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Quotes of the Day:
"The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil."
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
“The point is that, as soon as fear, hatred, jealousy, and power worship are involved, the sense of reality becomes unhinged. And as I pointed out already, the sense of right, and wrong becomes unhinged also. There is no crime, absolutely none, that cannot be condoned when ’our’ side commits it. Even if one does not deny that the crime has happened, even if no one knows that it is exactly the same crime as one has condemned in some other case, even if one admits in an intellectual sense that it is unjustified – still one cannot feel that it is wrong. Loyalty is involved, and so pity ceases to function.”
– George Orwell
"Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and deep heart. The really great me must, I think, have great sadness on earth."
– Fyodor Dostoevsky
1. North Korea Capitalizes on Russia’s Help by Expanding Satellite Launching Facility
2. US defense official highlights ROK’s leading role in defense against DPRK
3. South Korea completes removal of anti-Pyongyang loudspeakers in DMZ
4. South Korea to cremate body of North Korean man after Pyongyang fails to respond
5. Former President Yoon Seok-yeol must be properly evaluated. by Jihyun Park
6. ROK pilots ordered to stage fake strike calls on North Korea last year: Lawmaker
7. Moscow–Pyongyang flight hailed as milestone, but empty seats raise doubts
8. S. Korean, U.S. Marines hold combined drills
9. S. Korea, U.S. secure tech for stable operation of nuclear fusion reactor
10. S. Korea, UAE discuss security, arms cooperation in defense talks
11. Seoul finance minister says FTA with U.S. still effective despite tariff deal
12. S. Korea faces mounting defense pressure ahead of Lee-Trump summit
13. Editorial: Seoul's soft stance on China sends wrong signal before US talks
14. Top officials from U.S. defense tech firm Anduril in Seoul for partnership talks, office launch
15. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries lands MRO contract for USNS Alan Shepard
1. North Korea Capitalizes on Russia’s Help by Expanding Satellite Launching Facility
As we expected, help from Russia.
The return on renting the north Korean People's Army.
To the mothers in north Korea: Your sons' lives paid for this.
Images at the link.
North Korea Capitalizes on Russia’s Help by Expanding Satellite Launching Facility
A new seaport suggests Pyongyang wants to accelerate deliveries of large Russian components, as military ties between the two grow
https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/north-korea-capitalizes-on-russias-help-by-expanding-satellite-launching-facility-34135754?st=EeVZXC&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
By Dasl Yoon
Follow
Aug. 6, 2025 8:11 am ET
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last year. Photo: Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin/AP
Key Points
What's This?
- North Korea is expanding its Sohae launch site, adding a seaport to receive larger rocket components from Russia more quickly.
- Kim Jong Un is seeking Russian help to advance North Korea’s satellite program, a significant military gain in the long term.
- North Korea aims to acquire space-reconnaissance capabilities, needing many spy satellites to obtain higher resolution imagery.
SEOUL—North Korea has accelerated construction of a launch site for spy satellites in recent months, including the addition of a seaport that could facilitate deliveries of new components from Russia.
The expansion at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, located on the country’s west coast, would allow the regime of dictator Kim Jong Un to more quickly receive larger rocket components by sea than the current delivery method via railroad lines, security experts say.
North Korea hasn’t commented publicly on the recent expansion at Sohae. The build-out was seen in satellite imagery released last month, according to ICEYE, a satellite-imagery analysis firm. Then, last week, Sohae’s new seaport was shown in satellite images to have a docking slip for large vessels, according to a separate analysis published last week by 38 North, a website affiliated with the Stimson Center, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.
The Sohae seaport highlights Kim’s ambitions to advance his satellite program with Russian help, say security experts.
Satellite images from February and July show increased activity at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in North Korea, according to analysis firm ICEYE. ICEYE
Kim has pledged extensive military support to Russia for its war against Ukraine. In return, Russia has repaid him with air-defense systems, drone technology and protection against new sanctions.
But Moscow’s help with Kim’s satellite technology represents a far more significant military gain in the long term, security experts say. That is because a space-based surveillance system not only improves Pyongyang’s reconnaissance capabilities but also makes its long-range missile strikes aimed at the U.S. mainland potentially more precise.
“Russian help alone can reduce a 10-year process to just one or two years,” said Yang Uk, a military expert at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, a think tank in Seoul.
North Korea’s lack of spy satellites is a sore spot for Kim, who has made cultivating the technology a top military priority. Just a handful of countries—including Russia and the North’s top foes, the U.S. and South Korea—can build and launch their own spy satellites. Pyongyang’s current technology is rudimentary.
In addition to the seaport, Pyongyang has been constructing new buildings, railroad lines and a larger assembly center for rockets at Sohae, according to Martyn Williams, the author of the 38 North report, who reviewed satellite imagery captured late last month. Kim has struggled to advance his satellite program and likely sought Russian expertise to troubleshoot problems from the botched attempts, he added.
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How should the international community respond to North Korea’s push to acquire new reconnaissance capabilities? Join the conversation below.
“It’s an elite club and North Korea wants to join,” he said.
In 2022, the Kim regime stopped saying its satellites were solely for peaceful purposes and rewrote its space law to allow for military uses of the technology. The United Nations has long banned North Korea from carrying out satellite launches, as they are seen as cover for ballistic-missile tests.
Soon after declaring that space-based activity could be pursued for military purposes, North Korea’s first two launch attempts failed. Weeks after the botched second attempt in August 2023, Kim met Russian President Vladimir Putin at Russia’s main spaceport, where they toured a launchpad and a manufacturing site. When Russian media asked if Moscow could transfer space technology to North Korea, Putin gave a curt response.
“That’s why we’re here,” he said. “The North Korean leader shows great interest in rocket technology.”
North Korea soon placed its first spy satellite into orbit in November 2023. Russia helped analyze blueprints and data from the previous failed launches, South Korea’s spy agency has said.
Pyongyang claimed it had snapped photos of the White House and the Pentagon, though offered no proof. The North Korean spy satellite is orbiting the Earth though it appears nonoperational, South Korea’s military has said.
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un watched a missile test at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in March 2024. Photo: KCNA/AP
Kim outlined an ambitious target for 2024: He announced plans to launch three more spy satellites. Only one was attempted—and it ended with a fiery disaster.
That failure likely involved rocket technology supplied by Russia, considering North Korea suddenly used a new type of engine, South Korea’s spy agency said. At the time, many Russian technicians were also seen entering North Korea, likely to help with the satellite endeavors, other South Korean officials said.
North Korea hasn’t launched another spy satellite since the failure in May 2024. One potential explanation, according to military experts: The Kim regime is in the process of applying Russian technologies to increase the chances of successfully putting many more satellites into orbit. The next launch doesn’t appear imminent, they say.
