a consequential question for South Korea: what if he writes off North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats as a faraway challenge in a way that could cast doubts over America's security commitment to South Korea.

As he did during his reelection campaign, Trump took aim at European allies this week, saying the protracted war in Ukraine is "far more important to Europe than it is to us."

"We have a big, beautiful ocean as separation," he wrote on Truth Social.

The remark came as Trump has called for NATO member states to spend 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) — much higher than the 2 percent guideline that NATO leaders committed to in 2014.

Separated by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the continental U.S. has been regarded as relatively safer than its Asian and European allies though the diffusion of military technologies and the development of long-distance weapons systems have reduced the advantage of the geographical separation from potential adversaries.

But Trump's explicit mention of the U.S. being an ocean apart came amid lingering concerns about potential gaps in the threat perception between the U.S. and its allies, like South Korea, which relies on America's nuclear umbrella to counter unabated threats from a recalcitrant Pyongyang.

"The threat perception of the U.S. — a country insulated by two oceans — cannot help but be notably lower compared with other allies," Kim Tae-hyung, the president of the Korean Association of International Studies and political science professor at Seoul's Soongsil University, said.

"That said, relatively weaker countries in the (U.S.-led) alliance architecture, including European countries, South Korea and Japan, cannot help but be worried about potential abandonment by the (stronger) ally. Trump appears to be relishing this situation and looking to maximize the benefit from it in future transactions with allies," he added.

During an interview with Yonhap News Agency in May last year, Elbridge Colby, Trump's nominee for under secretary of defense for policy, touched on the notion of an "asymmetry of perspective" between Seoul and Washington in reference to the allies' threat perceptions.

"The fundamental fact is that North Korea is not a primary threat to the U.S. It would not be rational to lose multiple American cities to just deal with North Korea. That's a different calculation for South Korea," he said. "We need to realistically evaluate an approach."

Geographic proximity is one of the four criteria used to evaluate threats from another state, according to an international relations theory proposed by Stephen Walt, a renowned professor at the Harvard Kennedy School. The other criteria are the country's aggregate strength or power, its offensive capabilities and its offensive or hostile intentions.

Though the allies are geographically far apart, it has been a top security priority for South Korea to remain on the same page with Washington in terms of the analysis of North Korean threats and policy tools to address them, particularly at a time when Pyongyang has been forging ahead with its nuclear and missile programs amid a deepening military alignment with Moscow.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 21. EPA-Yonhap

Walt said that Trump is "correct" that the war in Ukraine is of greater immediate importance to Europe than to the U.S. But he pointed out that the situation in Asia is different "because China is a potential hegemon in Asia, and the U.S. does not want it to dominate the entire region."

"For this reason, I do not think Trump wants to allow North Korea to attack a U.S. ally — including South Korea — as this would make him look weak and undermine stability throughout the region," the professor told Yonhap News Agency via email. "But I could be wrong, as Trump is already doing some things that have surprised me."

Some interpreted Trump's "ocean" remark along the lines of his seemingly selective isolationist tendencies, which were seen in his decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, the World Health Organization and the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Such tendencies under his America First credo have given rise to a flurry of speculation over whether Trump would consider reducing or even pulling out the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), and whether he would again demand a hefty rise in Seoul's share of the cost for stationing USFK.

Aaron Friedberg, political science professor at Princeton University and security aide to Vice President Dick Cheney from 2003-2005, brushed aside concerns about the likelihood of Trump moving to renounce America's security commitments to its allies.

"President Trump has often expressed his view that our European allies need to do more to strengthen their defense. At a minimum, these latest comments should encourage them to do this, and more quickly than many may have planned," Friedberg told Yonhap News Agency via email.

"I do not think that Trump's comments necessarily signal an imminent withdrawal of U.S. forces from Europe or the complete abrogation of our security commitments to our allies there. There is no evidence of strong public support in this country for such a move."

The professor went on to say that although Trump's comments have stirred much critical commentary from some Republicans as well as Democrats with a major debate over related issues shaping up, it is by no means obvious what the outcome will be.

"We don't yet know how the president will approach similar issues with our Asian allies. No doubt he will continue to press for greater defense contributions from Korea, Japan and others," he said. "But, at least to judge from the comments of some of his advisors, the administration intends to focus more attention and resources on Asia to counter the rise of Chinese power."

