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Quotes of the Day:
"Global SOF:The asymmetric strategic option for a volatile world"
– SOF Week 2025
"We offer decision-makers irregular, precise, fast, low-signature options across the spectrum. We do it all with partners, the global special operations network. When we talk about winning, we talk about our obligation to this Nation to be the asymmetric scalpel - to not just be fast and lethal, but also strategic.
....The fusion of what we have in this room — interagency, industry, academia, practitioners and policymakers — is tied together and galvanized towards irregular and asymmetric options. We're the scalpel, but when the time comes, we can bring the hammer too."
– U.S. SOCOM Commander Gen. Bryan Fenton during SOF Week 2025 keynote, May 6
"It's not by luck that we've been able to meet this demand — it's capability, it's training to standard, it's dedication and it's harnessing the power of partnerships."
– CSM Shane Shorter during SOF Week 2025 keynote, May 6
1. “Unification begins with human rights”… ‘Korean Dream’ campaign held on US campus
2. Washington, DC, the American Unification Solidarity, holds Capital Forum to commemorate the 80th anniversary of liberation
3. South Korea's Hanwha Ocean targets US Navy orders as Trump seeks shipbuilding ties
4. How America Could Have Won the Korean War: Nuclear Weapons?
5. North Korean troops won’t march in Moscow’s Victory Day parade: Kremlin
6. Han Duck-soo calls for stronger ties with US and Japan to counter North Korea
7. North Koreans infiltrated US government-owned mortgage companies, official says
8. Kim Jong Un calls for increased artillery production amid mass exports to Russia
9. North Korean threats, Trump policy pushing ROK and Japan to go nuclear: Fukuyama
10. North Korea blocks Russians from joining trade fair under blanket foreigner ban
11. Breaking News: South Korea Pushes Rocket Launcher and Howitzer Deal in Canada Against Rival U.S. Offer
12. PPP presidential candidate, ex-PM fail to reach deal on candidacy unification
13. Court postpones hearing of DP candidate's retrial until after presidential vote
14. Han Duck-soo says he will step aside if unification with Kim Moon-soo fails
15. Kim's shell game
16. Pyongyang officials told to lead rice-planting mobilization as May campaign approaches
17. Bridge over troubled waters (Russia-north Korea)
1. “Unification begins with human rights”… ‘Korean Dream’ campaign held on US campus
This is a Google translation of an RFA report about our work with universities to inform and educate students about the value of and need for Korean unification
“Unification begins with human rights”… ‘Korean Dream’ campaign held on US campus
RFA Staff
2025.05.06
https://www.rfa.org/korean/in-focus/2025/05/06/north-korea-campus-peace-unification/?utm
Mr. Hyunseung Lee and former Colonel David Maxwell giving a lecture on campus.
(Global Peace Foundation)
Hosted by the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) and American Unity Alliance (AKU USA) in collaboration with Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) University Chapter, the “Campus Campaign – Korea’s Dream: The Path to Peace and Freedom” took place from February to April at universities and high schools in the United States and Brazil.
The event featured keynote speakers David Maxwell, a retired U.S. Army colonel and expert on Korean Peninsula strategy, and Hyunseung Lee, a North Korean defector and human rights activist, and was attended by approximately 540 students and faculty members in person or online.
At each event, Colonel Maxwell argued that “the Kim Jong-un regime will never voluntarily give up its nuclear weapons, and the denuclearization strategy has failed,” and that “we must now restructure our strategy with unification at the center.”
He proposed a “2+3 strategy” with deterrence and defense as well as blocking illegal activities as its two axes, and emphasized that “the key is to prioritize human rights, dismantle censorship through information inflow, and pursue liberal democratic unification.”
Defector Lee Hyun-seung testifies to life inside the regime and its oppressive structures, revealing that even North Korean citizens, especially the elite, are under surveillance and fear.
'Campus Campaign - Korea's Dream: Path to Peace and Freedom' event hosted by Global Peace Foundation (GPF) and American Unity United (AKU USA) in collaboration with Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) University Chapter
(Global Peace Foundation)
“North Koreans are not brainwashed, but rather have a quiet resistance and curiosity,” he said. “Unification is a practical solution that will give hope to the oppressed and liberate them from the nuclear threat.”
The campaign took place in-person at Emory University, Southern Methodist University, Princeton University, and UCLA, and online at the University of Chicago and the Federal University of Goiás in Brazil.
The event held at James Martin High School in Texas in particular had the highest turnout, with 150 people in attendance.
Based on this, the organizers are planning additional campus visits in the fall semester, the formation of a student-led unification club, and expansion of the writing contest and testimony video project.
Editor Park Jae-woo
2. Washington, DC, the American Unification Solidarity, holds Capital Forum to commemorate the 80th anniversary of liberation
This is a Google translation of a Korean radio report.
Seo In-taek should be the first president the new U-ROK (United Republic of Korea)
Washington, DC, the American Unification Solidarity, holds Capital Forum to commemorate the 80th anniversary of liberation
https://www.kradio.us/post/%EB%AF%B8%EC%A3%BC%ED%86%B5%EC%9D%BC%EC%97%B0%EB%8C%80-%EC%9B%8C%EC%8B%B1%ED%84%B4-%EA%B4%91%EB%B3%B5-80%EC%A3%BC%EB%85%84-%EA%B8%B0%EB%85%90-%EC%BA%90%ED%94%BC%ED%84%B8%ED%8F%AC%EB%9F%BC-%EA%B0%9C%EC%B5%9C
The Washington, DC-based Alliance for Unification of the Americas held a Capital Forum in the U.S. Capitol auditorium to commemorate the 80th anniversary of liberation under the theme of “Opportunity in Crisis: Realizing Free and Peaceful Unification through the ROK-US Alliance.” Reporter Cho Hoon-ho reports.
On the 3rd, the Washington, D.C.-based Solidarity for American Unification held a Capital Forum commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Republic of Korea at the Capitol Auditorium in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
At the forum that day, Professor Dan Hyun-myeong of Liberty University, former U.S. State Department Ambassador-at-Large for International Criminal Justice, and Co-Chairman Seo In-taek of the non-profit organization People for Unification Practices gave special lectures on the topic, “Opportunity in Crisis: Realizing Free and Peaceful Unification through the ROK-U.S. Alliance.”
Former Ambassador Dan Hyun-myung said that while the Korean Peninsula was suffering from the devastation of war, South Korea achieved the Miracle on the Han River and grew into one of the world's top 10 economies. He emphasized that, unlike the North Korean regime, which commits the world's most heinous atrocities, including human rights abuses, South Korea has achieved steady growth and development through democracy and a free market system.
He emphasized that the only way to resolve North Korea's serious human rights abuses and extreme poverty is through unification of the Korean Peninsula, and that a unified Korean Peninsula must be achieved through a strong ROK-U.S. alliance based on the mutual defense treaty and close cooperation and solidarity with neighboring countries surrounding the Korean Peninsula.
