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Quotes of the Day:
"Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America."
— President George W. Bush, Address to the Nation, September 11, 2001
"We went in because it was our job. But we stayed in because it was our duty."
– Firefighter from FDNY (Anonymous)
"The man falling from the sky... remains as inseparable from the story of 9/11 as the towers themselves."
– Tom Junod, Author of The Falling Man
1. South Koreans Are Freed in Georgia After Hyundai Immigration Raid
2. The wide blast radius from Trump’s Georgia raid
3. South Korea's Lee says immigration raid may deter U.S. investment
4. Korea’s major US investment projects halted as detained LG Energy workers set for release
5. Back to Subic Bay...with Friends?
6. Ensuring Stability in the Indo-Pacific Region and Beyond
7. ROK must create conditions for talks despite North Korea’s ‘cold attitude’: Lee
8. Lee vows continued push for N. Korea dialogue despite lukewarm response
9. Kim Jong Un reinforced that daughter is successor by taking her to China: NIS
10. Daughter of N. Korea's Kim appears to have solidified standing as likely successor with China visit: spy agency
11. Kim Jong Un’s much-hyped show of unity with Xi and Putin masks deep divides
12. Rubio, Cho stress commitment to counter North Korea amid Hyundai raid tensions
13. Are there actually North Korean troops inside Ukraine?
14. Unification minister requests Japan's support for potential Kim-Trump summit
15. New CFC deputy commander takes office
16. Gov't to support shipbuilding projects involving Arctic routes: minister
17. Chronology of major events leading to detention, release of S. Koreans in U.S. immigration crackdown
18. LG Energy Solution vows to bolster management of overseas business sites following workers' release
19. 1 S. Korean in Georgia raid likely to seek legal action while in custody: sources
1. South Koreans Are Freed in Georgia After Hyundai Immigration Raid
The question now is how much damage has this "own goal" done to our blood alliance that is a linchpin to security in Northeast Asia?
When we think about Korea we should consider that iti sia global piotal state that chooses to be a peaceful nuclear power (so far), that is a partner in the arsenal of democracies. that is the largest foreign direct investor in the US, that wants to make American shipbuilding great again, (MASGA), and supports the rules based international order.
And these immigration violations were not the result of sending their poor, tired, huddled masses to come to America to exploit American generosity. They were doing so because they were investing in the US and they were doing jobs for which Americans were untrained to do but that would eventually result in thousands of new jobs for Americans. Yes, they violated immigration procedures but these are not the hardened criminals crossing the border illegally that our law enforcement should be focusing. This was an "easy win" for ICE to raise the numbers of arrests and "deportations." These are arrests to meet an arbitrary quota. How many hardened criminals and gang members are running free because ICE focused on this "easy target?"
But my comments are not about defending South Korea. I make my comments because I am concerned with US national security and the ROK/US alliance is one of the keys to US national security. We need to ensure the enduring strength of the ROK/US alliance.;
South Koreans Are Freed in Georgia After Hyundai Immigration Raid
More than 300 people head back to Asia after weeklong detention
https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/south-koreans-are-freed-in-georgia-after-hyundai-immigration-raid-6da45736?mod=hp_lead_pos3
By Jiyoung Sohn
Follow and Dasl Yoon
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Sept. 11, 2025 3:34 am ET
The detainees were scheduled to depart from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on a chartered Korean Air plane. Photo: -/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Quick Summary
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Over 300 South Koreans were released from detention in Georgia after an immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor battery plant.View more
SEOUL—More than 300 South Koreans were released Thursday nearly a week after they were detained in an immigration raid at the construction site of a Hyundai Motor battery plant in Georgia.
The detained Koreans walked out of a detention center in Folkston, Ga., without handcuffs and in their own clothing, and boarded buses. After a bus ride of about five hours, they were scheduled to depart from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on a chartered Korean Air plane headed for South Korea.
A total of 317 South Korean nationals were detained, and all agreed to board the plane except one person who has chosen to stay, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said. In addition, 14 others who were detained—10 Chinese, three Japanese and one Indonesian—were expected to board the plane as well, the ministry said.
Seoul officials had initially expected a Wednesday departure, but said a delay had occurred owing to circumstances on the U.S. side.
A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said President Trump paused the repatriation process to hear Seoul’s position on whether the detained Koreans should remain in the U.S. to continue working and training American workers or should return home.
South Korea responded that the Korean citizens detained were exhausted and it was better for them to return home first and then come back to the U.S. to work if they wish—a position that the U.S. respected, the official said.
U.S. officials initially wanted to transport the workers in handcuffs, according to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry. South Korea objected, saying they weren’t criminals. On Thursday, the detainees walked free without any restraints.
After meeting Secretary of State Marco Rubio, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said he had received assurances from the U.S. side that the Korean workers wouldn’t face restrictions in returning to the U.S. for work in the future.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday that the immigration raid at Hyundai Motor’s Georgia factory site could have a significant impact on Korean investment in the U.S.
The Korean workers at the Georgia site were technicians needed for installing machinery and equipment, and the U.S. didn’t have people who could fill those roles, yet the Korean side had trouble obtaining visas, Lee said.
If difficult conditions like this persist, South Korean companies will inevitably become concerned about building factories in the U.S., he said.
The factory under construction in Georgia is a joint venture between Hyundai and fellow South Korean company LG Energy, a battery maker.
The Korean nationals who were detained are employees of LG Energy and its subcontractor companies as well as subcontractors of Hyundai Engineering, the company handling construction for the Georgia factory.
The people largely held temporary visas suitable for short-term training and supervising purposes, such as the B-1 visa, and some arrived in the U.S. through a visa-waiver program that allows entry for up to 60 days for travel and certain limited business activities, according to South Korean officials.
Write to Jiyoung Sohn at jiyoung.sohn@wsj.com and Dasl Yoon at dasl.yoon@wsj.com
2. The wide blast radius from Trump’s Georgia raid
The wide blast radius from Trump’s Georgia raid
By CATHERINE KIM 09/09/2025 06:30 PM EDThttps://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2025/09/09/the-wide-blast-radius-from-trumps-georgia-raid-00552227
Protesters attach stickers at their fellow protester wearing a mask of U.S. President Donald Trump during a rally against the detention of South Korean workers in an immigration raid in Georgia, near the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. | Ahn Young-joon/AP
What'd I Miss?
UNITED BY RAGE — Back home in South Korea, the August White House meeting between President Lee Jae-myung and U.S. President Donald Trump was deemed a great success. Lee buttered up Trump with compliments on the Oval Office’s gold finishes and promises of supporting the U.S. shipbuilding industry, and hopes of a stronger South Korea-U.S. relationship bubbled.
That moment of hope, however, has proven to be fleeting, replaced by a different emotion: rage.
Fast forward two weeks, and the pages of South Korean newspapers are now filled with fury against the U.S. over last week’s arrest of more than 300 Korean nationals at the Hyundai-LG electric vehicle battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia. Both the left and right alike are united in their feeling of betrayal — a rare example of unity in South Korea’s hyperpartisan politics.
ICE says they arrested the workers at the battery plant, 475 in total, either for crossing borders illegally, holding expired visas or holding a visa that prohibited working. Many of the workers came to the U.S. on ESTA or B-1 visas, which are travel visas that only allow business meetings, not actual paid labor — a shortcut used by some South Korean companies to bypass the U.S.’s notoriously slow and rigid visa system.
These companies say they need skilled Korean workers to help build up the factory because there’s a void in American talent due to the U.S.’s historical dip in manufacturing. Trying to rely on a local workforce would significantly delay the opening of these factories, they say. And South Korea can’t afford any delays when they’ve promised to make $350 billion in investments in the United States, which include manufacturing investments in the energy, semiconductor and shipbuilding sectors.
