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Quotes of the Day:
"To safeguard democracy the people must have a keen sense of independence, self-respect, and their oneness."
– Mohandas K. Gandhi
" Allow primacy in unconventional conflicts to rest with the Special Operations Forces, combined with traditional aid and assistance."
– Sam C. Sarkesian, Unconventional Conflicts in a New Security Era, Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam
"Rulers who destroy men's freedom commonly begin by trying to retain its forms. ... They cherish the illusion that they can combine the prerogatives of absolute power with the moral authority that comes from popular assent"
– Alexis de Tocqueville
1. New head of unification council vows efforts to let N. Koreans realize Seoul's unification efforts
2. N. Korea slams U.S.-S. Korea joint military drills ahead of 71st anniversary of armistice signing
3. Chief Russian prosecutor visits N. Korea for 1st time
4. Defense chiefs of S. Korea, U.S, Japan to meet in Tokyo to discuss N.K. threats
5. China’s Dangerous Nuclear Push
6. China’s Long March through the Global South
7. Belarus' foreign minister to visit N. Korea amid deepening Pyongyang-Moscow ties
8. Korean Air to buy up to 50 Boeing planes for 30 tln won
9. Foreign, defense ministries sign MOU on enhancing safety of overseas Koreans
10. Jung Woo-sung leaves UNHCR role after 'online attacks'
11. Exclusive: NIS official dismissed for buying luxury bag to ex-CIA analyst
12. Hanwha Ocean gains eligibility to bid for U.S. Navy ship repairs
13. Trump: ‘I told Kim to relax and chill’
14. ＜Inside N. Korea＞Thirty years after his death, memorial services for Kim Il-sung have become simpler …Ryanggang Provinces ban drinking for just one day
15. Focus shifts to Kamala Harris's ties with Korea as Yoon's trusted partner Biden calls it quits
16. South resorts to psychological warfare over loudspeakers after North's latest trash balloon launch
17. Alleged Korean spy Sue Mi Terry held Washington ‘happy hour’ for agents, wrote propaganda with husband: indictment
1. New head of unification council vows efforts to let N. Koreans realize Seoul's unification efforts
It will be interesting to read the Propaganda and Agitation Department's treatment of Thae Yong Ho and his new appointment. I have not yet seen any commentary.
The key is the Korean people have to solve the Korea question (para 60 of the Armistice). And a fundamental human right of all people per article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is self determination of government. All Korean people have the right to self determination. Hopefully Thae Yong Ho can serve as a bridge between the Korean people in the north and South and be a catalyst for change in the north.
New head of unification council vows efforts to let N. Koreans realize Seoul's unification efforts | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · July 22, 2024
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- Tae Yong-ho, new secretary general of the presidential advisory council on unification, on Monday vowed efforts to let North Koreans understand South Korea's efforts to craft a peaceful unification vision based on a national consensus.
Tae, a former North Korean deputy ambassador to Britain, was appointed by President Yoon Suk Yeol last week as the chief of the secretariat of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council.
He has become the first North Korean defector to serve in the deputy ministerial post since the council was established in 1980.
At the inaugural ceremony, Tae accused North Korea of increasing animosity toward South Korea and denying efforts to pursue a peaceful unification, as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared inter-Korean ties as those between "two states hostile to each other."
Against this backdrop, Tae said he will do his best to provide good policy proposals to Yoon and build a national consensus on unification. South Korea is working on a new unification initiative based on liberal democracy.
"I will also do my best to let North Korean people get to know the national consensus (on unification) built from the bottom," Tae said.
He said his appointment to the post sent a message to North Korea that South Korea has a firm commitment to seeking peaceful unification with North Korea.
Tae fled to South Korea in 2016 in a high-profile defection by a ranking North Korean diplomat. He was elected in the affluent district of Gangnam in Seoul in 2020 as a lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party but failed to secure a second term in the April parliamentary elections.
This photo, provided by the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) on July 22, 2024, shows Tae Yong-ho, new secretary general of the presidential advisory council on unification, speaking at the inaugural ceremony at the secretariat of the PUAC in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Soo-yeon · July 22, 2024
2. N. Korea slams U.S.-S. Korea joint military drills ahead of 71st anniversary of armistice signing
I have not seen the English translation of the Rodong Sinmun statement yet. Of course this is no surprise from the Propaganda and Agitation Department.
As an aside, on the anniversary of the Armistice this Saturday, prior to the official ceremony to commemorate it, a dozen escapees from north Korea will present a wreath at the Korean War memorial on the Mall in Washington to honor the fallen.
(LEAD) N. Korea slams U.S.-S. Korea joint military drills ahead of 71st anniversary of armistice signing | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · July 22, 2024
(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in paras 5-6)
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Monday the United States and South Korea have never stopped their joint military drills against the North since the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War, claiming that they are crossing a red line of a new nuclear war.
The Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, raised public awareness against the U.S. ahead of the 71st anniversary of the signing of the armistice on July 27, celebrated as Victory Day in North Korea.
"The enemies' madness of aggression and war has never been stopped," the newspaper reported, insisting that Seoul and Washington have staged war drills against the North without pause since the signing of the armistice.
"They are now crossing a red line of a new world nuclear warfare without hesitation," it said.
South Korea's unification ministry refuted the claims, saying that it is not surprising for North Korea to play the victim while it was the one that invaded with support from the Soviet Union and China.
"The past 70 years have seen South Korea achieve unparalleled freedom, democracy, and economic growth, which is impossible to compare with that of North Korea, and which the entire world witnesses," Koo Byoung-sam, a spokesperson for the ministry, said at a regular press briefing.
North Korea has long denounced Seoul-Washington joint military exercises as a rehearsal for an invasion, though the allies said such drills are defensive in nature.
Against this backdrop, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has strengthened the country's nuclear deterrence that can end this protracted war forever, the newspaper claimed.
The Korean War, which started with an invasion by the North, ended with the Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953. Since 1996, North Korea has celebrated the armistice signing date as Victory Day, claiming that it won the war against the U.S.
Last year, North Korea held a military parade to mark the 70th anniversary by inviting then Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chinese Communist Party politburo member Li Hongzhong.
With their presence at the parade, the North apparently aimed to show its solidarity with Beijing and Moscow, which backed Pyongyang during the Cold War-era conflict, as Seoul, Washington and Tokyo were bolstering three-way security cooperation.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (C), alongside then Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (L) and Chinese Communist Party politburo member Li Hongzhong, observes a military parade at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang on July 27, 2023, to mark the 70th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that halted the 1950-53 Korean War, in this file photo released the next day by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. (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 Han-joo · July 22, 2024
3. Chief Russian prosecutor visits N. Korea for 1st time
So they can discuss rule BY law and how to prosecute (and persecute) dissenters and resistors to their dictators.
Chief Russian prosecutor visits N. Korea for 1st time | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · July 22, 2024
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov has visited North Korea for the first time, his office said Monday, marking another sign of burgeoning ties between the two countries.
Krasnov was greeted by a representative of the Supreme Prosecutor's Office upon arrival at the airport in Pyongyang, according to a statement posted on the office's website.
Although the Russian and North Korean prosecutors' offices have maintained relations since signing a cooperation agreement in December 2010, this is the first visit by a chief Russian prosecutor to North Korea.
In Pyongyang, Krasnov will meet with his North Korean counterpart and discuss issues of bilateral cooperation with other officials, it said.
The two countries have expanded cooperation in various sectors following Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to Pyongyang last month for summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
This undated file image, provided by TASS, shows Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · July 22, 2024
4. Defense chiefs of S. Korea, U.S, Japan to meet in Tokyo to discuss N.K. threats
Sustain the high level trilateral cooperation.
