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Quotes of the Day:
"One of the most cowardly things ordinary people do is to shut their eyes to facts."
– C.S. Lewis
"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's'opinion, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation."
– Oscar Wilde
“The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.”
– Rudyard Kipling
1. PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE ON NATIONAL KOREAN WAR VETERANS ARMISTICE DAY
2. U.S. honors 72nd armistice signing of America's 'forgotten' Korean War
3. Trump reaffirms U.S. commitment to safeguarding Korean Peninsula in armistice anniv. message
4. N. Korea says ties between N.K.-U.S. leaders 'not bad' but rejects denuclearization talks
5. N. Korea says N.K.-U.S. talks are just 'hope' if Washington sticks to 'failed past'
6. Why North Korea issued twin nuclear warnings to US, South Korea
7. Trump reaffirms 'ironclad' alliance as regional strategy faces new realities
8. FM Cho stresses S. Korea's push for stronger ties with 'friendly nations' in talks with Japanese counterpart
9. Lee sends letter to Japanese PM to thank for participation in diplomatic event
10. Hyundai Rotem targets Romania as next K2 tank export destination
11. With only 3 days to go, Korea hopes shipbuilding can put wind in tariff deal sails
12. Truth Before Peace: What North Korea’s History Lies Reveal
13. Seoul summer lunchtime questions: South Korea and BRICS
14. N. Korea says Trump-Kim relationship 'not bad' but rejects nuclear talks
15. Seoul asks North Korea to respond to repatriation plan
16. How can Korea 'Make American Shipbuilding Great Again'?
17. Can US-North Korea denuclearization talks be revived?
18. Strategic approaches toward NK
19. Special agreement between Korea, US required for shipbuilding cooperation
20. RFI Hosts Roundtable With Young North Korean Escapees
21. North Korean Defector Day Speech
1. PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE ON NATIONAL KOREAN WAR VETERANS ARMISTICE DAY
PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE ON NATIONAL KOREAN WAR VETERANS ARMISTICE DAY
The White House
July 28, 2025
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/07/presidential-message-on-national-korean-war-veterans-armistice-day/
Beginning just days after the first shots of the Korean War, in the summer of 1950, nearly 2 million Americans embarked on a daring crusade across the Pacific to halt the spread of communism in Asia and restore dignity and independence to the people of South Korea. This National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, we pay tribute to every American hero who ventured to unfamiliar lands to face some of the most gruesome combat in the history of our country—and we renew our resolve that forces of freedom will always prevail over tyranny and oppression.
Just 5 years after the end of World War II, what is today known as the “Forgotten War” began on June 25, 1950, when the North Korean People’s Army crossed the 38th parallel in a full-scale invasion of South Korea. In response, legions of American troops were commissioned to repel communist aggression on the Korean Peninsula, defend our national interests, and maintain America’s status as communism’s most formidable enemy in the Western world—leading to more than 3 years of brutal and relentless warfare.
Starting that June, American soldiers endured 38 months of unimaginable horrors and merciless conditions against North Korean and Chinese combatants prepared to fight to the death. From Heartbreak Ridge to Pork Chop Hill to the Chosin Reservoir, United States service members withstood incessant waves of attacks, treacherous terrain, frigid winters, and oppressive heat—culminating in one of the bloodiest wars in human history. In the end, the cost was staggering. More than 32,000 Americans perished in combat, nearly 93,000 were wounded, and thousands more were captured or missing in action.
Yet, on July 27, 1953, the grit, resolve, and indominable spirit of our warfighters won the day when the United Nations, North Korea, and China signed the Korean Armistice Agreement, establishing a ceasefire and dealing a crippling blow to the communist movement.
More than seven decades after the armistice was signed at Panmunjom, a demarcation line separating North and South Korea remains at the demilitarized zone on the 38th parallel. During my first term in office, I was proud to become the first sitting President to cross this demilitarized zone into North Korea. My first Administration also maintained a maximum pressure campaign and enforced sanctions on North Korea to negotiate denuclearization, the release of American hostages, and the return of the remains of American heroes.
Although the evils of communism still persist in Asia, American and South Korean forces remain united in an ironclad alliance to this day. Guided by my Administration’s foreign policy of peace through strength, we remain steadfastly committed to safeguarding the Korean Peninsula and working together for the noble causes of safety, stability, prosperity, and peace.
This National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, we honor the patriots who fought and died in Korea so that freedom might endure both on our land and beyond our shores. We vow to rebuild our military, support our veterans, and stand strong against forces of tyranny. Above all, we proudly remember every American hero who shed their blood to defend our home, our heritage, and our glorious way of life. Their valiant legacy will never be forgotten.
2. U.S. honors 72nd armistice signing of America's 'forgotten' Korean War
An excellent ceremony. It was good to have both the US Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Korean Minister of Patriots and Veterans to provide remarks.
U.S. honors 72nd armistice signing of America's 'forgotten' Korean War
36,574 U.S. military service members died in the Korean War out of 2 million who served, DOD says.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/07/28/Korea-War-armistice-Harry-Clifton-Truman-Daniel/3691753721373/
By Chris Benson
1 of 4 | Statues at the Korean War Memorial are seen a day before Veterans Day on November 10, 2017, in Washington, D.C. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
July 28 (UPI) -- The White House said Monday the United States will "steadfastly" safeguard its interests on the Korean Peninsula with "safety, stability, prosperity and peace" as the endgame.
That message was delivered the day in which the nation honors the truce that ended America's involvement in the Korean War more than seven decades ago. It was a day that also served as a catalyst of the current divergent north and south Korean national ideologies.
"We pay tribute to every American hero who ventured to unfamiliar lands to face some of the most gruesome combat in the history of our country," U.S. President Donald Trump said in a statement.
The armistice agreement signing ended the bloody three-year conflict in northeast Asia in which 36,574 U.S. military service members, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, died out of nearly 2 million who fought in the bid to repel the advancement of communism in the region.
"We spent 15 minutes or so honoring all those men and women who fought and died in Korea," Master of Ceremonies Bob Fugit said Monday in Wichita as locals gathered at Veterans Memorial Park for events to commemorate what some say is America's "Forgotten War."
"That's been a war that everybody wants to forget, even more than Vietnam," Fugit told KAKE in Kansas.
Though most might want to forget, there still have been some efforts to remember.
In July 2022, the nation's capital saw the Korean War Veterans Memorial unveil its new addition along with a total renovation to coincide with that year's Armistice Day festivities in Washington.
A DOD web portal for the Korean conflict lists volumes of stories in a live-running historic archive of events related to the conflict.
"Today, we pause to remember the courage and sacrifice of the heroes who served during the Korean War," the department posted Sunday morning on X, adding that the "legacy of their resilience lives on."
In June 1950, then-President Harry S. Truman said that those responsible for "unprovoked aggression" against South Korea during the so-called "forgotten" war "must realize how seriously the government of the United States views such threats to the peace of the world."
In a UPI article on July 27, 1953, the day it was penned seven months after war hero general and eventual GOP icon Dwight D. Eisenhower assumed the presidency, it read in part: "The armistice documents ending the bitter, stalemated efforts of the Communists to seize all Korea by force were signed at 10:01 a.m. today in the truce village of Panmunjom."
On Monday, the 33rd president's oldest grandson said he believes Korea is collectively labeled by historians as the "Forgotten War" primarily because of public sentiment at the time.
"I think that has to do with fact that, although Americans were firmly behind my grandfather when he moved quickly to aid a beleaguered South Korea," Clifton Truman Daniel told UPI via email, "they quickly tired of a conflict that was perceived as being not our fight."
Daniel, the son of acclaimed author Margaret Truman Daniel, is honorary chair at the Harry S. Truman Library Institute, a partner of the 33rd president's library and museum in Independence, Mo.
It was "a war on top of a war, if you will," Daniel, 68, said of the post-World War II era. "And it came with objectives that were new, in terms of warfare," he said, adding that it was "hard to define" at that point.
Outside efforts have lingered on with hopes to one day reunite the two Koreas even as the north rejects any such idea.
Meanwhile, officials pointed to Trump's visit in June 2019 as the first sitting U.S. president to walk next to communist North Korea's demilitarized zone.
On Monday, the president said that in observing the day "we renew our resolve that forces of freedom will always prevail over tyranny and oppression."
In its statement, the White House reiterated that South Korean and U.S forces remained "united" in an "ironclad" military alliance as the region circles around aggression by North Korean communist dictator Kim Jong-Un, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We honor the patriots who fought and died in Korea so that freedom might endure both on our land and beyond our shores," the president continued, vowing to "rebuild" the U.S. military, support veterans "and stand strong against forces of tyranny."
In North Korea, its "Victory Day" is celebrated with great fanfare, and it is not uncommon to see large-scale military parade processions in the north's capital city Pyongyang, much like Trump's in June that rolled through the streets of Washington, D.C.
But Trump said that, above all, "we proudly remember every American hero who shed their blood to defend our home, our heritage and our glorious way of life."
"Their valiant legacy will never be forgotten," he said.
Read More
3. Trump reaffirms U.S. commitment to safeguarding Korean Peninsula in armistice anniv. message
Trump reaffirms U.S. commitment to safeguarding Korean Peninsula in armistice anniv. message | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · July 29, 2025
SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his country's "steadfast" commitment to safeguarding the Korean Peninsula, underscoring the two countries' strong alliance in the face of "the evils of communism" in the region.
Trump made the remarks in a message a day after South Korea marked the July 27 anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.
In 2017, Trump proclaimed July 27 as the national day to honor the American troops who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War and had released presidential messages every year during his first term.
"Although the evils of communism still persist in Asia, American and South Korean forces remain united in an ironclad alliance to this day," Trump said in the message release by the White House on Monday (U.S. time).
"Guided by my Administration's foreign policy of peace through strength, we remain steadfastly committed to safeguarding the Korean Peninsula and working together for the noble causes of safety, stability, prosperity, and peace."
More than 36,000 Americans were killed in the war that pitted United Nations-allied forces against an invading North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union.
"We honor the patriots who fought and died in Korea so that freedom might endure both on our land and beyond our shores. We vow to rebuild our military, support our veterans, and stand strong against forces of tyranny," Trump said.
Trump also recalled in the message the moment in June 2019 when he crossed the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas for the first time as a sitting U.S. president. Trump had a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un there.
"My first Administration also maintained a maximum pressure campaign and enforced sanctions on North Korea to negotiate denuclearization," he said.
This EPA photo shows U.S. President Donald Trump gesturing during a meeting with the British prime minister in Turnberry, Scotland, Britain, on July 28, 2025. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · July 29, 2025
4. N. Korea says ties between N.K.-U.S. leaders 'not bad' but rejects denuclearization talks
I wonder if the strategy is to walk the US into recognizing north Korea as a nuclear power.
Will we see an offer for arms control negotiations from the regime? There are those in both DC and Seoul who think the way ahead is arms control negotiations. And of course if we do so Kim Jong Un will assess that his political warfare strategy is successful.
(3rd LD) N. Korea says ties between N.K.-U.S. leaders 'not bad' but rejects denuclearization talks | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · July 29, 2025
(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in 14th para; ADDS byline)
By Lee Minji and Park Boram
SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Tuesday personal ties between the leaders of the North and the United States are "not bad," while ruling out talks on Pyongyang's denuclearization.
Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the ruling party's Central Committee, made the remarks as U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his intent to reengage with the North's leader.
