Informal Institute for National Security Thinkers and Practitioners

Quotes of the Day:

"The fish never discovers that it lives in water. In fact, since he lives immersed in it, his life goes by without noticing its existence. Similarly, behavior that is normalized in a dominant cultural setting becomes invisible."

– Michael Foucalt

"Tolerance will reach such a level that intelligent people will be banned from thinking so as not to offend the imbeciles."

– Fyodor Dostoevsky

"Ideology separates us. Dreams and anguish bring us together."

– Eugene Ionesco

1. Russia and North Korea Turn Their War Alliance Into a Propaganda Tool

2. Kim Jong Un says US weapons "tacky, defective"

3. Strategic nuclear collaboration by China, Russia, North Korea weakens U.S. deterrence

4. Revealed: North Korea’s Diplomatic Missions Double as Trade Brokers

5. For the first time in 80 years, nuclear war is a real possibility

6. US to Seek UN Sanctions on Ships Taking North Korean Coal to China

7. North Korea's illegal wildlife trade threatens endangered species, study finds

8. Refusing to conform: New book highlights female resistance in Kim Jong Un's N. Korea

9. Royal reality show: How Kim Jong Un is using his family to captivate N. Korea's youth

10. Pyongyang's housing project: Potemkin villages with skywalks

11. The Shackled Wave: North Korea’s Enigmatic Interplay with Asian Ascendancy and Hallyu

12. PPP's Kim Moon-soo registers presidential candidacy with election watchdog

13. Official campaigning for June 3 presidential election to begin Monday

14. DP's Lee expands lead to over 50 pct in hypothetical matchup with PPP's Kim: poll

15. S. Korean, U.S. navies stage joint drills in East Sea

16. Nuclear power becomes No. 1 energy source for S. Korea for first time in 2024

17. Forget the F-35: Canada Could Buy South Korea's 'F-35 Lite' (Meet the KF-21)

18. USTR Greer to visit S. Korea for trade talks this week

19. Kim Jong Un's special forces unit gets 15-month training regimen, up from six

1. Russia and North Korea Turn Their War Alliance Into a Propaganda Tool

It is their combined superior capability. Both countries excel at propaganda.

But the naming of cities in Kursk for north Korean soldiers may backfire with Kim Jong Un. He may not appreciate anyone so venerated that might reduce his stature.

(we need to counter by explaining how their relationship is based on fear, weakness, desperation, and envy).

Excerpts:

Kim, who only disclosed the news of the Ukraine war deployment to North Koreans late last month, is now bringing back home thousands of injured fighters to a heroes’ welcome. The propaganda blitz helps Kim blunt potential blowback over sending troops to fight another country’s war—given his growing aggression toward neighboring South Korea. On a Friday visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, Kim said his troop dispatch was a justified exercise of sovereign rights and called those who fought “heroes and the highest representatives of the nation’s honor.”

In recent days, Russian state media and pro-Kremlin military bloggers have pumped out footage—much appearing staged to analysts—depicting the North Korean soldiers as skilled and brave.

“It’s a calculated campaign to portray the North Koreans as Russia’s ‘war brothers’ whose military support won’t falter,” said Chris Monday, an associate professor at South Korea’s Dongseo University who studies Russia and North Korea.

One video published by state-run media outlet Rossiyskaya Gazeta shows a Russian soldier and a North Korean serviceman each waving a flag—one Russian and one of the Soviet Union. They plant them into the ground and embrace.

The Russian news agency TASS published another video of North Korean soldiers running across open fields wielding shotguns and grenade launchers. “Until the end!” a North Korean commander shouts in Korean.

In the same TASS clip, dozens of North Koreans march through unidentified streets while singing an ode to Kim called “Friendly Father.”

“Let us love Kim Jong Un!” the soldiers sing.

On Thursday, Moscow’s top envoy to North Korea said cities, villages and town plazas in the Kursk area that were “liberated” by Russia will be named after North Korean soldiers, North Korean state media reported.

Russia and North Korea Turn Their War Alliance Into a Propaganda Tool

On screen and in ceremonies, both sides are brandishing a partnership that has steadily deepened

https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/russia-and-north-korea-turn-their-war-alliance-into-a-propaganda-tool-2a4c9a19

By Dasl Yoon

in Seoul and Jane Lytvynenko in Kyiv, Ukraine

Updated May 11, 2025 12:01 am ET

Kim Jong Un says US weapons "tacky, defective"

Newsweek · by Brendan Cole · May 10, 2025

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un has derided American weapons and praised the role of his troops fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine.

Kim, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, made the comments on Friday in Pyongyang on the day that Moscow's Red Square hosted Victory Day celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Moscow also announced that monuments in Russia's Kursk region would be erected in honor of North Korea's soldiers fighting against Ukraine.

File photo: Vladimir Putin, left, meets with North Korean servicemen on Red Square in central Moscow on May 9, 2025. File photo: Vladimir Putin, left, meets with North Korean servicemen on Red Square in central Moscow on May 9, 2025. GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/Getty Images

Why It Matters

Kim's statement comes only weeks after Pyongyang finally admitted its role in the war, something that Kyiv and the U.S. had reported months before.

His criticism of the U.S. signals that North Korea is becoming more overt in its support for Putin's invasion, posing a problem for Ukraine's allies as they deal with the entry of another country into the war.

What To Know

Kim's generals attended the Red Square parade, and images show them being greeted by Putin.

The North Korean leader Kim referred to cooperation with Russia in the war in Ukraine during a visit to Moscow's embassy in Pyongyang, where he congratulated the Russians on the 80th anniversary of their victory in World War II.

In the speech published by state news agency KCNA, Kim paid tribute to North Korean "heroes" who fought "shoulder to shoulder" with Russian troops in the Kursk region, where Ukraine staged an incursion in August 2024.

Kim described North Korea's involvement in the war as "justifiable" before taking aim at the U.S. and the West and their "tacky defective munitions." He said, if the weapons were used in another attack on Russia, Pyongyang would deploy more troops.

North Korea has provided the Russians with artillery shells, ballistic missiles, and other supplies over the course of the war but only publicly admitted its involvement in Russia's war in late April. An estimated 11,000 troops were sent to Kursk, and Ukraine has said that already thousands have been wounded.

Russia plans to commemorate North Korean soldiers who fought alongside its forces against Ukraine by naming streets and erecting monuments in Kursk, according to Alexander Matsegora, Russian ambassador to Pyongyang.

What People Are Saying

North Korean President Kim Jong Un said, per KCNA: "If the henchmen of the United States and the West, with their tacky, defective munitions, attempt another assault on Russia, I will unhesitatingly issue an order on using the armed forces of the DPRK (North Korea) in repelling the enemy's invasion."

What Happens Next

Amid uncertainty about North Korea's continuing role in the war, leaders from France, Germany and the U.K. are meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Saturday to discuss a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told U.S. channel ABC that a 30-day truce agreed by Kyiv and the U.S. would happen only if Western countries suspend the supply of weapons to Kyiv.

About the writer

Brendan Cole is a Newsweek Senior News Reporter based in London, UK. His focus is Russia and Ukraine, in particular the war started by Moscow. He also covers other areas of geopolitics including China. Brendan joined Newsweek in 2018 from the International Business Times and well as English, knows Russian and French. You can get in touch with Brendan by emailing b.cole@newsweek.com or follow on him on his X account @brendanmarkcole.

Newsweek · by Brendan Cole · May 10, 2025

3. Strategic nuclear collaboration by China, Russia, North Korea weakens U.S. deterrence

Why are they collaborating? (I know I am a broken record: fear weakness, desperation, and envy)

Strategic nuclear collaboration by China, Russia, North Korea weakens U.S. deterrence

washingtontimes.com · by Bill Gertz

By - The Washington Times - Friday, May 9, 2025

China, Russia and North Korea are rapidly expanding their nuclear forces and increasing joint strategic collaboration, undermining the U.S. ability to deter a nuclear war, according to senior Pentagon officials.

Compounding problems of maintaining nuclear war deterrence, the urgently needed U.S. strategic modernization program is behind schedule and over budget. As a result, the U.S. might need to expand its nuclear arsenal and forces to meet the new challenges, the officials told a House panel.

Brandi Vann, acting assistant defense secretary for nuclear deterrence, said the U.S. is facing one of the most unprecedented strategic environments in American history.

“China and Russia are modernizing and diversifying their nuclear forces at a breathtaking pace, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continues to demonstrate its ability to execute a strategic attack,” she told the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee on Wednesday.

“Additionally, our adversaries are increasing their level of coordination and cooperation, which also raises the possibility of simultaneous conflicts with multiple nuclear-armed adversaries.”

Iran continues to build long-range missiles and expand its nuclear program, raising the prospect of a future nuclear-armed state with intercontinental ballistic missiles.

All current U.S. nuclear forces – missiles, bombers and missile submarines – are being modernized as part of President Trump’s proposed $1 trillion defense budget for fiscal 2026.

Ms. Vann warned that the modernization may be insufficient for “the realities of the security environment we will face in the future.”

The officials did not give details of a possible expansion of nuclear forces during the hearing.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Andrew Gebara, deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence, said the U.S. is facing “an unprecedented strategic environment” led by China’s rapid expansion of nuclear forces and an unwillingness by Beijing to enter arms talks.

Asked about growing adversary collaboration, Gen. Gebara said: “Clearly, these countries are talking and they’re collaborating. What I would say is we don’t need to be scared. We do need to be prepared.”

To mitigate the threats, the nuclear modernization needs to go forward “as fast as we can” to bring new systems online, he said.

Current nuclear modernization plans call for spending $946 billion in the next decade. The program calls for building 659 new ground-based ICBMs, the Sentinel intercontinental missile system, 100 new B-21 strategic bombers, and 12 Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines.

