9/29/2020 News & Commentary - Korea

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

1. Washington also strongly condemns North Korea: "The South Korean Government Must Now Revise Its North Korea Strategy"

2. Why does North Korea's apology letter have South Korean spellings and style, and why was the letter changed?

3. Defector: Kim Jong Un likely knew of plans to execute South Korean

4. NK could be lying about shooting: US defense analyst

5. Deputy security adviser recently visited U.S. for talks on alliance, N. Korea: Cheong Wa Dae

6. No time for silence

7.  U.S. arms control envoy to hold talks in Seoul about China threats

8. Why Is the gov't so eager to defend Kim Jong-un?

9. Moon expresses condolences over death of S. Korean official in shooting by N. Korean troops

10. S. Korea closely watching for additional word from N.K. over death of its citizen: ministry

11. No unusual N.K. movement detected near maritime border: JCS

12. After slaying S. Korean official, N. Korean patrol boat crew commended for "hard work"

13. S. Korea, U.S. agree to hold high-level arms control talks in Washington

14. Tours to inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom to resume soon: UN command

15. Pyongyang should agree on joint investigation rather than reacting unreasonably

16. Moon calls for restoring communications with the North after killing at sea

17. Korea becomes diplomatic battlefield between US, China

18. Moon criticized for subdued message toward North Korea

19. Seoul, Washington to discuss North Korea's civilian killing, ending Korean War

20. N. Korea unresponsive to S. Korea's call for reopening military hotline

1. Washington also strongly condemns North Korea: "The South Korean Government Must Now Revise Its North Korea Strategy"

Dong-A Ilbo · by Lee Jeong-Eun · September 26, 2020

Yes, a number of us are condemning North Korea and I call on the Moon Administration to revise their policy and strategy (after assessing its assumptions about North Korea are erroneous).

2. Why does North Korea's apology letter have South Korean spellings and style, and why was the letter changed?

East Asia Research Center · by Tara O · September 26, 2020

A tough critique here from Dr. O.

3. Defector: Kim Jong Un likely knew of plans to execute South Korean

UPI · by Elizabeth Shim · September 26, 2020

I defer to my good friend and escapee, Hyun Seung, Lee. He provides some very important analysis. I have learned a lot from Hyun and his father over the past couple of years.

4. NK could be lying about shooting: US defense analyst

Korea Herald · by Kim So-Hyun · September 27, 2020

We should understand retaliation (see below). We conduct operations in self-defense and we conduct operations to prevent further attacks. Had the ROK military known a South Korean civilian was in danger, they could have legitimately attempted to defend him. But given the circumstances and likely timeline that was not feasible.

But it is this talk of fear of escalation that continues to cause strategic paralysis on the Alliance side and that allows the Kim family regime to continue to get away with political warfare and blackmail diplomacy. Now I am not advocating a military response such as an attack of North Korea in this case in response to this MURDER (we should remember that this is what occurred, and not be afraid to call it a murder of a Korean citizen). But we need to show Kim Jong-Un that there are consequences for these actions and we could undertake a number of actions that could hurt Kim - starting from simply supporting escapee/defectors information operations, to withdrawing from the CMA and conducting ISR in the vicinity of the DMZ and restoring live firing training in the frontline areas, to conducting large scale combined air, land, and sea exercises. All of these actions will undermine Kim Jong-Un's legitimacy and power. And then there are financial actions targeting Kim funds, cyber operations, as well as interdiction of ship to ship transfers. We (the ROK/US alliance) just need the will to take such actions. By our not doing so, Kim will only be emboldened to make more demands and we only need to pay attention to the Propaganda and Agitation department to see how the regime is spinning this.

5. Deputy security adviser recently visited U.S. for talks on alliance, N. Korea: Cheong Wa Dae

Yonhap News Agency · by sshluck@yna.co.kr · September 27, 2020

This must have been a low-profile visit. The regional public health initiative is interesting but last week the regime might have bitten the hand that could feed it.

But this week appears to be a busy one for the alliance in both Seoul and Washington.

6. No time for silence

Korea Joong Ang Daily · September 27, 2020

The Joongang Ilbo calls it a homicide and severely criticizes the Moon administration.

