|
Quotes of the Day:
“And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected.
And this is what I must fight against any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about.”
- John Steinbeck, East of Eden
“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm period.”
- Winston Churchill
"The real problem of humanity is the following: We have paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology.”
- biologist Edward. O. Wilson
1. Biden Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: March (KOREA)
2. Images of plump, well-dressed daughter of Kim Jong Un arouse secret resentment
3. How should we view Kim Jong-un’s daughter？ The regime is looking to perpetuate the country’s one-family rule into a fourth succession ISHIMARU Jiro
4, Treasury Targets DPRK Actors Illicitly Generating Revenue Abroad
5. Sejong Institute chairman announces he will step down
6. U.S. lawmakers reintroduce bill on ending Korean War, improving relations between U.S., N. Korea
7. JCS chief inspects allies' special ops drills, calls for accurate strike capabilities
8. U.S. supports Yoon's vision for S. Korea-Japan relations: State Dept.
9. N. Korean leader calls for attaining grain production goal amid reports of severe food shortages
10. N. Korea wants more control over farming amid food shortage
11. Yoon signs bill to upgrade veterans agency, establish overseas Koreans agency
12. [Editorial] Drones and robots on the DMZ
13. JCS chief stresses allies' readiness to hit enemy facilities
14. Yoon's pro-Japan speech likely to expedite settlement of forced labor issue
15. S. Korea discloses special forces drills with US in warning to N.Korea
16. Korea 'perfectly placed' to help build collective defense of democracies: scholar
1. Biden Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: March (KOREA)
Access here: https://www.fdd.org/policy-tracker/2023/03/01/biden-administration-foreign-policy-tracker-march/#Korea
KOREA
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow
Trending Neutral
Previous Trend:
Neutral
North Korea tested a Hwasong-15 intercontinental-range ballistic missile (ICBM), two short-range ballistic missiles, and four cruise missiles in February. The regime issued its usual fiery rhetoric, threatening to turn the Pacific Ocean into a “shooting range” and take “unprecedently persistent and strong counteractions” in response to ROK-U.S. military exercises. Pyongyang also threatened two key air bases in South Korea. There is speculation that North Korean ICBM testing will become the “new normal.” Washington again failed to obtain Chinese and Russian support for a UN Security Council resolution condemning Pyongyang’s missile tests.
In positive news, Washington and Seoul are in alignment regarding the North Korean threat. The ROK Ministry of Defense published its biennial White Paper, which named North Korea as an “enemy” — a change from the previous ROK administration. South Korea’s foreign minister called North Korea a “clear and present danger.”
Meanwhile, the ROK and U.S. militaries conducted a highly publicized extended deterrence tabletop exercise, their eighth since 2011. ROK-Japanese-U.S. trilateral cooperation continues to improve in the face of North Korean provocations, with the three countries conducting air and naval exercises, trilateral missile defense drills, and continued diplomatic engagement. The USS Springfield, a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, conducted a port call in Pusan, South Korea. This will be followed by a U.S. aircraft carrier in March.
Finally, Seoul pledged an additional $130 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine. South Korea and Poland agreed to launch a ministerial dialogue on defense-industrial cooperation and to hold joint military exercises.
2. Images of plump, well-dressed daughter of Kim Jong Un arouse secret resentment
See photos at the link: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/kimjuae-02282023163455.html
So is Kim's "charm offensive" backfiring?
Images of plump, well-dressed daughter of Kim Jong Un arouse secret resentment
She must be eating so well, her face is so white and plump like the moon.’
By Hyemin Son and Seung Wook Hong for RFA Korean
2023.02.28
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae attend a ceremony for the construction of a new street, in Sopho District, Pyongyang, in this undated photo released on February 26, 2023 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
KCNA via Reuters
rfa.org
The officially titled “Beloved Child” of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wore a fur-collared long coat with golden buttons, festooned with a golden brooch and high-quality leather gloves.
She was careful not to mess up her immaculately-primped hairstyle as she, her father, and several other VIPs dug the ceremonial first shovels of dirt at the dedication of a new street in the capital Pyongyang on Feb. 25 in her latest official public appearance, and third in the same month.
Experts speculate that the recent introduction of Kim Ju Ae, believed to be 9 years old, is either an part of a propaganda effort to soften her father’s image by portraying him as a family man, or that she is being positioned to one day rule after her father.
Either way, the media barrage has aroused widespread, if secret, resentment among the North Korean public, sources in the country say. It reminded the people of the national pecking order: Those close to the country’s leadership come first, and everyone else lives in relative squalor.
In a country plagued by chronic food shortages and widespread poverty, merely surviving is a struggle for many. So reports of the latest father-daughter event upset many people, a resident of the northwestern province of North Pyongan told Radio Free Asia’s Korean Service on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
“It makes me angry that my situation is so hard to bear, and Kim Ju Ae, who we all know is eating and living well, is showing up on TV in her fancy clothes so often,” the source said.
Round, rosy cheeks
Other people noticed how healthy Ju Ae looked with her round, rosy cheeks.
“The people are saying things like, ‘She must be eating so well, her face is so white and plump like the moon,’” the source said. “Most people aren’t able to eat properly so their cheekbones stick out from their faces even more than ever before.”
Residents living north of the capital in South Pyongan province compared Kim Ju Ae’s appearance to the skinny children that live in their neighborhoods, a source there told RFA.
“They are angry to see the plump white face of the Beloved Child appearing so often in propaganda,” the second source said. “They say that she looks so different than the children of the common people, who cannot even eat three meals a day due to a lack of food.”
South Korean experts estimate that North Korea will be short 1 million tons of grain this year, about 20% of its annual demand, the Associated Press reported on Monday.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae shovel dirt at a ceremony for the construction of a new street, in Sopho District, Pyongyang, in this undated photo released on February 26, 2023 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Parading Kim Ju Ae around in such fine clothes is hypocritical when authorities punish high-schoolers for supposedly following capitalist culture for growing their hair long or chasing fashion trends, the second source said.
“Kim Ju Ae’s clothing and appearance are completely different from what an ordinary teenage girl could get away with.”
Groomed to be leader one day?
The street dedication was Ju Ae’s seventh public appearance since she first showed up at an intercontinental ballistic missile test in November 2022.
With each successive appearance, rumblings among observers that Kim Jong Un may be preparing her to one day take his place grow louder.
But it is still too early to consider her as heir apparent, Kwon Young Se, South Korea’s minister of unification said on CBS Radio on Tuesday.
“Even if North Korea creates a succession structure from now on, questions remain as to whether a woman will be able to lead the military-centered North Korean regime,” he said.
Kwon said that North Korea is far more patriarchal and male-centered than the more prosperous, democratic South, and a successor is likely not a priority for the regime right now because Kim Jong Un at 40 years old is relatively young compared to most world leaders.
