Quotes of the Day:

"He who would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself." 

– Thomas Paine

"Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you." 

– H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“The wise man accepts his pain, endures it, but does not add to it by complaining.” 

– Marcus Aurelius

1.  Joint Statement on the U.S.-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group Simulation

2. N. Korea launches more trash balloons toward S. Korea: JCS

3. Why Ukrainians love K-pop (and Korean artillery shells)

4. S. Korea, Germany hold joint naval drills in East Sea

5. North Korean Threat Actors Deploy COVERTCATCH Malware via LinkedIn Job Scams

6. US Warns of "Mounting Regional Threats" Posed by North Korea

7. A Pragmatic Shift? What Kamala Harris Might Do on North Korea

8. New Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun: “If North Korea provokes, the regime will end”

9.  S. Korea, U.S. held simulation drills for nuclear deterrence in Washington this week: defense ministry

10. S. Korea, U.S., Japan discuss sanctions, private industry efforts to address N.K. cyberthreats

11. Kamala Harris and North Korea: What Could Happen

12. Strengthening Bonds: Joint initiative enhances ROK-US interoperability

13. South Korea's Hanwha Ocean dismisses size criticisms over Polish Orka submarine offer

14. N. Korea's youth becomes cynical of Kim's 'flood response show’

15. Another victim of Japan's wartime sexual slavery dies, leaving 8 survivors

16. Senior U.S. diplomat to visit S. Korea for AI forum next week

17. Forbidden fashion: N. Korean youth punished for mimicking Kim Jong Un's pants

18. US’ new export controls to have little impact on Korean businesses: ministry

19. S. Korean, U.S. envoys to visit Michigan, Texas, Arizona next week to reaffirm bilateral ties

1.  Joint Statement on the U.S.-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group Simulation

I am asked a lot about the difference between the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) and the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultative Group (EDSCG). So I asked the AI tool Perplexity (https://www.perplexity.ai/) to compare and contrast the NCG and the EDSCG and this is its response:

The US-South Korea Extended Deterrence Working Group and the South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group are two important mechanisms for cooperation between the United States and South Korea on nuclear deterrence and security issues. While they have some similarities, there are also key differences between the two groups:

Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG)

The EDSCG serves as an annual forum for the US-South Korea alliance to discuss and coordinate on security strategy and policy issues affecting the Korean Peninsula. Some key aspects include:

• It focuses broadly on extended deterrence policy issues
• Meets annually
• Established earlier than the Nuclear Consultative Group
• Involves comprehensive discussions on deterrence strategy

Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG)

The NCG was established more recently in 2023 as part of the Washington Declaration between the US and South Korea. 

Key features include:

• Focuses specifically on nuclear deterrence cooperation
• Meets more frequently than the EDSCG
• Facilitates joint nuclear and strategic planning
• Enables South Korean involvement in US nuclear operations planning
• Oversees combined exercises and training related to nuclear scenarios

Key Differences

• Scope: The EDSCG has a broader focus on extended deterrence, while the NCG is more narrowly focused on nuclear deterrence specifically.
• Frequency: The NCG meets more regularly than the annual EDSCG meetings.
• Level of Integration: The NCG allows for deeper South Korean involvement in US nuclear planning and operations compared to the EDSCG.
• Establishment: The EDSCG predates the NCG, which was created in 2023 as part of expanded cooperation.

Similarities

·      Both groups serve to strengthen the US-South Korea alliance and enhance deterrence against North Korean threats.

·      They both involve high-level discussions between US and South Korean officials on security strategy and policy coordination.

In summary, while the EDSCG provides a broad annual forum for deterrence discussions, the NCG represents a more focused and integrated mechanism specifically for nuclear deterrence cooperation between the US and South Korea. The creation of the NCG signifies an expansion of South Korea's role in nuclear planning within the alliance.

Release

Immediate Release

Joint Statement on the U.S.-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group Simulation

Sept. 6, 2024 |   

The United States and Republic of Korea (ROK) conducted the first U.S.-ROK Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) simulation, an interagency table-top simulation, Sept. 5-6, in Washington, D.C. ROK and U.S. national security, defense, military, diplomatic, and intelligence officials participated in the simulation, which was a deliverable from President Biden and President Yoon's April 2023 Washington Declaration. 

The simulation greatly contributes to the work of the NCG, especially by strengthening the Alliance's approach to cooperative decision-making about nuclear deterrence and planning for potential nuclear contingencies on the Korean Peninsula. Through the NCG, the United States and ROK will work to continuously improve combined exercises and training activities on the application of nuclear deterrence on the Korean Peninsula — including through regularized table-top exercises and whole-of-government simulations. The United States reaffirmed that its extended deterrence commitment to the ROK is ironclad.

The simulation, in conjunction with other standing bodies for consultations on extended deterrence, including the NCG and the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group, greatly strengthens U.S.-ROK extended deterrence cooperation.

2. N. Korea launches more trash balloons toward S. Korea: JCS

I think we should consider that the regime is trying to develop complacency concerning these balloon launches. This will be another form of creeping normalcy. Some day perhaps these balloons might deploy something more dangerous than human waste.

(LEAD) N. Korea launches more trash balloons toward S. Korea: JCS | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · September 7, 2024

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES throughout with latest details)

SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- North Korea sent more balloons likely carrying trash toward South Korea on Saturday, military officials said, marking the fourth straight day of the launches.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the balloons could travel to Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul, warning the public of falling objects and asking people to report balloons to the military or police.

The latest launches came after the North floated some 190 balloons from Friday night to early Saturday morning, with around 100 trash bundles landing in the capital and Gyeonggi Province, according to the JCS.

No hazardous materials have been found in the balloons, which largely contained scrap paper, pieces of plastic and plastic bottles.

Since late May, the North has launched thousands of balloons carrying trash in retaliation against anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent across the border by North Korean defectors and activists in South Korea.

Initially, manure was sent toward the South in these balloons, later replaced by scrap paper and plastic, and then used plastic bottles.

This week's launches came after a nearly one-month hiatus.

North Korea appears to have resumed the campaign due to a more consistent supply of materials to fill the balloons.

In response to such campaigns, the South's military has been blasting daily anti-North Korean propaganda broadcasts through loudspeakers on the border since July 21.

North Korea has bristled against the anti-Pyongyang leaflet and loudspeaker campaigns on fears that an influx of outside information could pose a threat to the Kim Jong-un regime.

Seen from an observation point at Mount Odu in the South Korean border city of Paju on Sept. 5, 2024, balloons are being launched from the North Korean border county of Kaepung. (Yonhap)

pbr@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Chae Yun-hwan · September 7, 2024

3. Why Ukrainians love K-pop (and Korean artillery shells)

Excerpts:

Although South Korea is located quite far from Ukraine, it remains a strong ally in its confrontation with Russia and the DPRK. 

South Korea is a highly developed technological country, and it has a powerful artillery capability that Ukraine lacks. The country is also rich in lethal weapons, and although it has not yet decided to transfer them, Russia has not been able to force South Korea to stop helping Ukraine. 

South Korea regularly imposes sanctions against Russia and Belarus. It has banned the export of goods that could potentially be used for military purposes, including metal cutting machines, machine parts and components, parts for optical instruments, and electronic sensors.

The South Korean Administration also imposed sanctions on vessels, companies, and officials from Russia and the DPRK involved in illicit trafficking of weapons, oil and petroleum products, missile development, and other activities. 

Four Russian and eight North Korean ships were added to the list in June 2024, carrying oil, petroleum products, and critical resources for the development of nuclear and missile weapons to the DPRK.

South Korea is increasingly cutting ties with autocracies. It is proving more and more that it is part of the democratic world. 

And democracies stick together. 

Why Ukrainians love K-pop (and Korean artillery shells)

Korea has been a great help to Ukraine during a full-scale war. And Ukraine repays it with a crazy love for Korean culture: K-pop, dramas, cosmetics and food.

https://www.counteroffensive.news/p/why-ukrainians-love-k-pop-and-korean?r=7i07&utm

Myroslava Tanska-Vikulova and Mariana Lastovyria

Sep 07, 2024

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Editor’s Note: We are always looking for unique stories that tell you something about Ukraine that you have never heard before. We thank each of you for your support! Upgrade now to help us to continue reporting from this terrible war.

