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Quotes of the Day:
“The difficulties with irregular forms of warfare became apparent during the wars of national liberation against the colonial powers that began after the end of the Second World War. The problem for the colonial powers was that they had no obvious way of bringing these conflicts to a conclusion, because the enemy had a continuing source of recruits while the population at home could soon get impatient with futile campaigns. Occasional victories brought respite but not resolution. Even after the former colonies had achieved independence, whenever Western powers were drawn back in, perhaps to support a friendly government or to prevent a humanitarian disaster, there was a high risk of getting caught up in situations from which it was difficult to withdraw. A government that could only survive with external help early in a conflict rarely achieved self-sufficiency during its course, although, to avoid indefinite commitments, there were efforts to improve governance and the conditions of ordinary people, and to build up indigenous forces so they could cope without foreign armies.”
- Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine by Lawrence Freedman
The caribou feeds the wolf, but it is the wolf who keeps the caribou strong.
- Inuit proverb
"One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first."
- Malala Yousafzai
1. Ukraine war could embolden Pyongyang: U.S. report
2. S. Korea, U.S. Marines develop 5-year plan to bolster combined amphibious exercises
3. In letter to Xi, N. Korean leader highlights strong bilateral ties against 'hostile forces'
4. Conflict over Taiwan could expand, says LaCamera
5. Yoon’s omission is a sign of strength (UN Speech omitted nK)
6. Experts warn of deadly consequences of North Korea, Russia strengthening ties
7. Yoon asks U.N. chief for stern response to N.K. provocations
8. Satellite imagery suggests N. Korea may be preparing to launch new submarine: 38 North
9. US-ROK Strategic Dialogue: Recalibrating Deterrence Against an Evolving DPRK Nuclear Threat
10. N. Korea's new nuclear law seems focused on boosting deterrence: experts
11. N. Hamgyong Province resident sets fire to home of local party secretary
12. N. Korea calls for measures to punish party members who have “abandoned their duties toward the Workers’ Party”
13. US warns arms supplies by N.Korea, Iran to Russia will lead to further sanctions
14. North Korea rolls out new software to keep tabs on its officials in China
1. Ukraine war could embolden Pyongyang: U.S. report
Here is the excerpt from the 21 page Congressional Research Service Report referenced in this article:
The war in Ukraine may lead Kim Jong-un to conclude that he has greater freedom of action. In the 1990s, Ukraine relinquished Soviet-legacy nuclear weapons in return for economic support and security guarantees from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Federation. Russia’s breach of this agreement by invading Ukraine may strengthen arguments inside North Korea that denuclearization would increase the country’s vulnerability to larger foreign powers.16 Additionally, perceptions of a trend toward an international system of zero-sum competition between two blocs—the United States and its allies and partners on one side, and China and Russia on the other—could embolden North Korea. Kim may conclude that if he uses the country’s nuclear weapons and missile programs to coerce concessions from Seoul, Washington, and/or Tokyo, China and Russia would not take punitive actions against North Korea and may even provide economic assistance to preserve the DPRK’s regime stability, similar to how they supported North Korea during the Cold War.17 In May 2022, China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-led UNSC resolution that would have imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to its ICBM tests.18 In the past, both countries had supported new UNSC sanctions resolutions following a DPRK ICBM test.19
(North Korea: September 2022 Update - https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47242)
Wednesday
September 21, 2022
dictionary + A - A
Ukraine war could embolden Pyongyang: U.S. report
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/09/21/national/northKorea/Korea-North-Korea-Ukraine/20220921181814752.html
A Russian BM-21 rocket launch system captured in the Donetsk region by the Ukrainian military on display at the Museum of Regional Conflicts in Kyiv on June 17. North Korea is one of the few countries to recognize and offer support for the Russian-backed separatist Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic. [YONHAP]
Russia's invasion of Ukraine may encourage North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and give leader Kim Jong-un reason to believe he has "greater freedom" to conduct provocative acts, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.
According to a September 2022 update on North Korea, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — in breach of a 1992 agreement by Kyiv to give up Soviet-era nuclear weapons on its territory following independence in exchange for security guarantees — “may strengthen arguments inside North Korea that denuclearization would increase the country’s vulnerability to larger foreign powers.”
The report noted that that Pyongyang’s perception of a zero-sum competition between the United States and its allies and partners on one side and China and Russia on the other “could embolden North Korea,” especially if Kim expects China and Russia to refuse to penalize his regime for its nuclear weapons program.
The report noted the possibility that Moscow and Beijing could even provide economic assistance to Pyongyang to maintain regime stability, similar to how they supported North Korea during the Cold War.
North Korea’s founding leader Kim Il Sung — Kim’s grandfather — extracted massive aid and development support from China and the Soviet Union by playing on the rivalry between the two main communist powers, especially after their rift over Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev’s 1956 Secret Speech denouncing Stalinism, which Chinese leader Mao Zedong viewed as undermining his own grip on power.
The Congressional Research Service report noted that Russia and North Korea’s joint isolation from the international community could stiffen Moscow’s refusal to support new sanctions resolutions introduced by the United States at the United Nations Security Council or enforce existing ones, especially since North Korea has expressed support for Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
“Russia’s hostile relations with the United States make it unlikely to productively engage in negotiating with North Korea, despite its earlier participation in the Six-Party Talks in the early 2000s aimed at brokering a deal that would curtail the DPRK’s nuclear weapons program,” the report said.
North Korea is one of the few states that has officially recognized the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, Ukrainian regions controlled by Russian-backed separatists that Moscow is aiming to annex by possible referenda that have already been denounced as illegal by most of Europe, the United States and Canada.
The Donetsk People’s Republic has publicized North Korea’s offer to dispatch workers to aid in the region’s reconstruction once Pyongyang lifts its own Covid-related border restrictions.
North Korea is also suspected of directly supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine by supplying it with artillery shells and rockets, media reports of which were confirmed by the U.S. Department of Defense earlier this month.
