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Quotes of the Day:
“The real problem of humanity is the following: we have paleolithic emotions; medieval institutions; and godlike technology. And it is terrifically dangerous, and it is now approaching a point of crisis overall.“
– E. O. Wilson
“You think evil is going to come into your houses wearing big black boots. It doesn’t come like that. Look at language. It begins in the language.”
– Joseph Brodsky
"Under the influence of great fear, almost everybody becomes superstitious. Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd. Fear generates impulses of cruelty, and therefore promotes such superstitious beliefs as seem to justify cruelty. Neotha a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or to think samely under the influence of great fear.
– Bertrand Russell
1. HRNK Presents: "Rogue Allies: The Strategic Partnership between Iran and North Korea”
2. Bolton: Trump shouldn't test Pyongyang before Seoul settles down
3. Korean Reunification Efforts Amidst Rising Global Tensions and South Korean Presence in Central and Eastern Europe
4. N. Korea's Kim says participation in Russia's war against Ukraine justified
5. N. Korea's Kim visits Russian Embassy in Pyongyang to mark Victory Day: KCNA
6. Will Pope Leo XIV make a historic visit to North Korea?
7. PPP moves to replace presidential candidate as Kim-Han merger talks fail
8. PPP's midnight coup leaves South Korea’s democracy on the brink
9. PPP members vote against changing presidential candidate; Kim reinstated
10. Former PM Han apologizes for conservative party's presidential candidacy disarray
11. PROFILE Who is Lee Jae-myung?
12. On Facebook, Korea's conservatives unite against Han Duck-soo
13. As conservatives squabble, Lee Jae-myung says 'doing nothing' can win him the presidency
14. Seoul celebrates achievements in ‘extending freedom’ to North Koreans under Yoon
15. Korea’s aging extreme divers could hold the key to treating chronic disease
1. HRNK Presents: “Rogue Allies: The Strategic Partnership between Iran and North Korea”
This should be an excellent event. I have reviewed the manuscript for this book and it is one of a kind. It is the only book I've read that is balanced scholarship and research about both north Korean and Iran and their collusion. Normally there is a book about one of the countries that mentions something about the other but this is a book that discusses each in great detail that will be of immense value to policymakers, researchers, students, and the general public.
Please RSVP by clicking on this link or the button below.
HRNK Presents:
“Rogue Allies: The Strategic Partnership between Iran and North Korea”
Wednesday, May 21st, 2025
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
DACOR Bacon House, 2nd Floor Conference Room
1801 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20006
https://www.hrnk.org/event/hrnk-presents-rogue-allies-the-strategic-partnership-between-iran-and-north-korea/
HRNK is honored to host a rollout of the book authored by Dr. Bruce E. Bechtol Jr. and Dr. Anthony N. Celso, scrutinizing North Korean proliferation of instability and violence to Iran and its proxy terrorist allies. The event will conclude with a book signing by the co-authors. Paperback copies of the book will be available for purchase, payable in cash or check. The event is on-the-record and open to the press.
Featuring the Co-authors:
Dr. Bruce E. Bechtol Jr.
Dr. Anthony N. Celso
Discussant:
Dr. George Hutchinson
Moderated by:
HRNK President and CEO Greg Scarlatoiu
Please RSVP by clicking on this link or the button below.
RSVP
Bruce E. Bechtol, Jr. (Ph.D. Union Institute), is an award-winning professor of political science at Angelo State University and a retired Marine. He was formerly on the faculty at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College (2005–2010) and the Air Command and Staff College (2003–2005). Dr. Bechtol served as an adjunct visiting professor at the Korea University Graduate School of International Studies (2006–2007). He was an intelligence officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency from 1997 until 2003, eventually serving as the senior analyst for Northeast Asia in the Intelligence Directorate (J2) on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon. He formerly sat on the editorial review board of the East Asian Review from 2005 to 2009 and served as editor of the Defense Intelligence Journal from 2004 to 2005. He is currently on the editorial advisory board of the Korea Observer (2011–present), the editorial board of the International Journal of Security Studies, and is on the scientific board of Global Humanities (2014 present). He is the current Chairman of the Board of the International Council on Korean Studies. He is the author of “North Korean Military Proliferation to the Middle East and Africa: Enabling Violence and Instability” (University Press of Kentucky: 2018), “North Korea and Regional Security in the Kim Jong-un Era: A New International Security Dilemma” (Palgrave Macmillan: 2014), “The Last Days of Kim Jong-Il: The North Korean Threat in a Changing Era” (University of Nebraska Press: 2013), “Defiant Failed State: The North Korean Threat to International Security” (Potomac Books: 2010), and “Red Rogue: The Persistent Challenge of North Korea” (Potomac Books: 2007), and he is the editor of “Confronting Security Challenges on the Korean Peninsula” (Marine Corps University Press: 2011) and “The Quest for a Unified Korea: Strategies for the Cultural and Interagency Process” (Marine Corps University Foundation: 2007). He is also the author of more than forty articles in peer-reviewed journals. A widely sought after expert on North Korean international security issues, Dr. Bechtol has been called on to present commentary to the BBC, CNN, CBC, FOX News, Radio New Zealand, syndicated nationwide radio shows such as POTUS politics on SIRIUS/XM, the John Batchelor show, and several interviews on National Public Radio (to name a few).
Dr. Anthony N Celso earned a PhD in comparative public policy from The Ohio State University in 1989. He has worked as a professor of political science at numerous academic institutions including Mount Union College, University of Central Florida, Albright College, and Valley Forge Military College. He joined the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice at Angelo State University (ASU) in 2011 where he teaches terrorism, weak and failing states and regional studies classes in the Middle East, Europe and Latin America. Dr Celso is the author of “Al Qaeda Post 9-11 Devolution” (New York: Bloomsbury Press, 2014) and “The Islamic State: A Comparative History of Jihadist Warfare” (Latham: Lexington Books, 2018). Dr Celso has written over two dozen journal articles on Sunni jihadist groups and terrorism. His current research involves the ongoing war between Israel and Iran’s Axis of Resistance.
Dr. George A. Hutchinson is the Editor of the International Journal of Korean Studies and a board member of the International Council on Korean Studies. He has also served as a Senior Regional Planner, supporting and advising the U.S. Air Force on basing issues in the Republic of Korea. Previously, Dr. Hutchinson specialized in supporting wargaming and energy policy as a consultant at the Pentagon. Dr. Hutchinson has served in the U.S. Air Force as both a commissioned and noncommissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force in various roles, including Logistics Readiness Officer, Northeast Asia Foreign Area Officer, and Korean linguist.
He is the author of “Army of the Indoctrinated: The Suryong, the Soldier, and Information in the KPA” (Committee for Human Rights in North Korea) and “North Korea’s Nuclear Decisions and Strategies: Sovereignty, Legitimacy, and the Bomb” (Routledge, 2024). His work has also been published in the International Journal of Korean Studies, U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, Air Force Journal of Logistics, and Marine Corps University Press as well as in reports by the Korea Economic Institute of America.
Dr. Hutchinson holds a Ph.D. from George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government and a master’s in logistics management from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology.
Greg Scarlatoiu is the President and CEO of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK). Since 2011, he has overseen the publication of 59 HRNK reports. For twelve years, he has been a visiting professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Yonsei University in Seoul. Scarlatoiu is president of the International Council on Korean Studies (ICKS). He was a Radio Free Asia Korean columnist for twenty-two years. Scarlatoiu holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School, Tufts University, and a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts from Seoul National University’s Department of International Relations. He completed the MIT XXI Seminar for U.S. national security leaders in 2016-2017. Scarlatoiu was awarded the title “Citizen of Honor, City of Seoul,” in January 1999. Born and raised in communist Romania, he is a naturalized U.S. citizen. Scarlatoiu is fluent in Korean, French and Romanian.
2. Bolton: Trump shouldn't test Pyongyang before Seoul settles down
I am in 1000% agreement with Ambassador Bolton on this point: "getting a realistic view of what Kim Jong Un wants to achieve is crucial."
With this realistic view we can make policy and execute strategy;
And for the ROK/US alliance the key when the new ROK president comes into office is to ensure sufficient alignment and understand of the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime. This has to be the number one priority for the alliance after June 3d because without this will no be able to synchronize alliance policy and strategy.
The litmus test for policymakers and strategists (in both the US and the ROK) should be the ability to clearly articulate knowledge of the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime. And then every policy and strategy proposal must be assessed against those three points.
