Informal Institute for National Security Thinkers and Practitioners

Quotes of the Day:

"War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner."

– Cormac McCarthy

"There is a higher form of patriotism than nationalism, and that high form is not limited by the boundaries of one's country; but by a duty to mankind to safeguard the trust of civilization."

–Oscar Solomon Straus (December 23, 1850 - May 3, 1926)

"Psychological warfare is, of course, neither very psychological nor is it necessarily warfare. Indeed, within the context of a rigidly purist and scholastic definition, psychological warfare is not psychological, in that most of its operations are very definitely not a part of present-day scientific psychology. Neither is it warfare because it can be operated before war, during war, after war, or contemporaneously with and apart from war. As pointed out above, war involves the inescapable content of public lawful violence. It is hard to ascribe violence to a short-wave broadcast or to a leaflet. In Korea in 1951 the author heard that a Chinese soldier was found dead—mashed by a leaflet bomb which had failed to explode at the proper altitude. If this story is true, that particular soldier was one of the few genuine war victims of military or strategic propaganda both so pretentiously called "psychological warfare” by Americans of the mid-twentieth century.”

By Paul Linebarger in the second edition (1954) of Psychological Warfare (p276fn1).

https://archive.org/details/psychologicalwar00line/page/276/mode/2up

1. Russia’s Malicious Activities

2. North Korea 'disappears' elite soldiers for breaking one simple rule

3. North Korea Unusually Accepts 'UPR Recommendation on Freedom of Access to Information'

4. Civilians wounded as South Korean jets mistakenly bomb local village

5. Court orders South Korean President Yoon released from jail for his criminal trial over martial law

6. US, ROK security advisers reaffirm goal of North Korean denuclearization

7. North Korea, Russia denounce upcoming US-ROK drills for ‘escalating tensions’

8. N. Korea warns S. Korea, U.S. will pay 'horrible' price over next week's joint military drills

9. Former North Korean Soldier Turned Human Rights Advocate Fears Loss of US Support

10. S. Korea, U.S. agree to closely coordinate on N.K. policy formulation, implementation: senior Seoul official

11. The last words of North Korean soldiers killed in Russia

12. North Korean Hackers Launder $1.5 Billion Largest Crypto Heist In History

13. Pentagon nominee voices support for bolstering S. Korea's role in alliance over OPCON transfer question

1. Russia’s Malicious Activities

Why are America's attitudes toward Russia softening? Is that effective Russian influence operations? Why can't Americans see the same facts that Seth Jones is seeing and explaining?

Is it because of the probably great disinformation operation of all- the so-called Russia Hoax - I see it (and the letter from the former intelligence officials) invoked often by people who I would never have expected to be Russia supporters but they are more upset about those officials signing the letter than any of Russia's malign activities. The signers of the letter were likely the perfect victims of Russian reflexive control (they acted as Russia expected them and wanted them to act) - whether the Biden laptop issue was real or a hoax (or a hoax perpetrated by Russian reflexive control), the reaction by the letter signers did more to support Russia than likely anything the Russians could have done on their own. The alleged Russian hoax has been effectively manipulated by political factions as well as by the Russian disinformation machine operating through useful idiots and actual Russian supporters.

Whether the letter accusing Russia was a good idea by those former intelligence officials it has certainly worked to Russia's advantage and continues to be exploited in support of Russia to this day because there are among us those who hate those former American intelligence officials more than they hate the malign activities that Russia continues to conduct this day to hamr America and Americans.

As an aside I am glad to see Seth mention north Korea below. I wish he would issue a second edition of his book and retitle it "Four Dangerous Men." I won't forgive him for leaving Kim Jong Un out of his book. (note attempt at humor with this last comment)

Russia’s Malicious Activities

Americans’ attitudes toward Moscow are softening, but the regime remains a dangerous enemy.

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/russias-malicious-activities-moscow-remains-a-dangerous-enemy-to-america-9cf0346e?st=NGup5S&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

By Seth G. Jones

March 6, 2025 4:11 pm ET

Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, March 4. Photo: Sergei Bobylev/Zuma Press

A CBS/YouGov poll last month found that 34% of Americans think Vladimir Putin’s Russia is an “ally” or “friendly” to the U.S. A comparison with earlier polls suggests a softening of views. But Americans shouldn’t get complacent. Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate is engaging in a campaign of subversion and sabotage against European and U.S. targets, including against U.S. military bases in Germany.

Between 2023 and 2024, the number of Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, government and other important targets in Europe tripled, according to estimates from the Center for Strategic and International Studies and interviews with U.S. and European government officials. During a speech in November, Richard Moore, head of the British foreign-intelligence agency, MI6, warned: “We have recently uncovered a staggeringly reckless campaign of Russian sabotage in Europe, even as Putin and his acolytes resort to nuclear saber-rattling.”

Russia has also waged cyber offensives against U.S. targets, including by planting malware in critical infrastructure. Between 2019 and 2021, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service conducted a series of cyber operations against SolarWinds, a Texas-based maker of software to manage networks. The attacks allowed Russia to spy on and disrupt services for more than 18,000 customers, including the U.S. Defense, Treasury, State and Commerce departments.

Perhaps most concerning, Russia has strengthened its ties with autocratic regimes, most notably China. Mr. Putin and China’s Xi Jinping have met more than 40 times. As Mr. Xi told Russian leaders this year, the two countries are “true friends like steel repeatedly tempered by fire.” China has exported a large supply of military parts to help Russia wage war in Ukraine. Exports have included microelectronics for use in Russian weapons systems, drone components and parts for fighter jets, air defense systems, and other weapons.

Russia and China have repeatedly threatened the U.S. In July, Chinese and Russian long-range strategic bombers conducted a joint patrol near Alaska. Days earlier, the two countries held live-fire naval drills in the contested South China Sea for the first time in eight years. China and Russia have also established intelligence-collection facilities in Cuba, and Russia recently parked submarines carrying guided missiles off America’s East Coast.

Mr. Putin has expanded ties with Iran, the country that bankrolls terrorist groups in the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Iran has provided Russia with drones, artillery shells, ammunition and short-range ballistic missiles. In return, Russia has offered to supply Iran with multirole fighter jets, attack helicopters, and potentially air defense systems, as well as aid to Iran’s space and missile programs.

Russia continues to build ties with North Korea. Pyongyang has provided Russia with artillery rounds, rockets, short-range ballistic missiles and other munitions. Last month, the South Korean intelligence service reported that North Korea sent more troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine, on top of roughly 12,000 soldiers that it deployed to Russia last year.

Mr. Putin is an evil dictator. Any discussions with Russia should begin from that premise.

Mr. Jones is president of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and author, most recently, of “Three Dangerous Men: Russia, China, Iran and the Rise of Irregular Warfare.”

North Korea 'disappears' elite soldiers for breaking one simple rule

By MICHAEL HAVIS

Published: 04:13 EST, 7 March 2025 | Updated: 04:21 EST, 7 March 2025

Daily Mail · by Michael Havis · March 7, 2025

North Korea has 'disappeared' 20 crack troops after Kim Jong-un's 'safety was seriously threatened' when they broke one simple rule.

The soldiers were arrested for breaching safety protocols when the dictator observed exercises at their special forces base in September.

A Pyongyang source said the arrested men had looked towards the tyrant while armed, 'potentially endangering the leader's life'.

'This led to a situation where Chairman Kim's safety was seriously threatened in an instant,' according to the Daily NK newspaper.

Now the men have vanished and their families have been sent death notices, with one set of parents who enquired after their son also disappearing.

The source said: 'Glancing towards the supreme leader during live-fire exercises is risky and could lead to accidents.

'Kim's security personnel harshly criticised the soldiers for such inappropriate behaviour.

'It was such a major problem that they unnerved even Kim's security team, especially since they knew about the visit and had rehearsed.

'This led to accusations of insincere attitudes during the drill.'

