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Quotes of the Day:
“Too much consistency is as bad for the mind as it is for the body. Consistency is contrary to life. The only completely consistent people are the dead.”
– Aldous Huxley
“The man of knowledge must be able to not only love his enemies, but also to hate his friends.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche
“We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.”
– George Orwell
1. North Korea Human Rights Advocacy in Turmoil
2. Hunger drives N. Korean veterans to theft as support system fails
3. Silencing fears: N. Korean regime makes families write 'encouraging' letters to troops
4. N. Korea expands foreign currency payments through smartphone apps
5. Ex-President Yoon faces criminal trial on insurrection charges Monday
6. U.S. exempts smartphones, computers from sweeping tariff scheme
7. Samsung remains vigilant despite US tariff exemptions for smartphones
8. Ex-DP leader Lee poised to compete with 3 candidates in presidential primary
9. Ex-lawmaker Yoo Seong-min not running in PPP primaries for presidential election
10. Should Korea’s presidential office stay in Yongsan?
11. “Most North Koreans Don’t Know About ‘Impeachment of South Korean President’”
12. North Korea Enlists Even Students Who Volunteer for Military Service
13. [Column] USFK’s existential crisis
1. North Korea Human Rights Advocacy in Turmoil
We must continue to push for a human rights up front approach. Human rights are not only a moral imperative, they are a national security issue as well.
North Korea Human Rights Advocacy in Turmoil
In the wake of the U.S. withdrawal of support, North Korean human rights activists may also soon experience a similar withdrawal of support from Seoul.
https://thediplomat.com/2025/04/north-korea-human-rights-advocacy-in-turmoil/
By Andrew Wolman
April 11, 2025
Credit: Depositphotos
2025 is shaping up to be an annus horribilis for the dedicated community of North Korean human rights activists. The past two months have seen U.S. funding sources and programs decimated in the wake of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s aggressive federal cost-cutting initiative. Now support from the Korean government in Seoul threatens to be short-lived, if odds-on favorite Lee Jae-myung wins the special presidential election and brings back the Democratic Party’s traditional hands-off stance on North Korean human rights issues.
The first serious challenge faced by North Korea human rights advocates is the U.S. government’s virtual shut-down of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), formerly one of the largest funders of North Korean human rights NGOs. At the beginning of February the NED had its funds frozen, leaving some of the most respected North Korean human rights groups in “survival mode.” According to one leading activist, the entire field of North Korean human rights advocacy groups was left at risk of imminent shut-down without this key source of support.
Important quasi-governmental think tanks that have worked on North Korean issues were soon put under similar threat. The U.S. Institute of Peace, with its programming on peacebuilding in North Korea, has been effectively shut down, its website rendered inaccessible. The Wilson Center is also in the process of being closed. It hosts the North Korea International Documentation Project, and provides highly valuable analysis, including by highlighting the plight of North Korean refugees in China.
Meanwhile, Voice of America and Radio Free Asia are on the brink of survival, with their grants terminated by an executive order that is currently being challenged in the courts and most staff placed on unpaid leave. These two organizations have played an outsized role in delivering outside information into North Korea for decades through Korean-language radio broadcasts. They also regularly publish articles highlighting North Korean human rights violations. They are bodies that cannot easily be replaced. China’s state media has been unsurprisingly gleeful at the prospect of these outlets’ imminent demise, and the Kim regime no doubt feels the same way.
This collapse in U.S. support is mystifying. Support for North Korean human rights was until recently a bipartisan concern, one of the few remaining issues to command support among both Republicans and Democrats. In fact, current U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio used to be a particularly outspoken opponent of the Kim regime. Yet in two short months that support has utterly dissipated amid the disruptive cost-cutting and America-first nationalism of Trump and Musk.
With Yoon’s impeachment, a new – if far less unprecedented – threat is also looming. Polls show Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung with an overwhelming advantage in the upcoming presidential election, set for June 3 following the final impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. If Lee wins the election, the North Korean human rights community will face a further challenge. In the South Korean context, left-wing politicians have long tended to soft-pedal the North Korean human rights issue and erect barriers for advocates.
Lee is no different in this respect. Like his left-wing predecessors, he clearly favors engagement rather than confrontation with the North. If elected, he would be expected to resume the policies of previous President Moon Jae-in: prohibiting leaflet drops, failing to appoint personnel to focus on North Korean Human Rights abuses, and refusing to condemn North Korean human rights abuses in international fora. In the wake of Trump’s withdrawal of official support, North Korean human rights activists would experience a similar withdrawal of support from Seoul.
All this is happening while the suffering on the ground in North Korea continues undiminished. In recent years, the treatment of North Korean escapees in China has deteriorated, with hundreds of North Koreans being repatriated in the last few years. Returnees often face imprisonment, torture and other forms of abuse. The Kim regime’s control of the population has become increasingly repressive, while the economy continues to stagnate, with many struggling to access sustenance and medical care.
Even with political support in Seoul and Washington, D.C., it would be hard for advocates to maintain a spotlight on North Korea’s abuses in the current period of global conflict and disruption. With the U.S. withdrawing from the field, and – if Lee is elected president – South Korea reverting to the Democratic Party’s engagement-oriented norm, the challenge will be that much greater. New ideas, new strategies, and new objectives will be needed. Above all new sources of funding will also be required for organizations to survive.
