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Quotes of the Day:
"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes."
– Mahatma Gandhi
"Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well."
– Aristotle
"Hate has caused a lot of problems in this world, but it has not solved one yet.
– Maya Angelou
1. U.S., South Korea kick off summertime joint military exercise
2. Report: North Korea Sending 6,000 Troops, 100 Tanks to Russia (to Fight in Ukraine?)
3. Global South leaders share lessons on reconciliation at One Korea event
4. Trump's indifference on NK-Russia military partnership unnerves South Korea
5. Ex-FM Kang likely to be appointed as ambassador to US: sources
6. S. Korea to devise 'phased denuclearization' strategy for N. Korea: FM Cho
7. Exclusive: US probes Korean American group seen as Seoul's proxy
8. Unification minister vows to reinstate suspended inter-Korean tension-reduction pact
9. North Korea-China trade dips to $205M in July but remains far above 2024 levels
10. Russia's missile salvoes stretch US defenses from Kyiv to Taipei
11. Lee calls for comprehensive security and economic cooperation with U.S. in meeting with visiting senators
12. North Korean aircraft appear to approach maritime border, prompting warnings
13. Lee calls for phased steps to implement existing inter-Korean pacts to restore ties with N. Korea
14. President Trump must not be persuaded by President Lee's views on 'respect' for the North Korean political system
1. U.S., South Korea kick off summertime joint military exercise
World News Aug. 18, 2025 / 6:05 AM
U.S., South Korea kick off summertime joint military exercise
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/08/18/korea-South-Korea-US-Ulchi-Freedom-Shield-joint-military-exercise-begins/4031755509434/
By Thomas Maresca
South Korean and U.S. forces kicked off their annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercise on Monday, amid efforts by Seoul to improve relations with North Korea. File Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo
SEOUL, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The United States and South Korea kicked off their annual summertime joint military exercise on Monday, amid efforts by Seoul to improve relations with North Korea.
The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which runs through Aug. 28, includes live field maneuvers, computer simulation-based command post exercises and related civil defense drills. Some 21,000 troops will be mobilized, including 18,000 South Korean personnel.
Pyongyang, which routinely condemns the allies' joint drills as rehearsals for an invasion, last week warned of "negative consequences" and held its own artillery firing contest.
The North will "strictly exercise the sovereign right of the DPRK at the level of the right to self-defense in a case of any provocation going beyond the boundary line," Defense Minister No Kwang Choi said in a statement.
Related
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.
The joint exercise comes as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung makes a push to improve inter-Korean relations.
In a speech Friday marking the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, Lee vowed to "respect" North Korea's political system and said Seoul would not pursue "unification by absorption."
"We have no intention of engaging in hostile acts," Lee said. "Going forward, our government will take consistent measures to substantially reduce tensions and restore trust."
Among the measures Lee has called for is the restoration of the 2018 inter-Korean military pact, which was suspended in 2024 amid growing hostility between Seoul and Pyongyang.
The pact established buffer zones along the border and included measures such as the removal of some guard posts in the DMZ and the banning of live-fire exercises in certain areas
At a Cabinet meeting Monday, Lee instructed relevant ministries to "prepare for a phased implementation of existing inter-Korean agreements, starting with those that are possible."
He also chaired a National Security Council meeting and emphasized that Ulchi Freedom Shield is defensive in nature, a presidential spokeswoman said.
The exercise is meant "to protect the lives and safety of our citizens and is not intended to attack North Korea or escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula." Lee said, according to spokeswoman Kang Yu-jung.
Seoul has already made conciliatory gestures since Lee took office in June, such as removing its propaganda loudspeakers from border areas and calling on activists to stop floating balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North.
Half of Ulchi Freedom Shield's 44 planned field training exercises have been rescheduled to next month, with U.S. military officials citing a heatwave and flooding damage to training areas as the primary reasons. Local media have reported that the move is also being made in an effort to avoid provoking the North.
A spokesman for Seoul's Defense Ministry said at a briefing on Monday that there were no plans to suspend live-fire drills near the de facto maritime border in the Yellow Sea, which has long been a source of dispute with Pyongyang.
2. Report: North Korea Sending 6,000 Troops, 100 Tanks to Russia (to Fight in Ukraine?)
Two different perspectives. Training on the Korean peninsula (ROK/US alliance) and "training" in RUssia/Ukraine.
Report: North Korea Sending 6,000 Troops, 100 Tanks to Russia (to Fight in Ukraine?)
nationalsecurityjournal.org · by Jack Buckby · August 18, 2025
Published
2 hours ago
M2020 Tank from North Korea. Image Credit: KCNA/North Korea State Media.
Published on August 18, 2025, 1:13 pm EDT – Key Points and Summary – Russia is solving its critical manpower shortage for the war in Ukraine by turning to North Korea for both soldiers and laborers.
Is North Korea sending More Aid to Russia for the Ukraine War?
Russia’s ties with the most isolated nation on earth are deepening, with news last week that North Korea (DPRK) will send 6,000 troops to Russia and as many as 100 tanks.
The news follows years of covert military support and exchanges between the two countries after Moscow failed to secure direct military assistance from Beijing when it became evident its “special military operation” in Ukraine would last longer than expected.
Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (HUR), told The Japan Times that Pyongyang plans to deploy around 6,000 military engineering personnel to Russia’s Kursk region in the coming months.
The plans were first revealed in mid-June, with reports suggesting that the personnel would be tasked with demining and conducting reconstruction work in Russia’s Kursk region – but Ukrainian officials believe that there may be other, more nefarious plans.
“Some of them may indeed be involved in demining and building fortifications, but will all of them be doing that?” Budanov asked.
The Ukrainian official also said that the plans involve the transfer of between 50 and 100 units of North Korean equipment, including M-2010 main battle tanks and BTR-80 armored personnel carriers.”
For Combat?
The suggestion is that, in conjunction with the provision of thousands of military personnel, those North Korean tanks and carriers could be used in combat operations against Ukraine.
Budanov also cited North Korea’s ongoing support for Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine as reason for concern, noting that 40% of the Russian army’s 122mm and 152mm ammunition is being manufactured in the country “around the clock.”
Combined with the hundreds of artillery systems, missiles, and multiple launch rocket systems sent in support of their campaign, it’s clear that North Korea is invested in the fight.
And for good reason.
In exchange for the support, Russia has reportedly assisted the DPRK with building new air defenses and an airborne early warning system to modernize the isolated country’s forces.
