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Quotes of the Day:
"The Chinese term wei ji (危机) is often translated as "crisis," but it carries a dual meaning—wei (危) means danger, while ji (机) signifies opportunity. This philosophy is similar to the concept of turning a weakness into a strength. Xi has used the approach a couple of times in the last few years. One example can be found in the Zero COVID policy and how Xi used its aftermath to consolidate control and shift policies - emphasizing economic recovery while tightening party control within the private sector. Most recently, XI has leveraged the US tariffs to posture globally. China's narrative of US containment efforts has garnered domestic support and reinforced ties with Russia and Iran."
– Charles Davis
“The fact that millions of people share the same vices does not make these vices virtues, the fact that they share so many errors does not make the errors truths, and the fact that missions of people share the same form of mental pathology does not make these people sane.”
– Eric Fromm
“The most important thing in all human relationships is conversation, but people don’t talk anymore, they don’t sit down to talk and listen. They go to the theater, the cinema, watch television, listen to the radio, read books, but they almost never talk. If we want to change the world, we have to go back to a time when warriors would gather around a fire and tell stories.”
– Paulo Coelho
(I could not resist adding to the above what we need to do is go to the field and watch "Ranger TV" and eat some "Ranger candy" for the pain after the long ruck to get to the point where we could build a fire to watch that Ranger TV. I think I recall many discussions about solving the problems of the world. Such memories. IYKYK)
1. Korean Peninsula At The Crossroads In 2025: A Strategic Blueprint For Sustainable Peace
2. N. Korea's Kim inspects tank factory, emphasizes tank modernization
3. Why China's rogue state allies may worry Beijing
4. South Korean Children's Nutritional Supplements Popular in North Korea... "Because of Kim Joo-ae"
5. How U.S. ally and export powerhouse South Korea is coping with tariffs
6. Unprecedented chain of acting presidents must not stall governance
7. North Korea denounces U.S. missile defense drills in Alaska
8. Opposition party proposes bill to halt criminal trials for elected presidents
9. US parental child abduction report cites S. Korea, 14 others for pattern of convention noncompliance
10. Kyiv urges Seoul to tighten controls on DN Solutions' CNC equipment reaching Russian military
11. A North Korean refugee’s journey from entertainer to advocate
12. When YouTube replaces TV, news and politics: what South Korea learned the hard way in 20 years
13. Uncle Sam says 'no thanks' to N. Korean vacations
1. Korean Peninsula At The Crossroads In 2025: A Strategic Blueprint For Sustainable Peace
Paper does not trump steel. As long as the north Korean People's Army remains postured for offensive operations there can be no real peace on the Korean peninsula.
A lot of good thoughts here but it does not sufficiently and address recognize two issues:
(1) The need for a deep understanding of the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime. Employment of all the instruments of national power must begin with this realistic assessment and understanding.
(2) The root of all problems in Korea is the existence of the most evil mafia- like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime that has the objective of dominating the Korean Peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State.
But most important is this: The only way we are going to see an end to the nuclear program and military threats as well as the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity being committed against the Korean people living in the north by the mafia-like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime is through achievement of unification and the establishment of a free and unified Korea that is secure and stable, non-nuclear, economically vibrant, and unified under a liberal constitutional form of government based on freedom, individual liberty, rule of law, and human rights as determined by the Korean people. A free and unified Korea or in short, a United Republic of Korea (U-ROK).
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Korean Peninsula in 2025 continues to be a critical arena where national interests and security challenges intersect. Achieving sustainable peace requires a comprehensive strategy that integrates deterrence, dialogue, economic cooperation, and humanitarian principles. Confidence-building measures, such as reopening inter-Korean liaison offices, expanding humanitarian aid to address food insecurity, and resuming family reunions, can foster trust and cooperation. Multilateral forums that include all six stakeholders should focus on reciprocity-based incentives for denuclearization. At the same time, coordinated planning and defense are essential for maintaining credible deterrence. By combining strong, data-driven policies with empathetic diplomacy, regional actors can turn this challenging area into a foundation for lasting stability, prosperity, and inclusive governance.
Korean Peninsula At The Crossroads In 2025: A Strategic Blueprint For Sustainable Peace – OpEd
May 2, 2025 0 Comments
By Simon Hutagalung
eurasiareview.com · by Simon Hutagalung · May 1, 2025
In the mid-2020s, the Korean Peninsula stands at a crucial crossroads where the ambitions of six powerful nations intersect with the harsh realities of division. The Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea remain mirror images of contrasting political and economic systems, each influenced by external patrons and internal necessities.
This essay argues that achieving a sustainable equilibrium on the peninsula by 2025 requires an integrated approach. This approach must balance strong deterrence with measured diplomacy, focused regional cooperation, and socioeconomic engagement, all informed by the latest defense, economic, demographic, and humanitarian data to effectively address the complex challenges of Northeast Asia.
In 2025, South Korea’s defense posture showcases its vitality, commitment to democratic security, and underlying anxieties. The country is allocating 2.8 percent of its gross domestic product—approximately 47.5 billion U.S. dollars—to military expenditures. This investment has accelerated the procurement of advanced air defense systems, including domestically developed KM-SAM systems and American-made Patriot interceptors. The Republic’s armed forces, consisting of around 600,000 personnel, are actively modernizing through the introduction of the KF-21 Boramae stealth fighter and next-generation submarine programs. In the first quarter of 2025, South Korea’s economic growth reached 2.9 percent, highlighting its dual commitment to prosperity and deterrence while continuing to pursue reunification.
Across the 250-kilometer Demilitarized Zone, North Korea continues to adhere to its military-first doctrine, maintaining an estimated arsenal of fifty to sixty nuclear warheads. In early 2025 alone, it conducted twenty-five ballistic missile tests. Unofficial estimates place Pyongyang’s clandestine defense budget at over four billion dollars. The government’s focus on military modernization comes at the expense of civilian infrastructure, exacerbating food insecurity for approximately forty percent of the population. The regime’s relationship with China fluctuates between a dependence on cross-border trade, projected to be around $52 billion in 2024, and sporadic acts of cyber defiance through intrusions. This lack of clarity exacerbates regional uncertainty and hinders denuclearization efforts.
The United States maintains its alliance with Seoul through a multifaceted strategy that includes joint military exercises, sanctions, and a troop presence of 28,500, a number that has remained unchanged since 2019. Washington’s Indo-Pacific Command receives 15 percent of the U.S. defense budget and supports rotational deployments of 35 fighter jets and Aegis destroyers to enhance air and maritime deterrence. However, the effectiveness of extended deterrence relies on command interoperability, network control, and the political will to respond to any North Korean provocations. Simultaneously addresses Washington’s growing competition with China and Russia, necessitating a careful balance of deterrence and dialogue to reassure regional partners.
