Quotes of the Day:
"Inspect every piece of pseudoscience and you will find a security blanket, a thumb to suck, a skirt to hold. What does the scientist have to offer in exchange? Uncertainty! Insecurity!"
- Isaac Asimov from Guide to Science.
"Hastiness and superficiality are the psychic diseases of the twentieth century, and more than anywhere else this disease is reflected in the press."
- Alexander Solzhenitsyn
"The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions."
- Robert WIlson Lynd
1. N. Korea has not staged military parade yet: source
2. South Korea Conducts Second SLBM Test from KSS-III Submarine
3. Yoon's delegates meet Japan's top diplomat, note need for strengthened Seoul-Tokyo ties
4. Yoon's temporary office to be set up on 5th floor of defense ministry building
5. S. Korea honors 15 officers for last year's mission to rescue Afghan coworkers
6. North Korea's military parade never materialized
7. Cheong Wa Dae to open to public at noon on May 10
8. Significance of the Ukraine war
9. Yoon's delegation, Japanese foreign minister agree on need to mend frayed ties
10. ＜Inside N.Korea＞ Hunger spreads in rural areas in April; farmers run out of food, and people in cities have no cash income… The authorities implement weak measures to resolve these issues
11. N.Korean Hackers 'Work out of Chinese Hotels'
12. North Korea changed the scheduled date for its military parade in early April
13. N. Korea to severely crackdown on market activities of teens and 20-somethings from May
14. Several elementary school teachers in Hamhung reported to authorities for “excessive bribes”
15. N.Korea, Russia develop ‘strongest ever’ mutual support on global issues: state media
16. Marshall Plan for North Korea proposed as a big step for peace
1. N. Korea has not staged military parade yet: source
I know everyone is disappointed. Kim must be paying with us.
(2nd LD) N. Korea has not staged military parade yet: source | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in last 4 paras)
By Yi Wonju and Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, April 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has not yet held a military parade that is widely expected to take place in Pyongyang to mark a key national anniversary this week, an informed source said Monday.
Many had predicted the opening of the parade at midnight on the occasion of the 90th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army (KPRA) that falls on the day. The KPRA is the anti-Japanese guerilla force known to have been created by national founder Kim Il-sung in 1932.
Satellite imagery showed the secretive North's apparent preparations, involving thousands of troops and key pieces of military equipment, to hold a street parade at the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, an event used as part of efforts to cement internal unity and highlight its military presence.
Some observers here said the parade might have been delayed due to weather or other unspecified conditions amid a forecast of rain in the North's capital.
North Korean state media, including the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), carried articles on the anniversary without mentioning whether a military parade was held as of early Monday morning.
In an editorial, the North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, instead urged all people and the country's armed forces to devote their "absolute loyalty" to leader Kim Jong-un.
"We must more thoroughly establish the revolutionary discipline and order, in which the party, nation and the people move in unity under the leadership of the central party with the ideologies and intentions of our respected and beloved general secretary boiling within our hearts," it said.
A photo exhibition was also held to highlight the great achievements of the KPRA to celebrate the anniversary, according to the KCNA.
Many expect the North to hold a military parade to send a message to its people and the outside world, and to strengthen internal unity. The country usually marks every fifth and 10th political anniversaries with large-scale celebrations.
Under the leadership of Kim, who took power in late 2011, the North has held nine major military parades for national celebrations, including the founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party on Oct. 10.
North Korea has observed the army founding anniversary on April 25 since 1978, before switching the date back to Feb. 8 in 2018.
South Korea's Ministry of Unification said it is keeping close tabs on the North as Pyongyang has held military parades at various times in the past.
"We are keeping a close eye in close communication with the relevant authorities, bearing in mind that North Korean media outlets have not reported of a military parade," Cha Deok-cheol, the ministry's acting spokesperson, told a regular press briefing.
Past events indicate that the North usually carries reports of the military parade the following day, with recorded footage, when it is held in the morning or the afternoon, according to Cha.
Pyongyang has held two military parades at midnight, in October 2020 and September 2021, since Kim took power. The North reported the parade in the morning and broadcast the recorded parade in the afternoon, he said.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
2. South Korea Conducts Second SLBM Test from KSS-III Submarine
South Korea Conducts Second SLBM Test from KSS-III Submarine - Naval News
On April 18th, two SLBMs were fired in succession within 20 seconds of one another, traveling over 400 km before splashing into the sea within a pre-designated target area. The new SLBM is based on South Korea’s Hyunmoo-2B, a land based ballistic missile that has a range of 500 km.
Analysts say that this is likely to be the last test before the missile reaches operational capability:
“The most recent launch follows in the footsteps of the first and was meant to evaluate the SLBM’s effectiveness under realistic deployment conditions,. This test will contribute significantly to strengthening our military capabilities, ensuring that the SLBM reaches operational capability without delay. Moreover, we plan on developing other advanced capabilities in order to maintain peace on the Korean peninsula.”
ROK military spokesperson
Once the KSS-III program is complete, the ROKN will be able to launch a total of 78 SLBMs, with the lighter Batch-I carrying 6 missiles per ship and the heavier Batch-II and Batch-III vessels carrying 10 each.
Unlike last September, neither the Blue House nor the military have attempted to publicize the most recent test. Some analysts point out that this one occurred amidst growing tension on the Korean peninsula, with North Korea firing a “new guided weapon” just two days prior, in addition to making preparations for resuming nuclear tests and for a large-scale military parade in recent weeks. Furthermore, the Combined Command Post Training, a joint military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea which has been criticized by North Korea in the past, began on the day of the launch. The deliberate attempt to keep a low-profile may have been aimed at preventing tensions from escalating any further.
About KSS-III Submarines
Click to Enlarge. South Korea has become the first country to arm modern AIP (Air Independent Power) submarines with ballistic missiles. The KSS-III (Dosan Ahn Changho class).
The first KSS-III Batch-I sub, ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, was commissioned into the ROKN on August 13th last year. Three KSS-III Batch-I submarines have been launched so far, with the last unit, ROKS Shin Chae-ho, scheduled for delivery in 2024. The ROKN plans to acquire another 3 Batch-II submarines, followed by 3 more Batch-III ships, for a total of 9 KSS-III submarines. The KSS-III, also called the Jang-Bogo-III or Dosan Ahn Changho-class, is the last phase of the KSS program, which, when finished, will see the ROKN acquire a total of 27 submarines.
The KSS-III, being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) is the largest class of submarines in the ROKN. Displacement has grown with each phase of the KSS program; the KSS-I and KSS-II displaces 1,200 tons and 1,800 tons respectively when surfaced. The KSS-III submarines are twice as heavy with the Batch-I displacing over 3,300 tons surfaced, while the Batch-II displaces closer to 3,600 tons surfaced. KSS-III Batch-III ships are even heavier and will likely have a surface displacement of around 4,000 tons.
Launch ceremony for the third and final KSS III Batch 1 submarine of the ROK Navy, held at HHI’s Ulsan shipyard.
The KSS-III submarines will introduce new technologies to the ROKN. For example, the Batch-II will be the second submarine in the world to use lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, after the Soryu-class in service with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. The use of Li-ion batteries means that the ship will be able to remain submerged for longer, making it less vulnerable to anti-submarine platforms. It will also have a more advanced sonar and combat system than previous submarines.
According to DSME, 80% of the components in the Batch-II ships will be produced domestically, a significant increase compared to previous models. It is hoped that this will create jobs and make the ship more competitive in the export market. Some components, however, will be produced abroad, with Spain’s Indra and France’s ECA Group providing the signals intelligence system and steering consoles respectively.
