|
Quotes of the Day:
"Not to be absolutely certain is one of the essential things in rationality.
– Friedrich Nietzsche
"Never fear to keep the company of a strong woman; one day, she might be your only army."
– Che Guevara
"For the record, prejudices can kill and suspicion can destroy, and a thoughtless, frightened search for a scapegoat, has a fall out all its own – for the children, and the children yet unborn. And the pity of it is that these things cannot be confined to The Twilight Zone."
– Rod Serling
1. North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles, possibly for export testing
2. Korea alliance must be seen holistically: Maxwell
3. Top military officer calls for 'overwhelming' readiness against N. Korea after missile launches
4. Seoul, Washington, Tokyo condemn N. Korea's ballistic missile launch
5. Will Hegseth's order to reduce generals affect USFK?
6. Signs suggest Beijing's uneasy over growing Pyongyang-Moscow ties
7. 2nd meeting between Kim, Han on candidacy merger ends without agreement
8. Han-Kim disagreement threatens to derail conservatives' strategy to win election
9. DP's Lee steps up push for pro-business, economic agenda as legal risks ease
10. Editorial: Political power should not override judicial independence
11. Kim's tank tour: Military theater or real modernization?
12. Empty wallets: North Korean farmers struggle as loan sources dry up
13. Two faces of Pyongyang: Trendy restaurants and hungry beggars highlight growing divide
14. US accuses Russia of obstructing North Korea sanctions enforcement at UNSC
15. S. Korean envoy berates N. Korea for 'brazenly' accelerating illicit activities
1. North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles, possibly for export testing
Not only are these tests useful for advertising north Korean weapons, their use in Putin's War provides them with the ability to demonstrate their capabilities on the battlefield.
North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles, possibly for export testing
Stars and Stripes · by David Choi · May 7, 2025
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervises a cruise missile test in this image issued by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Feb. 26, 2025. (KCNA)
North Korea fired an unspecified number of short-range ballistic missiles off its eastern coast Thursday morning, possibly to test their capabilities ahead of potential exports, according to the South’s military.
The missiles were launched from Wonsan, a city about 90 miles east of Pyongyang, between 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m., the Ministry of National Defense told reporters via text message. They flew roughly 500 miles before splashing into the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.
U.S., South Korean and Japanese intelligence agencies are analyzing the launches and have shared data on the missiles’ specifications, the ministry said. North Korea’s launch preparations had been detected in advance, it added.
“We strongly condemn North Korea’s missile launch as a clear provocation that seriously threatens the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” the ministry said.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the weapons posed no immediate threat to the United States or its allies.
Washington’s “commitments to the defense of [South Korea] and Japan remain ironclad,” a command statement said. “The United States condemns these actions and calls on [North Korea] to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts.”
The episode marks North Korea’s first ballistic missile testing since March 10, when it fired several missiles off its western coast during the start of Freedom Shield, an annual joint military exercise involving the U.S. and South Korea.
The launches may have been conducted to verify missile performance before possible overseas exports, South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Lee Sung Joon said at a news conference in Seoul. He did not say where the missiles might be sent.
The United States and South Korean intelligence agencies accuse the North of supplying lethal aid to Russia during its three-year invasion of Ukraine. This includes troops, long-range artillery systems, artillery shells, and short-range ballistic missiles.
Washington and Seoul also suspect Pyongyang of exporting ballistic missile components and technology to other countries, including Pakistan, Syria and Iran, in the 1980s and 1990s.
North Korea made several displays of military prowess in the weeks leading up to its latest missile barrage.
On Wednesday, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, had ordered munitions factories to boost artillery shell production and that the regime was producing them four times its annual rate.
Kim also showcased a new, 5,000-ton destroyer during an April 25 launch ceremony at the Nampo shipping port on the country’s western coast, KCNA reported at the time. The destroyer is the largest warship produced by the North and could be armed with cruise and ballistic missiles, KCNA added.
Stars and Stripes reporter Yoojin Lee contributed to this report.
David Choi
David Choi
David Choi is based in South Korea and reports on the U.S. military and foreign policy. He served in the U.S. Army and California Army National Guard. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Stars and Stripes · by David Choi · May 7, 2025
2. Korea alliance must be seen holistically: Maxwell
Korea alliance must be seen holistically: Maxwell
Button Label
Listen
textScalePopoverWrapper open
print
open image gallery
David Maxwell, vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy and senior fellow of the Global Peace Foundation, speaks about ROK-U.S. alliance and unified Korea issues on the sidelines of the 2025 Capitol Forum held Saturday in Washington, D.C. / Courtesy of organizers
By Kim Ji-soo
- Published May 8, 2025 4:07 pm KST
- Updated May 8, 2025 6:14 pm KST
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20250508/korea-alliance-must-be-seen-holistically-maxwell
Retired colonel and military veteran says Korean democracy is robust
When he visited Seoul last December, following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief martial law declaration, David Maxwell, vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy, observed how different the street protests were.
"In the 1980s, we would come down from the DMZ once a month and Seoul would smell like tear gas. ... But there is no political violence, almost no violence at all," said Maxwell, who is also a senior fellow at the Global Peace Foundation.
"It looked like Independence Day ... and regardless of your political views, Koreans are protecting their democracy," said Maxwell, adding that this is one of the reasons why the U.S. continues to express support for democracy and the alliance.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 2025 Capitol Forum held on Saturday, Maxwell stressed that South Korea, like other allies, must see that the United States thinks about alliances holistically.
"Allies need to do that too," he said.
Maxwell, a military veteran who served in South Korea, said the country is "a partner in the arsenal of democracy, providing advanced weaponry to friends, partners and allies around the world ... and is also a contributor as a global pivotal state.
"I am hoping that the administration will recognize that because Korea is really a key to U.S. success against China."
On the heightened concern about defense-sharing costs rising in Seoul, he said that South Korea must separate political rhetoric from what the agreement calls for.
"We have to really look at the value of our alliance and see to understand that South Korea owns the burden of its defense and it is in the U.S. national interest," he said.
During the forum, he stressed the need for a better strategy toward North Korea, in contrast to the first summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the first Trump administration.
"While it rests on deterrence and defense, it also rests on three new pillars: a human rights upfront approach, a sophisticated information campaign that is focused on achieving a free and unified Korea and (that) the U.S. should help the Korean people, all the Korean people to achieve a free and unified Korea."
