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Quotes of the Day:
"The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil."
– Hannah Arendt
"Liberty is not doing what you want – it;s being free to choose to do what is right."
– John Locke
–Saying nothing sometimes says the most."
– Emily Dickinson
1. Will South Korea Want a Nuclear Weapon of Its Own?
2. Kim Jong Un hails "absolute security" of North Korea in founding day speech
3. Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un's Speech on Occasion of 77th Anniversary of Founding of DPRK
4. Top diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. to meet Wednesday over Koreans detained in immigration raid
5. S. Koreans held in U.S. unlikely to depart for home Wednesday due to U.S. circumstances: foreign ministry
6. U.S. immigration chief says Koreans detained in Georgia raid will be 'deported'
7. U.S. Deputy Secretary Landau to visit S. Korea this weekend: sources
8. At least 8 injured in explosion at Army unit in Paju
9. S. Korea, Japan hold economic security dialogue
10. Seoul dissolves ministry division devoted to North Korean defector resettlement
11. Kim Jong Un lauds troops at war in ‘far-away alien land’ in national day speech
12. Key facilities of upcoming APEC summit to be completed by next week
13. Rise in Chinese nationals arriving by boat raises concerns in Korea
14. Short-term work visas for Koreans necessary
15. Georgia raid exposes Korea’s diplomatic neglect
16. Korean companies admit cutting corners on US visas but say they have little choice
17. ＜Inside N. Korea＞ Explains that they fought South Korean forces in Russia - Youth education already begun with "Let's become bullet and bomb suicide squads"
1. Will South Korea Want a Nuclear Weapon of Its Own?
The article lacks any discussion of the efficacy of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) as well as the work on conventional nuclear integration that the ROK/US alliance has been working on that is really designed for both strategic reassurance and to demonstrate strategic resolve by bolstering extended deterrence.
Has extended deterrence run its course? Is it no longer effective?
Most importantly, the key questions that must be asked are: What deters Kim Jong Un from attacking the South and from using nuclear weapons. I never read anything about that from the pundits. There seems to be a common assumption that simply possessing nuclear weapons will deter KJU? Frankly I don't think he fears South Korea with nuclear weapons at all. He probably assumes that as a democracy the South (like the US) will have a difficult time deciding to use them unless it is attacked first which reduces their deterrence effect. but more importantly he welcomes this debate about nuclear weapons because it has the potential to create divisions within South Korea (contributing to his strategy of subverting the South). The debate is also likely to drive a wedge in the ROK/US alliance which also supports one of KJU's major objectives which is to drive US forces from the peninsula.
Then there are the practical and operational questions. How will South Korea intend to employ nuclear weapons? First use or not? Against what targets and when? What about reprocessing fuel? And what happens to the South Korean nuclear power industry if it suffers from sanctions due to nuclear weapons proliferation?
South Korea of course has every right to do what it believes it must do to defend itself. However, It must think through all these issues neither blindly move forward to obtain nuclear weapons or summarily rejecting the effort.
It must approach this with a thorough understanding of the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime and in particular sound assumptions about what deters KJU. Failure to do this will result in a failed strategy.
Second, it must recognize how the debate can fit into KJU's political warfare strategy to subvert the SOuth and the ROK/US alliance. It must inoculate the South and its people and the ROK/US alliance by recognizing and exposing KJU's strategy so that the debate can be conducted without damage to the security of the ROK or the ROK/US alliance.
Third, ideally the ROK and the ROK/US alliance could use this debate as part of a superior political warfare against the Kim family regime. We should see the political warfare opportunities that are created by the debate as well as by weaknesses within the Kim family regime.
Will South Korea Want a Nuclear Weapon of Its Own?
The sudden wobbliness of its U.S. ally may convince Seoul that there’s no other way to deter Kim Jong Un.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/will-south-korea-want-a-nuclear-weapon-of-its-own-50949981
By Karen Elliott House
Sept. 9, 2025 5:07 pm ET
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, Aug. 26. Photo: Yonhap News/Zuma Press
Seoul
South Korea is at a crossroads, but every direction seems to lead to a dead end. Just as the world wakes up from the decadeslong daydream of North Korean denuclearization, the U.S.—South Korea’s longtime defense partner—has grown unreliable.
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un is constructing facilities to increase his production of nuclear weapons. Once isolated, Mr. Kim has lately developed a close partnership with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping. This new coziness was on display at last week’s military parade in Beijing. Mr. Kim has slammed the door on settling North-South tensions through reunification. Last year he declared the prospect of peaceful reunification “dead,” banned the word “reunification,” and declared South Korea a “primary foe and invariable principal enemy.” Younger South Koreans oppose reunification, fearing it would degrade their economic prosperity.
South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung met with President Trump at the White House in August. Speaking to the media afterward, Mr. Trump reiterated his desire for a summit with Mr. Kim even though meetings in Singapore (2018) and Hanoi (2019) produced nothing. Many South Koreans fear that Mr. Trump’s desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize may lead him to cancel the annual joint military exercises abhorred by Pyongyang in exchange for a meeting with Mr. Kim. A recent Brookings Institution poll shows 35% of South Koreans think the U.S. is an untrustworthy ally, despite a mutual defense treaty signed in 1953.
At a recent security conference in Seoul, experts spoke confidently under the Chatham House rule of the need for South Korea to protect the Korean Peninsula while the U.S. protects the Asian region—diplomatic code for protecting Taiwan from an increasingly aggressive China. But this division of labor comes along with an inherent dilemma: Any U.S. response to Chinese aggression could prompt a wider conflagration that leads Pyongyang to intimidate or attack Seoul. By the same token, if Chinese aggression toward Taiwan goes unchallenged by the U.S., Pyongyang could attack on the assumption that American security commitments are hollow.
A growing number of South Koreans believe the solution is for Seoul to obtain its own nuclear capability. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, President George H.W. Bush removed all naval and land-based tactical nuclear weapons around the world, including 100 from South Korea. Since then, the dream of peace on the Korean Peninsula through reunification and denuclearization has vanished. A poll by the Korean Herald last year found 60% of South Koreans don’t trust the U.S. to use its nuclear weapons to protect Seoul from a North Korean attack.
While experts say South Korea has the material to construct 40 bombs, it has signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and is thus prohibited from manufacturing or acquiring nuclear weapons. Any effort by Seoul to make or buy a bomb would almost surely prompt international sanctions. It would also give North Korea an incentive to attack before losing its nuclear advantage.
An American expert who has devoted a long career to studying North Korea predicted Pyongyang will increase its nuclear arsenal in the next 10 years from 60 weapons to 150. Mr. Kim’s goal is to build 300 nuclear weapons, this expert said, to assure he has enough not only to hit numerous targets but also for second-strike capability. “He knows some of his weapons won’t hit their targets and others will be knocked out by U.S. strikes. He needs survivability of enough for second strikes,” this expert says.
