News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. Another North Korean diplomat defects to South Korea
2. Kim’s diplomatic warriors defecting one by one
3. Google: North Korean hackers have targeted security researchers via social media
4. What kind of North Korea will Biden face?
5. Unification minister stresses flexibility on sanctions against N. Korea
6. North Korea’s long shadow on South Korea’s democracy
7. Biden gov't 'doubtful' about North's denuclearization: former White House adviser
8. What the Biden administration's first call with South Korea's defense secretary says about the countries' relationship
9. Several defection attempts and smuggling operations occurred during the party congress period
10. Commentary: how will President Biden deal with the North Korea challenge?
11. North Korea hopes to begin COVID-19 inoculations by the end of February at the earliest
12. N.K. paper calls for drawing up 'realistic' economic plans
13. Military to improve security system along eastern border after defection case
14. South Korea completes deployment of K-14 sniper rifle
15. North Korea: why VP Kamala Harris should meet with Kim Yo-Jong
16. S. Korea is likely to overtake Italy in national income
17. Why Koreans pointed out two 'Joes' at inauguration
1. Another North Korean diplomat defects to South Korea
Wall Street Journal · Andrew Jeong · January 25, 2021
My escapee friends (to include those who have worked at Department 39) tell me there are many who would defect/escape if given the opportunity. I hope South Korea and the US are conducting covert operations to help them do so. We need to take down the Department 39 global illicit network. and one of the lines of effort should be to either help Korean members escape or to turn them.
2. Kim’s diplomatic warriors defecting one by one
Asia Times · Andrew Salmon · January 25, 2021
Of course, there is a lot of speculation as to motive and what drives Koreans from the North to escape. But sometimes it could be as simple as this: failing to meet the demands from the regime to produce hard currency for the regime.
3. Google: North Korean hackers have targeted security researchers via social media
ZDNet · Catalin Cimpanu · January 25, 2021
At least North Korea thinks national security researchers are important! :-)
4. What kind of North Korea will Biden face?
Council on Foreign Relations · Scott A. Snyder · January 25, 2021
NK aims:
- Continued nuclear weapons (and missile) development
- Concessions for talks (blackmail diplomacy and political warfare)
- Arm control talks (SALT/START-like), ensuring the regime maintains its nuclear weapons and is recognized as a nuclear power.
Bottom line: North Korea will not negotiate in good faith to achieve denuclearization of the North.
5. Unification minister stresses flexibility on sanctions against N. Korea
Dong-A Ilbo · Oh-Hyuk Kwon · January 26, 2021
Minister Lee is going to be responsible for the difficulties in the ROK/US alliance. The Moon administration should rein him in, but I fear he is really providing the administration’s position on North Korean issues, so we have to listen to him to know the administration's true intent.
“Flexibility on sanctions" really means providing concessions to North Korea in return for only promises and hope. This course will confirm the success of the regime's blackmail diplomacy line of effort of its political warfare strategy. And, while the Moon administration doubles down on its "peace at any cost" policy, the Kim family regime will likely double down on its blackmail diplomacy.
6. North Korea’s long shadow on South Korea’s democracy
Brookings · Jung H. Pak · January 22, 2021
Important analysis of South Korean domestic politics. A key critique of South Korea from Dr. Jung Pak.
7. Biden gov't 'doubtful' about North's denuclearization: former White House adviser
Korea Joong Ang Daily · Park Hyun-Young & Sarah Kim · January 26, 2021
I concur with Evan Medeiros. As I have written, it is critical that the ROK and US sufficiently align their strategic assumptions about the nature and the objectives of the Kim family regime. However, I worry that it is not a "very, very, very solvable problem."
8. What the Biden administration's first call with South Korea's defense secretary says about the countries' relationship
Week · January 25, 2021
Duyeon Kim provides some important comments on how the ROK government and media interpret the readout of the call between the SECDEF and MINDEF. Understanding these differences may be helpful to John Kirby, the pentagon spokesperson.
9. Several defection attempts and smuggling operations occurred during the party congress period
Daily NK · Ha Yoon Ah · January 26, 2021
Shooting to kill is authorized and praised by the regime.
Buried lede: note the amount of ammunition soldiers and guards are authorized to carry.
10. Commentary: how will President Biden deal with the North Korea challenge?
Channel News Asia · Naoko Aoki · January 26, 2021
This sums up the assumed direction of Biden administration policy.
11. North Korea hopes to begin COVID-19 inoculations by the end of February at the earliest
Daily NK · Jang Seul Gi · January 26, 2021
12. N.K. paper calls for drawing up ‘realistic’ economic plans
Yonhap News Agency · 이원주 · January 26, 2021
A realistic economic policy would be one based on sound economic principles to include free markets, not one based on the Juche ideology.
13. Military to improve security system along eastern border after defection case
Yonhap News Agency · 오석민 · January 26, 2021
Technology and surveillance systems are great, but the key to security is boots on the ground and aggressive patrolling by soldiers, day and night, to prevent infiltration.
14. South Korea completes deployment of K-14 sniper rifle
Korea Times · Yonhap · January 26, 2021
This will be useful on the DMZ. I wonder if our good friend, Chun In Bum, had a role in this. He has been the biggest advocate of improving soldier lethality in South Korea, in particular the development of improved small arms.
15. North Korea: Why VP Kamala Harris Should Meet With Kim Yo-Jong
National Interest · Seong-Chang Cheong · January 25, 2021
Counterpart? I do not think they are counterparts. I would not insult our Vice President by making it seem that they are somehow on equal footing.
But it would be very interesting to see them meet. It would be great to see the Vice President put her in her place. In reality, I do not think this would ever happen and, if it did, I doubt there would be any substantive results, because despite Kim Yo-jong's apparent power and trust, she is not all powerful and she will only execute what Kim allows her to execute. I am sure the President would empower the Vice President, but KJU will not empower his sister to an equal extent.
16. S. Korea is likely to overtake Italy in national income
Dong-A Ilbo · Teuk-Gyo Koo · January 26, 2021
17. Why Koreans pointed out two 'Joes' at inauguration
NBC News · Hanna Park · January 21, 2021
But I am sure Agent Cho comes from a Hwarang-do bloodline.
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