Authors
Guest Author
Andrew Wolman
Dr. Andrew Wolman is a senior lecturer at City Law School, City, University of London. Prior to joining City, Wolman taught human rights and international law at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, in Seoul, Korea. Wolman’s research is focused on human rights and refugee law in East Asia, the international response to North Korean human rights violations, and the implementation of international human rights law at the local level.
2. Hunger drives N. Korean veterans to theft as support system fails
We must continue to observe for the indications of internal instability and collapse. (and resistance)
I recommend rereading Bob Collins' work once a week to refresh our minds.
Pattern of Collapse in North Korea
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2024/04/11/pattern-collapse-north-korea/
We kind of need to focus on grievances just as our adversaries do ours.
Hunger drives N. Korean veterans to theft as support system fails - Daily NK English
"The government has legislation to care for discharged officers, but even local officials admit that reality often doesn't match party policy," a source told Daily NK
By Jeong Tae Joo - April 11, 2025
dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · April 11, 2025
North Korean soldiers in Sakju County, North Pyongan Province. / Image: Daily NK
The Jagang provincial police are responding swiftly to poverty-related crimes committed by recently discharged military officers and have reported the matter to the provincial party committee.
A source in Jagang province told Daily NK recently that there has been a noticeable increase in former officers’ involvement in such crimes this month.
“The political department of the provincial police considers this a serious issue and officially notified the provincial party committee on March 22,” the source said.
According to the political department’s report, discharged officers were involved in dozens of poverty-related crimes in March, accounting for approximately 16% of all crimes in the province.
The report highlighted a case of poverty-motivated burglary by a retired officer surnamed Kim, in his late 40s. Kim returned to his hometown of Usi county in January 2024 after several decades of service on the front lines in Kangwon province.
Following a dispute with a superior, Kim received an unsatisfactory review from his unit’s political department. As a result, instead of the typical clerical position, he was assigned to manual labor at a farm machine shop in Usi county.
Kim, his wife, and son weren’t even provided housing. They’ve been forced to make do with a corner of a storage room that was hastily converted into temporary living quarters.
For nearly a year, Kim has received neither regular wages nor rations. The family of three constantly struggles with hunger and cannot afford medical treatment or even medicine for their sick son.
On the evening of April 3, Kim broke into the home of a woman who lives alone and sells rice at the local marketplace. He was caught attempting to steal a 15-kilogram bag of rice.
Kim was immediately arrested and taken to the police department for questioning.
“I had no choice because I couldn’t figure out how to make a living. I committed the crime out of frustration with myself for failing to help my starving wife and sick child,” he told police.
The police released Kim with just a warning because it was his first offense and he had only touched the bag of rice.
The source said the provincial police’s political department urged the provincial party committee to address the series of burglaries by financially desperate discharged officers. The police noted that citizens are confused about why officers who served the government loyally for decades are now resorting to theft.
After receiving the report, the provincial committee immediately held an internal meeting to discuss ways to help discharged officers transition to civilian life.
Committee members agreed that first-time offenders like Kim should be treated leniently and given a chance to reform under party guidance rather than facing criminal punishment. One proposal suggested having each organization support one discharged officer.
“Legally, discharged officers are supposed to receive government support as No. 27 beneficiaries. But the reality is that some have turned to burglary after spending over a year starving in the corner of a storage room,” the source said.
“The government has legislation to care for discharged officers, but even local officials admit that reality often doesn’t match party policy. This impression has been reinforced by rumors about discharged officers committing crimes. People worry that the provincial party committee’s measures will amount to nothing but empty promises.”
Read in Korean
dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · April 11, 2025
3. Silencing fears: N. Korean regime makes families write 'encouraging' letters to troops
This is why everyone should have a duress code among families and friends. But I am sure the troops know their families are under duress which means the letters could likely have the opposite effect than the regime desires.
Silencing fears: N. Korean regime makes families write 'encouraging' letters to troops - Daily NK English
Party officials believe the directive was issued to ease growing family concerns over their children's safety
By Jeong Seo-yeong - April 10, 2025
dailynk.com · by Jeong Seo-yeong · April 10, 2025
North Korean soldiers (KCNA)
Families with sons and daughters serving in the military have been ordered to write letters of encouragement, Daily NK has learned.
“On March 23, the Kimchaek party committee issued an order through neighborhood offices to neighborhood watch units directing families of service members to write encouraging letters to their children in the military,” a source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK recently. “The order included specific instructions about what to write.”
Party officials believe the directive was issued to ease growing family concerns over their children’s safety, sparked by rumors about North Korean troops being deployed to Russia to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Officials acknowledge the order came because the party has received reports that increasing numbers of families are losing sleep worrying their children may have been killed or wounded in Russia, as rumors circulate about heavy casualties among North Korean troops fighting against Ukraine.
Families have attempted to verify their children’s safety by calling or writing to them, but rumors persist that some families encountered unfamiliar voices on phone calls or haven’t received responses to their letters.
There are also claims that response letters are often written by superior officers, with messages like: “I’m fine. I’m on outside duty, and we can’t receive military mail where we are, so I’m having my company or division commander write for me.”
