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Quotes of the Day:
"Truth exists, only lies are invented."
– Georges Braque
“Victory is not won by arms alone, but by the slow weaving of trust with those who fight beside you.”
– T.E. Lawrence, Seven Pillars of Wisdom
“Hatred is the most accessible and comprehensive of all the unifying agents. Mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a god, but never without a belief in a devil.”
– Eric Hoffer, The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements
1. Gov't orders ambassadors appointed by ex-President Yoon to return: sources
2. Seoul says no change in radioactive levels in sea over suspected N.K. nuclear waste discharge
3. N. Korea's delegation of elite military academy leaves for Russia amid deepening ties
4. Footage shows N.K. leader mourning soldiers believed killed in Russia
5. Hanwha Ocean to build next-gen icebreaking research vessel for polar missions
6. Lee calls for review of development plans for returned U.S. military sites in border region
7. N. Korea executes 23 defense workers in brutal crackdown
8. Smuggled, expired, and deadly: Inside N. Korea’s contraceptive underground
9. N. Korean street vendors vash in on early heat wave
10. South Korea’s Exports Rebound Despite Tariff Woes
11. For South Koreans,‘Squid Game’ Was More Than Just Entertainment
12. Editorial: South Korean government must weigh the true cost of OPCON transfer
13. 'Who was Kim Jong-un’s mother?': Journalist searches for answers in new book
14. S. Korea should tap arms makers for new security challenges: think tank
15. S. Korea at heart of Saudi Vision 2030’s smart city project: NMDC CEO
1. Gov't orders ambassadors appointed by ex-President Yoon to return: sources
We will be sorry to see Ambasador Cho leave DC.
Gov't orders ambassadors appointed by ex-President Yoon to return: sources | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · July 1, 2025
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- The government has ordered ambassadors to some nations, including the United States and Japan, appointed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, to step down, in line with customary practice, diplomatic sources said Tuesday.
The government issued the orders late last month to several top envoys, including Ambassador to the U.S. Cho Hyun-dong, Ambassador to Japan Park Cheol-hee, Ambassador to Russia Lee Do-hoon and Ambassador to the United Nations Hwang Joon-kook, according to sources.
Also included on the list are Ambassador to France Moon Seoung-hyun and Ambassador to Britain Yoon Yeo-cheol.
Ambassador to China Chung Jae-ho already returned earlier over alleged abuse of authority and other reasons.
Aside from Chung and Park, who come from academia, the envoys are either retired or current senior career diplomats appointed to their posts by Yoon.
A foreign ministry official said it is customary for a new administration to replace ambassadors to major countries upon taking office.
"It has been customary to conduct a reassessment of overseas envoys following the launch of a new administration," a ministry official said.
The move is seen as a swift step by the new Lee Jae Myung government, launched in June, to replace the ambassadors, based on the view that it is inappropriate for envoys appointed by the ousted president to remain in their posts. Yoon was impeached and removed from office over his failed attempt to impose martial law.
Given the time required for the diplomatic process of obtaining a host country's consent for the appointment of a new ambassador, a procedure known as "agrement," deputy ambassadors are expected to lead the embassies in an acting capacity.
This file photo shows the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in central Seoul on Oct. 29, 2021. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · July 1, 2025
2. Seoul says no change in radioactive levels in sea over suspected N.K. nuclear waste discharge
Seoul says no change in radioactive levels in sea over suspected N.K. nuclear waste discharge | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · July 1, 2025
SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry said Tuesday there has been no meaningful change in radioactive levels in the Yellow Sea following a news report over North Korea's suspected discharge of wastewater from its uranium refining facility in North Hwanghae Province.
Daily NK, a South Korean news outlet focusing on North Korea, reported in June that North Korea has been operating a uranium refining facility in Pyongsan County and begun directly dumping uranium waste into rivers flowing into South Korea.
Seoul's unification ministry said it has been closely monitoring North Korea's nuclear activity, including that from the uranium refining plant in Pyongsan, with relevant government agencies.
"In regard to relevant agencies' regular measuring of radioactive levels in the Yellow Sea, there has been no meaningful change," a ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
"But as the issue is directly related to our people's health and safety and the environment, the ministry is in close talks with other agencies over how to respond to it."
Recent satellite imagery indicates the construction of a suspected uranium enrichment plant at North Korea's main nuclear complex in Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang, Beyond Parallel, a U.S.-based monitoring program, said last month, in a possible sign of the North's efforts to boost its nuclear arsenal.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (in black suit) inspects the Nuclear Weapons Institute and the production base of weapons-grade nuclear materials, in this image provided by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on Sept. 13, 2024. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · July 1, 2025
3. N. Korea's delegation of elite military academy leaves for Russia amid deepening ties
Half the CRInK seems to keep getting stronger.
N. Korea's delegation of elite military academy leaves for Russia amid deepening ties | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · July 1, 2025
SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean delegation, led by the chief of the country's major military school, has left for Russia, Pyongyang's state media reported Tuesday, amid deepening military cooperation between the two nations.
Kim Kum-chol, president of Kim Il Sung Military University, departed Pyongyang the previous day to visit the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The KCNA did not disclose the purpose of the delegation's trip, but it appears to be aimed at boosting exchanges and cooperation between military education institutions between the North and Russia.
Kim's last known trip to Russia was in July 2024, after North Korea and Russia signed a mutual defense treaty the previous month amid deepening military cooperation.
Kim Il Sung Military University, named after the North's late founder, is a training institute for military officers. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is known to have taken courses at the school after returning to Pyongyang following study in Switzerland.
Kim, the president of the military school, was among North Korean individuals added to the United States' sanctions list in December last year in connection to North Korea's support for Russia's war against Ukraine.
This file photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on July 9, 2024, shows Kim Kum-chol (C), president of Kim Il Sung Military University, seen off by the North's military officials at the airport in Pyongyang the previous day before heading to Russia. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · July 1, 2025
4. Footage shows N.K. leader mourning soldiers believed killed in Russia
Real tears? Real emotion? Or is he only sad because every dead soldier shifts from the profit to the loss column?
