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Quotes of the Day:
“There are two ways to be filled. One is to believe what isn’t true. The other is to refuse to accept what is true.”
- Soren Kierkegaard
“We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did.”
- Thomas Sowell
"In this age of mass information and precision-guided media, everyone from political candidates to terrorists must instantly and continuously interact with and influence audiences in order to be relevant and competitive. Ignoring the utility of social media is tantamount to surrendering the high ground in the enduring battle to influence minds around the world."
- Matt Armstrong (2009)
1. CFC, USFK and UNC begin Ulchi Freedom Shield
2. S. Korean military leading key exercise with U.S. in step toward OPCON transition
3. South Korean general commands joint drills with U.S. troops
4. U.S. extends travel ban on N. Korea for another year
5. Yoon, Xi voice hope for stronger relations on 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties
6. Potential liquid fuel injection detected in N. Korea, ROK-US authorities say
7. Return to Pyongyang put off by many foreign envoys
8. Koreans distrust Chinese more than Russians, Japanese
9. US media ignored major anti-US military protest in South Korea
10. Korean businesses up in arms against US Inflation Reduction Act
11. North Korea urges heightened alert against new virus found in China
12. Tensions mount as gov't moves to normalize THAAD base operation
13. Unification minister meets Chinese ambassador to discuss North Korea issues
14. NPT members call for N. Korea’s ‘concrete measures’ to abandon nukes in draft final declaration
15. Biden sends tensions soaring with Kim as 500,000 troops head to North Korea border
1.
I had not seen this reported in any of the Korean media until today - now they are reporting on this based on this press release.
While the DCINC (deputy commander has commended the ROK/US CFC during past exercises for certain scenarios this is the first time that I can recall that the DCINC has been in command of CFC for the entire exercise.
This is significant because it demonstrates the high level of commitment by the ROK and the US to the OPCON transition process.
CFC, USFK and UNC begin Ulchi Freedom Shield
usfk.mil
USAG Humphreys, Republic of Korea —
Combined Forces Command (CFC), United States Forces Korea (USFK), United Nations Command (UNC), and subordinate component commands under CFC, along with augmentees, civilian personnel and representatives of the United Nations sending states, began the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise Monday, August 22, 2022.
Recently, the name of the exercise was updated to highlight the integration of the ROK government (Ulchi) into the exercise. This integration will help enhance the government and military’s crisis management procedures under the combined defense regime of the ROK-U.S. Alliance. The word 'Freedom' in the name is meant as a display of the strong will in protecting freedom as an immutable value of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, and 'Shield' symbolizes the defensive nature of the exercise.
The exercise is an 11-day computer simulated, defense-oriented training event designed to enhance the ROK-U.S. combined defense posture, maintain readiness, and strengthen the security and stability on the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia.
Unique to this exercise will be that the CFC commander and deputy commander will switch duties and responsibilities to conduct the Full Operational Capability (FOC) assessment during UFS as bilaterally agreed upon by the ROK minister of defense and U.S. secretary of defense in December 2021.
“Ulchi Freedom Shield 22-2 is an opportunity for Gen. Ahn, Byung-Seok and me to trade leadership duties based on the Future-Combined Forces Command construct as outlined by both of our defense secretaries late last year. This is significant because for the first time ever, the CFC deputy commander will take the lead as the Future CFC commander,” said Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea commander.
Protection of the force and participants during Ulchi Freedom Shield is a top priority to ensure the exercise objectives are achieved. CFC, USFK and UNC will implement COVID-19 guidelines and protective measures provided by the ROK and U.S. governments to protect the force and maintain combat readiness.
The ROK-U.S. Alliance remains at a high level of readiness and continues to maintain a robust combined defense posture. UFS is the latest example of our ironclad commitment to maintain peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia.
# # #
usfk.mil
2. S. Korean military leading key exercise with U.S. in step toward OPCON transition
Another inaccurate statement from the media. The US does not have OPCON of ROK forces. When "OPCON transition" occurs the ROKG will not have OPCON of the ROK/US CFC or of US forces.
Excerpt:
Seoul retook peacetime OPCON in 1994, but Washington keeps wartime OPCON.
The ROK/US CFC exercises OPCON of ROK and US forces that both governments provide to it. The ROK/US CFC answers to the Military Committee which consists of representatives sof both governments "National Command and Military Authorities (NCMA)."
This command arrangement/relationship will not change after the "OPCON transition."
For those who wonder about these command arrangements/relationships I refer you to Shawn Creamer's definitive work here: "Theater-level Command and Alliance Decision-Making Architecture in Korea" http://icks.org/n/data/ijks/1498534150_add_file_3.pdf
(2nd LD) S. Korean military leading key exercise with U.S. in step toward OPCON transition | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · August 24, 2022
(ATTN: UPDATES with air drills in last 2 paras)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is leading the entirety of a major combined military exercise with the United States for the first time, Seoul officials said Wednesday, in a sign of progress in the allies' plan for the transition of wartime operational control (OPCON).
Gen. Ahn Byung-Seok, the deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), is leading the ongoing Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise -- a venue for a key test of Seoul's capabilities to retake the OPCON from Washington.
In 2019, the South partially led an exercise with the U.S. But this year, it is to command combined forces during the whole duration of the ongoing exercise, according to the officials.
Ahn has taken the commanding role, albeit in an exercise, as the two countries are conducting the full operational capability (FOC) assessment, the second part of the three-stage program to vet the South's capabilities to lead combined forces.
The program is one of numerous steps that the allies are required to take to achieve the "conditions-based" OPCON transition. Other conditions include the South's strike and air defense capabilities and the regional security environment conducive to the handover.
CFC Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera stressed the importance of the ongoing exercise in light of the allies' efforts toward the OPCON transfer.
"This is significant because for the first time ever, the CFC deputy commander will take the lead as the future CFC commander," LaCamera was quoted by his office as saying.
