News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs
1. N.Korean Propaganda Harnesses Kim Jong-un's Weight Loss
2. North Korean regime seeks sympathy for ‘thin’ Kim
3. Korean Interests in Peace and Stability Around the Taiwan Strait
4. North Koreans Reject Korean War Propaganda Claiming South Struck First
5. North Korea slams the door on dialogue — for now
6. Kim’s ‘normal state’ vision still far off
7. Korea's second amphibious assault ship commissioned
8. Korean, US progressive Christian groups call for peace treaty, end to Korean War
9. Soon-to-be-discharged North Korean soldiers reassigned as workers in Komdok mines
10. Unification ministry keeping eye on whether N.K. sends congratulatory delegation to China
11. ＜Inside N. Korea＞ Economic difficulties have shaken public sentiment, prompting orders to strengthen security at military armouries and security agencies.
12. N. Korean paper warns officials against corruption, bureaucracy
13. South Korea sends troops, destroyer to US-Australia military exercise for first time
14. North Koreans 'heartbroken' by Kim's purported weight loss, Pyongyang resident tells state media
15. Is North Korea’s Byungjin Policy in Crisis?
16. S. Korea ups 2021 growth outlook to 4.2 pct
17. S. Korea names new Air Force commander after death of sexually abused soldier
18. Factbox-North Korea's history of secrecy over leaders' health
19. S.Korea to develop 'Iron Dome'-style defence system to counter North's artillery
20. Researching North Korea: Sources, Methods, and Pitfalls
1. N.Korean Propaganda Harnesses Kim Jong-un's Weight Loss
english.chosun.com · June 28, 2021
Perhaps they can book him for some weight watcher's commercials to generate more revenue for the royal court economy.
But I guess he still has a ways to go.
Excerpt: “In reality Kim is still vastly obese. But at a Workers Party meeting in mid-June, his first public appearance in about a month, he was visibly less so than before. His cheeks were less puffed and he seemed to have tightened his watch strap by a notch since March.
2. North Korean regime seeks sympathy for ‘thin’ Kim
asiatimes.com · by Bradley K. Martin · June 28, 2021
"Thin Kim." We may have to adopt that.
Important comments here. We need to be wary and watchful (and dust off contingency plans): “Currently, “security at military armories, security facilities and idols [statues] of the Kim Jong Un family has recently been greatly strengthened,” reports Osaka-based AsiaPress, which gets news from undercover reporters inside the country who use smuggled Chinese cellphones.
The increased security is said to have been undertaken “due to the increasing discontent caused by the worsening of people’s lives due to the economic turmoil.” The same publication has reported on actual starvation in parts of the country recently.
But the emphasis in the current case on Kim Jong Un’s health may be significant. If authorities persist in calling attention to the issue, what shall we assume? In what circumstances would that be something the propagandists would see an advantage in talking about?
One fairly likely possibility, of course, is that Kim Jong Un really has been ill and the authorities feel the need to persuade people to excuse him from maintaining a full workload – or even to prepare the population for his death. Party regulations have in fact been changed recently to permit naming someone else as number two.
3. Korean Interests in Peace and Stability Around the Taiwan Strait
keia.org · by Terrence Matsuo · June 25, 2021
My comments, among others, are in the article.
4. North Koreans Reject Korean War Propaganda Claiming South Struck First
rfa.org · by Hyemin Son
I am skeptical but this is an interesting report.
But perhaps we could get others in the South and the US to stop blaming the alliance for the war too!
This is also very interesting in that those close to each will talk about this: “Despite this obvious propaganda, most people know the actual history. Any factory worker who has heard a foreign broadcast about the Korean War knows full well that it wasn’t South Korea that attacked first. We actually prepared for the war and started it. They have been repeating the narrative that the war was started by provocations from the United States and South Korea,” said the source.
According to the source, people who are close to each other often talk about the actual history of the Korean War whenever the anniversary draws near.
“They’ll say, ‘If South Korea had started it, the South Korean army could have occupied Pyongyang within three days. How is it possible that the Korean People’s Army were able to take Seoul in three days instead?’” said the source.
“They all know that the propaganda trotted out by the authorities on war history is inconsistent historical distortion,” the source said.
5. North Korea slams the door on dialogue — for now
The Hill · by Bruce Klingner · June 25, 2021
The operative words: "for now." Kim will be back under two conditions. He is either desperate and is under so much internal pressure he must negotiate. Or he has set the conditions to his advantage and believes he can exploit the ROK and US.
6. Kim’s ‘normal state’ vision still far off
koreaherald.com · by Ahn Sung-mi · June 28, 2021
Tighten his grip but create an image of a "normal state." In whose eyes? Certainly the international community does and never will view north Korea as a normal state as long as the Kim family regime remains in power and there is no change to its nature, objectives, and strategy. To be a normal state would require Kim to act as a responsible member of the international community. However, this would require drastic changes to everything from eliminating his nuclear program to ceasing the horrendous human rights abuses and crimes against humanity. A normal state? I think not. No amount of propaganda will alter the view of objective observers.
