Category: Korea-General Topics

This think tank is calling for 100 modernized tactical nuclear weapons to defend South Korea, but believes they should be stored in the U.S.:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (L) talks with officials during a visit to the Nuclear Weapons Institute in Pyongyang on March 27, 2023, in this file photo released by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Kim guided the work to mount nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles, and the institute reported the recent years’ work and production for bolstering the North’s nuclear forces, both in quality and quantity, according to the KCNA. (Yonhap)

South Korea and the United States should modernize around 100 U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to support the security of the South against North Korea’s growing threats, a research report said Monday.

The Asan Institute for Policy Studies and the Rand Corp. made the suggestion in a joint report, stressing the North has “already established a nuclear weapon force that could pose an existential threat” to South Korea and is “on the verge” of posing a serious threat to the U.S. 

“Kim Jong-un appears to be planning a force of at least 300 to 500 nuclear weapons… the 300-weapon threshold could almost be reached in 2030,” the report, titled “Options for Strengthening ROK Nuclear Assurance,” said.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

This ruling from the South Korean human rights watch dog recommends improving the living the conditions for three Russians hiding from military service in the departure area of Incheon International Airport:

Three draft-eligible Russians, who have been stranded at Incheon International Airport for over one year unable to get asylum approval from the South Korean government, deserve humanitarian assistance from local authorities, the state human rights watchdog said Monday.

The three Russian men have been living in the airport’s departure waiting area since October 2022 after fleeing to avoid being drafted to fight against Ukraine. They applied for asylum after landing at the airport, but the Ministry of Justice rejected their applications, saying a simple evasion of military service does not constitute grounds for refugee status.

The Russians then filed a lawsuit to nullify the ministry’s decision, and the Incheon District Court ruled in favor of two of them in February. The ministry then appealed to a higher court, leading the Russians to continue to live virtually homeless somewhere within the airport terminal.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

Here is the DP once again demagoging a tragic accident to score political points. There was clearly poor planning at the local level that contributed to this tragedy, however the opposition makes it seem like President Yoon should of been out there leading crowd control that tragic night:

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, delivers a speech at Seoul Plaza in the capital city during a memorial event to mark the first anniversary of the deadly Itaewon crowd crush that killed 159 people during Halloween celebrations last year, in this photo taken on Sunday. (Yonhap)

The main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung vowed Sunday to get to the truth about the deadly Itaewon crowd crush and work to hold those accountable to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.

Lee made the pledge during a memorial event held to mark the first anniversary of the deadly crowd crush that took the lives of 159 people during Halloween celebrations in the popular hangout district of Itaewon.

“It has been one year since 159 universes, and 159 worlds collapsed, but nothing has changed. The desperate appeals by the bereaved families are again ignored today, and those in power are only bent on covering up the truth,” Lee said in a speech at Seoul Plaza.

“We will reveal the truth by quickly passing special legislation on the Itaewon tragedy, hold those responsible accountable and make sure something like this won’t happen again,” Lee said.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

It makes sense that people would not be in a festive mood only one year after the deadly Itaewon crowd crushing tragedy:

This photo, taken Oct. 28, 2023, shows safety fences set up in an alley of Seoul’s Itaewon to prevent a possible increase in people ahead of Halloween. (Yonhap)

 South Koreans avoided boisterous Halloween celebrations Saturday, the eve of the country marking one year after the deadly crowd crush in Seoul’s Itaewon district that claimed 159 lives, with people mourning the death of the victims.

The crowd crush, the deadliest ever in South Korea, took place in the nightlife district of Itaewon on Oct. 29, 2022, a Saturday night when about 100,000 people flocked to the area for Halloween celebrations.

Late Saturday, Seoul’s crowded entertainment areas, including Itaewon and Hongdae, were bustling with citizens and foreign tourists, just like any ordinary weekend, but there seemed to be no uproarious Halloween celebrations.

“I used to enjoy Halloween parties, but I’ve decided to spend this year’s Halloween quietly due to last year’s accident. I think it would be difficult to enjoy Halloween in Itaewon,” said Kim Hyung-seok, 28, who visited Itaewon with his girlfriend.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

I am actually surprised there has not been another Korean President that has ever visited Qatar considering all the past business deals ROK businesses have completed in the Middle East:

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, speaks with Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at a ceremony for signing memorandums of understanding during their bilateral summit at the Amiri Diwan palace in Doha on Wednesday. This marks the first state visit by a Korean president to Qatar. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Korea and Qatar signed deals amounting to some $4.6 billion during President Yoon Suk Yeol’s bilateral summit with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha on Wednesday. 
  
Yoon was greeted in an official welcoming ceremony, followed by bilateral talks, a ceremony to sign memorandums of understanding (MOU) and a state luncheon, according to the presidential office. 
  
Yoon is the first Korean president to make a state visit to Qatar.

The two sides discussed expanding cooperation beyond energy and construction to investment, defense, agriculture, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

It looks like MBS is no longer all that radioactive on the world scene anymore as more national leaders are doing business with him to include South Korea:

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hold summit talks at the Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Oct. 22, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed to deepen and develop the strategic partnership between the two countries as they held a summit in Riyadh on Sunday, Yoon’s office said.

The two leaders held talks at the Al Yamamah Palace on the second day of Yoon’s four-day state visit to Saudi Arabia, which came as the two sides explore new areas of economic cooperation beyond the traditional sectors of construction and energy.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

A rally held in support of Palestine in Seoul on Sunday. Participants, ranging from Koreans to citizens of Egypt, Jordan and other countries in the region, uphold signs urging Israel to stop bombing Gaza. [YONHAP]

This lawmaker had to get a whole decade of suicide death data to reach this 144 number which to me does not seem very high considering the huge population of teachers in South Korea. This number would be more meaningful compared to other professions with similar numbers of employees. For example how many truck drivers or delivery workers have committed suicide over the past decade?:

Wreaths of condolence flowers are laid in front of an elementary school in the central city of Daejeon in this file photo taken Sept. 8, 2023, after a teacher there died by an apparent suicide. (Yonhap)

The number of elementary, middle and high school teachers who took their own life over the past decade amounted to 144, a ruling party lawmaker said Wednesday, citing data from the Ministry of Education.

The suicides occurred between 2014 and August this year, Rep. Lee Tae-kyu of the ruling People Power Party said, noting the annual number spiked from six in 2014 to 20 in 2018 and 25 in 2021.

The number decreased to 20 last year but as many as 14 teachers died by suicide in the first eight months of this year, Lee added.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

By Korean rally standards this is a very small group, however it did have U.S. embassy officials attend this rally in Seoul in support of Israel:

The flags of Israel and Korea held by participants of a rally in Seoul on Tuesday in support of Israel in the wake of the Hamas militant group’s attack on Israel and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. [NEWS1]

Hundreds of Koreans and Israelis in Korea rallied to support Israel in Seoul on Tuesday as top diplomats from Israel and the United States stood side-by-side to voice support for the Jewish state in the wake of Hamas’s brutal attack on Oct. 7. 
  
“Thank you to all the Jewish and Israeli people living in Korea for coming today to Gwanghwamun and not giving in to fear or anxiety,” said Akiva Tor, ambassador of Israel to Korea, addressing the crowd gathered near Gwanghwamun Station in Seoul on Tuesday, many waving the flag of Israel. “I would like to thank the Republic of Korea’s government for its strong statements of condemnation of the Hamas atrocities and for being a friend to Israel.”

The rally, organized by the Korea-Israel Friendship Association and Israel Forum, was joined by some 200 participants, according to the organizers.

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.