Footage shows N.K. leader mourning soldiers believed killed in Russia | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · June 30, 2025
SEOUL, June 30 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's state media aired Monday images of its leader Kim Jong-un mourning over his soldiers believed to have been killed in Russia's war against Ukraine.
The images, released by Korean Central Television, showed Kim solemnly placing a North Korean flag over a coffin during a ceremony for the return of the remains of North Korean soldiers who were deployed and killed in Moscow's war against Kyiv.
Photos of Kim were shown in the background footage during a joint cultural event co-hosted by North Korea and Russia in Pyongyang on Sunday, marking the first anniversary of the signing of their "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty.
In the photos, Kim was accompanied by North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui.
This footage, released by North Korea's Korean Central Television on June 30, 2025, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un mourning over a coffin believed to belong to a North Korean soldier killed in Russia, which was aired during an artists' performance held a day earlier at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater in the North's capital. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
In one of the photos, Kim was shown placing both hands on the coffin, with his lips tightly pressed.
These images were broadcast after photos of North Korean soldiers were shown alongside Russian troops, and of a blood-stained notebook believed to belong to a North Korean soldier retrieved from the battleground in Russia's Kursk region.
In the notebook, a message read that "The decisive moment has finally come," and "Let us bravely fight this sacred battle with the boundless love and trust bestowed upon us by our beloved Supreme Commander," which refers to Kim, according to the broadcast.
The state media also repeatedly aired Russia's Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova, who was among those present at the event, wiping away her tears, as were several other people in the audience.
Attendees at the repatriation ceremony, including Kim, were seen wearing winter clothing, suggesting the event likely took place months ago and that the remains may have begun returning as early as last winter.
"North Korea probably wanted to frame the fallen soldiers not just as sacrifices but as part of a 'victory narrative,'" Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said.
"The footage appears to have been released after the two countries acknowledged the troop deployment and declared the Kursk operation a success," Hong said.
This footage, released by North Korea's Korean Central Television on June 30, 2025, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un mourning over a coffin believed to belong to a North Korean soldier killed in Russia, which was aired during an artists' performance held a day earlier at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater in the North's capital. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · June 30, 2025
5. Hanwha Ocean to build next-gen icebreaking research vessel for polar missions
It is time for a JAROKUS shipbuilding consortium. (Japan, ROK, US). We must not miss out on this.
Hanwha Ocean to build next-gen icebreaking research vessel for polar missions | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · July 1, 2025
SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- Hanwha Ocean Co. said Tuesday it has been selected as the preferred bidder to construct South Korea's next-generation icebreaking research vessel, which is expected to significantly enhance the country's polar exploration capabilities.
The shipbuilder was selected as the preferred bidder for the project led by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, which aims to develop an advanced research vessel capable of navigating extreme polar conditions.
The new icebreaker, scheduled for delivery by December 2029, will enter the design phase after the main contract is signed later this month. It will serve as a successor to the Araon, South Korea's first icebreaking research vessel launched in 2009, and is expected to support polar research in response to accelerating environmental changes and strengthened eco-friendly regulations.
At 16,560 tons, the new vessel will be more than twice the size of the Araon and will feature a dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) electric propulsion system, enabling it to break through ice up to 1.5 meters thick in both forward and reverse directions.
The vessel will also be capable of operating in temperatures as low as minus 45 C.
To ensure optimal research performance in extreme conditions, the ship will be equipped with premium onboard facilities, such as cabins, lounges and dining areas, offering comfort on par with luxury passenger vessels.
Hanwha Ocean began investing in polar-class shipbuilding technologies in 2008 and currently holds the world's largest track record in constructing icebreaking LNG carriers. The company has successfully built 21 such vessels, receiving 15 orders in 2014 and the other six in 2020.
"We will leverage the full capacity of our shipyard to deliver a cutting-edge solution for Korea's polar missions," a company official said.
This image, provided by Hanwha Ocean Co., shows a rendered image of the company's next-generation icebreaking research vessel. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
odissy@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · July 1, 2025
6. Lee calls for review of development plans for returned U.S. military sites in border region
Excerpt:
On the campaign trail, Lee pledged to designate the border region as a special economic zone for peace and expand government support for the development of returned U.S. military sites and the adjacent areas.
Lee calls for review of development plans for returned U.S. military sites in border region | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · July 1, 2025
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday instructed the defense ministry to explore ways to utilize former military bases returned by the U.S. Forces Korea in northern Gyeonggi Province, the presidential office said.
During a Cabinet meeting, Lee directed the ministry to proactively review options for repurposing the sites in the northern part of the province bordering North Korea, according to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.
Several U.S. military bases in the region, located just south of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, have been gradually relocated to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, approximately 70 kilometers south of Seoul.
Gyeonggi Province has been seeking ways to revitalize the returned sites to support local economic development, but many of the sites remain idle under the ministry's ownership, largely due to their remote locations and limited commercial viability.
On the campaign trail, Lee pledged to designate the border region as a special economic zone for peace and expand government support for the development of returned U.S. military sites and the adjacent areas.
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting held at the presidential office in Seoul on July 1, 2025. (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · July 1, 2025
7. N. Korea executes 23 defense workers in brutal crackdown
Indications of potential resistance?
We must never forget that the root of all problems in Korea is the existence of the most evil mafia- like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime that has the objective of dominating the Korean Peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State.
Excerpts:
The inspections uncovered a range of offenses: bringing in and sharing outside information, hoarding South Korean video storage devices, spreading rumors, falsifying production figures, embezzling supplies and bartering them for personal gain. One official was even punished merely for saying he didn’t trust the party’s defense-industry policy.
The revelations sent shockwaves through local communities and caused significant unrest inside the factories. Some workers tried to secure transfers by submitting medical certificates, while others simply walked off the job without permission.
