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Quotes of the Day:
“Nothing is so important for a young man as the company of intelligent women.”
– Leo Tolstoy
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”
– Victor Frankl
When asked how fascism starts, Bertrand Russell replied: “First they fascinate the fools. Then they muzzle the intelligent.”
1. Pentagon stresses close consultation with S. Korea after simulated N.K. 'nuclear counterattack' drill
2. N. Korea sends economic delegation to Iran: KCNA
3. HRNK Quoted 12 Times in the U.S. Department of State's DPRK 2023 Human Rights Report
4. N.K. leader's sister slams joint S. Korea-U.S. military drills
5. S. Korea's nanosatellite launched from New Zealand for satellite constellation project
6. S. Korea warns N. Korea will face end of regime if it uses nuclear weapons
7. Korea's spy agency set to join NATO-led cyber defense drill for 4th straight year
8. South Korea needs to recharge foreign engagement following missed trips and opportunities
9. President should recalibrate his policy on North Korea
10. Seoul publishes latest edition of financial handbook for N. Korean defectors
11. Alarm sounded over major North Korean hacks
12. North Korea Continues to Rattle Sabers with Short-Range Missiles Launches
13. North Korea sends officials to Iran amid suspected military cooperation
14. Students, residents pressed into North Korean construction projects
15. Yoon says N. Korea must not dare challenge S. Korea
16. N. Korea calls envisioned US aid to Ukraine 'hallucinogen'
17. N. Korea encourages Chinese businesspeople to resume commercial activities
18. Abuse of opium remains a problem in N. Korea amid economic downturn
1. Pentagon stresses close consultation with S. Korea after simulated N.K. 'nuclear counterattack' drill
Yes, we must be concerned with these drills and Kim's rhetoric. However, we need to also consider that the current situation is a result of internal stresses on the regime. The reaction he wants from us is to threaten him so he can use that to create the perception inside north Korea that the regime and the nation are being threatened so he can justify the continued suffering and sacrifice of the Korean people in the north.
However, we might consider an alternate response which is based on understanding the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime and focus on recognizing the current strategy, understanding the strategy, EXPOSING the strategy, and attacking the strategy with a superior political warfare strategy (using information).
We need to state that Kim's actions are a result of his weakness inside north Korea because he has failed in his promises to the Korean people. He promised peace and prosperity when they developed nuclear weapons. He has removed their hope for a better life by removing the objective of peaceful unification. He is spending money on military weapons rather than on the welfare of the people. In 2022 he spent some $650 million on missile tests while the WFP estimated they needed $415 million for food shortfalls. These are some of the things we should be stressing. We need a strong information response that is not simply tit for tat with threats but insped exposing the regime's weakness and problems. That said we still need to maintain the highest level of readiness and continue to conduct sustained training to ensure interoperability and readiness.
Pentagon stresses close consultation with S. Korea after simulated N.K. 'nuclear counterattack' drill | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · April 24, 2024
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, April 23 (Yonhap) -- The United States continues close consultation with South Korea and Japan to deter evolving North Korean threats, a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday, after Pyongyang said it carried out drills simulating a nuclear counterattack this week.
The North's Korean Central News Agency has reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un guided the tactical drill, involving "super-large" multiple rocket launchers, on Monday.
"We continue to consult closely with our allies, the Republic of Korea and Japan, when it comes to regional security and stability issues to include claims by North Korea to that effect," Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told a press briefing.
"So, we will continue to work together and closely on those issues as we support each other to deter potential conflict and threats to them," he added.
Pyongyang has been ratcheting up tensions with its menacing weapons tests, including the test-firing early this month of an intermediate-range ballistic missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead.
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington on April 18, 2024 in this photo released by the Associated Press. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · April 24, 2024
2. N. Korea sends economic delegation to Iran: KCNA
I am sure the leadership experts on north Korea will assess this delegation and determine if this "economic" delegation is coordinating weapons sales.
N. Korea sends economic delegation to Iran: KCNA | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · April 24, 2024
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has sent an economic delegation to Iran, Pyongyang's state media reported Wednesday.
The delegation, headed by External Economic Relations Minister Yun Jong-ho, left Pyongyang the previous day to visit Iran, the Korean Central News Agency said in a one-sentence dispatch.
Having established diplomatic ties in 1973, Pyongyang and Tehran are known to have close ties while under international sanctions for their weapons programs. The countries have been suspected of exchanging ballistic missile parts and technology, especially during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.
The trip raises speculation that North Korea may seek to deepen military ties with Iran amid Russia's war with Ukraine. Pyongyang and Tehran are known to be key providers of weapons to Moscow to support the war.
This image, captured from the Facebook page of the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on March 27, 2024, shows North Korean External Economic Relations Minister Yun Jong-ho (R) and Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora, posing for a photo in Pyongyang the previous day before a delegation, led by Yun, left for Russia. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · April 24, 2024
3. HRNK Quoted 12 Times in the U.S. Department of State's DPRK 2023 Human Rights Report
The PDF of the report can be downloaded here: https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/528267-KOREA-DEM-REP-2023-HUMAN-RIGHTS-REPORT.pdf
As an aside, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, Labor (which produced the referenced report) no longer provides funding for HRNK research.
Please note the following about HRNK and its work. It is one of the leading non-governmental organizations conducting research on north Korean human rights abuses.
Current Activities:
The Committee’s research and publication activities focus on how the North Korean totalitarian regime abuses the rights of its citizens, its vast system of political prisons and labor camps, the regime’s denial of equal access to food and goods, and the plight of refugees fleeing to China.
Our well documented studies have established our reputation and our leading role in the growing international network of human rights, humanitarian assistance, and policy organizations committed to opening up and revealing North Korea to the rest of the world.
Statement on Government Funding:
The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK), founded in 2001 and based in Washington DC, is a non-partisan human rights organization whose principal objective is to raise international awareness of North Korea's human rights situation through the publication of well documented reports and by undertaking outreach activities in support of the recommendations in those reports.
