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Quotes of the Day:
“Constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore. A people that can no longer distinguish between truth and lies cannot distinguish between right and wrong… With such a people you can do whatever you want.”
– Hannah Arendt.
“To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing.”
– Elbert Hubbard
"All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single world: freedom; justice; honor; duty; mercy; hope."
– Winston Churchill
1. North Korea's new map shows state of confrontation with South
2. UN report accuses NK of home searches, execution by firing squad for possessing outside info
3. Global Peace Foundation's Moon: Unification key to overcoming Korea's partisan divide
4. National Unification and the Role of Young Seniors (Korea and Romania)
5. Korean Leftists Attempt To Win Over Trump by Nominating Him for the Nobel Peace Prize
6. Washington Brief Ep. 46: Rogue Allies: Strategic partnership of N. Korea, Iran & proxies since 2023
7. Nat'l security advisers of S. Korea, US hold 1st phone call since Trump's inauguration
8. Yoon's impeachment trial: a test for Korea's rule of law
9. Ex-commander confirms Yoon ordered removal of lawmakers, not agents, from Nat'l Assembly
10. Yoon allies pin hopes on Trump to save ousted president
11. FM Cho eyes meeting with Rubio in Munich as Washington trip unlikely
12. Familiar faces tipped to join Trump's team to tackle Korean Peninsula issues
13. Ex-ROK intel chief ordered elimination of agents after 2016 North Korea missions
14. N. Korean woman caught with defector remittance, freed after paying double in bribes
15. Laser beauty treatments highlight growing wealth gap in N. Korea
16. US Defense Official: “South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) to Continue Even in Trump’s 2nd Term”
17. [Expert Diagnosis] ② Professor Park In-hwi: “US-North Korea Dialogue Depends on Trump”
1. North Korea's new map shows state of confrontation with South
I do not think we should be misled by Kim's rejection of peaceful Korean unification and declaring the South as the enemy. This is in response to the very real internal threats to the regime. Kim is under extreme internal stress from his successive failures. He may be turning that around somewhat now that he is renting his military to Putin for his war in Ukraine so the regime is making money from that. But there is still great potential for internal instability and therefore Kim has to do what the Kim family regime has always done and that is "externalize" the threat and use the threat from the South as well as the US to justify the suffering and sacrifice of the Korean people in the north.
We should make no mistake. Although Kim has rejected peaceful unification he has not rejected taking South Korea by subversion or force in order to dominate heh Korean peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State to ensure survival of the Kim family regime.
In addition, this is an effort to try to counter the influence of information from the South. They want to erase South Korean culture and influence on the Korean people int he north. The only thing that Kim fears more than the combined military strength of the ROK and US forces is the korean people in the north And he fears them most when they have information about the South. The existential threat from the South against Kim is not the military but it is South Korea. It is the very example of South Korea and the knowledge of South Korea and its success known to the Korean people in the north that is the biggest threat to Kim's rule.
So this new "map" is demonstrating that the South is a hostile target for regime domination and it is also an attempt to purge the Korean people in the north of knowledge of the South so they (hopefully) will not be influenced by the South. But Kim is miscalculating. The Korean people in the north already have sufficient knowledge of the South and that cannot be removed from their minds. By trying to prevent information it only makes the Korean people thirst for more information. This is why the work of RFA and VOA and others is so important to the Korean people in the north empowering the Korean peopelinthe north to seek change.
Kim can choose to change. Or Kim can be changed by the Korean people in the North.
North Korea's new map shows state of confrontation with South
Newsweek · by Micah McCartney · February 6, 2025
ByMicah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian security issues, and cross-strait ties between China and Taiwan. You can get in touch with Micah by emailing m.mccartney@newsweek.com.
A new North Korean map shows the peninsula split in two, further cementing Kim Jong Un's break from the long-held goal of unification.
Newsweek reached out to the North Korean Embassy in China and the South Korean Embassy in the United States with emailed requests for comment.
Why It Matters
After the end of hostilities of the three-year Korean War, which began when the communist North invaded the South, Pyongyang continued for decades to tout eventual reunification—albeit on its own terms. A brief thaw in the late 2010s saw the neighbors reopen communication hotlines and take symbolic steps toward cooperation and military de-escalation.
However, in recent years, tensions have reignited as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un doubled down on his U.N.-sanctioned nuclear and missile programs. Since the end of 2023, the regime has amended its constitution to label the South a "hostile state," destroyed road and rail links, and dissolved organizations promoting unification.
What To Know
Last week, a netizen and self-described Korean learner uploaded an image to the social media app RedNote (Xiaohongshu), purportedly showing a map published in April 2024 by a North Korean map publisher, per News1. The map featured a jingoistic quote from Kim Jong Un in the top left corner.
Labeled "Joseon Map," the term North Korea typically uses for itself, the map displayed administrative districts only for the North and omitted them for the South—unlike older charts known to exist.
Instead, South Korea was shown in gray like China, and labeled simply as "South Korea. This was a departure from the previously used term "Puppet Korea" that implied the South was not an independent country but a U.S. puppet state.
This map, uploaded to RedNote on January 28, appears to be North Korea-made and emphasizes the Kim regime's shift away from pro-unification messaging amid tensions with the South. This map, uploaded to RedNote on January 28, appears to be North Korea-made and emphasizes the Kim regime's shift away from pro-unification messaging amid tensions with the South. 才略, RedNote
What People Are Saying
Kim Jong Un, supreme leader of North Korea, said in an October speech: "In the previous period, we talked a lot about liberating the South and unifying the country by force, but now we are not interested in that at all, and since we declared two countries, we are not even conscious of that country."
What's Next?
North Korea's rhetoric on the South has been relatively muted since a political crisis erupted in Seoul in December, following now-jailed President Yoon Suk-yeol's brief declaration of martial law.
Last month, the North's rubber-stamp congress made no mention of the South, experts have noted, but Kim is unlikely to backtrack on his purge of unification symbols anytime soon.
About the writer
Micah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian security issues, and cross-strait ties between China and Taiwan. You can get in touch with Micah by emailing m.mccartney@newsweek.com.
2. UN report accuses NK of home searches, execution by firing squad for possessing outside info
Human rights are not only a moral imperative, they are a national security issue. Kim Jong Un must deny the rights of the Korean people in the north in order to survive.
The root of all problems in Korea is the existence of the most evil mafia- like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime that has the objective of dominating the Korean Peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State.
Kim can choose to change. Or Kim can be changed by the Korean people in the North.
Unification first, then denuclearization; the path to unification is through human rights.
UN report accuses NK of home searches, execution by firing squad for possessing outside info
The Korea Times · February 6, 2025
This captured image shows the latest report from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on North Korea's human rights violations. Yonhap
A United Nations office has published a report carrying testimonies from North Korean defectors about their home country's heightened surveillance of citizens for possession of outside information and subsequent public trials, including execution by firing squad.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which advises the U.N. secretary-general, released the report on Wednesday ahead of the U.N. Human Rights Council's upcoming session, scheduled to run from Feb. 24 to April 4.
The report was compiled after interviews with 175 North Korean escapees about rights violations committed from late 2022 to late 2024.
Interviewees described the recent intensification of surveillance and control over ordinary citizens through a government task force, known as the "109 Sangmu," which is responsible for cracking down on illegal videos, including foreign media content, according to the report.
"Interviewees told OHCHR that 109 Sangmu frequently wiretapped telephones and electronic devices, conducted warrantless home searches and confiscated unauthorized videos, publications, radios and USB drives," the report said.
Those arrested were beaten and verbally abused during interrogations and "criminals" who accessed or distributed prohibited content were often subjected to public trials, including a few cases of execution by firing squad, the report noted, quoting the interviewees.
The OHCHR said its work appears to be known inside North Korea, citing sources informing that "security actors received some training in human rights and that treatment of persons in detention had slightly improved, reportedly because of international scrutiny."
The office also noted a demographic shift among the North Korean escapees arriving in South Korea, saying that an increasing number of men, who had previously worked as laborers overseas, escaped from their workplaces and came to the South during the reporting period.
The OHCHR publishes such a report every two years and submits it to the U.N. Human Rights Council. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · February 6, 2025
3. Global Peace Foundation's Moon: Unification key to overcoming Korea's partisan divide
As I have written, President Yoon has been impeached but the unification doctrine has not.
