Latest news with #WorldInstituteforNorthKoreaStudies
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
North Korean detained after crossing land border: Seoul military
A North Korean civilian voluntarily crossed the heavily mined land border between the two countries, aided by the South's military in a delicate 20-hour operation, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday. Tens of thousands of North Koreans have fled to South Korea since the peninsula was divided by war in the 1950s, with most going overland to neighbouring China first, then entering a third country such as Thailand before finally making it to the South. Defections across the land border that divides the peninsula are relatively rare, as the area is densely forested, heavily mined and monitored by soldiers on both sides. The North Korean man was first detected by a South Korean military surveillance device sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 am Thursday (1800 to 1900 GMT) near a shallow stream inside the DMZ, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The man stayed mostly still during the day and was sometimes hard to track due to the lush forest in the area, the JCS said, but South Korea's military approached him that night. "The military identified the individual near the MDL, conducted tracking and surveillance," the JCS said in a statement, referring to the Military Demarcation Line, the de facto border. The MDL runs through the middle of the Demilitarized Zone -- the border area separating the two Koreas, which is one of the most heavily mined places on earth. Seoul's military then "successfully carried out a standard guiding operation to secure custody," the JCS said. The mission involved a considerable number of South Korean troops, the JCS said, and took place in an area difficult to navigate due to dense vegetation and landmine risks. When the man first noticed the approaching South Korean troops, he asked: "Who are you?" according to the JCS. The soldiers responded: "We are the South Korean military. We'll guide you to safety." Upon hearing this, the man crossed the MDL and joined the troops, who then escorted him south out of the DMZ. The operation took about 20 hours, according to Seoul. - Bold, risky move - The JCS said "relevant authorities" will investigate the detailed circumstances of the incident. North Koreans are typically handed over to Seoul's intelligence agency for screening when they arrive in the South. Ahn Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who runs the World Institute for North Korea Studies, said the man is likely a farmer who had been working near the DMZ. If so, the man could have sensed the conciliatory mood between the two Koreas, Ahn said, as loudspeaker broadcasts from both sides -- K-pop and international news from the South, and eerie, unsettling sounds from the North -- have recently ceased. "The lush summer vegetation within the DMZ likely offered the best cover for a high-risk escape," he told AFP. "Crossing the DMZ is an extremely dangerous act due to the presence of unmarked mines. It was a bold, risky move -- and in this case, somehow, with a lot of luck, he succeeded." The incident comes after a North Korean soldier defected to the South by crossing the MDL in August last year. Also last year, another North Korean defected to the South across the de facto border in the Yellow Sea, arriving on Gyodong island off the peninsula's west coast near the border between the Koreas. The number of successful escapes by North Korean defectors dropped significantly from 2020 after the North sealed its borders -- purportedly with shoot-on-sight orders along the land frontier with China -- to prevent the spread of Covid-19. No unusual activities by the North Korean military have been detected, the JCS said Friday. South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung, who took office last month, has vowed a more dovish approach towards Pyongyang compared with his hawkish predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol. "Politics and diplomacy must be handled without emotion and approached with reason and logic," Lee said Thursday. "Completely cutting off dialogue is really a foolish thing to do." cdl/ceb/jfx
New Straits Times
04-07-2025
- New Straits Times
North Korean detained after crossing land border: Seoul
SEOUL: A North Korean civilian voluntarily crossed the heavily mined land border between the two countries, aided by the South's military in a delicate 20-hour operation, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday. Tens of thousands of North Koreans have fled to South Korea since the peninsula was divided by war in the 1950s, with most going overland to neighbouring China first, then entering a third country such as Thailand before finally making it to the South. Defections across the land border that divides the peninsula are relatively rare, as the area is densely forested, heavily mined and monitored by soldiers on both sides. The North Korean man was first detected by a South Korean military surveillance device sometime between 3am and 4am Thursday (1800 to 1900 GMT) near a shallow stream inside the DMZ, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The man stayed mostly still during the day and was sometimes hard to track due to the lush forest in the area, the JCS said, but South Korea's military approached him that night. "The military identified the individual near the MDL, conducted tracking and surveillance," the JCS said in a statement, referring to the Military Demarcation Line, the de facto border. The MDL runs through the middle of the Demilitarised Zone – the border area separating the two Koreas, which is one of the most heavily mined places on earth. Seoul's military then "successfully carried out a standard guiding operation to secure custody," the JCS said. The mission involved a considerable number of South Korean troops, the JCS said, and took place in an area difficult to navigate due to dense vegetation and landmine risks. When the man first noticed the approaching South Korean troops, he asked: "Who are you?" according to the JCS. The soldiers responded: "We are the South Korean military. We'll guide you to safety." Upon hearing this, the man crossed the MDL and joined the troops, who then escorted him south out of the DMZ. The operation took about 20 hours, according to Seoul. The JCS said "relevant authorities" will investigate the detailed circumstances of the incident. North Koreans are typically handed over to Seoul's intelligence agency for screening when they arrive in the South. Ahn Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who runs the World Institute for North Korea Studies, said the man is likely a farmer who had been working near the DMZ. If so, the man could have sensed the conciliatory mood between the two Koreas, Ahn said, as loudspeaker broadcasts from both sides – K-pop and international news from the South, and eerie, unsettling sounds from the North – have recently ceased. "The lush summer vegetation within the DMZ likely offered the best cover for a high-risk escape," he told AFP. "Crossing the DMZ is an extremely dangerous act due to the presence of unmarked mines. It was a bold, risky move – and in this case, somehow, with a lot of luck, he succeeded." The incident comes after a North Korean soldier defected to the South by crossing the MDL in August last year. Also last year, another North Korean defected to the South across the de facto border in the Yellow Sea, arriving on Gyodong island off the peninsula's west coast near the border between the Koreas. The number of successful escapes by North Korean defectors dropped significantly from 2020 after the North sealed its borders – purportedly with shoot-on-sight orders along the land frontier with China – to prevent the spread of Covid-19. No unusual activities by the North Korean military have been detected, the JCS said Friday. South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung, who took office last month, has vowed a more dovish approach towards Pyongyang compared with his hawkish predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol. "Politics and diplomacy must be handled without emotion and approached with reason and logic," Lee said Thursday.