Conclusion:
You can try it again, but you’re going to get the same result. So whatever the people of South Korea decide, obviously, that’s their choice to make. And that’s the government the US would work with. But whoever it is, getting a realistic view of what Kim Jong Un wants to achieve is crucial. He wants to reunite the Korean Peninsula under his government, and the nuclear capability provides him with a considerable bit of leverage.
Bolton: Trump shouldn't test Pyongyang before Seoul settles down - Asia Times
Estranged first-term national security advisor, in an interview on Trump 2.0’s 1st 100 days, calls tariffs ‘economic disaster’
asiatimes.com · by Jason Morgan, Kenji Yoshida · May 9, 2025
President Donald Trump marked the first 100 days of his return to the White House on April 29. Though largely symbolic, this milestone is often a gauge of the incumbent’s governing instincts, priorities, and direction moving forward. Historically, the opening stretch offers a window of political momentum – a chance to push bold initiatives before opposition resistance stiffens.
Trump has wasted no time seizing that opportunity. In just three months, he has launched an arguably aggressive and often polarizing agenda, moving swiftly on border enforcement, sweeping subsidy cuts, protectionist trade measures and a fundamental overhaul of US foreign policy.
His team has racked up early wins on some fronts – but major global flashpoints, from the war in Ukraine to the conflict in Gaza, stubbornly remain in a quagmire. True to form, if Trump finds his efforts further stalling, the president may pivot to another arena where he believes a breakthrough is more within reach. In that case, North Korea, long dormant on Washington’s radar, could find itself back on the agenda.
In an interview for Asia Times, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton discussed Trump’s opening sprint, the grinding stalemate in Ukraine and the evolving geopolitical dynamics in Northeast Asia. A fixture in American diplomacy, Bolton has served in several key roles across Republican administrations, including as ambassador to the UN.
How would you assess Trump’s first 100 days in office?
In the international sphere, it’s been marked with a lot of failures and incompletions. Trump certainly did not achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine in 24 hours, not to mention in 100 days. If anything, it looks like the ceasefire effort is stalled and there’s no prospect of it moving forward. The situation in the Middle East remains unresolved. Negotiations with Iran don’t appear to have much traction, but we don’t know how long Trump will pursue them.
Most importantly, for the wider world, the Trump tariffs in the first 100 days are an economic disaster waiting to happen for the US and particularly its friends and allies. We don’t know whether we will have a trade war with the whole world at once or whether negotiations may solve some of it. But it certainly looks like we’ll have a trade war with China.
We haven’t done the preparation that should be necessary – to get our friends and allies together because they’re suffering from many of the same unfair practices that China’s played against the US. I’m also worried about the effect it has on American relations with countries all over the world, who wonder what this means in terms of future relations with Washington.
Do you see cease-fire talks over Ukraine producing any meaningful progress?
I don’t see a real chance for progress. The parties have significantly different views on what outcomes they would find acceptable. And they cross each other’s red lines in many areas. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are a red line for Ukraine. But, really, the Kremlin’s objective here ultimately is to conquer all of Ukraine.
So I’m not even sure if you could get to a ceasefire, or that it will last for any significant amount of time. When the parties are that far apart, that implies a long-term negotiation to resolve the differences. And, in the meantime, the Russians continue to try and move forward, which they’re doing – but very, very slowly and at a very high cost.
Putin thinks he’s got the momentum. That may be right, although it’s not much momentum. And that’s another incentive for him not to make a deal at this point.
Can you elaborate on your view of Putin’s ultimate motive?
What Putin said beginning in 2005, and many other statements since then, he basically wants to recreate the Russian Empire. And you can’t have a Russian empire in their view without having Ukraine. Putin began military action in 2014 and got maybe nine or ten percent of Ukraine. He’s continued it. The Russians now hold about 20 percent. It’s a slow process and highly costly to Russia in terms of lost lives, wounded and the economic consequences as well.
I think the advantage to Putin of a ceasefire, if you take it, is that it gives him a chance to rebuild the Russian army, which has been very badly damaged in the current war. Once he rebuilds the Russian army and the Black Sea fleet, then I think he’s in a position to try the third invasion.
This is why Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, has stressed the importance of security guarantees. It’s not enough just to get a ceasefire in the current conflict. It’s what you can put in place if you can’t have NATO membership for Ukraine, which Russia rules out and which I don’t think Trump would push. [If so,] then what are the security guarantees that Ukraine can receive that would deter a future Russian invasion?
Reports suggest Trump’s team is exploring a return to talks with Pyongyang. Do you see him re-engaging with Kim Jong Un?
That’s possible. But I worry that that might mean a meeting in Pyongyang, since it’s hard to imagine how you get the headlines of simply another meeting in Singapore or some other Asian city. And that would be very much in North Korea’s interest.
The Trump administration should wait until the political situation in South Korea is clarified one way or the other. Doing anything significant with North Korea on the nuclear front would be a very bad signal that we weren’t willing to wait for South Korea’s politics to clear up. Even if the administration in Washington has indicated interest toward Pyongyang, I think there shouldn’t be any real movement on that until things are clear.
Do you think Trump could come to terms with a nuclear North Korea?
Well, I hope not. I mean, that phrase has been used, but honestly, I don’t think he fully understands what it means. And, certainly, the declared policy of the United States remains the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea. That’s what the policy should be. And as I say, now with Marco Rubio, at least for a short period, being both secretary of state and national security advisor, that’s been Rubio’s view for a long time.
Some in Seoul argue that hardliners in Trump’s first administration ultimately scuttled a potential deal at the 2019 Hanoi Summit. What’s your view?
Trump pulled back just in time, not to make concessions to North Korea that would have been fatal. You know, North Korea has run the same playbook for many years. It agrees to denuclearize in exchange for tangible economic benefits, light fuel oil, light reactors, heavy fuel oil and relief from sanctions. And the benefits to North Korea are always front-end loaded.
The responsibilities of North Korea, that is to say, to denuclearize, come later. So North Korea agrees to denuclearize, gets the economic benefits, and then reneges on their part. And going through that again, which is what Kim Jong-un wanted to see in Hanoi, was just unacceptable and should be unacceptable.
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What’s one thing you would advise the Trump team on North Korea?
When the government in South Korea is resolved, I would talk immediately about what to do to face the combined threat – not just of North Korea’s nuclear program, but China’s hegemonic ambitions along its Indo-Pacific periphery. South Korea made a very important decision a year or so ago when it agreed to trilateral military maneuvers with the US and Japan. I think there are things we need to strengthen and advance on that front.
There’s a growing realization in South Korea that an attack on Taiwan by China would be an attack on South Korea as well. So this whole East Asian security question, I think, is getting more complicated and urgent. And South Korea has a critical role to play. So I recommend that South Korea be included in the Quad, joining India, Japan, Australia, and the US, thus forming a five-power operation that allows South Korea to participate with its economic, political, and military significance.
If South Korea’s presidency shifts to the left, how might that alter Seoul’s approach to North Korea?
We’ve seen variations of the Sunshine Policy through several different South Korean presidencies. All aimed at, in their view, getting a satisfactory resolution of a lot of issues, particularly the nuclear issue with North Korea. But they have all failed.
You can try it again, but you’re going to get the same result. So whatever the people of South Korea decide, obviously, that’s their choice to make. And that’s the government the US would work with. But whoever it is, getting a realistic view of what Kim Jong Un wants to achieve is crucial. He wants to reunite the Korean Peninsula under his government, and the nuclear capability provides him with a considerable bit of leverage.
asiatimes.com · by Jason Morgan, Kenji Yoshida · May 9, 2025
3. Korean Reunification Efforts Amidst Rising Global Tensions and South Korean Presence in Central and Eastern Europe
A view from Poland and Central Eastern Europe (CEE). (The CEE region for all purposes means the Visegrad 4 (“V4”) countries, that being, Poland, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia.)
Unfortunately, this does not get into unification issues other than to say the South is still committed to peaceful unification and the north has abandoned peaceful unification. It does not specifically offer the real north Korean intent which is domination of the entire peninsula but it does sufficiently discuss north Korean threats and aggression to come to that conclusion.
This is about South Korean and CEE cooperation and opportunities.
Download th 8 page PDF at this link: https://warsawinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/RS_03-2025_EN.pdf
Key excerpts from the paper:
This deepening cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, and Beijing to a degree, were "remarked by the Armed Services committee as a “great concern to all of the west”. Furthermore, this cooperation can result in N.K. gaining access to better military technology in the fields of nuclear and conventional capabilities.