Defense chiefs of S. Korea, U.S, Japan to meet in Tokyo to discuss N.K. threats | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · July 22, 2024
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- The defense chiefs of South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold talks in Tokyo next week to discuss issues such as strengthening their trilateral security cooperation in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, the South's defense ministry said Monday.
The gathering scheduled for Sunday comes amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula over North Korea's repeated launches of trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea in a tit-for-tat retaliation for anti-Pyongyang leaflets that North Korean defectors in the South send to the North using balloons.
In response, South Korea conducted anti-Pyongyang broadcasts through its border loudspeakers in full-scale for the second day Monday
Defense Minister Shin Won-sik and his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Lloyd Austin and Minoru Kihara, will assess the regional security situation and North Korea's threats as well as ways to step up their three-way security cooperation and institutionalize such efforts, according to the ministry.
Bilateral talks between the defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S., and South Korea and Japan will take place on the sidelines of the trilateral meeting, it added.
The defense chiefs last met on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore in June, where they agreed on strengthening security cooperation against evolving North Korean threats and launching their first-ever trilateral multidomain Freedom Edge exercise. The exercise wrapped up in late June.
Defense Minister Shin Won-sik (R) and his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Lloyd Austin (C) and Minoru Kihara, shake hands as they meet for trilateral talks on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore on June 2, 2024, in this pool photo. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · July 22, 2024
5. China’s Dangerous Nuclear Push
Quite an attention getting subtitle from Andrew Yeo and Brookings.
Excerpts:
By emphasizing the consequences that await China should it continue to develop its arsenal, Washington could convince Chinese leaders to come to the negotiating table for broader talks. If Beijing does agree to serious negotiations, it must demonstrate good faith by allowing for greater transparency into China’s nuclear arsenal, posture, and plans. Eventually, such an arrangement could include Russia, once conditions are conducive, as well as France and the United Kingdom.
In return, Washington might offer Beijing a commitment to help constrain proliferation in East Asia—for example, by working to persuade U.S. allies to abstain from developing their own nuclear capabilities. But for that to work, Washington must continue to demonstrate a firm commitment to extending deterrence through mechanisms such as the Nuclear Consultative Group, a forum for discussing nuclear issues with South Korea.
Ultimately, the United States’ goal should be to reframe the competition with China as a potentially positive-sum endeavor, with the two countries working together to support nonproliferation. Although there is no guarantee of success, starting a new U.S.-Chinese nuclear dialogue may ultimately protect East Asia from greater nuclearization. But first, Washington may have to play hardball.
China’s Dangerous Nuclear Push
To Temper Beijing’s Ambitions, Washington Should Threaten to Share Weapons With Japan and South Korea
July 22, 2024
Foreign Affairs · by Amy J. Nelson and Andrew Yeo · July 22, 2024
Since the 1990s, Beijing has spurned Washington’s invitations to participate in nuclear arms control negotiations. Instead, it has expanded and modernized its arsenal: the country’s estimated 500 nuclear warheads are on track to double by 2030. China’s advances, along with North Korea’s, has had knock-on effects in the region. Despite U.S. security assurances, a majority of South Koreans now want their country to have its own nuclear weapons, and Japan’s long-standing aversion to the bomb is also eroding. Asia is now on track to see a destabilizing arms race in the years ahead.
If it acts quickly, however, Washington can stem these worrying developments. In February, Beijing invited the world’s nuclear states to negotiate a “no first use” treaty. (The United States, which has more than ten times as many nuclear weapons as China, maintains a first-use option.) After so many rejected advances, the United States should welcome China’s overture to talk. If Beijing is prepared to negotiate in good faith, Washington should respond in kind—and press for a broader arms control agreement.
Washington must engage in tough, even coercive diplomacy, making it clear that Beijing faces a stark choice: participate meaningfully in substantive negotiations or brave a massive U.S.-backed nuclear buildup in its own backyard. And if Chinese leaders decline to do so, Washington could begin discussions with Seoul and Tokyo about nuclear-sharing arrangements, as well as move faster to update and enlarge its own arsenal, channeling investments to its nuclear weapons defense industrial base.
Some observers might object to this tough approach, arguing that it will contribute to nuclear proliferation. But there is an instructive precedent for Washington’s use of coercion to bring states to the arms control negotiating table. In 1983, Washington deployed nuclear-tipped Pershing II missiles in West Germany and ground-launched cruise missiles in Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands. Rather than prompting escalation, this aggressive move compelled Moscow to engage in diplomacy that led to the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which eliminated all intermediate-range forces from Europe.
Today, Washington should strengthen its missile defenses, and those of its allies, ramp up U.S. deployments of nuclear-armed submarines and nuclear-capable bombers, and pursue nuclear-sharing arrangements with Seoul and Tokyo. Just as such moves drove the Soviet Union to the bargaining table in the past, they could convince China to negotiate in the future.
UNTHINKABLE NO MORE
A coercive approach toward China would require the backing of South Korea and Japan. The South Korean public in particular wishes to move beyond U.S. reassurances of nuclear deterrence. Two national polls conducted this year found that more than 70 percent of South Koreans believe that their country needs its own nuclear arsenal. Although South Korean elites tend to disagree, a recent report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that 61 percent of academics, experts, businesspeople, politicians, and officials surveyed would support a nuclear-sharing option with the United States “if necessary.” Such a middle-ground approach would see Washington redeploying tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea, which has not been nuclear since 1991, when the George H. W. Bush administration withdrew all U.S. nuclear weapons as part of a broader worldwide drawdown.
In Japan, the idea of developing nuclear weapons was once unthinkable, given its status as the only country in history to have been on the receiving end of a nuclear attack. But as early as 2002, Shinzo Abe, then a member of Japan’s House of Representatives and not yet prime minister, stated that “the possession of nuclear bombs is constitutional, so long as they are small.” Although a 2020 poll found that 75 percent of the Japanese public still supports a global ban on nuclear weapons, some Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leaders have adopted a more permissive stance. After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Abe argued that Japan should consider a NATO-style nuclear-sharing agreement with the United States. A March 2022 survey found that 63 percent of Japanese were open to discussions of a nuclear-sharing option. Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was even less circumspect about Japan’s nuclear ambitions, stating in 2023 that Japan was “heading towards becoming a nuclear power in five years.”
For now, Tokyo continues to champion nonproliferation, especially under the leadership of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is a member of the LDP but whose family roots are tied to Hiroshima. But Kishida’s political future is tenuous, and other LDP members who might replace him are more accepting of nuclear weapons. Soon, Chinese nuclear expansion and North Korean nuclear threats may nudge Japanese leaders to adopt nuclear views more akin to those of South Korean leaders. In recent years, some Japanese officials have even questioned whether the U.S. nuclear umbrella is enough, suggesting instead that the country should consider developing its own arsenal. “We respect the ideals of nonproliferation, provided that the U.S. nuclear guarantee is perfect,” Nobukatsu Kanehara, who had served as assistant chief of cabinet secretary under Abe, said in 2021. But he added an important caveat: “Is it? That is the great, great concern for us.”
ESCALATE TO DE-ESCALATE
The history of arms control demonstrates the value of coercive policies in getting states to agree to negotiations. During SALT I, the first round of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, from late 1969 through the summer of 1972, the United States toyed with the idea of adding extra warheads to missiles, which convinced the Soviets to stay at the negotiating table. And U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, a project to build a missile-defense system in space, drove his Soviet counterpart, Mikhail Gorbachev, to entreat the Americans to engage in a series of summits. In the face of such provocations, Moscow had to choose between accelerating the arms race and pursuing arms control. On these occasions, Washington’s gambles paid off, compelling Moscow to back down.