"The path to unification is through human rights," he said, a sentiment he reiterated many times in an interview.
He listed four paths to unification — war, which should be avoided; regime collapse, which is dangerous and could lead to conflict; peaceful unification, the most difficult task; and regime change.
"The ideal path to achieve peaceful unification is through regime transformation, a change inside North Korea where new leadership emerges that wants to seek peaceful unification. ... And this is why human rights and information is so important because the Korean people in the North ... have to understand what their universal human rights are," he said.
Asked how a military veteran could uphold human rights and peaceful Korean unification, Maxwell referred to the Korean Armistice. "I think it is important to remember in Article 60 of the Armistice, the military commanders recognize there is no military solution to the division of the peninsula. It must be a political solution," Maxwell said.
3. Top military officer calls for 'overwhelming' readiness against N. Korea after missile launches
We would not expect him to say otherwise.
However, I wish all spokespeople and especially statesmen and political leaders would include in their statements that it is because of these launches that the Korean people in the north are suffering. Kim is abusing the human rights of the Korean people in the north by prioritizing resources over their welfare for the development of advanced military capabilities solely to support the regime.
With every statement condemning the regime's launches there should be a statement about human rights in north Korea.
Top military officer calls for 'overwhelming' readiness against N. Korea after missile launches | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · May 8, 2025
SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top military officer on Thursday called for maintaining "overwhelming" readiness against North Korean threats, hours after Pyongyang's launch of ballistic missiles into the East Sea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.
JCS Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo made the call as he visited the Air Force's 20th Fighter Wing in Seosan, about 98 kilometers southwest of Seoul, after the North fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles into the waters.
"While recognizing evolving enemy threats through the Russia-Ukraine war, (you) must maintain readiness to overwhelmingly punish any enemy provocation," Kim said as he was briefed on the unit's operations.
North Korea has deployed troops in support of Russia's war against Ukraine and is suspected to have received military technology assistance from Moscow in return, as well as gained experience in modern warfare.
Kim's visit also took place after the military recently conducted an inspection into the Air Force for possible lapses in its operational discipline following an accidental fighter jet bombing of a civilian town in March and a mistaken mid-air release of aircraft equipment last month.
The Air Force has blamed pilot error for both incidents, which have raised questions over the military branch's broader readiness posture.
This file photo, provided by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on April 29, 2025, shows JCS Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo (C) inspecting a military unit in an unspecified location. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · May 8, 2025
4. Seoul, Washington, Tokyo condemn N. Korea's ballistic missile launch
Again, the ROK and US governments should include a statement about human rights.
We must condemn the missile launches because they contribute to human rights abuses as well as pose a threat to the South, the region, and the US homeland (i.e., their ICBMs)
Seoul, Washington, Tokyo condemn N. Korea's ballistic missile launch
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/northkorea/20250508/seoul-washington-tokyo-condemn-north-koreas-ballistic-missile-launch
This photo shows a missile lauched by North Korea, released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, April 30. Yonhap
By Yonhap
- Published May 8, 2025 3:42 pm KST
Senior officials from South Korea, the United States and Japan jointly denounced North Korea's short-range ballistic missile launch on Thursday, agreeing to respond firmly to Pyongyang's provocations and threats through close trilateral collaboration.
Deputy envoy-level officials on North Korean nuclear issues from the three countries made the joint commitment during a phone call held shortly after North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles earlier in the day, the foreign ministry said.
Between 8:10 a.m. and 9:20 a.m., South Korea's military detected the launch of multiple short-range ballistic missiles of various types from the North's eastern coastal city of Wonsan, the fourth ballistic missile test by the country so far this year.
The South Korean military speculated that the launch may have been part of a performance test linked to North Korea's arms transactions with Russia.
The officials from the three countries shared their assessments of the launch and denounced it as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and a "serious threat" to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community.
The three countries will closely monitor the possibility of further provocations by North Korea and will maintain close coordination to firmly respond to Pyongyang's provocations and threats, based on trilateral security cooperation and the solid alliance between Seoul and Pyongyang, the foreign ministry said, quoting the officials.
5. Will Hegseth's order to reduce generals affect USFK?
Certainly as a subunified command of INDOPACOM the USFK commander could (and should in a normal situation) be a 3 star. And after OPCON transition with a Korean 4 Star in command of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command (CFC) (which is now the single action required for OPCON transition - the essence of OPCON transition now is for a ROK 4 Star to take command), the US Deputy Commander of the ROK/US CFC could be downgraded to a 3 star.
However, the US 4 star general in Korea wears two other "hats" that require a four star. First and the obvious one (only mentioned in passing below) is the commander of the UN Command. This must remain a 4 star command to command coalition forces (UN Member States). Second, the 4 star, as the senior US military officer in Korea, is the permanent member of the Military Committee (his counterpart of the Chairman of the ROK JCS) that provides strategic guidance and control of the ROK/US CFC. It should be obvious that if the US wants to maintain its 50% share of operational control of the ROK/US CFC (because the command belongs equally to the ROK and US - it is neither a US nor a Korean command) that he should be a 4 star.
So in effect there are four 4-star commands or positions in Korea. USFK could be downgraded to a 3 Star. The US Deputy Commander of the ROK/US CFC could be downgraded to a 3 star. But the UNC Commander must remain a 4 star and so should the senior US military officer in Korea. But here is where the math gets interesting. The US 4 star in Korea is truly an economy of force among general officers because he wears 4 hats. If you downgrade the USFK commander to 3 star as well the Deputy Commander of the ROK/US CFC you would actually have to add two 3 star generals to fill those positions. So there would need to be a net increase of 2 x 3 stars to support Korea. However, if you continue to sustain the current rank structure you get more bang for the buck with one 4 star general. (Perhaps General Brunson should receive the salaries of the other 3 general officer positions he replaces with his wearing of four hats).
Will Hegseth's order to reduce generals affect USFK?
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/others/20250508/will-us-defense-secretary-pete-hegseths-order-to-reduce-generals-affect-us-forces-korea
open image galleryU.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looks on, as U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks, in the Oval Office at the White House, in Washington, March 21. Reuters-Yonhap
By Yonhap
- Published May 8, 2025 8:20 am KST
- Updated May 8, 2025 8:29 am KST
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's push for a reduction of four-star military officers is raising a consequential question for the South Korea-U.S. alliance: Will it also affect the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK)?