All this goes to show how currently the idea of reunification or work towards it at least could not be more distant as tensions continue to rise again across the DMZ. With this eerily remi- niscent situation akin to the cold war Seoul’s national security interests of thwarting Pyongyang’s aggression have expanded in scope. In the sense that N.K. threat as now inexorably linked with Russia, meaning it is now in S.K. interest to engage, cooperate, and work together with countries that oppose Russian aggression, as it is via proxy countering N.K. as well. Despite recent tensions, the South Korean government remains committed to Korean reunification, actively de- veloping new policy tailored to current challenges.
However, the most striking and emphasized area of cooperation is in the defense sector, where Poland stands out with a landmark magnitude order of cooperation procurement wise. This agreement includes high profile items such as MBT’s, SPG’s, and MLRS systems.
Korean Reunification Efforts Amidst Rising Global Tensions and South Korean Presence in Central and Eastern Europe
New analysis from #KoreaMonitor: “Korean Reunification Efforts Amidst Rising Global Tensions and South Korean Presence in Central and Eastern Europe”, written by Benjamin Bardos is available for you! Read the full text below
The idea of reunification between North and South Korea seems to be stalled amidst recent global tensions, with North Korea (“N.K.”) doubling down on their cooperation with Russia while South Korea (“S.K.”) deepens ties with Central Eastern Europe (“CEE”).
N.K. has since the onset of global turbulence, brought about by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, chosen to cement its’s ties with Russia all the while distancing itself from the collective west, inclusive of S.K. This represents a clear policy decision on the part of the N.K. leadership to abandon efforts aimed at mending the reunification efforts.
The project is funded by a UniKorea grant, financed by the UniKorea Foundation
4. N. Korea's Kim says participation in Russia's war against Ukraine justified
In Kim's mind for sure (and the entire CRINK)
N. Korea's Kim says participation in Russia's war against Ukraine justified | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · May 10, 2025
SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said the North's deployment of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine was justified, defending his country's participation in the war as an exercise of its sovereign rights, Pyongyang's state media reported Saturday.
Kim made the remarks during his visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang the previous day to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II, known as Victory Day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Citing a mutual defense treaty signed last year with Russia, Kim said he issued the order to send the North's troops to Russia to "liberate" the Kursk front-line region as he was determined to faithfully implement the treaty.
"Our participation in the war was justified, and this is within the realm of the exercise of our sovereign rights," Kim said during a congratulatory speech, calling the North's troops engaged in combat against Ukraine "heroes."
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) delivers a speech during his visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on May 9, 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, in this photo carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
Last month, North Korea acknowledged for the first time that it has dispatched troops to fight alongside Russia against Ukraine. Seoul's spy agency said the North has sent around 15,000 soldiers to Russia so far and is believed to have incurred more than 4,700 casualties, including some 600 deaths.
Claiming that Ukraine has invaded Russia's territory, the North's leader said he will not be hesitant to use North Korea's military forces if the United States and its vassal states seek to stage another attack against Russia.
"If we neglect the Ukrainian puppet forces' move to bluntly take military action against the nuclear power's territory, they will be more recklessly brave. Then, Seoul's military, the top-class stooge of the U.S., would also increase its reckless bravado," Kim said.
Russia celebrated the 80th anniversary of Victory Day with a military parade Friday, attended by foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Kim was widely expected to have been invited to the celebrations, but he did not visit Moscow, apparently due to security and logistics.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C) visits the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, together with his daughter, known as Ju-ae, on May 9, 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, in this photo carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · May 10, 2025
5. N. Korea's Kim visits Russian Embassy in Pyongyang to mark Victory Day: KCNA
Closer than lips and teeth (nk-China) and or chapped lips and beeping gums (nk-Russia).
N. Korea's Kim visits Russian Embassy in Pyongyang to mark Victory Day: KCNA | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · May 9, 2025
SEOUL, May 9 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of Russia's World War II victory over Nazi Germany, pledging steady development of relations with Moscow.
Accompanied by his daughter and top party and state officials, Kim visited the Russian Embassy on Friday morning to convey his best wishes to the Russian leadership and people, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
In a congratulatory speech at the embassy, Kim praised the Soviet army's victory over fascism, reaffirming North Korea's "steadfast" commitment to "steadily consolidate and develop the long tradition of the DPRK-Russia relations ... and the invincible alliance," the KCNA reported.
DPRK stands for the official name of North Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
He said his embassy visit is a clear demonstration of North Korea's strong will to promote regional peace and security through the North Korea-Russia friendship, noting that the ties have evolved into "long-standing strategic relations."
"Pyongyang and Moscow will always be together," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
Russia was set to celebrate the 80th Victory Day with an extravagant military parade on Friday, attended by leaders from around the world, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Kim was widely expected to have been invited but remains in North Korea, apparently due to security and logistical issues.
This image, published by the Korean Central News Agency, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (at podium) giving a speech during his visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on May 9, 2025, on the occasion of Russia's 80th Victory Day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · May 9, 2025
6. Will Pope Leo XIV make a historic visit to North Korea?
Some premature speculation here I think. I am not sure how high this would be on the Pope's to do task list.
And more to the point: would it have any significant effects on the security situation in the region? Does anyone believe he could somehow influence Kim Jong Un?
Will Pope Leo XIV make a historic visit to North Korea?
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/northkorea/20250510/will-pope-leo-xiv-make-a-historic-visit-to-north-korea
open image galleryNewly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 8. AP-Yonhap
By KTimes
- Published May 10, 2025 1:41 pm KST
- Updated May 10, 2025 4:26 pm KST
Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, is expected to visit South Korea in 2027 for World Youth Day, and hopes are rising within the Korean Catholic community that he may also attempt a historic visit to North Korea.
According to the Korean Catholic Church on Friday, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to attend the 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul. The global Catholic event, which began in 1984 and is held every two to four years, typically includes a papal visit. During the event, the pope presides over an opening Mass and other major ceremonies, spending about a week in the host country. Pope Francis confirmed Seoul as the next host city at the 2023 World Youth Day in Lisbon.
If the trip proceeds, it will mark the fourth papal visit to South Korea. The most recent was Pope Francis’s visit in August 2014, which was also his first trip to Asia following his election. He stayed in Korea for five days. Many in the Korean Catholic community see papal visits as both a moment of spiritual significance and a diplomatic opportunity to elevate Korea’s presence on the world stage.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 8. AP-Yonhap
Pope Leo XIV has already visited Korea four times before his election. As a member of the Augustinian order, he traveled to Korea between 2002 and 2010 while serving as the order’s superior general, supporting the Korean branch’s efforts toward self-sufficiency. He is also said to have built a personal rapport within the Vatican with Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, current prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy and a key figure in Korea-Vatican relations.
“Having spent nearly two years working side by side with the pope in the Vatican, Cardinal You is likely to serve as a bridge in deepening ties between Korea and the papacy,” said one Catholic Church official. “As Pope Leo XIV begins his papacy, he will be briefed on a variety of proposals regarding inter-Korean relations and peace on the peninsula.”
A man waves a U.S. flag on St. Peter's Square as the newly elected pope is announced in the Vatican on May 8. AFP-Yonhap
There is growing speculation that Pope Leo XIV, considered a “Francis kid” due to his long-standing ties with Pope Francis, may revive the latter’s long-anticipated plan to visit North Korea. Pope Francis appointed Leo XIV as bishop of Chiclayo in 2014, a poor diocese in northern Peru where he had ministered for more than two decades. In 2023, he promoted him to head the Dicastery for Bishops.
Given his alignment with Pope Francis’s vision and priorities, many expect Pope Leo XIV to continue pursuing unfinished goals — including a potential visit to North Korea.
As the first pope from the United States, Leo XIV’s background may also enhance the likelihood of a North Korea visit. Some analysts suggest the U.S. could explore using the pope as a diplomatic channel for dialogue with Pyongyang. From the North Korean perspective, a papal visit could serve as a valuable gesture of goodwill in a tense international climate.
Kim Geun-su, director of the Institute for Liberation Theology, said the pope’s decades of ministry in politically unstable Latin America give him a unique understanding of the Korean Peninsula’s complexities. “The division of the Koreas and peace in the region are matters of deep concern for any pontiff,” Kim said. “During his tenure, we are likely to see progressive and practical discussions — including a visit to North Korea.”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
7. PPP moves to replace presidential candidate as Kim-Han merger talks fail
A domestic political whirlwind is taking place in South Korea.
With this turmoil in the PPP (People Power Party) it could ensure the victory of Lee Jae Myung of the Democratic Party of Korea.