Excerpts:
He also presented his economic projections, outlining the potential benefits if the two Koreas were to unify.“
Imagine you have an additional 25 million people added to the Korean economy, not including the diaspora,” he said.
“If unification happens, most of the diaspora around the world will come back to Korea as well. The population will be 80 million, 90 million. We are going to have a boost in terms of not only the domestic consumption market but also a tremendous amount of talent and capital.”
South Korea is now classified as a super-aged society, grappling with a record-low birthrate of just 0.72 last year.
Moon added that a unified Korea would attract a significant influx of foreign investment aimed at rebuilding its northern territory.
“A vast majority of funding for rebuilding North Korea will actually come from private sources. There is $30 trillion worth of capital looking for investment around the world. Most of our allies will support financially the unification of the two Koreas because the North poses a great security threat across the world.”
According to the Global Peace Foundation, the Korean Dream Movement is rooted in the revival of the spirit of "Hongik Ingan" — a principle that means "to broadly benefit humanity." This was the founding ideal of the first Korean kingdom, Gojoseon. In the vision of a reunified Korea, it represents the creation of a powerful and prosperous nation with a positive influence on the global stage.
Global Peace Foundation's Moon: Unification key to overcoming Korea's partisan divide
The Korea Times · February 6, 2025
Global Peace Foundation Founder and Chairman Hyun Jin Preston Moon speaks during a roundtable conference at Fairmont Ambassador hotel in Seoul, Feb. 4. Courtesy of Global Peace Foundation
By Jhoo Dong-chan
The famous phrase "Winter is coming," from HBO's long-running fantasy series "Game of Thrones," has become an iconic warning, signifying that difficult times or challenges are approaching and serving as a reminder that something unsettling is on the horizon.
"Ipchun," which marks the start of spring in the lunar calendar's 24 seasonal divisions and was observed on Feb. 4, has already passed. However, Hyun Jin Preston Moon, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation, suggests that winter is still lingering due to the current unpredictable and turbulent situations unfolding both at home and abroad.
“(Donald Trump) won the presidential election by an overwhelming landslide. Historically speaking, that is unprecedented for any Republican president,” Moon said during a roundtable conference at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul on Feb. 4.
“The mandate was to fix a lot of issues that was basically put into place by the previous Biden administration such as (the) U.S. border, illegal immigration and energy. Most of his policies he has signed were supported by the American public. Trump has one of the highest approval ratings for any incoming president. American people are 100 percent supporting all those executive orders he has signed. So, there are many things happening across the world because of the Trump effect.”
The son of the Unification Church's founder expressed his concerns that Koreans are unaware of the rapid changes occurring on the global geopolitical front.
“South Korean people really need a wake-up call,” he said.
“South Korea is impeaching their president right now. There is nobody leading South Korea now. Don’t you think it is common sense that a conservative president will be able to deal with a conservative American regime better for South Korean people?”
Global Peace Foundation Founder and Chairman Hyun Jin Preston Moon smiles during a roundtable conference at Fairmont Ambassador hotel in Seoul, Feb. 4. Courtesy of Global Peace Foundation
Moon claimed that South Korea is unprepared for the figurative coming winter due to the deep political polarization within the country. He implied that the nation needs to reform its political system, suggesting it should be led by a smaller group of more educated and morally driven elite citizens.
“Those civilized well-functioning modern democratic republics are based on the Constitution run by ethical and moral people making objective decisions that benefit the country, not by hyper-partisan interest groups,” he said.
“A key weakness of the system of democracy was the tyranny of the majority. This is one of the reasons why the U.S. system has the Senate, an upper body, and the electoral college for the national elections. So, it is not pure democracy, very much like the Roman Republic where there are several stages of electoral processes. There, you have so-called people who are more well-educated that make big decisions for the sake of the nation.”
He added that recent developments in South Korea's politics are highly concerning for this reason.
“It really disturbs me,” he said.
“There are questions whether the rule of law stands here and whether there is a judicial process. The are foundations of any democratic state, especially for a constitutional democracy. Not only Korean people are now questioning it, but also our allies around the world are, especially the U.S. Where is the future of South Korea?”
Global Peace Foundation Founder and Chairman Hyun Jin Preston Moon / Courtesy of Global Peace Foundation
Moon urged that the unification of South and North Korea, along with his organization's Korean Dream Movement, could provide a solution to the country's current crisis.
“Unification is such a significant opportunity. It is a jackpot,” Moon said.
“It will bring all the necessary components to allow the South Korean economy to continue to grow. All Korean people, especially the young, will have opportunities for prosperity that their parents had never had.”
He also presented his economic projections, outlining the potential benefits if the two Koreas were to unify.
“Imagine you have an additional 25 million people added to the Korean economy, not including the diaspora,” he said.
“If unification happens, most of the diaspora around the world will come back to Korea as well. The population will be 80 million, 90 million. We are going to have a boost in terms of not only the domestic consumption market but also a tremendous amount of talent and capital.”
South Korea is now classified as a super-aged society, grappling with a record-low birthrate of just 0.72 last year.
Moon added that a unified Korea would attract a significant influx of foreign investment aimed at rebuilding its northern territory.
“A vast majority of funding for rebuilding North Korea will actually come from private sources. There is $30 trillion worth of capital looking for investment around the world. Most of our allies will support financially the unification of the two Koreas because the North poses a great security threat across the world.”
According to the Global Peace Foundation, the Korean Dream Movement is rooted in the revival of the spirit of "Hongik Ingan" — a principle that means "to broadly benefit humanity." This was the founding ideal of the first Korean kingdom, Gojoseon. In the vision of a reunified Korea, it represents the creation of a powerful and prosperous nation with a positive influence on the global stage.
The Korea Times · February 6, 2025
4. National Unification and the Role of Young Seniors (Korea and Romania)
As we think about the Korea question and the unnatural division of Korea, Greg Scarlatoiu (president and CEO of HRNK) offers some unique perspectives from his life in Romania and Romanian history.
This is a Google translation of the RFA column.
Excerpt:
Could a generation of young intellectuals, like Romania, emerge in North Korea to bring about unification and prosperity? Such a process is quite possible. The high-ranking officials of the Workers’ Party, the People’s Army, and the Security Service are like the Romanian aristocracy who kept the people poor and backward in order to protect their privileges. Of course, North Korea is isolated. Because of the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, military provocations, violence, and unstable exports, it is very difficult for the sons and daughters of North Korean high-ranking officials to study abroad. However, 34,000 North Koreans have defected and settled in South Korea. Some have settled in the United States and other countries and entered prestigious Western universities. In addition, about one-third of North Koreans who still reside in North Korea are under the age of 30. Many of them, especially the upper class, are addicted to smuggled South Korean movies, TV dramas, and K-pop. Young defectors who have been educated at prestigious universities in South Korea, the United States, and other democratic countries, as well as young people who are still trapped in North Korea and have access to information from the outside world, are likely to become a generation similar to Romania’s 1859 generation. They will eventually become an enlightened young generation that will bring democracy, capitalism, market economy, unification, and prosperity to the North Korean people.
[Scalatu] National Unification and the Role of Young Seniors
https://www.rfa.org/korean/commentary/greg/unification-fatherland-01242025142525.html
Greg Scarlatoiu, Chairman, Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, USA
01/28/2025
Performers rehearse to commemorate Youth Day in a square in central Pyongyang.
/REUTERS
00:00 /06:49
Greg Scarlatoiu, Chairman, Committee for Human Rights in North KoreaJanuary 24th is a significant day for the Romanians, who were similar to North Korea during the Cold War. Romanians celebrate January 24th, 1859, known as “Little Unity Day” or “Little Unity Day.” The lessons of that day are also relevant to the people of North and South Korea. The people who achieved “Little Unity Day” in Romania at that time were the sons and daughters of Romanian aristocrats who had come to study in Western Europe. However, these aristocratic parents did not send their sons and daughters to study in France or Germany to lose their privileges. Eventually, the young men and women of that enlightened generation revived democratic and modern ideas and brought about remarkable economic, political, and social development in Romania in the 19th century. These developments included a modern constitution, land reform, and the distribution of land to previously poor peasants. In the late 19th century, Romania developed roads and railways, built bridges, and developed banking and financial institutions. Could such a generation emerge in North Korea today?
