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North Korea claims ‘abuse, racism’ drove US soldier to defect

Travis King defected to North Korea, citing mistreatment in the US Army. Pyongyang confirmed his captivity, using it for negotiations and anti-US propaganda, while tensions rise in the region.

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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — Travis King defected to North Korea to escape “mistreatment and racial discrimination in the US Army”, state media said Wednesday, Pyongyang’s first official confirmation they are holding the American soldier.

A private second class with a checkered disciplinary record, King was due to fly back to America in July but instead slipped out of the airport, joined a tourist trip to the DMZ and ran across the border into the North.

The United States has previously said that King crossed the border intentionally and without authorisation, and Pyongyang said Wednesday that King “admitted that he illegally intruded”, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

“Travis King confessed that he had decided to come over to the DPRK as he harbored ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the US Army,” KCNA added.

King “came to be kept under control by soldiers of the Korean People’s Army” after he crossed the border, KCNA said.

“He also expressed his willingness to seek refugee in the DPRK or a third country, saying that he was disillusioned at the unequal American society,” KCNA said, adding that a government investigation was still ongoing.

The United Nations Command, which oversees the armistice that ended fighting in the Korean War, confirmed last month it had begun a conversation with the North over King.

But US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the time that while contact had been made with the North Koreans, Washington still had no idea where King was or in what condition.

Propaganda opportunity

North Korea’s first official comment on King is pure propaganda, Soo Kim, policy practice area lead at LMI Consulting and former CIA analyst, told AFP.

“King’s crossing into North Korea provided the Kim regime an opportunity in several ways, the first of which is, of course, the potential for negotiations with the US over King’s release,” she said, adding that Pyongyang were “tough negotiators”, so it would not be easy for Washington to secure his release.

Pyongyang has a long history of detaining Americans and using them as bargaining chips in bilateral negotiations.

“It’s also an opportunity for the regime propaganda to do its thing — to spin the situation in such a way as to criticise the US and express Pyongyang’s deep-rooted hostility towards Washington,” she added.

Just before they issued their comments on King, KCNA put out a statement criticising discussion of Pyongyang’s rights record at the United Nations, in which it described America as “the anti-people empire of evils, totally depraved due to all sorts of social evils”.

“Not content with conniving at and fostering racial discrimination, gun-related crimes, child maltreatment and forced labor rampant in its society, the US has imposed unethical human rights standards on other countries and fomented internal unrest and confusion,” the statement reads.

Vladimir Tikhonov, professor of Korean studies at the University of Oslo, told AFP that because King “is Black, I would imagine that he possesses certain propaganda value for North Koreans”.

“The white racism and mistreatment of Blacks is a point North Korean propaganda traditionally emphasises, all the time since the Korean War, so King may be used to amplify this message,” he said.

King crossing the border comes as relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points ever, with diplomacy stalled and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un calling for increased weapons development, including of tactical nuclear warheads.

Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington are set to hold a trilateral summit at the US presidential retreat in Maryland on Friday, during which the leaders are expected to announce plans for expanding military cooperation against Pyongyang’s nuclear threats.

The summit “will set a new milestone in trilateral cooperation contributing to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region,” South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday.

— AFP

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Diplomacy

India PM Narendra Modi meets with PM Lawrence Wong; Four MoUs signed

India’s PM Modi visited Singapore, signing four MoUs with PM Wong to boost cooperation in digital technology, semiconductors, healthcare, and education. The visit strengthens bilateral ties and elevates their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, enhancing economic and diplomatic relations.

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5 September 2024

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India Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Singapore strengthens bilateral ties

SINGAPORE: India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, arrived in Singapore on Wednesday (4 Sept) for an official visit at the invitation of Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Accompanied by Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and other senior officials, PM Modi’s visit marks a significant step in the strengthening of India-Singapore relations, ahead of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of their bilateral strategic partnership, both set to be celebrated in 2025.

On Thursday (5 Sept), PM Modi and PM Wong held talks in Singapore City, resulting in the signing of four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at bolstering cooperation across various sectors.

These agreements signal the elevation of their bilateral ties to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”

The agreements were exchanged in the presence of PM Modi and PM Wong at Singapore’s Parliament House, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan representing their respective countries.

The first MoU, signed between Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, focuses on enhancing cooperation in digital technologies, such as Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), cybersecurity, 5G, and emerging technologies like supercomputing, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.

It also includes initiatives for upskilling and reskilling workers in the digital domain.

India-Singapore Partnership in Semiconductor Industry

The second MoU, signed between India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, establishes a partnership in the semiconductor sector.

The agreement will facilitate collaboration on semiconductor cluster development and talent nurturing, as well as investments by Singaporean companies in India’s semiconductor industry.

The third MoU, signed between India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Singapore’s Ministry of Health, aims to promote cooperation in health and medicine.

It includes joint efforts in research and innovation, human resource development in healthcare, and support for Indian healthcare professionals in Singapore.

