Here is a very rare form of defection, crossing the DMZ to get to South Korea:
A North Korean man was taken into custody by the South Korean military Thursday after crossing the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas, according to the South’s Ministry of National Defense. The unidentified North Korean crossed the Military Demarcation Line — the actual border that divides the peninsula — Thursday evening, the ministry said in a text message to reporters Friday morning.
The message did not specify his motive for crossing. The North Korean was first spotted in a shallow stream in the midwestern part of the border early Thursday using South Korean surveillance equipment, the ministry said in a separate message Friday, citing the Joint Chiefs of Staff. South Korea’s military deployed troops to the area and guided the man, who identified himself as a civilian, out of the Demilitarized Zone, the message said. The operation took about 20 hours after the North Korean was first detected, the message added.
You can read more at the link.
Russia has exported to North Korea and air defense system that failed to shootdown any Israeli jets that executed the bombing campaign over Iran. After the Israeli bombing campaign, Kim Jong-un cannot possibly have much faith that this system will protect his capitol against a U.S. bombardment:
North Korea has already been using the Pantsir-S1 air defense system provided by Russia to defend the North’s capital of Pyongyang, a Ukrainian online newspaper reported Wednesday, citing Kyiv’s intelligence chief.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR), made the remark in an interview with Hromadske Radio the previous day (local time), according to The Kyiv Independent.
The Pantsir missile system is made up of self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery systems.
Budanov said the first Pantsir-S1 installations have already been deployed in Pyongyang and are on combat duty. He added that the Russians are retraining North Korean personnel, who will soon be working autonomously on this technology.
You can read more at the link.
The North Korean media for the first time is showing that North Korean Soldiers have been killed in Ukraine:
North Korea’s state media aired Monday images of its leader Kim Jong-un mourning over his soldiers believed to have been killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The images, released by Korean Central Television, showed Kim solemnly placing a North Korean flag over a coffin during a ceremony for the return of the remains of North Korean soldiers who were deployed and killed in Moscow’s war against Kyiv.
You can read more at the link.
I think Trump was probably referring to any provocation that happens on the peninsula he would use his relationship with Kim Jong-un to get it resolved:
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States will “get the conflict solved” with North Korea if there is one, reiterating that he has had a “good” relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Trump made the remarks during a press availability, apparently reiterating his openness to reengaging with the recalcitrant regime, as his administration has stated its commitment to the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea.
“If there is a conflict … I get along with him very, very well, and we’ll get the conflict solved with North Korea,” Trump said, when asked to confirm an NK News report that he had sent a letter to Kim, which North Korean diplomats in New York refused to accept.
You can read more at the link.
Foreigners are not supposed to be involved in political activity while in South Korea and doing something like this will likely get their visas cancelled:
Six American nationals were caught early Friday in Ganghwa-gun, Incheon, while attempting to send plastic bottles filled with rice, $1 bills and Bibles to North Korea.
The group, ranging in age from their 20s to 50s, allegedly tried to launch about 1,300 bottles into the sea at around 1 a.m. on Friday, according to South Korean police.
The South Korean military, which had been monitoring the coastline using surveillance cameras, spotted the group and reported them to police. The group was caught before putting the bottles in the ocean.
You can read more at the link.
As long as the Ukriane-Russia war continues there is no reason for Kim Jong-un to pursue any diplomacy with Trump. Kim is getting the money and military aid he needs from the Russians for now. If he started diplomacy with Trump it would look like he is backstabbing Putin:
Joseph Yun, the acting U.S. ambassador in Seoul, said Tuesday that any renewed talks between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hinge on mutual willingness.
“I have no doubt that President Trump considers his engagement with North Korea during his first term as unfinished business, and he wants to reengage with North Korea,” Yun said.
“But it takes two to tango,” he added. “We have not really heard from the North Korean side whether they too want to reengage. And to me, that’s the bigger unknown.”
You can read more at the link.
