North Korea - Light and Shadow

Important Update added on February 12, 2016:



朝鲜宣布成功发射卫星

North Korea Proclaims the Successful Launch of a Satellite.

朝鲜中央通讯社7日报道，朝鲜当天上午利用运载火箭成功发射最新研制的对地观测卫星“光明星4号”，并将卫星顺利送入轨道。外交部发言人称，外交部副部长刘振民昨天紧急约见朝鲜驻华大使池在龙，就朝鲜利用弹道导弹技术发射卫星提出交涉。

朝鲜宣布成功发射

根据朝鲜国家宇宙开发局发布的公报，朝鲜当地时间7日上午9时（北京时间8时30分）在平安北道铁山郡西海卫星发射场发射“光明星4号”卫星。大约10分钟后，卫星顺利进入轨道，轨道斜角为 97.4度，近地点494.6公里，远地点500公里，每94分24秒绕地球一周。韩联社援引韩国国防部消息人士的话报道，朝鲜发射了一枚“远程火箭”，一级火箭推进器于首尔时间9时32分分离，炸成270多块碎片坠入朝鲜半岛西部海域，9时36分从韩方雷达上消失。

Summary of the Chinese text:

On February 7, the North Korean Central News Agency reported the successful launch of its newly built Earth observation satellite "Bright Star No.4" in the morning of that day.

According to a spokesman of [N Korea's] foreign ministry, the vice-minister of foreign affairs should have had an urgent meeting with [N Korea's] ambassador to China the day before. Therefore [it seems that] N Korea might be using its ballistic missile technology to advance negotiations.

.....
The satellite was launched on February 7 at 09:00 in the morning (i.e. 08:30 Beijing time) from N Korea's satellite launch pad in the north-western part of the country. Ten minutes later, the satellite was put on its trajectory with an orbit inclination of 97.4 degrees. Its distance from Earth being 494.6-500 km (perigee-apogee), the satellite needs 94 minutes 24 seconds for orbiting the Earth.

According to a spokesman of the South Korean ministry of defense, the North should have launched a "long-range missile" which decomposed into more than 270 debris parts landing in the western sea area of the Korean peninsula. At 09:36 [the missile or parts of it] disappeared from South Korean radar.

[Source: SINA 新闻中心 on February 8, 2016]




Location of North Korea's satellite launch pad.

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朝媒谈卫星图朝鲜一片添黑:灯光不能反应社会本质

North Korean media discussing a satellite image
that is showing N Korea as an area of darkness:
Lighting should not reflect society's qualities.

[Source: Chinanews 中国新闻网 on February 3, 2015]

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Breaking News on February 11, 2016:

North Korean chief of general staff reportedly executed.

According to Yonhap, the South Korean news agency, North Korea’s Chief of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) General Staff Ri Yong Gil was reportedly executed sometime earlier this month. He should have been in office since 2013 until his disappearance after January 10, 2016.

However, it should not be taken for granted that General Ri has really been executed. There were other North Korean officials before him who reappeared in public after rumours of their execution.

Under the assumption that Ri was executed, the purge might have taken place due to his expression of dissatisfaction over the increasing Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) control over the KPA and prioritizing the party over the military.

Recently, Kim Jong Un held an “enlarged joint meeting” on February 2-3, just three days before North Korea’s recent rocket launch. During the meeting, Kim pointed out his intent to bring about changes to the KPA.

“The KPA must head only in the direction where the supreme leader points,” Kim said during the speech. “The whole of the party and our military must put up a struggle to exterminate the practices of seeking privileges, misuse of authority, abuse of power and bureaucratism.”

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Basketball champion and former NBA star Dennis Rodman said
he and other former National Basketball Association players are
planning a match in North Korea that will be a "birthday present"
for one of their most unlikely fans: Kim Jong Un. [6 January 2014]

罗德曼揭金正恩奢华私生活:拥私人岛屿和游艇

Rodman reveals Kim Jong Un's luxurious private life:
Possession of private islands and a pleasure boat.
[Source: XinHua 新华 on 24 December 2013]



Kim Jong Un's private yacht is worth some £4.5 million.
[Text: Daily Telegraph - Picture: N Korean news agency]

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Year of the Monkey 2016

A Happy Chinese New Year
Welcome Year of the Monkey

Overloaded tricycle spotted moving through the
downtown streets in Shanghai. [People's Daily]

North Korea - Alarming News

Rumours of North Korea planning to launch another rocket and which should be carrying a satellite have aroused suspicion by its neighbours. Here are the news of the day:



韩国：朝鲜将在8至25号之间发射火箭

South Korea: The North will undertake its 25th Rocket Launch on [February] 8.