HRNK's funding comes primarily from foundations and individual donors. When the organization accepts funding from governments, it will be to further the mission of HRNK and not for any other purpose. As a non-governmental organization, it is independent from the direction of any government or from being under government influence in any way. It is the objectivity, impartiality and quality of HRNK's reports that have established its reputation and leading role in the network of human rights, humanitarian assistance, and policy organizations focused on North Korea. The organization under all circumstances will uphold its independent and non-political judgement in addressing North Korea's human rights situation.
https://www.hrnk.org/about/about-hrnk.php
For transparency, I am a member of the board of directors at HRNK.
HRNK Quoted 12 Times in the
U.S. Department of State's
DPRK 2023 Human Rights Report
https://mailchi.mp/44d1d153cc11/dos-report-2024?e=46d109134b
April 23, 2024
Link to Report
Dear Friends of HRNK,
Yesterday, Monday, April 22, the U.S. Department of State released its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2023.
The country report for North Korea, which can be accessed at this link, quotes HRNK 12 times.
The report references three HRNK publications, a statement by HRNK's Executive Director, and a video interview released by HRNK.
These materials address a range of issues: North Korea's vast network of detention facilities; women's rights in North Korea; the situation of North Korean workers dispatched overseas; and the Kim regime's "counter-offensive" against the influx of outside information.
The report references the following HRNK publications:
The report also includes a statement by HRNK's Executive Director:
- “North Korea’s women soldiers are subjected to relentless abuse, induced malnutrition, cruel punishment, sexual harassment and sexual assault.” (2021)
Furthermore, the report references a 2021 video interview produced by Doohyun Kim, HRNK Social Media Associate, entitled "The Shocking Life of a North Korean Female Soldier: The Reality of North Korea!"
HRNK will continue to investigate, document, and report the truth about the human rights situation in North Korea. We will share our findings and recommendations with key stakeholders, including governments, UN agencies and mandate holders, and civil society actors.
Our work would not be possible without the steadfast and generous support of our friends and donors. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you once again for your constant support, encouragement, and attention.
With gratitude and warm regards,
Greg Scarlatoiu
Executive Director
4. N.K. leader's sister slams joint S. Korea-U.S. military drills
Ah... I was wondering when we would hear from the evil sister again.
Unfortunately her words will influence some in Korea and the US who will say that it is the ROK/US alliance that is increasing tensions and that all the regime wants are security guarantees. For them (and Kim Jong Un) the number one security guarantee is the withdrawal of US forces from Korea.
N.K. leader's sister slams joint S. Korea-U.S. military drills | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · April 24, 2024
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday lambasted joint military drills between South Korea and the United States and vowed to strengthen the North's military power against hostile forces.
The statement by Kim Yo-jong, who serves as the vice department director of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, came as Seoul and Washington are conducting a two-week joint annual exercise to strengthen readiness against the North's military threats.
"Entering this year, the U.S. has staged more than 80 rounds of military drills with its lackeys and those individually staged by the ROK puppets total more than 60," Kim said in the statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), using the acronym of South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.
"This evidently shows who the arch criminals straining the regional situation are."
Kim also accused the allies and Japan of heightening tensions in the region "like a kindled detonating fuse" by holding trilateral military drills, according to the KCNA.
"We will continue to build up our overwhelming and most powerful military muscle to defend our sovereignty and security and regional peace. No one can break our determination," she said.
This July 31, 2023, footage from Korean Central Television shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
In another KCNA statement by the chief of the foreign news section of the Department of Press and Information at the North's foreign ministry, the North called on Seoul and Washington to immediately halt their ongoing exercise.
The official defended the North's tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack earlier this week as a "legitimate exercise of the right to self-defense" to deter a war.
The North has used joint South Korea-U.S. drills as a pretext for its military provocations while ramping up provocative acts, including weapons tests and aggressive rhetoric.
On Monday, North Korea conducted a tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack involving super-large multiple rocket launchers, which are assessed as short-range missiles that could put the entire South Korean territory within range.
mlee@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · April 24, 2024
5. S. Korea's nanosatellite launched from New Zealand for satellite constellation project
(2nd LD) S. Korea's nanosatellite launched from New Zealand for satellite constellation project | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Na-young · April 24, 2024
(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in paras 3-4, 8; ADDS new photo)
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean nanosatellite was launched into orbit as part of the nation's project to create a satellite constellation by 2027, officials said Wednesday.
The Earth observation satellite lifted off aboard Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from a spaceport in Mahia, New Zealand, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.
The satellite, named NEONSAT-1, was deployed into space at an altitude of 520 kilometers, about 50 minutes after the rocket's launch. NEONSAT stands for the New-space Earth Observation SATellite constellation for national safety.
Developed by the state-run Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) for mass production, NEONSAT-1 weighs less than 100 kilograms and has a resolution of 1 meter.
This image captured from Rocket Lab's YouTube livestream on April 24, 2024, shows its space rocket Electron lifting off from a spaceport in Mahia, New Zealand, carrying South Korea's first nanosatellite for the country's satellite constellation project. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The satellite was the first among 11 nanosatellites to form a satellite constellation to monitor and take images of the Korean Peninsula and its surrounding regions.
South Korea plans to launch five more nanosatellites into space in June 2026 and five more in September 2027.
The launch was originally set to take place at 7:08 a.m. but was delayed due to a potential risk of colliding with another space vehicle and other issues, according to the ministry.
The launch project was named B.T.S., short for "The Beginning of the Swarm," by the launch service provider Rocket Lab.
This image captured from Rocket Lab's YouTube livestream on April 24, 2024, shows its space rocket Electron lifting off from a spaceport in Mahia, New Zealand, carrying South Korea's first nanosatellite for the country's satellite constellation project. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Na-young · April 24, 2024
6. S. Korea warns N. Korea will face end of regime if it uses nuclear weapons
A fact, yes. The regime will end. But we need more than this type of rhetoric. We need to focus on the regime's failures, weaknesses, and internal problems.
S. Korea warns N. Korea will face end of regime if it uses nuclear weapons
The Korea Times · April 23, 2024
North Korea conducts a tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack, attended by it's leader Kim Jong-un, April 22. Yonhap
North Korea will face the end of its regime if it attempts to use nuclear weapons, the defense ministry warned Tuesday, after the North said it conducted rocket drills simulating a nuclear counterattack.