Russia is also reportedly providing North Korea with tanks fitted with modern electronic warfare systems, air-to-air missiles, and is said to have supported the construction of the 5,000-ton destroyer-class warship, Choe Hyon.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
3. Global South leaders share lessons on reconciliation at One Korea event
Excerpts:
Speakers drew parallels between ending decades-long conflicts in their own regions and the need for a phased, inclusive process in Korea, underscoring that reconciliation is built not only on treaties but also on social trust, economic integration, and a commitment to reducing inequalities.
The significance of these testimonies was amplified by the Global Peace Foundation's role in bringing them together under one inquiry: How can historical lessons of reconciliation guide a divided peninsula toward unity? Moderator Olinda Salguero offered a resonant closing: "The Global South is not only a witness to history; it is increasingly shaping our common future. Our histories show that division is not destiny. When we share knowledge, courage, and vision, we change the future for everyone."
World News Aug. 18, 2025 / 10:51 AM
Global South leaders share lessons on reconciliation at One Korea event
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/08/18/korea-perspective-Global-South-leaders-reunification/1531755528407/
By Mar Puig
Speaking at the International Support for a Free and Unified Korea forum, Mahuad and leaders from Latin America and Africa shared experiences of healing division. File Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- "We never had another shot fired," recalled former Ecuadorian President Jamil Mahuad, reflecting on the 1998 peace accord with Peru that ended nearly two centuries of conflict over a disputed border region. Speaking at the International Support for a Free and Unified Korea forum, Mahuad and leaders from Latin America and Africa shared experiences of healing division, offering a blueprint for reconciliation as Korea approached its 80th Liberation Day.
Korea's Liberation Day, marking the end of Japanese colonial rule in 1945, remains a potent reminder of the peninsula's enduring division. The anniversary has become a symbolic moment for advocates of reunification, highlighting both the challenges and the possibilities of building a shared future.
Hosted by the Global Peace Foundation, Action for Korea United, and the One Korea Foundation, the forum brought together participants from Asia and the Americas to Africa, with sessions ranging from environmental restoration to youth leadership strategies. At its heart, Roundtable Session II: The Role of Latin America in Supporting a Free and Unified Korea explored how civic cooperation across continents could help build lasting peace.
Mahuad, who brokered the Brasilia Peace Act on October 26, 1998, celebrated the accord as a transformative success. Partnered with Peru through shared economic interests rather than competition, he said: "We never had another shot fired, our economies became complementary, not competitive." He also recalled former U.S. President Jimmy Carter calling the Ecuador-Peru treaty "a model for solving other conflicts in the world."
Related
Former Guatemalan President Vinicio Cerezo, the architect behind the Esquipulas Peace Accords, spoke from the lens of survival and leadership. Guatemala's transition to democracy under his watch was turbulent, marked by civil war and multiple coup attempts.
"The Esquipulas Peace Accords taught us that peace is not the result of a single leader or a single moment, it is the outcome of dialogue, perseverance, and the courage to imagine a different future," he said, stressing that unification must be rooted in durable institutions and shared prosperity.
Kenyan lawmakers added contemporary perspectives rooted in lived realities. MP Agnes Pareiyo Matane, a trailblazer from the Maasai community, warned that peace remained elusive without equity.
"Without peace, there's no development, and when resources are not shared equally, communities are left behind," she said, citing gaps in access to water and education. MPs Ikana Frederick Lusuli and Duncan Maina Mathenge reinforced the need for governance that is inclusive and responsive to diverse communities.
Speakers drew parallels between ending decades-long conflicts in their own regions and the need for a phased, inclusive process in Korea, underscoring that reconciliation is built not only on treaties but also on social trust, economic integration, and a commitment to reducing inequalities.
The significance of these testimonies was amplified by the Global Peace Foundation's role in bringing them together under one inquiry: How can historical lessons of reconciliation guide a divided peninsula toward unity? Moderator Olinda Salguero offered a resonant closing: "The Global South is not only a witness to history; it is increasingly shaping our common future. Our histories show that division is not destiny. When we share knowledge, courage, and vision, we change the future for everyone."
4. Trump's indifference on NK-Russia military partnership unnerves South Korea
We have to conduct a superior political warfare strategy against the CRInK as a whole and against its members. We must not ignore their actions and threats.
Trump's indifference on NK-Russia military partnership unnerves South Korea - The Korea Times
The Korea Times · by ListenListenText SizePrint
U.S. President Donald Trump, right, looks on next to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a press conference in Anchorage, Alaska, following their meeting to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, Friday (local time). Reuters-Yonhap
By Lee Hyo-jin
- Published Aug 18, 2025 4:04 pm KST
The Korea Times · by ListenListenText SizePrint
By Lee Hyo-jin
Published Aug 18, 2025 4:04 pm KST
Seoul urged to raise NK troop deployment agenda at upcoming Lee-Trump summit
South Korea may have to brace for the possibility of U.S. President Donald Trump downplaying North Korea's troop deployment to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine, analysts warned Monday, as the U.S. leader courts closer ties with Moscow amid efforts to broker a peace deal to end the Ukraine war.
Analysts say Seoul should engage in careful diplomatic maneuvering at next week's summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Trump to secure U.S. assurances of a coordinated response to North Korea's military cooperation with Russia, which may outlast the ongoing war.
Lee is scheduled to have his first summit with Trump on Aug. 25, and security issues are expected to take center stage.
Following his rare summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday (local time), Trump signaled support for a peace framework that could allow Russia to consolidate its territorial gains in Ukraine. In doing so, he sidestepped Putin's accountability for war crimes, effectively restoring the Russian president's diplomatic standing on the international stage after years of isolation.
Analysts warn that Trump's conciliatory posture toward Putin could mean overlooking the presence of North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. Pyongyang and Moscow confirmed the troop deployment in April after months of silence.
"From Trump’s perspective, as he seeks to improve ties with Russia while signaling openness to dialogue with North Korea, raising the troop deployment issue would risk provoking both Moscow and Pyongyang," said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, noting that Trump is unlikely to press the issue publicly.
South Korean and U.S. officials have repeatedly voiced concerns that North Korea may be receiving economic aid or military technology for its missile programs from Russia in return for its troop deployment.
Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that in the process of ending the war in Ukraine, North Korea must not be rewarded for its wrongful actions, calling for a unified and stern response from the international community.
"In the peace negotiations between Moscow and Washington, the issue of North Korea's involvement in the war is likely to be sidelined," said Doo Jin-ho, head of the Eurasia Research Center at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.
