News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.
1. N. Korea showing no sign of 'lashing out' in near future: USFK chief
2. N. Korea showing no signs of rolling out new weapons system: USFK chief
3. Seoul, Washington agree to new working-level dialogue channel
4. Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, China hold phone talks on stalled N.K. dialogue
5. Through The Looking Glass: Chinese Open Source Assessments Of North Korea’s Ballistic Missile Capabilities
6. New virus cases under 200 for 9th day, S. Korea undecided on easing virus measures
7. Juche in the Era of a Pandemic
8. Both Trump, N. Korea could opt for 'October Surprise': expert
9. FDD | How Washington Can Help Bridge the Gap Between Seoul and Tokyo
10. N.K. paper says unity is 'most powerful weapon' against multiple challenges
11. Kim Yo Jong updates "Greatness Education" curriculum at preschools
12. Pyongyang might launch SLBM on the day of U.S. presidential election
13. Ballistic missile units given additional manpower, deploy new equipment (north Korea)
14. Intelligence looking into NK’s submarine missile launch: report
15. South Korea and Japan: Resolving the Comfort Women Issue
16. North Korea Covers Up Apartment Collapse With 70 Casualties After Two Typhoons Hammer Wonsan
17. How Kim Jong Un ‘Played’ Donald Trump
18. South Korea's Geopolitical Fear: Getting Stuck Between China and America
19. The Sorrows of Young Kim Jong Un
1. N. Korea showing no sign of 'lashing out' in near future: USFK chief
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · September 11, 2020
I hope he is right and I tend to agree. However, we cannot know what is really in KIm Jong-un's mind. And of course the regime is masterful at denial and deception. We should pay close attention to the words of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command (the command which belongs equally to both the ROK and US). He said there is no sign - so again we need to keep in mind the north's deception capabilities.
2. N. Korea showing no signs of rolling out new weapons system: USFK chief
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · September 10, 2020
Beware regime deception. Again, the Commander of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command chooses his words carefully.
3. Seoul, Washington agree to new working-level dialogue channel
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com· by Sarah Kim
Appears to be a positive step forward. As long as we have a codified process, it is a good thing. I hope the Korean naysayers (primarily the appointees in the MOU) will be sent to their corners to shut up and color.
4. Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, China hold phone talks on stalled N.K. dialogue
en.yna.co.kr · by 김승연 · September 10, 2020
The ROK/US Alliance cannot count on Chinese cooperation for north Korean denuclearization.
5. Through The Looking Glass: Chinese Open Source Assessments Of North Korea’s Ballistic Missile Capabilities
Nathan Beauchamp–Mustafaga and Scott W. Harold
The 19 page report can be downloaded here.
ABSTRACT
“North Korea’s ballistic missile program has long been a concern for the United States, South Korea, and Japan. Foreign researchers have increasingly leveraged advanced open source intelligence technology and cooperated across countries to track the North’s developments over the last 25 years. But one country has been left out – China. Are there open source Chinese analyses of DPRK ballistic missiles, do they align with U.S. assessments, and is there anything for other researchers to gain from reading these analyses? This report examines Chinese assessments of North Korean ballistic missile capabilities between 1998 and 2017. We find that Chinese analysts have paid growing attention to the North’s missile capabilities but are still not as attentive as Western observers, from whom they draw most of their information and analytic insights. Chinese analyses broadly mirror Western experts’ conclusions about the state of North Korea’s missile capabilities, most notably that North Korea has a functional, if not fully perfected, intercontinental-range ballistic missile (ICBM) that can reach the United States with a nuclear weapon. However, there is little original Chinese analysis that would enhance foreign experts’ preexisting understanding of DPRK missiles.”
6. New virus cases under 200 for 9th day, S. Korea undecided on easing virus measures
en.yna.co.kr · by 강윤승 · September 11, 2020
Now is not the time to waffle. South Korea must be decisive.
7. Juche in the Era of a Pandemic
NK Hidden Gulag· by Benjamin Fu · September 10, 2020
Good summary analysis of the humanitarian situation in the north and the regime's bankrupt ideology.
Conclusion:
“As Kim Jong-un faces a pivotal crossroads in his stance on juche relative to international cooperation, one thing has become abundantly clear: the regime’s continued deference to an arms race in lieu of basic human rights as well as entrenched social elitism represent symbolic games of roulette that the regime cannot win in the long run.”