To South Koreans, the situation is viewed as an egregious example of hypocrisy, not to mention betrayal: Trump wants South Korea to build factories in the U.S., but won’t provide access to the resources they need in order to do so. As a result, anger and bewilderment have become the dominant emotions guiding the response to the incident, leading to a rare consensus among South Korean publications on the left and right.
The biggest surprise comes from the media reaction on the right, as conservatives are known for their strong pro-American attitudes. The country’s big three conservative publications — Chosun Ilbo, Joongang Ilbo and Donga Ilbo — have all published strongly-worded editorials in the last few days whacking the Trump administration.
“It is nothing short of a grave incident that has undermined the trust toward Korea, which has sought to contribute to the U.S. economy through large-scale investments,” wrote Chosun Ilbo.
Donga Ilbo asked, “If companies that are accelerating factory construction under pressure to invest are treated like criminal organizations, who would be willing to invest?”
Joongang Ilbo has been the most pointed in its direct criticism of the administration: “Some interpret this incident as a political performance by the Trump administration ahead of next year’s midterm elections. However, a showy crackdown directed at an ally is an act that undermines the trust of the South Korea–U.S. alliance.”
On the left, the verdict on the arrests is even harsher.
In Hankyoreh, one of the leading left-leaning publications in the country, the rage is almost palpable in an editorial titled, “‘Invest’ on the one hand, and a massive arrest operation on the other — is this how one treats an ally?”
The piece, which describes the raid as a shocking event, accuses the U.S. of blindsiding the Korean people. “We express strong regret at the United States’ double standards: demanding greater direct investment from Korea while simultaneously discouraging Korean firms through immigration crackdowns,” the publication writes.
The sense of anger is noteworthy because of how divided the country is right now. South Korea is still roiling over the arrest of its former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law last year. The public has been divided along party lines over the handling of his criminal case, and the media coverage typically reflects that.
One reason the shock over the arrests transcends traditional political fault lines is because of how ICE handled them. A video released by the agency shows a man in shackles, workers lined up against a bus, hands tied by cable ties. That scene would have been unimaginable in South Korea, where such moments are rarely released. And when arrestees face the public, handcuffs are often either blurred or hidden under a cloth for the sake of upholding their human rights.
“Korea has deep historical memory of being humiliated by foreign powers and the visuals of Koreans in chains being paraded by a foreign power triggers collective memories of subjugation that go beyond this just being ’unfair,’” Raphael Rashid, a Seoul-based reporter who has closely covered the raid, writes on X. “This is public humiliation of the nation itself.”
The conservative party, despite the outrage it has expressed toward the raid, has already begun to use it as a device to launch political attacks against Lee, who is a progressive. Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the conservative People Power Party, criticized Lee for not having the foresight to secure more visas for Korean workers when securing an investment deal with the U.S.
The common denominator, however, is anger and disbelief directed toward Trump, who was smiling with Lee in the Oval Office just two weeks ago. Against that backdrop, the raid is viewed as a violation of trust between two allies — a transgression so alienating that it even transcends partisan and ideological divisions in deeply polarized South Korea.
Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com. Or contact tonight’s author at ckim@politico.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @ck_525.
3. South Korea's Lee says immigration raid may deter U.S. investment
Again, should we not expect that the investment climate has changed in the US for South Korea? Will this undo all the agreements recently made? What about MASGA? Will South Korea no longer be the largest foreign direct investor in the US? But hey, at least ICE was able to get 450 hardened criminals off the US streets and up their quota of arrests and deportations. Costs and benefits. Or as my mentor Dr. Cynthia Watson says: "actions have consequences." (Note my attempt at sarcasm).
World News Sept. 11, 2025 / 5:43 AM
South Korea's Lee says immigration raid may deter U.S. investment
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/09/11/korea-Lee-Jae-Myung-immigration-raid-deter-Korean-investment-100-days-in-office/4911757582879/
By Thomas Maresca
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung takes questions during a news conference to mark 100 days in office at the Blue House in Seoul Thursday. Pool Photo by Kim Hong-ji/Reuters/EPA
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday that last week's "perplexing" immigration raid at a Hyundai electric battery plant in Georgia, which led to the detention of more than 300 South Korean workers, could prevent firms from making future investments in the United States.
"Companies will have to worry about whether establishing a local factory in the United States will be subject to all sorts of disadvantages or difficulties," Lee said at a press conference in Seoul marking his 100th day in office.
"That could have a significant impact on future direct investment," he said.
Multiple agencies led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 475 people, most of whom are South Korean nationals, at a Hyundai-LG Energy Solutions battery plant near Savannah, Ga., last Thursday.
Related
ICE and Homeland Security Investigations officials said those who were detained are not authorized to work in the United States. The raid was the largest single-site operation so far under U.S. President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda.
The roundup, which came less than two weeks after Lee met with Trump in the White House, has sparked widespread public shock and anger in South Korea. In July, Seoul and Washington reached a trade deal to lower Trump's threatened tariffs from 25% to 15%, while South Korea pledged to invest $350 billion in the United States.
"The situation is extremely perplexing," Lee said, noting that South Korean firms regularly send skilled workers for short stays to help establish overseas factories.
"These are not long-term workers," he said. "When setting up facilities and equipment, you need skilled technicians. You need to install the machinery and the U.S. doesn't have the workforce locally."
Lee added that Seoul is currently negotiating with Washington to address the visa situation through potential waivers, additional quotas or new visa categories for Korean workers.
"If the United States sees a practical need, I think the issue will be resolved," he said. "Under the current circumstances, Korean companies will be very hesitant to make direct investments in the United States."
Some 316 South Korean nationals and 14 foreigners will return to Seoul on a charter plane departing at 1 a.m. local time on Friday, Lee said.
The flight, initially planned for Wednesday, was delayed due to U.S. officials insisting on transporting the workers in handcuffs, Lee added. He said Seoul protested and Washington reversed its stance, citing an "instruction from the White House."
4. Korea’s major US investment projects halted as detained LG Energy workers set for release
The US policy mismatch is highlighted in the subtitle. US immigration enforcement versus foreign direct investment and the reindustrialization or return of manufacturing jobs to America.
Korea’s major US investment projects halted as detained LG Energy workers set for release
Political pundits cite a political motive behind the surprise raid, such as Trump’s pledge to deport 1 million undocumented migrants annually
https://www.kedglobal.com/business-politics/newsView/ked202509080002
By Sang-eun Lucia Lee and In-Yeop Kim
Construction equipment is parked in front of the Hyundai Motor-LG Energy Solution joint battery plant in Ellabell, Georgia, following the US raid on the facility on Sept. 4, 2025 (KED file photo)
Published
September 8, 2025 at 2:10 PM(KST)
Updated
September 9, 2025 at 9:05 AM(KST)
Read time
5 min read
Write to
5. Back to Subic Bay...with Friends?
Philippines, Korea, US trilateral cooperation for mutual national security interests.
Excerpts:
Big things are happening.
The United States is moving forward with plans to establish what could become the world’s largest weapons manufacturing hub in the Philippines’ Subic Bay, once home to the biggest US naval base in Asia, to counter China’s expanding military presence in the region.
The plans got a real push when Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Philippines’ new shipyard at the former Hanjin complex, now renamed Agila Subic by American investment firm Cerberus Capital Management.
The move signals a shift from rotational training to a permanent US military presence in the Philippines.
Backed by US and South Korean investment, the facility is expected to double the Philippines’ shipbuilding capacity to 2.5 million deadweight tons annually and employ more than 4,000 workers by 2030.
Back to Subic Bay...with Friends?
https://cdrsalamander.substack.com/p/back-to-subic-baywith-friends
Sure sounds like it
CDR Salamander
Sep 10, 2025
Here’s Subic Bay back in its US Navy heyday.
Here she is today.