(4th LD) PPP moves to replace presidential candidate as Kim-Han merger talks fail | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · May 10, 2025
(ATTN: ADDS latest info in paras 9-13, new photos)
SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- The conservative People Power Party (PPP) set in motion an unprecedented process to replace its presidential candidate Saturday, as talks on merging the candidacies of its standard-bearer Kim Moon-soo and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo collapsed.
The party convened an emergency committee and election management body to begin a process to make decisions on the cancellation of Kim's election as the party's candidate through party primaries, Han's party membership and other related issues.
The move came amid fears that if Kim and Han fail to unify their candidacy at a time of deepening fissures within the country's conservative camp, chances of a conservative win in the June 3 presidential poll would further diminish given that Lee Jae-myung, the liberal Democratic Party candidate, has been widening his lead.
Rep. Lee Yang-soo, head of the PPP election committee, announced on the party's website that Han has registered as a party's presidential candidate. Han also revealed in a message to PPP members that he has formally joined the party.
People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo (C) speaks as he leaves a local court on May 10, 2025, after attending a hearing regarding his injunction request to halt the party's cancellation of his candidacy. (Yonhap)
The PPP election committee notified party members last night of its decision to cancel Kim's candidacy and opened candidate registration for one hour at 3 a.m.
The PPP will put the motion for the candidate reelection to a vote Saturday and finalize its presidential candidate Sunday -- a deadline by which a party candidate must register his or her candidacy with the state election committee.
Kim lambasted the PPP's move as a "midnight political coup" and an "unprecedented anti-democratic act," vowing to take legal and political actions to hold those responsible accountable.
Kim later filed a court injunction to stop the party from canceling his candidacy, the second such legal action since he became a PPP presidential contender.
The court decision is expected to come as early as late Saturday.
Kim had sought a court order to challenge the PPP leadership's push to merge his campaign with Han's. The petition was dismissed by the court Friday.
Kim and Han held talks for the third consecutive day on Saturday, but the meeting went nowhere.
Before the talks, Han held a press conference and apologized to the people and party members "for the current situation," while reiterating the importance of a united front to win the election.
The party's late-night move has drawn criticism from primary candidates and their supporters.
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks during a press conference in Seoul on May 10, 2025. (Yonhap)
The PPP accused Kim of thwarting party efforts toward the single candidacy, defending its decision to disqualify Kim as a candidate as a painful choice the party had to make.
"It was the party members' demand that we field a candidate who can stop Lee Jae-myung's dictatorship. Unifying (the candidacy) was not a political move for any one individual or faction; it was our last hope of winning this election," said Kwon Young-se, the PPP's emergency committee chief.
"But candidate Kim betrayed the trust of party members, and by stalling for time, he sabotaged the efforts to unify the candidacy," Kwon said.
Kwon apologized to the public for the failure to select a single PPP candidate through political compromise, saying he will take responsibility for the outcome of the party's decisions on Kim and Han.
More than half of party members' votes are required to pass the cancellation motion against Kim. If that threshold isn't reached, Kim will keep his candidacy.
Kim Moon-soo (R), the People Power Party (PPP)'s presidential candidate, leaves the general assembly hall of the National Assembly past PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong after a party lawmakers' meeting in Seoul in protest of the party leadership's pressure to unify his candidacy with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on May 9, 2025. (Yonhap)
In its pursuit of a candidate replacement, the party invoked a clause of its key law stipulating that when there is a "considerable" reason, the party can make its determination regarding the election of a presidential candidate through an emergency committee decision.
The PPP's move toward naming a new candidate came as Kim pivoted away from his earlier position in favor of a unified candidacy.
During the party's nomination contest, Kim had repeatedly stressed his intent to swiftly merge candidacies with Han in the event of Han's run for president as an independent. But such a stance changed after he was crowned as the party's official presidential candidate last Saturday.
Demanding that Kim follow through on his pledge for a unified candidacy, the party leadership had pressured him to merge candidacies before Sunday. But Kim insisted that he would seek a unified candidacy through an opinion poll on May 15-16.
In various opinion polls, Han was ahead of Kim. In this week's National Barometer Survey, Lee garnered 43 percent support, trailed by former Han with 23 percent and Kim with 12 percent.
On Friday, a Seoul court dismissed Kim's petition challenging the party leadership's push to merge his campaign with Han's, while PPP lawmakers agreed to hand over full authority to the party leadership to possibly reselect its presidential candidate.
Participants in a rally supporting the People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo shout protest slogans toward presidential hopeful Han Duck-soo at the party headquarters in Seoul on May 10, 2025. (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
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(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · May 10, 2025
8. PPP's midnight coup leaves South Korea’s democracy on the brink
On the brink of disaster?
We should keep the first statement in the excerpt in mind. Korea is NOT a Cold War relic.
Excerpts:
The Korean Peninsula is not a relic of Cold War tension. It is an active geopolitical fault line.
At a time when the US is trying to contain China’s rise – militarily, economically, and technologically – with the help of its allies, South Korea’s liberal democratic institutions are being hollowed out from within.
Washington has long viewed Seoul as a stable democratic ally in a region increasingly dominated by authoritarian regimes. But if that democratic core erodes, the consequences could be serious.
A compromised South Korea undermines US-led coalition-building, weakens trust among fellow democracies like Japan, and emboldens authoritarian actors eager to see liberal democracy fail in East Asia.
A linchpin in peril
The events of May 10 should alarm not only South Koreans, but all who are committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific. South Korea is a strategic linchpin – and its democracy now stands in jeopardy.
PPP's midnight coup leaves South Korea’s democracy on the brink - Asia Times
People Power Party’s sudden ouster of its presidential nominee highlights growing authoritarian impulse within political elite
asiatimes.com · by Hanjin Lew · May 10, 2025
Around 1 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2025, South Korea’s main conservative party, the People Power Party (PPP), executed what amounts to a quiet procedural coup. In the dead of night, three official notices appeared in rapid succession on the party’s bulletin board – each one more consequential than the last.
The first, titled “Announcement of Cancellation of the Selection of the 21st Presidential Candidate of the PPP” abruptly nullified the nomination of Kim Moon-soo. Kim had secured the candidacy through a months-long primary process, earning the support of the party base.
The second, “PPP 21st Presidential Candidate Registration Application Notice,” announced a one-hour window – between 3 am and 4 am on the same day – for new candidates to register.
Applicants were required to submit 32 documents, including a Proof of Criminal Record (No. 15), and an Election Office Establishment Report (No. 24). Many of these items require in-person visits to government offices and time. Given that the offices were closed on Saturday and the notices appeared just hours before the deadline, the only conceivable candidate was someone pre-informed and fully prepared.
The third and final notice, “21st Presidential Election Candidate Registration Notice,” confirmed what many suspected: Han Duk-soo was listed as the sole registered candidate.
Unaccountable authority
According to Article 74 of the PPP’s constitution, “the presidential candidate shall have priority over all authority over party affairs to the extent necessary to efficiently promote election affairs from the day of election until the presidential election day.”
Kim Moon-soo, citing this clause, attempted to exercise his authority. His request was ignored by party leadership.
Kim, who had earned his nomination through a transparent and competitive process, was cast aside without explanation or apology. In a matter of hours, the outcome of months of democratic engagement was overturned. In its place was a backroom coronation.
Han Duck-soo: a leader with no agenda of his own
That authority now rests with Han Duck-soo – the former prime minister under President Yoon – who wasn’t even a party member until hours before his nomination. He did not participate in the primary process, did not stand for a vote, and has never run for elected office in his life.
He has no record of political ambition and has publicly stated repeatedly that he will simply “follow what the party tells him to do.” When Kim Moon-soo invoked Article 74 of the party constitution to assert that he was the rightful representative of the party, Han simply ignored him.
Even more curiously, Han has said that if elected, he plans to step down after three years – raising urgent questions about who or what truly stands behind his candidacy.
The public’s voice erased
The PPP leadership’s decision to cancel the candidacy of someone chosen through public primaries has left many South Koreans facing a grim realization: They have no real voice in selecting their own leaders.
The will of the people can be undone – silently, without warning and without recourse.
While the leftist Minjoo Party has become a vehicle for Lee Jae-myung – a party by Lee, of Lee and for Lee – the conservative PPP has similarly transformed into a party driven by, shaped by and ultimately serving the interests of those behind Han Duk-soo.
The fragility beneath its democratic facade
What took place on May 10 was not routine political strategy. It was a full-scale collapse of democratic norms – and a warning shot fired at the very foundation of South Korea’s constitutional order.
In a country once hailed as a beacon of democratic maturity in East Asia, both of its main parties now seem dominated by personality cults and elite power plays.
