Quotes of the Day:
“[Independence Day] will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.”
- John Adams, The Letters of John and Abigail Adams
“...in any society, leaders who are not willing to make sacrifices aren't leaders, they're opportunists, and opportunists rarely have the common good in mind. They're easy to spot, though: opportunists lie reflexively, blame others for failures, and are unapologetic cowards. Wealthy nations might survive that kind of leadership, but insurgencies and uprisings probably won't: their margins simply aren't big enough. A prerequisite for any such group would seem to be leaders that--like their followers--are prepared to die for the cause.”
- Sebastian Junger, Freedom
“As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.”
– George Washington
1. The Bush Institute Announces Recipients of the 2022 North Korea Freedom Scholarship
2. S. Korea to seek 'new structure' of talks with N. Korea, unification minister says
3. S. Korea launches gov't-private task force on Japan's wartime forced labor
4. Yoon calls for joint efforts with Japan for future-oriented relationship
5. S. Korea closely watching N. Korea's summer military drills
6. Yoon Suk-yeol asks Keidanren to help with Japan relations
7. China-Japan relations critical to South Korea's post-NATO summit strategic planning
8. [INTERVIEW] 'Repatriation puts fear in eyes of all North Koreans,' rights expert says
9. Declining approval ratings- Yoon should do his best to regain public's trust
10. Absurd COVID-19 claim - North Korea should return to negotiating table to ensure peace
11. [Hwang’s China and the World] The end of appeasing North Korea, time to deal with its fundamental interest
12. N. Korea tightens border controls, vigilance on ‘alien things’ near inter-Korean border
13. [News Focus] Will Korea have authority of independent financial sanctions?
14. S.Korea, U.S. Special Forces Conduct Ship Seizure Training
15. Yoon shrugs off latest polls, but should he?
16. N. Korean authorities test entire university following spike in fever cases and deaths
17. Former U.S. military base in South Korea to become green park in heart of Seoul
1. The Bush Institute Announces Recipients of the 2022 North Korea Freedom Scholarship
Excellent initiative from the Bush Center. Escapees from north Korea can live successful, productive, and good lives in the US.
The Bush Institute Announces Recipients of the 2022 North Korea Freedom Scholarship | Bush Center
Today, the George W. Bush Institute announced the 12 recipients of the 2022 North Korea Freedom Scholarship. Established in 2017, the Scholarship is designed to help North Korean escapees and their children pursue higher education and build productive, prosperous lives.
Administered by Communities Foundation of Texas, the scholarships, which together total $60,000, will be used for community college and university students who aspire to lead a variety of careers in fields ranging from science and sociology to education, political science, and more. According to the Refugee Processing Center, only 224 North Korean escapees have been admitted to the United States between 2006 and June 2022. To date, the Bush Institute as awarded a total of $229,500 in 60 scholarships, supporting a total of 30 refugees.
2022 North Korea Freedom Scholarship recipients include:
- Caleb Cho, who is studying economics at George Mason University.
- Danny Lee, who is studying political science at Los Angeles City College.
- Debby Kim, who is studying pre-medicine at Elmhurst College.
- Grace Noh, who is studying education and communications at George Mason University.
- H.Y.K., who is studying sociology at the University of Southern California.
- L.K., who is studying computer science at University of Illinois.
- M.R.J., who is studying pre-psychology at University of California, Los Angeles.
- M.S.J., who is studying political science, economics at University of California, Los Angeles.
- Min Gyeong Choe, who is studying couple and family therapy at Adler University.
- Seo Hyun Lee, who is studying international affairs at Columbia University.
- S.L., who is studying sociology at University of California, Santa Barbara.
- Y.J.K., who is studying sociology at Chatham University.
Some North Korean refugees prefer not to reveal their backgrounds publicly to protect loved ones still living in North Korea.
The scholarship is part of the Bush Institute’s Freedom in North Korea program, which aims to expose the suffering of the North Korean people and put their stories on the radar of policy makers and opinion leaders. The work has included call-to-action papers to define a new path forward in improving the human condition in North Korea, as well as original research and opinion polling of North Korean refugees who have resettled in America.
“I’m deeply moved by the grit and determination displayed by our Scholarship recipients,” said David J. Kramer, the Bradford M. Freeman Managing Director of Global Policy at the George W. Bush Institute, “They are eager to make a difference in the world, and it’s an honor to support them on their paths to success.”
Twelve students applied for grants this year and all 12 were awarded scholarships ranging between $2,000 to $8,000 per person, based on both merit and need. The North Korea Freedom Scholarship Committee reviewed the applications and recommended awards. The Selection Committee members included:
- Anne Wicks, Ann Kimball Johnson Director of Education and Opportunity at the George W. Bush Institute
- Jieun Baek, Fellow, Korea Project/Applied History Project at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center
- Jensen Ko, Managing Partner of AriseN Partners LP
- Kenyatta Lovett, Managing Director of Higher Education at Educated Texas
- Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin
- Thomas Kim, Chief Financial Officer, Smoothie King
Next year’s scholarship application period will open in January 2023.
For more information about the scholarship and the Bush Institute’s efforts to support escapees and improve the human condition in North Korea, please visit our website. For more information about Communities Foundation of Texas, please visit www.cftexas.org.
###
About the George W. Bush Institute:
The George W. Bush Institute is a solution-oriented nonpartisan policy organization focused on ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies. Housed within the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Bush Institute is rooted in compassionate conservative values and committed to creating positive, meaningful, and lasting change at home and abroad. We utilize our unique platform and convening power to advance solutions to national and global issues of the day by influencing policy, not politics. Learn more at bushcenter.org.
2. S. Korea to seek 'new structure' of talks with N. Korea, unification minister says
I am reminded of a former US special representative for north Korea who said that everything could possibly be tried with north Korea has been tried. Although half tongue in chief there is some truth to that. Both the ROK and the US and the international community have tried many different concepts to try to drive negotiations. But that does not mean the South should not try. I am all for trying anything as long as we do everything based on our realistic assessment of and assumptions about the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime.
I agree with the Minister in that the start point should be to implement previous agreements, especially the north-South Denuclearization Agreement of 1992 and the Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-Aggression and Echanges (ARNE) of 1992.
Excerpt:
"The Yoon Suk-yeol government will open a new path for the development of sustainable South-North relations, sticking to the basics of respecting all inter-Korean agreements of previous governments," he said during a ceremony to commemorate the first official agreement signed by the governments of the two Koreas.
(LEAD) S. Korea to seek 'new structure' of talks with N. Korea, unification minister says | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES lead paras; CHANGES headline)
SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Kwon Young-se said Monday his government will push for a "new structure" of inter-Korean dialogue in a bid for direct discussions on the denuclearization issue that had been handled largely between Pyongyang and Washington.
South Korea's top point man on North Korea also reaffirmed Seoul's commitment to a push for the development of inter-Korean relations on the basis of "all existing agreements" between the two sides, delivering a speech marking the 50th anniversary of the signing of the historic July 4 South-North Joint Statement.
"The Yoon Suk-yeol government will open a new path for the development of sustainable South-North relations, sticking to the basics of respecting all inter-Korean agreements of previous governments," he said during a ceremony to commemorate the first official agreement signed by the governments of the two Koreas.
He stressed that the North Korea nuclear issue should not be left out of inter-Korean talks.
"We cannot just sit on our hands and leave nuclear negotiations to the international community," Kwon said. "I believe the denuclearization of North Korea and the issue of building political and military trust should be placed on the negotiating table in case an inter-Korean summit is held."
To that effect, South Korea will "establish a new structure of talks that can effectively discuss denuclearization, political and military trust building, and economic cooperation," he said, adding Seoul is ready to talk with Pyongyang about all pending issues anywhere.
"If there is anything the North Korean authorities want, they can have dialogue and talk (about it)," he said.
Meanwhile, North Korean propaganda outlets accused South Korea of not fully abiding by the July 4 agreement.
"Until this day, a vicious cycle of confrontation and tension has repeated itself on the Korean Peninsula," DPRK Today, a propaganda outlet, said.
"The reason lies in the South Korean authorities who have neglected the three principles for national unification of autonomy, peace, and solidarity of the Korean nation, and failed to faithfully implement the inter-Korean agreement," it claimed.
The Choson Sinbo, a pro-North Korea newspaper in Japan, lashed out at the conservative Yoon administration for "being subservient" to the U.S. and denounced Washington for its "hostile policies" toward Pyongyang.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
3. S. Korea launches gov't-private task force on Japan's wartime forced labor
Be careful here.
Respect the historical issues but do not let historical issues damage national security and national prosperity.
Excerpts:
It marks the beginning of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's full-fledged efforts to resolve the thorny matter and mend ties between the neighboring countries amid a stated push for strengthening trilateral security cooperation involving the United States.
...