Despite North Korea’s nuclear prowess and its improving ties with Russia and China, Mr. Kim may still be nervous. Since November, he has sent an estimated 12,000 elite North Korean troops to fight for Russia in Ukraine. Those elite troops are primarily the sons of Mr. Kim’s trusted leadership elite. Ordinary North Korean soldiers aren’t trusted outside their country. An estimated 2,000 children of Kim supporters have died fighting for Russia, potentially leading to disgruntlement among the North Korean leader’s acolytes. There is some evidence he fears this. At first, Mr. Kim ignored his soldiers’ deaths. But more recently he has begun to honor soldiers who return alive and place medals alongside photos of the dead. Almost surely, cooperating with Mr. Putin has taught Mr. Kim strategic lessons about leveraging nuclear threats, something Mr. Putin has done against the West. Mr. Kim can apply these lessons to deter strong responses by allies of South Korea in a confrontation.
All this has South Korea seeking deeper diplomatic and security ties with European capitals and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. While European leaders have expressed concern over Ukraine, Seoul has yet to be reassured by NATO’s actions. South Korea is also cooperating more closely with Japan in hope of strengthening the U.S. commitment to its Asian allies.
A crossroads offers the possibility of a new direction. It’s also where fatal accidents can happen. South Korea’s leaders hope to engineer the former.
Ms. House is a former publisher of the Journal and author of “The Man Who Would Be King.”
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Donald Trump orders an airstrike on a speed boat in the Caribbean that he says was carrying narcotics, but should Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro also be worried? Meantime, Xi Jinping has a friendly photo-op with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, amid a military parade in Beijing that showcases an axis of American adversaries.
Appeared in the September 10, 2025, print edition as 'Will South Korea Want a Bomb of Its Own?'.
2. Kim Jong Un hails "absolute security" of North Korea in founding day speech
Of course what else would he talk about other than security?
We should not fail to read between the lines, "the cause of building a powerful country," alludes to completing the revolution begun by his grandfather which requires the domination of the entire Korean peninsula. He does not seek peaceful co-existence.
Excerpts:
"The cause of building a powerful country ... is being reviewed proudly now that our state has attained a remarkable status," Kim said at a ceremony in Pyongyang on Tuesday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
"Now no one, by whatever means, can do harm to the absolute status and security of our state, and no force can reverse the powerful current towards an era of prosperity, which we have created by ourselves," he said.
World News Sept. 10, 2025 / 2:26 AM
Kim Jong Un hails "absolute security" of North Korea in founding day speech
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/09/10/Kim-Jong-Un-hails-absolute-security-North-Korea-founding-day/3881757484108/
By Thomas Maresca
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hailed the country's "absolute status and security" at a national flag-raising and oath-taking ceremony in Pyongyang to mark the 77th anniversary of the country’s founding, state media reported Wednesday. Photo by KCNA/EPA
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised the country's "absolute status and security" in a speech commemorating the 77th anniversary of the North's founding day, state media reported Wednesday.
"The cause of building a powerful country ... is being reviewed proudly now that our state has attained a remarkable status," Kim said at a ceremony in Pyongyang on Tuesday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
"Now no one, by whatever means, can do harm to the absolute status and security of our state, and no force can reverse the powerful current towards an era of prosperity, which we have created by ourselves," he said.
While Kim did not mention nuclear weapons explicitly, the remarks appear to be a reference to the country's growing nuclear and missile arsenal, which Pyongyang frequently touts as a core element of its sovereignty and prestige.
Related
Kim's speech comes a day after state media reported on his visit to a chemical research center to oversee the final test of a new solid-fuel engine for use in intercontinental ballistic missiles.
He said the carbon fiber engine "heralds a significant change in expanding and strengthening the nuclear strategic forces of the DPRK," using the official acronym for North Korea.
Kim also paid tribute to overseas North Koreans in his founding day remarks, singling out the troops who have been deployed to Russia to aid Moscow in its war against Ukraine.
"I extend a warm militant salute to the generals, officers and soldiers of our army, who have been dispatched for overseas military operations," Kim said.
According to Seoul's National Intelligence Service, North Korea has sent weapons and some 15,000 troops to Russia since 2024, primarily to help recapture lost territory in Kursk Province from Ukrainian forces.
The NIS said last week that around 2,000 of the dispatched North Korean soldiers have been killed so far. The spy agency added that Pyongyang is planning to send another 6,000 soldiers, with an additional 1,000 combat engineers already in Russia.
3. Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un's Speech on Occasion of 77th Anniversary of Founding of DPRK
There is no doubt in my mind that reading between the lines here he is calling for the domination of the entire Korean peninsula.
Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un's Speech on Occasion of 77th Anniversary of Founding of DPRK
https://kcnawatch.org/newstream/1757455836-132267133/respected-comrade-kim-jong-uns-speech-on-occasion-of-77th-anniversary-of-founding-of-dprk/
Date: 10/09/2025 | Source: KCNA.kp (En) | Read original version at source
Pyongyang, September 10 (KCNA) -- The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un made a speech on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The full text is as follows:
Beloved people across the country and all officers and soldiers of the armed forces of the Republic,
Esteemed comrades,
Dear friends,
Recollecting with deep emotion the proud course we have covered achieving one precious victory after another while blazing the trail of history by dint of hot patriotic blood, we are now greeting the 77th anniversary of the founding of our motherland.
First of all, on the occasion of National Day I offer warm congratulations to the working people across the country and the officers and soldiers of the Korean People’s Army, who, sharing the destiny of their motherland, are adding lustre to the prestige and honour of the Republic with resourceful creation and sincere efforts, as well as to the families across the country.
I also pay ennobling tribute to the heroes and patriotic martyrs, who performed truly proud exploits for today and future of this Korea and remain alive forever in the memory of their motherland, and I extend a warm militant salute to the generals, officers and soldiers of our army, who have been dispatched for overseas military operations and would be greeting this day with their glorious national flag in the bosom in the far-away alien land.
My warm congratulations also go to the overseas compatriots and their organizations, who would be greeting their National Day with a patriotic desire for the prosperity of their homeland.
Greeting our National Day, we have just solemnly hoisted our sacred national flag and made a pledge of loyalty to our motherland.
Why did our hearts beat so strongly with indescribable emotion as we looked up at the glorious national flag today?
So sacred and moving are this dignity and honour, with which we have written over 70 arduous years of history and achieved victories by struggling dauntlessly, overcoming numerous difficulties and trials generation after generation.
The cause of building a powerful country covering 77 years, which started on the day when the birth of a new Korea was proclaimed, is being reviewed proudly now that our state has attained a remarkable status.
Now no one, by whatever means, can do harm to the absolute status and security of our state, and no force can reverse the powerful current towards an era of prosperity, which we have created by ourselves.
The dignity and powerfulness of our state, with which we can instil in ourselves self-confidence in winning against all manner of injustice and challenges and achieve the ideals desired by the people, are bringing forth enormous pride and great affection of all the people of this country.