North Korea's state media said leader Kim Jong-un on Monday guided a tactical drill simulating a nuclear counterattack involving super-large multiple rocket launchers against enemy targets.
"If North Korea attempts to use weapons, it will face an immediate, overwhelming and decisive response from the South Korea-U.S. alliance, and the North Korean regime will face its end," ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyu said in a regular press briefing.
Jeon said North Korea's continued provocations would only strengthen South Korea's military capabilities and U.S. extended deterrence, and their trilateral security cooperation involving Japan.
Extended deterrence refers to America's commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally. The allies have been pursuing an integrated form of extended deterrence with Seoul leveraging its high-tech conventional military capabilities.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the North's latest missile tests appear to be "a show of force" against the ongoing military drills between Seoul and Washington as well as demonstrating its capabilities in lieu of its delayed spy satellite launch and arms sales abroad.
The South Korean military said earlier North Korea appears to be making preparations for its next launch of a spy satellite, although there are no signs of an imminent launch.
JCS spokesperson Lee Sung-jun evaluated North Korea's claim of a nuclear attack capability as "exaggerated" and the South Korean military is ready to detect and shoot down its ballistic missiles.
"North Korea is known to have not yet concluded its experiments with small tactical nuclear weapons," Lee said during the briefing.
The North's super-large multiple rocket launch system is classified as a short-range missile that could put the entire South Korean territory within range. Pyongyang has claimed a tactical nuclear warhead could be mounted on such a weapon.
The North said Monday's missiles accurately hit the target island within a 352-kilometer range, which is enough to hit South Korea's Gyeryongdae military headquarters, 160 kilometers south of Seoul, and an air base in Gunsan on the southwestern coast, where the joint aerial drills have been under way.
Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo, front, center, visits the 707th special mission group, an elite counter-terrorism unit under the Special Warfare Command, April 23, in this photo provided by the JCS. Yonhap
On Tuesday, JCS Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo visited the 707th special mission group, an elite counter-terrorism unit under the Special Warfare Command, to review its military readiness.
Kim highlighted the special force's role in eliminating the enemy's leadership in covert operations during a conflict and called for heightened vigilance against North Korean threats. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · April 23, 2024
7. Korea's spy agency set to join NATO-led cyber defense drill for 4th straight year
Korea's spy agency set to join NATO-led cyber defense drill for 4th straight year
The Korea Times · April 22, 2024
The poster for 2024 Locked Shields is seen in this image provided by the National Intelligence Service. Yonhap
Korea's spy agency said Monday it will participate in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-led annual cyber defense exercise for the fourth consecutive year.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS), along with 10 other Korean institutions, including the Korean Army and the Ministry of Unification, will collaborate with counterparts from Ireland for this year's Locked Shields exercise, running from Monday to Friday, according to the NIS.
Locked Shields is an annual cyber defense exercise led by 39 member nations of NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence to bolster their joint response system against cyber threats.
"Ireland is a newcomer to this year's exercise but it has demonstrated competitiveness as an IT power," the NIS said, noting it will strengthen bilateral ties with the European nation through this exercise.
The Korea-Ireland team plans to focus on their response to fake news and other global cyber issues this year, the NIS explained. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · April 22, 2024
8. South Korea needs to recharge foreign engagement following missed trips and opportunities
Excerpt:
State visits are important events — they are scheduled months in advance. It is like a complicated dance between two countries — diplomats behind scenes work hard preparing and making them successful. And when they do take place, the president is like a big guarantor — allows many business agreements to get a different scale support — on intergovernmental level, and get government backing, i.e. it is like the best insurance one can get. Many business agreements may not be realized but if they do, they become pillars of relations between two countries. So, it should be our head of state traveling and getting the best deals for the country. It isn't that any inaction breeds trouble. I'd go a step further by saying, any inaction breeds prejudice towards you, and how other states treat you. So, ideas of "Korea passing" or "North Korea discount" are largely of our own making. If we want a better future for our country, we cannot just sit around — we have to move, meet others and, by shaping those attitudes towards ourselves, make things happen.
South Korea needs to recharge foreign engagement following missed trips and opportunities
The Korea Times · April 23, 2024
By Eugene Lee
Eugene Lee
As the political drama of the recent general elections slowly winds down and gradually subsides, the question of what needs to be done next stands as urgent as ever, particularly in the sphere of international relations.
South Korea, a leading technological innovator and economic force in the East Asian economy, has traditionally focused its international engagement on its immediate region and established allies like the United States. However, the escalating polarization between the U.S. and China, compounded by developments in Ukraine and the Middle East, present new challenges for South Korea.
Analyzing economic data from the last five years, sourced from entities like The Economist or Korea Customs Service and incorporating insights from political analysts reveals several discernible trends. First of all, the trading world is not exactly what it used to be. The COVID-19 pandemic had its negative impact and economies are still trying to recuperate from it. As a result, the trade landscape appears quite tumultuous. Secondly, geopolitics also plays a significant role. As the countries are realigning their trading along their alliances, they tend to strengthen relations with certain partners while weakening ties with those who are siding with adversaries. The third one is the advancement in technology. Here I am talking about advanced technologies, like ultra-precision and micromanufacturing, nanoimprint lithography and AI semiconductors. Next come new energy technologies, like fast-charging and high-density EV batteries and advanced photovoltaics in production of efficient solar panels. Most of South Korea’s partners have made big changes and, in some case, big advances — look at the U.S. or China who are forging forward with their renewable energy projects. Japan and Taiwan are not far behind, with significant investments being made in bleeding-edge technologies. It seems Korea is somewhat lagging behind.
The question that begs for an answer is why Korea hasn't been able to adjust to those changes effectively. Once again, most analysts would point towards domestic politics. The past three months have shown a critical gap in South Korea’s foreign policy — a neglect of fostering stronger ties with other states.
