Informal Institute for National Security Thinkers and Practitioners

Quotes of the Day:

"I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the man who desires mere easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph."

- Theodore Roosevelt

"Patience is also a form of action."

- Auguste Rodin

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase."

- Martin Luther King Jr.

1. ‘How Could I Feel Safe?’ Japan’s Dumping of Radioactive Fukushima Water Stirs Fear, Anger

2. First South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group meeting to be held later this month

3. Blinken To Address Kim Jong Un’s Nuclear Threats At ASEAN Meet

4. Ukraine war: Pressure builds on South Korea to send arms to Kyiv

5. North Korea’s hackers are after intel, not just crypto

6. Atomic Wallet Hit With Lawsuit, North Korea's Lazarus Group Blamed For $100M Hack

7. Potential Taiwan conflict will hit these 3 countries the hardest, EIU report says (Japan, South Korea and the Philippines)

8. VOA: [Washington Talk] "We need to warn North Korea of a 'preemptive strike'... Possible 'covert infiltration' targeting the regime”

9. (Yonhap Interview) IAEA chief says no internal disagreement on Fukushima report

10. Kim Jong Un visits Kumsusan palace to mark Kim Il Sung’s death anniversary

11. Blinken will raise N. Korea issues at upcoming ARF meetings: official

12. Yoon, Kishida coordinate summit at NATO Conference

13. First meeting of NCG to be held in Seoul this month, involving senior officials: presidential office

14. [INTERVIEW] UNC deputy commander stresses transparency in defusing inter-Korean tensions

15. The new Asian family

16. N.Korea, Iran, others come under CBN’s watch list over alleged money laundering

17. Outwitting the North Korean regime

1. ‘How Could I Feel Safe?’ Japan’s Dumping of Radioactive Fukushima Water Stirs Fear, Anger

This is now making international news with the imminent release, but as this article illustrates the Koreans have long been concerned with this. Are the concerns based in fact (something the IAEA would seem to counter as they deem the release safe) or based in traditional ROK-Japan friction?

‘How Could I Feel Safe?’ Japan’s Dumping of Radioactive Fukushima Water Stirs Fear, Anger

Officials deem the release of nuclear wastewater secure, though South Korea, parts of Japan and other Asian-Pacific countries harbor doubts

https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-could-i-feel-safe-japans-dumping-of-radioactive-fukushima-water-stirs-fear-anger-2c2059b4?mod=Searchresults_pos4&page=1

By Dasl Yoonvand Miho Inada

| Photographs by Jean Chung for The Wall Street Journal

July 7, 2023 9:53 am ET

JEJU, South Korea—For years, Kim Young-goo ran a thriving seafood restaurant so close to the docks that the day’s catch could be hand-delivered. The freshness of the sea urchins, flounder and conches made it a must-stop place on this South Korean island. Famous singers, actors and lawmakers often popped in for a meal.

Now it’s a grilled-pork restaurant.

The abrupt change last year wasn’t due to poor reviews or bad luck. The sole motivator, Kim said, was neighboring Japan’s plans to dump slightly radioactive water into the sea—a move that got official approval on Tuesday by the international nuclear-safety authorities. The discharge from the Fukushima nuclear plant is set to begin this summer.

“I felt that I had no choice,” said Kim, whose business card still touts his eatery’s sashimi and steamed fish. “Ordinary people won’t want to eat seafood.”

Nuclear energy, and the inevitable need to dispose of radioactive waste, has long stoked doomsday fears and stirred health concerns about potential exposure. But the Fukushima waste disposal has attracted an unusually ferocious backlash in South Korea, parts of Japan and elsewhere across the region. The anxieties represent the latest clash on nuclear issues that pits public skepticism about safety versus the assurances of regulators.

Kim’s transition from fish to pork barbecue has come at a painful cost for his finances, with sales dropping to “absurd levels.” But he doesn’t regret the decision. Nearly three-fourths of South Koreans say they will eat less seafood after Japan starts releasing wastewater, according to a recent survey by the Korea Federation for Environmental Movements.

Kim Young-goo transitioned his restaurant from fish to pork barbecue at a painful economic cost.

‘The entire nation is opposed to the release of the Fukushima wastewater,’ reads a banner on Jeju Island.

The price of sea salt in the country skyrocketed and government reserves were released, as panic buying ahead of the nuclear-water dump emptied out the shelves. The public unease is so high that President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration, which has normalized relations with Japan after years of strained ties, has held daily news conferences aimed at calming the country’s nerves.

Lee Yeon-ji, a 42-year-old homemaker, rushed to a local supermarket recently to buy the sea salt released by the government. “I’m not sure if the discharged water will affect the salt, but I heard people were stockpiling ahead of the discharge just in case, so I came too,” she said.

Adding to the consternation is Fukushima’s distinction as being the site of the worst nuclear accident of the 21st century. In 2011, three reactors melted down after the Fukushima plant’s cooling systems malfunctioned due to an earthquake and tsunami. Since power was restored a few days later, Japan has been pumping water in to cool the reactors, but the 1,000 on-site tanks that store the wastewater are running out of space.

Japan’s plan to release the water into the sea after diluting the radioactive elements to what it says are safe levels has been affirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, a United Nations body. The agency’s chief, Rafael Grossi, personally delivered the final IAEA report to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida this week. The report said radionuclides would be released at a lower level than those produced by natural processes and would have a negligible impact on the environment.

The assurances from Grossi have done little to quell the concerns of skeptics, who counter that a discharge into the surrounding waters from a nuclear-power plant involved in a major disaster is highly unusual.

The harbor on Jeju Island.

‘I have to think about getting a new job,” said Lee Jae-jin, an anchovy fisherman, standing next to his boat on Jeju Island.

“The field of nuclear power is contaminated with fear,” said Michael Edwards, a clinical psychiatrist in Sydney who interviewed Fukushima residents following the nuclear accident. “Psychologically, people do not really understand and trust science, and know science can be an instrument of government.”

In an acknowledgment of the public-relations hurdles, Grossi is set to arrive in South Korea on Friday, then travel across the region, to address fears about the Fukushima disposal. It is “entirely logical” that people have concerns about the nuclear discharge, since they lack expertise in such matters, Grossi said as his four-day trip to Japan concluded on Friday.

Beijing’s Foreign Ministry has slammed the Fukushima wastewater plan, accusing Japan of treating the surrounding ocean as the country’s own “private sewer.” On Friday, China expanded restrictions on food imports from Japan, which include a ban on food products from Fukushima and nine other prefectures.

The Fukushima issue carries great political risk for Yoon, who assumed South Korea’s presidency last year. He is under pressure by Tokyo to resume seafood imports from the Fukushima region. But the public, some members of his own party and opposition lawmakers have expressed doubts. Eight out of 10 South Koreans oppose the Fukushima water dump, according to a recent poll.

Yoon’s government on Friday signed off on Japan’s plan for the Fukushima wastewater, based on an on-site inspection and scientific analysis. It would take roughly five years based on ocean currents, though possibly up to a decade, for the discharged water to reach South Korea, a senior Yoon administration official said.

According to an ocean-current map, the water from Fukushima, which is located on Japan’s east coast, flows first to North America. The currents then return to Japan in a clockwise direction, diverging toward the Eurasia continental area.

Kim Kye-sook, the head of a group of haenyeos, has protested Japan’s Fukushima plan.

Nonetheless, South Korea’s fishing community says it is already feeling the impact. Around dinnertime on a recent evening in Jeju, dozens of anchovy-fishing boats sat parked at the port rather than embarking out on their overnight shifts. Only a handful of patrons had trickled into the row of seafood restaurants located nearby.

Standing in front of his white boat on a rainy day, Lee Jae-jin, an anchovy fisherman for four decades, sighed as he had only gone out to sea once this month.

“I have to think about getting a new job,” Lee said.

One of the near-empty restaurant owners, Lee Jeong-hee, said sales of seafood had slumped to just one-tenth of what they used to be. “We watch the news. Politicians fight and dispute scientists,” the 62-year-old said. “Meanwhile, we sit here fearing that we will starve.”

Fishermen in the Fukushima region expressed similar concerns. On a recent morning, at a small fishing port about 30 miles south of the Fukushima plant, Narumi Suzuki was putting away a large fishing net full of lobsters. Even if politicians say the water is safe, consumers will be spooked, the 43-year-old fisherman said.