At this moment, when our glorious and worthwhile struggle of immortal significance has brought into reality in history the high ambition that with force of unity fostered by the truth we will lead the whole world by and by, there is an iron truth that we cherish deep in our hearts.
The truth is that socialism we chose is the one and only right road.
It was on the strength of the justice and truth embodied in socialism that we have won all the glory we are enjoying today; having established a powerful political system and built a great national strength, we will not allow the destiny of our country to be left to any foreign forces’ devices.
Today all the people’s belief in socialism of our style and their strenuous efforts to defend and add lustre to it without fail are vigorously promoting our national development to open a new phase of prosperity.
As a symbol of this great and beautiful Korea, socialism is the cornerstone and inexhaustible dynamic power guaranteeing the eternal existence of our Republic and its infinite development and prosperity.
As long as socialism of our style thrives, this will remain an ever peaceful and prosperous land, and our people’s security and wellbeing will be defended for all ages.
Let us hold higher the banner of socialism and advance vigorously along the road of socialism for the undying glory of our Korea and for our coming generations who should lead an enduring dignified and happy life in the powerful and prosperous country.
Let us build a brighter and happier future through an indefatigable struggle and enterprising efforts befitting Koreans who live in this powerful country.
Warmly congratulating you once again on the founding anniversary of our glorious motherland, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, I wish all the families in this country joy and happiness.
Thank you. -0-
www.kcna.kp (2025.09.10.)
4. Top diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. to meet Wednesday over Koreans detained in immigration raid
I hope they can get this sorted out quickly and minimize the mutual damage.
(LEAD) Top diplomats of S. Korea, U.S. to meet Wednesday over Koreans detained in immigration raid | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Song Sang-ho · September 10, 2025
(ATTN: ADDS more info in paras 6, 8)
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun plans to hold talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Wednesday, a day later than initially planned, with their agenda expected to focus on hundreds of South Koreans detained in a recent U.S. immigration crackdown in Georgia.
The South Korean Embassy in the U.S. capital said Cho and Rubio will meet at 9:30 a.m. (local time) on the day the Koreans are set to head back home aboard a chartered plane in the form of "voluntary departure" rather than deportation.
More than 300 Koreans were arrested in Thursday's raid at an electric vehicle battery plant construction site for a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution in Bryan County. U.S. authorities said they were found to be working illegally in the United States, including those on short-term visas that bar them from working.
During talks with Rubio, Cho is expected to ask for U.S. cooperation in ensuring that the Koreans arrested in the raid will not face any disadvantages, including potential restrictions on their future entry into the U.S.
The minister could also stress the need for the U.S. to create a new work visa or assign visa quotas for skilled Korean workers to ensure Korean enterprises can conduct their investment and business activities in the U.S. in a stable manner.
While in Washington, Cho is expected to meet other U.S. officials in charge of immigration policy, including those at the Department of Homeland Security.
It remains unclear why the top diplomats' meeting, initially planned for Tuesday, has been rescheduled for Wednesday.
The delay came as Rubio apparently had a hectic schedule on the day due to Israel's surprise attack targeting Hamas leadership in Qatar.
In July, Seoul's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac visited the U.S. for talks with Rubio, but could not meet him face to face. The two sides later held a phone conversation.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (R) and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pose for a photo during their talks in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 22, 2025, in this file photo provided by the foreign ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Song Sang-ho · September 10, 2025
5. S. Koreans held in U.S. unlikely to depart for home Wednesday due to U.S. circumstances: foreign ministry
(3rd LD) S. Koreans held in U.S. unlikely to depart for home Wednesday due to U.S. circumstances: foreign ministry | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Seung-yeon · September 10, 2025
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout; RESTORES previous material; CLARIFIES 2nd para; ADDS photo; RECASTS headline)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- The planned departure of South Koreans detained in Georgia in a U.S. immigration sweep "became difficult" due to unspecified U.S. circumstances, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.
More than 300 South Korean workers were scheduled to board a chartered flight Wednesday (local time) to return home, once they have been released from a detention facility in Folkston, six days after their arrests in a major U.S. immigration raid last Thursday.
"The planned departure of our nationals in Georgia became difficult due to U.S. circumstances," the ministry said in a message to reporters, without providing further details.
"We are continuing talks with the U.S. side to enable an early departure as soon as possible," the ministry said.
A South Korean chartered plane left for Atlanta earlier in the day to bring back the detained workers and is expected to arrive in the U.S. city on Wednesday morning.
This photo, taken Sept. 9, 2025, shows a detention center in Folkston, Georgia, where hundreds of South Korean workers of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution remain detained following a recent immigration crackdown. (Yonhap)
The workers were arrested in a U.S. immigration crackdown on a South Korean electric car battery plant construction site in Bryan County, near Savannah, over potential violations of work visa rules.
After diplomatic negotiations with Washington, Seoul said the workers are expected to be released from the facility early Wednesday and travel by bus to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to board the flight home.
U.S. immigration authorities have arrested 475 people, including some 300 South Koreans, at the joint venture site run by Hyundai Motor Co. and LG Energy Solution Ltd.
Seoul has been stepping up negotiations with Washington to secure their release and safe return, seeking to ensure their departure is treated as voluntary and that the detention does not affect their future entry into the United States.
It was not immediately clear whether all of the detained people had agreed to board the flight. A Seoul official said earlier those with foreign nationalities may also fly back on the same plane.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun arrived in Washington on Tuesday to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the detention of South Korean workers and ways to improve the work visa programs for South Korean businesses. Cho may also meet with U.S. officials responsible for immigration policy, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the DHS and the Commerce Department are working to address visa rules concerning skilled foreign workers.
A Korean Air chartered plane is set to take off from Incheon airport, west of Seoul, on Sept. 10, 2025, to fly to Atlanta to bring back hundreds of South Korean workers of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution who remain detained at a detention center in Folkston, Georgia, following a recent immigration crackdown. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Seung-yeon · September 10, 2025
6. U.S. immigration chief says Koreans detained in Georgia raid will be 'deported'
This must be the unfortunate "U.S. circumstances" delaying the departure of the Korean citizens. Secretary Noem is making a big mistake calling for the deportation as this will have economic and national security implications.
U.S. immigration chief says Koreans detained in Georgia raid will be 'deported' | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Song Sang-ho · September 9, 2025
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said Monday that Korean nationals detained in a recent U.S. immigration crackdown will be "deported," as South Korea is seeking to enable them to voluntarily leave the United States rather than face deportation.
Noem made the remarks in a meeting with reporters as Seoul is trying to secure the release of more than 300 South Korean nationals detained following last week's raid at an electric vehicle battery plant construction site for a joint venture of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution in Bryan County near Savannah.
"Many of those individuals that were detained through that operation in Georgia ... we are following the law, they are going to be deported," she said, according to video footage released by the Associated Press.