But he did not completely discount the idea. Kwon said that North Korea has shown signs that it wants dynastic rule to pass to a fourth generation, but it is not clear if Kim Ju Ae is the successor.
Kim is believed to have three children with his wife Ri Sol Ju, but whether any of his children are boys has not been confirmed, Kwon said.
Ken Gause of the Virginia-based Center for Naval Analyses think tank, told RFA in an interview for a previous report that Kim Ju Ae is far too young to be named successor right now. But introducing her to the people at such a young age may be part of a long term plan to normalize her so that her gender is less of an obstacle if and when she becomes the successor at a later date.
“If you're going to do something like this, you're probably going to have to get started early and spend not years but probably decades socializing this with the larger leadership,” said Gause.
Translated by Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee Written in English by Eugene Whong.
rfa.org
3. How should we view Kim Jong-un’s daughter？ The regime is looking to perpetuate the country’s one-family rule into a fourth succession ISHIMARU Jiro
How should we view Kim Jong-un’s daughter？ The regime is looking to perpetuate the country’s one-family rule into a fourth succession ISHIMARU Jiro
asiapress.org
Soldiers of the People's Army shout the slogan "Let's defend the Baekdu bloodline with our lives" at a military parade, quoted from a Korean Central TV screen broadcast on February 9, 2023.
The appearance of a plump and loveable-looking girl late last year in North Korean state-run media surprised Korea watchers throughout the world.
The girl appeared in pictures taken at the test site for North Korea’s ballistic missiles in November 2022. North Korean state-run media only used the title “Respected Daughter” to describe the girl, who looked around 10 years old and was holding her father’s hand. The South Korean government believes that her name is “Ju-ae.” There are even North Korea experts who believe she may be her father’s successor; in short, they believe that the outline of the fourth generation succession (Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, Kim Jong-un and now Ju-ae) has already started to reveal itself.
◆ What do people think about “Ju-ae”?
How do North Koreans view “Ju-ae”? ASIAPRESS reporting partners in the northern region of the country recently provided information (in list form below) about how people view Kim Jong-un’s daughter (using Chinese cell phones smuggled into the country).
・She looks like her father and mother (Ri Sol-ju)
・How old is she? We don’t even know Kim Jong-un’s real age…
・Does she go to school? No, she couldn’t be sent to an ordinary school.
・I thought that Kim Jong-un is a parent, just like us.
・Nobody even knows if her name is Ju-ae.
・Forcing people with the name “Ju-ae” to change their names? I’ve never heard about anything like that.
・Everyone was interested in her after she first appeared, but that was just a temporary (phenomenon) because life is hard (so everyone is focusing on surviving).
・ I’ve heard rumors that she is a genius and that she advises her dad.
・Nobody ever says anything bad about her because that would mean getting taken away.
ASIAPRESS also asked its reporting partners about the possibility of Ju-ae becoming a successor to her father. One reporting partner in her 40s said the following:
“That girl? She’s still a young child and a woman. Would (those characteristics) allow her to become the ruler? I don’t think anyone believes that (she) would become (the fourth generation) leader (of the country).”
While the views published here are no more than that of a minority of North Koreans, they do indicate the circumstances inside North Korea and how willing people might be to accepting her as a leader.
Kim Jong-un accompanied by his daughter at the military parade. Taken from the February 9 edition of the Rodong Sinmun.
◆ The meaning of the slogan “Defend the Mount Paektu Bloodline to the death!” that appeared at the military parade
“Ju-ae” reappeared at the large-scale military parade held on February 8. She was featured in the KCTV broadcast of the parade, and the camera work and editing made it clear the regime was trying to highlight her presence at the event.
There was a new slogan that appeared at the military parade as well: “Defend the Mount Paektu Bloodline to the death!”
The “Mount Paektu Bloodline” refers to the Kim family, connecting members of the family – including Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un – with Kim Il-sung’s guerilla warfare against the Japanese on the slopes of Mount Paektu, which lies on the border between North Korea and China.
The slogan was shouted out by soldiers marching in the parade and was also placed on placards that flapped in the wind. The slogan can be interpreted as a demand by the regime for the Korean People’s Army, which is tasked with defending the Korean revolutionary and the motherland, with protecting the Kim family with their lives.
A copy of the “Ten Great Principles” obtained by ASIAPRESS. It is the size of an adult’s palm.
◆ The “Ten Great Principles”
Based on my own research, the first time the words “Paektu Bloodline” appeared was in June 2013 in a document called the “Ten Great Principles for the establishment of a monolithic leadership system of the Korean Workers' Party (KWP).” These principles are of the highest esteem in the Workers’ Party as they demand absolute loyalty from the entire people and all organizations to the country’s third leader, Kim Jong-un, after the death of his father.
Related Article:
Program for the Legitimization of Kim Jong-un Regime
In the “Ten Great Principles, the regime’s intentions and ambitions to continue its power succession into perpetuity is made clear:
“We must ceaselessly deepen efforts to establish and continue the unitary leadership system of the party.”
“We must continue our party’s and the revolution’s survival through the Paektu Bloodline and ceaselessly succeed and develop the Juche revolutionary traditions while adhering completely to its purity.”
A defector from Pyongyang who was living in Osaka at the time was surprised and disappointed when he saw the document in 2013. “No matter how much of a dictatorship it is, it’s tantamount to the end of the world for them to use words like ‘bloodline’ and ‘purity,’ which have no place in socialism,” he said.
A secretly photographed political study session where the lecturer is going over Kim Jong-un’s “Ten Great Principles.” Taken by ASIAPRESS in August 2013.
◆ The regime starts the process of perpetuating one-family rule
At this current point in time, we have no evidence in which to judge whether “Ju-ae” will become her father’s successor. The fact that the regime has placed Kim Jong-un’s daughter on a pedestal may simply be an effort to show the world, and North Korea’s citizens, that the regime will continue into a new generation.
In short, the daughter’s appearance shows that Kim Jong-un is intending to continue his family’s rule over the country into perpetuity, and that the process to set up a structure for the succession has begun.
That, at least, is how I view what is happening.
asiapress.org
4. Treasury Targets DPRK Actors Illicitly Generating Revenue Abroad
A tweet thread from Anthony Ruggiero who knows about north Korea sanctions.