Finding a resolution to related disputes has gained urgency, with the Supreme Court's final call expected in the coming weeks or months. Japanese officials have urged the South Korean government to come up with measures to avoid the liquidation of the companies' assets.
Possible solutions suggested by observers include the creation of a fund with contributions from Korean and Japanese firms or the South Korean government compensating the victims on behalf of the Japanese companies.
(2nd LD) S. Korea launches gov't-private task force on Japan's wartime forced labor | Yonhap News Agency
(ATTN: UPDATES with details of the meeting in paras 3-4, 10-12)
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea launched a government-private consultative body Monday tasked with exploring ways to resolve the long-standing diplomatic row with Japan about compensation for the Korean victims of wartime forced labor, a sticking point in their relations.
First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong presided over the inaugural session of the body composed of government officials, experts and journalists, as well as legal representatives of the victims and their families, according to his ministry.
The ministry said in a statement the consultation was held to collect a broad range of opinions from various groups to draw "reasonable solutions." The next meeting will be held later this month, the ministry added.
During the meeting, the 12 members exchanged opinions on how to resolve the issue in ways that satisfy both the victims and earn broad public support, according to a ministry official who attended the meeting.
It marks the beginning of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's full-fledged efforts to resolve the thorny matter and mend ties between the neighboring countries amid a stated push for strengthening trilateral security cooperation involving the United States.
Yoon took office in May following years of intensified Seoul-Tokyo stand-offs under the previous Moon Jae-in government over their shared history. The liberal Moon government openly sought a "victims-centered" approach.
In separate rulings in 2018, South Korea's top court ordered Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Inc. and Nippon Steel Corp. to compensate Korean forced labor victims during Japan's brutal colonial rule of Korea from 1910-45, but the companies refused to pay them. They cited Japan's official position that all reparation issues were settled under a 1965 accord to normalize bilateral diplomatic relations.
The Korean victims then filed suits to seize the Japanese firms' assets here, and local courts have accepted their requests. But the liquidation process has not begun yet, as the companies have lodged appeals.
Finding a resolution to related disputes has gained urgency, with the Supreme Court's final call expected in the coming weeks or months. Japanese officials have urged the South Korean government to come up with measures to avoid the liquidation of the companies' assets.
Possible solutions suggested by observers include the creation of a fund with contributions from Korean and Japanese firms or the South Korean government compensating the victims on behalf of the Japanese companies.
It remains unclear whether the victims would accept such solutions as they have long demanded apology and compensation from the Japanese companies.
Ahead of the meeting, the victims' legal representatives called for the Seoul government to make active diplomatic efforts to allow the victims and the Japanese companies to directly communicate over the issue.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
4. Yoon calls for joint efforts with Japan for future-oriented relationship
Excerpts:
Masakazu Tokura, chief of the Japanese federation, called the two countries "important neighbors" that share a close and mutually beneficial relationship across the political, economic and culture spheres.
He also promised the Japanese business community's continued efforts to maintain and develop friendly relations between their economic sectors, the presidential office said.
Yoon calls for joint efforts with Japan for future-oriented relationship | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk-yeol met with a group of Japanese business leaders on Monday and called for joint efforts for a future-oriented bilateral relationship, his office said.
Yoon met with members of the Japan Business Federation, a major business lobby, at his office and discussed ways to increase business and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The two sides also talked about the results of an annual meeting between the Japan Business Federation and the Federation of Korean Industries, which took place in Seoul earlier in the day.
"President Yoon said the two countries should pool their strength and wisdom to build a future-oriented cooperative relationship, and in particular asked that the two countries' businesspeople continue to communicate so as to expand the boundaries of cooperation in the coming era of economic security," the presidential office said.
"He also said the two governments will have to work together to resolve pending issues between the two countries," it said.
Masakazu Tokura, chief of the Japanese federation, called the two countries "important neighbors" that share a close and mutually beneficial relationship across the political, economic and culture spheres.
He also promised the Japanese business community's continued efforts to maintain and develop friendly relations between their economic sectors, the presidential office said.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
5. S. Korea closely watching N. Korea's summer military drills
An important reminder and I am glad to see e ROK JCS reporting on this. While the north's Propaganda and Agitation Department would have everyone believe it is only the ROK/US alliance that is conducting training, we should not forget that it is the Kim family regime that has the hostile policy toward the alliance. Alliance exercises are defensive in nature in order to deter attack and defend the ROK. The nKPA winter and summer training cycles are training for offensive operations and specifically the attack of the South.
Every time someone in the ROK or the US says that the alliance should give up training exercises as a bargaining chip they need to be reminded of the north's hostile policy and the intent demonstrated by their training.
Of course the ROK JCS is right that in light of the heavy rains the training may be impacted.
S. Korea closely watching N. Korea's summer military drills | Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is keeping close tabs on movements related to North Korea's ongoing summertime military drills, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Monday, amid lingering concerns about possibilities of Pyongyang's provocations.
"Although there were torrential rains recently, the North Korean military has usually held its summer training starting in July," Col. Kim Jun-rak, the JCS spokesperson, told a regular press briefing. "We are paying keen attention to related movements."
The South's military has yet to detect any full-fledged activities related to the drills, like the movement of a large number of troops or heavy equipment, but there have been related maneuvers, an informed source said.
The North's training raised speculation that the recalcitrant regime could stage yet another show of force, like a ballistic missile launch, on the pretext of checking its security readiness.
Despite COVID-19, economic woes and other domestic challenges, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his regime's principle of "power for power and head-on contest" during last month's key ruling party session -- a move that stoked concerns about Pyongyang's future provocations.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
6. Yoon Suk-yeol asks Keidanren to help with Japan relations
President Yoon appears to be sincere in his efforts to improve ROK-Japan relations and he seems to be taking positive steps.
Monday
July 4, 2022
Yoon Suk-yeol asks Keidanren to help with Japan relations
President Yoon Suk-yeol, right, holds a meeting with a visiting delegation from the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, in the Yongsan Presidential Office in central Seoul Monday afternoon. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
President Yoon Suk-yeol asked Japanese business leaders to help the two neighbors use "strength and wisdom" to repair badly deteriorated relations.
Yoon made the plea to a delegation from the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, that visited the Yongsan Presidential Office in central Seoul Monday afternoon.
The presidential office said Yoon discussed ways to expand economic and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Yoon asked businesspeople from both countries to "continue to communicate so that the scope of cooperation can be expanded in the economic security era in the future," according to his presidential office.
He added that the "governments of Korea and Japan should work together to resolve current issues in bilateral relations."
The Keidanren delegation was visiting Seoul to attend the 29th Korea-Japan Business Council, which was held Monday morning after a nearly three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
The visit came after Yoon had several encounters with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a NATO Summit in Madrid last week. The two leaders have yet to hold a bilateral summit but held trilateral talks in Spain with U.S. President Joe Biden.
Yoon said the visit by the Keidanren delegation was "an opportunity to lead to the revitalization of practical exchanges between the two countries."
In response, the Japanese visitors "confirmed their will to continue their efforts to improve Korea-Japan relations and expand and develop economic cooperation."
This was the first time a Korean president met with a Keidanren delegation since former President Park Geun-hye in October 2016. President Moon Jae-in didn't meet separately with the Keidanren during his administration, though he had an encounter with a delegation on the sidelines of a Korea-China-Japan summit in Tokyo in 2018.
Keidanren Chairman Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the board of Sumitomo Chemical, Huh Chang-soo, head of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI), National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han and other presidential and economic officials attended the meeting.
Tokura said, according to the presidential office, "Korea and Japan are important neighbors that have a close and mutually beneficial relationship in all aspects including politics, economy and culture."
He added that the Japanese business community would continue to work hard to maintain and develop friendly relations in business.
Yoon asked the Japanese business leaders to "pay special attention" to Busan's bid to host the 2030 World Expo, noting that this could lead to an opportunity to promote exchanges between the two countries.
Seoul and Tokyo's relations have deteriorated in recent years over historical issues stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over Korea, such as compensation for forced laborers and wartime sexual slavery victims.
On Monday, the Korean government established a new public-private consultative body to try to resolve the issue of compensation for the Korean victims of wartime forced labor. First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong presided over the inaugural meeting, which sought the viewpoints of government officials, experts and legal representatives of the victims and their families.
BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
7. China-Japan relations critical to South Korea's post-NATO summit strategic planning
Trilateral exercise would be one of the best demonstrations of improved trilateral cooperation.
Excerpts:
South Korea's strategic and diplomatic game planning will be a great challenge. It is largely because the Yoon government's approach to building a so-called global pivotal state is one-dimensional. Once again, President Yoon in his summit speech showed a propensity to focusing heavily on issues pertaining to North Korea just as his predecessors did.
