North Korea News Podcast by NK News - ROK turns up loudspeakers, a North Korean diplomat’s testimony and defector art

Episode Date: July 23, 2024

South Korea restarted “full-scale” propaganda broadcasts from border loudspeakers this week in retaliation over North Korea’s ninth trash balloon launch to date. NK News Editorial Intern Joon Ha Park joins the podcast to discuss the content that ROK is blaring over the border, what a high-profile defector from the DPRK Embassy in Cuba has revealed […]

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Plus seize the chance to cultivate valuable connections within the vibrant North Korea watching community. Whether you're a scholar, a journalist or simply a curious soul, the North Korea from a Distance Tour is your gateway to understanding one of the most enigmatic countries on the globe. Spaces are limited for this unique educational journey. Don't miss your chance to be part of this exceptional experience. Visit NK News or contact Corio Tours to reserve your spot today. Hello, listeners and welcome to the NK News podcast. I'm your host, Jaco's Wedsuit and this interview was recorded on Tuesday, the 23rd of July

2024. Today, I'm happy to welcome Junha Park back on the show. Junha, welcome back. Hi, Jaco. A pleasure to be on the podcast again. This is the week of the signing of the Korean War Armistice. So it's a commemoration, I suppose. What is it? Seventy, seventy one years since the Korean War Armistice

was signed that put the war on the pause. And here we are. We're still wondering what's going to happen between the two Koreas. I thought we might start with the propaganda war that continues. Recently, North Korea sent a bunch of balloons over once again. I don't know how many times, have you lost count how many times they've done that now? So they've done that for nine times now. Okay. It started that now? So they've done that for nine times now. It started at the end of May, on May 28th, if my memory serves. And it is the ninth time since they have sent over trash balloons across the border. And they tend to send different amounts. I think this time I read somewhere

there was about 350. Is that correct? Yeah, that's correct. So 350 balloons were confirmed by the JCS to have been sent over the border. I do believe that, you know, as you mentioned just now that the number of trashed balloons do kind of vary from time to time. But I do believe that they're still just sending a message to the South that they're unhappy. And some of them made it into downtown Seoul. I met some people yesterday who saw the detritus

from one balloon in Bukchon Hanong Village, Hanongmal. Yes, that's correct. So it does look like the most recent flow of balloons into the south did make their way into downtown Seoul, as you mentioned, there were a couple of images floating around the web of balloons and trash material landing right in front of Gwanghwamun Square as well. Wow, Gwanghwamun Square. Gosh, this is so close to where we are, but I missed it. I really should go out there more often. So in response now, South Korea has at last turned on and began using their loudspeakers in full force.

Yeah. So South Korea has escalated its psychological warfare against North Korea by broadcasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda for the second consecutive day, actually third consecutive day now. And this action is a response to North Korea's continued launch of trash and trash balloons. And the broadcast began on Sunday and continued through Monday running for 16 hours each day from 6 a.m to 10 p.m. hours, that sounds like a lot of time to fill. It's a lot of content. What kind of content is being broadcast in those 16 hours? So, Seoul's broadcasts, they're done via 자유의 소리,

which is sound of freedom, if we translate that. And they include sensitive news, such as the deaths of North Korean soldiers due to landmines in the DMZ, and the recent defection of a North Korean soldiers due to land mines in the DMZ and the recent defection of a North Korean diplomat to South Korea. Additional content would include K-pop music, reports on North Korean public executions, health tips, and also weather forecasts. And weather forecasts, okay. So there's some music in there but it's not all music, a lot of sort of informative stuff, is there? Yes, from what we hear, yes, that's correct. Now I've read somewhere that the distance that the sound can travel seems to increase at night time, is that because the volume is turned up? Do you know anything more about that? Right now, I don't

know if I can give any information on that but I do know that there is a difference between the ROK Army's use of fixed and mobile loudspeakers along the border. So from what I know that the mobile loudspeakers are particularly effective. They reach up to 21 miles if I'm not mistaken and compared to the 15 mile range of sound carrying by the fixed ones. So it does seem that the mobile loudspeakers are much more effective in delivering sound across the border. Which ones are being used at the moment over the last three days? Is it the mobile or is it fixed or is it both? It does seem that the fixed ones are being used at the moment.