File photo. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches a cadet practicing at the Kang Kon Military Academy, in Pyongyang, North Korea, February 25, 2025

File photo. Men have vanished and their families have been sent death notices, with one set of parents who enquired after their son also disappearing

In propaganda photos of the visit, a grinning Kim can be seen watching his troops put through their paces.

Pictures capture armed men storming a building, taking target practice, and engaged in a shirtless martial arts performance.

At the time, a regime mouthpiece said Kim was 'assured and proud to see the soldiers' and gave them 'high praise and great honour'.

In reality, the dictator reportedly complained of the soldiers' posture during the exercises, and blamed their commanders.

The source continued: 'The unit's commanders and those involved likely face severe punishment, as the authorities take such mistakes during the supreme leader's visits very seriously.

'However, Kim must approve the final punishment.'

In a subsequent update, the source said the men would never return home, but would be transferred to 'quarantine areas'.

They added that the families had been sent death notices to conceal the decision.

File photo. Kim Jong Un, center, poses with North Korean air force sharpshooters and soldiers for a photo at an unknown location in North Korea in 2019

Self-propelled artillery units conduct training drills in North Korea, March 7, 2024

One set of parents from Sariwon, 40 miles south of Pyongyang, reportedly questioned the official narrative and went to the capital to investigate.

They too disappeared, according to Daily NK, which is based in neighbouring South Korea.

Officials then cleared out their home, telling neighbours that the house had been reassigned to someone else.

A source said: 'They didn't even die fighting for their country, so is it right for their families to be wiped out because of a single mistake made during shooting practice?'

Michael Madden, an expert on the country's elite and founder of North Korea Leadership Watch, said it looked like Kim's bodyguards passing the buck.

He said: 'This seems to be a case of sh** rolling downhill.

'Kim Jong-un's security detail may not have made adequate preparations, but Special Operations Forces are intended to take the blame.'

He continued: 'His bodyguards pride themselves on preparations and in this case something interfered with that.

'They need to justify their role and power which means they will do anything to retain that authority.

'If it's their fault they will assign blame to other individuals or institutions to avoid accepting culpability.'

File photo. Kim Jong Un observing the launch of a strategic cruise missile during a drill by the Korean People's Army, on the coast of the 'West Sea of Korea', on February 26, 2025

Artillery fires in a startling show of force in North Korea as troops watch on, March 7, 2024

Mr Madden, a fellow of the Stimson Center in Washington DC, also noted how Kim's bodyguards wore blue tactical attire and carried assault rifles for the visit.

Usually they'd wear suits and ties.

'We might interpret that as evidence that there were security concerns,' he said.

As for the true fate of the detained men, they could pay the ultimate price.

He said: 'If they fell on their swords and accepted responsibility then they got off with hard labour.

'On the other hand they could have been executed.

'I would point out, however, that this cohort was getting prepped for deployment to Russia.

'So they may have been deployed and are expected to redeem themselves in battle as compensation.'

Daily Mail · by Michael Havis · March 7, 2025

3. North Korea Unusually Accepts 'UPR Recommendation on Freedom of Access to Information'

As Greg Scarlatoiu notes this is all for show. It is likely to be part of the regime's political warfare strategy.. The human rights pressure on Kim is having an effect. He feels pressured to act. But of course as Greg notes his actions are not a genuine attempt to change his human rights policies. We must never forget this underlying consideration: Kim Jong Un must deny the human rights of the Korean people in the north in order to remain in power. So he is accepting these UPR recommendations in order to appear that he is changing his human rights policy. This is likely part of his political warfare strategy to influence the South, the US, and the international community and to try to give the appearance of change in order to influence nations to lift sanctions.

North Korea Unusually Accepts 'UPR Recommendation on Freedom of Access to Information'

WASHINGTON-Kim So-young kimso@rfa.org

https://www.rfa.org/korean/in-focus/2025/03/06/north-korea-human-rights-upr/

2025.03.06

The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 26.

(Reuters)

Anchor: North Korea has announced that it will accept the recommendation on freedom of access to information among the recommendations stated in the UN's Universal Periodic Review, or UPR. There are concerns that the international community will only accept it as a formality for show. Reporter Kim So-young reports.

143 UPR recommendations accepted, 144 rejected

North Korea announced in its response report to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submitted to the UN Human Rights Council on the 5th that it would accept only 143 of the 294 recommendations made by UN member states, or about half.

North Korea said in the report that it “believes that the UPR is an important mechanism for reviewing the human rights situation in all countries on an equal basis and promoting international efforts to promote and protect human rights in a spirit of constructive dialogue and cooperation.”

It was also reported that the North Korean delegation participated in the 4th regular review in November last year and did its best to provide comprehensive and clear answers and explanations to the questions and opinions raised during the review process.

Kang In-sun, Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, is giving a keynote speech at the high-level session of the UN Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland on the 25th (local time). [Provided by the Korean Permanent Mission in Geneva]

(Yonhap)

Human Rights Groups: “North Korea’s UPR Must Point Out ‘Dispatch of Troops to Russia’”

Korean and Japanese human rights groups propose North Korea UPR to the international community… “Abolition of the three major evil laws and dispatch of troops”

Human rights group: “South Korea should become the main proposer of the North Korean human rights resolution”

The North Korean regime explained that it immediately rejected 88 of the 294 recommendations presented in the UPR during the review process, citing the grounds that they seriously distorted the human rights situation in North Korea and pursued political objectives based on false information fabricated by hostile forces.

Of the remaining 206 cases, 143 cases have already been legally and practically implemented or will be implemented through specific measures in the future, indicating their intention to accept them.

There were seven recommendations that the government said it would partially accept, and the report added that “although some of them contained unacceptable elements, such as ratification of the CAT (Convention Against Torture), it was decided to accept the other elements out of respect for the positions of the countries that presented the recommendations and with the expectation that they could contribute to eliminating prejudice and misunderstanding about North Korea.”

Meanwhile, North Korea announced that it would reject a total of 56 recommendations, including the recommendation to join the Convention against Torture, which was accepted at the North Korean UPR in 2019, as well as the abolition of the death penalty, criminalization of sexual violence, and enactment of related laws.

Acceptance of recommendations on freedom of expression, press and online freedom

Shin Hee-seok, legal analyst for the Transitional Justice Working Group, told Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 6th that among these recommendations, it is notable that North Korea accepted the recommendations related to labor rights, freedom of expression and the press, and freedom of access to information.

North Korea has stated that it will accept recommendations related to labor rights, including joining the International Labor Organization (ILO) and guaranteeing fair and safe working conditions for domestic and foreign workers.

North Korea also expressed its willingness to accept the necessary legislative measures to ensure freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, access to information, access to the Internet and international communications, and free access to all types of media.

The new analyst called the decision surprising, as recommendations such as Internet access are easy to verify whether they will be implemented in the future.

[New Analyst] In the case of internet access, it is much easier to point out that it is not guaranteed, so it is surprising that North Korea accepted such a recommendation, even though it is in some ways a burden to them.

The new analyst explained that even if North Korea does not implement the recommendations, North Korea's response to this UPR could serve as an opportunity to pressure North Korea on international stages such as the United Nations.

Greg Scarlatoiu, chairman of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, said in a phone call with Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the same day that this was nothing more than a formal acceptance for show.

[Chairman Scalatu] North Korea is clearly a country that violates human rights. But on the international stage, in front of world opinion, in front of international organizations, in front of the international media, they pretend to implement these recommendations. In fact, the situation at home continues to be dire.

Chairman Scalatu said that for the North Korean UPR to function properly, it must be accompanied by proper laws and legislative procedures, as well as monitoring of the domestic application and implementation of the law, but North Korea does not meet any of these conditions.

Editor Park Jeong-woo

4. Civilians wounded as South Korean jets mistakenly bomb local village

Although it is counterintuitive this is why we must train. We have to be careful of the knee jerk reaction to training accidents. While it is counterintuitive for non-military persons when these accidents take place, training must continue to prevent such tragedies in the future.