The Sentinel program has been delayed and is facing cost overruns.

Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe, director of Navy strategic systems, testified that modernizing the ballistic missile submarine force with the Columbia-class submarines is urgent.

“The Navy strategic deterrent stands at a critical juncture to maintain our advantage in the face of evolving threats,” Adm. Wolfe said. “We must prioritize the modernization of our nuclear infrastructure and industrial base.”

On China, Gen. Gebara said the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force is projected to have over 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030, “effectively adding the entire nuclear stockpile of the next largest existing power every few years.”

In the past year, China added 100 new nuclear warheads to its arsenal, which includes new missile fields in western China with advanced, multi-warhead reentry vehicles.

“The nuclear activities of Russia, North Korea and Iran further complicate deterrence,” Gen. Gebara said.

The emergence of multiple enemy nuclear powers poses a new and fundamentally different strategic environment that “has never been seen before in this emerging world,” the three-star general said.

Andrea Yaffe, acting assistant defense secretary for space policy, echoed the general’s concerns.

“We remain very concerned about increased cooperation, to include on missile cooperation between Russia and North Korea, for example,” Ms. Yaffe said.

“We’re watching it very closely, but this is a dynamic that we need to take into account as part of the overall multiple nuclear challenge or strategic situation that we face.”

On Iran, Gen. Gebara said the Trump administration has made clear that the U.S. will not allow Tehran to build nuclear weapons.

Ms. Yaffe added: “Preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is absolutely of paramount importance to the United States.”

The Pentagon is providing “credible options” to the president as part of a whole-of-government strategy to deny Iran nuclear weapons, she said.

Rep. Scott DesJarlais, the subcommittee chairman, said sustaining the ageing nuclear arsenal and modernizing it are needed, but they are unable to meet the new nuclear threats.

“China’s nuclear breakout has fundamentally transformed the security landscape,” the Tennessee Republican said.

Russia’s nuclear stockpile also continues to grow, making the new “tripolar” environment of the U.S., China and Russia a less stable and more competitive world, he said.

“This was not the future we anticipated when the plan for nuclear modernization was developed,” Mr. DesJarlais said. “We must adapt to these new challenges and supplement our modernization plans with tailored capabilities to address the changing threat environment.”

• Bill Gertz can be reached at bgertz@washingtontimes.com.

washingtontimes.com · by Bill Gertz

4. Revealed: North Korea’s Diplomatic Missions Double as Trade Brokers

Of course they are. We met with a former north Korea deputy ambassador to Kuwait who said his main task was managing the north Korean "business" in the region.

Revealed: North Korea’s Diplomatic Missions Double as Trade Brokers

The government can legally collect fees of up to 5 percent on successful deals, according to a new confidential document obtained by Daily NK.

https://thediplomat.com/2025/05/revealed-north-koreas-diplomatic-missions-double-as-trade-brokers/?utm

By Mun Dong Hui

May 09, 2025

The North Korean embassy in Moscow, Russia.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Denghu

North Korea’s overseas diplomatic missions broker trade and investment deals through their economic and trade counselor’s departments and collect commission fees on transactions, according to a recently obtained document.

The government can legally collect fees of up to 5 percent on successful deals, which are then used to fund diplomatic mission budgets.

Daily NK recently obtained a copy of “Regulations on Economic and Trade Counselor’s Departments, Economic Cooperation Groups, and Economic Working Delegations for Foreign Economic Affairs” (Cabinet Decision No. 49) adopted by North Korea’s Cabinet on July 1, 2020.

According to the regulations, economic and trade counselor’s departments mediate trade and economic cooperation activities between North Korean institutions and local businesses in host countries, collecting fees for these services. Articles 14 and 15 specifically state these departments can receive a percentage of export sales or business profits when they facilitate transactions.

Commission rates include 2-5 percent of sales for developing export markets, 2-5 percent of annual North Korean profits for joint ventures or technical cooperation projects, and 1-3 percent of profits for processing trade arrangements.

The fees serve not merely as income but help fund diplomatic missions’ operating budgets.

Article 2 defines the Economic and Trade Counselor’s Department as “a state diplomatic mission’s economic diplomacy department that handles economic diplomacy to actively promote exchanges and cooperation in economic and trade affairs with North Korea’s host country (including concurrent countries), and oversees and guides foreign economic activities of Economic Cooperation Groups and Economic Working Delegations within the host country.”

Economic Cooperation Groups are organizations stationed in other countries for economic purposes, including branches of trading companies, representative offices, overseas investment enterprises, technical cooperation agencies, and foreign construction companies. Economic Working Delegations are organizations dispatched to other countries to conclude foreign economic contracts, attend exhibitions, training, study tours and other economic activities.

The counselor’s departments’ duties extend beyond commercial brokerage to include collecting information essential for North Korea’s development.

Article 12 emphasizes their role in “bringing in prosperity materials urgently needed for the country’s economic development and improving people’s living standards.” “Prosperity materials” refers to practical and technical information from outside sources, including production processes, management methods, and advanced technologies and equipment.

The regulations also include provisions for incentives (bonuses) for staff of missions who successfully bring in such materials, suggesting North Korea’s eagerness to acquire foreign technology.

While bonus amounts aren’t specified, the regulations mention that a central science and technology administrative guidance agency evaluates these “prosperity materials.”

The document strongly emphasizes confidentiality in all foreign economic activities conducted by the Economic and Trade Counselor’s Departments, with Article 17 explicitly stating, “Economic and Trade Counselor’s Departments must establish a strict confidentiality system to prevent leaks during foreign economic activities.”

A Korean language version of the document obtained by Daily NK can be found here.

This article first appeared in Daily NK, which contacts multiple sources inside and outside North Korea to verify information. The Diplomat was not able to verify the claims independently.

Authors

Guest Author

Mun Dong Hui

Mun Dong Hui is one of Daily NK's full-time reporters and covers North Korean technology and human rights issues, including the country's political prison camp system. Mun has a M.A. in Sociology from Hanyang University and a B.A. in Mathematics from Jeonbuk National University.

5. For the first time in 80 years, nuclear war is a real possibility

For the first time in 80 years, nuclear war is a real possibility

iol.co.za

News Opinion

Dr Iqbal Survé|Published 5 hours ago

Eighty years ago, the world witnessed the devastating conclusion of World War II with the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The atomic age was born in tragedy, etched permanently into the conscience of humanity. Today, we face a chilling reality: for the first time since those horrific events, the threat of nuclear war is no longer theoretical. It is real, it is present, and it is dangerously close.

The visuals of mushroom clouds rising over Japanese cities remain one of the most harrowing symbols of human destruction. Those bombs ended a war but launched a new era of fear, a world living under the shadow of annihilation. Yet, here we are again, closer than ever to that precipice.

In Across the River and Into the Trees, Ernest Hemingway wrote that war is fought not for peace, but for profit, for corporations, not for people. That truth echoes loudly today.

Modern conflicts are sustained not by necessity, but by greed. Armaments industries thrive, politicians posture and the media often becomes complicit, glorifying war while ignoring its cost. War, I believe, has no victors. Only victims.

Today’s nuclear arsenal makes Hiroshima look primitive. Modern warheads have unprecedented destructive power and delivery speed. A single strike can obliterate millions.

Even more concerning is the advent of “tactical” nuclear weapons — smaller bombs with concentrated impact, falsely marketed as controlled warfare. Their use is no longer speculative; whispers of their deployment already circulate in recent Middle Eastern conflicts.

We must distinguish between nuclear power and nuclear capability. The latter is a growing global risk. Beyond the traditional superpowers, the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France, we now face a widening circle of states with nuclear ambitions or stockpiles.

Israel, Iran, Pakistan, India, North Korea, and others pose escalating regional risks.

From the Kashmir border to the Gaza Strip, from the Taiwan Strait to the South China Sea, we are sitting atop pressure points that could ignite instantaneously. Unlike conventional wars that escalate slowly, nuclear conflict requires only one command, one perception of existential threat, and one miscalculation.

The most probable nuclear flashpoint today lies between India and Pakistan. Rooted in history, religion, and increasingly, resource disputes over the Indus River, the conditions are combustible. Israel and Iran remain a second front, driven by existential anxieties and a dangerous imbalance of military capability.

Russia and NATO, North Korea and South Korea, Taiwan and the PRC, and even the US and China, each theatre carries its own fuse, waiting for a spark.

But the greatest danger is not weaponry. It is dehumanisation. The ability to reduce an entire people to less than human, by race, religion, or geopolitics, creates the moral detachment needed to justify nuclear action. Once we stop seeing each other as equals in humanity, pressing the button becomes thinkable.

South Africa, my country, offers both a warning and an example. During apartheid, the regime developed nuclear weapons, not for global war, but to potentially use against its own people. Black South Africans were confined to “homelands” that could be wiped out if necessary.

What does that tell us about how nuclear weapons intersect with racism, fear, and power?

Thankfully, under Nelson Mandela’s leadership, South Africa became the first country to dismantle its nuclear arsenal voluntarily. It was a choice for peace, a stand for humanity. The world needs another Mandela moment.

Today, leaders must choose dialogue over destruction. We need courage, not arrogance. We must listen, not lecture. We must restore the values of balance, mutual respect, and shared humanity. And above all, we must end the lie that war, especially nuclear war, is ever a solution.

Peace is not weakness. It is wisdom. It is the recognition that our shared future is too precious to risk for political gain, economic profit, or nationalist ego. Religious leaders, intellectuals, civil society, and especially the media must stop being silent spectators.

They must speak, loudly and clearly, against the rhetoric of war. As someone who has had the privilege of engaging with global leaders, including recently with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, I know that diplomacy, when rooted in honesty and humility, can defuse even the most dangerous situations. We must make room for such diplomacy again.

