News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.
1. Nation marks subdued Independence Movement anniversary amid pandemic (Korea)
2. Rallies are small and wet on March 1 in Seoul
3. Full text of President Moon Jae-in's speech on 102nd March 1 Independence Movement Day
4. Undying Exploits Performed for Victorious Advance of Socialist Cause (north Korea)
5. Rodong Sinmun Calls for Upholding Slogan "One for All and All for One!"
6. More Oath-taking Meetings Held across Country
7. Kim Jong Un says ‘sorry, not sorry’
8. Moon says S. Korea ready to talk with Japan anytime, urges separation of history with future-oriented ties
9. Moon's continued two-track approach unlikely to help improve ties with Japan
10. Apologize to victims: Ramseyer should also withdraw paper on sex slaves
11. South Korea would benefit from joining a Quad+
1. Nation marks subdued Independence Movement anniversary amid pandemic (Korea)
en.yna.co.kr · by 심선아 · March 1, 2021
A day to remember Korean history. (this also makes it a slow news day in Korea).
2. Rallies are small and wet on March 1 in Seoul
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com · by Pyun Gwng-Hyn and Esther Chung
3. Full text of President Moon Jae-in's speech on 102nd March 1 Independence Movement Day
en.yna.co.kr · by 이치동 · March 1, 2021
4. Undying Exploits Performed for Victorious Advance of Socialist Cause (north Korea)
kcnawatch.org· March 01, 2021
No recognition of Samil Day in north Korea. No speech from Kim Jong-un.
But give us more Kim Jong-il:
The people of the DPRK as well as the progressive peoples of the world yearn for Chairman Kim Jong Il more ardently than ever despite the passage of time.
There should be no doubt that north Korea remains not only a rogue power but a self-proclaimed revolutionary nation that seeks to dominate the Korean peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State.
Excerpts:
“Since imperialists and all sorts of reactionary forces joined hands with each other to hinder socialism in its progress and challenge it Kim Jong Il regarded it as an important requirement for the successful accomplishment of the socialist cause to strengthen the international unity and solidarity of revolutionary parties and energetically led the struggle to achieve it.
The Pyongyang Declaration on defending and advancing the cause of socialism was adopted in 1992. It provided a program for the struggle of revolutionary parties in the world.
The Pyongyang Declaration delivered a telling blow to the anti-socialist maneuvers of imperialists and revved up the struggle of revolutionary peoples for the rebuilding of socialism further.
Our Party has been a dignified revolutionary party of Juche which leads the cause of socialism. The cause advances victoriously along its path, surmounting its hardship and trials.”
5. Rodong Sinmun Calls for Upholding Slogan "One for All and All for One!"
kcnawatch.org· March 01, 2021
Maybe north Korea is embracing its inner QAnon: ("where we go one we go all.")
6. More Oath-taking Meetings Held across Country
kcnawatch.org· March 01, 2021
Motivational speaking and motivational meetings, north Korean style.
7. Kim Jong Un says ‘sorry, not sorry’
asiatimes.com · by M Markus V Garlauskas · February 25, 2021
Sigh. Yes Markus is right. Will Kim change his approach? That is why I harp on these two questions:
· Do we believe that Kim Jong-un has abandoned the seven decades old strategy of subversion, coercion-extortion (blackmail diplomacy), and use of force to achieve unification dominated by the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State in order to ensure the survival of the mafia like crime family cult known as Kim family regime?
· In support of that strategy do we believe that Kim Jong-un has abandoned the objective to split the ROK/US Alliance and get US forces off the peninsula? Has KJU given up his divide to conquer strategy - divide the alliance to conquer the ROK?
8. Moon says S. Korea ready to talk with Japan anytime, urges separation of history with future-oriented ties
en.yna.co.kr · by 이치동 · March 1, 2021
I hate to beat the horse but both Moon and Suga must pledge to put national security and national prosperity as the top priorities for their countries while managing the historical issues.
