radiofree.asia

Category: South

  • Trump suggests $10 billion price tag for US troops in South Korea

    U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has reignited debate over defense cost-sharing with South Korea, saying that if he were in the White House, Seoul would be paying US$10 billion a year to station U.S. Forces Korea, or USFK, in the country.

    The former U.S. president’s remarks come on the heels of a recently concluded defense deal between the two nations, set to increase South Korea’s contributions for defense cost-sharing, but far from the figure Trump insists he could achieve. 

    “If I were there now, they’d be paying us $10 billion a year. And you know what? They’d be happy to do it,” the former president said during an interview at the Economic Club of Chicago on Tuesday, calling South Korea a “money machine.” 

    “We have 40,000 troops in harm’s way, very serious, because you have North Korea’s very serious power. They have tremendous nuclear power,” said Trump. “I said to South Korea, ‘You’re going to pay,’ and they agreed to do it, and Biden then cut it back. And it’s a shame.”

    Earlier this month, the U.S. and South Korea concluded their negotiations over a defense cost-sharing deal, called the Special Measures Agreement, or SMA, to determine Seoul’s share of the cost for the upkeep of USFK. 

    Since 1991, South Korea has partially shouldered costs under the SMA for Korean USFK workers, the construction of military facilities and other logistical support. 

    Under the new deal, which will last through 2030, South Korea is to pay 1.52 trillion won ($1.14 billion) in 2026, up from 1.4 trillion won in 2025. The deal links an annual increase in the country’s SMA contributions to the South Korean Consumer Price Index.

    The current agreement does not expire until the end of 2025, but it was widely reported that both sides felt a sense of urgency to accomplish the deal ahead of a possible second Trump administration.

    Negotiations over the SMA strained the alliance during Trump’s presidency as he demanded South Korea pay up to 400% more for the presence of USFK from 2026.

    The Trump administration largely negotiated the terms of the last agreement, but it did not go into effect until March 2021, just months after President Joe Biden took office, which allowed the Biden administration to make changes that got the agreement to its final state.

    RELATED STORIES

    US election: Implications for Manila-Washington alliance, South China Sea

    INTERVIEW: Trump ‘would love to see his friend Kim Jong Un again’

    North Korea blames US for waging a ‘new Cold War’ in Asia with military alliances

    Despite the conclusion of the negotiations for the new agreement, concerns have resurfaced that if Trump is elected in November, he may push for a renegotiation of the deal.

    In August, a former U.S. national security adviser H.R. McMaster said in his memoir that Trump wanted South Korea to cover all costs for the stationing of USFK at a key military base as well as a “profit margin” during his presidency.

    Separately, in May, Trump suggested that the U.S. could pull its troops out of South Korea if the Asian ally did not make more financial contributions to support them.

    Advocates assert that maintaining a significant U.S. troop presence on the Korean Peninsula is vital for strengthening the alliance between the two nations. They say these troops play a key role in deterring potential threats from North Korea, as Kim Jong Un’s regime continues expanding its nuclear arsenal. 

    Additionally, they reinforce the U.S. presence in the region, helping to counter China’s growing aggression.

    But there has also been domestic criticism in South Korea that the SMA places an undue financial burden on the country, particularly with increasing U.S. demands for higher contributions. Critics argue that South Korea already covers a fair share of costs for USFK, and further hikes could strain the national budget and weaken public support for the alliance. 

    Some also question whether the funds directly benefit South Korea’s security or are used for broader U.S. military objectives.

    Edited by Mike Firn. 

    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Taejun Kang for RFA.

  • North Korea declares border troops ready to open fire amid drone dispute with South Korea


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • North Korea on alert to open fire amid drone dispute with South Korea #northkorea #rfanews


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • North Korea says border units ready to shoot amid drone dispute with South

    North Korea said its army units near the border with South Korea have been ordered to be ready to launch strikes on the South amid disputes over drones that the North says have flown over its capital Pyongyang.  

    The North said on Friday that the South had sent unmanned drones over Pyongyang three times this month. South Korea denied the claim. 

    In a statement carried by state media Sunday, the North’s Defense Ministry said that the military had issued a preliminary operation order to artillery and other army units near the border with South Korea to “get fully ready to open fire.”

    An unidentified ministry spokesperson also said North Korea’s military ordered relevant units to fully prepare for situations like launching immediate strikes on unspecified enemy targets when South Korean drones cross the border again, possibly triggering fighting on the Korean Peninsula, according to the statement.

    Separately, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said the North was ready to take a “strong corresponding retaliatory action” in case drones carrying anti-Pyongyang materials are flown again into the North.

    She also warned that the “attack time” can come at any time.

    In response, South Korea’s defense ministry said any attempts by the North to harm its people would result in the end of the Kim regime.

    North Korea’s foreign ministry said on Friday that South Korean drones carrying leaflets were detected in the night skies over Pyongyang on Oct. 3, as well as Wednesday and Thursday last week.

    Releasing photos of a drone that it said it had captured, as well as photos of propaganda leaflets and bundles sent from the South, the ministry demanded that South Korea immediately end “dangerous provocation” it said could lead to “an armed conflict that could even escalate into war.”

    At that time, South Korea’s Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun denied that the military had sent any drones across the border, but the Joint Chiefs of Staff later said it could not confirm whether the North’s claims were true, suggesting the possibility that the drones were sent by a civic group. 

    RELATED STORIES

    North Korea says South sent drones over its capital, warns of conflict

    North Korea says it will bolster defense on border with South, cut road, rail links

    North Korea to use all forces including nuclear if attacked: Kim Jong Un

    Amid simmering tension, South Korea’s National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik said on Sunday that North Korea should not start a war unless it is contemplating suicide, and that its leader Kim must fear South Korea’s military power as he has “the most to lose.”

    “The possibility of North Korea waging a war has always existed ever since the Korean War,” Shin said during an interview with the South’s national broadcaster KBS.

    “Whether North Korea initiates war depends not on its intentions, but on our will and readiness. It is crucial that we have our unified efforts to ensure that North Korea cannot act on such intentions,” he said. 

    “I believe that North Korea will not start a war unless it decides to commit suicide.”

    Shin added that what matters the most is South Korea maintaining the capability to respond timely to any provocations by the North, stressing the importance of the alliance with the United States. 

    “The South Korea-U.S. alliance is robust, and South Korea is strong as an advanced nation,” said Shin.

    Regarding the North’s claim over the drones, Shin said the government will remain noncommittal, as addressing the issue will only stir up discord within South Korea and that is the exact intention of Pyongyang.

    “Based on experience, the best way is to ignore,” Shin said.

    Shin also said that North Korea has overreacted since South Korea’s unveiling of the Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile, as the missile should be very intimidating to the North. 

    South Korea unveiled its Hyunmoo-5 missile on Oct. 1 during a ceremony to mark the 76th founding anniversary of South Korea’s armed forces.

    It is designed to respond to a North Korean nuclear attack by targeting the country’s leadership and military headquarters in a retaliatory strike. 

    “Kim Jong Un, who controls all decision-making in North Korea, is the richest and most powerful person there,” Shin said. 

    “In other words, he should deeply fear our high-precision weapons since he has the most to lose, and is the most scared.”

    Edited by Mike Firn. 


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Taejun Kang for RFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • South Korea sees signs of North building large nuclear-powered submarine

    The South Korean military has detected apparent signs that North Korea has started to build a large nuclear-powered submarine, a Seoul-based lawmaker said on Tuesday, as North Korea’s leader dialed up his threat to use nuclear weapons against its enemies. 

    North Korea unveiled a submarine “Hero Kim Kun Ok” in September last year, calling it a “tactical nuclear attack submarine,” and vowed that it would build a nuclear-powered submarine. 

    “Partial signs that appear to be the start of the submarine’s construction have been detected,” said Kang Dae-sik of the ruling People Power Party, who was briefed on the issue by South Korea’s main security organization, the Defense Intelligence Agency. 

    “As construction is still in its early stages, further confirmation is needed on whether it is nuclear powered,” Kang added, without providing details. 

    South Korea’s military, however, said the submarine did not appear to be ready for normal operations.

    Military sources told media that the key equipment that goes into a nuclear-powered submarine, such as a nuclear reactor, is not yet believed to be available to North Korea. However, the military is still believed to be considering the possibility of nuclear-power since the new submarine may be larger than existing vessels.