While nuclear war is a possibility, it is not inevitable. But time is not our ally. We must act with clarity, urgency, and collective will.

Let us not sleepwalk into catastrophe. Let us instead awaken to the truth: that peace, not war, is the only legacy worth leaving behind.

By Dr. Iqbal Survé

Chairman of Sekunjalo Group

iol.co.za

6. US to Seek UN Sanctions on Ships Taking North Korean Coal to China

Of course that will not stop China and North Korea from trading and CHina or Russia will veto any resolution. . But we still must try to do this just to keep China (and Russia) on the record for their complicity in sanctions evasion.

US to Seek UN Sanctions on Ships Taking North Korean Coal to China

https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2025-05-07/us-to-seek-un-sanctions-on-ships-taking-north-korean-coal-to-china?utm

By Reuters

May 7, 2025, at 5:44 p.m.

Reuters

Dorothy Camille Shea, Deputy U.S. Representative to the United Nations, speaks during a United Nations Security Council meeting on the 3rd anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., February 24, 2025. REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/File Photo

(This May 7 story has been refiled to use the British spelling of Open Source Centre in paragraph 2, and to correct the name to centre from network in paragraph 3)

(Reuters) - The United States said on Wednesday it plans to call for U.N. sanctions against vessels identified as taking part in circumvention of United Nations resolutions to combat North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

The British-based Open Source Centre issued a report on Wednesday saying that in the past year it had tracked a number of non-Korean flagged vessels transporting North Korean coal and iron ore to ports in China, in violation of U.N. sanctions.

Speaking at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council, James Byrne, director of the Open Source Centre, identified several vessels, including the Tanzanian-flagged Armani and Sophia, the falsely-flagged Cartier and Casio, and the unflagged Yi Li 1 and An Yu.

Byrne said the vessels had started engaging in sophisticated "spoofing" techniques, such as by presenting digital tracks to indicate they were in other countries, when satellite imagery showed them loading in North Korea.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Camille Shea said the Security Council would continue to highlight sanctions violations despite Russia's veto last year of the mandate of the panel of experts that monitored such violations on behalf of the U.N.'s 1718 Committee on North Korea.

"In the coming days, we plan to nominate for designation in the 1718 Committee vessels clearly identified in the briefing to which Mr. Byrne referred for violations of U.N. sanctions restrictions," she said.

Shea accused Russia of "cynically obstructing" sanctions implementation, including though importation of North Korean missiles and shells for use in its war in Ukraine.

She accused Chinese authorities of "looking the other way" as Chinese companies import North Korean coal and iron ore, even though Beijing insists it fully implements the U.N. resolutions.

Geng Shuang, China's deputy U.N. ambassador, said China rejected U.S. "accusations and smearing" and charged that Washington was using the North Korea issue as a pretext for strategic military deployments that jeopardized the security interests of regional countries, including China.

Russian U.N. ambassador Vasily Nebenzya dismissed criticism of its relationship and cooperation with North Korea, saying it was Moscow's sovereign right and that Russia was "very grateful to our Korean brothers for the assistance they've extended to us."

North Korea's U.N. ambassador Kim Song accused the United States of "high-handedness and arbitrariness" that should not be tolerated by the international community.

(Reporting by David Brunnstromm, editing by Deepa Babington)

7. North Korea's illegal wildlife trade threatens endangered species, study finds

So many north Korean illicit activities.

May 8, 2025

The GIST

Editors' notes

North Korea's illegal wildlife trade threatens endangered species, study finds

https://phys.org/news/2025-05-north-korea-illegal-wildlife-threatens.html?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=topic/northkorea

by University College London

Bear bile farms exist in several different countries in Asia. The practice has been criticized for its impact on wild animal populations and the health and welfare of captive animals. Image taken on a bear farm in South Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

The North Korean government engages in unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade, which includes species protected under its own laws and poses a threat to biodiversity recovery in the region, finds a new study by UCL researchers.

A report, published in Biological Conservation, found that although North Korea has a regulatory system of protected areas and protected species, these are regularly breached by people hunting and trapping wild animals for personal consumption or black market trade, either domestically or for sale to buyers in China.

Additionally, the North Korean state itself is implicated in, and actively profiting from, the harvesting and trade of endangered species protected under domestic or international law. Protected species reported from the state wildlife trade include Asiatic black bears, long-tailed gorals and Eurasian otters.

Their study is based on extensive interviews with North Korean defectors, including former hunters, wildlife trade middlemen and buyers, and is the first in-depth assessment of North Korea's multifaceted wildlife trade, carried out between 2021 and 2022. The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers from the ZSL's Institute of Zoology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) and University of Inland Norway.

The biodiversity of North Korea and the threats it faces are poorly known. The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which divides North and South Korea, is home to a wide range of species and is an important over-wintering site for migratory species like cranes. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

The researchers argue that the North Korean government's compliance with domestic protected species legislation should be an immediate priority. They call on China, as a key market for North Korean wildlife products, to continue efforts to curb domestic demand for illegal wildlife and put diplomatic pressure on its economically dependent neighbor to disengage from state-sanctioned illegal wildlife trade.

Lead author Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell (UCL Geography) said, "The widespread harvesting of North Korea's wildlife, driven by the economic limitations of the North Korean state and the shortages of food, medicine and basic goods experienced by many of its citizens, is an important threat to the biodiversity of North Korea and the wider region."

China is the primary international market for the North Korean wildlife trade, with notable products including wild meat, furs, and body parts for use in traditional medicine.

Some of this trade breaches China's commitments as a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and member of the UN Security Council, for example, UN Security Council Resolution 2397, which prohibits the export of food from North Korea.

Long-tailed gorals, here photographed in a restoration program in South Korea, are restricted to the Korean Peninsula, China and Russia and are considered vulnerable to extinction. They are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the highest level of protection afforded by the convention. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell
Bear bile farms exist in several different countries in Asia. The practice has been criticized for its impact on wild animal populations and the health and welfare of captive animals. Image taken on a bear farm in South Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell
Long-tailed gorals, here photographed in a restoration program in South Korea, are restricted to the Korean Peninsula, China and Russia and are considered vulnerable to extinction. They are listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the highest level of protection afforded by the convention. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell
Bear bile farms exist in several different countries in Asia. The practice has been criticized for its impact on wild animal populations and the health and welfare of captive animals. Image taken on a bear farm in South Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

State wildlife trade

North Korean defectors who took part in the study reported that the North Korean state receives wild animals and their body parts from state-sanctioned hunters and local communities.

The study found this includes species which are legally protected in North Korea, including long-tailed gorals—hoofed mammals resembling a goat—and Eurasian otters. These species have been used domestically, for example, furs in the manufacture of winter clothing, but they are also reported to be used as a tradable resource.

This is in keeping with North Korea's use of natural resources such as timber and coal, but also illegal trade in weapons and narcotics, to generate revenue.

The study also details that the North Korean state operates wildlife farms, including animals such as otters, pheasants, deer, and Asiatic black bears. North Korea is believed to have first started farming bears for their bile in the 20th century, before the practice spread to China and South Korea. Bear bile has been used in various traditional Asian medicines, including traditional Korean medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.

Bear bile farming has been widely condemned by conservationists and animal welfare campaigners for perpetuating the demand for endangered species and the unnecessary suffering of farmed animals.

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Economic hardship drives black market trade

In addition, the report identifies economic hardship as a major driver of the black market wildlife trade in North Korea. A wide range of animals are reported to be hunted and trapped for meat, for use in traditional medicine, to protect crops or domestic livestock, or for sale on the black market.

When North Korea's economy collapsed in the 1990s, preceding a major famine which is believed to have killed between 600,000 and one million people, the country's informal economy grew rapidly, as ordinary citizens turned to buying and selling goods, including wildlife, to provide essential food resources and generate income.

While economic conditions in North Korea have since improved, the researchers found no evidence that black market trade in wildlife has halted.

Dr. Elves-Powell said, "A hunter might simultaneously engage in both state-sanctioned and black market trade. For example, the skin of an animal like a red fox might be submitted to the state, but it might equally be sold to North Korean middlemen to smuggle across the North Korea-China border. The hunter could keep the animal's meat—a valuable food resource—for their family, or try to sell it locally."

The Korean Peninsula is home to a globally important population of water deer. Deer were one of the animals most often reported to have been eaten as wild meat in North Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell
The Korean Peninsula is home to a globally important population of water deer. Deer were one of the animals most often reported to have been eaten as wild meat in North Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell
The Korean Peninsula is home to a globally important population of water deer. Deer were one of the animals most often reported to have been eaten as wild meat in North Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell
The Korean Peninsula is home to a globally important population of water deer. Deer were one of the animals most often reported to have been eaten as wild meat in North Korea. Credit: Dr. Joshua Elves-Powell

Impact on biodiversity

North Korea's extensive harvesting of wildlife has serious consequences for the country's wildlife populations, with evidence that almost all native mammal species larger than half a kilogram have been targeted in some capacity.

The sable, a native species of marten, was highly sought after by North Korean hunters for its fur but is now likely to be functionally extinct in the country. There are similar concerns regarding Amur tigers and Amur leopards, while deer populations are also thought to have been severely reduced due to overhunting.

The researchers warn that if exploitation in North Korea continues to pose a risk to wildlife populations, it could threaten biodiversity recovery throughout the region.

In recent years, Amur tiger populations have started to recover along North Korea's border with China, but are likely to be targeted by hunters if they cross into North Korea. North Korea could also act as a barrier to the movements of native terrestrial species between the Korean Peninsula and mainland Asia.

More information: Unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade during periods of extreme hardship threatens biodiversity in North Korea, Biological Conservation (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111102

Journal information: Biological Conservation

8. Refusing to conform: New book highlights female resistance in Kim Jong Un's N. Korea

Women in north Korea saved the Korean people from famine.