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The greatest thing that K-pop has given Oleksandra and Rita is a strong friendship that has lasted for years.

First, they separately started listening to the music of the most famous Korean band BTS, then they collected postcards about Korean culture. 

Then they found each other. 

Oleksandra and Rita during a photo shoot in the Korean Style in the Kyiv Region, September 2023. They folded their hands into a heart because young Koreans often use similar gestures

In recent years, South Korean culture, particularly K-pop, has taken deep root in Ukraine, with thousands of fans embracing not only the music but also Korean dramas, cosmetics, food, and entertainment. 

This cultural connection comes as South Korea quietly becomes one of Ukraine's key military aid partners, despite Seoul's official policy against providing direct support to countries at war. As Ukraine faces a critical shortage of artillery shells in its war against Russia, South Korea has emerged as a significant player, indirectly supplying more shells to Ukraine than the entire European Union. 

And while South Korea has taken the path of helping Ukraine, its adversary North Korea has been an active and vocal supporter of Russia. Pyongyang has sent Moscow thousands of containers that could contain about five million pieces of artillery ammunition. 

North Korea and Russia signed an agreement that includes a mutual commitment to provide immediate military assistance if one of them is attacked. 

In response, the South Korean government hinted that it may enhance its aid to Ukraine – a country where its cultural diplomacy is dominant.

Oleksandra Petukhova first tried listening to K-pop in 2013. It wasn't popular then. At first she didn't like it – she thought it was some kind of children's song.

Kai of boy band EXO attends the 'YSL Beauty Zone' Pop-up store open photocall on August 22, 2022 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage)

And then she saw a photo of a very handsome guy on a website, who Oleksandra thought was a model. When she started looking for more information about him, she found out that he was Kai, a member of the Korean band Exo. 

"I thought, okay, maybe I'll listen to at least one of their songs. The video and the song were a bit strange, but for some reason, I thought it was pretty cool, it was completely different from what I had imagined," Oleksandra said. 

She continued with a laugh: "It turned out that he was not the only one [who was attractive]. After that, I started listening to them.”

Oleksandra’s K-pop card collection in Southport, United Kingdom, March 2024

A few years later, Oleksandra's love for K-pop music faded. But when the coronavirus pandemic started, she became depressed: one day, while flipping through her Tiktok, she came across a video that reminded her of K-pop. 

She wondered what had happened to her favorite bands, and came back to K-pop. 

That's how Oleksandra became a fan of the most famous Korean band BTS. She’s such a big K-pop fan that she’s traveled around the world to go to their concerts.

Oleksandra at a K-pop concert in Bangkok, Thailand, June 2023.

Meanwhile, Rita Kyruta started getting into K-pop in 2019. That's when she came across a teaser for the BTS song “Shadow” in her YouTube recommendations. 

BTS captivated Rita so much that she even got a tattoo of a phrase from one of their songs right above her heart: Love Yourself. 

Rita’s BTS ‘Love Yourself’ tattoo, 2024

"It's about self-love. You're strong, you can do it, and that's what really sustained me," Rita said, continuing: "It was a gift from my mom for my 23rd birthday. I really wanted to get this tattoo. The writing is in English and in the colors of the BTS album. 13 colors – [one] for each letter of the phrase," Rita said enthusiastically. 

Over time, Rita started listening to BTS less. Her new favorite band became TXT [Tomorrow X Together]. And that's how she developed a love for collecting Korean postcards.

"I had the best collection of TXT cards in Ukraine," Rita boasted. 

Rita's card collection in Kyiv, 2023

When the band has sales of albums or other merchandise, they put cards with everything. There are limited numbers, and they can only be pre-ordered for one day, and then they aren’t available anywhere else. 

Rita couldn't resist. She bought them all. 

This is how Rita met Oleksandra. Rita bought these cards from abroad and then handed them out to girls who ordered them in Kyiv. 

Oleksandra and Rita in the Kyiv Region, September 2023

Now the girls dream of a trip to South Korea. In the meantime, South Korea itself is replenishing Ukraine's budget. 

In 2024, South Korea promised to provide Ukraine with a $2.3 billion aid package. Seoul also promised to provide $12 million for military rehabilitation through the NATO fund.

This includes surgery, psychological treatment, education and training for wounded Ukrainian soldiers.

Korean culture is so popular in Ukraine that K-pop fans don’t have to leave home to attend events celebrating their favorite bands. Rita and Oleksandra went to a birthday greeting for BTS idol J-Hope that was held at a Kyiv mall in 2021. A congratulatory message was displayed on a billboard for the singer. 

It was the first event of its kind in Ukraine and was organized by Alina Matsiurak, a huge K-pop and BTS fan. Dozens of fans gathered, exchanging band symbols and merchandise.

A birthday greeting for BTS idol J-Hope on a billboard in a Kyiv mall, 2021:

There, Alina met other K-pop fans, and together, they formed Ukraine's largest BTS fan base. They started to expand, organizing various events, including festivals and parties at home in Ukraine. 

"We wanted to take part in such events ourselves. We organized the first party because we wanted to party ourselves," said Anastasiia Kicha, co-founder of the fan group. 

The first party was scheduled for March 9, 2022. People bought tickets en masse. However due to the outbreak of the full-scale invasion, the event had to be canceled. 

After a delay, it was finally held in September 2022, attracting nearly 350 people, much less than originally expected. As a lot of people fled from Ukraine, some were afraid to go to the party because of Russian attacks.

K-pop party, January 2024:

Since then, Anastasiia and Alina have organized around ten more parties, every two or three months. At each party, the girls collect some money for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Each time more and more people come to the events.

K-pop fan-cafe in Kyiv, June 2024

Korean dramas have also made their mark in Ukraine. Olha Vakulko, 24, from Western Ukraine, has been watching them for ten years, calling them masterpieces for their detailed storytelling and promotion of family values and traditions.

Olha trying to find a new drama to watch, 2024.

Olha watches dramas exclusively dubbed into Ukrainian, rather than with subtitles. And she can keep up with new episodes, even after the Russian invasion. Creating Ukrainian versions of Korean shows is challenging, especially during wartime. One translation team, Bamboo, was founded by Wen (a pseudonym for security reasons) and her sister in 2014 while studying abroad.

"The lack of nightingale communication and our love for dramas formed a puzzle," said Wen, a co-founder of the community. 

Their Bamboo team translates only Korean dramas. They consist of about 80 people, some of whom are drama fans and some of whom want to popularize the Ukrainian language.

Choi Yoon-so, center, stands by on the set of a South Korean TV drama 'Gahwamansasung' or Bong's Happy Restaurant by MBC on April 25, 2016 in Incheon, South Korea. (Photo by Jean Chung/Getty Images)

Olga, a fan of Korean dramas, says that food is a vitally important element of their culture. The characters spend a lot of time not just eating alone, but sharing a meal with others – it's part of the relationship with their loved ones.

In 2012, Ukrainian student Fedir Molchanov tried Korean barbecue while studying abroad. Inspired, he mastered the concept and opened Ukraine's first "cook it yourself" restaurant with a Seoul nightlife vibe, later expanding to multiple locations across the country.

Their dishes are almost unchanged for the Ukrainian consumer, they are authentic and specific.

Fedir’s restaurants in Kyiv, 2024

Fedir believes that there is no better way to learn about a culture than through food and entertainment. 

This is especially true in Korea, where people ask "Did you have a good meal?" instead of "How are you?"

Although South Korea is located quite far from Ukraine, it remains a strong ally in its confrontation with Russia and the DPRK. 

South Korea is a highly developed technological country, and it has a powerful artillery capability that Ukraine lacks. The country is also rich in lethal weapons, and although it has not yet decided to transfer them, Russia has not been able to force South Korea to stop helping Ukraine. 

South Korea regularly imposes sanctions against Russia and Belarus. It has banned the export of goods that could potentially be used for military purposes, including metal cutting machines, machine parts and components, parts for optical instruments, and electronic sensors.

The South Korean Administration also imposed sanctions on vessels, companies, and officials from Russia and the DPRK involved in illicit trafficking of weapons, oil and petroleum products, missile development, and other activities. 

Four Russian and eight North Korean ships were added to the list in June 2024, carrying oil, petroleum products, and critical resources for the development of nuclear and missile weapons to the DPRK.

South Korea is increasingly cutting ties with autocracies. It is proving more and more that it is part of the democratic world. 