N. Korea executes 23 defense workers in brutal crackdown
The crackdown stems directly from Kim Jong Un's directive issued in March and April to "thoroughly suppress anti-party and counterrevolutionary elements"
By Jeong Tae Joo - June 30, 2025
dailynk.com
N. Korea executes 23 defense workers in brutal crackdown - Daily NK English
“Comrade Kim Jong Un conducted on-the-spot guidance of a fissile material production site and nuclear weapon research institute,” the Rodong Sinmun reported on Jan. 29, noting that Kim had been accompanied by Hong Sung Mu, senior vice director of the Munitions Industry Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea. (Rodong Sinmun, News 1)
North Korea’s state security department has taken an ultra-hardline stance against “counterrevolutionary acts” at munitions factories in Jagang province earlier this year.
Families of security officers at munitions factories circulated a report titled “Handling of Counterrevolutionary Elements in the Defense-Industry Sector in the Province during the First Half of 2025,” according to a Daily NK source in Jangang province recently.
The report, which the province’s State Security Bureau had submitted to the Ministry of State Security on June 20, sent shockwaves throughout the region.
The report shows that in the first half of this year, 23 workers at munitions factories in Kanggye, Songgan county, Huichon and Manpo were executed, sent to political prison camps or given life sentences. In some cases, family members were also punished under collective responsibility and expelled from their homes.
The report includes detailed accounts of each case, personal information about those punished and the specific laws under which they were charged. It also outlines the investigation process, preliminary hearing and trial procedures.
“The province’s State Security Bureau carried out the punishments alone, with only the Ministry of State Security’s approval, and in complete secrecy,” the source said. “It was a meticulously planned operation under direct orders from the central government.”
Inspections leave no stone unturned
The crackdown stems directly from Kim Jong Un’s directive issued in March and April to “thoroughly suppress anti-party and counterrevolutionary elements.” Jagang’s defense-industry sector was designated as the first inspection target, and the province’s State Security Bureau conducted systematic inspections, reporting exclusively to the state security department.
The inspections uncovered a range of offenses: bringing in and sharing outside information, hoarding South Korean video storage devices, spreading rumors, falsifying production figures, embezzling supplies and bartering them for personal gain. One official was even punished merely for saying he didn’t trust the party’s defense-industry policy.
The revelations sent shockwaves through local communities and caused significant unrest inside the factories. Some workers tried to secure transfers by submitting medical certificates, while others simply walked off the job without permission.
“As of the second quarter of 2025, output at five key munitions factories in Jagang province fell by an average of 14.9 percent compared to the same period last year,” the source said. “If this climate of fear continues, chronic shortages of skilled workers could seriously undermine our defense production targets.”
Factory managers and technicians say the brutal punishments have created a chilling atmosphere on the shop floor. One technician said, “These days, avoiding trouble with the security bureau matters more than showing any technical creativity.”
Highly unusual crackdown
Lee Seung Ju, a political scientist and profiler with the Transitional Justice Working Group, told Daily NK that such harsh repression is highly unusual for Jagang province, which has historically been home to deeply loyal individuals.
“It appears the authorities imposed the severest punishments to root out the underground influx of South Korean culture and prevent any resulting instability,” Lee said. “This clearly shows that the regime still views South Korean cultural influence as a serious threat.”
She added that the case demonstrates how the Ministry of State Security’s role in protecting Kim Jong Un’s regime has been further strengthened, reflecting the leader’s firm resolve.
“With systematic human rights abuses against ordinary citizens continuing, the South Korean government and international community must urgently step up monitoring and response efforts,” she emphasized.
Translated by Kyungmin Kim.
Read in Korean
Jeong Tae Joo
Jeong Tae Joo is one of Daily NK's full-time journalists.
dailynk.com
8. Smuggled, expired, and deadly: Inside N. Korea’s contraceptive underground
Desperation can drive you to do desperate things.
I will never forget hearing the story from A Korean woman who was the daughter of a South Korean POW who was forced to remain in north Korea (along with some 78,000 South Korean POWs who were never returned). These POWs were allowed to marry but they were sentenced to the lowest social class (Songbun) and the only work they were allowed to do was coal mining. Their children were sentenced to the same fate creating a perpetual slave system for coal miners. The daughter relayed that while the family was suffering horrendously her teenage brother cried out asking his paranet why they even allowed him to be born given that they knew he would suffer such a fate.
Smuggled, expired, and deadly: Inside N. Korea’s contraceptive underground
"It's true that even girls under 20 are taking these pills, but there are rumors that they're bad for your health and, in severe cases, can make it difficult to get pregnant later on," a source told Daily NK
By Lee Chae Eun & Rose Adams - June 30, 2025
dailynk.com
Smuggled, expired, and deadly: Inside N. Korea’s contraceptive underground - Daily NK English
Wikimedia Commons
Last year, Daily NK reported that black market merchants in Chongjin, North Hamgyong province, were secretly selling expired Chinese-made contraceptives to teenagers and young adults. Our follow-up investigation reveals that high demand has prompted merchants to import fresher contraceptive pills and expand their product offerings.
Back in July 2024, Chongjin merchants were selling contraceptive pills that had expired 3-4 years earlier, packaging them in sets of two for 10,000 won (about $0.70). By September 2024, Radio Free Asia reported that merchants were selling a once-monthly contraceptive pill called “Lebono” for 20,000 won per pill (roughly $1.24).
What’s available today
Nearly a year later, medicine peddlers in North Hamgyong province are now selling two main types of contraceptives, both smuggled from China: a pink pill taken once monthly and a morning-after emergency contraceptive consisting of two white pills.
The pink pill is marketed as a monthly pregnancy prevention method, selling for 8 RMB (approximately $1.10 or 25,000 KPW at current exchange rates). This aligns with earlier RFA reporting when accounting for the changing exchange rate. However, our source in North Hamgyong also found vendors charging double that amount (15 RMB, roughly $2.10 or 47,000 KPW) for a single pill. These dramatic price differences stem from arbitrary markups by vendors who know customers can’t easily comparison shop due to the secretive nature of birth control sales.
