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Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
North Korea's 'accidental defectors' stuck south of border
Two who "accidentally defected" to South Korea have now spent more time in limbo than any other reluctant defectors in the history of the two nations. The two men were picked up by a South Korean naval patrol on March 7 in the Yellow Sea. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Apparently, wind and strong currents pushed their fishing boat over the Northern Limit Line (NLL) close to Eocheong Island, off the west coast of the peninsula. There are no indications that the two men were intending to defect, and they have both repeatedly expressed their desire to return to North Korea during questioning by South Korean military and intelligence agencies. Their stay in South Korea is now well into its third month, longer than any other loyal North Koreans who had requested repatriation. Dozens of others before them have found it relatively straightforward to make the return journey. This time, however, North Korea has refused to pick up the phone. "North Korea has decided, and stated that it wants to have absolutely no communications with the South, no matter what," said Andrei Lankov, a professor of history and international relations at Seoul's Kookmin University. Men stuck 'until relations with the North improve' The North is "very obviously showing its displeasure" with Seoul and the administration of the now impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who led more of a hard-line policy on Pyongyang, Lankov told DW. "For now, these men appear to be stuck in South Korea until relations with the North improve, although it is of course possible that they will eventually change their minds and decide they no longer want to go back," he said. "Even if they do still want to return, it seems likely that might take a long time." In October, the state-run Korea Central News Agency confirmed in a report that changes to the North's constitution that were proposed earlier in the year had gone into effect and that South Korea is now officially designated as a "hostile state." Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Under Pyongyang's new attitude to its neighbor, roads across the border have been dug up and blocked with anti-tank obstacles, railway lines have been removed and the frontier is "permanently" sealed. Pyongyang is no longer interested in reunification and the South is its "principal enemy," KCNA reported. North goes fully silent As a consequence, North Korean personnel at the where the two sides have faced off since the armistice was signed to conclude the 1950-'53 are no longer responding when the South calls the cross-border hotline. "The relationship was in a bad state before, but now the North has just stopped communicating completely," said Ahn Yinhay, a professor of international relations at Korea University in Seoul. "Things became worse after Yoon became president, in part because he reached agreements with the US and Japan for a three-way security alliance in the region," she said. "And since then, they are not picking up the phone at the border and there is no other way to reach them." Ahn said the two fishermen appear to be loyal North Korean subjects, although she questioned whether their repeated desire to return to the North is in part out of concern for the well-being of their families. The regime in Pyongyang has traditionally treated relatives of people who flee the nation harshly, including putting them in labor or political reeducation camps. Quoting sources in the North, dissident media has reported that those punishments have become even more harsh recently. "They will be aware that the North will be monitoring news reports in the South and I expect they are sticking to their position that they wish to be repatriated to protect their families," Ahn said. South happy to see fishermen return home The two men will inevitably have been exposed to the bright lights and relative opulence of life in South Korea, Lankov said, noting that they would be wise to guard their tongues if they do eventually return to their homeland. "Unless they are suicidal, they are not going to be excessively talkative about what they have seen," he said. Lankov also believes South Korea would be more than happy for anyone who is not committed to a life in the South to return to the North. In practical terms, supporting defectors is an expensive and extended commitment, with new arrivals from the North requiring health care, education to be able to work in the capitalist South and support with housing and integration into society. Perhaps the greatest opportunity for the repatriation of the two men will come after June 3, when South Korea goes to the polls to elect its new president. At present, the Liberal Party candidate, , is the strong favorite to emerge victorious and is widely expected to try to build bridges with the North. "Lee may be willing to provide aid to the North with no strings attached and that may change the North's stance on communications, which would allow these men to go home," he said.
