Quotes of the Day:

"Government is instituted for the common good: for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men."

– John Adams

Thomas Friedman defines information arbitrage in the context of globalization as the ability to leverage information from various dimensions to gain a comprehensive understanding of global dynamics. This multi-dimensional approach allows him to see the interconnectedness of global events and trends, thereby performing information arbitrage by synthesizing information across these varied dimensions to provide deeper insights into globalization. Friedman's "6-D" concept refers to the six dimensions he believes are essential for understanding the complexities of globalization. In his book Friedman describes how he evolved from a "2-D" journalist, focusing only on politics and culture, to a "6-D" journalist by adding new lenses to his vision. These six dimensions are:

1. Politics and Culture: Initially, Friedman focused on these two dimensions, particularly relevant in the Middle East where culture heavily influenced politics.
2. National Security: Added during the Cold War, this dimension helped him understand the global power dynamics between the US and the Soviet Union.
3. Financial Markets: Introduced in 1994, this dimension allowed Friedman to see the interplay between finance and politics and understand the economic decisions of leaders and nations.
4. Technology: As technology advanced rapidly, Friedman included this dimension to stay updated with innovations, particularly by visiting Silicon Valley regularly.
5. Environmentalism: Recognizing the impact of globalization on ecosystems, Friedman added this dimension to understand environmental challenges.
6. Globalization: This overarching dimension encompasses the interconnectedness of the previous five, providing a holistic view of global dynamics.

By integrating these six dimensions, Friedman aims to offer a comprehensive perspective on how various factors interact and shape the world in the era of globalization.

– Thomas Friedman, "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" 

"The practice of violence, like all action, changes the world, but the most probable change is a more violent world."

– Hannah Arendt

1. Readout of U.S. – ROK Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Committee Plenary Session

2. No N.K. nuclear attack scenario in upcoming major S. Korea-U.S. exercise: USFK commander

3. Pentagon official calls NCG 'best solution' to N.K. threats, cautions against S. Korea's nuclear option

4. Navy chief calls for solidarity against N. Korea's nuclear threats

5. State Dept. decries N.K. trash balloons as 'reckless,' 'destabilizing'

6. Why a second Trump presidency could be devastating for the Far East

7. High-Ranking North Korean Defectors: A Sign of Cracks in Kim Jong Un’s Regime?

8. North Korean defectors meet with US UN deputy ambassador… Suggest ways to improve human rights in North Korea

9. Young North Korean defectors said, "We need to continue the inflow of information to North Korea...It's also important to provide a variety of information"

10. ‘We need to show unity’: Germany joins UN Command to enforce Korean War armistice

11. No response from N. Korea on S. Korea's offer for flood relief: unification ministry

12. South Korea Fires Laser Weapon To Shoot Down UAV During Demo; Marks 1st Public Display Of Advanced DEW

13. S. Korea, U.S. hold first-ever table-top military exercise in Pyeongtaek

14. First US Navy promotion ceremony held aboard Korean naval ship

15. ＜Inside N. Korea＞Forced Labor Camps on Collective Farms Target Urban Job Deserters

16. State media shows North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un leading flood rescue

17. Monument set up to commemorate N. Korean defectors who died during escapes

1. Readout of U.S. – ROK Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Committee Plenary Session

This is likely why it is not necessary to have a nuclear scenario during Ulchi Freedom Shield.

Release

Immediate Release

Readout of U.S. – ROK Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Committee Plenary Session

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3857593/readout-of-us-rok-countering-weapons-of-mass-destruction-committee-plenary-sess/

July 31, 2024 |   

Department of Defense Spokesperson Cmdr. Jessica Anderson provided the following statement:

On July 30, 2024, the Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense held the 2024 U.S.-ROK Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Committee in Seoul.

The meeting was attended by senior representatives from both countries, including Director General for Policy and Planning at the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea Yoon Bong-hee and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Policy at the Department of Defense of the United States Richard C. Johnson.

The two sides expressed concern that the DPRK’s WMD capabilities are contributing to instability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region and discussed in-depth ways to strengthen the effectiveness of U.S.-ROK deterrence and defense against North Korean WMD use.

The two sides discussed information sharing on DPRK’s WMD program and how to continue to enhance the capabilities and expertise of relevant forces through the Cooperative Threat Reduction program.

In particular, the two sides agreed that the illicit proliferation of WMD in the region, including the arms trade between Russia and the DPRK, undermines peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula, and will work together to prevent the proliferation of WMD.

The allies also agreed on the need for cooperation in consequence management to protect the alliance, minimize damage, and maintain combat capabilities in the event of a DPRK WMD attack and agreed to promote exchanges and cooperation between the relevant military units of the two countries.

Both sides assessed that the U.S.-ROK tabletop exercises in the nuclear, biological, and chemical defense fields in 2024 strengthened the alliance's crisis management in light of the escalating DPRK WMD threats. Representatives of the ROK and the U.S. assessed the meeting as having contributed substantially to further strengthening cooperation in responding to the DPRK WMD threat and agreed to continue cooperation through the alliance's combined defense posture.

2. No N.K. nuclear attack scenario in upcoming major S. Korea-U.S. exercise: USFK commander

If you incorporate a nuclear scenario into the training you will not be able to conduct any of the other training. the north will strike a target. The alliance will decisively respond and then game over.

So I think allowing the NCG to conduct table top exercises for nuclear scenarios is the right process.

No N.K. nuclear attack scenario in upcoming major S. Korea-U.S. exercise: USFK commander | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · August 1, 2024

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, July 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States will not incorporate a North Korean nuclear attack scenario into their upcoming major military exercise, the U.S. Forces Korea commander said Wednesday, despite expectations that the exercise would feature the nuclear crisis dimension for the first time.

During a virtual forum, Gen. Paul LaCamera made the remarks as the two countries are expected to kick off the combined Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise this month, featuring various contingency drills, such as the computer simulation-based command post exercise and concurrent field training.

After the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) meeting in Washington in December, a senior South Korean official told reporters that Seoul and Washington agreed on a plan to include nuclear operation scenarios in this year's UFS exercise as part of efforts to strengthen nuclear deterrence against North Korean threats.

"The answer to your first question is no. That's not in the scenario," LaCamera said during the forum hosted by the Institute for Corean-American Studies, a U.S.-based nonprofit research organization.

Gen. Paul LaCamera, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, speaks during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Armed Services in Washington, D.C., on March 21, 2024 in this file photo captured from a livestream of the hearing from the committee's website. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

He was responding to a question from Yonhap News Agency over whether troops will train under a scenario of a North Korean nuclear attack during the UFS exercise and how the exercise will help improve the allies' nuclear deterrence.

As Pyongyang has been doubling down on its nuclear and missile programs, calls have been growing for Seoul and Washington to reinforce its nuclear deterrence through realistic training programs involving North Korean nuclear attack scenarios, given allied drills are based mostly on conventional wartime scenarios.

In response to such calls, the allies launched the NCG last year in line with the Washington Declaration that President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden issued during their summit last April to strengthen the credibility of America's extended deterrence.

Extended deterrence refers to the U.S.' commitment to defending its ally with all of its military capabilities, including nuclear arms.

At the forum, LaCamera also pointed out that a mutual defense treaty between Seoul and Washington does not specify a particular enemy, and that his command is geared toward defending "all threats" to South Korea.

His remarks came as some U.S. conservatives have called for the U.S. Forces Korea to undergo a realignment to focus more on threats from China.

"It's not just DPRK that threatens the Republic of Korea," LaCamera said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"There's a misconception out there. The mutual defense treaty of the United States and the Republic of Korea does not name an adversary. So we are focused on all the threats to the Republic of Korea," he added, referring to South Korea by its official name.

Asked to comment on North Korea's sending of trash-filled balloons to South Korea and Seoul's resumption of loudspeaker broadcasts along the border, LaCamera refused to comment in detail.

"We've had a lot of activities that can be taken as a pretext. He's had some activities," the commander said. "We're watching each one of them going forward, and I won't comment on sovereign decisions by the Republic of Korea."