On Monday, Hegseth issued a memo that ordered a minimum 20 percent reduction of four-star active-duty positions and of general officers in the National Guard, as well as an additional minimum 10 percent reduction in general and flag officers — with an aim to "optimize" and "streamline" the U.S. military leadership.
The memo has given rise to speculation that the Pentagon could consider a potential change in the USFK leadership as it seeks to focus primarily on countering evolving threats from China while hoping that regional allies will step up to cope with other challenges, including from North Korea.
Reuters has reported that the USFK commander post and the head of the U.S. Army Pacific might be among the four-star positions that Hegseth might look at.
Asked if the secretary's order for the reduction would affect the USFK, a U.S. defense official said the Pentagon has no announcements to make at this point.
"We will provide information at a future date when it becomes available," the official told Yonhap News Agency.
Currently, Gen. Xavier Brunson leads the 28,500-strong USFK, as well as the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) and the U.N. Command. All three institutions focus primarily on deterring North Korean threats and promoting stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Brunson visited the United States this week for a schedule that includes delivering a speech at the Army War College.
Despite it being seemingly a remote possibility, a removal of the four-star position in the USFK could trigger a major shift in the CFC leadership structure.
The CFC top echelon consists of a four-star U.S. general as its commander and a four-star South Korean general as its deputy. If the four-star U.S. position is gone, the deputy commander rank might have to change as well unless the U.S. relinquishes its commanding role.
An effort for the conditions-based transition of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea from the U.S. has been under way to have a South Korean general lead the allies' combined forces, but it remains unknown when the transfer will occur.
Even if the OPCON transition takes place, Seoul and Washington agreed in a memorandum during U.S. President Donald Trump's first administration in 2018 that a South Korean four-star general will lead the CFC with a "U.S. four-star general" being its deputy after the handover.
Wartime OPCON remains in U.S. hands, while South Korea retook peacetime OPCON in 1994. South Korea handed over operational control of its troops to the UNC during the 1950-53 Korean War. It was then transferred to the CFC when the CFC was launched in 1978.
Hegseth's push for the reduction came amid speculation that the OPCON transfer issue could emerge as a key alliance topic.
During an interview with Yonhap News Agency last year, Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby expressed his support for the swift OPCON handover.
"I would say I agree with the OPCON transfer. I think the more (South Korean forces) can operate autonomously and independently, the better," he said.
He went on to say, "The idea of South Korea assuming primary responsibility should happen as soon as possible, like now."
Patrick Cronin, the chair for Asia-Pacific security at the Washington-based Hudson Institute, said that keeping a "strong and operational" commander is a "shared vital interest" for the maintenance of peace.
"I think the Services will on balance wish to retain its four star level," he told Yonhap News Agency via email.
"However, it is not possible to separate the implications of government reforms, such as the reduction of general and flag officers, from the trajectory of alliance fortunes and dialogue over 'burden shifting' and 'fair trade,'" he said.
A security expert in Washington raised speculation that a change in the USFK leadership could be possible should Washington consider strengthening the role of the U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) to sharpen its focus on deterring China by elevating the three-star USFJ commander post to a four-star one.
6. Signs suggest Beijing's uneasy over growing Pyongyang-Moscow ties
So the question is how can we exploit this growing unease?
We know these relationships are built on fear, weakness, desperation, and envy. We need to use that to gain advantage.
Signs suggest Beijing's uneasy over growing Pyongyang-Moscow ties - Asia Times
A semi-public spat: Chinese authorities accused a North Korean IT specialist of stealing drone technology secrets
asiatimes.com · by Linggong Kong · May 7, 2025
Chinese authorities in the northeastern city of Shenyang reportedly arrested a North Korean IT specialist in late April, accusing him of stealing drone technology secrets.
The suspect, apparently linked to North Korea’s main missile development agency, was part of a wider network operating in China, according to the story, first reported by South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. In response, Pyongyang was said to have recalled IT personnel in China.
The story was later circulated by several Chinese online outlets. Given the tight censorship in China, this implies a degree of tacit editorial approval from Beijing – although some sites later deleted the story. In a response to Yonhap over the alleged incident, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson noted that North Korea and China were “friendly neighbors” that maintained “normal” personnel exchanges, without denying the details.
The incident suggests a rare semipublic spat between the two neighboring communist countries, contradicting the image of China and North Korea as “brothers in arms.”
As a scholar of Northeast Asian security, I see the arrest – which has gotten little attention in English-language media – as representative of a wider, more nuanced picture of the two countries’ current relations. There are signs that Beijing is growing frustrated with Pyongyang – not least over North Korea’s increasing closeness with Moscow. Such a development challenges China’s traditional role as North Korea’s primary patron.
In short, the arrest could be a symptom of worsening ties between the two countries.
Beijing’s dilemma over North Korea
North Korea has long been seen by Beijing as both a strategic security buffer and within the natural Chinese sphere of influence.
From China’s perspective, allowing a hostile force to gain control of the peninsula – and especially the north – could open the door to future military threats. This fear partly explained why China intervened during the Korean War of 1950-1953.
Beyond security, North Korea also serves as an ideological ally. Both countries are run by communist parties, although the Chinese Communist Party operates a Leninist party-state system with a partial embrace of market capitalism while the Workers’ Party of Korea runs a rigid socialist state characterized by a strong personality cult.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands during Kim’s visit to China in March 2018. Photo: Xinhua
Even today, Chinese state media continue to highlight the bonds of “comradeship” with Pyongyang.
However, Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions have long troubled Beijing. North Korea has conducted multiple nuclear tests since 2006 and is now believed to possess nuclear weapons capable of targeting South Korea, Japan and US bases in the region.
China supports a denuclearized and stable Korean peninsula – both for regional peace and for economic growth. Like the US, Japan and South Korea, China opposes nuclear proliferation. It fears North Korea’s periodic tests could provoke US military action or trigger an arms race in the region.
Meanwhile, Washington and its allies continue to pressure Beijing to do more to rein in a neighbor often viewed as a vassal state of China.
Given China’s economic ties with the US and with Washington’s East Asian allies – mainly South Korea and Japan – it has every reason to avoid further instability from Pyongyang.
Yet to North Korea’s isolationist rulers, nuclear weapons are vital for the regime’s survival and independence. What’s more, nuclear weapons can also limit Beijing’s influence.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un worries that without nuclear leverage, China could try to interfere in the internal affairs of his country. After the death if Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011, Beijing was thought to favor Kim Jong Un’s elder half-brother Kim Jong Nam as successor — possibly prompting Kim Jong Un to have him assassinated in 2017.