DW
16-05-2025
- Politics
- DW
North Korea's 'accidental defectors' stuck south of border – DW – 05/16/2025
Two North Korean fishermen insist they want to return home after their boat was washed south of the maritime boundary months ago. But Pyongyang is not picking up the phone. Two North Korean fishermen who "accidentally defected" to South Korea have now spent more time in limbo than any other reluctant defectors in the history of the two nations. The two men were picked up by a South Korean naval patrol on March 7 in the Yellow Sea. Apparently, wind and strong currents pushed their fishing boat over the Northern Limit Line (NLL) close to Eocheong Island, off the west coast of the peninsula. There are no indications that the two men were intending to defect and they have both repeatedly expressed their desire to return to North Korea during questioning by South Korean military and intelligence agencies. Their stay in South Korea is now well into its third month, longer than any other loyal North Koreans who had requested repatriation. Dozens of others before them have found it relatively straightforward to make the return journey. This time, however, North Korea is refusing to pick up the phone. S. Korean bombs hit near N. Korea border in military drill To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "North Korea has decided — and stated — that it wants to have absolutely no communications with the South, no matter what," said Andrei Lankov, a professor of history and international relations at Seoul's Kookmin University. Men stuck 'until relations with the North improve' The North is "very obviously showing its displeasure" with Seoul and the administration of the now impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who led more of a hardline policy on Pyongyang, Lankov told DW. "For now, these men appear to be stuck in South Korea until relations with the North improve, although it is of course possible that they will eventually change their minds and decide they no longer want to go back," he said. "Even if they do still want to return, it seems likely that might take a long time." In October, the state-run Korea Central News Agency confirmed in a report that changes to the North's constitution that were proposed earlier in the year had gone into effect and that South Korea is now officially designated as a "hostile state." Under Pyongyang's new attitude to its neighbor, roads across the border have been dug up and blocked with anti-tank obstacles, railway lines have been removed and the frontier is "permanently" sealed. Pyongyang is no longer interested in reunification and the South is its "principal enemy," KCNA reported. North goes fully silent As a consequence, North Korean personnel at the Panmunjom border post where the two sides have faced off since the armistice was signed to conclude the 1950-'53 Korean War are no longer responding when the South calls the cross-border hotline. "The relationship was in a bad state before, but now the North has just stopped communicating completely," said Ahn Yinhay, a professor of international relations at Korea University in Seoul. "Things became worse after Yoon became president, in part because he reached agreements with the US and Japan for a three-way security alliance in the region," she said. "And since then, they are not picking up the phone at the border and there is no other way to reach them." Ahn says the two fishermen appear to be loyal North Korean subjects, although she questions whether their repeated desire to return to the North is in part out of concern for the well-being of their families. The regime in Pyongyang has traditionally treated relatives of people who flee the nation harshly, including putting them in labor or political re-education camps. Quoting sources in the North, dissident media has reported that those punishments have become even more harsh recently. "They will be aware that the North will be monitoring news reports in the South and I expect they are sticking to their position that they wish to be repatriated to protect their families," Ahn said. South happy to see fishermen return home The two men will inevitably have been exposed to the bright lights and relative opulence of life in South Korea, Lankov says, noting that they would be wise to guard their tongues if they do eventually return to their homeland. "Unless they are suicidal, they are not going to be excessively talkative about what they have seen," he said. North Korean defector: 'We are not traitors' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Lankov also believes that South Korea would be more than happy for anyone who is not committed to a life in the South to return to the North. In practical terms, supporting defectors is an expensive and extended commitment, with new arrivals from the North requiring health care, education to be able to work in the capitalist South and support with housing and integration into society. Perhaps the greatest opportunity for the repatriation of the two men will come after June 3, when South Korea goes to the polls to elect its new president. At present, the Liberal Party candidate, Lee Jae-myung, is the strong favorite to emerge victorious and is widely expected to try to build bridges with the North. "Lee may be willing to provide aid to the North with no strings attached and that may change the North's stance on communications, which would allow these men to go home," he said. Edited by: Darko Janjevic