About three in 10 Japanese oppose the Fukushima discharge, according to a recent poll, including many of those who live near Setsuko Toyoda, a 72-year-old woman whose husband is a fisherman near the nuclear plant. “It’s hard to convince the layman with data,” Toyoda said. “We worry about what will happen to our children and grandchildren.”

First South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group meeting to be held later this month

Reuters · by Reuters

SEOUL, July 8 (Reuters) - The first meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) between South Korea and the United States will take place on July 18 in Seoul, South Korea's presidential office said on Saturday.

The meeting will discuss "information sharing, consultation mechanism and joint planning and execution designed to bolster nuclear deterrence against North Korea."

The NCG was first announced during the bilateral summit in Washington in April amid growing calls in South Korea for its own nuclear bombs, a step Washington opposes.

The announcement was met with concern from Beijing's Korean affairs envoy.

"China is concerned over ROK-US Nuclear Consultative Group's meeting to reinforce the enforcement of US’s extended deterrence," said Liu Xiaoming, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Korean Peninsula Affairs, in a tweet.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has said the group had upgraded the alliance with the U.S.

The inaugural meeting will be co-chaired by South Korea's Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo and U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell, according to the report.

Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Editing by Sandra Maler and Kim Coghill

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Reuters · by Reuters

3. Blinken To Address Kim Jong Un’s Nuclear Threats At ASEAN Meet

I recommend he lay out a human rights up front approach with a strong information campaign and a focus on a free and unified Korea.

Although denuclearization of the north remains a worthy goal, it must be viewed as aspirational as long as the Kim family regime remains in power. The conventional wisdom has always been that denuclearization must come first and then unification will follow and that there should be no discussion of human rights out of fear that it would prevent Kim Jong Un from making a denuclearization agreement. Today even a blind man can read the tea leaves and know that Kim Jong Un will not denuclearize despite the fact that his policies have been an abject failure. His political warfare and blackmail diplomacy strategies completely failed in 2022 because Presidents Yoon and Biden, like their predecessors, refused to make the political and economic concessions he demanded just to come to the negotiating table: namely to remove sanctions. It is time for the U.S. and the ROK/U.S. alliance to execute a political warfare strategy that flips the conventional wisdom and seeks unification first and then denuclearization. We must come to the understanding that the only way to end the nuclear program and the human rights abuses is through unification of the Korean peninsula. The ROK and U.S. must continue to maintain the highest state of military readiness to deter war and then adopt a human rights upfront approach, a comprehensive and sophisticated information and influence activities campaign, and focus all efforts on the pursuit of a free and unified Korea- ultimately a United Republic of Korea (UROK).

Bottom Line:

The only way we are going to see an end to the nuclear program and military threats as well as the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity being committed against the Korean people living in the north by the mafia-like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime is through achievement of unification and the establishment of a free and unified Korea that is secure and stable, non-nuclear, economically vibrant, and unified under a liberal constitutional form of government based on individual liberty, rule of law, and human rights as determined by the Korean people. A free and unified Korea or in short, a United Republic of Korea (UROK).

Blinken To Address Kim Jong Un’s Nuclear Threats At ASEAN Meet

benzinga.com · by Ananya Gairola

Antony Blinken has been reportedly preparing to confront the looming nuclear and missile threats posed by North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, as he embarks on a testing mission at the ASEAN Regional Forum.

What Happened: With the ASEAN Regional Forum providing a crucial platform, the U.S. Secretary of State aims to underscore the importance of countering North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

He is also expected to reiterate the country's commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, prioritizing the defense of the U.S. and its treaty allies, particularly the Republic of Korea and Japan, reported Yonhap News Agency, citing Daniel Kritenbrink, THE assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.

Kritenbrink’s remarks were prompted by media inquiries regarding the possibility of Blinken meeting his North Korean counterpart during his visit to Indonesia next week.

Blinken’s focus lies in emphasizing the U.S.’ willingness to engage in dialogue with North Korea, despite the country consistently ignoring previous U.S. overtures.

While the formal discussion agenda for the ASEAN meet is yet to be finalized, it is expected that the U.S. and its allies will raise the North Korea issue given its significant impact on regional stability and security, the report noted.

Why It's Important: A failed space launch vehicle (SLV) launch in May, claimed by North Korea to carry a military reconnaissance satellite, drew strong condemnation from the U.S. due to the potential dual-use nature of SLVs and their resemblance to intercontinental ballistic missiles banned under United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Additionally, the Kim Jong Un-led country has conducted over 80 ballistic missile tests since January 2022.

benzinga.com · by Ananya Gairola

4. Ukraine war: Pressure builds on South Korea to send arms to Kyiv

And become a full partner in the Arsenal of democracy.

Ukraine war: Pressure builds on South Korea to send arms to Kyiv

BBC · by Menu

Published
1 hour ago

Image caption,

Sgt Kim is carrying out a one-man protest outside embassies in Seoul

By Jean Mackenzie

Seoul correspondent

Sgt Kim Jae-kyung stands, unflinching, outside the Colombian embassy in Seoul, dressed in full military gear. The day before, he was in front of the Dutch embassy. The day before that, it was the Greek.

This one-man demonstration by the former special forces soldier is his way of showing gratitude to all 22 countries who sent troops or medics to support South Korea after it was invaded by its neighbour North Korea in 1950. Now he wants his country to help Ukraine, following its invasion by Russia in February 2022.

"We are lucky enough to now be the 10th most prosperous country in the world, because of the foreign soldiers who shed their blood and sweat for our country," the 33-year-old says.

It is this rationale which led him to the battlefield in Ukraine, where he served on the front line for four months alongside the Ukrainian army, as an anti-drone gunner and combat medic for the 3rd Battalion of the International Legion.

Kim is one of just a handful of Koreans known to have defied his government's orders, by heading to Ukraine to fight. As he entered the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, shortly after it was reclaimed from the Russians, he witnessed first-hand what he describes as "horrendous, evil, war crimes".

This is why - in his mind - South Korea must now do more to help the Ukrainian war effort.

Image source, Handout

Image caption,

Sgt Kim travelled to Ukraine to fight, against the wishes of the South Korean government

Weeks into its counter-offensive, Ukraine is burning through ammunition faster than its allies can produce it.

Meanwhile South Korea is cautiously sitting on one of the biggest stockpiles in the world. With its own conflict with the North still unresolved, it doesn't know when it might need the bullets.

Not only this, but with its flourishing defence industry, it is turning out tanks and other weapons at a speed that countries in Europe can only dream of.

Ever since the start of the Ukraine war, pressure has been building on Seoul to send its arms to Kyiv, from the US, UK and EU member states. They have invited the South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to next week's Nato summit in Vilnius.

Ukraine's Ambassador to South Korea, Dmytro Ponomarenko, told me ahead of the summit that he believed South Korea's weapons could "change the course of the war".

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky recently made a similar plea in the Korean press.

"Please remember that 70 years ago, Korea was in desperate need of help. The whole world reached out to Korea in defence of justice and freedom. Ukraine today is like Korea 70 years ago," the leader said.

But, despite signing up to all international sanctions on Russia, and providing Ukraine with more than $200m of humanitarian aid, the government has drawn the line at sending lethal weapons.

Publicly politicians have been able to hide behind a long-standing policy of not arming countries in conflict, but privately many worry about antagonising Russia. Before the war, in 2021, the two countries conducted $27bn worth of annual trade. Seoul also hopes, somewhat wishfully, that Russia might be able to keep North Korea in check.

"The Russians have made it very clear to us that weapons are their red line, and that if we cross it, they will retaliate," a South Korean diplomat told me recently.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption,

South Korea has sold arms including tanks such as this to Poland

This retaliation may come in the form of economic sanctions, or, more concerningly for Seoul, support for North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un. The Russian politician and former president Dmitry Medvedev hinted in April that Moscow could supply Pyongyang with the latest technology for its nuclear weapons if Seoul were to support Ukraine militarily.

Instead, South Korea has taken the more comfortable approach of selling weapons to those who are already arming Ukraine, to help replenish their depleted stocks. Last year it sold $13.7bn worth of tanks, jets and other arms to Poland, followed this year by a huge haul of ammunition - more than 4 million rounds.

And after agonising over whether to provide the US with hundreds of thousands of Nato-standard 155mm shells, a private sale of the artillery has now been agreed. There is little to stop Poland and the US sending these weapons on to Ukraine. Indeed, there are reports (in Korean) that some of the ammunition is in the process of being transferred.

