News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs
1. U.S. envoy hopes N. Korea will accept offer to meet 'anytime, anywhere without preconditions'
2. Sung Kim discusses N. Korean nuclear with S. Korea and Japan
3. U.S. nuclear envoy waves olive branch at Kim Jong-un
4. Bulldog Brigade in Busan
5. Kim acknowledges food problems in North Korea
6. N.Korean Hackers Target S.Korean Submarine Data
7. North Korea's revised Administrative Penalties Law strengthens punishments for violating air raid shelter-related regulations
8. Young couple arrested while trying to flee across the China-North Korea border near Hoeryong
9. Problems in media reports related to NK
10. Template for reunification
11. Hyundai Motor buys US robotics firm from Softbank for M$880
12. north Korea: ＜Farm investigation＞ Poor harvest predicted already. Goods and money are in short supply. 30% of farms are "food insecure households".
13. North Korea: a glimpse through the looking glass… Part 1
14. Sullivan says comments by DPRK leader "interesting signal" - Xinhua
15. North Korea Has Two Months' Worth Of Food Left As Deadly Famine Risk Rises
16. White House says comments by North Korea's Kim Jong Un are 'interesting signal'
17. Ukraine roots out ring behind hacks on US universities, South Korean firms
18. North Korean hacking group allegedly behind breach of South Korean nuclear institute
19. The Lazarus heist: How North Korea almost pulled off a billion-dollar hack
20. NI man on his dash to escape North Korea after COVID-19 hit
1. U.S. envoy hopes N. Korea will accept offer to meet 'anytime, anywhere without preconditions'
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · June 21, 2021
Emphasis on "without preconditions." This is necessary to counter the regime's political warfare strategy. We are willing to negotiate. It is up to the regime to act responsibly.
Excerpt: "We continue to hope that the DPRK will respond positively to our outreach and our offer to meet anywhere, anytime without preconditions," Kim said, referring to the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."
2. Sung Kim discusses N. Korean nuclear with S. Korea and Japan
donga.com · June 21, 2021
We do not need to go to Panmunjom to contact the north.
Excerpt: “We haven’t heard about his plan to contact the North by visiting Panmunjom during his visit to Korea,” said a South Korean government insider. But as Kim Jung Un mentioned the possibility of talks, there is still a chance that he would try to contact the North."
3. U.S. nuclear envoy waves olive branch at Kim Jong-un
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com · by Sarah Kim · June 20, 2021
It is interesting how different media organizations interpret events and statements. (at least headline editors!)
US policy in a nutshell: diplomacy, implementation of all relevant UN Security Council resolutions, stern deterrence: “Our policy calls for a calibrated, practical approach that is open to and will explore diplomacy with the DPRK,” said Kim at the beginning of the meeting.
“As we seek to make practical progress that increases the security of the United States and our allies, we continue to hope that the DPRK will respond positively to our outreach and our offer to meet anywhere, anytime without, preconditions.”
Kim was using the acronym for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
However, Kim was quick to stress that Washington will enforce United Nations Security Council sanctions resolutions on Pyongyang to counter any threats.
Kim urged all UN member states and Security Council members to “address the threat posed to the international community by the DPRK.”
4. Bulldog Brigade in Busan
Part of "stern deterrence." A lot of firepower in one brigade combat team.
5. Kim acknowledges food problems in North Korea
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com · by Sarah Kim and Jeong Yong-Soo · June 20, 2021
Hard to deny when some 25 million people are going hungry. But does he really and sincerely accept responsibility? The Propaganda and Agitation Department can only cover up so much with its messaging.
6. N.Korean Hackers Target S.Korean Submarine Data
Perhaps the north thinks the ROK is farther along in the development of a nuclear powered submarine.
7. North Korea's revised Administrative Penalties Law strengthens punishments for violating air raid shelter-related regulations
dailynk.com · by Mun Dong Hui · June 21, 2021
As far as I know there has not been an air attack on north Korean territory since 1953. But I guess they must maintain their vigilance. Or maybe Kim is planning something that could cause an air strike? :-) (note sarcasm)
But we do know that north Korea is deathly afraid of air power and they still teach (and propagandize about) how the country was devastated by US air power in the Korean War.
