Korea Digest No.7, January 2024

 

KOREA DIGEST

Korea Digest is a monthly publication of the Korea Centre, School of International Relations and Politics, Mahatma Gandhi University, that compiles major political, security, economic and diplomatic developments in the Korean Peninsula. Korea Digest aims to track, highlight and provide brief analysis of important developments in the Korean Peninsula for the Indian audience.

Korea Digest No. 7 January, 2024

Contents

  1. Knife Attack on South Korean Opposition Leader Lee Jae-myung
  2. South Korea, U.S. and Japan Convene Inaugural Indo-Pacific Talks
  3. Historic Bill Passed in South Korea Banning Dog Meat
  4. Veteran Diplomat Cho Tae-yul appointed as South Korea’s New Foreign Minister
  5. Former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon leaves the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)
  6. Heightened Tension in the Korean Peninsula Amidst North Korean Belligerence
  7. North Korea Declares South Korea as its “principal enemy”
  8. US claims Russia has deployed North Korean missiles in Ukraine
  9. North Korean foreign minister meets Russian President Putin to strengthen Russia-North Korea relations
  10. South Korea demands UN action over North Korea’s escalating missile tests and threats
  11. The South Korean military conducts joint naval drills with the US and Japan

Prepared by

Rekha J, Project Fellow, Korea Centre

  1. Knife Attack on South Korean Opposition Leader Lee Jae-myung

On January 2, 2024, Lee Jae-myung, South Korea’s top opposition leader, suffered a knife attack during a visit to Busan, sustaining a neck wound. Though not life-threatening, the injury will require Lee to remain under medical observation for stability, according to his Democratic Party. Lee narrowly lost the 2022 presidential polls to current President Yoon Suk-yeol in the closest race in South Korea’s history, trailing by only 0.73% of votes. He is widely expected to seek the presidency again in 2027. The stabbing reflects the perilous climate for public figures in South Korea amid deep national divides.

  1. South Korea, U.S. and Japan Convene Inaugural Indo-Pacific Talks

On January 5, 2024, deputy ministers from South Korea, the United States and Japan convened the inaugural trilateral meeting focused on the Indo-Pacific region in Washington D.C. As per the joint statement, this high-level dialogue built on commitments made during the Trilateral Leaders’ Summit hosted by President Biden last August. The inaugural trilateral Indo-Pacific dialogue between the US, Japan and South Korea focused on strengthening cooperation on regional issues. The partners aim to collaborate through forums like ASEAN and support countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. They expressed concern about destabilizing trends including the Myanmar crisis, South China Sea disputes, North Korea’s threats, and foreign manipulation of information. The meeting signifies closer alignment between the nations to promote a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.

  1. Historic Bill Passed in South Korea Banning Dog Meat

In a historic move, South Korea’s National Assembly passed a bill on January 9, 2024, banning the breeding, slaughter, sale and consumption of dogs. This legislation marks the culmination of a decades-long effort to end the centuries-old practice of eating dog meat in Korea. The bill was enacted 33 years after South Korea first passed the Animal Protection Act in 1991, which paved the way for greater animal welfare but did not explicitly ban dog meat. The new law will take effect in 2027 after a three-year grace period to allow dog meat-related businesses, mainly restaurants, sufficient time to transition away from this custom. Once fully implemented, the law will criminalize involvement at any point in the dog meat supply chain, including breeding dogs for meat, butchering, distributing and selling canine meat. This creates a historic prohibition making dog meat consumption definitively illegal in South Korea for the first time. The passage of the bill represents a major milestone in the erosion of the cultural tradition of canine cuisine in Korea after decades of advocacy by animal welfare activists.

  1. Veteran Diplomat Cho Tae-yul appointed as South Korea’s New Foreign Minister

On January 10, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed veteran diplomat Cho Tae-yul as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs. Cho, 68, has over four decades of experience in the foreign service spanning several continents. After joining the diplomatic ranks in 1979, Cho served in Thailand, the United States and Saudi Arabia during the 1990s before focusing extensively on trade affairs later in his career. He was appointed Ambassador to Spain in 2008. From 2013 to 2016, Cho held the role of Second Vice Foreign Minister under former President Park Geun-hye. Subsequently, Cho served as South Korea’s top envoy to the United Nations from 2016 to 2019 until his retirement.

  1. Former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon leaves Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)

Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on January 11, 2024 announced that he is leaving the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) to form a new political party. He cited his difference with current party leadership and the party’s departure from the principles set by past leaders, as the reason for his resignation. In a press conference held at the National Assembly, Lee criticised the party’s transformation into a “one-person party dominated by violent and vulgar actions,” lamenting its shift away from the spirit, values, and dignity espoused by its predecessors. Lee, who dedicated 24 years of his career to the DPK, stated that he has chosen to step away from the party and explore new opportunities from a different perspective. He also said that along with others who are disillusioned with the current state of DPK is planning to form a new party before the general election scheduled on April 10.

  1. Heightened Tension in the Korean Peninsula Amidst North Korean Belligerence

In January 2024, tensions escalated on the Korean Peninsula as North Korea engaged in an increasing number of provocative military activities. On January 5 and 6, North Korea fired more than 200 artillery shells near the Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeongdo islands. Notably, all shells have landed within the buffer zone established under the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement. On January 6, Seoul’s military reported its deep concerns over the escalating tensions, emphasising the threat posed to peace on the Korean Peninsula by North Korea’s actions. In response, KCNA, North Korea’s official news agency, has characterised the drills are “a natural response” to large-scale military actions of South Korea, which has conducted a series of live-shell firing drills near the inter-Korean border in the past week.

