News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. Moon is incapable of change
2. See the weapons at North Korea’s latest military parade
3. Biden's team may roll back rapprochement with Pyongyang
4. Outgoing U.S. envoy warns about Pyongyang
5. Exclusive: Daily NK obtains materials explaining specifics of new "anti-reactionary thought" law
6. South Korea seeks early Biden summit to revive talks with Kim
7. S. Korea ready to talk any issues with N. Korea to ease tensions: defense ministry
8. N.K. leader urges devotion from newly elected members of Cabinet, ruling party
9. Moon meets Amb. Harris, vows close cooperation with Biden administration
10. 31 USFK-linked people test positive for coronavirus upon arrival in S. Korea
11. North Korea’s Kim could be planning missile launch to welcome Biden administration
12. Japan urges South Korea to drop wartime compensation demands
13. Moon says history-related issues should be viewed independently
14. New infection cases under 400 for 2nd day; virus curve sliding downhill
15. Biden can make progress where Trump failed on North Korea
16. This is why Samsung head Lee Jae Yong has been jailed and what it means for the tech giant
1. Moon is incapable of change
Chosun Ilbo · January 19, 2021
A very critical OpEd criticizing Moon on a number of issues. But it is his view of (and strategic assumptions about) North Korea and Kim Jong-un that is most troubling and that will potentially cause problems for the ROK/US alliance. If the US and the ROK cannot sufficiently align our strategic assumptions about North Korea, we are going to have a lot of friction in the alliance. And I think his assumptions about the Biden administration possibly providing sanctions relief in return talks illustrates a misunderstanding that will be harmful.
2. See the weapons at North Korea’s latest military parade
Defense News · Mike Yeo & Kim Tong-Hyung · January 15, 2021
Some useful photos.
3. Biden’s team may roll back rapprochement with Pyongyang
Korea Joong Ang Daily · Shim Kyu-Seok · January 19, 2021
A common theme among the Korean press is that members of the Biden national security team are expected to take a harder line toward North Korean than they did during the Clinton and Obama administrations. President Moon seems not to have recognized this.
The US and ROK may not be in step. This is why the first order of business for the alliance is to work on strategic alignment toward Kim Jong-un and North Korea.
4. Outgoing U.S. envoy warns about Pyongyang
Korea Joong Ang Daily · Sarah Kim · January 19, 2021
The ambassador is conducting diplomacy up until the last days at post to include supporting the incoming administration. He may be a political appointee, but he is not a politico.
5. Exclusive: Daily NK obtains materials explaining specifics of new "anti-reactionary thought" law
Daily NK · Jang Seul Gi · January 19, 2021
I hate to beat a dead horse (or, in this case, more than one horse). Two important points:
First, this is another indication of how much the regime fears the Korean people living in the North. The regime fears them more than the US. It must exert extreme control over the population. There must be the systematic denial of human rights because that is critical to keeping Kim Jong-Un in power.
Second, this illustrates the importance of information (and information control) in North Korea. As disjointed and unsynchronized as the information and influence activities of the ROK and US might be, information does have an effect inside North Korea and the regime is deathly afraid of it. Just imagine the effects we could achieve with a comprehensive information and influence activities strategy.
6. South Korea seeks early Biden summit to revive talks with Kim
Bloomberg · Jeong-Ho Lee · January 18, 2021
When I first saw the headline, I thought it was Moon advocating for an early Biden-Kim summit, but he is talking about a Moon-Biden summit. However, I would refrain from having a summit until the MOFA-State strategy working group works out a strategic alignment on key issues regarding North Korea to include the fundamental assumptions about the nature and strategy of Kim Jong-Un upon which alliance policy direction and strategy should be developed.
7. S. Korea ready to talk any issues with N. Korea to ease tensions: defense ministry
Yonhap News Agency · 오석민 · January 19, 2021
South Korea must be cautious with these types of statements. If it discusses ROK/US alliance related issues with the north without prior consultation and coordination with the US, it will continue to generate friction within the alliance.
8. N.K. leader urges devotion from newly elected members of Cabinet, ruling party
Yonhap News Agency · 이원주 · January 19, 2021
9. Moon meets Amb. Harris, vows close cooperation with Biden administration
Yonhap News Agency · 이치동 · January 19, 2021
I hope Moon means what he says (I am sure he does on his terms). But again, if we cannot achieve sufficient alignment on strategic issues and assumptions about the North, we are going to have problems.
Nothing like having a "Soju experience." With COVID we cannot drink Soju in the traditional way with the exchange of glasses (unless Soju can kill the COVID virus).
10. 31 USFK-linked people test positive for coronavirus upon arrival in S. Korea
Yonhap News Agency · 오석민 · January 19, 2021
11. North Korea’s Kim could be planning missile launch to welcome Biden administration
Washington Post · Simon Denyer & Joby Warrick · January 18, 2021
Maybe. Or maybe not. Key point - no conclusive evidence, but a launch would be in keeping with the pattern of the Kim family regime.
12. Japan urges South Korea to drop wartime compensation demands
Associated Press · Mari Yamaguchi · January 18, 2021
The Moon administration cannot overrule the courts.
13. Moon says history-related issues should be viewed independently
Dong-A Ilbo · Ji-Sun Choi · January 19, 2021
Moon and Suga must pledge to place national security and national prosperity first and to manage the historical issues without impacting on the priorities.
14. New infection cases under 400 for 2nd day; virus curve sliding downhill
Yonhap News Agency · 이민지 · January 19, 2021
15. Biden can make progress where Trump failed on North Korea
National Interest · Matt Abbott · January 18, 2021
Close but no cigar. Solving the "Korea question" must be the long term goal and it must be understood that there will be no end to the nuclear threat and the human rights abuses until the Korea question is resolved, achieving the only acceptable durable political arrangement that will sustain, protect, and advance US and ROK/US alliance interests: a secure, stable, economically vibrant, non-nuclear Korean peninsula unified under a liberal constitutional form of government with respect for individual liberty, the rule of law, and human rights, determined by the Korean people. In short, a United Republic of Korea (UROK). This is the long-term objective. Now, let's begin the backward planning to achieve that. Of course, one issue is the US cannot want this more than South Korea.
16. This is why Samsung head Lee Jae Yong has been jailed and what it means for the tech giant
Scotsman · Matt Brooks · January 18, 2021
And Moon has no love for Samsung.
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