Pollution Left by US Armed Forces

Overhead photo of Yongsan in Seoul Korea shown with hazardous hydrocarbon spill sites. JTBC News June 30

JTBC is reporting 84 recorded incidents of diesel and JP spills at the former Yongsan base. Benzene levels in the water table are 162 times safe limits. It's clear from the MOU on environmental impact remedial measures agreed to by the US under the SOFA, that something needs to be done to correct the situation.

It is reported that Camp Long at Wonju, South Korea, has been closed for seven years and entry is not permitted there because of pollution. US military facilities in S.Korea that are contaminated with hydrocarbons will take years and millions of dollars to clean up. Historically, Camp Hialeah took about 13 million dollars and four years to clean up. Camp Castle in Tongduchan will take at least four years to clean up. People living in the surrounding community report that food grown in the area is inedible due to ground water pollution.

"The South Korean government has decided to effectively give up asking the US military to clean up contamination at Camp Long, a base in Wonju, Gangwon Province, that remains 'US land' seven years after its closure, as environmental talks with the US have dragged out."

South Korea effectively gives up on getting US to clean up returned military base in Wonju
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_international/805052.html

Goodbye Yongsan

A Channel has a report up this morning about the transfer of the 8th Army HQ, the UN Command and US Armed Forces Korea to Pyongtaek, Camp Humphreys, from Yongsan, Seoul. The agreement to move was signed in 2003, the transfer was begun in 2017. The cost was approximately, 17 trillion won with 8.9 trillion paid by South Korea. So USFK officially moved to Camp Humphreys yesterday.

The US Army occupied Yongsan in the heart of Seoul in 1945. The Koreans are finally getting their capitol back. The Japanese Army first occupied the area 400 years earlier during the Im Jin invasion period. The combined years of continuous Japanese or American occupation in the modern era total at least 114 years.

Camp Humphreys, the new American military base, in Pyongtaek, is a complete community. It is five times bigger than Yoido, the island in Seoul where the National Legislature convenes. Camp Humphreys is reported to be the largest US military base in the world outside US territory.

Trump's Security Trio and General Brooks Working on Summit Follow Up

General Brooks, the United States Forces Korea Commander, gave a good speech today at some presentation before a joint US-ROK event (official move of USFK/UNC to Pyongtaek), reassuring South Koreans about the alliance and explaining the purpose and status of currently suspended joint US ROK military exercises. He said that the US and South Korea were one hundred percent together on security matters, and that just because the "sword" was in the sheath, doesn't mean we don't know how to use it. A Channel reported on this and the "pressure" from the US security trio of Pompeo, Mattis, and Bolton, to get the North to quickly take follow up action with the US on denuclearization measures. Mattis was in Seoul yesterday to meet with South Korean defense officials.

The Financial Times reported that US officials have disclosed off the record that Pompeo may go to Pyongyang next week.

The recent reporting from 38North.org on the infrastructure development at Yongbyon nuclear facility combined with the NK Daily report of the execution of a North Korean general for allegedly releasing food and fuel stores to troops seem characteristically ill timed. The crescendo of US mainstream media criticizing Trump and disseminating these stories is typical fare when there is a risk of peace breaking out. Reports on North Korean executions aren't always reliable. Usually they are exaggerated or incorrect. The narrative of course seeks to undermine Kim's domestic messaging with respect to economic development. One of the reports I read in the English media suggested the North Korean policy was "military first," which contradicts the recent North Korean domestic propaganda. The corrections rarely get the world wide extensive coverage that the initial reports get. Some of this is due to the secretive nature of the totalitarian regime in North Korea, and some is due to political exploitation by factions in the US and South Korea, covert and overt, with their own agendas.

Five North Korean Conventional Military Proposals: Does it Hurt to Ask?

The A Channel Top Ten graphic above lays out nicely the development of five separate North Korean proposals for scaling back military tension and operations on the Korean peninsula. Most of these appear to impose a greater burden on US and South Korean force dispositions than those of the North, if one considers that whatever denuclearization steps the North is prepared to make, have not yet been made.

The first proposal involved the suspension of joint military exercises by armed forces of the US and South Korea. As described in my previous posts this has been carried out by the alliance as a suspension pending further observations of North Korean good faith performance in the future. This apparently awaits further negotiation and disclosure by the parties of any commitments from the North to be achieved. Pompeo is widely expected to return to the negotiating table with Kim in the near future.