To acquire space-reconnaissance capabilities, Pyongyang would have to deploy dozens of spy satellites of its own. Debris from previous failed launches also showed North Korea’s satellites were only capable of capturing low-resolution imagery.
North Korea is in the very early stages of gaining space-reconnaissance capabilities, including keeping satellites in orbit and transmitting imagery back, said Doo Jin-ho, a senior researcher at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, a think tank in Seoul.
“Russia can help every step of the way,” Doo said.
Write to Dasl Yoon at dasl.yoon@wsj.com
2. US defense official highlights ROK’s leading role in defense against DPRK
With great respect to my Korean friends and colleagues, Japan is more correct. We cannot consider the multiple threats separately. We must take a holistic approach to the Asia-Indo-Pacific because of the interconnectedness of geography, economies, and the threat (e.g., the cooperation, collaboration, and collusion of the CRInK). It is not Taiwan or Korea, it is Taiwan AND Korea (AND more).
Excerpts:
In addition, U.S. Forces Korea has signaled a shift in strategic focus, emphasizing the need to address wider regional threats, particularly the challenge posed by China.
Reflecting this shift, Japan has reportedly floated a “one-theater” Indo-Pacific strategy, which would treat the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas as a single operational zone centered on countering China.
However, the proposal has raised alarm in Seoul, where officials fear it could marginalize South Korea in regional security planning and leave the country vulnerable in the event of a North Korean attack.
My recommendations here:
Optimizing U.S. and Allied Forces for Deterrence and Defense Throughout Indo-Pacom: From Korea to Australia and Everywhere in Between
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2025/05/24/us-allies-deterrence-indo-pacific/
America Must Stop Treating Taiwan and Korea as Separate Security Issues
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2025/04/america-must-stop-treating-taiwan-and-korea-as-separate-security-issues/
America First, Allies Always: securing the Asia-Indo-Pacific together
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/07/15/korea-perspective-david-maxwell-speech/8541752588776/
US defense official highlights ROK’s leading role in defense against DPRK
Elbridge Colby praised ROK military spending, readiness while urging alliance modernization amid regional threats
Jooheon Kim August 6, 2025
https://www.nknews.org/2025/08/us-defense-official-highlights-roks-leading-role-in-defense-against-dprk/
U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby| Image: U.S. Department of Defense, edited by NK News
U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby has praised South Korea for taking a lead in defending against North Korea as well as its military spending and readiness while stressing the need to modernize the alliance amid regional security challenges.
“South Korea continues to be a role model in its willingness to take more of the lead in a strong defense against the DPRK and in its spending on defense,” Colby wrote on social media.
In another message posted the same day, he emphasized that both nations share a common understanding of the need to modernize the alliance in response to regional security challenges.
“We will work closely with Seoul to ensure a strategically sustainable Alliance that is ready to defend against shared threats,” he wrote.
Shang E. Ha, a political science professor at Sogang University, said Colby has long viewed U.S. forces in South Korea as more useful in deterring China than North Korea, suggesting his latest remarks may simply be a “balancing gesture.”
“Essentially, he’s saying ‘you take care of your country,’ and ‘we’ll return wartime operational control if needed’,” he told NK News.
The expert also noted that the nuclear imbalance remains a concern, with North Korea armed with nuclear weapons and South Korea still without them.
“At a decisive moment, the gap between a nuclear-armed state and one without nuclear weapons becomes stark — which is why South Korea must demand a clear and credible U.S. commitment to extended deterrence.”
Widely seen in Washington as a leading proponent of a hardline approach to China, Colby has consistently advocated for reorienting U.S. defense priorities away from North Korea and toward confronting China’s expanding influence.
He has argued that South Korea should significantly boost its own defense posture — and, if necessary, consider nuclear options — to reinforce its role in deterring regional threats.
Colby’s recent remarks came after a phone call between the U.S. and South Korean defense chiefs, during which the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in countering North Korea’s threats and its growing military alignment with Russia
The call came amid growing indications that Washington is seeking to recalibrate its military cooperation with Seoul.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressed South Korea to pay more for hosting U.S. troops, while also urging allies in both Europe and Asia to increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP as part of a broader “burden-sharing” initiative.
In addition, U.S. Forces Korea has signaled a shift in strategic focus, emphasizing the need to address wider regional threats, particularly the challenge posed by China.
Reflecting this shift, Japan has reportedly floated a “one-theater” Indo-Pacific strategy, which would treat the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas as a single operational zone centered on countering China.
However, the proposal has raised alarm in Seoul, where officials fear it could marginalize South Korea in regional security planning and leave the country vulnerable in the event of a North Korean attack.
Edited by Alannah Hill
3. South Korea completes removal of anti-Pyongyang loudspeakers in DMZ
A sad day. There will be no apparent benefit to South Korea.
Kim Jong Un is assessing another success for his political warfare strategy.
World News Aug. 6, 2025 / 6:16 AM
South Korea completes removal of anti-Pyongyang loudspeakers in DMZ
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/08/06/South-Korea-completes-removal-North-Korea-propaganda-speakers-DMZ/8421754474477/
By Thomas Maresca
South Korea's military completed the removal of anti-Pyongyang propaganda loudspeakers in the DMZ, officials said Wednesday. Photo courtesy of South Korea Ministry of Defense
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- South Korea completed removing loudspeakers that had been installed along the DMZ to blast anti-Pyongyang messages across the border, military officials said Wednesday.
Around 20 speakers were completely dismantled by Tuesday afternoon, officials said. The military began the project on Monday, calling it a "practical measure that will help ease tensions between the South and the North."
In June, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung ordered the suspension of the broadcasts, which included news, K-pop music, and information about democracy and life in South Korea.
Seoul had resumed the Cold War-style propaganda campaign one year earlier in response to a series of provocations by North Korea that included floating thousands of trash-filled balloons across the border.
Related
The North countered by broadcasting bizarre noises such as metallic screeching and animal sounds, disturbing residents in areas near the DMZ. Pyongyang quieted its own speakers after the initial suspension but has not yet appeared to take corresponding action to remove them.
As of Tuesday, there were "no movements by the North Korean military to dismantle their loudspeakers," Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesman Col. Lee Sung-jun said at a press briefing.
President Lee has made an effort to improve inter-Korean relations since taking office in June. In addition to the loudspeaker suspension, his administration has also cracked down on activists floating balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.
Last month, Seoul repatriated six North Koreans who drifted into southern waters on wooden boats and announced plans to return the remains of another North Korean national found near the maritime border.
Pyongyang did not respond to the repatriation plan by a deadline on Tuesday afternoon, South Korea's Unification Ministry said. Local government officials will conduct "a respectful funeral in accordance with procedures for handling unclaimed bodies," the ministry said.
