News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. S. Korea again gripped by church-linked cluster infections in greater Seoul area
2. N. Korea to permit smuggling over parts of Sino-NK border
3. Explained: why UN command found North and South Korea in violation of armistice agreement at border
4. N. Korean soldiers face punishment after breaking quarantine
5. North Korea emboldened: how Chinese gangs help and prop up Kim Jong-un's rogue state
6. Kim Jong Un demands money from North Korea's elite
7. Defense chief calls for border troops' watertight posture after N.K.'s DMZ gunfire
8. Remains of S. Koreans killed in Korean War to return home from Hawaii this month
9. N.Korea's Propaganda Machine Embraces Social Media
10. COVID-19: S. Korea's Celltrion aims to start in-human drug trial in July
11. N. Korea's state broadcaster reports on George Floyd's death
12. Surprise transport onto THAAD base sparks suspicions over upgrade or additional deployment
13. S. Korea to revise law on inter-Korean exchanges to allow N.K. firms to do business in South
14. Trump's S. Korea invitation to G7 summit
15. 40 years after Gwangju bloodbath, discussing North Korea's role is taboo in once-free South
1. S. Korea again gripped by church-linked cluster infections in greater Seoul area
En.yna.co.kr · by 김수연 · June 1, 2020
South Korea is a microcosm for the world. We can see what happens when certain actions are taken or not taken and certain procedures are implemented or not implemented. I hope we can learn lessons from South Korea even if in some ways it is an apples and oranges comparison between South Korea and the US (or maybe it is a little closer than that - Macintosh apples versus Delicious apples). South Korea has shown the ability to "snap back" to the procedures necessary to halt these outbreaks.
2. N. Korea to permit smuggling over parts of Sino-NK border
Dailynk.com · by Jang Seul Gi · June 1, 2020
A North Korean non sequitur? If "smuggling" is permitted, how can it called smuggling? But I guess this is Kim Yo Jong's doing and another way to allow the people to raise money to buy the bonds to rid the economy of foreign currency. The irony of this is that it takes foreign currency to conduct smuggling operations. They want to make foreign currency illegal, but you have to buy the license for "smuggling" in foreign currency. Only in North Korea. I look forward to read the economic analysis by the economists who are experts in the North Korean economy - all four of them.
3. Explained: why UN command found North and South Korea in violation of armistice agreement at border
Indianexpress.com · by Neha Banka, edited by Explained Desk · May 31, 2020
According to reports in the South Korean press, the firing by the North did not appear intentional. Putting four 14.5mm rounds into the South Korean guard post seems like well-aimed deliberate fire. Perhaps the mistake was the order to fire, but I do not think four rounds hitting an obvious target can be considered a negligent discharge.
The article does not really explain why the UN Military Armistice Commission (which is headed by a South Korean two star general) found South Korea in violation. I suppose it is because they must have ruled since South Korea did not return fire for some 30 minutes (due to a weapons malfunction) it was not consider in self defense. But, as noted, the South Korean military was not happy with the finding.
Do not be distracted by the statement that Syngman Rhee did not sign the Armistice in 1953. Technically, the US did not sign it either. The armistice was signed by the military representatives of each side, first by LTG William Henry Harrison as the representative of the UN Command (which included South Korean forces and 16 "sending states") and General Nam Il from the North Korean People's Army (NKPA). It was later signed by the Commander of the Chinese People's Volunteers and by Kim Il-Sung (not as head of state by as commander of the NKPA). The agreement did only four things. It called for a cessation of hostilities, it established the DMZ, it called on both sides not to attack the other, and it returned prisoners (which was arguably one of the most difficult negotiating points). The fact that Syngman Rhee did not sign the armistice has no real bearing on whether there will be a peace treaty. And the peace treaty should be between North and South Korea. UN Security Council Resolution 82 designated North Korea as the aggressor and called on nations to come to the aid of the South to protect its freedom. The US intervened under the authority of the UN and did not declare war on the North. Of course a peace treaty between North and South would be difficult because both country's constitutions claim sovereignty over the entire peninsula and all Koreans and neither recognizes the other. So signing a peace treaty would mean both would have to change their constitutions. Lastly the Armistice did one more important thing. In paragraph 60, it called for all parties to come together within 90 days of the signing of the Armistice to solve the "Korea question," which is the unnatural division of the peninsula. This is because the Armistice is a military agreement among military commanders and forces and there needs to be a political settlement, which must be negotiated and concluded by political leaders. There have been a number of attempts in particular by the North and South in 1991-1992 in which they signed two agreements of denuclearization and on reconciliation. But the North did not live up to either agreement, which is one indication of the regime's true intent - to dominate the peninsula under its rule.
4. N. Korean soldiers face punishment after breaking quarantine
Dailynk.com · June 1, 2020
So what is going on in North Korea? Is there a coronavirus outbreak? Did they prevent it? Have they contained it? Are they doing a good job containing the information about an outbreak? Or is an article like this an indication that they are having an outbreak or still fear one? Or are they using the coronavirus as an excuse to continue to impose draconian population and resources control measures? And then there is the question of stability within the North Korean Peoples Army. A coronavirus outbreak could devastate the military. What will that do to stability of a regime that is dependent on the coherency and support of the military? More questions than answers. We must be vigilant.