As a result, families with children in the military spend their days and nights worried. “I’ll only feel at ease if I actually hear my child’s voice,” they say.
Some party organizations have responded with threats, telling families “not to be swayed by needless rumors” and that “if it’s not from the party, it’s not true.” Others have tried to console families by telling them to wait because “good news will arrive.”
The Kimchaek party committee instructed families to write letters telling their children that parents, siblings and other relatives at home are doing well, along with positive news about construction projects in the city.
However, according to the source, families find little comfort in these letters. They say they will only feel better when they hear their child’s voice or see their face.
Read in Korean
dailynk.com · by Jeong Seo-yeong · April 10, 2025
4. N. Korea expands foreign currency payments through smartphone apps
Hmmm... can this be exploited? Can the regime maintain control of these transactions? What does this mean for "reform?" Of is this a recognition that there are ways for the reign to both control the population and siphon money from such transactions? This requires study.
N. Korea expands foreign currency payments through smartphone apps - Daily NK English
North Koreans can purchase credit on their smartphone payment apps using foreign currency, which they can then use for online or offline purchases
By Mun Dong Hui - April 11, 2025
dailynk.com · by Mun Dong Hui · April 11, 2025
North Korean smartphones are processing more payments in foreign currencies, and an increasing number of businesses are now required to offer electronic payment systems, Daily NK has learned.
“More market stalls and shops are processing foreign currency payments through barcodes and QR codes. Since late March, people’s committees in major cities and provincial capitals have stopped issuing licenses to new businesses unless they have electronic payment systems that can handle both domestic and foreign currency transactions,” a source in North Korea told Daily NK recently.
North Koreans can purchase credit on their smartphone payment apps using foreign currency, which they can then use for online or offline purchases after conversion to either domestic or foreign currency at fixed rates.
Previously, foreign currency payments were only accepted at state-designated establishments including foreign currency stores, department stores, restaurants and hotels (which typically operate using foreign currency), as well as select resorts and tourist destinations. Recently, however, North Korea has begun encouraging other businesses to install these payment systems in an effort to expand foreign currency transactions.
North Korea enacted the Electronic Payments Act in 2021 to reduce cash transactions and increase electronic payments, with several follow-up measures implemented toward the same goal.
“The use of electronic payment programs has grown rapidly over the past few years, particularly among urban residents, business operators, and young people. They’re commonly used for purchases at shops and department stores, taxi fares, restaurant meals, and mobile phone and landline bills,” the source said.
According to reports, foreign currency credit can only be added to electronic payment apps at designated locations.
“To add foreign currency credit, you must visit a bank’s foreign exchange center or electronic currency charging window, or alternatively, a mobile phone service center. If you bring North Korean cash or hard foreign currency, you can receive credit at that day’s exchange rate as announced by the central bank. The exchange fee typically ranges from 1-3%, depending on the type and amount of the transaction,” the source explained.
North Korean authorities officially recognize two exchange rates: the government exchange rate and the rate used at state-run market currency exchanges. The latter is based on unofficial marketplace rates within North Korea and the cost of goods in other countries. The exchange rate applied to smartphone payment apps reportedly aligns more closely with the state-run market exchange rate than the government rate.
According to the source, the most widely used electronic payment app in North Korea is Jonsong, which supports bank account transfers and payments via barcodes and QR codes.
“While other electronic wallets like Samhung Electronic Wallet exist, Jonsong remains the most popular electronic payment service connected to the state-run payment network,” the source said.
dailynk.com · by Mun Dong Hui · April 11, 2025
5. Ex-President Yoon faces criminal trial on insurrection charges Monday
Was the December 3d action an insurrection?
Wow:
If convicted on charges of leading an insurrection, Yoon could face a life sentence or the death penalty.
Ex-President Yoon faces criminal trial on insurrection charges Monday | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Yoo Jee-ho · April 13, 2025
SEOUL, April 13 (Yonhap) -- The first criminal trial for former President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled for this week, 10 days after he was removed from office over his short-lived martial law declaration in December, according to court officials Sunday.
The Seoul Central District Court is set to open the hearing on Yoon's insurrection charges at 10 a.m. Monday. As the defendant, Yoon must attend the trial.
Yoon will be the fifth former president to stand criminal trial.
He will be allowed to enter the court via an underground parking lot, with the court having set up security-related measures against potential rallies near the court building.
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the official residence in Seoul on April 11, 2025, before moving back to his private home. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Media will not be allowed to take photographs inside the courtroom before the start of the proceedings.
As part of the formal process, Yoon must state his name, birthday, occupation and place of residence at the start. The prosecution will then lay out charges against Yoon, who is expected to deny them. The former president may also ask the judge for an opportunity to state his case.
If convicted on charges of leading an insurrection, Yoon could face a life sentence or the death penalty.
Cho Sung-hyun, commander of the First Security Group of the Capital Defense Command, and Kim Hyung-ki, head of the First Special Forces Battalion of the Special Warfare Command, will take the witness stand Monday.
During Yoon's impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court, Cho had testified that he was ordered by then Capital Defense Commander Lee Jin-woo to send troops to "drag out" lawmakers from the National Assembly after Yoon had declared martial law Dec. 3.