To become the kind of state it has declared it will, one must have the eye of a chameleon, the strategic mind of Sun Tzu ― author of the ancient Chinese classic "The Art of War" ― and the diplomatic insights of Henry Kissinger. Like the chameleon, you must be able to read your 360-degree surroundings and sometimes see what is behind your counterpart. Like Sun Tzu, you must know not only the enemy but also yourself. Like Kissinger, you must be able to read ahead of your counterpart's moves before making your own moves.
Beijing may be right with its claim that Seoul and Tokyo "seemed to have lost their independence by courting the Americans too much," as a Chinese expert pointed out on June 29 in the Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party media mouthpiece. South Korea, with hopes of rebuilding its alliance with the United States and amending relations with Japan, has been actively engaging in the security and diplomatic realm. On the security front concerning North Korea, for instance, South Korea agreed to hold a missile warning and ballistic missile search and tracking exercise at the Shangri-La Dialogue held on June 12.
For the first time in a collective fashion, they also addressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. As for the Indo-Pacific region, the three nations "expressed strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to alter the status quo and increase tensions," implying the "China threat." The need to initiate a combined military exercise by the three nations was reiterated by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at their trilateral summit meeting on June 29.
South Korea seems to have some reservations about Kishida's suggestion. Before reaching its decision, Seoul must realize where Beijing's criticism is coming from. It is based on the ongoing conflicts with Japan. The feud between the two was started by Japan's tentative decision to station an incumbent military official at its representative office in Taipei this summer.
China-Japan relations critical to South Korea's post-NATO summit strategic planning
By Choo Jae-woo
South Korea's NATO initiation got off on the right foot. Korea took the occasion of its first-ever NATO summit attendance on June 29-30 to prove its commitment to becoming a "global pivotal state." It stood with the members' commitment to the perseverance of universal values and rules-based order with its wholehearted pronouncement of support for Ukraine. It also agreed to form a new partnership with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol also shined at other sideline events during the summit. At the bilateral summit meetings with his NATO counterpart members, namely Poland, the Netherlands, France, the Czech Republic and Great Britain, common grounds for economic security cooperation were established. At the trilateral meeting with the United States and Japan, security cooperation was announced to have been restored.
After a successful initiation, however, South Korea will have to pay its dues sooner or later. It will have to contribute to peace and stability in Europe. That will not only mean the NATO member states but also the regions like Ukraine that they are committed to support. Having already made explicit its pledge to become a global pivotal state, South Korea will have to be resilient with its support to the winning cause of the war in Ukraine. Furthermore, it will have to also live up to its promise to further develop cooperative security relations with the United States and Japan.
South Korea's commitments made at the NATO summit will come neither free nor without challenges. Some of these challenges may be collateral damage that is likely to arise from South Korea's unconditional pursuit of better relations with Japan and thereby misreading China's warnings. South Korea has already received some serious ― and sometimes excessive ― warnings from China. Beijing via its envoy on June 30 seriously warned Seoul to re-establish its relationship with the United States and China from a long-term interest perspective.
Prior to Yoon's departure, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on June 23 expressed opposition. Beijing's distaste for South Korea and Japan's participation at the NATO Summit was in full expression through various channels coming before and after the summit. One came particularly after the release of the NATO 2022 Strategic Concept, in which China for the first time was defined as being of key strategic significance for the next decade and its threat status as a "systemic challenge" to the world.
South Korea's strategic and diplomatic game planning will be a great challenge. It is largely because the Yoon government's approach to building a so-called global pivotal state is one-dimensional. Once again, President Yoon in his summit speech showed a propensity to focusing heavily on issues pertaining to North Korea just as his predecessors did.
To become the kind of state it has declared it will, one must have the eye of a chameleon, the strategic mind of Sun Tzu ― author of the ancient Chinese classic "The Art of War" ― and the diplomatic insights of Henry Kissinger. Like the chameleon, you must be able to read your 360-degree surroundings and sometimes see what is behind your counterpart. Like Sun Tzu, you must know not only the enemy but also yourself. Like Kissinger, you must be able to read ahead of your counterpart's moves before making your own moves.
Beijing may be right with its claim that Seoul and Tokyo "seemed to have lost their independence by courting the Americans too much," as a Chinese expert pointed out on June 29 in the Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party media mouthpiece. South Korea, with hopes of rebuilding its alliance with the United States and amending relations with Japan, has been actively engaging in the security and diplomatic realm. On the security front concerning North Korea, for instance, South Korea agreed to hold a missile warning and ballistic missile search and tracking exercise at the Shangri-La Dialogue held on June 12.
For the first time in a collective fashion, they also addressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. As for the Indo-Pacific region, the three nations "expressed strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to alter the status quo and increase tensions," implying the "China threat." The need to initiate a combined military exercise by the three nations was reiterated by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at their trilateral summit meeting on June 29.
South Korea seems to have some reservations about Kishida's suggestion. Before reaching its decision, Seoul must realize where Beijing's criticism is coming from. It is based on the ongoing conflicts with Japan. The feud between the two was started by Japan's tentative decision to station an incumbent military official at its representative office in Taipei this summer.
Once the scheme was revealed in early June, the Global Times went to an extreme with its editorial headline reading "Japan needs a head blow to wake up." Beijing also exploded when it learned that Japan has been on the move to create a new unified commander post and a unified commander department that was to integrate all its Self-Defense Forces so as to, in the words of the editorial, "cope with China." It went further by saying, "If an outsider wants to step in, we will 'break its leg."?
South Korea must be reminded of China's demand to abide by the so-called "3 Nos" founded in 2017 as a means to solve the THAAD issue. One of the nos denies Seoul's furthering defense ties with Tokyo and Washington. Perhaps Seoul's intention is to indirectly rebuke the "3 Nos" as once promised by President Yoon during his presidential campaign. Seoul Korea must keep in mind that an unconditional focus on one side is susceptible to blind spots and collateral damage is bound to happen.
Choo Jae-woo (jwc@khu.ac.kr) is a professor of international relations at Kyung Hee University and director of the China Center at the Korea Research Institute for National Security. He was a visiting fellow of Brookings Institution.
8. [INTERVIEW] 'Repatriation puts fear in eyes of all North Koreans,' rights expert says
This should not (and must not) happen again.
[INTERVIEW] 'Repatriation puts fear in eyes of all North Koreans,' rights expert says
In this June 4, 2020, file photo, Suzanne Scholte, left, the chairwoman of the North Korea Freedom Coalition and a Seoul Peace Prize winner, and other human rights activists prepare to send balloons carrying pro-democracy messages to North Korea from Paju, a city near the border with the North. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Scholte calls for reinvestigation into decision to send fishermen to 'their deaths'
By Jung Min-ho
South Korea's 2019 decision to repatriate two North Korean fishermen was a violation of its U.N. treaty obligations and investigators should find out who was behind sending them to a North Korean torture chamber, if not worse, according to a human rights expert.
Suzanne Scholte, the chairwoman of the North Korea Freedom Coalition and a Seoul Peace Prize winner, told The Korea Times that checking whether the fishermen are alive could be a first step toward uncovering the truth.
"Based on the testimonies of thousands of eyewitnesses, we know the fishermen (probably) faced execution ― the South Korean authorities knew that too ― because they were seeking resettlement in the South, a crime punishable by death in North Korea," she said. "We know that every North Korean forcefully repatriated to the DPRK (North Korea) will face certain torture, certain imprisonment, immediate death by execution or a slow death if sent to a political prison camp."
On Nov. 2, 2019, South Korea's Navy captured the men in their 20s in waters off the nation's east coast. After just three days of investigation, the government proposed sending them and their boat back to North Korea, which Pyongyang accepted the next day (Nov. 6). It was the first time the South had sent back North Korean defectors against their will.
Scholte accuses the previous Moon Jae-in government of violating the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, which obligates all countries that signed it not to send anyone back to a place where the person has a well-founded fear of persecution.
"It put fear in the eyes of all North Koreans ― both those who have resettled to the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and those who are risking their lives to get to South Korea. It sent a chilling warning to all of us who advocate for the human rights of the North Korean people," she said. "It was shocking to the international human rights community that the Republic of Korea that has had a history of safely resettling over 33,000 (defectors) would take this kind of action."
The decision left a chilling effect on North Koreans who ever thought about escaping and, as a result, helped the Pyongyang regime that was intensifying its crackdown on attempts to flee. According to the Ministry of Unification, the number of North Korean defectors who successfully enter the South dropped to 229 in 2020 from 1,047 in 2019 due to a mix of such factors and COVID-19 lockdowns. The number further slid to only 63 the following year.
In this Nov. 8, 2019, file photo, South Korea's Navy tows a boat used by two North Korean fishermen before handing it over to North Korean authorities. Courtesy of Unification Ministry The National Security Office at the time claimed it was a necessary decision as the fishermen were "brutal criminals on the run," citing the investigation results that they conspired with a third man to kill the boat's "abusive" captain and 15 others at sea before escaping to South Korea's waters. Yet critics cast doubt on the accusations, given that the boat was too small for such a crime and that South Korean authorities disinfected the boat ― the most critical evidence ― before sending it back to North Korea.
