Quotes of the Day:
"There is no such thing as paranoia. Your worst fears can come true at any moment."
- Hunter S. Thompson
"Falsehood is so easy, truth so difficult."
- George Eliot
"Truth is ever to be found in simplicity."
- Isaac Newton
1. How Biden and Yoon Are Strengthening the U.S.-South Korea Alliance
2. Multiple Russian, Chinese warplanes enter KADIZ without notice: JCS
3. Biden's 'nuclear deterrence' remarks send shock waves
4. South Korea's new President says he's done appeasing North Korea ‘Ball is in Kim's court’
5. Good Deeds Witnessed in DPRK
6. North Korea claims a ‘positive trend’ in battling the virus.
7. Let the Escapees Escape: A Report on the Ongoing Human Rights Crisis of North Korean Escapees and International Human Rights Law
8. N. Korea's total suspected COVID-19 cases reach nearly 3 million: state media
9. S. Korea open to reviewing May 24 sanctions on N. Korea: official
10. Sanity Returns to N.Korea Policy
11. Letter from Korea: Freedom is never free | Opinion
12. North Korea says no new fever deaths, claims Covid outbreak is under control
13. Pregnant women with COVID suffer in North Korea’s run-down medical system
14. 'Time of Appeasing N.Korea Is Over,' Says Yoon
15. ＜N. Korea’s COVID-19 pandemic＞ Reports of people dying following the lockdown of Hyesan, Yanggang Province
1. How Biden and Yoon Are Strengthening the U.S.-South Korea Alliance
Good summary and assessment from Scott Snyder.
How Biden and Yoon Are Strengthening the U.S.-South Korea Alliance
Presidents Biden and Yoon pledged to deepen and broaden the scope of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, but their success could depend on how China, Japan, and North Korea respond.
What is the biggest news to come out of U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to South Korea?
President Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol signaled their desire to expand beyond the military alliance that has been the core of the U.S.-South Korea relationship for decades, saying that economic coordination is critical to bolstering what Yoon calls the countries’ “comprehensive strategic alliance.”
This was exemplified when Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong hosted Biden and Yoon at a Samsung semiconductor production facility that will serve as a model for the $17 billion facility Samsung pledged last year to build in Texas. The itinerary symbolizes the leaders’ vision of a vital role for U.S.-South Korean technology cooperation alongside the military focus that has underpinned the alliance for decades.
On the sidelines of the summit between Yoon and Biden, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Eui-sun pledged to invest $10.5 billion in the construction of an electric vehicle and electric battery production facility in Georgia, in addition to other investments in robotics and artificial intelligence.
These South Korean investments in the United States will likely generate American jobs and have the potential to further intertwine the United States and South Korea in both the security and economic realms.
Did the two sides signal a change in their approach to North Korea?
With the transition from the dovish administration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the hawkish Yoon administration, U.S.-South Korea policy emphasis has shifted toward deterrence, placing diplomacy in the background in the absence of signs that North Korea is willing to pursue talks.
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The U.S.-South Korea Joint Statement released by Biden and Yoon pledges to revive the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group, a bilateral group of specialists tasked with deepening South Korean understanding of U.S. plans to deter and defend against North Korea’s possible use of nuclear weapons. The statement also pledges to expand U.S.-South Korean military exercises that had been curtailed in 2018 to support U.S.-North Korea diplomacy. In addition, it affirms the U.S. commitment to deploying strategic assets, such as nuclear-capable bombers and naval vessels, in a “timely and coordinated manner as necessary,” as well as expanding coordination in response to North Korean cyber threats.
The leaders revealed that they had offered vaccines to North Korea in response to the country’s rapidly rising COVID-19 cases, but that North Korea has not responded to those offers. Biden reiterated his willingness to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un if he proves to be “serious” and “sincere.” But his two-word public message to Kim—“Hello. Period.”—conveyed a lack of enthusiasm that is unlikely to induce Kim to restore self-restraint in missile testing and return to talks.
What’s next for the U.S.-South Korea relationship?
The Biden and Yoon administrations will follow up on the wide range of coordination pledges included in the joint statement. The most significant, immediate steps will involve further defense consultations on extended deterrence, as well as planning combined military exercises and diplomatic coordination on North Korean policy. South Korea is also expected to participate in the U.S.-led Summit on Global Supply Chain Resilience, which is planned for later this year, and pledged to take a leadership role in the Summit for Democracy process initiated by the Biden administration last December. In addition, the countries will establish a regular ministerial-level dialogue on supply chains.
U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol visit a Samsung production facility. Kim Min-hee/Reuters
In line with Yoon’s aspiration to establish South Korea as a “global pivotal state,” the countries have pledged to increase consultations on climate change, internet standards, telecommunications security and international cyber policy, as well as on global security issues such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, keeping the Indo-Pacific free and open, maritime security in the South China Sea, and peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits.
How could regional governments respond?
The primary significance of the meeting could lie in how China, Japan, and North Korea respond to Biden and Yoon’s efforts to deepen and broaden the scope of the alliance. Despite Yoon’s assertions that he desires a constructive partnership with China, Beijing could be tempted to view Seoul’s close alignment with Washington in zero-sum terms. China responded negatively to South Korea’s plans to join Biden’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, prompting Yoon to state that South Korea takes an inclusive approach to economic cooperation that is not based on shared values.
The Biden administration could hope that its early meeting with Yoon and its bolstering of U.S.-South Korea cooperation in advance of meetings in Japan will both support the deepening of trilateral cooperation among the United States, South Korea, and Japan, and indirectly endorse Yoon’s campaign pledges to restore bilateral relations with Japan.
North Korea has yet to test its nuclear weapons since Yoon came into office, but Pyongyang heard little from Biden and Yoon in Seoul that is likely to induce self-restraint. Biden and Yoon pledged to “strengthen airtight coordination” in preparation for future North Korean provocations and work toward achieving North Korea’s complete denuclearization. Their response to North Korea’s ongoing missile testing will test whether they can follow through.
2. Multiple Russian, Chinese warplanes enter KADIZ without notice: JCS
A preplanned response to the Yoon-Biden summit and or an immediate reaction to POTUS' remarks on Taiwan?
Multiple Russian, Chinese warplanes enter KADIZ without notice: JCS | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- Multiple Russian and Chinese warplanes entered South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) without notice on Tuesday, prompting the Air Force to scramble fighters to the scene, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
The JCS said that two Chinese and four Russian warplanes entered the KADIZ, but did not violate South Korea's territorial air.
"Prior to their entry into the KADIZ, our military deployed Air Force fighters to conduct tactical steps in preparation against potential accidental situations," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters.
At 7:56 a.m., two Chinese H-6 bombers entered the KADIZ from an area 126 kilometers northwest of Ieodo, a submerged rock south of the southern island of Jeju, according to the JCS. They moved toward the East Sea and exited the zone at around 9:33 a.m.