"A few of those had criminal activity beyond just being here past final removal orders, and they will face the consequences for that," she added as she was in London to attend a gathering of the "Five Eyes" intelligence-sharing partnership that consists of the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem attends a "Five Eyes" security alliance meeting in London on Sept. 8, 2025 in this photo released by Reuters. (Yonhap)
She was responding to a reporter's question about whether the South Koreans -- detained at a detention center in Folkston, Georgia -- would face deportation, be allowed to leave the country or barred from returning to the U.S.
It remains unclear why she used the term, "deportation", at a time when Seoul officials have been making strenuous diplomatic efforts to help the Korean detainees avoid deportation as it could have them face disadvantages, such as entry restrictions.
Noem said that regarding the raid, President Donald Trump's message was "powerful."
"His message ... that he sent to the world was listen, our laws will be enforced and we're encouraging all companies who want to come to the U.S. and help our economy and employ people that we encourage them to employ U.S. citizens and to bring people to our country that want to follow our laws and work here the right way."
South Korean detainees, who want to return home are expected to board a chartered plane as early as Wednesday, according to Seoul officials.
The immigration raid at the plant site resulted in the arrest of 475 people, including the Korean workers. Male Korean workers have been detained at the Folkston Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Center while female colleagues have been held at the Stewart Detention Center.
ICE said that those arrested were found to be working illegally in the U.S., including those on short-term or recreational visas that prohibit them from working.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Song Sang-ho · September 9, 2025
7. U.S. Deputy Secretary Landau to visit S. Korea this weekend: sources
He must be prepared for an earful. He will have to explain Secretary Noem's demand for deportation.
U.S. Deputy Secretary Landau to visit S. Korea this weekend: sources | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Seung-yeon · September 10, 2025
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will visit South Korea later this week for talks on the bilateral alliance and other issues, diplomatic sources said Wednesday.
Landau will make a two-day trip to Seoul from Saturday through Sunday, in what will mark his first visit to the country.
Landau is expected to hold talks with his South Korean counterpart, First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo. He may also pay a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Cho Hyun.
Landau is expected to discuss key alliance issues with Park, including U.S. efforts for "modernization of alliance" aimed at realigning its defense posture to better counter China, including readjusting the role and size of U.S. forces in South Korea in the concept known as "strategic flexibility."
U.S. President Donald Trump's potential visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, set for late October, is likely to be on the agenda.
The two sides could also discuss the recent mass detention of more than 300 South Koreans in last week's immigration crackdown by U.S. authorities in Georgia.
South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo (R), U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau (L) and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi pose for a photo ahead of their talks at the foreign ministry's Iikura guesthouse in Tokyo on July 18, 2025, to discuss ways of further enhancing cooperation on North Korean issues and economic security. (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Seung-yeon · September 10, 2025
8. At least 8 injured in explosion at Army unit in Paju
Excerpt:
A practice shell used to create explosion sound effects reportedly detonated during the drills.
(LEAD) At least 8 injured in explosion at Army unit in Paju | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Chae Yun-hwan · September 10, 2025
(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details, latest injury tally; RECASTS headline)
PAJU, South Korea, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- An explosion at an Army artillery unit in the northwestern city of Paju left at least eight soldiers injured, including two in serious conditions, officials said.
The incident took place at about 3:30 p.m. during artillery drills at the unit that proceeded without live ammunition, according to the officials.
A practice shell used to create explosion sound effects reportedly detonated during the drills.
Military authorities are investigating the incident.
This graphic illustrates an explosion at a military base. (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Chae Yun-hwan · September 10, 2025
9. S. Korea, Japan hold economic security dialogue
I hope the ROK and Japan can sustain the relationship when the new Prime Minister is elected.
S. Korea, Japan hold economic security dialogue | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Eun-jung · September 10, 2025
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan held high-level economic talks in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss cooperation in supply chains and advanced technologies, the presidential office said.
Song Ki-ho, presidential secretary for economic security, and Takeshi Soda, Cabinet councilor of Japan's National Security Secretariat, led their respective delegations at the fourth Korea-Japan Economic Security Dialogue.
The two sides exchanged opinions on a wide range of economic security issues and discussed ways to collaborate on supply chain resilience and cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence and quantum technology, according to the office.
The latest dialogue comes after President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba agreed to strengthen communication in economic security at their summit in Tokyo last month.
The two nations will hold the next round of talks next year, it noted.
This file photo shows Song Ki-ho (R), the presidential secretary of economic security. (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Eun-jung · September 10, 2025
10. Seoul dissolves ministry division devoted to North Korean defector resettlement
Yes, we hope it will not impact support for escapees from the north.
Seoul dissolves ministry division devoted to North Korean defector resettlement
Unification ministry says change is part of restructuring for inter-Korean cooperation and won’t impact defector support
North Korean defectors in a baking class at the Hanawon resettlement center | Image: Ministry of Unification (July 10, 2023)
South Korea’s unification ministry has dismantled a division dedicated to supporting North Korean defectors’ employment and entrepreneurship, framing it as part of broader restructuring to restore programs focused on inter-Korean ties.
The ministry told NK News that it dissolved the division responsible for long-term resettlement policies for North Korean defectors, known as the Self-reliance Support Division, on Thursday. The division will operate temporarily as a task force until restructuring is complete.
“The ministry is currently undergoing internal reorganization centered around restoring functions related to inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation,” a ministry spokesperson said during a press briefing. The official did not provide a specific timeline for the reorganization and said discussions with relevant agencies are still ongoing.
The spokesperson emphasized that, despite being scrapped, the division’s personnel and key functions — such as defector employment and entrepreneurship support — will remain intact.
“The new administration will continue to prioritize employment support for North Korean defectors,” the official said.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young is also exploring options to transfer certain responsibilities for defector support to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, according to the unification ministry.
According to the ministry, the now-defunct division originally launched in Sept. 2023 under the previous Yoon Suk-yeol administration as part of its emphasis on enhancing support for defector resettlement.
The Yoon administration focused on defector issues and raising awareness of North Korean human rights abuses through initiatives like North Korean Defector’s Day, while simultaneously working to strengthen military deterrence against the DPRK’s weapons development.
Alongside these changes, the administration sought to minimize the ministry’s traditional support for inter-Korean diplomacy and economic cooperation, with Yoon accusing it of “acting like a North Korea aid ministry” and calling for the ministry to pursue “unification based on a liberal democratic order.”
The former president also appointed a DPRK hardliner to lead the ministry, while his administration proposed a 3.7% budget cut last year to reduce funds for inter-Korean cooperation and support programs.
However, following Yoon’s impeachment, the new administration of President Lee Jae-myung has reemphasized the importance of inter-Korean engagement, pushing to restore and expand agencies focused on dialogue and cooperation.