[Source: Phenix news center 凤凰 on February 6, 2015]




严阵以待！日本神盾舰集结应对朝鲜火箭

Ready for Battle! Japanese Aegis ships [i.e. warships
equipped with an Aegis combat system] are massing
as a reaction to the North Korean rocket [launch].

近日，日本媒体报道了日本海上自卫队主力宙斯盾驱逐舰集结的画面，对于朝鲜计划发射火箭严加戒备。

In the past few days, Japanese media reported that Japan sent its naval defense unit's main force, the Aegis destroyers, to build up a some [combat] scenario, being alarmed by a tightening situation when North Korea is planning to launch another rocket.

[Original Source: Global Network 环球网, quoted by Chinanews on February 6, 2016]

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Visitors interested in North Korea's proceedings:

ISIL Threatening the West

ناطق بالفرنسية في فيديو إعدام جديد لداعش

French speaker in a video about another execution by ISIL.

نشر تنظيم داعش السبت على الإنترنت شريط فيديو جديدا لعملية إعدام 5 عراقيين قتلهم بالرصاص 5 من عناصره يتقدمهم داعشي ناطق بالفرنسية توعد الغربيين بهجمات "تنسيهم" هجمات نيويورك وباريس.ـ

On Saturday [Jan.31] and in a new video placed on the internet, ISIL organization proclaimed the execution of five Iraqis shot at near distance by five of their members [while] some francophone speaker threatened Westeners with attacks ["less forgettable"] than the attacks of New York and Paris.

The execution took place in Nineveh governorate the capital of which is Mosul, now an ISIL stronghold in northern Iraq.

[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on January 31, 2016]

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A similar execution of 25 soldiers belonging to the army of Syrian president Assad was reported by Al-Arabiya in July 2015. The execution should have taken place on May 21, 2015, in front of an ancient Greco-Roman style ruin in the historic parts of Palmyra township which now belongs to Homs governorate, Syria.



Al-Arabiya video from July 4, 2015

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Related News on Terrorism:



الداخلية السعودية: مليون ريال لمن يدلى بمعلومات عن إرهابى

The Saudi ministry of the interior: Millions of Riyal
for those who give information about terrorism.

ورصدت وزارة الداخلية السعودية مبلغ 7 ملايين ريال مكافآة لمن يساهم فى إحباط عملية إرهابية، كما رصدت مبلغ 5 ملايين ريال أخرى لمن يكشف عن خلية إرهابية، ومليون ريال لمن ينقل معلومات عن إرهابى.ـ

The Saudi ministry of the interior provides a sum of seven million Riyal as a recompensation for those who help to foil a terrorist operation. Another sum of five million Riyal is being provided for those who reveal a terrorist cell, and one million Riyal for those who communicate information about terrorism.

3.75 Saudi Riyal SAR = 1 U.S.$ (January 2016)

[Source: Youm7 اليوم السابع, Egyptian news center, on January 31, 2016]

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Closing In on North Korea

After an alleged H-bomb test, the international community is now closing in on North Korea. Even Russia and China are willing to find a way to inhibit North Korea threatening the world with its nuclear arsenal.

Here some quotations from two related articles that appeared on January 14, 2016, on the website of a Philippine daily. Both articles are hinting at the formation of a rare alliance between the U.S., South Korea and Japan on one side as well as China and Russia on the other side.

North Korea’s U.N. mission circulated a report from the country’s news agency saying the Jan. 6 test wasn’t to “threaten” or “provoke” anyone but was indispensable to build a nuclear force “to cope with the U.S. ever-more undisguised hostile policy” toward the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea [DPRK], the country’s official name.

It said North Korean scientists and technicians “are in high spirit to detonate H-bombs … capable of wiping out the whole territory of the U.S. all at once as it persistently moves to stifle the DPRK.”

Former Los Alamos National Laboratory director Siegfried Hecker, one of the world’s top experts on North Korea’s nuclear program, said last week he did not believe it tested “a real hydrogen bomb,” and that “North Korea is still a long way off from being able to strike the U.S. mainland.”

