01/10/2021 News & Commentary - Korea

News and Commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and Published by Riley Murray.

1. N.K. highlights importance of defense capabilities in revised party rules

2. Workers' Party Congress adopts defense rules

3. Kim Jong Un Finally Offers His Response to U.S. Election: More Nukes

4. Kim Jong-un has been bringing women into the spotlight in a way his father and grandfather never did

5. Latest message from North Korea's Kim meant to light 'a fire under' Biden administration, experts say

6. Is North Korea on the Brink of Starvation?

7. Kim Jong Un says North Korea is developing tactical nukes, new warheads and a nuclear-powered submarine

8. Kim Jong Un casts doubts over Korean unification, acknowledges 'serious situation'

9. New virus cases stay below 700 for 3rd day despite steady cluster infections

10. US Congressman Andy Kim helps clean up Capitol

11. How 'Assassins' Director Obtained CCTV Footage of Kim Jong-nam's Murder

12. Kim Jong Un's big plan to grow North Korea's economy faces harsh reality

13. The North Korean Dictator's Birthday Seen from the Free World

1. N.K. highlights importance of defense capabilities in revised party rules

en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · January 10, 2021

There should be no doubt that Songun (military first politics) reigns supreme in the Kim family regime and the party despite statements and pundit analysis speculating otherwise.

2. Workers' Party Congress adopts defense rules

koreajoongangdaily.joins.com

As I mentioned on VOA I think Kim may think he is challenging President-elect Biden to implement a different policy toward north Korea and to break with all past administrations to include the Trump administration.  He is saying to Biden - "dare to be different" and then we will talk.  But we should not be duped by Kim's continued long con and political warfare strategy.  And he is acting similarly toward South Korea.  He is blaming the failed north-South engagement on the South (and the Minister of Unification has responded predictably and as Kim desires - the South will double down on engagement despite Kim's anti-South rhetoric.  The subversion of the South continues).

Excerpts:

Calling the United States the North's "foremost principal enemy," Kim concluded his dayslong report to the 8th Party Congress on Friday by swearing off any talks with Washington until the new occupant of the White House withdrew a "hostile policy" toward Pyongyang.

Setting a range of objectives for its nuclear weapons industry, including enhancing the accuracy of its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), Kim warned he was compelled to continue augmenting the regime's nuclear arsenal "without interruption."

The declarations marked an emphatic first response by the regime to the incoming Joe Biden administration, coming after silence since U.S. electors in November voted the incumbent and Kim's self-styled "good friend" Donald Trump out of office.

Whoever takes office in the United States, "the real intention of its policy toward" North Korea "will never change," Kim said in a glum assessment of his regime's negotiating possibilities with Washington. Claiming U.S. policy toward the North is becoming "more violent" in spite of his goodwill, Kim vowed to answer force from Washington "with toughness and good faith in kind."

3. Kim Jong Un Finally Offers His Response to U.S. Election: More Nukes

The Daily Beast – by Donald Kirk - January 9, 2021

My comments, among others, below.

4. Kim Jong-un has been bringing women into the spotlight in a way his father and grandfather never did

ABC.net.au · January 9, 2021

An enlightened Kim Jong-un? Finally waking up to the importance of women? Is he trying to appear to be a modern leader?

A section heading below: 'Cute but poisonous'

5. Latest message from North Korea's Kim meant to light 'a fire under' Biden administration, experts say

The Week · January 9, 2021

"Light a fire?" Like turning Seoul into a "sea of fire?" I do not know if light a fire is the best analysis but it is certainly meant to influence him.  

6. Is North Korea on the Brink of Starvation?

The National Interest · by Hazel Smith · January 9, 2021

I think we had some knowledge of what was happening inside north Korea during the Arduous March of the great famine of 1994-1996. We were tasked by SECDEF Cohen in 1996 to develop contingency plans for north Korean instability and potential regime collapse. This had to be based on some understanding of what was happening inside north Korea. Certainly, we did not have knowledge to the level we have today, but I recall USAID providing a detailed map of north Korean infrastructure and famine impacts in 1996-97 to support our planning.  Why did the north fall into instability and eventual regime collapse? The simple answer is the election of Kim Dae Jung and the implementation of the Sunshine Policy and the later Peace and Prosperity Policy of his successor, Roh Myoo Hyun, which transferred billions of dollars in aid to the regime.

That said, I think Dr. Smith is correct in that this time could be different.  I think the suffering could soon be far worse that what happened during the Arduous March.

7. Kim Jong Un says North Korea is developing tactical nukes, new warheads and a nuclear-powered submarine

CNN · by Joshua Berlinger and Yoonjung Seo, CNN

I know I am beating the dead horse but just think about the resources that are required to build a nuclear powered submarine. This is an example of the deliberate policy decisions Kim Jong-un makes that result in the suffering of the Korean people living in the north.

Excerpts:

South Korea's Unification Ministry said Seoul would not alter its policies toward denuclearization or inter-Korean peace in response to Kim's comments.

"South Korea hopes the talks between North Korea and the United States can resume as soon as possible as the start of a new administration," the ministry said in a statement.

But the Biden administration may be forced to deal with this sooner than it would like, as North Korea conducted provocative missile tests during the first 100 days of both the Trump and Obama administrations.

8.  Kim Jong Un casts doubts over Korean unification, acknowledges 'serious situation'

republicworld.com – 10 January 2021

We should not misunderstand these statements and the analysis.  Kim Jong-un absolutely wants unification.  It is just that he wants to dominate the peninsula under the rule of the Guerrilla Dynasty and Gulag State to ensure the survival of the Kim family regime. His comments are really intended to undermine the legitimacy of South Korea and its engagement strategy as well as its relationship to the US with its hostile policies.

9. New virus cases stay below 700 for 3rd day despite steady cluster infections

en.yna.co.kr · by 남광식 · January 10, 2021

A little bit of good news. But problems persist.

10. US Congressman Andy Kim helps clean up Capitol

https://www.donga.com/en/home/article/all/20210109/2358427/1/US-Congressman-Andy-Kim-helps-clean-up-Capitol - 9 January 2021

Servant leadership.

11. How 'Assassins' Director Obtained CCTV Footage of Kim Jong-nam's Murder

The Hollywood Reporter · by Scott Huver · January 9, 2021

I still have not been able to find this movie on any streaming service.  I really want to see it.

12. Kim Jong Un's big plan to grow North Korea's economy faces harsh reality

straitstimes.com

Unfortunately, Kim's real plan to fix the economy rests on blackmail diplomacy - the use of tensions, threats, and provocations to gain political and economic concessions.  Kim is pressing for sanctions relief. He is not going to implement "Chinese style economic reforms."  In fact, he is doing everything he can to shut off the lifeblood to the 400+ markets - cross border trade (legal and illicit) and the use of foreign currency.  And most importantly Kim could relieve the suffering of the Korean people if he would prioritize the economy and not his nuclear and missile programs and the 4th largest army in the world.

13. The North Korean Dictator's Birthday Seen from the Free World

A lot of detail for Korea watchers.  Please go to the link since it will not format for this message.  https://www.hrnkinsider.org/2021/01/the-north-korean-dictators-birthday.html

"I do believe that political arrangements which are based upon violence, intimidation and theft will eventually break down - and will deserve to do so." 

- Margaret Thatcher

"You can justify, from a political standpoint, any type of violence you want to use." 

- Jerry Vlasak

"When we use the word domestic [terrorism], we discount its actual impact as political terrorism, which is, of course, political violence meant to impact an audience outside of the immediate victims." 

- Malcolm Wrightson Nance