During the Cold War, the Eastern European country most similar to North Korea was Romania. This was because Romania’s communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu had a close relationship with President Kim Il-sung. Ceausescu visited North Korea for the first time in 1971 and fell in love with the North Korean dictator’s personality cult, Juche ideology, Ten Principles, and dictatorship at first sight, so he tried to turn Romania into a dictatorship similar to North Korea. As a result, Romania became a country that violated human rights like North Korea.
In addition to the tragic experience of communist dictatorship, other Romanian histories can also be learned. Romania, like North and South Korea, had a three-kingdom period and suffered invasions by surrounding powers, especially Russia and Turkey, for hundreds of years.
The three kingdoms of Romania were Moldova, Valahia (Tara Romaneasca), and Transylvania. The Romanians, who were of Latin descent and lived in those three kingdoms, shared the same language, culture, classical history, and traditions for nearly 2,000 years. However, they did not always cooperate because they were of the same ethnicity. Like other small countries, they fought against each other by taking the side of the surrounding powerful countries. Eventually, young Romanian intellectuals in the 19th century studied abroad in France, Germany, and Western Europe and came to understand the modern ideologies of democracy, nationalism, and the need to overcome the feudal system and develop the country. These intellectuals were mostly from the nobility, but they believed that the feudal system had to be overcome, the three kingdoms of Romania had to be modernized, and even unified. So, Moldova and Valahia (Tara Romaneasca), these two regions, formed a customs union to develop trade, and in 1859, the same king was elected through a vote in the two houses of parliament. Thus, Moldova and Valahia were united, and in the second half of the 19th century, they carried out industrial modernization, financial and land reform, and foreign investment, and the construction of a railway network. The common people, through the education taught in churches and elementary schools, understood the advantages of unification with their ethnic brothers, and so they supported the Moldovan-Valahia Customs Union and unification led by the young upper class.
Romania participated in World War I, joining the Central Powers of France, Britain, the United States, and Russia (Russia) and winning the war. After the fall of the Austro-Magyar Empire, the Transylvania region was finally unified as Romania on December 1, 1918. That day is known as Romanian National Day, also known as the "Great Unity" or "Great Unity", i.e. the day when the country was completed.
Could a generation of young intellectuals, like Romania, emerge in North Korea to bring about unification and prosperity? Such a process is quite possible. The high-ranking officials of the Workers’ Party, the People’s Army, and the Security Service are like the Romanian aristocracy who kept the people poor and backward in order to protect their privileges. Of course, North Korea is isolated. Because of the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, military provocations, violence, and unstable exports, it is very difficult for the sons and daughters of North Korean high-ranking officials to study abroad. However, 34,000 North Koreans have defected and settled in South Korea. Some have settled in the United States and other countries and entered prestigious Western universities. In addition, about one-third of North Koreans who still reside in North Korea are under the age of 30. Many of them, especially the upper class, are addicted to smuggled South Korean movies, TV dramas, and K-pop. Young defectors who have been educated at prestigious universities in South Korea, the United States, and other democratic countries, as well as young people who are still trapped in North Korea and have access to information from the outside world, are likely to become a generation similar to Romania’s 1859 generation. They will eventually become an enlightened young generation that will bring democracy, capitalism, market economy, unification, and prosperity to the North Korean people.
Editor Park Jeong-woo, Web Editor Kim Sang-il
5. Korean Leftists Attempt To Win Over Trump by Nominating Him for the Nobel Peace Prize
Is this a smart move by the Minju party? Can they curry favor with the President? I seriously doubt that he will be duped by this.
Korean Leftists Attempt To Win Over Trump by Nominating Him for the Nobel Peace Prize
The nomination is seen as a way to gain Trump’s support for the Minju’s drive to oust South Korea’s conservative president, Yoon Seok-yul.
DONALD KIRK
Feb. 5, 2025 01:18 PM ET
nysun.com
SEOUL — President Trump has the unwavering support of South Korea’s leftist Democratic, or Minju, party in his quest for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mr. Trump, while meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House, assessed the odds of his winning the prize, remarking, “I deserve the Nobel, but they will never give it to me.” Later, though, a member of Korea’s national assembly, Park Sun-won, disclosed that he had nominated the president for the prize for his “efforts toward North Korea’s denuclearization and his contributions to peace on the Korean peninsula.”
The Minju, in a formal statement, broadened the argument for awarding Mr. Trump the prize by saying he “would lead the peace initiatives on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia by bringing an early end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and negotiations with North Korea on the nuclear issue.”
Closer to home, Mr. Park is believed to have urged the nomination of Mr. Trump for the Nobel as a way to win his support for the party’s drive to oust Korea’s conservative president, Yoon Seok-yul. After entering Mr. Trump’s name, he met the top American diplomat here, Joseph Yun, charge d’affaires of the American embassy, to inform him of the nomination. With Mr. Park was a noted Minju adviser and advocate of reconciliation with North Korea, Moon Chung-in, who is believed to have suggested the party push Mr. Trump for the Nobel to get in his good graces.
At the same time, the country’s impeached president, Mr. Yoon, faced hearings before the constitutional court on whether to approve his impeachment and ouster as president. It was the Minju, which has considerably more seats in the assembly than Mr. Moon’s conservative People Power Party, that spearheaded the motion to impeach him after voting down his martial law decree in December.
Korea’s biggest-selling newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, said the nomination of Mr. Trump for the Nobel “appears to reflect the intentions” of the party leader, Lee Jae-myung — whom Mr. Yoon defeated by a narrow margin in the 2022 presidential election — to run again.
Conservatives denounced the nomination as a ploy to win Washington’s support for their Minju foe while Mr. Yoon, now in jail on a charge of “insurrection” for his “coup” against the state, fights for his political survival. Korea’s “democracy constitution” calls for a presidential election 60 days after the ouster of an impeached president.
Angling for America’s blessing of a change in the top echelons of South Korean leadership, the Minju portrays Mr. Trump as an advocate of reconciliation with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, whom he met three times during his first presidency. Having failed to persuade Mr. Kim to give up his nuclear program, Mr. Trump has expressed his desire to try again.
The spokesman for the Minju, Jo Seoung-hae, explaining Mr. Trump’s nomination for the Nobel, said the president “would continue to work for peace on the Korean Peninsula moving forward.” Minju leaders have joined the chorus of South Korean leftists calling for a “declaration of the end” of the Korean War, which wound up in an armistice, not a peace treaty, in July 1953.
Korean conservatives see such efforts as playing into Mr. Kim’s hands, and Americans in top positions, military and diplontic, agree. They believe he would go on refusing to give up his nukes while demanding withdrawal of America’s 28,500 troops and an end to the South’s American alliance. In this scenario, Mr. Trump might well consider pulling out the troops while demanding the South pay far more than the current $1.1 billion a year toward keeping them here.
Secretary Rubio, however, did not enhance the prospect for another Trump-Kim summit by lumping North Korea and Iran together as “rogue states.” North Korea, in its first comments on the new American administration, said it is “absurd and illogical … that the most depraved state in the world brands another country a rogue state.”
Mr. Trump’s chances for winning the Nobel do not rest solely on his efforts to bring peace to Korea. A Republican member of Congress representing New York, Claudia Tenney, has already entered his name, just as anyone can do — not for his work on Korea but on the Middle East. She praised the president for brokering Israel’s treaty with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
Mr. Trump, she said on Fox, proved it was possible to reach agreements before “a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
nysun.com
6. Washington Brief Ep. 46: Rogue Allies: Strategic partnership of N. Korea, Iran & proxies since 2023
If you are concerned about North Korean proliferation in the Middle East you will find it interesting.
Washington Brief Ep. 46: Rogue Allies: Strategic partnership of N. Korea, Iran & proxies since 2023
Entitled:
Available to watch at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ooPEfRFp8
160 views Streamed live on Feb 4, 2025
Many will be surprised at the extent of the violence and instability North Korea has created in the Middle East in the past few years through the proliferation of advanced weapons of mass destruction. October 7, 2023 was a turning point that marked a sharp increase in the volume of weaponry moving from Pyongyang to quickly enhance the capabilities of Iran, along with Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Join veteran intelligence officer Dr. Bruce E. Bechtol, Jr who has focused on the DPRK weapons pipelines for ten years and can address details seldom reported in the mainstream media.