Ramon Pacheco Pardo, the Korea Chair at the Brussels School of Governance, believes Seoul is aware its shells are being redirected.

"It is difficult for the South Korean government to argue that the country's lethal weapons are being used in Ukraine without its knowledge," he said. Though the South Korean government is refusing to be drawn on the deals, citing "national security concerns", and says its policy on weapons supply has not changed.

Image source, Reuters

Image caption,

Olena Zelenska travelled to Seoul to meet President Yoon in May

But when Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska visited Seoul in May, followed by EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, lethal weapons were mysteriously absent from their list of requests. The feeling among Western diplomats in Seoul is this indirect supply is working well enough, for now.

But Ambassador Ponomarenko is urging the government to do more by sending weapons to Ukraine directly. "We understand this is not easy, so as a first step we are asking South Korea to supply us with defensive rather than offensive weapons, like anti-missile and anti-drone systems," he said.

Some question the difference South Korean weapons would make to the war.

"South Korea's strength is in the post-war recovery phase rather than military support," said Prof Kim Youngjun from Korea National Defence University, who advises the government. "Korea's experience and expertise in building roads, hospitals, schools, telecommunications, will be more useful," he said.

Ambassador Ponomarenko disagrees. "We know that South Korea would like to participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine, but to start the renovation, we must end the war. And to end the war, we need its lethal weapons," he said.

Kwon Ki-chang, who served as South Korea's ambassador in Ukraine until 2021, thinks his country should agree to Kyiv's request.

He believes South Korea is facing a critical choice, about what it wants to stand for - whether it continues to define its national interest based on economic interests, or whether it wants to champion democracy and freedom.

"We must escape our small country mentality and not be afraid to stand up to Russia, to defend democracy and freedom. We may suffer some short-term economic losses, but we can overcome them. This is the right thing to do."

Image source, Reuters

Image caption,

These K9 howitzers were also delivered to the Polish army from South Korea recently

With Moscow surely aware of Seoul's strategy of indirect supply, one South Korean official suggested it to me, it was not the Russians the government is worried about any more.

A recent poll suggested that 56% of South Koreans oppose such assistance, with 42% in support. With elections next year, the government does not want to give the opposition any metaphorical ammunition.

Though events in Ukraine may force its hand.

Softening his stance, the South Korean president suggested in April that if Ukraine were to come under a large-scale civilian attack, he would consider sending arms. It is said he also sees similarities between the Korean and Ukraine wars.

When the war in Ukraine broke out, some South Korean politicians viewed it as a faraway war. Now they argue it has come too close to home. Few doubt that what happens in Ukraine will change the world, with the impact felt here.

What the South Korean president must decide, as he heads to the Nato summit, is does he want to try to influence the outcome or merely deal with the consequences.

The atrocities witnessed by former soldier Kim Jae-kyung have left him struggling with PTSD, he says, and prone to bursts of anger. He is waiting to find out whether he will be fined for breaking the law, to take part in the war, while his passport has been frozen.

"We must do what we can to end this as soon as possible, and prevent further war crimes," he says.

BBC · by Menu

5. North Korea’s hackers are after intel, not just crypto

Yep, this is why Kim calls cyber his all purpose sword.

North Korea’s hackers are after intel, not just crypto

The country's "all purpose sword" lives up to its name.

The Economist

To read more of The Economist’s data journalism visit our Graphic Detail page.

For a country that allows only a trusted few onto the internet, North Korea is a prolific troublemaker online. In 2005 Kim Jong Il, the country’s then dictator, said that “if the internet is like a gun, cyber-attacks are like atomic bombs.” His son, Kim Jong Un, took this observation to heart, not only studying computer science at university, but significantly expanding the country’s cyber-warfare capabilities after he assumed power in 2011. Its plundering of cryptocurrency—$1.7bn worth in 2022 alone—grabs headlines, but a new report suggests that North Korea uses its “all-purpose sword”, as the senior Kim once called his country’s cyber-attack capability, to seek information more than cash.

Recorded Future, a cyber-security company, analysed 273 cyber attacks attributed to North Korean groups between July 2009 and May 2023. In nearly 72% of attacks where the intent was clear, hackers seem to have been trying to nick data. Financially motivated incursions were about 24% of the total. Of the 172 cases where specific victims were identifiable, governments were the most common targets. Attempts to steal cryptocurrency came second, followed by hacks of media outlets, financial entities and defence organisations.

The rapid increase in activity from 2016 is in part explained by increased attention from analysts. Many attacks in the past may have gone unnoticed. But North Korea’s cyber operations are also maturing. Harsher international sanctions imposed from 2016 in response to weapons-testing may also have encouraged more activity, as the isolated regime has become more desperate for both information and currency.

North Korea’s cyber-warriors—estimated by South Korea’s defence ministry in 2018 to number 6,800—undertake various types of spying. Often using relatively unsophisticated techniques, they have invaded South Korean nuclear power plants, think-tanks, media outlets and even Seoul’s metro system. Authorities are investigating whether South Korea’s National Elections Committee was breached. Hackers are opportunistic. In the wake of a crowd crush in Seoul in 2022 in which over 150 people died, North Korean hackers distributed fake press-releases containing malicious code. And it is not only South Korea in their sights–Recorded Future says at least 29 countries have been targeted.

Both America and South Korea have been stepping up efforts to combat the threat. This year America’s Justice Department launched two new initiatives designed to combat cyber-threats from state actors, including North Korea. And America and South Korea announced a new joint working group on cyber-security on June 23rd.

They will have their work cut out. There is little consensus on how best to combat the wide range of cyber-threats presented by North Korea. Cyber-incursions are cheap, effective and unlikely to provoke the extreme reaction that might be expected by more conventional means of attack or espionage. That makes them a low-risk, high-reward venture. Yet they could also prove a devastating weapon if, for example, the North Koreans were to target South Korea’s water supply or rail network. If cyber-attacks are indeed like atomic bombs, deterrence theory needs to catch up. ■

The Economist

6. Atomic Wallet Hit With Lawsuit, North Korea's Lazarus Group Blamed For $100M Hack

Atomic Wallet Hit With Lawsuit, North Korea's Lazarus Group Blamed For $100M Hack

benzinga.com · by Murtuza Merchant

ZINGER KEY POINTS

Wallet provider accused of negligence in $100M hack.
Claimants seek compensation for financial losses.

Cryptocurrency wallet provider Atomic Wallet and its proprietor, Konstantin Gladych, are in the midst of a lawsuit due to a $100 million security breach allegedly executed by the Lazarus Group.

The individuals behind the lawsuit, representing themselves as well as other patrons of Atomic Wallet, argue that the actions of the platform — characterized as “negligent and unlawful” — were directly responsible for the breach affecting a significant number of user wallets.

“In many cases, users have lost entire portfolios,” DL News reported.

What Happened: Atomic Wallet, which claims on its website to have been downloaded in excess of 5 million times, fell victim to a gargantuan cyberattack on June 3.

Preliminary reports estimate a loss of $35 million in an assortment of cryptocurrencies. However, blockchain security enterprise Elliptic on June 14 revised this estimate to $100 million. Elliptic’s investigation also alleged that the hack was the handiwork of the Lazarus Group, a cybercrime group believed to be run by the government of North Korea.

Lazarus Group reportedly pilfered $100 million from the Harmony blockchain's Horizon Bridge last year.

Central to the lawsuit is the accusation that Atomic Wallet was cognizant of “existing security vulnerabilities” as far back as 2022 “but failed to take necessary security measures or precautions to protect user data and funds.”

In early 2022, Atomic Wallet was forewarned about a crucial security flaw by Least Authority, a cryptocurrency research and security firm that Atomic Wallet had engaged for consultation.

“We strongly recommend that the Atomic Wallet team immediately notify users of the existing security vulnerabilities," Least Authority claimed. Least Authority’s evaluation also revealed that the “design and implementation of the Atomic Wallet system does not sufficiently demonstrate considerations for security and places current users of the wallet at significant risk.”

The legal action, instituted in the U.S. District Court of Colorado, posits that both Atomic Wallet and Gladych did not safeguard the assets, passwords or security information stored in Atomic Wallet's digital wallets.

