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Quotes of the Day:
“The buying of more books than one can read, it's nothing less than the soul reaching toward infinity…”
- A. Edward Norton
"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"A fool contributes nothing worth hearing and takes offense at everything."
- Aristotle
1. Kim's sister says S. Korea-U.S. deterrence plan would result in 'more serious danger'
2. Vice Department Director of C.C., WPK Kim Yo Jong Clarifies Stand through KCNA
3. U.S. reveals joint nuclear disablement drills with S. Korea
4. American, South Korean nuclear teams improve interoperability on Korean Peninsula
5. U.S. lawmakers introduce bill to reauthorize N. Korean rights act
6. Japan to Join Nuclear Consultations with Korea, U.S.
7. US companies to invest in producing more than 45 Korean contents
8. After Warmth From Biden, South Korea’s Leader Faces a Different Tune at Home
9. Handshakes and selfies followed after Yoon's Capitol speech
10. Yoon will find it's hard to go against the trend
11. Yoon Suk Yeol becomes first Korean president to give address at Harvard
12. S. Korea can develop nuclear weapons but chooses not to: Yoon
13. The US will send Ohio-class submarines with Trident II ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads with a launch range of up to 12,000 km to the Republic of Korea
14. Yoon meets with MIT scholars to discuss digital, bio technologies
15. What the Biden-Yoon summit left out
16. Yoon says Washington Declaration is 'upgraded' version of Mutual Defense Treaty
1. Kim's sister says S. Korea-U.S. deterrence plan would result in 'more serious danger'
As expected, the bad cop (Kim Yo Jong) speaks out. It will be interesting to see if Kim Jong Un counters with the 7th nuclear test to signal his displeasure with the Washington Declaration.
(2nd LD) Kim's sister says S. Korea-U.S. deterrence plan would result in 'more serious danger' | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · April 29, 2023
(ATTN: ADDS Seoul ministry's response in paras 12-14)
By Lee Minji
SEOUL, April 29 (Yonhap) -- The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un slammed a new South Korea-U.S. agreement bolstering Washington's nuclear deterrence efforts against North Korean threats on Saturday, saying the allies' plan will only result in "more serious danger."
In North Korea's first response to the Washington Declaration adopted during President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to the U.S., Kim Yo-jong said that the agreement reflects "the most hostile and aggressive will of action" against the North that will "only result in making peace and security of Northeast Asia and the world be exposed to more serious danger," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
This photo, captured from the homepage of North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Aug. 11, 2022, shows Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister and vice department director of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, making a speech to the effect that the coronavirus had been introduced into North Korea via South Korea during a national meeting on anti-epidemic measures held in Pyongyang the previous day. The North declared victory in its fight against COVID-19 at the meeting. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Kim's remarks came three days after Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to significantly strengthen Washington's nuclear commitment to South Korea in the new agreement and promised to take "swift, overwhelming, and decisive" action in the event of North Korea's nuclear attack.
Under the Washington Declaration, Yoon and Biden agreed to strengthen the U.S. extended deterrence commitment to South Korea through the establishment of a Nuclear Consultative Group and more frequent deployments of U.S. strategic assets to South Korea.
Kim, who is known for her influence on inter-Korean affairs in the Kim regime, holding the post of vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, warned that the change in security environment will only push the North to take "more decisive action."
"The more the enemies are dead set on staging nuclear war exercises, and the more nuclear assets they deploy in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula, the stronger the exercise of our right to self-defense will become in direct proportion to them," she was quoted saying in the English-language dispatch.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) shakes hands with U.S. President Joe Biden during a joint news conference after their summit at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 26, 2023. (Yonhap)
Kim also lashed out at both leaders, lambasting Biden's warning that any nuclear attack against the U.S. or its allies will result in the end of its regime.
Saying that Biden was "too miscalculating and irresponsibly brave," Kim painted the warning as "nonsensical remark from the person in his dotage."
"It may be taken as a nonsensical remark from the person in his dotage who is not at all capable of taking the responsibility for security and the future of the U.S., an old man with no future, as it is too much for him to serve out two-year remainder of his office term," Kim said.
She also took a swipe at Yoon, calling him a "fool" who has "put the security into crisis with his incompetence."
"The pipe dream of the U.S. and South Korea will henceforth be faced with the entity of more powerful strength," Kim said.
Meanwhile, Seoul's unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs condemned Kim's remarks, calling them "far-fetched" claims.
"North Korea hastily issuing far-fetched claims right after the announcement of the Washington Declaration appears to reflect its nervousness and frustration at the drastically strengthening nuclear deterrence of the South Korea-U.S. alliance," the ministry said in a statement.
It warned that North Korea would face "even stronger and overwhelming" response if it continues to follow the "wrong path," while saying Kim's slandering of the two countries' leaders in "rude language" demonstrated the regime's "lowly level."
The KCNA report came as Yoon's state visit to the U.S. is under way.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · April 29, 2023
2. Vice Department Director of C.C., WPK Kim Yo Jong Clarifies Stand through KCNA
Kim Yo Jong's response to the Washington Declaration.
I think this excerpt is trying to tell us the regime's intention for a second strike capability to enhance its deterrence.
We are convinced once again of the fact that the enhancement of the nuclear war deterrent, especially the second mission of the nuclear war deterrent, should be brought to further perfection.
Message received from President Biden here:
The formation of "Nuclear Consultative Group", the regular and continuous deployment of U.S. nuclear strategic assets, and the frequent military exercises made the regional politico-military situation unable to extricate itself from the currents of instability. This provides us with an environment in which we are compelled to take more decisive action in order to deal with the new security environment.
Another thing that we cannot let pass nor overlook is the fact that the chief executive of the enemy state officially and personally used the word "the end of regime" under the eyes of the world.
And you really have to admire the Propaganda and Agitation department's ability to spew insults:
Yoon Suk Yeol, this time again, said that he will build the capability of overwhelming response including "south Korea’s three-axis defence system" and adopt the punitive posture. He also made it clear that the "south Korea"-U.S. joint exercises and training will be more intensive.
It would be a bit hard to understand the mentality of such a fool that is so grateful for getting a nominal "declaration" as an "offering" from the U.S. and expresses "his absolute trust in the U.S. firm commitment to the extended deterrence". However, we will keep watching to what extent he will go testing his mettle, putting the security into crisis with his incompetence.
Vice Department Director of C.C., WPK Kim Yo Jong Clarifies Stand through KCNA
https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1682721334-688210593/vice-department-director-of-c-c-wpk-kim-yo-jong-clarifies-stand-through-kcna
Date: 29/04/2023 | Source: KCNA.kp (En) | Read original version at source
Pyongyang, April 29 (KCNA) -- Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, made public the following stand through the Korean Central News Agency on April 28:
South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol’s recent visit to Washington was an occasion for us to have much clearer understanding about the root-cause and physical entity disturbing peace and security of the Korean Peninsula and the region.
After the summit on April 26, the chief executives of the U.S. and south Korea issued the so-called "Washington Declaration", specifying the ways to strengthen the "extended deterrence", thus stipulating their choice and will to act against the DPRK.