That isn’t the real change. Look at what is happening on the western side of the bay.
19 years ago in 2006, just some undeveloped bayside.
Today?
Why is it important?
Subic Bay, about 90 kilometers (55 miles) northwest of Manila, sits within striking distance of China.
It is roughly 1,100 kilometers (684 miles) from Shenzhen and Taipei, 1,800 kilometers (1,120 miles) from Shanghai, and 2,800 kilometers (1,740 miles) from Beijing, putting it well within the range of China’s intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
…and the world is a very different place than it was in the Duterte era.
Big things are happening.
The United States is moving forward with plans to establish what could become the world’s largest weapons manufacturing hub in the Philippines’ Subic Bay, once home to the biggest US naval base in Asia, to counter China’s expanding military presence in the region.
The plans got a real push when Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Philippines’ new shipyard at the former Hanjin complex, now renamed Agila Subic by American investment firm Cerberus Capital Management.
The move signals a shift from rotational training to a permanent US military presence in the Philippines.
Backed by US and South Korean investment, the facility is expected to double the Philippines’ shipbuilding capacity to 2.5 million deadweight tons annually and employ more than 4,000 workers by 2030.
While Monday’s ceremony highlighted commercial shipping, officials noted the yard could also affect the country’s naval modernization.
HD Hyundai has already supplied the Philippine Navy with frigates and offshore patrol vessels and is positioning Subic as a regional hub for warship production.
South Korea’s ambassador to Manila described the shipyard as a “tripartite partnership” of Korean technology, US financing, and Philippine labor and geography.
“This represents the most significant US defense investment in the Philippines since the Cold War,” the US Naval Research Laboratory said in a report.
Yes, there is good news happening in WESTPAC, and this is in the top 5.
More. Better. Faster.
6. Ensuring Stability in the Indo-Pacific Region and Beyond
Excerpts:
The message from China from these two major events -- the SCO summit and military parade -- in one week was that China is a global power and Mr. Xi is an alternative global leader, for a new world order, with its own rules, independent from Western standards.
Unfortunately, the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska on August 15 was a failure. Despite the outreach from Mr. Trump, Mr. Putin continued to escalate the bombing of Ukraine, with continued civilian casualties. Mr. Putin then proceeded to China for the SCO Summit and the 80th anniversary military parade in Beijing to meet and confer with Messrs Xi, Putin, Kim and Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, members of the axis of authoritarian states.
Mr. Xi’s comments in Tianjin at the SCO summit and at the military parade in Beijing were clear: either a new world order that condones Russia’s invasion of a sovereign state, Ukraine, despite 1994 security assurances to Ukraine in the Budapest memorandum, or nations that continue to abide by the rule of law and respect for the sovereign rights of all countries. .
Mr. Kim’s father and grandfather wanted a normal relationship with the U.S., as did Mr. Kim, in his meetings with President Trump in Singapore in 2018 and Hanoi in 2019. The talks between our countries should resume soonest, knowing that North Korea’s future is with a normal relationship with the U.S. and South Korea. The details can and will be addressed.
Ensuring Stability in the Indo-Pacific Region and Beyond
10 September, 2025
https://www.thecipherbrief.com/north-korea-china-indo-pacific
By Ambassador Joseph DeTrani
Former Director of the National Counterproliferation Center
Ambassador Joseph DeTrani served as the U.S. Representative to the Korea Energy Development Organization (KEDO), as well as former CIA director of East Asia Operations. He also served as Associate Director of National Intelligence and Mission Manager for North Korea, was the Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks with North Korea, and served as the Director of the National Counter Proliferation Center, ODNI. He currently serves on the Board of Managers at Sandia National Laboratories.
OPINION — The recent summit of President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung further solidified a special relationship. It’s a relationship that goes back to the Korean War, when in June 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea, mistakenly thinking the U.S. was not interested in defending South Korea from an attack from the North. North Korea’s leader, Kim il Sung, was wrong. The U.S. came to the defense of South Korea and after three years of bloody fighting, with tens of thousands of casualties, an armistice was signed in July 1953, halting the fighting – but the war continues.
Given this legacy, the Trump-Lee summit had several deliverables — tariffs, trade, investments — but what understandably got the most enthusiastic attention was the prospect of Mr. Trump reengaging with Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea. Frankly, reengaging with North Korea and getting Mr. Kim to realize that a normal relationship with the U.S. – and hopefully with South Korea – is in North Korea’s interest should be our goal. Indeed, it would provide North Korea with international legitimacy and access to international financial institutions, and economic assistance for economic development purposes. It would be the beginning of a new era for North Korea – and the Korean Peninsula.
related
No doubt, Mr. Kim must have been impressed with China’s September 3rd victory day parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Standing next to China’s President Xi Jinping as he and Russian President Vladimir Putin reviewed the military parade exhibiting China’s modernized military must have pleased Mr. Kim. The parade and the displayed comradery between Messrs Xi, Putin and Kim were on display for the world to see. The additional 26 world leaders all heard Mr. Xi’s veiled criticism of the U.S. and his pronouncement that the world faces a choice between “peace and war, or dialogue or confrontation.”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in Tianjin, China on August 31 that preceded the gala military parade in Beijing was another convenient venue for Mr. Xi, in the presence of Mr. Putin and India’s Narendra Modi and 20 world leaders, to prioritize the “Global South” – a clear veiled criticism of the U.S. and its tariff policies. Mr. Xi announced a $1.3 billion fund for the SCO development bank and a clear message: “We must continue to take a clear stand against hegemonism and power politics, and practice true multilateralism.”
The message from China from these two major events -- the SCO summit and military parade -- in one week was that China is a global power and Mr. Xi is an alternative global leader, for a new world order, with its own rules, independent from Western standards.
Unfortunately, the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska on August 15 was a failure. Despite the outreach from Mr. Trump, Mr. Putin continued to escalate the bombing of Ukraine, with continued civilian casualties. Mr. Putin then proceeded to China for the SCO Summit and the 80th anniversary military parade in Beijing to meet and confer with Messrs Xi, Putin, Kim and Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, members of the axis of authoritarian states.
Mr. Xi’s comments in Tianjin at the SCO summit and at the military parade in Beijing were clear: either a new world order that condones Russia’s invasion of a sovereign state, Ukraine, despite 1994 security assurances to Ukraine in the Budapest memorandum, or nations that continue to abide by the rule of law and respect for the sovereign rights of all countries. .
Mr. Kim’s father and grandfather wanted a normal relationship with the U.S., as did Mr. Kim, in his meetings with President Trump in Singapore in 2018 and Hanoi in 2019. The talks between our countries should resume soonest, knowing that North Korea’s future is with a normal relationship with the U.S. and South Korea. The details can and will be addressed.
All statements of fact, opinion, or analysis expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official positions or views of the US Government. Nothing in the contents should be construed as asserting or implying US Government authentication of information or endorsement of the author’s views.
This column by Cipher Brief Expert Joseph Detrani was first published in The Washington Times.
Are you Subscribed to The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel on YouTube? There is no better place to get clear perspectives from deeply experienced national security experts.
Read more expert-driven national security insights, perspective and analysis in The Cipher Brief because National Security is Everyone’s Business.
7. ROK must create conditions for talks despite North Korea’s ‘cold attitude’: Lee
Unfortunately, I think those "conditions" can only be described as massive concessions that will look a lot like appeasement. And while setting those conditions may lead to talks, in the end it will be another in a long line of policy failures. We must deal with the regime as it really is and understand its nature, objectives, and strategy and approach our (ROK/US Alliance) policies and strategy with the understanding as the foundation.