LaCamera touched on the future of security cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo, as he addressed a question about whether collaboration between the two neighbors -- long caught in historical feuds -- could continue to endure regardless of a future leadership change in both capitals.

"The United States has to have the humility. We're not going to fix the historical differences or history," he said.

"The comment that I made in open testimony is that World War II Imperial Japan is not the existential threat to the Republic of Korea. But KJU (Kim Jong-un) with nuclear weapons pointed at South Korea and Japan and the United States is, and my focus is on defending the Republic of Korea."

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · August 1, 2024

3. Pentagon official calls NCG 'best solution' to N.K. threats, cautions against S. Korea's nuclear option

Pentagon official calls NCG 'best solution' to N.K. threats, cautions against S. Korea's nuclear option | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · August 2, 2024

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), a key deterrence body between South Korea and the United States, is the "best solution" to address North Korean threats, a senior Pentagon official said Thursday, amid lingering questions over whether Seoul should consider its own nuclear option in the face of a recalcitrant Pyongyang.

Vipin Narang, the acting assistant secretary of defense for space policy, made the remarks, cautioning against the idea of South Korea going nuclear -- a process that he said would be "costly," take time and make South Korea potentially "vulnerable."

As Pyongyang has been doubling down on its nuclear and missile programs in the absence of any meaningful diplomacy to curb its growing threats, doubts have lingered over whether the NCG is sufficient to reassure the South Korean public and whether Seoul should pursue stronger measures.

"I believe and I think the U.S. government position is that the NCG is both South Korea's and our best solution to the security predicament that South Korea finds with ... security challenges South Korea faces on the peninsula," he said during a forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Vipin Narang, the acting U.S. assistant secretary of defense for space policy, speaks during a forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Aug. 1, 2024 in this photo captured from the center's YouTube account. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Seoul and Washington launched the NCG last July in line with the Washington Declaration that President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden issued at their summit last April to strengthen the credibility of America's "extended deterrence" commitment to using the full range of its capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally.

Narang called the NCG a "real upgrade" in the allies' deterrence efforts, while showing the U.S.' opposition to the idea of South Korea going nuclear.

"I think it's in South Korea's interests to be an equal partner in our extended deterrence relationship rather than pursue its own nuclear weapons, which would be costly, take time and also, you know, make South Korea potentially vulnerable as it is pursuing nuclear weapons," he said.

The official called attention to the allies' recent signing of nuclear deterrence guidelines that he said "institutionalizes" the security body in a way that allows South Korea to have "equal" input into the nuclear consultative process.

He also underscored the U.S.' commitment to mobilizing its nuclear military assets for South Korea if need be.

"We've committed that ... our nuclear forces (will) always be available for the defense of South Korea against a strategic attack from North Korea," he said. "I think we've really elevated this dialogue to enhance the security of both South Korea and the United States and provide a credible deterrent against North Korea."

In his opening speech at the forum, Narang emphasized the need not to "sleep on" North Korean threats in the midst of greater nuclear security challenges from Russia and China.

"We can't sleep on North Korea, which also continues to expand, diversify and improve its nuclear ballistic missile and non-nuclear capabilities," he said.

"While not a major-power rival like the PRC and Russia, North Korea's continued improvement and diversification of its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities present deterrence dilemmas for the United States and regional allies," he added, referring to China by its official name, the People's Republic of China.

He put the security situation on the Korean Peninsula in a broader regional and global context.

"Conflict on the Korean Peninsula risk escalation and involvement of multiple regional nuclear armed actors. What's more, the growing DPRK-Russia strategic partnership ... is concerning and illustrates the real possibility of collaboration and even collusion between our nuclear-armed adversaries," he said.

"These developments occur even though the Biden administration has consistently reached out to the DPRK to offer talks with no conditions in an effort to seek a diplomatic resolution to Pyongyang's advancing nuclear arsenal. Those calls have gone unanswered."

DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The official repeated the U.S.' position that absent a change in the nuclear threat trajectories of China, Russia and North Korea, Washington may reach a point where "a change in the size and posture" of its current deployed forces is "necessary."

"There is no need to grow the stockpile yet, but adjustments to the number of deployed capabilities may be necessary if our adversaries continue down the current paths," he said.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · August 2, 2024

4. Navy chief calls for solidarity against N. Korea's nuclear threats

Navy chief calls for solidarity against N. Korea's nuclear threats | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · August 2, 2024

SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Navy chief has called for solidarity to deal with North Korea's nuclear threats during a U.S.-hosted meeting of senior naval officers in the Indo-Pacific region, his office said Friday.

Adm. Yang Yong-mo made the call Thursday at the Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Exchange in Honolulu, attended by naval commanders taking part in the ongoing multinational Rim of the Pacific exercise near Hawaii.

"The Indo-Pacific region today faces diverse crises and challenges, such as North Korea's nuclear and missile threats," he was quoted as saying. "To wisely overcome these challenges, close solidarity and cooperation between countries gathered here are most important."

As part of such efforts, Yang proposed expanding combined logistics exercises, the Navy said.

Yang, who is on a six-day trip to Hawaii through Sunday, also met senior U.S. military commanders, including Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and Adm. Stephen Kohler, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

During the talks, Yang discussed deterrence efforts against North Korea's military threats and ways to strengthen cooperation with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force based on a framework document formalizing trilateral security cooperation signed late last month.

He will also visit the nuclear-powered USS Minnesota attack submarine currently docked in Hawaii on Friday and discuss ways to enhance combined drills between the allies' submarine troops.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo speaks during the Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Exchange in Hawaii on Aug. 1, 2024, in this photo provided by his office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr

(END)

Related Articles

• Navy chief to visit Hawaii for talks with top U.S. admirals

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · August 2, 2024

5. State Dept. decries N.K. trash balloons as 'reckless,' 'destabilizing'

State Dept. decries N.K. trash balloons as 'reckless,' 'destabilizing' | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · August 2, 2024

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- A State Department spokesperson on Thursday criticized North Korea's sending of trash-carrying balloons to South Korea as a "reckless" and "destabilizing" act amid growing concerns about their impact on public safety in the South.

Vedant Patel, the department's deputy spokesperson, made the comment as the North's balloons have been found in more than 3,300 locations in the South in recent months, including the presidential office in Seoul and Incheon International Airport, west of the capital, according to a South Korean lawmaker.

"It is a provocation. It is something that we find to be reckless and destabilizing and also just wholly unhelpful," Patel told a press briefing.

State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel answers questions during a daily press briefing at the department in Washington on Aug. 14, 2023, in this captured image. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Asked if the United States thinks it should take measures to protect Americans in South Korea, Patel stressed the importance of U.S. citizens' safety.

"Our consular efforts are of vital importance to us. We take the safety and security of Americans incredibly seriously," he said. "I don't have any specifics to offer as it relates to efforts in the Republic of Korea beyond just saying that that's something we will continue to address as needed."

Pyongyang has sent trash balloons, taking issue with South Korean activists' sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets to the North. In response, Seoul carried out loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the inter-Korean border.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · August 2, 2024

6. Why a second Trump presidency could be devastating for the Far East

Why a second Trump presidency could be devastating for the Far East 

by Donald Kirk, opinion contributor  - 08/01/24 10:00 AM ET

https://thehill.com/opinion/international/4803429-trump-asia-foreign-policy/?utm

The specter of former President Donald Trump returning to the White House in January portends a cataclysmic shift in American foreign policy, with repercussions from Europe to Northeast Asia. 

Let’s assume the former president would at least try to make good on his claim to be able to reach a deal for ending the war for Ukraine “in a day,” most likely by letting the Russians keep the territory they’ve taken in Ukraine. The other NATO nations, bereft of passionate U.S. support, would be on their own, diffused, divided and uncertain how strongly to prosecute the war. 

