Park visits NASA space flight center http://t.co/zm6dllKue6

— Yonhap News Agency (@YonhapNews) October 14, 2015

A farmer operates a rice-harvesting machine to gather ripe rice at a paddy field in the city of Boryeong on South Korea’s west coast on Oct. 13, 2015. (Yonhap)

With the amount of money this guy was able to fraud people out of, it seems it would be really easy for him to bribe people to fake his death:

The purported death of Cho Hee-pal, the mastermind behind South Korea’s largest-ever fraud case, returned to the spotlight as his close aide was arrested in China last week, with fresh testimonies suggesting he is actually still alive.

Cho is one of the most-wanted conmen in South Korea, having allegedly scammed up to 50,000 people out of an estimated 4 trillion won ($3.5 billion) in a pyramid marketing scheme.

The purported death of Cho Hee-pal, the mastermind behind South Korea’s largest-ever fraud case, returned to the spotlight as his close aide was arrested in China last week, with fresh testimonies suggesting he is actually still alive.

Cho is one of the most-wanted conmen in South Korea, having allegedly scammed up to 50,000 people out of an estimated 4 trillion won ($3.5 billion) in a pyramid marketing scheme.  [Korea Herald]

You can read the rest at the link, but just think the $3.5 billion this guy swindled people out of is nothing compared to the $18 billion Bernie Madoff swindle people out of the in the US.  At least Madoff is sitting in jail unlike Cho who likely still living freely in China.

This was a good way for President Park to begin here visit to the US:

President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday paid tribute to Americans troops killed in the 1950-53 Korean War as she began the second day of her visit to the United States.

Park laid down wreaths at the Korean War Veterans Memorial and observed a moment of silence as a military brass band played somber music.

“I came here to convey South Koreans’ mind that (we) will not forget those who helped us when we were in trouble,” Park told a group of surviving veterans and family members of those who served in the war at the ceremony that drew about 120 people.

High-profile participants included Clifton Truman Daniel, the eldest grandson of former U.S. President Harry Truman; and retired Col. Thomas Fergusson, a grandson of Edward Almond, the late commanding general of the U.S. X Corps.

Almond helped about 98,000 North Korean refugees evacuate by deciding to dump all weapons overboard to get more refugees aboard evacuation ships at the port of Heungnam in 1950.

Park also later shook hands with some of the participants.

“You are a true hero. Countless of Koreans are alive today thanks to you,” Park told retired Rear Adm. J. Robert Lunney, who served as a crew member of the S.S. Meredith Victory that brought 14,000 North Korean refugees from Heungnam to South Korea during the war.  [Yonhap]

You can read the rest at the link.

70% of Americans favor tighter sanctions on North Korea, new survey shows. @KarlFriedhoff https://t.co/Zkl4lQw220 pic.twitter.com/FLsCdZeYk8

— Alastair Gale (@AlastairGale) October 14, 2015

Large missiles believed to be KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missiles appear during a large-scale military parade at Pyongyang’s Kim Il-sung Square on Oct. 10, 2015, to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, in this photo released on Oct. 12 by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency. (Yonhap)

One analyst believes that key decision making for the Kim regime has shifted towards the Workers’ Party due to an increase in meetings of its Central Military Commission after key events:

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appears to have made the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party the country’s primary institution to formulate and communicate policy, a U.S. researcher said.

Michael Madden, an expert on North Korean leadership, made the claim in an article contributed recently to the website 38 North, noting that Kim convened two CMC meetings in August alone, though such meetings were held only twice a year in previous years.

“From 2012 to 2014, the CMC gathered twice a year, about once every six months. The August meetings took place within a week of each other, by contrast, bringing this year’s total to three after a gathering held in late February,” Madden said in the article.

The first of the two August meetings was held on Aug. 20 when military tensions were running high with South Korea following an exchange of artillery fire across the border. During the meeting, Kim declared a “quasi” state of war between the North and the South.

Kim convened the second CMC meeting on Aug. 27, two days after a peace deal defused the military standoff, and replaced several CMC members during the meeting.

“The personnel changes and the commission’s high profile role in the crisis reflect broader indications that Kim is building the CMC into a more inclusive and powerful organization,” Madden said.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link.

Despite what Donald Trump has been saying about the US-ROK relationship, the vast majority of Americans have a very positive view of both the military and diplomatic relationship with South Korea:

More than eight in 10 Americans say relations with South Korea are important while American support for the use of U.S. armed forces to defend the Asian ally stands at an all-time high, an opinion poll showed Tuesday.

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs released the survey results ahead of South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s visit to Washington this week. Park is scheduled to hold talks with President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday.

“As President Park Geun-hye visits the United States, American opinion of South Korea is largely positive. Majorities say US-ROK relations are important and see South Korea as a reliable partner,” the council said in a statement.  [Yonhap]

You can read more at the link.

https://twitter.com/SouthKoreaDaily/status/653671366361681921

This photo, provided by Dewey McLean, a U.S. veteran of the 1950-53 Korean War and currently geology professor emeritus at Virginia Tech and taken during the war, shows part of the well-preserved Fortress Wall, seen near Yongsan Middle School, on Mount Nam in Seoul. McLean served as a corporal for a transport unit of the U.S. 8th Army when he was stationed here from 1952-53. The 18.6-kilometer wall, which follows the ridges of four inner mountains surrounding the center of Seoul, was well-kept and underwent regular repairs throughout the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty. South Korea plans to apply for the ancient defensive wall to be given World Heritage Status in 2016. (Yonhap)