11/23/2020 News & Commentary - Korea

News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.

1. Defense chief vows to safeguard peace with strength on N.K. attack anniversary

2. N. Korea 'expanding weapons factory'

3. U.S. security advisor says Korea-U.S. ties will remain strong 'whoever the president is'

4. Unification minister says breakthrough in inter-Korean ties could come 'sooner than expected'

5. N. Korean authorities bust students at Pyongyang Medical University for "anti-socialist activity"

6. After a decade, memorial planned for Yeonpyeong

7. South Korea seeks to reignite inter-Korean projects

8. Will Kim Jong-Un attend Tokyo Olympics?

9. N. Korea reiterates ‘self-help’ in antivirus effort

10. Moon's approval rating drops over policy failures

11. iPhone 12 mostly made with Korean parts

12. Japan to brief Korea on radioactive water release

13. 'Rally of Hope' draws 1 million attendees seeking peace for Korean peninsula

1. Defense chief vows to safeguard peace with strength on N.K. attack anniversary

Yonhap News Agency · 최수향 · November 23, 2020

We should remember this provocation 10 years ago. As I recall, I think originally this was supposed to be attributed to Kim Jong-Un as kind of his coming out event, demonstrating his supposed military prowess to establish his legitimacy. But there was no follow-through on this myth, probably because the Propaganda and Agitation Department understood the potential international blowback.

2. N. Korea ‘expanding weapons factory'

Chosun Ilbo · Yang Seung-sik · November 23, 2020

MIlitary modernization. I would like to know how much of the military equipment we observed in the October 10 parade has actually been fielded to operational units.

And the Chosun Ilbo needs to get a better qualified military advisor. I doubt the North has fielded an ATACMS. ATACMS is a US missile system and I doubt the North got a hold of a US system (though they did get the MD 500 helicopters many years ago). They should have written an "ATACMS-like" system.

3. U.S. security advisor says Korea-U.S. ties will remain strong 'whoever the president is'

Yonhap News Agency · 송상호 · November 23, 2020

The NSA is correct. As I have written many times, there will be no success for the ROK or the US toward North Korea without a rock-solid ROK/US alliance.

4. Unification minister says breakthrough in inter-Korean ties could come ‘sooner than expected’

Yonhap News Agency · 이원주 · November 23, 2020

The buried lede: Minister Lee will press the US for "flexibility" in North Korean sanctions, meaning he wants them lifted. "Flexibility" is code for sanctions relief for North Korea.

5. N. Korean authorities bust students at Pyongyang Medical University for "anti-socialist activity"

Daily NK · Ha Yoon Ah · November 23, 2020

The solution to every problem in North Korea is more ideological training and indoctrination.

6. After a decade, memorial planned for Yeonpyeong

Korea Joong Ang Daily · Kim Sang-Jin, Park Yong-Han, & Shim Kyu-Seok · November 23, 2020

7. South Korea seeks to reignite inter-Korean projects

Korea Times · Kang Seung-woo · November 23, 2020

This forecasts the type of pressure the Moon administration may try to put on the new US administration to push for sanctions relief for the North. To do so would mean a huge victory for the regime's political warfare campaign and long con.

8. Will Kim Jong-Un attend Tokyo Olympics?

Korea Times · Do Je-hae · November 23, 2020

I doubt it. Wishful thinking. Of course, if he does travel to Japan perhaps the Japanese would arrest him over the abduction issue (probably a poor attempt at humor.)

9. N. Korea reiterates ‘self-help’ in antivirus effort

Korea Herald · Choi Si-young · November 23, 2020

What is the name of the North Korea coronavirus vaccine? Juche.

Note also the buried lede about the poor efforts by the regime for disaster recovery and rebuilding homes.

10. Moon's approval rating drops over policy failures

Korea Times · Jung Da-min · November 23, 2020

This is the normal pattern as Korean presidents near the end of their single five-year term.

11. iPhone 12 mostly made with Korean parts

Chosun Ilbo · Oh Rora · November 23, 2020

Some decoupling from China?

12. Japan to brief Korea on radioactive water release

Chosun Ilbo · Roh Suk-jo · November 23, 2020

13. 'Rally of Hope' draws 1 million attendees seeking peace for Korean peninsula

Washington Times · Ben Wolfgang · November 22, 2020

“The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.”

- Sun Tzu

"If you give a man the correct information for seven years, he may believe the incorrect information on the first day of the eighth year when it is necessary, from your point of view, that he should do so. Your first job is to build the credibility and the authenticity of your propaganda, and persuade the enemy to trust you although you are his enemy.”

  - A Psychological Warfare Casebook, Operations Research Office, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (1958)

"There are four kinds of people in this world: those who make things happen; those who watch things happen; those who wonder what happened; those who don’t know that anything happened! I knew from a very early age that I wanted to be first on that list.”

- Mary Kay Ash