The implications for Ukraine would parallel what might be far more devastating for Asia, where Trump still thinks he can make a deal with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. It’s not likely that Trump would be deterred by the words of a recent North Korean commentary, obviously dictated by Kim, declaring that if “the political climate” in the U.S. “does not change,” then “we do not care…The U.S. had better make a proper choice in the matter of how to deal with” North Korea. 

Although another Trump-Kim summit would break the wall of silence between North Korea and the U.S., there’s no way Kim would give up his nuclear program. He would go on attacking his enemies rhetorically and demanding Trump cancel U.S.-South Korean war games, as Trump did after his first meeting with Kim in Singapore in June 2018. 

More dangerously, Kim would also extract from Trump an agreement to reduce the number of U.S. troops in South Korea and, if possible, close vital American bases. South Korea’s armed forces are vastly stronger than they were 10 or 20 years ago, but their numbers are still less than half of the North’s 1.2 million troops. And the new defense treaty that Kim and Russia’s Vladimir Putin signed in June portends the Russians joining the North Koreans, were a second Korean War to break out. 

We have no assurances, from all Trump has said, that he would rush to South Korea’s defense as Harry Truman did when Kim’s grandfather, Kim Il Sung, ordered the North Korean invasion of the South in June 1950. In fact, it’s more than likely he would go on telling Kim Jong Un, “Let’s make a deal” — you can keep what you’ve got. 

That’s a frightening prospect for South Koreans, whether conservatives longing for the good old days of quasi-dictatorial rule during and after the Korean War or leftists advocating an “end of war” statement that would kill the historic U.S.-South Korean alliance and leave the South at the mercy of Kim and the two huge powers on whom he relies for survival, China and Russia. 

The scenario, in an era of Trump rule, gets worse moving southward around the Chinese periphery: it’s highly uncertain Trump would rise to the defense of Taiwan if Xi Jinping tries to make good on his threats to take over the island province. The Chinese are getting the message that Trump would not risk a war for Taiwan, which they’ve been vowing to “recover” ever since the Nationalist Chinese forces of Chiang Kai-shek fled there as Mao Zedong’s Red Army was taking over the mainland in 1949. 

“Trump always claimed that he was the only U.S. president since the Cold War who had not been involved in a new war,” said Yan Xuetong, dean of the Institute of International Relations at Tsinghua University, in an interview with the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. “Trump really does not want to go to war with China in the Taiwan Strait. He will be more cautious than Biden in terms of preventing a war across the strait.” 

But what about Biden’s avowed “commitment” to defend Taiwan, and what about the arms Taiwan is importing from the U.S.? The U.S. and Taiwan have never had diplomatic relations. They are represented in each other’s capitals by officially non-governmental “institutes,” but Washington remains committed to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act, enacted in 1979 as President Carter withdrew recognition from the Taiwan regime and formally recognized Beijing as the capital of all China — Taiwan included. 

Don’t count on Trump and his vice presidential candidate, JD Vance — if anything more eager than Trump to shed military obligations abroad — to rush to Taiwan’s defense when Chinese fighter planes and ships stage intimidation flights and cruises around the island. Taiwan leaders need to realize the Americans in a new world order may not be on their side.  

The chances of an abrupt shift in American policy get even worse in the South China Sea, which China claims as its own territory. 

Chinese coast guard vessels have been drenching Filipino boats with water cannons when they try to reach fish-rich shoals in the sea or resupply an old vessel permanently moored out there in a pathetic effort at protecting the Philippines’ claim to its own waters. Chinese and Filipino officials have reached a deal enabling Filipino vessels to resupply the small contingent of troops on board, but the Chinese are not going to abandon their claim to the sea.

U.S. navy ships have been defying the Chinese, sailing through the South China Sea while Air Force planes zoom above. So far, the Americans and Chinese have not come to blows, but conflict is always possible. Again, nobody expects Trump to defy the Chinese and aggressively stake the right of ships and planes of all nationalities to share the open sea and skies while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and others retain control of islands and shoals claimed by China.  

Finally, in a new Trump era, what is to become of AUKUS, the Australia-UK-U.S. alliance that’s been one of the major achievements of the Biden presidency? It’s not likely that Trump would simply jettison the alliance, any more than he would outright pull out of NATO. He might, however, be no more enthusiastic about engaging in joint military exercises with AUKUS than he is about playing war games with the South Koreans. 

In this evolving admixture, it’s possible to underestimate the role of Japan. The Japanese are alarmed by signs of North Korea’s increasing strength as a close ally of Russia, which promises to provide the North with the technology needed to launch missiles of all kinds: short-range, perfect for hitting targets in Japan as well as South Korea, and long-range, theoretically capable of exploding nuclear warheads anywhere in the U.S. 

Japan cares deeply about Taiwan, which it ruled from 1895, after defeating China in the Sino-Japanese War, until the Japanese defeat in World War II in 1945. Japanese and South Korean forces have been staging air and naval exercises since the famous summit last August at which President Biden hosted Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Korea’s Prime Minister Yoon Seok-yul at Camp David. 

Neither Kishida nor Yoon appear eager for a war with North Korea, much less China or Russia. The Japanese, however, might finally abandon or totally circumvent Article 9 in their “no war” constitution, rammed through in 1947 during the American occupation, authorizing military force only in self-defense and banning Japanese troops from waging war overseas.

The Japanese defense budget is now edging up from the longstanding barrier of 1 percent of gross national product and is likely soon to reach 2 percent. The Japanese military, supported by 53,000 American troops, most of them at marine and air force bases in Okinawa, is capable, well trained and reliant on weapons made in Japan.

It’s not difficult to imagine Japan’s revival as a major military power, determined to keep South Korea and Taiwan out of the hands of the North Koreans and Chinese in the vacuum created by withdrawal of American forces. 

Donald Kirk has been a journalist for more than 60 years, focusing much of his career on conflict in Asia and the Middle East, including as a correspondent for the Washington Star and Chicago Tribune. He is currently a freelance correspondent covering North and South Korea, and is the author of several books about Asian affairs.  

7. High-Ranking North Korean Defectors: A Sign of Cracks in Kim Jong Un’s Regime?

As our friend from north Korea Gumhyok Kim said last week, change is coming. (Again this Hudson video is worth watching: "Breathing New Life into US Policy on North Korean Human Rights"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNbd-CGUkOQ

But I remain skeptical of Ri Il-kyu. On the one hand he makes these comments about cracks in the regime. But he also said Kim Jong Un will want to restart talks with Trump. And he tells us that Cuba is a paradise and great place (and perhaps it is relative to north Korea).

High-Ranking North Korean Defectors: A Sign of Cracks in Kim Jong Un’s Regime?

thediplomat.com

This trend may signal growing skepticism among North Korea’s elite, potentially undermining the foundation of Kim Jong Un’s regime.

By Lee Min-Yong

August 02, 2024

Credit: DepositphotosSubscribe for ads-free reading

Recently, news emerged about a North Korean diplomat stationed in Cuba defecting at the end of last year, sparking speculation about a potential chain reaction of defections among high-ranking North Korean officials. Media reports indicate that more than 20 high-ranking defectors have left since last year, with most being diplomats or trade representatives stationed abroad.

It has also been confirmed that the number of high-ranking defectors in the first half of 2024 matches 2023’s total, suggesting a surge in defections. Of the 196 confirmed defections to South Korea last year, more than half were high-ranking officials. This trend may signal growing skepticism among North Korea’s elite, potentially undermining the foundation of Kim Jong Un’s regime.

The testimony of Counsellor Ri Il-kyu, who escaped from the North Korean embassy in Cuba, reinforces this observation. Ri said that there is a growing desire for reunification among North Korean citizens, with many seeing reunification with South Korea as their only escape from despair. Ri also mentioned the discreet spread of Korean Wave (Hallyu) preferences throughout North Korean society. Residents are captivated not only by Korean dramas and movies but also by the superior taste and quality of South Korean rice.

This situation is reminiscent of the desperate actions taken by East Germans before reunification. Even though East Germany was considered a successful socialist state, residents began boycotting local farm and livestock products after trying West German sausages, leading to emotional outbursts from East German farmers who had to dispose of their own produce. North Korea’s current state, however, is far more dire, with the crisis escalating as even the members of the elite class start to defect.

