News and Commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and Published by Riley Murray.
1. Pompeo cancels visit to S. Korea after Trump's virus diagnosis
2. Speculations mount that North may reveal new weapon during parade
3. Bracing for all possibilities (Korean OpEd on Trump with COVID)
4. N. Korea seen moving intercontinental ballistic missile: report
5. Trump's COVID-19 infection casts shadow over Moon's peace efforts
6. North Korea Arms State-Run Farms and Businesses to Prevent Theft
7. North Korea is likely to start acting up again during the US presidential election - but this year might be different
8. These deepfake videos of Putin and Kim have gone viral
9. S. Korea to maintain toughened virus curbs this week
10. New infection cases under 100 for 4th day; post-Chuseok virus fight in focus
11. North Korean human rights organization of the United States that advocates'Jeon Kwang-hoon' ... How are they connected
12. The Defector Crisis: Made in America
1. Pompeo cancels visit to S. Korea after Trump's virus diagnosis
en.yna.co.kr · by 장동우 · October 4, 2020
It appears the Quad is the priority.
2. Speculations mount that North may reveal new weapon during parade
We will be hearing this for the next 6 days. I wonder if the oddsmakers in Vegas are following this. What are the odds we will see a new weapons system?
3. Bracing for all possibilities (Korean OpEd on Trump with COVID)
The whole world is speculating on the President's health. A lot in this short OpEd. The conclusion notes probably what is the worst case for South Korea - being forced to take sides in the China -US dispute. I know from my Korean friends that Korea made this choice in 1953 with the Mutual Defense Treaty and there is no question as to the choice. But given the economic relationships and geography they need to be able to trade with China walk a tightrope and they ask that we respect their position. But the bottom line there is no question which side Korea is on. Unfortunately there are voices in the South that do not necessarily agree with that reality and sometimes those voices are loud.
4. N. Korea seen moving intercontinental ballistic missile: report
koreaherald.com · by The Korea Herald · October 4, 2020
This is a very curious statement. "Seoul maintains a missile defense network in which the Patriot is used to intercept missiles flying at low altitudes and the THAAD takes down ones at high altitudes. The THAAD has much longer-range radars than the Patriot." It seems like Seoul is participating in an integrated missile defense system. It sounds like THAAD belongs to Seoul. If Seoul is claiming responsibility for THAAD I hope it will solve the basing problem for it and allow it to be resupplied and supported logistically without interference from the protestors the government has allowed to blow support operations.
5. Trump's COVID-19 infection casts shadow over Moon's peace efforts
The Korea Times · October 4, 2020
I fear an overreaction by Seoul. Yes, we all have to be concerned with the health of the President. However, if he had not contracted COVID I do not see that President Moon's peace efforts would have had any more chance of moving forward. I seriously doubt there was any serious chance of a 4th Kim-Trump meeting before the election. The problem with the peace efforts is not Moon or trump. It is Kim Jong-un. Now of course the real problem could be that if Kim Jong-un senses an opportunity for mischief to support blackmail diplomacy, he could conduct a provocation and this could lead to a miscalculation.
6. North Korea Arms State-Run Farms and Businesses to Prevent Theft
rfa.org – 2 October 2020
The Korean people in the north are becoming desperate. Unless the regime reopens the border and allows the 400+ markets to operate things will only get worse.
7. North Korea is likely to start acting up again during the US presidential election - but this year might be different
Business Insider · by David Choi
An article based on recent work by CSIS. There is no doubt north Korea studies and follows our politics. And the regime knows US politics affects the regime.
8. These deepfake videos of Putin and Kim have gone viral
https://fortune.com/2020/10/02/deepfakes-putin-kim-jong-un-democracy-disinformation/ - by Jeremy Kahn – 2 October 2020
You have to admit regardless of your partisan view these videos are very well done.
The Putin video he here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbFHhpYU15w
The Kim video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERQlaJ_czHU. The voice is how I would imagine Kim speaking English
9. S. Korea to maintain toughened virus curbs this week
en.yna.co.kr · by 강윤승 · October 4, 2020
10. New infection cases under 100 for 4th day; post-Chuseok virus fight in focus
en.yna.co.kr · by 강윤승 · October 4, 2020
But we will not know the effects of Chuseok for a couple of weeks.
11. North Korean human rights organization of the United States that advocates 'Jeon Kwang-hoon'... How are they connected
https://newstapa.org/article/J6w6K – by Tim Shorrock – 29 September 2020
What a hit job by Tim Shorrock. The problem with him is that supposedly the Moon administration admires and listens to him. This is a machine translation so it is not perfect, but you get the gist of the insulting work by Shorrock. He is attacking many of my personal friends and colleagues who are doing great work on behalf of freedom and human rights and the Korean people in the north and South.
12. The Defector Crisis: Made in America
https://newstapa.org/article/J6w6K – by Tim Shorrock – 29 September 2020
Again, another hit job by Shorrock attacking personal friends and colleagues who are doing important work for human rights and freedom and escapees from the north. I would ask all my Korean friends to not allow Shorrock to have the influence he does in Korea. He is no friend of Korea and no friend of the US.
"No one knows better than I the bitter denials of life.
But I have made my limitations tools of learning and true joy.”
- Helen Keller
"Another flaw in the human character is that
everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance.”
- Kurt Vonnegut
"If we had no winter,
the spring would not be so pleasant:
if we did not sometimes taste of adversity,
prosperity would not be so welcome.”
- Anne Bradstreet