A failing democracy on the front line of US-China rivalry
South Korea’s political unraveling is not happening in isolation. The country occupies one of the world’s most critical geopolitical crossroads – bordering China, Japan, and Russia, and anchored by a long-standing military alliance with the United States.
Sign up for one of our free newsletters
The Korean Peninsula is not a relic of Cold War tension. It is an active geopolitical fault line.
At a time when the US is trying to contain China’s rise – militarily, economically, and technologically – with the help of its allies, South Korea’s liberal democratic institutions are being hollowed out from within.
Washington has long viewed Seoul as a stable democratic ally in a region increasingly dominated by authoritarian regimes. But if that democratic core erodes, the consequences could be serious.
A compromised South Korea undermines US-led coalition-building, weakens trust among fellow democracies like Japan, and emboldens authoritarian actors eager to see liberal democracy fail in East Asia.
A linchpin in peril
The events of May 10 should alarm not only South Koreans, but all who are committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific. South Korea is a strategic linchpin – and its democracy now stands in jeopardy.
Hanjin Lew, a political commentator specializing in East Asian affairs, is a former international spokesman for South Korean conservative parties.
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asiatimes.com · by Hanjin Lew · May 10, 2025
9. PPP members vote against changing presidential candidate; Kim reinstated
But wait. There's more. Who is in and who is out?
PPP members vote against changing presidential candidate; Kim reinstated
koreaherald.com · by Korea Herald · May 11, 2025
Kim Moon-soo (Yonhap)
In yet another dramatic twist to the heavy internal strife at the People Power Party, the members on Saturday voted against changing their presidential candidate from Kim Moon-soo to Han Duck-soo, leaving the party leader yielding and offering to resign.
Following the court’s Friday rejection of former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo's request to ban the party from holding a national convention that could potentially replace him with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as presidential candidate, the party leadership had commenced an unprecedented process to replace their nominee on Saturday.
Allowing Han to register with the party overnight, the party convened an emergency committee, decided on the cancellation of Kim's candidacy and set forth follow-up process of a vote of approval by party members.
The move came amid fears that if Kim and Han fail to unify their candidacy, chances of a conservative win in the June 3 presidential election would be low against front-runner Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea.
However, the effort was thwarted after a larger number of the party members reportedly voted against the option of replacing their official candidate. The party did not disclose the actual number of the votes. The vote was conducted on all party members through ARS from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Upon the votes, the party said Kim’s candidacy has effectively been restored. The party’s interim leader Kwon Young-se offered to resign saying he would take responsibility of the botched replacement plan.
The PPP has been engulfed in heavy strife with days of talks on merging the candidacies of its standard-bearer Kim Moon-soo and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo bearing no progress.
Kim, who had been open to merging candidacy with Han prior to his primary win on May 3, strongly lambasted the party leadership’s move on Saturday as a "midnight political coup" and an "unprecedented anti-democratic act," vowing to take legal and political actions. Apparently emboldened by his primary win, Kim has been demanding a lengthier procedure of a potential merge of candidacy. Kim later in the day filed a court injunction to stop the party from canceling his candidacy, the second such legal action since he became a PPP presidential contender.
The People Power Party leadership has said that a "big tent campaign" of joining the party's strongest options was the only way to beat Lee Jae-myung.
As of Sunday, there are 23 days left until the election. Deadline of the official registration of presidential candidates with the National Election Commission is set for Sunday.
From news reports
koreaherald.com · by Korea Herald · May 11, 2025
10. Former PM Han apologizes for conservative party's presidential candidacy disarray
I think disarray is putting it mildly.
Former PM Han apologizes for conservative party's presidential candidacy disarray
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20250510/former-pm-han-apologizes-for-conservative-partys-presidential-candidacy-disarray
open image galleryPresidential hopeful Han Duck-soo attends an emergency press conference held at the People Power Party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Saturday. Yonhap
By Yonhap
- Published May 10, 2025 8:37 pm KST
- Updated May 10, 2025 9:03 pm KST
Han Duck-soo, a former prime minister and aspiring presidential candidate for the conservative People Power Party (PPP), issued an apology to the public and party members Saturday regarding the recent confusion surrounding his potential candidacy merger with the party's presidential candidate, Kim Moon-soo.
Han's apology came after some party members voiced strong opposition to the leadership's unprecedented attempt to nullify the party's primary and replace Kim with Han, following the failure of talks between Han and Kim to unify their campaigns.
"I sincerely apologize to the people and party members for the current situation, regardless of the reasons behind it," Han said during his first press conference since declaring his candidacy earlier in the day.
The PPP selected Kim as its candidate for the June 3 presidential election through primaries last week, but has pressured him to step aside and support Han, who has performed better in hypothetical matchups with front-runner Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party.
After the failed talks for a single-ticket campaign, the PPP canceled Kim's nomination and had Han join the party to register him as its new presidential candidate in the wee hours of Saturday. The decision has led to strong criticism from primary candidates and their supporters.
"I will be any 'Duck-soo,' whether it's Kim Duck-soo, Hong Duck-soo, Ahn Duck-soo or Na Duck-soo," Han said, expressing his willingness to unite all the primary contenders -- Kim, former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo.
Han also emphasized that his focus is on securing victory in the upcoming election, and he has no interest in party leadership.
"I will play a role just as a brief stepping stone ... I sincerely hope that the party and the people step over my back and move into the next era," Han said.
Following the press briefing, Han resumed negotiations with Kim, the third round of talks aimed at forming a unified candidacy, officials said.
The PPP will put the motion for the candidate reelection to an all-party vote Saturday and finalize its presidential candidate Sunday -- a deadline for candidates to register with the state election committee.
Kim denounced the party leadership's move as an "overnight political coup." He has vowed to pursue all necessary legal measures to maintain his status and register his candidacy.
11. PROFILE Who is Lee Jae-myung?
A lot of blanks necessary to fill in.
Below this short and thin profile is some additional information about him with the help of AI to include the current list of criminal charges as well as relationships with China and north korea.
PROFILE Who is Lee Jae-myung?
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20250510/profile-who-is-lee-jae-myung
open image galleryLee jae-myung as a teenager working at a factory / Courtesy of Lee Jae-myung camp from 2022 presidential election
By Kim Bo-eun
- Published May 10, 2025 2:35 pm KST
- Updated May 10, 2025 5:18 pm KST
From poor factory worker to heavyweight politician
Editor’s note
This is the first of a series of profiles of Korea's presidential candidates.
Controversial, stubborn, tenacious are some adjectives that can be associated with Lee Jae-myung, 61, who will be competing for the third time, in South Korea's June 3 presidential election.
Leading the polls with a wide margin, Lee is a heavyweight politician with the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, having served as the former party leader, as well as governor of Gyeonggi Province and mayor of Seongnam City.
The presidential candidate is embroiled in multiple criminal trials, including one in which he is charged with violating the Election Law.
Born in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, as the fifth child out of seven, he grew up in poor circumstances. He often skipped elementary school because he had to walk 5 kilometers to get there.
Lee moved to Seongnam as a teenager, but had to give up school to earn money, alongside his mother and sister who cleaned toilets. He worked at multiple factories, and his wrist was crushed in an industrial accident at one of them. This later exempted him from mandatory military service.
He substituted his missed school years with equivalency exams and studied law at Chung-Ang University with a scholarship. Lee passed the state bar exam in 1986, and became a human rights laywer and activist.
He entered the political arena in 2005, when he joined the predecessor of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and has stayed within the party's boundaries ever since.
His failed in his first election for Seongnam mayor in 2006, but was elected in 2010 and 2014. He started earning recognition for welfare policies such as city-funded school uniforms and a universal basic income.
Lee was a DPK contender for the 2017 presidential election, but lost the party candidacy to Moon Jae-in, who ended up becoming president. Lee was elected governor of Gyeonggi Province the following year.
Lee ran again in the 2022 presidential election as the DPK's candidate but lost by a narrow margin to Yoon Suk Yeol. He became a lawmaker representing an electoral district in the city of Incheon later that year in a local government election.
Current List of Alleged Crimes Against Lee Jae-myung
Lee Jae-myung, leader of South Korea's Democratic Party and current presidential frontrunner, is facing a range of criminal allegations and ongoing trials. As of May 2025, these are the key charges and cases:
1. Election Law Violations (Spreading False Information)
· Lee has been found guilty by the Supreme Court of violating the Public Official Election Act by making false statements during the 2022 presidential campaign. The court determined he disseminated false information about his relationship with a Seongnam city official involved in a land corruption scandal and about government pressure related to land zoning[1][2][3][4].