3. Yoon's delegates meet Japan's top diplomat, note need for strengthened Seoul-Tokyo ties
Per the headline, hopefully Japan feels the same way.
Excerpts:
During the meeting, Yoon's team gave a briefing on the new administration's policy direction on Japan, but did not discuss a specific proposal related to such high-profile matters as wartime forced labor and sexual enslavement of Korean women, he added.
"(The two countries) will have to make efforts to reach a conclusion (on the issues) through in-depth dialogue and negotiations via official diplomatic channels," he said, referring to the long-running sources of friction between Seoul and Tokyo.
On the possibility of formally inviting Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to attend Yoon's inauguration ceremony slated for May 10, Chung said South Korean officials are ready to warmly welcome and host him if he decides to do so.
(2nd LD) Yoon's delegates meet Japan's top diplomat, note need for strengthened Seoul-Tokyo ties | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in last 7 paras)
TOKYO, April 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's delegation had a meeting with Japan's top diplomat Monday and the two sides agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation between the neighboring countries, the head of the team said.
The seven-member delegation, led by Rep. Chung Jin-suk of Yoon's conservative People Power Party, arrived in Tokyo the previous day for a five-day stay two weeks ahead of his inauguration.
The delegates met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and agreed to "reach a conclusion" on pending bilateral issues "through dialogue," Chung told reporters.
"As good neighbors that share the value of free democracy and open economy as well as future tasks, (we) agreed to closely maintain and strengthen bilateral relations," he added.
During the meeting, Yoon's team gave a briefing on the new administration's policy direction on Japan, but did not discuss a specific proposal related to such high-profile matters as wartime forced labor and sexual enslavement of Korean women, he added.
"(The two countries) will have to make efforts to reach a conclusion (on the issues) through in-depth dialogue and negotiations via official diplomatic channels," he said, referring to the long-running sources of friction between Seoul and Tokyo.
On the possibility of formally inviting Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to attend Yoon's inauguration ceremony slated for May 10, Chung said South Korean officials are ready to warmly welcome and host him if he decides to do so.
Later in the day, the delegation met with Japan's trade minister Koichi Hagiuda and discussed Tokyo's export curbs against South Korea.
In 2019, Japan imposed restrictions on exports of three key industrial materials essential for chip and display making -- photoresist, etching gas and fluorinated polyimide -- after the top court in South Korea ordered Japanese firms in 2018 to compensate Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor.
"Though the two nations have pending issues, including export curbs, we proposed that Seoul and Tokyo wisely work together to build a mutually beneficial relationship from a new start line," Chung told reporters.
He said the two sides plan to continue constructive discussions at working levels.
In a separate meeting with reporters, a key Japanese economic official repeated Japan's existing stance, saying South Korea should first drop its World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint against Tokyo's export curbs if it wants to continue policy talks with Japan.
In June 2020, South Korea requested the WTO open a dispute-settlement panel to review Japan's export restrictions.
The delegation plans to attend a dinner reception hosted by Hayashi at his official residence later in the day.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
4. Yoon's temporary office to be set up on 5th floor of defense ministry building
Yoon's temporary office to be set up on 5th floor of defense ministry building | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, April 25 (Yonhap) -- President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's temporary office will be set up on the fifth floor of the defense ministry headquarters before a permanent office is established on the second floor, officials said Monday.
Yoon will be the first president to work from what is now the defense ministry compound, as he decided to move the presidential office there to keep his campaign promise to return Cheong Wa Dae to the public.
"Starting on May 10, President-elect Yoon will work from the fifth floor, and the permanent office will be set up on the second floor," Rep. Yoon Han-hong, who heads a relocation task force, said during a press briefing, referring to Yoon's inauguration date.
"Once the defense ministry moves out after the combined South Korea-U.S. military exercises, the second to fourth floors will be remodeled," he said.
The sixth floor will be reserved for Yoon's aides, while the presidential security service will move onto the ninth floor.
A press room will be set up on the first floor.
Relocating the presidential office has also meant moving the presidential residence out of Cheong Wa Dae.
The foreign minister's official residence, which is located near the defense ministry compound, will be remodeled into the new presidential residence after May 10.
Yoon is expected to commute from his private residence in southern Seoul for a month while the renovation is under way.
"The distance from Seocho-dong (Yoon's private home) to the (new) Yongsan office is 7 to 8 kilometers, and the travel time is around 10 minutes," Kim Yong-hyun, a member of the task force, said at the briefing, adding the president-elect plans to travel during hours that will minimize traffic disruptions and take various routes.
On whether a new presidential residence could be built on the defense ministry compound, Kim said no such discussions have taken place.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
5. S. Korea honors 15 officers for last year's mission to rescue Afghan coworkers
S. Korea honors 15 officers for last year's mission to rescue Afghan coworkers | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, April 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Monday conferred state decorations and citations on 15 military officers for their participation in last year's humanitarian mission to rescue nearly 400 Afghan coworkers and family members.
Defense Minister Suh Wook presented the awards to them and praised their successful completion of "Operation Miracle" under which they brought to Korea the Afghans that had faced Taliban threats for having supported foreign operations.
The awardees included Air Force Maj. Yang Jin-woo, the pilot of a C-130J transport plane mobilized for the mission, and Army Col. Chang Se-geun who led the on-the-ground operation. Yang received an order of national security merit while Chang got a national security medal.
During the awarding ceremony, the minister said that the rescue operation highlighted the importance of "strong power" needed to protect the nation and its citizens.
"The duty of the military is to do its utmost by establishing strong security and a robust defense posture so as to ensure citizens can rest assured and lead their day-to-day lives in peace," he was quoted as saying.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
6. North Korea's military parade never materialized
Weathered out? What if the leaders did not deem the troops ready? Imagine the punishments if that were true.
Monday
April 25, 2022
North Korea's military parade never materialized
Pyongyang residents cheered a military parade on Sep. 10, 2021, in the streets leading to Kim Il Sung Square. [YONHAP]
North Korea did not hold a military parade expected on Sunday.
The military parade was expected to be held at midnight Sunday for the anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Revolutionary Army (KPRA). Lights were lit ahead of the event around Kim Il Sung Square but the parade did not happen.
The South Korean government and other analysts had expected a parade on the square due to activity around Mirim Airport in Pyongyang and the fact that North Korea had foregone celebrations of the 110th anniversary of the birth of founding leader Kim Il Sung last week.
Why the parade did not take place was unknown.
According to North Korea, the KPRA was established by Kim Il Sung on April 25, 1932, for anti-Japanese activities, and is the basis for the North Korean military. Kim was the grandfather of current North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies detected preparations for a parade around Mirim Airport and Kim Il Sung Square.
“We expected the military parade to take place at midnight on Sunday,” a South Korean government official said. “We are analyzing whether they have canceled the parade altogether or delayed it.”
The official pointed out that the weather around Pyongyang could have been a reason. “Pyongyang had thick clouds and some rain even into early Monday morning,” he noted. Another possibility for the cancelation could have been “due to the fact that South and North Korean leaders exchanged letters last week.”
North Korea has delayed key national events due to weather in the past. In October 2015, it delayed a military parade for the 70th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea from the morning to the afternoon due to rain.
If weather was the problem, the parade could be held Monday or Tuesday.
According to an editorial in the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the founding date of the KPRA is “a historical day that has great significance in the construction of the armed forces and the fulfillment of the Juche revolution.” Juche, meaning self-reliance, is the state ideology of North Korea.