ROK must create conditions for talks despite North Korea’s ‘cold attitude’: Lee
South Korean president blames predecessor for fostering distrust, stresses need to encourage US-DPRK diplomacy
https://www.nknews.org/2025/09/rok-must-create-conditions-for-talks-despite-north-koreas-cold-attitude-lee/
Joon Ha Park September 11, 2025
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at his 100-day press conference on Sept. 11, 2025 | Image: Korea TV
South Korea must continue to create the conditions for dialogue with North Korea despite Pyongyang’s “cold attitude,” President Lee Jae-myung said on Thursday, arguing that easing tensions and promoting U.S.-DPRK diplomacy remains in Seoul’s interest even in the absence of progress.
Lee made the comments at a press conference in Seoul to mark his first 100 days in office, responding to a question about whether the ROK can facilitate U.S.-DPRK diplomacy at the upcoming APEC summit
“North Korea’s attitude is cold. That is our reality,” he said, calling it unrealistic to expect North Korea to change its stance quickly.
The president blamed the former Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s hardline approach to Pyongyang for fostering distrust, citing alleged actions like flying drones over Pyongyang and deploying Apache helicopters near the border “as if a bombardment could begin at any moment.”
“If anyone thought that just because the South stopped loudspeaker broadcasts or took small measures, the North would suddenly drop its guard and respond with smiles, that would be foolish,” he said.
But Lee said that lowering tensions benefits South Korea regardless of Pyongyang’s reaction.
“This is not about doing them a favor, nor about me being pro-North Korea (종북),” he said. “It is about safeguarding the ROK’s security, economy and the daily lives of our people.”
Lee stressed that inter-Korean ties cannot be resolved by Seoul alone, describing the North Korean nuclear and missile issue as a global security challenge.
“From [Pyongyang’s] perspective, the U.S. is the counterpart that matters. After all, they signed the armistice, not South Korea. North Korea likely sees us as an outsider, a country without even wartime operational control,” the president said.
Describing himself as a pragmatist, Lee said his focus is on improving South Koreans’ livelihoods rather than ideology and that he does not see it as necessary for Seoul to insist on leading talks.
“If U.S.-North Korea dialogue helps stabilize peace on the Korean Peninsula, we should welcome it. Our role is to create the right environment,” he said.
Echoing his comments at the White House last month, Lee emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump is the leader with the most potential influence over Pyongyang.
Trump’s personal style could “contribute to securing peace and stability on the peninsula,” he said, adding that successful efforts would “indeed make the U.S. a genuine peacemaker.”
From left: Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stand side-by-side at the Tiananmen Square rostrum on Sept. 3, 2025 | Image: KCNA (Sept. 4, 2025)
However, Lee also acknowledged that North Korea remains unresponsive to outreach, pointing to National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik’s minimal interaction with Kim Jong Un at China’s military parade last week.
“It is a painful reality that the party with the most direct interest is the most hostile,” the president said.
Still, Lee said small measures — such as halting radio broadcasts — help rebuild trust, and that sustained peaceful efforts could eventually create openings and “add up over time.”
“Diplomacy often involves raising tensions to maximize leverage before reaching a dramatic settlement,” he said. “Talking about re-unification now might make me sound foolish, but the priority is to build peace as a foundation.”
Lee Choong-koo, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), told NK News that the president’s approach represents a pragmatic position, treating the current stalemate not as an endpoint but as a potential precursor to negotiations.
“The approach seems to be to strengthen bargaining power first and then seek an agreement,” the expert said. “Even while recognizing that the likelihood of success is low and that risks exist, they are still pushing forward with engagement.”
The KIDA expert said Pyongyang’s current stance prioritizes ensuring South Korea does not obstruct potential U.S.-DPRK talks, noting its reluctance to engage directly with Seoul. He said this reflects not only past hostile rhetoric but also discomfort with South Korea’s global cultural reach.
“Meeting with the South inevitably invites comparisons, whether in good times or bad, and Pyongyang seems to prefer separation altogether,” he said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un designated the South as a “hostile” enemy nation in Dec. 2023 and abandoned the decades-old goal of inter-Korean reunification.
Despite voicing conditional interest in diplomacy with the U.S., Pyongyang has spurned the Lee administration’s reconciliatory gestures since the new president took office, specifically taking issue with Article 3 of the ROK Constitution that describes the entire Korean Peninsula and surrounding islands as the South’s territory.
Edited by Bryan Betts
8. Lee vows continued push for N. Korea dialogue despite lukewarm response
The President will continue to push for A Sunshine Policy on steroids. I do not think there is any way to convince him otherwise. That said perhaps we are like the child who touches the burning stove just to see if it is hot. After this next iteration of the SunShine Policy fails will President Lee be able to pivot to a more practical strategy based on these fourteen words?
"Unification first, then denuclearization; the path to unification is through information and human rights.
Lee vows continued push for N. Korea dialogue despite lukewarm response | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Eun-jung · September 11, 2025
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday North Korea remains lukewarm toward his peace overture but vowed to continue efforts to resume talks with Pyongyang.
Marking his 100th day in office, Lee acknowledged little progress in improving inter-Korean relations despite steps taken by his government to ease tensions, but reaffirmed his commitment to promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula.
"North Korea's attitude remains cold. It is the reality we face," Lee said during a press conference. "Although there has been no special progress, we are constantly making efforts."
Lee stressed the importance of coordination with the United States, noting that Pyongyang regards Washington, not Seoul, as the core threat to its regime and prioritizes ties with the U.S. over inter-Korean relations.
He said he offered to play the role of "pacemaker" during his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump last month, believing Trump's resumption of talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would help advance peace on the peninsula
"If these peaceful efforts accumulate, even a small opening will eventually emerge," Lee said, vowing to continue outreach to Pyongyang.
President Lee Jae Myung fields reporters' questions during a press conference marking his 100 days in office at the former presidential compound of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Sept. 11, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Eun-jung · September 11, 2025
9. Kim Jong Un reinforced that daughter is successor by taking her to China: NIS
I will remain a skeptic until the day she takes charge. I think we are getting played by KJU.
Kim Jong Un reinforced that daughter is successor by taking her to China: NIS
Seoul’s spy agency says trip bolstered her credentials, rejecting idea that North Korean leader’s son is his actual heir
https://www.nknews.org/2025/09/kim-jong-un-reinforced-that-daughter-is-successor-by-taking-her-to-china-nis/
Jooheon Kim September 11, 2025
Kim's young daughter shadows him as he greets Ambassador Ri Ryong Nam and other embassy officials | Image: KCTV (Sept. 6, 2025)
North Korean Kim Jong Un’s visit to China last week reinforced propaganda narratives positioning his daughter as his successor, Seoul’s intelligence agency has assessed, after she joined him on an international trip for the first time.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) told lawmakers on Thursday that state media communicated this message to domestic audiences by showing the daughter, believed to be named Kim Ju Ae, accompanying the leader on a special train and attending events at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing.
“She largely remained inside the embassy during the visit, avoiding outside exposure, and returned home by boarding the special train in advance to reduce media attention,” Lee Seong-kweun, a member of the National Assembly’s intelligence committee, told media after the briefing.
“Nonetheless, the NIS assesses that she sufficiently reinforced the revolutionary narrative needed to bolster her position as a prominent successor figure.”
This interpretation contrasts with recent remarks by Park Jie-won, a Democratic Party lawmaker who said the daughter is unlikely to be the successor because women have never been heads of state “in socialist and feudal societies.” He suggested that Kim Jong Un likely has a son studying abroad who is actually next in line to lead the country.
Seoul’s unification Chung Dong-young also said after Kim’s visit that considering the daughter to be his successor is an “overstatement.”
According to lawmakers, the NIS believes that Kim took his daughter on the trip aimed to further bolster her public profile and leadership credentials.
“It is assessed that while Kim Ju Ae has been given opportunities to gain overseas experience, she has been kept away from public events and only appeared selectively, helping to solidify her position as a prominent successor,” said Park Sun-won, another member of the intelligence committee.
