News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs
1. Moon asks new USFK commander to attend to alliance issues
2. President honors outgoing USFK commander for his service
3. North Korea increases cyberattacks on South Korea
4. North Korea Launches Investigation to Stop Gossip about Kim Jong Un’s Health
5. North Korea congratulates China for party's 100th, sends flowers
6. Kim Jong-un Sacks Officials over COVID 'Crisis'
7. Kim Jong Un's "special order" includes directives to address electricity and running water shortages
8. Is the FBI Scapegoating an American Hero?
9. N. Korea orders farms in Yanggang Province to stop selling off secretly stored up rice
10. Kim Jong Un warns of ‘grave incident’ in North Korea’s Covid fight
11. EXPLAINER: How bad is the pandemic in North Korea?
12. China and USA Not Full Partners on North Korea
13. N.K. leader vows to elevate relations with China to new strategic point
14. China's Role on the Korean Peninsula
15. Ukraine Gave Up It's Nukes — And Some of Its Secrets to North Korea
16. U.S. aware of NK leader Kim's remarks on 'grave incident' in anti-pandemic steps: State Dept.
1. Moon asks new USFK commander to attend to alliance issues
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com · July 1, 2021
Interesting that the Joongang Ilbo leads with this title. He should be asking the incoming ROK/US CFC commander to attend to alliance issues. The USFK Commander is the commander of a sub-unified command that answers to the INDOPACOM Commander. The USFK Commander does not manage alliance issues. He is the force provider to the ROK/US CFC which is the bilateral combined command equally "co-owned" by the ROK and US. This "co-ownership" is exercised through the Military Committee which is made up of representatives of both countries' national command and military authorities. Note the same relationship will remain in effect after the OPCON transition process takes place (which will be a change of command between a ROK and US general officer).
And we should keep in mind that as the commander of ROK/US Combined Forces Commander General LaCamera will work equally for both presidents (and after the OPCON transition the ROK general commanding ROK/US CFC will work equally for both presidents). I have heard nearly every successful US commander state that. It is critically important in understanding the command relationships of the combined command. The USFK commander answers to USINDOPACOM and the United Nations Command commander answers to the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
2. President honors outgoing USFK commander for his service
The Korea Times · by Nam Hyun-woo · July 1, 2021
I believe more people than Generals Abrams and LaCamera share this idea. I believe our president and all our civilian political and military leadership share this as well. I also believe the ROK military leadership and the national security professionals in the ROK government believe this. There can be no effective diplomacy with north Korea without a strong foundation of military readiness that contributes to deterrence and defense.
Excerpt: “LaCamera also shares Abrams' idea of strengthening military readiness. During his confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee in May, he said he believes joint field exercises are "extremely important to build readiness," and said he would work toward their resumption.
3. North Korea increases cyberattacks on South Korea
The Korea Times · by Kanh Seung-woo · July 1, 2021
I think Representative Ha is channeling my colleague Mathew Ha based on his policy brief here.
4. North Korea Launches Investigation to Stop Gossip about Kim Jong Un’s Health
rfa.org · by Hyemin Son and Albert Hong
They are trying hard to control the narrative. I sure wish we could turn loose the ROK and US PSYOP professionals to exploit this. If only we have an information and influence activities campaign with the agility to exploit these developments.
5. North Korea congratulates China for party's 100th, sends flowers
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com · by Sarah Kim
Kim has given his assessment of great power competition between the US and PRC: “Kim said in the message that "hostile forces" are engaged in "vicious slander and all-round pressure" upon China in what appears to be a reference to the rising Sino-U.S. rivalry, according to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in an English-language report Thursday.”
6. Kim Jong-un Sacks Officials over COVID 'Crisis'
english.chosun.com · July 01, 2021
It will be interesting to see who was purged and how was promoted. And will we see any "disciplinary action" (e.g, of the 14.5mm size)
And of course Kim blames everyone but himself. He refuses to accept responsibility for his poor decision making.
7. Kim Jong Un's "special order" includes directives to address electricity and running water shortages
dailynk.com · by Seulkee Jang · July 1, 2021
Another indicator of the poor conditions inside north Korea. They could surely make use of those portable nuclear reactors the US Army is developing.