For example, at the end of last month, the United Nations Security Council failed to extend the mechanism monitoring member states' compliance with and enforcement of the U.N. sanctions regime on North Korea, as Russia decided to veto the extension of the mandate. Some argue that this outcome was unavoidable, pointing to the rift between the U.S. and Russia. Indeed, there has been a noticeable deterioration in the U.N. sanctions regime since 2019. However, it is conceivable that preventive diplomacy could have mitigated this process. Even in the aftermath, it is still possible to sustain the effort by engaging countries and groups, for example the EU or G-7, directly. In other words, we need a more proactive state diplomacy.
Speaking of the EU, in February President Yoon Suk Yeol canceled a state visit to Germany and Denmark. And that has played against South Korea’s national interests. Germany currently is promoting its China Strategy which seeks to de-risk its ties with China, a lesson from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The visit could have been an opportunity to welcome German businesses seeking to relocate from China. In March, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with the Malaysian prime minister, Philippine president and Thai prime minister in one week resulting in cooperation agreements.
The Danes were able to minimize the fallout by sending their delegation led by the Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities in return. The visit ended in signing an agreement to install offshore wind farms in Korea, a boon for the Danish businesses and promised energy returns six years later for South Korea.
Then there is silence regarding the scheduled visit to Central Asia in April. Beyond their abundant natural resources, Central Asian states share interests in South Korea’s technological advancements, education, labor, renewable energy and smart cities. While South Korea's current focus on trade with China is significant, it has left untapped potential for collaboration with Central Asia in these rapidly growing sectors.
And then there was Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Washington a week ago. You might be wondering if it really matters? Actually, it does. The outcome was over 70 agreements in defense, business, culture and research. Among these, cooperation on the F-35 jet and space programs is exactly what Korea needs. In fact, some see this visit as the most important since World War II, as it raised the profile of Japan and also changed its stance in the global arena. The implications of this visit are critical for South Korean defense. For example, as it elevates the level of engagement between Japan and the U.S., it may change expectations regarding how U.S. assets located here are used in the event of a conflict involving Taiwan. This could be of paramount importance in case of any escalation on the peninsula.
State visits are important events — they are scheduled months in advance. It is like a complicated dance between two countries — diplomats behind scenes work hard preparing and making them successful. And when they do take place, the president is like a big guarantor — allows many business agreements to get a different scale support — on intergovernmental level, and get government backing, i.e. it is like the best insurance one can get. Many business agreements may not be realized but if they do, they become pillars of relations between two countries. So, it should be our head of state traveling and getting the best deals for the country. It isn't that any inaction breeds trouble. I'd go a step further by saying, any inaction breeds prejudice towards you, and how other states treat you. So, ideas of "Korea passing" or "North Korea discount" are largely of our own making. If we want a better future for our country, we cannot just sit around — we have to move, meet others and, by shaping those attitudes towards ourselves, make things happen.
Eugene Lee (mreulee@gmail.com) is a lecturing professor at the Graduate School of Governance at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul. Specializing in international relations and governance, his research and teaching focus on national and regional security, international development, government policies and Northeast and Central Asia.
The Korea Times · April 23, 2024
9. President should recalibrate his policy on North Korea
I disagree with Mr. Shinn. The long term policy the ROK needs is what the Yoon administration is developing - the pursuit of a free and unified Korea. An appeasement strategy will not protect the ROK or solve the "Korea question."
Conclusion:
To make sure that South Korea is a main driver on North Korea issues, Yoon should show his diplomatic flexibility that opens the possibility of negotiating with Kim. Even though he may want to sustain his hawkish image, he should start thinking about the scenario of his progressive successor leading the country in three years time. In the rapidly changing international security environment, it is time for the South Korean government and the National Assembly to coordinate on devising a long-term policy centered on peace and dialogue on North Korea so that it can be implemented no matter who takes the presidency in the future.
President should recalibrate his policy on North Korea
The Korea Times · April 22, 2024
By Mitch Shin
Mitch Shin
On April 10, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea won a landslide victory in the 22nd general elections. Due to the low approval rating of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, the ruling People Power Party again failed to secure the majority of the 300 National Assembly seats.
As the opposition parties won 192 seats, pundits and some in the PPP have demanded Yoon to change his stance on politics, urging him to work with the DPK and the opposition parties for the remaining three years in office. The demands have been made from growing concerns that the DPK may retake the presidency in the 2027 presidential elections if Yoon sustains his unpopular political style.
Among a series of issues he needs to work with the opposition parties, Yoon should first cooperate with the opposition parties over North Korea issues.
Since Yoon took office in May 2022, North Korea has aggressively tested advanced ballistic missiles while Seoul strengthened its alliance with Washington. When Yoon focused on rebuilding the country’s relations with Tokyo, Pyongyang took bold steps in which some pundits in the U.S. said that an all-out war on the Korean Peninsula could occur.
Although Pyongyang will unlikely go to war with Seoul, it has been apparent that the more steps Pyongyang takes, the more obstacles Seoul and Washington would need to remove in the future.
In September 2022, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said his nuclear weapons are no longer bargaining chips while announcing a new nuclear law that described the North as a “responsible nuclear weapons state” with the specification of five conditions for using nuclear weapons.
Firming his stance on building up nuclear weapons as an ultimate means to protect his country, Kim also publicly showed his changed stance on relations with South Korea. Defining South Korea as a “principal enemy,” Pyongyang also abandoned its policy of seeking unification with South Korea.
Amid the stalled inter-Korean dialogue and the nuclear talks between the U.S. and North Korea, Pyongyang seems to have supplied munitions involving short-range ballistic missiles to Moscow as a gesture to support it in the ongoing Ukraine war. As Russia is one of the five permanent members in the United Nations Security Council who have impeded the U.S.-led moves to impose additional sanctions against North Korea recently, the deepening cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang creates space for Kim to beef up his country’s military capabilities with the unknown exchanges from Moscow. In other words, Pyongyang seems to have concluded that it no longer needs to be desperate in convincing the U.S. to withdraw the economic sanctions if it can illicitly receive financial sources from Moscow and Beijing by strengthening ties with them.
Zhao Leji, a high-ranking Chinese official, recently met Kim in Pyongyang and reaffirmed ties with North Korea. China seems to have been a bystander in the intensified geopolitical dynamics but the recent visit of the Chinese official showed Beijing will be on the side of Pyongyang if the conflicts on the Korean Peninsula ostensibly occur again. Without Beijing's support as highlighted repeatedly in the past, the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula cannot unfold, which Seoul and Washington already know. However, the Yoon administration appears to have no interest in utilizing Beijing’s leverage to pressure Pyongyang to take steps toward its denuclearization.
