News and Commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and Published by Riley Murray.
1. From love to thug, what President-elect Biden means for North Korea
2. North Korea's Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) Deserve Our Attention
3. Did these 'Assassins' actually kill Kim Jong Un's brother?
4. Relations Between Biden and Kim Jong-un Don't Have to Go Wrong
5. Before Trump, South Korean Conservatives Also Claimed a 'Stolen' Election
6. North Korean nukes 'scared off top footballers from joining South Korean clubs'
7. Congress to vote on resolutions reaffirming strength of alliance with Korea
8. Seoul mulls stricter social distancing as new infections exceed 200 for 2nd day
9. Demographic crisis looming large over Korea
10. Moon seeks to rekindle nuclear talks at Tokyo Olympics
11. German amb. says freedom of expression important amid row over 'comfort woman' statue in Berlin
12. Ruling party envisions moving National Assembly from Seoul to Sejong
1. From love to thug, what President-elect Biden means for North Korea
CNN · by Paula Hancocks
Key point from Evans Revere: "Biden is not about to ignore North Korea, and Pyongyang can be counted on to ensure that he doesn't."
2. North Korea's Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) Deserve Our Attention
The National Interest · by Peter Brookes · November 14, 2020
The key points we should take from the "new" SLBM and ICBM is that the Kim regime remains bent on developing new military capabilities across the spectrum, from conventional to nuclear weapons, and will continue to conduct blackmail diplomacy to gain political and economic concessions by demonstrating threats and hostile intentions. But all of these actions are focused on one objective - to allow the north to dominate the entire peninsula through subversion, coercion/extortion, and use of force to ensure. survival of the regime.
3. Did these 'Assassins' actually kill Kim Jong Un's brother?
New York Post · by Ben Cost · November 12, 2020
I still have not found where this movie will be shown. I wonder what are "virtual cinemas?" It looks like December 11th is the date.
4. Relations Between Biden and Kim Jong-un Don't Have to Go Wrong
The National Interest · by Daniel R. DePetris · November 14, 2020
Yes. All we need is for Kim Jong-un to completely change his behavior and act like a responsible member of the international community.
But I can agree with this conclusion: "The Kim dynasty has proven its meddle in surviving. But that doesn't mean Pyongyang still wouldn't like to see economic sanctions relaxed or lifted at some point. Kim can kiss that possibility goodbye if he shoots before he thinks."
5. Before Trump, South Korean Conservatives Also Claimed a 'Stolen' Election
thediplomat.com – by Dongwoo Kim - November 11, 2020
The difference is the US government has stated this: "There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised."
Joint Statement from Elections Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council & the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Executive Committees | CISA
6. North Korean nukes 'scared off top footballers from joining South Korean clubs'
dailystar.co.uk · by Berny Torre · November 15, 2020
Excerpt:
He added: "It wasn't too much of a worry but it's always in the back of your mind that North Korea is there.
"One of the benefits of being in Busan in the south east was you were in the part of Korea which was the furthest from North Korea.
"All of the clubs area based in Seoul and they are very very close to North Korea."
7. Congress to vote on resolutions reaffirming strength of alliance with Korea
Again, Korea is one of the most bi-partisan of all national security issues.
However, I wish our Congress would recommend a reassessment of combined alliance assumptions about north Korea and the nature, strategy, and objectives of the Kim family regime. The incoming administration needs to work with South Korea to help the Moon administration that we cannot proceed with Moon's peace vision if Kim Jong-un does not share that vision (and he does not).
Excerpt: "Korea-U.S. relations [mean] we are allies that must closely cooperate no matter which administration is in power," Song said. "We will work to ensure the Korean Peninsula peace policy advocated by President Moon may be accepted by the Biden administration by improving mutual understanding."
8. Seoul mulls stricter social distancing as new infections exceed 200 for 2nd day
en.yna.co.kr · by 이민지 · November 15, 2020
The virus is proving most resilient around the world.
9. Demographic crisis looming large over Korea
The Korea Times – by Kim Bo-eun - November 15, 2020
This is a major (if not the major) strategic weakness of South Korea. What this article does not address is the impact on the South Korean military.
10. Moon seeks to rekindle nuclear talks at Tokyo Olympics
The Korea Times · November 15, 2020
It worked once??? What is Plan B if the Olympics are again postponed or cancelled?
11. German amb. says freedom of expression important amid row over 'comfort woman' statue in Berlin
The Korea Times · November 15, 2020
I bet Germany wishes it did not get in the middle of this.
12. Ruling party envisions moving National Assembly from Seoul to Sejong
koreaherald.com · by The Ko Jun-tae · November 15, 2020
"It has actually been suggested that warfare may have been the principle evolutionary pressure that created the huge gap between the human brain and that of our closest living relatives, the anthropoid apes. Whole groups of hominids with inferior brains could not win wars and were therefore exterminated."
- Jane Goodall
"The mind of the enemy and the will of his leaders is a target of far more importance than the bodies of his troops. "
- Brigadier General S.B. Griffith, II, USMC
"Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment nothing can fail. Without it nothing can succeed. He who molds opinion is greater than he who enacts laws."
- President Abraham Lincoln