The "Washington Declaration" fabricated by the U.S. and south Korean authorities is a typical product of their extreme anti-DPRK hostile policy reflecting the most hostile and aggressive will of action. As such, it will only result in making peace and security of Northeast Asia and the world be exposed to more serious danger, and it is an act that can thus never be welcomed.
The formation of "Nuclear Consultative Group", the regular and continuous deployment of U.S. nuclear strategic assets, and the frequent military exercises made the regional politico-military situation unable to extricate itself from the currents of instability. This provides us with an environment in which we are compelled to take more decisive action in order to deal with the new security environment.
Another thing that we cannot let pass nor overlook is the fact that the chief executive of the enemy state officially and personally used the word "the end of regime" under the eyes of the world.
Would we simply regard it as the man’s senility?
It may be taken as a nonsensical remark from the person in his dotage who is not at all capable of taking the responsibility for security and the future of the U.S., an old man with no future, as it is too much for him to serve out two-year remainder of his office term.
But when we consider that this expression was personally used by the president of the U.S., our most hostile adversary, it is threatening rhetoric for which he should be prepared for far too great an after-storm that will not be easy for us to deliver.
Obsessed with overconfidence in strength, he was too miscalculating and irresponsibly brave.
This time we reconfirmed the hostility of the rulers and military warmongers of Washington and Seoul towards our country, which cannot be interpreted otherwise and has become too obvious. This opportunity gave us a clear answer as to what we should do in the future and for what we should be fully prepared.
So serious is the development of the situation.
Yoon Suk Yeol, this time again, said that he will build the capability of overwhelming response including "south Korea’s three-axis defence system" and adopt the punitive posture. He also made it clear that the "south Korea"-U.S. joint exercises and training will be more intensive.
It would be a bit hard to understand the mentality of such a fool that is so grateful for getting a nominal "declaration" as an "offering" from the U.S. and expresses "his absolute trust in the U.S. firm commitment to the extended deterrence". However, we will keep watching to what extent he will go testing his mettle, putting the security into crisis with his incompetence.
The pipe dream of the U.S. and south Korea will henceforth be faced with the entity of more powerful strength.
We are convinced once again of the fact that the enhancement of the nuclear war deterrent, especially the second mission of the nuclear war deterrent, should be brought to further perfection.
We know exactly what we are supposed to do.
The more the enemies are dead set on staging nuclear war exercises, and the more nuclear assets they deploy in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula, the stronger the exercise of our right to self-defence will become in direct proportion to them. -0-
www.kcna.kp (Juche112.4.29.)
3. U.S. reveals joint nuclear disablement drills with S. Korea
There are probably no coincidences.
U.S. reveals joint nuclear disablement drills with S. Korea | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 황장진 · April 29, 2023
WASHINGTON/SEOUL April 29 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Department of Defense has revealed that highly specialized nuclear teams from the United States and South Korea conducted joint drills in March to strengthen their interoperability on the Korean Peninsula.
The Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, a Pentagon media service, released the report Wednesday, when President Yoon Suk Yeol held a summit with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.
The leaders adopted the Washington Declaration to strengthen "extended deterrence" against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and to establish a Nuclear Consultative Group to discuss nuclear and strategic planning.
This photo released by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service on April 26, 2023, shows a joint exercise between nuclear teams from South Korea and the United States conducted in South Korea from March 20-24. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The report said U.S. Army Nuclear Disablement Teams (NDT) trained with South Korea's Nuclear Characterization Teams (NCT) during the defense-oriented drills from March 20-24.
This marks the first time that the U.S. has disclosed a joint nuclear disablement exercise between the allies.
"The NDTs and NCTs were able to plan and execute missions together and work hand-in-hand in areas that allow us to communicate effectively between each other and our soldiers downrange," Maj. Ariel A. Alcaide, the deputy team leader for NDT 3, was quoted as saying.
"This is a giant leap from the previous partnership events," he added.
There are three NDTs, all stationed in Maryland and belonging to the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Command, the agency reported.
The South Korean counterparts are believed to be part of the joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Defense Command affiliated with the Ministry of Defense.
The drills coincided with the allies' Freedom Shield command post training and Ssangyong amphibious landing practice conducted in South Korea from March 13-23 and from March 20-April 3, respectively.
South Korea's defense ministry declined to comment about the report.
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 황장진 · April 29, 2023
4. American, South Korean nuclear teams improve interoperability on Korean Peninsula
Excerpts:
Alcaide said the NCTs and NDTs serve as the premier nuclear infrastructure characterization assets for their respective nations.
While there are many similarities, the U.S. and South Korean nuclear teams have different unit compositions and missions. The South Korean teams include Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) personnel from the ROK Army, ROK Navy and ROK Air Force who are part of the joint ROK CBRN Defense Command while the U.S. Army Nuclear Disablement Team has the unique on order mission of disablement.
...
Part of the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. Army’s Nuclear Disablement Teams — the NDT 1 “Manhattan,” NDT 2 “Iron Maiden” and NDT 3 “Vandals” — are all stationed on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.
From 19 bases in 16 states, American Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians from 20th CBRNE Command take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and allied operations.
...
Alcaide said the exercise made both teams stronger and contributed to the readiness of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, which will mark its 70th anniversary this year.
“As an ally and partner over several decades now, it is important we continue to strengthen our relationship with the ROK NCTs and improve our ability to operate together in the same mission space,” said Alcaide. “This goes with our motto of Katchi Kapshida or We Go Together!”
American, South Korean nuclear teams improve interoperability on Korean Peninsula
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
04.26.2023
dvidshub.net
Photo By Maj. Steven Modugno | Highly specialized nuclear teams from the United States and South Korea strengthened...... read more
Photo By Maj. Steven Modugno | Highly specialized nuclear teams from the United States and South Korea strengthened their interoperability during NDT-NCT Partnership VIII on the Korean Peninsula, March 20– 24. U.S. Army Nuclear Disablement Teams (NDT) trained with their Republic of Korea (ROK) counterparts from the ROK Nuclear Characterization Teams (NCT) during the defensive-oriented exercise. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Steven M. Modugno. | View Image Page
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
04.26.2023
SEOUL – Highly specialized nuclear teams from the United States and South Korea strengthened their interoperability during NDT-NCT Partnership VIII on the Korean Peninsula, March 20 – 24.
U.S. Army Nuclear Disablement Teams (NDT) trained with their Republic of Korea (ROK) counterparts from the ROK Nuclear Characterization Teams (NCT) during the defensive-oriented exercise.
Maj. Ariel A. Alcaide, the deputy team leader for Nuclear Disablement Team 3, said the teams have forged an important partnership that contributes to security on the Korean Peninsula and stability in Northeast Asia.
“The NDT-NCT partnership is unique to the NDTs,” said Alcaide, a former military intelligence officer who also served as a nuclear logistics planner aboard the U.S. Strategic Command’s Airborne Command Post. “Due to our similar mission set, the NDT-NCT partnership is the only relationship the NDT has with an allied nation military force.”
Alcaide said the NCTs and NDTs serve as the premier nuclear infrastructure characterization assets for their respective nations.