But despite ongoing tensions over the nuclear issue, China has continued to support the North Korean regime for strategic reasons.
For decades, China has been Pyongyang’s top trading partner, providing crucial economic aid. In 2023, China accounted for about 98% of North Korea’s official trade and continued to supply food and fuel to keep the regime afloat.
Pyongyang pals up with Putin
Yet over the past few years, more of North Korea’s imports, notably oil, have come from another source: Russia.
North Korea and Russia had been close allies during the Cold War, but ties cooled after the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s.
More recently, a shared hostility toward the US and the West in general has brought the two nations closer.
Moscow’s international isolation following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and its deteriorating ties with South Korea in particular have pushed it toward Pyongyang. North Korea has reportedly supplied large quantities of ammunition to Russia, becoming a critical munitions supplier in the Ukraine war.
Though both governments deny the arms trade – banned under United Nations sanctions – North Korea is thought to have received fuel, food and access to Russian military and space technology in return. On March 8, 2025, North Korea unveiled a nuclear-powered submarine that experts believe may involve Russian technological assistance.
By 2024, Russian forces were using around 10,000 shells per day in Ukraine, with half sourced from North Korea. Some front-line units were reportedly using North Korean ammunition for up to 60% of their firepower.
Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin. Photo: Wikipedia
High-level visits have also increased. In July 2023, Russia’s defense minister, Andrey Belousov, visited Pyongyang for the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice, followed by Kim Jong Un’s visit to Russia in September for a summit with President Vladimir Putin.
In June 2024, Putin visited Pyongyang, where the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement, including a pledge that each would come to the other’s aid if attacked.
Soon after, North Korea began sending troops to support Russia. Intelligence from the U.S., South Korea and Ukraine indicates that Pyongyang deployed 10,000 to 12,000 soldiers in late 2023, marking its first involvement in a major conflict since the Korean War. Russia reportedly pays at least US$2,000 per month plus a bonus. For Pyongyang, this move provides not only financial gain but also combat experience, useful in case war ever reignites on the Korean Peninsula.
Why China is worried
China, too, has remained on friendly terms with Russia since the war in Ukraine began. So why would it feel uneasy about the growing closeness between Pyongyang and Moscow?
For starters, China views Pyongyang’s outreach to Moscow as a challenge to its traditional role as North Korea’s main patron. While still dependent on Chinese aid, North Korea appears to be seeking greater autonomy.
The strengthening of Russia-North Korea ties also fuels Western fears of an “axis of upheaval” involving all three countries.
Unlike North Korea’s confrontational stance toward the West and its neighbor to the south, Beijing has offered limited support to Moscow during the Ukraine war and is cautious not to appear part of a trilateral alliance.
Sign up for one of our free newsletters
Behind this strategy is a desire on behalf of China to maintain stable relations with the US, Europe and key Asian neighbors like Japan and South Korea. Doing so may be the best way for Beijing to protect its economic and diplomatic interests.
China is also concerned that with Russian support in nuclear and missile technologies, Pyongyang may act more provocatively — through renewed nuclear tests or military clashes with South Korea. And this would only destabilize the region and strain China’s ties with the West.
A defiant and provocative Pyongyang
The timing of the alleged spy drama may offer further clues regarding the state of relations.
It came just a day after North Korea officially confirmed it had deployed troops to aid the Russian war effort. It also announced plans to erect a monument in Pyongyang honoring its soldiers who died in the Ukraine war.
The last spy case like this was in June 2016 when Chinese authorities arrested a North Korean citizen in the border city of Dandong. It reportedly followed Pyongyang informing China that it would permanently pursue its nuclear weapons program.
The China-North Korea relationship deteriorated further when North Korea successfully tested a hydrogen bomb in September 2016, prompting Beijing to back UN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang.
Again, this time North Korea shows little sign of bending to China’s will. On April 30, Kim oversaw missile launches from North Korea’s first 5,000-ton destroyer, touted as its most heavily armed warship.
None of which will help ease Beijing’s concerns. While China still sees Pyongyang as a critical buffer against US influence in Northeast Asia, an increasingly provocative North Korea, fueled by a growing relationship with Russia, is starting to look less like a strategic asset — and more like a liability.
Linggong Kong is a PhD candidate in political science at Auburn University.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Thank you for registering!
An account was already registered with this email. Please check your inbox for an authentication link.
asiatimes.com · by Linggong Kong · May 7, 2025
7. 2nd meeting between Kim, Han on candidacy merger ends without agreement
Does not bode well.
(2nd LD) 2nd meeting between Kim, Han on candidacy merger ends without agreement | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Yi Wonju · May 8, 2025
(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES as meeting ends in paras 1-8, 10)
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- The second meeting between People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Thursday ended without an agreement on whether to unify their candidacies, dampening expectations about a unified candidate for the conservative party ahead of the June 3 presidential election.
The televised one-hour meeting came a day after Kim and Han failed to reach an agreement as the conservative party struggles to field a unified candidacy against Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung in the upcoming election.
Kim has been on a collision course with the party's leadership, which is pressing Kim to merge campaigns with Han.
"If we fail to achieve unification properly, it could be the end for both of us, to put it bluntly," Han said as the two sides met at the National Assembly.
Han noted that Kim had mentioned unifying his candidacy 22 times during the PPP primary process from April 19 to May 6, urging his consistent stance on merging their candidacies.
Kim dismissed Han's concerns, saying he is open to unifying their candidacies.
"I am always thinking about the unification, I am still considering it, and I have never once said I would not seek unification," Kim said.
Kim also criticized Han for "showing up at the last minute and demanding accountability" from someone who "has gone through the entire PPP primary process and paid the required fees."
Earlier in the day, Kim demanded the PPP's leadership stop forcing him to unify candidacies with Han because he is the party's "legitimate" nominee, while Han urged Kim to "keep his promise" on unifying the conservative candidates.
Kim also proposed that he and Han each campaign for a week, before holding a televised debate and public opinion polls to decide on the candidacy next week.
With internal strife between Kim and the PPP's leadership escalating, Kim told an KBS TV that he filed an injunction with the Seoul Southern District Court to prevent the party leadership from replacing him with another candidate.
