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Quotes of the Day:
"The greatest cunning is to have none at all."
- Carl Sandburg
"Sit down and put down everything that comes into your head and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's worth, without pity, and destroy most of it."
- Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette
"The purpose of anger is to let us know that something in our life needs changing and to provide the energy to make a change."
- Garrison Wynn
1. U.S. congressional delegation sings 'American Pie' for Yoon in Lithuania
2. Kim's sister warns U.S. military will face 'very critical flight' in case of 'repeated intrusion'
3. U.S. urges N. Korea to halt escalatory actions following EEZ violation accusation
4. Korea, NATO upgrade partnership, stress security cooperation
5. China urged not to repatriate North Korean refugees (Plus Lee Jung Hoon named Chief of Unification Advisory Committee)
6. [ANALYSIS] N. Korea's threats against US spy plane aimed at boosting internal cohesion: analysts
7. North Korea Unsettles Kishida Government
8. China's adroit tactics toward Korea
9. Nuclear power renaissance (ROK)
10. Kim Yo-jong's reference to South as 'Republic of Korea' may indicate change
11. (Yonhap Feature) N. Korean defectors say ordeal in China worsened due to COVID-19 pandemic
12. From trauma to training - new lives for North Korea’s defectors
13. Korea sees next 5 years as critical to recover birth rate
14. Civic coalition behind mad cow protests is now leading Fukushima protests, ex-activist claims
1. U.S. congressional delegation sings 'American Pie' for Yoon in Lithuania
President Yoon has established a new standard for political leaders.
With no disrespect to South Korea and its great soft power capabilities with K-Pop, US rock 'n' roll likely still reigns supreme in global soft power strength. It was especially powerful during the Cold War in Soviet occupied countries and the USSR itself.
Members of the U.S. delegation who were seated outdoors then broke into a rendition of "American Pie," with people in the streets also recognizing Yoon and waving their hands as they joined the chorus, according to Lee.
Tuesday
July 11, 2023
dictionary + A - A
U.S. congressional delegation sings 'American Pie' for Yoon in Lithuania
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/07/11/national/diplomacy/Yoon-Suk-Yeoul-NATO-Summit-American-Pie/20230711094333133.html
President Yoon Suk Yeol, second from right, and first lady Kim Keon-hee are welcomed after arriving at Vilnius International Airport in Lithuania on Monday to attend a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit. [YONHAP]
President Yoon Suk Yeol was greeted by a rendition of "American Pie" during a chance encounter with a U.S. congressional delegation in Vilnius on Monday, his spokesperson said.
The Don McLean song has become symbolic of Yoon after he sang the piece during a state dinner hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington in April.
While taking a walk in the Old Town of Vilnius, shortly after arriving here to attend a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit, Yoon ran into U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts, who was dining at an outdoor table of a restaurant, according to presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon.
Ricketts came up to Yoon and first lady Kim Keon-hee, thanking Yoon for his speech to a joint session of Congress in April and saying he looks forward to their meeting Tuesday morning.
Members of the U.S. delegation who were seated outdoors then broke into a rendition of "American Pie," with people in the streets also recognizing Yoon and waving their hands as they joined the chorus, according to Lee.
Later in the evening, Yoon and Kim ran into European Council President Charles Michel and his wife.
Michel expressed his delight at seeing Yoon and thanked him for the warm welcome he received during his visit to Seoul in May, Lee said.
Yonhap
2. Kim's sister warns U.S. military will face 'very critical flight' in case of 'repeated intrusion'
The more we see the regime "externalize" its problems and threats, the more likely that indicates the regime is dealing with severe internal problems.
(4th LD) Kim's sister warns U.S. military will face 'very critical flight' in case of 'repeated intrusion' | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · July 11, 2023
(ATTN: ADDS more details in 13th para)
By Kim Soo-yeon and Lee Minji
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned Tuesday U.S. spy jets will face a "very critical flight" in case of a repeated illegal intrusion into the North's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), threatening to take military action.
"I have already notified beforehand the counteraction of our army upon authorization. In case of repeated illegal intrusion, the U.S. forces will experience a very critical flight," Kim said in an English-language dispatch carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The warning by Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee, came hours after she issued a statement late Monday alleging that a U.S. spy aircraft entered North Korea's exclusive economic zone earlier in the day.
Threatening that North Korea will take "clear and resolute actions" against U.S. surveillance flights within the economic water zone of the North's side beyond the military demarcation line in sea waters, Kim had claimed a "shocking" incident could occur.
Earlier Monday, a spokesperson of the North's defense ministry also accused the U.S. spy aircraft of intruding into its airspace recently, threatening that there is no guarantee such aircraft will not be shot down.
This file photo, captured from the homepage of North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Aug. 11, 2022, shows Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister and vice department director of the ruling Workers' Party's Central Committee. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
In the latest statement, Kim claimed that U.S. reconnaissance aircraft intruded into the "economic water zone" to commit what she called an "aerial espionage act." She said U.S. surveillance flights encroached on the North's sovereignty.
"The strategic reconnaissance plane of the U.S. Air Force illegally intruded into the economic water zone of the DPRK side in the East Sea of Korea eight times," she said, referring to her country by the acronym of its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
She also slammed South Korea for intervening in the issue, arguing that it is "one between the Korean People's Army and the U.S. forces," and called on the South to "stop acting impudently and shut up at once."
South Korea's military has rejected the North's claim of its airspace being violated as "not true" and described flights by U.S. aerial surveillance assets around the peninsula as part of regular surveillance activities.
In a regular press briefing, Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson of Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff, called Kim's latest remarks "not worth a thought," and stressed that South Korea and the U.S. are maintaining a necessary military preparedness posture.
"As you know, the exclusive economic zone is where there is freedom of navigation and overflight, and even if there was a flight over it, we don't use such an expression as an intrusion," he said.
"Given that on the pretext of it, (the North) is making some sort of claim, it can be seen as them having an internal objective or building the rationale for a provocation," he added.
North Korea's accusations against U.S. spy plane operations raised questions over whether it regards the area over the EEZ as the likes of an air defense identification zone. The zone is not part of territorial airspace but is delineated to call on foreign planes to identify themselves so as to prevent accidental clashes.
This file photo, taken May 30, 2023, shows the U.S. U-2S reconnaissance aircraft landing at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Meanwhile, Kim unusually used South Korea's full name, the Republic of Korea (ROK), in her latest statements, a departure from the North's long-time reference to the South as "south Korea" or "the south Korean puppet."
An official at Seoul's unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said it marks the first case in which Pyongyang used South Korea's full name in an official statement.
The move appears to indicate that the North may be seeking to deal with South Korea as a separate nation in a state-to-state relation.
Under an inter-Korean basic agreement signed in 1991, inter-Korean ties were designated as a "special relationship" tentatively formed in the process of seeking reunification, not as a state-to-state relation.
In early July, North Korea rejected a bid by the chief of South Korea's Hyundai Group to visit the North's Mount Kumgang in August through its foreign ministry, not via state organs in charge of inter-Korean relations.
"In regard to the series of moves by North Korea, the government will not forejudge on its intention and closely monitor the situation," the unification ministry official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Kim's statements using the ROK might apparently signal that North Korea seeks "confrontational co-existence" with South Korea, rather than sounding out an improvement in inter-Korean ties, according to observers.
