This would be very interesting to see what would happen if Ukraine did in fact attempt to file war crime charges against Putin and Kim Jong-un. However, I don’t see that happening any time soon because such actions would definitely negatively impact any ceasefire negotations:
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could face a war crime probe at the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) for supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine, a former chief of the ICC said Monday, adding that it is the right time for Kim to be brought to justice.
Song Sang-hyun, former president of the ICC, made the remarks at an international conference in Seoul, as North Korea confirmed for the first time last month that it has deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
Kim has not yet been referred to the ICC despite his human rights violations in North Korea, but legal standards have been met now for Ukraine to pursue a case against him at the ICC over the North’s assistance in the Russia-Ukraine war, the former ICC president noted.
“The time is right to bring Kim Jong-un before the ICC,” Song said in his keynote speech at the event, adding that Pyongyang’s military assistance to Russia provided Ukraine with the legal standards to file a complaint against North Korea as a victim.
“There is an opportunity for Ukrainian authorities, as the victim, to file a complaint against North Korea with the ICC,” Song said. “While a complaint filed by Ukraine would be very ideal, the ICC also has the authority to initiate an independent investigation.”
Yonhap
You can read more at the link.
The DP must be really concerned that this judge will not be in favor of convicting Yoon if they are going through all this trouble to remove him:
The Democratic Party (DP) on Monday disclosed photos it claims show a judge overseeing the insurrection trial of former President Yoon Suk Yeol at a hostess bar, shortly after the judge denied allegations in connection with such a hostess bar.
Jee Kui-youn of the Seoul Central District Court has been at the center of the allegations, but flatly denied such allegations of being treated to multiple visits to the hostess bar.
However, Rep. Noh Jong-myeon, the spokesperson for the DP’s election committee, presented images of Jee seated alongside pixelated two individuals at the bar, in what he claimed was taken inside the bar in Seoul’s affluent Gangnam district.
“The interior patterns and props in the two photos are identical,” Noh said, without elaborating on when the photos were taken. “We cannot entrust an insurrection trial to a judge who blatantly lied despite clear photographic evidence.”
Noh called for Jee’s immediate removal from the bench, saying that the party is considering filing the case with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials.
You can read more at the link.
It is amazing how fast her run times are at her age:
At 76 years old, Jeannie Rice is still setting age group world records and altering what we thought we knew about aging and running. She currently owns the world record for every distance between the 1500 meters and the marathon. It’s not just that Rice is fast for her age—and just plain speedy, full stop. She’s also not seeing the decline in speed you’d typically expect for a septuagenarian runner. That’s why, when UK-based researchers learned that Rice would be racing the London Marathon last April, they pounced on the opportunity to study what biomarkers and physical characteristics set her apart from her peers.
Six days after she set a new age-group world record in the marathon, running a time of 3:33:27 (averaging 8:08 miles), Rice agreed to visit an exercise lab in England where she underwent body fat measuring, treadmill testing, and other running and jumping assessments. In the resulting case report, which was published last month in the Journal of Applied Physiology, the authors shared that Rice has the highest V02 max (47.8) ever recorded for a woman aged 75 years or older, and a surprisingly high max heart rate of 180.
You can read more at the link, but even more amazing is that she started running at age 35 to lose weight after a visit to her native South Korea. Since then she progressed to being able to run 50 miles a week to maintain her current fitness level.
N. Korea conducts anti-air combat, air raid drills
A flight group under North Korea’s Guards 1st Air Division of the Korean People’s Army conducts anti-air combat and air raid drills on May 15, 2025, attended by leader Kim Jong-un, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency two days later. (Yonhap)
This year is the 45th anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising and an American who played a role in this important event in Korea’s history was recently recognized for it:
On May 14, the city of Gwangju conferred honorary citizenship on David Dolinger (Im Dae-eun), a former U.S. Peace Corps volunteer who played a critical role during the Gwangju Uprising that began on May 18, 1980. The recognition is one of the highest civic honors Gwangju can bestow, and it is an exceedingly rare one for a foreign national who directly participated in the city’s darkest and most defiant chapter, one that led the way to democratic freedom.
“I have been applauded for what I did in May of 1980 and in subsequent years concerning 5.18, Korean human rights and Korean democracy,” Dolinger told the audience at the ceremony. “But I have not done enough and I will never be able to do enough. I wish I had been smarter, braver, more aware and a little more of everything.” (………..)
In 1978, Dolinger, then in his 20s, was stationed in Yeongam County, South Jeolla Province, as a Peace Corps volunteer. “Forty-five years ago, I was working in the health center as a TB control worker,” he reflected in his lecture. “My biggest concern was traveling to a wedding the coming weekend, and I had no idea how within a few days my life was going to change.”
As the situation escalated, he chose to return to Gwangju, not knowing that some 20,000 martial law troops were flooding into the city. Inside the South Jeolla Provincial Hall, he assisted in monitoring martial law radio transmissions in case attack orders were made in English. He also served as an interpreter, mediating between the militia and the foreign press, helping convey the words of movement leaders, such as Yoon Sang-won, to an international audience.
You can read more at the link.
Nothing surprising appears to have come out of the first Korean Presidential debate; Lee Jae-myung thinks orange man is bad and Korea shouldn’t be in a hurry to make a trade deal while Kim Moon-soo says holding an immediate summit with Trump would be a top priority:
The specter of trade negotiations with the United States under President Donald Trump loomed large Sunday night as Korea’s presidential hopefuls offered sharply divergent strategies during their inaugural televised debate.
Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate, advocated for a measured, interest-driven path in dealing with Washington, while Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party championed a rapid, trust-based summit approach.
Lee said there was “no need to rush” into an agreement.
“The foremost principle in trade negotiations is to prioritize the national interest,” he said. “We shouldn’t feel compelled to concede just because the United States makes demands.”
He stressed the value of strategic patience, pointing to Japan and China as examples of countries that have successfully employed this approach.
“Japan, which initially demanded early negotiations, has taken a step back. China also set strong conditions before ultimately adjusting its position. We need to navigate this wisely, too,” he said.
Lee added that Korea should seize the moment to pivot away from export dependency and steadily increase domestic demand.
You can read more at the link.
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