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Quotes of the Day:
“Peace is a condition in which a Notion billion pays any attention to military casualties, which do not achieve page-one, lead-story prominence, unless that civilian is a close relative of one of the casualties. But if there ever was a time in history when “peace” meant that there was no fighting going on, I have been unable to find out about it.” (Juan Rico)
– Robert A. Heinlein Starship Troopers
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”
– Marcus Aurelius
"There are only two rules when it comes to making plans. Never be without one. Never rely on it."
– A Sailor
1. North Korea has demolished its monument to reunification but it can’t fully erase the dream
2. Behind the idyllic-looking lives of North Korea’s nuclear weapons researchers
3. Russian envoy warns North may conduct seventh nuke test, blames U.S.
4. Editorial: Rising Korean defense status demands enhanced security measures
5. US, Russia clash at UN over North Korea, Patriot missiles in Ukraine
6. South Korea, US explore joint ship, weapons maintenance opportunities
7. North Korean ballistic missiles used in 9 attacks on Ukraine
8. US prosecutors indict Korean Americans for running brothels, where Biden’s son was allegedly a client
9. USFK warns of social media imposters of commander
10. US envoys in S. Korea, China, other countries urge congressional action on Ukraine, Israel support bill
11. Saudi Arabia buys Korea's Cheongung-II missiles for $3.2 billion
12. Defense minister back from Middle East with $3.2b deal
13. Yoon's approval rating inches down to 34 percent: Yonhap News survey
14. Military to establish 'strategic command' at Capital Defense Command
1. North Korea has demolished its monument to reunification but it can’t fully erase the dream
The Korean dream of a free and unified Korea or a United Republic of Korea cannot be erased.
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 (UROK).
North Korea has demolished its monument to reunification but it can’t fully erase the dream
theconversation.com · by David Hall
North Korea has demolished the Arch of Reunification, a monument that symbolised hope for reconciliation with the South. The decision to demolish the monument came shortly after the regime’s leader, Kim Jong-un, delivered a speech declaring it an “eyesore”.
In the same speech, Kim said that the peaceful reunification of the two Koreas, which have remained divided since August 1945, was no longer possible and called for an amendment to the North Korean constitution to reflect South Korea’s status as his country’s “principal enemy”.
Unveiled in 2001, the Arch of Reunification featured two Korean women wearing traditional dresses – called hanbok (한복 “Korean clothes”) in South Korea and chosŏn-ot (조선옷 “Korean clothes”) in the North. The women jointly held up an image of the unified Korean peninsula, reflecting the North Korean government’s genuine desire at the time to reunify the two countries.
This is not the first time North Korea has destroyed symbols of Korean cooperation, dialogue and hope for unification. In June 2020, North Korea recorded and released footage of it blowing up a joint liaison office with South Korea near the border town of Kaesong. The site was opened to help the the two countries communicate.
The following year, in August 2021, North Korea severed the Inter-Korean hotline – a series of over 40 telephone lines that connect North and South Korea – in protest against military drills jointly undertaken by South Korea and the US. Kim did, however, restore the hotlines two months later and urged Seoul to step up efforts to improve relations.
The Arch of Reunification’s demolition signals North Korea’s determination to brand reunification as impossible. But, despite the physical erasure of this monument, its depiction on five official postage stamps serves to immortalise the monument and what it symbolised.
North Korean postage stamp issued on 30 May 2002 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Joint Declaration by North and South Korea for reunification. David Hall, CC BY-NC-SA
Propaganda postage stamps
Postage stamps function not only as items that display the paying of postage rates, but also as small carriers of propaganda messages. They have, in the past, been described as “ambassadors” conveying official viewpoints, and “windows of the state” that illustrate how it wishes to be seen by its own citizens and those beyond its boundaries.
In most authoritarian states, revisions to official party narratives require the alteration and removal of symbols associated with the previous narrative. The most notable example of this is the removal of former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin’s name from many cities and landmarks following his death in 1953.
This formed part of the de-Stalinisation movement in the late 1950s and dismantled Stalin’s “cult of personality”. Stalin had used art and popular culture to improve his status as leader and inspire loyalty.
In a similar way, the official North Korean postage stamp catalogue removed five stamps from its listings that depicted the Arch of Reunification. Stamp catalogues provide information relating to when stamps were issued, who designed them, their dimensions and colour. Having this information is important when collecting and analysing them.
North Korean postage stamp issued on 25 July 2016 to mark the 7th Congress of the Worker’s Party of Korea. David Hall, CC BY-NC-SA
It’s not certain exactly when the stamps were removed. But Wayback Machine (a digital archive of the World Wide Web) indicates there was a change to the website on January 19, placing the change squarely within the timeframe of Kim’s speech and the reported demolition of the monument. All visual and textual references to the stamps have been removed from the website.
NK News also reported around this time that North Korea was purging propaganda websites of old content, suggesting a rewriting of the official narrative.
There is precedent for this. North Korea has previously removed listings from its official stamp catalogues after they have been issued because they run contrary to new state narratives.