I would like to respond to these comments from my good friend LTG Chun In Bum:

Excerpts:

Martial law was voted down within three hours, rescinded in six. Mr. Yoon was impeached and has been tried by the Constitutional Court, which is expected to announce his fate within days.

Despite the nonviolent resolution of the December crisis, “dozens” of troops have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to local media reports. The commander of the elite 1st Airborne Brigade wept at a parliamentary inquiry, and the commander of the Tier-1 707 Special Mission Battalion broke down during a press conference.

Gen. Chun, who formerly led South Korea’s Special Warfare Command, said he was torn by the incident and its aftermath for the military.

Asked if he was relieved by the restrained behavior of commandos, he answered: “As a retired civilian: Yes.

But, he continued, “as a military guy, I am worried that if there are ’confusing’ times, I need soldiers who will obey orders. I don’t need soldiers who overthink issues.”

I think it is clear that all soldiers, up to and including the commander of 707 and the Special Warfare Command's Commanding Generalobeyed the initial orders. And the soldiers obeyed the orders of the chain of command throughout the event.

But like the US military personnel and others in a democracy who support the rule of law, the commander of SWC and in particular the 707 Commander continued to evaluate the situation and made the decision to uphold the rule of law and allow the national assembly to meet as is required in a martial law situation and in particular the decision by the national assembly. So while the soldiers followed orders, officers actually decided to uphold the rule of law and this is what a democratic country should demand of its military officers. From what I know from reporting these Korean military officers appeared to act as US officers would in supporting and defending their constitution. This is the difference between the militaries of authoritarian regimes and democratic nations.

Civilians wounded as South Korean jets mistakenly bomb local village

washingtontimes.com · by Andrew Salmon

By - The Washington Times - Thursday, March 6, 2025

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea was in shock Thursday after news broke that two fighter jets had mistakenly bombed a local village, wounding 15 people and damaging eight buildings.

Eight bombs, dropped by two locally made KF-16 fighter bombers, hit a village in the county of Pocheon, northeast of Seoul, and 15 miles south of the inter-Korean frontier, midmorning on Thursday.

The village lies just outside the Seungjin Live Fire Range, where South Korea-U.S. firing drills had reportedly been underway. Early indications are that the lead pilot entered incorrect target coordinates.

“We are sorry for the civilian damage from the abnormal [bomb] release accident and wish for the swift recovery of those injured,” South Korea’s Air Force said in a statement, announcing plans for an immediate investigation. “We will actively take all necessary measures, including compensation for the damage.”

In a televised briefing, Pocheon Mayor Paek Young Hyeun called the bombings “awful” and urged the military to halt drills in the city until it formulates reliable steps that can prevent a recurrence, The Associated Press reported.

The embarrassing episode comes just ahead of South Korean-U.S. “Freedom Shield” war games, the first to take place since President Trump took office. The exercises are aimed at deterring North Korea and set for March 10-21.

It is even worse PR for a South Korean military, whose top officers faces parliamentary, media and public scrutiny for their role in last December’s shock martial law decree by now-impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Thursday’s bombing incident signals problems in the middle ranks of South Korea’s military as well, with implications for Seoul’s combat readiness. But sources tell The Washington Times that little-noticed tactical and technical innovations in the Russian-Ukraine war are overcoming combat leadership skills shortfalls.

Damaged image

“It’s a miracle nobody died: Eight bombs! Can you imagine!” said Chun In-bum, a retired South Korean general. “They need to find out who made the mistake and what the responsibility is.”

Asked if timing was especially bad for the military’s image, he replied: “Yes. We did not need this.”

The bombing incident comes while many of the army’s top officers and commanders of intelligence and counterintelligence operations are under parliamentary and legal probes over their roles in the short-lived martial law decree ordered by Mr. Yoon on Dec. 4.

That night, elite troops deployed to seize control of both the National Assembly and National Election Commission. As angry parliamentarians and civilians gathered, troops backed down: Nobody was injured, let alone killed.

Martial law was voted down within three hours, rescinded in six. Mr. Yoon was impeached and has been tried by the Constitutional Court, which is expected to announce his fate within days.

Despite the nonviolent resolution of the December crisis, “dozens” of troops have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to local media reports. The commander of the elite 1st Airborne Brigade wept at a parliamentary inquiry, and the commander of the Tier-1 707 Special Mission Battalion broke down during a press conference.

Gen. Chun, who formerly led South Korea’s Special Warfare Command, said he was torn by the incident and its aftermath for the military.

Asked if he was relieved by the restrained behavior of commandos, he answered: “As a retired civilian: Yes.”

But, he continued, “as a military guy, I am worried that if there are ’confusing’ times, I need soldiers who will obey orders. I don’t need soldiers who overthink issues.”

Tech solutions to tactical skill shortfalls

South Korea is not a NATO member, but frequently hosts troop contingents from the U.S. and other allies for exercises. South Korean soldiers have a reputation for being well-armed, well-equipped and well-housed, they say. Despite language barriers and unfamiliar rations, South Koreans work well with their foreign counterparts.

But with Seoul fielding a conscript, not a professional army, weapons skills, fitness and even cold-weather expertise are lacking, foreign observers claim. The most striking skills shortfall is among noncommissioned officers — the corporals and sergeants who, in professional armies, play core roles in leading troops on the ground.

The U.S. Army — a professional force — is the key mentor to South Korea’s army, but the Russian army — which historically suffered from a weak NCO corps — may offer more useful pointers.

A military professional informed about combat in Ukraine, who recently visited South Korea, said Russian forces today are using technical innovations to overcome tactical command weaknesses. Officers oversee assaults in real time from low-level drones hovering directly over the battlefield, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Drones’ detached, vertical positions offer superior views to ground-level perspectives. After spotting Ukrainian positions, officers immediately direct individual soldiers’ movement and fire using the tactical communications net, which every soldier is synced into.

“The Russians are not doing as badly as some say,” the source said, referencing media reports of Russian blunders. Innovations deployed in the ongoing conflict elevate Russian and Ukrainian tactical procedures over those used by NATO forces, the source suggested.

• Andrew Salmon can be reached at asalmon@washingtontimes.com.

washingtontimes.com · by Andrew Salmon

5. Court orders South Korean President Yoon released from jail for his criminal trial over martial law

Are there some cooler heads starting to prevail? Is this a positive indicator of the likely outcome?

The opposition party is showing its pettinee and true colors.

Excerpts:

Yoon’s defense team welcomed the court’s decision and urged prosecutors to release him immediately. The presidential office also welcomed the court’s decision, saying it hopes Yoon will swiftly return to work.

However, South Korea law allows prosecutors to continue to hold a suspect whose arrest has been suspended by a court temporarily while pursuing an appeal.

Court orders South Korean President Yoon released from jail for his criminal trial over martial law

By HYUNG-JIN KIM

Updated 4:48 AM CST, March 7, 2025

AP · March 7, 2025

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean court on Friday ordered impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol to be released from jail, a move that could allow Yoon to stand trial for his rebellion charge without being physically detained.

Yoon was arrested and indicted in January over the Dec. 3 martial law decree that plunged the country into political turmoil. The opposition-controlled parliament separately voted to impeach him, leading to his suspension from office.

The hearings in his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court concluded in late February, and that court is expected to rule soon on whether to formally remove him from office or reinstate him.

The Seoul Central District Court said it accepted Yoon’s request to be released from jail because the legal period of his formal arrest expired before he was indicted.

The court also cited the need to resolve questions over the legality of the investigations on Yoon. Yoon’s lawyers have accused the investigative agency that detained him before his formal arrest of lacking legal authority to probe rebellion charges.

Investigators have alleged that the martial-law decree amounted to rebellion. If he’s convicted of that offense, he would face the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Yoon’s defense team welcomed the court’s decision and urged prosecutors to release him immediately. The presidential office also welcomed the court’s decision, saying it hopes Yoon will swiftly return to work.