Anthony Ruggiero
@NatSecAnthony
A short on the new U.S. sanctions on North Korea. Treasury last issued sanctions against North Korea on December 1. Today's sanctions are not related to the late January WH statement that NK shipped arms to Russia for Ukraine war. 1/6
Treasury sanctioned two NK trading companies and two NK individuals for generating funds for the government. The individuals "established Congo Aconde SARL in the DRC to earn revenue from construction and statue-building projects with local governments." 2/6
Here's the excerpt on Congo Aconde from the 2021 Final Report of the UN Panel of Experts. 3/6
https://twitter.com/NatSecAnthony/status/1631055042261262338
The Panel of Experts report was published two years ago (March 4, 2021) and it is unclear from the report and Treasury's press release whether this network is still active. The report says the bank accounts were closed in September 2020. 4/6
Treasury press release. 5/6
(Below)
United Nations Panel of Experts report, March 4, 2021, S/2021/211. 6/6
https://un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1718/panel_experts/reports
Treasury Targets DPRK Actors Illicitly Generating Revenue Abroad
home.treasury.gov
WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned three entities and two individuals illicitly generating revenue in support of the government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
“The DPRK’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs threaten international security and regional stability,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “The United States remains committed to targeting the regime’s global illicit networks that generate revenue for these destabilizing activities.”
DPRK OVERSEAS REVENUE GENERATION
OFAC is designating Chilsong Trading Corporation (Chilsong) and Korea Paekho Trading Corporation (Paekho) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13687 for being agencies, instrumentalities, or controlled entities of the Government of North Korea or the Workers’ Party of Korea.
Chilsong is subordinate to the Government of North Korea, which uses trading companies like Chilsong to earn foreign currency, collect intelligence, and provide cover status for intelligence operatives.
Paekho has generated funds for the DPRK government since the 1980s by conducting art and construction projects on behalf of regimes throughout the Middle East and Africa. Paekho is subordinate to the DPRK Ministry of People’s Armed Forces (MPAF), which OFAC designated on June 1, 2017, pursuant to E.O. 13722. The United Nations (UN) designated MPAF in December 2017; pursuant to UN Security Council resolution 1718 (2006) and subsequent resolutions, no business may be conducted with or economic resources made available to MPAF or any individuals or entities acting for or on its behalf, including Paekho.
OFAC is also designating Hwang Kil Su (Hwang) and Pak Hwa Song (Pak) pursuant to E.O. 13810 for being North Korean persons, including North Korean persons that have engaged in commercial activity that generates revenue for the Government of North Korea or the Workers’ Party of Korea. Pak and Hwang established Congo Aconde SARL in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to earn revenue from construction and statue-building projects with local governments. Under Pak and Hwang’s leadership, Congo Aconde SARL also opened U.S. dollar-denominated accounts at the DRC branch of a Cameroonian bank. Congo Aconde SARL is designated for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Pak, a person whose property and interests in property are concurrently being blocked pursuant to E.O. 13810.
According to a 2021 UN Panel of Experts report, Congo Aconde SARL was involved in projects to build several statues in the DRC from 2018 to at least late 2019; these projects involved Hwang and Pak. The Panel also considers Congo Aconde SARL to be a front company for Paekho.
The European Union has previously designated Chilsong, Paekho, Pak, and Hwang for engaging in sanctions evasion and being responsible for supporting the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s action, pursuant to E.O. 13687 and E.O. 13810, all property and interests in property of the persons named above that are in the United States, or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.
In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions with the individuals or entities designated today may themselves be exposed to designation. Furthermore, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transaction or provides significant financial services for any of the individuals or entities designated today could be subject to U.S. correspondent or payable-through account sanctions.
The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897.
For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.
Find identifying information on the individuals and entities sanctioned today here.
###
home.treasury.gov
5. Sejong Institute chairman announces he will step down
Tuesday
February 28, 2023
dictionary + A - A
Sejong Institute chairman announces he will step down
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/02/28/national/socialAffairs/sejong-institute-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-moon-chungin/20230228200408971.html
Moon Chung-in, the chairman of Sejong Institute, speaks during the East Asia Wisemen's Roundtable held in central Seoul on October 2021. [NEWS1]
Moon Chung-in, chairman of the national policy think tank Sejong Institute under the Foreign Ministry, said he will step down from his position, after the recent audit by the ministry to inspect the institute on the case of alleged embezzlement of some 1 billion won ($757,000) every year.
Moon served as the special advisor for unification, diplomacy and national security affairs for President Moon Jae-in.
Moon expressed his intent to no longer serve his role at the institute on Monday, according to the Sejong Institute on Tuesday. It will soon open a board meeting to vote on Moon’s resignation. A source from the think tank said his resignation may be linked to the recent budget audit.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is eyeing the strategy research course run by the Sejong Institute to teach public officials of central and district governments and employees of public institutions. The ministry audited the financial data of the research course last week to identify any misuse.
The revelation of any intended budget diversion may lead to a criminal prosecution against those in charge, such as the chairman and president.
The tank began running the course in 1995 to educate key leaders for policymaking. The annual fee per person is around 19 million won. With around 100 officials taking the course every year, along with additional overheads provided by the Foreign Ministry, the total annual budget for the course mounts to 2.2 billion won.
The Sejong Institute building located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi [JOONGANG SUNDAY]
The ministry suspects 1 billion of that budget is excessive. The main target of its recent audit was on the allegation of the think tank officials using the leftover money to purchase office supplies such as PCs and for payrolls.
A foreign affairs source who claims he is well aware of the practice said it became a tradition for the Sejong Institute to use the leftover budget of some 1 billion won, because the Foreign Ministry did not supervise the course thoroughly since the research center was a civilian one.
The source added that district governments that sent their employees to the course also did not scrutinize the financial process as the course fees were relatively small.
Sejong Institute refuted the allegation claiming that “overheads” of some hundreds of million won are required to run the course. It argued that the money was used to pay for not only the guest lecturers’ lecture fees but also for expenses necessary to run the course, such as gas, electricity and maintenance bills. Last year, the tank paid around 290 million won for utility and 3.1 billion won for property tax.
“It’s a stretch to say that the center diverted the leftover money or overstated the budget estimate to receive more,” said a spokesperson for the Sejong Institute, adding that it is short in the budget if all related expenses are accounted for.
Some experts see this audit as a “targeted” audit to change the head of the national strategic research center, because the chairman is nominated by the central government.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under both conservative and liberal administrations, treated the civilian think tank as a de facto affiliate and wanted it to play a supporting role for government policies,” an ex-president of the institute said.
“This approach stripped the Sejong Insitute’s competitive power as a think tank,” he added.
BY JEONG JIN-WOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]
6. U.S. lawmakers reintroduce bill on ending Korean War, improving relations between U.S., N. Korea
Oh no, not again.
I have one thing to ask of these Congressmen? Do you understand the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime?
I guess we have to renew this debate and reprise the work we did in 2021.
U.S. lawmakers reintroduce bill on ending Korean War, improving relations between U.S., N. Korea | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · March 2, 2023
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, March 1 (Yonhap) -- A group of U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday reintroduced a bill calling for U.S. efforts to declare a formal end to the Korean War and improve relations with North Korea.
The bill, "Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act," was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and 19 other House members.