How would coercion work today? Although current U.S. policy discourages increased nuclearization, Washington could leverage the threat of arming South Korea and Japan to bring China to the negotiating table. If Beijing declined dialogue, it would risk a much greater nuclear threat in its own backyard. A nuclear Japan and South Korea would dial up the likelihood of misperception, miscalculation, and accidents, raising the stakes of nuclear catastrophe. Facing such a perilous reality, Beijing may well cave to U.S. pressure and enter into serious arms control talks. Of course, this strategy is not without risk. But low-risk efforts have failed to temper Beijing’s ambitions, requiring a new approach to arms control.
Even visions of dystopian nuclear futures have played a role in motivating leaders to engage in arms control in the past. (Reagan had shown little interest in arms control until viewing The Day After, a film depicting a nuclear holocaust in the American Midwest.) Laying out a nuclear future with severe security costs for Beijing may finally get the attention of Chinese elites, something that has eluded U.S. officials for decades, and draw Beijing to the negotiating table for serious discussions.
Washington could leverage the threat of arming South Korea and Japan to bring China to the negotiating table.
If such an approach is to work, Washington must clearly communicate to Beijing that China’s nuclear modernization, along with North Korea’s expanded nuclear program, will necessarily hasten U.S.-led regional proliferation. To that end, Washington must make clear to Seoul and Tokyo that it is open to discussing nuclear-sharing options should Beijing continue to expand its nuclear forces. And it should signal to Beijing that in absence of substantive nuclear talks, calls from the right wing of the U.S. foreign policy establishment to expand the U.S. nuclear arsenal will win out.
Dystopian nuclear futures may already be at play: Beijing’s February invitation arrived four months after the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States, which advises Congress on nuclear policy, issued its annual report, which envisioned a worst-case scenario of China and Russia colluding in a nuclear conflict in 2035. The commission’s recommendations for a nuclear buildup in response to the imagined scenario were undoubtedly viewed by Chinese leaders as a threat.
Of course, the current U.S. administration would prefer to uphold the United States’ commitments under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which prohibits nonnuclear weapons states from developing an arsenal, and maintain its deterrence posture with fewer nuclear weapons. But if Beijing continues to develop its arsenal, Washington will have no option but to abandon those commitments. Paradoxically, its best chance of sustaining the treaty may be to first adopt a position of dramatically enhanced nuclear strength.
HARDBALL
By emphasizing the consequences that await China should it continue to develop its arsenal, Washington could convince Chinese leaders to come to the negotiating table for broader talks. If Beijing does agree to serious negotiations, it must demonstrate good faith by allowing for greater transparency into China’s nuclear arsenal, posture, and plans. Eventually, such an arrangement could include Russia, once conditions are conducive, as well as France and the United Kingdom.
In return, Washington might offer Beijing a commitment to help constrain proliferation in East Asia—for example, by working to persuade U.S. allies to abstain from developing their own nuclear capabilities. But for that to work, Washington must continue to demonstrate a firm commitment to extending deterrence through mechanisms such as the Nuclear Consultative Group, a forum for discussing nuclear issues with South Korea.
Ultimately, the United States’ goal should be to reframe the competition with China as a potentially positive-sum endeavor, with the two countries working together to support nonproliferation. Although there is no guarantee of success, starting a new U.S.-Chinese nuclear dialogue may ultimately protect East Asia from greater nuclearization. But first, Washington may have to play hardball.
- AMY J. NELSON is a Fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy program and Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology and an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University.
- ANDREW YEO is a Senior Fellow and the SK-Korea Foundation Chair at the Brookings Institution and Professor of Politics at The Catholic University of America.
Foreign Affairs · by Amy J. Nelson and Andrew Yeo · July 22, 2024
6. China’s Long March through the Global South
Graphics at the link: https://asiatimes.com/2024/07/chinas-long-march-through-the-global-south/
Excerpts:
Two simple proposals:
We should combine with Japan, South Korea, and Germany to compete with China’s Long March through the Global South. Together we have more resources and more capital.
We should invite our NATO partners to join us in creating the technologies that will determine the outcome of the 21st century. We won’t persuade them to rebuild conventional armies. But joining us at the cutting edge of technology is an offer they can’t refuse.
As a young researcher for Reagan’s National Security Council, I produced a study saying that SDI would pay for itself through civilian spinoffs. I was wrong: It paid for itself ten times over. This isn’t our first rodeo. We can do it again. We are more in need of reminder than of instruction.
China’s Long March through the Global South - Asia Times
US should combine with Japan, South Korea and Germany to compete; together they have more resources, more capital
asiatimes.com · by David P. Goldman · July 21, 2024
Asia Times Business Editor David P Goldman delivered these remarks on July 8 at the National Conservatism 4 Conference in Washington, D.C.
The “Long March” analogy isn’t my idea. Chinese policymakers talk of Mao’s civil war strategy of encircling the cities from the countryside.
Why is this important? The working-age population of high-income countries will fall by a quarter this century due to low birth rates. In the case of Taiwan and South Korea, it’s more like three-quarters.
That’s why I doubt China will invade Taiwan; the Chinese don’t fight for what will fall into their laps sooner or later like ripe fruit. But the working-age population of so-called Middle-Income countries will rise by half.
The world’s scarcest resource is young people who can work in a modern economy. Empires of the past fought over territory. China’s goal is to control people.
In 1979 China took a nation of farmers and turned them into industrial workers, and multiplied GDP per capita 30 times. Now it plans to turn a nation of factory workers into a nation of engineers — think of South Korea. That’s a messy and costly transition. But China is doing it.
In 2020 I wrote of China’s plan to Sino-form the Global South. It knows a lot about getting people who make $3 a day to make $10 or $20 a day.
China’s population has been in decline, but its highly educated population is growing:
Ten and a half million university graduates, up 60% in 10 years, 2X our total – and a third are engineers. That’s more engineering graduates than the rest of the world combined.
South Korea quintupled industrial production between 1990 and 2010 while its factory workforce fell by a fifth.
Will China collapse? Compare the US and China aggregate debt burden: the US is 262% of GDP, and China is 278% of GDP –
But China lends the world a trillion dollars a year and we borrow a trillion dollars a year. Countries with positive growth and big current account surpluses don’t have financial crises.
China has gotten many things wrong, but it got two big things right.
The first is AI applications to manufacturing. It can produce a $9,000 electric vehicle at a profit, or 2,400 5G base stations a day in a plant with 50 workers – I saw this. It also claims to have a factory that can make 1,000 cruise missile motors a day.
We can’t produce enough artillery shells to supply Ukraine. China can make as many ship-killer missiles as it wants. That’s the biggest change in relative firepower since muskets replaced crossbows. A US destroyer can carry 100 missile interceptors. There’s no limit to how many missiles China can launch from the mainland. We talk about prioritizing China: With what?
We’re just rearranging the deck guns on the Titanic.
China has 3 million 5G base stations. We have 100,000. China dominates key industries—telecom infrastructure, EVs, solar power, drones, steel and shipbuilding — and it’s aiming at semiconductors. Biden’s Treasury Secretary goes to China and says, “Please, you’ve got too much industrial capacity, don’t export so much!” What about OUR capacity?
The other big thing China got right is the transformation of the Global South. It doubled exports to the Global South since Covid – now exports more to the Global South than to all developed markets. Assimilates billions of people into its economic sphere. It did this with 200 soldiers deployed outside China versus our 230,000.
We spent $7 trillion on forever wars. China spent $1 trillion on Belt and Road Initiative investments. Who got more influence?
Forty countries have applied to join the BRICS group.
This isn’t about authoritarianism versus democracy. China’s exports to democracies like India grew as fast as exports to Russia. The Chinese are incurious about how barbarians govern themselves. They want to make the world dependent on Chinese technology and supply chains.
This is a gigantic undertaking: Four out of five workers in the Global South are immured in the so-called informal sector. They pay no taxes, receive few services, have no access to capital and world markets.