· If the appellate court upholds a fine of at least 1 million won, Lee could be barred from running for public office for 10 years[2][4].
2. Perjury (Suborning False Testimony)
· Lee is accused of instructing a former mayoral secretary to provide false testimony in court to benefit his legal defense in a previous case[5][2][6][7].
· The perjury trial has been postponed until after the June 2025 election[7][4].
3. Breach of Trust and Corruption in Land Development Projects
· Lee faces multiple charges related to alleged corruption and breach of trust during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam:
o Daejang-dong Development Scandal: Lee is accused of colluding with private developers, causing the city significant financial losses while enabling large profits for select firms[8][9][10][7].
o Wirye and Baekhyeon-dong Projects: Similar allegations involve preferential treatment and insider information provided to developers, resulting in windfall profits for private companies linked to Lee or his associates[8][9][7].
o Seongnam FC Sponsorship: Prosecutors allege Lee pressured local businesses to donate to Seongnam Football Club in exchange for business favors, amounting to disguised bribery[8][9][7].
4. Unauthorized Financial Transactions with North Korea
· Lee is implicated in the illegal transfer of approximately $8 million to North Korea via the Ssangbangwool Group, allegedly to facilitate a planned visit to Pyongyang and to fund a smart farm project[5][8][6][9].
5. Misappropriation of Public Funds
· As governor of Gyeonggi Province, Lee is accused of using 106.53 million won (about $76,500) of public money for personal expenses, including improper use of official vehicles and corporate cards[6].
· This case is described as involving systematic misuse of government resources, with multiple officials implicated[6].
6. Additional Allegations
· Lee is also under investigation for other forms of breach of trust, embezzlement, and corruption, with a total of at least five separate criminal cases pending as of May 2025[5][6][11][12].
Summary Table of Key Allegations
Allegation/Charge
Description
Status (as of May 2025)
Election law violation (false information)
Made false statements during 2022 campaign
Supreme Court found guilty; retrial pending[1][2][3][4]
Perjury (suborning false testimony)
Instructed aide to lie in court
Trial postponed[5][2][6][7]
Daejang-dong, Wirye, Baekhyeon-dong corruption
Preferential treatment, breach of trust in land development projects
Trials postponed[8][9][7]
Seongnam FC sponsorship bribery
Pressured businesses for donations in exchange for favors
Ongoing trial[8][9][7]
Unauthorized money transfer to North Korea
Orchestrated illegal $8 million transfer via Ssangbangwool Group
Ongoing trial[5][8][6][9]
Misappropriation of public funds
Used Gyeonggi Province funds for personal use
Indicted November 2024[6]
Context and Political Implications
· Lee's legal troubles are highly politicized, with some arguing the cases are politically motivated, while others see them as serious allegations of corruption and abuse of power[9][10][12].
· The courts have postponed several of Lee’s trials until after the June 2025 presidential election to avoid influencing the political process[5][2][7][4].
· A conviction on any major charge could disqualify Lee from holding public office for years, making these trials central to South Korea’s political landscape[1][2][4].
This list reflects the current status of allegations and legal proceedings against Lee Jae-myung as of May 2025. All charges remain allegations until proven in court, and Lee continues to deny wrongdoing, claiming political persecution[9][10].
⁂
1. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/01/south-korea-top-court-overturns-lee-jae-myungs-criminal-case.html
2. https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10481832
3. https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10478866
4. https://asianews.network/south-korean-courts-postpone-rep-lee-jae-myung-hearings-until-after-election/
5. https://www.dw.com/en/south-korea-is-lee-jae-myung-set-for-presidency/a-72478536
6. https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20241119050035
7. https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-05-07/national/2025presidential/DPs-Lee-gets-postponement-in-land-development-corruption-trial/2301951
8. https://journal-neo.su/2023/10/03/lee-jae-myung-the-list-of-charges/
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Jae-myung
10. https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/report/republic-korea/march-2025
11. https://apnews.com/article/south-korean-opposition-leader-lee-jae-myung-suspended-prison-sentence-321aa7e383e409edff4bd5924ad73776
12. https://koreapro.org/2025/03/acquitted-but-not-cleared-lee-jae-myung-still-faces-legal-jeopardy-in-2025/
Lee Jae-myung’s Links to China and North Korea
North Korea
· Alleged Illegal Funds Transfer:
Lee Jae-myung has been indicted on bribery charges for allegedly orchestrating the illegal transfer of $8 million to North Korea between 2019 and 2020. Prosecutors claim Lee, while governor of Gyeonggi Province, asked the Ssangbangwool Group (an apparel company) to send the funds to support a commercial project in North Korea and to facilitate a planned visit to Pyongyang by Lee himself[1][2][3]. Lee’s former deputy governor, Lee Hwa-young, has already been sentenced to prison in connection with this scheme[2].
· Policy Stance:
Lee has publicly pledged to rebuild “mutual trust” with North Korea if elected president. His proposals include:
o Establishing a joint inter-Korean military committee
o Restoring communication channels to manage military tensions
o Resuming inter-Korean exchanges and economic cooperation
o Declaring border regions special economic zones for peace
· Lee’s approach is rooted in the tradition of previous liberal presidents, advocating for peace talks, conditional easing of sanctions in exchange for denuclearization steps, and restoring agreements suspended under the previous conservative administration[4][3].
China
· Diplomatic and Economic Engagement:
Lee has a history of advocating for closer ties with China, which has led to concerns among U.S. and conservative South Korean analysts about a potential policy shift toward Beijing[5][6]. As governor, he promoted initiatives like the “Korea-China Friendship City” and has spoken of “balanced diplomacy”-widely interpreted as seeking to reduce reliance on the U.S. in favor of warmer relations with China[6].
· Public Remarks and Controversies:
Lee’s past remarks have sometimes been seen as conciliatory or even deferential toward Beijing. For example, he was criticized for remaining silent when a Chinese ambassador publicly warned South Korea against aligning too closely with the U.S.[7]. He has also suggested South Korea could avoid getting entangled in Taiwan-related tensions by maintaining a neutral stance[7].
· Policy Evolution:
Recently, Lee has moderated his rhetoric, emphasizing pragmatism and the need to balance relations between the U.S. and China. In his recent book, he wrote that South Korea “should not undercut our alliance with the United States, but we also should not emphasize it too much, as it could alienate other countries”[7]. His campaign has signaled a more measured approach, assembling experienced foreign policy advisers and expressing support for the U.S.-South Korea alliance, though he remains less explicit about China policy details[7].
· Geopolitical Implications:
Analysts note that Lee’s potential presidency is viewed by Beijing as an opportunity to regain influence in South Korea, especially after the impeachment of the previous pro-U.S. president. China sees Lee as a leader more open to engagement and less likely to resist its regional ambitions[6].
Summary Table
Country
Alleged/Documented Links
Policy Stance/Actions
North Korea
Alleged $8 million illegal transfer via Ssangbangwool
Advocates dialogue, economic cooperation, and conditional sanctions relief
China
Promoted “Korea-China Friendship City”; pro-engagement
Supports “balanced diplomacy,” pragmatic engagement, and economic cooperation
Conclusion
Lee Jae-myung’s links to North Korea are most concretely reflected in the ongoing criminal case involving the alleged illegal transfer of funds. His policy positions consistently favor engagement and cooperation with Pyongyang. Regarding China, Lee has a record of advocating closer ties and pragmatic diplomacy, though he has recently moderated his public stance in response to domestic and international concerns. Both positions mark a clear shift from the previous administration’s more confrontational approach to North Korea and alignment with the U.S. against China[1][2][4][5][3][7][6].
⁂
1. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-opposition-leader-lee-indicted-over-funds-transfer-north-korea-2024-06-12/
2. https://www.voanews.com/a/south-korean-opposition-leader-indicted-on-bribery-charges/7652654.html
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Jae-myung
4. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/south-korea-s-presidential-front-runner-lee-vows-to-rebuild-mutual-trust-with-north-korea/3554913
5. https://koreapro.org/2025/02/lee-jae-myungs-rise-fuels-us-fears-of-a-pro-china-shift-in-south-koreas-policy/
6. https://asiatimes.com/2025/04/seouls-pivot-after-yoons-removal-could-prove-a-win-for-china/
7. https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-04-23/national/politics/Lee-Jaemyung-changes-tune-on-foreign-policy-ahead-of-presidential-election/2292134
12. On Facebook, Korea's conservatives unite against Han Duck-soo
Saturday
May 10, 2025
dictionary + A - A
On Facebook, Korea's conservatives unite against Han Duck-soo
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-05-10/national/politics/On-Facebook-Koreas-conservatives-unite-against-Han-Ducksoo/2304257
Published: 10 May. 2025, 16:53
- SEO JI-EUN
- seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr
Former People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon speaks after the conservative party's nomination of former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo as its candidate for the June 3 presidential election at the party's convention in Goyang, Gyeonggi, on May 3. [LIM HYEON-DONG]
Several former presidential contenders from the People Power Party (PPP) strongly criticized the party's leadership on Saturday over its unprecedented decision to revoke former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo's nomination and replace him with former acting President Han Duck-soo.