While there are many similarities, the U.S. and South Korean nuclear teams have different unit compositions and missions. The South Korean teams include Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) personnel from the ROK Army, ROK Navy and ROK Air Force who are part of the joint ROK CBRN Defense Command while the U.S. Army Nuclear Disablement Team has the unique on order mission of disablement.
An Afghanistan veteran from Granada Hills, California, Alcaide earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Cal State Northridge and a master’s degree in information operations from the Naval Postgraduate School. He said his passion for math and science led him to become a U.S. Army Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction officer (FA 52).
Following his tour at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland-based Nuclear Disablement Team 3, Alcaide will report to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he will earn his PhD in nuclear engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
As frontline warriors who directly contribute to the nation’s strategic deterrence, U.S. Army Nuclear Disablement Teams exploit and disable nuclear and radiological Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) infrastructure and components to deny near-term capability to adversaries and they facilitate follow-on WMD elimination operations.
Nuclear Disablement Team members also serve with U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive (CBRNE) Response Teams in the interagency National Technical Nuclear Forensics Ground Collection Task Force on a rotational basis.
Part of the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. Army’s Nuclear Disablement Teams — the NDT 1 “Manhattan,” NDT 2 “Iron Maiden” and NDT 3 “Vandals” — are all stationed on Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland.
From 19 bases in 16 states, American Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians from 20th CBRNE Command take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and allied operations.
In addition to the three Nuclear Disablement Teams, the one-of-a-kind 20th CBRNE Command is home to 75 percent of the U.S. Army’s active-duty Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) specialists, as well as the 1st Area Medical Laboratory, CBRNE Analytical and Remediation Activity and five Weapons of Mass Destruction Coordination Teams.
Alcaide said NDT-NCT Partnership VIII gave them the opportunity to train together on the Korean Peninsula.
“The NDTs and NCTs were able to plan and execute missions together and work hand-in-hand in areas that allow us to communicate effectively between each other and our Soldiers downrange,” said Alcaide. “This is a giant leap from the previous partnership events. In addition, both teams formed special bonds and friendship that each team member will cherish for the rest of their lives.”
Alcaide said the exercise made both teams stronger and contributed to the readiness of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, which will mark its 70th anniversary this year.
“As an ally and partner over several decades now, it is important we continue to strengthen our relationship with the ROK NCTs and improve our ability to operate together in the same mission space,” said Alcaide. “This goes with our motto of Katchi Kapshida or We Go Together!”
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Date Taken: 04.26.2023 Date Posted: 04.26.2023 13:46 Story ID: 443422 Location: SEOUL, KR Hometown: GRANADA HILLS, CA, US Web Views: 101 Downloads: 0
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5. U.S. lawmakers introduce bill to reauthorize N. Korean rights act
Human rights upfront.
U.S. lawmakers introduce bill to reauthorize N. Korean rights act | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 황장진 · April 29, 2023
WASHINGTON, April 29 (Yonhap) -- Two U.S. lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the North Korean Human Rights Act, which expired in September 2022.
Young Kim (R-CA), the chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, and Ami Bera (D-CA), a ranking member, introduced the bill Friday to reauthorize, update and improve the law, which was enacted in 2004 to promote human rights and freedom in North Korea, Kim said.
"Kim Jong-un oppresses the North Korean people through torture, imprisonment, forced labor and starvation in his quest to expand North Korea's nuclear weapons program and gain military power," the Korean American lawmaker said in a press release.
"These gross human rights abuses cannot be tolerated and cannot go unchecked," she added.
President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) shakes hands with Young Kim (R-CA), the chairwoman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, in his office in Seoul on April 5, 2023, in this file photo provided by the presidential office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Kim emphasized the bill's introduction comes at a time when South Korea and the United States are celebrating the 70th anniversary of their alliance and President Yoon Suk Yeol is visiting the U.S.
The North Korean Human Rights Act includes initiatives to reunite Korean American divided families with their war-torn loved ones, appoint a special envoy on North Korean human rights issues, support the U.S. Agency for Global Media's broadcasting efforts to promote freedom of information in North Korea, and ensure the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid goes to the people of North Korea.
Last month, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) also introduced a bill to extend the act for another five years.
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 황장진 · April 29, 2023
6. Japan to Join Nuclear Consultations with Korea, U.S.
I am sure this will upset Koreans who wish to maintain the friction with Japan.
Japan to Join Nuclear Consultations with Korea, U.S.
english.chosun.com
April 28, 2023 13:35
President Yoon Suk-yeol and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden are considering including Japan in a consultative group that would decide on the deployment of American nuclear weapons in an emergency.
White House National Security Council official John Kirby on Wednesday told the Chosun Ilbo the decision will be announced at the G7 summit in Hiroshima next month.
President Yoon Suk-yeol (front) signs the guest book at the U.S. State Department in Washington on Thursday. /Newsis
Kirby said the three countries have an "enormous opportunity" in the security sector since their modern militaries know how to work and carry out operations together. On cybersecurity, they are discussing the possibility of a trilateral "intelligence alliance."
Touching on the possibility of bringing Japan into the nuclear consultative group, National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo said, "The chances are high, and we can take it into consideration case by case."
Kirby said Biden is "excited" to see that Yoon and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are taking "audacious initiatives" to improve bilateral relations.
But he added Korea and Japan need to make continued efforts to improve bilateral relations for better security cooperation.
President Yoon Suk-yeol (left) and first lady Kim Keon-hee arrives at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday. /Yonhap
The Yomiuri Shimbun on Thursday said the three countries are arranging a trilateral summit at the G7 gathering, six months after they last met at the ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh.
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- Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com
english.chosun.com
7. US companies to invest in producing more than 45 Korean contents
US companies to invest in producing more than 45 Korean contents
donga.com
Posted April. 29, 2023 08:03,
Updated April. 29, 2023 08:03
US companies to invest in producing more than 45 Korean contents. April. 29, 2023 08:03. by Joo-Young Jeon, Seong-Taek Jeong
aimhigh@donga.com,neone@donga.com.
President Yoon Suk Yeol met with a delegation from the Global Contents Group on Thursday (local time) and said, "I hope that today's event will serve as an opportunity to expand further cultural cooperation between the two countries sharing the value of freedom." Disney, Paramount, and Netflix, among other content creators, reciprocated by announcing plans to invest in producing more than 45 Korean contents this year.
President Yoon attended the “Global Creative Industry Leadership Forum” held at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPA) building in Washington, D.C. on the same day and said, “States should not put borders between cultures. We will make sure that the Korean film and cultural markets will be incorporated into the global market as combined.” At this forum, Yoon, who received a movie poster signed by the director of Black Panther as a gift from the president of MPA, said that just as Black Panther filmed major scenes in Busan, the Korean government will proactively support the two countries to create content together.