    North Korea operates approximately 70 submarines, including midget submarines, while South Korea’s submarine force consists of about 10 vessels, according to the South’s Defense White Paper published in 2023.

    RELATED STORIES

    North Korea to use all forces including nuclear if attacked: Kim Jong Un

    South Korea unveils missile that can hit the North’s bunkers

    North Korea may conduct nuclear test after US election: South’s spy agency

    The South’s analysis came as North Korean leader Kim threatened again to use nuclear weapons if enemies attempted to use armed force against it.

    “All military force will be used without hesitation if enemies attempt to use force against our country, and the use of nuclear weapons will not be ruled out,” Kim said in a speech during his visit to the Kim Jong Un University of National Defense on Monday, cited by the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency. 

    “At a time when the South Korea-U.S. alliance has completely been transformed into a nuclear alliance, as they advertised, our nation’s nuclear response posture should be completed to a height that does not have any limit.

    “The only way for South Korea to live safely is for us not to use military force, and not to play a power game with us.”

    It was the second time in a week that Kim has threatened to use his nuclear arsenal. 

    Kim said last week that North Korea would use nuclear weapons “without hesitation” if its territory was attacked by the United States and its ally South Korea.

    That warning came after South Korea said that the North Korean regime would be finished if it tried to use its nuclear weapons.

    Edited by Mike Firn.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Taejun Kang for RFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • South Korea offers adoptions ahead of ban on dogs bred for food | Radio Free Asia (RFA)


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • US, South Korea, Japan to finalize trilateral secretariat establishment

    Foreign ministers of the United States, South Korea and Japan agreed to finalize the establishment of a trilateral cooperation secretariat, while pushing for a leaders’ summit this year, said a U.S. State Department spokesperson.

    The three countries have been working on establishing the secretariat to maintain forward momentum for their growing cooperation on security, technology and other areas.

    Secretary of State Antony Blinken, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa met on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Monday, reiterating their efforts to “institutionalize” the three-way partnership.

    “They concluded by reaffirming our shared commitment to creating the U.S.-Japan-ROK Trilateral Secretariat, to be finalized by the three leaders when they meet before the end of the year,” said Matthew Miller, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

    “This step will help institutionalize this crucial partnership into the future,” he added.

    Blinken, Cho and Kamikawa also discussed the need for close coordination to respond to deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, which they believe threatens stability in both Northeast Asia and Europe, said Miller.

    South Korea’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the trio agreed to continue close coordination to lead efforts to implement U.N. Security Council resolutions while responding sternly to any provocations from the North.

    RELATED STORIES

    North Korea blames US for waging a ‘new Cold War’ in Asia with military alliances

    ‘No need for own nuclear weapon’ against North Korea: South Korean president

    Satellite photos show expansion of suspected North Korean uranium enrichment site

    Apart from that, the three ministers affirmed “strong opposition” to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific, and reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an “indispensable” element of security and prosperity in the international community, according to Miller.

    “The security environment surrounding us is becoming increasingly severe, and the free and open international order based on the rule of law is facing serious challenges, and that is making our strategic collaboration more important than ever,” said Kamikawa, who underscored the importance of trilateral security cooperation in the midst of regional and global security challenges.

    “We would like to further strengthen our coordination in dealing with North Korea and in a wide range of fields.”

    Separately, Blinken said that trilateral cooperation would remain crucial regardless of leadership changes in the U.S. and Japan.

    “We have political transitions in Japan and the United States, but this trilat, irrespective of those transitions, will remain vital to the future of all three of our countries – a future that we are working to shape together,” he said, referring to the trilateral alliance. 

    Edited by Mike Firn.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Taejun Kang for RFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Explainer: Sabina Shoal, the newest flashpoint in the South China Sea

    Sabina Shoal, located over 75 nautical miles west of the Philippines and 600 miles from China, has become the latest flashpoint between the two rival claimants in the South China Sea.

    A months-long standoff began in April when Manila sent one of its largest and most modern ships, BRP Teresa Magbanua, to the shoal amid reports that Beijing could be trying to reclaim land there.

    In response, China accused the Philippines of planning to ground the ship there to occupy it.

    In August, Manila accused a Beijing ship of ramming BRP Teresa Magbanua several times, the fifth case of alleged harassment by China of Philippine ships operating near the shoal that month. Chinese officials said the Philippine ship acted dangerously and rammed into a Chinese vessel.

    See: 2024 Sabina shoal standoff: A timeline

    On Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard pulled BRP Teresa Magbuana from the shoal’s waters and sent it back to port after a five-month deployment, citing needed repairs and medical care for crew members. But Filipino officials said they had not surrendered Manila’s claim to the area.

    What is Sabina Shoal and why is it important for the Philippines?

    PH-CH-Sabina-explainer 2.jpg
    This map highlights Mischief Reef, Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands region of the South China Sea. [AFP]

    Sabina Shoal – which the Philippines calls Escoda Shoal and China refers to as Xianbin Jiao – serves as a rendezvous point for resupply missions to nearby Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines maintains a World War II-era ship to serve as a military outpost and territorial marker.

    Analysts have said that if China takes control of Sabina Shoal, it could prevent the Philippines from conducting resupply missions to the Second Thomas Shoal or reaching the Manila-occupied Thitu island, home to about 400 Filipinos.

    Part of a crucial maritime trade route for Manila, the reef is also “a good staging ground for vessels that [could] interfere with Philippine maritime activities extending from Palawan to the West Philippine Sea and the Kalayaan Islands,” said Jay Batongbacal, a Filipino maritime analyst and director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea.

    Manila calls territories and waters in the South China Sea within its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) the West Philippine Sea.

    PH-CH-Sabina-explainer 3.jpg
    This map shows occupied or administered islands in the disputed South China Sea. [AFP]

    “A hostile China would be able to strangle our maritime trade with the rest of Asia and most of the world from Escoda Shoal,” Batongbacal told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news organization, on Sept. 3.

    The South China Sea is a critical world trade route accounting for 21% of global trade (U.S. $3.4 trillion) in 2016, the most recent year these data are available, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in a report earlier this year.

    Sabina Shoal is important to Manila because of its proximity to Reed Bank, another South China Sea feature that is a traditional fishing ground for Filipinos, and has a potential role in the country’s energy security because of its rich oil and gas deposits.

    Territorial presence

    Philippine officials said a new ship will be sent to the Sabina Shoal to replace the BRP Teresa Magbanua, which returned to port.

    Two Philippine Navy sources told BenarNews that the country could not send a ship to the shoal anytime soon because of extreme weather conditions.

    For its part, China could send dozens of ships to block a Philippine ship if it is stationed at the shoal, according to the sources who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue.

    Blocking a Philippine ship “en route to Sabina Shoal is a possible prospect,” especially since Chinese ships appear to be capable of tracking movements at sea, said Collin Koh, a maritime security analyst with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

    Another scenario is that Beijing “might tolerate” Manila’s stance on putting a “strategic presence” in the shoal but it “would actively block the [Philippine] ship from entering the lagoon of the feature,” Koh said.

    RELATED STORIES

    Troubled Waters: The South China Sea

    Philippines says it did not surrender Sabina Shoal to China

    Philippines says 200-plus Chinese vessels have clustered in its EEZ

    Unclear strategy

    Some military officials, diplomats and analysts – a majority of whom did not want to be identified – have expressed concerns that the Philippines has no cohesive strategy on its South China Sea claim.

    In March, the Philippine government created the National Maritime Council to have overall jurisdiction and “direction on policy-formation, implementation and coordination” on all issues affecting the country’s maritime security and domain awareness.

    But the country also has the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, created in 2016 for similar objectives.

    Under the latest order, the task force would be placed under the council. But confusion abounds as several officials are discussing Manila’s claim coming from different agencies including the Philippine Coast Guard, Armed Forces of the Philippines and National Security Council, which are members of the council and the task force.

    Jonathan Malaya, assistant director general of the National Security Council and task force spokesman, said the task force is not mandated to provide overall strategy or policy.

    “Here in the [task force], we’re more strategic and operational,” he told BenarNews.

    Meanwhile, the Philippines needs to step up with its South China Sea strategy, analysts told BenarNews.