On January 14, 2024, North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile from Pyongyang. This marks the first such test from the northern side since the firing of a Hwasong-18, an intercontinental ballistic missile on December 18. According to reports from KCNA, the purpose of this latest launch was to test a solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic warhead. The test has escalated tensions among the United States and its allies, who have expressed growing concern over North Korea’s frequent missile tests because the country claims to have developed nuclear warheads capable of being mounted on various missiles, openly threatening their use in potential conflicts.

According to North Korean news agency KCNA, On January 19 the Underwater Weapon System Institute under the DPRK Academy of Defence Science conducted an important test of its underwater nuclear weapon system “Haeil-5-23”, South Korea’s defence ministry condemned the act, stating it threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula. KCNA claimed that the test was in response to the trilateral military exercise carried out by South Korea, Japan and the United States.

  1. North Korea Declares South Korea as its “principal enemy”.

On January 10, 2024, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a stronger confrontational stance, labelling South Korea as his country’s “principal enemy” heightening security tensions ahead of the upcoming elections in South Korea and the United States. The belligerent remarks were delivered during Kim’s inspection of munition factories in North Korea, as reported by KCNA. It follows closely on the heels of international condemnation, as nearly 50 nations, including the United States, denounced North Korea’s alleged arms transfers to Russia for potential deployment in Ukraine, violating multiple United Nations sanctions.

After Kim declared South Korea as the North’s ‘principal enemy’, North Korea amended its constitution on January 16 to officially designate South Korea as the country’s ‘number one hostile state and primary foe’. In his address, Kim stated, “Since the republic has completely discarded the notion of the Republic of Korea as a partner for reconciliation and reunification, recognizing it instead as an entirely foreign and extremely hostile nation, it is essential to take legal measures to define the scope of our sovereignty.” He emphasized the necessity of defining South Korea as the North’s “No. 1 hostile state and invariable primary enemy.” Furthermore, North Korea has announced the closure of three agencies responsible for promoting inter-Korean cooperation: the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, the National Economic Cooperation Bureau, and the Mount Kumgang International Tourism Administration.

  1. US claims Russia has deployed North Korean missiles in Ukraine

In a briefing held on January 4 by John Kirby, the United States National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications revealed that the United States has information indicating Russia’s use of North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine. The initial attack reportedly occurred on December 29, 2023, followed by another on January 2, 2024. Kirby’s statement emphasised that such weapons procurement and exchange between Pyongyang and Moscow violate multiple UN Security Council resolutions, which date back to 2006 and were established in response to North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. The announcement also highlighted the precarious situation faced by the Ukrainian people, which has been further compounded by the transfer of these arms.

  1. North Korean foreign minister meets Russian President Putin to strengthen Russia-North Korea relations.

On January 16, 2024, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui during her visit to Russia had a meeting with President Vladimir Putin. During the meeting, President Vladimir Putin expressed his willingness to reciprocate the gesture by visiting Pyongyang soon, according to KCNA. Although a specific date for Putin’s potential visit has yet to be set, the Pyongyang Foreign Ministry, as cited by KCNA, indicated that it would occur imminently. If realized, this visit would mark President Putin’s first trip to North Korea in over two decades, with his last visit dating back to July 2000, where he met with Kim Jong Il, the late father of the current North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un.

Discussions between Choe and Russian officials centred on elevating their ties to unprecedented levels, encompassing not only military cooperation but also broader economic and tourism partnerships. The talks, as reported by North Korea’s state news agency KCNA, emphasised the mutual commitment of both countries to foster cooperation in promoting global peace and stability. KCNA reported that Russia acknowledged North Korea’s support and solidarity in its Ukraine military operation.

  1. South Korea demands UN action over North Korea’s escalating missile tests and threats.

On January 18, South Korea demanded the United Nations Security Council “to break the silence” over the escalating missile tests and threats stemming from North Korea. Historically, the Security Council had previously imposed sanctions on North Korea with subsequent resolutions aimed at curbing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. However, efforts to impose further sanctions have been hindered by China and Russia, who wield veto power. In May 2022, a U.S.-sponsored resolution seeking new sanctions in response to a series of intercontinental ballistic missile launches was vetoed by China and Russia. Since then, these two permanent council members have consistently blocked any council action against North Korean provocations.

  1. The South Korean military conducts joint naval drills with the US and Japan.

On January 16-18, 2024, South Korea, amid heightened tensions with Pyongyang, conducted a trilateral three-day naval exercises with the United States and Japan. The maneuver’s involving nine warships including the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson and Aegis destroyers from South Korea and Japan, were aimed at enhancing joint deterrence and response capabilities against North Korean nuclear, missile, and underwater threats. Additionally, the exercises focused on training to counter unlawful maritime transports of weapons of mass destruction, as stated by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. Concurrently, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has sought stronger assurances from Washington regarding the swift and decisive use of its nuclear capabilities to defend South Korea in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack.

Korea Digest January PDF Download

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