Meanwhile, NK News, an American news organization specializing in North Korea, said Sunday that it had detected signs that North Korea had recently operated passenger flights from Sunan Airport in Pyongyang to bring local officials from other parts of the country to Pyongyang and that large numbers of officials were staying at various accommodations in the North Korean capital.
“If you look at past cases, North Korea has had military parades at various times and reported it afterwards, rather than holding them uniformly at a specific time," said Cha Duk-chul, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification. "We are maintaining close contact with relevant organizations and monitoring the situation carefully.”
North Korea’s last military parade was held in September 2021, when no new weapons were unveiled. In a parade in October 2020, North Korea displayed weapons that experts say were likely to be the world’s largest intercontinental ballistic missile.
BY CHUNG YEONG-GYO [kjdnational@joongang.co.kr]
7. Cheong Wa Dae to open to public at noon on May 10
Cheong Wa Dae to open to public at noon on May 10 | Yonhap News Agency
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, April 25 (Yonhap) -- The presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae will open to the public at noon on May 10, immediately after President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration ceremony, in line with Yoon's promise to return the compound to the people, officials said Monday.
Visits can be booked in advance online starting Wednesday at 10 a.m. and will be limited to 39,000 people per day, or up to 6,500 people per two-hour time slot, according to the officials on the Cheong Wa Dae relocation task force.
"We decided to fully open the doors to Cheong Wa Dae as the inauguration ceremony on May 10 ends," Rep. Yoon Han-hong, chief of the task force on presidential office relocation, said during a press briefing.
"Thus, the main building and the guest house, as well as the top-class garden Nokjiwon and Sangchunjae will be reborn into an open space that can be enjoyed by all the people," he said.
Yoon promised during the campaign to relocate the presidential office out of Cheong Wa Dae and return the compound to the public, saying the move would help him connect better with the people as Cheong Wa Dae had become "a symbol of imperial power."
The new presidential office will be set up on what is now the defense ministry compound in Seoul's Yongsan district.
"The symbol of power that was closed for over 600 years, including 500 years under the Joseon Dynasty and 74 years following the foundation of the Republic of Korea -- that space will return to the bosom of the people," Rep. Yoon said.
Visits will run from noon to 8 p.m. on May 10, and then from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day after that, including weekends.
The current Cheong Wa Dae tour program is limited to 1,500 people per day, but the new program will allow 26 times more people to visit and freely without a guide.
Some areas of the compound, including parts of the presidential residence and the main building, will be off-limits until after all sensitive equipment and documents are carried out.
Rep. Yoon said various cultural events will be held from May 10 to 22 to mark Cheong Wa Dae's opening, including at a presidential retreat in Cheongju, a presidential archive in Sejong and a Cheong Wa Dae model in Hapcheon.
The Mount Bukak trails behind Cheong Wa Dae will also fully open to the public on May 10 and will not require reservations or limit the number of visitors.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
8. Significance of the Ukraine war
In addition to a comprehensive analysis of Putin's War, the author provides this important perspective regarding Korea and China.
Excerpts:
Relations with North Korea and China
In due time, Russia’s regression could have an impact on China and North Korea. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has moved in sync with Putin on international affairs, could find his standing on the international stage greatly weakened. After earning foreign currency through labor in Russia and relying on international assistance, North Korea could no longer expect such benefits. The weakening in the alliance among North Korea, China and Russia can help denuclearize North Korea. But we cannot exclude the possibility of them uniting to engage in provocation to show off their solidarity.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine provoked a swift and decisive international reaction and resulted in scrutiny about other possible aggression, such as China’s invasion of Taiwan or North Korea’s missiles and nuclear threats. Putin’s downfall and the retreat of Russia also could accelerate international cooperation in the Northern Sea Route, which Moscow prepared to monopolize when the sea route connecting northern Europe and northeast Asia is expected to open in 2030.
South Korea must respond to the UN and other international calls to support the freedom of Ukraine. We must be thoroughly prepared for the impact and aftermath of the war. Russia must pay a dear price for its cruel act of violence. Justice in the end always prevails.
Monday
April 25, 2022
Significance of the Ukraine war
Kim Min-seok
The author, a former editorial writer and director of the Institute for Military and Security Affairs at the JoongAng Ilbo, is a senior writer on military affairs.
“Godless,” a brutal Wild West miniseries on the Netflix, would also be a fitting title for the invasion of Ukraine. Hundreds of civilian bodies with their hands and feet tied were left abandoned in cities as Russians advanced and retreated. Apartments and office buildings were shattered by merciless shelling. The sights are the most horrific since World War II. Was Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow speaking for the devil when he called Vladimir Putin’s ruthless campaign “a holy war?”
Ukrainian people are waging a desperate war against the evil power of the Russian president. The United States, Britain and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organizations (NATO) are backing Ukraine indirectly lest direct engagement should provoke nuclear-armed Russia and trigger a World War III. It is like gangsters going on randomly attacking civilians in daylight while police and authorities do little about it. As mankind had often witnessed, justice is distant to a nation without its own power.
Putin’s misjudgment
Russia is hardly laughing. It is headed for a lengthy decline due to Putin’s misjudgment and his brutality. He has messed up big time due to his political greed to protect his power, the country’s security interests and a poorly thought-out war strategy.
Putin started the war for political and military reasons. According to an analysis by experts on Russia, Moscow wished to tame its neighbor who were trying to bolt away from traditional alliance with Russia and join the Western European society. Another reason is to protect Crimea, which hosts Russian military bases and the country’s Black Sea Fleet.
The fleet in the Black Sea is Russia’s centerpiece for naval operation and strategy. Since it was deployed in the Russian-occupied city of Sevastopol in Crimea in 1837, the Black Sea Fleet took part in nearly all Russian military campaigns, including the 1853-56 Crimean War, the two world wars, the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the 2008 Russo-Georgian War and the 2011 Syrian War, which is still ongoing. The fleet cruises the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic to contain southern Europe. Russia has deployed over 10 military units in the peninsula to support the fleet.
The Black Sea Fleet came under pressure after the pro-western and democracy fever swept Ukraine in February 2014. Since the Euromaidan Revolution, the Russian fleet was asked to leave Crimea. Angered, Moscow invaded Crimea in late February and forcefully annexed it. After Ukraine readied to join the NATO last year, Russia launched a full-fledged assault on the rest of Ukraine.
A Ukrainian serviceman holds a rosary presented by military chaplains after an Orthodox Easter service as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues in Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 24.A Russian warship presumed to be the Moskva, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, sinks after being hit by a ground-to-ship missile fired by Ukrainian forces. [TWITTER CAPTURE]
The need to support the fleet
Russians would have to pull the fleet out of Crimea if Ukraine stops supplying water and cuts off ground routes for military supplies after joining NATO. Up to 86 percent of Crimea’s freshwater needs are met through the North Crimean Canal, with water intake from reservoirs built at the lower reaches of the Dnieper River in Ukraine. Military supplies to sustain Russian troops and the Black Sea Fleet rely on the southern coastal roads in Ukraine via Mariupol.
Putin’s first goal was to secure the southern canal region of the Dnieper River and southern coastal roads along Mariupol. The second is to force Ukraine into capitulating politically by capturing Kyiv, the capital, so that Ukraine would never dare suggest the eviction of the Black Sea Fleet. The aim is to establish a permanent buffer east of the Dnieper River and neutralize Ukraine. Putin reportedly thought the operation would last 72 hours.
