Benjamin Schwartz

11/1/24 Korean News and Commentary https://conta.cc/4f6QMwl 1. Joint Statement on the DPRK Launch of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile 2. Secretary Antony J. Blinken Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Republic of Korea Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul, and Republic of Korea Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun at a Joint Press Availability 3. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 31, 2024 4. Russia could transfer missile tech to North Korea, ‘escalating’ threats, South Korea warns 5. South Korea eyes pathway for AUKUS Pillar II with new defense tech agreement 6. North Korea ICBM Test Seeks to Grab U.S. Attention on Eve of Vote 7. 'It's a slaughter': Video claiming to show North Korean soldier captured in Kursk emerges 8. North Korea's Long-Range Missile Test Signals Its Improved, Potential Capability to Attack US 9. ROK, US hold first-ever live-fire drone drill after North Korea’s ICBM test 10. ROK trains to strike North Korean missile launcher, hours after ICBM test 11. North Korean Troops in Ukraine: Are We on the Path to World War III? 12. S. Korea not considering troop dispatch to Ukraine: nat'l security adviser 13. Pyongyang to bolster readiness against nuclear retaliation: Choe 14. 8,000 North Korean troops likely to join Ukraine war in ‘coming days’

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8/2/24 Korean News and Commentary https://conta.cc/3AbNvfB 1. Readout of U.S. – ROK Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Committee Plenary Session 2. No N.K. nuclear attack scenario in upcoming major S. Korea-U.S. exercise: USFK commander 3. Pentagon official calls NCG 'best solution' to N.K. threats, cautions against S. Korea's nuclear option 4. Navy chief calls for solidarity against N. Korea's nuclear threats 5. State Dept. decries N.K. trash balloons as 'reckless,' 'destabilizing' 6. Why a second Trump presidency could be devastating for the Far East 7. High-Ranking North Korean Defectors: A Sign of Cracks in Kim Jong Un’s Regime? 8. North Korean defectors meet with US UN deputy ambassador… Suggest ways to improve human rights in North Korea 9. Young North Korean defectors said, "We need to continue the inflow of information to North Korea...It's also important to provide a variety of information" 10. ‘We need to show unity’: Germany joins UN Command to enforce Korean War armistice 11. No response from N. Korea on S. Korea's offer for flood relief: unification ministry 12. South Korea Fires Laser Weapon To Shoot Down UAV During Demo; Marks 1st Public Display Of Advanced DEW 13. S. Korea, U.S. hold first-ever table-top military exercise in Pyeongtaek 14. First US Navy promotion ceremony held aboard Korean naval ship 15. ＜Inside N. Korea＞Forced Labor Camps on Collective Farms Target Urban Job Deserters 16. State media shows North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un leading flood rescue 17. Monument set up to commemorate N. Korean defectors who died during escapes

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🚨 #AUKUS news 🚨 The Bureau of Industry and Security at the U.S. Department of Commerce has issued an interim final rule reducing CCL licensing requirements for the UK and Australia. From the BIS announcement: "BIS is removing Commerce Control List (CCL) license requirements to allow Commerce-controlled military items, missile technology-related items, and hot section engine-related items to be exported or reexported to Australia and the UK without a license. As a result, many Commerce-controlled items, including certain satellite-related items, will now be eligible for export or reexport to Australia and the UK without a license." From Commerce Assistant Secretary Thea D. Rozman Kendler: “We support the principles of AUKUS, and look forward to the joint innovation that will come from this move. This rule also enables BIS to further focus our resources on scrutinizing high-risk exports to countries of concern.” Quick take - At first glance, this is much needed progress. Reducing the regulatory barriers with the UK and Australia via the CCL is very much welcome. The International Team at the Aerospace Industries Association is looking through the proposed rule now for industry feedback and comments. The (next) long pole in the tent will be the expected ITAR regulatory changes. Those will come shorty via the Department of State. Watch this space. Federal Register notice: https://lnkd.in/e8uvDsep BIS: announcement: https://lnkd.in/euSPaE4C #aukus #pillar1 #pillar2 #submarines #advancedcapabilities