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
2. S. Korea, U.S. Marines develop 5-year plan to bolster combined amphibious exercises
Strategic reassurance, strategic resolve. The Marines send a strong message.
Amphibious exercises mean one thing which should make Kim very afraid (though not as afraid as he is of information in the hands of the Korean people in the north)
(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. Marines develop 5-year plan to bolster combined amphibious exercises | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · September 21, 2022
(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in 8th para)
By Song Sang-ho
SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean and U.S. Marine Corps have developed a five-year plan to strengthen combined amphibious landing exercises, a U.S. military unit here said Wednesday, amid the allies' move to sharpen deterrence against evolving North Korean threats.
The U.S. Marine Corps Forces Korea (MARFOR-K) revealed the formulation of the allies' training program, as Seoul and Washington are stepping up security cooperation amid concerns about the possibility of Pyongyang conducting a nuclear test or other provocations.
"USMC and ROKMC have developed a combined five-year exercise training plan. This five-year plan seeks to continue building upon our current limited scale exercises and works towards multiple large scale combined amphibious exercises," MARFOR-K spokesperson 1st Lt. Austin Gallegos told Yonhap News Agency.
USMC and ROKMC refer to the U.S. Marine Corps and Republic of Korea Marine Corps, respectively. ROK is the acronym of South Korea's official name.
The spokesperson added the allies' Marine forces will work toward large-scale exercises, also involving their Navy fellows, starting in the fiscal year 2023 or in October. He did not elaborate on other details.
"Training is a routine event conducted by all professional militaries to maintain proficiency," he said. "All ROK-U.S. alliance exercises are defensive in nature and are not connected to any current events."
Since 2018, the allies' combined marine exercises have been conducted on a smaller scale due in part to a set of reasons, including the two countries' diplomatic efforts to engage with the North and the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the plan to reinforce combined Marine drills, the allies plan to resume the Ssangyong (double dragon) Exercise next year, according to a Seoul official. It has not been held since 2018.
In a sign of the allies' move to beef up their Marine exercises and their communication volume, the U.S. military revealed Wednesday that America's elite Marines joined a combined military training with South Korean troops last week.
Troops of the 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, tasked with fire support and coordination on the battlefields, joined the allies' Korea Marine Exercise Program (KMEP). It was rare for the U.S. military to reveal core activities of their combined training in recent years.
"KMEP demonstrates the ROK-U.S. commitment to peace and security on the Korean peninsula, and in the Indo-Pacific region," Gallegos said.
The two countries' Marines engage in 15 to 30 KMEP exercises each year. This year, they have carried out 20 KMEP cases.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · September 21, 2022
3. In letter to Xi, N. Korean leader highlights strong bilateral ties against 'hostile forces'
In letter to Xi, N. Korean leader highlights strong bilateral ties against 'hostile forces' | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · September 21, 2022
SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- In a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stressed that relations between the two sides will continue to grow despite "heinous isolation" from "hostile forces," according to Pyongyang's state media Wednesday.
"The constant support and encouragement by the general secretary and the party, government and people of China are ... victoriously advancing socialism despite the hostile forces' heinous isolation and blockade moves and the world health crisis," Kim wrote in the reply to Xi's congratulatory letter on the 74th birthday of the North on Sept. 9, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
He added that the traditional and strategic relations between the two countries that were "consolidated in the struggle for socialism" would steadily develop onto a "new high stage."
The North has reportedly received food and medical assistance from China as it grapples with sanctions and the prolonged border closure due to COVID-19.
julesyi@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · September 21, 2022
4. Conflict over Taiwan could expand, says LaCamera
A lot of discussion about this this week in Seoul at the World Knowledge Forum. The China hands in our delegation from the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy are pressed on this oten in discussion. I have been asked about what request the US will make for the ROK military.
But I think the general's comments, which were quite logical and prudent, may be "over interpreted" by the Korean media because this is such an important issue in Korea. So many Koreans are worried about being caught in the middle between China and the US. But the fact is the ROK will not be able to be "neutral" in such a conflict. China will certainly not consider it neutral .
As a colleague of mine from the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy (CAPS) reminded the audience on our panel of the future of the ROK/US alliance, the 1953 ROK/US Mutual defense Treaty does not mention north Korea or the DPRK. It says this:
Each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties in territories now under their respective administrative control, or hereafter recognized by one of the Parties as lawfully brought under the administrative control of the other, would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional processes.
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/kor001.asp
Wednesday
September 21, 2022
dictionary + A - A
Conflict over Taiwan could expand, says LaCamera
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/09/21/national/defense/Korea-South-Korea-Taiwan/20220921174534184.html
Gen. Paul LaCamera salutes the U.S. flag during his swearing-in ceremony as United States Forces Korea (USFK) commander at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi on July 2. [YONHAP]
The commander of the U.S. military on the Korean Peninsula suggested at a virtual conference that a crisis over Taiwan could have wide-ranging consequences for his forces as well as South Korea's military.
Speaking at an online symposium hosted by the Washington-based Institute for Corean-American Studies on Monday, U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander Gen. Paul LaCamera was asked what role Seoul would play as an ally in the event of any Taiwan-related crisis.
LaCamera declined to go into specifics but noted that “what starts locally becomes regional and global pretty quickly.”
“I think that’s what we’ve learned in the last couple of years with, whether it's Ukraine or whether it’s Covid or other things that have occurred,” LaCamera said.
The USFK commander said it is always “prudent” to look at “second- and third-degree” consequences of events, while emphasizing that his job “is to defend the Korean Peninsula and to maintain peace and stability in Northeast Asia.”
Since the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine, whose legitimacy as a sovereign state was previously denied in an essay by Russian President Vladimir Putin arguing that Russians and Ukrainians are “one people” divided by foreign plots, concerns have grown over a potential attack on Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims.
While saying that it prefers to bring Taiwan under its control peacefully, Beijing has refused to rule out using force should the island undertake formal steps to assert or declare its independence.
China conducted massive military exercises in the waters surrounding Taiwan in response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit in early August, highlighting its ability to enforce a naval and air blockade around the island.
