Tag: South Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is really increasing his criticism of the Moon administration:

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday linked Tokyo’s economic retaliatory measures against Seoul with the implementation of North Korea sanctions – underscoring a lack of “trust” in South Korea. 

Abe appeared to be sidestepping the real reason for his government’s restrictions on industrial exports to Korea – court rulings against Japanese companies found guilty of forcing Koreans to work for them during World War II – and suggesting an overarching problem with trust in Seoul that extends to security concerns.

One suggestion is that high-tech products made with Japanese materials may be making their way to North Korea.

Speaking on a televised debate ahead of upper house elections on Fuji TV, Abe said that South Korea “claims that it is abiding by sanctions on North Korea” and is also following the Wassenaar Arrangement, the first multilateral export control regime for conventional weapons and sensitive dual-use goods and technologies.

Abe went on to suggest that Seoul is not capable of fulfilling its commitment to implement sanctions on the North because it “clearly does not keep its promises and abide by the claims agreement between two countries” and “obviously will not properly abide by trade regulations.” 

On the matter of his government’s new restrictions on exports of key industrial materials to Korea, Abe said that there was an “occurrence of an inappropriate matter,” and added, “you can’t trust what they say.”

Japan on Thursday implemented export restrictions to Korea on three key materials – fluorinated polyimide, hydrogen fluoride and photoresists – needed in the production of semiconductors and smartphones.

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

Of the 47 surviving South Korean ‘comfort women’ 36 agreed to accept money from a fund paid for by Japan before it was closed by Seoul for not being part of a sufficient solution to the WWII legacy. https://t.co/KchOm3QDf4

— Alastair Gale (@AlastairGale) July 6, 2019

"Drunk" man in Korea beats up gf with fist, suspects she's interested in other man. She falls, hits head, dies 2 days later. He's sentenced to 6 yrs jail.

But 2nd trial released him: found his text messages, showed he loved her. Can now continue studies. https://t.co/VtAMOSJF4c

— Raphael Rashid (@koryodynasty) July 5, 2019

It appears that the Abe administration has lost patience with the Moon administration over the forced labor ruling and decided to do what the Chinese did and economically retaliate against South Korea:

 South Korea’s trade minister said Monday the government plans to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Japan’s decision to tighten the rules for exports of semiconductor and display materials to Seoul, amid a simmering diplomatic row over wartime force labor. 

“South Korea has been making efforts to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with Japan,” Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo told reporters, describing the Japanese measure as an “economic retaliation” against South Korea’s Supreme Court ruling on compensation for wartime forced labor.

Sung added the action contradicts not only WTO rules but also global efforts to seek a free, fair and predictable free-trade environment as proposed at the Group of 20 summit held in Japan last week.

“(The government) will continue to communicate closely with local firms to minimize the impact, and will take this event as an opportunity to beef up the competitiveness of the country’s parts, materials, and equipment (sectors),” Sung said, adding that Seoul will take all necessary measures including diversifying import sources.

Earlier in the day, the Japanese government said it will strengthen regulations on the export to South Korea of high-tech chemicals used in semiconductor and smartphone production starting Thursday, apparently in response to South Korea’s ruling on compensation for wartime forced labor.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but for those that have not been following this issue, the Japanese side does not dispute the forced labor claim, what they dispute is that they already paid compensation with the 1965 treaty. Instead of handing out money for individual compensation, the ROK government used the money to develop the economy instead.

As I have always said about this issue is the ROK government going to support compensation claims against China for their role in the destruction of South Korea during the Korean War that killed tens of thousands of South Koreans?

Speaking of China they have just launched their latest economic retaliation against South Korea for hosting the THAAD battery:

China removed ~120 billboard/bus station ads of #SouthKorean companies #Samsung, #Hyundai & #Kia overnight on 6/29 with no compensation nor notice. It recruited ~400 people using cranes & solder equipment. China’s pressure tactic.https://t.co/1V7PrA1Kft

— Tara O (@DrTaraO) July 1, 2019

Despite all the economic retaliation against South Korea from China over the THAAD dispute, the Moon administration has not lodged complaints to the WTO. This is just the latest example of hypocrisy between how the ROK government responds to the Japanese government compared to China.

The President likes big things and this Samsung plant near Camp Humphreys was big enough to catch his attention:

U.S. President Donald Trump was so impressed with a Samsung Electronics manufacturing plant, he could hardly contain himself.