"I do not want to deny the fact that the personal relationship between the head of our state and the present U.S. president is not bad," Kim said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
"However, if the personal relations between the top leaders of the DPRK and the U.S. are to serve the purpose of denuclearization, it can be interpreted as nothing but a mockery of the other party," she said.
DPRK is the acronym of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the central committee of North Korea's ruling party (Yonhap)
Her remarks came days after a White House official told Yonhap News Agency that Trump remains open to engagement with the North Korean leader to achieve a "fully denuclearized" North Korea.
Expectations have persisted that Trump might seek to resume his personal diplomacy with Kim, which led to three in-person meetings between them, including the first summit in Singapore in 2018. But the Hanoi summit in 2019 ended without a deal due to differences over the North's denuclearization steps in return for sanctions relief.
While mentioning the official's remarks that she called the U.S. side's "unilateral assessment," Kim Yo-jong stressed, "The year 2025 is neither 2018 nor 2019," and called for recognizing her country as a nuclear state.
"Any attempt to deny the position of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state ... will be thoroughly rejected," she said. "There should be a minimum judgment to admit that it is by no means beneficial to each other for the two countries possessed of nuclear weapons to go in a confrontational direction.
She also urged the U.S. to seek another way of approaching North Korea based on "new thinking."
In response to Kim's statement, South Korea's unification ministry reaffirmed Seoul's support for the resumption of North Korea-U.S. dialogue aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.
"Both South Korea and the U.S. maintain a consistent position that they are open to dialogue with North Korea to build peace on the Korean Peninsula and peacefully resolve North Korean nuclear issues," a ministry official said.
"We proactively support the resumption of North Korea-U.S. talks for peace on the peninsula and stability in Northeast Asia," the official said, pledging continued efforts toward the talks.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong in Seoul also emphasized the shared goal of the complete denuclearization of North Korea, saying South Korea will continue close communication and cooperation with Washington on North Korea-U.S. dialogue and broader North Korea policy.
Experts said North Korea reaffirmed its stance that it will not sit down for Pyongyang's denuclearization but appears to have left open room for talks with the U.S. for other topics.
Kim's remarks came just a day after she issued another statement via the KCNA claiming Pyongyang will not sit down with Seoul for dialogue and condemning it for "blindly adhering" to the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
The messages came as North Korea is aligning closely with Russia in defense, the economy and other areas amid the Russia-Ukraine war, making it easier for Pyongyang to circumvent international sanctions by relying on Russia for much-needed resources.
This file photo, carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on July 1, 2019, shows the North's leader Kim Jong-un (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump meeting at the truce village of Panmunjom the previous day. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · July 29, 2025
5. N. Korea says N.K.-U.S. talks are just 'hope' if Washington sticks to 'failed past'
Again the failed past is because of the focus on denuclearization. I think that the regime's intent is to drive the US to arms control negotiations.
N. Korea says N.K.-U.S. talks are just 'hope' if Washington sticks to 'failed past'
en.yna.co.kr
N. Korea says N.K.-U.S. talks are just 'hope' if Washington sticks to 'failed past' | Yonhap News Agency
Lee Minji
North Korea 07:07 July 29, 2025
SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- A potential meeting between North Korea and the United States will only remain a "hope" for Washington if it sticks to its "failed past," the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Tuesday.
Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the ruling party's Central Committee, made the remarks as U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his willingness to meet with the North's leader.
"If the U.S. fails to accept the changed reality and persists in the failed past, the DPRK-U.S. meeting will remain as a 'hope' of the U.S. side," Kim said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
DPRK is the acronym of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Kim underscored that recognizing Pyongyang as a nuclear state should be a "prerequisite" going forward, saying that any attempt to deny such status "will be thoroughly rejected."
The leader's sister left room for an improvement in ties between North Korea and Washington, noting that personal ties between their two leaders are "not bad."
Still, she said such relationship will not flourish should the a push for the North's denuclearization will continue.
"If the personal relations between the top leaders of the DPRK and the U.S. are to serve the purpose of denuclearization, it can be interpreted as nothing but a mockery of the other party," Kim said.
Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the central committee of North Korea's ruling party (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
(END)
Keywords
#N Korea #US
HOME North Korea
en.yna.co.kr
6. Why North Korea issued twin nuclear warnings to US, South Korea
Yep. Recognition is the intent and aim of the regime.
Arms control will be the aim of the regime and will be considered an interim step by the US toward denuclearization, But it will be a win for KJU's political warfare strategy.
Excerpts:
While noting the “personal relationship” between her brother and Trump was “not bad”, Kim warned that it should not be used “to serve the purpose of denuclearisation” in any future talks. Should the US adopt such a stance, “it can be interpreted as nothing but a mockery of the other party”, she added, demanding that Washington recognise North Korea as a “nuclear weapons state”.
Her remarks follow years of stalled diplomacy. Trump and Kim Jong-un met three times during the US president’s first term, but since talks collapsed at their second summit in Hanoi in 2019 over a failure to agree on sanctions relief in exchange for Pyongyang’s disarmament, North Korea has accelerated its nuclear programme.
Referring to the recent overture from Washington, Kim Yo-jong told the North’s official Korean Central News Agency that “a person in authority” at the White House had mentioned that Trump “is still open to dialogue with the DPRK leader for achieving the complete denuclearisation of the DPRK”.
This echoed reports from South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, which quoted an unnamed US official at the weekend as saying Trump “remains open to engaging with Leader Kim to achieve a fully denuclearised North Korea”.
Why North Korea issued twin nuclear warnings to US, South Korea
In rare twin statements, Kim Jong-un’s powerful sister dismissed the idea of US outreach and demanded ‘nuclear weapons state’ recognition
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3319927/why-north-korea-issued-twin-nuclear-warnings-us-seoul?module=top_story&pgtype=homepage
Park Chan-kyong
Published: 11:32am, 29 Jul 2025Updated: 12:48pm, 29 Jul 2025
In a rare display of rapid-fire messaging, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has issued back-to-back warnings to the United States and South Korea, rejecting any attempt to question its nuclear status.
Analysts interpret the diplomatic offensive, being led by Kim Yo-jong, as Pyongyang’s bid to seize control of the diplomatic agenda on the Korean peninsula following the recent change of power in Seoul.
On Tuesday, Kim cautioned the US against pursuing denuclearisation, following remarks from a White House official suggesting that President Donald Trump was still open to talks with Pyongyang.
“Any attempt to deny the position of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state … will be thoroughly rejected,” she said in a statement to state media, referring to the North by the initials of its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
A North Korean missile launch in 2023, which state media said was simulating a tactical nuclear attack. Photo: KCNA/KNS/AFP
While noting the “personal relationship” between her brother and Trump was “not bad”, Kim warned that it should not be used “to serve the purpose of denuclearisation” in any future talks. Should the US adopt such a stance, “it can be interpreted as nothing but a mockery of the other party”, she added, demanding that Washington recognise North Korea as a “nuclear weapons state”.
Her remarks follow years of stalled diplomacy. Trump and Kim Jong-un met three times during the US president’s first term, but since talks collapsed at their second summit in Hanoi in 2019 over a failure to agree on sanctions relief in exchange for Pyongyang’s disarmament, North Korea has accelerated its nuclear programme.
Referring to the recent overture from Washington, Kim Yo-jong told the North’s official Korean Central News Agency that “a person in authority” at the White House had mentioned that Trump “is still open to dialogue with the DPRK leader for achieving the complete denuclearisation of the DPRK”.
This echoed reports from South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, which quoted an unnamed US official at the weekend as saying Trump “remains open to engaging with Leader Kim to achieve a fully denuclearised North Korea”.
Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, delivers a speech at a Workers’ Party in Pyongyang in 2022. Photo: Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service/AP
Kim Yo-jong, a key figure in the North’s ruling Workers’ Party, oversees Pyongyang’s relations with Seoul and Washington, and is widely regarded as the regime’s second-most powerful official after her brother.
Her latest statements followed Monday’s rejection of an olive branch from newly inaugurated South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.
On Monday, Kim criticised Seoul’s “blind trust” in its alliance with the US and ongoing hostility towards the North, saying it made Lee’s new liberal administration no different from its conservative predecessor.
Kim’s rapid-fire twin statements – addressed separately to Seoul and Washington – were highly unusual, said Yang Moo-jin, head of the University of North Korean Studies.
This demonstrates North Korea’s intent to take the lead, whether through dialogue or confrontation, in shaping the Korean peninsula agenda
Yang Moo-jin, University of North Korean Studies
“This demonstrates North Korea’s intent to take the lead, whether through dialogue or confrontation, in shaping the Korean peninsula agenda,” Yang told This Week in Asia.
Yang said Pyongyang might be positioning itself for more active diplomacy ahead in preparation for the Ukraine war’s end and the ninth congress of the Workers’ Party, scheduled for early next year.
“The core message of the statement is its emphasis on its status as a nuclear-armed state,” he said.
“This implies that it will not engage in denuclearisation talks, but it would be only interested in nuclear arms reduction talks on an equal footing with the United States.”
US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their third and final meeting in 2019 at the demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS
Kim’s acknowledgement of the “personal rapport” between her brother and Trump indicated a desire to avoid escalating tensions while keeping the possibility of future summits alive, Yang added.
Experts have long argued that Pyongyang is prepared to discuss only a partial reduction of its nuclear arsenal in return for lifting sanctions and other concessions, while retaining a credible nuclear deterrent.
Previous attempts at diplomacy collapsed after Trump rejected Kim’s demand for extensive sanctions relief in exchange for dismantling a single key nuclear complex, in a limited step towards denuclearisation.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse, Associated Press
Park Chan-kyong
Park Chan-kyong is a journalist covering South Korean affairs for the South China Morning Post. He previously worked at the Agence France-Presse's Seoul bureau for 35 years. He studied political science at Korea University and economics at the Yonsei University Graduate Schoo
7. Trump reaffirms 'ironclad' alliance as regional strategy faces new realities
Yes we have to think bigger than just the north Korean threat. But the north Korean threat is greater than just existential threat to South Korea. Its participation in "adversarial cooperation" (the CRInK) makes the other threats worse still.
But we should recalibrate the alliance and we should start with the foundation of the Mutual Defense treaty and interpret it properly ... recalling specifically Article III.
Each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties in territories now under their respective administrative control, or hereafter recognized by one of the Parties as lawfully brought under the administrative control of the other, would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional processes.
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/kor001.asp
Note that north Korea is not mentioned at all in the entire treaty. It is threats in the Pacific region and this should be the basis for a recalibration. And I commend the action officers who drafted the treaty in 1953. They were precinct and wise. Of course they also did not include north Korea because the Armistice called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from the Peninsula but the treaty provided a legal justification for the US to maintain troops on the peninsula to defend from threats in the Pacific region.
But we have the right words. Now let's use them to good effect.
Trump reaffirms 'ironclad' alliance as regional strategy faces new realities
With North Korea turning to Russia and China, and Seoul eyed for broader Indo-Pacific roles, US policy faces growing demands for recalibration
https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/07/29/D4KADHBRSJFQLLO7TW6L4TCYK4/
By Park Su-hyeon
Published 2025.07.29. 17:14
In a statement issued on July 28 to commemorate National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed the “ironclad” alliance between the United States and South Korea, calling it a cornerstone of peace and stability in a strategically volatile Northeast Asia.
“The American and South Korean forces remain united in an ironclad alliance to this day,” Trump declared, invoking the legacy of the Korean War as the foundation of a partnership forged through shared sacrifice. The message echoed his longstanding foreign policy doctrine of “peace through strength.”
