09/09/2020 News & Commentary – Korea
News and Commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and Published by Riley Murray.
1. N.K. leader holds party meeting to discuss typhoon damage at large mine area
2. Just in: Xi congratulates Kim on DPRK’s 72nd founding anniversary
3. N. Korea’s Central Committee orders Foundation Day events to be toned down
4. N. Korea orders apples to be supplied to residents of Pyongyang
5. Typhoon Maysak causes death, destruction in Sinpo
6. New virus cases under 200 for week, virus fight still harried by cluster infections
7. U.S. Amb. Harris unveils books on his desk, many about N. Korea, for Month of Reading
8. U.S. flies surveillance plane over peninsula on N.K.’s founding anniversary
9. UNESCO reiterates support for Moon’s plan to list DMZ as World Heritage site
10. Vice FM Choi to visit U.S. for talks with Biegun this week
11. Kim Jong-un ‘Feared Poisoning’ at Summit with Trump
12. Don’t Ignore North Korea Human Rights, UN Says
13. Kim Yo-jong disappears from public radar
14. Korea ranks first in shipbuilding orders for two consecutive months
15. Evaluating Trump’s North Korea policy – Different methods but strategic ambiguity remains constant
16. North Korea celebrates 72nd anniversary, as coronavirus, typhoons hit economy
17. South Korea’s defiant churches face backlash for hampering COVID-19 response
18. Korean War: Open Questions
1. N.K. leader holds party meeting to discuss typhoon damage at large mine area
en.yna.co.kr · by 고병준 · September 9, 2020
This is a significant statement. But the question is will he cancel the October 10th celebration since the preparations must be expending all kinds of resources that might be better deployed to help contain the damage as well as “change the direction of the year-end tasks.” If the October 10th celebration goes as planned with the extravaganza we expect then we can be sure Kim is only paying lip service to the problems the Korean people and north Korea as a whole face.
2. Just in: Xi congratulates Kim on DPRK’s 72nd founding anniversary
Xinhua | English.news.cn xinhuanet.com
I wonder why north Korea is not the “senior” communist country. It was founded in the year before the PRC (1948).
3. N. Korea’s Central Committee orders Foundation Day events to be toned down
dailynk.com – by Kim Yoo Jin – September 9, 2020
“Reduced by half”. This is an interesting development. I think the regime may be very worried about internal control and the potential for instability. After all, who does the regime fear more” The US? Or the Korean people lining in the north?
4. N. Korea orders apples to be supplied to residents of Pyongyang
dailynk.com · September 9, 2020
Let them eat…..apples?
North Korea has a bureaucracy like all others – the right hand does not always know what the left hand is doing.
5. Typhoon Maysak causes death, destruction in Sinpo
dailynk.com – by Lee Sang Yong – September 8, 2020
The question is what damage did the naval facilities at the port of Sinpo suffer? Of course, those reports are likely state secrets. Hopefully, we will get some satellite imagery analysis from CSIS’ Beyond Parallel or the Stimson Center’s 38 North soon. Will this affect a potential SLBM test?
7. U.S. Amb. Harris unveils books on his desk, many about N. Korea, for Month of Reading
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · September 9, 2020
An interesting reading pile! (not a list since the books are already on his desk)
8. U.S. flies surveillance plane over peninsula on N.K.’s founding anniversary
en.yna.co.kr · by 최수향 · September 9, 2020
As we should.
Buried lede. I did not know the Army flew a jet.
9. UNESCO reiterates support for Moon’s plan to list DMZ as World Heritage site
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · September 9, 2020
I bet UNESCO does not have a site that is actually as militarized as the DMZ.
10. Vice FM Choi to visit U.S. for talks with Biegun this week
en.yna.co.kr · by 송상호 · September 8, 2020
11. Kim Jong-un ‘Feared Poisoning’ at Summit with Trump
english.chosun.com – September 09, 2020 12:46
Not surprising or even new. Surely common to all authoritarian dictators. Remember as we watched Kim Yo-jong at the Singapore Summit swap out the pen on the desk at the signing ceremony.
12. Don’t Ignore North Korea Human Rights, UN Says
voanews.com – by William Gallo – September 8, 2020
Human rights is a national security issue in addition to a moral imperative. Kim Jong-un must deny the human rights of the Korean people living in the north in order to remain in power.
13. Kim Yo-jong disappears from public radar
m.koreatimes.co.kr · September 8, 2020
I wonder if the IC has dedicated Kim Yo-jong watchers! Seriously, her absence leads to all kinds of speculation as indicated in the article. I disagree with the assessment she has been delegated part of her brother’s authority. The regime depends on one-man (or women) rule. I believe she may be being groomed as an eventual successor, but she is not sharing power with her brother.
14. Korea ranks first in shipbuilding orders for two consecutive months
donga.com – September 09, 2020
15. Evaluating Trump’s North Korea policy – Different methods but strategic ambiguity remains constant
ATLANTIC FILES – by Catherine Jones and Alex Brunner – September 07, 2020
Interesting analysis that you do not find in many of the more common sources of Korea reporting.
https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/evaluating-trumps-north-korea-policy/
16. North Korea celebrates 72nd anniversary, as coronavirus, typhoons hit economy
Kyodo and Reuters – September 9, 2020
The proverbial “perfect storm” is taking place in north Korea.
17. South Korea’s defiant churches face backlash for hampering COVID-19 response
ca.reuters.com · by Hyonhee Shin
18. Korean War: Open Questions
Some fascinating questions and scholarship from a number of scholars and researchers.
“Read, read, read. Read everything – trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it.”
– William Faulkner
“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”
– Lao Tzu
“An unexamined life is not worth living.”
– Socrates