China’s involvement with the Korean Peninsula is driven by two main priorities: denuclearization and maintaining a stable regime. In 2025, Beijing’s defense spending reached 1 trillion 6 yuanan 8, reflecting a 1 percent increase from the previous year, as efforts expanded to project power throughout the Indo-Pacific. Bilateral trade with North Korea amounted to 2 billion 4 U.S. dollars in 2024, highlighting Beijing’s economic leverage. However, strict adherence to United Nations sanctions varies due to concerns about a potential influx of over 200,000 refugees in the event of conflict. Beijing’s strategic ambiguity fluctuates between acting as a patron and influencing both regional and multilateral negotiation dynamics.
Moscow’s presence on the peninsula, while relatively modest, carries significant diplomatic weight. In 2025, Russia held three joint exercises with North Korean forces and exported an estimated $350 million worth of fuel and agricultural machinery to Pyongyang, strengthening their ties and countering Western isolation. In contrast, Japan faces direct security threats from North Korea’s missile capabilities, prompting Tokyo to raise its defense budget to a record 6.2 trillion yen and integrate Aegis Ashore installations with U.S. Seventh Fleet operations. Grievances, including unresolved historical reparations from wartime between Tokyo and Seoul, complicate bilateral cooperation, even as both nations pursue trilateral deterrence frameworks.
Despite extensive posturing, the stability of the peninsula is precarious, hindered by persistent challenges. Foremost among these is the looming threat of nuclear proliferation from Pyongyang, despite increasing sanctions aimed at curbing its arsenal. Inter-Korean relations are now marked by cyber warfare and grey zone tactics, heightening the risk of inadvertent escalation. Economic sanctions have reduced North Korea’s revenue streams by an estimated forty percent since 2022, while worsening humanitarian conditions necessitate effective relief mechanisms. The lack of direct diplomatic channels between Washington and Pyongyang further complicates crisis management, leaving military hotlines susceptible to misinterpretation in high-tension situations.
In conclusion, the Korean Peninsula in 2025 continues to be a critical arena where national interests and security challenges intersect. Achieving sustainable peace requires a comprehensive strategy that integrates deterrence, dialogue, economic cooperation, and humanitarian principles. Confidence-building measures, such as reopening inter-Korean liaison offices, expanding humanitarian aid to address food insecurity, and resuming family reunions, can foster trust and cooperation. Multilateral forums that include all six stakeholders should focus on reciprocity-based incentives for denuclearization. At the same time, coordinated planning and defense are essential for maintaining credible deterrence. By combining strong, data-driven policies with empathetic diplomacy, regional actors can turn this challenging area into a foundation for lasting stability, prosperity, and inclusive governance.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own.
References
- Cha, V. D. (2024). Powerplay: The U.S. Alliances and the Future of Asian Security. Columbia University Press.
- Snyder, S. (2024). Negotiating with North Korea: Lessons from History and Paths Forward. Brookings Institution Press.
- Smith, H. (2024). Northeast Asia in Flux: Security, Economy, and Regional Cooperation. Routledge.
eurasiareview.com · by Simon Hutagalung · May 1, 2025
2. N. Korea's Kim inspects tank factory, emphasizes tank modernization
Is Kim gearing up for something?
N. Korea's Kim inspects tank factory, emphasizes tank modernization | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · May 4, 2025
SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected a tank factory and emphasized the need to modernize the military with advanced tanks and armored vehicles, state media reported Sunday.
Kim inspected the factory's production status, modernization and progress in implementing research tasks related to core tank technology, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
It did not disclose the name or location of the factory or the date of his visit, describing it only as an "important" tank factory.
"To replace the armoured weapons of the last century in our army with latest tanks and armoured vehicles is the most important issue in the building of armed forces and modernization of the army," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying during the field guidance.
"It is impossible to build the armoured force properly" unless the military role and developmental direction of tanks in modern warfare are correctly defined and the viewpoint in tank design is reconsidered, Kim said as he presented the direction of tank modernization and related tasks.
He also emphasized the need to build large-scale capacity for producing cutting-edge tanks and self-propelled guns and to upgrade the overall armored weapon systems in a short span of time, describing it as an important task for the governing party in bringing about "the second revolution in armoured force."
The KCNA reported that Kim expressed "satisfaction" with the upgraded structural design of indigenous tanks and the composition of their firepower system, saying that they demonstrated scientific accuracy and reliability for a high-thrust engine.
Kim noted that a "more development-oriented prospect" has opened up in the tank industry and the party's policy of "further perfecting" core technologies for the main battle tank is being pursued through steady development and production success, according to the KCNA.
This image, captured from the website of the Korean Central News Agency on Aug. 14, 2023, show North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (front, R) and officials riding a military tank. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · May 4, 2025
3. Why China's rogue state allies may worry Beijing
It will be good for China and the CCP to experience some blowback.
Excerpts:
China is in the midst of a public relations offensive to capitalize on America's withdrawal from the international stage, but its plan could be upended by its close strategic ties to Russia and North Korea, which are waging war together in Europe.
President Xi Jinping is attempting to seize on uncertainty left by President Donald Trump's trade moves to court U.S. allies after years of strained relations, and after former President Joe Biden sought a united front against perceived Chinese economic and security threats.
Xi's Putin-Kim Problem
Yet a major complication may loom over China's efforts: its fence-sitting on Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and its muted response to the estimated 14,000 North Korean troops who helped Russian forces retake Kursk could backfire.
While China has presented itself as a neutral party and repeatedly called for a political settlement of the conflict, it has also kept Russia's economy afloat, offsetting sanctions through expanded energy purchases and abstaining from key United Nations votes condemning the invasion.
American and European officials also accuse China of exporting dual-use goods to Russia.
Why China's rogue state allies may worry Beijing
Newsweek · by Micah McCartney · May 2, 2025
Micah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian security issues, and cross-strait ties between China and Taiwan. You can get in touch with Micah by emailing m.mccartney@newsweek.com.
China is in the midst of a public relations offensive to capitalize on America's withdrawal from the international stage, but its plan could be upended by its close strategic ties to Russia and North Korea, which are waging war together in Europe.
President Xi Jinping is attempting to seize on uncertainty left by President Donald Trump's trade moves to court U.S. allies after years of strained relations, and after former President Joe Biden sought a united front against perceived Chinese economic and security threats.
This week, Beijing lifted sanctions on several members of the European Parliament that had been imposed after the EU sanctioned Chinese officials linked to human rights abuses in Xinjiang—just one of the many small signals it hopes can move the needle in Brussels and elsewhere.
Xi's Putin-Kim Problem
Yet a major complication may loom over China's efforts: its fence-sitting on Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine and its muted response to the estimated 14,000 North Korean troops who helped Russian forces retake Kursk could backfire.
While China has presented itself as a neutral party and repeatedly called for a political settlement of the conflict, it has also kept Russia's economy afloat, offsetting sanctions through expanded energy purchases and abstaining from key United Nations votes condemning the invasion.
