Latest news with #Bermudez
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The 4 North Korean officials arrested over a botched destroyer launch are in mortal danger
North Korea has arrested four officials in connection with a botched warship launch. State media reaction to the incident signals Kim Jong Un's fury at the disaster. Experts say the officials face severe — possibly fatal — consequences. Four officials detained after a North Korean destroyer was badly damaged on the day of its ceremonial launch into the water face potentially fatal consequences at the hands of Kim Jong Un, North Korean experts told Business Insider. "I would say there's a very good chance they'd be executed," Joseph S. Bermudez, an analyst in North Korean defense at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, said. One striking aspect was the speed at which state-controlled North Korean media publicized the incident that damaged its newest warship, and also named the officials. The highly public nature of the announcements suggests Kim is "very upset," Bermudez added. The arrests came within days of the botched launch of the nameless 5,000-ton destroyer, which saw the ship topple onto its side and its hull damaged. It's believed the mechanism that rolled the ship into the water malfunctioned, leaving the ship's bow stuck on the pier while its aft section lying in the water and flooded. State-run outlets announced the arrests, placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of the shipyard's chief engineer, the head of the hull construction workshop, and a deputy manager for administrative affairs. At the top of the list: Ri Hyong Son, a vice director of the Munitions Industry Department of the Korean Workers' Party Central Committee, who was also arrested. The warship was one of two next-generation Choe Hyon-class destroyers. The first, the titular Choe Hyon, launched a month ago to great fanfare at Nampo Harbor on the peninsula's western coast. However, the second was constructed at the eastern Chongjin Shipyard, which does not typically produce large warships, Bermudez told BI. Rather than launching it in drydock or from a slipway, North Korea attempted a sideways launch — something the workers may not have been well-practiced at with a larger vessel, he said. When it came to the bigger ship, "all of a sudden, you're starting to use a piece that hasn't been used in years," he said. As of Monday, satellite images showed that the bow of the ship still stuck on the pier, with evidence of a dredging operation at the harbor entrance. Following the launch, state media put the "responsible" officials on blast. This was a choice. "Normally these things are done quietly," Bermudez said. Within hours of the disaster, the Pyongyang Times reported Kim denouncing it at length, calling it a "criminal act" that "could not be tolerated." Multiple detailed updates to the recovery operation have followed. The Choe Hyon-class destroyer is a step towards a major ambition of Kim's: transforming North Korea's primarily coastal navy into a blue-water fleet, Bermudez said. A setback to that project is a "slap in the face" for Kim, he added. Although the full capabilities of the new ship are not yet known, its sister ship the Choe Hyon — the first in the class — wields modern capabilities like an air defence system and vertically launched missiles. State media has claimed it can carry nuclear-capable missiles — in which case, the program is "very much interlinked with North Korea's broader nuclear ambitions," according to Edward Howell, an expert on North Korean politics at the University of Oxford. "The fact that it failed so miserably was pretty embarrassing for Kim," who is "captivated" by developing naval power, Bruce Bennett, a North Korea-focused defense analyst at the RAND think tank, told BI. It's even more galling in the wake of large-scale South Korean naval drills in the Yellow Sea earlier this month — which showcased its naval power after the launch of the first Choe Hyon. And there was another reason to denounce the named officials: In terms of domestic politics, "it puts everybody on notice," Bermudez said. When big programs that really matter to Kim fail, "he's going to take retribution," he added. Although officials have now said the damage is not as bad as first assessed — something that BI could not independently verify — it's still going to be treated with utmost seriousness in order to "deal a telling blow to incautiousness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricist attitude prevailing in any field," state media declared. It's unclear exactly what will happen to the officials named. Various punishments are possible through the judicial system, but all too often, "'due process' is a bullet in the head," RAND's Bennett said. In January, North Korea executed two unnamed nuclear power plant construction researchers for failing to complete their project and improve technological standards, Daily NK reported. Their junior colleagues were transported to what is believed to be a political prison camp, the outlet reported. Regardless of what punishment is handed down, one thing is likely: it'll also hit the officials' families. In the logic of the North Korean justice system, convictions are "because of a significant family flaw," Bennett said. "Therefore three generations of the family need to be dealt with." That could mean the officials' spouses, parents, and even kids could be sent to grim prison camps — and could also be downgraded within the country's system of social hierarchy, Songbun. "We don't know what their fates will be," said Howell. "Their fates don't look to be very pleasant." "But crucially," he added, "this is going to make no impact on North Korea's broader quest for naval modernization, military modernization." Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