“The pro-Yoon faction in the party brought in their favored candidate at 3 a.m. and rammed through his solo nomination," former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon wrote on Facebook on Saturday. "Even North Korea wouldn’t do this."
Han Dong-hoon also questioned Han Duck-soo’s qualifications.
“He’s not generating any momentum, nor does he enjoy overwhelming public support — he’s just the former prime minister who stood by and failed to stop the martial law announcement, " Han Dong-hoon wrote.
"How many votes do they think he’ll get if he’s forced through like this as our nominee?" he continued. "The pro-Yoon faction only wants to preserve their own vested interests. They were never interested in victory."
PPP Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo also wrote on Facebook that he strongly opposed what he called the "candidate replacement farce.”
“This is shameful — utterly, unbearably shameful,” Ahn wrote. “The process of candidate unification should be carried out rationally by all forces opposing Lee Jae-myung’s authoritarian regime, for the sake of a unified victory.”
Ahn further questioned the motives behind the leadership’s move.
“This reeks of an attempt to seize control of the party, not a strategy for presidential victory,” he said. “It’s an illegal and shameless violation of the party charter and internal democracy. This will go down as an unprecedented day of disgrace in the global history of democratic parties.”
Ahn called for the party to acknowledge the results of the primary and return to a “normal process” of candidate unification.
People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo announces his retirement from politics following his elimination from the second round of the party's primaries at the PPP headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, on April 29. [YONHAP]
Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo also weighed in on Saturday, declaring that the PPP's attempt to replace its presidential candidate marked “the end of Korea’s conservative lemming party.”
“A first [person] self-destructs with martial law, and now two more forcibly replace the candidate and enact the final self-destruct,” Hong wrote on Facebook.
In response, former PPP leader Lee Jun-seok — the presidential candidate of the newly launched Reform Party — commented on Hong’s post, saying, “It seems we must now carry the torch of new politics that the youth of this country demand. Safe travels to America,” he added, referring to Hong’s departure for the United States scheduled for later that day.
BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]
13. As conservatives squabble, Lee Jae-myung says 'doing nothing' can win him the presidency
"Emperor Bonaparte" - who said "never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
Saturday
May 10, 2025
dictionary + A - A
As conservatives squabble, Lee Jae-myung says 'doing nothing' can win him the presidency
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-05-10/national/politics/As-conservatives-squabble-Lee-Jaemyung-says-doing-nothing-can-win-him-the-presidency/2304248
Published: 10 May. 2025, 16:26
- SEO JI-EUN
- seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr
Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, left, shakes hands with a resident while campaigning in Changnyeong County, South Gyeongsang, on Saturday. [NEWS1]
Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Saturday took a swipe at the People Power Party (PPP) and its unprecedented candidate shake-up, describing the situation as a self-inflicted collapse and emphasizing that sometimes, “doing nothing” is enough to win.
“In politics, when people start chasing gains too eagerly, they’re bound to trip and fall," Lee told residents at a traditional market in Changneyong County, South Gyeongsang, citing his favorite saying of former President Kim Young-sam. "That’s how I feel looking at a certain group right now."
Referring to the PPP’s internal chaos, Lee added, "I didn’t do anything at all.”
Lee also revealed that he'd recently spoken on the phone with former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, a native of Changnyeong. Hong was eliminated in the second round of the PPP's presidential primary,
“I don’t usually talk about other people’s internal affairs, but I imagine [Hong] must be speechless watching what’s happening in the PPP," he said. "Frankly, I think he has every right to say, ‘Give me my money back.’”
It had been a busy Saturday for Lee. Earlier, he'd officially registered his candidacy for the 21st presidential election on June 3 with the National Election Commission. The same day, he also posted a detailed policy statement to Facebook outlining plans to expand Korea’s aerospace and defense industries.
“Aerospace, aviation and defense are representative advanced industries with high added value and strong job creation potential,” Lee wrote in the Facebook post.
He pledged to transform the national aerospace industrial complex in South Gyeongsang into a global hub, expanding research and development (R&D) across areas such as launch vehicles, satellites and ground systems.
“We will significantly scale up R&D to reach world-class technological standards,” he said.
He added that his administration would pursue the development of a successor to the KF-21 fighter jet and a domestically developed aircraft engine to realize “autonomous national defense.” He also offered tax credits to defense export firms and expanded small- and medium-sized enterprises in the sector.
BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]
14. Seoul celebrates achievements in ‘extending freedom’ to North Koreans under Yoon
President Yoon was impeached but South Korea's 8.15 Unification Doctrine was not.
Seoul celebrates achievements in ‘extending freedom’ to North Koreans under Yoon
Unification ministry cites support for human rights and defectors, despite Yoon’s impeachment and looming election
https://www.nknews.org/2025/05/seoul-celebrates-achievements-in-extending-freedom-to-north-koreans-under-yoon/
Jooheon Kim May 9, 2025
Yoon Suk-yeol at the National Liberation Day celebration | Image: ROK Presidential Office (Aug. 15, 2024)
Seoul has released a new report celebrating achievements in “extending freedom” to North Koreans under the unification doctrine that President Yoon Suk-yeol introduced last year, despite his impeachment over his ill-fated declaration of martial law.
Unveiled by the unification ministry on Thursday, the 2025 Unification White Paper outlines a range of policy efforts launched during Yoon’s term, including the establishment of North Korean Defectors’ Day, the provision of 18 billion won ($1.28 million) to civil society organizations to raise awareness about DPRK human rights and the start of construction on a major human rights center in Seoul.
The report highlights the ROK government’s participation as a co-sponsor of the North Korea human rights resolution at the 55th session of the U.N. Human Rights Council and the 79th session of the UN General Assembly. It also praises Seoul’s proactive approach ahead of the Fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the U.N., after the government submitted questions to North Korea and urged the regime to address critical issues such as abductions, family reunifications and human trafficking.
The cover of the “2025 Unification White Paper” | Image: Screenshot from the Ministry of Unification
The Yoon administration prioritized efforts to raise awareness about North Korean human rights violations and increase defector resettlement support, alongside its efforts to strengthen military deterrence against DPRK weapons advances.
Yoon notably introduced South Korea’s first new unification doctrine in decades on Aug. 15, 2024, in a major speech to mark Liberation Day. Coming after North Korea denounced unification and declared the South an enemy state, the doctrine jettisoned a long-standing bipartisan roadmap on seeking peaceful unification in favor of efforts to “extend freedom” to the DPRK — a strategy that experts referred to as an implicit call for regime change and unification by absorption.
It also emphasized the need to counter “anti-unification forces” in South Korea, language widely interpreted as aimed at Yoon’s progressive political opponents who support engaging Pyongyang. Yoon later cited such “pro-North Korean forces” to justify his short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3.
The release of the white paper celebrating Yoon’s achievements stands out in light of his expulsion from office over his actions, while coming just weeks ahead of a snap presidential election on June 3.
Kim Hyung-deok, a defector and president of the Corea Peace and Prosperity Center, argued that the release was poorly timed.
“Policies may soon change, so it would have been more appropriate to wait until after the election and reach bipartisan consensus,” he told NK News.
But Hwang Jin-tae, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University, argued that the release of the report was largely unavoidable given the ministry’s long-standing publishing schedule.
“While some may question the inclusion of former President Yoon’s legacy in the report amid his impeachment and the upcoming election, the ministry likely felt obligated to release the white paper as planned,” he said.
Hwang noted that the Unification Ministry has consistently published its annual report in the spring — April in 2021 and 2023, March in 2022, and May in 2024 — which suggests that the 2025 edition followed precedent rather than political intent.
He also interpreted the publication as possibly reflecting Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho’s intention to bring closure to the previous administration’s policies, given his role as the final minister under Yoon’s presidency.
Yoon’s impeachment raised concerns that it could lead to the curtailing of government support for defectors, given what some see as the opposition Democratic Party’s tendency to downplay human rights concerns in favor of engagement.