The fourth MoU, signed between India’s Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Singapore’s Ministry of Education, focuses on educational cooperation and skills development, particularly in technical and vocational education and training.

This agreement complements ongoing initiatives between the two nations in skill development.

Following the discussions, PM Modi expressed his satisfaction with the talks in a post on social media platform X, highlighting the focus on cooperation in areas such as skilling, technology, healthcare, and artificial intelligence.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India also released a statement noting that the two leaders reviewed the progress of India-Singapore bilateral relations and decided to elevate their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a move expected to significantly boost India’s Act East Policy.

PM Modi also congratulated PM Wong on his recent appointment as Singapore’s Prime Minister, expressing confidence in the continued progress of Singapore under the leadership of its fourth-generation leaders.

The MEA further emphasized Singapore’s role as a leading economic partner for India, with investments totaling around US$150 billion in the Indian economy.

The two leaders also reviewed cooperation in defense, security, maritime domain awareness, education, financial technology, new technology domains, science and technology, and knowledge partnership.

They emphasized the importance of strengthening connectivity between the two countries to enhance economic and people-to-people ties.

On 5 September, PM Modi also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and senior ministers.

He will also engage with Singaporean business leaders and hold discussions with key figures in the semiconductor sector.

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Diplomacy

Philippine media mocks Malaysia over facing Beijing’s South China Sea ‘bullying’

A Philippine media outlet has disclosed a Chinese diplomatic note accusing Malaysia of “infringing” on China’s sovereignty in areas within its nine-dash line. In response, Malaysia is investigating the leak of the February document. On 5 September, PM Anwar Ibrahim reaffirmed that Malaysia would continue its oil and gas exploration despite China’s claims.

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5 September 2024

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MALAYSIA: A Philippine media outlet has revealed a diplomatic note from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accusing Malaysia of “infringing” on China’s sovereignty in areas covered by its nine-dash line.

Following the publication, Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday (4 September) that it is investigating the leak of a classified document that China had sent to its embassy in Beijing in February.

In an article published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer on 29 August, the media outlet shared the two-page diplomatic note from Beijing, which was obtained from a Malaysian journalist who wished to remain anonymous.

In the note, China reiterated its stance that Nankang Ansha and Beikang Ansha (both referred to as Beting Raja Jarum and Luconia Shoals in Malaysia) are part of the Spratly Islands, over which China claims sovereignty.

Source: Daily Inquirer

China argued that its position is supported by historical and legal evidence, including international laws such as the United Nations Charter and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

China objected to Malaysia’s unilateral oil and gas exploration activities in areas such as Timi, Kasawari, Jerun, Kayu Manis SE, F13, E11, Bokor, and Gumusut Kakap.

Beijing claims these activities infringe on its sovereignty and violate international law, particularly UNCLOS and the Declaration on the Conduct (DOC) of Parties in the South China Sea.

China expressed “serious concern” and “strong dissatisfaction” over these actions, urging Malaysia to respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and demanding an immediate halt to the oil and gas exploration activities.

Luconia Shoals, also known as Beting Patinggi Ali, is located around 160 kilometres off the coast of the state of Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo, and nearly 2,000km away from China’s Hainan Island.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territory based on historical maps, which overlap with the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, complicating energy exploration efforts by several of these economies.

In response to the leaked document, Malaysia’s foreign ministry issued a statement on Wednesday expressing grave concern over the leak, which it described as an official communication channel between the two countries.

Malaysia stated it would continue to defend its sovereignty and sovereign rights in the South China Sea, handle disputes peacefully, and engage with all concerned parties, including China, with which it shares close and active bilateral ties.

“Regarding the South China Sea, both countries have expressed commitment and determination to resolve any issues peacefully through consultations and dialogue using existing platforms and diplomatic channels, without recourse to disputes or violence.”

“Malaysia’s stance on the South China Sea remains unchanged,” the statement wrote.

“Malaysia will continue to defend its sovereignty, sovereign rights and interests in its maritime areas based on the 1979 Malaysia Map. ”

“This approach aligns with the universally recognised principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.”

Malaysia also reiterated its commitment to negotiations between ASEAN member states and China to finalize a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), in line with UNCLOS 1982.

As of August 2024, Malaysia and China are co-chairs of the ASEAN-China meetings on the implementation of the DOC and negotiations to finalize the COC, for a three-year term.

On 5 September, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim asserted that the country would continue its oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea, despite Beijing’s territorial claims.

As reported by Reuters, Anwar, who is on an official visit in Russia, said Malaysia’s exploration activities are conducted within its own territory and are not intended as a provocation or hostile act toward China, with whom it maintains friendly relations.

“Of course, we will have to operate in our waters and secure economic advantage, including drilling for oil, in our territory,” Anwar stated during a televised press conference in Vladivostok.

“We have never denied the possibility of discussion (with China). But it doesn’t mean we have to stop the operation in our area.”

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