Han Ki-ho, a professor at the Ajou Institute for Unification, told NK News that dismantling of the escapee Self-reliance Support Division is not expected to fundamentally undermine the unification ministry’s support for defector settlement.
“At this stage, the adjustment of the escapee-related divisions should not be overly interpreted as a conciliatory gesture toward North Korea. Decisions should be made based on work efficiency,” he suggested.
He further added that amid the current stagnation in inter-Korean relations, more than half of the ministry’s general account budget is still being spent on escapee-related programs.
“Since the opening of the Hanawon resettlement center in 1999 and the establishment of the Korea Hana Foundation in 2010, managing and supporting defectors has been one of the ministry’s key issues,” the expert explained.
The ministry’s restructuring also comes as the number of defectors entering South Korea has declined dramatically in recent years, with only 96 escapees resettling in the South in the first half of 2025.
Meanwhile, North Korea continues to spurn all inter-Korean engagement, with Seoul’s environment ministry reporting that the DPRK appears to have released water from a dam near the border without informing the South.
The Ministry of Environment, which monitors the border region via satellite imagery, said it detected signs of water discharge from the Hwanggang Dam on the upper Imjin River on Saturday.
The ministry said the release was likely due to heavy rainfall expected over the weekend in the North Korean section of the Imjin River basin.
Pyongyang formerly agreed to notify Seoul in advance about the release of water from the dam, after a discharge led to flooding and deaths downstream in South Korea in 2009. But the DPRK has not provided notice as agreed in years.
Edited by Bryan Betts
11. Kim Jong Un lauds troops at war in ‘far-away alien land’ in national day speech
Trying to sound like a world leader with troops in" far away alien land."
Kim Jong Un lauds troops at war in ‘far-away alien land’ in national day speech
North Korean leader references Russia deployment and rejects ‘foreign’ influence in low-key Sept. 9 celebrations
https://www.nknews.org/2025/09/kim-jong-un-lauds-troops-at-war-in-far-away-alien-land-in-national-day-speech/
Colin Zwirko September 10, 2025
Kim Jong Un leads an oath-taking ceremony | Image: Rodong Sinmun (Sept. 10, 2025)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un saluted soldiers fighting and dying in a “far-away alien land” during a speech on Tuesday, according to state media, referencing his deployment of troops to fight against Ukraine during low-key celebrations for the 77th founding anniversary of the DPRK.
Kim emphasized the country’s socialist system as “the one and only right road” forward as top officials “made a pledge of loyalty” to his unchallengeable dictatorial rule, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday.
“We will not allow the destiny of our country to be left to any foreign forces’ devices,” Kim added in the brief speech, likely pointing to his priorities on keeping the population closed off from the outside world as well as guarding against U.S. and ROK military provocations.
His “warm militant salute to the generals, officers and soldiers of our army, who have been dispatched for overseas military operations,” came as North Korea has increasingly celebrated the over 10,000 soldiers Kim has sent to help Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, specifically defending the Kursk territory from a Ukrainian incursion meant to turn the tide of the war.
He also sent greetings to “overseas compatriots and their organizations,” likely referring to DPRK diplomatic corps abroad, as well as the thousands of workers Pyongyang has sent to other countries to earn money for the state in violation of U.N. sanctions.
Kim walks into the Mansudae Assembly Hall lobby | Image: Rodong Sinmun (Sept. 10, 2025)
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The speech did not otherwise touch on foreign policy, coming just days after Kim met the leaders of Russia and China in Beijing and after he signaled his willingness to meet U.S. leader Donald Trump if Washington makes military and nuclear-related concessions.
KCNA billed Tuesday’s event as a “national flag-raising and national oath-making ceremony,” which took place at the Mansudae Assembly Hall. Photos showed a couple hundred political and military officials standing in the plainly decorated lobby of the venue.
They all appeared gripping and raising small red flags while swearing to devote themselves to “the promotion of the people’s well-being and growth and development of the state,” and to defend the constitution and “firmly adhere to the socialist ideology.”
Attendees also “made a pledge of loyalty to uphold with a single mind the ideology and leadership of the great Comrade Kim Jong Un, who is ushering in a new era of great changes and miracles.”
Besides the low-key oath-taking ceremony, Kim also took a group photo in front of the venue with around 200 “labor innovators and meritorious persons,” including top state news anchor Ri Chun Hi and top propaganda singer Kim Ok Ju.
Kim Jong Un praised the “zealous patriots” for “keeping the national interests above all else,” KCNA reported.
It appears that authorities kept the Sept. 9 holiday proceedings relatively simple without spending resources on large-scale events due to ongoing preparations for a military parade and other celebrations on Oct. 10 to mark the 80th founding anniversary of the ruling party.
Kim delivered a more substantial speech on countering critics of his economic policies on the holiday last year, and put on large-scale paramilitary parades in 2023 and 2021 to project an image of readiness for war at all levels of society.
Kim took a group photo with “labor innovators and meritorious persons” | Image: Rodong Sinmun (Sept. 10, 2025)
Edited by Bryan Betts
12. Key facilities of upcoming APEC summit to be completed by next week
With the speculation of a Trump-Xi meeting in Korea as well as speculation about somehow meeting Kim Jong Un, the only option I can see is a four party meeting at Panmunjom with Lee, Xi, Trump, and Kim. But that is really a fantasy COA.
Key facilities of upcoming APEC summit to be completed by next week | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Yi Wonju · September 10, 2025
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- Construction of key facilities for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju is expected to be completed early next week, officials said Wednesday.
The banquet hall, the main summit hall and the international media center are slated for completion next Monday, along with the installation of electricity, fire safety and telecommunications systems, according to the office of North Gyeongsang Province.
The main summit hall will feature a VIP lounge, bilateral meeting rooms, interpretation booths and waiting rooms for the delegates, while the media center will house a press conference hall and other press-related facilities.
The banquet hall will feature a stage for cultural performances and dining facilities, including a ballroom and exhibition space.
The exhibition hall will showcase pavilions on South Korea's industrial history and future industries, along with exhibitions for Korean culture, including the Korean alphabet of Hangeul and Korean cuisine.
Once the construction is completed, the facilities will undergo trial runs with the installation of furniture and conference equipment.
South Korea is set to host the APEC summit in the ancient city about 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul from late October to early November. The gathering has been floated as a venue for a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, after President Lee Jae Myung raised the idea during his summit with Trump in Washington last month.
South Korea last hosted the APEC summit in 2005 in the southeastern port city of Busan.
Construction of the banquet hall for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit is under way in Gyeongju, about 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in this file photo taken Aug. 21, 2025. (Yonhap)
Construction of an exhibition hall for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit is under way in Gyeongju, about 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, in this file photo taken Aug. 21, 2025. (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Yi Wonju · September 10, 2025
13. Rise in Chinese nationals arriving by boat raises concerns in Korea
Rehearsals for a Taiwan landing?