Women have led the way in market development.

Women could lead the way toward resistance to the regime.

Perhaps we should focus unconventional warfare and psychological operations on informing and empowering women in the north.

Refusing to conform: New book highlights female resistance in Kim Jong Un's N. Korea - Daily NK English

Now a multifaceted professional in South Korea, the author insists that North Korean women are inherently challengers rather than conformists

By Lee Sang Yong - May 11, 2025

dailynk.com · by Lee Sang Yong · May 11, 2025

The cover of defector and journalist Sol Song-a's new book, "Women Are Not Dead." (Courtesy of Bomallam)

North Korea demands women serve solely as dutiful wives and mothers with no personal identity. A new book, “Women Are Not Dead,” chronicles Seol Song-a’s fight against this oppression and her life after escaping.

Two themes permeate the book: marketization and women’s rights. Through market activities and repeated questioning of the system, the author maintained her dignity despite state control, eventually defecting to South Korea where she now works as a journalist and researcher while still processing her trauma.

Like many North Korean women, the author was expected to earn money through market activities to pay taxes to the state, serve her husband, and raise her children as loyal revolutionaries. However, she continuously questioned the system and fought desperately to maintain her dignity as a human being and as a woman.

The author vividly describes the reality of female life in North Korea, conveying a powerful message about the country’s absurdities through her experiences of oppression, discrimination, and the process of overcoming them.

Two themes permeate the book: “North Korean marketization” and “women’s rights advancement.” The author leaves readers contemplating how these factors influenced each other. One particularly notable moment comes when a part-timer she hired calls her “our owner,” making her realize that markets have given birth to a new social class.

Through her life in North Korea’s emerging market economy, the author emphasizes the importance of women’s independence and self-realization, essentially declaring that “female subordination is not destiny.”

Her harrowing survival story includes watching her carefully built “penicillin business” collapse due to an entrapment investigation by North Korean authorities. This offers insight into the desperate circumstances facing women in North Korea today, as market restrictions and COVID-19 lockdowns have diminished both markets and women’s social status.

The author demonstrates her determination to change her own fate through multiple trips to China to request money from relatives and her passionate pursuit of market-related education. These passages reveal the expansion of her self-identity that had been suppressed simply because she was a woman.

By portraying her eventual decision to defect despite numerous obstacles and her subsequent challenges in a new society, the author allows readers to witness how North Korean women push beyond mere survival and strive for meaningful lives.

Now working in South Korea as a journalist reporting on North Korean women’s lives, as well as a researcher, writer, and lecturer, the author emphasizes that “North Korean women are those who have challenged rather than conformed to their environment.”

She candidly admits she’s still overcoming deep internal trauma. In doing so, she sends a message of hope to oppressed North Korean women: “women are not dead.”

This book serves as a valuable testimony that exposes the ongoing structural problems created by the North Korean regime through the author’s personal narrative.

Read in Korean

dailynk.com · by Lee Sang Yong · May 11, 2025

9. Royal reality show: How Kim Jong Un is using his family to captivate N. Korea's youth

So will Kim Ju Ae help her father with the "youth vote?" (note my attempt at sarcasm).

Royal reality show: How Kim Jong Un is using his family to captivate N. Korea's youth - Daily NK English

North Korea functions as a "theater state" where the supreme leader (director), Workers' Party (staff), and the masses (audience) move as one

By Gil-sup Kwak - May 10, 2025

dailynk.com · by Gil-sup Kwak · May 10, 2025

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported that a splendid New Year’s concert was held at the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang on Jan. 1. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the concert with his daughter. (Rodong Sinmun, News 1)

North Korea is making an unusual media move by including family members and children of high-ranking officials at “Kim Jong Un’s priority events” and deliberately showcasing them on state media. Korean Central Television repeatedly zoomed in on Kim Jong Un with his daughter Kim Ju Ae, his sister Kim Yo Jong with her two young children, and other elite family offspring during coverage of the launch ceremony for a new 5,000-ton destroyer at Nampo Shipyard on April 25.

North Korea functions as a “theater state” where the supreme leader (director), Workers’ Party (staff), and the masses (audience) move as one. Various media—films, dramas, poetry, music, symbols, and slogans—are mobilized to maximize theatrical effect, particularly through invented terms like “expansive politics,” “benevolent politics,” and “music politics” to glorify the leader.

Since taking power, Kim Jong Un has gone further than his predecessors by prominently featuring his royal family—something that was taboo during Kim Jong Il’s era—to achieve his political objectives. The “Ri Sol Ju phenomenon” early in his rule and the recent “Kim Ju Ae phenomenon” are prime examples, serving multiple purposes: drawing attention to his priority policies (cameo effect), establishing an image as both a relatable parent and a people-oriented leader focused on the future, and justifying the perpetual hereditary succession of the Kim family (intro effect).

North Korean propaganda always contains hidden codes and context. Kim Jong Un’s strategy includes distributing videos where he stars like a music video protagonist (featuring successful strategic missile launches or songs portraying him as a caring parent), orchestrating the Ri Sol Ju and Kim Ju Ae phenomena, and now, following the first public appearance of “Kim Yo Jong’s children” at New Year’s celebrations, showcasing elite children at the warship launch ceremony. These moves signal an expansion of Kim’s proven propaganda methods.

This trend represents the evolution of “Kim Jong Un’s visual politics,” targeting primarily younger generations for ideological transformation under the policy of “hostile two-state theory”—instilling loyalty to the trinity of Leader-Party-Masses and “Our State First” ideology. Kim’s greatest concern, while outwardly focused on nuclear and missile development, appears to be controlling young North Koreans (their version of Generation Z) who are increasingly drawn to South Korean culture and individualism. Will Kim’s carefully orchestrated strategy succeed? What should we be doing right now in response?

Read in Korean

dailynk.com · by Gil-sup Kwak · May 10, 2025

10. Pyongyang's housing project: Potemkin villages with skywalks

Gives new meaning to the word facade.

Pyongyang's housing project: Potemkin villages with skywalks - Daily NK English

While Kim proudly showcases modern high-rises to the world, many neighborhoods in Pyongyang still consist of decades-old, single-story houses

By English Language Editor - May 9, 2025

dailynk.com · by English Language Editor · May 9, 2025

Apartments being constructed in Pyongyang (Yonhap)

North Korea is racing to slap together the final 10,000 apartments of its ambitious five-year housing project in Pyongyang, with state media breathlessly reporting that construction is “fully underway” in the Hwasong district. The project, launched in 2021 by Supreme Leader and Architectural Critic-in-Chief Kim Jong Un, promised to build 50,000 shiny new homes in the capital by the end of 2025. Special military units (because nothing says “cozy home” like having it built by soldiers) have improved construction procedures to reduce framework time – presumably by replacing pesky safety protocols with patriotic slogans.

The newest phase of construction features the architectural marvel of the year: two towers connected by a “soaring skybridge” – because nothing solves food shortages quite like walking between buildings without touching the ground. The development boasts “educational, commercial and service facilities,” which in North Korean parlance likely means one propaganda bookstore, a state-run grocery with three items, and a service center where citizens can report neighbors for insufficient enthusiasm. The high-rise neighborhood is part of a major construction drive in Pyongyang, where local residents enjoy a quality of life “considerably higher” than elsewhere in the country – a bar so low it could trip an ant.

According to state media, Pyongyang’s Hwasong and Songhwa districts have been completely transformed, with the first apartments completed in 2022, followed by 30,000 more units through various phases. The buildings sport “muted brown, ivory, and red brick color schemes” – a palette presumably chosen to match the overall mood of the country. The development includes shops and restaurants on the first floors, with landscaped areas and park benches along the main street, creating perfect vantage points for citizens to gaze longingly at food they cannot afford.

While Kim proudly showcases these modern high-rises to the world, many neighborhoods in Pyongyang still consist of decades-old, single-story houses that the Supreme Leader has diplomatically labeled “culturally backward” and “unbecoming of the appearance of the capital city.” Not content with the current housing push, Kim has announced even more ambitious plans to develop eastern Pyongyang and redevelop three existing districts near the city center – proving once again that when your country faces widespread poverty, international sanctions, and chronic food shortages, the logical solution is always more grandiose construction projects that look impressive in satellite photos. Pyongyang Speed indeed!

Note: This is an opinion column offering a wry perspective on North Korea — where actual facts meet playful commentary.

dailynk.com · by English Language Editor · May 9, 2025

11. The Shackled Wave: North Korea’s Enigmatic Interplay with Asian Ascendancy and Hallyu

Excerpt:

As the currents of globalization once swept across the international sphere, the phenomenon of Asian Ascendancy and Hallyu stood as a powerful geopolitical force that forged new dynamics and statecraft between Western nations and the global perceptions of Asian cultures. This article discussed North Korea’s strategic employment of Hallyu to reshape its global image, as the regime weaves a carefully curated facade, blurring reality with fiction. Yet, beneath this spectacle lies the narrative of suppression and censorship. While South Korea cemented its role as the creator, distributor, and motivator of Hallyu, North Korea has remained entrenched in the institutionalization of Juche, strictly guarding its populace from the alluring charms of Hallyu, ultimately exemplifying the persistence of regressive forces in contempt of the new wave of globalized cultural exchanges. In an era increasingly marked by nationalist and protectionist currents, North Korea’s refusal to engage with cultural pluralism sinks it to even deeper isolationism.