Join Benzinga's Future of Crypto in NYC on Nov. 14, 2023 to stay updated on trends like AI, regulations, SEC actions & institutional adoption in the crypto space. Secure early bird discounted tickets now!

Image: Pixabay

benzinga.com · by Murtuza Merchant

7. Potential Taiwan conflict will hit these 3 countries the hardest, EIU report says (Japan, South Korea and the Philippines)

Potential Taiwan conflict will hit these 3 countries the hardest, EIU report says

KEY POINTS

EIU defines a conflict as a “full-conflict scenario, involving direct military participation by China, Taiwan and the U.S.” and based on the presumption of an escalation by China.
Japan, South Korea and the Philippines will be hardest hit in the event of a conflict between Taiwan and China, according to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
The EIU also named a few “severely exposed markets”: Australia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as Hong Kong.

CNBC · by Lim Hui Jie · July 7, 2023

Taiwanese tanks and armored vehicles are deployed during a 2-day live-fire drill in September, amid intensifying threats from China. Taipei has been receiving more arms sales and weapons from the US, while fostering its ties with countries like Japan, the UK, Canada and India, as Beijing vows to unify Taiwan without excluding the possibility of using force. (Photo by Ceng Shou Yi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Japan, South Korea and the Philippines will be hardest hit in the event of a conflict between Taiwan and China, according to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

EIU defines a conflict as a "full-conflict scenario, involving direct military participation by China, Taiwan and the U.S." and based on the presumption of an escalation by China.

To be clear, the EIU assesses the risk of a direct Chinese military assault on Taiwan as "very unlikely." But should it occur, the three economies will be "most vulnerable" due to their proximity to the Taiwan Strait and heavy trade ties with China, but more importantly, because these three countries are U.S. treaty allies.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a breakaway province that should be reunified with the mainland. Chinese President Xi Jinping has previously said China will "strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification," but "will never promise to give up the use of force."

Taiwan sees itself as a sovereign state and separate from China, having ruled itself since the Nationalist government fled there from the mainland in 1949 following a protracted civil war. Tensions between Taiwan and China's governments have risen over the years, and high-level U.S. politicians' visits to Taiwan have drawn Beijing's ire.

The report pointed out that Japan, South Korea and the Philippines host U.S. bases, which highlights their vulnerability to a preemptive Chinese attack, should China choose to go to war.

"We expect U.S. participation to activate that country's regional security alliances, carrying direct

implications for Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines and South Korea (as well as other countries that host U.S. bases, such as Thailand and Singapore)."

Spokespersons for China's embassy in Singapore and the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore were not immediately available when contacted by CNBC.

watch now

VIDEO3:4903:49

No 'obligation' for U.S. to defend Taiwan if China invades: Research institute

Squawk Box Asia

The U.S. does not have a mutual defense treaty with Taiwan and is not obligated to defend the island. However, the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act states the U.S. "will make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services" as may be necessary to "enable Taiwan to maintain sufficient self-defense capabilities."

'Severely exposed'

The EIU also named a few "severely exposed markets": Australia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as Hong Kong.

Particularly for Hong Kong, the EIU highlights that it is exposed to less risk from physical devastation than from the repercussions of likely economic, investment and financial prohibitions on China.

Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The Asian financial hub is governed under a "one country, two systems" principle, giving it more autonomy than other mainland Chinese cities.

The report said that in the event of a conflict, and if sanctions are applied to both China (and Hong Kong by extension), this would prompt an exodus of a significant share of the city's population and capital flight, as well as a steep decline in inbound capital flows.

As for Australia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, the EIU assessed that the risks they faced are due primarily to their extensive trade links with China; their dependence on semiconductors from Taiwan; and the importance of global trade flows to their local economies.

In addition, both Malaysia and Vietnam would be exposed to a potential conflict with China if cross-strait hostilities spilled over and ignited a conflict in the South China Sea. Malaysia and Vietnam both have competing claims with China in the contested waterway.

Separately, the EIU assessed that Australia will be severely exposed should a conflict break out, as the country is more actively engaged in regional security issues, which suggests it could play a more direct role in any cross-strait conflict.

Furthermore, its participation in the AUKUS pact and deployments of warships to the South China Sea indicates a "strong interest in deterring (and punishing) violations of the Asian security status quo."

AUKUS is a security alliance involving Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which seeks to boost intelligence cooperation and collaboration on advanced capabilities among them.

watch now

VIDEO9:2309:23

How Australia and China's trade relationship broke down

CNBC Explains

Domestically, Australia also does have "souring popular and official perceptions of China, which could create enough domestic political momentum for the country to respond strongly in the event of a war over Taiwan."

Australia and China have been locked in trade tensions since Canberra supported calls for an international inquiry into how Beijing handled the coronavirus pandemic.

Taiwan and the global chips industry

Taiwan, being the economy at the center of it all, will suffer the most severe consequences in the event of a cross-strait conflict, sending shocks that will ripple through the global semiconductor industry.

The Economist in March estimated that Taiwan produces 60% of the world's semiconductor chips alone, and 90% of the most advanced chips.

The EIU said a conflict will cut off Taiwan's foundries, and at best, air and maritime links will be disrupted. At worst, Taiwan's chipmaking facilities would be completely destroyed.

In both cases, the impact will be felt both upstream and downstream.

Producers of advanced chipmaking equipment will not be able to get their goods into Taiwan's foundries, and finished chips from Taiwan will not be able to be exported, affecting customers who rely on these finished chips for their products, like smartphones and automobiles.

Other markets will also be impacted by a conflict over Taiwan.

The EIU report assessed "exposure to imported Taiwanese chips" as a risk for economies in Asia, and found that Japan led the region, with 47.6% of its total chip imports from Taiwan. Singapore and Malaysia rounded off the top three, depending on Taiwanese chips for 40.5% and 27.2% of their total chip imports, respectively.

The EIU acknowledged that China itself is a major semiconductor exporter, but said that in the event of a cross-strait conflict, sourcing from the Chinese market will be difficult, due to disrupted logistics and likely prohibitions from the U.S. and others.

watch now

VIDEO2:4302:43

Former Chinese military officer Zhou Bo on China's military drills around Taiwan

Squawk Box Asia

While there have been efforts to diversify semiconductor production to other parts of Asia and the U.S., the EIU thinks these efforts will likely "span years" and require huge sums of capital investment.

What this means is that there is limited immediate recourse for businesses or policymakers, in the event of any lost Taiwanese production.

Taiwan's importance in the global trade landscape is unlikely to change soon, the EIU said, and given its competitiveness in production, logistics and transportation networks, the current level of diversification will only provide companies with "limited insulation" should a conflict break out.

In light of this, "strategies on how to prepare for a conflict in the Taiwan Strait will probably need to focus on risk mitigation, rather than outright risk avoidance," the EIU said.

CNBC · by Lim Hui Jie · July 7, 2023

8. VOA: [Washington Talk] "We need to warn North Korea of a 'preemptive strike'... Possible 'covert infiltration' targeting the regime”

Here is my tweet that accompanied this broadcast:

David Maxwell

@DavidMaxwell161

I expect a lot of press about both interviewees' comments on nuclear weapons in the South, pre-emptive strike left of launch, and covert targeting of the regime. But we should remember that the main target audience of this broadcast is Pyongyang. Messages to Kim Jong un.

I think this is probably a stroke of brilliance having two non-Korea experts but former USG officials opine on pre-emptive strike, covert action, and the reintroduction of nuclear weapons to the South as well nuclear sharing with the South. They sent powerful messages to Kim Jong Un. But I expect the South Korean press to spin up and we will be reading about these comments as headlines in the next 1- or 2 days.