During the conference, LaCamera also spoke on the wide-ranging nature of the threat from North Korea, warning that it was not limited to nuclear weapons and missiles, but also included its ability to wage informational and cyber warfare.
“[North Korea’s] information operations spread misinformation, disinformation and mal-information and propaganda around the world, and it uses cyber operations to conduct espionage and generate revenue for the regime,” the USFK commander said.
LaCamera said it was crucial that South Korea and the United States be able to counter these offensive capabilities to maintain stability in the region.
“Deterring the DPRK and assuring Korean people requires a whole-of-government approach incorporating all the elements of government power, diplomatic, information, military, economic, intelligence, law enforcement,” he said, referring to the North by the acronym for its official name, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, noting that he would “add in technology as an element of power for our governments.”
The USFK commander also emphasized Seoul and Washington’s common interest in maintaining a “rules-based” international order, which he contrasted with a vision for a world shaped by “coercion, intimidation and threats” that he argued is shared by Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow.
“Our alliance seeks a rules-based order founded on cooperation,” LaCamera said, urging South Korea and the United States to “remain vigilant against threats to the international rules-based system that has made [South] Korea so prosperous.”
BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]
5. Yoon’s omission is a sign of strength (UN Speech omitted nK)
An interesting perspective. The ROK is stepping up on the world stage. It is becoming a global pivotal state. It is focusing on defending the rules based international order. It it goes without saying, or need not be said, that north Korea and its actions are an affront to the rules based international order and the community of nations.
If the president mentioned north Korea and its nuclear threats it would have reinforced KJU's legitimacy. If and when the north's nuclear weapons are mentioned it must be accompanied by comments about the regime's human rights abuses and crimes against humanity because that undermines KJU's legitimacy.
But I agree with the Joongang Ilbo editorial board that President Yoon's omission is as sign of strength
Wednesday
September 21, 2022
dictionary + A - A
Yoon’s omission is a sign of strength
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/09/21/opinion/editorials/Yoon-Sukyeol-UN-speech/20220921195756037.html
On Tuesday, President Yoon Suk-yeol made his debut on the stage of the United Nations. In his speech at the 77th UN General Assembly, Yoon urged the international community to jointly overcome the global crisis after the Covid-19 pandemic “through the spirit of freedom and solidarity” while emphasizing Korea’s role in addressing challenges as a key member of the world community.
In the 11-minute speech on finding solutions during a transitional period, the president mentioned “freedom” 21 times and “UN” 20 times, and “international community” 13 times. Just like people of a country unite to protect their freedom in times of crisis, members of the international community must defend their freedom together when it is threatened. Yoon’s address reminds us of the values of freedom and solidarity he repeatedly stressed in his inauguration speech and the Aug. 15 Liberation Day address. He moved on to define the direction of Korea’s diplomacy as “value-based alliance with the free world” in a new global order after World War II.
At the end of his speech, Yoon thanked the UN for accomplishing its first mission of defending liberty by sending forces to the Korean War after recognizing South Korea as the only legitimate government on the Korean Peninsula. He promised to do its fair share in protecting — and expanding — freedom in the world and promoting peace and prosperity together with the UN on such fields as a global battle against pandemics, climate change and digital government.
But Yoon did not mention North Korea in the speech. That could reflect his strategic consideration before an imminent nuclear test by North Korea — and after his earlier proposal of an “audacious plan” to help the North. Referring to the threats by China, Russia and North Korea, Yoon indirectly expressed concerns about an attempt to change the status quo by force — specifically “through nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction” and a “collective abuse of human rights” — to endanger freedom and the peace of the world. The texture of his speech was quite different from that of earlier UN speeches by his predecessors focused on North Korea.
A speech at the UN presents visions and the philosophy of leaders of member countries. As Yoon made it clear in his address, South Korea as we know it today cannot exist if the international community had not extended its helping hand in the spirit of solidarity to fight the Communist aggression 72 years ago. So far, South Korea’s diplomacy has been obsessed with North Korean issues. As John Bolton, a former U.S. National Security Advisor, advised earlier, it is important for Seoul to see the bigger picture as a global power.
If South Korea can play a part befitting its heightened international stature, it can gather more international support.
6. Experts warn of deadly consequences of North Korea, Russia strengthening ties
Experts warn of deadly consequences of North Korea, Russia strengthening ties
The Korea Times · September 21, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin, second left, greets North Korea's delegation prior to his talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, in Vladivostok, in this April 25, 2019, file photo. AP-Yonhap
When it comes to nuclear bombs, Putin has much to offer to Kim
By Jung Min-ho
At a time when many countries have been distancing themselves from Russia due to its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, South Korea's nearest neighbor has been doing the exact opposite.
Other than Syria, North Korea is the only country that has recognized the independence of two Russia-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine in a show of support for Moscow's war. A U.S. intelligence report shows North Korea is also planning to sell Russia millions of rockets and artillery shells.
The improving relations between the two allies could kill any remaining hopes of achieving the denuclearization of North Korea, which announced its new nuclear weapons law earlier this month, according to experts.
"North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has clearly showed that he wants to improve relations with Russia, which can do much to help. So far, Russia has shown little interest. But pushed into a corner amid the war, Russia's President Vladimir Putin might respond," Hwang Il-do, a professor at Korea National Diplomatic Academy, said during a forum at the Korea Institute for National Unification's (KINU) office in Seoul, Wednesday.
Much of North Korea's new nuclear law appears to have copied Russia's 2020 document on nuclear weapons use policy, he said. That includes "Dead Hand," a Cold War-era automatic nuclear weapons-control system first constructed by the Soviet Union.
The North Korean law calls for "automatic" and "immediate" nuclear strikes if the country's leadership or command and control systems are threatened. But North Korea is seeking to strengthen relations with powerful allies that share a common threat: the U.S. A new Cold War climate could provide a shield for the North from the united global response to its nuclear issues, experts warn.
Russia, one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and one of the nuclear powers, can offer much to North Korea, including blocking additional international sanctions against the North or supporting it in constructing a nuclear strategy.