The white pills serve as morning-after emergency contraceptives, meant to be taken within days of unprotected sex. A set of two white pills (one complete dose) sells for 5 RMB ($0.70 or 15,500 KPW) in North Hamgyong province. While the won-based price appears higher than before, the RMB price has actually dropped slightly, suggesting better availability and competition among vendors. The fact that merchants now sell non-expired pills represents genuine improvement for consumers.
Either option works independently, but some businesspeople push customers to use both together. While the pink pill alone generally prevents pregnancy, one vendor told our source that taking the two white pills after each sexual encounter provided the best protection. At a combined minimum cost of 13 RMB ($1.84), this recommendation isn’t cheap—equivalent to over 4 kilograms of rice at current prices. Based on 2021 U.N. FAO grain consumption estimates, that’s more than a week’s worth of meals for one adult.
The hidden risks
Beyond the financial burden, using these pills together could be genuinely dangerous. Based on product descriptions, Daily NK identified the pink pill as a 6mg Levonorgestrel, 3mg Quinestrol tablet made by China Resource Zizhu Pharmaceuticals and sold under the brand names “Yue Ke Ting” or “Ai Yue.” The North Korean nickname “Lebono” likely comes from “Levonorgestrel,” the first English word on the package—everything else is written in Chinese.
According to Zizhu Pharm’s website, this pill contains high progestogen-estrogen doses that fatty tissue absorbs and slowly releases over a month. While once-monthly pills have existed in Chinese markets since the 1960s, Zizhu Pharm’s version appears to be the only one still widely produced and available.
The white pills most closely resemble levonorgestrel-only morning-after contraceptives like “Next Choice.” Since middlemen repackage products for smuggling, Daily NK couldn’t obtain original packaging to confirm origins, though they’re known to be Chinese-made. Given that Zizhu Pharmaceutical products have entered the country, these white pills might be Zizhu Pharm’s equivalent product, Yu Ting (毓婷). Online instructions tell users to take both pills at once or within 12 hours of each other, within 72 hours of unprotected sex—matching the instructions given by black market sellers.
These identifications are deeply concerning. The pink pill (Yue Ke Ting/Ai Yue) is banned in multiple countries including Uganda, Kenya, Lesotho, and Zambia. The manufacturer (Qinhuangdao Zizhu) has been red-listed by the US FDA for questionable quality control practices. A 2007 study in the journal Contraception warned about risks associated with once-monthly formulations, leading Beijing family planning clinics to discontinue these pills. While removed from Chinese government procurement lists, the pills spread across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and Eastern Africa.
In Kenya, the pink pill (locally called “Sophia”) has been banned since 2012 after investigations found that a single pill contained over 40 times the recommended safe dose of levonorgestrel. African media reports describe several women suffering severe, sometimes life-threatening blood clots, with at least one Ugandan woman’s death in March 2023 attributed to the pill.
The problem becomes worse when vendors recommend combining the pink pill with the white morning-after pills. Both contain levonorgestrel, meaning women who take both face massive hormone exposure far exceeding safe levels. One Daily NK source reported that rumors about infertility risks are already circulating: “It’s true that even girls under 20 are taking these pills, but there are rumors that they’re bad for your health and, in severe cases, can make it difficult to get pregnant later on.”
The bigger picture
Fortunately, contraceptive pills aren’t North Korean women’s only or most common birth control option. According to 2014 U.N. contraception data, 78% of North Korean women using birth control rely on IUDs. These implanted devices were initially popular mainly among married women, but younger women are increasingly getting them as parents seek to protect daughters deployed far from home. In one revealing 2023 incident, a recruitment officer in North Pyongan province who rejected female candidates with IUDs ended up delaying his recruitment timeline after failing to find enough women to meet his quotas.
A 2013 study by the Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights found that most interviewed women only learned about contraception after giving birth and becoming “desperate” to avoid more children. Participants indicated that while birth control pills were available in North Korea by the early 2010s, they were far less common than IUDs. Reports of teenagers using birth control suggest that contraception awareness is starting younger and that more secretive, self-administered options are becoming available.
Despite the potential benefits of increased contraception awareness, improperly prescribed birth control pills pose serious dangers to vulnerable young women. Government bans on contraception and strong social stigma around premarital sex make it difficult for young women to share information or seek help if complications arise. Parents often have no idea their daughters are taking birth control medication, meaning young women potentially face complications completely alone.
As seen worldwide, outlawing contraceptive practices doesn’t increase birth rates—it only drives reproductive health services underground and increases maternal mortality. Limited access to safer daily combined pills and lack of medical information about the risks of combining hormonal contraceptives may well cause long-term, population-wide fertility problems. This runs directly counter to North Korea’s pronatalist policies while needlessly endangering thousands of women’s lives.
dailynk.com
9. N. Korean street vendors vash in on early heat wave
I think they meant "cash in"
Koreans in the north possess an entrepreneurial spirit and a will to survive and thrive. It cannot be suppressed.
N. Korean street vendors vash in on early heat wave
Stalls without electricity still manage to keep fruit and drinks cool using Styrofoam coolers filled with ice cubes or ice packs, a source told Daily NK
By Seon Hwa - July 1, 2025
dailynk.com · June 30, 2025
FILE PHOTO: A beverage stand in North Korea. (Daily NK)
With muggy weather arriving early in North Korea this year, street vendors are profiting handsomely from surging demand for cool drinks and ice cream.
A source in South Pyongan province told Daily NK recently that soft drink vendors in busy parts of Anju — train station plazas, truck stops and residential neighborhoods — are laughing all the way to the bank. The vendors are making more in a single day than ordinary market vendors typically make in a month.
“This is the most profitable time of year for people running soft drink stands. Even though it’s exhausting to be in the scorching heat all day, vendors are excited and grateful for summer,” the source said.
There are currently around 200 soft drink stands in Anju. As the sweltering weather continues, sales of seasonal items like barley tea, beer, fruit juice and ice cream have soared. The stalls are bringing in an average of 600,000 North Korean won per day.
Soft drink vendors are taking advantage of the season to offer treats like fruit cups and shaved ice with red bean paste, hoping to entice customers to spend their money.