At this meeting, Disney, Paramount, Netflix, and other OTT (over-the-top) providers presented their plans to invest in producing more than 45 Korean contents this year and expressed their intention further to strengthen cooperation with the K-content industry and creators. An official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said, “Six companies within the Motion Picture Association of America account for 77% of the global film and video market and 45% of the global OTT market. Despite being a competitive industry, the Korean content industry was experiencing difficulties entering the international market, including the United States, and this forum will prove to be a new-found opportunity.” According to the Korea Economic Research Institute, exports of the Korean content industry last year increased by 1.5% year-on-year to 13.01 billion dollars, which is more than the exports of home appliances (8.05 billion dollars) and electric vehicles (9.82 billion dollars) – former being Korea’s flagship exports.
한국어
donga.com
8. After Warmth From Biden, South Korea’s Leader Faces a Different Tune at Home
While the Summit looks very successful to us, President Yoon faces tough opposition at home. The Washington Declaration should have logically put some of the issues to bed but politics are not always logical.
After Warmth From Biden, South Korea’s Leader Faces a Different Tune at Home
The New York Times · by Choe Sang-Hun · April 29, 2023
News Analysis
President Yoon Suk Yeol’s foreign policy, aligning his country more closely with Washington and Tokyo, has polarized his country. And critics say he has won little to show for it.
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President Biden with President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea during the state dinner at the White House on Wednesday.Credit...Doug Mills/The New York Times
By
Reporting from Seoul
April 29, 2023Updated 5:19 a.m. ET
President Yoon Suk Yeol went to Washington to reset South Korean diplomacy by drawing closer to the United States and taking a larger role on the international stage. If the warmth of his reception there was the gauge of success, he did well.
President Biden welcomed him as “my friend.” Mr. Yoon belted out “American Pie” while the crowd whooped along during the White House dinner. On Thursday, he addressed the United States Congress, thanking Americans for their support during the Korean War, and extolling a deep relationship between the countries that helped energize South Korea’s rise to become a global technological and cultural powerhouse.
“Even if you didn’t know my name, you may know BTS and Blackpink,” Mr. Yoon said to chuckles from American lawmakers. “BTS beat me to the White House. But I beat them to Capitol Hill.”
But Mr. Yoon now returns home to South Korea to a decidedly colder audience — a public that has punished him with low approval ratings and, in some sectors, has deep misgivings over a pivot toward the United States that could alienate China and threaten the country’s long tradition of diplomatic caution.
Even before Mr. Yoon departed for Washington, South Koreans were beginning to grapple with questions that seemed distant until recently. How can they feel safe under the rapidly expanding nuclear threat from North Korea? And how should they navigate the increasingly bitter rivalry between the United States, South Korea’s main military ally, and China, its biggest trading partner?
Mr. Yoon addressing a joint meeting of Congress on Thursday.Credit...Pete Marovich for The New York Times
The main answer Mr. Yoon is bringing home is the “Washington Declaration,” a joint statement with Mr. Biden. In it, Mr. Biden promised that Washington would embrace South Korea as a close consultative partner in its nuclear strategy over the Korean Peninsula — though American presidents will remain the sole authority on whether to actually use nuclear weapons.
To show its “extended deterrence” commitment to defend its ally with nuclear weapons if necessary, Mr. Biden promised that U.S. nuclear ballistic missile submarines would make port calls in South Korea for the first time in decades. In return, Mr. Yoon reaffirmed South Korea’s intention not to develop nuclear weapons of its own, dispelling misgivings in Washington that he might consider a nuclear option, as he indicated he might early this year.
But like everything else Mr. Yoon has done since his election last year, the reviews in South Korea were polarized.
“History will remember the Yoon government as the first South Korean administration to recognize the North Korean nuclear program as a present and urgent threat and begin preparing responses to the crisis,” said Cheon Seong-whun, a former head of the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.
The Washington Declaration was “a big win” for South Korea because “for the first time, the allies are discussing nuclear deterrence, which Seoul has not been able to discuss with Washington until now,” said Kim Duyeon, a Seoul-based researcher for the Center for a New American Security.
A joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea on the aircraft carrier Nimitz last month.Credit...Pool photo by Jeon Heon-Kyun
“They are gaming out scenarios in which not only North Korea might use a nuclear weapon but the U.S. would direct the employment of a nuclear weapon in response as well,” Ms. Kim said. “This is huge because until now, the tabletop exercises would end before Washington decides to use a nuclear weapon. The U.S. had considered such information to be too classified to share and because nuclear use would be a U.S. decision, operation and execution plan.”
Mr. Yoon’s critics at home, however, felt he was giving away too much for too little, seeing the declaration and a separate joint statement from Mr. Yoon and Mr. Biden as a carefully wrought design to silence calls for South Korea’s own nuclear force or the redeployment of American tactical nuclear weapons in the South.
Such calls have gained momentum in recent months, as North Korea has stoked nuclear jitters in the South by testing a series of what it called nuclear-capable short-range ballistic missiles. The North has also warned that first nuclear strikes were now part of its military strategy.
“The Washington Declaration may look substantive and fantastic, but, in reality, it is an empty shell,” said Professor Kim Dong-yub, at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. “There is no change in Washington policy.”
Critics also doubted that the port calls by U.S. nuclear submarines would do much more than further escalate regional tensions with China and North Korea and provide another excuse for the North to expand its nuclear arsenal. On Saturday, North Korea called Mr. Yoon “a fool” and Mr. Biden “an old man with no future” and said it felt compelled to take “more decisive action.”
“They are not ‘extended deterrence,’ but rather ‘extended crisis,’” Mr. Kim said.
A photograph provided by North Korean state media is said to show Kim Jong-un inspecting the test launch of a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile this month.Credit...Korean Central News Agency
An editorial in the conservative daily Chosun Ilbo sounded miffed by what it called the Biden administration’s efforts to “tighten the nuclear shackles” on its ally.
“The declaration seems to put more emphasis on American concerns that South Korea could develop its own nuclear weapons than on the North Korean nuclear threat that prompts such aspirations,” it said. “Ultimately, South Korea must be in a position to defend itself.”
For decades, South Korea’s defense strategy relied on the assumption that the United States would come to its aid if war were to break out. But the once-bedrock premise is losing its credibility. In a survey by the Seoul-based Chey Institute for Advanced Studies late last year, nearly 49 percent of respondents said they doubted that Washington would fight for South Korea at the risk of a North Korean nuclear attack on mainland United States. Nearly 77 percent said South Korea needed to develop its own nuclear arsenal.
To such skeptical South Koreans, Washington’s promise of extended deterrence “just amounts to rhetoric, however you package it,” said Lee Byong-chul, a researcher on nuclear policy at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University in Seoul.
Many South Koreans remain wary of great powers, reflecting their deep grievances over Japanese colonial rule and the division of the Korean Peninsula by the Soviet Union and the United States at the end of World War II.
South Korea has kept Japan at arm’s length, even though Washington urged its two key allies to work closely together to deter China and North Korea. It has also sought diplomatic balance between Washington and Beijing. Its more progressive leaders, like Mr. Yoon’s predecessor, Moon Jae-in, doggedly pursued dialogue with North Korea, even causing friction with Washington, which tended to emphasize sanctions.
Mr. Yoon, however, has made a point of shaking the traditional equilibrium.
