11/30/2020 News & Commentary - Korea

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

1. Diplomacy over human rights: where is the red line?

2. N.Korea building 'coronavirus wall'

3. Inspections of defector groups were aboveboard, Seoul tells UN

4. Wang Yi's visit highlights differences in Korea, China's priorities

5. U.S. rattles saber against N.Korea, China

6. Pyongyang medical school 'sold COVID drugs on the side'

7. China claims victory in kimchi wars

8. S. Korea refutes China's claim on industrial standard for kimchi

9. Korean American Congress members vow policies for immigration system, closer ties with Korea

10. U.S. flies reconnaissance planes over S. Korea: aviation tracker

11. 13 more USFK-affiliated individuals infected with coronavirus

12. S. Korea in talks with WFP to redeem money sent for N.K. rice aid

13. Four soldiers executed for taking part in Hyesan Incident

14. Economic difficulties lead to downsizing of end-of-year events

15. North Korea missile test 'likely' when Joe Biden becomes POTUS - 'nukes here to stay'

16. Kim Jong-Un "harshly criticises" economic agencies as pressure over ailing economy rises

17. Ex-president Chun found guilty of defaming 1980 massacre witness

18. Kim Jong Un is cutting off his economic lifeline, China, to stave off Covid-19

19. As their 'American dream' sours, Koreans in the US eye a return home

1. Diplomacy over human rights: where is the red line?

Daily NK · Gabriela Bernal · November 30, 2020

The Moon administration is going to pursue its engagement strategy and peace and reconciliation strategy at any cost. Some of those bearing the highest cost are the Korean people living in the North.

It is a huge mistake to assume that by avoiding human rights we can engender cooperation with North Korea. A lack of focus on human rights is another indicator to Kim Jong-Un that his political warfare strategy is working.

2. N. Korea building 'coronavirus wall'

Chosun Ilbo · Yang Seung-sik · November 30, 2020

A wall to keep the virus out but also tp keep people in.

I remember Thae Yong-ho telling us one of the reasons he escaped/defected was because he could no longer explain the contradictions of the Kim family regime.

3. Inspections of defector groups were aboveboard, Seoul tells UN

Korea Joong Ang Daily · Shim Kyu-Seok & Yonhap · November 30, 2020

They never should have been "inspected" at all. And there should be no illusion that this somehow appeases North Korea. Instead, the regime again has learned that it can use political warfare to manipulate the South.

4. Wang Yi’s visit highlights differences in Korea, China’s priorities

Korea Times · Do Je-hae · November 30, 2020

Of course, China highlights economic ties. This ensures China's ability to conduct economic warfare against the South (which it continues to do over THAAD). The South should expect no significant cooperation on issues like North Korea.

5. U.S. rattles saber against N. Korea, China

Chosun Ilbo · Yang Seung-sik · November 30, 2020

The ROK government would do well to highlight ROK military activities as well. An alliance influence operation would be much more effective than US unilateral "saber rattling." It pains me to read ROK government officials describing US operations only and not discussing ROK and US military activities as part of an alliance strategy. One of the conditions of OPCON transition should be the ROK government conducting effective influence operations.

6. Pyongyang medical school 'sold COVID drugs on the side'

Chosun Ilbo · Kim Myong-song · November 30, 2020

Corruption in North Korea occurs across the spectrum of society.

7. China claims victory in kimchi wars

Chosun Ilbo · Lee Sung-hoon & Lee Beul-chan · November 30, 2020

This means war. China is hitting South Korea where it really hurts. We have hard power, soft power, and this is spicy hot power.

8. S. Korea refutes China's claim on industrial standard for kimchi

Yonhap News Agency · 강윤승 · November 30, 2020

South Korea is not going to take Chinese claims lying down.

9. Korean American Congress members vow policies for immigration system, closer ties with Korea

Korea Times · Jung Da-min · November 30, 2020

South Korea expects Congressional action from these four to be favorable to South Korea.

10. U.S. flies reconnaissance planes over S. Korea: aviation tracker

Yonhap News Agency · 오석민 · November 30, 2020

11. 13 more USFK-affiliated individuals infected with coronavirus

Yonhap News Agency · 최수향 · November 30, 2020

12. S. Korea in talks with WFP to redeem money sent for N.K. rice aid

Yonhap News Agency · 이원주 · November 30, 2020

Another example of the regime's deliberate policy decisions harming the Korean people living in the North.

And please do not make the argument that we should halt military exercises so the North will accept humanitarian aid. That simply plays into the regime's political warfare strategy.

13. Four soldiers executed for taking part in Hyesan Incident

Daily NK · Lee Chae Un · November 30, 2020

Swift North Korean "justice."

14. Economic difficulties lead to downsizing of end-of-year events

Daily NK · Kang Mi Jin · November 30, 2020

Significant impact from the food shortages.

15. North Korea missile test 'likely' when Joe Biden becomes POTUS - 'nukes here to stay'

Express · Edward Browne · November 30, 2020

Will he or won't he test?

As an aside, note the graphic on North Korean military power.  I do not think north Korea has 20 aircraft carriers.

16. Kim Jong-Un "harshly criticises" economic agencies as pressure over ailing economy rises

Telegraph · Nicola Smith · November 30, 2020

But the economic decisions are made by Kim Jong-Un. He is solely responsible for the deliberate policy decisions that cause the suffering of the Korean people in the North.

17. Ex-president Chun found guilty of defaming 1980 massacre witness

Yonhap News Agency · 이해아 · November 30, 2020

A major objective of the moon administration is to control the narrative of Kwangju and to build the legitimacy of the progressive on the idea that the participants in Kwangju were great freedom fighters and the administration is out to get anyone who tries to counter that narrative.

18. Kim Jong Un is cutting off his economic lifeline, China, to stave off Covid-19

CNN · Joshua Berlinger · November 30, 2020

Cutting off his nose to spite his face.

But the key cause of the regime's troubles and the people's suffering is the deliberate decision making by Kim Jong-Un in the face of these conditions.

19. As their 'American dream' sours, Koreans in the US eye a return home

South China Morning Post · David D. Lee · November 22, 2020

This should give us pause.

"We must face the fact that the United States is neither omnipotent or omniscient - that we are only 6 percent of the world's population; that we cannot impose our will upon the other 94 percent of mankind; that we cannot right every wrong or reverse each adversity; and therefore there cannot be an American solution to every world problem." 

- President John F. Kennedy

"History is the best antidote to delusions of omnipotence and omniscience. Self-knowledge is the indispensable prelude to self-control, for the nation as well as for the individual, and history should forever remind us of the limits of our passing perspectives. It should strengthen us to resist the pressure to convert momentary impulses into moral absolutes. It should lead us to acknowledge our profound and chastening frailty as human beings - to a recognition of the fact, so often and so sadly displayed, that the future outwits all our certitudes and that the possibilities of the future are more various than the human intellect is designed to conceive."

- Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

Word of the Day is 'snollygoster' (19th century, US): one who abandons all integrity in favour of power.