    “At this point, it’s not clear if the government has a specific game plan to deal with Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea,” said Rommel Jude Ong, a retired Navy rear admiral and a professor at the Ateneo de Manila University.

    “From a naval standpoint, the entire West Philippine Sea is a single theater of operations. Our crisis response should always be looking at the big picture and not to disaggregate incidents in Sabina from whatever is happening elsewhere.”

    Another analyst expressed similar concerns.

    “It is now wait and see for the Philippines in terms of its plans for Escoda Shoal,” said Julio Amador, a Manila-based analyst with the Amador Research Services, using the Philippine name for Sabina Shoal. “[China] has numbers on its side so the Philippine approach needs to be strategic and not tactical at this point.”

    “Whatever path of action the Philippines will take, the whole government must be behind it and the plan should be approved at the highest levels.”

    BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Camille Elemia – Manila.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Explainer: Sabina Shoal, the newest flashpoint in the South China Sea

    Sabina Shoal, located over 75 nautical miles west of the Philippines and 600 miles from China, has become the latest flashpoint between the two rival claimants in the South China Sea.

    A months-long standoff began in April when Manila sent one of its largest and most modern ships, BRP Teresa Magbanua, to the shoal amid reports that Beijing could be trying to reclaim land there.

    In response, China accused the Philippines of planning to ground the ship there to occupy it.

    In August, Manila accused a Beijing ship of ramming BRP Teresa Magbanua several times, the fifth case of alleged harassment by China of Philippine ships operating near the shoal that month. Chinese officials said the Philippine ship acted dangerously and rammed into a Chinese vessel.

    See: 2024 Sabina shoal standoff: A timeline

    On Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard pulled BRP Teresa Magbuana from the shoal’s waters and sent it back to port after a five-month deployment, citing needed repairs and medical care for crew members. But Filipino officials said they had not surrendered Manila’s claim to the area.

    What is Sabina Shoal and why is it important for the Philippines?

    PH-CH-Sabina-explainer 2.jpg
    This map highlights Mischief Reef, Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands region of the South China Sea. [AFP]

    Sabina Shoal – which the Philippines calls Escoda Shoal and China refers to as Xianbin Jiao – serves as a rendezvous point for resupply missions to nearby Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines maintains a World War II-era ship to serve as a military outpost and territorial marker.

    Analysts have said that if China takes control of Sabina Shoal, it could prevent the Philippines from conducting resupply missions to the Second Thomas Shoal or reaching the Manila-occupied Thitu island, home to about 400 Filipinos.

    Part of a crucial maritime trade route for Manila, the reef is also “a good staging ground for vessels that [could] interfere with Philippine maritime activities extending from Palawan to the West Philippine Sea and the Kalayaan Islands,” said Jay Batongbacal, a Filipino maritime analyst and director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea.

    Manila calls territories and waters in the South China Sea within its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) the West Philippine Sea.

    PH-CH-Sabina-explainer 3.jpg
    This map shows occupied or administered islands in the disputed South China Sea. [AFP]

    “A hostile China would be able to strangle our maritime trade with the rest of Asia and most of the world from Escoda Shoal,” Batongbacal told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news organization, on Sept. 3.

    The South China Sea is a critical world trade route accounting for 21% of global trade (U.S. $3.4 trillion) in 2016, the most recent year these data are available, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in a report earlier this year.

    Sabina Shoal is important to Manila because of its proximity to Reed Bank, another South China Sea feature that is a traditional fishing ground for Filipinos, and has a potential role in the country’s energy security because of its rich oil and gas deposits.

    Territorial presence

    Philippine officials said a new ship will be sent to the Sabina Shoal to replace the BRP Teresa Magbanua, which returned to port.

    Two Philippine Navy sources told BenarNews that the country could not send a ship to the shoal anytime soon because of extreme weather conditions.

    For its part, China could send dozens of ships to block a Philippine ship if it is stationed at the shoal, according to the sources who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue.

    Blocking a Philippine ship “en route to Sabina Shoal is a possible prospect,” especially since Chinese ships appear to be capable of tracking movements at sea, said Collin Koh, a maritime security analyst with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

    Another scenario is that Beijing “might tolerate” Manila’s stance on putting a “strategic presence” in the shoal but it “would actively block the [Philippine] ship from entering the lagoon of the feature,” Koh said.

    RELATED STORIES

    Troubled Waters: The South China Sea

    Philippines says it did not surrender Sabina Shoal to China

    Philippines says 200-plus Chinese vessels have clustered in its EEZ

    Unclear strategy

    Some military officials, diplomats and analysts – a majority of whom did not want to be identified – have expressed concerns that the Philippines has no cohesive strategy on its South China Sea claim.

    In March, the Philippine government created the National Maritime Council to have overall jurisdiction and “direction on policy-formation, implementation and coordination” on all issues affecting the country’s maritime security and domain awareness.

    But the country also has the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, created in 2016 for similar objectives.

    Under the latest order, the task force would be placed under the council. But confusion abounds as several officials are discussing Manila’s claim coming from different agencies including the Philippine Coast Guard, Armed Forces of the Philippines and National Security Council, which are members of the council and the task force.

    Jonathan Malaya, assistant director general of the National Security Council and task force spokesman, said the task force is not mandated to provide overall strategy or policy.

    “Here in the [task force], we’re more strategic and operational,” he told BenarNews.

    Meanwhile, the Philippines needs to step up with its South China Sea strategy, analysts told BenarNews.

    “At this point, it’s not clear if the government has a specific game plan to deal with Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea,” said Rommel Jude Ong, a retired Navy rear admiral and a professor at the Ateneo de Manila University.

    “From a naval standpoint, the entire West Philippine Sea is a single theater of operations. Our crisis response should always be looking at the big picture and not to disaggregate incidents in Sabina from whatever is happening elsewhere.”

    Another analyst expressed similar concerns.

    “It is now wait and see for the Philippines in terms of its plans for Escoda Shoal,” said Julio Amador, a Manila-based analyst with the Amador Research Services, using the Philippine name for Sabina Shoal. “[China] has numbers on its side so the Philippine approach needs to be strategic and not tactical at this point.”

    “Whatever path of action the Philippines will take, the whole government must be behind it and the plan should be approved at the highest levels.”

    BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Camille Elemia – Manila.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • ‘No need for own nuclear weapon’ against North Korea: South Korean president

    South Korea has already established a system that can effectively deter and respond to the North Korean nuclear threat without the need for its own nuclear arsenal, said South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, a week after the North unveiled details of its uranium enrichment facility for the first time.

    Yoon set out his thoughts on Friday, while on a visit to the Czech Republic, when asked by a reporter if South Korea was seriously considering nuclear weapons.

    “Seoul sees beefing up its own defense capabilities as well as strengthening the enforceability of the U.S.-South Korean extended deterrent as the best defense against the North Korean nuclear threat,” he said.

    “We established the NCG through the ‘Washington Declaration’ in April last year, and the United States and South Korea are currently promoting nuclear strategic planning as well as joint implementation through the Conventional-Nuclear Integration,” said Yoon, referring to a Nuclear Consultative Group and the strategy of being prepared to survive and respond to a nuclear attack.

    The U.S. and South Korea held their inaugural  NCG meeting in July last year, when they discussed information sharing, consultation mechanisms, and joint planning and execution to enhance nuclear deterrence against North Korea.

    The NCG framework was announced during the bilateral summit in Washington last April against the backdrop of growing demands in South Korea for its own nuclear weapons in light of North Korea’s escalating nuclear threats.

    Yoon also highlighted the importance of cooperation between the U.S., South Korea and fellow U.S. ally, Japan.

    “Since the Camp David Summit in August last year, the three countries have established a trilateral cooperation system to enhance efforts to promote security and peace in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.

    2023-08-18T193834Z_1980865832_RC2JQ2A7VVP9_RTRMADP_3_USA-SUMMIT.JPG
    U.S. President Joe Biden holds a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during the trilateral summit at Camp David near Thurmont, Maryland, U.S., Aug. 18, 2023. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

    At their Camp David meeting, the leaders of Japan, the U.S. and South Korea, agreed on several key initiatives aimed at strengthening trilateral cooperation. 

    These included commitments to enhance joint military exercises, increase intelligence sharing and deepen economic ties. Additionally, the summit produced a joint statement that emphasized the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific, underscoring the trilateral alliance’s role in maintaining regional stability and countering China’s growing influence.