"Of course, a lasting peace deal would require the withdrawal of North Korean troops from Russia, but the issue is being overshadowed by larger questions of Russia's territorial claims and security guarantees for Ukraine," he explained.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits the Liberation Tower, which honors Soviet troops, Friday, marking the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule, in this photo published by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. Yonhap
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits the Liberation Tower, which honors Soviet troops, Friday, marking the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule, in this photo published by the North's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. Yonhap
Doo stressed that the matter should be actively raised by the South Korean leader during the upcoming summit with Trump.
"While the talks are expected to focus on tariffs, alliance modernization and the role of U.S. Forces Korea, Seoul, as a U.S. ally, should secure clarity from Washington on the progress of U.S.-Russia negotiations and assurance on how to address North Korea's role in the war," he said.
However, even if North Korean troops eventually withdraw from Ukraine as part of the peace settlement, this not does not mean the Moscow-Pyongyang military partnership will end, as the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed by the two countries in June 2024 remains in effect.
The treaty includes a mutual military assistance clause, obligating both sides to come to each other's aid in the event of an attack. That provision leaves open the possibility of Russian intervention on the Korean Peninsula in the event of a military conflict.
"While North Korea may become less useful to Russia once the Ukraine war ends, Pyongyang will try to maintain the relationship by invoking the strategic partnership treaty," Park said.
Just days before the Trump-Putin summit, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Aug. 12 held a rare phone call with Putin, pledging to "remain faithful to the spirit of the mutual defense treaty."
It marked the first time North Korea disclosed details of its leader's conversation with a foreign counterpart.
5. Ex-FM Kang likely to be appointed as ambassador to US: sources
But who will be appointed the US ambassador to South Korea?
Ex-FM Kang likely to be appointed as ambassador to US: sources - The Korea Times
The Korea Times · by ListenListenText SizePrint
Former Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha delivers a special lecture at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Sept. 10, 2021, after being appointed a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the Graduate School of International Studies. Yonhap
By Yonhap
- Published Aug 18, 2025 11:53 pm KST
The Korea Times · by ListenListenText SizePrint
By Yonhap
Published Aug 18, 2025 11:53 pm KST
Former Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is likely to be soon appointed as Korea's top envoy to the United States, sources familiar with the issue said Monday.
If confirmed, Kang, who served as Korea's top diplomat from 2017 to 2021 under former President Moon Jae-in, will become the Lee Jae Myung administration's first ambassador to Washington.
"President Lee is soon likely to appoint ambassadors to the United States, Japan, China and Russia," a ruling bloc official told Yonhap News Agency by phone. "Among these countries, I understand some have begun (appointment) procedures."
A government official said Kang was being considered as the top candidate for ambassador to the U.S.
Separately, Lee Hyuk, Seoul's former top envoy to Vietnam, has been mentioned as a strong candidate for ambassador to Japan.
The presidential office said that nominees for the U.S. and Japan have been selected, adding that the announcement will be made once diplomatic consultations with the respective countries are completed.
The move comes as Lee will visit Japan on Saturday for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba before traveling to Washington for his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump on Aug. 25.
6. S. Korea to devise 'phased denuclearization' strategy for N. Korea: FM Cho
So the South will base its strategy on a false and wholly erroneous assumption: i.e., that Kim Jong Un is willing to negotiate away his nuclear program and that he will go quietly into the night without nuclear weapons.
With such an assumption, President Lee is ceding the political warfare fight to KJU. And this is exactly what KJU wants so that he can undermine the ROK and the ROK/US alliance.
(LEAD) S. Korea to devise 'phased denuclearization' strategy for N. Korea: FM Cho | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · August 18, 2025
(ATTN: UPDATES with more remarks in last 3 paras)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Monday that South Korea will craft a "phased denuclearization" strategy for North Korea, moving in sequence from "freeze to reduction to dismantlement," and seek inter-Korean dialogue in parallel with nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington.
Cho made the remarks at the start of a parliamentary session on foreign affairs and unification issues, stressing that these plans will be carried out in close coordination with the United States.
"Based on close coordination between the two countries, we will create conditions for dialogue on North Korean nuclear issues and seek to resume inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. talks," Cho said in the opening remarks.
"Based on this, we will develop a phased denuclearization strategy and implementation plans, moving from freeze to reduction to dismantlement. ... Should dialogue advance, we will pursue inter-Korean talks and North Korea-U.S. (nuclear) negotiations in parallel," he said.
Cho said in that way, the government hopes to create conditions in which the denuclearization process and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula can "propel each other forward."
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun delivers remarks during a National Assembly session of the foreign affairs and unification committee at the National Assembly building in western Seoul on Aug. 18, 2025. (Yonhap)
The government will also seek "constructive" roles from neighboring countries, including China and Russia, in the denuclearization process, he said.
Cho's remarks came after Lee reaffirmed his pledge to restore ties and trust with the North during his Liberation Day speech Friday, saying the South will respect the North's current regime and that it will never seek any form of unification by absorption.
In a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day, Lee said the government will take phased steps to reduce cross-border tensions, including reviving the 2018 military tension reduction pact with Pyongyang.
Ahead of Lee's forthcoming visit to Washington, Cho underscored that the government will work to advance the alliance with the U.S. into a "strategic and comprehensive" one toward the future.
"We will pursue the modernization of our alliance in a future-oriented way amid the changing security environment," Cho said.
He also vowed full support to ensure the smooth implementation of follow-up measures to the tariff agreement with the U.S.
"While enhancing cooperation not only in strategic industries, such as shipbuilding, semiconductors and nuclear power, (we will also expand cooperation) in economic security and advanced technologies," he said.
Cho reiterated his commitment to advancing bilateral relations with Japan and strengthening the trilateral partnership with Tokyo and Washington.
During the session, Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon of the People Power Party voiced opposition to U.S. Forces Korea's (USFK) involvement in a possible Taiwan contingency, urging that the issue not be brought up at next week's summit.
Cho said such efforts were under way to that effect, while denying that talks with the U.S. were taking place under the premise that Seoul could agree to the mobilization of USFK troops and equipment for a Taiwan contingency.
Asked by Rep. Kim Joon-hyung of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party about South Korea's possible involvement in such a contingency, Cho said no country should attempt to abruptly change the status quo for the sake of peace and stability in East Asia.
elly@yna.co.kr
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · August 18, 2025
7. Exclusive: US probes Korean American group seen as Seoul's proxy
This organization has been lobbying hard for an end of war declaration and appeasement of north Korea.