The second proposal is the demilitarizaton of the five South Korean islands near the west coast of North Korea north of Inchon and just inside the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea extending northward to Bek Ryang Do. (Saw Buk Do) (discussed in the previous post just below)

Third is the withdrawal of the US 210th Fire Brigade from the region proximate to the DMZ. This is actually part of a proposed mutual withdrawal of artillery forces from a zone extending to 40 kilometers in either direction from the DMZ.

Fourth was a request from the North for a withdrawal of reconnaissance and air patrol forces from a zone south of the DMZ. This proposal among the others seems the most overreaching inasmuch as these air forces on the southern side are necessary for the so called "kill chain" response to counter North Korean missile, rocket and other forces aimed at South Korean or allied targets. This sort of reconnaissance seems essentially defensive in nature although not necessarily so, and therefore not likely to be practicable.

Fifth is a proposal for a prohibition of deployment of US strategic assets in South Korea. Presumably this would include strategic bombers, ships, submarines and other platforms capable of delivery of nuclear weapons. This has been an issue earlier this year with respect to Foal Eagle and Max Thunder exercises. Recent events suggest that US aircraft carriers and F-22s are regarded as included in this category.

Seems like a lot to ask for under the circumstances where the North hasn't made a substantial reduction in its nuclear arsenal or delivery systems yet. So far what has occurred appears to be the "freeze for a freeze" approach recommended by China and Russia. The North has yet to take the next step in response to US and South Korean concessions on the military exercises. It is unlikely that this situation will remain acceptable for long in the US or South Korea.

The A Channel coverage of these developments suggests, in the instant report, that there is implied a sixth proposal or request from North Korea that US forces withdraw from South Korea. This is not the case thus far. Of course, historically, this was the putative goal of all North Korean policy, to remove the US entirely from the Korean peninsula, but as noted by Robert Carlin and Clint Work at 38north.org, this request hasn't been apparent in recent North Korean proposals and shows a degree of political insight that might be lacking elsewhere (perhaps in the White House) as to the geopolitical constraints that make such a request ill advised, impractical and counterproductive.

More Joint Exercise Suspension Announcements

“To support implementing the outcomes of the Singapore Summit, and in coordination with our Republic of Korea ally, Secretary Mattis has indefinitely suspended select exercises,” U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson Dana White said on Friday.

“This includes suspending FREEDOM GUARDIAN along with two Korean Marine Exchange Program (KMEP) training exercises scheduled to occur in the next three months,” White added.

“In support of upcoming diplomatic negotiations led by Secretary Pompeo, additional decisions will depend upon the DPRK continuing to have productive negotiations in good faith,” she added.

https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/us-south-korea-indefinitely-suspend-marine-exchange-exercises/

South Korea A Channel Top Ten reports in its top story uploaded to youtube today that the K-9 live fire exercise in the volatile north west island region is likely also to be suspended. Both President Moon and the North Koreans have proposed a demilitarization of this volatile region which has been the source of violent encounters in the past leading to deterioration of relations, involving sinkings of patrol craft and bombardment of islands. The position of the so called Northern Limit Line (NLL) dividing North South territorial limits in the region has been disputed by the North since the armistice. There have been a series of proposals from the North for withdrawal of armed forces from the frontal zones along the DMZ, but the desire to defuse the western maritime zone is the most likely to proceed if relations between North and South continue to improve. An A Channel graphic from the program depicts the disposition of artillery forces in the region which is regarded as a vulnerable flank of North Korea with the advanced positions of Korean armed forces offshore.


Bek Ryang Do the northernmost of the South Korean islands behind the Northern Limit Line is seven kilometers from the North Korean coast which is visible from the island on a clear day. Tourists from South Korea can take a ferry from Inchon to visit the island during daylight hours.