And democracies stick together. 

The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

4. S. Korea, Germany hold joint naval drills in East Sea

Although we are not likely to see NATO in Asia it is good to see NATO countries operating there. And Germany is now a member state of the United Nations Command in Korea.

And most importantly it is good to see the international community stepping up to contribute to sanctions enforcement.

S. Korea, Germany hold joint naval drills in East Sea

The Korea Times · September 6, 2024

The South Korean Navy's ROKS Incheon frigate and the German Navy's Baden-Wurttemberg frigate take part in combined drills in the East Sea, in this photo provided by the South Korean Navy, Sept. 6. Yonhap

South Korea and Germany staged combined naval drills in the East Sea on Friday, involving a German warship visiting the western port city of Incheon to replenish supplies, the South's Navy said.

The South's ROKS Incheon frigate and Germany's Baden-Wurttemberg frigate took part in the drills that focused on maritime maneuvers and sharing their navigation data, according to the Navy.

The German warship has sailed in waters near the Korean Peninsula to take part in operations to monitor U.N. sanctions against North Korea. (Yonhap)

The Korea Times · September 6, 2024

5. North Korean Threat Actors Deploy COVERTCATCH Malware via LinkedIn Job Scams

The all purpose sword of north Korean cyber at work. Just one of their many schemes. Many of us are seeing phishing email messages from north Korean hackers on a fairly routine basis.

Excerpts:

The disclosure comes amid a warning from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about North Korean threat actors' targeting of the cryptocurrency industry using "highly tailored, difficult-to-detect social engineering campaigns."

These ongoing efforts, which impersonate recruiting firms or individuals that a victim may know personally or indirectly with offers of employment or investment, are seen as a conduit for brazen crypto heists that are designed to generate illicit income for hermit kingdom, which has been the subject of international sanctions.

...

"The actors may reference personal information, interests, affiliations, events, personal relationships, professional connections, or details a victim may believe are known to few others," the FBI said, highlighting attempts to build rapport and eventually deliver malware.

"If successful in establishing bidirectional contact, the initial actor, or another member of the actor's team, may spend considerable time engaging with the victim to increase the sense of legitimacy and engender familiarity and trust."

North Korean Threat Actors Deploy COVERTCATCH Malware via LinkedIn Job Scams

thehackernews.com · by The Hacker News

Threat actors affiliated with North Korea have been observed leveraging LinkedIn as a way to target developers as part of a fake job recruiting operation.

These attacks employ coding tests as a common initial infection vector, Google-owned Mandiant said in a new report about threats faced by the Web3 sector.

"After an initial chat conversation, the attacker sent a ZIP file that contained COVERTCATCH malware disguised as a Python coding challenge," researchers Robert Wallace, Blas Kojusner, and Joseph Dobson said.

The malware functions as a launchpad to compromise the target's macOS system by downloading a second-stage payload that establishes persistence via Launch Agents and Launch Daemons.

It's worth pointing out that this is one of many activity clusters – namely Operation Dream Job, Contagious Interview, and others – undertaken by North Korean hacking groups that make use of job-related decoys to infect targets with malware.

Recruiting-themed lures have also been a prevalent tactic to deliver malware families such as RustBucket and KANDYKORN.

Mandiant said it observed a social engineering campaign that delivered a malicious PDF disguised as a job description for a "VP of Finance and Operations" at a prominent cryptocurrency exchange.

"The malicious PDF dropped a second-stage malware known as RustBucket which is a backdoor written in Rust that supports file execution."

The RustBucket implant is equipped to harvest basic system information, communicate with a URL provided via the command-line, and set up persistence using a Launch Agent that disguises itself as a "Safari Update" in order to contact a hard-coded command-and-control (C2) domain.

North Korea's targeting of Web3 organizations also go beyond social engineering to encompass software supply chain attacks, as observed in the incidents aimed at 3CX and JumpCloud in recent years.

"Once a foothold is established via malware, the attackers pivot to password managers to steal credentials, perform internal reconnaissance via code repos and documentation, and pivot into the cloud hosting environment to reveal hot wallet keys and eventually drain funds," Mandiant said.

The disclosure comes amid a warning from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about North Korean threat actors' targeting of the cryptocurrency industry using "highly tailored, difficult-to-detect social engineering campaigns."

These ongoing efforts, which impersonate recruiting firms or individuals that a victim may know personally or indirectly with offers of employment or investment, are seen as a conduit for brazen crypto heists that are designed to generate illicit income for hermit kingdom, which has been the subject of international sanctions.

Notable among the tactics employed include identifying cryptocurrency-related businesses of interest, conducting extensive pre-operational research on their targets before initiating contact, and concocting personalized fake scenarios in an attempt to appeal to prospective victims and increase the likelihood of success of their attacks.

"The actors may reference personal information, interests, affiliations, events, personal relationships, professional connections, or details a victim may believe are known to few others," the FBI said, highlighting attempts to build rapport and eventually deliver malware.

"If successful in establishing bidirectional contact, the initial actor, or another member of the actor's team, may spend considerable time engaging with the victim to increase the sense of legitimacy and engender familiarity and trust."

Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.

thehackernews.com · by The Hacker News

6. US Warns of "Mounting Regional Threats" Posed by North Korea

But there is also the potential for instability and regime collapse which could also lead to conflict. We cannot be solely focused on one type of threat because they are all interrelated in north Korea.

US Warns of "Mounting Regional Threats" Posed by North Korea

Newsweek · by Hugh Cameron · September 6, 2024

ByLive News Reporter

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The U.S. has issued a stark warning about the threats posed by Kim Jong Un's regime, claiming its "reckless and dangerous" behavior has escalated tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The warning came in a joint statement by the U.S. and South Korea following the fifth annual meeting of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG).

"Acknowledging mounting regional threats, the ROK and the United States committed to continue close cooperation to ensure that ROK and U.S. strategies and postures enhance peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," the statement read.

The group, formed to "coordinate on security strategy and policy issues affecting the Korean Peninsula and broader Indo-Pacific," listed the country's ongoing ballistic missile programs and its continuous pursuit of weapons of mass destruction as aspects of North Korea's "dangerous and irresponsible behavior."

In response to the growing threats, the U.S. "reiterated its ironclad commitment" to deterring North Korea from launching a nuclear attack on the south, and said that any such attack would be met with a "swift, overwhelming, and decisive response."

Newsweek has contacted the North Korean Government for comment.

North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un smiles during a departure ceremony at the airport after Russian-North Korean talks, June 19, 2024, in Pyongyang, North Korea. The U.S. and South Korea have warned that North... North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un smiles during a departure ceremony at the airport after Russian-North Korean talks, June 19, 2024, in Pyongyang, North Korea. The U.S. and South Korea have warned that North Korea's missile tests, attempts to develop a nuclear arsenal and provocative actions on the inter-Korean border constitute a significant threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula. Contributor/Getty Images

The pair also cited the country's "recent reckless and dangerous behaviors" along the inter-Korean border's Demilitarized Zone.

Over the past few months, South Korea has reported efforts by Pyongyang to fortify its southern border, including the erection of anti-tank barriers and the laying of landmines in the 160-mile demilitarized zone, viewed by some as preparation for an armed conflict.

Since May, North Korea has also launched thousands of balloons filled with waste into South Korea, a rejoinder to the Seoul blaring propaganda broadcasts across the border.

A North Korean guard post (top) is seen over a South Korean military fence (bottom) from the border city of Paju on June 16, 2020. North Korea has engaged in numerous provocative actions along the... A North Korean guard post (top) is seen over a South Korean military fence (bottom) from the border city of Paju on June 16, 2020. North Korea has engaged in numerous provocative actions along the border, including laying landmines and floating trash-carrying balloons into South Korea. Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images

The pair also expressed concern at the deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia.

Recent elements of this relationship include the transfer of arms to Russia, the ramping up of Pyongyang's domestic missile production to support the invasion of Ukraine and a Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signed by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the latter's visit to Pyongyang in June.

While the U.S. issued several other warnings – concerning sanctions evasion and "malicious cyber activities" by the isolated state – it nevertheless praised South Korea's efforts to fostering "serious and sustained diplomacy" with its neighbor.