Exclusive: US probes Korean American group seen as Seoul's proxy
Justice Department inquiry casts doubt on efforts to promote an end-of-war declaration on the Korean Peninsula
https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/08/19/PZKKCE25ZNEZNKPQZ6IJQ3HYW4/
By Kim Eun-joong (Washington),
Park Su-hyeon
Published 2025.08.18. 18:04
The U.S. Justice Department has opened a preliminary inquiry into whether a Korean American advocacy group violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by advancing Seoul’s policy agenda in Washington without registering as a foreign agent.
The organization, the Korean American Public Action Committee (KAPAC), has pressed for legislation that would declare a formal end to the Korean War, establish U.S.–North Korea liaison offices, and lay the groundwork for a permanent peace treaty. Its campaign, however, has come under scrutiny following allegations that KAPAC—led by businessman Choi Kwang-chul, a former foreign policy adviser to President Lee Jae-myung during his presidential bid—operated as a de facto proxy for the South Korean government without the required disclosure.
According to individuals familiar with the matter, a formal complaint was filed with the Justice Department on Aug. 13, urging an investigation into whether KAPAC coordinated political activity in the United States on behalf of Lee’s administration. The FBI has reportedly received a similar submission.
KAPAC’s profile has been most visible on Capitol Hill. In late July, the group hosted an event promoting the so-called End-of-War Act, featuring Representative Brad Sherman, a California Democrat and outspoken Trump critic, alongside three lawmakers from South Korea’s Democratic Party. At the event, Representative Kim Young-bae, a senior member of the National Assembly’s foreign affairs committee, presented the Lee government’s “pragmatic diplomacy,” a move that critics argue blurred the line between diaspora advocacy and official state promotion.
Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., speaks during an event on the “End-of-War Act” hosted by the Korean American Public Action Committee (KAPAC) at the U.S. Capitol on July 23, 2025. Three lawmakers from South Korea’s Democratic Party also attended./Yonhap
The complaint also underscored Choi’s dual role. On May 13, just before the presidential election, he was appointed by Lee as a senior adviser on foreign and security affairs. Simultaneously, KAPAC solicited donations from overseas residents through PayPal and credit cards. While foreign contributions do not automatically violate FARA, their use to influence U.S. policy in coordination with a foreign government could expose the group to liability.
Adding to the suspicion, KAPAC has reportedly lobbied Seoul to award a state honor to Congressman Sherman, who has introduced end-of-war legislation in three consecutive Congresses. On Aug. 14, the Justice Department confirmed to The Chosun Ilbo that it was reviewing the complaint to assess whether KAPAC’s activities fall under FARA.
Enacted in 1938, FARA has in recent years been enforced with growing vigor. Last year, federal prosecutors indicted Sue Mi Terry, a Korea specialist formerly at the Council on Foreign Relations, for failing to register as a foreign agent while conducting work allegedly tied to Seoul. U.S. authorities have also compelled several Korea-focused think tanks and exchange groups—including the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) and the Korea Inter-Parliamentary Exchange Center (KIPEC)—to register as foreign agents due to financial support from South Korean government entities. Even the Korea Foundation, a flagship public diplomacy arm of Seoul’s Foreign Ministry, has faced mounting pressure to comply.
8. Unification minister vows to reinstate suspended inter-Korean tension-reduction pact
Continuing to play into KJU hands. The Unification Minister is handing him another success in his political warfare strategy. In 2018 I am sure KJU did not envision that he could make this agreement work for him twice.
Unification minister vows to reinstate suspended inter-Korean tension-reduction pact | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · August 18, 2025
SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Monday the government seeks to reinstate a suspended 2018 inter-Korean pact, aimed at reducing military tensions, in an effort to build trust with Pyongyang.
Chung made the remarks during a parliamentary session of the foreign affairs and unification committee, echoing President Lee Jae Myung's pledge in his Liberation Day speech last week to take phased steps to reinstate the so-called Sep. 19 military pact with the North.
The pact was signed under the liberal administration of former President Moon Jae-in and was primarily aimed at halting provocative military actions by both sides along the tense inter-Korean border.
In response to the North's military reconnaissance satellite launch in 2023, the following Yoon Suk Yeol administration partially suspended the pact before halting it completely in June last year, citing provocations from Pyongyang. The North has also renounced the pact.
"While thoroughly managing the relevant situation, the government plans to build military trust (with North Korea) through measures including the phased reinstatement of inter-Korean military communication and the Sep.19 military agreement," the unification minister told the parliamentary committee.
The minister, however, assessed that Seoul may need more time before dialogue with North Korea becomes possible.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to the National Assembly's foreign affairs and unification committee in Seoul on Aug. 18, 2025. (Yonhap)
pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · August 18, 2025
9. North Korea-China trade dips to $205M in July but remains far above 2024 levels
Charts and graphs at the link.
North Korea-China trade dips to $205M in July but remains far above 2024 levels
Both imports and exports see significant year-on-year growth in latest sign of improved commercial ties
https://www.nknews.org/2025/08/north-korea-china-trade-dips-to-205m-in-july-but-remains-far-above-2024-levels/
Dave Yin August 18, 2025
A man carries bottles during a North Korean trade fair in 2019 | Image: NK News
North Korea’s trade with China jumped 32% year-on-year in July to $205.2 million, new customs data shows, maintaining double-digit growth throughout this year amid signs of improvement in both bilateral relations and cross-border commerce.
The total trade volume last month was the second-lowest of the year after the $121.8 million worth of trade in February, a month that typically sees depressed volumes due to the Lunar New Year holiday, according to NK News analysis of official data from China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC) released Monday.
Nevertheless, both imports and exports saw significant on-year growth in July.
Trade from January to July totaled $1.47 billion, representing a 32% increase from the same period last year and a staggering 71% increase from the same period in 2023.
The increase was fueled primarily by DPRK imports from China, which reached $170.5 million last month, growing 33.5% compared to July last year but lower than June’s $189 million.
Meanwhile, North Korea’s exports to China in July grew some 24% year-on-year to $34.8 million, nearly double 2023 levels. Total exports from January to July reached $245.1 million, growing 24% year-on-year.
Peter Ward, a research fellow at the Sejong Institute, told NK News that there is “no doubt” that a revival in China-DPRK trade is underway, voicing expectations for this year’s growth trend to continue.
Trade between China and North Korea totaled $2.2 billion in 2024 amid evidence of frosty Beijing-Pyongyang ties. The number was just shy of 2023 levels and well below the pre-pandemic peak of $2.8 billion in 2019.