Later, the two Chinese warplanes joined four Russian warplanes, including two TU-95 bombers, and entered the KADIZ together at 9:58 a.m. They then left the zone at 10:15 a.m.
At around 3:40 p.m., four Chinese and two Russian military aircraft were spotted flying in an area some 267 km southeast of Ieodo -- outside the KADIZ -- the JCS said.
The air defense zone is not territorial airspace, but is delineated to call on foreign planes to identify themselves so as to prevent accidental clashes.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
3. Biden's 'nuclear deterrence' remarks send shock waves
From Xinhua.
I guess China has not been paying attention. Extended "nuclear" deterrence is not new.
It will be interesting to see when, if, and how north Korea responds to the summit.
Excerpts:
Besides a nuclear umbrella, Yoon said that there could be many other aspects when it comes to extended deterrence.
His joint statement with Biden also noted the expansion of the scope and scale of combined military exercises and training in and around the Korean Peninsula.
Shawn Ho, associate research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, said he expects the DPRK to react very soon to the joint statement as they would see some of the moves as being targeted toward the DPRK.
Biden's 'nuclear deterrence' remarks send shock waves
ROK's President Yoon Suk-yeol (1st L) and US President Joe Biden (1st R) hold their first summit talks in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, May 21, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]
United States President Joe Biden sent shock waves on his first Asian trip by committing to "nuclear deterrence" for the Republic of Korea, wider military exercises and weapon upgrades in a region deemed the engine of global economic growth.
In a joint statement issued by Biden and Yoon Suk-yeol, president of the Republic of Korea, after their meeting on May 21, Biden reaffirmed that the US has extended a deterrence commitment to the ROK "using the full range of US defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional, and missile defense capabilities".
"This is the first time that the joint statement stipulates the term 'nuclear deterrence'," said Lee Seong-Hyon, visiting scholar of Harvard University's Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, noting that the inclusion of the term sends a clear message to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"We, as the leaders of the two countries, reiterated our common goal of the complete denuclearization of the DPRK. There is no compromise for security. Under this shared belief, we concurred that strong deterrence against North Korea is paramount," Yoon said at a joint news conference after the summit.
Besides a nuclear umbrella, Yoon said that there could be many other aspects when it comes to extended deterrence.
His joint statement with Biden also noted the expansion of the scope and scale of combined military exercises and training in and around the Korean Peninsula.
Shawn Ho, associate research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, said he expects the DPRK to react very soon to the joint statement as they would see some of the moves as being targeted toward the DPRK.
"It is also expected that the DPRK will voice its concern or opposition to some of these intentions by the US and (the ROK)," Ho told China Daily. "Because from the DPRK's perspective, these military exercises between the US and (the ROK) …are not conducive to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula."
Biden and Yoon also agreed to reactivate at the earliest date the high-level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group, a bilateral platform that was suspended in 2018.
Lee, from Harvard, also stressed that the ROK and the US have significantly expanded their military alliance to one that now also includes the economic security component.
The ROK and the US are "unified in common determination to deepen and broaden our political, economic, security, and people-to-people ties", according to the joint statement, indicating the sharing and cooperation of both in cyber and space security.
Biden arrived in Seoul on May 20 to begin his first visit to the ROK as president, just 10 days after Yoon's inauguration. The only "unconventional" aspect of Biden's ROK visit was its timing this early in the new ROK president's term, said Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Institute for China-America Studies.
4. South Korea's new President says he's done appeasing North Korea ‘Ball is in Kim's court’
We cannot emphasize this message enough. No appeasement of north Korea.
South Korea's new President says he's done appeasing North Korea ‘Ball is in Kim's court’
SOUTH KOREA'S new conservative President has declared the age of appeasing the North Korea regime over, adding that any attempt at dialogue must be initiated by Kim Jong-un.
05:38, Tue, May 24, 2022 | UPDATED: 05:39, Tue, May 24, 2022
Express · by Catherine Meyer-Funnell · May 24, 2022
North Koreans cheer missile launch in bizarre propaganda film
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President Yoon Suk Yeol gave his first media interview on Monday since taking office two weeks ago, in which he stated his policy towards his northern neighbour.
In a departure from his predecessor Moon Jae-in’s stance of peace and neutrality, the new President made clear his intention to get tougher on North Korea and strengthen the South’s military.
He told CNN: “I think the ball is in Chairman Kim's court - it is his choice to start a dialogue with us.
He continued: “Just to temporarily escape North Korean provocation or conflict is not something that we should do.
“This kind of approach over the past five years has proven to be a failure.”
However, he added that he did not wish for the Communist country to “collapse”, adding: “What I want is shared and common prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
New South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has vowed to get tougher on his northern neighbour (Image: Getty)
President Yoon Suk Yeol only took office a few weeks ago (Image: Getty)
“I do not believe that enhancing [North Korea's] nuclear capability is helpful and conducive to maintaining international peace.”
So far this year, North Korea has launched 15 missile tests, more than in the past two years combined.
Chairman Kim vowed in April to develop his country’s nuclear forces at the “highest possible” speed.
Kim Jong Un has launched a number of missiles this year (Image: Getty)
President Biden has offered support to Korea (Image: Getty)
However, the East Asian nation is currently battling their first confirmed COVID-19 outbreak, as over 2.5 million people have to date tested positive for the virus.
Its population is under lockdown, yet the country has so far refused offers of the vaccine from Covax and South Korea, and is believed to have little testing facilities.
Instead, people are being advised to drink herbal tea, take ibuprofen and gargle salt water, reported the BBC.
North Korea is currently under national lockdown (Image: Getty)
Trending
US President Joe Biden has offered vaccine support to North Korea, but said he had so far received “no response”.
When asked if he was open to meeting Kim Jong Un, the US President answered: “It would depend on whether he was sincere and whether he was serious.”
In 2019 former POTUS Donald Trump made history by being the first US President to set foot in the notoriously closed off nation.
Express · by Catherine Meyer-Funnell · May 24, 2022
5. Good Deeds Witnessed in DPRK
Two reasons for this. Professor Benjamin Young (author: Guns, Guerillas, and the Great Leader: North Korea and the Third World) pointed out the use of the word communist in this article and asks an important question.
Benjamin R. Young
@DubstepInDPRK
It seems that the word “communism” has been revived by the North Korean authorities in 2022. For a long time, North Korean state-run media did not use this word but opted instead for “our style socialism” or just “socialism.” Why is this renewal of “communism” happening now?
Second, this is the kind of spin on COVID response the Propaganda and Agitation Department is putting out.
Good Deeds Witnessed in DPRK
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- Beautiful communist virtue and traits of helping and leading one another forward are ceaselessly displayed in the DPRK at a time when the emergency epidemic prevention campaign is vigorously conducted.
