11/2/2020 News & Commentary - Korea

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

1. US and South Korea closely monitoring North Korean nuclear complex, military official says

2. U.S. flies reconnaissance plane near inter-Korean border: aviation tracker

3. How North Korea’s nuclear weapons advancement has left experts baffled

4. [Exclusive Interview] David Helvey :“How we manifest security commitment, though ironclad, is not fixed”

5.  S. Korea, U.S. closely monitoring activity at N. Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex: officials

6.  Decent jobs key to resettlement of N. Korean defectors: unification minister

7. North Korea’s hackers target tech secrets

8. 'Circumstantial' evidence suggests N. Korea's incineration of S. Korean official, military says

9. Search for slain official was a sham

10. Gov't eases lockdown rules

11. Soldiers in Gomdok at the end of their service periods ordered to keep helping with restoration efforts

12. Yanggang Province women’s union members asked to find new “arable” land

13. Impending minister reshuffle

14. UK bars South Korea from selling FA-50 to Argentina

15. Bank of Korea to take market-stabilizing measures if needed over US election

16. S. Korean diplomat appointed as advisory group member of UN emergency response fund

 

1. US and South Korea closely monitoring North Korean nuclear complex, military official says

Stars & Stripes · Kim Gamel & Yoo Kyong Change · November 2, 2020

As we are always doing. When do we not closely monitor Yongbyon? And all nuclear facilities and missile launch sites?

 

2. U.S. flies reconnaissance plane near inter-Korean border: aviation tracker

Yonhap News Agency · sshluck@yna.co.kr · November 2, 2020

Looking for submarine activity? I thought all our P3s were replaced with P-8s. Are we still flying P-3s? I always loved that distinctive sound when they flew over Basilan and Jolo and, surprisingly, it had a psychological effect on the ASG.

 

3. How North Korea’s nuclear weapons advancement has left experts baffled

Financial Times · Edward White · November 1, 2020

Some important analysis covering a lot of ground in this relatively short piece.

 

4. [Exclusive Interview] David Helvey :“How we manifest security commitment, though ironclad, is not fixed”

Dong-A Ilbo · November 2, 2020

A relatively candid interview with David Helvey (as candid as any serving government official can be).

 

5. S. Korea, U.S. closely monitoring activity at N. Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex: officials

Yonhap News Agency · graceoh@yna.co.kr · November 2, 2020

38 North has a lot of influence. When it posts its analysis, it causes officials to react.

 

6. Decent jobs key to resettlement of N. Korean defectors: unification minister

Yonhap News Agency · julesyi@yna.co.kr · November 2, 2020

Yes, Mr. Minister, that is a BFO (blinding flash of the obvious). The question is: are the efforts outlined below sufficient?

 

7. North Korea’s hackers target tech secrets

Breaking Defense · Kelsey Atherton · October 30, 2020

Yes, we should be as focused on the regime's all-purpose sword (cyber) as we are on its treasured sword (nuclear weapons).

 

8. 'Circumstantial' evidence suggests N. Korea's incineration of S. Korean official, military says

Intelligence is not evidence.

Yonhap News Agency · sshluck@yna.co.kr · November 2, 2020

 

9. Search for slain official was a sham

Chosun Ilbo · November 2, 2020

An op-ed critical of the ROK government and military. 

Does this mean the incident information was controlled at the Blue House and it had information before the intelligence community and the military? How does the Blue House get information about a fisheries official apparently falling overboard in the West Sea before the military and Coast Guard? It just does not seem logical for that to be so.

 

10. Gov't eases lockdown rules

Chosun Ilbo · Jung Seok-woo, Yang Ji-ho, & Yang Seung-joo · November 2, 2020

The title might be a little misleading. South Korea did not conduct a nation-wide lockdown.

 

11. Soldiers in Gomdok at the end of their service periods ordered to keep helping with restoration efforts

Daily NK · Jeong Tae Joo · November 2, 2020

Gives new meaning to be a  soldier for life. But, of course, no one is free in North Korea and all are subject to the "needs" and whims of the Kim family regime.

 

12. Yanggang Province women's union members asked to find new "arable" land

Daily NK · Kang Mi Jin · November 2, 2020

What a dilemma. Find new arable land but protect the forests. What the regime is demanding is that these women's union members produce a miracle. But I thought miracles are something only the Kim family regime can produce.

 

13. Impending minister reshuffle

Dong-A Ilbo · November 2, 2020

A scorecard for the upcoming shuffle.

 

14. UK bars South Korea from selling FA-50 to Argentina

Janes · Gareth Jennings · October 30, 2020

Interesting development. Long lasting effects from the 1982 Falklands War?

 

15. Bank of Korea to take market-stabilizing measures if needed over US election

Korea Times · Yonhap · November 2, 2020

US elections have global effects.

 

16. S. Korean diplomat appointed as advisory group member of UN emergency response fund

Yonhap News Agency · sshluck@yna.co.kr · November 2, 2020

 

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