He continued, “I am confident that the future unification of the Korean Peninsula based on the ROK-US alliance will become a reality because the current ROK-US relationship is experiencing active exchanges between educational, economic, and cultural entities, and a strong change and friendly relationship that has never been seen before is being solidified,” and emphasized that efforts must be made to strengthen the ROK-US alliance and create a better future.
[Insert: Former Ambassador Dan Hyeon-myeong]
Seo In-taek, co-chairman of the People Practicing Unification, began his lecture by raising the issue that in order to achieve unification, we must think about the goals and vision for a unified Korean Peninsula before considering the process and methods.
Chairman Suh said that the United States first established a vision for the nation's founding before establishing specific methods for independence from Britain, and emphasized that the Republic of Korea should also achieve unification through the "Korea Dream," which embodies the vision of a unified Korean Peninsula, including the spirit of the March 1st Movement and the realization of the value of Hongik Ingan.
He continued by saying that unification of the Korean Peninsula can be achieved through a citizen-led movement, not political negotiations, and he was confident that a unified Korean Peninsula where South Korea's excellent technological prowess and North Korea's abundant resources meet would become a country at the center of the world and a superpower.
In her welcoming speech, Kim Yu-sook, president of the Washington branch of the American Solidarity for Unification, which hosted the event, said that the pain of division has persisted for a long time, and that now is the time for the South and the North to become one. She expressed joy and hope that she could voice her desire for unification in Washington, D.C. and at the U.S. Capitol, and encouraged them to create the great history of unification based on the strong ROK-U.S. alliance.
[Insert: Kim Yu-suk, Washington Chairperson of the American Unification Solidarity]
Meanwhile, at the Capital Forum that day, Suzanne Scholte, the head of the Defense Forum Foundation, which is at the forefront of North Korean human rights, and David Maxwell, the deputy director of the Asia-Pacific Strategy Center and former colonel of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, emphasized the need for unification of the Korean Peninsula in their congratulatory speeches.
This is Jo Hoon-ho of K RADIO.
news@dc1310.com
3. South Korea's Hanwha Ocean targets US Navy orders as Trump seeks shipbuilding ties
Win-win for the ROK/US alliance and for the future security of America.
South Korea's Hanwha Ocean targets US Navy orders as Trump seeks shipbuilding ties
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-hanwha-ocean-targets-us-navy-orders-trump-seeks-shipbuilding-ties-2025-05-05/
By Joyce Lee
May 5, 20254:04 AM EDTUpdated 2 days ago
Item 1 of 2 Steve SK Jeong, Head of Naval Ship International Business Department of Hanwha Ocean, speaks during an interview with Reuters in Seoul, South Korea, May 2, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
[1/2]Steve SK Jeong, Head of Naval Ship International Business Department of Hanwha Ocean, speaks during an interview with Reuters in Seoul, South Korea, May 2, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
SummaryCompanies
- Targets $2.9 billion in overseas military revenue by 2030Acquired Philadelphia shipyard to expand U.S. presencePlans to modernise U.S. facilities, train workers for efficiency
SEOUL, May 5 (Reuters) - South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean aims to boost its revenue from overseas military vessels to around 4 trillion won ($2.91 billion) by 2030 and hopes to pick up more repair orders from the U.S. Navy, a senior executive told Reuters.
The Asian country is a major global shipbuilder and trade talks with the U.S. on tariffs brought up possible cooperation in the sector after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to restore U.S. shipbuilding.
The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here.Hanwha Ocean, formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding, is one of the largest shipbuilders in the world with an order book of $31.43 billion as of the end of March. It acquired a U.S. shipyard, opens new tab in Philadelphia last year to expand in the market. (042660.KS), opens new tab
Its naval ships business, which has built dozens of submarines and surface vessels used by the South Korean Navy, has won two orders from the U.S. Navy since last year to repair and overhaul its ships for the first time.
"I think we may be the biggest shipyard in the world that has taken on these maintenance, repair and overhaul orders from the U.S. Navy," said Steve SK Jeong, head of the Naval Ship Global Business at Hanwha Ocean, days after U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan visited its shipyard.
"It is not very profitable, but learning the process of working with the U.S. Navy is valuable, which will help if we win newbuild orders."
Hanwha Ocean hoped to win a double-digit number of U.S. Navy maintenance and repair orders before 2030, Jeong said.
Trump has vowed to spend "a lot of money on shipbuilding" to restore U.S. capacity, and cited concern over how his country has fallen behind in an industry that is also dominated by China.
Still, U.S. laws can make it harder for foreign shipyards even if they have U.S. operations. They are prohibited from building U.S. Navy vessels, due to the Byrnes-Tollefson Amendment of the U.S. Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
TRANSPLANTING PROCESSES
Hanwha Ocean's Philadelphia Shipyard is trying to get a licence that clears it to build U.S. Navy vessels, but transplanting cutting-edge manufacturing processes honed from competition with other South Korean and Chinese shipyards is not as simple as bringing in some automated welding machines, Jeong said.
"I think the U.S. shipbuilding industry hasn't had to compete very much. Facilities are old, and there's a shortage of technicians," Jeong said.
"We are looking to modernise facilities, train and equip workers, and bring in our manufacturing process that can build the same ship in, I think, two-thirds the time or less as that of a U.S. shipyard."
Jeong said the company is investing in South Korea to use existing facilities and expand naval ship capacity to build five submarines and three surface vessels at the same time by 2029, from two submarines and two surface vessels now.
Despite building 17 submarines for the South Korean Navy since 1987, Hanwha Ocean has only actively competed for overseas orders in the last few years as South Korea's low birthrate and shrinking military-age population risk cooling local demand.
It is competing to export submarines to Poland and Canada, a frigate to Thailand as well as knocking on the door in markets in the Middle East, South America, North Africa and Southeast Asia, to build up a sustained flow of orders that would bring foreign sales to 4 trillion won by 2030, Jeong said.
That would be about four times the size of its 1.05 trillion won of revenue in 2024.
($1 = 1,376.08 won)
Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Christian Schmollinger
4. How America Could Have Won the Korean War: Nuclear Weapons?
Of course America did not declare war on north Korea (or China).
How America Could Have Won the Korean War: Nuclear Weapons?
19fortyfive.com · by Steve Balestrieri · May 6, 2025
Many people may not know it, but the United States came close to unleashing a nuclear attack on North Korea and China during the start of the Korean War in 1950.
At a press conference on November 30, 1950, President Truman confirmed that he had been actively considering using atomic bombs in Korea since the beginning of the war. The comments provoked a worldwide reaction, and British Prime Minister Clement Attlee rushed to Washington to express his concern.
The Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950, when North Korean troops crossed the 38th parallel, invading South Korea. North Korean leader Kim Il-sung launched the attack once he had received a promise of support from Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.
In January 1950, US Secretary of State Dean Acheson delivered a misleading speech in which he said South Korea and Taiwan were not part of the American “defensive perimeter,” indicating that the US would stay out of a Korean conflict. Clearly, Stalin only agreed to support the invasion after being convinced the US would not get involved.