In mid-August, South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol outlined a blueprint for the eventual unification of the two Koreas, during a speech marking the 79th Korean Liberation Day, and promised that Seoul would be open for bilateral dialogue and economic cooperation with the north.

These commitments, however, run counter to the position Pyongyang has taken on cooperation with Seoul.

In December, North Korea's leader declared the eventual unification of the countries "impossible," and in January, amended the North Korea's constitution to declare South Korea its "principal enemy."

7. A Pragmatic Shift? What Kamala Harris Might Do on North Korea

I am sorry Dr. Lee: A shift to arms control is a victory for Kim Jong Un and his political warfare strategy.

This is a dangerous strategy that will not enhance ROK security (the arms control part not the deterrence part).

Excerpt:

To address these concerns, the U.S. would need to show that multilateral arms control could enhance South Korea's security by reducing the nuclear threat from North Korea while maintaining a strong deterrence posture. Furthermore, this approach would not signal abandoning denuclearization but would serve as an initial step for long-term denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.

A Pragmatic Shift? What Kamala Harris Might Do on North Korea

Despite her differing political views from Trump, Harris's will to resolve North Korea's nuclear issue remains uncertain. She might continue a policy of strategic patience while focusing more on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The National Interest · by Sangsoo Lee · September 6, 2024

In her acceptance speech as the Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris strongly opposed authoritarian leaders, specifically stating she would not "cozy up" to dictators like North Korea's Kim Jong Un. She criticized Donald Trump for his willingness to engage with such leaders and emphasized her commitment to U.S. democratic values and global leadership.

Despite her differing political views from Trump, Harris's will to resolve North Korea's nuclear issue remains uncertain. She might continue a policy of strategic patience while focusing more on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. However, North Korea's advancing nuclear missile technology, potentially accelerated by Russia, poses a growing threat to the U.S., and the risk of nuclear proliferation in Northeast Asia is increasing. Given this situation, Harris may soon be compelled to address these threats directly, beyond merely increasing deterrence with allies. The question remains whether Harris will consider a more proactive approach, balancing deterrence with diplomacy to manage the growing nuclear risks in the region.

Pyongyang’s Opening up

North Korea has recently shown tentative signs of re-engaging with the international community beyond its close ties with China and Russia, following four years of isolation due to COVID-19. Its participation in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games marked a return to the global stage, along with inviting European and American professors to teach at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. Additionally, Swedish diplomats are expected to return to Pyongyang soon to resume their work.

These gestures suggest that North Korea might be ready to reopen its doors to the West and potentially recalibrate its foreign policy toward the United States after the upcoming U.S. presidential election. However, North Korea's willingness to engage will depend on whether a new U.S. administration can offer a pragmatic approach that addresses its security concerns and economic incentives.

A Multilateral Arms Control Measures

A Harris administration would likely prioritize denuclearization as the primary U.S. policy toward North Korea while pursuing talks without preconditions, following the Biden administration's approach. However, Harris may recognize that achieving full denuclearization shortly is increasingly unrealistic.

Throughout her time as vice president, she has demonstrated a focus on balancing U.S. interests with a commitment to diplomatic solutions and multilateral cooperation. Known for her pragmatic approach, she might initially focus on small and incremental steps, such as arms control and non-proliferation, rather than aiming for grand bargains that are unlikely to be fulfilled under the current geopolitical situation. This shift could provide a more practical framework, emphasizing broader regional security over immediate denuclearization, which North Korea might find more acceptable.

Additionally, Harris might move away from Trump's high-level bilateral summits with Kim Jong-un, opting for a working-level and multilateral approach.

If this aligns with her practical approach, multilateral nuclear arms control measures could effectively curb the regional arms race, prevent further nuclear development by North Korea, and control nuclear proliferation in the region by reducing regional capabilities and assets.

Addressing Seoul’s Security Concerns

With North Korea's advancing nuclear capabilities, doubts about the U.S. extended deterrence have grown in Seoul. A key challenge for a Harris administration would be convincing South Korea to support a shift toward a multilateral arms control framework, which might be seen as weakening their security guarantees.

To address these concerns, the U.S. would need to show that multilateral arms control could enhance South Korea's security by reducing the nuclear threat from North Korea while maintaining a strong deterrence posture. Furthermore, this approach would not signal abandoning denuclearization but would serve as an initial step for long-term denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.

In any case, Harris would need to assure South Korea of the U.S.'s continued defense commitment, emphasizing that these efforts strengthen their security. Balancing multilateral diplomacy with a credible deterrence strategy would be essential to reassuring allies like South Korea and Japan while addressing regional nuclear issues.

About the Author

Sangsoo Lee is an associated fellow at the European Center for North Korea Studies at the University of Vienna and a founder of Strategic Linkages (SL), consulting on Korean issues, based in Stockholm. Dr. Lee was the Deputy Director and head of the Stockholm Korea Center at the Institute for Security & Development Policy (ISDP). His areas of interest are Security and Conflict issues in Northeast Asia with a focus on the North Korean nuclear crisis and inter-Korean relations. Dr. Lee holds a PhD in Northeast Asian Studies from Peking University and has been a Visiting Researcher at the United Nations University (UNU-CRIS) (2007) and at the London School of Economics (LSE) (2011).

Image Credit: Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock.

The National Interest · by Sangsoo Lee · September 6, 2024

8. New Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun: “If North Korea provokes, the regime will end”

This is a Google translation. I do not think he means that everything everyone calls provocations will bring an end to the regime. I think "provocations" is both an overused term and one that could be mistranslated and misunderstood.

New Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun: “If North Korea provokes, the regime will end”

https://www.rfa.org/korean/in_focus/k090524dh1-09062024060126.html

Seoul-Hando hando@rfa.org

2024.09.06

Newly appointed South Korean Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun delivers his inauguration speech at the inauguration ceremony held at the Ministry of National Defense building in Seoul on the 6th.

 Provided by the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea

00:00 / 00:00

Anchor : South Korea's new Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun says any provocation by North Korea will lead to the " end of the regime . " Han Do-hyung reports from Seoul .

On the 6th , the inauguration ceremony of the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Korea was held at the Ministry of National Defense building in Seoul .

In his inaugural speech, South Korea's new Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun stated, " We will deter enemy provocations by establishing an overwhelming national defense posture and capabilities so that the enemy will not dare to provoke us, " once again stating the so-called " immediate , strong , and final " principle of responding " immediately , strongly , and to the end . "

The 'immediate, strong, end' principle is a principle that former Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik put forth when he took office in October of last year , and new Minister Kim expressed his intention to continue it during the National Assembly confirmation hearing on the 2nd .

Newly appointed South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun ( September 2 ) : If North Korea provokes us, we will retaliate firmly under the principle of “ immediately , strongly , and to the end ” to prevent them from provoking us again .

Minister Kim Shin emphasized in his inauguration ceremony that day in particular , “ The ‘ end ’ in ‘ that is , the river , the end ’ refers to the North Korean regime and its leadership ,” and “ if they provoke, they will face the ‘ end of the regime . ’ ”

Earlier , South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol also visited the Army Ground Operations Command during the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise on August 21 and urged , “ We must make it clear to the North Korean regime, which dreams of communist unification and is eyeing South Korea, that an invasion will mean the end of its regime .  ”

North Korea is reacting sensitively to remarks by South Korean government officials about the ' end of the regime ' and ' removal of the leadership . '

Earlier, on February 5 , North Korea 's state-run media, Korean Central News Agency, strongly protested former Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik's remarks during a visit to an Air Force unit, saying, " If the North Korean regime starts a war, we urge you to become the vanguard in eliminating the enemy leadership and announcing the ' end of the regime, ' " calling it a " blatant declaration of war . "

South Korea's Defense Minister Nominee: "We Will Respond Firmly to North Korean Provocations"

Meanwhile, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on the 6th that North Korea launched around 260 " trash balloons " toward South Korea from the night of the 5th to the early morning of the 6th , and that around 140 of them were confirmed to have fallen in the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas .

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the balloons contained trash such as paper and plastic bottles , and the analysis results showed that there was no content harmful to the body . North Korea began scattering " trash balloons " again on the night of the 4th . This is the first " trash balloon " scattering in 25 days since August 10th .

It has been reported that the South Korean military is considering any casualties caused by North Korea's " trash balloons " to be an act of force and will retaliate militarily .