Trump recounted the high costs of the Korean War—over 32,000 American combat deaths and nearly 93,000 wounded—portraying the 1953 armistice as a decisive stand against communist expansionism. “The grit, resolve, and indomitable spirit of our warfighters won the day,” he said.
He also highlighted what he views as major accomplishments from his first term, including his unprecedented 2019 crossing into North Korea and the use of sanctions to secure the release of American detainees and repatriated war remains. The statement framed these symbolic moments as evidence of an unorthodox but, in his view, effective approach to diplomacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, on July 25, 2025./AP-Yonhap
But while Trump continues to emphasize his past engagement with Pyongyang, the regional landscape has shifted considerably. North Korea, far from returning to talks, is deepening ties with Russia and China, complicating the strategic calculus in ways Trump’s doctrine has yet to address. Hours before Trump’s statement, Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a blunt rejection of any renewed denuclearization talks—a sign that the momentum of earlier diplomacy has largely stalled.
These developments underscore the urgent need for a strategic recalibration to effectively address both Pyongyang’s increasing defiance and the evolving security environment in Northeast Asia.
Washington has signaled a shift in its approach to the U.S.–South Korea alliance. The State Department has suggested that the 1953 Mutual Defense Treaty may increasingly be viewed through the lens of the broader Indo-Pacific strategy, with Seoul expected to take on a more prominent role in contingencies beyond the Korean Peninsula—such as a Taiwan Strait crisis or wider tensions with China.
This evolving framework coincides with renewed U.S. demands for South Korea to shoulder more defense costs and occasional suggestions of troop reductions—developments that have stirred concern in Seoul over the reliability and long-term stability of American security commitments.
8. FM Cho stresses S. Korea's push for stronger ties with 'friendly nations' in talks with Japanese counterpart
A positive signal and good news:
Excerpt:
bolster ties with "friendly nations" under the Lee Jae Myung government, signaling an intent to maintain the thaw in bilateral relations with Japan.
(LEAD) FM Cho stresses S. Korea's push for stronger ties with 'friendly nations' in talks with Japanese counterpart | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr
(LEAD) FM Cho stresses S. Korea's push for stronger ties with 'friendly nations' in talks with Japanese counterpart
Kim Seung-yeon
All News 19:54 July 29, 2025
- (ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES throughout with remarks; CHANGES dateline, photos)
SEOUL/TOKYO, July 29 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Tuesday highlighted South Korea's efforts to bolster ties with "friendly nations" under the Lee Jae Myung government, signaling an intent to maintain the thaw in bilateral relations with Japan.
Cho made the remark at the start of talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya in Tokyo, as he chose to visit Japan before the United States in a rare diplomatic move likely indicating the Lee government will prioritize its bilateral and trilateral relations with both countries.
"The Lee Jae Myung government seeks to strengthen ties with friendly nations based on its pragmatic foreign policy," Cho said.
"I believe that if friendly nations closely work together, and communicate and formulate external strategies together, we can not only overcome crisis but also turn it into an opportunity," he said.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (L) poses with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya ahead of their bilateral talks in Tokyo on July 29, 2025. (Yonhap)
Cho also mentioned that Lee has sent his "warm regards" to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
"When I told the president that I would be visiting Japan, he asked me to convey his warm regards (to the prime minister) and hoped that the first foreign ministers' talks would be a success," he said.
Recalling Lee's reference to "shuttle diplomacy," or regular exchanges between leaders, during his first phone talks with Ishiba last month, Cho said it reflects the government's basic policy of building a future-oriented relationship with Japan.
Tuesday's talks marked the first one-on-one meeting between the two top diplomats. Cho took office early last week.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (L) speaks during bilateral talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya at the Japanese foreign ministry in Tokyo on July 29, 2025. (Yonhap)
Seoul's foreign ministry announced Monday that Cho will visit Japan before flying to Washington later this week for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a decision seen as atypical as new South Korean foreign ministers have generally visited Washington as their first stop for diplomatic talks.
Departing for Tokyo earlier in the day, Cho said he believes such a shift will help "upgrade" not only bilateral ties with Japan but also trilateral cooperation among the three countries.
With Iwaya, Cho said he could also discuss long-running historical issues rooted in Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea.
"It is crucial to take a long-term approach and identify mutually beneficial issues for discussion, for a future-oriented Korea-Japan relationship," he said.
Tuesday's talks were expected to be followed by a working dinner hosted by the Japanese side.
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya (R) speaks during bilateral talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun at the Japanese foreign ministry in Tokyo on July 29, 2025. (Yonhap)
In Washington, Cho said he plans to have broad discussions with Rubio on the alliance and other shared issues, including the notion of "modernization of alliance" as recently mentioned by the U.S. administration.
The concept is largely seen as reflecting U.S. calls for its allies to shoulder more of the defense burden and its focus on addressing an assertive China.
Cho's two-nation swing also comes as South Korea's tariff negotiations with the U.S. are at a critical juncture this week amid the looming Aug. 1 deadline set by the Donald Trump administration. Unless a trade deal is reached, South Korean goods will be subject to a 25 percent U.S. reciprocal tariff and sectoral duties.
"I plan to provide as much support as possible (for the tariff negotiations)," Cho said.
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
Keywords
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9. Lee sends letter to Japanese PM to thank for participation in diplomatic event
Actions speak louder than words. And even better when the action (sending a letter) has words.
Lee sends letter to Japanese PM to thank for participation in diplomatic event | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · July 29, 2025
SEOUL, July 29 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung has sent a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to express his gratitude for his participation in an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral diplomatic ties, a presidential official said Tuesday.
Ishiba attended the ceremony hosted by the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo on June 19, where he underscored the need to maintain close communication to advance the bilateral ties and address shared challenges.
A few days later, Lee conveyed his appreciation in a letter, according to a presidential official.
"The leaders of South Korea and Japan are communicating closely in various ways to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations and to foster a friendly foundation for the future-oriented development of bilateral ties," the official said. "The letter was also part of those ongoing efforts."
Ishiba's participation highlighted the continued warming of bilateral relations that have significantly improved since March 2023 under Lee's conservative predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol.
The two leaders held their first one-on-one talks in early June on the margins of the Group of Seven summit in Canada, where they pledged to deepen cooperation and further develop trilateral ties with the United States.
In this file photo, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba pose for a photo ahead of their talks at the Group of Seven summit venue in Kananaskis, Canada, on June 17, 2025. (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Eun-jung · July 29, 2025
10. Hyundai Rotem targets Romania as next K2 tank export destination
Arsenal of democracies.
Hyundai Rotem targets Romania as next K2 tank export destination
https://www.chosun.com/english/industry-en/2025/07/29/D5UVNXWT6VCSRJB4OKPEYOLNW4/
By Kim Ji-hwan,
Kim Mi-geon
Published 2025.07.29. 16:33
Hyundai Rotem Co., the train manufacturing subsidiary of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group, which is preparing to finalize a second K2 tank export deal with the Polish government worth 9 trillion won ($6.7 billion), is now setting its sights on Romania as its next potential market. Although Romania’s tank acquisition program has stalled due to a recent change in government, Hyundai Rotem continues to engage with Romanian authorities to keep negotiations on track.
As of July 29, according to defense industry sources and foreign media, the Romanian government has not yet issued a formal tender for its tank replacement program, a central component of its broader military modernization strategy. Romania initially unveiled the plan in 2022, aiming to procure 300 new main battle tanks.
Hyundai Rotem’s K2 Black Panther tank currently in service with the Polish Armed Forces./Polish Ministry of National Defence
The country still operates approximately 160 T-55 tanks, originally developed in 1958 and widely deployed during the Soviet era. Among North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states, Romania is the only nation still operating the aging platform.
In November 2023, Romania purchased 54 Abrams tanks from the United States. With a substantial portion of its planned procurement still undecided, Hyundai Rotem is seen as a strong contender against Germany’s Leopard tank, having already completed a live-fire demonstration of the K2 in Romania last year.
Political developments, however, have delayed further progress. A new administration was inaugurated following the presidential election in May, and the Romanian parliament subsequently cut funding for the tank replacement initiative.
“There is intense political friction between the ruling and opposition parties in Romania regarding defense procurement,” a defense industry official said. “The situation remains fluid and requires close observation.”
Hyundai Rotem and South Korean military officials are closely monitoring Romania’s budget discussions. “We’re currently watching developments unfold,” a South Korean military official said. “Depending on how the new budget is finalized, the climate may shift.”
The South Korean firm is maintaining a long-term approach to negotiations, reportedly emphasizing key advantages of South Korean defense manufacturing—including local production capabilities and rapid delivery timelines—during ongoing meetings with Romanian counterparts.
“We’re promoting our product locally with the mindset that we are starting over from the beginning,” a Hyundai Rotem representative said.
K2 tanks fire at a target during a demonstration hosted by 11th Maneuver Division, based in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, on July 3, 2025./Yonhap
While the tank procurement program remains on hold, other Romanian military modernization projects are proceeding. On July 10, the Romanian government approved a new initiative to acquire infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). The project will span eight years and involve five variants, including standard IFVs, command-and-control vehicles, and 120mm mortar carriers.
The contract calls for a total of 246 units, with Romania aiming to finalize the deal within 2025. Hanwha Aerospace has entered the bid with its Redback armored vehicle. Romania is already operating Hanwha’s K9 self-propelled howitzers and is currently building a domestic production facility for the K9 platform.
Despite recent delays, interest in the K2 tank remains strong in Romania. On July 18, Defense Romania reported that Romanian troops had participated in a four-week training program in South Korea involving both the K9 and K2 systems. The outlet noted that “the K2 tank is a perfect fit for the Romanian military.”
11. With only 3 days to go, Korea hopes shipbuilding can put wind in tariff deal sails
Monday
July 28, 2025
With only 3 days to go, Korea hopes shipbuilding can put wind in tariff deal sails
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-07-28/business/industry/With-only-3-days-to-go-Korea-hopes-shipbuilding-can-put-wind-in-tariff-deal-sails/2363082
Published: 28 Jul. 2025, 17:56
Updated: 28 Jul. 2025, 19:16
U.S. President Donald Trump reacts after reaching a trade deal with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27. [AP/YONHAP]
[NEWS ANALYSIS]
With Japan and the European Union (EU) having wrapped up tariff negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump, Korea — constrained by limited and modest investment potential — is set to test whether its dominance in global shipbuilding can compensate for its financial shortfalls at the bargaining table.
Korean Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol will leave for Washington on Tuesday for a face-to-face meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent scheduled for Thursday.
Given the substantial overlap in export categories like automobiles, Seoul’s failure to secure tariff terms comparable to the 15 percent rate granted to Tokyo and the EU would risk eroding its competitive position in the U.S. market, which accounts for nearly 20 percent of Korea’s total exports.
Related Article
The EU on Monday reached a trade deal framework with the United States and reached a consensus of 15 percent tariffs on all goods to the U.S. market, with a condition of $600 billion in investment and $750 billion in purchases of U.S. energy. That deal followed Japan’s $550 billion investment package pledge.
The EU, whose economy is more than five times the size of Japan’s, appears to have taken an alternative approach, circumventing headline investment figures by incorporating large-scale energy purchases into its package.
Leveraging this approach, Korea is reported to have proposed a massive shipbuilding cooperation project worth billions of dollars of investment to the United States, hoping to capitalize on a strategic asset unmatched by other countries.