First US Troops Routed in Korean War
That’s when all hell broke loose. The US sent Task Force Smith to Korea. The occupation troops from Japan were under-equipped, poorly trained, and poorly led. On July 5, 1950, the troops were routed.
On August 1, 1950, the decision was made to send the 9th Bomb Wing to Guam as an atomic task force immediately. Ten B-29s, loaded with unarmed atomic bombs, set out for the Pacific.
On August 5, one of the planes crashed during takeoff from Fairfield-Suisun Air Force base near San Francisco, killing a dozen people and scattering the mildly radioactive uranium of the bomb’s tamper around the airfield. The other planes reached Guam, where they went on standby duty.
UN troops were pushed to the Pusan perimeter, where Gen. Douglas MacArthur then instituted a brilliant amphibious landing at Inchon, and US troops began driving the North Koreans back toward China. His statement, “On to the Yalu,” the river that divides China from North Korea, angered President Truman and alarmed US allies.
Truman and MacArthur met at Wake Island, where the President warned the general against drawing China and the USSR into a third world war. MacArthur foolishly stated that the war “would be terminated by Thanksgiving-they are thoroughly whipped, North Korea has no possibility of success.”
“There would be the greatest slaughter if China tried to put ground troops across the Yalu. They would be destroyed”. However, tens of thousands of Chinese were already swarming across the Yalu.
MacArthur Wanted To Attack China With Nuclear Weapons
As thousands of Chinese troops swarmed across the border, UN troops were slammed backward in brutal winter conditions where temperatures dropped -20 degrees below zero.
MacArthur wanted to bomb Manchuria with nuclear weapons. Speaking for the Air Force, General Hoyt Vandenberg suggested they were prepared to use it.
MacArthur suggested a plan to use numerous bombs. The US had a stockpile of nearly 300 air-burst bombs, but only President Truman could order them to be used. MacArthur insisted he be given the sole right to use 50 bombs as he saw fit. He insisted on bombing the Yalu power plants with multiple strikes by B-29s.
Suggestions came from all services, and every General offered his own plan. That’s when Truman announced the US was considering using nuclear weapons against North Korea.
MacArthur planned to drop between 30 and 50 atomic bombs strung across the neck of Manchuria, from the Sea of Japan to the Yellow Sea. It was believed that with a belt of radioactive cobalt for at least 60 years, there would be no invasion of Korea from the North. The Russians, he claimed, would be intimidated by this and do nothing. He continued to seek authority to deploy the bomb strongly.
MacArthur had always wanted war with China, and this was the last straw for the President. Truman fired MacArthur over the radio before MacArthur could resign. “ I have decided that I must make a change in command in the Far East. I have, therefore, relieved General MacArthur of his command and have designated Lt. Gen. Matthew Ridgway as his replacement”.
Part of Operation Upshot-Knothole, was a 15-kiloton test fired from a 280-mm cannon on May 25, 1953 at the Nevada Proving Grounds. Frenchman’s Flat, Nevada – Atomic Cannon TestHistory’s first atomic artillery shell fired from the Army’s new 280-mm artillery gun. Hundreds of high ranking Armed Forces officers and members of Congress are present. The fireball ascending.
The war raged on, but Gen. Ridgway stabilized the lines, and the war became a stalemate pretty much along the lines from which it started.
What Would Have Happened If The US Had Used Nukes
The first question that needs to be asked is, “Could the US have accessed Chinese airspace with B-29s to bomb Manchuria?” And that answer is yes. B-29s were delivering powerful airstrikes against Chinese and North Korean troop concentrations.
However, the nuclear devices of 1950 weren’t nearly as powerful as the ones of today, and there remains some doubt as to whether they would have been effective enough to stop the infiltration of PLA forces.
However, it would have caused a major escalation of the conflict. The Soviet Union, an ally of North Korea and China, would likely have responded in kind, potentially leading to a nuclear exchange between the US and the Soviet Union.
And if the US nuked major population centers such as Beijing or Shanghai? The use of nuclear weapons in Korea would likely have been met with strong criticism and opposition from the international community and within the United States itself. The propaganda value of the abject annihilation of hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians probably would have outweighed any military advantage gained by the United States.
And it likely wouldn’t have accomplished much in the prosecution of the war. It would probably have backfired on the US, as the use of nuclear weapons in a conventional war could have lowered the threshold for future nuclear conflicts, potentially making the world a more dangerous place.
The Russians would have found their use more palatable in proxy wars elsewhere, and the world would have been a much more dangerous place.
Eventually, the reasons for not using nuclear weapons among the civilian leadership were reinforced by a developing consensus in the military that the general deterrent value of atomic weapons unused far exceeded the benefits that might flow from their employment with indeterminate results on a remote battlefield.
About the Author:
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications
19fortyfive.com · by Steve Balestrieri · May 6, 2025
5. North Korean troops won’t march in Moscow’s Victory Day parade: Kremlin
Which army could out goose step the other?
North Korean troops won’t march in Moscow’s Victory Day parade: Kremlin
Presidential aide also says DPRK ambassador will represent country, casting doubt on Kim Jong Un’s attendance
https://www.nknews.org/2025/05/north-korean-troops-wont-march-in-moscows-victory-day-parade-kremlin/?utm
Anton Sokolin May 6, 2025
North Korean troops march in a military parade in Pyongyang in April 2022. | Image: KCNA
North Korean troops won’t march through Moscow’s Red Square for Victory Day celebrations on Friday, a high-level Russian official said on Tuesday, despite Russia extending an invitation amid their military cooperation over the war in Ukraine.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov also appeared to imply that DPRK leader Kim Jong Un will also skip the large-scale military parade on May 9, stating that the country’s ambassador will represent Pyongyang during the event.
But the official appeared to leave open the possibility of a high-level meeting in oblique remarks to Russian media.
“There will be another interesting meeting, about which you will find out a bit later,” he reportedly said on Tuesday.
Russian defense minister Andrei Belousov previously invited a DPRK military unit to join the celebrations in November.
Kim also has Vladimir Putin’s “standing invitation” to visit Russia, and there has been widespread speculation that he could travel to Moscow to attend the parade and hold a summit with Putin.
However, there have been no visible signs of preparations for such a visit, with Seoul’s intelligence agency assessing last week that a high-ranking official like Choe Ryong Hae could attend instead.
So far, a total of 13 countries, including China, Vietnam and Belarus, will dispatch soldiers to march through Red Square on May 9, according to Ushakov.
He also said that 29 foreign leaders will attend the festivities, while noting that World War II veterans from the U.S. and Israel will also join the event.
The announcement that North Korean soldiers won’t join the parade comes after Moscow and Pyongyang publicly acknowledged the participation of DPRK troops on Russia’s side in the Kursk region for the first time in late April.
Putin highly praised their contribution to repelling Ukrainian forces from Russia proper.
The arrival of DPRK soldiers to the frontline came months after Pyongyang started supplying artillery rounds, missiles and weapons systems to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Edited by Bryan Betts
6. Han Duck-soo calls for stronger ties with US and Japan to counter North Korea
Domestic policy usually trumps foreign policy (though national security threats do have an influence). But in this June 3d election there is a stark divide on South Korean foreign policy toward the US and Japan and national security policy toward north Korea. But will the election be a referendum on those? Will they influence the outcome?