    “As challenges to the international order based on freedom, human rights, and the rule of law grow, especially if they are pursued through force and coercive diplomacy, the need for cooperation between the three countries as partners of values and interests will only increase,” the South Korean president said.

    Yoon’s remarks came about a week after the North unveiled details of its uranium enrichment facility for the first time, with its leader Kim Jong Un calling for increasing the number of centrifuges for uranium enrichment so it can increase its nuclear arsenal for self-defense. 

    RELATED STORIES

    Satellite photos show expansion of suspected North Korean uranium enrichment site

    North Korea unveils uranium enrichment facility for the first time

    Kim Jong Un says North Korea to increase its arsenal of nuclear weapons

    Radio Free Asia reported on Thursday, based on analysis of satellite imagery, evidence that a suspected North Korean uranium enrichment facility that may have been toured by leader Kim Jong Un recently has grown significantly since construction was first spotted there in February.

    Impact of Russian sanctions

    When questioned on whether sanctions against Russia have had any impact on the South Korean economy, Yoon said that since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the volume of trade between South Korea and Russia has dropped significantly, and South Korean companies had suffered as a result.

    “Nevertheless, as a responsible member of the international community, my government will continue to work in international co-operation to safeguard peace,” he added.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin warned South Korea in June that sending  weapons to Ukraine would be a “very big mistake” after South Korea said it would consider doing so in response to a pact between Russia and North Korea to come to each other’s aid if attacked.

    At that time, South Korea announced it would reconsider its policy of not sending arms to Ukraine in response to North Korea and Russia signing a treaty that included a mutual pledge to provide immediate military assistance if either was attacked.

    Edited by Mike Firn.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Taejun Kang for RFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Wind & solar power took off in South Australia. Can it happen here? #shorts


    This content originally appeared on Laura Flanders & Friends and was authored by Laura Flanders & Friends.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • South Australia’s Green Revolution: How Art & Policy Catalyze Climate Action


    This content originally appeared on Laura Flanders & Friends and was authored by Laura Flanders & Friends.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Philippine coast guard ship leaves disputed shoal in South China Sea

    The Philippine coast guard vessel at the center of a standoff with China in the South China Sea has left the disputed Sabina Shoal, according to vessel tracking data obtained by RFA.

    Radio Free Asia tried to contact Philippine government agencies for comment on why the vessel had left the shoal, which is about 140 km (85 miles) west of Palawan island, but did not receive a response by time of publication. China has not commented.

    Data provided by the website MarineTraffic, which uses automatic identification system (AIS) signals to track ships, show that the BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) is back in the Sulu Sea near the Philippines’ Balabac island, about 200 km (125 miles) to the south of the shoal.

    Ship tracking specialists told RFA the 2,200-ton coast guard flagship left the hotly disputed shoal, known in the Philippines as Escoda, at around 1 p.m. on Friday.

    The shoal is claimed by both countries but is entirely within the Philippine exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, where the Philippines holds rights to explore for natural resources.

    BRP Teresa Magbanua is one of the largest and most modern vessels of the Philippine coast guard. It was first deployed to Sabina Shoal in April to monitor what the Philippines fears is a Chinese plan to reclaim land at the shoal, as China has done elsewhere in the South China Sea.

    Philippine officials insisted that the vessel could remain there for as long as necessary but China denounced what it saw as the “illegal grounding” of the BRP Teresa Magbanua and deployed a large number of ships there to keep watch. The Philippines denied that the vessel had been grounded.

    The standoff resulted in several collisions between Philippine and Chinese vessels, especially during Philippine resupply missions to the BRP Teresa Magbanua, raising fears of a more serious conflict between the Philippines, a close U.S. ally, and an increasingly assertive China.

    Beijing feared that by maintaining the vessel’s semi-permanent presence at the shoal, Manila aimed to establish de-facto control over it, similar to what it has done at the Second Thomas Shoal, where an old Philippine warship, BRP Sierra Madre, was deliberately run aground to serve as an outpost.

    For its part, the Philippines is worried that without the presence of its authorities, Chinese ships will swarm the area and effectively take control of it, as happened at Scarborough Shoal – another disputed South China Sea feature – where China has had control since 2012.

    Sabina Shoal is close to an area believed to be rich in oil and gas, and also served as the main staging ground for resupply missions to the Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal.

    Ship location.png

    Lower the tension

    “The parallels are unavoidable,” said Ray Powell, director of the U.S.-based SeaLight project at Stanford University, referring to what China did at the Scarborough Shoal.

    “China is also likely to declare victory – hard to avoid that conclusion,” said the maritime security analyst who monitors developments in the South China Sea, referring to the withdrawal of the Philippine ship.

    On Sept. 12, Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa P. Lazaro met China’s Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong to discuss the situation at the shoal. 

    The Chinese side reportedly urged the Philippines to immediately withdraw its vessels while “Lazaro reaffirmed the consistent position of the Philippines and explored ways to lower the tension in the area,” the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

    It is not clear whether the BRP Teresa Magbanua withdrew as a result of that consultation.

    Philippine analyst Chester Cabalza, president of the International Development and Security Cooperation think tank, described the withdrawal of the ship as “anti-climactic,” adding that he thought both sides should withdraw from the vicinity of the shoal, which is in an important sea lane.

     Cabalza said if the Philippines and China had reached any agreement in their Sept. 12 consultation, that would become evident in the absence of any “swarming of Chinese armada” at the shoal.

    “The ball is with China now,” the analyst told RFA’s affiliate BenarNews.

    RELATED STORIES

    China, Philippines trade blame over ‘ramming’ at disputed shoal

    https://www.rfa.org/english/news/southchinasea/china-philippines-ramming-sabina-08312024064753.html

    China releases report to fortify claim over disputed shoal in South China Sea

    https://www.rfa.org/english/news/southchinasea/china-sabina-shoal-report-08302024043714.html

    Philippines, China clash near disputed shoal in South China Sea

    https://www.rfa.org/english/news/southchinasea/china-philippines-shoal-clash-08262024023722.html

    *Jason Guterriez in Manila contributed to this report.”

    Editing by RFA Staff


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By RFA Staff.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • South Australia’s Green Revolution: How Art & Policy Catalyze Climate Action


    This content originally appeared on Laura Flanders & Friends and was authored by Laura Flanders & Friends.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • South Korea, Interpol confiscate drugs worth $1bn in Golden Triangle

    South Korean police in cooperation with the global police organization Interpol confiscated drugs worth about 1.4 trillion won (US$1.04 billion) across the Golden Triangle region, said South Korean police, calling the region the “main origin” of the drug ketamine. 

    The Golden Triangle is a loosely-defined area where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet along the banks of the Mekong River, where for years, central governments have struggled, in some places, to impose authority.

    The Korean National Police Agency said it also rounded 29 drug offenders during a 16-day joint crackdown between July 22 and Aug. 7, including the main suspect involved in smuggling drugs from Thailand to South Korea.

    Among the confiscated drugs were 1.5 tons of ketamine, the agency announced, adding that the Golden Triangle region is the main origin of the synthetic narcotic. 

    The Korean police agency did not give details of exactly where the drugs were seized and the suspects were detained.

    The Golden Triangle has for decades been a major opium-growing region but in recent years gangs, mostly in Myanmar, have also focused on producing synthetic drugs including methamphetamines.

    The agency has been carrying out anti-drug projects in cooperation with Interpol since last year in order to beef up international cooperation as most drugs circulated in South Korea are smuggled from overseas. 

    “We could learn through this operation the means of how the drug suppliers smuggle synthetic drugs and raw materials,” said Jurgen Stock, secretary general of Interpol, adding cooperation with Interpol facilitated the real-time information exchange between participating countries.

    RELATED STORIES

    Drug runners in Laos shoot at police, abandon vehicles packed with meth and heroin

    Lao police seize 14 million meth pills, arrest two suspects

    Southeast Asia’s ‘narco-state’ and ‘scam-states’ undercut authoritarian rule boasts

    South Korea has seen a rise in smuggled drugs from Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand in recent years.

    According to the Korea Customs Service, Southeast Asia was the main source of drugs in the first half of this year by weight seized, with more than half of the total. 