How much, and what can Korea offer
Experts assert that Korea needs to propose an investment of at least $200 billion, and potentially up to $300 billion, to elicit favorable consideration from Trump.
However, previous negotiations have hinted that these amounts need not consist solely of pure direct investment — offering the only glimmer of hope for Korea, whose economic scale pales in comparison to the competing U.S. trade partners.
“Trump will undoubtedly want a certain scale — figures of considerable magnitude; Considering Japan’s economy is about twice the size of ours, we expect the baseline to start at around $200 billion, with something extra,” Prof. Min Jeong-hun from the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security under the Korea National Diplomatic Academy told the Korea JoongAng Daily.
“The investment figures released so far are inflated and function with some loopholes such as vague timelines and conditions,” Min added. “Korea will need to use those loopholes, by incorporating shipbuilding and energy imports, to help reduce the trade deficit in a way that aligns with what Trump wants.”
Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan on July 25 proposed the multibillion-dollar “MASGA,” or "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again," project during a meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on July 25, according to a Yonhap News Agency report.
Korean Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, left, greets U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for a tariff meeting in Washington on July 25. [NEWS1]
Related Article
Modeled after Trump’s “MAGA” slogan, the project adds “Shipbuilding” to the phrase and envisions large-scale investments by Korean shipbuilders, backed by a comprehensive financing package involving loans and guarantees from Korean public financial institutions.
Minister Kim reportedly followed the departing Trump administration delegation to Europe, leaving for Scotland to seize every possible opportunity for negotiation.
Specific details of the project are slated for discussion during Koo's face-to-face meeting with Bessent scheduled for Thursday.
“Hanwha Ocean has already acquired Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia last year, but Trump hasn’t mentioned it at all, simply because the deal wasn’t completed during his administration,” said economics Prof. Yang Jun-sok from the Catholic University of Korea.
“There’s no doubt that Trump values Korea’s shipbuilding technology, but he will expect some fresh, integrated initiative on the table.”
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after an announcement of a trade deal between the two in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27. [REUTERS/YONHAP]
The real problem: Auto tariffs
Prospects appear markedly less favorable with the automobile tariffs, where Korea faces a particularly complex challenge, as brands like Toyota Motor and Volkswagen are direct competition for Hyundai Motor and Kia in the U.S. market.
The Korean carmakers now stand as the only major global auto brands subject to a 25 percent tariff, excluding a handful of cars from U.S. manufacturers that produce certain models in Mexico and Canada, which also face a 25 percent duty.
Korea, Japan and the EU rank as the three largest automobile exporters to the United States, with Korea exporting some 1.43 million vehicles to the country as of last year, narrowly ahead of Japan’s 1.37 million. The EU followed at around 758,000 units.
“It’s unlikely that Trump will grant Korea a 15 percent auto tariff,” Prof. Yang said, adding that since lowering tariffs against Japan and the EU, “Trump is already facing harsh pushback from some U.S. carmakers like GM and Ford.”
For instance, the sticker price of the Hyundai Elantra sedan, known as the Avante in Korea, starts at $22,125 in the United States, slightly undercutting its rival, the Toyota Corolla, which is priced from $22,325.
But assuming 100,000 units are exported, Hyundai cars would be subject to some $5.5 million in tariffs, compared to $3.3 million for Toyota.
Hyundai Motor cars are waiting for exports at a port in Ulsan on July 28. [YONHAP]
Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury marque, is also vulnerable, particularly in its competition with premium German brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The Genesis GV70 has a sticker price of $48,000, roughly 10 percent lower than the BMW X3’s $52,075 and Mercedes GLC’s $51,000. But the 10 percentage point tariff gap between Korea and the EU could effectively nullify that pricing advantage.
Hyundai and Kia have already begun to suffer, with operating profits in the second quarter falling by 19.6 percent. Hyundai’s earnings were slashed by 828.2 billion won ($597.7 million), while Kia saw a decline of 786 billion won.
The automotive group predicted that the second half of the year may bring deeper losses, as inventories deplete and U.S. government subsidies set to expire after Sept. 30.
“If the current 25 percent tariff remains in place, Korean automakers will face an estimated burden of $6,000 per vehicle, which expands to 9.1 trillion won when including [Kia] cars produced in Mexico,” said analyst Song Sun-jae from Hana Securities.
“In a worst-case scenario, Hyundai and Kia’s combined annual tariff burden could rise to 10.5 trillion won, which is equivalent to nearly 37 percent of their projected annual operating profit."
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a paper after reaching a trade deal with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27. [AP/YONHAP]
BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
12. Truth Before Peace: What North Korea’s History Lies Reveal
And of course the entire north Korean origin story is a lie. (the regime was founded on the premise that Kim Il Sung led anti-Japanese partisan guerrillas who liberated Korea from Japan.)
Truth Before Peace: What North Korea’s History Lies Reveal
North Korea teaches its students a lie about the Korean War. Can honest dialogue begin without shared history?
https://williamykkim.substack.com/p/truth-before-peace-what-north-koreas?utm
William YK Kim
Jul 28, 2025
The South Korean government under President Lee Jae Myung wants to reopen dialogue with North Korea. His administration often talks about the importance of historical awareness, the belief that peace and policy must be grounded in a clear understanding of history. But at the same time, North Korea is pushing harder than ever on a version of history that has little to do with truth.
On July 27, the Korean Central News Agency reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the Cemetery of Fallen Fighters of the Fatherland Liberation War on July 26, together with war veterans, to mark the 72nd anniversary of what the regime calls the Victory Day in the Fatherland Liberation War
On July 27, North Korea held another major celebration of what it calls Victory Day, the anniversary of the Korean War armistice. Students there are taught that the war was a great War of Liberation, a proud victory over the United States. Just two days earlier, Kim Jong Un visited the Sinchon Museum, which claims that American soldiers massacred thousands of civilians in 1950. The reality is far more tragic and complicated. As North Korean forces retreated, they executed landowners, pastors, and teachers they saw as enemies. In response, anti-communist youth groups carried out brutal reprisals. It was a painful chapter in Korean history, but none of that is mentioned in Pyongyang’s story.
Ahead of the 72nd anniversary of the Korean War armistice, which North Korea calls the Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War, leader Kim Jong Un visited the Sinchon Museum of American War Atrocities, where he reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening national defense while accusing U.S. forces of wartime brutality.
The falsehoods go even further. North Koreans are told that their country was born from the will of the people, when in fact it was created under Soviet direction. They are taught that the Korean War began with an American invasion, not the North’s attack in 1950. The history most South Koreans know, backed by documents and international research, is completely flipped.
Despite all this, the South Korean government speaks as if both sides already share the same basic understanding of the past. Lee’s unification minister, Chung Dong-youngg, once said modern history must be taught in schools because a nation that forgets its history cannot handle diplomacy. Yet now that same official is working to build trust with a regime that denies the most basic facts. What exactly are we expected to have in common?
On July 28, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said he plans to recommend to President Lee Jae Myung that the upcoming South Korea–U.S. joint military exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), be adjusted.
North Korea no longer talks about reunification or shared identity. It blew up the inter-Korean liaison office and recently declared there is nothing left to talk about with the South. The regime calls itself a nuclear state and looks down on South Korea as something lesser.
On July 28, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, declared, 'We have no interest in whatever policies are adopted or proposals are made in Seoul, and we once again make it clear that there is no reason to sit down with South Korea or discuss anything at all.
How is real peace possible with a government that treats truth like a threat? And yet, Seoul insists it is. One has to wonder what that belief is based on.
If peace is the goal, it has to start with truth. South Korea has a responsibility not only to protect that truth at home but to quietly share it with the people of the North. This isn’t about loud campaigns or propaganda. It is about making space for facts. Through honest stories. Through open broadcasts. Through quiet access to knowledge.
Reconciliation without truth is just a performance. Dialogue without honesty is just noise. History only matters when it stands on what is real. And that is the only way peace becomes something more than a hope.
13. Seoul summer lunchtime questions: South Korea and BRICS
Hedging.
Excerpts:
But South Korea is not seeking BRICS membership. There are no formal negotiations, no imminent policy shifts, and no clear roadmap that would make accession likely under current conditions. It is merely thinking creatively—and this a change.
The fact that the question is now being asked—by officials, business leaders, and scholars alike—reflects a deeper structural trend: the world is entering a phase of multipolar fluidity, and countries like South Korea are beginning to think beyond inherited alignments. The value of the BRICS question is not in whether Seoul joins the group, but in what the question itself reveals about Korea’s evolving strategic posture.
It suggests that hedging, once a taboo subject in alliance politics, is becoming normalized—even necessary. And it underscores that in the quiet corners of diplomacy and policymaking, the architecture of Korea’s next foreign policy era is already being debated
Commentary
Seoul summer lunchtime questions: South Korea and BRICS
The BRICS??? The idea of South Korea joining BRICS is absurd! South Korea is a U.S. ally and a beneficiary of the U.S.-led liberal-international order... right?
https://www.junotane.com/p/seoul-summer-lunchtime-questions
Jul 27, 2025
∙ Paid
Lowly schmuck academics like yours truly, unfortunate enough to still be in Seoul at summertime are often invited by public officials to standard fare lunchtime sessions of questioning and soul-searching. Sometimes it’s to subtly solicit you to write more on a subject and sometimes it’s to subtly reprimand you for writing on another subject. But sometimes you leave the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act adhering, KRW50,000 luncheon, wondering what was that all about?
Then, one day you’re speaking to a more senior academic colleague. He or she took in a more exquisite dinner and a drinking session with senior political figures - the kind of meals that escape Improper Solicitation and Graft Act adhering, KRW50,000 limits, because of the personal, longstanding, relationships between old friends, who solidly argue that the cost of the exquisite meal (and the subsequent whisky and entertainment) didn’t need to conform, and maybe even didn’t even happen when it comes down to it. That colleague tells you something that strikes a chord. The conversation of the cheap meal and that of the exquisite meal shared one subject in common.
This may or may not have happened in the recent past, and the common subject may or may not have been the question of South Korea and BRICS!
The BRICS??? The idea of South Korea joining BRICS is absurd! South Korea is a U.S. ally and a beneficiary of the U.S.-led liberal-international order. Why would it join an organization built to grumble and arguably even break down the global order?
Yet, deeper engagement with the BRICS framework—or its expanded form, BRICS+ is now a question being asked in South Korea.
These discussions are driven not just by ideology and opportunism but also by a broader concern: the global order in which South Korea has long anchored its foreign and economic policy is fragmenting, and that contingency planning is now prudent statecraft.
The obvious factor driving this conversation is the erosion of predictability in South Korea’s alliance with the United States. The Trump administration’s transactional approach to alliances, particularly its demands for steep increases in defense cost-sharing and threats of troop withdrawals, has forced Seoul to confront the possibility of a future in which U.S. security guarantees are less reliable and more conditional. From the first Trump Admin, through Biden, and on to Trump 2, an underlying concern of many is that the U.S. commitment to its Asian alliances appears increasingly dependent on domestic political cycles, not strategic consensus.
This uncertainty has prompted a quiet exploration of alternative or complementary strategic relationships. NATO-like alliances on the table seem impossible, but broader patterns of alignment—particularly with Global South coalitions such as BRICS—have begun to appear in internal assessments as worth evaluating. The logic is not one of replacement, but of diversification: how can South Korea strengthen its resilience in a world no longer defined by unipolarity?