Korea Herald
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Students, professors urge Sookmyung Women's University to take action on Kim Keon Hee's plagiarism
Kim's 1999 thesis accused of plagiarism in 2021, confirmed in February this year Students and professors at Sookmyung Women's University on Thursday called on the school to take action by revoking the master's degree of Kim Keon Hee, wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, after her thesis was found to have been plagiarized. 'It's been more than three months since Kim's thesis was confirmed to be plagiarized, but the university still hasn't revoked her degree or taken any action, and we haven't been told why it's taking so long,' said Hwang Da-kyung from Seolhwa, a student group at the university, during a press conference held in central Seoul with the Democratic Alumnae Association. 'There is nothing to learn from a university that no longer upholds the values of fairness and integrity." Kim earned her master's degree in art education from Sookmyung Women's University in 1999. Allegations of plagiarism in her thesis emerged in late 2021 amid growing public scrutiny of her academic background, shortly after Yoon became a leading presidential candidate. In early 2022, an accusation filed by the alumnae group prompted the university's research ethics committee to begin reviewing Kim's thesis, but a full investigation didn't begin until December, raising criticism about delays. Finally this January, the university determined that she had plagiarized her work. Shin Dong-soon, a professor of Chinese language and literature at the university who attended the press conference, said, 'It took far too long for the university to officially confirm plagiarism in Kim's thesis, even though the similarity rate exceeded 50 percent.' 'I urge President Moon to proceed with fairness and without partiality, no matter who the subject of the investigation is.' According to Article 65 of the university's academic regulations, a degree obtained through dishonest means may be revoked following deliberation. Meanwhile, another thesis Kim wrote in 2008 while studying at Kookmin University's Graduate School of Techno Design, where she earned a doctorate in design, has also come under scrutiny for alleged plagiarism. The university, however, concluded that the level of plagiarism in Kim's doctoral thesis and related papers did not constitute research misconduct that 'seriously exceeds what is generally considered acceptable in academia.' Possibilities have emerged that if Kim's master's degree from Sookmyung is officially revoked, her doctoral degree from Kookmin University could also be subject to cancellation. Under the Korea's Higher Education Act, a master's degree is a prerequisite for admission to a doctorate program.
Asia Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Asia Times
After Ukraine, Trump might renew his North Korea peace-deal quest
The strange scene of US President Donald Trump huddled knee to knee with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the anteroom of Pope Francis' funeral has prompted hopes that a so-far-elusive peace deal in the war between Russia and Ukraine is within reach. Whether that comes to pass remains to be seen. But one product of the exchange is renewed speculation that Trump may soon turn his eyes toward another long-sought deal – a 'peace' pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Axios reported on April 27 that senior Trump officials are actively consulting experts inside and outside the administration about the prospects of reviving talks, picking up the threads of the first Trump administration's attempts. At least one prominent expert on the North Korean nuclear program confirmed that he had been contacted recently about a potential meeting between Trump and Kim. 'While nothing appears imminent, Trump has made clear he'd like to reconnect with Kim — perhaps face-to-face — and his national security team is preparing for that scenario,' Axios reported. Informed diplomatic sources in Seoul believe that this process is 'at a very early stage.' At this point, 'Washington is gearing up to do a policy review and generate some options for North Korea,' a senior diplomat told this writer. Wi Sung-lac, a former senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and advisor to leading presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, echoed these sentiments. 