10/2/2020 News & Commentary – Korea
News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. N.K. leader inspects flood recovery efforts together with sister
2. Kim Jong Un’s sister reported in public for 1st time since July
3. What an ‘October surprise’ from North Korea might actually look like
4. North Korea imports of refined fuel plummet amid COVID-19
5. Mini nuclear reactors with key South Korean parts cleared by US
6. Alleged North Korean sanctions violations in DRC draw scrutiny
7. Exclusive: New poll shows few Americans approve of Trump’s handling of North Korea
8. N. Korea-China trade plummets 70 pct during Jan-Aug on-year amid pandemic
9. How Donald Trump is building a new alliance to counter China and North Korea
10. Trump blocks assistance to N. Korea over human trafficking
11. Post-election U.S. likely to see changes in N. Korea policy: experts
12. Russia is responsible for most nation-state cyberattacks, followed by Iran, North Korea, and China, according to a new Microsoft report
13. Pyongyang must pay
1. N.K. leader inspects flood recovery efforts together with sister
Yonhap News Agency · Yi Wonju · October 02, 2020
As an aside some Korea watchers on twitter are commenting on the size of Kim’s trousers – #KimJongUnTrouserWatch.
2. Kim Jong Un’s sister reported in public for 1st time since July
Bloomberg · Jon Herskovitz · October 1, 2020
She’s back!
3. What an ‘October surprise’ from North Korea might actually look like
Atlantic Council · Markus Garlauskas · October 1, 2020
I am hoping all the discussion about an October surprise has reduced the element of surprise, which will not allow Kim to achieve an October surprise! Certainly, if we see some new weapons on October 10th, it should not be a surprise. I am just wondering how they intend to have the submarine march in the parade so they can show us an SLBM (apologies for the poor attempt at humor).
4. North Korea imports of refined fuel plummet amid COVID-19
UPI · Elizabeth Shim · October 1, 2020
5. Mini nuclear reactors with key South Korean parts cleared by US
Nikkei Asia · Kotaro Hosokawa, Azusa Kawakami, & Shuhei Ochiai · September 29, 2020
6. Alleged North Korean sanctions violations in DRC draw scrutiny
VOA · Salem Solomon · October 1, 2020
Follow the money.
7. Exclusive: New poll shows few Americans approve of Trump’s handling of North Korea
VOX · Alex Ward · October 1, 2020
It is unlikely this will have any impact on the election. North Korea and Kim Jong-un are just not significant election issues and will not change any votes.
8. N. Korea-China trade plummets 70 pct during Jan-Aug on-year amid pandemic
Yonhap News Agency · [email protected] · October 2, 2020
9. How Donald Trump is building a new alliance to counter China and North Korea
National Interest · William Jeynes · October 1, 2020
A troubling conclusion.
10. Trump blocks assistance to N. Korea over human trafficking
Yonhap News Agency · Byun Duk-Kun · October 2, 2020
11. Post-election U.S. likely to see changes in N. Korea policy: experts
Yonhap News Agency · Byun Duk-Kun · October 2, 2020
Regardless of who wins in November, it is likely Korea will not be a top priority after the inauguration.
12. Russia is responsible for most nation-state cyberattacks, followed by Iran, North Korea, and China, according to a new Microsoft report
Business Insider · Ben Gilbert · October 1, 2020
Interesting order of the countries.
13. Pyongyang must pay
Korea Joong Ang Daily · Nam Jeong-Ho · September 29, 2020
“The nation that will insist on drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking done by cowards.”
– Sir William Francis Butler
“The history that lies inert in unread books does no work in the world. If you want a new idea, read an old book. `Tis the good reader that makes the good book. A book is like a mirror. If an ass looks in, no prophet can peer out.”
– The “maxims” quoted from Clark Becker, Lord Lytton, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Georg Lichtenberg quoted in Jay Luuvas’ Military History: Is It Still Practicable?
“The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants.”
– General of the Army, Omar Bradley, rendered on Veterans Day 1948 (then called Armistice Day)