"As North Korea argued the issue of U.S. surveillance flights is a matter between Pyongyang and Washington, the North appears to stress it will not deal with South Korea when it comes to issues related to the Korean Peninsula," said Yang Moo-Jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies.
mlee@yna.co.kr
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · July 11, 2023
3. U.S. urges N. Korea to halt escalatory actions following EEZ violation accusation
"Externalization" equals covering up internal problems.
(LEAD) U.S. urges N. Korea to halt escalatory actions following EEZ violation accusation | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Duk-Kun Byun · July 11, 2023
(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from a defense department spokesperson in paras 8-10)
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, July 10 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. state department spokesperson called on North Korea to refrain from escalatory actions on Monday, hours after North Korea accused the United States of violating North Korean airspace within their exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, also reiterated that the U.S. remains open to dialogue with Pyongyang.
"I would just say that we would urge the DPRK to refrain from escalatory actions, and again, calling it to engage in serious and sustained diplomacy," he told a press briefing when asked about the North's accusation, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"We remain committed to diplomacy and reiterate our interest in dialogue with Pyongyang without preconditions. We've made that clear on a number of occasions and, unfortunately, they have refused to engage in a meaning way," he added.
Department of State Press Secretary Matthew Miller is seen speaking during a daily press briefing at the department in Washington on July 10, 2023 in this captured image. (Yonhap)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Kim Yo-jong, earlier claimed that a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft intruded into airspace within the North's EEZ on Monday (Korea time).
"We will not take a direct counteraction against the U.S. forces' acts of espionage outside the economic water zone of the DPRK side," she said, according to a report by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.
"But I repeatedly warn upon authorization that we will react with clear and resolute actions when they intrude into the economic water zone of the DPRK side beyond the military demarcation line in sea waters again," she added.
A defense department spokesperson dismissed the North's accusation as "just accusation."
"The United States, as always, remains committed to safely and responsibly flying, sailing, operating anywhere that international law allows and alongside our allies and partners," deputy spokesperson Sabrina Singh was quoted as saying when asked about Kim Yo-jong's remarks.
"Again, we always operate responsibly and safely and in accordance with international law, so those accusations are just accusations," she reiterated when asked if a U.S. aircraft had in fact entered North Korean airspace.
Miller stressed that China could play a role in reining in North Korea's escalatory behavior.
"I will say this is an issue that came up in our conversations in Beijing when the secretary traveled to Beijing, meet with Chinese government officials," he said of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent trip to China when asked about China's role in dealing with North Korea.
"And we continue to believe that China can play a role if it chooses to in helping convince the DPRK to take de-escalatory actions, and we will continue to urge them to do so," added Miller.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Duk-Kun Byun · July 11, 2023
4. Korea, NATO upgrade partnership, stress security cooperation
The Republic of Korea: A Global Pivotal State, one of the "Asia Pacific Four," and a partner in the Arsenal of Democracy .
Tuesday
July 11, 2023
dictionary + A - A
Korea, NATO upgrade partnership, stress security cooperation
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/07/11/national/diplomacy/Korea-NATO-Yoon-Suk-Yeol/20230711183406410.html
President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, shakes hands with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on Tuesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
President Yoon Suk Yeol and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg agreed to upgrade the partnership between South Korea and the Atlantic alliance.
Meeting in Lithuania on Tuesday, the pair stressed that cooperation between the two sides is important for global security.
"Korea is a very highly valued partner of NATO," Stoltenberg told Yoon on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius. "We value the partnership with you because security is not regional, security is global. What happens in the Indo-Pacific matters for Europe and what happens in Europe matters for the Indo-Pacific."
The two leaders adopted an Individually Tailored Partnership Programme (ITPP) between Korea and NATO to upgrade the existing partnership, expanding bilateral cooperation in 11 sectors including disarmament and nonproliferation; cybersecurity; emerging technologies; science and technology; and climate change.
The two sides previously shared an Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme (IPCP) which covered seven sectors signed in September 2012.
"The war in Ukraine has global ramifications, and I thank you for your strong position condemning the illegal invasion of Ukraine," Stoltenberg told Yoon. "We are also very concerned about the nuclear missile programs of North Korea. This affects all NATO allies and just underlines the importance of all those who believe in the rules-based order to stand together and to stand up for international rules-based order."
He went on to "welcome the fact that we have finalized our program for further the partnership program."
"Last year, I focused on the sense of bond and solidarity, with countries sharing common values with the NATO allies, and this year's summit will focus on institutionalizing the framework of our cooperation with NATO," Yoon said, calling to further enhance cooperation in sharing military information and in cybersecurity matters.
Yoon stressed that cooperation between the Transatlantic and the Indo-Pacific region "is an integral part of global security," calling for close cooperation between NATO allies and its Asia-Pacific Partner (AP4) countries to deal with global security and emerging security threats. The AP4 countries are South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, who also met last year at the NATO summit in Madrid.
On Monday, Yoon and first lady Kim Keon-hee arrived in Lithuania as a part of a six-day, two-country trip that will later take them to Poland.
This marks Yoon's second consecutive year attending the NATO summit after Korea was invited as a partner country to last year's gathering in Madrid.
Yoon was scheduled to take part in the Vilnius summit on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing the 31 NATO member states and other partner countries together — with the Ukrainian war and emerging security threats high on the agenda. During the two-day meeting, NATO leaders were expected to show resolve to support Ukraine and deter future Russian aggression.
On Tuesday morning, Yoon also met with a bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation including U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts, a Republican of Nebraska, Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat of New Hampshire, Thom Tillis, a Republican of North Carolina, and Dan Sullivan, a Republican of Arkansas. Shaheen and Tillis serve as co-chairs of the Senate NATO observer group.
Yoon was scheduled to later attend a dinner banquet scheduled for NATO and partner country leaders.
On the sidelines of the NATO gathering, Yoon was also expected to hold at least 10 bilateral meetings with the leaders of countries including Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, New Zealand, Romania, Sweden and Hungary.
"Since becoming NATO's partner country in 2006, Korea has jointly responded to security threats facing the international community with NATO," said Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for public affairs, in a briefing. "Strengthening cooperation between NATO and Asia-Pacific countries, including Korea, begins with the recognition that Atlantic security and Indo-Pacific security are closely linked."
Yoon will also discuss ways to contribute to expanding information sharing with the United States and other NATO allies, Kim added.
He also plans to discuss measures to counter North Korea's nuclear missiles with NATO members and partner countries, to emphasize the international community's resolute and unified cooperation against Pyongyang's illegal activities.
On Wednesday, Yoon will moderate a meeting with the leaders of the AP4 countries.
A bilateral summit between Yoon and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will also be closely watched as an opportunity for both sides to express views on Japan's impending plans to discharge treated wastewater from its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.
During the flurry of meetings, Yoon was also expected to continue diplomatic efforts after attending the general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris last month to promote Busan's 2030 World Expo bid.
President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee take a stroll in Vilnius Old Town, a Unesco World Heritage Site, on Monday, during a visit to Lithuania for the NATO summit. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]
During a stroll in the Old Town of Vilnius on Monday, Yoon and first lady Kim bumped into the U.S. congressional delegation, which sang to him Don McLean's song "American Pie."
It was an homage to Yoon's own impromptu rendition of "American Pie" sung at U.S. President Joe Biden's state dinner in Washington in April, an event which made headlines.
The presidential couple was greeted by U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts and his congressional team, who were eating outdoors at a restaurant and broke out in song, according to presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon.