Mr. Yoon with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan during a dinner in Tokyo last month.Credit...Japan's Cabinet Public Affairs Office, via Associated Press
In March, he broke a logjam in relations with Japan by promising that Seoul will no longer seek compensation for victims of forced labor during Japan’s colonial rule. Mr. Yoon also doggedly aligned Seoul more closely with the United States, despite concerns about China’s ability to harm South Korea’s vital economy.
“The alliance has now become a global alliance that safeguards freedom and peace around the world,” he told the U.S. Congress. “Korea will fulfill its responsibilities.”
While in Washington, Mr. Yoon condemned the war against Ukraine as “a violation of international law.” In a jab at Beijing, he opposed “any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific, including through unlawful maritime claims, the militarization of reclaimed features and coercive activities.”
Liberal South Koreans cautioned against Mr. Yoon’s approach.
“If South Korea is unilaterally sucked into the new U.S.-led Cold War system, it must face up to the reality that relations with China and Russia, both of which have a strong influence on North Korea, will become more dangerous, and the risk of a North Korean nuclear crisis and even war on or around the peninsula will increase,” the liberal Hankyoreh newspaper said.
Both hawks and doves in policy circles in Seoul will have reason to feel disappointed by the Washington Declaration, which “neither signals a push for dialogue with Pyongyang nor promises Seoul getting a nuclear deterrent of its own,” said John Delury, an East Asia scholar at Yonsei University in Seoul.
But to many South Koreans, especially younger generations struggling with dwindling job opportunities, a more pressing issue than the North’s nuclear arsenal is the economy.
In recent months, hardly a day has gone by in South Korea without headlines blaring concern that Mr. Biden’s Inflation Reduction and Chips and Science Acts would hurt two of South Korea’s most important industries: electric cars and semiconductors. But in their joint statement, Mr. Yoon and Mr. Biden only agreed to “continue close consultations.”
“Younger Koreans don’t know the lyrics to ‘American Pie,’ but they know about the Inflation Reduction Act,” Mr. Delury said.
The arrival ceremony for Mr. Yoon on Wednesday.Credit...Doug Mills/The New York Times
The New York Times · by Choe Sang-Hun · April 29, 2023
9. Handshakes and selfies followed after Yoon's Capitol speech
It was a very well done speech. We watched it on C-Span and President Yoon lingered for a long time on the house floor as many Congressmen continued to engage him. It looked like the only person he had with him was n interprete. I saw no handlers or security and wondered if that is what Present Yon wanted because he was not hustled out of the chamber after the speech.
Watch his speech here. It is worth watching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Do5asVYNQoQ&t=3s
Handshakes and selfies followed after Yoon's Capitol speech
donga.com
Posted April. 29, 2023 08:03,
Updated April. 29, 2023 08:03
Handshakes and selfies followed after Yoon's Capitol speech. April. 29, 2023 08:03. by Kwan-Seok Jang jks@donga.com.
“BTS beat me to the White House. But I beat them to Capitol Hill.”
Laughter erupted and filled the House of Representatives Main Hall on the second floor of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Thursday (local time) when President Yoon Suk Yeol, donning a light purple tie and handkerchief, made this whimsical comment at a joint meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The first joint speech by a Korean president to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives in 12 years made headlines thanks to President Yoon's clearly-enunciated English speech. An acquaintance of President Yoon said, “You cannot expect people to change their English pronunciation overnight. However, President Yoon has a positive perception of British and American culture, and with his inquisitive nature, he has always been interested in speaking in English.” President Yoon has loved pop songs since his school days and even knows the song "American Pie" written by American singer-songwriter Don McLean by heart. It is uncommon for him to give others such advice as, "If you want to take on important work, don't neglect to study foreign languages."
President Yoon is reported to have spent considerable time preparing for the speech ahead of the joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives. After outlining the direction and framework of the speech, he made sure the speech was written in “plain English” as much as possible. Kim Won-jip, a "Gen Z" staff for Yoon who accompanied his joint speech schedule like shadow, helped the president behind the scenes. President Yoon did not forget to review the speeches of former U.S. presidents, such as former Presidents Barack Obama and former President Ronald Reagan. And as he liked former President John F. Kennedy's speech the most, he quoted a part of Kennedy's inaugural address in his speech.
During his speech, President Yoon called Dayne Weber, the granddaughter of the late retired Col. William Weber, and asked her to stand up. Yoon also remarked, “I am also a huge fan of the movies ‘Top Gun,’ ‘Maverick,’ and ‘Mission: Impossible.’” More than 57 rounds of applause and cheers followed during the speech, including 26 standing ovations. Nearly ten minutes of handshakes, autograph requests, and selfies continued by U.S. lawmakers surrounding President Yoon as he was leaving the venue after his speech.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who watched President Yoon's speech on the spot as former Senate Speaker, said at the state luncheon that followed, "President Yoon's leadership made possible the growth of our two countries. In this era where dictatorship and aggression are prevalent, President Yoon's leadership is very significant." U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said, “Today’s speech is a historic step toward further strengthening the ROK-U.S. alliance.”
한국어
donga.com
10. Yoon will find it's hard to go against the trend
The expected criticism from the Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece.
Excerpts:
Facing with the US, Yoon presents a different attitude, which can only be described as "subservient." The leaked Pentagon documents revealed that the senior officials of the South Korean Presidential Office were spied on by the US, but Yoon didn't even express any complaint. A South Korean official also stated that the US did not act against the South Korean side out of ill intentions. In an exclusive interview with NBC News on Monday, Yoon said that the leak will not affect the relationship between the two countries. They all whitewashed the evil actions of the US. According to the Korean media, Yoon stopped public activities from April 21 to prepare for the English speech at the US Congress during his visit.
In my view, Yoon represents a right-wing Korean politician who is a lackey to the US and Japan and treats China and Russia with his nose in the air. He is the most unfriendly South Korean president to China since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and has become one of the actual instigators of anti-China sentiment in South Korean society. Yoon is pushing South Korea toward an evil path.
And the real personal insult is here:
From my personal point of view, Yoon is a petty man defined in traditional Chinese culture. He lacks morality and behaves like a strategic sleepwalker. But I believe that South Korea as a whole cannot be an enemy of China. It does not have the strength or courage.
President Yoon struck a nerve with China. because he is going all in on a values based foreign policy and China opposes those values, namely the rules based international order.
Of course China would have criticized any agreement or even if there was no agreement they would have criticised the meeting. for simply happening.
Yoon will find it's hard to go against the trend - Global Times
globaltimes.cn
Yoon will find it's hard to go against the trend
By
Hu Xijin
Hu Xijin is the former editor-in-chief of the Global Times. Previously he worked as a reporter in the People's Daily ...
Hu Xijin
Published: Apr 26, 2023 08:43 PM
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (right) and his wife Kim Keon-hee board a plane as they leave for Washington on April 24, 2023. Photo: VCG
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol made astonishing remarks again. He said he cannot accept the notion that Japan "must kneel because of our history 100 years ago," as if it's reasonable for Japan to refuse to reflect on its atrocities made during World War II, and as if it is South Koreans and the Chinese people who are "ignorant" and "pushing Japan too far." Isn't Yoon insulting South Korean society?
