News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.
1. Military blames radar blind spot for inaccurate assessment of N.K. missiles
2. Building Materials Delivered to THAAD Base After U.S. Complaints
3. Defense Ministry Reveals Cowardice in THAAD Supplies
4. U.N. committee requests N. Korea provide explanation on human rights violations
5. State Dept.: Kim Jong Un should be held accountable for human rights abuses
6. Biden vows to cooperate with allies to address North Korea
7. It Is Time to Change Approach to North Korea
8. N. Korean officials cover costs for retired military officers' holiday meals through "donations" from ordinary people
9. North Korea sees a surge in soldiers frustrated with government policy deserting their posts
10. No sign of China backing for North Korean missile tests: experts
11. N.K.'s largest youth group calls for eradication of anti-socialist practices
12. S. Korea heading fast toward herd immunity after vaccinating 3 mln in 2 months
13. Minister calls first half 'most optimal' period for progress in stalled peace process
14. S'pore police investigating S'porean man wanted in US for allegedly doing business with North Korea
15. US, Japan and South Korea eye foreign ministers' meeting in May: Media
16. 10,000 North Korean Students Turn Themselves In For Having Watched K-Drama
17. S. Korea to give primary approval to self-funded aid projects when assistance to N. Korea resumes: official
18. On the Occasion of North Korea Freedom Week - United States Department of State
19. North Korea sunk Cheonan warship, Seoul says after suspended reinvestigation
20. Combined forces of S. Korea, U.S. fully ready to deter N. Korean threats: Milley
1. Military blames radar blind spot for inaccurate assessment of N.K. missiles
en.yna.co.kr · by 오석민 · April 29, 2021
Blind spots could be reduced through participation in an integrated missile defense system and would be even more effective in a trilateral integrated missile defense systems with the ROK, Japan, and the US.
2. Building Materials Delivered to THAAD Base After U.S. Complaints
Our soldiers are defending South Korea with a capability the South Korean government does not provide and yet they are treated extremely poorly by those who they defend. But I do not blame the South Korean citizens who are protesting. I blame the professional agitators who are radicalizing the local citizens with lies.
Excerpt: "U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called their circumstance "unacceptable" when he met with Defense Minister Suh Wook in March."
3. Defense Ministry Reveals Cowardice in THAAD Supplies
I do not blame MND. Its hands are tied by the Moon administration.
But there are so many issues with this problem. And this is a self-inflicted wound.
Excerpts: “The ministry insisted that the equipment delivered on Wednesday "has nothing to do with the improvement of" the THAAD battery itself. In May last year, it changed an outdated strike missile in the middle of the night and repeated that the replacement was "unrelated" to any improvement in the capability of the system. But what if it was? Is there anything wrong with improving the anti-missile system? Whose defense ministry is this, South Korea's or North Korea's?
The government also apparently sought China's "understanding" before the missile replacement last May. But South Korea is a sovereign nation and has absolutely no reason to ask China’s understanding every time it wants to change a lightbulb. The way the Moon Jae-in administration kowtows to China and North Korea is insane.
4. U.N. committee requests N. Korea provide explanation on human rights violations
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · April 29, 2021
We should not forget that a focus on human rights is an existential threat to the regime. Kim Jong-un must deny the human rights of the Koreans living in the north in order to keep himself in power. But I doubt that is the kind of "explanation" he will provide to the UN Human Rights Committee.
5. State Dept.: Kim Jong Un should be held accountable for human rights abuses
UPI · by Thomas Maresca · April 29, 2021
Yes. Kim Jong-un must be held accountable. And those who enable him must be as well.
6. Biden vows to cooperate with allies to address North Korea
koreanjoongangdaily.com · by Sarah Kim · April 29, 2021
Minister Lee is projecting (sanctions relief) though trying to present a balanced assessment (depending on progress toward denuclearization).