But the plan has not panned out as Putin has envisioned. The Russians have not been able to occupy Mariupol since they started the war on February 24 and have not captured Kyiv. After Russia even struggled in Donbas — the traditional pro-Moscow region and home of key logistics infrastructure for the Russians — Moscow has sent in reinforcements for an all-out assault. The waterway is also not safe. Once Russians leave, Ukraine can immediately cut off water running through the canal.
Unexpected cyber warfare
The early setback in the Russian military operation stemmed from the underestimation of Ukraine’s resistance and international response. Putin carried out the latest operation using the Russian manual for so-called hybrid warfare, employing cyber operation, intelligence operation and deployment of military forces in stages. Despite a brief success in the early stage of the war, cyber warfare turned against Russia after an international hackers group called Anonymous joined forces to attack Russia, disabling Russian government, media and corporate websites in protest of the unjust war. Russia’s cyber infrastructure was destabilized as a result.
The second-stage propaganda war also did not proceed as planned, due to the defeat in cyber warfare. Russia wanted to weaken the power of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky through fake news and cause political chaos in Ukraine. But Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite system helped social media send updates on Russian aggression around the world, uniting the Ukrainian people to defend their country. The developments were something Putin had not expected.
Due to strong resistance in all cities, Russia’s battalion tactical groups (BTG) struggled in ground battles. The Javelin anti-tank missiles and other weapons from the United States and others helped Ukraine’s defense. As of April 16, Russia has lost approximately 20,000 soldiers, 760 tanks, and 160 fighter jets. Moskva — the 11,490-ton flagship of the Black Sea Fleet fitted with cutting-edge radar and rotary cannon — was hit by a Neptune, a relatively unsophisticated ground-to-ship missile, and sank. Interceptors on the $750-million warship to down enemy missiles were of no use.
A Russian warship presumed to be the Moskva, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, sinks after being hit by a groupd-to-ship missile fired by Ukraine forces. [TWITTER CAPTURE]
As BTG failed to seize key cities in Ukraine, the war prolonged and Russian troops have run out of fool, fuel and other supplies. After scaling back his war goals, Putin withdrew troops from the Kyiv area and concentrated on seizing industrial base of Donbas and Mariupol. Whether the plan will work remains to be seen unless Moscow resorts to the extreme measure of using biochemical or strategic nuclear weapons.
Whether Putin wins his war or not, he is bound for doom as Russia’s leader. He has been named a war criminal and isolated by international society. Russia’s foreign-exchange reserves have been frozen and the economy has hit rock bottom. The war is estimated to have cost Russia as much as $600 billion, or more than $20 billion each day. Russia is facing its worst period since 1990, shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union. The economic hardship could bring about a change in political system in Russia. Democratization fever could mean the end of Putin’s leadership.
Relations with North Korea and China
In due time, Russia’s regression could have an impact on China and North Korea. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has moved in sync with Putin on international affairs, could find his standing on the international stage greatly weakened. After earning foreign currency through labor in Russia and relying on international assistance, North Korea could no longer expect such benefits. The weakening in the alliance among North Korea, China and Russia can help denuclearize North Korea. But we cannot exclude the possibility of them uniting to engage in provocation to show off their solidarity.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine provoked a swift and decisive international reaction and resulted in scrutiny about other possible aggression, such as China’s invasion of Taiwan or North Korea’s missiles and nuclear threats. Putin’s downfall and the retreat of Russia also could accelerate international cooperation in the Northern Sea Route, which Moscow prepared to monopolize when the sea route connecting northern Europe and northeast Asia is expected to open in 2030.
South Korea must respond to the UN and other international calls to support the freedom of Ukraine. We must be thoroughly prepared for the impact and aftermath of the war. Russia must pay a dear price for its cruel act of violence. Justice in the end always prevails.
9. Yoon's delegation, Japanese foreign minister agree on need to mend frayed ties
Good words. But now we need action.
Yoon's delegation, Japanese foreign minister agree on need to mend frayed ties
South Korea's Deputy National Assembly Speaker Chung Jin-suk, left, who heads President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's delegation for policy consultations with Japan talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, second from right, during their meeting at the Japanese foreign ministry in Tokyo, Monday. Yonhap
Delegation to meet with Japanese PM Kishida Wednesday
By Kang Seung-woo
President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's policy consultation delegation and Japan's top diplomat concurred on the need, Monday, to bolster relations between South Korea and Japan on the occasion of Seoul's leadership change, according to the head of the team.
However, the delegates did not go into detail about thorny issues over wartime history such as sexual slavery and forced labor that have prevented the neighboring countries from getting along with each other for years.
The seven-member delegation, led by Vice National Assembly Speaker Rep. Chung Jin-suk, who flew to Tokyo on a five-day trip, Sunday, sat down with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, who was accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Mori.
"The two countries agreed that the cooperative relationship should be closely maintained and strengthened as neighboring countries that share the values of liberal democracy, market economy and shared future tasks," Chung said following its meeting with Hayashi.
"Bilateral efforts are required to resolve key issues between South Korea and Japan, so I suggested that the South Korean and Japanese governments make diplomatic efforts to live up to public expectations by taking advantage of new momentum (from the inauguration of a new South Korean government)."
During the meeting, the delegation also delivered Yoon's message on South Korea-Japan ties to Hayashi.
"In a word, Yoon wants to restore bilateral relations to their heyday as soon as possible and I made this clear to the foreign minister," Chung said.
The Japanese foreign ministry also announced that Hayashi had received a courtesy call from the delegation earlier in the day.
"In the exchange of opinions with the vice foreign minister, candid discussions were made on how to proceed with Japan-South Korea relations under the next South Korean administration and how to deal with North Korea," it said in a press statement.
Currently, ties between South Korea and Japan have slumped to their worst level in years due to Tokyo's imposition of export controls on three key materials critical for the semiconductor and display industries here, in an apparent retaliation against a ruling by South Korea's Supreme Court ordering Japanese companies to compensate surviving Korean victims of wartime forced labor.
In that respect, there was speculation that the delegation might negotiate with the Japanese side on the pending issues.
The Japanese government has insisted that the South Korean government comes up with solutions to the sexual slavery and forced labor issues in order to normalize bilateral ties, because Japan believes the two issues have already been resolved by bilateral agreements signed decades ago.
However, Chung rejected the conjecture, saying that the meeting was aimed at signaling Yoon's diplomatic direction with Japan.
"We did not make any suggestion to the Japanese government regarding the issues," the five-term lawmaker said.
"They could be resolved through intensive talks and negotiations via an official diplomatic channel," he added.
The delegation is expected to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Wednesday, and ask him to attend Yoon's inauguration ceremony, scheduled for May 10.
Chung said South Korean officials will warmly welcome and host him if he decides to attend the event.
10. ＜Inside N.Korea＞ Hunger spreads in rural areas in April; farmers run out of food, and people in cities have no cash income… The authorities implement weak measures to resolve these issues
One of the most dire assessments of late.
Are we prepared for the contingencies that could result from north Korean internal instability?