The Shackled Wave: North Korea’s Enigmatic Interplay with Asian Ascendancy and Hallyu

https://www.nkhiddengulag.org/blog/the-shackled-wave-north-koreas-enigmatic-interplay-with-asian-ascendancy-and-hallyu

5/8/2025

By Tessa Aguilar, HRNK Research Intern

Edited by Diletta De Luca, HRNK Research Associate

Introduction

The phenomenon of globalization has generated critical transformations in the international landscape, reshaping the dynamics between states and redefining their global images. This is observed in the rising wave of the ‘Asian Ascendancy,’ most commonly known as increasingly popular Asian cultural exchanges, creating a surge in the hybridity of Western and Asian trends in the contemporary period. This globalized effort is defined by a plethora of Asian countries, the most notable drivers within the twenty-first century including China, Japan, South Korea, and India. More specifically, Asian Ascendancy is the mother concept of the increasingly popular Hallyu, also called the Korean Wave. This cultural boom has allowed increasing mass media exposure of South Korean entertainment, principles, and traditions, redefining current definitions and influence of Westernization. Yet, despite a growing global preference for Asian media, this does not imply that all Asian states are positively featured in the media: What are the dynamics of Asian states that have yet to fully embrace this Ascendancy? How do these states further shift their application relative to a personal socio-cultural agenda?

In this context, North Korea, an autocratic regime notorious for its isolation and infamous socialist-dynastic political agenda, is the leading actor to apply the Asian Ascendancy to publicizing current propaganda, reinforcing its ideology in the geopolitical environment, and attempting to shift its global perception into a better light. This article presents an analysis of the Korean Wave impact on globalization as part of the broader Asian Ascendancy movement and explores how North Korea has leveraged the cultural exports of the Korean Wave to reconstruct its own global perception.

Asian Ascendancy: The Emergence of Hallyu and its Influence in North Korea

Asian Ascendancy first emerged in the later twentieth century. Following the end of the Cold War, an increased demand for interconnectedness among societies sparked the Asian Ascendancy through the usage of media distribution amidst the age of technological innovation. Originally intended to combat the “unjust control by the Western developed nations,” Asian Ascendancy continues to reshape the narrative and global dominance of Asian culture and lifestyle.[1] Through this phenomenon, globalization has improved through increased communications fueled by multilateral dialogues and cultural expansion. In turn, globalization has been promoting increasing tolerance of international diversity while discouraging aggression and ultimately fueling interconnectedness and more robust diplomatic relations between nations.[2] Currently, China is notably spearheading this Ascendancy movement, as it expresses the highest development in cultural expansion, facilitating the exchange of multilateral dialogues, and income generation.[3] For instance, the 2008 Beijing Olympics aided in the triumph of Asian perceptions. Entrusting China to host the Games helped “undermine the perception of Western economic prowess,”[4] prompting the reevaluation of Asia’s efficiency and ability to express political disputes and historical resentments.

One of the leading representatives of Asian Ascendancy has been Hallyu, a term coined in the late 1990s, and translated as the “[South] Korean Wave,” which emerged as a significant influence in recent entertainment and communications development. Essentially, Hallyu is an innovative hybridization of “Westernized modernity” and “Asian sentimentality” in South Korean television, music, and art.[5] As most are aware, younger audiences—from teenagers to thirty-year-old adults and even older—indulge in South Korean media, such as Korean dramas and K-Pop, due to the unique freedom of expression it signifies. The mass popularity of Hallyu is also utilized by the South Korean government, characterized as a form of soft power intended to fulfill the political agenda of “complex interdependence,” boosting the state’s global image and popularity across multiple regions.[6] However, this does not constitute a wholehearted embrace of South Korean culture, as states driven by authoritarianism and one-man dictatorships view this ascendancy as a threat to regime legitimacy and sovereignty.

The rise of Hallyu has prompted a clash of ideology and support in North Korea. Interestingly, South Korean media was prominent in North Korea even before the Korean Wave.[7] Given the exponential increase of Hallyu and South Korean media consumption, North Korea has demonstrated a multifaceted approach to combating and embracing this dynamic. Therefore, North Korea’s utilization of Hallyu and the broader Asian Ascendancy movement offers insight into its operationalization to navigate the complexities of globalization, further reshaping its global perception. It also highlights the interplay between soft power, cultural exports, and global influence within Asian Ascendancy. North Korea’s response to Hallyu demonstrates significant strategizing around the threat posed by South Korean culture to its authoritarian regime. While the regime may seek to manage perceptions of modernity through tightly curated content, it cannot replicate or co-opt Hallyu, which is fundamentally South Korean—rooted in artistic freedom, internet culture, and Western influences such as hip-hop and global capitalism.

Even so, this strategic mimicry must not be mistaken for cultural openness. In reality, the Kim regime has declared Hallyu a grave ideological threat—so severe that mere possession of South Korean media can lead to imprisonment or execution. The regime’s efforts to control this “cultural contagion” reflect not an interest in integration, but fear of exposure to the freedoms symbolized by the other Korea.

The People’s Embrace and North Korea’s Strategic Response

Hallyu has been accepted and consumed by North Korea’s people but rejected by its regime and official propaganda. The burgeoning interest in South Korean media among North Korean people derives from a shared ethnic and cultural affiliation.[8] This kinship has cultivated a favorable response among North Korean citizens, partly responsible for a notable increase in defection rates since 1998. A discernible pattern emerges: the greater the consumption of South Korean media by North Korean citizens, the higher the propensity for individuals to defect, demonstrating the impact of cultural liberty and freedom of expression within these media sources.[9] Due to Hallyu, North Koreans receive a sense of hope and empowerment despite being confined to the constraints of an authoritarian, patriarchal society driven by the Juche self-reliance ideology.[10]

Surprisingly, at times, the DPRK has responded to Hallyu’s components. In 2018, Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un formally invited K-Pop musicians—such as Red Velvet, Seohyun from Girls’ Generation, and even Cho Yong-pil—to perform a combination of selected South Korean and traditional North Korean songs at Pyongyang’s “Spring is Coming” concert.[11] This concert would be the last performance by South Korean singers for the coming years due to escalating inter-Korean tensions. While this was truly a shocking invitation, this event should not be misinterpreted as an embrace of Hallyu by the North Korean regime. Instead, it functioned as a temporary, performative gesture aligned with inter-Korean diplomacy at the time—a diplomatic exception rather than a rule. The regime’s cultural policy remains deeply hostile to Hallyu, evidenced by the enactment of the Anti-Reactionary Thought Law in 2020, which punishes Hallyu consumption with prison or even execution.

The “Sally Parks [송아 SongA Channel]” YouTube channel is particularly significant to North Korea’s intriguing media platforms, not as an extension of Hallyu, but rather as a strategic counter-narrative aimed at offsetting its global influence and soft power reach. Presented through the lens of an eleven-year-old girl named Song-A, this channel showcases her lifestyle in Pyongyang. Song-A provides English-spoken vlogs that offer glimpses into her educational pursuits, ardent basketball practices, and occasional immersion in the arts and English language learning. She has additionally highlighted major North Korean attractions, such as the Munsu Water Park and the 75th-anniversary celebration of the Children’s Union.[12]

Nevertheless, discerning minds raise pertinent questions about the legitimacy of these vlogs. While these videos serve as an extended form of North Korean propaganda, leveraging the presence of a young girl to elicit sentiment among a global audience raises concerns regarding the authenticity of daily life depicted in North Korea. For instance, Song-A resides in Pyongyang, North Korea’s most developed and wealthiest city, masking the reality of the underdeveloped infrastructure among rural regions. In addition, Song-A’s contrived and rehearsed speech patterns, coupled with the perfection of the environments portrayed, posits doubts about the authenticity of this content. Rather than promoting cultural openness, the channel appears to appropriate the visual language and tone of youth-driven content associated with Hallyu, despite lacking the essential freedoms and influences—especially those from Western genres like hip-hop—that define Hallyu’s authenticity and global reach. Most significantly, these videos have minimal enforcement of North Korean principles. This is likely North Korea’s attempt to engage with the global society through falsely curated content, operating under the presumption that mimicking accessible and globally appealing formats will increase international tolerance or sympathy for the regime’s political endeavors.

Unyielding Walls and Suppressed Waves

Despite the increasing global visibility of Hallyu and its influence across borders, North Korea’s domestic response has remained aggressively oppositional, characterized by forced ideological compliance, severe punishments for cultural subversion, and a persistent media blackout. Rather than demonstrating growth in the realm of cultural exchange, the regime has intensified efforts to insulate its population from the influence of foreign media, particularly the subversive allure of South Korean entertainment. This is evident in North Korea’s rigid censorship, demolition of cultural diplomacy infrastructure, and the establishment of laws targeting “reactionary” content.

The straggled opportunities for North Korean tourism operations with South Korea are at an all-time low, even suffering demolition. Specifically, the early 2000s Mount Gumgang tourism project, constructed through the Sunshine Policy by the Hyundai Corporation, is being dismantled.[13] Initially meant to foster inter-Korean engagement, the project was terminated in 2008 due to the shooting death of 53-year-old South Korean tourist Park Wang-ja on a North Korean beach. Years later, North Korea began to take down South Korean facilities at Mount Gumgang.[14]

Additionally, the North Korean regime has adopted a draconian stance toward its citizens’ consumption of South Korean media. In 2020, the regime introduced the Rejection of Reactionary Thought and Culture Act, a doctrine that rigorously enforced punishments for individuals found to be engaging with South Korean media.[15] These penalties range from arduous labor sentences and even the death penalty, depending on whether one is just a consumer or a distributor of South Korean media. For instance, individuals of any age who use “capitalist” terminology—such as referring to one’s spouse as “wife” instead of “dongji” (comrade)—face up to fifteen years of arduous labor at a labor camp.[16] Meanwhile, the death penalty is strictly enforced for those caught distributing South Korean media. Even teenagers have been executed for possessing or sharing K-Dramas, reflecting the regime’s zero-tolerance policy toward cultural infiltration.[17]

As of 2023, North Korea continues to impose stringent ideological mandates. The intensity of this mandate is exemplified by the directive for citizens to read a minimum of 10,000 pages of propaganda for the year. This requirement urges citizens to read nearly thirty pages of propaganda each day. North Korean citizens are required to diligently journal their daily readings, as this will be presented to the party organization at the end of the year.[18] Despite acknowledging the lackluster nature of propaganda when faced with the allure of South Korean media, compliance with such measures is non-negotiable, as the consequences of nonconformity are severe and even fatal.