7. Nat'l security advisers of S. Korea, US hold 1st phone call since Trump's inauguration
It is a good thnk that Mike has Alex Wong by his side becasause I do not know if Mike has any Korea or Asia experience whatsoever (except for his extensive Afghanistan experience which is actually in Asia).
Nat'l security advisers of S. Korea, US hold 1st phone call since Trump's inauguration
The Korea Times · February 6, 2025
National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik arrives to attend a cabinet meeting in Seoul, Sept. 10, 2024. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok
South Korea's National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik spoke by phone with his new U.S. counterpart Mike Waltz for the first time and agreed to meet in Washington at an early date, Seoul's presidential office said Thursday.
It marked South Korea's Office of National Security's first high-level contact with a top U.S. security official since the second Trump administration took office last month. The call came as Seoul continues to be in a period of political uncertainty following now-impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid in early December.
During their call, Shin and Waltz exchanged views on the Seoul-Washington relationship, North Korea-related issues and trilateral cooperation with Japan among other matters, according to the presidential office.
The two sides agreed to hold in-person talks in the U.S. capital at an early date for more in-depth discussions, it said.
Congratulating Waltz on his swearing-in as the U.S. national security adviser, Shin said he is sure that the South Korea-U.S. alliance will further strengthen under the Trump administration.
In turn, Waltz expressed his expectation for an expansion of bilateral cooperation in various areas, according to the office. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · February 6, 2025
8. Yoon's impeachment trial: a test for Korea's rule of law
It is good to all of the issues described including especially Chinese and north Korean subversion.
Excerpt:
To ensure a proper impeachment trial, it is thus essential to thoroughly examine a number of issues, such as whether the president’s declaration of martial law under the constitution qualifies as an act of governance; the precise meaning of liberal democracy as stated in the Constitution; the potential covert activities of pro-North and anti-state forces in South Korean society; whether the government’s ability to perform its normal administrative and judicial functions had been helplessly hindered by legislative tyranny by the opposition; and whether issues of election fraud have been significantly prevalent.
Yoon's impeachment trial: a test for Korea's rule of law
The Korea Times · February 6, 2025
By Park Jung-won
Park Jung-won
President Yoon Suk Yeol’s reaction to a democratic president’s worst political nightmare — impeachment and possible removal from office, pending a trial — couldn’t have been more different from that of his conservative predecessor, Park Geun-hye. Despite being impeached by the National Assembly and confined to his residence for some 40 days while being blasted by nonstop media criticism, Yoon has never lost his composure.
After his martial law declaration on Dec. 3 was rejected by the National Assembly, Yoon explained in detail the reasons for his decision and asserted its legitimacy. He maintained the same stance before being arrested by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on charges of rebellion. He sent messages to those in the streets protesting his arrest, encouraging them to continue the fight; he handwrote a long and detailed letter about the events that led to the current situation and the value he sees in this struggle; and just moments before his detention, he even recorded a three-minute video using a phone to express his views.
Yoon’s high approval rating, currently nearing 50 percent, points to two things: many may infer from his confident stance that he has no guilt to hide; and that fighting back against what they perceive as unjust persecution is viewed as the right thing to do.
Yoon’s subjection to unfair legal treatment during the investigation for treason charges has deeply unsettled not only conservatives but also some moderates and has struck a chord, especially with younger people. Despite the Criminal Procedure Act proclaiming noncustodial investigations as a fundamental principle, the CIO, whose investigative authority is unclear, has engaged in various irregularities and illegalities, including the issuance of warrants to arrest the inactive (but still technically sitting) president, who posed no risk of flight or destruction of evidence. When Yoon’s situation is compared with that of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), a sense of significant unfairness may be felt. Despite the fact that Lee is currently undergoing five separate trials, courts have granted him ample defense rights, and he continues to be an active member of the National Assembly.
The opposition’s strategy is to brand these recent events as the work of “far-right” forces, but the more they do this, the more likely Yoon’s approval ratings will climb. Even if there are valid questions surrounding Yoon’s botched martial law declaration, the legal handling of the matter has led many people to doubt whether Korea is truly a democratic country governed by the rule of law. The fact that young people in their 20s and 30s, many of whom might be ordinarily inclined toward left-wing political views, are showing strong support for Yoon cannot be dismissed as the actions of impulsive far-right groups.
To think that the young people opposing Yoon’s impeachment are blindly supporting him personally would be a gross misconception. They grew up during a time when Korea had already established itself as a procedural democracy and delivered economic prosperity. They have a very different view of democracy compared with many of Lee’s aides, who come from an older generation that learned politics through the simplistic binary prism of military dictatorship versus democracy that existed in the 1980s. The DPK’s desire to monitor even personal text messages under the pretext of cracking down on misinformation is seen as a step too far. They have already learned too much about the hypocrisy and contradictions coming out of the DPK’s political playbook.
Yoon’s supporters suspect that the Constitutional Court, which is handling the impeachment trial, has already decided against him and is proceeding with a rapid “show trial” to remove him from office. The court recently stated that it would act in the interest of “the people.” But which people are they referring to? Are only those who support the DPK considered the people but not Yoon’s supporters? Or would they dismiss Yoon’s impeachment not on the merits but if the polls show his removal is unpopular?
Ronald Dworkin, the late legal philosopher, suggested making a distinction between “easy” cases and “hard” cases in trials. Easy cases involve the straightforward application of rules, such as for traffic violations, that are uncontroversial. In contrast, hard cases involve fundamental conflicts of legal principles, raising significant debates about the legitimacy of a verdict and requiring careful, integrative interpretation. The issue of whether a president’s declaration of martial law violates Korea’s Constitution — which states that “the President may proclaim martial law under … conditions” — is a quintessential hard case, fundamentally different from traffic violations. Dworkin argued that hard cases entail “theoretical disagreements in law” due to unresolved fundamental values, making interpretation inherently challenging.
To ensure a proper impeachment trial, it is thus essential to thoroughly examine a number of issues, such as whether the president’s declaration of martial law under the constitution qualifies as an act of governance; the precise meaning of liberal democracy as stated in the Constitution; the potential covert activities of pro-North and anti-state forces in South Korean society; whether the government’s ability to perform its normal administrative and judicial functions had been helplessly hindered by legislative tyranny by the opposition; and whether issues of election fraud have been significantly prevalent.
Impeachment proceedings are necessarily complicated and time-consuming. The testimonies of relevant witnesses and experts, as well as all the evidence, need to be thoroughly reviewed. Should the presidential impeachment trial be concluded in just a few months (rumors are that the court will finish the case by late March), while Lee’s minor cases have taken two and a half years without a Supreme Court ruling?
Were the court to conclude the trial in such a hasty and flawed manner, Korea could head toward a state of civil war. If the president has staked his political life on declaring martial law, then the court’s justices must also stake their judicial careers, and perhaps even the fate of the country, on conducting a fair trial.
Park Jung-won (park_jungwon@hotmail.com), Ph.D. in law from the London School of Economics, is a professor of international law at Dankook University.
The Korea Times · February 6, 2025
9. Ex-commander confirms Yoon ordered removal of lawmakers, not agents, from Nat'l Assembly
The tesimony of two Special Forces Commanders.
(4th LD) Ex-commander confirms Yoon ordered removal of lawmakers, not agents, from Nat'l Assembly | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · February 6, 2025
(ATTN: ADDS senior presidential official's remarks in last 4 paras, photo)
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- A former military commander involved in President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law bid confirmed Thursday that the people Yoon ordered to be removed from the National Assembly were lawmakers, not agents, a claim that Yoon again rejected.
Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, the then chief of the Army Special Warfare Command, made the remark as a witness during the sixth formal hearing of Yoon's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court.
Yoon was also in attendance.
Kwak Jong-keun, former chief of the Army Special Warfare Command, answers a question from a lawmaker at the National Assembly in Seoul on Feb. 4, 2025, during a hearing of a parliamentary special committee to probe into impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's insurrection allegations in connection with his botched martial law declaration. (Yonhap)
"I obviously thought and understood the part about dragging people out from inside as referring to lawmakers because there were no operation agents inside the main (parliamentary) building at the time," Kwak said, referring to a phone call he received from Yoon on the night martial law was imposed on Dec. 3.
Kwak was confirming testimony he has previously given in parliament, as former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun has disputed the claim, saying Yoon had in fact ordered the removal of agents, not lawmakers.