North Korea has rebuffed Seoul's attempts at rapprochement so far.
Last week, Kim Yo Jong -- the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un -- said Pyongyang had "no interest" in responding to efforts by the Lee administration to thaw relations, citing Seoul's "blind trust" in military ties with the United States.
The allies are scheduled to hold their annual large-scale Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercise this month. Pyongyang frequently condemns the joint drills as rehearsals for an invasion.
4. South Korea to cremate body of North Korean man after Pyongyang fails to respond
I wonder if as soon as the announcement that the cremation is complete the regime will ask for the return of the body and then use the fact that they cremated the body "without permission" from the north to raise tension to support KJU's blackmail diplomacy.
South Korea to cremate body of North Korean man after Pyongyang fails to respond
Seoul moves ahead with unclaimed body procedures following silence from DPRK despite multiple repatriation offers
https://www.nknews.org/2025/08/seoul-to-hand-over-body-of-north-korean-citizen-amid-silence-from-pyongyang/
Jooheon Kim August 5, 2025
Panmunjom on the inter-Korean border in Sept. 2015 | Image: NK News
South Korea will cremate the body of a North Korean man found adrift off its western coast, after Pyongyang failed to respond to repeated offers to repatriate the remains.
“In the previous announcement, we informed that the handover would take place on Aug. 5, and if there is no response, the remains will be treated as unclaimed,” Seoul’s unification ministry told NK News on Tuesday. However, Pyongyang did not reply by the designated time of 3:00 p.m.
The ministry added that the local government will conduct “a respectful funeral following the procedures for unclaimed bodies,” in accordance with the guidelines for handling North Korean deceased persons.
DNA testing will be conducted prior to the funeral, the ministry said, noting that the results could help verify the man’s family relationships in the future.
On July 29, the ministry publicly notified the North of its plan to repatriate the body at 3 p.m. on Aug. 5 at Panmunjom via media reports. According to the ministry, Seoul attempted to contact the North twice on Monday via the inter-Korean liaison office’s hotline at Panmunjom, but got no response.
Documents found with the body identified the deceased as Ko Sung Chol, a man born in 1988 and listed as a farm worker in Kangbuk-ri, Kumchon County, North Hwanghae Province. A military-style padded winter uniform and a badge were also recovered with his remains.
The ministry previously told NK News that the monthlong delay in announcing the planned transfer was intended to prevent confusion with the recent repatriation of six North Korean nationals rescued at sea.
It explained that the decision to delay was made because the return of the six individuals had not yet been completed when Ko’s body was found, and that the transfers were scheduled sequentially to avoid mixed messaging.
In the case of the six defectors who were repatriated via the East Sea last month, North Korea did not acknowledge prior notices but still dispatched a vessel according to the schedule.
At the time, the unification ministry said the repatriation plan was conveyed to the North via the “pink phone.” The line directly connects the United Nations Command office at Panmunjom and North Korea’s Panmungak building. Although Pyongyang did not respond, it did send vessels to retrieve its citizens.
Bodies suspected to be from North Korea occasionally wash ashore on South Korea’s western coast during the summer monsoon season, particularly near the Han River estuary. If Pyongyang fails to respond, South Korean authorities generally carry out a cremation in accordance with domestic law.
Since 2010, a total of 29 bodies presumed to be North Korean residents have been found, the ministry said. Among them, six bodies were not accepted by North Korea: two in 2017, one in 2019, one in 2022 and two in 2023. The last time North Korea accepted a body was in November 2019.
Inter-Korean hotlines have been inactive since April 2023, following the DPRK’s cessation of daily responses after Seoul criticized Pyongyang’s use of South Korean assets at the Kaesong Industrial Complex.
President Lee Jae-myung has taken a conciliatory approach toward North Korea since his inauguration — including the recent dismantling of South Korean loudspeakers used for cross-border broadcasts.
Pyongyang has reportedly shown no signs of removing its own loudspeakers yet, though it has not resumed propaganda broadcasts either.
However, the DPRK leader’s sister Kim Yo Jong recently stated that Pyongyang has no interest in talks with Seoul, rejecting efforts by Lee to improve inter-Korean relations.
Updated at 4:15 p.m. KST with updated information about the failed repatriation attempt. Edited by Alannah Hill
5. Former President Yoon Seok-yeol must be properly evaluated. by Jihyun Park
This is from my good friend and colleague from the UK and originally from north Korea, Ms Jihyun Park. Here is her bio for this blog:
Those who achieve their dreams become others' dreams! I document my daily life and create my own space. I'm middle-aged, but I'm learning English. #North Korean Defector
I wish all my friends in South Korea could heed her words. There are few as qualified as her to write on this issue and human rights in general.
This is a Google translation of her important essay. For my Korean friends, please read the original Korean at the link below.
Former President Yoon Seok-yeol must be properly evaluated.
https://m.blog.naver.com/freedom88-/223958922792
freedom88-
August 4, 2025, 9:49 PM
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The character of swallowing what is sweet and spitting what is bitter must be corrected.
It is time for a proper evaluation of former President Yoon Seok-yeol.
'Yoon Eo-gae-in', 'Mostan Appears', 'Letter from Prison', and his lawyers... I was lost in deep thought while watching the recent phenomenon.
To be honest, most of what we've seen and heard since 12.3 has been more like propaganda.
Have we ever truly understood and evaluated the person called Yoon Seok-yeol, and the philosophy and beliefs he displayed as president?
With that problem in mind, I'll try to organize my thoughts.
And above all, I sincerely hope that former President Yoon, who is now in prison, will not become a political tool for those who are using his name to spread propaganda outside.
I write this with the hope that he will uphold to the end the philosophy of freedom and the national view that he has consistently advocated as president, and that he himself will not let go.
Before criticizing former President Yoon Seok-yeol, we must first understand the philosophy of "freedom" he spoke of.
Recent criticism of former President Yoon Seok-yeol has been harsh and provocative. It's been overflowing with distorted statements, such as "I was wearing only underwear" and accusations of refusing to comply with arrest, and even curses directed at First Lady Kim Kun-hee, such as "She should disappear from human society."
You can criticize politicians' mistakes, but verbal abuse is not criticism; it is emotional lynching, and it is violence disguised as freedom.
This meanness is the propaganda of the leftists who are trying to trample on all of his liberal philosophy, and seeing the people who are being immersed in this propaganda, I realized that the roots of ignorance are very deep.
To be honest, I didn't welcome him at first either.
I also harbored resentment toward him, who spearheaded the impeachment and investigation of former President Park Geun-hye. This wasn't a personal grudge, but rather a direct result of his complicity in undermining the rule of law in Korea.
But after reading former President Park Geun-hye's memoir and seeing her hand extended, I too began to look at her again.
