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.
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