American and European officials also accuse China of exporting dual-use goods to Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smile during their meeting at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport outside Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un smile during their meeting at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport outside Pyongyang, North Korea, on June 19, 2024. Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
North Korea, heavily reliant on China—its sole defense treaty ally—this week confirmed for the first time that it had committed forces to fight against Ukraine. State media quoted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as praising his troops who "fought for justice" as "heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland."
China has repeatedly declined to comment directly on the development. "Regarding bilateral interactions between Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, we've stated our position on multiple occasions," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Wednesday, without elaborating. "China's position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear."
The deepening security ties between Moscow and Pyongyang have set off alarms from Washington to Seoul.
"China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine," a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Newsweek by email. China supplies nearly 80 percent of the dual-use items sustaining Russia's war machine, the statement said, echoing a 2024 assessment by the independent Yermak-McFaul Expert Group.
The growing relationship between Russia and North Korea includes illicit arms transfers and "is a trend that should be of great concern to anyone interested in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and ending the war in Ukraine," the official said.
Balancing Act
While Xi may find North Korea's battlefield support for Russia awkward as he seeks to make diplomatic inroads, it's an inconvenience he is willing to bear amid broader plans to accelerate the shift away from a U.S.-centric world order, Patrick Cronin, Asia-Pacific security chair at the Hudson Institute, told Newsweek.
But this tolerance may come at a reputational cost to Beijing's efforts to rebrand itself as a responsible trade partner and bastion of diplomatic stability. Its material support for Russia and silent backing of North Korean military adventurism could alienate Europe, he said.
Xi likely "will continue to outwardly project neutrality even as he privately seeks recognition for curbing the excesses of Moscow and Pyongyang," Cronin said. "Yet this balancing act may prove difficult to sustain. If European countries impose trade penalties or if North Korean provocations further unify U.S. allies in Asia, the underlying fractures within this authoritarian bloc could become increasingly difficult to mask."
Edward Howell, Korea Foundation fellow at Chatham House, said: "China is uneasy about the rapprochement between North Korea and Russia—but it is not angry."
Xi would not fear a loss of influence over the unpredictable Kim regime even if the 41-year-old leader bolsters personal ties with Putin, Howell told Newsweek. "Compared to Russia, China is of greater importance to North Korea, particularly economically."
Beijing has been Pyongyang's main economic benefactor for two decades," Howell said. "China does not like having a nuclear-armed neighbor, but the status quo remains the lesser evil for Beijing."
Of far greater concern to Beijing are the strengthening trilateral defense ties between the United States, Japan, and South Korea, despite Trump's recent trade moves. The three Pacific allies have held multiple military drills with an eye on Pyongyang and Beijing.
Howell said: "We do not know the details of what Xi Jinping's 'red lines' comprise, but we can say with confidence that a war on the Korean Peninsula, not least one involving nuclear weapons, would be a 'red line' for Beijing—and Moscow."
Newsweek · by Micah McCartney · May 2, 2025
4. South Korean Children's Nutritional Supplements Popular in North Korea... "Because of Kim Joo-ae"
She certainly appears to have had a growth spurt. She looks almost ready to assume control. (note sarcasm).
Photos are at the link.
This is a Google translation of an RFA report.
South Korean Children's Nutritional Supplements Popular in North Korea... "Because of Kim Joo-ae"
Seoul-Kim Ji-eun xallsl@rfa.org
2025.04.30
https://www.rfa.org/korean/in-focus/2025/04/30/north-korea-children-nutrition-height/
Comparison photos of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walking with his daughter Kim Ju Ae. From left, November 2022; February 2023 and April 2025. (Reuters/KCNA)
Anchor: It has been reported that the number of North Korean residents looking for South Korean children's nutritional supplements has been increasing recently. Reporter Kim Ji-eun reports from inside North Korea.
Kim Ju-ae, the daughter of General Secretary Kim Jong-un, appeared at the launching ceremony for North Korea's new destroyer on the 25th and drew attention with her tall appearance, raising interest among North Korean residents in the height and growth of their children, multiple local sources reported.
A source from North Hamgyong Province (who requested anonymity for safety reasons) told Radio Free Asia on the 27th, “There has been a growing interest in children’s growth among residents these days,” and “Interest in height-enhancing drugs has been on the rise recently as the child of the General Secretary, who is in his early teens, has appeared on TV.”
Namhansan Children's Nutritional Supplement Popular with Kim Joo-ae's Appearance
He also said, “These days, there is an increasing number of residents looking for South Korea’s ‘Tenten,’ which is known to help children grow taller and has great nutritional benefits,” and “Tenten is a nutritional supplement for children and adults that contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, D, and E, and is known to strengthen the immune system and relieve physical fatigue in children and adults alike.”
According to sources, the price of 'Tenten' currently being traded in North Korea is four times that of South Korea. 'Tenten' (a can containing 120 Tenten chews) that can be purchased for about 25,000 won (US$18) in South Korea is being traded for about 500 yuan (US$69) in North Korea, but the demand is so high that wealthy residents and officials cannot afford to buy it, the source said.
The source said, “The children of the General Secretary have appeared on TV several times in the past, but each time they did, there was negative public opinion,” adding, “While most residents were thin due to food shortages, the Marshal (Kim Jong-un) and his children looked plump as if they were about to burst.”
Tentenchu tablets from Hanmi Pharmaceuticals of Korea
Tentenchu tablets from Hanmi Pharmaceuticals of Korea
“Our children are not growing up, but why are the Secretary General’s children?”
“When the Secretary General’s daughter first appeared on TV three years ago, she had the appearance of a young child,” he said, adding, “However, when she recently appeared at the destroyer launching ceremony, she looked to be almost as tall as her father, which shows how much she has eaten and grown.”
He continued, “In the past, residents were too busy trying to make ends meet due to chronic food shortages to pay much attention to their children’s growth and development,” adding, “However, as the Secretary General’s children grew bigger and bigger every day, many residents began to pay attention to their children.”
He added, “Some residents are ordering growth supplements from executives and trade workers who travel abroad,” and “In particular, rumors have spread widely among residents that Chinese growth supplements are less effective and South Korean growth supplements are more effective.”
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In relation to this, a source from North Pyongan Province (requesting anonymity for safety reasons) told Radio Free Asia on the 28th, “These days, there is a lot of interest among residents in children’s height,” and “Residents who recently witnessed the General Secretary’s daughter grow up are becoming increasingly interested in their children’s growth.”
The source explained, “Here (North Korea), the fact that children are originally short is a problem with their personal and social lives,” and “Most children graduate from high school and enlist in the military at age 17, but they are not taller than 150cm, so they are perceived as social outcasts wherever they go.”
He also pointed out that “even if they cannot join the military because they are short and are assigned to construction shock troops and farms, short people naturally become discouraged in group living,” and that “this is why residents are willing to buy growth pills even if it means not being able to feed their children properly.”