In 1960, for example, North Korea released a set of five stamps celebrating the reconstruction of Pyongyang after the Korean War (1950–1953). Two of the place names shown on the stamps, “Mao Zedong Square” and “Stalin Street”, were later renamed “Triumph Arc Square” and “Victory Street”. However, as the stamps issued in 1960 contained the original names, their visual depictions in subsequently published stamp catalogues were not included.
The reunification dream lives on
The Arch of Reunification was first depicted on a North Korean postage stamp in May 2002, almost one year after its unveiling. But the monument has been depicted more recently, on two stamps issued in 2015, and two more stamps issued in 2016 and 2021 respectively.
North Korea is seeking to erase any remnant of the Arch of Reunification’s depiction. But, unfortunately for North Korea, these stamps exist in the private collections of foreign stamp collectors.
North Korean postage stamps issued on 20 February 2021 to mark the 8th Congress of the Worker’s Party of Korea. David Hall, CC BY-NC-SA
The stamps were released to the world through Korea Stamp Corporation (North Korea’s state-run postal authority) offices in Russia and China at the time of issue. These stamps can still easily be bought from stamp dealers on online platforms such as eBay.
For that reason, North Korea can never fully erase these depictions of the unification dream as it doesn’t have full control over how its state narrative is presented and potentially altered.
theconversation.com · by David Hall
2. Behind the idyllic-looking lives of North Korea’s nuclear weapons researchers
Excerpts:
Kim also exhorted the descendants of the third and fourth generations of nuclear researchers to work at the lab and play a central role in improving the quality of the country’s nuclear arsenal.
...
In short, the researchers were not allowed to spend the bonuses as they pleased, even though they had worked diligently for a year to earn them.
Nevertheless, the bonuses were received with great joy by the researchers and their family members.
Researchers at other defense laboratories and ordinary citizens who heard about the bonuses looked at the nuclear weapons researchers with envy. Some even said that they and their families were living in paradise.
...
But when Kim announced the bonuses, he also said that generations of their descendants would have to work at the nuclear weapons lab, a demand that is sure to weigh on the hearts of the researchers.
In effect, the children of researchers will be forced to abandon their dreams and pledge their loyalty to the state by following in their parent’s footsteps as research-performing automatons.
Behind the idyllic-looking lives of North Korea’s nuclear weapons researchers
In 2021, Kim Jong Un handed out bonuses to researchers in the country's nuclear program, but the money came with a heart-wrenching catch
By Kim Jeong Yoon - 2024.02.06 4:37pm
dailynk.com
Behind the idyllic-looking lives of North Korea’s nuclear weapons researchers - Daily NK English
North Korea’s nuclear facility in Yongbyon County, South Pyongan Province. (Yonhap)
After announcing plans to upgrade North Korea’s nuclear arsenal at the Eighth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea in early 2021, Kim Jong Un promised in June 2021 that researchers at the country’s nuclear weapons laboratories who achieve their research goals would receive four times the performance bonuses of researchers at other defense research institutes. He also announced that payments would come directly from the party’s funds to maximize the output of the nuclear weapons labs.
Kim also exhorted the descendants of the third and fourth generations of nuclear researchers to work at the lab and play a central role in improving the quality of the country’s nuclear arsenal.
A year later, in June 2022, a ceremony was held in the main hall of a nuclear weapons laboratory to award performance bonuses by order of the party’s Central Committee.
A chart tracking each researcher’s progress toward achieving technical goals in 2021 and 2022 was posted at the entrance to the hall, complete with red bars and percentages to intuitively indicate how much each researcher had done over the past year.
An event to review and evaluate the achievements of researchers in nuclear weapons research over the past year and to pay them performance bonuses was, typically enough, treated as a political event.
At the event, bonuses ranging from KPW 8 million to KPW 400,000 were given to the 20 researchers with the highest research contributions, depending on their ranking on the list. The bonuses were announced in North Korean won, but the actual envelopes contained crisp USD 50 bills.
No freedom to spend as one pleases
After the event, the 20 bonus recipients immediately submitted individual spending plans. Because the bonuses were paid out of party funds, the researchers had to plan exactly where and how they would spend the money and then provide documentation to support the spending, such as receipts or transaction records signed by three or more witnesses.
In short, the researchers were not allowed to spend the bonuses as they pleased, even though they had worked diligently for a year to earn them.
Nevertheless, the bonuses were received with great joy by the researchers and their family members.
Researchers at other defense laboratories and ordinary citizens who heard about the bonuses looked at the nuclear weapons researchers with envy. Some even said that they and their families were living in paradise.
To be sure, the large bonuses were appreciated by these researchers and their families.
But when Kim announced the bonuses, he also said that generations of their descendants would have to work at the nuclear weapons lab, a demand that is sure to weigh on the hearts of the researchers.
In effect, the children of researchers will be forced to abandon their dreams and pledge their loyalty to the state by following in their parent’s footsteps as research-performing automatons.
Perhaps we should ask whether the lives of nuclear weapons researchers and their families are as idyllic as many imagine.
Translated by David Carruth. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Daily NK works with a network of sources living in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. Their identities remain anonymous for security reasons. For more information about Daily NK’s network of reporting partners and information-gathering activities, please visit our FAQ page here.