He likewise indicated there was “some possibility of flexibility” in the Biden administration’s Pyongyang policy and that it could be based on a “phased and simultaneous approach, including easing of sanctions depending on the progress in denuclearization.”
7. It Is Time to Change Approach to North Korea
realclearworld.com · by Daniel DePetris
I support establishing normal relations with north Korea if and only if it is based on a clear understanding of the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime and is a component of our superior political warfare strategy that is designed to defeat the regime's political warfare strategy. long con, and blackmail diplomacy (the use of threats, increased tensions, and provocations to gain political and economic concessions).
Excerpts: “Critics will suggest that normalizing relations with the North is deeply irresponsible. Diplomatic contact, however, should be not be treated as a reward. Bilateral engagement is a normal part of statecraft. It can also provide both countries with a direct forum to share best practices in the nuclear realm, keep tensions from boiling over, establish rules of the road in the event of a crisis, and increase mutual understanding about one another’s respective policies.
The North Korea file is synonymous with failure for multiple U.S. administrations. If President Biden is more realistic about what he can accomplish and supports bold, common-sense reforms, he can break this string of failure and defend U.S. national security interests in the process.
8. N. Korean officials cover costs for retired military officers' holiday meals through "donations" from ordinary people
dailynk.com · by Lee Chae Un · April 29, 2021
I would ask everyone who follows north Korea to reflect on this statement form the subtitle: "... retired military officers, some of whom are “true believers” who still hold Kim Il Sung’s "partisan struggle ideology" in their hearts"
9. North Korea sees a surge in soldiers frustrated with government policy deserting their posts
dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · April 29, 2021
This could become a huge problem and may be an indicator of the future loss of coherency and support of the military.
I am sure these new "regular daily report system" will take the form of formations 3 times a day in which the three chains of control conduct a headcount. And if anyone is missing the soldier's immediate supervisors (squad, platoon leaders, company commanders) will be held accountable.
Note the problems with the frontline corps as well the RGB. A lot to digest here.
The other issue is the reduced party membership opportunity and the potential for the future of soldiers.
10. No sign of China backing for North Korean missile tests: experts
SCMP · by Minnie Chan
Of course I take what the Chinese analysts say with a grain of salt. However, based on the Chinese "3 No's" toward nK - no war, no instability and regime collapse, and no nukes, it is plausible that China does not support or back the nK missile launches. I think we are mistaken if we think China has a strong influence over Kim Jong-un. And because of this I think we have to consider how nK can be a "spoiler" in great power competition. While we try to get china to help us with th enK problem Kim actually may try to play both the PRC and the US off against each other all the while giving the appearance of remaining in the Chinese sphere of influence (and sustaining the PRC-DPRK alliance that is closer than lips and teeth).
11. N.K.'s largest youth group calls for eradication of anti-socialist practices
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · April 29, 2021
The number one priority for the regime is to ensure ideological purity. With that Kim can deny the human rights of the Korean people in the north in order to sustain the Kim family regime's power.
12. S. Korea heading fast toward herd immunity after vaccinating 3 mln in 2 months
en.yna.co.kr · by 김한주 · April 29, 2021
Whoa. This headline seems like a major change in outlook. Perhaps this is the view of the semi-official news agency Yonhap.
13. Minister calls first half 'most optimal' period for progress in stalled peace process
en.yna.co.kr · by 고병준 · April 29, 2021
I have not seen any previous discussion of this: "One of the efforts could be to get the Panmunjom Declaration ratified by the National Assembly," he said. "The unification ministry has almost completed its necessary internal preparations."
14. S'pore police investigating S'porean man wanted in US for allegedly doing business with North Korea
We need to keep at this.
15. US, Japan and South Korea eye foreign ministers' meeting in May: Media
A lot of alliance diplomacy is taking place - the military leaders of the 3 countries will soon meet in Hawaii. We have had a trilat meeting with the NSAs. We have had a Japan-US summit and soon a ROK-US summit. And now we have a trilat of foreign ministers.
