"Our economy is dozens of times larger than the North’s, and our population is more than twice as large. Yet despite such military, defense and national strength, some still hold the submissive mindset that self-reliant defense is impossible without foreign troops.”

One of the first public signs the Korean govt is coming to grips with the new reality in the US. Fon Min Cho Hyun: “I could feel this is no longer the US which had really cooperated well with allies and friendly nations in the past.” 1/ www.joongang.co.kr/article/2536...

Trump on South Korea's political situation, just hours before his meeting South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. (Lee was elected after former President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and jailed following his short-lived attempt to impose martial law)

Lee told reporters that "it is true" the United States has demanded "flexibility" of the USFK, but "this is not an issue we can easily agree with."

"More than 500 Taiwanese troops participated in Northern Strike this year. A briefing slide indicated that Taiwan has been quietly sending its forces to the exercise since at least 2021."

According to Trump, Xi promised not to invade Taiwan as long as Trump is in office. "He told me, 'I will never do it as long as you're president.' President Xi told me that," Trump said.

Don't overinterpret North's actions, experts warn after underwhelming response to South's loudspeaker withdrawal koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-08...

There will be no Trump-Kim meeting as long as the US "persists with (its) outdated way of thinking," says Kim Yo Jong. "We have nothing to do with the US," she says in an editorial published in KCNA this morning.

North Koreans tell BBC they are sent to work 'like slaves' in Russia www.bbc.com/news/article...

Trump’s Truth Social post on the trade deal with South Korea. Lately I’ve been following the Korean far-right’s push to get Trump engaged in its election fraud conspiracy theories, but the trade deal actually seems to have squashed those efforts. 1/

"It is worth taking into account the fact that the year 2025 is neither 2018 nor 2019," says Kim Yo Jong in a new statement aimed at the US. Worth reading the whole commentary.

"The US government has found that it actually can tolerate a nuclear-armed DPRK."

South Korean soldiers who refused to obey unlawful orders during former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law attempt last year could receive early promotions, according to the Ministry of National Defense.

An insightful look at Japan's upper house election results from @tobiasharris.bsky.social, who includes this nifty graph:

Six months into Trump's second term, the U.S. still lacks a North Korea strategy as Pyongyang advances its nuclear program and deepens Russia ties. The policy vacuum comes at a critical time—and some experts are sounding the alarm. www.nknews.org/pro/six-mon...

"Donald Trump has overseen nearly as many air strikes in the first five months of his second term as Joe Biden launched in his entire presidency."

"Beyond providing basic settlement support and protection, the government will work to ensure the independence and social integration of North Korean defectors by helping them engage with their communities, grow and thrive together," Lee said.

"The special counsel alleges that Yoon directly authorized at least three or four drone flights over Pyongyang in late 2024."

Poynter - Foreign journalists in the US are self-censoring to protect themselves from the Trump administration.

Far-right rising in Japan: NHK poll shows Sanseito rising to 5.9% (the 3rd most popular party). It is most popular among working age people, with mostly male supporters. Meanwhile, a Sankei poll has found it to be #1 among people in their 30's and 40's. www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20...

"Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for pulling the plug on American-funded broadcasters that had long been a thorn in his side for their factual reporting."

2) Although discussions behind closed doors may be different, the letter does not explicitly link security issues or USFK or burden sharing to trade, which is probably a relief to policymakers in Seoul. Easier domestically to make economic concessions I think than on security. 2/

That's a big development. Will allow Bluesky to be much more useful for breaking news.

A civil servant if ever there was one. And one hell of a journalist.

South Korea and its new president, Lee Jae-myung, might have a tricky balancing act ahead as a leading US ally with longstanding business ties to Iran, especially in the construction and energy (oil and natural gas) sectors. One of the main roads in Seoul's Gangnam district is named Tehran-ro.

On June 13th, Japan's government said it "strongly condemns any action that could further escalate" the situation between Israel and Iran. Today, after the US bombed Iran, Japan did not condemn it. Instead: "the US action demonstrates its determination to de-escalate this situation."

New short explainer - **How** Iran Can Close The Straits Of Hormuz www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTly...

There are going to be a lot of euphemisms and double talk in the days to come. So give the Times credit for telling it straight: "The United States has entered Israel’s war against Iran." www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06...

America’s 30,000-pound bunker-busting bomb may not be able to destroy Iran's most deeply hidden nuclear facilities, the Economist points out.

Always worth reading Adam Curtis interviews.

"Students are worried that they simply won't be safe or welcome in the US, or that they won't be able to graduate if conditions keep going downhill, or — worst of all — that they too could run into legal hassles or be arrested, detained and sent home."

North Korean diplomats in New York have refused to accept a letter from Trump aimed at reopening communication channels, reports NK News.

Korean baseball just keeps smashing attendance records. Nearly 49% of all games played this season have been sold out. Which checks out. It's super hard to get tickets this year. Kind of annoying actually.

To point out the obvious, but doesn’t bode well for 🇺🇸🇰🇷 relations, especially tariff negotiations and future of 🇺🇸 troops in 🇰🇷

The White House response to SK's election of a left-leaning president: “The US-ROK Alliance remains ironclad. While South Korea had a free and fair election, the United States remains concerned and opposed to Chinese interference and influence in democracies around the world.”

"Saying ‘xie xie’ doesn’t make Lee Jae-myung a pro-China toady," says Moon Chung-in, a prominent left-leaning foreign policy figure in South Korea.

“We have known for some time that economic over-dependence on China was a risk,” says a former senior Korean government official. “But now we know that over-dependence on the US is a risk for us too.”

A free umbrella rental/sharing service at a subway station in Bucheon which you can use and return it at your convenience 🌂 Love seeing these trust-based services around South Korea!

I'm not sure if government-run playgrounds/kids cafes will encourage more Koreans to have babies, but speaking as a parent, and for my two young kids, they are fantastic.

Really fun article about Korean work life and customs. The tooth-brushing part makes total sense, btw. I've fully bought in on that part, and always will.

Love love love these little Tomica Ghibli toys. Can get them at E-Mart or Coupang here in Korea. So cool.

It seems I've also been placed on leave, just like the rest of my VOA colleagues. Truth is, I can't know for sure, because when I woke up this morning in Seoul, I'd already been locked out of all VOA-related systems and accounts.

My colleagues and our broadcasts, devoted to telling America’s story to the world — honestly, fairly and with an unwavering commitment to the truth​, are being silenced this weekend. open.substack.com/pub/newsguy/...

Mahmoud Khalil being arrested by men in teeshirts as his pregnant wife watches helplessly

The U.S. Department of Energy has designated ally South Korea a "sensitive" country, a spokesperson said on Friday, after the South Korean president briefly imposed martial law and amid talk of Seoul potentially developing nuclear weapons. www.reuters.com/world/us-des...

REPORTER: What about the president's plan to expel Palestinians out of Gaza? TRUMP: Nobody is expelling any Palestinians. Who are you with? REPORTER: I'm with Voice of America, sir. TRUMP: Oh, no wonder.

Guess if you threaten to go nuclear often enough, people start to believe you.