Please send any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
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3. Russian envoy warns North may conduct seventh nuke test, blames U.S.
The axis of totalitarians.
Wednesday
February 7, 2024
dictionary + A - A
Published: 07 Feb. 2024, 18:25
Updated: 07 Feb. 2024, 18:27
Russian envoy warns North may conduct seventh nuke test, blames U.S.
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-02-07/national/northKorea/Russian-envoy-warns-North-may-conduct-seventh-nuke-test-blames-US/1976837
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, greets North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui in a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on Jan. 16. [AP/YONHAP]
Russia's top envoy to Pyongyang said that North Korea may decide to conduct a seventh nuclear test if the United States continues taking "provocative steps" in the region.
"I think whether or not there will be another nuclear experiment in North Korea depends on how the military-political situation on the peninsula will unfold," Russian Ambassador to North Korea Aleksandr Matsegora said in an interview with Russia's state-controlled TASS news agency Wednesday.
He said that if expanded nuclear deterrence between the United States and South Korea "or other provocative steps," such as the flying of U.S. strategic bombers over the Korean Peninsula continues, "the North Korean leadership may as well decide to conduct a new nuclear test for the sake of further strengthening of its defense capabilities."
Matsegora said that responsibility "will lie completely with Washington" and, to a lesser extent, with Seoul.
"Western countries and UN Secretariat officials cannot know a priori if arrangements are underway here for a seventh nuclear test," Matsegora said, however, addressing allegations that North Korea is working to prepare for another nuclear test.
North Korea's last nuclear test, the sixth one to date, was conducted in September 2017. Pyongyang, in the past year, has been seen to be rapidly speeding along the development of its nuclear and missile weapons technology.
Russian Ambassador to North Korea Aleksandr Matsegora [YONHAP]
However, Matsegora noted that North Korea is "not seeking a war" and that whether this "will be a peaceful year in Korea or whether there will be a military conflict depends entirely on the Americans."
The diplomat also stressed that the "reciprocally beneficial" cooperation between North Korea and Russia is not directed against any third countries and bolsters peace and security.
Responding to a question on military-technical cooperation between the two countries, he said that the "essence of our cooperation in practical fields" is determined by agreements reached by the leaders of Russia and North Korea.
In September 2023, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a rare summit at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, a spaceport in Russia's Far East.
The two sides are suspected of having made an arms deal as North Korea could potentially provide ammunition to Russia, which has depleted its supply in its war on Ukraine. Pyongyang could have asked for Russian technologies related to nuclear-powered submarines, missiles and satellites, which would violate UN sanctions.
Kim invited Putin to visit Pyongyang during their talks.
Weeks after the summit, North Korea successfully launched a spy satellite into orbit in November after two botched launch attempts in May and August last year.
Since then, Russia and North Korea have flaunted closer ties, with both countries have been openly expressing wariness about the strengthened Seoul-Washington alliance.
Related Article
Matsegora told TASS that the North believes this year will see a "breakthrough" in Moscow-Pyongyang relations, though he didn't confirm when Putin might visit Kim.
However, he said that Kim and Putin are likely to sign an extensive package of agreements when they meet, including a deal to mutually facilitate travel by Russians and North Koreans.
Matsegora also pointed out that Pyongyang authorities believe the time for achieving Korean unification has already passed.
He said that North Korean leader Kim "took unprecedented steps once" during the period of détente amid denuclearization dialogue with the United States from 2018 to 2019 "in order to normalize relations with the South."
However, he said that "none of the agreements on intra-Korean economic cooperation was implemented because Washington was opposed to this and the South did not dare to object" and that "the time is now gone, and there is no way back."
Russia, a traditional ally of North Korea and a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, has frequently been accused of trying to help Pyongyang evade international sanctions.
Russia allegedly allowed the release of $9 million out of $30 million in frozen North Korean assets deposited in a Russian financial institution, according to a New York Times report Tuesday, citing U.S.-allied intelligence officials.
Moscow may also be helping Pyongyang with access to international banking networks in exchange for missiles and ammunition, said the report, helping the North skirt tough UN sanctions.
North Korea reportedly intends to use the released funds to purchase crude oil.
Russian Ambassador to Seoul Georgy Zinoviev told Yonhap News Agency in an interview Wednesday that Russia doesn't want bilateral relations with South Korea to "hit rock bottom" and called on both sides to "refrain from taking actions that can cause further deterioration" of ties.
This comes after Seoul and Moscow engaged in a diplomatic spat last week after a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said President Yoon Suk Yeol was "blatantly biased" in his critique of North Korea.
BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]
4. Editorial: Rising Korean defense status demands enhanced security measures
Retirees and foreigners.
Conclusion:
As South Korea rises among the ranks of advanced nations in defense, incidents similar to the recent KF-21 confidential data breach may become more frequent. The government and intelligence agencies should carefully devise preventive measures against the unauthorized disclosure of classified information by retirees and foreigners to safeguard national interests and ensure the integrity of K-defense technology.