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🚨 GAO Report: Federal Agencies Lag Behind on #NG911 Implementation 🚨 The new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveals that while some federal agencies have begun planning for Next Generation 9-1-1, few have upgraded their systems. This outdated infrastructure limits communication during emergencies and increases cybersecurity risks. Read the GAO report here: https://lnkd.in/exjUXF4A #NG911NOW

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Dr. William LaPlante, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, describes efforts to align the "iron triangle" of requirements, funding, and acquisition in defense modernization efforts. "There are now agile acquisition pathways and contracting authorities like Other Transactions that allow promising new capabilities... for funding and approvals. But getting to program-of-record status -- fully funded within a service budget plan -- and into production remains a long and drawn-out process -- too long, in many cases, for smaller new companies." In 2022, DoD created a new effort called Competitive Advantage Pathfinders, or CAPs. "The CAPs effort is run from the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment in a newly created Acquisition Integration and Interoperability Office. The goal is to flip the equation on process improvement: identify technology potentially useful to multiple military services stuck somewhere in or among the stool/triangle's three legs." In early use cases, "CAPs enabled the Air Force to go from identifying operational need to developing a capability solution available for procurement within 18 months -- a process usually taking several years for a new program." Our defense innovation & modernization efforts need more concrete actions like these to gain speed in our outdated processes. #defenseindustry #defenseinnovation https://lnkd.in/eRhxacc2 

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Nicholas Nelson, Senior Fellow for Emerging Tech & Policy at CEPA and is a Partner at MD One Ventures. Andrew Stiles, advisor on emerging technologies as a management consultant for nearly a decade. Kyra Terenzio, Management consultant specialising in emerging technology at a leading professional services firm. "Domain awareness is an ongoing challenge in countries with large Arctic land masses such as Alaska, where strained connectivity, power access, and extreme weather all hinder unmanned systems. NASA’s drone, Vanilla, flew for six hours in the Arctic totaling over 130 miles. Unique technology such as its internal heating system and anti-icing coating, if adapted to other robotic systems, could help make them more resilient, durable, and interoperable within the Arctic. Additionally, space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (SB-ISR) sensors are critical. However, satellites historically struggle with connectivity, signal fidelity, and resolution quality due to snowfall, cloud coverage, wind, and precipitation. To tackle these, Canada funded the Enhanced Satellite Communication Project – Polar (ESCP-P), which will enable narrowband and wideband satellite communications including beyond line of sight. Polar-orbiting satellites, and the infrastructure to launch them, are also increasingly vital. Russia launched its Arktika-M satellite in December, the second of nine it plans to send into orbit by 2026. The seven NATO countries in the High North will need to expand their own space-based and ground-based communications, such as durable and portable 5G systems and polar-orbit satellites, to provide ubiquitous, rapid data transmission for NATO activity in the High North."

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9/5/24 Korean News and Commentary https://conta.cc/3AKWPqX 1. A 10 Point Promise to the North Korean People 2. Will South Korea’s Defense Industry Boom Change U.S.-ROK Military Relations? 3. United States of America-Republic of Korea Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group 4. S. Korea to hold defense ministerial meeting with UNC member states next week 5. Russia has procured over 16,500 containers of munitions, related materiel from N. Korea since last Sept.: US official 6. [Exclusive] Old Korean Legation building could get historic listing Monday 7. S. Korea, US brace for NK 'grave provocations' around US election 8. N. Korea sending balloons into S. Korea for 2nd consecutive day: JCS 9. North Korean Spies Are Infiltrating U.S. Companies Through IT Jobs 10. UAE begins commercial operation of 4th nuclear reactor at S. Korean-built plant 11. North Korea punishes teenagers for watching S. Korean dramas, publicly shames families 12. ‘Sense of duty’: US, South Korea search underwater for missing Korean War bomber 13. ＜Inside N. Korea＞'I'm too hungry to work'... Flood Recovery Workers Deserting Due to Starvation, Continued Government Demands for Materials and Aid from Ordinary People 14. Trump’s Extolling North Korea’s Leader Kim Jong-un Has South Korean Policy-Makers Worried 15. N. Korea urgently extends rail lines to military fuel depots to enhance security 16. Bold remarks by Yoon's aide on US elections reflect Trump concerns 17. The Politics of Flooding and Stability in North Korea 18. US Navy ship enters Hanwha Ocean plant for maintenance