“I happened to fly over a building,” he said, according to a White House release of a conversation between the president and some 20 heads of Korean conglomerates on Sunday at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, where the president stayed. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes. 

“It was one of the largest buildings I’ve ever seen; Samsung. Samsung […]And it was a manufacturing building,” he added. “And you know what I’m talking about, right?

“I looked; I said, ‘What the hell is that?’ It was acre on acre. How tall is that building? Like 12 or 10? Ten stories? I want to see it. I want to see it. I want to get some ideas.” 

Trump arrived on Air Force One at Osan Air Base, a U.S. Air Force Base at Pyeongtaek. He flew from there on Marine One, a helicopter, to Yongsan Garrison.

According to a Samsung official, the company has a semiconductor plant in Hwaseong, slightly north of Osan Air Base. 

“The plant has a Samsung logo on it,” said the Samsung official. “I think that’s what President Trump saw.” 

The flight path from Osan to Yongsan crosses close to Gyeongbu expressway, where Samsung plant is located. 

The plant that Trump probably saw is a new production line that was opened in April and where President Moon Jae-in announced Korea’s “system semiconductor” vision.

It is just 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the U.S. base, and during the weekdays when there is less traffic, it only takes 30 minutes by car to travel from the base to the plant. 

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link.

Worse than that is SK President @moonriver365 using children to pose with the man who ordered that #JamalKhashoggi be murdered. The @TheBlueHouseENG should be ashame & apologize. @KarenAttiah pic.twitter.com/7O7VxUgKVn

— Greg DeRego (@gregderego) June 26, 2019

Does anyone really think the North Koreans are going to allow ROK military personnel to see any sensitive training events much less dismantle their artillery and missile systems targeting South Korea?:

President Moon Jae-in expressed anticipation Wednesday that the two Koreas will exchange military information and observe each other’s exercises if their existing accords on building mutual confidence are fully implemented.

He put forward a two-track approach to reducing border tensions on the peninsula: through denuclearization as well as via the disarmament of conventional weapons. He was taking part in a joint written interview with Yonhap News Agency and six major foreign news agencies, days ahead of the Group of 20 summit in Japan and U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit here.

The two Koreas signed a comprehensive military agreement last September during Moon’s visit to Pyongyang for his third summit with the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un.

They have “completely” halted hostile acts along their border, pulled out guard posts from the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), agreed on the joint excavation of war remains and endeavored to establish joint use of the Han River estuary.

The liberal president described the measures as “rudimentary.”

“If the inter-Korean agreement in the military domain is properly implemented, it will allow us to proceed to the stage of further enhancing transparency concerning military postures by exchanging pertinent information through the inter-Korean joint military committee and observing military drills and training,” Moon said, revealing his mid-term vision for the Korea peace process.

What’s also possible in tandem with progress in denuclearization is to “advance to the point of disarming threatening weapons such as the long-range North Korean artillery targeting our capital, Seoul, and the short-range missiles that both Koreas possess,” he added.

Yonhap

Dismantling their artillery and missile systems would take away the North’s ability to extort South Korea. This is like asking mobsters extorting neighborhood businesses to give up their guns. If they did what business owners would be afraid of them anymore?

I think what President Moon is really saying is that the ROK military will allow North Korea to see their training, dismantle their artillery and missiles first and then hope the North Koreans respond in kind.

The Saudi Crown Prince received a very warm welcome in South Korea despite the controversy around his alleged ordering of the killing of a journalist:

President Moon Jae-in held a summit Wednesday with Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia and de facto ruler of the oil-rich kingdom, and agreed to diversify and expand bilateral cooperation. 

The governments and companies from the two countries signed economic agreements worth over $8 billion.

The summit took place at the Blue House in the afternoon as a part of the crown prince’s two-day trip to Korea. During the summit, the two leaders discussed moving beyond traditional cooperation in energy and infrastructure industries, according to a joint press release. 

Moon expressed support for Saudi’s Vision 2030, an economic and social reform initiative pushed by the crown prince. The two leaders agreed to strengthen a bilateral strategic partnership to promote the program, according to the statement. 

Saudi Vision 2030, announced in April 2016 by the crown prince, is supposed to reduce the country’s dependence on oil while diversifying its economy. Korea is one of Saudi Arabia’s eight strategic partners in the project, along with the United States, Japan and China. 

Saudi Arabia is Korea’s largest supplier of crude oil. It is also Korea’s most important economic partner in the Middle East. 

Joong Ang Ilbo

You can read more at the link.