However, South Korea law allows prosecutors to continue to hold a suspect whose arrest has been suspended by a court temporarily while pursuing an appeal.

The main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which led Yoon’s Dec. 14 impeachment, called on prosecutors to immediately appeal the court’s ruling.

Yoon’s martial law decree, which involved the dispatch of troops and police forces to the National Assembly, evoked traumatic memories of past military rules among many South Koreans. The decree lasted only six hours, as enough lawmakers managed to get into an assembly hall and voted to overturn it unanimously.

Yoon later argued his decree was only meant to inform the people of the danger of the opposition Democratic Party, which undermined his agenda and impeached top officials, and said he dispatched troops to the assembly only in order to maintain order. But some top military and police officers sent to the assembly have told Constitutional Court hearings or investigators that Yoon ordered them to drag out lawmakers to obstruct a vote on his decree or detain politicians.

If the Constitutional Court upholds Yoon’s impeachment, he will be officially thrown out of office and a national election will be held to choose his successor within two months. If the court rejects his impeachment but he is still in jail, it’s unclear whether and how soon he will be able to exercise his presidential powers.

Massive rallies by opponents and supporters of Yoon have filled the streets of Seoul and other major South Korean cities. Whatever the Constitutional Court decides, experts say it will likely further polarize the country and intensify its conservative-liberal divide.

Yoon is the first South Korean president to be arrested while in office. South Korean law gives a president immunity from most criminal prosecution, but not for grave charges like rebellion or treason.

By law, a president in South Korea has the power to put the country under martial law in wartime and similar emergency situations, but many experts say South Korea wasn’t in such a state when Yoon declared martial law.

AP · March 7, 2025

6. US, ROK security advisers reaffirm goal of North Korean denuclearization

Key point:

“complete denuclearization of North Korea”

But we should think: unification first, then denuclearization; the path to unification is through human rights.

Excerpt:

Meanwhile, Shin and Waltz agreed to maintain close coordination at the National Security Council level regarding shipbuilding cooperation between the two countries. Shin also explained South Korea’s tariff implementation on U.S. imports under the free trade agreement between the two countries, amid concerns about how Trump’s trade policies could impact the alliance.

US, ROK security advisers reaffirm goal of North Korean denuclearization

First meeting of Mike Waltz and Shin Won-sik comes as Trump policies raise concern about US commitment to defend Seoul

https://www.nknews.org/2025/03/us-rok-security-advisers-reaffirm-goal-of-north-korean-denuclearization/?t=1741372905

Joon Ha Park March 7, 2025

South Korea’s National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik stands with his U.S. counterpart Mike Waltz before their meeting in Washington on March 6, 2025. | Image: ROK National Security Office

South Korea’s national security adviser and his new U.S. counterpart met for the first time on Thursday, reaffirming their commitment to the “complete denuclearization of North Korea” even as Donald Trump’s return raises questions about the U.S. commitment to Seoul’s defense.

South Korea’s Shin Won-sik and U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz discussed the U.S.-ROK alliance, North Korea issues, trilateral cooperation with Japan and other issues during their meeting in Washington, according to a press release from Seoul’s Presidential Office on Friday.

The meeting came a month after the two officials first spoke over the phone on Feb. 5.

Both sides reportedly emphasized the importance of the alliance for peace, security and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the region, exploring ways to further strengthen these ties.

Seoul said they agreed to coordinate closely on North Korea policy development and implementation, while keeping an eye on cooperation between the DPRK, Russia and China.

Their commitment to a “complete denuclearization of North Korea” follows the two countries’ agreement in late February to use the phrase in public statements, rather than Pyongyang’s preferred formulation of “denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

The commitment came after U.S. President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth referred to North Korea as a “nuclear power” and “nuclear state,” respectively, following Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, remarks that ran counter to long-standing American policy of refusing to recognize the DPRK’s nuclear status.

The White House has since worked to clarify that U.S. policy remains unchanged, reaffirming Trump’s commitment to North Korea’s complete denuclearization after his comments fueled speculation of a shift in Washington’s stance.

Trump has called for South Korea to contribute more to the cost of stationing U.S. troops on the peninsula, and his decision to cut off aid to Ukraine has exacerbated concerns that Washington will abandon other allies like Seoul.

But so far, Trump’s return doesn’t appear to have had a major impact on U.S.-ROK security cooperation. The allies are set to kick off large-scale springtime military drills next Monday, and Washington deployed an aircraft carrier to the peninsula earlier this week.

The deployment led Kim Jong Un’s sister to warn that Pyongyang is “seriously considering” escalating its nuclear weapons-related activities. While North Korea has not yet conducted a seventh nuclear test, leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a strategic cruise missile launch last month and visited a uranium enrichment facility in January.

Meanwhile, Shin and Waltz agreed to maintain close coordination at the National Security Council level regarding shipbuilding cooperation between the two countries. Shin also explained South Korea’s tariff implementation on U.S. imports under the free trade agreement between the two countries, amid concerns about how Trump’s trade policies could impact the alliance.

Edited by Bryan Betts

7. North Korea, Russia denounce upcoming US-ROK drills for ‘escalating tensions’

The alliance is not escalating tension. It is conducting product readiness training in the face of the fusion of foes who threaten peace.

These messages are designed to influence th enegagers in both the South and the US who think that by appeasing Kim Jogng Un he can be enticed to come to the negotiating table.And the concession the north (and Russia) what most is not an end to exercises but the removal of US troops because they cannot maintain readiness because they have made the concession not to conduct readiness exercises. The fusion of ofes is thinkin 2 and 3 steps ahead.

They doth protest too much.

North Korea, Russia denounce upcoming US-ROK drills for ‘escalating tensions’

Pyongyang warns ‘retaliation is inevitable,’ as Moscow encourages Trump to pursue talks with Kim Jong Un

https://www.nknews.org/2025/03/north-korea-russia-denounce-upcoming-us-rok-drills-for-escalating-tensions/?popup=signin&login=auth_code

Anton Sokolin March 7, 2025

ROK Marine Corps personnel conduct counterattack training against enemy forces in a surprise occupation situation on Nov. 6, 2024. | Image: ROK Marine Corps

North Korea and Russia have denounced plans for upcoming large-scale U.S.-ROK military exercises, accusing the allies of escalating tensions with the drills that Pyongyang calls a “war rehearsal” aimed at toppling the regime.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) ran a commentary on Friday chastising South Korean “puppet warmongers” and the U.S. over their annual Freedom Shield exercise scheduled to kick off next week.

The drills will bring a “storm of instability” to the Korean Peninsula, the agency warned, slamming the exercise as aggressive and emphasizing that the allies have increased the number of training exercises this year.

“This reckless warmongering by the enemy states is following an ever-steepening upward trajectory, pushing the situation closer to an extremely dangerous threshold.”

The U.S. and South Korea maintain that the drills are routine training and defensive in nature, but KCNA rejected this notion, stressing that Pyongyang won’t tolerate an “exponentially increasing security threat right at its doorstep” and that “retaliation is inevitable.”

“The enemy states, through their reckless and senseless war drills, are demanding the strongest countermeasures from our republic,” the commentary warned. “They will pay a brutal price for this.”

Freedom Shield will run from March 10-20, focusing on interoperability between the U.S. and ROK militaries against DPRK threats and spanning land, sea, air, cyber and space domains.

While the number of drills will increase, Freedom Shield will remain similar in scale, deploying 19,000 South Korean personnel like last year. Multiple U.N. Command members will send troops, and monitors from Sweden and Switzerland are expected to observe the event.

State media commentary notably mentioned that there were multiple casualties after South Korean fighter jets mistakenly dropped several bombs on civilian areas during U.S.-ROK live-fire training on Thursday.

The incident “sounded the prelude to a further escalation of tensions,” KCNA stated.

Similarly, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova expressed concern over “rising tensions” on the Korean Peninsula on Thursday, which she linked to ongoing U.S.-ROK military exercises.

