Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 1d

North Korean state TV has begun broadcasting a military parade in Pyongyang to mark the 80th founding anniversary of its ruling party. Follow along with English commentary via the good folks at NK Pro, if you're into that kind of thing.

North Korea Military Parade 2025 - Livestream & Analysis (NK News/NK PRO)

YouTube video by NK News

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by William Gallo

Ankit Panda @nktpnd.bsky.social · 1d

First look at the Hwasong-20: North Korea's massive new solid-fuel ICBM.

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Reposted by William Gallo

Dr. Mark P. Barry ☯︎ @drmarkpbarry.bsky.social · 1d

N. Korea rolls out new Hwasong-20 ICBM at military parade to mark party anniv. | Yonhap News Agency en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2025...

N. Korea rolls out new Hwasong-20 ICBM at military parade to mark party anniv. | Yonhap News Agency

By Kim Soo-yeon SEOUL, Oct. 11 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has staged a military parade to ...

en.yna.co.kr

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 1d

Trump says he hasn't canceled his meeting with Xi after all. Says he'll "be there regardless." Meaning in Korea at the APEC meeting, seemingly.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Hours after posting that "there seems to be no reason" to meet with President Xi, Trump now says "I would assume we might have" a meeting after all

William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 1d

A helpful overview of Japan's political crisis, by @tobiasharris.bsky.social.

Kōmeitō quits the coalition

A guide for the perplexed

open.substack.com

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 1d

Btw, I do not think enough Korea watchers subscribe to the JoongAng Daily Briefing newsletter. So many good nuggets in there.

Korea Joongang Daily Newsletter

Subscribe to the Korea JoongAng Daily Newsletter and stay updated with the biggest headlines of the day, written by the reporters from the Korea JoongAng Daily!

share.google

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 1d

Ditching the family holiday gathering so you can go watch Ben-Hur with your buddies. Honestly, I sort of get it. Sort of.

Seniors prioritize personal happiness, redefine holiday traditions during Chuseok

As family-centered holiday traditions fade, more Korean seniors are choosing to spend Chuseok on their own terms, watching old movies, dancing at “silver” clubs and enjoying the peace that comes after...

koreajoongangdaily.joins.com

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Reposted by William Gallo

Tobias Harris @tobiasharris.bsky.social · 1d

Ishiba's address on the eightieth anniversary of the end of the war is really worth reading:

japan.kantei.go.jp/content/0001...

japan.kantei.go.jp

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 2d

Kim Jong Un's government remains "politically resilient but economically brittle," says William Brown.

Power on Parade but Crisis at Home as North Korea’s Economy Wavers - Korea Economic Institute of America

The Kim regime has weathered adversity before, but today’s convergence of inflation, fiscal opacity, and decay poses deeper, more structural challenges.

keia.org

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 2d

"Kim likely hopes his diplomacy with Moscow and Beijing might serve as a model for possible talks with President Trump in which the nuclear issue may be glossed over," says Syd Seiler.

Kim Jong-un’s Flurry of Diplomacy - Beyond Parallel

This first appeared as a CSIS Korea Chair Platform here. In […]

beyondparallel.csis.org

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 2d

Trump and KJU could theoretically find common ground, but "the de facto recognition of North Korea as a nuclear power could potentially catalyze a new nuclear arms race in East Asia and the effective demise of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," argues Glyn Ford.

Where Next on the Peninsula? - 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea

There is an open opportunity for President Trump in negotiations with Kim Jong Un to confound ...

www.38north.org

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 2d

China "stands ready to strengthen high-level exchanges and strategic communication" with North Korea, says Chinese Premier Li Qiang during a visit to Pyongyang, according to Chinese state media.

China ready to strengthen strategic communication with DPRK, says Premier Li

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Thursday that China stands ready to strengthen high-level exchanges and strategic communication with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

english.www.gov.cn

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 5d

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Dr. Mark P. Barry ☯︎ @drmarkpbarry.bsky.social · 5d

'Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult,' by Jonathan Cheng (4/14/26) www.amazon.com/dp/152473349...

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · 20d

"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.”

President Lee criticizes 'submissive mindset' of people who believe Korea needs foreign troops

President Lee Jae Myung sparked controversy Sunday, a day before departing for New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, by criticizing on Facebook people who believe self-reliant defens...

koreajoongangdaily.joins.com

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Reposted by William Gallo

Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 25d

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...

“동맹과 협력하던 美 아니다” 외교 수장 조현, 이례적 공개 비판 | 중앙일보

조현 외교부 장관이 16일 "과거에 많은 동맹국이나 우방국들에 상당히 좋은 협력을 해 오던 미국이 아니라는 걸 실감하고 있다"고 말했다. 조 장관은 이날 국회 외교·통일·안보 분야 대정부질문에서 미국 내 한국인 근로자 구금 사태와 관련해 "탈냉전 이후에 30년이 지나고 나서 국제 정세가 변하고 있었고, 또 유럽이나 미국이나 이민 문제로 몸살을 앓으면서 미국...

www.joongang.co.kr

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · Aug 26

At CSIS, South Korea's Lee acknowledges Trump sent a "very threatening post" and that his staff was worried there might be a "Zelensky moment." But Lee says he wasn't worried because he had read Trump's Art of the Deal book ahead of the meeting.

Transcript via CSIS:

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · Aug 26

By all indications, Trump's "purge" comments weren't a major focus at the Lee-Trump summit, though there were some awkward moments. Details via the Korea Herald:

Lee tells Trump special counsel probe targeted Korean military systems, not US forces

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, in his first summit with US President Donald Trump, said ongoing raids in South Korea were part of a fact-finding investig

www.koreaherald.com

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · Aug 25

South Korea's presidential office says it's "checking the situation" following Trump's remarks about a "purge" in South Korea, Yonhap reports.

(URGENT) Presidential office says checking situation following Trump's remarks on 'purge' in S. Korea | Yonhap News Agency

en.yna.co.kr

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · Aug 25

FWIW: Gordon Chang, who has been at the forefront of the Korean "Stop the Steal" campaign to defend Yoon, was scheduled to be on Fox Business this morning to discuss "South Korea issues" ahead of the Lee-Trump summit.

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · Aug 25

Though some South Korean conservatives have for months tried to rally US support for Yoon, Trump has remained almost completely quiet on the issue.

Of course, there was this White House statement two months ago, following Lee's election:

William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · Jun 4

Secondly, the White House is explicitly referencing the election of Lee Jae-myung in the context of what it calls Chinese interference. I've been following US-South Korea relations for a while, and I don't remember a similar statement.

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · Aug 25

For context: if fully implemented, Yoon’s martial law decree would have outlawed all political activity and required journalists to report to the military – measures not seen since South Korea emerged from a military dictatorship in the 1980s.

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · Aug 25

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)

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · Aug 25

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."

(LEAD) Lee says difficult to agree on demand on strategic flexibility of USFK | Yonhap News Agency

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks, details in paras 14-25; RECASTS headline, first 3 paras)By Ki...

m-en.yna.co.kr

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Reposted by William Gallo

Dan Sneider @dcsneider.bsky.social · Aug 22

english.hani.co.kr/arti/english...

Lee vows not to overturn pacts with Japan on ‘comfort women,’ forced labor

The South Korean president’s comments came in the lead-up to his summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba

english.hani.co.kr

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William Gallo @williamgallo.bsky.social · Aug 19

"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."

In northern Michigan, thousands of troops train for combat across the Pacific

For the first time in its decade-plus history, Northern Strike shifts from its traditional European scenario to a simulated Indo-Pacific backdrop.

www.stripes.com

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