    “In the Golden Triangle region, particularly in Myanmar, drugs flow across the land border into Thailand, and some of them enter South Korea,” the customs service said on Sept. 1.

    The agency and 13 Asia-Pacific countries, including Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and India, and the chief of police from coyotes in the ASEAN regional grouping announced on Tuesday a plan to launch an Asian Narcotics Crime Response Alliance to directly and swiftly share drug-related information among members.

    Edited by RFA Staff.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Taejun Kang for RFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • A group of young people successfully sued the South Korean government over climate change


    This content originally appeared on Human Rights Watch and was authored by Human Rights Watch.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • South Korea, Japan ‘ready to stop North Korea hiding behind Russia’

    Leaders of South Korea and Japan said they would maintain their readiness to stop North Korea hiding behind Russia in its provocative acts, Kim Tae-hyo, South Korea’s deputy national security adviser, said on Friday.

    Kim was speaking after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met for talks in Seoul that included ways to deepen cooperation, even as Kishida prepares to step down at the end of the month.

    Kishida arrived for a two-day visit and talks with Yoon, their 12th summit in about two years. It was their last summit, as Kishida will not seek reelection as prime minister and leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party after three years in the job.

    During the summit, Kishida called for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through a “unification doctrine” that Yoon announced last month, which focuses on expanding North Koreans’ access to external information and proposes establishing an official dialogue channel between the two Koreas to discuss various issues.

    Yoon, in his opening remarks at Friday’s summit, said it was important to maintain the positive momentum in relations with Japan.

    He added that the two countries have a chance to raise their relations to another level when they mark next year’s 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties and that working with Kishida on improving relations was the most meaningful development since he became president.

    ENG_KOR_JAPAN SK SUMMIT_09062024_2.JPG
    South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attend a meeting at the Presidential Office in Seoul, South Korea, Sept. 6, 2024. (Lee Jin-man/Pool via Reuters)

    Relations between the two U.S. allies have been fraught for years because of South Korea resentment of Japan’s behavior during its occupation of Korea before and during World War II.

    But Yoon and Kishida have been able to build a close relationship as a result of Yoon’s decision last year to resolve a long-standing dispute regarding Japan’s wartime mobilization of Koreans for forced labor by compensating victims without contributions from Japanese firms.

    The two leaders have since resumed a “shuttle diplomacy” of holding meetings on the fringes of international conferences and visiting each other as needed.

    Their restored relations have also substantially enhanced trilateral security cooperation with the United States, as all three of the allies warily watch North Korea’s development of nuclear weapons and the missiles to carry them. 

    RELATED STORIES

    Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo reaffirm Korean Peninsula denuclearization commitment

    Tokyo, Seoul target North Korea-Russia arms deal with sanctions

    Yoon, Kishida aim for better ties; island issues may constrain

    South Korea has been trying to bolster cooperation with regional partners in response to deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia. 

    On Wednesday, Yoon met New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. They condemned North Korea’s nuclear weapons development and its military cooperation with Russia, including the North’s export of ballistic missiles to Russia in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

    Yoon and Luxon denounced Russia’s war against Ukraine, while pledging to support Ukrainian sovereignty and its efforts to secure a just and lasting peace, according to a joint statement.

    Edited by Mike Firn. 


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Taejun Kang for RFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • EXPLAINED: Why does the South Vietnamese flag spark tension?

    South Vietnam’s yellow flag with three red stripes – which represented the anti-communist republic until the end of the Vietnam war in 1975 – sparks strong, opposing emotions among Vietnamese, depending on who you’re talking to.

    And recently, it’s been getting a lot of attention online in Vietnam. 

    Social media users have been digging up footage of Vietnamese celebrities performing at events in the United States where the yellow flag appeared in the background, with the aim of embarrassing them.

    They’ve “outed” a string of celebrities, including singer Myra Tran, who in 2019 performed at the U.S. funeral of a former soldier in the South Vietnamese army, prompting her to apologize.

    But for ethnic Vietnamese in the United States, the flag holds deep emotional significance, and they say there’s nothing to apologize for.

    The conflicting sentiments around the flag show the lingering divisions that persist nearly 50 years after the end of the Vietnam War.

    What does the flag represent to the Vietnamese diaspora?

    The 1975 victory of the North Vietnamese forces brought the country under communist rule and triggered a mass exodus of Vietnamese in the southern part of the country to flee to the United States, Canada and elsewhere.

    To those Vietnamese refugees and immigrants, the flag represents their lost homeland – the Republic of Vietnam, which existed from 1955 until 1975, a land that some of their loved ones died to protect. 

    20240828_VIETNAM-FLAG-SINGER-MYRA-TRAN-003.jpg
    Student protesters in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) display the South Vietnam flag during a protest against Premier Nguyen Khanh, Aug. 31, 1964. (Nguyen Van Duc/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

    It is also a symbol of resilience of those who resisted communism and overcame immense challenges to build new lives, and, most importantly, their enduring stance against communism.

    Many Vietnamese immigrants have used the flag to express hatred for a communist regime that ousted them from their country.

    Activists have lobbied local officials to recognize the flag representing the displaced overseas Vietnamese community. In the United States, the flag has been formally recognized by 20 states and 85 cities as of 2023, according to a resolution introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last year that seeks to recognize the flag as a symbol of the Vietnamese immigrant community.

    In cities like Westminster, California, home to a large Vietnamese American population, the flag is displayed during community events, protests and memorials. Virginia’s Eden Center, the East Coast’s largest concentration of Vietnamese businesses, also flies the South Vietnamese flag alongside the U.S. flag. 

    “Since I was born, I’ve always seen the yellow flag with three red stripes everywhere, and I know that it is the flag of the Vietnamese people,” 23-year-old Phuong Anh, born and raised in southern California, told RFA Vietnamese.

    What does it represent to Hanoi?

    In Vietnam today – represented by a red flag with a yellow star – the old South Vietnamese flag is considered a symbol of treason and defiance against the government. Showing it is seen as subversive, potentially leading to severe penalties, including imprisonment. 

    The flag is often associated with the so-called “reactionary forces,” a term the Vietnamese government uses to describe those who oppose its rule, including former South Vietnamese officials, their descendants, and members of the Vietnamese diaspora who fled the country after the war.

    State-controlled media work hard to make sure images of the yellow flag do not appear in publications or on broadcasts, even if it is in a news report about an election campaign in the United States or a sports event.

    In January 2022, for example, Vietnam Television postponed airing a soccer match in Australia due to fans waving red-striped yellow flags in the stadium.

    How does the flag remain an obstacle?

    The flag, as a symbol of resistance to communism, worries the Vietnamese government as it could spark opposition and dissent at home and abroad, according to experts.

    In Vietnamese educational and propaganda materials, the yellow flag is depicted as something to be disavowed. As a result, many in the country are angry or hostile when they see the flag.

    The tension surrounding the flag shows the legacy of the Vietnam War and the deep divisions it created. It leaves many overseas Vietnamese questioning whether the Vietnamese government is ready for reconciliation with the diaspora community and moving forward from the past.

    “We can only achieve reconciliation if we understand the pain of our people,” said Johny Huy, a Vietnamese in North Carolina. “I believe these are things our nation needs to acknowledge, we need to recognize and accept the suffering of those who had to flee and escape after 1975.”

    Edited by Malcolm Foster.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by RFA Staff.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Vietnamese celebrities targeted for being pictured with South Vietnamese flag

    Read more of our coverage of this topic in Vietnamese

    A string of Vietnamese celebrities are getting blasted online because social media users are digging up videos and photos of their past – not for their political views or gaffes, but for performing overseas at events where the South Vietnamese flag appeared in the background.

    The yellow banner with the three red stripes flew over the anti-communist Republic of Vietnam until 1975 when it was defeated by the communist North, unifying the country under its red flag with a single yellow star. 

    But those who fled prior to the fall of Saigon – which was renamed Ho Chi Minh City for the revolutionary leader – and resettled in other countries continue to use the South’s flag, including in ethnic Vietnamese communities in the United States. Government bodies in the U.S. have even introduced legislation that would have the yellow flag legally recognized, much to Hanoi’s chagrin. 

    In Vietnam today, the flag is seen as expressing hostility – even treasonous – towards the communist government.