North Korea Disperses Trash Balloons for 2nd Consecutive Day... 13th This Year

In addition, South Korea's Unification Minister Kim Young-ho said on the 6th at the 2nd meeting of the " Unification Future Planning Committee, " an advisory body to the minister launched in March of last year to prepare for the future of unification, " We must induce a change in North Korea's attitude based on universal values ​​such as freedom and human rights . "

Minister Kim pointed out that “ ignoring the suffering of North Korean citizens for short-term results or focusing on dialogue for the sake of dialogue is only a temporary symptomatic treatment, ” and emphasized that “ we will not turn a blind eye to the poor human rights and livelihood conditions of North Korean citizens . ”

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said at the 2024 Ulchi Exercise Post-Review Meeting held at the Government Complex Seoul on the 6th , “ In order to protect the lives and safety of the people from the increasingly severe threats from North Korea , we must have emergency preparedness capabilities that can respond quickly in any case . ”

South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the presidential office in Seoul. / Yonhap News

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 6th , South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a summit in Seoul .

In his opening remarks, President Yoon said , “ Based on solid trust, Korea-Japan relations have significantly improved over the past year and a half, ” and “ This improvement in Korea-Japan relations has become a decisive foundation for systematizing and deepening Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation through the Camp David Summit . ”

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida emphasized in his opening remarks that “ close cooperation between Japan and South Korea is essential for regional peace and stability under the current strategic environment . ”

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also said regarding the unification principles , so-called “August 15 Unification Doctrine , ” announced by President Yoon at the Liberation Day celebration ceremony on the 15th of last month, “ I hope that this will create an environment that leads to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula . ”

This is the 12th summit between South Korea and Japan since President Yoon took office . Prime Minister Kishida is scheduled to step down at the end of this month, so this will also be the last summit between President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida .

This is Han Do-hyung from RFA Free Asia Broadcasting in Seoul .

Editor Yang Seong-won

9. S. Korea, U.S. held simulation drills for nuclear deterrence in Washington this week: defense ministry

(2nd LD) S. Korea, U.S. held simulation drills for nuclear deterrence in Washington this week: defense ministry | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · September 7, 2024

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with Pentagon's press release)

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States held simulation drills in Washington this week to enhance nuclear deterrence cooperation, both sides said Friday, as the allies are stepping up security coordination to counter evolving North Korean threats.

Seoul and Washington held the first table top simulation (TTS) of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), the allies' key nuclear deterrence dialogue body, on Thursday and Friday, Seoul's defense ministry and the Pentagon said in a joint statement.

The TTS drills involved officials from the two countries' national security, military, diplomatic and intelligence authorities, it said.

"The simulation greatly contributes to the work of NCG, especially by strengthening the alliance's approach to cooperative decision-making about nuclear deterrence and planning for potential nuclear contingencies on the Korean Peninsula," they said in the release.

During the TTS program, the U.S. reaffirmed America's "ironclad" extended deterrence commitment to South Korea, according to the release. Extended deterrence refers to the U.S.' pledge to use the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally.

TTS followed the latest session of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group, another bilateral deterrence dialogue body, in Washington on Wednesday.

The allies' deterrence efforts came as Pyongyang has been doubling down on its nuclear and missile programs in the midst of its deepening military cooperation with Moscow, while meaningful diplomacy to curb the North's nuclear threats has stalled.

Concerns have also lingered that the recalcitrant regime could engage in provocative acts before the U.S. presidential election in November.

Seoul and Washington launched the NCG in July last year in line with the Washington Declaration that President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden issued at their summit in April last year to strengthen the credibility of America's extended deterrence commitment.

South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun (L) and Deputy Defense Minister for Policy Cho Chang-rae (R), and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins (2nd from L) and Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Cara Abercrombie pose for a photo after a press conference at the State Department in Washington on Sept. 4, 2024. They held a session of the allies' Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group on the day. (Yonhap)

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · September 7, 2024

10. S. Korea, U.S., Japan discuss sanctions, private industry efforts to address N.K. cyberthreats

We must defend against the all purpose sword by wielding a sharper one (or whatever means are at hand).

“The primary thing when you take a sword in your hands is your intention to cut the enemy, whatever the means.”

– Miyamoto Musashi

S. Korea, U.S., Japan discuss sanctions, private industry efforts to address N.K. cyberthreats | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · September 7, 2024

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, the United States and Japan discussed their approach to autonomous sanctions, private industry efforts and other measures to tackle North Korean cybersecurity issues during their three-way talks in Seoul Friday, the State Department said.

The three countries held the third meeting of the Trilateral Diplomatic Working Group to counter North Korean cyberthreats as they have been striving to disrupt Pyongyang's ability to generate funds through cyber activities to bankroll its nuclear and missile programs.

Lee Jun-il, director general for Korean Peninsula policy at Seoul's foreign ministry, U.S. Deputy Special Representative for North Korea Seth Bailey and Japanese Ambassador in charge of Cyber Policy Naoki Kumagai led the meeting.

"Through the working group, the United States, the ROK and Japan will continue to coordinate on a wide range of trilateral actions, underscoring the historic cooperation established at the Camp David Summit, including efforts to prevent DPRK cryptocurrency heists, disrupt IT worker networks, engage partners on the DPRK cyberthreat, and develop trilateral capacity building assistance efforts," the department said in a press release.

ROK and DPRK stand for the official names of South Korea and North Korea, the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"The three sides also discussed their approach to autonomous sanctions and the importance of private industry efforts to address DPRK cyber issues," it added.

The participants also took stock of "substantial progress" in joint efforts to address North Korean cybersecurity challenges.

"The group reviewed the substantial progress made in deepening trilateral collaboration to disrupt the DPRK's ability to generate and launder revenue through malicious cyber activity, IT workers, and third-party facilitators, which it uses to fund its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," the department said.

WMD refers to weapons of mass destruction.

On Thursday and Friday, Lee and Bailey also held bilateral talks on cybersecurity in Seoul.

The State Department in Washington. (Yonhap)

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · September 7, 2024

11. Kamala Harris and North Korea: What Could Happen

There is a lot of speculation about what VP Harris might do regarding north Korea. None of the pundits are addressing the elephant in the rool: Human rights upfront, information, and the pursuit of a free and unified Korea. They all seem not calling for maximum engagement and arms control (which means concessions and thus giving in to Kim's political warfare strategy).

Kamala Harris and North Korea: What Could Happen

A Harris administration could risk adopting a near-carbon copy of the largely unsuccessful policy towards North Korea pursued by her predecessor, which will raise eyebrows in Tokyo, Seoul, and in the West.

The National Interest · by Edward Howell · September 6, 2024

In the prelude to the Democratic National Convention (DNC), the Democratic Party made clear how, if Harris wins in November, the U.S. would work alongside allies within Northeast Asia and beyond to combat North Korea’s, “destabilizing development of nuclear and missile programs”. Two key terms, however, were omitted, namely denuclearization and the need to address North Korea’s systemic violation of the human rights of its population. This silence suggests that, at least on the surface, Harris, like Biden, will prioritize reassuring South Korea and Japan of the U.S.’s extended deterrence and security commitments, and its support for values of freedom, peace, and prosperity, whilst not actively calling for the Complete, Verifiable, Irreversible, Dismantlement (CVID) of North Korea’s nuclear weapons.

An incoming Harris administration has also pledged to deter the burgeoning security and economic cooperation between Russia, China, and North Korea, but how it will do so remains unclear. One challenge Harris may face is how to align this rhetoric with the comparably strident discourse of the leader of Washington’s ironclad ally, namely South Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol.

A Harris administration could risk adopting a near-carbon copy of the largely unsuccessful policy towards North Korea pursued by her predecessor, which will raise eyebrows in Tokyo, Seoul, and in the West. For the Biden administration, North Korea was hardly a priority. Biden’s policy of “diplomacy and stern deterrence” was notably akin to the strategic patience of the Obama administration. As history tells us, strategic patience did very little to change the status quo and was leveraged by North Korea to buy time to accelerate its development of nuclear and missile capabilities.

In her pre-election campaign, Kamala Harris has said that she would, “not cozy up to tyrants…like Kim Jong Un”. These words may seem a way of attempting to differentiate herself from Donald Trump, but such rhetoric is almost identical to that mentioned by Biden in his pre-election campaign in 2020. Thus, the risk of Harris prolonging the Biden administration’s approach towards North Korea is high, all the while a nuclear North Korea accelerates its development of nuclear weapons, delivery systems, and conventional weapons.