He continued, “In the past, foreign growth pills were sold in the marketplace, but it is known that South Korean growth pills are by far the best,” and “These days, people are ordering South Korean growth pills called ‘Tenten’ through overseas travel or smuggling.”
He added, “South Korean height-enhancing drugs are sometimes unpackaged in China and then repackaged as Chinese medicine and sold (to North Korea).” “Despite the General Secretary declaring South Korea and North Korea hostile in December 2023 and blocking all trade with South Korea, these drugs continue to flow in.”
This is Ji-eun Kim of RFA's Radio Free Asia in Seoul.
5. How U.S. ally and export powerhouse South Korea is coping with tariffs
How U.S. ally and export powerhouse South Korea is coping with tariffs
kosu.org · by Anthony Kuhn · May 1, 2025
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Officials from both Japan and South Korea are in Washington, D.C. this week for trade negotiations. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul on how South Korea, an Asian ally and export powerhouse, is coping with tariffs.
(SOUNDBITE OF MACHINERY WHIRRING)
ANTHONY KUHN, BYLINE: A machine cuts rolled sheets of aluminum into two-inch strips. The GJ Aluminum company in Hwaseong city, just south of Seoul, exports these products for use in air conditioners, electric transformers and other equipment. GJ's CEO, Yoo Kyung-yeon, says that the Trump administration's 25% tariffs on all aluminum and steel imports hit his firm just as it was investing in a new factory to make aluminum to sell to the U.S.
YOO KYUNG-YEON: (Through interpreter) We were in the process of making a deal with the U.S. for about $5 million, but this problem suddenly emerged and our clients stopped the deal. We feel quite helpless.
KUHN: Yoo says the tariffs mean his company's products are no longer competitively priced. South Korea's government, meanwhile, has pledged more than $254 billion to assist exporters, including help in diversifying away from the U.S. market.
YANG HYANG-JA: (Through interpreter) I think the anxiety and the feeling of unfairness is growing among South Korean companies.
KUHN: Yang Hyang-ja is a politician and former executive with Samsung. She says that South Korean companies are happy to invest in the U.S. if it offers a good business environment.
YANG: (Through interpreter) What I fear most is that Trump says one thing in the morning and another in the evening. This can cause companies to suffer greatly or run into unexpected difficulties.
KUHN: Under the Biden administration's friendshoring policy, South Korean companies invested billions of dollars in the U.S. in states including Alabama, Texas and Georgia, making semiconductors and electric vehicles. The U.S. competes with China in these high-tech sectors, and it offered incentives to entice foreign investors and offset higher U.S. labor costs. But President Trump wants to cancel the subsidies just as South Korean firms are gearing up for production.
YEO HAN-KOO: So now they are in the process of building state-of-the-art facilities.
KUHN: Yeo Han-koo is a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, D.C. and a former South Korean trade minister.
YEO: But then all this government support kind of disappear or radically change. Then I think they really have problem in operationalizing the manufacturing facility and make their manufacturing successful in the U.S.
KUHN: Yeo says that despite South Korea's advanced technologies, its economy is far smaller than the U.S.' and it depends on its alliance with the U.S. for security.
YEO: I think, basically, Korean companies are price-taker, not price-setter.
KUHN: So instead of protesting the new policies, he says, they must instead focus on adapting to them.
Lee Seungjoo is a professor of political science and international relations at Chung-Ang University in Seoul.
LEE SEUNGJOO: (Through interpreter) The bigger goal of the Trump administration is not to pressure its allies, but to figure out how to deal with China and contain it. Which countries are essential to the U.S. to achieve this goal? South Korea is one of them.
KUHN: He says that where U.S. and South Korean interests dovetail, there will be economic opportunities. South Korean officials will try to reach a deal with Washington before U.S. tariffs kick back in in July.
Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.
(SOUNDBITE OF SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE'S "ELK RIVER") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
kosu.org · by Anthony Kuhn · May 1, 2025
6. Unprecedented chain of acting presidents must not stall governance
And so far the professional civil servants and the military have continued to serve well despite the presidential chaos.
Unprecedented chain of acting presidents must not stall governance
Posted May. 03, 2025 07:07,
Updated May. 03, 2025 07:07
https://www.donga.com/en/article/all/20250503/5583127/1
Following Acting President Han Duck-soo’s bid for the presidency and the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Choi Sang-mok to avoid an abrupt impeachment motion by the opposition, Education Minister and Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Lee Ju-ho assumed the role of acting president on May 2. This unprecedented “acting-of-acting-of-acting president” arrangement, where the nation’s fourth-highest-ranking official serves as acting head, is the first in South Korea. Lee now bears the immense responsibility of overseeing the entire government, commanding the military, and managing the election for the next month.
This shift in leadership came suddenly. After the Supreme Court ruled against presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung for violating election law, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea retaliated that night by pushing forward a surprise impeachment motion against Deputy Prime Minister Choi. As a result, the Ministry of Education, now effectively supporting the acting president, scrambled through its procedural manuals in a visibly disoriented response. Unlike the prime minister, who oversees overall government affairs, or the economic deputy prime minister, who handles budget and policy execution, the social affairs minister lacks experience in inter-ministerial coordination. Moreover, this leadership void comes amid rapidly evolving global security and trade tensions, circumstances that would challenge even a fully functioning government. With five of the 19 ministerial posts vacant and a leader with no experience in national command, it is no surprise that many are losing sleep over fears of government paralysis.
Concerns are already mounting that the simultaneous absence of Han and Choi, both central figures in tariff negotiations with the United States, could cede the upper hand to Washington. The acting economic deputy prime minister and the industry and trade minister must work together to set a clear framework for trade negotiations without being drawn into the U.S.’s fast-paced agenda. Stabilizing the financial markets and promptly executing the recently passed supplementary budget to bolster the real economy are equally urgent. Meanwhile, amid rising threats such as potential provocations from North Korea, concerns over a security vacuum are intensifying as the commander-in-chief keeps changing, and both the defense minister and the army chief of staff are serving in acting or deputy roles. While maintaining a robust state of military readiness, we must also take proactive measures to ensure that the U.S. push for a troop realignment in South Korea to counter China does not emerge as a new source of security instability.
Over the past four months under emergency martial law, South Korea’s top leadership has cycled through the president, prime minister, economic deputy prime minister, back to the prime minister, and now to the social affairs deputy prime minister. This unprecedented disruption is not the result of a foreign attack or a natural disaster, but self-inflicted turmoil. The government and political establishment must recognize the gravity of their incompetence and irresponsibility. Until a new administration is sworn in, political leaders must refrain from adding further burdens to an already strained nation.
7. North Korea denounces U.S. missile defense drills in Alaska
The regime is projecting.
But at least we know they are paying attention.