China is assimilating them with digital and transportation infrastructure. That connects people to world markets. Huawei and ZTE now deliver more than half the world’s telecom infrastructure and more than two thirds of the market in the Global South.
BYD is building EV plants in Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, Turkey and Hungary. The $9,000 EV is today’s equivalent of the Model T for the Global South – a car the average family can afford. That’s as big as the Model T was for the United States.
Meanwhile our position deteriorates.
When Donald Trump left office, our trade deficit in goods was $800 billion a year. Now it’s half again as big, at $1.2 trillion a year.
Most of the new imports come from the Global South. We put tariffs on goods from China, so China instead shipped components to Mexico, Vietnam, India and a dozen other countries, which sold the finished goods to us. We import less from China but we’re more dependent on Chinese supply chains.
Like the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, we smashed the enchanted broom that was flooding us, and now we have a dozen.
The Fed’s Industrial Production Index is lower than it was before COVID. Capital goods orders are down more than 10% after inflation.
Worst of all: We now import more capital goods — the goods that make other goods — than we produce at home. To produce more and import less, we need more capital goods, but we’ll need to import more capital goods today in order to import less in the future. That’s why across-the-board tariffs may do more harm than good.
We cut off China’s access to advanced chip technologies, but China has worked around most of these barriers. It can produce the chips it needs for industrial automation, 5G telecom, and other real economy applications. Again and again, we overestimated the impact of our sanctions and underestimated China’s ability to adapt.
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Taking potshots at the elephant hasn’t done much good. We have to get our own elephant.
We need a national effort on the scale of the Kennedy Moonshot or the Reagan Strategic Defense Initiative. In 1965 12% of all federal outlays went to R&D. Today it’s 2.4%.
We get industrial policy right when we have a national emergency.
Trump’s missile defense is the way to go. Reduce our forward deployment and concentrate resources on high-tech defense.
We have faster chips. But it’s not just about processing speed: It’s know-how, education, an industrial culture and industrial communities, and we’ve let these slip. Trump is right to impose high tariffs on Chinese EVs – we have to protect our manufacturing base. He’s also right to invite Chinese auto companies to build plants in the US. China is ahead of us in industrial automation. Let’s appropriate some of China’s IP.
Two simple proposals:
We should combine with Japan, South Korea, and Germany to compete with China’s Long March through the Global South. Together we have more resources and more capital.
We should invite our NATO partners to join us in creating the technologies that will determine the outcome of the 21st century. We won’t persuade them to rebuild conventional armies. But joining us at the cutting edge of technology is an offer they can’t refuse.
As a young researcher for Reagan’s National Security Council, I produced a study saying that SDI would pay for itself through civilian spinoffs. I was wrong: It paid for itself ten times over. This isn’t our first rodeo. We can do it again. We are more in need of reminder than of instruction.
asiatimes.com · by David P. Goldman · July 21, 2024
7. Belarus' foreign minister to visit N. Korea amid deepening Pyongyang-Moscow ties
Another member of the axis.
Belarus' foreign minister to visit N. Korea amid deepening Pyongyang-Moscow ties | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Park Sang-soo · July 22, 2024
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- Belarus' foreign minister will visit North Korea this week amid deepening ties between Pyongyang and Moscow, the communist state's state-run media reported Monday.
Maxim Vladimirovich Ruzenkov will pay an official visit to Pyongyang from Tuesday to Friday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The KCNA did not elaborate on his itinerary, but Ruzenkov is likely to meet North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui.
Belarus has been supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine and is considered one of Russia's strong allies.
With Ruzenkov's visit to Pyongyang, the two nations are expected to discuss cooperation between the two and three-way ties including Russia.
North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Im Chon-il and Belarusian Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Shestakov held talks in Pyongyang to strengthen high-level exchanges.
Belarusian Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Shestakov (L) shakes hands with a North Korean official after arriving in Pyongyang on April 16, 2024, in this file photo released by the Korean Central News Agency the following day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
sam@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Park Sang-soo · July 22, 2024
8. Korean Air to buy up to 50 Boeing planes for 30 tln won
(LEAD) Korean Air to buy up to 50 Boeing planes for 30 tln won | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Park Sang-soo · July 22, 2024
(ATTN: ADDS more details in last para)
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- Korean Air Co. said Monday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing to buy up to 50 airplanes, including 20 777-9s, in a bid to upgrade its fleet.
Under the deal valued at roughly 30 trillion won (US$21.6 billion), Korean Air, the country's largest flag carrier, will buy 30 787-10s and has an option to buy 10 more of the largest 787 Dreamliner variant.
The two models, which are long-haul and mid-sized airplanes, are considered to be the most fuel-efficient and eco-friendly, Korean Air said.
Korean Air said the purchase will support its planned growth and renewal of its fleet in size, range and capacity to reach high-demand markets in Europe and North America, as well as popular regional routes in Asia.
"The addition of the Boeing 777-9 and 787-10 aircraft marks a significant milestone in our strategic objective to expand and upgrade our fleet," Korean Air Chairman and CEO Walter Cho said. "This investment underscores our commitment to providing a best-in-class flying experience."
The 777-9 can seat 426 passengers in a two-class configuration with a range of 13,500 kilometers and the 787-10 can carry up to 336 passengers with a range of 11,730 km, according to Boeing.
In April this year, Korean Air said it plans to sign a $13.7 billion deal with Airbus to buy 33 units of its latest A350 series aircraft.
The company said the deal, which includes 27 A350-1000s and six smaller-sized A350-900s, will be clinched to supplement its long-term fleet operations as it retires its older aircraft.
Korean Air said earlier it will introduce 203 new airplanes by 2034.
Korean Air is in the process of acquiring Asiana Airlines Inc., a smaller local rival, and it has so far obtained approval from 13 countries and regions for the acquisition, with the final one yet to come from the United States to complete the merger plan.
This image provided by Korean Air Co. shows the company's new Boeing 787-10 passenger aircraft. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sam@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Park Sang-soo · July 22, 2024
9. Foreign, defense ministries sign MOU on enhancing safety of overseas Koreans
Necessary for being a global pivotal state.
Foreign, defense ministries sign MOU on enhancing safety of overseas Koreans | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · July 22, 2024
By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- The foreign ministry and the defense ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) Monday to enhance the safety and protection of overseas Koreans, officials said.
The MOU, signed by Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong and Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, is symbolically significant as it represents the systematic cooperation between the two ministries, which are responsible for ensuring the safety of our citizens' daily lives abroad, the foreign ministry said.
"With geopolitical tensions and political instability causing frequent crises overseas, the cooperation between our two ministries to ensure the safety of our citizens is more crucial than ever," Cho said during a signing ceremony.
The MOU also specifies practical cooperation measures, such as the installation of a hotline between the two ministries.
"The mission of our military to protect the lives and safety of our citizens knows no borders, and cooperation between our two ministries for successful mission execution is not optional but essential," Shin said.
The government's response capabilities to ensure the safety of our citizens during overseas incidents will be further enhanced due to the solidified close cooperation system between the two ministries, officials said.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong (R) and Defense Minister Shin Won-sik shake hands before signing a memorandum of understanding Monday to ensure the safety and protection of overseas Koreans at the foreign ministry building in Seoul on July 22, 2024. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · July 22, 2024
10. Jung Woo-sung leaves UNHCR role after 'online attacks'
Jung Woo-sung leaves UNHCR role after 'online attacks' | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Woo Jae-yeon · July 22, 2024
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- Actor Jung Woo-sung has stepped down from his position as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) after nine years, his agency said Monday.
Jung resigned from the position on July 3, according to Artist Company.
He did not publicly disclose a reason for his departure, but the "12.12: The Day" actor revealed during an interview with a local weekly magazine earlier this month that he had been a constant target of online attacks from those who viewed his UNHCR activities through political lens.
