News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.
1. Unification ministry op-ed: Why South Korea had to stop leaflet launches
2. S. Korean contractor at Camp Humphreys tests positive for COVID-19
3. Representations Made To the UK Foreign Secretary about the Republic of Korea's "Gag Law"
4. New virus cases under 1,000 on fewer tests, further rise looming amid bigger wave of pandemic
5. Presidential secretary for peace planning tapped as new chief nuclear envoy
6. Ex-U.S. Defense Secretary Mattis to receive Korea-U.S. alliance award
7. North Korean leadership orders public health officials to focus all efforts on vaccine acquisition
8. Wonsan Textile Factory officials dismissed for smuggling goods across border
9. 21 USFK-affiliated people test positive for new coronavirus
10. On the amended provisions of the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act
11. 'NK leveraging inter-Korean resort to pull concession'
12. Harris raises concerns over Korea's new leaflet ban
13. No Vaccinations Expected for Months (South Korea)
14. S. Korea's belated response to vaccines
15. A missile spotter's guide to North Korea (and beyond)
16. NK completes building musical instrument factory ordered by late former leader
1. Unification ministry op-ed: Why South Korea had to stop leaflet launches
NK News Suh Ho December 20, 2020
Very interesting: the Vice Minister of Unification pens an OpEd for NK News. This is obviously for a US audience which I suppose is why NK News did not put this behind its paywall.
But frankly this OpEd is an embarrassment to South Korea and the Moon Administration. I do not know where to start to begin criticizing it so I will just leave it to the reader.
It truly saddens me that the ROK government would enact such a law based on the rationale in this OpEd.
He admonishes us to base our discussion on objective facts. He has not presented any facts; only weak explanations that place the Moon administration agenda ahead of the human rights of Korea s in both the north and the South and ahead of the values and principles of a free people. And one only need to look at the timing of the law and the history of north Korean blackmail diplomacy and north-South relations to know this entire debacle is in response to Kim Yo-jong's threats combined with the naive belief that this will somehow appease the Kim family regime and allow the Moon administration to pursue its engagement strategy in the same way Charlie Brown tries to kick Lucy's football.
2. S. Korean contractor at Camp Humphreys tests positive for COVID-19
en.yna.co.kr · by 최수향 · December 21, 2020
3. Representations Made To the UK Foreign Secretary about the Republic of Korea's "Gag Law"
David Dalton· December 21, 2020
4. New virus cases under 1,000 on fewer tests, further rise looming amid bigger wave of pandemic
en.yna.co.kr · by 김덕현 · December 21, 2020
They are continuing with "the fewer tests means fewer cases" course of action.
5. Presidential secretary for peace planning tapped as new chief nuclear envoy
en.yna.co.kr · by 김승연 · December 21, 2020
The ROK government is making a translation in anticipation of the new Biden administration.
6. Ex-U.S. Defense Secretary Mattis to receive Korea-U.S. alliance award
en.yna.co.kr · by 오석민 · December 21, 2020
The buried lede is this is the first time the award has been bestowed since the passing of General Paik Sun-yup.
Some might also interpret this as a subtle rebuke of President Trump's policies by honoring general Mattis for preventing escalation of fire and fury and pledging not to withdraw US forces from Korea,
Excerpts:
"He played a pivotal role in managing the security situation on the Korean Peninsula in 2017, when tensions ran high, which helped set conditions for the Korea peace process," the ministry said in a statement.
7. North Korean leadership orders public health officials to focus all efforts on vaccine acquisition
dailynk.com· by Jang Seul Gi · December 21, 2020
Desperation? Expect more cyber attacks as well as well as attempts to procure the vaccine on the blackmarket. This could be a double edged sword. If I were an international blackmarket businessman I would think the regime is ripe for a scam. I would try to sell them millions of dollars worth of a fake vaccine.
8. Wonsan Textile Factory officials dismissed for smuggling goods across border
dailynk.com· by Jong So Yong · December 21, 2020
I hate to keep beating this horse but this is another illustration of why the Korean people in the north are suffering: Due to Kim Jong-un's deliberate policy decisions which prioritizes his survival and support to the military over the welfare of the people.