Just as the end of the Obama administration saw an emboldened, nuclear North Korea, the end of the Biden administration will witness an even braver adversarial power, this time with an expanded scope and sophistication of its nuclear and missile capabilities, and a tighter security relationship with Russia.

If a Harris administration chooses to wait for North Korea to take the first step towards denuclearization, as her Democratic predecessors have done, then North Korea’s response will be predictable. It will continue to shun negotiations with the United States, as it has done following the collapse of the Hanoi summit of February 2019, all the while bolstering provocations towards South Korea and the West. We must also remember what North Korea has already said that irrespective of who emerges victorious, Pyongyang’s worldview towards the U.S., as a “hostile power” against which it should prepare for “confrontation”, will remain unchanged. That said, despite North Korea’s lack of appetite for talks with the West, at present, Pyongyang would prefer a Trump victory, since it would at least offer Kim an opportunity to exploit the possibility of interpersonal leader-to-leader dialogue once again.

Having engaged with Trump before, Kim will now know how to abuse such talks, even more, a second time around, in offering few, if any, concessions whilst continuing to reap rewards.

About the Author: Edward Howell

Edward Howell is a Departmental Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Oxford; a Korea Foundation Fellow at the Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House), London; and a Research Fellow with the Pharos Foundation. His recent book, North Korea and the Global Nuclear Order, was published by Oxford University Press in 2023. Edward frequently offers analysis and commentary for national and international media, including The Spectator, The Telegraph, The Times, as well as BBC News, Sky News, and CNN.

Image Credit: Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock.

The National Interest · by Edward Howell · September 6, 2024

12. Strengthening Bonds: Joint initiative enhances ROK-US interoperability

Strengthening Bonds: Joint initiative enhances ROK-US interoperability

By Staff Sgt. Ian Vega-CerezoSeptember 4, 2024

army.mil

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Love, U.S. Forces Korea Senior Enlisted Advisor (right), along with U.S and ROK senior leaders pose inside an AAVP-7A1 Amphibious Assault Vehicle during the Ulchi Freedom Shield Battlefield Circulation, Aug. 22, 2024. The exercise was conducted as part of Ulchi Freedom Shield 24, one of the largest training events between the U.S. and ROK, UFS24 tests the Alliance with complex challenges and includes comprehensive after-action reviews to ensure constant improvement. This iterative annual event strengthens the security and stability on the Korean peninsula and across Northeast Asia.

CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – Command Sgt. Maj. Jack H. Love, the United States Forces Korea Command Sergeant Major, receives a brief regarding harbor operations from a Republic of Korea Army port operations group officer, Busan Port, August 27. The battlefield circulation took place in conjunction with Ulchi Freedom Shield, an international training exercise engaging units and leaders across the Korean Peninsula to deepen understanding and interoperability between coalition partners.

CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – The Republic of Korea Army, 2nd Operations Command commanding general, General Chang-Jun Ko, shares his unit’s history and command philosophy with Tri-Command Senior Noncommissioned Officers during a battlefield circulation, August 27, 2024, at 2nd Operations Command Headquarters. The battlefield circulation took place in conjunction with Ulchi Freedom Shield, an international training exercise engaging units and leaders across the Korean Peninsula to deepen understanding and interoperability between coalition partners.

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Love, U.S. Forces Korea Senior Enlisted Advisor, listens to information about ROK vehicles and weapon systems at the DMZ during the Ulchi Freedom Shield Battlefield Circulation, Aug. 20, 2024. The exercise was conducted as part of Ulchi Freedom Shield 24, one of the largest training events between the U.S. and ROK, UFS24 tests the Alliance with complex challenges and includes comprehensive after-action reviews to ensure constant improvement. This iterative annual event strengthens the security and stability on the Korean peninsula and across Northeast Asia.

CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – Recently, a joint contingent of senior noncommissioned Officers from the U.S. Armed Forces, the Republic of Korea Army and the New Zealand Defence Force embarked on a two-week battlefield circulation initiative, in conjunction with Ulchi Freedom Shield, a larger peninsula-wide joint training exercise.

The primary aim of this endeavor was to deepen bonds and increase understanding and interoperability between coalition partners, reinforcing the strength and unity of the 71-year alliance.

“Anytime the ROK/US senior enlisted leaders can gain a better understanding of each other’s war-fighting capabilities, and spend time with service members, serving on freedom's frontier — that is time well spent,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Love, United States Forces Korea command sergeant major and senior enlisted advisor. “The mutual trust we build in training ensures our lethality in crisis or conflict.”

The battlefield circulation saw the contingent of senior leaders travel to various ROK operational commands across the peninsula. They received demonstrations of airborne operations, maritime strategy, hands-on experience with some ROK armored vehicles, and an introduction to the surveillance capabilities of Korean forces, providing insight into the strategies and structure of ROK Forces both on land and sea.

CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – Senior Noncommissioned Officers from across the Korean Peninsula receive a brief on Republic of Korea Naval Operations during a battlefield circulation, aboard the ROK Naval Vessel Marado, August 28. The battlefield circulation took place in conjunction with Ulchi Freedom Shield, an international training exercise engaging units and leaders across the Korean Peninsula to deepen understanding and interoperability between coalition partners.

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Love, U.S. Forces Korea Senior Enlisted Advisor, speaks to ROK Senior Leaders during the Ulchi Freedom Shield Battlefield Circulation, Aug. 22, 2024. The exercise was conducted as part of Ulchi Freedom Shield 24, one of the largest training events between the U.S. and ROK, UFS24 tests the Alliance with complex challenges and includes comprehensive after-action reviews to ensure constant improvement. This iterative annual event strengthens the security and stability on the Korean peninsula and across Northeast Asia.

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Love, U.S. Forces Korea Senior Enlisted Advisor, along with U.S and ROK senior leaders pose at the DMZ during the Ulchi Freedom Shield Battlefield Circulation, Aug. 20, 2024. The exercise was conducted as part of Ulchi Freedom Shield 24, one of the largest training events between the U.S. and ROK, UFS24 tests the Alliance with complex challenges and includes comprehensive after-action reviews to ensure constant improvement. This iterative annual event strengthens the security and stability on the Korean peninsula and across Northeast Asia. (

CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – Command Sgt. Maj. Robin M. Bolmer, Eighth Army Command Sergeant Major, presents a certificate of appreciation to the 117th Brigade, 39th Infantry Division of the Republic of Korea Army, during a battlefield circulation in Busan, August 28. The battlefield circulation took place in conjunction with Ulchi Freedom Shield, an international training exercise engaging units and leaders across the Korean Peninsula to deepen understanding and interoperability between coalition partners.

“All of the battlefield circulations that we've done continue to answer a lot of the questions I've had over the last couple of years such as retention and recruitment needs of the ROK military, and the posture of our allied forces. We see a lot of ROK military bases, but until now I wasn't really sure how they operated and I'm grateful for that clarity,” said Sgt. Maj. Eric Olsen, operations sergeant major, United States Forces Korea. “Beyond visiting and training, events like this raise morale and address the needs of servicemembers in the US and ROK military. I would also say that building this cohort of senior enlisted leaders allows us to communicate more effectively and work together with other units at different echelons so we can generate new solutions to problems that senior enlisted leaders might not be able to solve on their own.”

The leaders not only shared battle plans and strategies, but also swapped command practices, philosophies and approaches to caring for and looking after their troops.

“Each unit we visited during UFS 24 displayed a very high level of competence and commitment to the mission,” said Love. “General LaCamera and I are incredibly proud of every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine and Guardian, both ROK and US, serving here on the Korean Peninsula.”

army.mil

13.South Korea's Hanwha Ocean dismisses size criticisms over Polish Orka submarine offer

Size matters.... there are memes we could use about this.

South Korea's Hanwha Ocean dismisses size criticisms over Polish Orka submarine offer - Breaking Defense

If selected, Hanwha could construct and deliver a first SKK-III to Poland in six years from contract award.

breakingdefense.com · by Tim Martin · September 6, 2024

South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean displays a model of the KSS-III diesel-electric powered submarine at the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO)

KIELCE, POLAND — South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean used a major defense show here this week to push back on the idea that its submarine offering for Poland’s Orka program will be too large to navigate the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea, as the company seeks another lucrative contract from Warsaw.