In discussing the concerns of the elite class regarding their children’s education, Ri Il-kyu mentioned that his desire to provide his children with the freedom to live their lives was a key factor in his decision to defect. This sentiment mirrors that of Thae Yong-ho, who defected from the North Korean embassy in the United Kingdom in 2016, citing his wish to free his children from oppression. This highlights how even in highly controlled states like North Korea, the aspirations of the digitally savvy young generation cannot be suppressed by parents or state authorities. Notably, most of the high-ranking defections have been of younger officials.

This context helps explain Kim Jong Un’s recent declaration of a two-state system on the Korean Peninsula and his focus on a campaign to “erase reunification.” By rejecting the Korean ethnic kinship and labeling South Korea as a hostile adversary, with extreme declarations of intent to conquer South Korea through war, the regime’s actions suggest that the desire for reunification among North Koreans and growing skepticism among the elite are increasingly threatening its security. Moreover, unusual activities of North Korean soldiers, such as building barriers and laying mines near the Military Demarcation Line, could be efforts to prevent mass defections in the military.

The chain of defections among North Korean elites is significant because they play a crucial role within the regime’s power structure. These defectors have vested interests tied directly or indirectly to the Kim regime, and their career advancement is assured. Diplomats hold the highest ascribed status, making their defections particularly noteworthy. Their ability to escape suggests that if diplomats can defect, other influential figures, such as those in the military or security sectors, are also likely to follow suit if given the chance.

Currently, over 34,000 defectors have fled to South Korea, along with tens of thousands of North Korean residents hiding in China. The recent upsurge in numbers – nearly 11,000 North Koreans have fled to the South since Kim Jong Un, the third ruler of the Kim dynasty, took power – indicates that the Kim regime has long lost its legitimacy to represent the country. This is in line with an old Korean saying that “wealth does not last beyond three generations.”

The recent strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea has heightened the risk of both states becoming complicit in war crimes across Europe and Asia, raising global security concerns. While it is encouraging that the United Nations and major nations are actively seeking solutions, it is disheartening that efforts to rescue North Korean defectors remain largely rhetorical.

Unlike most global refugees, who flee from wars or civil conflicts, North Korean defectors are seeking to escape from inhumane persecution by a personality cult regime. Even after risking their lives to cross borders, they are persistently exposed to dangers and may be forced to forsake human rights to survive. Their plights underscores the urgent need for distinct humanitarian relief from the international community.

For now, the most viable solution should be based on the humanitarian intervention doctrine. It is possible to rescue North Koreans through political and diplomatic engagement without resorting to military intervention. North Korea has long been responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, thus meeting the criteria for international intervention according to the United Nations’ “Responsibility to Protect” (R2P) principle. Nevertheless, rescuing North Korean citizens can still be achieved through non-military means.

In this context, I support the proposal to refer Kim Jong Un to the International Criminal Court. Issuing an arrest warrant, similar to the one against Russia’s Vladimir Putin, would be effective. More practically, I recommend actively advocating for the establishment of a committee led by the U.N. or key stakeholders to implement R2P for North Korea. One approach could be for the U.N. Security Council or General Assembly to adopt a resolution and establish an implementation organization under the United Nations. Another option is to form a committee of stakeholders in collaboration with the U.N.

Furthermore, based on the spirit of the agreement to maintain and manage the armistice on the Korean Peninsula, I believe it is crucial to grant refugee status to those escaping North Korea to provide them with new opportunities for life. Additionally, establishing temporary refugee settlements in areas near China and removing barriers to survival should be considered.

Authors

Guest Author

Lee Min-Yong

Lee Min-Yong is a visiting professor in the School of Global Service at Sookmyung Women’s University, South Korea.

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8. North Korean defectors meet with US UN deputy ambassador… Suggest ways to improve human rights in North Korea

Our North Korean Young Leaders Assembly continued its meetings in New York this week meeting with both the US and ROK missions to the UN.

This Is a Google translation of a VOA report. As an aside VOA is the only media organization consistently reporting on the North Korean Young Leaders Assembly. It is important because VOA is transmitting this news into the north so the Korean people in the north can see the success of these escapees and the influence they have in South Korea and the U.S. by telling their stories and making recommendations for better lives for the Korean people in the north. This is a key element of a holistic public diplomacy/information campaign targeting the elite, the 2d tier leadership and the Korean people in the north. VOA (and RFA) provide a key line of effort in such a campaign.

Excerpts:

Lee Hyun-seung, a researcher at the Global Peace Foundation who served in the Operations Bureau of the General Staff Department of the Korean People’s Army and is the son of Ri Jong-ho, a senior official in Office 39 of the Workers’ Party of Korea, told VOA in a telephone interview that he met with Ambassador Wood and talked about his reasons for defecting and the process of his decision to defect, his settlement in the U.S. and South Korea, the reasons for and purpose of establishing the Youth Leaders’ Conference, and his proposals for improving human rights in North Korea.

He said, “We said that as new leaders of North Korea, we want to play a role in opening a new future for North Korea, and Ambassador Wood introduced the US government’s policy and position on hum

North Korean defectors meet with US UN deputy ambassador… Suggest ways to improve human rights in North Korea

https://www.voakorea.com/amp/7719476.html

2024.7.30

• An Jun-ho

Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood met with North Korean defectors on the 30th to talk about their stories of escaping North Korea and the country’s oppressive policies. Photo = U.S. Permanent Mission to the United Nations X

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Young North Korean defectors met with the US Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN and made suggestions on how to improve human rights in North Korea. The US praised the courage of these young defectors. Reporter Ahn Jun-ho reports.

North Korean defectors meet with US UN deputy ambassador… Suggest ways to improve human rights in North Korea

The US Permanent Mission to the United Nations announced on the 30th through the Internet social networking service 'X' that "Ambassador Robert Wood met with members of the North Korean Youth Leaders Conference today and talked about their stories of escaping North Korea and North Korea's oppressive policies."

“The United States applauds the courage of these young leaders in exposing human rights abuses and violations in North Korea,” he continued.

[USUN The United States applauds these young leaders for their bravery and courage to shed light on Pyongyang’s human rights violations and abuses.”

The nine members of the '2024 North Korean Youth Leaders Conference', comprised of North Korean defectors, met with Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood at the U.S. Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York and spoke for about an hour.

Lee Hyun-seung, a researcher at the Global Peace Foundation who served in the Operations Bureau of the General Staff Department of the Korean People’s Army and is the son of Ri Jong-ho, a senior official in Office 39 of the Workers’ Party of Korea, told VOA in a telephone interview that he met with Ambassador Wood and talked about his reasons for defecting and the process of his decision to defect, his settlement in the U.S. and South Korea, the reasons for and purpose of establishing the Youth Leaders’ Conference, and his proposals for improving human rights in North Korea.

He said, “We said that as new leaders of North Korea, we want to play a role in opening a new future for North Korea, and Ambassador Wood introduced the US government’s policy and position on human rights in North Korea and its activities at the UN, and listened to suggestions.”

The researcher said he proposed establishing a North Korea sanctions panel to curb North Korea's cybercrime, especially in light of the end of the UN's North Korea sanctions panel of experts.

He explained that there is no reason to oppose it because North Korea not only uses cybercrime to procure funds for nuclear and missile development, but also steals advanced technologies, which causes significant harm, and Russia and China could also suffer damage.

[Recording: Researcher Lee] “So the space where cyber crimes occur is China and Russia, and China and Russia provide North Korea with the Internet. Internet access. There are situations where China or Russia could be harmed in some way, so there seems to be no reason for China and Russia to oppose this North Korea sanctions panel related to cyber crimes∙∙∙.”

Kim Geum-hyeok, a young North Korean defector who recently testified about the human rights situation in North Korea at a public meeting of the UN Security Council, said he had suggested to Deputy Ambassador Wood that UN agencies create opportunities for young North Korean defectors to work.