Scholte believes the fishermen are innocent because they have never been convicted of the charges through a fair trial ― there were only the claims by the Moon administration.
"It appears that authorities knew what they were doing was wrong and made up a horrific but seemingly impossible story that the fishermen had killed their captain and shipmates. The story makes no sense and, even if they had done something of that nature, they had the right to claim their innocence and to have an investigation," she said. "It seems that there has been a cover-up. All the steps the Moon authorities made point to their guilt and the innocence of the fishermen: trying to repatriate them quickly and secretly without anyone knowing, covering up the crime scene by disinfecting the boat, and making up a horrific story that the fishermen were killers," said Scholte.
Scholte, who attended the June 24 Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the U.S. House of Representatives for rights issues of North Korean defectors, urged the new Yoon Suk-yeol administration to strengthen cooperation with China to save more lives as the country is the passage to freedom for most escapees. She reckons it is wrong to assume that Beijing would never cooperate with the South because it is a key ally of the North.
"China historically, when it has not been happy with North Korea's missile tests and nuclear provocations, has allowed safe passage to North Koreans," Scholte. "And DPRK has recently been on full nuclear and missile test mode."
9. Declining approval ratings- Yoon should do his best to regain public's trust
Again, President Yoon was given no honeymoon.
Declining approval ratings
Yoon should do his best to regain public's trust
The approval ratings of President Yoon Suk-yeol and his ruling People Power Party (PPP) have continued to fall for three consecutive weeks, according to recent Gallup Korea surveys. A poll conducted on 1,000 adults released July 1 showed only 43 percent of the respondents positively assessed Yoon's performance, down 10 percentage points in a month, while 42 percent viewed it negatively. The PPP's approval dropped to 40 percent from 45 percent.
The drop is dismal for Yoon as it came despite his brisk diplomatic activities during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit. Furthermore, the decline came less than two months after Yoon took office on May 10. Another survey by the Korea Society Opinion released June 27 even revealed the disapproval rating ― 47.4 percent ― surpassed the approval rating of 46.8 percent.
On Monday, Yoon snubbed the survey results as "holding no significance." Yet the decline is serious enough as it is lower than the 48.56 percent vote he garnered in the March 9 presidential election. He pledged to push for reforms in five major areas ― labor, pension, education, finance and services ― to enhance the nation's sustainable growth.
For this, he needs a wide range of public support. The Yoon administration deserves acclaim for the reform agendas. Yet, it could face strong resistance from different interest groups to his reform drive amid his approval rating being just slightly over 40 percent. For reform to succeed, it is necessary to muster support from opponents. However, Yoon will likely face, with low approval ratings, repercussions along with divisions in public opinions and escalating conflicts.
Yoon and his administration also face overwhelming challenges such as runaway inflation, soaring energy prices and other downside risks resulting from the drawn-out war in Ukraine and the growing U.S.-China rivalry. Rising consumer prices will effectively reduce individual income coupled with a tumble in the prices of assets such as stocks, real estate and cryptocurrencies. All these could lead to a further drop in Yoon's approval ratings.
Yoon is taking flak for nominating and appointing inappropriate figures as Cabinet members. He cannot avoid criticism for his reckless appointment style, preferring graduates from Seoul National University and former prosecutors, most of whom are males in their 50s. On Monday, he appointed Park Soon-ae as education minister, who was caught drunk driving and found to have violated research ethics, without having a confirmation hearing due to opposition parties' objection.
PPP lawmakers have been criticized for engaging in internal power struggles between its leader Lee Jun-seok and his opponents. Besides, Lee cannot exercise his leadership properly as he was referred to a disciplinary committee for allegedly being provided sexual services through a businessman. Yoon and the PPP should recognize the seriousness of the situation and do all they can to regain the public's trust.
10. Absurd COVID-19 claim - North Korea should return to negotiating table to ensure peace
Sometimes it is really hard to take north Korea seriously (then I think about the nuclear and missile threat and the suffering of the 25 million Koreans living in the north).
Absurd COVID-19 claim
North Korea should return to negotiating table to ensure peace
North Korea has claimed that its coronavirus outbreak began when two residents touched "alien things" in an area near the eastern inter-Korean border region in early April. The North's Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters said Friday that it had started in the Ipho-ri area of Geumgang County, north of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas.
"An 18-year-old soldier and a five-year-old child in the area were identified as the first two positive cases of the coronavirus outbreak," the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The report did not mention South Korea directly, but Pyongyang indicated that the virus originated from anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets and other items South Korean civic groups sent across the border via balloons.
The Ministry of Unification here refuted the North Korean claim, saying spreading the virus through contaminated surfaces or objects is "practically impossible." The ministry claimed that the South Korean civic group that sent the balloons in question did so on April 25 and 26, not in early April.
It's not difficult to figure out why the reclusive regime in the North is trying to hold Seoul accountable for the spread of the virus. To begin with, North Korea is seeking to calm public discontent by shifting the blame for its COVID-19 crisis onto the South. In fact, Kim Jong-un, the North's young leader, has been chairing high-level meetings in what appears to be a desperate attempt to solidify his leadership since North Korea acknowledged its first infections in May. Some experts say Pyongyang may be trying to set the stage for heightened tensions at a time when its seventh nuclear test is being delayed.
North Korea is in trouble because of chronic economic ills and natural calamities. Its international position is also weakening rapidly as a new confrontation takes shape between democracy involving Seoul, Washington and Tokyo and autocracy implicating Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow. The impoverished state should stop its nuclear and missile development programs and return to the negotiating table for everlasting peace.
11. [Hwang’s China and the World] The end of appeasing North Korea, time to deal with its fundamental interest
A fairly long read for a newspaper article. A lot to digest in this one. I find a lot to agree with in their analysis.
Key excerpts (among many):
Hwang: How do you see the two leaders’ agreement on the threat from North Korea?
Cho: The two countries’ positions are almost the same as their previous ones, as they are emphasizing deterrence and dialogue with the aim of North Korea’s complete denuclearization. It is also noteworthy that countermeasures, which were halted under former US President Donald Trump, were resumed. This includes the confirmation of the extended deterrence pledges; operation of a high-level EDSCG; expansion of South Korea-US joint military exercises; and deployment of US strategic assets. However, North Korea has declared that it can preemptively use nuclear weapons against South Korea, even if they are not in a state of nuclear war. In addition, North Korea has not yet equipped itself with nuclear capabilities against the US mainland, but its tactical nuclear weapon that is capable of attacking South Korea is estimated to be in the final stage of development. The Korean Peninsula’s nuclear issue has shifted into a qualitative matter, and South Korea is a party that directly faces North Korea’s nuclear threat. Compared to how the US has signed the Nuclear Sharing Arrangements with NATO, its extended deterrence policy on South Korea is quite insufficient. In the coming future, the reliability of extended deterrence should be systematically improved, and securing a complete right to nuclear enrichment and reprocessing should also be considered, in case of an emergency.
Jun: As North Korea’s nuclear armament is actualized, establishing military deterrence against it must be a priority in the policy toward North Korea. To that end, the leaders of South Korea and the US agreed to reaffirm their pledges to extended deterrence; normalization and expansion of joint military drills; early stage operation of the EDSCG; and deployment of strategic assets in a timely manner. However, a cautious approach is needed to ensure that such deterrents are not built to accelerate the arms race or to escalate military tensions between the two Koreas. Otherwise, the effort to resume negotiations on North Korea‘s nuclear program must double what is expected.
...
Hwang: President Yoon emphasized “freedom” 35 times at his inauguration address. How should we interpret it in terms of inter-Korean relations?
Jun: I anticipate that North Korean human rights issues will be assertively raised both at home and abroad. Specifically, launching the North Korean Human Rights Foundation as mandated by the North Korean Human Rights Act; permitting leaflets in North Korea under freedom of speech; the nomination of an ambassador for North Korean human rights cooperation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and participation in the UN General Assembly’s resolution on North Korea human rights are expected. I assume the military tensions between the two Koreas will temporarily escalate as North Korea will strongly oppose these measures, and threaten political and military retaliation.
Cho: The Yoon administration recognized the problem of a unilateral inter-Korea relationship where North Korea stands superior in a state of abnormal relations. Yoon set the normalization of inter-Korean relations as the main goal of his policies toward North Korea. The emphasis on freedom is related to the identity of the Korean system. There has not yet been a basic agreement between the two Koreas that stipulates the provisional special relationship of the division system, so the Republic of Korea is the only legal government on the Korean Peninsula under the Constitution. President Yoon‘s emphasis on freedom seems to be related to these conditions. In other words, it can be interpreted as an intention to lead inter-Korean relations based on the ideology and values of the Republic of Korea.