“Stalls with regular electricity have shaved ice machines and fridges or freezers for keeping drinks cool. Most stalls lack that equipment, though, and have products supplied by the hour — ordering more of what sells and returning what doesn’t,” the source said.
Stalls without electricity still manage to keep fruit and drinks cool using Styrofoam coolers filled with ice cubes or ice packs, the source explained.
Ice cream at the soft drink stands costs between 500 and 3,000 won. Customers reportedly prefer artificially sweetened fruit popsicles over premium products, which are sweeter. That’s partly because customers are price-conscious, but also because overly sweet treats leave people feeling thirsty afterward.
Most treats sold at the stands are homemade, raising questions about ingredients and hygiene, as well as concerns about their healthiness.
“Cool beverages and frozen treats are more popular than ever as we enter summer, but many people worry about products made with artificial sweeteners like saccharin,” the source said. “People sometimes joke that this unseasonable heat is making them spend a big chunk of their monthly wages on things that are bad for their health, like ice cream and soft drinks.”
Read in Korean
dailynk.com · June 30, 2025
10. South Korea’s Exports Rebound Despite Tariff Woes
South Korea’s Exports Rebound Despite Tariff Woes
Exports from Asia’s fourth-largest economy rose 4.3% on year following a 1.3% fall in May
https://www.wsj.com/economy/trade/south-koreas-exports-rebound-despite-tariff-woes-8df66fb4
By Kwanwoo Jun
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June 30, 2025 8:57 pm ET
Global trade tensions still weighed on South Korean shipments to the U.S. and China. Photo: anthony wallace/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Key Points
What's This?
- South Korea’s exports increased 4.3% in June, driven by strong semiconductor shipments amid the artificial-intelligence boom.
- Imports rose 3.3%, resulting in a $9.08 billion trade surplus, but exports to the U.S. and China declined amid trade tensions.
- The U.S. and South Korea are in trade talks with Seoul seeking a tariff exemption or lower duties.
South Korea’s exports rebounded in June largely on brisk semiconductor shipments, indicating resilience despite challenges from higher U.S. tariffs weighing on global trade.
Exports from Asia’s fourth-largest economy rose 4.3% compared with the same period a year earlier to $59.80 billion, following a 1.3% fall in May, according to preliminary data released by the trade ministry on Tuesday.
The result was softer than the 4.9% gain projected by the median forecast of nine economists polled by The Wall Street Journal.
Imports also increased, rising 3.3% from a year earlier to $50.72 billion. That resulted in a trade surplus of $9.08 billion in June following a revised $6.93 billion surplus in the prior month.
Tuesday’s data showed shipments of semiconductors climbing 12% on year in June on strong demand for powerful computing chips amid the artificial-intelligence boom.
Chip exports, which account for roughly one fifth of the country’s total exports, grew for a fourth consecutive month, the data showed.
South Korean exports of vehicles and computers also gained 2.3% and 15% on year, respectively, but exports of petroleum products and petrochemicals fell 2.0% and 16%, respectively, as they were hit by the Trump administration’s tariff policy.
Global trade tensions still weighed on South Korean shipments to the U.S. and China, which decreased 0.5% and 2.7%, respectively.
President Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on cars, steel and aluminum shipped to the U.S. while threatening to slap South Korea with a separate 25% “reciprocal” duty—including a 10% baseline tariff—unless they strike trade deals before his July 9 deadline.
Uncertainty persists ahead over what will happen to tariffs after the grace period expires. “We can do whatever we want—we can extend it, we can make it shorter,” Trump said last week, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested certain countries could be given an extension.
In an interview aired Sunday, Trump said he would be sending letters to countries regarding trade deals “pretty soon” as the pace of negotiations with a number of countries has been slow. The Trump administration has so far agreed to deals with the U.K. and China over tariffs.
U.S. and South Korean trade negotiators have been in talks, with Seoul seeking a tariff exemption or lower duties. Both sides remain committed to striking a tariff deal as early as possible, South Korea’s trade minister Yeo Han-koo said last week after meeting with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington.
Write to Kwanwoo Jun at Kwanwoo.Jun@wsj.com
11. For South Koreans,‘Squid Game’ Was More Than Just Entertainment
I watched the first season. That was enough for me. I had no interest in the subsequent seasons.
For South Koreans,‘Squid Game’ Was More Than Just Entertainment
The Netflix hit has left a lasting legacy as a major cultural export, but also one that exposed some unsettling aspects of Korean society.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/29/world/asia/south-korean-squid-game-entertainment.html
Video
A crowd watched as a video of Young-hee, the menacing animatronic doll from “Squid Game,” was projected onto Seoul’s old City Hall building on Saturday night.CreditCredit...By Jun Michael Park
By Jin Yu Young
Reporting from Seoul
June 29, 2025
Contains spoilers for Season 3 of “Squid Game.”
On Friday, fans around the world tuned in for the third and last season of the juggernaut Netflix series “Squid Game.”
Since 2021, they’ve watched as hundreds of contestants played deadly versions of children’s games in an attempt to win a cash prize of 45.6 billion won, around $33 million.
At the grisly end of Season 3’s six episodes, its beloved protagonist Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), was dead, and its villains were very much alive and thriving.
For some viewers in South Korea, where the show is set, that fell short of delivering the justice they were hoping for.
After eagerly waiting half a year since the cliffhanger ending of Season 2, Kim Young Eun, a 24-year-old university student in Seoul, watched the entire season with her boyfriend at a comic book cafe, just hours after its release on Friday night.
Image
Performers dressed as “Squid Game” guards arrived at Seoul Plaza near City Hall on Saturday night.Credit...Jun Michael Park for The New York Times
She was disappointed that most of her favorite characters died, while the show’s bullies — including the ultra-wealth V.I.P.s who fund the games — survived. “It felt like the director was delivering a message that good people finish last,” Ms. Kim said.
Chun Taehyun, a university student in Seoul, said he had sympathy for the players who had gambled away their savings or lost them in bad investments, because “Korean people are moving away from traditionally stable jobs and are taking risks.”