For example, Russia's help ― or just signs of it ― can make North Korea's Dead Hand strategy more credible and fearful, according to Cheong Wook-sik, director of the Hankyoreh Peace Institute.
"While South Korea, the U.S. and Japan are capable of observing its military activities, such as missile launches, North Korea is unable to assess 'an imminent threat' … When the three allies can observe it with a telescope, North Korea is effectively blind," he said.
A formal military alliance between Russia, China and North Korea was once unimaginable, but the war in Ukraine has certainly raised the possibility, said Hyun Seung-soo, a research fellow at the KINU.
"I think the chances are not high for now. But who knows what will happen? North Korea is closing the distance from Russia by offering what it needs: items for its political rhetoric," Hyun said. "Russia may be struggling in the war, but we should not forget it can and will play an important role in Korea's security and peace … My advice is that South Korean politicians should not make a mistake by excluding Russia from the efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula."
The Korea Times · September 21, 2022
7. Yoon asks U.N. chief for stern response to N.K. provocations
Below this article are the remarks that I will be making on a panel with Vice Minister of Defense Shin on north Korean provocations at the World Knowledge Forum in Seoul today.
Yoon asks U.N. chief for stern response to N.K. provocations | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · September 21, 2022
By Lee Haye-ah
NEW YORK, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol met with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday and called for a stern international response if North Korea conducts an additional nuclear test, an official said.
The two met on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly and talked for 25 minutes about North Korea, cooperation between South Korea and the U.N., and issues raised during Yoon's address to the assembly earlier in the day, according to Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for press affairs.
Yoon thanked Guterres for supporting the "complete, verifiable and irreversible" denuclearization of North Korea and efforts to establish sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula, Kim told reporters in New York.
Yoon also said he believes not only South Korea but also international financial groups and countries in Northeast Asia will spare no amount of investment and financial assistance for North Korea if it "chooses the better path to openness," she said.
"President Yoon said he will make every effort to get North Korea to open its closed doors, and contribute to peace in Northeast Asia and the world," Kim said.
"If despite such efforts, North Korea resumes nuclear testing or goes ahead with another nuclear provocation, he asked that the secretary-general take a continued interest and offer support so that the international community can respond sternly with one voice," she added.
Guterres assured Yoon that the president and South Korea can trust the U.N., and that the U.N. Security Council will respond clearly to provocations threatening freedom and peace.
He also expressed full support for the ideas laid out in Yoon's speech to the U.N., including the need to increase support for developing countries and share digital technologies.
Guterres said Yoon's address "accurately reflects our thoughts and strategic values," and that learning the president's administrative philosophy led him to believe Yoon was "fit to be the U.N. secretary-general even now," according to Kim.
Meanwhile, the North Korea issue was also discussed during Yoon's luncheon with former World Bank President Jim Yong Kim earlier in the day.
The two agreed international financial groups and international organizations would be ready to provide the full range of assistance to North Korea should it take steps to denuclearize and open its doors, Kim said.
hague@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 이해아 · September 21, 2022
Addressing Provocations, Tension, and Threats through Political Warfare
The heart of the regime strategy is this. It is executing a combination of political warfare to subvert the South and the alliance and blackmail diplomacy to extort concessions from the South the U.S., through the use of increased tensions, threats, and provocations, and the international community. All while continuing to develop advanced warfighting capabilities to achieve the regime's single strategic aim - domination of the peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State to ensure the regime's survival. These three lines of effort, political warfare, blackmail diplomacy, and advanced warfighting capabilities are mutually supporting an reinforcing.
The issue usually top of mind among national leaders and the media is the continued employment of provocations to support the regime's blackmail diplomacy to gain political and economic concessions. Thus, the alliance must have a comprehensive plan for addressing them.
The alliance should view provocations as an opportunity rather than a threat. They provide the alliance with the opportunity to demonstrate that Kim Jong Un's political warfare and military strategy will fail. This is done first and foremost by not making any concessions.
The ROK and U.S. should ensure the press, pundits, and public understand that this is a fundamental part of North Korean strategy and that it conducts provocations for specific objectives. It does not represent a policy failure; it represents a deliberate policy decision by Kim Jong-un to continue to execute his political warfare strategy. The following is a response framework for consideration:
First, do not overreact. But do not succumb to the criticism of those who recommend ending exercises. Always call out Kim Jong-un's strategy. As Sun Tzu would advise- " …what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy; … next best is to disrupt his alliances." Ensure the international community, the press, the public in the ROK and the U.S., the elite, and the Korean people living in the north know what Kim is doing.
Second, never ever back down in the face of North Korean increased tension, threats, and provocations.
Third, coordinate an alliance response. There may be times when a good cop-bad cop approach is appropriate. Try to mitigate the internal domestic political criticisms that will inevitably occur in Seoul and D.C. Do not let those criticisms negatively influence policy and actions.
Fourth, exploit the weakness in North Korea – create internal pressure on Kim and the regime from his elite and military. Always work to drive a wedge among the party, elite, and military (which is a challenge since they are all intertwined and inextricably linked).
Fifth, demonstrate strength and resolve. Do not be afraid to show military strength. Never misunderstand the north's propaganda – do not give in to demands to reduce exercises or take other measures based on North Korean demands that would in any way reduce the readiness of the combined military forces. The north does not want an end to the exercises because they are a threat; they want to weaken the alliance and force U.S. troops from the peninsula, which will be the logical result if they cannot effectively train.
Sixth, depending on the nature of the provocation, be prepared to initiate a decisive response using the most appropriate tools, e.g., diplomatic, military, economic, information and influence activities, cyber, or a combination.
One of the vital elements of superior political warfare is attacking the enemy's strategy. This requires recognizing, understanding, exposing, and attacking it with information.
Without recognizing and understanding the strategy, it cannot be adequately explained to the policymakers, the press, and the population. Again, the alliance appears to align regarding the regime's nature, objectives, and strategy. This provides the lens through which provocations must be understood so that provocations can be explained and exposed. Exposing the strategy is critical for developing public support for alliance actions and countering calls from pundits to make concessions. This provides the "why" for alliance actions.