Kim said, “There are no North Korean youth in UN organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. If North Korean youth who are trained and educated can work in these UN organizations, and if they can play a role not simply as witnesses to the reality of North Korea but as makers of policies and activity plans, I talked about the possibility of taking a new approach different from what we have done so far.”

He continued, “This will put considerable pressure on the North Korean regime,” but added, “It will also be a very hopeful message to young people in North Korea.”

[Recording: Mr. Kim Geum-hyeok] “If (North Korean) youth are given freedom, we can deliver a hopeful message that they have the ability to raise their voices in international organizations and that they are capable enough to carry out important tasks as staff members in international organizations.

“North Korea is making a huge profit through cybercrime, but it is also forcibly imprisoning IT workers in secret prisons under the North Korean embassy in China,” said Seo-Hyeon Lee, who recently graduated from Columbia University’s graduate school. “These workers are those who legally obtained visas to work in China, so I asked the UN to work to prevent the Chinese government from forcibly repatriating them if they apply for asylum.”

[Recording: Ms. Lee Seo-hyun] “When North Koreans who are legally in China request asylum, China must accept their asylum because, according to international law, they did not illegally cross into China as China claims. Therefore, there is no justification for repatriating them.”

The North Korean youth who attended the interview reported that Deputy Ambassador Wood said he would carefully take note of their suggestions and review their feasibility.

Earlier, on the 29th, these North Korean defectors held a meeting on North Korean human rights at the invitation of the South Korean Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations announced on the previous day on the Internet social networking service 'X', "On the 29th, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations invited the 'North Korean Young Leaders Assembly', a North Korean defector youth group, to a North Korean human rights discussion with UN missions of each country and UN staff." "This event was held for the second time following last year in order to spread interest in North Korean human rights issues within the UN."

He continued, “Deputy Ambassador Kim Sang-jin, in his welcoming remarks, highly praised the courage of North Korean defectors who have come forward to testify about their experiences as survivors of human rights abuse in North Korea, and expressed his hope that by sharing their stories, interest in the North Korean human rights issue will increase within the UN.”

This is Ahn Jun-ho from VOA News.

9. Young North Korean defectors said, "We need to continue the inflow of information to North Korea...It's also important to provide a variety of information"

This is a Papago translation of another VOA article. For some reason Google would not translate this one.

Our North Korean Young Leaders Assembly provides more discussion on why information is so important to the cause of human rights and freedom in the north.

Excerpts:

“Thousands of people have been punished and suffered for decades for accessing external information,” he said. “The North Korean regime has strictly controlled access to external information for decades, even in the absence of the current reactionary culture law.”

“This control is key to maintaining power,” he said, adding, “Kim Jong-un is deliberately executing students in the most horrific way to prevent the world from sending information to North Korea.”

“We must focus on exposing these atrocities to the world and sending a strong signal to prevent such a terrible thing from happening again,” Lee said.

...

[Recording: Mr. Geumhyuk Kim] “In 2010, I had an opportunity to study abroad in China, which changed my life totally. For the first time I experienced freedom, albeit limited and potential under the watchful eyes of the North Korean authorities. The freedom I tasted, however, small, was overwhelming compared to the complete absence of it that I had known before in North Korea.”

“The freedom I tasted was overwhelming compared to the lack of freedom I felt when I was in North Korea, even though it was small,” he recalled.

“The most important aspect of the newly learned freedom was access to information,” he stressed.

[Recording: Mr. Geumhyuk Kim] “The most significant aspect of this newfound freedom was accessed information. I experienced the Internet for the first time. Driven by curiosity, I searched for Kim Jung Il in Google.

Young North Korean defectors said, "We need to continue the inflow of information to North Korea...It's also important to provide a variety of information"

search.app

https://www.voakorea.com/amp/7714661.html

North Korean defectors settled in the US and South Korea suggested that the two governments strengthen the inflow of information about North Korea. He stressed the importance of delivering various information as well as entertainment to North Korea. Reporter Lee Jo-eun reports.

North Korean defector Lee Hyun-seung, who settled in the US in 2014, said on the 26th that the international community should further strengthen efforts to bring information to North Korea, citing atrocities committed by the North Korean regime against its people to block outside information .

[Recording: Mr. Hyunseung Lee] “Around 2004, about 200 people, 200 students from Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies and Kim Il Sung University, they were tortured and punished by the police for watching South Korean dramas and American movies. Three of my close friends were sentenced to six months to forced labor and 12 of them were sent to political prison camp with their family members. Thousands have been punished and suffered for decades due to accessing external information. Even without the current reactionary ideology and cultural rejection law, the North Korean regime has strictly controlled access to the external information for decades, this control is the key to maintaining power. Kim Jong Un is deliberately executing these students in the most terrifying manner to discourage the world from sending information to North Korea.”

"About 200 students from Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies and Kim Il-sung University were tortured and punished by the police for watching Korean dramas and American movies around 2004," Lee, a former Chinese student who graduated from Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies, said at an event held by Washington's think tank Hudson Institute. “Three of my close friends were sentenced to six months of forced labor and 12 were sent to a political prison with their families.”

“Thousands of people have been punished and suffered for decades for accessing external information,” he said. “The North Korean regime has strictly controlled access to external information for decades, even in the absence of the current reactionary culture law.”

“This control is key to maintaining power,” he said, adding, “Kim Jong-un is deliberately executing students in the most horrific way to prevent the world from sending information to North Korea.”

“We must focus on exposing these atrocities to the world and sending a strong signal to prevent such a terrible thing from happening again,” Lee said.

[Recording: Mr. Hyunseung Lee] “Our focus should be exposing these atrocities by condemning to the world and sending strong signal to prevent such horrors from happening again. We must continue to support...North Korean people to fully receive information. Stopping our efforts means we owe a debt to the students and the people, countless others who have suffered.”

“We must continue to support North Koreans to have sufficient access to information,” Lee said. “To stop such efforts is to owe money to students, residents, and countless people who have suffered.”

Kim Geum-hyuk, a North Korean defector from Kim Il-sung University who settled in South Korea in 2012, said at the event, "My life changed completely when I got the opportunity to study in China in 2010," adding, "I “experienced freedom for the first time, although it was limited and potential under the watch of the North Korean authorities.”

[Recording: Mr. Geumhyuk Kim] “In 2010, I had an opportunity to study abroad in China, which changed my life totally. For the first time I experienced freedom, albeit limited and potential under the watchful eyes of the North Korean authorities. The freedom I tasted, however, small, was overwhelming compared to the complete absence of it that I had known before in North Korea.”

“The freedom I tasted was overwhelming compared to the lack of freedom I felt when I was in North Korea, even though it was small,” he recalled.

“The most important aspect of the newly learned freedom was access to information,” he stressed.

[Recording: Mr. Geumhyuk Kim] “The most significant aspect of this newfound freedom was accessed information. I experienced the Internet for the first time. Driven by curiosity, I searched for Kim Jung Il in Google.

10. ‘We need to show unity’: Germany joins UN Command to enforce Korean War armistice

This is likely a result of the revitalization of US alliances.

‘We need to show unity’: Germany joins UN Command to enforce Korean War armistice

Stars and Stripes · by David Choi · August 2, 2024

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius passes his country's flag to Army Gen. Paul LaCamera, the head of U.N. Command and U.S. Forces Korea, during a ceremony at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes)

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — Germany on Friday joined United Nations Command, now 18 countries upholding the 71-year-old armistice agreement between North and South Korea.

Germany’s membership became official with a ceremony outside U.N. Command headquarters at Camp Humphreys. It was presided over by the head of the command, Army Gen. Paul LaCamera; German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius; and the chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Kim Myung-soo.

In a speech to about 500 people, LaCamera, who also leads the U.S. Forces Korea, said Germany “was no exception” to the countries who assisted the command during and after the 1950-53 Korean War.

“The addition of Germany diversifies the perspectives and the resources available to the U.N. Command and enhances our collective expertise and capabilities,” LaCamera said.