As time passed and I encountered his various speeches and diplomatic remarks, my perspective changed. He was not simply a man of power, but one of the few Korean politicians with a clear understanding of freedom.
First of all, he viewed freedom as the most universal and fundamental value.
Former President Yoon said this in his inaugural address on May 10, 2022.
"Freedom is a universal value. All citizens and members of society should be able to enjoy freedom."
“Democracy without freedom cannot exist.”
He defined freedom not as a right reserved for a particular group or class, but as a principle that should be enjoyed by all of society.
He also emphasized that:
"When one person's freedom is violated, the freedom of all is threatened. Freedom is not just for the victors."
He also clearly defined North Korea as a "totalitarian dictatorship." He is the first South Korean politician I've ever encountered to call North Korea a totalitarian dictatorship.
“North Korea is a totalitarian dictatorship that is destroying the freedom and human rights of its people.”
“The freedom we enjoy must be extended to the people of North Korea, and that is true liberation.” From the 2022 Liberation Day speech
He emphasized that the unification of the Korean Peninsula should not be merely a national issue, but an expansion of human freedom.
These remarks were not merely security rhetoric, but a philosophical belief.
He also declared international solidarity for freedom during his state visit to the UK.
In November 2023, President Yoon Seok-yeol made a state visit to the United Kingdom, where he had dinner with King Charles III and also spoke in the British Parliament.
He said this in the British Parliament:
I also had the privilege of attending a state banquet and hearing him speak in the British Parliament.
“Britain sent 80,000 troops to the Korean War in 1950, sacrificing their lives to protect the freedom of a country it had never seen before.”
“For the values of freedom, peace, human rights, and prosperity, Korea and the UK will share responsibility together.”
He added, quoting Winston Churchill:
“The price of greatness is responsibility.”
“To defend freedom, we must act together.”
At the state banquet, he quoted a line from Shakespeare's poem and described the future of Korea-UK relations as follows:
“This friendship will bear happy fruit, turning the challenges before us into opportunities.”
“We are comrades of the same blood, and together we can overcome any challenge ahead.”
And above all, he said that because Britain was the first country in the world to devise and lead the liberal democratic political system, most modern countries today have been deeply influenced by British parliamentary democracy.
He emphasized that “Korea is no exception,” and that “based on the universal values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, Korea will firmly cooperate with the UK toward a future of freedom, peace, and prosperity around the world.”
And then he made a toast to his friend in England, saying, "You will never grow old."
To some, it may be just words written on paper, but to us, who know what freedom is and why it is precious, and to the British people, everyone felt that each and every one of his words was sincere and not a show.
The freedom that former President Yoon Seok-yeol has been calling for does not belong to any one political party.
He maintained the position that anyone, regardless of whether they were progressive or conservative, should fight to protect freedom.
In his Harvard speech, he said:
"Democracy can only exist on the basis of institutions. When the law collapses, democracy collapses."
“Freedom can only be sustained when it is accompanied by responsibility.”
His words apply equally to those who are now criticizing former President Yoon, not just the conservative camp.
If you shout for freedom while trampling on the dignity of others, that is not freedom at all.
Even if you oppose, oppose it with dignity.
Even if you criticize, base your criticism on facts.
Even if you fight, do not fight at the expense of freedom.
These are the noble morals that free people should uphold. But in Korea, all of this has disappeared.
He also said this in his inaugural address:
“Forces that threaten the freedom of our society distort the truth through false propaganda and fake news.
“Freedom cannot be built on lies.”
These words are not just directed at the media, but also a clear warning to political opponents.
It was a warning that if one wishes to maintain a liberal democratic system, the moment one denies procedures and institutions, the system will collapse.
John Locke argued that political power consists of three branches: legislative, executive, and union, but that the supreme power is the legislative. However, he argued that the legislative power is merely a fiduciary power, capable of acting for a specific purpose. He argued that the people retain the supreme power to abolish or alter the legislature when it is found to be acting contrary to the trust entrusted to them. Locke clearly stated that sovereignty lies with the people, not with the rulers.
Therefore, it reminds us again that the people's right to resist is important because the people are the ones who judge the government.
The right to resist doesn't necessarily mean marching to Gwanghwamun Square. What we need now is a quiet but determined resistance, one that allows us to think, judge, and act for ourselves. Freedom that crumbles in silence ultimately takes away freedom for everyone.
PS: There's another reason I'm writing this. When I raised human rights issues with international organizations while former President Park Geun-hye was in prison, they said they were monitoring the situation but couldn't intervene because it was a political issue. Ultimately, even while in prison, Park Geun-hye suffered human rights abuses at the hands of those who sought to exploit her politically, yet she never received any protection. I hope that won't happen again.
It is good to continue the philosophy presented by former President Yoon, but using him as a political tool again means that we all miss the opportunity to protect his human rights.
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Those who achieve their dreams become others' dreams! I document my daily life and create my own space. I'm middle-aged, but I'm learning English. #North Korean Defector
6. ROK pilots ordered to stage fake strike calls on North Korea last year: Lawmaker
Conspiracy theory?
Or lack of understanding of military operations?
Training and readiness. Pilots must know the terrain they have to fly over.
ROK pilots ordered to stage fake strike calls on North Korea last year: Lawmaker
Despite military denial, Apache activity near border fuels suspicions Yoon tried to provoke clash to justify martial law
Shreyas Reddy August 5, 2025
https://www.nknews.org/2025/08/rok-pilots-ordered-to-stage-fake-strike-calls-on-north-korea-last-year-lawmaker/
A ROK Apache AH-64E attack helicopter | Image: ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) via Facebook (Jan. 24, 2025)
South Korea attempted to induce a military clash with North Korea by staging fake strike calls from Apache helicopters near the two countries’ maritime border last year, a lawmaker has claimed, adding to concerns that former President Yoon Suk-yeol sought to spark an inter-Korean conflict to justify his controversial martial law declaration.
Following South Korean media reports, the office of the ruling Democratic Party’s (DP) Choo Mi-ae confirmed to NK News on Tuesday that an army official testified that Apache helicopter pilots deployed near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) made multiple false radio broadcasts between September and November last year indicating they would strike targets in North Korea.
According to Choo’s office, these false transmissions from helicopters armed with live ammunition and Hellfire missiles were carried out under orders from higher-ups, seemingly aimed at presenting the illusion of a threat to North Korea.
These claims back up reports last week that the special prosecution team investigating alleged “foreign aggressions” linked to Yoon’s martial law declaration received testimony from a ROK Army Air Command official that Apache helicopters armed with 30mm machine gun rounds and missiles regularly flew close to the NLL starting last summer in an apparent bid to raise tensions with North Korea.
According to South Korean media, the official testified that these operations, which were carried out in broad daylight, were seemingly aimed at being spotted by North Korea.