Editorial: Rising Korean defense status demands enhanced security measures
https://www.chosun.com/english/opinion-en/2024/02/05/HHIGLQ652ZFV5HXCTCMHYKDB4Q/
By The Chosunilbo
Published 2024.02.05. 08:55
personnel from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) engage in flight preparations for the KF-21 on Jan. 18, 2024. The image shows the KF-21 adorned with both the South Korean flag (Taegukgi) and the flag of Indonesia side by side./Nam Gang-ho
An Indonesian researcher stationed at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for the joint development of the South Korean supersonic fighter jet KF-21 was apprehended while attempting to acquire classified information. The researcher, affiliated with a state-owned Indonesian enterprise, was caught trying to export a USB containing confidential data. The KF-21 project involves Indonesia obtaining specific technologies and domestically manufacturing 48 units, contributing 20% of the development cost, totaling 1.6 trillion won. However, there are suspicions that Indonesia, currently in arrears of 1 trillion won, aimed to acquire the technology without fulfilling its cost-sharing commitment, raising concerns about extracting technological benefits without financial contribution.
In 2022, suspicions arose that the entire design plan for a South Korean submarine had been leaked to Taiwan, prompting a prosecutorial investigation. This suspicion stems from a domestic consulting firm, led by a former Navy commander, entering into a production consulting agreement with CSBC Corporation, Taiwan, marking the construction of Taiwan’s first independently designed submarine. Despite a January court acquittal citing ‘insufficient evidence,’ doubts persist. In 2020, retired researchers from the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA), overseeing advanced weapon research and development, were implicated in leaking various confidential weapon technologies, including the advanced rocket LOGIR (Low cOst Guided Imaging Rocket). Using USB drives, they surreptitiously transmitted over 60,000 confidential research documents on artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other classified information to foreign countries. These incidents suggest a high likelihood that a substantial amount of information has been covertly transferred abroad without detection.
The development of advanced weapons requires consistent government support of at least ten years and a guaranteed minimum production quantity. South Korea’s defense industry has made significant progress, thanks to comprehensive government backing and collaboration between the public and private sectors. Noteworthy achievements include the introduction of world-class weapons such as the K2 Black Panther, K9 Thunder, FA-50 Fighting Eagle, KM-SAM, and Hyunmoo. The combination of cutting-edge performance, reasonable pricing, and the ability to meet production deadlines has enabled South Korea to expand its global market presence. The country has secured a 30 trillion won export contract with Poland, highlighting its distinctive competitive edge.
As South Korea rises among the ranks of advanced nations in defense, incidents similar to the recent KF-21 confidential data breach may become more frequent. The government and intelligence agencies should carefully devise preventive measures against the unauthorized disclosure of classified information by retirees and foreigners to safeguard national interests and ensure the integrity of K-defense technology.
5. US, Russia clash at UN over North Korea, Patriot missiles in Ukraine
US, Russia clash at UN over North Korea, Patriot missiles in Ukraine
https://www.reuters.com/world/us-russia-clash-un-over-north-korea-patriot-missiles-ukraine-2024-02-06/
By Michelle Nichols
February 6, 20244:58 PM ESTUpdated 13 hours ago
[1/2]Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzia addresses the United Nations Security Council at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., October 18, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The United States accused Russia on Tuesday of firing at least nine North Korean-supplied missiles at Ukraine, while Moscow labeled Washington a "direct accomplice" in the downing of a Russian military transport plane last month.
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia and deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood traded the accusations at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine, requested by Moscow. Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine nearly two years ago.
"To date, Russia has launched DPRK-supplied ballistic missiles against Ukraine on at least nine occasions," Wood told the 15-member Security Council, using the North Korea's formal name: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
"Russia and the DPRK must be held accountable for their actions, which undermine long-standing obligations under UN Security Council resolutions," he said.
Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the U.S. accusations, but vowed last year to deepen military relations. Russia has stepped up ties with North Korea and other countries hostile to the United States such as Iran since the start of the war with Ukraine - relations that are a source of concern to the West.
A Russian Air Force Il-76 fell from the skies on Jan. 24. Russia said all 74 people on board, including 65 captured Ukrainian soldiers en route to be swapped for Russian prisoners of war, were killed, and blamed Kyiv for downing the plane.
"We possess irrefutable evidence that a Patriot surface-to-air missile was used to carry out the strike, which leaves no doubt the Washington is a direct accomplice in this crime as well," Nebenzia told the Security Council.
Russian investigators said last week that they had evidence showing that Ukraine's military shot down the military transport plane with U.S.-made Patriot surface-to-air missiles.
Russia asked the council to meet on Tuesday after it said Ukraine killed at least 28 people when it used Western-supplied rockets to strike a bakery and restaurant on Saturday in Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine.
Senior Ukrainian U.N. diplomat Serhii Dvornyk accused Russia of misusing the Security Council "for disseminating fakes."
Wood said the U.S. was unable to independently verify the information - blaming an absence of independent media reporting - but laments all civilian casualties. He added: "To be clear, Russia is the only aggressor in this war, and the only one that could end this war today."