Kim is believed to have received a similar order from his superior the same night.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Yoo Jee-ho · April 13, 2025
6. U.S. exempts smartphones, computers from sweeping tariff scheme
(LEAD) U.S. exempts smartphones, computers from sweeping tariff scheme | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · April 13, 2025
(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 4 paras, additional photos)
By Oh Seok-min
SEOUL, April 13 (Yonhap) – U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has exempted smartphones, computers and several other electronic devices from a sweeping set of reciprocal tariffs, offering relief to South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co., Apple Inc. and other global tech firms.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a notice Saturday (U.S. time) announcing the exemption of select electronics, such as smartphones, laptops, personal computers (PCs), servers and semiconductor equipment, from the reciprocal tariffs, including the 125 percent levies imposed on Chinese imports.
The exclusions apply retroactively from April 5, it added.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media on board Air Force One on the way to Florida on April 12, 2025, in this Reuters photo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The latest decision is expected to ease concerns across the global tech industry about surging prices, as many of those products are manufactured in China.
Trump had initially planned to implement steep reciprocal tariffs on most countries, but he announced a 90-day pause on the scheme last week. Instead, the U.S. has imposed a blanket global tariff of 10 percent.
For imports from China, the exemption applies only to the 125 percent reciprocal tariffs. Previous duties of 20 percent on all Chinese imports, which Trump said were related to the U.S. fentanyl crisis, will remain in effect.
In a statement issued Saturday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "President Trump has made it clear America cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies, such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones and laptops."
She noted that major tech firms are "hustling to onshore their manufacturing in the United States as soon as possible," indicating the Trump administration would continue to push for the relocation of their manufacturing operations to American soil.
Meanwhile, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he will give details about his approach to semiconductor tariffs Monday, according to foreign media reports.
"I'll give you that answer on Monday," Trump said. "We'll be very specific on Monday."
This photo, released by Samsung Electronics Co. on Jan. 23, 2025, shows the company's new Galaxy S25 series smartphones that were unveiled during the Unpacked event at SAP Center in San Jose, California, the previous day. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · April 13, 2025
7. Samsung remains vigilant despite US tariff exemptions for smartphones
Samsung remains vigilant despite US tariff exemptions for smartphones
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20250413/samsung-cautious-as-us-smartphone-tariff-exemptions-seen-to-favor-apple
open image galleryA man riding an electric motorbike passes by the logo of Samsung Electronics on a billboard in Bac Ninh, Vietnam, Tuesday. AFP-Yonhap
By Park Jae-hyuk
- Published Apr 13, 2025 4:08 pm KST
China-reliant Apple seen as main beneficiary of Trump’s decision
Samsung Electronics remains on alert amid the Donald Trump administration’s unpredictable trade policies, despite the United States granting tariff exemptions for smartphones, laptops, personal computers and semiconductor equipment.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Saturday (local time) that those devices will be excluded from the sweeping 10 percent baseline tariff on nearly all countries, as well as the retaliatory 125 percent duty on China.
Following the updated guidance, Samsung has been considered one of the beneficiaries along with Apple and TSMC. Bloomberg described the measure as a “big win” for major tech firms.
The optimistic outlook stems from Samsung’s heavy reliance on production in Vietnam, which is on the verge of facing a 46 percent “reciprocal tariff” from the U.S. if trade talks between Hanoi and Washington fail following the current 90-day pause. The Korean company produces nearly 50 percent of all Galaxy smartphones sold globally at its Vietnamese facilities.
Read More
However, Samsung has maintained a cautious stance.
“We’re continuing to monitor U.S. tariff policies closely,” a company official said Sunday.
That cautious tone reflects the lingering uncertainties surrounding Trump’s trade agenda.
“The president has stated that autos, steel, pharmaceuticals, chips and other specific materials will be included in specific tariffs to ensure tariffs are applied fairly and effectively,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement announcing the latest exemptions.
Trump also said Saturday that his administration will provide an update on semiconductor tariffs Monday.
“We’ll be very specific on Monday,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One, when asked about the rationale behind the exemptions and plans for semiconductors.
U.S. President Donald Trump, right, speaks alongside Apple CEO Tim Cook in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington in March 2019. AFP-Yonhap
The smartphone tariff exemptions appear to benefit Apple, Samsung’s chief rival, even more.
Apple relies heavily on Foxconn facilities in China to produce most iPhones sold globally. If Washington had gone ahead with the 125 percent reciprocal tariff on China — on top of a separate 20 percent duty to pressure Beijing over fentanyl — iPhone prices in the U.S. could have tripled.
While China responded to the U.S. tariffs with retaliatory policies, Vietnam has sought to avoid penalties by courting the Trump administration.
Before the exemptions were announced, securities analysts therefore predicted that Samsung could gain U.S. market share.
“Apple, which produces 90 percent of its iPhones at Foxconn’s facilities in China, is inevitably facing an increase in iPhone prices,” KB Securities analyst Kim Dong-won said on Thursday.
“Samsung Electronics, on the other hand, can expand supply through 90 days of pre-production for smartphones, securing enough time to relocate its eight global production bases.”