Han Duck-soo calls for stronger ties with US and Japan to counter North Korea
Presidential candidate warns ROK faces ‘very serious crisis’ due to DPRK military advances with support from allies
https://www.nknews.org/2025/05/han-duck-soo-calls-for-stronger-ties-with-us-and-japan-to-counter-north-korea/
Shreyas Reddy May 7, 2025
Then-Acting President Han Duck-soo leading a Cabinet meeting after Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment | Image: ROK Prime Minister's Office via Facebook (Dec. 14, 2024)
South Korea must continue to cooperate with the U.S. and Japan to combat North Korea’s escalating threats, while maintaining the Yoon administration’s focus on “collective wisdom and strength” to enhance deterrence, according to presidential candidate Han Duck-soo.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, the former prime minister warned that South Korea’s national security faces a “very serious crisis” as Pyongyang advances its military development.
As the DPRK looks to further strengthen its capabilities with the support of allies, Han stressed that Seoul must also reinforce its partnerships.
“Military cooperation and the alliance with the U.S. must be strengthened further, especially when North Korean and Russian cooperation is increasing,” he said.
The conservative candidate did not address domestic concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to withdraw American troops from South Korea and his apparent deprioritization of the DPRK as Washington gears up for a great power competition with China.
After handling economic negotiations with Trump as acting president over the past month, he praised the U.S. president’s “personal” approach to dealing with South Korean leaders and said there is “always room for cooperation” with U.S. policymakers.
Han reaffirmed Seoul and Washington’s oft-stated characterization of the alliance as a “lynchin” of security in the region, but also highlighted the need for bilateral and trilateral cooperation with Japan.
Seoul and Tokyo have had a turbulent relationship over the years due to historical differences stemming from Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, but under impeached former President Yoon Suk-yeol, Seoul prioritized cooperation with Tokyo to deal with North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
Han, who served as prime minister under Yoon, called for the continuation of these efforts despite some lingering resentment over Japan’s “regrettable” actions in the past, including using Koreans for forced labor and sexual slavery during World War II.
“We have to think about our future and we have to think about common values with Japan,” he said. “We have to build a relationship where we mutually understand each other and we have to pool our collective wisdom and strength to deter North Korea.”
He backed the continuation of “shuttle diplomacy” to continue the recent “progress” in bilateral relations with Tokyo, and highlighted ongoing cooperation with Japan to address DPRK human rights abuses such as the abduction of Japanese nationals and the detention of prisoners captured during the Korean War.
Amid concerns that a potential progressive administration may step away from the partnership with Tokyo and Washington, Han stressed that trilateral coordination has had “a positive impact” in terms of deterrence against the DPRK and must be continued.
With South Korea and its partners increasingly facing interconnected threats such as DPRK-Russia cooperation, the presidential candidate also called for greater “multipolar cooperation” with NATO and other countries to safeguard “freedom, prosperity and security” for people around the world.
Han did not touch upon the prospects for inter-Korean engagement, after stating last week that he will pursue a dual-track approach balancing diplomacy and “sufficient deterrence” if elected.
But he took the opportunity to criticize progressives’ approach to inter-Korean engagement, accusing any politicians who look past Pyongyang’s military escalations of committing “a serious betrayal against South Korean citizens.”
Han’s comments reflect an apparent focus on continuing Yoon’s policies toward North Korea if elected, despite distancing himself from the impeached president’s controversial martial law declaration.
However, it remains to be seen whether Han will remain in the race, as he hinted in a separate press briefing on Wednesday that he may drop out in favor of the ruling party’s Kim Moon-soo to ensure a unified conservative candidacy.
Edited by Alannah Hill
7. North Koreans infiltrated US government-owned mortgage companies, official says
The all purpose sword of cyber strikes again.
I wonder if they thought they could create some kind of mortgage/housing crisis in the US? Or was it merely an attempt to go after money somehow?
North Koreans infiltrated US government-owned mortgage companies, official says
https://www.nknews.org/2025/05/north-koreans-infiltrated-us-government-owned-mortgage-companies-official-says/
DPRK and Chinese contractors referred for investigation after allegedly working for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Shreyas Reddy May 7, 2025
North Koreans using computers at the Pyongyang Sci-Tech Complex | Image: NK News (Oct. 2016)
The U.S. government has discovered that multiple North Koreans infiltrated leading U.S. mortgage loan companies, according to the head of Washington’s housing finance agency, highlighting the growing threat posed by Pyongyang’s remote workers.
“We recently criminally referred some North Koreans and Chinese for working inside Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,” Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Tuesday, referring to the two biggest U.S. government-owned mortgage finance enterprises.
The housing finance chief added that his organization asked the Justice Department to investigate “five or six” North Korean and Chinese nationals posing as American citizens and contractors.
He cited the presence of the North Koreans as evidence of what he claimed to be long-running “fraud and abuse” at the state-funded housing entities under previous U.S. administrations, but did not provide details about the North Koreans’ objectives or how long they were working there.
The FHFA has yet to respond to NK News’ request for further information, but Pulte’s bold claims appear to reflect growing concerns in recent years about North Korean IT workers securing jobs with U.S. organizations under false identities to raise funds for the regime’s nuclear and missile development in violation of international sanctions.
Pyongyang typically dispatches these skilled IT professionals to friendly countries such as China, Russia and Southeast Asian states, from where they secure remote work opportunities with companies in the U.S., Europe and other wealthy countries.
Although the full scale of such schemes is hard to verify, the now dissolved U.N. Panel of Experts monitoring DPRK sanctions evasion previously estimated that there were as many as 10,000 North Korean IT workers generating millions of dollars in foreign currency around the world.
The U.S. and other countries have sought to raise awareness of the problem in recent years, while private companies are now increasingly spotlighting North Korean applicants using fake personas.
To combat this challenge, the Justice Department and law enforcement authorities have indicted at least 16 DPRK nationals and arrested multiple U.S. nationals and citizens of other countries for facilitating the North Koreans’ illicit operations in the past year.
In one operation highlighted by the Justice Department last year, North Korean workers even attempted to gain employment at two agencies under the Department of Homeland Security.
While that attempt was thwarted by the agencies’ rigorous screening process that included asking applicants for biometric information, Pulte’s claims on Tuesday suggest some North Koreans were able to get past checks at other government entities, demonstrating the continuing evolution of Pyongyang’s remote IT worker schemes.
Edited by Bryan Betts
8. Kim Jong Un calls for increased artillery production amid mass exports to Russia
More artillery for Putin. More money for Kim.
Kim Jong Un calls for increased artillery production amid mass exports to Russia
North Korean leader also demands major reconstruction of plant building weapons manufacturing equipment
https://www.nknews.org/2025/05/kim-jong-un-calls-for-increased-artillery-production-amid-mass-exports-to-russia/
Colin Zwirko May 7, 2025
Kim inspects MLRS shells at the Kanggye factory | Image: Rodong Sinmun (May 7, 2025)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un showed off the country’s artillery production lines and called for increased spending on upgrading weapons manufacturing, according to state media on Wednesday, amid the DPRK’s growing arms exports to Russia.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Kim visited two unnamed plants to “examine the status of shell production and the mechanical engineering sector.”