Reporting by Michelle Nichols; additional reporting by Ronald Popeski; editing by Jonathan Oatis
6. South Korea, US explore joint ship, weapons maintenance opportunities
South Korea, US explore joint ship, weapons maintenance opportunities
Defense News · by Leilani Chavez · February 6, 2024
MANILA, Philippines — South Korea and the United States are exploring whether the former’s defense industry could help maintain, repair and overhaul the latter’s warships and weapons, according to a series of news releases from South Korea’s Defense Ministry.
The two countries have held talks about ships for a year now, but only in December did they begin discussing MRO services for weapons as well.
“If weapons used by the U.S. military in the Indo-Pacific can be maintained domestically, the domestic [MRO] industry capabilities can be expanded and maintenance periods can be shortened,” the ministry noted.
Indeed, the U.S. Navy has expressed interest in improving maintenance efforts. In an overseas war, the Navy would tow ships into a foreign port.
Rear Adm. William Greene, who is in charge of surface ship maintenance, said the service has an eye on preparing for battle damage. The Navy in recent years incorporated battle damage into major exercises, putting decommissioned ships out to sea and detonating explosives onboard so sailors can practice towing ships back to port and running battle damage assessment and repairs.
Vice Adm. James Downey, the head of Naval Sea Systems Command, said the service is drafting a proposal for a future budget year to practice these scenarios at real shipyards in allied countries. This initiative would allow for up to six U.S.-based ships to undergo maintenance overseas — perhaps three in the Pacific and three in Europe — during repair periods of up to 90 days.
While 90 days is much shorter than a typical yard period at home, it would allow foreign repair facilities to learn how to do business with the Navy, understand American ship designs and systems, and lay the groundwork for potential emergency repairs.
Notably, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it has explored the possibility of using “condition-based maintenance” — or preventative maintenance — under the country’s Defense Innovation 4.0 program, which uses sensor data to provide real-time assessments of weapons.
A bilateral agreement could also improve the combat readiness of troops from both countries, the ministry said, noting this would contribute to stability in the region.
The U.S. maintains about 28,000 troops in South Korea under a decades-long treaty, and the two countries regularly hold joint exercises amid threats from North Korea. The U.S. military also maintains assets in Japan, where the two countries are discussing more comprehensive MRO services for American weapons and platforms with Japanese companies.
Last year, South Korean companies HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanjin Heavy Industries, SK oceanplant, and Hanwha Ocean as well as officials from the government’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration visited the American shipyards of HII, Austal, General Dynamics NASSCO and Norfolk Naval Shipyard to explore possible joint shipbuilding and MRO projects.
The meeting was to “confirm the status of commitments,” explore ways to quell “supply chain instability” and the loss of skilled employees, and identify ways to “overcome institutional and environmental difficulties facing the shipbuilding industry,” the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said. Attendees also discussed the development of advanced technologies, how to improve ship quality and the creation of quality assurance measures at the ship-design stage, DAPA added.
In December 2023 and January 2024, U.S. Defense Department officials and their South Korean counterparts attended workshops to discuss ways to reorganize Korean industry’s capacity and how to overcome obstacles. The latter event involved defense officials from several other countries, including Japan, Australia, Britain, Germany, France and Canada.
“There is a need for cooperation and action at the level of the U.S. government and allied countries,” the South Korean Defense Ministry said.
DAPA declined to share updates on ship MRO partnership opportunities, citing the “sensitive” nature of the topic. But it did tell Defense News the government created a unit under DAPA to manage industry partnerships with the U.S.
South Korean defense companies have been expanding their presence in the U.S. In 2017, Kencoa Aerospace — a supplier of aerospace and defense technology — completed the acquisition of a metal crafter in the U.S. state of Georgia.
Last year, Hanwha Ocean, one of South Korea’s leading naval defense contractors, established a local subsidiary in the United States. And LIG Nex1 announced plans to acquire a majority stake in the American firm Ghost Robotics.
Megan Eckstein contributed to this report.
About Leilani Chavez
Leilani Chavez is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. Her reporting expertise is in East Asian politics, development projects, environmental issues and security.
7. North Korean ballistic missiles used in 9 attacks on Ukraine
I would like to know the effectiveness of the attacks? Were they engaged by any missile defense systems (and were other attacks successfully defended against using missile defense systems)
North Korean ballistic missiles used in 9 attacks on Ukraine
global.espreso.tv
This was stated by Robert Wood, Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs for the United Nations in the United States, as reported by Suspilne.
Wood stated that Russia and North Korea must be held accountable for their actions, violating UN Security Council resolutions, and that these illicit arms transfers and potential technology exchanges from Russia to North Korea jeopardize regional stability, and the global non-proliferation regime, and erode confidence in the Security Council.
He emphasized Russia as the sole aggressor in the conflict and urged it to end the war immediately. Ukraine is committed to pursuing a just and lasting peace in line with UN Charter principles.
- Recent reports from Vadym Skibitskyi revealed that North Korea delivered around one million 122 mm and 152 mm artillery shells to Russia.
- Conflict Armament Research (CAR) independently confirmed that the missile used in the January 2 attack on Kharkiv originated from North Korea.