But Hecker, who has visited the North seven times since 2004, said in an interview with Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation, that the most worrisome result of the test is that North Korea “will have achieved greater sophistication in their bomb design.” He added that “at this point, what makes their nuclear arsenal more dangerous is not so much explosive power of the bomb, but its size, weight and the ability to deliver it with missiles.”

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the U.S. mission to the United Nations.

The Security Council last approved sanctions against North Korea three weeks after its third nuclear test on Feb. 12, 2013. That resolution was largely negotiated by the United States and China, North Korea’s traditional ally.

South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye called Wednesday [i.e. January 13, 2016] for Chinese help to launch what she calls the “strongest” international sanctions on North Korea over the nuclear test.

The council diplomat said the United States, which is leading the current negotiations, is consulting closely with China but also with other council members, including Japan. The diplomat said a new resolution isn’t expected immediately, likely not in less than three weeks.

[Source: INQUIRER.net, news center related to the Philippine daily INQUIRER on January 14, 2016]

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Opinion from China:



朝鲜任性，韩国舆论怨不得中国

North Korea being headstrong, South Korea's public opinion cannot blame China.

[Source: Global Times 环球时报 on January 15. The above photo
is showing the president of South Korea while delivering a speech.]

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Washington, United States—President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin joined Wednesday [January 13, 2016] in calling for a tough global response to North Korea’s recent nuclear test, even as they remained at odds over Ukraine and Syrian President Bashar Assad.

In a wide-ranging phone call, Obama and Putin appeared to speak past one another about the situation in eastern Ukraine, according to each country’s description of the call. The White House said Obama had called for Russia to fulfill its obligations under a cease-fire deal; the Kremlin said Putin has emphasized the need for Ukraine to meet its commitments under that same deal.

On North Korea’s claim to have tested a hydrogen bomb, at least, the leaders seemed in agreement. The Kremlin said they’d agreed that if proven true, the claim would require “a tough international reaction,” while the White House said they’ve discussed the need for “a strong and united international response.” The U.S. has cast doubt on the North’s claim that its test involved a hydrogen bomb but has said whatever was tested constituted a provocative act.

Despite steep disagreements on Ukraine, Syria and other issues, Obama and Putin have continued to engage on areas where their views at least partially overlap.

The two leaders last met in person in November on the sidelines of a summit.

[Source: INQUIRER.net, news center related to the Philippine daily INQUIRER on January 14, 2016]

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Recent visitors from Russia are interested in North Korean items:





North Korea acting on the danger of chemical warfare .....



U.S. closing in on North Korea .....

China's 2nd Aircraft Carrier

Update added on January 12 / 17, 2016:




Photo: J-15 fighter ready for take-off on China's aircraft carrier "Liaoning".


简氏:中国第二艘航母仍搭载歼15 不会同时造多艘航母

"Jane's Defence Weekly" [简氏防务周刊]:
China's 2nd mothership still in construction will carry J-15 fighters.
It is unlikely that many motherships are being built at the same time.

An article in the British weekly publication "Jane's Defence" is quoting the spokesman of China's ministry of defence and who launched the information of a second aircraft carrier for Shenyang J-15 fighters being built in addition to the already well-known carrier "Liaoning" on December 31, 2015.

[Source: People's Network 人民网 on January 9, 2016]


A brandnew video on military development in East Asia and which was launched on January 6, 2016, by IFENG 凤凰, a Chinese news center publishing in the West, delivered the following information:



陆自造航母上级——可望今年下水

Land built mothership reaches next level.
This year's launch being already in sight.

日：上海在建第三膄航母 仍难挑战美国

Japan: Third mothership already in construction in Shanghai.
[However,] it remains difficult to challenge the U.S. to battle.

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Further news on China's maritime activity:



On January 12, 2016, the Guangdong detachment of China Coast Guard introduced another surveillance ship bearing the identity number 44104. The newly released 1660 tons vessel has an overall length of 91.7 m its width being 12.3 m. It is therefore bigger than any up to now deployed coast guard vessel. The ship can operate at a maximum wind speed of 46 m/s (i.e. force 11 wind on the Beaufort scale), its radius of operation being 3000 nautical miles for a self-supporting period of 40 days. The new vessel can carry one 9c-type helicopter and is equipped with state-of-the-art satellite based electronic device.

[Source: People's Network on January 12, 2015]

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North Korea's Alleged H-Bomb Test

Important source added on January 9, 2015.