An NK News analysis of KCNA photos comparing past Kim inspections indicates that the first plant was the Kanggye General Tractor Plant in Jagang Province, where multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) shells are produced.
The second appears to be the Huichon Ryonha General Machine Plant also in Jagang Province, the country’s top computer numerical control (CNC) machine producer.
Kim Jong Un stands beside a stack of what appear to be launch vehicle tubes for the 600mm MLRS inside the Kanggye factory | Image: Rodong Sinmun (May 7, 2025)
At the Kanggye plant, Kim reportedly praised the facility’s “unprecedented rapid growth in shell production capacity,” saying “shell production performance reached four times the average annual level and nearly double that of the highest production year.”
The boost in production is likely related to North Korea’s ongoing export of artillery shells to Russia for use in Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
Photos show Kim walking past stacks of smaller caliber rockets as well as the DPRK’s nuclear-capable 600mm MLRS rockets.
“Important defense industry factories that are being newly constructed and put into operation should also adopt this factory’s modernization experience to accelerate significant changes in strengthening our forces,” Kim said, without offering more details on such new factories.
The official showing Kim around the factory appeared to be Kim Chol, according to NK News analysis, once the manager of the Huichon Youth Electrical Complex where anti-aircraft missile systems have been produced.
Kim and top military officials inside the existing large manufacturing hall at the Huichon Ryonha complex | Image: Rodong Sinmun (May 7, 2025)
Kim appeared to inspect a 3D render of the Huichon Ryonha factory’s new building plans. A yellow dotted-line box indicates what could become the country’s largest factory building, covering up to 6 hectares (15 acres) and requiring demolition of many existing facilities as seen in the satellite image on top. The red solid-line box indicates the existing large production hall. | Images: Rodong Sinmun (May 7, 2025), Google Earth (Aug. 31, 2022), edited by NK News
KCNA reported that Kim also inspected a “comprehensive machinery manufacturing factory,” while photos showed him inside the large production hall at what appeared to be the Huichon Ryonha plant.
Huichon Ryonha builds specialized machine tools used in weapons manufacturing and supplies arms factories around the country, though North Korea still imports more advanced CNC machines from other countries such as China.
Kim said the “factory must be transformed into an exemplary parent base that plays a central and leading role in the country’s machinery manufacturing industry development.”
One photo showed a 3D rendering of a new manufacturing hall Kim wants built on the Huichon Ryonha campus which will be more than double the size of the existing one, making it possibly the largest factory building in the country.
State media last reported on the DPRK leader visiting the Kanggye plant in Aug. 2023, though he has likely returned for undisclosed visits in the time since.
Kim also previously inspected the Huichon Ryonha plant with dozens of officials immediately after the July 2024 party plenum.
Wednesday’s KCNA report is the second on Kim inspecting weapons factories this week, after a report on Sunday detailed his visit to a tank factory in Kusong.
Edited by Kristen Talman
Updated on May 7 at 9:15 a.m. KST with additional background details
9. North Korean threats, Trump policy pushing ROK and Japan to go nuclear: Fukuyama
As a friend and colleague always asks, why wouldn't they? Given the world situation and their tough and dangerous neighborhood?
North Korean threats, Trump policy pushing ROK and Japan to go nuclear: Fukuyama
Influential scholar says US leader would rather make deal with Pyongyang than support allies and bolster trilateral ties
https://www.nknews.org/2025/05/north-korean-threats-trump-policy-pushing-rok-and-japan-to-go-nuclear-fukuyama/
Shreyas Reddy May 7, 2025
Francis Fukuyama delivering a speech in 2016 | Image: Fronteiras do Pensamento Sao Paulo via Flickr (CC-BY-SA 2.0) (July 6, 2016)
North Korean weapons threats and diminishing prospects for trilateral cooperation with the U.S. may soon leave South Korea and Japan with little choice but to go nuclear, according to Francis Fukuyama, one of the world’s most influential international relations scholars.
In a wide-ranging virtual symposium organized by the Institute for Corean-American Studies, Fukuyama said U.S. President Donald Trump will likely take a “particularly unpredictable” approach to dealing with the DPRK, highlighting his quest to make “the biggest deal in human history” with Kim Jong Un during a period of summits in 2018 and 2019.
Unlike his first term, when Trump was surrounded by experienced voices like then-National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, who could limit his “disruptive” behavior, Fukuyama noted that this time his administration does not include such officials.
“I would imagine that you’re probably going to get some surprises,” he said at the event, held on April 23 and posted online on May 5.
Pointing out Trump’s inconsistent positions, such as moving from opposing Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran to now pursuing his own negotiations, the political scientist stated that the only consistent theme with the U.S. president is his dislike of using American military power in other parts of the world.
Fukuyama’s comments reflect concerns from long-time U.S. allies such as South Korea over Washington’s reliability as a security partner, with Trump halting joint exercises with the ROK in his first stint as president and repeatedly threatening to withdraw American troops from the Korean Peninsula.
As such, the expert said Trump would be unlikely to do anything that could “suck the United States into a conflict in Asia,” including providing support for East Asian allies against shared adversaries.
“He’d much rather make a deal with [North Korea] than have to bolster [allies] or deter them militarily,” Fukuyama said.
Trump’s approach to working with allies like South Korea and Japan is in stark contrast to his predecessor Joe Biden, who prioritized strengthening trilateral and bilateral ties with Washington’s main Northeast Asian partners to combat Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile advances.
Fukuyama warned that the U.S. president’s apparent disinterest in bolstering trilateral cooperation could undermine Washington’s decades of efforts to bring Seoul and Tokyo closer together despite historical differences dating back to Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
“I suspect that the Trump administration has not invested a whole lot of time in trying to promote Japanese-Korean cooperation,” he said. “I think they probably don’t care or they’re just not interested in doing that.”
Fukuyama emphasized the importance of Japan and South Korea continuing to work together in a variety of domains ranging from the economy to security, but feared that the recent impeachment of former ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol may further disrupt this coordination.
While hailing “the strength of democracy” in South Korea that led to Yoon’s ouster, the American scholar expressed concern that next month’s presidential election could see the return of “anti-Japanese” progressives.
“Although I’m glad that they won that conflict over the presidency, I worry a little bit whether they’re going to reverse the progress that I see having been made between Japan and Korea under the previous Japanese prime minister and President Yoon,” he said.
As doubts about the U.S. grow, the author of the “The End of History and the Last Man” suggested Seoul and Tokyo may consider taking individual steps toward nuclear armament to deter regional threats such as North Korea and China.
“If that [U.S.] deterrent is now no longer credible or reliable, it makes a lot of sense for them to think about nuclear weapons,” he said, but added that they should not be encouraged on this path.