Rep. Brad Sherman (at podium) speaks during a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 1, 2023 to announce the reintroduction of the "Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act." (Yonhap)
"The continued state of war on the Korean Peninsula does not serve the interests of the United States nor our constituents with relatives in North and South Korea," Sherman said, according to his office.
"Serious, urgent diplomatic engagement is needed to achieve peace between North and South Korea," he was quoted as saying in a press conference held in Washington.
The bill was first introduced in 2021 under the previous session of the House.
The bill calls for efforts to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War. The war ended with an armistice, technically leaving the divided Koreas at war.
It also calls on the U.S. secretary of state to conduct a "full review" of restrictions that currently bar Americans from traveling to North Korea, which it says "have had profound effects on Americans with relatives living in North Korea, who long to see their relatives."
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · March 2, 2023
7. JCS chief inspects allies' special ops drills, calls for accurate strike capabilities
In all my years in special operations in Korea, I cannot recall a CJCS visiting SOF training.
JCS chief inspects allies' special ops drills, calls for accurate strike capabilities | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · March 2, 2023
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top military officer has inspected combined special operations drills with the United States and called on the troops to maintain their capabilities to "strike the enemy's critical facilities without fail," his office said Thursday.
Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum checked their readiness during Monday's segment of the Exercise Teak Knife involving the two countries' special commandos, a AC-130J gunship and a MC-130J multi-mission combat transport aircraft.
His visit to the exercise came amid worries that North Korea could engage in provocations in response to the allies' regular Freedom Shield exercise set to begin later this month.
"(Kim) stressed the importance of harnessing the capability to strike the enemy's critical facilities without fail, and establishing a wartime combined operations posture by enhancing interoperability between the allies through realistic combined special operations training," the JCS said in a press release.
Kim also pointed out the North's rising threats of provocation, while highlighting the need to establish "capabilities and a posture that can inflict critical damage on the enemy and force a victorious resolution to the conflict."
It marks the first time that the AC-130J has been sent to the Korean Peninsula for allied drills, according to the JCS. The warship is equipped with various strike assets, including the GBU-39 precision-guided glide bomb.
Youtube
https://youtu.be/CoCC0GTHN8M
Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum (C) meets troops participating in the Exercise Teak Knife on Feb. 27, 2023, in this photo released by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · March 2, 2023
8. U.S. supports Yoon's vision for S. Korea-Japan relations: State Dept.
President Yoon made a very bold statement. He is showing a lot of political courage.
U.S. supports Yoon's vision for S. Korea-Japan relations: State Dept. | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · March 2, 2023
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, March 1 (Yonhap) -- The United States supports South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's vision for cooperative relations between Seoul and Tokyo, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday.
Department Press Secretary Ned Price said the U.S. also applauds both South Korea and Japan for their recent efforts to improve their bilateral relations.
"Let me say generally that bilateral cooperation between the United States and our treaty allies is important, but so too is trilateral cooperation," Price said when asked about South Korea-Japan relations.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price speaks during a daily press briefing at the department in Washington on March 1, 2023. (Yonhap)
Yoon made an apparent overture toward Japan on Wednesday (Korea time), calling it a partner who shares the same values, while stressing the importance of cooperation between the countries in dealing with North Korean threats and other global issues.
"When it comes to President Yoon, he has articulated a vision for a more cooperative, future oriented relationship with Japan based on the shared values that those two countries have together. We very much support this vision," Price told a daily press briefing.
"And we do applaud both the Republic of Korea (ROK) President Yoon and Japanese Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida for their efforts to improve bilateral relations in recent months," he added, referring to South Korea by its official name.
The state department spokesperson also emphasized the importance of trilateral cooperation between the U.S., South Korea and Japan.
"We further believe U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral cooperation is critical to addressing the challenges that our three countries collectively are confronting in the 21st century," he said. "We will continue to move forward trilaterally to embrace opportunities, to advance our common regional and international priorities."
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · March 2, 2023
9. N. Korean leader calls for attaining grain production goal amid reports of severe food shortages
HAs north Korea ever achieved its agricultural quotas and goals?
(LEAD) N. Korean leader calls for attaining grain production goal amid reports of severe food shortages | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · March 2, 2023
(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in last 4 paras; TRIMS 7th para; CHANGES photos)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called on all farms across the country to focus on stepping up their grain production and meeting their goals for this year "without fail," wrapping up a four-day session of a key party meeting, Pyongyang's state media said Thursday.
Kim ardently urged its people to overcome the agricultural challenge for this year to achieve the future goals of development during the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) held the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
"In order to increase the nationwide agricultural output, attention should be paid to overcoming the lopsidedness in the guidance on farming and keeping the balance to be responsible for farming as a whole and it is important to concentrate on increasing the per-hectare yield at all the farms," the KCNA said in an English-language report.
The North's leader stressed the urgent need to "find out and remove in time the internal factors that have negative effect on the development of agriculture" for the stable development of agricultural production in the near future.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks during the last session of the seventh plenary meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang on March 1, 2023, to discuss rural issues, in this photo released by the North's Korean Central News Agency the following day. Kim called on all farms across the country to step up their grain production and meet their goals for this year "without fail." (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
"Saying that nothing is impossible as long as there are the powerful leadership system established throughout the Party and the united strength of all the people, he ardently called for attaining this year's grain production goal without fail and successfully achieving the long-term objective of agricultural development for the sake of the comprehensive development in socialist construction and the self-dependence of the state and well-being of the people," the KNCA said.
Kim also called for improvements in the country's irrigation system to cope with abnormal climatic phenomena and for the supply of "new and high-efficient farm machines" in rural areas.
He then emphasized that the plenary session has marked a "turning point" for accelerating the prosperity of the country by setting "more definite proposals for decisively putting agriculture ... on a stable and sustained development track in a few years to come."
Other agenda items discussed at the meeting included strengthening the country's financial foundation and improving banking.
Pyongyang kicked off the meeting Sunday as its food situation seems to be worsening amid deepening economic challenges caused by border lockdowns to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and global sanctions on its nuclear and missile programs.
Observers said the North's rare move to convene a meeting on grain output appears intended to allay public grievances amid reports of famine in the poverty-stricken country.
During its key party meeting late last year, the North identified raising grain production as the No. 1 task among 12 major economic priorities for this year.
Youtube
https://youtu.be/gCmSjgLz2Rc
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) attends the last session of the seventh plenary meeting of the eighth Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in Pyongyang on March 1, 2023, to discuss rural issues, in this photo released by the North's Korean Central News Agency the following day. Kim called on all farms across the country to step up their grain production and meet their goals for this year "without fail." (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · March 2, 2023
10. N. Korea wants more control over farming amid food shortage
Here is a tweet from an escapee from north Korea that explains the failure of north Korea and why it will continue to fail as long as the Kim family regime remains in power. (and I commend her book - The Hard Road Out: One Woman's Escape From North Korea)
Jihyun Park-박지현
@JihyunPark7
·
2h
The totalitarian farming system, Juche ideology agriculture cannot bring about any change.