＜Inside N.Korea＞ Hunger spreads in rural areas in April; farmers run out of food, and people in cities have no cash income… The authorities implement weak measures to resolve these issues
A rural woman pulling a cow. Peasants are treated poorly as they are considered the lowest class in North Korea. Taken in a rural area on the outskirts of Pyongyang in October 2008. Chang Jong-gil (ASIAPRESS)
Starting in April North Korea faces a major problem as the number of “food-insecure households,” or families that have almost run out of cash and food, has increased in various parts of the country. In urban areas, the authorities are distributing small amounts of corn to the poorest people, but in rural areas it has been found that farms are being put in charge of relief efforts, essentially meaning that there appear to be no relief efforts by the government for starving people.. (Kang Ji-won / Jiro Ishimaru)
North Korea is currently in the midst of an annual period where food is in short supply, a time before the fall harvest called the “barley hump,” or poritgogae. This period marks the start of the "spring plight," when the harvest from the previous autumn is consumed and food reserves are all eaten up, forcing people to endure until corn and rice are again harvested from the end of August to October.
◆The urban poor are starving
In April, ASIAPRESS received heartbreaking reports from its collaborators in various regions of North Korea
At the Musan Mine in Musan County, North Hamkyung Province – the largest company in the county – there is an increasing number of households that lack the ability to eat on a daily basis.
"Workers only get 5-7 days' worth of corn a month. It is said that the mine will manage and support “food-insecure households”, but no special measures have been put in place,” a local collaborator told. He further noted that there are many workers who are hungry and cannot go to work.
ASIAPRESS received another report from a collaborator in Hyesan city, Ryanggang Province.
“Starting two years ago, the People's Committee (the local government) has occasionally provided corn only to “food-insecure households” that would starve to death if left untouched. In addition, 30 kg of corn was supplied to each inminban (people's unit) on the Day of the Sun (Kim Il-sung's birthday on April 15th) and distributed to poor households.
In the area in which I live, four households were given 7 kilograms each. However, there are complaints as to why it is only given to the “food-insecure households.” They say it's strange to give only to households that have no one to take care of, even though households such as ones with sick people or who have been scammed or thieved, are suffering as well.”
Ordinary residents and workers in urban areas are starving because of North Korea’s economic downturn. People part of the country’s disadvantaged class who have suffered reductions in their cash income can no longer buy food in local markets.
A rural woman walking beside a field with a large back sac. Taken in mid-July 2021 ASIAPRESS
◆Why are farmers - the producers of the country - starving?
Currently, the people who are facing the most difficulty are North Korea’s food producers – the country’s farmers.
Over the past several years, ASIAPRESS has conducted field surveys of a collective farm in North Hamkyung Province. The farm will be referred to here as “Farm A.” The farm boasts about 500 farmers who mainly grow corn. Among farms in North Hamgyong Province, it is somewhat small in size.
At the collective farm, there are work groups that handle each type of crop, such as rice, corn, and vegetables, and under the work groups there are the subgroups that plant and harvest the crops. The subgroups currently consist of about 10-12 people.
Farm A’s crop yield decreased last year due to the lack of fertilizer. About 250 kg of corn was supposed to be distributed to each member of the subgroups, but only about 150-170 kg was distributed. Households that had consumed all the food they received began to appear as early as March.
Farm managers instructed each subgroup to investigate the extent of the lack of food and provide food to those that needed it. In past years, subgroups have survived these types of difficulties by stockpiling grains for the spring plight and prioritizing the distribution of this food to poor households during the fall harvest.
◆ The number of people living with one meal or less per day is increasing
However, this year, the government didn’t allow the farm to stockpile grain for its reserves. As a result, the grain was added to the production of crops handed over to the state, leaving no reserves at all. Therefore, in mid-March, each subgroup at the farm decided to collect 1.5 kg of corn per farmer and distribute this corn to food-insecure households.
In mid-April, when an ASIAPRESS collaborator revisited Farm A, the situation was even worse than before. The collaborator explained:
“In every subgroup, at least three of the (subgroup) members can only eat less than one meal a day. It's hard for people who are new to farms and are not used to life in rural areas or who are sick. It has become worse than it was in March.”
At the cooperative farms, "labor man-hours" are calculated based on the number of working days and the weight of work, and the distribution amount increases or decreases according to it. However, most households with fewer points due to illness, injury, and accidents eat up all the food that is distributed early.
Map of North Korea ( ASIAPRESS)
◆ The government’s intensifying controls deliver a death blow
In addition, the three controls strongly promoted by the Kim Jong-un administration are adding to the challenge faced by food-insecure households.
The first measure implemented by the government has been to thoroughly prevent grains from leaving farming areas. Starting in the past, the government - wary of losing food that should be given to the state – has been preventing grains from leaving farm areas by setting up checkpoints on roads heading from farm areas to cities until officials collect the quotas of crops for the military and the state.
This checkpoint system is now in place all the time, meaning that armed guards are stationed around the farm warehouses to monitor theft and the siphoning off of grains. As a result, farmers can no longer sell their own cache of grains to merchants in urban areas while urban sellers are no longer able to come and buy grain in rural areas. In short, farmers have lost their way to earn cash.
Secondly, the government has prohibited the cultivation of hill and mountain slopes and other non-agricultural land, collectively known as “sotoji.” The Kim Jong-un administration is cracking down on farmers' cultivation of mountain slopes in the name of forest protection. Those who violate this rule are subject to having their crops taken away without mercy.
The third measure implemented by the government is the prohibition on "selling on credit." Many rich people in urban areas and farm managers had been lending grain, cash, and daily necessities at high interest rates to farmers who couldn't eat during the "barley hump” period on the condition that the farmers would pay the lenders back after the fall harvest. In North Korean parlance, money or goods lent out this way are called “tegeori” or “yijadon.”
This business is terrible because it takes advantage of poor farmers; however, but for hungry farmers, the lending makes it possible for them to overcome hunger for the time being. Starting two years ago, “selling on credit” has been a focus of government crackdowns as a “non-socialist act.” The authorities say that such bad behavior was created by the “exploiter class” in the past.
"They have taken the forceful approach of writing-off past debt, , so no one 'sells on credit' to hungry farmers anymore," says the collaborator.
◆ Prospects for North Korea’s future grain production
Farm A, having exhausted all possible ways to improve the situation, finally sent a petition to the central government in April asking for food supplies from the state. However, the government has taken absolutely no measures to supply food as of mid-April.
The collaborator who provided the information for this article concluded his report as follows:
"Currently, Farm A still possesses about 20% of the harvested grain that must be handed over to the state. Farmers are hoping that the state will return the grain to the poor.
Farmers themselves are starving, and agricultural machinery such as tractors, fertilizers, fuel are prioritized for the country’s grainbasket of (North and South ) Hwanghae provinces. As a result, many areas of the country will face difficulties in agricultural production this year.”
* ASIAPRESS sends Chinese phones into North Korea to stay in touch with its collaborators.
11. N.Korean Hackers 'Work out of Chinese Hotels'
N.Korean Hackers 'Work out of Chinese Hotels'
The U.S. government has issued a series of warnings against cyber attacks and hacking attempts, especially from North Korea.
The Washington Post pointed out the contradictions. "In the world of government-backed hackers, North Korea stands out for its sheer weirdness," it said on April 22. "The vast majority of its residents have no Internet access... Yet Pyongyang has been able to build a hacking army that rivals nearly any on the globe."
North Korean hackers are based in hotels in China because of the extremely threadbare internet connection network in their home country and because it allows them to evade detection.
Eric Chien at Symantec described North Korea as being like the mafia or a criminal gang.
"Hackers there are more likely to steal cryptocurrency than to steal secret information from a rival government like their peers in other cyber-savvy nations," the daily said. "Much of the stolen money goes to fund the heavily sanctioned nation's nuclear program and other government operations."