Pistorius said Germany’s membership in the U.S.-led command underscored Berlin’s “dedication to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.”

“We need to show unity — we need to stand firm against those who want to undermine peace and stability,” he said. “By joining the U.N. Command, we showcase our dedication to share … our close ties with like-minded partners, particularly the U.S. and Korea.”

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Pistorius said talks are scheduled next month on Germany’s contribution in troops to the command.

Germany has joined the United States and South Korea in condemning North Korea’s behavior.

Army Gen. Paul LaCamera, the head of U.N. Command and U.S. Forces Korea, walks with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius during a ceremony at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes)

After the North launched several short-range ballistic missiles on May 30, Germany’s Foreign Ministry released a statement accusing Pyongyang of violating U.N. Security Council resolutions and “endangering security both in the East Asia region and worldwide.”

The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces invaded the South to unite the peninsula under communist rule. North Korean troops captured Seoul three days after the invasion, prompting the U.N. Security Council to establish the U.N. Command on July 7, 1950.

As the three-year war developed into a stalemate at the border dividing the peninsula, North Korea, China and the U.N. Command agreed to an armistice on July 27, 1953.

Twenty-two countries provided combat troops and medical aid to the command during the war.

West Germany — at the time half of another nation divided by communism — pledged to establish a field hospital in May 1953; however, the armistice was already signed by the time German aid arrived at Busan, South Korea’s largest port.

Those resources were used to build a hospital staffed by 117 German medical personnel, according to U.N. Command records. From 1954 to 1959, German doctors and nurses treated around 270,000 South Koreans and delivered roughly 6,000 babies.

Since the armistice signing, the command has enforced the agreement terms and provided security at the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas.

The other 17 member countries are Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Italy was the last country to join the command in 2013.

Stars and Stripes · by David Choi · August 2, 2024

11. No response from N. Korea on S. Korea's offer for flood relief: unification ministry

The regime is surely trying to determine if it can take advantage of and exploit this offer in a way that will benefit the regime and not undermine its legitimacy among the people.

No response from N. Korea on S. Korea's offer for flood relief: unification ministry | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · August 2, 2024

By Kim Han-joo

SEOUL, Aug. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has not yet responded to South Korea's proposal to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea for the damage caused by recent downpours in its northern border areas, Seoul's unification ministry said Friday.

On Thursday, the unification ministry expressed its willingness to urgently support North Korean flood victims with necessary supplies from a humanitarian and fraternal perspective through the Korean Red Cross. The North is believed to have sustained significant casualties.

"We have attempted to communicate through the inter-Korean liaison office channel, but so far, there has been no response from the North," said Kim In-ae, the deputy spokesperson for the ministry, during a press briefing.

She expressed hope that the North would swiftly respond, adding that daily contact times are at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

North Korea's border city of Sinuiju and Uiju County in the northwestern province of North Pyongan were recently pummeled by heavy rains, leaving more than 4,100 houses and nearly 3,000 hectares of farmland submerged, according to the North's state media.

The North did not disclose details about casualties, but the unification ministry said North Korea might have sustained "considerable" casualties. There is a news report suggesting that the number of those who died or went missing probably exceeds around 1,000.

The government chose to use the press to convey its intent to provide aid, as North Korea has remained unresponsive to the inter-Korean liaison communication channel since April last year.

Kim In-ae, the deputy spokesperson for the unification ministry, speaks during a press briefing in Seoul on Aug. 2, 2024. (Yonhap)

khj@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · August 2, 2024

12. South Korea Fires Laser Weapon To Shoot Down UAV During Demo; Marks 1st Public Display Of Advanced DEW

South Korea could change the entire drone/threat environment if they can make this an operational capability on a wide scale.

Excerpts:

The international interest in DEWs stems from their potential to significantly alter military and economic dynamics in favor of the nations that master this technology.

RAND, a prominent think tank, noted that “competing nations are pouring so much investment into DEWs because, if the technology can be matured, such systems hold the potential to tip both the military and economic calculus of modern warfare in their users’ favor.”

With its new laser weapon system, South Korea aims to bolster its defense against the immediate threat of North Korean drones while also positioning itself at the forefront of modern military technology. If this technology matures as planned, it would place South Korea in a favorable position to export it, enhancing its role in the global defense market.

South Korea Fires Laser Weapon To Shoot Down UAV During Demo; Marks 1st Public Display Of Advanced DEW

eurasiantimes.com · by Ashish Dangwal · August 1, 2024

On July 30, South Korea’s state arms agency, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), showcased the strike capabilities of the nation’s newly developed laser weapon, designed to neutralize enemy drones.

According to the Yonhap news agency, this demonstration, held for a group of reporters, marked the first public display of the advanced defense system. The event took place at a major weapons test site in Taean County, 108 kilometers southwest of Seoul.

During the demonstration, a DJI Phantom 4 small multi-rotor drone hovered over the coastal waters, approximately one kilometer away from an imposing dark-green container that housed the laser weapon system.

Within seconds, the drone was engulfed in flames, shook violently, and then plummeted 20 meters onto the rooftop of a nearby seaboard building, hitting it with a loud thump.

The demonstration featured three live-fire tests, where the weapon system, similar in size to a shipping container, successfully downed its targets using an invisible directed-energy beam.

The system was operated by three individuals inside and emitted no visible light or sound. Yet, its effectiveness was undeniable as the DJI Phantom 4 drones crashed helplessly after being struck by the laser, the report explained.

The laser weapon operates by generating a laser beam using fiber optics. The beam heats the target’s surface to temperatures exceeding 700°C, effectively disabling internal components like batteries.

While South Korean officials refrained from disclosing exact specifications, they confirmed that the weapon boasts an output of less than 100 kilowatts and a range of under 10 kilometers.

Earlier this month, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced plans to mass-produce the laser system, with deployment expected to begin this year.

This development will position South Korea among a select group of countries, including the United States, Israel, and Britain, that are advancing the operational use of laser weapons.

With the deployment of this cutting-edge technology, South Korea aims to enhance its defense capabilities, particularly in addressing the escalating threat posed by North Korean unmanned aerial vehicles.

South Korea’s Focus On Laser Weapons

Seoul’s focus on laser weapon systems is a strategic response to the increasing threat posed by North Korean drones. In December 2022, South Korea’s airspace was breached by five drones launched by North Korea.

Despite deploying fighter jets and helicopters, South Korea failed to shoot down any of these drones. This incident underscored the urgent need for stronger air defenses, prompting President Yoon Suk Yeol to call for enhanced measures.

Therefore, the newly developed laser weapon system is designed specifically to counter drone threats effectively. The weapon, known as Block-I, is cost-efficient at approximately 2,000 South Korean won ($1.45) per shot and is capable of executing precise strikes against small unmanned aerial vehicles.

This advanced system is a product of the collaboration between the South Korean company Hanwha Aerospace and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) under the ambitious laser program dubbed the “Star Wars project.”

The production of the new laser weapon began on July 11, following a contract signed in late June between DAPA and Hanwha Aerospace. This contract, valued at USD 70 million, will see the delivery of the ‘Laser Based Anti-Aircraft Weapon Block-I’ to the Republic of Korea (RoK) Armed Forces starting later in 2024.

File Image: Ground-based-laser system

While the exact number of systems to be delivered remains undisclosed, all deliveries are expected to be completed by 2026. South Korea’s state arms agency has further plans to expand the laser program to target larger threats, including aircraft and ballistic missiles, potentially revolutionizing defense capabilities.

The long-term vision even includes deploying laser beams in space to engage targets, which would represent a significant technological advancement.

Globally, laser weapons have been attracting increasing attention. Countries such as Israel, China, Russia, France, India, Turkey, Iran, South Korea, and Japan are investing in national programs to develop directed-energy weapons (DEWs).

Earlier this year, the UK announced successful tests of a high-power laser weapon, DragonFire, which typically costs less than $13 per shot. Meanwhile, the United States has also deployed a pair of high-energy lasers overseas to protect bases from drone and missile threats.