This year, a series of signs — including double-digit growth in overall bilateral trade, expansions in trade hubs along the two countries’ border, high-level diplomatic exchanges and increased coverage of the DPRK in Chinese state media — have pointed to efforts to bolster relations.
Meanwhile, Chinese companies have begun openly promoting investment in the DPRK, advertising business trips to the country and products that can be imported from across the border, hinting at China’s renewed interest in engaging in prohibited trade with the neighboring state.
Chinese customs authorities are expected to release detailed line-item data later this week.
Edited by Bryan Betts
10. Russia's missile salvoes stretch US defenses from Kyiv to Taipei
But one positive aspect is that perhaps we can learn from these experiences and apply them to Korea. But missile defense is an expensive "business." Like terrorism you have to defend against all the threats (you have to be right all the time), but the bad guys just have to be successful once to achieve potential strategic effects. The prioritization of defense with high demand, low density assets has to be one of our most difficult challenges.
Russia's missile salvoes stretch US defenses from Kyiv to Taipei - Asia Times
Flagging missile defenses no longer just a Ukraine war problem but a global stress test of US strategy and capability
asiatimes.com · by Gabriel Honrada · August 18, 2025
Russia’s missiles are outpacing Ukraine’s defenses—and the implications reach well beyond Europe. From South Korea to Taiwan, the US and its allies face the same looming test: intercepting smarter, faster salvos before magazines run dry.
That picture is already visible in Ukraine, where the US Special Inspector General’s latest quarterly report says Kyiv is struggling to stop Russian ballistic missiles because Moscow has adapted its missile tactics in ways that strain Western-supplied air defense systems.
The Special Inspector General’s report notes that Russia has incorporated trajectory-shifting capabilities and mid-course maneuvering into its missiles, preventing them from flying along traditional, predictable arcs that systems like the US-made Patriot are designed to intercept.
Those adaptations have coincided with sharply worse outcomes. In a June 28 attack, Ukrainian forces shot down only one of seven incoming ballistic missiles, while during a massed July 9 strike—the largest since the war began—Ukraine managed to down or suppress just seven of 13 ballistic missiles, according to the same Inspector General report.
The battlefield math is compounded by saturation tactics: hundreds of drones and missiles launched in overlapping waves, forcing Ukraine to spread already limited interceptors thin. Ukrainian defenses, though bolstered by Western deliveries, remain insufficient in scale, and pauses in US assistance have further weakened readiness.
The inability to consistently intercept maneuvering ballistic missiles carries broader consequences. Those lessons resonate in the Indo-Pacific, where North Korea and China are integrating similar technologies into their arsenals, suggesting that Ukraine’s struggles foreshadow what US allies such as South Korea, Japan or Taiwan might face in a barrage.
North Korea may be an indirect beneficiary of Russia’s campaign. Starting in December 2023, Russia has fired North Korean ballistic missiles at Ukraine, with the accuracy of those systems improving from one–three kilometers to 50–100 meters Circular Error Probable (CEP) in February 2025.
The contours of that threat were sketched out earlier. Stéphane Delory and others note in a 2022 report for the Hague Code of Conduct (HCoC) against the Proliferation of Ballistic Missiles that the KN-23, KN-24, and KN-25 give North Korea a formidable short-range strike arsenal designed with defense penetration in mind.
Delory and others note that the KN-23 and KN-24 employ quasi-ballistic flight paths and skipping maneuvers, allowing erratic terminal-phase changes that complicate interception, while the KN-25 can fly at low trajectories to reduce exposure to defenses.
At the same time, they note North Korea has expanded its production infrastructure, including facilities for solid propellants and transporter-erector-launchers (TEL), giving it the capacity to manufacture and field these systems at scale.
The combination of maneuverability and mass production creates a credible saturation threat, with the potential to overwhelm the limited interceptor inventories available to Seoul and Tokyo in a crisis.
Taiwan faces a similar problem, with the added factor that China—whose economy is many times larger than those of Russia and North Korea—could deploy more advanced missile types and in greater quantities than either.
Noting Taiwan’s significant missile defense gaps, Tianran Xu mentions in an April 2025 Open Nuclear Network report that despite operating 21 Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC) and Tien Kung batteries, Taipei faces a severe interceptor shortfall, with only ~380 PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) missiles and limited PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) deliveries expected by 2026.
Xu contrasts this shortfall by saying that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fields over 900 short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM), air-launched ballistic missiles (ALBM), and hundreds of guided rockets, overwhelming Taipei’s ability to sustain layered defense.
He also points out that the dual-use of surface-to-air missiles (SAM) against both aircraft and missiles strains stockpiles, while reliance on high-value interceptors for low-cost threats accelerates depletion.
US missile-defense units—overstretched and undersupplied—could be hard-pressed to defend US bases in South Korea and Japan, and current production rates may be insufficient to prepare Taiwan to stand up to a concerted effort to exhaust its defenses under blockade.
The War Zone (TWZ) mentions in July 2025 that the US Army’s Patriot force is critically overstretched, with only 14 deployable battalions strained by prolonged global deployments, including a 500-day rotation in CENTCOM.
TWZ notes this thin distribution leaves just three battalions assigned to the Indo-Pacific, raising strategic concerns should conflict erupt with China or North Korea.
It also states that the recent redeployment of a Patriot unit from the Pacific to Qatar underscores the vulnerability of US forces in South Korea and Japan, where layered missile defense is vital.
Industrial capacity is not keeping pace with demand. Business Insider reports this month that while US manufacturing is ramping rapidly—with Lockheed Martin expected to surpass 600 PAC-3 MSE interceptors this year and Raytheon increasing output of PAC-2 and Guidance Enhanced Missile (GEM-T)—global demand remains relentless, fueled by growing threats from Russia, Iran, and China.
Business Insider points out that despite industry investments and expanded supply chains, production timelines lag operational needs. The report warns that even if projected output increases to 1,130 interceptors by 2027, it may fall short in a high-intensity conflict.
Near term, Washington could still push for greater allied self-sufficiency by easing export controls, expanding licensing, and selectively sharing technology rather than relying exclusively on US-made Patriots.
Japan’s Type 03 Chu-SAM is the most realistic candidate for scaling, as US financing and access to critical subsystems would accelerate an already mature, indigenous program.
South Korea’s KM-SAM could benefit from targeted cooperation, though Seoul’s preference for autonomy and industrial competition with US firms may limit the depth of collaboration.
Taiwan’s Tien Kung, by contrast, is far more constrained by political sensitivities with China, making discreet US component support more plausible than overt funding or technology transfer.