'If Ukraine stabilizes, the next turn for Trump will be North Korea, seeking a resumption of talks,' he predicted. For North Korea, the main incentive to resume talks will be to gain US acceptance of its status as a nuclear weapons state, says Professor Andrei Lankov of Kookmin University, a respected analyst of North Korea based in South Korea. There is no interest in Pyongyang for any meeting aimed at the country's denuclearization, Lankov says – an assessment that's shared by many US experts, according to the Axios report. The prospects for a deal that leaves North Korea's nuclear capability largely intact could be improved by US negotiations with Iran that re-establish the more limited goals of the agreement that was reached under the Barack Obama administration but then was dismantled by Trump. A new agreement with Iran that simply limits its enrichment of uranium could signal that Trump is ready to accept far more limited goals in his deal-making. After contributing to Russia's war efforts in Ukraine, a triumphant North Korean regime may try to use the moment to its advantage. 'They will try to talk to Trump,' Lankov, who was trained in the Soviet Union, said. 'They are not eager, but they will do it.' A victorious Vladimir Putin might even welcome and encourage this meeting, argued Moon Chung-in, a well-known progressive foreign policy thinker. 'Putin can play a very important facilitation role with North Korea and encourage Kim to talk to Trump,' Moon told this writer recently. 'Russia has been more vocal about accepting North Korea as a nuclear weapons state' relative to China, he said. There is even the possibility of a trilateral meeting, according to Tae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat who defected in 2016 and from 2020 to 2024 served as an elected member of the South's National Assembly representing a Seoul district. 'If Putin ends the war and wants to raise the status of Kim Jong Un, then a trilateral summit could be possible,' Tae, who now heads the presidential advisory commission on unification, told this writer in Seoul. Western diplomats agree that this is possible but regard it as unrealistic at this point. Trump's desire to resume his quest for a grand deal with Kim is evident from his frequent references to his friendship with the North Korean dictator. But many analysts, including this writer, have questioned whether Kim is still interested in returning to what was clearly a painful failure in his bid for legitimacy and global status. The last time around, Kim felt considerable pressure from an isolated and failing economy facing international sanctions supported by China and Russia. But those sanctions are now effectively broken, and the North Korean economy is trending upward, according to the Bank of Korea. Chinese pipelines to North Korea pump in oil and other key imports, reports Lankov, and the Russians are supplying energy, fertilizer and foodstuffs, as well as other key inputs, in exchange for arms and soldiers supplied to the war effort. In addition, North Korea regularly mounts highly successful cyber theft operations that yield billions of dollars in cash and cryptocurrency. The North Korean regime still faces severe internal challenges, observes former defector Tae. The younger generation is infected by the spread of ideas and culture from South Korea, even though the regime has increased its repression of any signs of that spread. 'That tells me that Kim Jong Un is still very afraid of any possible contingency,' he says. Still, argues Lankov, 'they are more secure now than ever since the famines of the 1990s.' 'The elimination of sanctions is still part of their negotiation goals,' says a close observer of the North Korean economy based in Seoul. 'But it is not so critical compared to previous times.' For now, the North Korean regime may be comfortable with the status quo, the well-informed Western diplomat says. 'I just don't think Kim Jong Un is in a cooperative mood with Washington.' One factor potentially affecting the prospects for a Trump-Kim negotiation is the role of South Korea. During the first Trump administration, the progressive government of President Moon Jae-in played a significant role in facilitating those talks. The conservative government of President Yoon Suk Yeol was opposed to that outreach and took a much tougher stance on the resumption of any dialogue with Pyongyang. The presidential election in early June, however, could bring a return to progressive rule in South Korea. While a new government may not have the same channels to the North, it will likely not stand in the way of a resumption of engagement, experts in Seoul say. 'We want a restoration of South-North relations and we are not critical of US-North Korea talks,' says former South Korean diplomat Cho Hyun, a close advisor to the progressive leadership of the Democratic Party. 'We believe it will be helpful in getting peace on the peninsula.' Cho acknowledges that a new South Korean government may not be invited as a key player in any talks between Trump and Kim but hopes that Seoul will have a place at the table. 'I don't think we will be brushed aside,' the former senior Foreign Ministry official told this writer. What happens next may depend on how events elsewhere, from Ukraine to Iran, unfold in the coming weeks. Daniel C. Sneider is a non-resident distinguished fellow at the Korea Economic Institute of America, and a lecturer in East Asian studies at Stanford University. This article, originally published by KEIA's The Peninsula, is republished with permission.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What to expect as South Korean court to rule on impeachment of President Yoon