The international interest in DEWs stems from their potential to significantly alter military and economic dynamics in favor of the nations that master this technology.

RAND, a prominent think tank, noted that “competing nations are pouring so much investment into DEWs because, if the technology can be matured, such systems hold the potential to tip both the military and economic calculus of modern warfare in their users’ favor.”

With its new laser weapon system, South Korea aims to bolster its defense against the immediate threat of North Korean drones while also positioning itself at the forefront of modern military technology. If this technology matures as planned, it would place South Korea in a favorable position to export it, enhancing its role in the global defense market.

eurasiantimes.com · by Ashish Dangwal · August 1, 2024

13. S. Korea, U.S. hold first-ever table-top military exercise in Pyeongtaek

To clarify, perhaps this is the first ever TTX for the Nuclear Consultative Group. But it is by no means the first TTX ever held at Pyeongtaek.

S. Korea, U.S. hold first-ever table-top military exercise in Pyeongtaek

donga.com

Posted August. 02, 2024 07:43,

Updated August. 02, 2024 07:43

S. Korea, U.S. hold first-ever table-top military exercise in Pyeongtaek. August. 02, 2024 07:43. by Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com.

The combined Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea and the United States conducted their first-ever "Conventional-Nuclear Integration Tabletop Exercise" (CNI TTX) from Tuesday to Thursday at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, officials announced. The exercise aimed to simulate a response to a hypothetical nuclear attack by North Korea, assessing how U.S. nuclear forces and South Korean conventional forces would coordinate a response. This marks the first practical implementation of military measures following the joint statement on "U.S.-ROK Korean Peninsula Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations Guidelines" adopted by South Korean and U.S. leaders at the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. on July 11.

The exercise, named "Iron Mace 24," reflects a commitment to repel any nuclear attack by North Korea using all available U.S. strategic and tactical nuclear weapons alongside South Korea's advanced conventional forces. Approximately 40 participants attended, including South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Myung-soo, U.S. Forces Korea Commander Paul LaCamera, and officials from the South Korean military's Strategic Command Establishment Task Force. The drill involved a staged scenario from initial nuclear threat to imminent nuclear use and actual nuclear deployment, with a focus on integrating nuclear and conventional responses between the two allies.

"We also discussed measures to enhance extended deterrence, including joint planning procedures to support South Korea's conventional capabilities in a strategic (nuclear) operation by the U.S.," a Joint Chiefs of Staff official said. “The exercise would be held annually to advance the alliance's objectives.”

한국어

donga.com

14. First US Navy promotion ceremony held aboard Korean naval ship

A nice honor and good for the alliance, but here is the buried lede that is important, which is one of the positive outcomes of relocating Yongsan.

Excerpt:

This historic ceremony symbolizes the evolving relationship between the Korea and U.S. navies, which have been key guardians of maritime security for 71 years. The combined working system for integrated maritime operations, established following the relocation of the U.S. Naval Forces Korea headquarters from central Seoul's Yongsan District to the southern port city of Busan in February 2016, has enabled both navies to respond jointly to various maritime security challenges.

First US Navy promotion ceremony held aboard Korean naval ship

The Korea Times · August 2, 2024

Officers from the Korean and U.S. navies take part in the first-ever onboard promotion ceremony held between the two nations, aboard the ROKS Gyeongnam at the Busan Operations Base, Friday. Yonhap

By Kim Hyun-bin

For the first time in history, a promotion ceremony for U.S. Navy personnel was held aboard a Korean naval ship, highlighting the steadfast friendship and solidarity between the two allied navies.

The ceremony took place Friday, aboard the newly commissioned frigate ROKS Gyeongnam (FFG-II), docked at the Busan Operational Base. This event, organized jointly by the Republic of Korea Navy and the U.S. Naval Forces Korea, honored U.S. Navy officers who have significantly contributed to enhancing the combined defense posture of both nations. It was attended by approximately 40 personnel from both navies and the families and friends of the honorees. The ceremony included the recitation of the promotion oath, the presentation of new rank insignia and expressions of gratitude from the newly promoted officers.

Among the promoted officers was Commander Jonathan Park, a Korean American who reconnected with Korea during his tenure as a protocol officer for U.S. Naval Forces Korea from 2013 to 2014. His diverse experience in the U.S. Navy culminated in his return to Korea in December as acting operations officer, where he played a pivotal role in planning the trilateral Freedom Edge exercise with the Korean and Japanese navies, bolstering their coordinated response capabilities to security threats.

This historic ceremony symbolizes the evolving relationship between the Korea and U.S. navies, which have been key guardians of maritime security for 71 years. The combined working system for integrated maritime operations, established following the relocation of the U.S. Naval Forces Korea headquarters from central Seoul's Yongsan District to the southern port city of Busan in February 2016, has enabled both navies to respond jointly to various maritime security challenges.

The Korea Times · August 2, 2024

15. ＜Inside N. Korea＞Forced Labor Camps on Collective Farms Target Urban Job Deserters

More evidence of the brutality of the regime and its system imposed on the Korean people in the north.

But the desertions may be an indicator of potential resistance and cracks in the regime control and command capabilities.

＜Inside N. Korea＞Forced Labor Camps on Collective Farms Target Urban Job Deserters

asiapress.org

(FILE PHOTO) North Koreans repairing the Yalu River embankment, likely mobilized from workplaces and women's unions. Taken from the Chinese side of the border across from North Pyongan Province in mid-2021. (ASIAPRESS)

North Korean authorities have established forced labor camps in rural areas, according to an ASIAPRESS reporting partner in North Hamgyong Province. Since spring, the regime has been implementing forced labor for 20 days to 3 months, targeting unemployed individuals and those who have abandoned their urban workplaces. (By JEON Sung-jun / KANG Ji-won)

◆Rural 'Short-Term Labor Camps'

Forced labor camps, akin to rural versions of 'short-term labor camps,’, have been confirmed operating in North Hamgyong Province. The ASIAPRESS reporting partner observed detainees at a farm during a mid-July visit.

※ A 'short-term labor camp' is a forced isolated place where individuals deemed to have disrupted social order, disobeyed authorities, or committed minor offenses are subjected to forced labor for up to one year, with most of the cases being without judicial procedures. These camps exist in cities and counties nationwide and are managed by the national police agency.

"Unemployed individuals were sent to farms to work for 20 days to 3 months," the reporting partner stated. "There were 12 people caught for not reporting to their workplaces. All were men, usually staying for over 20 days."

In North Korea, where the state assigns jobs, unemployment or unauthorized absence is punishable. However, many people illegally leave their workplaces since they do not receive enough wage or rations. The labor departments affiliated with people’s committees provide lists to the Ministry of Social Security (the national police agency), who determine those subject to punishment after investigation.

◆Harsh Conditions: 13-Hour Workdays and Poor Living Quarters

"Local police supervise those punished. They work from 7 AM to 8 PM, staying in work team propaganda rooms or guard rooms," the reporting partner explained.

Existing farm buildings are used due to lack of dedicated facilities. Detainees perform hard labor like weeding, field management, and waterway repair. "They looked very tired, probably from many people sleeping in small spaces," the reporting partner noted.

Unlike city-based camps, rural camps have lax security. However, escape attempts are rare due to limited options and the threat of recapture.

"People are trying to attend work, even if idle, to avoid forced labor. There's an atmosphere of caution," the reporting partner added.

This measure appears to address rural labor shortages while enforcing workplace attendance. ASIAPRESS has not confirmed similar practices outside North Hamgyong Province.

※ ASIAPRESS communicates with its reporting partners via smuggled Chinese mobile phones.