Conservatives in South Korea may contend that strengthening ties with the U.S. as the way Yoon has pursued is the most effective overture to tackle the nuclear threats of North Korea at this time. In light of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, however, it is no longer a choice but a mandate move for Seoul to recalibrate its policy on Pyongyang.
In the months leading up to former U.S. President Barack Obama's departure from office in January 2017, one of the main challenges he grappled with was North Korea's nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic missile development. Consequently, he warned his successor, Donald Trump, about these critical issues before the new U.S. leader assumed office.
In order to show off his capabilities as being better than those of Obama, Trump made dramatic moves that consequently led him to be the first sitting U.S. president who directly negotiated with the North Korean leader. Although he failed to get Kim to give up his nuclear weapons in Hanoi, he demonstrated the ways that the U.S. could bring North Korea to the negotiating table.
According to polls, it is uncertain who is going to win in the presidential elections. As Kim hoped to exclude Yoon’s predecessor Moon Jae-in when he was in dialogue with Trump years ago, however, Yoon will clearly be off the negotiating table if Trump defeats U.S. President Joe Biden in November. In this case, it would be a more favorable environment for Kim to persuade Trump to accept a phased denuclearization plan that could ultimately make the U.S. pursue an arms control deal first. If so, North Korea may find space to discuss the preconditions for the withdrawal of the U.S. and U.N. economic sanctions which hawks both in Seoul and Washington can agree is the worst scenario.
No major policy shifts on North Korea will be made if Biden is re-elected. However, Yoon would still need to recalibrate his policy on North Korea just in case the second Biden administration attempts to sit down with Pyongyang more seriously than it did
To make sure that South Korea is a main driver on North Korea issues, Yoon should show his diplomatic flexibility that opens the possibility of negotiating with Kim. Even though he may want to sustain his hawkish image, he should start thinking about the scenario of his progressive successor leading the country in three years time. In the rapidly changing international security environment, it is time for the South Korean government and the National Assembly to coordinate on devising a long-term policy centered on peace and dialogue on North Korea so that it can be implemented no matter who takes the presidency in the future.
Mitch Shin is a chief correspondent for The Diplomat and a research fellow at the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy. Shin was a nonresident research fellow at the Institute for Security & Development Policy and Stockholm Korea Center and a nonresident Korea Foundation fellow at Pacific Forum.
The Korea Times · April 22, 2024
10. Seoul publishes latest edition of financial handbook for N. Korean defectors
Seoul publishes latest edition of financial handbook for N. Korean defectors
The Korea Times · April 23, 2024
North Korean defectors receive computer education at Hanawon in Anseong, on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the resettlement center for North Korean defectors, in this July 10, 2023 file photo. Joint Press Corps
The financial regulator said Tuesday that it has published the latest edition of a handbook for North Korean defectors designed to help guide the new settlers financially.
The third and newest edition of the financial guidebook will be distributed to those at Hanawon, a government resettlement facility for North Korean defectors, and will also be available at https://www.fss.or.kr/edu/main.jsp, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS).
The FSS "hopes the book will not only help North Korean defectors develop the basic financial capacity needed for their daily lives in South Korea, but also provide a strong foundation for them to quickly settle down as a member of our society and lead a stable economic life," it said in a press release.
Unlike previous editions, published in November 2015 and February 2019, the latest edition explains how to detect and avoid financial scams, including those involving cryptocurrency. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · April 23, 2024
11. Alarm sounded over major North Korean hacks
It is time to get aggressive and tough in dealing with north Korea's all purpose sword.
Alarm sounded over major North Korean hacks
Newsweek · by Micah McCartney · April 23, 2024
North Korean hackers have stolen technical data from South Korean defense companies, Seoul says.
The Hacking groups, which are believed to have North Korea's state backing, mounted the "all-out" cyberattacks for over a year, Korean National Police Agency said Tuesday, warning others in the industry to beef up security.
South Korea's defense industry has emerged as a major player in global arms trade with contracts for a range of weapons platforms, including advanced fighter jets, self-propelled howitzers, and naval vessels. The theft came amid heightened friction between the uneasy neighbors as Pyongyang presses forward with ballistic missile tests and its nuclear weapons program.
The South Korean authorities traced the cyberattacks targeting the firms, which were not named in the report, to IP addresses known to be used by three hacking organizations—Lazarus Group, Kimsuky, and Andariel.
In one of the cyber operations, which began in November 2022, hackers infiltrated its target by infecting the company's intranet with malware via its public network. This occurred while the security program was temporarily down during a network test.
Analysis confirmed that "important data" had been siphoned from six computers to cloud servers located overseas, the police said.
Newsweek reached out to the North Korean embassy in Beijing, China, with a written request for comment.
In a case that began around October of that year, the hackers gained access to a defense contractor by taking advantage of an opening: employees of a server maintenance company who used the same passwords for both private and company email accounts.
This file photo shows someone typing on keyboard. On April 23, South Korean national police said North Korean hackers had stolen technical data from unnamed defense companies. This file photo shows someone typing on keyboard. On April 23, South Korean national police said North Korean hackers had stolen technical data from unnamed defense companies. Getty Images
"As North Korea's hacking attempts targeting defense technology are expected to continue, we ask not only defense companies but also their suppliers to strengthen security measures," the police agency said.
It went on to advise security measures such as keeping internal and public networks separate, setting up two-factor authentication, regularly changing email passwords, and blocking unauthorized IP addresses.
"North Korea's cyber program will pose a sophisticated and agile espionage, cybercrime, and attack threat. Pyongyang's cyber forces have matured and are fully capable of achieving a variety of strategic objectives against diverse targets, including a wider target set in the United States and South Korea," the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in its 2024 threat assessment report released in February.
The ODNI said the reclusive country is also leveraging its capabilities "to launder and cash out stolen cryptocurrency; and maintain a program of IT workers serving abroad to earn additional funds."
