Lee O-young, creative director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, speaks during a ceremony in Seoul on Sept. 17, 2018, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of South Korea’s hosting of the Olympics. (Yonhap)
South Korea’s leftists continue to do the Kim regime’s bidding by trying to draw doubt on North Korea’s responsibility for the downing of KAL 858 back in 1987. The latest ridiculous attack is that they think ROK intelligence blamed North Korea to quickly for the bombing by pinning blame on the Kim regime three days after the terrorist attack:
Debris from KAL 858
South Korea’s spy agency drew up a document with details about North Korea’s involvement in the 1987 midair bombing of a Korean Air flight just three days after the bombing took place and killed all 115 people aboard, court records showed Monday.
The document of the then-Agency for National Security Planning was about the code-named Operation Rainbow aimed at taking advantage of the Nov. 29 bombing to sway public opinion in favor of the then-ruling party candidate in the presidential election just a few weeks away.
Three pages of the five-page document have been classified, and a journalist filed a suit demanding its full disclosure. But the Seoul Administrative Court recently rejected the demand, saying its disclosure could have negative effects on diplomatic relations with foreign countries.
Still, it has been confirmed during the process of the lawsuit that the document included specific details about the culprits — Kim Hyon-hee and her accomplice Kim Sung-il, who killed himself right after arrest — such as how they were arrested and what they did before the bombing.
In addition, the document also included information about Kim Sung-il’s link to North Korea, as well as strategies for using the case on the international stage, such as increasing cooperation with foreign countries, including those with close ties with the North.
The revelation could further deepen suspicions about how the spy agency was able to draw up such a detailed report just a few days after the bombing happened.
Critics and some bereaved families of the bombing have raised suspicions about North Korea’s involvement in the bombing, claiming there is no objective evidence except Kim Hyon-hee’s confession to prove it was the North that blew up the jet. [Yonhap]
There is more evidence of North Korea’s responsibility for the bombing than just Kim Hyon-hee’s confession. You can read my detailed account about the bombing at the below link:
As far as South Korea’s spy agency, why should anyone be surprised that three days after the bombing they were drawing up a document blaming North Korea for the bombing? Especially when they had a suspect in custody?
This is just another attempt by South Korean leftists to cover up North Korea’s responsibility for this terrorist attack. Two months ago they launched a libel lawsuit against Kim Hyon-hee to keep her quiet as well.
South Korean leftists believe Kim was not a terrorist, but instead a ROK government secret operative that intentionally bombed the plane. It seems like total absurdity that someone would think the ROK government would bomb and murder 115 of their own citizens, but remember South Korean leftists still think the ROK government murdered their own sailors by intentionally sinking the ROK naval ship the Cheonan in 2010 instead of a North Korean torpedo.
This is the lengths that South Korean leftists will go to defect blame on their political opposition instead of holding the real culprits, the Kim regime, responsible for the murder of these ROK citizens.
If the Moon administration gets its way, this magician will not need to turn North Korean currency into US dollars, it will be brought across the border in large quantities for Kim Jong-un:
President Moon Jae-in helps magician Choi Hyun-woo at a daycare center in Seoul in January. Korea Times file
South Korean magician Choi Hyun-woo is expected to perform in front of the leaders of the two Koreas, with Cheong Wa-dae announcing on Monday that Choi was in the South’s delegation.
“I am not sure about the specifics (where and when I am going to present my show), as the news came as surprise,” Choi told CBS radio, Tuesday morning just before leaving for Pyongyang.
He said he planned to engage North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in his show.
“I cannot reveal which magic performances I’m going to present at the show, but I’m planning to create scenes that I hope show the ‘miracle of inter-Korean unity,'” he said.
He was not sure whether he would do a similar trick to one performed by a North Korean magician ― turning North Korean currency into a U.S. dollar. [Korea Times]
President Moon received a lavish welcome in Pyongyang:
President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un react to citizens lining the roads to Pyongyang, Tuesday, on their way to the Baekhwawon State Guest House from Sunan International Airport. Yonhap
President Moon Jae-in began talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to seek momentum in denuclearization, following his arrival in Pyongyang for a three day summit, Tuesday.