[Hwang’s China and the World] The end of appeasing North Korea, time to deal with its fundamental interest
Published : Jul 4, 2022 - 10:53 Updated : Jul 4, 2022 - 10:53
Jun Bong-Geun
Cho Han-bum
In recent weeks, the Korean Peninsula had two situations going on in the South and North. South Korea was holding its first summit on May 21 with US President Joe Biden in Seoul, just 10 days after President Yoon Suk-yeol’s inauguration. The two leaders agreed on escalating the alliance into a “Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance.” South Korea has decided to cooperate with the US in high-tech fields and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). They also agreed to restart the high-level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group, EDSCG, in response to North Korea’s nuclear threat. Yoon, in his first media interview with CNN on Monday, said: “The age of appeasing North Korea is over.” He stressed that “new talks” must be initiated.
Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited Korean People‘s Army Marshal Hyon Chol-hae’s funeral on Tuesday to express his condolences. On the following day, Kim attended Hyon’s funeral ceremony to send off his mentor. The released photos showed Kim Jong-un personally carrying Hyon’s coffin at the very front line with a grieving expression. On Monday, Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party, wrote: “Comrade Kim Jong-un is suffering from the great loss of a solid revolutionary who was his most respected senior in the revolution and an elder in our military.”
The two scenes made a subtle contrast. In the inter-Korean confrontation that has gone on for more than 70 years, South Korea is expanding its capabilities while the North is losing it. And it is also bringing about a strange atmosphere. President Yoon Suk-yeol has said: “The credit for inter-Korean dialogue depends on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.” North Korea is calling for absolute defense of its fundamental interests, along with the possibility of additional nuclear tests and missile launches. Will the two Koreas continue to clash power-to-power even after the inauguration of the new government? How should we understand this multifaceted and ongoing situation between the two Koreas?
In this context, this week’s discussion invites two experts on North Korea who have long served at major domestic think tanks. Jun Bong-Geun is a professor at the Korean National Diplomatic Academy, and was secretary to the South Korean president for international security affairs at the presidential office. We also have senior research fellow Cho Han-bum from the Korea Institute for National Unification, who is also a senior member of the National Unification Advisory Council. These two experts’ research areas cover the North Korean nuclear issue, inter-Korean relations, nuclear policy, strategic studies, and so on.
Hwang: How do you evaluate the South Korea-US Leaders’ joint statement overall?
Jun: The South Korea-US Summit was held amid a drastic deterioration in the diplomatic and security environment, including North Korea’s nuclear armament, intensifying US-China strategic competition, severance of the global supply chain, a climate change crisis and others. The two leaders agreed on commitment to a “global comprehensive strategic alliance” in order to counter such diplomatic and security threats. This summit is particularly meaningful in that the two countries confirmed the reciprocity and strategic complementarity of South Korea-US relations. From South Korea’s stance, the United States has always been an irreplaceable diplomatic, security, economic, and scientific asset. The recent summit assured that Korea is also an indispensable asset to the US, in the same dimension.
Cho: As mentioned, the South Korea-US alliance has evolved into a global comprehensive strategic alliance. It can be said that this agreement is a further developed version of the previous one, between former President Moon Jae-in and President Biden on May 21, 2021. A global alliance basically means that the spatial scope of the alliance has expanded from the Korean Peninsula to the region and the entire globe at large. What stands at the core of the comprehensive strategic alliance is economic security and a value alliance. The essence of economic security is high technology and supply chains. Democracy and human rights are the most basic foundations of a value alliance. Due to the US-China strategic competition and Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine, a confrontation between the US-led democratic camp and an authoritarian camp centered on China and Russia is being formed. We can evaluate that South Korea, which leads the high-tech industry and entered the ranks of advanced countries in 2021, has clarified its cooperative relationship with the South Korea-US alliance and its place in the democratic camp.
Hwang: How do you see the two leaders’ agreement on the threat from North Korea?
Cho: The two countries’ positions are almost the same as their previous ones, as they are emphasizing deterrence and dialogue with the aim of North Korea’s complete denuclearization. It is also noteworthy that countermeasures, which were halted under former US President Donald Trump, were resumed. This includes the confirmation of the extended deterrence pledges; operation of a high-level EDSCG; expansion of South Korea-US joint military exercises; and deployment of US strategic assets. However, North Korea has declared that it can preemptively use nuclear weapons against South Korea, even if they are not in a state of nuclear war. In addition, North Korea has not yet equipped itself with nuclear capabilities against the US mainland, but its tactical nuclear weapon that is capable of attacking South Korea is estimated to be in the final stage of development. The Korean Peninsula’s nuclear issue has shifted into a qualitative matter, and South Korea is a party that directly faces North Korea’s nuclear threat. Compared to how the US has signed the Nuclear Sharing Arrangements with NATO, its extended deterrence policy on South Korea is quite insufficient. In the coming future, the reliability of extended deterrence should be systematically improved, and securing a complete right to nuclear enrichment and reprocessing should also be considered, in case of an emergency.
Jun: As North Korea’s nuclear armament is actualized, establishing military deterrence against it must be a priority in the policy toward North Korea. To that end, the leaders of South Korea and the US agreed to reaffirm their pledges to extended deterrence; normalization and expansion of joint military drills; early stage operation of the EDSCG; and deployment of strategic assets in a timely manner. However, a cautious approach is needed to ensure that such deterrents are not built to accelerate the arms race or to escalate military tensions between the two Koreas. Otherwise, the effort to resume negotiations on North Korea‘s nuclear program must double what is expected.
Hwang: Like how Russian President Vladmir Putin is warning Ukraine, Kim Jong-un is also showing his willingness to use nuclear weapons in any situation where its fundamental interests are violated, although it is not in a state of war. To what extent do you see the possibility of such a situation?
Jun: Most nuclear-armed states deny the preemptive use of nuclear weapons and generally have a passive nuclear doctrine in which they will use nuclear weapons only to deter retaliation against other attacks. On the other hand, North Korea has been threatening the South with the preemptive nuclear strike card since 2013, making it the world‘s most aggressive nuclear doctrine. Recently, North Korea is working on developing tactical nuclear weapons. In other words, this means that North Korea will develop nuclear weapons that can be used in actual combat situations, not just to deter war. In today’s world where the nuclear taboo is prevalent, it is highly unlikely that an actual nuclear weapon will be used. However, as long as North Korea possesses nuclear weapons, it is necessary to prepare a multi-layered military response system consisting of things like preemptive strikes, defense and retaliation deterrence.
Cho: In the case of North Korea, there seems to be growing backlash to the regime due to internal difficulties from sanctions and COVID-19. When we look into the United Nations’ Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), it is based on an implicit promise that nuclear powers will not attack non-nuclear states under any circumstances other than nuclear war. In this sense, North Korea’s warning is a dangerous move that shakes the whole foundation of the NPT framework. If the nuclear threat against non-nuclear countries starts to increase, more countries may attempt to possess nuclear weapons, which will fundamentally corner the status of existing nuclear powers in turn. Therefore, it is unlikely that nuclear states, including North Korea, will preemptively use their nuclear weapons unless they are in a critical situation of survival.
Hwang: The possibility of North Korea conducting nuclear tests and launching additional ICBMs is increasing. Do you think it will be implemented this year?
Cho: North Korea’s missile provocations, which have become more serious since January this year, can be seen as just fulfilling a preset schedule. However, it will not be so easy for the North to carry out nuclear tests immediately, because it is a matter of political significance. In particular, North Korea has officially admitted the outbreak of COVID-19. Under such conditions, if a nuclear test is carried out when all transportation measures are limited, it will bring negative effects on the regime, as well as the North Korean people’s sentiments.
Jun: The specific timing of North Korea’s nuclear test and ICBM launch is difficult to predict. Since North Korea suspended its nuclear test and mid- to long-range missile tests in 2018, there is a military technical demand to test new nuclear warheads, advanced missiles and mid- to long-range missiles before mass production and deployment. It is expected that North Korea will select the best timing to maximize the internal and external political effects of conducting these tests. For the time being, North Korea is unlikely to carry out a nuclear test, as it is confronting serious health and quarantine crises at the moment.
Hwang: The Yoon administration is attempting to lead relations with North Korea and promote policies to induce changes in the North. There are concerns about North Korea’s resistance as it became more hardline. There is also the rise of “power-to-power” politics in inter-Korean relations, to which Yoon government’s policies are oriented.
Jun: If the South Korean government raises human rights issues and promotes a change-inducing policy, North Korea’s armed provocation or “strategic patience” is expected. However, whether North Korea pursues either a hardline approach or dialogue toward South Korea is generally due to its own needs rather than a response to South Korea’s policy toward it. In case a power-to-power confrontation comes, there must be active promotion of inter-Korean dialogue to relieve tensions, as well as building strong military deterrence.