Rise in Chinese nationals arriving by boat raises concerns in Korea - The Korea Times
The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint
Authorities retrieve a boat used by Chinese nationals in an illegal entry attempt off the coast of Hangyeong-myeon, Jeju, Monday. Yonhap
By Park Ung
- Published Sep 10, 2025 4:24 pm KST
The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint
By Park Ung
Published Sep 10, 2025 4:24 pm KST
Driven by political, economic pressures, people from China cross vast stretches of open sea in search of better life
An unidentified inflatable boat drifted ashore on the west coast of Jeju Island on Monday. Inside the abandoned vessel were fishing rods, six life jackets, and emergency food packets with Chinese writing.
After receiving a report, the Korea Coast Guard launched a joint investigation with the military and other agencies.
Hours into the investigation, police arrested a Chinese man in his 40s, whose name was not released. On Tuesday, they apprehended another Chinese man in his 30s and were tracking four others believed to have arrived with them.
What investigators uncovered next was startling.
The men had crossed nearly 460 kilometers of open sea in an inflatable boat powered by a 90-horsepower engine, leaving Nantong in China’s Jiangsu Province on Sunday and arriving in Jeju early the next morning — a perilous journey undertaken in hopes of making money, they told police.
It was not the first time Chinese nationals had braved the open seas to reach Korea. Driven by politics and economic hardship, similar crossings have increased in recent years.
In March, the Korea Coast Guard intercepted two Chinese nationals near Incheon after they crossed from China in an inflatable boat while attempting to enter Korea illegally. The boat, equipped with a 30-horsepower engine, life jackets and a compass, traveled about 234 kilometers in 20 hours before the pair lost their way and drifted amid rough weather and fog.
Investigators said the man in his 30s and woman in her 50s had previously stayed in Korea, but were deported last year for lacking legal status. They later attempted to return to claim unpaid wages.
Coast Guard officers inspect a jet ski used by Chinese human rights activist Kwon Pyong in his illegal entry attempt, in this August 2023 file photo. Courtesy of the Incheon Coast Guard.
Coast Guard officers inspect a jet ski used by Chinese human rights activist Kwon Pyong in his illegal entry attempt, in this August 2023 file photo. Courtesy of the Incheon Coast Guard.
In August 2023, Chinese human rights activist Kwon Pyong attempted to enter Korea by jet ski, departing from Shandong Province and headed toward Incheon. He traveled approximately 300 kilometers in 14 hours, navigating with a compass and binoculars.
The jet ski had five 25-liter fuel tanks strapped to it, which he used to refuel along the way.
Lee Dae-seon, a Korean activist, said Kwon had long opposed China’s political censorship, openly supported human rights lawyers detained by the Chinese government and engaged in rights activism in the country.
“Although it was wrong for Kwon to break the law, China’s political repression, unfair trials and constant surveillance drove him to make the desperate choice to risk his life to enter Korea illegally,” Lee wrote on social media at the time.
Last year, Kwon received a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years on appeal, for violating immigration laws.
In 2020, the Korea Coast Guard arrested 21 Chinese nationals for illegally entering Korea. Investigators said most had departed from Weihai Port in China’s Shandong Province in inflatable or leisure boats, crossing the West Sea to land on beaches in Taean, South Chungcheong Province — about 350 kilometers away.
Most had previously been deported from Korea and, unable to reenter legally, attempted the crossing to seek undocumented work in farming and construction. Authorities said each paid between 10,000 and 15,000 yuan ($1,405 to $2,107) to buy the boats used in the attempt.
Coast Guard officers examine a small boat found on a beach in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, May 25, 2020. Authorities believe six Chinese nationals used it to enter Korea illegally. Yonhap
Coast Guard officers examine a small boat found on a beach in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, May 25, 2020. Authorities believe six Chinese nationals used it to enter Korea illegally. Yonhap
The string of attempted sea crossings has prompted authorities to tighten enforcement. The Korea Coast Guard conducted a four-month crackdown on illegal departures and entries from May to August.
The agency said that over the past six years, it recorded 49 cases of maritime border crimes, including illegal entry and stowaway attempts. Fourteen involved small boats, mostly during favorable weather.
“In the past, illegal entrants often hid on fishing or cargo vessels,” the agency said. “More recently, they have turned to cheaper, faster crossings on small high-powered boats. In Jeju, some foreigners are also using the island’s visa-free program to slip to the mainland without authorization.”
14. Short-term work visas for Koreans necessary
Short-term work visas for Koreans necessary - The Korea Times
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A still frame from a video made available by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service shows an immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution plant under construction in Ellabell, Ga., Sept. 4 (local time). EPA-Yonhap
- Published Sep 10, 2025 2:45 pm KST
The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint
Published Sep 10, 2025 2:45 pm KST
Seoul, Washington must cooperate to repair cracks in alliance, restore mutual trust
Last week’s raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution battery plant west of Savannah, Georgia — which led to the detention of 475 workers, including more than 300 Korean nationals — has raised a key question: Would ICE have launched such a large-scale operation if Korea-U.S. relations were truly in good shape?
The likely answer is “No.” If bilateral ties were as strong as some officials in Seoul claim, such an aggressive crackdown might have been handled more diplomatically, perhaps resolved behind closed doors without triggering diplomatic friction.
The scale and style of the raid, complete with armed agents, military-style vehicles, surveillance drones and helicopters, shocked the Korean public, who are unfamiliar with this “U.S.-style” immigration enforcement. Photos and videos released by the Department of Homeland Security revealed the dramatic nature of the operation, which was said to be the largest single-site immigration raid in the Department of Homeland Security’s history.
The incident suggests that Korea-U.S. relations may have veered off course.
The detention of the Korean workers has escalated into a diplomatic spat. During a National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee meeting held Monday, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated that the two countries had “roughly agreed” that the detained Koreans would be released soon and that they would not be barred from reentry into the U.S.
However, that assurance was quickly contradicted. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the Korean nationals would be deported. “Many of those individuals detained through the operation in Georgia … we are following the law. They are going to be deported,” she was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. Once deported, it will be difficult for the affected Koreans to reenter the United States in the future.
The conflicting narratives between Seoul and Washington raise concerns. One thing is clear: The two sides are not working closely enough.
Korean Air is scheduled to send a charter plane to Georgia on Wednesday to bring the detained nationals home. But the return of these workers will not mark the end of this diplomatic rift.
Unless the long-standing issue of Koreans working in the U.S. on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization is addressed properly, similar incidents could happen again.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must intensify its diplomatic efforts to urge Washington to introduce a short-term work visa tailored for Korean workers. For over a decade, industry leaders have called on the government to resolve the visa issue, but little progress has been made. This diplomatic inaction is a root cause driving Koreans to work illegally in the U.S.
At the same time, Washington should respond constructively to Seoul’s calls to open talks on establishing a work visa framework. Both nations benefit from Korean corporate investment in the U.S. To sustain and grow this mutual interest, each side must do its part. Introducing a short-term work visa would be a crucial first step toward resolving this issue and strengthening the bilateral relationship.