To maintain confidentiality, the information-sharing for these operations was reportedly done exclusively via Telegram, and any plans made in writing were later destroyed
However, these allegations remain unverified, and the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff has previously denied that there was any attempt to provoke the North with the Apache flights, explaining that they were simply “routine operations” for maintaining security.
Nonetheless, the latest claims add fuel to the fire after months of reports indicating Yoon and his alleged martial law co-conspirators sought to spark a military clash with Pyongyang last year in a bid to justify the imposition of martial law in South Korea last December.
These allegations are still being investigated as part of the trials against the impeached ex-president and other senior officials implicated in the martial law crisis, but add to previous claims that former Defense Intelligence Command chief Noh Sang-won planned to “induce a North Korean attack near the NLL” in support of Yoon’s agenda.
The DP has also alleged that Yoon and former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun ordered the military’s Drone Operations Command to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles to Pyongyang in October and November last year to ramp up inter-Korean tensions.
With Yoon later framing his martial law declaration as an attempt to root out “pro-North” forces in South Korea’s political opposition, the DP has relentlessly pursued an investigation into the allegations of “North Wind” operations designed to stoke inter-Korean tensions for domestic political gain.
However, for now these allegations remain unconfirmed, and the special prosecutors reportedly plan to dig further into the helicopter flights as part of their investigation into Yoon and his alleged martial law co-conspirators.
Edited by Alannah Hill
7. Moscow–Pyongyang flight hailed as milestone, but empty seats raise doubts
Do permission requirements and costs prohibit travelers?
This will not likely survive without state subsidies.
Moscow–Pyongyang flight hailed as milestone, but empty seats raise doubts
Conflicting Russian state media reports on passenger numbers fuel questions over new route’s real purpose
https://www.nknews.org/2025/08/moscow-pyongyang-flight-hailed-as-milestone-but-empty-seats-raise-doubts/
Anton Sokolin August 6, 2025
GIFT THIS ARTICLE PRINT
A North Korean man waving at the Russia 1 camera crew aboard the first Nordwind Airlines flight from Moscow to Pyongyang on July 28, 2025 | Image: Screengrab from footage by Russia 1 (July 28, 2025), edited by NK News
While Russia and North Korea lauded the first direct flight between their capitals in decades as a symbol of growing ties late last month, conflicting coverage by Russian state media — some touting sold-out tickets and others revealing empty seats — has raised questions about who is really flying the route and why.
On July 28, a Boeing 777-200ER (RA-73340) operated by Moscow-based Nordwind Airlines brought a Russian delegation and DPRK passengers to Pyongyang, reviving the long-defunct air route between the two capitals.
Russian state media heavily covered the flight, which can carry up to 440 people, airing interviews with Russia’s ecology minister who was aboard the plane, as well as several Russian and North Korean travelers.
Russia 1’s Vesti news program featuring the Nordwind Airlines Moscow-Pyongyang flight on July 28, 2025 | Image: Screengrab from footage by Russia 1 (July 28, 2025), edited by NK News
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The state-run RIA news agency claimed that the $575 one-way tickets were sold out within five days of going on sale while Russia’s Channel One similarly emphasized the aircraft’s large capacity, reporting that the flight was fully booked and that “tickets for both directions were sold out.”
However, these reports contrasted with footage aired by channels Russia 24 and Russia 1 — all under the same state-run broadcaster — which showed rows of mostly empty seats on the flight to Pyongyang, sparsely occupied by North Korean passengers.
The Russia 1 reporter later said that just around 80 people, mostly DPRK citizens and the Russian delegation, were on board for the Moscow-Pyongyang leg.
Upon arrival in the North Korean capital, the journalist added that “all 400 tickets for the return flight” to Moscow were booked, presumably by North Korean nationals seeking to travel to Russia.
Ecology Minister Alexander Kozlov previously explained that Nordwind was selected to operate the route because it has “wide-body aircraft that are up to the task.” The same Boeing is set to service the next flight on Aug. 26, according to Nordwind’s website, while later flights will be carried out by an Airbus A330-300 with 379 seats, the Russian government said.
TO NORTH KOREANS’ TASTE?
The airline clearly tried to accommodate the North Korean passengers, with announcements in Russian and Korean, Korean-language menus and cabin crew reportedly receiving Korean dictionaries for better communication, according to Russia 1 and Russia Today.
But it remains unclear how DPRK travelers reacted to minor cultural lapses like opting for the South Korean spelling of certain words instead of their North Korean equivalents. One North Korean passenger, nonetheless, praised the direct route as a more convenient alternative to layover flights to Vladivostok.
Nordwind Airlines cabin crew serving food and drinks to North Korean passengers aboard the Moscow-Pyongyang flight on July 28, 2025 | Image: Screengrab from footage by Russia 1 (July 28, 2025), edited by NK News
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Ed Condit, a retired United Airlines pilot and aviation consultant, noted that the Boeing 777-200ER used for the route features a higher maximum gross weight and greater fuel capacity, making it well suited for longer flights. The Moscow-Pyongyang trip was over eight hours long, according to Flightradar24.
Speaking of the Russia 1 footage showing flight attendants serving the scattered DPRK passengers, Condit argued the images contradicted other state media reports that the flight was full, calling such claims “completely disingenuous.”
But he added that there may be a forward cabin not shown, “perhaps to not reveal the identity of VIPs or governmental individuals.”
He also noted that food and drinks are normally served “airborne given the length of the flight,” commenting that it was unusual to see paper boxes in which the cabin crew catered food.
North Korean passengers enjoying their beetroot-based Russian vinaigrette salad served in paper boxes as part of Nordwind Airlines’ in-flight meals | Image: Screengrab from footage by Russia 1 (July 28, 2025), edited by NK News
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Chris Monday, a Russia specialist at Dongseo University, called the coverage of the flight “aggressively fluffy and campy,” highlighting how state media repeatedly stressed that North Koreans were pleased with the food.
Monday highlighted to NK News that Russian media never shows genuine interaction between Russian and North Korean passengers, noting that such coverage is often “heavily curated by the FSB.”
Except for one Russian “urban transportation” specialist and Minister Kozlov, no other Russian passenger spoke to reporters accompanying the flight, with Monday suggesting that they simply were reluctant to be filmed.
Similarly, the expert questioned how “smooth communication” between the Russian cabin crew and North Korean passengers was, suggesting that the language barrier may have posed a serious challenge.
While both Russian and North Korean media are framing the new transportation links as tourism-focused, the recurring images of “empty trains and planes suggest otherwise,” Monday said, with such reports leaving viewers with the “impression that the true purpose is being hidden.”
“The basic feeling we get from these reports is that much is being hidden and that the main connections remain military, while commercial and tourist ties remain tenuous,” the expert noted.