However, strong iPhone sales in the U.S. may soften the impact on Samsung’s component business. The Korean firm supplies Apple with displays, semiconductors and other key parts.
There had been concerns over potential smartphone price hikes slowing demand, weighing on Samsung's semiconductor business.
Park Jae-hyuk
Park Jae-hyuk is a seasoned journalist who has provided comprehensive coverage of South Korea's corporate dynamics, economic policies, industry challenges and the global positioning of Korean companies. Based on the articles he has written since joining The Korea Times in 2016, his investigative approach has helped readers understand corporate governance, economic trends and business strategies shaping South Korea’s economy.
pjh@koreatimes.co.kr
8. Ex-DP leader Lee poised to compete with 3 candidates in presidential primary
Ex-DP leader Lee poised to compete with 3 candidates in presidential primary | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · April 13, 2025
SEOUL, April 13 (Yonhap) — The presidential primary of the Democratic Party (DP) is shaping up to be a four-way race, with former party leader Lee Jae-myung expected to dominate given his strong grip on the party leadership, experts said Sunday.
Last week, Lee officially declared his candidacy for the June 3 presidential election, following the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol after his martial law declaration.
Lee is expected to compete against three candidates in the party primary -- former lawmaker and Interior Minister Kim Doo-kwan, Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon and former South Gyeongsang Gov. Kim Kyoung-soo.
As Lee is widely considered the front-runner in the upcoming presidential election, the party race is largely expected to be a contest between Lee and the three Kims from the non-Lee faction, with Lee likely to dominate.
"As the period of the party primary is quite short due to the snap election, the primary itself does not hold much significance for the overall presidential race. The start of the primary marks the beginning of our competition with the People Power Party," a DP official said.
It marked Lee's third presidential bid, following 2017 and 2022. He lost the presidential race to Yoon by a thin margin three years ago.
Four of the Democratic Party's presidential candidates, (from L to R) Lee Jae-myung, Kim Dong-yeon, Kim Kyung-soo and Kim Doo-gwan, are shown in this photo compilation. (Yonhap)
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · April 13, 2025
9. Ex-lawmaker Yoo Seong-min not running in PPP primaries for presidential election
Ex-lawmaker Yoo Seong-min not running in PPP primaries for presidential election | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Yoo Jee-ho · April 13, 2025
SEOUL, April 13 (Yonhap) -- Four-term lawmaker Yoo Seong-min announced Sunday he will not run in the People Power Party (PPP) primaries for the upcoming presidential election, saying the right-wing party hasn't learned its lesson even after the impeachments of two conservative presidents.
"The party has refused to take the path of proper self-reflection and change, even though conservative presidents have been impeached consecutively," Yoo wrote in a Facebook message, referring to Park Geun-hye and Yoon Suk Yeol. It was Yoon's ouster on April 4 in light of his short-lived martial law imposition that led to the scheduling of the presidential election for June 3.
Former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min gives a lecture at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, some 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on April 11, 2025. (Yonhap)
"There is no sense of urgency (at the party)," Yoo added. "I wonder if they are even interested in trying to beat Lee Jae-myung."
Lee, former Democratic Party (DP) chairman, is favored to win the DP primaries and also the June 3 election.
"I am outraged at how they have already assumed the loss in the presidential election, and they're obsessed with vested rights after that loss," Yoo continued. "Rather than trying to expand their conservative foothold toward the middle, they are only making it smaller. Their behavior has left me speechless."
Yoo said he will still remain "a true conservative" and will try to rebuild conservatism "with reasonable and rational people."
Yoo finished fourth in the 2017 presidential election when he ran for the central-right Bareun Party.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Yoo Jee-ho · April 13, 2025
10. Should Korea’s presidential office stay in Yongsan?
A good question.
Should Korea’s presidential office stay in Yongsan?
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20250412/should-s-koreas-presidential-office-stay-in-yongsan open image galleryA view of the current presidential office located in central Seoul's Yongsan District / Yonhap
By Anna J. Park
- Published Apr 12, 2025 10:00 am KST
- Updated Apr 13, 2025 11:19 am KST
Yongsan, Cheong Wa Dae, Gwanghwamun, Sejong City emerge as options
With the early presidential election now set for June 3, public attention is shifting to where the next president will set up office.
While keeping the current office in Yongsan remains an option, alternative sites such as Cheong Wa Dae, Gwanghwamun and Sejong City are also being considered.
The simplest and most feasible option for the next president’s office is to retain the current location at the Ministry of National Defense compound in Yongsan District.
This proposal is driven largely by practical concerns over the lack of feasible time to relocate. Given the nature of the snap election, the next president is expected to begin duties as early as June 4, making Yongsan the most realistic option.
Financial considerations also play a key role in favoring this option. According to the National Assembly Budget Office, the relocation of the presidential office under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration cost an estimated 83.2 billion won ($57 million). Keeping the office in its current location would avoid additional relocation expenses and save taxpayers' money.
However, the negative connotations linked to the impeached president, along with the lingering shadow of the Dec. 3 martial law declaration at the former Ministry of National Defense building, have fueled growing calls to relocate the office from Yongsan.
“Regardless of which party wins the presidential election, most citizens would not agree that the presidential office should remain in Yongsan as a long-term and permanent location,” Rep. Kim Min-seok, a four-term lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said in a recent interview with a local media outlet.