Kim, a former labor minister, was nominated by the PPP as its presidential candidate last week. Han also declared his presidential bid but said he will not register for the presidential race if there is no agreement with the PPP on unifying candidacies.
May 11 is the deadline for candidate registration with the National Election Commission.
Kim Moon-soo (R), presidential candidate of the People Power Party, and Han Duck-soo, an independent preliminary presidential candidate, meet for the second straight day at the National Assembly in Seoul on May 8, 2025, to discuss a possible unification of their candidacies ahead of the June 3 presidential election. (Yonhap)
Kim Moon-soo (C), presidential candidate of the People Power Party, walks through the crowd to meet Han Duck-soo, an independent preliminary presidential candidate, at the National Assembly in Seoul on May 8, 2025, to discuss a possible unification of their candidacies ahead of the June 3 presidential election. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Yi Wonju · May 8, 2025
8. Han-Kim disagreement threatens to derail conservatives' strategy to win election
(News Focus) Han-Kim disagreement threatens to derail conservatives' strategy to win election | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · May 8, 2025
By Lee Haye-ah
SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- A growing dispute between Han Duck-soo and Kim Moon-soo -- the two leading presidential contenders of the conservative camp -- is casting a cloud over conservatives' strategy to win the June 3 presidential election through a broad coalition challenging liberal front-runner Lee Jae-myung.
Under the so-called big tent strategy, the aim is to merge the campaigns of independent candidate Han and conservative People Power Party (PPP) candidate Kim before expanding the coalition to include former PPP leader Lee Jun-seok, now the presidential candidate of the minor New Reform Party, and even former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, who is aligned with the liberal Democratic Party but against its candidate Lee Jae-myung.
Kim Moon-soo (L), presidential candidate of the People Power Party, and Han Duck-soo, an independent preliminary presidential candidate, meet at a restaurant in Seoul on May 7, 2025, to discuss a possible unification of their candidacies ahead of the June 3 presidential election. The talks ended without an agreement. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
The plan has hit a snag, however, as Han and Kim wrangle over the details of their merger, with three days left until the May 11 deadline for official candidate registration with the National Election Commission.
Han has insisted the merger should be completed by May 11 so that either one of them can run on the PPP's ticket without splitting the conservative vote. He has even pledged not to register his candidacy with the commission if the merger fails.
Kim, on the other hand, has called for waiting until next week, saying they should first hold a televised debate on Wednesday and conduct an opinion survey from next Thursday to Friday to determine who is better suited to run on the PPP ticket.
While a meeting between the two ended without an agreement Wednesday, with another one scheduled for Thursday, the PPP has been piling pressure on its candidate to uphold his previous promises to swiftly seek a merger with Han.
During a party leadership meeting Thursday, Rep. Kim Sang-hoon, the PPP's chief policymaker, highlighted the problems of merging campaigns next week.
"That would not be merging for No. 2," he said, referring to the ballot number that would be assigned to the PPP's candidate, given the party has the second-most seats in parliament.
"Even if candidate Han were to win as a result of the merger process, we would not be able to execute the party's campaign funds worth billions of won," he added, referring to the funds reimbursed by the National Election Commission.
Kim's point was that if the merger comes after candidate registration on May 11, and Kim signs up as the PPP candidate, Han would not be able to run as No. 2 or receive campaign funds even if he later emerged as the party's single unified candidate.
Despite Kim's protests, the PPP has vowed to go ahead with public opinion surveys on the favored unified candidate this Thursday and Friday. Should Kim refuse to abide by the May 11 deadline, it has floated the idea of replacing the candidate through a national convention.
Political pundits expressed concern the growing feud will only end up hurting the party.
"Even if Kim and Han were to dramatically reach an agreement, that would not completely solve the problem," Mok Yo -sang, a standing adviser for the PPP, told Yonhap News Agency. "By stirring up trouble, they won't be able to move the people."
Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University, questioned the feasibility of a "big tent."
"Right now, it looks like they won't even be able to build a 'small tent,'" he said. "Han has no ambition to grab power, while Kim has no urgency to merge because he can pursue the alternative of becoming party leader."
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Haye-ah · May 8, 2025
9. DP's Lee steps up push for pro-business, economic agenda as legal risks ease
Above the law?
(LEAD) DP's Lee steps up push for pro-business, economic agenda as legal risks ease | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · May 8, 2025
(ATTN: ADDS Lee's comments on Trump tariffs in last 4 paras)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung on Thursday stepped up a push to promote his pro-business and economic policies ahead of the June 3 election, capitalizing on eased legal risks following the postponement of his retrial over election law violations.
Lee attended a meeting with the heads of South Korea's major business lobbies, including the Federation of Korean Industries and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in his first public schedule after the Seoul High Court postponed the first retrial hearing by one month.
On Wednesday, the appeals court postponed Lee's hearing from May 15 to June 18, giving him a breather as he faces the prospect of his not-guilty verdict being overturned in a controversial land development case dating back to his time as a provincial mayor.
The sentence, if finalized, would bar Lee from running in the election.
With the hearing postponed, Lee shifted his campaign focus to business and the economy, a move seen as an effort to cement his growing dominance in the election.
Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung (R) listens to Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Chey Tae-won speak during a meeting with South Korea's five major business lobbies at the KCCI building in Seoul on May 8, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
"The most important task ahead is to improve people's livelihoods, and reviving the economy is at the heart of this," Lee said at the meeting. "And at the center of the economic recovery are businesses.
"If you present a path for growth and development, I will actively embrace it and work to turn it into better policies and put them into action," he said.
Lee's emphasis on business is seen as an effort to woo the middle-of-the-road and conservative voters.
In March, Lee met with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, followed by consecutive meetings with the heads of the think tanks affiliated with South Korea's top four conglomerates -- Samsung, Hyundai, SK and LG -- emphasizing his focus on the business community to make the country better.
Such moves in Lee's campaign mark a shift from his previous approach, which placed less priority on business-related issues.
Later in the day, Lee was to meet with some 500 officials from workers' associations representing various occupations, from doctors, nurses and small business owners to taxi drivers.
"Starting with the meeting with business lobbies, we plan to unveil our full visions for the economy and people's livelihoods," said Yun Ho-jung, chief of Lee's campaign team.
Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung delivers a speech during a meeting with local small- to mid-sized businesses in Seoul on May 8, 2025. (Yonhap)
Meanwhile, Lee met with business YouTubers and emphasized the need "not to rush" negotiations with the Donald Trump administration over its sweeping tariff scheme.