Their first talks of the third summit took place at the headquarters of the Workers’ Party of North Korea (WPK) in Pyongyang for 90 minutes starting at 3:30 p.m.
Seoul’s spy chief Suh Hoon and National Security Office (NSO) head Chung Eui-yong attended, while the North was represented by Kim Yong-chol, a senior ruling party official and the first lady Kim Yo-jong, according to presidential secretary Yoon Young-chan in a media briefing at a main press center set up in Dongdaemun, Seoul.
This is the first time a South Korean president has been to the WPK headquarters, where Kim’s office is located. President Moon is also the first head of state to hold a summit with Kim in Pyongyang since the latter took power.
“From that perspective, we believe this is great hospitality that has never been seen before, as Kim flew to China and Singapore for summits with other leaders,” Yoon said.
“The leaders of the two Koreas undertook a comprehensive review of key pending issues that need to be addressed properly. The two also searched for specific ways to advance various inter-Korean projects. However, South Korea is committed to abiding by all U.N. Security Council sanctions, and the talks for greater economic cooperation with the North were done in accordance with these,” Yoon said. [Korea Times]
So how is getting Kim Jong-un to denuclearize going? About as we all expected:
While getting a specific timeline and details for North Korea’s denuclearization is at the top of President Moon’s agenda for the summit, Yoon said it was highly unlikely the two would agree on a detailed timeframe towards a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
“We can figure it out, but we have to wait,” he said.
When it comes to denuclearization it is always we have to wait, but when it comes to giving the Kim regime concessions they always have to happen now. Here is what else President Moon had to say:
Before his departure for Pyongyang, President Moon said he was seeking “permanent peace,” which is irreversible and can be sustained regardless of external factors.
The timing of this space launch makes me wonder if the Moon administration is trying to give the Kim regime in North Korea a rationale to protest the sanctions on their own rocket launches:
South Korea plans to conduct the first test flight of its locally developed booster engine at the end of next month, the ICT ministry said Sunday, as part of a long-term effort to produce the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-2 (KSLV-2), a three-stage rocket.
The single-stage rocket, with a 75-ton thrust engine, developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) is set to be launched between Oct. 25 and Oct. 31 from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, the Ministry of Science and ICT said.
It said the launch date has been set after examining all variables and that related countries and agencies, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and International Maritime Organization, will be notified in advance
“Barring any unforeseen developments, the launch should take place on the primary date of Oct. 25,” the ministry said.
The rocket will fly for about 10 minutes, during which the performance of the new engine, control system and other parts will be monitored, the ministry said. It is expected to attain a sub-orbital altitude of over 100 kilometers some 160 seconds after launch and reach its apogee 300 seconds into the flight, before hitting international waters between South Korea’s Jeju Island and Japan’s Okinawa Island. [Yonhap]
You can read more at the link, but after this launch the Kim regime can argue that they should be allowed to conduct peaceful space launches just like the ROK. The Chinese and Russians of course would support them, the Moon administration may even openly support them. So called peaceful space launches would give the North Koreans a way to get around sanctions to continue to perfect components of their ICBM technology.
I wonder how many young people in "Hell Chosun" would like them to have one-way tickets. Not saying it's my preference, but just sayin'. https://t.co/Sla2mJgJBU
A 9-ton delivery truck full of soju crashed into another 8.5-ton truck inside a highway tunnel on Thursday, causing 2 hours of congestion. The accident took place at around 9 a.m. inside a tunnel in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Police believe the offending driver failed to decelerate in time. Both truck drivers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. [Korea Herald]
The Moon administration’s Defense Minister nominee is advocating for an end to the Korean War:
Defense Minister nominee Jeong Kyeong-doo, chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, takes the oath before participating in his confirmation hearing at the National Assembly, Monday. / Yonhap
Defense Minister nominee Jeong Kyeong-doo said in his confirmation hearing, Monday, that the military has bolstered defense readiness ahead of the upcoming inter-Korean summit.
He also said that formally ending the Korean War should be pushed forward according to the Panmunjeom Declaration.