The senator thanked Yoon for his "wonderful address" to the U.S. Congress during his U.S. visit in April and said he looked forward to seeing the president again Tuesday for a separate meeting.
Yoon and Kim were also greeted by locals during their walk.
Later in the evening, Yoon and Kim ran into European Council President Charles Michel and his wife, said Lee. Michel last met with Yoon in Seoul in May during a visit with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
5. China urged not to repatriate North Korean refugees (Plus Lee Jung Hoon named Chief of Unification Advisory Committee)
The buried lede: Our good friend Lee Jung Hoon is the new chief of the Unification Planning Committee. I will be meeting with him when he comes to the US next week as part of a delegation. We have a meeting at the Center of Asia Pacific Strategy (CPAS) and I look forward to discussing unification with him.
As the former ROK Ambassador for human rights he will be a key player in the recommendations for a new strategy based on a human rights upfront approach, and information campaign, and the pursuit of a free and unified Korea.
China urged not to repatriate North Korean refugees
The Korea Times · July 11, 2023
Lee Jung-hoon, the new chief of the Unification Future Planning Committee, an advisory body to the unification minister, speaks during a roundtable discussion, titled "2023 Report on North Korean Human Rights," at the Press Center in Seoul, Tuesday. Newsis
Rights experts urge Seoul to work with like-minded states to pressure Beijing
By Jung Min-ho
The 2019 decision by the previous administration to repatriate two fishermen back to North Korea against their will ― in a clear violation of U.N. treaties ― shocked human rights experts around the world. Yet no one raised the issue, at least not openly, in China, a nation that has been doing the exact same thing for decades.
According to human rights organizations, more than 2,000 North Korean defectors will likely suffer the same fate once the remaining border restrictions that had been set up between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic are removed. What awaits them in North Korea is no secret ― years of incarceration in political prison camps, torture or worse.
This must be stopped, said Lee Jung-hoon, the new chief of the Unification Future Planning Committee, an advisory body to the unification minister.
"We have to continue to raise the issue (of compulsory repatriation) and try to align with likeminded governments throughout the world," Lee, former ambassador-at-large on North Korean human rights, said during a roundtable discussion, titled "2023 Report on North Korean Human Rights," at the Press Center in Seoul, Tuesday.
"This is an embarrassment to the leadership of Xi Jinping who hopes to be a global leader, alongside the United States."
Seoul has long asked Beijing to give these refugees the option of returning to the North or heading to the South. Despite its diplomatic efforts, however, Beijing has maintained the policy of treating North Korean crossing into China as illegal migrants rather than refugees.
"The problem is that the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) has the right to have access to them and then determine whether their cases merit refugee status or not," Lee said. "But China's government has been preventing the U.N. agency from having any access to North Korean defectors despite their special agreement signed in 1995."
This issue must be addressed at every diplomatic opportunity until China, one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and a state often referred to as one of the G2, changes that policy to meet international standards, he added.
Former North Korean diplomat Ko Young-hwan, now a member of the South's Unification Future Planning Committee, an advisory body to the unification minister, speaks during a roundtable discussion on "2023 Report on North Korean Human Rights" at the Press Center in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Closing the human rights loophole will likely require more than international review and collaboration as it is the government, not individuals, that lies in its favor. North Korea often makes criminal accusations against escapees to catch and punish the people it sees as "traitors," according to Ko Young-hwan, a member of the committee and a former North Korean diplomat who escaped to the South.
"Border cities in North Korea and China have extradition agreements. So when the North wants someone to be deported from China, it accuses the person of embezzlement, murder or other charges in its official documents," he said, adding that this strategy poses legal challenges to China and other governments friendly to Pyongyang.
"What I'm suggesting is to establish a new system in China, where the people in question could go through a trial or some sort of other legal procedures to corroborate all the contrasting claims before a deportation decision."
China, a country that allows some degree of freedom of speech and outside information, is different from North Korea and may not be impossible to convince, Ko said. "But diplomats in South Korea would need to step up efforts to develop a good logic to persuade them," he added.
Welcoming the English-language publication of the report on North Korea's human rights situation, all the participants said it was a first meaningful step toward the betterment of the North Korean people. They also said making progress in the area is a prerequisite for peaceful unification.
Lee Han-byeol, a North Korean defector-turned non-standing commissioner at the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, said the publication gave her hope.
"This was meaningful because it shows that the government in South Korea recognizes the protection of North Koreans' human rights as its responsibility and that it will never forget them," she said.
The Korea Times · July 11, 2023
6. [ANALYSIS] N. Korea's threats against US spy plane aimed at boosting internal cohesion: analysts
Again, "externalization" equals threats from internal problems.
Interesting speculation on the use of the official name of the ROK though I wonder if some are reading too much into it.
Excerpts:
Meanwhile, Kim referred to South Korea as the "Republic of Korea," instead of "Nam Joseon" in the Korean version of her statement. Nam Joseon is the commonly used term by the North Korean regime when it refers to South Korea.
As for the changed description, Park said her reference to South Korea by its official name could be a sign that Pyongyang is preparing to change its stance and policies toward South Korea.
"And it aligns with some previous moves showing the North's intent to treat South Korea as a foreign country," he added.
[ANALYSIS] N. Korea's threats against US spy plane aimed at boosting internal cohesion: analysts
The Korea Times · July 11, 2023
A U.S. U-2S reconnaissance aircraft flies over Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Yonhap
Pyongyang refers to Seoul by official name, signaling major shift in inter-Korean policies
By Lee Hyo-jin
A series of verbal threats by North Korea accusing a U.S. spy plane of intruding into its airspace appears to be a part of Pyongyang's efforts to consolidate internal cohesion ahead of a major military parade scheduled for later this month, defense analysts said, Tuesday.
Although experts viewed the intrusion claim to be groundless, they said the latest statements issued by the North may signal a major shift in its perception of South Korea, not as the other side of a divided nation, but a foreign country.
Earlier in the day, Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement through Pyongyang's official mouthpiece, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), accusing a U.S. reconnaissance plane of intruding into its exclusive economic zone the previous day.
"The strategic reconnaissance plane of the U.S. Air Force illegally intruded into the economic maritime zone of the DPRK side in the East Sea of Korea eight times," she said, claiming that the "aerial espionage act" occurred from 5:15 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. on Monday. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
She also warned that the North will have to take "decisive action" in the event of a repeated "illegal intrusion."
Kim's remarks came just hours after she issued a similar statement around 9 p.m., Monday, which was a follow-up to an initial statement by the North's defense military spokesperson that morning.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) denied the allegations raised by the North, saying that the U.S. warplane was conducting standard reconnaissance activities in cooperation with South Korea's military.
Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, said it is rare for Pyongyang to release three statements on the same matter in less than 24 hours.
"The initial statement issued by the defense ministry spokesperson had some errors. It claimed that the warplane intruded the DPRK's airspace. So Kim Yo-jong had to issue a follow-up statement in the evening, correcting that the plane flew above the exclusive economic zone (EEZ)," he said.
Kim Yo-Jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, makes a speech during a national meeting held in Pyongyang, Aug. 10, 2022. Yonhap A country's EEZ, which extends 200 nautical miles from the 12 nautical-mile territorial zone around the coast, does not confer sovereignty over the water's surface or the airspace above it.
Saying that Monday's reconnaissance flight by the U.S. plane is deemed as a routine activity, Park viewed that Kim's verbal threats against the U.S. are actually aimed at rallying its people together against foreign enemies.