He explained that the need for nuclear armament may be greater in Asia than in Europe, where NATO already boasts relatively strong extended deterrence in the form of conventional military capabilities.
“In Asia, because of the friction between Japan and Korea, you don’t really have anything remotely like an Asian NATO,” Fukuyama said. “Every time anyone has tried to suggest that the region needs that, the idea gets shot down right away.”
The expert said moves by Tokyo and Seoul to go nuclear may prove controversial domestically as well as internationally, given Asian powers’ mutual distrust of each other as well as long-standing public opposition to nuclear weapons in Japan in particular.
Meanwhile, the South Korean government continues to back extended deterrence coordination with Washington, but pro-nuclear armament voices have become increasingly prominent in recent years, amplified by concerns that U.S. support may not be enough.
Nuclear armament is “going to be on the table,” Fukuyama said, “and over time I just think that people are going to think about that more and more.”
Edited by Bryan Betts
10. North Korea blocks Russians from joining trade fair under blanket foreigner ban
Despite their alliance, any outside influence to include Russia's must be considered a threat. Plus the Russians are a captured market already in terms of weapons sales.
North Korea blocks Russians from joining trade fair under blanket foreigner ban
Exclusion stands out amid flourishing bilateral ties and leaves international expo without any international firms
https://www.nknews.org/2025/05/north-korea-blocks-russians-from-joining-trade-fair-under-blanket-foreigner-ban/
Shreyas Reddy May 7, 2025
Russian exhibitors at the Pyongyang Autumn International Trade Fair in Nov. 2024 | Image: KCNA (Nov. 20, 2024)
North Korea has blocked Russians from attending an upcoming trade fair as part of a blanket ban on foreigners, according to a Western tour operator, likely leaving the international expo without any international business presence.
Rowan Beard, a tour manager at Young Pioneer Tours (YPT), told NK News that the organizers of the 23rd Pyongyang Spring International Trade Fair (PITF) confirmed that they have withdrawn invitations to Russian firms set to take part in the expo, which is scheduled to take place from May 12 to 16.
Organizers indicated to Beard on Tuesday that they are not ready to host the international exhibition at this stage, prompting them to cancel the visas for all foreign participants and make it a purely domestic event.
The news of the Russians being turned away from the event comes after YPT informed other foreign participants on Monday that authorities had canceled visas for all international visitors previously invited to the event, including over 200 Chinese attendees.
“Due to a last-minute decision by top officials of the DPRK, the PITF will no longer be able to host foreign guests,” the travel company said in a statement. “We were informed that this decision was made ‘in consideration of the DPRK’s national interests.’”
At the time, the organizers did not elaborate on these “national interests,” but the latest update suggests they may have faced logistical challenges in arranging for large numbers of foreign business visitors traveling to Pyongyang.
The decision to uninvite businesses from Russia stands out all the more as Russian exhibitors dominated a previous international trade fair in November, in a sign of the two allies’ flourishing economic ties amid cooperation over the war in Ukraine.
Next week’s PITF was set to be the first edition of the international exposition in six years, with outsiders largely unable to visit the North Korean capital since 2020 due to pandemic-related border closures.
The participation of over 200 foreign runners in last month’s Pyongyang International Marathon appeared to pave the way for a broader reopening, but the last-minute decision to cancel trade fair participants’ visas highlights continuing hurdles to outsiders returning.
“This is clearly a country where it looks rather unsafe to invest in and unsafe to trade with,” Peter Ward, a research fellow at the Sejong Institute, told NK News after the initial announcement of visa cancellations.
The expert noted that the sudden reversal wasn’t entirely surprising as North Korea’s security services appear wary of letting outsiders into the country, but said Pyongyang’s “shockingly bad behavior” is a “short-sighted” move that would obstruct foreign trade and investment.
After the initial visa cancellation announcement, Beard said the prospects for North Korean tourism are “incredibly bleak” at the moment, despite Kim Jong Un’s desire to open the long-delayed Wonsan-Kalma tourist resort next month.
“I doubt tourism will return at all this year,” he said.
Edited by Bryan Betts
11. Breaking News: South Korea Pushes Rocket Launcher and Howitzer Deal in Canada Against Rival U.S. Offer
Competition within the Arsenal of Democracy?
Breaking News: South Korea Pushes Rocket Launcher and Howitzer Deal in Canada Against Rival U.S. Offer
6 May, 2025 - 8:46Defense News Army 2025
armyrecognition.com · by Administrator
The South Korean bids were presented at a time when many Canadians—growing increasingly concerned about trade tensions with the United States under the renewed Trump administration, including trade war measures and controversial rhetoric about annexation—have been urging the federal government to reconsider major defense procurements from U.S. firms. This sentiment has been especially evident in public opposition to the F-35 fighter program, with rising calls to cancel or scale back American defense acquisitions in favor of allied alternatives that promote national autonomy and economic resilience.
Hanwha Aerospace’s artillery package includes advanced self-propelled howitzers and rocket artillery systems modeled after the U.S.-made M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). Specifically, the offer is believed to feature the K9 Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzer and the K239 Chunmoo Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), both of which are currently in service with South Korea and numerous international customers. The Canadian Armed Forces plan to replace their aging fleet of 33 155mm towed M777 howitzers with between 80 and 98 new self-propelled 155mm systems, as part of the IFM programme. The remaining inventory of 121 towed 105mm C3 and LG1 Mk II howitzers will remain in reserve force units.
The K9 Thunder is a modern 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzer developed by South Korea's Agency for Defense Development and produced by Hanwha Aerospace. Designed to provide rapid, accurate, and sustained fire support, the K9 can deliver six to eight rounds per minute and boasts a maximum firing range of over 40 kilometers with rocket-assisted projectiles. It is equipped with an advanced automatic fire control system, GPS navigation, and inertial positioning systems, allowing it to execute fast "shoot-and-scoot" tactics essential for surviving in high-threat environments. The K9 has been widely adopted by NATO and allied forces, including Australia, Poland, Norway, Finland, and Estonia, establishing itself as one of the most combat-proven and export-successful artillery systems in the world.
The K239 Chunmoo is a state-of-the-art multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) mounted on an 8x8 wheeled chassis, offering high mobility and flexibility on the battlefield. Developed to replace older rocket artillery systems in South Korea, the Chunmoo is capable of launching various calibers of rockets—including 130mm, 230mm, and 239mm guided and unguided munitions—with ranges between 36 and 80 kilometers depending on the payload. It features modular launch pods and an automated fire control system, enabling quick reloads and seamless integration with command-and-control networks. Its adaptability and precision strike capability have attracted international buyers such as Poland, which ordered the system to supplement its HIMARS fleet, underscoring the Chunmoo’s operational relevance within NATO-standard forces.
The proposal emphasizes rapid delivery timelines and offers long-term industrial benefits to Canada, including the possibility of setting up domestic maintenance infrastructure and even manufacturing centers. According to South Korean defense officials cited by CBC, such cooperation would not only deliver cutting-edge artillery systems but also support Canadian defense industry jobs and technological growth.