The NIS reportedly addressed questions about Kim Jong Un’s other children, rejecting the idea that they are likely to be his successors. The spy agency previously assessed that the North Korean leader’s first child is a son and that he has a third child of unknown gender.
“There are various rumors that another child may have a disability or is studying abroad, but the NIS does not view them as strong candidates,” he said. “Studying abroad makes it nearly impossible to conceal one’s existence, so the agency considers that scenario unlikely.”
Kim Jong Un first introduced his daughter at a missile launch in Nov. 2022, and he has regularly appeared with her in public in the years since, fueling speculation about whether she is his political heir.
Hwang Jin-tae, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University, backed the NIS’ assessment, telling NK News that the goal appears to be to build a successor narrative for the daughter from a young age.
“Moreover, given that North Korea — like many authoritarian regimes — has a male-dominated social structure, the regime’s gradual approach to publicly exposing her seems reasonable, as it may help North Korean society come to accept the idea of a female supreme leader,” he added.
Given North Korea’s international isolation, the expert said sending a future successor to study abroad would be an unrealistic option. “If she were the child of a woman other than his official wife, overseas education might have been more likely,” he said.
Meanwhile, the NIS said Kim Jong Un likely views the China trip as a success, having projected solidarity with China and Russia while attempting to frame himself as a legitimate head of a “normal state,” according to the lawmakers.
The intelligence agency also provided an update on the North Korean leader’s health, stating that he appeared to complete his schedule in China without issue.
While he occasionally shows signs of severe obesity, such as excessive sweating or shortness of breath when climbing stairs, his heart rate and blood pressure remain within normal ranges, the NIS reportedly assessed. The lawmakers did explain how the NIS arrived at this conclusion.
The agency observed that Pyongyang took extensive precautions to avoid the exposure of biometric data related to both Kim Jong Un and his daughter. These included having the delegation stay within the North Korean Embassy compound and transporting supplies and even waste separately via special aircraft to prevent intelligence leaks.
Russian reporters captured images of DPRK personnel cleaning up after the leader following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, measures that may have aimed to prevent the leader’s DNA from being obtained for malicious purposes.
Edited by Bryan Betts
10. Daughter of N. Korea's Kim appears to have solidified standing as likely successor with China visit: spy agency
Daughter of N. Korea's Kim appears to have solidified standing as likely successor with China visit: spy agency | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Yi Wonju · September 11, 2025
By Yi Wonju
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- The young daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Ju-ae, appears to have bolstered her status as Kim's likely successor through her recent trip to China, South Korea's spy agency said Thursday.
Ju-ae, believed to be in her early teens, stayed inside the North Korean Embassy and avoided media exposure during her trip but managed to secure enough of the "narrative" necessary to solidify her position as a potential successor, lawmakers told reporters, citing the National Intelligence Service's (NIS) closed-door briefing.
The NIS also assessed that Kim has no major health problems, noting his heart rate and blood pressure remain within normal ranges.
North Korean state media showed Ju-ae accompanying Kim on his trip to Beijing last week to attend a military parade, further fueling speculation that she may be next in line for succession.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (R), alongside his daughter, known as Ju-ae, applauds in the Wonsan-Kalma tourist area on the North's east coast on June 24, 2025, during a ceremony to mark the completion of the resort area known for its beautiful seaside scenery, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency on June 26. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)
julesyi@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Yi Wonju · September 11, 2025
11. Kim Jong Un’s much-hyped show of unity with Xi and Putin masks deep divides
Distrust and transactionalism (and fear, weakness, desperation, and envy).
Kim Jong Un’s much-hyped show of unity with Xi and Putin masks deep divides
Ties between North Korea, China and Russia are defined by distrust, providing a shaky foundation for a trilateral axis
https://www.nknews.org/2025/09/kim-jong-uns-much-hyped-show-of-unity-with-xi-and-putin-masks-deep-divides/
Andrei Lankov September 11, 2025
Image: KCNA, edited by NK News
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un were the main guest stars of lavish celebrations held in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II last week, flanking Chinese President Xi Jinping at key events in a clear signal of the three countries’ newfound solidarity.
Many observers interpreted these scenes as evidence that a trilateral military-political alliance is in the making, no doubt as the three countries intended. They argued that the Russia-China-North Korea “Northern Triangle” will confront the emerging “Southern Triangle” of the U.S., Japan and South Korea.
Such claims are far removed from reality. Relations within the Moscow-Beijing-Pyongyang triangle are complicated, full of contradictions and frictions. This makes a shaky foundation for a genuine trilateral alliance, as underscored by the lack of a three-way summit in Beijing.
It is more accurate to view this triangle not as an alliance of three countries, but as three separate pairs of relationships. Ties within each pair are close for the time being, but each of the three pairs has its own distinct dynamics and their prospects are diverging in the medium and long term.
Analyzing relations from this angle shows that each pair has its own independent dynamics that are unlikely to produce a trilateral alliance, underscoring deep mistrust and resentment between all three countries despite their mutual confrontation with the U.S.
Putin and Xi during talks in Beijing on Sept. 2, 2025 | Image: Kremlin
PAIR 1: CHINA AND RUSSIA
When Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, most observers were convinced that the Russian economy would collapse within a few months, crushed by Western sanctions. Yet these forecasts proved wrong. Instead, the Russian economy soon entered a period of unexpected growth.
The chief reason for this surprising turn of events was China’s (and to a lesser extent India’s) readiness to ignore the U.S.-led sanctions regime and continue purchasing large quantities of Russian raw materials, above all oil.
Beijing’s willingness to trade allowed Russia to continue its war in Ukraine without facing severe domestic disruption. From a purely economic perspective, present-day Russia and China seem almost made for each other: Russia is rich in natural resources, while China’s booming manufacturing sector has an insatiable appetite for them. On the other hand, China is Russia’s major provider of manufactured goods.
At first glance, the political relationship also appears solid. Both countries are in long-term confrontation with the United States. That fact alone makes them natural allies. While China is not enthusiastic about the prolonged conflict in Ukraine, it benefits indirectly from Russia’s standoff with the West, which keeps Washington from focusing its full attention on containing Beijing.
Yet mistrust lingers between Russia and China, making a long-term alliance unlikely. Some of the reasons are historical: memories of clashes, annexations and interventions still cast long shadows. Beijing has not forgotten that, of all the imperialist powers that carved up Chinese territory in the 19th century, Russia is the only one that has not yet returned the vast lands it acquired.
Furthermore, China does not put much stock in Russia’s claims about its alleged “pivot to the East” and turn away from Europe. The prevailing view in Beijing is that Moscow’s elites see their departure from the West as both forced and provisional. Given the first real opportunity, Russian elites would return to Europe’s embrace.
Russian suspicions of China are equally strong. For at least three centuries, Russian culture has remained thoroughly Eurocentric and still tends to regard Asian countries as exotic and inferior. This is why Moscow’s dependence on Beijing has been met with unease both among the political elite and within society at large. Moreover, China’s territorial claims are widely known in Russia as well.
The Beijing-Moscow relationship thus offers a textbook example of transactional interaction. Their semi-alliance may well endure, driven by economic needs and their shared hostility toward the U.S. Yet mutual mistrust, the heavy weight of their troubled history, and each country’s national pride remain formidable obstacles.
Putin and Kim during talks in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2025 | Image: KCNA
PAIR 2: NORTH KOREA AND RUSSIA
Relations between Moscow and Pyongyang are also transactional in nature, but they conspicuously lack any solid economic foundation.
Until 2022, ties between the two countries were distant. Tellingly, from 2017-2019, Russia supported the imposition of sanctions against North Korea.