The South handed over operational control over its troops to the U.S.-led U.N. Command during the 1950-53 Korean War. It was then transferred to the U.S.-led CFC when the command was launched in 1978.
Seoul retook peacetime OPCON in 1994, but Washington keeps wartime OPCON. The wartime OPCON transfer was previously set for 2015 but was postponed, as the allies agreed in 2014 to a conditions-based handover amid North Korea's rising nuclear and missile threats.
The UFS that kicked off on Monday is set to run through Sept. 1.
Meanwhile, Seoul's Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup led a tabletop exercise aimed at deterring and countering threats from North Korea's nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). It involved officials from the foreign and interior ministries, and other related agencies.
Lee stressed the need for cooperation with the U.S. in ensuring the credibility of America's extended deterrence -- its stated commitment to using a whole range of its military assets, including nuclear arms, to defend its ally, his office said.
He also highlighted his priority on deterring the North's possible use of WMDs while discussing various steps to take in case threats of the North's potential nuclear use emerge.
As part of the UFS, the South and the U.S. are also conducting the three-day Buddy Wing air exercise set to run through Thursday.
Some 10 warplanes, including the U.S. Air Force's F-16 jets and the South's KF-16s, have been mobilized for the exercise aimed at enhancing combined air operational capabilities, Seoul officials said.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · August 24, 2022
3. South Korean general commands joint drills with U.S. troops
north Korea accuses the alliance of a hostile policy because it is conducting readiness exercises to ensure the defense of the ROK from a north Korean attack. But it is the Kim family regime that has the real hostile policy.
Excerpt:
North Korea has criticised the joint drills as a rehearsal for invasion, calling them a "hostile policy" that proves Washington and Seoul are truly not interested in diplomacy.
We must never forget that the 4th largest Army in the world has 70% of its 1.2 million man army deployed between the DMZ and Pyongyang postured for offensive operations. Its purpose is to attack the South. The South Korean forces are postured for the defense. While north Korea accuses the alliance of having a hostile policy it is the north that actually demonstrates its hostile policy and has done so for the past 7 decades. Few in the political ranks or in the media focus on north Korea's hostile policies.
In terms of hostile policies we should ask these questions:
1. Do we believe that Kim Jong-un has abandoned the seven decades old strategy of subversion, coercion-extortion (blackmail diplomacy), and use of force to achieve unification dominated by the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State in order to ensure the survival of the mafia like crime family cult known as Kim family regime?
2. In support of that strategy do we believe that Kim Jong-un has abandoned the objective to split the ROK/US Alliance and get US forces off the peninsula? Has KJU given up his divide to conquer strategy - divide the alliance to conquer the ROK?
South Korean general commands joint drills with U.S. troops
Reuters · by Josh Smith
SEOUL, Aug 24 (Reuters) - For the first time a South Korean general is commanding annual joint drills with American forces, the U.S. military said on Wednesday, a step toward Seoul's long-delayed goal of gaining command of allied forces in the event of a war.
The allies began on Monday their largest joint military drills in years, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, with a resumption of field training, aiming to strengthen readiness for potential weapons tests by North Korea. read more
The exercises include an 11-day "computer simulated, defensc-oriented training event" to improve allied readiness, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said in a statement.
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In the exercise, U.S. Army Gen. Paul LaCamera, who commands USFK troops, the U.S.-South Korea Combined Forces Command (CFC), and the United Nations Command (UNC), switched positions with his deputy, South Korean Gen. Ahn Byung-seok, USFK said.
The move was based on future command plans outlined by U.S and South Korean defence secretaries last year, LaCamera said in the statement.
"This is significant because, for the first time ever, the CFC deputy commander will take the lead as the future CFC commander," he added.
Since the 1950-1953 Korean War, the American military has retained authority to control hundreds of thousands of South Korean forces alongside the roughly 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in the country if another war breaks out.
President Yoon Suk-yeol has said South Korea is not ready to take operational control of those joint forces, after a push by his predecessor, Moon Jae-in, faced delays over the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues.
Yoon has cited a need for greater surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, among other factors.
South Korean Defence Minister Lee Jong-sup participated in Wednesday's drills, which the ministry said aimed at better deterring and responding to North Korea's nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threats.
North Korea has criticised the joint drills as a rehearsal for invasion, calling them a "hostile policy" that proves Washington and Seoul are truly not interested in diplomacy.
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Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Clarence Fernandez
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Reuters · by Josh Smith
4. U.S. extends travel ban on N. Korea for another year
Americans are endanger when they travel to north Korea. That said I am in favor of trying to develop ways to have "people to people" engagement.
U.S. extends travel ban on N. Korea for another year | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · August 24, 2022
By Chae Yun-hwan
SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- The United States has extended its travel ban on North Korea for one more year, a U.S. government notice showed Wednesday.
The State Department announced the extension of the ban through Aug. 31, 2023, in the Federal Register notice published Tuesday (U.S. time). The restriction -- initially imposed in 2017 and since renewed every year -- was set to expire at the end of this month.
"The Department of State has determined there continues to be serious risk to U.S. citizens and nationals of arrest and long-term detention constituting imminent danger to their physical safety," it read. "Accordingly, all U.S. passports shall remain invalid for travel to, in, or through the DPRK unless specially validated for such travel under the authority of the Secretary of State."
The DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.
In September 2017, the U.S. banned travel to North Korea after the death of Otto Warmbier, an American student who had suffered serious injuries while in North Korean custody for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster.
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · August 24, 2022
5. Yoon, Xi voice hope for stronger relations on 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties
Yoon, Xi voice hope for stronger relations on 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · August 24, 2022
SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged letters on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties Wednesday, voicing hope for new and stronger relations in the years to come, the presidential office said.