Wilkerson: Don't Trust Trump, Bolton to Deliver US-North Korea Peace

I'm disappointed that the Colonel starts off with NYT editorial talking points about recognition and prestige for N.Korea, they gave up nothing, blah, blah, blah. He should know about preparing dog and pony shows before a war. He needs to read this from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists:

"The Problem with Lamenting “Acceptance” of Kim Jong-un."

https://thebulletin.org/problem-lamenting-acceptance-kim-jong-un11921

"More to the point, criticisms of Trump for legitimizing Kim sound more like the complaints of old-money WASPS upset that nouveau riche people of color want to join their golf club than the statements of people seriously trying to solve the problems of nuclear proliferation or imminent war on the Korean Peninsula."

What needs to be added to the "we've been here before argument," is that we've failed to deliver on our promises as well. Even the critic Tae Yong Ho, a North Korean diplomatic defector, has admitted, "it's too early to tell that the summit is a failure." The onus in on North Korea now to perform, a substantial reciprocal move, in response to the suspension of Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise. A US withdrawal from the peninsula is not in the cards. If North Korea doesn't respond appropriately, then Pompeo will lose his bid for leadership, and the neocons representing the inflexible interests in the national security sector, will take over.

China has reaffirmed its commitments to the UN sanctions. The difference in behavior during border inspections is form not substance. If there were evidence of substantial violations, we'd be seeing them.

What is North Korea's Next Move?

Tae Yong Ho, the ubiquitous North Korean defector formerly an official at the North Korean embassy in England, made an appearance on A Channel today, and as usual had plenty of advice for the US. Among the suggestions, was that Trump should listen to all his advisers with respect to the North Korean nuclear issue. Clearly, this is a implied recommendation for Bolton's point of view. He ended one hours worth of interview on the current North Korean scene, by quoting Reagan, "trust but verify," and added "but verify first." The remarks were specifically addressed to President Trump.

Tae is of the view that North Korea will never completely denuclearize peacefully, and that random and thorough inspections of nuclear facilities are domestically unacceptable in North Korea. He continues to speak in terms of a simple dichotomy, that Kim wants security guarantees, and normalization of relations with the US first; then denuclearization. This is in contrast to the step by step, reciprocal and simultaneous measures recommended by Russia, China, and to a certain degree, South Korea. The latter is often referred to as the confidence building approach. Tae suggested Kim will offer only known existing facilities for dismantling while keeping a secret infrastructure to maintain his nuclear threat. At the same time, he did say that it was too early to tell if the summit was a failure or not.

Pompeo's office recently postponed an appearance before the Senate to discuss, the "agreement" made in Singapore. Trump alluded to Pompeo's trips to Pyongyang in the White House with cameras present. When will Pompeo go back? Kim returned from Beijing. What is he going to offer? Trump suspended the Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint exercises with South Korea. If something doesn't materialize soon. Pompeo will be eclipsed.

Kim meets with Xi Again.

This is the third time Kim has met Xi before expected meetings with Pompeo.

The suspension of the joint military exercises has put substantial pressure on Kim to make a more substantive move in the denuclearization process. He went to China to get advice on a method of how to go forward with denuclearization. If he doesn't produce results in a timely manner, Trump will be forced to revert to the hard line and resume exercises. Kim has to give up something nuclear at this point. So the step by step confidence building measures are being tested and need to go forward. Whatever Kim comes up with, it needs to meet Chinese approval, or he will lose diplomatic support from Xi.

The US tends to frame China as a complicating factor. It is more accurate to say that they are an indispensable factor. While some US elements, including President Trump himself, may view Xi's influence as possibly exerting a negative influence on Kim's responsiveness, this isn't necessarily true. It is more likely that China wishes to see the issues on the Korean peninsula resolved peacefully. To accomplish that Kim will need to meet a standard for good faith, in the step by step, action for action, process between the US and North Korea going forward, not only in US eyes, but in China's view as well.

Missed Phone Call? Withdrawal of Long Range Artillery?

I had previously stated that removal of front line long range artillery was under consideration at the North South working level military talks at Panmunjeom. Although the South Korean ministry of defense denied this, multiple sources have reported that the issue was raised by the North at the meeting. President Moon has acknowledged that the issue might be an agenda item worthy of consideration. Perhaps what the MOD meant is that they didn't discuss it. It's a difficult issue and is probably premature at this point. I have seen the issue reported in Chosun Il bo (English web version), JTBC, and Channel A.