The 4 North Korean officials arrested over a botched destroyer launch are in mortal danger
Four officials detained after a North Korean destroyer was badly damaged on the day of its ceremonial launch into the water face potentially fatal consequences at the hands of Kim Jong Un, North Korean experts told Business Insider. "I would say there's a very good chance they'd be executed," Joseph S. Bermudez, an analyst in North Korean defense at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, said. One striking aspect was the speed at which state-controlled North Korean media publicized the incident that damaged its newest warship, and also named the officials. The highly public nature of the announcements suggests Kim is "very upset," Bermudez added. How it all went wrong The arrests came within days of the botched launch of the nameless 5,000-ton destroyer, which saw the ship topple onto its side and its hull damaged. It's believed the mechanism that rolled the ship into the water malfunctioned, leaving the ship's bow stuck on the pier while its aft section lying in the water and flooded. State-run outlets announced the arrests, placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of the shipyard's chief engineer, the head of the hull construction workshop, and a deputy manager for administrative affairs. At the top of the list: Ri Hyong Son, a vice director of the Munitions Industry Department of the Korean Workers' Party Central Committee, who was also arrested. The warship was one of two next-generation Choe Hyon-class destroyers. The first, the titular Choe Hyon, launched a month ago to great fanfare at Nampo Harbor on the peninsula's western coast. However, the second was constructed at the eastern Chongjin Shipyard, which does not typically produce large warships, Bermudez told BI. Rather than launching it in drydock or from a slipway, North Korea attempted a sideways launch — something the workers may not have been well-practiced at with a larger vessel, he said. When it came to the bigger ship, "all of a sudden, you're starting to use a piece that hasn't been used in years," he said. As of Monday, satellite images showed that the bow of the ship still stuck on the pier, with evidence of a dredging operation at the harbor entrance. Why Kim is turning up the heat Following the launch, state media put the "responsible" officials on blast. This was a choice. "Normally these things are done quietly," Bermudez said. Within hours of the disaster, the Pyongyang Times reported Kim denouncing it at length, calling it a "criminal act" that "could not be tolerated." Multiple detailed updates to the recovery operation have followed. The Choe Hyon-class destroyer is a step towards a major ambition of Kim's: transforming North Korea's primarily coastal navy into a blue-water fleet, Bermudez said. A setback to that project is a "slap in the face" for Kim, he added. Although the full capabilities of the new ship are not yet known, its sister ship the Choe Hyon — the first in the class — wields modern capabilities like an air defence system and vertically launched missiles. State media has claimed it can carry nuclear-capable missiles — in which case, the program is "very much interlinked with North Korea's broader nuclear ambitions," according to Edward Howell, an expert on North Korean politics at the University of Oxford. "The fact that it failed so miserably was pretty embarrassing for Kim," who is "captivated" by developing naval power, Bruce Bennett, a North Korea-focused defense analyst at the RAND think tank, told BI. It's even more galling in the wake of large-scale South Korean naval drills in the Yellow Sea earlier this month — which showcased its naval power after the launch of the first Choe Hyon. And there was another reason to denounce the named officials: In terms of domestic politics, "it puts everybody on notice," Bermudez said. When big programs that really matter to Kim fail, "he's going to take retribution," he added. Although officials have now said the damage is not as bad as first assessed — something that BI could not independently verify — it's still going to be treated with utmost seriousness in order to "deal a telling blow to incautiousness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricist attitude prevailing in any field," state media declared. A generational punishment It's unclear exactly what will happen to the officials named. Various punishments are possible through the judicial system, but all too often, "'due process' is a bullet in the head," RAND's Bennett said. In January, North Korea executed two unnamed nuclear power plant construction researchers for failing to complete their project and improve technological standards, Daily NK reported. Their junior colleagues were transported to what is believed to be a political prison camp, the outlet reported. Regardless of what punishment is handed down, one thing is likely: it'll also hit the officials' families. In the logic of the North Korean justice system, convictions are "because of a significant family flaw," Bennett said. "Therefore three generations of the family need to be dealt with." That could mean the officials' spouses, parents, and even kids could be sent to grim prison camps — and could also be downgraded within the country's system of social hierarchy, Songbun. "We don't know what their fates will be," said Howell. "Their fates don't look to be very pleasant." "But crucially," he added, "this is going to make no impact on North Korea's broader quest for naval modernization, military modernization."