I do not know why Kim needs "more" control. He already has total control and he is the reason for the failure because he prioritizes nuclear and missile development over the welfare of the Korean people in the north.
N. Korea wants more control over farming amid food shortage
AP · by HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNG · March 2, 2023
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to strengthen state control over agriculture and take a spate of other steps to increase grain production, state media reported Thursday. But experts say it won’t effectively address a worsening food shortage.
Kim’s measures unveiled during a recent four-day meeting were largely a repeat of his past policies. Prospects for quickly resolving its food insecurity are dim, as North Korea restricts the operation of markets and devotes much of its scarce resources to its nuclear program.
While experts believe the food situation is the worst it has been under Kim’s 11-year rule, they still say they see no signs of imminent famine or mass deaths.
During the ruling Workers’ Party meeting that ended Wednesday, Kim said his government sees agricultural development as a matter of “strategic” importance and that farming goals should be settled without fail, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
ADVERTISEMENT
“In order to attain the gigantic long-term objective of rural development, it is necessary to decisively strengthen the party guidance over the agricultural sector and improve the rural party work,” Kim was quoted as saying.
Kim also ordered officials to overcome unspecified “lopsidedness in the guidance on farming” and concentrate on increasing farm yields. He said provincial, city and county authorities must boost their guidance on agriculture.
Biden administration releases new cybersecurity strategy
Biden begins push for funding for pandemic fraud measures
Legal fight over student debt a prelude to political battle
Obama praises woman behind 'Fired up' chant as she retires
KCNA didn’t elaborate how Kim would reinforce his government’s guidance on farming. But experts say Kim’s instructions were a reaffirmation of his push to restore elements of a socialist-style planned economy — under which a central authority controls the market rather than participants — on grain supply. They say that’s one of the factors behind North Korea’s worsened food situation.
“In our views, they’re going backward and returning to the past,” said Kwon Tae-jin, a senior economist at the private GS&J Institute in South Korea. “To resolve the food problem, they should let markets play a greater role. But they’re rather returning to a planned economy.”
South Korea’s Unification Ministry said later Thursday that North Korea is expected to use local organizations in rural towns to maintain their control of the people, mobilize them as labor forces and implement previous policies. It expressed skepticism about whether Kim’s push to tighten guidance over agricultural activities would lead to meaningful improvements unless it’s backed by the supply of fertilizer and other key agricultural materials.
ADVERTISEMENT
North Korea’s state rationing system remains largely broken since a crippling famine killed an estimated hundreds of thousands of people in the mid-1990s. The country had since tolerated some levels of open market activities, a move that experts say has helped the North achieve a slow, modest economic growth but could eventually pose a threat to its authoritarian leadership by the Kim family.
North Korea’s chronic economic difficulties and food insecurity have deepened with toughened United Nations sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic that decimated its external trade, and the North’s own mismanagement.
ADVERTISEMENT
Further aggravating its food shortage was authorities’ unsuccessful attempts to supply grain via state-run facilities while restricting private dealings at markets. Other factors attributed to the food shortage include dwindling personal incomes and sharply decreased unofficial grain purchases from China due to the pandemic curbs, Kwon said.
“Market participants are still very cautiously acting, so the volume of grain at markets hasn’t increased much,” Kwon said. “If authorities view markets negatively, they can’t be properly recovered.”
Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University’s Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, said the latest North Korean meeting was meant to review the progress in existing long-term strategies to improve national food production, remind officials of related goals and discuss ways to implement them.
But he said there was still no description of meaningfully new strategies or direction.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Unification Ministry said North Korean state media’s lack of detailed assessments about the long-term strategies’ accomplishments indicates that progress has been slow.
North Korea’s 2022 grain production was estimated at 4.5 million tons, a 3.8% drop from a year earlier, according to South Korean assessments. In the previous decade, its annual production was an estimated 4.4 million to 4.8 million tons. South Korea’s spy agency has said North Korea needs 5.5 million tons of grain to feed its 25 million people each year.
The plenary meeting of the ruling party’s Central Committee heavily concentrated on agriculture. That could be an acknowledgement the food situation is serious, but some experts say the country also likely aims to burnish Kim’s image as a leader caring for his people and boost domestic support of his push to expand his nuclear arsenal.
During the meeting, Kim also called for officials to build new irrigation systems, supply more efficient farming machines and convert more tideland into farmland. He urged authorities to provide all available assistance to rural farming communities and the public to rally behind his leadership to attain agricultural goals.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It is difficult to be optimistic about the food supply as long as Pyongyang insists on implementing North Korean-style socialism and isolating the country from international trade and assistance while developing nuclear missiles,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said.
While North Korea is about 1 million tons of grain short of sufficient annual levels, Lim said that such degrees of shortages have not resulted in mass famines in the past. Kwon said food is still available at markets, though at expensive prices.
“It’s like very poor people are starving but the government won’t let them die of hunger. Things could continue like that,” Kwon said.
AP · by HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNG · March 2, 2023
11. Yoon signs bill to upgrade veterans agency, establish overseas Koreans agency
This is good to see.
But I am told that due to legislation passed during the Moon administration, "survivors" of Kwangju in 1980 receive compensation higher than military veterans' pensions along with other benefits that veterans do not receive. And supposedly the number of people receiving compensation far outnumbers those who were arrested or hurt and killed.
Yoon signs bill to upgrade veterans agency, establish overseas Koreans agency | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · March 2, 2023
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol signed a bill Thursday to upgrade the state veterans agency to a full-fledged ministry and to establish a new government agency for overseas Koreans.
The signing took place during a ceremony held at the presidential office with the attendance of some 50 people who were invited for their or their family members' service to the nation.
President Yoon Suk Yeol signs a bill promulgating a revision to the Government Organization Act at the presidential office in Seoul on March 2, 2023. Under the revision, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will be upgraded from the current sub-ministry level to full-fledged ministry status and a new sub-ministry-level agency will be created under the oversight of the foreign minister to support 7.5 million Koreans residing overseas. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
The bill promulgates a revision to the Government Organization Act under which the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs will be upgraded from the current sub-ministry level to full-fledged ministry status and a new sub-ministry-level agency will be created under the oversight of the foreign minister to support 7.5 million Koreans residing overseas.
"President Yoon said a nation's class depends on whom it remembers and stressed that the government will not forget under any circumstances those who answered the call of the Republic of Korea," the presidential office said, referring to South Korea by its official name.
On the establishment of the overseas Koreans agency, Yoon recalled it was a campaign promise as well as a promise he made to Korean residents during his overseas trips.