"Given the timing of the statement, I would say that the regime is trying to consolidate internal cohesion ahead of the major military parade on July 27. Multiple signs indicate that people (in the North) are grappling with economic difficulties and food shortages," he said.
July 27 is celebrated as "Victory Day" in the North, claiming that it defeated a U.S. invasion of its territory in the Korean War. Pyongyang is expected to hold a large military parade on the upcoming holiday, displaying its latest nuclear weapons.
Shin Jong-woo, a researcher at the Korea Defense and Security Forum, a think tank, viewed that the North's "false claim" could mean that the reclusive regime is running out of cards to play against the U.S. and South Korea.
"The North seems to be opting for verbal threats since military provocations, such as launching ballistic missiles or nuclear tests, are difficult to carry out in the summer monsoon season," he said.
The U.S. Department of State, for its part, urged North Korea to refrain from escalating tensions.
"I would just say that we would urge the DPRK to refrain from escalatory actions, and again, calling it to engage in serious and sustained diplomacy," said its spokesperson, Matthew Miller, during a press briefing, Monday (local time).
"We remain committed to diplomacy and reiterate our interest in dialogue with Pyongyang without preconditions," Miller added.
Meanwhile, Kim referred to South Korea as the "Republic of Korea," instead of "Nam Joseon" in the Korean version of her statement. Nam Joseon is the commonly used term by the North Korean regime when it refers to South Korea.
As for the changed description, Park said her reference to South Korea by its official name could be a sign that Pyongyang is preparing to change its stance and policies toward South Korea.
"And it aligns with some previous moves showing the North's intent to treat South Korea as a foreign country," he added.
Earlier this month, when Pyongyang dismissed a request by Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun to visit Mount Geungang, the North released a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, instead of other agencies related to inter-Korean affairs, raising speculations that the North may be seeking to reclassify South Korea as a foreign country.
The Korea Times · July 11, 2023
7. North Korea Unsettles Kishida Government
Conclusion:
Such a shift, however slight, is the first in eight or nine years. Pyongyang’s sudden response was unexpected, and now Kishida must demonstrate that he truly means his consistent assertion that “The abductions issue is the highest priority for my Cabinet.”
North Korea Unsettles Kishida Government
Tokyo has been left puzzled by some recent Pyongyang moves.
thediplomat.com · by ISOZAKI Atsuhito · July 11, 2023
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Three notable events involving North Korea recently has left the Japanese government of Kishida Fumio feeling somewhat unsettled.
First, North Korea notified the Japan Coast Guard of its plan to launch a military reconnaissance satellite. A resolution adopted by the International Maritime Organization assembly requires member states to provide prior notification to coordinating countries in member territories before launching satellites. Japan is the coordinating country for Northeast Asia but was not notified of planned satellite launches in April and December 2012, and in February 2016.
Viewed in isolation, this event could be interpreted as a demonstration of willingness on Pyongyang’s part to abide by international rules. However, on the same day, May 29, the second event occurred, namely the issuing of a statement by North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Pak Sang-gil indicating a willingness to hold talks with Japan. While it would appear from his background that he is the vice minister responsible for Asia, this is the first time that the name of this individual has come up in the context of diplomatic relations with Japan. Previous announcements regarding dialogue with Japan were mostly attributed to a “researcher of the Institute for Japanese Studies of North Korean Foreign Ministry.” The latest announcement, however, came from the vice foreign minister, a senior government official both in name and reality.
It is notable that the tone of the announcement was unusually mild for North Korea. Pyongyang’s habit of late has been to address prime ministers of Japan by their name alone. This time, the level of politeness moved up a notch, addressing the Japanese leader as “Prime Minister Kishida.” The kind of name-calling to which former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo was subjected by North Korea, such as “idiot” and “good-for-nothing,” was absent. Instead, the style is consistently and uncharacteristically polite.
This expression of readiness to engage in dialogue came in response to Kishida’s remarks at the “Citizens’ Rally to Demand the Immediate Return to Japan of All Abductees at the Same Time” on May 27, stating that “Japan will engage in high-level consultations while reporting directly to me,” to bring about summit-level talks as soon as possible. Dealing with the North Korea issue has been the sole prerogative of the prime minister ever since the days of former Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro, yet it is the new expression “directly to me” that has elicited a response from Pyongyang.
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On the subject of a dialogue, Vice Foreign Minister Pak Sang-gil states that, “We are not sure what Japan is going to do and what it wants” and “We know that the prime minister [Kishida] has expressed his desire for the ‘Japan-DPRK summit without preconditions’ whenever he has an opportunity after he took power, but we do not know what he really wants to get from it.” Pyongyang is seeking to determine how serious Kishida is, and what actual steps he intends to take. Kishida is calling on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to engage in summit talks “without preconditions,” while North Korea wants to know the “preconditions” that could allow talks to be resumed and material progress to be made.
The following passage is often reported in Japan: “It is the stand of the DPRK government that if Japan tries to make a new decision from a broad perspective of recognizing each other as it is intact in conformity with the changed international trend and the times, not being shackled by the past, and seeks a way out for improving the relations, there is no reason for the DPRK and Japan not to meet.” The statement “there is no reason for the DPRK and Japan not to meet” seems to bode well for talks actually taking place. At the same time, North Korea states that the abduction issue has been “resolved” and it has no intention of changing its stance, instead urging change on the part of Japan.
To place this sudden talk of dialogue into context, we can’t rule out the possibility that contact between Japan and North Korea behind the scenes has been initiated. Be that as it may, the fact that there have been no significant advancements is precisely why talks are now being proposed to sound out the true motive of the Japan side. Some observers have noted that Pyongyang is seeking to drive a wedge between Japan, the United States, and South Korea, given that ties are becoming increasingly strained. The effectiveness of such a move, however, remains doubtful.
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Rather, this should be viewed in terms of Pyongyang beginning to sound out the true motive behind such Kishida statements as, “With regard to North Korea, the Government of Japan seeks to normalize its relations with North Korea through comprehensively resolving outstanding issues of concern, such as the abductions, nuclear, and missile issues, and settling the unfortunate past, in accordance with the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration of 2002,” and “I believe that it is critical that both Japan and I make proactive efforts and build relations between leaders.” It is crucial that Kishida’s statements address the possibility of normalizing diplomatic relations by emphasizing the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration signed 21 years ago.
The third point to note is the shift regarding Yokota Megumi, who has become the symbol of the abduction issue. In late May, a third party is said to have informed the South Korean abduction victims group that Megumi’s daughter, who resides in North Korea, “wants them to lay flowers” on the grave of Megumi’s father “in her name.” If this is to be believed, then given that Megumi’s mother had met her granddaughter just once, nine years ago, in Ulaanbaatar, it is a sign that North Korea has begun trying to unsettle the families of the aging abductees.
Such a shift, however slight, is the first in eight or nine years. Pyongyang’s sudden response was unexpected, and now Kishida must demonstrate that he truly means his consistent assertion that “The abductions issue is the highest priority for my Cabinet.”
ISOZAKI Atsuhito is a professor at Keio University.
thediplomat.com · by ISOZAKI Atsuhito · July 11, 2023
8. China's adroit tactics toward Korea
Professor Choo adroitly points out Chinese and north Korean subversion of the ROK:
Excerpts:
Personal opinions shouldn't dictate what is best for the country. The national interest is founded on the foundational values and principles pursued. One example is the U.S. subscription to world freedom, liberty and democracy as the ultimate foreign policy goal. Therefore, it is inappropriate for individuals to decide what is most important to the country. However, Jongbuk forces, pro-North Korea and pro-China factions frame the country's goals in the context of an anti-U.S. and anti-Japan framework. Their national concerns are reduced to political self-interest in the end.