Officials of the South Hamgyong Provincial Party Committee offered food, prepared by their families, to those experiencing hardships in life.
Leading officials of the Party committees in Rason and Nampho cities and Riwon County donated food and medicines prepared by their families in order to stabilize the people's living.
Officials from the national institutions sent large amounts of medicines and food sincerely prepared by them to emergency epidemic prevention and public health organs. Among them are those from the Central Committee of the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, the State Planning Commission, the State Academy of Sciences, the Ponghwa Trading Bureau and the State Hydro-meteorological Administration.
Employees of medical appliance shops in Taedonggang and Phyongchon districts delivered a large quantity of medicines reserved by them to officials of the epidemic prevention sector in their respective areas.
A resident in Kangso District, Nampho City, donated more than 4 000 pieces of medicines in 13 kinds to the district people's hospital.
Many people across the country have displayed the beautiful traits of helping each other forward. -0-
www.kcna.kp (Juche111.5.21.)
6. North Korea claims a ‘positive trend’ in battling the virus.
Positive trend is positive spin. It is a "prime directive" of the Propaganda and Agitation Department to make Kim Jong-un look good no matter the troubles north Korea faces.
North Korea claims a ‘positive trend’ in battling the virus.
The government said it had reversed the trajectory of its outbreak, although a true picture of its severity remained elusive.
A photograph provided by North Korean state media showed King Jong Un, the country’s leader, at a coronavirus meeting in Pyongyang on Saturday.Credit...Korean Central News Agency, via Reuters
By
- May 23, 2022Updated 7:45 a.m. ET
North Korea is boasting of “a positive trend” in fighting the country’s Covid outbreak, according to state-run Korean Central News Agency.
While just last week the government ordered “maximum emergency” controls to battle the raging epidemic, the government on Sunday shifted its tone, claiming to have quickly reversed the trajectory of the outbreak.
On Monday, North Korea reported 167,650 new suspected coronavirus cases and one death, a dip after the government had been reporting daily cases above 200,000 for more than a week. But it remains difficult to get a true picture of the outbreak in the country given the country’s lack of transparency.
If the official figures are correct, it would mean more than 2.5 million people have been infected and 67 people have died from the virus, according to state officials.
In the first two years of the pandemic, the government held firm in asserting that there had been no positive cases in the country. But this month it acknowledged the country’s first confirmed case, in April, followed by a huge surge a few weeks ago.
During a visit by President Biden to South Korea this past weekend to meet South Korea’s new president, Yoon Suk-yeol, the leaders said their countries were “willing to work with the international community to provide assistance” to North Korea to fight the virus. North Korea has not responded to the offer.
Meanwhile, South Korea on Monday reported its lowest case numbers in almost four months, with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency saying there were 9,975 new daily cases. The country has fully vaccinated 86 percent of its population.
7. Let the Escapees Escape: A Report on the Ongoing Human Rights Crisis of North Korean Escapees and International Human Rights Law
Excerpts:
Governments around the world are encouraged to become more involved in issues that pertain to the repatriation of North Korean escapees, especially those who attempt to escape to China. Governments who enjoy bilateral agreements with the DPRK and China are urged to monitor and ensure that human rights standards are realized and upheld. In addition, this issue can be addressed at governmental meetings, forums, and conferences to ensure awareness and to discuss possible solutions. All suggestions should be relayed to the UNHCR for potential implementation. It is important that constant pressure is applied on China, and a constant spotlight is shed on China’s human rights record. Any positive appeals and proposals made by the UNHCR must be supported by governments around the world to increase pressure on the Chinese government.[33]
The United States can, together with other countries—including South Korea, Japan, and EU member states—engage with China to discuss resettlement strategies, especially since most North Korean escapees resettle in South Korea or the United States. It is important to adopt a multilateral approach in the attempt to protect human rights.[34] While this may require complex bargaining and compromise, the result can be better if other governments can show a willingness to admit North Korean escapees instead.
The South Korean government is called upon to adopt a more robust approach to human rights issues in the DPRK and to be more active in admitting and assisting North Koreans with resettlement. South Korea, as a country that accords constitutional rights to all Koreans in the entire Peninsula, should adopt legislation and policies to alleviate the human rights abuses faced by North Korean escapees. This is a recommendation of the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report, which is yet to be fully realized by the South Korean government. There is much hope in the new Yoon Suk-yeol administration to advocate for human rights in the DPRK. Yoon has promised to make a greater effort to promote freedom and human rights around the world, including in the DPRK.[35]
International human rights law was put into place to guide governments in protecting people against human rights abuses. Individual governments have the responsibility to honor their obligations under international human rights law. The issue of repatriating North Korean escapees has been an ongoing matter since the late 1990s, and it has still not been resolved. We should not forget that this is a serious human rights issue and strive to remember North Korean escapees in our efforts to defend human rights.
Let the Escapees Escape: A Report on the Ongoing Human Rights Crisis of North Korean Escapees and International Human Rights Law
5/23/2022
By Damian Reddy, HRNK Legal Counsel and Project Development Associate
Edited by Eric Ryu, former HRNK Research Intern & Raymond Ha, HRNK Director of Operations and Research
May 23, 2022
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), also known as the “hermit kingdom” because of its extreme isolation from the rest of the world, is notorious for its human rights violations. According to the 2014 report of the UN Commission of Inquiry (hereafter “Report”), its human rights record is “without parallel in the contemporary world.”[1]
Under the Kim family’s rule, the North Korean regime has terrorized its people for over seventy years. Those who attempt to cross the border are seriously punished if caught. Those who successfully escape are at risk of suffering from another evil: forcible repatriation. While this issue of forcible repatriation has previously been addressed, very little has been done on the ground. This essay seeks to not only serve as a reminder of this vital issue, but also urge relevant countries to act. Simply condoning forcible repatriation is a major violation of international human rights law.
International Human Rights Violations by the North Korean Government under the Kim Family
The DPRK has ratified significant international human rights treaties: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR); the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC); and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).[2] Despite being bound by these treaties, the North Korean regime is notorious for ignoring the rules. To date, there has regrettably been little progress in improving the human rights situation in the DPRK.
After extensive investigation, the 2014 Report of the UN Commission of Inquiry concluded that “the North Korean government systematically violated human rights including freedom of thought, expression and religion; freedom from discrimination; freedom of movement and residence; and the right to food.”[3] It further concluded that the DPRK had committed all crimes against humanity as listed in Article 7(1) of the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court, except for the crime of apartheid. The government vehemently denies having any part in the ill-treatment of its people and refuses to comply with international human rights standards. The Report is well-documented, however, and provides sufficient evidence detailing the North Korean government’s continued violations of international human rights law.