South Korea’s economic diversification strategy already aligns, in part, with BRICS+ dynamics. Korean conglomerates have significantly expanded investment and trade ties with India, Indonesia, the UAE, and Brazil—countries that now constitute either core or adjacent members of BRICS+. Meanwhile, Seoul’s outreach to Africa and the Middle East has grown in scope and ambition, underpinned by development cooperation, infrastructure finance, and digital technology partnerships.
The idea is not to signal alignment with anti-Western agendas, but to recognize that BRICS+ is emerging as a parallel, if still incoherent, architecture of global governance.
There is also a growing recognition that as the Global South asserts more influence in multilateral institutions—both in numbers and in agenda-setting—South Korea’s long-standing aspiration to be a “bridge” or “middle power” between developed and developing nations can play a role. In forums where BRICS+ is becoming the de facto organizing framework for non-Western diplomacy, Korea risks being structurally sidelined if it remains wholly outside those dialogues.
Any formal engagement with BRICS remains constrained by structural and political realities. Foremost is the question of strategic alignment. As a U.S. treaty ally hosting significant American military assets, South Korea’s entry into a bloc that includes Russia, China, and Iran would likely be viewed in Washington—and Tokyo—as a strategic breach, even if cast as economic pragmatism.
Domestic political divisions also limit maneuverability. Any government exploring closer ties with BRICS would face strong scrutiny from conservatives and segments of the national security establishment wary of weakening alliance cohesion. Even technical cooperation with BRICS institutions would require careful framing to avoid backlash.
Further, the BRICS bloc itself remains internally fragmented. China’s outsized influence, the absence of clear governance rules, and divergent member interests make it a difficult forum for middle powers seeking institutional predictability. South Korea’s policymakers remain justifiably skeptical of frameworks in which power asymmetries are not addressed through robust norms.
But South Korea is not seeking BRICS membership. There are no formal negotiations, no imminent policy shifts, and no clear roadmap that would make accession likely under current conditions. It is merely thinking creatively—and this a change.
The fact that the question is now being asked—by officials, business leaders, and scholars alike—reflects a deeper structural trend: the world is entering a phase of multipolar fluidity, and countries like South Korea are beginning to think beyond inherited alignments. The value of the BRICS question is not in whether Seoul joins the group, but in what the question itself reveals about Korea’s evolving strategic posture.
It suggests that hedging, once a taboo subject in alliance politics, is becoming normalized—even necessary. And it underscores that in the quiet corners of diplomacy and policymaking, the architecture of Korea’s next foreign policy era is already being debated
14. N. Korea says Trump-Kim relationship 'not bad' but rejects nuclear talks
World News July 29, 2025 / 2:47 AM
N. Korea says Trump-Kim relationship 'not bad' but rejects nuclear talks
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/07/29/Kim-Yo-Jong-Donald-Trump-relationship-not-bad-nuclear-talks/5401753768471/
By Thomas Maresca
North Korea said Tuesday that the relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un was "not bad," but rejected nuclear talks. The two leaders met three times during Trump's first administration, including at the DMZ in 2019. File White House Photo by Shealah Craighead/UPI | License Photo
SEOUL, July 29 (UPI) -- The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Tuesday that her brother's relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump was "not bad," but dismissed the notion of resuming denuclearization talks with Washington.
"I do not want to deny the fact that the personal relationship between the head of our state and the U.S. president is not bad," Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency.
"However, if the personal relations between the top leaders of the DPRK and the U.S. are to serve the purpose of denuclearization, it can be interpreted as nothing but a mockery of the other party," she said.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.
Related
"Shortly ago, a person in authority of the White House said ... that [Trump] is still open to dialogue with the DPRK leader for achieving the complete denuclearization of the DPRK," Kim said. "Any attempt to deny the position of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state ... will be thoroughly rejected."
Kim appeared to be responding to a Yonhap news agency report Saturday that quoted an unnamed White House official as saying Trump "remains open to engaging with Leader Kim to achieve a fully denuclearized North Korea."
During Trump's first term, the two leaders held a pair of high-profile summits and met briefly a third time at the DMZ. The diplomatic outreach failed to result in a nuclear deal, however, and Pyongyang has accelerated the development of its weapons programs in the intervening years.
In April, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that there had been communication with North Korea and that the two sides would "probably do something at some point."
"I have a very good relationship with [Kim]," Trump said. "I think it's very important. He's a big nuclear nation and he's a very smart guy."
In September 2022, the North passed a law declaring itself a nuclear weapons state and giving it the right to conduct a preemptive nuclear strike in self-defense. Kim called the decision "irreversible" and later amended the country's constitution to enshrine the permanent growth of Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal.
In her statement Tuesday, Kim Yo Jong said any efforts to engage with North Korea would require acknowledging "the hard fact that its capabilities and geopolitical environment have radically changed."
"The recognition of the irreversible position of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state ... should be a prerequisite for predicting and thinking everything in the future," she said. "It would be advisable to seek another way of contact on the basis of such new thinking."
Kim's remarks came one day after she released a statement condemning Seoul's military alliance with Washington and saying that Pyongyang had "no interest" in efforts by the administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to improve relations.
15. Seoul asks North Korea to respond to repatriation plan
Playing hard to get.
World News July 29, 2025 / 5:56 AM
Seoul asks North Korea to respond to repatriation plan
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/07/29/Seoul-asks-North-Korea-respond-repatriation-plan/1661753782176/
By Thomas Maresca
South Korea's Unification Ministry asked Pyongyang to respond to its plan to repatriate the remains of a North Korean national. Earlier this month, the ministry repatriated six North Koreans who had drifted into southern waters. Photo courtesy of South Korea Ministry of Unification
SEOUL, July 29 (UPI) -- Seoul's Unification Ministry on Tuesday publicly called for Pyongyang to respond to its plan to repatriate the remains of a North Korean national that was discovered on the southern side of the inter-Korean border.
South Korean authorities found a body believed to be that of a North Korean citizen on June 21 off the coast of Seongmodo Island in the Yellow Sea, the ministry spokesperson's office said in a statement sent to reporters.
The government plans to repatriate the remains next Tuesday via the truce village of Panmunjom inside the DMZ, the ministry said, urging the North to respond through an inter-Korean hotline that it has not used since April 2023.
"Given the severed inter-Korean communication lines, sending a notice to North Korea is difficult," the ministry said in a message directed to Pyongyang. "Therefore, we are informing you of the contents of this notice through the media."
Related
The North Korean man was born in 1988 and was a farm worker in North Hwanghae Province, the ministry said, citing an identification card found on the body.
Earlier this month, the South repatriated six North Koreans across the maritime border in the East Sea, months after they drifted into southern waters and were rescued.
The North did not respond to any of Seoul's notification efforts about that repatriation plan, which were made via the U.S.-led United Nations Command. However, North Korea sent vessels to the border to retrieve the citizens.
Seoul's Unification Ministry also recently used a press briefing to request that the North give advance notice before releasing water from a dam across the border. Ministry spokeswoman Chang Yoon-jeong called the public appeal a form of "indirect communication" with Pyongyang.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to improve inter-Korean relations, which have deteriorated sharply in recent years after a period of diplomatic progress in 2018-19.
Shortly after taking office last month, Lee suspended propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts at the DMZ and cracked down on activists floating balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.
North Korea has rebuffed any efforts at rapprochement, however. On Monday, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said that Pyongyang had "no interest" in engaging with Seoul.
16. How can Korea 'Make American Shipbuilding Great Again'?
One problem is that in the trade/tariff negotiations past actions have no impact- only future actions are important to the administration.
How can Korea 'Make American Shipbuilding Great Again'?
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20250729/how-can-korea-make-american-shipbuilding-great-again
By Park Jae-hyuk
Published Jul 29, 2025 3:27 pm KST
Seoul likely to highlight Hanwha's investments in US shipyards
Attention is focused on whether Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan will give momentum to Seoul’s effort to leverage shipbuilding in the ongoing trade talks to convince Washington to cut “reciprocal” duties and item-specific tariffs already imposed on cars and steel.
Kim departed for Washington on Monday, prompting speculation that he will join Korean government negotiators, who proposed a project they called “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" (MASGA).
Paying homage to U.S. President Donald Trump’s signature slogan, “Make America Great Again,” the proposal is aimed at launching a joint initiative to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
Although Hanwha has refused to confirm the vice chairman’s itinerary and the government is reluctant to reveal details about its negotiation strategy, expectations are growing that Seoul will highlight the conglomerate’s significant investments in U.S. shipyards as a way to avert or lower tariffs. The Trump administration plans to impose a 25 percent reciprocal tariff on all Korean goods starting Aug. 1.
“I will present a detailed explanation of the current state of Korean industries, including shipbuilding, and explore medium- to long-term ways for cooperation in other sectors,” Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol told reporters Tuesday, before departing for Washington to meet U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday (local time).
The presidential office also said Monday that a series of meetings last weekend between Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick were intended to advance discussions on a shipbuilding partnership.
Korea offers ‘MASGA’ project to avert tariffs
HD Hyundai, Hanwha in fierce competition to build ships in US
Korean shipbuilders have already strengthened ties with U.S. partners in line with Trump’s stated goal to revive the country’s shipbuilding sector and counter China’s maritime growth.
Hanwha, which acquired Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia for $100 million last year, recently placed an order to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) container vessel with the U.S. shipyard, allowing its workers to learn advanced technologies from Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard in South Gyeongsang Province, which will handle most of the vessel’s construction.
This marks the first time in five decades that a U.S. shipyard has received an order to build an LNG container vessel intended for export.
Given Hanwha’s ongoing efforts to acquire Australia's Austal, which has operations in the U.S., Kim is expected to introduce plans for further investment in the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
“Hanwha Ocean aims to be a strategic partner in helping the U.S. shipbuilding industry take a leap forward,” Hanwha Ocean CEO Kim Hee-cheul said in May, during his meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Jeju Island on the sidelines of the APEC trade ministers’ meeting.
“Based on our proven technologies and smart manufacturing system, we will deliver tangible results on U.S. soil,” Kim added.
HD Hyundai has also repeatedly emphasized its commitment to the U.S. shipbuilding sector.
In April, the company partnered with Huntington Ingalls Industries to share expertise in operating the world’s largest shipyard. In addition, it began talks this month with Edison Chouest Offshore about jointly building container vessels at the U.S. firm’s shipyards.
Donald Trump, second from right, takes a look at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering's shipyard which is now operated by Hanwha Ocean on Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang Province, in this 1998 photo. Courtesy of Hanwha Ocean
Citing Trump’s strong interest in Korean shipbuilding technology, the government and the ruling party have expressed optimism that the MASGA proposal will create a win-win situation.
The proposal has also been touted as a way to sidestep U.S. requests for Korea to promise sizable investment in the world’s largest economy, as Japan and the European Union did to reduce tariff rates.
However, it remains to be seen if the proposal will persuade Washington to lower tariffs on Korean goods to the 15 percent level that Japanese and European products will face.
While the presidential office said the U.S. is interested in a shipbuilding partnership, Lutnick has not mentioned the issue in his recent remarks during talks with Korean officials.
Instead, he told Fox News on Monday (local time) that Korean negotiators “really want to get a deal done,” confirming rumors that they flew to Scotland to meet him after an extended stay in Washington to continue tariff talks.
“The South Koreans flew to Scotland to meet with me and Ambassador Greer after dinner,” he said.
