Korean Peninsula Developments

Redlands18

Well-Known Member
South Korea seeks stronger defence ties with Australia - Australian Defence Magazine
An interesting article from ADM on future ties between ROK and Australia, a number of interesting points from the ROK Minister for Defence acquisition, incl.
Possibly building AS-21 Redbacks in Geelong for export to other customers and also the ROK.
Reducing the crew of the K-9 from 5 to 3.
Developing a semi-autonomous fleet of K-9s based on 1 vehicle with a 3 man crew, controlling a battery of up to 5 more each requiring a driver only.
ROK is working with Deakin University on AI and autonomy for the AS-9/AS-10.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group

Put it here, as this is the extent of ROK ambitions to increase their share on global arms trade. Reminder to other countries that have ambitions to be player in Arms Export (Like Turkiye or India/Bharat). It is expensive to be serious player on Arms Market.
 

Meriv90

Active Member
Reconnecting with what i wrote sometime ago that IMHO the peninsula is not defensible against China considering the centric(Seoul) model of Korean urbanization.


I don't know if I'm interpreting this wrongly but it is interesting how the only non Chinese made part of the phone is Korean, being the memory chip.

I heard the video a week ago while driving, so i cannot pin point exactly where in the video it is.

From Forbes:



And consider the US investment in the sector.


To me the impression is that SK more than be like Japan, it is going to be like Swiss in case of a conflict.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group

Put it here and not ROKN thread, as this is can create more geopolitical changes in the region. This is create question whether this is a trend of US allies demanding SSN capabilities as contagious factor from AUKUS?

Asside Big 5, only two countries now embarking on their SSN project. India and later on Brazil. Both can be considered as non US/Western allies, and more as independent powers. India SSN more beneficial from India experience on operating Russian SSN. While Brazil use their own reactor design, but with French assistance to integrate into submarine.

RoK has good tech capabilities as civilian reactor producer. So does Japan. Will Japan going to follow through on their own SSN if ROK done this? Both of them definitely has their own capabilities as mature nuclear energy players, with their own nuclear industry. This will remain to political will and US compromise.

How this going to be seen by DPRK and China, remain to be seen. DPRK I suspect will not be please if ROK decide to go more open toward nuclear tech in military purpose. This is only propulsion, but it is potentially going to be seen by some further step to arming themselves with nuclear warheads. Either way, both ROK and Japan have tech to do it, should they choose.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro

Put it here and not ROKN thread, as this is can create more geopolitical changes in the region. This is create question whether this is a trend of US allies demanding SSN capabilities as contagious factor from AUKUS?

Asside Big 5, only two countries now embarking on their SSN project. India and later on Brazil. Both can be considered as non US/Western allies, and more as independent powers. India SSN more beneficial from India experience on operating Russian SSN. While Brazil use their own reactor design, but with French assistance to integrate into submarine.

RoK has good tech capabilities as civilian reactor producer. So does Japan. Will Japan going to follow through on their own SSN if ROK done this? Both of them definitely has their own capabilities as mature nuclear energy players, with their own nuclear industry. This will remain to political will and US compromise.

How this going to be seen by DPRK and China, remain to be seen. DPRK I suspect will not be please if ROK decide to go more open toward nuclear tech in military purpose. This is only propulsion, but it is potentially going to be seen by some further step to arming themselves with nuclear warheads. Either way, both ROK and Japan have tech to do it, should they choose.
I think if either / or both the ROKN and the JAMSDF obtain SSNs the squealing and screaming out of Beijing will reach new heights. They will not have a sense of humour about that.
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
It looks like North-Korea desperately needs attention.


These artillery actions made South-Korea decide that it will not regard the agreements about the buffer zones anymore as effective.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Some years ago I was tracking NK and at that time I had the clear impression that 38north.org provided some of the best public analyses of NK policy and politics.

Now they see several warning signals, indicating a fundamental shift and possibly even preparations for an attack. Do people on this forum share their concern?

Is Kim Jong Un Preparing for War? - 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea
Their analysis has always been pretty good, so I think that they are onto something here. Kim may believe that the US is mired so deep with problems such as Russo - Ukrainian War, PRC, Russia and the Middle East, that it won't be in a position to react if / when he attacks the south. The Korean War has never ended and as such the UN is still involved in the war. If he used nukes, I believe that the US would respond in kind, especially if US forces are targeted.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group


Quite tough tone from ROK president, but at same time by adopting this Nuclear Deterrence Guidelines with US, in my opinion this is also strengthen notion of US Nuclear umbrella for ROK.

There's talk in ROK defense circle for independent ROK nuclear deterrence. Something that being put as potential changes in US position for Nuclear Umbrella. Eventough not as advance Japan yet, but ROK being asses not far behind Japan in Nuclear Tech. Including capabilities to build weapon grade fisile materials. US Nuclear umbrella for sometime has been one thing that hold both ROK and Japan going full nuke. Still with both ROK and Japan domestic missiles capabilities, I believe both also keep the option for independent nuclear deterrence in hand.

Meanwhile US Indo-Pac Commander comment on ROK SSN, clear shown support on ROK SSN move. I do really want to see how ROK going to source the reactor, whether domestically (which they're fully capable on developing ones) or from US source. KSS3 being talk as base for ROK own SSN. If that the case, just like Brazil they are going (if goes own domestic source) to goes with smaller reactor. Perhaps 50-60MW class.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group


DPRK seems want to reopen International Tourism again. Off course unlike anywhere else the Tourism to DPRK has to be arrange in Group. Has to be arrange by license agreed Tour Group, with guides from DPRK approve lists.


This is website of North Korean tour for Indonesian market. So far Indonesia still on the lists of DPRK acknowledge 'friendlies' countries. Thus become target market for North Korean tourism. From what I gather, DPRK aim to certain nations in Asia as effort to give public awareness of the other 'Korea' then KPop and KDrama.

Seems this is their effort to reengage friendlies international while at same time gaining some hard currencies. The tour from my understanding if reopen, still will need come from Beijing. Perhaps now they will also open Vladivostok as another entry point.

Anyone care for some 'Kim's' entertainment?

Add:

A TikTok video from Indonesian that done Tourism in DPRK (before it's closing) last time. It gain interest from young Milenials and Gen Z in here, to see other side of Korea.
 
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Ananda

The Bunker Group

I don't agree with SCMP as calling this as outreach.

"Only by firmly defending our freedom can we become the leading force driving free and democratic unification,” Yoon said. He also pledged to raise awareness about human rights abuses in North Korea, which has bristled for years at criticism of its rights record.
In my opinion ROK Yoon just add additional tit for tat response to DPRK Kim's family. It might be more outreach in the mask. Basically ROK saying unification will happen by our term. In fact bit more as challange in the mask.

Considering Yoon's own conservative political faction, this is not surprising. However the situation between two Korea, I don't think will be warming up as in previous Moon's administration. Yoon's seems going on opposite approach on shown ROK now has more power and momentum.
 

Capt. Ironpants

Active Member
Here we go guys, A bizarre new form of warfare! The DPRK launches 420+ trash-filled balloons over the border that go splat in the ROK (ewww!) The ROK retaliates by blasting KPop into the DPRK over powerful loudspeakers (also ewww!).
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