News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. U.S. committed to keeping readiness of USFK through exercises: Pentagon official
2. 'Joint military drills are negotiable with N. Korea,' say Suh Wook
3. Moon still waiting for his phone time with Biden
4. Most Korea-U.S. defense training now computer-simulated
5. Deterring North Korea
6. OPCON transition will be conditions, not time-based: Pentagon spokesman
7. N. Korea may resort to unofficial markets amid virus-hit economy: expert
8. High-profile N. Korean defector leaves for U.S. for congressional hearing on anti-leaflet law
9. South Korea keen on providing vaccine aid to North Korea
10. N.K. organization sends congratulatory message to S. Korean counterpart
11. North Korea keeps Kim dynasty statues lit during energy shortage
12. North Korea poses old challenges to new U.S. administration
13. Indictment files reveal plan to build nuclear power plant in North
14. North Korea conducts lectures warning people of broadcasts from the US, South Korea and Japan
15. USFK personnel may be subject to another furlough in April
1. U.S. committed to keeping readiness of USFK through exercises: Pentagon official
Yonhap News Agency · 장재순 · January 29, 2021
A good statement. An important statement. But an insufficient statement. It is insufficient because it is a US unilateral statement. We need a combined alliance statement on this issue. We need a commitment to exercises, to training, and to readiness from both countries.
2. ‘Joint military drills are negotiable with N. Korea,’ say Suh Wook
Dong-A Ilbo · Sang-Ho Yun · January 29, 2021
This is extremely troubling. I am shocked and saddened to hear this from the defense minister. I am sure he is making these statements under duress because no military professional would make such statements on his own. This is going to inflict damage on the alliance.
Of course, the minister is walking back the President's statement here - the possibility of negotiating exercises with the North is "just in principle." But it really does reveal the true intention of the Moon administration.
We must not forget we have cancelled, postponed, and scaled back exercises for the past two plus years and there has been no reciprocity from the North. The only result of negotiating away our exercises will be to split the ROK/US alliance, severely degrade readiness, and put the ROK at great security risk.
3. Moon still waiting for his phone time with Biden
Korea Joong Ang Daily · Kang Tae-Hwa & Ser Myo-Ja · January 28, 2021
A sign???? How to interpret this. Of course, the Koreans assess this from the worst-case perspective.
But we should not forget that President Biden published only one op-ed in the foreign press before the election and that was in Yonhap News in Korea. It was a powerful statement—both the act itself and the words.
4. Most Korea-U.S. defense training now computer-simulated
Chosun Ilbo · January 29, 2021
This is true going back to the Ulchi Focus Lens exercises in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These exercises are designed to train the theater-level command and components in the plans for the defense of the Republic of Korea from North Korean attack. Computer-simulation is the most efficient and effective way to train high level staffs and commanders.
5. Deterring North Korea
War On the Rocks · Daniel Post · January 29, 2021
A review of deterrence theory and its application to North Korea.
I am a believer in deterrence, and I believe all our actions toward North Korea must rest on a foundation of deterrence. But we cannot become complacent, because we have successfully deterred a resumption of hostilities since 1953. I worry about the concept of a "more conciliatory way."
We also must not forget the wise words of Sir Lawrence Freedman: "Deterrence works. Until it doesn't."
6. OPCON transition will be conditions, not time-based: Pentagon spokesman
Korea Herald · Yonhap · January 29, 2021
The spokesman left out one important point in his otherwise good statement. If we are going to have alliance based national security, we need to be making alliance arguments. What the spokesman should have added was that failure to meet the conditions will put the security of South Korea at great risk. It is in the interests of the ROK government, the Korean military, and the Korean people to complete a conditions-based OPCON transition in order to maintain the security of the ROK. He especially should have made this argument to the Korean media.
7. N. Korea may resort to unofficial markets amid virus-hit economy: expert
Yonhap News Agency · 이원주 · January 29, 2021
It is deja vu all over again. It was the unofficial markets that developed during and after the Arduous March of the great famine of 1994-1996 that provided the foundation for the resilience of the Korean people living in the North. These markets evolved into semi-official and tolerated markets over the past two decades, and they have been responsible for maintaining the suffering of the people at a somewhat tolerable level. But with COVID, the Kim family regime saw the opportunity to crack down on market activity that was causing the regime to lose some control over the population. The regime has implemented a number of draconian population and resources control measures in the name of COVID defense. In reality, these measures allow the regime to defend itself against any potential resistance from among the population. Now the people are going to have to resort to unofficial markets just like in the 1990s, which turned out to an important safety or relief valve. If the regime prevents the re-emergence of unofficial markets, it could give rise to some level of resistance. We need to observe for instability indications and warning.