"Both UNHCR and I were repeatedly targeted by political attacks, with efforts to ascribe political motives to my actions," the actor said, leading to a "difficult situation for both."
Since he began working with UNHCR in 2014, he had visited many conflict regions, including Lebanon, South Sudan and Poland. In 2019, he published an essay collection about his UNHCR activities.
The undated file photo shows actor Jung Woo-sung. (Yonhap)
In June 2018, the actor faced political backlash when he shared a post online to encourage wider acceptance of refugees amid social division over Yemeni refugees arriving at the southern resort island of Jeju.
"Watching the public's anxiety that arriving refugees could trigger political instability and a religious crisis left me feeling confused as well," the actor said. "Although the sense of nervousness was palpable, nothing of the sort actually occurred."
Reflecting on his past work with UNHCR, he said he helped "clarify and deepen the understanding and perception of refugees, which had previously been vague in Korean society."
While expressing his desire to focus solely on his acting career, he pledged to maintain his interest in various social issues, including those affecting sexual minorities.
jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Woo Jae-yeon · July 22, 2024
11. Exclusive: NIS official dismissed for buying luxury bag to ex-CIA analyst
Excerpts:
Intelligence experts suggest that the background of this incident should be examined for the possibility of intentional information leaks. “When an NIS agent’s activities are exposed to a foreign country, it is protocol for intelligence agencies to investigate potential internal leaks,” an intelligence source said. “There may also be a mole hunt underway.” The source added, “There is much discussion within the NIS about why U.S. prosecutors are handling the case so publicly, including arresting Terry. This has stirred up old personnel conflicts and led to heated debates over accountability.”
The Foreign Ministry, which reorganized the Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs into the newly established Office of Strategy and Intelligence by adding an intelligence analysis unit earlier this year, is now facing a dilemma. A ministry official said, “Key figures in Trump’s circle are already extremely cautious about meeting foreign officials due to past incidents like Michael Flynn’s firing and indictment for contacting the Russian ambassador during the 2016 campaign. This situation will likely deter even non-campaign experts from meeting Korean officials.”
Exclusive: NIS official dismissed for buying luxury bag to ex-CIA analyst
S. Korea's intelligence agency begins internal probe following Sue Mi Terry's FARA indictment
https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2024/07/22/6DYMIHW6SVEA5IRJEIKNRC5HMY/
By Kim Jin-myung,
Yang Seung-shik,
Kim Seo-young
Published 2024.07.22. 15:08
Researcher Sue Mi Terry (left) dines with two senior NIS officials at an upscale restaurant in Manhattan, New York, in this file photo from August 2020. NIS stands for National Intelligence Service, and "handler" means supervisor. /Courtesy of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs have initiated follow-up measures after Sue Mi Terry, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, was indicted by U.S. federal prosecutors on July 16. The Korean-American former CIA analyst faces charges for working on behalf of the South Korean government without notifying the U.S. Department of Justice. This incident has raised concerns that it could undermine South Korea’s intelligence and diplomatic activities in the lead-up to the U.S. presidential election in November.
The spy agency here has reportedly begun an internal investigation related to the case. According to an intelligence source on July 21, “One of the three agents involved has already retired, while the other two are currently serving.” The source added, “Actions against the two active agents are underway.” Agent A, a second-tier official, was recently relieved of duty. It is also reported that the NIS is considering recalling Agent B, who is currently on overseas assignment, for investigation. Agents A and B served in the U.S. during the Moon Jae-in administration and have a senior-junior relationship.
The U.S. prosecutors’ indictment alleges that Terry met with three NIS agents assigned to New York and Washington as diplomats from 2013 to 2023, exchanging confidential information and facilitating meetings between U.S. and South Korean officials. The indictment revealed that the agents, under constant surveillance, provided Terry with luxury handbags and clothing, using diplomatic privileges for tax-free benefits, sparking controversy over their professionalism.
Intelligence experts suggest that the background of this incident should be examined for the possibility of intentional information leaks. “When an NIS agent’s activities are exposed to a foreign country, it is protocol for intelligence agencies to investigate potential internal leaks,” an intelligence source said. “There may also be a mole hunt underway.” The source added, “There is much discussion within the NIS about why U.S. prosecutors are handling the case so publicly, including arresting Terry. This has stirred up old personnel conflicts and led to heated debates over accountability.”
The Foreign Ministry, which reorganized the Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs into the newly established Office of Strategy and Intelligence by adding an intelligence analysis unit earlier this year, is now facing a dilemma. A ministry official said, “Key figures in Trump’s circle are already extremely cautious about meeting foreign officials due to past incidents like Michael Flynn’s firing and indictment for contacting the Russian ambassador during the 2016 campaign. This situation will likely deter even non-campaign experts from meeting Korean officials.”
The ministry has initiated a legal review of potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in its public diplomacy efforts targeting U.S. think tanks and universities.
12. Hanwha Ocean gains eligibility to bid for U.S. Navy ship repairs
Good for the alliance and good for the US Navy.
Hanwha Ocean gains eligibility to bid for U.S. Navy ship repairs
https://www.chosun.com/english/industry-en/2024/07/22/XTYIWXF4XNFXDGX2APJHSVRTBA/
By Park Jin-woo,
Kim Seo-young
Published 2024.07.22. 14:11
Hanwha Ocean announced on July 22 that it has signed a Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the United States Naval Supply Systems Command. This agreement allows Hanwha Ocean to officially participate in the bidding process for the U.S. Navy’s Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) projects over the next five years.
A view of Hanwha Ocean's shipyard on Geoje Island, South Gyeongsang Province. /Courtesy of Hanwha Ocean
The MSRA is a crucial contract for private shipbuilding companies seeking to perform maintenance and repairs on U.S. naval vessels, signifying that the company meets the quality and reliability standards set by the U.S. government.
The South Korean shipbuilder applied for the MSRA in January and underwent an on-site inspection at its Geoje shipyard at the end of April. While the MSRA process typically takes over a year from application to agreement, Hanwha Ocean completed it in just seven months. The company attributes this expedited approval to its advanced ship technology and robust maintenance infrastructure, which received high marks from the U.S. Navy.
Hanwha Ocean has also recently acquired Philly Shipyard, which features the largest commercial dock in the U.S. This facility is expected to be utilized for MRO operations for U.S. naval vessels in the future.
#Hanwha
Hanwha Ocean
13. Trump: ‘I told Kim to relax and chill’
Sigh...These kinds of statements make it hard to take things seriously. Sounds like de facto recognition of the north as a nuclear power.
Trump: ‘I told Kim to relax and chill’
donga.com
Posted July. 22, 2024 07:48,
Updated July. 22, 2024 07:48
Trump: ‘I told Kim to relax and chill’. July. 22, 2024 07:48. by 김윤진 kyj@donga.com.
“(I told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un), ‘Relax, chill. You have enough nuclear weapons already.'”
On his first joint campaign appearance with Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance since the Republican National Convention, U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump once again flaunted his close relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump, who emphasized ‘unity’ following the assassination attempt, also criticized President Joe Biden as a ‘threat to democracy,’ renewing a stance he had been taking before.
At a joint campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, one of the battleground states, on Saturday, Trump reiterated the ‘bromance’ with Kim that he flaunted when he accepted the nomination. “I had a good relationship with the leader of an adversarial country, so America was safe. I got along well with Kim,” he said. “I said, ’Let's go to a (New York) Yankees game, I'll show you what baseball is all about.” However, Trump stopped short of saying when these conversations took place.
He also mentioned Chinese President Xi Jinping. “President Xi sent me a beautiful note (after the assassination attempt),” Trump said while calling Xi ”a smart, strong leader.”