In Korean, the words for agent and lawmaker are similar in pronunciation.
Yoon once again denied the claim -- saying he has never used the term "agent" -- and accused Kwak of plotting against him.
"Had I made such an order, it would be customary for me or the minister to check up on the situation at least once or twice before the vote wraps up," Yoon said, questioning whether it is feasible to order the commander to drag out lawmakers.
He added Kwak never refuted his order or claimed his order was impossible to carry out, saying this proves that such an alleged order was not given in the first place.
Army Col. Kim Hyun-tae, head of the 707th Special Mission Group, arrives at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Feb. 6, 2025, to testify at President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Earlier during the hearing, Col. Kim Hyun-tae, head of the Army Special Warfare Command's 707th Special Mission Group, said he had been ordered to seal off and secure the National Assembly building while the decree was in force.
"The mission I received was to seal off and secure (the National Assembly)," he said, adding that he relayed the instruction to his troops.
He also recalled that in a phone call he had with Kwak after his troops had entered the parliamentary building on the night of Dec. 3, Kwak asked if they could go in further, "since there can't be more than 150 people."
Kim said he did not know at the time what the number 150 meant but later learned it was the minimum number of lawmakers needed to vote down Yoon's martial law decree.
When asked if he was instructed to "drag out" lawmakers, he said, "There was no such order and by my recollection even if there had been it wouldn't have worked."
President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) talks with his lawyers as he attends the sixth hearing of his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Feb. 6, 2025, over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Senior presidential secretary for economic affairs Park Chun-sup also testified.
Park cited the opposition party's push to cut the government budget as one of the reasons martial law was declared, calling the opposition's unilateral passage of the budget the first such case in constitutional history.
Park specifically criticized the budget cut for the "Blue Whale" prospect, saying an estimated 20 percent chance of succeeding with the extraction was deemed high.
Earlier in the day, the industry ministry said it failed to confirm the economic feasibility of the prospect, citing the result of a preliminary drilling.
Senior presidential secretary for economic affairs Park Chun-sup testifies at President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial held at the Constitutional Court in Seoul on Feb. 6, 2025, in this photo provided by the court. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · February 6, 2025
10. Yoon allies pin hopes on Trump to save ousted president
This is a fool's errand. I hope Yoon supporters will think this through, Imagine if the US intervened to try to "save Yoon."
It will be a "nuclear explosion" (bigger than the proverbial bombshell) in support of Kim Jong Un's political warfare strategy to subvert the South. It will turn the Korean people in the South against the US on a scale of anti-Americanism we have never seen.
The Korean people must solve their political problems on their own. Yes, the South Korean political system is being actively subverted by China and north Korea. But that does not provide any basis for the US to intervene in support of President Yoon. This is the Korean people's problem to solve.
Yoon allies pin hopes on Trump to save ousted president - Washington Examiner
Washington Examiner · February 4, 2025
South Korea has been embroiled in a political crisis since December, when Yoon suddenly declared martial law, a move that was quickly overturned when opposition lawmakers were able to access parliament. Yoon was ousted, arrested, and indicted on charges of directing a rebellion — a charge that could carry the death penalty or life in prison if convicted. His prosecution has emboldened his supporters, who are now looking to their ideologically aligned ally across the Pacific for help.
Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally to oppose his impeachment near the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
According to Michelle Kim, writing for Foreign Policy, the largely evangelical Christian movement views Trump as a quasi-Messianic figure destined to contain Chinese expansion. They have flocked to online forums to spread their belief that influence from Beijing was behind Yoon’s ousting and arrest and that Trump is their final hope in reversing his misfortunes.
The outlet cited one anti-feminist forum, New Man Power, in which supporters said they have one last “strong card to play — Trump.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to New Man Power for comment.
The Hail Mary hopes for Trump extend to South Korea’s parliament. People Power Party lawmaker Na Kyung-won attended Trump’s inauguration and wrote of her plans to make a direct appeal to the president on Yoon’s behalf in a post on Facebook before she left.
“We will deliver an accurate account of the unprecedented state of affairs, detailing how the opposition party incited a rebellion to impeach the president and, thereafter, the acting president,” she wrote.
“We will articulate to the United States how the opposition party denigrated liberal democratic diplomacy and espoused a totalitarian, anti-liberal worldview through its impeachment efforts,” Na added.
Conservative South Koreans’ hopes in Trump have been reflected in their adoption of his slogans, including “Stop the Steal,” and waving American flags.
Yoon’s most loyal base shares some similarities with Trump’s, consisting of many evangelical Christians.
Pyongyang, previously called the “Jerusalem of the East,” was once the center of Christianity in East Asia, nurtured largely by American Protestant missionaries. After the takeover by the atheistic communist regime of Kim Il-Sung, most North Korean Christians followed retreating American troops south during the Korean War, settling in South Korea. The influx contributed to South Korea developing some of the largest shares of Christians in East Asia.
Those surviving and their descendants view the U.S. as their protector and responsible for South Korea’s rise during the latter half of the 20th century. As in the U.S., evangelical Christians in South Korea are among the most conservative and most politically active demographics. They helped Yoon, a Christian, stay afloat despite historically low approval ratings. The current crisis isn’t the first time they have drawn parallels with political developments in the U.S., with Yoon’s 2022 victory being compared to Trump’s rise.
Despite this, experts have cast doubt on Trump coming to Yoon’s aid, indicated by his muted public response.
“Trump will not want to side with Yoon to instigate further chaos and conflict and create a critically crippled South Korea, which would empower China, Russia, and North Korea to take charge of Northeast Asia,” Kim Heung-kyu, a professor of political science at Ajou University and the director of the U.S.-China Policy Institute, told Foreign Policy.
He further speculated that Trump likely views Yoon as a political loser, a major deal-breaker for him.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Trump has even poked fun at Yoon, commenting last month, “Everyone calls me chaotic, but look at South Korea.”
He joked that he would meet with Yoon “if they ever stop impeaching him.”
Washington Examiner · February 4, 2025
11. FM Cho eyes meeting with Rubio in Munich as Washington trip unlikely
FM Cho eyes meeting with Rubio in Munich as Washington trip unlikely | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · February 6, 2025
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul is seeking his first in-person meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich next week, as his trip to Washington now appears unlikely, diplomatic sources said Thursday.
Cho's office said earlier discussions were ongoing with Washington to arrange what would be the first talks between Cho and Rubio since the launch of the Donald Trump administration.
If realized, Cho was widely expected to travel to Washington next week, before flying to Germany for the Munich Security Conference slated for Feb. 14-16.
However, the plan may change as the chance of meeting his U.S. counterpart in Washington appears slim, a source said
Rubio is expected to accompany Trump when the president meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jordan's King Abdullah for separate bilateral talks in the U.S. capital next week.
In this file photo, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul reviews a handout at an interagency government meeting in Seoul on Jan. 16, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
If Rubio attends the Munich conference, it will likely serve as the venue for his first talks with Cho, according to the source.
The U.S. State Department has yet to announce whether Rubio will attend the Munich session. Media reports have said U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance will be attending the artificial intelligence summit in Paris and the Munich security conference in his first overseas trips since he took office.
At last year's Munich conference, then Secretary of State Antony Blinken joined then Vice President Kamala Harris for the gathering.
Cho's potential meeting with his U.S. counterpart has drawn attention as it would be their first discussion on key issues, including the alliance and North Korea, since the political turmoil in the South sparked by now impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law bid.
Following his expected trip to Munich, Cho will likely travel to Johannesburg for the foreign ministers' meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) nations.
Rubio said Wednesday he will not be attending the G20 meeting in South Africa, days after Trump said he will cut off funding to the African country over its land ownership policy that he said was treating its people "very badly."
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · February 6, 2025
12. Familiar faces tipped to join Trump's team to tackle Korean Peninsula issues
Circular reporting. But it will be intersting to see who is tapped for Ambassador (which hopefully will be soon).
Wednesday
February 5, 2025
dictionary + A - A
Familiar faces tipped to join Trump's team to tackle Korean Peninsula issues
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-02-05/national/diplomacy/Familiar-faces-tipped-to-join-Trumps-team-to-tackle-Korean-Peninsula-issues/2235876?utm
Published: 05 Feb. 2025, 19:06
Korea JoongAng Daily
Familiar faces tipped to join Trump's team to tackle Korean Peninsula issues
4 min
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
Former White House National Security Council Senior Adviser Allison Hooker speaks in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at a hotel in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, on Jan. 25, 2024. [KANG JEONG-HYEON]
Several key figures involved in denuclearization talks with North Korea during U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term are expected to make a return in his second administration, including Allison Hooker, a former White House senior adviser for Asia.