The North Korean regime’s human rights record has been a regular topic of discussion at the United Nations (UN). Since 2005 and 2003 respectively, the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council have passed annual resolutions condemning the DPRK for its human rights record. There has been an emphasis on pursuing accountability, especially after the 2014 Report of the Commission of Inquiry. Furthermore, in 2019, the North Korean regime underwent its latest Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council,[4] where it only accepted 132 out of 262 recommendations.[5] This is a clear indication of the government’s indifference to international law and human rights mechanisms, which has been the North Korean regime’s attitude towards human rights since 2009, when the DPRK underwent its first review and did not accept any recommendations. While the most recent review shows some willingness to respond, it is important to remember that accepting recommendations does not necessarily mean that the regime implements them.
Since 2019, the North Korean regime has increased measures to prevent its citizens from leaving the country. North Korean law criminalizes the act of leaving the country without official permission.[6] People who are caught trying to leave are apprehended and subjected to punishment, including, inter alia, public forms of punishment, imprisonment, and sometimes death.[7] The government has also encouraged the Chinese government to thwart the ability of North Koreans trying to escape by repatriating them to the DPRK.[8] Such repatriation is followed by harsh consequences. This is an egregious violation of the principle of non-refoulement, a sacred tenet of international law.
It is the harsh treatment by the North Korean regime that forces citizens to leave, even when the risks are high and life-threatening. Food shortages, a failing economy, and severe consequences for not obeying the regime are among the many reasons driving people to escape. It is unfortunate that tighter border control and the emergence of Covid-19 have resulted in a drop in the number of escapees in recent years.[9] However, based on publicly available information, there seems to be a trend of higher-ranking officials who are attempting to escape.[10] The continued attempts to escape are a clear indication of the North Korean regime failing to meet its responsibilities and duties to the people under international human rights law. People would not risk their lives to escape if they were truly happy.
International Human Rights Violations by China
Most North Koreans attempting to escape the tyrannical rule of the Kim regime first attempt to enter China en route to South Korea, the United States, or other destinations. However, the Chinese government has been cracking down on North Korean escapees, capturing and forcibly repatriating them to the DPRK, where they are subjected to harsh consequences. The Chinese government argues that North Koreans are not seeking asylum or refuge but are simply looking for economic opportunities. The government terms them as economic migrants.[11] However, the lack of formal assessments for the escapees and such arbitrary repatriation are violations of international human rights law.
China is notably a member of the Refugee Convention and the Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, having acceded to the convention and Protocol in 1982.[12] A cornerstone of the Refugee Convention is the principle of non-refoulement in Article 33, which states that “no Contracting State shall expel or return (“refouler”) a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.”[13] This means that a refugee should not be returned to a country if he or she faces serious threats to life or freedom. The term refugee is given a wide interpretation and includes asylum seekers.[14] The UN Human Rights Council refers to asylum seekers as prima facie refugees and affords them the same treatment as that of formally recognized refugees.[15]
China is failing to uphold its obligations under the Refugee Convention by arbitrarily labelling North Korean escapees as economic migrants and simply sending them back while knowing the consequences these individuals could face. The Refugee Convention calls for a proper assessment to be conducted before an individual is repatriated, which the government is failing to do.[16] The submission to the principle of non-refoulement is especially important for North Koreans because repatriation results in severe punishment and even death.[17] China’s current practice of violating the principle of non-refoulement directly undermines the principles of the international refugee protection regime enshrined in the Refugee Convention.
In addition, China ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) in 1988.[18] The CAT is clear when it references the principle of non-refoulement by stating in Article 3 that “No State Party shall expel, return ("refouler") or extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture.”[19] It goes further to implore governments to consider all relevant circumstances and propensities of human rights abuses before deciding whether or not an individual is to be repatriated.[20] The scope of CAT is wider than the Refugee Convention, as it applies the principle of non-refoulement to all human beings, making no distinction between refugee and asylum seeker.[21]
Furthermore, CAT refers to torture and ill-treatment as reasons for providing protection. These terms, especially ill-treatment, carry a wide and all-encompassing interpretation. In effect, this lowers the legal threshold for the Chinese government to comply with its responsibilities and duties under CAT when protecting North Korean escapees, who are escaping severe and harsh treatment by the regime. The term ill-treatment can refer to any justified form of serious fear to life or freedom as envisioned by the Refugee Convention and the CAT.
China is a member to several other international treaties, all of which advocate for non-discrimination and the protection of all persons. CAT aptly mentions that all people are “members of the human family.”[22] Therefore, such arbitrary repatriation by the government is a clear violation of international human rights law, for which China has been reprimanded on numerous occasions. The Chinese government argues that it enjoys bilateral agreements with the DPRK that allows it to return North Korean escapees. However, when governments subscribe to treaty law, they are under a duty to put into place domestic measures and legislation compatible with their treaty obligations and duties.[23] This means that bilateral agreements contrary to international law and standards are, in principle, invalid. Therefore, the government cannot simply rely on its relationship with the DPRK.
It is important to note that the 2014 Report of the UN Commission of Inquiry assigned liability on the Chinese government for aiding in crimes against humanity by its forcible repatriation of North Korean escapees. The Report highlighted evidence of Chinese officials being fully aware of the treatment of escapees, especially pregnant women who were—and still are—subjected to forced abortions by the North Korean regime.[24] The Report condemned the government for such inhumane violations of international human rights law.
The Chinese government’s tendency to flout international law is not only a violation on its part, but consequently aids and abets the North Korean government in continuing to violate the human rights of North Koreans. China’s own human rights record has been far from commendable, especially since it has been preventing UN human rights officials from entering the country.[25] The Chinese government could bring immense, positive improvement to the plight of North Korean escapees by providing protection instead of returning them to a tyrannical regime. China should not rely on relationships or bilateral agreements to evade its international law responsibilities and duties. As rightly said by former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, loyalty should not be a reason to violate human rights.[26]
International Human Rights Violations by South Korea (2019)
In 2019, the South Korean government shockingly repatriated two North Korean fishermen who were discovered by the South Korean navy. According to official statements from Seoul, these two men were suspected of murder. The South Korean government’s decision to arbitrarily repatriate the two men was a violation of its domestic laws and international human rights law. Moreover, it called into question the integrity of the South Korean government and its commitment to upholding human rights.
The government argued that the two men were serious criminals and were not eligible for protection. This, however, violates South Korea’s Constitution, which extends its domestic laws to all Koreans on the Peninsula.[27] By this standard, the two men should have undergone due process for their alleged crimes. Furthermore, South Korea’s refugee laws explicitly prohibit the refoulement of persons who seek refuge, even if he or she is not immediately identified as a refugee.[28] The principle of non-refoulement was clearly violated under the Refugee Convention and CAT. South Korea is a member state to both instruments. While the provisions of these treaties do not extend to non-political, serious criminals, such allegations must first be proved, and the treaties still do not condone repatriation in such circumstances when there is a serious fear to life and freedom.