“The large-scale South Korea-U.S. Freedom Shield drills could trigger a new round of escalation,” she said, also noting the Pocheon bombing incident.

“Saber-rattling leads to no good, especially when peaceful avenues for resolution exist,” Zakharova stated during a regular press briefing, while extending condolences to the victims.

The official reiterated Moscow’s position that U.S.-led military drills “fuel a dangerous spiral of confrontation, which could escalate into a large-scale conflict on the peninsula, including the potential use of nuclear weapons.” She called Pyongyang’s steps to boost its defense capabilities in response “fully justified.”

Keeping the door open for a peaceful resolution, Zakharova expressed hope that U.S. President Donald Trump would follow up on his past remarks about reaching out to Kim Jong Un with “practical steps to strengthen stability” and secure lasting peace in the region.

Last month, Trump boasted of being on good terms with Kim during his talks with the Japanese prime minister, calling his ties with the DPRK leader a “very big asset for everybody” and stressing that his administration “will have relations with North Korea.”

Moscow’s statement on U.S.-ROK drills comes as Russia and North Korea have ramped up cooperation over the war in Ukraine in recent years, with the DPRK dispatching thousands of soldiers and sending weapons to support Russia’s invasion.

Edited by Bryan Betts

8. N. Korea warns S. Korea, U.S. will pay 'horrible' price over next week's joint military drills

Be afraid. be very afraid. (Not)

(LEAD) N. Korea warns S. Korea, U.S. will pay 'horrible' price over next week's joint military drills | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · March 7, 2025

(ATTN: UPDATES with Seoul's reaction in last 2 paras)

SEOUL, March 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korea threatened Friday that South Korea and the United States will pay a "horrible" price for their joint military exercise slated for next week, saying the drills will soon bring a "storm" that deteriorates the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The North's warning came a day after the militaries of the allies announced that the annual Freedom Shield exercise will kick off Monday for an 11-day run, involving computer-simulated drills and on-field training.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a commentary that the annual springtime exercise by Seoul and Washington has continued to infringe on North Korea's sovereign rights and interests and worsen the regional security.

"The Freedom Shield has repeatedly undergone its worst modifications, fully equipped with all malicious signs. This will soon bring a storm of aggravating the security situation to the Korean Peninsula," the KCNA said.

Citing a plan by Seoul and Washington to increase the number of large-scale on-field drills to 16 this year from 10 the previous year, the North said the enemies' "war frenzy" is rising on a steep upward curve to a dangerous level.

"The enemies will pay a horrible price due to their foolish and reckless war drills that will require us to take just measures of a sovereign state for self-defense as well as the toughest threatening action," the KCNA said.

North Korea has long denounced the allies' joint military drills as rehearsals for an invasion and uses them as a pretext for provocations. South Korea and the U.S. have said their exercises are defensive in nature.

Last week, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned of stepped-up action in response to the latest arrival of the USS Carl Vinson, a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, in South Korea.

She warned North Korea will strengthen the country's strategic deterrence if the U.S. continues its anti-North Korea military demonstrations.

Koo Byoung-sam, spokesperson at South Korea's unification ministry, reaffirmed that the annual military exercise is defensive in nature.

"North Korea has repeated stubborn claims, shifting the blame for escalating tensions whenever there is a joint South Korea-U.S. exercise," Koo said, calling the latest drills defensive training.

Military helicopters are parked at the U.S. Forces Korea's Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul, on March 3, 2024. (Yonhap)

sooyeon@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · March 7, 2025

9. Former North Korean Soldier Turned Human Rights Advocate Fears Loss of US Support

Former North Korean Soldier Turned Human Rights Advocate Fears Loss of US Support

https://ethnicmediaservices.org/international-affairs/former-north-korean-soldier-turned-human-rights-advocate-fears-loss-of-us-support/

Jongwon Lee

Mar 7, 2025

Advocates say the US must continue to push for human rights in North Korea, which has deepened its ties to Moscow as it sends thousands to fight in the war in Ukraine.

Hyunseung Lee was born in North Korea and served in the military there before defecting in 2014. He spoke at a March 3 event alongside retired Army Col. David Maxwell on the need to push for human rights in the repressive East Asian country. (Credit: Jongwon Lee)

ATLANTA, Ga. — In November of 2024, shortly after headlines announced North Korea was deploying troops to fight in Ukraine, Hyunseung Lee drafted an open letter to Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky urging him to show restraint.

Describing the North Koreans as “victims of a ruthless deal” between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Lee pressed for a psychological operation aimed at encouraging North Koreans in Ukraine to defect.

“They are very indoctrinated,” said Lee, who was born to a wealthy family in Pyongyang and spent time training elite North Korean soldiers before defecting in 2014. “That’s why you see so many North Koreans committing suicide on the battlefield while shouting ‘Brave Leader.’”

A report in the Wall Street Journal profiles two North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine. Both say they knew nothing of where they were being sent or why, and that they were instructed to “evade capture at all costs” even if that meant blowing themselves up.

Lee spoke during a March 3 event at Emory University in Atlanta. Titled “Korean Dream: Pathway to Peace and Freedom,” the event focused on efforts to promote human rights and democracy in North Korea, among the world’s most repressive regimes. It was organized by the Global Peace Foundation and Liberty in North Korea.

The event comes as North Korea continues to deploy troops to Ukraine, deepening its military ties with Moscow. In November, Pyongyang sent some 11,000 soldiers to Ukraine. Reports suggest casualties as high as 30%.

South Korea’s spy agency announced last week that Pyongyang had likely dispatched additional troops to Russia, though the number remains unclear.

While North Korea’s leadership is notoriously opaque, reports suggest Pyongyang hopes to gain nuclear technology and expertise from Moscow as part of the deal, as well as exposing North Korean soldiers to modern warfare and funneling hard currency to the cash-strapped government.

It also comes as US President Donald Trump threatens to withdraw support for Ukraine and has taken steps to minimize or end the US’s role in promoting human rights and democracy abroad.

Advocates say the moves, including the US withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council and the freezing of funds for the National Endowment for Democracy, jeopardize their work in countries like North Korea.

“We need a human rights focused policy,” said retired US Army Colonel David Maxwell, vice president at the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy with the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. “As the United States, we must support the Korean people in their quest for unification,” he added.

There have been legislative efforts in the past to promote greater freedom in North Korea.

The 2004 North Korean Human Rights Act was designed to increase the availability of information inside North Korea and provide humanitarian assistance to North Korean refugees, including Lee. It expired in 2022. Last year Congresswoman Young Kim (R-CA) introduced the North Korean Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2023 which would restore many of the original bill’s activities. It remains stalled in Congress.

Meanwhile, there is growing concern in Seoul that the Trump administration could look to distance itself from its 70-year alliance with South Korea—much as it is now doing with Ukraine—and look to negotiate directly with the North Korean leadership. Advocates say they fear that could also mean less pressure on Pyongyang over the issue of human rights.

According to Maxwell, North Korean soldiers are hungry for news of the outside.

“A North Korean solider was arrested for watching a Korean drama, spent six months in a political prison camp and was finally released when he signed a paper saying that he would never watch South Korean dramas again,” noted Maxwell. “However, that promise lasted for five days. Five days. He had a thirst for knowledge and was willing to risk further punishment and seek information. So, we owe it to them to give information about the outside world.”

For Lee, such anecdotes point to the opportunity to reach North Koreans currently fighting in Ukraine and is what initially prompted him to pen his letter to Zelensky. Lee also posted a direct message to North Korean soldiers, in which he describes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict as a “crime against humanity.”

“There is no reason for you to sacrifice your lives on a foreign battlefield,” he says, speaking in Korean. “Kim Jong-un is merely using your lives as a bargaining chip to pocket millions of dollars in secret funds, solely to secure his safety and maintain his power.”

Still, Lee is clear eyed about the challenge of breaking through to North Korean troops. Pointing to their high casualty rates, he says what they lack in technological prowess they make up for in grit and determination, a reflection of the political indoctrination North Koreans experience from a young age.