As Yoon's remarks on Japan sparked the anger of many Koreans, the South Korean president was happily sitting on a plane to the US to meet his "US Daddy." His recent remarks have shaped Seoul's new diplomatic posture in which South Korea is fully inclined to the US, appeasing Japan at any cost, and showing toughness and even hostility toward China and Russia. He is pushing South Korea to deviate from its long-term strategic posture and act as a new strategic pawn of the US in the Asia-Pacific, confusing many people in South Korea's strategic circles.
Recently, Yoon made an absurd statement on the Taiwan question, claiming that the Taiwan question "is not simply an issue between China and Taiwan, but, like the issue of North Korea, it is a global issue." After the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed strong dissatisfaction, South Korean summoned Chinese ambassador over China's opposition to Yoon's Taiwan remarks. Meanwhile, South Korea is dedicated to the chip alliance with the US, regardless of the long-standing cooperation between China and South Korea as well as the market and moral norms.
Facing with the US, Yoon presents a different attitude, which can only be described as "subservient." The leaked Pentagon documents revealed that the senior officials of the South Korean Presidential Office were spied on by the US, but Yoon didn't even express any complaint. A South Korean official also stated that the US did not act against the South Korean side out of ill intentions. In an exclusive interview with NBC News on Monday, Yoon said that the leak will not affect the relationship between the two countries. They all whitewashed the evil actions of the US. According to the Korean media, Yoon stopped public activities from April 21 to prepare for the English speech at the US Congress during his visit.
In my view, Yoon represents a right-wing Korean politician who is a lackey to the US and Japan and treats China and Russia with his nose in the air. He is the most unfriendly South Korean president to China since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and has become one of the actual instigators of anti-China sentiment in South Korean society. Yoon is pushing South Korea toward an evil path.
Yoon forgets that one of the reasons South Korea has achieved sustained prosperity is that it has effectively balanced its complex relations with all sides over the past decades. This has made it possible for South Korea, though on a peninsula where the risk of conflict flares up intermittently, to contain all kinds of negative factors and create a rare pattern in which development resources to South Korea converge. The US is South Korea's ally, while China is the latter's absolute biggest trading partner and has become the main force that drive the "Korean Wave." Yoon's lousy attitude toward China is a kind of treachery. He seriously overestimates the capital that South Korea is proud of and arrogantly thinks he has the initiative to scold and attack a giant like China whenever he wants.
From my personal point of view, Yoon is a petty man defined in traditional Chinese culture. He lacks morality and behaves like a strategic sleepwalker. But I believe that South Korea as a whole cannot be an enemy of China. It does not have the strength or courage. If China, Russia, and North Korea deal with South Korea together, it will definitely make it miserable, and its "US daddy" and "Japanese uncle" will not be able to help it in everything. China should respect South Korean society, as it is a bit sensitive and aggressive. We might let it be to some extent. However, we don't need to be polite to South Korean politicians like Yoon. We should reprimand and scold them, and never indulge them. I don't believe South Korea can go very far in this way. Yoon's one-sided approach has caused widespread controversy in South Korea. As he pushes forward for a while, he will be pressured to back off. China should maintain sufficient strategic determination and not dance with the Yoon government. We should stick to the basic direction and logic of China-South Korea relations. The attitude of the Chinese side is consistent. The Yoon government wants to go against the general trend, but in the end it will find that the trend is stronger than what it can do.
The author is a commentator with the Global Times. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn
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To please US, Yoon disregards history, kneels down to Japan
Seoul under the leadership of Yoon has bowed to Japan to please Washington.
globaltimes.cn
11. Yoon Suk Yeol becomes first Korean president to give address at Harvard
Saturday
April 29, 2023
dictionary + A - A
Yoon Suk Yeol becomes first Korean president to give address at Harvard
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/04/29/national/politics/Korea-president-Yoon-Suk-Yeol/20230429100959171.html
Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, speaks with Joseph Nye, professor emeritus at Harvard University, at the Harvard Kennedy School in Boston on Friday. [YONHAP]
President Yoon Suk Yeol said that he believes the Washington Declaration strengthening U.S. extended deterrence commitments may be "more effective" than NATO's multilateral nuclear sharing arrangement with the United States in a forum at Harvard.
"I believe that what we have agreed to in our Washington Declaration is not an option, but an inevitable decision for facing the North Korean nuclear threat," Yoon said at a forum at the Harvard Kennedy School in Boston on Friday. "I also believe the Washington Declaration does not only contain the responsibilities of the United States, but it also includes some duties for South Korea."
This includes South Korea not seeking for its own nuclear armament.
In their bilateral summit on Wednesday Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden Washington Declaration aimed at strengthening extended deterrence and establishing a new Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG). In turn, Yoon reaffirmed South Korea's commitment to its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT).
The topic came up in a forum where Yoon held a discussion on alliance matters with American political scientist Joseph Nye, professor emeritus at Harvard University and former assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs during the Bill Clinton administration.
"To compare the U.S. extended deterrence with NATO's nuclear sharing, the concept of nuclear deterrence really emerged after NATO's nuclear sharing arrangement," said Yoon. "However, in some aspects, since the U.S. extended deterrence is a one-on-one agreement, we have better effectiveness than a multilateral format like NATO 's nuclear sharing agreement."
He acknowledged there is public opinion in South Korea calling for its own nuclear arsenal, and that the country has the technology to do so.
"However, obtaining nuclear weapons is not just about technology," Yoon said. "It is about complex politics and economics […] We would need to give up many of the values that we have been upholding if we decided to develop our own [nuclear] weapons."
However, Yoon noted that the North Korean nuclear threat "is imminent, at our front door, and therefore we need a practical solution."
"We are in a situation where there is no choice but to upgrade our Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953 based on conventional weapons in the past past to the concept of mutual defense between South Korea and the United States, which now includes nuclear capabilities," said Yoon.
Thus, he said he has a "firm belief in the sustainability" of the Washington Declaration.
Ahead of taking questions from the audience, Yoon became the first Korean president to give an address at Harvard University, speaking on the theme of "Pioneering a New Freedom Trail."
On Friday, Yoon met with a group of scholars at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to discuss cooperation on digital and bio technologies.
He also took part in the Korea-U.S. Cluster Round Table and discussed cooperation in cutting-edge industry clusters.
BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
12. S. Korea can develop nuclear weapons but chooses not to: Yoon
I am not a nuclear expert but given the fact that South Korea has built 24 nuclear power plants and exports nuclear energy production around the world I am confident that the ROK could transition to producing nuclear weapons.
Some key points:
“However, nuclear weapons are not just a matter of technology. There are complex politics and economics and political and economic equations related to nuclear weapons,” he said. “There are various values and interests that must be given up when possessing nuclear weapons.”
When asked about whether the Washington Declaration implies South Korea's recognition of North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons, he said it did not.
"I object to approaching North Korea's nuclear issue as disarmament, not as denuclearization,” he said.