17. Can US-North Korea denuclearization talks be revived?
I concur with the experts – breakthroughs are unlikely.
Can US-North Korea denuclearization talks be revived?
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/20250729/can-us-north-korea-denuclearization-talks-be-revived
By Anna J. Park
Published Jul 29, 2025 4:03 pm KST
Updated Jul 29, 2025 5:09 pm KST
Experts doubt significant breakthroughs between two countries
The prospect of renewed dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang is once again capturing headlines, fueled by a rare and forceful statement from Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Her remarks also underscore a markedly changed landscape for U.S.-North Korea engagement compared to the years of direct leadership engagement in 2018 and 2019.
According to North Korean state media on Tuesday, Kim Yo-jong's message unequivocally dismissed the idea of denuclearization talks with the United States, even while acknowledging a continued personal rapport between the two nations' leaders. The statement followed closely on the heels of a similar pronouncement directed at South Korea, suggesting a concerted effort by Pyongyang to reassert its diplomatic positions amidst evolving regional dynamics.
Kim Yo-jong's statement notably began by addressing recent comments from a White House official, who, reflecting the continued stance of the Trump administration, had expressed that the U.S. remains open to engaging with the North Korean leader to achieve a "fully denuclearized" North. However, she stated that Pyongyang placed "no particular significance" on such remarks, asserting that the conditions under which the past U.S.–North Korea summits occurred in 2018 and 2019 are no longer relevant.
"We must remind ourselves that 2025 is not 2018 or 2019," Kim Yo-jong said. "The clear recognition of the undeniable fact that our nation holds an irreversible status as a nuclear-armed state, along with its capabilities, and that the geopolitical environment has fundamentally changed, must serve as the premise for any future predictions or considerations."
Kim continued to warn that any attempt to deny North Korea’s status as a nuclear state would be “thoroughly rejected.”
While the statement strongly dismissed denuclearization as a viable goal for negotiation, it also urged the United States to adopt a “new way of thinking” in its approach to North Korea.
“It must be acknowledged that confrontation between two nuclear-armed states benefits no one. With that in mind, the U.S. would do well to seek alternative avenues for contact based on new thinking," she said.
Despite the uncompromising tone, she left the door open to some form of future interaction. She stated that the personal relationship between her brother and U.S. President Donald Trump “is not bad,” but cautioned that such ties should not be mistaken as a pathway to denuclearization.
“If the personal rapport between the two leaders is misinterpreted as aligning with the goal of denuclearization, that would amount to be interpreted as nothing but an insult to us,” she said.
U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un prepare to shake hands at the border village of Panmunjeom in the Demilitarized Zone on June 30, 2019. AP-Yonhap
Experts interpret Kim Yo-jong’s recent statements as part of a broader strategy by North Korea to maintain diplomatic flexibility while preserving leverage. The back-to-back messages appear designed to capitalize on the new South Korean administration’s conciliatory stance and the Trump administration’s openness to dialogue.
However, Hong Min, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told The Korea Times that the likelihood of meaningful negotiations remains slim under the current circumstances.
“While some degree of contact between Pyongyang and Washington is possible, the prospect of substantive talks, particularly on denuclearization, is highly unlikely,” Hong said. “The fundamental assumptions on both sides are simply too far apart.”
According to Hong, the greatest obstacle to talks lies in the preconceptions held by both countries.
“For talks to even commence, the United States would need to shift its stance and potentially drop denuclearization from the initial agenda — a move that currently appears highly unlikely,” he explained.
Even if talks were to shift toward narrower objectives like arms control or threat reduction — implicitly acknowledging North Korea’s nuclear status — Hong noted that significant challenges would remain, including resistance from key U.S. allies such as South Korea and Japan.
Compounding the uncertainty is the limited time remaining in Trump’s second term, which may raise doubts in Pyongyang about the long-term reliability of any future agreement.
“With just over three years left in his term, Pyongyang may question whether any agreement would survive a change in administration,” Hong said. “Despite almost two years of high-level engagement back in 2018 and 2019, nothing substantial was achieved between the two.
"Since then, North Korea has made significant advances in its nuclear arsenal and strengthened its ties with Russia. From Pyongyang’s perspective, there’s little incentive to reenter talks unless a fundamentally different approach is taken.”
Hong added that unless Trump makes a decisive move, such as explicitly dropping denuclearization in favor of threat reduction, serious negotiations are unlikely to get off the ground.
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the truce village of Panmunjeom in the Demilitarized Zone, June 30, 2019. REUTERS-Yonhap
Meanwhile, the South Korean government reiterated its commitment to maintaining communication and coordination in pursuit of peace on the Korean Peninsula and a peaceful resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue.
"South Korea and the United States will continue close communication and coordination on all matters related to North Korea policy, including the possibility of future U.S.–North Korea dialogue," a government official stated. "In addition, the government will steadfastly pursue efforts to restore inter-Korean trust within a peaceful atmosphere and create conditions conducive to resuming U.S.–North Korea talks."
The South Korean presidential office also responded to North Korea’s rare move of issuing official statements on two consecutive days.
During a regular press briefing, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung pointed out that the office is closely watching the statements issued by high-level North Korean officials.
Kang also reflected on the broader context of inter-Korean relations, highlighting the Lee administration’s emphasis on peace on the Korean Peninsula.
"For a long time under the previous administration, the North and South were locked in a confrontational and hostile relationship. We believe that restoring mutual trust must come first. Our position is clear: Achieving a peaceful Korean Peninsula, free from hostility and war, is more beneficial than simply avoiding conflict," Kang noted.
18. Strategic approaches toward NK
We have to deal with north Korea as it really is and not as we wish it to be.
Excerpt:
In that regard, the unification minister and the government should bypass the whiff of expediency in their discourse and present concrete plans for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the Northeast Asian region. We urge the minister to revisit his first tenure as unification chief, taking into account the political realities of 2025.
I think the Minister of Unification needs to refocus on unification, specifically the detailed planning for it.
Analysis: Why the Ministry of Unification must lead Korea's grand strategy
https://www.upi.com/Voices/2025/07/07/korea-analysis-ministry-of-unification-must-lead-korea-grand-strategy-2025/2891751913674/
My fourteen points of recommendations for new approaches by the Trump administration to north Korea are below the article. I would be happy to provide similar recommendations to the Lee Administration.
ED Strategic approaches toward NK
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/editorial/20250729/ed-strategic-approaches-toward-nk
Published Jul 29, 2025 4:10 pm KST
Updated Jul 29, 2025 7:19 pm KST
Government should move strategically and prudently on Korean peace
Emerging amid South Korea's intense tariff negotiations with the United States was a rare official statement from North Korea. In her first public remarks since President Lee Jae Myung took office, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said Pyongyang has no interest in any policy or proposal coming from South Korea, according to the North's official Korea Central News Agency.
Her comments come largely in response to Seoul’s recent array of appeasement gestures toward North Korea.
Kim went on to say that Lee was no different from his predecessors in his commitment to the ROK-U.S. alliance and criticized the upcoming joint drills by South Korea and U.S. forces, slated for August. This has been usual for the repertoire of blistering rebuffs, counteroffers and back-and-forth that allows for apertures of brief engagement between the two Koreas.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, who held the same post some 20 years ago under then President Roh Moo-hyun, followed up, saying that he would propose to the president an adjustment to the August joint drills.
Chung's statement seems inappropriate at a time when senior Korean officials are scrambling to meet the looming Aug. 1 deadline for U.S. tariff negotiations, while facing repeated calls from the Trump administration to be receptive to "strategic flexibility" regarding U.S. forces currently stationed in South Korea. To be fair, the unification minister probably factored in other developments for Korean peace, such as the too-close ties forged between North Korea and Russia and the North's nuclear program.
Separately on Tuesday, Kim Yo-jong issued a separate statement Tuesday toward the U.S., saying that any U.S. attempt to deny the North's status as a nuclear weapons state "will be thoroughly rejected." While the relationship between her brother and Trump "is not bad," the U.S. will be subject to "mockery" if it believes personal chemistry will persuade the country to end its nuclear program, she said.
Sure enough, the South's unification ministry said it would support any efforts to resume North Korea-U.S. talks. Attempting to engage or assist in dialogue with North Korea is an enduring moral obligation for any Korean government. The question of timing and platform is vital, but often evasive.
Deescalation efforts have come in rapid succession recently. In less than two months, the Lee administration has ceased propaganda broadcasts along the border between the two Koreas and curbed sending leaflets to North Korea. Kim, however, said these moves were "not worthy of appreciation," and suggested it was only a reversion back to where things should stand.
Engagement with North Korea must always be considered, even as the geopolitical and security landscape shifts in unpredictable waves. Beginning last year, North Korea recast the inter-Korean relationship as between two separate and opposing states. Ongoing nuclear issues, along with the North's growing ties with Russia and support for its war in Ukraine, complicate the question of how far the South should go to engage with the North. Peace and sustainability are undeniably a high priority on the Korean Peninsula, so invariably it makes sense to work toward engagement, even amid internal and external pressures. However, it must be done correctly, in consideration of other priorities and the pressing political and international challenges of the times.
In that regard, the unification minister and the government should bypass the whiff of expediency in their discourse and present concrete plans for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the Northeast Asian region. We urge the minister to revisit his first tenure as unification chief, taking into account the political realities of 2025.
Drawing from past experiences, some North Korea watchers believe that Seoul should interpret Pyongyang's official statement as a potential indication of interest in engagement. If so, South Korea should be more strategic and sophisticated in its rationale and goals for appeasement toward the North.
Recommendations for Trump Administration Policy Toward north Korea
My Fourteen Points for Korea
1. The administration must understand the nature, objectives, and Strategy of the Kim family regime which consists of political warfare, blackmail diplomacy, and developing the advanced military capability to dominate the Korean peninsula by force under the rule of the Guerilla Dynasty and Gulag State to ensure regime survival.
2. The administration must take a long term approach to US security and prosperity in Northeast Asia which means solving the “Korea question” which is the unnatural division of the peninsula as outline in paragraph 60 of the Armistice. There are only four paths to solving the Korea question: war, regime collapse, peaceful unification, and regime transformation. The U.S. (along with South Korea) should support regime transformation by the Korea people in the North as the optimal path to peaceful unification and the solution to the Korea question.
3. Recognize that President-elect Trump did something during his first term that no president had done: “He gave it a shot.” He met Kim and he offered him a future. But it was Kim Jong Un who failed to appreciate the opportunity he had. Now in his second term President Trump has the opportunity to implement new elements of policy and strategy that have never before been attempted.
4. This is the critical Strategic Assumption: North Korea will never negotiate away its nuclear capabilities as long as the Kim family regime remains in power. However, denuclearization must remain the long term goal, and the US cannot fall victim to the regime’s political warfare strategy by entering into arms control negotiations or recognizing the north as a nuclear state.
5. Recognize that it is the Kim family regime that has the hostile policy and strategy toward the ROK, the US, and the free world.
6. Recognize that north Korea is an integral part of the Axis of upheaval or Dark Quad and actually provides key support to China (as a disruptor of the ROK/US alliance and ROK/Japan/US trilateral cooperation), Russia (military support to Putin’s War), and Iran (with advanced military equipment to Iran and its proxies through its extensive weapons proliferation activities to raise funds for regime survival). If you want to achieve effects versus China, Russia, and Iran you must attack the relationships among the four. Northeast/East Asia is the new “great game” of “strategic competition” and the South Korean political turmoil is a casualty in the game. China is playing the game but does the US recognize that such a game is taking place?