Traffic disruptions caused by the president’s daily commute between the office and the presidential residence — especially along some of Seoul’s busiest streets during peak hours — have further fueled support for moving the presidential office to a different site.
Visitors tour Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential office and residence, in central Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
Aside from retaining the current presidential office in Yongsan, the most realistic alternative under consideration is a return to Cheong Wa Dae — the historic seat of the Korean presidency for over 70 years.
Renowned for its symbolic and historical significance, Cheong Wa Dae is seen as a legitimate and meaningful choice, which also offers the practical advantages of ample space and well-established facilities.
However, concerns have been raised about potential security vulnerabilities, given that the site has been open to the public for over two years. Still, many argue that since not all areas are accessible to visitors, and with proper renovations and interior upgrades, any security issues could be effectively resolved.
Public sentiment also appears to favor a return to Cheong Wa Dae. Many visitors view current tours as potentially their last chance to see the site, fueling a surge in tours since the impeachment ruling.
“While average daily visitors to Cheong Wa Dae stood at around 3,000 previously, the number more than tripled after the impeachment decision,” said an official from the Cheong Wa Dae Foundation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Tourists look at the desk set up in the main presidential office room at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
The third option is establishing a presidential office in the Gwanghwamun area of Seoul — a campaign pledge made by both former presidents Moon Jae-in and Yoon Suk Yeol.
Moving the presidential office from the closed-off Cheong Wa Dae to Government Complex Seoul in the Gwanghwamun neighborhood remains a valid option. Many citizens continue to support the idea, seeing it as a step toward a more accessible, hands-on presidency and improved communication with government ministries.
However, this plan was never realized by either president. While the Gwanghwamun option offers advantages such as closer coordination with other government departments, its location in a densely populated urban area surrounded by high-rise buildings poses significant security and protection challenges, ultimately preventing it from becoming a reality.
In Yoon’s case, although he initially pledged to relocate the office to Gwanghwamun, he changed course just 10 days after being elected. On May 10, 2022 — his inauguration day — he began his term by commuting to a new office set up at the defense ministry building in Yongsan.
Foreign tourists take photos at fountains in Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, March 31. Yonhap
Regardless of its feasibility, the most frequently discussed issue currently is the presidential office's relocation to Sejong City.
Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon and former South Gyeongsang Gov. Kim Kyung-soo are actively supporting a move to Sejong City, while Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the DPK's main contender for the presidential race, also pledged during the last presidential election to establish a presidential office there. Other lawmakers, including Rep. Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party, have also expressed support.
The proposal to relocate the administrative capital also carries considerable weight in influencing voter sentiment in the central Chungcheong provinces. Although the idea of establishing a presidential office in Sejong is an attractive campaign pledge, making it a reality is a lengthy and complicated undertaking.
In 2004, the Constitutional Court ruled that Seoul’s status as the capital is part of South Korea’s "customary constitution."
At that time, the country's top court stated that key state institutions, such as the National Assembly, Cheong Wa Dae, executive ministries the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, must be located in the capital. The court noted the presence of the National Assembly and the presidential office to be decisive factors in determining the capital.
As a result, relocating the presidential office would require constitutional amendments and other legal procedures.
Anna J. Park
Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
annajpark@koreatimes.co.kr
11. “Most North Koreans Don’t Know About ‘Impeachment of South Korean President’”
This is a Google translation of an RFA report.
“Most North Koreans Don’t Know About ‘Impeachment of South Korean President’”
Seoul-Moon Seong-hui xallsl@rfa.org
2025.04.08
https://www.rfa.org/korean/in-focus/2025/04/08/north-korea-impeachment-protest-newspaper/
Anchor: North Korean state-run media quickly reported the news of the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol, but it is reported that most residents have not heard the news. Reporter Moon Seong-hui reports from inside North Korea.
North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency and Rodong Sinmun have recently reported the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol, but multiple sources in Yanggang Province reported that ordinary North Koreans are unaware of this.
A resident source in Yanggang Province (who requested anonymity for safety reasons) said on the 7th, “The Rodong Sinmun is available, but it’s been a long time since it became obsolete, and we can’t watch TV because of the ongoing power outage at the relay station,” adding, “No one listens to cable broadcasting, so even if news of the (South Korean president’s) impeachment was reported, people wouldn’t know about it.”
The source pointed out, “In the case of the Rodong Sinmun, the total daily print run is 50,000 copies, of which 3,000 copies are assigned to Yanggang Province,” and “However, since Yanggang Province has no paper, they can’t even print 1,000 copies a day, so they can’t properly distribute them to city, county, and party committee director-level officials or higher.”
The source added, “Television broadcasts are impossible to view normally due to frequent power outages,” and “The only media that can be viewed normally is cable (speaker) broadcasting, but cable broadcasting has poor sound quality and only plays provocative music all day long, so residents are turning away from it.”
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On the same day, a senior official from Yanggang Province (requesting anonymity for safety reasons) said, “If there is anything that residents need to know in particular, we will broadcast it on the cable broadcast ‘Korean Central Broadcasting Station 3,’” adding, “In this case, we will inform residents of the broadcast time in advance through each factory, enterprise, and people’s unit.”