“I think it’s for the better that ‘Squid Game’ shows another side to South Korea, other than the pretty perfection of K-pop,” he said.
That was part of the intent, according to Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of the series. In an interview done in December, shortly before Season 2 aired, he said he wanted to make the show a mirror of the contemporary situation.
Image
The Piggy Bank, where prize money is deposited each time a player dies on the show, was part of the fan event in Seoul on Saturday. Credit...Jun Michael Park for The New York Times
“The world is becoming more extreme,” he said. December was the same month that Yoon Suk Yeol, then the president of South Korea, declared martial law and called troops into the National Assembly. (Season 1 debuted amid the global Covid-19 pandemic.)
The latest installment arrives shortly after South Korea held a snap election and voted for a new president, bringing months of political upheaval to an end, at least for the time being.
The “Squid Game” characters also reflect society. Among the Season 3 contestants were a cryptocurrency scammer, a pregnant young woman and a transgender character.
In Seoul, fans gathered to bid adieu to the show on Saturday evening as a “Squid Game” parade took over Gwanghwamun, a major square downtown. Festivities included a marching band of pink-suited guards, a mock round of the infamous “Red Light, Green Light” game and a curtain call of leading cast members.
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Taking photos of Young-hee in central Seoul.Credit...Jun Michael Park for The New York Times
Speaking at a fan event after the parade, Mr. Hwang said the show had been a “heavy weight” on his shoulders. “I feel lighter now that I can finally put it down,” he said.
Netflix, however, might not be so eager to put it down just yet.
Season 3 ends on the streets of Los Angeles with a cameo from Cate Blanchett playing ddakji — the Korean game used by the Squid Game organizers to recruit players. Though there has been some speculation about a remake of the series in the United States, Netflix has declined to comment.
The show’s extreme gore, plus its themes about capitalism and inequality, helped put K-content on the map. The success of its first season led to additional support from Netflix, which in 2023 announced a $2.5 billion investment in Korean shows and movies through 2027. Experts say “Squid Game” fueled overseas interest in other Korean cultural exports like beauty products and food.
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Performers dressed as the Recruiter were part of the fan event.Credit...Jun Michael Park for The New York Times
The show “opened up more global willingness for non-English language shows,” said Minyoung Kim, Netflix’s vice president of content for Asia.
“As a creative, as a content executive, you want your show to be watched by a big audience at home. And if the show travels globally, that’s awesome,” she said.
Both Ms. Kim and Mr. Hwang, the director, describe “Squid Game” as an authentically South Korean story. They attribute its success in part to its connection with local values, even if that means exposing the dark underbelly of society.
The show reflects the value put on “academic classism and materialism,” said Professor Gyu Tag Lee, a professor of cultural studies at George Mason University Korea. As long as people follow the rules, “stepping on others to win” is a widely considered fair game in the nation’s competitive society, he said.
Jin Yu Young reports on South Korea, the Asia Pacific region and global breaking news from Seoul.
A version of this article appears in print on June 30, 2025, Section A, Page 9 of the New York edition with the headline: To South Koreans, ‘Squid Game’ Reflected Society’s Uglier Side. That Was the Point.. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
12. Editorial: South Korean government must weigh the true cost of OPCON transfer
General Brunson's map is excellent. I saw it last week. I wish I could have a copy and I wish we could use it widely.
But these pundits have it wrong. This is not about diminishing USFK but having it take on more responsibilities.
These stories illustrate the lack of understanding of US roles and missions. USFK should probably be a 3 star command since it is a subunified command of USINDOPACOM and a force provider to the ROK/US Combined FOrces COMmand. . But as the CFC Commander, General Brunson must be a four star. As the Commander of UNC, General Brunson must be a four star. As the senior US military officers in Korea and the counterpart to the ROK CJCS on the pementnt Military Committee, General Brunson must be a four star.
Editorial: South Korean government must weigh the true cost of OPCON transfer
https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2025/07/01/SNJE2ON7VNDM7ITAWK5FM3GLFQ/
By The Chosunilbo
Published 2025.07.01. 08:51
On June 28, U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) Commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost stated that the authority of American forces stationed in Japan would be gradually expanded, citing escalating threats from China in the Indo-Pacific region. The shift signals a more assertive U.S. military posture in Japan—but one that could come at the expense of American forces in South Korea. Within the Trump administration, some officials have reportedly proposed that, alongside the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) be downgraded from a three-star to a two-star general. Simultaneously, the USFJ commander—currently a three-star—would be elevated to a four-star post and assume the additional role of United Nations Command (UNC) commander. The United States is expected to outline new deployment frameworks for both USFK and USFJ in its forthcoming National Defense Strategy (NDS), which could be released as early as August.
Reports indicate that USFK has already adopted an internally developed training map of East Asia, rotated vertically, under the direction of Commander Xavier Brunson. On this map, Taiwan and the Philippines are positioned more prominently than North Korea, and the distance from Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek—USFK’s headquarters—to cities such as Taipei and Manila is clearly marked. The unconventional map reflects the U.S. military’s growing emphasis on “strategic flexibility,” signaling the need for USFK to be ready to redeploy in response to contingencies, including a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan or conflict in the South China Sea.
Since the start of the Trump administration, speculation has persisted over a potential reduction or redeployment of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth commented, “The U.S. doesn’t need to be everywhere, all the time.” Commander Brunson characterized South Korea as “an aircraft carrier between Japan and China” and added, “Sometimes, we need to move elsewhere.” While South Korean President Lee Jae-myung dismissed the possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan as “about as likely as aliens invading Earth,” the U.S. defense secretary has warned that such a scenario could become reality as early as 2027. Analysts caution that if China launches an attack on Taiwan, it could simultaneously provoke North Korea to open a second front on the Korean Peninsula—an outcome with grave implications.