Hallyu’s suppression is not merely cultural—it is a pillar of North Korea’s domestic security policy. By strictly controlling its citizens’ exposure to external influences, North Korea seeks to safeguard its grip on power and negate potential challenges to its authoritarian regime. This implies that the DPRK is adamantly attempting to impose a domestic media and information monopoly. Somehow, similar attempts target international audiences as well, but with a very limited, if any, degree of success.

Contrasting Paths: North and South Korea’s Ideological Implications on Hallyu

The rise of Hallyu as part of the Asian Ascendancy movement delves into key values that provide a comparative analysis of North and South Korean values. Both states contain a Korean ethnic nexus yet take separate approaches to their responses to Asian Ascendancy through principles of nationalism, secularism, and the role of religion in education.

North and South Korea exhibit strong nationalist sentiments—albeit with distinct manifestations. Firmly grounded in ethnic nationalism, South Korean nationalism is augmented by a sense of modernity and success achieved within a globalizing world. It is additionally fueled by desires for economic growth and international recognition, making it particularly receptive to the usage of cultural exports for diplomacy and global branding. Therefore, the rise of Hallyu was embraced by South Korea as both a cultural movement and an instrument of soft power, aiding the country to assert itself across international dimensions. After all, which state would refuse the opportunity to further establish itself politically, economically, and socio-culturally through soft power mitigation?

In contrast, North Korea fits the narrative that not all states are enthusiastic about cultural influence in global media. The regime’s nationalism is deeply intertwined with its Juche ideology and the personalist regime encompassing the state. This has resulted in a more cautious and restrictive response to Hallyu, as North Korea prefers to reinforce its own narrative established after the formation of the state following the Korean War. For example, this dynamic is observed in the enforcement of North Korea’s Chondoism in the later twentieth century. Chondoism, comprised of traditional Korean shamanism and Confucianism, was employed during Kim Il-Sung’s reign as a political scheme to bolster extreme patriotism in North Korea. It was additionally used as a bridge to reduce tensions with South Korea. However, South Korean officials declined this opportunity, as they recognized the regime’s ulterior motive to establish espionage in South Korean provinces.[19] The prominence of Chondoism in North Korea has recently diminished, due to strict pandemic policies implemented to limit the religious practice.

Consequently, the role of secularism in North Korea has significantly diverged from the coexistence of religion with the cultural sphere, to cultist personalities. North Korea prohibits religious adherence upon any citizen and hails the Kim dynasty as the ‘saviors’ of the domestic population’s quality of life. It establishes a form of “hard secularism” through the worship of the Kim dynasty, manipulating the traditional secularist dynamic for states to protect religion from extremist distortion while enabling critical thought and information.[20] This repressive structure of secularism stands in contrast to the pluralistic religious tolerance observed in South Korea, where Christian, Buddhist, and other spiritual influences have helped shape the moral themes and creative choices found in some K-dramas and music.[21]While Hallyu does not explicitly promote religion, the cultural values embedded in its narratives—such as community, family, personal redemption, and moral responsibility—often connect with South Korea’s faith-informed social fabric. This newfound role of secularism in North Korea in the twenty-first century is vastly different compared to the promotion of South Korea’s faith-based religious principles in Hallyu.

North Korea’s current approach to media censorship and suppression presents significant implications for the ideological framework of Hallyu and the Asian Ascendancy in contemporary globalization. It redefines the national and global perspective of state sovereignty and individualism in an ever-evolving society. Unfortunately, amidst a booming era of vibrant Asian culture and philosophy, North Korea is far too concerned with ensuring its own national legitimacy. It is not ready to embrace Hallyu and the broader Asian Ascendancy movement for the benefit of its people and society. Fundamentally, the Kim regime understands that Hallyu cannot be ideologically sanitized or replicated. It is precisely the fusion of liberal modernity, digital connectivity, and Western cultural expressions that renders it irreconcilable with North Korea’s closed, patriarchal state.

Concluding Remarks

As the currents of globalization once swept across the international sphere, the phenomenon of Asian Ascendancy and Hallyu stood as a powerful geopolitical force that forged new dynamics and statecraft between Western nations and the global perceptions of Asian cultures. This article discussed North Korea’s strategic employment of Hallyu to reshape its global image, as the regime weaves a carefully curated facade, blurring reality with fiction. Yet, beneath this spectacle lies the narrative of suppression and censorship. While South Korea cemented its role as the creator, distributor, and motivator of Hallyu, North Korea has remained entrenched in the institutionalization of Juche, strictly guarding its populace from the alluring charms of Hallyu, ultimately exemplifying the persistence of regressive forces in contempt of the new wave of globalized cultural exchanges. In an era increasingly marked by nationalist and protectionist currents, North Korea’s refusal to engage with cultural pluralism sinks it to even deeper isolationism.

Tessa Aguilar is a distinguished graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations, complemented by minors in Global Studies and East Asian Studies. Her academic research is centered on inter-Korean political dynamics, with an emphasis on alleviating interstate animosities through the recognition and reconciliation of historical narratives. She also investigates the strategic deployment of soft power initiatives through modern entertainment and media, with a focus on the international ramifications of state-driven censorship and narrative control.

[1] Osman, Amber, Muhammad Imtiaz Subhani, and Syed Akif Hasan, “Asian Ascendancy: Media in the Age of Globalization.” SpringerPlus 2, no. 1 (2013): 2.

[2] Ibid., 3.

[3] Ibid., 5

[4] J.A. Mangan, “The New Asia: Global Transformation, Regional Ascendancy, and Metaphorical Modernity.” The Triple Asian Olympics - Asia Rising, 2018: 2234.

[5] Gunjoo Jang and Won K. Paik, “Korean Wave as Tool for Korea’s New Cultural Diplomacy,” Advances in Applied Sociology 2, no. 3 (2012): 201.

[6] Ibid., 197.

[7] Ka Young Chung, “Media as Soft Power: The Role of the South Korean Media in North Korea,” The Journal of International Communication 25, no. 1 (2018): 140.

[8] Ibid., 149

[9] Bianca Milanowitsch, “Mapping the Presence of the Korean Wave in North Korea,” International Quarterly for Asian Studies 48, no. 3–4 (2017): 280.

[10] Ibid., 279.

[11] The Guardian, “South Korean K-Pop Stars Perform for Kim Jong-Un in Pyongyang,” Guardian News and Media, April 1, 2018.

[12] YouTube, “Song A’s Life ‘Munsu Water Park Part 2’ |송아|,” YouTube, July 30, 2022.

[13] Samuel Seongseop Kim and Bruce Prideaux, “An Investigation of the Relationship between South Korean Domestic Public Opinion, Tourism Development in North Korea and a Role for Tourism in Promoting Peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Tourism Management 27, no. 1 (2006): 125.

[14] Soo-yeon Kim, “Seoul Voices Regret over NK’s Removal of S. Korean-Built Facilities at Mount Geumgang Resort,” Yonhap News Agency, October 18, 2022.

[15] Seulkee Jang, “Daily NK Acquires Full Text of the Anti-Reactionary Thought Law,” Daily NK, March 21, 2023.

[16] Jieun Kim, “Talking like ‘Capitalist’ South Koreans Can Lead to Prison or Death in North Korea,” Radio Free Asia, March 22, 2023.

[17] Hyemin Son, “North Korean Parents Will Be Punished If Their Children Watch Foreign Media Even Once,” Radio Free Asia, February 23, 2023.

[18] Hyemin Son, “North Korea Orders Citizens to Read 10,000 Pages of Propaganda This Year,” Radio Free Asia, April 28, 2023.

[19] Nicolas Levi, “How North Korea Embraced an Obscure Religion as a Tool for Korean Unification,” NK News - North Korea News, June 22, 2023.

[20] Lynn Davies, “One Size Does Not Fit All: Complexity, Religion, Secularism and Education,” Asia Pacific Journal of Education 34, no. 2 (2014): 191.

[21] Ali, Ghada Mohamed,“2 Composers of K-Drama’s OST Explain Their Approaches.” Korea.net, June 30, 2023.

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The Guardian. 2018. “South Korean K-Pop Stars Perform for Kim Jong-Un in Pyongyang.” Guardian News and Media, April 1. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/01/south-korean-k-pop-stars-perform-for-kim-jong-un-in-pyongyang.

Kim, Soo-yeon. 2022. “Seoul Voices Regret over NK’s Removal of S. Korean-Built Facilities at Mount Geumgang Resort.” Yonhap News Agency, October 18. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20221018004000325.

YouTube. “Sally Parks [송아 Songa Channel].” YouTube, https://youtube.com/@sallyparkssongachannel7794.

YouTube. 2023. “Song A’s Life ‘I Am Famous!!’|송아|.” YouTube, June 13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5LqqgvcgYo.

YouTube. 2022. “Song A’s Life ‘Munsu Water Park Part 2’ |송아|.” YouTube, July 30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNhoAhUaAAU.

12. PPP's Kim Moon-soo registers presidential candidacy with election watchdog

(LEAD) PPP's Kim Moon-soo registers presidential candidacy with election watchdog | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · May 11, 2025

(ATTN: UPDATES with Kim-Han meeting in last 4 paras; ADDS photo)

SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- The People Power Party's presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo registered his candidacy with the election watchdog Sunday, pledging to win the presidency and make South Korea a "great country."