Alliances are important to the US.
16. 10,000 North Korean Students Turn Themselves In For Having Watched K-Drama
koreaboo.com · April 29, 2021
Wow. Rule by fear and terror? I wonder how they will all be punished?
I asked an escapee (defector) this week about the moral hazard we create when we send information into the north. He said the people know the risks and are more than willing to take the risks. He said they are thirsty for information and need the information. He said we must continue and do much more.
17. S. Korea to give primary approval to self-funded aid projects when assistance to N. Korea resumes: official
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · April 29, 2021
Excerpts: “"Projects funded by local governments or solely funded by the nongovernmental organizations will have priority in getting approval," he added.
Earlier this month, a unification ministry official said Seoul is considering allowing local aid groups to resume assistance to Pyongyang as the country is showing increasing signs of easing its border restrictions with China.
18. On the Occasion of North Korea Freedom Week - United States Department of State
state.gov · by Ned Price
It is good to see the excellent and important work of Dr. Suzanne Scholte recognized. This is the 18th year of nK Freedom Week I believe. Below the State Department Statement are my remarks that I gave at the opening session of Freedom Week on Monday.
Remarks for north Korean Freedom Week 26 April 2021
David Maxwell,
Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Information and influence are the keys to unlocking the prison that is north Korea. Dr Jung Pak of the State Department always asks: Who does Kim Jong-un fear more: The U.S or the Korean people living in the north? We can see that for the last seven decades it is the Korean people living in the north. From the Juche ideology to the veneration of the mafia-like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime to the Songbun system to oppress the Korean people, we can see how the regime is deathly afraid of the Korean people. And the only thing Kim Jong-un fears more is the Korean people armed with information: the truth about the outside world and the truth about the nature, objectives, and strategy of the Kim family regime and its quest to dominate the Korean peninsula to ensure the perpetual survival of the Kim family regime while seeking to oppress all Koreans in the north and South.
The Kim family regime’s rule is a blight on all humanity and one of the most tragic events in human history. The suffering caused by Kim Jong-un and the regime is a moral outrage on a scale that is difficult for the outside world to comprehend.
We need to educate the Korean people in the north about their inalienable human rights of which they know very little. We need to educate those outside of Korea about the crimes against humanity being committed inside the north.
But it is information that will unlock the gulags and the entire prison that incarcerates 25 million people inside north Korea. We need an aggressive, comprehensive, and holistic information and influence campaign to bring about change and to help the Korean people living in the north.
But such a campaign is not simple and not without danger. I will be asking our heroic escapees about the potential moral hazard we create by sending information into north Korea. I will ask what are some of the most effective themes and messages to transmit to the people? How can the most intensive system of surveillance and control be defeated so that the people can obtain information? What are the weaknesses of the regime that can be exploited through information and what are the strengths of the people that we can reinforce? How can Americans and others help the Korean people in the north? And so much more if time permits.
The UN Commission of Inquiry stated one of the many human rights violations in north Korea is the suppression of information among the people in the north. We all have a responsibility to help them get information. To get them the truth and to work to free 25 million fellow human beings from their slave-like existence. I will close with our US Special Forces motto; in Latin, “de oppresso liber.” In English “to free the oppressed.” Nowhere should that apply more than to the people inside north Korea. Thank you.
19. North Korea sunk Cheonan warship, Seoul says after suspended reinvestigation
UPI · by Elizabeth Shim
It is about time. I wonder what coerced the Moon administration into finally admitting the facts.
20. Combined forces of S. Korea, U.S. fully ready to deter N. Korean threats: Milley
kdva.vet · by Byun Duk-kun · April 28, 2021
I think people overlook that General commanded the 1-506th Infantry at Camp Greaves, Korea in the 1990s. If you look at his uniform you can see the Currahee DUI over his right pocket barely visible above is foreign jump wings.
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