Newsweek · by Micah McCartney · April 23, 2024
12. North Korea Continues to Rattle Sabers with Short-Range Missiles Launches
Rattling sabers to divert domestic attention from the regime's failures and weakness.
North Korea Continues to Rattle Sabers with Short-Range Missiles Launches
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that the weapons flew about 300 kilometers (185 miles) before crashing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
The National Interest · by Peter Suciu · April 23, 2024
North Korea continues to be the kid in the back of the class who isn’t the largest or toughest, is far from the smartest or most successful, and is truly anything but popular—yet, it wants everyone to know it is there. That was made clear on Monday as it fired “several” short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast.
According to a report from the Associated Press, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that the weapons were launched from a site near the capital of Pyongyang and flew about 300 kilometers (185 miles) before crashing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The ranges would serve to suggest the missiles could likely strike targets in South Korea.
Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, also told reporters that Pyongyang launched at least one ballistic missile, which flew 250 kilometers (155 miles) at a maximum altitude of about 50 kilometers (30 miles).
Ignoring Bans
U.N. Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from launching both ballistic missiles and satellites. The world body’s Security Council adopted nine major sanctions resolutions on North Korea in response to the country’s nuclear and missile activities since 2006.
In addition to imposing sanctions, the resolutions gave U.N. member states the authority to interdict and inspect North Korean cargo within their territory, and subsequently seize and dispose of illicit shipments. In addition, it called upon North Korea to rejoin the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which it acceded to in 1985 but withdrew from in 2003 after U.S. allegations that the country was pursuing an illegal uranium enrichment program.
Russia and China, which had both voted to approve all Security Council resolutions against the North, have tried unsuccessfully to require the sanctions to be renewed annually, Reuters reported.
There have also been reports that North Korea is developing hypersonic weapons, while there is speculation that Pyongyang has aided Iran in developing ballistic missiles, including those that were fired at Israel earlier this month.
North Korea: A Satellite State
The U.N. further considers a North Korean satellite launch a test of its prohibited ballistic missile technology. Yet, last November, North Korea went forward with the launch of a military satellite in violation of the resolutions. However, there remain widespread doubts about its capability. In late December, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed that his nation would launch three additional military spy satellites in 2024.
South Korea’s military warned on Monday that it had detected evidence that North Korea is preparing for a spy satellite launch but there are no signs that it’s imminent.
“While North Korea’s activities preparing for an additional military satellite launch have been consistently detected, there are no imminent signs of a launch,” Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a regular press briefing on Monday. “It is hard to predict the timing, but we are closely monitoring such activities.”
Seoul officials have also speculated that North Korea’s progress in its space program was the result of technological assistance from Russia following the rare summit between Kim and Russian president Vladimir Putin in September 2023.
South Korea has also moved forward with its own military satellites and launched its second reconnaissance satellite into space on April 8 under a plan to acquire five military spy satellites by 2025 to better monitor North Korea. It first launched a spy satellite last December.
Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: KCNA Screengrab.
The National Interest · by Peter Suciu · April 23, 2024
13. North Korea sends officials to Iran amid suspected military cooperation
Two (junior?) members of the axis of dictators/totalitarians/evil.
North Korea sends officials to Iran amid suspected military cooperation
The delegation is led by Yun Jong Ho, who has been active in the country’s increasing exchanges with Russia.
By RFA Staff
2024.04.23
rfa.org
A North Korean delegation led by the cabinet minister for international trade is visiting Iran, the North’s state-run media reported on Wednesday, amid suspicion Tehran used North Korean weapons technology for its attack on Israel.
The minister for external economic relations, Yun Jong Ho, left Pyongyang on Tuesday by air leading a ministry delegation to Iran, the Korean Central News Agency said, without providing further details.
Yun, who previously worked on ties with Syria, has been active in North Korea’s increasing exchanges with Russia, this month leading a delegation on a visit to Moscow, KCNA added.
The North’s announcement comes after some experts raised the possibility that North Korean parts or military technology could have been used by Iran against Israel, following the launch of more than 300 drones and missiles on April 13. The experts cited close military cooperation between Pyongyang and Tehran.
South Korea’s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, said last Wednesday it was looking into whether the North’s weapons technology was used in the ballistic missiles that Iran launched against Israel.
“We are keeping tabs on whether the North Korean technology was included in Iran’s ballistic missiles launched against Israel, given the North and Iran’s missile cooperation in the past,” the NIS said.
Separately, Matthew Miller, a U.S. State Department spokesperson, said last Tuesday that the United States was “incredibly concerned” about long-suspected military cooperation between North Korea and Iran.
Having established diplomatic ties in 1973, North Korea and Iran have long been suspected of cooperating on ballistic missile programs, possibly exchanging technical expertise and components for their manufacture.
A 2019 report by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency showed Iran’s Shahab-3 ballistic missiles were developed based on North Korea’s midrange Rodong missiles.
The Khorramshahr missile that Iran has developed is also believed to be technically linked to North Korea’s Musudan missiles.
North Korea has also been suspected of involvement in arms trade with Russia, although the two countries have denied that transfers have taken place.
Since August, North Korea has made 10 weapons transfers of an estimated one million shells to Russia, according to the NIS, which is widely seen as an attempt by North Korea to boost its sagging economy amid aftermath of COVID-19 and international sanctions.
Other reports have suggested North Korea has delivered ballistic missiles to Russia’s military, citing U.S. satellite images.
Edited by Mike Firn.
rfa.org
14. Students, residents pressed into North Korean construction projects
Another indicator of how difficult the conditions are inside the north.
Excerpts;
The policy calls for 20 North Korean counties to construct modern factories every year over the next 10 years to improve people’s “material standard of living.” Each corps of the Korean People’s Army was ordered to mobilize troops to contribute to the construction projects.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Kimhyongjik factory took place on March 10, but the military was only able to provide about 700 personnel, a Ryanggang resident who asked not to be identified told RFA.
With a population of less than 60,000 people, Kimhyongjik county is having a hard time finding workers to build the factory, she said.
“All of the young people are serving in the military, so there is a severe shortage of manpower needed to build the local factory.”