Thus, to them, the ultimate goals are the dissolution of the Korea-U.S. alliance and the expulsion of the U.S. forces in Korea. Towards this end, we must acknowledge that China will employ all means to polarize and divide our society to further its long-term strategic goals. Korea as a democratic state must defend itself against China's plots. Korean society must unite and build a collective consensus that China wants to divide and conquer us.
No more internal bickering can be afforded. We must confront a nation of 1.4 billion people. We must unite in a way that every single individual will have to do the work of 100 people to defend this nation against China. It is time to "wake up and smell the coffee" for Koreans and face the reality of China.
China's adroit tactics toward Korea
The Korea Times · July 11, 2023
By Choo Jae-woo
Recently, in front of the opposition leader, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming challenged the nation's foreign sovereignty and foreign policy stance. When Ambassador Xing remarked, "If you bet on the U.S., you will regret it," he was attacking both the choice of our people and Korea's diplomatic independence. It was hard to hear that the opposition leader brought up a counterpoint despite the Chinese ambassador's harsh remarks.
Instead, Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the head of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, accepted the ambassador's invitation to stand with China in opposition to Japan's impending release of radioactive wastewater. Given that the former president, who belonged to the same political party, had responded similarly, his stance was not unexpected. The environment and foreign affairs ministries of the Moon Jae-in administration had agreed to collaborate in 2019 and 2021, respectively.
Korea looks to be opposing the international community on this matter, together with China and Russia. Korea is the focus of interest in large part because it is the only "like-minded state" or democratic state that appears to reject conclusions from partner countries' governmental agencies and international scientific organizations. Numerous reports have been published over the years. The Canadian, Australian and New Zealand governments, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency all came to the nearly identical conclusion that the water would not affect or endanger the health of people or animals, including marine life, as early as 2011.
The leaders of the opposition parties and the anti-government NGOs in Korean society, on the other hand, are more interested in appearing politically correct. They stage demonstrations practically every day. Given how the ocean currents go from Japan eastward, they both reject the scientific evidence and facts presented by those nations, which would be impacted by radioactively tainted water considerably sooner than Korea. Then, a critical question arises: Why is the opposition party susceptible to China's influence? What drives it to be 'pro-China' with its diplomatic stance?
It has to do with the existence of so-called "Jongbuk" forces in Korea (or North Korea followers) and pro-North Korea factions on the Korean political spectrum. Jongbuk forces and the pro-NK factions have existed in Korean society ever since the division of the Korean Peninsula. Following the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and China, they anticipated that China would contribute to the advancement of relations with North Korea and included China as an equal in their Jongbuk forces and pro-NK faction. In parallel, the formula "Jongbuk forces = pro-NK = pro-China" was formed. During the Moon Jae-in administration, anti-Japanese sentiments coalesced, and a new formula known as "Jongbuk = pro-NK = pro-China = anti-U.S. = anti-Japan" was devised.
China is taking advantage of a polarized Korean society to its utmost interest, subduing Korea to its influence. China's attempt at polarizing Korea began in 2015 when Beijing tried to induce Seoul to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and opposition to the deployment of THAAD. Since then, China has been active in using these characteristics of our society to expand its influence and interests.
Despite this reality, controversy erupted when opposition lawmakers turned their attention to China in response to Ambassador Xing's comments. Despite declining public opinion, "representatives of the people" continued to travel to China. Whether the action is suitable for parliamentary operations that prioritize national interests is strongly contested. On the contrary, they including the Moon administration did not even protest against China's unilateral cancellation or postponement of most high-level and strategic consultations.
Despite this humiliation, they faithfully honored their pledge to China, but to no avail in making any progress toward normalizing bilateral relations as they boasted. It is almost impossible to discount the fact that they were merely exploited by the Chinese influence and their political sentiment because they all failed to deliver the consequences of their visits in any form. It means they failed to meet any Chinese figure capable of resolving Korea-China relations issues contrary to their bragging about the trips.
To develop the Korea-U.S. alliance and Korea-China relations in a healthy and balanced manner, we need to reflect on our diplomacy. First of all, we need self-centered thinking in our diplomacy. Unfortunately, however, we have had very little experience with that. So far, we have relied on the Korea-U.S. alliance, but on the other hand, we misunderstood that our interests in the Chinese market will remain unchanged. Because of this, we are still unable to state with certainty what our country's interests are and what we ought to pursue.
Personal opinions shouldn't dictate what is best for the country. The national interest is founded on the foundational values and principles pursued. One example is the U.S. subscription to world freedom, liberty and democracy as the ultimate foreign policy goal. Therefore, it is inappropriate for individuals to decide what is most important to the country. However, Jongbuk forces, pro-North Korea and pro-China factions frame the country's goals in the context of an anti-U.S. and anti-Japan framework. Their national concerns are reduced to political self-interest in the end.
Thus, to them, the ultimate goals are the dissolution of the Korea-U.S. alliance and the expulsion of the U.S. forces in Korea. Towards this end, we must acknowledge that China will employ all means to polarize and divide our society to further its long-term strategic goals. Korea as a democratic state must defend itself against China's plots. Korean society must unite and build a collective consensus that China wants to divide and conquer us.
No more internal bickering can be afforded. We must confront a nation of 1.4 billion people. We must unite in a way that every single individual will have to do the work of 100 people to defend this nation against China. It is time to "wake up and smell the coffee" for Koreans and face the reality of China.
Choo Jae-woo (jwc@khu.ac.kr) is a professor of international relations at Kyung Hee University and director of the China Center at the Korea Research Institute for National Security. He was a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution.
The Korea Times · July 11, 2023
9. Nuclear power renaissance (ROK)
Again, South Korea is a [peaceful] nuclear power with nuclear knowledge far superior to north Korea.
Nuclear power renaissance
The Korea Times · July 11, 2023
Korea should pursue balanced energy mix with renewables
The Yoon Suk Yeol government is speeding up its switch from renewables to nuclear energy for Korea's "green transition."
"Many private companies stressed the need to expand electricity supply capacity, including building new nuclear power plants," the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Monday.
The statement came after Minister Lee Chang-yang chaired the 29th Energy Committee meeting. By introducing proposals made by private companies, the ministry effectively formalized the construction of new nuclear power plants. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) has also decided to accelerate the 11th Power Supply and Demand Plan timeline, originally due in 2025.
After he took office 14 months ago, Yoon repealed his predecessor's nuclear phase-out policy. But Yoon has mainly remained content with extending the operational life of old atomic power plants and resuming the construction of suspended ones.
His government is now going further by building new atomic power plants.
However, it must think harder. The ministry contends that Korea needs more nuclear power stations to increase its power supply capacity for semiconductor and secondary battery plants. It is hard to deny the demand for more electricity generation for economic growth. But the ministry's policy switch has at least two problems ― unless supplemented by an equal emphasis on renewables.
First, it runs counter to trends in the most advanced countries ― with the notable exception of the U.K. and probably the U.S. ― from nuclear to renewable energy. Moreover, the share of renewable energy in Korea's energy mix has remained at around 7 percent, compared to the average of 12.1 percent for the OECD, a club of 38 wealthy nations, in 2022. In contrast, the proportion of nuclear energy in this country was high, at 30.2 percent, more than three times the 9.2 percent for the world.