7. U.S. arms control envoy to hold talks in Seoul about China threats

Yonhap News Agency · by Kim Seung-Yeon · September 28, 2020

As I said, a busy week in Seoul and Washington. How about Yonhap’s choice of photos? Can you hear me now?

8. Why Is the gov't so eager to defend Kim Jong-un?

Chosun Ilbo · by Editorial Board · September 28, 2020

Simply put, because the Moon administration persists with the assumption that Kim Jong-Un wants peace and reconciliation in accordance with the same vision as President Moon. When an assumption is proven false, you must change your policy and strategy.

9. Moon expresses condolences over death of S. Korean official in shooting by N. Korean troops

Yonhap News Agency · by Lee Chi-Dong · September 28, 2020

Tepid. Almost as if he is blaming the victim. Please condemn the Kim family regime and the NKPA for the murder of a Korean citizen.

10. S. Korea closely watching for additional word from N.K. over death of its citizen: ministry

Yonhap News Agency · by kokobj@yna.co.kr · September 28, 2020

The North is going to ignore the South's demand and make further threats. It will eventually demand concessions to reduce tensions (tensions that are, of course, the result of North Korean action).

11. No unusual N.K. movement detected near maritime border: JCS

Yonhap News Agency · by scaaet@yna.co.kr · September 28, 2020

Not surprising. Note the spokesman stresses the Northern Limit Line (NLL) is the de facto boundary. As we know it is not an internationally recognized boundary and was simply imposed as a post-Armistice control measure to ensure South Korean vessels did not go North.

12. After slaying S. Korean official, N. Korean patrol boat crew commended for "hard work"

Daily NK · by Jang Seul Gi · September 28, 2020

No surprise here.  The members of this crew are heroes to the North.

13. S. Korea, U.S. agree to hold high-level arms control talks in Washington

Yonhap News Agency · by Kim Seung-Yeon · September 28, 2020

I understand why we are having these negotiations, but wouldn't it be better to put more effort into arms-control negotiations with our adversaries and those who threaten regional and international security?

14. Tours to inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom to resume soon: UN command

Yonhap News Agency · by graceoh@yna.co.kr · September 28, 2020

Probably the least likely location for a deliberate incident.

15. Pyongyang should agree on joint investigation rather than reacting unreasonably

Dong-A Ilbo · September 28, 2020

Should, if it was a responsible member of the international community. Of course, a responsible member of the international community would not have murdered and immolated an innocent victim.

16. Moon calls for restoring communications with the North after killing at sea

Korea Joong Ang Daily · by Ser Myo-Ja · September 28, 2020

Kim does not want to maintain regular communications. That should be one indicator that Kim does not share Moon's vision for peace and reconciliation.

17. Korea becomes diplomatic battlefield between US, China

Korea Times · by Kang Seung-Woo · September 28, 2020

I am always reminded of the Korean adage that it is a shrimp among whales (and, of course, when whales wrestle, shrimp die). But on a serious note, we must learn from the THAAD deployment debacle.  If we take an action that results in Chinese economic warfare against the South, we had better be prepared to help our ally defend against such economic warfare.

18. Moon criticized for subdued message toward North Korea

Korea Times · by Do Je-Hae · September 28, 2020

Peace at any cost. In this case, the cost is the life of a civil servant.

19. Seoul, Washington to discuss North Korea's civilian killing, ending Korean War

Korea Herald · by Ahn Sung-Mi · September 28, 2020

How does an end of war declaration work? What about negotiating a peace treaty between the two belligerents or the aggressor and the victim (North and South, respectively?)

20. N. Korea unresponsive to S. Korea's call for reopening military hotline

Yonhap News Agency · by scaaet@yna.co.kr · September 28, 2020

North Korean SOP. It will communicate when it has a need to or when it can exploit certain conditions.  And North Korea demonstrates disrespect for the South. Again.

"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

- Elie Wiesel

"While other animals look downwards at the ground, he gave human beings an upturned aspect, commanding them to look towards the skies, and, upright, raise their face to the stars."

-Ovid ('Metamorphoses')

   "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it."

- Chinese Proverb