9. 21 USFK-affiliated people test positive for new coronavirus
en.yna.co.kr · by 오석민 · December 21, 2020
10. On the amended provisions of the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act
I received this message from the ROK Ministry of Unification last evening as I am sure other Korea watchers did who are on the MOU's mailing list. The file with the fact sheet could not be opened. If I receive a good file I will cut and paste the text and send in a message.
I am not satisfied by the explanation below for the Kim Yo-jong law banning though there is some slight clarification to the law. The stated rationale is about protection of Korean citizens. The 2014 incident included the north Koreans firing an anti-aircraft weapon at balloons with the South Koreans returning fire. There were no injuries.
The ROKG would be better able to protect South Korean citizens through enhanced defensive capabilities and not by stopping balloon launches which will embolden the regime to double down on blackmail diplomacy.
Ministry of Unification <[email protected]>
Sun 12/20/2020 11:29 PM
To:
- David Maxwell
Dear all
Please refer to the attached file, the fact sheets of the Amended Provision of the Development of Inter Korean Relation Act related to the leaflets scattering.
1. This amendment does not intend to disrespect the human rights of North Koreans, nor to restrict the North Korean human rights movement, but to protect the lives and safety of residents in the area along the Military Demarcation Line of Korea, while avoiding accidental armed conflict that actually happened in 2014.
2. This amendment does not apply to the acts of spreading leaflets and other items in the countries other than the Republic of Korea, and therefor does not restrict or criminalize human rights organization's activities in third countries.
3. This amendment limits the restriction to the freedom of expression (not contents but methods) to the minimum extent necessary to protect the lives nad safety of more than a million South Korean residents near the Military Demarcation Line in a manner that conforms to the ROK Constitution and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The ROK government will continue to work with international community and civil society to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Thank you
11. 'NK leveraging inter-Korean resort to pull concession'
koreaherald.com · by Choi Si-young · December 21, 2020
Here are my entire comments submitted to the journalist:
There are two important issues surrounding these recent statements.
First, we should recognize this provides us with important insights into the nature of the Kim family regime and Kim Jong-un's. The regime intends to commit its scarce resources to developing Kimgangsan in order to attract tourism to generate revenue for the Kim family regime. As we saw on October 10th all such revenue goes to the regime and support of he the military's nuclear and missile programs and advanced military capabilities. Kim Jong-un will develop Kumgnagsan at the expense of the welfare of the Korean people living in the north. The Korean people are suffering because of Kim Jong-un's deliberate policy decisions.
Second, the timing of this rhetoric is interesting. The regime may be attempting to build on its recent successful blackmail diplomacy in which it subverted the ROK political system resulting in the passage of the "Kim Yo-jong law" banning information flow into north Korea. Perhaps the regime believes it can use new threats of exploiting Kumgangsan to extort more concessions from the Moon administration. If this is an accurate assessment, we should understand what happens when you try to appease the Kim family regime - it will double down on blackmail diplomacy and political warfare.
12. Harris raises concerns over Korea's new leaflet ban
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com· by Jung Hyo-Sik, Lee Yu-Jung and Esther Chung
I believe the Ambassador is correct to raise concerns. This is not only a domestic Korean issue. I do not think the MOU's clarification message I forwarded alleviates these concerns.
13. No Vaccinations Expected for Months
english.chosun.com· December 21, 2020
14. S. Korea's belated response to vaccines
donga.com· December 21, 2020
15. A missile spotter's guide to North Korea (and beyond)
lowyinstitute.org · by Victor Abramowicz
I will leave this to the missile experts. I will say that north Korea has a history of surprising us and countering the assessments of analysts.
16. NK completes building musical instrument factory ordered by late former leader
koreaherald.com · by The Korea Herald · December 21, 2020
Priorities. Regime priorities.
-------------------
"Citizens by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of 'American' which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations."
- George Washington
"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression."
- Thomas Paine
"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."
and
"This Constitution ... can only end in despotism...when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."