Military service is compulsory for all North Korean men. The country maintains one of the world’s largest standing armies.

“The military in North Korea does not now have the capacity to conduct mobile warfare, especially fighting against drones and other high-tech weaponry. But I think they are learning, and they will have experience after fighting in Ukraine,” said Lee.

He added, “That is all part of the regime’s strategy.”

Peter Schurmann contributed reporting for this story.

10. S. Korea, U.S. agree to closely coordinate on N.K. policy formulation, implementation: senior Seoul official

Good news. Let's pay attention to these officials and let the theatrical rhetoric slide. And what happens behind closed doors is most important.

S. Korea, U.S. agree to closely coordinate on N.K. policy formulation, implementation: senior Seoul official | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · March 7, 2025

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States agreed Thursday to closely coordinate on the formulation and implementation of North Korea policy while reaffirming the shared goal of the "complete" denuclearization of North Korea, a senior Seoul official said.

National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik made the remarks after his first in-person meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Mike Waltz, in Washington as Seoul has been striving to ensure that it and the Donald Trump administration remain on the same page in their overall approach toward the recalcitrant regime in Pyongyang.

The two sides also agreed that the National Security Councils (NSCs) of the two countries will lead their respective governments' efforts to promote bilateral cooperation in the shipbuilding industry.

"The two sides reaffirmed their will for the complete denuclearization of North Korea," Shin said during a meeting with South Korean correspondents as he explained the outcome of his talks with Waltz, which he depicted as having proceeded in a "very amicable" atmosphere.

"Regarding the formulation and implementation of North Korea policy, (the two sides) agreed to definitely coordinate closely in advance."

National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik speaks during a meeting with reporters in Washington on March 6, 2025. (Yonhap)

The meeting came amid the growing need for Seoul and Washington to remain in close coordination over an approach to the North at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his openness to reengaging with the North against the backdrop of icy inter-Korean relations.

During the talks, the two sides shared the view that the South Korea-U.S. alliance is "very crucial" in light of promoting stability on the Korean Peninsula, as well as peace, safety and prosperity in the broader Indo-Pacific region, Shin said.

"We shared the understanding that over the span of more than 70 years, the alliance has not only successfully responded to various challenges driven by changes in the political circumstances but also developed into the most exemplary alliance," he said.

"We explained that (to the U.S.), and the U.S. side expressed high expectations for the alliance."

On America's security commitment to South Korea, a senior official at Seoul's presidential office said that Shin and Waltz concurred on the need to further strengthen America's "extended deterrence" commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear arms, to defend its ally.

"The two sides shared the basic understanding that North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programs pose a threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and the world," the senior official said. "They also concurred that the most effective means to deter North Korean nuclear threats is the strengthening of extended deterrence."

On shipbuilding industry cooperation, the two countries' NSCs agreed to coordinate over their respective governmentwide efforts through their NSC teams dedicated to the matter, according to the unnamed official.

During the talks with Waltz, Shin asked for the U.S.' cooperation and interest in South Korea's efforts to join projects concerning the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of U.S. naval ships, and its push for a bilateral reciprocal defense procurement agreement designed to curtail trade barriers.

Optimism for shipbuilding cooperation between the allies has risen as Trump mentioned his intent to work with Korea in the shipbuilding industry during a call with President Yoon Suk Yeol in November.

During a radio interview in January, Trump also said the U.S. may use allies in its efforts to build naval vessels.

Shin also used the meeting with Waltz to explain Seoul's position regarding Trump's claim that South Korea's average tariff is four times higher than that of the U.S.

Seoul countered Trump's claim by saying that South Korea's average tariff rate on U.S. products stands at less than 1 percent under a bilateral free trade agreement.

South Korea's average tariff on its most-favored nations (MFNs) stands at around 13.4 percent -- compared with the U.S.' 3.3 percent on its MFNs -- but that rate is not applicable to countries with free trade deals with Asia's fourth-largest economy.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · March 7, 2025

11. The last words of North Korean soldiers killed in Russia

Please go to the link to view the extensive interactive graphics and video and to read the comments from my friend and colleague from north Korea, Hyun Seung Lee.

https://asia.nikkei.com/static/vdata/infographics/north-korean-soldiers-in-russia/

The last words of North Korean soldiers killed in Russia

asia.nikkei.com · by Toru Tsunashima,Hirofumi Yamamoto,Shohei Yasuda,Kazuhiro Kida

Read in Japanese

I have betrayed

the love and grace

of the party

This hastily written note contains the reflections of a North Korean soldier far from his homeland.

Visual investigation

March 07, 2025

Russia

Ukraine

Russia

Ukraine

Russia

Ukraine

Three years have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine. Faced with troop shortages, Russia has deployed more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers to the battlefield, of whom roughly 4,000 have been killed or wounded. What thoughts crossed the soldiers' minds as they fell on foreign soil? In cooperation with Ukrainian authorities and a former North Korean soldier, Nikkei analyzed personal items left by these fallen troops.

Nikkei obtained from Special Operations Forces of Ukraine photographs of diaries and notes from North Korean soldiers who died in battle. With the assistance of a South Korean translator well versed in North Korean culture, it was revealed that these writings contained expressions of extreme mental duress, loyalty to the Workers' Party of Korea and of hope.

I have betrayed the love and grace of the party and turned my back on the grace of the supreme commander.

If I return victorious from this battle to my homeland, I will petition to join the mother party.

These words were penned by Jong Gyong Hong, a soldier whose body was found in Russia's Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.

His note, filled with self-criticism, ends with a hopeful resolve to join the "mother party" upon his return.

"Party membership is very critical in North Korean society. Once you are admitted, you can develop your career," explained Lee Hyunseung, a 39-year-old former North Korean soldier. "Even in this very tragic and difficult situation, it was a small hope and a good opportunity for young people to apply. If they go back alive, I would say most of them will become the party members."

In North Korea, party membership confers significant honors and privileges, including educational and employment opportunities. Given that not everyone is eligible to join the party, soldiers are highly motivated to achieve military success to obtain these benefits.

Lee, whose father was a party executive, is a former party member himself. He enlisted in the military in 2002 and was a member of the institute training a special forces unit believed to have been deployed to Russia recently. To evade purges under Kim Jong Un's regime, he defected while in China and left for the U.S..

"Many of the soldiers who died were not party members, and they likely came from impoverished rural backgrounds," notes professor Atsuhito Isozaki of Keio University in Tokyo, an expert on North Korean politics.

Adapting to drone warfare

Another note left by Jong gives details of soldiers' attempts to fight off drones. A diagram illustrates how: "When a drone is spotted, three soldiers should coordinate, one to guide and two to shoot."

A note outlining a protocol for countering drone attacks:

A sketch illustrates the procedure, emphasizing

teamwork among three-person units.

A note outlining a protocol for countering drone attacks: A sketch illustrates

the procedure, emphasizing teamwork among three-person units.

A note outlining a protocol for countering drone attacks: A sketch illustrates

the procedure, emphasizing teamwork among three-person units.

Note: The red frame highlighting this detail was widely shared by the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine on Telegram.

The Ukrainian military employs 21st-century warfare techniques, using unmanned drones equipped with explosives. Conversely, the North Korean military has lacked significant combat experience since the ceasefire that brought an end to the Korean War in 1953. "They don't have highly advanced gear with the training. It's their first time to experience it," said Lee, the former North Korean soldier. Despite being viewed as an elite unit by South Korean and Ukrainian authorities when it was sent to Russia in October 2024, the North Koreans' lack of tactical and operational experience has resulted in many casualties.

Unveiling hidden identities

Among the personal effects found were several notebooks labeled "military service certificate" in Russian. If the birthdates are accurate, these soldiers were all in their 20s when they went into combat.

The listed birthplaces include the names of republics within Russian territory north of Mongolia, and their civilian occupations are listed as "roofer" and "welder." This raises suspicions that Russia may have fabricated the documents to obscure the involvement of North Korean soldiers in the fighting.