Second, while relatively clean and compact, nuclear power plants come with high costs ― financially, environmentally and strategically.
The long period for designing and winning approval for a reactor pushes up its cost enormously. Even the recently popular small modular reactors (SMRs) could cost up to 12 trillion won ($9.3 billion) per unit. Moreover, the world has yet to develop a permanent solution for spent fuel. Few regions are willing to host a waste storage facility. Even if there are volunteers, a temporary repository takes as long as 15 years to build. The two Koreas are still technically at war. Too many nuclear power stations in the South could expose it to strategic vulnerability.
The nation has a long way to go before fulfilling its commitment to curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Five years ago, Korea promised to reduce its emissions by 40 percent to their 2018 level by 2030 and attain net-zero emissions by 2050.
To hit the target, the nation must reduce emissions by 5.4 percent yearly, compared to an average of 2 percent for the EU and 2.8 percent for the U.S. The "decarbonization" blueprint of the incumbent government is not much better.
All this shows why nuclear power plants, despite their various problems, are getting more support even from environment-sensitive progressives.
With its small, mountainous terrain, it will be challenging for Korea to adopt a zero-nuclear power plant policy like in Germany. But that should not be a reason for the incumbent administration to flip-flop on its predecessor's energy mix by increasing the share of nuclear energy to 32.4 percent and lowering renewables to 21.6 percent +α. The government is also trying to replace RE100 ― a global corporate renewable energy initiative bringing together hundreds of large and ambitious businesses committed to 100 percent renewable electricity ― with CFE (carbon-free energy), including nuclear energy.
That will require tremendous efforts to avoid the EU's "green barrier," discriminating against businesses not keeping the RE100 rule, which does not recognize atomic energy as renewable.
According to some reports, the government estimated the nation needs six new atomic power plants. We hope it pedals more slowly. Nuclear omnipotence will prove as risky, harmful and costly as environmental fundamentalism.
The Korea Times · July 11, 2023
10. Kim Yo-jong's reference to South as 'Republic of Korea' may indicate change
Could be some wishful thinking. Could be part of north Korean deception and subversion activities. It is certainly a message to some factions within South Korea. I think we will be able to confirm the regime's intent if they begin to talk about an end of war declaration.
Kim Yo-jong's reference to South as 'Republic of Korea' may indicate change
koreaherald.com · by Ji Da-gyum;Son Ji-hyoung · July 11, 2023
Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, attends a wreath-laying ceremony at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam, March 2, 2019. (AP-Yonhap)
The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday referred to Seoul as the "Republic of Korea," South Korea's official name, in two statements, signaling a change in its decadeslong strategy to unify the Korean Peninsula under North Korea's lead, according to observers.
The name change in Kim Yo-jong's statements -- which were issued in both Korean and English -- may indicate that Pyongyang has started to recognize Seoul as a separate state in a hostile manner, they said.
North Korea has long referred to South Korea as "south Korea" or "the south Korean puppet," as it has long claimed to be the sole legitimate government on the Korean Peninsula with the two Koreas being technically at war.
But Monday's statement over an alleged intrusion of US spy aircraft into North Korea's airspace reflects a major deviation from this tendency with the use of expressions like the "Republic of Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff" and the "clans of the Republic of Korea."
Also on Tuesday, Kim urged the "Republic of Korea's military gang to shut their mouth" to condemn South Korea for its earlier statement defending the US spy aircraft.
The move was likely intentional, observers said.
Yang Moo-jin, professor and president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said Kim Yo-jong's mention of the Republic of Korea, or ROK, carries "significant meaning, indicating that North Korea views the inter-Korean relationship as a relationship between two sovereign states."
The 1991 Basic Agreement defined inter-Korean relations as a "special interim relationship stemming from the process toward unification," rather than a traditional relationship between separate states.
Yang also pointed out that "Kim Yo-jong's role is expected to undergo changes in line with the shift of inter-Korean relations toward a state-to-state relationship."
North Korea has occasionally used the term "Republic of Korea" in rare instances. These instances include when South Korea is quoted in third-party statements or when joint statements are issued following inter-Korean summits and talks.
"In light of recent developments, including the North Korean Foreign Ministry's statement regarding the proposed visit by Hyundai Asan and Kim Yo-jong's reference to the Republic of Korea, we will closely monitor North Korea's intentions and future actions," a senior official at the Unification Ministry, who wished to remain anonymous, said, referring to the arm of Hyundai that engages in inter-Korean projects, during a closed-door briefing.
On July 1, North Korea's Foreign Affairs Ministry blocked the access of Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun to the country as she sought to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the death of her husband, the late Chung Mong-hun, on Mount Kumgang. Hyundai in the late 1990s took part in a joint venture with North Korea to develop Mount Kumgang as a tourist attraction, but the project collapsed due to soured relations.
The handling of Hyun's request by North Korea's Foreign Affairs Ministry was considered a rare move for the ministry, which is charged with handling affairs with what the North considers other countries. In the past, the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, has been in charge of dealing with the relations with South Korea. However, the latter agency has remained silent since 2021 on the relationship between the two Koreas.
South Korea's Constitution does not recognize North Korea as an independent state, but its courts have sought to do so, for example in a damage suit seeking compensation for the abduction of two South Koreans who were forced into wartime labor in the North. In May, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that North Korea pay 50 million won ($38,682) each to compensate the two South Korean nationals.
A U-2S Dragon Lady, a US high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, takes off from the US' Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
Kim Yo-jong also disregarded the South Korean military's explanation that the US surveillance and reconnaissance assets have been conducting regular reconnaissance activities.
"In regards to the provocation by US forces, the military of the 'ROK' again impudently took the lead in denying the encroachment on the DPRK's sovereignty, while shamelessly asserting that it was a 'normal flight' of the ROK and the US," Kim said Tuesday. The DPRK refers to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"The issue related to the relevant aerial area is the one between the Korean People's Army and the US forces. The military gangsters of the 'ROK' should stop acting impudently and shut up at once," she said.
South Korea's unification ministry on Tuesday confirmed that Kim Yo-jong's statement was the first time that North Korea has referred to South Korea as the ROK in its officially issued statements.
Kim issued her press statement around nine hours after a similar statement was delivered in her name around 9:00 p.m. on Monday.
The statement released early Tuesday specifically addresses the reconnaissance activities of the US military mentioned the previous day, but it provides additional specifics about the location and frequency of these activities.
According to Kim's claim, the US Air Force's strategic reconnaissance aircraft violated the airspace above the North Korean side's exclusive economic zone in the East Sea of the Korean Peninsula.
Specifically, the violations occurred approximately 435 kilometers east of Thongchon in Kangwon Province and about 276 km southeast of Uljin in North Kyongsang Province. Kim further stated that these violations occurred eight times, spanning from 5:15 a.m. to 1:10 p.m.
In response to Kim's statement, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Tuesday dismissed North Korea's claims as "not worth thinking about."
"The exclusive economic zone permits freedom of navigation and overflight, and simply flying in such areas does not constitute intrusion," JCS spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun said in the briefing.
"North Korea's assertions, utilizing such actions as a pretext, might indicate internal motives or an accumulation of justifications for provocations," Lee said.