South Korea's Constitutional Court is poised to rule on whether to dismiss or reinstate impeached conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol. The ruling expected on Friday will determine his political fate, but it does not mean the turmoil caused by Mr Yoon's short-lived imposition of martial law is over. Over the last few months, millions of South Koreans have taken to the streets to rally for or against Mr Yoon. Rival politicians have shaved their heads, launched hunger strikes and filed a slew of legal cases against each other. Whatever the verdict is, the divisions will likely get worse at home. This will complicate South Korea's efforts to deal with US President Donald Trump's 'America First' foreign policy platform and North Korea's increasing military cooperation with Russia. 'Whether Yoon's impeachment is upheld or overturned at the Constitutional Court, it will be difficult to make both sides accept its ruling,' said Hong Sung Gul, a public administration professor at Seoul's Kookmin University. 'There is a high possibility that bigger chaos will follow.' Here is what to expect with the court's impending verdict on the December 3 martial law decree that is testing South Korea's democracy. – What might the court do? Mr Yoon's political fate has been in the hands of the Constitutional Court since the liberal opposition-controlled National Assembly impeached him on December 14. If the court rules against Mr Yoon, he will be officially thrown out of office and a national election will be held for a successor within two months. If the court rules for Mr Yoon, he will immediately return to his presidential duties. At the heart of the case is Mr Yoon's motivation behind sending hundreds of troops and police officers to parliament after declaring martial law. Mr Yoon says he wanted to maintain order, but some top military and police officers have said that Mr Yoon ordered them to pull out legislators to block an assembly vote over his decree. Mr Yoon's martial law lasted only six hours because legislators managed to get in and vote down his decree. No violence and no arrests of politicians happened. Mr Yoon says his martial law decree was meant to bring public attention to the 'wickedness' of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which obstructed his agenda and impeached some of his top officials. His impeachment motion alleges that Mr Yoon violated the Constitution and other laws by suppressing assembly activities, attempting to detain politicians and undermining peace across the country. – What fallout is expected? Ousting Mr Yoon from office would see huge protests from his supporters, while reinstating him would rekindle huge liberal demonstrations that have been scaled down following Mr Yoon's impeachment. The court's rejection of the impeachment of a leader who staged 'a self-coup' would raise fundamental questions about the country's political and democratic systems, said Paik Wooyeal, a professor at Seoul's Yonsei University. 'There would be a great confusion,' Mr Paik said. Kim Tae-hyung, a politics professor at Seoul's Soongsil University, said a rejection of Mr Yoon's impeachment could allow a precedent for future leaders to impose martial law to resolve political deadlocks. During a court hearing, Mr Yoon said if he is allowed to return to work, he would focus on a constitutional revision and other reform steps to create better governing and election systems. After completing such tasks, Mr Yoon suggested he would leave office early before his single five-year term ends in 2027. Mr Hong, the professor, said if Mr Yoon sticks to his promise that could help overcome the current crisis. But political commentator Kim Su-min said Yoon likely will not regain the same level of presidential authority and the opposition would further drive him into a corner, even if the Constitutional Court restores his presidential powers. Pro-Yoon rallies turned violent in January when protesters stormed the Seoul Western District Court after it approved Mr Yoon's formal arrest warrant. The protesters attacked police officers with bricks, steel pipes and other objects. The attack injured 17 police officers. – What about Mr Yoon's rebellion trial? Asides from his impeachment case, Mr Yoon faces a separate criminal trial for alleged rebellion in connection with his martial law decree. If convicted, he could face the death penalty or life imprisonment. The Constitutional Court's endorsement of Mr Yoon's impeachment could increase prospects for his rebellion conviction. But a rejection would mean that the Constitutional Court believed Mr Yoon's martial law decree was not serious enough to warrant dismissal, or maybe was not even illegal. Prosecutors would subsequently find it burdensome to raise Mr Yoon's alleged rebellion at the criminal trial, many experts say. Mr Kim, the commentator, said Mr Yoon would likely be convicted at his criminal trial, even if his impeachment is overturned. Prosecutors indicted Mr Yoon only on charges of rebellion because he has presidential immunity from most of other criminal prosecution. Some might question whether his criminal trial should continue if his impeachment is overturned at the Constitutional Court.