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ICYMI - The United States Department of Defense released a significant defense industrial base “Statement of Principles” at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shanghai-La Dialogue today. Industrial base resiliency in the Indo-Pacific is a key enabler in any potential conflict. The “tyranny of distance” in the region means industrial base capability, capacity, and supply chain integration are more important than ever, demanding strategic-level attention from policymakers. We see that in the partner and ally focus of the U.S. National Defense Industrial Strategy (#NDIS). Today’s announcement is further evidence of the U.S. DoD leaning in on aligning industrial base considerations with the overall national security strategy. It’s very much welcome from U.S. industry. Indo-Pacific industrial base resiliency is built on a few key pillars: consistent regulatory structures and equal application of rules in aligned countries, freedom of movement for goods, services, and workforce that support industrial base growth, fair tax structures, access to regular funding and outside capital, and most of all, clear policy objectives from partner governments. It’s these type of things that allow U.S. and partner industries to build resiliency. In many ways, the commercial aerospace industrial base in the Indo-Pacific can and should lead the way in further strengthening the defense industrial base in the region. The Statement of Principles hat tips to that very notion. The intent in the Statement of Principles gives a good steer. It’s the “what” in this equation. Working with the U.S. DoD and partner governments, industry can deliver the “how”. That’s what we do best. #SLD24 #DIB #industrialbase #supplychain

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Today in Asia Times, I wrote about the U.S. Air Force preparing for potential nuclear scenarios over Taiwan. Amid China's rapidly growing nuclear arsenal, the U.S. plans tabletop exercises to assess its readiness for various nuclear conflicts. This includes preparing for low-yield nuclear weapons in regional conflicts, signaling a shift from Cold War-era strategies to meet modern threats. The article highlights China's evolving nuclear strategy, focusing on deterrence and global prestige. With projections of China doubling its nuclear warheads by 2035, tensions over Taiwan could involve nuclear escalation, prompting the U.S. to rethink its nuclear and conventional responses.

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We just wrapped up an insightful #webinar on the pressing challenges of proliferation financing today. The panel, featuring experts from K2 Integrity, the U.S. Department of State, and the former United Nations Panel of Experts on DPRK, shed light on the Russian Federation's support for weapons development in North Korea and Iran, along with its obstruction of UN sanctions. 3 key takeaways include: 🌍 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲: The discussion highlighted the Russian Federation's support for weapons of mass destruction in North Korea and Iran, including launching missiles at European cities. The implications for financial institutions and the private sector were emphasized. 💪 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: The webinar focused on the importance of capacity building programs to enhance the understanding of proliferation finance risks, build law enforcement capacity, and strengthen the private sector's ability to identify and report suspicious transactions and counterparties. 🤝 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: The importance of international collaboration, risk-based monitoring, and communication between financial institutions was stressed. Effective communication and information sharing, particularly between correspondent banks, ordering banks, and beneficiary banks, play a crucial role in tracking illicit flows. 🎥  #ICYMI watch the recording on-demand: https://lnkd.in/gAt8PRr5 Thank you to Hugh Griffiths for sharing your insights from the field with us.

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I introduce my Latest book for China watchers on LinkedIn. 20 odd advanced technology fields relevant to augmentation of Chinese military capabilities have been briefly investigated.