"Before we play our hand, we need to see what U.S. President Trump's real card is," Lee said. "Raising tariffs is not its end goal. Rather, it is using tariffs as a bargaining chip to achieve something else. We won't know what that is until negotiations begin."
Lee added that South Korea needs to reach "a deal" with the United States, and local business leaders have called for a joint response by the government and private sector to the tariff issue.
Consultations are under way between Seoul and Washington about the new tariff scheme, as the two nations agreed last month to seek a package agreement on trade and other related issues before July 8, when Trump's 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs ends.
elly@yna.co.kr
graceoh@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · May 8, 2025
10. Editorial: Political power should not override judicial independence
Editorial: Political power should not override judicial independence
https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2025/05/08/CT6TW3TFO5EQ7BEOA4J5I7EXYI/
By The Chosunilbo
Published 2025.05.08. 09:08
People Power Party lawmakers protest outside a parliamentary committee room at the National Assembly in Seoul on May 7, opposing the Democratic Party’s push to pass amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act and the Public Official Election Act. /News1
The Seoul High Court has postponed the first retrial hearing for Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung’s election law violation case from May 15 to June 18, after the presidential election. The court said the delay was to ensure equal campaign opportunities and eliminate concerns over judicial fairness, but few will find this explanation convincing. The day after the Supreme Court sent the case back for retrial, the high court set the trial date for May 15 and issued a summons to Lee. Now, the same court has abruptly postponed the hearing, likely due to pressure from the Democratic Party. A separate trial tied to the Daejang-dong scandal has also been pushed back to June 24.
The Democratic Party had demanded that all of Lee’s court dates be moved to after the election, warning that if the courts refused, they could seek the impeachment of Chief Justice Jo Hee-de and the judge handling the retrial. While the law requires a final ruling on election law violations within a year, Lee’s case has dragged on for two years and seven months since his indictment in September 2022. A case that should have long been resolved is now being delayed again under political pressure. Lee, who previously dismissed the Supreme Court’s ruling as a “brief hiccup,” welcomed the latest delay, calling it “a reasonable decision based on constitutional principles” and said he still “trusts the judiciary.”
On the same day, the Democratic Party also passed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act and Public Official Election Act Law through committee, which would suspend criminal trials if a defendant is elected president and revise provisions on publication of false information. The bills are intended to prevent any challenges to the legitimacy of Lee Jae-myung’s presidency in the event of a conviction after the election. If enacted, even those charged with serious crimes such as murder or bribery could have their trials suspended simply by being elected. The Ministry of Justice warned that “the presidency could become a refuge for criminals,” a concern that is entirely reasonable.
Despite the trial postponement, the Democratic Party went ahead and approved a plan to hold a hearing on May 14 targeting the Chief Justice and all 12 Supreme Court justices. They are not only threatening impeachment over unfavorable rulings but also aiming to publicly shame the Chief Justice and the justices through the hearing.
Even before the presidential election concludes, a leading candidate and the legislative majority are already putting pressure on the judiciary, which seems to be yielding. To further secure Lee’s position, new laws are being rushed through to eliminate any potential legal obstacles. Shocking and chaotic events are unfolding.
11. Kim's tank tour: Military theater or real modernization?
There is no better theater than a menacing tank. It makes Kim look tough.
Kim's tank tour: Military theater or real modernization? - Daily NK English
Perhaps the true "second revolution in armoured force" is not in the tanks themselves but in the elaborate performance art of making decades-old technology seem cutting-edge
By English Language Editor - May 8, 2025
dailynk.com · by English Language Editor · May 8, 2025
North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un touches tank armour as he tours a military equipment facility at an unspecified location in North Korea, in this image released May 4, 2025 by the Korean Central News Agency.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s recent inspection of an “important” tank factory showcases his ongoing military pageantry, with state media KCNA dutifully reporting his praise for “great progress in the core technology of Korean-style tanks.” During his visit, the Supreme Leader emphasized the critical importance of producing cutting-edge tanks for modernizing the army and achieving what he termed “the second revolution in armoured force.” The carefully staged inspection follows the familiar pattern of leadership visits to military facilities, designed to project strength and technological advancement.
This tank factory tour represents just one scene in Kim’s broader military modernization campaign, alongside recent highly publicized appearances at a naval destroyer launch and drone tests. These orchestrated photo opportunities serve both domestic and international audiences: reinforcing Kim’s image as military commander internally while signaling capabilities to foreign observers. The timing of these displays typically correlates with international tensions, forming part of North Korea’s established pattern of military demonstrations during periods of heightened regional focus.
Meanwhile, South Korean and U.S. intelligence sources suspect North Korea is receiving technical and military assistance from Russia in exchange for ammunition and troops for the Ukraine war. When confronted with these allegations, North Korean officials defend their “self-reliance” doctrine despite mounting evidence suggesting international cooperation. The alleged partnership represents a pragmatic arrangement between two internationally isolated regimes, potentially allowing North Korea to accelerate military modernization efforts despite sanctions. Whether these “Korean-style tanks” represent genuine technological advancement or merely incremental improvements to existing designs remains uncertain, but they clearly form a central element in North Korea’s military posturing and national security strategy.
One can’t help but wonder about the reality behind these meticulously choreographed tank inspections, where generals nod earnestly as Kim points at various components. Perhaps the true “second revolution in armoured force” is not in the tanks themselves but in the elaborate performance art of making decades-old technology seem cutting-edge through the magic of propaganda. While state media breathlessly reports on these “important” inspections, the average North Korean citizen might reasonably wonder whether these vaunted tanks will ever defend the nation or simply roll through Pyongyang’s squares during parades, impressive metal props in the ongoing theatrical production that is North Korean military might.
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 8, 2025
12. Empty wallets: North Korean farmers struggle as loan sources dry up
Is there a tipping point for farmers?
But who says there is no capitalism in north Korea? Of course Kim is doing his best to make it fail.
Excerpts:
“In cases where donju have provided even minimal funding, it’s only because officials have proven their reliability over several years,” the source explained. “They refuse to lend any money to newly appointed officials with whom they haven’t established trust.”
Farmers blame the government for this predicament.
“Farmers hold the state responsible for this situation,” the source said. “They complain that even when they follow the party’s directive to be ‘self-reliant’ by doing whatever they can to secure what they lack, the state doesn’t support them, making self-reliance impossible.”