8. Both Trump, N. Korea could opt for 'October Surprise': expert
en.yna.co.kr · by 이원주 · September 11, 2020
Maybe. But to what ends? What effects do they think they can achieve? And of course the more we talk about an October Surprise the less of a surprise it might be.
9. FDD | How Washington Can Help Bridge the Gap Between Seoul and Tokyo
fdd.org · by Mathew Ha · September 10, 2020
From my colleague Mathew Ha.
Yes, Washington can help but I believe it will still be up to both Korean and Japanese leaders to exercise decisive leadership and commit to putting national security and national prosperity first while trying to manage the historical issues.
10. N.K. paper says unity is 'most powerful weapon' against multiple challenges
en.yna.co.kr · by 고병준 · September 11, 2020
I am reminded of an RI at Ranger School, Sergeant Pugh, who used to bellow out on the PT stand, "False motivation will get you nowhere."
We should remind north Korea that false unity will not work.
11. Kim Yo Jong updates "Greatness Education" curriculum at preschools
dailynk.com · by Kim Yoo Jin· September 11, 2020
Make north Korea great again? Seriously, note that it is not about the greatness of north Korea, it is only about instilling loyalty in the Kim family regime.
12. Pyongyang might launch SLBM on the day of U.S. presidential election
donga.com· September 11, 2020
What effect would it have on the day of election? What effect would the regime think it could achieve?
13. Ballistic missile units given additional manpower, deploy new equipment (north Korea)
dailynk.com · by Jeong Tae Joo · September 11, 2020
Now these are potential indicators.
14. Intelligence looking into NK’s submarine missile launch: report
koreaherald.com · by Choi Si-young · September 11, 2020
Excerpt:
“A new ICBM would be the last bargaining chip, regardless of who gets sworn in as the next American president. At least that’s how we see it,” a military source was quoted as saying, reinforcing speculation Pyongyang prefers a less provocative SLBM to heap pressure on Washington.
15. South Korea and Japan: Resolving the Comfort Women Issue
thediplomat.com · Naoko Kumagai · September 10, 2020
Empathy is helpful but decisive national leadership on both sides is key, and then it can only be managed as it will likely never be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties.
16. North Korea Covers Up Apartment Collapse With 70 Casualties After Two Typhoons Hammer Wonsan
Reporting you can only get from RFA and VOA. And remember this information is broadcast into north Korea to inform the Korean people living in the north because this information is not reported in the party controlled media.
17. How Kim Jong Un ‘Played’ Donald Trump
Sure, there is a lot that can be criticized. But there is one thing we should keep in mind that the press and the pundits do not emphasize. The fact that Trump and Moon have not lifted sanctions is the best indication that they have not been played. And Kim's failure to play them and get sanctions relief after he raised expectations among the elite and military that he could play them has put him under enormous internal pressure in Pyongyang.
The Daily Beast · by Donald Kirk· September 10, 2020
18. South Korea's Geopolitical Fear: Getting Stuck Between China and America
The National Interest · by Mark Episkopos · September 10, 2020
A shrimp among whales. And when whales wrestle, shrimp die.
This is a very real fear among Koreans. We need to understand and respect this and help alleviate Korean fears.
19. The Sorrows of Young Kim Jong Un
Foreign Policy · by Michael Hirsh · September 10, 2020
I am now coming to regret having ordered Woodward's new book. I did so to read the letters between Kim and trump. But with all the reporting on the book it seems like reporters have revealed every key point in the book about Korea and other issues. We may not need to read the book. And there are too many reports to send out.
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On this day... 19 years (September 10th) ago, 246 people went to sleep in preparation for their morning flights. 2,606 people went to sleep in preparation for work in the morning. 343 firefighters went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift. 60 police officers went to sleep in preparation for morning patrol. 8 paramedics went to sleep in preparation for the morning shift. None of them saw past 10:00am Sept 11, 2001. In one single moment life may never be the same. As you live and enjoy the breaths you take today and tonight before you go to sleep in preparation for your life tomorrow, kiss the ones you love, snuggle a little tighter, and never take one second of your life for granted.”
-Unknown
”When Americans lend a hand to one another, nothing is impossible. We’re not about what happened on 9/11. We’re about what happened on 9/12.”
-Jeff Parness, founder of New York Says Thank You
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-Author David Levithan