Hanwha Aerospace’s recent international track record strengthens its credibility in this bid. The K9 Thunder has emerged as one of the most successful self-propelled howitzers globally, while the K239 Chunmoo MLRS has similarly gained traction among NATO-aligned nations for its flexibility and advanced targeting capabilities. These platforms represent technologically mature and combat-ready alternatives to more expensive or politically sensitive U.S.-made systems.
Meanwhile, Canada has already indicated strong interest in the American M142 HIMARS through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, with a proposed CAD 5 billion procurement package that includes launchers, munitions, fire control systems, and support equipment. The South Korean proposal, therefore, enters a competitive environment, but could potentially provide a cost-effective and strategically autonomous alternative—especially with its promise of localized production and technology transfer.
Ultimately, Hanwha Aerospace’s dual-proposal strategy—covering both advanced artillery and armored vehicles—represents a bold effort to position South Korea as a key defense partner for Canada. The outcome of Canada’s ongoing procurement processes under the IFM programme will be pivotal in shaping the future structure and capabilities of its land forces, and Hanwha’s comprehensive approach may find favor with policymakers seeking both operational capability and strategic independence.
armyrecognition.com · by Administrator
12. PPP presidential candidate, ex-PM fail to reach deal on candidacy unification
Will this ensure the PPP's loss on June 3d?
(2nd LD) PPP presidential candidate, ex-PM fail to reach deal on candidacy unification | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Shim Sun-ah · May 7, 2025
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with meeting results; CHANGES photo)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo held a one-on-one meeting Wednesday to discuss a possible unification of their candidacies ahead of the June 3 election, but the talks ended without an agreement.
The two candidates met for about 75 minutes starting at 6 p.m. at a restaurant in central Seoul without any aides present.
Following the closed-door meeting, Han's spokesperson Lee Jung-hyun told reporters that "no specific agreement was reached."
Kim Moon-soo (R), presidential candidate of the People Power Party, and Han Duck-soo, an independent preliminary presidential candidate, attend a closed-door meeting at a restaurant in central Seoul on May 7, 2025, to discuss whether to unify their candidacies for the June 3 vote. (Yonhap)
Kim also said there was "no meaningful progress" made during the discussion.
The meeting came amid growing internal rifts within the conservative PPP, with Kim openly criticizing the party leadership for allegedly pressuring him to step down in favor of Han.
Earlier in the day, the party held a general meeting of its lawmakers, where the potential unification of Kim and Han's candidacies was the top agenda item. The party is reportedly considering an internal poll to gauge support for either candidate.
Kim has suspended his campaign activities since Tuesday, citing what he called the party's lack of support for his candidacy.
Kim, a former labor minister, was nominated by the PPP as its presidential candidate last week. Han, who is running as an independent, also launched his first-ever bid for elected office after decades in appointed government roles.
Under election law, May 7 is the deadline for the National Election Commission to order printed campaign materials, with official candidate registration closing on May 11. Ballot printing begins May 25.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Shim Sun-ah · May 7, 2025
13. Court postpones hearing of DP candidate's retrial until after presidential vote
Will this secure Lee Jae Myung's victory on June 3d?
(3rd LD) Court postpones hearing of DP candidate's retrial until after presidential vote | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Shim Sun-ah · May 7, 2025
(ATTN: UPDATES with court decision to delay trial on another case in last 2 paras; ADDS photo)
SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- The Seoul High Court on Wednesday postponed the first hearing of Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung's retrial on election law violation charges until after the June 3 presidential election, citing the need to guarantee his right to a fair trial.
The court said it postponed the hearing from May 15 to June 18 "in order to guarantee a fair electioneering opportunity to the defendant, who is a presidential candidate, and eliminate controversies about the fairness of the trial."
Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the liberal Democratic Party, takes a selfie with his supporters during a visit to a market in the southwestern city of Jeonju on May 7, 2025, as he hits the campaign trail nationwide ahead of the June 3 presidential election. The Seoul High Court postponed the first hearing of Lee's retrial on election law violation charges until after the election, citing the need to guarantee his right to a fair trial. (Yonhap)
The court added that it has "maintained and will continue to maintain the position of conducting trials in an independent and fair manner only in accordance with the Constitution and the law, without any internal or external influence or interference."
The decision is a win for Lee, who faced the prospect of his not guilty verdict being overturned after the Supreme Court remanded his case to the Seoul High Court last week, citing misunderstandings of legal principles in its decision to acquit him of a lower court's sentence of one year in prison, suspended for two years.
The sentence, if finalized, would bar Lee from running in the June presidential election.
"I think the court made the right decision that it naturally should have in line with the spirit of the Constitution," Lee told reporters during a campaign stop in the southwestern city of Jeonju.
Lee Jae-myung (C), the presidential candidate of the liberal Democratic Party, greets citizens at a market in Imsil, some 220 kilometers south of Seoul, during a campaign stop on May 7, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
During the initial trial, the DP candidate was found guilty of lying during a media interview in December 2021 that he did not play golf with the late Kim Moon-ki, a former executive of Seongnam Development Corp., which was behind a corruption-ridden development project in Seongnam, south of Seoul, when Lee was the city's mayor.
Lee was also found guilty of lying during a parliamentary audit of the Gyeonggi provincial government in October 2021 that he was under pressure from the land ministry to rezone the former site of the Korea Food Research Institute in Seongnam.
The appellate court acquitted him of the charges in March, but the Supreme Court sent the case back to the court last week, inviting strong protest from the DP.
Lee's lawyer filed an application with the Seoul High Court earlier Wednesday to request the first hearing's postponement, citing articles in the Constitution and the law that guarantee a candidate's fair electioneering opportunity and ban a candidate's arrest during the campaign period.
In a separate move, the Seoul Central District Court on Wednesday also delayed the start of Lee's high-profile corruption trial related to development projects in Seongnam. The court pushed back the first hearing to June 24, from the originally scheduled dates of May 13 and 27, responding to a similar request from Lee's legal team.
Lee's lawyers also sought a delay in another case involving charges of suborning a former mayoral secretary to make false court testimony in his favor. The appellate trial for that case is scheduled to begin May 20 at the Seoul High Court.
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Shim Sun-ah · May 7, 2025
14. Han Duck-soo says he will step aside if unification with Kim Moon-soo fails
He seems to be the only Korean leader who tries to put the welfare of the nation first.
Han Duck-soo says he will step aside if unification with Kim Moon-soo fails
https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/05/07/7CTV5A4S6ZHVVIC5NV5L2NMYG4/
By Kim Kyeong-pil,
Lee Hae-in,
Lee Jung-soo
Published 2025.05.07. 17:04
Independent presidential hopeful Han Duck-soo delivers an emergency statement at his campaign office in the Manhattan 21 building in Seoul’s Yeouido district on May 7. 2025. /News1
Independent presidential hopeful Han Duck-soo said on May 7 that he will not register his candidacy unless he can reach a merger deal with Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the conservative People Power Party, by May 11.
Speaking at his campaign office in Seoul’s Yeouido district that afternoon, Han explained his position and stressed that he does not wish to prolong uncertainty for the public.