7. Therefore, given the hostile nature of the Kim family regime it is imperative to maintain a high level of combined military readiness in Northeast Asia to deter and recognize the single most important contribution to deterring the Kim family regime is the presence of US troops.
8. Recognize that while the defense of Taiwan is important to the free world, that a free Taiwan is of little value if it comes at the expense of South Korea being dominated by north Korea and China. The US must take a holistic approach to national security in the Indo-Pacific.
9. The neglected threat from north Korea is internal instability. The conditions that lead to internal instability and potential regime collapse are also the conditions that could lead Kim to make the decision to go to war as a desperate attempt to survive. It is critical to recognize that Kim Jong Un is under threat from within. He fears the Korean people in the north more than the combined ROK and US militaries. Information is an existential threat to his rule, and this must be used to US and ROK/US alliance advantage.
10. The long term “Two Plus Three strategy” of the U.S. must rest on these two traditional efforts: (1) the foundation of military deterrence To Prevent War as the vital US national interest and (2) “strategic strangulation” – the well-executed use of sanctions and all instruments of national power to prevent weapons proliferation, cyber-attacks, and global illicit activities to support the regime. The new strategy must consist of three pillars to support the Korean people in the north to create the conditions for change inside north Korea: (1) a human rights upfront approach (emphasize the fundamental human right of self-determination of government per the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights); (2) an information and influence campaign to inform and educate the Korean people in the north about their human rights and provide them practical knowledge for how to take collective action and create the conditions for change; (3) support to the Korean people on both sides of the DMZ as they seek to solve the Korean question and establish a free and unified Korea, a new nation, a United Republic of Korea (ROK). A Korea that is secure and stable, non-nuclear, economically vibrant, and unified under a liberal constitutional form of government based on individual liberty, rule of law, and human rights as determined by the Korean people. A free and unified Korea or in short, a United Republic of Korea (U-ROK).
11. If I could only give 12 words to the Trump administration it would be these: Unification first, then denuclearization; the path to unification is through human rights.
Recommendations for Trump Administration Policy toward South Korea
12. Recognize that the political turmoil in South Korea is at its root strategic competition between the PRC/north Korea and the US over the soul of South Korean democracy and the future of the Korean peninsula. The radical elements of the Minjoo/DPK party are under the influence (if not control) of the United Front Departments of the PRC and north Korea; the actions of the Minjoo/DPK have exposed that influence. It is imperative that the US supports South Korean democracy against the radical elements from the PRC and nK.
13. Recognize that South Korea is a global pivotal state that chooses to be a peaceful nuclear power, and is a critical partner in the Arsenal of Democracy and supports the rules based international order. In short it is a key partner in strategic competition versus the PRC. South Korea is not only critical to peace and prosperity on the Korean peninsula and in Japan, but its strategic location also supports trilateral cooperation to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific to include the defense of Taiwan.
14. Although President Yoon has been impeached, South Korea’s 8.15 Unification Doctrine has not been impeached. It provides the most comprehensive vision for a solution to the “Korea question” in seven decades. The US should provide full support to Korea and the Korean people in realizing this vision.
Bottom Line
The only way we are going to see an end to the nuclear program and military threats as well as the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity being committed against the Korean people living in the north by the mafia-like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime is through achievement of unification and the establishment of a free and unified Korea – A United Republic of Korea (UROK).
19. Special agreement between Korea, US required for shipbuilding cooperation
Special agreement between Korea, US required for shipbuilding cooperation
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/20250729/special-agreement-between-korea-us-required-for-shipbuilding-cooperation
By Lee Un-ju
Published Jul 29, 2025 10:31 am KST
Updated Jul 29, 2025 5:47 pm KST
Lawmaker calls for expansion of Seoul-Washington partnership into strategic industrial alliance
Rep. Lee Un-ju / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Six months after the unconstitutional and illegal state of emergency was declared in the middle of the night on Dec. 3 last year, President Lee Jae Myung's new administration took office on June 4. Now, 50 days have passed, and the state of affairs is finally beginning to return to normal.
People are hopeful not only for the restoration of democracy in Korea, but also for the revival of the domestic economy, which has stagnated since the onset of the pandemic. They hope that the industrial sector, which has declined gradually, will overcome the crisis and make a comeback. Such expectations are reflected in the stock market's performance, which is being driven by the new government's strategy to modernize the capital market and its commitment to economic stimulus.
However, the new government is facing challenging domestic and international economic realities.
As well as the stagnant domestic economy and the crisis of industrial decline, Korea faces significant challenges on the international stage. These include the restructuring of global supply chains, the rise of resource nationalism and protectionism and the transition to artificial intelligence (AI) and renewable energy. Concerns are particularly growing over the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations.
However, given the highly complementary nature of the industrial structures of Korea and the U.S., the survival and maintenance of Korea's industrial ecosystem is inextricably linked to U.S. interests. In particular, as a leading nation in advanced manufacturing, Korea is pivotal to the “revival of manufacturing” referred to by U.S. President Donald Trump. Therefore, the two countries should leverage their complementary industrial structures to pursue strategic benefits that go beyond the predictable gains from tariff negotiations, such as tariff revenue and investment profits. This would entail upgrading the Korea-U.S. alliance, formed after the 1950-53 Korean War, to a strategic industrial alliance and establishing a strategic cooperative relationship to ensure the future survival of both countries.
Not only is Korean manufacturing more technologically advanced than China's, it is also much more reliable and strategic. Furthermore, it is more competitive than Germany's in terms of both price and quality. In addition, while Japan has competitive advantages in certain areas, such as precision parts, materials and equipment, Korea has competitive advantages across the entire manufacturing sector.
The U.S. has a strong presence in capital and big tech, while Korea has strengths in hardware and manufacturing foundries. In the case of AI, the U.S. has strengths in core technologies, while Korea can contribute its technological capabilities and know-how in areas such as autonomous manufacturing and health care, which apply these technologies. AI cooperation between Korea and the U.S. could contribute to the “revival of American manufacturing” mentioned by Trump. This could lead to job creation and innovation in global manufacturing.
In the energy sector, the U.S. possesses vast resources such as liquefied natural gas and shale gas, while Korea can provide power generation technology and manufacturing facilities for gas turbines. Furthermore, although the U.S. holds core technologies in the fields of nuclear power and small modular reactors, Korea can serve as an essential partner by providing core technologies and competitive manufacturing facilities. Korea is China's strongest competitor and an indispensable strategic industrial partner for the U.S. in sectors such as shipbuilding, defense, advanced machinery and batteries.
Korea is also actively contributing to the revival of manufacturing and job creation in the U.S. However, no matter how much localization investment is made in the U.S, it is impossible for all of Korea's skilled workers and small and medium-sized enterprises — that is, Korea's entire domestic manufacturing and industrial ecosystem — to relocate there. Likewise, U.S. workers and SMEs cannot take on the role previously played by Korea's manufacturing ecosystem in the short term. Therefore, if Korea's manufacturing ecosystem were to collapse, a strategic partnership with the U.S. would also become impossible. This means maintaining and preserving Korea's industrial ecosystem is in line with U.S. national interests, particularly with regard to strategic industries.
The same applies to cooperation in the shipbuilding industry. This is not just economic cooperation, but also cooperation based on the Korea-U.S. alliance and military alliance. Korea's shipbuilding industry is the best in the world in terms of technology, and the second-largest after China in terms of scale. This sector requires skilled workers and cannot be automated. The U.S. requires a long-term cooperation model that is immediately available. However, the construction of U.S.-flagged ships or warships by foreign countries is prohibited under the Byrnes-Tollefson Act and Johnson Act. To overcome this, the president would need to make a decision, there would need to be an intergovernmental agreement and the partner country would need to make commitments to ensure national security. Therefore, a special agreement based on the Korea-U.S. alliance is required to facilitate shipbuilding cooperation. This agreement must include provisions for establishing security infrastructure and for prohibiting foreign nationals from being employed or granted access in the maintenance and construction of warships.
With the establishment of new governments, Korea and the U.S. are currently moving forward together toward the future. There is significant potential for economic cooperation between the two countries to generate synergy in terms of industrial structure. It is time to move beyond simple discussions of trade surpluses and deficits, and advance toward a long-term strategic partnership. In order to open up an even brighter future, the Korea-U.S. alliance must now evolve beyond a military alliance to become a strategic industrial alliance.
Lee Un-ju is a three-term DPK lawmaker. She currently serves as a member of the Supreme Council, as chair of the Future Economic Growth Strategy Committee and as head of the AI AX Subcommittee under the party’s AI Superpower Initiative. She worked in the private sector as a corporate legal expert prior to entering politics, and is widely recognized as one of the party’s leading economic strategists.
20. RFI Hosts Roundtable With Young North Korean Escapees
Future leaders in a free and unified Korea.
RFI Hosts Roundtable With Young North Korean Escapees
https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/rfi-hosts-roundtable-with-young-north-korean-defectors/
July 24, 2025
On July 17th, RFI hosted a roundtable with the North Korean Young Leaders Assembly (NKYLA), a group of escapees and emerging leaders who spread awareness about the oppressive North Korean regime. Each year, NKYLA brings together 10 courageous escapees from North Korea to meet with lawmakers, diplomats, think tanks, and human rights activists in the United States. The escapees share their experiences to shine a light on the horrors of the regime, and to influence policy and public opinion toward seeking a free Korea.
RFI President David Trimble and Events Coordinator Ashley Campbell, along with several of our interns, joined to hear from these young professionals about their harrowing escape to freedom and the suffering they experienced under the North Korean regime – including starvation, denial of access to education, class-based mistreatment and discrimination, and state-sponsored killing of family members. Many spoke of the regime’s efforts to “brainwash” the North Korean population, and the fact that religious freedom was entirely absent throughout the country. They also discussed what they are doing now, and how they are leading in their fields and proposing solutions for a more just Korea.
One of the participants in the meeting, Hyunseung Lee, who is the Founder of NKYLA, was a former sergeant in North Korea’s military and deeply embedded in the regime’s overseas trade networks. He escaped in 2014 and now uses his insights into the regime’s inner workings as a policy strategist and consultant. A leading voice in North Korean policy and human rights advocacy, he founded NKYLA to empower young escapees not only to share their testimony, but to equip them with the tools, knowledge, and global networks needed to pursue change.
NKYLA gathers young professionals and graduate students across a variety of fields – including political science, international development, business, and law. RFI was proud to host this courageous group of escapees and will continue to highlight the scourge of oppression and religious repression in North Korea.
Learn more about the NKYLA here.
21. North Korean Defector Day Speech
Olivia Enos' speech is worth reading. She is one of the leaders of the next generation of Korea watchers and a leading human rights activist
Excerpt:
The North Korean people need the support of civil society and governments in both Seoul and Washington to safeguard and defend their human rights, especially when the regime does not. As members of civil society, we must raise our voices in support of the North Korean people at this critical juncture and press our elected leaders to sustain and improve efforts to defend promote freedom for the North Korean people.
Jul 24, 2025
North Korean Defector Day Speech
Olivia Enos
On my recent trip to South Korea, I had the opportunity to attend Public Sessions hosted by the UN Office in Seoul. The Public Sessions featured moving testimonies from North Korean refugees who primarily escaped after the pandemic. Their testimonies served as a vivid reminder that the Kim regime’s brutality not only continues but has deepened both during and after the pandemic. All of the testimonies were incredibly moving, but one stood out in particular.