Hooker served for over six years on the National Security Council, holding roles such as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for Asia, as well as special assistant to the president for the Korean Peninsula. She is under consideration for the under secretary for political affairs, which ranks third in the State Department’s hierarchy, according to a Voice of America (VOA) report on Tuesday.
Hooker was involved in nuclear negotiations with North Korea during Trump's first term, when he held three summits with the country's leader Kim Jong-un between 2018 and 2019.
As speculation mounted that Trump might accept a “small deal” allowing North Korea to retain its nuclear arsenal, Hooker stressed the need for “reciprocal” actions between Washington and Pyongyang in last year's January interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily. She also emphasized that North Korea must deliver “tangible results” on denuclearization and defended Trump’s decision to walk away from the 2019 Hanoi summit, calling it the rejection of a “bad deal.”
If appointed, she would join other veterans of Trump’s North Korea policy team, including Alex Wong, who was named principal deputy national security adviser, and Kevin Kim, the new deputy assistant secretary in the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Wong previously led the South Korea-U.S. working group meetings on sanctions coordination and has taken a firm stance against premature concessions to Pyongyang. In an August 2021 interview with VOA, Wong argued that the United States should not offer delays in joint military exercises or sanctions relief as bargaining chips to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.
Similarly, Kevin Kim worked closely with former U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun and helped shape negotiations during Trump’s first term.
U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel addresses supporters at her election office in California on Nov. 4, 2024. [AP/YONHAP]
The search for a new U.S. ambassador to South Korea remains ongoing. According to VOA, Michelle Park Steel, a former Republican representative from California, is a top contender for the post.
Steel, a Korean American and former two-term congresswoman, narrowly lost her seat in the general election in 2024. She previously served as a White House advisory board member for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders under the George W. Bush administration and later as a co-chair of the same board in Trump’s first term. She has been an advocate for Korean American issues, particularly in pushing legislative efforts for family reunions for Americans separated by the Korean War.
In a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. State Department, in January, the Trump administration reportedly requested the resignations of over a dozen senior career diplomats serving as assistant secretaries and in other high-level positions. Instead, Trump authorized the selection of more than 20 “senior bureau officials” to fill key positions, primarily drawing from officials who served in his first administration at the State Department and National Security Council.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in a press briefing at the White House on Jan. 30 in Washington. [AFP/YONHAP]
“They want to have people in place whom they’ve worked with before who are known quantities,” one diplomat who was asked to resign was quoted as saying by the Washington Post on Jan. 19.
With his return to the White House, Trump has expressed interest in reengaging with North Korean leader Kim. When asked if he planned to reach out to Kim during a Fox News interview in January, Trump responded, “I will, yeah. He liked me.”
Despite expectations for renewed dialogue, some South Korean foreign policy experts remain doubtful that negotiations will yield meaningful progress.
According to a survey conducted by the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University, released Wednesday, 70 percent of respondents, or 28 out of 40, said they believed that even if U.S.-North Korea talks resume, it would be difficult to achieve “visible and substantive results” during Trump’s second term.
Experts cited significant differences between Washington and Pyongyang’s positions on denuclearization and that North Korea may not be a top priority for the United States due to competing global priorities, including the Russia-Ukraine war, tensions in the Middle East and U.S.-China relations.
BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]
13. Ex-ROK intel chief ordered elimination of agents after 2016 North Korea missions
I did not expect to read this as part of the martial law trial.
I find it hard to believe that such an order would be even considered let alone that this incident ever happened.
Ex-ROK intel chief ordered elimination of agents after 2016 North Korea missions
Senior military officer made revelation during testimony on Roh Sang-won’s role in Dec. 3 martial law declaration
https://www.nknews.org/2025/02/ex-rok-intel-chief-ordered-elimination-of-agents-after-2016-north-korea-missions/?utm
Joon Ha Park February 5, 2025
A ROK soldier receives orders during drills on Yeonpyeong Island | Image: ROK Defense Ministry via Flickr
The former head of South Korea’s Defense Intelligence Command (KDIC) issued orders to “blow up” intelligence officers once they had completed their missions related to North Korea, according to a senior military officer testifying during a hearing on Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law declaration.
Brigadier General Park Min-woo, currently serving as deputy commander of the ROK Army’s 2nd Corps, made the revelation on Tuesday, during a special parliamentary committee hearing.
Lawmakers were questioning Park about Roh Sang-won’s role in Yoon’s Dec. 3 martial law declaration and his experience working with Roh when Park commanded a unit of the Headquarters Intelligence Detachment (HID), a special military unit trained to gather information inside the DPRK. As head of the KDIC, Roh oversaw HID operations.
During his testimony, Park, who commanded the military’s HID unit in Sokcho in 2016, claimed Roh had demanded the elimination of operatives that same year either before capture or after successful mission completion to erase all evidence of covert operations.
“When I asked about the method, he instructed us to outfit them with remote-detonated explosive vests and detonate them before they returned,” Park testified.
Park revealed he spent six months preparing the North Korea mission but deliberately avoided executing the former KDIC chief’s elimination orders.
The veteran intelligence officer, who requested protection for his testimony, added that his past experiences witnessing Roh’s “cruel and inhumane tendencies firsthand” made the terminology found in the latter’s recently discovered “martial law notebook” unsurprising.
During the arrest of the retired army Major General Roh on Dec. 15, police discovered a notebook allegedly outlining plans related to Yoon’s martial law.
The National Police Agency’s special investigation unit reported that the notebook contained handwritten notes referencing a plan to provoke North Korean attacks along the Northern Limit Line (NLL). It also included phrases such as “blockade the National Assembly” and “kill,” along with lists of political opponents and journalists labeled as “collection targets” (수거대상).
Park noted that terms like “collection (수거)” were unique to Roh, and not a term widely used in special forces’ jargon.
“While others might dismiss these notebook entries as mere fantasy, my experience with him led me to believe he was capable of implementing such plans,” he testified.
Roh was dishonorably discharged in 2018 for sexual harassment within the military and is currently in police custody for his alleged role in planning Yoon’s martial law declaration.
Military personnel from the 707th Special Mission Group at the National Assembly after martial law was declared on Dec. 3, 2024 | Image: Democratic Party lawmaker Park Sun-won’s office
Choi Gi-il, a professor at Sangji University’s National Security Division, referred to Roh’s alleged orders as “something straight out of an old movie.”
Choi stressed that military personnel undergo intense training to carry out dangerous missions, arguing that any commanding officer who entertained such thoughts or ordered a review of such orders deserves “severe punishment” if found to be true.
He told NK News that HID operatives are “seasoned veterans,” undergoing at least 10 years of high-intensity training due to the tactical complexity of their missions. Unlike other military personnel who rotate through various positions and units as part of standard military policy, HID operatives remain in intelligence roles for extended periods.
Choi emphasized that ordinary military leaders would have been unlikely to comply with alleged orders like Roh’s, given legal risks and the heightened situational awareness of modern personnel.
“The military no longer follows orders unquestioningly as it did in the past,” he said.
Yang Uk, a military analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, echoed this sentiment, stressing that the military’s established laws and regulations should have been sufficient to prevent Roh’s alleged orders in 2016.
“If commanders issue wrongful orders, the military should follow proper procedures to address them,” he told NK News. “Those who engage in misconduct must be held accountable under existing rules. Simply adhering to regulations is enough to prevent such issues.”
He further argued that even if individuals like Roh had issued such orders or acted recklessly, it would not have altered the broader situation.
“Ultimately, such a person would lose their position — that’s the logical outcome,” he said.
Edited by Alannah Hill
14. N. Korean woman caught with defector remittance, freed after paying double in bribes
It is this kind of corruption that can create internal instability.
