News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.
1. Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Continues Report on Work of 7th Central Committee of WPK
2. Kim Jong Un Promotes Little Sister Again After Admitting His Economic Plan Is a Bust
3. S. Korean delegation departs for Iran to negotiate release of seized oil tanker
4. N.K. leader vows to promote peace by strengthening defense
5. Moon says national unity is important in new year
6. North Korean teens face gulag for using 'perverted' slang words
7. New infection cases under 1,000 for 3rd day; restrictions eased on indoor sports facilities
8. North Korea forms new research center focused on "hypersonic missiles"
9. North Korea appears to be jamming Unification Media Group radio broadcasts
10. KEDO: Long Gone, and Nearly Forgotten
11. N.K. leader vows to boost defense capabilities at party congress
12. North Korea appears intent on receiving "international support" for a COVID-19 vaccine
13. Cheong Wa Dae denies report on pardons for Park, Lee
14. Moon's disapproval rate surpasses 60% for 1st time
15. S. Korea congratulates Biden on Congress' certification of election victory
16. North Korea: Out Of The Frying Pan, Into The Fire - Analysis
17. Wendy Sherman is likely to rank top 2nd in U.S. State Department (South Korean perspective)
18. Kim Jong-un Admits 'Near-Total' Economic Failure
19. Kim Jong Un Tells Ruling Party Congress He Wants Defense Boost
20. N. Korea's Kim urges 'big leap forward' at rare party congress
21. North Korea's party congress is moment of truth for Kim and country
1. Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Continues Report on Work of 7th Central Committee of WPK
kcnawatch.org · January 7, 2021
Summary of the Day 2 report for the 8th Party Congress: infrastructure, agriculture, people's living standards, science and tech, and defense.
2. Kim Jong Un Promotes Little Sister Again After Admitting His Economic Plan Is a Bust
The Daily Beast · by Donald Kirk · January 6, 2021
It is likely Kim Yo-jong is the person Kim trusts the most. This may be to help reinforce the Paektu bloodline and strengthen the legitimacy of the Kim family regime. It is possible that this is part of a long term succession plan. But it appears from Kim Yo-jong's actions over the past two years that Kim Jong-un intends to use her to play a hardline role and exert pressure, especially on South Korea.
3. S. Korean delegation departs for Iran to negotiate release of seized oil tanker
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · January 7, 2021
Excerpts:
“Iran has claimed that the seizure took place due to "technical issues" and the matter will be addressed in line with its judicial process. The ship's operator has denied the oil pollution allegations.
Seoul's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun is also expected to travel to Iran early next week to discuss the seizure and other bilateral issues.”
4. N.K. leader vows to promote peace by strengthening defense
en.yna.co.kr · by 최수향 · January 7, 2021
Invoking President Reagan? "Peace through strength."
5. Moon says national unity is important in new year
en.yna.co.kr · by 이치동 · January 7, 2021
National unity should be a priority for all countries.
6. North Korean teens face gulag for using 'perverted' slang words
Daily Mail · by Michael Havis · January 6, 2021
I guess washing mouths out with soup is not an appropriate punishment in north Korea.
7. New infection cases under 1,000 for 3rd day; restrictions eased on indoor sports facilities
en.yna.co.kr · by 김은정 · January 7, 2021
Too soon to lift restrictions? There is a lag time for these actions.
8. North Korea forms new research center focused on "hypersonic missiles"
dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · January 6, 2021
Hypersonic missiles are all the rage today. Of course, Kim will want this capability.
9. North Korea appears to be jamming Unification Media Group radio broadcasts
dailynk.com · by Mun Dong Hui · January 7, 2021
We should consider that the regime has to expend a lot of electricity to generate the power to jam radio signals. It is another example of how Kim's policy choices contribute to the suffering of the Korean people.
10. KEDO: Long Gone, and Nearly Forgotten
38north.org · by Robert Carlin · January 6, 2021
History of another failed attempt to denuclearize the north.
11. N.K. leader vows to boost defense capabilities at party congress
en.yna.co.kr · by 최수향 · January 7, 2021
Despite all the economic failure, that Kim has admitted he is going to double down on support to the military. Kim's deliberate policy choices lead to the suffering of the Korean people in the north. We have offered a brighter future to the north if he will make the right strategic decision. The South has offered engagement opportunities. The South has worked to decrease tensions and has implemented confidence-building measures through the Comprehensive Military Agreement, with risk to ROK/US combined military readiness in an attempt to show the regime it does not have a hostile policy. But all to no avail. Kim's priority is to developing offensive military capabilities and this can only be for one purpose: to support the regime goal to dominate the peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State.