He suggested that Pyongyang attaches greater importance to the resumption of travel as it could use it to shuttle DPRK officials, military officers and overseas workers to Russia, while for Moscow it’s “just a sideshow and a sop to the North Koreans.”
North Korean citizens greeting the arrival of the Nordwind Airlines’ plane at Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport despite the reported 35-centigrade heat on July 28, 2025 | Image: Screengrab from footage by Russia 1 (July 28, 2025), edited by NK News
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FUTURE WILL TELL
A Russia Today reporter who traveled to the DPRK invited Russian tourists dreaming of “new adventures” to explore the opportunity of flying to Pyongyang aboard a Nordwind jet in their segment.
Stating that the flight “didn’t just happen overnight” but was in the works for a long time, the journalist praised the resumption of service as a “game-changer for tourism” that will make it “easier for travelers to explore the DPRK, bring in more visitors, more culture and more adventure.”
Matvey Krivosheev, an attache at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang who boarded the flight en route to the Russian capital, told the reporter that the flight will also make it “super comfortable for the people who live in Pyongyang to get straight to Moscow.”
Upon the plane’s touchdown in Moscow, TASS news agency reported that the flight was fully booked, mostly with North Korean passengers.
Matvey Krivosheev, an attache at the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, traveling to Moscow aboard a Nordwind Airlines jet on July 29, 2025 | Image: Screengrab from Russia Today (July 31, 2025)
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Condit agreed with Russia Today’s positive report about the Nordwind crew’s performance, calling it professional while admitting that “service standards can vary from airline to airline, especially in the leisure low fare class of airlines.”
“The check-in staff and uniforms of the flight attendants would be in line with generally accepted standards,” he said, noting that the aircraft appeared clean while the crew’s “emergency demonstrations” were handled “professionally and confidently.”
Adding that the carrier is “fully capable of carrying vast amounts of cargo,” the expert raised a question of what cargo, other than passengers and a lion cub, the Boeing transported both ways and whether it had any sanctioned items aboard.
Explaining that a small number of passengers traveling from Moscow to Pyongyang wouldn’t be unusual as the service has just entered its initial stage, the expert stressed that the trip must have been quite costly.
“Whether passenger loads emerge to justify and profitably use this aircraft remains to be seen,” Condit said. “It is a little too early to say how often they will operate given the demand for passenger travel and cargo.”
Edited by Alannah Hill
8. S. Korean, U.S. Marines hold combined drills
World class athletes must train year round. Training is perishable. These Marines are world class athletes in the military who must train to sustain their combat readiness.
S. Korean, U.S. Marines hold combined drills | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Hyun-soo · August 6, 2025
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korean and U.S. Marines have been staging combined exercises, including amphibious landing drills, since mid-July in a bid to step up their joint operational capabilities, the Marine Corps said Wednesday.
The Korea Marine Exercise Program (KMEP) has involved some 2,500 troops, including around 1,500 U.S. Marines stationed in Okinawa, Japan. The joint exercise will run through mid-August in the southeastern port city of Pohang and other areas.
The allies have been seeking to enhance their joint operational capabilities by staging a range of drills, including battalion-level amphibious landing exercises, according to the Marine Corps.
As part of the drills, troops conducted the "decisive action" phase of the exercise in Pohang, involving military assets, such as the KAAV amphibious assault vehicles, MUH-1 Marineon helicopter and CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
South Korean and U.S. Marines conduct live-fire drills during the Korea Marine Exercise Program (KMEP), in this undated photo provided by the Marine Corps. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sookim@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Hyun-soo · August 6, 2025
9. S. Korea, U.S. secure tech for stable operation of nuclear fusion reactor
A game changer?
S. Korea, U.S. secure tech for stable operation of nuclear fusion reactor | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kang Yoon-seung · August 6, 2025
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) — South Korea and U.S. researchers have made progress in securing a key technology essential for the commercialization of fusion energy, the science ministry said Wednesday.
The Korea Institute of Fusion Energy and the U.S.-based Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory discovered ways to control core plasma more stably with boron powder, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.
In detail, the researchers found out injecting boron powder reduces tungsten impurities released from the inner walls of a fusion reactor.
Tungsten is considered one of the next-generation materials for nuclear fusion facilities due to its high durability against heat. Concerns, however, remain as tungsten impurities can have an adverse impact on a reactor's stability and performance.
The researchers conducted experiments using South Korea's tokamak-type nuclear fusion reactor, the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR), which was built in 2007.
"By utilizing domestic infrastructure, such as KSTAR, we plan to continue collecting research results that could lead to the acquisition of key technologies necessary for accelerating the realization of nuclear fusion energy and related research," the ministry said.
This photo, provided by the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy, shows the exterior of the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) in Daejeon, about 140 kilometers south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kang Yoon-seung · August 6, 2025
10. S. Korea, UAE discuss security, arms cooperation in defense talks
The ROK defense industry seems to be booming.
S. Korea, UAE discuss security, arms cooperation in defense talks | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · August 6, 2025
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Senior defense officials of South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) held talks Wednesday to discuss the security situation and ways to advance their defense and arms industry cooperation, Seoul's defense ministry said.
The vice defense ministerial-level steering committee meeting between South Korea's Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee and his UAE counterpart, Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi, took place in Seoul earlier in the day, the ministry said.
In the meeting, the officials agreed to expand joint training and exchanges of personnel and push for long-term cooperation in the arms industry and the defense science and technology sector.
They also exchanged opinions on key issues, including the security situation, in which the UAE official expressed support for dialogue and diplomacy in Seoul's efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula, according to the ministry.
As part of the visit, Al Alawi paid a courtesy call on Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back the previous day. He plans to visit a South Korean air base in the southern city of Sacheon for a test flight of a prototype of South Korea's homegrown KF-21 fighter jet.
In April, the two countries signed a letter of intent for comprehensive cooperation on the KF-21 jets.
Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee (L) and his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi, pose for a photo ahead of their meeting at the defense ministry in Seoul on Aug. 6, 2025, in this photo provided by Lee's office. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
mlee@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Lee Minji · August 6, 2025
11. Seoul finance minister says FTA with U.S. still effective despite tariff deal
I was wondering about this but I am still not clear on the effects.
(LEAD) Seoul finance minister says FTA with U.S. still effective despite tariff deal | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · August 6, 2025
(ATTN: ADDS remarks in paras 7-8)
By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's finance chief said Wednesday that the country's Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States remains effective, despite a recent tariff agreement between the two countries.
Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol made the remarks during a parliamentary session, following last week's last-minute deal between Seoul and Washington. Under the agreement, the U.S. will impose a 15 percent tariff on South Korean imports, down from the initially proposed 25 percent, in exchange for South Korea's investment of US$350 billion in the U.S.