Int'l Business Times
04-07-2025
- Int'l Business Times
North Korean Detained After Crossing Land Border: Seoul Military
A North Korean civilian voluntarily crossed the heavily mined land border between the two countries, aided by the South's military in a delicate 20-hour operation, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday. Tens of thousands of North Koreans have fled to South Korea since the peninsula was divided by war in the 1950s, with most going overland to neighbouring China first, then entering a third country such as Thailand before finally making it to the South. Defections across the land border that divides the peninsula are relatively rare, as the area is densely forested, heavily mined and monitored by soldiers on both sides. The North Korean man was first detected by a South Korean military surveillance device sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 am Thursday (1800 to 1900 GMT) near a shallow stream inside the DMZ, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The man stayed mostly still during the day and was sometimes hard to track due to the lush forest in the area, the JCS said, but South Korea's military approached him that night. "The military identified the individual near the MDL, conducted tracking and surveillance," the JCS said in a statement, referring to the Military Demarcation Line, the de facto border. The MDL runs through the middle of the Demilitarized Zone -- the border area separating the two Koreas, which is one of the most heavily mined places on earth. Seoul's military then "successfully carried out a standard guiding operation to secure custody," the JCS said. The mission involved a considerable number of South Korean troops, the JCS said, and took place in an area difficult to navigate due to dense vegetation and landmine risks. When the man first noticed the approaching South Korean troops, he asked: "Who are you?" according to the JCS. The soldiers responded: "We are the South Korean military. We'll guide you to safety." Upon hearing this, the man crossed the MDL and joined the troops, who then escorted him south out of the DMZ. The operation took about 20 hours, according to Seoul. The JCS said "relevant authorities" will investigate the detailed circumstances of the incident. North Koreans are typically handed over to Seoul's intelligence agency for screening when they arrive in the South. Ahn Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who runs the World Institute for North Korea Studies, said the man is likely a farmer who had been working near the DMZ. If so, the man could have sensed the conciliatory mood between the two Koreas, Ahn said, as loudspeaker broadcasts from both sides -- K-pop and international news from the South, and eerie, unsettling sounds from the North -- have recently ceased. "The lush summer vegetation within the DMZ likely offered the best cover for a high-risk escape," he told AFP. "Crossing the DMZ is an extremely dangerous act due to the presence of unmarked mines. It was a bold, risky move -- and in this case, somehow, with a lot of luck, he succeeded." The incident comes after a North Korean soldier defected to the South by crossing the MDL in August last year. Also last year, another North Korean defected to the South across the de facto border in the Yellow Sea, arriving on Gyodong island off the peninsula's west coast near the border between the Koreas. The number of successful escapes by North Korean defectors dropped significantly from 2020 after the North sealed its borders -- purportedly with shoot-on-sight orders along the land frontier with China -- to prevent the spread of Covid-19. No unusual activities by the North Korean military have been detected, the JCS said Friday. South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung, who took office last month, has vowed a more dovish approach towards Pyongyang compared with his hawkish predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol. "Politics and diplomacy must be handled without emotion and approached with reason and logic," Lee said Thursday. "Completely cutting off dialogue is really a foolish thing to do."