12. North Korea changed the scheduled date for its military parade in early April
If this is an accurate assessment I guess we could assess their military equipment was still not sufficiently developed to put on display on April 25th. So when will they show us what they have developed?
North Korea changed the scheduled date for its military parade in early April
Some observers believe the country delayed the parade because it had not completed its arsenal to the point that it could put it on display
Weapons systems put on display during North Korea’s military parade on October 10, 2020. (Rodong Sinmun - News1)
North Korean authorities appear to be making continued preparations for a large-scale military parade. Even in North Korea itself, people had predicted that the country would hold a military parade on Apr. 15 to mark the birthday of late national founder Kim Il Sung. North Korea’s leadership apparently wrestled with the timing of the parade through early April.
According to a Daily NK source in North Korea on Friday, that the military parade would not be held on Apr. 15 was made known in early April. Before the change was made known, the military parade’s headquarters was reportedly planning the event for Apr. 15.
From the time North Korean authorities started recruiting soldiers to participate in the parade in June of last year, they made it clear that the event would mark Kim Il Sung’s birthday, a holiday North Koreans call the Day of the Sun. Not only did the headquarters preparing the parade believe until recently that the parade would be held on Apr. 15, but so did the military units supporting the parade.
In fact, the General Staff Department issued an order last June to the operations and training departments of military units and military schools nationwide on personnel recruitment and training plans for a “military parade to commemorate the 100th Day of the Sun.”
The order explained that the parade would “deeply honor” and “splendidly commemorate” Kim, the “founder of socialist Choson [North Korea] and the sun of the nation” in the hearts of the entire people.
However, Daily NK was unable to determine exactly when and why North Korea’s leadership changed the date of the parade.
That said, within the ruling party, some people said the parade was delayed as the party’s event preparations committee began planning early this year for national commemorative events to be held from late leader Kim Jong Il’s 80th birthday on Feb. 16 to the 90th anniversary of the founding of North Korea’s military on Apr. 25.
In fact, during the Sixth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Party Congress on Jan. 19, the politburo of the Central Committee adopted a resolution to “splendidly celebrate” the 100th birthday of Kim Il Sung and the 80th birthday of Kim Jong Il.
With the adoption of the resolution, the authorities designated the period from Feb. 16 to Apr. 25 as the “greatest celebratory period of the nation,” ordering organizations throughout the country to emphasize the accomplishments of the first 10 years of current North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s reign on every holiday of the celebratory period.
After the military parade was delayed past Apr. 15, some North Koreans claimed that the anniversary of the founding of the North Korean military is a better holiday to highlight the current Kim’s greatest accomplishment of strengthening national defense than the birthday of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung.
This is because the authorities can underscore that while Kim Il Sung organized his army to resist the Japanese with a few rifles, Kim Jong Un succeeded in giving North Korea a nuclear arsenal amid difficulties while holding firm to the “independent revolutionary line” for the last decade.
Inside North Korea, the authorities are reportedly underscoring that this year is the time to bring the advancement of the nation’s nuclear arsenal to its peak. The country is trying to make optimal use of the current period to develop its nuclear arsenal, with tensions between the US and China and the US and Russia leading to repeated failures by the UN Security Council to place sanctions on North Korea.
Meanwhile, some observers believe the country delayed the parade because it had not completed its arsenal to the point that it could put it on display.
In a telephone conversation with Daily NK, Yang Uk, an associate research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said North Korea appears to be rushing quite a bit in regards to nuclear weapons development. He said the military parade could have been delayed somewhat since the weapons systems they wanted to show off are incomplete.
From Jan. 5 to Apr. 16, North Korea has committed 13 military provocations this year alone. Many kinds of weapons were used in these provocations, including medium-range ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, short-range ballistic missiles, long-range cruise missiles, surface-to-surface tactical guided missiles, ICBMs, multiple rocket systems, and “new type” tactical guided weapons.
Rather than showing off the gradual, systematic development of a single weapons system, the authorities appear to have been scrambling to show off a number of weapons systems. Because of this, North Korean authorities may increase the number of previously unveiled weapon systems in this parade, or fix up the exteriors of incomplete systems to put on display.
Yang said that if North Korea cannot display any new weapons, the country could roll out several hypersonic missiles or show off launch systems like mobile rocket launchers. He also speculated that North Korea — feeling the need to emphasize its strategic weapons — could focus on warheads, displaying MRVs or MIRVs.
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Seulkee Jang is one of Daily NK’s full-time journalists. Please direct any questions about her articles to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
13. N. Korea to severely crackdown on market activities of teens and 20-somethings from May
This is one of the most significant threats to the regime. Will the crackdowns lead to the development of resistance potential?
N. Korea to severely crackdown on market activities of teens and 20-somethings from May
Many people in their 20s are shirking the country's "organizational life" to do business, particularly young women
A “grasshopper market,” or unofficial market, in a village near Pyongyang. (Chinese blogger Lóng Wǔ*Láng Zhī Wěn)
Starting in May, North Korean authorities plan to restrict and severely crackdown on teens and 20-somethings involved in commercial activities at markets, Daily NK has learned.
This development comes as the authorities continue efforts to prevent “ideological laxity” among young people in the country.
A source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Friday that inminban (people’s units) in Hoeryong held meetings regarding these plans on Apr. 18. The meetings informed locals that in accordance with an Apr. 11 decision, the authorities would crack down on people in their teens and 20s engaging in marketplace commerce, and that young people caught doing business would be subject to “legal punishments.”
According to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, a growing number of teens are paying their way out Socialist Patriotic Youth League activities, citing economic difficulties as an excuse. Even teenagers who have yet to graduate high school are engaging in commerce in marketplaces and alleyways.
People in their 20s are also shirking the country’s “organizational life” to do business, particularly young women.
North Korean women in their 20s openly say that doing what the party says is the “road to starvation,” and are aggressively jumping into commercial activity to prepare for marriage or put together seed money for their future, the source said.
He further noted that North Korean women inevitably engage in commerce to earn money for their families as they are subject to less organizational control than the male heads of households, who are generally tied to the military or other organizations. As a result, young women are actively engaging in marketplace commerce.
Since the “Arduous March” period of the 1990s, when the state distribution system collapsed, the vitality and economic power of women has tended to keep families afloat. This is also why many of the donju (North Korea’s wealthy entrepreneurial class) are women.
The source said young people have watched the previous generation make a living and even grow wealthy through commerce. As such, they strongly believe they must make money to survive in a country where the distribution system has collapsed. This has motivated a lot of young people everywhere to dive into business, he added.
However, North Korean authorities regard young people shirking “organizational life” to do business as a serious problem. The authorities regard commercial activities as anti-party, anti-revolutionary, and anti-socialist behavior that runs counter to party policy, and are intensifying their efforts to curb such behavior.
These efforts on the part of the government appear aimed at preventing ideological laxity on the part of young people – an issue directly tied to regime survival – by ensuring that those of them engaged in commerce cannot escape state control.
However, many North Koreans are taking a dim view of the government’s efforts to control the market activities of young people. What difference does age make, they ask, when we all have to make a living in the same world? They also say young people not even out of school — who should be enjoying themselves and full of hope for the future — would not be doing business in markets unless they faced difficult circumstances.
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Lee Chae Un is one of Daily NK’s full-time journalists. She can be reached at dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
14. Several elementary school teachers in Hamhung reported to authorities for “excessive bribes”
The socialist workers paradise is not much of a paradise.