Empty wallets: North Korean farmers struggle as loan sources dry up - Daily NK English
Wealthy North Koreans who traditionally funded agricultural loans now hesitate to invest due to frequent turnover of farm officials causing financial losses
By Seon Hwa - May 8, 2025
dailynk.com · by Seon Hwa · May 8, 2025
North Korean farmers conducting the fall harvest in Sariwon, North Hwanghae Province, in 2019. (Rodong Sinmun)
North Korean agricultural officials are scrambling to secure funding for farming supplies as the growing season gets into full swing. However, wealthy North Koreans who traditionally provided loans for agricultural supplies have become reluctant to open their wallets due to the recent frequent turnover of farm officials.
According to a Daily NK source in North Pyongan province recently, farms are trying to arrange “pre-transactions” – a system where farm officials borrow money in spring for essential agricultural supplies like fertilizer, seeds, and fuel, then repay the loans in autumn with a portion of the harvest. This year, however, these deals have become increasingly difficult to finalize.
Wealthy North Koreans – known as “donju” – have historically provided most agricultural loans, but the recent pattern of farm officials being replaced has led to financial losses, making donju hesitant to invest.
“In the past, money lenders would make deals with work team leaders or sub-work team heads, but this year, people are avoiding lending to farms,” the source explained. “To make a deal, you need basic confidence that farm officials will remain in their positions until autumn, but with officials frequently facing punishment, nobody is willing to take the risk.”
Earlier this year, North Korean authorities intensified inspections and crackdowns on farm officials after publicly condemning corruption within the agricultural inspection agency of Usi county in Jagang province – a case they labeled a “mega-crime.” Since then, many farm officials have been replaced, causing donju who previously financed agricultural supplies to withhold funding.
Lower-ranking farm officials tasked with securing loans for necessary agricultural supplies and special food to boost farmer morale have attempted to persuade donju with whom they previously conducted pre-transactions, but these efforts have proven largely unsuccessful.
Farm officials and donju typically formalize pre-transactions by documenting the loan amount and dates, as well as the type and quantity of grain to be repaid after harvest. However, since these agreements lack legal enforcement, donju essentially provide loans based solely on trust.
“If donju lend money based on a work team or sub-work team leader’s promise to repay with food at harvest, and that official is later fired or punished, the lender has no recourse,” the source said. “The state has put officials in a precarious position, so nobody wants to lend them money.”
There’s little appetite for financing agricultural supplies as North Korean authorities continue disciplining farm officials, the source added. Even when donju do provide loans to farm officials, they limit the amounts as much as possible.
“In cases where donju have provided even minimal funding, it’s only because officials have proven their reliability over several years,” the source explained. “They refuse to lend any money to newly appointed officials with whom they haven’t established trust.”
Farmers blame the government for this predicament.
“Farmers hold the state responsible for this situation,” the source said. “They complain that even when they follow the party’s directive to be ‘self-reliant’ by doing whatever they can to secure what they lack, the state doesn’t support them, making self-reliance impossible.”
Read in Korean
dailynk.com · by Seon Hwa · May 8, 2025
13. Two faces of Pyongyang: Trendy restaurants and hungry beggars highlight growing divide
How can this be?
I thought the Socialist Workers paradise would ensure tidal equality for all. This could be any city around the world.
The only surprising thing is that the "beggars" have not been swept off the street by the security services.
Two faces of Pyongyang: Trendy restaurants and hungry beggars highlight growing divide - Daily NK English
"Wherever rich people congregate at restaurants flaunting elegance and luxury, homeless children and elderly have started to appear, asking for assistance," a source told Daily NK
By Jeong Seo-yeong - May 8, 2025
dailynk.com · by Jeong Seo-yeong · May 8, 2025
FILE PHOTO: A privately-run restaurant on the first floor of an apartment building in Pyongyang can be seen in this August 2018 photo. (Daily NK)
Homeless beggars have recently begun appearing in greater numbers around Pyongyang’s upscale restaurants.
A Daily NK source in Pyongyang reported recently that as children of North Korea’s elite and wealthy families gather at high-end restaurants downtown, homeless beggars now arrive simultaneously to ask for help.
According to the source, these upscale establishments in downtown Pyongyang are attracting customers by refreshing their menus with novel items previously only seen on foreign television programs.
The exclusive restaurants serve innovative dishes and offer even occasional patrons a chance to display their status, drawing more affluent North Koreans to dine there.
Particularly popular among young diners are “trendy” offerings like fried rice, which have replaced traditional staples such as soybean paste soup with rice.
Young people also favor boxed lunches containing rice mixed with peas and soy-sauce marinated meat sold near Pyongyang Station and in Mangyongdae district, or the fried fish and grilled chicken wings available at “foreign currency restaurants” where customers pay with hard currency.
Some upscale establishments serve foreign desserts such as coconut milk or sweetened fruit slices. Word of mouth about these treats attracts crowds of young people from wealthy families, substantially boosting the restaurants’ revenues.
As the dining scene flourishes, homeless beggars have begun gathering near these restaurants—a development that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“Wherever rich people congregate at restaurants flaunting elegance and luxury, homeless children and elderly have started to appear, asking for assistance,” the source said.
Many beggars can be seen pleading with guests entering high-end and foreign currency restaurants: “I’m starving, and leftovers would be fine—please wrap what you don’t finish and give it to me when you leave,” or “Just one piece of meat, please.”
Despite regular crackdowns by Pyongyang police and enforcement teams, the beggars persist.
When ordinary Pyongyang residents observe officials and wealthy families at fancy restaurants alongside beggars requesting food, they comment: “Politics isn’t just ideology. Food is also politics.”
“When people see the wealthy showing off by eating new dishes that restaurants compete to create, while beggars ask them for help, they say, ‘Don’t just feed people ideology. People need food—feed them both food and ideas.'”
Read in Korean
dailynk.com · by Jeong Seo-yeong · May 8, 2025
14. US accuses Russia of obstructing North Korea sanctions enforcement at UNSC
It may seem like a waste of effort but we have to keep their complicity in the public eye and on the record.