The sudden improvement in relations, culminating in a military alliance in June 2024, was a direct consequence of the Russian-Ukrainian war. In its early stages, it became clear that the Russian army was critically short of large-caliber shells. North Korea, which had long manufactured such munitions in bulk, was ready to supply them. In return, the DPRK received money and access to some Russian military technology.
As an additional bonus, Pyongyang sent a military contingent to Russia. The roughly 12-15,000 North Korean troops deployed did not alter the overall course of the war, but they made a tangible contribution to the fighting in the Kursk region. The move also allowed DPRK soldiers to gain experience in modern warfare.
Thus, cooperation between the two sides was mutually beneficial — but almost entirely confined to the military sphere.
Once hostilities end, it will be difficult to sustain the current level of interaction. The Russian and North Korean economies are fundamentally incompatible. The goods North Korea sells on global markets are of little interest to Russia, with the exception of DPRK migrant labor. Conversely, while Pyongyang is eager to import Russian products, it lacks the foreign currency to pay for them.
Another important factor is North Korea’s long-standing negative image inside Russia. Since the 1960s, Pyongyang has been widely seen as the embodiment of an irrational and at times comical dictatorship. The blood sacrifice of DPRK soldiers has softened this perception to some extent, but it is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
The likely outcome is a gradual winding down of ties once active combat in Ukraine subsides. Moscow and Pyongyang will probably continue to provide diplomatic backing and the ritualistic affirmations expected at official events. Yet their cooperation lacks any genuine economic base and it is unlikely to change, with trade historically flourishing only when Mosocw is willing to subsidize it.
Xi and Kim at China’s military parade on Sept. 3, 2025 | Image: KCNA
PAIR 3: NORTH KOREA AND CHINA
The Pyongyang-Beijing pair is perhaps more stable than the other two, yet also more burdened with mutual contempt and distrust.
On the one hand, China has valid reasons to keep North Korea afloat. From Beijing’s perspective, North Korea serves as a buffer zone protecting China’s northeast. This factor has grown in importance due to U.S.-China confrontation.
As a result, Beijing decision-makers overlook the many problems created by the Kim regime’s policies — most remarkably its nuclear ambitions.
Chinese assistance helped North Korea avoid famine during the pandemic, yet this assistance has not generated warm feelings toward China among Pyongyang’s elite.
Quite the opposite: the DPRK has always regarded China with caution. China is a powerful neighbor with the ability to interfere in North Korea’s internal politics, something it’s done in the past. While Beijing clearly seeks to preserve the status quo on the Korean Peninsula, its vision of that ideal status quo may not align with Kim Jong Un’s.
North Korea’s leadership thus strives to maintain some distance from China, while still being able to get aid from Beijing when necessary. When the opportunity to improve ties with Russia arose, the DPRK took steps to demonstrate that it is not wholly dependent on Chinese support, and some of its actions have bordered on provocative toward China.
Even so, the stability of Pyongyang-Beijing ties is guaranteed by U.S.-China rivalry, which is likely to persist for decades. China will continue to need a buffer zone along its borders and thus will support North Korea, asking few questions and tolerating occasional slights.
Crucially, the relationship rests on a solid economic foundation: China is the main importer of North Korean minerals, seafood, apparel and, increasingly, labor.
Nonetheless, the DPRK sees its deep dependence as both uncomfortable and potentially dangerous — and will seek to escape it whenever an opportunity arises.
Edited by Bryan Betts
12. Rubio, Cho stress commitment to counter North Korea amid Hyundai raid tensions
Just counter north Korea?
I wish they could have come to an agreement along these lines:
The only way we are going to see an end to the nuclear program and military threats as well as the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity being committed against the Korean people living in the north by the mafia-like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime is through achievement of unification and the establishment of a free and unified Korea that is secure and stable, non-nuclear, economically vibrant, and unified under a liberal constitutional form of government based on individual liberty, rule of law, and human rights as determined by the Korean people. A free and unified Korea or in short, a United Republic of Korea (U-ROK). (You Rock)
Rubio, Cho stress commitment to counter North Korea amid Hyundai raid tensions
Top US, ROK diplomats also discuss Kim Jong Un’s visit to China during meeting over detained South Korean workers
https://www.nknews.org/2025/09/rubio-cho-stress-commitment-to-counter-north-korea-amid-hyundai-raid-tensions/
Jooheon Kim September 11, 2025
Marco Rubio and Cho Hyun at their first meeting in late July | Image: ROK foreign affairs ministry
The top diplomats of the U.S. and South Korea reaffirmed their shared commitment to countering North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs on Wednesday, amid recent bilateral tensions over South Korean workers detained in Georgia.
During their meeting in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his counterpart Cho Hyun stressed their “commitment to addressing the destabilizing threats posed by North Korea’s unlawful nuclear and missile programs,” according to the State Department.
The top diplomats also “underscored the lasting strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance, the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and throughout the Indo-Pacific for more than 70 years,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
According to Seoul’s foreign affairs ministry, Cho conveyed President Lee Jae-myung’s greetings to President Donald Trump and emphasized South Korea’s commitment to strengthening the alliance. Rubio responded by saying he would report it to Trump.
The two sides also exchanged views on the outcome and implications of the DPRK leader Kim Jong Un’s recent visit to China during the large-scale military parade earlier this month, according to Seoul.
Cho said South Korea would pursue its role as a “pacemaker,” a term that Lee used in his first summit with Trump last month, and called for continued cooperation toward that goal. Rubio responded by affirming that the U.S. remains open to dialogue with North Korea and pledged to maintain close coordination with South Korea on related efforts.
Lee met with Trump on Aug. 25 and called on him to serve as a “peacemaker” on the divided Korean Peninsula, saying he was the only person capable of making progress on the issue. Lee also voiced hope for the construction of a Trump Tower in North Korea, expressing his own willingness to play the role of a “pacemaker” supporting U.S.-DPRK dialogue.
During the meeting, Trump also stated that he would like to meet Kim Jong Un this year, emphasizing the rapport he built with the DPRK leader during a series of summits in his first term.
Wednesday’s meeting between Cho and Rubio came amid escalating tensions over U.S. immigration authorities’ arrest of some 300 South Korean workers during a raid at the Hyundai-LG battery plant in Georgia last week.
Cho expressed concern over the recent detention and urged the U.S. to ensure the swift departure of those detained without physical restraints, emphasizing that they are not criminals, and asked that their ability to re-enter the U.S. in the future not be negatively affected.
The ROK minister also proposed establishing a joint working group between the South Korean Foreign Ministry and the U.S. State Department to explore new visa categories and prevent similar incidents. Rubio acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue and pledged to coordinate closely, although the State Department’s official readout made no mention of the discussion on the still-detained workers.
The two diplomats previously met in late July, reaffirming their commitment to North Korea’s complete denuclearization and stronger trilateral cooperation with Japan, as well as in late August.
Edited by Bryan Betts
13. Are there actually North Korean troops inside Ukraine?
Conclusion:
However, North Korea has not, as yet, sent additional troops to Ukraine or Russian-occupied territory, contrary to CNN reports. The only evidence on the ground in Ukraine at present is North Korean artillery shells and weapons. As Ukraine continues occupying a small portion of Kursk, North Korea will likely maintain focus on that region. Meanwhile, Western media will continue to paint North Korea as a risk-acceptant actor.
Are there actually North Korean troops inside Ukraine? | Lowy Institute
With no reliable evidence of North Korean soldiers
beyond Kursk, the reality isn’t matching the media hype.
lowyinstitute.org · Khang Vu
Recent media reports on North Korean troops in Russia made astonishing claims about the scope of their operation. The BBC claimed that “Russia's Vladimir Putin has thanked Kim Jong-un for the courage of his troops who have been fighting in Ukraine on the Russian side.” The ABC similarly noted, “thousands of North Korean troops have been sent to fight and die in Ukraine”.