Several elementary school teachers in Hamhung reported to authorities for “excessive bribes”
Several homeroom teachers demanded that parents pay KPW 60,000 per student for the maintenance of classrooms, research labs, and fences around the school
2022.04.25 5:00pm
The Rodong Sinmun published a photo on Apr. 2 of school children at their first day of school on Apr. 1. (Rodong Sinmun-News1)
Several first-grade homeroom teachers at an elementary school in Hamhung, South Hamgyong Province, were recently reported to the provincial department of education after asking parents for an excessive amount of money for classroom expenses.
“Homeroom teachers at the Saemaul Elementary School in Hamhung took advantage of the new semester and the inflow of new students to have parents pay an enormous amount of money for what they called school and classroom expenses. Parents of new students who were outraged at such behavior reported it to the provincial education department,” a source in South Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Apr. 15.
The school handed down homeroom teacher and classroom assignments for first-grade students in mid-March. Teachers then organized a parent committee to help manage various aspects of the school followed by the appointment of a committee chairperson, the source said.
During this process, the homeroom teachers demanded that the parents pay KPW 60,000 per student for the maintenance of classrooms, research labs, and fences around the school.
“The homeroom teachers were bold enough to ask for such a large amount of money because the school is located in the center of a city with many wealthy residents involved in commercial activities. These teachers are used to receiving substantial financial support from parents who are eager to flatter teachers as they compete with one another for their children’s prestige,” the source said.
Parents were particularly outraged at the teachers for pre-selecting several students to serve as a discussant during a discussion session to be held during the school’s entrance ceremony. The pre-selection of students provoked a competitive bidding war among parents that forced them to pay more to the teachers for their own child to receive the honor. Ultimately, the teachers selected the child of the highest bidding household as the discussant.
Angry parents then reported the teachers’ behavior to the provincial education department. The teachers in question were not dismissed; instead, they have been reassigned to teach general classes without being attached to a homeroom, the source said.
Furthermore, classes are expected to be reorganized as outraged parents are protesting against the school’s decision to separate classes based on the financial status of the students.
“Parents and local residents are concerned that innocent young children are being emotionally hurt by their households’ financial situation. They are vehemently criticizing the money-grubbing school and the dishonorable actions of the teachers, complaining that they ‘don’t know where this society is headed,’” the source said.
Above all, people are voicing anger at the fact that groundless demands for money are coming not just from schools but from everywhere during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to the closure of the country’s borders along with the reduction in commercial activity due to falling supplies of goods.
Translated by Youngheon Kim. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Jong So Yong is one of Daily NK’s freelance reporters. Questions about her articles can be directed to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
15. N.Korea, Russia develop ‘strongest ever’ mutual support on global issues: state media
north Korea continues to be on the wrong side of history.
N.Korea, Russia develop ‘strongest ever’ mutual support on global issues: state media
Rodong Sinmun says N.Korea entirely supports Russian people’s ‘justified struggle’ to protect autonomy
Published : Apr 25, 2022 - 15:41 Updated : Apr 25, 2022 - 17:23
(123rf)
North Korea and Russia have developed their ties and sent the strongest ever support to each other on the international stage, as their reinforced relations have contributed to ensuring peace and security in Northeast Asia, the North Korean state newspaper said Monday in a special article.
The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, published the special article to mark the three-year anniversary of the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 25, 2019.
“The friendly relations between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Russia, which have been continuously strengthened and developed by its predecessors, are entering a new heyday with the special interest of the dear respected comrade general secretary (Kim Jong-un),” the newspaper said in a Korean-language article. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.
The Rodong Sinmun also underlined that the bilateral friendship has continued to move forward toward development while “steadfastly overcoming hardship throughout history.”
“The DPRK-Russia friendship was forged in blood on the battlefield against the imperialists’ act of invading and maneuvering a war, and it has been reinforced and developed in the struggle to protect peace and security.”
The newspaper also notably highlighted strengthened coordination between Russia and North Korea in every field including global issues, elucidating that both countries seek to “develop friendly, reciprocal and cooperative relationships on the principle of respect for sovereignty and equality.”
“The two countries have fulfilled great achievements in every field of bilateral relations through close contact and reciprocal cooperation, while boldly overcoming all kinds of challenges, ordeals and sabotage following the agreements made at the summit,” the newspaper said. “The mutual support on the international stage has become stronger than ever.”
N. Korea endorses Russia’s invasion
The Rodong Sinmun conspicuously endorsed Russia’s armed invasion of Ukraine without directly referring to it.
“We are sending our full support and showing solidarity to the justified struggle of the Russian people to protect the autonomy and security of the country and to defend national interests,” the newspaper said.
Russia, the newspaper said, has directed its efforts toward reinforcing overall national power, maintaining economic independence and stability and developing and expanding external relations amid “unprecedentedly intensified sanctions and pressure by hostile forces.”
The newspaper expressed its wish for Russians to “surmount all challenges and difficulties encountered under the right guidance of President Putin and to achieve results in their work to build a strong and developed Russia.”
Against that backdrop, the Rodong Sinmun emphasized the significance of the North Korea-Russia relationship in maintaining the balance of power in international relations, pledging to further expand bilateral ties.
“The strengthening of friendship between the two countries has contributed to ensuring peace and security in Northeast Asia and in the world, and to establishing an international order based on independence and justice,” the newspaper said.
The North Korean government will stand by its stance to strengthen and develop the friendly and cooperative relationship with Russia in “full measure” in accordance with the agreement at the DPRK-Russia summit, the newspaper added.
Strategic communication, tactical cooperation
North Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said North Korea-Russia relations have been developed against the “challenges and pressure by the US and its followers” in a separate statement released Sunday to mark the third anniversary of the Kim-Putin summit.
The ministry assessed that Moscow and Pyongyang have “strengthened strategic communication despite nontrivial difficulties and challenges caused by the unpredictable global crisis in recent years” in a Korean-language article uploaded on its official website.
North Korea and Russia have also “broadened high-level contact and collaboration in various fields, including politics, economy and culture as well as develop closer tactical cooperation on the international stage.”
Kim and Putin previously discussed ways to facilitate and develop “strategic communication and tactical cooperation in the path toward ensuring peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region” during their summit in 2019, the statement said.
North Korea’s recent statements are notable given that North Korea and Russia have explicitly supported each other, particularly at the United Nations amid intensifying conflict between the US and Russia over the war in Ukraine.
Russia has raised opposition to the US’ proposal to introduce a new UN Security Council resolution and reinforce economic sanctions on North Korea, even after North Korea’s test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
North Korea was one of the 24 countries that voted against suspending Russia from the UN Human Rights Council in April.
The North Korean Foreign Ministry has also released more frequent consecutive statements since last week, denouncing the US for providing military aid to Ukraine and waging a proxy war while endorsing Russia’s efforts to minimize the adverse impact of economic sanctions.
North Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Wednesday also said that efforts by the US and the West to toughen sanctions on North Korea “will definitely go for nothing,” underscoring that the efforts of the Russian government to mitigate the adverse impacts of the sanctions will pay off.
(dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)
16. Marshall Plan for North Korea proposed as a big step for peace
Marshall Plan for North Korea proposed as a big step for peace
Attendees of the "Congressional Roundtable and Forum on US-ROK Alliance for Free and Unified Korea" watch the pre-recorded keynote speech by Moon Hyun-jin, better known in the United States as Hyun-jin Preston Moon, founder of the Washington D.C.-based non-profit group, Global Peace Foundation, on a screen set up at Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Friday. The event is the 10th edition of the International Forum on One Korea, the first edition of which was in 2016. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Lawmakers, experts discuss ways to move ROK-US alliance forward to create conditions for reunification of two Koreas at 2022 International Forum on One Korea
By Kang Hyun-kyung
A nuclear-free North Korea has long been a policy vision that every South Korean president regardless of their political orientation has promised to pursue during their tenure.