I don't believe that the mobile loudspeakers are currently being used. It's not been confirmed by the JCS just yet, South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff, but experts have suggested that further escalation could lead to the use of mobile loudspeakers. Goodness me, okay. And now it would seem that probably, about loudspeakers. Goodness me. Okay. And now it would seem that probably the, you know, my guess is that fixed arrays of speakers would present an easier target to North Korea if they were going to try to shoot or shell

them. Mm-hmm. So we did see that a couple of years ago, where North Korea did try and shoot at one of the fixed loudspeakers. However, I think that experts have said that the further escalation could involve just even the same physical attacks on the loudspeakers, although such actions right now at this moment, they do warn that they could trigger such a much more severe conflict. Wow. Okay. So that is a concern, something we have to keep an eye on, obviously. Jun-ha, did the JCS indicate whether they're going to continue with these broadcasts indefinitely,

or is it just for a few days and then they'll stop and see whether North Korea sends more balloons? What's the status of that? Right now, it does look like that for now, it does look like that it will extend for some time. The JCS have said that they have started operating all fixed types loudspeakers on all front lines, front line areas on Sunday, and they plan to operate the mobile types as well in the future. So it does seem that the current situation will extend for the time being. Wow. Okay. All right. Well, let's keep an eye on that. Thank you, Jun-ha. Let's go on to our next story. Recently, a North Korean diplomat gave an interview in the South Korean media

after he defected last November, defected from his post in Cuba. Tell us a bit more about this story. Yeah, so a North Korean diplomat or a political counselor named Ryu Il-gyu, he served as a political counselor, as I just mentioned, at the North Korean embassy in Cuba. He defected to South Korea as confirmed by South Korea's intelligence service in November 23 after leaving his post abruptly. So he just recently, as you mentioned, did an interview with Cho Son-yeol Bo. And our listeners can, if they want to, there's a story there, a North Korean diplomat in

Cuba recently defected to South, Seoul confirms, that's the headline. You can find that on the NK News website and that does link to an interview transcript with Ryu Il-gyu. So sorry, do go on Jun-ho. Yeah, that's correct. So he just to go on about the content of the interview. So he discussed internal issues within North Korea's foreign ministry. He revealed that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un lost trust in the ministry after senior officials failed to answer his calls in 2017. And also subsequently, Kim shifted North Korea-U.S. negotiations to the United Front Department. And he also disclosed fates of former Vice Minister Han Song-ryeol, who was executed in February 19.

Which was just before the Hanoi summit. That's correct, yes. And former Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho was also imprisoned in December 2019 with corruption charges. Now we haven't, you know, these kinds of defectors, defections by senior level diplomats don't happen that often and especially diplomats with their families. I mean, I remember the, of course, there was the Taeyong Hall case in 2016 where he defected from Britain and there was that man who came from Italy. Did he bring his family? I'm blanking on that detail there. I'm not 100% sure. I do believe that he did defect in 1997 from Italy. I don't believe,

I'm not familiar with the full details on whether he did defect with his family. But yes, this marks kind of reports of increasing numbers of high-level North Korean officials defecting to South Korea in 2023. What's your assessment in terms of what is more significant for understanding North Korea? Is it the defection itself or is it the information that Ri Il-gyu is giving about the inner workings of North Korean government and especially the foreign ministry? I don't think there's a point to distinguish between the two. I think both speak alarming points of view about the current situation in North Korea

as to the point of where the reasoning as to Ryugyu gave on trying to leave, he did say that his decision to defect stemmed from frustration with corruption within the foreign ministry and also a denied request for medical treatment in Mexico. And he had months of consideration for that. He witnessed quite a lot of stuff as attained by his interview with Cho San Il Bo within North Korea's foreign ministry. So I think that this does give a lot of revelations about North Korea's current situation, especially within the foreign ministry. Do you think that we can take his story at face value in terms of his explanation as