NZ Herald
22-05-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
‘Serious' accident at North Korea warship launch: state media
It said the accident managed to 'destroy the balance of the warship'. Kim watched the entire incident and declared it a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness', warning it 'could not be tolerated'. He said the 'irresponsible errors' of officials responsible would be 'dealt with at the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee to be convened next month'. South Korea's military said US and Seoul intelligence authorities assess that North Korea's 'side-launch attempt' of the ship failed. 'The side-launch method used in this case is no longer employed by South Korea's military,' Lee Sung-jun, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters. The vessel was listing in the water, Lee said, and based on its size and scale, it was believed to be similarly equipped to the 5000-tonne, destroyer-class warship Choe Hyon, which North Korea unveiled last month. Last month, Pyongyang's state media ran images of Kim attending a launching ceremony of Choe Hyon with his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts to be his likely successor. North Korea claimed the vessel was equipped with the 'most powerful weapons' and that it would 'enter into operation early next year'. Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads – although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its atomic arsenal. Russian connection? The South Korean military has said the Choe Hyon could have been developed with Russian help – possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight Ukraine. Ahn Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who runs the World Institute for North Korea Studies, said the warship involved in Wednesday's accident may have also been constructed with Russian assistance. Chongjin, the North Korean city where the launch ceremony was held, is close to Russia's Vladivostok port, he noted. 'It's also likely that the projected timeline for the vessel – including when assembly would be completed and the ship launched – was shared with the Russian side,' he told AFP. 'It appears the dock was hastily constructed, and multiple issues may have arisen during the shipbuilding process. 'With today's announcement, Pyongyang seems to be signalling not only to its own people, but also to the Russian side.' Strengthening the navy North Korea confirmed in April for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow in the Ukraine war. Moscow and Pyongyang recently announced that they had started building the first road bridge linking the two countries. North Korea also launched a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of UN sanctions. In March, Kim inspected a project to build a nuclear-powered submarine, asserting that 'radically' boosting the navy was a key part of Pyongyang's defensive strategy. Kim called at the time for the modernisation of the country's surface and underwater naval forces, including the development of warships. Pyongyang has previously claimed to be developing underwater nuclear attack drones, which could unleash a 'radioactive tsunami', but analysts have questioned whether it actually had such a weapon. Washington – Seoul's key security ally – has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets in the region to deter the North, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine. Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an 'irreversible' nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion.
Kuwait Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Kim eyes nukes for North Korea navy
SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered navy vessels to be speedily armed with nuclear weapons, state media reported Wednesday, as Pyongyang conducted its first test-firing of a new warship weapons system. This weekend, Pyongyang had unveiled its new warship, a 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon, which some analysts said was likely to be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles. Kim oversaw the first day of a two-day weapons test of the destroyer, the official Korean Central News Agency said. He then ordered officials to work on 'accelerating the nuclear armament of the navy', it added. North Korea has previously said the vessel was equipped with the 'most powerful weapons', and that it would 'enter into operation early next year'. Experts have said that given its size, the warship is believed to carry both ship-to-surface and ship-to-air missiles. KCNA said Tuesday's test was of 'ship-to-ship tactical guided weapon, various kinds of ship-based automatic guns and smoke and electronic jamming guns,' involving the newly unveiled vessel. The news agency said Pyongyang also tested its 'supersonic cruise missile, strategic cruise missile, anti-aircraft missile and 127 mm ship-based automatic gun' on Monday. Kim said the country's ship-based firepower system was 'effectively combined' with the 'most powerful strike means including supersonic cruise missile, strategic cruise missile and tactical ballistic missile'. Seoul's defense ministry said it was 'closely tracking and monitoring the North Korean military's shipbuilding and development trends,' in cooperation with the United States. Pyongyang's announcement came days after it confirmed for the first time it had deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow in its war in Ukraine. Moscow also said Saturday that North Korean soldiers 'provided significant assistance in defeating the group of Ukrainian armed forces'. Some analysts say Pyongyang appears to have acquired certain weapons from Moscow to equip its warships, possibly in exchange for deploying troops. 'It seems that North Korea has recently imported several modern weapons from Russia,' Ahn Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who runs the World Institute for North Korea Studies, told AFP. The North has also 'assembled them, and used them effectively to strengthen internal unity and boost military morale,' he added. Kim at launch State media had reported Saturday on the launching of the Choe Hyon, showing images of Kim attending a ceremony with his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts as his likely successor. In March, Kim inspected a project to build a nuclear-powered submarine, asserting that 'radically' boosting the navy was a key part of Pyongyang's defensive strategy. At the time, Kim called for the modernization of the country's surface and underwater naval forces, including the development of warships. Pyongyang has claimed in previous years to be developing underwater nuclear attack drones, which could unleash a 'radioactive tsunami', but analysts have questioned whether it actually has such a weapon. Washington—Seoul's key security ally—has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter the North. Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an 'irreversible' nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion. 'North Korea's mention of its accelerated naval nuclear armament is presumed to refer to enhanced operational capabilities of tactical nuclear and strategic missiles by the fleet,' said Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. This week's test appears to highlight North Korea's assertion that its newly unveiled warship is capable of blue-water operations, he told AFP, referring to naval missions conducted far from a country's own coastal waters, often in open ocean areas. - AFP