9. Moon's continued two-track approach unlikely to help improve ties with Japan
The Korea Times · March 1, 2021
Excerpts:
"If the Korean government really wanted to restore the strained relations, Moon should have offered to meet Suga without preconditions," the professor added.
Since late last year, President Moon has shown a shift in tone and rhetoric toward ties with Japan, which many believe is because he is seeking to take advantage of the Tokyo Summer Olympics to revive the stalled U.S.-North Korea nuclear talks and his peace initiative of engaging Pyongyang.
The President confirmed the speculation.
"The Tokyo Summer Olympic Games scheduled for this year?may serve as an opportunity for dialogue between Korea and Japan, South and North Korea, North Korea and Japan, and North Korea and the U.S. Korea will work together with Japan for the success of the Olympics," he said.
Other than the North's Olympic participation, Moon did not talk much about deadlocked inter-Korean ties and the North Korea nuclear issue in his speech. The Kim Jong-un regime has refused South Korean offers for cross-border exchanges and cooperation following a failed summit with the U.S. in February 2019.
The President just vowed to maintain efforts for denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, while hoping that the North will participate in the Northeast Asia Cooperation Initiative for Infectious Disease Control and Public Health that has already been joined by the U.S., China, Russia and Mongolia.”
10. Apologize to victims: Ramseyer should also withdraw paper on sex slaves
The Korea Times · March 1, 2021
Yes.
Apologize to victims
11. South Korea would benefit from joining a Quad+
csis.org · by KF-VUB Korea Chair, CSDS, Brussels School of Governance.
Yes it would. While it may not lead to Chinese economic warfare in retaliation, a Quad+ must be ready to come to the defense of the South if it does.
Excerpts:
“But Quad+ membership need not lead to Chinese economic retaliation. After all, Japan is one of the founding members of Quad and its relations with China have not suffered as a result of it. Meanwhile, Australia’s current trade conflict with China is not directly linked to its membership of Quad. An expanded Quad would be less China-focused, which would make it less likely that Beijing would retaliate.
Plus, Seoul has no intention to suddenly take a confrontational approach towards Beijing. There are areas for cooperation and mutual benefit that South Korea will continue to emphasize. RCEP proves this. The still-open invitation for Xi Jinping to visit South Korea also does.
In any case, Seoul could insist that Washington provides diplomatic and – if necessary – economic support were Beijing to retaliate as a result of South Korea joining a Quad+. This would help assuage possible South Korean concerns about joining the organization.
As former Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha stated last September, South Korea has ‘leverage’ in the U.S.-China rivalry and can use ‘partnerships with like-minded friends and countries’ to promote its foreign policy interests. Joining an expanded Quad would add a new partnership to Seoul’s toolkit, with its leverage helping to shield it from any potential negative effects from membership. Everything considered, joining the Quad+ would be a beneficial move for South Korea.”
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In honor of the Korean March 1st (Samil) Movement in 1919 and the reported 7,509 people killed, 15,849 wounded, and 46,303 arrested:
"We herewith proclaim the independence of Korea and the liberty of the Korean people. This we proclaim to all the nations of the world in witness of human equality. This we proclaim to our descendants so that they may enjoy in perpetuity their inherent right to nationhood. In as much as this proclamation originates from our five-thousand-year history, in as much as it springs from the loyalty of twenty million people, in as much as it affirms our yearning for the advancement of everlasting liberty, in as much as it expresses our desire to take part in the global reform rooted in human conscience, it is the solemn will of heaven, the great tide of our age, and a just act necessary for the co-existence of all humankind. Therefore, no power in this world can obstruct or suppress it!"
"Mansai"
- Read by Chung Jae-yong on March 1, 1919, along with 33 Korean activists who formed the core of the Samil Movement
"A single feat of daring can alter the whole conception of what is possible."
- Graham Greene
"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it."
- Henry David Thoreau