But the key point to ask is whether South Korean nuclear weapons would deter Kim Jong Un? Thahe question we must continually seek to answer is what does deter Kim Jong Un?
S. Korea can develop nuclear weapons but chooses not to: Yoon
koreaherald.com · by Shin Ji-hye · April 29, 2023
South Korea possesses the necessary technological capabilities to rapidly acquire nuclear weapons, potentially within a year, should it decide to pursue that path. However, South Korea has deliberately chosen to uphold its commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, President Yoon Suk Yeol said Friday.
Speaking at Harvard University’s Kennedy School in Boston, Yoon addressed growing public calls within South Korea for the country to pursue its own nuclear armament amid escalating North Korean missile threats.
“However, nuclear weapons are not just a matter of technology. There are complex politics and economics and political and economic equations related to nuclear weapons,” he said. “There are various values and interests that must be given up when possessing nuclear weapons.”
When asked about whether the Washington Declaration implies South Korea's recognition of North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons, he said it did not.
"I object to approaching North Korea's nuclear issue as disarmament, not as denuclearization,” he said.
Yoon and Biden said they adopted the declaration during their summit on Wednesday.
Under the Washington Declaration, South Korea and the US will launch a nuclear consultation group as a new mechanism to focus on nuclear and strategic planning issues. It would facilitate "systematic operations" of information sharing and the movements of strategic assets of the two countries.
President Yoon said of the Washington Declaration that it was an “inevitable choice.”
He believes that the declaration is more effective than NATO nuclear sharing because it was signed bilaterally.
Regarding Korea-Japan relations, he said there will be a lot of emotional conflicts related to the colonial period in the past, but “We can't move forward unless the historical issue is sorted out."
The Asahi Shimbun reported on the day that the governments of Korea and Japan are coordinating the direction of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit to Korea on May 7-8.
Shuttle diplomacy between Korea and Japan has been suspended for more than a decade. The last time it was active was in December 2011, when former President Lee Myung-bak visited Kyoto and held talks with then-Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.
By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)
koreaherald.com · by Shin Ji-hye · April 29, 2023
13. The US will send Ohio-class submarines with Trident II ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads with a launch range of up to 12,000 km to the Republic of Korea
What I would like to know is if the Trident II (D5) Ballistic missiles about the 14 Ohio Class submarines are sufficient to destroy the Kim family regime anywhere in north Korea? Kim should interpret the posting of an Ohio class submarine in Pusan as an indication of intent and fulfillment of the president's words - namely the use of WMD by Kim will result in the end of the regime.
We are taking some risk to send this signal which should also indicate the strength of our commitment.
And when the submarine puts to sea and Kim does not see it in Pusan, he should know that it is somewhere in the waters of the Korean Theater of Operations specifically targeting him and conducting drills to target every leadership location in north Korea so that Kim can run but he cannot hide from this capability.
The US will send Ohio-class submarines with Trident II ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads with a launch range of up to 12,000 km to the Republic of Korea
gagadget.com · by Weapons
The day before, we wrote about the "Washington Declaration" signed by the leaders of the US and the Republic of Korea. The agreement envisages the US Navy sending nuclear-powered submarines to South Korea for the first time in 40 years. At the press conference, the presidents did not specify which submarines they were talking about. However, Reuters reports that the US Navy will send Ohio-class submarines with ballistic missiles to the Korean peninsula.
Here's What We Know
A US nuclear-powered submarine carrying ballistic missiles was last in the Republic of Korea in the 1980s. The new visit will be a demonstration of Washington's determination to protect the ally from an attack by the DPRK, which has recently been actively launching ballistic missiles towards its southern neighbour and Japan.
Because US Ohio-class strategic missile cruisers rely on secrecy and stealth to maintain their ability to launch nuclear missiles in time of war, they rarely make public stops at foreign ports. The U.S. usually does not disclose where the submarines are located.
The US Navy has 18 Ohio-class submarines in service. Four of them carry Tomahawk cruise missiles (up to 154): USS Ohio (SSGN-726), USS Michigan (SSGN-727), USS Florida (SSGN-728) and USS Georgia (SSGN-729).
Another 14 submarines are strategic missile cruisers equipped with Trident II (D5) ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads:
- USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN-742);
- USS Alabama (SSBN-731);
- USS Alaska (SSBN-732);
- USS Nevada (SSBN-733);
- USS Tennessee (SSBN-734);
- USS Pennsylvania (SSBN-735);
- USS West Virginia (SSBN-736);
- USS Kentucky (SSBN-737);
- USS Maryland (SSBN-738);
- USS Nebraska (SSBN-739);
- USS Rhode Island (SSBN-740);
- USS Maine (SSBN-741);
- USS Wyoming (SSBN-742);
- USS Louisiana (SSBN-743).
A total of up to 20 Trident II (D5) ballistic missiles can be mounted on board. Each is capable of delivering up to eight nuclear warheads. The maximum launch range of the missiles is 12,000 km.
In the 1970s, Ohio-class missile cruisers visited ports in the Republic of Korea several times a month when there were hundreds of American nuclear warheads. The visits ceased in 1981.
A senior US official said on condition of anonymity that sending Ohio-class submarines to the Republic of Korea would be part of more frequent transfers of strategic assets to the peninsula. However, there is now no idea of any regular deployment or basing of nuclear weapons in South Korea.
Source: Reuters
gagadget.com · by Weapons
14. Yoon meets with MIT scholars to discuss digital, bio technologies
Yoon meets with MIT scholars to discuss digital, bio technologies
koreaherald.com · by Yonhap · April 29, 2023
By Yonhap
Published : Apr 29, 2023 - 11:35 Updated : Apr 29, 2023 - 11:35
BOSTON -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met with a group of scholars at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on Friday to discuss cooperation on digital and bio technologies.
Yoon, who is on a state visit to the United States, met with Anantha Chandrakasan, dean of the MIT School of Engineering, Professor Robert Langer, co-founder of Moderna, and James Collins, professor of biological engineering, among others.
"It's significant that I came to Boston right after my trip to Washington," Yoon said, referring to the first leg of his state visit marking the 70th anniversary of the bilateral alliance.
"Our alliance does not stop at defense and security, but this kind of creative and innovative cooperation on science and technology is a new domain of our alliance," he said.
President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a meeting with scholars at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Friday. (Yonhap)
Yoon explained he believed it would make a big difference to see and learn for himself where the two countries can work together and create synergies in the areas of cutting-edge science and technology, bioscience, artificial intelligence and other digital technology.
Later in the day, Yoon led the Korea-US Cluster Round Table and discussed cooperation between the two countries in cutting-edge industry clusters.
Boston is known as a biotechnology cluster and is home to global pharmaceutical companies, research labs and major institutions, including MIT and Harvard University.
The roundtable was attended by representatives from LabCentral, which fosters startups in biotechnology, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Boston Dynamics, and investment companies and hospitals. (Yonhap)
15. What the Biden-Yoon summit left out
From the Quincy Institute. Mr. Park misses the point. The strength of the ROK/US military and extended deterrence is not intended to change Kim Jong Un's behavior. They are designed to deter an attack, the use of WMD and if Kim Jong Un miscalculates and orders an attack, to defeat the nKPA, and support the political solution to the "Korean question" - unification.