An anonymous escapee recounted how COVID-era restrictions didn’t just result in deaths from the virus, but from starvation. He recalled how he was forced to visit a home and recover the bodies of an entire family who starved to death.
A mother.
A father.
A son.
A daughter.
He said he couldn’t bring himself to look at the children. But he was responsible for the body of the father. The father was a previously able-bodied man, but what was left was mere skin and bones. The escapee recalled paper-thin skin around his wrist with horror. When the escapee entered the home, it appeared as if the family was preparing dinner. There was still a small bit of rice left stuck to the pot they were boiling. Proof of their humanity and that only recently they were still alive. Their deaths were senseless, caused by the regime’s COVID restrictions and meager rations distributed too limitedly to meet the needs of this family.
After witnessing this family’s death, the North Korean refugee decided it was time to leave North Korea.
This story is gut-wrenching. This family is the same size and composition as my own. And by mere place of birth, my kids are well-fed, safe, and alive. If this were my family and someone heard my story, I would hope that they would not only speak out, but that they would act.
It is for families like this one and escapees like the one brave enough to share his testimony at the UN Public Session that we are here today. To think critically about the path forward and how best to advance human rights in North Korea.
At this very moment, the Kim regime is operating at the strongest it has been – certainly in my lifetime. The regime’s ongoing support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is incredibly concerning. The decision to lend not only material support, but also manpower to the war effort is significant and worrisome. Increasingly strong ties between Russia and North Korea are compounded by relatively healthy ties with China. With friends like these, who needs enemies.
Despite the fortification of the regime’s power, Washington has devoted very little energy and attention to North Korea, regardless of administration. And even less attention to the human rights violations the regime perpetrates to maintain power. A concrete strategy to counter the regime has not emerged in Trump’s second term.
This is shortsighted and concerning.
Right now, North Korea is fortifying its weapons development and ties to concerning allies precisely at the same time that its engaging in historic crackdowns on the North Korean people. This is likely not a coincidence.
- Future administrations must recognize the interconnectedness of the threat North Korea poses to both rights and security.
- In a 2023 report spearheaded by Bob Joseph that I contributed to entitled “National Strategy for North Korea”, a group of policy experts argued for a shift in U.S. strategy toward North Korea: specifically, one that takes stock of the threat the regime poses to both security and human rights. Most importantly, the report recognized that the two issues are far more interconnected than current policy acknowledges.
- The regime uses human rights to maintain its grip on power. It requires an acquiescent population for the regime to possess cart blanche approval for things like its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, its lavish spending on luxury goods and facilities that consistently enrich the regime and the elite, and the development of its nuclear and missile weapons programs. This is especially true in the present moment where the regime is both heightening human rights violations to 1) maintain power, and 2) generate revenue.
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- The regime is heightening human rights violations to maintain power.
- Food insecurity and starvation exacerbated by the pandemic. Food insecurity has worsened during and after the pandemic. During the pandemic, access to food and basic necessities were severely limited as the regime cut North Korea off from the world far more severely than many foreign sanctions could. According to several refugees’ testimony at the UN Public Sessions, families were rationed 10 kg of rice which could not last even a month. Since the pandemic, the regime has cracked down on market activities that once served as a critical lifeline for money, food, and information for North Koreans. Without that lifeline, North Koreans lost an additional means of subsistence that didn’t require complete reliance on the regime. This marks a notable transition from the jangmadang generation of North Korean refugees pre-dating the pandemic, to a new generation that does not have the jangmadang to rely on. This has implications for defections and the North Korean population that makes it to South Korea. The regime implemented shoot-to-kill orders during the pandemic to prevent people from escaping and the numbers reflect a rapid decline in defections from at least 1,000 defectors fleeing annually pre-pandemic to approximately 200 or less post-pandemic. Even the demographics of those who defect are fundamentally different now: those who defect today are predominately older women who lived in China for many years and their half-North Korean children born in China, as opposed to the young market-oriented men and women of yesteryears.
- Public executions. Public executions are not uncommon and can occur for a range of reasons: watching South Korean dramas, listening to or watching foreign media, possession of a Bible etc. A 2021 report from the Transitional Justice Working Group, a South Korean-based advocacy organization, interviewed nearly 700 North Korean refugees, 442 testified that they witnessed public executions. In short, approximately 65 percent of people interviewed witness public executions. Since that time, the regime has instituted new legislation that has intensified restrictions on North Korean fundamental freedoms and created additional crimes punishable by public execution. For example, post-pandemic the regime has introduced the Anti-Reactionary Thought Law to crackdown on foreign media and outside information consumption and the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Law which exact harsher punishments for using South Korean dialect or words.
- Three generations policy and political prison camps. Prison camp populations have likely increased during and after the pandemic since the regime sent individuals to both the ordinary and political prison camps for COVID violations and also in response to newly defined crimes created through the Anti-Reactionary Thought Law and Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection Act etc. The threat of sending three generations to a political prison camp has a historical legacy of creating an environment of fear. Once in the camps, there have even been reports of prisoners (as well as other vulnerable populations like the elderly and kotjebi orphaned children) having chemical and biological weapons tested on them. Demonstrating that political prison camps aren’t just for repression, but also support the regime’s weapons development. One HRNK report even highlighted the proximity of Camp No. 16 and the Punggyeri nuclear test site in North Korea, demonstrating possible linkages between the two facilities, where the regime may force prison camp populations to work as part of the development of the weapons program.
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- Pyongyang also uses human rights violations to generate revenue for the regime.
- Forced labor. The regime uses a variety of forms of forced labor to keep the population in check and to generate revenue for the regime. North Korea forces people to labor both inside the country, especially in the camps, as well as overseas. Russia and China house the majority of North Korean overseas forced laborers today, but previously, an Asan Foundation report found that more than 40 countries globally employed North Korean forced laborers. As recently as earlier this week, North Korean IT workers were sanctioned by the U.S. government. North Korean IT workers often work abroad and are forced to labor for the regime, too. Reporting from DailyNK suggests that many mainstream U.S. and multinational companies may unwittingly employ North Korean IT workers who then send wages back to the regime. Analysts once estimated profits from forced labor between $120 million and $250 million annually. Although several countries have discontinued their practice of employing North Korean forced laborers, the US Department of State estimated in its 2023 Trafficking in PersonsReport that the regime makes hundreds of millions annually in confiscated wages from North Korean forced laborers abroad.
Given the threat that the regime is posing to both U.S. national security and human rights at this moment, it makes it even more concerning that the Trump administration is undermining the very tools designed to safeguard and defend human rights in North Korea. The administration’s reorganization of the U.S. Department of State severely undermines the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL), the Bureau at State most responsible for safeguarding and defending human rights around the globe. While I was in South Korea a few weeks ago, South Korean NGOs devoted to safeguarding human rights in North Korea were notified that most likely all of their previously appropriated U.S. government grants would be terminated. These grants support funding for information access to North Koreans, critical research on forced labor, psychosocial and counseling support for North Korean refugees, and documentation work critical for future judicial accountability for the Kim regime, among other important activities. If grants are cut as planned, many of these organizations may not survive through the end of the summer, much less the end of the year.
Cuts aren’t just affecting grants, they will also potentially affect key staff that have historically been chief advocates for North Korean human rights. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the administration intends to appoint a Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights, no one has been appointed yet. And Congress has also not reauthorized the North Korean Human Rights Act. U.S. inaction is corresponding with the recent election of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung who is no fan of human rights in North Korea and has already restricted broadcast and information access efforts at the border which not only severely limits access to information in North Korea, but also impacts the civil liberties of South Korean advocacy organizations.
If past policies failed to recognize the interconnectedness of human rights and national security in U.S. foreign policy, current U.S. policy is hamstringing efforts to defend human rights and freedom at levels that will be felt for generations. It is incumbent on those of us who care about North Korean human rights to not only raise our voices and express our concerns, but to come together to pool critical financial resources. Now is the time to demonstrate the resilience of private donors and civil society.
To that end, I wanted to offer a handful of suggestions on good U.S. government policy, as well as ways for civil society to support future good human rights policies:
- At this moment, the most important thing that can be done is to oppose DRL funding cuts for North Korean human rights organizations, and critically, to pool resources in support of civil society groups facing U.S. government funding cuts. In order for civil society groups to survive through the end of the year, they will need private financial support. I am not asking this for me. Hudson is fine and not in need of money, but groups like DailyNK, Transitional Justice Working Group, NKDB, Citizen’s Alliance for North Korean Human Rights, and others need financial help to continue their critical work. The policy community will be worse off without their efforts and information. And most importantly, the North Korean people will suffer without continued leadership and support in both Seoul, Washington, and elsewhere. The administration and Congress should also hear concerns from constituents about proposed cuts.
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- Improve funding and support for information access in North Korea. What keeps me up at night is the possibility that various lines of information into North Korea will go dark. Radio Free Asia already suspended broadcasts into North Korea in April and laid off its staff in Seoul a few weeks ago. With Lee Jae-Myung cutting South Korean support for broadcast and information access and the U.S. doing the same, the North Korean people risk losing access to a critical lifeline: information. There is not a single North Korean refugee you meet who will not tell you that access to outside information was the impetus behind their decision to flee the country. Information provides agency and the ability to decide whether to flee the regime or facilitate change from within. We cannot lose this critical lifeline. Grants through the North Korean Human Rights Act and the Otto Warmbier Countering North Korean Sanctions and Surveillance Act were intended to fund grants for information access and under the current administration, those risk not being implemented despite already being congressionally-appropriated for VOA and RFA. These efforts legally must continue in some form and we as ordinary people should raise our voices in support of these efforts.
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- Mobilize around the release of the UN’s update to the Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Human Rights in the DPRK, slated to be published in September. The update to the COI will reflect on the regime’s changing repression since the release of the original COI in 2014. The original COI determined that North Koreans face ongoing crimes against humanity. In a recent Hudson Institute report on the update to the COI, I argue that the update should include new statistics on the size of the political prison camp population, updates from the pandemic and its impact on North Korean human rights, and even consider whether North Koreans face additional crimes, including genocide.
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- Use the momentum from the COI update to press the administration to issue an atrocity determination for North Korea. I have written for Hudson on the need for an official U.S. government-issued atrocity determination for North Korea. My own research found evidence that North Korean Christians, as well as other vulnerable populations, may face ongoing genocide in addition to crimes against humanity, but a determination issued by Secretary Rubio that North Koreans face only ongoing crimes against humanity would be well-founded in fact from the 2014 COI and a win for the North Korean people.
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- Consider whether Congress can reauthorize the North Korean Human Rights Act. The lapsed North Korean Human Rights Act is concerning for several reasons. 1) It conveys a lack of congressional attention to the issue at a critical moment. 2) It creates a lapse in grants and funding to support the North Korean people and civil society, especially for information access efforts that remain essential. 3) It risks the administration claiming that they have no legal obligation to appoint a Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights, as they did in the first term.
The North Korean people need the support of civil society and governments in both Seoul and Washington to safeguard and defend their human rights, especially when the regime does not. As members of civil society, we must raise our voices in support of the North Korean people at this critical juncture and press our elected leaders to sustain and improve efforts to defend promote freedom for the North Korean people.
Many thanks to Yusook Kim and the Alliance for Korea United for the invitation to address you today. It is my joy to be here and to partner with you as we seek a better future for the people of North Korea.
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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