Attacking the regime’s strategy requires an information and influence activities campaign. The alliance should employ a strategy working group that focuses on developing and employing appropriate influence activities. It must not simply be reactive but ongoing between provocations to continue emphasizing the failure of the regime's strategy.
One key element of an information and activities campaign must be responding to north Korea's nuclear weapons program. When the alliance publicly discusses the north’s nuclear weapons, it reinforces Kim Jong Un’s legitimacy. His Propaganda and Agitation Department can shape the message that the alliance and the world fear the north's “trusted shield and treasured sword” of nuclear weapons. It can use this as justification for the sacrifices and suffering of the Korean people in the north by telling them that their efforts to support nuclear weapons development are successfully protecting them from external attack. While nuclear weapons legitimize Kim and the regime, human rights undermine legitimacy. When the alliance adopts a “human rights upfront approach” every time there is a nuclear issue, the alliance can raise human rights. The fundamental message is that Kim must deny human rights to remain in power and that the Korean people suffer because of Kim’s deliberate decision to prioritize the nation’s resources for nuclear weapons and missile development and support to the regime elite and military over the welfare of the Korean people. The alliance must continuously emphasize this theme and message.
Responding to provocations with a superior political warfare strategy through information and influence activities will have a cumulative effect on the regime elite, military leadership, and Korean people by showing that Kim's strategy is not in their best interests. This will exert pressure on Kim that he may not be able to withstand over time. Above all, no concessions must be provided to him. Once concessions are made, he will judge his strategy as a success and continue to double down on its execution.
There are two other critical aspects of a superior political warfare strategy. First, the ROK must strengthen its political institutions vulnerable to north Korean subversion. The actions of the United Front Department and the 225th Bureau are focused on undermining the legitimacy of the ROK government by creating political opposition.
The second is simply maintaining the strength of the alliance. Since the regime seeks to divide the alliance with the ultimate objective of removing U.S. troops from the Korean peninsula, it is imperative that ROK and U.S. political and military leaders continuously reinforce the strength of the alliance. Despite distractions throughout the INDO PACIFIC and worldwide, the new Yoon and Biden administrations have conducted consistent high-level diplomatic and military engagement. This must be sustained.
8. Satellite imagery suggests N. Korea may be preparing to launch new submarine: 38 North
You can read the 38 North article at this link: https://www.38north.org/2022/09/sinpho-south-shipyard-possible-preparations-for-new-submarine-launch/
Satellite imagery suggests N. Korea may be preparing to launch new submarine: 38 North | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · September 22, 2022
By Byun Duk-kun
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- A recent satellite imagery of North Korea's main submarine shipyard showed possible preparations to launch a new submarine, a U.S. monitor reported Wednesday.
The satellite imagery, taken Sunday, showed six barges and other vessels gathered around the submarine launch quay at Sinpo South Shipyard, according to 38 North.
"While barges and a dry dock have been occasionally observed around the submarine launch quay at the main construction hall, the presence of six vessels and barges in this area has not been observed before," it said.
"There is also an apparent tow fixture on the launch quay rollout rails that could be used to ensure the barges tow the submarine out along the rails," it added, also noting the barges were not observed in an earlier imagery taken on September 12.
The report follows a series of missile provocations by North Korea that included the suspected launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile in May.
North Korea has so far fired more than 30 ballistic missiles this year, marking the largest number of ballistic missile launched in a year, according to U.S. officials.
The U.S. monitor said the latest satellite imagery of Sinpo also provided a clear view of the missile launch hatch of a SINPO-Class experimental ballistic missile submarine there.
"The hatch, located in the sail of the submarine, is estimated to be 1.8 meters in diameter, which can readily accommodate at least a Pukguksong-1 or Pukguksong-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile launch canister," it said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · September 22, 2022
9. US-ROK Strategic Dialogue: Recalibrating Deterrence Against an Evolving DPRK Nuclear Threat
Download the 16 page report here: https://www.38north.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/22-0919-Extended-Deterrence-Report-FINAL.pdf
US-ROK Strategic Dialogue: Recalibrating Deterrence Against an Evolving DPRK Nuclear Threat
https://www.38north.org/reports/2022/09/us-rok-strategic-dialogue-recalibrating-deterrence-against-an-evolving-dprk-nuclear-threat/
Executive Summary
The nature of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK or North Korea) nuclear and missile capabilities has significantly evolved since the United States first established an extended deterrence arrangement with the Republic of Korea (ROK or South Korea). In 2017, the DPRK conducted its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launches, demonstrating limited success. This milestone fundamentally changed its strategic options, adding a new dimension to US and ROK deterrence calculations.
In March 2021, the Stimson Center’s 38 North Program, sponsored by DTRA’s Strategic Trends Research Initiative within the US Department of Defense, launched a year-long US-ROK bilateral Track 2 dialogue to consider ways in which the extended deterrence arrangement could be modified in the coming years and to assess the potential effectiveness of various measures in enhancing deterrence against a DPRK attack and providing reassurance to South Korea of the US commitment and ability to respond in the ROK’s defense in case of deterrence failure. Participants came from a diverse range of functional and regional expertise across a broad spectrum of political viewpoints and included both senior-level experts and emerging scholars with diverse backgrounds.
Throughout the dialogue, common threads emerged across US and ROK perspectives, highlighting the careful balance required to properly prepare for and address the issues at hand.
Discussions stressed an urgent need for improved strategic communications about alliance cooperation. There is little public understanding of the breadth of alliance cooperation and consultation that currently takes place, especially regarding extended deterrence. High-profile meetings between defense ministers or military leaders are reported on but do not convey a sense of deep cooperation when the cameras go dark. As tensions rise globally and US policy priorities adjust to world events, there is reassurance in increasing the visibility of working-level cooperation, demonstrating that the alliance is not just strong, but also adapting to the changing security environment.