In his letter, Yoon assessed the rapid development in bilateral ties across various sectors over the past 30 years.
He said he hopes the two countries will seek "new directions of cooperation" for the next 30 years based on a spirit of "mutual respect and reciprocity," as discussed during their phone conversation on March 25, the presidential office said.
In the process, Yoon said he "looks forward to South Korea-China relations developing one step further beyond the quantitative growth they have seen so far to growth in quality," it said.
Yoon proposed increasing high-level exchanges and making specific progress in areas of cooperation, such as economic security, including supply chain issues, the environment and climate change.
He also voiced hope for China's constructive role in resolving the issue of North Korea's nuclear weapons program, while looking forward to meeting in person with Xi to discuss the next 30 years in bilateral ties.
Xi, in his letter, assessed that the two countries have developed their relations in all directions while maintaining openness and engagement through reciprocal cooperation over the past 30 years.
He said it is important for the international community, including South Korea and China, to unite and cooperate at a critical period marked by "grand revolution" and a "pandemic of the century."
Xi "expressed hope for strengthening strategic communication with President Yoon and building a substantive friendship with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations as the new starting point," the presidential office said.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · August 24, 2022
6. Potential liquid fuel injection detected in N. Korea, ROK-US authorities say
If Kim is going to conduct a missile test, what effect does he think he can achieve? We need to understand that to ensure he cannot achieve it. Or is this test simply necessary for advancing the north's warfighting capabilities?
And we should not be afraid of another missile test. Each test provides us the opportunity to demonstrate that his strategy (political warfare, blackmail diplomacy, and warfighting) cannot be successful. Some of my previous thoughts:
How To Respond To North Korea’s ICBM Test
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/03/north-koreas-icbm-test/
How To Prepare: North Korea Could Soon Test An ICBM Or Nuclear Weapon
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/03/how-to-prepare-north-korea-could-soon-test-an-icbm-or-nuclear-weapon/
North Korea’s Ballistic Missile Test: A 6 Step Strategy To Respond
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/01/north-koreas-ballistic-missile-test-a-6-step-strategy-to-respond/
Potential liquid fuel injection detected in N. Korea, ROK-US authorities say
donga.com
Posted August. 24, 2022 07:47,
Updated August. 24, 2022 07:47
Potential liquid fuel injection detected in N. Korea, ROK-US authorities say. August. 24, 2022 07:47. by Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com.
Intelligence agencies of both South Korea and the U.S. have reportedly spotted signs of possible liquid fuel injection in North Korea. The agencies are reinforcing surveillance on the trend by augmenting their monitoring assets as the signs may suggest potential provocation via mid-to-long-range missiles such as Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) or intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).
A series of The Dong-A Ilbo reports on Tuesday indicates that the signs suggesting liquid fuel injection have been detected by reconnaissance satellites in specific parts of North Korea from the week since Aug. 15. The signs include vehicles and personnel handling liquid fuel and a possible missile launcher. North Korea's short-range missiles including its Iskander-type KN-23 use solid fuel, which means the liquid fuel injection may indicate an IRBM or ICBM launch is imminent. U.S. reconnaissance aircrafts recently flew over the Korean Peninsula every day likely to collect further intelligence.
South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies are keeping an eye on North Korea’s possible launch of the Hwasong-12 (IRBM) or Hwasong-15 and Hwasong17 (ICBM) during the joint ROK-US military drills dubbed Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), which started on Monday. Some suggest that North Korea may launch during the UFS drills mid-to-long-range missile aimed toward the U.S. territory of Guam, followed by its 7th nuclear test around its Day of the Foundation, which falls on September 9.
Others indicate that North Korea may conduct a ‘mid-level’ missile provocation by launching the Hwaseong-12 capable of reaching Guam before launching the ICBM, like it did back in late January this year.
한국어
donga.com
7. Return to Pyongyang put off by many foreign envoys
Who would want to return? Pyingyang must be one of the most difficult real hardship tours.
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/08/24/national/northKorea/Korea-North-Korea-embassy/20220824173453281.html
Wednesday
August 24, 2022
dictionary + A - A
Return to Pyongyang put off by many foreign envoys
Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora waves good-bye to Russian diplomats departing Pyongyang. The photo was uploaded to the Facebook page of the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on July 29, 2020. [YONHAP]
Foreign diplomats assigned to Pyongyang are unlikely to return soon despite the North's recent declaration of victory over the Covid-19 virus.
Large numbers of diplomats posted to Pyongyang left over the course of the pandemic as the country’s self-imposed blockade from January 2020 made it difficult to get basic necessities.
Currently, diplomats from only eight countries — Russia, China, Cuba, Egypt, Laos, Mongolia, Syria and Vietnam — remain in their residences in the diplomatic complex in Munsu-dong, Pyongyang.
In response to a written inquiry by Voice of America, the Polish Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, “We cannot verify the statement (by North Korean authorities) regarding the epidemic situation in North Korea. At this stage, no decision has been made regarding the return of employees to the North Korean capital.”
Polish diplomats working at the embassy in Pyongyang were recalled in August 2020.
Sweden’s Foreign Ministry said in response to the VOA inquiry, “We are closely monitoring North Korea's Covid-19-related progress alongside the United Nations and other related countries. However, it is difficult to confirm (that North Korea has the virus under control) at this stage.”
Swedish diplomats in Pyongyang returned to Stockholm in August 2020.
In its response, the Swedish Foreign Ministry said its embassy in Pyongyang maintains operations with local employees, adding that its diplomats “are ready to return to Pyongyang as soon as the situation allows.”
Although North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared victory over the domestic Covid-19 outbreak on Aug. 10, the country’s state-controlled media have urged its people to maintain vigilance in case the virus begins spreading again, or a new disease is introduced from abroad.