North Korea has repeatedly issued warnings of potential military action in response to what they perceive as routine reconnaissance activities conducted by the United States on the Korean Peninsula. These warnings were conveyed through three statements released on Monday and early Tuesday.
Kim's two statements followed an initial statement issued Monday by a spokesperson for North Korea's Ministry of National Defense. The Ministry of National Defense claimed that US spy planes, including RC-135, U-2S and RQ-4B aircraft, had conducted flights over the East and West Sea of the Korean Peninsula continuously for eight days, from July 2 to 9.
The ministry asserted that a US Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane "illegally intruded into the inviolable airspace of the DPRK over its East Sea tens of kilometers several times."
By Ji Da-gyum (dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)
Son Ji-hyoung (consnow@heraldcorp.com)
koreaherald.com · by Ji Da-gyum;Son Ji-hyoung · July 11, 2023
11. (Yonhap Feature) N. Korean defectors say ordeal in China worsened due to COVID-19 pandemic
(LEAD) (Yonhap Feature) N. Korean defectors say ordeal in China worsened due to COVID-19 pandemic | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · July 10, 2023
(ATTN: CHANGES photos)
By Lee Minji
ANSEONG, South Korea, July 10 (Yonhap) -- Three North Korean defectors who recently arrived in South Korea after living on the run in China said their ordeal significantly worsened due to strict restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a rare glimpse of how they went through hardships during the period.
The three women -- who, respectively, left North Korea in 2004, 2014 and 2019 -- made the remarks during a group press interview at Hanawon in Anseong, a government-run facility located south of Seoul that offers a 12-week resettlement program for new defectors from North Korea.
The three, who spoke on condition of anonymity, are among the defectors who managed to escape North Korea before the secretive regime tightened its grip on the people and closed its border since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After leaving the North, the three women built new lives in China. They learned the language, found new jobs, got married and had kids.
Despite living under the constant fear of being deported back to North Korea, where they could face the death penalty, life in China felt better than the life they left, even if it meant living as ghost citizens.
"I crossed the Tumen river out of fear that I would die in North Korea. Living in China, I felt that it is much better than North Korea, even if I do not have an official identification card," a defector in her 30s who left North Korea in 2004 said.
North Korean defectors receive job training to learn bread-making skills at Hanawon, a resettlement education center for North Korean defectors, in Anseong, southeast of Seoul, on July 10, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
But that notion began to change as the pandemic tore through the world.
"The toughest part was going to a hospital when I was sick since I didn't have an ID. When I had to travel, I couldn't ride a train since I don't have an ID. I could not receive the money from work because I did not have a bank account," she said.
Things were tougher for a nascent defector hailing from a North Korean border town just before the pandemic began.
"Employers were afraid to hire me, and since I didn't have an ID, I received less than half of what local people earned. It was depressing," a defector in her 20s who left North Korea in 2019 said.
"Because of COVID-19, I could not go out. I wanted to go to South Korea, since I could be documented. I wanted to live confidently as a human being in a place where my identity was guaranteed," she said.
This photo shows a job training facility at Hanawon, a resettlement education center for North Korean defectors, in Anseong, southeast of Seoul. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
Such a desire was stronger for a North Korean defector who became a mother while living in China.
"Before, I was fearless since I was alone," a defector in her 30s who left North Korea in 2014 said. "But I had something to protect now. I could have lived my past life if I had not known this life, but now that I know it, I could never return to life back in North Korea."
"Illegally staying in China meant that safety is not guaranteed. I wanted to be safe, I wanted to protect myself," she said.
The number of defectors who arrived in South Korea has sharply dwindled in the past few years. The figure, which hovered at over 3,000 before and after 2010, more than halved to 1,167 in 2019 and plummeted to 59 in 2022, according to government data.
Following the 12-week training, packed with sessions on the Korean language, mental health and South Korean society, the three women will take on the challenge of building another new life in South Korea.
"As long as I am documented, I can strive and live confidently," the defector who escaped North Korea in 2004 said.
For the defector who left in 2014, the training she received at Hanawon signaled that she now has the autonomy to choose her life options.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do, whether I could do it and what options are out there. But this institution has given me the opportunity to think about this."
A North Korean defector receives job training in nail art at Hanawon, a resettlement education center for North Korean defectors, in Anseong, southeast of Seoul, on July 10, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · July 10, 2023
12. From trauma to training - new lives for North Korea’s defectors
From trauma to training - new lives for North Korea’s defectors
BBC · by Menu
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Image source, Unification Ministry
Image caption,
The Hanawon facility in South Korea offers classes for North Korean refugees, including cookery
By Michael Bristow
BBC News, Seoul
About two hours' drive from the South Korean capital, Seoul, in a rural setting of wooded hills and rice paddies, is a complex of buildings that look out of place.
Towering over the surrounding countryside, these multi-storey structures are surrounded by a high fence and guarded gate. The compound is isolated, secure and private.
Part training-hub, part medical facility, part re-education centre, this is where North Korean defectors are sent for three months when they arrive in South Korea.
Its name is Hanawon, or to give it its full title, the Settlement Support Centre for North Korean Refugees.
The number of North Koreans making the difficult and dangerous journey to South Korea - risking possible death if they are caught - to escape poverty and repression has fallen significantly in recent years.
A decade or so ago, nearly 3,000 arrived each year. That figure dropped to around 1,000 in the years that followed and then to below 100 during the pandemic, when North Korea sealed its borders.
Despite that, South Korea has reaffirmed its commitment not just to keeping Hanawon open, but to expanding its facilities.
Image source, Unification Ministry
Image caption,
The isolated compound has an area with technology and gadgets on display
The government in Seoul believes that as Covid controls are relaxed in North Korea, more of its people will be able to flee. If that happens, Hanawon will again fill up.
Unification Minister Kwon Young-se said South Korea needs to prepare to greet these new arrivals.
"We need to think of defectors not as aliens, but as neighbours whose hometown is in the North," he said.
With its hedges, flowers and manicured trees, Hanawon appeared welcoming in the summer sun on Monday, when the South Korean government gave journalists a rare glimpse inside the facility.
We were shown around a training centre, where North Korea defectors are offered 22 courses, in subjects such as hair and beauty, baking and clothes making.
One room has been made to look like a nail parlour, where defectors learn the delicate art of the manicure. They use model hands to practice painting, polishing and filing.
Image source, Unification Ministry
Image caption,
Training in skills like nail and beautician work is also provided at the centre
The delicious smell of baking fills the air; it has drifted down from a cookery class next-door.
Other courses are aimed at helping the North Koreans adjust to life in a country that is, in terms of technology, decades ahead of where they came from.
One classroom is set up like a shop selling high-tech gadgets. Tablets, smartphones and computers have been put on display.
While the floor of another building looks like a modern hospital. There is a small ward, consulting rooms and doctors walking around in white medical coats.
It is not just the physical needs of the North Koreans that are catered for; many arrive with severe psychological problems that need urgent attention.
BBC
One of my patients... was worried about what people would think if they knew he was from the North
Dr Jeon Jin-yong
Psychiatrist who has worked at Hanawon
Dr Jeon Jin-yong is a psychiatrist who has worked at Hanawon. He has heard terrible tales of trauma from North Koreans who have passed through the facility.
He said they have had to cope with the stress of escape, and the constant fear that they will be caught and sent back before they make it to South Korea.
Many struggle to overcome the guilt of leaving relatives behind in North Korea who they might never see again.