- Kyrylo Budanov later disclosed Russia's plans to negotiate with North Korea for increased arms supplies, with a particular emphasis on ammunition.
global.espreso.tv
8. US prosecutors indict Korean Americans for running brothels, where Biden’s son was allegedly a client
I have only seen this reported in the Korean press (so far)
US prosecutors indict Korean Americans for running brothels, where Biden’s son was allegedly a client
https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2024/02/07/ZMQ5U7JHSRGQ5P6G7PFDT4BWOY/
By Lee Ka-young,
Lee So-yeon
Published 2024.02.07. 16:47
Updated 2024.02.07. 18:28
A photo from the online website that Korean Americans were operating while running brothels./ Daily Mail
A Korean-American organization that operated a high-end brothel ring in the Boston, Massachusetts area and Virginia that mainly targeted politicians, doctors, professors, and other socially respected professionals was recently indicted by a federal grand jury. Since the organization’s identity was revealed in November of last year, a series of allegations have surfaced, including rumors that one of its clients is the second son of US President Joe Biden and that foreign intelligence services may be behind the organization.
The Massachusetts prosecutor’s office said in a press release on Feb. 2. that three Korean Americans arrested last November on suspicion of running the operation of illegal brothels have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston. Grand juries are usually held for violations of US federal law or felonies. A jury of 16 to 23 people will look at the evidence presented by the prosecution and decide whether or not to charge you.
The three indicted are a Korean named Han Lee(41), another Korean Jun-myung Lee(30) who is an international student, and James Lee(68) who is believed to be of Korean descent. They are accused of operating multiple brothels in Massachusetts and Virginia since July 2020 and inducing multiple Asian women to engage in prostitution. They are also accused of sex trafficking and money laundering.
The men rented nine luxury apartments and used them as brothels. The monthly rent for one apartment was $3,664. Women sex laborers stayed there under the rules that they should not to attract neighbors’ attention.
Account book written by the Korean Americans who ran brothels in Massachusetts./ US Attorney's Office
The organization used a website to attract guests. It featured photos of nude models shot in high-end studios and advertised that “you can have sex with them by appointment.” Customers had to go through a fairly rigorous process to make a reservation. They had to provide their name, email address, phone number, and references.
The prosecutors said that the indicted organization members lured prostitutes by assuring them that they would be ‘secured with a select group of male clients. Customers allegedly paid a “premium price” from $350 up to $600 in cash. Some allegedly paid monthly membership fees of $1,000. They pocketed and stashed hundreds of thousands of dollars in sex trafficking proceeds.
They kept Korean-language account book, according to an investigation filed by Homeland Security investigators. The book detailed the names of the prostitutes, their schedule on a daily and weekly basis, the clients they served, and the amount of money they paid for sex. Federal prosecutors obtained a list of politicians, business executives, doctors, military officers, lawyers, professors, and scientists and indicted 28 of them.
Joe Biden(left) and Hunter Biden./ AP Yonhap News
During this process, it was further revealed that the Korean-Americans frequently sent the women to Los Angeles for the clients staying there. Los Angeles Magazine, a local California publication, raised suspicions that Hunter Biden, the second son of President Biden, may have been on their client list.
The possibility of “spying” by the Korean-American brothel ring has also been raised. Citing a former CIA operative, the UK’s Daily Mail reported that those running the sex trafficking ring could be spies sponsored by the Russian, Chinese, and Israeli governments. The allegation is that foreign intelligence agencies may have used prostitution rings targeting social leaders to gather US secrets.
9. USFK warns of social media imposters of commander
We should ask ourselves, Why would a 4 star general (or ambassador or some person of note) be reaching out to us personally? Don't they have more pressing issues to deal with and do we think their down time is spent trying to friend people on social media? But I know I'm still waiting for the Nigerian prince who emailed me to send all that money to my bank account.
USFK warns of social media imposters of commander | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · February 7, 2024
SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Yonhap) -- The U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) has warned of imposters of its commander on social media and asked users to report fake accounts of the general.
The unit issued the warning on its Facebook page, noting that imposters and scammers routinely attempt to use Gen. Paul LaCamera's name and image to contact people within the USFK community.
"If someone reaches out to you on Facebook or any other social media platform using Gen. LaCamera's name and image this person is an imposter and should be reported," it said, adding that LaCamera does not have a personal Facebook account.
It posted an image of fake accounts of the general, with one of them showing LaCamera shaking hands with former South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo.
Fake social media accounts of U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera are shown in this image captured from the unit's Facebook page on Feb. 7, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · February 7, 2024
10. US envoys in S. Korea, China, other countries urge congressional action on Ukraine, Israel support bill
US envoys in S. Korea, China, other countries urge congressional action on Ukraine, Israel support bill
The Korea Times · February 7, 2024
John Kirby, the National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, Jan. 26. Reuters-Yonhap
A group of U.S. ambassadors in South Korea, China, Japan and other Indo-Pacific countries has sent a letter to Congress, urging lawmakers to act quickly to pass legislation on assistance to Ukraine, Israel and others in the Pacific, a White House official said Tuesday.