Cho: Unlike the Moon administration, which stressed inter-Korean relations, the Yoon administration chose to lead the relationship with North Korea and to induce change in the North through cooperation with the international community. In particular, the inducement of change in North Korea is likely to conflict with North Korea’s policy, which aims for a closed and solidified system. The South Korea-US Summit also focused on deterrence rather than dialogue. For a while from now on, a strong phase of power-to-power is inevitable in inter-Korean and US-North Korea relations. However, there remains room for dialogue and diplomacy, as the escalation of the crisis on the Korean Peninsula is burdensome for the two Koreas and the US.
Hwang: The quarantine situation in North Korea seems to be very serious. What do you think of the situation in North Korea?
Cho: Kim Jong-un himself described the current situation as a “the greatest turmoil since the founding of the country.” Currently, North Korea is having difficulty with farming unless urban areas provide “agricultural support,” as it is going through a busy farming season. Nevertheless, the travel ban between cities, provinces, and counties means that the situation is very serious. Given that there have been no official COVID-19 vaccinations reported in North Korea and that the medical system is virtually paralyzed, there are concerns of nationwide damage. Moreover, as almost half of the residents are malnourished, their weak immunity is another concern. North Korea is evaluating that it is recovering well from the COVID-19 situation, but the actual situation is presumed to be worse than the official announcement by North Korean authorities.
Jun: First of all, it is difficult to clearly figure out what the situation is in North Korea. The only channel are the North Korean government’s announcements. However, North Korea’s capacities in public health and disease control are critically low. There are no COVID-19 diagnostic samples, inspection facilities, N95 or KF94 quarantine masks, nor COVID-19 vaccines. In this context, it is estimated that there will be far more COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths than the government has announced. Furthermore, the nutritional status of vulnerable residents such as seniors and children is very poor. The number of deaths is expected to increase significantly as COVID-19 spreads more and more.
Hwang: Do you anticipate that the quarantine situation in North Korea will bring a positive effect on inter-Korean relations?
Jun: North Korea’s health and quarantine crisis is an opportunity for North Korea to open up and improve inter-Korean relations. However, if South Korea insists on inter-Korean dialogue and direct support in order to achieve results in its policy toward North Korea in a short period of time, North Korea is highly likely to shut the South out again. Therefore, in consideration of North Korea’s cautious position, I would recommend providing health and quarantine supplies through international organizations or private relief organizations in the early stages.
Cho: Given that Kim Jong-un mentioned the importance of studying “the quarantine policies, achievements, and experiences from advanced countries,” the possibility of accepting external support seems to be open. In fact, South Korea and the United States are the only countries that can provide vaccines and treatments at the level where all North Koreans can achieve collective immunity. Both Biden and Yoon had reaffirmed their willingness to provide vaccine aid to North Korea at their summit.
Hwang: At the inauguration ceremony, President Yoon used the term “complete denuclearization” of North Korea. What do you think the term “complete” means?
Cho: Given that North Korea’s complete denuclearization will require at least about 20 years, a complete denuclearization within a short period of time through a package deal is physically difficult. Therefore, it will be tough to apply the “denuclearization first, promoting relationship later” model. Even if complete denuclearization is not actualized, it would be a realistic alternative to execute all measures in tandem -- including improving relations and discussing a peace treaty -- in case there is some progress in practical denuclearization. Based on a comprehensive agreement on complete denuclearization, we can say that setting an entrance to denuclearization that involves specific actions might be the immediate goal at the current stage.
Jun: During the last five years of the Moon administration, inter-Korean and US-North Korea summits were held several times. There was an agreement on “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” at that time. In the meantime, however, North Korea has continued operating its nuclear facilities internally and strived to strengthen its nuclear capabilities. In this vein, the Yoon administration is demanding “verifiable denuclearization,” not just a verbal one.
Hwang: President Yoon emphasized “freedom” 35 times at his inauguration address. How should we interpret it in terms of inter-Korean relations?
Jun: I anticipate that North Korean human rights issues will be assertively raised both at home and abroad. Specifically, launching the North Korean Human Rights Foundation as mandated by the North Korean Human Rights Act; permitting leaflets in North Korea under freedom of speech; the nomination of an ambassador for North Korean human rights cooperation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and participation in the UN General Assembly’s resolution on North Korea human rights are expected. I assume the military tensions between the two Koreas will temporarily escalate as North Korea will strongly oppose these measures, and threaten political and military retaliation.
Cho: The Yoon administration recognized the problem of a unilateral inter-Korea relationship where North Korea stands superior in a state of abnormal relations. Yoon set the normalization of inter-Korean relations as the main goal of his policies toward North Korea. The emphasis on freedom is related to the identity of the Korean system. There has not yet been a basic agreement between the two Koreas that stipulates the provisional special relationship of the division system, so the Republic of Korea is the only legal government on the Korean Peninsula under the Constitution. President Yoon‘s emphasis on freedom seems to be related to these conditions. In other words, it can be interpreted as an intention to lead inter-Korean relations based on the ideology and values of the Republic of Korea.
Hwang: Every government has had different key points in their policy toward North Korea so far, like peace or unification. What would be the Yoon administration’s focus?
Jun: South Korea’s goals and values in its policy toward North Korea can be summarized into unification, peace, and security. They are all mutually complementary, but also competitive at the same time. The Park Geun-hye administration sought unification, while the Moon administration pursued peace first. The Yoon administration mentioned that it values security. However, regardless of whether the South Korean government is conservative or progressive, there will always be four tasks in regard to South Korea’s North Korea policy. They are inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation; negotiations on North Korea‘s nuclear weapons program; building deterrence; and international sanctions. While the Moon administration stressed the former two, the Yoon administration emphasizes the latter two. This is especially the case because North Korea’s nuclear armament has now become a reality.
Cho: The new government has declared a “complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea” as a task and emphasized a “united and solidified leadership of the international community toward North Korea.” It is also notable that the Yoon government specified inducing a change in North Korea and proposed a “developmental supplement”in its Unification Policy for Global Korean Community on the premise of a national consensus. In particular, given that President Yoon said the word “freedom” 35 times in his inaugural address and emphasized liberal democracy, there is a possibility that he will seek to establish a unification plan based on the values of the South Korean system.
Hwang Jae-ho is a professor of the Division of International Studies at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. He is also the director of the Institute for Global Strategy and Cooperation. This discussion was assisted by researcher Ko Sung-hwah and Shin Eui-chan.
12. N. Korea tightens border controls, vigilance on ‘alien things’ near inter-Korean border
I hope no one takes the regime's absurd claims and tries to stop the escapees from sending information (and medicines) north. But it makes sense from the regime perspective to blame the South for the outbreak even if it has to make outlandish claims to do so.
But we really need to be observing for indicators of internal instability. The regime may very well be under stress and threatened by the conditions.
N. Korea tightens border controls, vigilance on ‘alien things’ near inter-Korean border
N. Korea beefing up antivirus measures in border areas after major announcement
Published : Jul 4, 2022 - 14:54 Updated : Jul 4, 2022 - 17:14
This photo, released by North Korea`s official Korean Central News Agency on June 7, 2022, shows workers sanitizing the capital city of Pyongyang. (Yonhap)
North Korea has tightened vigilance on “alien things” falling near the inter-Korean border and stepped up border controls and restrictions to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to state media reports.
North Korea has taken follow-up measures in response to the recent investigation findings on the origins and inflow of COVID-19, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said Monday in a Korean-language report.
The emergency anti-epidemic units at all levels have focused on further reinforcing antivirus measures to “further thoroughly cement the anti-epidemic wall” and buckled down to raise the public sense of responsibility and awareness of crises in accordance with the outcomes.
“All the officials, workers, and residents have been struggling to exhaustively and voluntarily report and notify minor abnormal symptoms suspicious for malicious infectious disease and alien things as well as to root out tokenism in medical examination while supporting and controlling each other,” the KCNA said.
The State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters announced on June 30 that a COVID-19 outbreak began from people touching “alien things” in Ipho-ri of Kumgang County of Kangwon Province, located near the eastern inter-Korean border.
The announcement did not specify what the “alien things” referred to, but it suggested that they could be anti-North Korean propaganda leaflets and other items that South Korean civic groups have sent across the inter-Korean border via balloons.
The “emergency instructions” by the agency were issued to step up vigilance on alien things and urge the North Korean people not to come in contact with the items and immediately report them to the authorities upon sight.
For instance, the city of Kaesong, which is located in the vicinity of the western inter-Korean border, has “intensified the emergency anti-epidemic campaign,” the KCNA said Sunday in a Korean-language dispatch.
The city has taken actions to “establish a stricter system of making units at all levels and residents voluntarily and thoroughly report and inform of minor abnormal symptoms suspicious for malicious epidemic and alien things.”