Amid these developments, the South Korean government is moving ahead with President Lee’s campaign pledge to reclaim wartime operational control during his term. The Presidential Transition Committee has identified OPCON transfer as the top defense priority and is preparing a roadmap to submit to the presidential office in the coming weeks. If South Korea proceeds with the OPCON transition, the implications must be carefully considered. The U.S. military has long held a policy against placing American forces under foreign command. Given current sentiments in U.S. defense circles, there is a tangible risk that USFK could be downgraded and placed under the operational authority of USFJ. Over time, this could lead to a steady drawdown of American military presence on the Korean Peninsula. The question then becomes: what does South Korea stand to gain? And will it be enough to justify what could be lost?
13. 'Who was Kim Jong-un’s mother?': Journalist searches for answers in new book
Will Koreans in the north ever know the story?
Excerpt:
Gomi traces Ko’s erasure to her origins. Born in Japan, she did not belong to the revolutionary Paektu bloodline, a central pillar in North Korea’s mythologized leadership narrative. That alone made her an uncomfortable figure in a regime obsessed with purity of lineage.
Tuesday
July 1, 2025
dictionary + A - A
'Who was Kim Jong-un’s mother?': Journalist searches for answers in new book
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-07-01/national/northKorea/Who-was-Kim-Jonguns-mother-Journalist-searches-for-answers-in-new-book/2338668
Published: 01 Jul. 2025, 07:00
Updated: 01 Jul. 2025, 12:57
Ko Yong-hui, the late mother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is pictured with son Kim Jong-chul and daughter Kim Yo-jong. [BUNGEI SHUNJU]
There’s not much publicly known about the mother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. She wasn’t part of the ruling Kim family’s sacred revolutionary bloodline. She rarely appeared in state media. And then, she vanished.
Who was Ko Yong-hui — and what happened to her?
Related Article
A new book by veteran Japanese journalist Yoji Gomi, "Ko Yong-hui: The Zainichi Korean Who Became Kim Jong-un’s Mother" (translated), attempts to answer that question. Drawing on more than a decade of reporting and rare interviews with Ko’s surviving relatives in Japan, Gomi reconstructs the life of a woman North Korea seems determined to erase — despite her intimate role in shaping the current regime from behind the scenes.
“She died a lonely death because of the North Korean regime,” Gomi said in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo in Tokyo on June 20, the day of the book's release.
A former editorial writer for the Tokyo Shimbun, he is best known for his interviews with Kim Jong-nam, Kim Jong-un’s estranged half brother who was assassinated in Malaysia in 2017.
Gomi traces Ko’s erasure to her origins. Born in Japan, she did not belong to the revolutionary Paektu bloodline, a central pillar in North Korea’s mythologized leadership narrative. That alone made her an uncomfortable figure in a regime obsessed with purity of lineage.
His investigation into Ko began with a simple question: Who was Kim Jong-un’s mother?
It led him to Osaka’s Tsuruhashi neighborhood, long home to Japan’s Korean diaspora, where Ko was born in 1952. Gomi interviewed people who had known her, including her older brother, to piece together her early life.
At the age of 10, she left for North Korea with her father, Ko Gyeong-taek. Gomi notes that the elder Ko had a history of smuggling goods between South Korea and Japan and was once arrested in Korea. He eventually chose to resettle in the North after facing deportation from Japan.
Ko Yong-hui, the late mother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is pictured in this undated photo. [JOONGANG ILBO]
The late Ko Yong-hui with her son, current North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is pictured in this undated photo. [JOONGANG ILBO]
Little is known about Ko’s early years in North Korea. But by 1972, at just 20 years old, she had earned the title of “Merited Actress” and joined the Mansudae Art Troupe. It was there that she came to the attention of Kim Jong-il. After gaining his favor, she traveled to Japan as part of the troupe.
During one of those visits, Ko’s Japanese relatives attempted to reconnect with her but were turned away. According to Gomi, one cousin confronted her, asking why she was ignoring them. “You must be mistaken,” she reportedly replied.
Her rejection of her family, Gomi suggests, speaks to the pressure she faced to disavow her identity as a Zainichi Korean — a background difficult to reconcile with her role as consort to the “supreme dignity.”
Ko Yong-hui, the late mother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, is seen being assisted by an aide as she moves in a wheelchair as her health rapidly deteriorated due to breast cancer. [BUNGEI SHUNJU]
The book includes newly released photographs of Ko with her children — Kim Jong-chol, Kim Jong-un and Kim Yo-jong — taken during overseas trips, as well as an image used in a forged passport reportedly created for a trip to Japan. Some accounts, Gomi writes, claim that Ko, who lived in Japan until the age of 10, taught Kim Jong-un Japanese songs and language.
Ko’s final years were marked by illness and exile. She was diagnosed with breast cancer around 1997 but delayed surgery, reportedly due to tensions surrounding succession within the regime.
By the time she sought treatment in Paris in 2004, it was too late. She died in the French capital at the age of 51.
A previously unpublished photo from that period, now featured in the book, shows her in a wheelchair, wearing dark sunglasses and a white hat.
Yoji Gomi, a former editorial writer for the Tokyo Shimbun known for his interviews with Kim Jong-nam, Kim Jong-un’s estranged half-brother, speaks with the JoongAng Ilbo in an interview at Tokyo, Japan, on June 20. [KIM HYUN-YE]
Her younger sister, Ko Yong-suk — who helped raise the children in Pyongyang and was reportedly referred to as "Mom" by them — once applied for a U.S. visa under Ko’s name in an effort to arrange medical treatment, Gomi said. The request was denied.
Today, Gomi estimates that about 50 of Kim Jong-un’s relatives still live in Japan.
“I hope this book prompts North Korea to reconsider its relationship with Japan," he said.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM HYUN-YE [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]
14. S. Korea should tap arms makers for new security challenges: think tank
I will keep beating the horse. South Korea is an important partner in the arsenal of democracies.
S. Korea should tap arms makers for new security challenges: think tank
koreaherald.com · by Jung Min-kyung · July 1, 2025
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac (left) meets Mark Rutte, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), on the sidelines of the NATO summit held in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 24-25, 2025, in this photo provided by the presidential office. (Office of the President of the Republic of Korea)
South Korea should utilize its military manufacturing firms to navigate new security challenges and shifting demands posed by the latest NATO defense spending agreement, a think tank said Monday.