The South Korean government was criticized for its improper conduct. Besides the shame of violating domestic and international law, it was condemned for allowing diplomacy and bilateral relations to guide its decision-making at the expense of human rights. Many experts cautioned the Moon administration against allowing the pursuit of inter-Korean diplomacy to hinder honoring its human rights obligations. Again, fostering loyalty cannot be reason enough to flout the imperative to preserve human rights.
Recommendations & Conclusion
Human Rights Watch (HRW) suggested in 2002 that the North Korean government immediately stop its practice of punishing those who wish to leave the country, but to no avail. HRW has appealed to the government to repeal all laws, decrees, rules, and policies that result in any form of reproof. International verification has also been suggested to confirm that the government has indeed implemented these reforms. Furthermore, all detained persons are requested to be released with immediate effect, including non-residents who have been detained for assisting North Koreans to escape.[29]
These recommendations remain valid, even more so as the situation seems to be worsening. HRW continues to make such recommendations, together with other international human rights organizations, including the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK), which continues to submit practical and specific measures for advancing human rights in North Korea. Some of these measures and recommendations include the following.
The Chinese government is strongly urged to comply with its duties and responsibilities under international law. The government is requested to immediately stop the detainment and forcible, arbitrary repatriation of North Korean escapees until a proper and full assessment of the escapee has been conducted.[30] The government is also advised to allow access to and work with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to design and implement a workable process of assessing those persons escaping into China and to grant interim protection to North Korean escapees while due processes are conducted.[31] The Chinese government must bear in mind that it is an executive member of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme which advises the UNHCR, so they are expected to maintain the standard in terms of its treatment of asylum-seekers and refugees according to international human rights law.[32]
Governments around the world are encouraged to become more involved in issues that pertain to the repatriation of North Korean escapees, especially those who attempt to escape to China. Governments who enjoy bilateral agreements with the DPRK and China are urged to monitor and ensure that human rights standards are realized and upheld. In addition, this issue can be addressed at governmental meetings, forums, and conferences to ensure awareness and to discuss possible solutions. All suggestions should be relayed to the UNHCR for potential implementation. It is important that constant pressure is applied on China, and a constant spotlight is shed on China’s human rights record. Any positive appeals and proposals made by the UNHCR must be supported by governments around the world to increase pressure on the Chinese government.[33]
The United States can, together with other countries—including South Korea, Japan, and EU member states—engage with China to discuss resettlement strategies, especially since most North Korean escapees resettle in South Korea or the United States. It is important to adopt a multilateral approach in the attempt to protect human rights.[34] While this may require complex bargaining and compromise, the result can be better if other governments can show a willingness to admit North Korean escapees instead.
The South Korean government is called upon to adopt a more robust approach to human rights issues in the DPRK and to be more active in admitting and assisting North Koreans with resettlement. South Korea, as a country that accords constitutional rights to all Koreans in the entire Peninsula, should adopt legislation and policies to alleviate the human rights abuses faced by North Korean escapees. This is a recommendation of the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report, which is yet to be fully realized by the South Korean government. There is much hope in the new Yoon Suk-yeol administration to advocate for human rights in the DPRK. Yoon has promised to make a greater effort to promote freedom and human rights around the world, including in the DPRK.[35]
International human rights law was put into place to guide governments in protecting people against human rights abuses. Individual governments have the responsibility to honor their obligations under international human rights law. The issue of repatriating North Korean escapees has been an ongoing matter since the late 1990s, and it has still not been resolved. We should not forget that this is a serious human rights issue and strive to remember North Korean escapees in our efforts to defend human rights.
Damian Reddy is a Law graduate of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and he is also an admitted attorney in South Africa. He is currently completing his Master of Laws degree in human rights.
[3] UN Human Rights Council, “Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.”
[4] The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States and provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations. See https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/upr/pages/uprmain.aspx for further details.
[6] Article 63 of the Criminal Law of the DPRK (2015) refers to escaping the country as treason against the state.
[16] Article 32(2) of the Refugee Convention indicates that a decision of expulsion must be made in accordance with the due process of law. The article allows for evidence to be adduced, representation to be made and appeals to be lodged against decisions.
[17] Escaping North Korea is viewed as treason against the regime and is punishable by North Korean Criminal Law.
[19] Article 3(1) of the CAT.
[20] Article 3(2) of the CAT states that the competent authorities shall take into account all relevant considerations including the existence in the State concerned of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights.
[21] See introduction of the CAT which states that the convention recognizes the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family.
[26] Judge Navi Pillay, “South Africa's Engagement with International Human Rights Law,” 15th Annual Human Rights Lecture to Celebrate the Centenary of the Law Faculty, University of Stellenbosch, May 20, 2021.
[27] Article 3 of the Republic of Korea’s Constitution of 1948, with amendments through 1987.
[30] U.S. Government Publishing Office, “China's Repatriation of North Korean Refugees: Hearing before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.”
[31] This is referred to as prima facie refugees.
[33] U.S. Government Publishing Office, “China's Repatriation of North Korean Refugees: Hearing before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.”
8. N. Korea's total suspected COVID-19 cases reach nearly 3 million: state media
(LEAD) N. Korea's total suspected COVID-19 cases reach nearly 3 million: state media | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with more info; ADDS photo, byline)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- North Korea reported over 134,510 new suspected COVID-19 cases Tuesday, with the total number of fever cases reaching nearly 3 million.
More than 134,510 people showed indications of fever, with no additional deaths reported, over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters.
The daily number of fever cases has remained below 200,000 for the third consecutive day after reaching 219,030 cases Saturday.
The death toll remains at 68, with the fatality rate standing at 0.002 percent, the KCNA said.
The fever caseload reported since late April in the nation, with a population of 24 million, came to more than 2.94 million as of 6 p.m. Sunday, of which more than 2.54 million, have recovered and at least 400,230 are being treated, it added.
The KCNA stressed that the North has succeeded in effectively keeping the virus situation under control.
"In a few days after the maximum emergency epidemic prevention system was activated, the nation-wide morbidity and mortality rates have drastically decreased and the number of recovered persons increased, resulting in effectively curbing and controlling the spread of the pandemic disease and maintaining the clearly stable situation," it said.
Public health institutes in the North are currently conducting a reinvestigation into "fevered and recovered" patients across the country to analyze the coronavirus, including its latent period, symptoms, recurrence rate and reaction to medicine.
Pyongyang has also boosted the production capacity of its pharmaceutical industry to ensure a better supply of medicine to its people, the KCNA said.
On May 12, North Korea reported its first COVID-19 case after claiming to be coronavirus-free for over two years and declared the implementation of the "maximum emergency" virus control system.
The reclusive North continues to remain unresponsive to South Korea's offer for COVID-19 assistance.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
9. S. Korea open to reviewing May 24 sanctions on N. Korea: official
Perhaps the Ministry of Unification has not received the memo.