The Rodong Sinmun, a newspaper controlled by the ruling Workers’ Party, published a report on Wednesday warning that a newly identified zoonotic henipavirus, recently discovered in the eastern Chinese provinces of Shandong and Henan, could “portend another pandemic.”
North Korea claimed until May this year that it had not recorded a single case of Covid-19.
Even after it finally acknowledged a viral outbreak in May, it described suspected coronavirus infections as “fever symptoms” and positively confirmed only a fraction of them as Covid cases, possibly due to a lack of test kits.
External observers believe that mass rallies and parades marking key regime anniversaries in April and May could have contributed to the spread, particularly in Pyongyang, where the largest celebrations were held.
Pyongyang has rejected outside offers of vaccines, but observers noted North Korean planes taking off from China during its initial outbreak period in May — a highly unusual occurrence given the country’s self-imposed blockade — which suggests the aircraft were carrying health supplies to help the regime cope with the virus.
It is likely that most countries’ diplomatic missions in Pyongyang will remain closed or operate only with local staff until the Covid-19 situation in the North Korea can be objectively verified.
Jung Yoo-suk, an economic researcher at the North Korea divisions of the Industrial Bank of Korea’s Economic Research Institute, said, “Foreign countries and international organizations that employ local workers to operate their Pyongyang offices will be monitoring the local Covid-19 situation through such staff.”
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
8. Koreans distrust Chinese more than Russians, Japanese
Wednesday
August 24, 2022
dictionary + A - A
Koreans distrust Chinese more than Russians, Japanese
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/08/24/national/diplomacy/KoreaChina-30th-anniversary-JoongAng-Ilbo-survey/20220824153952610.html
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, chats with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a meeting in Beijing, China on Feb. 4, 2022. [REUTERS/YONHAP]
Koreans distrust China even more than Japan or Russia, according to a JoongAng Ilbo survey conducted ahead of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries.
In the latest poll results released Wednesday, 90.2 percent of respondents said they didn't consider China a reliable partner, the highest level of distrust for any country.
The survey was jointly commissioned by the JoongAng Ilbo and the Seoul-based East Asia Institute (EAI) and conducted by Hankook Research. It questioned 1,028 adults between July 21 and Aug. 8 and has a confidence level of 95 percent with a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Respondents were asked how much they trusted six countries — the United States, China, Japan, Russia, Canada and Australia — and in a separate question, how much they distrusted them.
According to the poll, trust in the United States was highest at 85.1 percent, followed by Canada at 65.6 percent, Australia at 63.8 percent and Japan at 13.9 percent. Only 8.2 percent said they trusted China. Russia came in as the least trusted country at 5.1 percent.
On the separate question about distrust, China topped the list at 90.2 percent, followed by Russia at 87.3 percent, Japan at 84.3 percent, Australia at 23.9, Canada at 22.4 percent and the United States at 14.2 percent.
Such public sentiment toward China is likely to be an obstacle in efforts to strengthen friendship and cooperation between the two countries, which celebrated the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties Wednesday.
Since the establishment of "friendly and cooperative" ties in 1992, Korea and China have upgraded their relationship step by step. In 1998, they formed a "collaborative partnership for the 21st century"; in 2003 a "comprehensive cooperative partnership"; and a "strategic cooperative partnership" in 2008. This reflects the scope of cooperation gradually increasing as the countries became more important to each other. Since 2004, China has been Korea's largest trading partner.
Conversely, distrust in China appears to be getting stronger in Korea.
In a similar poll conducted in 2018, 77.2 percent of respondents said they distrusted China, and over the past four years the rate has risen annually.
Respondents who said they trusted China decreased from 19 percent in 2018 to 8.2 percent in just four years.
Korea's high trust in the United States bodes well for the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's focus on upgrading the bilateral relationship to a "comprehensive strategic alliance."
Confidence in Russia has plummeted following its invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. According to a 2021 poll, 32.7 percent of respondents said they trusted Russia, prior to the Ukrainian crisis, while 48.5 percent said they distrusted Moscow. In the latest poll, only 5.1 percent trusted Russia and 87.3 percent distrusted it.
There is a high level of distrust of Japan in Korea, but trust in Tokyo has been gradually on the rise since 2020.
In a 2020 poll, just 4.4 percent of respondents said they trusted Japan, amid historical disputes stemming from Japanese colonial rule and a trade spat. This rose to 6.4 percent in 2021 and doubled this year to 13.9 percent. The level of distrust decreased from 93.3 percent in 2020 to 88 percent last year and by another 3.7 percentage points this year.
While there is public distrust of both China and Japan, Koreans impressions of the Chinese and Japanese differ drastically.
The latest poll evaluated Koreans' impression of the Chinese and Japanese in seven categories: friendliness, flexibility, planning, boldness, creativity, inclusiveness and peacefulness.
The poll showed that 77.5 percent of respondents found Japanese people to be "friendly," while only 6 percent said they were unfriendly.
In contrast, just 12 percent of respondents found Chinese to be friendly.
Out of the seven categories, the Chinese scored highest for their "boldness" at 64.8 percent. In comparison, just 24.3 percent of respondents found the Japanese to be bold.
The Japanese came in higher than the Chinese in all other categories, especially scoring high for "planning," with 64.8 percent compared to 18.5 percent for the Chinese.
BY SARAH KIM, JEONG JIN-WOO [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
9. US media ignored major anti-US military protest in South Korea
Fake news about Kim Jong Un? Mr Shorrock relishes the hint of anti-American sentiment in South Korea. Perhaps the reason this demonstration did not make much news is because it is organized by the JUSAPA, those who sympathize with the Kim family regime in the north. But more importantly perhaps the reason is the very high level of approval ratings of the ROKUS alliance and the US. Notice that Mr. Shorrock did not include such statistics:
• Support for the ROK-U.S. alliance was high. Since 2012, the response that the ROK-U.S. alliance is necessary never fell below 91.9%. South Korean public felt that the alliance was still necessary after unification (minimum 80%, maximum 86.3%).
http://en.asaninst.org/contents/south-korean-public-opinion-on-rok-u-s-bilateral-ties/
As an aside I do not see how this article supports "responsible statecraft."