    The anti-yellow flag campaign began in late July after a television station in Ho Chi Minh City edited out segments of a popular game show because they featured singer Myra Tran, who was recently revealed to have in 2019 performed in the United States at the funeral of Ly Tong, who had been a soldier in the South Vietnamese army.

    20240828_VIETNAM-FLAG-SINGER-MYRA-TRAN-002.JPG
    Vietnamese singer Myra Tran. (Nguyên Khang đó nè vía Wikimedia Commons)

    On Aug. 15, Tran posted an apology letter on her Facebook page, explaining that due to a lack of knowledge, she had taken part in some “inappropriate events” in the past, and that she did not intend to “oppose or undermine national security.” She pledged to be more cautious in the future and said that she had learned her lesson.

    Following this case, pro-government groups on Facebook began digging into other celebrities, “outing” Pham Khanh Hung, Phan Dinh Tung, Toc Tien, and Viet Huong for performing in the United States in places where the yellow flag of South Vietnam can be seen in the background.

    Viet Huong, who is the lead actress in the film “Ma Da,” currently being screened across Vietnam, apologized for appearing on stage next to a banner displaying the U.S. flag alongside the yellow flag. She said she would take full responsibility for past incidents and “actively work with relevant authorities to admit her responsibility and implement their decisions.”

    Emotionally significant

    Musician Truc Ho, who has organized many large-scale music programs in the United States to advocate human rights in Vietnam, told RFA that the yellow flag holds deep emotional significance among Vietnamese communities who fled communism, and flying the flag is viewed as completely normal.

    “They shouldn’t have to apologize. I don’t know why they had to apologize,” he said. “Flying yellow flags at the performances for overseas Vietnamese here is a matter of course.”

    20240828_VIETNAM-FLAG-SINGER-MYRA-TRAN-003.jpg
    Student protesters in Saigon (present-day Ho Chi Minh City) display the South Vietnam flag during a protest against Premier Nguyen Khanh, Aug. 31, 1964. (Nguyen Van Duc/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

    It was sad that nearly 50 years after the Vietnam War ended, artists were still being attacked and publicly shamed for “such ridiculous reasons,” Ho said.

    “It’s like taking a step backward in time,” he said. “I feel sorry for the people who are still being treated this way.”

    RELATED STORIES

    EXPLAINED: Why does the South Vietnamese flag spark tension?

    Police probe singer for video showing South Vietnamese flag

    Vietnam asks Australia to recall a coin that bears South Vietnamese flag

    Two Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience Given Solitary Confinement

    Singer Nguyen Khang, who lives in California, told RFA that the Vietnamese Communist Party has always encouraged overseas Vietnamese to return and contribute to the country’s development, reconciliation and harmony, but Hanoi’s antagonism toward the flag gives him pause.

    “Is it necessary to allow embargoes and attacks on the artists who used to live in the U.S. but recently decided to return to Vietnam to live?” said Khang. 

    “If performing on an overseas stage in front of the (South Vietnamese) flag is an offense, I’m sure that up to two-thirds of Vietnamese artists would be guilty, as this flag represents the overseas Vietnamese community,” he said.

    He said he felt sorry for his colleagues for the backlash they are receiving for just standing under the yellow flag.

    Celebrity education?

    Despite offering up apologies, some celebrities are still feeling the heat. 

    On Aug. 24, the Vietnamese Police newspaper published an article titled “Behind an Apology,” which continued criticism of Tran, saying that a lack of knowledge is no excuse for having performed at the funeral. 

    It said that even if she had no chance to do research beforehand, she should have immediately refused to perform after seeing unusual flags and uniforms.

    The Great Solidarity online newspaper, meanwhile, said that more than apologies, celebrities had the responsibility to “improve their knowledge, understand what they can and cannot do, and learn to distinguish the national flag from other symbols before aspiring to fame.”

    An independent journalist in Vietnam, speaking to RFA on condition of anonymity for security reasons, noted that if the state media suggests that artists should raise their awareness and act more wisely, the same should apply to Vietnamese businesses. 

    He pointed out that VinFast car advertisements often appear alongside the yellow flag in overseas publications and that Vietnamese exports like rice and fish sauce are sold in overseas Vietnamese supermarkets where the South Vietnamese flag flies.

    20240828_VIETNAM-FLAG-SINGER-MYRA-TRAN-005.jpg
    The flags of the United States and South Vietnam fly outside the Eden Center shopping complex of Vietnamese restaurants and stores in Falls Church, Virginia, on Oct. 28, 2012. (Shaun Tandon/AFP)

    The journalist said that Vietnamese society seems to be undergoing a vigorous and comprehensive socialist purification on the surface. However, the more intensive the process is, the more harm it may cause to the Vietnamese government, he said.

    “Society is controlled not by the rule of law but by waves of cruel and savage words,” the journalist said. “Without appropriate government oversight, such a chaotic society – a version of the Chinese Communist model — would be viewed unfavorably by civilized partners and countries having diplomatic relationships with Vietnam.”

    According to the journalist, the online campaign over the flag issue suggests the involvement of the Vietnamese Communist Party’s Propaganda and Education Commission, which wants to “turn Vietnam completely red,” before the 50th anniversary of Saigon’s fall on April 30, 2025.

    20240828_VIETNAM-FLAG-SINGER-MYRA-TRAN-006.jpg
    A woman rides a scooter along a Hanoi street decorated with Vietnamese national flags on Sept. 1, 2021. (Nhac Nguyen/AFP)

    The journalist predicted that in the coming months, artists with ties to overseas Vietnamese communities would be constantly targeted by similar campaigns, and that anyone going to the United States to perform should be cautious.

    The journalist also said that he had inside knowledge and could confirm that members of the diaspora would likely not be allowed to perform in Vietnam in the near future without making significant changes in their lives.

    “A police officer told me that it would be nearly impossible for any more overseas Vietnamese artists to be allowed to return and perform in Vietnam unless they pledge to cut off the ties with the overseas Vietnamese community they currently live among.”

    Translated by Anna Vu. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by RFA Vietnamese.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • South Korea’s Deepfake Crisis


    This content originally appeared on Human Rights Watch and was authored by Human Rights Watch.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • China blames the Philippines in latest clash in the South China Sea | Radio Free Asia (RFA)


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • South Korea, US kick off join military drill amid Pyongyang’s criticism

    South Korea and the United States began annual military exercises on Monday, seeking to boost their combined defense capabilities against nuclear-armed North Korea, which accused the allies of practicing to invade it.

    The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which will last  until Aug. 29, come as North Korea races to advance its nuclear and missile programs and seeks to launch reconnaissance satellites, while boosting its military cooperation with Russia. 

    The drills will include both computer-simulated war games and more than 40 types of field exercises, including live-fire drills, according to the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, or JCS.

    They will also focus on enhancing readiness against various North Korean threats, including missiles, GPS jamming and cyberattack, it added. 

    About 19,000 South Korean military personnel will participate in the drills, which will be held concurrently with civil defense and evacuation drills from Monday through Thursday that will include programs based on North Korean nuclear attack scenarios.

    The US military has not confirmed the number of its troops taking part. There are about 28,500 U.S. military personnel in South Korea.

    South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol urged a thorough readiness posture against North Korea, calling it “the most reckless and irrational country” in the world.

    “Through this exercise, we must build up our readiness and capabilities to respond strongly to any North Korean provocations,” Yoon told a cabinet meeting, noting the North’s recent progress in its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its continued propaganda and incitement against South Korea, including sending balloons carrying trash over the border. 

    “As the United States and South Korea have safeguarded peace on the Korean Peninsula through an ironclad joint defense posture and a strong deterrent force against North Korea, this exercise will allow us to examine our defense posture in various ways and demonstrate the strength of our alliance,” he added. 

    RELATED STORIES

    North Korean leader hails deepening ties with Russia

    South Korean president proposes official dialogue channel with North Korea

    South Korea warns against North’s hacking of construction data

    The exercise began hours after North Korea’s foreign ministry issued a statement repeating the North’s contention that such exercises are provocative war drills for aggression.

    It said North Korea’s nuclear ambitions were thus justified, adding that it was crucial to “constantly maintain the balance of power for preventing a war by stockpiling the greatest deterrence.”

    South Korea and the U.S. did not immediately comment on the North Korean statement but described their joint drills as defensive in nature adding that they have been expanding and upgrading their training in recent years to cope with the North’s evolving threats. 