8. High-profile N. Korean defector leaves for U.S. for congressional hearing on anti-leaflet law
Yonhap News Agency · 고병준 · January 28, 2021
This is not making the ROK look good in the eyes of the international community or among fellow democratic nations. Please remember our shared values and the ideological war between the North and South.
Ideological War - a choice for all the Korean people between:
- Shared ROK/US Values
- Freedom and individual liberty
- Liberal democracy
- Rule of law
- Free market economy
- Human rights
OR
- Kim family regime (KFR) "values"
- Juche/Kimilsungism
- Socialist Workers Paradise
- Songun, Songbun, Byungjin
- Rule BY law
- Denial of human rights to sustain KFR power
9. South Korea keen on providing vaccine aid to North Korea
Korea Times · Kange Seung-woo · January 29, 2021
If any Korean in the North gets vaccinated before all Koreans in the South, the Moon administration will likely experience some backlash. But will the regime accept such vaccinations from the South?
10. N.K. organization sends congratulatory message to S. Korean counterpart
Yonhap News Agency · 이원주 · January 28, 2021
Just as a reminder:
“The United Front Department (UFD) overtly attempts to establish pro-North Korean groups in the ROK, such as the Korean Asia-Pacific Committee and the Ethnic Reconciliation Council. The UFD is also the primary department involved in managing inter-Korean dialogue and North Korea's policy toward the ROK… The 225th Bureau is responsible for training agents to infiltrate the ROK and establish underground political parties focused on fomenting unrest and revolution.” – Military and Security Developments Involving the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (Office of the Secretary of Defense)
11. North Korea keeps Kim dynasty statues lit during energy shortage
Radio Free Asia · Jieun Kim, Leejin Jun, & Eugene Whong · January 28, 2021
There are two major wasted expenditures of energy in the North: 1) the lighting these statues and 2) the jamming of VOA and RFA broadcasts to try to prevent the people from getting the truth about not only the outside world but what is actually happening inside North Korea.
It is the deliberate policy decision-making by Kim Jong-Un that is responsible for all the suffering of the Korean people living in the North.
12. North Korea poses old challenges to new U.S. administration
United States Institute of Peace · Ambassador Joseph Yun & Frank Aum · January 27, 2021
A good assessment of the emerging Korea team within the Biden administration from Ambassador Joseph Yun and Frank Aum at USIP.
13. Indictment files reveal plan to build nuclear power plant in North
Korea Joong Ang Daily · Ser Myo-Ja & Lee Chul-Jae · January 29, 2021
Sigh.... and the irony - the Moon administration is trying to end all nuclear power in the South.
That said, it could be a useful tool to gain access to North Korean nuclear scientists and technicians. Widespread people to people contacts could be useful for the long term. But I do not think we are thinking that way.
And there is KEDO. How did that work out?
14. North Korea conducts lectures warning people of broadcasts from the US, South Korea and Japan
Daily NK · Mun Dong Hui · January 29, 2021
Another important indicator to help answer the question of who Kim Jong-Un fears more—the US or the Korean people living in the North? (A question from the new DASS for EAP, Dr. Jung Pak)
Information is an existential threat to Kim Jong-Un. We should think about that. It is also a critical component of human rights as identified by the UN Commission of Inquiry in 2014.
We must press with information. No amount of ideological lecturing can put the knowledge genie back in the bottle. Give the Korean people knowledge and information and.... well, we will just have to see what will happen.
15. USFK personnel may be subject to another furlough in April
Korea Joong Ang Daily · Kim Sang-Jui, Park Yong-Han, Shim Kyu-Seok · January 28, 2021
We still have to solve the Special Measures Agreement (cost sharing) stalemate.
"You make a living by what you earn; you make a life by what you give."
- Winston Churchill
"A nationalist...is not at all the same thing as a patriot. A nationalist encourages us to be our worst, and then tells us that we are the best."
- Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century
"Knowledge by itself is not power, but it holds the potential for power if we use it a s a guide for action. Truth will always be defeated by tyranny unless the people are willing to step forward and put their lives into the battle. The future belongs, not to ideas, but to people who act on those ideas."
- G. Edward Griffin