My recommendation to the USG is to not make any comments in response other than to say as private citizens they are welcome to provide their expert opinions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItIeb88GG7k&t=1500s

[Washington Talk] "We need to warn North Korea of a 'preemptive strike'... Possible 'covert infiltration' targeting the regime”

VOA Korean

292K subscribers

<__slot-el>

Subscribed

266

Download

Save

1,698 views Premiered 63 minutes ago #Washington Talk #VOA #US and China

A former senior Pentagon official suggested that the United States should make a strong commitment to a 'preemptive strike' against North Korea's nuclear capabilities. The explanation is that we must send a firm 'strike warning' message to North Korea, saying that we should not miss the time while hesitating until the moment of North Korea's nuclear attack. The U.S. Air Force has the ability to infiltrate North Korea and conduct covert strike operations targeting the regime, which no country will be able to deter, he said. Moderator: Cho Eun-jung / Conversation: James Jeffrey (former NSC Deputy Assistant Secretary), Mary Beth Long (former Deputy Secretary of Defense for International Security )

Alliance #Biden #Seok-Yeol Yoon #Jeong-Eun Kim #Jinping Xi #Nuclearization #North Korea #Korea #USA #China #JamesJeffrey #MaryBethLong #WashingtonTalk #VoiceofAmerica »

9. (Yonhap Interview) IAEA chief says no internal disagreement on Fukushima report

(LEAD) (Yonhap Interview) IAEA chief says no internal disagreement on Fukushima report | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · July 8, 2023

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details from paras 3-4, 10-24; AMENDS headline; ADDS photos)

By Chang Dong-woo and Ra Hwak-jin

SEOUL, July 8 (Yonhap) -- The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Saturday that there was no internal disagreement behind the IAEA's published comprehensive report on Japan's plan to discharge contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima plant.

"There is no disagreement. This is the final comprehensive report by the IAEA and no expert has come to me saying that he or she disagrees on the contents," Rafael Mariano Grossi said in an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency in Seoul.

He said that his recent interview with Reuters that said he "hinted" at discord among the team was "misinterpreted."

"What I can tell you is that we are very confident, as I said, with the way in which this (review) was conducted with the interpretation of the norms and the standards. So it is not a matter of a report that comes in spite of disagreements," Grossi said.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at a hotel in Seoul on July 8, 2023. (Yonhap)

Grossi arrived in South Korea late Friday for a three-day visit to explain the analysis of the U.N. watchdog's safety review of Japan's planned release of treated radioactive water from the Japanese plant

He was met by a group of angry protesters at Seoul's Gimpo airport late Friday.

Grossi flew in from Japan following the agency's conclusion that Japan's plan to release treated radioactive water from the plant into the sea is consistent with international safety standards.

While in Japan, Grossi delivered the IAEA's report on Tokyo's water release plan to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

The report was seen as a blessing for Japan's planned water discharge, expected to begin in August.

Grossi said he came to South Korea to address "technical doubts" skeptics may have about Japan's water release plan using technology of the plant's custom purification system, known as ALPS.

He plans to brief details of the IAEA's report in meetings with Nuclear Safety and Security Commission Chairperson Yoo Guk-hee and Foreign Minister Park Jin later in the day. Grossi also plans to meet South Korean opposition politicians on Sunday to explain to them the safety of Japan's plan.

Grossi said the report was not produced to "a Japanese taste or a Japanese convenience."

He said results would be the same in the case South Korea commissions a review on the effects the water release would have on neighboring countries. "The science is one. The process that is going to take place is one."

The director general noted that the comprehensive report is an "important piece" of the entire process but stressed that the IAEA's planned operation in assessing Japan's pledged implementations is "far more important" than the report.

On the timing of the report release, Grossi said the two-year study for him personally was "quite a long time."

"I must admit I was always asking my experts, 'Can you do it faster?' But it was a very thorough process. There were five interim reports you may be familiar with. So this is not a blueprint coming out of you know, a single exercise."

Grossi said the World Health Organization was not involved in the report but that the IAEA team followed safety parameters set by the U.N. health organization.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at a hotel in Seoul on July 8, 2023. (Yonhap)

When asked whether the discharge is the only or best option for Japan, Grossi said he "shouldn't judge political decision." "What I should do is to see whether as a result of a decision there is going to be a violation of a nuclear safety measure."

"And if that is the case, then I have the competence and I can say this is not in conformity, this is offside."

Grossi, however, said he also understood the people's anxiety surrounding Japan's discharge plan.

"This is why I go and meet with people who are frustrated, angry, do not understand and do not agree. I could say, 'This is my scientific report and deal with it.' But I understand that there are concerned mothers, fathers as well."

He also raised concerns about "inflammatory rhetoric" surrounding the IAEA's report.

"I fear that there is some inflammatory rhetoric that contributes to destabilize people and to instill fear."

On concerns surrounding Japan's transparency regarding compliance during the discharge process, Grossi said it was important for the IAEA to take responsibility of monitoring the process that is expected to take place over several decades.

"I told the Japanese government very respectfully. I said to them, 'If you do it yourself, people might not believe.' You need an international neutral authority, the only one that exists when it comes to nuclear is the IAEA that can support you in this to provide the necessary transparency."

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi speaks during an interview with Yonhap News Agency at a hotel in Seoul on July 8, 2023. (Yonhap)

odissy@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · July 8, 2023

10. Kim Jong Un visits Kumsusan palace to mark Kim Il Sung’s death anniversary

Yes, we cannot forget about Kim Il Sung's death in 1994 when many thought we were going to go to war. (except for former President Carter's trip the month before that others thought averted it).

Kim Jong Un visits Kumsusan palace to mark Kim Il Sung’s death anniversary

https://www.nknews.org/2023/07/kim-jong-un-visits-kumsusan-palace-to-mark-kim-il-sungs-death-anniversary/

State media opts not to publish photos of regular mausoleum visit or mention attendance of daughter and other family

Jeongmin Kim July 8, 2023

Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in April 2017 | Image: NK News

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un paid a visit to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the resting place of the nation’s founder Kim Il Sung, to commemorate the 29th anniversary of his death, state media reported on Saturday.

Kim Jong Un goes to the mausoleum every year to honor his grandfather, minus one occasion in 2018. The latest visit marks the leader’s first public appearance in 19 days, but the Rodong Sinmun opted not to release any photos of him on Saturday.

The party daily did not clarify whether any family members accompanied Kim on his visit.

High-ranking party officials like Kim Tok Hun, Jo Yong Won and Choe Ryong Hae were reported to be in attendance, but no additional details were provided.

Kim honored the memory of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, and his father, Kim Jong Il, by laying floral baskets before their statues and paying them “noble respects,” according to the article.

Separate front-page articles by the party-affiliated newspaper reported that special medals were posthumously awarded to the late Kim leaders.

The medals, named “70th Anniversary of Victory in the Fatherland Liberation War Medal,” were awarded in recognition of Kim Il Sung’s military strategies that overcame the “American imperialists,” and Kim Jong Il’s “incomparable guts” in upholding Kim Il Sung’s military strategies, the articles said.

North Korea is preparing for a large-scale military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice on July 27, NK Pro analysis has confirmed, opening the door for further commemorations of the former leaders in the coming weeks.

Edited by Arius Derr

11. Blinken will raise N. Korea issues at upcoming ARF meetings: official

Blinken will raise N. Korea issues at upcoming ARF meetings: official | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Duk-Kun Byun · July 8, 2023

By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, July 7 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will raise issues with regard to nuclear and missile threats posed by North Korea when he attends a regional forum next week but has no immediate plans to meet with North Korean officials there, a ranking state department official said Friday.

Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, reiterated that the U.S. remains open to dialogue with North Korea but that Pyongyang has ignored U.S. overtures.

"I am confident that the secretary will reiterate our stance on the DPRK," Kritenbrink told a telephonic press briefing when asked if Blinken plans to meet with North Korea officials during his trip to Indonesia where he will take part in the annual ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), to be hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Thursday.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name. North Korea is also a member of the ARF.

Daniel Kritenbrink, the U.S. State Department's assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs, speaks to reporters at the foreign ministry in Seoul on June 21, 2023, after holding talks with First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin. Kritenbrink was in the South Korean capital to brief South Korean officials on a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Yonhap)

"He (Blinken) will underscore the strength of our commitments, including our ironclad security commitments to our treaty allies -- the Republic of Korea and Japan," he added, referring to South Korea by its formal name. "He will underscore our determination to counter the threat posed by the North Korean nuclear and missile programs, and he will reiterate our commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

North Korea conducted more than 80 ballistic missile tests since January 2022, while also firing a space launch vehicle (SLV) in May, carrying what it has claimed was a military reconnaissance satellite, in a botched attempt.

The U.S. strongly condemned the failed launch of the claimed satellite, noting SLVs use the same technology as long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles, which the North is prohibited from developing or using under multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.

"As has been our position from the beginning. of this administration, we are open to, and I am confident the secretary will reiterate this, we are open to engagement and diplomacy with the DPRK," said Kritenbrink.