Washington and its allies are also pursuing alternatives that could ease the arithmetic of defense. The US and its partners are accelerating the development of directed-energy weapons such as lasers and high-power microwaves, while railguns could also help address interceptor shortages, but adoption will depend on how quickly weight, power, cooling, durability, and cost issues are resolved.
Even if those hurdles are cleared, such systems would not arrive as a silver bullet. They would enter mixed defensive networks that still depend on kinetic interceptors for many targets, and any transition would have to be paced against mounting operational demands.
The convergence of missile threats in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific shows that no theater exists in isolation. Missile adaptations tested in Ukraine echo in North Korea’s barrages and point toward China’s far larger and more sophisticated arsenal, while US forces juggle finite interceptors across three fronts. Missile defense is no longer a regional problem but a global stress test of US strategy.
Unless Washington moves decisively to expand production, build allied capacity and advance technological solutions, adversaries will keep exploiting seams between these conflicts — stretching US defenses toward a breaking point.
asiatimes.com · by Gabriel Honrada · August 18, 2025
11. Lee calls for comprehensive security and economic cooperation with U.S. in meeting with visiting senators
From a security perspective we must align our assumptions about the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime (as well as the CCP in China). I fear we are not on the same page in regards to KJU's political warfare and blackmail diplomacy and the end state objective he seeks: e.g., domination of the peninsula to ensure his survival.
Monday
August 18, 2025
dictionary + A - A
Lee calls for comprehensive security and economic cooperation with U.S. in meeting with visiting senators
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-08-18/national/politics/Lee-calls-for-comprehensive-security-and-economic-cooperation-with-US-in-meeting-with-visiting-senators/2378322
Published: 18 Aug. 2025, 20:13
President Lee Jae Myung, front row center, poses for a photo after a meeting with U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, front row left, and Sen. Andy Kim, front row right, at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Aug. 18. They are joined by Joseph Yun, acting U.S. ambassador to Korea, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and other aides and officials. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]
President Lee Jae Myung called for comprehensive cooperation in security and economic matters between Seoul and Washington to a delegation of U.S. senators visiting the presidential office in Seoul Monday as the United States eyes ways to tap into shipbuilding industry expertise from its allies.
In his meeting with Sen. Andy Kim, a Democrat of New Jersey, and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat of Illinois, Lee said that the bilateral "blood alliance" should continue to develop into a "future-oriented comprehensive strategic alliance" not only in security but also in economic and advanced science and technology sectors, the presidential office said in a statement.
Lee asked Congress to play a key role in advancing such efforts, and the senators reaffirmed bipartisan congressional support for an ironclad bilateral alliance, the office said.
The senators began on Sunday an East Asia tour, which will also take them to Japan. The trip is expected to include meetings with top shipbuilders in the region as the United States takes on China's shipbuilding prowess.
The visit comes a week before Lee's planned summit with U.S. President Donald Trump next Monday, an occasion to follow up on the details of the trade agreement and also discuss security and defense matters shaping the future of the alliance.
Lee conveyed his anticipation for the upcoming visit to the United States and his first meeting with Trump, expressing hopes that it will lead to "practical outcomes" in areas including shipbuilding cooperation.
Related Article
The senators shared that there are high expectations in the United States for cooperation with Korea as a global economic powerhouse and leader in advanced technology innovation, Lee's office said, and stressed that Congress will do its part to help achieve tangible results in various sectors going forward.
They also exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the region, and agreed on the importance of continued dialogue and engagement, based on a strong alliance and close coordination.
The senators, during their visit, are set to meet with Korean officials, lawmakers and industry leaders to seek ways to strengthen shipbuilding cooperation to boost U.S. capabilities and discuss other alliance and security matters.
Kim, who has previously served on the White House National Security Council, became the first Korean American elected to the Senate in November last year.
Duckworth, a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel who lost both legs while serving in Iraq as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot, is on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back, left, speaks with U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth at the Defense Ministry in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Aug. 18. [DEFENSE MINISTRY]
Earlier Monday, Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back met with Sen. Duckworth at the Defense Ministry in Yongsan District, central Seoul, and the two sides agreed that Korea and the United States should further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in shipbuilding, MRO, or maintenance, repair and overhaul, and the defense industry.
Ahn asked for the Congress's continued interest in "further strengthening the combined defense posture and enhancing extended deterrence capabilities," Seoul's Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.
Duckworth reaffirmed Washington's commitment to American troops stationed in Korea, noting that the U.S. Forces Korea remains a "cornerstone of deterrence" against North Korea and of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said, and pledged active support to sustain their role here.
In a separate meeting, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik asked Sen. Kim for his assistance in ensuring the success of the first Korea-U.S. summit since the Lee administration took office.
Woo's office said that the U.S. lawmakers were visiting Korea to elaborate on plans for cooperation between the Korean and U.S. shipbuilding industries.
The speaker emphasized the need to ensure the stable operations of Korean companies operating in the United States, in conjunction with the bilateral tariff negotiations, his office said.
"While bilateral tariff negotiations have concluded, and much uncertainty has been alleviated, I ask for the U.S. Congress's continued support to ensure our companies can operate more stably," Woo said at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul.
Kim, in turn, pledged to support the holding of a successful first summit between Lee and Trump, calling it crucial for comprehensive global economic security, the speaker's office said.
Kim went on to stress that the security partnership between the two countries is stronger than ever, calling for continued investment in security commitments amid global challenges.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, right, shakes hands with U.S. Sen. Andy Kim at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Aug. 18. [YONHAP]
Korea has pushed for a $150 billion shipbuilding initiative dubbed MASGA, or "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again," through its latest trade agreement with the United States. Seoul credits the project, meant to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry, as a major factor that led to the two countries finalizing a tariff deal ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline, in turn leading to the first Lee-Trump summit.
The United States agreed to lower the reciprocal tariff from the proposed 25 percent to 15 percent in return for Korea's $350 billion investments, including the shipbuilding industry, in a comprehensive project encompassing the construction of new shipyards in the United States, personnel training, vessel construction and maintenance, repair and operations.
The senators are looking to examine the possibilities of forming joint ventures to construct and repair noncombatant vessels for the U.S. Navy in the Indo-Pacific and bring investments to U.S. shipyards, the AP reported Sunday.
Duckworth told the AP that the United States has "fewer capacity now" than it did during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, noting that its remaining capacity is "aging and breaking down and taking longer and more expensive to fix" and calling to "rebuild the capacity.