US media ignored major anti-US military protest in South Korea - Responsible Statecraft
responsiblestatecraft.org · by Tim Shorrock · August 23, 2022
South Korea
US media ignored major anti-US military protest in South Korea
Fake news about Kim Jong-Un gets wall-to-wall coverage but citizens of a key ally opposing a joint military exercise goes largely unnoticed.
August 23, 2022
Written by
Tim Shorrock
US media ignored major anti-US military protest in South Korea
In America these days, almost any information about North Korea, be it rumor, fake news, or just plain silly, becomes fodder for the mainstream media. From TMZ to The Guardian, reporters know there is an insatiable appetite for anything that puts Kim and his regime in a bad or crazy light.
But when it comes to South Korea, which hosts 28,500 American ground troops and the Pentagon’s largest military base outside of North America, U.S. media coverage is, shall we say, highly selective. That was made resoundingly clear on August 14, when Seoul was the scene for the largest public demonstration in decades against the U.S. military presence in South Korea.
Amazingly, not a word about the protest appeared in the U.S. media.
That Saturday, thousands of people chanting “this land is not a U.S. war base” demonstrated against Ulchi Freedom Shield, the first large-scale military exercises between U.S. and South Korean forces since 2017. The protests were organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), South Korea’s second-largest labor federation. They were joined by a range of progressive allies, including People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), an influential citizen’s group founded in 1994.
“At a time when military tensions on the Korean Peninsula are escalating and there is no clue for inter-Korean dialogue, we are concerned that an aggressive large-scale military exercise will exacerbate the situation,” PSPD declared. “We once again urge the US and ROK governments to suspend the ROK-US joint military exercise and make efforts to create conditions for dialogue.” At the demonstration, protesters took direct aim at the heart of U.S. policy in Korea, with signs that read “No war rehearsal, No U.S.” and “No Korea-U.S.-Japan military cooperation.”
Outside of the Korean press, the only outlets to cover this massive showing against militarism were Iran’s Press TV and China’s CGTN, which provided extensive video of the mobilization. The single print story on the march appeared in Xinhua, China’s daily wire service. Neither the New York Times or the Washington Post, which often set the pace for U.S. press coverage of Asia, deemed the demonstration newsworthy.
Hypocrisy? Yes. As I put it in a sardonic tweet, “Every rumor, fake news, intelligence leak or eyebrow twitch about Kim Jong Un and North Korea gets star treatment in the US media.” Yet, when “thousands of SOUTH KOREANS” march in Seoul against US-ROK war games, “NOT ONE PEEP.” The contrast seemed to hit a nerve: by the weekend, nearly 6,000 Twitter users had “liked” my post and over 2,000 had retweeted it.
The contradictions were evident on Twitter itself. As it often does with countries we’re not supposed to like, it slapped a label on one of my posts about the demonstration, urging users to “stay informed” because “this Tweet links to a Iran state-affiliated media website.” With that warning, Twitter was effectively delegitimizing my own coverage of the demonstration.
To be fair, political rallies on the left and right are a common occurrence in South Korea; obviously, editors and reporters must make choices about what to cover. But in a country where a majority of its citizens support the presence of U.S. forces and a U.S. general has operational control over their army in times of war, a rally of several thousand citizens openly calling for a U.S. troop withdrawal is certainly newsworthy.
At the same time, the drills have been a hot topic for years. In 2018, with much of Washington opposed, they were downgraded to computerized simulations as a way to build trust during the denuclearization talks between President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un. Those talks collapsed in 2019, primarily over Trump’s refusal to lift U.S. sanctions in return for a partial shut down of the North’s nuclear infrastructure.
This year, with North Korea regularly testing its long-range missiles, the new presidents in Washington and Seoul, Joe Biden and Yoon Suk Yeol, decided to resume the real-life exercises. The air, land, and sea drills, which in the past have mobilized around 50,000 South Korean and 17,500 U.S. soldiers, began on August 22 and wind up on September 1.
Sadly, the discrepancies in coverage reflect old patterns going back to the early days of the Cold War.
Editorial staffs of major U.S. newspapers and cable news shows (and now, Twitter’s upstart crew) are steeped in Cold War mythologies about the Korean War and largely reflect the viewpoint of Washington’s national security community. Currently, both parties see in the North a determined and dangerous long-term foe, and in the South a reluctant ally torn between loyalty to the United States and its expansive economic ties with China, America’s new nemesis. In this world, there is little room for coverage of South Korean trade unionists, leftists, and progressives who stand against the American consensus.
That mindset was recently on display at the Post when it praised South Koreans for electing Yoon, an inexperienced conservative hawk who said during his campaign that he might consider a pre-emptive strike on North Korea “to protect peace” on the peninsula. “South Korea makes a welcome turn toward the U.S. — just when it is really needed,” the headline crowed. The Post editorial also took a nasty swipe at former President Moon Jae-in, parroting right-wing talking points that he had “consciously” played down North Korea’s human rights record and “balked” at adding new batteries to the American THAAD missile deployment that has drawn Beijing’s ire.
For America’s papers of record, the failure to cover South Korea’s progressive left also reflects a failure of nerve. The KCTU and People’s Solidarity that organized this month’s antiwar demonstration have deep roots in the democratic movement of the late 1980s, when years of struggle culminated in the massive demonstrations of 1987 that forced the pro-U.S. generals who had ruled the South for 26 years to step aside. During that tumultuous era, both the Times and the Post offered extensive (and often outstanding) coverage of dissidents and government repression. But in recent years, they have been far more interested in covering North Korean defectors and warning the public (repeatedly) about a possible underground nuclear test than exploring the complex internal politics of South Korea.