Saturday
May 3, 2025
North Korea denounces U.S. missile defense drills in Alaska
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-05-03/national/northKorea/North-Korea-denounces-US-missile-defense-drills-in-Alaska/2299485
Published: 03 May. 2025, 13:48
- MICHAEL LEE
- lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr
A North Korean Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile is seen taking off in this photo taken by the state-controlled Korean Central News Agency on July 12, 2023. [YONHAP]
North Korea on Saturday denounced a recent U.S. missile defense exercise in Alaska, characterizing the drill as a provocative move that reflects Washington's growing readiness for nuclear conflict with Pyongyang.
In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), an unnamed North Korean military official criticized the simulated interception of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at Fort Greely, Alaska, calling it “an aggressive military action” aimed at the North.
“The fact that our strategic weapons were designated as targets shows that the United States has effectively embraced a policy of preemptive nuclear attack against our country,” the statement said, adding that “there would be no reason” for the North’s nuclear forces to target the U.S. mainland “if the United States has no intent to engage in nuclear war.”
Related Article
The author also condemned recent U.S. moves in South Korea, including plans to permanently deploy advanced F-35A stealth fighter jets at Kunsan Air Base and consolidate F-16 fighter operations at Osan Air Base.
Pyongyang described these proposals as efforts to upgrade Washington’s first-strike capabilities on the Korean Peninsula.
“These are not merely symbolic actions,” the author said, arguing that the United States is entering “the operational phase of a nuclear preemptive strike strategy.”
The Alaska drill, first reported by Newsweek, took place on April 29 and reportedly involved a command post exercise that involved a simulation of a North Korean missile launch. U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll was present for the drill.
North Korea has issued increasingly forceful rhetoric in recent months as joint military activities between the United States and South Korea have expanded.
Pyongyang claims such exercises are preparations for invasion, while Washington and Seoul describe them as defensive in nature.
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
8. Opposition party proposes bill to halt criminal trials for elected presidents
An obvious ploy to protect Lee Jae Myung. But haven't we heard that no one is above the law?
Opposition party proposes bill to halt criminal trials for elected presidents
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20250502/opposition-party-proposes-bill-to-halt-criminal-trials-for-elected-presidents
open image galleryRep. Jung Chung-rae, chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, strikes the gavel during a full committee meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
By Kim Hyun-bin
- Published May 2, 2025 4:18 pm KST
- Updated May 2, 2025 8:15 pm KST
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Friday proposed a controversial bill to suspend ongoing criminal trials for individuals elected president, sparking a political firestorm just a day after the Supreme Court sent a major case involving the party's presidential candidate back to a lower court, hinting at a potential conviction.
The bill, introduced during a plenary session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, follows the Supreme Court’s decision on Thursday to send back to a lower court a case involving DPK candidate Lee Jae-myung, concerning alleged election law violations during his previous campaign. The court’s interpretation has increased the likelihood of a conviction in the retrial.
Rep. Kim Yong-min, the DPK deputy floor leader, formally introduced the bill. During the committee meeting, Kim explained that the proposed amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act aims to reinforce constitutional protections that could otherwise be weakened.
"This law merely clarifies what is already a given under our Constitution," Kim said. "Yoon Suk Yeol spent his presidency targeting Lee — investigating him endlessly and tearing apart his political rival. When courts handed down acquittals, they even tried to arrest the judge. It’s absurd that we have to legislate something so basic — but necessary nonetheless."
The ruling People Power Party criticized the bill as unconstitutional.
Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok argued that granting blanket immunity to a president-elect would go against Article 84 of the Constitution, which states a sitting president is immune from criminal prosecution, except for crimes of insurrection or treason.
“This bill extends protection even before inauguration, benefiting a specific individual,” Jang said. “It is an abuse of legislative power and violates the spirit of the Constitution.”
If passed, the bill would effectively suspend all criminal proceedings against Lee should he be elected president.
Lee is currently facing four separate criminal trials.
In addition to the election law case, he is being prosecuted for alleged corruption and abuse of power related to the controversial Daejang-dong land development scandal from his time as mayor of Seongnam, where public officials and business figures are accused of illicitly profiting from the project.
He also faces charges of breach of trust and obstruction of official duties connected to Wirye and Baekhyeon-dong development projects, as well as allegations that he solicited illegal corporate donations through a professional football club, also during his tenure as mayor.
The DPK has denounced the string of prosecutions as politically motivated, while prosecutors argue the cases are based on extensive evidence and witness testimony.
9. US parental child abduction report cites S. Korea, 14 others for pattern of convention noncompliance
These cases are sad and disturbing.
US parental child abduction report cites S. Korea, 14 others for pattern of convention noncompliance
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/20250503/us-parental-child-abduction-report-cites-s-korea-14-others-for-pattern-of-convention-noncompliance
open image galleryA sign for the US Department of State outside its headquarters building in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, April 15. AFP-Yonhap
By Yonhap
- Published May 3, 2025 10:08 am KST
- Updated May 3, 2025 1:28 pm KST
An annual U.S. report on international parental child abduction (IPCA) cited South Korea and 14 other countries as demonstrating a "pattern of noncompliance" with a multilateral treaty, the State Department said Friday.
It released the 2025 Annual Report on IPCA — a report that previously cited South Korea in 2022, 2023 and last year for showing a pattern of noncompliance with the 1980 Hague Abduction Convention that requires a country to expeditiously return a child held by a parent to the child's country of habitual residence.
The convention has been in force between the United States and South Korea since 2013.
The countries cited in the 2025 report are Korea, Argentina, The Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Bulgaria, Ecuador, Egypt, Honduras, India, Jordan, Peru, Poland, Romania and the United Arab Emirates.
The report pointed out that law enforcement in Korea regularly failed to enforce return orders from the judicial authorities in abduction cases.
As a result of these failures, 44 percent of requests for the return of abducted children under the convention remained unresolved for more than 12 months, the report said.
"On average, these cases were unresolved for two years and six months," it said.
Parental child abduction takes place when a child is removed from or retained outside his or her country of habitual residence, and the removal or retention violates another parent or guardian's custody rights, according to the department.
IPCA cases often occur when parents are separated or start a divorce process.
10. Kyiv urges Seoul to tighten controls on DN Solutions' CNC equipment reaching Russian military
Kyiv urges Seoul to tighten controls on DN Solutions' CNC equipment reaching Russian military
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20250502/ukraine-urges-south-korea-to-prevent-exports-of-dn-solutions-cnc-machines-to-russia-via-china
open image gallery
DN Solutions' headquarters in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province / Courtesy of DN Solutions
By Park Jae-hyuk
- Published May 2, 2025 3:18 pm KST
- Updated May 2, 2025 4:53 pm KST
Ukraine sanctions chief criticizes Korean firm's lax oversight of Chinese distributors
DN Solutions, Korea's leading machine tools manufacturer, has drawn criticism from the Ukrainian government for alleged negligence in preventing Chinese distributors from re-exporting its computer numerical control (CNC) equipment to Russia for military use.