It's a shared, bipartisan, yet unfulfilled commitment, although no president has succeeded in actually denuclearizing North Korea. In fact, perhaps the opposite is true. While South Korea, with its democratic system, has had various leaders representing the two main political parties, with policies on the North that often zigzag back and forth with the change of administration, North Korea has had sufficient time to advance its missile and nuclear technologies to intimidate the world.
Now, denuclearization in North Korea seems distant, if not unrealistic.
With President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration coming on May 10, some experts, who gathered at a security roundtable held on Friday, called for resetting South Korea's policy vision on the North by shifting its end goal from denuclearization to the reunification of the two Koreas in a manner that intends to benefit both. Some argued for the need for U.S.-led massive economic assistance equivalent to the U.S.-sponsored post World War II program, the Marshall Plan, which successfully helped the war-torn western and southern European economies recover, to persuade North Korea to join talks to build a shared, mutually-beneficial future for the peninsula.
Moon Hyun-jin, the founder of the Washington D.C.-based non-profit group, Global Peace Foundation, has ignited the discussion to advance South Korea-U.S. alliance to create the conditions for a unified Korea.
Moon, better known in the United States by his English name, Hyun-jin Preston Moon, encouraged President-elect Yoon to implement a durable policy for North Korea that can ultimately lead to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
"The United States and Republic of Korea to date have been piecemeal and reactive, with North Korea too often in the driver's seat," he said in a keynote speech for the "Congressional Roundtable and Forum on U.S.-ROK Alliance for Free and Unified Korea" held at Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Friday. "I have long advocated that it be replaced by a broad, forward-looking strategy focused on the end goal of a free and sovereign nation. A unified Korea that upholds fundamental human rights and values, should become the clearly stated and actively pursued policy of (South Korea's) new Yoon administration, as well as of the U.S.' allies and the United Nations."
Rep. Lee Sang-min of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, center in front row, and other participants gesture as they pose for a group photo at Lotte Hotel in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
The hybrid forum was held both online and in person. U.S. lawmakers, think tank analysts, Moon himself and some South Korean lawmakers participated in the event online via pre-recorded messages, while most of South Korea's participants attended physically.
Moon noted that South Korea's unification strategy must begin with the ideals that have motivated Korean people historically across the peninsula. "Their aspiration was to create a model nation, drawing upon a shared culture and identity that long predates the current division. In particular, it must look to Korea's foundational philosophy of 'Hongik Ingan,' or 'living for the benefit of all mankind,' which aligns with the highest ideals of the principles of democracy," he said. "I call this approach, the 'Korean dream,' and have explained it in my book with that title."
Reunification of the two Koreas would require a complicated process and sophisticated diplomacy necessitating the full support from the United States and neighboring countries of South Korea, as was the case for Germany, which, as a formerly divided European nation, achieved unification following the collapse of the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989.
Some who are familiar with German affairs argue the reunification of Germany is the combined result of West Germany's decades of policy consistency toward East Germany and the former's active diplomatic efforts.
In South Korea, the unification discourse seems to have lost momentum currently as regional security has become more unstable than before, with some experts referring to the current global situation as raising concerns of a "new Cold War."
Unstable geopolitics in East Asia, fueled mainly by North Korea's incessant provocations and reliance on brinkmanship as well as the U.S.-China rivalry in the region, have complicated the discourse on the reunification of the two Koreas more than ever before.
In particular, clashes of the United States and China in many issue areas, not to mention the security of the region, have led to growing skepticism about the possibility of a unified Korea, as the United States and China are two of the countries whose full support for the reunification of the two Koreas matters.
Moon, however, stayed hopeful. "It is in the interests of the United States to take the lead in this effort," he said. "Not only would a free and unified Korea diminish the nuclear threat to Korea, Japan and the United States; it will create, in effect, a new nation, which upholds liberty and democratic principles in a region where statist approaches are on the rise."
Edwin Feulner, the founder and chairman emeritus of the Washington D.C.-based conservative think tank, Heritage Foundation, is seen on the screen as he delivers a speech for the hybrid event held both online and in person. U.S. Congress members, think tank researchers and Korean lawmakers participated in the event online. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukEdwin Fulner, the founder and chairman emeritus of the Washington D.C.-based conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation, showed his full support for Moon's vision for durable peace in East Asia, stressing the role of civil society as one of the core factors that could make Moon's "Korean dream" happen.
"Advancing freedom and democracy cannot just be left to our governments: it is in fact the work of all of us, working through private organizations collectively, like the sponsors of this forum, to promote those values of freedom around the world," he said.
Nicholas Eberstadt, the Wendt Chair of Political Economy at the Washington D.C.-based conservative think tank, the American Enterprise Institute, concurred with the idea of achieving a free and unified Korea, saying that the continued division of the Korean peninsula comes at "a very real price."
"It is being paid every day by North Korea's captive population. They suffer a human rights nightmare, an oppression exquisitely perfected under three generations of totalitarian rule by the Kim dynasty," he said.
Eberstadt called on South Korean and U.S. officials and politicians to jump-start policy planning to help with North Korea's smooth transition to a post-DPRK Korea. "Those who price the North Korean threat around zero may be making a fateful economic miscalculation. The longer unification is postponed, the greater the potential cost of that particular reckoning."
On top of international support, there is another, more daunting task for South Korea and like-minded countries: persuading North Korea to join the discussion.
Speaking in a pre-recorded message to the roundtable, Rep. Lee Gwang-jae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) claimed that the ball is in the U.S.' court, calling for a "Marshall Plan for North Korea."
He underscored the "will of the United States" as being a critical factor to convince North Korea to join any such talks on reunification.
"I think the United States needs to have the will and determination to transform North Korea into a country like Vietnam," he said. "Vietnam had a war with the United States in the past. Although Vietnam is close to China, their bilateral ties were once put to the test. Vietnam has introduced a socialist system but adopts some capitalist measures."
Rep. Lee argued that South Korea, and probably the United States as well, need to be specific about a roadmap to make sure North Korea joins the multi-lateral discussion for the reunification of the two Koreas.
"We need to give them (North Korea) trust… I'm not saying that we should give them security assurance or vision for economic assistance ― such as a promise that South Korea would help the North achieve an economy with per capita income of $5,000 or something ― or both in return for their decision to denuclearize," he said. "What I'm saying is that we need to be specific. We should assure them with a detailed plan that says clearly when, how and which countries will help them rehabilitate their economy. We need to prepare a Marshall Plan for North Korea."
The 2022 International Forum on One Korea is the tenth such forum since it was first held in 2016. Friday's event was co-hosted by five organizations, namely Action for Korea United, Global Peace Foundation, One Korea Foundation, Alliance for Korea United and Leaders' Alliance for Korean Unification.
Consisting of two main events ― a Congressional roundtable and a forum among think tank experts of Korea and the United States ― lawmakers and experts shared their thoughts about the Korea-U.S. alliance and how it should adapt to the changing security environment of East Asia to achieve peace in the region through the reunification of the two Koreas.
Gen. Vincent Keith Brooks, a retired four-star U.S. army general and former commander in chief of Republic of Korea-United States Combined Forces Command, speaks online during the event. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
V/R
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow
Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Phone: 202-573-8647
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
FDD is a Washington-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