S. Korea open to reviewing May 24 sanctions on N. Korea: official | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, May 24 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government will review the issue of whether to maintain its economic sanctions imposed on North Korea in 2010 for a deadly naval attack, mindful of President Yoon Suk-yeol's stated practical approach, a unification ministry official said Tuesday.
The remark came as Seoul marked the 12th year since the sanctions were applied on the North after the North sank the South Korean warship Cheonan in a torpedo attack, which killed 46 sailors.
Under the sanctions, known as the May 24 Measures, almost all inter-Korean exchanges are banned except for the Kaesong Industrial Complex and humanitarian aid projects.
"The May 24 Measures can be reviewed in accordance with a principles-based and practical approach," the official said on the condition of anonymity.
He stressed, however, that the government's stance on maintaining sanctions on the North remains unchanged for now.
Earlier in the day, a group of South Korean businessmen who used to be involved in inter-Korean economic projects called for the government to lift the sanctions.
"Since the measure went into effect 12 years ago, over 1,000 businessmen are living miserably, with several having gone bankrupt or turned into delinquent borrowers," they said during a press conference held in front of the ministry building in Seoul.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
10. Sanity Returns to N.Korea Policy
Conclusion:
The U.S. and South Korean administrations have both changed, abandoning illusions of resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis through photo ops and fine words. A sane approach to North Korea has returned, but it took four long years.
Sanity Returns to N.Korea Policy
President Yoon Suk-yeol and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden have agreed to expand joint military exercises and the deployment of American strategic military assets to defend the South against a nuclear attack by North Korea. Their joint statement last Saturday said, "Considering the evolving threat posed by [North Korea], both leaders agree to initiate discussions to expand the scope and scale of combined military exercises and training on and around the Korean Peninsula." The drills were halted or scaled down following the U.S.-North Korea summit in Singapore in 2018.
The two leaders also voiced their intention to respond to a North Korean nuclear attack with nuclear weapons, saying they would use the "full range of U.S. defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional, and missile defense capabilities." They pledged to reactivate a strategic consultative body to discuss extended deterrence against North Korea that was iced in 2018. "Extended deterrence" refers to the use of U.S. nuclear bombers, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines when an American ally faces a nuclear attack.
After the Singapore summit, then U.S. President Donald Trump claimed he had confirmed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was willing to achieve denuclearization, and blithely set about dismantling the U.S.-South Korean security system that had been built up over decades. The summit set no principles or deadlines for North Korean denuclearization and another U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2019 collapsed when it became clear that Kim had no intention of scrapping his nuclear weapons. Yet the Moon Jae-in administration clung like a drowning man to the illusion of peace through dialogue without security guarantees and wore itself out trying to pacify a perpetually incensed North Korea.
In the meantime North Korea calmly advanced its nuclear weapons and long-range missile programs and scrapped a moratorium on testing such weapons announced before the Singapore summit. It continued to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and now even tactical nuclear weapons aimed at South Korea. It is thought to be preparing for a seventh nuclear test. As he left office, Moon sent an abject letter to the North Korean leader claiming that he "held your hand and took a solid step that will change the fate of the Korean Peninsula."
But the new leaders of South Korea and the U.S. reiterated "their common goal of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and agree to further strengthen the airtight coordination to this end." When asked if he has any message for the North Korean leader, Biden just said, "Hello." U.S. media reported that Biden does not expect to receive any "love letters" from Kim, and there was no mention of the meaningless 2018 inter-Korean summit or the Singapore summit in the joint statement.
The U.S. and South Korean administrations have both changed, abandoning illusions of resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis through photo ops and fine words. A sane approach to North Korea has returned, but it took four long years.
11. Letter from Korea: Freedom is never free | Opinion
Someone from USFK writing to his hometown newspaper. We need more of this.
Letter from Korea: Freedom is never free | Opinion
nj.com · by Jersey Journal Guest Columnist · May 23, 2022
By John DiGenio
Monday, May 30, Memorial Day, is a time of – and a time for – solemnity to honor our distinguished fallen “heroes.”
A “hero,” in this sense, is any member of the Armed Services valiantly executing his (or her) duties, sometimes wondering “why,” for, at times, it seemed so foolish, so worthless, and so wasteful. But the courageous service member performed, sometimes at the cost of his (or her) own life.
Memorial Day makes me reflect on the Korean War. The Demilitarized Zone – the “DMZ” – separating North and South Korea allows one to fully comprehend the true meaning of Memorial Day. It reinforces the important lesson that the blessings of liberty come at a great cost.
Korea remains one of the world’s remaining flashpoints. The “DMZ,” the final frontier separating liberty from tyranny, serves as a grim reminder that the acrimonious flames of the Cold War have yet to be fully extinguished. An eerie, thunderous silence permeates the Joint Security Area, the Demilitarized Zone, running along the 38th Parallel that separates the prosperous south from its bellicose neighbor to the north.
North Korea maintains one of the largest, forward deployed standing armies in the world. North Korea’s offensive posture -- coupled with its continuing development of ballistic missiles, weapons of mass destruction, and highly trained special operations forces -- causes the Korean peninsula to be highly volatile. North Korea has reneged on almost every international agreement. That rogue state participates in illicit activities – such as prostitution and human trafficking, supporting terrorist activities, narcotics and weapons trade, and counterfeiting U.S. currency – to disrupt the stability of the Korean peninsula and the Pacific theater, undermine efforts to combat international terrorism, and weaken the enduring and endearing alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States of America, an alliance forged on the battlefield and sealed by the lives of those who courageously fought to preserve freedom and democracy.
Some 72 years ago, on June 25, 1950, well-equipped military forces from a Soviet-backed North Korea invaded the South. By that time, considering the events that had just occurred in Europe, the Western world had become more aware, more concerned and more apprehensive about the aggressive and oppressive maneuverings of rogue nations. Consequently, led by the United States, the Allied world responded to the North’s aggression.
Technically speaking, since no peace treaty has ever been signed to permanently terminate hostilities, South Korea, the Allied nations and North Korea remain at war. Instead, an armistice, an agreement to temporarily cease hostilities, remains in effect. By the time the armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, some 37,000 U.S. and 138,000 South Korean military members had given their lives to defend and secure freedom on the Korean peninsula. Their ultimate sacrifices were not in vain!
Today, the Republic of Korea stands as a living testimony to the sacrifices made during the Korean War. The Republic of Korea is a miraculous success story. Antiquated infrastructures have succumbed to modern technological developments. Parochial economic systems have acquiesced to expanding interest and active participation in international markets, to the extent that the Republic of Korea has the 10th largest economy in the world.
Without the hardships endured by U.S. service members heroically executing their duties in places such as the Busan Perimeter, the Chosin Reservoir, Heartbreak Ridge, and Pork Chop Hill, South Korea would have been denied the opportunity to emerge as a free, independent, and self-determined nation.