Following the deal, concerns have emerged that the zero-tariff benefits of the South Korea-U.S. FTA could be diminished.
"With a few exceptions, South Korea continues to benefit from the FTA," Koo said, noting that countries without an FTA with the U.S. are subject to higher tariffs than South Korea. The minister said the 15 percent tariff will be applied to the previous zero percent.
Regarding Seoul's $150 billion commitment to the U.S. shipbuilding industry, Koo said the investment is expected to boost exports and create job opportunities.
"In particular, small and mid-sized companies could find new opportunities through investment in shipbuilding equipment and parts," he added.
Responding to comments that domestics companies investing in the U.S. should be exempt from tariffs on related equipment and facilities, Koo said the government plans to make such a request during upcoming negotiations.
He also dismissed the opposition bloc's criticism that the agreement was humiliating, stressing that South Korea avoided the "worst-case scenario" of a higher tariff burden.
Addressing concerns over agricultural market access, the minister emphasized that the government has not made additional concessions in the latest negotiations.
"There has been no further market opening for U.S. agricultural products, such as fruits and vegetables, through tariff negotiations," he said.
The government earlier said it has successfully safeguarded the interests of the domestic agricultural and livestock sectors through the negotiations.
Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol speaks during a parliamentary session on Aug. 6, 2025. (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · August 6, 2025
12. S. Korea faces mounting defense pressure ahead of Lee-Trump summit
S. Korea faces mounting defense pressure ahead of Lee-Trump summit - The Korea Times
The Korea Times · by ListenListenText SizePrint
- Foreign Affairs
South Korean and U.S. national flags are displayed side by side during a rotation ceremony at Camp Casey in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, June 18. Yonhap
By Lee Hyo-jin
- Published Aug 6, 2025 4:01 pm KST
The Korea Times · by ListenListenText SizePrint
By Lee Hyo-jin
Published Aug 6, 2025 4:01 pm KST
Senior Pentagon official touts Seoul's willingness to take more lead in NK deterrence
As preparations are underway for a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump, Seoul is facing increasing pressure from Washington on security issues.
The upcoming summit — the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders — is expected to become a key diplomatic challenge for the Lee administration as it grapples to meet the Trump administration's costly demands for maintaining the alliance, including calls to take on a bigger role in countering China.
A senior Pentagon official recently praised South Korea as a "role model" for its increased defense spending and willingness to lead efforts against threats from North Korea.
Elbridge Colby, undersecretary of defense for policy, made the remarks on July 31 in a social media post following a phone call between South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
"South Korea continues to be a role model in its willingness to take more of the lead in a strong defense against the DPRK and in its spending on defense," Colby wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
Colby also said the two allies are "closely aligned on the need to modernize the alliance" in response to shifting regional security dynamics.
Widely regarded as a key architect of Trump's "America First" strategy in the security domain, Colby has led efforts to push U.S. allies to increase their defense budgets and assume a greater role in collective defense.
According to a recent Financial Times report, Colby pressed Japanese and Australian defense officials to clarify their potential roles in the event of a U.S.-China conflict over Taiwan.
Observers in Seoul expect similar demands to surface during the upcoming Lee-Trump summit, under the increasingly cited framework of "alliance modernization."
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, left, and Defense Undersecretary Elbridge Colby, meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Pentagon in Washington, July 21 (local time). Reuters-Yonhap
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, left, and Defense Undersecretary Elbridge Colby, meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Pentagon in Washington, July 21 (local time). Reuters-Yonhap
"In simple terms, alliance modernization means expanding the South Korea-U.S. mutual defense treaty beyond the Korean Peninsula and into the Indo-Pacific region, which would entail greater strategic flexibility for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), including roles aimed at countering China," said Doo Jin-ho, a senior researcher at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.
"Readjusting USFK's role may not require Korea's official consent, which leaves Seoul little room for negotiation on that front."
Seoul officials are reportedly asserting that discussions over USFK's strategic flexibility were settled under a 2006 agreement. That deal acknowledged Washington’s need for operational flexibility while affirming Seoul’s stance that it would not participate in regional conflicts in Northeast Asia without the consent of the Korean public.
Diplomatic sources suggest that while a broad agreement on alliance modernization may be reached at the upcoming summit, further discussions are likely to be handled through a "two-plus-two" format involving the foreign and defense ministers of both countries.
"I don’t think we'll see concrete issues like the readjustment of USFK roles in the joint statement following the summit," Doo said. "But it wouldn’t be a surprise if Trump makes off-script remarks suggesting that Korea, as a rich nation, should pay more for its own defense."
President Lee Jae Myung attends a meeting with heads of local governments at the presidential office in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap
President Lee Jae Myung attends a meeting with heads of local governments at the presidential office in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap
Meanwhile, the exact date of the summit remains unclear.
On July 31, Trump announced via Truth Social that he would host the South Korean leader at the White House "in two weeks," following the signing of a trade deal. However, that timeline — which would place the summit before Aug. 14 — appears increasingly unlikely given several upcoming events in Seoul.
The president is currently on summer vacation through Friday, according to his office.
Early next week, a foreign head of state is scheduled to visit Seoul, marking the first such visit under Lee's presidency. The government is also preparing for an official inauguration ceremony for the president on the Aug. 15 National Liberation Day holiday.
In addition, the annual Korea-U.S. Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercise is expected to begin in the week of Aug. 18, during which Lee will likely limit overseas travel.
Taken together, these factors point to the final week of August as the most likely window for the summit.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to confirm specific dates for the summit, saying only that the schedule will be announced jointly with the U.S. government.
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Lee Hyo-jin
I cover South Korea's foreign policy, defense and security issues on the Korean Peninsula. Before that, I reported on immigration policies and human rights — topics I continue to follow closely. I strive to gain an accurate understanding of the issues I cover and am particularly interested in stories that amplify often overlooked voices. Tips and story ideas via email are always welcome.
13. Editorial: Seoul's soft stance on China sends wrong signal before US talks
Editorial: Seoul's soft stance on China sends wrong signal before US talks
https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2025/08/07/DGWSROLYFBFSNKPH6357H2Y5QU/
By The Chosunilbo
Published 2025.08.06. 09:06
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung briefs on the senior secretaries’ meeting led by the chief of staff at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul on Aug. 4, 2025. /News1
In a recent U.S. media interview, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said China is “becoming somewhat problematic for its neighbors,” adding, “We have observed what China has been doing in the South China Sea and the Yellow Sea.” He also expressed a desire to see China “abide by international law in regional affairs.” His remarks were sound and reasonable.
The Chinese Embassy in Seoul responded by claiming that China has “consistently and firmly upheld the UN system, the international law-based order, and the fundamental norms of international relations.” It also insisted that China maintains “good relations with all neighboring countries.” These claims contradict reality.