"This upcoming presidential election is important as it will choose a president who must overcome the crisis South Korea is facing and who can make efforts to achieve the people's happiness," Kim told reporters after registering with the National Election Commission in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul.

"I will be elected without fail and will make every possible effort to make South Korea a great country," he said.

On Saturday, the People Power Party's (PPP) all-member meeting voted down a motion led by the party's leadership to replace him with former Prime Minister Han Duck-woo as the party's presidential candidate, ending a weeklong internal dispute between him and the leadership.

Kim, a former labor minister, had secured the party's nomination through the primaries but had since come under intense pressure from the party leadership to merge campaigns with Han, who had polled better in hypothetical matchups with front-runner Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party.

Kim welcomed the party's decision in his favor, describing it as "highly unusual" and "a surprising miracle," and thanked party members for "upholding democracy."

In the run-up to the June 3 presidential election, he said he will focus on pitching a "big tent" to expand the coalition not only within the party but also outside it, pledging to achieve national unity and listen to people's voices.

The People Power Party's presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo speaks to reporters after registering his candidacy with the National Election Commission in Gwacheon on May 11, 2025. (Yonhap)

After registering his candidacy, Kim met with Han at the PPP's headquarters in western Seoul and pledged to work together to win the presidency.

They embraced at the start of their first meeting since Kim's candidacy was reinstated through the vote of all general party members, and Han offered his congratulations to Kim.

"In order to win the election, we should unite around Kim," the former PM said, adding that he will do whatever he can to help him.

During the meeting, Kim asked Han to be an election committee chair for his campaign during the meeting, to which Han replied that he must first discuss practical issues to determine what is appropriate.

People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo (R) and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo embrace during their meeting at the party's headquarters in Seoul on May 11, 2025. (Yonhap)

pbr@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · May 11, 2025

13. Official campaigning for June 3 presidential election to begin Monday

(2nd LD) Official campaigning for June 3 presidential election to begin Monday | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · May 11, 2025

(ATTN: UPDATES with campaign schedules)

SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- Official campaigning for the June 3 presidential election will begin this week with the close of candidate registration on Sunday.

The 22-day campaign period will kick off Monday, allowing candidates and their campaign teams to give speeches in public places between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., distribute leaflets and other campaign materials, and put up campaign banners.

This composite image shows Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung (L), People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo (C) and New Reform Party presidential candidate Lee Jun-seok. (Yonhap)

The election, triggered by the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid in December, has shaped up to be a contest between Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) and Kim Moon-soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP).

Kim's candidacy was confirmed only Saturday following intraparty strife over which of two people -- Kim or former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo -- would be better suited to defeat Lee, who has maintained a wide lead in favorability polls.

Lee's plan is to consolidate that lead by wooing swing voters with promises to improve the economy and people's livelihoods, and promote national unity.

Kim, meanwhile, is set to adopt the conservatives' strategy of building a broad "big tent" coalition to counter Lee.

The success of that strategy is likely to hinge on whether he can win the support of former Prime Minister Han, Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate of the minor New Reform Party, and other political heavyweights.

The DP's Lee will launch his campaign at Cheonggye Plaza near Seoul's Gwanghwamun on Monday before traveling to the suburban cities of Seongnam and Hwaseong in Gyeonggi Province, and then the central city of Daejeon, according to his party.

In the three cities, which form the so-called K-Initiative Belt, Lee plans to meet with innovative industry workers and campaign on the themes of semiconductors, and science and technology.

The PPP's Kim will kick off his campaign at Garak Market in Seoul's eastern Songpa Ward in a likely bid to show his commitment to tackling people's livelihood issues.

Later Monday, he plans to visit the national cemetery in Daejeon and Seomun Market in the southeastern city of Daegu, a conservative stronghold.

On his first stop of the campaign trail, Lee Jun-seok of the New Reform Party will visit a national industrial complex in the southern city of Yeosu at the stroke of midnight.

He will then travel to Seoul to meet with students at Yonsei University before wrapping up the day at Cheonggye Plaza.

The National Election Commission, the state election watchdog, said a total of seven people registered their candidacies.

The DP's Lee was assigned candidate No. 1, followed by No. 2 for Kim and No. 4 for Lee Jun-seok.

By law, candidate numbers are assigned in order of the number of seats a party holds in the National Assembly, starting with the party with the most seats.

No. 3 was left blank as the Rebuilding Korea Party did not field a candidate, while No.'s 5-8 were given to two minor party candidates and two independents.

hague@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · May 11, 2025

14. DP's Lee expands lead to over 50 pct in hypothetical matchup with PPP's Kim: poll

DP's Lee expands lead to over 50 pct in hypothetical matchup with PPP's Kim: poll | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · May 11, 2025

SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- The Democratic Party's (DP) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung has expanded his lead to over 50 percent in a hypothetical matchup against the People Power Party's (PPP) Kim Moon-soo, a recent poll showed Sunday.

Lee garnered 52.1 percent support against Kim's 31.1 percent in the hypothetical three-way race that also included Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party, according to a Realmeter poll conducted from Wednesday to Friday on 1,508 eligible voters. Lee Jun-seok earned 6.3 percent.

It marks an increase from the 46.6 percent the DP's Lee recorded in a similar three-way race in the previous Realmeter poll, in which Kim received 27.8 percent and the minor party's Lee 7.5 percent.

Among those who identified as politically moderate, 54.9 percent opted for Lee, while 24.3 percent chose Kim.

In another hypothetical three-way matchup that included former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo instead of the PPP's Kim, the DP's Lee garnered 51.7 percent support, Han 30.5 percent and the minor party's Lee 5.8 percent.

The PPP's leadership had attempted to field Han as the party's presidential candidate by merging Kim's campaign into his after Han previously outperformed in public polls.

On Saturday, however, the PPP's all-member meeting voted down a leadership-backed motion to replace Kim, who secured the party's presidential nomination through the primaries, with Han as the party's candidate.

The Realmeter poll also showed that 55.8 percent of the respondents want the presidency to be transferred to the DP or other opposition parties, while 39.2 percent said they want it to remain with the PPP or the conservative bloc.

The survey, commissioned by the Energy Economic News daily, has a 95 percent confidence level and a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung (R) listens to People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo at a temple in Seoul during an event marking Buddha's Birthday on May 5, 2025. (Yonhap)

pbr@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · May 11, 2025

15. S. Korean, U.S. navies stage joint drills in East Sea

S. Korean, U.S. navies stage joint drills in East Sea | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · May 11, 2025

SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean and U.S. navies have concluded four days of joint naval drills in the East Sea in the latest move to enhance their ability to counter simultaneous enemy attacks, officials said Sunday.

The drills, which were held from Thursday to Sunday, involved about 10 South Korean naval ships, including the 7,600-ton ROKS Yulgok Yi I destroyer, and around 10 aircraft. From the U.S. side, the USS William P. Lawrence guided-missile destroyer and a maritime patrol plane participated, according to the South Korean Navy.

The sailors from both countries conducted training scenarios meant to ensure an immediate and effective response to multi-domain threats, including enemy attacks at sea, underwater and in the air.

The joint maneuvers also included operations to repel North Korean special forces in a simulated infiltration across the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas. Additionally, an underwater exercise was carried out to detect, track and engage an enemy submarine.

The training also focused on intercepting hostile drones, responding to localized provocations and preventing the maritime proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the Navy said.

The U.S. Navy's USS William P. Lawrence (L) and South Korea's ROKS Daecheong conduct a combined maritime drill in the East Sea on May 11, 2025, in this photo provided by the South Korean Navy. The joint exercise of the South Korean and U.S. navies from May 8-11 was aimed at enhancing readiness against potential provocations and strengthening their combined operational capabilities. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

pbr@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · May 11, 2025

16. Nuclear power becomes No. 1 energy source for S. Korea for first time in 2024

Nuclear power becomes No. 1 energy source for S. Korea for first time in 2024 | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · May 11, 2025

SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- Nuclear power became the largest source of energy in South Korea's power generation sector for the first time ever last year, data showed Sunday.

The total power generation increased by 1.3 percent on-year to reach 595.6 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024, and nuclear power generation accounted for 31.7 percent of the total, marking the largest proportion among energy resources, according to the data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Gas and coal tied for second, each contributing 28.1 percent of the total power generation.

Coal had been the country's largest energy source over the preceding 17 years, but its share shrank due mainly to the government's push for eco-friendly policies and increased utilization of nuclear power.

The data also showed that renewable energy generation rose 11.7 percent from a year earlier to reach 63.2 TWh in 2024, accounting for 10.6 percent of the country's total power generation.

It was the first time that renewable energy surpassed the double-digit mark, which was attributable to policy support and rising investment.

"The government will continue to expand zero-carbon energy sources and push forward policies in order to achieve carbon neutrality and meet the demand for advanced industries, such as AI data centers," senior ministry official Cho Ik-no said.

This file photo taken Dec. 14, 2024, shows the Shin Hanul No. 1 and 2 reactors in the county of Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)

graceoh@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · May 11, 2025

17. Forget the F-35: Canada Could Buy South Korea's 'F-35 Lite' (Meet the KF-21)

Forget the F-35: Canada Could Buy South Korea's 'F-35 Lite' (Meet the KF-21)

19fortyfive.com · by Caleb Larson · May 10, 2025

In a world swirling with geopolitical uncertainties caused by the bellicose rhetoric from the White House, one of America’s oldest and dearest allies is thinking the previously unthinkable: should Ottawa cancel its investment in the American-led F-35 program and instead find an alternative elsewhere?