Describing Korea as a partner in preventing sanctions circumvention, Ukraine also called for cooperation between the two governments on the matter.
"In the field of high-tech exports, responsibility is increasingly defined not only by direct contractual relationships but also by the strength of a company's internal oversight of its distribution channels," Vladyslav Vlasiuk, sanctions commissioner for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told The Korea Times in a recent written interview.
"When equipment repeatedly ends up in a sanctioned jurisdiction — even indirectly — this reasonably warrants an internal review," he said.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, sanctions commissioner for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, briefs diplomats from Korea and other countries on strengthening sanctions against Russia's shadow tanker fleet, Jan. 13. Courtesy of Ukrainian presidential office
His remarks followed a recent investigation by the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU) into Russia's imports of Korean, Japanese and Taiwanese CNC machines via China.
ESCU, established in 2021 to counter threats to Ukraine's economic security, and various anti-Russia civic groups have repeatedly expressed concerns about Russia's imports of Western and Asian equipment for use in drones and other weapons since its invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
According to ESCU, $19 million worth of CNC machines manufactured by DN Solutions and its Chinese subsidiary were supplied to Russia in 2023 and in the first quarter of 2024 by Silver Technology and other Chinese distributors.
The findings differed from the case of Hyundai WIA, another Korean machine tools maker, which said CNC machines used by the Russian military had been sold a decade ago and apparently resold on the secondhand market.
"In this particular case, there are factual indicators that merit closer examination — notably, the confirmed presence of DN Solutions-branded machines at Russian industrial sites after Feb. 24, 2022. Available customs and procurement records indicate these were deliveries of new equipment, made under contracts dated 2023 and 2024," Vlasiuk said.
"While this does not, in itself, suggest deliberate wrongdoing, it may highlight shortcomings in oversight, particularly where intermediary channels are involved. In this context, further review — both internally by the company and externally by relevant authorities — may be appropriate," he added.
Read More
· Will Korean firms return to Russia?
· Seoul's spy agency detects sign of N. Korean troops in Russia learning drone tactics from Moscow
DN Solutions said it has complied with Korean laws that ban unauthorized exports of super-precision machines, which are categorized as strategic items. In June 2022, DN Solutions CEO Kim Won-jong declared a "voluntary export implementation," emphasizing the importance of adhering to export controls to avoid domestic and international sanctions.
"After the Russia-Ukraine war, we have not exported our products to Russia," a DN Solutions spokesperson said. "It is virtually impossible to trace secondhand transactions of our products that were sold in other countries before the war."
Agiya Zagrebelska, policy director of the Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU) / Courtesy of ESCU
However, ESCU said that access to public information and commercial databases allows the company to know that its products have been supplied to Russia.
The institute also cited evidence suggesting continued supply of DN Solutions' CNC equipment to Russia, pointing to Russian importers' receipt of declarations of conformity for the Korean firm's products from May 2024 to February 2025.
"Whether DN Solutions had direct contract with Russian buyers is no longer the central question — the issue is whether it exercised sufficient control over the distribution of its products. In such a scenario, exposure to regulatory action is a realistic outcome," ESCU Policy Director Agiya Zagrebelska, former anti-monopoly commissioner of Ukraine, told The Korea Times via email.
"Korean regulators should also evaluate DN Solutions' partnership with intermediaries like Silver Technology and determine whether that cooperation should continue," she said.
In response, DN Solutions claimed that it had already quit doing business with the Chinese companies as soon as it became aware of their re-exports to Russia.
"We have informed dealers and agencies that selling our equipment to Russia and circumvention of export controls are strictly prohibited," the company spokesperson said. "We have also notified them that any violation of this policy is not just a breach of contract but also subject to strict sanctions by authorities."
Vlasiuk stressed the need for Ukraine and Korea to share information on risk indicators and conduct regular reviews of national control lists.
"We also see merit in jointly examining the role of certain intermediaries in third countries that may act as transit points," the sanctions commissioner said. "A timely and coordinated response to these signals serves our shared interests — especially in light of the evolving strategic challenges in Northeast Asia."
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, which oversees Korea's exports of strategic items, said it has been closely monitoring exporters in collaboration with the Korea Customs Service and other governments.
"Although we have checked their end-user certificates, there remain difficulties in preventing companies from circumventing regulations through re-exports," said Park Sung-joon, head of the ministry's trade controls policy division.
"However, we punish companies if we discover emails and call logs proving their contacts with Russia."
DN Solutions CEO Kim Won-jong introduces the company during a press conference in Seoul, April 25. Courtesy of DN Solutions
DN Solutions recently withdrew its plan to list on the benchmark KOSPI bourse this month. The company reportedly failed to attract foreign institutional investors for its initial public offering, although it cited uncertainty in domestic and international financial markets as the reason for the withdrawal.
At a press conference held prior to the decision, the machine tools maker expressed optimism that demand for its products will rise in Ukraine after a potential ceasefire, citing interest from construction equipment firms planning to participate in postwar reconstruction.
11. A North Korean refugee’s journey from entertainer to advocate
A North Korean refugee’s journey from entertainer to advocate
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/blogs/workablewords/20250503/a-north-korean-refugees-journey-from-entertainer-to-advocate
By Casey Lartigue Jr.
- Published May 3, 2025 1:46 pm KST
- Updated May 4, 2025 1:03 am KST
Gim So-yeon is originally from North Korea, but you wouldn’t guess it from seeing her on South Korean television or performing on stage. She sings, acts, and captivates audiences with the confidence of someone born for the spotlight. Since resettling in South Korea in 2019 shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, she has steadily built a name for herself in the entertainment world.
She is becoming known, yet behind the bright lights and applause, she carries painful memories and untold stories that shape the woman she is today.
That’s why her decision to join Freedom Speakers International (FSI) in 2024 at the recommendation of a North Korean refugee friend is meaningful. She already had a platform, but wanted her voice to do more.
She arrived more than an hour early to her first speech coaching session at FSI on Nov. 4. I dissected her speech and invited her to return with a revised version. Two days later, on Nov. 6, our mentoring session was recorded by a television crew that was filming a feature about FSI.
Gim So-yeon (standing at the lectern) and Casey Lartigue (seated) have a mentoring session recorded by a TV station on November 6, 2025. Courtesy of Freedom Speakers International
On Nov. 12, she arrived two hours early and practiced alone before we had a two-hour mentoring session. When I was unavailable a different week, she visited the FSI office to practice alone. Even before she ever spoke in public, she was already showing the seriousness and focus of someone who understood what it means to use a platform responsibly.
After months of preparation, she gave her first public speech at FSI’s 21st “I Am from North Korea” English speech contest on Feb. 22. To prepare for the contest, we connected her with Jennifer Nevins, a dedicated FSI volunteer mentor based in the United States. Together, they held online mentoring sessions leading up to the speech contest and Gim occasionally visited the office for extra help. Gim didn’t expect to win, and she didn’t — but that would have been hard to guess from the big smile on her face after the contest. Her satisfaction came from giving her first public speech in English.