Ironically, these papers are better prepared now to cover Korea than any time in the past 40 years. Since 2020, they have built large bureaus in South Korea and relocated their Asian news hubs from Hong Kong to Seoul, giving them an opportunity for first-class coverage of perhaps the most dynamic country in Asia. “Looking at a five, 10, 20 year horizon, [Seoul] just feels like it’s right in the middle of the action,” Stephen Dunbar-Johnson, the Times’sinternational president, recently told the Korea Joongang Daily.
But in this coverage, the opinions and views of all Koreans need to be heard. That is particularly true when dealing with an issue as critical as the U.S.-Korean alliance, which President Biden has called “a linchpin of peace, stability, and prosperity” but many Koreans now view as a barrier to their country’s future.
Written by
Tim Shorrock
10. Korean businesses up in arms against US Inflation Reduction Act
This will cause friction in the alliance. Are these unitednde and unfroeseenconsequances caused by the act? Were these issues identified within Congress? Did we anticipate this push back? Or are we just not concerned with it?
Korean businesses up in arms against US Inflation Reduction Act
The Korea Times · August 24, 2022
Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, left, listens to U.S. President Joe Biden's speech at Grand Hyatt Seoul in this May 22 file photo. Yonhap
Hyundai Motor chief Chung visits US to lobby lawmakers, officials
By Park Jae-hyuk
Korean businesses have begun taking countermeasures against the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), instead of waiting for a diplomatic settlement over a conflict triggered by the new U.S. law that denies tax credits to buyers of electric vehicles (EVs) manufactured outside of North America, according to industry officials, Wednesday.
Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun departed for the U.S. on Tuesday, along with Hyundai Motor President Kong Young-woon, who is in charge of government relations. Although the automotive group declined to confirm details about the executives' itineraries, Chung reportedly told a local newspaper reporter at Gimpo International Airport that he will take care of overall affairs, including matters related to the IRA.
Chung is expected to visit Washington, D.C. and New York to lobby U.S. lawmakers and government officials to modify the law. He is also likely to try to reassure investors, considering Hyundai Motor's plan to host a J.P. Morgan-sponsored non-deal roadshow in North America from Aug. 29 to 31.
Korea Enterprises Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik also said at the Korea News Editors Association's forum on Tuesday that businesspeople have continuously made efforts to convince the U.S. government and the Congress.
"When I met with the Hyundai Motor Group executive chair yesterday, I expressed concern about Korea's automotive industry," Sohn said. "Both the government and the private sector have complained that the IRA is a violation of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA)."
Earlier this month, the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA), comprised of Hyundai Motor, Kia, GM Korea, Renault Korea Motors and SsangYong Motor, sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives to demand a revision of the IRA.
"KAMA respectfully requests to include imports of electric vehicles using batteries and battery components manufactured or assembled in Korea in the scope of EVs eligible for the U.S. tax credits under the bill," the association said in the letter.
It emphasized the fact that Korea has subsidized EVs imported from the U.S. in accordance with the KORUS FTA and that Korean carmakers have hired over 100,000 U.S. nationals through more than $13 billion in investments there over the past three decades.
Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF) Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik, right, talks with Philip Goldberg, U.S. ambassador to South Korea, at CJ's headquarters in Seoul, Aug. 17. Courtesy of KEF
The Korean businesspeople, however, appear to have remained cautious about the possibility of their actions being considered offensive to the U.S.
"It is difficult for Korea to join hands with Japan and European nations to protest the IRA, because this can displease the U.S.," Sohn said. "Even if the countries raise their voices separately against the U.S., they will focus on the same issue."
Hyundai Motor Group is considering speeding up the groundbreaking of its EV plant in Georgia to October this year from the first half of 2023, in an apparent attempt to keep pace with the U.S. law. Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson also met with the Hyundai Motor Group executive chair at the conglomerate's headquarters in Seoul last week. They are said to have discussed the new factory's construction.
Amid growing concerns about Korean automakers, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Lee Chang-yang said Monday that the government would consider filing a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the U.S. law.
Legal experts, however, claimed that a WTO complaint is not the right answer.
"Filing a complaint with the WTO means that Korea will tolerate the obvious violation of the KORUS FTA," lawyer Song Ki-ho said. "The U.S. has paralyzed the WTO, disturbing the formation of its Appellate Body."
He urged the Korean government to seek dispute settlement in accordance with the KORUS FTA, given that the agreement stipulates that a dispute settlement panel should consist of a Korean national, a U.S. national and a citizen of a third country.
The Korea Times · August 24, 2022
11. North Korea urges heightened alert against new virus found in China
Probably an indication that the COVID war is not over for north Korea. This is laying the groundwork to blame China when the regime does report another outbreak because it cannot sustain covering it up.
North Korea urges heightened alert against new virus found in China
The Korea Times · August 24, 2022
An employee of Pyongyang Dental Hygiene Products Factory disinfects a table in a dining room after the state boosted measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Pyongyang, North Korea, May 16. AP-Yonhap
North Korea called Wednesday for heightened alert against a new virus detected in China, just weeks after the country claimed victory over the COVID-19 crisis.
The Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the North's Workers' Party, carried an article warning that the new zoonotic virus called Langya henipavirus could lead to "another pandemic."
"Some experts say the virus could take away lives like the new coronavirus if it is infected among people as the virus can cause severe health problems," it said.
The Langya virus is known to have infected 35 people as of last year since it was first discovered in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong in December 2018.
Pyongyang announced its first COVID-19 case on May 12 after claiming to be coronavirus-free for over two years. Since declaring victory over the virus, it has lifted a face mask mandate and eased antivirus curbs across the country. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · August 24, 2022
12. Tensions mount as gov't moves to normalize THAAD base operation
The professional activists that have infiltrated the local populations have manipulated local public opinion have been successful. This issue has not been properly handled from the very beginning but the coordination of the deployment on the US side and the Korean decision to locate it in Seingju and the lack of any significant effort to generate public support at the beginning of the process.