Still, Kim Hyung-deok expressed confidence that support will continue for this socially vulnerable group.
“It would be politically difficult to justify reducing funding for them,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Unification unveiled its plan to increase the resettlement grant for North Korean defectors to 15 million won per person, up from the previous amount of 10 million won.
Edited by Alannah Hill and Bryan Betts
15. Korea’s aging extreme divers could hold the key to treating chronic disease
Korea’s aging extreme divers could hold the key to treating chronic disease
The Haenyeo divers of Korea may hold the key to understanding and treating chronic diseases.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025/05/07/korean-extreme-divers-genetics-chronic-disease/?utm
May 7, 2025
8 min
100
A Haenyeo diver tosses her tewak into the water before jumping in to collect sea urchin. (HoJoon Lee)
By Mark Johnson
The secret to tackling one of the United States’ most deadly chronic diseases may reside thousands of miles away in the chilly waters separating the Korean Peninsula and Japan, where generations of Jeju Island women have been diving to gather food from depths of up to 60 feet using only the bodies that genes and conditioning have given them.
They are known as the Haenyeo, or “sea women,” and when younger, many of them dove throughout pregnancy and resumed their gathering of seaweed, abalone and other food only a few days after giving birth. The practice is dying out, and most of those diving in the 50-degree waters today are in their 60s, 70s and 80s.
Now, an international team of researchers has found evidence of natural selection at work: a genetic variation found in Jeju Islanders that helps to keep their blood pressure from rising as much when diving, according to a paper published in the journal Cell Reports.
In theory, understanding the genetic adaptation could lead to the development of medications that help people at risk for stroke or blood pressure problems.
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“When you’re diving, your blood vessels are responding in complicated ways to try to keep your vital organs safe as your oxygen is running low,” explained Melissa Ilardo, assistant professor of biomedical informatics at University of Utah Health, who led the study.
“It becomes a trade-off between short term and long term benefits — what keeps you safe while you’re diving might lead to complications further down the line. Evolution seems to have found a way to balance this out — a genetic variant that may protect divers while they’re holding their breath and beyond.”
In their study, researchers discovered two kinds of adaptation at work.
The first, developed over centuries, affects part of the genetic blueprint of all Jeju Islanders whether or not they dive, providing a protective blood pressure response to immersion in water. The variant is also thought to protect pregnant women who dive from developing preeclampsia, a complication of pregnancy that can be serious, even fatal.
The other adaptation, present only in the Haenyeo, is gained from training and causes the heart rate to slow when the women dive.
“When you’re diving, every heartbeat is bringing more oxygen to your cells which is normally a good thing,” Ilardo said, “but when you don’t have oxygen coming in, you want to slow that down.”
Although it has not been established definitively, the history of diving and the genetic adaptation might be the reason Jeju Islanders have one of the lowest age-standardized stroke death rates in South Korea: a little over 24 deaths per 100,000 people; the rate in the United States is about 37 deaths per 100,000 people.
The Haenyeo are not the only diving population scientists have studied. Ilardo and others have examined the male and female Bajau divers of Indonesia who have evolved larger spleens, which may help them hold their breath longer underwater. Other scientists have investigated Tibetans, who have evolved with the ability to live at higher altitudes where there is less oxygen.
Icy waters, older bodies
A Haenyeo diver returns with her catch in Pyoseon on July 4, 2023. (HoJoon Lee)
Insights gained from examining small populations with unique characteristics have helped researchers develop treatments for various medical conditions. The class of medications called PCSK9 inhibitors, used to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, were discovered when research teams studied a French family with the genetic condition familial hypercholesterolemia, which affects about 1 in 300 people worldwide.
Ilardo said it is not clear why the Jeju Island divers are all women, “but at some point, we think, it switched from men and women diving, which we see in many places in the world, to all women.”
In the course of her work on the Haenyeo, Ilardo made three trips to Jeju Island and collaborated with another scientist, Joo-Young Lee, from Seoul National University, who has spent years with the divers and earned their trust.
“I mean it’s mind-blowing, especially given the average age of the divers,” Ilardo said. “I watched an 87-year-old woman jump off a boat that hadn’t stopped moving.”
Although generations of Haenyeo dived into the icy waters wearing only cotton bodysuits, around the 1980s they began wearing wetsuits.
The scientists compared three groups of about 30 women each: Haenyeo; non-Haenyeo Jeju Islanders; and non-Haenyeo women from the South Korean mainland. The authors acknowledged the study was limited by its relatively small sample size.
Researchers measured physiological characteristics, such as blood pressure and heart rate, then sequenced the DNA of participants to look for genetic differences.
In a simulated dive, ordinary Jeju Islanders’ heartbeats slowed by about 20 beats per minute, researchers found, about the same amount as women on the South Korean mainland. In the same circumstances, the Haenyeo, who have been diving their whole lives, slow their heartbeats by up to twice that number.
In simulated dives, participants held their breath and submerged their faces in a basin of cold water, which triggers the same response in the body as diving. The simulation allowed the researchers to carry out the study without having untrained, and possibly non-swimming, older women try to dive in the open ocean.
The genetic variant shared by Jeju Islanders, not just the Haenyeo, triggers the protective blood pressure response to immersion in water, but it’s not entirely clear how it works. The variant appears to influence a receptor that plays a role in blood vessel inflammation.
Ilardo and her colleagues validated their findings by searching the large-scale All of Us database run by the National Institutes of Health for people with the same genetic variant. They found that among people of European ancestry, the same variant was linked to the protective blood pressure response seen in the Jeju Islanders, though the effect was not as strong.
Genetic adaptations, extreme conditions, chronic diseases
A Haenyeo diver skillfully opens sea urchin gathered by the diving collective that day, harvesting the valuable meat inside. (Melissa Ilardo)
The scientists think that natural selection for this genetic variation started about 1,200 years ago.
The process, they say, may have unfolded like this:
Two pregnant Jeju Island women were diving many years ago. One of them carried the protective genetic variant while the other did not. Over the course of her pregnancy, the woman without the protective variant developed preeclampsia because of her daily diving; the condition led to the deaths of mother and child.
The woman with the protective variant survived and so did her children.
Even the loss of a few children per generation adds up over time. Gradually, more and more Jeju Island children are born with the variant.
Ben Trumble, an associate professor in Arizona State University’s School of Evolution and Social Change, who was not involved in the study, praised Ilardo’s work. “She’s been finding these populations that have solved some specific problems, [for example] where natural selection acted on this population to help them dive for longer,” he said.
Tatum Simonson, associate professor of medicine at UC San Diego Health, called the study, which she was not involved in, “a good first step towards understanding how genetic adaptation, but also importantly, how training can have an effect on blood pressure in these sort of extreme conditions.”
Simonson cautioned that working with blood pressure measurements can be challenging. Human blood pressure is a snapshot in time that reflects what is going on in a person’s life at that moment. It will be different if a person is anxious, excited, angry or depressed. To their credit, she said, the scientists collected multiple blood pressure readings at different points.
Ilardo collaborated on the research with a team of physiologists led by Nikolai Nordsborg at the University of Copenhagen.
Ilardo said data on how long the women hold their breath is being saved for a study that is still to come. But “based on conversations with [the Haenyeo] I would say in their youth they often held their breath for two to three minutes at a time, depending on what they were diving for.” Sea urchins live in shallow waters, so when hunting them, the women don’t need to dive to any great depth.
The Haenyeo are also known for their ability to tolerate cold water, which appears to be linked to another genetic variation, Ilardo said. Researchers identified a variant in a gene called sarcoglycan zeta. Variation in this gene has previously been linked to a test that measures pain tolerance and cold tolerance. The test requires participants to submerge their hands in a bucket of ice water for several minutes at a time.
“You know cardiovascular disease, a lot of people think that’s just an inevitable part of aging. People think that maybe Alzheimer’s is just a normal part of the aging process,” Trumble said. “By working with populations like those Dr. Ilardo is working with who aren’t sedentary office dwellers, we can gain some insights into how natural selection has helped us adapt and survive many problems that humans have faced throughout history.”
What readers are saying
The comments on the article about the Haenyeo divers highlight several key points. Some discuss the historical and cultural reasons why women became the primary divers on Jeju Island, such as avoiding taxes on men's work during Japanese colonization. Others focus on the potential... Show more
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By Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson joined The Washington Post in July 2022 after 22 years at The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, where he covered health and science. He wrote about the first person to survive rabies without vaccine, and reported on the first use of full gene sequencing to diagnose and treat a new disease. follow on X@majohnso
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