“If the news of the impeachment of the South Korean president was something that the people absolutely had to know, it would have been broadcast on cable TV and the people would have been notified in advance of the broadcast time,” the source explained, “However, the central government did not take any measures to convey this news to the people.”
The source explained, “They say the news of the impeachment of the South Korean president was published in the Rodong Sinmun, but right now the only people who can read the Rodong Sinmun are Pyongyang citizens and some local cadres.” He added, “Currently, each provincial daily newspaper is running out of paper, so they are only printing 100 copies of the Rodong Sinmun a day for storage.”
Former President Park Geun-hye, who was impeached, appears at Seoul Central District Court for arrest warrant review
Former President Park Geun-hye appears at Seoul Central District Court for a substantive examination of her arrest warrant in March 2017. (Reuters)
“They are not actively spreading the word about the impeachment of Park Geun-hye.”
The source said, “When President Park Geun-hye was impeached in South Korea in the past, our (North Korean) newspapers and broadcasting stations quickly reported on it, and lectures to residents also reported the news in detail,” adding, “At the time, the news of the impeachment was a great shock not only to executives and intellectuals, but also to ordinary residents.”
The source added, “During the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, residents openly said, ‘I wish something like that could happen in our country (North Korea) too,’ and ‘We want to live in a world like that,’” and “Because of that experience, the central government will not be able to actively convey the news of the impeachment of the South Korean president to residents.”
This is Moon Sung-hui of RFA's Free Asia Broadcasting in Seoul.
Editor Yang Seong-won
12. North Korea Enlists Even Students Who Volunteer for Military Service
This isia Google translation of an RFA report.
North Korea Enlists Even Students Who Volunteer for Military Service
Seoul-Moon Seong-hui xallsl@rfa.org
2025.04.11
About 300 senior high school students in Pyongyang volunteered to work at frontline border posts.
(Korean Central News Agency)
https://www.rfa.org/korean/in-focus/2025/04/11/north-korea-enlistment-military-difficult-sector/
Anchor: It has been reported that North Korean authorities, struggling with a shortage of military service personnel, enlisted graduates of high schools who had been loudly advertising that they would voluntarily enter difficult and tough sectors of society in 2022 and 2023 into the People's Army in March of this year. Reporter Moon Seong-hui reports from inside North Korea.
A source in the youth sector of Yanggang Province (requesting anonymity for safety reasons) said on the 9th, “The first recruitment for this year’s senior middle school graduates was held on February 20th,” and “Among the recruits were young people who graduated from senior middle schools between 2022 and 2023 and voluntarily went to difficult and tough sectors of society, such as coal mines and salt refineries.”
The source explained, “Each city and county in our country (North Korea) has a military mobilization department, and graduates of high schools must undergo a mandatory physical examination at the military mobilization department.” He continued, “If they pass the physical examination, they must enlist in the military, and this process of enlisting in the military through the military mobilization department is called ‘recruitment.’”
“Among the young men who voluntarily entered difficult and tough fields (before undergoing a physical examination), those eligible for enlistment this year are the graduating classes of 2022 and 2023, while those who graduated in 2020 and 2021 were excluded from the enlistment,” the authorities said, adding that “starting from 2024, voluntary advancement of middle school graduates will not be permitted.”
“It was in the fall of 2020 that they began sending young people to difficult and challenging sectors on a voluntary basis,” the source explained. “At first, they forcibly sent the children from the weakest families among the high school graduates who failed the physical examination to difficult and challenging sectors.”
“Later, voluntary advancement was abused as a means to avoid military service among high school graduates (who did not undergo physical examinations),” the source added. “In a time of crisis, the central government only allowed voluntary advancement for young men who had completed their military service and were married, starting in 2024, and did not allow voluntary advancement for high school graduates.”
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Hundreds of graduating seniors from Pyongyang's Xi'an Middle School have volunteered to work at frontline border checkpoints.
Hundreds of graduating seniors from Pyongyang City's high school volunteered to work at frontline border posts. (Korean Central News Agency)
In relation to this, a source from Yanggang Province (who requested anonymity for personal safety reasons) also revealed on the 8th, “Until last year, the party’s policy was that ‘all high school graduates who can shoot a gun must serve in the military,’” and “however, this year’s party policy is that ‘all graduates who can dig must serve in the military unconditionally. ’”
The source explained, “This party policy was handed down to each local military mobilization department and civil defense department by order of the Central Military Commission of the Party on February 3 of this year, before the recruitment began.” “The order at the time clearly stated, ‘Young people who have voluntarily entered difficult and tough sectors of society must go through a military service process because they are trustworthy reserve cadres of our Party. ’”
“In accordance with the order of the Central Military Commission of the Party, graduates of advanced middle schools who went to coal mines, mines, farms, ranches, forests, and salt farms (from 2022 to 2023) have been summoned to the Military Mobilization Department,” the source added. “They will be the first freshmen to serve in the military this year.”
“In the case of Yanggang Province, 27 voluntary enlistees enlisted in the military this year as the first draft,” the source said. “They are young people who graduated in 2022 and 2023 and had advanced to Hyesan Youth Mine, Yongam Mine in Unheung County, Yongha Mine in Kim Jong Suk County, and Yeonha Farm in Kim Hyong Jik County.”