In addition to resolving the immediate crisis, Seoul and Washington must also engage in dialogue about how to restore mutual trust. Improving bilateral relations is meaningless without a foundation of confidence.
Even before the ICE raid, there were clear signs that Korea-U.S. relations were under strain. In late July, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac flew to Washington amid growing concern in Seoul over the lack of communication regarding President Donald Trump’s anticipated tariff announcement, with the July 31 deadline fast approaching. Wi attempted, but failed, to secure a meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, and returned home empty-handed.
Further speculation about the state of bilateral relations arose during President Lee Jae Myung’s visit to Washington in August for a meeting with Trump. Unlike past visiting leaders, Lee was not invited to stay at the White House’s official guesthouse, Blair House, and instead had to go to a hotel. Hours before the scheduled summit, Trump posted an inflammatory message on Truth Social. “WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA? Seems like a Purge or Revolution. We can’t have that and do business there.”
The post caused alarm among the Korean delegation, though they were somewhat reassured when the public portion of the Lee-Trump meeting proceeded without major confrontation. However, little is known about what transpired behind closed doors.
Following the summit, stark differences emerged in how both sides interpreted Korea’s pledge to invest $350 billion in the U.S. In an interview with CNBC, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the investment would be used to create a national and economic security fund for the U.S. government. In contrast, Seoul asserted that the funds were intended to support strategic industries, such as minerals, batteries and semiconductors, through private-sector investment and financing.
These discrepancies suggest that their meeting did not go as smoothly as publicly portrayed.
Soon after the summit, the ICE raid on the battery plant happened, a sign that many now see as further evidence of the deteriorating state of Korea-U.S. relations.
15. Georgia raid exposes Korea’s diplomatic neglect
Georgia raid exposes Korea’s diplomatic neglect - The Korea Times
The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint
A still frame from a video made available by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service shows an immigration raid at the Hyundai-LG vehicle assembly plant in Ellabell, Georgia, Sept. 4. EPA-Yonhap
By Kang Hyun-kyung
- Published Sep 10, 2025 11:22 am KST
The Korea Times · ListenListenText SizePrint
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Published Sep 10, 2025 11:22 am KST
Like many other Koreans, I was shocked as I watched footage of hundreds of Korean nationals being arrested during a raid by U.S. immigration officials at the Hyundai Motor–LG car battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia, last week.
The images were jarring: people taken away like dangerous criminals, wrists, waists and ankles shackled, loaded onto buses bound for a detention center near Savannah. Watching it was a deeply unsettling experience.
I know I am not alone. Many Koreans must have felt the same distress seeing the videos and photos released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The arrested workers reportedly had either overstayed their visas or worked on tourist visas, better known as ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). Some had valid work visas that had already expired. U.S. President Donald Trump called them “illegal aliens” and said immigration officials were simply doing their job.
I do not blame U.S. immigration authorities for enforcing the law. Nor do I harbor resentment toward Trump for his blunt characterization. Overstaying a visa or working illegally is, after all, against the law. Like the U.S., Korea carries out crackdowns on illegal immigrants.
What disturbed me most was not the crackdown itself but the way those Koreans were arrested and transported, shackled as if they were violent offenders.
The images brought back memories of a brief encounter I had at Abu Dhabi International Airport a decade ago. I was en route to Kuwait on a business trip to report on the country’s efforts to attract foreign direct investment. While waiting for the flight, I met a Korean man who was returning to his job at a Korean company near Kuwait City after a short visit home to Seoul.
We struck up a conversation. It quickly turned to the storied role of Korean workers in the Middle East during the 1970s — a time when their hard work and remittances fueled Korea’s rapid economic growth.
Our chat was brief but informative. He explained that Korean workers abroad often saved more than those in Korea, not because of higher pay but because they worked longer hours with few distractions. “In Kuwait, there isn’t much to do on weekends,” he said. “So, I usually work straight through. Even on weekdays, I do overtime — and we get paid for it. Meals are free at the company cafeteria. Breakfast, lunch and dinner — all free. I barely spend a penny.”
His remarks highlighted how long hours and frugality enabled Korean workers abroad to send home much-needed savings.
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the Middle East was seen as a land of opportunity for Korean workers, especially in construction. Korean companies earned a reputation for completing projects ahead of schedule, thanks to the dedication of workers willing to put in endless hours. That work ethic helped establish Korea as a trusted partner in the region.
Kuwait and the U.S. state of Georgia could not be more different. In the 1970s, Korean workers in the Middle East were mostly construction laborers, while those at the Hyundai-LG plant are skilled workers employed in a high-tech industry.
Yet, despite these differences, I believe the daily lives of Korean workers in Georgia are not so different from those of their predecessors in the Middle East decades ago. English is not their first language, making it hard for them to explore local communities on weekends. The cost of living in the U.S. is notoriously high. Most of those arrested were subcontractor employees, meaning their working conditions likely fell short of those enjoyed by workers sent directly by the two major conglomerates.
Ellabell itself is a rural area with wide open spaces and few urban conveniences. Given these circumstances, many of the Korean workers there — like those in Kuwait decades ago — likely led simple, frugal lives centered on work.
What troubles me most, however, is how little the Korean government has done to address the visa issue at the heart of the raid.
The workers resorted to using ESTA tourist visas because they are easier to obtain, unlike U.S. work visas, which are subject to lengthy processing and strict scrutiny. Companies building the plant faced pressure to send workers quickly to meet construction deadlines. Subcontractors, facing time constraints and high stakes, chose the risky route of hiring workers on tourist visas rather than waiting for work visa approvals.
For more than a decade, Korean businesses have urged the government to negotiate with Washington for streamlined short-term work visas for skilled specialists. But the Korean government has failed to deliver.
The mass arrests at the Hyundai Motor plant in Georgia are the direct result of this failure. Korean workers are now paying the price for years of diplomatic inaction.
16. Korean companies admit cutting corners on US visas but say they have little choice
Korean companies admit cutting corners on US visas but say they have little choice
https://www.ft.com/content/c677b9aa-2e89-4feb-a56f-f3c8452b3674
Conglomerates shaken by immigration raid on Hyundai site
US ICE officers last week detained 475 people at a battery plant being built by Hyundai and LG in Ellabell in Georgia © US Immigration and Customs Enforcement/AFP/Getty
Christian Davies and Song Jung-a in Seoul
Publishedyesterday
South Korean companies have routinely used unsuitable visas for workers sent to the US to build multibillion-dollar advanced manufacturing sites, according to Seoul-based executives and industry groups.
The admission comes after a dramatic raid last week by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a battery plant being built by Hyundai and LG in Ellabell in Georgia, which led to the detention of 475 workers, mostly South Korean nationals.