KCNA - Korean Central News Agency (Pyongyang, North Korea)

Today early in the morning, North Korea carried out a nuclear test that should have been the first test of a hydrogen bomb. However, Western sources still doubt it was a successful test as the announced kind of weapon should have produced a much higher effect than was detected by sophisticated seismic observation in the U.S.A..

On the same day, China's news agency XinHua compared seismic data collected in China and the U.S.A.:

另据朝中社６日报道，朝鲜最高领导人金正恩代表朝鲜劳动党于去年１２月１５日下达进行氢弹试验命令，并于今年１月３日签署最终命令。

On [January] 6 and according to a separate report from the Korean Central News Agency (朝鲜中央通讯社), North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong Un, on December 15 and on behalf of the North Korean Workers' Party, made known to have given the order for the test of a hydrogen bomb, and he signed the final order on January 3 [2016].

６日上午１０时左右，新华社记者正在平壤市区采访，未感到震感。首都平壤街头一切正常。

On [January] 6 at about 10:00 am, a correspondent of XinHua agency, while gathering news in Pyongyang, did not feel a [seismic shock]. In the capital Pyongyang all streets [remained untouched].

中国地震台网中心网站发布信息，格林尼治时间６日１时３０分（北京时间６日９时３０分），朝鲜发生４．９级地震，震中位于北纬４１．３度、东经１２９．１度，震源深度为０．０公里。 另据美国地质勘探局地震信息网报道，格林尼治时间６日１时３０分（北京时间６日９时３０分），朝鲜发生５．１级地震，震中位于北纬４１．３０８５度、东经１２９．０３３７度，震源深度１０．０公里。

The center for China's network of seismic stations issued information that on [January] 6 at 01:30 GMT (i.e. 09:30 Beijing local time) North Korea experienced a 4.9 degree [seismic shock], its center located at 41.3 degrees north latitude and 129.1 degrees east longitude, the [seismic] focus lying at a depth of 0.0 km.

Separately, the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Information Network reported a [seismic shock] of 5.1 degrees on [January] 6 at 01:30 GMT (09:30 Beijing Time), the seismic center being located at 41.3085 degrees north latitude and 129.0337 degrees east longitude, the focus at a depth of 10.0 km.

朝鲜此前宣布分别于２００６年、２００９年、２０１３年成功进行了３次地下核试验。

North Korea earlier declared having separately carried out three subterranean nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

[Source: People's Network on January 6, 2016]




朝鲜试爆氢弹疑造假 当量不及原子弹

The North Korean H-bomb explosion is probably a fake.
[Strength of explosion] is not reaching an atomic bomb.

[Source: Military site of Ifeng news center on January 6, 2016]

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朝鲜宣布拥有氢弹背后意图曝光 中国迅速亮明立场

North Korea declares to possess a H-bomb
and ulterior motives are exposed to the sun.
China rapidly makes clear its position.

金正恩为何选择在此时提起氢弹？

Why did Kim Jong Un decide to raise
the item of a H-bomb just at this time ?

Last December (2015), a semi-official Chinese news source already discussed the capability of Kim Jong Un's North Korea to build a H-bomb:

据朝中社10日报道，近日，朝鲜领导人金正恩突然宣布朝鲜目前已经掌握了氢弹技术。 此番言论并未如以前金氏在朝核问题上的表态那般在国际社会引起轩然大波，只有中国 外交部第一时间作出反应，表示坚持半岛无核化立场。

According to a report from the [North] Korean Central News Agency on [December] 10 [2015], North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un unexpectedly declared that North Korea at present already controls the H-bomb technology. This remark is not [the same] like a previously stated standpoint of Kim in the frame of the North Korean nuclear subject and which caused a mighty uproar of the international community. [However] only China's ministry of foreign affairs showed a first time reaction and made clear [it would] insist on [its] position of inhibiting nuclear proliferation on the Korean peninsula. .....

朝鲜真的已经能够造出氢弹了吗？

Is North Korea really capable of building a H-bomb ?

=> Result of the Chinese article's evaluation:

在此前提下，制造以小型原子弹作为引信的氢弹难度非常之大。

From the earlier mentioned [facts] follows that difficulties [will be] unusually high to use a small-sized atomic bomb as the detonator of a H-bomb.

[Source: China.com / CRI online (China Radio International) 国际在线 on December 14, 2015]

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The war of nerves continues .....