In 2001, South Korea and China agreed to designate a provisional zone in the West Sea due to an unresolved maritime boundary, allowing only fishing. Despite this, China deployed two large mobile structures under the label of “fish farms.” It also built fixed steel structures with helipads, effectively planting artificial islands. When a South Korean research vessel approached, armed Chinese civilian boats blocked it. In May, China declared a no-sail zone in part of the West Sea and carried out military drills using an aircraft carrier. It even raised objections to the Ieodo ocean research base, which was established before the agreement. China is trying to claim the West Sea as its internal waters. These are not simply “somewhat problematic” actions, as Cho put it, but clear attempts to infringe on South Korean sovereignty.
China’s actions in the South China Sea go beyond what can be described as mere aggression. Beijing claims nearly the entire sea, which is larger than the Mediterranean and located far from its own shores, as its territorial waters. This includes areas just off the coasts of other nations. It outright ignores the ruling of an international tribunal that invalidated these claims. China has poured cement over reefs to create artificial islands and has turned them into military bases. Its use of force against the Philippines near their own shores is a blatant act of illegal violence. These are open violations of the UN framework and international law.
What is baffling is the presidential office’s response. Despite there being nothing wrong with Minister Cho’s remarks, it issued a statement seemingly aimed at clarifying them to China. The statement described his comments as a reaffirmation of ongoing efforts to foster a cooperative relationship despite differences. It made no mention of China’s illegal structures or its military presence in the West Sea. Even if the goal is to arrange a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, sovereignty is not a matter for negotiation.
The Trump administration already suspects President Lee Jae-myung of being pro-China. With the Korea-U.S. summit approaching, if the presidential office further fuels such doubts, what good will it do for the government or national interest?
14. Top officials from U.S. defense tech firm Anduril in Seoul for partnership talks, office launch
(LEAD) Top officials from U.S. defense tech firm Anduril in Seoul for partnership talks, office launch | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · August 6, 2025
(ATTN: ADDS statement from DAPA at bottom)
By Chang Dong-woo
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (Yonhap) -- Top officials from U.S. defense technology company Anduril Industries Inc. are visiting South Korea this week to discuss potential partnerships with local defense firms and commemorate the opening of the company's new office in Seoul, government and industry sources said Wednesday.
Brian Schimpf, chief executive officer (CEO) of Anduril, and company co-founder Palmer Luckey have arrived in Seoul for meetings with South Korean defense and aerospace companies, as well as government officials, according to the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The company plans to hold a formal event at a hotel in Seoul on Thursday to mark the launch of its local office. Officials from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and key domestic defense firms are expected to attend.
"Anduril is gaining traction in the United States as an emerging defense tech company, and while it is not yet in full-scale operation here, this visit represents an early step toward building a network in South Korea following the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in April," a government source said.
Seok Jong-gun (R), minister of South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration, poses for a photo with Brian Schimpf, CEO of U.S. defense technology company Anduril Industries Inc., during a ceremony at the government complex in Gwacheon, south of Seoul, on April 2, 2025, to sign an initial agreement for joint research and development in advanced unmanned combat systems, in this file photo released by the state arms procurement agency. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
In April, DAPA signed an MOU with Anduril to pursue joint research and development in next-generation unmanned combat systems, as part of South Korea's broader push to enhance its future-oriented defense capabilities.
As part of its expansion strategy, Anduril also signed separate MOUs with Korean Air Co., LIG Nex1 Co. and HD Hyundai Co. in South Korea to explore collaboration on artificial intelligence (AI)-driven and unmanned defense platforms.
Another defense industry source familiar with the visit noted that Anduril is "recognized as a rising force in the fields of AI and unmanned defense systems," which are increasingly aligned with South Korea's long-term military modernization goals.
Founded in 2017, Anduril has drawn attention for its software-first approach to defense development. The company is known for its AI-powered mission control systems, as well as its autonomous surveillance and reconnaissance technologies.
Anduril currently supplies systems to the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense and the Australian military.
In a statement sent to Yonhap News Agency, DAPA said it will work to promote defense cooperation in the private sector under the MOU it signed with the U.S. company.
"Under the MOU signed with Anduril in April, DAPA aims to facilitate and promote industry-to-industry cooperation opportunities, primarily through business-to-business partnerships," the agency said in the statement regarding the visit by Anduril officials.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Chang Dong-woo · August 6, 2025
15. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries lands MRO contract for USNS Alan Shepard
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries lands MRO contract for USNS Alan Shepard - The Korea Times
The Korea Times · by ListenListenText SizePrint
The USNS Alan Shepard / Courtesy of U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command
By Nam Hyun-woo
- Published Aug 6, 2025 2:57 pm KST
The Korea Times · by ListenListenText SizePrint
By Nam Hyun-woo
Published Aug 6, 2025 2:57 pm KST
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said Wednesday it has secured a contract for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of a U.S. Navy auxiliary ship, marking the first deal of its kind since Korea committed to major investments in the U.S. shipbuilding sector under the two countries’ recent tariff agreement.
According to the shipbuilder, it recently won the scheduled overhaul project for the USNS Alan Shepard, a 41,000-ton dry cargo and ammunition ship assigned to the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet. Commissioned in 2007, the vessel is named after Rear Adm. Alan Shepard, the first American astronaut to travel into space.
Starting in September, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will carry out the overhaul at a berth near HD Hyundai Mipo in Ulsan. The process will include propeller cleaning, the maintenance of various tanks and the inspection of onboard equipment. Upon completion of the project, the vessel is scheduled to be returned to the U.S. Navy in November 2025.
This is the first MRO order that a Korean shipbuilder has received since Seoul proposed the so-called “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA)” project, a $150-billion investment initiative aimed at constructing new shipyards in the United States, training American shipyard workers, rebuilding supply chains related to shipbuilding and supporting the MRO of U.S. vessels.
The project is seen as having played a key role in lowering the U.S. “reciprocal” tariffs on Korean imports to 15 percent from the proposed 25 percent.
“This MRO contract is highly significant as it marks the first contract following the Korean government’s proposal of the Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation initiative,” said Joo Won-ho, head of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Naval & Special Ship Business. “As Korea’s leading shipbuilder, we will spare no effort in successfully completing the MRO for the U.S. Navy’s auxiliary ship.”
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has been strengthening its cooperation with the U.S. shipbuilding industry this year.
In April, the company signed a strategic partnership agreement with Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest defense shipbuilder in the United States, for technological cooperation and joint construction in the naval ship sector.
In June, the company launched a strategic collaboration with U.S. shipbuilding group Edison Chouest Offshore in the commercial ship sector and hosted the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Leaders Forum.
Nam Hyun-woo
Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
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Editor, Small Wars Journal
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Phone: 202-573-8647
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