“Why would you volunteer for such a difficult field if you were going to have to do military service?”
In particular, the source said, "The central government's principle is that young men who have volunteered are not sent home after completing their military service, but are sent back to the coal mines and mines they had already entered," adding, "In response, the men asked, 'Why would they volunteer to enter a difficult field if they are going to have to serve in the military?'"
Meanwhile, the source added, “There is an atmosphere of mocking graduates who volunteered to avoid military service, saying, ‘It’s like trying to avoid a beating and getting bitten in the end.’”
This is Moon Sung-hui of RFA's Free Asia Broadcasting in Seoul.
Editor Yang Seong-won
13. [Column] USFK’s existential crisis
After reading this I guess all we can do is just abandon Asia altogether.
Everytime I read calls for "self-reliant" survival, I see sympathies that lie in the north.
[Column] USFK’s existential crisis
Posted on : 2025-04-13 08:52 KST Modified on : 2025-04-13 08:52 KST
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US Forces Korea, in particular, would not be very helpful in deterring China — so what is their use?
https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/english_editorials/1192090.html?utm
On June 30, 2019, then-US President Donald Trump visits the GP Ouellette, the northernmost guard post in South Korea with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. (Kim Jung-hyo/Hankyoreh)
By Kim Jong-dae, visiting scholar at Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies
Since the advent of the Cold War, the US has obsessed over military bases in East Asia, to the point of near absurdity. Tens of thousands of troops are stationed in Guam, the US Naval Base in Subic Bay and Clark Air Base in the Philippines, US Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, and Camp Humphreys and Kunsan Air Base in Korea. These are all massive military bases constructed during the Cold War. The US bases in the Philippines was shut down in 1990, but the remaining bases still stand strong as symbols of US power, even after the end of the Cold War.
These bases throughout East Asia would provide critical supplies, equipment, and manpower in the event of a full-scale war. They have been collectively referred to as an “iron mountain.” The story changes in the 21st century however, when mid- to long-range missiles have become universal weapons.
Despite the fact that a Chinese Dongfeng series of missiles could rain down on them at any time, these bases’ current missile defense systems are extremely vulnerable. If China staged an attack, these massive US bases would become the target of a massive missile strike that would produce thousands of casualties and catastrophic damage. Furthermore, the US does not have a single nuclear weapon deployed in East Asia. There are also no nuclear weapon storage facilities or any agents capable of operating nuclear weapons in a time of conflict. None of the US bases in East Asia has any intermediate-range missiles that are capable of striking China.
During the first Donald Trump administration, the US withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and secured the right to station intermediate-range missiles in East Asia, but US allies were extremely resistant to stationing US missiles on their soil. US allies like South Korea and Japan rejected US missiles, and currently do not have any intermediate- to long-range missile capacity. Talk of deterring China in East Asia without nuclear weapons and missiles rings hollow.
US naval power has also been called into question. Once the US deployed its three aircraft carriers at the San Diego naval base to the Pacific, Chinese satellites would immediately pick up their location and movements. After tracking the movements of the massive carriers, China could deploy its surface-to-ship missiles, with a range of 10,000 miles, at a moment’s notice. The sheer size of a carrier does not guarantee safety, and the majority of US carriers are over 30 years old and outdated.
It’s questionable whether these carriers would even make it to the Pacific bases. US forces in East Asia also do not have modern assets that can operate quickly and stealthily, such as uncrewed underwater vehicles, stealth carriers, and swarm drones.
One cannot help but ask: if these bases cannot effectively deter China, why should the US continue sinking money into operating these Cold War-style bases? US Forces Korea, in particular, which is primarily ground troops, would not be very helpful in deterring China. So what is their use?
At such a time, American media is reporting that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will be restructuring the command posts for US bases around the world while reducing US troops stationed overseas. Hegseth reportedly distributed an internal memo known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance” in mid-March. The memo indicated that the Department of Defense would be, in consideration of its limited resources and manpower, accepting the risks in other nations and focusing exclusively on deterring China. To achieve this aim, the memo continued, the US would be encouraging its allies in Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific to become more self-reliant in their defense. This reflects Trump’s priority of American interests over the interests of other nations, including allies.
Former President Joe Biden had pushed for restructuring US Forces Japan while expanding it. Now that this initiative has been stalled, the Japanese government seems to be on alert. Hegseth has not made any direct comments about US Forces Korea, but it seems clear that Washington will shift their focus from deterring North Korea to deterring China and defending Taiwan. The more serious development is that the US has unilaterally made these changes without consulting its allies first. Such unilateralism raises fundamental doubts about the US’ commitment to its allies.
South Korea will be placed in a serious national security dilemma, where Washington demands increased funding for stationing US boots in Korea and protecting Taiwan, while Beijing pressures Seoul to not accede to US demands.
For us to make it through this as a country, we need a government that puts its foot down and stays strong in the face of pressure from major powers while taking the lead over the situation in the region and plotting a path for Korea’s self-reliant survival. Korea needs to make it clear that it is not a nation that will bend to the big guys, and that it is a stakeholder in peace based on its strong presence in the region.
Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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