    During last year’s exercises, Pyongyang conducted ballistic missile tests that it described as simulating scorched earth nuclear strikes on South Korean targets. 

    Edited by RFA Staff.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Taejun Kang for RFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Kim Jong Un shocks listeners by using South Korean terms in speech

    Kim Jong Un recently shocked North Korean flood victims when he addressed them in a speech that contained words and phrases commonly used by South Koreans – terms that would get ordinary citizens in hot water, residents told Radio Free Asia.

    Authorities regularly punish users of South Korean lingo because it suggests that they learned to speak that way from watching illegal South Korean movies and TV shows – considered “anti-socialist” and a bad capitalist influence – that have been smuggled into the country.

    In the most serious cases, people can get sent to work in coal mines or prison camps for merely texting using South Korean slang or using terms of endearment that would be more common in Seoul than in Pyongyang. 

    While Kim did not use slang or cutesy words that South Korean couples call each other, experts said that the South Korean terms he did use suggest that he might be watching the banned South Korean movies and TV shows that his people get punished for.

    Since adopting the Anti-reactionary Thought and Culture Act in 2020, which seeks to eradicate “hostile” foreign and capitalistic influences on North Korean culture, authorities essentially made it illegal to speak “like a South Korean.”

    In January 2023, North Korea codified this by passing the Pyongyang Cultural Language Protection act, which defines the Pyongyang dialect of Korean as the standard language, and prohibits the use of so-called “puppet words” that “completely lost the foundation of the Korean language due to Westernization, Japanification, and Chinese characterization.”

    Now North Koreans have to be ultra-conscious not to let any Southern lingo slip out when they talk in public, or they could be sentenced to six years of hard labor, life-long hard labor, or even death, depending on how serious their offense.  

    But the laws apparently do not apply to Kim Jong Un. Earlier this month, while speaking to victims of the recent Yalu River flood, he called them his fellow “citizens” instead of “comrades,” as communist parlance would dictate, a resident of the northwestern province of North Pyongan told RFA Korean on condition of anonymity for security reasons. 

    He also referred to older flood victims as “elders” rather than “seniors” or “respected grandparents,” and abbreviated “television” to the more American-sounding “TV” as is common in the South, rather than “terebi,” which is more common in the North.

    He also told the victims that they were “navigating rough terrain” rather than the more Northern expression of being in a “difficult and tiring situation.” 

    “People were more surprised by the way Kim Jong Un used South Korean words in his speech than by the content of the speech itself,” the resident said.

    Linguistic divide

    The divergence in the varieties of Korean spoken in the North and the South are more than just regional differences–the division of the Korean peninsula after World War II had sweeping linguistic consequences. 

    Differing standardization policies enacted by both governments have resulted in spelling and vocabulary differences, with closed off North Korea more hesitant to adopt loan words from foreign languages than the more open South. 

    RELATED RFA CONTENT

    Podcast – RFA Insider episode 8 (timecode 16:57)

    North Korea sentences 20 young athletes for ‘speaking like South Koreans’ 

    In North Korea, speaking in Southern accent gets you sent to the coal mines

    Talking like ‘capitalist’ South Koreans can lead to prison or death in North Korea

    State media shows North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un leading flood rescue

    Kim’s Southern-vocabulary laden speech was played several times a day on state television along with reports that showed him apparently leading rescue efforts while the flood was still raging.  

    In the speech, Kim also used more Southern sounding terms for “medical patient,” referred to drinks as “beverages,” rather than the more Northern term which refers to all drinks simply as “water,” and several other examples, according to the resident.

    “If someone else had written a speech like this, would they have been able to use such words without Kim Jong Un’s approval?” he said. “It is unreasonable to tell the people to talk like a Pyongyanger while he himself speaks like a South Korean so openly.”

    ‘Unusual and puzzling’

    Several U.S.-based experts found Kim’s use of Southern-style speech to be perplexing given that North Korea has been so adamantly punishing people for doing the same.

    “We’ve seen reporting about severe punishment, even death sentences for people listening or watching to South Korean media or even using South Korean terminology … sometimes even generations of a family being punished for the transgression of an individual even just watching South Korean media and numerous reports that that has led to (people) being executed,” said Bruce Klingner of the Washington-based Heritage Foundation think tank.  

    He said that it meant that Kim Jong Un must be either watching South Korean media himself, or learning those words from people in his entourage.

    “(That) would be quite unusual because one would think any North Korean official using South Korean phrases may himself be punished regardless of his rank,” Klingner said.

    ENG_KOR_KJU SK WORDS_08142024_002.jpg
    North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a visit to the flood-affected area of Uiju County, North Pyongan Province, North Korea, Aug. 9, 2024. (KCNA via Reuters)

    On the other hand, the use of South Korean vocabulary might have been a signal that Kim wants to accept South Korean help to rebuild after the storm, said Robert R. King, the former special envoy for North Korean human rights issues at the U.S. Department of State.

    “When you run the country, the way he does, he can do anything he wants to,” said King. “I would assume that even though (the speech) … was primarily focused internally in North Korea, he knows that the South Koreans very carefully monitor what’s going on.” 

    Purposefully informal

    A resident from the northern province of Ryanggang, who was in the audience when Kim was speaking, told RFA that it was much less formal than other events involving Kim Jong Un. 

    “Considering that the participants were not there to take part in an event but were flood victims who had lost their homes and property, they did not make them sit in rows neatly but had them sit naturally,” he said. “It seems that this was all done to create a more natural on-site filming.”

    He commented that the speech was delivered from Kim Jong Un’s luxury train that he used to travel to the flood-stricken region. One of the train cars could transform into a stage, and the residents could get a good look at how the North Korean leader gets around. 

    “The luxury of the train Kim Jong Un rides is amazing,” the Ryanggang resident said. “One side of the train’s wall was opened wide to reveal a carpeted podium, and the national flag was raised next to it.”

    Additionally he said that some of the victims that attended the speech were actually government plants.

    “In the press photos and videos, all the people with bright faces, whose skin is not tanned and whose bones are not bulging, are the county officials from the Supreme Guard Command,” he said, referring to the military unit tasked with protecting Kim and members of his family.

    To the Ryanggang resident, it seemed like the whole event was meant to boost the leader’s image. 

    “It seems like he is trying to change people’s minds because public sentiment has gotten so bad, but he seems to be in a hurry (to leave),” he said.

    Translated by Claire S. Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster. 


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Ahn Chang Gyu and Park Jaewoo for RFA Korean.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • South Korean president proposes official dialogue channel with North Korea

    South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol proposed an official dialogue channel with North Korea that can “take up any issue” as tension rises on the Korean Peninsula.

    In an address marking Liberation Day on Thursday, which celebrates the 1945 end of Japan’s colonial rule, Yoon proposed that authorities from both Koreas establish an “Inter-Korean Working Group”.

    “This body could take up any issue, ranging from relieving tensions to economic cooperation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and disaster and climate-change responses,” said Yoon.

    Yoon said he believed that dialogue and cooperation can bring about substantive progress in inter-Korean relations, urging the North to respond to his proposal. 

    The president also stressed the importance of helping awaken the people of North Korea to the “value of freedom,” outlining plans to expand North Koreans’ “right of access to information.”

    “Testimonials from numerous North Korean defectors show that our radio and TV broadcasts helped make them aware of the false propaganda and instigations emanating from the North Korean regime,” Yoon said.

    “If more North Koreans come to recognize that unification through freedom is the only way to improve their lives and are convinced that a unified Republic of Korea will embrace them, they will become strong, friendly forces for a freedom-based unification,” he said. The Republic of Korea is the official name of South Korea. 

    Apart from that, Yoon said the South would actively support nongovernmental activities that promote freedom and human rights in North Korea while continuing to try to provide humanitarian aid.

    “The freedom we enjoy must be extended to the frozen kingdom of the North, where people are deprived of freedom and suffer from poverty and starvation,” Yoon said. 

    “Only when a unified free and democratic nation rightfully owned by the people is established across the entire Korean Peninsula will we finally have complete liberation,” he added, noting “complete liberation remains an unfinished task” as the Korean Peninsula remains divided.