US accuses Russia of obstructing North Korea sanctions enforcement at UNSC
Security Council meeting foregrounds continuing divisions over DPRK, one year after dissolution of Panel of Experts
https://www.nknews.org/2025/05/us-accuses-russia-of-obstructing-north-korea-sanctions-enforcement-at-unsc/
Jooheon Kim May 8, 2025
U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea and DPRK Ambassador Kim Song speak during a U.N. Security Council meeting. | Image: U.N. Web TV (May 7, 2025), edited by NK News
The U.S. and its allies excoriated North Korea on Wednesday over its continued development of nuclear weapons and deepening military cooperation with Russia in the Ukraine war, speaking at a U.N. Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Pyongyang’s sanctions violations.
But Moscow’s representative defended his country’s alliance with the DPRK and accused the West of harboring a “Cold War” mentality, betraying continuing UNSC division over the international sanctions regime.
Wednesday’s meeting was convened at the request of seven UNSC member states to review ongoing violations of the council’s resolutions, one year after the dissolution of the Panel of Experts monitoring DPRK sanctions due to Russia’s veto of its mandate.
As at other UNSC debates on North Korea in recent years, the emergency meeting failed to reach a consensus or adopt additional measures.
U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea said North Korea has supplied Russia with more than 24,000 containers of munitions and related materials, as well as over 100 ballistic missiles. She accused Moscow of cynically obstructing sanctions enforcement to deflect scrutiny over its own violations.
Beijing has also abetted Pyongyang sanctions evasion, according to Shea.
“The DPRK continues brazenly to violate the Council’s resolutions by exporting coal and iron ore to China, the proceeds of which directly fund its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs,” she said.
Referencing a report published on Wednesday by the U.K.-based Open Source Center, Shea said the U.S. will seek designations of ships facilitating smuggling between the DPRK and China and update the 1718 Sanctions Committee’s list of sanctioned vessels for the first time in seven years.
South Korea’s Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook emphasized the consequences of the Panel of Expert’s dissolution, stating that North Korea “has brazenly accelerated its illegal activities to support its nuclear and missile programs.”
He cited the country’s arms transfers, illegal exports and $1.5 billion in cyber theft, while criticizing North Korea and Russia’s military partnership as a global security threat.
Hwang also highlighted South Korean intelligence reports confirming the deployment of approximately 12,000 North Korean troops to Russia in Oct. 2024. After denying these reports for months, Pyongyang and Moscow officially acknowledged the deployment for the first time in late April.
South Korea is currently a rotating non-permanent member of the UNSC.
In response to the criticism, Russian U.N. Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya dismissed criticism of his country’s relationship with North Korea, stating that it was Moscow’s sovereign right.
He also blamed the West — particularly the U.S., South Korea and Japan — for escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific. The envoy claimed that the possible permanent deployment of 20 U.S. “nuclear-capable” F-35A fighter jets to Kunsan Air Base constitutes a grave threat, stating that the allies are pushing North Korea into a corner.
The “Cold War paradigm” entrenched in Western capitals must change for the UNSC to break its current “dangerous deadlock,” Nebenzya said.
North Korea’s Ambassador to the U.N. Kim Song also participated in Wednesday’s UNSC meeting since the DPRK was the topic of discussion.
North Korea’s representative defended his country’s right to strengthen deterrence in response to what he called the hostile military buildup by the U.S. and its allies. He condemned Washington’s deployment of strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula and claimed the Trump administration has continued the “hostile policy” of its predecessor.
Kim also accused the U.S. of double standards for labeling its own alliances as legitimate but the one between North Korea and Russia as illegal.
China’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador Geng Shuang also dismissed U.S. criticisms, claiming that Washington uses the North Korea issue as an excuse for military deployments that endanger other countries in the region.
Both Russia and China supported the last UNSC resolutions against the DPRK passed in 2017, which targeted funding and proliferation networks that support its weapons of mass destruction program.
But both countries have consistently opposed the U.S.-driven efforts to impose new sanctions and issue condemnatory statements against North Korea in recent years, instead pushing proposals to relax the sanctions regime.
Moscow and Beijing also previously proposed introducing sunset clauses to sanctions and reducing publications by the Panel of Experts from twice to once per year, with Russia moving to veto the extension of the Panel’s mandate when the U.S., U.K. and France balked.
Shreyas Reddy contributed reporting to this article. Edited by Bryan Betts
15. S. Korean envoy berates N. Korea for 'brazenly' accelerating illicit activities
Good. north Korea need to be berated. They should not get to do all the berating.
S. Korean envoy berates N. Korea for 'brazenly' accelerating illicit activities
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/northkorea/20250508/south-korean-envoy-berates-north-korea-for-brazenly-accelerating-illicit-activities-after-a-un-expert-panel-on-sanctions-disbanded
open image gallerySouth Korean Ambassador to the U.N. Hwang Joon-kook speaks during a U.N. Security Council session, in this undated photo captured from U.N. Web TV. Yonhap
By Yonhap
- Published May 8, 2025 10:14 am KST
South Korea's top envoy to the U.N. accused North Korea on Wednesday of having "brazenly" accelerated its illegal activities after a U.N. expert panel monitoring sanctions enforcement on the recalcitrant regime was disbanded a year ago.
Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook made the remarks during a U.N. Security Council (UNSC) meeting that was convened to take stock of what has happened since the U.N. panel of experts was disbanded in April last year following Russia's veto of a resolution for an annual extension of the panel's mandate.
"In the absence of the panel, North Korea has brazenly accelerated its illegal activities to support its nuclear and missile programs," Hwang said.
"These include illicit exports of coal and iron, arms transfers, recent cryptocurrency theft totaling $1.5 billion, the overseas dispatch of workers and even the deployment of troops abroad," he added.
In a swipe at Russia, Hwang said that Moscow is promoting the "false" narrative that sanctions on the North have been ineffective and should thus be revised.
"Yet, sanctions are only effective when fully and faithfully implemented," he said. "In particular, countries with substantial trade and economic ties to North Korea need to play a major role in enhancing the effectiveness of the sanctions."
He took issue with Russia's argument framing North Korea's denuclearization as a "closed" issue.
"(It) directly contradicts the decisions of this council, which unequivocally called for North Korea to immediately abandon all nuclear and missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner," he said.
Following the disbandment of the U.N. expert panel, South Korea, the United States and other countries established the multilateral sanctions monitoring team, also known as the MSMT, to keep monitoring the enforcement of UNSC sanctions against North Korea.
The council meeting took place at the request of seven council members, including South Korea and the U.S.
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
| 