The range of potential new ways conflict could unfold in the region due to evolving threats requires modifications to conventional weapons employment, war planning, and joint military exercises. Contingency planning for the use of tactical nuclear weapons, cyber attacks on military or civilian facilities, or even the potential for North Korea to initiate an attack amid other conflict in the region all pose complications for allied responses. Planning, practice and especially exercising to failure can help identify operational and command and control challenges for the alliance to prepare for any threats.
Finally, the change in administration in Seoul provides new opportunities to deepen and strengthen alliance cooperation and potentially trilateral US-ROK-Japan security cooperation as well. However, in the current strategic environment, China will likely view moves to deepen regional cooperation and integration among US allies with great suspicion. Knowing Beijing is able and willing to use its economic and political power to impose hardships on Seoul—and other allies that engage in major trade with China—over alliance defense decisions, the United States, South Korea and other allies should develop a collective response strategy to help mitigate the effects of Chinese economic coercion.
Key recommendations include:
Build a comprehensive and coordinated strategic communications strategy that engages stakeholders and the public in more frequent and specific ways surrounding alliance cooperation, coordination and its evolution to build greater confidence that the alliance is adapting to the changing conditions. This means creating greater visibility into the consultative process, cultivating a more-informed press corps about the various ways in which consultation and cooperation are ongoing and coordinating messaging between Washington and Seoul to avoid the appearance of cleavages in policy positions that can be exploited.
Invest in long-term ROK capacity-building on nuclear policy and extended deterrence, engaging a wide range of policy analysts, opinion leaders and emerging scholars through specialized in-person professional development and educational programs, online courses and longer-term Track 2 dialogues. This will help shape public perceptions and discourse over time.
Increase working-level cooperation in the consultative process to help promote the institutionalization of knowledge. While high-level engagements are important for agenda setting and demonstrating the commitment of both sides to mutual defense, a greater emphasis is needed on working-level cooperation. Creating joint studies and allowing more flexible execution of meetings can help facilitate greater learning and exchange and feed recommendations into the higher-level meetings to maximize their utility.
Inject new and realistic scenarios into US-ROK joint military exercises and tabletop exercises (TTXs) to help identify vulnerabilities and areas needing improvement. Wargaming and exercising to failure on both North Korea-specific and broader regional conflict scenarios can reveal where current capabilities and protocols need to be bolstered to be better prepared for conflict and a range of contingencies.
Build an alliance support and response strategy in the case of Chinese economic coercion that utilizes all aspects of state power and galvanizes a collective response among like-minded states. As US-China competition intensifies, China is likely to view changes to the US-ROK alliance posture and deployments with great suspicion and react in a similar, if not a more pronounced, manner. A coordinated alliance response plan may help to prevent coercive actions from being exercised or can at least mitigate their effects.
Build greater trilateral security between the United States, South Korea and Japan to enhance deterrence, recognizing there will be limits to this cooperation in the long run. Focus on areas where trilateral cooperation is imperative to extended deterrence and facilitate high-level dialogue, as well as within Track 2 circles, to build broader support for sustained security cooperation regardless of shifting political dynamics.
10. N. Korea's new nuclear law seems focused on boosting deterrence: experts
Yes but..
It is not just deterrence, though that is an important objective. KNIU may be hungover from the previous administration in which it and MOU and many in theMoon administration wanted to play to the north Korea threat. Yes, this new "law" may contribute to deterrence. But it also contributes to political warfare and blackmail diplomacy and it is telegraphing its focus on warfighting capabilities.
Not only does this mean CzviD is dead it also indicates that the regime will use nuclear weapons integrated into its was plan to dominate the peninsula to achieve the objective of rule over the Korean peninsula by the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State of nK.
N. Korea's new nuclear law seems focused on boosting deterrence: experts | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · September 21, 2022
SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's recent codification of its nuclear policy that leaves the door open for preemptive strikes appears to be aimed at boosting its deterrence capabilities against external threats, experts here said Wednesday.
Earlier this month, North Korea promulgated a law on the conditions of launching preemptive nuclear strikes, which include when it faces an imminent threat to regime security.
"North Korea has changed its nuclear posture as it determined that possessing nuclear weapons alone cannot guarantee its security," Kim Bo-mi, a research fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy, said at a forum hosted by the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) in Seoul. "North Korea's intention appears to be maximizing deterrence by stating that nuclear weapons can be used even at the beginning of a conflict."
Hong Min, director of the North Korea Research Division at KINU, also took note of differences between Pyongyang's new doctrine and its 2013 law that outlined the country's status as a nuclear power.
In the 2013 law, he said, "The purpose of the nuclear force mainly focused on avoiding external threats, but the recent law has actively given more meaning to the role of nuclear weapons to create 'strategic stability' beyond deterrence against threats."
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by 채윤환 · September 21, 2022
11. N. Hamgyong Province resident sets fire to home of local party secretary
Whoa. A one off individual attack? Or an indicator of potential resistance?
N. Hamgyong Province resident sets fire to home of local party secretary
"The secretary will be facing serious consequences by the party for the crime of neglecting residents who are facing such hardships," a source told Daily NK
dailynk.com
FILE PHOTO: A vegetable plot in Musan County, North Hamgyong Province. (Daily NK)
A resident of Hwadae County, in North Hamgyong Province, recently set fire to the home of his village’s party secretary, Daily NK has learned.
“A man living in Ryongpo Village, Hwadae County, was arrested by the police after setting fire to the home of the local party secretary. The man had been angry about being criticized and insulted after visiting the party secretary several times in August to beg for help with his family’s difficult circumstances,” a source in North Hamgyong Province told Daily NK on Monday.
According to the source, the arrested man’s family was facing ongoing hardships. Unwilling to watch his three children starve, the man was driven to ask the party secretary for assistance.
Since the Workers’ Party of Korea is often described as a “mother,” the man believed that if he explained his difficulties, he would receive some kind of help. So during August, he paid multiple visits to the party’s village organization to ask for help, even going to the house of the party secretary to make his appeal.