8. Is the FBI Scapegoating an American Hero?
The Daily Beast · by Donald Kirk · July 1, 2021
In addition to my comments in the article here are some of my additional thoughts (and speculation) about this unfortunate situation.
We should keep in mind that the FBI has people on its most wanted list who are allegedly guilty of far greater crimes than Adrian Hong who they have not been able to apprehend. If they cannot catch some of the most dangerous criminals then it must not be too hard for Adrian to avoid capture especially as he is probably not too high a priority. When you think about it, why do they want to apprehend him just to extradite him to Spain? What does that really do for US interests?
Here is my speculation: someone made a poor decision with the apprehension of Ahn. Ahn was probably fairly easy to apprehend because he may not have been practicing tradecraft as well as Hong (see the description of the apprehension in the article) and when he was located someone was probably just following the proper procedure and executed the arrest due to the request from Spain. It is causing us unnecessary problems with the extradition process and bad public relations. While they may have been looking for both Ahn and Hong at the request of Spanish authorities as they have seen how the Ahn apprehension has played out, they may have have reevaluated their effort to apprehend Hong because it will create even more problems and probably negative public relations not only for the FBI but create issues for the Biden administration. So turning a blind eye to Hong is certainly plausible.
Also, since I think Hong is a Mexican citizen he may have returned to Mexico. We certainly are not going to expend US law enforcement efforts in Mexico to try to apprehend him when we have so many other issues (e.g., drug trafficking) that we have to worry about. And if he was apprehended in Mexico it would have to be done by the Mexicans and they would have to extradite him to Spain. I doubt anyone would suggest extraditing him to the US just for the US to try to extradite him to Spain.
So the bottom line is I think Hong is getting a free pass, Ahn is the sacrificial lamb who may be being sacrificed by mistake. My only hope is the court finds a legal justification to not extradite him because if he is extradited he will be at grave risk for north Korean retaliation.
9. N. Korea orders farms in Yanggang Province to stop selling off secretly stored up rice
dailynk.com · Jong So Yong · July 1, 2021
Another important indicator.
10. Kim Jong Un warns of ‘grave incident’ in North Korea’s Covid fight
Financial Times · by Edward White · June 30, 2021
What is the grave incident?
Excerpts: “Soo Kim, a former CIA North Korea analyst now at the Rand Corporation, a US think-tank, said the international community had been waiting for Pyongyang to “crack and show greater signs of unease”.
“That Kim chose to blame his cadres — rather than taking responsibility and pursuing concrete steps to correct the situation — may give some indication that Kim takes the virus seriously, but perhaps not to the extent that it will move him to make the right decision,” she said.
11. EXPLAINER: How bad is the pandemic in North Korea?
AP · by Kim Tong-Hyung and Hyung-Jin Kim · June 30, 2021
12. China and USA Not Full Partners on North Korea
The National Interest · by Denny Roy · June 30, 2021
Are we even part-time partners? Our interests probably align on three things - no war, no instability or collapse, and no nukes. But my guess is China is least committed to denuclearization because it fears war and instability much more.
And of course we probably do not see eye to eye on how to prevent war or instability.
13. N.K. leader vows to elevate relations with China to new strategic point
en.yna.co.kr · by 고병준 · July 1, 2021
I wonder what is the "new strategic point."
14. China's Role on the Korean Peninsula
The National Interest · by Gilbert Rozman · June 30, 2021
I concur with Gil that China has never prioritized denuclearization. (and it never will)
It would love to see north Korea adopt "Chinese style reforms" especially to its economy. Of course Kim cannot "reform" because it will risk undermining regime legitimacy.
And the irony is the US and PRC are both committed to their visions (as the Moon administration is to its peace agenda) - none of which are unattainable as long as the Kim family regime remains in power.
15. Ukraine Gave Up It's Nukes — And Some of Its Secrets to North Korea
The National Interest · by Eli Fuhrman · June 30, 2021
This is why we need to track the "human infrastructure" of north Korea's nuclear and missile programs.
16. U.S. aware of NK leader Kim's remarks on 'grave incident' in anti-pandemic steps: State Dept.
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · July 1, 2021
--------------
"I attribute my success to this - I never gave or took any excuse."
- Florence Nightingale
"Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality."
- Jonas Salk
"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again."
- Maya Angelou