한국어
donga.com
14. ＜Inside N. Korea＞Thirty years after his death, memorial services for Kim Il-sung have become simpler …Ryanggang Provinces ban drinking for just one day
＜Inside N. Korea＞Thirty years after his death, memorial services for Kim Il-sung have become simpler …Ryanggang Provinces ban drinking for just one day
asiapress.org
Portraits of the Kim Il-sung-Kim Jong-il father-son duo hang in the center of cities across the country. The two were deified in death, and their portraits and statues have become objects of worship. Photo taken in March 2013 in Pyongsong, North Pyongan Province. (ASIAPRESS)
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Kim Il-sung's death. On July 8, Kim Jong-un led a large group of regime officials to visit the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where Kim Il-sung's body rests, according to North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency. He also attended a memorial concert at the Samjiyon Theater in downtown Pyongyang and the 30th anniversary central memorial meeting at Kim Il Sung Square. (KANG Ji-won / ISHIMARU Jiro)
According to state media, the memorial ceremony in Pyongyang was relatively large and formal given that it was the 30th anniversary of his death. Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jung, a Workers’ Party official, attended in black. Kim Jong-un’s wife, Ri Sol-ju, and his daughter, reportedly named “Ju-ae,” were nowhere to be seen.
Kim Jong-un and high-ranking members of the regime visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where Kim Il-sung's body is enshrined. Kim Jong-un is circled in red. Photo from the July 2024 edition of the Rodong Sinmun.
◆ Ryanggang Province memorial service lasts just a day
Meanwhile, in provincial cities, memorial services were streamlined. An ASIAPRESS reporting partner in the northern province of Ryanggang had this to say about this year's memorial events:
“On July 7, students cleaned the statue of Kim Il-sung in groups, and a memorial performance was held for cadres. On July 8, the women’s league and workplaces went to offer bouquets of flowers (to the statue) at 9 a.m., and at 10 a.m., they held a movie literature study session. The session concerned Kim Il-sung's revolutionary activities and focused on increasing praise of Kim Jong-un. That was the only memorial event this year.”
Women's league: Shorthand for the Socialist Women's Union of Korea. It is largely made up of housewives who have no formal workplace.
In previous years, the mourning period was spread over several days and alcohol consumption was strictly prohibited. This year, however, the services lasted only one day on July 8 and the government did not enact any particular controls on the population.
※ ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners through Chinese cell phones smuggled into North Korea.
asiapress.org
15. Focus shifts to Kamala Harris's ties with Korea as Yoon's trusted partner Biden calls it quits
Monday
July 22, 2024
dictionary + A - A
Published: 22 Jul. 2024, 19:02
Updated: 22 Jul. 2024, 20:25
Focus shifts to Kamala Harris's ties with Korea as Yoon's trusted partner Biden calls it quits
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-07-22/national/politics/Focus-shifts-to-Harriss-history-with-Korea-as-Yoons-trusted-partner-Biden-calls-it-quits/2095728
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris shake hands after touring NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, on April 25, 2023. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
[NEWS ANALYSIS]
Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol reserved comment on U.S. President Joe Biden's announcement to drop out of the presidential race after mounting calls from his own party on Sunday.
"We will not comment on the domestic political situations of other countries," a presidential official said Monday. "Support for the Korea-U.S. alliance is bipartisan in the United States, and our government will continue to work closely with Washington to continue developing the global comprehensive strategic alliance between our two countries."
Related Article
Analysts highlight the special bond between Yoon and Biden. During their first summit in Seoul on May 21, 2022, a small group meeting attended only by key aides lasted 72 minutes, whereas it was initially supposed to last just 30 minutes.
"The two leaders seemed to find that their consensus on the value of liberal democracy was much broader than they had anticipated," said former National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han, following the briefing, describing their relationship as having "very good chemistry." The desk plaque in Yoon's office, bearing the phrase "The Buck Stops Here!" was a gift from Biden.
This trust translated into diplomatic achievements.
President Yoon Suk Yeol embraces U.S. President Joe Biden at the Korea-Japan-Australia-New Zealand (IP4) summit during the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. on July 11. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]
The Washington Declaration establishing nuclear consultations between South Korea and the U.S. was adopted during Yoon's state visit last year. The agreement was deepened at this year's NATO summit in the form of a joint statement on the Guidelines for Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations on the Korean Peninsula on July 11. The document formalized the United States' significantly enhanced extended deterrence commitment and was the only bilateral joint statement issued by Biden during the NATO summit.
In diplomatic circles, there was speculation that Yoon's relatively late response to the July 13 assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, reflected his relationship with Biden.
Yoon issued a statement about seven hours after the shooting, while the leaders of Britain, Australia and Japan issued statements about two hours after the incident.
"Regardless of whether the next U.S. president is a Democratic candidate or former President Trump, the trust in the Korea-U.S. alliance, based on institutional foundations, will remain steadfast," a senior official from the presidential office told the JoongAng Ilbo, and assured that "the government is diplomatically prepared for all possibilities."
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visits the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, at Panmunjeom in South Korea on Sept. 29, 2022. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Kamala Harris, endorsed by Biden on Sunday as his successor as the Democratic presidential candidate, is anticipated to continue the Biden administration's emphasis on alliances if the U.S. vice president wins the upcoming presidential election against Trump, according to analysts. She could become the first Black woman and first Asian American to lead the ticket of a major U.S. political party.
As a senator during Trump's presidency, Harris criticized Trump's conciliatory approach toward North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, arguing that Trump was not responding strongly enough to North Korea's nuclear threats.
"Let me start by saying this: I guarantee you I won’t be exchanging love letters with Kim Jong-un," Harris said in August 2019 in response to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)'s question to Democratic presidential candidates whether they would agree to partial sanctions relief in exchange for the partial dismantling of North Korea's nuclear weapons program. "President Trump has handed Kim one PR victory after the next, all without securing any real concessions, so the next president will have serious work to do.
"Ultimately, we can't accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons state," she added. "But it’s clear that simply demanding complete denuclearization is a recipe for failure; we must work closely with our allies to contain and reverse the short-term threats posed by Pyongyang as we work toward that long-term goal."
This contrasts with Trump, who boasted of his friendship with Kim, saying the North Korean leader "misses" him and "would like to see [him] back" in a speech to the Republican National Convention on July 18.
During an appearance on CBS in September last year, Harris said, "We are all absolutely clear and unequivocal about our goal of the complete denuclearization of North Korea."
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, right, stands at a military observation post as she visits the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjeom in South Korea on Sept. 29, 2022. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Though not directly involved with Korean affairs and having limited exposure to the Korean public, Harris visited South Korea in September 2022, where she stressed the "ironclad" nature of the U.S. commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea.
"I cannot state enough that the commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad," she said after visiting the "truce village" of Panmunjeom on the inter-Korean border on Sept. 29, 2022. “In the South, we see a thriving democracy. In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship."
Highlighting the contrasting developments of the two Koreas since the 1950-53 Korean War, she said, “Nearly 70 years since the Korean Armistice, the threat of conflict remains. And we are reminded that the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea stands ready to address any contingency.”
Despite her brief stay of just over eight hours in South Korea, before touring the demilitarized zone, Harris met with Korean women leaders at the residence of the U.S. ambassador in Seoul, such as Korean figure skating champion Kim Yuna, Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon and Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung. She said she had met with women leaders in other countries she had visited as vice president and reiterated one of her mother's sayings about "being the first but making sure you're not the last."
Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, poses for a photo with U.S. second gentleman Douglas Emhoff at his office in Seoul on May 10, 2022. Emhoff and his congratulatory delegation attended Yoon's inaugural ceremony earlier in the day. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Harris' husband, attorney Douglas Emhoff, who would become the United States' first gentleman in the event of Harris's election, also visited South Korea in May 2022 — even before Harris — leading the U.S. delegation to attend Yoon's inauguration ceremony. His visit was seen as a symbolic gesture of the robust Korea-U.S. alliance, highlighting the solidified relationship between the two nations.