Such claims, if proven, would signal a significant change in the level of North Korea’s military assistance to Russia. The Russia–North Korea Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership requires one party “removing the prevailing threat” if the other party is subject to “a direct threat of armed invasion”. North Korea sending troops to fight inside Ukraine will mean that it has gone above its responsibility to defend Russia.
Moscow and Pyongyang have confirmed North Korea did send troops to fight for Russia, but only in the country’s Kursk oblast. During an exchange on the sidelines of China’s 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Kim and Putin mentioned again that North Korean troops were present only in Kursk. North Korea’s commemoration of its own war deaths only referred to the “liberation of Kursk territory”. Even Western sources confirmed the presence of North Korean troops only in Kursk, with the Pentagon last November noting the deployment. Ukrainian sources mentioned the capture of a North Korean soldier in Kursk in December. As recently as March, the Ukrainian military reported that Russian and North Korean forces had retaken two-thirds of the territory that Ukraine took in the summer counter-offensive, suggesting that North Korea concentrated on repelling Ukrainian troops from Russian territory. There was no mention from any reliable source that North Korean troops were fighting on Ukrainian territory.
In July, CNN quoted undisclosed Ukrainian officials who stated that North Korea would be sending up to an additional 30,000 troops into Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, a claim repeated by The Kyiv Independent and Kyiv Post. South Korean intelligence was not specific on the geographical scope of the additional deployment, but suggested that North Korea would send troops to Russia in July or August. NK News confirmed that Seoul could not verify the CNN report and, indeed, speculation about the troop deployment did not materialise. North Korea welcomed back its military officials from the Russian front in late August, and experts do not currently see any indicators of North Korean troops present in Russia-occupied territory in Ukraine.
Even as an international pariah, North Korea does not want to be seen as violating another country’s sovereignty.
North Korea has a rationale for avoiding sending troops or denying it is sending troops to Ukraine. Even as an international pariah, North Korea does not want to be seen as violating another country’s sovereignty. That means Pyongyang has framed its military engagements as an act of defence rather than of aggression. The country’s official history blames South Korea for starting the Korean War. In acknowledging its provision of military support to help North Vietnam defend against US bombing during the Vietnam War, and sending pilots to help Egypt defend itself from Israeli aerial attacks during the Yom Kippur War, Pyongyang has emphasised that its troops restricted their activities to allied territory.
Such an interpretation of history conveniently attenuates North Korea’s meticulous planning for war against South Korea and the presence of North Korean troops aiding the Viet Cong against the internationally recognised Saigon government. Downplaying North Korea’s disregard for sovereign states serves a strategic purpose: Pyongyang wants to up the ante on a US–South Korean invasion by stressing its respect for sovereignty and the West’s violations thereof. It also strengthens North Korea’s sovereign rights to nuclear weapons ownership and justifies its decision to send troops to Russia with both international and domestic audiences.
The norms of sovereignty will not prevent North Korea from sending troops to Ukraine if needed. However, North Korea fully comprehends the cost of such a decision and will seek to minimise it. North Korea can avoid expanding its operation outside of Russian territory because it is not required to do so under the treaty. Russian officials said that North Korea would send additional military construction workers and de-miners, but only to rebuild Kursk, and not to Ukraine. Even if Russia increases its reward to entice North Koreans to fight in Russian-occupied territory, North Korea will likely avoid acknowledging its involvement by having its troops wear Russian military uniforms and carry fake military IDs. Pyongyang’s demand that its soldiers commit suicide to evade capture will make it harder for Ukraine to collect evidence of North Korea’s violation of Ukrainian sovereignty. Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territory by referendum also allows for a technical expansion of North Korean treaty obligations, as Pyongyang could claim that its troops in occupied territory are there to defend Russia.
However, North Korea has not, as yet, sent additional troops to Ukraine or Russian-occupied territory, contrary to CNN reports. The only evidence on the ground in Ukraine at present is North Korean artillery shells and weapons. As Ukraine continues occupying a small portion of Kursk, North Korea will likely maintain focus on that region. Meanwhile, Western media will continue to paint North Korea as a risk-acceptant actor.
lowyinstitute.org · Khang Vu
14. Unification minister requests Japan's support for potential Kim-Trump summit
Surely Kim is not coming to APEC. Are they going to have a Panmunjom repeat performance?
I doubt it. I doubt that POTUS will be willing to pay the extortion fees just to have a meeting. Perhaps this request from the Unification Minister is code for having the ROK and Japan contribute to the extortion fees that surely are being demanded by KJU. But what does anyone get in return when they succumb to blackmail diplomacy and extortion? nothing good.
(LEAD) Unification minister requests Japan's support for potential Kim-Trump summit | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Park Boram · September 11, 2025
(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in last 2 paras, photo)
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Chung Dong-young met with Japan's top envoy to South Korea on Thursday and requested Tokyo's support for efforts to resume dialogue between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Chung made the remarks during his meeting with Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Mizushima as Trump expressed his hope to meet with Kim this year during his summit with President Lee Jae Myung last month, according to the unification ministry.
"I hope the Japanese government will spare no effort in supporting the realization of a potential summit between North Korea and the United States," Chung said at the start of the meeting.
The minister stressed the need for diplomatic solutions to North Korea's nuclear issues, saying efforts to denuclearize the North with sanctions seem to have failed.
Chung highlighted the spectacle of Kim standing shoulder to shoulder with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at China's military parade last week, an event displaying unity among the three countries against the U.S.
"(The scene) was a sign that showed trying to resolve the North's nuclear issues with sanctions-focused measures would not be viable," Chung said, noting that now is the time to seek diplomatic solutions to North Korea's nuclear problem.
On the possibility of the Kim-Trump summit, Mizushima said it is important for Japan, the U.S. and South Korea to maintain communication and seek cooperation.
In regard to U.N. sanctions on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, the Japanese envoy raised the need to communicate with Seoul, Washington and other like-minded countries.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young (R) shakes hands with Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Mizushima ahead of their meeting at the government complex building in Seoul on Sept. 11, 2025. (Yonhap)
The same day, Chung also met with Jeff Robinson, the Australian Ambassador to South Korea, and called for Australia's cooperation and support for Seoul's efforts to reopen dialogue with North Korea.
The ambassador stressed that such peace-seeking efforts align with the path toward regional peace and stability and with his country's interests, affirming Australia's support for Seoul's North Korea policy, the unification ministry said.
This photo of Unification Minister Chung Dong-young shaking hands with Jeff Robinson, the Australian Ambassador to South Korea, on Sept. 11, 2025, is provided by the unification ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Park Boram · September 11, 2025
15. New CFC deputy commander takes office
New CFC deputy commander takes office | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Hyun-soo · September 11, 2025
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- Army Gen. Kim Sung-min was sworn in Thursday as deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), pledging to help strengthen the alliance between the two countries.
An inauguration ceremony for Kim was held earlier in the day at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, attended by CFC Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson, the CFC said in a release.
Kim previously served in a number of key posts, including as commander of the 5th Corps, director general for policy planning at the defense ministry, and head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff task force on operational control transition.
"I will do my utmost duty to uphold the elevated South Korea-U.S. alliance at this important time of transition," Kim said in his inauguration address.
This photo shows Gen. Kim Sung-min (R), new deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, posing for a photo next to President Lee Jae Myung on Sept. 2, 2025. (Yonhap)
sookim@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Hyun-soo · September 11, 2025
16. Gov't to support shipbuilding projects involving Arctic routes: minister
A capability the US sorely needs too. Could this contribute to MAGSA?
(LEAD) Gov't to support shipbuilding projects involving Arctic routes: minister | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Na-young · September 11, 2025
(ATTN: ADDS byline, more info throughout; CHANGES photo)
By Kim Na-young
SEJONG, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- The government will provide financial support for projects aimed at building icebreakers that will run through Arctic shipping routes, the oceans minister said Thursday, as South Korea plans to begin pilot operations on the envisioned Northern shipping corridors next year.