To mark the upgrade of the veterans ministry, 25 people were invited to the ceremony, including the son and granddaughter of a police official killed during a North Korean commando infiltration in 1968; the daughter of a Navy sailor killed in North Korea's 2010 torpedoing of a South Korean warship; and a relative of the revered Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun.
The people invited to mark the creation of the overseas Koreans agency included ruling People Power Party Rep. Kim Seok-ki for his active legislation on behalf of overseas Koreans and Lee Young-keun, a director at the Overseas Koreans Foundation.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · March 2, 2023
12. [Editorial] Drones and robots on the DMZ
DMZ security is manpower intensive. Technology is great but it cannot totally replace boots on the ground. That is not to say that the ROK military should not pursue effective technology that will give it advantages. But we cannot neglect the importance of the soldier on the ground.
But we need boots on the ground and this is why I recommend US forces returning to DMZ patrolling. Rather than the "American Sector" of the past. Rotating US infantry battalions could rotate with ROK battalions across the DMZ. This would do three things{ Improve ROK/US interoperability at the tactical level, improve morale of US soldiers rotating to Korea as they are making a significant strategic contribution, and it will signal a stronger US commitment to the defense of South korea.
At this time of questioning the US commitment, this is a substantive and visible action that could increase confidence in the US commitment if we put US forces back on the frontlines standing with their ROK counterparts.
Thursday
March 2, 2023
dictionary + A - A
[Editorial] Drones and robots on the DMZ
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/03/02/opinion/editorials/drones-robots-DMZ/20230302201639860.html
Our military will introduce a joint man/unmanned guard system at a number of guard posts along the tense military demarcation line (MDL). The military plans to deploy drones and robots, and replace existing manned guard posts with an unmanned system to keep watch on suspicious movements by North Korean soldiers.
The military wants to pull the guard soldiers to the rear and deploy them when the cutting-edge surveillance equipment captures any signs of attack or infiltration by North Korean forces. After designating the shift as one of its top agenda items for innovation, the Ministry of National Defense seeks to complete a detailed operational plan before applying the new system to a division on the front line next year.
The military has been installing sophisticated guard systems on barbed-wire fences over the past decade. If an intruder touches barbed wires, it immediately sounds alarms for the troops on the front line. After the change, guarding and surveilling will be mostly conducted by software and hi-tech equipment.
In many cases of the past, our military had problems with instantly responding to an emergency because a considerable portion of soldiers were standing guard along the line. The mandatory service period for Army soldiers was already cut to 18 months and the number of conscripts declines due to ultralow birth rate. Gone are the days when our military is called “600,000-strong armed forces.” The number is expected to drop below 500,000 this year and to 330,000 in 2043.
As a result, the military had to resort to the unmanned guard system. And yet, it must not cause any loopholes in the guard system. The military reiterated “super-tight guard posture” or “perfect preparedness” over and over. It also bragged about the “perfect scientific guard system” of our armed forces.
But reality points in the opposite direction. Citizens have vivid memories of its lethargic response as clearly seen in a case where a North Korean soldier defected to one of our guard posts without being detected earlier.
In a legislative audit of the military in 2020, lawmakers criticized that China-made CCTVs used by our military had been implanted with malignant codes so that it can look into movements of our armed forces. A blind reliance on cutting-edge equipment can cause a big hole in our security.
National security can hardly be recovered once it breaks down. No matter what hi-tech equipment we have, it can malfunction. What really matters are soldiers.
13. JCS chief stresses allies' readiness to hit enemy facilities
SOF in Korea, and this exercise specifically, is getting a lot of press,
Thursday
March 2, 2023
dictionary + A - A
JCS chief stresses allies' readiness to hit enemy facilities
South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum (center) carries out an inspection of Exercise Teak Knife by South Korean and U.S. special operations forces at an undisclosed location on Monday. [JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF]
Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum encouraged the South Korean and U.S. militaries to maintain their readiness to “strike the enemy's critical facilities without fail” during an inspection of the allies’ ongoing combined special operations exercise, the JCS said Thursday.
The U.S. Special Operations Command Korea earlier issued a rare acknowledgement that the allies were conducting Exercise Teak Knife, a close-air-support training exercise, with the involvement of special operations forces from both countries’ militaries, as well as AC-130J and MC-130J combat transport aircraft flown in from U.S. air bases in Florida and Japan.
Kim’s visit to the exercise took place on Monday and followed warnings by Pyongyang’s state media on Sunday that joint military exercises by the South and the United States, like the larger springtime Freedom Shield exercise set to begin later this month, are “dangerous” provocations aimed at preparing for an invasion of the North.
The JCS said in its Thursday press release that Kim’s visit was intended to emphasize the allies’ joint capabilities to cripple the North should war break out.
“Kim stressed the importance of harnessing the capability to strike the enemy’s critical facilities without fail and establishing a wartime combined operations posture by enhancing interoperability between the allies through realistic combined special operations training,” the JCS said.
According to the press release, the JCS chairman also highlighted the North’s escalating threats of provocation as driving the need for South Korea and the United States to establish “capabilities and a posture that can inflict critical damage on the enemy and force a victorious resolution to the conflict.”
South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum poses with South Korean and U.S. special operations forces for a photo in front of a Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider on Monday. [JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF]
The exercise marks the first time a Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider, a heavily armed, long-endurance, ground-attack transport aircraft, has been deployed to Korea, according to both the JCS and U.S. Special Operations Command Korea.
The AC-130J is equipped with various advanced weapons, including the GBU-39 small-diameter bomb, a precision-guided glide bomb that provides aircraft with the ability to carry a higher number of more accurate bombs.
Greater numbers of U.S. strategic and military assets have been deployed to South Korea to support Washington’s extended deterrence commitment to Seoul in the past year as the North has upped its missile testing ante and threatened the use of nuclear weapons in cases where it perceives the survival of its leadership to be under threat.
Extended deterrence refers to the U.S. pledge to use all of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend South Korea if it comes under attack.
The AC-130J was flown from Hurlburt Field in Florida, while the MC-130J multi-mission combat transport aircraft was dispatched from the 353rd Special Operations Wing based in Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.
On Saturday, the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet posted pictures of the 6,000-ton Los Angeles-class submarine arriving in Busan. The submarine was said to be carrying dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of 1,700 nautical miles (1,956 miles).
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
14. Yoon's pro-Japan speech likely to expedite settlement of forced labor issue
[ANALYSIS] Yoon's pro-Japan speech likely to expedite settlement of forced labor issue
The Korea Times · March 2, 2023
President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a speech during a ceremony to mark the 104th anniversary of March 1 Independence Movement Day at Yu Gwan-sun Memorial Hall in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
Ball is now in Tokyo's court, diplomatic experts say
By Lee Hyo-jin
President Yoon Suk Yeol's speech addressing Japan as a "partner" is likely to expedite talks with Tokyo to reach a settlement on forced labor issues, according to diplomatic observers, Thursday. But the experts were cautious about giving a timeline on when the two countries will reach an agreement, stressing that the ball is now in Japan's court.
