Members of South Korean girl group DIA pose for a photo during an event to mark the release of its third album, “Spell,” at a performance center in Seoul on Sept. 12, 2016. (Yonhap)
Joel Witt from the US-Korea Institute and a former Clinton Administration official in charge of implementing the failed Agreed Framework with North Korea in the 1990’s, is calling for suspending military exercises and more talks with North Korea:
A successful strategy will have to include a new diplomatic initiative aimed at persuading the North to first stop expanding its arsenal and then to eventually reduce and dismantle its weapons. To persuade the North Koreans to do this, Washington will have to address their security concerns. In the short term, that may mean temporarily suspending or modifying some American-South Korean military exercises. In the longer term, it may mean replacing the armistice in place since the end of the Korean War with a permanent peace agreement.
These initiatives will be met with skepticism not only in the United States — where many people believe that negotiating with North Korea is a waste of time — but also in Pyongyang. As a North Korean official, who believes a new administration will just tear up previous agreements, said to me earlier this year, “It’s easier for us to build nuclear weapons than to be involved with you for decades only to have agreements turn into useless scraps of paper.”
Nevertheless, there are signs that North Korea is interested in dialogue. On July 6, the government issued a pronouncement ostensibly seeking denuclearization talks with the United States, specifically mentioning Kim Jong-un’s name in support of this initiative.
One reason North Korea may be motivated to consider denuclearization is economic. Since taking office in 2011, Mr. Kim has been committed to improving his country’s economy. [New York Times]
You can read more at the link, but what reason has North Korea given that the US should end military exercises with the ROK? They are not going to stop their provocations unless they get a deal where they get a lot of free “aid” for little to nothing in return which they can then tear up and demand a new deal later due to some made up reason. That is how the prior agreements with North Korea have worked, what is different now?
Plus they are never going to give up their nuclear program. From a regime security perspective why would they? Also as far economic development, isn’t it in the Kim regime’s interest to keep their people poor so they are easier to control? Kim just has to keep the ruling elite happy which the regime has showed the ability to mostly do and for those he can’t keep happy he tends to ruthlessly purge. In my opinion economic incentives for little to nothing in return will only tighten his grip on power with the ruling elite and do little for the common North Korean.
Pretty interesting article about Colin Powell’s email that were hacked and released recently. It is amazing he was willing to say these things on email, but here is one of the critical things he says about Hillary Clinton:
“I would rather not have to vote for her, although she is a friend I respect,” Powell wrote to Leeds on July 26, 2014. “A 70-year person with a long track record, unbridled ambition, greedy, not transformational, with a husband still dicking bimbos at home (according to the NYP).” [Washington Examiner]
Here is what he had to say about Donald Trump:
“Yup, the whole birther movement was racist,” Mr. Powell wrote in one email. “That’s what the 99% believe. When Trump couldn’t keep that up he said he also wanted to see if the certificate noted that he was a Muslim. As I have said before, ‘What if he was?’ Muslims are born as Americans everyday.”
Powell also called Trump a “national disgrace” and an “international pariah.”
It sounds like Duterte may be trying to bring his country more closely into the orbits of Russia and China in a bid to keep control over their contested South China Sea islands:
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday he won’t allow government forces to conduct joint patrols of disputed waters near the South China Sea with foreign powers, apparently scrapping a deal his predecessor reached with the U.S. military earlier this year.
Duterte also said he was considering acquiring defense equipment from Russia and China. The Philippines has traditionally leaned on the U.S., its longtime treaty ally, and other Western allies for its security needs.
The remarks were the latest from a Philippine president who has had an uneasy relationship with the U.S. but also has tried to mend relations with China strained over South China Sea disputes.
Duterte said he wanted only Philippine territorial waters, up to 12 nautical miles offshore, to be patrolled by Filipino forces, but not other offshore areas that are contested. He added he opposes Filipino forces accompanying foreign powers like the U.S. and China in joint patrols which could entangle the Philippines in hostilities. [Associated Press]
In this aerial photo taken on Sept. 13, 2016, hundreds of cars are backed up at a service station exit in Anseong, south of Seoul, along a highway linking Seoul to the port city of Busan, as South Korea’s annual exodus for the Chuseok fall holiday begins. Chuseok, which falls on Sept. 15 this year, is the season for family reunions, with Koreans traditionally offering a ritual feast to their ancestors on Aug. 15 of the lunar calendar. Almost 37.52 million people are expected to travel to their home towns during the holiday. (Yonhap)
I guess the Kim regime doesn’t consider the mass famine of the 1990s as a disaster. The recent flooding along the Tumen River is nothing compared to that:
Floods in North Korea that have left hundreds dead or missing are the “worst disaster” to hit the country since World War II, state media said on Wednesday.
The official KCNA news agency did not give exact numbers of those killed or unaccounted for, but a UN report said 138 people have died and 400 are missing after torrential rains caused devastation in the country’s far north.
The floods along the Tumen River, which partially marks the border with China and Russia, tore through villages, washing away buildings and leaving thousands in urgent need of food and shelter.
“The flood that resulted from the typhoon that hit North Hamgyong province from August 29 to September 2 was the worst disaster since liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945,” KCNA said.
It also provided figures on the flood damage and those displaced for the first time, saying 68,900 people had been forced to flee their homes, compared with a UN figure of 107,000. [AFP]
This is a pretty bad attack considering this woman has signs of bleeding in her brain:
Eight Chinese tourists on Jeju Island were arrested Saturday for allegedly attacking and injuring four Koreans, including a restaurant owner who stopped them drinking alcohol they brought from outside. / Courtesy of YouTube
Police have arrested eight Chinese tourists on Jeju Island for allegedly bashing four Koreans, including a restaurant owner.
The tourists ― six men and two women ― were arrested Saturday for allegedly assaulting and injuring the Korean restaurant owner and three others, Jeju Seobu Police Station said on Monday.
The incident happened at the restaurant in the Yeondong district of Jeju.
Police said the tourists became angry when the restaurant owner, surnamed Ahn, 53, stopped them from drinking alcohol they had brought with them. They had placed their order but then decided to leave.
The tourists allegedly attacked the owner when she asked them to pay for the food. Police said they kicked her in the stomach and attempted to attack her with a bottle of alcohol.
The tourists were also accused of beating three others in the restaurant who tried to stop them, including Ahn’s son.
Ahn is being treated in hospital after signs of bleeding into her brain. Another victim is suffering facial fractures. [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link, but I wonder if the Chinese embassy will get involved and do everything they can to protect these thugs from being punished like they did when Chinese went on a rampage in Seoul in 2008 brutally beating Koreans in the streets.
There can’t be a worse traffic jam on the planet every year than what happens during Chuseok in South Korea:
More than 18 million people are expected to travel across the country to return to their hometowns for the Chuseok long weekend, traffic authorities said Tuesday.
According to the Korea Expressway Corp. and Korea Transport Institute, 500,000 vehicles had departed Seoul using expressways on Tuesday alone.
Monday’s 5.8 magnitude earthquake has not affected the annual holiday migration, as no major damage was reported on expressways nationwide, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
On the return trip after Chuseok ceremonies are finished Thursday morning, less congestion is expected as travelers have three days to choose from for the return trip, from Friday to Sunday. [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link, but here is a power tip for those new to Korea. The Chuseok timeframe is the best time to go and visit Seoul. There will be absolutely no crowds at all the various sites.