to why he chose to defect? I think that there's a lot of experts who say, who have taken the interview with a bit of a grain of salt, you know, some experts have suggested that the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and South Korea, which Real GeoX opposed, might have influenced his decision to defect. So it's still very much up in the air. Right. That seems like a very practical factor there that if his job was to basically stop South Korea and Cuba from normalizing relations and then it happened, then that would certainly provide a good motivation to not go back and face the anger of his bosses in Pyongyang, I suppose. He also, in his interview with the George Neil Bowen, gave his view on the debate between

those who believe that North Korea is full of competing factions and those who believe that North Korea is very much a one-man system where Kim Jong-un's word is law. What's your conclusion, having read the interview? Do you tend to side more with the factionalists or with the Kim Jong-unists? I must say that I don't really side myself with anything, but I do believe that Ryu Il-gyu's position and also the revelations that he's made in the Chosun Yubo article about the Kim Jong-un's renouncement of unification earlier in the year, you know, re-speculated that it was due to paranoia about North Koreans longing for a better life, you know. And I think that, you know,

we should, there should be a bit of research into what Ryugyu is professing and also looking at both sides of the debate to come to a much better conclusion. Okay, all right. Now our last story for today, you've got a story to tell us about some North Korean artists in South Korea who are exhibiting their work. Yeah, so there's an exhibition currently going on in downtown Seoul showcasing a diverse collection of artwork from seven young artists, each with a quite a distinct style, influenced by their personal journeys. What's interesting is that all of

these artists have defected from North Korea to South Korea in their younger years. And their experiences on both sides of the border are quite vividly reflected in their art. Shreyce and I had the opportunity to interview the four four out of the seven artists. And it's quite a poignant blend of creativity and an exploration of their identity that's

very much worth checking out. It's quite truly unique. Yes, the photographs that are in the article that people can find on our website, the article is called Between Worlds, the young North Korean defectors exploring identity throughout. The one thing I noticed was that the article didn't give a link to or The one thing I noticed was that the article didn't give a link to or explanation of where the Sun Gallery is or Gallery Sun. Is this in Insa-dong? No, it's not in Insa-dong. It's quite near to Seodaemun actually. And it's quite near the Ronghyeop building. The exhibition has very kindly extended to the 26th, so I believe that our readers can still

have a chance to check it out when they do have time. Well then hopefully our colleague Joe Smith will put a link to the gallery so that people who are listening can find it in the show notes and can go along and have a look at it. It definitely is, I mean art of course is up to each individual's interpretation, but as you say it's got a lot of creativity and poignance by each different defect, showing their sort of their nostalgia for North Korea, but also their hopes for a future career, right? Yes, that's correct. So I think that all four of the artists that we talked to, they all each have their own unique sense of artistic colour, and it's all been, as I've

said, been shaped by their experiences and actually delving into the art world in the South, exploring and identifying with different artists and contemporary artists and their experience. So I think that all of the different artists, all of the different artwork that is on display, it's all different. So there's photography, you have textiles, you have artwork that's been done by, that's been worked with cement, you have pop art, street art as well. Absolutely, yeah. So I think that it's definitely something that is worth exploring in terms of how North Korean defective artists are fitting into the international art world. Yeah, and I was also fascinated to learn that one of the artists is a rapper. So for listeners who are in Seoul, do go and check it out. When did you say it was extended to, the exhibition? Yeah, the exhibition has been extended to the 26th of July. So you've got three days left to pay for it.

That's correct. Get there soon, people. Okay. All right. Well, thank you very much, Junha, for coming on the show and telling us about these three stories. We look forward to having you on again in the future. Thank you very much. stories. We look forward to having you on again in the future. Thank you very much. Navigating the dynamics of the Korean Peninsula requires more than just information. It demands insight. Korea Risk Group offers strategic consulting that cuts through the noise. Our experts provide in-depth analysis, risk assessments and bespoke reports, all tailored to your specific needs.

Whether you're exploring new opportunities or managing existing challenges, our insights can be your compass. To learn more about how we can help you make informed strategic decisions, visit careerrisk.com slash solutions today. Ladies and gentlemen, that brings us to the end of our podcast episode for today. Our thanks go to Brian Betts and Alana Hill for facilitating this episode and to our post recording producer genius, Gabby Magnuson, who cuts out all the extraneous noises, awkward silences, bodily functions and fixes the audio levels. Thank you and listen again next time.