Ukrainian troops found older Samsung smartphones among the North Korean soldiers, along with notes in Hangul to help them with pronunciation of Russian military terms, including commands like, "Drop your weapons."

A note with the pronunciation of

Russian military terms

written in Hangul

Russian Federation

Military Service Certificate

A note with the pronunciation of

Russian military terms

written in Hangul

Russian Federation

Military Service Certificate

A note with the pronunciation of

Russian military terms

written in Hangul

Russian Federation

Military Service Certificate

Date of Birth: April 13, 1997

Civilian Profession: Roofer

Military Service Certificate

Date of Birth: April 13, 1997

Civilian Profession: Roofer

Military Service Certificate

Date of Birth: April 13, 1997

Civilian Profession: Roofer

In January 2025, Ukrainian authorities announced the capture of North Korean soldiers, subsequently releasing footage of two wounded soldiers conversing in Korean, marked by a distinct accent.

"Do you know where you are right now?"

[Soldier shakes his head]

"What did your commanders tell you?"

"I heard it was just trainning."

This raises suspicions that these soldiers were deployed to the front lines without being briefed on operational details.

Tracing the route of North Korean soldiers

Where did the North Korean troops come from? In early October 2024, South Korea's National Intelligence Service analyzed satellite imagery and determined that around 1,500 North Korean soldiers embarked on Russian ships from three locations in North Korea.

Locations where North Korean soldiers' activities were

confirmed by South Korean authorities, others

Departure points where North Korean soldiers

boarded Russian ships

Russia

A training site where

North Korean soldiers

were observed

China

Soldiers were likely

transported by ship

North Korea

Russia

Locations where North Korean soldiers' activities were

confirmed by South Korean authorities, others

A training site where North Korean

soldiers were observed

China

Soldiers were likely transported by ship

Departure points where North Korean soldiers

boarded Russian ships

North Korea

Russia

Locations where North Korean soldiers' activities were

confirmed by South Korean authorities, others

A training site where North Korean

soldiers were observed

China

Soldiers were likely transported by ship

Departure points where North Korean soldiers

boarded Russian ships

North Korea

On Oct. 18, footage emerged on the messaging app Telegram showing what appeared to be North Korean soldiers stationed about 130 kilometers north of Vladivostok, Russia. The video shows them marching in formation at a training facility.

The exact route the North Korean soldiers took from the Russian Far East to the Ukrainian border remains uncertain. Roughly two months later, on Dec. 14, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed on Telegram that North Korean soldiers had been deployed in Russia's Kursk region.

Russia

North Korean and Ukrainian forces

engaged in combat

Kursk region

Kyiv

Ukraine

Areas under Russian control

Russia

Kursk region

North Korean and Ukrainian forces

engaged in combat

Kyiv

Ukraine

Areas under Russian control

Russia

Kursk region

North Korean and Ukrainian forces

engaged in combat

Kyiv

Ukraine

Areas under Russian control

According to the 2025 edition of the Military Balance report by British think tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the North Korean military has 1.28 million personnel, with about 10,000 troops deployed in Russia.

A letter signed "Kim Jong Un"

Among the items retrieved and published by the Ukrainian military, a note signed "Kim Jong Un" was found. The message read, "Come back home safe and sound. Never forget that I am always praying for your safe return." While the authenticity of the note remains unclear, it contained a message of encouragement to the soldiers.

The note reads:

"Kim Jong Un 2024 12.31"

The note reads:

"Kim Jong Un 2024 12.31"

The note reads:

"Kim Jong Un 2024 12.31"

There is conflicting information about the activities of North Korean military forces in Russia. The outcome of ceasefire negotiations, facilitated by the U.S., are expected to affect the futures of these soldiers.

December 2024. Here in Russia, my closest comrade-in-arms, Song Ji Myung, celebrates his birthday

The North Korean soldier, Jong, who was later killed, left a note celebrating his best friend's birthday, along with details on drone tactics and a petition for party membership.

Wishing you health

The note concluded with this message.

Sources: Special Operations Forces of Ukraine, Institute for the Study of War, National Intelligence Service of South Korea, Telegram post by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Visual investigation

Nikkei conducted its investigation to discover new facts based on visual evidence. The process involves combining videos and images taken from social media, satellite imagery and other sources. Nikkei analyzed fragmentary visual information, including people and places shown in video footage, to determine what happened. Many media organizations use similar methods to report on crime, accidents and military conflicts.

asia.nikkei.com · by Toru Tsunashima,Hirofumi Yamamoto,Shohei Yasuda,Kazuhiro Kida

12. North Korean Hackers Launder $1.5 Billion Largest Crypto Heist In History

From my good friend and former colleague, Mathew Ha. He is one of the experts on north Korean cyber enabled economic warfare.

Excerpt:

Addressing the long-term concerns about sanctions resistance should be a priority for the administration’s effort to defend the U.S. dollar’s dominance in the international financial system. At the same time, the U.S. government can help prevent the crypto thefts that are fueling North Korea’s reserves. Cybersecurity and blockchain analysis firms are already working with Bybit to understand North Korean hacking and money laundering techniques. The U.S. government, however, has unique capabilities to distribute the findings of these investigations to sharing and analysis centers, sector coordinating councils, and other industry groups to help private companies strengthen defenses against North Korean hackers. With better information, cryptocurrency exchanges can avoid becoming the victim of Pyongyang’s attacks.

North Korean Hackers Launder $1.5 Billion Largest Crypto Heist In History

Mathew Ha

CCTI Adjunct Fellow

https://www.fdd.org/analysis/policy_briefs/2025/03/07/north-korean-hackers-launder-1-5-billion-largest-crypto-heist-in-history/

fdd.org · · March 7, 2025

If you want to launder $1 billion in cryptocurrencies, consult a North Korean hacker.

Multiple blockchain analysis experts confirmed on March 3 that North Korean hackers had successfully dispersed most of the $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency assets they stole from Dubai-based exchange Bybit to new virtual wallets, obscuring the origin of the funds and making it harder for law enforcement to trace and recover them. Over the past few years, North Korean hackers have become more proficient at cryptocurrency theft, raising concerns that Pyongyang is increasingly able to withstand global economic pressure over its nuclear program.

Largest Crypto-Theft in History

At the end of February, Bybit announced a significant security breach that resulted in the loss of nearly $1.5 billion worth of the cryptocurrency Ether, the dominant token on the Ethereum blockchain. Experts at Chainalysis, a private blockchain intelligence firm, called this hack the largest cryptocurrency theft in history. The hackers stole more in this single heist than in 47 cryptocurrency robberies throughout 2024. Between 2017 and 2023, North Korea conducted 58 cyberattacks, primarily against cryptocurrency companies, stealing approximately $3 billion in digital currencies.

Days after the attack, the FBI attributed the operation to North Korean hackers, warning that the hackers were “rapidly” converting the stolen assets into Bitcoin and other digital currencies. In the past, North Korean hackers have laundered funds through cryptocurrency exchanges and Chinese banks, according to a federal indictment and Treasury Department sanctions against two of Pyongyang’s accomplices. In the most recent incident, after stealing the funds from Bybit, North Korean hackers used decentralized exchanges and cross-chain bridges to convert a portion of the stolen Ether into Bitcoin, according to TRM Labs, another blockchain analysis firm. While the company was able to track these first steps, each subsequent transaction shifting wallets and currencies makes the initial $1.5 billion harder to trace.