Gim So-yeon (center) speaking at the 21st “I am from North Korea” English Speech Contest, presented by Freedom Speakers International, Feb 22, 2025. Courtesy of Freedom Speakers International
To protect the North Korean refugee contestants, we don’t include a Q&A session on the day of the contest. Many are already nervous simply stepping onto the stage, and for most, giving the speech itself is challenging enough. In addition, the contest typically lasts close to three hours, and adding a Q&A could overwhelm both the speakers and the audience.
On March 10, Gim gave her second English speech at an FSI event for visitors from Australia, the UK, and Ireland. After I introduced FSI’s mission and Gim, she gave the same speech she did at the speech contest and the audience was moved. During her first Q&A, Gim reflected on her experiences, shared details about her escape from North Korea, and the broader struggles of those still trapped in the North.
On April 29, Gim gave her third public speech to thirteen American visitors to South Korea. I began by introducing FSI and Gim’s journey. FSI co-founder Lee Eun-koo and I had previously heard parts of her story during our mentoring sessions and her first two speeches. She gave the same prepared speech, but during the Q&A, she went deeper. Her responses were more detailed, more personal, and more emotionally raw. I’ve seen this before — speakers often start by giving short, careful answers, but over time, as they gain confidence and comfort, they begin to open up. We learned, in particular, how much she suffered as a child in North Korea and before she successfully escaped to South Korea.
Gim So-yeon (seated at the center) speaks to American tourists visiting South Korea on April 29. Courtesy of Freedom Speakers International
The emotional atmosphere in the room shifted. The facilitator began crying, which led to Gim also crying. When I looked around the room, I saw several of the attendees in tears as well. After the event, a few of them gave her long, emotional hugs.
Events like these are valuable in ways that can’t be measured by applause or press coverage. They give international travelers a rare opportunity to hear directly from North Korean refugees, hear their personal stories, and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges they face. For the North Korean refugees, these moments offer meaningful practice — opportunities to speak freely, familiarize themselves with common audience questions, and build confidence in a supportive low-pressure environment before stepping onto larger stages.
Afterward, during our debriefing session, Gim was eager for feedback. I gave her some tips to sharpen her public speaking. She was touched that people were interested in her story and about the plight of North Koreans still trapped in the country. She thanked Lee and me for providing a space where her voice could be heard.
Gim So-yeon (seated on the far left), Lee Eun-koo (center) and Casey Lartigue (right) debrief after an event with American travelers on April 29, 2025. Courtesy of Freedom Speakers International
Gim could continue her career in entertainment without ever mentioning her past. She’s decided to stand on a new stage. Speaking publicly isn’t easy, but Gim has chosen to face that challenge.
One line stands out in her speech: “I seem fine on the outside, but there’s still a little child inside me who has not fully healed.” What she meant became apparent during the Q&A.
Gim is claiming her strength while opening a window into the emotional aftermath of escaping North Korea, the inner trauma behind a successful public image, and the ongoing struggles faced by many North Korean refugees long after they escape. She reminds us that behind every performance and appearance, there may be a story waiting to be told — and a voice ready to rise.
Gim So-yeon (right) and Casey Lartigue (left) pose after she gave a speech to international travelers on March 10, 2025. Courtesy of Freedom Speakers International
Casey Lartigue Jr. (CJL@alumni.harvard.edu) is the co-founder of Freedom Speakers International with Lee Eun-koo, and co-author with Han Song-mi of her memoir "Greenlight to Freedom: A North Korean Daughter’s Search for Her Mother and Herself.”
12. When YouTube replaces TV, news and politics: what South Korea learned the hard way in 20 years
I am amazed at how so many of my Korean friends depend on YouTube.
Excerpts:
“YouTube has become the most important channel for reaching global music fans,” a YG executive said, calling it a "global portal for K-pop."
Can Korea break YouTube’s local dominance — or is it too late?
YouTube’s runaway success, however, has drawn scrutiny at home and abroad. In South Korea, the Fair Trade Commission launched an antitrust investigation in 2024, targeting Google’s practice of bundling YouTube Music with YouTube Premium subscriptions. Regulators argued this strategy unfairly extended Google’s dominance across adjacent markets.
...
Even as YouTube faces legal battles, its gravitational pull in Korea shows no signs of slowing. YouTube remains not just the most popular streaming platform in Korea, but the centerpiece of the nation’s digital life.
Of all age groups, Koreans in their 50s and 60s — traditionally less associated with digital innovation — now report the highest YouTube news usage rates at 52–55 percent, significantly higher than the international, 47-country average of 28-32 percent, highlighting that the platform’s influence in Korea is uniquely cross-generational.
The free model also resonates: as subscription fees decline for paid streaming platforms, free services like YouTube are expanding their dominance. In 2024, South Koreans spent an average of just 10,500 won (approximately $7) per month on paid OTT subscriptions, down slightly from previous years.
“YouTube has embedded itself into every layer of Korean society — news, entertainment, even political mobilization,” said a researcher at the Korea Press Foundation in the report. “It’s no longer just a platform. It’s the public square.”
When YouTube replaces TV, news and politics: what South Korea learned the hard way in 20 years
koreaherald.com · by Moon Joon-hyun · May 3, 2025
(Getty Images)
When YouTube launched its Korean-language service on Jan. 23, 2008, it entered a nation ready to embrace it — and be transformed.
Seventeen years later, South Korea has become one of the most YouTube-centric societies in the world, using the platform not just for entertainment, but to wage political battles, reshape pop culture, and redefine the public square.
In 2024, YouTube captured 84.9 percent of South Korea’s OTT users — far outpacing Netflix’s 44.4 percent and all other paid competitors, according to a 2024 government-backed nationwide survey. (Korea Creative Content Agency)
Now, as YouTube marks its 20th anniversary globally, the scale of its influence in South Korea is almost unmatched. According to a 2024 government report surveying more than 5,000 South Koreans, a staggering 84.9 percent of people who use streaming platforms access YouTube — higher than any other service, paid or free. By comparison, Netflix’s usage rate stands at just 44.4 percent.
But this is about more than entertainment. YouTube has become the dominant stage for news, activism, disinformation and cultural exports, reshaping Korea’s digital life more profoundly than perhaps any other platform.
When YouTube becomes the default screen
South Koreans spent a total of 1.04 billion hours on YouTube in October 2023 alone — more than triple the time spent on KakaoTalk (319 million hours) and nearly five times that of Naver (222 million hours), according to a local mobile analytics service Wise App. (Wise App)
In South Korea, YouTube isn’t merely another app — it’s almost the whole platform. By February of this year, Koreans spent more time on YouTube than on any other smartphone application, clocking 139 minutes a day on average, nearly 10 percent of their waking hours, according to local mobile market research platform Mobile Index.