Students, residents pressed into North Korean construction projects
Children as young as 12 are working long hours as part of Kim Jong Un's development plan.
By Ahn Chang Gyu and Moon Sung Hui for RFA Korean
2024.04.23
rfa.org
North Korean authorities are addressing a labor shortage by conscripting ordinary residents and students as young as 12 to work on state-mandated construction projects, sources inside North Korea told Radio Free Asia.
In the northern province of Ryanggang, officials In Kimhyongjik county have required students to work on factory construction sites as part of leader Kim Jong Un’s plan to accelerate industrial development under the so-called “20×10 Local Development Policy” that was announced in December.
The policy calls for 20 North Korean counties to construct modern factories every year over the next 10 years to improve people’s “material standard of living.” Each corps of the Korean People’s Army was ordered to mobilize troops to contribute to the construction projects.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Kimhyongjik factory took place on March 10, but the military was only able to provide about 700 personnel, a Ryanggang resident who asked not to be identified told RFA.
With a population of less than 60,000 people, Kimhyongjik county is having a hard time finding workers to build the factory, she said.
“All of the young people are serving in the military, so there is a severe shortage of manpower needed to build the local factory.”
Looming deadline
The Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of North Korea announced that all 20×10 factory construction projects must be completed by Sep. 9 and begin normal operations on Sep. 10 to coincide with North Korea’s independence holiday.
Another resident told RFA that regional authorities are turning to students, older women and ordinary laborers to meet the deadline.
“Students are not an exception. As of April 5, middle and high school students between the ages of 12 and 17 are being mobilized for pre-meal work to collect sand and gravel for the factory’s foundation,” he explained.
A ground-breaking ceremony for the third-stage construction project to build 10,000 flats in the Hwasong area of Pyongyang, Feb. 23, 2023. (KCNA via KNS/AFP)
“From 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., they are collecting sand and gravel,” he said. “They are in school from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., then they collect sand and gravel again from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. They are forced to work even on Sundays, which are rest days.”
Older members of the Socialist Women's Union of Korea are also being mobilized seven days a week to collect foundation materials from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., while local laborers are tasked with constructing blocks for the factory’s walls.
Residents have expressed concerns about the effect of the harsh labor on the health of children. They argued that high school students should not be working on construction sites before school, and that middle school students should not be working at all.
Some parents have even begun keeping their children home from school under the pretense of illness to protect them from forced labor, the sources said.
Threats and bribes
Meanwhile, authorities in the capital of Pyongyang are struggling to retain laborers for Kim Jong Un’s “10,000-home project.”
Launched in 2021, the plan calls for 10,000 homes to be constructed per year in Pyongyang for a period of five years. So far, 30,000 homes have been completed.
When the 10,000-home project began in 2021, many Pyongyang residents volunteered to become “stormtroopers” – what North Korea calls soldiers or ordinary people engaged in construction projects – with the hope that they would be assigned housing as a reward,” one Pyongyang resident said.
However, many residents who have yet to receive homes after years of intense labor now wish to return to their original factory jobs and are trying to desert their construction work. And residents who have already been assigned homes since becoming stormtroopers are no longer motivated to continue working on the construction sites.
Pyongyang officials have responded to the desertions with both threats and bribes.
One worker who decided to return to his factory job after receiving a home due to health concerns had his Workers’ Party status threatened by a low-level party secretary.
“If you have received the party’s consideration, you should think about repaying the favor,” the official told him, according to the RFA source. “Why do you pursue your own comfort first? You are not qualified as a member of the party.”
Losing the favor of the party can have serious consequences for individuals and their families, making it difficult for workers to disobey the demands of party leaders.
Other officials have attempted to retain stormtroopers by promising them that if they stay on the construction project until its completion in 2025, they will be rewarded with homes.
Translated by Claire S. Lee. Edited by Claire McCrea and Malcolm Foster.
rfa.org
15. Yoon says N. Korea must not dare challenge S. Korea
Yoon says N. Korea must not dare challenge S. Korea | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · April 24, 2024
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol called on the military Wednesday to maintain a firm readiness posture so North Korea does not dare challenge South Korea, according to his office.
Yoon made the remark during a meeting with Gen. Kang Ho-pil, the new vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, following a ceremony to mark the general's promotion and appointment.
"The president stressed that they maintain a firm readiness posture so that North Korea does not dare challenge us at a time when the security situation is more serious than ever," the presidential office said.
During the ceremony, Yoon presented Kang with a ribbon engraved with his position, rank and name and tied it to his "samjeonggeom" sword, which military officers receive upon being promoted to a brigadier general and signify national defense, unification and prosperity.
President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) poses for a photo with Gen. Kang Ho-pil, new vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a ceremony at the presidential office in Seoul on April 24, 2024. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · April 24, 2024
16. N. Korea calls envisioned US aid to Ukraine 'hallucinogen'
I think the Propaganda and Agitation Department still needs some better English advisors. I am not sure if the use of hallucinogen is most effective.
But at least we know the regime is paying attention to US politics.
I guess this makes sense but I am not sure it is the best propaganda effort.
"The U.S. bill on additional military aid... is merely a hallucinogen that temporarily eases the fears of the Zelenskyy cabal that is driven to a corner day by day," Im said in the statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.
N. Korea calls envisioned US aid to Ukraine 'hallucinogen'
The Korea Times · by 2024-04-24 11:06 | World · April 24, 2024
North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Im Chon-il, center, is seen in the Russian city of Vladivostok, April 22, 2019. Yonhap
North Korea on Wednesday called a U.S. aid package to war-torn Ukraine awaiting final approval a "hallucinogen," saying that such support cannot put a brake on Kiev's war with Russia.
The statement by North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Im Chon-il came amid Pyongyang's deepening military cooperation with Moscow that has spawned speculation over their arms deal for Russia's use in the war.
US preparing $1 bil. weapons package for Ukraine, officials say
"The U.S. bill on additional military aid... is merely a hallucinogen that temporarily eases the fears of the Zelenskyy cabal that is driven to a corner day by day," Im said in the statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.
Im claimed any military aid from the United States will not be able to halt the Russian military's fight to defend its sovereignty and safety.