Some face prejudice in South Korea and so choose to hide the fact that they are from the North.
"One of my patients was once having lunch in a restaurant when on the television there was news about North Korea launching a missile," said Dr Jeon.
"He became very uncomfortable, so quickly finished eating and left the restaurant. He was worried about what people would think if they knew he was from the North."
Image source, Unification Ministry
Image caption,
The facility, which is surrounded by a high fence with a guarded gate, includes a job centre
In an interview with journalists, three female defectors currently at Hanawon gave a hint of the difficulties they are trying to overcome.
They were fearful of revealing their names and were introduced as A, B and C. One woman spoke from behind a screen.
All three had arrived in South Korea after first escaping to China, where their lives were better than in North Korea - but still full of anxiety and danger.
Woman B said she was unable to get a Chinese identity card, which meant she could not go to a hospital, get a bank card or even travel on a train.
Woman C said she was paid half the wages of a Chinese worker because she was in no position to argue for more.
They also described a tightening net of Chinese surveillance that had forced them to seek shelter in South Korea.
"When I first decided to defect I wasn't afraid of anything because I was all alone," said woman A. "But then I had a child in China and realised I had no legal status."
All three women spoke of their hopes - and trepidation - for the future. One of them said she was even worried about paying tax.
BBC
I felt such relief that I was finally in South Korea. I hugged my daughter and started to cry
Kim Sung-hui
Graduated from Hanawon
Someone who knows what they are going through is Kim Sung-hui, who graduated from Hanawon just over a decade ago and now runs her own business making a rice wine that's popular in North Korea.
In North Korea, Mrs Kim had been told that the South Koreans would initially welcome her - and then she would be tortured and killed.
"It wasn't until I graduated from Hanawon that I finally realised that I was safe," she said.
Mrs Kim said the real education for those at Hanawon would begin only after leaving the facility.
"The first night on the outside is a memorable one for all defectors. I felt such relief that I was finally in South Korea. I hugged my daughter and started to cry - not because I was sad or lonely - but because we'd survived," the 49-year-old said.
In those first few weeks on the outside, Mrs Kim remembers the kindness of South Korean volunteers who helped her adjust.
They were there to welcome her when she stepped into her new home, they showed her around the local shops and even paid for her first ride in a taxi. She still keeps in touch with some of them.
Those still at Hanawon will be hoping for similar success.
BBC · by Menu
13. Korea sees next 5 years as critical to recover birth rate
Korea sees next 5 years as critical to recover birth rate
From tax benefits to couple matching events, various policies mulled for people born in '90s
koreaherald.com · by Lee Jaeeun · July 11, 2023
(123rf)
To tackle the nation's record-low birth rate, the South Korean government has committed to a slew of programs targeting individuals born in the 1990s over the next five years, according to officials Tuesday.
“The government sees the next five years as the golden time for a rebound in fertility rates. This is because people born in the 1990s, a large age group in our society, are at the best age for marriage and childbirth over (that time period),” an official of the Ministry of Health and Welfare said.
Koreans born between 1990 and 1999 are mostly the children of so-called baby boomers who were born after the Korean War between 1955 and 1974.
The average number of births per year was 705,000 from 1990 to 1994 and 669,000 from 1995 to 1999. However, after the 1997-98 Asian Economic Crisis, the number plummeted to an average of 500,000 in the early 2000s.
Marking annual Population Day, the ministry said it would make full-scale efforts to reverse the country's falling birth rate. As of last year, Korea’s fertility rate dropped to a new low of 0.78, the lowest among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and possibly the world.
South Korea's population is set to fall to 38 million in 2070 due to its critically low birth rates, with those aged 65 and above set to take up around 46 percent of the total population, according to a recent report released by Statistics Korea.
The fertility rate is the average number of births projected for a woman during her reproductive years. A total fertility rate of above 2 is needed to sustain a country’s population if not accounting for migration. Korea’s fertility rate dropped from 0.81 in 2021 to 0.78 last year and is predicted to decrease further this year.
A blind date event for unmarried men and women is hosted by Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday (Seongnam City)
In order to encourage marriage and childbirth among those born in the 1990s, the government is mulling various policy suggestions. The government is considering easing the burden of gift taxes exclusively for newlywed couples, by raising the minimum amount of cash they can receive from parents without being taxed to either 100 million won ($76,000) or 150 million won.
Several municipalities have also introduced similar programs. Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, held two couple matchmaking events in July for unmarried men and women who either live or work in the region. As a result, 39 couples found a match.
Guri City in Gyeonggi Province has launched a dating show on YouTube hosted by the city's mayor. The program selects unmarried men and women living in the area and sets them up on blind dates.
Dalseo-gu, Daegu, established a "marriage promotion team" in the district office in 2016 to foster blind dates for unmarried individuals under the leadership of public officials.
Some local governments also hand out cash to residents who have children. Donghae, Gangwon Province, recently decided to pay up to 3 million won to pregnant women. Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, pays 1 million won for giving birth to a first child, 3 million won for giving birth to a second child, and 10 million won for giving birth to a third child.
At the Population Day ceremony, Health and Welfare Minister Cho Kyu-hong called for public attention on the worsening population issues.
“The government's policies addressing low birth rate need ... attention and support from the public. The government will try to provide policy support for families raising children,” said Cho.
In 2012, the government established Population Day, which falls on the same day as World Population Day, in order to raise awareness of population issues and to tackle problems of low birth rate and aging population.
The government also granted awards to 65 organizations and individuals in recognition of their contribution to pro-natal policies and promoting the balance between work and family life.
By Lee Jaeeun (jenn@heraldcorp.com)
koreaherald.com · by Lee Jaeeun · July 11, 2023
14. Civic coalition behind mad cow protests is now leading Fukushima protests, ex-activist claims
Professional agitators. With training. Who controls these leaders? Think subversion.
Civic coalition behind mad cow protests is now leading Fukushima protests, ex-activist claims | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kang Jae-eun · July 11, 2023
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- A civic coalition leading protests against Japan's planned release of radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant is almost identical to the one that led anti-government protests over mad cow disease fears in 2008, a former civic activist claimed Tuesday.
Min Kyung-woo, a formerly left-leaning activist who led nationwide mad cow protests before breaking away from liberal ideals, made the claim during a discussion organized by the ruling People Power Party (PPP), citing similarities in their human and organizational makeup.
"I think the two organizations are more than 80 percent identical," he said.
Min said these organizations are prone to using groundless rumors to rally public support for their causes, a point the PPP is trying to hammer home amid continuing protests against the Fukushima discharge despite assurances from scientists that its effects on South Korea will be negligible.
During the 2008 protests, many South Koreans took to the streets in protest of the then Lee Myung-bak administration's decision to resume U.S. beef imports amid rumors that consuming American beef would result in serious health problems, such as holes in the brain and even death.
Such rumors have been debunked and South Korea is now one of the biggest importers of American beef.
The PPP suggested the government form a special task force to fight false rumors over the Fukushima release plan, as it did during the Roh Moo-hyun administration to tackle false claims on the impact of the free trade agreement with the U.S.
It also requested daily safety inspections of seafood sold in both the wholesale and retail markets, which the oceans ministry agreed to carry out starting by the end of July.
Rep. Ha Tae-keung, who leads the ruling People Power Party's special committee on civic group advancement, speaks during a meeting held at the National Assembly in Seoul, on July 11, 2023. (Yonhap)
fairydust@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kang Jae-eun · July 11, 2023
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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