In another follow-up measure, the epidemic headquarters has also stepped up border restrictions on the ground, at sea and in the air, the KCNA reported Sunday in a separate Korean-language article.
The agency has been “devising powerful measures including promptly drawing up and instructing actions to further strengthen blockade of ground, sea and airspace to prevent any loopholes that allow the inflow of virus,” the report read, without elaborating on the areas affected.
North Korea began to shut down its border in January 2020. Cross-border freight train services running between China and North Korea had temporarily resumed between January and April this year, but services were suspended once again in late April after COVID-19 ran rampant in the border city of Dandong.
North Korea additionally has been taking “practical measures” to increase the number of health workers in charge of anti-epidemic measures at the main transit points in the border areas and adjacent regions, the KCNA reported Saturday.
More testing facilities have been put up in cities and counties near the border. North Korean authorities also have provided supplies for medical examinations and diagnostic reagents for areas by priority.
After the results of the investigation were announced, North Korea has been taking “timely measures to thoroughly eradicate all elements that pose a threat” to the prevention and control of the disease, the KCNA added.
As part of efforts, education materials were swiftly distributed to every emergency anti-epidemic unit to intensively carry out ideological campaigns to indoctrinate people to maintain a high level of awareness about alien things near the inter-Korean border and fulfill their duty to prevent the virus, it said.
Seoul-based experts last week said North Korea’s announcement appears to seek to manage its health crisis and reinforce the Kim Jong-un regime’s leadership by shifting the blame for the spread of COVID-19 to South Korea and capitalizing on the division of the two Koreas.
But at the same time, the KCNA said Saturday that North Korea has strengthened the system to “flexibly and proactively” adjust lockdown measures by region and quarantine measures by unit depending on the epidemic situation. The report alluded to the possibility of North Korea beefing up antivirus measures specifically in the border areas.
Meanwhile, the KCNA claimed Monday that its daily new “fever” cases --believed to be suspected COVID-19 cases -- have remained in the 3,000s for two consecutive days as of Sunday afternoon. The epidemic headquarters reported around 3,030 more people showed fever symptoms in the 24 hours up to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, putting the tally at 4,755,120.
(dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)
13. [News Focus] Will Korea have authority of independent financial sanctions?
Very interesting. This does need to change. As the 10th largest economy in the world and now a major global player this law needs to change.
[News Focus] Will Korea have authority of independent financial sanctions?
Published : Jul 4, 2022 - 16:06 Updated : Jul 4, 2022 - 16:06
The Ministry of Economy and Finance at Government Complex Sejong (The Korea Herald)
SEJONG -- The Yoon Suk-yeol administration is considering revising the law on foreign exchange transactions for the first time since it was legislated 23 years ago, officials said Monday, drawing market eyes to whether the government would be granted the authority to impose financial sanctions on overseas traders “independently.”
Under the current law, the Korean government is only entitled to apply sanctions in accordance with the international community’s joint moves toward sanctions, via resolutions of the United Nations, against a country or other perpetrators. But the current rule lacks legal ground for the government to impose sanctions in an independent manner, irrespective of global agreement, according to local lawyers.
Officials said the government’s move to revise the law is aimed at protecting the nation’s economy. If revised, the law would offer legal grounds for the government to impose independent sanctions on individuals or entities engaged in fraudulent foreign currency transactions.
The move is also in line with major economies’ policies, prioritizing their own economic security amid the ongoing conflicts between the US and China, the prolonging Russian invasion of Ukraine and glitches in the supply of raw materials due to the pandemic.
Officials at the Finance Ministry, however, said open discussions on the matter would continue at least until the end of the year, indicating that the revision could take some time.
Alongside the possible law revision for independent financial sanctions, the government plans to streamline traders’ obligations of informing the financial authority of their money transfers to foreign countries or overseas investments.
Rampant petitions have been filed with the government over relatively complicated procedures for transfers and investments.
Another point of interest is extending the closing time of the local foreign exchange market to 2 a.m. overnight, from the current 3:30 p.m., which was publicized during the government’s unveiling of economic policy directions.
While the government plans to announce details on the extension of foreign exchange trading hours in the third quarter of the year, it has the ultimate goal of conducting 24 operating hours on a mid-term or long-term basis.
Critics say the extension would expand the volatility of exchange rates for the local currency, citing the won’s depreciation against the US dollar due to external factors, despite robust fundamentals in its economy.
In addition, the government is likely to discuss petitions from stock brokerage firms that have called for the authority to grant right of operating businesses of currency exchanges and money transfers. Currently, only first-tier commercial banks have such rights.
Nonbanking financial services firms say there is an urgent need for the nation to cope with fast-changing environments in the global financial market by pushing for an overhaul of relevant regulations.
By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)
14. S.Korea, U.S. Special Forces Conduct Ship Seizure Training
Training is good and necessary. There are plenty of north Korean proliferation, sanctions evasion,, and global illicit activities taking place at sea around the world.
S.Korea, U.S. Special Forces Conduct Ship Seizure Training
July 04, 2022 13:38
South Korean and U.S. special forces have recently conducted joint search and seizure training as part of the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC).
The drill sends a warning message to countries supporting North Korea like China and Russia, which are suspected of abetting smuggling to and from North Korea.
According to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, a South Korean UDT/SEAL team and U.S. Special Operations Forces conducted the training on June 30 aimed at interdicting, searching and seizing ships by hostile countries, terrorist groups or pirates.
South Korean and U.S. special forces conduct joint training as part of the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise on Sunday. /Yonhap
Special troops from the two countries also practiced searching and seizing North Korean ships on June 2-4.
Meanwhile, Brian Nelson, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, visited the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas during his trip to South Korea on June 27-29.
He tweeted last Friday the Treasury is "committed to using our tools to target financial flows" into North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.
15. Yoon shrugs off latest polls, but should he?
The Korean people are tough to please and the polls show that. While the president cannot be totally beholden only to polls he must take them seriously.
Yoon shrugs off latest polls, but should he?
Personnel affairs, party’s internal strife, economic difficulties eat away at support for the president
Published : Jul 4, 2022 - 15:34 Updated : Jul 4, 2022 - 15:39
President Yoon Suk-yeol attends a meeting of senior secretaries held at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Monday. (Yonhap)
President Yoon Suk-yeol says he “pays no attention to” approval ratings, calling them “meaningless,” but some critics say he should take the poll more seriously and devise measures to dispel public worries.
Disapproval ratings for Yoon’s handling of state affairs continued to outperform his approval ratings on Monday despite last week’s trip to the NATO summit in Madrid, Spain, during which the administration focused on building security and economic ties with Western partners.
According to a survey conducted by Realmeter of 2,514 men and women aged 18 or older nationwide from June 27 to July 1, 50.2 percent of respondents said President Yoon is “not handling state affairs well,“ while 44.4 percent said he is “performing well.” Negative responses increased by 2.5 percentage points from the previous week, and positive responses decreased by 2.2 percentage points.
The decline in approval ratings appears to be linked to personnel appointments and ongoing strife within the president’s People Power Party.
Another survey conducted by polling agency Gallup showed the most common reason for giving the president a negative evaluation is ”personnel appointments.”
A large number of former prosecutors were selected for ministerial posts and position within the administration. “Former activists” who filled many positions during the previous Moon Jae-in administration have gone and “former prosecutors” have fill those spots to run state affairs.
Most recently, nominees chosen by Yoon to run the ministries of education and health were pressured to resign amid controversy over their qualifications. Health minister nominee Kim Seung-hee was investigated by prosecutors for allegedly using her political funds when she was a lawmaker to pay for her husband‘s car insurance and car rental fees. Education minister nominee Park Soon-ae has faced calls to bow out over her drunk driving record. On Monday, Kim resigned while Yoon pushed Park‘s appointment through.
The ruling People Power Party is also in tatters. Throughout the month of June, internal feuds over party leadership continued, following allegations that party leader Lee Jun-seok received sexual services as a bribe. The party is also facing growing calls to solve issues such as inflation and repair damages following torrential rains.
When asked by reporters about the decline in his approval ratings, President Yoon said, “I didn‘t think about the approval rating even when I was running for president,” adding, “It’s meaningless.”
He said, “What I do is for the people, and I will only work hard thinking about the people.”
In response to concerns about his personnel appointments, Yoon said the “specialty” and “morality” of the high-ranking officials in his administration outperforms that of officials in the Moon Jae-in administration.
Meanwhile, critics say Yoon should take public opinion more seriously.
Political commentator Yoo Yong-hwa said Yoon’s lack of concern for his falling approval ratings shows that he is ignoring public opinion.
“That‘s a dangerous idea,” Yoon said. “The ruling party is only fighting at a time when public anxiety is mounting from economic difficulties and security concerns caused by the North, China and Russia.”