Jeong, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said a treaty to end the war will be “a political proclamation” to pave the way for denuclearization, but this does not mean disbandment of the United Nations Command or the breakup of the South-U.S. defense alliance.
When asked about the North’s aim of seeking the end of the war for this summit, Jeong said “it was aimed at building trust between the two Koreas and North Korea and the U.S. in order to achieve the perfect denuclearization.” [Korea Times]
General Jeong is remaining on script with the rest of the Moon administration about the future of the US-ROK alliance after any end of the Korean War. The North Koreans, Chinese, Russians, and South Korean leftists all want US troops off of the peninsula. Despite claims in the media that Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in want US troops to stay after any peace deal is reached, this is just all rhetoric to prevent energizing South Korean conservatives against Moon.
Remember Moon is a very skilled politician that needs to keep the Korean right at bay and public anxiety down. If he advocated openly for a USFK withdrawal that would give the South Korean right an issue to strongly attack him with and cause much public anxiety after decades of security guarantees provided by US forces. That is why I think the Moon administration will publicly say they support USFK staying, but will then have their surrogates do things to make life difficult for USFK.
Possibly the future of USFK after a peace treaty could look a lot like the current THAAD site in Seongju. President Moon will say all the right things that he supports USFK, just like he supposedly supports the THAAD site, but will set conditions to make it difficult for its continued existence and cause the US to withdraw troops on its own accord.
Jeju Island has been the epicenter of the refugee issue in South Korea and this weekend protesters faced off against each other in Seoul. However, judging by the size of the protests few people apparently cared enough about this issue to join the protesters:
Anti-refugee protesters march to the National Human Rights Commission while demanding abolishment of the Refugee Act, in Jongno, central Seoul on Sunday. (Yonhap)
Two contrasting rallies, in support of and opposition to the Refugee Act, took place across from each other in Jongno in central Seoul on Sunday. The movements came two days after the Justice Ministry granted one-year humanitarian stay permits to 23 Yemeni asylum seekers.
Under the rain, some 200 rallygoers demanded the government grant greater legal refugee status to more asylum seekers, and called for efforts to reduce discriminations against asylum seekers, in front of Bosingak.
Just across the road, some 300 protesters gathered in front of Jongno Tower to chant for the abolishment of the Refugee Act, and chanted that the government should protect the interests of Koreans. [Korea Herald]
President Moon’s approval rating is down to 49% and people are more skeptical of his North Korea policies since the first Kim-Moon summit:
In this Sept. 12, 2018 file photo, people walk past under a banner showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korea President Moon Jae-in to wish for the successful inter-Korean summit at Seoul City Hall in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea’s liberal president faces growing skepticism at home about his engagement policy ahead of his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. A survey showed nearly half of South Koreans think next week’s summit won’t find a breakthrough to resolve a troubled nuclear diplomacy. It comes as Moon’s approval rating is declining amid economic frustrations. The signs read: ” We wish for the successful summit between North and South Korea.”
“Our people are beginning to learn that North Korea will not easily give up its nukes, something that many experts had already repeatedly predicted,” said Kim Taewoo, former president of the government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.
Moon may face increasing difficulties if his summit with Kim in Pyongyang fails to make tangible progress on efforts to get North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons program.
Economic woes such as a lackluster job-market growth and soaring real estate prices are compounding Moon’s problems, adding to opposition to his North Korea policy, many experts say.
“If Moon fails to address economic problems, he can’t maintain public contentment with his government only with his North Korea policy,” said Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University. “If the economy gets worse, many people will demand that Moon stop looking to North Korea and start resolving our own economic problems.” [Stars & Stripes]
I expect that President Moon will try and get the Kim regime to do some big spectacle to impress the South Korean domestic audience and President Trump that progress is being made on denuclearization. Something Kim Jong-un’s father, Kim Jong-il did was demolish a nuclear cooling tower to impress President Bush back in 2008. The strategy worked because the Bush administration cut a deal with Kim.
The old cooling tower was easily replaceable and did nothing to stop North Korea’s nuclear program. Kim the younger could try some kind of similar spectacle as well to make people believe in his “pretend denuclearization” strategy.