But instead of lending a listening ear or trying to provide relief, the party secretary kept criticizing the man for not growing more crops on the side. “You’re too lazy to make a living,” the party secretary reportedly said, griping that “people who hate to work always come here looking for handouts.”
The party secretary reportedly added: “When these crybabies don’t get any satisfaction from the [village] party, they take their complaints to the county or provincial parties.”
When the man asked to be given some food from the recent corn harvest, the party secretary sent him packing.
“Everyone is getting by on two bowls of grass porridge a day. I bet every family would like some help if they could get it right now. We’re all in the same boat,” the party secretary reportedly said.
Despite repeated rejections, the thought of his children drove the man to keep trying. So on the evening of Sept. 1, he visited the party secretary’s home to ask for help once again.
Through the window, the man saw the party secretary’s family feasting on a range of dishes, including rice, meat broth and Korean-style stew. The scene angered the man so much that he went back home to get lamp oil and a lighter. He waited until early in the morning, when the party secretary’s family was fast asleep, and then set the house on fire.
The man was immediately arrested by the police for arson. During the preliminary hearing, he reportedly defended himself vigorously. “The village party secretary brags about working for the people but doesn’t care about starving families, and when people are on the verge of starvation, he doesn’t show any surprise or even try to help. Could such a person really be a member of our ‘mother party’?”
After the incident was reported to the party committee in Hwadae County, the county branch of the party called in the village party secretary to learn what had happened and also conducted a direct inquiry into the circumstances of the arrested man’s family, the source said.
The news that the man’s children were emaciated with hunger angered area residents, who found it ridiculous that a farming family was starving.
Local villagers appealed to the county branch of the Workers’ Party for clemency because the man’s arrest had left the man’s starving family with no one to look after them. As a result, the man is unlikely to be severely punished, the source said.
“The fire didn’t damage much of the party secretary’s house, and no one was hurt. If anything, the secretary will be facing serious consequences by the party for the crime of neglecting residents who are facing such hardships,” the source said.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Read in Korean
dailynk.com
12. N. Korea calls for measures to punish party members who have “abandoned their duties toward the Workers’ Party”
Coincidental timing with the article of the party official whose home was burned?
But Kim must balem someone for his failures and he seems to be throwing party officials under the bus.
These are all indicators that we must consider as we try to understand the potential for internal instability.
N. Korea calls for measures to punish party members who have “abandoned their duties toward the Workers’ Party”
Meanwhile, many party members are asking whether their efforts might be better focused on helping improve the economic conditions they face, a source told Daily NK
dailynk.com
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un can be seen speaking at the fourth plenary meeting of the Eighth Workers’ Party of Korea Central Committee. (KCNA/Yonhap News)
North Korea recently issued an order to party committees nationwide calling on them to craft measures by the end of October to deal with Workers’ Party members who have abandoned their “duties to the party.”
According to a Daily NK source in North Korea on Friday, party committees nationwide received the order on Sept. 12.
In the order, North Korea pointed out the importance of the role played by party cells, stressing that party committees must never forget efforts to control and crack down on party members who shirk their duties.
The order called on the committees to devote themselves to promoting “party members’ collective unity and the execution of revolutionary tasks by diligently pushing through efforts to turn all party cells into firmly unified, healthy and vigorous cells in a humanly way.”
The order also called for party committees to “realize the elitism of the party’s ranks” by patiently carrying out efforts to root out shirkers and party members unattached to party organizations, and intensifying education and party punishments of individuals who fail to properly execute their party duties.
In the order, North Korea called on provincial, city and county party committees to exhaustively uncover party members who have failed to join party organizations and craft measures to deal with them by the end of October. The order called on the party committees’ organizational secretaries to take charge of the effort.
In fact, the order called on party organizations to ensure that “criminal elements never appear amongst such individuals” by taking “party, administrative and legal measures” against people who were expelled from the party for being inactive for six months or more.
North Korea’s leadership is thus demanding party committees take action against members who fail to properly carry out their party duties. However, many party members are reportedly asking whether their efforts might be better focused on helping improve the economic conditions they face.
“People are admitted to the Workers’ Party after undergoing thorough vetting of their party loyalty and ideology,” said the source. “And if those people — in contrast to when they joined — abandoned all their party duties and rights and deserted, don’t we need to think where the problem lies?
“People join the party with unlimited loyalty, but the party has long simply demanded dedication and sacrifice without resolving the livelihood issues of party members,” he continued, adding, “Despite this, the party looks pathetic, blaming and threatening to punish members who have abandoned their party duties.”
Meanwhile, the party committee of Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province held an emergency meeting of the city’s party cell secretaries to convey the Central Committee’s order, as well as to call on party cells to bolster their function and role.
In fact, the Chongjin party committee reportedly warned the cell secretaries against taking bribes from individuals who shirk their party duties to collude in crimes or look the other way at criminal activity.
Rebuking the attendees of the meeting, the city’s party committee also complained that some party cell secretaries were quite lax in carrying out their party duties, “abandoning the party’s confidence and faith.” It also once again called on party cell secretaries to lead party members by becoming models of party behavior during hard times.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
Read in Korean
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13. US warns arms supplies by N.Korea, Iran to Russia will lead to further sanctions
US warns arms supplies by N.Korea, Iran to Russia will lead to further sanctions
koreaherald.com · by Ji Da-gyum · September 21, 2022
The United States will respond to arms supplies by North Korea and Iran to Russia with further sanctions to block Russia’s efforts to evade economic sanctions to illegally replenish its depleted stocks of weapons, senior US government officials said Tuesday.
At a congressional hearing, US senators and senior officials at the Treasury and Justice departments took note of Russia’s pursuit to procure military equipment for its troops in Ukraine from the cash-strapped countries subject to UN sanctions.
“Struggling to import a host of industrial goods and technology, Russia has been forced to cannibalize its domestic industry to assemble battlefield hardware it can no longer buy from responsible countries,” Elizabeth Rosenberg, Treasury assistant secretary for terrorist financing and financial crimes, said before the Senate Banking Committee hearing on Russia sanctions.