The Republic of Korea and the United States continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in a combined effort to defend “Freedom’s Frontier” along the 38th Parallel. Our two nations are firmly committed to preserving the peace, prosperity and liberty in the Republic of Korea.
Over the years, we have corrupted this day of reverence into just another national holiday. Sadly, we tend to take for granted the ultimate sacrifices that brave individuals have made to preserve those endearing and enduring freedoms and liberties that all of us enjoy.
On Memorial Day, we should remember the valuable lesson of the Korean War: Freedom is never free. We should take some time to reflect on those brave individuals of the Armed Services who died so we can continue to enjoy the blessings of liberty and live in freedom.
John DiGenio is a resident of Jersey City currently employed with U.S. Forces Korea. The views expressed are his and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. government.
nj.com · by Jersey Journal Guest Columnist · May 23, 2022
12. North Korea says no new fever deaths, claims Covid outbreak is under control
I think the reports of COVID by the regime are just another propaganda effort. Soon I expect they will have continued the outbreak and eradicated COVID according to their reports.
North Korea says no new fever deaths, claims Covid outbreak is under control
But many analysts doubt the credibility of the figures, saying they only demonstrate how hard it is to assess the actual scale of the country’s virus wave.
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said on Tuesday there were no new deaths among fever patients in the country, the first time since it flagged a coronavirus outbreak nearly two weeks ago, adding that it was seeing a “stable” downward trend in pandemic-related cases.
The virus wave, which North Korea first declared on May 12, has fueled concerns over a lack of vaccines, inadequate medical infrastructure and a potential food crisis in the country of 25 million.
But the North said it was reporting “successes” in stemming the spread of the virus, and that there was no new fever death reported as of Monday evening despite adding 134,510 new patients.
It marked a third consecutive day the daily figure stayed below 200,000 and the first time for the North to report no new deaths since announcing the number of daily fever patients, according to the official KCNA news agency.
Apparently deprived of testing supplies, North Korea has not confirmed the total number of people testing positive for the coronavirus, instead reporting the number with fever symptoms.
The total number of such cases, tallied since late April, rose to 2.95 million, while the death toll stood at 68, according to KCNA.
“In a few days after the maximum emergency epidemic prevention system was activated, the nationwide morbidity and mortality rates have drastically decreased and the number of recovered persons increased, resulting in effectively curbing and controlling the spread of the pandemic disease and maintaining the clearly stable situation,” KCNA said.
Many analysts, however, doubt the credibility of the figures, saying they only demonstrate how hard it is to assess the actual scale of the coronavirus wave in the isolated country.
“Through a mix of inadequate testing, disincentives at lower administrative levels to report serious outbreaks, cases, deaths, and whatever political motivations the top echelons may harbor, we have stats that are essentially nonsense,” Christopher Green, a Korea specialist at Leiden University in the Netherlands, wrote on Twitter.
North Korea has said authorities were distributing food and medicine across the country, with military medics deployed to help distribute drugs and conduct health exams.
The KCNA also said North Korea was expanding the production of essential medicine supplies, though it did not elaborate exactly what types were being produced.
South Korea and the United States have proposed to help North Korea fight the pandemic, including with vaccines, but Pyongyang has not responded to the offer.
“Statistically speaking, the daily announcement is hardly comparable to international standards and appears more aimed at the domestic audience,” said Moon Jin-soo, an associate professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine, referring to the North’s reported fatality rate of 0.002 percent.
South Korea’s Covid-19 fatality rate stood at 0.13 percent as of Tuesday.
South Korea’s spy agency earlier told lawmakers the daily figure announced by North Korea appears to include non-Covid-19 patients, as a number of waterborne diseases were already widespread in the country before it announced the coronavirus outbreak.
13. Pregnant women with COVID suffer in North Korea’s run-down medical system
There are no words for the suffering in north Korea.
Pregnant women with COVID suffer in North Korea’s run-down medical system
Sources report some expectant mothers suffered stillbirths after being placed in makeshift care facilities.
Hyemin Son
2022.05.23
North Korea’s COVID outbreak may be leading to a rise in stillbirths as pregnant women thought to be suffering from the disease are shuttled into hotels, warehouses and other improvised medical facilities that lack proper treatment, sources in the country told RFA.
After more than two years of denying any North Korean had contracted the coronavirus, the country finally announced its first cases and deaths this month, saying the Omicron variant had begun to spread among participants of a large-scale military parade in late April.
The country then declared a “maximum emergency” and began locking down entire cities and counties, requiring people to check their temperature and report symptoms twice a day. Suspected cases were isolated from the rest of the population.
The makeshift quarantine facilities, sometimes set up in empty tourist or industrial facilities, are ill-equipped to treat anyone infected with the virus, and pregnant patients added a new layer of complications.
“At the Anju Hotel, men and women with symptoms of COVID-19 are separated and isolated in their rooms,” a resident of the city of Anju in South Pyongan province, north of the capital Pyongyang, told RFA’s Korean Service.
About 200 residents of Anju are isolated in the hotel, and their treatment consists of only two pain reliever tablets each day, said the source, who requested anonymity to speak freely.
“There are many pregnant women among those with severe symptoms who are quarantined in the hotels,” the source said. “Those who are about to give birth are at risk. There have been cases of stillborn babies, born way before their due date because the women are unable to receive proper treatment.
“The quarantine authorities only dealt with the bodies of the stillborn babies and are not giving further treatment or special care for the mothers who complain of high fever or symptoms of postpartum. Families are outraged that the quarantine officials, who say they can only let the grieving mothers go out if they recover from their COVID-19 symptoms,” she said.
The source said she knew specifically about two women who had stillbirths, including one who had been helped by a doctor to deliver the baby.
In Chungsan county, in another part of the province, suspected COVID-19 cases are isolated in an empty warehouse on a cooperative farm, a resident there told RFA on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
“The meals are provided by the local government. Two fever pills are provided by the Central Committee to each person, but the pills are not really working for the patients with high fevers,” he said.
“Right now, there are about 300 patients that are quarantined at the warehouse and propaganda office at the farm. There are about 20 pregnant women among the group, who, after 10 days of isolation in a harsh environment, are suffering from high fevers and pregnancy poisoning, swelling, and pain all over their bodies, so they are appealing for appropriate treatment,” he said.
But the quarantine officials are treating the pregnant women the same as everyone else at the makeshift facility.
“They give the pregnant women the same corn-rice and spinach soup as they give to the other patients, and no treatment is given. The pregnant women are having stillbirths because they cannot eat properly when they are sick, and the fetuses die in their stomachs,” he said.
“As the news of stillbirths spread among the families of the pregnant women quarantined for COVID-19, local residents are complaining that the authorities and their COVID-19 quarantine measures are killing pregnant women and their unborn babies,” the second source said.