7. Korea's second amphibious assault ship commissioned
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com · by Michael Lee and Park Yong-Han · June 28, 2021
One more and they will have a nascent capability (three to make one)
8. Korean, US progressive Christian groups call for peace treaty, end to Korean War
The Korea Times · June 28, 2021
Sigh... the 21 May Summit a "disappointment?" And they hold some naive views about a peace treaty as well as lifting sanctions. Why do these organizations never call out Kim Jong-un for his decision that causes the suffering of the Korean people. It is not sanctions that are causing such suffering.
9. Soon-to-be-discharged North Korean soldiers reassigned as workers in Komdok mines
dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · June 28, 2021
From conscription to slave laborers.
10. Unification ministry keeping eye on whether N.K. sends congratulatory delegation to China
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · June 28, 2021
A note perhaps, A delegation to Beijing? Probably not. It would seem the regime remains too concerned with the spread of COVID.
11. ＜Inside N. Korea＞ Economic difficulties have shaken public sentiment, prompting orders to strengthen security at military armouries and security agencies.
An indicator? Does the regime fear instability? Does the regime fear collective action? Are we prepared?
Excerpt: “The person who provided this information to our reporting partner was a police official, who explained the reason for the increased security: “There is a possibility that anti-party groups will intensify their activities as the economic situation and people's lives become more complex.”
12. N. Korean paper warns officials against corruption, bureaucracy
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · June 28, 2021
And another potential indicator.
13. South Korea sends troops, destroyer to US-Australia military exercise for first time
SCMP · by June 28, 2021 · Park Chan-kyong
South Korea stepping up as a great middle power.
South Korea sends troops, destroyer to US-Australia military exercise for first time
- The Talisman Sabre war games are widely seen as sending a strong message to an increasingly assertive China
- South Korea’s participation is likely to raise eyebrows in Beijing but an analyst said China’s response would probably be muted
14. North Koreans 'heartbroken' by Kim's purported weight loss, Pyongyang resident tells state media
CNN · by Yoonjung Seo and Joshua Berlinger
Cry those crocodile tears for Kim Jong-un.
Two of my favorite photos here (Note the 2012 photo below - It looks like Kim might be getting back to his "fighting weight."):
15. Is North Korea’s Byungjin Policy in Crisis?
The National Interest · by Grażyna Strnad · June 27, 2021
An interesting assessment from Poland.
Excerpt: “North Korea will likely remain stabilized due to the emerging regional dynamics that are unfolding. China is calculating the trajectory of the United States-China rivalry, caused by the renewed American critique of unfair Chinese trade practices, human rights violations, political repression of the Uyghurs and the citizens of Hong Kong, and continued military posturing in the South China Sea and against Taiwan. North Korea, even if the worst of political and economic outcomes come to fruition, will serve to distract the United States, giving China potential leverage. China will support North Korea out of its vested regional interests. Beyond that, North Korea's history of survival accompanied by other "arduous marches," points to the dictatorship of Kim Jong-un to remain in power, regardless of the success or failure of the Byungjin Policy.
16. S. Korea ups 2021 growth outlook to 4.2 pct
en.yna.co.kr · by 김수연 · June 28, 2021
17. S. Korea names new Air Force commander after death of sexually abused soldier
en.yna.co.kr · by 오석민 · June 28, 2021
18. Factbox-North Korea's history of secrecy over leaders' health
Reuters · by Josh Smith · June 28, 2021
We must always be skeptical of the reporting on Kim's health. On the other hand it is always possible something could happen. The question is if we learn today that Kim Jong-un has left us, what do we do now? What actions are we ready to take immediately when learning of his demise?
19. S.Korea to develop 'Iron Dome'-style defence system to counter North's artillery
Reuters · by Josh Smith
There is a lot more artillery in the Kaesong Heights than Hamas and Hezbollah have. But it is worth a try to improve South Korean defenses.
20. Researching North Korea: Sources, Methods, and Pitfalls
NKEF Policy and Research Paper Series 2021
A very useful document for Korea watchers and researchers.
The 28 page paper can be downloaded in PDF here. Thanks to Yonho Kim and the authors for assembling this useful document.
---------------
"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."
- Benjamin Franklin
"No one starts a war-or rather, no one in his senses ought to do so-without first being clear in his mind what he intends to achieve by that war and how he intends to conduct it."
-Clausewitz
“Remind me to write a popular article on the compulsive reading of news. The theme will be that most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily walling in the troubles and sins of five billion strangers. The title is ‘Gossip Unlimited’ - no, make that ‘Gossip Gone wild.’”
-Robert Heinlein - Stranger In A Strange land