"We will invest 11 billion won (US$8 million) per vessel built with icebreaking capabilities for operation on the Arctic shipping routes," Minister Chun Jae-soo said in a press conference, noting the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has allocated funds for the project in next year's ministry budget.
Chun projected that icebreakers will be able to operate in the Arctic corridors in earnest from 2030, citing a study conducted by Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), one of South Korea's top tech universities.
The ministry has earmarked a budget of 7.3 trillion won, including 1.66 trillion won for expanding and enhancing port infrastructure in the southeastern region in anticipation of the expansion of the Northern shipping routes, for its 2026 operations.
The Lee Jae Myung administration has pledged to make the southeastern port city of Busan and the surrounding region in the south into a global maritime hub.
To this end, the government plans to relocate the headquarters of the oceans ministry to Busan by the end of this year. The ministry currently sits in the central administrative city of Sejong, along with most other central government ministries.
Chun said the ministry will begin renovating the building in Busan to be used as its new headquarters next month, calling the relocation the "first step" in transforming the southern region into a global maritime hub.
Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo speaks at a press conference held in the central city of Sejong on Sept. 11, 2025. (Yonhap)
The ministry will also encourage local shipping companies to relocate to Busan, as well, partly by offering various incentives, while working to establish a new maritime court and an investment corporation for the southeastern region in the city, according to Chun.
Additionally, Chun plans to head a government task force that will prepare the country for the envisioned era of Arctic shipping routes, while pushing for the creation of a public-private committee and a support organization for related projects, he added.
Further, the ministry will push to exempt preliminary feasibility studies for the development of core technologies in autonomous ships powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
The ministry also plans to begin constructing a test bed for smart port technologies in the southwestern port city of Gwangyang in November and push for memorandums of understanding with Denmark and Singapore for cooperation in creating net zero emissions shipping corridors.
This file photo provided by HMM Co. shows its container vessel powered by biomethanol fuel. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Regarding media reports that steel giant POSCO Group is considering acquiring HMM Co., the country's leading container shipper, Chun said the issue should be viewed through the perspective of national interest, as opposed to that of a single company.
"There may be criticism that discussions on HMM's governance is being delayed, but I will address both the possible relocation of HMM's headquarters to Busan and its governance issue at an appropriate time," Chun added.
Earlier in the day, the Korea Shipowners' Association issued a statement opposing POSCO's purported bid to acquire HMM, claiming the move could "destroy the shipping ecosystem" of South Korea.
On the ongoing water release from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, Chun said no signs of safety breaches have been reported, but the government plans to continue monitoring the level of radioactive material in waters around the Korean Peninsula as a precaution.
nyway@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Na-young · September 11, 2025
17. Chronology of major events leading to detention, release of S. Koreans in U.S. immigration crackdown
Chronology of major events leading to detention, release of S. Koreans in U.S. immigration crackdown | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Yi Wonju · September 11, 2025
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- The following is a chronology of major events leading up to the detention and the release of more than 300 South Korean workers over a massive raid by U.S. immigration authorities at a Hyundai-LG battery plant in the state of Georgia on Sept. 4 (local time).
Sept. 4, 2025 -- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conduct a raid at a Hyundai-LG battery plant site in Georgia, detaining 475 people, most of whom are sent to a detention center in Folkston, Georgia.
Sept. 5, 2025 -- HSI confirms 475 people were detained in the raid, saying the majority of them are South Koreans. Some 300 workers are estimated to be South Korean nationals.
Sept. 6, 2025 -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun confirms more than 300 South Korean nationals were detained in the raid. President Lee Jae Myung instructs all-out efforts to respond to the ICE detention while the South Korean government begins consular meetings with the detainees.
Sept. 7, 2025 -- Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik says negotiations for the release of the detainees have wrapped up, adding that a chartered plane would head for the United States if administration procedures are completed. U.S. President Donald Trump says the raid and arrests of South Koreans will not strain the relationship with South Korea.
Sept. 8, 2025 -- U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem says Korean nationals detained will be deported, adding that some of them were involved in criminal activity. Cho arrives in Washington to finalize arrangements to bring back home the detained South Korean nationals on a chartered plane.
Sept. 9, 2025 -- Lee says he feels heavy responsibility over the detention of the South Korean workers at a Cabinet meeting.
Sept. 10, 2025 -- More than 300 South Korean workers were scheduled to board a chartered flight to return home, but the release of the Korean detainees is delayed.
Sept. 11, 2025 -- Lee says the ICE raid against South Korean workers could make Korean companies "hesitant" about direct investment in the United States. A total of 316 Korean nationals leave their detention center in Folkston, Georgia, a week after their arrest.
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en.yna.co.kr · Yi Wonju · September 11, 2025
18. LG Energy Solution vows to bolster management of overseas business sites following workers' release
LG Energy Solution vows to bolster management of overseas business sites following workers' release | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kang Yoon-seung · September 11, 2025
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- LG Energy Solution Ltd. said Thursday it will spare no effort to provide necessary support to its workers returning home following last week's U.S. immigration crackdown, and bolster its management of overseas business sites.
"We deeply empathize with those who faced difficulties due to the incident," the company said in a statement. "Until they safely return to South Korea, we will make thorough preparations for follow-up measures."
"We will also spare no effort to provide necessary support so that they can quickly regain stability and recover their health," the company added.
LG Energy Solution added it will strengthen its management system to prevent similar cases at its overseas business sites in the future.
A total of 316 Korean nationals, meanwhile, left a detention center in Folkston, Georgia, early Thursday (U.S. time), a week after their arrest in a raid at an electric vehicle (EV) battery plant construction site run by a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution in Bryan County near Savannah.
A chartered plane carrying the workers is expected to arrive in Korea on Friday.
A Korean Air chartered plane prepares to take off from Incheon airport, west of Seoul, on Sept. 10, 2025, before its departure for 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)
colin@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · Kang Yoon-seung · September 11, 2025
19. 1 S. Korean in Georgia raid likely to seek legal action while in custody: sources
(LEAD) 1 S. Korean in Georgia raid likely to seek legal action while in custody: sources | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · Kim Seung-yeon · September 11, 2025
(ATTN: REVISES 4th para to correct information)
By Kim Seung-yeon
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- One South Korean national who chose to remain in the U.S. despite the release of hundreds of others following an immigration crackdown in Georgia is expected to pursue legal action while still in custody, informed sources said Thursday.
The unidentified individual is the only one remaining besides the 316 South Koreans who were released from a detention facility in Folkston, a week after the crackdown by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a South Korean electric car battery plant site in Bryan County.
A total of 330 people who were detained, including 14 foreign nationals, were now heading to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport by bus to board a chartered plane to return home.
The individual has family in the U.S., all of whom are green card holders, and he is seeking permanent residency himself, according to the sources.
He is expected to pursue legal actions while remaining in custody at the detention facility. He can bail himself out, but he is reportedly required to remain detained at this stage.
The South Korean consulate in Atlanta is expected to provide necessary assistance.
The released workers left the detention facilities early Thursday (local time) aboard buses escorted by immigration vehicles.
U.S. immigration officials were also on board the same buses with the Koreans, the sources said.
Seoul officials have said that the workers will be leaving in the form of "voluntary departure" rather than deportation.
South Korean nationals are on board buses carrying them to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where they will board a flight back home, as they were released from the detention facilities in Folkston, Georgia, a week after they were arrested and detained in a U.S. immigration raid at a joint electric car battery venture in Bryan County, in this photo taken Sept. 11, 2025 (local time). (Yonhap)
elly@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · Kim Seung-yeon · September 11, 2025
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
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Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
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