Today's new A Channel Top Ten upload on youtube covered the backlash in the US to Trump's decision to suspend the exercise. The Wash Post, NY Times, WSJ, the Hill, etc., are all speaking with one voice saying it was a mistake, "that he didn't tell anyone except the top three or four DOD officials," and that the rest of the DOD officials are "confused about it." The decision didn't come as a surprise to anyone who understood what Pompeo's references to CVIG, complete verifiable, irreversible, (security) guarantee meant.

The Koreans are calling it Defense Department "passing," which is a polite jibe. Admiral Harris, the administration nominee for Ambassador to South Korea, and former US Pacific Command commander, said he endorsed the suspension in joint military exercises when questioned at a recent Congressional hearing. If the South Koreans really didn't have actual notice, this is something they have been looking for, and it is welcomed in fact. There will be joint discussion on military matters with the US June 27.

Evidently, the direct phone line that Sarah Huckabee Sanders discussed with Kim Yeo Jong at the summit venue isn't up and running and Trump wasn't able to talk to Kim as he led people to believe.

Pompeo wants to get together with his counterpart in North Korea, probably General Chol again, at the earliest opportunity.

Post Summit Conventional Measures

Tonight or tomorrow morning, maybe both, Trump and Kim are supposed to talk on their new "hot line." There is supposed to be official confirmation of the suspension of the UFC joint military exercises in the south. Meanwhile military talks in the Joint Security Area between North and South, are talking about practical measures to demilitarize the DMZ such as by removing long range artillery from the area. The proposal under consideration is to withdraw the artillery line on the North Korean side 40 kilometers further to the north so that Seoul is no longer under immediate threat of bombardment. The removal of mines from the area may also be discussed. It is felt that the US North Korea summit has made advancing efforts to reduce tensions in the JSA more likely.

On the 18th, sports will be discussed, probably focused on the Asian Games. On the 19th, and 20th, establishing a joint communications office at the former joint industrial area at Keseong will be discussed. On the 22nd, Red Cross reps from the North and South will meet at Kumgangsan to discuss facilitating meetings of separated families.

The North Korean Nuclear "Threat"

But the nuclear threat part was always problematic. The idea that they would attack a US ally with nuclear weapons never was the issue. It's only when you want to attack them or overthrow their regime, that the deterrence aspect of nuclear weapons enters into the picture. It would be suicide for the North to ever use those weapons. However that is how one defector described it, a doomsday machine that would go into effect, if North Korea was successfully attacked and "decapitated."

The more substantial issues are achieving a more or less permanent security arrangement in the area, managing great power competition on the peninsula and in northeast Asia, avoiding nuclear proliferation, managing the Korean nationalist movement for eventual unification, and resolving and preserving Japanese security in the face of lingering Korean and Chinese resentments against Japan and its territorial claims.

Robert Carlin has noted that a request for a withdrawal of US forces from the area has been notably absent from North Korean demands lately. It is the nature of those forces and what they are doing that is the issue.

Now that the North Korean demand is seen as not having war exercises with forces of strategic significance on their doorstep, practicing the destruction of North Korea, the response from the Pentagon advocates is, "What about China?" This is the real issue in the region, and always has been, great power competition for hegemony in the area. Not too far removed from the historical situation in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Stranger Than Fiction

A Channel Top Ten program reported that this picture was carried in the North Korean newspapers along with a thirty page pictorial of events in Singapore.

Some of the general commentary in the associated article suggests that the relationship with the US is following a complimentary trust building format in which contemporaneous actions will be taken by each side to demonstrate good faith step by step toward the goals of the summit. This description of the relationship is consistent with Pompeo's statements about CVID and CVIG as the negotiation process.

All of the reporting is believed to be the responsibility of Kim Yeo Jong, Kim's sister.

The Evolving US Negotiating Position

April 4

The US demand is complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization, with no discussion of US reciprocity in the process. That's an ultimatum. Right now the North Korean purpose is to get the US to accept a three phased approach, freeze, reduce, eliminate, (nuclear weapons infrastructure and capabilities) with good faith US/ROK reciprocity at each step. This is what the South Koreans had envisioned at the beginning, though it was never mentioned in the western press. Clearly this is the point of contention with the maximum pressure, nothing conceded till you completely capitulate US demand. China has acted to protect its own national security interests in the region against US threats of war. It is weighing in on behalf of the north.