Tensions mount as gov't moves to normalize THAAD base operation
The Korea Times · August 24, 2022
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) U.S. missile shield is seen deployed in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in this July 2017 photo. Korea Times file
Tensions are mounting around a U.S. THAAD missile defense unit here, one week ahead of the government's deadline for normalizing access to the base despite local residents' opposition.
The Seoul government has pledged to secure unfettered road access to the base in Seongju, around 220 kilometers south of Seoul, by the end of August, as its operation has been hindered by anti-THAAD protesters attempting to block deliveries of goods and equipment to the unit.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system was installed in the southeastern county in 2017 to cope with North Korea's missile threats.
But the battery has not been running at full capacity, with access restricted to the unit due to protesters and a pending environmental impact assessment.
Local residents and activists object to the deployment of the THAAD system due to concerns about possible hazards to human health and the environment.
Since May 2021, the remodeling of barracks at the base has been under way and construction materials, workers and daily necessities have been brought to the base by trucks two to three times a week.
Clashes have often occurred in the area between police and demonstrators occupying the road to block deliveries.
Residents and activists are set to step up protests in response to the government's plan to provide normal overland access to the base by the end of August.
They also plan to hold a joint rally with other organizations in front of the base on Sept. 3, demanding the military halt the construction.
"The plan to normalize the operation of the THAAD base, even though the environmental impact assessment has not yet started, means that the government does not even consider a due legal process," the task force of anti-THAAD residents and activists said.
The local government has yet to form a group to conduct the environmental impact survey, which is necessary for the THAAD unit to operate at full capacity, due to the resistance from the residents.
"There are no residents willing to participate in the assessment body," a county official said. "It is difficult for us to persuade the residents, who have been opposed to the base for many years, to join the team." (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · August 24, 2022
13. Unification minister meets Chinese ambassador to discuss North Korea issues
Unification minister meets Chinese ambassador to discuss North Korea issues
The Korea Times · August 24, 2022
Unification Minister Kwon Young-se, right, speaks with Xing Haiming, China's ambassador to Korea, during their meeting at the government complex in Seoul, Aug. 24. Courtesy of the ministry
Unification Minister Kwon Young-se met Wednesday with China's top envoy in South Korea to discuss North Korea and other pending issues as the neighboring countries marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, according to Kwon's office.
During his meeting with Ambassador Xing Haiming, Kwon stressed that his ministry will closely communicate with China in pushing ahead with the policies of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration on denuclearization and improving inter-Korean relations.
They agreed on the need to prevent the situation on the Korean peninsula from getting worse and agreed to continue to strengthen cooperation, the ministry said.
Kwon also urged the Chinese government to play a "constructive role" to draw out a positive response from Pyongyang on Yoon's "audacious plan," which seeks to help the North improve its economy in return for denuclearization steps.
The envoy emphasized that China is making "great efforts" to achieve peace and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, it added. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · August 24, 2022
14. NPT members call for N. Korea’s ‘concrete measures’ to abandon nukes in draft final declaration
Excerpts:
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Seung-kyum, key military staff as well as officials from eight government agencies, including the Foreign Ministry and Ministry of the Interior and Safety, also took part in the tabletop exercise.
The military and ministries reviewed various countermeasures that each had prepared in case signs of North Korea using nuclear weapons were detected, and discussed how to cooperate substantially in such a contingency scenario.
The tabletop exercise aimed to “integrate efforts of the military and each ministry and come up with effective countermeasures based on the South Korea-US alliance,” according to the Defense Ministry.
The ministry said that the tabletop exercise was conducted at a juncture when the “threats of North Korea using nuclear weapons and WMD are growing.”
Lee also underlined that the “security situation is graver than it has ever been due to North Korea’s preparation for launching various types of missiles and conducting a seventh nuclear test.”
NPT members call for N. Korea’s ‘concrete measures’ to abandon nukes in draft final declaration
koreaherald.com · by Ji Da-gyum · August 24, 2022
S. Korea conducts tabletop exercise simulating N. Korea imminent use of nuclear weapons
By Ji Da-gyum
Published : Aug 24, 2022 - 15:06 Updated : Aug 24, 2022 - 17:18
The general debate of the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is held in New York.(United Nations)
Member states of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, or NPT, are seeking to adopt a final declaration that urges North Korea to promptly take “concrete measures” to abandon its missile and nuclear programs and denies its self-claimed status as a nuclear weapon state.
The draft of a final statement on the 10th NPT review conference, which kicked off Aug. 1 and continues until Friday in New York, was released this week in the run-up to the closing.
North Korea’s nuclear buildup was raised as one of the key regional issues in the 34-page declaration, which should be adopted by unanimous consent of the 191 NPT member states as a consensus substantive outcome of the conference. The NPT has near-universal membership, with only India, Israel, North Korea, South Sudan and Pakistan remaining outside the treaty.
“The conference further calls on the DPRK to take concrete measures as soon as possible to abandon all its nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and related programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner,” the English-language draft released Monday read, referring to the official name of North Korea.
N. Korea should return to NPT
The conference “expresses its unwavering support for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” urging North Korea to abide by its international obligations and related UN Security Council resolutions.
In the final statement, the NPT member states underscored that North Korea “must not conduct any further nuclear tests” and called for North Korea to rejoin the NPT regime. Pyongyang withdrew from the NPT in 2003 after having joined the treaty in 1985, and is still the only such case of its kind.
