News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Andrew Narloch
1. U.S. Moves to Seize Cryptocurrency Accounts Linked to North Korean Heists
2. North Korea Facing Perfect Storm of Economic Stressors
3. N.K. leader visits typhoon-hit area, calls for all-out recovery efforts
4. N. Korea's state TV runs breaking news on typhoon, airs flooding scenes live
5. S. Korea, U.S. set to wrap up summertime combined exercise
6. The biggest COVID-19 crisis (South Korea)
7. North Korea Orders Troops and Police to Shoot Citizens Who Approach the Chinese Border
8. Why Isn't Seoul Amplifying the Voices of North Korean Escapees?
9. For Trump or Biden, N. Korea is the Problem that Won't Go Away
10. Korea-Japan GSOMIA Survives Amid Disputes over Historical, Trade Issues
11. Army chief Gen. Suh Wook tapped as defense minister: Cheong Wa Dae
12. How to Constructively and Safely Reduce and Realign U.S. Forces on the Korean Peninsula
13. Seoul Sees More Infections in August Than in Last 7 Months
14. Refined oil shipments to N. Korea from China, Russia halved: UN report
15. Pyongyangites given rice reserved for the military amid food shortages
16. Samjiyon and Hyesan locked down after woman crosses border
17. Don't expect quick change with NK
18. A role for ASEAN on the Korean Peninsula?
1. U.S. Moves to Seize Cryptocurrency Accounts Linked to North Korean Heists. WSJIan Talley and Dustin Volz This is much needed. Will this have the effect similar to the Banco Delta Asia action? Too soon to tell. It contributes to maximum pressure by trying to cut a flow of funding to the regime. And it is a step in the right direction to countering some of the regime's nefarious actions in the cyber domain. But more can and must be done.
This is the issue: "U.S. and U.N. officials say North Korea relies on a range of sophisticated cyber capabilities to evade global sanctions and expand its regime's geopolitical relevance, as the country is otherwise shut out from the international financial system." We must employ the full range of our law enforcement and cyber capabilities against the broad spectrum of north Korea's illicit cyber activities. And at some point we are going to need to go on the cyber offensive.
2. North Korea Facing Perfect Storm of Economic Stressors heritage.orgBruce Klingner I concur with much of Bruce's analysis. Here are my thoughts: we should offer humanitarian assistance as we have in the past. However, there are two things to consider. First, the north must accept it and allow transparency to ensure it makes it to the Korean people in need and is not diverted to the military or regime elite. Second, we should be under no illusion that providing such humanitarian aid will result in any change in the denuclearization efforts. Such aid will not cause Kim to rethink denuclearization. If he even accepts it (which is really a long shot at the moment) he will attempt to use the aid for his own political purposes even if he does not divert it. The only possible benefit for providing humanitarian aid will be to the people who receive it but we have to make sure that can happen. And we should only provide aid because it is the right thing to do. We should also understand that sanctions do not prevent the provision of humanitarian aid despite the reports from some NGOs and international organizations. They do suffer difficulties when they are trying to conduct financial transactions through sanctioned banks; however, the sanctions themselves do not prevent humanitarian assistance. The problem is the regime tries to extort money from these organizations to allow them to provide humanitarian assistance. Lastly, we should consider that the US, South Korea, and the international community shows more concern for the Korean people living in the north than does Kim Jong-un and his regime. He could solve many problems with changes to his priorities and policy decisions but he chooses to prioritize himself, the regime elite, the military, and his nuclear and missile programs over the welfare of the people. That should be a consistent talking point and part of an information and influence campaign.
3. N.K. leader visits typhoon-hit area, calls for all-out recovery efforts en.yna.co.kr고병준I am sure the leadership experts and "Kimologists" are assessing the photo. I saw some reports that the typhoon damage was not as bad as anticipated.
4. N. Korea's state TV runs breaking news on typhoon, airs flooding scenes live en.yna.co.kr김승연