12. North Korea appears intent on receiving "international support" for a COVID-19 vaccine
dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · January 7, 2021
Note that the regime will not cooperate with South Korea. I urge the Moon administration to re-evaluate its assumptions about the nature and objectives of the Kim family regime. Kim does not share moon's vision for peace and reconciliation.
13. Cheong Wa Dae denies report on pardons for Park, Lee
koreaherald.com · by Lee Ji-yoon · January 7, 2021
Excerpts:
“Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday flatly denied a report that the presidential office was considering ways to grant pardons to Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, the two former presidents jailed for abuses of power and corruption offenses.
Earlier in the day, the Chosun Ilbo reported that Cheong Wa Dae was considering pardoning Park first while discussing other options like a suspension of prison sentence for Lee, citing unnamed sources from the ruling bloc.
Pardons can only be granted by the president, but suspensions of prison time can be decided by the Ministry of Justice.”
14. Moon's disapproval rate surpasses 60% for 1st time
The Korea Times· by Kim Rahn · January 7, 2021
Perhaps his approval rating would rise if he did agree to pardon former Presidents Pak and Lee.
15. S. Korea congratulates Biden on Congress' certification of election victory
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · January 7, 2021
The ROKG did not waste any time. I am sure this message was prepped well ahead of time but it was probably delayed due to yesterday's events at our capitol.
16. North Korea: Out Of The Frying Pan, Into The Fire - Analysis
eurasiareview.com · by East Asia Forum · January 7, 2021
We have to be concerned that a perfect storm is brewing in north Korea.
Key point: "The economic damage has likely been just as great as the medical damage. This is largely of the government's own making. North Korea's border lockdown has caused trade with China, its only meaningful trade partner, to drop to extreme low levels - just US$1.6 million in October 2020, according to official figures. Several reports have spoken of food shortages and soaring market prices resulting in large part from the border shutdown."
17. Wendy Sherman is likely to rank top 2nd in U.S. State Department (South Korean perspective)
donga.com· January 7, 2021
Interesting assessment here: "Although Sherman, a dovish politician, engaged deeply in dialogue with North Korea, she turned into a hard-liner in retirement and stressed the necessity of all-out pressures on Pyongyang including military measures. She would once make harsh remarks by saying that Kim Jong Un should be called a murderous dictator."
18. Kim Jong-un Admits 'Near-Total' Economic Failure
english.chosun.com· January 7, 2021
However, he does not admit that the fundamental reasons for the failure are his deliberate policy decisions.
19. Kim Jong Un Tells Ruling Party Congress He Wants Defense Boost
Bloomberg · by Jeong-Ho Lee · January 7, 2021
In 1992 during the US presidential campaign the bumper sticker was "It's the economy, stupid"
For the Kim family regime we should understand that it is always "it's the military, stupid."
20. N. Korea's Kim urges 'big leap forward' at rare party congress
Hmmm... we have modifications of Reagan and Mao - peace through strong defense (Peace through strength) and a big leap forward (Great leap forward).
21. North Korea's party congress is moment of truth for Kim and country
Newsweek · by Tom O'Connor · January 6, 2021
Perfect storm? Will the party be able to govern (and maintain total control) over all of north Korea and will the military remain coherent and continue to provide blind support to the regime? We must be focused on the indications and warnings for instability.
But Michael Madden disagrees with me: "In contrast to other Pyongyang watchers," Madden said, "I don't think Kim Jong Un is under any more domestic pressure than political leaders in other countries coping with and possibly struggling with the pandemic's effects."
When we were writing the CONPLAN for north Korean instability and regime collapse we borrowed from Sun Tzu - "never assume your enemy will not attack, make yourself invincible" and adapted it this way, "never assume the north will not collapse, be prepared if it happens." We need to observe for the indications and warnings.
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"Democracy washes its dirty linen in public ... but it gets it clean."
- Frank Crane
"Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud, violence, and cruelty."
- John Adams
"Although our interests as citizens vary, each one is an artery to the heart that pumps life through the body politic, and each is important to the health of democracy."
- Bill Moyers