"But as you know, the only response that we have received from North Korea in that regard has been an increase in missile testing," he added. "So in the face of that, we will continue to take the steps that we need to, again to defend the United States and our treaty allies and we will, of course, continue to strictly enforce a range of U.N. Security Council resolutions and continue to implement our own sanctions designed to counter this threat."

When asked if the North Korea issue will be formally discussed at the ARF, the state department official said the U.S. and its allies will certainly raise the issue.

Given the importance of these issues in the region, "I think you can anticipate ... that the United States and others will likely raise issues," he told the press briefing. "I am not sure that I can say that North Korea is formally on the agenda."

bdk@yna.co.kr

(END)

FM to attend annual ASEAN-hosted meetings in Jakarta next week

en.yna.co.kr · by Duk-Kun Byun · July 8, 2023

12. Yoon, Kishida coordinate summit at NATO Conference

Yoon, Kishida coordinate summit at NATO Conference

donga.com

Posted July. 07, 2023 08:12,

Updated July. 07, 2023 08:12

Yoon, Kishida coordinate summit at NATO Conference. July. 07, 2023 08:12. by Kwan-Seok Jang jks@donga.com.

It has been reported that the two countries are in final coordination over a plan to hold a summit meeting between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who will visit Lithuania on the occasion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit.

If successful, it was reported that the issue of the discharge of contaminated water from Fukushima could be brought to the table for discussion at the fourth summit since bilateral relations were normalized following a visit to Japan in March.

Kim Tae-hyo, First Deputy Director of the Office of National Security, said at a briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office that President Yoon and his wife would visit Lithuania and Poland for four nights and six days, including attending the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania from Monday to Wednesday (local time).

Japanese media reported that Japan will explain its position on contaminated water at the Korea-Japan summit. “We will not discuss in advance what agenda will be discussed,” a high-ranking official in the presidential office said. “But “if Japan mentions it, it will be, under the principle of prioritizing the public health, that President Yoon will say what is necessary.” The South Korean government is in the position that the contaminated water issue can be included on the summit's main agenda.

It is the second time since June last year that President Yoon is scheduled to attend the NATO Summit, the collective defense system of the United States and Europe, as an observer.

It was reported that at the summit, President Yoon would adopt a ROK-NATO cooperation dossier that would institutionalize bilateral cooperation across 11 areas, including the war in Ukraine, cooperation with NATO in the Indo-Pacific region, and emerging security threats. Bilateral summits with more than 10 countries, including Poland, are also scheduled.

“In response to North Korea’s escalating nuclear and missile threat, cooperation with NATO, the world’s largest military alliance, will be strengthened, and an unequivocal warning message from the international community will be sent to North Korea that it will not tolerate North Korea’s illegal activities,” a high-ranking official in the presidential office said. It is said that there is a slim chance for President Yoon to visit Ukraine in person.

한국어

donga.com

13. First meeting of NCG to be held in Seoul this month, involving senior officials: presidential office

Excerpts:

The meeting will be held July 18, co-chaired by South Korea's Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo and U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell.

...

The group is designed to reaffirm U.S. extended deterrence provided to South Korea, which refers to U.S. commitment to defending its ally using all its military capabilities, including nuclear.

The allies had initially planned to appoint deputy minister-level officials to lead the talks but decided to elevate the rank of the chief delegate to the vice minister level for the first session, according to officials in Seoul.

(LEAD) First meeting of NCG to be held in Seoul this month, involving senior officials: presidential office | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Duk-Kun Byun · July 8, 2023

(ATTN: UPDATES with additional information; CHANGES dateline)

SEOUL/WASHINGTON, July 8 (Yonhap) -- The inaugural meeting of the new Nuclear Consultative Group between South Korea and the United States will be held later this month in Seoul, Seoul's presidential office said Saturday.

The meeting will be held July 18, co-chaired by South Korea's Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo and U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell.

The meeting will "discuss information sharing, consultation mechanism and joint planning and execution designed to bolster nuclear deterrence against North Korea," the presidential office said in a press release.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) greets his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, at an expanded session of the Group of Seven summit held at the Grand Prince Hotel in Hiroshima, Japan, in this May 20, 2023, file photo. (Yonhap)

President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to establish the new NCG during their bilateral summit in Washington in April.

The group is designed to reaffirm U.S. extended deterrence provided to South Korea, which refers to U.S. commitment to defending its ally using all its military capabilities, including nuclear.

The allies had initially planned to appoint deputy minister-level officials to lead the talks but decided to elevate the rank of the chief delegate to the vice minister level for the first session, according to officials in Seoul.

U.S. officials have said the NCG will allow Seoul's input for the first time into how the U.S. plans or executes its nuclear deterrence against North Korean threats.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan earlier said the inaugural meeting of the NCG will be an "important meeting."

"And you will see in this meeting that we are quite serious about taking this effort forward," he told a White House press briefing on Friday (U.S. time).

bdk@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Duk-Kun Byun · July 8, 2023

14. [INTERVIEW] UNC deputy commander stresses transparency in defusing inter-Korean tensions

[INTERVIEW] UNC deputy commander stresses transparency in defusing inter-Korean tensions

The Korea Times · July 7, 2023

Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison, deputy commander of the United Nations Command (UNC), poses in front of a monument commemorating the 1950-53 Korean War installed at the UNC headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

United Nations Command celebrates 73rd anniversary

By Lee Hyo-jin

Transparent and accurate investigations into alleged armistice violations between the two Koreas are important in defusing escalating tensions and maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula, according to Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison, the British deputy commander of the United Nations Command (UNC).

"I think that transparency and deep investigation are critical to ensuring that we can deescalate a situation by getting the correct facts, which often differ from some of the reporting that might exist across media or social media," he said during an interview with The Korea Times at UNC headquarters in U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday.

As such, the UNC ensures that a scrupulous and deep investigation is conducted ― overseen by the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) ― to assess what the facts are behind many of the stories and rumors that arise after an incident between Seoul and Pyongyang, he said.

One recent publicly known investigation conducted by the UNC is the drone incident that occurred late last year. Following North Korea's drone infiltration into the South on Dec. 26, 2022, Seoul immediately sent its own drones to the North in a tit-for-tat military move. While the South Korean government claimed this to be its "right to self-defense," the UNC concluded that both Koreas violated the Korean Armistice Agreement.

"When tensions are high, then there is always the risk that people will not perceive an incident in a certain way that may not be exactly what occurred," Harrison said. "So the NNSC and the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) seek to get to the bottom of what the truth and the facts really are."

Harrison, who assumed duty as the deputy commander in December 2021, has served 35 years in the military, during which he participated in various operations in conflict zones such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone.

Members of the United Nations Command (UNC) pose during a ceremony held to mark the 73rd anniversary of the UNC at its headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Courtesy of United Nations Command

The UNC is a unified command structure for multinational military forces formed on July 7, 1950. It celebrates its 73rd anniversary this year, which also marks the 70th anniversary of the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement.

"It's a really big year to remember those who have fallen serving the United Nations Command, serving in defense of the Republic of Korea, and those who fought for peace and security on the peninsula for three generations," he said. "Seven decades…It's an amazing longevity of support to this country."

When asked about the main roles of the UNC, he described it as "both simple and complex."

"In simple terms, it's here to enforce the 1953 Armistice Agreement, which is the function of the United Nations Command and the 22 member states, who now comprise the command," he said.

But the UNC's role is more complex when it comes to maintaining communication with the North's Korean People's Army, and pulling together the sending states or the UNC member states so they can support South Korea, he added.

One other key role of the UNC is its own communication channel with the North, which it has been maintaining for over the past seven decades despite the ups-and-downs in inter-Korean relations.

Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison, deputy commander of the United Nations Command (UNC), gestures during an interview with The Korea Times at the "Armistice Room" of the UNC headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. In the room was displayed one of the three tables used for the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement and books containing the names of soldiers who died during the Korean War. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

"That line of communication ― not into Pyongyang, but simply across the border ― has existed for a very, very long time. And it's a critical part of our job that we take great pride in," Harrison said.

"Almost every day there is a conversation (with the North)," he said. "Most days, it's about routine business. It might be dealing with a fire in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) or administrative challenges to do with people who are visiting the Demilitarized Zone."

Looking ahead, the UNC seeks to work more effectively to bring together the capabilities of the 22 member countries with the Republic of Korea, and allow the strengths of these countries to assist the nation, he said.

