9/22/2020 News & Commentary - Korea

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

1. U.S. says it will stop Iran-North Korea missile exchanges

2. Ditching Private Seo

3. Does South Korea have an OPCON problem?

4. N.K. propaganda outlet slams S. Korea for joining U.S.-led exercises

5. North Korean phone money: airtime transfers as a precursor to mobile payment system

6. U.S. and North Korea came much closer to war than previously thought, book claims

7. The triple whammy

8. Trump calls for IAEA efforts to fully denuclearize N. Korea

9. New virus cases smallest in over 1-month, virus fight at critical juncture ahead of Chuseok

10. Rival parties agree to pass 4th COVID-19 response extra budget through National Assembly

11. USFK to release asymptomatic COVID-19 patients after 20-day isolation

12. Korean War-era bomb exposed by typhoons kills four in North Korea

13. Suga belatedly replies to Moon's congratulations

14. DPRK nuclear activities still ‘cause for serious concern’, says UN atomic energy chief

15. World on alert: Kim Jong-un considers terrifying surprise on huge North Korea anniversary

16. Korea’s divided families: time and the vanishing hopes of the first generation

17. In U.N. speech, Moon says multilateral cooperation is key to overcoming coronavirus

18. Full text of President Moon Jae-in's speech at an annual United Nations meeting

 

1. U.S. says it will stop Iran-North Korea missile exchanges

Korea Joong Ang Daily · by Shim Kyu-Seok · September 22, 2020

Mr. Abrams gets it.

 

2. Ditching Private Seo

Korea Times · by Choi Sung-jin · September 22, 2020

There is a lot to unpack in this short essay: the public controversy with the Moon administration's Justice Minister and the treatment of her son while he was doing his national service as a KATUS (Korean Augmentee to the US Army). But also, Korean history, concepts of equality, the "US style wealth gap," the Korean middle class and violation of "nationals sentiment laws."  This is a fascinating essay.

 

3. Does South Korea have an OPCON problem?

National Interest · by Mark Episkopos · September 21, 2020

Sigh...Perhaps so, but not in the way the author describes. It is the same problem the author has - a lack of understanding of what OPCON transition is all about. There is so much wrong with this article. The ROK is not "getting back" OPCON from the US. After there is a ROK/US CFC change of command sometime in the near future, the command will still answer co-equally to both nations through the Military Committee. The 1994 return of "peacetime OPCON" was actually putting the ROK and US governments on equal footing. Since 1994 both countries have had to decide whether to provide forces to the ROK/US CFC. It is not automatic and both countries must make a deliberate decision to provide those forces to the warfighting command for deterrence and defense. This put the ROK and US on an equal footing. Now, at some time in 2022 or beyond (based on the conditions), the ROK/US CFC will be commanded by a ROK general officer and he will continue to answer to both countries through the Military Committee.

And for a historical perspective, although it is convenient to say that President Rhee provided the ROK military under the control of the UNC and MacArthur, the fact is he never gave up command of the ROK military as evidenced by his order to the ROK military to cross the 38th parallel after the Incheon landing in contravention to US orders to MacArthur. The same at Kwangu in 1980. The ROK government gave orders to its military. No nation ever gives up command of its military.

OPCON transition is not about disentangling the US from Korea. It is the natural evolution of the alliance as it matures. And given the unique security situation on the Korean peninsula (that, after war or a collapse of the resulting durable, acceptable political arrangement, can only be a United Republic of Korea) it is imperative that operations in North Korea be led by a Korean general officer.

 

4. N.K. propaganda outlet slams S. Korea for joining U.S.-led exercises

Yonhap News Agency · scaaet@yna.co.kr · September 22, 2020

Good. North Korea respects strength and is afraid of ROK/US and allied/coalition naval capabilities. It is afraid of the ROK Navy and the ROK/US combined naval force.

 

5. North Korean phone money: airtime transfers as a precursor to mobile payment system

United States Institute for Peace · Yonho Kim · September 2020

The 20-page report from the US Institute of Peace can be downloaded at the link. It is important for understanding cell phone usage and economic factors inside North Korea.

 

6. U.S. and North Korea came much closer to war than previously thought, book claims

Japan Times · by Jesse Johnson · September 21, 2020

I have to take exception to Van Jackson's comments here. Yes, Kim is smart.  Was Kim being baited by the US into a tactical response? (bulls**t). 

Here is why Kim is smart. We are not going to "tip" him into a pre-emptive attack. He is not going to conduct a pre-emptive strike into the strength of the ROK/US alliance. He will exploit weakness, but he will not mess around with a strong ROK/US alliance. I know this is counterintuitive to many of the pundits, but the stronger we are and the stronger we act, the less likely Kim is to conduct any kind of kinetic attack. As long as we demonstrate credible strategic reassurance and strategic resolve, we can deter Kim.

 

7. The triple whammy

Chosun Ilbo · by Victor Cha · September 22, 2020

Dr. Cha asks the key question…and offers a key conclusion.

 

8. Trump calls for IAEA efforts to fully denuclearize N. Korea

Yonhap News Agency · by Byun Duk-kun · September 22, 2020

 

9. New virus cases smallest in over 1-month, virus fight at critical juncture ahead of Chuseok

Yonhap News Agency · by colin@yna.co.kr · September 22, 2020

This will be the big test for South Korea.

 

10. Rival parties agree to pass 4th COVID-19 response extra budget through National Assembly

Yonhap News Agency · by pbr@yna.co.kr · September 22, 2020

 

11. USFK to release asymptomatic COVID-19 patients after 20-day isolation

Yonhap News Agency · by Oh Seok-min · September 22, 2020

 

12. Korean War-era bomb exposed by typhoons kills four in North Korea

Radio Free Asia · by Sewon Kim, Leejin Jun, & Eugene Whong · September 22, 2020

This is one reason why North Korea remains deathly afraid of US airpower. The effects of US airpower are incorporated into almost all propaganda against the US.

 

13. Suga belatedly replies to Moon's congratulations

Chosun Ilbo · by Lee Ha-won & Rok Suk-jo · September 22, 2020

A new Korea-Japan relationship is not off to a good start.

 

14. DPRK nuclear activities still ‘cause for serious concern’, says UN atomic energy chief

UN News · September 21, 2020

news.un.org · September 21, 2020

 

15. World on alert: Kim Jong-un considers terrifying surprise on huge North Korea anniversary

Express · by Ciaran McGrath · September 22, 2020

The UK Express has one of the best clickbait headline generators.

 

16. Korea’s divided families: time and the vanishing gopes of the first generation

38 North · by James A. Foley · September 21, 2020

One of the many terrible human rights abuses by the Kim family regime. There is no excuse not to allow these families to reunite. This is just another one of so many indications of the truly evil nature of the Kim family regime.

 

17. In U.N. speech, Moon says multilateral cooperation is key to overcoming coronavirus

Yonhap News Agency · by Lee Chi-dong · September 21, 2020

 

18. Full text of President Moon Jae-in's speech at an annual United Nations meeting

Yonhap News Agency · September 21, 2020

I was surprised there was no mention of a peace initiative and engagement with North Korea. But this seems to be an appropriate speech for multilateral UN issues, and he was speaking for MIKTA (an acronym we do not often hear (Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey, and Australia).

 

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