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'... the agency has been mapping the technology gaps between the United States and China, based on the classified [NSA] China strategy. 'We've gotten through phase one of that. So we've curated a set of problems. We're now moving into phase two, where we're going to work with all the different solution organizations,” like In-Q-Tel ...' Mapping! Do software supply chains that feature China next. https://lnkd.in/gvkKDw2T

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6/8/24 Korean News and Commentary https://conta.cc/4aPDD7L 1. Voice of America: [Washington Talk] “Military agreement suspended, Korean military ‘shackles’ lifted… “Information warfare must be expanded across the board.” 2. North Korea—The Forgotten Human Rights Crisis 3. North Korea recalls documentary about Kim Jong Un’s mother 4. America’s Military Strategy: Can We Handle Two Wars at Once? 5. Kim Jong Un 'polite' and Trump 'practical'? Former leader's kind words cause an uproar 6. An American Company Enabled a North Korean Scam That Raised Money for WMDs 7. Dissecting Propaganda: Using AI to Cut Through North Korean TV Spin 8. It's Getting Heated—and Filthy—on the Korean Peninsula 9. Building Trust, Building Peace: Role Of Confidence-Building Measures On Korean Peninsula 10. Russia’s war in Ukraine has turned South Korea into a manufacturing hotspot 11. Deterring North Korean aggression remains primary goal, new fighter wing commander says 12. US warns North Korea against providing Putin platform for war aims 13. Surpass the Cutting Edge: Reflections on North Korea’s Failed May 27 Satellite Launch 14. N. Korea sends balloons carrying trash to S. Korea again: JCS 15. At UN, North Koreans beg China to stop sending escapees back 16. N. Korea, China, Russia expanding nuclear arsenals at ‘breakneck’ pace: White House official 17. S. Korea, U.S. to hold 3rd round of defense cost-sharing negotiations in Washington next week

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Kari Bingen and Audrey Schaffer of Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on why we should try to engage #China now on space norms. It is the right thing to do. It is in China's interest and ours to cooperate in certain areas. I also agree with "Such engagement is not a substitute for continued U.S. investments and policies that maintain U.S. global leadership in space, prepare the United States to protect and defend its space-related interests, and foster a vibrant U.S. commercial space sector." https://lnkd.in/ekr9533x

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7/5/24 Korean News and Commentary https://conta.cc/3We82c8 1. Yoon to travel to U.S. next week for NATO summit, Indo-Pacific Command visit 2. N. Korea underscores swift, accurate weather forecasts for agriculture during monsoon season 3. Love lost? How Putin could spoil a Trump push to rekindle ties with Kim Jong Un 4. After a lull, South Korea is suddenly talking about going nuclear again 5. Police endorse charges for man who said ROK should accept North Korean invasion 6. FM highlights importance of 'mutually considerate' attitude in bilateral ties with Japan 7. N. Korean officials shake down illegal profiteers for bribes 8. N. Korean women's union promotes superiority of socialist system 9. N. Korea to import equipment for hydropower plants 10. Deepening Russia-North Korea ties test US-South Korea deterrence strategy 11. [Interview: Former Deputy Secretary Armitage] 'The deployment of North Korean troops will be a bloody experiment' 12. Putin’s diplomacy with North Korea deepens the global risk in Ukraine 13. Podcast: John Linton: Why Korean reunification could happen tomorrow

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More great news on progress of FY25 #NDAA 10 U.S.C. § 333 revision [Senate version] Critical update will expand the scope of #IrregularWarfare BPC for strategic competition—absolutely required to assist partners maintain #sovereignty against adversary #GrayZone coercion & provide layer of irregular #deterrence to complement conventional and nuclear capabilities. https://lnkd.in/eanyBGFG Mick Crnkovich , Richard Tilley , Kevin B. , Nick Urbonowicz , Katie Breckenridge Crombe , Kaley Scholl , Doug Livermore , Joint Special Operations University , Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) , Irregular Warfare Initiative , Kyle Atwell , Zachary Griffiths , Michael Moad , James Micciche , Jan K. Gleiman (Ken) , Cole Livieratos , Rick Chersicla , David Maxwell , Arnel David , Jahara "FRANKY" Matisek (PhD) , Renanah Miles Joyce , Rick Manley , United States Senate Committee on Armed Services

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