Yoon met with Emhoff on the day of the inauguration for a 30-minute conversation, during which Emhoff delivered a letter from Biden.
"We all look forward to working in lockstep with you and your team to shape our common vision for an even brighter future," said Emhoff.
Douglas Emhoff, center, visits Gwangjang Market in Seoul with television personality Hong Seok-cheon, right, on May 11, 2022. [KIM HYUN-DONG]
During his visit, Emhoff also focused on minority rights, visiting the traditional Korean Gwangjang Market in central Seoul with Hong Seok-cheon, a prominent openly gay celebrity.
In addition to these activities, Emhoff engaged in various public diplomacy efforts, including meetings with representatives from Netflix Korea.
BY SEO JI-EUN,PARK TAE-IN,JEONG YEONG-KYO [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]
16. South resorts to psychological warfare over loudspeakers after North's latest trash balloon launch
The South is not afraid to call it what it is, psychological warfare. But the nKPA soldiers deserve to have access to outside information.
This is an ideological war that employs subversion.
Subversion
- The undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution.
-
As in: "the ruthless subversion of democracy"
- Ideological War – a choice for the Korean people between:
- Shared ROK/US Values
- Freedom and individual liberty, liberal democracy, free market economy, rule of law, and human rights
- Kim family regime (KFR) “values”
- Juche/Kimilsungism/now "KIMJONGUNISM," Socialist Workers Paradise, Songun, Songbun, Byungjin, and denial of human rights to sustain KFR power
- nK engages in political warfare and active subversion of the ROK and the ROK/US alliance
Monday
July 22, 2024
dictionary + A - A
Published: 22 Jul. 2024, 10:42
Updated: 22 Jul. 2024, 15:19
South resorts to psychological warfare over loudspeakers after North's latest trash balloon launch
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-07-22/national/northKorea/South-identifies-500-more-North-Korean-waste-balloons-responds-with-loudspeaker-offensive/2095430
Loudspeaker broadcasts blare from a guard post on the South Korean side of the border near Paju, Gyeonggi, on Sunday. [NEWS1]
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday that it had identified around 500 waste balloons in the ninth round of launches by North Korea the previous day. Seoul's military began full-scale loudspeaker broadcasts on all fronts along the demilitarized zone (DMZ) from 1 p.m. Sunday in response to the waste balloon launch.
“Of the 500 [waste balloons], 240 fell in South Korean territory, mainly in northern Gyeonggi and Seoul,” the JCS said.
The balloons carried mostly paper waste, and the military has found no safety hazards in their analysis so far.
“The launch of the balloons ended at around 8 p.m. Sunday,” a military official said. “No more waste balloons have currently been identified in the air.”
Related Article
On Monday, the South Korean military began loudspeaker broadcasts at 6 a.m. and will continue them for 16 consecutive hours until 10 p.m., the JCS said.
The loudspeaker broadcasts reportedly include news of the recent defection of a North Korean diplomat to South Korea and the deaths of several North Korean soldiers in an explosion during a landmine-laying operation in an area north of the DMZ.
On Sunday, South Korea’s military announced through loudspeaker broadcasts that North Korean authorities had arrested a soldier who was trying to escape from a front-line unit. Units where land mine explosions occurred, including the People’s Army 3rd Division, were also identified in the broadcasts.
Beyond simply resuming the loudspeaker broadcasts, South Korea has launched full-fledged psychological warfare by disclosing every detail of North Korea’s frontline activities.
The loudspeaker broadcast began Sunday with solemn music and a woman’s voice saying, “We warn the North Korean military.”
“At around 8 p.m. on July 18, we all watched as a North Korean person trying to escape from a slave-like life was captured and taken away in the demilitarized zone in front of the 46th Division of the People’s Army on the eastern front,” the broadcast continued.
It was the first time that the North Korean soldier's attempted defection and capture had been made public. The 46th Division mentioned in the broadcast is reportedly based in Yulsa-ri, Kangwon Province.
The inclusion of this information in the loudspeaker broadcast to North Korea appears to be an attempt to create turmoil in the North’s military by conveying as many specific facts as possible, taking into account the closed nature of the North Korean military, in which internal information is tightly controlled.
“Up to 40 loudspeakers, including 24 fixed ones and 16 mobile ones, will be fully operational,” an official from the JCS said as South Korea’s military announced the loudspeaker broadcasts Sunday.
The broadcast also detailed the deaths of North Korean soldiers during a landmine-laying operation.
“Due to your futile actions, unfortunate accidents have recently occurred in the People’s Army’s 3rd, 15th, 25th and 2nd divisions, resulting in the deaths of many soldiers due to land mines explosions,” the broadcasts said.
This specifically identifies the units in question in relation to the land mine explosion incidents that the JCS previously announced to domestic media.
The North Korean military has recently erected anti-tank barriers around the Northern Limit Line and laid land mines while conducting work around the military demarcation line (MDL), according to the JCS. In the process, many personnel were sent in without proper protective gear to speedily get the work done, causing land mines to explode and the resulting deaths.
Sentiment within the North Korean military is deteriorating, but the North’s authorities are believed to be busy covering it up.
“Despite multiple warnings, you are still sending balloons filled with trash and committing petty acts even when unprecedented heavy rain is causing great damage to both South and North Korea,” the broadcast further said. “Also, you are not stopping extremely dangerous actions by deploying large-scale troops in the MDL area. This is a violation of the Armistice Agreement and a deeply provocative act targeting South Korea.”
The broadcasts also included information about the defection of senior North Korean figures, including that of Ri Il-gyu, a former counselor at the North Korean embassy in Cuba.
“Recently, many diplomats are fleeing North Korea due to shame, disgrace and disillusionment with the North Korean regime’s abnormal and unethical actions,” the broadcasts continued.
“As your petty and low-level actions and unreasonable, abnormal and unethical atrocities continue, the ridicule and criticism from the entire international community increase, and the miserable and poor living conditions of the North Korean people have become clearly known to the world,” the broadcasts also said. “The North Korean people should not risk their precious lives by launching useless waste balloons and engaging in fruitless action along the MDL.”
UPDATE July 22: Information about South Korea's psychological warfare broadcasts added.
BY LIM JEONG-WON, LEE YOO-JUNG [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]
17. Alleged Korean spy Sue Mi Terry held Washington ‘happy hour’ for agents, wrote propaganda with husband: indictment
A sad hit job from the NY Post. She is not being accused of being a spy or conducting espionage. Ms. Isabel Vincent and her editors should be ashamed of themselves.
Alleged Korean spy Sue Mi Terry held Washington ‘happy hour’ for agents, wrote propaganda with husband: indictment
By Isabel Vincent
Published July 19, 2024, 5:47 p.m. ET
New York Post · July 19, 2024
A former CIA analyst charged with spying for South Korea in exchange for designer goods enlisted her columnist husband to co-write propaganda articles for her alleged handlers, according to federal court documents and social media.
Sue Mi Terry, 54, is also a prominent expert on North Korea, who has been in demand as a tallking head on MSNBC, CNN and Fox News, giving her wide access to the inner workings of national media organizations.
“I had access to all the information there was on North Korea,” she told an interviewer in 2021.
As an analyst on both North and South Korea, Terry has long been in demand and was often accompanied by her mother in various TV network green rooms, according to social media posts.
Sue Mi Terry’s mother often accompanied her to some of her network TV appearances where she spoke about US foreign policy and North and South Korea. sue.m.terry.9/facebook
Sue Mi Terry en sue.m.terry.9/facebook
Terry also co-wrote a series of opinion pieces published in the Washington Post with Max Boot, a historian, foreign policy analyst and columnist for the newspaper — work which is now being scrutinized.