John Kirby, the National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, revealed the delivery of the letter written by nine U.S. ambassadors, underscoring the importance of the congressional passage of President Joe Biden's national security supplemental funding request.
"The ambassadors wrote about how many countries in the Indo-Pacific are intently focused on the conflicts in Ukraine (and) in the Middle East," Kirby said during an online press briefing.
"Russia's growing strategic partner(ship) with the People's Republic of China, military support from Iran and North Korea ... our support for Ukraine and the potential termination of that support at such a decisive moment here in these winter months will fundamentally affect not just Ukraine, but other strategic theaters as well, obviously, to include the Indo-Pacific theater," he added.
The letter came amid concerns that failure to pass the funding package for Ukraine, Israel and border security could raise questions over America's defense commitments to regional allies and partners. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · February 7, 2024
11. Saudi Arabia buys Korea's Cheongung-II missiles for $3.2 billion
Arsenal of democracy. (of course except Saudi Arabia is not a democracy)
Tuesday
February 6, 2024
dictionary + A - A
Published: 06 Feb. 2024, 19:31
Updated: 06 Feb. 2024, 20:17
Saudi Arabia buys Korea's Cheongung-II missiles for $3.2 billion
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-02-06/national/defense/Saudi-Arabia-buys-Koreas-CheongungII-missiles-for-3-billion/1975858
A surface-to-air Cheongung missile developed by the Agency for Defense Development [YONHAP]
Korea will export 10 Cheongung-II missile defense systems to Saudi Arabia under a $3.2-billion deal announced by Seoul’s Defense Ministry on Tuesday evening.
According to the ministry, the contract was signed between Korean defense company LIG-Nex1, the system’s manufacturer, and the Saudi Arabian Defense Ministry in November, but had been kept confidential under the terms of the agreement.
The announcement came amid Defense Minister Shin Won-sik’s tour of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which began on Thursday and is scheduled to end on Wednesday.
Cheongung-II is a domestically developed medium-range surface-to-air missile (M-SAM) system designed to intercept ballistic missiles at an altitude between 15 to 40 kilometers (9.3 to 24.9 miles) from the ground.
It also known as M-SAM 2 to distinguish it from Cheongung-I, the first Korean surface-to-air missile system, from which it represents a significant upgrade.
The contract with Saudi Arabia marks the second sale of the Cheongung-II system to a Middle Eastern country.
The Cheongung II ground-to-air missile with ballistic missile interceptor capability, co-developed by LIG Nex1, Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Defense, now known as Hanwha Aerospace. [DEFENSE ACQUISITION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION]
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a contract worth 4.29 trillion won ($3.2 billion) for the Cheongung-II system in January 2022, heightening expectations of Saudi interest in the system.
The UAE deal was South Korea’s largest sale of a single weapons system for export.
At the time of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s state visit to Riyadh in October, the presidential office hinted that talks with Saudi Arabia regarding the potential sale of Korean defense systems had entered the final stage, but had declined to offer specifics.
Then-National Security Office (NSO) Deputy Director Kim Tae-hyo cited Saudi concerns over weapons intelligence leaks as the main reason for not providing more information regarding the two countries’ weapons talks.
Korean-Saudi defense industry cooperation has risen in recent years, though past deals have not been fully disclosed.
Saudi Arabia is known to have signed contracts with three Korean defense companies collectively worth 3.71 billion Saudi riyal ($989 million) in March 2022, with more contracts rumored to have been signed during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Seoul in November the same year.
Saudi Arabia was banned by the Biden administration from importing U.S. offensive weapons because of its involvement in the civil war in Yemen, driving the kingdom to pursue defense cooperation with other partners.
Washington only began considering lifting of the ban on offensive weapons sales to Riyadh in December last year, according to recent reports.
Saudi Arabia is known to have previously approached Russia for its S-400 mobile surface-to-air missile defense system, but Riyadh said it was no longer considering that option in November 2021.
Russian weapons export prospects to the kingdom declined further in the wake of the war in Ukraine, with Moscow’s potential customers driven away over fears of being sanctioned.
BY LEE HO-JEONG, MICHAEL LEE [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]
12. Defense minister back from Middle East with $3.2b deal
Defense minister back from Middle East with $3.2b deal
koreaherald.com
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Start your day with a roundup of key stories from The Korea Herald with news and comment on all that’s happening in Korea.
By Kim Arin
Published : Feb. 7, 2024 - 17:19
Defense Minister Shin Won-sik and Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud sign a memorandum of understanding on mid- to long-term defense cooperation between South Korea and Saudi Arabia at the World Defense Exhibition exhibition hall in Saudi Arabia. (Ministry of National Defense)
Shin Won-sik, South Korea’s Minister of National Defense, wrapped up his three-country Middle East trip with large defense industry deals.
Shin struck a deal to export some $3.2 billion worth of ballistic missile interceptor system known as Cheongung II in a meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Khalid bin Salman Al Saud.
The deal — first floated about a month after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s state visit to Saudi Arabia in October last year — was finalized at the meeting of the defense heads of the two countries, according to the ministry in Seoul.