“The Yoon administration must desperately accept the falling approval rating and come up with measures to dispel public worries,” he said.
Political analyst Yoo Chang-sun said in a recent column that the current lack of approval shows that even centrists who turned their backs on the Democratic Party of Korea, are developing a wait-and-see attitude toward Yoon’s administration.
“If the atmosphere is already like this a month after the administration’s inauguration, it will be challenging to have momentum to manage state affairs and to overcome the economic crisis in a parliament dominated by the opposition party,” he said.
16. N. Korean authorities test entire university following spike in fever cases and deaths
N. Korean authorities test entire university following spike in fever cases and deaths - Daily NK
Provincial and city public health officials have concluded among themselves that the outbreak could be a variant strain of COVID-19
On June 27, North Korean authorities announced that they were considering measures to ward off the threat of "new virus variants." (Rodong Sinmun - News1)
North Korean authorities recently carried out emergency health checks of all the instructors and students at Kim Jong Thae Haeju University of Education in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, after a spike in fever cases and deaths at the school.
A Daily NK source in South Hwanghae Province said Thursday that a “new kind of fever” began spreading through the dormitory of Kim Jong Thae Haeju University of Education from June 10. Haeju’s city authorities believed the situation to be serious, and reported it to the State Emergency Anti-epidemic Command through the provincial emergency quarantine authorities on June 20.
“In accordance with an emergency order from the State Emergency Anti-epidemic Command, all the educators and students were tested over three days starting June 23,” said the source.
North Korea claims to be stabilizing its COVID-19 situation, presenting falling numbers of fever cases. Yet inside North Korea, crisis situations such as this are emerging. People say that what happened at Kim Jong Thae Haeju University may have happened elsewhere, too.
According to the source, fever cases and deaths began spiking at Kim Jong Thae Haeju University from June 10. This was reported to the State Emergency Anti-epidemic Command, and emergency health checks were carried out on all of the school’s teachers and students.
Provincial and city public health officials have concluded among themselves that the outbreak could be a variant strain of COVID-19, and made a separate report to this effect to the Central Committee. Meanwhile, the authorities have mobilized the entire province to provide free medicines and antibiotics sent from Pyongyang to those quarantined and even those not showing any symptoms.
The source said that even though several dormitory students at the school died, their deaths were not included in the central government’s COVID-19 statistics.
“The State Emergency Anti-epidemic Command ordered the authorities to conclude that they died of a ‘new kind of fever,’ not the coronavirus, and are dismissing the judgment of local health officials who believe a variant of the virus is spreading,” said the source.
What is known so far is that those who died experienced common symptoms, including high fever, chest pain and blood clots. Some also died after bouts of serious diarrhea after failing to respond to antibiotics.
Haeju health officials said that since they have reported their general analysis of the spike in deaths at the university to Pyongyang, the situation can be brought under control by treating patients with the drugs provided for free and by encouraging personal sanitation and good health. The officials also said that because provincial doctors cannot arbitrarily make specific medical diagnoses on their own, they would issue follow-up instructions in accordance with orders from Pyongyang.
However, many instructors and students at the university, along with their family members, suggest that the authorities may have urgently carried out the emergency health checks because a dangerous new variant of COVID-19 hit the school.
The source added that rumors are rife, with locals saying that while the state says COVID-19 is just a cold, people who have caught the bug suffer quite a bit. People are also saying that many of those released from quarantine received no medication at all, so they may not be fully recovered. These rumors also suggest that many people have died from COVID-19.
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
17. Former U.S. military base in South Korea to become green park in heart of Seoul
More reporting on the possible future of Yongsan. I did not realize I would become this nostalgic for Yongsan as I am. I have only lived in three places longer. My hometown of Madison, Connecticut (until 1977), the Alexandria, Virginia area for a decade+ now, and Yongsan - we lived there for more than 7 years but have been going there since 1986. And of course our daughter was born there (121 Hospital) and we were married there.
But what is interesting and difficult for us Americans to understand is how little Koreans actually know about Yongsan and how few have had access to it. Sure there has been a large Korean workforce working there over the years but that is a small fraction of the Korean population. Imagine if Americans never had access to Central Park in New York City or perhaps the Georgetown area of Washington DC.
Former U.S. military base in South Korea to become green park in heart of Seoul
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Yongsan Garrison, long the home of the U.S. military in South Korea, is going to be transformed into a park in the heart of Seoul that the government says will become a signature attraction in the dense megacity. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI
SEOUL, July 1 (UPI) -- For almost 120 years, Yongsan Garrison has been off-limits to South Korean civilians -- but now the walled compound in the heart of Seoul is turning into a public park that officials say will transform the city.
Beginning last month, residents were able to enter the former headquarters of the American military on a pilot tour -- and city leaders say the future Yongsan Park will become Seoul's "new face."
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"Just like Central Park in New York City, Yongsan Park will provide the largest leisure space [in Seoul] for citizens," Oh Jang-hwan, director of the strategic planning division for the Seoul metropolitan government, told UPI -- adding that the project will provide a much-needed expanse of green to the densely packed metropolis of 10 million people.
For two weeks in June, guests were allowed to tour a small section of the base that includes sports fields and a former residential area for officers.
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The officers' single-story ranch-style homes with tiled Spanish roofs and front yards made a striking contrast to the surrounding city, a leafy slice of suburban America in the shadows of Seoul's gleaming high-rises.
It was this glimpse of a different world that drew Oh Ji-eun, a 25 year-old nurse, to join a guided walking tour last week.
"I was curious to visit because it looks like the U.S.," she said. "I haven't ever seen anything like this before in Korea."
Historical photos and exhibits were set up on some of the lawns, while tour guide Im Jong-hwa pointed out quirks of the base, including its twin sets of utility poles -- some carrying 220-volt power lines and others feeding homes the American-standard 110 volts.
Im detailed the history of Yongsan, which was established in 1904 by Japan during its colonial occupation of Korea and has remained off-limits to the public since. The base ultimately became the headquarters of U.S. Forces Korea and the United Nations Command from the Korean War in the 1950s until 2018, when both commands relocated to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 40 miles south of Seoul.
"Not many Korean people know the history of Yongsan, that the Japanese were here," Im said. "Especially the younger ones."
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Other visitors, however, had long wanted a chance to see the compound's history firsthand.
Choi Ha-yeon, 74, said that he'd been near the base many times but had never been allowed to set foot inside -- until now.
"This is a very big part of [Korean] history," Choi said. "I wanted a chance to see it before it changes. I hope the government preserves some of the historical sites."
Detailed plans for Yongsan Park are still in the works, said Jang Seung-Gueon, deputy director of park policy for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which is overseeing the project.
"Developers did the basic investigation with the help of the U.S. Army," Jang told UPI. "But there is still a discussion whether they're going to preserve, remodel or get rid of some of the historical pieces."
South Korean citizens have not been allowed access to the site for almost 120 years, since Japanese colonizers first established a military facility here in 1904. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI
The ministry set up suggestion mailboxes at several locations around the site, looking to get visitors' feedback about the park's development.
Plans for a handover from the U.S. military to South Korea date as far back as 2003, when it was first announced that American forces would move to the new base in Pyeongtaek. That transfer was expected to be completed in 2008, but delays and construction issues pushed final relocation back by a decade.
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A master plan for the park's design by Netherlands-based firm West 8 was chosen in 2012, but only a small portion of the base's land has been turned over so far, and the Korean government and developers have not been able to conduct a full survey.
In early June, the United States handed over a parcel of land in its third transfer of the year. South Korea has so far received about 30% of the garrison's roughly 500 acres.
Jang said it will take seven years from the final handover for the park to be completed. He added that a timetable is in place with the U.S. military to complete the process, but it hasn't been released publicly.
Interest in the future of the base has picked up as recently inaugurated South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol moved his presidential office to the former defense ministry headquarters, which is located right next to the Yongsan site.
During the pilot opening, guests were able to visit a field near the president's office and pose for photos with a ceremonial vehicle and a defense helicopter.
The project, though, is not without controversy. A small group of protesters was stationed near the entrance to the base as visitors entered, warning of the high levels of contaminants, such as benzene, that were discovered in groundwater there after decades of oil leaks.
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Seoul has been cleaning the area around the base since the early 2000s, and Jang said there are presently no safety concerns.
The protesters, however, accuse Seoul of giving the United States a "free pass" on the issue.
"Our opinion is that the U.S. government should be in charge because this is U.S. Army pollution," activist Kim Eun-hee said.
Most visitors on the pilot tour, however, had high hopes for the future of Yongsan Park -- seeing it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform a symbol of military occupation and war into a signature green space for Seoul.
"The negative history makes this place more amazing," said Lee Jong-ju, a 27-year-old programmer visiting the base.
"When they open this up, I hope it will be an iconic park for Seoul."
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Senior Advisor, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