8. Young couple arrested while trying to flee across the China-North Korea border near Hoeryong
dailynk.com · by Lee Chae Un · June 21, 2021
Another north Korean Shakespearean tragedy. Young lovers watching South Korean dramas want a better life and try to escape.
9. Problems in media reports related to NK
The Korea Times · by Yang Moo-jin · June 21, 2021
Interesting commentary and critique of VOA and RFA. However, I think his criticism is not accurate because the fact is there are some big differences between the ROK and US on such issues as human rights and north-South engagements (and sanctions relief to facilitate it). The query to the State department to be able to explain US policies on issues and then they accurately report the information the State Department provides.
I really have to throw the BS flag on this commentary from the author:
“By citing these VOA reports, some domestic media came out with provocative articles claiming that the U.S. pressured the ROK government indirectly, or that human rights are feared to become a "detonator" for the ROK-U.S. summit, stretching the meaning as if the two countries had significant differences ahead of the meeting.
U.S. media outlets such as Voice of America and Radio Free Asia promptly request comments from the U.S. State Department with only a fragmentary part of the contents mentioned by high-ranking officials such as the President and Minister of the Republic of Korea related to North Korea policy, excluding the overall context. They are inducing the expansion and reproduction of related issues as if there is a large difference in the stances on North Korea policy between the ROK and the U.S.”
I know most journalists at the Korean Service at VOA and RFA. In nearly every query to me they never assume that I have all the context. They will provide it and provide links to other supporting and clarifying information. They do not play "gotcha" with State or with anyone they interview.
I think the author is merely trying to make excuses for foolish comments from the likes of Moon Chung-in. You cannot blame VOA and RFA for Moon Cung-in's ignorant and outrageous comments. He has a long history of making them.
But this does illustrate one thing. VOA and RFA are well respected and people value and listen to and watch their reporting. Of course, like the author, not all people are pleased with it.
10. Template for reunification
The Korea Times · by Mark Peterson · June 20, 2021
A short but interesting essay on Korean unification. You can agree or disagree with the author but I agree with him that culture will be a critical component of the unification process.
Excerpt: “I've written about the "12 pillars of Korean culture" in this column over the last year. I've looked at the past, the history of Korea, but for this exercise I've used the same "12 pillars" of Korean culture as a structure for eventual reunification. Each of these is a cultural quality either unique to Korea, or strongly pronounced in Korea. Let's look at them here, not only as historical values, but as indicators of how Korea can successfully use its cultural heritage for unification.
11. Hyundai Motor buys US robotics firm from Softbank for M$880
koreaherald.com · by Yonhap · June 21, 2021
12. north Korea: ＜Farm investigation＞ Poor harvest predicted already. Goods and money are in short supply. 30% of farms are "food insecure households".
An unbelievable hard life for most of the 25 million Koreans living in the north.
Excerpts: “Now, North Korea is amid a "rural mobilization". Since mid-May, city dwellers from all over the country have been going to cooperative farms to help farmers by sowing corn seeds, planting rice, and weeding.
Last year, the "rural mobilization" was scaled down due to the concern over the coronavirus spreading. However, this year, under the policy of prioritizing agriculture from the beginning of the year, "urban residents are taking turns to go to rural areas under the instruction of the authorities that all those who can hold a spoon must go to rural areas," said the reporting partners.
In this year's rural mobilization, each enterprise or group was assigned a farm to work on, and the residents would visit the farm two to three times a week. In addition to the "commuting" method, a new method has been introduced in which those who are stationed at the farms are selected to be in charge of the designated fields until harvest. The chronic shortage of labour on the farm has been solved for the moment, and the farm workers are in a welcome mood.
However, some cooperative farm leaders and residents are already pessimistic that agricultural production will worsen this year.
