News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. Kyodo: US seeks liaison offices in Washington, Pyongyang
2. Dear Mr. President, letter, regarding election fraud, South Korea
3. Dismissed N. Korean official confirmed as 1st vice director of key ruling party body
4. South Korea’s old torture factory is making nice with Kim Jong Un
5. North Korean conventional artillery and rocket weapons: just how dangerous?
6. North Korea has made billions of dollars selling weapons around the world
7. North Korea brings aid supplies to border town under lockdown: state media
8. More heavy rain set to pummel flood-stricken N. Korea: weather agency
9. Typhoon Jangmi set to hit southern part of S. Korea with heavy rain
10. At least 30 killed due to weeklong heavy downpours; further heavy rain in store on typhoon
11. Local virus cases on high plateau due to rising church-traced infections
12. BTS to be the youngest recipients of the James A Van Fleet Award from The Korea Society
1. Kyodo: US seeks liaison offices in Washington, Pyongyang
KBS World Radio · August 9, 2020
It is always dicey to trust the Japanese media. I think we have proposed this idea a number of times in the past, but the regime has never had any interest in it. I think it would be great to have a presence in Pyongyang as, on the surface, it seems like the best way to communicate and coordinate and negotiate. But, I seriously doubt that the regime even wants this (though, if they do, it will be because they sense an opportunity to extort exorbitant amounts of money from the US. We will probably be charged more for rent and services than any other US mission overseas). The regime would probably not allow significant engagement or freedom of movement. I am reminded of what diplomats who have been posted to Pyiongyang have told us when they visit Washington, DC: Pyongyang is the only capital that you have to leave to find out what is going on inside. I fear that would be the case for our liaison mission. That said, I would recommend pursuing this opportunity, though I am doubtful if will come to fruition as I am doubtful that it would be of any interest to Kim Jong-Un.
2. Dear Mr. President, letter, regarding election fraud, South Korea
YouTube · by Illegal Early Voting, South Korea (Annie Chan, Chair, KCPAC) · August 9, 2020
The link leads to a YouTube channel (“Illegal Early Voting, South Korea”) with the five-minute reading of the letter. The text of the letter is in the YouTube description.
To state the obvious, this is a quite provocative letter.
3. Dismissed N. Korean official confirmed as 1st vice director of key ruling party body
Yonhap News Agency · by ksnam@yna.co.kr · August 9, 2020
For all the leadership experts among the Korea watchers… I guess resurrection is a regular occurrence among the elite of the Kim family regime.
4. South Korea’s old torture factory is making nice with Kim Jong Un
Daily Beast · by Donald Kirk · August 9, 2020
A strong critique on multiple levels of the South Korea intelligence service (past and present).
5. North Korean conventional artillery and rocket weapons: just how dangerous?
1945 · by Harry Kazianis · August 8, 2020
This is a good and important report, but, as many have noted, we have known of this critical and complex problem for years.
6. North Korea has made billions of dollars selling weapons around the world
National Interest · by Mark Episkopos · August 8, 2020
To understand North Korean proliferation around the world, in the Middle East, and in Africa, you should read Bruce Becthol's and Larry Niksch's research.
As an example, see Dr. Bechtol's North Korean Military Proliferation in the Middle East and Africa: Enabling Violence and Instability.
7. North Korea brings aid supplies to border town under lockdown: state media
Reuters · by Hyonhee Shin, Minwoo Park, & Ana Nicolaci da Costa · August 9, 2020
Small border town? I think there are around a million Koreans in the Kaesong area. But, there must be a significant breakout. Is the regime set to ask for help and to blame South Korea for the outbreak due to the returning "defector?"
8. More heavy rain set to pummel flood-stricken N. Korea: weather agency
Yonhap News Agency · by graceoh@yna.co.kr · August 8, 2020
North and South Korea are suffering from these weather conditions.
9. Typhoon Jangmi set to hit southern part of S. Korea with heavy rain
Yonhap News Agency · by brk@yna.co.kr · August 9, 2020
South Korea does not need a typhoon now.
10. At least 30 killed due to weeklong heavy downpours; further heavy rain in store on typhoon
Yonhap News Agency · by brk@yna.co.kr · August 9, 2020
I have heard that some of the landslides are the result of clearing hills of vegetation to put up solar panels in pursuit of Moon's clean energy initiatives. I find it hard to believe that this would happen in South Korea, knowing what has happened in the North (the clearing of vegetation throughout the countryside and the severe landslides that have resulted).
11. Local virus cases on high plateau due to rising church-traced infections
Yonhap News Agency · by ksnam@yna.co.kr · August 9, 2020
Along with international travel, it must be gatherings of people in close proximity that continues the spread of the virus.
12. BTS to be the youngest recipients of the James A Van Fleet Award from The Korea Society
Pinkvilla · by Pinkvilla Desk · August 9, 2020
BTS getting the van Fleet award seems unusual, but I guess they are improving Korea-American relations.
"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."
- William James
"History teaches us that wars begin when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap."
- Ronald Reagan
"In this sad world of ours sorrow comes to all and it often comes with bitter agony. Perfect relief is not possible except with time. You cannot now believe that you will ever feel better. But this is not true. You are sure to be happy again. Knowing this, truly believing it will make you less miserable now. I have had enough experience to make this statement."
- Abraham Lincoln