Harrison also stressed the importance of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) program launched by the UNC, which is an initiative to promote meaningful contributions of women in the defense and security sectors on the Korean Peninsula.

Lt. Gen. Andrew Harrison, deputy commander of the United Nations Command (UNC), poses in front of a monument commemorating the 1950-53 Korean War installed at UNC headquarters in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

"I'm very personally connected to this because my mother worked in the Ministry of Defence in the U.K. My wife was a veteran military officer, and my daughter is now a serving officer in the British Army," he said.

He also mentioned that the UNC will continue its efforts to clarify its rules about civilian access to the controlled areas of the DMZ. In December 2021, when President Yoon Suk Yeol was running for the presidency, he caused a stir after visiting a frontline observation unit in the DMZ, wearing a military uniform.

Soon after Yoon's visit, the UNC issued a statement, without specifically mentioning Yoon, to launch a probe into the "unauthorized activities" to determine the root cause of the failure and ensure that there is no repetition of actions that undermine compliance with the terms of the Armistice Agreement.

"I think it's always useful to clarify exactly what the stipulations are," Harrison said. "In the end, the commander is responsible for the southern part of the Demilitarized Zone, and therefore has a responsibility to make sure everyone understands what the rules and regulations are, and to ensure that they are followed."

The Korea Times · July 7, 2023

15. The new Asian family

Excerpts:

Governments should try to complete this lopsided revolution. Even if social change is not entirely within their grasp, and does not happen overnight, they can at least stop resisting it. To make family life more attractive, they need to deal with its gender imbalances as well as its costs by, for example, making paternity leave routine. They should look beyond heterosexual marriage, as their citizens have, and extend legal recognition to cohabiting, gay and other non-traditional arrangements—and afford them the support married couples now enjoy, especially over child-rearing. It is self-defeating and outrageous that China prevents single women from freezing their eggs, or that Japan makes it nearly impossible for gay couples to foster children.

Let them not wed

Such policies would not fix the region’s demography. But they would have a more positive effect on it than the current ones. More important, they would leave millions freer to lead the lives they choose, especially women and gay people. East Asian governments have overseen the greatest-ever economic boom. Now they must attend to their citizens’ happiness and liberty.

Leaders | East Asia’s lopsided revolution

The new Asian family

East Asian governments must try to manage a momentous social change they cannot prevent

The Economist

The concept of “Asian values”, once championed by leaders across the region, went out of vogue after the Asian financial crisis of 1997. The idea that East and South-East Asia’s disciplined governments had a unique economic edge over the decadent West suddenly seemed less compelling. Today in prosperous East Asia a different facet of those ballyhooed values is looking even more parlous. In China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, Asians’ supposed commitment to conservative family life is collapsing. As we report in our Asia and China sections this week, millions of young people are opting for looser, often lonelier and—in the East Asian context—less male-dominated arrangements. In a region that is home to over a fifth of humanity, the socioeconomic and demographic consequences will be vast, potentially destabilising and will shape millions of lives.

In Japan, where the shift first became evident, married couples with at least one child accounted for 42% of households in 1980, and single people 20%. That has flipped. In 2020 couples with children accounted for 25% of households, and singletons 38%. And the decline is continuing. Last year 17% of Japanese men and 15% of women aged 18-34 said they would not marry, up from 2% and 4% in the early 1980s, and China recorded its lowest-ever number of marriages, half as many as a decade ago.

In some ways young Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese and South Koreans are following a path charted in rich countries elsewhere. Between 1960 and 2010 Europe’s marriage rate fell by half, for many of the reasons that are now driving down East Asian rates. To many people, marriage seems increasingly anachronistic and unaffordable. Across East Asia it is still widely understood in Confucian terms, as the union of a dominant man and submissive woman. In South Korea a married woman is referred to as Jip-saram, or “home person”, and her husband as Bakat-yangban, or “man outside”.

High property prices are an added disincentive to setting up a marital home. Alternative domestic arrangements are becoming more accepted; besides singledom, they include intergenerational flat-sharing and, less often, cohabiting and gay partnerships. And growing numbers of middle-class women are putting off marriage to concentrate on their careers.

Traditional values are hard on women at work, too. East Asia has some of the world’s best-educated women, yet its overall record on female empowerment is poor and in some ways worsening. On the World Economic Forum’s gender-equality ranking of 153 countries, China—where women are said to “hold up half the sky”—slipped from 63rd in 2006 to 102nd in 2022. South Korea has the widest gender pay gap in the OECD.

If most of this sounds familiar, two things make East Asia’s great social change distinct and hugely troublesome. First, the taboo against having children outside marriage remains as rigid as ever. Across the OECD, 40% of births are outside wedlock. In Japan, South Korea and Taiwan less than 5% are. (The figure in China is unavailable, revealingly, but not thought to be higher.)

The result is a plummeting fertility rate. South Korea’s, at 0.78, is the lowest recorded anywhere and Taiwan’s only slightly higher. Japan’s and China’s are just above half the replacement rate. China’s cruel one-child policy, now replaced by panicked officials with calls to have three, exacerbated its demographic squeeze. But as the regional picture shows, it would have happened anyway. The total population of the four East Asian countries is predicted to shrink by 28% between 2020 and 2075.

The second problem is that the region’s governments are making the situation worse. None seriously broaches the only policy guaranteed to revive East Asia’s flagging demography: mass immigration. Their main response is to try to resuscitate marriage with economic perks—including tax breaks and subsidised weddings—with little success. South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk-yeol, admits that his country has, in essence, squandered 280trn won ($215bn) on such policies. Worse, he and his counterparts in China and Japan are doubling down on the conservative approach that their citizens increasingly object to.

South Korea’s previous administration sought to extend benefits to single parents and unmarried couples. Mr Yoon, who blames the low fertility rate on feminism, has put a stop to that. Under Xi Jinping, China promises its citizens a Confucian revival and arrests gay-rights activists. Japan’s ever-ruling Liberal Democratic Party is also against reforming marriage, including by refusing to make it available to gay couples, although most voters want to see that change.

There are pockets of progress, notably in Taiwan, which recently took a more liberal course. It has legalised same-sex marriage and in May permitted gay couples to adopt children—though it is too soon to know whether these changes will show up in the statistics. But the region as a whole is stuck between modernity and tradition, suffering some of the worst effects of both. East Asians are free to disdain traditional family roles, but not to redefine them. That is why millions resort to childlessness and solitude.

Governments should try to complete this lopsided revolution. Even if social change is not entirely within their grasp, and does not happen overnight, they can at least stop resisting it. To make family life more attractive, they need to deal with its gender imbalances as well as its costs by, for example, making paternity leave routine. They should look beyond heterosexual marriage, as their citizens have, and extend legal recognition to cohabiting, gay and other non-traditional arrangements—and afford them the support married couples now enjoy, especially over child-rearing. It is self-defeating and outrageous that China prevents single women from freezing their eggs, or that Japan makes it nearly impossible for gay couples to foster children.

Let them not wed

Such policies would not fix the region’s demography. But they would have a more positive effect on it than the current ones. More important, they would leave millions freer to lead the lives they choose, especially women and gay people. East Asian governments have overseen the greatest-ever economic boom. Now they must attend to their citizens’ happiness and liberty. ■

For subscribers only: to see how we design each week’s cover, sign up to our weekly Cover Story newsletter.

The Economist

16. N.Korea, Iran, others come under CBN’s watch list over alleged money laundering

The Central Bank of Nigeria weighing in. I wonder if there is a Nigerian Prince they can use to go after Iran and north Korea's money.

N.Korea, Iran, others come under CBN’s watch list over alleged money laundering

ripplesnigeria.com · by Mayowa Oladeji · July 7, 2023

The Central Bank of Nigeria has requested that the country’s Deposit Money Banks and other financial institutions closely monitor any dealings with organisations and individuals in and from North Korea, Iran, Cameroon, Croatia, and Vietnam.

This was stated in a circular with the following reference: FPR/AML/PUB/BOF/001/029, which was released on Thursday by Mr. Chibuzo Efobi, Director of Financial Policy and Regulation.

Because those nations have just been added to the Financial Action Task Force’s “grey list,” according to the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian banks and other financial institutions must keep an eye on any transactions with them.

The Financial Action Task Force is an international organisation whose goal is to create and support policies to prevent the financing of terrorism, money laundering, and proliferation.