“I have no intention of dragging this out and putting the public through more confusion until the ballots are printed on the 25th,” he said. “Political back-and-forth might be fun for those playing the game, but it only wears people out. That’s not something I want to be part of.”
Han began by reflecting on the vision that prompted him to enter the race in the first place.
“When I announced my candidacy, I made a commitment to pursue constitutional reform, tackle trade challenges, and walk alongside the people,” he said.
“I also made it clear that the economic miracle South Korea has built must not come to a stop. If those goals can be realized, it doesn’t matter who becomes president,” Han stated.
He added that he is open to any reasonable method for achieving a single candidacy. “Whether it’s through polling or televised debates, I’m willing to participate in any fair and lawful process,” he said. “Whatever the outcome, I will fully accept it.”
Han went on to emphasize that he has no particular demands regarding the process.
“I don’t care about the specifics,” he said. “The People Power Party can set the rules however they want. My stance is simple—I’ll go along with whatever they decide, no strings attached.”
15. Kim's shell game
Kim's shell game - Daily NK English
A recent visit by Kim Jong Un to a munitions factory effectively showcases North Korea's commitment to its increasingly important Russian partnership
By English Language Editor -
May 7, 2025
dailynk.com · by English Language Editor · May 7, 2025
In a move that surprised absolutely no one, Kim Jong Un recently toured North Korean munitions factories, proudly inspecting shell production that has reportedly quadrupled. As he strolled through facilities churning out artillery rounds, Kim praised workers for their contribution to North Korea’s “basic combat power” – a rather understated description for weapons likely destined for battlefields far beyond the Korean peninsula.
The timing of this visit speaks volumes, coming just as South Korean intelligence reports billions in weapons sales to Moscow and approximately 15,000 North Korean troops deployed to Ukraine. This factory inspection feels less like routine leadership and more like Kim personally overseeing the fulfillment of a significant business arrangement. The visit effectively showcases North Korea’s commitment to its increasingly important Russian partnership, which has given Moscow tactical advantages in the western Kursk region.
This relationship between two internationally isolated regimes represents a pragmatic alliance with serious global implications. Russia receives the munitions needed for its Ukraine campaign, while North Korea gains economic benefits and diplomatic support. Meanwhile, the international community observes this development with growing concern, recognizing that conventional diplomatic pressure has limited effect on either nation. As production lines in Pyongyang accelerate, the ripple effects extend far beyond the factory floors Kim so proudly inspected.
Note: This is an opinion column offering a wry perspective on North Korea — where actual facts meet playful commentary.
dailynk.com · by English Language Editor · May 7, 2025
16. Pyongyang officials told to lead rice-planting mobilization as May campaign approaches
Pyongyang officials told to lead rice-planting mobilization as May campaign approaches - Daily NK English
North Korea's emphasis on agricultural mobilization comes amid ongoing food security challenges in the country
By Jeong Seo-yeong - May 7, 2025
dailynk.com · by Jeong Seo-yeong · May 7, 2025
North Koreans making rice-planting preparations in 2019. (DPRK Today)
Pyongyang officials have been instructed to lead upcoming rural support mobilizations as North Korea prepares for rice-planting season.
The Pyongyang Party Committee’s Propaganda and Agitation Department held a lecture on April 26 targeting city-level officials, titled “Let’s Revolutionarily Improve the Work Style and Methods of Officials Who Are the Vanguard in Implementing Party Policy.”
The meeting criticized some Pyongyang officials for becoming lax in discipline and neglecting their duties, warning that such behavior seriously undermines party leadership. Speakers emphasized that when officials compromise on principles or overlook problems, unhealthy trends spread throughout the ranks, ultimately sabotaging policy implementation.
Referencing the principled revolutionary spirit of previous generations of officials, the meeting stressed that absolute loyalty to the party and revolution is today’s revolutionary requirement for all officials.
The lecture particularly emphasized Pyongyang’s role in nationwide rural support efforts scheduled for May, stating that the capital must set an example for the rest of the country. “The core message was that officials should take the lead in the upcoming spring rice-planting mobilization,” a source in the city told Daily NK.
North Korea’s emphasis on agricultural mobilization comes amid ongoing food security challenges in the country. The regime typically mobilizes urban residents, including students and office workers, to support rural areas during critical planting and harvesting seasons to boost agricultural output. These mass mobilizations have become increasingly important as the country continues to face international sanctions and economic difficulties.
Speakers insisted that only when officials energetically lead rural support efforts can this year’s grain production targets be achieved. Officials were instructed to create revolutionary enthusiasm for rural support and establish innovative work methods at every workplace.
The meeting also outlined propaganda plans for the rice-planting period, directing propaganda units to deploy broadcast vehicles to work sites and properly prepare for various promotional activities, including propaganda team performances.
“The meeting concluded with an appeal for all officials to always prioritize the party’s voice and demands while steadfastly maintaining their initial revolutionary commitment,” the source said, adding that the lecture generated new tension and revolutionary enthusiasm among Pyongyang officials.
Read in Korean
dailynk.com · by Jeong Seo-yeong · May 7, 2025
17. Bridge over troubled waters (Russia-north Korea)
Bridge over troubled waters - Daily NK English
As military cooperation deepens between Russia and the DPRK, a new transportation link arrives with convenient timing
By English Language Editor - May 7, 2025
dailynk.com · by English Language Editor · May 7, 2025
A photo released by North Korean state media showed officials at a groundbreaking ceremony for a bridge spanning the Tumen River and linking North Korea to Russia (KCNA)
North Korea is celebrating the groundbreaking of a new road bridge connecting to Russia across the Tumen River, describing it with characteristic understatement as providing a “substantial guarantee” for economic cooperation. The 850-meter structure, scheduled for completion by 2026, represents the latest infrastructure project in the blossoming romance between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin following their comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed last year.
In a ceremony attended virtually by both nations’ prime ministers (because nothing says “we’re serious about this relationship” quite like a video call), Premier Pak Thae Song declared the bridge would lay “an eternal foundation” for partnership between the countries. An “eternal foundation” seems like a heavy burden for a simple road bridge, but perhaps engineering standards are different north of the 38th parallel.
The KCNA helpfully explained that the bridge will “vitalize bilateral cooperation” in areas including “travel of persons, tourism and circulation of commodities.” One imagines the tourism brochures: “Visit scenic North Korea! Marvel at our statues! Enjoy strictly supervised walks through pre-approved areas!”
As military cooperation deepens between these two nations, this transportation link arrives with convenient timing. After all, sending troops to support your friend’s war effort is much easier when you don’t have to worry about river crossings. The “many-sided” cooperation mentioned likely doesn’t include concepts like press freedom or competitive elections, but nobody’s perfect.
With construction now underway, the world watches as two authoritarian regimes build bridges—both literal and metaphorical—while systematically burning bridges with much of the international community.
Note: This is an opinion column offering a wry perspective on North Korea — where actual facts meet playful commentary.
dailynk.com · by English Language Editor · May 7, 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
| 