Popular domestic apps like Naver and KakaoTalk trail far behind, with users spending about 30 minutes and 25 minutes daily on them, respectively.
According to a 2024 international survey by the Korea Press Foundation and Reuters Institute, 75 percent (far left) of South Koreans used YouTube for social media consumption — 14 percentage points higher than the 47-country average of 61 percent, which included markets such as the US, UK, Germany, Japan and Brazil. (Korea Press Foundation)
For news consumption, YouTube's role is even more striking. According to the Digital News Report 2024 by the Korea Press Foundation, in a joint international effort with Oxford’s Reuters Institute, 51 percent of South Koreans said they use YouTube as a news source — the highest percentage among 47 countries surveyed, and far above the global average of 31 percent.
Between 2017 and 2024, YouTube’s share of news consumption in South Korea (left) nearly doubled to 51 percent, overtaking Facebook, which fell to just 9 percent, according to the Korea Press Foundation survey across 47 countries. In contrast, globally (right), Facebook continues to lead YouTube in news usage by a 6-point margin. (Korea Press Foundation)
According to the report, YouTube’s personalized algorithms allow users to stay in ideological bubbles, reinforcing political biases and accelerating polarization.
Supporters of former President Yoon Suk Yeol storm the Seoul Western District Court through a shattered window on Jan. 19 after an arrest warrant was issued for Yoon, as YouTubers livestreamed the riot in real time. (X)
This dynamic exploded into full view during South Korea’s unprecedented constitutional crisis in late 2024, when former president Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached for illegally declaring martial law. As mass protests swept the country, YouTube channels — both conservative and progressive — became primary sources of real-time updates, rallying cries, and, in many cases, extreme rhetoric.
At the height of the unrest, during the Jan. 19 riot at Seoul Western District Court, YouTubers were seen livestreaming violent clashes with police as Yoon’s supporters stormed the courthouse. Former president Yoon himself openly acknowledged his supporters’ efforts, telling a crowd gathered outside his residence, “I have been watching your actions live through YouTube broadcasts.”
Beyond 'Gangnam Style'
(Screenshot of Pnation's Instagram post)
If politics showed YouTube’s power to divide, pop culture had already been showing its power to unite — and export. The turning point came in 2012, when Psy’s "Gangnam Style" became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views. Today, the video has surpassed 5.5 billion views — equivalent to two-thirds of the world’s population having seen it at least once.
Psy himself recently said, “YouTube changed the landscape of the Korean Wave. ‘Gangnam Style’ was the first proof that Korean music could explode globally overnight.”
BTS (Big Hit Music)
The impact was immediate and lasting. K-pop groups like BTS and Blackpink mastered YouTube as a global marketing tool. BTS, debuting a year after "Gangnam Style," leveraged YouTube’s reach to cultivate an international fanbase long before they dominated the Billboard charts.
By 2020, BTS made history with "Dynamite," becoming the first Korean act to top the Billboard Hot 100.
(Screenshot from YouTube channel "Blackpink")
Meanwhile, Blackpink became YouTube’s most-subscribed artist, now with 96.4 million subscribers and over 38.3 billion total video views. Their 2022 album Born Pink topped both the US Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums Chart, achievements unimaginable without YouTube's global reach.
Entertainment agencies quickly adapted. Companies like YG Entertainment and Starship Entertainment began premiering debut documentaries and survival shows directly on YouTube, bypassing traditional television networks.
“YouTube has become the most important channel for reaching global music fans,” a YG executive said, calling it a "global portal for K-pop."
Can Korea break YouTube’s local dominance — or is it too late?
YouTube’s runaway success, however, has drawn scrutiny at home and abroad. In South Korea, the Fair Trade Commission launched an antitrust investigation in 2024, targeting Google’s practice of bundling YouTube Music with YouTube Premium subscriptions. Regulators argued this strategy unfairly extended Google’s dominance across adjacent markets.
(Screenshot from YouTube)
The backlash mirrors broader global concerns. Earlier this month, a US court ruled that Google had engaged in illegal monopolistic practices in parts of the online advertising market, fueling speculation that regulatory pressure could eventually force YouTube to split from its parent company.
Even as YouTube faces legal battles, its gravitational pull in Korea shows no signs of slowing. YouTube remains not just the most popular streaming platform in Korea, but the centerpiece of the nation’s digital life.
Of all age groups, Koreans in their 50s and 60s — traditionally less associated with digital innovation — now report the highest YouTube news usage rates at 52–55 percent, significantly higher than the international, 47-country average of 28-32 percent, highlighting that the platform’s influence in Korea is uniquely cross-generational.
The free model also resonates: as subscription fees decline for paid streaming platforms, free services like YouTube are expanding their dominance. In 2024, South Koreans spent an average of just 10,500 won (approximately $7) per month on paid OTT subscriptions, down slightly from previous years.
“YouTube has embedded itself into every layer of Korean society — news, entertainment, even political mobilization,” said a researcher at the Korea Press Foundation in the report. “It’s no longer just a platform. It’s the public square.”
mjh@heraldcorp.com
koreaherald.com · by Moon Joon-hyun · May 3, 2025
13. Uncle Sam says 'no thanks' to N. Korean vacations
Excerpt:
For Americans still dreaming of a spring getaway to Pyongyang’s concrete charms, the message is clear: cross this vacation destination off your bucket list. North Korean prison cells don’t come with continental breakfast.
Uncle Sam says 'no thanks' to N. Korean vacations - Daily NK English
Shift to stronger language comes at a time of heightened tensions, as North Korea has acknowledged deploying troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine
By English Language Editor - May 3, 2025
dailynk.com · by English Language Editor · May 3, 2025
A marker delineating the border between China and North Korea (Wikimedia Commons)
The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advisory for North Korea with even stronger language, now explicitly telling Americans: “Do not travel to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for any reason.” This replaces the previous, slightly softer warning to “exercise increased caution.” The revised advisory emphasizes the “continuing serious risk of arrest, long-term detention, and the threat of wrongful detention” for American citizens.
This bureaucratic language shift comes at a time of heightened tensions, as North Korea has acknowledged deploying troops to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. The advisory notes that Sweden serves as America’s protecting power in Pyongyang, but warns ominously that “North Korean government has often delayed or denied Swedish officials access to U.S. citizens who are detained.”
Expert Stephan Haggard from the University of California calls the change “not material because there is little or no travel anyway,” while tour operator Simon Cockerell suggests it’s merely making the warning “more blunt” to align with the “less-subtle-than-previously paradigm in US politics.” The advisory maintains that U.S. passports remain invalid for North Korean travel without special validation.
For Americans still dreaming of a spring getaway to Pyongyang’s concrete charms, the message is clear: cross this vacation destination off your bucket list. North Korean prison cells don’t come with continental breakfast.
Note: This is an opinion column offering a wry perspective on North Korean politics — where actual facts meet playful commentary.
dailynk.com · by English Language Editor · May 3, 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
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