Late Tuesday (local time), the U.S. Senate passed the $61 billion aid package for Kiev that now only awaits U.S. President Joe Biden's signature. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · by 2024-04-24 11:06 | World · April 24, 2024
17. N. Korea encourages Chinese businesspeople to resume commercial activities
Who in their right mind would want to do business in north Korea? (Of course if I went to north Korea or China I would not bring my cell phone for fear of being hacked).
N. Korea encourages Chinese businesspeople to resume commercial activities - Daily NK English
The businesspeople were not allowed to bring their mobile phones, which led to complaints
By Seulkee Jang - April 24, 2024
dailynk.com · by Seulkee Jang · April 24, 2024
An aerial view of downtown Sinuiju taken from the Chinese side of the border. (Wikimedia Commons)
The North Korean government is encouraging Chinese businesspeople to resume business activities they were forced to suspend when North Korea closed its borders because of COVID-19. This suggests that economic cooperation between North Korea and China appears to be picking up speed following the visit to North Korea by Zhao Leji, chair of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source in North Pyongan Province told Daily NK on Tuesday that the North Korean authorities have issued entrance permits for around 10 Chinese businesspeople with ties to the trade management bureau at the North Pyongan Province People’s Committee.
The Chinese businesspeople entered the North Korean city of Sinuiju from the Chinese city of Dandong, in Liaoning Province. According to the source, they are inspecting the shops and warehouses they had operated in Sinuiju prior to the North Korean border closure as they prepare to resume their business activities there.
At the moment, the businesspeople are focused on repairing their facilities and have not imported any of the materials they would need for business or any products to sell in the North.
The North Korean authorities are also allowing Chinese businesspeople with factories or stores in other parts of the country to visit the North to put their facilities back in order.
However, small-time Chinese merchants are not yet allowed to enter the country, according to the source. Chinese businesspeople will probably not be able to fully resume their business activities in North Korea until small-time merchants are also allowed to visit.
North Korea has also granted permission for Chinese living overseas (hwagyo) to enter the country, but not to bring in any products for sale.
However, the Chinese businesspeople who visited North Korea were not allowed to bring their Chinese mobile phones into the country, the source said.
The North Korean authorities strictly forbid the use of Chinese-made mobile phones to prevent information about the country from leaking overseas and to stop North Koreans from smuggling items or receiving remittances from overseas. Those mobile phone restrictions also apply to foreigners who enter the country for business.
That prompted the Chinese businesspeople to complain that not having access to their mobile phones would inevitably disrupt their business operations, the source said.
Relatedly, North Korean trading companies are doing brisk business with individual Chinese businesspeople.
Daily NK reported previously that trade has been picking up in the provinces since North Korea’s enactment of the “20×10 regional development policy” in January, and large amounts of construction materials and machinery needed to modernize factories are being imported into the country.
Following the rebound in trade and the launch of the regional development policy, the Chinese yuan-North Korean won exchange rate at North Korean markets has risen from around KPW 1,200 to around KPW 1,800.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons. For more information about Daily NK’s network of reporting partners and information-gathering activities, please visit our FAQ page here.
Please send any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
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dailynk.com · by Seulkee Jang · April 24, 2024
18. Abuse of opium remains a problem in N. Korea amid economic downturn
Another datapoint on the social and economic conditions inside north Korea.
Abuse of opium remains a problem in N. Korea amid economic downturn - Daily NK English
In Hamhung, a growing number of people are seeking opium instead of relatively expensive methamphetamine, with some developing addictions
By Lee Chae Un - April 24, 2024
dailynk.com · by Lee Chae Un · April 24, 2024
FILE PHOTO: Opium manufactured at the Ranam Pharmaceuticals Factory in Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province. (Daily NK)
Several opium addicts have died recently in Kilju County, North Hamgyong Province, Daily NK has learned.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Daily NK source in North Hamgyong Province said Monday that a man in his 50s who lived alone after his wife divorced him over his opium habit was found dead by the head of his neighborhood watch on Apr. 13 when she came by to deliver instructions regarding Kim Il Sung’s birthday on Apr. 15.
The man – who used to take opium at least twice a day – had shown signs of mental problems when he was unable to buy opium this year due to debts and worsening money problems.
Another man in his 50s – unable to work because of his opium addiction and wandering around after selling his house – was found dead on the street in March. County police confirmed his identity during an investigation.
Opium has long been known as a cure-all in North Korea and is often used as a substitute for medicine, even for relatively common ailments such as diarrhea. Many elderly North Koreans even take regular opium injections, believing that opium injections every six months will help prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Because people use opium as a substitute for medicine, some take too much or too often and become addicted. The number of addicts has risen, especially in rural areas, as some people grow opium secretly in their homes to avoid crackdowns.
“People who get addicted to opium can’t stop and keep buying opium even if they have to sell all their possessions,” the source said. “Because of this, most opium addicts end up on the streets or living alone after divorce.
“Opium addicts eventually die after suffering from symptoms such as tremors, headaches and anxiety because they are starving due to lack of food and can’t buy opium due to lack of money due to the recent economic difficulties,” he added.
Hamhung residents turn to opium as a cheaper alternative to meth
In Hamhung, South Hamgyong Province, a growing number of people are seeking opium instead of relatively expensive methamphetamine, with some developing addictions.
A source in the province said Hamhung “has one of the highest rates of meth use in the country, perhaps because the drug is produced there, but recently people have started injecting opium instead because they have no money.” As a result, he said, “people are suffering after getting addicted to opium.”
He added: “People addicted to opium show all kinds of symptoms, such as mumbling and shaking like a leaf. In Hungnam District, there are about two people who show these symptoms in every neighborhood watch unitNeighborhood watch units (inminban, people's units) are Nort... More.
“They are supposed to arrest people who buy or sell drugs like opium or meth, but the police see it as a way to make money by taking bribes to cover it up. Despite the seriousness of the situation, with a growing number of addicts and people dying of addiction, the state has not responded and there are no proper crackdowns.”
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons. For more information about Daily NK’s network of reporting partners and information-gathering activities, please visit our FAQ page here.
Please send any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
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dailynk.com · by Lee Chae Un · April 24, 2024
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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