News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs
1. Kim says N. Korea should be ready for both dialogue, confrontation with U.S.
2. Kim Jong Un equally ready to talk or fight with Biden
3. North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Opens Door for Dialogue With Biden
4. Third-Day Sitting of 3rd Plenary Meeting of 8th Central Committee of Workers’ Party of Korea Held
5. North Korea encourages cell phone users to install new "cooking app"
6. Pres. Moon says map of Joseon Dynasty shows Dokdo as part of Korean territory
7. North Korea Hackers Target S.Korea Nuclear Think Tank - Lawmaker
8. Households Start Paying for Moon's Irrational Nuclear Phaseout
9. In North Korea a packet of coffee costs $100, and that's a problem for Kim Jong Un
10. ＜Breaking News Inside N. Korea＞ Soaring Food Prices Cause Market Confusion. 2.4 times the price of corn: "The market is screaming in pain.”
11. Taliban Frees All South Korean Hostages
12. Seoul courts risk after ‘no shackles’ missile development deal
1. Kim says N. Korea should be ready for both dialogue, confrontation with U.S.
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · June 18, 2021
Perhaps this is Kim's response to President Biden's principled, practical diplomacy and stern deterrence. Except that President Biden's offer is the opportunity for Kim to act as a responsible member of the international community. Does he have it in him to do so? I am afraid he is a scorpion who cannot change his nature.
And an important question we have to ask and answer is when will Kim be capable of navigating his domestic problems and re-engaging internationally? Will he be able to do both? Or will he try to "externalize" his domestic problems (in an attempt to cover them up) by reverting to his political warfare strategy and blackmail diplomacy and resume threats, increased tensions, and provocations to create the perception external threats against the regime to justify the continued sacrifices of the Korean people living in the north?
2. Kim Jong Un equally ready to talk or fight with Biden
asiatimes.com · by Andrew Salmon · June 18, 2021
I am reminded of the communist adage (North Vietnamese and Chinese, but also can describe the Korean War Armistice negotiations): "fight, fight, talk, talk."
3. North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Opens Door for Dialogue With Biden
Bloomberg · by Jon Herskovitz · June 18, 2021
While we should not get overly optimistic about these reports about the regime statements.
I wonder if the timing of this is just a coincidence with Ambassador Sung Kim's upcoming trip to Seoul. The timing seems like perfectly executed political warfare that will support the South Korean desire to cancel exercises as the concession (appeasement) the Moon administration believes is necessary to restart US-nK negotiations and north-South engagement. I hope we are not duped by the regime again. Queue music of The Who - "won't get fooled again."
4. Third-Day Sitting of 3rd Plenary Meeting of 8th Central Committee of Workers’ Party of Korea Held
Here is the KCNA official statement from north Korea (and the "respected general.")
Key points: “The respected General Secretary reviewed and assessed major changes taking place recently in the international political arena and the external environment of our revolution.
Especially he made detailed analysis of the policy tendency of the new U.S. administration toward our Republic and clarified appropriate strategic and tactical counteraction and direction of activities to be maintained in the relations with the U.S. in the days ahead.
The General Secretary stressed the need to get prepared for both dialogue and confrontation, especially to get more fully prepared for confrontation in order to protect the dignity of our state and its interests for independent development and to reliably guarantee the peaceful environment and the security of our state.
5. North Korea encourages cell phone users to install new "cooking app"
dailynk.com · by Kim Yoo Jin · June 18, 2021
If you cannot beat them, join them. Is the regime exploiting apps to obtain foreign currency? It is a learning organization.
6. Pres. Moon says map of Joseon Dynasty shows Dokdo as part of Korean territory
donga.com · June 18, 2021
Something else to poke in the eye of Japan. We have maps at the Library of Congress in the US in the Korea section that show the same thing.
7. North Korea Hackers Target S.Korea Nuclear Think Tank - Lawmaker
US News and World Reports · by Hyonhee Shin
8. Households Start Paying for Moon's Irrational Nuclear Phaseout
A major strategic mistake by the Moon administration.
9. In North Korea a packet of coffee costs $100, and that's a problem for Kim Jong Un
CNN · by Joshua Berlinger and Paula Hancocks
I wonder how much a Latte costs at Starbucks in Pyongyang? Oh that is right there are no Starbucks in north Korea.
10. ＜Breaking News Inside N. Korea＞ Soaring Food Prices Cause Market Confusion. 2.4 times the price of corn: "The market is screaming in pain.”
Key point: “I feel a threat to our lives. In fact, elderly people who live alone and don't have money to buy food are dying everywhere,” one of the reporting partners concluded.
We must be observing for the indicators of internal instability and the effects on the regime and its decision making and survival.
11. Taliban Frees All South Korean Hostages
I do not think we often appreciate or even know how engaged Koreans are around the world.
12. Seoul courts risk after ‘no shackles’ missile development deal
Al Jazeera English · by Frank Smith
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