News and Commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and Published by Riley Murray.
1. US joins Seoul in condemning North Korea for killing South Korean official
2. North apologizes for 'suspected' killing of South Korean civil servant
3. N. Korea breached inter-Korean military pact: experts
4. N.K. leader wished S. Koreans health, happiness in letter to Moon, Cheong Wa Dae says
5. N. Korea's killing of S. Korean citizen doesn't seem to have been ordered by Kim Jong-un: spy chief
6. Reports on official killed by N. Korea show discrepancies
7. N. Korean apology for killing incident a 'helpful step':State Dept.
8. What did our nation do for 3 days between civilian’s missing and gov’t announcement?
9. Moon briefed 4 times on killed civil servant, UN message too late to be changed: Cheong Wa Dae
10. U.S. flies spy aircraft over South Korea after N.K.'s killing of Seoul official
11. S. Korea to demand N. Korea make additional probe into killing
12. Kim Jong-un 'apologises for killing of South Korean official'
13. New virus cases fall back below 100 as nation vigilant ahead of key holiday (South Korea)
14. U.S. will support S. Korea's missile defense but decision is up to Seoul: U.S. diplomat
15. Colin Powell downplays threat from North at military conference
16. North Korea’s Yongbyon Nuclear Center: Drying Off
17. The Rise of Women Leaders in North Korea
1. US joins Seoul in condemning North Korea for killing South Korean official
The Korea Times · September 25, 2020
We should all heed my good friend Greg Scalatoiu's words here. Human rights are a moral imperative and a national security issue.
2. North apologizes for 'suspected' killing of South Korean civil servant
koreaherald.com · by The Korea Herald · September 25, 2020
This article illustrates the non-apology, apology.
One of the best explanations in addition to this article comes from Professor Sung Yoon Lee from Tufts who says that Kim Jong-un is playing a "great leader mind -trick" on South Korea with this apology and this apology is actually rebuke of South Korea.
I recommend listening to the 2 minute interview with Professor Lee here on PRI: https://www.pri.org/file/2020-09-25/rare-apology-north-korea
3. N. Korea breached inter-Korean military pact: experts
koreaherald.com · by The Korea Herald · September 25, 2020
It is time to recognize the regime has never lived up to the letter and spirit of the 2018 Comprehensive Military Agreement which is formally known as "Agreement on the Implementation of the
Historic Panmunjom Declaration in the Military Domain. I recommend those with an interest in Korean issues to re-read the agreement and judge north Korean actions (and non-actions).
4. N.K. leader wished S. Koreans health, happiness in letter to Moon, Cheong Wa Dae says
en.yna.co.kr · by 이치동 · September 25, 2020
I wish Woodward had interviewed President Moon so we could see the contents of this letter. I guess Trump is not the only one conducting unconventional, experimental, top-down, pen-pal diplomacy. But on a serious note this is the Kim family regime's political warfare in action. Of course, the killing of the South Korean civil servant was not planned but any incident that may have occurred would be exploited in some to support Kim Jong-un's political warfare with juche characteristics. The excerpts below illustrate the foundation for future demands for concessions and humanitarian aid even as the regime will blame the South for the COVID outbreak (the "re-defector" or north Korean operative who returned to Kaesong and conveniently tested positive for COVD-19)
5. N. Korea's killing of S. Korean citizen doesn't seem to have been ordered by Kim Jong-un: spy chief
en.yna.co.kr · by 박보람 · September 25, 2020
While I agree that it is unlikely Kim order this killing. It was a chance encounter. The unit did not call back to Pyongyang for permission to murder this South Korea. It was likely operating within defense orders. It illustrates the internet brutality that is endemic in the north Korean People's Army which is shaped by the party.
But NIS Director Park should not be attempting to let Kim Jong-un off the hook in hopes of sustaining the slight chance for north-South engagement. What he should be focusing on is how Kim Jong-un is exploiting the chance incident in support of his blackmail diplomacy and political warfare. The South must protect itself from being "played" again by the north.