Like Terry, Boot, 54, is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations where he is a senior fellow.
Shortly after Manhattan federal prosecutors charged Terry with secretly working for South Korea, the Washington DC-based think tank focused on US foreign policy took down her bio from its web site.
The federal indictment, which was unsealed Tuesday, alleged that since 2013, Terry began meeting with an unidentified “handler”.
On multiple occasions the handler is said to have taken her for lavish dinners in Michelin-starred restaurants in New York and Washington and bought her Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton handbags.
She was also allegedly provided tens of thousands of dollars to hold a “happy hour” in Washington last year where South Korean intelligence agents attended alongside US officials, the indictment says.
“At the direction of ROK (Republic of Korea) government officials, Terry advocated ROK policy positions, including in published articles and during media appearances, disclosed nonpublic US government information to ROK intelligence officers, and facilitated access for ROK government officials to US government officials,” the indictment alleges.
When approached by The Post this week, Terry denied she was a foreign agent. When asked why she had been charged, she responded: “It will all be explained… My lawyers are working on it,” and refused further questions. Her attorneys have not returned further requests for comment.
In November of 2013 Boot ended a divorce from Jeannette Boot, a lawyer, who was his first wife and mother to his three adult children.
Jeanette had filed for divorce in New York State Supreme Court in Westchester County a year earlier, according to public records.
Sue Mi Terry’s second husband used their $1.8 million home as collateral on a $500,000 federal bond to keep her out of prison before trial on charges of conspiring to act as a foreign agent for South Korea. Douglas Elliman/real estate
“He was very concerned about the divorce at the time because he thought he might have to move to Washington to work for Mitt Romney,” said a source who was close to the Boots, referring to the Utah senator and former presidential candidate.
Three years after his divorce, Boot and Terry bought a sprawling $1.8 million three-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side, public records show.
By that time, Terry had also divorced her first husband and father of her two sons, Guy Vidra, public records show.
Vidra, works for a venture capital firm and was the short-lived CEO of the liberal publication New Republic, appointed in 2014. He left in April, 2016 following a staff revolt over his plans to make the magazine more business-friendly, according to reports.
Sue Mi Terry was a produced on “Beyond Utopia,” a documentary about North Korea, released last year. Korean Society
On Tuesday, Boot signed a $500,000 “appearance bond” using the couple’s Manhattan residence as collateral to keep his wife out of prison until the beginning of her trial. Her next court appearance is July 30.
Terry’s prosecution comes on the heels of the conviction of New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez this week. The Democrat was convicted on all 16 corruption and bribery charges, including two charges of acting as a foreign agent for Egypt and Qatar in violation of the Foreign Agents’ Registration Act (FARA).
“The Department of Justice has become much more aggressive when they believe someone is acting as an unregistered agent,” said Joshua Rosenstein, a Washington DC-based attorney who specializes in FARA compliance cases. He is not involved in the Terry case.
Sue Mi Terry, her son and husband Max Boot on a recent trip to Egypt. The couple traveled around the world meeting with government officials and other dignitaries. Sue Mi Terry/Facebook
In June, a federal appeals court rejected the Justice Department’s bid to force casino mogul and Republican donor Steve Wynn to register for briefly acting as an agent of the Chinese government.
Last year, rapper and entrepreneur Prakazrel “Pras” Michel was convicted of acting as a foreign agent for China. He is appealing the conviction and the court is considering a new trial after his lawyer admitted to misconduct in the case.
In Terry’s case the key element is if she “willfully” acted as a foreign agent and did not register with the US Attorney General’s office under FARA, according to Rosenstein.
“The defendant has been reminded of FARA reporting requirements on multiple occasions,” the indictment reads, including before she testified before Congress in 2016, 2017 and 2022. She also received training on FARA in connection with her employment, the indictment says.
Sue Mi Terry and husband Max Boot (right) enjoy a meal overlooking the pyramids in Egypt on a recent trip. Sue Mi Terry/Facebook
“If you are engaged in any activity at the request of the Korean government, which is intended to influence the US government or US public with respect to Korean government interests, such as reaching out to Americans in the form of op-eds, and DOJ can prove that you willfully ignored FARA rules, then the prosecution has a good shot,” Rosenstein said.
Rosenstein did not rule out the possibility that prosecutors could issue superseding indictments in the case with respect to Boot’s co-authorship of the columns.
On March 7, 2023. Terry and Boot wrote an op-ed entitled, “South Korea takes a Brave Step Toward Reconciliation with Japan”
The article echoed many of the points that an unnamed South Korean government official had impressed upon Terry at a meeting, the indictment says.
Sue Mi Terry shows off her Japanese breakfast at a high-end Tokyo hotel during a May trip. Terry and columnist husband Max Boot met with US ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emmanuel and had lunch at his residence.
That same day Terry texted the ROK official, “‘Hope you liked the article,’ followed by a link to the opinion piece,” court papers say.
The official praised Terry: “Thank you so much for your zeal and endeavors! Of course we do. Actually ambassador and National Security Advisor were so happy for your column.”
Requests for comment from Boot were not returned.
The Washington Post said in a statement it is “committed to publishing independent journalism and is reviewing the indictment. We do not have further comment.”
A few months later, in August 2023, the couple wrote another column for the Washington Post, praising South Korea and a summit convened at Camp David, by President Biden.
“Such a summit would have been unthinkable only two years ago. The primary acclaim must go to the courageous leader of South Korea and the pragmatic leader of Japan for moving beyond historical grievances,” the couple wrote.
Sue Mi Terry and fellow “Korea watchers” on a trip to Seoul in May, 2024. Sue Mi Terry/facebook
A few days later Terry posted pictures at the Telluride Film Festival to promote “Beyond Utopia,” a film she produced about North Korea. So many people lined up to see the documentary that the festival granted another screening, she posted on Sept. 4
And in May of this year, a column co-authored by the couple in the Washington Post repeated the importance of a 2023 Camp David summit with the leaders of Japan and South Korea as “a breakthrough moment when Biden announced a ‘new era’ of partnership that would strengthen deterrence not only against North Korea but also China.”
The column went on to describe lunch with Rahm Emanuel, the US ambassador to Japan at his official residence.
On her Facebook page Terry posted photos of her stay at Tokyo’s luxurious Okura Hotel, including one with a table laden with small plates of fish, rice and other delicacies “Japanese breakfast time …one of my favorite meals!”
In addition to the Japan trip in May, which also included a stop in Osaka, Terry chronicled a family trip to Egypt and a jaunt to the Sundance Film Festival in Utah as well as a trip to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl, where she posted a snap with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Editors at the Washington Post added an explanatory note to the opinion pieces written by the couple.
“On July 16, a federal indictment was made public alleging that Sue Mi Terry had acted as an unregistered agent of the South Korean government beginning in 2013,” the Washington Post note reads.
“The indictment alleged that Terry co-authored this column at the request of a South Korean official. If true, this is information that would have been pertinent for The Post’s publication decision.
“Ms.Terry has denied these charges and has asserted through counsel the allegations in the indictment are unfounded.”
It’s not the first time that Boot failed to disclose his close relationship with one of his subjects. In 2012, a liberal watchdog group Media Matters found that columns written about Romney by Boot and others in the Wall Street Journal failed to disclose they were advisors to Romney’s campaign.
“In several instances, the Journal failed to disclose an op-ed writer’s connection despite its own news section reporting that the writer is advising Romney,” the watchdog group said.
“With respect to one writer, the Journal disclosed his ties to the campaign in an initial op-ed but failed to do so in subsequent op-ed.”
Additional reporting by Jack Morphet
New York Post · July 19, 2024
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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