“There has been many, many concerns in the Polish media regarding [the notion] this submarine could be too big for Poland because the Baltic Sea is very shallow,” Jaemin Kim, Orka project manager at Hanwha Ocean, told Breaking Defense of the company’s KSS-III Batch-II submarine offering.

But, Kim argued, “the Korean Sea is divided into West Sea and East Sea, and the West Sea is actually much shallower than the Baltic Sea. It is worthy to note that the KSS-III submarine is being operated,” in the West Sea, by the Republic of Korea Navy.

The issue of maintaining gaps in increasingly crowded international waters does not present a problem either, because of automatic navigation systems fitted on the KSS-III, said Steve Jeong, Vice President of Hanwha Ocean.

Warsaw plans on acquiring up to four new submarines, considered an urgent priority, to replace a single Russian based Kilo-class type.

The Republic of Korea Navy currently operates three KSS-III Batch-I subs, with construction of three Batch-II platforms underway.

Hanwha displayed a model of the diesel-electric powered submarine here at the International Defence Security Exhibition (MSPO), alongside a host of other platforms including the K9 self propelled howitzer and Chunmoo Multiple Rocket Launcher Systems (MLRS). The land based weapon systems are both in service with the Polish Army, following a new wave of spending by Warsaw, linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

According to Hanwha, the Batch-II submarine can be armed with six tubes for wire-guided torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles, and mobile mines. Additional weapon features include hull-mounted vertical launchers for conventional Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles.

An Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system and lithium-ion batteries allows the submarine to be submerged for “more than 21 days,” said Kim. Other differences over the Batch-I design, he said, include four extra vertical launch systems, providing 10 in all.

“Together with 20 weapons in the front, it can provide superior deterrence capability, which the Polish Navy requires,” he added.

If selected, Hanwha could construct and deliver a first SKK-III to Poland in six years from contract award, said Kim. The company is also proposing transfer of technology to local industry for Orka and signed a cooperation agreement with Poland’s WB Group on Tuesday for in-country maintenance, repair and overhaul provision.

“We have about 60 companies [involved in the supply chain] of KSS-III and we’re trying to match them with local companies so the relevant transfer of technologies can be made,” explained Kim.

Warsaw launched Orka’s preliminary market consultation phase last year, with deadline for industry submissions ending in June, he added.

“Unfortunately that’s where [the acquisition] is stuck at right now, and we hope that the government will push forward and release the shortlist [of downselected shipyards] soon,” noted Kim.

Hanwha has not been told of a “specific” schedule for the shortlist decision to take place, added Jeong.

The Polish Ministry of National Defence had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Europe’s main shipyards have long signaled interest in Orka, with France’s Naval Group pushing the Scorpène, Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems pitching its 212CD and Sweden’s Saab offering the A26 Blekinge design.

breakingdefense.com · by Tim Martin · September 6, 2024

14. N. Korea's youth becomes cynical of Kim's 'flood response show’

Actions (and sometimes non-actions) speak louder than words. But we should use words to reinforce the perception of Kim Jong Un's failures and to help the korean people in the north create the conditions for change.

N. Korea's youth becomes cynical of Kim's 'flood response show’

donga.com

Posted September. 06, 2024 08:25,

Updated September. 06, 2024 08:25

N. Korea's youth becomes cynical of Kim's 'flood response show’. September. 06, 2024 08:25. .

As South Korea faced torrential downpours in mid-July, its northern neighbor was also battered by record-breaking rainfall. North Korea experienced an unprecedented deluge, with some areas receiving over 400 millimeters of rain in a single day. The timing of these heavy rains was highly unusual, catching the North Korean authorities off guard and leading to a chaotic and inadequate response.

As the rains continued, the damage escalated. According to South Korean intelligence sources, the floods resulted in widespread destruction of homes, land, and, tragically, human lives. Yet, despite the mounting disaster, North Korean authorities remained conspicuously silent. State-run media avoided any mention of the floods, raising suspicions about the regime's motives. One South Korean official speculated that Kim Jong Un, facing widespread discontent due to food shortages and economic struggles, might have wanted to hide the flood's devastation from the public to avoid further unrest.

The situation worsened in the following days, with around 600 millimeters of rain pounding areas, including North Pyongan and Jagang provinces. The damage became impossible to ignore as the floods transitioned from a distant concern to a personal crisis for many North Koreans. Observers began to predict that the regime's efforts to suppress information and maintain control would not hold for long.

Attention soon turned to Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Leader, as many wondered when he would appear and how he would address the situation. As always, speculation leaned towards a "two-track" approach: Kim positioned himself as a heroic figure offering solace to the suffering population while simultaneously scapegoating and punishing certain officials.

Finally, at the end of July, the North Korean leader made an appearance. North Korean media extensively covered his visit to areas near the Yalu River, where he was shown directing rescue operations. The reports even included unfiltered images of the large SUV he was in, with all four wheels submerged in floodwaters. But that wasn't all. Dozens of photos showing Kim inspecting the flood-stricken areas were released in just one day. He was depicted traveling by helicopter, private train, and even on a lifeboat, which, according to the North Korean state media, was “dangerously rocking back and forth as if it might capsize at any moment," as he moved across land, sea, and air to rescue North Korean citizens.

Meanwhile, Kim harshly criticized and purged officials deemed responsible for the disaster. The first to go included the Social Security minister and the party secretaries of North Pyongan and Jagang provinces. As the death toll from the floods rose, so did the severity of Kim's retribution. Recently, intelligence reports have even indicated that some officials may have been executed.

This pattern is nothing new for Kim Jong Un. In every crisis, he has always found ways to glorify his image while sacrificing others. This was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive food shortages.

However, while Kim remains unchanged, the North Korean people's reaction appears to be shifting. According to one South Korean official, there is a growing cynicism among North Koreans towards Kim's exaggerated "stage performances." Many, especially the younger generation, who are more informed about the outside world through marketplaces and other means, are increasingly skeptical of the regime's traditional crisis management tactics.

Kim’s visit to flood-hit areas in a luxury vehicle and reports of his lavish yacht spotted off the coast of his Wonsan villa are stark contrasts that have not gone unnoticed by the public. North Koreans are now more aware than ever of the contradictions in their leader’s actions. The day when these murmurs of discontent grow into a chorus of open dissent may be the day the Kim Jong Un regime faces its first real test.

한국어

donga.com

15. Another victim of Japan's wartime sexual slavery dies, leaving 8 survivors

​Another reminder of a tragic history.

Another victim of Japan's wartime sexual slavery dies, leaving 8 survivors | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · September 7, 2024

SEOUL, Sept. 7 (Yonhap) -- A victim of Japan's sexual slavery of Korean women during World War II has died, a civic group said Saturday, bringing down the number of officially registered surviving victims to eight.

The woman died recently, the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan said, without revealing her identity.

At 18, the late victim traveled to China with a friend to find work at a sewing factory but was forced into sexual servitude for Japanese troops during World War II, when Korea was under Japan's colonial rule.

She couldn't return home when the country was liberated in 1945, only managing to come back in the early 2000s and reunite with her family.

While alive, she actively testified about Japan's wartime sexual slavery and worked to resolve related issues.

Her death brought the number of officially surviving victims to eight, with an average age of 95.

Historians estimate that up to 200,000 women, mostly from Korea, were forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese troops during the war.

Last year, the Seoul High Court overturned a lower court's rejection of a damages suit filed by 16 victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery and ordered Japan to pay the compensation requested by the victims.

The ruling was finalized as Japan did not appeal, but it remains unclear whether the compensation will actually be paid, given Japan's inaction.

This image shows a statue of a girl in Seoul symbolizing women forced into sexual servitude for Japanese troops during World War II. (Yonhap)

pbr@yna.co.kr

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en.yna.co.kr · by Park Boram · September 7, 2024

16. Senior U.S. diplomat to visit S. Korea for AI forum next week

Senior U.S. diplomat to visit S. Korea for AI forum next week | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · September 7, 2024

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- A senior U.S. diplomat will visit South Korea to attend an international meeting on the responsible military use of artificial intelligence (AI) next week, the State Department said Friday.

Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins will lead the U.S. delegation to the Second Annual Responsible AI in the Military Domain (REAIM) Summit set to take place in Seoul on Monday and Tuesday.