“With NATO members now committed to raising defense spending to 5 percent of GDP, demand for advanced weapons systems and defense technology is set to rise sharply,” the Asan Institute for Policy Studies said in its report, “Managing Decline? NATO’s Uneasy Future After the 2025 Summit."
“South Korea’s defense sector, which has seen rapid growth in recent years, is well-positioned to meet this demand,” it added.
The think tank pointed to the growing arms demand from Europe, coupled with the NATO allies’ plans to replenish stockpiles, upgrade their capabilities and diversify suppliers to counter evolving security threats as new opportunities for the local defense industry.
“To fully capitalize on these opportunities, South Korea should treat defense industry cooperation not simply as a commercial venture but as a core pillar of its broader security and alliance strategy,” the report highlighted.
“By aligning defense exports with NATO’s evolving priorities and actively engaging in mechanisms like the consultative group, South Korea can help bolster transatlantic defense resilience while simultaneously advancing its own national security and economic interests.”
The report comes as South Korea faces pressure from the US to align with the NATO members’ latest decision to raise defense and security spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product by 2035. South Korea's defense budget this year stands at around 61.2 trillion won ($44.6 billion), which is 2.32 percent of its GDP, according to Seoul's defense ministry.
“Rather than viewing NATO solely through the lens of symbolic partnership, South Korea should approach its cooperation with NATO, particularly the IP4, as part of a broader effort to diversify partnerships, manage alliance dependencies, and contribute to global security frameworks in areas where it holds comparative advantages,” the report said. “Defense industry cooperation, in particular, offers a practical avenue to advance this strategy.”
Meanwhile, South Korea’s arms exports fell to $9.5 billion last year after hitting a record high of $17.3 billion in 2022 and sliding to $13.5 billion in 2023.
mkjung@heraldcorp.com
koreaherald.com · by Jung Min-kyung · July 1, 2025
15. S. Korea at heart of Saudi Vision 2030’s smart city project: NMDC CEO
When the United Republic of Korea (UROK) is achieved, the territory in the northern half of Korea will be rebuilt as smart cities. The north will consist of leap ahead technology and concepts that will become a showcase for the world.
S. Korea at heart of Saudi Vision 2030’s smart city project: NMDC CEO
koreaherald.com · by No Kyung-min · July 1, 2025
Naver Cloud forms first Korean partnership with the mega smart city project to work on autonomous and smart technologies
Michael Dyke, CEO of the New Murabba Development Company, speaks during an interview on the sidelines of the New Murabba Investment and Partnership Forum held Monday in Seoul. (NMDC)
Under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a massive urban development is underway in Riyadh that aims to transform not only the kingdom’s capital but the entire Middle East, according to Michael Dyke, CEO of New Murabba Development Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
South Korea is emerging as a key partner for the New Murabba project, leveraging its advanced technology and strong cultural ties to Saudi Arabia.
“Korea’s advantage is that it already has a history and track record of operating within the kingdom,” Dyke said in an interview with The Korea Herald on the sidelines of the New Murabba Investment and Partnership Forum held Monday in Seoul.
He referred to the economic boom of the 1970s and 1980s, when Korean construction companies were instrumental in developing Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure.
“The relationships are long and strong, and partnerships with Saudi companies are already well established from within South Korea,” he added.
Dyke pointed to three pillars of partnerships with Korea: industrial, technological and real estate. “One thing I would emphasize is that because of the scale of New Murabba, there will be multiple partnerships required to cover all areas,” he noted.
A rendering of New Murabba in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (NMDC)
New Murabba, spanning 19 square kilometers in Riyadh, is envisioned as a mega-sized smart city. At its center will be the Mukaab, a 400-meter-tall cuboid skyscraper that will house residences, retail, hospitality, cultural and leisure facilities under a single dome.
Set to be the largest structure by volume, the Mukaab will be spacious enough to fit 20 Empire State Buildings. Construction is already underway, with completion targeted for 2030.
“We’re in the capital city of Riyadh, and New Murabba will become the downtown of the capital city of the Middle East. The Mukaab, where we will have the high-tech core, will be the beating heart of this downtown,” Dyke said.
Regarding the integration of Korean culture into the project, Dyke responded with enthusiasm.
“The simple answer is yes. With 100 million annual visits projected for the Mukaab, and 35 percent of those being international visitors, we need familiarity in food, retail and entertainment,” he quipped.
He highlighted that his interest in Seoul is rooted in how it “pushes the boundaries of technology and redefines how entertainment and food and beverage experiences are created.”
In the years ahead, as Saudi Arabia prepares to host Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup in 2034, Dyke is confident that New Murabba will be ready to welcome millions of visitors with its state-of-the-art stadiums and integrated transit connectivity.
“So we are designing our city to be smart from the very beginning, and that’s where our collaboration with Naver comes in, helping us ensure the city is future-proof for generations to come, not just for the next five, 10 or 20 years.”
Despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Dyke appeared unconcerned, calling it a fact of life in today’s world of constant change.
“Clearly, some things have happened more recently in the Middle East, but I know that much of the region is back to normal,” he said. “It remains business as usual."
On the day of the forum, Naver Cloud signed a memorandum of understanding with New Murabba, becoming the project’s first Korean partner. The agreement opens the door to future collaboration in areas such as robotics, autonomous driving and smart city platforms, according to NMDC.
“Mukaab is a very complex ecosystem and requires companies of scale to match its scale,” Dyke said, explaining that Naver’s technological prowess and capacity align with their needs.
New Murabba plans to explore future collaborations in Seoul through a two-day closed-door forum on Tuesday and Wednesday, where more than 500 participants, including company executives, investors and government officials, engage in discussions on investment and partnership opportunities under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Michael Dyke, CEO of the New Murabba Development Company, and Kim Yu-won, CEO of Naver Cloud, sign a memorandum of understanding at a media event in Seoul on Monday. (NMDC)
minmin@heraldcorp.com
koreaherald.com · by No Kyung-min · July 1, 2025
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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