5. North Korea emboldened: how Chinese gangs help and prop up Kim Jong-un's rogue state
Express · by Josh Saunders · May 31, 2020
This is new to me. I am going to have to do some more research on Chinese gangs helping keep KJU in power.
6. Kim Jong Un demands money from North Korea's elite
Financial Times · by Edward White · May 31, 2020
We should be careful here. The article is talking about the donju or consumer class (or moneyed class), not the core elite who are members of the Kim family regime. For background here is a useful article: A consumer class wields new power in North Korea.
The regime is using the new bond scheme led by Kim Yo Jong to extract foreign currency from the donju class (and all Koreans). The catch 22 is without foreign currency they cannot "smuggle" goods and the nascent market economy (some 400+ markets) will not be able to thrive let alone survive. This is just another example of the regime not knowing how to operate an economy, yet many Koreans in the North know how a market economy does work.
The buried lead in this article is from Daniel Wertz, who assesses the regime is using the coronavirus crisis as an excuse to tighten control of foreign trade and currency. The operative word being "control." The regime is trying to exert great control to prevent instability.
7. Defense chief calls for border troops' watertight posture after N.K.'s DMZ gunfire
En.yna.co.kr · by 오석민 · June 1, 2020
Sometimes things don't translate perfectly. I am sure he did not mean "watertight" in the literal sense. I am sure he said something about maintaining the highest state of readiness. But note the comments about projects in support of the "peace initiatives," the majority of which take place in the vicinity of the DMZ.
8. Remains of S. Koreans killed in Korean War to return home from Hawaii this month
En.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · June 1, 2020
One of our shared values between the ROK and the US (along with liberty and individual freedom, liberal democracy, free market economy, and human rights). We honor our missing and dead and we do not stop the search for them.
9. N.Korea's Propaganda Machine Embraces Social Media
English.chosun.com · by Roh Suk-jo · June 1, 2020
Yes, North Korea is evolving and modernizing and realizing it must embrace modern technology in order to better control it. But for psychological operations professionals, this should be viewed as an opportunity for influence. We have to be able to penetrate and exploit the North's "intranet." And as Koreans in the North are used to social media and modern communication, they will be better prepared for unification.
10. COVID-19: S. Korea's Celltrion aims to start in-human drug trial in July
Gulfnews.com · by Reuters
I hope they can be successful. And soon!
11. N. Korea's state broadcaster reports on George Floyd's death
En.yna.co.kr · by 오석민· May 30, 2020
North Korea's propaganda about US civil unrest is not yet as aggressive as the Chinese propaganda, but I am sure we will see it increase.
12. Surprise transport onto THAAD base sparks suspicions over upgrade or additional deployment
En.yna.co.kr · by Oh Seok-min · June 1, 2020
This just pains me to read. It is really an indication of the precarious position of our alliance and both sides have caused problems regarding the THAAD deployment (stationing). The important point about this and the reason for the "surprise transport" is because the Korean government continues to allow Koran citizens to prevent normal logistical operations to occur to support the soldiers and units at this location. They are protesting THAAD (which is their right and should be allowed). But would should not be allowed are their actions that hinder the effective defense of the ROK from missile attack. And the soldiers at this location are living in relatively austere conditions that should be unacceptable to the Korean government as the host nation.
13. S. Korea to revise law on inter-Korean exchanges to allow N.K. firms to do business in South
En.yna.co.kr · by 고병준 · June 1, 2020
I wonder how many businesses from the North would actually be allowed by the North to do business in the South. And what if North Korean businesses that are under sanction or are known to use unsafe labor practices (or slave labor) do business in the South? I think this is probably more symbolic than anything, because I doubt the North will allow companies to do business in the South.
14. Trump's S. Korea invitation to G7 summit
Donga.com · June 1, 2020
This really illustrates the tightrope South Korea is walking. Korea is, as the proverb says, a shrimp among whales.
15. 40 years after Gwangju bloodbath, discussing North Korea's role is taboo in once-free South
Worldtribune.com · by WorldTribune Staff · May 29, 2020
This makes me sad. South Korea is a liberal democracy and I know the Korean people value freedom of expression, speech, press, assembly and religion. But to truly honor the democracy movement, all information should be allowed to be published and discussed, even if it goes against the political narrative and beliefs of the ruling party and current administration. A true liberal democracy will not prevent free speech and free press.
“My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.”
- Senator Carl Schurz (1829-1906)
“Too often we… enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”
- John F. Kennedy
“No one understood better than Stalin that the true object of propaganda is neither to convince nor even to persuade, but to produce a uniform patter of public utterance in which the first trace of unorthodox thought immediately reveals itself as a jarring dissonance.”
- Alan Bullock, British historian