On the start of Ulchi Freedom Shield
On August 19, the armed forces of the Republic of Korea and the United States began conducting joint exercises (Ulchi Freedom Shield), aimed at “strengthening joint defence capability in the face of growing threats from North Korea, as well as checking the interaction of troops in war conditions”.
Spy scandal in South Korea Part 2. The exposure of an ex-CIA operative working for South Korea’s National Intelligence Service
In South Korea the summer of 2024 has been marked by a series of spy scandals, which vividly illustrate a number of the country’s domestic and foreign policy problems. In this article we will look at a scandal involving the US and South Korean intelligence agencies. On July 16, 2024, the US federal prosecutor’s office has charged Sue Mi Terry, a prominent US expert on North Korea and a former CIA officer and analyst, with acting on behalf of the South Korea and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). She was arrested but was released on $500,000 bail the same day.
Spy scandal in South Korea Part 1. The case of the leak of classified data from South Korea’s military intelligence service
In South Korea the summer of 2024 has been marked by a series of spy scandals, which vividly illustrate a number of the country’s domestic and foreign policy problems. Let us start with the scandal involving a data leak from South Korea’s Defense Intelligence Command (KDIC) in late June, potentially causing very serious damage to its “illegal” agents around the world.
The domestic political situation in South Korea: What controversial moves has the President made and what was the reason for such a decision?
The domestic political situation in the ROK is not easy at the moment. In August 2024, the President of the Republic made two rather controversial moves which, according to the author of the article, are not only a reflection of what is happening, but also a way of dealing with the current situation.
Another 250 rocket launchers!
We have written many times before about how North Korea is increasing its military capabilities. This process is going on all the time, but today we are going to talk not about tests of new equipment, but about a much more important thing, because it is one thing to test an experimental prototype, and another thing to set up the mass production and equip troops.
Will Seoul cross Moscow’s red line?
On July 8, 2024, ahead of his visit to the US, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol gave an interview to Reuters, which caused some tension in the Russian expert community. Mr. Yoon said that the future of relations between the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation will depend entirely on Moscow’s actions in relation to military cooperation with North Korea.
Further cooling of relations between Moscow and Seoul
The conclusion of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty caused some turbulence in relations between Moscow and Seoul, and now, despite pragmatists’ attempts to keep the situation under control, there is a significant possibility that South Korea will lose its status as “the friendliest of the unfriendly countries.”
On the Summer Plenum of the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea
From June 28 to July 1, 2024, the DPRK held “extended session of the 10th Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, contributing to the successful implementation of the priorities and all tasks of the Party and state policy for 2024.” The plenary meeting summarized the results of work for the first half of the year and discussed “a number of next important issues in the continued rise of the phase of comprehensive rejuvenation of socialism in line with the Korean model.”
The satellite race on the Korean Peninsula: a failed launch by the North
The space race between North and South Korea continues. Since the launch of its first spy satellite, Pyongyang has managed to produce a second one. The first satellite is still in operation, but the launch of the second satellite, using a new type of rocket, was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, the journey has begun, and will continue.
Possible consequences and prospects of Vladimir Putin’s visit to DPRK
The consequences of the visit of the Russian leader to North Korea and the documents signed there are so significant that they can propel the trend of global turbulence. How have Seoul, Beijing and Washington reacted to such a rapprochement between Moscow and Pyongyang and what will be Moscow’s response to the steps taken by Seoul and its allies?
The China-Japan-ROK trilateral summit on May 26-27 in Seoul Part Three: The Summit between the three leaders and its outcome
The participants in the trilateral summit discussed ways to promote cooperation in six specific areas: economy and trade, sustainable development (including the response to climate change), healthcare, science and technology, disaster management and security, and exchange programs…
The China-Japan-ROK trilateral summit on May 26-27 in Seoul. Part two: the bilateral meetings
Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, arrived in Seoul around noon. This was his first visit to the country since taking office in March 2023. Lee and Yoon’s first meeting, in September 2023, took place in Indonesia on the margins of the ASEAN summit…