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Sequoia Shuttle returns for the 2025 travel season with lower rates. What you need to know
The Sequoia Shuttle is back in operation for the travel season. The service that takes riders from locations in Visalia, Lemon Cove and Three Rivers into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, started its annual seasonal schedule on May 22. The Sequoia Shuttle is offering a quicker trip to and from the park this year by reducing the number of pick-up locations. 'We took out a couple of stops just to streamline our service, and make it a more convenient ride,' explained Marla Bermudez, Visalia community outreach coordinator. 'The less stops, the more ability for travelers to get to the park faster, and it not seem like they can get to the park quicker if they were to drive their own car. 'We hope that will attract more passengers, which then reduces the influx of vehicles within the park itself and reduces parking,' she added. Do this if you only have cash: Sequoia, Kings Canyon National Parks are going cashless soon This year, the cost of a round-trip ticket has been lowered from $20 per rider to $15, with a discounted rate of $12 per person for groups of six or more. The shuttles hold 16 passengers and are wheelchair-accessible. 'All of our Sequoia Shuttles are ADA-compliant,' she said. 'We hold two wheelchairs at a time, and we have that listed on our website as a selection. It asks, 'Is there a wheelchair or a bike?'' Free internal shuttles inside the park will loop continuously between major park destinations, with the Wuksachi Lodge route only operating on Saturdays and Sundays. More: Crystal Cave in Sequoia National Park to reopen this month after four years of closure Sequoia Shuttles start their departures from the Wyndham Hotel in Visalia at 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., and pick-up times will vary depending on where passengers start their trip. The ride takes approximately an hour and 45 minutes, according to Bermudez. 'There is a stop at the Foothills Visitor Center where everyone stops for a bathroom break,' she said, adding that shuttles return from the park at 4 and 5:30 p.m. 'Reservations are required 90 minutes before your trip, and that is because we need to print out the manifest for our drivers,' Bermudez said. 'That ensures that we don't leave anyone behind in the park.' She added that the shuttle will not make a particular stop if nobody has made a reservation to start their trip from that location. Riders on the shuttles are required to have a national park entrance pass (standard seven-day entrance pass, annual pass, etc.) before entering Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Entrance passes are available at Bermudez said that even though the website has not been updated from last year, reservations can still be made on the site. She expects the website to be updated by the first week of June. For reservations or additional information, visit or call 1-877-BUS-HIKE. This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Sequoia Shuttle returns for the 2025 travel season
Fox Sports
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
CalHOPE Courage Award winners Bermudez, Wang overcame physical and mental health challenges
Associated Press Will Bermudez was simply trying to chase down a pop fly when his life changed forever. In May 2019, the 17-year-old Air Force baseball commit collided with a teammate during a travel baseball game. The collision left Bermudez temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. He also temporarily lost five years of memory due to a traumatic brain injury. Bermudez suffered his first epileptic seizure two months after the injury and was ultimately diagnosed with myoclonic juvenile epilepsy. The Air Force rescinded its offer for him to play baseball there as a result. 'Going to the Air Force Academy, I wanted to be an aeronautical engineer. I wanted to build aircraft and then be able to fly the jets,' Bermudez said. 'But after my injury, math and chemistry and that stuff just didn't click how it used to before.' A difficult path forward awaited Bermudez, but his comeback culminated in a return to the diamond. Bermudez, now a redshirt senior at UC Irvine, and Mya Wang, a junior at Cal, have been selected as the recipients of the 2024-25 CalHOPE Courage Award. Wang will be presented her award Wednesday before the San Francisco Giants' game against the Kansas City Royals as part of Mental Health Awareness Month. Bermudez will receive his trophy during baseball practice this week. Presented monthly since February 2022, the CalHOPE Courage Award honors student-athletes at California colleges and universities who have overcome stress, anxiety, and mental trauma associated with personal hardships and adversity. Wang and Bermudez were selected from the 14 student-athletes who were honored throughout the year as those whose journeys best represent the spirit of the award. Bermudez engaged in extensive rehabilitation, as well as developed coping skills through mental health counseling. Steadily, Bermudez improved. He first enrolled at UC Davis as a student, and then transferred to Mount San Antonio College to give baseball another crack. Bermudez impressed on the diamond and got on the radar of UC Irvine's coaching staff. He transferred there in 2023, and became a starter at second base. 'I have a different gratitude towards the sport and towards life in general,' Bermudez said. 'There was a time where I thought I was never going to be able to walk again.' Bermudez is now majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology thanks to his personal experiences and is dedicated to helping people struggling with mental health challenges. Wang faced her own challenges when she was just two weeks away from graduation from University High School in Irvine. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. 'I felt very blindsided by it,' Wang said. 