During his March 1 Independence Movement Day speech, Wednesday, Yoon addressed Japan as "a partner that shares universal values," in the latest of his government's gestures to improve relations with the neighboring country that have slumped to their worst level in recent years.
Yoon's call for a future-oriented partnership with Japan was unprecedented for a Korean president in a speech commemorating the 1919 uprising against Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. Such rhetoric signals Yoon's determination to mend ties with Japan, especially concerning the forced labor issue, according to experts.
At the center of the years-long diplomatic tussle between Seoul and Tokyo is a 2018 Supreme Court ruling in Korea that ordered two Japanese businesses ― Mitsubishi Heavy and Nippon Steel ― to compensate Koreans who were forced to work in their factories during the colonial occupation. Both firms refused to comply with the ruling.
"The forced labor issue, if resolved, will serve as momentum in mending frayed ties with Japan and both governments are well aware of that," Lee Won-deog, a professor of Japanese studies at Kookmin University, told The Korea Times.
"In that sense, with Yoon's March 1 speech, I would say Korea has done 90 percent of the work needed (to resolve the issue) and now the remaining 10 percent should be done by Japan," he said. "The president's remarks calling Japan a partner will positively affect the ongoing discussions."
Last month, the Korean government revealed a plan to launch a private foundation where Japanese firms can make voluntary donations to compensate victims of forced labor. But Japan has yet to give a positive response to the proposal.
Lee viewed that the Korean government seems to be hoping to reach a settlement on the forced labor issue by the end of March at the earliest, considering Yoon's summit with U.S. President Joe Biden slated for April and a G7 meeting in Hiroshima in May.
But at the same time, he commented that it remains to be seen whether Japan will give a "meaningful response" in the coming weeks.
"But even if Tokyo's response doesn't meet our government's expectations, there is a possibility that Korea will accept it for now and let the Japanese government make the firms join the foundation later," he said.
Choi Eun-mi, a research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, viewed that Yoon's speech could provide momentum to expedite discussions on the forced labor issue. But she was cautious about giving a timeline about the settlement.
"The ball is now in Japan's court," Choi said. "After the talks on forced labor issues began, Korea has devoted serious efforts to resolving the conflict, so it is time for Japan to give a sincere response that will hopefully satisfy Korea's public sentiment," she added.
However, speculation is rising that Tokyo may refuse Seoul's proposal to establish a private foundation to compensate the victims. According to the vernacular Chosun Ilbo daily, Thursday, Tokyo officials have concluded that the two Japanese firms will not participate in the fund.
But the Korean foreign ministry did not confirm the report, saying that "related talks between the two sides are ongoing."
"Discussions with Japan through various channels are ongoing, and thus it is not appropriate to comment on the report," a senior official told reporters during a closed-door briefing, Thursday.
The official also declined to give details on a Japanese senior diplomat's recent meeting with his Korean counterpart. Last weekend, Takehiro Funakoshi, director-general for Asian and Oceanian Affairs at Tokyo's foreign ministry, visited Seoul and is believed to have held talks with his Korean counterparts on the forced labor issue.
"The two sides have agreed not to disclose the details of the meeting," he said, in response to a query on whether Funakoshi's visit suggests the two governments will soon reach a settlement.
The Korea Times · March 2, 2023
15. S. Korea discloses special forces drills with US in warning to N.Korea
Circular reporting, yes, but as I said special operations are getting a lot of press from this exercise.
S. Korea discloses special forces drills with US in warning to N.Korea
koreaherald.com · by Ji Da-gyum · March 2, 2023
South Korea`s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum (3rd from Left) meets South Korean and US special operation forces participating in the month-long Exercise Teak Knife inside of the US` AC-130J Ghostrider gunship on Feb. 27. (Joint Chiefs of Staff)
The South Korean military on Thursday disclosed that South Korean and US special operations forces have staged monthlong “Teak Knife” military exercises since early February, practicing infiltration and precision strikes on key targets in North Korea, in an apparent warning message to North Korea.
The rare disclosure came as South Korea and the US are scheduled to conduct annual, large-scale military exercises in mid-March and as North Korea has ratcheted up its bellicose rhetoric and threatened tit-for-tat military actions.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff also belatedly revealed that JCS Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum on Monday made rare and clandestine visits to places, including Camp Humphreys and Osan Air Base in the city of Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, where the Teak Knife military exercises have been staged.
South Korean and US special operations forces have conducted the Teak Knife exercises regularly and at least annually since 1990s. But most of the drills have been staged behind the scenes. South Korea’s JCS explained that no JCS chairman has visited the sites of the Teak Knife exercises for the past 20 years.
The unusual announcement aims to “demonstrate the alliance’s readiness posture for overwhelming retaliation in preparation for enemy provocations” and their efforts to deter widely expected provocations by North Korea in run-up to the annual Freedom Shield exercise between South Korea and the US, JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun said during a televised briefing. North Korea has publicly warned of tit-for-tat military action against the forthcoming Freedom Shield involving large-scale field training exercises.
The goal of the Teak Knife exercises is to enable South Korean and US special forces to master their missions in the event of war, including precision strikes on core facilities, infiltration into enemy territory and hostage rescue operations, according to the JCS.
This week, the special operations forces have focused on staging aerial live-fire drills intended to practice and master procedures of launching precision strikes against enemy targets with “powerful firepower of airborne assets.”
The US Air Force Special Operations Command’s AC-130J Ghostrider gunship fires GBU-39 precision-guided glide bombs at a target in waters off the western coast of the Korean Peninsula during monthlong Teak Knife combined military exercises of South Korean and US special operations forces that began in early February. (Joint Chiefs of Staff)
Waters off the western coast of the Korean Peninsula are hit by GBU-39 precision-guided glide bombs fired from an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship of the US Air Force Special Operations Command during the monthlong Teak Knife combined military exercises of South Korean and US special operations forces that began in early February. (Joint Chiefs of Staff)
During the live-fire drills, the heavily armed, ground attack AC-130J aircraft precisely struck targets in South Korean waters with air-to-ground precision strike weapons, including the AGM-114 Hellfire, AGM-176 Griffin and GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, as well as 30 mm cannons and 105 mm field howitzers, according to footage provided by South Korea’s JCS.
The US Air Force Special Operations Command’s AC-130J Ghostrider gunship has been deployed for the first time from Hurlburt Air Force Base in Florida for the Teak Knife exercises.
“With this being the first time the AC-130J has been in South Korea and having this aircraft come from the United States it provides us opportunities throughout the exercise to support extended deterrence,” Capt. Kimberly Chatto, director of public affairs for US Special Operations Command-Korea, or SOCKOR, said in a written statement to The Korea Herald.