N. Korean woman caught with defector remittance, freed after paying double in bribes - Daily NK English
"As policing and punishments become more severe, people are forced to pay larger bribes, pushing them into financial difficulties," a source told Daily NK
By Eun Seol - February 6, 2025
dailynk.com · by Eun Seol · February 6, 2025
In this undated photo from a Daily NK stringer in North Korea, a slogan stating that "Musan Mine is Our Country's Jewel" can be seen in the distance. / Image: Daily NK
A woman in North Korea’s North Hamgyong province was caught accepting remittance money from relatives who had defected, but managed to secure her release by paying a substantial bribe. The case highlights the pervasive nature of corruption in the country.
According to a source in the province who spoke to Daily NK recently, the incident occurred in mid-January when police at Musan Station detained a Chongjin resident in her 60s during questioning. The woman had obtained a travel pass to Musan to collect a Lunar New Year remittance from family members who had fled the country.
“During their search, police found 30,000 Chinese yuan on her,” the source said. “Because she had family members who had defected to South Korea, the police dismissed her explanations and took her in for interrogation. However, her relatives gathered their resources and paid a 60,000 yuan bribe to get her released.”
The source noted that this incident demonstrates how in North Korea, anything can be accomplished with enough money to pay bribes.
Travel within North Korea is heavily restricted, with permits being particularly difficult to obtain for border regions. This is especially true for those with family members who have defected. Even with proper documentation, travelers must pass through numerous checkpoints and inspections along border-bound routes.
However, the woman’s ability to obtain a travel permit and clear multiple checkpoints through bribery illustrates how corruption has become deeply embedded in North Korean society. Even those caught in criminal acts can escape punishment by paying off the right officials.
While North Korea continues to intensify enforcement and penalties for receiving foreign remittances through unofficial channels, law enforcement itself has grown increasingly corrupt. The prevailing attitude is that any problem can be resolved with money.
“People say bribes are the answer to everything,” the source explained. “While the government emphasizes law enforcement’s role in eliminating non-socialist behavior, in practice, their main function has become extracting money from citizens.
“The reality is that law enforcement officers now depend on bribes to survive. As policing and punishments become more severe, people are forced to pay larger bribes, pushing them into financial difficulties.”
Read in Korean
dailynk.com · by Eun Seol · February 6, 2025
15. Laser beauty treatments highlight growing wealth gap in N. Korea
What happened to the classless society that should be the utopia of the Social Worker's Paradise of north Korea?
Laser beauty treatments highlight growing wealth gap in N. Korea - Daily NK English
"When you're worried about your next meal, even one laser treatment is an impossible luxury," a source told Daily NK
By Seon Hwa - February 6, 2025
dailynk.com · by Seon Hwa · February 6, 2025
A barbershop at the Munsu Water Park in Pyongyang (Uri Tours, Creative Commons, Flickr)
Laser skin treatments are gaining popularity in North Korea’s major cities, drawing significant interest among women, Daily NK has learned.
According to a source in South Pyongan province who spoke to Daily NK recently, cities like Pyongsong have seen a surge in underground beauty salons operating out of private homes, offering laser skin care procedures.
The laser devices, imported from China by donju (wealthy entrepreneurs), reportedly reduce blemishes and wrinkles while improving skin firmness. The technology has created a buzz among North Korean women, who were particularly impressed by its ability to remove freckles and moles.
“Word has spread that a single laser treatment can brighten your complexion and eliminate freckles,” the source said. “Many people claim these treatments have improved their skin tone and cleared up acne and blemishes.”
As news of the treatment’s effectiveness circulates, demand has soared. However, the procedure remains out of reach for most women due to its steep price. In Pyongsong, a single session at a private salon costs 200 Chinese yuan – equivalent to the price of 75 kilograms of rice at local markets.
While most families cannot afford a treatment that exceeds their monthly living expenses, the source noted that many women are still finding ways to pay for the procedure.
“People are amazed that a laser can remove facial moles, but they’re even more stunned by the price,” the source said. “The growing number of beauty salons suggests there are women willing to spend what most people earn in a month.”
As these laser-equipped salons proliferate across the country, their presence has highlighted the widening wealth gap in North Korean society. Some women feel envious of those who can afford the treatments, while others view it as a stark reminder of economic inequality.
“While many women admire those who can casually spend such large sums on beauty treatments, they also question the source of their wealth,” the source explained. “It’s particularly frustrating for those struggling to make ends meet to see others spending freely on cosmetic procedures.
“When you’re worried about your next meal, even one laser treatment is an impossible luxury. The proliferation of these beauty salons only deepens the sense of despair among those who can’t afford them.”
Read in Korean
dailynk.com · by Seon Hwa · February 6, 2025
16. US Defense Official: “South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) to Continue Even in Trump’s 2nd Term”
Some good news.
This is a Google translation of an RFA report.
US Defense Official: “South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) to Continue Even in Trump’s 2nd Term”
https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/nk_nuclear_talks/trump-2-term-nuclear-consultative-group-ncg-continues-us-south-korea-02052025145030.html
WASHINGTON-Lee Sang-min lees@rfa.org
2025.02.05
President Yoon Seok-yeol visiting the launching conference of the Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) on July 18, 2023.
/Office of the President of the Republic of Korea
00:00 /02:47
Anchor : A U.S. Department of Defense official predicted that the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), which aims to strengthen South Korea-U.S. nuclear deterrence, will continue during Trump's second term . Reporter Lee Sang-min reports .
A U.S. Department of Defense official well-versed in U.S. Indo-Pacific policy told Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 5th that the South Korea-U.S . Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) established during the Biden administration is likely to continue during the second Trump administration .
He answered this way when asked whether the NCG would continue in a situation where Elbridge Colby, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, has been nominated as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy in Trump's second term, having argued that the " Washington Declaration," which advocated for strengthening the ROK-US extended deterrence, and its result, the ROK-US NCG, were ineffective in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue .
The official said the terminology may change, but the concept of " extended deterrence " is likely to persist .
However, he said that they will wait and see as Colby has not yet been confirmed as the undersecretary of defense for policy .
Earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol adopted the " Washington Declaration " in April 2023 to strengthen the extended nuclear deterrence between South Korea and the U.S. to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear threats, and established the NCG , a permanent consultative body between South Korea and the U.S.
South Korea and the United States have held four NCG meetings so far, and the last one was held in the United States on the 10th of last month, just before President Donald Trump's inauguration .
Vipin Narang, the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy and the US representative to the NCG , said during his tenure in August last year that the 'NCG' was the best option for resolving security issues facing the Korean Peninsula .
[ Acting Deputy Secretary Narang ] I believe that the nuclear consultative group is the best solution for both Korea and the United States to the security challenges that Korea faces on the Korean Peninsula .
President Yoon Seok-yeol visiting the launching conference of the Korea-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) on July 18, 2023. / Office of the President, Republic of Korea
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However, with Elbridge Colby, who is skeptical of the US-ROK extended deterrence, nominated as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and with speculation that the NCG could become an obstacle if President Trump negotiates with North Korean General Secretary Kim Jong-un , questions have been raised as to whether the NCG will continue after the Trump administration takes office .
US Department of Defense : No Movement to Deploy Additional Troops from North Korea
In addition, the official said that the ROK-US joint military exercises scheduled for this year will proceed as scheduled, and if President Trump tries to scale back or suspend the exercises for negotiations with North Korea as he did during his first term, they will proceed even on a reduced scale .
He said the Indo-Pacific region is currently stable, and no further provocative moves by North Korea are observed .
Meanwhile , another U.S. Department of Defense official familiar with the situation regarding North Korean troops deployed to Russia told RFA today that there was nothing new to comment on regarding North Korean casualties or the temporary retreat of the North Korean military, but that there were no signs of additional North Korean troops being deployed .
This is Lee Sang-min from RFA Radio Free Asia .
Editor Park Jeong-woo , Web Editor Lee Gyeong-ha
17. [Expert Diagnosis] ② Professor Park In-hwi: “US-North Korea Dialogue Depends on Trump”
This is a Google translation of an RFA report.
If talks do take place I hope that they are in support of a well thought out political warfare campaign against the regime.
But I doubt that Kim will come to the table unless he is promised significant concessions. And I don't think POTUS would allow such concessions without substantive action by Kim first. If Kim is unwilling to take action and we provide concessions Kim will assess that it is his political warfare strategy and blackmail diplomacy that is successful in exporting such concessions from the US.
[Expert Diagnosis] ② Professor Park In-hwi: “US-North Korea Dialogue Depends on Trump”
https://www.rfa.org/korean/news_indepth/us-north-korea-talks-trump-02062025084255.html
Seoul-Cheon So-ram cheons@rfa.org
2025.02.06
June 30, 2019: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea in Panmunjom.