'Hearing the words, the doctor telling me I have cancer — mentally, I don't think I processed it fast because I just never expected to hear those words.' After her diagnosis, Wang faced a tumultuous two-year journey that included a pair of surgeries and much time spent soul-searching and learning mental coping skills. Wang withdrew from the lacrosse team as a freshman at Cal to focus on her healing and carve a path forward. There were times she wondered if she would ever come back to the sport and instead quit lacrosse. Yet Wang persisted. After recovering from her first surgery, Wang played for team Hong Kong at the 2022 World Championships, which reignited her drive to return to Cal's team. 'I was like, 'This is a commitment I made. I'm going to follow through on it and see how I feel,'' Wang said of the 2022 championships. 'And that was a big turning point for me. That in combination with reading all those self-help books and building upon my mental health.' Unfortunately for Wang, she required a second surgery. This time, though, she was much better prepared because of the coping mechanisms she had already developed. Wang ultimately returned to the Cal lacrosse team in 2023. Though Wang has since called it quits on her college lacrosse career, she couldn't be more proud of her comeback. 'It made me realize I don't have to give up,' Wang said. 'I still have so much ahead of me. Just because I had something happen to me doesn't mean I need to give up all my goals. If anything, it's more motivation to prove that I still have the ability to do that, even if something challenging happens to me." recommended in this topic
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
CalHOPE Courage Award winners Bermudez, Wang overcame physical and mental health challenges
Will Bermudez was simply trying to chase down a pop fly when his life changed forever. In May 2019, the 17-year-old Air Force baseball commit collided with a teammate during a travel baseball game. The collision left Bermudez temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. He also temporarily lost five years of memory due to a traumatic brain injury. Advertisement Bermudez suffered his first epileptic seizure two months after the injury and was ultimately diagnosed with myoclonic juvenile epilepsy. The Air Force rescinded its offer for him to play baseball there as a result. 'Going to the Air Force Academy, I wanted to be an aeronautical engineer. I wanted to build aircraft and then be able to fly the jets,' Bermudez said. 'But after my injury, math and chemistry and that stuff just didn't click how it used to before.' A difficult path forward awaited Bermudez, but his comeback culminated in a return to the diamond. Bermudez, now a redshirt senior at UC Irvine, and Mya Wang, a junior at Cal, have been selected as the recipients of the 2024-25 CalHOPE Courage Award. Wang will be presented her award Wednesday before the San Francisco Giants' game against the Kansas City Royals as part of Mental Health Awareness Month. Bermudez will receive his trophy during baseball practice this week. Advertisement Presented monthly since February 2022, the CalHOPE Courage Award honors student-athletes at California colleges and universities who have overcome stress, anxiety, and mental trauma associated with personal hardships and adversity. Wang and Bermudez were selected from the 14 student-athletes who were honored throughout the year as those whose journeys best represent the spirit of the award. Bermudez engaged in extensive rehabilitation, as well as developed coping skills through mental health counseling. Steadily, Bermudez improved. He first enrolled at UC Davis as a student, and then transferred to Mount San Antonio College to give baseball another crack. Bermudez impressed on the diamond and got on the radar of UC Irvine's coaching staff. He transferred there in 2023, and became a starter at second base. Advertisement 'I have a different gratitude towards the sport and towards life in general,' Bermudez said. 'There was a time where I thought I was never going to be able to walk again.' Bermudez is now majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology thanks to his personal experiences and is dedicated to helping people struggling with mental health challenges. Wang faced her own challenges when she was just two weeks away from graduation from University High School in Irvine. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. 'I felt very blindsided by it,' Wang said. 'Hearing the words, the doctor telling me I have cancer — mentally, I don't think I processed it fast because I just never expected to hear those words.' Advertisement After her diagnosis, Wang faced a tumultuous two-year journey that included a pair of surgeries and much time spent soul-searching and learning mental coping skills. Wang withdrew from the lacrosse team as a freshman at Cal to focus on her healing and carve a path forward. There were times she wondered if she would ever come back to the sport and instead quit lacrosse. Yet Wang persisted. After recovering from her first surgery, Wang played for team Hong Kong at the 2022 World Championships, which reignited her drive to return to Cal's team. 'I was like, 'This is a commitment I made. I'm going to follow through on it and see how I feel,'' Wang said of the 2022 championships. 'And that was a big turning point for me. That in combination with reading all those self-help books and building upon my mental health.' Advertisement Unfortunately for Wang, she required a second surgery. This time, though, she was much better prepared because of the coping mechanisms she had already developed. Wang ultimately returned to the Cal lacrosse team in 2023. Though Wang has since called it quits on her college lacrosse career, she couldn't be more proud of her comeback. 'It made me realize I don't have to give up,' Wang said. 'I still have so much ahead of me. Just because I had something happen to me doesn't mean I need to give up all my goals. If anything, it's more motivation to prove that I still have the ability to do that, even if something challenging happens to me."