Trump, in turn, has been keen on reviving U.S. shipyards through cooperation with allied countries. The Pentagon seeks to allocate $47 billion for shipbuilding in its annual budget.
BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
12. North Korean aircraft appear to approach maritime border, prompting warnings
The regime needs tensions to remain high to justify the suffering and sacrifices of the Korean people in the north. This is from KJU's internal "stability playbook."
The probes also have the benefit of testing ROK/US alliance defenses and responses. They also may seek to make these kinds of actions "routine" to desensitize the military and intelligence community. One of these days they may not turn around.
North Korean aircraft appear to approach maritime border, prompting warnings
Radio broadcast analyzed by NK News orders unidentified aircraft to ‘move north’ on same day as US-ROK joint drills
https://www.nknews.org/2025/08/north-korean-aircraft-appear-to-approach-maritime-border-prompting-warnings/
Jooheon Kim August 18, 2025
North Korea lies in the distance off the coast of South Korea's Baengnyeong Island, Oct. 2021 | Image: NK News
One or more unidentified aircraft appear to have approached the inter-Korean maritime border from the North Korean side on Monday, prompting repeated warnings.
The activity by the apparent North Korean aircraft came on the same day as U.S. and ROK forces kicked off annual joint military drills, which Pyongyang has condemned as a “direct military provocation.”
In a message broadcast late Monday morning, a speaker who identifies themselves as a member of the Sixth Marine Brigade’s air defense operations control center warns aircraft approaching the inter-Korean maritime border to immediately move north, according to a marine radio transmission analyzed by NK News.
The Sixth Marine Brigade is based on South Korea’s westernmost Baengnyeong Island, right on the DPRK’s doorstep, and the fact that warning directs aircraft to move north suggests they came from North Korean airspace.
However, NK News could not confirm the authenticity of the apparent Sixth Marine Brigade warning.
Seoul’s Ministry of National Defense declined to comment on the incident. “This involves operational and military matters, so it’s not something we can confirm or comment on,” a defense ministry official said.
The Korea Coast Guard claimed the military did not make any broadcasts. “We even called a military unit to check everything. There hasn’t been a single case since last week where an approaching aircraft from the north was told to turn back north, or a fishing boat was told to head back north,” the police official said.
The official explained that the ROK military always notifies the coast guard if a military aircraft approaches near the border, but said they probably wouldn’t notify them if it’s a civilian aircraft.
He added that the military would also inform the coast guard if a Chinese fishing vessel approaches the border, while handling initial responses to North Korean military or fishing vessels.
Koo Jong-soo, a professor of military studies at Tongmyong University and a former ROK navy officer, said he hasn’t personally seen aircraft come that close very often but noted that there have been occasions when vessels approached the border.
“We broadcast warnings in Chinese for Chinese boats crossing the line,” he said, noting that Korean-language warnings are used when North Korean vessels approach.
Koo, who previously served on Baengnyeong Island, explained that radio broadcasts from the mainland often don’t reach aircraft or vessels near the Northern Limit Line (NLL). “That’s why fast patrol boats from the Coast Guard stationed in the area issue warnings directly on site,” he said.
He also noted that Chinese fishing boats frequently operate near Baengnyeong Island and Yeonpyeong Island, taking advantage of restricted movement between the North and South Korean militaries. “They exploit the situation to enter the waters and fish, knowing both sides are limited in how close they can get to each other,” he said.
The ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff previously announced that the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise with the U.S. would take place from Aug. 18 to 28. But the allies later postponed some of the military drills to September, citing hot weather on the peninsula.
Some critics have interpreted the move as a possible gesture to North Korea, following a suggestion by South Korean’s unification minister to scale down the exercises to facilitate engagement.
North Korea has condemned the exercises and warned of countermeasures if “the boundary line” is crossed.
Edited by Alannah Hill
13. Lee calls for phased steps to implement existing inter-Korean pacts to restore ties with N. Korea
Instead of implementing existing inter-Korea pacts, the alliance should be executing a superior political warfare strategy. Here is my "Two plus Three"proposal.
––Key strategic assumption is that Kim will never negotiate away his nuclear weapons.
––The United States has failed to achieve denuclearization in North Korea for four decades, and a new approach is needed that includes a new focus on human rights and the pursuit of a free and unified Korea.
––Four paths to unification are: war, regime collapse, peaceful unification, and regime transformation. The U.S. (along with South Korea) should support regime transformation by the Korea people in the north as the optimal path to peaceful unification.
–– The long term “Two Plus Three strategy” of the U.S. must rest on these two traditional efforts:
(1) the foundation of military deterrence To Prevent War as the vital US national interest and;
(2) “strategic strangulation” – the well-executed use of sanctions and all instruments of national power to prevent weapons proliferation, cyber-attacks, and global illicit activities to support the regime.
––The radical new strategy must consist of three pillars to support the Korean people in the north to create the conditions for change inside north Korea:
(1) a human rights upfront approach (emphasizing the fundamental human right of self-determination of government per the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights);
(2) an information and influence campaign to inform and educate the Korean people in the north about their human rights and provide them practical knowledge for how to take collective action and create the conditions for change;
3) support to the Korean people on both sides of the DMZ as they seek to solve the Korean question and establish a free and unified Korea, a new nation, a United Republic of Korea (ROK).
–– The only way we are going to see an end to the nuclear program, military threats, and the crimes against humanity 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, free market principles, and human rights as determined by the Korean people: A free and unified Korea or in short, a United Republic of Korea (U-ROK). Again, Kim can change or be changed.
(2nd LD) Lee calls for phased steps to implement existing inter-Korean pacts to restore ties with N. Korea | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · August 18, 2025
(ATTN: ADDS details from NSC meeting in paras 11-12)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung on Monday called for taking steps where necessary to implement existing inter-Korean agreements, days after he reaffirmed his pledge to restore ties and trust with North Korea, including reviving the 2018 military tension reduction pact.
"True security lies in safeguarding peace. What we need now is the courage to steadily take steps to ease tensions while firmly maintaining an ironclad defense posture," Lee said during a Cabinet meeting.
"I ask the relevant ministries to prepare for a phased implementation of existing inter-Korean agreements, starting with those where possible," Lee said.
His remarks came after he reinforced in his Liberation Day address that his government will take measures to reduce tensions and restore trust with Pyongyang.
Lee said the South under his leadership will respect the North's current system and that it will not pursue any form of unification by absorption.
He also said that Seoul will take "proactive, gradual steps" to restore the Sept. 19 military agreement, signed between the two sides in 2018 to reduce border tensions.