An A Channel Youtube from South Korea, published on April 1, showed the respective positions of the four states, North and South Korea, China and the US. The US position was first eliminate your nuclear infrastructure, later reward. The other three states all envisaged a phased approach to build trust and accomplish complex tasks. The South Koreans see a single agreement for denuclearization, followed by steps for implementation. The North Koreans and Chinese see a phased step by step approach, accompanied by simultaneous reciprocal acts by the US, South Korea, and the international community.

Finally, the Blue House, has issued a public statement saying the "Libyan method" is impossible (불가능 不可能) and that the US must demonstrate flexibility.

April 29

"Il gwol" (one bundle) v. "dan gae" (phased) negotiations. The American position seeks complete verifiable irreversible denuclearization in one bundle. The other parties except Japan seek a phased implementation with reciprocal action for action. S. Korea tries to bridge the differences with a bundled package agreement with a phased implementation. Maintaining "maximum pressure" (sanctions) until total CVID won't work. The US hardline position initially proposed by Trump has the potential to fail catastrophically in one meeting. North Korea isn't going to accept just "sweet words," in exchange for tangible implementation of denuclearization. Pompeo seems aware of this. Will Trump move into a give and take reciprocal step by step implementation, or stick with the so called Libyan method of denuclearization?"

May 14

Brian Hook, State Dept senior advisor at the policy planning office, said it would take until 2020 to irreversibly denuclearize North Korea. In other words, it would take the entire remainder of Trump's term in office...One view has it that the missiles, warheads, nuclear materials like plutonium, and enriched uranium could be removed within months if it were properly planned and executed. It was also suggested that 4 to 5 hundred thousand tons of chemical weapons could be shipped out or destroyed during this same shorter term time frame. On the other hand, the longer term projection of Hook probably concerns the ability to permanently remove and assure that the regeneration of these weapons programs would not be possible. One of the latest concerns is what about the personnel who know how to make such weapons?

The high level diplomatic representative, Thae Yong-ho (Korean: 태영호) who defected from the N.Korean embassy in UK, has said, in the recent past, that the nuclear program was essential to Kim. The removal of the program therefore is going to harm any measure of legitimacy that his administration of North Korea has internally. The defector says the stuff about the parallel economic policy (byung jin 병진) is just a pretense, that it doesn't exist. I don't entirely agree, but I agree that whatever economic advances there were are now virtually destroyed. So if the sanctions will be kept on until CVID/ now PCVID + WMD, then his regime could collapse.

Will China come forward at risk to itself to compensate for the catastrophic failing of the North Korean economy under the sanctions before the ever increasing list of US demands are satisfied? Doesn't this appear to be a shifting of all the risks and costs of "CVID," to North Korea and China?

May 21

Trump blames China

Trump apparently has no idea what the "Libyan method" is and what the reference implies - lack of reciprocal and binding obligations on a step by step basis to build confidence. Trump seems to think that his vague promises, of rewards later, are going to reassure Kim. Senator Graham now calls it "win-win," or war. This isn't how negotiations work. The people who criticize Kim or the North Koreans as people who can't be trusted, who broke the agreement before, who are back to the their old tricks, etc., are simply cheering for the US, and don't understand the problem.

May 31

To his credit, even Pompeo gets that the real stumbling block is coming up with US guarantees of North Korean security, normalization of relations, replacing the armistice with a peace agreement, and how to stage these reciprocal moves, in addition to relaxation of sanctions. Pompeo calls it CVIS, complete, verifiable, irreversible, security for North Korea. Without CVIS you won't get CVID.

The political side of the problem is that any phased structure with reciprocity will arguably appear similar in design to other agreements that both Trump and neocons had earlier criticized.

June 4

After President Trump's meeting with Kim Yong Chol at the White House:

So the real concession here is allowing for the possibility of a step by step process of denuclearization. Trump said he didn't expect to get everything resolved in one meeting, and allowed for the possibility of additional meetings. He didn't really give up any sanctions, and didn't say he would. He said he wouldn't impose more as long as talks were progressing. The statement about declaring an end to hostilities is really in the same category, symbolic. He said he'd discuss it. That's all. What he basically did was signal that he understood what the North Korean objectives were. He didn't concede anything tangible yet.