Friedberg raised the possibility that Trump might try to reach some deal with China on trade and other issues, which he said "could conceivably lead to a lessening of U.S. security commitments in Asia as well as Europe." He did not elaborate on the "other issues," but appeared to be referring to geopolitical issues, namely the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

"The opposition to such moves, from Congress and portions of the public, would be even stronger than what we have seen thus far regarding Europe," he said. "It would be premature to conclude that the U.S. will turn its back on its longstanding friends and allies and retreat into a 21st century form of isolationism."

Eric Heginbotham, the principal research scientist at the MIT Center for International Studies, cast Trump's recent statements on Ukraine as "a large number of bad ideas for America hiding behind one good idea."

"The good idea is that Europeans should do more for their own defense. But the bad ideas in his recent statements are many: the decision to treat with Putin; using Putin's own language to define the responsibility for the war in Ukraine; and excluding Ukraine and Europe from negotiations," he told Yonhap News Agency via email.

"Trump's statements have gone beyond fair burden sharing and imply he will seek concessions to Russian aggression in Europe."

Heginbotham added that concessions to Russia, if made, could encourage Chinese aggression.

"All of this may sound appealing to some in the United States who no longer wish to bear the burden of defense, but it will also harm American interests, not just those of our allies and partners, many of which have in the past shown us deference in the economic domain," he said.

Many agree that after dealing with more pressing global issues, such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group, Trump might put more focus on Indo-Pacific matters, likely including the "burden sharing" issue with South Korea.

Bruce Bennett, a senior defense analyst at the RAND Corp., said that Trump could call for Seoul to spend 3 percent of its GDP on defense.

"Years ago, the ROK committed to raise its percentage of GDP spent on defense to 3 percent, but this percentage has in practice stalled at around 2.5 percent, and the size of the active-duty ROK military has now fallen from 690,000 to around 500,000 personnel, in part due to demographics and in part due to political decisions to reduce the time draftees serve in the military. And all of this during a time when the North Korean threat has been growing," Bennett said.

ROK is short for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

"It should therefore not be surprising that President Trump would ask the ROK to increase its defense spending. But I do not believe that we have seen such a request yet. When we do, a ROK defense budget of 3 percent of GDP would be a likely request from Trump, since the ROK previously committed to such," he added.

Last year, Robert O'Brien, who served as national security advisor for Trump from 2019-2021, stressed the need for South Korea to increase its defense spending to 3 percent or 3.5 percent of its GDP. (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · February 22, 2025

16. N. Korea designated 'high-risk jurisdiction' for money laundering, terrorism financing for 15th year

Continued recognition of the regime's global illicit activities.

Now let's do something about them.

A strategic strangulation campaign would be nice.

N. Korea designated 'high-risk jurisdiction' for money laundering, terrorism financing for 15th year

The Korea Times · February 22, 2025

A general view of a United Nations Security Council meeting on "Maintenance of international peace and security: Practicing multilateralism, reforming and improving global governance" at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, Feb. 18. EPA-Yonhap

North Korea has been designated a "high-risk jurisdiction" for money laundering and terrorism financing for the 15th consecutive year, according to a Paris-based intergovernmental body.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is tasked with combating money laundering and terrorism financing, said it decided at a plenary session Friday (local time) to put North Korea in the highest risk category along with Iran and Myanmar.

"The FATF remains concerned by the DPRK's continued failure to address the significant deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorist regimes and the serious threats posed by the DPRK's illicit activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and its financing," the organization said on its website, referring to North Korea by the acronym of its formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"The ability to obtain reliable and credible information to support the assessment of PF (proliferation financing) risks relating to the DPRK is hampered by the recent termination of the 1718 Committee Panel of Experts mandate," it continued. "Thus, the FATF will monitor the measures to comply with DPRK targeted financial sanctions and the implementation of countermeasures against DPRK."

The 1718 committee panel of experts was established by the U.N. Security Council in response to North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006 to monitor sanctions enforcement against the North.

The panel was dissolved last May, however, after Russia opposed the extension of its mandate.

The FATF, which works under the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, has categorized North Korea as a "high-risk jurisdiction" since 2011. (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · February 22, 2025

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