/REUTERS
00:00 /10:48
Anchor : Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has expressed his willingness to talk to North Korea, but North Korean General Secretary Kim Jong-un has visited a nuclear facility, indicating that a full-scale war of words has begun between the US and North Korea.
Meanwhile, Professor Park In-hwi of the Department of International Studies at Ewha Womans University in Korea diagnosed that it is very unlikely that North Korea will voluntarily change its strategy toward the United States, and predicted that it depends on what the Trump administration does. He also analyzed that “North Korea’s deep involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war could also be a message to the United States.”
[Expert Diagnosis] Today, for the second time, reporter Cheon So-ram had a conversation with Professor Park In-hwi.
Park In-hui, Professor, Ewha Womans University, Korea / Provided by the author“ North Korea unlikely to change strategy toward US even after Trump administration takes office ”
[ Reporter ] Hello , Professor Park In-hwi . I would like to first ask about the possibility of changes in US-North Korea relations following the inauguration of the Donald Trump administration . On the day of his inauguration, President Trump referred to North Korea as a “ nuclear power . ” He also said, “I will contact General Secretary Kim Jong - un,” expressing his intention to meet again . Is it possible that North Korea will pursue a different strategy toward the US with the inauguration of the Trump administration ?
[ Park In-hwi ] The last US-North Korea contact was in Hanoi , Vietnam in 2019 , and in the six years since then , North Korea's nuclear weapons have become incredibly advanced , and its antipathy toward the United States has deepened even further . The Trump administration will have to resolve the advancement of nuclear weapons and the growing anti-American sentiment . I believe that it is highly unlikely that North Korea will voluntarily change its strategy toward the United States just because the Trump administration has come to power . The Trump administration is currently sending messages to North Korea, including a " small deal ( partial agreement )" , but I only see a 50% chance that it will actually take actual action on the North Korean issue . The United States will focus on Ukraine and the Middle East , and on the North Korean issue , it will most likely continue to send the message that it " wants peace . " Personally, I do not think that the possibility of " the United States really putting its efforts into the North Korean issue " is very high .
[ Reporter ] North Korea announced on the 25th of last month that it had conducted a cruise missile test launch . Then on the 29th , General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong-un visited a nuclear facility . North Korea also strongly protested against U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's reference to North Korea as a "rogue state . " This is the first time North Korea has publicly and sharply criticized the United States since the inauguration of the Trump administration . How can we interpret all of these actions by North Korea ?
[ Park In-hwi ] I see General Secretary Kim's launch of a cruise missile as part of North Korea's consistent military build-up . North Korea's actions depend on what the United States and neighboring countries do, so there is no need for North Korea to create a bigger crisis in a situation where the United States is sending a message of peace . So I think they are creating a crisis of an appropriate level , and going forward, that level will depend entirely on what the United States does .
[ Reporter ] You said, “ It depends on what the United States does . ” President Trump also mentioned North Korea’s condo facilities and expressed his willingness to talk to General Secretary Kim . What kind of image does North Korea want from the United States ?
[ Park In-hwi ] I think the key is to what extent the US recognizes North Korea's nuclear weapons . And I think the key is to what extent the US can support North Korea to become a normal state, including through economic sanctions . No matter how much it is expressed as " nuclear power , " if contact is made between the US and North Korea , the starting point is naturally the Singapore Four -Point Agreement . In the Singapore Four - Point Agreement , North Korea agreed to denuclearization . The US has to recognize North Korea's nuclear weapons status and show a certain level of effort and sincerity to North Korea ; it's an extremely difficult game . To do that, the US has to spend enormous resources, and I'm not sure if the Trump administration can do that .
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U.S. President Donald Trump (right) meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sentosa Island in Singapore, June 12, 2018. / AP
“ North Korea’s troop deployment contains a message to the US … It will likely take time until US-North Korea talks ”
[ Reporter ] What are your predictions for the possibility of resuming US-North Korea talks at this point ?
[ Park In-hwi ] There is a possibility that US-North Korea talks will resume , but I think it will take a considerable amount of time . There are media reports that at least 10,000 more North Korean troops will be dispatched . North Korea's deepening involvement in the Russia - Ukraine war should be seen as a message to the US . There have been no visible results yet in Ukraine and the Middle East , so I don't think there is much chance of US-North Korea talks opening .
[ Reporter ] You said, “ There must also be a message to the United States in sending North Korean troops to the Russia- Ukraine war . ” What exactly do you mean by that ?
[ Park In-hwi ] The U.S. feels a great burden to end the war in Ukraine , and as North Korea gets deeper into the war in Ukraine, it may feel burdened to look at the North Korean issue as well, so I think they might send this message .
[ Reporter ] You mentioned the Singapore Four- Point Agreement , which includes ' normalization of US-North Korea relations ', ' permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula ', ' denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula ', and ' excavation and repatriation of remains of prisoners of war ' . What other prerequisites are there for a meeting between President Trump and General Secretary Kim to take place ?
[ Park In-hwi ] There may be many reasons , but I personally see the Singapore Four Agreement as the starting point for US-North Korea talks under the Trump administration . At that time, North Korea agreed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula , but now that they are changing their position, the big question is to what extent the US will tolerate that . They want to be recognized as possessing nuclear weapons , but there is a document in which they agreed to denuclearization with the US . I think the biggest question is how to bridge those two gaps .
[ Reporter ] There is an analysis that the Russia - Ukraine war is likely to end early with the inauguration of President Trump . North Korea has already strengthened its strategic closeness by providing weapons and troops to Russia . If the war ends , what impact do you think it will have on North Korea's position and economic situation ?
[ Park In-hwi ] North Korea has deployed a significant number of troops, but the international community does not view it as an international war involving three or more countries . It is a war between Russia and Ukraine . North Korea simply hopes to gain economic support and military technology by helping Russia . There is an aspect that North Korea and Russia have become closer because of the Ukraine War . The key is how much North Korea gains and whether it can sustain the diplomatic space it has secured through cooperation with Russia and China after being diplomatically isolated . If ( North Korea ) had been a country that actively engaged in diplomatic activities in the international community , its position could have diminished after the Russia - Ukraine War ended , but since it was such an isolated country, I do not expect that the loss of North Korea’s role or presence just because the war is over will have a big impact .
“ North Korea is important in US diplomatic issues … North-South relations are clouded ”
[ Reporter ] What will be the most important issue for the US foreign policy in 2025 ? The North Korea issue has not been given much attention as a priority for US foreign policy . What do you think the Trump administration will do ?
[ Park In-hwi ] I think the North Korea issue will be dealt with as one of the important agendas in the diplomatic sector . It may not be ahead of Europe , Russia , or the Middle East , but since key figures in the Trump administration frequently speak about the North Korea issue, it seems possible that the North Korea issue will be somewhat important . If President Trump continues to mention North Korea , wouldn’t it be difficult for North Korea to make unnecessary provocations ? That in itself will have a kind of effect . The importance of diplomatic issues may be lower compared to major countries , but the North Korea issue is likely to remain a live agenda on the table .
[ Reporter ] In the midst of all this, the current South Korean leadership is in a state of confusion . In fact, inter-Korean relations have been blocked since the Hanoi summit , and they have gotten worse under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration . Even if the government changes, it doesn’t seem easy for inter-Korean relations to improve right away . What is your outlook for inter-Korean relations in 2025 ?
[ Park In-hwi ] There is no room for improvement in inter-Korean relations . Furthermore, this year is the second year of the two-state theory advocated by North Korea . Since it is taking longer than expected to establish laws, I believe there is no room for improvement this year . North Korea is thinking, " What will the United States do for North Korea? " and therefore has no reason to look to South Korea . There is no room for improvement in inter-Korean relations for the time being , and as a result, I believe the South Korean government has no choice but to follow the United States' policy toward North Korea .
[ Reporter ] Professor , I have listened carefully to what you said today . [ Expert Diagnosis ] Today, we discussed the possibility of changes in US-North Korea relations following the launch of the Trump administration with Professor Park In-hwi of Ewha Womans University in Korea .
This is Cheon So-ram from RFA Radio Free Asia .
Editor Noh Jeong-min, Web Editor Kim Sang-il
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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