“Russia has been forced to turn to outdated equipment and approach global pariahs like North Korea and Iran to source the tools to fight,” she said, adding Russian soldiers on the front lines of the war in Ukraine do not have access to the most modern warfighting equipment.
This month, the US State Department publicly confirmed that the Russian Ministry of Defense was in the process of “purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for use in Ukraine.”
Rosenberg said Russia’s outreach to Iran and North Korea to source depleted military equipment are “important indicators” that show the efficacy of the US policy approach of imposing and enforcing sanctions and export controls targeting Russia.
Andrew Adams, director of Task Force KleptoCapture at the Justice Department, also pointed out that Iran, North Korea and Russia have the common goal to bypass Western sanctions. The war in Ukraine has created opportunities for them to become closer, he added.
Adams said Russia’s efforts to evade economic sanctions are tied into efforts by Iran and North Korea to circumvent sanctions, echoing Rosenberg’s point.
“There are partnerships, growing partnerships in Iran and North Korea in particular, due to the success of our sanctions regime and the success of the export control regime.”
Rosenberg also pointed to the necessity to stop Russia from exploiting loopholes by levying sanctions against entities that are involved in arms supplies to Russia.
“It is certainly a violation of sanctions when entities in Iran or North Korea supply Russian-designated entities with military equipment,” Rosenberg told members of the Senate Banking Committee.
This month, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Iranian companies that were tied to providing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs to Russia for its war in Ukraine.
“Our approach here will be to continue to impose sanctions to hold accountable those suppliers for Russian designated entities,” Rosenberg said.
Rosenberg underlined that imposing sanctions on the entities is a “significant priority” for the Treasury Department to prohibit Russia from resupplying its force fighting in Ukraine.
The Biden administration has been keeping close tabs on Russia’s turning to pariah states including North Korea to seek their military support and its move to step up cooperation with China.
In keeping with Russia, North Korea has sought to show off its triangular alignment with China and Russia as the US has faced more intensifying conflict with the two countries in the aftermath of the conflict in Ukraine.
North Korea has stepped up its criticism of the US Biden administration’s initiative to deter Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and rally its allies to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a recently updated report, the US Congressional Research Service also pointed out that the US competition with China and Russia could create conditions conducive for North Korea to pursue military and nuclear buildup without resistance from China and Russia.
“Perceptions of a trend toward an international system of zero-sum competition between two blocs -- the United States and its allies and partners on one side, and China and Russia on the other -- could embolden North Korea,” the CRS said in the report.
“Kim may conclude that if he uses the country’s nuclear weapons and missile programs to coerce concessions from Seoul, Washington, and/or Tokyo, China and Russia would not take punitive actions against North Korea and may even provide economic assistance to preserve the DPRK’s regime stability, similar to how they supported North Korea during the Cold War.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un underscored that North Korea and China can “develop their strategic relations to a new and higher level unceasingly” despite the “hostile forces’ heinous scheme to isolate and blockade” the countries, in a letter sent to Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Monday, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday.
By Ji Da-gyum (dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)
koreaherald.com · by Ji Da-gyum · September 21, 2022
14. North Korea rolls out new software to keep tabs on its officials in China
North Korea rolls out new software to keep tabs on its officials in China
‘Secure Shield’ and ‘Hangro’ allow the government back home to monitor calls and restrict access to the internet.
By Jieun Kim for RFA Korean
2022.09.20
rfa.org
North Korea is requiring trade officials dispatched to China to install invasive surveillance software on their smartphones and computers to allow the government to track their phone calls and restrict their online access, sources in China told RFA.
Trade officials must install the software, called “Secure Shield” on their phones, so that the government can see who they are calling. A program called “Hangro” monitors their computer use.
“Trade officials must visit the North Korean consulate in Shenyang, install the newly developed software on their cellphones, and receive a memory storage device that contains the software for computers,” a source with North Korea connections in the northeastern Chinese city told RFA’s Korean Service on condition of anonymity to speak freely.
The order went out last month to all the North Korean trade officials in the three northeastern Chinese provinces of Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang, according to the source.
“Once you install the software, its name appears on the main screen. Then a message shows up in the middle of the screen, saying ‘Your cellphone is secured,’” said the source.
“Along with the mobile phone identification number, there is an indication that the phone numbers and call details connected to the phone are being detected in real time,” the source explained.
RFA reported in July that smartphone users who want to access North Korea’s closed intranet had to install an app that allows the Ministry of State Security to see where they have been, what websites they browsed, and whether they downloaded, watched or listened to illegal foreign media.
The expansion of surveillance of officials outside the country is partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced mandatory in-person meetings to move online, where it is thought to be harder to monitor the loyalty of dispatched personnel.
North Korea previously attempted to use surveillance software outside its borders in 2020, according to the source.
“There was a conversion problem in the software because it was made for the North Korean government by a foreign developer, so it didn’t work properly,” the source said.
“The reason for the new software is because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now ideological learning sessions and home country meetings for the trade officials are conducted through self-learning and email communication, so the authorities believe that the changes have weakened loyalty to the party among the trade officials,” the source said.
In Dandong, which lies just across the Yalu River border from North Korea’s Sinuiju, every trade official had to go to the consulate for a phone inspection, a North Korea-related source there told RFA on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
They were instructed to install the software on their computers, the second source said.
“The newly developed computer startup program detects the internet connection status in real time and opens a channel to use only North Korean e-mail. You can download instructions from Pyongyang, and access lecture materials and study materials only through North Korean e-mail,” the second source said.
“The software, called ‘Hangro,’ disables external emails from China and the rest of the world. It has become the only email channel where messages can be exchanged between the North Korean authorities and the company,” said the second source.
“North Korean trading companies must pay $350 to the Shenyang consulate to use Hangro,” the second source said.
“The trade officials are complaining saying that the authorities do not trust them and are forcing them to install software on their phones and computers that make conducting business uncomfortable and difficult.”
Translated by Claire Shinyoung Oh Lee and Leejin J. Chung. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
rfa.org
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Senior Advisor, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
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