A map of North Korea (ASIAPRESS)

• ＜Interview with a N. Korean Woman＞What was happening in the spring of 2024? (1)　Who is starving and why?
• ＜Interview＞ 'Even Mattress Metal Springs Are Not Allowed' China's Unexpectedly Strict Economic Sanctions on N. Korea
• ＜Inside N. Korea＞The Expansion of Card Payments: Realities and Reliability? (1) Wages paid by card, which can also be used in state-run stores and markets
• ＜Inside N. Korea＞Recruitment for the world's longest military service(1)　This year 8 years for men, 5 years for women
• ＜Inside N. Korea＞ Implementation of the large-scale restructuring of trading companies (1)　Called “anti-socialist hotbeds,” government forces ‘bases’ of trading companies to close down and consolidate

asiapress.org

16. State media shows North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un leading flood rescue

Somebody is going to get in trouble for the safety violation of Kim Jong Un not wearing a life preserver in the small boat (note snarky comment). Photos the link.

We should remember that the flooding and en

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/north-korea-flood-relief-kim-jong-un-08012024173754.html

State media shows North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un leading flood rescue

Dispatched workers in China are being forced to donate to relief efforts back home.

By Moon Sung Hui, Jamin Anderson, Kim Jieun and Son Hyemin for RFA Korean

2024.08.01

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Premier Kim Tok Hun visit a flood-affected area near the border with China, in North Pyongan Province, North Korea, in this undated photo released July 31, 2024.

 KCNA via Reuters

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been spotted in state media leading flood relief efforts after heavy rains caused the Yalu River to swell, inundating sections of nearby towns, residents in North Korea and China told Radio Free Asia.

More than 5,000 people who were stranded by the floodwaters were saved by on-site instructions relayed by Kim, the state-run Korea Central News Agency reported, complete with photos showing him leading the rescue effort.

The South Korean government said that there was a high possibility of casualties given that North Korea was reporting about the rescue effort in such detail.

Some of the residents were trapped when they did not heed warnings to evacuate and stayed in their homes, residents said. Meanwhile, North Koreans who have been dispatched to work in China are being forced to donate to a flood relief fund from their pay.

A resident who requested for security reasons only to be identified as living near the Yalu, told RFA Korean that residents in and around Hyesan, in the northern province of Ryanggang, were facing “life threatening” moments since the river’s waters began to overflow. 

A view of a flooded area near the country's border with China, which has been hit by heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Gaemi, in North Pyongan Province, North Korea, July 28, 2024. (KCNA via Reuters)

“The water level of the Yalu River fluctuated by up to two meters (more than 6 feet) within an hour,” he said, adding that a vehicle equipped with a loudspeaker went from village to village along the river, instructing people to urgently move to higher ground.

“Despite this, the residents just stood on the levee of the Yalu River, unsure of what to do, and did not evacuate,” the resident said. 

Most did not want to evacuate because they did not want to leave their belongings behind for opportunistic thieves, he said.

“The area around the Yalu River has high property prices, and people with a higher standard of living in Hyesan City reside there,” he said. “Because they could not suddenly move their expensive belongings, such as refrigerators, televisions, and sewing machines, they were unable to evacuate despite knowing the danger.”

He said that most North Koreans cannot afford things like televisions and sewing machines even after working hard for decades.

“If the house was left empty, thieves would rush in and steal all the property in an instant, so the people felt they could not evacuate even when the water rose.”

The Yalu floods have also affected Dandong, China, which lies across the river from North Korea’s Sinuiju, a resident in Dandong told RFA, on condition of anonymity for personal safety.

“The Yalu River overflowed, causing water to rise up to sidewalks in Dandong,” she said. “On the other side of the river in Sinuiju, North Korean soldiers were stacking sandbags all day.”

An island in the river located 2 kms (1.24 miles) upstream from Sinuiju was submerged according to reports. 

Relief payments

When the flooding began, the North Korean government began asking workers it dispatched to China to donate to relief efforts. But just one day later, the government stopped asking and ordered them to donate, residents in China said.

According to a report by the UN Expert Group on North Korea Sanctions published early this year, there are about 100,000 North Korean workers in over 40 countries, but mostly in China and Russia. Their presence is a violation of UN sanctions that required all dispatched workers to return to North Korea by the end of 2019 with no new worker visas issued.

North Korea has been known to get around sanctions by sending the workers on student or tourist visas. 

“An order to raise funds for flood recovery was issued today at the Dandong Branch of the Consulate General in Shenyang,” a resident of Dandong told RFA on condition of anonymity for personal safety.

He said that news reports showing Kim Jong Un leading rescue efforts kept coming in to companies in Dandong, so they convened an emergency meeting for each work unit and ordered them to contribute to the relief effort personally.

“However, most of the workers dispatched to China were passive about providing financial support, even though they were saddened by the reality of their country suffering from heavy flood damage,” he said. “Through the meeting, some workers decided to donate 10 yuan (US$1.30) from their monthly salary, while others decided to donate up to 30 yuan ($4.15).”

The purpose of their being overseas is to raise foreign currency for the cash-strapped government, so they are already forced to donate the lion’s share, and are paid only a fraction. To have to donate even more increases their hardship, the Dandong resident said.

“The reason North Korean workers are reluctant to participate in support projects is because it is difficult to live on only 300 yuan ($41.50) each month,” he said. “They’re out here saying that flood recovery should be something that the government should take care of.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks up an embankment towards a train during a visit to a flood-affected area near the border with China, in North Pyongan Province, North Korea, in this undated photo released July 31, 2024. (KCNA via Reuters)

A Chinese citizen of Korean descent in Dandong said that the North Korean consulate in Shenyang later required that each worker donate 200 yuan ($27).

“Workers were initially expected to contribute 10 yuan ($1.38) each, with officials donating 50 yuan ($6.92),” he said. “When this failed to raise the necessary amount, they upped it to 200 yuan.”

He said the workers are angered that they are being made to donate so much.

“It is unfortunate that three days of heavy rain led to flood damage, but the people are complaining, wondering if they will lose all of their already tiny salary.”

Translated by Leejin J. Chung and Claire S. Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong.

17. Monument set up to commemorate N. Korean defectors who died during escapes

Respect for escapees. I look forward to visiting this the next time I am in Korea.

Monument set up to commemorate N. Korean defectors who died during escapes

The Korea Times · August 1, 2024

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho, seventh from left, Secretary General of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council Tae Yong-ho, sixth from right, and other distinguished guests celebrate the unveiling of a new monument in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, that commemorates North Korean defectors who have died while escaping from the repressive regime, Thursday. Courtesy of Ministry of Unification

The unification ministry on Thursday unveiled a monument near the inter-Korean border to commemorate North Korean defectors who lost their lives during escapes from the repressive regime.

The monument was set up at the Odusan Unification Observatory in Paju, a border city just south of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, the ministry said in a release.

The move came as the government has designated July 14 as the official day for North Korean defectors. The date marks the enactment of the law on protecting North Korean defectors and supporting their settlement, which came into effect on this date in 1997.

The ministry held a ceremony to unveil the monument, bringing together Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho; Tae Yong-ho, the Secretary-General for the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council; and around 60 North Korean defectors.

The monument has the inscription, "To commemorate the 'yearning' and 'courage' of North Korean defectors for freedom, and to honor those who sacrificed their lives during their defection journey."

In a speech, Minister Kim emphasized the significance of the establishment of North Korean defectors' day and the monument, expressing his commitment to spreading their noble courage.

"The government will offer comprehensive protection and set up a systemic support program for the stable settlement of North Korean defectors in a bid to respond to the courage shown by those who risked their lives to flee North Korea," Kim said.

The ministry said it will spur efforts to make similar monuments be established around the world. To this end, the government has registered the design of the monument with copyrighted public records so that people can easily use it.

South Korea has a longstanding policy of accepting any North Korean defectors who wish to live in the South. Currently, South Korea is home to more than 34,000 North Korean defectors. The flow of defectors continues amid chronic food shortages and harsh political oppression in North Korea.

In the first half of the year, the number of North Korean defectors arriving in South Korea reached 105, slightly up from 99 the previous year. (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · August 1, 2024

De Oppresso Liber,

David Maxwell

Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy

Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation

Editor, Small Wars Journal

Twitter: @davidmaxwell161

Phone: 202-573-8647

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