What's good for the goose...

Transport Courtesy China Air

It was anticipated that Kim would use a Chinese jet to travel to Singapore. His sister used Kim's aged Il-72 to go to Singapore. This JTBC graphic shows Kim's route after the China Air 747 picked him up in Pyongyang. As expected the air route stayed inside China as far as it could for security reasons. Kim's cargo aircraft brought his limousine and food supply. It looks like the most vulnerable part of the route was when the aircraft was out of the protection of any air defense forces that could be stationed in Hainan. So on the way back, the most vulnerable portion of the flight will be just after the aircraft takes off and before it once again approaches the Hainan air defense zone. On the way back, they won't be much guessing as to which aircraft Kim will board as people will be watching for his departure.

It was reported that Kim would get Chinese fighter escorts at least for some of the way to Singapore. I haven't seen that confirmed.

CIA Assessment Sways Trump?

Okay Channel A is reporting based upon an Asahi Shin Moon (Japanese newspaper) story, that Trump's decision to meet Kim, was based upon a CIA assessment that he was attracted to western culture, affected by his education in Switzerland, and would be easier to deal with than previous North Korean leaders in negotiations. Wow, what a brilliant deduction! Dennis Rodman figured this out a few years back. What was the giveaway? The beach and ski resorts or the fact that he loves basketball?

On the other hand, that the powerful attraction of westerners for eastern culture is playing a role in this as well. The role of South Korea in propagating Korean culture internationally has played an enormous role in this development, as well as the active efforts of President Moon's administration to capitalize on South Korean media sophistication in its messaging to both the North and the US.

The idea that the CIA unlocked this possibility is an overstatement, but I'll give Pompeo credit for a certain level of intelligence if he saw the opportunity while listening to his CIA experts, and grabbed it.

It's the Lawrence of Arabia hubris lurking in the heart of westerners that is being seduced as well. So we are treated daily to the spectacle of endless politicians and pundits purporting ludicrously to be experts on negotiating with the far east. Cecil Rhodes and his "secret agents" are about to make another conquest.

Trump Unpacks the One Bundle Approach to Negotiations

I spent some time watching this program because it correctly analyzed Trump's statements after meeting with Kim Yong Chol at the White House. I drew the same conclusions after listening to Trump's remarks on the White House lawn afterwards, several times. This was a significant breakthrough but certainly not some kind of risky capitulation to North Korea as depicted in the NY Times, Washington Post and US Senate.

So the upper left corner of the screen identifying the subject matter of the show (and this was the headline number one out of ten on Top Ten) US retreats on from speedy CVID. Here's the link for the A Channel Top Ten program from which the graphic was taken on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35YFc0YbH3U

Across the top it says secretly, a lot of communications- did Trump offer North Korea carrots?

Here is the three part imaginary dialogue depicted which was reflected in Trump's public statements on the White House lawn.
Kim: Phased denuclearization? Trump: You can go slow: Kim: Relax sanctions? Trump: I don't want to use the term maximum pressure; Kim: Guarantee for our system? Trump: We can discuss a declaration of the end of the war.

So the real concession here is allowing for the possibility of a step by step process of denuclearization. Trump said he didn't expect to get everything resolved in one meeting, and allowed for the possibility of additional meetings. He didn't really give up any sanctions, and didn't say he would. He said he wouldn't impose more as long as talks were progressing. The statement about declaring an end to hostilities is really in the same category, symbolic, words on paper. He said he'd discuss it. That's all. What he basically did was signal that he understood what the North Korean objectives were. He didn't concede anything tangible yet.

Trump also emphasized that the US wouldn't be paying for anything, and the costs for any economic matters would be borne by S.Korea, China and Japan. So he's basically picking up at the point where previous talks failed and has avoided any commitments, while conveying that he wishes to remain engaged, and make tangible progress. So what's the panic in DC and New York all about?

Terrified of Peace, Democrats Demand Trump "Hold the Line."

The Times and WP are out to destroy the negotiations. Meanwhile, Kim had to replace the top generals who may not go along with his plan. I said from the beginning that this plan was destabilizing to his regime, and now that he's publicly committed to it, the Army leadership has to be adjusted accordingly.