6. Reports on official killed by N. Korea show discrepancies
donga.com – by Kyu-Jin Shin – 26 September 2020
I think the ROK government is going to come under a lot of criticism.
7. N. Korean apology for killing incident a 'helpful step': State Dept.
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · September 25, 2020
It is helpful for us to understand and expose north Korea's political warfare strategy.
8. What did our nation do for 3 days between civilian’s missing and gov’t announcement?
donga.com – 26 September 2020
More basis for criticism of the ROK government and its actions (or lack of timely actions).
9. Moon briefed 4 times on killed civil servant, UN message too late to be changed: Cheong Wa Dae
koreaherald.com · by The Korea Herald · September 25, 2020
People are not going to accept this. A speechwriter could have quickly added a paragraph to his speech along the lines of - "Despite our strong desire for peace and to end the Korean War, north Korea and the mafia like crime family cult known as the Kim family regime continues to conduct brutal hostile operations against the Korean people of the South as well as the continued horrendous human rights abuses against the Korean people in the north. I have just learned that the north Korean People's Army has murdered a Korean from the South who was helplessly floating at sea. After murdering him they burned his body using the excuse they had to prevent the possibility of the spread of COVID 19. I call on Kim Jong-un to cease all human rights abuses and come to the negotiating table to seek peace and reconciliation on the Korean peninsula." That took me about 2 minutes. I am sure his speech writers could have done it even faster (though would not have used my over the top rhetoric about the regime!).
10. U.S. flies spy aircraft over South Korea after N.K.'s killing of Seoul official
en.yna.co.kr · by 오석민 · September 26, 2020
Prudence.
11. S. Korea to demand N. Korea make additional probe into killing
en.yna.co.kr · by 오석민 · September 26, 2020
I doubt the regime will respond favorably to this unless it thinks it can somehow exploit this to demand concessions from the South.
12. Kim Jong-un 'apologizes for killing of South Korean official'
BBC · September 25, 2020
More analysis on the non-apology, apology. There may be a perfect storm brewing on the peninsula and in the region.
13. New virus cases fall back below 100 as nation vigilant ahead of key holiday (South Korea)
en.yna.co.kr · by 오석민 · September 26, 2020
Some good news. Chuseok will be the test.
14. U.S. will support S. Korea's missile defense but decision is up to Seoul: U.S. diplomat
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · September 26, 2020
But ideally, we will develop integrated missile defense capabilities (and even more ideal if we can do it trilaterally!)
15. Colin Powell downplays threat from North at military conference
With all due respect to the general I do not think downplaying the threat (from nuclear and missile, to conventional, to regime instability and collapse, to provocations, to weapons proliferation to cyber-attacks, to human rights abuses, to global illicit activities and more) is not helpful. Never assume the enemy will not attack (or collapse). Make yourself invisible." Sun Tzu.
Colin Powell downplays threat from North at military conference
16. North Korea’s Yongbyon Nuclear Center: Drying Off
38north.org · by Peter Makowsky · September 25, 2020
17. The Rise of Women Leaders in North Korea
https://www.38north.org/2020/09/ddraudt092520/ - by Darcie Draudt – 25 September 2020
Darcie Draudt is doing important work. This is even more timely and relevant given the rise of Kim Yo-jong.
“The framers of the Constitution took deliberate steps to ensure that treason trials would not be used as political weapons against opponents. Article 3, Section 3 defines the crime very narrowly: ‘Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.’ This language is drawn from an English statute from 1351 that was also intended to limit the scope of treason. Speaking against the government, undermining political opponents, supporting harmful policies or even placing the interests of another nation ahead of those of the United States are not acts of treason under the Constitution.”
- Carlton F.W. Larson
"Until you learn to teach yourself you will never be taught by others."
- J.F.C. Fuller
“Our own generation is unique, but sadly so, in producing a school of thinkers who are allegedly experts in military strategy and who are certainly specialists in military studies but who know virtually nothing of military history”
- Bernard Brodie, "The Continuing Relevance of On War"