13. North Korea: a glimpse through the looking glass… Part 1
newsi.co.za · by Terence Corrigan · June 20, 2021
north Korean "exceptionalism:"
While self-reliance is an ordinal principle of Juche, it embraces much more. North Korea’s 2009 constitution expunged references to Marxism, with Juche being presented as a uniquely Korean nationalist and socialist ideology. In this sense, it is a distinct, replacement ideology from those of its erstwhile Marxist peers. It provided ideological justification for the idiosyncratic conduct of the North Korean state.
This ideological framework underlines North Korea’s sense of exceptionalism. Within its official worldview, it has achieved a near perfect society and without question, the socio-political philosophy to underwrite it. Indeed, Juche is the envy of the world, something that allies may seek to emulate, and foes necessarily to destroy.
North Korea consequently remains fiercely independent and insular with respect to its own territory. As Grace Lee, a scholar of North Korea, has written: ‘In practice, this political stance has caused North Korea to truly become a hermit kingdom because of the huge stigma Juche places upon cooperation with outside powers. According to Juche as interpreted by the DPRK, yielding to foreign pressure or tolerating foreign intervention would make it impossible to maintain chaju, or the defense of national independence and sovereignty.’
14. Sullivan says comments by DPRK leader "interesting signal" - Xinhua
A report from China. I thought I would read the Chinese "curse:" "May you live in interesting times."
15. North Korea Has Two Months' Worth Of Food Left As Deadly Famine Risk Rises
Key points. Repression and ideological training are the only ways to prevent resistance and ensure Kim remains in power. Who does Kim fear more: the US or the Korean people in the north?
Excerpts: “Meanwhile, amid the food crisis and struggling economy, the country has cracked down on repression of its citizens.
Although global internet is banned, other outside influences have also been stopped. The dictator has brought in harsh sanctions on what young people watch, with K-pop banned - Kim previously described the genre as a 'vicious cancer' plaguing the youth of North Korea.
He believes it is corrupting young people, changing their 'attire, hairstyles, speeches and behaviours'.
Anyone guilty of watching South Korean TV dramas could see offenders - even high school students - serve between five and 15 years of hard labour, as reported by the BBC.
Disciplinary officers also roam the streets to make remove men with long hair or women with inappropriate clothing.
North Korean defector Jung Gwang-il told The New York Times: "Young North Koreans think they owe nothing to Kim Jong-un.
"He must reassert his ideological control on the young if he doesn't want to lose the foundation for the future of his family's dynastic rule."
16. White House says comments by North Korea's Kim Jong Un are 'interesting signal'
Yes, let's hear a clear signal from the regime:
"His comments this week we regard as an interesting signal and we will wait to see whether they are followed up with any kind of more direct communication to us about a potential path forward," Mr Sullivan said. "The clear signal they could send is to say 'yes, let's do it. Let's sit down and begin negotiations.'"
17. Ukraine roots out ring behind hacks on US universities, South Korean firms
americanmilitarynews.com · by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty · June 20, 2021
18. North Korean hacking group allegedly behind breach of South Korean nuclear institute
ZDNet · by Cho Mu-Hyun
No surprise. The "all-purpose sword" is in full use and strikes again in South Korea.
19. The Lazarus heist: How North Korea almost pulled off a billion-dollar hack
For those unfamiliar with this "heist" this is a useful account.
20. NI man on his dash to escape North Korea after COVID-19 hit
belfastlive.co.uk · by Shauna Corr · June 21, 2021
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“The truth is that everything starts from the top. What determines your failure or success is your style of leadership and the chain of command that you design.”
- Robert Greene, The 33 Strategies of War
"When you have assumed these names – good, modest, truthful, rational, a man of equanimity, and magnanimous – take care that you do not change these names; and if you should lose them, quickly return to them."
- Marcus Aurelius
"First and last is the question of values. Most conflict researchers cited here, including the author, try to be objective in their analyses. The ultimate normative purpose of this kind of conflict analysis, though, and the objective that has attracted most scholars to the subject, is to help all of us—political activists, policy makers, and scholars—understand how to build more just and peaceful societies."
- Ted Gurr, Why Men Rebel