“Recalling that the DPRK cannot have the status of a nuclear-weapon state pursuant to the NPT, the Conference calls on it to return without delay to the NPT and to the application of IAEA safeguards on all of its nuclear activities,” the draft said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has openly labeled his country as a nuclear weapon state in key speeches. But the NPT regime recognizes five nuclear weapon-possessing countries: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The NPT members also encourage concerned countries to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through negotiations and diplomacy.
“In this regard, the Conference stresses that all parties concerned should exercise restraint, refrain from escalatory steps, adhere to the general direction of political settlement and resolve their respective concerns through meaningful dialogue in order to promote peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
This year’s NPT review conference comes amid the protracted war between Russia and Ukraine. In the draft, the NPT members notably “recognize that the risk of nuclear weapons being used is now higher than at any time since the end of the Cold War.”
The adoption of the final statement is a key indicator that defines the success of a review conference that is held every five years to assess the operation of the treaty.
But questions remain on whether the final declaration will be adopted unanimously at the long-awaited 10th review conference, being held for the first time in seven years following delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The final statement particularly states “grave concern for the military activities” by Russian forces near or at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant and other facilities and locations within Ukraine and the loss of control by Ukrainian authorities.
The 2015 Review Conference failed to reach an agreement on a final declaration mainly due to divergence of opinion in the establishment of a zone free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems in the Middle East.
But in 2010, the NPT members concurred on the final statement that urged North Korea to fulfill its commitments under the Six-Party Talks, including the complete and verifiable abandonment of all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.
Scenario of N. Korea using nukes
Meanwhile, the South Korean government on Wednesday conducted an interagency tabletop exercise to enhance capabilities to deter and respond to threats posed by North Korea’s nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, or WMD, the Defense Ministry said on the day.
South Korea’s Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup led the tabletop exercise, which was staged as part of the government’s Ulchi civil defense drills. The drills are scheduled to be held from Monday to Thursday in parallel with the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise between South Korea and the US.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Seung-kyum, key military staff as well as officials from eight government agencies, including the Foreign Ministry and Ministry of the Interior and Safety, also took part in the tabletop exercise.
The military and ministries reviewed various countermeasures that each had prepared in case signs of North Korea using nuclear weapons were detected, and discussed how to cooperate substantially in such a contingency scenario.
The tabletop exercise aimed to “integrate efforts of the military and each ministry and come up with effective countermeasures based on the South Korea-US alliance,” according to the Defense Ministry.
The ministry said that the tabletop exercise was conducted at a juncture when the “threats of North Korea using nuclear weapons and WMD are growing.”
Lee also underlined that the “security situation is graver than it has ever been due to North Korea’s preparation for launching various types of missiles and conducting a seventh nuclear test.”
(dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)
15. Biden sends tensions soaring with Kim as 500,000 troops head to North Korea border
Whoa nelly! Hold your horses. I do not think we are sending 500,000 troops to the Korean border. I wonder how long it will take the Propaganda and Agitation Department to adopt the headline here as a talking point.
Biden sends tensions soaring with Kim as 500,000 troops head to North Korea border
Express · by Aliss Higham · August 23, 2022
Kim Jong-un threatens South Korea with nuclear 'annihilation'
Dubbed the Ulchi Freedom Shield, the two countries will conduct military exercises involving 480,000 military personnel and 4,000 civilians. The dramatic show of force has prompted anger from Kim Jong-Un's allies in Pyongyang as North Korea grows increasingly hostile.
The tests will rehearse joint counter-attacks, weapons and fuel supply, and disposal of biological and chemical weapons, and will take place over ten days.
Full details have not been made public, but past drills have involved tens of thousands of troops and large numbers of aircraft warships and tanks.
The two militaries said in a joint statement said the exercises are being conducted in response to an “increased volume and scale of missile tests” by North Korea throughout the past year.
The US has insisted the drills are part of plans to respond to a potential north-to-south invasion, but Pyongyang has said they are a rehearsal for invasion.
The USA will begin joint drills with South Korea next week (Image: GETTY)
Yoon Suk Yeol has taken a hard line against North Korea (Image: GETTY )
North Korea has resumed missile tests recently, with the first launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile at full range in May this year.
South Korean officials say it is ready to conduct its seventh nuclear test at short notice.
The statement continues: “With this in mind, and considering the evolving threat … both leaders committed to expanding the scope and scale of combined military exercises and training."
It added that the Ulchi Freedom Shield would “bolster combined readiness”.
North Korea's military power (Image: EXPRESS)
President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea said: “The Ulchi exercises serve as a starting point for the government to renew emergency preparedness corresponding to changes in war patterns.
“Only exercises that are identical to an actual battle can firmly defend the lives of our people and the security of our nation.
“Our watertight security posture must serve as the basis to maintain peace.”
The announcement of drills comes after Pyongyang rejected an offer of economic aid from Seoul in exchange for taking steps toward denuclearisation.
Kim Jong Un has not yet commented on the drills (Image: GETTY)
North Korea openly dismissed the offer, with Kim jong-un’s sister calling President Yoon “foolish” and “simple”.
She said: “It would have been more favourable for his image to shut his mouth.
“To think that the plan to barter ‘economic cooperation’ for our honour, nukes, is the great dream, hope and plan of Yoon, we came to realise that he is really simple and still childish.
“We make it clear that we will not sit face to face with him.”
Trending
South Korea’s Unification Minister, who handles relations with the North, called Kim’s comments “very disrespectful and indecent.”
President Yoon took office earlier this year and resolved to take a considerably harder line with its neighbour after it resumed a barrage of missile tests.
It follows a relative respite in tensions during former President Donald Trump’s time in the White House, who cancelled the original Ulchi drills after discussions between the two powers.
However, Kim has said the north is “ready to mobilise” its nuclear capability in any war with the US, but has no intentions to attack South Korea.
Express · by Aliss Higham · August 23, 2022
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Senior Advisor, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
VIDEO "WHEREBY" Link: https://whereby.com/david-maxwell
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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