During her visit to Seoul on Tuesday and Wednesday, Jenkins plans to meet officials from South Korea and other countries to discuss the opportunities, challenges and risks associated with the use of AI in military applications, the department said.

The first REAIM summit was held in the Netherlands last year. The gathering is part of international efforts to raise awareness on AI-related issues and chart the path forward for the responsible use of AI in the military sector.

Her Asia trip also includes a stop in Manila on Sunday and Monday.

She plans to attend an international trade conference and meet with Philippine government officials and other partners to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, the department said.

This photo, taken on Oct. 6, 2023, shows Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins speaking during a forum hosted by the Stimson Center in Washington. (Yonhap)

sshluck@yna.co.kr

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en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · September 7, 2024

​17. Forbidden fashion: N. Korean youth punished for mimicking Kim Jong Un's pants

​I guess imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery in north Korea.

Forbidden fashion: N. Korean youth punished for mimicking Kim Jong Un's pants - Daily NK English

Some people find it "very confusing" that "even following what the supreme leader does is a problem," a source told The Daily NK

By Han Jae-deok - September 6, 2024

dailynk.com · by Han Jae-deok · September 6, 2024

The Workers' Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported on Aug. 26 that North Korean Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un conducted on-site guidance at several local industrial factory construction sites on Aug. 24 and 25. /Photo=Rodong Sinmun, News1

As North Korean authorities intensify a crackdown on youth fashion, they’ve begun targeting young people who imitate Kim Jong Un’s clothing and hairstyle, particularly those who wear baggy pants similar to the leader’s. The unexpected crackdown, which began in early August in Chongjin, is being enforced by the Socialist Patriotic Youth League.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source in North Hamgyong province told The Daily NK on Wednesday that North Korean youths call the baggy pants, which have far more legroom than other pants, “supreme leader pants.”

The sartorial choices of Kim Jong Un or his family often become trendy when they appear on television or in newspapers. As Kim’s baggy pants have become popular recently, students at Chongjin Railway University, Chongjin Medical University and other major universities in Chongjin have taken to wearing them.

However, the Socialist Patriotic Youth League organizations began cracking down on young people wearing baggy pants in early August, saying that “the pants looked good on people with robust figures like the supreme leader, but they looked bad on smaller-framed people,” according to the source.

“They crack down on shorts, claiming they do not go with the socialist lifestyle, but with baggy pants, they just crack down on them without explanation. However, they just warn us not to wear them. They don’t publicly criticize us like they do when we wear tight pants or shorts,” he explained.

“Baggy pants, known as ‘supreme leader pants,’ are so baggy that they can make you look like a scarecrow, so it seems that Pyongyang has quietly issued a fashion crackdown on people who wear them out of concern that such an image could be associated with Kim.”

Kim Jong Un-style hair also part of crackdown

Authorities have also cracked down on young people who wear their hair like Kim.

“University students are encouraged to wear their hair long on the sides and short on top, and they are cracking down on the so-called supreme leader hairstyle, with the sides cut almost to the scalp and the top left long,” the source said.

The organizations enforcing the crackdown have yet to explain exactly why they are objecting to the hairstyle. However, the source suggested that they may believe that “calling it the ‘supreme leader’s hair’ is itself a problem.”

Some people find it “very confusing” that “even following what the Supreme Leader does is a problem,” the source said.

“They didn’t stop people from wearing windbreakers and platform shoes when Kim Jong Il was in power, but now they’re stopping you from wearing see-through clothes like Kim Jong Un’s daughter, or baggy pants and leather jackets like Kim himself. Now that they’re cracking down on the supreme leader’s hairstyle, some people are whispering that it seems like they’re trying to separate the Paektu bloodline from the people.”

The Daily NK works with a network of sources in North Korea, China, and elsewhere. For security reasons, their identities remain anonymous.

Please send any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.

Read in Korean

dailynk.com · by Han Jae-deok · September 6, 2024

18. US’ new export controls to have little impact on Korean businesses: ministry

US’ new export controls to have little impact on Korean businesses: ministry

koreaherald.com · by Jo He-rim · September 6, 2024

By Jo He-rim

Published : Sept. 6, 2024 - 17:24

The flags of the US and China on a microcircuit board (Reuters-Yonhap)

The US' new export controls on critical technologies including quantum computing and cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing will have little impact on South Korean businesses, Korea's Industry Ministry said on Friday.

The US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security published an interim final rule on Thursday, implementing controls on 24 goods involving critical and emerging technologies including the gate all-around (GAA) chipmaking process, in order to hinder technological advancement by the US' adversaries.

“The US measure aims to prevent advanced technologies from being repurposed for military use through coordinated controls with allies and like-minded nations," the ministry said in the statement.

“Exports from the US to South Korea operate under a presumed approval principle, so the impact of the US export controls will have little impact on Korean companies," it said.

Under the new US regulations, "like-minded" nations and allies are supposed to get approval from the US BIS for trading goods subject to it. For countries that already have their own export controls on advanced technologies, the US established a new Licensed Exception Implemented Export Controls (IEC) for approval exemptions.

Korea cannot independently regulate items beyond those agreed upon within the international export control regime under its Foreign Trade Act, so the country has not been granted an exemption. Japan and the Netherlands were among the countries included on the IEC list.

The Korean government should be able to cooperate with the US government to coordinate control measures when the law revision aimed at expanding the export control items is expected in October, the Industry Ministry explained.

The goods that are subject to the US export curb measures include quantum computers and related equipment, advanced chip manufacturing equipment and the GAA field-effect transistor, the technology that produces or develops high-performance computing chips for supercomputers.

Industry officials here view the chip sector will not be affected by the US regulations, as Samsung Electronics has already established a stable production system that facilitates GAA technology.

The chip giant was the world's first chipmaker to start initial production of the cutting-edge 3-nanometer process node, applying GAA transistor architecture, in June 2022.

The US is ramping up trade curbs to ensure critical technologies are "not used for purposes contrary to US national security or foreign policy," particularly military applications, according to a BIS press release Thursday.

“Today’s action ensures our national export controls keep in step with rapidly evolving technologies and are more effective when we work in concert with international partners,” said Alan Estevez, under secretary for the Bureau of Industry and Security, while announcing the new IFR on Thursday.

“Aligning our controls on quantum and other advanced technologies makes it significantly more difficult for our adversaries to develop and deploy these technologies in ways that threaten our collective security," he said.

koreaherald.com · by Jo He-rim · September 6, 2024

19. S. Korean, U.S. envoys to visit Michigan, Texas, Arizona next week to reaffirm bilateral ties

The US Ambassador is likely to be asked political questions about the potential election outcome. He will be navigating the minefield of the Hatch Act.

S. Korean, U.S. envoys to visit Michigan, Texas, Arizona next week to reaffirm bilateral ties | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · September 7, 2024

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Ambassador to the United States Cho Hyun-dong and U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Philip Goldberg will visit Michigan, Texas and Arizona together next week to help enhance the two countries' mutual understanding and reaffirm the bilateral alliance, Cho's office said Friday.

During their trip there from Monday through Friday, Cho and Goldberg will have the "Ambassadors' Dialogue" -- an event during which they will meet state governors, other influential figures and local people. They also plan to visit South Korean semiconductor-related businesses in the three states.

This photo, taken on Aug. 29, 2024, shows South Korean Ambassador to the United States Cho Hyun-dong during a press meeting in Washington. (Yonhap)

In addition, the ambassadors will meet businesspeople and students to discuss bilateral relations, global affairs and other issues during business round tables and their visits to the University of Michigan and Arizona State University.

"This event is expected to serve as an opportunity to reaffirm the two countries' partnership, which has seen active cooperation in economy, science and technology, and education fields, and to raise awareness of the South Korea-U.S. alliance in the U.S.," the South Korean Embassy in Washington said in a press release.

The two countries had held the Ambassadors' Dialogue on a regular basis since 1992, but it has not been held since 2019 due largely to COVID-19.

This photo, taken on Aug. 28, 2024, shows U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg speaking during a forum marking the first anniversary of the Camp David summit between South Korea, the United States and Japan at the Korea Press Center in Seoul. (Yonhap)

sshluck@yna.co.kr

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en.yna.co.kr · by Song Sang-ho · September 7, 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