What the Biden-Yoon summit left out - Responsible Statecraft
responsiblestatecraft.org · by James Park · April 28, 2023
QiOSK
What the Biden-Yoon summit left out
Nuclear saber rattling hasn’t changed North Korea’s behavior in the past and it likely won’t now.
April 28, 2023
Written by
James Park
What the Biden-Yoon summit left out
Wednesday’s U.S.-South Korea summit was meant to inject more stability into the Korean peninsula’s security landscape by reinforcing the alliance’s military deterrence posture against North Korea. For the first time ever, Washington and Seoul put together a separate document purely dedicated to reaffirming the U.S. extended deterrence commitment, dubbed the Washington Declaration.
They agreed to hold new table-top military drills, upgrade in both quantity and quality of the rotational deployments and visits of U.S. strategic assets to South Korea, and establish a new high-level dialogue for bilateral military and nuclear consultations.
The announcement of periodic visits of a U.S. Ohio class nuclear-armed submarine to South Korea, along with the hard-nosed message by President Biden at the joint press conference that he will destroy the North Korean regime if it attacks the United States or U.S. allies, all intended to send strong signals of resolve and threat against an increasingly aggressive and provocative Pyongyang.
It’s unclear whether any of this will compel Pyongyang to change its behavior.
To be sure, demonstrating a credible level of strength and threat is necessary in order to dissuade North Korea from engaging in destabilizing and dangerous behavior. But credibly reassuring North Korea that its self-restraint will not be taken advantage of, or that there will be clear incentives for North Korea to de-escalate and act more diplomatically also matters for effective deterrence.
Thus far, purely relying on sticks to punish and pressure North Korea has not worked particularly well. No matter the increased size and intensity of joint military exercises and regardless of the existing stringent sanctions, Pyongyang has refused to talk, launched a record-breaking number of ballistic missiles last year and remains just as belligerent, and accelerated its nuclear and missile development.
Washington and Seoul, in the joint statement, appropriately acknowledged that “diplomacy is the only viable way” of achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula. But it remains far from certain what necessary actions of reassurance they intend to take in order to convince Pyongyang that returning to negotiations is worthwhile.
Simply repeating that they are open to dialogue without precondition has not sounded incredibly credible to Pyongyang, especially when much of Washington and Seoul’s focus has been on countering North Korea militarily, squeezing the North Korean economy, and improving North Korea’s grave human rights situation. All these policies may be based on reasonable motives but undoubtedly exacerbate the longstanding North Korean suspicion of a hostile U.S. intent to fundamentally change its regime.
As one analyst points out, even if Washington says it does not have any intention to alter North Korea’s system, how can Pyongyang believe it and agree to give up or even reduce its weapons, looking at the American track record of supporting regime change in Iraq, Libya, Syria, and so on?
Convincing Pyongyang to talk would indeed require more reassuring American and South Korean gestures for diplomacy and engagement. Of course, Pyongyang’s deeply destabilizing behavior is largely to blame for how the situation on the Korean Peninsula has become so tense. But if just blaming North Korea and trying to hold it accountable by pressure and punishment has all but heightened military tension and increased the risk of conflict, it is perhaps not so wise to keep going down this road.
Written by
James Park
16. Yoon says Washington Declaration is 'upgraded' version of Mutual Defense Treaty
A very strong statement.
Yoon says Washington Declaration is 'upgraded' version of Mutual Defense Treaty | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · April 29, 2023
By Lee Haye-ah
BOSTON, April 28 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol said Friday that South Korea's new nuclear deterrence agreement with the United States should be understood as an "upgraded" version of the allies' 1953 Mutual Defense Treaty.
Yoon made the remark during a discussion held at Harvard Kennedy School, referring to the Washington Declaration he adopted with U.S. President Joe Biden at their summit in Washington on Wednesday.
Under the deal, the allies agreed to share information on nuclear and strategic operations and planning, and regularly deploy U.S. strategic assets to South Korea, to enhance the credibility of the U.S. extended deterrence commitment to its ally.
Extended deterrence refers to the U.S. commitment to mobilizing all of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally.
President Yoon Suk Yeol gives an address at Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 28, 2023. (Yonhap)
"We're now in a situation where the 1953 Mutual Defense Treaty based on conventional weapons has to be upgraded to the concept of South Korea-U.S. mutual defense that includes nuclear weapons," Yoon said of the Washington Declaration.
"North Korea's nuclear weapons are not far away but the danger is right in front of us, and in a very specific way," he said.
The Mutual Defense Treaty was signed between South Korea and the U.S. after the end of the 1950-53 Korean War and formed the basis for the bilateral alliance that marks its 70th anniversary this year.
Yoon noted the declaration stipulates not only the U.S.' obligations but also South Korea's obligations to not develop nuclear weapons of its own under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
The calls within South Korea for the country's own nuclear armament appear to be based on a simple calculation that because North Korea is advancing its nuclear capabilities, South Korea should too, given that it is technically capable, he said.
"If the Republic of Korea were to decide to arm itself with nuclear weapons, we have the technical foundation to do so within a short period of time, even within a year," Yoon said, referring to South Korea by its formal name.
But possessing nuclear weapons is not simply about the technical capability, but also about a "complicated political and economic equation," he said.
"There are various values and interests we have to give up if we possess nuclear weapons," he said.
Yoon expressed confidence the declaration will survive any change in administration in the U.S.
He also argued the agreement is more effective than the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's nuclear-sharing arrangement because it involves only two parties.
President Yoon Suk Yeol talks with Joseph Nye, Harvard University distinguished service professor, emeritus, at Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 28, 2023. (Yonhap)
When asked by Joseph Nye, Harvard University distinguished service professor, emeritus, whether the declaration could lead to tensions between South Korea and China, Yoon suggested China was partly to blame for North Korea's growing threat.
"The nuclear threat has become incredibly concrete because the U.N. Security Council members did not fully cooperate even in cases of a violation of Security Council resolutions," he said.
China and Russia, both permanent members of the Security Council, have frequently opposed strengthening sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Still, Yoon said South Korea seeks a healthy relationship with China.
"We are always working to pursue common interests for the two countries based on mutual respect," he said.
On the question of whether South Korea could provide lethal aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia, Yoon said his government is closely following developments on the battlefield.
"Depending on the situation on the battlefield, we will work to defend international rules and international law together with the international community," he said. "That could include various options."
Yoon also defended his commitment to improving relations with Japan, saying South Korea must "overcome the belief that we can't take one step further unless historical issues are resolved."
"I know there could be a lot of emotional conflict and antagonism related to the colonial period among our people," he said, referring to the suffering of Koreans under Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule.
"But if we cooperate well for the future, I believe our conflict and hostility about the past will be healed to a large extent," he said.
Ahead of the discussion, Yoon gave a speech on freedom and solidarity, saying the international community should respond to attempts to change the status quo by force with courageous and resolute solidarity.
President Yoon Suk Yeol gives an address at Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 28, 2023. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · April 29, 2023
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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