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N.Korea blasted at UN for arms buildup while people suffer

North Korea faces UN accusations of prioritizing nuclear arms over citizens’ needs.

Economic decline, human rights violations, and forced labor fuel militarization, aggravating East Asian tensions.

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UNITED NATIONS, UNITED STATES — North Korea was accused at the UN Security Council Thursday of spending heavily on its nuclear arms program while its people go hungry and lack basic necessities.

Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the council that people in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have experienced increasingly severe political repression while economic conditions have worsened, with widespread systematic human rights violations.

“Many of the violations I have referred to stem directly from, or support, the increasing militarization of the DPRK,” he said.

He cited the widespread use of forced labor, including by children, to “support the military apparatus of the state and its ability to build weapons.”

The hearing, requested by the United States, was the first in the Security Council on human rights in North Korea in six years, and came as Pyongyang has sped up its testing of nuclear-capable missiles in the past year, heightening tensions across East Asia.

Surrounded by diplomats from more than 50 countries, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield denounced in a joint statement “human rights violations and abuses” that she said were “inextricably linked with the DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile development.”

Elizabeth Salmon, the UN Human Rights Office’s special rapporteur on North Korea, said the prolonged shutdown of the country’s borders, the result of global sanctions, has led to increased hardship for the people, including food shortages.

“The frozen conflict is being used to justify continued militarization within the DPRK with devastating effects on its people,” she said.

Salmon said Pyongyang’s policy is to prioritize resources for the military.

“The leadership in the DPRK continues to demand its citizens to tighten their belts so that the available resources could be used to fund the nuclear and missiles program,” she said.

Ilhyeok Kim, a North Korean defector, told the council that he had been forced at a young age to work in fields without compensation and that the grain they grew all went to the military.

“The government turns our blood and sweat into a luxurious life for the leadership and missiles that blast our hard work into the sky,” he said.

“The money spent on just one missile could feed us for three months,” he said.

In the hearing, most council members decried the deterioration of living conditions and human rights in North Korea, which lives under stiff sanctions instituted by the council and major countries over its nuclear weapons program.

While there was no delegate from Pyongyang present at the Security Council, representatives from China and Russia argued that it was not the place to review North Korean human rights issues.

Dmitry Polyansky, Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, denounced what he called “a cynical and hypocritical attempt by the US and its allies to advance their own political agenda.”

The two countries said the discussion was unconstructive and offered no solutions to bring down strategic tensions in the region.

— 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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