The CBN also noted that any country under increased monitoring is actively working with the FATF to address strategic deficiencies in its regime to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.

The apex bank also said that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran and Myanmar remain on the list of high-risk jurisdictions, which banks should closely monitor.

The Circular reads in part, “The attention of banks and other Financial Institutions is drawn to the outcomes of Financial Action Task Force Plenary conducted from June 21-23, 3023 and subsequent addition of Cameroon, Croatia and Vietnam to the list of jurisdictions under ‘Increased Monitoring.’

“Furthermore, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran and Myanmar remain on the list of high-risk jurisdictions, subject to ‘Call for Action.’

“Consequently, enhanced due diligence should be applied and in severe cases, counter-measures may need to be implemented to safeguard the international financial system.”

The CBN added that Russia remains suspended from the FATF, and banks need to stay vigilant and beware of any risks from transactions with the listed countries.

“Additionally, we would like to emphasise that the suspension of the Russian Federation from the FATF remains in effect.

“FIs are to be vigilant to and be alert to possible emerging risks resulting from the circumvention of measures taken to protect the international financial system.

“In light of these developments, FIs are directed to note all additions to jurisdictions under ‘Increased Monitoring,’ as well as, high-risk jurisdictions subject to a ‘Call-for-Action’ and take necessary measures to mitigate these risks effectively,” the CBN said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now

ripplesnigeria.com · by Mayowa Oladeji · July 7, 2023

17. Outwitting the North Korean regime

I am not familiar with Pastor Seungeun Kim though I am very aware of another very successful underground railroad.

I do disagree with his assessment of China's likely intervention during collapse. But I very much agree with him that we must keep the pressure on the regime with a human rights upfront approach.

Outwitting the North Korean regime

Politico · by NAHAL TOOSI · July 7, 2023

Welcome back to Global Insider’s Friday feature: The Conversation. Each week a POLITICO journalist shares an interview with a global thinker, politician, power player or personality. This week, Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent Nahal Toosi talks to an activist who has spent years helping North Koreans flee their country.

Follow Nahal on Twitter | Send ideas and insights to [email protected]

The Conversation

For North Koreans desperate to escape their brutal regime, there is often no better champion than Pastor Seungeun Kim.

Kim leads the Caleb Mission, a South Korea-based Christian church that bills itself as a modern-day Underground Railroad for North Koreans. He and his network of smugglers and activists have helped more than 1,000 North Koreans reach safety.

Under the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the number of defectors reaching South Korea has been dropping for years. The Covid-19 pandemic is no doubt a factor. Plus, it’s hard to know exactly how many North Koreans reach and stay in China or other countries. But the drop also appears to coincide with what Seungeun Kim says is deepening repression inside North Korea, one aided by surveillance technology.

I sat down with Kim during the Oslo Freedom Forum last month and, with the help of a translator, we talked about defection from North Korea and the future of the country. The following has been edited for clarity and length:

You’ve helped North Koreans flee their regime for years. How are those fleeing today different than, say, the ones who were fleeing 10 years ago?

Ten years ago, most of the people who escaped were those trying to just survive, eat, fulfill basic needs. Nowadays, more people among the elite classes in North Korea are defecting also. People like Thae Yong Ho, a North Korean official who became an elected lawmaker in South Korea.

When North Korea comes up in Washington, its nuclear program is always the number one topic. Is that a good thing?

The people in Washington, D.C., they only look at North Korea’s impact from the outside. They never really see deep inside of North Korea.

From the outside, we see the North Korean regime focus most on the nuclear issue — to protect itself. But actually, inside what it’s really focusing on is stopping people from defecting. Because if it lets them do that, more outside information will get into North Korea, and the people there are going to know that they’re not living in a utopia. That’s more dangerous for the regime in trying to avoid collapse.

If the outside world wants to change North Korea — I know we keep going for efforts that won’t prompt them to do anything crazy on missiles and nuclear. At the same time, we should figure out how we can give outside information to the people inside North Korea.

Let’s just say that the North Korean regime falls. What happens the next day?

I’m afraid that it’s going to be chaotic in North Korea. They’ve been living under control, like brainwashing. They never really make their own choices. So when this regime collapses, people won’t know what to do. It will be all chaos.

We need to be prepared for how to control the chaos.

But to be clear, you want the regime to fall?

Yes, of course, I want the regime to collapse. But my assumption if they collapse is the Chinese government is going to take over first. If they collapse right now, the Chinese will try to take over faster than anybody else.

I think China would try to manipulate and use the North Korean situation to deal with the United States.

What tools have you found to be useful in your efforts to help North Korean defectors?

We have so many North Korean female defectors who were kidnapped by human traffickers and sold into prostitution and forced marriage in China. We rescued many of those women. Many had children. We rescued the women first. But the mothers, they missed their children. Those kids in China didn’t have documents. The Caleb Mission went back to rescue these children and brought them to South Korea.

Also, most of the time, North Korean defectors struggle to adjust to South Korea because they grew up in a communist dictatorship. So the Caleb Mission made a North Korean defectors community center. We not only rescue them, we actually help them become self-reliant in South Korea. We give them education, we try to teach them how to survive, get a job, or buy what they like.

Does human rights advocacy work anymore? It seems like dictators don’t feel much shame. Or they’ve found ways to destroy rebellions.

Yes, it works. And it affects Kim Jong Un a lot when human rights activists raise our voice.

At the beginning, I told you that inside of the North Korean regime they put all their energy into stopping people from going outside of North Korea because they don’t want these people to go outside and talk about their human rights violence. They’re scared. That’s why they don’t they don’t want more people to go outside to talk about their reality.

Bringing awareness to the situation helps a lot.

Thanks to editor Heidi Vogt and producer Andrew Howard.

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

Phone: 202-573-8647

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com

If you do not read anything else in the 2017 National Security Strategy read this on page 14:

"A democracy is only as resilient as its people. An informed and engaged citizenry is the fundamental requirement for a free and resilient nation. For generations, our society has protected free press, free speech, and free thought. Today, actors such as Russia are using information tools in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democracies. Adversaries target media, political processes, financial networks, and personal data. The American public and private sectors must recognize this and work together to defend our way of life. No external threat can be allowed to shake our shared commitment to our values, undermine our system of government, or divide our Nation."

Access NSS HERE

Company Name | Website

‘How Could I Feel Safe?’ Japan’s Dumping of Radioactive Fukushima Water Stirs Fear, Anger

Officials deem the release of nuclear wastewater secure, though South Korea, parts of Japan and other Asian-Pacific countries harbor doubts​

https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-could-i-feel-safe-japans-dumping-of-radioactive-fukushima-water-stirs-fear-anger-2c2059b4?mod=Searchresults_pos4&page=1​

First South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group meeting to be held later this month

Blinken To Address Kim Jong Un’s Nuclear Threats At ASEAN Meet

Ukraine war: Pressure builds on South Korea to send arms to Kyiv

North Korea’s hackers are after intel, not just crypto

Atomic Wallet Hit With Lawsuit, North Korea's Lazarus Group Blamed For $100M Hack

Potential Taiwan conflict will hit these 3 countries the hardest, EIU report says

'Severely exposed'

Taiwan and the global chips industry

(LEAD) (Yonhap Interview) IAEA chief says no internal disagreement on Fukushima report | Yonhap News Agency

Kim Jong Un visits Kumsusan palace to mark Kim Il Sung’s death anniversary

Blinken will raise N. Korea issues at upcoming ARF meetings: official | Yonhap News Agency

Yoon, Kishida coordinate summit at NATO Conference

(LEAD) First meeting of NCG to be held in Seoul this month, involving senior officials: presidential office | Yonhap News Agency

[INTERVIEW] UNC deputy commander stresses transparency in defusing inter-Korean tensions

Let them not wed

Leaders | East Asia’s lopsided revolution

The new Asian family

East Asian governments must try to manage a momentous social change they cannot prevent

Let them not wed

N.Korea, Iran, others come under CBN’s watch list over alleged money laundering

Join the conversation

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Outwitting the North Korean regime

The Conversation

Officials deem the release of nuclear wastewater secure, though South Korea, parts of Japan and other Asian-Pacific countries harbor doubts

https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-could-i-feel-safe-japans-dumping-of-radioactive-fukushima-water-stirs-fear-anger-2c2059b4?mod=Searchresults_pos4&page=1