About 2.8 million people have been hit by outbreaks of fever, 68 of whom have died, according to data based on reports from North Korean state media published by 38 North, a site that provides analysis on the country and is run by the U.S.-based think tank the Stimson Center. Around 2.3 million are reported to have made recoveries, while 479,400 are undergoing treatment.
The country has only a handful of confirmed COVID-19 cases, which 38 North attributed to insufficient testing capabilities. Data published on the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center showed North Korea with only one confirmed COVID-19 case and six deaths as of Monday evening.
Translated by Claire Lee. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
14. 'Time of Appeasing N.Korea Is Over,' Says Yoon
I probably described the Moon administration's north Korea policy as appeasement hundreds of times over the past 5 years. I am happy to see this.
'Time of Appeasing N.Korea Is Over,' Says Yoon
May 24, 2022 13:05
President Yoon Suk-yeol on Monday said his new government will stop bending over backwards to appease North Korea.
"The age of appeasing North Korea is over," Yoon told CNN in his first international media interview since taking office on May 10. He added the ball is now in North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's court whether to start dialogue with Seoul.
Yoon Suk-yeol
Yoon pointed out that regular military exercises with the U.S. are "the basic duty of every military around the world to maintain their readiness." But for now he ruled out the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula by saying, "In the case of an attack, the U.S. would provide assistance including missile defense and its 'nuclear umbrella.'"
But he distanced himself from the previous administration's strenuous efforts to keep North Korea happy or at least calm. "Just to escape temporarily North Korean provocation or conflict is not something that we should do," he said. "This kind of approach over the past five years has proven to be a failure."
Asked about North Korea's 15 missile tests so far this year, he said, "South Korea and its allies stand ready for any acts of North Korean provocation." But he added the ultimate goal is "shared and common prosperity on the Korean Peninsula," and added, "I do not believe that enhancing [North Korea's] nuclear capability is helpful and conducive to maintaining international peace."
CNN reported that despite this stance he does not want North Korea to "collapse."
The broadcaster said Yoon could seek some kind of affiliation with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad, an informal anti-China alliance consisting of Australia, India, Japan and the U.S., in areas including vaccines, climate change and emerging technology. "However, he stopped short of saying the South would seek official Quad membership, saying it was something they would 'continue to consider,'" CNN added.
Meanwhile, Yoon was named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People of the year alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and "Squid Game" director Hwang Dong-hyuk.
- Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com
15. ＜N. Korea’s COVID-19 pandemic＞ Reports of people dying following the lockdown of Hyesan, Yanggang Province…The authorities fail to provide medicine and medicine to those in isolation…The Kim Jong-un regime is intent to prevent information leaks about the situation
Some information from people on the ground to counter the propaganda from the regime.
＜N. Korea’s COVID-19 pandemic＞ Reports of people dying following the lockdown of Hyesan, Yanggang Province…The authorities fail to provide medicine and medicine to those in isolation…The Kim Jong-un regime is intent to prevent information leaks about the situation
North Korean soldiers patrolling the Yalu River with masks on. The soldiers in the camouflage clothing are border patrol, while those in the brown uniforms are Korean People’s Army soldiers. An old, abandoned boat can be seen in the background. This photo was taken by ASIAPRESS on the Chinese side of the border in July 2020.
According to two ASIAPRESS reporting partners who delivered reports on May 19 and May 20, Hyesan, a major city in Yanggang Province in North Korea’s northern region, was completely locked down on May 14, with people prohibited from leaving their homes. According to the reporting partners, Hyesan’s markets were shut down, and there appears to have deaths among residents who were unable to leave their homes. Apprehension in the city is rising because of the spread of COVID-19 and the lack of food. (KANG Ji-Won / ISHIMARU Jiro)
◆ N. Korean authorities are focused on preventing information leaks
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in North Korea has led the Kim Jong-un regime to increase efforts to prevent leaks of information to the outside world, and the authorities have dispatched security officials and cadres to the country’s border with China with a view to strengthen these efforts.
―― We’ve look forward to hearing from you. What does the situation in Hyesan look like?
D: Hyesan was completely locked down on May 14. I can see a vehicle that detects radio signals parked outside my apartment. It’s there 24 hours a day. The only vehicles on the roads are these kinds of vehicles and military cars. Outside, I can only hear people barking instructions at others about things they shouldn’t do. I’ve heard the Ministry of State Security has been fully mobilized to ensure information (about what’s happening) doesn’t make it to the outside world. I was so scared that I couldn’t deliver my report to ASIAPRESS on time. It’s hard to get a signal on our phones. It’s particularly difficult to call people in Pyongyang.
※ North Korean authorities have mobilized patrols equipped with radio signal detectors in cities bordering China as part of efforts to track down callers using Chinese mobile phones. Radio signal detection vehicles with antennas can reportedly identify and track down Chinese mobile phone signals in a short amount of time.
―― Are people banned from leaving their homes?
D: The whole place is in an uproar. People don’t know when the lockdown will end. I don’t know what the market prices are because the markets have been closed. In the middle of the night, a neighbor knocked on my door asking for rice. I told them that we could exchange the rice for a household electronic device in their home. If things continue like this, we could all starve. There’s rice in my house, but I’m worried because there’s no wood to burn (in the stove) to make it.
――How is the government responding to the crisis? Are the authorities supplying food and medical supplies?
D: There’s a new organization called the “emergency quarantine team.” They wear protective clothing and go around to the homes of people with fevers to check whether they are still alive or not. I’ve heard that they’ve imported medicine from China and are distributing it to people who really need it. I don’t know what kind of medicine it is, and I haven’t yet received any.
Also, the local government (the people’s committee) has promised to distribute food, but there’s been nothing yet. I’ve heard there’s almost no reserves of food in the provinces (areas outside of Pyongyang). (The authorities) are saying that people with extra (food) should help everyone get through the crisis, but that’s ridiculous. People will steal food. Everyday, vehicles with speakers blaring propaganda go around telling everyone that “This is an urgent situation, so let’s work together to get through it.”
―― Has anyone died in the city?
D: Today (May 19), my inminban (people’s unit) reported that a young woman and man had died. I haven’t gone to check myself, so I don’t really know why they died.
Water doesn’t come out of the faucets of our apartment anymore, so we have to go to a well to bring water back up to our homes without making contact with anyone else. However, there was one household that didn’t go out to get water in this way. The “emergency quarantine team” went to check up on them and found that they had all collapsed due to hunger, though they weren’t dead yet. I hear them crying in the middle of the night.
―― Is that because someone has died? Or are they crying because there’s nothing to eat?
D: I’ve tried knocking on their door, but they didn’t open it because they seem scared about COVID-19.
V/R
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow
Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Phone: 202-573-8647
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
FDD is a Washington-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.