Bloomberg just published Moon's economic plans for North Korea. It's a lot more significant than the bs stories about McDonalds in Pyongyang. Moon's plan was published by A Channel about the time of Moon's second summit with Kim Jong Un, and was basically ignored here in the US in preference for the McDonalds tale that Trump was going to concede all to North Korea in return for a McDonald's franchise in Pyongyang. Americans open McDonalds and Starbucks while nations in the far east have substantial plans for capital investment in economic infrastructure.

There is, by the way, already one fake "mcdonalds" shop in Pyongyang. I saw it on a S.Korean broadcast weeks ago.

Here's the headline from the Times: Trump Veers to a Korea Plan That Echoes Failures of the Past. Of course it's a David Sanger article. We know how trustworthy he is as spokesperson for the US establishment. Such articles are invariably supported by abbreviated and generally false histories of what happened to unravel previous negotiations.

Here's a Wash Post headline: Senate Democrats demand Trump hold the line in North Korea talks

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/senate-democrats-demand-trump-hold-the-line-in-north-korea-talks/2018/06/04/bd88b644-6808-11e8-bea7-c8eb28bc52b1_story.html?utm_term=.0de8a5ebd081

The Congress is going to "save" the negotiations. We know they can be trusted right?

This post article describes North Korea as a brutal and unpredictable regime, a criminal regime etc.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/trump-softens-on-north-korea/2018/06/02/0deaf06a-6666-11e8-a768-ed043e33f1dc_story.html?utm_term=.eb83098cb429

What kind of US government have we been operating for the last 18 years? How many countries have we destroyed?

How's the genocide in Yemen going? Are we rewarding, supporting and arming the belligerents conducting that crime against humanity? Oh, our despotic "allies" torture their victims and we get the results of their interrogations? Sounds very democratic. Coincidentally, a torturer was just ratified by the US Senate as CIA director. We are certainly morally superior to any other country threatened with war by us.

Small Tree Stumps

Ri Son Gwon, came to Panmunjeom today with a North Korean delegation to meet working level South Korean negotiators. The military talks will resume on June 14 at PMJ. A facility is to be established in Kheseong, NK, for communications between North and South. Education talks were set for June 18. Red Cross talks for June 22. The Red Cross talks apparently will take place at Gumgangsan in North Korea.

Ri was a bit irritated and sarcastic with reporters, as he regarded the meeting of the day, as related to inter-Korea affairs, and not related to the upcoming summit with the US. Apparently, he is not accustomed to stupid questions.

There were a number of replies like this to questions. "Are talks in session with the US in the Unification House?" "That has nothing to do with me."

They asked him about the Trump summit. "...this is Panmunjeom....go to Singapore and ask there."

A reporter asked him, what is the prospect for the talks (here) today? He replied that they will turn out well, "...did you reporters want them not to turn out well?"

They asked Ri about the prior indefinite delay in the talks. He gave a response that suggested they knew where the serious situation had originated, so was it appropriate to ask him about the solution? It is already in the past, it would be best not to bring it up (make that mistake) in the future.

His response implied that the fault lay with others. Really, what was the point of such questioning? He criticized the reporters for asking questions not in the spirit of reconcialition and cooperation inspired by the Panmunjeom summit of North and South, but rather aimed at sowing distrust. He said he regarded such questions as rude if they were to continue.

Apparently, the subject of the earlier sudden cancellation of the talks came up again at the beginning of the meeting itself, where Ri said something like this to Unification Minister Cho, Chief of the South Korean delegation, in the respectful voice, " let's not engage in self criticism, and get over this." He also made reference to an old adage, "small tree stumps turn over the big cart." After his barbed comments to the press outside, Lee wanted the meeting to be open to the press. Minister Cho wanted the meeting closed to discuss the matters at hand for the meeting. Initially Lee objected, but Cho said we'll bring the press in right after.

I think maybe that Cho didn't appreciate Lee being so riled up at the time, and wanted to remove the press that played a role in the problem so they could get down to business. A writer for the Seattle Times suggested that the reporters questions should have been anticipated by Ri.

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/senior-north-korean-official-chastises-south-korean-reporter/

Fortunately, it appears that President Trump's meeting with Vice Chairman Chol went a lot better than this. Credit to A Channel for the information here which I have translated at the reader's risk.