This is interesting, India would like to work with South Korea to export their specific model of the K-9 Thunder howitzer. It makes me wonder which countries they have in mind to export the K-9 to?:

India is seeking to export the K9 self-propelled howitzer to third countries in cooperation with South Korea, India’s secretary for defense production said Thursday, stressing his country is pushing for a “win-win” partnership between the two sides.

Raj Kumar made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency, expressing satisfaction over India’s recent deployment of the K9s, which were manufactured by the Indian company, L&T, in technical collaboration with the South Korean company Hanwha Defense.

“The Indian armed forces are very satisfied with the performance of the K9 Vajra platform, where the K9 Thunder has been very effectively adapted and indigenously built for Indian conditions and requirements,” the secretary said.

“The variant of the platform also has good potential in third countries, and our governments (of India and South Korea) and industries are cooperating to take these opportunities forward,” he added.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

A joint Japanese and Russian naval fleet sailed around the main island of Honshu, Japan in response to the international community sailing ships through the Strait of Taiwan. The big difference between this exercise and the international community’s freedom of navigation patrols is that no one from Japan is shrieking about the exercise like the Chinese government routinely does after freedom of navigation patrols. This shows how secure the Japanese government is unlike the CCP which has to shriek after every international military exercise or freedom of navigation patrol to drum up internal nationalism to legitimize their rule:

 A combined Russian Navy and People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) fleet concluded a sail in international waters east of Japan’s main island of Honshu and split off to their home ports on Saturday, all while being monitored by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships and aircraft during the voyage.

The Chinese ships were Type 055 destroyer Nanchang (101), Type 052D destroyer Kuming (172), Type 054 frigates Binzou (515) and Liuzhou (573) and the replenishment ship Dongpinghu (902). Russian ships were destroyers Admiral Tributs (564) and Admiral Panteleyev (548), corvettes Gromkiy (335) and Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov (339) and the missile range instrumentation ship Marshal Krylov (331).

The combined fleet had entered the Tsugaru Strait on Oct. 18 and since then had been sailing off Honshu. The Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Force issued a release and map on Saturday stating that the joint fleet had sailed through the Osumi Strait that day. Located between the Osumi Peninsula and Tanegashima Island, the strait connects the Sea of Japan with the Pacific Ocean. Following their sail through the Osumi Strait, the ships of the two countries separated at a location 130 kilometers, or about 81 miles, southeast of the Danjo Islands. 

USNI News

You can read more at the link.

South Korea now has a higher fully vaccinated rate than the U.S. and that is driving a decision to reduce COVID restrictions on the general population:

 South Korea will gradually phase out coronavirus restrictions starting next month to embrace a new scheme of returning to normal life backed by the rising rate of vaccinations, health authorities said Monday. 

A government-led committee announced a draft roadmap meant to get people’s lives back to normal on a gradual basis.

The move came as 70.1 percent of 52 million South Koreans were fully vaccinated in eight months after the country kicked off its nationwide inoculation campaign.

The government will relax most of its coronavirus restrictions, such as nighttime curfews on cafes, restaurants and other multi-use facilities under the “living with COVID-19” scheme to be carried out in three phases starting on Nov. 1. 

Currently, cafes and restaurants in the greater Seoul area — home to about half of the country’s population of 52 million — are allowed to operate until 10 p.m. while in the other parts of the country are allowed until midnight. Operation hours of such facilities will be completely free starting on Nov. 1, according to the authorities.

Business of entertainment facilities, including clubs and other kinds of nighttime facilities, in the greater Seoul area, have been banned since June while in other parts of the country have been allowed until 10 p.m. Under the first phase of the scheme, business hours of such facilities will be allowed until midnight.

The authorities will introduce the “vaccine pass” system, which requires a vaccination certificate or a negative test result for entry into multi-use facilities, such as entertainment facilities and indoor gyms.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link.

It looks like some media outlets fell for some fake news:

South Korea’s spy agency said Sunday media reports of North Korean leader’s sister succeeding coup against her brother are not true at all. 

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) dismissed reports that claimed Kim Yo-jong ousted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after a coup. A separate government official also said such reports are not true. 

Citing a report from US-based tabloid “Globe,” some news outlets here said Kim Yo-jong staged a coup between May 6 and June 5, and removed Kim Jong-un from the post. 

The report claimed Kim Jong-un at recent events is actually an impostor, pointing out that his appearance is different than the past, with substantial weight loss. 

Korea Herald

You can read more at the link.

The authorities in Seoul seem to be showing more concern about Halloween parties spreading COVID than the 25,000 KCTU protesters that showed up in the middle of Seoul:

The health authorities are on high alert over Halloween, as the upcoming celebration, during which time popular areas such as Itaewon and Gangnam are expected to be crowded with partygoers, could serve as catalyst for massive COVID-19 infections ahead of the government’s planned shift to its “Living with COVID-19” plan.

They are also redoubling their efforts to boost the vaccination rate among foreign residents amid growing concerns that their lower participation in the inoculation program could pose a major setback to the policy shift.

Korea Times

You can read more at the link.

It looks like the Biden administration may be entertaining the idea of pursuing and end of the Korean War declaration with North Korea:

The U.S. special representative for North Korea said Sunday that he looks forward to continuing exploring different options with South Korea to resume dialogue with North Korea, including the proposed declaration of a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War.

Sung Kim also reiterated Washington’s willingness to help address the North’s humanitarian concerns for its people in need, while urging Pyongyang to stop missile launches, which he cast as “concerning and counterproductive.”

Kim made the remarks soon after he held talks with his South Korean counterpart, Noh Kyu-duk, to discuss joint efforts to resume stalled nuclear diplomacy.

“I look forward to continuing to work with special representative Noh to explore different ideas and initiatives, including the ROK’s end-of-war proposal as we continue to pursue our shared objectives on the peninsula,” Kim said, referring to South Korea’s official name, Republic of Korea.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but that didn’t take long for the State Department to change their tune. The Kim regime launches a few missiles and State is now considering the end of war declaration. I guess we will see if they are actually serious about this or not. I would think Sung Kim is smart enough to realize why the North Koreans want the end of war declaration so badly.

The rhetoric for ending the Korean War has been going on for years because both the Moon administration and the Kim regime in North Korea want the peace treaty because it then challenges the legitimacy of the U.S. military presence in South Korea.  If there is peace why is USFK needed? The Korean left and the Kim regime have always wanted the U.S. out of Korea and a peace treaty with little to nothing in return from North Korea is one path towards doing that. 

The real question is if the Biden administration is going to take the bait on this or not? With all the bad headlines they may be eager for something that looks like a foreign policy victory by pursuing such a declaration. I guess we will see what happens.