Extended deterrence is the US’ commitment to deter or respond to coercion and external attacks on US allies and partners with the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons.
“It also shows what special operations aircraft are able to provide throughout different training scenarios with both US and ROK special operations forces,” she said, referring to South Korea by the acronym of its full name, Republic of Korea.
The SOCKOR also said an MC-130J special operations tanker aircraft of the US Air Force Special Operations Command has been dispatched from Kadena Air Base in Japan to participate in Teak Knife.
“In bringing the AC-130J gunship and MC-130J, we’re able to incorporate special operations-centric aircraft in our training alongside strike aircraft stationed in South Korea,” Chatto said.
“Training here in South Korea also has provided opportunities to work with US Air Force F-16s and A-10s from both Osan and Kunsan Air Bases.”
But the SOCKOR underscored that the key priority of Teak Knife is to bring opportunities for the US and South Korean special operations forces to jointly stage “challenging, realistic, multidomain training,” dismissing local media reports that described Teak Knife as a decapitation exercise.
During his on-site visits, Gen. Kim called for South Korean and US special forces to “develop the capability to strike enemy core facilities with pinpoint accuracy and to improve interoperability between the forces to perfect wartime combined operation posture by staging realistic special operations exercises,” the JCS said.
Kim also underscored that South Korea and US special forces “must be always ready to inflict fatal damage to the enemy at any time and no matter what mission is assigned to end the situation with a victory as North Korea has made more blatant threats to make provocations.”
By Ji Da-gyum (dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)
koreaherald.com · by Ji Da-gyum · March 2, 2023
16. Korea 'perfectly placed' to help build collective defense of democracies: scholar
As I have written many times, the ROK is a partner in the Arsenal of democracy. It can make (and is already making) important contributions. Although some in the US defense industry may not like this "competition," ROK military equipment can fill important gaps with countries that cannot afford some of the advanced US military equipment. And the good thing is that because of the ROK/US alliance ROK equipment is mostly compatible with NATO and other allies. And as noted, the US is not capable of supplying all that is needed by our allies while supporting the necessary stockpiles to support US large scale combat operations.. Our military industry appears to have experienced some atrophy.
Korea 'perfectly placed' to help build collective defense of democracies: scholar
The Korea Times · March 2, 2023
Yang Eun-ho, a member of the Black Eagles, Korea's flight display team, back, observes as Mark Keritz, a pilot of the Royal Australian Air Force's Roulettes aerobatic display team, checks the cockpit of Team Korea's T-50B aircraft at Avalon Airport, near Geelong, Australia, Feb. 27. Courtesy of Republic of Korea Air Force
'Washington should support Seoul's effort as war shows it can no longer arm all of its allies'
By Jung Min-ho
GEELONG, Australia ― The world has seen how quickly Russia's war in Ukraine has been depleting U.S. weapons stockpiles, which shows Washington can no longer arm all of its allies and partners at the required speed. To help fill the shortages and build a stronger collective defense of liberal democracies around the world, Korea should expand its role, according to a defense expert, Thursday.
Peter K. Lee, a research fellow at the United States Studies Centre of the University of Sydney, speaks during an interview at Avalon Airport, near Geelong, Australia, March 2. Courtesy of Korea Aerospace Industries
"Korea is perfectly placed to support the defense capability needs of liberal democracies around the world, from Australia to Poland. The time has come for the United States to take a cooperative approach to working with its allies and partners on defense industrial supply chains," Peter K. Lee, a research fellow at the United States Studies Centre of the University of Sydney, said in an interview with The Korea Times. "Korean businesses can help countries like Australia become more self-reliant for their national defense while contributing to the collective defense effort of democracies."
Even before the conflict marked the somber one-year anniversary of the start of Russia's invasion on Feb. 24, the U.S. industrial base was already struggling to keep up with the surging demand from Ukraine and its allies for some high-end weapons systems and ammunition.
If Poland could have obtained U.S. tanks and fighter jets immediately, it would have done so, the scholar said. It was clear the U.S. would be unable to meet Poland's urgent request, which prompted the country to turn to Korea. In the coming years, Seoul should expect more such demands and Washington should welcome it as the war continues amid growing geopolitical risks.
Lee believes Korea and Australia are at a critical turning point in their relationship, which is a vital component for security in the Indo-Pacific region ― a strategic term adopted by most U.S. allies that replaces the previous "Asia-Pacific" focus in order to "surround" and counter threats from China.
"As middle powers, Australia and Korea have a shared experience of Chinese economic and diplomatic coercion … We are going through a difficult transition as countries learn to live in a more competitive regional order," Lee said. "Australia and Korea have shown that they can step up to help each other in times of need, most recently with the shipments of urea solution to Korea (after China's export ban on it). Similar efforts will be needed in renewable energy, critical minerals and financial investment."
The Black Eagles, the Republic of Korea Air Force's flight display team, fly in formation behind the Royal Australian Air Force's Roulettes, during their friendship flight over the coastline of Victoria, Australia, Feb. 27. Courtesy of Republic of Korea Air Force
One of the biggest challenges to ― and potential opportunities for ― relations and the prospects of developed security ties lies just outside Avalon Airport, where an international airshow is taking place.
Hanwha Defense Australia, a subsidiary of Hanwha Group, a major Korean defense company, is building manufacturing facilities for an Australian-made version of its K9 self-propelled howitzers. The company is also hoping to expand its presence in the country after winning a contract to supply its Redback infantry fighting vehicles. The result of the bidding is expected to be released in the coming months.
The success of howitzer production here will be critical not just for the company but also for bilateral cooperation, Lee said.
"Australia has never made a defense acquisition from an Asian country. This is the first time, so it is very symbolic. It shows that Australia is seeking to work with a range of partners to acquire defense capabilities even as it deepens defense cooperation with the United States as part of the AUKUS (a trilateral security pact between Australia, Britain and the U.S.) and Quad (between Australia, India, Japan and the U.S.) partnerships," he said. "For Korea, it is an important milestone in expanding defense exports into the most developed markets of U.S. allies."
Australia is abundant in natural resources including lithium, nickel and rare earth elements ― critical materials for future and defense technologies such as batteries and electric vehicles ― while Korea can provide knowhow in using them to build military hardware, among other things. The partnership would be greatly beneficial for both, Lee said.
"Korean companies have shown they are willing to share technology as part of contracts to help their partners build sovereign defense industries, there will be significant opportunities with Australia," he said. "In the next few years, the most urgent priority for security ties will be strengthening their collective deterrence to prevent a miscalculation that leads to a major war in the Indo-Pacific … We cannot allow what happened in Ukraine to happen here."
The Korea Times · March 2, 2023
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
eapons—But Promises More Scrutiny
DOD Inspector Sees No Signs Ukraine Is Diverting Weapons—But Promises More Scrutin
| 