Several people familiar with Korean conglomerates in the US said it was an “open secret” that they and their subcontractors used the B-1 visa, which allows entry to the US for business purposes but does not allow the holder to work for payment, as well as the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) system that facilitates short-term business visits.
“The business community, the Korean government and diplomats have been well aware of this problem all along,” an executive from a leading industry group said. “We are very worried that ICE can target other Korean facilities too because they have been following the same practices and have similar problems.”
The operation last week has provoked fury in Asia’s fourth-largest economy, after ICE released a video of Korean workers in yellow vests shackled at the ankles, wrists and waist during the raid, which involved helicopters, armoured vehicles and heavily armed agents.
Workers at the electric vehicle plant in Ellabell, Georgia, are escorted from the site© Corey Bullard/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/AP
A senior South Korean official said the companies had been placed in an “impossible position”, as successive US governments pushed them to invest billions of dollars in reviving American industry while refusing to facilitate short-term working visas for projects to be completed on time.
“The US government is two-faced,” said Chang Sang-sik, head of research at the Korea International Trade Association. “It is asking Korea to invest more in the US, while treating Korean workers like criminals even when it is well aware that they are needed for these projects to happen.”
While South Korea has a free trade agreement with the US dating back to 2012, it does not have a country-specific scheme for working visas, unlike several other FTA countries such as Singapore, Canada and Australia.
The South Korean official said Seoul had repeatedly raised the issue over the past two decades, but that these efforts had been rebuffed by successive US administrations, in part because the introduction of such a scheme would have to be endorsed by Congress.
The issue grew in salience during the presidency of Joe Biden, when South Korean companies attracted by generous federal subsidies from the administration’s flagship Inflation Reduction Act, as well as additional state and county-level inducements, pledged tens of billions of dollars to build factories producing chips, batteries and electric vehicles.
Jonathan Cleave, managing director for Korea at Intralink, a consultancy that supports foreign investment projects in the US, said that Korean companies had repeatedly raised the visa issue with the Biden administration, but that they had been told simply: “Hire American.”
However, he added that in practice the American authorities, “and Georgia in particular”, had “turned a blind eye” to workers being brought in from Korea with questionable documentation, often for short-term “bursts” of construction activity, as part of an understanding that the practice was necessary for projects to be completed on time.
He noted that companies that have received government grants are subject to onerous “clawback” clauses if ambitious timeline and local employment targets are not met.
An executive from one of the companies involved in building the raided battery plant in Ellabell said: “We need to send our workers to install new equipment and supervise the project. We can hire US workers once the plant is built, but if the US wants us to hire American workers, our plant should be allowed to be built quickly.”
Hyundai and LG declined to comment.
Trump wrote in a social media post on Sunday that he encouraged foreign companies investing in the US to “LEGALLY bring your very smart people, with great technical talent, to build World Class products”.
“But we do have to work something out where we bring in experts so that our people can be trained so that they can do it themselves,” he added.
James Kim, chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, said there had been “misguided actors that have not given the US legal system the respect it deserves”.
He added that he hoped the two countries would work out an understanding whereby Korean workers needed to complete the construction of manufacturing facilities could be brought in, but that “this would need to be seen as temporary”.
However, Chang from the Korea International Trade Association said that “training US workers won’t solve the problem” because Korean companies would still be wary of sharing sensitive technologies with their American workforce. “In the case of chip plants, Korean technicians need to review the adoption of new technologies, repair facilities and make sure that their high-tech facilities are run stably.”
Cleave from the Intralink consultancy said the most pressing issue for Korean companies building plants in the US was not access to highly skilled engineers, but finding construction workers in booming areas where labour can easily be tempted elsewhere.
“They need to build a factory very, very quickly, and it’s very difficult to do that with extreme labour shortages in the US where people are willing to jump ship every time someone opens another factory down the road,” he said. “The Koreans don’t need a workforce that’s loyal to the grave, but they want people who will come in and finish a project.”
17. ＜Inside N. Korea＞ Explains that they fought South Korean forces in Russia - Youth education already begun with "Let's become bullet and bomb suicide squads"
Wow. The Propaganda an d Agitation department at its finsest.
＜Inside N. Korea＞ Explains that they fought South Korean forces in Russia - Youth education already begun with "Let's become bullet and bomb suicide squads"
asiapress.org
North Korean soldiers sent to Russia's Kursk region. Their confusion upon first seeing drones is evident. Filmed by Ukrainian forces with drones and released on December 17, 2024.
North Korea's state media has been extensively covering events honoring soldiers and war dead from the 'overseas operational forces' dispatched to Russia as heroes since August 21st. Meanwhile, a reporting partner residing in North Hamgyong Province testified that "they are explaining that the opponents they fought in Russia were South Korean forces deployed as support troops." It has also been confirmed that an educational campaign has begun targeting youth to follow the example of young heroes who fought in Russia. (ISHIMARU Jiro / KANG Ji-won)
◆ Honoring war dead with state commendations... Sophisticated propaganda video
On August 22, Korean Central Television broadcast scenes of Kim Jong-un greeting coffins of war dead being unloaded from cargo planes at an airport at night, and footage appearing to show North Korean soldiers engaging in combat in Russia's Kursk region. It also showed returning deployed unit officers and war dead being honored as national heroes, with scenes of Kim Jong-un appearing to shed tears while consoling bereaved families. This was a sophisticatedly produced propaganda video.
At the state commendation ceremony, portraits of the war dead were displayed, and Kim Jong-un pinned medals beneath them. The number was 101. However, the South Korean government announced at the end of April that approximately 15,000 troops had been deployed, with 4,700 casualties including 600 deaths. The British defense minister announced an estimate in June that over 6,000 may have been casualties.
Following the release of this series of videos, ASIAPRESS asked Reporting Partner A in North Hamgyong Province about the current domestic atmosphere.
◆ Explaining that the opponents fought were South Korea, Japan, and the US
"We know our military was dispatched to Russia, but we don't know exactly how many died or why they died. What we've been told is that support forces from South Korea, the US, and Japan were deployed to the Russian front, so we dispatched our military because we're a brother nation to Russia, and that the opponents we're fighting are South Korean forces. Perhaps because of this, hostility toward South Korea is rising even more."
A North Korean soldier captured by Ukrainian forces at the end of last year also testified that he had heard South Korean forces were deployed in combat with Russia. Reporting partner A said no soldiers from his hometown were dispatched to Russia.
"Soldiers from northern regions or near the Chinese border weren't sent to Russia, and most departed from South Pyongan Province and Hwanghae Province areas, we heard. A nephew of a cadre at my workplace is doing military service, and he said he was excluded from the Russia deployment. That cadre said, 'I heard many died, so I'm glad my nephew didn't go and die.'"
Regarding the information that there was no deployment from areas near China, a North Korean defector who belonged to the elite unit called the 'Storm Corps' said, "It's probably because the government judged there was risk of desertion since many people there have been exposed to outside information."
asiapress.org
18.
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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