President Lee Jae Myung presides over a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on Aug. 18, 2025. (Yonhap)
"If small, practical steps pile up like pebbles, mutual trust will be restored. The path to peace will widen, and a foundation will be laid for South and North Korea to grow together," Lee said.
"Amid a rapidly changing external environment, inter-Korean relations are vital to protecting our national interests and expanding room for diplomacy," he added.
Regarding a four-day civil defense exercise that kicked off Monday, Lee instructed officials to ensure the drill will be "effective and practical."
The exercise is being held alongside the annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise between South Korea and the United States, set for an 11-day run.
Presiding over a National Security Council meeting, Lee stressed that the Ulchi civil defense exercise is not aimed at contingencies against North Korea or at heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters.
"The president repeatedly said that the fundamental purpose of this exercise is to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula and protect the lives and safety of our people," Kang said.
Lee also mentioned the popularity of the Netflix animation film "Kpop Demon Hunters," describing it as a K-culture model serving as a "new driving force" for national strength.
"We need to step up our efforts to make Korea a global leader in K-culture," Lee said. "Based on the principle of supporting without interfering, I ask the relevant ministries to come up with comprehensive measures, from strategies to expand K-content globally to boosting infrastructure for K-pop and related facilities."
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Seung-yeon · August 18, 2025
14. President Trump must not be persuaded by President Lee's views on 'respect' for the North Korean political system
My views on the upcoming summit and President Lee's recent troubling comments.
World News Aug. 18, 2025 / 8:42 AM
President Trump must not be persuaded by President Lee's views on 'respect' for the North Korean political system
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/08/18/korea-perspective-Trump-Lee-meeting/7141755520168/
By David Maxwell
David Maxwell urges U.S. President Donald Trump not to be swayed by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's stance on "respect" for North Korea's political system. File Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 18 (UPI) -- President Trump, as you sit down with President Lee Jae Myung on Aug. 25, you must not be swayed by his dangerously naive stance on "respect" for North Korea's political system. I say this not as a politician or a pundit, but as a soldier and practitioner/strategist who has spent his life confronting the nature of authoritarian regimes and understanding what it takes to resist them. President Lee's position, that South Korea should affirm "respect" for the North's totalitarian system and renounce unification by absorption, is not only strategically misguided but also morally bankrupt. It plays directly into Kim Jong Un's political warfare playbook, undermines the very purpose of the ROK/U.S. alliance, and sends a chilling message to 25 million oppressed Koreans living under tyranny.
Let's be crystal clear: North Korea (with its Workers Party of Korea) is not a legitimate political system (which is why many of us write "north" in the lower case, though our editors often correct this). It is not a state that deserves our diplomatic courtesies or rhetorical deference. It is a mafia-like crime family cult masquerading as a government. It is a totalitarian regime that has committed, and continues to commit, crimes against humanity, as documented exhaustively in the 2014 United Nations Commission of Inquiry report. These are not allegations. They are facts backed by satellite images, eyewitness testimony, and escapee accounts. We are talking about gulags, torture chambers, public executions, and enforced starvation. To "respect" such a system is to betray the Korean people in the North who suffer daily under its jackboot.
President Lee's argument is that by affirming respect and renouncing absorption, he can create space for inter-Korean dialogue and reduce tensions. But this is a fantasy built on hope, not strategy. The Kim family regime does not seek coexistence. It seeks domination. It does not want peace. It wants submission. It does not seek reconciliation. It seeks leverage. Every time a South Korean leader or American president makes conciliatory gestures without demanding reciprocal action, Kim Jong Un sees it not as good faith, but as weakness. He exploits it to gain legitimacy, extract economic concessions, and drive wedges into our alliance.
President Lee says he is not seeking unification by absorption. Fine. But he also says he "respects" the North's political system. That is where the real danger lies. Because the more we normalize the abnormal, the more we embolden the regime to harden its rule. What the Korean people in the North deserve is not the international community's respect for their captors, but solidarity with their longing for liberation. They deserve a unified Korea, not by force, but by freedom. That is not absorption. That is self-determination.
Related
President Trump, you know what it means to negotiate from a position of strength. You know how dangerous it is to give away leverage before the other side has made a single concession. Do not allow your personal rapport with Kim Jong Un, or your desire for a legacy-defining deal, to cloud your judgment. You called Kim "rocket man" before you exchanged "love letters." But love letters won't free the Korean people, and respect for the regime won't bring peace.
President Lee's gestures, halting propaganda broadcasts, telling activists to stop sending leaflets and restoring the 2018 military agreement, may seem like confidence-building measures. But without reciprocity, they are simply appeasement. Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un's sister and a key regime mouthpiece, has already dismissed Lee's outreach as a "pipe dream." That should tell us everything we need to know about Pyongyang's intentions.
The ROK/U.S. alliance must remain grounded in shared values, freedom and liberty, human rights, and the rule of law. Any strategy that begins by legitimizing the enemy's political system undermines those very values. You would never "respect" ISIS's caliphate or al-Qaeda's ideology. Why offer respect to a regime that systematically enslaves its own people and threatens nuclear war?
To be clear, no one is advocating war. We are advocating clarity of purpose and unity of message. Our strategic objective must remain what it has always been: the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula under a liberal democratic system that guarantees the rights and dignity of all Koreans. That does not require invasion. It requires principled resistance to tyranny and a long-term strategy to support internal change, what some might call a Korean-led, values-based unification.
You have the power to set the tone for this summit. Do not give Kim Jong Un the propaganda victory of seeing the leader of the free world align with a South Korean president who chooses appeasement over accountability. Instead, reaffirm the alliance's moral foundation. Remember the image of Ji Seung Ho holding up his crutches at your first State of the Union address to inspire all of us with his escape from the North. Speak directly to the Korean people in the North: We have not forgotten you. We will not abandon you. We do not "respect" your oppressors. We believe in your future.
Mr. President, history will remember what you say in that room with President Lee. Will you echo his message of concession? Or will you stand firm on the principles that made America great and the alliance strong?
I urge you, do not be persuaded by words that excuse oppression. Instead, speak truth. And let that truth be a beacon to all Koreans, North and South, who still believe in freedom.
David Maxwell is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces colonel who has spent more than 30 years in the Asia Pacific region. He specializes in Northeast Asian security affairs and irregular, unconventional and political warfare. He is vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy and a senior fellow at the Global Peace Foundation. After he retired, he became associate director of the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University. He is on the board of directors of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea and the OSS Society and is the editor at large for the Small Wars Journal.
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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