Following Yoon’s Saudi Arabia trip, Kim Tae-hyo, the deputy national security director at the presidential office, told reporters that the discussions on “large-scale” cooperation in defense industries with the Saudis “have entered the final stages.”
At the second World Defense Show in Riyadh, Shin said that since the Yoon administration took office in May 2022, South Korea has been making about $15 billion worth of exports of defense articles and services.
“We are striving to become one of the major defense industry exporters globally by diversifying our weapons systems and export destinations,” he said.
As the first South Korean defense head, Shin met with Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah, the Qatari Minister of State for Defence Affairs, on Monday. The two signed a memorandum of understanding for holding ministerial-level talks regularly, to enhance partnerships in defense industries.
koreaherald.com
13. Yoon's approval rating inches down to 34 percent: Yonhap News survey
But he is popular with many in the US.
Yoon's approval rating inches down to 34 percent: Yonhap News survey | Yonhap News Agency
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · February 7, 2024
By Kim Han-joo
SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating inched down to 34 percent from a month ago, according to a survey conducted jointly by Yonhap News Agency and Yonhap News TV on Wednesday.
The survey also indicated that the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) would secure 33 percent and 35 percent of the vote, respectively, if the scheduled April 10 parliamentary elections were held tomorrow.
Yonhap News Agency and Yonhap News TV jointly commissioned the survey to gauge public sentiment. The survey was conducted by Metrix on 1,000 adults aged 18 and older on Saturday and Sunday.
President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul on Feb. 6, 2024. Yoon said more than 450,000 people will be granted special pardons on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, including five businesspeople and seven politicians. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
According to the poll, the positive assessment of Yoon's performance was 34 percent, compared with 35 percent from the previous survey conducted a month ago, while the negative assessment remained at 59 percent, unchanged from a month ago.
In terms of age demographics, the poll showed that Yoon's positive assessment was highest among those in their 70s, while it decreased the most among those in their 30s, dropping from 23 percent in the previous poll to 17 percent.
Regionally, the positive assessment of respondents living in the Gangwon region and the southern island of Jeju decreased the most, slipping from 44 percent to 28 percent.
In contrast, the negative assessment of respondents living in Daegu and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province, considered the conservative stronghold, decreased the most, the survey showed.
The poll also indicated a close race between the PPP and the DP in the general elections, which are two months away.
Support for the PPP decreased by 2 percentage points from the previous survey and support for the DP also decreased by 1 percentage point.
The survey also showed that 13 percent had no preference for candidates.
Additionally, the survey showed that 21 percent of the respondents agreed that more candidates from the third-party bloc should be elected. However, there was no minor party with a support rate above 10 percent.
In the presumed two-way race for possible presidential candidates, PPP leader Han Dong-hoon and DP Chairman Lee Jae-myung had the same approval rating of 36 percent, unchanged from the previous survey.
Regarding the implementation of the workplace safety law penalizing employers for serious industrial accidents, 55 percent of respondents agreed with expanding it to smaller firms for the safety of workers.
The expanded application of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act for companies with fewer than 50 employees began last month after rival parties failed to grant small businesses an additional two-year grace period.
Under the act, company owners or CEOs may face a minimum of one year in prison or fines up to 1 billion won (US$749,000) in cases of fatal on-duty disasters caused by inadequate workplace safety measures.
The results had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.
Han Dong-hoon (R), chief of the ruling People Power Party's emergency leadership committee, shakes hands with Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, during their meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, in this file photo taken Dec. 29, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
khj@yna.co.kr
(END)
en.yna.co.kr · by Kim Han-joo · February 7, 2024
14. Military to establish 'strategic command' at Capital Defense Command
So we will have a strategic command able to fire missiles throughout north Korea in a command not under the operational control of the ROK/US CFC?
Military to establish 'strategic command' at Capital Defense Command
The Korea Times · February 6, 2024
The entrance to the Capital Defense Command in southern Seoul is seen in this March 21, 2022 file photo. Yonhap
The military plans to establish a new strategic command overseeing key assets to deter North Korean threats within the compound of the Capital Defense Command in southern Seoul, informed sources said Tuesday.
South Korea has been pushing to establish the strategic command to serve as an overarching organ to implement the military's "three-axis" defense system. It will be created by upgrading the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Directorate of Countering Nuclear and Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The three-pronged system refers to the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation, an operational plan to incapacitate the North Korean leadership in a major conflict; the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform; and the Korea Air and Missile Defense system.
Last November, Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said the command is expected to be launched in the second half of this year and led by an Air Force lieutenant general.
The push for the envisioned unit comes as Seoul seeks to step up deterrence against North Korea's evolving military threats.
Meanwhile, the government is pushing to relocate the Joint Chiefs of Staff's headquarters to the Capital Defense Command's compound by 2027 from its current location inside the defense ministry's complex in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
The Korea Times · February 6, 2024
De Oppresso Liber,
David Maxwell
Vice President, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Senior Fellow, Global Peace Foundation
Editor, Small Wars Journal
Twitter: @davidmaxwell161
Phone: 202-573-8647
email: david.maxwell161@gmail.com
| 