    RELATED STORIES

    South Korea warns against North’s hacking of construction data

    North Korea to send new missile launchers to southern border: state media

    North Korea’s Kim preparing daughter as next leader: Seoul

    The two Koreas are still technically at war, having signed an armistice, not a peace treaty, when the Korean War ended in 1953. 

    North Korea has recently abandoned calls for reunification and, since the start of the year, its supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, has ordered the government to take several steps to distance the North from the South. 

    It has removed language from state media indicating that Koreans are “one people,” ended economic cooperation with the South, and has even torn down a major Pyongyang landmark symbolizing a future reunion. Kim has also publicly threatened to “annihilate” Seoul.  

    In a speech last week, Kim Jong Un called South Korea “trash” while discussing South Korean media reports on the North. 

    Separately, the North’s state-run news agency on Tuesday criticized security collaboration among the United States, Japan and South Korea, saying that it would only expose people of Japan and South Korea to the danger of nuclear war. 

    Edited by Mike Firn.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Taejun Kang for RFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • K-pop fans in Cuba? South Korea culture is making waves in Havana | Radio Free Asia (RFA)


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Meet South Korea’s first bedbug sniffing dog | Radio Free Asia (RFA)


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • North, South Korean boxers become first to medal in their sport on same day

    It’s been a weird and wacky few days for North Korea at the Olympics as North and South Korean boxers both became the first Korean women to medal in their sport and a Kim Jong Un impersonator showed up to cheer the North Korean on.

    Additionally, it was revealed that North Korea had to negotiate Paris 2024 broadcast rights directly with the International Olympic Committee, rather than getting the feed from South Korea as usual.

    North Korean boxer Pang Chol Mi and her South Korean counterpart Im Ae-ji were both part of the Women’s 54-kilogram tournament, and they both won bronze by losing in their respective semifinals on Aug. 4.

    Boxing, like other fighting sports,  awards two bronzes at the Olympics, but unlike judo or taekwondo, the bronzes are not won with victories in a “second chance” repechage tournament, but with losses in the semifinals.   

    Technically, Pang is the first Korean woman to medal in boxing, because her semifinal was played earlier, but had both Pang and Im won, they would have faced each other in the finals.

    That fact was not lost on the athletes ahead of the semifinal, Im told reporters from South Korea’s Yonhap News.

    “I met Pang Chul Mi at the weight room in the athletes’ village and she said ‘fighting.’” said Im. 

    ENG_KOR_OLYMPICS STORIES_08062024_003.jpg
    South Korea’s Im Ae-ji celebrates after winning in the women’s 54kg preliminary round of 16 boxing match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the North Paris Arena, in Villepinte, July 30, 2024. (Mohd Rasfan/AFP)

    The English word “fighting,” is a slang word meaning “do your best” in the variety of the Korean language spoken in South Korea. 

    RFA reported in December 2023 that North Korean authorities were cracking down on citizens who use the word in text messages. 

    “So, I told [Pang] to push hard together to meet each other in the finals, but we both lost,” said Im. Both boxers will recieve their bronze medals in a ceremony after the final on Aug. 8.

    Prior to the Olympics, Pang and Im faced each other at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in 2022. Pang emerged victorious from their early torunament bout and went on to win gold.

    Observers in South Korea told RFA they were worried upon hearing Im’s account of their encounter in Paris.

    “If it is true that Pang said ‘fighting,’ she could be pointed out as someone who watched a lot of South Korean dramas,” a North Korean who escaped the country in the second half of 2023, identifying himself by the pseudonym Ri Jong Sik for safety reasons, told RFA Korean. 

    “I am concerned that she will be subject to punishment when she returns to North Korea,” said Ri.

    Lee Kyu-Chang, the director of the Human Rights Research Division at the Seoul-based Korea Institute for National Unification, told RFA that it was important to first determine how Pang’s words of encouragement were nuanced.

    “I’m not sure if there were any records, such as photos or videos taken,” said Lee. “But when considering only the word ‘fighting,’ I am concerned about the possibility of punishment after she returns.”

    Lee predicted that if it is confirmed that Pang cheered for the South Korean athlete it would be difficult for the North Korean authorities to approve such an act, given leader Kim Jong Un’s recent stance of hostility toward the South.

    Fake Kim photobombing

    North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was present during the semifinals, or at least his lookalike was.

    Howard X, a Hong Kong-born Australian who has gained notoriety online for impersonating Kim in public situations, was in the stands in costume when Pang lost to win bronze.   

    He told RFA that he did not have the opportunity to shake hands with Pang or any other North Korean athlete at the games, but he stood behind Pang and her opponent, China’s Chang Yuan, when they were interviewed following their semifinal.

    ENG_KOR_OLYMPICS STORIES_08062024_004.jpg
    Howard X, a Kim Jong Un impersonator at the 2024 Paris Olympics. (@KimJongUnDouble via X)

    “They were giving interviews. I was trying to meet them and I was right behind them, you can see.” he said. “I was standing there waving to the camera the whole time.”

    He wasn’t sure if the footage made it back to North Korea, but if it did, he imagined that the people there would be surprised.

    “I’m hoping by being there, you know, North Korea’ll go ‘Hey, how come Kim Jong is in the Olympics? He’s supposed to be looking after us with our floods,’” Howard X said, referring to the natural disaster that struck the country last week when heavy rains caused waters in the Yalu River to rise, damaging river towns and submerging inhabited islands.

    ENG_KOR_OLYMPICS STORIES_08062024_001.jpg
    A Kim Jong-un impersonator holds a Korean unification flag during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics at the Kwandong Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea, Feb. 14, 2018. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

    Paris is not Howard X’s first Olympics. He was spotted at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics at a hockey match between Japan and a unified Korean team. 

    When he tried to interact with the North Korean cheering squad, South Korean security guards dragged him away.

    Howard X’s brand of humor is not intended to make fun of North Koreans, he said.

    “We don’t have a problem with the people of North Korea. What we have a problem with is the government of North Korea,” he said, adding that he was there to remind people that North Korea is not a normal country, and that they use the games for propaganda.

    Befuddling broadcast rights

    North Korea this year acquired broadcast rights from the International Olympic Committee directly instead of negotiating broadcast rights with a South Korean outlet.

    South Korea’s Seoul Broadcasting System had been awarded the rights for the whole peninsula for the 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024 Games, in an agreement inked in 2011.

    Normally, North Korea would simply use the South Korean feed, but an agreement was reached with the IOC this year to get the footage directly.

    It was not immediately clear to RFA why North Korea negotiated its own rights for the games this year.  

    Translated by Claire S. Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Mok Yongjae, Park Jaewoo, and Kim Jinkuk for RFA Korean.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • South Korea warns against North’s hacking of construction data

    South Korea’s cybersecurity authorities warned about attempts by North Korea to hack construction and machinery information to steal data to support its development efforts.

    There has been a sharp increase this year in North Korea’s hacking attempts to steal such information, said the Korea Cybersecurity Intelligence Community, which includes the main spy agency, prosecution service, police and military, in a joint statement.

    The North’s hacking groups used the “watering hole” method, which targets a large number of users by infecting websites they commonly visit, and malicious codes to steal information, they added.

    In particular, the North Korean hacking group Kimsuky distributed the malware in January this year through the website of a professional organization in South Korea’s construction sector, according to the authorities. 

    The malware was hidden in secure authentication software used to log into the website, which infected the computer systems of employees of local governments, public institutions and construction companies who accessed the website.

    RELATED STORIES

    US offers $10M reward for info on North Korean hacker

    US, South Korea warn global companies of covert Pyongyang hackers

    S Korean voting system ‘vulnerable’ to N Korean hacking: spy agency

    The authorities said North Korean hackers were seeking such information to help their country build plants and develop cities.

    In fact, North Korea launched a “regional development 20×10 policy” in January this year, which mandates the establishment of industrial factories in 20 counties per year for the next 10 years.

    North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presented the plan to delegates of the Supreme People’s Assembly in Pyongyang on Jan. 15.

    The plan is based on a project in North Korea’s Kimhwa County, in Kangwon Province, that was launched after the area was damaged by floods. Over the past two years, factories have been built, supplying food, clothes, building materials, paper and consumer goods.

    Edited by Mike Firn.


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Taejun Kang for RFA.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Olympics selfie: North & South Korea, China


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Olympics selfie: South and North Korea, China – Ping pong diplomacy? | Radio Free Asia (RFA)


    This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.