Dubious Partnership on F-35

Yvan Blondin, a former RCAF commander and retired lieutenant general, took to LinkedIn to express his frustration with Canada’s commitment to the F-35 program in light of the recent belligerent rhetoric from the White House and the current administration.

“The reality is that, without US consent, no country can hope to operate the F-35 for long,” Blondin wrote. “The US controls its operating software, updates, upgrades, maintenance, parts and armament. The current US F-35 program dependency on international partner parts production cannot be taken for granted either; the way US relationships with its closest allies are deteriorating, the current administration may at any time put an end to these contracts and repatriate the production of essential parts critical to its own defense, and for the 50-year-life of the program.”

“Reliance on a US defense umbrella, a critical factor since the end of WW2 for so many countries, is no longer guaranteed,” Blondin added. “No affected country can afford to close its eyes and hope that 2026 or 2028 elections in the US will bring everything back to “normal” … and not happen again. The toothpaste cannot go back into the tube. We have no choice but to consider its impact and figure out how to adjust to this newly created global insecurity.”

Blondin’s comments reflect an unprecedented sea change not only within the Canadian armed forces but among other allies across the globe: if the bedrock upon which NATO and other defense relationships were built, namely reliable and predictable American military support, is now in question, how should we best rearm and reorient our armed forces?

One solution could be fighters from other countries.

Seoul’s KF-21 Fighter

It is not just the American F-35 that is available on the stealth market anymore. Soon, other stealth fighters will hit the open export market, eyeing the globe for potential customers. And as Canada probes around for an alternative to the F-35, one foreign-made fighter in particular is presenting itself as an option for the Royal Canadian Air Force: South Korea’s KF-21.

Though secret, the KF-21’s capabilities are more likely to pale in comparison to those of its American cousin, the F-35. But could that change in the future? It would appear so.

Increasing Capabilities

Korean Aerospace Industries, the firm behind the KF-21 fighter, would like to improve the jet’s stealth capabilities.

This would include more mature stealth coatings applied to the entire airframe, conformal antennas, and—very importantly—internal weapon bays to hide the radar-pinging angles of munitions and fuel from detection inside the aircraft itself.

Other variants are thought to be in the works, too, including a two-seater variant with space for an electronic warfare officer, providing similar capabilities to the United States Navy’s EA-18G Growler. Exact configurations and the implications for export models are as of yet unclear.

The changes to the KF-21 would be a tall order for a country with an aerospace industry that, though certainly advanced, does not have the decades of experience building stealth fighters that countries with more mature aerospace programs like the United States have. However, for countries just now beginning their forays into fifth-generation platforms, lower-performance—but crucially, lower-cost—aircraft like KAI’s KF-21 could be an increasingly attractive option. Could Canada be one of those countries?

Recent Elections

The recent Canadian election saw a win for Canada’s Liberals. It ushered in a new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, who, as the new Canadian leader, rode a wave of resentment against relations with the United States to the top. And with Canada hosting the G7 summit of advanced economies next month in Alberta, the time could be right to put some pressure on US President Trump and the Americans.

Though Canada has long eschewed operating two types of fighter jets, successfully arguing that doing so would create unnecessary and overly complicated logistical, maintenance, and training pipelines, the tide may be turning. While Canada has already plunked down the cash needed for its first 16 F-35s, part of what was originally seen as an order of 88 could—in theory—be curtailed.

As part of Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project, the competition that saw the F-35 earn the right to replace the RCAF’s aged CF-18 Hornets, Saab’s Gripen E came runner up. Some commentators have floated the idea of breaking with decades of precedence and operating a mixed fleet of fighters, suggesting that the Swedish Gripen E could be the lower-performance end of a high-low mix of fighters, including the F-35.

What Happens Now?

Whether Canada retains and completes the projected F-35 fleet, opts for Swedish fighters, or buys into the fledgling but promising South Korean KF-21 program remains to be seen.

What is emerging, however, is an unmistakable trend: rattled by the United States and unwilling to leave their national security at the whim of the White House, partners across the globe are taking a cold, hard look at diversifying away from American military might.

About the Author: Caleb Larson

Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the war’s shifting battle lines from Donbas and writing on the war’s civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe. You can follow his latest work on X.

19fortyfive.com · by Caleb Larson · May 10, 2025

18. USTR Greer to visit S. Korea for trade talks this week

USTR Greer to visit S. Korea for trade talks this week | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · May 11, 2025

SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer plans to visit South Korea this week for talks on the U.S. new tariff scheme and other bilateral trade issues, officials said Sunday.

Greer is scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Thursday for a two-day stay to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers meeting, which will be held on the southern resort island of Jeju, according to government officials.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Greer is expected to have high-level talks with South Korea's Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun or Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo, as well as other counterparts, as consultations are now under way about U.S. President Donald Trump's administration's new tariff policies.

Last month, the United States began imposing reciprocal tariffs on partner nations, including 25 percent duties on South Korea, only to place a pause on them shortly afterward to allow for one-on-one negotiations.

Seoul and Washington agreed to seek a package agreement on trade and other related issues before July 8, when Trump's 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs ends.

Given the situation, the upcoming high-level talks are expected to serve as a turning point in shaping the direction of trade negotiations, with the U.S. likely to present detailed demands and both sides coordinating schedules and formats for future negotiations, according to experts.

South Korea has said it will approach talks with the U.S. in a calm and prudent manner, without haste, ahead of the June 3 presidential election triggered by the recent ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his brief imposition of martial law in December.

South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun (3rd from R) and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer (2nd from L) hold a meeting at the USTR office in Washington on April 24, 2025, in this file photo provided by Ahn's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

graceoh@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · May 11, 2025

19. Kim Jong Un's special forces unit gets 15-month training regimen, up from six

Kim Il Sung said: "one man in the rear is worth ten in the front."

And it is afterall the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State.

Kim Jong Un's special forces unit gets 15-month training regimen, up from six - Daily NK English

New training adds Russia-Ukraine war-influenced concealment techniques and drone operations alongside traditional guerrilla warfare education

By Jeong Tae Joo - May 9, 2025

dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · May 8, 2025

North Korean soldiers conducting training drills. (Rodong Sinmun, News1)

North Korea’s 11th Corps, known as the “Storm Corps,” has dramatically extended its basic training period from six months to 15 months as part of an effort to strengthen its special warfare capabilities.

According to a military source recently, the extended training period began May 1 following a special order issued to the 11th Corps by the Korean People’s Army (KPA) Recruitment Bureau on April 27. The change stems from a decision by the KPA Party Committee to strengthen specialized military branches.

Recruits assigned to the 11th Corps through this spring’s draft will now undergo three months of basic training — covering discipline, internal regulations, formation drills, garrison rules, physical training, marching and shooting — followed by 12 months of specialized training focused on modern warfare and physical conditioning.

“Previously, recruits received three months of general training and three months of specialized training, but now the specialized training period has been greatly extended,” the source said. “The 11th Corps headquarters has distributed revised class schedules and new training manuals to reflect this change.”

This year’s training curriculum will retain guerrilla warfare education while adding new courses on concealment and cover techniques, drone marksmanship and counter-drone operations, all influenced by analysis of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The 11th Corps specializes in infiltrating enemy territory, assassinating key figures and conducting rear-area strikes.

The corps aims to develop special forces capable of quickly adapting to various terrains and combat environments while effectively responding to modern weapons. This initiative appears connected to leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to a special forces training base in early April, where he ordered improvements in operational capabilities.

However, the extended training period appears to be a pilot program limited to the 11th Corps rather than an army-wide measure. Some within the corps question whether the 15-month training system will continue next year.

“The KPA Recruitment Bureau and the Combat Training Bureau of the General Staff Department have not issued any orders about extending the training period or revising training subjects for other corps,” the source said. “Even within the 11th Corps, there’s uncertainty about whether this measure will continue next year.”

The North Korean military is expected to evaluate the effectiveness of the extended training period in enhancing special warfare capabilities for modern combat. Military insiders cautiously suggest this initiative could establish a model for modernizing special forces throughout the armed forces, the source added.

Read in Korean

dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · May 8, 2025

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

Phone: 202-573-8647

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

If you do not read anything else in the 2017 National Security Strategy read this on page 14:

"A democracy is only as resilient as its people. An informed and engaged citizenry is the fundamental requirement for a free and resilient nation. For generations, our society has protected free press, free speech, and free thought. Today, actors such as Russia are using information tools in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democracies. Adversaries target media, political processes, financial networks, and personal data. The American public and private sectors must recognize this and work together to defend our way of life. No external threat can be allowed to shake our shared commitment to our values, undermine our system of government, or divide our Nation."

Access NSS HERE

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The Shackled Wave: North Korea’s Enigmatic Interplay with Asian Ascendancy and Hallyu

(LEAD) PPP's Kim Moon-soo registers presidential candidacy with election watchdog | Yonhap News Agency

(2nd LD) Official campaigning for June 3 presidential election to begin Monday | Yonhap News Agency

DP's Lee expands lead to over 50 pct in hypothetical matchup with PPP's Kim: poll | Yonhap News Agency

S. Korean, U.S. navies stage joint drills in East Sea | Yonhap News Agency

Nuclear power becomes No. 1 energy source for S. Korea for first time in 2024 | Yonhap News Agency

Forget the F-35: Canada Could Buy South Korea's 'F-35 Lite' (Meet the KF-21)

Dubious Partnership on F-35

Seoul’s KF-21 Fighter

Increasing Capabilities

Recent Elections

What Happens Now?

About the Author: Caleb Larson

USTR Greer to visit S. Korea for trade talks this week | Yonhap News Agency

Kim Jong Un's special forces unit gets 15-month training regimen, up from six - Daily NK English​

Kim Jong Un's special forces unit gets 15-month training regimen, up from six - Daily NK English