North Korean Hacking Raising Funds for the Regime

This most recent cyberattack aligns with North Korea’s track record of financially motivated cybercrimes. A UN panel of experts focused on North Korea’s nuclear program and its efforts to evade multinational sanctions warned last year that Pyongyang explicitly tasks its hackers with generating revenue for the regime. Indeed, over the past decade, North Korea has integrated financially motivated crime into its evolving offensive cyber strategy and is using cyberattacks to fund and gather information for its ballistic missile and nuclear programs. Pyongyang’s substantial cryptocurrency reserves raise additional, long-term concerns. Not only do the funds insulate the regime from the economic impacts of U.S. and UN sanctions, but they also position North Korea to take advantage of Chinese and Russian efforts to build alternative financial architectures and payment systems that do not rely on Western banks and the U.S. dollar-led financial system. Today, to launder cryptocurrency into fiat currency, North Korea still needs to disguise its behavior to interact with Western financial institutions. In the future, if North Korea can operate only using Russian and Chinese networks, the United States and its allies will lose the ability to impose financial costs on Kim Jong Un’s regime for its malign activities.

U.S. Government Can Help the Crypto Industry Protect Itself

Addressing the long-term concerns about sanctions resistance should be a priority for the administration’s effort to defend the U.S. dollar’s dominance in the international financial system. At the same time, the U.S. government can help prevent the crypto thefts that are fueling North Korea’s reserves. Cybersecurity and blockchain analysis firms are already working with Bybit to understand North Korean hacking and money laundering techniques. The U.S. government, however, has unique capabilities to distribute the findings of these investigations to sharing and analysis centers, sector coordinating councils, and other industry groups to help private companies strengthen defenses against North Korean hackers. With better information, cryptocurrency exchanges can avoid becoming the victim of Pyongyang’s attacks.

Mathew Ha is an adjunct fellow with FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation. For more analysis from Mat and CCTI, please subscribe HERE. Follow FDD on X @FDD and @FDD_CCTI. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.

fdd.org · by Reagan Easter · March 7, 2025

13. Pentagon nominee voices support for bolstering S. Korea's role in alliance over OPCON transfer question

Here is one area (among some others) that I Bridge. and I have some alignment though for different reasons. It is an area where most US military leaders and many Korean military leaders will disagree with me. It is my firm belief that any military operation that has troops setting foot inside north Korea should be led by a General from South Korea. The reason for this is to ensure the long term legitimacy of the outcome of either war or regime collapse. The military forces from the alliance inside north must contribute to and support the political end state which must be unification. We also cannot have the perception of the US occupying north Korea. And we do not want to have the US in charge of operations that will make it look like Afghanistan and Iraq. The "Korea question" (the unnatural division of the peninsula per para 60 of the Ameristice) must be solved by the Korean people. The US cannot impose the solution on them because it will not be a solution then. The US imposed solutions on Korea in 1905, 1945, and 1953. That said ,because of our responsibility with past "solutions," but more importantly because of our shared values and trust, the US has a responsibility to help the K0rean people help themselves in achieving a free and unified Korea.

I just wish that American officials would stop creating the narrative that the US somehow commits more to the defense of the South than the ROK government, military, and people do. Except for nuclear weapons, the ROK contributes far more to its defense than the US does. And as a global pivotal state and a partner in the arsenal of democracy the ROK contributes to aligned US interests around the world as much if not more than many US allies.

Pentagon nominee voices support for bolstering S. Korea's role in alliance over OPCON transfer question

The Korea Times · March 5, 2025

Elbridge Colby, President Donald Trump's nominee to be under secretary of defense for policy, prepares for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, March 4, in Washington, D.C. AFP-Yonhap

U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for a top Pentagon post threw his support Tuesday behind efforts to bolster South Korea's role in the alliance with the United States as he addressed a question over the ongoing efforts for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to Seoul.

In his written statement for a Senate confirmation hearing, Elbridge Colby, the nominee to be under secretary of defense for policy, made the remarks, stressing the "critical" Seoul-Washington alliance should continue to be updated to "reflect the broader geopolitical and military circumstances" facing the two nations.

"If confirmed, I would need to review this delicate issue carefully," Colby said in his response to a question about what conditions he would recommend as the threshold for the OPCON transfer from the U.S. to South Korea.

"On the whole, however, I believe that President Trump's vision of foreign policy involves empowering capable and willing allies like South Korea, and thus I support efforts to bolster South Korea's role in the alliance," he added.

Seoul and Washington have been working on meeting a wide range of conditions needed for the OPCON transition. Conditions include South Korea's capabilities to lead combined forces, its strike and air defense capabilities, and a regional security environment conducive to such a handover.

South Korea handed over operational control of its troops to the U.S.-led U.N. Command during the 1950-53 Korean War. It was then transferred to the two allies' Combined Forces Command when the command was launched in 1978. Wartime operational control still remains in the U.S. hands, while South Korea retook peacetime OPCON in 1994.

During an interview with Yonhap News Agency in May last year, Colby expressed his backing for the swift OPCON transition, saying the Asian ally should undertake "overwhelming" responsibility for its own defense.

In his written statement, Colby portrayed the alliance with South Korea as "critical for U.S. interests and a foundation stone of the U.S. geopolitical position in Asia."

Commenting on America's extended deterrence commitment to the Asian ally, he said the U.S. must ensure the strategic deterrence and defense posture is "credible and stout."

"Consistent with the President and Secretary's approach around the world, I believe we need to be clear-eyed, frank, and realistic with our allies about the nature of the threats we face and the allocation of responsibilities among ourselves, in the service of ensuring our alliances are best defended and strategically sustainable," he said.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance greets his friend and President Donald Trump's nominee to be under secretary of defense for policy, Elbridge Colby, center, during Colby's confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, March 4, in Washington, D.C. AFP-Yonhap

The nominee cast North Korea as a "severe direct military threat to South Korea on multiple levels."

"It also poses a direct nuclear, missile, and unconventional threat to the United States, Japan, and other allies," he said.

He pointed out that improving U.S. homeland missile defense systems is "vital to countering growing rogue state threats from countries like North Korea."

During the hearing at the Senate Armed Services Committee, Colby said he does not want North Korea to take over South Korea but asserted the need for wealthy allies to "do more" for their security.

He also voiced skepticism over the prospects of a multilateral alliance in the Indo-Pacific akin to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as he pointed to South Korea's recent political dynamics.

"I don't want to abandon the Middle East. I don't want a nuclear Iran. I don't want Russia to run roughshod over Europe. I don't want North Korea to take over South Korea," he said.

"But if we know as a factual, empirical matter that we can't do all those things in even remotely concurrent timelines, don't we need to have a credible plan for how to do so, and I think part of that is greater resources ... and I think that reconciliation hopefully ... will be part of that," he added.

He went on to say that the "secret sauce" in efforts to deal with multiple challenges is the role of allies.

"They can do more and they have done more. Japan is an incredibly wealthy economy. Taiwan ... Look at the investments that the president got for TSMC yesterday," he said, referring to the announcement that the Taiwanese tech titan will invest $100 billion to build advanced chip manufacturing facilities in the United States.

"These are incredibly wealthy societies. Why are they not spending at levels commensurate with the threat? I don't understand."

Expressing his discomfort over Taiwan's recent defense budget cut, Colby cited what he called former Defense Secretary James Mattis' remark: "We can't care more about your defense than you can."

"I have been trying, in my communication and my recommendations for policy vis-a-vis Taiwan, to induce them in whatever way possible to become, say, more like South Korea," he said.

"It's a very plausible model with a much more serious military, because I don't think it's fair to Americans to ask Americans and our servicemen and women to suffer if our allies are not pulling their weight."

Asked to share his thoughts about a NATO-like alliance in the Indo-Pacific, Colby pointed out the "encouraging" trilateral partnership among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan but raised questions over the durability of such a multilateral partnership.

"If we look at South Korean political dynamics over the last six to eight months, it's not clear that that's going to be enduring," he said, apparently referring to a period of political uncertainty caused by President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment over his martial law attempt in December.

"I think there is a lot of spadework and political capital that's put into a multilateral organization, whereas I think something may be building up to have more multilateralization in the region but not the huge ambition of an Asia NATO." (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · March 5, 2025

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

Phone: 202-573-8647

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

If you do not read anything else in the 2017 National Security Strategy read this on page 14:

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